City Commission Meetings - Regular Meeting

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Good afternoon. I'm calling to order  the Panama City Commission meeting   for December 16th at 4:30 p.m. We're  going to start off with an opening   prayer by Reverend Heath Toss, senior  pastor of First Presbyterian Church,   followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by  Commissioner Brian Granger. Please stand. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, I just thank you  so much for your kindness. I thank you for the   spirit of the season that we're in, Lord, of of  love and hope and joy and peace. And ultimately,   I'm so thankful for you sending just the  greatest gift that you could ever give to   us of your of your son, Jesus Christ. Lord,  I thank you for your kindness to Panama City,   the way you've preserved us and watched over us  for for so many years and the way you um give   us these these elected officials and the way you  watch over us and and continue to uh protect us,   Lord. And so I ask that as we have gathered  tonight, I ask that you give our elected officials   wisdom. Give them a spirit of unity. Give everyone  here uh calm hearts and minds and help us to   uh go where we need to go in this city, Lord,  and go before us and continue to bless us. Jesus,   we love you. We pray all this in your name.  Amen. Amen. Amen. You'll join me in the pledge   of allegiance. I pledge algiance 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. Please call the role. Mayor Branch present.  Commissioner Street here. Commissioner Hughes   is joining online. Um, does he have to does he  need a screen? He's present. There we go. Yeah,  

he needs uh if Mr. Hughes could There we go.  There he is. Yeah. Thank you. Commissioner Lucas,   present. Commissioner Granger, present.  Mayor, you have quorum. Thank you. You   receive the meeting minutes from November  18th. Do I have a motion to accept? So moved.   Second. Any discussion? Please call the role.  Commissioner Street. Yes. Commissioner Hughes. Commission. Commissioner Lucas. Yes. Commissioner  Granger. Yes. Mayor Branch. Yes. Motion passes   5-0. Do you have any any additions, deletions,  or modifications to today's agenda? Oh, go ahead.   Excuse me. We have We also have special call city  commission meeting minutes of December 1st. Mayor,   we have two sets of meetings. Yes, sir.  All right. Do I have a motion to accept the   December 1st special call city meeting? Motion to  approve. Second. Please call the RO. Commissioner   Street. Yes. Commissioner Hughes. Call. Yes.  Commissioner Lucas. Yes. Commissioner Granger.   Yes. Mayor Branch. Yes. Motion passes 5-0.  Right. Now, do we have any additions, deletions,   or modifications? Let you go first, Madam Clerk.  Yes, please, Mayor. Um, I'd like to request that   we defer the charter officer evaluations until I  have received them all. I I have yet to receive   who might be the person remaining with their  evaluations. Do you want me to say? We won't   say we won't say who's late on their homework.  Um yes, you want to move that off of table it. Uh   table it until I I receive all the evaluations.  Agenda item. Okay. 9 L is in LE. So we'll move   that. Any other changes? We had Yes, sir. Uh Mr.  Mayor, commissioners, item 7 C as in Charlie,   7D is in Deltton, and 7E is in Edward regarding  3719 Shoreline Circle. The applicant has requested   through the development services department uh  that we table this issue and have it returned  

date certain at the second meeting in April, which  would be April 28th. Again, that's items 7 C, D,   and E regarding 3719 Shoreline Circle. And then I  have one uh more addition underneath uh the city   manager. I would like to add 12 N is in Nancy uh  a request of FDOT on behalf of this commission uh   to uh added crosswalks for safety uh to discuss at  the end of the city manager's portion. Mr. Mayor,   those are the ones from staff. Right. Motion  that we table 9 L. Yes. Till the second meeting   in January. uh that we will table seven Charlie  Delta and Echo until the second meeting of April   and add 12 November for a discussion on F DOT and  crosswalks. Just for um just for knowledge the   um the second meeting in January I'll be  at a state transportation board meeting   so I will not be there. So yeah, given the  the the con the content of that, I I mean,   we don't we don't have to discuss that.  It was just more of a charter evaluations. I just didn't know if you guys wanted to delay  until February or if you guys wanted to handle   the first meeting. Do you want us to? Yeah. And  if you want me here, let's push it the second   of or the first meeting of February. Yeah. Okay.  That would be 9 L. Motion amended. Got a second. Second. Please call. Commissioner Street. Yes.  Commissioner Hughes. Yes. Commissioner Lucas.   Yes. Commissioner Granger. Yes. Mayor Branch. Yes.  Motion passes 5-0. Happy holidays from the city of   Panama City. In observance of the Christmas  holiday, all city offices will begin will be  

closed beginning at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, December  23rd. uh and uh through Friday, December 26th,   normal business hours will resume on Monday,  December 29th at 8 a.m. Residential and commercial   garbage will run as normal on Christmas Eve, but  not on Christmas Day. The claw truck will not pick   up bulk garbage on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.  And in observance of the New Year's holiday, all   city offices will be closed beginning at 2 p.m. on  Wednesday, December 31st through Friday, January   22nd. Normal business hours will resume on Monday,  January 5th at 8 a.m. There will be no commercial   or residential garbage collection and no claw  truck for bulk garbage on New Year's Day only,   January 1st. The Panama City Commission will hold  hold a housing workshop on Monday, January 12th   at 4:30 p.m. This workshop aims to learn about the  community's needs, discuss the resources available   through the city, and explore future options  and direction for the city's housing services.   The housing workshop will take place here at the  Bay County Government Center in room 10:30 on the   main floor. Citizens who are unable to attend may  watch the meeting live via the city's website.   The city is proud to announce the date for the  grand opening of the MLK Junior Recreation Center   on Friday, January 16th from 4 to 8:00 p.m. And  what a grand celebration it will be. From special   guest speakers to live music and food, come take  a tour of the new and improved facility and campus   as our community joins for a celebration of this  momentous occasion for our city. Save the dates   for another round of Dover Cole downtown Marina  Cherettes Wednesday, January 21st through Friday,   January 23rd, 2026. A schedule of events and  sessions will be confirmed and shared soon,   but the event will take place at Panama City City  Hall. For more information, visit panama city.gov.   The Panama City's Charter Review Advisory Board  is actively engaged in a comprehensive review of  

the city charter, an important governing document  that hasn't seen a full revision since 1963. And   Panama City's Parks and Recreation Advisory  Committee is aimed at gathering community   input regarding parks under consideration for  potential liquidation. We strongly encourage   and desire public input and participation for  both initiatives. Your voice matters and we   welcome your feedback. For more information  on meeting times and locations, please visit   the city's website at panalcity.gov. The holidays  can be a busy time of year, but never miss a beat   with the city. Sign up for city communications to  get important updates straight to your inbox or   text to your phone. From the monthly newsletter  to real-time alerts, stay informed and engaged   with what's happening in your community. Scan  the QR code or visit our newly designed website   at www.panamalcity.gov to sign up today. That's  all our announcements. Mr. Mayor. Yes, sir. Ethan   Brown, come on down. Ethan's going to be giving  us a parks recreation advisory committee update. Good evening. Good evening. Do I need to do the  address thing or anything like that? Sure. Ethan   Brown, 920 Malberry Avenue, Pamel City, Florida,  32401. I'll keep this under 82 minutes. Okay. So,   now we have been uh busy at work. We got started  in August. I was appointed as the chairperson   uh unanimously. I did not have a vote in the  matter. And uh so we've been tasked with uh from   the previous commission in January of 2025. And  so the majority of y'all were not on that uh that   vote. Uh but the the ultimate objective is we've  got a bunch of mediocre parks and we either have   to increase the budget to have a bunch of really  high quality parks or we consolidate and make a a  

slight reduction and increase the quality of the  parks that are currently being utilized. Uh we   have over the last few months uh identified we've  got three different brackets of high resistance   to liquidation, medium resistance to liquidation  and low resistance to liquidation based on the   uh feedback from uh current committee members  as well as feedback from their constit their   constituents in a way. putting it on the record,  Trudell Park and Robert Mary Kane Park was not on   our docket. Uh that was stuff that preconce uh pre  uh pre-h happened whatever the words are for that   uh prior to our committee being formed  and so those are not discussions that   we are having. Um we do have parks in wards  one, wards two and wards three, wards four,   sorry, uh that are under the low cons uh low uh  resistance category where we will be holding some   town halls in January and early February uh to  discuss uh the future of these specific parks. We   will be advertising these over the coming weeks.  We will have the uh meetings in each ward specific   to each park and focusing on each uh each park.  If it is the park is not listed on the agenda, we   will take we will not have that discussion so that  we can have an efficient and effective town hall. And we would like to ask the the committee asked  me to ask the commission to put a pause on any new   park P3 ideas until after our process is completed  so that it does not potentially hinder our efforts   with that. We would also ask a six-month extension  from our current six-month uh tenure so that we  

can at the end of a 12-month period have very  thorough and quality recommendations for the   commission. I think that's all I've got. Any  questions for me? Questions? Going once. Going   one. Yeah. Do we have to have a motion to extend  the committee? I believe we do. Uh the minutes   had a six months and so the request is to extend  it another six months. It could be done at this   time if the commission wishes to. Yeah. Um and  and just to restate that uh Robert and Mary Kain   Park is not on the list of even discussion nor  is Trudale. Correct. So I would be in favor of uh   no P3s or disturbance of those other parks until  they've weighed in. But those two parks that we're   discussing now are not a part of your discussion.  So, correct. I'm also in favor of giving them more   time um where they can do their job and and have  enough public input. So, I would concur with that,   mayor, and unless there's an objection would move  to uh give the committee what they've requested,   the six-month extension and the um pause on P3s  while they do their work. I'll second just for   clarity, that would be through June 30th. I  think the expectation would be we'd like a   presentation at the second meeting in June on  kind of what their recommendation is. Is that   just to give a very firm expectation of the  committee? Ideally, if you guys could give us   some feedback prior to budget process would be yes  um would be helpful. Say three months in. So yeah,   I mean yeah if we get like a like a half let  me half through your session just an update   and then a preliminary by that point. Would you  like a prelim preliminary report after our town   halls? Yes. Yeah, that'd be great. Perfect.  Yeah. Awesome. So, and encourage everybody to   participate in the town halls. So, so just the  more people that can come out and participate,  

the more than likely the best outcome. Correct.  Absolutely. So, for clarity, is the motion a   moratorum on all P3s for all parks or is it just  for those specific parks that we have named? No,   all parks. All parks. the two named or excluded  because they are not part no I'm asking about the   P3 um not doing a P3 on any part or not doing a  P3 on just those two that we've just not having   a commission-led discussion until after the parks  committee is finished with our process any park   okay that only thing that makes me concerned is  the conversation that you're having with Sanders   soccer club and any potential unsolicited offers  we get about truce Aale and the path forward that   kind of snuffs it off at least. I mean what for 3  months or I mean we can always lift it I guess. I   don't I would say we shouldn't do anything until  you guys have done your community input sessions   and going through that. I think that's a a  prudent course. I do do want to remind the   mayor and commissioners staff did get direction  to negotiate with Girls Inc. I can barely hear   you. We can barely hear you. I do want to remind  the mayor and commissioners that the staff did get   direction uh to negotiate with Girls Inc. on the  piece of property uh adjacent to Oakland Terrace.   Yeah. uh for and to to lease uh Oakland Terrace  to Girls, Inc. in exchange for that property. So,   we're we're still just wanting to make sure you  guys know that's out there as well. Would that   take place before they finish their community  shreds? They they have to know their destiny um   no later than April um and be in place in May  of next year because their lease at Oakland   Terrace School ends uh I believe uh before  next summer starts with the school system.   So what I'm getting at here is in the report uh  they have identified two lowresistance candidates.   If somebody comes to us and says, "Hey, we would  like to do a P3 uh for the the Kid Harris Park for  

example." Um looking at it, it is it was a food um  you know where you grow grow food. Um garden park,   I forget the name of that. Community  garden. Community garden. Thank you. Um,   and if somebody were to come to us and say, "Well,  hey, we want to do a P3 there." Um, we've already   said no today if we if we move forward with that.  So, my concern isn't necessarily for the process   of True Stale and the process of um Mary Kane  Park. My my concern is the proc is the fact   that if we move forward with this, we're going to  be cutting out all the other parks. Correct. So,   that's really the that's really my concern here.  So the only thing I'd add with what you're saying   is that's not gone through public feedback yet. So  there may be something with kid Harris Park that   we're unaware of that we have. So I I think that  at least at the bare minimum we need to let them   get through their community surretes and if we  want to set like a 3mon timeline. I mean I don't   think anything's going to change in 3 months. So  I mean from a perspective of if you if you've got   something to engage in on that you can wait 90  days I would assume. So there's a moratorium on   P3s for three months or is it for six on whatever  park facilities are in within you guys' All of   them. All of them are under there. Correct. One  clarification and a suggestion. The clarification   is the uh the girls inc the club the Oakland  Terrace building not the entire park facility.   It's just working out an arrangement if possible  where they could utilize and do programming within   the existing Oakland Terrace building. Another  suggestion I know is that potentially if the   commission just was proactive in letting the  committee know when it is having discussions   about potential P3s on parks that I think that  might go a long ways also as far as they would  

feel like they're engaged in the discussion,  but that wasn't their specific request. Any other discussion? Question. You want to  amend your amend your motion or do you   want to I did a motion. I like I'm I'm  still fine with your wording. Yeah. Oh,   that's right. And so I I think that when you  guys come back with your your next presentation,   if we feel like we need to change something  in that, I I think we can. Um but you know,   I think it'd be good to get through the public  feedback and let you guys have your sharets.   There's another discussion of a question about  the the girls inc. Is that an expanded usage or a total We're going to we're we're talking  about them having total control over that   building. We're we're still negotiating. Um  but I I want to make sure if the desire of the   commission is to not do that until for 90 days.  Um they may be they need to know their destiny   sooner than later. Yeah. So, I would uh think  that we would not want to uh make a decision up   here that stops something that's already in motion  given the urgency that uh Girls Inc. has to find a   place. So, um I I can exclude that from my motion.  And for additional information, this would not be   permanent. It would be for a period of time equal  to the land value. Um and then this give buys   them some time to find another location. Yeah. And  just for clarification, that's because Girls, Inc.   is losing their facility due to the um Oakland  ter or the St. Andrew School, which used to be   Oakland Terrace Elementary School, being demoed  for the relocation of um Margaret C. Loose. So,   are you okay with the amended motion? All right.  Please call the RO. So I have uh six month more   six months extension and a pause on P3s for any  of the parks except for the girls inc. So to be  

clear uh we have said 90 days or 3 months but what  you're reading is 6 months 6 months extension for   the committee plus uh the P3 moratorum until the  sheretses until they come back with their report   after the sh. Okay. Is that right? Yeah. Okay.  Uh, Commissioner Street. Yes. Commissioner Hughes. Commissioner Lucas. One  question. You said the sherets. More of a town hall. Can I have a question? Town  hall four. Excuse me. The the sheriffs is that for   the parks or the P3s, does that include just parks  or or does that include everything? because we got   other things in our P3s going right now. These  are only items as it relates to the work of the   parks and recreation committee. So parks that they  were looking to divest, they want community input.   Those meetings take place uh in January. That's  fine. I'm a yes. I'm a yes. I'm a yes. Question.   Thank you, Commissioner Lucas. Yes. Commissioner  Granger, yes. Mayor Branch, yes. Motion passes   5. Thank you. 6. Item 6A is the second and fin  Item 6A is the second and final of two public   hearings on ordinance 3285, an ordinance amending  chapter 102, administrative processes, article 2,   development review procedures, section 10237,  final site inspection and acceptance. Chapter 110,   supplemental standards. Section 1110-1,  determination of density. Chapter 111,   subdivision of land. Chapter 116, Definitions  of the Unified Land Development Code. Relevant   background information is enclosed in your packet.  This is the second and final of our two hearings.   Staff recommendation through the Director of  Development Services is that the commission   conduct the second and final public hearing and  approve the ordinance. And just as a reminder,  

Mr. Mayor, Commissioners, we did add the appeals  process uh to this commission uh as requested. Mr.   Mayor, yes, this is a public hearing. If you wish  to speak about item 6A, please come to the podium.   Anyone on 6A? Seeing none closing public comments.  Do I have a motion? I'll make a motion to approve,   but I'd also like to make a comment just for Yes.  All right. My only comment is I I think this is a   bad policy initiative um that took place at the  state level um to remove from the elected body   the ability to approve and deny plats which is  one of the mechanisms we use to ensure that we've   got public spaces um as well as other amenities  in whatever development comes to the city. So   um but I do appreciate staff putting in the best  efforts that we can to provide our citizens an   appeal process. um should one be needed. Any  other discussion? I just so staff brought this   forward because of an initiative by the state  legislature. So, any discussion? Please call   the role. Commissioner Street, yes. Commissioner  Hughes, yes. Commissioner Lucas, yes. Commissioner   Granger, yes. Mayor Branch, yes. Motion passes 50.  like to read title of the adopted ordinance 3285   and ordinance of the city commission of the city  of Panama City, Florida chapter 102 administrative   process article 2 development review procedures  secretary section 102-37 final site inspection   and acceptance chapter 110 supplemental standards  section 1101 determination of density chapter 3   subdivision of land chapter 116 definitions of  the Unified Land Development Code relating to   the subdivision, combining and platting of land,  providing for modifications, repealing costs,   severability, cotification, and correction of  scriveners errors, and providing an effective  

date. Item 6B is consideration to conduct a second  and final reading and public hearing on ordinance   number 3297 that adopts the Panama City Community  Redevelopment Plan amendments and comprehensive   updates. Relevant background information is  enclosed in your packet as this is the second   and final reading. Staff recommendation through  the city manager's office and from the CRA board   is that the commission conduct a second and final  reading and a public hearing on ordinance 3297   that adopts the Panama City CRA plan amendments  and comprehensive updates. Mr. Mayor, yes. This   is a public hearing. If you wish to speak about  item 6B, please come to the podium. Anyone on   6B? Seeing none closing public comments, I'll  entertain a motion. Motion to approve. Second.   Any discussion? Please call the role. Commissioner  Stre. Yes. Commissioner Hughes, yes. Commissioner   Lucas, yes. Commissioner Granger, yes. Mayor  Branch, yes. Motion passes 5-0. Commission has   adopted ordinance 3297, an ordinance of city  of Panama City, Florida, adopting the amended   and updated Panama City Community Redevelopment  Plan, providing for expansion of boundaries of   redevelopment areas, providing for community  redevelopment plan amendments, providing for   extension of the termination date, providing  for severability, providing for cotification,   and providing for an effective date. Item 6 C is  the first of two public hearings on ordinance 3294   and ordinance amending section 102-40 conditional  use permits or CUPS on section 104-66 the gateway   overlay of the unified land development code or  ULDC as background information. Ordinance number   3294 as proposed will amend section 102-40  conditional use permits and section 104-66   gateway overlay of the unified land development  code by allowing for certain conditional uses in  

the gateway overlay district. The proposed  amendment will allow several currently   prohibited uses such as bail bonds, pawn shops,  bottle clubs, etc. in the gateway overlay to as   conditional uses. The amendment provides for  for specific standards for conditional uses.   This item was previously reviewed by the planning  board on November 10th of 2025 and the planning   board recommended approval unanimously. Staff  concurs with this recommendation. This item was   tabled at the November 18th, 2025 city commission  meeting to the December 16th, 2025 meeting here   today. The ordinance proposes the following uses  be subject to conditional use permitting within   the gateway overlay. You have the ex extensive  list of 15 different items uh in front of you,   Mr. your mayor and commissioners. You also have  the following documents. The ordinance which is   3294, the staff analysis report and recommendation  and staff recommendation uh through the director   of development services and the city manager's  office is that the uh city commission conduct   the first public hearing here today and also if  there's a uh just an opportunity to discuss you   know kind of how we plan to address this at the  first meeting in January with the 15 different   proposed cups. Mr. Mayor, this is a public  hearing. If you want to speak about item 6 C,   please come to the podium. Anyone on 6C? Mr.  Mayor, I'd like to ask if um city manager would   say what the gateway overlay is. We have uh many  folk in the audience um who aren't usually here   and so they may not understand what uh what this  is. Sure. So the gateway overlay in our city is uh   you know areas through some major roads uh US98 uh  business 98 uh MLK Boulevard uh to name some and   uh Beck Avenue 11 street as well. And so uh  inside the gateway overlay there's certain  

restrictions there are certain expectations  that we have in regards to fences and what   type of businesses and what type of structures  are there in order to you know kind of protect   uh and and really put forward you know kind of a  slightly narrowed scope of what's allowed again   in some of the the major thorough affairs of our  city. And so, uh, there is a feeling that again at   times as we seek to continue to recover from both  Hurricane Michael and Hurricane Sally, uh, and   look to the future in our city, uh, that maybe we  do need to provide a little bit more flexibility,   uh, in order to encourage development. Uh, and  so we put forward, uh, suggestions, uh, from the   public as well as the five elected officials,  certain conditional uses that could be allowed,   uh, inside of the gateway overlay, uh, subject to  the, uh, the approval of this board. And so I'm   happy to read those proposals. Well, I initially  skipped over them, but I'm happy to share for the   benefit of the public kind of some of the ideas  that we've suggested. Okay. That also includes   Harrison Avenue down to Marina. Correct. Yep.  Harrison Avenue as well. Yes. All the way down   to the marina. Anyh any business commonly known as  check cashing or any business which is a material   part of its services provides future employment  wages or other compensation, payday loans,   payday advances. Uh, number two, pawn shops.  Number three, bail bond agencies. Number four,   bottle clubs. Number five, standalone  car wash facilities excluding express   and conveyorized automated tunnel car washes.  Number six, dispatch office and vehicle fleet   parking storage and maintenance operations. Number  seven, recreational vehicle sales, storage, repel,   uh, repair except for projects approved by  the city commission. Uh, number eight, vape   shops and stores. Number nine, window tinning.  Number 10, formula based businesses. Number 11,   drive-throughs. Number 12, bars and nightclubs.  Number 13, self-s storage facilities. Number 14,  

gas station service stations. And number  15,armacies and dispensaries. These are   numbered by Roman numerals. And I didn't  miss a beat. I was bring that up. I was   I was going to say that. Miss Louis Williams.  I did remember some stuff from high school. So any other questions up here? Just  as further elaboration on how a   conditional use works as proposed  in this ordinance. Um there is a   description of the district on page four  of the different areas like 15th Street,   um Harrison Avenue from 15th Street to the marina,  high 23rd Street, US Highway 98, Highway 390,   Highway 77, Highway 231, and 11th Street. But a  conditional use, in order for it to be granted,   there must be uh shown by a prepoundonderance  of evidence that all of the following is met,   which is a conditional use shall not be located  within 300 ft of an existing use that is the   same or similar. The conditional use shall not  be located within 100 ft of any other existing   conditional use. The conditional use shall be  compatible with the adjacent land uses. The   conditional use shall limit signage to a single  wall sign not to exceed 60 square ft in size.   The cons conditional use shall be prohibited from  constructing or utilizing freestanding ground and   uh ground signs and the conditional use  compliance with all design standards that   are provided in the gateway overlay. So those  there are conditions that are set out that they   would have to apply to be eligible for a  conditional use. Thank you. Come on up. Good evening.

Gregory Dossi, PO Box 35894, Panama City, Florida  3241. Now that I know what the gateway overlay is,   I like to add uh massage parlors to  that. There's one that appeared on   my street corner and I brought this before  the city commission previously which is at   uh 12th court in MLK Boulevard and that's  definitely not a place and it's parallel to   a church and that's definitely not a place for  a massage parlor to to be. I believe you know   they can have them but in the proper places. Thank  you. Yes sir. Thank you. Anyone else? Yes ma'am. Good afternoon everyone. Good evening. Hello. Anyway, Brenda Lewis Williams 2748 Drive um Panama  City 32401. understanding what the overlay is.   One of the thing I I disagree with Mr. Dossi that  that's a legitimate business. I've been in it. Um it is a legitimate business. It's not there for  prostitution or anything else. It's a legitimate   masseuse parlor. Uh and I disagree with him.  I'll reiterate that. But listening to what   the city manager said in everything that the  o overlay cannot have, this is negating any   African-American businesses on Martin Luther King  coming down 11th Street. Take a look at it. You   cannot have them there because you have so many  restrictions. What's wrong with a bail bonds? We   have one down there. What's wrong with a um he  gave something else I don't remember but all the  

ones that I I I as I listen you're negating public  entrepreneurial ship in that gateway area to me   this would allow it ma'am it didn't seem like it  no we're moving in that direction okay it just it   didn't seem like it sorry if I was not clear Mr.  Yeah. No, you weren't. Okay. And then I'll stand   back and if it's going to allow it, wonderful. If  not, it needs to be shot down. If if they vote to   approve this ordinance, that's what it would  allow. Okay. Very good. Anyone else? I have a   question for Nevin. When you say that distance  mechanism that you use, is that front door to   front door or is that lot line to lot line?  Uh, we can clarify that before the final. Uh,   but I believe it's lot line to lot line. Okay.  All right. Okay. Yes, ma'am. Hi, Dolores. Dolores   King, 2538. Dolores King, 2538 West 9th Street.  So, I live on Business 98. Um, and so I am curious   um business 98 between Frankfurt and um Beck  Avenue back there right close to Trudale Park and   Oaks by the Bay Park. Is that included in this?  Because that's a residential area. Um, I mean,   I know it's not I know it's business 98, but that  is truly a residential area. And and so this what   you're saying is this would allow these businesses  or not allow these businesses. Well, 11th Street   is definitely in the gateway overlay. The question  is is does is Chestnut 9th and Frankfurt and Beach   Drive? I know Beach Drive is and I know Beck is.  I I believe it is 9th Street. I believe it is all   of business 98. I'd have to double check, but I'm  90% sure it is business 98. I know that for a fact   cuz I live on 9th Street. It's business 98 there.  No, I'm saying the gateway overlay is on top of   business 98. So, it is past Beck 10th, Chestnut,  9inth, Frankfurt Beach Drive. All of that is in  

the gateway overlay. Yes, ma'am. So, you're  saying that these businesses would be allowed   on a condition on a conditional use? Okay. I would  strongly oppose to any of those businesses being   allowed on 9inth Street. Is there a way to exclude  Ninth Street? Because if you look at Ninth Street   from Frankfurt to all the way to um where it goes  to Chestnut and Beck, that area there is a it's a   it's a residential historical residential area and  we really need to preserve that. We don't need to   turn it into businesses. Obviously, zoning plays a  factor and I failed to mention that. So, it would   have to be zoned appropriate as well. So, if it's  a residential area, there's even more restrictions   than that. So it would have to be appropriately  zoned and then also in order to be put in the   gateway. So the gateway overlay is an additional  restriction on top of the zoning. So in order to   allow just to clarify that because recently  that changed to the St. Andrews neighborhood   zoning which is which would be different than  what you're talking about here. So again the   zoning is is um would would take precedent is what  that is correct. Okay. The the gateway overlay is   an additional set of restrictions. So even if  they were to approve that, it would require   reszoning or something which is a whole another  process. Okay. Thank you. It' be good to have a   map going forward these kind of things too. Yeah,  I was looking for a map because I definitely Yes,   ma'am. Come on up. We're talking about gateway  overlays. Yes. Michelle Brian, 409 East 9inth   Street. My question um one I think that's a  great addition maybe for some neighborhoods   to offer those opportunities. My addition to  that is are you looking to add different type of   um structures? I've met with you guys before about  an entity that we're looking to build on the road   and one of the questions was the type of bu uh  building. One of them is the metal style building.   um what I've seen on the 11th Street corridor um  in the last 3 months a new metal building go up  

and I was in question of that because that was  something that was not allowed on the overlay   according to the conversations that I've had with  the city. In addition on Leven Street there are   current metal buildings, an electric company  right before you get to Malberry and the um   building that is currently the metal building is  across from um Rosenall and a daycare center. So,   just want to see if that's something you guys are  looking to invest in and if not, why wouldn't we   want to look in expanding the type of buildings on  the overway overlay? Thank you. So, I I was able   to find the map, Dolores, 9inth Street is not in  the gateway overland, just so you know. Yes, sir.   Good afternoon. Walter P. Henry, 614 M Avenue,  Penro City. Uh, have y'all taken Sherman Avenue   out out of this? One time y'all putting Sherman  Avenue in this overlay pass. Going to Millville,   old Millville. Everybody go forget about  Millville. Mville is older than downtown   Panama City. That's where the town begined. Uh,  other person I want to ask you only cuz y'all   never give an answer and uh and I don't think  that's fair but that's right. You got a building.   I brought it up to you before there at 98 Cactus  Avenue on the water side. And it's a shed. And   I think somebody trying to put an office there  now. And I'm going to say it again. You don't   want folk to have a trailer, but you go let you  allow a person to stick a stick a shed on a piece  

of property. Well, you won't let a person put a  trailer have a trailer that they could live in. Something wrong with it. Now, it look like  they're trying to pull something over over our   eyes. let it stay there and then you venture  anybody said anything about it. Well, no,   you need to look at it now. I don't think  they whoever put in that building there,   you would let me take my shed and take  it down on 98 to set it up and side I'm   going to start me a business in it. That's  all it is. You can say whatever you will   or may it's nothing but a shed that  somebody trying to put into a office. Now you go go by go by 98 Kite Kite Avenue.  Look there you see you'll see that building.   They done put a they done put they done added  to it now. They had a little walk area coming   up to it and I think everybody's trying to get  something put in and then think somebody go   forget about it. It's there. If you go out, you  let one person do something, you might let you   might let all us do it. You ain't going to stud.  Nobody could be should be exempt. Don't make no   different who it is if it was me. If you if you  got your law, go by your law. It's not going to   go by your law. Take it out of your law. Thank  you. Anyone else? Gateway overlay. Seeing none,   closing public comments. Mr. Zimmerman  6. Mayor, may I ask a question? May May  

I ask a question? Yes, sir. And I'm sorry  that I'm bouncing all over the place here.   Is it possible that we have a discussion about  shrinking the gateway overlay? Does anybody feel   like that it encompasses way too much? Uh it  even goes back into residential neighborhoods   because it goes 400 ft off of the commercial um  the commercial corridor and I think that that   is we should not interfere with residential  areas and I think that the commercial and the   gateway overlay might encompass entirely too  much area of our of our city. Um is that a   conversation we can have now or should we have  that at the next meeting? I would rather have   it where bring a map of the area you're talking  about and the specific uses and that way we can   deal with realities and not hypotheticals and  have a clear picture of what we're discussing.   It's not hypothetical. Drive down Harrison Avenue  or Beck Avenue and go 400 ft off of either one of   those roads and that is your gateway overlay  and that is interfering with residential and   uh mixeduse areas. But my point is, do we need all  of these areas? all of this area covered by the   gateway overlay. I was not you and I were not part  of creating this. And so this is um a question   that I've I've brought up and and if um I if and  maybe it's a question that we have next goround,   but I'd also like for Michael Fuller to weigh in  and get his opinion on whether or not we believe   he believes that it might be if it's too big or  not. So I I'll just add, Mr. Mayor, commissioners,   uh it doesn't apply to the residential lots. So  it only applies to commercial. So I mean if so if   even if a residential lot falls into the gateway  overlay and and and that might have been what   happened with the shed, I'm happy to look into  that for Mr. Henry, but I'm not not familiar with   that specific issue. The west side of Magnolia uh  and like the would be considered commercial but  

not the neighborhood. But I I think I think my the  point that I I'm want to make that Ky Robbie kind   of touched on is anytime that staff has a policy  that was created years ago that is preventing   something, I always want to know about that  because otherwise we don't know what to change   that's stopping things. And so that's what I want  to say is bubble it up. How about how about at the   next meeting can we have start with an overlay of  the map for everybody to see including us so that   we know and and I'll be I'll be more prepared to  talk about it then mayor. But I just want to bring   that to your attention because I we might we might  be able to help some of these issues by shrinking   it down. So, but I'll be prepared then. Yes, sir.  I I would just add that Jonathan wrote read what   will be allowed as a conditional use. There is a  whole another list of things that are prohibited   from the gateway overlay such as sexually oriented  businesses, such as mini storage, such I mean   there's a lot of other things that um I think the  residents would be more concerned about um if that   gateway would shrink. So just Okay. Well, my my my  constituents are concerned about that. We've added   um we've added, you know, pharmacies and we've  added drive-thrus and we've added things that I   think, you know, I think we need to be careful  about trying to uh uh adopt something that   takes care of one ward or a couple of wards  because we're affecting everybody and and and   um my concerns are some of these additions are  going to hurt um uh potentially could hurt ward   one and w two pretty easily and I just want to  make sure that we we talk about those. So, so I'm   not on board for these additions. Uh, but we'll  we'll have that conversation in the next one. So,   the prohibited uses. Yes, sir. I I agree. But  the the additions I think we need to have more   conversation about. Well, we will. This is the  first reading. We will. Yes, sir. Thank you. Yes,  

sir. Okay. Uh, first reading ordinance 3294. Come  on up. We're going to open it back up. Let's go. Yes, sir. Good evening. James Baker, 3036 Game  Farm Road. Um my main concern with it um is   that even if there is more stuff that might  need to be changed later on down the road,   um I believe that this this thing is uh  timesensitive to more than one person um and   businesses and that it is important for us to get  through the first process of what we're changing   now and then if we need to address more changes  later um then maybe that could be the case. Um,   also, um, something to clear up is is also that  if someone was looking at a property and going   to do do one of these conditional uses on it,  um, you know, if they were to stand on that   property and look around and and say, "Okay, I'm  going to meet all the requirements." Um, it's it   seems like they would still be on edge of if they  can actually get the property and do it if it's   going to have to come before everybody and still  be approved. Um it's kind of it's hard to make   a prejudgment on what you can do um with knowing  that you're not sure how long it's going to take   to actually get in here and get approved. Um, and  and if some stuff can be I agree with, you know,   if part of it the overlay could be smaller in  some ways or whatever, maybe later down the road   that maybe some of this stuff just wouldn't even  matter at all because you could just get in there   and and use the property and not have to worry  about the the special permitting and stuff. Yes,   sir. Thank you. All right. Thank you. If I may  add, Mr. mayor just for the benefit. I think a   lot of people probably aren't here for this but  but you know so a little bit of the background  

is you know obviously you know these these are  allowed this is actually giving more flexibility   and and the way this would work is that if someone  did want to do one of these businesses inside   the gateway overlay they would work with staff  obviously staff would work very closely with the   mayor and the commissioner of that particular  ward who would you know hopefully advocate for   that business if he or she so desires. So, we're  trying to give flexibility and and not necessarily   restrict it more. That's I think that's the way  that that we're wanting to put it forward and the   way that we want to execute this uh you know  in the future to encourage development uh in   our city while protecting the gateway overlay.  The only thing I'll add is and you know some of   this has been shaped by our feedback. I mean,  do I want to make it easier for gas stations   um and big shops and more dispensaries in our  our city? And the answer is no. And I think   these distance requirements is what prevents us  from being oversaturated with specific uses. Um,   and so I think that there's a both and I think  yes, there is some freedom that's being allowed   inside of this, but there's also acknowledging  the areas where there is too much freedom. And   I think, you know, just specifically gas stations  is one that I hear the most complaints about from   residents and the entire city uh the entire time  I've been here. And you know, and right now it's   perfectly allowed. You can put a gas station on  all four corners of an intersection if you want   to. And we've got some of those, but at some  point in time we have to kind of say, "Hey,   we probably need some spacing here um so that  we're not just saturating one neighborhood,   one area with one specific use, and we have an  opportunity for a variety of uses." So anyway,   thank you. Or maybe we let the market take care  of things, not government control, one of the two.   Yes, sir. I would like to read the  ordinance title. Ordinance number 3294,  

an ordinance to the city commission of of the city  of Panama City, Florida, amending chapter 102,   administrative processes. Section 102-40,  conditional use permit. Section 104,   zoning district. Section 104-66, gateway overlay,  formerly known as the tourist corridor overlay.   In chapter 116, definitions of the Unified  Land Development Code regarding prohibited   uses and conditional uses in the Gateway Overlay  District, repealing all ordinances in conflict,   providing for severability, providing for  codification, and providing for an effective date.   Item 6D is consideration to conduct a first  reading and public hearing to adopt ordinance   number 3296 amending chapter 17 of the municipal  code protection of public and private rights.   As background information attached for the comm  commission's review is ordinance number 3296. As   discussed in the city commission virtual workshop  on November 3rd, 2025, updates to the special   event ordinance have been necessary since the last  revision under ordinance 3075 approved on October   11th, 2022. In 2024, the name of the overseeing  department was officially changed from the quality   of life department to the parks, culture, and  recreation department. And this ordinance updates   that reference throughout the document to ensure  consistency. Additionally, this amendment removes   the previous classification of special events as  small or large. Event categories will now be more   clearly defined within the forthcoming special  events handbook, which will be presented under   a separate resolution outlining all related  revisions. Staff recommendation through the   city manager's office is that the commission  conduct the first reading. Mr. Mayor. Yes. If you   want to speak about item 6D, please come to the  podium. Anyone for 6D? Closing public comments,   Mr. Zimmerman. First reading. Ordinance 3296,  an ordinance amending chapter 17, protection  

of public and private rights, separating  into articles for easier interpretation,   providing for definitions, providing for a more  streamlined special events application process,   providing which holidays special events are  prohibited on. Substituting the quality of life   department repealing all ordinances in conflict  here with providing for the severability of any   part of this ordinance declared invalid and  providing for an immediately effective date.   Now moving into quasi judicial hearings. During  quasi judicial hearings, the commission will   hear evidence and render a decision regarding the  matter presented based upon the evidence received.   The parties before the commission and the public  are entitled to present evidence, documents,   witnesses, etc. and cross-examine any witnesses.  All parties and witnesses will be under oath and   the entire proceedings recorded. The commission is  not bound by the strict rules of evidence and may   consider any evidence which it deems relevant and  trustworthy. Any member of the commission may ask   questions of the parties or of the witnesses.  Since quasi judicial proceedings are legal in   nature, everyone is expected to adhere to proper  courtroom decorum and etiquette. Any comments or   objection should be directed to the mayor. The  burden of proof in a quasi judicial proceeding   rests with the applicant. Therefore, the applicant  has the opportunity to address the commission   last after all public participation and before  the commission deliberates. Mr. Zimmerman. At   this time for items 7A through 7H, I will swear in  staff who will remain under oath during the entire   proceedings. I would also ask that any additional  parties or citizens here that intend to testify   during any of these uh public hearings um that  um that you would also stand and raise raise your   right hand to be sworn. So if you think you're  going to testify or talk if you would stand. If  

you think later, oh I really do want to test talk  later, that's fine. Come on up and we could swear   you at that time. So, those staff, if you would  stand and anybody else that thinks you're going   to be speaking uh during any of these hearings,  if you would stand and I'll swear you. Uh,   do you swear and affirm that the testimony you're  about to give is the truth, the whole truth,   and nothing but the truth? Please provide.  Yes. Yes, I do. Thank you. Thank you. I'll   ask the commissioners at the appropriate time  before you vote. I'll ask you uh that if if you   would disclose any exparte communication that  you've received outside of this public hearing   uh upon which you intend to rely on in your  uh vote. You only need to disclose the exparte   communication if you're going to rely on it and  then only uh that the fact that you had it and at   the close of evidence and during deliberation  the public will no longer be commenting uh on   the matter. Thank you. Item 7A is the second and  final of two public hearings on ordinance 3291.1,   an ordinance amending the future land use map of  the city to reflect the land use designation of   mixed use for property located at 1817 Beck  Avenue, parcel ID 2885, sorry, 2885-0000-00. Relevant background information is enclosed  to your packet. Enclosed in your packet. Staff   recommendation to the director of development  services is that the city commission conduct   the second and final public hearing and approve  the ordinance. Mr. Mayor. Yes. If you'd like to   speak about item 7A, please come to the podium.  Anyone on 7A? Seeing none closing public comments,   I will entertain a motion. Motion to approve.  Second. Any discussion? Please call the role.  

Commissioner Street. Yes. Commissioner Hughes.  Yes. He needs to be on the He He needs to be   on the screen when he's voting, please. Yes,  I'm on the screen. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Yes,   Commissioner Lucas. Yes. Commissioner Granger,  yes. Mayor Branch, yes. Motion passes 50. Uh,   the commission has adopted ordinance number  3291.1. An ordinance amending the comprehensive   plan future land use map of the city to reflect a  land use designation of mixed use for a parcel of   land located at 1817 Beck Avenue, Panama City,  Florida, providing for repealer, severability,   and effective date. Item 7B is the second and  final of two public hearings on ordinance 3291.2,   two, an ordinance a submitting the zoning map  of the city to reflect a zoning designation   of mixuse 3 or MU3 for property located at  1817 Beck Avenue. Partial ID 2885-0000-0000. This is the same address as the prior item.  Relevant background information is enclosed   in your packet. Staff recommendation to the  director of development services is that the city   commission conduct the second and final public  hearing and approve the ordinance. Mr. Mayor,   if you wish to speak about item 7B, please  come to the podium. Anyone on 7B? Seeing none,   I'll entertain a motion. Motion to approve.  Second. Any discussion? Call the role.   Commissioner Street. Yes. Commissioner Hughes.  Yes. Commissioner Lucas, yes. Commissioner   Granger, yes. Mayor Branch, yes. Motion passes  50. Commission is adopted. Ordinance number 3291.2   2, an ordinance zoning a parcel of land located  at 1817 Beck Avenue, Panama City, Florida, having   approximately 0.045 acres mixed use 3, providing  for severability and an effective date. Items 7 C,  

D, and E were tabled until the April 28th,  2026 commission meeting. So going into 7F,   it's the second and final of two  public hearings on ordinance 3295.1,   an ordinance amending the future land use map  of the city to reflect the land use designation   of recreation for a property located at  1310 Lincoln Drive, partial ID 17494-0000. Relevant background information is enclosed in  your packet. Staff recommendation through the   director of development services is that the  city commission conduct the second and final   public hearing and approve the ordinance. Mr.  Mayor, if you wish to speak about item 7F,   please come to the podium. 7F. Seeing none,  closing public comments. I'll entertain a motion.   So move. Second. Any discussion? Call the role.  Commissioner Street. Yes. Commissioner Hughes.   Yes. Commissioner Lucas. Yes. Commissioner  Granger. Yes. Mayor Branch. Yes. Motion   passes 5-0. The commission has approved ordinance  3295.1, an ordinance submitting the comprehensive   plan future land use map of the city to reflect  a land use designation of recreation for a parcel   of land located at 1310 Lincoln Drive, Panama  City, providing for repealer, severability,   and effective date. Item 7G is the second and  final of two public hearings on ordinance 3295.2,   an ordinance admitting the zoning map of  the city to reflect the zoning designation   of recreation or RECC for a property located at  1310 Lincoln Drive with partial ID 17494-0-0. Background information is enclosed in your packet.  This is the same address as the prior item.   staff recommendation to the director of  development services and the city com   uh recommends that the city commission conduct  the second and final public hearing and approve   the ordinance. Mr. Mayor, if you'd like  to speak about item 7G, please come to  

the podium. Anyone on 7G? Seeing none closing  public comments, I'll entertain a motion. Mayor,   I um would move to approve, but also want  to note this is at Henry Davis Park. Um,   and so all of the green that you see on the screen  is Henry Davis Park. And for whatever reasons,   this parcel was not designated recreational.  So that's what we're doing now. And with that,   I move we approve. Second. Any discussion?  Please call the role. Commissioner Street,   yes. Commissioner Hughes, yes. Commissioner  Lucas, yes. Commissioner Granger, Mayor Branch,   Motion passes 50. The the commission is adopted.  Ordinance 3295.2 Two, an ordinance zoning a   parcel of land located at 1310 Lincoln Drive,  Panama City, Florida, having approximately.126   acres recreation, providing for severability and  effective date. Item 7H is the first of two public   hearings on ordinance 3298. An ordinance to vacate  and abandon the alleyway right-of-way easement   north of 9inth Court, sorry, north of East 9inth  Court, east of North Bonita Avenue, south of East   10th Court, and west of Mercedes Avenue in the  Glenwood neighborhood. As background information,   the applicant is requesting to vacate a portion of  the alleyway between lots 1 and 18 and in between   lots 2 and 17 of land designated as city property  that does not retain any underground utilities or   infrastructure. This item was previously reviewed  by the planning board on November 10th of 2025 and   they recommended denial unanimously and staff  concurs with this recommendation. The following   documents are enclosed in your packet. Ordinance  3298, staff analysis, report and recommendation   and the maps including both aerrol and location.  Mr. Mayor, staff did recommend that the   uh planning staff that is recommended the city  commission conduct the first public hearing,  

but given the recommendation of the planning  board unan uh unanimously denying it with staff   concurrence, I would instead recommend that the  commission vote tonight to deny this ordinance   uh and and form that back to the applicant. uh and  no reason to bring it back for a second reading   given the recommendation by both our planning  board with staff concurrence. Mr. Mayor, yes,   this is a public hearing. If you wish to  speak about item 7H, please come forward. See no comments on 7H. Do I have a motion to  deny? Move to deny. Second. Any discussion?   Please call the role. Commissioner Street. Yes.  Commissioner Hughes. Yes. Commissioner Lucas,   yes. Commissioner Granger, yes. Mayor Branch,  yes. Motion passes 5-0. All right. Motion to   deny. We are now in audience participation  and we have a lot of people here tonight. Um,   a lot of hot topics. Who here is wanting to talk  about uh Truthell Park? Raise your hand. Okay,   we got like one. What about the marina?  Okay, we got one. What about MLK pricing?   I'm I'm wanting to kind of move those discussions  into the agenda item. Is that crazy? Or should   we just keep them all grouped together? Or  should we just go topic by topic within the   public participation? That we're not bouncing  around. All right, let's start off with uh   Trudell Park. Anyone want to talk about Trudale  Park, please come forward. We have three minutes. I just don't want us bouncing around with,  you know, seven different topics. Yes, sir.   Mike Donaldson, 2650 West 10th Street, Panama  City 32401. Um, many of us have expressed   frustration that nearly four years after  the city is assumed control of Trudale Park,   the clubhouse remains unusable. The playground  is dangerous condition and needs to a full  

replacement. The designation parking area sits  largely empty and unknown and unutilized by   the Beck Avenue businesses and visitors. Uh,  Commissioner Street has ideas and has stated   willingness to work with us. However, the city  has had ample time to act and has not. Meanwhile,   other municipal projects need to take priority  to the city commissioners, which of course leaves   Trudeau low in the priority list despite  its importance to our neighborhood. We,   the neighbors, are ready to change that. As  a community, we propose taking the reigns,   returning management to the park clubhouse to a  nonprofit 501c3 organization composed of residents   and former civic club leaders. Um, we have members  ready to secure commitments from major retailers   and contractors to provide materials and labor  at significantly reduced cost at even donated   rates far below the city procurement cost. This  means that every dollar uh allocated to Trudale   would go much further under our guidance. Rather  than retaining control of the park it has been   unable to m it has been unable to maintain, we  ask the city to partner with us by transferring   the existing budgeted funds and granting a  long-term lease. Let us demonstrate what focused,   passionate computer community leadership can  achieve. The community has the the vision,   the expertise, and the momentum. Together,  we can restore Trudale Park to the vibrant   heart of St. Andrews it once was, and it  deserves to be again. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else on Trudale? Yes,  ma'am. We're talking about Trudale.

Hello. Uh Dolores King, 2538 West 9inth Street,  um Panama City. Um I live five doors down from   Trudesale Park and I fully support um keeping  Trudale Park a park as the deed um expresses,   you know, that it should be a park. I um I support  um maybe some parking parking changes, but not the   parking changes that were uh the 65 lot 65 space  um changes that were first proposed. I know that   further on in the agenda, this is going to come  up again and so I'm hoping that that we can all   work together. Um I would really like to see this  limited to a 501c3 and not a P3 partnership. Um,   the civic club did a great job for the whole  time they were there doing what you know what   it was intended. I would like to see that go back  to that. Take Trueale Park, give it the love that   um, you know, that Oaks by the Bay Park  has and let's make it something beautiful.   let's make it something better. And uh but with,  you know, with the same type of atmosphere and the   same civic organizations, you know, taking  care of it and making it what it used to   be and preserving the history of St. Andrews  like we do downtown. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Anyone else on Tuesday? Yes, ma'am. Come on up. You always do a good job. Don't be nervous. We're all just people. Um I do want to thank um Josh Street  for listening to community and I also   want to thank the city and and just name  and address for I'm sorry. That's okay.

I'm Mary Andrew and um uh 2310 West Beach Drive.  Thank you. Thanks. But I want to thank the city   and I want to thank Josh Street um for listening  to the people and also for the greening of the   um Beck Avenue. It looks so nice and I  appreciate that. Um and at Trudel Park,   I know it sounds a problem that you guys have  inherited and and you guys are trying to solve.   Um, and Molly Trudell, and we all know this  now, um, that she donated her property to be   used as a park, and if it's not used as a  park, it goes back to her heirs. But, um, sorry, it should not be used as a parking lot  for Oaks by the Bay. It is should be a   park and the parking spaces there should be  minimal and be a permeable surface please. The community building there should be for the  community and it should be operated by a nonprofit   organization. So much energy and focus have been  on Oaks by the Bay and it's beautiful. It is just   gorgeous. But there's a strong contrast between  the two parks and and Trusel Park has been left   in disarray and and to see that you guys are  trying to solve that and I appreciate that and   um just want to make Molly proud and  keep the park. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Anyone else? Trudale Park. All

right, let's move on to Marina.  Frank, you want to come on up? Don't do it. We've received a  few emails from Frank this week. Okay, these Well, I'm Frank Pinto, 801 Western  Street, Panama City, 3241. And these are questions   about the scheduling of the workshops for uh  the marina uh January 21st to the 23rd. And I   will direct these questions to Jonathan Hayes. Um  first question is approximately when will these   uh workshops uh the schedule for the workshops be  advertised to the public? Um within December or   early part of January? Do you have an approximate  date when your schedules will be released to the   public? I read them earlier in this meeting, sir.  Pardon me? I read them earlier in this meeting.   Not not time, though. No, we don't know the exact  schedule yet. It'll probably be maybe a few weeks   out, but it's going to be January 21st. Yeah.  22nd, 23rd at city hall. And there'll be all sorts   of opportunities. There'll be some small targeted  meetings. There'll be broad meetings. No, I know   that. But when will the schedule be advertised?  Approximately. When will you tell the public   this is the schedule for the meet? A month out,  huh? But probably three or four weeks out. Okay.   Three or from January. But but but lock in January  21st. I know that. I'm asking about the schedules.   We don't even know yet. I don't even approximate  two or 3 weeks. January January 21st, 22nd. Yeah,   I know that. But the schedule approximately I I  just I'd hate to commit to it. We're waiting to   hear back from you. I don't know. I know those  three days. Yes, sir. Okay. Second question. How   will you advertise the schedule to the public?  Uh will this be through the media, through the  

website? Um will it be on the workshop section  of the uh uh website? Special commission. I mean,   what do people look for on the website to find out  where what the schedule will be? It'll be featured   in our newsletter for the month of January. So,  if you're not signed up for that, please sign up   for that. It'll be noticed at the first meeting  in January. The specific in January. Okay. Wait.   Correct. I'll mention it at the Monday morning  with the manager that I have the first Monday of   every month. So that will be January 5th. First  Monday meeting that I will announce it. Yes,   sir. We'll send it out via text alert. We'll  we'll definitely send out press releases to the   media. We will share it far and wide. Probably  six, seven, eight different ways we'll announce   it. Okay. We'll be on workshops in the website.  Uh there's a workshop. No, sir. I I'm not sure   what you mean by on the workshop on the website.  personal email as soon as I find out. I made you   that promise last time. As soon as I know, you're  going to know. All right. Well, I appreciate all   your help and I look forward to an exciting  sharet workshop. Yes, sir. In January 21st to   23rd. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else want to  talk about the marina? Yes, sir. Come on down. Hi. Happy holidays. Derek Thomas, 1100 West 10th  Street. Um, I think at this point we're about 2/3   to 3/4 of the 5% that we would have had to invest  to get the marina back the way it was. And we're   talking about developing the uplands, which would  bring in less money to the city if you did than   the marina would have produced. Um, at least  that's for the 225 apartments and other stores.   right now. Uh, and I don't know if you checked on  that. I think I was right about the 150,000 for   the the center lawn area. If I wasn't, the the  the groundwater, the drainage has to be treated  

before it's dumped into the bay if it's coming  off of the marina. Right now, that can soak in,   but if you create it with impervious surfaces,  I think the parking public parking lot I was   thinking was about 300,000 spent for that. I don't  know if that's correct, but lots and lots of money   spent on this. Once you and I asked the last time  about the the uh pipes for the new sewer lines for   the hotel and stuff. Once you repave those roads,  next year when you go back and you start putting   in high density, high-pressure water manes and  sewage pipes for building on the marina, which is   basically sand piled on top of mud and and would  be a very expensive place to build if you're going   to build anywhere down in town downtown. That  would be a bad place to put kind of high density   um things like that. So, uh, I think you should  stick with the 50 and just move on from there and   not not give away the marina and definitely not  give away the upland. And when you pave stuff,   um, just like they did in Baton Rouge, they  they put down all the the paving for the   downtown and then realized they should have put  in fiber optics to these big giant towers that   they built with all the money that they got from  the hurricane hurricane Katrina recovery money.   And so downtown in Baton Rouge, they one side of  the building's torn down and the streets have 30   foot sections in them because they didn't  have a finalized plan before they started   and now they have to put in a lot more stuff,  keep it for the public. Also for the parks,   um right now at across 11 Street at the Garden  Club Park, they're cutting down all the 5-year-old   trees that have grown since the hurricane.  They could be mulching those right now and   rebuilding the dirt and trapping all the nitrogen  in the dirt and making making a way to path have  

pathways down and use more of the park. But if  you can't even comment on that until January,   by then all that's going to be hauled off and  just burned, I guess. Um the uh still waiting   hopefully by next year I will get the work orders.  And if you don't have the work orders for the work   done across the street from me, then you really  need to have, you know, some discussions about   how you're spending taxpayer money because that's  not right. And three quarter or more than half of   the the code enforcement cases at the last code  enforcement cases were for overgrowth. So don't   make that a priority. Thank you. Any else want to  speak about the marina? Yes, sir. Come on down. Good evening. Good evening. Uh Jimmy Sowski,  1208 Cherry, Panama City 3241. Um I have a   request for y'all just to think about. My my  first thing is is the T dock. And when you're   going out to the T do as long as I've lived  here, which is getting close to 70 years,   um I've never seen anything built out there.  I don't think that the citizens want anything   built out there. I know CMP said they had nothing  that they were going to put out there. So, I do   not see any reason this commission can't say we're  going to leave it alone except for the fuel dock,   which works good. Leave it alone. Do a referendum  so we don't build on the tea dock and going out   there. That should be the citizens left alone for  the citizens. They enjoy it. Now, you can go out   there at 2:00 in the morning. There's people  out there. You can go out there at 6:00 in  

the morning. There's people out there. Everybody  enjoys it. It's It clears a lot of people's minds.   That does not need to be developed. All right,  I'm through with that. Y'all think about it. Um,   we need we need to get the finished drawings for  the first 50 slips. As soon as we do, we need to   do competitive bids, which the city can do. It's  not rocket scientists. We have good engineers.   We even have some here today that can bid it  out. Most of y'all have built a house before   and it's a lot more complicated than putting 50  slips in. Um, bid it out. Build the 50 slips.   See what we need. We have no idea what we need  and what and how they're going to rent or who   what size. And then all the all the slips need is  basic utilities. We don't need to have, you know,   a plush marina yet. And we do need ba basic  bathrooms, which we've been saying that for years,   like with the boat boat ramp and all. Um, let's  keep it the first 50 slips simple, and let's get   um the first 50 done by the city with competitive  bids. We don't need to give this to a developer   and then promise him money if he backs out and  then we're held hand, you know, holding it. Um,   not to hold off giving up the uplands either.  We don't need to do that before we build   the 50 slips. We don't need to promise somebody  something that we might not have to give away. Um,   and people don't realize we give away the uplands.  sits for 45 to 100 years to 90 years. We'll never   get it back. We don't need 200 buildings on there.  And the other I'll be I know I'm out of time. I'll  

be real quick. Now, CMP keeps saying that there's  a 190,000 square ft that was on the marina. Most   of that was for the city and public use. Now, we  got a hotel and a restaurant. I don't see them   saying, "Oh, we have 190 square ft." that was on  the marina. Now we need to um subtract the hotel   and Harrison's and uh I don't see them doing  that. That's going to leave them very little to   develop. Thank you. Thank you. Yes, sir. Anyone  else want to speak about the marina tonight? Commission Mayor, thanks for having me up. I'm  Sandy Marisa. I live in Linhaven. Um, so I'm back   about the marina. I recently realized, and this  might not be um something that the public may   know, but there's already a first right of use by  St. Joe Company for the uplands around the marina.   Um, so in my understanding that means that if CMP  comes up with a plan and we go through Cherrettes   that then gets pitched to St. Joe and if St. Joe  wants to build that then St. Joe can build it and   then CMP just kind of walks away. Um, so I just  thought everybody should know that. Um secondly,   my understanding is with that lease that that  means that if a developer comes in and wants to do   something on the uplands like a bathroom or like  shops, I don't think a developer would be very   interested in a bathroom. But if the city builds  on the uplands like a bathroom, which is just a,   you know, a public facility for the public  um to utilize while they're on the marina,   then the city doesn't have to pitch that to  St. Joe. Is that correct? If the city builds  

those facilities, can you finish the comment  and do the questions? Yes, that's a question.   Are you done with the comments? Oh, do I have  to keep talking? It's just easier. Oh, okay. So,   that's one one of my questions is if the city  comes up with the plans on its own, uses city   workers and builds the bathrooms, would St. Joe  still have to be pitched? Is it only developers   that have to be run by St. Joe? But if the city  hires their own employees or contractors, that   doesn't have to go by St. Joe. So, I just would  really like to understand that. And secondly,   I am very upset about that ground lease on the  marina uh for the Uplands that it was tied in with   Hotel Indigo and with the Harrison's restaurant.  I find that to be absolutely deplorable. Um, but   I was just kind of wondering if that's legal, then  is there a way to put on the city charter moving   forward that we no longer do long-term leases like  that for uh big developers. Uh, thank you. Thank   you. Mr. Zimmerman, can you answer the clarify  what first right of use means and clarify if the   city were to build something, you're referring  to the same process? Um the first right of use,   there is a lease uh that is legal with uh the  St. Joe Company uh for a use of um I think it   maybe 7 acres of the downtown marina. Uh the  lease was for the purpose of a hotel as well as   a restaurant. I think it was originally 60 years.  Uh and then there are provisions in the lease for   how compensation is paid to the city in the in the  form of lease lease payments and and other and the   lease payments are also tied to performance. Uh  in that because the St. Joe company was willing  

to spend $ 35 to $40 million to improve the lease,  they put in a right and the city agreed a right of   first use. So if there is something else that the  city decides to do on the marina and in particular   um another developer that it would uh the city  would decide that yes this is something that   uh the city commission would like to do would turn  to St. Joe. Is that something you would like to   do? St. Joe says no, we we have no interest  in in uh performing that first use, then the   city is free to negotiate with an arrangement  with the other party. If St. Joe were to say,   uh, well, yeah, we do have an interest, then  uh there's I believe it's a 60-day time period   where the city agrees in good faith to negotiate  an arrangement with St. Joe to do the very same   thing that it wanted to do with another party. Uh  the city's under no obligation if it other than to   work in good faith toward the end. If it cannot be  accomplished, then there's no obligation to enter   into an agreement with St. Joe. As far as how it  relates with the city, I mean, I think it maybe   depend on what the use is. I'd have to go back  and look at that. be happy to make a report at a   another meeting, but obviously putting in a fuel  station is something that everybody wanted. If   you had restroom facilities, that wouldn't be an  issue. Um, it depends. I mean, if the city wanted   to put in a a restaurant on its own, I think  that's maybe something that would trigger the   right of first use, but uh that's a interesting  question. Have not looked at that in detail.   It has not come up. Yeah. And I don't speak on  the behalf of St. Joe. I'm not putting words in  

their mouth. But if I were to put $40 million into  a spot that no one else is putting any money into,   I want to make sure that someone did to put a pawn  shop next door. Like imagine investing all that   money and then the city rushes and does some strip  mall there or some use that they don't really want   to see that deteriorates their investment. And  in those years, there was no one investing money   downtown. Maybe uh Katherine Shores and I, that  was basically about it. and uh and so it was   more of a protection mechanism and you can really  judge I don't I don't speak for them but you can   see they haven't proposed anything else so they're  not rushing to do a land grab at least it doesn't   appear that way um they're not rushing to go build  something else there just trying to protect their   investment um so and and there are some prohibited  uses but uh in the least but if that they could   also propose an alternate use if they would like  to or they could always come and propose any use   to the commission. Thank you. Anyone else want  to talk about the marina? All right. What's the   next top? Just open comments. Anything else on  the agenda? MLK. Yes. Come on up. Who's on MLK? Yes, ma'am. Afternoon again. Williams, 2748  Drive, Panama City, 32401. First, I'd like   some clarification from Commissioner Street. If  you don't mind, I read your um presentation for   Trudale Park. Did is there anywhere on there where  you mentioned a parking lot for Oaks by the Bay?   No, I didn't think so. So, to follow up with that,  I I think you you your presentation was in the   interest of the citizens of that area. And I give  you kudos for that because I believe in giving   kudos when they're due. If you don't if they're  not due, I don't give them. And well, I don't we  

expect no less at this point, but I do give you  the kudos for that. You and I don't always agree,   but you deserve that one. Uh Martin Luther King,  I think, was a wonderful thing on yesterday,   although it wasn't complete. I think there were  many citizens within the city as well as elected   officials who participated on that. I'm going to  say this and I say it candidly. Uh, I wish that   all commissioners would be as forthright and  supportive of their citizens in their wards as   I have seen Commissioner Street. You get another  kudo, Josh. But well, that's what I see. Those are   my observations. You need not agree with me, but  part of it is is you agree to disagree, but that's   what I see. But I wish that all commissioners  would do what I've seen Commissioner Street does.   I'm not gonna move into his ward, but but I wish  that they would. The the event at Martin Luther   King was wonderful. There are some concerns that  many of the citizens have, and I think Michelle   may address them of what we've heard uh about pay  for play. Duh. Come on. You're bamboozling us. End   of my conversation. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Anyone  else? Yes, ma'am. I love it. Good evening. Um,   Drea Clay, 409 East 9inth Street. You might  need to pull the mic a little bit closer. Oh,   sorry. Hi, I'm Drea Clay and yesterday was my  first time ever seeing the wreck. It was amazing   and there was a big basketball court and there  were classrooms and I really loved it. Even my   mom was surprised how big it was. But anyways,  I really love how kids can go there anytime,   but what about the adults? My mom really doesn't  like when I'm by myself for too long because  

anything could happen. And not just my mom. There  are other parents like that. And my question is,   why do people over 18 have to pay? Because it  makes no sense. What if someone was struggling   and didn't have the money to pay? And that's not  fair. And even if they did have the money, where   is the money going? cuz I'm sure it's not going  to MLK. I want the seniors to be able to come in   in there for free because they help watch children  and my grandma used to work at the wreck and she   doesn't have a lot of money. Please don't charge  her or anybody else. And that's it. Thank you. Our question responded to the question was why does   anyone have to pay? Yeah. To cover costs.  We're going to go over that, too. Yeah. All right. Michelle Bryant, 490 East 9th Street.  So, I just want to start off by saying it was   beautiful seeing the MLK Rec Center yesterday.  as being a part of the sharetses from day one. It   was super just ecstatic to see that everything we  asked for was in that building with the exception   of the game room which hopefully that's coming a  little bit later. So I want to share some facts   with everyone here that you may not be aware of  because everyone on the dis was not here with   the exception of Zimmerman back when this set  and the conversations about the wreck started. In the beginning, the community knew that they  were going to need additional funds to have   the wreck that we asked for. Of course, there  were FEMA dollars and the $150 million loan,   which 8 million of it was used for the wreck.  One of the things I do not understand is when   in building this, one of the things that we  were promised was that there would be serious   um research in getting the new market tax credit  dollars. Now, yesterday after the beautiful soft  

open, it was brought to many of our attention  that there will be a fee for those over 18 to   attend the wreck. I get this building needs to be  paid for, but why wasn't this information bought   before the community so that we all be a part of  this conversation to find out what would be the   best solution for the citizens? We have gone  through Hurricane Michael. We've gone through   COVID. We've gone through high inflation.  People aren't budgeting to add fees in to   see their children participate at the Glenwood  Community Center. As my daughter just stated,   my mom worked at the community center. She worked  three jobs and there's no way that she could   afford for three of her kids to go to the wreck  every single day. Yes, I'm hearing there's talks   about a structured pay schedule. There may be  some scholarships, but those may don't work today.   We've waited eight years, seven years for this  wreck to come back. And now kids are disappointed   because if they go, "What if my mom can't go with  me? What if my grandma can't go with me? What am I   to do?" As an nonprofit um board member, what are  my seniors going to do? We were anticipating going   to walk around the gym, exercise, but now we're  going to have to pee pay a fee every time we go   into the wreck. The information I'll share with  you was that previously the city had worked with   Davis Business Advisory Services out of Arizona.  On December 15, 2021, I agreed to participate in   this meeting and I shared with them as we rode  around Panama City, specifically Glenwood,   how important the wreck was to come back to us.  They were impressed with the history. They were   impressed with what my sentiments were towards  the wreck and how it helped build me to who I   am today. They were seriously looking to invest  into the wreck. What was brought back to those   of us that were part of that committee was  because this entity was not looking to invest   in Daffen Park and the wreck, the city was not  interested. Look at Daffen Park today without   their investment. Why can't the city go back  to the table, table this, get community input,  

and seriously look at new tax credit dollars  to prevent putting these taxes, these fees on   citizens who have been waiting so long for the  MLK rec center. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else on MLK? Yes, sir. Gregory Doll, CPO Box uh 35894, Panama City. Um,  first I want to say it was a beautiful building.   I was a part of those charetses which I called  charades uh for getting the park together and   uh my organization student advocacy center uh  which was co-sponsored by the city of Panama City   NAACP uh held the youth sharette which I think  Michelle's daughter uh brought up the first aid   station which was in there. Uh they also at that  you Sharette brought up the recording studio. Um   my I go way deep into the rec center. My father  was one of the members of the Negro Improvement   Association that purchased the land that the wreck  sits on. Uh, I found out yesterday afternoon about   the membership and usage fees. Living out  in California 20 plus years, I, you know,   I have no problems with the some of the membership  fees and that breaks out to about $8.35 a year.   However, I know there are a lot of people that  do have problems uh with that, but the community  

should have been informed that there were fees  that were coming. A great place to inform the   uh people was at that soft opening on yesterday.  I agree that this should be tabled and a community   discussion be held. Also, I noticed some things  that were missing from the membership fees. It   said youth 17 and under. Uh there are some laws  that were put in place that you have to start   uh kindergarten and most people say first grade  uh by a certain time. So, a lot of people in high   school in their senior year are 18. So they  should be 18 high school with I mean with a   uh ID card and a couple of people came to me and  say why not add the college students with ID uh   cards on the quarterly rate I noticed there wasn't  I mean you know for the senior military rate I   noticed that there weren't um quarterly rates  for them. Also missing were disabled rates. So,   I'm generally in favor of it, but a clarification  on what the membership includes. Also, with the   usage fees, the multi the multi-purpose room rate  is high, $100 per hour. And anything outdoors,   I don't see should be fees. The outdoor  basketball court fees $25. Does that mean   if I want to do a pickup game of basketball, I  have to pay $25? Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else on MLK? Yes, ma'am. Come on down.

Hello. My name is Shantel World. I actually live  in Linhaven, but we own property in Millville   area. And I knew when my 24 year old son calls me  and starts talking about the wreck and money that   it has hit like to the top because he doesn't  even get into politics. But I will say that   um someone has to fund it. It can't all be  from tax dollars or it'll just not be able   to function like it needs to be. I live  in Lin Haven. My kids can go to the park,   I mean to the community center that's right down  our down the street from our house for free. Okay.   And I think that that's what Linhaven has decided  to do. That is good. I don't think it's fair for   him to drive all the way across town and use the  MLK wreck for free. Okay. So, I do think that   the people in the community maybe there should be  something to where if you live within a 2 to three   mile radius that you're able to use the facility  for free and then the people that live outside   the radius that they would have a membership fee  since it is a community type organization. It is   not organization but community building. It is in  a lowincome area. It is um the purpose of it from   the beginning was to recreate what was already  there. So I think it's fair for the residents   that live there within a certain radius that they  get in free and that my son that's driving all the   way across town when he can stop in Linhaven go  for free. He should have to pay something for the   use of the facility. But it does have to have  some kind of monetary um s some something has   to be given back to it to to perform. That's  it. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Anyone else? Okay.

Yes, sir. Good. Good afternoon, Mr. mayor and uh  to the commissioners uh roofers wood 1911 East   10th Street. I too was very excited on yesterday  to be a part of the soft opening. Uh it is just   really exciting and we're really glad to have  the MLK center uh back. As it has been stated,   we've been waiting a long time. Uh I believe the  African proverb says if you want to go fast, go   uh alone. If you want to go far, go together.  We've been waiting a long time. We've come a   long way. We still have a ways to go. We haven't  really even opened the facility yet. So, I think   uh what we're talking about with these fees,  I think that it would be wise to have a public   hear and I would hope that we would put this on  hold because I think we need to have input from   the community and a lot of people are surprised  with what's going on. I'm very much concerned   about the fees. I know uh Mr. Dawson mentioned  about the 100 $100 an hour fee for organizations   to use the facility. I think that is a bit much.  We do have community- based organizations. I think   a lot of thought ought to be given to that. I  do think that we do have to invest. I believe   President Obama said it best. There has to be  accountability as well as responsibility. So,   I think we need to hold uh you as commissioners  and as the mayor uh accountable for what you   need to do for our community. Uh but I also think  that as the community, we have to be responsible   and there's some things that we have to do for  ourselves. So, I I don't think we should expect   everything to be free, but I think we do have to  invest in the facility, but I would respectfully   request that we have uh a public hearing or some  public hearing so that people in the community  

uh can have some input. We have to go together.  Again, uh this is uh our facility and I think   everybody's excited about it. So, I would again  ask that we would give consideration to doing that   so that everybody can have some input. I think  it would be great uh to have some input even from   the young people because they're going to benefit  benefit a lot uh from this facility as well. So,   I would hope that we would consider doing that.  Thank you so very much. Yes, sir. Thank you. The wreck. Oh, yes, sir. W 614 M Avenue. Um, I  think we should think about what we're doing.   uh city would not be where it's at  today if it wasn't for the citizens   of of Panama City and some of the citizening at a stand still where we are now. We  could be better than where we are. But   you had older folks. Forgot about  that. Younger folks was coming up   and everybody forget. If y'all would look  and try to get things into this city that   somebody will appreciate and look at, we  could be further than where we are today. Everybody was satisfied how things was now.  But when things go years goes past and goes by,   as older folks say, it takes money to buy land.  Land is not free. I know we talking about the  

wreck. Cost 18 year olds. Uh, I hope it's I  hope I don't have to pay something to walk in   that walk in the door to be a member cuz I don't  I want to be a member of the wreck. I love the   how it look everything but I have grandchildrens  have great grand they they will enjoy it. Now,   we got to stand at a standpoint. What are we  going to do? And we have to make a wise decision, not just on what we think  ourself, what we would do,   but we should have a mind to think on  what the people's seen that would be fit   uh to do. Now we understand we got a nice  building had to be taken care of. Somebody   go take care. So when we would try to get this  city built up like it should be it should have   been. It could have been like the beach but  some of us didn't want it to be that way. We   think we was already cried it up but I can tell  you one thing. is not crowded enough. Thank you. Anyone else on MLK Recre? Yes, ma'am. Hello. I'm Carmen Sap, 1915 Wilson Avenue,  apartment D5, Panama City, Florida 32405.  

Um, I don't play basketball. I don't cook. But  there are organizations that I participate in   that it'd be important that they, you know, have a  discounted rate or maybe you consider discounting   for those that are disabled or seniors.  And when you go to, you know, pay for play,   there's a lot of people that are disadvantaged in  these neighborhoods that it's a great facility and   it's great that you have it, but when those that  need it can't afford it or they're just dumping   their kids off and they're younger and they don't  have adult supervision by the seniors or those   that are disabled, you have just your staff and  it's not very much staff when you can have more   people there that would probably help out if you  had them at a discounted rate or if you let them   in for free, uh you know, that's a lot that you're  missing out on. So maybe that's something that you   can consider uh letting like the nonforprofits  or those that are disabled or seniors in uh   maybe consider that in with when you're thinking  about your fees. Thank you. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Good evening. Hi, Vanessa Shackleford 802 Cedar  Avenue. Um, I'm here with my kids today. Uh,   one of whom has autism. Um, and so I think that's  something that Miss Sap kind of touched on. Uh,   you know, I can't just send my kids uh  to the rec center unsupervised, you know,   so it would require me coming to pay a fee uh in  order for my child or children to participate. Um,   so that's something that was uh I like  that. Miss Sap touched on that. Um,   I'm a longtime resident. Most of my whole adult  life has been in Glennwood and Milville. Um,   for years, my kids since Hurricane Michael have  had no park or public play space that's accessible  

um, within my community. Um, and I wanted  to speak about the proposal that uh,   you guys are presenting today to impose membership  fees to limit access at the MLK Rec Center. Um the fact is that the city staff who's  making these decisions, you guys know that   these fees are prohibitive to residents in this  community, cuz you guys have done your research,   you know the residents in this community. Um  people like Mr. Hayes, who earns a salary of   $185,000 annually. Um Miss Waldron, just one of  our assistant city managers, 160,000. Jared Jones,   our second assistant manager, over 150,000.  Mr. Hayes has enjoyed a 375% increase in his   salary since he started with the city in  2023. So, these are the people that are   making the decisions about what's affordable  and accessible to people in this community.   Um, these three employees alone earn a salary 250%  higher than the average resident in my community,   including city employees. Um, as a former  city employee, I watched for years as the   city management specifically engaged in actions  that led to a lack of equitable distribution   of public resources and funding. everything from  pothole repairs and water leaks to multi-million   dollar buildings like the MLK Rec Center. And  it's just another example of the disparities   that exist for communities like Glenwood and  Milville. Um the fees are prohibitive to the   community that this building exists in. The  fees are prohibitive to the community that   this serves. Um the fact that the city once again  and the city com the commissioner for this ward   uh did not seek to meet with the residents in this  community to discuss this proposal to seek out   alternative viable streams of funding demonstrates  that what little is done for this community seems  

to be done for show or a photo op, not the  actual benefit of the people who live here. Thank you. Anyone else wreck? Yes, ma'am. You're good. Good evening to everyone. Um, my name is Tena  Spencer. I'm at 2123 East 7th Street in Millville.   Um, I was raised up in Glennwood. I'm a wreck  baby. My mama worked three jobs. You know, the   wreck was free at that time. That was my enjoyment  to go and and to the arcade room that we had   there at that time. And they had us of if to earn  things, we had to volunteer. So, it was like take   out the trash before the ending of the day and  things like this. I have a six-year-old son. Okay.   My son wants to I want him to be able to come to  the wreck, but I don't feel like I need to pay to   even be able to come in to watch my child play.  I don't trust everybody with my child. Everybody   don't do parenting like I do. I was raised by the  community, so when someone said something to me,   I knew I had to do that or I was going to get  whooped by them or my grandmama when I got home.   You know what I'm saying? But these days, kids,  we can't say anything to other people. Kids,   because of they got something to say. Mama or  daddy may have something to say to address us   with it and it's not fair, but I don't think you  should be charging us to be able to come in a   facility that was built for us in as a community.  Now, I could understand the little offices that's   in the inside to rent them out, but $100, I don't  have $100 an hour if I want to bring the football   team up in the to discuss athletic things with  them because we don't have a building to use.  

My other thing is is you have a concession  stand in there. Is the food going to be   reasonable for me to buy? If we have  five or six kids in one household, is there going to be snacks that's going to be  prepared for the kids at a certain time of the   day that we don't have to pay for? That's  something that y'all have to look at when   you're talking about a a fee to come inside of a  building that was built for us to be able to come   together as a community. It's not right. I don't  have five or $10 every day because my child want   to come here and then we have to drive all the  way over here to Oakland Terrace Park to try to   play. And then for me, if the other kids may not  want to pay with play with my six-year-old child,   okay? He say, "Mama, can you come get on a swing  with me?" I have to sit there and tell him, "No,   because I don't have $5 to pay to get on this  equipment." And then I'm not even allowed because   it's an age limit to get on a slide. I mean, come  on. A slide. It's not even a mirror out there.   I understand it's a hazard, but I done got plenty  of bumps and and bruises on my head from a mirror   go around when I was younger. I mean, be for  real about it. What was the building? Was it   built for the kids? If you say it's for the  kids, I can't see it is. And then if you have   a a elderly man that's here and he wants to just  jump in on the game cuz they want him to come in,   he got to turn around and pay. It ain't  right. I think it's a money thing really. Yes, ma'am. Hello. Sam or Lisa Living in Lin  Haven. Um, I am at a basketball court about   three times a week against my will because my son  wants to make D1 one day. Um, and he has these big  

dreams and I'm very thankful that he lives in a  city that has a community center where he can go   play. Um, do I want to sit and on a hard bleacher  and watch him find somebody to play for 2 hours?   No, not all the time. Uh, however, that is my  responsibility as a parent to be there. And it   makes me sad that people who have been so excited  to see a beautiful facility, I mean something   that was only available in our wildest dreams  growing up in Bay County 20 years ago to see this   beautiful facility and then now feel like they  don't have access to it. And um it's a lot like   having a car, you know, that works okay. It gets  you from point A to point B. And some guy from   a used car salesman says, "Well, I'll take that  car and don't you worry. I'll be right back with   a nicer one." And he comes back with that nicer  car and it has all the bells and whistles. It   even does that thing if you're on the highway and  it slows down for you. You don't even have to put   your foot on the brake. And you get really excited  about that car and you've been waiting about this   car. But then that man says, "Well, I guess I  didn't tell you, but you got to make payments   on this car." And so the community is going from  a facility that it got to use for free, and got   to take ownership of it, and is now faced with a  facility that's a lot nicer, sure, but is actually   less for them. And I don't think the commission  or the mayor wants that for their people.   It's not fair to drive by someplace and be so  excited that your kids are going to have better   than what you had only to tell your kids, "Well,  I don't know if I can afford it." And I hear the  

heart of this community and what they're saying.  And I just really hope that in your considerations   because I know that this is a big facility and  you you have to get money some from somewhere,   but in your considerations, please think about  the little girls and boys that want to make D1. And I just want them to have a place  to play. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else would like to speak about MLK rec center? I knew you were coming to talk. Yes, sir. Hello everyone. Good evening. My name is  Robert Stewart. I still got to say my address and   stuff. 261 Every Avenue. Uh talking about the MLK  Rec Center. I guess I contributed to starting a   bit of a fire this morning on social media, but um  I think it's a good fire. I think sometimes fire   comes and burns everything down so you can start  over. And sometimes that needs to happen. I think   um with the with the recreation center, I think  I feel like this is my opinion that the the cost   issue wasn't presented or the cost period wasn't  presented to the people in in an adequate amount   of time. Like like the lady before me just said,  people have been excited about this for a very   very long time. We've waited years and years and  years in this. And being a youth football coach,   I've been overly excited about it. And being  that it's the Glenwood Community Center, I was  

extra excited about it. And to get to get to a a  finish line for a race and then someone tells you,   "No, it's one more mile." It's kind of it kind  of kills hope. And that's what the Brex Center   represents. It's hope. It's hope for a community  that has nothing. There's never been hope in   Glennwood since the hurricane. We've been we've  we've learned to accept nothing and that's bull   crap. When I sit here and go to L Haven right  down the street and they got a recreational   center that's as good as the MLK recreation  center minus a few rooms. It's free. I just   did a tournament DJ the tournament there and  they were paying people $1,000 for winning the   basketball tournament. We're charging people  to get in it. I don't know what that lady in   L Haven did and and went to jail and all that, but  maybe we need to do that over here cuz L Haven is   I mean L Haven is beautiful. L Haven got a they  got they got a shipwreck in L Haven. They got a   water park. They got recreational cities. They  got everything. And it's free. Like what are we   doing? We need to get her to run for office over  in the city or something. Somebody go get her.   But I I just I I think the information was put  out late. I think the information should have   been put out when the excitement was building  and it would have saved a lot of this. Um it is   a big problem. I think it's going to turn into  a a it can turn into a potential $80 million something to look at if it's not handled properly.   The people of Glenwood are tired of being treated  unfairly, being treated like what they say doesn't   matter, being kept in the shadows. So, I I mean,  it's a lot. I can't even say it in 3 minutes,  

but I think it it needs to be addressed  and something needs to be done. Thank you. Anyone else want to talk about MLK rec center? 10 seconds. Hey, can I get your other uh  minute? Yeah, you can have the rest of my   time. Captain James P, 258 West 9th Street.  I'm real sorry y'all had to go through all   this about the MLK. But it makes me ask you  guys one question. How can us from Trudale   and our group back here trust the city  to do what's right with that building? Yes, sir. My name is JC Carlile.  Uh, it's about trust. Address,   please. Address. Address. Uh, 1800 Jesus. I think that's a phone number. Okay. Call him. 5823 Enzo Street. Thank  you. I'm just joking with you,   Miss Jan. Forgive me. That's okay. Just jo trying  to do a icebreaker. Listen, at the end of the day,   it's about the kids, man. And the thing is with  being about the kids, is this charging people to   get in the wreck? Is it going to affect the  kids that are wet concrete? I understand the   18 and over. you may want to charge them. But I'm  talking about the ones that are wet concrete that   we're still trying to mold as football football  coaches, as parents. Okay? It's a lot going on.   These kids got grown folks problems right  now. And ever since the rep been closed,  

a lot of kids have been getting in trouble. A  lot of kids have been coming to see me at Haido.   DJJ rates have been going up. a lot of that at  the end of the day. Is this best for the kids?   I don't know the money situation. I don't like  touching money. I like working with kids. So,   what can we do to make sure these kids going to be  able to get in there and their parents or whoever   else that's they overseers going to have the money  for them to come. I don't know if you got a charge   to get in. I haven't did any research on this, but  I'm concerned about the kids. Okay? 18 and over,   if you're still in school, you should still be  able to get in the wreck free. That's just my   opinion. 18 and up, that's on y'all what y'all  going to do. Do I want to leave them left out?   No. But like Mr. Stewart say, we got other kids  that we're working with that's wet concrete that   we need that facility, man. It's a safe place.  It saved my life. that basketball. Unfortunately,   basketball saved a lot of people lives. But right  now, there's a STEM building and there's music.   There's whatever it may be, whatever kids gift  they have cuz everybody have different gifts.   We just not trying to throw this for sports and  that round ball. It's not just about that. It's   about the education and what we need to do for the  the kids. I don't know the money situation. I hear   money gone over here. Money gone over here. What  is the best solution we can come up to save kids   lives? White, black, green, or purple. Three  things my daddy taught me. Death, pain, and   the devil is going to hit all our household. No  matter what color you are, at the end of the day,  

that rec center can generate a lot of money  through programs. You did decide to get your   million or something, right? Yes, sir. Thank you.  That that recreation center can generate a lot of   money where we get teams. The beach do it all  the time. Out of town teams generating money,   this and that. And we got motel willing to to  let them stay there. Yes, sir. Thank you. We   can generate money through the recreation center  with programs, volleyball. That gym is big enough   to do a lot of stuff. We can. Thank you. Okay.  All right. God bless you. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else on the MLK rack?  Yes, ma'am. Come on up. Appreciate you, JC. Yes, ma'am. Hello, my name is Rose. Pull the mic  down. Hello, my name is Rose James. My address   is 1000 East 13th Court. I've been a citizen  of Bay County 60 plus years and as a child I   have went to the wreck and when I was going  there at that time they had the Girl Scouts.   that um activities all weekend long as well on  on you know your Sunday you go to church but on   the week and I live in Glennwood yet now and I  have a home daycare and the children they walk   to the facility before the storm was you know  after the storm um it was knocked down and said   when are we going to the wreck I said it's not  available. When are we going to the splash pond?   It's not available. When are we just going to see  just to walk our community? Well, we can do that,  

but we can't get to the wreck. Children need that  stability. Children need somebody somewhere that   they can depend on. The people at that time  when I was going to the wreck, they were the   uh the people in our community. You could  look at them and get an understanding.   there. They were people that were stable.  If you were working there back woo 70s,   I'll just say that safe for myself. Uh there were  people there and children need somebody that they   can look up to. Children need somebody that can  will be there other than their parents because   sometimes their parents are working so hard  they're not able to um meet those needs. But   if you have someone in the community that the  children can look up to, the children can say,   "Hey, I can talk to Miss Smith or I can  talk to Scoop or I can talk to this person   or that person." It makes a difference in the  child's life. Thank you. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Anyone else on the MLK rep? All right. Open.  Open for the rest of the agenda. Anyone else   want to speak about the rest of the items on the  agenda? Please come forward. Yes, ma'am. Where   are you, sir? I can't see you  back, but I thought I saw a hand. Good evening. Hey, Randy. Um, Milan, 4425 Thomas Drive. um didn't want  to use paper, but in order to get all my points   across, I'm going to apologize that I'm going to  have to read this. Okay. Um anyway, uh I retired   in October of 2014 after 30 years of service uh in  the Panama City Meter section. Uh I was the cross  

connection coordinator for three years starting in  1992 uh until city manager Ken Hammonds dissolved   the cross connection control program. I've had  my testers certification longer than any tester   in Bay County. Uh, as a matter of fact, I helped  write the city of Panama City's original cross   connection control ordinance back in 1992. Uh, I  am here to oppose the use of an outside service to   run the backflow program. There are certain things  outside providers not capable of doing. Uh, field   work being one of them. It's necessary to go into  the field and verify uh device uh functionality.   uh also location and proper installation of the  certain devices. Uh it's also taking jobs away   from your your employees, your your your local  people. Okay. Uh and this particular service that   you guys are thinking about um considering  uh they're going to charge the testers   $10 per entry per device to enter into your your  system. Okay. Um, the testers are not going to pay   that $10. It's going to be your citizens. They're  going to pay that $10 because no tester is going   to eat that $10. They're going to pass it over to  to your citizens. Okay. Um um the uh number one   mission for a city backflow program is compliance.  Raising prices is conducive to or in conducive to   to compliance. Okay. uh cities are in compliance,  full compliance, never have to be concerned about   D regulation and possibly getting fined for not  um doing what they're supposed to do. Uh not sure   where the idea of the outsourcing uh came from,  but I can assure you the people that are running   the program right now are doing a very good job.  Okay? Especially under the circumstances. Your   program was eliminated in 1996 and only reported  a small se section of devices because that's all  

there were. It wasn't until around 2020 that the D  started to crack down on your program. So, you had   all those years in between where you had little or  no records. Getting all those records straight to   the amount of the accounts has been a nightmare,  but I believe your staff is doing a very good job   under the circumstances. Okay. Um about four years  ago, you guys had a program called Swift Comply,   which charged $5 an entry for backflow um um  install for backflow entries. uh and that was   a complete disaster. And now you're talking  about a program that's going to double that   uh to $10. The folks that you have running this  program right now, the program that you are using   is used amongst all the other cities. It's called  the BMP. Okay? And they're doing a very good job   at what they're doing because you got to get your  record straight and that is why it is taking them   a while. I'm sure you've had some complaints  from your citizens, but I can assure you give   your program that you're using right now a chance.  Okay. Because I do think that in a short period of   time, you're going to be where you need to be.  Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else want to speak   related to any other agenda items on today's  list? Yes, sir. We can go back to back to back   so we don't have to wait for me to call it out  again. Just form a line. We'll do rapid fire. After him, I'm going to say the same thing. Is  anyone else want to speak to that? So, just get   ready. Yes. Hello. Uh David Fannon, backflow  uh tester uh 9:05 East 25th Plaza, Panama City,   32405. I would like to concur uh with Mr. Bill  McGinn on the uh BMP backflow program y'all have   in Panama City, which uh City of Linhaven and  City of Callaway also has the same program.  

Um, I think you should uh stay with the same  program. You've only been in that program for   about eight months. These girls that's running  this program for you have done a really good   job and we've also tried to assist them in  getting information to y'all. Um, I you I   ran a city cross connection program, Freeport.  Started it years ago, worked with them 20 years.   uh you can't get any uh you have to have more  time to get production out of a program than 8   months. Also, he's right. The $10 is going to  be passed to your voters, not just customers.   They're not going to be happy with that.  Um we already don't charge a lot of money,   so we're going to have to pass that on to to the  um customers. Um, but any everything Mr. McInn   said I concur with. So, just take in consideration  and um I think it's a good program. I just think   y'all need to give it a little more time and  I've done that for about 30 30 something years   also. Thank you. Thank you. Yes, sir. Anyone else  want to speak related to today's agenda items? Walter Pion 614 Maple Avenue. Uh I know when  M for Veners started the state started and   I wonder how they look for these even the  cities. Y'all not making money out of them.  

Not one penny. More likely you're not making out  of them. The plum is getting rich. The seller is   getting rich. That's what it was all started  from. Make make the company that sell these   bikes for revenants. They get the money and  we have the problem. The one that have them e back for reveners do not protect the  customer. Y'all say what you will to   me. They do not take the customer. All of you  all the filter we get water from the county.   All the water field comes through that right  for Revena and go into our house. Y'all don't   think about that. It comes into our house. It  terminates our house. It do not terminate the   city lines. If you can show me where they back  for revenas, keep a problem from happening on   the city side. It do not. It do not. Y'all don't  worry about us. We can die. But if we die off,   cities go get broker or they going to have nobody.  They pay for black folk reventers for them.   Then you go charge somebody every two years to  have them checked. Every two years. And then   when you have them checked, send us letters say  you need to have it tested. We cannot make the   person that testing the bifur they got a lot  in town. Then you write us a letter and say  

well if you don't have it tested we going to  shut your ward off. you would have a problem and you come and [ __ ] my ward off because  it hadn't been tested and I got somebody to   go test it. I can't make that man come  there. He got other jobs to do. Testing   everybody else. You have problem, you come  to my house and shut my water off because   my test hadn't got there. Fix the problem. Thank  you. Anyone else? Yes, ma'am. Miss Sap Mrs. Sap Beverly Sap SAP I live at 11:05 Parker Drive.  That's Panama City, Florida 32401. When I call   the city water department and they want to  transfer me to Parker. I don't live in Parker,   Florida. 32404. I appreciate the city  workers, but they need to know. Oh,   I don't know why she automatically wanted to  take me to Parker. And this is not on the agenda,   but I have a water leak. No, you all have  a water leak. I hope I can't get anyone   out. This happened Sunday. I called Monday  all day long. I always got a voicemail. I I   left voicemails and I called I did call the water  department and she's the one that to, you know,   wanted to send me to Parker. We have a leak in  the middle of Parker Drive. That's in Panama City,   Florida. It's running right there. Well, it  probably isn't because by the laundry mat   there's a intake or whatever and it goes into  the ditch. I'm always complaining about the   uh whatever they're called lift station always  running in there. I need some help. Hopefully,   it's not my on my meter. My husband says it's  not on my meter, but do we know for sure? But  

then the thing is is the city paying for whoop  paying for all this water going down the road   coming here on 11th Street. I need your help. Also  the commissioner uh Street and Garrett, they don't   whatever his name is, they don't speak loud  enough. I can't hear them. I thought it was my   old TV, so I got a new TV. Same thing. Thank you.  Thank you. Make sure you get a card. Mr. Sap Mr.   worked for the city for a long time. Yeah, Joe Sap  he can yodel. Anyone else want to speak tonight   about the agenda items on the remaining agenda?  All right, closing public comments. Moving to the   consent agenda. Do I have a motion to accept  items 9A through 9K? Motion to approve. Do I   have a second? Second. I'll second that. Any  discussion? Please call the role. Commissioner   Street, yes. Commissioner Hughes, yes.  Commissioner Lucas, yes. Commissioner Granger,   yes. Mayor Branch, yes. Motion passes 5. Okay,  now we are down to Commissioner's Report 10A. Ms. Commissioner Lucas. We jumped forward a lot,  didn't we? Yes. That was a lot of comments. Yes.   Thank you everyone who spoke and um I would like  to echo that sentiment. Thank you all for being   here uh tonight for speaking and this is uh the  process. This is part of the process to uh to come   and to voice your concerns for us to hear, listen,  and to um to respond. And so so we will um item 10   A, consideration of renaming Flower Avenue between  14th Street to its north end just south of Andrews  

Place uh to rename it Maybel Whitfield Way. Mrs.  Maybel Whitfield was born on January 2nd, 1920   in Southport. At the age of three, her family, led  by her grandfather, Charlie Williams, uh relocated   to Panama City. Her earliest memory was crossing  the wooden bridge between Southport and Linhaven   at three years old. Uh the family acquired 40  acres. They were one of the pioneer families   of a little spot over on uh over in St. Andrews  called a hill and uh that land was later sold to   the Panama Plaza Shopping Center where Piggly  Wiggly is now held. Mrs. uh Whitfield um her   family was instrumental in shaping the hill. She  married Henry Whitville. They not only purchased   land but also built a home at the corner of Flower  and 16th in the heart of the hill. She lived there   until she was called home earlier this year at the  age of 105. A testament to the enduring ties that   bound her to this special place. She would have  been 106 in January 2026. She and her husband   Henry raised 10 children who have blessed her with  many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great   great grandchildren. As Commissioner of W 2, it  is my distinct honor to ask that this section of   Flower Avenue be named Maybell Whitfield Way in  honor of Mrs. Whitfield and the Williams family. Yes. Do I have a motion or to rename the  road? So move. Do I have a second? I'll   make a second. Let's discuss it. Go ahead.  You can if you want to. Yeah, let's discuss.   You want to name it? I think I think it's  a cool idea. I'm supportive of it. Um Yeah.

Okay. Okay. There's any other  discussion? Call the RO. That   was easy. Commissioner Street. Yes.  Commissioner Hughes. Yes. Thank you,   Commissioner Lucas. Yes. Commissioner Granger.  Yes. Mayor Branch. Yes. Motion passes 5-0. Item 10B. Commission. Thank you, Mr.  Mayor. So, I think this is an issue that   um I probably I'm guessing deal with more um  from from my constituents more so than than y'all   probably do. Um because I have a lot of brand new  areas in in town. Um, so for those of you online,   those of you in the audience who don't  know, crossconnects are basically anytime   uh you connect into a um city municipal water  source, right? So um but the D which is the   state of Florida provided us with an unfunded  mandate uh to for for any irrigation meter. So   some of you may have irrigation meters which  is a completely separate meter than your house   meter and it can you clarify what unfunded like  I unfunded mandate meaning the state legislator   said you will do this and they didn't give us any  money to execute or more things we have to do more   things that we're going to have to do with tax  dollars that they didn't provide for us. Um so   that's an unfunded mandate and uh this is one of  them. So being uh in in like Liberty, Sweet Bay,   there's um different apartment complexes that are  in W 3 that are because W 3 is the largest ward of  

just unused land. That's where a lot of the uh the  new construction goes. And with new construction,   usually they'll put in a irrigation meter because  on an irrigation meter, you don't get charged for   sewer because it doesn't go into the sewer.  You're just sprinkling it on the yard. So,   you don't have the extra fees that come along  with that. Uh, but every 2 years, you have to get   the backflow preventor that is on your irrigation  meter inspected, which means you have to pay for   it. You have to hire one of these two gentlemen  or some of the other professionals in town   that are certified to to inspect and clear that  backflow pre. They then have to upload evidence to   something. Right. Right now it's a website with  the city that the city has that that we offer   uh for them to to upload to. If currently if that  doesn't happen, meaning that they might have come   and they might have inspected or um and then  just didn't upload the paperwork, uh or if uh   if you just forget to do it or kind of put it off  and then all of a sudden uh you're overdue, your   water gets shut off, which means that we call a  different department and say, "Hey, we need water   shut off at this meter." and that department goes  out and turns off the water ideally to that meter.   Sometimes that doesn't happen. Sometimes people's  actual house water gets turned off. Now, that   hasn't happened every time. But it has happened  and uh guess guess where I get I get complaints,   right? They they call me and they're like, "What?  How do I fix this? What's going on?" And you when   your house water is off, you want to know exactly  when they're going to be there to turn it back on,   right? Well, we don't provide that either. Um, and  and even when your your your your irrigation meter   is turned off, usually you have one of these these  nice gentlemen here that that knows how to uh to  

do this procedure. They want to know when to be  there. We don't do that either. And and that's not   necessarily on the the team that that handles this  because it's two separate teams working inside the   city. And so I started looking for ways to offload  this unfunded uh thing that the the u the state   gave us. And uh right now everybody in the city  of Panama City pays for this. Whether you have   an irrigation meter, whether you have a backflow  prevter, uh you're paying for it through the taxes   that you pay. And so this was an efficiency move  that I was starting to seek out which would take   it for only the people who have these meters would  then pay a little bit more. Yes, but it would take   it off of everybody else in the city and only for  those those folks. um simultaneously was looking   at well I mean one of the problems that that I was  told about was that um the city would send letters   but they're not certified letters they're just  letters so if you don't get the letter in the mail   and you happen to forget after two years you're  due you might forget and then your water meter   gets turned off and so I was looking for a better  way to communicate with those people who actually   have u irrigation meters and so that they don't  get turned off. Well, as part of this process,   um I did find that it was the irrig or the uh the  backflow pre crossconnect portion especially the   residential portion. I believe the commercial  side, you know, there wasn't a real big issues   there. It was mostly just the residential side. Um  it was a mess and the staff has done a very good   job at fixing that mess and and putting it into  uh this this BPM software which we've only had a  

year. Uh we pay for this software every year. Uh  it's I think it's four $4,000 plus dollars. We all   pay for everybody the city pays for the software.  uh and and we pay for the the salaries of the   individuals who are doing this to to some partial  degree of which I I would I was suggesting to   staff that if we did move forward with this soft  with the software proposal that we just reutilize   those employees um within the fog program and  and elsewhere. Nobody's nobody's looking to   lose nobody's looking to lose their job over this.  So um that's where I was at as part of this. Uh,   I believe there was an email that was circulate  circulated that y'all y'all received um that   came up with alternatives like just charging  people if they're overdue instead of turning   off their their water meter, which would have  been a great solution a year ago when I brought   this these these issues forward. Um, but I so  so that is that is something that that's kind of   um a very unfortunate. I wish that uh that some of  those uh solutions would have bubbled up. Um yeah,   bubbled up. The mayor loves to bubble things up.  Um wish wish some of these solutions would have   bubbled up, you know, 12 months ago when I started  looking at this and looking at efficiencies. Uh so   uh basically the proposal is that um to to to the  citizen there would be an the individual citizen   there would be an increase. However uh there  would be multiple facets by which they would be   uh communicated with if we move forward with  the contractor. The contractor itself does not   actually do anything other than the software  piece. So, it's still incumbent upon the folks  

that that that want to continue to work in Panama  City doing the backflow in inspections. They would   still be required to go out and do the backflow  inspections and just upload to a different   website. Uh the fee is uh charged to them, which  of course they do pass along to to the customer   there. There's um you know, nothing new there.  That's not new under the sun. Uh but the idea is   is that um we would take two city employees and be  able to utilize them in a more efficient manner,   pass along the the cost of the software. So, we  would gain back the $4 to5,000 a year fee that the   city has to pay for this and um hand it off to to  a company that that can send uh certified letters.   So, when the when the person says, "I didn't  receive it. I don't want to pay this bill." Well,   we got a certified letter with your signature  on it that says you paid for it. Anyway,   uh that's what I wanted to bring before y'all  because I can't talk to you about it outside of   this meeting. And uh you believe you have all the  the proposal there. So um I that's where I'm at.   Yeah. Um we as the city is being asked to do more  and more and more regulations built more building   codes, more fire codes, more grease traps, more  more things to inspect. And every email that this   entity sends spends your money. And it gets  spent from it gets taken from parks, it gets   taken from other uses. And uh and so I I I I love  the idea of a more efficient way that we can work   um better software um probably more automation  than we're currently doing. Um part of bubbling   things up as policy directors, you know, we're  not in the day-to-day, although we get blamed   for everything in the day-to-day, including moving  Christmas parades and drone shows. Um but I always  

want to know what policies that we've created that  are issues. And I had I had no idea that back. get   lots of water meter disputes and concerns and  water those kind of but I didn't even know that   the backflip burner was a was an issue. I wish  there was like a scorecard that we could send to   John each week of like here's the 12 things that  we heard about or you know and that way we could   know what each other are getting via email cuz we  don't I don't know what you get complaints about   I don't know what you get complaints about  and so this was uh it's very interesting but   definitely surprised me as one of the things that  we should be focused on. So yeah again it's Again,   I think I know that there's we got the numbers of  how many backflip defenders, but they're not put   into the system by ward because why would they?  Sure. Um, but I mean there's there's a lot of a   lot of folks that that I've dealt with, especially  in Liberty and Sweep Bay, that have had issues   with notifications or um the wrong meter getting  turned off. And again, these don't necessarily   fall on one particular team within the city,  but I even had one where um a group of folks   got a letter basically saying that we're going  to shut off your back flip preer if you don't   u get it inspected. And they didn't even have one.  And again, that wasn't necessarily on the staff   that deals with this. Uh they were just doing what  they were supposed to be doing. But um you know,   it's it's it's definitely u it was a mess. It's  come a long way. Um, I'm just looking at trying to   find efficiencies. So, I guess my question is, you  know, what would these other two does FOG need two   more people? I mean, that's the question I guess.  Oh, it's the same FOG and cross connect is the   same folks. So, they're they're they're already  dual employed into different departments. I got   you. Okay. Okay. I mean, I don't know if we want  to give a timeline maybe to correct and see if we  

can't get everything fully implemented. I mean, a  year is typically what we've tried to give things   before. Do we want to give the next the next 90  days and say, "Hey, you got to get through your   backlog. If you can't get through your backlog,  then we move to something different." Well,   I think this potentially even ties into budget  season in this late spring as we're going through   it. um as another mechanism because we have to  refocus some money um with interest rates. Um   so yeah, I'm up for those discussions. I don't  I don't want to make a big decision tonight that   disrupts staff and processes, but I'm I'm still  curious of what all they would do and a demo of   their software be interesting. I I do understand  that big things don't change easily. So that's   um sometimes you know until you're faced with the  opportunity of saying oh hey this may change if I   don't get through these things that might add some  motivation to actually finish that. I know we've   been talking about getting MXU reports and several  things. It's not just we talking about backflows   but we've got water meter issues. We've got other  things. I would love to see an update and I think   that you know look if we're still sitting here  a year after executing this contract on this   software and we are still having issues then yeah  it should bubble up here for a further discussion   and um and making changes. So so we're at 9 months  right now that's 90 days it'll be right in the   middle of a budget season and um when we start  looking at that I think it's a great opportunity   to look at you know what other options there  are. Are there other companies um other than   the Aqua Group, Aqua Backbone? I'm sure there  are. So, if we were to move in that direction,   we would be asking for an RFP as we've done  in the past with unsolicited proposals. Not   necessarily. I mean, this is no cost to  the city, so there's no dollar amounts,

but it's still a a what's it called? one source.  Uh this is Yeah, this is more akin sle source,   right? This is more akin to like a professional  service, which is a different procurement   policy. Even if this were the $4,500 for the  other vendor or or this particular company,   it' be a professional service. So, you wouldn't  have to RFP. Okay. I mean, one suggest I mean out   of approximately 2,000 meters that you know, we've  only got about a hundred locked right now. So,   it's a pretty small number. If if it's a matter  of of that, I mean, we can start certifying the   letters rather than just doing standard US  postal service to, you know, the ones that   are potentially going to have challenges.  I mean, that's one thing to do. I mean,   we know we have an in-house, you know, I don't  know what type of in-house I know we have postal,   you know, we can print postage in house. I don't  know if if we can certify that. It's probably   more of a logistics question. Yep, we can. So,  we can we can certify letters. Um, you know,   I know you're talking about expending more money,  but I'm looking for efficiencies. Well, I mean,   somebody's going to have to I mean, somebody I  guess what I'd say is out of a 100 out of 2,000,   I just I guess from staff's perspective,  it's it's a very small number that those   are the ones that are currently locked.  Currently, went overdue and then scrambled   and got it undone. I think that number was  like maybe around 160 out of the 2,000. So,   so it I'm fine waiting for a budget process, but  what I would like us to do tonight is to change   the way that we handle overdue accounts because  I think sending somebody out to go lock a meter   um has absolutely caused issues for citizens out  there that had nothing to do with that particular   meter. Um, you know, the guy just got the wrong  meter, right? I mean, it it it happens. So,   what I would rather do is I would rather pursue  us um just charging just because apparently that's   an option as well. We can just charge extra money  instead of while they're out of compliance because  

that's what the D does to us. They they charge  us. They hit us with a fine when they come and   they look at our books and they see that, oh,  this person doesn't have a back flipper. I mean,   we get hit with fines. So, I I would like  some kind of um I mean, if you're not if   you're not ready to move to another contract  without without going through budget cycle,   I'm I understand. I'd like to see a 60-day  presentation in 60 days of what we've changed and   how we've improved that department. That's kind  of something I've asked for in other departments   of I want to see reoccurring presentations on  here's how we're getting better all the time.   Um and so maybe that's as February sometime  midFebruary we're presented back of what data   is lacking to be added and and what improvements  we made in that department to overcome uh sort   of to match the service. I I do just want to make  sure that we we acknowledge like hey when we talk   about 160 we talk about 100 people yeah it's over  a course of you know almost 20,000 meters but to   that 100 people like it's like a major deal when  you don't have your water and so Henry told us   already. So I I think that's a piece that like  yes, I would like to see improvement in that and   um and you know and I don't mean a year's worth  of waiting to see that improvement. I'd like to   see it you know in an immediate more fashion. So  the city tends to operate with a club whenever   um people are out of the standard that we've set  and I would much rather not do that uh in in this   in this situation. Um, so I I don't know what a  what a reasonable fee would be. So I'm looking to   staff on what a reasonable fee would be for that.  I mean, it's only $30 to to unlock it. So I mean,   I I I don't know that I would probably suggest  more than $10 a month. I mean, I Why not $30 a   month? I I mean, that's I'm happy to do that  if you guys support that. I mean, absolutely.  

What is D going to find us? 500 a day. 500 a day.  Yes. Wow. So that's $500 a day after December 31st   when our entire cross connection program is  supposed to be inspect. So that's our entire   utility system. Um I don't we could do it for the  average cost of a backflow inspection, but that's   something our residential customers only going to  see once every two years. Um, the last time I had   mine done, and I know there's a lot of backflow  testers in the room, mine was a year ago. Rates   may have been cheaper, but mine was $35. Yeah.  I had a um a constituent who paid $480 for her   backflow to be inspected. Inspection or installed?  The inspection? Yeah. Yeah. Cuz we thought it was   installed and we thought she'd hired a, you know,  a plumber to put stuff in. No, it was inspected.   Wow. Yeah. She got taken advantage of. She did.  She got taken advantage of. Um And that's yeah,   it was Yeah, I'll leave that one alone for now.  I I would suggest something that somebody would   notice in their bill. Something as as low as $5.  Um if they're not an estimated customer may come   across as just increased usage if they're only  looking at the bottom line. So there's that to   consider as well because at the end of the day, we  want to drive compliance and we're not looking to   penalize them, but we want them to notice. So So I  just want to make sure I understood. So, it as of   December 31st, if we do not lock a meter, you're  telling me there's a $500 fine that's associated   to the city. Is that what is that really what  you guys are? We can we can lock the meter or   we can we can find the the customer. We can find  at the if we find then we don't have to pay the   500. We still would. It's a compliance issue. So,  if all of our Can I get a copy of this? This this   just doesn't seem Well, I we can distribute the  consent order come back to us like in 30 days or   something. Yeah, let's have let's have I want  I would like to make a motion that staff comes  

back within um the second meeting of January  uh to to give us options on this because just   shutting off the meters is is causing too many  too many issues. And I'd also like to see this   copy of this $500 if we don't shut off the meter  thing. That's That's concerning. So, okay, we got   a motion on the table. Do I have a second? Second.  Any discussion? Please call the RO. Commissioner   Street, yes. Commissioner Hughes, yes.  Commissioner Lucas, yes. Commissioner Granger,   yes. Mayor Branch, yes. Motion passes 5-0. All  right, let's take a uh to 7:15, a recess to 7:15. Okay.

reject parking. All right, we're getting started.  Proceed forward building. All right, please take your seats. We want  to get here before get done before midnight. Anybody want peanuts? Please take your seats. We're missing some people. Commissioner Lucas. All right. All right. want to get started with Commissioner  Street on Trudale Park. All right. Um,   so basically I put this on the agenda because  I'd like us to take action just for clarity. Um,   you know, I I've made a verbal commitment, but  obviously I can't make a commitment without   um the board support for that. And so what I'm  asking for is I just I want to kind of step back   to the beginning. And so there's a lot more public  feedback to gather. There's a lot more things   that are coming up. So, what I'm asking for is a  rejection of the parking lot as shown um that's   gone out before a reopening of public feedback on  alternative designs for the parking grounds, park   amenities, and we do have an exterior grant that's  from the state. I know that there's been proposals   that have talked about potentially using that  privately or with a nonprofit group. if you guys   could please explain what that funding is limited  to as well as um you know who has to execute that   there's I don't think there's literally a way  for us to transfer any funding even in that   is that am I correct to my understanding? Yes,  sir commissioner. So, we've got some hometown  

revitalization program uh dollars and um if you  if you go back uh it was kind of the end of 2024   uh this the whole you know the whole issue  around Trudale was addressed uh you know in   uh in that and we highlighted the funding source  for that. You know um I know that you know there's   been comments that you know the the Trudedale  you know that the parking lot proposed was for   Oaks by the Bay. You and I both know that's  not correct. It's, you know, that's a fairly   large clubhouse and and to be able to maximize  parking for community events to that end. So,   we have the HRP money for the parking lot. Um, and  then we also have a second kind of bucket of money   for HRP and that's hometown revitalization program  and it's for uh components on the exterior of the   building, but also the HVAC uh the electrical  for that purpose and also doors and windows. Um,   the roof is fine. Uh but what we want to do is is  wrap uh the building with the kind of that that   Hardy board uh that you know that's kind of become  pretty standard. We've done it over at Daffen.   We've done it at some of our lift stations.  We've done it at some of our other parks uh to   kind of make that you know a beautiful piece.  And then there are the the broader plans that   um Florida architects has done uh for us as well  uh to further build out that that Trudale Park as   a community center. And so uh but those are are  grant money grant monies for the city of Panama   City. They're specific specific use especially  the one for the building itself. It'll do a   little sidewalk around it that'll you know kind of  connect it with the parking lot or connect it with   the sidewalk around Chestnut uh you know or tent  uh or night to that end. So those are those are   grant funds that that the city uh has received and  much like the other HRP projects that we're doing   in Glennwood and St. Andrews in downtown. Uh, you  know, that's something the city has to, you know,  

has to basically, uh, expend and and we'll have to  go out and competitively bid for it. Uh, much like   we did the parking lot because we we do know it'll  be over $100,000. So, so I guess with that, what   I'm really asking is to be able to take a step  back and kind of restart the public input process   again and um, and really, now that everyone's  attention's on it, is allow people to have a   voice at the table. um for that. And so, you know,  with that being said, I'd like to make a motion to   the extent of that we reject the parking lots as  shown. We reopen public feedback with alternative   designs for parking grounds and park amenities  and proceed forward with the grant funded exterior   improvements um on Trudale specifically. So, can  you restate the motion? I can't because I wrote it   down. Do you want me to write it again? All right.  It's to reject the parking lot that's shown. Um   reopen feedback on alternative designs for parking  grounds and park amenities and um and uh proceed   forward with the exterior building improvements  that are tied to this uh this grant from the   state um for exterior improvement. You know,  that doesn't answer all the questions. There's   still some questions that are lingering in that  process, but I think it gives us enough time to   walk through this process and still see progress  so that it doesn't look like an eyesore to the   community and you know walk a very good you know  kind of open process to to um to I'm cautiously   optimistic that there may be some business owners  that step up and are willing to help as well and   which that's encouraging to hear as well. Second.  Any discussion? Just for clarity, you're only   talking about rejecting the design. You don't  want us to formally reject the bid. Correct.   Yeah. What I'm asking you guys to do is to go back  with alternative designs. Now, depending upon that   feedback, that may actually be what has to happen.  But, you know, the the the point is to give every  

event an opportunity to speak into what will  be there, how many spaces, what it looks like,   that kind of stuff. So, I think that's what  the community's really asked for is a way   is an opportunity to shape what is going to be  there. And that is what the community shall have.   How how can we not rebid it if we're going to  redesign it? We uh we don't know. It might it   might be that that is the end result. However,  uh the bid is good for 60 days and it it might   it could be extended even further with the consent  of the bidder. But the unit price for paving, it's   possible that depending on what the redesign looks  like, you might be able to use the same unit price   and award the bid and change order number one if  the low bidder agrees at the same time. It might   not be possible based upon the you know the end  result of the redesign. So it was my understanding   is to reject the design. The bid stays um and then  depending on whether it will not be awarded though   until we come back and they'll probably be it'll  either be rejected or if it is accepted it would   be with an amendment or a mod an addendum to that  bid. How many bid bids were there? Five bids. No,   like like yeah, seven seven or eight. Yeah, it  was. Yeah. Yeah, it was. Yeah, I could see that   being being an issue. So, the only thing I'll add  is all these alternatives will be smaller than   what has been bid. And so, you know, that's that's  also an aspect. We're not expanding scope in this.   If anything, we'll be reducing it. So, all right.  We got a first and a second. Any other discussion?  

Please call the role. Commissioner Street. Yes.  Commissioner Hughes. Yes. Commissioner Lucas.   Yes. Commissioner Granger. Yes. Mayor Branch.  Yes. Motion passes 5-0. We are to 11A. City   clerk. Number 11 is uh the notice of vacancy  on the Pan Panama City Planning Board. The   Panama City Planning Board has one position for  the mayor's appointee available as a result of   the changes associated with ordinance number  3284. Terms for members appointed because of   the change will begin on January 1st, 2026. Uh  the city clerk has received one application from   Lynn Cherry. Mr. Mayor, I will I would love to  nominate Lynn Cherry. All right. Or was that   other words? We got a motion. Excuse me. Oh, she  was here. We don't It's okay. We don't need her.   I nominated her. Do I do we need to do a motion?  Okay. He I Yes, I believe it would be appropriate   for So I make the motion or someone else does.  You could make the nomination. Then there is a   motion to confirm that. Confirm your nomination.  Second. All right. Any discussion? Please call   the role. Commissioner Street. Yes. Commissioner  Hughes. Yes. Commissioner Lucas, yes. Commissioner   Granger, yes. Mayor Branch, yes. Motion passes  5-0. Congratulations. Yes. Yes. and John,   we're we're to item 12, Jonathan. And Commissioner  Lucas would like to move up the MLK discussion if   possible. Okay, I have a motion to move 12J to  12J to 12A. Okay, second. Second. All right,   please call the RO. Commissioner Street, yes.  Commissioner Hughes, yes. Commissioner Lucas,   yes. Commissioner Granger, yes. Mayor Branch,  yes. Motion passes 5. All right. Item 12J. Now  

item 12 A is consideration to approve facility  access and membership proposal for the MLK Junior   Rec Center. It's background information for the  commission's review attaches the decision memo   outlining the proposed MLK Junior recreation  facility access and membership structure. The   new center includes a fitness center, gymnasium  st lab, teaching kitchen, arts and craft studio,   multi-purpose rooms, and outdoor recreation  area areas. Staff reviewed national benchmarks,   peer communities, and NRPA's CAP accredited  standards of development, recommended membership   rates, program access, and rental fees. That  stands for the National Recreation and Parks   Association Commission for Accreditation of  Parks and Recreation Agencies. General entry   to the facility will remain free with specialty  spaces available throughout scheduled programs.   Fitness memberships will provide access to  the fitness center and open play gym times,   while youth ages 17 and under will receive free  membership. The proposal also introduces both free   and feebased programs, community open gym days,  and phase one rental rates for rooms and fields,   a youth volunteer incentive program, MLK bucks,  is also being explored and will be presented   under a separate proposal at a later time for the  commission's approval. Um staff recommendation   through the director of the parks culture and  recreation department and the MLK Junior Rec   Center manager is that the commission approved  this submitted proposal is outlined in the   attached decision memo to become effective January  1st of 2026. Mr. Mayor, I will point out too that   we do have Mr. Myroll and Mr. Elliot are here uh  and they're happy to address the commission and   answer any questions if you so desire. Sir, thank  you. Um, poor ma'am. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. So,   we've heard from the community tonight, and I'll  own not having put this out before yesterday. Um,   and, uh, I would like us to consider the  ideas that have been presented here tonight,  

and that we would, um, make fees effective  March 1, which would give us an opportunity   to meet with the community. I want to commend  the staff for the work that's gone into creating   uh this proposal. Um this is not uh what we're  proposing is not uh unlike what is uh happening   at other uh rec centers throughout the state.  Uh looking at the Ocala uh Mary Rich Center and   at Reed Place which is one of our uh models. We  visited there. I had a chance to talk with staff.   um they have fees. Um so I think just having the  opportunity for the community to have a say um in   what it is that we implement um and giving us time  to uh to do that. Um I echo the sentiments that   yesterday was a beautiful day. Um it was uh as I  said then uh for me like Christmas day that it was   uh that was open and I didn't think it would be um  excuse me better for the grand opening but oh it   will be so much better for the grand opening.  So, um, colleagues, I would like you to, uh,   to consider, um, an effective date March 1 with  a, uh, any revisions to come back, uh, from staff,   uh, in February at a February meeting. Do we need  to discuss tonight any apprehensions so they can   take those conversations forward or do we want  to how do we what's how can they work the best,   you know, giving clarity to them? So, I think  certainly we heard the apprehensions uh,   coming from the public. if we would um like to  add or suggest uh something um so that they know   our positions I think that would be good as  well. I'll start. Um I I have apprehension. I   love the concept. I I initially love the theory  of the radius around a neighborhood or a ward,  

but then that creates a sort of that's our park  and not your park. And then that creates well   where's my MLK rec center? And I want this to  be a park and a facility for everyone where   everyone feels welcome. Um, and so I'm I'm kind of  apprehensive about any sort of neighborhoodesque   pricing. Um, because you know the in I get from  the interior, you know, your award is that says,   "Well, where's our rec center? Where's our  thing?" Um, but I want everyone to feel like   they belong there. Um the other thing that  kind of first first glance and and one of   the assistants kind of touched on it not when you  charge a parent and I'm not saying we don't I'm   saying you get less parents there which is more  just lots and lots of kids with no supervision.   uh and so I almost almost want to reward parents  parents for coming some you know money has to flow   somehow to maintain the thing and um so I don't  want to discourage parents so I don't want them to   just simply drop children off and be like see you  in 6 hours I don't necessarily want that either   um so that's just some apprehensions I have in  general so one of the apprehensions that I have   about the suggestion of waiting till March is that  we heard tonight that some some folks folks felt   like the rug was being pulled out from underneath  them. Um I think that if we open the facility and   we don't have something in place, um then and  then all of a sudden at a date certainly we do,   I think we're going to hear a lot more of people  saying that they felt like the road was um pulled   out from underneath them. Um so that that's  that's just one concern that I have. Yeah. Then   we're taking something from take you're taking  something free from us. Um, I do agree though   that the facility does need to to uh function  and so I think a lot of what we heard tonight was   um an emotional response to the fee structure.  Um, but I don't I heard several complaints that   that uh they can't afford $5 a day and I don't I  don't think that we're expecting anybody to pay  

$5 a day. And so I think there's just an education  piece that goes along with that that if you're   going to go there every day, the $100 a year uh  membership is is probably the way you should go.   And we had we can set a payment plan for that.  And I don't know what what you can get for $100   a year. Um I mean that that's that's um I have  no idea what you can get for $100 a year. I mean   that's just that's that's incredibly low. Um and  if and if they're member then they don't pay the   $5. Correct. I'm looking at staff. That's correct.  That's That's correct. If you're a member, that's   $8.33 a month. Oh, I'm looking at him. Yeah. So,  thank you. So So the idea is is that if you if   you're if you're going to Okay, that's right.  Yeah. If you're going to utilize this often,   then the membership is the way to go. And that's  I mean, it's just incredibly incredibly cheap. Uh,   and I think that a lot of people probably mixed  the two up and thought that they were going   to have to pay for membership and also pay $5 a  day, which would be incredibly horrible. I would   never support that. I don't think anybody up here  would. Um, but I don't think that's what staff has   brought to us. So, um, yeah, I'm fine with it as  the way it is. I just think there there probably   should just be a bit more education behind it. And  I think people just haven't had time to digest it,   see how it works. I I think I think there's  actually a step between the two. You know,   a lot of places do like first 30 days free  just to get people in the doors trying the   place and and if we're opening in early  January, we could easily say mid January,   uh we could always say first 30 day here here is  what's coming. Here's a big poster at the door   uh with very clear expectations. But that  does give us, you know, three or four weeks,   although it's the holiday season, to reach out  to people to fully explain to put it out. Um well   the other thing is the um opportunity for staff  to incorporate what they've heard from and then  

to get it back to us. Uh so when we open January  uh 16th, we will already have had one meeting.   So it would either be January 20th or the first  meeting in February so that we could incorporate   whatever additional changes they would like to  have. Yeah. So that was one of the reasons for   suggesting a labor time. Robbie's raising his  hand over and over again. Oh yeah. Yeah. So,   thank you. Thank you, Josh. Thank I'm just over  here smiling in the corner. I appreciate it. Um   I I do have um is Mr. Elliott still um um in the  in the chambers? And if so, I'd like to hear from   him about what you know what he came how you know  I I know that Commissioner Lucas went and visited   uh down at Ocalum, but how how he feels about  this and how he came up with these numbers and   does what he heard tonight. Is there anything that  he thinks could could change, be massaged a little   bit to um to go along with what we heard from  the public? Is that is that possible? Yeah. So,   before you get started, there was one more kind  of like I'm sorry. Can you just name and title   for the public and online? Thanks. Yeah. Javian  Elliot, MLK Junior Recreation Center Manager. So,   there was one more um kind of misunderstanding  that I heard tonight. That was um the the fees to   use the like the the basketball court, right? Like  there was a fee for that. I think a lot of people   apply that to themselves as individuals rather  than hey I want to reserve the entire court like   somebody would reserve the entire garden club  right and that that's that's correct me if I'm   wrong that's that was the direction that the staff  was looking at is like if an organization comes in   and says hey I want to have the entire court or  or this particular part reserved for me and in my   organization that they have to pay the fee. Uh we  we we didn't put anything in place to reserve the   indoor court, but the outdoor basketball court  that was already within the system for like   uh if you wanted to rent Oakland's Terrace  and I just transferred that over to MLK and  

that's only for organized if you want to get a  tournament on and you don't want anyone else to   utilize the outdoor basketball court to just  openly walk up and use the court, you do not   have to pay the Nevin Zimmerman Classic. So if  if Nevin Zimmerman and the mayor want to go have   like a paint contest like just by themselves  so they don't have to pay to go do Mr. Nevin Mr. Nevin already challenged me to play a horse.  So we sleeper you got to watch him there will be   a I don't know I've been told I can't get on  the slide so I don't think they ought to play   basketball or HR if that dunk contest does happen  there will be a fee for EMS presence. Yeah, that   will be knee replacements. But, uh, Commissioner  Hughes asked if you would share your insights into   the fee structure that you proposed. Absolutely.  Uh, just having comparisons based on, um, you   know, the regional facilities, Dothan, uh, Fort  Walton, Ocala. I kind of just benchmarked them   out of uh all the regional ones and kind of put  together something that uh we could we could have   collectively that would fit us as a community.  Uh my our goal was never to charge people to walk   in. That was nothing, you know, I'm not sure how  that was communicated, but uh that was never part   of the plan. Uh or play on the playground. Yeah.  Or to play on the playground. Uh general facility   access is free. However, through classes,  programs, uh tournaments, like those things,   we we will charge for those uh for the actual  fitness center membership. It is only for the   fitness center as well as open gym for basketball,  volleyball, and pickle ball with the option to   have a balance of weekly or monthly free open gym  play. So, uh, we we want to have that balance of,   hey, we want everyone to come in the building, uh,  as well as, uh, being able to have a membership.  

Uh, so I would I would anticipate like when we  have those free weekly or monthly, whatever, uh,   rate we choose to go with, that those will be the  highly the peak times uh, for open gym play. So,   um, that was just kind of, uh, the the thought  process behind presenting that. Could we roll   out a video using our new video specialist? um and  explaining the cost structure and the examples and   then giving you 30 days to reach out to the public  to get feedback and say here's what and frame the   whole thing is here's what we're proposing. This  is the first time any of us have talked about it   you know so and so that gives us gives Janice time  to go out and get feedback from the community us   to make possible adjustments. I want to blow the  doors off the place. I want kids flying and out   of the place. I want to be able to replace the  hinges when they get blown off. If you looked at   those hinges you're not blowing those. Those are  some I need to know. One of you were like, "Wow,   the hinges are those are pinch hinges." But I I  think what Commissioner L suggested of March 1st.   Another question that I have, guys. If I may,  another question that I have is remember that   we we discussed that we have a savings account  for um uh for this the operational expenses.   I want to make sure that our fee structure is  not helping supplement the operational expenses   of that that the fee structure is going back into  programming. Um whereas u we we're going to we're   going to have our budgeting for that for the  operation of it and this is separate from that.   Is that am I understanding that correctly? I  think that's our intent. There's going to be   a lot of expenses on material. Those 3D printers  are going to need resin. There's going to be a lot   of supplies needed stem kits, software for uh  for computers. Uh there'll be licenses for the   some of the recording studio software. So the the  goal is to to have this those items be paid for   out of these recurring um this recurring revenue.  Additionally, you know, basketballs, volleyballs,   uh those sporting equipment things, they need to  be replaced periodically. And so that's that's  

what we're looking to do is just some some sort of  cost recovery that's a a best practice in in this   um parks and wreck industry. on the on that  subject. I'll okay I'll I'll I'll communicate   what what my considerations are. Obviously, I want  to keep the cost as low as possible, especially   for young people, and that includes these events  and activities are happening that. So, what I   would love to see, maybe there's a partnership  with GF Coast. They've got a recording program.   Can we share software? Can we can we find a way to  implement with people that are already supplying   that in that to just integrate it so we don't have  to charge for those things? I mean that that would   be the ideal situation is we make it a community  center that all of our love and care kind of goes   into from from everyone. Um I personally got  I don't and maybe I've missed this but I have   not gotten an operational budget for MLK yet.  Do we have that yet? Yeah, we do. Can that was   my next question Josh. Do we have that? Yeah. So  like what I what I'm what I'm processing through   is like okay I'm we're halfway through this year  and so we're approaching that point. So now I'm   thinking through next budget year. What do we need  to absorb inside the budget as well as you know   there's this fee structure that's that's happening  here too. And so I just like to see those side by   side like are all the programs like being funded  by fees or are we operationally funding some of   those programs? like I'm just I just like to  see the big picture if that makes sense. So,   fair enough. So, but yeah, I think it's great.  It was beautiful. I mean, walking through it's   an incredibly impressive facility. Um I just want  to see as many young people um that can use it use   it and adults and seniors too. I mean, I don't  want to exclude anybody from from the benefit   of a public facility. to just one more point what  Allan was saying about like different areas of the   city. I'm not unopposed to people that are outside  the city paying a different rate than than people  

inside the city. So like um but you know I I would  I would hate to see people from Drummond Park not   be able to participate in MLK rec center the same  way as people in Glenwood or the Hill or you know   Milville or the Cove or wherever. So, Commissioner  Street, I do want to add um to your point with   shared software and working with G Coast State  College. Uh Javeen with his leadership has reached   out to the FSU STEM lab. Great. And and they're  they're going to teach us how to use these these   3D printers that some of them are even jealous  over, right? Because they don't have the standard   that we have. Yeah. We've got some printers  that they're just they're drooling over. But,   um so he we've already started that effort. We've  made inroads and and made introductions with both   Keith Mile and and Mr. Elliot to Glenn McDonald as  well uh this last week. Um so we're working down   that path and include us like from an elected  official standpoint. I mean you know sometimes   people ask is there anything we can do for the  city? I mean I'd love to know what that is so I   can answer that question and you know and I think  the same thing goes whether it be with FSU whether   it be with you know foundations or anything like  that that exists. So just let us know what's   needed um before we get to budget. non-resident  adult. The propos under the proposed rate,   a non-resident adult is $200 per year. Okay.  Which is still incredibly cheap compared to   what you're the value that you're getting out  of the rec center. Um so so we might have to   we might have to bump that one up. So I would  add like I think highlighting what will be free   um and what we're charging for and breaking that  down I think will be very helpful because I think   Yeah. Because I didn't understand it. You'll  be very surprised like an adult spectator to   go watch their kid play basketball. We're not  going to charge them. So there's there's a lot of   things that we'll we'll flesh out in that report  pack. The other question that was raised was about   the new market tax credit dollars. We are still  actively pursuing uh the 6 million 4 to6 million  

for the new market tax credit. I don't know  if legal has an update for us on that. If not,   if you could bring it to us in January. Yep. Well,  I can bring you one. Uh but there is uh you have 2   years from the date of completion to get your new  market tax credits in and it's we've been pursuing   them. We're continuing to we feel like there's an  opportunity the next few months and uh that would   that doesn't solve all the issues but it it will  plug 4 to6 million hole in the construction cost.   that's not really directly relevant to the  operation. So I think that's what was maybe yeah   the thought was that we could perhaps use those  but I think it is an opportunity for us to uh   reach out to uh foundations and corporations that  might want to establish a fund for uh those who   may uh not qualify. I I hear the concerns. Working  two jobs, working $3 jobs. For some people,   $100, for many people, $100 um extra is is a  consideration, and we could have a fund for that,   which I think also is what happens in other  uh other communities. Um but we do need a fee   structure uh for this new facility. And so just  want to give the community the the breath to   understand fully what it is that we're doing and  that we can tap down those uh misconceptions about   what we're charging for for I do just want to get  some direction from the commission. I did hear   some folks state that they thought it should be  100% free. I'm not sensing that there's agreement   that the facility should be 100% free from this  body. I mean, I would like to exhaust every other   option before having to charge for, you know,  like, and by that, what I mean is, you know,   if we've got professors at GF Coast or at FSU  that are willing to come and teach recording,  

if we're will if we can find those solutions, like  that's what I would rather before we get into, you   know, a fe a fee situation. But that doesn't mean  I'm opposed to a fee either. So, and and also in   the report, I think it would be interest there's  I I think he came up with a pretty good program   of MLK bucks, I think it is, and and and having  the public understand because somebody did bring   up volunteering to taking out the trash that if  they can understand how they can earn, you know,   points that can go towards a membership or go that  I think that's also beneficial so that the the   public that moms and dads understand that their  kids can help earn some of that money so they go   and play and have a good time as well. Uh teach,  you know, teaches a little um uh you know,   a little uh how to get how to get ahead at the  same time, you know. So, I would like to hear   some that as well. That could also address  the concern that one of the parents raised   about the cost of the food at the concession  stand and whether Yes, ma'am. Exactly. So,   yep. Yep. We we have a motion table to to table  this discussion until March. Is that correct?   um to enact um whatever fee structures in  March that staff would bring back to us prior   uh at a commission meeting prior to March one.  Would you modify your motion to include the   mayor's just 30-day um kind of education program  where it's free for 30 days from the day we open   um and letting people know, hey, this is what's  coming. That's about the same time period because   it opens January 16th that the commissioner is  correct. That's that's pretty much what you're   having. So it starts it opens up January 16th.  If we don't start collecting fees till March 1st,   you've pretty much made it free for 6 weeks. But  I'd like lots of comms and a poster at the front   door. So everyone for like 30 days like way before  people or just March 1st. Hey, March 1st. This is   what's going to happen. Yeah. Plenty of time. We  will have a proposal back to us that we actually  

enact prior to then. Got it. And you could  actually even start kind of telling people, hey,   this would be for this, but you know, right now  it's it's free, however, however youall want to   work that. I guess it'd be helpful for us to get  that back uh to the board as as soon as possible   so we can we can begin advertising what that new  fee structure is. uh might I suggest before the   center opens and but I would also suggest that  whatever we're going to use to register people   that they get that that process is is put in  place. They get their membership that expires   February 20th. So then they're going to have to  have the proposal to us before the 16th. Yeah,   that's January 13th. Okay, I'm good with that.  Okay, they can do it. Yeah, January 13th. All   right. Uh I have a first question. Uh well the  concern that I had for that was that would we have   had time to meet with community prior to January  13th with the holidays and so forth 12 days. Yeah.   So I'd like to see the proposal I'm not against  but for community to have input if we had it   um that second meeting in January. The second  meeting in January which is what date? Uh,   it would be the 27th. So, the 27th would be voting  on something. Yes, that works for me. Any concerns   on your end? Sorry about that. Any concerns on  your end? Probably not too dare in the mayor,   but no, just let me know what I need to have it  done by and that's the first meeting in January.   Let open to speaking with the community. I feel  we could have it by the 13th. We could announce   meetings after the new year. I mean, we announce  it now after the new year. So we could have a a   meeting like January 3rd or 4th and then another  one the following week in advance of it. You could   have two you could have two meetings uh the  first couple weeks of January. Okay. Then the   opportunity Well, no, the Rick won't heal. Then  you could announce it at then we could announce  

at the actual grand opening what was decided.  If we have it to you by the 13th, you're never   going to have any more attention than we have  that day with all the people that are going to   be there. Exactly. Which is why I want to use  that day to make sure people know that they can   weigh in. Yes. And just as a reminder, the agenda  deadline is January 5th for the what? Correct.   The agenda agenda deadline is the 5th, not the  13th. Correct. Correct. So it would have to be   ready by the 5th. So So this the strong sentiment  that I heard was that community felt blindsided.   So giving them the opportunity to weigh in and  also for us to clarify uh the misconceptions.   I agree with Janice. We got to figure out how to  do that first and not too quickly. All right. So,   what's the what's the time frame? And so, the the  deadline for the agenda on the the for the meeting   of the 13th is the 5th of January. Um, we could  make it we could figure out something this week,   but given Janice's concerns, we could go  the second meeting of January as well.   Second meeting. We'll have plenty of time to  advertise and really push the word out. give   our our communications team ample time to get  those materials together. And as was just said,   we're going to have the attention on the 16th,  17th, 18th, and 19th. And that's when people can   can weigh in, but also gives us the opportunity  to set up a fund for those who need the   uh need the Do you need to clarify your motion?  Is there one minute? is I have a I have a um to   push the effective date of the um fee structure  to March 1st and with any revisions due to this   body on January 27th that works. Yes. All right.  Do I have a second? Second. Any discussion? Call  

the RO. Commissioner Street. Yes. Commissioner  Hughes. Yes. Commissioner Lucas. Yes. Commissioner   Granger. Yes. Mayor Branch. Yes. Motion passes 50.  All right. We're on 12. Thank you. Consideration   to approve budget amendment 20251216.1 to  accept and expend funds from the fiscal year   2026 Florida Department of Transportation  Grant for drug recognition expert DR call   uh overtime reimbursement background information.  The Panama City Police Department has been awarded   up to $2,200 through an FDOT grant to reimburse  overtime costs associated with DR callouts.   These funds support officer response to incidents  requiring specialized impairment assessments.   Staff recommendation to the chief of police is  that the city commission approve this request   and the accompanying budget amendment resolution.  Do motion to approve. Have a second. Second. Any   discussion? Call the role. Commissioner  Street. Yes. Commissioner Hughes. Yes.   Commissioner Lucas. Yes. Commissioner Granger.  Yes. Mayor Branch. Yes. Motion passes 5-0. 12B 11. He's got a budget amendment 12 alpha. Yes.   I I apologize for the delay. Um  I'll be blaming you for this. Resolution number 20251216.1 a resolution  providing for the budgeting of capital funds.   Item 12B is consideration to approve budget  amendment 20251216.2 two to accept and expend   funds for fiscal year 2026 and to ratify Florida  Department of Law Enforcement identity theft and   fraud prevention grant in the amount of $10,000.  As background information, the Panama City Police   Department was awarded $10,000 to an FDLE grant  to support identifi identity theft and fraud   investigations. The funds will be used toward the  purchase of a storage device and software license   to assist in recovering digital evidence for law  enforcement purposes. Staff recommendation through  

the chief of police is that the commission approve  this request. Mr. Mayor, motion to approve. Do I   have a second? Second. Please call the role.  Commissioner Street. Yes. Commissioner Hughes,   yes. Commissioner Lucas, yes. Commissioner  Granger, yes. Mayor Branch, yes. Motion passes   5-0. Commissioners adopted resolution 20251216.2,  a resolution providing for the budgeting of   capital funds. Item 12 C is consideration to  approve budget amendment 20251216.3 to accept   and expend funds for fiscal year 2026 FDOT speed  and aggressive driving grant in the amount of   $34,000. As background information, the Panama  City Police Department applied for and was   awarded $34,000 from the FDOT. These funds will  be used for overtime reimbursement for officers   participating in speed and aggressive driving  initiatives as well as for the purchase of   six speed measure measurement devices. These  initiatives support high visibility overtime   enforcement of speed limits and public education  on the safety risk associated with excessive speed   and aggressive driving. Staff recommendations to  the chief of police is that the commission approve   this request. Mr. Mayor, yes. Do I have a motion  to accept? So move. Second. Any discussion? Call   the RO. Commissioner Street? Yes. Commissioner  Hughes? Yes. Commissioner Lucas? Yes. Commissioner   Granger. Mayor Branch? Yes. Motion passes 5-0.  Commission is adopted. Resolution 20251216.3,   a resolution providing for the budgeting of  capital funds. Item 12D is consideration to   approve budget budget amendment 20251216.4 for  the Panama City Community Redevelopment Agency   to purchase a barricade trailer for the Panama  City Police Department in the amount of $9,316.   As background information, the Panama City Police  Department currently deploys pedestrian barricades   during community events, festivals, and other  activities to enhance crowd management and to   ensure pedestrian safety. These barricades are  essential for maintaining controlled access,  

creating safe walking areas, and supporting  coordinated emergency response during hightra   events. While the police department previously  purchased the barricades, there is a need for a   dedicated trailer to safely store, transport,  and deploy them as part of event operations.   The Panama City CRA has agreed to fund the  purchase of barricade trailer support those   ongoing efforts within the CRA districts. Staff  recommendation is uh through the chief of police   uh and the CRA executive directors that the  commission approved this request. I'll just add   that the amount of this is well within my limit as  the CRA executive director and and we will donate   this to the police department, but a budget  amendment is still necessary to document that   transfer. Mr. Mayor, motion to approve. Second.  Any discussion? Call the RO. Commissioner Street?   Yes. Commissioner Hughes? Yes. Commissioner  Lucas? Yes. Commissioner Granger? Yes. Mayor   Branch? Yes. Motion passes 5-0. Commission  adopted resolution 20251216.4 resolution   providing for the amendment of the approved  fiscal year 2526 budget to accept and expend   funds from the Panama City CRAAS to purchase  a barricade trailer for the police department.   Item 12B is consideration to approve the  contract with Inland Construction and   Engineering or ICE to perform subsidance  repairs at the downtown Marina T do and   to approve budget amendment resolution  20251216.5 in the amount of $70,000 $650. This amount include ISIS fee of $65,650 and the  city direct purchase of the repair materials for   $5,000. Relevant background information  is enclosed in your packet. U and staff   recommendation through the director of public  works and the city's engineering division is that   the commission approve the contract to authorize  ICE to perform the subsidance repairs and to   approve the associated budget amendment and to  authorize the city manager to sign any necessary  

paperwork to execute. Mr. Mayor, do I have a  motion to approve? Motion to approve. Second.   Second. Please call the role. Commissioner Street.  Yes. Commissioner Hughes. Yes. Commissioner Lucas.   Yes. Commissioner Granger. Yes. Mayor Branch.  Yes. Motion passes 5-0. Commission is adopted.   Resolution 2025 1216.5. A resolution providing  for the budgeting of capital funds. Item 12F is   consideration to approve the special event permit  for the Panama City Farmers Market scheduled to   take place every Saturday from January through  December of 2026 from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.   at Mackenzie Park. sponsored by Anchored Market  Ventures and the downtown improvement board. This   would include a road closure on Park Avenue from  Third Court to Oak Avenue. Uh relevant background   information is enclosed uh in your packet. Uh  I just will note that as prior discussed and   approved with the commission. Um Park Avenue, Oak  Avenue, and Bell Booth Place are currently closed   due to the ongoing construction of area 012. So  until such time as that construction is done,   uh this market um the farmers market will remain  on Harrison Avenue. So that would apply to this   permit as well. Again, only until such time as  uh those three roads are open. The goal was to   have them open in advance of December, but we ran  into and we've shared this with the public uh and   the downtown improvement board, but um uh they  ran into some storm water challenges and some   underground communication challenges around Park  and Oak kind of more on that that west side of   Mackenzie Park. Uh they're working those through  and we do expect this to kind of wrap up around   the end of January. So, we're really talking about  maybe four to six weeks at the most uh for this to   remain on Harrison Avenue to 2026 and then at such  time they will move to the location that you'll be   approving today. Staff recommendation through  the PCR director and the city manager's office   that the commission approves this uh with the  caveat for Harrison Avenue until 012 construction  

is done. Mr. Mayor. So, I would like to motion  that we extend their current permit to stay on   the the the street until um I guess until March  1st because we don't know if there's going to   be any more delays with the uh I I would not say a  date. I would state as soon as I get the all clear   from parks and sorry, from public works, they they  need to be directed to move back to to Park Avenue   unless y'all want to extend it even further beyond  that. I mean, hey, Brian, how about no later than   March 1st because we were supposed to be done  this before the holiday season and let's let's   uh let's at least give them I like your idea. No  later than Yeah, let's let's do that. Um let's   let's extend their current permit till March 1st  and then um we'll readress this as it comes back   up. Right. And take no action on this one today.  Correct. No, we're just we're the motion is to   extend their permit because I believe their permit  does expire, doesn't it? It does. I I actually   don't even know if the permit even says Harrison  Avenue. I think we we relocated it uh because of   No, it says Harrison, doesn't it? And and it's  date specific to go back to Mackenzie Park,   doesn't it? Pretty sure. I'm I'm not we're  not we're looking at Either way. Either way,   we've got it's there. And Brian's point is we  need something that says they're there and it's   okay for them to be there. Yes. And and that's  a good motion and it has a date no later than.   So now the city has knows that they've got to get  something done and this special permit um should   be taken up when they're back there so that it um  it's in accordance with them being there rather   than a hypothetical of when and if is is kind of  how I see it. I agree. Sounds good. Do we have a  

motion? Do we have a second? So, I just want to be  clear though. So, just so staff cuz we're going to   get a lot of questions and I know there's a lot of  opinions downtown. So, you know, yes, our goal is   to have it done right before Christmas, but we ran  into some storm water challenges that we that were   unexpected as I shared. So, if if and and we've  we're in the process of rectifying those and we   expect to be done mid to end January. If that  does happen, they're still allowed to stay on   Harrison Avenue to March 1st, or do you want me to  move them back to Park Avenue as soon as possible?   They can stay till March. Stay till March 1st.  Copy that. Yeah. Or or they can go back, Jonathan.   But but for us to just not have a date in there  now, um, it makes it hard to plan. Exactly. And   the city what the city needs is a date to work  towards, not an open date. And it helps it helps   the city staff work towards a date in my opinion.  Sounds good. We have a motion. Did that map go up   on the screen because there's all Can you put that  back up, please? Because there's it's already all   planned out. Just for the record, everything's  already planned out. So, I'm happy with March   1st. I just want you to know we're ready to go as  soon as we get the all clear on construction. So,   March 1st. Yep. Copy that. Well, actually,  so um March 1st actually falls on a Sunday.   So what I'm what I'm saying is that Mark I guess  March they're only there Saturdays, right? So   they they'd be able to be there on February  28th. March 1st works. Yeah. Yeah. All right.   We have a motion. Do we have a second? We have a  second. The fifth time. Do we have a second? Oh,   second. A second. We got a second. All right. You  still with us down there? I am. Yes. Please call   the Commissioner Stream. I think I need Janice  in the second. Yes. Okay. Robbie who's got it. Commissioner maybe some may just maybe  snuck in there. Commissioner Hughes. Yes,  

ma'am. Commissioner Lucas. Yes. Commissioner  Granger. Yes. Mayor Branch. Yes. Motion passes   5-0. All right. Here we go. Item 12G is  consideration of a proposal from Katherine   Shores and Jason Cretzer for the RFP PC26-017 for  the breezeway property located at 447 Harrison   Avenue. As background information, on October  17th, 2025, the city issued RFP uh PC26-017 for   the Breezeway property located at 447 Harrison  Avenue on November 17th. Excuse me. One proposal   was received from Katherine Shores and Jason  Cretzer. The proposal is included for your review.   Staff uh staff request direction regarding the  submission of a proposal from Katherine Shores and   Jason Creter for RFP PC26-017. breezeway property  located at 447 Harrison Avenue. Mr. Mayor, yes, I love this idea. Uh, I'd love to see  them have it and work down the goals,   which is the pedestrian pathway and ADA compliant  bathroom and activate more spaces and get it on   the tax roll. Motion to approve. Second. Any other  discussion? Call the RO. Commissioner Street,   yes. Commissioner Hughes, yes. Commissioner Lucas,  yes. Commissioner Granger, yes. Mayor Branch,   yes. Motion passes 5-0. All right. And  this is to bring back an agreement,   correct? Along these lines. Yes. Yeah. Yes.  Their proposals. Thumbs up. Thumbs up. So,   build. All right. Uh 12H is consideration of  approval of change order number one to Southern   Construction for CDBGR Hometown Mobilization  Program Group GB in the amount of $19736047. As background information, on October  23rd, 2025, the city commission approved  

PC25-047 project HRP group GB to Southern  Construction the amount of $460,698.50. the change orders necessary to put  the remaining unallocated money for   each business to do additional approved scope  of work on the alternate bid which was open   September 26th of 2025. The cost associated  with this change order will be covered by   the CDBGDR Hometown Realization Program,  Harrison Avenue Grant. The business owners   are Trick Daddy Properties, Purpose Brood  LLC, and the Manuel and Thompson Law Firm.   Staff recommendation through the uh  city manager's office is that the   uh commission approve change order number one to  Southern Construction for the HRP group GB project   in the amount of $197,000 30 sorry $197,36047.  Mr. Mayor, yes. Do I have a motion to accept? Motion to approve. Second. I believe Mr. Zimmerman  needs to address this item. Please call the role.   No. And and the mayor will be abstaining from  voting just as he abstained previous when this   issue came up for the reasons stated um in this  where it was a grant that had been applied to   prior to running for office and so that will  be filed has been filed. Please call the role.   Commissioner Street. Commissioner Hughes. I'll  vote for Tricky Dicki. Oh my god. Oh my gosh.   Cuz he said trick. He said that's the name of his  company. Trick. It's Trick. It It's It's Trick   Daddy. Oh, well, you know, somewhere near. Please  tell me I didn't say Tricky Dicky. Okay. It's   Trick Daddy property. Just to be clear, Robbie's  having low blood sugar issues apparently. Hey,   I'm almost Hey, if y'all if y'all keep if y'all  keep going, I'm going to walk in the door here  

in a minute and help y'all vote on the last  couple. So, keep all right, I'm good. Okay,   Commissioner Lucas, yes. Commissioner Granger  said he was a yes. Motion passes four to four   to zero with one abstension. All right. I don't  believe there is a budget amendment. So item   number 12 I is consideration to approve a 10-year  agreement with Motorola Solutions for bodywn   cameras for the Panama City Police Department.  The agreement totals $875,000 for 96 body worn   cameras. As background information, the Panama  City PD previously maintained a 5-year agreement   for bodywn cameras, which was concluded in FY  2026. This new 10-year agreement with Motorola   Solutions locks in current pricing for the entire  term, includes a software and equipment refresh in   year five, and provides a full equipment  warranty. Additionally, ex uh existing   accessories and equipment such as mounts and  chargers will be compatible with the new cameras,   maximizing the department's investment. This  agreement offers a cost-effective way to keep   officers equipped with modern bodywn cameras that  protect both the officers and our community. Staff   recommendation to the chief of police is the  commission approve this request. Mr. Mayor.   Motion to approve. Do I have a second? Second. Any  discussion? Call the role. Commissioner Street.   Yes. Commissioner Hughes. Yes. Commissioner  Lucas. Yes. Commissioner Granger. Yes. Mayor   Branch. Yes. Motion passes 50. 12K. Right. 12J  was already addressed. 12K is consideration of   approval and execution of the proposal from the  neighborhood evolution for the properties located   at 1300 Beck Avenue, which is 23 acres, and 1306  Beck Avenue.83 acres in the amount of $19,000,   excuse me, as background information. During the  November 18th city commission meeting of 2025,   the city commission voted unanimously to obtain  a proposal from neighborhood evolution to provide   pre-development advisory services for the  infill lots for the properties located at  

1300 Beck Avenue.23 acres and 1306 Beck Avenue.83  acres in the St. Andrews area. On December 5th   uh of this year, Neighborhood Evolution submitted  the attached proposal with a project total fee   of $19,000. That's about 8,000 for 1300 Beck  Avenue and $11,000 for 1306 Beck Beck Avenue.   Staff seeks direction from the uh commission on  this proposal and their funding preference uh for   this particular project. We can either use the  uh general fund uh economic development business   services or the St. Andrew CRA could potentially  pay for it or any other option the commission   may choose. Mr. Mayor, yes. I I personally I  think this is we haven't gotten the P3 results   we want. Um, I think I'd like to try this as  an experiment to see if we can't align goals   of people who build things with us. And uh, I'd  love to see us either use the CRA fund or economic   development fund. How about we split it? How about  let's make a deal. I think that's question. So,   what what is it that we're trying to accomplish  here for somebody to tell us what we need to do to   partner with somebody? um because we're not real  good at that and um or what needs to go on a piece   of property. Can't we determine that? What what's  the goal here? Yeah, the goal is to be a lot more   like Greenville, which is when we have P3s, we  get the results that we want. And this is they're   defining what we want. Um you know, more the land  development code, what spurs on, you know, missing   middle housing or whatever they come up with and  we get some confidence in that area of building   things and moving forward. Yeah, I think you know  I've been a part of now we've gone out twice on   this um specific piece of property for P3s and  we had a a variety of issues and challenges with   each one. So this is a bit of trying something  new um so that we can get something ultimately  

that I think the community will support and um  and spark and continue to spark redevelopment.   My hope is that if this is successful, it can  serve as a model for other areas of the city,   which is the only reason why I said, "Hey, let's  split it because I do think that there's going   to be other opportunities to use the same data  that will be produced on this this proposal to   superimpose on other areas." So, so in those in  those opportunities that we've presented to the   public, have we said, "Here's here's our lot  and here's what we want. these are the three   items that we will allow to go on there or have  we said y'all bring us something and then we said   oh we don't like that idea I'm I'm still I'm still  trying I get the idea of let's learn something but   have we asked have we asked the public to come to  us with our idea and has anybody else responded to   that so because I think that's what you're asking  for Robbie I think this is to address exactly what   you're saying like too many times we throw out  this big wide net we say hey bring in every idea   that you've got and a A lot of times those ideas  are either bad ideas or we just don't like them   for whatever reason. So this is actually working  the process from this is what we would like to   see and this is what we this is what feels like it  makes the most sense. Is there anyone willing to   do this thing? So um at least that's and I got to  spend $19,000 in order to come up with that idea.   My pro I'm trying to understand where the 19  what's the value in the 19 when you just gave   me an example that you and I can sit down and  come up with five ideas for that lot I would   imagine that doesn't mean that it's going to meet  market conditions that doesn't mean it's going   to be financable that doesn't mean any of those  things this this is working from a group that you   know specializes in these redevelopment projects  and they're going to be able to look through the   lens not just of hey this is a cool idea we'd love  to have a splash pad but it also looks at the idea  

a of hey we what makes economic sense and fits  into the planning process that the community's   done as a whole and can we then own these plans  that could be part of a playbook that we don't   have to you know there's a land that fits yeah  I haven't even thought about that that's a great   idea because we've talked about a playbook  making it easier some people are out there   trying to figure out what to do with with what  and what will we accept in the zoning and all   of that stuff. This can be uh that that's a value  I see in it beyond a $119,000 expense, Robbie, is   that now we own them and we can use them in other  Is that would you say the same uh Mr. Fuller from   a planning department perspective? Yes, ma'am.  All right. Thank you. I'd rather all the money   come out of the CRA because that's what the CRA is  for things like this. Um, I'd rather not split it,   but I'm but other than that, I'm very supportive  of of this moving forward with this. Yeah, I'm   indifferent of where the money comes from, just  not general fund. Yeah. I don't want If it's CRA,   I'm totally cool with that. Yeah. You know, well,  that's economic development funds. That's what   they're budgeted for, too. Cool. So, but I mean,  look, it's $19,000. It's not going to break any   project, you know, one way or the other. But,  you know, I mean, this can be this can be a St.   Andrew's project or it can be something broader  and I hope it's something broader is my hope. Yes,   Robbie. Oh, no. I'm I'm good. I'm listening. Yeah.  All right. Would I have a motion? I guess I'll   motion to that we approve it and pay for it out  of CRA. Do I have a second? I'll second it. Oh,   I'll second that. What What CRA? Out of Josh's?  Yeah. It have to be the St. Andrews, too.

St. Andrews for anybody watching wherever  we're going to spend the money uh when it   comes out CRA it is it is geol locked to that  CRA. So it would have to be the St. Andrews CRA   which I guess partially in W 2 as well. Yeah,  that's what I'm saying. I guess Janice and I   share the plans. Yes. Any other have them in W  three. Commissioner Street. Yes. Commissioner   Hughes. Yes. Commissioner Lucas. Yes. Commissioner  Granger. Yes. Mayor Branch. Yes. Motion passes 5.   Uh just clarification. This will go back to the  CRA to consider and approve at its next meeting.   We'll kick it back to the city. No, it's it's  only $19,000. You can Oh, yeah. because we don't   have a CRA meeting till February. I've heard it's  only $19,000 twice. That's tax dollars. $19,000.   It's $19,000. Not only Please, please. The the  executive director, I apologize, has authority   to go ahead and do that. Oh, okay. So, all right.  I know he can do that. Okay. So, it's done if he   agrees. So, Josh, clarify for me what you were  saying about us sharing this. I was just making   a joke because the St. Andrew CRA St. Andrew CRA  is in W four and two. Yeah, because we pushed it   east. Yes. So, yes. So, if we're sharing the CRA  expense, both W. Just for the record, staff will   share with any elected official the plans, not  just with two of our commissioners. Maybe. I   don't know. I'm looking out for you for a small  fee. All right. Item 12 L 12 L is consideration   of the vacant residential property at 1433 West  10th Court. Parcel ID 1 19404-0- triple0 in its  

disposition. As back of information, the small  parcel is only 234 acres. The owner of the above   reference property, Michael Miller, had numerous  code violations from 2019 to 2020. The violations   included an unfit, unsafe structure, as well as  maintaining a nuisance and overgrowth. Uh the   owner contacted the city to purchase the property  due to its inability to bring the property into   compliance as it suffered significant damage  from Hurricane Michael and he resides in another   state. The purchase or sorry the property was  purchased December 4th of 2020 for $21,000   including closing cost and the total amount  expend on this property to date is $31,56959. Previously under the last commission staff  were instructed to remove this property from   the infill list due its location. Uh, an appraisal  was ordered and received with an estimated market   value of $65,000. It went through an open auction  before the city commission recently stopped using   auctions for property sales valued at $44,132 by  the property appraiser. The high bid was $46,000   without a separate appraisal. Um department head  requested uh through logistics commission provide   direction on this parcel but haven't having  conversations uh city manager's recommendation be   to reject the high bid uh of $46,000 and instead  sell this property utilizing the real estate   company uh the that we used and I would recommend  we just do maybe alphabetically so you know and   then so we'll move forward with this particular  piece of property and then um just to either   that or draw a name out of I think alphabetically  equals reasonable and then we'll just circle back   around. So that's the recommendation. Mr. Mayor,  do we have a motion? Mr. Mayor, if I may, um the   the value of that dirt, um I just happened to have  closed on three lots over there not too long ago,   each at $125,000 a piece. Um and very similar to  this site. So, I would um I would like to uh ask  

that we I would make a motion that we start with  Cork and Rey to uh provide us a market analysis on   the lot and to list it to the open market for sale  um and and negotiate the best deal possible for   the city. Who who did you make? For Corin Rey is  their is one of the They're the first one. Yeah,   they're one of the three. They're first. Yeah.  Also to approve the contract, correct? We would   have to approve the contract. Yes, sir. We'll  bring that to the January 13 for us to negotiate.   We have a motion on the table. Do we have a  second? I'll second, but I'd like to discuss   a little bit further. Go for it. Um, so um, as I  understand it, Jonathan, your your intent here is   to use the the first uh group real estate and then  the next item that we have where we're selling   real estate, you're going to move you're going  to use a different realtor down the list. Yeah.   whatever the alphabetical order is. To me, that's  just a very objective way to do it. So, yeah. So,   that would be my I want to be very clear with  what's happening here. Yep. Um Okay. So, how does   a real estate um individual get on our list? They  don't we're going to do that again. We're going to   have it. We're going to know the RFP I think in  what' you say, Jonathan, maybe February, March.   Yeah, we'll look. So, we we we put out an RFP and  we received a number of folks and there were three   recommendations and y'all approved those. What  meeting, Sean? What when did they approve the   three real estate companies? I think it was  October. It's probably the second meeting in   October. So, y'all already approved these three.  Um, yep. Any company can get a hold of Sean. Any   company can get a hold of Sean Self. Say what now?  Well, when the R when the RFP goes out next time,   Ryan, when the RFP goes out next time, it will  be um it'll be more public. I promise you, we we   won't there won't be anybody sleeping wheel from  the real estate companies. Yeah. What I don't want  

is is the perception that we're we're choosing one  particular company and just running one particular   company. That that's what my concern is. We're  running with three particular companies that   responded to it. Correct. So if somebody wants to  get onto our list, we would have to go back out   to an RFP again. Yes, there's correct. There's  no reason to reach out to Mr. Self at this time   when we sometime in first quarter uh we'll put  out another another RFP and then we would love   for as many folks as possible to respond. Um and  then based on the analysis of those proposals,   we'll bring those back to the commission to to add  to that list. Sounds good. Please follow. I I just   want to communicate. I love this. I'm excited  about it. I'd like to see the same thing happen   with um some areas along 19th Street as well and  and start start doing the same process to get   these lots back into the inventory for building  housing and and and off of our maintenance plan.   Yes. Okay. So, um real quick before we vote, what  what my motion is is that they provide a market   analysis for us for the lot even though we've got  we've had an an appraisal done. I don't know when   it was done. This is going to be an analysis done  of today's market conditions and today's value.   So, is that I don't know when that comes back to  us, but if that's something that can be circulated   and we can be okay with and not have to vote  on to take it out to the market, I don't know.   But I just wanted um y'all to understand that  the value is going to be created in my mind by   the person that we've hired do an analysis given  to us and we all come up with our asking price.   It's going to be a for sale lot. So, we're going  to the asking price is going to come back to us   that we're going to vote on. I don't know. I'm  asking. That's what I want to know. Allan, is   do do they She gives us a number and and Jonathan  circulates it. Are we all We all email back. Okay,   we're good. Let's put it out for market because  that's not something we have to vote on,  

is it? It's a contract and it might it might be  over $100,000. Robbie, can we do a black sheep   listing where it's where there's no market  price in there? We're just accepting offers.   I don't and that's not that's not a practice I  subscribe to. So I I can't I I don't I wouldn't   recommend that. So um that's not it's not  fair negotiations to a buyer and seller. So   um I would I it's doing a CMA Allen is going to  be ultimately way cheaper like zero dollars and   two way faster. So if if we said do I guess the  question is do we have to vote on the number that   is given to us because we didn't vote we don't  vote on it unless it's a contract coming to us.   There's a difference. Okay. An offer price to us  versus a market price to the to the public. Which   one do we have to vote on? Whatever you'd like.  What's your motion? My motion was for her to do   a market analysis. Jim and Jonathan, we're okay.  We We Okay. Just through an email. Yes, we're okay   with that. And anything that comes back, we're  gonna have to vote on that contract for sale of   purchase. Yes. Do we what now? Robbie's saying  we're going to Okay. Can we do that through an   email? Is that a process with the elected body?  No. We can't do business through email with the   elected officials. No, Mr. So, we can do how do we  set a price is the question then. Okay. So, then   we can do a competitive market analysis. We vote  on the first month, first uh meeting in January   to go. Just empower me. What? What? Empower me.  Let's do the first one. Bring it back in. Let's   just throw it on consent. Yeah. So, we're going to  do a CMA with Cochran. They're going to come back   to us and the consent agenda in January. And if  everybody's comfortable that process, I think we   should duplicate it. Okay. Robbie, is that your  motion? Yes, sir. Yes, sir. That's my motion.  

Second that. All right. Do we have any other  further discussion? Yes. I would like to say that   um there are parcels, a lot of them, and we've got  a group of u incremental development, small scale   developers that are interested in what we do. and  I want to make sure this process doesn't exclude   um them or want to make sure that we have  some parcels available for this group that's   ready to do small scale development. Absolutely.  Yeah, that's why I mentioned I mentioned there's   a very small very small number of lots that are  available on 19th Street and Okay. Okay. Any other   discussion? I I'll just add I'm as I've mentioned  to all of y'all uh individually privately that I   do plan at the first meeting in January to  bring all of the unsolicited proposals that   uh logistics and purchasing has been organizing um  and a lot of these parcels will be a part of that   as well. So look forward to having that discussion  at the January 13th meeting. Uh please call the   role. Commissioner Street, yes. Commissioner  Hughes, yes. Commissioner Lucas, yes. Commissioner   Granger, Mayor Branch, yes. Motion passes 5-0.  12. All right. Item 12M is a um a report on and   discussion of the downtown Marina wet slips  construction cost estimates for necessary   infrastructure construction, the FEMA timeline  and future P3 options. Uh you have a memo um from   staff uh that was requested um by the uh you know  by by the elected officials uh in regards to some   of the cost estimates. We do have a map that we'll  put up in a second that shows what infrastructure   is out on there right now. Um after one-on-one  meetings, I did get some additional numbers. Um   a couple of y'all had different questions. Um but  I think before that, I know Mr. Zimmerman wants to   give a brief update to consider redefining the  relationship with city Marina partners. Uh if  

that's okay, Mr. Mayor. Yes. Uh just uh in light  of the the action of the city commission and the   action was to bid out well bid out the uh for  contract the construction of the phase one which   would be the 50 slips and uh and then fund that  through the um initial bank loan that we have and   then that would be paid back within two years.  But based on that action, um there were three   questions that came to mind as we thought through  it. One is uh does the city desire CMP or one of   its owners to bid on the construction of the phase  one project? And I'm certain the answer is yes,   but I wanted to ask that. Number two, does  the city desire CMP to remain as the city's   selected firm pending a determination by the  city as to its desired uplands development?   And the question to that is that CMP was selected  back in I think it was in May of 2024 and then in   June of 2024 an interim agreement was entered  into and the inter the selection wasn't for   the interim agreement. The selection was to  negotiate a public private partnership to   uh build uh the marina and operate it. That we  have been pursuing that since that time and as   recently of course have received different uh  proposals from CMP for the global approach. the   commission determined and in the interim agreement  uh there was uh some initial work for a fueling   station I believe that all that has been completed  and paid for and then there was also some design  

work the design was more conceptual because St.  Joe had been hired to do the uh the the design   work, but then also to assist in permitting.  In that agreement, it says that if the parties   fail to reach a mutually agreeable long-term  relationship, then the city will reimburse CMP   for all reasonably incurred engineering and  consultant cost associated with the design   and permitting of the basins at actual cost plus  20%. I don't know what that is. We haven't tried   to you know determine that because unless it is  the relationship is uh terminated uh then they   would if they remain as a selected firm they could  be told obviously they have been told. We're not   uh at this time prepared to act on any of the  proposals you've made, but once the city has   a clear vision of the uplands, it it could then  pivot and ask CMP, do you have a proposal to make   before we open this up? Or the city could also  desire, you may desire to go ahead and terminate   the existing RFP process at this time. don't know  that you have to, but that you certainly can at   any time. And if that is the action you'd like to  take, then we would get in contact with CMP and   determine if there are any cost uh that they've  incurred that they under their interim agreement,   they would be entitled to reimbursement. So, real  quickly, does the city want CMP to bid? If so,   I think it'd be appropriate to say yes. We would  appreciate CMP or any of the owners such as the   Gormans. We would appreciate them bidding  regardless. Then number two, uh do you want  

to uh think about um whether or not they remain  as a selected firm until sometime in the future   or do you desire to terminate the RFP process at  this time? And you don't have to take action at   this meeting, but obviously I would request you  take action before the bids are on the street. We   did not receive yet this the St. Joe designed, but  we expect it any day and once that's received and   it's hopefully by the first of the month uh next  month the uh there'll be a proc the bids will be   or the bid specs will be on the street and then  bidding would come in uh first part of February. I'll start with my perspective. Um, my perspective  is, you know, if we if we keep lingering on,   I think we're we're giving, you know, maybe  potentially false hope to CMP and I I mean,   I would love them to, you know, Gorman's to bid  on the project and for construction. Um, you know,   but also it leaves this kind of limbo piece that I  think people are going to question whether or not,   well, we're just going through a step  to go back to that step. You know,   that and I I don't know that I want  to have that kind of lingering over   our conversations to come publicly. So, that  was just kind of my first thoughts. I agreed. My first thought, my question uh Nevin is if we  if we um if we terminate our agreement with them   um and put it out for bid. Um what legal  ramifications, if any, does the city hold   uh take on for um say bad faith um negotiations,  you know, or are there any um um is that is that  

is that a possibility of course? That's first  question. And second question is um can where   are we in in are we square with them on everything  on St. Andrews is what I'd like to know before we   enter into any agreement where we're going to pay  anybody any money. Are we square of what we where   we are on St. Andrews uh to move forward if we  were going to pay uh enter to an agreement of   that nature down here? Okay. As far as St. Andrews  goes, I'll start with that question. I don't know.   But you've this came up a couple of weeks ago  or last week and I know that we've been getting   information uh from on that issue and it relates  to um an electrical panel and the cost for that.   I don't know. And obviously this is why I brought  the we have brought this up this meeting before   you take action definitively at uh in January. we  should be able to know exactly as far as what that   issue is, but uh we did I I did hear about it and  uh we I know that Mr. Murphy is investigating it   now. As far as um I believe that the city has  been negotiating in good faith and in fact a   year longer than what was anticipated. Um and  and I know since um June actually there have   been tremendous amount of time and and efforts  and and trying to come up with an agreement with   um uh CMP. In other words, there there's been  proposals, there's been different options.   We've looked different term sheets and so I don't  believe that anyone can bring a lawsuit but I   don't believe there's it would be meritorious  to object to the city's good faith which is its  

obligation to in good faith work through this. I  believe the interim agreement probably terminated   a year ago. uh but both parties continue to work  toward a long-term agreement even though the   interim agreement had terminated but that doesn't  mean that we might we you know probably owe them   something uh pursuant to that interim agreement  because I know that they were instrumental CMP   in getting the f in that permit exemption for  the first 50 slips and I know they've done work   uh even on an overall permit but couldn't do  much definitively because the overall design   hadn't been completed. So that that is something  we'd need to pursue. Very good. Thank you, sir. Do we know what the cost is based on this um  clause from the interim agreement section five? uh   what the actual cost plus 20% is. No, but I if the  I I suspected that would come up and so I I don't   know the answer, but the commission would probably  want to know by the first meeting in January.   And so I would go back and indicate that the  commission is interested in do you have anything   that you'd like to submit that we can look at in  preparation for that meeting? So I will do that.   So, do you need to vote for that, Nevin, or  just is that is that request enough? That's   that request is enough. Okay. And I can bring  that back and then we can talk about it further. I wish we had to pay for it. That's that would  be very nice. My sticking point is is that we  

do not have a plan to pay for all of what is in  the uh in the proposal. That's what was uh the   reason why we went with CMP in the first place  is because we didn't have the money to pay for   the 50 slips and in my opinion we still don't have  money to pay for well and even the conversation uh   two weeks ago was not about the whole marina going  back together perfectly and amazing. So that that   conversation that ship has sailed and we should  be looking at how uh we do things slowly over the   course of five, six, seven years. I mean that's  the reality especially as we get through and   get off the loans, the SRF fund and things like  that. It's just going to be slow and less than   ideal. And the kind of conversations I have with  staff are things like that the idea that we go   build bathroom facilities probably ain't going to  happen. It probably has to be PCPD's trailer that   they have for bathrooms or some other temporary  use and we go super slow. There is a path of   funding the first 50 slips either through FEMA.  I'd love to know that timeline potentially using   FEMA money or CRA bonding money and then after the  sharets we can actually run the math to say what   buildings cuz we heard the public say that they  would be willing to see buildings again especially   in the same footprint that was there before. You  can do the math on that to say what is the what   is the what will the CRA make from this building  and then they go someone goes and builds it and   then you go borrow off that with the CRA and that  pays for subsequent slips and sidewalks and but   I I we have to get super duper scrappy and not  doing anything unless it's absolutely necessary   to the extent of bathrooms that are temporary if  any uh pump out boat if any. I mean, if this was   my marina and it was Allen's marina, it would be  you might have to pump out in St. Andrews. And  

I know we have a boat that can handle pumpouts,  it might need to be a thing where we say we just   get the prominant around just that one section. I  mean, just around the basin and that's it. Not the   full marina. We just go inch by inch, you know,  it's a cinch and uh and that's the approach. So,   incremental progress and and that's what I said  to to Jonathan when I got the cost things. I said,   "Well, maybe we don't do the full prominade. Maybe  we only do the next section and then we keep going   from that standpoint." So, you know, I mean, I I  think I think to say it I me personally where I   was, I would have entertained any option that just  had it focused on just the slips itself. But when   we opened it up to the upland stuff, that's when  everything was kind of like a timeout piece. And   um and so anyway, so I for me I like to just  like hey look, let's communicate, move forward,   you know, settle up whatever needs to be settled  up and I hope that the Gorman team does build bid   um you know on the project cuz I think they're a  great marine contractor and then we continue to go   to the next step after that. No, I don't have  So So I'd like to uh think about that u since   we're going to slow roll it. Can we go ahead?  Let's go ahead and get the engineering and the   design done for all the utilities, everything  that we asked for CMP. Let's go ahead and get   that cost factor because one of the things that  was not good enough for our commission was an   estimate of all of that. We if if if we couldn't  we couldn't let other people spend their money   on our asset. Can we go ahead and get that  design done and we put out two bids? Well,   one bid that's two things. the the the 50 slips  and the um and the all the utilities because   and that includes prominade lights, utilities,  concrete, all of what we what we're expecting. So,   we can see the overall picture because we then,  like Alan said, if we're going to it's going to   take a while, we'll know how many millions of  dollars we have to come up with in order to  

get the whole project done. And that way, it's  not a surprise. And we we may never build it,   but at least we at least we know we we we know  what the real cost is. Um because that's the   that's the most secure way to to look at and spend  taxpayer dollars is to know upfront what the total   cost is. I agree with that. Even if we don't  how do you feel about that? We still we still   know the cost. Um exactly. And we just and to me  it's a super scrappy approach and we have more   clarity after the citizens want to if anything  be built on the marina. And that has nothing   to do with the with the uplands there though  mayor that's just about underground you know. So what's what's the takeaway? What is what does  staff need to move forward? Do you have clarity on   you need a motion? Yeah, thank commission. That  was very succinct. I will flag police trainer   is not really an option because it's not ADA  compliant. So just I know that's just it's not   ADA. I think that was just I think that was just  an example. Could I make a motion that we that we   uh that staff be directed to engineer and  design and if they are not capable that we put   it to one of our current engineers uh for all the  utilities from Harrison's forward to cover all of   um the that will engineer for all of the slips 200  not just 50. Okay. Um and that on the the lights,   the prominade, the railing, the water, the sewer,  all of the and all the concrete that price be put   out for bid along with the 50 slips. Uh when that  is back, uh we then have a conversation about how   do we move forward and by then we'll have the  we'll have we'll be sure to have the uh the   drawings back from uh uh from St. Joe. And I don't  think these utilities uh engineering or drawings   are going to take that long. So, that would be my  motion is that we we we do that first and and get  

that number back just as soon as possible. Um,  and I'll let y'all figure out what motion how   to work with CMP, but that would that's going to  help everybody, but most importantly, it's going   to help the taxpayer. So, are you saying delay the  the bidding of the slips until the engineering is   done on everything else? Well, I mean, yes, sir,  because we don't you have to have the engineering.   You have to have the utilities, not partially.  You have to have all the utilities for 50 slips   laid in the ground. And you're not going to put  the utilities for 50 slips in the ground and then   come back and tear it up when it's time to build  another 150. So, you need to go ahead and engineer   all of the utilities so that you can put those in  the ground. And when you do and you lay them over,   you put concrete over it, now you don't have to  come back and and dig that up when it's time to go   forward. I would I would do the opposite. Instead  of spending millions of dollars on infrastructure   that never gets used and generates revenue, I  would cut the little $30,000 on sidewalks instead   of sitting on millions of dollars. But it but  you at least but by getting the engineering done,   mayor. Yep. You know what the cost is? We need to  know what that cost is up front. Not not some of   it. We need to know all of that. We're going to go  because we can't we can't go spend, you know, tens   of millions of dollars. We just need to know what  it is. So we could borrow off a truthale too which   is sort of like oh how much is the rail in total  but how much would it be for x session section how   much would it be for the whole prominant okay how  much for just this section and we have both the   large cost and the incremental cost I did get the  answer to that Mr. Mayor, you asked what it would   take. Um, it go and put that up, please. Oh,  it's also very weird in government to be like,   um, here's what we're here's our estimate.  Now, we like some bids. Yeah. It's like, okay,   how much you would Well, it does kind you get a  rough order of, you know, either from architects   or it's to kind of give you a ballpark on, you  know, what to budget for it. But if we did do kind  

of just a backwards L around the uh the west basin  uh you know for of the prominade extension off of   uh off of you know kind of coming behind uh  Harrison's and Hotel Indigo it's about $937,000   rather than the 3.5 for the entire prominade.  So that would basically come down um on the   that would be kind of the right edge of the west  basin or the left basin and then that bottom part.   basically all around the 50 slips. Um, now  one thing we did realize is that, you know,   we do want to make we do want to have probably  the wired lights or or get lights that can be shut   off as we realize in the drone show. Um, so, you  know, extending exactly what's around Indigo and   Harrison's is is what would be recommended, but  that would be I wouldn't do that. That that's like   best case scenario. We can afford those things and  we're not in that scenario. to me those would be   really great for the voters but unfortunately this  is just what we have and so I would be going as   scrappy as we get and I would I would say all  the things is will someone literally not rent   the slip if we don't have this thing that's how  businesses think it's not about would be nice and   we don't want to come back later it's literally  what is in software we call this MVP it's minimal   viable product what is actually viable not what's  going to get us top rate and the best rate and the   coolest it's what will actually create revenue.  Yeah. So, I would draw attention. So, I'm assuming   this is the plan of proposal. No, this is what we  have. Okay. So, this is this is what's there right   now. This is what's there right now. The mayor  asked So, we've got a water line, a 2in water   line. We've got um is that sanitary sewer? Yeah,  we got an 8 in sewer lane. So, there's already   sewer that's out there pretty close to where this  would would go. And we've got storm water taken   care of. Is that the Well, you would need some you  would need some additional storm water. It's it's   always going to be treatment and not necessarily  attenuation. So, you know, if you come in, you   know, we would recommend capturing some of that  through like a couple of bay savers. That's what  

we mentioned in here. The bare minimum uh at 250  is a bay saver required. No, it's not required.   It's just all that stuff that's washed. That's  what I'm echoing. You know, what what the mayor is   saying is what is the bare minimum so that we can  get an operational 50 slips like that. That to me   I could support going out to engineering to do. I  could support to go, you know, to do those things.   What I see is we're doing this incremental creep,  which is in good intention. I mean, like to have   have better lighting, to have, you know, to have  better storm water treatment. All of those are   good intentions. But I like what I'm concerned  about showing progress and having something   operational at the end of it. Um, and you know,  I'm not saying you don't design the thing,   but I I wouldn't go out to bid for those items  because I mean, truthfully, it's where does the   money come from? And we don't have that question,  that answer. Yeah. My joke with people say, but   with all due respect, with all due respect, all  due respect, the vote last time created this need.   Okay. We we we don't have the money to build the  slips, but we also need the utilities in order to   build the slips. So, we have to put out forbid and  this and we all agreed at one point in time the   city wasn't going to do all this stuff. We weren't  going to participate. We weren't going to build.   We weren't going to operate. We weren't going to  do. We weren't going to do. No, you didn't. And   we had that conversation and now here we are. In  order to get in order to have better in order to   have a better marina, we're going to have to hire  somebody else. In order for the city to do it,   we have just tonight we have walked back out just  we'll do a peace meal. People don't want a peace   meal marina. People spend a lot of money on boats.  And what I would say is in my next like like   portion of what I did, if somebody wants to make  us an agreement based upon just the slips, then we  

would already be in that. So it's not it's not an  aspect. We never went down a path of committing,   hey, we're going to do 300,000 ft of uplands.  that never came in any conversation. And so I   think that we just need to stay focused on what's  next and move to the next thing. What I hear from   people is go slow and incremental. It's okay. Even  the other deals there was money we had to come up   with. Uh and so I I'm in favor of as narrow of a  scope as we can get to start building. And I I'm   not gonna I'm not going to go spend $10 million on  infrastructure for things that might be built one   day that we don't even know. I I don't think so.  If we want to figure out what power is absolutely   needed for 50 slips and how much water is needed  for 50 slips if it needs water, I I'd want to see   the marinas who don't have water on everyone. Is  there is there a marina that you have to go fill   your tank up at the spot? That's a negative. Well,  I can guarantee I can find one in the States. Hi,   how are you? By the way, I was on I 10 and 95 when  this meeting started. Okay. In Jacksonville. You   didn't speed, did he? He absorbed my speed limit.  my girlfriend drove and she is sitting out there   and she does not speed. So, we got here under  under speed limit and uh in the time it takes to   get from Jacksonville to here. So, so I like what  all y'all are saying because it moves us forward.   The problem I still have is we don't have any  idea how we're going to pay for this. And that's   really where I'm I'm I'm stuck is is we have this  dramatic shift away from what we were doing uh   two years ago and we're doing this shift without a  plan to pay for it. That's really where I'm Well,   we still don't know how I still know definitively  how long it will take to use the FEMA money. Is   that an option on the slips? And if so, what is  the proc that may be 18 months? I don't know.   And so to me the options are CRA borrows the money  to build it or we use FEMA money or combination   of both. Those are I mean the CRA funding is  eligible as is today for doing infrastructure  

stuff. So there's your there's your stuff for  getting your lines and everything else that are   out there. Um as far as the slips it may be the it  may be the FEMA route on it. And I mean and then   we go through that process and that's what it  is. I don't have all the answers, but I do know   I feel very clear. Go out for the 50. You're  going to get a real construction number. So,   we're going to know what the actual slip price is.  We're going to know what those costs are. And then   we have a whole conversation of what if it's, you  know, we just went out to bid on certain projects.   We've had them come in 50% less than what we what  we anticipated. And then we've had other projects   that came in 50% more than what we anticipated.  So, so that's a that's a different estimates are   just estimates once we get like they will we'll  know if so if if if we can't be okay really if you   can't be okay with somebody spending their money  as an estimate why is it okay for us to spend tax   dollar money as an estimate meaning we can put  out for bid only the 50 slips the numbers that   staff put together I think are ridiculously low  I appreciate their opportunity to work on it. But   I've gone to people in the marine marine business,  none of that are associated with CMP and worked   on these and worked on these figures. Okay.  The concrete itself and we won't use asphalt.   Concrete itself between $6 and $8 million.  Okay. So, do because it's $4 million. Now,   that's to concrete the marina. It's not asphalt.  Oh, no. I'm not talking about that. I don't know   why we're talking about that. Because that's what  we asked. That's what made this whole thing blow   up was the non-revenue money. Then we had to have  I have not asked CMP to do concrete anywhere. I   have not. Okay. Part of part of the conversation  when we said $10 million that's part of that $10   million. I never said the and I get it and that's  why I said we need all of those concrete. We're   talking about concrete's very easy. You can just  estimate per yards. All I'm talking about is doing  

a little prom on right now. That's all I'm I'm not  talking about concreting everything. That's not   in the conversation I've ever had. Okay. Never.  So, are we going to have a marina or we going to   have a stop in? What? What? We've gone from marina  to I don't know what you're talking about. Yeah.   This is the showplace in downtown Panama City.  And this is And we're going to go to the to the   bottom. The idea that we would go with a with  a partner and they would just magically do is   not a reality. We've gone away from that. We've  got away from that. Yeah. That's not a reality.   We've moved from that. And so we're trying to find  a feasible approach to getting 50 slips open. I'm   not you can if you want to run a slip here, you're  going to be parking in gravel. That's that's going   to be that be the mindset. Yes, you're going to  be parking in gravel for the next couple years.   And we're going to have to go incrementally and  slowly or we have to do a P3 with partners. Those   are the two options. That's the two options. And  what I'm hearing from the public is going slow and   understanding the process and getting the bids  and not going vast and fast. And I've exactly   what I've offered is to go slow. It is to engineer  all the utilities. It is to put out forbid all the   utilities along with the 50 slips. There's nothing  fast about that. I promise you it is delaying it.   Okay. But last meeting's vote created the need for  the city to know the real cost because it shifted   from private dollar being spent to 100% citizen  tax dollar being spent. And I cannot support   something that does not give me the broad picture  when we're when we're talking two commas out of   the blocks. We have to be able to say to the  people it's $10 million, it's $5 million. But if   we say it on to to the point of of Glenwood today,  they feel like they got they got hooded when the   money showed up after the payday show near pay  to play thing. How about we show up and say it's   going to be $2 million and then it's 15 and we  don't and it's an exaggeration. I would be in  

favor. So let's not do exaggerations. That's one  issue we have. If it's not too, if it's not too   many, it's fine. So we want to do uh I'm willing  to do uh what is the big infrastructure, big   picture, but what is the bare minimum to get us  going? I'm happy to get both of those and that way   we have both those and I'm fine with that. But I  want to be moving forward. Uh I want to be I want   to know what 50 slips cost. 90 I mean 50 slips for  4.5 million bucks. I got in the wrong business.   Uh that is that is a strong bid. I would love to  see those bids. Um because that is parking garage.   But Alice, that's also running all the copper  wire. That's 400 ft. That's actually not that.   So we have P we have necessary infrastructure  right here in the packet. It says 4.5 for slips   for 50 slips and then the necessary infrastructure  for electrical is 1.5 million. I I question all   these numbers. I want exactly cuz they don't build  marinas. Yeah. I want to know. I want to You ask   the staff any numbers. I think we're I think we're  agreeing that we want to know the real numbers of   someone someone who's willing to pay for that.  I hope you hear me. I'm echoing. Yes. I want to   know what the costs are. Not that I'm going to go  trigger to go build all the electrical, but I want   to know what it would cost to get the 50 slips  going and the big picture. I think that's So,   I do have a motion on the table. I'm confused.  Yeah, there is a motion on the table. So,   is there was a second? I don't know. There was a  second to be able to discuss it. I think second it   was it died. Then it died. It's almost 9:00. So,  I felt like we were clear two weeks ago when it   said go out to bid on the 50 slips. Like I I felt  like that was still very clear in the instruction.   That's what I'll do. I I haven't got the um  uh the plans. I expect them any day now from   St. Joe. And staff will prioritize between public  works, legal, and uh purchasing to have those out   just if we can get out before Christmas, we will.  And unless y'all change any direction tonight,   staff is moving forward without delay on getting  the 50 slips out to bid. Then the question that  

Nevin had is really the question of do we  want the partner to continue in waiting? Do   we want to cut cut the partner now, settle up with  whatever's left to be settled up with? And would   we like that partner to, you know, to bid? And  um specifically with me, yeah, of course I want   the Gormans to bid on on the Maria thing. I want  I want everybody to bid on the Maria thing. So,   um, but that's all that I understood from that and  I'm fine settling up. So, I mean, that's my only   issue with not with settling right now is we may  find in April when the shreds happen that there's   a buildings that CMP is like, gosh, that looks  great. We would love to do something for that.   And so, I'm fine with either option. I don't want  to leave them hanging. Uh, but I also don't want   to be beholden to anybody when we're having new  conversations. Um, and so I I'm will I just want   to move forward with some stuff and and so I'm  willing to hear if they have costs associated   and what those costs are. Bring those back in  January. Okay. Cost CMP for the permit. Okay. So,   so I'll motion to to get the get the monetary  amount from CMP to settle up on their um and their   and and what expenses have incurred on the interim  agreement. And if you might want to add and and   clearly allow CMP or any of their owners to bid.  Absolutely. And clearly allow CMP or any of their   owners to to to bid on the project. All right,  we have a motion and a second. Who seconded? No,   I said do we have a second previously about any  discussion? And what's the motion? Just the motion   is to set uh to settle up with CMP on the interim  agreement and allow and allow CMP or any of their   owners to bid on the project. To clarify, it was  it was to bring back a price of what that settle  

up is. Right. Okay. So that's just bring back the  price because you're also going to bring back in   January what we where we are in St. Andrews with  them. Oh yes. Correct. So just to be clear, we're   in an agreement right now where I believe we're  not in that we are in we we're not settled up with   them and we're as we're entering into possibly  another agreement where we're going to have to pay   somebody that I don't think we we're fully paid  on right now. Just want to be clear about that.   Motion doesn't address our relationship. Correct.  It is consensus on that. So I didn't I didn't add   or just making sure I understand. So I just I just  left that with the things I felt like there were   consensus on. Okay. There there's two things. One  is CMP was the selected uh vendor or the selected   proposer. After that an interim agreement was  entered into this kind of separate from being the   selected proposer. What I heard from this motion  is that the commission would like to terminate the   interim agreement and and to do that that just  means that we need to find out if there's any   money that's owed and we settle up and that's  that does not take it would take a different   action to say let's stop the RFP process. In  other words, let's you know you're no longer the   selected vendor. We're we're going in a different  direction. That wasn't I believe in the motion.   That can be discussed in January if you would like  to. Okay. Is that clear? That is that's helpful.   Thank you. Any other discussion? Please call the  RO. Commissioner Street. Yes. Commissioner Hughes. I'm voting just to get numbers brought to me. Yes.  Commissioner Lucas. Yes. Commissioner Granger.   Yes. Mayor Branch. Yes. Motion passes. 5-0. All  right. 12 in. Hold on. Can I I'd like to make a  

motion. What about the What about the slips?  What about the utilities? Are we We're just   letting that ride until January. Slips are going  out. No, sir. We We have We have some expenses,   gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, we have to  spend in order to build slips. Can you guys   bring us back a How about this? How about this  motion that staff brings us back a price on   design for the infrastructure components? I'll  second that. Okay. I'm sorry. Can you design   for what? For the infrastructure components for  the entirety of the for the marina. Are you 50   slips for the entire That's what you have in this  memo. And we worked with Gorman. How much is it?   Yeah. Uh so these numbers came from from Gorman.  Yeah. our our engineers just I mean obviously our   engineers know what it cost to run the feet for  8 in 4 in sewer lines in a water man but they   they did work with Gorman uh Mr. Mr. Murphy, our  public works director, is the project manager for   the San that needs to be done. And can that  be done in house? There's not a design. No,   there's not a design. It would have to be done,  but we can do the utilities. We would have to work   with FPL and the electrical design. Okay. Uh an  electrical contractor. We could do the utilities.   We could do any of the necessary um storm  water uh type stuff. And we could also do the   um uh the prominade stuff if you want to do  any of that. That stuff is basic. It's the   electrical we have to bring in outside. Mr. Murphy  was given that information from the Gormans or did   the Gormans not give that to him? Which one? Mr.  Murphy, you asked for You asked for information   from the Gormans? Yes, I did. And did you get  it from them? Yes. They gave you their numbers   specific to the electrical for engineering design.  I used just a unit cost estimate. You should. Yes,   ma'am. Um, so and I do know from the St. Joe  company because I did talk to Mr. Murphy,   they're putting uh they're, you know,  they will bring the any any and all uh   utilities for the 50 slips will basically come  through the bulkhead into our ride ofway on the  

marina and so we will have to get water and any  necessary sewer, electricity to that point. So,   what would be helpful to create clarity  so that you guys bring us back a plan to   to get the infrastructure designed so that we can  actually get up to bid? Mhm. Like Robbie's asking,   we did for the utilities. Yeah, we could we  could work on that. Okay. We'll bring back a   proposal of that at the January 13th meeting.  Thank you. So, but that's separate from the   50 but that's separate from the 50 slips is  my understanding. Do you feel like you need   a motion and I think providing clarity and  knowing what the board feels would be. So,   I'll motion I'll motion that staff brings us back  a proposal on the design of the infrastructure   needs that are on the um the the downtown arena.  Do we exclude any of the prominade? That includes second. Yeah, sure. Yeah, I would I would  say that that includes maybe the bare minimum   of the prominade. That would be that would  be the prominade, the lights, the railing,   the utilities, and the sur and the and the  concrete surface. That's that's the required   utilities. Does not mean we have to spend all  that money. It just means here's the big picture.   Here's the big number we have to hit if we're  going to do it all. As long as it's itemized by the foot. Is my motion clear? No. It's clear.  I mean, with the exception of the prominade,   that's what we have here. But understood. We'll  we'll we'll we'll drill down a smidge more. So,   your motion includes what Commissioner's that list  you just rattled off. Jonath I believe I'm asking   Jonathan to make sure that I like did I did did  that include what Robbie was saying I I believe   it was I mean we're talking about just doing the  prominade basically the minimum right around the   west basin listen the entire prominade all the  concrete all the utilities all the lights all  

the railing that's my that's my part of my that's  part of the motion that I'm asking so and what   she was asking is that's what I would like for  it to be included That's the big picture. Yes,   sir. Then we can come back to the right around the  West Mason because we'll know the real numbers.   How about I change my mind? The big picture is $10  million if Thank you for asking for he said what   I what I would say is bring us back two options.  One on the bootstrap option, one on what Robbie   is saying. But but for my clarification, is this  a motion to come back hiring? how that's going to   be accomplished as far as hiring engineer could  be a combination outside you know a combination   and so the the the the notion is that the only way  we know exactly what the costs are to bid it out   uh but this is what we're asking is how will you  get the engineering design done and that will be   considered and then we go forward getting the  cost does that make sense it does it does And   I think I think to Robbie's point, it's good  to look at the whole picture, but there's also   this need to to focus on trying to get 50  done as well. So, but you look at the whole   picture and then you look at segregating. Yes.  Potentially. Okay. Jan, can you repeat the motion? Uh, this is what I have. I have uh for the  manager to bring a proposal for the design of the   infrastructure needs and the entire prominade and  he and to bring two options. One uh the bootstrap   method and the second is full boore. Hey Jen, let  me clarify. So to bring back the design with a   phasing approach. A phasing approach. A phasing  approach. That's good. All right. Any other  

discussion? Uh, just given the holidays, it might  have to be the second meeting in January. We'll   try our very best, but the deadline is January  5th to have all the agenda items forward. So,   we'll do our best. It might have to be the  second meeting in January. Yeah, that's really, please call the RO. Commissioner Street, yes.  Commissioner Hughes, yes. Commissioner Lucas,   yes. Commissioner Granger, yes. Mayor  Branch, yes. Motion passes 5-0. Motion to No,   we're not done. Item 12N is uh after our town  hall that we had the first Saturday of December,   we got some feedback from the public. So,  uh, I'm just requesting that the commission,   um, direct me, um, on on their behalf, uh,  hopefully unanimously to send in a letter to FDOT,   uh, requesting a pedestrian crosswalk midb block,   uh, as appropriate in between Frankfurt and Lisby  on 15th Street or known as US98, and also on,   uh, Chestnut Avenue in between Oaks by the Bay  Park uh, and Trueell Park. Motion to approve. Please call the roll. Commissioner Street.  Yes. Commissioner Hughes. Yes. Commissioner   Lucas. Yes. Commissioner Granger. Yes. Mayor  Branch. Yes. Motion passes. 5 Z. Motion to   have a second. Who seconded? Second. Call the  RO. Commissioner Street. Yes. Commissioner   Hughes. Commissioner Lucas. Yes. Commissioner  Granger. Yes. Mayor Branch. Yes. Motion passes 5. M granger I wasn't I wasn't going to be there.