City Council - Regular Meeting

Yeah. Come in. Change the resurrection. Yeah, I think I'll give feedback. Can you hear me now? Yes, ma'am. Okay. April 14, 2026, city council meeting to

order. I bind everybody to silence your cell phones. As far as you going to lead us back prayer, father by the pledge of allegiance to the flag.

Dear heavenly father, thank you for this day. Thank you for everything you give us. Lord, I want to pray for everyone who's sick or hurting. Lord, I want to pray that you will help them to make the right decisions as a city. Lord, I want to pray that you will glorify us, Lord, and that we glorify you, too. Lord, I want to pray for the people that don't know you, that you will lead them down the right path, know you us Christians to help to find them, Lord. I want to pray that you will help these people as they make good decisions, Lord, and help us as a city to grow and become one in you, Lord. In your name, I pray. 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

here. Council H here. Council Woodall here. Landry here. Her here. Approval of items on the consent agenda. Approval to read by title only resolution 2020 series 15. Second. Yes. Hampton. Yes. Landry. Yes. Yes. We have anyone who wants to speak on anything that is not on the agenda.

Hi,

good afternoon everyone. Um, again, my name is Tanya Benziger. I brought just a few company crew. I think since we saw you guys last, um, we were just here because we wanted to let you know that we are officially under contract for a piece of property here in the city of Perry. It's at 803 Veterans Drive. Um we are planning to have a benefit show for uh it's called Punchlines for Property Lines and we're trying to raise money to purchase that piece of property. Um we are acting through the steps to make that property our own. It is zoned at an SFR1. It is right next to the middle school. Um, but we were super excited after speaking to the ladies in the office that we do qualify for a zoning exception as a nonprofit organization. So, we're currently going through the steps to make sure you have all of the paperwork that you need and we're having actually right now we're generating a sitemap for that property in the hopes that we can get our packet together and come to you as an approval for a zoning exception on that property. um with your approval in our fundraising effort, um this is what we have in mind and we wanted to invite you all to our benefit night show. Um ladies and gentlemen, would you give them a ticket to our We are having a benefit fundraiser. It's called Punchlines for Property Lines. It'll be Saturday night, May the 9th, out of the Forest Capitol Hall. Uh we're going to have food. These kids are going to perform skits and some drama skits. Um it's a night of just food, community, and um comedy. We're gonna have lot live auctions that are going on there. And our most excited part of the night we're most excited for is a musical finale. We partnered with an orchestra pit that will be made up of middle school musicians. Miss Jessica Udell partnered up with us, got her middle school band,

had them audition. We have a 16 member musician orchestra pit that is going to do our musical finale. They're going to play our music and our actors are going to sing you dance. Um we're excited about that most of all because if if this property and Lord willing it suits us and we get your approval, that's where we want to build our home for our future performing arts center. We want a stage. We want an auditorium. We want to partner with the middle school so that with their band they can learn orchestra. We're able to teach wood shop that builds our sets. It'll be much much more that goes much more beyond fine arts, but fine arts is always what our passion is. Um, so that's all we want to do. We wanted to come here and invite you guys for Saturday night. Uh, with that ticket, there's a QR code on there. For those of you who aren't familiar, this is the way I have talked to my dad who just got a smartphone this year. When you put your camera on that QR code, it takes you, you can click on it. It takes you to the website where you buy tickets. As you enter in the tickets, if it's just yours or if you're want if you want to come with a spouse, partner, or friend. Um, you type in however many tickets you want and you type in that promo code that says official um because you are official in our eyes and that gives you your free ticket. If you don't want to do all that online, you can show up at the door with that ticket and they will let you in there and anyone else with you. We are accepting cash at the door. But we hope you come out on Saturday, May the 9th. We're going to try to show the community a little bit of everything we do here at Casten Company and how much a property and building of our own would benefit and serve this youth and our community. So, thank you so much for your time and we hope to see you there. Thank you.

Thank you. Is there anyone else who would like to speak from the general public who is not on the agenda? Hearing see no one will be bids any bids RFQS that are in council meeting this time.

We have eight grant administration funds and we only have one engineering bid. So the engineering we can't open because they were going once. So we have to redo it. I'll start open administration. So currently I'm RFP for CDBG grant administration. I will only be reading the vendors who submitted proposals. There will be no discussion at this time about any proposal that is being open. These proposals will be given back to the city manager and then the committee who is evaluating the sealed RFPs. The city reserves the right to reject any and all proposals. The city reserves the right to select the vendor, wave any informalities or to accept the proposal deemed in the best interest of the city. Any errors and proposal submissions are the responsibility of the vendor. This is DSR consultation management

DSR consulting and management. Outsource LLC. Eco Straighta Services Incorporated. Aid solutions. Elos and a vintier company with O'Brien. Opt consult optimum LC consulting

the Boral group. The last go down the world media services LLC. One more time. Bay Media Services.

John, could you reiterate Mr. Landry need to understand what this is for? That's the 20 4 and a half 25 million the three CDBT disaster recovery grants you have to have a grant admin for the three grand. Okay. And this is the the group that Mr. Bryant will be sitting on.

And um CIR same one that did it last time for us. They're going to be here tomorrow to rank all the proposals. We'll present that back. Yes sir. Sorry. Agenda item 6A resolution 2026-15 opposing the north will Florida recharge project resolution of the north central Florida regional planning council opposing the water first aquifer recharge project recommending the implementation with the alternative water dal salination project. So which one of this one is the one that does all counties

county pipeline if I read it right somewhere in the swan basin look like around Edmond technique I think 40 million gallons per day of treated waste water they're trying to sell it to us as an aqua bird recharge project should just be ping it directly in the ground somewhere aqua what sound like which counties

the regional planning center asked all the ones in its group all the counties and municipalities within it group to join them in opposing it. Yeah. But if he goes into the operator more calories than that such a great motion. Thank you.

Hampton. Yes. Counc. Yes. Vice Mayor. Yes. Yes. Agenda item 6B. Council to discuss a 5-year capital program. Thank you council. Take any action name necessary. It's in a rough state right now, but I have to present the charter by April 15th. So, this is the first cut at it. It'll be it'll be on here several meetings. Can we approve it in August? August.

I know right now that this is just a rough draft. But I see right here where with the jerk and splash pad that is saying repairs. That wasn't the fat grant. Not sure cuz you don't have it listed as what where this grant. Yeah, it's all under Den Park revitalization. All those projects dead below that are kind of dented to the side. That's what we ask for for that grant.

Okay. But I do um if we do not hopefully we do we do get the grant, that's good. But if we don't, I would think that it's time now for um Jerkens's plan to be redone all the way. That's the building, the everything because it's too it's outdated and the plumbing is awful. So instead of us redoing something, it would make more sense for us to just redo the whole entire thing and not have to come back later on and play catchup. So if we don't get the grant, that would be one of the things that I would make a motion on. I think we'll know within the next 6 to 8 weeks. Okay. If that one's approved or not,

because none of the equipment out there is up to par. It doesn't work like it should. That was the number six project in the whole state. approved confer funding both of our projects will definitely make a cut. Okay. Well, just make sure you pick yourself up on that. And the other one was um I know you said that we had the money for the lift station on Warner Avenue to Okay. Did we ever find Did we ever get to the bottom of the smell? Yeah. I think it ran out of the essential oils. They they got that odorizer thing in there. Has to be filled with essential oils every now and then. I'm Did we ever get to the problem why we're having to deal with that?

Sean always says it has to do with what superpost put in there. Okay, this is the thing. That area has been putting up with that smell for years. It is time now for us to step up and do something about it. That photo they put in there didn't help. I know, but if it runs out of the back to what it was. Yeah. On my way coming here, I Smith. That's the engineering plans for the new one that we're doing.

With the engineer plan, can we have them to look in to see why we're having this problem? We're saying it's coming from other other places, but we need to find out because we don't have this problem in any other area. So, we need to find out why we're having to suffer with that. Yeah, it's in here. This I don't know what all this means, but this is the odor control plan. This never

because I don't want us to get to the point, John, where we end up redoing everything over there and we still have that smell to have to put up with and then we got to go back and redo everything all over again. While we got we have the money, we need to do it right. Not just keep guessing and thinking this is what it is. We need an engineer to let us know this is where the problem is coming from. Y I'll double make sure they know that need to be adjusted this one. Okay. But there's and that's it right there. Whatever this thing is right here is your older control plans. Yeah. Because like I said, we don't have that problem anywhere. So we have to have a reason why we're why we're having to put up with that schedule.

Thank you. Which one? Did you say wood? Which way? and probably need to get from you. See? Okay, here it is on page four at the bottom of phase one collection. Southwood one and South. But as I told you, the people that on street in that neighborhood, they've been able to solic Rancho. They've been asking for it for the longest. And a lot of those songs over there have some questions.

I think it's called El Rancho. Yeah, I don't know what they're actually name if you look into that. And and one other thing I guess I was absent when you all talked about flanks. Um, did we have a meeting on that? Yeah. So, Chief and John, I believe were discussing this, but these cameras that are up now are part of a trial.

I don't I'll be honest. I'm not even real sure what agencies that's part of a trial because you you have FDLE, FHP, we have I think we talked about cameras in the parks, but that was the only flop cameras we discussed is actually in the park. So, so put these cameras there. No, the company did through the trial process of whatever agency asked, but no cost at the city. No, to my knowledge, it's not cost anything. But we should know about it.

Those those cameras are very controvers. I don't know anything about it. Let's do that. Yeah, we can definitely follow up with him because he's been more a part of those those discussions and and talk. But the counselor should know about this especially if you already have been state. I will let him know about John. I think you should attend today. I got to thank you.

Any discussion on the budget right now? All right. Agenda item 6 C. Council to discuss Perry Prospect Perry Apartmentage. Council will take any action being necessary. What exactly is going on? I tried to summarize the history of it best I could, but I think this is originally built by fall ground and passed as a resolution and it included a loan in there, some natural gas infrastructure and the rebate back on property taxes paid. Uh I don't know why Taylor Brown did it. I don't know if it's co he's worried about the finances of the city, but

he how it appears. I don't know what his reason was. human because something they start all over that probably was like dead. Yeah. Yeah. Something expired or they were supposed to do after test. They did not do and they didn't do it. They didn't do any that was part of the incentive package test. I remember but that was before that time. Yeah. get it redone by resolution, but that resolution says the incentive doesn't start till the 344 bill.

They came they got with Bob Brown again and came back to me and asked if we would consider starting the payback of the property taxes. I can't call that the incentive of the property taxes starting this coming tax November the apartment complex. Well, what do they have to say about opting out when they were supposed to get n natural gas and they didn't do that?

I think it was an incentive if you didn't put natural gas in there. I don't I didn't read it as you must put natural gas, but if you do put natural gas, that's the incentive you would get because the incentive is just based on what they paid for gas. So I mean they if they don't pay zero for gas zero. So So they're asking for 15 years. They would like 15. They're asking for 15 years in there and sure if I'm sure and that the completion of the project was supposed to be 344 units before they got anything back to that was the

the whole idea of you know increasing the tax base opportunities for jobs um and requesting to have that incentive be um be able to be requested now well when I say now at 20 units. Uh because now they have 160 units. Um and so without any guarantee of completing 344 units or phase two. So asking for more time to use it and with less deliverables. That was the benefit of the guardian for why you all or why the council at the time gave them central occas go was 120 I think of the 160.

So are they at this point? They're kind of on pause right now and wait to see how how rebounds and how the interest rates and all that go. If if we're going to consider this, there are some corrections that need to be made. On page one near the end, it says, "Where is the city commission has duly considered this agreement?" And that same order is on page seven twice. We're council commission. Yes. For more years doing anything original agreement.

Exactly. So supposed to start until they finish the last unit. I don't want it to start now. Is that what it holds down to

finish with no guarantee that they're going to finish the rest of the units right now? And that's the one benefit you would get is you're paying the incentive back at a lower tax rate. That's how they build the next phase at year nine. We only incentivize them the half tax rate for nine years and one year of the full amount. If they do phase 9 in 10 years, make 344 unit, then it starts the clock of 10 years at the highest tax rate that they're getting incentivized on. So it's I mean it's a game. We'll be rolling the dice if they actually ever do the phase. there are some consideration if you all would like to continue and allow for them to start pulling from now. Um because there is a I believe a great likelihood that they're not going to continue to they're you basically take away your leverage when you allow for them to be able to get the incentive now which is paying back a portion of their taxes. Um, but if you were to consider that, some things I guess that you could consider is having some type of sunset clause regarding construction like in phase two, you know, 12 to 18 months. They may not be agreeable to that. But, you know, in reviewing this, I was trying to think of how can the city also safeguard the gamble that if you're not if it really not going to to add any more units to this property, what is the benefit for us because they will be owing the ailerum taxes anyway for us for the city to now give the incentive

except to give away money that could be towards the budget. Um but if there's some belief that just you know maybe in a year and a half they'll get back to phase two um and if they possibly do not complete it we could have a clawback um clause regarding having money returned or paid back that can get really messy. I'm just saying that there is um there are some other language we can add to it if the if the council if you had um a concern about wanting to push the leverage which was for them to complete the 344 units as a benefit to justify for the public interest why you want them to have interest back. So, um but if not, um there's some other things again that they may be open to regarding like a discretion the city if there was some budget shortfall that we um but we can hold off on repay not repaying but paying back a percentage of the avalar taxes that would be voted if you were to agree to this agreement. Um cuz right now, you know, it would be due whenever it's due and there's no consideration as to the budget. Um 120 units is not even half of what the original agreement was. 3460.

Well, the agreement said a minimum of 120. So what would be be agreeing to if we agreed to this? Basically, what would we be agreeing to? It would be much of the same except the instead of waiting um instead of waiting for the project to be completed um at at 344 units, they can now qualify to receive incentive now. and they're asking for a longer period of time, 15 years versus 10 years. So, less less um less deliverables than what was originally um originally contracted, but with more opportunity to receive something back for what they've already completed.

And then what about gas trucks? None of their appliance I understand have gas. So in 2022 that was one of the things that had that's why those other two resolutions not that's why but I understand that was a part of the rescending in 2022.

We work on making money off anyway we're going to have to sell until that cost right. utility out there is including their rent. Yes, they pay one utility two utility bills I think two years and then they charge their customer I guess a flat rate. The water is added on their rent. They only pay light

bill. That's for sure.

I think it will change anything. hurt me too.

Any reason why they want to do this?

Yeah, I think because of that last item of sunset for non-p performance. They don't have the 344th unit built by March 27, 2027. the whole building as well. They're trying to capture some of it now based on what they have built. And also without this deal in place, they can't wrap up their financing to get it to a permanent finance and even start trying to finance phase two. Let me hear from you. What are we asking them?

Pretty much all the property tax the city property tax they pay. They'll be getting all that back for 10 years. They don't they're not going to pay any city property taxes. They'll pay it and we give it back. You can't just Well, I mean it'll Well, based on the new deal, it was based on a middle grade of 5.75 I think a little bit higher than that actually a few dollars much couple dollars. I mean difference of 5.7 to 5.8 mill. Why are you looking at that?

That's the deal that is agreed to right now. So, we don't take any action. What you got to do with this? I don't know what that is. That's the contract. That's the contract. That's the deal. They're supposed we agree to that. You're you're changing it appears that you're changing an ordinance with nine pieces paper. You can't do that or we have to resend the ordinance. You need to

Yeah, we would have an ordinance to resend the ordinance and then a contract with them and it's a package never should even been made by ordinance anyway. An ordinance is how you get your ball into the code on how you get a Senate package for one company.

I believe that was a mistake. It should have been a resolution since you want we're creating you weren't creating a code for this one particular business proposition. Um it can be cured by a resolution from my research of it because it was an ordinance that was basically acting as a council given the authority to proceed on the contract. So if you all were to agree with the authority to proceed, I believe it still can be resolved um showing the authority by the council to proceed through resolution.

So this is a proposed that's not the resolution, right? Yes. Yeah. Yes. And how long is this ador of taxes agreement good for? They're requesting 15 years, which is five They're requesting 15 years, which is 5 years longer than the previous

That's the old That's the old one. Yes, sir. And what I believe John was pointing to that that one will be over March 22nd, 2027. So they're trying to enter into another agreement. But it's up to you all decided. I wasn't here when all this garbage was created. Neither was I. Huh? Neither was I. That's what we got in front of us. But we're trying to change and I'm not willing to change that 10 to 15 years.

We're trying to change an ordinance with an agreement. I believe Mr. Har was just having you all look at the contract to see if you agreed so we can follow it up with. Does this Did this come from them or That's what they're asking. That's what they're asking. We had a road to you. That was the ordinance that

that was a broad orness that wasn't just based on prospect. It was an incentive for um businesses that was passed back in 2016. But if they haven't completed and come through with everything that they agreed to the first time, what makes us think they're going to do it the second time and why should we change? I think you lose your bargaining power to change it halfway and they haven't completed or have any guarantees in this contract to even complete according to the boarding for you. So, it's up it's up to you. I I still haven't heard the incentive. The I guess the only incentive I guess for the city would be in case they complete phase two um then there'll be a higher tax bracket. But that's but there's nothing here to even there's no you take away the incentive for them to complete it to get the incentive if you give the incentive now have anything to say on

any this decision tonight with all these paper he Surely somewhere in here is the agreement that was made. That's what resolution where it's in here. That's resolution I mean ordinance 1011 is what's in effect right now. Yeah.

That's what the city agreed to and what they're supposed to be. And if they Exactly. We also get a copy of the very first one.

It's also the two resolutions that were resended. 16 16. This resolution 201620 is that what is that? 2016. That was the first one.

This one got replaced by this one. Now there's a third one. for the said it was amended by resolution 20176 which changed the terms of section three. I read that somewhere down here and 20176 is in that packet as well.

Resolution 2016. Not really sure, but I think Russ had something to do with falling through. So we started out all over again in 2022 negotiating the I was being this 20 2016. If we're if we'll loan these people $250,000, who's going to be next in line?

That's right. There's a lot of them. All the loan stuff was taken out of the orphanage. So, all that was said and you going to give them 200,000 in ordinance number 1011. They're all descended. Those two thinkers going to give them the natural gas and you're going to give them 500,000 gallons of water and sewer. Who else would like that? How about 5,000 gallons of water and sewer?

All that was the first time I read that I said somebody's lost their mind. They're a bad deal. Everything was going good and we needed to have a so gave them incentives to come. But and this is no good. Which one? It's a resolution. A resolution just says this is a good idea to do it. 2016

resolution. Those were both rescended by the ordinance. Yeah, the ordinance is the only thing right now. If you take no action, I doubt there's any way they get the 344th unit done by March 22nd of 2027. So, they'll get no incentives. This still the same company that operates. It's still Yeah. His wife took over the business after he passed away. This is a long guy.

Oh, there was man management change. Yeah, he passed away six months ago. I'm not finishing up their last unit. He passed away right when they finishing up their last units. Couple that come before us. I don't know. The Grove Apartments prepared that. That's what I'm not That's not me asking. The Grove I don't remember his name. No,

that I mean if it was me asking for 100 grand over the next 10 years, I'd have probably been standing at that podium telling you what my plan is. So I don't think that's me asking for that. That's what they're asking you to consider. We're not here. Yeah. They're asking more time to deliver less and get more. Make a question about this neighbor. We could take no action or we could come back with a new new plan or wait till they want to be here and ask the tables.

I don't think it's enough of a tradeoff. I don't see how the city benefits at all. Even as um council member Bryson has noted all those things are now void or rescended there's been promises after promises of different things that have not worked and I don't see why the city would benefit right now they would receive the same amount of avalance caps and why return any portion of it if you did not achieve the goal in having the unit and whatever other benefits that was noted as a public interest that would be served. by them completing the project. As it states now, they're they're suggesting like, well, we want, you know, the incentive without completing the project. And even if they may need it potentially potentially for more funding, there's no guarantee what's been noted that they have to spend the money or complete the project in order to get the incentive. 2620. Where's the money coming from?

That's all been rescended.

None of that's in effect anymore. That's all been rescended by the resol I mean by the ordinance. Guess your choice is to do something with it, not do anything with it or take it will be the pleasure of the council. I was say I'm open with them coming in talking but

we table it till they can Okay. All right. We're going to table it till you contact them and see if they can make it up this way.

No, I'm not changing the well. But we we've resented some of this stuff and I don't know what it's wound up as ordinance 101. What or the ordinance 1011 is what is in right now

and um John put up on the screen regarding the sunset for non-p performance. Basically they have until March 22nd, 2027 to um complete the agreement or is terminated. So it is the prospect company is wanting this change that benefits them because they can get the incentive now without delivering. So

without there being at least in my opinion enough information regarding an equitable tradeoff to the city. This doesn't seem like an equitable tradeoff.

It's not. We're never going to get anywhere giving everything away. That's just fact. What everybody like to do? Would they like them to come up and talk to us or just not take any action on this right now? address later. If it's if it even got back up first. So everyone hearing a statement of action at this point and if they want to come back with us what they're on the agenda.

John, what do you recommen? I would definitely think they should be here to kind of explain to y'all what their plan is and what they're going through. And if y'all don't accept that deal, I think you should consider extending that sunset date out some. They did go through three hurricanes, the mill closures.

Yes, it is.

We lost two major employers. I know you can't hear me on this. I want a second. I still live 207. Let me just ask y'all this. Okay, so maybe you need to renegotiate. Okay, so that makes out that. But I mean, if it be your money, any of y'all's money with everything you just have with major paid employees or employers, do you think you'd really be thinking about building 174 more units? Maybe, maybe not. They don't build the one they've got. I think they're room to negotiate, renegotiate, say, "Okay, well, we can do this. Try and meet in the middle. You want people to come here. Y'all were excited when they were talking about helping with your tax base. How about have room for negotiation instead of we ain't going to do this.

I think that's more reasonable. That's what we asked them to come before us. But I'm already hearing a lot of negativity saying no, we're not going to do this. Not do have an open mind for renegotiation. Say, okay, we can't do this now because of what happened and it's not their fault. It's not your fault. without having an open mind for renegotiation of the contract apparently you have with not saying you can't you know you're talking about everything is not your favor it's all in their favor well try to work it where it's both ways I know what they went there I was see I'm just saying these people I mean you can't you cannot please them

you cannot expect people to spend that kind of money and you can't feel them because who can really afford them I talked to a A couple weeks ago, he told me what he pays for one bedroom. It's $1,150 a month. Not many compar. That's not cheap. So, y'all please keep that in mind. I mean, if you want businesses to come here, if you want things like that to come here, you have to have an open mind and the possibility of renegotiating because if it was me and my money, everything just happened, I'd have it on hold, too. It'd be sway. we ran past of Dave like he's talking about. Okay. Then I'd have to come before y'all say, "Hey, can we renegotiate something that's maybe a little more favorable to both parties?" Y'all just keep an open mind if you will. I'm going ask one more thing. If y'all will and then please have your speakers a little closer to you for the record so everybody can hear clearly because I found out the other day after watching one of the videos when I did stand back there and speak. Even though I speak clearly, you could not hear. So, if y'all aren't aware of that, that's an issue on these videos. Okay.

I got I got three more pieces over still ain't quite what I wanted to. I got some more stuff. My friend brought me They said we know you were saying something. It was terrible. But they couldn't tell because I was way back there cuz they were looking at me cuz they I said looking at you couldn't kill you. There's no area mics unless you're speaking right into that one or one of theirs. I got to get a couple mics. I got I got stuff coming. Yeah. I don't feel like anybody gets negotiated. This thing's been redone two or three times and it's hard to negotiate with people that aren't here. Where do they live? They down south.

Uh the land is what I'm seeing. I don't I mean that's where the office is that's approved. I think the one of the biggest challenges is that the public interest as stated as the reason why you give tax incentives is based on whatever that measurement was and that formula for those units

and just as the city has had to adjust expectation of cash flow because of the hurricanes. The same that happens to private citizens. The same thing happens to corporations and businesses. And I know you all have dealt with the idea of eliminated suspending holding. But I just also wanted to note this is not a cash grant. This is supposed to be a tax incentive based on those public interest things. So hopefully if there is any type of um consideration that we look back at that as well as whatever tradeoffs to help push the goal of having the project completed and also maybe we can ask them to um provide information regarding the occup I think um council member Landry you asked about how many of the units are um

occupied vacant or occupied that we can have some information regarding that. This whole thing is going to be a little difficult to wrap up and finish up without the other part of being here. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. So, shall we stay with us until such time as they can make it here? table until they can actually come here with us. So much time is

think. All right. Item 6 stands as table.

All right. 6D. Council will discuss an approved downtown beautifification program for C. Council would take any action. This is the old green, but I want to make it a little more straightforward, easy to use as we got the CRA going back. the community redevelopment act just verified had two main sections to it up to 5,000 for property for just a standard facade improvement that' be 100% % reimbursement for labor and material purchase from a business within Taylor County and 50% outside of Tyler County and then a little bit smaller just a signage and awning micro grant up the 3,000 per business location same thing 100% reimbursement in Taylor County 50% note county I did a minimum project of a th000 for the bigger grant because I didn't want to take a lot of our time with a receipt for paint or something like that. I want to be able to get them at make the facade look nice and I think yeah 500 for the the micro grant.

I think this is a good thing included businesses on 19 that would qualify for the CRA fund. It had to be in the CRA area. The UC fun that have to be within the downtown business district. What was the name of that? I thought it was a training grant. December 19th. Yeah, but they had stated that you could have both of them going at the same exact time. Like if we had it here but of time we weren't able to have it open 19 at the same exact time

until the funders ran out. Shouldn't have been using CRA funds outside of the CRA area. Cond stands for downtown revitalization of economic appearance. This was during the time Daniel remember when they had everyone planting those. I forgot what it was called 19. Yeah. 19. They had to plant like shrubbery. But I don't

I think they got a single meter out there or individuals to each department. The department has got two main meters. Two meters. Talking about back to the Grove apartments. Yes. How many water? Two water meters. Two water. Two gas. No gas. Two water meters. No gas meters.

No gas at all. Anyway, was that the only changes you made to the train? I rewrote the entire thing to what it was before. Just be a little one bigger details. Yes.

Just as application for the grant. Uh, put that in their packet, too. I think we're going to manage it in house unless it gets too much work for us. the application bond kind of near the end. Yeah. And then this is just like instructions for what people say. We haven't applied for it here. Y'all haven't approved. This is okay.

I mean, we still have the other green grant in in effect. This one's just a little more detailed and what it can be used for and everything. The other one's just pretty basic. You walk into city hall with your receipt for cans of paint. Got reimbursed. I think that how often is one business able to qualify for this? Is multiple times or is it a set limit? Said once per fiscal year

before it would be in in the old dream grant as many as they wanted and there wasn't a minimum project. So people were only like maybe they only painted outside and they were getting reimbursements. But he's made it to where there's the minimum of a thousand for the main projects and then 500 for the micro grant. I think that will eliminate a lot of I think we'll get legitimate projects things that actually I think yeah yeah because I know for years we had the same ones coming and

and it wasn't fair to the other ones because by the time they got businesses started there was no funds there because the same person was coming to get it yeah that's good motion Oh, second. Second bronze.

Yeah. Hampton. Yes. Council. Yes. Vice Mayor Landry. Yes. Mayor Peter.

Yes. Agenda item 6E. Council to discuss adopting the local mitigation strategy plan deemed necessary. Y'all get that drop table. Agenda item 6F council to consider approval of an invoice for CRA funds in the amount of $26,117. The council will take any action necessary.

This is just administrative. Y'all are moving. Y'all are giving us permission to move it from the general fund where we get our taxes in and that's what the CRA funds their taxes and we move it into the CRA. The county is also remitting their portion. I sent their invoice a couple weeks ago.

Have a motion. We have received that money from the county. No, ma'am. They said they have to go through the approval and she she said it's only

it'll be Motion motion second bronze counc yes Landry yes

yes agenda item 6G council to discuss land purchase for new well council to take any action necessary this plantation Yes. Okay. We got a lot of the results back, not all of them yet. Just wanted to keep y'all aware. Purchase of the land is going to have to be done by ordinance. So, I want to get the if we do move forward with purchasing it, we're going to have to go to the first and second meeting of the most likely. Um I think Andrew looked over the results that we have.

So far, all sampling results that we have point toward what we expected. There is high iron in the raw water, but we expect that in Perry that can be treated out without a problem. But as far as the other contaminants, they were all looking to be in pretty good shape. We don't know the answer about the flow yet for how many gallons we pump out of that well. But that's one of the answers we're still waiting on. There was one salt. Is that the iron or is it something else?

If you read through the results, uh there's you and I for the qualifiers. If you read down them, you get to the one that has iron on the left side of the column. In the center, it shows how much it actually sampled at. And the first row of numbers for MCL stand for maximum contaminant level. The iron was just over two and a half times the MCL. The MCL is fairly low, but iron is one of the easiest contaminants to sample out directly for filtration and whatnot. That satisfy you

so far? So far. What else has got to be done? We need to know the flow rating of that well. I don't know how many thousand gallons pump out of that well per day. Hell, I know those numbers were still kind of in the air, but the preliminary based off of the contaminant levels are all looking very good. Would you get those results in another week or two? I would hope. What about that's a guess of

PAS is marked but it doesn't have a maximum contaminant level yet. That is still a yet to be established number for TEB and EPA. So on the left side column if there's not a number for the MCL where it has NA not applicable it's because there hasn't been determined level yet. Until those come down from the state level we're not going to know what those numbers are. Um on PBOS, everybody in the state is probably going to be in the same bucket.

It's going to be bad, but that's going to hit everybody for the flow rate. There's a couple other samples, but the flow rate is the most important.

I think there's one or two more tests. There's still I can't remember exactly what they are reason we timeline. Is that what it is? Yeah. June 1. We have to purchase it contract and deposit. I guess

that's what we put into all the testing. Yes. Yeah. 60,000 probably. So it has to be closed by June 1st, right? June 15th right there.

Do we have enough time? Do you think back? You still may take the meetings to prove it. Got to be done with ordinance. I think I think we're in good shape. Even if you do the first read it, it comes back after that. Still just don't don't read it again. On the 28th, they will have something by the end of two weeks obviously. Good. We just plan on doing one reading on the 28th and the other reading on the May 12th.

Is that agreeable? I mean, I'd rather wait. Make sure it doesn't hurt to start the process. You can always cancel. Oh yeah, definitely. I mean, if we're getting a real bad, we can just do better than May. I mean, we'll still get it done in time. place. But um all right, let's get 28th and the 12th. May 12 that

very good status adjusting utility bill dates do take the action necessary that came from the that's approached me because they so they They'll get they want their bills mailed. They figure the mailing time from when the city mails the time they get them. They go the bill the bank's bill pay system entered in. They the banks a paper check. So that takes time. A lot of times by the time they get back as fast as

right. So we were talking just extend just you know what 5 days 4 days I was thinking like the 20th 15th through the 20th day

and take over the extension out there. It would change back to the 20th, but then it would be

that changes every month. Everything would change, right? Yeah. It would still be at the end of the month. They could probably be pushed back a few days, but they always do it a different day every month because of they don't do it on Mondays or Fridays. So, it might be like if they say they're always going to do it five days after the cut off is, right? But if the 22nd is a Monday, we always push 23rd.

Okay. So the 20 would be the date then mint fees began on the 21st and how many days you have Monday cut up should take it to the end of the month I think ordinance says five business days I'm pretty that's what ordinance say so we can do it five business days or any day after storage

can't be cut at the beginning of the month following. We can't do it any day from the 1st to the 10th or so because the meter readers will be running. That means I'm down two men in my crew to do the turn off. So, the turnoff always needs to be before the end of the month so that we have enough crew to staff it.

Now, yes. The ordinance also says 10 days right now currently. So I'm going to bring a new ordinance to clean that up at 10 days. Bill's due at 10 days. We're not following it right now.

I think that might be we're going to change it to the 20th. poss see if I know when I do my Duke energy bill it automatically comes out electronically if we can do that I don't know if it's

I'm just not sure if all banks would offer that and Duke is a lot bigger than us I'm thinking that's probably but I I'll check with them but there is always option they can go online they can do bank draft through us which doesn't charge a fee You know, we would pull it basically like auto pay out of their account on the 10th of every month or they can go online and pay it with a credit card or an ech of course coming in person. But there's those there's fees, right? Use a credit card has a fee and a credit card has a fee, but the bank draft does.

How's the bank draft work? always draft or something they tra we pull on like the 10th of the month. So they give us our their bank information and we pull it versus going. I personally try to stay clear while they're draft. Yeah. Because mistakes get made on the bill and the money's gone and it happens that quick and it doesn't come back that quick. Yeah. So, I mean, y'all remember the $100,000 gas bills? Yes. That would have been autographed.

Not out of my account. Mine would have been a super negative read. It's just an option. Some people do like it, but most the auto pay, not as many people on autopay just pay it after they get their bill. Yeah, I've seen a lot of people they just have different ways of doing things for their own personal reasons. But I will check and see if there's any way banks could do it faster because I mean if they or even if they just aced it to us instead of sending a physical check but I'm not sure how that would work with every bank you know like local banks we make talk to each other but if it's not local banks

well I know with Capital City I think they Duke Energy C the next day is gone but the city of a bill paper, right? Or if it depends on the bank or what kind of agreements the energy banks have, like I said, big energy is a lot bigger. So that might be why they have deal set up with them. I don't they made so much money until they made it. Yeah. Have the changes that we've made helped with the traffic and the window? What came this evening?

Well, there were times of the month where it was really backed up. Yeah. I mean, there's always times where they are busy, but we do have a third computer at the window now. So, sometimes when it gets really busy, we have an extra person working at the window that's normally in the back or either Okay. upstairs. That was one of the goals. So, that's for people using electronic things more. I always say a lot of people go on and pay.

So what the 20th work

is have to keep consideration too. If the if the bank mails the check, it can't be due on the 20th. They're gonna have to keep it backed up a little bit to a lot that time. Yeah. Yeah. I guess it wouldn't solve the issue, but it might solve the issue if they're them getting their bill, right? And then it get to us before the date. Well, everybody knows your bill's due at a certain time every month, just like every other bill they got. Sure. You shouldn't have to have a bill in their hand and know, hey, I got to pay my order bill. that the bank actually mailed a physical check to us. A lot of people last

they don't realize they actually mail us a check. So that's where there's a lot of confusion with that with that too. Yeah. It gets printed and mailed. It's that the 10 day trip, you know, to get a 10day trip one way and 10 day trip the other way. We got late by the time it gets that automatic. No, ma'am. That's bill. That's bill pay through their bank. So they can get online, they do bill pay. They set it for a day and the bank will print a check and mail it to us. That's the bill pay. That's where the when the bank I'll put in automatic trans

and they might I don't know. But that's just what they choose to do in through bill pay through their app. How that bill pay works. Did you keep the dead I mean keep the due date just not charge for late until after the 20th? Not really because you have to mail second notices. Yeah. Yeah. And then you have to when you do second notices you have to add the late feed then I guess unless you waited five extra days to do the late notices but then you're still in the same boat.

Yeah. Let's try it 20 days. See how it works out. We can always change it. We need to change it. So, okay, we're trying see if it work. I mean, if it doesn't work, change it back and then the 27 will become cut up. That won't be feasible for a lot of the months. It would actually be the 28th for the May. May 28th would actually be cut off for next month. If we changed it for next month, it would be the 28th.

So, you're just that's not feasible.

That wouldn't be feasible most because if the 28th or 27th fell on a Friday or a Saturday, we can't do the cut off for the following week and that puts us in the next month. So, that's not feasible. You tell me if there's a face. How is everybody else gives three weeks to pay every other bill I have got three weeks got date before it's considered late cut you off the computer somewhere

we have physically go to the property and turn it off by hand

say you drive the 20th or not try the 20th. We'll try. Make it hard. We have a way we can do it. We got There is a way we can do it. Little unorthodox. Put him in that situation.

He won't be me and John have discussed a route to deal with it. Is everybody okay? We're trying to go back up on that. Second

Brier Hampton. Yes. Wood. Yes. Landing. Yes. Catcher. Yes. Since we're not even following our current ordinance now, probably just going to go ahead and start the 20th for this month and get it cleaned up the next two meetings. You got time to do it. Never mind. to start next month.

Yeah, like I said, there may be some things going out of think item six. I council to discuss planning of the zoning board council take any action necessary there's a member with four attendance the board asked for y'all to consider removing that seat by somebody else

Don Perez has was sent a letter in September of 25 out of 18 meetings meetings. She had been absent from 12 when she received the letter. They didn't have a meeting in January. She didn't come in February. Wait, she's getting the wrong She was She came in October. She sent the letter in September. She came in October, but in December, they didn't have she was not there December. They had no meeting in January. She was not present February. She was present in March and she has not was not present in April. So the board is questioning, you know, they're saying that she shouldn't she be removed and find another member

if she is. Yeah. And so, you know, so now she out of 18 24 meetings, she's only attended seven. Did she give a reason or not? I'm aware of. Does she know about this? She was sent a letter in September. She know one meeting.

I'm not sure. She She gets the packets every month. Um it gets paid every month, but she has not since September she's been to one meeting. So the planning consulting board has

and and per LDR if you're out three meetings the council you all can remove them and um advertise for another or you know try to get someone is a motion on that. We need a motion on that. Yes, ma'am. Second council brought. Yes. Vice Mayor Landry. Yes. Mayor Ker.

Yes. I hated her. Yeah. We'll make sure that she's a letter. All right. She must know that September and she's been to one meeting since September, they said. And the board is the one that's asking about it. The plan only is on the board. I have a hard time getting a forum sometimes. I'm guessing yes, it can be attached. Yeah.

Agenda item 6J approval of the March 20th regular session.

A second Brian Hampton. Yes. Wood. Yes. Landry. Yeah, it's okay. Yes, you're terrible. I was asked to ask ask y'all to be at the FD GP permit meeting on 423 4 to 7 at Forest Capital Hall. They did advertise today that it's not any action that's going to be taken. It's just going to be discussion. What meeting is it about the GP permitting?

We have an issue with Perry Apartments not paying their water bill. They have two accounts with us. One of them's 9,000 pass due, no valid payment since July 2025. The other one's going to be about 6,000 pass due when it's the last payment returns again. They haven't been since 7:10 of 2025. We tried to contact the apartment. Oh, I know that. Why haven't we just It was on the do not cut off list, but there was an apartment complex. We've been trying to contact them, but we can't get a hold of any Do y'all know the water just added into the land? Yes. They pay. Yeah. The landlords aren't fans. The tenants, I'm assuming, are paying.

I'm pretty sure they are, but that's not fair. And that's why we've been hesitant to do. We don't want to cut him. I'm not asking for it to be cut off. No. Yeah. That's why that's why we're bringing it to him. We can have We got to do something.

So recently we had the code enforcement officer go out there and hand deliver it to the on manager. She took it. This was and they had until April 10th to pay with certified funds. They have not done that. So yesterday we have contacted them multiple times. We had someone that talked to the owner. They confirmed that they were the owner and when they explained the situation and that they were at risk of being disconnected, they abruptly ended the call basically. And um I've tried to contact the local office. I've tried to contact the landlord. They we've left multiple voicemails. We've emailed them. They will call they won't answer us. And I talked to um the Florida Department of A and Community Consumer Services to see if they could help and they can't. They can only help tenants. So if we do cut the water off, the tenants can complain to them.

And then something could be done to the landlord. Um and I also talked to DBRR and they can't do anything either. The health department, nothing. I haven't talked to the health department, but it from what they were telling me, the only Our only recourse really is to shut them off. What we were thinking was put notices on the doors for the tenants tenants to tell them that in a week the water's going to be cut off if their landlord doesn't pay and then if we have to just cut off the water during the day and then turn it off back at night

because we don't know how else to get their attention for the landlord. That's the sad situation. It is. And that's why we like we've been hesitant to to cut them off because it's not their fault. No. So you got two two water meters the whole facility and they're paying their rent. Yeah. their landlord's not their

but if we do end up having to cut their water off or you know they can call and we can direct them who to call to complain and they can these the state can help them with their rights as tenants but they we can't file a complaint for them is what they said they the landlord. Yeah. And so that's what they could they they would tell the state.

That's terrible. Um I hate it cuz in Georgia the landlord could get arrested, but it would be a civil um civil violation to the the tenants who are paying for their rent with water and the water is not being taken. They can like do and get those type of a relief, but it's still both not criminal. That sounds like a criminal offense to me to take the money, you know, and not like it sounds like a different type of embezzlement or misuse of funds. But, um, this is my first time hearing it, so I didn't know about it to research it. I definitely That's terrible.

It is to be charged is still not that definitely could. So when y'all looking at putting those letters on the door if y'all approved it, we were thinking to do it like tomorrow within the next day and then obviously give a week and then like I said only cut it off during the day if if we end up having to cut it off. It's just going to get worse if we don't do something. Yeah. Yeah. But I'm hoping if if we did have to cut it off, you know, that would get their attention. You want to say something?

Yeah. Y'all I I used to live down a far apartment complex some years ago. I was there for about 16 years. A lot of that used to be occupied by a lot of elderly people that had a lot of health issues. It may be worth your time to stop by and talk to the manager on site. See how bad they get affected. I don't think y'all want any deaths on your hand because of something like that. Just just a poor dog. If there's anybody that enforcement officer by I mean I mean that specific information can talk to them and say hey this may or may you may need to look at something different.

The manager lives on site she have her way to talk to yeah she know she's got elderly people that really need to shift somewhere else they may need to look at that before they become affected then you got a whole different ball game deal with. Thank you. straighten it off. That'll clear that'll clear. That will clear to punishing the people. Yeah, I don't disagree. that we just don't know where else.

At this point, we have to make a decision because if somebody else decides they don't want to pay their water bill because they're not going to get affected by it, then what are we going to do to them? We have to do something. Giving them a week to make sure that they pay this on time is about the only option we have. It's the only leverage we really have left on it. We've already tried the option of visiting the property. We've already tried to contact the property owner. They're refusing to make any contact with us. And how long has this been going on? July. Well, on one of their accounts, they made a payment in November that cleared. On the other account, they haven't made a payment since July. And they're behind how much?

Technically $9,000, but I expect their other payment to get returned because it was a check. It wasn't by certified funds like and it it they've been getting returned. I I expect to know within a day or two. Cody, how much was the last check that you expected to get return? $5,668.

How much is the last one? About same. about one second I can tell you 415021 it's basically every month they're just paying what they owe and then it gets returned

going so what's their monthly water bills about no it's normally closer to like a thousand it's just that say a thousand on one and then 8 to 800 to a,000 on another. It's just that they've been accumulating month after month. Turn chicks.

Two accounts. There's two accounts, but they're not both. They're combined eight. No, they're both 8.800. They're both 800 to 1,800 per situation. We've never had this issue before. aware

you know if they put you put the notice up a department gets enough complaints and they start pushing the people maybe they'll come up with money. Yeah. Best we can hope for at this point. If they're paying their rent where is the money going? Yeah. I know. I was surpris I mean I really thought when we sent the code enforcement officer out there and they signed for the letter that John sent that yeah that they would pay the tenants probably have no idea what bill I get paid

well resolution you make it two weeks instead of one week you have a meeting in two weeks so you have a choice to revisit post notices though. Yes. Notice two weeks instead of one and you're meeting here in two weeks. So you'll know in two weeks whether or not they paid a decision then it two weeks worth too. Yeah. Two weeks time bill. It also gives more time to contact the state. and I'll put that on the notice that they can contact the state

and the health department. We attended that good idea there for the next meeting. I think addresses Thomas's concerns as well. Addresses Thomas's concerns as well. Give him two weeks to make other arrangements. Yes. Right. situations. John. Yeah.

Okay. Any else? All right.

I I do have one thing is responding to the article that was in the newspaper. I want to put the bene that would have unified the 19 corridor, the gateway into the city of Perry to rest. Uh, and to correct all the untrue information I've heard or read, the banners at no point would have cost the city $15,000. Nor would it have cost the city $30,000. the quotes John and I received from there six banners at the cost of 6,745. All right. The breakfast would have been a total of $630 which would have been a total of $7,375. No one knows the actual cost because there are no prior use. Nor do we know who would have received the award for the batteries. Yep. Who the project? Okay. Have you been a police job? There's 19 Street.

It's a long draw process with FD. Yeah. How much long it was going to be. What do they call it? Community aesthetic. It's called something look like Chinese.

It's it's a lot. Yeah. But you get cooking process. That's how we cook on 191. But any anyway, I want to ask you all to add a historic downtown Berry with an arrow saying left it next that take us to historic downtown area. That's the reason for putting these closer into town.

Yep. very kind his best war. Yeah. 19 is have to change it for the one coming. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you.

I just want to say things are looking so much better. Just everything looks really good. We've got a lot of a lot of pruning going on in our neighborhood. But um everything is looking so much better. I appreciate all the work hard work. Thank you. I agree. looking starting. Very important. That's all. Daniel, was there anything that we could ever do about how dark it is in that subdivision on the court?

I did have the police department, as a matter of fact, the other night right through. Yeah, there was. And he said on that like there is a couple of areas on both of those, but the street lights when I measured them, there's a couple that are like 400 ft apart. I think part of the problem um is the trees and all the um limbs and stuff that's hanging or well it's just all the oak trees.

I think that blocks some of the lights too. I mean, I'm not sure. I haven't, you know, I had had them ride just to make sure there were no bulbs out, but I have went and looked at where each pole is, and I think on Laour there was a couple that was like 400 ft apart. I didn't think to bring that info. Okay. I forgot. But, um, you know, our policy for street lights is

300 ft. So, I mean, I guess that would be and then the other issue would be if you all decided to add extra lights, we would also have to get with Duke Energy because just because there's a pole there don't mean they can add a light to it. That's the other issue. But it might help some, but um I have emailed them about about adding brighter lights, but I do know like on Laor and on Bolum, those oak trees are just I mean, which they're gorgeous, but

they do block some of the light. They're not blocking the light itself, but they're lock blocking just Yeah. from it shining, I guess, further.

Yes. Um, if you're sending the ethics training website,

I'd like for our attorney to take this information on this of the department and come back here and tell us what the package is. And then we'll put it in a contract regarding prospect the other apartment complex the prospect. Yeah. earlier. Thank you everybody for your hard work.