City Commission - Regular Meeting

invocation. My pledge by Commissioner Mike McDonald. Most gracious and heavenly father, we thank you for another day to uh be counted amongst the living and not amongst the dead. Uh we thank you for this workshop that we're about to embark upon and uh the business um at hand that we're considering. And we pray that all that we do be pleasing in your sight. Uh we ask that we are able to reason together and to make the decisions that will be most beneficial to our city. We ask all these prayers in your son Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Amen. Pleasure to pray. of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Okay, we have a roll call by clerk, please. Mayor B. Vice Mayor Squa Cowan Williams. Commissioner McPearson present. Commissioner McDonald present. Commissioner Scott present.

City manager present. City attorney here. City clerk um present. We're going to move forward with our agenda. Uh the the topic of this agenda of this workshop is uh the business of the month criteria. Uh we're going to open for discussion. Um I guess I don't know if we want to have a brief explanation by do we need an explanation by attorney on on this or this it would be the manager. Okay. By city manager. I'm sorry. Okay.

Okay. um in reference to this particular um item, it's just that the commissioners wanted to decide on a criteria for the business of the month. Um the are we going to I don't know if they're going to do business of the month or business of the quarter? I guess it's business month. Uh the mayor the mayor had asked that we have the business of the month and so discussion is needed by you all to decide the criterias of how you're going to choose your businesses. Okay. Uh, yes. Now, I think if I'm not mistaken, I believe M. McDonald um had some questions and uh some concerns about the criteria and we'll just open up for discussion for each commissioner, but we'll start with her.

And if I may, um, Commissioner McDonald, on this sheet that the clerk prepared, it does have some proposed eligibility requirements. Um, so they mentioned I'll read those to you all. Uh, business must be physically located within the city of Pokei municipal limits. Must possess a current and valid active business tax receipt and all required licenses, permits. Must be in good standing with the city, no outside code violations, unpaid fees, or delinquent taxes. Must have been in continuous operation for a minimum of 6 months. Must not have been selected as business of the month within the previous 12 months. So, those are some prop uh proposed eligibility requirements uh listed on this page.

Okay. Um first of all, let me just um set the record straight. I wasn't sure. So I would I think Mayor Bab had asked for the meeting, but I think um yeah, I think you added I did interject, but I know it's all

that we do need to have a criteria cuz I asked that question several times before prior to being positioned and seated on this day is. So, um it's only fair that we have criteria cuz we don't want to be willy-nilly about it and uh choosing the same people all the time, uh unless there's just a a quite a disparaging difference in the way that they're presenting their business as opposed to the way others are presenting theirs. So um I only ask that you know we establish a criteria so that we can avoid having to explain ourselves um with regards to any questions that we might receive from the citizens. So it's not something that I personally um am asking for. I just think it's only fair that we do have a criteria. I do have a business and um I've been in operation since 2021 and have maintained my business tax certificate since then

and I've never been selected. So I just want to know and understand uh that we do have a criteria in place for that. So, um that's my only take on it.

And I was looking at uh one of the things that you have on the 12 months. Um can someone give us a estimate? I mean, do we have a number of businesses that how many numbers? Yes, a whole bunch of them. I didn't realize we had that many businesses. I excuse me. I placed a packet um with the email the city clerk sent you and it has a proposed uh legibility criteria here and it has the list of businesses as well. So the packet that you had on yeah that that's what I was speaking of is I didn't realize we had this many. Yeah, it looks like it says one to one

it's almost 198 records. Well, some of them over here twice. Some of them are on here for twice. Mhm. May I? Sure. Um, yes, I'm sure. Some of them may be there more than twice because they have uh two classifications. Oh, okay. Um, in the same business like SAT has two three different ones. One for the I have three too. So, I do understand that. Yes. Okay.

And also, you may not everybody may not have a storefront. Some people may have businesses they operate out of their home. That's in here too. Oh, and so I saw vowing community impact in here three times. And then also on your packet in addition to the eligibility requirements, she also has listed proposed evaluation criteras that go along with that. You will decide to to take it from there. It was not

I don't um foresee an issue with any of the requirements that are listed here. Um I don't know, maybe somebody has some that they want to add, but we just need to um like I said, establish a criteria and uh ensure that we're consistent with um making sure that the business meets that criteria. I don't know if there's a checklist that we use whenever we select them or how that works, but um certainly would wouldn't take an act of God to create one.

I think when I looked at like this just come up and they'll just select I guess what um commissioner each commission was taking turns just selecting know that's fine too. I mean, no, I'm just saying I'd rather like what you say. I rather have a question. But we do need to make sure that the criteria is followed. I I have a question though. If we we're talking about the criteria for community involvement. So, in order to get the business of the month like um say for instance um participation in local events, sponsorships or charitable and city initiative. So, you're saying if they don't do any of this, they're not allowed to be a city. They're not allowed to be a business of the month. So that's proposed.

I mean that's the way I would interpret it. So we definitely would need to um ensure that we put that out so that they know what's going to be required uh of them if they are selected uh prior to them being selected uh business of the month. So to be eligible all of these uh criteria listed here must be met. But when we do our evaluation, um I would say at least a couple of those criteria that you know are in addition to the eligibility requirements should also be met. So you know that way maybe someone would be motivated or inspired or however to uh participate beyond opening and closing the door of their business. And I think

so. Can they just explain to me when they say civic initiatives, what are they expecting from the business when they put this on here? When they say civic initiatives, I think what Miss Clark did, she just gave you all some proposed is whatever you all want to add or or delete. She just sent out some proposals. So is she, you know, it's completely up to you all to add, delete, you know, or discuss. But she uh Miss Clark was just trying. So what do they mean civic initiative? involved in any um type of um public improvement or the betterment of the city of Pokei as a whole, you know, like not necessarily being political about it, but helping to advance.

So, as I said, I think we should be specific so they can at least know what it is that we're expecting of them. And say for instance, like if they don't ever do any sponsorships, like are we going around? Are we asking this? We got over a hund and some businesses. Are we asking them so if they don't volunteer and say they don't meet the requirement any of the others and they don't do a sponsorship or any of that we're going to hold that against them or are we going to be responsible for asking them for sponsorships? That's what I'm saying. My suggestion when we look at that part about community involvement,

maybe not all of those, but at least have one of those. Either they participate in local events, uh, sponsorship or charitable and civic initiatives. Yeah. So, can we add sponsorship because that's really not appropriate, right? That's what I was wondering like can we make you compel, right? So, can we hold that again? So, can we just say must sponsorship. Take sponsorship like you're asking for money.

What is charitable with charitable? Charitable or sponsorship? We can take both of those out. We can't I mean charitable can be a whole charitable can be different. Okay. But sponsorship. Okay. I mean, no, I'm saying charitable I think is more vague. It can be a lot of different things. Sponsorship is

sponsorship sponsor. It can be services and all of that. Okay. Okay. Thanks. Okay. Customer service demonstrate professionalism, quality service, and positive community feedback. How would we be able to keep up with the positive feedback that they give? How would we be able to do that? I mean, it shouldn't be done in secret if they're going to, you know, make that type of a contribution. Uh, for instance, if they're at an event and you notice that they're there, if they if you know them to be a business, it's something that you should at least be making a mental note of and be able to speak to that in the event that they're selected or considered for a business of the month. So, whoever the person is that's responsible for making the selection or providing the selection for us to vote on that month, um should maybe you want to keep a pen and pad with you so you can, you know, just make a note of some things when you're out and about. That's just my take. I think if each commissioner is picking one, I I think when you were saying do the uh criteria, I think we need to just pick certain things, certain criteria that we expect from each person because each business going to be different. So just make it like she said kind of vague and just and not put all this stuff in there. Just pick certain certain things. As long as they meet that, then you can pick one of those um businesses.

And the thing is too, if you're responsible for making a selection that right and either one of us see a business out participating and engaging, we can certainly provide that information to you to help you if it's your turn to make the look at

selection. Well, either everybody come back with one each month and but each one of us take turn I mean each time each one of us but it' be your choice whether just in case I don't have one then y'all do I can pick from either one of you the one that y'all selected I can just choose one of those if I don't really have one you understand either every every quarter every month somebody may not have one that cuz some of these business in here I didn't even know exist to I looked in this paper I'm just being real with we got this many. Well, the the only thing I would suggest is if you do that, you have some kind of um process where it has to go in a certain time because you can't talk obviously can't communicate outside of the meeting. So,

no, I was talking about in the meeting, they can just give me a I mean, we come to the meeting and you just can give a name of a business that you s that you suggest, not that, but it's still going to be up to that commissioner to select which one he or she would like to select. And then you would be the one presenting it, right? whoever it is, right? So, you're saying that all of the commissions come up with different businesses and then choose from? Well, nobody that particular checklist would be good if we all completed a checklist once we got here and provided it to the person that's going to be presenting the business of the month and then let them choose since they are the one that's responsible for making the selection that month. And then we we

more like if they have one, they going to choose the one that they chose. But I'm just saying if they don't, not necessarily. I mean, cuz Okay. If you got a checklist and maybe the one I'm giving you is got more checks. Yeah. Be there when you get ready to take your Could you do it then like that the month before and then so while you're presenting one you everybody does it that way you have the paper trail that you can put as a part of the packet. That's a good suggestion. That's a good suggestion. So we won't be on there any pressure to you know do what needs to be done in that meeting for the and the businesses know that next month they are candidates for being picked. Yeah.

So I have a question. We have a list of all of these but no addresses or anything. So I mean they're just names. I mean how would we know where to go to even if we wanted to look at some of these businesses? Well, you have any addresses for them? If it's a business and I'm assuming these are all verified by the division of corporations and website and if that's the case, it should be online. Like you should be able to pull up, you know, um, sunshine, whatever the city doesn't have what we can get, you know, get these since they're in the city of Pok, you know what I'm saying? Like if I want to go business

referenda, I mean, who is this one of these on here? How if I want to go and check their business out or look at their business, um we can get a copy of all the addresses from public record. Oh, I got it from Palco. Public record. Yes. They provide the commission history of all of them. So at least we can have them. That way you like say you can go and visit and look because some of them I I never heard of. So right, at least we can go to them. That's why I thought we should get a list of them with their addresses and you know at least their addresses from the division.

Well, you know what you all um Miss Palanka was just saying that um her department gave these names to the clerk on her place and so I'm thinking that you all should probably if you got them from the division of corporations you probably have a more complete list. I don't know how they can extract I'm sure there's some way That's going to be so timeconuming. Yeah, we will find so many that may not have a business and they are operating somehow. These are the ones that are registered with the city. They

come in, pay the business tax receipt and our department was requested for a list of active businesses without addresses. Um that's how the request was placed to us. So, but she can give you with the addresses. We could provide the addresses to whoever. I mean, just send an email to the clerk and we will provide it to her. So So you talking about individually and not as a list she she can give you a list with the addresses. This was just this was done because they just um the request that was made was just for the names. She's saying they keep it with the addresses.

I would think so. But okay. Um just for point of clarification. Yeah. I have another suggestion too. Just a just a suggestion where it says customer service and reputation says demonstrate professionalism, quality of service and positive community. Why don't we change the word and to or where is that going to What you customer service and reputation demonstrate professional services?

Right. Right. It says where proposed evaluation criteria you have community involvement then customer service and reputation. So do we want to say under the uh proposed evaluation criteria? I know just say must have at least one. They don't have to have all of them or are we saying they need to have them all? No, I was saying at least one or two professionalism, professionalism and quality of at least a couple cuz we got five uh criteria here. At least a couple. Okay. Even in the top one too, what we put in? No, that those are those are requirements

for both of them. proposed elig eligibility requirements. That you got to have those to be they have to have all of those. That's what I'm saying. So from each one they got to have all of them. No. No. Just for the proposed just um the proposed eligibility requirements. Yes. Right. Those I understand those. Yes. But if we're just looking for some points to evaluate them on, I would say in that list of um criteria, at least two of them, a minimum of two, two,

I mean that I think that would be we would be hardressed to say they got to meet all five of those criteria. Uh because I mean who does that? Okay. But just to get clarification in the um community involvement, we going to take out the sponsorship just participation in local events or charitable and civic initiatives and customer service and reputation.

Reputation we're going to use demonstrate professionalism or quality of service or positive uh community feedback. And when you saying two, are you talking about specifically in the customer service? Are you talking about combined with the other stuff uh above like the community involvement? No. Either one of the checklist at least one something out of each category.

The bullet points, you know, you should be able to articulate that this business has demonstrated, you know, some of that. You're not saying that everything there with the you know for that particular bullet point uh has to be um present or identified or so on and so forth. Okay.

And I mean it should be a place on the checklist for comments too so that you can articulate further either one of those categor those um characteristics that you're saying that they possess. Yes. We'll put comments at the bottom. So where that has comment as a checklist. Okay, I like that. I like that. So again, we each would be responsible for taking care of who will present at the meeting, who the next month

candidates will be and then we will vote at the meeting. I think that was a question too. Well, we going monthly or quarterly. Well, we are we going to vote are we going to have a rotating list with each commissioner like we did before? Yeah. I mean, don't put it all and rotate. Yeah. Every month you have someone Yeah. Somebody different would, you know, take on that task. Yeah. And um I think rotate normally look at the sheet in the order they alphabetical order. I think that's how he just normally stick to that alphabetical order um of the names like first. That's easy.

Uh he did it like that before. So we can stick to that. But I think her her suggestion as far as I mean the attorney suggestion as far as the um doing it a month ahead in case that person didn't have somebody we it would already have we already have established list that they can we can choose from or that person can choose from that particular I think that that would be good list I'm just trying to make sure I got a clear understanding of so really all of us will be doing something every month and bringing it back won't be that one person looking at it

and the decision will be made the previous month for the one that will be selected for the next month, right? Based on what we come up with, you know, like for instance, if we were doing it tonight, then the list would be the checklist will be provided to the person that's going to be presenting the business that is going to be considered for the business of the month. And then we would vote on it the next meeting. Right. So we'll do them at the end always at the last meeting of that month wherever it falls on the agenda. I don't think so. Yeah, we have to cuz we got to look at it.

I think we need to go to first because a lot of the last going to run into some holidays and you ain't going to make it here. You know what I'm saying? That sometime that last city council meeting kind of falls on them holidays. No, but I'm saying it still got to be on the agenda. I'm saying but we we can put on agenda, but we just I think we just need to take into account those meetings that we want. Yeah. Don't say we haven't. Okay. But I rather do that at the first because we don't normally we have them on the first. We always have them on the first and we presenting them on the first. The first meeting you're saying? Yeah. Oh, okay. Yeah. We always have them on the first

and then those short meetings says all of us is doing one. Maybe instead of picking one, we'll have to pick two. We know another month. a short I mean a one meeting when it's coming up.

So they're gonna put this in a checklist form. That's I mean that's what I think will be need to define go through it and read it and define what exactly what we want so they can document it properly.

So in a checklist form under community and involvement they'll have a check space for participation in local events. Then they'll have a spec check box for charitable and another check box for civic initiatives. Right? That's what we're saying like that. Right? So we're all in agreeance with that. Then we'll do the same thing for customer service and reputation. Check box for demonstrating professionalism, check box for quality service, and a check box for community I mean for positive community feedback. Okay. And then on the next one, we'll pretty much do the same thing. Now job creation. How will we know how many jobs, job creation, retention and partnership that benefit the local economy? Because doesn't necessarily mean I mean that mean if they hiring from Pokei I mean we can I guess we would go in and ask them.

You can send me an employee. That's just a criteria. I mean a characteristic. I mean then you can always ask you know. Yeah. or if you're looking at that business, then of course you going to familiarize yourself with what it is they're doing to um impact the community in a positive way. And so yeah, I mean yeah, you can compare a home daycare to uh Head Start uh to because they all they do the same thing. It's just one going to have one or two employees and one going to have six or seven employees, but they they all do the same services.

Well, I don't think we uh put I understand what you're saying. Don't put a number to the to even if it's just one person that still count as because a lot of this job creation a lot of these is just one person's businesses. I see what you're saying. So now the way I would interpret that, I mean it's one thing they're a business owner, but I would be looking at that as if you know whether or not it's ongoing. Yeah, I think in the top it says something about six month for business of the month. It it talks about um that's being operational. No, no, no. I'm talking about job creation. Job creation. It's like, you know,

I know it should be bonus points for somebody that um that apply. I mean that we looking at if if I select Miss Cow and she only just have a daycare and Mike Ferson got a whole business where he got a whole staff to me I would be looking you know they to me bring more to the community that would be one of my first elections is somebody that does that than just somebody who's you know got three trillion four kids that they keep every day. I guess I was thinking about job creation. Are we talking about hiring from the city or just No, just no matter what. I mean, it's pretty vast. I think that, you know, we can't just be, you know, have tunnel vision when it comes.

Yeah. You know, openminded, whatever. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Okay. Okay. So, we we'll do a box for job creation slash retention and then we'll do a box for partnership that benefit the local economy. So, we'll have two boxes for that one. Okay. For the next one, business integrity and compliance, we'll have a box for adherence to applicable laws and we'll have a box for regulations and a box for ethical business practices.

Why don't we put all of those instead of having all the different boxes, those categories, have one box with all of those going across this one right here. Each category. Yes. For business and integrity compliant. Yes. To make Yes. Okay. Okay. And then for property appearance and maintenance, we'll have a box for cleanliness, a box for safety, and a box for compliance with city codes and signage standards. And so what I don't I don't know the signage stand. What are the signage standards? We will get something on that to make sure do your homework.

I mean, we putting it on here. So, I'm saying signage standard. That mean everybody have signs in front of their businesses or what's I guess we get a we have a code on sign on signage standards for we do. We do. We do. And we've seen that some of the businesses either don't have a sign or they have a sign that is not very legible anymore. like you cannot hardly read it or you know Okay. the the the quality of the signs signs. Okay. Okay.

So, we have a box for each one of them. Okay. Sounds good. Oh, and then comments at the bottom. Then comments at the bottom. We said we'll have comments at the bottom. All right, that's it. Any other questions? Any other questions? Look good to everyone.

I think we just make sure we go that that uh the clerk make sure she understands um what we just discussed. whoever going to formulate the uh the checklist. make sure you know I don't know if she want to regurgitate too and she'll I'm taking notes and maybe if I didn't take all the notes that you guys were discussing um I she's going to go through the recording and she told me to just try to take I mean I'm not supposed to take minutes and stuff but and I I am taking notes.

Okay. So once the um checklist is um prepared um we will have an opportunity to review and approve it prior to implementation for it. You will it can come back to you um in the form of a resolution. So they're going to do their staff report for it. They'll send it to me. I'll create the resolution and then you'll vote you'll have it on the agenda to vote on. And then once we vote on it, um then they will make sure that all the businesses get it and understand what the requirements are so that there won't be no complaints that they didn't know. So

well, if that's what you ought to you all want to do as a separate notice, but generally it would be just whatever you vote on and it's public record and information. But if you're tasking the staff with um you know the additional thing of notifying all the businesses that's something you all can agree to do. Absolutely. I think we need to take on that responsibility of notifying the businesses what what we're doing because they're not going to have any input in it. It's a decision that we're I'm saying just to let them know that you know this is what we'll be the meeting in case they want the meeting

is online and plus we can do a notice during the meeting to let them know that we can post that on the on the website on the website and so on and so forth. Okay. Y'all ain't going over me. Could we just post like once we approve the checklist just post that on the website like a public notice or something like that? I think that'll be good. Okay. Say that again. Osiris was talking. Um, once we look at the criteria and make a a decision on it, just post it on the web page as a public notice instead of trying to notify each and every business that they want to look at. I ain't in I ain't in favor of all that notices. Yeah.

Yes. Any more discussion? May I I am so sorry if I pass this. uh under the proposed eligibility requirements. The first two um all these businesses are within the city limits. Yes. All the the the ones in the list. The second one which says um must possess a current and valid business tax receipt. They are all active. So that means that we got all the licenses that are required to operate in the city of Poke. Just wanted to clarify those two points right there. Oh yeah. And all of them on here are in good standing with no code violations or unpaid fees, right?

Only one and two only the first one and the second one. I can say that's this list. Okay. That'll be something that we'll need to verify prior. It'll be Yes. Excuse me. It'll be based upon your decision. You can come to us and request um information if there's any any code violations. We should be able to respond accordingly. Okay. Okay. Okay. Is there any more discussion since there is no more discussion? Do we we don't have to do a vote? Do we have to do a vote to close?

No, this is a workshop. This is just you can just agree by consensus. Um any more discussion or no more discussion? Um meeting is adjourned for this workshop. We will resume for the meeting.

this meeting to order at 6:00. We're going to first have our invocation by um Commissioner McDonald and Dear Lord, we thank you again for this time together as we convene to conduct the city's business. And we ask that you bring us together on one accord as we address the issues and provide solutions that we make progress for Hokei. We thank you for giving us this opportunity. We thank you for those that are present and we ask that we all allow ourselves to be governed according to your will. We ask all these blessings in your son Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Mayor Bab, Vice Mayor Calvin Williams, present. Commissioner McDonald, present. Commissioner Matt Pearson, present. Commissioner Scott, present. City manager. City attorney here.

City clerk, I mean, city clerk. Thank you. At this time, inter manager, do we have any add any um additions or emergency uh deletion or emergency basis? No. Okay. Um next on the agenda, we have presentations and proclamations, public service announcements. Um do we have any um public service announcements for agenda items only? Comments? No, ma'am.

No. Okay. First proclamation we have is a proclamation um for March 9th through the 15th, 2026 as a flood awareness um week. Will you read the proclamation for the um attorney? Yes, vice mayor. Whereas Kahoki has experienced severe weather events in the past, including extreme rainfall and tropical systems that have resulted in significant flooding. This flooding has affected both coastal and riverrine areas causing damage and losses of homes and buildings across all flood zones including high-risk special flood hazard areas as well as low to moderate risk zones. And whereas the city of Poki is a voluntary participant in the National Flood Insurance Program, NFIP, that provides residents with the opportunity to protect themselves against flood loss through the purchase of flood insurance at reduced insurance premium rates as well as setting the higher regulatory standards to reduce the flood risk and potential flood damage to their property. And whereas the reduction of loss of life and property damage can be achieved with when appropriate flood preparation, control and mitigation measures are taken before a flood. And whereas public education, public education, and awareness of potential weather hazards and methods of protection are critical to health, safety, and welfare of residents. The Florida Flood Plane Managers Association has declared the week of March 9th through the 15, 2026 as Flood Awareness Week to promote awareness and increase knowledge of flood risk, the availability of flood insurance, flood protection methods, and how to prepare for emergencies. Now, therefore, I, Keith W.Bap, Jr., Mayor of the city of Pokei, Florida, on behalf of the city commission do hereby proclaim the week

of March 9th through the 15th, 2026 as flood awareness week and official recognition whereof. I here to set my hand and cause the seal of Pahokei to be affixed on this 24th day of February 2026. Mayor Keith Wb Jr., Vice Mayor Sinquetta Cowan Williams, Commissioner Isabelle J. McDonald, Commissioner Everett D. McFersonson, Senior, and Commissioner James H. Scott. Is anyone here to accept this proclamation? Okay, we'll make sure that the necessary parties get this proclamation. Okay. The next proclamation we have is u March 2026 as Florida Bicycle Month. Can you read it for the um record?

Yes, ma'am. Vice Mayor. Whereas the city of Pokei residents and visitors engage in bicycling as a practical form of transportation and a valuable means of physical activity and recreation. And whereas the Florida Bicycle Association designates March as Florida Bicycle Month and Palm Beach County recognizes this observance locally. And whereas Florida Bicycle Month features fitness activities, educational programs, races, commuting opportunities, and charity events for riders of all ages and abilities at parks and locations throughout Palm Beach County. And whereas recognition of Florida Bicycle Month raises awareness of bicycling and promotes physical activity, health, health healthy lifestyles, and bicycling as a viable transportation option. And whereas the Palm Beach County Metropolitan Planning Organ organization plans, supports, and recommends projects that improve bicycle awareness, access, and safety, as well as promotes community education efforts to enhance safe bicycling practices. And whereas bicycle friendly communities contribute to improved public health, quality of life, economic vitality, tourism, traffic safety, and student outcomes while reducing congestion and wear on local roadways. And whereas electric bicycles are an increasingly popular mode of transportation, Palm Beach County encourages all road users to share the roadway responsibly and encourages organizations to promote safety through education and training. And whereas the Palm Beach County has ex has an expanding network of designated and enhanced bicycle facilities totaling approximately 300 miles. And several local municipalities have adopted complete streets policies advancing a safe, connected, and accessible transportation system for bicyclists of

all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. Now therefore, our Keith W. Baff Jr., Mayor of the city of Pokei, Florida. On behalf of the city commission, do hereby proclaim March 2026 as Florida Bicycle Month. In official recognition whereof, I unto set my hand and cause the seagull of Bahokei to be affixed on this 24th day of February. Mayor Keith W. Bab Jr. Mayor Vice Mayor Squeta Cowan Williams, Commissioner Isabelle J. McDonald, Commissioner Everett D. McFersonson, Senior, and Commissioner James H. Scott. Is anyone here to accept this proclamation in regards of um bicycle month? Okay. If not, we'll make sure the necessary persons get it. And the next proclamation is for March 2026 as let's move Palm Beach County Month. Attorney, will you read for the record? this. Whereas the city of Pokei takes special notice and acknowledges exceptional organizations that help residents who live, work, and play within the jurisdiction. And whereas in 2024, Digital Vibes became a nonprofit to reach out to underserved youth in Palm Beach County by empowering them through dance, fitness, technology, and the arts. And whereas Digital Vibes partners with the Palm Beach Health Foundation annually to host the Let's Move Commit to Change Physical Activity Challenge, a countywide initiative that focuses on physical activity, nutrition, and healthy behaviors. And whereas Digital Vibes, Inc. and Palm Beach County and Palm Health Foundation present the annual challenges which takes place annually from March 1st through March 31st and encourages individuals within the Palm Beach County um community to take charge of their health by

participating in fun fitness exercises. And whereas the Let's Move initiative was originally introduced on a national level by First Lady Michelle Obama in 2010 with the goal of decreasing childhood obesity throughout the United States due to the fact that nearly one in three children in the United States are overweight or obese. And if this problem persists, onethird of all children born in 2000 will later um suffer from diabetes at some point in their lives. or it says 2000 at some point in their lives or will face other obesity related health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, asthma and cancer. And whereas the digital vibes and the palm health foundation invite all residents to take the challenge to move by forming teams registering online committing to exercising for at least 30 minutes a day throughout the month of March and logging their minutes on the Let's Move website www.letmovepbc.org. In 2012, Palm Beach County logged 100,000 minutes in the first year of the challenge, and we have met the challenge each year since, raising in rising in 2025 to over 101 million minutes logged. Now, therefore, I, Keith W. Bab Jr., Senior mayor of the city of Pahoki, Florida on behalf of the city commission urge all citizens to join in moving to improve their fitness, mental health, and overall health and do hereby proclaim March 2026 as Let's Move Palm Beach County Month in official recognition whereof I here unto set my hand and cause the seal of the city of Pokei to be affixed on this 24th day of

February, 2026. Keith W. Bab Jr. Mayor, city of Pokei, Vice Mayor Sineta, Cowan Williams, Commissioner Isabelle J. McDonald, Commissioner Ever D. McFerson, Senior, and Commissioner James H. Scott. Is a representative here from Let's Move. If so, please come forward. Commission interim manager, let's go down to the bottom with Let's see. On behalf of the city of Pokei, I want to say that we are declaring um these days as um less Let's move on to July. We want to thank you for all your services that you provide for Palm Beach County and also for the children here in the city of Pokei. We are part of Palm Beach County and anything that we can do, any support that you can give to continue to help our kids be safe, to be healthy, we appreciate and we want to say thank you.

Thank you so much. Thank you for hold. Wow. Um, thank you so much, commissioners, mayor. We truly appreciate um you guys taking uh the initiative to uh accept uh our challenge. Um the Let's Move initiative. Um it's uh very simple. Um, our goal is to inspire and motivate our residents, our community to take control of their health by doing any type of physical activities. They could be walking, running, as long they off the couch and moving. So, that's basically what it's all about. We create a team and then you get to log in those minutes on the dig the let's move website let'sove pbbc.org. Um, the challenge becomes a city versus cities challenge. Um, this is actually the first time we come up here. This is the 15th year of the let's move in. It's our first time coming up here to uh you know um officially invite the city of Pokei to uh you know take part of the challenge. Village of Wellington every year for the past 5 years they have won the challenge. So we would like to invite uh the city of Pokei you know to uh make sure that the village of Wellington don't win it for the sixth year in a row. So that's pretty much the reason why I'm here. uh with digital vibes we have uh numerous programs happening in the great uh city of Pokei. We have a mentoring program that's

happening here. So um um we definitely uh involve know great city of Pokei. So that's why we're here you know is to um you know challenge every each one of our residents to take part of that challenge. So uh let's move pbbc.org work and I thank you to our commissioners for really uh you know proclaiming let's move as a march as a you know thank you so much for that.

Thank you. Okay, the next consent agenda item is F. February the 10th, 2026, city commission uh meeting minutes. Um can I get an approval of the minutes? I move for the CN agenda.

Second. It has been moved and properly second um by um Mayor Bab. Are there any discussion? Hearing none. Ready for a vote. Mayor Bab, yes. Commissioner McPearson, yes. Commissioner McDonald, yes. Commissioner Scott, yes. Vice Mayor Cowan Williams, yes. Next item is G old business an update um McCclure road project.

Okay. Um mayor commissioners um as requested I'm providing an update on the Mccclure reconstruction project as we continue advancing this initiative through the Florida Department of Transportation Small County Outreach Program commonly known as SCOP. Our staff has continued coordinating with FDOT to confirm eligibility requirements and align the pro project scopes with SCOP criteria. The proposed improvements include full roadway construction, drainage enhancements to address recurring storm water concerns and safety upgrades such as striping and stabilization. These improvements are designed to extend the roadway's life cycle while improving overall mobility and safety for our residents. From a funding perspective, SCOP is providing majority funding for this undertaking. However, our city is elected to participate in the cost share opportunity that allows the city to leverage state dollars while minimizing impact on the city's budget. Mccclure Road serves as a key neighborhood connector. Advancing this project not only addresses infrastructure deviencies but also reinforces our broader commitment to neighborhood stabilization and long-term economic resilience in the city of Hokei. And with this statement, what I want to do is allow our community economic development director who has come on and taken on this task since um she's been on board uh that I was handling prior to that. And I must say um she has been in touch with the authorities who has something to do with this project and I want to have her come up and do a presentation so that way you can visually see what we have going on. So uh director Peggy Boule Washington

good evening everyone. Good evening Mayor Commission.

My name is Peggy Boule Washington. and I'm the director of community and economic development for the city of Pokei. Uh first off, let me say thank you to my city manager, our mayor commission, um and our members of the community who have been adamant about us completing these road outstanding road projects that have been in the harbor for um five or so years. um this project that I'm getting ready to present an update on has been uh the city made application for it in 2019. So um again, thank you, Madam Manager, for allowing me to uh work on getting the city back on track. She's been very involved in the process. So I do thank you for that. Uh she's been attending our FDOT meetings with FDOT and that is truly commendable. um when she's unable to attend, she makes sure that additional staff uh is present so that notes are taken and we can compare notes and debrief each other. So, we are working really hard at making sure we get this project and the other projects that um have not been completed yet uh completed. So, with that said, uh I provided slides to you just to abbreviate. um our uh uh present presentation. So as you all know the Mccclure project um and and for clarification sake we do have a couple projects that are outstanding. Um the there was some um confusion for a lack of better words in terms of the funding mechanism to which the projects uh were funded. So Mccclure is and I got the clarification through FDOT. So we were under the impression

that this Mclo project as well as phase 4 which we will present on later on um throughout our coming commission meetings um is not through the Scott project. This is the only Scott project that the city uh myself along with the manager are aware uh that is an outstanding grant project through FDOT. Um the other project that was lumped in with SCOP is phase 4, but that is not SCOP. So we'll touch base on that in the coming um commission meetings. Can you identify those areas that are included

in for the SCOP uh application? So SCOP the SCOP application is Mccclure uh which is what I'll be presenting on. Yes, ma'am. So that is the only one um right now that the city has. Um Barfield I believe was SCOP. I can verify that along with other funding sources, matches and things of that nature. Um but that's closed out. So right now this is the only outstanding one. Phase four uh is actually a uh appropriations request that Palm Beach County went out for and um they were awarded the appropriations and it was divvied up between the three uh tri cities. So that is how we received um those um those fundings those funding mechanisms. So, going back to Yes, ma'am.

What's included in phase 4?

Phase four are the five streets that I believe Mayor uh Bab made reference to a couple meetings ago. Um, which included uh West Third, that was um I believe the cross streets are Cararissa, um Beonia, and it goes it goes down to Roden, uh MLK, I believe 9th, 12th. I can get the exact street numbers for you. Um, don't quote me on that, but there are five streets. Um, we will be making an extensive presentation on that because there is some input from the commission that we will need and it's timesensitive. So, um, just uh be aware that we will be coming back before the commission on that. Any other questions before I begin?

Okay. Oh, yeah.

Sorry. So, um, and just for clarity sake, uh, SCOP, I know we we hear the reference SCOP all the time, but for clarity sake and for the public, SCOP stands for small county outreach program for rural areas of opportunity. Um, and there are two components to it. The city qualifies for the municipality component to it because we are not a fiscally constraint county. So, just wanted to provide some clarity on that. So, when you see Scop M, you know that's um that's us. The city made application for Mccor Road from Palm uh Road to South Lake Drive. Um there is a uh pictorial depiction of what those road lengths look like. Um and we'll and in the engineer report you'll see all of the uh the details um on that if you would like us to provide that to you. So, moving forward, the city of Fokei aggressively pursu pursued uh funding through the Scott program, submitting a total request of 2,92,54 broken down as $355,764 for design, $2,371,760 for construction, 175,000 for consulting uh engineering uh um inspections which is our CI services. While the city was awarded $933,943, this award represents a significant step forward in restoring infrastructure

investments um and our momentum uh with this initiative. The city's match is $210,000 which includes $128,370 uh dollar um allocated for road design services. The total funding for this project is 1,143,943.

And that's the city's match the 1 million.

No, ma'am. The city's match is 210,000. And and to be clear, because we are a fiscally constraint county, um an FDOT has been very very cooperative with us and accommodating. Uh they shared with us that if we do not have the $210,000, they are amanable to us decreasing that amount. So, um to answer your question, yes, uh $210,000 is the city's match. The amount that was granted to the city is $933,943 and the total amount allotted for that grant is 1,143 $43,943 the city has. So, and we want to touch on the responsible budget planning and allocation uh that uh through our manager we've been able to address. So, the city has already demonstrated fiscal uh preparedness by allocating $676,000 uh excuse me, $676,972 um in our 20025206 budget located under uh fund 30 uh 330 and it's uh titled capital project fund and it's our schedule of expenses. So this this proactive allocation ensures the city is positioned to move forward without delay once engineering services are secured.

So may I ask a question? Yes, ma'am. So So engineering services have not been secured yet because I thought we were in the phase where we had to just notify the community. That was where we were in it. Yes. So yes and no. We did have engineer services. Um we did pay our engineers for design and and so on and we did uh go through the process of moving forward with the grant through the engineer services. However, the contract expired um and you know unfortunately expired. Ma'am, when did it expire? Because I've been asking about this. We've been asking about Mccur Road. So when did the contract expire?

Over a year ago. Almost two years. it's been expired. So the uh previous I believe administration before the previous administration um may have been operating under an expired contract. Um I can't tell you the time lapse between administration. Um however it it had been expired for quite some time and we are working um with um our uh city attorney. Thank you very much for your assistance in providing guidance uh with us going out to um procure engineering services.

So we're not at the point where we're ready to request um a proposal in terms of of what of in terms of this contract.

Oh, we're we're ready to go. So everything is done. The issue right now stands that our uh engineering um services so AE so um architectural engineering services that contract that we had with WGI has expired. Um we did have a three-year um contingency uh for lack of better words that allows us to work with that engineer for an additional 3 years. However, because there was a time lap lapse, I believe that contract was voided. Am I correct?

I don't have it in through the mayor. I don't have it in front of me, but I I think it the contract just expired. I think you all did take the um opportunity to um extend for one additional year which was a provision in the contract but then after that additional year you're now you have to take those services out for bid according to Florida statutes because it's a CCNA um uh statutory process that you have to go through. Yes. Yes ma'am. Thank you for that. So the design phase is complete totally

it is complete. However, um in my meetings with FDOT, they did share with me that the engineer was provided some corrective actions that they needed to take place. I believe the corre corrective actions were provided during that lapse in engineering services. Um there was also uh from what I understand an issue uh prior to this administration where the engineer was not paid for services rendered and so the city had to make do on that pay for those services. Now we are in the good graces of that engineer. However the contract has expired. So if that engineer if we go out for bid, if that is the the the correct course of action, which I believe it is the correct course of action, um and that engineer bids and and you know happens to get it again, uh I I believe we're in a good good place because they already have everything and they can move as quick as possible to address one.

You you have to stop, ma'am. But you have to evaluate that and it's a process to evaluate it. So yes. Okay.

So we'll yield to our city attorney for direction and then we'll we'll go from there. Hopefully it is something that can be remedied within a a reasonable amount of time and then we can move forward because everything has already as as we understand it and through our meetings with FDOT has been done. There are some corre as I stated there are some corrective actions that FOT did share with us. Uh they would like the engineer um to make to the design of the project. From there we can go back out for bid um secure contracting services and then begin road work.

Where are we with the bid in um process with the RFP? So, we would have to procure an engineer because that engineer would provide the pricing, the design, mapping, um, things of that nature. That's what I'm asking. Where where are we with that process? So, we're we're currently coordinating, I believe, with the city attorney or when the inception of coordinating with the city attorney.

So, I've given the whole packet with the with an RFP. I gave it to um Mr. Lucas. I gave it to Miss Busussy. I gave it to, you know, and I've sent it like a couple of times already. So, they have a package that they can use and instead of just doing CC, instead of just doing engineering services under CCNA, you can do architectural, you can do landscaping, you can do a lot of other services. So, you can have it for three years and then that way you don't you can have a pool you'll have a pool of applicants and then you'll be able to select based on the proposals per project. So I even have within the bid the bid that I gave the actual contracts that you would have with each of the engineering each of the contractors and then the project proposals for each of them that's a part of the bid. And so it's like kind of a standard one. It's other cities use it. Um and once they put it out it's pretty much all done. And you just have to put in some specs about, you know, the pokei and how many residents and, you know, some general things in the very beginning, but it's it's ready to go whenever they put it out. Do the project includes for a project manager because projects like this a million dollars plus I mean we ran into a lot of problems with Mccclure Road because of that the different change orders and all and I know large projects going to have some change orders but a project manager help guide you through that. We don't have no one on staff directly that can be responsible totally for projects with this size. So I would encourage and suggest that we hire a project manager for these large projects when we have them.

You mean and to your point? You mean Barfield? Yeah. Yeah.

And and to your point, Mr. Mayor um based off my research uh with with this project and a couple of the other projects that I've recently been assigned since coming back on board um it seems as if the engineer um on record or EO is acting as the project manager in um collaboration with the city in terms of specs for the project. I we do agree that that is a conversation that our manager has been having with us in terms of streamlining some of those responsibilities because it is taxing and we it we do avoid the we can avoid the pitfalls of change orders um that are are unnecessary. I think some of these change orders we probably should have questioned a little more but I that's that's not my place. I I wasn't there. I I can't speak to that. Um but I can say that moving forward, our manager has been working diligently uh with staff to streamline um how these grants will be better managed.

And Mr. Mayor, depending on what um and the commissioner, depending on what company is selected, a lot of them have that built into the project. Now on the city side, you still have to manage, you know, the payment and how much have you paid out on this contract. The city still has certain obligations that you the city will have to do. But in terms of the contract, you you all may recall when you would get those change orders, they were always signed off on by an engineer um who had reviewed it and said that this is um something that was necessary based on the project, whether it was the roadway had to be torn up in order to, you know, support a pipe or something that you didn't know until you tore up the roadway. You know, those things were support all supported by an engineer. But I think the things that you're may be referring to um are the are some of the things that hopefully the with the uh financial review some of those controls can be put in place that will allow the city to do that more um uh diligently and um w without um you know a lot of problems in the future. So there are two different things and you won't be able to get away from the city's management of it.

Right. and and and to our our uh city attorney's point and thank you for making that uh those points. Um we FDOT has a team that we meet with regularly. As part of that team, it's a um there are several engineers um on that team and they allow for us to ask those questions. Um also as um our city attorney stated uh with the um engineer on record, same thing. they have a a a team um staff members that are uh designated to certain components of the grant.

So, I have a question. How long is it going to take for us, the city, to get going with the RFP? I know the attorney said everything has been sent to you all several times. So, what is our hold up that we're what are we waiting on to go ahead and get it out? As I understand it, we have staff that's working right now as we speak. I just responded uh to an email uh requesting some information that I just received from FDOT uh today and I sent it to the staff member that's assigned um to this this particular um component. So what's our time frame we're looking at?

Yes, I was getting ready to tell you I would imagine within the coming days. Um the RFP process is about 30 days that we we put it out. um about two weeks or so for us to um have the team that's assembled the the the to raid it and go through that whole process. I'd say anywhere from 30 to 60 days would be um sufficient time I would say uh for staff to mobilize, get that bid out, um have the bid meeting and and go through that process so that we can secure an engineer. My hope is to do it sooner than later because um we are anticipating to apply for additional SCOP dollars. That application is due on the 25th of March. So our goal is to get everything out as as soon as possible so that we're able to make application for um those streets that I spoke brief briefly about for phase 4. We don't want to miss opportunity for that funding. Um, so yeah,

I have one last question. So I know we passed the deadline when this project was supposed to be done. So did we get an extension? And what was the extension that we have up to now to get this project done?

Okay, great question. So the city did receive another extension. That extension expires June of 26. However, we did make we did make application again. I and I use the term loosely. We wrote a letter. You're supposed to write a letter requesting the extension. We have requested an extension for December 30th of 2027. I did get an update from FDOT. They do they do expect us to excuse me be approved for it. So, um I did get a verbal nod, but of course we do have to wait for it to be in writing. Um I don't want to hold their feet to the fire, but it it seems as if we are going to get it that we We we we're putting forth a lot of effort. They're very encouraged by the effort that we're putting forth. So, I believe we'll get it.

And when we get it, can you make sure we get it cuz we want to keep up with it to make sure that we don't lose funding again so that we can stay on top of all of the um grants that we are getting so that we can bring it back up at the meeting on a continuously basis. Yes, ma'am. Great. So, when we get that, if you can um you can make sure the commission gets that they've approved it for December 2027. But right now it's June 2026. It's June. Yes. June 30th of 2026. The new requested extension is for December 30th of 2027. And that is for us to secure design services and so on. Um and hopefully begin the road construction phase.

Okay. Thank you, Miss Doule Washington. Okay. U Thank you for that information and I hope those are all the questions, but thank you. Um, we'll we'll continue with what we're doing. And I tell you, you coming in here as that community economic development director, letting me manage has been wonderful. So, thank you for that information. I think we addressed all the questions. Yes, ma'am. Thank you for your leadership. You're welcome. All right. Have a good evening, everyone. Thank you.

Oh, also your your um uh your uh campus, they they have information on them as well. Okay, at this time we don't have any public hearings or in our ordinances. We do have one resolution here on the agenda. Resolution 2026-06, city attorney. A resolution of the city commission of the city of Pokei, Florida, amending the signitories for various bank accounts of the city of Pokei at PNC Bank NA, removing Joseph R. Martin as a signatory authorizing city officials to execute all necessary documents to comport with this resolution and with PNC banking requirements providing for adoption of representations providing for an effective date.

Thank you. City attorney city manager. Could you give us a brief explanation?

Yes, mayor. Um, the city of Pokei maintains designated authority signatories for his official bank accounts to ensure proper financial controls and continuity of operations. Due to a change in personnel, it is necessary to update the list of authorized signatures. The former finance director, Joseph R. Martin, is no longer employed with the city. Therefore, a removal as an authorized signatory on all city bank accounts is required. All other authorized signitories on the city's bank accounts shall remain unchanged, including the mayor, city clerk, and the interim city manager. So there is no budget impact on this approving this item. Are you planning on at some point the uh assistant finance director uh so we can at least have adequate uh backup that in case the clerk of myself is out. We need two signatures on any uh authority to purchase anything or pay for anything.

Okay. We'll be interview we're interviewing for finance director on next week. So we'll get that field so that way we'll have that additional p person available for us. Okay. City commission having heard resolution 2026 properly read into the minutes by our city attorney and properly explained by city manager. What is your presence? I move that we accept resolution 2026. Second.

It has been moved by Commissioner Mike Ferson and private second by Commissioner McDonald for the movement and passage of resolution 2026. Call for questions. Hearing none. Are you ready for a vote? Roll call. Madame clerk. Commissioner McPearson. Yes. Commissioner McDonald. Yes. Commissioner Scott, yes. Vice Mayor Cowan Williams, yes. Mayor B,

yes. Thank you, madam clerk, commissioners. Motion passed by unanimous vote. Next, we have new business presentation by the city manager of activities of upcoming events, if any. And the only upcoming event that I have is the I love the hokey date is coming forth on April 4th. And so I just wanted to put that announcement out there as far as upcoming events. I don't have anything else. Mayor, I do have the um you have the presentation the certex fund discussion. And so in reference to that one, um I was asked to come back with information on the sir tax um how that money was going to be spent. And so um in response to that um I want to provide you with an update on the proposed expenditure of our sir tax revenue for fiscal year 2025 2026. According to our adopted budget, the city expects to receive $500,000 in sir tax funds dedicated to capital outlay. Our goal tonight is to ensure these funds are directed toward the priorities established in our comprehensive plan while remaining fiscally responsible. As you all recall or should recall, in 2024, this commission approved the text amendment to the comprehensive plan. That plan includes a capital improvement element or a roadmap for capital improvements. Fiscal year 2022 to 23 2026 is when this capital improvement plan uh range for the current fiscal year. Two primary project areas were identified for sir tax funding. Uh the

first one was was MLK Park. The scope includes resurfacing the parking lot, baseball field striping, and fencing. The proposed funding was $30,000. Marina Campground number two, the Marina Campground complex, a comprehensive upgrade including docks, seaw wall repairs, LED lighting, a new fuel tank, security enhancements, and dredge dredging. The proposed amount for that was 500,000. Now what I'm looking staff is recommending that the budget because of our budget sir tax revenue is 500,000 and our planned projects total 530,000. Staff recommends a strategic split to ensure both sites see immediate progress. And so I just want to make sure that you all understand what I'm saying. Um the city expects to receive $500,000 in sir tax funds. That was what approved by by the budget you all. And so, however, it shows $30,000 budget for P uh MLK and $500,000 for Marina. So, what I'm proposing is that 30,000 would be allocated to MLK Park to fully fund the plan improvements and then the 470,000 be allocated to the marina campground complex. This allows us to complete the MLK park projects in full while making a massive dent in the marina upgrades. Any remaining marina items will be prioritized in future funding cycles. While the capital improvement plan originally identified various grants as potential funding sources, our current staff has found no record of the previous administration successfully applying for these specific opportunities. We are now taking action. My team is currently researching grant cycles and requirements so that we can aggressively pursue funding to cover remaining upgrades and additional

improvements. Additionally, for the sake of full transparency, the CIP also designated $1.5 million in certax and USDA grant funding in the fiscal year 2026 2526 for the old Pokei High School and the new city hall renovations. At this time, the city does not have a secured USDA grant, and as noted, our available sir tax for this year is $500,000. We will continue to evaluate the city hall project as part of our long-term facility strategy. Finally, it is important for me to note that our current capital improvement plan concludes at the end of this fiscal year. staff is already planning for the completion of the next five-year uh capital improvement plan. This will be a collaborative and transparent process that will engage the commission, our staff, and most importantly seek community feedback to ensure our future infrastructure investments align with the needs of our residents. This process will need to take place relatively soon to ensure that next year's budget aligns with these plans. And if necessary, I'll provide a formal update to the commission on the development of this new five-year plan in the new f future. Can you repeat what you said for the dock? I mean for the marina again, it was the dock. Uh you said LED lighting, a fuel tank, a fence, and what was the other one?

Yeah, the uh the things that were listed is the ink docks, seaw wall repairs, LED lighting. Mhm. LED lighting, a new fuel tank, security enhancements, and dredging. Security enhancement. Yes. And dredging. Yes. So, it was nowhere. Now, I remember Mayor Bab talked about the signage coming into the city. That's funding being used for that. That was not on the list. Not on the list. That on the budget? No. Which budget you're talking about? The one that you all approved for this fiscal year.

So these were the items that was actually listed. Yes. What? Right. What um on the budget plan that I looked in the um CIP plan, it showed $500,000 as the amount uh designated as certex dollars and then it showed $30,000 for excuse me, I'm getting a cold. 30,000 was set for MLK Park and then 500,000 was set for Marina Campground completion complex. And so those are things that's listed and I can get that information a copy to you all of what it is um if need be.

The second entrance way sign wasn't included in the budget because we approved that as a commission that was one of the project we wanted to utilize from the self search tax dollars for that uh project. Okay. So you're saying it's not in the budget?

Not in the one that I have that I have. It's not designated in these. It may be in there, but it's not designated under these cirax projects because you all asked me to report on the certax. So this is a certax information. 500,000 was anticipated and these are the two things that were that were designated for the sir tax usage and and as a matter of fact 500 it adds up to 530,000 but it wasn't even allocated for this amount it was allocated for the 500,000 and that's on the sheet that I can provide for you all

so for clarification um as far as MLK park is concerned that's for resurfacing. Correct. $30,000 for resurfacing. Cuz I know um previously the amounts that we had um entertained for that part was like $250,000. That's not that's that was a grant. That that's what I'm trying to clarify. So the 30,000 is for resurfacing the resurfacing of the park.

They had 30,000. As fact, I I did make extra copies in case you all need it. But the 30,000 is for the improvements of the parking lot resurfacing. That's what I'm Yes. Okay. Striping baseball field. Yeah. So, the parking lot baseball field. What was the third one? Okay. For I don't remember this. for MLK. Improvements include parking lot, resurfacing, striping, baseball field, and fencing. Those are things listed. Going back to the lobbyist,

where what's the status on our appropriation request? Have there been any movement or any decline in any movement? is it went to any stages in the process and where are we on that? I have not received a report back from her uh from the lobbyist but I can inquire and get back with you all. I'll make a note to get that information from you. And that concludes my report, mayor.

Okay. Next up is the uh report of the mayor. I've uh really been little disappointed the last few months. I know we do have a uh new entrance city manager, but some of the progress of projects that being listed and things that we're actually moving forward to it. It could be a lot of things going on, but outside of hearing a few things in uh commission meeting, I really don't know and don't see a whole lot. I have saw some of the uh projects. We always have had projects, the Veteran Day project, uh the Christmas parade, uh Martin Luther King uh project and things like that. So, those are continue to move forward, but to be honest, I hadn't saw anything outside of that. I'm glad we did have the uh streaks and roles put on the agenda so we can discuss it and not pointing fingers and not you know putting a bad reflection on anyone but if you look at this agenda and it's been this way for

I guess the last three months it it consists about five or six pages and if you look at this agenda the last city manager The last agenda this what commission was INE for and the commission that strongly supported you. I haven't heard them mention anything about anything. So, all I've been hearing is the outstanding work that's been done that I'm just having a little difficulty in it

and not putting anybody on the spot or pointing fingers at anyone or trying to get anybody involved in my report, but even family members that the vice mayor mentioned at her last meeting here. this what we want and I think uh Miss Bus at some point you have to speak up even privately with your family members because they are really disrupting this process that we're doing and it scares me that if you are at some point appointed the uh uh permanent city manager, how would How would that continue if it's this at this point now? I think it'll even get worseer. And let me give you just example. Your husband came up at the last commission meeting and say that I embarrassed you because I mispronounced your name and didn't pronounce it right. And I told him I apologized to him. But I told him I apologized and he said when and I thought at some point you would have just tried to interrupt and say honey he did apologize. He apologized at the event. You even brought it to my attention immediately after that and I told you I was so sorry for that. It was just a mixed memory or whatever you want to call it. But you could have easily defused that. But you allow you allowed that to happen. I think the previous city manager, even Michael Jackson kind

of hinted or mentioned to you, Miss Buster, your family, you can you can you know, you say they drone, they can they, you know, you can't have no control over them, but you can speak to them. You can show some effort that whatever this circles that's generating in this city that you're not helping spearhead it. Can I speak to that? This is my report, sir. No, no, no. That's okay, Mr. Bus. No, I'm listening.

So, I'm just asking that you can take a more icy role. I'm not I I know they all drone, but they are your family, and I don't think we have ever had other families that much involved with the criticism that's being put out there. you know, even going to the point where saying we just need to hire you without an interview. I mean, the whole entire basically the whole entire family. So, it just disheartening to me. It has been even and I again I hate to just mention people, but even the the city attorney kind of mentioned it some at the last commission meeting. So now you had the previous city manager, you have the city attorney, and now you're having the mayor and other people are saying that some other folks are saying the same thing. So I'm just asking you just like you asking us to work with you, work with us at least the part that you can control, which is your own personal family. try to do that and help us and help me as a mayor who's pro presiding over the meeting uh have a little more control over the meeting and I would ask that you consider doing that and that would conclude my report. Next it would be the report of the uh city manager. Okay. Um, my report consists of first thanking Edorn for coming out to the Black History program that we had for those that came. And my second report is

um on last Thursday I received a call from the fire chief in reference to FPNL being on site to shut off power to a building that was deplorable and it has been a problem for many years here in Pokei. And so the fire chief called I left my office to go to that location as a city manager, an interim city manager. Let me correct that. Interim city manager. I didn't send a staff member. I went along with Miss Boule Washington. When I got there to see those residents living in a place with no water, no power, I took action. FPNL said they needed to shut off the power. Fire department said it was unsafe. So I reached out. PBSO escorted me. Said, "Miss Busy, the city has to do something. Not LPNL, not the water department. The city, not the fire department." I called my mayor eight times. I text him three times to ask him, "What should I do?" and to make sure that you were informed. I didn't get an answer. I walked down to the clerk's office and I asked her to call you. She called and you answered on the first ring, Mayor B.

And so I'm saying I'm sitting here wanting to work with everyone. I'm sitting here busting my butt with what we have. We don't have money to do what you're saying needs to be done. So I just want you. So from there we needed to help these families. I reached out to Belglade to ask about transportation for our residents. Any help that I could get. I reached out to the county. I'm networking. I'm here for the city. So to me, this is important. We have our residents who are being put out because the building needs to be condemned. I go into action along with my community economic development director. We called and we got transportation to bring these families up here to the cafeteria to stand by while we call the county to help us find locations for these families. With the help of the county and Mayor Wilson and city manager Lommax helping us locate a hotel, we were able to move nine families, 26 children total to Horizon in. The county immediately came over to me and Miss Boule and said, "We are going to take your residents from here. We're going to make sure that they have a place to stay and they're going to help them find jobs." And I says, "I don't want to leave them out on the street. What can we do?" Sheriff's office escorted me to every single door while we knocked on the on the resident's door to say, "Hey, you have to go, but I'm not going to let you be homeless." So, I called the county Palm Beach County Community and Health and Development Center. They came. They

met us at the hotel. They took care of all those famil family's rooms because we refused to leave them. They said we will make sure they're taken care of and they will have a job if they want it all with networking. So I don't So for me, life health is more important than than the the material things. So, we got these families and the county says they're going to pay because of us saying, "Don't do our resin like that." They're paying for seven days for our residents to stay in that hotel, get help them get a job. At the end of those seven days, whoever's still there, they're going to pay another seven days. They're going to do this for 90 days, three months if necessary. All because I stayed till 11:00 Thursday night down in Belgade with our residents of Pokei. Babies with no shirts, babies with no shoes, pampers on. I'm there representing the city of Pokei.

Friday morning I got back. No, I didn't go to the office at 8. I'm down in Belg Friday morning, mayor, helping our our residents make sure they're okay. Those families are still down there. Why? Because we made the network. We made the connection to make sure they were not. Now we have the other building that needs to be the condemned because the landlord has not been held responsible. But I'm trying to instigate that and make them hold make them step up and not be slum lords. And I have those same county people waiting with busy. We love your energy. We love your compassion. When those buildings are empty, call us cuz we're going to do the same thing for those people. And so, mayor, I went through all of that and I notified you and you haven't even called me back to ask me how are things going, what has happened, can I help you?

Now, I I I'm going to respect your position and I always have been, but I'm just saying what happened. I'm helping the families and I reached out to you. And then the events that we are having, we don't have money in this, a whole lot of money in our town. We already know our budget is stressed and we can only do so much. you saying about a project manager. A project manager isn't in the budget. It's going to take money and probably have to look for the next budget year. But right now, I'm doing the things that the the least expensive to bring our families together. I can't go fix a road because the money for the road is gone. I can't go fix a marina because the money marina is gone. I can't do those things yet. But I'm fighting to be here if allowed to to pave the roads, to do those things, to get grant money, to get funding to do those things. But in the meantime, those things that I can do, I'm doing. I'm bringing people together. Yeah. The Veterans Day may not be a big deal, but to me, it brought our community together. The Black History program, it brought our community together.

Those events are great. I I commend you for doing commend you for doing that. Okay. Yeah. We always done events,

right? And so, and then you and then here's the thing, too. If given the opportunity, I have a six-month plan for you that I will show you that can happen. But but it's going to take the getting the grants that we're going to go out to. I have the staff. I'm building a team of workers. What Miss Boule Washington is doing, it relieves the stress because she knows what she's doing. You know, everybody don't know everything. And the first time you had to do something, you had to learn how to do it. But building the right team is helping us bring our city together. The connection we're in those meetings with those people trying to make our town better. And so just with all due respect, I hear what you're saying. And no, I'm not bringing a whole bunch of things up here cuz we don't have a whole bunch of resolutions to read every every um every meeting. You know, they can be thick, but it's a whole bunch of resolutions. I'm bringing things in that make sense. You I don't want to pile that agenda up just to have things on there. the things that we talked about tonight. The Mccclure project, that's what you all wanted. We gave the information very thorough. Now, you want the sir tax. I'm going over sir tax that you all approve, not me. I came into this budget. You had $500,000 anticipated for sir tax, but you had 500 $530,000 with the sir tax to be spent on. It wasn't enough money. So, I'm recommending what you can do. I have enough sense on how to keep things balanced and it it's going to get better over time. So for you to sit there and I respect that that's your opinion, you know, and I'm done.

Can you um I have a Oh, go ahead. Can you give uh the the address for those two buildings that are deplorable? Uh one is 169 Adams Place. What's the public? The other one, the legal address is 170 West Third Street. And then 171 West Third Street, 169 Adams Place, 170 170 West Third Street.

Third Street, Miss Buzzy, for Parker Place. Um, yeah, I guess that's what it's Parker Building. So, cuz at one point they said they went before the magistrate. So are you saying that nothing was never done? They never went to the magistrate. There's no record of anything with they put a band-aid on it with with parket building. So they never went before the magistrate or anything. Whatever was done, it didn't what it was like like Commissioner McDonald said was a band-aid because they went right back into the same thing. If my members served me correctly, I think that a judge or somebody got involved and put a stop to

Right. That's what I'm asking. said that they couldn't put the people out of the building on that. But to my memory, I think that happened as well cuz we wanted to but this situation was of a a safety

concern of FPL. Oh, I I just have a question, interim manager, that I wanted to ask and I want to say um the events that we've been having. Um and I haven't I I haven't I wasn't at the Black History program. I had death in my family, but I just have a quick question. I know we've had a se several events and I know like food and prizes and things was that was involved. Was all of that um donated the um like I think for Veterans Day food was involved and I think the Black History program. Are we is the city is that being donated or is the city paying for it? Some of city and some of it's donated

and so I know we put a donation policy in place just so that when we have our audit just making sure that we're doing things properly. What have we done when it came to the donations? What have we done as far as the donations? And if we the commission can get a copy of that paperwork that was done for the donations cuz we want to make sure that we're in compliance. Okay. And when so when we have a audit that you know there are no you know there are no there are no problems with that. So if we can get that information um by the end of the week. So we want to make sure that we are not falling back into what we were doing and not following um our policies. So, if we can get a copy of everything that has been donated from these events so that we can have it and make sure that we're in compliance with our donation policy.

Okay.

Okay. Um I had another question as well. Um at the last meeting I asked about um where's the money going to come from for the $85,000 that was approved for the consultant. Did you bring that information so we can look at it and do a budget amendment? because um as the commissioners it's our fiduciary responsibility first of all before we approve any contracts we should know where the money is coming from in the budget and we didn't get that information even though the the contract was approved. So I just again I want to make sure when we get our audit done that this is a finding we're again not following what we should be following. And so did you bring that information with us tonight to see where I know you said it was coming from somewhere in the budget, but it's our responsibility to know where it's coming from in the budget and so that we can do an amendment to the budget. So do you have that information on where the money is coming from and so we can amend the budget if we need to?

Okay, Vice Mayor, I appreciate that cuz I'm I'm glad that everyone's concerned about the audits that's coming coming up because that'll help us all uh stay straight. But to answer your question, um the position or the hiring of the financial consultant was not a new allocation. It was an existing position that we had for a consultant and we hired another consultant. The amount isn't 85,000. It's up to she's paid monthly, I mean by the hour just like the previous one. And so if you want me to give you the budget item, it's listed.

I know the budget item and I know you say up too, but we approved an amount that we don't know what we approved. I know you said up two. Okay, I'll get that information for you. I was just saying so if we going over it, we still need to know where where in the budget is that money coming from.

All right, I'll get that for you. Okay. My next question is um in the emergency meeting we had, you said that we approved the strategic planner position. I did my research. I didn't see that resolution. You said we approved it by resolution. Do you know that resolution number? Because I don't remember that in my research that never came to us and changing the grant right of position to a strategic planner. And um again, with all due respect, Vice Mayor,

the strategic planner position wasn't bought before the commission to get approval. Okay. It was a as I stated before and again all these questions that you're asking um as I stated to meet with you all once a week because these questions can be addressed in communication with each other. But that's okay. I know. No, but I met I called to meet with you last week and you told me you prefer not to meet with me. Any questions that I had, you would prefer to talk to me in the meeting. That's what you said to me when I called to speak with you. To answer that question, the we had a grant writer's position which we approved in the budget that we extensively talked about that we needed.

No, no, no, no. And these things were done. Well, let me I'll leave that alone. um the grant writers position when I came there as interim city manager it had been vacant for a long time

um I don't see being a and this is like the dayto day but I don't see where in my opinion that we need a grant writer 40 hours a week or even you know we don't need a grant writer where we can get the same thing out of out of you know one or two pos uh positions and so I made a strategic plan of position like all the other city managers have done to select who they want to have. Deputy city manager change them. But anyway, um

I selected to make the grant writer position, a strategic planner position, and she's there. She's doing an outstanding job. and between the community economic development person and the strategic planner, we can do the grant writing still with those same people.

So my question still is though that was not approved by the commission. I hear what you're saying. You're saying because you're the manager, you can just do that. But I'm going to defer to the attorney to find out if that's true or not because that position was not approved in the budget. There was a change made. We approved a grant writing position. I don't even know how much the position pays or anything. don't know the job description and where it falls at on the flowchart because we have not been given a new flowchart since the changes has been made. So, I'm going to defer to the attorney and find out is the manager has the authority to change a position that has not been approved in the budget to another position.

I will need to look at that. Um, typically you all approve the budget once a year um in by dece September 30th uh of each year and um I I wouldn't want to speak out of turn so I will have to get back with you on that. Um she does have some discretionary authority obviously to hire who she wants but that is generally done within the budgetary um um numbers that you all approve.

Yeah. I'm not saying the person I'm saying to change a position that's not in the budget that this commission extensively discussed that we needed a grant writer even though it was um not filled which we was talking to the other city manager about it as well and why the position had not been filled and that we needed the position filled and um it had not been filled. So I didn't know if they can just you know the manager has the authority um to just change positions. I'm not talking about the person that you put in the position. And and my question for that is because the strategic planner, she came to us back in November on actually it was November 25th. Um it was KRD Connect, which is still Miss Driver. It was Miss Driver's company to do the consulting services for the IG. And so I remember Commissioner McFersonson asking the questions. We wanted a presentation. She was charging up to $10,000. And um Miss Busy said that she w she actually withdrew the resolution and said that um she was going to hire the person, which is what she did um end up hiring the person. We met her um at the at at at the meeting in January. And so she was charging up to $10,000. I don't know what the salary what her salary is for the position that she's in now because it was not a position. And my concern also was here at the special meeting on February the 17th. So she hired Miss Driver to do this job. Then on February the 17th, she brought a new company to us to do the same job that Miss Dryer was going to do um back on November the 25th that she withdrew. But Miss Dryer never it never came back to us. So she was charging up to $10,000. And then here it is on February the 17th, we this commission approved to pay someone eight times more, which was up to $80,000. But

we I'm just wondering that that's why I was so against hiring up to $80,000 because we denied the person that came for $10,000 because we wanted a presentation, but we went back 3 months later and someone else came before us that she brought before us that didn't give a um we didn't have any paperwork in front of us and we're paying them $80,000. So my concern is we are and I hear the mayor saying that we need a manager. we putting we don't have money for certain things but we have money for other positions and we still our city is still in need of a lot of um for his infrastructure. So that's my concern. We're paying I'm just wondering where the money is coming from and we're doing this and was that a good way to spend the city money. Someone was charging us 10,000 but then we approved to pay someone up to 80,000 but we asked for a presentation and we didn't get that presentation and interim manager decide to hire the person and never brought them back to us for the presentation but 3 months later we get someone to pay them $80,000 to do the same thing that the person up to $10,000 was going to do. I just don't think that's these are good decisions that we're making with the city's money. I mean that these are my concerns that I'm having

and um just through the mayor to answer your question um I don't see anything that speaks directly to the question that you asked. I do see that it says city managers shall prepare and submit the annual budget budget message and capital program to the commission shall keep the commission fully advised of financial conditioning future needs of the city and shall make such recommendations to the commission concerning the affairs. And then you there are other um things but that's the part about the finances. It may be something but the recommendation never came to us about it that making the change. It never came to the commission.

That that's my concern. It's not coming to the commission. It's just being done. And I have a I I I mean we're supposed to be making decisions that are best for this this city and its residents. And are we spending the city's money in the best use like we should be? We're approving contracts. It says up to 80,000. We don't know how much it she's going how much the person is going to charge, but we had someone to come to us that wanted to pay $10,000 to do the same thing. And I have the contract here with the same nine concerns that we were supposed to take care of, but we didn't pay them the 10, but we agreed to pay someone up to 80,000 eight times more prior three months later. I I just have a concern. And I have a concern with that.

Also mentioned too that Susan uh previous uh financial consultant say that she was able to do it under her uh same uh amount that she has been charging the city which would have been $80 an hour versus $150,000 hours. I know that this other consultant is bringing supposedly a team of three or four peoples. I'm not sure the number, but she would then ask that she would take on some of the responsibility of the finance director. So, Miss Susan indicated to Miss Buds then that she could do that, but it would be now an additional $40 an hour for a total ofund and $120 an hour to do both rows to do all the uh information in the audit report to get that squared away and then continue to do some of the finance director uh role. So she was saying she heard on live streaming our commission meeting and her position was distorted. So she would have did for 80 thou $80 an hour the contract and work you wanted done in addition to being asked to do the financial director work. she was gonna add another 40 and she say she wasn't approached back with a yay or nay and now that she's saying that she's no longer at this point will be willing or

wanting to work with the city of Pokei because of the misinformation that was provided to the commission on that particular evening. I have a question. I I have a question. How long Miss Susan worked with us? Probably about two years maybe. And we was late every year. Huh? And things wasn't getting done every year. She wasn't an audit now. Yeah. She wasn't a She was a consultant. She wasn't Well, she used to work here. She used to work before became a consultant. She was working here, right? And nothing wasn't getting done. Everything was late all the time. See, this the thing that get me right here. I'm I'm sorry, but

what was late? What was the late though? I don't know. Uh the audience when we every time every year you when Mr. Jackson came in, you know, him and the audience.

She wasn't the auditor though. She was just a financial consultant. She was working in the finance department helping in the finance department. Well, she was the finance person before Mr. Martin came and I I remember when Miss Miss asked her for the for some paperwork then she left and then we I looked up Mr. Martin was here. Let's just be real for a second. And um we sat up here and we complained, "Oh well, Miss Busy is spending money and she doing this." But we the same people that sat up here and paid lobbyists $7,500 a month when everybody else pay two.

But it wasn't no problem with that because that's the decision we made. But the manager didn't bring us that's just the manager didn't bring us any price. We didn't I didn't know how much.

Okay. Well, here's I'm not I didn't know how much I expl this what I'm saying. You know, you sit up here and you and you say things to the lady like you hold up a bunch of paper with a bunch of proclamations in it and and I you know, I never asked Mr. whoever the uh Mr. Jackson anything to bring nothing back really. Same thing. I don't say nothing to no city manager. I thought I let them do their job, you know. And you said and and Mr. Jackson, I don't care what you asking for and I told you this and you can put it up on the tape. And I told him, you don't do anything we ask you to do anyway. You do what you want to do. At least I can say this about Miss Buster. Whatever you all ask her or I ask her, she tried to get it done. Let's be fair. Don't sit there and say come up here and hold up a bunch of paper like the lady's not doing. The lady been here. The lady been here.

Whatever you ask she got done, be specific. I'm hearing a lot of she's getting this. Well, whatever she she'll bring you back the information that you asked her for. Whatever you ask her, she brought back. Yeah, I haven't asked her. Oh, okay. You just say that everything I asked. I said I said no, no, no, no. I said we we whatever you guys ask her. But ask the other commission what they what they actually have, she brought it back. But I'm just saying, but here's the thing. Here's the thing. But whatever we ask I and I've stated this publicly to Mr. Jackson, whatever we asking for, he don't do it.

And I and I and I told you that. So my this is my thing over there. And he was here a whole year. and so and you can't tell me nothing he done in a whole year. Nothing he got done. So that's that's my point. I mean I think it I think some of that the statement that you making you should have went to her office and sat down there and and told her that. No no no no. And a lot of time James you tell people in commission meeting where there's no distorted saying this how he approached me. He raised his voice. He did this. He say that.

We assuming you assuming we're assuming. We're assuming. We're assuming the lady just stated she called. You don't answer the phone. Cannot. Cuz you sure don't come to no events. Can I? I mean, but you must be leading this city and you don't participate in nothing that she involved in. And what would my explanation? I don't care what your explanation is. Oh, you don't remember what I said? No, I don't even care. Okay. Because I think it's in it's an insult to sit up there and say what you just said. I have an obligation, man. Yeah. Have it. Do it. Do it, man. Do it. COME OUT. COME OUT AND DO IT. Commission meeting and come out and do it. Can I interject?

Yes. Go ahead. Cuz I'm Uh, first of all, you keep saying what you been hearing. Yeah. And the reason why you got to hear it is like Commissioner Scott said, cuz you haven't been present.

And secondly, I wish you would have let me know that you was doing her evaluation tonight. Um, my interactions with her have been totally different and I would imagine that yours would be such that they are because you haven't been able to interact with her, especially if she got to call you eight times and you don't answer the phone, nor do you answer the text messages. Next, we'll move to the report of the city attorney if

uh yes, Mr. Mayor, vice mayor. Um, as I typically do, you know, when I hear things during the meetings because I don't want you all to think that I'm co-signing the things that I've I'm hearing and I and if I think I may know um better. Um I'm not I'm confused about the certax discussion that you all are having. Um generally the way that works is the the there was a uh penny tax and it gets distributed based upon agreements with the various cities and um you have to propose your projects and they get approved uh by the county and you have these agreements and all of the cities get them. So,

I don't really know when, you know, when you all are maybe you can send me those agreements, Miss Busy, or whatever you're looking at about the, you know, $500,000 or whatever, but they are based on they're they will be for resurfacing projects for different things that deal with uh qualified sir tax funding and and they're distributed differently amongst the cities. And so I was pulling up um some information which wasn't um which didn't match what you know was said before. Now the county could have granted some additional dollars. I don't know. But that's typically the way it works. It's not like you name you they have to actually be approved by the county. So um so any information about that would be helpful for me to advise you all. Um that's the first thing. But I wanted to um uh you know just state a couple of things and and I appreciate the fact that at least to this point we haven't had um you know the craziness that's been going on in other commission meetings and I wanted to take a moment just to kind of um reiterate for you all. I know that through the training um we talked about it through um doing the legislation for those of you who were here uh we would have talked about it but there are certain things that are um kind of standard in terms of decorum and I wanted to read just a few of them for the record um and it states in section 2-26 of the city's code of ordinances while the city commission is in session members of the city commission and The public present at the meeting shall not by conversation or otherwise delay or interrupt the proceedings or the peace of the city commission. There should be no audience outburst and disruptive conversation from members of the public. It further states that because there are

um you know there may be some sentiment that my comments at the very end of the last meeting because I felt that you know like basically I was being attacked and I'm human. So, um, but I want you all to know that I do have the ability to, um, in the code in that same section, section 2-26 of the code, the city, um, the city attorney may ask the chair for permission to speak at any time during the meeting. I can do that. That is in your code. And so, that is what I did. And um you know I pretty much said that I am not going to be a doormat for anybody coming here dumping their stuff on me because your issues are not with me. You're having a process. I've not been the issue before Miss Busy came. You're having a process to determine who your city manager is going to be. That's your process. I'm not going to interfere with your process. I'm going to support her and the things that she's doing, which I have been doing, but I am not going to be, you know, a a a stomping mat for anybody who happens to come here and release all of their vile on you all and me and everything else. I'm not going to do it. So, I will probably be in the habit of saying, "Mayor, may I respond?" Because I I'm just not going to do it. Um in addition to that that same section says personal and slanderous remarks. That's the that's what it's entitled. It says any person making personal impertinent impertinent or slanderous remarks or who shall become boisterous while addressing the city commission may be requested to leave the meeting and may be for with by the presiding officer barred from further audience. uh being before the commission at the meeting from which uh the person is ejected. So that is in your code in the same section that I read. Um so these things, you know, I'm

I'm going to at some point I guess make a copy of this for the next commission meeting. I'm going to highlight the sections for the mayor that he can utilize. Um, this is and I've seen Pokei bad, but this is probably the worst I've seen it. And um, and you know, it's it's you know, like I said in the last meeting, it really needs to stop. Um, there are a couple of things that I also wanted to bring to your attention um that uh have been, you know, said uh during the meeting and and just misinformation kind of things. And so I wanted to make uh clear that the issues with um you I've been asked by one of you um whether we have whether there's anything in the uh inspector general's report or I report that has to do with um multiple bank accounts where you have deposited funds have been deposited and those funds have been removed or taken by someone. There is nothing like that in any report. And so I want to make clear before that catches fire and goes around the city that the OIG report deals nothing with that. As I've mentioned before, the OIG report really deals with non-compliance issues and how you deal with your financial controls. That's what it deals with. It deals with spending that's done that's not uh done in accordance with your financial policies. It deals with um the lack of training that it discusses for um for staff members. It deals with things like that. It does not deal with um money being inappropriately deposited and taken from the city or any of that. Not to say that the things that it does

deal with are not um important and significant things. It's just that what is being um the misinformation that's going around does not match what the report says and the report is read readily available online for anybody to see. And Mr. attorney, could you also mention, and let's put it in layman uh terms, there nothing in there in that report that say money was stolen. And that's been going around saying or money is missing. $2 million is missing.

There's nothing that says that. And I don't know how over months and I've sat here, you know, and I was thinking maybe it will stop at some point. But I've sat here meeting after meeting after meeting and pretty much the same people come up and they yell at the mic and they say that this is happening and money was stolen and they say all kinds of stuff and they just leave it here. And I can only imagine what the community must be thinking if they haven't read the report which again you can Google. It's readily available online. and you can just put city of Pahokei oi report and the year 2025 and it will pop right up. So I you know I I I don't know why anybody would want the city to look uh bad. Why anybody would want people to um see that kind of thing and believe that's who we are. And I say we because I feel like I'm a you know I'm a part of it too, right? Um so I um you know I wanted to bring that to your attention. The other thing is you can expect from me as I have done with other city managers. It's not really it's not anything I don't have any I I was when she was appointed I went over to her immediately. I gave her advice about you know what I thought she could do in order to come up to speed very quickly. Um we talked the next day at length. I gave her a whole long list of things um which included um getting support from the League of Cities um talking to the city managers in the local area um going through the contracts immediately looking at the you know getting the right people in place. We we talked and I gave her a long list of things that she could consider doing. So I have nothing against his manager. You all have seen me. I am consistent in I was when when Chandler was here, if he if he said something that I disagreed with or I thought was wrong, I'd say it

in the meeting. I said to him, I write it. I put it in a memo or whatever. You know, when um when Rodney was here, same thing. You know, Rodney was just say things sometimes. I would correct him on the record. I would make it clear. So, I am sitting here as legal counsel. I am not, you know, your your friend. I'm not your I'm not your enemy. That's for sure. But I'm here to do a job. And so every time Miss Busy calls me, I answer immediately. Um if I can. Um you know, I answer like she called last week. We talked about something. I, you know, gave my advice about it. Whatever it was, I write back immediately as I can. I respond to her staff. And so I'm doing things that you all don't see, you know, in the meetings. Maybe it looks like I'm just reading the titles, but I'm doing work. The stuff that you see before you is the is a result of things I've had a hand in. In addition to that, um you know, your agendas, you know, I got I got a question from one of you about, you know, what whether I I there was some confusion about what I put. I don't put things on the agenda. I review the things that are that go on the agenda. I have nothing to do with your agenda. Right. And so I just want to make it clear before that spreads in the community. I if you see nothing or if you see a lot, you know, it's it's not me putting it on there. It would be if I were going to put something on there, it would be something that had to do with some imminent legal issue that, you know, I would be telling the clerk, which I am allowed to do, but that's not my role here. My your you get your information from the manager. If you want to see what other cities are doing, you can easily look online. You can Google any city. You can see their agenda. You can see, you know, what kind of things are being brought before commissions at any point during the

year. Um, but I don't have anything to do with that. So, um, I want to, you know, just make that clear there. You know, there's a I guess I could probably go on for a minute and I appreciate you all listening to me, but I just want to let you know I'm here to do a job. I'm trying to do it. I don't expect to be yelled at, attacked, lied on, any of that, you know? I just want to do a job. And that's what I've been doing all along before, you know, before Miss Busy came. You and even when before she came, you all would try to draw me sometimes in conversation. Isn't this true city attorney? And I would tell you, I got to work with these people, the clerk and the manager. I don't want I don't want any issue. So look, I, you know, I'm I I put it on the table. That's where I stand. Um I don't want to be involved in this process of, you know, being uh where the uh whatever is happening the it gets shifted to, oh, we're going to just pay attention to everybody and make this not about the city manager, which it is. Your selection process is is that it should not be diverted to me in any way. I don't share any of that. I've been doing a role. I haven't been having a problem. Nobody's been pointed at me. This is what I do every single day for um POI and numerous cities. I do it well. I'm a I'm a great attorney. Okay. So, whatever anybody comes up and says, you can my reputation stands for itself after 35 almost 35 years. It stands for itself. So, with that, thank you for listening.

Thank you, city attorney. Then we'll move to future agenda items of the commission if any. And I'll start with uh Commissioner Scott. Hello. Thanks, Mayor. Yes. At the last meeting, I think all of us forgot to put on um put on um for the school that we were supposed to consider for the school what they're trying to do with the gym.

So for Miss Johnson for the school. So I want to put that on as a future agenda item about the gym repairing the gym and the bar. Did we a future agenda item? Guess voted on it. We never got a chance. We didn't put it on. Yeah, we never discussed it.

We That can be addressed tonight. But we don't have anything and we got to get a resolution or something, I think, for it or something that we didn't do. We thought it was going to be I thought it was going to be in there for this one. Yeah, that's what we thought. What for be put on cuz it wasn't put on for this one as we thought it was going to be

just something that the man the manager can bring to you all. You don't even have I mean if she has something that she wants considered and she's proposing then she would you know bring it for you all and you bring it as an item. So that's how you could deal with it. I mean, if you been speaking with the um you know, the young lady about whatever you're proposing, you can bring your proposal and then it will be in a resolution format and then you all can talk about it. So, I haven't received anything. I know you talked about something coming to me and I don't have anything. So, whatever it is, once they send it to you, Miss Busy, you can review it and

and the conversation. and I spoke with Miss Johnson. Um, and she's getting the her proposal together for her attorney to review and then we're going to be send it to you to be placed on the agenda, but it wasn't on there tonight because that had not been done.

But basically, it's going to be your recommendation for whatever you you're telling the commission. You recommend XYZ, this much more rent, this much more space, the you know, whatever you think the contract should be amended to say. I will make sure that it goes within that based on your recommendation and I'll be happy to speak with the other attorney about you know where that might go. But but basically the the the recommendation in terms of what you believe based on the budget based on the use based on whatever other factors they give you um and you all discuss first. That's what you know that's how you'll lay it out and then you'll send it to me and I'll figure out how to make make it in the contract to meet your expectations so that you can sell it to your commission.

And again, we need to keep in mind we did make that a legislative priority the hardening of the gymnasium. So if we do get approved of that, that would have some bearing on uh Miss Johnson request. I don't know how but we have to figure that out too. You not receive the money. Could you use it for that project or are we going to continue on if we are successful to use the funding to harden the GM something that she was planning on doing if she got the uh extension uh to her contract?

Okay. Yes, I spoke with the lobbyist about that and it's still going, you know, through the house or whatever. And then that'll be something that, you know, depending on what the the uh decision is, then we will have to look at how to use those funding um if Miss Johnson's uh project takes care of it. So, that's something I'll get back with you on. Now, my other item is for a future agenda item. We move. You're saying we don't need to add it on the future agenda.

No, sir. Miss Busy can bring back what her recommendation is and then you all can consider her recommendation and we'll bring it back in a contract form that you can, you know, see if you want to approve or disapprove and the contract including the resolution. A resolution which will include a contract. Yes, sir. Do do we um here Miss Johnson, do you have anything to add? Um with regards to

I I just want to Well, first of all, I appreciate everyone allowing the response attorney I received. Thank you. uh regarding the draft minutes and I shared that information with the necessary parties. We actually went in and did a visual tour of the location and uh I'm in the process with doing our due diligence to proceed to give the recommendation to Miss Busing. And as I said on Monday morning, my leadership will be here at the school and I would just give them a visual of the location. They will see that as well. Uh we are uh going through the necessary steps and this person who came was the visual was someone who deals with real estate. the other person I will be talking with uh will be someone who is from the uh construction uh industry part of it. So I am moving uh with that to create a a proposal uh uh based upon their findings. Okay. And I think from my understanding um it probably will be ready uh at least a proposal to give to Miss Busard uh for the March meeting.

That's our plan. Okay. Thank you. Thank you for that update.

Okay. And again, I said the leadership on Monday, I'm sorry, at uh about 9:30, if someone could be there from the city uh just to uh greet uh some of the individuals who may be potential um supporters of the city, okay? They're not just solely Everglaze Prep or Glaze Academy, okay? This is something we're trying to attract us as true partners and one who would be interested in anyone coming to help uh our city the city of

Okay. Vice Mayor have a second one. Uh-huh. Um, I was just still wondering if we can still get a copy of all the contracts to come to make sure that um, so we can look at the ones that have expired to see if they those are some contracts we need to look at where they are and the ones that are coming up. That's the next if we can do that at the next meeting. That's a dayto-day operation. You made a comment, Miss Bus. No, sir. It's not important.

I have a problem with this part of the commission where we have to vote on just because a commissioner want something on the agenda, we have to vote on it to get it on there. To me, that don't really make sense. And I'm g say it make a lot of sense.

No, wait. Let me let me tell you why I think that it don't make sense. Because the city manager with her supervisor and she put on there what she wanted and we don't have to vote on it. The clerk or anyone else put anything else they it's stuff that done been put on there since I've been sitting there. We ain't vote on it. It just shows up on there. But it ain't came for the dice and we haven't voted on it. But but when I get to the city council meeting next week, it's it's on it's it's in the package. I'm like, so why is it that everything we do it need to be voted on? But when someone else do it, it just get in the package.

Part of her responsibility to set the agenda now to give us some input and putting things that we would like to see on there, we have an opportunity to add recommendation or suggestions. Now you say it don't make any sense for us to approve it though. You can set up there at each commission meeting and want 10 item on there maybe 20 and I can do the same thing. Where when will it stop? So it stop it can stop at two like we already agreed and voted on. We can stop at two. So

don't set 20. But this is what I'm saying is that I'm just saying just because u commissioners say well I'd like to see this on the agenda. Why do we have to go through the voting thing when no one else have to do it? Mr. Mayor,

I I could try to help. Okay. What some smaller cities do is because your staff is limited. Um so you don't have a lot of items that are coming that may not because they have to spend a lot of time is spent on the front end on these items and preparing them and researching them and trying to figure it out. And so if everybody had two items of meeting or up to two items of meeting, they wouldn't be able to get anything else done. So what the future a lot of cities have future agenda item um on their agendas and it allows you to know that you have a consensus before you bring it before you bring the items. And so if you have three of you saying yes, we approve this going forward and it's a substantive, you know, piece of legislation that has to be written or whatever else, then it's not a strain on your staff because they have time to prepare it and then they also have um you know time to um make sure that it comes to all of you all in advance at the meeting. It's not a surprise. it's, you know, it's it's well researched and so that's why particularly, you know,

you sound nice, but understand what I'm saying is that I totally understand what you're saying. But what I'm saying is just because the commission asks to have something put on the agenda. we if they choose whatever like I guess I've seen it with other commissioners where one of them wanted something on they always voted them down and when I think any commission should have the right to have something put on the agenda. So they decide they those those folk decided well okay I don't care what Scott asked for we ain't putting that on and it's not going to get on because they not going to vote for it

and I feel like I'm just saying I feel like I have the same right to have something put on the agenda but have without having the consent and I think I mean we can vote to limit it to one thing or two. I I agree with that, but I I don't want to agree with, you know, you telling me when I can and can't do it. You know, when when everybody this we I have sat here and seen we come back with proclamations and all kind of stuff that we ain't voted on that. We don't even know where that come from. It just shows up. Now, who idea is that? The public ain't know nothing about it cuz I know I didn't know nothing about it. But that's happens every week. So, I'm just saying to me I mean you I mean I I don't I only have one vote, but I'm just still saying to me it really don't make sense. So, I mean some of y'all like to do it and we can continue to do it, but I'm just saying I don't agree with it.

You go ahead. I'm done. Vice Mayor, you had another suggestion. I did. We was on the board talking about the contracts. That was one of the That was one of the um items. The attorney is saying that right now don't even need to be as agenda item. Bring all contracts all the contracts. Yeah. So my first one would be to bring all contracts back to the next commission meeting to make sure that we look at them before they expire. The ones that have not expired

and the ones that have expired. So you're you're basically saying that's a commission role we need to be looking at as a commission as a whole. We need to review them or that's a day-to-day operation type thing. I'm just trying to get clear as saying we should look at all the contracts to determine whether they expired or not and then move

because don't we have to vote on them? Even when they come up for renewal, we still have to vote on them. So, if we at least have the contracts and we can look at them in a timely manner, excuse me, cuz we still have to we still have to vote on the contracts. Even though it's a day-to-day operation and the manager puts them together, we still got to end our voting on them. So, I would prefer to see them prior to and at least Is there a second on that?

Okay. Well, my second item is is that we can start the interviewing process on March 24th. And the reason that I'm saying that is because we have a resolution that we did um on September the 30th where we hired the interim manager and in that resolution it said that it was for 90 days. So right now we're not even abiding by the resolution that we put in place. And so because we're over the 90 days, we're going to now have to start paying. So that's my next item. City attorney, that's in the resolution that after 90 days there's an increase in salary or something.

Well, actually that's in your charter. Yeah. So your charter requires like a month after so much time passes and I don't know what the scale is but it may be 90 days then you pay a month and then another however many months and you pay another month of severance. That's what I think that's what um vice may be responding. Yes, that's what I'm responding to. I think even the city manager most of the time the service is only normally like three months total. Well that's what it that's what it requires. I can see if there's a difference between the interim and the manager, but I'm pretty sure city manager. I'm pretty sure there's a chart specifically for entry city manager. It tells you after 90 days, they get x amount after

a specific char. I know the majority of the city managers are entering we've had to work. It's in the chart. I'm not discerning. I'm just making a comment have been on the job for almost if not a year close to a year. It does. I don't know if we had entrance in Trees during that time, but

there's a section um 2-98 and it section 2-98 of the code and um it applies to um city severance pay and um 0 to 180 days none 181 days to a year um one month and then greater than a year three months. That's what it says. And it says in order to be eligible for the severance, it go it it has a some other that dear senators from 180 days to a year is only a month servant pay. That's what it looks like. Um that's not a that's that's not a a stream issue to me. Okay.

But I know the majority of the entrance have worked it up to a year. So to have to pay them a month salary if you terminate them or if they don't receive the job. I I don't see that's being a real issue. I'm not saying we can't go forward with the dates, but part of my uh item that I wanted to put on there to have this really extended a little so we can give the person the opportunity to show a little more than waving maybe what's have been done previously. I'm just that's just a thought of mine. But if you want to use that as a date, if you want to use it as your uh motion, it's it's it's okay.

Go ahead,

Commissioner McDonald. So, um there's just a few more days left in this month and um I didn't see anything with regards to the partnership requests from the UNCF. So, I want to um ask that we follow up regarding that because I think that it is going to be um a good partnership that we can enter into. A second.

Been moved and second that we add to our future agenda item the partnership with UEMCF. Been properly moved and second. Call for question. Ready for a vote. Roll call. Madam clerk. Commissioner. Commissioner McDonald. Yes. Vice Mayor C Williams. Yes. Commissioner M. Pearson. Yes. Commissioner Scott. Yes. Mayor B.

Yes. Motion pass. And also um just one other thing uh in continuing with um Black History Month, uh next month is Women's History Month. So, I want to see if we can identify maybe some event that we can use to um recognize and uh congratulate women in our uh community with regards to Women's History Month. There's a second to that motion. Second move and second call for questions. Hearing none, are you ready for a vote? Roll call. Madam clerk,

before you go, um, Mr. Mayor, would this be a a resolution approving of Women's History Month for a certain date and time? I mean, I mean, do are you going to give will you give the additional information to the manager or do you want to state it here? Because I don't really know what to put in the resol. I'll have a conversation with her um and we'll u see where that conversation leads. Okay. I just think that, you know,

so to do something to commemorate Women's History Month, to do an event, in other words, right? not necessarily an event, but to recognize some individuals that um are deserving of the U recognition with regards to uh the celebration of women ready for a vote. You was clear on what she's asking me. My understanding she'll speak with so when when the resolution comes back it will come back and

yeah a a um it could be a proclamation it could be a a resolution to commemorate it in some other way but you'll let the manager know and she'll tell me. Ready for a vote? Roll call. Madam clerk. Commissioner McDonald. Yes. Commissioner M Pearson. Yes. Commissioner Scott. Yes. Vice Mayor Cow Williams. Yes. Mayor Bow. Yes. Motion passed by unanimous vote. I said, Commissioner McDonald. Yes.

I would like to add for a future agenda item that we reopen the city manager posting for 60 days. an additional 60 days to allow others an opportunity to lease apply and or we direct HR to contact previously interviewed applicants who may not be aware that they didn't have to reapply or resubmit an application if they had one on file for the entrance city manager position to allow them to be interviewed just as an option. I think our pool is only four now between three and four. Most of our applicants we have had at least a dozen or more. So I just think just to have a broader pool that would help

a second. Uh it move it has been moved and second call for question. Yes. Um, if I'm not mistaken, there are some questions with regards to the validity of one of the applications and I think that we need to resolve all uh questions regarding that um before we are considering opening it up for additional candidates.

Okay. And at the last commission meeting that same question came up. It wasn't, we didn't put anything on the table to say that it should be voted on up or down. We didn't see an issue with it. The HR said that a person had their application in on time. The other question was whether or not some additional information was provided. say like the attachment of the resume that was there already but it wasn't previously uh given to the commission and that was then in turn given to the commission. So I don't know where the discrepancy is coming in. It's almost seeming like we're trying to eliminate people instead of trying to add. So, um there have been new developments with regards to um whether or not the application was received um during the period of time when it should have been.

What was the new development? So, um and who shared the new development? Some information came from the IT person. And um all I'm saying is that we need to make sure that the applications that have been received are valid,

but the IT person stated that it wasn't accurate that he did not change her email address and and it never has been changed. and she stated the reason that she pulled the application up four months later is because the her email was changed and and he said that wasn't accurate that her email had never been changed. So bottom line lay person is what are you saying? What I'm saying? She was lying. She was lying. Huh? She was lying. Plain English. She was straight lying.

Because here's the thing about it. When the IT person look look at it and states that she did not he did not change her email address. Her email address never was changed. She stood right there and said the reason that he was transferring over because she got a different email. He said no. That never happened. Okay. I'm trying to supposedly there was an email sent. So, is it a way that we can get um is it a way that the commission can get a copy

get a copy of the um is there like a confirmation that the HR person get that the commission can be provided to see when the application was actually um submitted and so that we all can see what the submission date was cuz the computer should have that information on it. So is it possible any kind of way that the commission can get that and we can see it to verify when the application actually came in? Yeah. Yes. Do you have that information and we can be provided that? No, not on paper. We need to see it on the computer. Give me your computer. Let her open up and show it on on a let show let us see it on her email address. Not on paper. Does anybody do anybody on my laptop?

Okay. Well, yeah. Okay. Yeah. Um you have give me a copy. get a copy of what you have on top of that that applicant she has her own receipt from with the email receipt. So if we if we don't have I mean so I don't know will we be out of line I guess if we can some kind of way get the applicants information I mean cuz if we saying what she have that's not you seen the fact bottom line too though we have an HR person here who's paid and certified to do this type of work she say this application was submitted on

also said that her email address was changed I never said my email address. I said I was another email address. when he changed it over other the stuff didn't come over and you just I was telling and you just I was telling um the clerk that she requested about the um about how many applicants we had and I'm like this but this also I did have a and or that those applicants who originally applied

be allowed to at least be interviewed if that's their desire cuz we say that in a commission meeting because y'all already got your mind made up. So, what we'll do what we'll do is that I like to make a motion that we withdraw the application. We with they throw the application out because it wasn't it wasn't on time because just like I know you were sitting there and you heard what she said. You have absolutely no proof, James, that

I went by what I man say. What it man say? So he don't he don't he only been here 10 years. So if he don't know when he don't know who who can whose stuff he serviced he he did he send you that in right m you're going to sit here and be willing to take an applicant if if there wasn't in on time you right and you got proof that that's the case. So we can table that until we get to the bottom of it.

You ain't going to get to the bottom cuz but what ain't consistent on telling hers. I don't got I just don't I just feel sorry for you, Miss B. I'm here to tell you I feel sorry for you. I don't know how you do it. M mm.

And I do want to say something if I may, mayor. If I may, or I can wait till later. I just wanted to clear up about the uh thing with Miss Gooding as far as the um you know the uh the quote that you made um when she sent me back an email. I think it was she was going to do 120 an hour and LA was going to do 150 hour and it was just we had talked about doing some things to fill in for the finance director and so um she never you know got a chance to come back um when I had come to a meeting and I didn't have it on the agenda and so she emailed me that because it wasn't on the agenda she would no longer be working for the city that I can pay her for the 26th and the 29th. So that's how that ended. So I just wanted to clear that up. motion.

Mr. Mayor, you're you're on future agenda items right now, right? I made the motion. I'm just looking for a second if there's a second. I second it. Okay. It has been moved and second that we reopen the city manager applicants for a total of 60 days. Call for questions. Hearing none, you ready for a vote? Roll call. Madame clerk. Mayor B. Yes. Commissioner McDonald. No. Commissioner McPearson. No. Commissioner Scott?

No. Vice Mayor Cowin Williams. No. Okay. Motion decline. All right. And we move to Commissioner Mike Fearson if you have anything to add. I want to be a problem solver. Um just want to ask for a future agenda item, but I might need to run this past the attorney before I ask it. Um, as far as budget amendments, can we put that on as a future agenda item?

Uh, you could. Normally, the U manager would be bringing that back, but um you could put it on as for for the things that h are are outside of um whatever the parameters are of what you've done so far. And um if you get a second on it, then the manager would create the amendment. Well, I would like to put a uh future agenda item that we bring the budget and make the amendments. Um, we voted as far as the um the the the person that's going to be doing the uh the audit findings uh to make sure that money is allocated properly in the budget as well as I think there was an issue about the position. Um, the money was in there for the grant writer, but I guess the person that's been hired put that on the agenda so we can go ahead and prove it and make it right and move forward.

Okay. I'm sorry, but can you say that again? the questions about the uh budget came up about the uh person that we had, the finance person that we had that's going to help us with the audit that we put that on the on the future agenda item, the budget and make the necessary amendments in the budget to correct make sure those things are in align with our budget as well as the um position that was uh the grant writing position that was amended. Yes. Amend those things and cover make sure that they're covered in our budget. Let's just fix stuff and move on. Was that a motion you said? Yes.

Okay. Second. Second. Been moved. A second. Call for questions. Hearing none. Are you ready for a vote? Roll call. Madam clerk. Commissioner M. Pearson. Yes. Commissioner McDonald. Yes. Commissioner Scott? Yes. Vice Mayor Cow Williams. Yes. Mayor B. Yes. Motion passed by unanimous vote. Next we have general public comments. Oh, before we go to the um public comments. Can I make a motion? Motion on what? I'm not sure.

Can I make a motion? Motion on what? I just mean make sure it's proper. You're saying you just want to make a motion. Is it a future agenda item? No. So that's what we're we're on and we're moving now. No, we So you just out of the blue you just want to say, can I make a motion? Yes. You can do it on your thing a little bit. Missed it. Just to answer the question because it's a legal question. Not at this time because you right now you're under future agenda items and so that's what's on your agenda. You're getting ready to go to public comment. So I bet you can that's no longer on future items. But what I'm saying

in between and I'll let the mayor finish but the you not even in between. That's the whole point of the future agenda items. So you're not making motions on issues or voting on issues that are not on the agenda and they haven't been publicly noticed. And so the it it's how your code of ordinances works. Okay, I'll take that on the advisement. Thank you. And we'll move to general comments, public comments, items not on the agenda. City clerk, do we have at this time any public service or public comments cards? Yes, we have a public comment card from Susan Gooding.

I should say good evening u madam Mr. Mayor, Vice Mayor,

Commissioner, City Attorney, interim city manager, city clerk, members of the listening audience, I am just here. My name is Susan Gooding Library and I'm going to give my company name, Government Finance Tutoring LLC, and I was recently the financial consultant for the city of Bohoki. I just want to come here tonight to clear up some just some misunderstanding that was said at the February 17 special meeting. And I recently heard the interim city manager corrected herself where my contract with the city was at $80 an hour, not $120 an hour. And I'm going to go back and give you some history. Um, I've heard some comments tonight and you know sometime you have to speak up and stand up for yourself.

So I was hired by the city in 2019, October 2019 to come in and help the city of Pokei with their audit. They were two years behind 2018, 2019, 2017, 2018. I came in October 19. So if you can put those date in perspective, if you are consistently two years behind conducting an audit, how do you correct the prior audit findings? So October 2019 audit 1718 audit was issued February 20 in the year February 2020. We can we finished the 2017 2018 audit. What was 2020? That was co

two years behind. I came in here and helped the city to accomplish that. On August of that same year during COVID tw of 2020, we also completed the 2018 2019 audit. So you want to know what the financial consultant was doing at that time? I came in here to assist the city in bringing them up. I think Mayor Bass is the only one from the prior commission that is still here. The employee, most of the employees, the currently at the city, the economic department, one person from the financial services department or the finance department as we will call it is still there from that time period. You have lost staff. You have lost finance director. You have lost city manager. You have lost um economic development director. But yet you are still holding the financial consultant to make sure that these audit come in on time when you are already two years behind. 2019 to 2020 audit was completed in March of 2022. And if many of you who are members of the commission during the prior sitting board of the city of Pokei when the doors were being locked at city hall staff could not get in to do work report. No finance director there to give the financial consultant the information to assist the city. But yet the audit of 19 to 20 we will completed in March of

2022. The 20 the FY 2021 audit we completed in November 2024. Consistent with all of these changes personnel not there we still move ahead and completed the audit. 2021 2022 audit was completed of June 2024 and 2022 I need some more time if that's the time 2022 audit 2023 completed December 2024 so if you can go back these these two years back audit and helping the city was done in record time to make sure that the city move forward record time and if you go back to when I became the financial consultant there. You would see in your audit report zero findings because at that time they they had a qualified financial a CPA there helping the financial department. Go back to your audit reports the one that was recently issued. You have 2010 findings, 2011 findings, 2014 findings. How do you expect a financial consultant who does not have access to your bank account, your accounting record, only the information that has been provided in your file, recommendations will been made, nothing done. I met with the interim city manager because she was introduced to me by the HR director. Met with her 2025. She came in in October 2025. met with her maybe November, December, had a sitdown talk. What do you do? How often do you come in here? I am only here when the finance working with the finance director when the finance director need to do the city's audit. The city's books close

September 30th of each year. The auditor gets in here around February of the following year. The report is to be done by June of the next of the following year. I think I have more than satisfied my role as the financial consultant with the city. Go back two years behind during COVID during administration going and still was able to get the city up to the recent 2024 where they were on time. But you expect a consultant to go back and bring two years up. You cannot perform one next year's audit until the following year audit is completed. The city attorney can tell you that you cannot complete se19 unless 1718 is finished and you close the books.

Thank you, Miss

So I just need to come here to clear up something. Sat with Miss Busy, discuss that interviewed by her, interviewed by Mrs. diver, whoever that person is, asks of my all of my credential and my my references. When the current or the past finance director, Mr. Joseph Martin, hand in his resignation, Miss Busy called me, Miss Susan, can you come in and sit into the seat as interim finance director? All this time I've been sending her my agreement because I've been letting her know that the agreement expired and I have do not have one and I will not continue working because of all of those comments from the auditor general regarding you have to follow your policy. Anything over 10,000 need to come to the commission. I could have seen the signs. I already saw she did not take it. Even if there were errors in the agreement promised that she would take it there. None was done. sat again with her on January 16th when she told me about the resignation of Mr. Joseph. Can you sit in? I said, "Yes, I can. I will be there on January 26th because Mr. Martin left on January 23rd." Okay,

I just want to correct that. Came in, sat there. I said, "What time would you like me to be there?" She said, "9:00 in the morning." I was there 9:00 you didn't ask all of the staff 9:00 on Monday the 26th 9:00 on on Tuesday the 27th I expected at least my agreement to come to the okay no it didn't go

I told her I told her that I will I have prior engagement I will be leaving on the 29th I said I will work three days the 26 27 28 the HR director is here I came in that Monday morning and I asked, "Okay, can I have access to the information? Could you please send an email?" She sent an email to the interim city manager. Responded that yes, she will take care of that with the EIT so I could have access. I did not see her on that Monday and I understand because she had meetings, she had businesses, she have she have a role to do. But she never came to that office to knock to say, "Miss Susan, are you there?" I'm not sure if she asked any of the employees, but to say that Miss Susan, she have not seen Miss Susan.

Okay. Okay. Thank you, Miss Good. I heard what you say. No. No. You all Hold on a second. Let me say that. 20 The 27th. You said, Miss Gooding, you sent me an email. I didn't terminate you. You sent me 11. Say, you know, we got No. And I didn't ask you to be interim city manager. What I asked you to do, Hold on a second. No, no, no. Your minute is up cuz you're not going to stand there and lie. You said to me, "No, no, no. Let me just say this." No, give me my minute. I'm just asking for my See, they y'all all talking, you all talking after hours about stuff. I already know this.

So, on Tuesday, on Tuesday, January 27th, when the commission meeting is about to be done, I could tell you I sat in the office with Miss Busy. I said I have I've I've actually met I've actually called the consultant to go over the o the o the skate report that we still pending on with the guys B75 we sat down there is a memo issued to her telling you all of the things I've done that day Tuesday the 27th a memo that she was going to give to the commission not sure if you guys have received it I came in again on the 29th 28th and nothing was done as far as giving me access. So, I only worked four hours.

Okay. Thank you. And I sent the email, sorry, I sent the email to Miss By on on one on two, I think it was 217 that same day the meeting was when I found out that she did not take my agreement to the I told her I could not work. Thank you, Mus. We we we have it. But I just needed to say my right. I understand it had been my pleasure to at least serve the city of Po and we appreciate that and I thank you for your service for the opportunity but I just needed to make sure that I put on the record what is correct. You're welcome. Thank you.

Now before we go any further when I got there one when I got there in October I hardly saw her. I had to call for her. But even that she did, you know, she she she worked. When Mr. Martin resigned, I asked her, it was one or two things that the assistant finance director couldn't do because of the, you know, contradicted. She couldn't approve what she was writing checks on. So I asked Miss Gooden, would she come and do those things? And so, long story short, cuz she took up enough time, she sent an email saying that she couldn't work anymore. Could I ask you a question though? What was Mr. Martin uh notes or comments why he resigned?

I don't know. You do you know?

He say you was totally responsible for his resignation because you refused to follow internal management, financial management practice. you initiated debit cards and he pleaded with you as a finance director with all the problem we've been having in our finance department. You went ahead and still did it. I know you say that you cancel him and didn't use him and all of that. I don't see it in writing, but you did verbally say that. But you were the reason why he's no longer with us.

Okay. and the other financial person left basically because of two two financial peoples and we in dire need of people that been here that know how to fix some things that we're in without having to figure out what we're doing right

okay to answer that is that Mr. Martin, he probably did resign because of the change of internal controls because I was trying to correct some things that happened in the past and I streamline the process. Some people get on board, some people they resist. A lot of people don't like change. So if you all are trying to use me as a scapegoat, it's not going to happen because I'm doing what I've been asked to do while I'm here. Although I got to fight every meeting against all of this because you all sit here and do an evaluation of me every meeting instead of telling the public what you've done.

I don't know why you're saying the mayor. If you look at the bus have been here for four months. Look at all the meetings. I haven't really criticized her at basically all every meeting. All right. We know you're a fan. So, I got a question. You don't know what I am. I have a question.

We throwing all these allegations out. Specifically, what does our policy say? Matter of fact, I've already requested the information from the crook and she's getting me that information cuz I don't like making decisions on hearsay. I like to have stuff in black and white. If we gonna do things, let's look at our policies and see what our policies say, you know, before we just be making accusa I and what what's their what accusations are you referring to though? I don't understand. No, everybody making in this in in this in the windows and

no I asked about the reason why Mr. the nation. It's only we got Mr. Martin said he said that. Okay. Okay. My thing is if I'm going to accuse a person of violating internal policies, I'm going to quote what that policy is and he stated that on this um thing. And so that one time he was concerned with I wasn't going to even say anything about that cuz I was trying to get the policy for myself. What? So much so that he resigned. Yeah. Okay. City city clerk. Do we have any additional comments card?

No. Mayor B. Thank you, ma'am. Okay. For comments of the city commission for the good of the order and I start with Commissioner Mike Fearson this time.

No comment. Commissioner Mike Don. Um, I'm going to be consistent in my efforts to encourage everybody in this room and those that are not here to get on board with Progress Pokei because that is certainly uh my intent. Um, at some point in time we got to realize when it's time to take this city forward. And now is as good a time as any. Um, for whatever the reason, we got some things that we still need to work out, but I'm on board with it. I'm a team player and um, I'm going to lead the charge. So, whatever it is that we need to do as a team, let's do it. Let's get out of our own way because I see that as being the biggest part of the problem. Um, not pointing the finger at anyone because we can all take responsibility for our own actions. Um, I do want to see that happen. Uh, I'm here for the time that I'm going to be here and I'm going to stand on what it is I feel I need to stand on with regards to progress for Hokei. So, I welcome any and all of you to uh get on board with that and um in doing so, we can get some things accomplished.

Vice Mayor, I just want to say good night and thanks everyone for listening. Commissioner Scott,

I'm just to the point to where I do want to see the city move forward, but it's hard when um when you come in here and everybody's so divided, you know, I I like I told him, I I I came in here, I decided to um become a commissioner because honestly I thought Merson and and Commissioner Cow was on the right track. I wasn't even thinking about being no commissioner, but um you know, unfortunate things happened, but and I was encouraged because I thought, you know, we just going to go ahead and do this. But I see now that other people got some things that for some reason it just they can't see theirel um voting for Miss Busy to be no city manager. I don't know what they know about her, what she done to him. And I I'm having a problem with that and and cuz I'm like this this really ain't making sense, you know, because if she had done something in the past, then I can understand. But I don't get it. I'm like I'm sitting by. Why is everybody so angry about Miss Busy, you know, cuz when I first um we first voted in, trust me, I got some bad some people say some stuff to me like I'm like say, "Man, you crazy." I said, "I don't even know that lady like that. I'm just I said I just thought she had a nice interview and I was forced people from I'm going to say it again. I'm for people from poking and that's just me. I'm sorry. You know, but um I can't see how nobody can't see what she's doing every day. But no, nobody I guess we just we just going to walk around here and close our eyes like if she's not doing anything.

James, list a few. Just just name some that she ran them off to you. I'm talking about you. No, I'm just saying but she ran them off to you. all the stuff that she was working on. But you talking about you talking about 100 days. Wait a minute. Hold. I'm going ask you a question. Mhm.

I'm going list one. Every time you list me something that the last two previous city managers done, I list something she done and they was here for a year or something. Two years. Now you tell me what they done and I tell you what she done. Okay, that's the end of that conversation. Let's uh but this is what I'm trying to say. So, Miss Busty, you know what you're going to have to do is just hold your head up and continue to do what you do. If you don't, if they decide not to make you the city manager, just walk away proudly. You know, hey, I you gave y'all just like that's what I feel. I feel like when I walk away from here, I know when I came up here, I gave I gave them all. It wasn't prejudice in no kind of way towards no one or anything. You know, I don't have a hidden agenda. I'm not trying to provoke you from doing anything or searching anywhere. So, some of us got some other things in our in our bag that we don't want this public to know about.

I'm just being real with y'all. So, you know, um I'm just going to go ahead and find me if I say the wrong thing. Good night, y'all. Have a nice time. Yeah. Can I entertain a motion for the German? Yeah, I second. So, move a second. Call for question carrying nine. Roll call. Madame clerk. Excuse me. Who seconded? Who second it? M. Commission Scott. Mr. Scott. Okay. Commission Scott made it. Commission. Okay. Mayor B made the motion. She made the motion. It doesn't matter who. Commissioner McDonald made the motion. Well, it doesn't matter. Go ahead. Mayor B.

Yes. Well, excuse me. Commissioner McDonald's. Yes. Commissioner McPerson. Yes. Commissioner Scott, yes. Vice Mayor Cow Williams, yes. And Mayor B. Thank you. Okay. He journed at 8:38 p.m.