City Commission - Regular Meeting

Heat. Heat.

Hey, hey, hey.

Hey, hey, hey. Heat. Hey, Heat. everybody. Very good. Let's go ahead and call this PMPA Beach City Commission meeting to

order. April 14th, 20126. Um, before we get started, could I ask everyone to please silence your cell phones or turn them on vibrate uh during the meeting? That would be appreciated so we don't get some disruption from phone calls. So, please silence those cell phones. Thank you. Let's go ahead and call the RO. Commissioner Fezic here. Commissioner Perkins here. Commissioner Seersonen eaten here. Commissioner Smith here. Vice Mayor Forier here. Mayor Harton

here. Our invocation today will be given by Rabbi Zivy Decker from the Shabbad of North Broward Beaches. Can we all please rise for the invocation followed by the pledge and Rabbi can you please keep in your prayers special prayers for Nancy Matear Bowen from Coral Springs who recently passed away.

Thank you. Almighty God, we stand before you in prayer. First, we ask you, Almighty God, to please bring world peace and an end to all wars. We ask that you look favorably upon the mayor and the honorable members of the city council of our great city of PMPO Beach. We beseech you, almighty and merciful God, to extend your grace to each and every member of the Sagos body and bestow upon them the joy of life, good health, and prosperity. Bless these distinguished individuals who have been chosen to make laws and decisions for our citizens of our city. Grant these public servants wisdom and understanding in their noble pursuit of justice and equality. Give them guidance so that they will be conscious of your presence and will strive to enact laws with honesty and integrity and in accordance with your will. May they have wisdom to turn adversity into opportunity and to transform the hard challenges that we all face to the seeds from which will sprout forth the growth of tomorrow. Amen. Thank you. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you. All right. Let's see. Can I get a motion approving the special city commission meeting minutes of March 3rd, 2026? So moved. Second. Moved and second. All in favor say I. I. Opposed. Motion carries unanimous. Can I get a motion approving the city commission workshop minutes of March 19th, 2026? So moved. Second. Moved and seconded. All in favor say I. I. I. Opposed. Motion carries unanimous. Also, can I get a motion approving the regular city commission meeting minutes of March 24th, 2026? So moved. Second. And second. And all in favor say I. I. Opposed. Motion carries unanimous. Miss Cibil, are there any changes to our agenda this evening? No, mayor. No changes.

Can I get a motion app to approve the agenda as printed? So moved. Second. Second. All in favor say I. I.

Opposed. Motion carries unanimous. Thank you. On our consent agenda this evening, we're pulling items number five and six for individual discussion. So five and six will will be pulled for discussion. All other items on the consent agenda will be eligible for discussion during audience to be heard. All right, that takes us up to our proclamations. We have several today. Uh, starting with National Poetry Month, followed by Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Month, followed by National Autism Acceptance Month, followed by Architecture Week, and followed by Water Conservation Month. Be right over here at the podium over here. All right. All right. The first is National Poetry Month. Anyone who wants to join me down here to celebrate poetry in our beautiful city, come on down. And we got some talented people in the city of Pmpo Beach. All right. Come on down. Good afternoon. Sure. All right. Comes Octavia. Rodri's. Okay. Anybody else? Come on down. A lot of people interested in the arts. Well, actually, I guess all of us are probably interested in the arts. We should be. All right, let's get started. Whereas National Poetry Month is celebrated each April across the United States as the largest literary celebration in the world, engag engaging tens of millions

of readers, students, educators, librarians, publishers, and poets in recognizing the importance of poetry in our society. And whereas National Poetry Month was was established in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets to increase awareness and appreciation of poetry, encourage the reading and writing of poems, and highlight the contributions of poets throughout history. And whereas throughout the month of April, schools, libraries, bookstores, and cultural institutions host readings, workshops, festivals, and educational programs that foster creativity, literacy, and community engagement through the written and spoken word. And whereas poetry serves as a powerful form of artistic expression that inspires imagination, preserves cultural heritage, strengthens emotional connection, and provides a meaningful way for individuals to share their voices and experiences. And whereas initiatives such as poem in your pocket day, poem a day programs, and local community poet poetry events held during the year, including poetry jam and exit 33 36 slam poetry festival, encourage residents of all ages to engage with poetry and celebrate its role in enriching daily life. And whereas the city of PMPO Beach is committed to promoting arts, culture, and lifelong learning opportunities that enhance the quality of life for residents and visitors alike. Now therefore, I, Rex Harden, mayor of city of Pmpo Beach, on behalf of the entire city commission and residents of the city of Pmpo Beach, do hereby proclaim April 2026 as poetry month in the city of Pmpo Beach and encourage all residents to celebrate by reading, writing, and sharing poetry and by participating in local literary and cultural activities that honor this timeless art form done this 14th day of April, 2026. Very nice. Congratulations to everyone who is a poet or wants to be a poet and and in celebrates poetry.

Thank you very much. Care to say a few words? Yes. Hey, you poet running for your life. Stand still and know that I am God like my mother and my father. I am you. Hey, you hear me above the noise deeper than the wounds of trauma. Hear me. You are healed and healing on your knees. Assume no position higher than knees. Bent in servitude. You have a higher calling. Good mornings. I lived on after dying a million times and still rising. Maya Angelo poetic justice in the slums of Pompo. Exit 36 between Atlantic and Martin. Having a dream death walking the streets. I live on. I live on. I dream on the boulevard of no return. Watch the Lazarus effect. You possess the ability to speak things into existence. Poet heavy double scoops. Extra sauce. Dread lock changed brighter days. You stand on the opportunity of a lifetime. And I know you see it, but you're scared. And I understand. But don't listen to the doubt. Listen to me. Understand things are as you say they are poet. Just open your eyes and see. I want to thank the city of Pompo for acknowledging National Poetry Month and the poets. But I want to leave with this quote by a great literature man James Bowwin who said poets and finally are the last truth tellers. And by poets, I mean all artists, the DJs, the singers, the the musicians. You are the truth tellers of our society.

Tell the truth. Thank you all for this acknowledgement of National Poetry Month and I appreciate you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you to everyone who's involved in the arts out there. Appreciate that.

All right. Next up, we've got Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Month. Let's see. Um, let's see. We've got Brad Campbell. Brad, are you here? Oh, here you come. Okay. Very good. All right. Also, we got uh from the Michael and Dion Diane Ben's comprehensive care center. Very good. Thank you. Thank you all for being here. Whereas head and neck cancers include cancers of the mouth, throat, voice box, sinuses, salivary glands, and other areas of the head and neck affecting tens of thousands of Americans each year. And whereas approximately 70,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with head and neck cancer annually, and early detection and treatment significantly improve survival rates and quality of life. And whereas increased public awareness, education, and regular screenings play a critical role in prevention, early detection, and improved outcomes for individuals diagnosed with head and neck cancer. And whereas health care professionals, researchers, adv advocacy organizations, survivors, and caregivers work tirelessly to advance treatment, support patients and families, and promote public understanding of these diseases. And whereas the city of Pmpo Beach recognizes the importance of supporting efforts that educate residents about the signs and symptoms of head and neck cancers and encourages community members to take proactive steps towards towards detection and early diagnosis. Now therefore, I, Rex Harden, mayor of the city of Pmpo Beach, on behalf of the entire city commission and residents, do hereby proclaim the month of April 2026 as head and neck cancer awareness month in the city of PMPO Beach and urge all residents to learn about the risk factors, recognize early warning signs, and support those affected by the disease and promote awareness throughout

our community. Done this 14th day of April, 2026. Brad, thank you so much for accepting this proclamation. Would you care to say a few words?

Thank you. Uh, thank you, Mr. Mayor, Vice Mayor, Commissioners. Uh, I humbly accept this proclamation not on my behalf, but for everyone that is, uh, fighting or has fought this awful disease. Uh, I am living proof that there that it can be beat. I'm one of the lucky ones and I couldn't go without my angels back here from Holy Cross Hospital. Um, I do call them that because they helped me get through this. So, um, one thing I'll say is if you feel something, say something and everything. That's what helped me. I found a little lump in my neck and um, my doctor sent me right to uh, get testing done and luckily we called it early and that's why I wear the tattoo I wear because I am a survivor. So, um, thank you so much. I made it through without crying amazingly. So, but, uh, thank you. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you.

Let's all get in here together. That's it. Oh, more people. Okay, more people coming down. Yes.

All right. Very good. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you, sir. appreciate. Thanks. Thank you, Brad. Living proof that it works. All right. Next up, we've got National Autism Acceptance Month.

All right. We got Margie and family. Margie. Marty. Come on down. All right. Whereas Autism Acceptance Month is observed each year in April with April 2nd recognized as World Autism Awareness Day by the United Nations. both designed to foster greater understanding, acceptance, and inclusion of individuals on the autism spectrum. And whereas autism or a autism spectrum disorder ASD is a broad spectrum of differences in social interaction, communication, behavior, and sensory processing. These differences are not defects, but unique ways of experiencing and interacting with the world. Ways that should be understood, respected, and supported. And whereas people with autism face may face challenges navigating environments that are not always designed to meet their needs, with understanding, appropriate support, and early intervention, individuals with autism can lead fulfilling, productive, and successful lives. And whereas National Autism Acceptance Month is supported by the Autism Society of America, which has local chapters throughout the United States, as well as organizations like Responding to Autism, Inc. here in PMPO Beach. Together, these organizations support special events throughout April and lead initiatives that promote understanding, acceptance, and awareness of autism. And whereas we must move beyond awareness of autism and foster true acceptance, creating communities where individuals of all abilities are embraced, celebrated, and given equal

opportunities to thrive. Now therefore, I, Mayor Rex Harden, on behalf of the entire commission and residents of the city of Pmpo Beach, recognize and proclaim the month of April 2026 as autism acceptance month and encourage all residents to engage in meaningful conversations, increase their knowledge, and extend their support to the autism community on this 14th day of April, 2026. Yes. Thank you. Thank you, Margie. Would you care to say a few words?

Good afternoon. Thank you, mayor, vice mayor, commissioners, Mark, assistant city manager. Um, we're thrilled to be back here again in April to recognize autism acceptance month. Um, the amazing people over here, y'all need to know this is Krice. Katrice is our new director of our therapeutic department in Parks and Wreck. She's brand new and she's kind of awesome. Um, Ally Ally is incredibly awesome. And y'all, Ally is responsible for my son's hairdo today, so don't be writing notes about me. I didn't do this. You have the incredible Kyle there. Um um he needs no introduction, but the head of our team and the love of my life, Martin Hedland, Senior. Um and my amazing boys. This is Martin and Dalton. They are 19 years old. They were diagnosed with autism when they were two and a half. Um we've done some amazing things in this community. the folks that run this program. 5 days a week in the city of PMPO Beach, adults with special needs can find something fun to do. Pickle golf, tennis, water aerobics, horseback riding, we have it. And all of most of these programs are free. Most all all um as a family, we train first responders how to communicate with people with autism. As a family, we've trained over 10,000 first responders. We're very proud of that. But I'm going to tell you a new and real quick story. Martin Hedland Jr., this young man, he started off in a PMPO Beach elementary school non-verbal. Um, he couldn't speak and a lot of things were told to us that he would never do. You know, it was going to be a rough life, but we didn't give up. He had amazing educators here in Broward County. And then we found the programs in the city of Pompo Beach that he would go to, right? Pretty cool. He graduated high school. He's now attending college part-time. And y'all, he works for you. He's a part-time employee in the parks and recck department, in the therapeutic

department. He's now helping people with special needs. And I'll leave you with this. The coolest thing is some of the people that attend these programs, they're caregivers. I've met them and they're like, "Oh, your son is so wonderful. He's so nice to my son." And I say, "Well, you know, Martin has autism." And they go, "Oh, we didn't want to say anything." And that gives them hope, right? Look at this kid. Look at this city, this community. So, thank you guys. Thank you so much. Is that the right one? Yep. That's And y'all can come down and get in this photo, too, ladies. Come on. Everybody's welcome. Get in the photo. Come on down.

I just guilted you came for the other one. Sorry. Come on. The more the marrier. Here, Martin, you want to hold it, babe? You hold it. I'm the short one. Get in. I'm like you. I'm like you. Everybody's taller than my husband. Not me.

Thank you guys so much. Have a good day. Thank you. You guys.

All right. Next up, we've got architecture week. I think uh Stacy Stacy point, are you here? Or or as many architects or architect supporters as would like to show up, come on down. This is the right one. Very good. How you doing? How we doing? Very good. Very good. Good seeing you. Yes. Wow. We got a whole crowd here. Bunch of people. Very good. as always.

All right. Whereas architecture plays a vital role in shaping the communities where we live, learn, work, and gather, influencing the safety, health, and quality of life of residents throughout the city of PMPO Beach. And whereas the American Institute of Architects, AIA, represents architects committed to advancing design excellence, innovation, and responsible stewardship of the built environment. And whereas AIA Fort Lauderdale, a local chapter of the American Institute of Architects serving Broward County, promotes the value of architecture through education, community engagement, and professional leadership. And whereas during architecture week, April 13th through the 17th, architects across the nation celebrate the importance of design and the positive role architecture plays in creating vibrant, resilient, and inclusive communities. And whereas as part of architecture week, AIA Fort Lauderdale will host an educational program at Blanchely High School in PMPO Beach, where architects will engage students through a panel discussion and an interactive trivia style knowledge game designed to introduce young people to careers in architecture and the design professions. And whereas this program highlights the work and experiences of minority minority architects and design professionals, offering students the opportunity to see representation within the profession and encouraging future generations to pursue careers that shape the built environment. And whereas architecture refle reflects the cultural identity and aspirations of our communities and promotes thoughtful development, sustainability, and community well-being within the city of PMPO Beach. And whereas the city of Pmpo Beach recognizes architects and design professionals as contributors contributors to the character, resilience, and vitality of our neighborhoods. Now, therefore, I Rex Harden on behalf of the entire city commission and residents of the city of

PMPO Beach to hereby proclaim April 13th through the 17th, 2026 as architecture week in the city of Pmpo Beach. We are calling upon all citizens to celebrate architecture and the essential role architects play in shaping our city and our future. on this 14th day of April, 2026. Indeed, architects uh make architects and design professionals make us all think about things and have a better life. Stacy here, say a few words.

I'll keep it short and sweet because while everyone else is asking for a month, we're only asking for a week. April 13th through the 17th. Um so mayor, vice mayor, commissioners, assistant city manager and attorney, thank you all so much for proclaiming this week architecture week. Um we do a lot of work centered at Elely High School and as you've mentioned or as you heard, we are closing out architecture week with an interactive trivia style game at the school this week. So we also have um esteemed professors and um magnet coordinator from Elely High School also with us here to accept this proclamation. So, thank you all again and um thank you.

Very good. Thank you. Appreciate it. Absolutely. For sure. Yeah. Let's take a photo of us. Hey, we appreciate apolog.

All right. Very good. Thank you all. Appreciate it. Thank you so much. Thank you. Appreciate all you guys do. Keep up the good work.

All right. Next up, last but not least, we've got water conservation month. If I can be joined up here. Let's see. We're going to have, well, first off, we got Fred Seagull from the Broward Soil and Water Conservation Commission, elected countywide here in Broward County, along with our very own very own official for our water department. All right. Whereas water is essential to all life and is the foundation of our community's well-being, economy, and environment. And whereas population growth and increasing water demands have made fresh water a finite and valuable resource. And whereas clean, safe, and sustainable water resources and supplies are more critical than ever for the long-term resilience of PMPO Beach and all of Florida. And whereas the city of Pmpo Beach actively engaged its residents and businesses in conservation efforts through education, incentives, and water saving practices. And whereas the city of Pmpo Beach and the state of Florida have designated April, one of Florida's driest months, as water conservation month to educate residents on best practices to help save Florida's precious water resources. And whereas every individual, business, and organization play a vital role in water conservation, promoting a resilient economy and a thriving community. Now therefore, I Rex Harden mayor on behalf of the entire city commission and residents do hereby proclaim April 2026 as water conservation month in the city of PMPO Beach and urge all residents, businesses and institutions to adopt water saving practices, educate others, and support initiatives that protect our most precious resource for future generations during this 28th 28th annual water conservation month done this 14th day of April 2026. Thank you so much for for protecting our water resources and making sure the water is here for our future generations. Who who here to say a couple of words? Ray, why don't you speak up first?

Good afternoon, everybody. First, I would like to thank the Pompo City Commission and the city staff for the great job they do on getting the word out about water conservation and water resources. You've got some great programs here in Pompo and just everybody needs to be thanked and recognized for it. And actually, I'm going to be coming back at another one of your meetings to present the city with a plaque from the Soil and Water Conservation District for the efforts that Pompo Beach has made to promote water conservation in Broward County.

Very good. Well, thank you, Fred. There it is. Okay.

So, Renuka Muhammad, utilities director for the city of Pompu. Um, the city has demonstrated strong leadership through programs that improve efficiency, reduce waste, and expand the use of reclaimed water. These efforts have reduced the per capita water use from approximately 170 to 141 gallons per person per day over the last 10 years, reflecting the success of ongoing conservation and reuse initiatives. Today I would like to share the spotlight of one of the programs that we have and again it starts with education with the youths and through the school programs. So through the AWWA we had the drop saver as art contest March uh promotes the importance of water conservation in the students homes. They have to submit an entry showing a slogan drawing a combination of water conservation ideas. Five divisions from kindergarten through 12th grade. Post is a judge on water conservation theme and artistic ability. We had outreach to nine elementary schools, three middle schools and two high schools in the city of PMPO Beach. We got participation from Cypress Elementary and PMPO Beach High. Our local winners were sub submitted to the state finals and we're awaiting those final decisions. But in the meantime, our division three winner was Fernando A. fourth grade Cypress Elementary and division five winner for the city of Pompo was 10th grade PMPO Beach High School Madison B. Thank you.

Very nice. Thank you. Yes.

Let's get a photo here. Here we go. All right. All right. That takes us up to presentation. Presentation of the city of Pmpo Beach audit results for the ann of the annual con comprehensive financial report for the fiscal year ended September 30th 2025 conducted by Citroen Coopermanman and Company LLP independent certified public accountants. Miss Fittata.

Good afternoon mayor, commissioners. Allison Fittado, finance director. The Florida statute chapter 218.39 requires the city to conduct an annual financial audit of its financial statements which is prepared by the finance department. Today we have our auditors from Citroen Coopermanman, Mr. Sardu Meticulus along with his team um Mr. Samuel Sofa So Joseph sorry and Isra aliham um to present the audit results. Before they present, I would like to also extend my sincere appreciation to my finance team and to all city departments who assisted us with our audit and to help make this the 14th year with no audit findings on our financial statement. So I would like to acknowledge my finance team.

All right. Yes. there. I would also like to present to the commission the medallion that we receive um for submission to the GFO for certificate of excellent for a financial statement for 2024.

All right. Very good. Our financial statement along with our single audit um financials will be located on the city website tomorrow. And with that I will now present um our auditor Mr. Sardu partner with Citrum Kushamin to do his presentation. Thank you. All right. Thank you.

Thank you Allison. Good afternoon everyone. Um and thanks for the opportunity to present the audit results of the city. My name is Sergeant Matillis. I served as the engagement manager, engagement partner on the engagement. Um we're required under professional auditing standards to communicate certain matters related to the audit. What I'm presenting now is our final AU communication. is the three-page document that summarizes key elements of our responsibilities, the scope of the audit, and the results of our work. As relates to accounting practices and significant estimates, management is responsible for selecting and applying accounting policies and there were no significant accounting policies adopted this year. The most sensitive estimates, accounting estimates we reviewed include the OPED liability under Gazsby 75, net pension liabilities under GASB68, and riskrelated liabilities including potential future claims or losses. We evaluated each of these estimates by assessing management's assumptions, methodologies, and related disclosures, and we found them to be reasonable, supportable, and consistently applied. In regards to audit results and quality of information provided, we encountered no difficulties in dealing with management and preparing our audit. There were no corrected misstatements and no findings to report. I want to take a moment to recognize Allison, Patricia, and the finance team for that. This is a strong indication of their commitment to sound, accurate financial reporting and maintaining solid internal controls. Moving on to management representation and consultations. We obtained a signed representation from management at the conclusion of our audit dated March 25th, 2026. Management did not consult with any

other accounting firms for second opinions on any matters that we are aware of. In summary, this was a very clean audit with strong results across financial reporting, compliance, and internal controls. Moving on to the financial statements of the city. I know the acter document is a very large document. So what I'll do is kind of help um commission digest the the the volume of the document. So we'll start with page one through four. This is our audit report. This belongs to us as the auditors. We issued an unmodified opinion. That's the highest level of assurance that we can provide as the external auditor. So the city commission and management can feel confident in the numbers being presented in the financial statements and you can feel confident they are fairly stated and kudos to finance team again for for achieving that for sound financial reporting. So moving on to the management discussion and analysis that'll be found on pages 5 through 19 of the report. The purpose of this is to discuss management's narrative of the city's financial performance and condition written to help the users of the financial statements understand what happened during the year and why. It bridges operations and the financial statements and it explains trends, changes and drivers, not just the numbers. The MDNA explains the story behind the numbers and highlights the the issues leadership should be aware of. So, moving on to the basic financial statements. The basic financial statements are found on pages 20 through pages 38 of the report. Um, let's go in over to page 24, which is where the results of the general fund for the city is located.

So, here the general fund your total assets of 86.8 8 million total liabilities of 5.7 million. And if you go to page 27, this is the income statement of the governmental funds. And we have the general fund with the total revenues of 234.5 million, total expenses of 216.8 million, which resulted in a net change positive of 1.6 million. So the beginning of the year you started with a fund balance of 79.2 million and you ended the year with 80 million.8 for the general fund. Let's now move on to the notes to the financial statements. So pages 39 through pages 110 are the notes to the financial statements. The purpose here is the policy decisions, the assumptions, details and risks that are that sit behind the financial statements. They answer what the numbers include, how was it measured, what assumptions or risks that are not obvious on the face of the financial statements. Overall, it provides context to the numbers. Now, moving on to your compliance report. This is a separate document. We're just going to focus on page 10 of that document. It's a quick snapshot that shows the summary of audit results. Um again with the financial statements unmodified opinion and no findings to report. And also here on your federal awards there are no grant findings. Um as the auditors we audited one federal grant and two state. Um and overall no no issues to report. So with that, I'd like to open the floor for any questions you may have.

Very good. Thank you for the presentation. Appreciate the uh the audit work. Also, any questions of our auditor by the commission? Anybody? No. Well, thank you very much. I appreciate the presentation. Just I do just out of curiosity. Um I mean, you you guys you know what you're doing and all that kind of stuff. So would you consider a a string of un you know string of 14 uh yearly audits being coming back with no findings. Would you consider that common?

I I I consider that to be exceptional. um based on my career and the cities that I've audited um for over 15 years, it it's it's not common to have 14 years straight of unmodified opinions and also having no findings on your um in your financial statements. It shows that you have strong internal controls and the information that's being provided to the auditors is sufficient for us to proceed with um concluding and again with the 14 years that you mentioned I know that entails other multiple firms that are looking at the report. So that further shows that there's um solid controls in place and and again I think it's an exceptional

Very good. Thank you for that. I appreciate it. Our staff does a pretty good job. Thank you. Just just wanted to get your opinion on that. Thank you so much. Appreciate it. Thank you for the presentation and thank you for the good work. All right, thank you for the opportunity. All right, that takes us up to audience to be heard. Do we have anyone signed up for audience to be heard, Mr. Alfred? Yes, we do. Mayor, we have a total of eight speakers.

Okay, first speaker, Ed Phillips, followed by Cheryl Small, followed by Michael Severki. Ed Phillips. I'm gonna try to be quick. Ed Phillips, 384 Northwest 19th Street, PMPO Beach, Florida. You know, as I came in, I heard the I heard the rabbi say adversity into opportunity. And so, may I have a couple of considerations here? I like as the budget is extended for BSO. Um, and once again, it's it's my opinion, my suggestion. I would like to see the city um ask them to or you guys to consider um uh pricing consideration when BSO does u police work for nonprofit organizations in the city of PMPO. I think what happens now is based on their current rate, they actually price small nonprofit organizations out of being able to do work in the city of PMPO. They're just too high. So, what I ask is that you consider in your amendments, if there are any amendments, uh, differentiation in pricing whenever they do stuff for folks who live here. Because what happens, it almost amounts to double taxation. We pay taxes for them to to to do their job. Then we turn around and pay taxes for them to watch out for us for nonprofit organizations. Having said that, on to the next thing. Mayor commissioners, I am very very um concerned about this DEI initiative that is being put forth by the state. I would hope that uh should first of all, I think it is mean-spirited and vindictive. I think it is counterproductive to progress. I think that um it is more regressive than progressive. And I think that if it is

implemented that we have smart enough people around here to feel figure out how to do a workaround because if we do something like that, I look at the progress we've made in our city over the years. And if we were to look at and implement what these folks are talking about, I think that we would take a a backst step not only historically but progressively for all of us in our community. And so, mayor uh and I even looked at the the young man who was with uh and I know he's not a DEI hire, but this is how folks perceived. We may not have had the quality of people that we have around here uh should we uh begin to move forward with what they're talking about. Now, on to the next thing. 10th Street and MLK Boulevard. I'm very, very proud of the city of what they did with 10th Street and MLK Boulevard because they paved it. They did it up. They they they fixed up the drainage system, but what is cynically humorous to me is that they did some excellent paving work for for the road itself. They didn't go far enough, but they did very good. Um the next thing affordable housing may be real quick. We did Canel Point. Uh the city the CRA uh the square footage was about 1,100, 1200. We do not have to have houses that are 1,500 and 2,000 and 3,000 square foot in this community. Let's make some houses for young families to live in. not multif family housing. Thank you.

Good. Thank you, sir. Next speaker, Cheryl Small, I guess. Name and address for the record.

Good afternoon, mayor, vice mayor, commissioners, assistant, city manager, as well as city attorney. My name is Cheryl Swain Small, Northwest 6th Street and 3rd Avenue. I am here today in regards to uh coach Melvin Randall and thank you for the moment and time to express our concerns and want to be able to from a perspective of the many alumni and families and civic partners. We've come together in regards to um honoring one of PMPO Beach's influential yet un unspoken gentle leaders in PMPO Beach, which is Coach Melvin Randall. For more than three decades, Coach Randall has been more than just a championship basketball coach. He's been a mentor. He's been a steady guide and a builder of young men. He has worked and shaped not only those athletes as athletes. He's been uh he's shaped them as fathers, professionals, and communities leaders. His impact is woven into the fabric of Pompo Beach and his influence continues to impact them throughout their lives. It is well known and documented that communities that drive that thrive are when they honor those leaders, those silent individuals who have served and commit their lives to a lifelong achievements and commitments to the city. This year, the pillars of foundation of excellence, which is a nonprofit organization, we recognize individuals whose leadership strengthen communities has selected Coach Randall for induction. This honor is reserved for those who whose service, character, and long-term commitment impact and rise above the achievement alone. It acknowledges individuals who have elevated shaped lives and futures and enhance the community that they serve. Coach Randall embodies all of those uh

missions. He has been a stabilizing force force for youth, a champion for academic accountability and a model of discipline and integrity. His players often speak to him speak about him not only as a coach but as a mentor as someone who expected excell excellence in every aspect of their lives in the community in the classroom and most importantly for them at that time of their lives on the court. His leadership has brought pride to the city of Pompo Beach through the seven championships and via countless young men who credit him for changing the trajectory of their lives. I have 24 seconds. Let me get to this today. I simply want to share the magnitude of his of this event with you and to extend a heartfelt invitation to the mayor, vice mayor, commissioners, assistant and the city manager and the city attorney. We are going to have a gayla at the east uh at the EPAT Lens Center on May 29th um um at 7 at 6:30 PM. Thank you.

Very good. Thank you. And I got your letter letter last week. I've got it sitting on my desk. Yes. Thank you. I hope you all can attend. Thank you. Next speaker. I'm take this. Michael Sverski.

Michael Scverki, 16:30 Southwest 5th Avenue. Uh, first things first, number nine on this uh, that's coming up. I know we can't talk about it because you have to wait for it to come up. Why isn't it number one? Okay, because this is extremely controversial. Extremely controversial. So, I noticed that this being this is always being pushed to the back when either nobody's here or I don't I I don't go on these Facebooks and stuff, but I don't see anybody really talking about it. Um, this should be the first thing up that is discussed so people actually get to see who is voting yes on this. And right now we have one strong no who I never agree with Rhonda but she is 100% 100% correct but I know I can't talk about it. We have a weak no and all the rest of you that vote yes. All I got to say is you do not deserve to be up here if you vote for this at all. The other thing the other thing um is about parking. the um the military parking spots, you know how they're in the parks and all these other places. Um one thing about going to all these places like I've done for years, it's not just knowing the parks, it's knowing who is in the parks. And I have an idea where the city should make up stickers for people that are that were in the military, period, should be the only ones parking in those spots. Okay? because we have already caught a few people that were not in the military that park in these spots. That's called stolen valor. One of the people that was caught, obviously I can't use specific words, but he was parking in one of the spots. And it's one you you should respect anybody that was in the military, but then if you fought in war,

then that's really somebody you need to respect. And this person found out another person was using a parking spot, the military spot, who was not in war. And he confronted that person. You know what the person that was confronted said? Because the guy that was in the military was was an airline p a pilot and fought in the Gulf War and who lost 15 friends in the Gulf War. So he told him that and the guy said to him, "Well, that's 15 less people that can park in that parking spot." So those are some of the ignoramises that are stealing the spots of people that should only be in that spot and those are former military. What I would suggest is the parking manager start handing out tickets left and right. Now, not in 10 seconds, now. Right now. And prove it that you actually are a military vet. If not, you will have to pay the ticket. And if what you can do is h they all the people can get stickers stating, you know, John Smith, military vet, and he can get a sticker to put on his car so they'll know to leave him alone. But if you're a liar, give him the max.

Very good. Thank you, sir. Appreciate it. Next speaker,

Mary Phillips, followed by Carol Isman, followed by Thomas Dull. My name is Mary Phillips. I live at 384 Northwest 19th Street in Pompo Beach. I just wanted to make the community aware that we're having a South Florida grant writing workshop on April the 25th from 9 to 5:00 pm for any uh nonprofit business or other organization who would like to know how to prepare and present um grants. There's an opportunity for you to learn. It will come with a booklet. It's going to be a sixh hour um event which means that you're going to get a lot of information and your takeaway is a booklet as well as as a list of different grants that you could apply for. Now on the other hand, I just want to announce that I am candidate for district 4 commissioner. Unlike my two opponents, I am not a career politician. My interest is in helping my community. And my motto is trust, integrity, and vision. And it's important that the city works with the community to resolve some of the issues that we have. And we should make it easy for our citizens to get involved and for our nonprofits and our businesses to prosper. Uh, as I've told many people on several occasions, I pay my tax receipt every single year. When RFPs go out, they should come to me automatically. I should not have go to go looking for them. And as for nonprofits, we don't get a whole lot of support from the city. In fact, it's becoming worse. So, we need to figure out ways to help our nonprofits because they serve a tremendous purpose in this community, especially when it comes to dealing with homelessness,

dealing with our senior citizens, mental health, and helping our children. The other thing is I don't want another 30 years to go by before I see MLK Boulevard developed. We need to move forward and move forward efficiently. And there should be transparency in government. And we all need to learn how to work together for a better PMPO Beach. Anybody who's interested in for this workshop can stop by my office if they want to sign up to attend again Saturday, April 25th, right here in Pompo Beach from 9 to 5:00. And if you would like to have a discussion with me about the city and what things you think we should have going on in the city, please feel free to stop by my office. I have always had an open door policy. Many people in this community have come to my office with their concerns and I've tried to help them as best as I can and if I can't help them, I try to direct them to somebody who can. So once again, my motto, trust, integrity, and vision. And I want to know what the people of Pompo Beach's vision is for their community. Not just the Northwest, but the entire community. I'm a stakeholder in both district 5 and in district 4. I own a property in district 5 and I live in district 4. Thank you.

Thank you. Next speaker.

Good afternoon, commissioners. My name is Carol Eisman. I live at 4020 West Palm Air Drive, 33069. I come here today on behalf of all of the residents that we have and even visitors that live in this the city of Pompo Beach that are handicapped either walking on canes, use wheelchairs or walkers and whatever. And also mothers with strollers that would love to go to our beautiful beach and to go down to the water. And as of now, they don't have this capability because they can't walk on the sand. And by the way, I want to give special recognition to Commissioner Smith for kind of pushing me uh with an idea that I had mentioned to her about this uh some time ago and bringing it back and encouraged me to do the work on this again, which was to check out something called Moby Mats. And you can go on the website and you can check them out. These are mats that people can walk on. They're the one that we're looking at would start at the street almost that street and goes almost to the water. We are not new at this. By the way, Miami has three. The total number that go to actually to the water of these MOI mats um in different cities that I've been able to get that go to the water are over 25. Now, this is all up and down the state. Um and there are some that don't go to the water, but the ones that we're looking at would go to the water. Um I did contact the company. I've been working with them. I did get an estimate, a

written estimate of which I have provided to Commissioner Smith and to Commissioner Fess because this is in her district. Um, I have to say this came about because my significant other is handicapped. He walks with a cane. He's a veteran. His one foot is shorter than the other, so he wears a permanent boot. He loves the water. He would give anything. He said, "Please, if you get this through," he said, "I got to be one of the first." Um, so all I can say is, "We know what the cost is. It's a little over $13,000, and I don't want it for next year. Let's do it this year. People out there that really want to go to the beach, that are handicapped, don't they're not on wheelchairs, they can't walk on the sand. This will enable them to go all the ways to the water and to enjoy the beautiful Pompo Beach that we have. And I hope every one of the commissioners can support this. Thank you.

Thank you. Next speaker.

Yes, Thomas. Go forward. Yes. Uh Thomas Thomas Debo is my name, birth name. Um Kansas City, Missouri. Uh 39:15 Jennese is my mailing address. Kansas City, Missouri 64111. Um I uh wanted to mention that you the commissioners, I don't know if you all have this kind of a priority, the system of life, plants, animals. So that's an absolute perfect system. Okay. People want to believe in God. say they respect God but they don't respect the fact system of life that's what we should be promoting everything we do everything you build in harmony with the system of life not not not mankind's condition views ideas personal preference history of of the way things are being done but respect the facts of life the way that the system of life is made the the Bible states about sidewalks and streets made of gold not Old clay. Clay. You find clay in the ground, it's been there for 15,000 years. It's just like it was when it was buried. You make houses out of clay, streets out of clay, sidewalks out of clay. You ain't going to have to repair it. And thousands of years go by. You aren't going to have to repair it. We We need to come up with ways of making compost material, composite material using clay matter, yuca agave fibers, coconut fibers, fibers inside the coconut husk. Those fibers mixed with clay. You soak wood in clay and fire set out and let it dry. Soak it again. Set out. Let it dry. Dead wood. Old dead wood is fire hazard in the woods. Have the cub scout, boy scout, girl scout go through the woods and collect all those dead dead wood is fire hazard. You stop it from being a fire hazard. But you use that wood, soak it in clay water and have a big big

bonfire once a week. Put all that wood in that bonfire coals and you're probably petrified wood. You have to make the item first because once you petrify the wood, you won't be able to drill it. You won't be able to cut it. It's it's it's is it's literally um um it's called petrified petrified wood. No termites can eat it. It won't never rot. Are you talking build a house with that? You won't ever have a problem with it rotting. No rotting, no deterioration, nothing. Even even better than concrete. So you need to start doing things logically with what we have the capability of doing and making things last and kind. So what it'll last forever. I mean it'll last for thousands and thousands of years. That just means the people that build it will be able to go hang out on the beach and have have have their margaritas at the beach while they get paid.

Thank you. Thank you. Oh, and by the way, the life system, the life system, I'm sorry, I can't I couldn't. The life system has set in motion to obliterate humanity from even being a thought process and creation of mind. I'm trying to make that not happen. It look like mankind is fighting to make that happen. Black matter. That means there's a dimension of black matter, nothing. Thank you, sir. Energy. Next speaker,

McKenna Robinson, followed by Delvin King. All right. Nika Robinson, 708 Hammondville Road, Pompo Beach, Florida 33060. And I am here today on a different matter, a strange matter. And I want to give honor to everyone that's up here on today. Um, as you guys know, I have been here in the city of Pompo all my life. Um, I own a resource center. It's been there for over 15 years. Um, and we help the homeless. We help the community. Um, I have a property um, in Cer City on 11th Street. Um, and my homestead is in Port St. Lucy. I drive every day of the week to come to my community here in Pompano to work. All right. There's issues in Port St. Lucy, but my heart is with Pompo. Um, as I sit home some days and I watch and replay certain things that go up here. Um, and before I came up here, I I prayed. I prayed and I'm humble. I'm coming humbly, very much so humble. And I just want to speak to all of our leaders up here. Um, and that's who I come for. Um, I believe that here in the city of Pompo, um, we form a body. I have seen the work be done us as in one body and we have a limp in our body. the things that's been going on starting with the leadership and we expect for the people, the body, the

members that come here to speak to be respectful. But I watch up here, we can't even get alone. We can't even have conversations. So, I came to just encourage everyone up here today humbly that I think that we should go back to the day when we wanted to put our name um and run for whatever we came for, commissioner, whatever our purpose was. And something that I wanted to say to you, mayor, um I respect you and I want you to not harden your heart. And I understand that it could be a lot of burdens, a lot of stress. The job could be big, but I don't want you to harden your heart. The the if you go back and listen to some of the shouting, screaming, the rolling of the eyes, the arguing, what goes on between you guys, I don't know what you expect for us to do. We only can do what the leaders lead us to do. So I think that Pompo needs to go back inside of a room the leaders and get it together to come back to give us something that we can see because Pompo's strong and we work together as a unity but there is a lot of discord and some people like discord but I don't think the leadership should allow it to go on. Thank you.

Thank you. Next speaker, Delvin King, Delvin King, 2601 Northwest 12th Street. Okay, so it's National Poetry Month, so I got a little something, too. It says, "He gripped the gleams that wasn't gold. A shining lie he could control. It fooled the crowd. It fled his role, but left him with an empty soul." So what I want to address today is I went to the will in motion financial literacy series and I can say it was very informative. It was nice. Um but what I'm asking this commission to do is because I know we had a discussion about it and getting rid of the contract. I believe that um assistant city manager what we should look into doing is separating um the lotus uh Miss Wither Dr. Witherspoon Miss Witherspoon she needs her own contract. We need as a city to pay her directly and control her funds so that when things happen where um Sarah is beating up against the commission and acting a fool in the city, we can separate those two and she can be held accountable for her own contract because the financial literacy, we need that here in Pompo. and we don't want Serakica and her bad doing to mess up some great things that um Miss Witherspoon is doing here in Pompo. So, if some type of way this DAS can get

together to separate that contract, that'll be muchly appreciated because and I also wanted to know I don't know if you can answer it now. Uh when you did sign the contract with her, did you look into her complete background? Um because some things were came out where there was um let me because I want to quote you right. Uh there was some things that came out where there was um a sell of cocaine and uh uh possession of cocaine by Miss Sarah Peterson. Some charges that was brought upon her. So, I want to make sure that uh was that provided in the file and when we chose her to do financial literacy, I don't know if the financial part of selling cocaine helped get the contract, but we want to make sure that uh just like my stuff and my background was included uh was hers included in her file as well because I tried to do business with the city and I couldn't do it because of my background and this this this drugs. So, this a little bit worse than probably what I did. So, I want to make sure that this was included and we're fair across the board. Thank you.

Very good. Next speaker. That concludes audience to be heard. Very good. That takes us up to our consent agenda. Can I get a motion approving items one through four? So moved. Second. All in favor say I. I. Opposed. Motion carries unanimous. Item number five is a resolution. Resolution of the city commission of the city of PMPA Beach, Florida, approving and authorizing the proper city officials to execute a parking license agreement between the city of PMPA Beach and William and Sue Allison for the use of parking spaces located at 500 South Cypress Road providing an effective date. So moved. Second. Moved and second for discussion. This item was pulled by Commissioner Fessic and Vice Mayor Fornier. Commissioner Fess.

So I I I pulled this item. Thank you, Mayor. Um, I pull this item mainly because I know that we need parking. I've heard that we need parking. Um, but we also had the opportunity to design this park

and these amenities. And so just want to make sure that we we take this time and think about how we're how we're doing things from the beginning rather than peacemealing it on the back end. Um, and I just look at this as a failure to plan for what we anticipated would happen. Our pickle ball courts in uh the community park are always busy. Parking issues there even especially on weekends. And um so I you know we're just I wanted to pull it because I just wanted to take the moment to basically say we're being asked to enter this agreement because parking for the park amenities were not adequately included in the original planning. Um so I just had a couple questions about this and so I remember hearing at some point a few times while we were planning this there were people who had parking concerns. I heard parking concerns and I heard pickle balls flying into the street concerns. Um, do you do you know if we tried to change anything or had any ability to try to change anything prior? We look into that option.

Scott Moore, Parks and Recreation. Did we look into options of maybe adding parking? Yes and no. I mean, it was it would be we would have less pickle ball courts. So that's one of the things when we did some meetings, we discussed the number of pickle ball courts we have because we don't have enough at community park. So that was we knew this was coming, right?

Okay. Yeah. No, I just I just I'd like us to just try to take some time and think ahead when we are talking about our very limited green space and we keep reducing that green space continually it seems over time. um that I'd like to see more of us paying attention to what that space needs and if we need to acquire more then by all means um you know I'm I'm all for more park space and green space but I think that we need to make sure that we're doing things in a way that makes sense and um I just had some concerns. I just want that was my only thing. I just wanted to make sure that I I raised the I raised the point that from a management standpoint of managing this project from start to finish, I really feel like we should have we missed the vote on the parking. We missed the vote on the anticipation. You

very good commissioner, our vice mayor.

Thank you. Uh so I think we've always known that parking is an issue at Kipchobee Park and we knew that by adding these courts that it was going to create more of a parking issue, but it was a trade-off between parking and actually getting the courts. Uh my hope was always that because it's kind of buried in the community that people would actually bike and walk and golf cart there and it would be more of a local court that people could could get to and use because there wasn't a lot of parking. Um but we had I think always talked about maybe some contingency plans. Uh and I'm actually very happy that you were able to execute this agreement because people were parking in this adjacent shopping center anyway. So I'm appreciative we got this done. and I think it was kind of always something that we hoped we could do. Um and then uh you made it happen. So, thank you. I want to encourage people to use these 15 new spaces to stop parking on the grass at Kip Jacobe and uh again if you can bike, walk, golf cart, get there some other way. Um try to do that also. But those courts have become very popular and this is I think a good compromise. So, thank you for uh getting in touch with the owners and making this happen.

Very good. This is a public hearing. Is there any any input from the public on this item? Seeing none, public input closed. Commission discussion. Seeing none, let's go ahead and call the role. Commissioner Fazic, yes. Commissioner Perkins, yes. Commissioner Seagerson Eaton, yes. Commissioner Smith, yes. Vice Mayor Fornier, yes. Mayor Harton, yes. Item six is a resolution. Resolution of the city commission of the city of Pmpoto Beach, Florida approving and authorizing the proper city officials to execute a parking license agreement between the city of PMPO Beach and Barat Patel and Girish M Patel on vacant land located on the northwest corner of A1A and Souththeast Fort Street providing an effective date. So moved. Second.

Moved and second for discussion. This item was pulled by Commissioner Fess. Commissioner,

thank you. So I pulled this one again. I and I know we need parking. So that's that's a non that's a non-negotiable. But I want to make sure like I said the last time I think their last contract came through that we have we have temporary parking lot temporary parking for a reason and previous contract with for another parcel is also under a temporary I said is also under a temporary parking agreement has been extended over and over again. So I would like to just know especially I've had some people contact me recently about code violations and such. I'd like to just know what constitutes temporary as per city as per the city code and when we decide to make that switch where we ask them to pave it rather than have ours park on the grass.

Sure. Thank you. Jeff Lance, parking manager. Good afternoon, mayor, vice mayor, commission. Uh the temporary uh nature of these are no permanent improvements will be made on that property. the owner of the property will eventually build on that property. I'm not privy to when that will be, but uh in every case, they're only asking for a one-year term. Uh I think there may be watching the market, maybe watching the cost of material since 2020. U but we make no permanent improvements on those properties.

Okay. Can we is there a way that we can you know and mentioned this last time. Is there a way that we can add or essentially require that after a year if they choose to continue to do this that we ask them to at least pave the lot so that it's not just seeping down oils and whatever into our barrier island or into potentially our water source. Sure. Well, our agreements would call for us to rem return the property back to its original condition. So, we could pave it or put down asphalt. Uh that would be expensive. And then when they're ready to terminate our agreement or move on with their construction, we'd have to remove the concrete, which would also be expensive. Okay.

I don't know that it would fall on us if it's their property if they want to rent it or does it or did we seek this out? The concrete. Did we seek out the parking agreement or did they I we we seek it out. Okay. Right. Thank you. Very good. Very good. This is a public hearing. Is there any input from the public on this item? Seeing none, public input closed. Commission discussion questions. Commissioner Seagerson Eden. Yes. I just would like to thank the Patels uh for entering into this agreement with us. We are at we have such a demand for parking. So I appreciate them. Thank you. Very good. Further commission discussion. Seeing none, let's call the role. Commissioner Fezic. Yes. Commissioner Perkins. Yes.

Commissioner Seagerson Eaton. Yes. Commissioner Smith. Yes. Vice Mayor Fornier. Yes. Harton. Yes. That takes us up to our regular agenda item seven is a resolution. Resolution of the city commission. The city of PMPA Beach, Florida, allocating 12 residential flexibility units to the property located at 817 North Dixie Highway with an underlying commercial land use designation providing an effective date. So moved. Second. Moved and second for discussion. Good afternoon, Miss Dolan.

Good afternoon, mayor, commissioners. Gan Dolan, development services. Just let me get my slideshow going. Okay, this agenda item is for 12 flex units for the parent information and resource center. So, the applicant um is the which is the owner of this property is requesting 12 flex units to enable an existing office building to be converted to residential apartments. Um, the building is refer Oh, parent information resource center located at 8:17 North Dixie Highway, which is south of Northwest 9inth Street, west of Dixie Highway, north of Northwest 8th Court, and east of Northwest 2nd Avenue. So, it's just north of the new Sonata project. Since the site is less than an acre, it's exempt from any affordable restriction. The applicant intends to have all 12 units unrestricted in regard to income and affordability. I do have a clicker somewhere, but I don't know where it is. So, there are some unique aspects of this project. Um, chapter 154, which is what governs flex units, does not specifically prohibit the use of flex units for office building conversions to residential life or use, but however, it is set up more for new construction and redevelopment. These same 12 unit 12 flex units however were granted to this building before in 2003 um but they were never built and the allocation expired. Uh the conceptual site plan which we typically require as a condition of approval for flex units in this case won't reflect a condition that meets modern zoning standards because it is an existing uh building. The site plan, floor plans, and the change of use

requirements from office to residential must all be met before a building permit will be issued. What you'll see on the resolution is a much longer list of requirements than we usually put in those resolutions because it is a unique application to convert an office building to residential. Uh the cost of conversion, given that the age of this building is from 1954, adds to those conditions. Uh they're going to have to bring that building up to current code in terms of its structural integrity, if it had asbests or not, lead pipes. They're going to have to install kitchens and bathrooms and accommodate for laundry facilities. Upgrade the electrical for uh HVAC and other basic residential electric service needs and metering. Water and sewer utility infrastructure and metering upgrades will be required as well as firewalls and other safety considerations for this change of use. Given the cost of conversion, the actual use of the 12 flex units may not be economically feasible and we were aware of that as we review this application. However, the criteria for flex unit allocation is really not any of those things. its consistency with the goals, objectives and policies of the comp plan and that the use of the flexibility units will produce a reasonable development pattern which reasonable means including compatibility with the adjacent uses and suitability for the various development patterns for this parcel. So when we looked at the aspects of the criteria, there are goals, objectives and policies in the comp plan that support this application primarily dealing with the compatibility of surrounding uses. When you look at the site, as we said, it's a immediately north of the Sonata project. Um it's south of a already a small mixeduse building. It has some commercial on the bottom and a couple apartments upstairs.

Um to the west is a vacant lot and then a actually really nice um residential rehab facility. So there's nothing incompatible with having a small residential use at this location. Um we did have our staff recommendation is of approval. On February 25th, the planning and zoning board unanimously recommended approval of this allocation. And given the challenges of converting this older building can be um put into the resolution so that when we do a building permit, we can make sure all those standards are met. Staff is also recommending approval and both myself and the applicant are present if you have questions. Very good. Thank you for that. Does the applicant wish to make any presentation?

Questions only. Questions only. Very good. Thank you for that. This is a public hearing. Is there any input from the public on this item? Seeing none, public input closed. Commission questions, concerns. Vice Mayor? Yes. I have a few questions on this. Uh, so you said that these were granted before in 2003. Um, was that to a different owner? No, I believe that was the same owner. Yeah, same owner. And how long does it take until these expire? How long is it good for? Back then it was two years. It's still two years, but now that the governor has this um extension process, every time there's a hurricane, it could be indefinite.

Okay. Um are there any restrictions on a sale or these transfer if the property is sold? No, there's no restrictions on anything. They run with the land. Okay. It's seems like you're This one's a little strange because I'm all about creating housing opportunities, but it seems like a lot of challenges here where it's not actually possible to convert this. So, what is the point of doing this if it's not actually going to be converted into a housing?

Right. Well, the criteria doesn't include that. The criteria is is it consistent with the comp plan? Is it compatible with the surrounding area? And the answer is yes. So whether or not it happens is not one of the criteria. And as you see, they did attempted something like that in 2003. They changed their mind and didn't use the units. Um but it's not really what we judge. We don't really judge the likelihood when we improve anything, honestly. Okay. So if the parcel sells and the new owner decides they want to do this but knock it down, they have they can build 12 units there.

Yes. In fact, they could build way more than 12 units there. You can get 46 units per acre without using policy 216 and three or four. You can get 69 units per acre using 260 and four. If they sold this, I would expect it would be part of of the larger block like that. If we saw this sold, we would love to see that whole block consolidated and then a nice mixeduse project on there, but that's not what's on the table right now. Okay. Thank you. Further commission discussion? Commission. Commissioner Fess,

I just have one question. Is is this by by approving this is the the resident there's residential all around this and this is the only commercial property? No. Is there there's resident there's commercial to the north. Um there's an institutional use to the west and there's you know the tax credit project to the south. Okay. My my other concern is the the lack of affordable housing. Is that what you said? Unrestricted because there's no need for it.

There's no need to restrict this to affordable. It's never going to be a high-end product if they just convert this old building. These are small 560ome square foot offices that they'll be squeezing a kitchen and bathroom into. It's not going to be high-end housing by its nature. What is the likelihood that they'll just knock it down because it'll be cost prohibitive? I cannot comment on that. Okay.

I'm sorry, Commissioner. I said thank you. Yeah. Very good. Further commission discussion? Yes, mayor. I've got Commissioner Perkins. Uh, so this unit at at one point, was it a a rehab facility?

It's a it's always been called the parent information and resource center. They did outreach with parents, they do daycare, they do um training, parent support, that kind of thing. So, it was it was like institutional use. Each one of those offices was used for a counselor. Um the owner explained at PNZ that at during 2020 they all went to tellaalth and they continued to use teleaalth so she doesn't need all these offices anymore. Okay. So we're going to change this building into 12 flex units. Right.

We are granting 12 flex units. We won't do anything to the building as a city. Okay. So this is not market rate and it's not affordable. It's not restricted. So it'll be what the nature will what the market will bear. Not restricted is where I have a question mark. It's not restricted. Mayor, can the applicant speak? Certainly. If you can answer yes better. Sure. Just for just by yourself.

Just for some clarification. Uh Mike Vonermulan with Keith our office at 301 East Atlantic Boulevard in Pompo Beach. With me today is uh Miss Janet Ward with uh parent info resource center. Uh to I think what we'd like to do one is this category of calling this an office building is a little bit uh pushing it. It was built in the 1950s as 12 apartment units. It was converted to an office building in the 199 probably sometime in the 1990s. Then in early 2000s there was a attempt for uh a flex units on this building that was documented by the city. However, Miss Ward has no uh recollection of that request and that's why we're back today. So I will let her explain who she was would like to market this to. Uh her inspiration actually came from a city project which was the Ally building and the the great job that the city had done in renovating that building and being able to you know adaptively reuse this building for for apartments was was what she has envisioned and I'll I'll let her speak for the rest.

Good afternoon commissioners. Pull that pull that microphone down please and also then go ahead and identify yourself.

Good afternoon commissioners. My name is Janet Ward. I'm the president and CEO of the Parents Information and Resource Center. It's known as PERK. Since um we bought this property because it was prepared for exactly what we needed. We were providing services to parents and children. We provide psychiatric care. We provide medication management. We are a a clinic that provides mental health care, social services. We do therapeutic afterchool program. um therapeutic out of school time. We work with the adults with disability, people with autism, all of that. So we provide mental health care all all around. What happened was that in um when COVID hit, we would we used to be filled with clients and staff and then everybody went to work from home and nobody wants to come back to the office since they went back to work in that home and we're doing telealth services. So we have all the space that we wanted to utilize. We knew that housing was an issue. Housing is an issue for our working poor families and sometimes they are struggling to have a place to stay as they try to transition from one place to another place or if they're going to move out of the area. So we wanted it to be able to accommodate that. We've been working with the community development. We've been talking about it. We've been working. We're a nonprofit. As a matter of fact, we're a 501c3 organization. So, we weren't looking to make a profit by having a a a unit that we're going to spend a lot of money and renting, charging people a lot of money for rent. We weren't looking to do that. We were looking for temporary situations or permanent situation for those families in need as they're transitioning with mental health issues as well as children issues and all of the other stuff that go along with that. So, that's why we came and we said, "Well, let's our board of directors and we've been working with the nonprofit executive alliance and we were a part of that group and the community development to say what should

we do with the property. So they said let's take it through the process with the city ask them to grant us the flex unit and that um we would be able to help some of our families and some of the people in the community who needs housing as they go through all the we as a matter of fact we you we do a large amount of senior as well. So some of our seniors that are struggling with housing and the cost of housing we also assist them as well. That's what we wanted permission to do. Fix it up so we can help our community. Mr. Perkins. Okay. So, I um I knew well know your history and you know, you and I go back, I guess, to the 80s in dealing in the community and working in the community.

I appreciate all the work you've done in the community. I was just surprised I didn't get a call from you regarding this particular project because my initiative when I came in was to say no because I'm really interested in affordable and and like you just said family. But my concern is is it possible you can turn this into a rooming house because we don't

Well, we we once we get approval, what we were hoping to do is once we get approval, the board says once they say we could go ahead and try to do this development, we can look at all of the aspects of what we wanted to do um in terms of housing. But we needed to have that designation. Then the board is going to meet again. We'll meet with the nonprofit executive alliance Sandre Vonheim and we're going to meet with the um um community development and see what their recommendation as to how we can get everything done where all of the monies are going to come from because we have some monies available for it um for the renovations. Um, so we wanted to get our team together and then we'll decide, okay, this is the best option and then we'll talk with the city official and and Keith and associate, our engineering people and the architectural people and they'll come up and give us a plan. That's what we were hoping to do, but we wanted to get first get this stepping in stone over with and then we can move on with bringing in the team to decide how we're going to organize it.

So, how do you how do you plan to select the families that will actually move into the units? Is is is that going to be based on your board? Will your board make that selection?

Yeah, they're going to make the the the selection. They'll help us. We're going to we're going to draft a plan and then we're going to see what is it that who do who needs it? Are we catering m mostly to the elderly? Because we do have a large senior population that we really we have some people with dementia. Um they're on social security. Um we have some of those pop that population. And we have our mommy and me which is our mothers with our young babies that are out there that we might be assisting. There are funding available for housing and housing um that we can do. So we're going to look at all of the aspects. So what we want to do is clear this path first. Then we'll take the next because we have two years. I think they told us on the the city said we have two years to get everything together. Then we'll decide within that timeline what exactly would fit. Okay. So, I you know, I support helping families, of course, and I do support the um uh the idea that we're lacking um housing, especially in the Northwest, and I appreciate what you know, what you're trying to do here, but I am concerned with the future use of the facility. Um, what is your long-term goal for this facility or units I should say?

Well, our goal is to make sure people have someplace to live, our community have someplace to live and we don't want anybody on the streets. We don't want anybody in the cars and we want everybody getting the care that they need. We have physical health care, mental health care, social services. Um, especially our parents with their children. and we don't want them out there on the street. So, we did not think beyond big development. We just wanted to make sure that the people that we served um that they have just some place to stay. We just can't allow people just to be out there. And if we have we have even our we do students training. I have a lot of graduate students Nova Barry students who are don't have that need housing as well. So we are a training facility for the universities to train them for psychiatric care and social services, social work, mental health. We have nurse practitioners that are there every day at our facility providing psychiatric nursing care. Some of them don't have housing. So they have asked us when when we get the units done, can they move in? Can they rent? All those kinds of things. So we have work um families who are are working and that can't have can't afford housing. Okay.

All right. What is uh my last question is what is the what is your parking situation? Do you have adequate parking for the units? We have parking for what we have now. Yes. Because remember it was originally an apartment building. So it has the for each of the units based on whatever the standard was in those early days because it used to be the housing authority used to have that property long time ago. The the department of corrections, I'm sorry, had those apartment buildings years ago and they were doing housing there as well. So, um there's enough parking for what we for the 12 units. Yes.

Okay. Um Okay. Because of your history and your record of of helping people, I'm definitely going to support this, I would just like to keep me informed um as to what's going on with the with the units as you move as you move forward. Thank you. I thank you, Commissioner Perkins. Very good, Vice Mayor.

Thank you. Yeah, I think Commissioner Perkins hit on some of my follow-up questions. It just it sounds like there's a lot to figure out here still. So, it just seems to be a little backwards. Like, normally people come forward with a plan of what they're going to do and explain it and then they say, "In order to execute this, we need these flex units." And we say, "Okay, that makes sense." So, um, Miss Dolan, what is the downside, if any, to doing this right now without a much of a plan? There's really no downside. we put enough conditions on the resolution to make sure that we don't end up with substandard housing units there. Okay. Because we mentioned parking and um she said there's enough parking for 1954 standards, but I don't know that that meets today's standards,

right? The conditions if you read the resolutions very specific about it has to come in and meet current code requirements to the maximum extent practical. We'll accept some things like a landscape. The landscape may not have to meet every single box, but in general, we don't want to see substandard housing units without kitchens, without adequate bathrooms, without adequate facilities. However, we think they could if they have enough cash to inject into those units, they could make them reasonably s sustainable. Yeah. Okay. Uh so there's really no downside. And does it increase the value of the property for them like in the case of a sale or something?

It gives them extra entitlements that the next guy wouldn't come in. If if this were to be sold though, the value is so much greater in a bigger building. Okay. Thank you. Further commission discussion. Commissioner Perkins. Just one last question. You said all of the units are just one bedroom. Two bedrooms for all units. All 12 units. once. They're they're actually they need to be converted to once because of the square footage restrictions that are on the in the city now. Okay. All right. Thank you. Very good. Further commission discussion. Seeing none, let's go ahead and call the role. Commissioner Faze. Yes. Commissioner Perkins. Yes.

Commissioner Seagerson Eaton. Commissioner Smith. Yes. Vice Mayor Forier. Yes. May Harden.

Yes. Item eight is a second reading of an ordinance. An ordinance of the city commission of the city of PMPO Beach, Florida, adopting amendments to the portable water sub element and the conservation element in the city's comprehensive plan is required by section 163.3177 subsection 6C Florida statutes to be consistent with the city's updated water supply facilities work plan prepared as required by the South Florida Water Management District's 2020 324 lower east coast regional water supply plan providing for a determination that a local planning agency hearing was held on January 28th, 2026, providing that a transmitt and adoption public hearing will be held providing for severability, providing for conflicts, providing an effective date.

So moved. Second. Moved and second for discussion. Miss Dolan.

Thank you, Mayor. Gene Dolan, Development Services. So this is the second reading of our comprehensive plan amendment for updating our water supply plan. Uh we are the applicant the city of PMPO Beach and we request a recommendation for approval for the comprehensive plan text amendment adopting the amended policies associated with the water supply facilities work plan update for the planning period of 2025 to 2045. The amended policies are in the portable water sub element and their conservation element. Water supply facilities work plan update ensures compliance with section 163.31776c of the Florida statutes which requires local governments to revise their water supply facility work plan and associated comp plan policies within 18 months after the South Florida Water Management District adopts the update to the lower east coast water supply plan and that include uh occurred in September of 2024. So, since it's been a while since you've seen this item, I'll just quickly go over what we're changing in the portable water sub element. We're revising policies to reflect the revised level of service standard based on more recent data. Available treatment capacity and treatment methods to remove PAS from our treated water. The need for changes to the consumptive use permit by 2030 to accommodate the removal of PAS from the water supply. Water demand calculations for new development. reclaimed water infrastructure installation for new development and mandatory connections once reclaimed water is available. And finally, the expansion of the reuse infrastructure and consideration of potential alternative water supplies to meet the water demand through 2045. And within the conservation element, policies are being updated to reflect the discontinuation of the ocean outfall affluent pipe by the end of the which was by the end of 2025 um as required by the outfall legislation. And the final

is to explore additional sources of alternative water supply. So where we've been from here um we went to the planning and zoning board on January 28th 26 and they recommended approval. City Commission recommended approval at the transmitt hearing fel held on February 10th, 2026. We submitted everything to the state review agencies. We got no objections or comments on the proposed amendments. The Department of Commerce, which was previously known as Department of Economic Opportunity, issued a letter of no comment on the amendments on March 13, 2026, clearing for us to adopt these amendments. And staff recommends approval on second reading. And I'm available. and also Renuka if you have any questions on either the comp plan amendment or the water supply plan.

Very good. Thank you. This is a public hearing. Is there any input from the public on this item? Seeing none, public input closed. Commission discussion, questions, concerns. Seeing none, let's go ahead and call the role. Commissioner Pezik, yes. Commissioner Perkins, yes. Commissioner Seersonen, yes. Commissioner Smith, yes. Vice Mayor Forier, yes. Yes. Item nine is the first reading of an ordinance.

An ordinance of the city commission of the city of PMPO Beach, Florida, amending article 2, section 6 to chapter 57-174, laws of Florida, special acts of 1957 as subsequently amended and supplemented otherwise known as the charter of the city of PMPO Beach, Florida, imposing limitations on the length of terms of the offices of the mayor and commissioners while expanding future terms of office of city commissioners. Providing that if the amendment is approved by a majority of the voters at the general election of November 2026, then such amendment shall become part of the city's charter upon certification and acceptance of the election results, providing for conflicts, providing for serverability, providing an effective date. So moved. Second.

Moved and second for discussion. Mr. Burman.

Thank you, Mayor. And let me just indicate I have no say in where this appears on an agenda. I'm when it's time, I'm doing my thing. So this is when it was when it showed up. In any event, um this is the latest iteration uh of the requested uh change potential ballot question requested by the commission. Uh we've reduced some of the initial request in terms of uh changing uh terms or shifting terms to simply uh whether or not terms want to be expanded in addition to uh term limits as a condition. So it's clear I I try to re rewrite this question as simply as possible so anyone can understand. Uh there was a request that I put numbers in parentheses after three the number three and uh four and I've put all that in there as well. Um, I did add because with the additional space, I had room for some more uh words or or digits basically as it provided by law to provide from the current two-year term to four-year terms. Uh, my concern was that people might even look at this and say, "Oh, well, four-year term, what is it now?" People may not really know. Uh, maybe those who are tuned in will know, but not everyone is as tuned in as some who may be in this room. So by uh giving a more detailed explanation from two to four, I think people have a greater opportunity to make a more informed decision. So I think it's clear. I think it's simple. I I I don't see how this could have been uh provided uh in in any clearer messaging. And you know, certainly this is unfortunately now the time to decide for the commission because of the supervisor of elections deadlines uh whether you folks want to proceed. I'm not pushing one or the other. Um I'm simply putting it out there as requested and we'll let you guys set that policy. So if there are

any questions, I'm happy to answer, but I think it's pretty clear. Thank you. Very good. This is a public hearing. Is there any input from the public on this item? Please come forward. Oh, just name and address for the record. Yeah. Michael Scverki, 1630 Southwest Fifth Avenue. So then you have to have a second reading on this, right? All right. So, what you want now are uh 12-year terms, correct? What's the term going to be? What's the term limit going to be? Yeah, mayor. That's sure, Mr. Burn. The current term is a two-year term as No, no, no, no. Max, I mean the the max you can stay in office, maximum amount of years going to be a 12 year.

The proposed is is 12 years. Okay. Full four. Full three four years.

This is the problem. We have people up here that are blatantly lying to the public. We originally wanted eight years and then you're out. So I can remember years ago when there was somebody elected, his name was Tom McMahon and he said, "Well, we could do 16 years." And back then the whole crowd started giggling. 16 years. Well, guess what? We have two people here that come 2028, if they're still in office, that's four years plus another 12 would equal 16. As for the rest of you, we're way over the 16-year limit. Back then, when he said 16 years, the whole crowd was giggling. And I used to use that against him when when you originally ran nonstop. That was a gigantic selling point to get him out of office. nonstop. So, anything you say now once I sit down is going to be a bunch of crap. Okay? You can say whatever you want. You vote no against this. Everybody up here should be voting no. There was one person that seemed to be was was seemed to be like, "This is baloney." Because I think you said, "I have no problems running every two years." You know why? Because you're not afraid. you in all reality the people up here that wanna don't want every run every two years is because they have a fear of losing so then they want to just do it every four years and you want to really know what the truth is why you want to stay up here as long as possible and you need four years none of you ever were very popular in life so this is something new to you never really had any friends I had been talking about this because if you ever noticed politicians want to stay forever but the polit but the politicians that are former jocks were already popular. So, they only last in office maybe four years or six years and they've had enough because they don't need the limelight. The rest of you want to stay

up here forever. Some of you need the money, others don't. Whereas others just want to be up there because all of a sudden I can take pictures with all these people and go to all these restaurants and everybody's happy to see me. That's the real reason. Other than that, there's no reason for for you to be up here for more than eight years. The one guy who I never agreed with a darn thing that he said that I have total respect for was Barry Dowell. He said, "I'm going to be up here for six years." And he was up there for six years. That's called an honest, trustworthy human being. Very good. Further input from the public? Anyone? Seeing none, public input closed. Commission discussion. Vice Mayor,

thank you. So, right now, people can be up here. How How long have you been in office, Mayor? 20 years. Combined? Yeah. Um, I think it's it's a little over 20 years, I

So, right now, there's absolutely no limit to how long someone can be in office here. Uh, so for me, uh, again, we're not deciding this. we're deciding to put it on the ballot so that the residents and the voters of PMPO Beach finally get to decide on something uh like term limits which is an important topic. So for me this is very simple. I appreciate how it's written this time Mark um and I think it is past time to give the residents of this city the option to decide if they want to institute term limits for their local elected officials. Thank you

Mr. Alfred. Um what is it? What's the cost differential to have this on the ballot versus not have this on the ballot? Well, the cost uh from what I uh was informed by the supervisor of elections would be about $160,000 approximately. $160,000 to have this question on the ballot. Yes. Um so if and if so if if we have an election coming up, we have people running obviously they've already they've already opened campaign accounts. Yes. So those folks, is it going to cost money to have those folks? No.

No. So there there's no cost to have folks running for office, their names on the ballot, but it's going to cost 165,000 to have this question on the ballot. Yes. Yes, mayor. Even though there's already questions on the ballot from PMPO Beach, namely the candidates. Correct. Gotcha. Okay. Thank you, Mayor. I'd like uh Commissioner Perkins. Yes. years ago, we I think it was um placed on the ballot for us to decide whether or not we wanted to have a citywide mayor. Uh was that placed on the ballot? Was that that was placed on the ballot? Did it have a city-wide mayor or mayor at large? Yes. Many years ago. And um the city had to pay for that to be placed on the ballot.

Yes. Okay. So I'm questioning what Mr. Severki said. Um maybe it was discussed on a dice, but how do we come up with eight years compared to 12 years permit? The matter has been, if I may, um, city city attorney, the matter has been brought before the charter review um, charter amendment committee and they discussed it and part of between their recommendation and also Mr. Burman's input on it as well was what we was the proposal that's before you right now based upon those two uh, inputs. Okay. So, that's what the charter review board

as well as the commission's input as well. Yes. All right. Okay, thank you for now. You're good. Commissioner Fess,

thank you. So, at the last meeting when we had this very long discussion about this, I mean, if you remember, if you've paid attention to this, it has started with staggered terms with adding districts with I mean, it started off as something completely not what it is right now. We sort of talked it through to this at this point. Um it will cost if we if we decide to do this, it will cost $160,000 to put on the put on the um ballot, Mr. and I and I brought up the last time, you know, it failed, but I brought up last time about the issue that we all have. I think everybody's frustration that I've heard from the residents is on both sides, whichever side you're on is a three. 33 fail. The 33 fail. And so I brought up at the last meeting and I made a motion to see if we had the ability to not either not have the mayor vote. I was I was very open to opportunities or vote only in case of a tie or remove the mayor at large position and elect from the body that is elected out of the five districts because I mean I know what it takes to run and and vice mayor you you're in district three. mayor, you're in district three, it's and and given that a lot of times you're on the opposite sides of of of the agenda, it's almost like the people of district three who voted for their representative get their vote canceled out in some way. So whether this goes on the ballot or not, I I mentioned I have no problem running every two years. No problem. I I I am not going to be a lifer. I have mentioned that a long time ago. I am not somebody who's going to sit here for 20 years. I got better things to do. I got a new grandbaby. Um, but I do want to do some good things in the city and that does require not

spending a lot of your energy sometimes trying to fend off the the political climate every in my case every six months or 12 months, right? So, um I just I think it's I think it's worthy to let people decide, but I don't know that it I mean the cost itself to me is a little high. Mr. Mr. Burman, is there any other way should should people decide that they want to do this, they want to make a change to how we sit here as a body or, you know, if we want to not have a three-3 vote, is there any other way that residents can bring something forward that wouldn't that wouldn't require $160,000 or or that wouldn't require us to make the decision?

As we previously discussed, changing the number of districts is in the city's code. We could do that provided we have to do a study. We have the numbers. We haven't we have to meet federal guidelines to not uh change voting strength of of various groups and things like that. But that's certainly doable. That is different than this. This only deals with the length of a term. That's it. So that has to be done through a charter change just as making the mayor as an independent uh running person had to be done. um that needs this needs to be done by the voters if you're going to change the length of terms because that's set forth in the charter. The charter provides that we can have up to seven districts. So I mean we can set the number of dis and that's supposed to be set by ordinance. So that's something the commission has the power to do itself provided you meet legal guidelines.

Does that answer your question? Well, it wasn't that really wasn't what I was asking because my my concern has always been dove said you like you put it back in the hands of the people, right? So, us deciding we don't I don't think we need another district. I think we sort of all decided that up here when it when it failed, but the the question I have is like I've I've read into some of the some some alternatives and I just want to make sure that I cross check this with you. Could residents if they chose to if we choose not to spend $160,000, but if residents said, "Hey, it's important to us that we either want term limits or we want to not have the may to not have a mayor at large anymore." Could residents do something that would tell us before we put it on a referendum or put it on a put it on a ballot. Would they be able to do like a petition or something or

survey? Yeah. Well, not a survey, I guess. Is it a petition? And I think that well I they wouldn't be

there's nothing they can do to make those changes uh other than through the election process or the the ballot process. There is the possibility of obviously of polling but we're past that stage for this question I would think uh based on the timing. uh we could you'd have to spend money to do polling I would assume as well probably less than the election but it might add to the cost of of whatever you're doing if if you want to know uh what your residents are thinking or you know that that's you guys know how to do that um if you want to do a formal poll you probably could but for this question for today time's up there's no time really to do a poll do you really do you want to go with u longer longer terms and term limits or not. And I think last time this was tried uh a few years ago, there were no term limits and the residents spoke and said no. I think the thought in my listening to all the commissioners speak on this during the several meetings we've had was well let's try it with some limitations then maybe they would go for it. So again um to you.

Okay. My my my main concern I guess is not necessarily the term limits. It's not necessarily the the the the length of their length of the term itself. My concern is back to if we're talking about changing the charter. I I I think the people need the opportunity to make the decision and I don't know that even what we have even though it took us a long time to get here is that um I'm all for term limits. I think that's a great idea, but I'm I'm I'm more for not having this 33 vote constantly. And so I I mean I'm I'm going to go back to if is it so my my question is is it possible via petition if residents decided that they wanted to just all sign a petition because we've seen how petitions have come before us before. What would the requirements be for them to make that change?

Well petition is of no legal consequence really other than an indication of uh you know who you got to sign the petition. It's really uh somewhat has in the past has been unreliable, but the petition will serve no legal purpose other than letting you know that there are enough people who may or may not be interested. I'm not trying to talk you out of it either, but just because people sign a petition and say, "Here, we we've seen it for I've seen it for years. People come in, I've got a petition." Well, thank you very much. That lets us know that there are x amount of people that feel this way. Um, you know, I hate to say it, but and I'm not trying to be be smart about it. That's kind of what the election is for to to gauge and you know what the people want to do. Unfortunately, there is based on the current status of the supervisor of elections, there's that financial commitment that now goes with it. I I think having it uh during the general election when there are other ballot issues, I think minimizes that cost or no, it doesn't longer.

They just charge us the same no matter what now. So, um you can do it in November or you can do it later on. You can have a special election, I guess. Apparently, it's the same cost. It was even more on a standalone election. You can do a male You could do a a male election, too. That's been done. Uh but, you know, I don't know if that's reliable either. So, here's my second here's my second here's my second I'm sorry, J have something to say.

Um here's my second portion of that. La at the last meeting, I mentioned that I pulled up all the voting stats. So, if we're looking at this and then we're going to spend $160,000 and statistically we're going to have less than half of the city voting. So, I don't know that that's worth $160,000 to statistically not have a full, you know, active voter to participate in that choice. Um, so that's my concern. Thank you. Very

good. Further commission discussion. I've got Commissioner Seagerson eaten followup. Vice Mayor Thank you, mayor. Okay. Um, I'll just I want to reiterate my position uh against this. I uh I think the two-year terms work well for our congressional representatives and our state representatives. Um it is uh the putting the most power in the people's hands to elect their representative every two years for as long as they choose that representative. and and term limits takes away voters ability to decide. So, I've heard a couple of things here today, you know, about transparency and putting the power in the hands of the people and let the voters decide. Well, I think we should have a workshop on this. I think we should get this out in the public eye and we should talk to the public, get public input. How do they feel about it? Do they want to spend the additional monies or are they satisfied with the two-year terms? Perhaps they're satisfied with two-year terms and they would like um a a term limit of 12 years or 10 years or eight years or whatever it might be. But I really think we should workshop this. I don't think it's fair to voters to go and oh, I I hadn't heard anything about this when they go to the November ballot. It hasn't been in the papers. It

hasn't been out there in on social media in the ether. Uh so, you know, I'm I'm still opposing. I do think that we should workshop this for the benefit of the public to be involved whether or not we even need to make this uh put this on the ballot or that the public wants something like this because this wasn't organic that came up from the public. This was something that was generated here on the dis. Thank you mayor. It's Kerbin. Yes, Mr. Alfred.

Yes. I wanted to bring to everyone's attention that um I received a notification from the supervisor of elections about a week and a half ago where they're proposing to where he's proposing Joe Scott is proposing to increase the rates by approximately 25% effective January 2027. Um, I was actually planning to put a uh detailed me email to explain this to the commission. Um, not knowing how this was going to go. If delaying this to a a future election may end up be more expensive. uh roughly would come about $200,000 over $200,000 is what it would be if the same bot ballot question would be presented um as a ballot as a referendum question the following election in a future election. So um this is a matter that the U clerk association along with myself we're u having a meeting with uh Mr. Scott um next week actually on Monday and we intend to bring this matter before his attention to get more justification. The notification he provided us did not come with any justification as to why if it's due to the economics uh situation here in in the nation um but we intend to get more information but it's important that I bring this to your attention now seeing where this conversation is going. I don't know if we have enough time if we can workshop it, but that is at the commission's um um directive.

Very good. Thank you for that notification. So, it'll cost us more for the election if we delay it and still want to put a question before the voters. Yes, mayor. Gotcha. Vice Mayor,

thank you. So, for me, this didn't come from nowhere. It came from listening to the people I represent who are always frustrated that there aren't term limits here and they see the same people's names over and over. So, I know it's unscientific, but I did a poll and it had well over 200 respondents and it was 80 uh the question said, "Do you support instituting term limits for your local elected officials in Pompo Beach?" And it was 83% yes, 11% no, 6% don't care. So, it was overwhelming. Most of my polls are a little more split than that. It was it was very overwhelming that that uh and I know term limits polls is a popular thing that that's it's a catchphrase. it polls in a popular way, but it is something that I know I've heard quite a bit about from residents. Um, and I want to kind of like add to something that was set up here. So, uh, Commissioner Fezic was asking, is there like a less expensive way to do this to fix to fix a 33? And the proposal was or the thought was, well, you could add a district and then you don't have to put it on the ballot so you save $160,000. But let me remind everyone that in our budget, we had a budget workshop this morning. The city commission total is $640,000. Each of our fully burdened costs is well over $100,000 a year. So adding a seventh commission district is going to cost $110,000 a year in perpetuity, which is well over um the two, you know, two two years of a commission district is much more than uh than this special question on the ballot. Of course, it does not solve the three the 33, but those are two different issues. But I don't think the an the cheaper I don't think the answer to is there a way to solve the the 33 that costs less is adding a commission district because that that cost is actually pretty high. Um, and so for me, I've heard from enough voters who want this on the ballot, so I'm comfortable with it. I understand the concern over two to four. State reps do have two-year

terms, but they also have term limits. So, um, everything is structured a little different, right? And I also talked to a lot of colleagues in other cities, and when I say we have two-year terms, most of them are in shock because most cities do not. Um, they're like, "How do you do that every two years?" Um, you're basically running all the time, which is the conversation we had at the last meeting that uh it's hard to get things done when you're constantly in get in campaign mode. Um so I I you know while I said the last time I think three is the perfect amount of time it it complicates things for an election. So um I think this combination uh is at least an option that we are going to give voters that we heard that they wanted to they wanted an option for term limits and we will let them decide you.

Very good. I just sure I got commissioner Seagerson eaten and then vice mayor or I'm sorry then commissioner fessic. But thank you, mayor. And I also forgot to say it feels a little selfserving to be up here and doing this without the public uh input. And I have never had anyone come up to me and say, "Oh, you should be serving a four-year term." If they say anything, you know, about it, I have not heard a single person talk about that. Uh but I I do think it's rather self-s serving of us to try to lengthen our terms. Thank you.

Very good. Commissioner Fess.

Thank you. So I funny thing is actually I have heard from people when I said I could carry either way. You know was it more convenient for me? Sure it would be more convenient for me to only have to run every four years. Um but I could carry either way. Residents have actually said to me it's crazy that you have to run every two years. It's crazy. You have to start over and do that every two years. It's disruptive. It's, you know, it can be expensive if especially if you're self-funding. Um, so I I understand that part. Um, I I still I I don't have, like I said, I don't have a problem with asking people to vote. I have heard from people that they really do want term limits. I would have to agree with the vice mayor. Um, adding a district is adding a district is not practical. That has never been practical to me. I think that's a that's not the right way to do things. If anything, we would be it makes more sense to reduce the liability than it would be to to add to it. Um, which is why, you know, if we're going to change the rules about how we're how we're going to, you know, if we're going to change the rules of the charter and maybe we need to be willing to look at the ones that actually affect how the votes work. So, if this is a start in the right direction, I'm fine with it. I again would love to see us figure out something for the 33, but um if this is the only solution, I have another question. Maybe it's from um Mr. Burman or Miss Sgo related to commissioners who serve for a long time, if you pay into a system, is there like some sort I don't I don't know how the retirement system works, but I know there's options here. Um, is are there some sort of benefits for people to not have term limits? Is that why that we haven't adopted them or is there some sort of payout or maybe I'm, you know, I'm just trying to figure out is there some is there some reason why we haven't done it yet? And that's the question. Is it the drop payment or is it the um I've looked in a couple different things down

the line, but I'm just curious if that's concern. I mean, I can answer that. I believe elected officials are entitled to a pension after I think it's five years and then it is the amount of time you serve it goes up every year. So I I mean I think I from what I've heard so far I I'd rather put it in the hands of the voters. I I would have liked to have had it at a larger larger uh turnout, but um I feel like that I could go either way. So I'm surprised there's no audience to be heard on this. Thanks. Very good. Um, Mr. Ferman, you want to say something?

Well, yeah, I I'm not aware of the financial benefit of of term limits. It's been a policy decision for this commission. Um, and a lot of people, some people swear by term limits. They like them. Some people don't like term limits because you're forcing people who may be doing a great job out of office potentially. and uh you know it's it's it's caused a lot of uh wre a lot of havoc in Tallahassee some might argue as well. So there there are pluses, there's minuses. It's really a policy issue. Why it hasn't come up before? It has come up before and it's always been shot down by the commission. Um there was additional discussion. I think what brought it up again was we're tired of the two-year running every two years. We'd like to expand. and the discussion went more into well you're probably not going to be able to unless you put some limitations we tried it the other way do you want to try it this way that's kind of where the it's just policy of you as commissioners discussing on this day that's all it's been at this point

thank you Mr. I just I was going to chime in also just to mention that uh I mean vice mayor you're absolutely correct increasing the number of commissioners uh does increase the cost but there's a way to end the 33 tie and that's by reducing the number of commissioners. So if we wanted to eliminate one of the commission districts that would actually eliminate the 3-3 tie situation and also save the taxpayer dollars. So that's but that's an option that I threw out there and it was shot down. So, um, anyway, I like to make a motion then make a motion like the agenda. Make a motion to to uh to remove the mayor at large and and establish a five commission five district commission structure.

Point of order, mayor, we have a motion on the table. The agenda, Mr. Burman. I wasn't finished. I wasn't. Can't hear you. Can't hear you. Can't hear you, Mr. Burman. Turn the mic on. Voters decided that that would have to be a referendum issue. Yeah, I wasn't finished my sentence. Sorry. Okay, that's all right. All right. Is is there further commission discussion? Seeing now, let's go ahead and call

Perkins Commissioner Perkins. Um the I'm just surprised that everybody is going on and on about the 160,000 as long as I've sat here on this this DAS been talking about the way the city spends money as though it's free water and all of a sudden we're in a bind. So we're trying to save at this point. And as I've said over and over and over again, our mayor is not strong mayor. He does not run the city. We hire a city manager to run the city of PMPO Beach. Mayor's job is to preside over the meeting, attend groundbreings and ribbon cutings. That's it. He runs every four years. So, I when it comes to the two-year terms for me, I feel as though I run every year. My experience with staff is after a year I'm told you can't do this, you can't do that because you're up for reelection. So my hands are somewhat tied after I open a campaign account. I'm limited as to what I can do and what I cannot do because staff usually supports the person that they have running against me. So that is what my experience has been. So for me, it's like I run every once a year. After one year, it's time for me to run again. So I've been I've been told that several times from staff what I can and cannot do because I've opened my campaign account, but I'm still a commissioner. At this

point, I'm limited. So, I can think of a lot of things I want to continue to do right now in my district right now. I'm sure I'll be told by staff, you can't do that. You're up for reelection. I have to pause and stop and wait till after November and try to push everything I can after November into that one year. So, that has been um my experience. Thank you. Very good. Further commission discussion. Seeing none, let's call the role. Commissioner Fezik, yes. Commissioner Perkins, yes. Commissioner Secret, no. Commissioner Smith, yes.

Is he? Yes. Okay. Vice Mayor Forier. Yes. Mayor Hart, no. All right. Item number 10 is the first reading of the ordinance. Mayor, excuse me, Commissioner Perkins. Um, this has to come back for a second reading. Am I right? Correct. Is it possible, excuse me, is it possible to put it on the agenda for a six o'clock meeting? Maybe we can get more in. Yes, it will be. Will. Okay, great. Thank you. That's it.

Item 10 is the first reading of an ordinance. An ordinance of the city commission of the city of Palm Beach, Florida, approving and authorizing the proper city officials to execute contracts for consulting professional services between the city of Pablo Beach and Hayes and Sawyer PC, Macccaffery Brenen Consulting LLC, Stantech Consulting Services, Inc., Arcad Arcadus US, Inc. and Coroyo Engineers Inc. for professional engineering services providing for severability providing an effective date. So moved. Second.

Moved and second for discussion. Miss Muhammad. Reneuka Muhammad, utilities director. The utilities department is seeking commission approval to enter into continuing professional services agreements under RLI25-072 water and reuse treatment plant projects procured in accordance with the consultants competitive negotiating act the CCN which requires competitive qualificationbased selection process for professional services in our case engineering design permitting construction and I'm sorry construction administration The solicitation was advertised on August 28th and closed October 1st, 2025. Six letters of interest was received and evaluated. Following evaluation, the committee ranked and recommended five five firms for the award. Macaffy Brenson, Corollo, Arcadius, Hazen and Sawya, and Stantech Consulting. Tetratech was the lowest ranked firm and was not selected based on the established criteria. The agreements will be for a 5-year term and will allow the city to issue project specific work authorization on an asneeded basis. Projects will be funded through approved operating and capital budgets. Approval of these agreements supports the city's goal for resilient and sta sustainable utility infrastructure. Questions?

Very good. Thank you for that. This is a public hearing. Is there any input from the public on this item? Seeing none, public input closed. Commission questions, concerns, anything. There's Commissioner Fess. Thank you. I actually had a question. Um, so if we were to approve this, at what dollar threshold would work authorizations come back to the commission for approval?

So, right now, based on the last discussion I had with legal, it's 200,000. So, anything under 200,000, it comes it we take care of it internally. Anything over the $200 threshold, we bring it to you for authorization. Okay. And are we is that tracking is that per task or is that tracking per is that tracking to provide tracking for cumulative spending across all firms.

So this is qualification based. So it depends on the project. There is no limitation per se. The limitation is the budget. So once a project is identified, we find a best fit consultant for the project and we begin the negotiation process for a scope of work. If for whatever reason we are unsuccessful, we go to the next best fit. But there's no cumulative amount for it. Okay. Generally, it's handled by fiscal year. If it's a CIP, then yes, we go through the five-year process. Okay. And what's the estimated total value of work um anticipated across all five firms for these budgets?

I don't have a number because again everything is within our budgetary limits. So, whatever we we get approved through our budget, whether it be our operations budget, our CIP budget, then that's the approved amount. Okay. Thank you. Very good. Further commission discussion. Seeing none, let's go ahead and call the role. Commissioner Fez, no. Commissioner Perkins, yes. Commissioner Sigerson Eaton, yes. Commissioner Smith, yes. Vice Mayor Fornier, yes. Mayor Harden, yes. Item number 11 is a first reading of an ordinance.

An ordinance of the city commission of the city of PMPA beach, Florida, approving and authorizing the proper city officials to execute continuing contracts for professional consulting services between the city of PMPA beach and HDR Engineering Inc. Kimley Horn and Associates Inc. and Garver LLC to provide engineering services at the Air Park. RLI2-031 providing for severability providing an effective date. So moved. Second. Moved and second for discussion. Mr. Seropoulos.

Good afternoon, Mayor Commission. John Sar, city engineer. This ordinance is to approve three continuing contracts for Air Park Consulting Services between the city and HDR, Kimley Horn, and Garver. RLI number 25-0311 resulted in four proposals and the review panel selected the highest three ranked firms. There were four voting members on the committee and the scoring matrix is included in your backup. The three proposed contracts are all the same with the exception of exhibit C, which is the fee schedule, and the contracts will be effective for three years. I'd be happy to answer any questions. Thank you.

Very good. This is a public hearing. Is there any input from the public on this item? Seeing none, public input closed. Commission discussion, questions, concerns. Commissioner Fess,

I actually got some emails about this. So, um, wanted to make sure that I noted that the there's still a very large issue with our air park and how it's being operated and run, managed, and this sort of plays into that as well. I have residents that are very upset and very against this particular item simply because it has to do with the the air park moving forward on things unfettered. in their opinion. Um, this, as far as I understand it, would pretty much authorize us to move forward with a lot of the things at the Air Park residents are currently yelling and screaming and and arguing about in general. Um, what specific air park projects are anticipated to be assigned as tasks under these contracts in the next 12 months? Uh we have a a variety of them. Um I can go ahead and read a few and it would be it would basically come out of the airport master plan and also developed in our CIP. And keep in mind that these are on demand via work authorizations that we would also bring. We've got grant support services, airport data collection and facility inventory, aeronautical activity forecast and demand capacity analysis, airfield modeling for capacity and delay, airport noise studies, airfield civil, electrical mechanical engineering, taxiways, runways, environmental studies, air traffic control towers, etc.

Okay. How are those projects being prioritized at? Again, that would be um our CIP manager would work with uh the air park director and the public works director and it would be developed through our CIP. Okay. What is the total estimated because I know nobody has a clue how much it could potentially cost, but what's the estimated total value of work anticipated uh across all firms over the life of those five years or the life of those contracts? I'm sorry I don't have that information.

Okay. Do I mean do you have any idea like let's say it was airfield modeling or one of the things or on demand services. Do you have any idea how much something like that? No. Would potentially cost? No. Because it's so worksp specific. we would develop it with the consultant and go through that scoping process. Okay. Has there been any previous work on the air park that had something similar done that we would kind of obviously we would have to increase the dollar amount for inflation? But has there been any sort of, you know, are we talking about $50,000? Are we talking about $750,000? Are we talking about three million? Are we talking about It it could vary. It could be under 75,000. It could be a $500,000 work authorization.

Okay. And do do those $500,000 work authorizations come to commission or is it just are we automatically allowing the money to be spent? Anything over 200,000 still has to come to commission for approval, right? But is that per contract or or is that just per invoice? It's per work authorization.

Okay. So, it's I've seen how that works before though that I've actually I think there's an email thread for not not you not your department but another one where somebody's had a had it had a quote come out for $85,000 and after a phone call it was to 75,000 so it didn't have to come to commission. So, I I have I have concerns with that one. Um especially given that residents are feeling like they're just not being heard and they're feeling like the manager is not hearing them. Neither the airport manager nor our city manager. and I really wish he was here today because I had a lot to say to him and ask him questions about things um related to this as well. But um

I'd like to point out that if this doesn't get approved, just so you know, for every park project, we would have to go out to solicit which would be a very inefficient process. We we need these contracts in place to do this work.

Right. Right. I think and I think the question is is that some of the residents are wondering if if why we're still doing some of this work. They would like they would like to a little bit more in they would like to have a little bit more input in that decision making process where they have not had it in the past. Um I have under a lot of research at the air park and a lot of the things that have been done at the air park even though I've been yelling screaming sort of from the rooftops. It's hilarious to me that actually earlier today at our budget meeting, we had a whole conversation about the ecological impacts of water tables. Yet, we just literally deesated an environmentally sensitive land that has literally five I think Renuka, you might know more than I do. Um, you know, we have water basins that literally are sitting under scrub pine or scrub scrub habitat which is less than 1% because we've overdeveloped everything in the state of Florida and those things can't come back, right? So, it's six of one, half dozen of the other. the in 1940 something when the air park was decommissioned they actually shortened the runways because they the intent was for it to be a resident a recreational air park not an airport um I lived here in high school so we're now going 34 30 years ago and I lived directly under that flight path and I used to lay under the pool lay in my front yard pool floating and I can tell you I could be out for a whole Saturday morning or Saturday afternoon and you have the occasional plane. I go out there now. I have a I have a condo just seven blocks north and I'm at that pool and it is non-stop. It's incessant. People's it's it's not just the noise, it's how low they're flying. People have a valid concern and if we're not addressing some of that stuff there, I have a really hard time saying yes to anything else that's happening within the air park. I understand that there's plans, but it's coming down to how things have been managed for me and and

how we have been systematically removing the city commission's ability through not necessarily you. I just need to make sure this is very clear, it's not you. Um through these have these unintended consequences of sort of tying our hands in being able to monitor the projects that affect the districts we serve. And so we lose a little bit a little bit here. We we lose a little bit there. I mean, I know that we we I say we because I wasn't even here at the time gave the city manager a larger spending authority, but it was tied to something that said construction yet we're using it for consultants. So I have a I have a big problem with this and I would really like to see

Why don't you just make a motion to postpone? Yeah, I said I'd like to like make a motion to postpone it to the six o'clock meeting in two weeks and so that we can have some residents come out here and have the ability to discuss it and I can get some more information from the city manager as well. I I would just like to to add that I think you're reinforcing the point that we need these contracts in place. The these are consultant resources that would help us with what exactly what you're referring to. Okay. Well, there's a motion on the floor to postpone. I'd like to see them. Is there a second? Second. moved in a second to postpone until the uh our next meeting. Um discussion on the proposal postponed. Vice Mayor, I

mean, I wanted to speak on the topic, so I'm might as well speak on the motion. Um I do think a a lot of the problem always goes back to this $200,000 of spending authority and how that has reduced transparency. So, um, I hear what you're saying about some of this work actually could be helpful to address resident concerns, but they don't know that because it never comes back here and we never actually get transparency about what these studies are. And in their view, they're thinking maybe some of this work is being done to accelerate the development of the air park, right? So, um, is any of that any of the studies that you listed are any of those in any way going to accelerate the development of the air park?

Not that I'm aware of. And and you would be aware of it because it gets developed in the CIP. So, you would see those projects, right? But it might be listed as noise study or something, right? So, um, again, I think the tr the problem is always that it doesn't come back here. So, we don't actually get to discuss what the study is that's happening. It's just, you know, Kimley Horn could effectively have in any given year, I guess, three $200,000 work authorizations out at the airport and we could be saying $600,000 out there on studies that we don't even know what's happening because they don't come back to us. But you would, Vice Mayor, through the CIP,

right? Well, we always hear it's in the budget. It's in the budget, but we don't actually know then it was they were hired and what this what the the detailed scope was and all of that. You know, it's just a line item in a CIP in a budget book that's hundreds and hundreds of pages. So, um, that's why it's important that things when they're actually happening come back. Uh, so I support postponing this and letting people know. I I understand why we need it, but um I guess for me u especially with the air park because there are so much concerns about it. I would like to somehow set aside that $200,000 authorization for these for these consulting agreements and say that anything airpark related under these consulting agreements that we signed needs to come back for the commission at any threshold that so I would want that to be part of what we do. Thank you.

Very good. Mr. Sopoulos, can you tell me is there any time sensitivity on these contracts? Um, no, not at the moment. Didn't think so. Okay. So, okay. So, discussion on the motion to postpone. I've got I've got Commissioner Seager followed by Commissioner Fess. Thank you, Mayor. Um, are you Vice Mayor? Are you amending the motion? It's my motion. No, it's just a motion to postpone. I don't believe I can amend her motion. Just motion to postpone is what? Sounds like it. Well, motion to postpone is what we're dealing with. Correct. Okay. Thank you, Mr. Fess.

Thank you. Um, I just wanted to make sure if we're so with this postponing and the motion if I I asked in December to have a meeting and I was told by Mr. Harrison that I would have be able to have a meeting with the wildlife experts on that environmentally sensitive land. Um, it is now April and I have still not been able out there. Miss Cibil, can you make sure that I have a date before our next meeting to line up with the wildlife experts because there have been people showing up on the air park and um it's the rapid vegetation assessment that I received is pretty intense. So I would like to make sure that I I fulfill that before our next meeting. That please be possible to make sure that I am out there with wildlife team before the next meeting.

Um I will discuss that with staff and the city manager and get back to you. Thank you. Okay. On the motion to postpone. Any further discussion? Seeing none, let's go ahead and call the role. Commissioner Fezit. Yes. Commissioner Perkins. The motion to postpone. To postpone. Yes. Commissioner Sigson Eaton. Yes. Commissioner Smith. Yes. Viceman Fornier. Yes. Mayor Harden. Yes. Item 12 is the first reading in the ordinance.

An ordinance of the city commission of the city of Palm Beach, Florida, approving and authorizing the proper city officials to execute a parking license agreement between the city of PMPO Beach and the First Baptist Church of Palm Beach for the use of parking spaces located at 117 Northeast 1st Street. providing for servability providing an effective date. So moved. Second. Moved and second for discussion. Mr. Lance, once again, good afternoon, mayor, vice mayor, commission. Jeff Lance, parking manager.

The the item before you today is a parking license agreement between a city and First Baptist Church located at 117 Northeast First Street. In 2015, commission approved ordinance 2015-42, which allowed for the use of 126 parking spaces in the church parking lot to provide public parking for the surrounding commercial establishments. In 2020, commission approved ordinance 2020-54, which allowed for the continued use of these spaces. This agreement expired in May of 2025, and since this time, cities continue to work with First Baptist Church to find a mutually agreeable resolution to allow for the continued use of this parking area. To assist with the negotiations, the city obtained an independent appraisal from Callaway and Price, which valued the market rent for these spaces at $45 per space per month. With the addition of the new businesses in Oldtown since 2020, including the vault, Soulful Steep, the South Restaurant, Oldtown Untapped, and the backyard concert uh jams. This additional parking seems critical for the current use and demand as well as future demand. And it's for these reasons that staff recommends approval of this item.

Okay. Thank you for that. My presentation. I just I just want to say thank you uh to Miss Cibil, and you, Mr. Lance, and of course, Mr. Burman's office and everybody involved in these negotiations. Thank you for for your efforts there. This is a public hearing. Is there any input from the public on this item? Please come forward. Just name and address for the record. Hi, Tasha Thomas, 209 Northwest 15th Street. Um, my first question would be, have you guys looked into shared parking options? Well, this is a this is a shared parking agreement with with the church

like between all the businesses in Oldtown. No, no, this is between us and the church.

And that kind of would be my question because I'm like granted everybody wants more parking, but I'm like clearly we can't build and we have limited space. So, I'm wondering why we wouldn't start coordinating more between like the businesses and the city to like start offering more parking. So, sorry, my voice is kind of gone. Um, in terms of like I know we have like two or three different apartment complexes. I don't believe that their parking ever actually fills all the way up or there's probably times where the residents aren't use utilizing all of it or even with the public um spaces that we have. I feel as though it'd be like a better use, you know, not knocking your plan or anything, but in terms of making more parking available and the space that we have. That's it.

Very good. Thank you. Further input from the public? Seeing none, public input closed. Commission discussion. Commissioner Seager Eden.

Yes. I I also want to say that I'm very relieved that the city and the church could come to an agreement on the parking. I I feel that, you know, parking arguably is the most essential element to a successful uh revitalization, redevelopment uh area. And uh it not only helps existing businesses, but it attracts new businesses that further help it help to enliven uh an area. And um you know, I'm reminded that uh it the beach parking took a long time uh and there were hurdles, but we got over them and it it really created the opportunity for the beach redevelopment to be successful. And so I'd like to send my sincerest uh uh appreciation uh to and gratitude to the First Baptist Church um and all of those involved in this negotiation. Um you know, it's it it really is helping to support the re the renaissance of the old town old downtown Pompo. So that's that's what I wanted to say. I really do appreciate everything Baptist and any everyone involved. Thank you.

Very good. Thank you for the commission. Commissioner Fess.

Thank you. Um I want to just before I go into what I was saying, I sure seen and you mentioned that parking helps and helps grow things and all the development we have going on. Just want to point out that our city and CRA consultants were the ones who advised that we remove all the parking obligations or a lot of parking obligations from the new development that they were creating. Therefore, I forcing the opportunity for taxpayers to foot the bill for the parking garages um that they needed to then park in areas so other people could visit when we had it before. Mayor, mayor, I must commission.

So that was so I mean and that's that's actually in a memo. So, um, and in a vote a while back. Um, so I have I have I have issues with this. Did we Jalance? Are we utilizing the property we just bought from for $5 million at all? We just finished that more or less finished that. Well, we are not using it yet.

Okay. So while I appreciate that this First Baptist has church has been very kind and very patient with city, I think at one point they said no, they did not want to give up parking and then they were publicly shamed. Um which I felt was inappropriate. Do we I mean do we know how many spaces will we have in that $5 million property? Right now we've uh developed about 30 spaces. Okay. And then do we have any other property that we currently have for parking for Oldtown at the moment?

We with the I think this year we developed we when we took down the barger building we developed that lot kind of across from the vault and uh there's another grass lot down behind uh PPMO grocery store. Um both of those have between 20 and 30 spaces. And is it full all the time or is it just during events that we have? Mostly during events. Okay.

So, this would actually probably be a great opportunity for us to maybe increase our circuit ridership or encourage people to ride share. Um, if we're trying to be a walkable, bikable, carless city, I don't know why we're spending so much money on parking. Um, I just I I I while I appreciate this, there's this is tied for me to a lot of other things that have been going on in in in the inner workings. Um, and I'm just not I don't know that we need it and I'm and I'm I'm not comfortable with with just approving this right now. Um, I'd like to see a little bit more detail. I've I've read through everything, probably more detail than I want to know, but um I'm I'm I just have this I can't put my finger on it. I just have this instinct and gut feeling that this is something that that might not be for us. Thank you.

Very good. Um I I just want to set the record straight though for parking garages. The taxpayers aren't paying for parking garages. The parkers who park in the parking garages or who pays for those for I've got vice Well, first I've got Commissioner Seerson. Yes. I I I wanted to as well. We have a parking u parking enterprise fund. Yes. that's designed to reinvest in more parking is paid for by the and that is that is not an opinion that is a fact. Thank you. Very good, Vice Mayor.

Thank you. So, I do think we've I appreciate the works that's been done here. Uh and First Baptist coming to the table. This is two and a half times what we were paying them under the last contract. So, I I know the bid ask was even bigger before, but it's still a pretty steep increase. Uh, and I share Commissioner Fezick's concern or question that about needing parking there now given that we we took down the Burgger building. Uh, there's street parking. There's the additional lot that we're adding parking. When I go over there, not during an event, there are I have never had a parking issue. the parking issues seem to be very event-based, untapped. Um, so I I struggle with doing this um paying all of this for all these spaces that I think are going to sit empty most of the time. Um, and I know long term we need parking. We've talked to the developers, the restaurant tours down there. In order to attract other businesses down there, we need more parking, but it needs to be permanent parking. It needs to be something that they can rely on that will be in there, be still be there in in five years to so for example, for Adam to attract a a big restaurant name to build out in in Oldtown, he needs a a permanent plan for parking. And none of these options, the lot we own perhaps, but this is not a permanent plan for parking. So, this doesn't give those new businesses comfort that they'll have long-term parking. So, I think it's going to sit empty a lot of the time, and I think uh we've made some strides in the meantime to add parking. U my biggest issue, and I know this is not out of the general fund, it's out of the parking fund, but I think the CRA should be paying for this. We we've we talk all the time about whenever the CRA can pay for something, they should. And I think uh the there's a lot of CRA supported

businesses incentive programs down there and if the CRA wants to pay for this, I think this should be an agreement with the CRA, not the city. Thank you. Okay. Well, Miss Cibil,

thank you, mayor. So, I just want to clarify a few points. Um first of all, it's not that the church did not want to have a shared parking agreement with us. As you all recall, we were in negotiations now for over a year. um when we tried to renew, we did propose the low rate. Um they came back with a much higher rate and we walked away from negotiations and then we both came back to the table and it's taken some time to even bring this back because they have a process on their side obviously being a church going through their boards and so forth. So I just wanted to clarify that for the record. It's not that they didn't want to have an agreement with us, but they wanted us to pay a lot higher premium. Did I say that?

No, no, no. Okay. Commissioner Fess said that um initially so I just wanted to clarify that just for the record. Um so I think you know we we pursued this agreement because it's convenient parking. I think we do have parking. We made all efforts when this deal fell apart um a couple of months ago to add a lot of um permanent parking which one is the surface lot on the barger site. We also um have some temporary parking north of the market for it's also a CRA um lot as well. That's also a temporary lot because eventually the objective of that is to potentially develop that site at some point. Um and I do agree with the vice mayor. I think the objective long term is to have structured parking there. I think that is the best solution. That is why this commission approved the $5 million purchase for the lot in Oldtown um from a private party. So we are utilizing that for temporary parking as Mr. Lance pointed out. We can fit about 30 spaces on that lot right now surface, but the goal is to put out a solicitation to build structured parking and that's what we presented as the plan to this commission when you authorized us paying to purchase that lot. So again, that's certainly a policy decision. We did fight hard to bring this back to you. It's convenient parking. um whether it's day businesses, I do agree that it's not as busy, right, during the daytime, but certainly when we have events and so forth, it does provide for convenient parking so people don't have to come across the street. They probably still do because we do have the overflow, but less likely now that we have access to this lot, it does have termination provisions, so we can terminate with 180 days notice um going through this. If we do build structured parking, it's going to take about 20 months, let's say, to get that up going through design and construction. So, I just wanted you all to contemplate all of that. Again, that's certainly a policy decision if you want us to move this forward or not. Thank you.

Thank you, M. Can I ask a question? Yes, of course, Vice Mayor. So when you went back to the table to negotiate this after we had taken these other steps, did you have a conversation about maybe just what it would cost us for like untapped and events just for excess parking when we need it instead of paying for all these spaces that we don't need? Yeah. Yeah. They had a number for uh base lease just for the monthly lease. and they added added a number a number for Oldtown Untapped and the backyard jams, but they were not interested in separating those. They wanted those to be together.

So, I mean, we've had a lot of I'm trying to remember because quite honestly, we've had a lot of iterations of versions of this going back and forth. We've had meetings about this and we've come a long way agreement. So, just seems like had this come to us six, eight months ago, I think we'd all be like, "This is great." Now, it just seems a little bit excessive for what we need. And I I like I said, I'd like if it's if we're going to do this, I would like the CRA to pay for it. So, is it possible to do the contract with the CRA? Um I believe that is an eligible expense as a policy decision if you want. Well, that would be my suggested at the CRA meeting, obviously. Thank you.

Okay. Well, um I guess uh well that that begs the question from CRA, which we're not at a CRA meeting, but if if we wanted to is there urgency in this matter? I I don't think from our standpoint, but the church, they've been very anxious about this. I can't tell you how um the person negotiating with us will feel because, you know, we've it's been going through the process on their side and our side. So, you know, certainly we would have to let them know this was delayed, but you know, I can't speak to what they'll say. I don't think they're here today.

No. If I might add, the church has been, while we've been going through this process over the last few months, the church has left that lot open for Oldtown Untappd and Backyard Jam. It's kind of a good faith. Um, and as assistant city manager just said, I'm not sure that that they would continue doing that um depending on the outcome here. Right. They also had limitations about how long we could go back and forth in this like initially that was in the first version like you you only get to turn it around. Of course we said no it has to go through our legal process and review internally. So um would there be an opportunity going forward if if we entered into this or approve this could to uh change who the person is who pays for it internally?

Yes. I mean absolutely. I mean you we could switch it over to a CRXman's raising his hand. We'd have to for I'm sorry. Did you would be a new agreement with the CRA? Oh yes, of course. We look and see if that is an appropriate expense and absolutely and I'm not too sure that it is, but I don't want to pull the curtain on that yet. I will consult with the CRA uh statute and with the CRA's attorney and we can look at that certainly, but I'm doubtful that that's an appropriate expense for the CR, but Well, we're like I said, we're we're not meeting as a CRA right now. That's that's I'm just was curious about our options going forward. rents the USman's lot. Is it the city or the CRA? I don't know. The CRA does.

So, it sounds like the CRA can rent parking lots. Okay. I'd like to make a motion to postpone this and bring this up at our CRA meeting next week. Second.

Okay. Well, um I Okay. On the motion, um I'm not going to support that motion because this is first reading. I think we can go forward with first reading. We're going to have our CRA meeting. We could talk about it then, but that doesn't stop the clock on this. Um, it's as and we'll see what happens with the CRA. That's fine. But I'm not going to support postponing this. I think we can move forward with this on first reading and we can uh make decisions at the CRA meeting slash future city commission meeting on what we actually want to wind up doing. That's my position. But I've got Commissioner Secrets to eat and Commissioner Smith.

Agree. I I mean, if the CRA could pay for it, great. Um, I do feel like we need the parking down there for the events. They've given us the use of the entire lot, the extra 143 spaces for two uh events per month at no charge. Um, so yeah, but if the CRA can pay for it, great. So I think we do agree we have time in between, so I'm not going to support postponing it. Thank you, Commissioner Smith.

I know that when we didn't have the parking heard from a lot of residents because they didn't feel comfortable parking um at the cultural center and going across Atlantic. They felt that um it was dangerous. So they just stopped coming to special events and I heard from several people elderly population mostly. Um, so I think we have been very successful with um, Untapped and Backyard Jam that residents love it and we need to provide safe parking for them. I I won't support postponing either. I I think the timing is let's vote today to go ahead and approve it first reading, but then we have time at the CRA to discuss it to see what options we have with CRA. We've got a second meeting, but I don't want to lose the parking. And if we we postpone it and the the church says, "Sorry, we're locking the gate." I'd hate to see that um impact our residents. So, I'm not supporting a postponement either.

Very good. First, Commissioner Fessic.

Thank you. So, I've been maybe it's because I was hanging out at the U American Legion this weekend, but I I keep thinking in my head of of the six Ps and and and and what that means to me is that keep talking about this parking need, this parking need, this parking need, and yet we've hired people to for years to redevelop and help plan the growth of our city. and somehow we keep failing miserably on this parking situation. So I I I look I think it's I think it's worth having a conversation if the CRA is is there to develop and redevelop these areas and create something there then they need to create all of that space and I think that that's the conversation that's worth having. What I'm not comfortable doing, especially given that we are, you know, I'm not comfortable just saying, oh, you know what, we're going to just we're going to say yes for now and then we're going to pull it back. No, postponing it is the right thing to do because then that gives us the opportunity to really vet all of those options at a CRA meeting and then if it and knowing that we have extra time to to really look at look at it and look at all the options so we don't go in there feeling like we're under the gun on something. and they've waited this long and we've they've been the negotiations and I want to say thank you because I do know I can tell you from a lot of the emails that there have been a lot of negotiations and and it's been and a lot of planned meetings and there's been a lot of work that goes into this but I agree with I agree that we had we just spent a lot of money to put to buy extra space and we've been working on also potentially designing another parking structure and there's another parking structure across the street that's that's being designed. We've got a lot of parking coming and I don't know that that for an event it's it's worth spending this extra money over five years with a with a six-month termination clause. Um so I I would really like to see what the possibilities are with the CRA and I would support postponing and and um and

bring and bring it to a CRA meeting.

Thank you. Yeah, I just I just want to say that we have fostered redevelopment throughout our community from the beach area all all the way out west and and it has been planned. This is not catching us by surprise. We knew there was going to be a need for parking and those those kinds of issues come up and when they come up they need to be dealt with in a constructive manner and here we've uh we've been successful in Oldtown to a certain extent and we do have certain events there and we do have a need for parking and guess what? We've got an opportunity here to to take care of that situation and we've got future ideas that that are coming forth from staff to solve the longer term issues as far as another parking garage which that's the intelligent way to do it and it makes sense. Um so yes, all these things were thought out long ago, believe it or not. Um so this is on the motion to postpone. Any further discussion? I got vice mayor.

Yeah. So I think this is one of those examples where this board doesn't function. There's no trust. There's no like good faith that this will come up at the CRA meeting and be supported by anyone else up here. So, Commissioner Seen, are will you support that at the CRA meeting if it is a allowable expense? Absolutely.

Okay. No, I mean I feel like at this point we just let's put it out there because if if if we pass this here uh and I know this is a motion to postpone. Um but if we it's an allowable expense and we discuss it at the CRA meeting next week. I you know how things tend to go 3 to three. So I I'm looking for us to operate with some level of of trust that we will support that. Mayor, will you support that? Commissioner or vice mayor, I apologize. Um, just let me tell you, you've got an opportunity if things aren't to your liking on second reading to vote. I'm well aware. I am well aware of what I Thank you. Yeah.

I asked a question though. Will you will you support it if it is an allowable expense for the CRA? I'll take a look at it. I look at everything with a very critical eye, believe it or not. Thank you. Okay. Thank you,

Mayor. I'm Commissioner Perkins. My concern is um the five years and my concern is the negotiation. I'm not a mathematician. I'm not good at math anyway, but my numbers show we will be paying them for 143 parking spaces 11,760 a year. And I I think that's a bit much. But one thing I can say, Mayor, I'm happy to hear you elaborate on at least one item on the agenda because you usually sit in the meetings and just say nothing the entire meeting. But I can tell when you feel strongly about something because you give your opinion, which is rare, but I I know that this is something that you're strongly strongly supporting. Um my question to vice mayor, when you say you want this expense to come from CRA. Are you saying the Northwest CRA or the ECRA or

this lot is located in the Northwest CRA like all like South Vault, all those businesses in Oldtown that are supported by the CRA? Well, the majority of uh CRA money has been spent in that area and not in the areas where it should be um should have been uh spent. I agree with you.

I would not support this being um the expense coming from the the CRA. I'm just concerned because I know the history of this church, know the connections with the church and CRA and everybody else knows that too, but we're talking about it in a roundabout way. Um, and then I heard Sibil say that the church is very um anxious to get this over with. With this type of money, I would be too. Certainly, I would be too. So, um, but no, I'm not going to support this, but I do feel um that we do need adequate parking, but I just think the amount is too high, and I do not agree with the five-year uh contract as well. Thank you.

Can I clarify the calculation? Yeah, but just just to make sure we're all clear, we're right. So, we're actually paying $40. Wait, wait, just to make sure we're all clear. Um, we are talking about the motion to postpone first. Yes. Then we'll come back to the actual item. But yeah, Miss Cibil, you want to go ahead and clarify?

So, it's we did have an appraisal done which came out at $45 a space. The appraisal that we had professionally done. Um, what the church proposed is $40 a space for the $126 spaces that are closest to the businesses that we have access to pretty much all of the time except for if they have Easter service, Christmas service, etc. um the 143 spaces which were um to the east the east lots let's call them that um those they're offering for free but we're limited to two events per month so untapped and um backyard jam right two events per month which is pretty much what we do now um two events per month they limit that but that that they're allowing us access to for free for that for that those additional lots um to the east um so and then we do pay for landscaping which we always have and we've capped that at a certain amount per So that's how we get the calculation. So it's really access to 269 spaces about 143 are for special events.

Okay. Thank you for explaining that. So this on the motion to postpone. We're still on motion to postpone. Any further questions on that? Okay. Let's go ahead and call the role on a motion to postpone. Commissioner Pik, yes. Commissioner Perkins, no. Commissioner Seagerson Eaton, no. Commissioner Smith, no. Vice May Forier, yes. Mayor Hart, no. Now we're back on the actual item. Um, any discussion on the actual item? Let's vote.

None. Well, um, I'll just say that I mean, we do have a parking issue down there and I do support this moving forward. Um, as far as the issues with the long-term consequences of it, what did you say? It's a 180day opt out for us. Yes. Um yes, it is. The previous agreement was 90 days, which we we thought was really short, you know, just for us to make plans. So, we did negotiate that up to 180 days. Within 6 months, we could be out of this contract if things changed if we built a parking garage or or whatever else happened. Okay. So, it's not it's not even though it says it's a 5-year agreement, but still can either party can get out in 180 days. Is that it? That is correct. Yes.

Okay. So it puts us at somewhat of a risk also in case they decided to yank the parking. Commissioner Seerson.

Thank you. And I I also wanted to add one thing, an observation. Friday, Saturday nights, the vault is generally full. South is doing great. The outdoor bar in the alley that's part of the vault is full. And when you have the valet and even if there were one more restaurant to open up or if someone is having a function at um Oldtown Square in their uh party room that parking it it gets very crowded. Those spots are being used especially on Friday and Saturday nights. So we Yeah, that's that's all I just wanted to add. Um, I also think I also wonder like, okay, well, um, we're not in a CRA meeting, but I just wonder how many yes votes we would get whe or whether it would be a three-3 split on whether we want to uh get a bond for uh the parking garage down there, but we could get built very quickly. Uh, but it would take this CRA board to vote in favor of doing that. Um, I just hope we all ask ourselves whether we would like to do that. Um, thank you.

Very good. Further discussion on Yes, Commissioner Perkins.

I've always said that we have a very um smart staff and they think ahead in the future. And I'm sure staff was aware that when we decided to bring in all of these restaurants in the area and businesses that parking parking would be needed. So this is not something that just came up yesterday that we were going to need this parking. I'm sure it was considered that church have parking. They have parking that we can use. So usually staff from my experience always have a long-term plan. And I know I know for a fact that they knew we were going to need more parking

somewhere down the road if you're bringing in all these businesses. So I I just don't think that this this is for me part of the plan. Thank you. Question. Yes, Commissioner Fess.

Miss Cvil, since you're aware of a lot of the CRA purchases as well, um how How much would you say we have spent on parking planning in Oldtown specifically related to parking design lot property purchases with the intent for parking proper uh lease leases, operating costs, etc. What what would you say we have spent maybe just even in the past two years? I wish I memorized all the numbers for the city. I think everyone up here thinks I do hold you to the number, but I mean ballpark wise like I know that I know because I know that none of this stuff is inexpensive. Um do you have any sort of ballpark idea anywhere?

I I don't I can't give you an exact number. I can speak to the process and some of the comments that have been made up here this afternoon. Um relative to planning. Um Commissioner Perfens is absolutely right. We we do plan. Um obviously the optimal approach for us is side control always because it gives us the ability to control our own destiny. Um in working with the church the objective was was trying to build structured parking on the church parking lot and we tried to amend the charter to allow that to be more feasible to allow the private sector to actually pay for that garage. And then when those items failed we were unable to proceed with that. You know the church got a little mad at us because it got sideways in the negotiations and so forth. So, it's not that we didn't have the vision and we tried to plan and we're always on the lookout to acquire additional parcels. Just like the opportunity that we brought before you for the $5 million purchase, you know, when that opportunity arose, we jumped at it because we want to have permanent control so that we can control the city's destiny and ensure that we do have permanent parking, not just temporary. And I think circuit is a great idea. I think I've always advocated, you know, we started that program through a strategic planning process with a micromobility program. I think we've always had a vision to expand it. Um, we've just not really seen that as a permanent solution to having structured parking. We know that we can only go so far with structured parking because you're absolutely right, it is expensive, but that's why we created the enterprise fund to be able to fund that and and to develop those long-term permanent plans. We are certainly going to expand circuit. I think I had a conversation with the vice mayor at our agenda review yesterday. and we will meet with all of you one-on-one to discuss that plan um as we move through the next couple of months and and how we bring that on board. But again, we've never seen that as a supplement for a long-term solution. Um I think we still have a ways to go to convince people to ride circuit. They do it now. It's free and we can't guarantee it always will be free, right? At some point, we may have to consider a fee. I

don't want to do that right now. I'd like to prolong as long as I can. Jeff is a beast in trying to get these FDOT grants um and and make it as free as as as long as we can or have the parking fund pay for it. Um so we're committed to doing that and serving the residents and you know we'll be garnering your input on circuit over the next couple of months. But we really do have the long-term plan of building permanent um parking to serve the businesses and patrons of the city of those businesses and the residents. Thank you. Very good. Mr. On average, I think we were talking about the the garage parking. So on average from a design standpoint, I mean it's not like I think we're to build it's like $40 a space or something is what we were using, right? 40,000 45 now.

40,000. That's 40,000, right? So say that's what 45,000 a space. But but the I was thinking in thousands. Sorry. But 40 but um with that said, so to does the design is that does that include the design or just the construction? That's that all in. Yeah, that's all in. Of course, there's there's some variance for architectural enhancements and and storm water mitigation and things like that, but that's a good number to work with. I don't want to get off track here. This is just about this, but yeah, I' I'd like to think we have some other options. Thank you.

Very good. The vice mayor. Um, so if we vote this down today, uh, do you believe that they will negotiate with us about event parking? I I I didn't get that and we all kind of have different conversations with um, their business manager at the church. Um and I mean I just I detect frustration on their part just because you know in their mind and our part and and our part both sides matter too.

Absolutely. Absolutely. And you know we we held strong on negotiations. I'll give you that. I think um Miss Leisure who's our real property manager you know she she wanted to kind of hold out but the church wanted to stop here. They didn't want to go down any further. So it's not like we didn't try. I don't remember what the number was when we first came back to the table that they threw back at us. But we've come way down on the number and I just want to assure you we did our best and at some point we said okay this is what they I mean there were other things they wanted to do in the agreement that we pushed back on and we just said let us you know we're at this point we're going to bring it to the policy makers for the city and you all make the decision but I feel strongly this is kind of their position and I get the inkling he might be a little frustrated with us if we kind of delay this further but I don't want to 100% speak for him. I mean certainly if that's your decision we would go back and relay whatever the direction of the commission is this. My frustration is I feel like we're paying for something we don't need a lot of the time.

So it it's yes, you got the price down. I know where, like I said, the bid ask was much bigger before, but we're still not we're signing a contract for something that's not exactly what we're what we need. So, okay.

And we did try to negotiate that. We I think we had a vacancy rate looking at Cassie in the back. At some point, we negotiated that and they did not like that plan. So was that a vacancy rate meaning that we tried to say exactly what you're saying that there's certain times during the week when it's slow. We're busier Friday, Saturday, Sunday obviously in special events, but this is their position. It's their property. If we want to enter in a lease with them, I think that this is the I won't say best than final because we can always go back and ask if that's the direction, but that's kind of the inkling I'm getting is some frustration on their part with us. So it's just

All right. So, um, we've done what we can to develop an area and invited people to come to an area, but, uh, once again, kind of like the beach area, we're we're talking about not providing enough parking to make it a success. I think that's a very short-term position to, uh, short-term vision to take and uh, doesn't help us long term to reach success in the city of PMPO Beach. Have we asked the businesses to contribute? I'm sorry, what was that, Vice Mayor? Sorry, I had one more question for Miss Sure. Have we asked the businesses to contribute to help pay for this? I feel like the CRA may have had I don't know if Jeff has. I did not.

I don't want to speak for I don't if anyone's here. Is he hiding back there? I I mean I I think what you'll hear from the businesses generally, especially the restaurants, is you know, I know one just opened a little while ago. One's been there, has had kind of some change in partnership. I think for them, they're always looking to us to kind of provide more activation and events, and the events are great. Um, I think for them they want more pedestrian traffic just to make it more lively for them. So, I'm I'm going to infer that we might get push back, but I'll turn it over to Mr. Tran who has

So, I guess the mayor asserted that we're not supporting the businesses appropriately. So, if we found all this parking uh and they need it, they would think they'd be willing to contribute something. We pay rent for one of them.

Good afternoon. New and Trans Cra. Uh we have not approached the businesses as you know the the Oldtown area is a very transitional area still up and coming. Um when you start charging for parking or asking the businesses to pay for parking at this early stage in development I think you start deterring the the quality development that you're looking for. Um so at this point no um they are expecting uh public parking and the city or the CRA to provide the public parking but eventually when this area does come up and going and and really gets to become a a true venue uh the need for not only surface parking but but structured parking um we're going to need all that and then that's that can be managed parking

does this additional parking somehow allow you to go back out with an RFP for the washroom or something like this is why I feel like this is such a CRA issue. I like I don't know why we're talking about this today to be honest. It is so integrated into the CRA. So if that somehow allows us to go out and and and that this 5-year parking contract is enough to be able to attract another business, right,

to then then that's that's a different story than what we're hearing here. the lot the city purchased for the structure parking, that's not going to be done till at least another three years, right? Uh from design to actual construction, but this is is a good interim use for that time. And it does relieve some of the the parking requirements if we do have a full-blown service, you know, full restaurant in place like the Wash House. We do have a lot of interest in it and we do plan to issue a solicitation for that very soon. Um and also on on 126 North uh Flaggler, there's a space release that's open as well. So, both of those will be coming. Uh this is an up and cominging area. City has done a great job on Untapped and getting people to the area. So, it is a growing area.

So, there's just a lot more to this. Also, it sounds like this parking might enable other things to happen down there, CRA activities to happen. Correct. And and I think you heard from Mr. Adachi that he does have a problem getting a quality tenant in his space because the the the parking around the area as well. But I think he would say this isn't sufficient because he needs to attract someone. He needs a a more permanent solution. I think you need both. Right. Well, we need the interim, but this is cancelellable. So, you can't go attract a restaurant when it's 180 days and the church could cancel it.

Correct. And that's why we we scrambled as a city in the CRA to uh mobilize and and to do those um temporary parking lots. Uh since we did, you know, the the last First Baptist Church lease expired and we didn't have the use of this. So, you know, we we did scramble to try to come up with where that that surface is going to be, surface parking lot. Can I suggest at our CRA meeting next week that we have like an item where we kind of go over where we're at with parking? I'm surprised there's only 30 spaces in the property we just bought and the BGER site only has 30 also.

Is it 40? What is the bar? Can we get an update on what we have down there and what this would do and and if this would then enable like the RF an RFP and I just feel like we've kind of we've done a lot in the interim here and now this seems excessive but maybe it will enable other things to to actually start manifesting down there. So we do we also we did provide some of that information to the commission. Um I know initially when negotiations were falling apart and had some data attached to each space and stuff we were adding and so forth. So I mean we can dig that off and brush it off and provide it back to the commission. Right. Well since then we bought a lot we've turns we've I think we had that lot under there just

there wasn't parking at it. It wasn't. Well, I think we we assumed if we acquired it because we had said that we were looking to acquire that lot and I think we had put some spaces on it and I I I know that you went out with with the engineering staff to lay out the lot and figure out how many spaces would fit with egress and ingress and and so forth in the lanes. I've had a lot of inbounds about the wash house and that property in the last couple months and I I I'm sure you have also. So, there seems to be an uptick in interest there. So like I said if that somehow this enables us it does. Well this this is why I'd like to talk about at a CRA meeting. I have a question. Mr. Fess.

Thank you. Just a question. No new. So one of the things that you mentioned was parking with not going into the businesses since I heard it at the beach side. Was this something that was parking something that the CRA promised businesses as part of coming in and and as being part of the redevelopment program for Oldtown? I I don't think we promised that, but when we did do the uh the streetscape project, I think that was like the phase one of MLK, it it involved a lot of on street parking within Oldtown. So, we did provide a a number of on street parking in the area. Uh we have identified a lot of other lots that that could become garages. um the the one that that the city bought was early on in in the discussion with uh I I believe it was First Christ Church way back when where we were interested in that lot as well because that was in the sphere. Um so yes, we do have long-term uh ideas of where parking should be. And the second then the second thing is is that the CRA seems to have seems to have this now like like I mentioned before the six PS and I'm just kind of can keep going back to I can hear my grandfather in my ear um Navy captain like literally yelling in my ear six PS. So the issue I have with this is the CRA gets 95% of the tax increment funding in the Northwest CRA in the areas that they're developing and yet then but it keeps coming back to the city to to shoulder the cost for the parking. So, I think if you're I would like to ask you also if it's possible if we're going to be talking about parking, I'd like to talk about that as well and how you can maybe change some of the some of the plans or the the concept with this area in that we continue to create this deficit of parking with redevelopment projects. Then the city is forced to fund even if it's through a parking and it still doesn't matter. We

still have to fund the the project and that's and and we're that's not an equal share here. We're also doing the landscaping once it gets turned over. We there's there's not an equal share of of the of the work. I feel like, you know, that story with the the hen with the making the bread. That's what it feels like.

You know, I I think it's two two different missions, right, between the city and the CRA. The CRA is your redevelopment tool to get things up and going, not your maintenance tool. So to to bring value to create that ambiance to generate the the the visitors in the venue that's what we do and we do that very well. As you recall untapped used to be CRA until the statutes changed. But you know that's our goal is to to transition a very transitional area into a a perceived safe area and an area of opportunity for investment. Um, so we spent quite a lot of money on the CRA side over the years to develop this. So I don't necessarily agree with you on how much we spent in the past compared to what the city spending. Um, we've done quite a lot of spending as a CRA.

Very good. I know. Thank you. All right. Further further commission discussion on the on the issue. Seeing none, let's go ahead and call the role on the item. Commissioner Fez. No. Commissioner Perkins. No. Commissioner Seagerson eaten. Yes. Commissioner Smith. Yes. Vice Mayor Forier. Yes. For today. Harden. Yes. Item 13 is the first reading of an ordinance. An ordinance of the city commission of the city of PMPO Beach, Florida, approving and authorizing the proper city officials to execute a service agreement between the city of PMPO Beach and One Parking Inc. for parking operations management services providing for servability providing an effective date so moved second

moved and second for discussion once again Mr. Lance.

Good afternoon again. Jeff Lance, parking manager. This item before you is an ordinance to approve a 5-year parking management agreement between the city of Pomp Beach and One Parking, Inc. In February of this year, city released a solicitation for this service that was RFP26-011. The city received eight responses from parking operators across the country. On March 2nd, staff ranked One Parking as the most responsive and responsible bidder. Not only was One Parking the lowest bidder, but they've been our contracted parking management provider for the past five years. During their term, they've had done they've done a remarkable job of garage management as well as enforcement of the city's on street and service lot parking. One parking has has extensive experience in municipal and public parking management across the country. One Parking is also a 100% woman-owned business located right up the road in P in Palm Beach. Over the past five years, One Parking has been instrumental in providing parking services for many successful Pompo uh beach events, Fourth of July, drone show, Jazzfest, as well as nautical flea market. One parking was also very instrumental in solving a major issue that we had a couple years ago with traffic building up at the exit and queuing up to the second and third floor. Uh it was through their recommendation and guidance throughout this process that we were able to reconfigure the garage and that queuing problem has gone away. It's for these reasons that staff recommends approval of this item. I'm happy to answer any questions.

Good. Thank you. This is a public hearing. Is there any input from the public on this item? Please come forward. Name and address for the record. Tasha Thomas, 209 Northwest 15th Street. Um, my critique would just be a reiteration of the conversation you guys just had, how much we're spending on parking. I believe this is like 2.8 million. And my biggest critique would be we have solutions. Yeah, they're all shortterm. Um, they're not sustainable. So, we spend all this money on parking. We built more parking and then that's going to cause more traffic in um Allison's district right over by the roundabout, right? So, then what's going to be our plan for that? Spend more money. And then even in terms of like management and stuff, sorry. Um she brought up the circuit. The circuit is actually a really good resource. I would like to see it expand because this is part of the long-term solutions. Granted, um, creating our own bus thing would be its own thing, but in terms of like actually clearing up traffic, moving people efficiently through the city, not having traffic piling up and stuff like that, I feel as though these are actual solutions that we should be looking into and spending money on versus, you know, doubling down on all this parking infrastructure. And I also would like to say I'm not anti-car or I'm not anti- you know development. I just feel as though in terms of when we are looking in um investing in long-term solutions like I said circuits um of course people are going to want to park. We do have to charge especially in certain um cases.

But yes, just in terms of efficiently moving people through the city. Um I would like to see our circuit program um expanded. I would probably like to see if we can actually get other programs or grants going where we could offer people like actual free rides to certain events through the Brower County um public transit system and stuff like that. And I just feel as though if like a little bit of my sorry if a little bit of that money could go towards some of those um solutions, we probably start to see more things like move and pick up and then we also wouldn't be having so much demand for parking as well. And then we also wouldn't have so much backflow of traffic. That's it.

Thank you very much. Appreciate it. Further input from the public. Seeing none, public input closed. Commission discussion, questions, concerns. Seeing none, let's go ahead and call the role. Commissioner Fez, yes. Commissioner Perkins, yes. Commissioner Seagerson, yes. Commissioner Smith, yes. Vice Mayor Pornier, yes. Harden, yes. Item 14 is consideration. Oh, consideration for choosing a director, alternate, and second alternate to attend and vote at any board of directors or general membership meeting of the Broward League of Cities where they represent the city of PMPO Beach. Mr. Alfred, this is your item.

Yes. Good afternoon. Um, mayor, vice mayor, commissioners, Corbin Alfred, city clerk. According to the B County B League of Cities bylaws, each city must appoint a director, alternate, and second alternate annually to attend League of League meetings and represent the city in any voting matter. Uh last year, the commission approved the appointment of Commissioner Sigerson Eaton as director, Commissioner Fezic as alternate, and Vice Mayor Fier as second alternate. Uh, the commission can choose to maintain the current slate of appointees. Mayor, I'd turn it over to you for further action.

Very good. I if they if you're willing to continue serving, I move that we like the same slate. I'd like to I'd like to um possibly throw my name in for director. I I'll have I have reasons for that for later discussion. Okay, then. Uh so, okay. Um so, you want to nominate yourself for director director position. Okay. We've any other nominations for Commissioner Seagerson Eden? I will I so I'd like to continue as I have uh for the with the board of directors. Okay. As a board of director and um I certainly can give some reasons why um if appropriate.

Um so you may or may not know my husband is a governmental consultant. He's been going to Tallahassee for 30 35 years. Um he works for cities and he tracks the bills. He does the similar thing that Earl does and our lobbyists uh do up in Tallahassee. Um he has been working with the League of Cities for 30 40 years. Um knows some of the top planners and and attorneys there um David Cruz for one and and others. So that relationship that he has with primarily staff members because sometimes the elected representatives change but generally the staff members stay the same. So for instance last year during Broward days we had a commission meeting so we weren't attending. I know the mayor goes up frequently, but the year before that um during Broward days, my husband was already there making appointments with the legis with legislators. Um and I could take advantage of that and I did. and I promote the um so the when you serve on the Broward League, they're a part of the Florida League. So generally you're promoting what they're promoting. Uh because you believe what they're promoting is right. So it gave me the opportunity to do a couple of things. I got to see representatives like uh M representative Mccclure who is the uh

appropriations chair and it gave me the opportunity to be face to face with that legislator. The appropriations the guy that says, "Oh, you're going to get your your $1 million grant for your water. You're this. You're that." And it it gives it gives me an opportunity because he has so many of those connections to get face to face. And I want to tell you, being there face to face, I've said it face to face a couple times, but they hear I'm from Pompo, when they hear the name Pompo Beach, we're on the map, they are impressed on what we have accomplished here in PMPO Beach. I have other sister cities. I've I've also forged a lot of relationships with our city's other representatives throughout Broward County as we work on things like the SRO uh payout. We work together, we've forged relationships. So, uh, yeah, I really would like to continue this success, um, that we've had and I would like to serve in that capacity going forward because I think it brings a lot back to the city. So, that's my spiel.

Okay. Thank you. Any further nominations for the director position? Like to say something? Seeing seeing the nominations close, Commissioner Fess, go ahead.

Thank you. Yeah. So I my biggest issue with this is that they when I was going when I went to meetings and I and I agree there are some meetings that we have that our our meetings and theirs overlap which is something that I would like to try to change in the future. Um but the biggest reason for this was that they when I did go to the meetings they said that they didn't have a lot of representation um from a long you know for a long time they didn't feel like there were we somebody in Pompa was actually there and engaging. Um, secondly, when we were there to be sworn in, you were not there. So, I I'm not So, I mean, so I mean, at the event at My husband had just had surgery. I'm not I'm just I'm And I didn't ask I'm sorry. I didn't ask for a reason. I just Well,

I didn't I haven't seen you at any of those since then. So, um I just I understand that your husband has has connections and that's wonderful. I had a great time at Broward Days. I think that there's a lot more opportunity for us to participate with League of Cities in a lot of different ways and I would like to I as as an alternate I sort of took the back seat to allow the space over the course of the year to allow the director to to take the lead and and I and I just would like the opportunity to take the lead for a year. Thank you, Commissioner Secret.

Thank you. Um yes, my husband had just had uh vascular surgery miday. I could not make it uh to be there, but I've never seen you at any of the lunch meetings ever. So, I don't know what you're talking to about when you say you see the attendance record and be prior to that. I've I attended almost every meeting except for in January and I've never seen you at a meeting. So, I don't know what you're talking about that I'm not there. I I I just I I think that uh I think that you need to focus on what's real and not what you see because Okay, let's let's

I have not missed any meetings. It's in the backup. Okay, I just I'm I'm not trying I wasn't trying to be argumentative. I was I was actually trying to but was not trying to be argumentative. I was saying that that was what was told to me and I and multiple people and so um and so my it's not and I'm not not trying to be argumentative. I'm just saying I have let the as director out of courtesy I sort of let you take the lead on this and I but I would like to be more involved and I that's the reason why I threw my name in the ring. You let me take the lead as a director. Yes. Thank you. And under what authority? Okay. That's Commissioner Seerson. It's Do you want to be alternate?

Everybody Well, right now we're dealing with director. Okay. Um can we speak? Everybody's Everybody's Are we allowed to speak or No, no. Honestly, no. I mean, it's We made nominations. It's It's done. I mean, unless you've got some something that you want to throw out there that is is somehow going to knock somebody out. I mean, I don't see no point for us to discuss out in on the sheet. This is according to the league bylaws. It points out the responsibilities for our director. Okay. Go ahead. And it says it is the responsibility of each director to communicate with his or her respective municipal officials, employees, and constituents concerning concerning actions taken or to be taken by the board of directors or the general membership. I've never heard an update exactly

during a report on what's going on at Broward League of Cities from our current director. Okay, Commissioner Perkins. Uh, same here. I when we choose a director, I expect the director to come back to us and give us a little update here and there or every now and then and I don't ever remember receiving an update. How long have you been the director of the Broward League of Cities? Since I was elected, 2018, the first time it came up, that would have been in April. So, how often do you all meet Broward Legal? Once a month. Twice a month. Once once a month once a month

and what we do is follow legislation. Okay.

And the for instance I'll give you an example we follow CRAAS and a couple years ago as you know CRAAS came under attack from the legislature. The Florida League of Cities advocated very strongly to continue with CRAAS. Now, we've had an commissioners up here who want to eliminate CRA. So, therefore, your feelings, your point of view, uh wouldn't be um the same as the Florida leave. So, how could you serve on a body who has positions that you don't agree with?

And as far as updates go, Earl sends out during session weekly updates. Yeah, he does. Okay. Well, the I understand what you're saying, but I I think it's important just as I was stating to the mayor, I think it was the last meeting, uh being on the MO um committee or board, we expect to get an update from time to time if you are a representative of this board or of the city. Um, in other words, there's a reason for representation to be there from this board, a person to represent us to come back and give us a little update every now and then.

I have given updates to the previous commissions um from 18 to say 22 24 talking about different bills that are coming down the down um coming through the the process. um talked about them uh you know so that there have been updates not formal updates. Okay. Thank you. Very good.

Just like to point out that I I for the record I it's not that I'm against CRAAS. I'm I'm all for monitoring and and managing how we are how ours is operating. I think that they have the ability to do good things when they are run properly. And um so that's kind of what got me involved with meeting people from other municipalities and and getting into the legislature and finding out ways we could make it better so that we did actually have the ability to control it. So and I did have a great meeting with when I went to Tallahassee just the same as you met with a lot of different fun people and and people of power which is which was very enlightening and I enjoyed it. So I I just I'm just asking for the opportunity. That's all. You have to put your name in the in the ring.

All right. Um very good. Lyn, when your name is called, please indicate indicate um your selection. Either Commissioner Seagerson Eden or Commissioner Fessick. Let's go ahead and call the role on the director position. Commissioner Feess. Fezic. Commissioner Perkins. Commissioner Fessic. Commissioner Seagerson Eaton. Commissioner Smith. Seagerson Eaton. Vice Mayor Pier. Commissioner Fezic. Harden. Commissioner Seagen. Okay, we're deadlocked on that. Okay. Um, any nominations for the position of alternate? I'm happy to maintain my alternate status. I didn't do much. Alternate. Second. Whatever.

Second. Okay. Okay. Well, let's deal with alternate. Any nominations for alternate position? I nominate Audrey Fess. Nominate Ryerson. Okay. Let's Let's just get the hat out. Okay. I mean, I'm serious. No. Look. Okay. Okay. So there's been a nomination for Commissioner Fasc and a and a nomination for Commissioner Seagerson Eaton. It's not that pathetic. Any any further nominations hearing? None. Nominations closed. Um so let's call the role on the alternate position. When your name is called, indicate either Commissioner Fessic or Commissioner Seerson Eaton. Commissioner. Call the role in the alternate position. Commissioner Feess. Commissioner Seager Eaton.

Commissioner Perkins. Uh, Commissioner Eden, Commissioner Eigerson Eaton, Commissioner Smith. It's crazy. Commissioner Fess, Vice Mayor Fornier, could it be? Commissioner Seager and Eaton. Mayor Harton. Commissioner Fik. Very good. That takes us up to second alternate position. Oh, you got I'll I'll nominate the vice mayor. I'll nominate if she'll agree. Vice mayor, I'll happily agree. Any further nominations for vice mayor or for not any further nominations for the second alternate position? Darlene Smith.

Darlene Smith. Darlene Smith. All right. So, we got Darlene Smith and Vice Mayor. Any further nominations? None. Okay. Nominations closed. So, when your name is called, let's uh indicate your preference for second alternate. Either Darlene Smith our days or um vice mayor. All right, let's go ahead and call the role. Commissioner Fez. Vice Mayor. Commissioner Perkins. Vice Mayor. Commissioner Secrety. Darlene Smith. Commissioner Smith. Vice Mayor.

Vice Mayor Forier, Vice Mayor Fornier, and Mayor Harton. Vice Mayor. All right. And that takes us up to additional additional audience to be heard. Do we have any? No, mayor. No additional audience to be heard. Very good. Our next scheduled meetings, we've got April 28th, 2026 at 6 p.m. a regular city commission meeting followed by May 12th, 2026 at 1 p.m. regular city commission meeting. Takes us up to reports. Miss Civil standing in for Mr. Harrison.

Um, thank you, mayor. Um, I was asked by our HR director to remind you all that on April 22nd, you do have a executive shade meeting here in the chambers for the International Association of Firefighters. Uh, as our negotiations progress, it's from 1 to 3 p.m. It's going to bring begin in the chambers and then you'll reconvene in the um chamber conference room right outside these doors. And finally, um, Mr. Bosworth did want me to remind you all that we do have Jazzfest this weekend. So hopefully I know it's a beloved event so we would love to see all our residents come out to enjoy it once again. Thank you. Very good. Thank you Mr. Burman.

Thank you. You stole my sovereign immunity meeting. Uh that meeting the HR director

chart. Yeah the uh wonder on the um contract negotiation. And so I want to talk about sovereign immunity for just a second because Deputy City Attorney Tracy Lions last week uh spoke at a seminar, a board certification for the Florida Bar Review course for attorneys who are being certified city, county, local government. She spoke on sovereign immunity and she was invited back to speak for the second year in a row. So, it certainly benefits the city and my office to have someone out there speaking to attorneys statewide on on the topic and such an important issue. So, I think uh wanted to recognize her for that. That's all I have at this time. Thank you.

Very good. Thank you. And thank you Tracy Lions for your participation out there. Absolutely. That's great. Mr. Alfred, no report. Mayor, no report. Takes us up to city commission. Commissioner Fac,

thank you. Mine will be short this this time around. Um, I I do have a concern. I want to I want to bring it up because it's it's been something that's seeming to repeat. Um, at the last meeting, I asked Mr. Harrison if he could please give us some advanced notice when he planned on missing some meetings or or being available. And um I while I think for sending out the email uh 9:45 on Monday, um it there's not a lot of notice. Um, and so I'm I'm going to save a lot of the stuff that I wanted to have a conversation with him about directly with him. Um, so secondly, I I think I brought up before um, agenda timing and I know that this is something where I've asked other other commissioners in other cities when they get their agenda. and they generally get it a few days before it's published and they then it's published at the same time but they generally get it like 10 days before their meeting which is enough time for especially given our 4-day work week. If we got it, you know, basically a week prior, then we gives us that whole first section to kind of one know what's on it without it really being so very disruptive to, you know, a week, but you have when we get a Wednesday night, we have Thursday. We have to run through it by Thursday and then think through all the things, do the research or the backup over the weekend. And then we have a, you know, Monday one-on-one or Monday if we have any questions by that point, if we haven't already reached out to somebody to to to follow up. And then we have our meetings on Tuesday. So it it doesn't really allow for a lot of staff interaction in time. And I and this is and this is said not to be this is said to not be argumentative or disruptive in any way. This is actually meant to find and foster ways where we can sometimes simplify a lot of those those unanswered questions we might have by just simply having more time for staff who's busy as well to be able to have time to get back to us or for us to be able to digest whatever information we ask for. So I' I'd like to just kind of put that in

Miss Cibil and just put that in your head to kind of send again to Mr. Harrison to maybe look at ways that we can try to to to work together through the rest of this year and um and and potentially beyond to make sure that even future commissions have have the ability to get that information with a little bit more time so that we don't end up having to have as long conversations or um or a lot of unanswered questions. It gives us a little bit more prep time. Um last um lastly I wanted to ment well not lastly uh dark sky week is April 13 through the 20th and uh Tasha she left I think but she was one of one of the folks who had sent that in um it is April 13th through the 20th if you want to know more about that um it is at darks sky.org. Um Earth Day is April 22nd. So I am kind of a big hippie in a in a in a way. So I'm the one that fights for all the little plants and everything. So and the animals. So, Earth Day is April 22nd. I will not um let the time go by without reminding everybody that Jazzfest is coming up. Thanks, Earl. You stole my thunder on that one. And um and then last but not least, I have something else to share. I I mentioned at our last meeting that I thought I'd be a grandma pretty soon and um turns out Stinker did did come, so I have been out of town for a little bit. Um and Kervin's got a little something to share.

So, I have I have a brand new baby granddaughter. Congratulations. My son and my son and my my son and my daughter-in-law. It is my first grandchild. So, I'm a little bit I am going to be one of those parents of those grandparents right now and just do this. So, give me my 30 seconds of of pride. Um, but this is Miss Isa Grace and she was born on March 31st, 2:10 in the morning. 2:10 in the morning. And I got to go spend a whole week out in Reno with them. And awesome. Nope. No pressure, Kervin. No pressure, Kervin. It's all on you, Kervin. Oh, I'm sorry. Oh. Oh,

did you erase it? Did you erase it? But anyways, there it is. So, that's that's little Miss Isa Grace. And so, um, yeah, my my son Frank and his wife Morgan are happy new parents. Congratulations. Thank you. That's great news. That's all I got for you today. Mr. Mr. Berman, not to steal the commissioner's thunder, he's got one, too. I just want to I wasn't going to say anything, but I want to revise my report. And congratulations, by the way, uh just this past weekend, April 10th, I became a grandfather. All right. Congratulations. Just got just got back from out of state for this meeting actually and had to leave the little girl and uh it was difficult to leave, but you know, congratulations to you. You too. And it's just coincidental. So that's awesome.

Great. Very good. Congratulations. Thanks. Congratulations. More more Commissioner. No, that's it. That's it. I'm good. All right. Commissioner Perkins. Uh thank you, Mayor, and congratulations, Commissioner.

Uh I have several questions really. Um number one, Burman. Attorney Burman, I mentioned several meetings ago about the PMPO Beach Cemetery with the um very few plots that we have left and you were supposed to get back with us or come back to the DAS and let us know how we can um preserve some of those um last remaining grave sites for residents in the city of PMPO Beach. So, if you could get back with me on that, I would really appreciate it. I think it's been about two maybe three meetings ago. Perhaps I should have put it in the email.

Absolutely. We can uh it would involve a uh ordinance change where we could direct but but I mentioned it in the meeting and you never responded and you never came back with an update for it. I will respond in writing to you. Okay. Thank you. I appreciate that. Uh the uh the city manager, is is he okay? Is he in the hospital? Is he sick? Is he he's fine. It's it's actually he went went to watch his grandson play in a championship game. His chance of a lifetime. I mean it's I didn't know what it just the email just said out of the office. I think it said out of the office that just wanted to know about his condition.

Uh the other thing is I'm concerned about is department heads in the city of Pompo. I have noticed that not all department heads dress the commission. Not always wondered why. Uh I just assume if you are the head of a department and there is an item on the agenda perhaps you would from time to time speak on that item and we have some department heads in this city do not speak about anything at any meeting on on any agenda and miss civil can you look into that and find out why is that and if you need the two of those two people department names I'll I'll give that at a later date.

Okay. The last question for you is I know during 2020 20 well 2019 2021 that was during the the time of uh the pandemic and a lot of us were working remotely from home and all that good stuff. So, as of today, I would like to know, um, Miss Sibble, do we have any city employees full-time or part-time working remotely, uh, from home? So, can you get back with me on that? Yes, I will.

And also with staff, um, I've been waiting about, I guess, three years now. Uh, we received the approval to install the working traffic light on MLK and I'm still waiting on staff uh, get back with me on that. I've been waiting three years for the parking lot at Annie Gillis parking as well. So, I would like for staff to get back with me on that and I will continue to mention them every single meeting till I get something done. Um, I had the same issue with the ultimate sports park which was um funded by the go bond and we know how long ago that was approved and nothing has happened and we're back to square one with bidding again. And as I stated, we that the O bond, which I didn't vote for, passed how many years ago? Six, five,

2018. 2018. And the ultimate sports park in my district, there's no movement except for an RFP, and that's just recently. So, if staff could get back with me on that as far as when the RFP or whenever that person is appointed, when do they plan to get started? How fast can we get started on that project? Also, the Anigillas parking lot and the traffic light. We're talking about three to six years out for these projects. Thank you. Very good. Commissioner Seagerson Eaton. No report. Thank you.

All right, Commissioner Smith. You know, I always have something um positive about the meeting. I thought it was great that tonight we we made it possible for a building that's not being utilized to house 12 people, 12 families. Not that it ever will. Sounds like there's a lot of financial burden to get to that, but as a team, we made that possible for them to at least continue to plan. And I thought there was great teamwork on that. specific to district five. Bagel snack won the best South Florida deli by the Suns Sentinel. Is that so good?

Yeah, it is good. The bagels are phenomenal. Um, two new owners, Kim and Mallerie, who purchased it in 24. They've just done a phenomenal job and uh it's a local go-to spot I know in Palm Air and obviously for a lot further out than just Palm Air. They're located at 1237 South Power Line. So, if you haven't been, check it out because you won't be disappointed. Um, yesterday, District 5 received a piece of public art and it's called Vivaceious. It's a sculpture and it is huge. It came on this long 18-wheel flatbed from Arkansas. So, it is now erect in the location at Loop Road and Power Line. And over the next month, um, they'll be working with, um, landscaping and lighting and rocks and stuff around it. But if you're going down Power Line at Loop Road, take a look to the east because it is a phenomenal sculpture. And on the top is this great big ball that you can just see the sky and the trees and the whole area is reflecting out of the top. So check it out. Good job, city, on um, getting that for us. Um, clean streets will be in Collier City and Esquire Lakes on this Thursday on the 16th. And a reminder for nonprofits that the the grant charitable grant from the the pump is going to be up and running on May 1st. So, if you're a nonprofit, make sure you reach out to um to your commissioner and um pay attention to your emails. That'll be coming from the the Palm the office of housing urban improvement has increased the housing rehabilitation program um up

from 60,000 to 80,000 and funding is available. So if you're looking to um rehabilitate your home, this is a great opportunity to um apply for that that program. All right, the quote because we've all been thinking about the moon and the great success of the um the the program, the Aremis program. I have a quote about the moon from Ding Ming Don. The moon does not fight. It attacks no one. It does not worry. It does not try to crush others. It keeps to its course. But by its very nature, it gently influences. What other body could pull an entire ocean from shore to shore? The moon is faithful to its nature and its power is never diminished. Thank you, mayor.

Very good. Thank you, Vice Mayor. Thank you. First, congratulations, Mr. Burman and Commissioner Fezic, on the the new grandb babies. Um, I have a few uh just kind of announcements. The the first one is uh the intersection of Northeast First Street and Northeast Second Avenue uh just north of Atlantic uh is now uh where there was the flashing yellow light and the flashing red light that was always confusing is now a four-way stop. So, that is a great improvement.

Yes, I went through it today. It was It's so much easier to navigate that intersection. There's signage up letting people know, but hopefully that improves safety at least at that intersection and eliminates some of the confusion that always existed there. Um, I want to talk briefly about the McNab Bridge. This is the week where McNab is shut down and the bridge is going to be demoed. Um, we expect the road to be down until early October. Um there has been some confusion about the boat traffic. So uh I met with the city yesterday and we we discussed this um kind of at length. Uh we uh there was announcement on f on Thursday that South Florida Water Management said we can have the the waterway open all the time, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's going to be open all the time. So the bridge is being demoed this week. There's times that they'll be uh closed for construction work. Uh so residents should know that their boats aren't trapped behind the bridge, but that just like with the Fifth Avenue Bridge, there might be times when it's it's not uh you're not able to get your boat out, but they will work with residents as much as possible to to get them in and out. So stay tuned for more information on that because it it's probably going to be a little different depending on what phase of construction we are in. But the roadway will be will be closed until uh October. Um, I want to thank um, Mr. Waters uh, for leading a really great budget session this morning. I look forward to budget season and and how we I think we can we need to work together to get through that. So, um, I I appreciate that kickoff today. Um, I I want to talk about um, the vice mayor of Coral Springs, uh, Nancy Medier. So, um, she was, um, a victim of domestic

violence a couple weeks ago. Um, she really was a passionate, magnetic woman if you've ever met her. Um, I had talked to her the day before to she was kicking off her campaign that week for a congressional seat that would have included a big part of PMPO Beach. and she was happy to to get to know Pompo more and and talk about our city uh and our needs and um it it really is kind of a tragedy for all of us. She would have won that seat and I think she would have done a fabulous job. So, in honor of her service and uh her work and National Poetry Month, I'm not going to do a quote today. I'm going to read a poem for her. The roots she dug were deep and wide, a life of service side by side. No storm could break the strength she held, a quiet power never quelled. She built a table, welcomed all, and answered every duty's call. Years spent in grace, a steady hand, the wisest woman in the land. Now the quiet comes at last. Her long industrious chapter passed. But look around, her work is done. No, it is only just begun. It's in the kindness we impart, the stubborn fire in every heart. She did not leave. She just took flight to be the sun, to be the light. She is the wind that guides the day, the strength that keeps the dark away. A sturdy tree whose branches keep our lives upheld while she does sleep.

Thank you. Thank you, Vice Mayor. I've got no report yet. Thank you.