City Council - Regular Meeting

Louisiana. Yeah. Perry City Council is now on order February the 10th, 2026. But be sure your phones are silenced and u we'll have a prayer and a ple to the flag soon as we get getting shot at. Bow with me, please. Heavenly Father, we come to you tonight humbled, thanking you for all your good gifts that you give to us, Lord. The weather, the just life in general, Lord, is good. And we thank you for it. We thank you for our chief who is back from a serious illness that could have taken his life but didn't, Lord, and we praise you for that. I pray that you would go with us tonight as we conduct this meeting and that we would conduct it in a professional manner and we would do the business of Terry the best we know how in Christ's name I pray. Amen.

Amen. 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. Thank you. Council member Hans here. Council member Wood here. Vice Mayor Lry

here. Mayor Motion for items on the consent agenda. Have a motion.

Have a second. Council Bronze. Yes. Hampton. Yes. Woodfall. Yes. Linda. Yes.

At this time, we receive uh any requests from the general public. Is there anyone here who would like to address the council and you're not on the agenda? Not seeing anyone. We will continue. Number five is bids and RFQS. We don't have any at this time. Number six is our general business. And the first item is ordinance 1058, a public hearing and final reading for 1058. Final reading. Ordinance number 1058. an ordinance of the city council of the city of Perry, Taylor County, Florida, regarding surplus lands conveying certain land and to provide an effective date. Whereas from time to time, the city determines that it is in the best interest of the city to sell and convey real property belonging to the city. And whereas in conformity with attorney general opinion 96-16, the city is authorized to dispose of such surplus lands at whatever method or procedure it determines will be in the best interest of the city subject to the city charter or other ordinance governing such conveyance. And whereas the city council of the city of Perry finds that the real property described herein is surplus and no longer needed for the benefit of the city. And whereas the city council of the city of Perry finds it is in the best interest of the city to convey said real property to Samuel H. Strickland and Marian Broad Strickland. Now therefore, be it ordained by the city council of the city of Perry, section one, purpose and intent. This ordinance is enacted to

carry out the purpose and intent of and exercise the authority set forth in the city of Perry charter.

Okay. All right. This ordinance is on the floor for a motion. Motion. Have a motion and a second. Counc. Yes. Hampton. Yes. Councley.

Yes.

Motion passes. That's the gentle official. your vote on passing ordinance 1058. Thank you.

The next item, item 6B, is the council to discuss the city entrance signs and the council to take any actions deemed necessary. We discussed this briefly at the last meeting and I'm glad to see that work has been done toward getting it perhaps taken care of. You have pictures in your packet and he has them on the screen of samples. Uh this Jasper is one that was done by a local sign maker and uh showing what he could do. So

he said we used to have like two of them on both of them on 19 I think and I vaguely remember the one out there. Yeah, they were closed by so these a lot cheaper than the monument type ones that I wanted but they're still going to be around 1,800 to 2,000 each. 2,000 of each. Okay. I don't have it in the budget right now. So, if you want to move forward, it's going to need a budget amendment. I'm sorry. I didn't hear that. It's not currently in the budget. We're planning to pass a budget amendment before we start buying.

Have you said yet? Not really. I'd be close to the I was going to ask DOT if we can, like I said, have the city limit and that sign. I really don't want an extra sign out there. I'd like to get rid of the city limit and have that just be the the actual city limit sign, but I don't know if DOT will allow us to do that. I wondered if we could use those original signs at other places outline, you know, and that way if somebody came a vistor and came, I wonder where the city limit is. Then they would say they would know they're I think they're almost everywhere.

No, there's a couple spot. Whenever we hire a new officer, one of the first thing we do is teach them where the city limit boundaries are. And there's a couple of roads where those signs are missing. So, we could repurpose those signs that are there now. Um, if they allowed us to stay close. Yeah. Personally, I would like to see the students and not out the way it was. You do that, too. I was just trying to get I don't like signs. More signs have less and look good. We'll keep moving forward. Where are the again chief?

On where? Um on 19 it's near the church on 19 north. Just north just north of the church north of their north entrance. Yeah. And and and 19 south is just before Ring Power. Yeah. 98 west is right at King Road. Okay. 27 east is at Spring Hill Road, pretty close to it. Johnson Tripping Road is just past the curb. Uh as you're going out of town curves, you had to have curves. Yeah.

Okay. What's the pleasure of the council? I like first in green. Welcome to first one on the left. That one's a little larger than the others. Is there a difference in the price? It's per square foot. I can't remember exactly what he told me.

You you want the sign to be prominent whenever it's there. So I like that one. I don't like how little the logo is. Yeah, it's going to be hard to see that logo. Yeah, I know. That's what I was looking at. It's really difficult to see that. I like the one in the top anyway. I like that one. Seems too much green going on. Yeah, that's too much. Got enough empty space. on the top right. It's more visible. Catch you out. And how many? How about this? 219, 221, and 27 for now.

State road. Yeah. 98 27 199. All of it's going to be state road except 221. And I've contacted the state about it, but they have not got back with me on it yet about, you know, if they're going to allow us to do it. Can you get that top right one and the 30 by 60? Sure you can. Sure. I'll get some official pricing. that out. Yeah. Total package. Yeah.

Add it all up. Yeah. Once you add it all up, you okay with the top, right? Okay. I don't know the exact price, but 2,000 plus. He still got a budget amendment to bring back and approve the transfer funds. So, that would be the final approval is the cost then. So, we'll let it rest for now and it come back to us. I'm not doing anything till I hear back from B. They're they're picky about what they allow. Thank you for doing that much on it. I appreciate that.

Okay. The next item is the council to discuss insurance broker contract and council to take any actions deemed necessary. We had two uh contracts to look at last time and they had a subcommittee to grade them and they came back and recommended forgot the name

HUV. Okay. Who prepared this? Like it was a one they found in another city. I didn't they came from the contract they submitted.

I'm sorry. Who prepared the contract? They gave us they they gave us the suggested contract. I wonder if there are any other cities in Florida that have got this country. They found it from another city. Yeah, they found it from another city.

Are you concerned about the fiveyear I mean the threeear fix? No, I I just uh I got I got a couple real problems, but I think they ought to earn and be paid by the insurance carrier that rather than the city. I did discuss that with them a little bit. And the reason they didn't want to do it that way because every time insurance goes up, their fee percentage is going to go up. They're going to get paid more. They were trying to help us out by having just a flat fee.

So, right now it's $50,000 a year. Right now, the contract is for $50,000 a year for the Yeah. for the contractor um with a fixed

whether they whether they do anything or not. The one the one suggestion I did well there's maybe a few suggestions I had but one was and maybe council or you councilman Burns as to what type of annual report they can give as to the any expected deliverables because the payment doesn't start until they replace or renew the current policies. But that renewal is very, you know, that means you can come in and say, "Okay, I like these are the best prices you already have. Let's renew it." And then, you know, they are paid quarterly. But

what we've got now is a trust and uh we're not going to have that. We're going to My My worry is that whatever they end up with, the trust may be less. He's already gotten quotes on exactly what we have now. That's over 100,000 less because now we just got to pay FMT whatever whatever they bill us. Now you're gonna have probably two or three different insurance companies compete for our business. I had never met our MIT rep until he saw this was coming out three years now. This group's going to have a team of people working with us helping us navigate through all this. So, John, do you think of fair deliverable maybe a percentage less if they're saying they already got about $100,000 less, but make it some type of percentage of saving cost because I know

that that's worth looking at the broker. I know it's hard to put us exactly there because we still have to compete.

On item seven, last sentence. Copies of required permits and licenses shall be furnished to the city. Period. I don't know why we why we need to request something that they ought to do. And I'm I wonder if uh if they should list by name the people that are going to be responsive to us.

You know, they told us and it was in the information. I don't know. Item 159 artist consent to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts located in I'm sure they just made a mistake there to pard. Yeah. Yeah. That's a different thing from mechanical.

Well, it needs to say yes.

I did ask AI to analyze it and it said it was very favorable towards the city. Any other discussion on it? Just say any more discussion? You have any more discussion?

Do I have a motion to accept this time? Well, they may not agree with what they may not agree with especially that Taylor and they may not agree. Well, except it with amendments and but we we sure want that to say Taylor. But other than that, you okay with it?

I'm going to take out the upon request on number seven. I'm going to get them to add who our dedicated contacts are and then we'll change that to Taylor. Taylor County. Yes.

Okay. Do I have a motion to accept this contract with corrections adjustments? I have a motion. Do I have a second? twice. Okay, I have a second. Council br Hampton. Yes. Council. Yes. South Maryland contract.

Have I reviewed it? Yes. I mean the a lot of the beneficial things that I mean that John was mentioning was that you know we own all the IP. So all the work they do including the competitive rates turned over to us. again they don't they're not owed anything until they can place and show feels competitive to reviews. Um they demnify us on almost every level. Um the thing that um I was wondering was the $50,000 cost and everybody agree with that and whether or not we should have a shorter term. But with it being a fixed cost, it also we don't know what the market's going to be like. If it's a fixed cost, we know we won't have to pay $70,000 if we do it on a shorter term. So, it was just things like that. But the contract itself, it seems to be solid. I mean, they have to perform. And my question was like, you know, any other considerations? How do we know that they perform to our desire?

That's also given the fact that we're in a interesting competitive market in the insurance industry just terrible. So, I mean, we're not expecting to make magic, but um the terms seem fair. And I do have another note here, but I it was just the idea of like always wanting the option to do if there's a dispute to do mediation before there's any other legal action, which also can benefit, you know, them as well as us, the contractors themselves. should be added to the contract. I don'tation option I didn't think anything and again going to the idea that the cost the cost is triggered or the payment is triggered when they replace or renew without there being any required measurement. It says it's paid quarterly and it doesn't start being paid for until next year.

Until they get which is until they renew a policy or budget time. Correct. That's what next October, September, something like that. We're going to try to cancel out early, but if there's a penalty we'd have to pay, they're just going to wait till the next renewal because there is something written. You only get reimbursed. I can't remember exactly how. But once you pay the insurance money and you leave them, they get to keep part of it's more than likely be it be the end of this year. Unless they come up with something great to replace it

because we pay them quarterly as well, but we cancel it. I don't want to end of quarterly payments. We've already showed them that we're going to be switching. I think if you do it at the right time, then there won't be anything over back to them. They're going to make sure all that's correct before we pull the trigger. That's all they wrote that in for that they don't expect to get paid until they get good. And there's you ever heard of any kind of contract where you establish a current baseline what you're paying and they get a percentage of what you save over what you paid last year instead of this 50,000. I mean maybe there's a 25,000 base and they get 10% of whatever savings or anything that you or anything like that.

We can go back to it just a straight percentage. I just I know insurance is going to continue to rise. That's how much more money they're going to get. Advocate that at all. I was hoping for savings over what you paid last year. Don't think you'll have a whole lot to say after this first time. I think they're going to be competitive going back and forth. This includes all insurance coverage and health. Everything we have except health insurance. Are we good to go?

Are we with corrections?

There was a motion. Moving on to the next. Yeah, it wasn't vote. Okay. The next item is a council to discuss employee tuition reimbursement policy and the council to take any actions deemed necessary. That's something I want y'all to agree today. That's something I kind of want y'all thinking about the next budget. It's not in there now. No. Who took it out? It was It's been out for a long time. No.

So when these guys been going to school, they we haven't been paying for it. If if now police department you do fire, we've been doing it, but then we're talking about it beyond that. Yeah. Okay. Yes. No, it wasn't in there when I came here. Yeah, it was. And we had an agreement with the water department too that they were trying to get to the next class. Yes. Okay. So that was but this is going beyond that and getting more advanced education and training is what I was kind of shocked that it included part-time employees as well as full

if you're training employees to do a job you might just be retaining them until that vacancy appears too because part that's what we do with reserve officers is if we can get them in and get them a reserve capacity then when we have an opening it's easy just to bring them on with not a lot of extra stuff go on. And it's a recruitment issue too for us now. Um, sure. There's a bill that has been introduced in Florida House for this year that would allow all sheriff's office employees, warn or not, to go to college in Florida free. They would wave tuition for them. Wow.

It's not it's not equal and fair to municipalities, but it is it's something that it made it through a lot of stops in the house. So, if we don't do something, we're going to lose the recruitment abilities that we've have. And this isn't just police officers, deputies. This is office staff. This is anybody in the sheriff's office. And we compete for those same people for positions at the city.

So, you said think about if y'all like it. Want to get us started now? We can. I was just concerned about the budget. We didn't have anything budgeted for this. All right. So, anybody that signs up for it and it starts taking classes, there have to be a budget amendment. Okay. And this is reimbursement. So, if they if they go to school and don't do well, then they'll get reimbured. But if they go and and they do extremely well, then it will be reimbured. Is it based on their grade? Yes. Okay. I haven't looked at it. So, I know used to like what Bill's talking about. It depends on what your grade. Yeah. So they're skinning in the game for them

that if they have to pay upfront and they have to go to school and have to do the coursework and have to get the grades and if not then they can't get reimbured. So it's not like we're just giving money away. They have to perform job related. Yes. Something that's it's closely related to your job role. Chief, can I say something real quick? Yes, it will for us. Chief Yeah. Go ahead.

Um it helped me back in 1998. I'm still here, but that might always be the case. But I, as an adult, made sure that I made those good grades for that reimbursement so that I would not have to continue to pay. They definitely helped me with my degree. And a couple other police officers that stayed for quite a while. So,

what's the council's pleasure? If you want to sit on this for a while, the next item approval for the minutes of the meeting on January the 27th. I have a motion.

Yes. Council member Hampton. Yes. Council Woodall. Yes. Ling. Yes. force. John, anything you need to right now? This is your chance. I have the tanger.

Yes, sir. You can Do you have anything? Yeah. About for the finance department back on the 23rd. That's when we have a party. Chief, just happy to be here. We're happy you're happy. He's happy I'm here, too.

Yeah, I'm always happy he's here. Only thing I got to say is is we have had several grass fires, wood fire, a couple structure fires, but uh if y'all see anything, you know, let somebody know so we can go tell them to put it out right now. Uh forestry did tell me this morning that they are looking at putting a ban. State is looking put a ban on fires real soon. Y

people just been burning stuff and it's been getting away from them and luckily nobody's gotten hurt or really lost any anything due to the woods fires or grass fires. Anything couple structure fires we had was structural related. Thanks for the good job you did. Yes. Thank you. About streets and sanitation. We have running garbage trucks. One for two weeks in a row. I said, "No, we have running running garbage trucks." Hopefully, we'll have our other two by next week. Yeah, that's nice. But we're good.

You see a smile like that in a long time. Let me tell you, y'all. Y'all have no clue. Y'all have no clue. Really, honestly, I can imagine. what's going on with the water department. And we started with the new infrastructure. That'll be probably a year. Yeah. At least a year. Design engineers be two or three months getting grant agreement together. Then another a year after that getting it all planned and designed. It's going to be a fun five years. I've been getting the question. Y'all got all that money. You doing anything? Yes. So

people don't understand how much it takes once you get awarded grant. They don't understand you can't just turn around and spend the money right then. They think it's fast fast cash. You just go issuing it out. Yeah. That's not how it works. Do you I thought it was going to be the best way to start. So don't get too anxious. Okay. Our waste water is everything going all right with them as far as we know. They have the gas department. They just passed their audit. I just know I know that. I heard a talk. So they passed the comprehensive audit. So that was good. No findings. I saw a few complaints about bills. It's fine. Well, you use more gas, you pay more money.

Well, gas price went up too. And that's what people aren't realizing. It went up from like a dollar it can't remember the exact like a$159 to $2 and something. No, it went at some points when it was really cold, it went from $3 a day of the to over $50 a for a short period, right? Demand, but what they're pay what they paid there this month on their bill was $2 and something. The engine helped us some and then we smooth it out on top of that too.

They wanted to get something money back. They say they had to run the water. I certainly run that. Just to let you know that. What about the parks? Did the fence ever get moved on the dog park? They're supposed to be here another week, I think. I asked them. It was two, three weeks a week ago. So, it should be in the next two weeks, I would think. Had some other jobs coming up. I couldn't get to it.

Did we get the issue taken care of with lots inside of the building? Y city council is sure if you got anything.

Yes, ma'am. Um 19 banners. I'm a I think it's time to go ahead and do something and decorate 19 and we are trying to bring in new businesses. I think it's time for us to say wasting time and do something about it. Now I have thought about maybe adding blue grass festival things that will be coming up third and fourth I believe it is that would have that will be up from March March through April and I'll shut down town and uh hunting fishing crab type of thing along with some of the others that I have which I think are pretty good. Uh I know that John wants us to wait, but I've been working on this since November. I was given permission and I think it's a good idea that John has, but since he said with John, you still haven't come up with anything yet.

I didn't until the end of February. I I just wish we'll go ahead and put that close and we can make that the second cuz the way we've been change some but maybe if they do that be about 30 grand probably well all I know is that

they've already given us 15 that was for infrastructure that's not of that money cuz we have funds to do this. I just want to go ahead and get it started. the council and I'm making a motion in the school project and next and that'll be going up. Take a motion to move on with the banners that you already Yes.

already been designed that's added to that. We're only going to have seats stand on you already right looked at.

Okay. And I sent you all the last meeting was after the meeting. I sent you more colors. Whether use any colors that we desire, any wording, you'll just have to say it. Anybody on that? Well, I have a motion to go ahead with this. And did I hear a second? Yes. Have a second. Council Brown.

Yes. Council Hampton. Yes. Woodall. Yes. Yes.

Still one. Show me exactly what banner you want to put up there. It's six banners. You sent me one. It's 36 banners. I I'll come to your office. I come to your office and show you have what you want. And thank you. The retention on That one street.

Yeah, it needs to be cleaned out. It has so from where that water has drained, they got so much trash in. Other than that it say um I'm I've been wondering about the waterways myself. They look horrible. I know the water levels are low, but all of the ponds and the streams and creeks and everything there's they just folded over with scum and they look terrible. Is there anything we can do to get them cleaned up?

Yeah. Wish McDonald would have hurried up with the storm water plan that they're working on right now. They asked for a six-month extension on it, but if I would have had that already, those projects would have fell into some of this disaster recovery money that we got. I don't have the projects identified on a on a planning document yet. Once I have that, it should be fairly easy to get the funded. The ponds that we can clean that you're talking about is something that the inmates usually handle. So, I'll get with Andrew tomorrow and see if he can get those scheduled.

Well, that's probably that money in the budget. Pretty considered coming up. I got a guy just rose head. It's almost $15,000 to do the I don't know what you call that sanitation of the road. Do it every every four to five years and do spraying and clean to help keep it back. See that was the problem we was having with the one. So much vegetation is in it. So when the water it just runs it'll be we need to be looking into doing something about that. open that storm water plan document identify a lot of that kind of stuff to the state or whoever say hey this is this what we need

enough of water get some pictures cuz it's so much steady water over there when we get rain Oh yes thank God we can look at it and clean it up that would enhance the city because it looks Awful. Now, do we have alligators out there? It's Florida. We got water. There going to be an alligator somewhere. I just saw it on on social media that we had when it grows big. We've had a couple there off and on.

And if they're reported to us, which they have not been reported to us, but if they are reported to us, we have a number we call and they send someone here to catch them. But they hadn't been reported to us. said our last record was when we had on stems. That's it. Somebody around here probably take care of I know back there in my bar. They sure will take care of. Anybody else got anything to come to the council tonight? If not meeting