Council - Regular Meeting

We got four. Let's go. But I I heard happy hearing though it was only a good law the you don't claim it when you're supposed to claim it when you do claim it. Good afternoon. We are starting our regular city council meeting. Today is December 17th, 2025. The time is 7:11 p.m. Madam Clerk, Mayor Douglas Lawson, chairperson Sherley Lineer here. Chairro Chairp Pro Tim Miller Anderson present. Council person Bruce Giden

here. Council person Glenn Spiritz here. Council person Priscilla Davis Pier here. City Manager Jonathan Evans. City Clerk Deborah Hall is present. City attorney Don W here. Madam Chair, you have a quorum. You may proceed.

Uh, thank you. We will have a moment of silence followed by the pledge of allegiance by Councilwoman Davis Paneer. I aliance 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.

Do we have any additions, deletions, or substitutions for the agenda this evening? Madam Chair, yes. Go ahead. Um, I'd like to add an up the update on the Mayor Ron Elders inquiry. Just an update to be given um right at during the awards and presentations. Okay. If you want to add it as the presentation. All right. That'll be 6B. Madam clerk. Okay. Madam chair. Yes. Go ahead.

I wanted to have I'll reserve my mayor's comments if we are inclined to have the time and uh depending on the length of the agenda, but an item to discuss uh the special events policy and the steps to take for special events. Um I concur with that. Could we could we put it on an agenda as an item on our next dinner as a separate item to be discussed? I want to have a in-depth conversation about that. Yep. That's what I want that's and that's where I want to go. Not tonight. No, no, not tonight. I wanted I wanted to just kind of bring that so we could ask the city manager to have a discussion and give him some direction. But on the next agenda, I agree is where I want to make sure we were all clear. Thank you. I want to make sure that it is on next agenda. Um, thank you, Madam Chair. City manager. Yes. Not tonight. Thank you. Any other additions or deletions?

Madam Chair, if I may. Yes. Go ahead. Uh pursuant to uh some of the questions that we've received from council persons associated with items on the as part of the agenda review, I'm asking for items to be pulled for discussion purposes is resolution 14325 144 letter. Oh, sorry. Item 3 C.

Uhhuh. Item 3D, resolution 14425, resolution or item 3E, resolution 14525, and item 3F, which is resolution 4625. and it's in regards to the discussion that we've had concerning uh possibly placing items on the tax role for storm water and uh solid waste fees. There was a lot of conversations in agenda review. Also, Madame Chair, I would like to add on to consent um authorization for the city to uh proceed forward with the sponsorships of or not the support of events that are being conducted over the next couple of weeks and even ones that was conducted this past weekend. Um we want the Christmas in the park, that particular event for the board to ratify the uh city's participation that occurred last weekend. Uh we also want to ratify the board support with regards to council person Gayton's event and then council person Lenir's two events uh her Christmas event as well as an event in in January. The reason that I'm asking for these items to one event has already occurred. Three events are coming but we didn't take any official action. So we just want to memorialize it in the actual record um for these particular events. Madam Chair.

Yes. Go ahead. If we could add to that list February 1st, restoring the village, which is I spoke to Mr. Evans about. We moved it from MLK because of the overtime cost, but the restoring the village date would be February 1st. Application was submitted, but it falls just short of that 60-day notice based on the policy. And I know that we'll go into more um extensive conversations about the time frames expedited permit in the process. But if we can add restoring the village so it fits within the timeline as well, which is February one. Madam Chair. Sure. Yes. Go ahead. I I think I I heard but I missed it. Why? What are we doing? We're adding these to the agenda.

We're adding I just would like for the we're adding it to consent for the board to say that it's permissible for us to support those particular events. M I I don't want to add those to consent. Um, first of all, I I only know about a couple of them, but the ones that the council people are having that's a part of their four or whatever we get a year, right?

So, so Madam Chair, um, yes, there are events that are allotted or or provided for from the council, but then there's some additional support, whether it's law enforcement, uh, public safety, or other support services that are provided associated with those events. And so we wanted to just confirm that that the board was in support of us utilizing resources to effectively do that. But I think that goes to the mayor's point about clarity as it relates to the the interpretation of the policy. And when a council person does events, are they provided for all the other support that comes along with it from city departments and the like? I'm sure.

So hold on, hold on. So the ones that the council people have, I thought that was inclusive of that and it may or may not have been, but I think anytime we do something, it's automatically done, right? Um, if we're talking about something [clears throat] that nonprofits or forprofits or whoever outside of the council, that is the process, the the application process, right? So, are we we're combining this? We're talking about council people stuff and outside people doing something putting it on the agenda together. No, no, no, Madam Chair. Just the just the council person's events, not not the

But he just said something about restoring the village. Who's hosting that? That's my event. And then I've done that every year for six years. Yes, ma'am. So, that one and then what else? We have that event. We have the Christmas event that occurred in the park this past weekend. And whose was that? That was the mayor's event. Uh well, it was the police department's event. The mayor did help with helping to facilitate the event. Um and then you have council person Lenir has two events. Uh one being, I believe, this Friday and then one in February. And then the mayor has put in a request for an event uh that he has already submitted an application on restoring the village and that's also February. So the c

and oh I'm sorry council person guidance events which is Saturday. So the council people are supposed to be submitting the same application. Is that what we're doing? Because I don't think we've done that. Yeah madam chair if I may. Yes. Go ahead. Yes. P pursuant to our the the policy and how the policy is being interpreted when there is resources that are provided outside of not your promotional budget or any other resources are brought to the table. It requires legislative action from from the board. Okay, Madam Chair. Yeah, I'm not I'm not done. I'm sorry, Miss uh Davis Davis Davis. Go. I'm not finished yet. Okay. Okay.

And and Madam Chair, if it if it is, you know, of course, if it's the board's pleasure, I can bring back an item that just clarifies your events are inclusive of city resources to be able to support. We just need to make sure that that that's clear. If if the board is okay with that, I have enough legislative I understand the legislative direction from the board and I can help facilitate. Yeah, I was just confused because I I thought we were putting you're saying to add to consent the board stuff as well as others outside or is just all board stuff? Only the board stuff, Madam Chair. Okay. Okay. Or Madam Vice Chair.

Okay. And then we'll have on the next agenda what's the exact policy for everybody. Yes, ma'am. Okay. Okay. Madam Chair, those Okay, Madam Chair. Uh, yes, sir. Go ahead.

So, we, for example, we just approved to spend up to $18,000 on the event for fundraising for Jamaica. Are we going to consider that a councilman's event or is that a private vendor's event? Madam Chair, if I may. Yes, ma'am. That's considered that the city was a sponsor in that event. So, the city helped facilitate that event with a partnership. So, that that's how that particular event was was administered and was coordinated. It was a it was a partnership. It wasn't a situation where it was one particular council person. Once you all take official legislative action and contribute those resources, it is, you know, a partnership with the city. Madam Chair.

Yes, ahead. So, uh, city manager Evans, so did we spend more than $18,000? Did that include the police and public works? Because I think that's what we were spending the $18,000 on. Madam Chair, if I may. Yes. Go ahead. I can I can collect that information. I don't have it available right now, but I can send an email to you to provide you with that information. Okay. Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, go ahead.

Thank you. And I just for clarity sake, the reason we're having the discussion, the reason I asked for this agenda item is because there's um a lot of confusion, ambiguity when it comes to the process of special events. As M. Millenn said, it's always been encompassed within police and fire when it's our events. And the issue is not based upon it being police and fire when we have hosting events as a city. It's the fact of the permitting process, the timelines. If we're called by a vendor or special support to get something done in the community to support the community, there's certain timelines that we have to follow. Mr. Evans always has the clarity and the ability to be able to approve an event because it's a policy that he actually created that we approved. So within the policy, he has the right to do that. But for coverage and clarity sake, Mr. Evans wants the pleasure of the board to support something. So, every event that we've just announced, Commissioner, Councilman Gayton, Councilman, Councilwoman Laneir's two events and the event for February are all encompassed within the policy we've already created. Mr. Evans just wanted the support of the board to make sure he can move it within the permanent time. For the next meeting, I want us to have the discussion so that we could be very clear with offering and giving Mr. Evans the expedited ability to permit these events to move forward so there's no confusion and the policy as written is just clearly supported by Mr. Evans in the board so that he has the ability to move forward with our events so that we don't have to go through these hoops and hurdles and there's confusions. I went to an event just the other day that technically under the policy um the CDC hosted which was an amazing event would fall underneath a special events permit. So we just want clarity. We don't want any confusion and ambiguity. So in January's meeting if we can have that brought but uh thank you for pushing forward with this event if it's approved on consent. Madam Chair,

could you just repeat them all and who again for me, please? Um, Madam Chair, we have the Christmas in the park event that occurred uh this past Saturday. Uh, that was in collaborations with the police department and and mayor's office. Then we have council person Gaitton's event which is this Saturday. Uh we then have council person Lenir's event which is this Friday and then there is a subsequent event I believe council person in February that you're looking to do uh partnering up with the American Heart Association.

That's actually January the 10th and that is that is in conjunction with the American Heart Association and uh the health council. Oh yes. So the January and then the uh mayor's event restoring the village which is in February 1st I believe. Okay. So, what about your um the HIV AIDS when you just add that last? So, that one's clear where Okay, Madam Chair, I believe I believe I mean wonder about everything else. Don't add Yeah, let's add it in there. Okay. Okay. I'm just trying to understand because

yeah I I got the same impression as well because the event that we're having uh is five years in the making now it's different so we wanted to get some clarity on that. Okay. The same with the world a day. All right. All right. Very good. Um madam chair. Yes. Go ahead sir. Um these are I want to pull all of those items. I I think most of them have already been pulled [clears throat] related to the additional fees, the storm water. But before you go that let us approve the agenda and then when we get to those items you can pull them. I thought we were madam chair. Yes. I I already pulled they're on consent. I already pulled those items that the council person referenced.

All four of them. Yes, sir. There are four of them. Yes, sir. Okay. And the last one that I want to pull for for clarification [laughter] is um three. Oh, we're we're not really but but they don't consent. M. Okay. Okay. I'd like to add the naming of the street for Bishop Masters onto the agenda. Uh sir, we that is something that we need to advertise. We can put on E even though we discussed it already and it was already advertised. Oh, we have to put that on the next agenda. We can do that. We can have it add to the next agenda.

Okay. I'd like to have it on the next agenda, please. Very good. But um but Madam Chair, um Madam Chair, a question about parliamentary procedures. Yes, sir. Um I don't think that um Commissioner um Spiritis was on the prevailing side. Could Could he still bring it back up? That is a parliamentary question to the attorney.

I am not the parliamentarian, Madam Chair. However, um, so the way it works for reconsideration under Robert's rules, and you all, you know, the charter says we're governed by Robert's rules unless you wave it, is that you have to number one be on the prevailing side, but also at the very same meeting. It can't be at a subsequent meeting. And I think you've had several subsequent meetings since that. And so you would not be able to bring that back. U Dr. spirit is not even as a new item and a new agenda item in the future. It's the same item. Well, it would be new.

I don't No, I don't believe so. It's already been considered by the council and the the you know the the will of the council prevailed. Madam Chair, so we'll get some clarity, Dr. Spirit is in seeing if we can bring it back for the next uh agenda item. We'll get some clarity. I'd appreciate that. Maybe we change the street. Yeah, we'll we'll we'll get some clarity for that in the next agenda. Um, madame vice chair, have you finished your comments? I thought you were in the We're on additions, deletion, substitute. Madam Chair. Yes, go ahead.

Thank you. Well, just for clarity for that, um, as attorney winded states, Dr. Spirits would need to have been on the prevailing side, but he can bring the item if he has an amendment to the item or change where it's not in direct correlation to what was the original motion passed. So, if Dr. Spirits want to bring back uh the street naming for uh Bishop Masters for a different area, uh that's an option for well and he has the ability to bring it tonight. Um it just depends on the pleasure of the board. No, we we have wait Madam Chair, Madam Chair, Madam Chair, can I can I continue my comments? No, no, no. Hold on one second. I can't continue my comments on that.

No, sir. Hold on one second. What we have here is the person who brought the item up said that they wanted to add it to this agenda. He agreed that the next agenda would be fine. We had questions about it. We said that we would get clarity from parliamentary procedures from the city attorney and placing it on the next agenda. For all intents and and all intents and purposes, it will be on the next agenda pending any other information that may preclude it from being on the agenda. Follow up to that, Madam Chair.

Um, attorney followup, madam chair. Um, attorney Win said since he's not our parliamentary, we followed Robert's rules of order. I just give you the clear clear process of what steps you need to take. um and he could bring it back if he chooses or anyone on the prevailing side um that would actually have the ability to bring it back. It's an item that can be brought to the board even if it's a discussion item to discuss what is being brought as long as it's not the same motion that was made previously. Madam Chair, right, but he wasn't on the prevailing side though. It's a different motion, Madam Chair. Madam Chair. Yes. Go ahead, sir.

I'm not sure what the mayor is talking about, but whatever he's talking about, I want to see it in writing. Um, I trust my friend and the mayor, but we sping out things about parliamentary procedure and I haven't seen not one document. That's what I want to see because um I don't think that we can bring it back. But and that is why the data, documents, and evidence, and we'll roll. That's all I'm saying. Okay. And that is why it will be added to the next regular schedule meeting unless something precludes it from being so. Right. Madam Chair. Yes. Go ahead.

So if if uh if council agrees, if the city manager can speak with uh Bishop Masters, maybe there's another street and it'll be a different uh resolution as the mayor suggested, as I suggested before. Sure. And then we can get it back on the agenda. Sure. Very good. Um, any other items that are listed or want to be pulled from

the agenda? Hold on a second. We are at the item where it talks about agenda approval. We pulled some items from the consent agenda. We added some items. So, let us approve this agenda as amended and go to the next item. So, we can't.

Okay. All right. Very good. So, we are Are there any disclosures for any of the items that are listed on this agenda this evening? Yes, chair. Yes. Go ahead, sir. Yes. I've met with many residents and uh attorneys for the residents with respect to uh 9B. Okay. 9 B. Okay. Any other disclosures, Madam Chair? Yes. Go ahead.

Um item the Turnberry item. I've met with the developers uh and the representatives at some point. It hasn't been recently, but I've had I was had a meeting with them. Okay. Manager. Yes. Go ahead. Same thing. Okay, Madam Chair. Same. Okay, Madam Chair. Yes, sir. I met with the developer a while ago, a while back. Okay. Can I get a motion to approve the agenda? So, move. Second, Madam Clerk. Council person Davis Paneer. Yes. Council person Ginger. Yes. Chairpro 10 Miller Anderson. Yes. Council person Spiritz. Yes. Chairperson Lunir.

Yes. Unanimously. All matters. listed. We're at the consent agenda. All matters listed under this item are considered to be routine and actions will be taken by one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a council person so request in which event the item will be removed from the general order of business and considered and its normal sequence on the agenda. Motion to approve the consent agenda. Are there any other items other than 3, C, D, E, and F that are being pulled? Yes. Yes. Go ahead, sir. Um, I'd like to pull 3K for clarification. 3K. Yes.

Okay. So, we have five items to be pulled from the consent agenda. Madam Chair. Yes. Go ahead. Um, I'd like to pull item. Did Did you all say 3F already or no? Yeah. Okay. Um, C, D, E, and F. C, C, D, E, F. I like to pull G, 3G. And um 3 I just for the public's for the um discussion for the public. Okay.

Okay. Madam Chair, clarification is so are we just taking this off for discussion purposes? Yes. Okay, that's all. Thank you, Madam Chair. 3C D 3 E and F that was taken off by the manager and we're not and we're not discussing those tonight. Correct. No, he he wants to take them off to go through. We are going to Okay, we are going to discuss them. All right. Very good. Okay. Thank you. Motion to approve the consent agenda as amended. So move. Second. Madam clerk, do we have any council person Davis Pier? Yes. Council person Gon. Yes. Chairp Miller Anderson. Um, one second, Madam Chair.

Uh, do we have public comment for the consent agenda? I'm sorry I didn't ask that. Do we? I hope not. No, we don't. Okay. Yes. Go ahead with the roll call. Oh, yes. Anderson said yes. Council person Spiritis. Yes. Chairperson Laneir. Yes. That's a unanimous vote. Thank you. So the first item, Madam Clerk,

Madam Chair, we are on item 3C, resolution number 143-25, a resolution of the city council of the city of River Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida, approving the inter interlocal agreement with Anne M. Ganon as the constitutional tax collector for Palm Beach County for the implementation and collection of the stormwater fees for the city of Rivera Beach, authorizing the mayor and city clerk to sign set agreement, authorizing annual payments totaling 1% of total collections for set agreement and providing an effective date. So move chairman.

Madam chair, members of the board, if I can have the uh chief financial officer, Mr. Randy Sherman to make this presentation. Mr. Sherman.

Yes. Good. Good evening again. Randy Sherman, chief financial officer. Um while I'm bringing this up, Okay. Um, this item, item, this is 3C, correct? Uh, 3 C, 3D, 3E, uh 11 C and 11D are all related. Um this is this is really uh truly an administrative decision on how you want to go with this. There is a ancillary financial um discussion that I'll I'll I'll talk about but the finance side really isn't that that significant here. Um what these items all relate to is currently uh we bill the storm water charges and we bill the solid waste charges monthly as part of the utility bill. There's been discussion uh for a number of years about taking those items off the utility bill and placing them on the tax bill. Um, for anybody who has property, you see in your tax bill, uh, I know the solid waste authority, there is a charge on your tax bill. That's how the solid waste authority, uh, bills. Uh, and you'll see as I, as I click through these slides, a number of communities that handle their billing this way versus handling on the utility bill. Um what these actions are, the four the items that are on the consent agenda are

agreements, [snorts] two for storm water, two for solid waste, one each with the property appraiser, and one each with the county tax collector. The two resolutions that are on the regular agenda are the actual action that you're going to take that you are telling the county that it is your intent to put these items on the tax bill. It's your intent to do that. Okay? until we get to the budget process. Um, and you actually take the action to set this, you have the ability to walk away from it that, you know, and the county understands that that, you know, you may change your mind down low, but this is just telling the county that, hey, yeah, we've talked about it. We've had our hearings. We've taken public comment. Uh, it's our intent to go in that direction. Um, but you don't necessarily have to do that down the line. I'll tell you, in doing the research of this, we found that the trash one, when the trash went uh out to a third party back in the '9s, the board actually voted to put it on the tax bill and then it never went forward from that point forward. Um, so what you have are those resolutions with the agreements from the county attached to each one. Those are the four that I put on the consent agenda. That's see there we go. Uh so if you if you adopt all of these items uh and you don't have to do both storm water, you could do just solid waste and and mix and match in that regard. This doesn't kick in until 2027. So okay, we're currently in fiscal 2026. Okay, we provide this information to the county by the end of this year. that

allows us to do this for fiscal 2027. So, the first time anybody would see this on their tax bill is next year when they get their their bills um in the uh October time frame. At that point, the fees would come off the utility bills. Okay? So, again, it's it's out there. It's looking forward. Um and again it wouldn't show up until 2027. Why why would this be a consideration by the board? Um one of the things that we see you know by dealing with the utility customers a lot of times um is we have um kind of set up a barrier of entry into the city by the deposit amount that we have to charge. um by pulling these items off the utility bill that lowers the deposit amount um you know by by a little over $100. Okay. So again, it helps people get in. The other thing that it does by putting it on the tax bill, um if you're a homeowner, you're paying it on utility, you're paying a tax bill. This isn't increasing the fees. It's just a different method for us to bill it and a different method uh for you to pay it. But by putting it on on the tax bill, um what it does for the renters, okay, we understand I'm a landlord. It's now on my tax bill. I'm going to pass it through on my rent. We understand that. Again, it's not going to change that. But by putting it on there, what we find, we have a hard time um being able to find utility assistance programs. The last time that there were

true utility assistance programs operating was during COVID. You know, there was a lot of federal money coming. The county had programs, a lot of other agencies had programs to help people with their utility bills. And during that that 2020 year, a lot of our customers were able to get caught up because there was a lot of assistance out there. What is more prevalent is rental assistance. The county has a rental assistance program and by putting the utilities into the rent

um there really is more opportunity to be able to provide some assistance. That aside, what the customers would really see, um, by putting it on their property tax bill, if you, you know, you now have the early payment discounts that are offered by the the county, okay, the county tax collector, that if you're paying your bill, you get a percentage off, you know, depending on when you pay your bill, that would come out of these these dollars, okay? They would be able to receive that off of these bills. Um, we also would see reduced banking charges. As you know, the city and the utility district eat all of the the charges for banking fees. So, all the credit card swipes and all those bank fees that we get, the city does not pass that on to the customers. Okay? And as you know, those are all based on the dollar amount of the of the charges. by pulling these off of the tax bill doesn't mean they don't still have to pay a utility. Customers still have to pay a utility bill. Um, you know, so we have the the same amount of bills going out, same amount of payments coming in, but the amount that we're collecting at the city would be lower, which would lower the bank fees. We would collect the same dollars from the property tax collector, which again, now we don't have all those those bank fees. We're hoping the third item up there. We're hoping that again because the monthly utility bills are now lower, okay? That our turnoffs and turnons would be reduced, that people would have the ability because it's a lower amount to actually be able to make those payments um and then avoid the late fees and, you know, and other uh issues that impact you when you can't make your bills. Um on the city side again those

transaction charges that that we you know pay out of our budget uh would be reduced. Again as I mentioned it's not a lot. It probably is about $150,000 on an annual basis. Um but that certainly would be a benefit. Again the turn on and turn offs every time we do that that's staff time. Uh so again if we can reduce those you know we can pick up staff time to be able to do uh some other things. Uh and overall what it does is we would be able to collect 100% of our annual billings by putting on the tax bill. right now um on annual basis we probably don't collect about 6 7% you know it it depends um when we can't collect 100% from 100% of the users uh that obviously those funds then have to be provided by the users that that do pay um just to let you know um we wouldn't be the only community doing it this way on the left hand side. Um there's a number of communities that do uh you know their solid waste on the tax bill and then on the right hand side is a list of communities in the area that we were able to find that put their storm water uh on the bill. Um but that that's the item. Again, like I said, it's it it doesn't change the the total amount being paid. It's just changing or potentially would change the method on which are build either build annually on your tax bill or continue to be build monthly on their utility bill. And with that, Madam Chair, I will take any questions.

Sure. Madam Chair, uh Gen Commissioner Spears, Commissioner G. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, there appear to be some benefits for the city. I'm thinking more of the impact to the residents. This process here is going to set some of our residents up for tax leans and potential foreclosures. Mhm.

When we put things on the tax bill, they have a mortgage, it's going to the escrow. The escrow, depending on what it is, the mortgage going to be increased to cover that additional charge on there. If they cannot pay what the increase is potentially, they can go into foreclosure. They can afford it. If that property is already paid off, if they don't have a mortgage, they'll put a tax lean on it. So we live in a community where many of our residents are middle to lower income and I think that this would be um not beneficial for our ge not de demographic economic demographic that we have. We need to be careful about putting a burden on our residents that could result in either tax lean or their property going into foreclosure. And um I rather take my chances with the process we have now as opposed to some of our residents crying about they're getting ready to lose their home. The the last thing I would say that we had some companies in our neighborhood were putting roofs on people's homes and on windows and they said, "Don't worry about it. All you have, we're going to put it on your tax bill." They mortgaged, some of them doubled.

People were in tears. I don't think we should go down this road putting those residents who may not have the resources on fixed incomes through this process here. Um it would it would be a little more work on us but patience and compassion is what I work by up here. If we have to do a little more work, so be it. If we can avoid anybody going into foreclosure or that mortgage going up or tax leans, it's all worth it. So, I don't support it. Thank you, Madam

Chair. Mr. Peters.

Okay. So, Commissioner Gayton, I agree with you. Uh, you know, on the surface, it looks real great. We're going to collect 100%. We're going to take the taxes, but there will be foreclosures. uh not only on the residents on many residents will lose their homes if they get a lean on it. Uh it'll just keep falling and falling. Water bills, sewer bills, they all add up. Uh but not only that, there are people that are renting in in many residences and if they don't pay their bills, what's going to happen? There's going to be a foreclosure on the owner of the property. And what is that owner going to do? That owner is going to pay the bill and then he's going to raise the rent for the next person that's going to come in there. So, we're going to lose an affordable rental uh property as well in the city. So, I have a I have an issue with this when you and look my the communities I work for before uh we did not we put the sanitation we put the trash like you said on the tax bill but we never put the water sewer on the tax bill for that reason. Yeah, I I agree with Commissioner Gayton. We have to have compassion. We have to think about uh you know people's lives. here.

Yes, go ahead. And where I work, we we call a little extra work job security.

So, [clears throat] um I I think um with the residents and you know, even if they're saving monthly at the end of the year, that's going to be a bigger bill than their taxes. That's going to that they're going to have to come up with that money for the taxes. So, you know, while it sounds like a good thing that they'll save a little bit per month, still going to end up being a bigger bill. And I totally agree with my two colleagues about the tax leans. I mean, that's the easiest way that people are losing property. Um, so I don't I I know this came up a few years ago. What were some of the arguments about it? You know, why didn't it, you know, get approved a few years ago? What were some of the concerns?

It never made it to a council meeting. Oh, we we missed we had a December meeting get cancelled. It's a very technical process to advertise. We actually have to advertise four consecutive weeks. Um and once you had a meeting canceled that it was going to be, we had to start all over again. Um and then we missed the December deadline by Yeah. And madam chair, can I do a followup because I did get an email from someone from Marsh Harbor or Marsh Harbor in Sonoma Bay. And they said that it would be like they would be paying certain fees twice because they pay their HOA. That's a part of what they pay towards their HOA plus they'll be paying if they own they'll be paying on their taxes. Have you considered that?

If if I may, Madam Chair. So, um, I've I've spent a lot of time at Marsh Harbor when when we had the the new waste management contract. The individuals have a trash bill and the HOA has a trash bill because they have dumpsters. So, they're paying their HOA fee for the dumpsters. They're paying the trash bill on their water bills if they have toers, you know. So that that was the issue that we had with it. They actually have they have a a strange situation. They were they have both. Um I I spent time with Sugar Sands as well. They were they were very similar. Um but yeah, I you know I I understand I I I just want to again clarify if I can. It's the same fee. It's just lump sum on the bill. So, just so you know, the right now the storm water you're paying $108 a year and on the solid waste side um you know at at $22 you're paying you know about $250 a year. So, it's about $360 and it it doesn't um it doesn't lessen any work in the finance department. In fact, it increases, you know, the load. But that again that wasn't the issue because we would have to create the files to send to the county. But again, we still whether I collect a $50 check from a customer or a $60 check, it's I still have to deal with the cash. So it this doesn't impact finance department at all. Um and that was the point I was trying to make. This really is truly, you know, I think it's a good conversation. It truly is is your decision to make and you know we can either package it up and put it away and

then um yes I I just wanted to say I think that some of the thinking behind this was the fact that city is 65% renters and that that would relieve some of the burden on renters when they're trying to get their uh utilities cut on water cut on because they sometimes is cut off frequently because of these other items that are listed on the bill. So, I think that was some of the thinking uh behind that, but I understand both sides of this Yep. both sides of the co. Go ahead. Uh sir, that was my comments. Thank you for that, Madam Chair. How many users do we have, Mr. Sherman? Uh on the UD side, how many user how many utility customers? How many utility customers? Uh just over 14,000.

14,000. And how many, if you know, off hand, how many owner occupants do we have in the city? I can tell you um we we just got that from the probably it's like 7200 are homesteaded properties.

So it's just looking at both sides um colleagues there's going to be a certain number of residents that's going to be impacted but as Miss Ford as our chair just stated that this is going to be more of an impact on a lot of our absentee owners a lot of other owners. It's the same bill that's being paid. it's just can either be paid on a tax bill or in a monthly service. Um, but also taking in consideration, I think we have a lot more questions. This water bill is already going to be going up 100%. So, just reducing it by $30 a month and then we're still going to be increasing it in the next, you know, couple months to a year just to pay for the water plant is still going to be a major impact. So, we have to find aggressive and uh ways to help with the residents. I like moving it over to the the the actual bill because it gives that flexibility and that leverage to our renters and to some of the individuals that are not homeowners. Our goal is to create more homeowners and owner occupants in the community. So, we have to look at both sides. I just think it's kind of rushed to make this decision right now, even though I do support it because I think there's some questions that we would want answered in addition to uh all the numbers details and what's going to be the impact on the residents in the community.

Thank you, MJ. Thank you. Any other questions? I basically was going to echo what most of you said. Um, this is definitely something that we need to have more conversations about. Um, and and kind of look at the pros and cons on all sides. So, I would not support any of it moving forward tonight. Um, but that's definitely something that we need to have a little more education on a little bit more later on. Thank you. Are we talking about both uh the stormwater and the [clears throat] Oh, all of it.

All right. So, would you like to um take it off the agenda al together instead of voting on it and move forward with the workshop or something of that nature? Chair. Yes. Go ahead. That would be my motion for the all of the items that pertain to it. Um that that was what I was going to do, but it was already pulled. Okay. And regarding that motion, um, is there a way that we can get, uh, community input or, you know, is there any way to be able to kind of get an idea or some feedback from our residents? Yeah, that's what I was saying about the education part having workshops um having um like sharets or or community meetings.

Okay. All right. So, we can pull this 3CD and F uh and place this uh for community meeting. And there were two other ones on right the two on the uh the regular agenda the resolution. So that mean we would be pulling off EN [clears throat] 3 C. Yeah. Madam Chair, there are items 11 C and 11 D. 11 C and D. Okay. So, we'll be taking those off as well. And these will items will be discussed with council members and with the public before we bring it back. So, Madam Chair, was that a motion to delete those specific items?

Yes. Yes. That's a motion to delete those items and to uh bring those to the public and to the board in the form of workshop. Is there a second on that motion? I'll second it. Madam clerk, council person Davis Pier. Yes. Council person Gon. Yes. Chairpro Tim Miller Anderson. Yes. Council person Spiritis. Yes. Chairperson Laneir. Yes. That's a unanimous vote. Okay. Thank you.

Thank you. Next item. Madam Chair, we are on item 3G, resolution 182-25, a resolution of the city council of the city of Riviera Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida, authorizing the mayor and city clerk to execute an agreement between the city of Riviera Beach and Pitman Law Group PL to provide federal lobbying services at an annual cost of $68,000 for an additional three-year term beginning January 1st, 2026 and ending December 31st, 2028 with two additional one-year renewal options, authorizing the director of finance to make payment for such services and providing an effective date. Madam chair, there are no comment cards. The acceptance of cards is closed.

So move second. All right, Mr. Evans.

Madam Chair and members of the board, at this time I would ask for the procurement director, Miss Ammons, to make this presentation. Hello, good evening. For the record, my name is Tanya Ammons, director of procurement. Uh, the city of Riviera Beach requires dedicated federal lobbying services to advance it federal legislative priorities and the current federal lobbying contract expires December 31st, 2025. As such, the procurement department issued RFP number 129- RFP-25-4. federal lobbying services on September 15, 2025 and the solicitation closed on October 15, 2025. The solicitation was advertised on bidnet um using the nigp code 96151 lobbying services. It was advertised to 75 businesses. 23 vendors downloaded the forms and the city of Riviera Beach procurement department received three submitted proposals. one from Alcade and Fay, one from Pitman Law Group, and one from the Porter Group. During the initial initial compliance review, all firms were preliminarily deemed responsive. The evaluation committee met on Wednesday, November the 19th, 2025 to review and score the proposals. During that particular meeting when the um pricing was open um Porter's price sheet was blank so they were deemed non-responsive at the evaluation committee meeting. There was also discussion at the meeting um because in one area the Pitman Law Group had submitted the form declaring that they were a local vendor and um we did not initially see their supporting documentation to support that particular claim. Um, as the procurement director, after the initial meeting, I went back

and uh researched and reviewed every item submitted in their entire package, made the determination that the um support was indeed submitted according to the definition in the code for what a local vendor preference was. The um evaluation committee reconvened. We reconvene to discuss the find item and these scores were adjusted accordingly uh with the code and with the procurement practices. And so I present to you today um and all of the support documentation I'm asking that um the council approves a recommendation for federal law services lobbying services to the Pitman Law Group. Um the Pitman Law Group does have an office located in Washington DC. The Pitman Law Group is a local vendor and the evaluation committee um evaluated the entire packages and they were deemed the highest responsive and responsible vendor for this particular solicitation.

Chair. Yes. Go ahead. So Sus, can you can you tell me I I heard you say that uh Pitman has an office in Washington DC. Can you tell me where that is? the um address from it is in Washington DC. Um we did verify that the address um is on um Channing um but the solicitation didn't state that the address had to be any particular location nor that the solicitation state that they had to have a location in Washington DC

in the future. I suggest you have that and most lobbyists that are worked their assault in Washington DC are located either on Constitution Avenue or K Street. Uh, is Mr. Pitman have a partner with him in Washington? Is there is there someone else that's working with him who has experience in DC?

I cannot um directly answer that particular question. The evaluation committee evaluated the packages that were submitted. They evaluated all of the vendors and as a result they were ranked the highest. Um, we did not ask if there's a particular partner that deals with a particular specialty area. Um we did not ask those substant questions. We asked for qualifications. We asked for um you know methodology and approach and their experience.

Chair I I think you got a flaw in your evaluation process. A big flaw. Uh you have to find out specifically the needs that this city has in Washington. When you're hiring a lobbyist, uh Mr. Pitman I support 100%. He's a great lobbyist up in Tallahassee doing a great job. Tallahassee and Washington DC are two different worlds. Totally. Uh I would have liked to have known more about experience that he has in DC and lobbying members of Congress and uh and different departments in Washington. Uh I like Mr. Pitman. Uh since it's a one-year contract, it's a one-year contract, right, with options to renew.

Yes, this is a one No, this is I apologize. is a three-year with an option to renew. Um, so let me verify that resolution addition. Yeah, the resolution it is a three-year term beginning January 1, 2026, expiring December 31st, 2028 with two additional one-year renewal options. Uh, is there an exit ramp on this contract? For all contracts that the city enters in, and that's everyone, there's an exit ramp. Yes. So, can you tell me what that exit ramp is? Is a um contract um cancellation for convenience and there's also a clause to cancel for cause,

right? But we have we have the ability to give a notice for non-course for Yes. For all city contracts, we have that ability. And what and what is the city's responsibility when we do that financially? I'm not sure I understand your question. But do we owe money if we cancel a contract for non-course, do we have to pay a certain amount of money to the vendor? Are yield to legal? Madam Chair. Yes, a

Dr. Spirit is our standard language states that we can terminate for convenience typically with a 30-day notice and we would pay any for any work done up to that point. So for work completed, but that would be it. There's no penalty. Okay. Chair. Yes, ma'am.

Yeah. I I would support uh giving Mr. Pittton an opportunity to do this. He's done an excellent job for us in Tallahassee. Uh in the future though, I would I would like to see what your evaluation uh procedure was, how you rated these people. Uh quite frankly, I only see two people on this this that really have the qualifications to rate somebody for this type of project. Uh I don't know where you got those people from that are on there. I mean, I know we I know they work for us, but they clearly don't have the qualifications to make this type of decision and recommendation to the city council. I would hope in the future that you would look for people that are experienced in that particular field, uh, have great experience in that particular field. And it doesn't have to be from the city. You can go outside the city to get people to sit on these boards, on these evaluation boards. I'm sure a lot of the other municipalities would have volunteered people uh to sit on our board for us. But uh you know I'm going to move along. I'm going to you know I I do support Mr. Pitman and I would give him the opportunity and hopefully he will be successful.

Chair,

I would like to say that we attended a legislative uh event uh basically a a training. It was a good amount of time and I was able to meet his representative, one of them in DC. So I can say that, you know, there is someone who is working in DC for the Pitman Law Group and he did get us to the capital. We had several meetings um that I found to be very productive, made some great connections and contacts. So, I just wanted to add that that I I can say that I've had some experience with his um DC um assistance.

Can I commit? All right. Any other questions for this item? Yes, madam chair. Yes. Go ahead.

Yes. I I pulled this for um basically just to acknowledge that um we h I know we've had Mr. Kurlin for well over 10 years, I'm pretty sure, because he's he was here when I got here. Um, but I just wanted to, you know, publicly thank him for the services that he did provide for us. Um, I recall very early on when I got on the board, Mayor Masters, um, myself and, um, Councilwoman Lynn Hubard and Port Commissioner Joe Anderson, my husband, we were able to go to, um, DC and Mr. Kurlin was very instrumental in making sure that we got around to all of the elected officials up there in terms of um at that time we were advocating a lot for because of the Corey Jones situation and we were able to get the body cams here in the city and that was a big a big reason why we have body cams now for our police officers. Um and there were just a number of things. He was well respected up there. Um and I I and he has helped out over the years. So I truly truly appreciate the work that he did. Um I do understand that you know over over time thing people change you know situations change and um I certainly have no issue with supporting Mr. Pitman because of um what he's done for us here in the state. But I didn't want to go without saying and thanking Mr. Kurlin for for really being instrumental in a lot of things that we did over the last decade that I've been here. So, thank you so much.

Thank you. Any other questions in regards to this item? Sure. Yes. Go ahead. Mr. Is there a reason that Mr. Kurlin and his group did not submit a proposal? Were they were they aware that we had a RFP out? Um I'm not um familiar with the individual you are are speaking with. What I do know is I looked the last solicitation was posted on demand star. Everyone that responded I made sure that I sent them an email via bitnet so that they were aware that it was posted uh via bitnet. Madam chair. Yes. Go ahead.

Mr. Kurlin is the representative from Alcade and FA that we that was our lobbyist. It was the Alcade and Fay who did submit a Yes. Yeah. But Mr. Maurice Kurlin is the one that worked with us. So it wasn't someone separate but they did put in they did. Okay. Okay. Any other questions? Madam clerk. Council person Davis Pier. Yes. Council person Gon. Yes. Chairperson Tim Miller Anderson. Yes. Council person Spiritis. Yes. Chairperson Lir.

Yes. That's a unanimous vote. Madame Chair, did you want to proceed to the next item or take public comment? Yeah, we need to take public comment. Madam Chair, we have 17 public comment cards.

Uh public comment shall begin at 7:30 p.m. unless there's no further business of the city council, which in that event it shall begin sooner. In addition, if an item is being considered at 7:30, then comments from the public shall begin immediately after the item has been concluded. Please be reminded the city council board has adopted rules of decorum governing public conduct during official meetings which has been posted here in the front. An effort to preserve order. If any of the rules are not adhered to, the city council chairperson may have any disruptive speaker or attendee removed from the podium from the meeting and of the building if necessary. please govern yourselves accordingly. Go ahead, Madam Clerk.

Ma'am, and so com public comment cards is closed. The first speaker is Shenita Johnson, followed by Dr. Philip Dukes and Reverend Dr. J.R. Thicklin. Shenita Johnson, Dr. Philip Dukes. Good evening to everyone in their respective places. Dr. Phil Dukes. Well, our let me get my notes up. Our black history teachings. I'm talking about black history, ancient black history, and then I'm going to go into American history. The things that were omitted from our history books, the great accomplishments of black people that all children should have learned in school, but they were not because of what we call racism and bigotry. Dr. G. Carter Woodson wrote a book called The Miseducation of the Negro. But there's another book that needs to be written and it's called the miseducation of euroentric society that breeds bigotry and what we call racism. Now you have a tribe in Africa called the Doon. Um the Doon are in Mali and in 19 April 24th, let me get my notes here. April 24th, 1990, the NASA launched a launched the Hubble telescope and it found a uh some plants that were not seen by anyone and it was called series A and Series B. No one had knew it existed except one group in Africa called the Doon. The Doon history goes back over 15,000 years ago. But the problem is when eurosentric archaeologists and anthropologists go there, they always want to date stuff back to the 11th century, you know, when

they started to uh develop. But it's over 15,000 years. Google it, you'll see that what I'm telling you is true. These were black people that had charted the heavens when most of Eurocentric society thought the world was flat. Now, this is not us against them type of ideology. Y'all know I don't do that. Neither do I do Democrat nor Republican. I like to be centered in my expression. But just imagine if you were a black person and you learned that in school about this tribe called the Doan. Just imagine that you my euroentric brothers and sisters if you had learned about these brilliant black people called the Doan in Marley and other things that went on in Marley. What would your opinion be? But people have miseducated us and misled us. I am the CEO of Operation Restore. You can go on YouTube and see our video. We're All Americans. Operation Restore, Inc. We're All Americans. You can reach me at 561-8277499. Now, next time I come up, we're going to talk about this some more. We're going to talk about some things we need to do in 2026 to come against the Heritage Foundation, which is a white supremist group. PragerU, which is a white supremist group. Project 2025, which is a bigoted, racist nationalist group that is unAmerican and we need to press against everything that's trying to divide us as Americans.

The next speakers are Reverend Dr. J.R. Thicklin followed by Michael Jordan, RC Miller Jr., and Foman.

Greetings, Reverend Dr. J.R. Pickland, president of Palm Beach County Clergy Alliance. Madame President, members of the council, mayor, and all that's here today. Perhaps when I came, I came with an intention to speak to a certain issue, but I will bring it up nevertheless. First and foremost, I am so glad that this is recorded because the city of River Beach is really making great strides, and that is a real statement. That is a very good statement. I've been in Palm Beach County, Florida now 43 years. I came here at 18 years old and I've seen the development. I've lived through many different things. I've watched recognition be given and rightfully so. We've watched streets be named and renamed for different individuals for the service that they provided. And we should. I just recently came back from Springfield, Connecticut. And I my now new uncle pastor up in that area, they had a street named after him, another street. And I began to research why. And it was because the service they had. So I would like to just comment, although it may not be pertinent now since the change, the idea of naming a street after Mayor Masters. It doesn't take much as a person who travels quite a lot that when you travel and you say where you're from people say do you know mayor masters or do you know this person and it's always something that with very positive things. Mayor Master I believe is one of the longest serving mayors in the city of River Beach history. Mayor Masters have not just been a mayor he's been a community activist. It was Mayor Masters who started a movie, No More Saggy Pants, encouraging people to pull up their pants. It was Mayor Masters that was the first that talked about down with hope, down with dope and up with hope. It was the mayor Masters who led the initiative

to rename Old Dixie Highway to President Barack Obama Highway. It was Mayor Masters who also uh started what we call the Senior Veterans Organization and many things. That's just on that side of it. But let's talk about the mayor that also have helped buried many people who've allowed services to be held at his church without pay. I know that because a lot of times he said, "Listen, I I I'm just going to do that." So, how are you going to continue to maintain it? What I want to say to you today is this. I could think of more reasons to name or rename a street after him than I can think of those not. I urge you, don't let great be the enemy of good. Don't let perfect be the enemy of progress. I urge you to think about the fact that each one of us have passes, we have history, and we have roads that we're going to. How would renaming a street after him hurt the city's image? I don't think so. International ambassador for the League of Mayors. Thank you very much. Next speaker are Michael [clears throat] Jordan, RT Miller Jr. Fain Losman, and Aman Israel.

All right. How you doing? I'm coming with great respect to you all. As I always say, to set the pace and to respect everybody here. I'm moving real quickly. Uh first of all, I agree with Pastor Thickland. I don't see an issue with naming the street after Reverend Bishop Masters. He has done a lot for the city, even for this building right here that we're sitting in today in the same property that we're sitting on. Mr. Lozman laid it out uh very very clearly for us uh at the past meeting. Okay. So, like I said, we want to make sure we take care of that and I don't see an issue with that. Not to discredit uh Mr. Hester, but I know what Reverend Master has done in this city for this particular space that we're in right here today. So, I don't see a problem with that. I don't think whatever your personal issue with him has to do with that because if you going to stand on business, you need to stand on business. I can work with everybody and not have anything personal against them and let it get in the way of business because we still have to do business and run business the way it needs to be ran. Second of all, I met with some seniors in the neighborhood. They want to know how are are they being charged for their water bills, okay? When the meters are not even working and the people that come out to read the meters don't even read them. So, what is the guesstimated cost that they are being charged? So, we want to get back to that. You know, we need to talk about that. Okay? Because like I said, when my aunt speak up, I speak for everybody, but I definitely have an issue when my aunt has an issue. She's 80 years old, but she's competent enough to know that people are not coming out there reading her media. Okay? So, you all need to take, you know, take that into consideration. That's the first thing. The second thing is, you know, we have to continue to be on board. And it's nothing against Jamaica. How we going to help Jamaica

when we don't even help the citizens of Rivera Beach? That's a concern to me. Okay. I also still have a concern with the issue that's going on with Mr. to keep golden. We cannot let that die down. I pray that you make the make the right choice for somebody who has passion for the the residents in this city. Okay. So, like I said, even with what happened tonight with the issue of Mr. Spiritus want wanting to place the issue on the agenda. You place everything else on the agenda. So, why was that discredited? Okay. I know, you know, like I say, I see a lot of things that go on. It's not about your best friend or who you support. It's about the business of Rier Beach. So, like I said, I respect each and every one of you up there. I love each and every one of you up there. I want you to always put your best foot forward. And I really mean that genuinely coming from my heart. But I don't trust a lot of people that's up there. And I be glad when you are G O N E gone.

The next speakers are RC Miller Jr., Fain Loseman, Aman Israel, and Cindy March. Hi, my name is RC Miller Jr. I'm from West Palm Beach, but I married a girl from River Beach. So, I'm just proud to be here. I'm here to talk about my friend, my mentor, and my hero, Reverend Thomas Masters. I've watched him a long time. He has put his foot on the ground. Now, they say boots on the ground. He's been on the ground not only in Riverdale Beach but in West Palm Beach. He walked right beside me with the uh murderers who was marching on murderers. We was having a lot of murderers in our city and he walked right beside me in West Palm Beach. He was down in Del. He's born. But most of all, he's all over the world. Who wouldn't want to name a street after somebody like that? This is the spirit of Christmas. This is the spirit of Christ. This is the way that we all could be happy and and and and make someone happy. It would make him very happy to have a street named after him. It would make his family happy. It would make us as pastors happy. We need someone who everybody know. And just like they say, the little children know him, the teenagers know him, the adults know him. He's known all around the world. He's the only person I know that went to the Pope funeral. He doesn't see black and white. He works with the mayor just like he was still mayor. He has not stopped working for your city. And I want to say to each and every one of you, open your hearts, open your mind, and maybe like Dr. Glenn, I don't want to mess the last name up, but maybe

y'all can reconsider. Is no one more worthy than Thomas Masters to have a street named after him. I just like to say thank you all for letting me speak and God bless you. Madam Chair, the next speaker is Fman followed by Mont Israel, Sydney March and Mrs. Williams. by Mosman. Fain loadman sing. I don't know how many people here knew Josh Lewis. I'm sure council person Giden did. He's going to retire next April. I'm very disturbed that his gun badge and ID were taken away from him months ago and he busted a lot of bad guys and he has no gun and badge or ID and he hasn't been suspended. So, somebody needs to look into why is this police officers who's still being paid staying at home does not have his gun badge and ID but in April 1 when he retires they're going to give it back to him and barred from coming to the city. So, it's a pretty severe um situation. I'd like one of you who's a responsible individual to look into that. Um, number two, I've been coming to these meetings for 20 years. You don't do a roll call vote to adopt the agenda. It's called a voice vote. You're going to be the council person. Read the rules of Robert's rules of order. You do a voice vote. You say, "Hey, we want to adopt agenda. All say I. I. I'll say nigh nigh." And then whatever you is the louder tone, you adopt it. If somebody has a question, then they call for a voice vote. We're doing roll call votes for things that make no sense. And I've never seen anybody at the county. That's all they do is uh is voice votes. They don't do a roll call

vote. Every blue moon they do one. Number three, I've been coming up here since the city council chair has been linear and we have these rules. Federal case shows many of these rules are unconstitutional. Why do we still have this board up here with rules that are unconstitutional? If anybody's an expert in the first amendment, it's me. I won a case at the US Supreme Court over the first amendment. I have the Pam Carlin at Stanford Law School. She considered the foremost expert who represented me. You can look at these rule that it said no profane remarks, no impertinent remarks, no slandish remarks. You can't say that. If I want to come and say this place is up, I can do that. That's not a violation of the first amendment. Okay? and to and also if I want to direct comment if I think an individual in the city is not doing a good job I can call that person out whether it's an elected official a city employee or anyone else I mean you can read about it on Google it Google what first amendment protections are at city council meetings these rules are unconstitutional now the four of you have a responsibility when when speakers come up here and the police interfere in their ability to make their comments you have a responsibility to censure your the chair You have to say, "I'm not going to participate in that type of behavior. I'm not going to let you use the police to silence speakers because they don't like what they have to say." That's what the first first amendment protects speech that people don't like. If somebody comes and says, "Oh, Lenir is doing the greatest job." And you direct the commentator to her like that, no one's going to say anything. But you say, "Lir is doing a horrible job," which she is, then they have the police come over and and shut them up. That's not the way things done. Now I have a number of people who wanted official comments.

Ammon Israel, Cindy March, Mrs. Williams, and Mayor Bishop Thomas Masters. [clears throat]

Good evening, chair, mayor and council, Aman Israel. [clears throat] again. What is really going on with our assistant chief Keith Golden? Our Chief Golden has outstanding evaluations, impeccable record. Chief Golden was deployed on multiple missions representing the city of Riviera Beach in the state of Florida. He has been deployed to Jacksonville where he served as the deputy chief of operations and incident commander during COVID pandemic. He was chosen by the state for that position. He was deployed to Tallahassee to serve as the EOC emergency operations center during hurricane. He also served on the emergency medical service advisory council for Palm Beach County. He also served in region 7, [snorts] that's where we live, all hazards incident management team. The city paid an outside investigator who specialized in fire department investigations. The personal the professional investigator recommended training. How do we go from training to firing our city chief Golden as the assistant city manager? The president of a union made a statement on TV that our city manager should fire our assistant golden chief.

What arrogance. After the first investigation, some created another investigation. Just what are they trying to prevent? Riviera Beach Fire Fire Department paramedics, I know that you're some of the best that our state has to offer. Years ago, I did a personal survey with Palm Beach Gardens Hospital, St. Mary's, Good Sam, John F. Kennedy North. They all said that when our fire department bring in patients, they're more stable. fire rescue, firefighters, paramedics. Do not get caught up with a few that's in our department that's causing ruckers, particularly when we have an assistant chief with the accommodations that he has. Just what are some trying to prevent? Thank you,

Madam Chair. Our next speaker is Cindy March, followed by Mrs. Williams, Mayor Bishop Thomas Masters, and Bryce Graham. Cindy March, you know, you all called for a special meeting on Monday. I got a wolf of it. So what I did, I went on social media. Social media can help you or hurt you. But it was time for help to our residents and to our voters and to a person like me who's been an advocate for over 30 years for the city where I love to live, work, and play. You don't keep calling a special meeting and don't post it within 24 to 48 hours and then you turn around and cancel it. The meeting was about the investigation for the employees of the city of River Beach where you all was bringing in your own investigator. You all got to start being transparent. You all got to start being honest. We all need to have unity with one another. I would love to see this city move forward. I'm with changes. But at what cost? You all got to remember we put you all in office. You all work for us. We don't work for you all. And some of the bad decisions you all make because y'all want um pol power power over politics. We better than free turkeys. We better than a to- go plate with food in it. Yes. A lot of people couldn't afford turkeys. And I reached out to Dr. Glenn Spiritis. Him and his aid helped me get several people turkeys for this year. This is who I am. You all got to start having a prayer heart. And just like with Reverend

Masters, he helped all of you all get into office this term. And it's a shame that y'all got this deceitful feeling about this man who helped you all get into office. I can agree and disagree with a lot of things, but I'm disagreeing with you all now. I have said some terrible things to a lot of you all up there, but I can always be the better person and come back and give credit where credit's due. And I'm giving credit to Kashama Miller Anderson because when she first ran, NASA was there for her and he's still there for her and she took all her she could do to say yes to his vote. He put Lenir and Giden in office this year. You all, I'm telling you all and Doug Lawson had already knew he was going to be the mayor. And I'm not going to keep elaborating on that because I respect everybody and they respect the places. But when I find you to be tr untrustworthy, I have no no hard feelings at all for not being communicating with you all to help move this city forward. You all talking about the water bill. You all need to eliminate these events you got going on. Our number one priority should be this water. Dr. Glenn Spiritus, I can't praise you enough. And you know what? before it's all over, it's gonna be a whole lot of people look like you sitting on this board because you're going to know what you're doing. They're going to know what they're doing. Stop letting your friends be your decision.

Madam Chair, the next speaker is Mrs. Williams, followed by Mayor Bishop Thomas Masters, Bryce Graham, and Katrina Noles. Good evening to the council and the mayor to all you people here of the city of River. I'm so glad to see you all up. I'm just going to say right over I appreciate Re Bishop Mass. I think he should have the street. Could you

named after him?

It won't take away from nobody. T is going to take away from me. Name a lot of others. I think his name is worthy to be there. But this is what I want to say to the council. You know, y'all start out this meeting. Y'all trying to discuss for your plan and your uh deals what you going to do. Why don't y'all do that among ys yourself before y'all came and took up time? And the tax money, y'all get tax money from the county to help pay for some of this stuff here. And you have the H. If you have property and you live in that, you pay your mortgage off your house. If you don't pay that HOA, you they will come and take your house. Don't y'all go with that. I'm telling you. and the assistant chief. Why y'all want to take, you know, I don't know the whole story. I ask all y'all, I want to talk to you. Why don't y'all tell me what the whole story about Mr. Def the Fman? I know him before I ever came over here to speak at these councils and bish like I say, Bishop Master, you you you you. He put all y'all in there. He used to run the run out the campaign for other people. He'd be right there trying to get people to vote for you. So, I don't know why it's a hold up. Shouldn't be no hold up. You should just name that street after him. And please, please stop doing what you do. I'mma I want y'all to pay attention. I want y'all to do a collage of these council people. When certain people get up here, they like, "Yes, sir." They doing all that. Look down. When they don't, the people that come up and talk different, they're from here for the city. You watch them. Watch their face and their reaction. It's from the heart if you mean right all the way. You put on the frontness whether you mean it or not.

With loving kindness can withdraw. Sugar and salt look the same. But taste it and see what it'll do. It's good for both persons purpose that it should be. But if you don't use it right, it'll mess up the dish. So please just do it. Mr. uh I want to show you something. I'mma come back to you. You you and you. I'm going to show you some pictures about different things that has happened. I want y'all to remember that. And please stop carrying on. Don't want to help, don't want to do, but yet you say you're in power. Remember, it's a greater power than all our powers. Satan thought he had it, but God brought him down. Well, he brought himself down. Madam chair, the next speaker is Mayor Bishop Thomas Masters followed by Bryce Graham, Katrina Nolles and Pastor France Ljanice, Mr. Mayor, Madame Chair, and to the entire council, I just want to make a public announcement. Uh first of all, we want to wish everyone a merry Christmas, a blessed Christmas, and a happy new year. We are going to, as we've been doing for 30 years, plus on December the 23rd, right around that date, we'll be giving out new bicycles at our church to members of the community, new shoes, tennis shoes, and new toys. If you need a bike or new pair of tennis shoes, or some toys for your children, please contact us ASAP. The number to call is 561-2472713. 561 247

2713. We do need to first come first serve but you do need to call for we can make sure that we can serve you properly. Thank you madam chair. The next speaker is Bryce Graham followed by Katrina Nolles, Pastor France Lines and Marcus Shepard. Good evening everyone

sir. Not yet. Uh we have Bryce Graham first and then I'll call your name. Good evening. Bryce Graham, second vice president of the National Action Network, Central Florida chapter under the leadership of the Reverend Al Sharpton. Uh there is a statement that says what is understood does not need to be explained. And so we all know that the Reverend Bishop Thomas Masters, former mayor of this city, has done countless of things as to leading protest in this city, uh, standing up for the citizens and the community and Stony Brooks, uh, job fairs and other things. And so tonight I have come to announce that we have over 600 petitions signed uh on copy and online. And so we will not rest and we will not stop until we get uh the street named after the bishop Thomas Masters. The next speaker is Katrina Nolles, Pastor France Le Legion, Margaret Shepard, and William Contol.

Good evening, council members. My name is Katrina Nose and I live on Seventh Street. I was able to purchase my first home with the Renaissance Project with the CRA in 2017. But the reason I'm here is the lack of support that I received from the time that I got the property. I was told I was getting a one-year warranty instead of a standard 10-year warranty for new homes in order to keep the cost down. At the time, I didn't realize it was because it allowed the builder to do substandard work. From the first day I moved in, I had mold. Anita Jenkins said, "Just wipe it down and it'll be fine." Just because the house was unoccupied for some time. I wiped down the mold and it came right back. I had UV lights installed in the AC. I spoke to different AC companies and I tried to keep the humidity down. None of that worked. And today the mold has spread throughout the duck work and throughout the house. My daughter has asthma and I have allergies now. I bought three dehumidifiers to try to mitigate the issue and nothing worked. Now, I have multiple companies telling me that I have to replace the hair air handler after only eight years, which is in the attic, and clean all the duct work, and they're going to charge me $8,000. My porch is falling apart, my facial boards are rotting, and my siding needs to be replaced. All things that should last from 10 to 30 years, and it's only been eight years. I notified the CRA throughout the years with no help. And in February, I spoke again to Anita Jenkins and she told me to fill out an application for a reclaimed loan, but that was just for the porch railing. She told me that every year the wood needs to be recealed. And that's what brings me here today because I've gotten quotes and I'm going to end up being in debt because of all the repairs, there's going to be over $20,000. $10,000 just for the mold remediation. I've gotten to the point of wanting to sell the house, but then I won't be able to afford to go anywhere else. So, I'm stuck breathing in mold and I have a

8-year-old house that's already falling apart.

She has other people in the area that bought their home at the same time and they're having the same issue. We will be at the house.

Okay. The next speaker is pastor France Legend Margaret Shepard William Contol and Da P. Good evening again. Um my name is Pastor France Lines. Uh on behalf of the Haitian community, I'm here to ask you to please consider name a street after Bishop Thomas Masters. Bishop Thomas Masters. We look up to him as a friend, a mentor, a good Samaritan, and a pastor. 2010. Um, in the year 2010 after a massive earthquake devastated the country, Bishop Thomas Master was the one who reached out to the Haitian leaders. He reached out to the community to help us find helps that we can provide to our loved ones who are hurting in Haiti. The beautiful thing about it, Bishop Master went to Haiti with us just to make sure all the thing that we gather reach out to the right people. Just recently, a few months ago, I remember that after that, after the earthquake, uh, our relationship had been strong. And I remember recently, myself personally reach out to Bishop Masters because of some members in my church were hurting. They were out of jobs.

They couldn't pay their rent. They can't they couldn't provide food for their children. I reach out I reach out to him in his church. Bishop master pray with this family. He didn't just pray with them. He put them in his car reach around the neighborhood in Rivera Beach to help them find jobs. And still now he's still helping us. And this is why myself personally I took initiative with that helping young people like me and young ladies with a program that they can navigate to look for jobs. Some of them they had no hope. We teach them to go back to school, get the GED and go to college. Some of them we even help them initiate with their with the military. It's all all because Bishop Master has been a mentor to me. I'm doing this. This is why I would like you to please consider [snorts] to name this street after him because it deserve it. Thank you. Madam Chair, the next speaker is Margaret Shepard, followed by William Contol, and the last speaker is Dorne Pulk, [clears throat] Margaret Sheper, River Beach, uh Mr. Evans, uh Lake View Park. Uh everybody keep asking me about that particular area. That area was when the Caucasian uh people from the Bahamas came over.

And I remember my father talking a little bit about it, but it's a historical site. And I don't know, maybe the clerk will know a little bit more about Lake View Park. Um but I think that since we're revitalizing that area, um Mr. spiritus. I think that it should be a plaque to say it's a historical site as well as the plaque. I I don't remember too much of my dad talking about it, but I remember my grandfather was over there where the fish mark was at, and he had a boat that was called uh the Wanita, and he used to take uh the African-Americans out into the ocean or fish or whatever. I'm just giving you update of what I know about it. So maybe we can dig a little deeper to put that historical practice just just something to talk about. Uh but anyway to my good friend there, I'm so glad to see you and to know that I appreciate you stepping in and you too doing a lot of things and I appreciate you. I just want to appreciate you publicly. We call him the real crusader and he is still moving on in the ministry. Thank you. But let me flip over again to Bishop Masters and I heard Cindy uh March talk about the kind of the confrontations we had. And it's one thing about me once I forgive I forgive. I don't look back. Whatever happened happened and I'm not condoning it. But if anybody deserve a street, out of all the people have streets, fishing masters deserve it. We ought to stop this. We shouldn't be going through this every week talking about the bishop. And I want to say Bishop Torian Davis will be

getting there Sunday at 5:00. And I was more appreciative to uh Allan Temple that hosted him Sunday and Bishop Masters was there with his group. I'm appreciative of some things. If I leave today or leave tomorrow, the one thing I know that it's good people in this world that did bad things. I mean, it happened. What can I say? It happened. I've done a lot of things, but you know, I lived in Detroit, Michigan, so you wouldn't know about my past. The past is a past. Why do we keep talking about a man that has done more than any pastor I know? Buried the dead with no money, married him with no money. Why should I hold anything about him? God say those without sin, you cast the first stone. Thank you.

The next speaker is William Conto followed by Doretta Pulk. William Conto.

I think he left. Are you welcome? You're welcome. Good evening. My name is Detta Park and I'm a citizen of Riviera Beach and I just want to uh commend Mr. um Brody. Uh he's doing a fantastic job. I just went to a uh seminar that he had uh given by the American Heart Association. Mrs. uh Talanda Ford was the speaker and she talked concerning loving and kindness and meditation that we all should do for ourselves. We have to start being kind and loving to ourselves. Then you can bring out the love and kindness to others. And it was very remarkable, very remarkable uh event. And uh it was spoken that we must start having peace among ourselves and start having to be uh strong and healthy. And I just want to commend him. We had uh also a Miss Lee did a black cake. Uh it was a book uh novel. It was very interesting and uh we were just having a wonderful time there at the library and I think we'll be moving to um the Brook

Center and I just can't say enough how he is have brought a lot of uh innovation and knowledge to the library even with the children's um center. Now I want to touch on a situation that happened to me here in uh last council meeting. Uh there was a statement by Mr. Lloyd Brown that um uh council's uh chair Shirley Laneir never when I spoke when uh Mr. the tragic McCoy was on the dasis that I would speak out his name and she never told me to stop or anything like that because you're friends. Well, the truth is that's before she had her rules of decorum. Everybody was talking about, you know, bringing people's names out, you know, and Mr. McCoy actually talked to me first. He wanted to talk with me and we we went aside in the forer right here and we had a pleasant talk and every time we did talk it was pleasant. He was very respectful. I look up at him and he looks at me and sometime he didn't agree with me and he would say uh okay Mr. Park uh you have a good night now you have a but he did never use any profanity towards me now and certain things he's on Facebook and all that but never towards me he was very respectful but that what I got from Mr. Mr. Brown was so unnecessary

and each and every one of have a blessed blessed Christmas and holiday. Yes ma'am. Thank you. See you all next year. Thank you madam chair. That is the end of public comment. Uh city manager would you like to address some of the issues that were listed in public comment.

Madam chair very quickly uh concerning the meter readings. Uh we have radio read meters. So all vehicles need to do is [clears throat] drive down the road and they actually collect what is the uh the readings for our meters. If there's concerns uh with regards to a meter reading, um I'll make sure that our customer service and quality assurance manager gets with um gets with Mr. Jordan to to look into that particular area specifically. Um, also with regards to the comment on the Renaissance uh program, I I will have a conversation with uh Miss Jenkins and Director Mercius to get some additional context associated with that. And then for the Lake View Park item, we can uh do some research about the historical significance of that part of our community. Madam Chair,

Madam Chair, yes, go ahead. Um the special city council meeting that was that was posted for that we were supposed to have on Monday. It was posted last week Wednesday. So it wasn't it was more than 24 hours. Um it was not posted within 24 hours. It was posted last week Wednesday. Thank you. Very good. Next item. Madam clerk.

Madam chair. Excuse me. We are on item 3. I, resolution number 187-25, a resolution of the city council of the city of Riviera Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida, authorizing the temporary closure of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Congress Avenue, and certain portions of other ancillary streets, authorizing a contingency route, and authorizing staff to submit the appropriate Department of Transportation permit application for the 42nd annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday parade and providing for an effective date. Madam Chair, there are no public comment cards and the acceptance of cards is closed. So move.

Do we have any? You said no public comment card. There are no public comment cards for this item. Mr. uh Mr. Evans. Madam Chair and members of board, I'll ask for the assistant city manager uh to help facilitate this presentation. Jacobs.

Good evening, Madame Chair, mayor of Lawson, other council persons in your respective places. City Manager Evans, Attorney Win, and City Clerk Hall. For the record, my name is Dearra Jacobs. I'm the assistant city manager here with the city of Riviera Beach. Resolution 18725 concerns the closure of streets, in particular, Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard as well as Congress Avenue and other ancillary ancillary streets in an effort to evacuate the annual Martin Luther King um parade. It'll take place on January the 17th and it'll be the city's 42nd annual parade event. If you have any questions, um, Sergeant De Sanz is here to assist with the presentation and I believe our special events manager, Mrs. Ladyia Franks Edwards, is also available to answer questions.

Who uh pulled this item? I did, Madam Chair. Okay, go ahead. I did for the public just to get the information that you just shared. When is the deadline um or when is the application um open and closed for the um partic um it's open right now. It's online. You can go online as well as you can call our special events office in order to um apply to participate in the parade. Okay. Thank you. Yes. Go ahead. Um

uh good evening um special events manager Alia Franks Edwards. Um the I did have a presentation prepared um in regards to some of the community feedback and concerns uh regarding the parade route and um I don't know if you would like me to share that with you. I know uh Miss Jacobs did uh share the general information but I did want to communicate to you some of the feedback and um the concerns and recommendations from the MK committee and special events committee. Oh, go ahead with those concerns. Yes. Walter, are you ready?

Okay. Let me see. Guys, sorry. Technical difficulties.

Is it Can you see my presentation on the screen, Miss Jacobs or Miss Charlene? I'm not sure. We can see it, Alia.

Okay. Thank you. Um, assistant manager Jacobs again. Uh, good evening. I'm Madia Frank Edwards, special events manager. I am presenting this, uh, evening alongside Sergeant Bryant Desante from the police department's traffic division. Um, as Miss Jacob stated, uh, the city will be hosting its 42nd annual Dr. Martin Luther King parade on Saturday the 17th at 10 a.m. This year's theme is walk together in unity with purpose. Uh tonight, as Miss Jacob stated, staff is requesting authorization for temporary road closures, approval of parade contingency routes, and authorization to submit the FDOT permit applications. Community participation in our MLK parade continues to grow. To respond to feedback from residents and businesses, the special events office in coordination with the 2026 MLK committee is presenting several rounding other additional options for council to address some of the growth and and relates to the parade. So on the first slide is option one. Uh that is our existing parade route. Um this is Congress Avenue in Blue Heron Boulevard corridor to Avenue P. This parade route has been uh used for the last past two years for 2024 and 25. Staff feedback, community feedback uh while this parade route has been successful, feedback has identified congestion, some idling along the parade route, and neighborhood access concerns. To address these concerns, staff recommends reducing the number of entries and or limiting per performances to one minute at the viewing stand and strictly enforcing parade rules through

police personnel and the MLK parade ambassadors.

Hold on one second, Mr. M. Edwards. Go ahead. Yes. So, Congress Avenue and Blue Heron to Avenue P. We didn't we do MLK? That's not the route we took, is it? We did MLK, right? From Congress to Avenue P, right? Yeah. Yes, I'm sorry. And then MLK to Avenue P. Correct, Miss um Council Person. Okay. Mill Anderson. Yes. That's the existing routes. Okay. Right now. Okay. MLK. Yes.

Thank you. Okay, now we're going to move on to option two. This is also a consideration. Um, this is Gardens Road south to MK Boulevard and east to Avenue P. Uh, staff is proposing starting uh the parade at Rivera Beach Preparatory Academy, which is located along Orange Road. Um, staff would like to take this moment to also thank uh principal Mark Simmons and Mr. Cartwright at the school for uh approving the if this is approved tonight um this this area for the staging location. Um this proposed parade route increases staging space. It reduces congestion. However, it does not impact Sat it will impact Saturday businesses and it requires additional safety measures due to con due to the canal along the roadway. So this is one of the considerations. It does strengthen it does uh extend the parade at least a half a mile in the staging areas. The next option is option three. This is uh was uh in discussion. The special events office has been in discussion with commissioner Bobby Powell's office and the parks and rec county parks and recck department. Um, if this is considered, if not this time in the near future, maybe an upcoming or hopefully it possibly considered as an option for this year. This option could significantly expand staging capacity and improve improve parade flow. While it may not be feasible this year, there is strong support to continue exploring it. Also creating a great partnership with Palm Beach County. This option will possibly require mutual aid or assistance from the county and additional road closures from DOT. Um, as I stated, I've been in contact with the two offices and I would

like to give them a special thanks and they are very uh supportive of this potential partnership. On option four, this uh is Congress Avenue Blue in Blue Heron to Mok Boulevard east to Avenue P. So we will start at Blue Heron and Congress over by the Pal uh post office. Proceed south on Congress to MLK. Starting the sting staging area, proceeding south on Congress, turning into Martin Luther King, and continue east. This option does allow for centralized staging while maintaining a familiar parade corridor. There are however concerns regarding access to communities along Congress Avenue, Marsh Harbor, Spinacres, Congress Lakes, etc. For future options, the Special Events Office is constantly looking for ways to expand uh events and to capitalize on opportunities to build partnerships. Additional, we've received calls from a gentleman, Miss Cody, Miss Boston. Um, we're possibly considering additional future options to include a potential route starting at the VA hospital or vice versa, starting on Avenue P and going to the VA hospital, recognizing the significance within our city that the Veterans Hospital is located right here in this great city. Next, possibly hosting a tri city parade with Rivera Beach, Mangonia, and West Palm Beach. Either it could be an MLK or a holiday parade, creating a three municipal celebration along the Australian corridor. We did this about 15 years ago. It build a relationship and we went all the way down to uh the Urban League. staff has received feedback from residents and businesses and continues

to work collaboratively to address these concerns together as a city. Sergeant DeSantz and I are present to address any feedback you may have. Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, go ahead. Sergeant Desend, these um we had an agenda view. Have you has PD reviewed all of these route options? Uh we at this time I had I was privy to three out of the four options. I can't hear. I can't hear. I'm sorry. I apologize. Um at this time uh I was privy to three of the options out of the four that were listed there

and follow me m the the route option for that we did last year being that we're a just around a month out. I think just trying to keep it consistent and possibly having these discussions a little earlier for uh marketing purposes, discussion purposes, safety and timeline um would be something that we could kind of visit at a later date, but I think trying to change it 30 days from the date of the parade is going to be difficult. So, I'd recommend sticking with the route that was already vetted by PD staff and FHP as well from last year. um uh these these options um Miss Jacobs, the the the options that are being presented and then alternative options as well uh for next year and future years is definitely a good idea for us to take a look at because we can visit those and have those discussions maybe a little bit earlier so we can prepare for the parade and invite uh other teams out.

Okay, Madam Chair, if I may. Yes, go ahead. Um, I I agree with the mayor. Um, as stated in the presentation, uh, staff, uh, has taken the feedback and the concerns from our citizens and all of the participants in the parade. Uh, this was just to make sure that the mayor and our council was aware of these concerns. Um, and it's important to just share this with you in advance so we can start planning for next year's. So, thank you, mayor, and thank you, uh, council. All right. Very good. So, we'll just get an early start for the 20207. [snorts] Yes, ma'am. Yes, chair.

All right. Thank you so much for your presentation, Miss Edwards. Anyone who questions u about this item, Madam Clerk. Council person Davis Paneer. Yes. Council person Gen. Yes. Chair Miller Anderson. Yes. Council person Spiritz. Yes. Chairperson Laneir. Yes. Unanimous vote. Thank you, Miss Jacobs. Officer, thank you everyone. Good night,

Madam Chair. We are on item 3K, resolution number 1 190-25, a resolution of the city council of the city of Riviera Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida, adopting the city of Riviera Beach 2026 state legislative agenda, affirming the city's legislative priorities and state appropriations requests, authorizing the city manager or designate to advocate for a set priorities, providing for conflicts, and providing for an effective date. Madam Chair, there are no comment cards. The acceptance of cars close second. Madam Chair, I pull this.

Okay, go ahead. Um, I just for clarification, I see uh that we have prepared a packet and I was curious to know if the city council had any input in this because I did not have any input. I'm not sure if you talked to the others. Madam Chair, if I may.

Yes, go ahead. um the components of the packet that have what is h what's happening on the state level those were that was part of the packet that our um legislative uh intergovernmental affairs and legislative administrators provided. So I just provided you that for context. the four items that um are actually projects that are on the city of Riviera Beach priority projects list. Those are the items that in conversations that we've had with uh council meeting council in uh part of public meetings that we've identified projects. So the four projects that we have is the rehabilitation of our well fields, the utility district water plant, the inter coastal crossline uh inner coastal waterway crossing and then the police department are the four uh priority projects.

Okay. Um as most know this is my fourth time sitting up here. There is a process that during this part of the legislative process, irrespective of what we say in public, city manager normally always meet with the council people to reaffirm is this where we're going. I didn't get that consideration and I think that um each of us deserve to have some type of conversation before you put it in the packet like this. Most of these would probably have been approved. My issue is with staff that's doing it and putting it on my desk. this is our priorities. I that's not how I roll. Um and I would hope in the future that you understand that just courtesy goes a long ways. I can think for myself. I know what I would like to recommend. I got a little irritated when I saw this and nobody had spoken to me. So I will hope in the future that you give some consideration to at least speaking to I can't speak for them the rest of my colleagues to me as a council person so I can confirm that this is the direction or give you my input and then three out of five will make the decision. So um that that irritated me Mr. uh Evans. Um because we are the policy makers,

we get input from the residents, then we pass that down to you. It doesn't go from the bottom up. Goes from the top down. That's all I have. Madam Chair, any questions about this item? Yeah, Madam Chair.

Yes. Go ahead. So, I mean I these are all worthy items that you have on the list and I've had this discussion with the city manager before. When we were up in Tallahassee last year, the legislators made it very clear to us that they were not going to approve any projects that we have the ability to get the funding from another resource. That could be a state resource. It could be a revolving loan program uh from the water. Uh it could be a numerous different air areas that we have the ability to apply for funding from the state and the federal government. Uh like I said, these are all worthy items. I only think that the only one that has a chance of being approved is probably the police department training facility. Uh the others all have we have the ability to get funding from other sources. Uh, I hope I'm wrong, but I I think that if uh my colleague uh you know, Commissioner Gayton uh might have a point that maybe if we discuss this further, we can come up with other items that would have a better chance of getting approved. Uh so in the future maybe maybe we should uh change the policy a little. Thank you.

Any other items? Madam clerk, council person Davis Paneer, yes. Council person Gson, yes. Chrom Miller Anderson, yes. Council person Spiritis, yes. Chairperson Laneir, yes. Unanimous vote. [clears throat] Next item. Madam Chair, excuse me. We are on item 3J, which was added to the agenda. It is a request for the city council board to proceed with events over the next couple of weeks as well as ratify Christmas in the park in support of the following projects.

Council person guidance event December 20th chairperson's Christmas event December 19th. Madam Chair, go ahead. Didn't we add that to consent and we voted one vote already? We didn't vote already. Okay. I apologize. We are on item 6A, library and youth empowerment programs transition plan during renovation of facility. Madam chair and members of the board at this time if I can have the uh library director Mr. Adam Brody and the assistant to the city manager Dr. Hayes to make this presentation. Thank you. Go ahead.

Adam Brody library director Rivier Beach uh public library. Good evening city council. Madame Chair, uh mayor, um this evening, uh myself along with our assistant to the city manager, Dr. Hayes will be providing an overview uh regarding the uh upcoming transition um of library services and YEP operations um to the respective locations. This is in light of the uh renovations that will be taking place at the library building. So, we'll start off with the first slide, purpose of the renovations. Um the main things that'll be going on at the library during the course of the renovations involve fixing the roof, replacing carpeting in the adult reference section along with painting uh the facility. So those will be kind of the main things that'll be going on uh during the course of the renovations. Next slide. The library will be transitioning to the Brook Center which is 594 West 4th Street, Riviera Beach 33404. Uh the hours of operations will be Monday through Friday 10:00 a.m. to 6 pm along with Saturdays from 9:00 am to 5:00 p p.m. And here's the here's the timeline that'll be taking place during the course of of the time frame. The last day of operations at the Rivier Beach Public Library in terms of servicing the public will be Tuesday uh Tuesday, December 23rd. Um the first day of service at the Brook Center will be Monday, December 29th. The last day of service at the Brook Center will be Friday, January 30th. And the first day of service at the newly renovated Rivier Beach Public Library will be Monday, February 2nd. And and here's a an outline of some of the services that will be performed while we're at the Brook Center by the Rivier Beach Library team. Uh number one will be computer and printing access for the public. So, we'll still have some computer terminals available along with

some access to printing for the public. Um, administration of library cards uh during that time frame. Also, v voter registration assistance. Um, we'll be having interl loan, which is our reciprocal borrowing agreement through our partnership with the library cooperative of the palm beaches, which involves nine other libraries. Um, expanded outreach during that time frame uh with our through our reference leadership team. um Charmaine Arnold, our children's librarian, and April Giles, our adult librarian. And also, uh news newspaper news and information access, not just physical newspaper access, but also facil the facilitation the facilitation of access of our electronic resources as well.

Good evening.

Use your phone, please. Madame Chair, council, mayor, city manager, and everyone in their respective places. I am Dr. Londa Hayes, the assistant to the city manager. My portion of the presentation pertains to the youth empowerment department. The youth empowerment department will be relocating temporarily to the Wells Recreation Center portable center, which is at Wells Recreation. Our hours are Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 700 p.m. We just wanted to share with you a little bit about the um calendar for that month. There are only 20 days in the month of January that we will actually be operating. So, it's a very short period being that there are three holidays or actually three holidays and one no school day. Okay. All right. So, some of our programming includes, you know, tutoring, after school homework, preparing for after school homework, game room, GED prep, fishing fanatics. That's something that we do on Saturdays, you know, once a month. Summer leader, summer internship programs, college tours. That's something that we're planning for. We also have lifeguard certification, phospha, night, mad scientist, job readiness, and things of that sort. But for the month of January, we're just going to focus on the ones that are highlighted. We're going to make sure that the students have a game room, that we're still doing GED prep, we're focusing on health, mental health, and wellness, and also providing those hydroponic kits to our youth. Of course, we do the pre-apprenticeship

program. We just wanted to highlight that those are five of our young men that have been accepted to that program. And there's a picture there that shows, you know, the health and wellness, some of what we do during the year. We'll be taking our computers over there to the Wells Recreation Center with us. We'll continue with our hydroponic program. We'll also have a field trip for the month of January. We will be going to um Black Seinal War reenactment and we will continue with the game room. We'll also continue to prepare our youth for GED, those young adults that um want to do GED programming and also employability workshops. We just wanted you all to see some of what we do. Um, and we'll also continue with the mentoring. As for the upgrades, we will be upgrading our GED room. It'll have some paint and carpeting. Our STEM room will have paint. We're going to do epoxy flooring. We're going to do some technology upgrades in our STEM room that will allow us to be able to cast and do some virtual meetings and things of that sort. also our training room. We're going to do painting, epoxy flooring, technology upgrades. Of course, we're going to add a whiteboard type of feature that's going to also help us to be able to facilitate training. Our project timeline, it looks very similar to the library. Our last day of service is going to be December 23rd. December 29th will be our first day of service at Wells. January the 29th, we will be transitioning back to the library. And January 31st, we'll have our grand reopening. And that's right

before Black History Month. February 2nd, we will resume our full services. And we just want to say thank you for your support with the renovations for the library. They are really needed. The kids are going to enjoy the game room that we're going to, you know, make it really nice. So, thank you again. Are there any questions for us?

Um, I have Go ahead, Madam C. I just wanted to see if we can make the lighting a priority because right now half of the light on the sign that says like community library, they're out. So, it does not look good writing down um Congress. So, if we can work on getting that fixed before like the major stuff, that would be great. Chair, any other questions or comment? All right. Thank you so much. Thank you, Madam Cler. Madam Chair, we are on item six. I'm sorry. Go ahead,

Sure. We have a lot of people that came here to speak tonight on 9B. We actually lost half of the people. They left. Is there any way we can move that up? They They've been waiting here over three and a half hours. Which one is that? 9B. 9B. That's a text amendment.

Um I mean well first of all we have 6B first and then if does anybody want to Well, we have to do the ordinances on second and final reading and it's 9:22. So we definitely need to put make that a priority. The ones that are on second final reading and then the one you're talking about um we what we can I mean it's 9B if if we move pretty quickly I mean we should be able to get through this we only have the 6B but we have to hear 8 A through 8 A through 8E first before we could do it okay all right um six Madame clerk madam chair chair we are on item 6B which is Ronnie Felder's employee summary report update.

Mr. Evans, I mean, I did add it on here, but I wanted to um see if there was an update. And you know, it doesn't have to be very long either. Madam Chair, on what? Madam Chair and members of the board, uh if attorney uh Gaines can come up to the front to provide a a brief update to the board concerning uh the activities that are happening. Okay,

Madam Chair, question. Will we be putting this back on the agenda when it's advertised? Because why are we listening to this now if we if it wasn't on the agenda? Madam Chair. Yes, because I added it at the beginning. Um, this is just providing an update. it obviously it has to come back when the full report or whatever it is that's going to be done will come back right now it's just a small update okay madam chair and the reason why I'm asking because we talked you know I know that we did properly advertise Mondays but there are some people in the community that want to be a part of the conversation and be be here when that happens so absolutely all right thank you absolutely go yes go ahead sir

okay good evening uh Tason Gains here this evening um on the investigation into the mayor's report and uh with the consent of the council, I'd like to provide a brief update. Yes, go ahead.

Okay. Um All right. [clears throat] So, brief introduction. Um madame chair, members of the council, Mr. Mayor, madam city attorney, Mr. City Manager, uh my name is Tason Gaines from the Gaines Firm in North Palm Beach. I'm honored to be here. I have been charged with uh the duty and obligation to the city and the members of the community to investigate the mayor's report uh that was filed in July 2024 by the previous mayor. Um the status of the investigation um it is active. Uh we've been thoroughly working on this. We've done a ton of preliminary work. We're basically in the weeds now, but we wanted to in the interest of the community and the council bring an update uh today. the substantive nature of where we specifically are, I cannot disclose due to the confidential nature of the investigation and to protect overall uh integrity of the investigation. Uh but it is moving. Um and part of what I'm here to do today is give the timeline for when you all the community will see completion. All right. So, uh recently, uh we had some delays uh for a number of reasons. Essentially the the meat of the matter is we couldn't get access to uh our primary information sources. One um city manager Evans had some FEMA related unavailability uh that put some slow up in our most recent developments in this last two weeks, three weeks intensive period. Um as well as some other key contributors in our investigative process. uh we weren't able to get to as efficiently as we would liked. Um so we've had somewhat of a delay, but overall I think we're at a good place. Uh we're ahead of where I thought we would be as far as the substantive nature of what we've retrieved. Um but

there is still some to do uh timeline. What we are proposing is that we provide you a two-stage two-step delivery. And the reason for that is to give you a general overview of what's going on, but also to protect the integrity. We don't want to overload the city all at one time. So, we think it's better to stagger it with the first presentation being the last week of January and then the final presentation with the complete report being the uh last week of February 2026. So, essentially relatively close to a month from now, you'll get the first uh presentation. A month from then you'll get uh the final presentation is what we're proposing. Uh that dichotomy and that separation is essential. Uh we've deemed it essential to not just the integrity of the investigative process but to ensure that it lands with the community the right way as well as the city council so that uh there's a fair understanding of everything that we did and all of the issues that we found. Um charter mandate and non-inference. I um I would be remissed if I don't remind uh the council as well as the mayor of the city charter's non-inference mandate. Um the mandate strictly prohibits any direct or indirect interference with u progress developments investigation strategies or the overall direction of this independent investigation. And I think it is important to remind the council as well as the mayor about the uh procedural safeguards that this council and this community thought was important enough to put in a specific non-inference clause into the charter. So I want to formally remind everyone of that to ensure that as we go into these last phases, there's nothing that would impinge on the integrity or the

efficiency uh of this investigation. Um lastly, I must make a formal request to the city and this council uh to compel the cooperation of specific persons and parties. Uh specifically, we're requesting the availability of all individuals who organized, participated, drafted, administered, or influenced directly um the July 2024 report uh generated and produced by the previous mayor. Um that will include uh but not limited to uh the city attorney, uh legal staff, surrogates, outside council, and any outside uh legal consultants that may or may not have been used uh during the mayor's investigative process. We're asking that the city uh grant this uh compelling and demand order these individuals once I clearly identified uh to respond to a specific set of written questions that each person will get as well as a request for production of documents related to this investigation. Uh under oath, we're demanding those responses to be given and for those responses to be provided within five days. Um while this was previously not deemed necessary, based on the current state of the investigation, the developments we have turned up um and the current state of this uh city, uh we deem it now necessary uh to formally compel each and every person in the legal space specifically uh that had any relevance or participation in the investigation. Um and so with that um I want to thank the city again. I want to thank the council members uh for allowing me to not only present today but trusting me with the importance of delivering this investigation to you and I look forward to doing just that.

Okay. So I hear I hear what you're saying. um is that you're asking for certain individuals to um participate and so you're looking for the board to obviously vote at some point to make sure that that or to put that as a formal request. Um the the idea was not to do any formal voting on this. It was mainly just an update. So, is this something that we're saying like at our first meeting you want it should be on the agenda so that we can have that formal vote to make sure that that happens or at least to make it understood that's what we need to happen or are you able to continue with your I mean you still have some invest are you going to be able to stay on your timeline if we're not voting tonight on anything?

Okay. So, I try to answer the best of my ability. um um are intended to stay on timeline with these investigations. To be honest, they always lead you somewhere you never expected. So, it's hard to get formal timelines. The access to legal staff, legal support, legal consultants, legal third party support um is essential to getting this to the to the finish line. And so, we have to have that to be able to really dig into the final steps of this investigation. Uh there are a number of other things that we can do even outside of that that we will do. Um but that is essential and that is the one component that we didn't forecast necessarily coming into this that we now see is necessary.

Okay, Madam Chair. Chair. Um like I said before, tonight was mainly to get an update so that we could hear what it was you you how far you have come. Um, you know, in all fairness for the community as well as my colleagues, um, if there's something we need to vote on, I would say to make sure that we have it on our first meeting in January so that if there is something that you need for us to vote on, that would be the time to do it so that it it's been advertised, the communities are able to participate and our colleagues will have the opportunity um, to be prepared to vote on something such as that.

Thank you. If I may, I think um what we can do to your point is uh try to get you over a list itemize names as soon as possible within the next I would say by the early next week. Get that list to you within seven days and then uh whatever the city's process is to ensure that we're doing this the right way, that we're doing this according to the the charter. Um that would be the necessary move. So if it is that you need to do a formal vote, I would definitely move and ask that that be the case uh the minute we are able to get those names over to you. Madam Chair, uh yes, go ahead, Commissioner G.

Um attorney Gains, um you mentioned that you needed some people available for you to complete the case. [cough] [clears throat] Um, on the other side of that, there were those that would that were interested in someone like you coming on in order to get some clarity or even possibly clear their name. Have you had an opportunity? I heard it was about six people. Have you interviewed those six that had an interest in someone like you coming on to do a followup investigation?

So I believe there was six individuals named in the actual um director of the order from the council. I have had an opportunity to speak to each of those individuals. As far as the context of what we spoke about and anybody else, I can't No, no, no. I'm not talking about Let's back up. the people who had an interest in bringing you on to get a different perspective from what that first report said. There were six people. Have you had an opportunity to interview all six of those people? So, I'm not going to disclose the strategy and the details.

Okay. Wait, wait. Back up. Let's time out. Time out. Time out. We're not talking strategy. I'm not asking you disclose who I've interviewed. No, I'm not asking for names. I'm just asking, have you had a chance to interview all of the people on that side? That's that's a simple that's not revealing anything strategic. I have reviewed all the documentation that's publicly available. I'm not going to disclose who I've interviewed. Okay, let me put it this way. There are people that are saying they haven't been interviewed. Mhm.

So, I'm wondering why it's taken so long for people who are willing to talk to you. That's really where I'm going. There are people who are willing to sit down with you, say, "This is my side of the story, but I'm told that they haven't heard from you." What I can assure you is that everybody who has an interest in this and every one of those six individuals will be spoken to if they haven't already. If they haven't been will be correct. Okay. That's all I have madam chair. All right. Very good. Chair.

Uh yes. Go ahead, sir. So, this is a question for uh attorney when can we compel an attorney to uh testify in in a uh investigation like this who was on the other side? Is there attorney client privilege? I'm chair. Yes. Go ahead. We cannot Dr. Spiritis and we don't have the ability to subpoena anyone. We can ask them, but we cannot compel them. Okay. Thank you. Don't you? Yes. Okay. Attorney Win, are you involved being our attorney in this in any way, shape, or form?

I was only involved to the extent that I drafted the agreement with Mr. Gaines to to do this supplemental report. No. And other than reviewing his invoices, nothing else. Okay. Were you aware that they were going to be here tonight that he was going to be presenting? I was not. Okay. I'm sorry. That was Any other questions in regards to this item? Thank you, Mr. Gains, for your presentation. Thank you. We look forward to seeing you in January. Okay. Thank you. Look forward to it. Thank you.

Can I ask for one thing? Just sure to clarify and make sure. So, based on what Pro Miller Anderson said, you're going to give us and what you said, I believe you're going to give us the list of the people that you would like to interview like a written statement. You can send me an email to that effect. Um, I'll send it at whatever directive the council gives me. I'll send the list over of all the names that were requested. Would you all like him to send it to me and I'll send it out to you to our attorney? Yeah. Unless there are some objection, Madam Chair. Yes. Go ahead.

So, the list I mean he's reporting to us, so he can send it directly to us. And if we want to send it to her, then we can send it to her. But he's reporting to us. And point of clarification, this is strictly uh limited to people um that are not within the direct oversight of the city manager obviously and people that are directly related to the investigation and specifically the legal side of the investigation. So there were some other attorneys that helped that may have participated. Everyone that was within that kind of chain of of work product is where we will be looking. There may be some others, but they will all be within that same flow of information. All right. Very good. You can send a list to us, Madam Chair.

Yes. Go ahead, sir. Thank you. Just want a quick followup. Attorney Gains, thank you for working on this. Um, timeline just for clarity. Uh, you said we'll have a presentation first phase January, and then a possible uh followup and what date was going to be the follow-up? Yes, the last week of February is our intent to deliver the final full written report.

That be the final report. That's extra expectation. Um, and then also the interviewees. Uh, the interviewees that were received were the original six. Um, I know that we spoke about that and that list will be coming over to the council and then we choose to share that at the direction of the board, we can share that with our attorney as well. So, and that will be January's dates for that report and then will be February for finalization. The reason I ask is because this report has been going on for a while now and as you've stated, this was the previous mayor's report. So, I'd be inclined for us to receive it to uh close this report out with a finalized report and then have direction for our staff, our board to determine how we're going to move forward. So, I appreciate it. Thank you, Attorney Gates.

Sure. If I may, one second. Um the to uh mayor's point, it is essential and important that this be done. Our concern is that it's done right. Um, I think and and I think our report will make clear, mayor, is that a lot of the reasons why the original report was published in the form that it was, it lacked a lot of the integrity that it needed um to me was it wasn't worked in necessarily in a sequential procedural way. So, what we're trying to do is make sure we have integrity, transparency, and commitment before we have a rush to finality. And unfortunately with these investigations, they can lead different places. And I can tell you that a couple of them, a couple of leads that we have have already taken us not necessarily off course, but places we didn't forecast. And so now we have to in the interest of the council and the interest of the members of the community who are paying for this. We we we owe it to them to just fulfill uh and find out what's there and then we'll um efficiently as efficiently as possible deliver them to this council and to the city. I love to that madam chair and and thank you for that clarity and I think that's why Miss Miller wanted to put it on the agenda because we've had it noticed and then pulled before but just for clarity timeline and just direction but making sure it's done right that was the biggest uh push back from that we received from the report that there was some um confusion as to if it was done properly what were the steps taken and then making sure it's transparent and clear with the residents and that's all our goal is to be transparent so the timeline as long as it's outlined by your firm we'll wait on that for January and February dates thank you

thank Thank you. Thank you so much for your presentation, sir. Thank you. Uh, next item, Madam Clerk.

Madame Chair, [clears throat] we are on item 8A, ordinance number 42. Um, ordinances on second and final reading. Ordinance number 4298, an ordinance of the city council of the city of Riviera Beach, Palish County, Florida, amending city code of ordinances, chapter 31, on behalf of the Riviera Beach Community Redevelopment Agency for approval of a text amendment application to allow properties within the downtown general zoning district to develop to a maximum height of four stories when the project contains a mixeduse component. Madam chair, there are no comment cards for this item. The acceptance of cards is closed.

So move. Second, Mr. Evans. Madam Chair, members of the board, if I can have the director of development services, Mr. Clarence Surmans to make this presentation. Service.

Thank you, Mr. Manager. Good evening, Madame Chair, members of council, honorable mayor, and madame attorney. Uh again, for the record, I am Clarence Surmans, director of development services for the city of Riviera Beach. The next item on your agenda is the second reading of an ordinance related to a text amendment for the villa's phase 2 project that allows an additional uh floor of height in the downtown general uh zoning district for mixeduse developments. There have been no changes since first reading. However, staff is here and and prepared to make a presentation if desired by the board. Any questions on the second reading? Yes, chair.

Yes. Go ahead. uh direct discernments. Uh this is going to impact the entire district, right? The entire zoning district, this text amendment, or is this specific for this project? This would affect the entire district for any properties that are mixed use in the downtown general in the entire downtown. Correct. Yes.

District. Okay. I I really don't have an issue with that because that's basically a blank canvas right now where we're redeveloping the entire area. There's a lot of blight in the area. We're redeveloping the entire area. And I do want to uh attract mixeduse development. I think that's a that's good for the community. But I I just wanted to make it clear that we were impacting the entire zoning district. So that means all of Broadway is going to be impacted basically uh on this project. Any other questions in regards to this ordinance on second reading? Madam clerk. Council person Davis Pier. Yes. Council person Geron. Yes.

Chairp pro [clears throat] Tim Miller Anderson. Council person Spiritz. Yes. Chairperson Laneir. Yes.

Item passes with chairpro 10 miller Anderson out. Second. [clears throat] Madam Chair, we're on item 8B, ordinance number 4299, an ordinance of the city council of the city of River Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida, the River Beach Community Development Corporation, and the Riviera Beach Community Redevelopment Agency to abandon a 100 ft portion of an existing 15t alley that bisects the properties located at 1116 Wright Street, 1117 17 Avenue E and a portion of 1129 Avenue E and to abandon the approximate approximately 42 ft by 73 ft portion of the West 12th Street RO that dead ends within the project site providing for applicability conflict severability and codification and providing an effective date. Madam Chair, there are no comment cards on this item. The substance of cards is closed. So move

second. Madam chair, if I can have the 2025 executive the of the year, Mr. Clarence Surmans to make this presentation. All right. Thank you so much, Mr. Manager. Again, members of council, Madam Chair, this is the second entitlement associated with the Villa Leon's phase 2 project. Um, as you're aware from first reading, this project involves the abandonment of an existing alleyway that traverses the property. There have been no changes since first reading and staff is here if there are any questions related to this item. Any questions on this second reading? Yes, chair. Yes, go ahead.

Uh, Director Surmans, was there an appraisal done on the alleyway? No, an appraisal was not done as because this is a CRA requested application. there was not a direct um um privilege fee associated with this as it would be with the private development. Yeah. But but we do charge uh housing authority, other agencies for property that that we own or that we donated or whatever. Shouldn't we do an appraisal? I'm not saying we should charge them. I'm saying should we do an appraisal and just consider that a donation to the project?

The staff has no issues with that. I could get with the uh city administration on getting that part done so it could be documented as a uh donation to the overall of this project. Right. Chair. Yes. Go ahead. Also, do do they own both sides of the alleyway? They own the property on both sides or the portions being abandoned. Yes. Yes. Okay. Thanks. Other questions, Madam Chair? Yes. Go ahead. Can you pull up the rendering, Mr. Surmans, about the alleyway we're abandering? Abandoning. I think it was just up there. Go back to Oh, you're right.

It's on the screen now. Uh, Mr. Mayor, which one is this there? And you said that they own both sides. What What is being abandoned? That that part the port yellow. Uhhuh. So, uh, going north to south, there's a portion of the existing 15 foot alleyway that's being abandoned. Then the yellow box at the north is the end of uh 12th Street that is unimproved. That would also be abandoned. And then what's north of that?

That is a portion of the property. Well, after the yellow is abandoned, the green triangle north of it and the yellow would all be incorporated into the site and part of that will be the residential structure and I believe there's some amenities at at the end near the triangle. Okay. Any other questions? Madam clerk. Council person Davis Pier. Yes. Council person Don. Yes. Chair Tim Miller Anderson. Yes. Council person Spirited. Yes. Chairperson Laneir. Yes. [clears throat] That's a unanimous vote. Madam Chair, on item 8 C ordinance number second. Madam clerk, we need a uh motion to extend the [laughter] meeting until the end of the agenda. Can I get a motion? So move

second. Madam clerk person Davis Paneer. Council person Gson. Yes. Chair pro Tim Miller Anderson. Council person Spiritis. Yes. Chairperson Lenir. Yes. That's a unanimous vote. Thank you. We can go to our next item.

We're on item 8 C. Ordinance number 4300. An ordinance of the city council of the city of River Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida, amending the city code of ordinances chapter 31 on behalf of Marina Annex Housing LLC, approving a land use amendment application to change the land use from community facility to downtown mixed use at plus or minus 3.62 62 acre site generally located at 251 West 11 Street providing for applicability conflict conflicts severability and clarification and providing for an effective date and for other purposes. Madam Chair, we have one comment card on this item. The acceptance of cards is closed.

Mr. Evans, Madam Chair, members of the board, if I can have the director of development services, Mr. Clarence Surman, make this presentation. There's no motion. I'm sorry. So move second.

Thank you, Mr. Manager. So the next three items are associated with the Marina Annex housing project on the Judge Rogers Center site. Uh these three ordinances are are all necessary to realize the proposed site plan uh that the same applicant has later in the agenda. Uh so we will uh proceed into a presentation overview uh of these items uh unless uh council would like to move forward uh without a presentation. Uh but again this first one is the land use associated with this project the land use map amendment. Madam chair. Yes. Go ahead. Is this this the second reading? Yes.

Yeah. I don't need to hear it again. You want to hear it again madam chair?

Yes. Go ahead. No, I don't need to hear it again, but I do believe that there's some important information that we need to get clear before we um make any type of movement on this. Um, one of the things is is that I and this new information. I'm sure you all received some information in your email today, but um, one of the things was the board voted to provide this this land to the housing authority, but they have since sold it for $2 million. So, we gave it to them. Um, the idea was to have these uh housing put onto the property, but I thought that when that was done, we were talking more or less for the housing authority to do this. They received it whenever the the majority of the v board voted to have that happen and then in February 2025, they sold it for $2 million. So, I have some serious concerns about moving forward on any of this. I like the project for sure. I I I would hope that the person that has it is able to get the work done, but you know, I think we really need to postpone this and have a deeper conversation in terms of how we provided this property to them and then they sold it. Now, I'm not saying that their development agreement the if I recall correctly, that development agreement was created by Miss Hope Calhoun who's walking up now, which is their representative. Um, if I recall correctly, our um attorney who was working with us on that, Miss Christy Goodau, was very adamant about the board not moving forward on using someone else's development agreement. the

majority of the board agreed to go with their development agreement and not what the attorney that was on working for us, working for the city decided to do. So, we're in this situation. I personally am trying to figure out how can we make this right because I have a serious problem with that. I mean, the land was given in good faith for them to do something with it. They sold it. I I don't I don't understand that. Madam Chair, yes, go ahead.

I wasn't on the board, but I have a question. Um, were there any restrictions associated with that property that would have prevented them from selling it? Not sure. Yes. Go ahead. As I said, our attorney, Miss Christy Gdau, who worked for the city at the time, I mean, on behalf of the city, had a development agreement. They wanted to have certain things put into it. The majority of the board did not go with that. And I totally, you know, the majority of board majority wins. I get that. But what I am saying is for me that I don't believe that is what the board voted and I could be wrong there. You know maybe there somebody here can can say what the intent was but the majority board agreed with going with the development agreement that the housing authority representative created. Our attorney at the time who was involved in this Christrista GDO was adamant about making sure that we had protections for the city in the development agreement. The majority of the board went against that totally and went with the housing authorities development agreement which did not provide any protection for the city. So, like I said, I no majority rules, yes, but we now have an opportunity to make sure that things are not we're not just giving stuff away for people to turn around and flip it. So, because this is here, I believe we need to put the brakes on this and just hold up and figure out what is going on and so that we have a better understanding

of how we're going to move forward. Now, there's also when we had our um I want to say it was the CRA meeting and I I spoke with um Mr. I asked Mr. Booty when Mr. the Terry Booty when he was up here to the podium about whether or not he was, you know, was working for this group, the Connors, or was he working for the housing authority um since got information that what he stood up there and said to me really wasn't true. So because of that, because of them having sold this property that we talked about and we gave it to them for them to develop it, I got a problem with moving forward on this until we can figure out. I mean, we have to really know what it is that we're doing. We We should not be giving away land and then the people we gave it to in good faith turn around and flip it for money.

Madam Chair, oh, I'm sorry.

No, go ahead. um there and I heard about all of the issues and and I had a question to um the person who was conveyed to me and my question was did anybody identify anything that was done illegally? They said no, we just didn't think it was right. M um if we don't have anything that said that they couldn't do what they did and they didn't do anything illegal and the board voted to accept that agreement that um you know maybe some didn't agree with I mean we can't go back now and revisit that the board voted to move forward I have haven't been shown anything that was done illegally and I don't think that we should hold it up. I'm not sure what we're looking for. We you you told us what happened. The city gave them the property. They flipped it. That's what's happened for two mill. There's a project on the table now and that project had gone and got $15 million from the county. If we talking about the same project, they got funding ready to move forward and there's no documents that I've seen that would justify putting the brakes on it. Not other than, you know, we don't like the way that worked out. You know, sometime life don't work like we want to. And I I'm not being facitious and and sarcastic, but sometime there are things that we

don't agree with, but there's nothing that would justify to me putting brakes on it right now, especially when when when they went and got $15 million from the county. Um, so I I I'm just and I and I understand your concern, uh, vice chair, but I haven't seen anything that would that I would feel comfortable with saying, "Yeah, we need to put brakes on it." So, I'm ready to move forward. I don't know how the other Madam Chair, yes,

um, let me ask you this. Is the profit, the 1 million profit being used toward the project million? I I think this is what needs to happen. I did not know that. I did not know that. So, what needs to happen at this point is that I need someone to come and explain to us how this works now because that was not the deal. Go ahead, sir.

And madam chair, if I can add on to that, the property was not supposed to be encumbered and that was clear direction and vision from the board. Um, we wanted to push and make sure this project got done, but we were not supposed to encumber it. So, now that I'm looking and I see that the property has changed title and that it was sold, we need the full details and understanding as to what's the project, how is the breakdown, who are the partners associated so that we can be comfortable and clear. as long as those items are on the board, we can understand because um I understand Miss Miller Anderson's concerns that there's been some um change in regards to expectation because she did mention that the pleasure of the board at the time gave clear direction but it was not as councilman Gayton just stated documented to say that it could or could not be encumbered. The board gave clear vision because I was sitting on the board at the time and what is the supporting votes but now to see that there was an incumbrance on it. We want to understand what are all the details in terms of this deal to move forward with it to be at all comfortable with it.

Sure. Yeah. Hold on a second because I'm still trying to get past this. The property was sold. Now that is something that was not a part of this deal. That was not a part of the deal. we were you were supposed to now if something happens with the property and it happens in terms of what was supposed to happen. What does that mean though for for this board? What does that mean for that particular project? And I understand that you've got money on it, but I'm I'm really at a loss for words in terms of of of why this happened, but I'm sorry. Go ahead. Uh Commissioner Spiritis.

Well, first off, I don't know how you could develop any property without it being encumbered. It's totally impossible. cannot happen. Any developer, any high school person can tell you that you can't develop a property and get a loan without encumbering the property. You can't develop it unless you got $10 billion or whatever sitting in a bank in cash. So, that's an impossible task to try and ask anyone to develop property without encumbering property. That makes no sense. Uh secondly, I'm not so sure that they actually flipped the property. I think they did did a partnership development uh where the housing authority will get uh certain uh benefits out of this. Uh the bottom line is that we want to provide workforce housing for the community. I believe this is 175 units. We have the ability to provide this housing uh for the community. We have funding available. They're ready to come out of the ground on this project. Uh it would be a real shame to hold up 175 units of affordable housing. uh at this particular point, but I would like to hear from uh the development team and from their council to what the actual uh partnership agreement said.

Um before they get started, I just want to say this. I don't have any intentions of holding it up either. If they were going to sell the property, then they should have just told us that. I don't have a problem with that. But I I did not know that that was going to happen. That is why I'm kind of taken a back because if that were if that was what they were going to do then why not just say that's what you were going to do. I have no problem with that. We would have known up front what was happening, how it was going to go down, how they were going to negotiate uh doing the project. That's understandable. I just did not know that that was a part of it and my understanding was that that would not be a part of it. Now you're saying it can't be done with that. Not maybe so, but I just wish I would have known upfront so that I could have gotten more information about how that transaction works.

I mean, that's where I'm coming from. So, so just so you know, technically, you don't own your house. When you when you get a mortgage on your house, the bank owns your house. You don't own it anymore. Uh, so this is pretty much the same thing. I think the same we're going through the same process. So, let's hear let's hear from the council. I'm saying I should have known that upfront and I would have had a problem with it then. I just would have wanted to know that. Go ahead. Can I still Madam Chair? [laughter]

I It's funny that a high schooler would want to um know that you need to encumber property because I built a couple houses cash. They weren't encumbered. So I understand that you don't have to encumber property to actually develop and there's certain process plans and partnerships. So understanding that development processes don't require incumbent uh encumbrance on all properties. The question in the conversation, the discussion was we wanted clear and transparent dialogue with our partner at the housing authority prior to them doing and taking steps. So then to receive a notice that we have an incumbrance on a property that we clearly told them not to should have just been outlined and discussed as my chair said. So whether we're a high school or not, I think the conversation is transparency and discussion. That's what we're asking for today. Sure. Regardless of how they're

regardless of how they're developing, I think we should just hear from the development team to go clearly define the role. Okay. I I want to hear, but I just want to comment on that. This is not a single family house. This is a 30 to$100 million project. You don't you don't build a 30 to$100 million project with cash. Doesn't happen. Okay. Let us hear from the Let's hear from the council. Yes. Go ahead, sir. Good evening. Tell me something. Tell me something.

Yes, ma'am. I got a lot of things to tell you. Good evening, uh, Madame Chair, council, Mr. Mayor, city staff. My name is Jerel Harris, and I'm the entitlement manager for the Marina Annex project. The property has not been flipped. The property has not been sold. I want to be very clear. There's a lot of misinformation going around and we're here tonight to make sure we're very clear and give you every single detail that you need to understand what has happened with the property. The city transferred the property to the housing authority. The housing authority has entered into a public private partnership with its partners. As a part of that partnership, the property uh became a part of the deal with the public private partnership with Okconor and Urban Farmers. So now there is a public private partnership to develop the 175 units of workforce housing, 6,500 square ft of commercial space, a 15,000 square foot Judge Roger community center along with the other amenities that are going to be on that site. That is what has happened. And we've secured $15.3 million from Palm Beach County to build this development. Right? We have followed every single thing that has been detailed in the development agreement which has been everyone has we provided every deed to the property. So everyone has that information uh we've not done anything uh backhanded deceitful. We've been extremely transparent in this entire process. So I just want to make sure it is clear the property has not been flipped. The property also has not been encumbered with the mortgage. That was very clear in the details of the development agreement. We were not allowed to do that. That has not been done. I'm not sure where this information is coming from. I'm not sure what the cause of it is, but we're here to make sure that we're transparent. We've told you from step by step by step exactly what we want to do on the property, how we're

going to do it, how we're paying for it. We've been extremely forthcoming with that information, and we will continue to do that throughout this entire process. Right. We have a lot more things that we have to do before we break ground. We really want to make sure that we're working in partnership because we recognize this opportunity to build much neededed workforce housing for the city, right? And so we want to make sure we are always in compliance with what the requirements are for this property. So [clears throat] one of the questions I know people want to know what does the deal look like? Well, how does that happen? When you enter into a public private partnership, you have an outside party bringing in dollars to the table to help build this development. There's a a maybe a couple million dollars of pre-development work that has to happen before a shovel goes into the ground. The housing authority, like most housing authorities in this country, are underfunded, right? And we know in this current administration, there's no more money coming from Washington DC for the housing authority, right? The state can put in money, the city could put in money, the county could put in money, but everyone's strapped for cash. So, how do you get a workforce housing development, which has rents that are lower than the market rate, out of the ground? You partner with the organization who understands the need for workforce housing and understands how to pay for it and get it done. Okconor has a track record of thousands of units across the country that they've developed and so they are the ideal partner. The housing authority is a partner in the deal because they understand how to manage and operate affordable housing and workforce housing. And this development will put dollars in the housing authorities coffers to go and build more subsidized housing. Right? We recognize that there's a need for housing at 30% AMI at 40% 50%. Right? This is the kind of project that helps to fund those types of projects in the future. And so we're looking at this as a as [clears throat] a first step to build more housing in the city and we've been very forthcoming, very straightforward. Um,

so I'm here to answer any specific details that you might have, but the property has not been flipped. It has not been sold. We enter, we talked about this at our previous meetings. We've entered into a public private partnership, which is a very standard form of partnership to get these types of projects out of the ground. went to Palm Beach County with this and they said, "Hey, we're going to give you more money than we've awarded to anyone else this year because we recognize the importance of this project. We have $15.3 million coming from the county to go into this development. No one else in the county has gotten that much money this year. They recognize the importance of that. So, we're very excited about what we've been able to accomplish with them." Okay. I feel a little better.

Yes. Go ahead, sir. Um, yeah. I like to keep things moving um and to make a decision one way or the other, you know, and and we've gotten information about the 15 million and all of that. Um but what I want to know is and if you haven't heard about me, you will. I like data, documents, and evidence. Can you provide documents that prove that it hasn't been encumbered and it hasn't been flipped? To the chair. Yes, sir. We provided the city with all of the deeds to the property. Um, wait, wait. Slow down. Yes, sir. I'm saying like today. Yes, sir.

Can you provide that? If you already provided, can you provide it again? Because where I'm going with this, I want to put a motion on the floor on the condition that you can provide that documentation within the time period so we don't sit here saying we got to bring it back now. We got we don't need to do that. achair should be in your backup. Yes, sir. If you don't produce it, then that approval go away. That I put that on that condition that you can provide the documents to prove that it hasn't been encumbered and it hasn't been flipped because that's what you just said

through the chair. Correct. Okay. So, and how long would it take you to provide that information? um through the chair. I believe it's already in your backup, but I could pull up my computer and email it to you now, but I believe it's in the backup that you have already. Okay. I I mean, all of us are not titled people and we may look at a document. Don't even know what it is. So, I need the experts. I stay in my lane. I'm a planner. So, but yes, that is where I'm ready to go with this. I don't want to keep bringing it back and delaying it, but I do want to move forward on the condition that you can provide that information that it hasn't been docu that it hasn't been encumbered and hasn't been flipped.

Do the chair. Yes, sir. Yes. Very good. I'm sure. Yes. Go ahead. Um I know you mentioned urban farmers was a partner you said in this P3. Yes. Bruce here. Yes, ma'am.

Okay. Um, the other side to this too is that I have some issues and maybe this urban farmers can explain it to provide me some comfort in knowing that this won't be an issue. I'm not sure of how fully involved urban urban farmers is involved, but um, and you know, all of this stuff is public records. There has been a history of some litigation with this particular organization. So, are we able to explain or provide anything to refute the negative public records that I've seen for urban farmers or is that not true either?

Uh, through the chair, I would need for you to be a bit more specific in what your request is. um litigation down in Halenale between some projects um un projects that were not completed um just failure to perform. Are you aware of any of that or is the person for urban farmers here?

Uh through the chair no I can respond to that. Okay. Um as you all know development can be very difficult and very challenging. Um I have consulted for a number of developers across the country and almost every single one of them has been involved in some type of litigation. Right? It happens in development. Um anything that happened with urban farmers if it is public record the board is privy to it uh to read whatever documentation is out there. Um and this and with the housing authority uh in this project there is no ongoing litigation. There's no litigation at all. Uh so there's nothing of concern uh with this development.

Okay. I have concerns um because there's a lot of negative information out there that um is associated with this particular organization and what is the role of I think Mr. Booty with Urban Farmers what what is his role with this project? Um Urban Farms is a co-developer on the project.

Okay, that's a problem for me. Um, and like I said, if somebody can provide the data documents to support that all of this stuff is completed, there's no nothing's still on the books with it being a negative look. That would be very comforting to me because between that and the $2 million of the property that we provided to them, all of that adds up to me as red flags. And I'm sure Mr. Okconor has done work in many other places, has been very successful in that, but it's causing me to have some issues with moving forward on any of these items because we need to get it clear. And I know Mr. Gayton mentioned about it not being illegal. No, you're you're right. And I'm not saying what they did. They did exactly what our attorney knew they were going to do, which is why she was very adamant about the board not going with that development agreement that was created by their attorney. But, you know, they move forward. Um, and then to hear that it was sold, I'm going to keep saying that it was sold. Um, nobody knew about it. And I I just think that being that the housing authority is the extension of the council, that's something that the council should have known. It shouldn't have been a surprise to anybody. Um, I'm I'm I'm not, like I said, you all got the same information that I have um regarding urban farmers, regarding the

representative, u regarding Mr. the booty being a part of the um Okconor's group as a consultant or a partner but then also representing the housing authority and that was something that I asked him when he is he here I is Mr. Booty here tonight okay yeah I I would like to speak to Mr. booty and I mean unless you got to speak for can then he come through chair if there's a specific question you have I can try to answer that question for you even though he's here and I'm talking about him if there's a specific question you have I can try to answer it for you

I'd rather hear it from him good evening Good evening everyone. My name is Terry Christopher Booty. I'm the privilege to be the president and CEO of Urban Farmers Inc. and we also have a subsidiary UFINC Holdings. Um, one of the things that I've learned is that context is so important. And so when you frame something and you're talking in a public form, it's easy to kind of put something out there that isn't accurate or not true. So what I would like to do is take just some quick information to make sure you understand the context of the things that are being said and hopefully when the context is provided that clarity understand that you will understand that this is an award-winning project. So number one the city has had a series of missteps with public private partnerships and surplusing land. One of the primary concerns that the city's attorney had was the ability to claw back the land if for some reason the developer failed to meet their obligations. There is a land use restrictive agreement that is on the property. So the only incumbrances that you have are in favor of the city of Riviera Beach. Meaning if the development team fails to meet those obligations, the city through default provisions get the land back.

Can you help, Madam Chair? Go ahead. All right. But I I want to I I'm going to I'm going to let you finish, but I want what you're saying I want our attorney to interpret basically and say if what you're saying is true. Uh Miss Wyn, are you familiar with what he just said? I was trying to get the document [clears throat] give him my email address so he could send the documentation he said he had so I did not hear it. What are you looking for? Can you say that again please?

Yes. So it's called a land use restrictive agreement. When you record a title or do a surplusing or property transfer, you have three documents that are provided to the applicant. In this instance, there was a development agreement, a title policy, and a land use restrictive agreement. We refer to that as a lura. The land use restrictive agreement is the only incumbrance that is currently on the property and it is in favor of the city of Riviera Beach. Why is this important? Because typically what happens with people of color when they are developing there's a start, stop, misstep and then 15 years down the road you don't have anything built. One of the challenges that the city gave to us was that hey we are not comfortable as the ch as the vice chair said with surplusing land and then you failing forward and not having the ability to give someone else the opportunity to do the work. That is the only incumbrance on the land. So when you transferred the parcel of land to the Riviera Beach Housing Authority, you did it via surplus and you put a land use restricted agreement on the property.

All right, Madam J. Yes, all of that is true. Okay. So that and that's the only restriction. If you recall, Miss Scott wanted other restrictions on the property, but the majority of the council didn't go with that and they went with the other development agreement which did not contain those restrictions. So the only true restriction is the that it be used for affordable housing for a certain period of time. Sure. Okay. But that that doesn't negate any of the other stuff concerns. But let's No, but you you as a servant leader, you have very valid concerns and I'm going to hopefully make the complex the complexity of real estate transactions simple. The other bigger

Yes. Mr. Booty, is there a performance bond being placed on this project? Yes. Naming the city as an additional insured. Yes. Thank you. I don't think there's any issues here. Thank you. I want to be very specific about the because we've said it a few times and I don't think it resonated and so it's very hard when something doesn't resonate. So, I'm going to try to explain it again. Well, hold on. The property has not been sold. Hold on. Hold on. Please. Sure. Don't please do not can you just explain and not add all that extra stuff to it please.

So so the um the context is so important. So we use terminologies like sold the property has been in the property has been in a real estate transaction. Right? So what you see recorded is a title policy that gives a value. But if you don't put it in its proper context, you can say the words like the property has been sold, but it is not true. It is in a joint venture agreement with your f with the in a partnership. That partnership has to follow the letter of the law in the development agreement. To the mayor's point, you cannot encumber the land through a mortgage. So all the pre-development funding that my colleague is referencing is cash. One of the requirements of your city is to have an exhaustive process to establish all of the linear feet bounds uh underground systems, landscaping, site plan, all of this has been paid for through cash. So when you talk about incumbrances and mortgages, it has not. The money that has been utilized for all the predevelopment funding is cash. This was one of the requirements that the city was adamant about. Now, here is the here is to get to the heart of the issue, which is securization. You cannot put that kind of money up without having some type of connection to the land. So, the joint venture asked for two things. I'm going to give you this cash so you can meet all of your pre-development obligations and you are going to put the land into the joint venture. The city was properly notified through the office of the city manager. There is an assignment of that

development agreement. It was properly assigned to the joint venture. But let me get to the heart of the matter because this is what is most important for lay people. The Riviera Beach Housing Authority is a member of the actual joint venture. They are participating in the economics in perpetuity with the partnership. So what does that mean? When you're building an asset, which this is for workforce housing folks, they are going to contribute in the economics of this rental property. To my colleagueu's point, when you're building now currently is a $80 million project, they are going to receive the benefit of being a part of that to the tune of 18%. All of this was vetted, done properly through their attorneys and its public record. So there is nothing that again I say this clearly all of the proper steps have been taken to ensure that your concerns as lay people the project is getting built the project is being funded and the housing authority your housing authority is a part of the deal in perpetuity. There is nothing that they can do to eradicate that effort. they will always be a member and owner a part of this project. So hopefully through these words and I ask humbly if there are more questions that we are able to articulate that anything that is being said can be verified. There is nothing here because we're in a public forum that I am saying that you cannot point to or or find the specificity of in these documents.

Miss W. So, the information that you sent to us, digest it. I haven't had a chance to review it. As soon as I got it, I forward it to you. So, [laughter] follow up, Madam Chair. When you're done, go ahead. I mean, thank you. And, um, I guess for clarity sake, there was both speakers said that there's no incumbrance on the property outside of the land use restrictive agreement that's in favor of the city of Riviera Beach.

Outside of that, because that was what was clearly articulated during our meeting last year. So you stuck to that? Yes, sir. So contrary to the condescending comment that was given that there has to be an incumbrance. It sounded like you also said that this was all cash done by your partners to make sure you stayed in line with our request as a board. That is correct to follow up with that that even an 18-year-old would understand that you still followed the rule and the regulations of what this board told you to do because you wanted to stay compliant with the city of Rivier Beach's request.

Yes, sir. So the commissioners fell in line with what was asked of you. You followed that and the concerns are that I agree with Miss Miller Anderson is that the property was conveyed by title. I have a small real estate background so I understand the concept of that but understanding that that was not relayed over to the board and understanding that also the property that it was conveyed to is also currently inactive. Those are some of the concerns when it comes to making sure all documentation is transparent. When I first assigned some of this housing authority board, I said, I want to make sure it's all transparent and clear. But we've had conversations. I've had conversations with Mr. Herd and everything is on the up and up. So, thank you from Mr. Booty for what I've seen because I' I've vetted some of these concerns, but I have these same concerns because when I took a look at some of the letters that came in, I wanted to see, well, why is this company inactive? it is still showing an active both entities the entities that actually transferred the property and the entity that's the actual managing partner that was then relayed over to that so both entities are inactive on Sunbiz knowing that it doesn't have to be required to be an active entity I would still want to be comfortable and confident that all businesses are fully transparent fully documented and make sure that we have a clear dialogue because that could have simply been conveyed to the board as to what steps were being taken

madam chair Mr. spirit is can I get a word in edgewise? Um, go ahead. In all due respect, Councilman, you've been speaking all night, a lot longer than me. [laughter] Hold on a second. Hold on one second, people. Uh, Commissioner Giden, Commissioner Spears, Commissioner Giden.

Thank you. But, M Doc, you're really passionate about what you want to say. I was just joking with you. Um but on a serious note, um the background checks that Palm Beach County does would have found anything nefarious with this project. I work for the county. They would not have given them the amount of money that they received, which is the largest. I think what this year or when Yeah.

There is very tight scrutiny down at the county. You do not get through us down there. Hey, wait. Stop. Stop. Stop. I'm not doing that for applause. I'm doing that to try to convince at least three people up here that we don't need to hold this up anymore. We we we really don't. I mean and and and if we want the security to give them a window that you need to provide certain documents to verify that it's not encumbrance other than the land restricted um amendment and um what was the other concern um and it hasn't been flipped um and that's part of the P3 deal but one thing I did pick up on the housing authority entered into a P3. I'm going off off course now with us on the Broadway property and I talked about us participating and the profits 20 30 years down the road and they kind of pushed back but y'all got this deal in perpetuity with them. So the city want the same thing with you on that Broadway property. We'll come back to that.

Okay. So but but my point is the county does some of the some of the most scrutinized background checks before they give a dime to anybody. So, if they got through the county, I'm comfortable that they can do what they say they can do. Okay. So, so there's a motion on the floor. Uh did you want to add a caveat to that motion? Um Commissioner Giden? Um do I need to? But I will. Chair, I I question. Hold on one second. Let me let me go to Commissioner Anderson and then we'll come back to you. Mr. said I was getting I'm sorry. Go ahead,

Mr. Booty. The 15 million 15.3 million that you're getting from the county. They're not requiring you to encumber the property at all. They're not taking any incumbrances on that. Um uh Madam Chair. Yes. Go ahead. That is incorrect. So I'm gonna I'm going to give context again to make sure I explain this so it does not so everyone can understand irrespective of their experience with real estate development. Hold on one second. Mr. Booty Commissioner Spiritish Commissioner D. There's a motion on the floor and a second. Okay. I call the motion. Could we call the question please? Madam Chair, we do have one public comment card on this item.

I I'll I'll let you speak after the public comment.

Uh one public comment card. by Mosman fameman singing island. I was curious when I saw the word marina. I said, "Who is the applicant here?" Marina Annex Housing LLC. So, I went to Sunbiz. I looked them up and they were administratively dissolved for failure to file an annual report in September 26 of 2025. So what does that mean? I mean you that thing doesn't exist anymore. They'd have to reinstate the LLC and then bring this back to talk about what they're going to do. So that was I just curious when I saw Marina I said what kind of you know is this a a boating group or what you know I just thought it was interesting to look it up. So their Sunbiz LLC has been administratively dissolved. So you're taking action on a company that is inactive. So I think they need to get their affairs in order with that. And the second thing is I was curious. That was what I was curious about. But when I looked at the deed, the deed is confusing. It said it was sold for $2 million and there was $14,000 worth of doc stamps paid on it. So, I mean, that was confusing to me as to what happens, you know, I haven't seen the backup. What happens if this company that's been administratively dissolved doesn't reestablish its its legal basis? You know, when they transfer to another company, say that they can't get financing. But the bottom line, just the sloppiness of bringing an item to the council tonight for an inactive company causes me pause and seeing that there's actually a a warrant a warranty deed

on u official record book 2 35631. That's 35631, page 942 that shows a $14,000 doc stamp at a $2 million sale. Just it just brings questions. But the biggest question is why is this an active LLC based on the name that's given on the agenda tonight? Very good. Commissioner Anderson.

Yes. Um one of the other things to part of my concerns um Mr. Booty and I think during the meeting a couple meetings ago I asked him did he work for was he working for both sides? Was he working for Mr. for the Okconor's group and was he working with the um housing authority. So I was trying to identify is there some sort of conflict of interest madam chair. Go ahead.

I think I'm sorry. Yeah. So uh the answer the answer is really simple. Um no. Uh there was a mislabeling of our uh engagement. Um the board asked for a ruling or an opinion that has been clarified twice. Um and so to make ourselves uh to ensure because of the inquiry, we opted out of working in any other project for the housing authority as a development partner. The reason why this is so important is that we try to prevent something so simple from being taken out of context so folks that need housing now,

Madam Chair, can get the housing that they need. Sir, please don't add extra stuff that is irrelevant in the time and what I'm trying to ask you. I'm asking you about the conflict. I the benefits to the letter reads excuse me the benefits to the residents in the city of River Beach is important but it has nothing to do what I'm asking you right now we're talking about the conflict of interest so I'm giving you context because I don't want that context I'm let's speak speak to what I asked you

I'm sorry yes so we made a decision to not work on any other project as a development partner for the River Beach Housing Authority and subsequently there has been a modification of the opinion to ensure that everyone has clarity on that position so that there is no conflict and understanding that the procurement was done valid. So there is no conflict going forward. When this was done initially were you working for both both sides? No. Okay. Going back to when when did you stop?

I was never working that again. I'm going to answer your question and hopefully you not you're not offended by the way I answer it. My firm has been a development partner since 2019. With who? With the Riviera Beach Housing Authority.

Okay. The clarification was provided specifically to this question so it would not infringe upon all of the work that the housing authority has done to advance affordable housing in the city. We make ourselves small so the housing authority can be big because it is about the housing. Let's sir please don't don't what I am asking you were you working for both sides you said the housing authority since 2019 until when I'm sorry if some people are getting impatient with what I'm trying to find out but I I think is extremely important that this is clear right

I mean you you're trying to make sure that we understand the truth and that's what I'm looking for is the truth I understand okay because I I know like a meeting or two ago, I asked the same thing and it was a flatout no. It was not anything. You weren't working for both. But now you're saying you were with the housing authority 2019 and then maybe now going forward you won't be doing anything with them. No, I'm gonna make I'm make sure I'm clear. Yes.

We were procured as a development partner. In referencing my firm, they called us a consultant because it makes it more palatable. But we have always been a development partner of the housing authority. We voluntarily issued a letter to the housing authority stating that we will not work on any other projects specifically to not cause any harm with moving other projects forward

going forward. I am again talking about the time in which the Okconors and the housing authority made their agreement. Were you representing this side and were you representing this side at the same time? When did you get with the Okconors? The answer is unequivocally no. Okay. When did you get with the Okconor group?

I've had a relationship with the Okconor uh family and their employees for a decade. Our business relationship started in February of 2025 at the at the execution of the operating agreement. But I do not work for them. I do not work for anyone. I am the president of Urban Farmers, Inc. And we have been development partners for the Riviera Beach Housing Authority since 2019. So you say Okconor Group, you just got with them as a business partner February 2025. Yes, ma'am. Okay, that is not true, but okay. Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes.

Um, I'm going to make one last statement. Okay.

When um anybody get approved down at the county, especially get money, they they have to get legal sufficiency. The attorneys looked him up and down just like we got to get legal sufficiency for Don on a lot of issues. They've gone through all of this and they gave him the most money that they ever gave anybody. I'm just saying that there is credible background checks that give me comfort that there's no reason to keep holding this project up that they're funded. They got a reputation. Our housing authority going to be part P3 partners and get a piece of the money. There's no reason to hold this up. I'm I'm not I'm not feeling that one.

Okay. Just one one little thing. Okay. I do hear Mr. Gayton saying that the county would not have given it unless they did all of this background work. I I understand that.

But I'm sure it helped with their decision to know that Rivier Beach had some skin in the game by providing that property to them. So, I'm sure that came into consideration as well. Um, just like we thought our people did all of this background and some of this stuff is just now coming up or maybe it was known to a lot of people but it just didn't surface until recently. Maybe it never came up with them. So although they gave it to them, I I'm not going to put too much into that when it comes to my decision. I'm gonna go with what I see and what I I can read and see and understand that there is an issue with this. Just like when the um when they agreed to provide the property to them, I voted no then too. So, it's not anything different. I certainly hope this if if the board majority board wants to move forward with it, absolutely fine with me. But I know that I am not comfortable with it. I was not comfortable with it when we provided the land to them as well. So nothing has changed for me and and quite honestly what the other entity did that's not playing into my decision. So thank you

I make a motion we call the vote. Very good madam clerk. Council person Davis Paneer. Yes. Council person Gton. Yes. Chairp Miller Anderson. No. Council person Spiritis. Yes. Chairperson Laneir. Yes. The item passes with C uh chairp pro Tim Miller Anderson desenting. Let's go to the next item.

Madame chair. The next item is item 8D. Ordinance number 4301 and ordinance of the city council of the city of River Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida. Amending the city code of ordinances chapter 31 on behalf of Marina Annex Housing LLC. Approving a resoning amendment application to change the zoning classification from community facility to downtown core on a plus or minus 3.62 acre site generally located at 251 West 11 Street providing for applicability conflict severability and cullification and providing for an effective date and for other purposes. Madam Chair, we have two comment cards in this item. The acceptance of cars is closed. So move.

Second. Mr. Evans. Madam Chair, members of the board, if I can have Director Surmans of the Development Services Department to make this presentation. Thank you, Mr. Manager. U Madame Chair, staff does not have additional presentation on this item unless requested by council. Chair. Yes. Go ahead, sir. Okay, Mr. Surman, so this is this is zoned for community services, correct? So basically no one can build on this property other than a government for community services for the most part generally speaking. Yes.

So so technically you have to do this no matter who owns the property if someone wants to develop the property rather than community services obviously. Yes. Through the chair uh only municipal or community uses are allowed in the current zoning district and future land use. So yes, resoning is required for the proposed project. Thank you. You answered my question. Yes. Any other questions? I'm clerk. Council person Davis Paneer. Yes. Council person Gaitton. Chair Pin. I'm sorry. We do have two public comment cards on this item. Yes. So sorry.

First speaker is Margaret Shepard followed by Flo. Margaret Shuffer, River Beach. As I sit here and hear the back and forth, I want to say to the general public, it's just despicable that when people don't like you, Madam Chair, that is so not to the point of I'm I'm getting to my point if you all would allow it. Ma'am,

I want to say that this particular project is so important. whatever they have to make this project work. However you want to phase out, I want to say to you, it's very important that h however this resolution you you got me so offbalance now. So I can't think of how we go about making affordable housing, workforce housing for the city of Riviera Beach. The housing authority had worked so well. They're just asking for some sacrament so they can come in and bring their people in. And Mr. Giden said, "Well, I was there that day when they gave that money out." And I want you all to know that a lot of people sat there, they were asking for money. They didn't get that money. So now we're here at the resolution. We're here. We're at the door. And to sit here and want to stop the process for whatever reason, I don't get it. You have people that need these people coming from California and and and and it's a long way. I have a I have a sister out there and for them to come to make things right for people of color. They ask for you to make an exception. And I think if I'm not mistaken, I sat on the river sat on planning and zoning and I think that we sealed the deal that night and then we get here. It's a whole new ball game because I don't like you or like this project going on. The housing authority has been battling it over and over for what? Public

houses. I know because I was at Ivor Green when the rats and the roaches and everything was crawling over those senior citizens. None of them came over. Nobody from that board came over and did nothing. But they want to come here and persecute the housing authority because what? They're moving forward. They're squeaky clean. Their projects are squeaky clean. And because they are moving a new direction, you want to stop the program with this, this, and that. And you know what? I don't like her husband is sitting on the River Beach Child Authority. And I hate that man for sitting. Ma'am, let's move on.

Let's move on. The next speaker is Fain Losman.

I knew it was going to be foman. When I came up here before, I expect to have an answer to my question. I just don't waste my time coming up here because I have nothing else to do. Okay? You know, if you don't believe me, go to Sunbiz on your on your laptop and type in Marina Annex Housing LLC. Don't take my word for it. And then this is what you're going to see when you do that. You're going to see administratively dissolved, inactive. How can you make an agreement with a company that's been administratively dissolved by the state of Florida and is and is inactive? Sunbiz.org do a search for the company name. So, I mean, why is our lawyer not explaining to us, can you do can we do any of these agreements until they reactivate their company? Why is the company inactive? Why was it administratively dissolved? I mean, that doesn't make sense. And I did some other research. When I looked at the annual report, there was a there was a uh you know, when I looked at the articles of incorporation or whatever, there was a Marina annex member group or member somebody and that with OKConor, a big real estate Okconor Capital out of New York and they dissolved that. So, what is going on? I want an answer from the attorney. Can you do a deal with an entity that's been administratively dissolved by the state of Florida?

Madam Chair, thank you. Um, Miss W, are you able to answer any of those questions that he just had? That would be a question that I had as well. Madam Chair, yes, go ahead. I don't know the reason for the administr administrative dissolution, but yes, I believe you can. I think they can correct it. And remember, we're not doing a deal with them. We've done our deal. Madam Chair. Yes. Go ahead. Could I just get an answer from them? Why is that if it I mean obviously it's not going to change anything, but I would like to know.

Uh good evening through the chair. Uh it was administrative dissolved for failure to fill out the annual report. Um we have processed that and we can make sure you get that paperwork within 30 days. So you can see that it has been reinstated. Or Madam Chair. Yes, ma'am. For the two, one of them is a What is it? Um, only for the Urban Farmers. Which one? Urban Farmers, Inc. Marina, the Marine The Marina Annex Housing LLC is active. Which one? Marina Housing Marina Annex Housing LLC is active with Florida. Yes, ma'am. I think all of them are inactive. Yeah, I think that one is administratively as well.

Uh, we will correct that, but Marine Annex Housing LLC should be active and we will not, right? We will um and you can add it as a condition of approval that we show you that it's active within 30 days, but we are processing the urban farmers one as well. Urban farmers is inactive. Marine Marina annex housing is inactive and I believe there's one um Marina annex members or something like that is inactive as well. Yes. whatever it needs to be activated, we'll make sure that we get those reactive in the system and some biz.

Yeah. Because I mean, one of them went inactive like right after the deal happened. Um, one of them went inactive September 2025. um they've been inactive for a while and so I just I don't the paper they forgot to send the papers in to it may have been an administrative oversight and I do apologize but we'll make sure that all of our entities are active in some biz. Thank you madam chair. Madam chair yes go ahead.

Um I I'm sensing the frustration as well. Can you guys cure that as quickly as possible? And with all of the resources that you have, you can't renew something on time, you know, like that just speaks volumes about you as a business person, as a thing. And I support it. I vote for it and I'm hoping that, you know, you will get that cured and that does not that's not a good look. And through the chair, I sincerely apologize. That is not how we should be operating. You're absolutely 100% correct and we will make sure that gets resolved immediately and we will provide that information to you all as well to show when it's resolved. Madam Chair, yes.

Um and and that's that that is a lot of my issue because it's an explanation for everything. But it is what it is. If everybody's comfortable or whoever is comfortable and continue to move down this road, there are red flags. Okay. And I I don't know how to say that. any clear? But to say that you forgot to submit a simple form that takes you two or three minutes to do makes absolutely no sense when we're talking about over hundred million dollars to do a project, but yet can't remember to do something like renew it. And I'm not talking about just one company. We're talking about Urban Farmers is inactive. The Marina annex housing is inactive. There's another one Marina annex member or something like that is inactive all of them and that's not a simple oh I forgot I I'll fix it that's a problem and if you all want to continue down this road then I just won't say I told you [clears throat]

well m can I ask one more question yes go ahead so is there a timeline for you all to have an agreement u before that $15 million is in jeopardy of being lost. Is there a time frame? Um through the chair, there are u entitlement timelines that the county has in place that are what is driving their timeline. And so we have to show that we've gotten through certain steps with entitlement um in order for the county to continue their process of um underwriting the dollars. So yes, there's a time frame with the county. All right, madam clerk. Council person Davis Paneer. Yes. Council person Kitton.

Yes. Chairpro Tim Miller Anderson. No. Council person Spiritis. Yes. Chairperson Laneir. Yes. The item passes with Chairpro 10 Miller Anderson desenting.

Next item. Madam Chair, we are on item 8E, ordinance number 4302, an ordinance of the city council of the city of River Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida, amending the city code of ordinances chapter 31 on behalf of Marina Annex Housing LLC, approving a text amendment application to the downtown core zoning desk designation to remove the building stepback requirement for developers west of Avenue E to provide for workforce housing, providing for applicability, conflict, severability and qualification and providing for an effective date and for other purposes.

Excuse me. Madam Chair, there are no comment cards on this item. The acceptance of cards. Second, Madam Chair, members of the board, if I got the director of development services, Mr. Surmans to make this presentation. U Madam Chair, uh this is as mentioned earlier, this is the third of three required ordinances uh that must be approved in order for the project to move forward. Um staff is here for any questions or if uh the council would desire a presentation on this item. Chair. Yes. Go ahead, sir. M service, can you can you tell me whether or not this is going to impact uh just this specific site or the entire zoning district? Madam Chair,

yes, go ahead. It would in impact only the geographic area uh listed in the ordinance. So properties uh west of Avenue E or a certain distance from Broadway. So not the entire zoning district. So this doesn't impact the entire zoning district. It's basically site specific. I mean you you gave a couple of blocks around it, but it's basically sight sight specific. Yes, I would agree with that. Okay. Thank you. Madam Chair. Yes. Go ahead.

Um just for the record, um Urban Farmers has been inactive since September 27, 2024. So it's not like it just expired last month. Um but I digress. M clerk. Council person David Spanier. Yes. Council person Gener. Yes. Chairpro Miller Anderson. No. Council person Spiritis. Yes, chairperson Lenir. Yes. The item passes with chairpro Tim Miller Anderson desenting.

Um, madam clerk, I'm sorry. Uh, madam attorney, could you please send an email to the uh outfit that may these items uh in the next seven to 10 business days, please?

Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Next item. Madame Chair, we are on ordinances on first reading number 9A, ordinance 4303, an ordinance of the city council of the city of Rivera Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida, approving a zoning amendment from single family to downtown core, submitted by Bush Canvas and Interiors, Inc. for the purpose of constructing additional parking spaces and expanding operations at 2428 Broadway in the city of Riviera Beach identified by property control number 564342 2800 that uh 0020 providing for an effective date and for other purposes. Madam Chair, we do have one public comment card on this item. The acceptance of the cards is closed. So move second.

Second. Mr. Evans. Madam Chair, if I can have the director of development services, Mr. Surman, make his presentation.

Thank you, Mr. Manager. Again, for the record, Clarence Surmans, director of development services. Uh the item before you is a standalone zone change uh application received by the city uh recently. Uh the subject property is identified by the star on the screen right now. And on the screen now, you can see an aerial view of the properties in question. The existing business is in the front along Broadway here, and the property in question is to the rear of the existing business. Here is a view of the properties from East 25th Street. Again, the existing business here and then the additionally acquired lot here. An additional view from Broadway. Uh the proposed is to reszone uh the property from single family or RS8 to downtown core making it consistent with the property along uh Broadway so that the applicant can combine the two lots to expand the existing business on the property. There is a proposed site plan uh associated with this application um because there is an existing business there and this is essentially an expansion of the parking and uh layown area for the development. Uh if the zone change is approved, the applicant would be eligible for an administrative site plan amendment just so they can expand the boundaries of the existing building here. Uh so if the zone change is approved, uh you would they would not need to come back before council for approval. This item has been reviewed by all relevant departments and members of the development review committee of the city and has been found to be compliant with our regulations. The planning and zoning board recommended approval of this application and so does staff and that includes the

staff presentation on this item. Chair. Yes. Go ahead. Okay. So, Mr. Surmans, uh, this is sight specific. This is not for a whole district, right? That's correct.

Right. Now the second question is we did a similar project on Broadway where we approved for the lot in the back to be made parking and we we zoned it for downtown core. We did the same thing. That property is still sitting there vacant. That was like almost a year and a half ago there. Um, there have been, this is the third, if I'm not mistaken, property on Broadway where there's an existing business on Broadway and they wanted to expand into the residential lot behind it. So, I can't say with 100% certainty I'm I'm familiar with which one, but

they owned a lot and they wanted to turn it into a parking lot and we reszoned it downtown corporate, which obviously we increase the value of the property because anyone anytime we do this, we're now turning it into a high-rise district or multifamily district. Uh, But can we do something to ensure that these things get developed in a shorter time period so that they don't just sit on the property and we reszone their property. They used the they used the excuse of of a parking lot to get us to reszone the the the property but clearly they never did the project. So obviously it wasn't that important to them except for the fact we just increase the value of their property substantially if they want to flip it for development purposes. So I think we have to do something to ensure that the property gets developed within a certain time period or they lose these ordinance changes.

Understood, madam chair, if I may. Yes, go ahead.

Uh with the particular situation you're speaking of, they have not walked away. I I actually have uh am in the process of scheduling a meeting with the uh project team about what their um redesign looks like. Uh so they have not walked away from the table and we have been exchanging emails and communications about getting it done. So, it is in the works, although taking longer than anyone involved uh would have hoped. Uh however, in this case, um as you can see, the staff does recommend uh that uh the zone change be tied to the requirement that they submit the site plan application within 18 months of the zoning a uh amendment approval date. So, this is only first reading here, but we are uh attempting to place a time constraint on when they move forward with development.

Yeah, chair. Right. Uh, all I'm concerned about is after you get the site plan approved that they develop within a certain time period. That's reasonable, not 2 years, 3 years down the road. Understood. Okay. Are the representatives here from fish campus? No. They are. Oh, no. I just wanted to uh they have been very good uh stewards in the city of Reier Beach with their business and we really appreciate them staying in the city of Reier Beach. We just wanted to say that. Hi Andrea Jarvis, Bush Canvas. Kim Crawford, Bush Canvas.

Thank you so much. We need to develop this property because we need to expand our business as far as parking and we need to pull boats in so we can work on them instead of putting them in the street which is not legal. And so we just want to knock the house down, make it a big parking lot, move the fence from one side to the other so we have area to be able to back a boat in. Currently, we have clients who bring their boats on a trailer for us to do a fitting and it has to sit in the street out in front of our shop because it can't maneuver into the parking lot. So, this would be a good opportunity to allow a bigger area to move move the fence so they can back the boats in and we can do our fittings and our work and then they can take them away.

Thank you. But it's not going to sit there. We need the space. Got it. Thank you. Thank the questions for uh this project. Madam clerk, madam chair, we do have one public comment card.

Okay. Bay Losman Loman. I met both these ladies maybe 20 years ago and they're a remarkable uh two individuals who built their business up and they transition to their new location if they want to expand it. That's what we need in that area of the city support it. And um there's really nothing like that. They've really built Bush Camp is up to a to a remarkable company when it comes to upscale boating interiors. Thank you. Clerk,

council person David. Yes. [clears throat] Council person Ger. Yes. Chair Miller Anderson. Yes. [laughter] Council person Spiritis. I I didn't hear your birthday. What happened? I'm sorry. Did you heard me? Yes. You got me? Yes. I didn't hear Dr. Spirit is. Yes. Cheryl Linder. Yes. Okay. That's the unanimous vote. Thank you. Thank you.

Next item. Madam Chair, we are on item 9B, ordinance number 4279, an ordinance of the city council of the city of River Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida, approving a zoning code text amendment requested by applicant HAC Singer Island LLC to amend division 9 RM-20 high density multifamily dwelling district section 31-243 parenth E minimum building setbacks to provide for a fee in lie of required open space providing for applicability conflict severability and codification and for for providing for an effective date. Madam chair we have 11 public comment cards on this item. The acceptance of the cards is closed.

Madam chair. Yes. Unfortunately we've been sitting here for over five hours. A lot of people came from Singer Island to speak on this event on this on this item and they had to leave. They didn't stay. So I I don't think you're going to have 11 speakers. All right. Very good. Uh the item has been read. Is there a motion? So moved. Do we have a second? That motion dies for the lack of a second. Next item. Madame Chair, we are on item 11A.

We have 11 A. Resolution number 188-25, a resolution of the city council of the city of Riviera Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida, approving a site plan application on behalf of the Riviera Beach Community Redevelopment Agency to allow for a mixeduse development consisting of two separate buildings providing 45 residential units. 27 will be marketed as affordable and a plus or minus 3,224 square ft of retail office space providing for conditions of approval providing for applicability conflict severability codification and providing for an effective date and for other purposes. Madam Chair, we have one public comment card on this item. The acceptance of the cards is closed. Ma, Madam Chair, my name is Neil Schiller. I'm an attorney for Oceanceans's Edge. We filled out comment cards for ordinance 4279.

Hold on one second, sir. The m the the uh item had a motion. There was no second on it. We cannot move any further. I didn't I'm so sorry. I didn't understand that. Thank you. Yes, sir. Thank you. There's a motion on the floor for resolution number 188-25. Do we have a motion for that one? So move. Second. Go ahead, Mr. Evans. Mr. Evans. Mr. Evans. Um, item 11. Oh, Madam Chair, members of board, if I can have the director of development services to make this presentation. Mr. Sur.

Yes, Madam Chair. This item is the associated site plan with the earlier the two ordinances on second reading for the Villa Leons phase 2 project of the Riviera Beach CR. Uh this is the first time the site plan resolution has been on the agenda and uh staff does have uh some visuals for this and we can move into the presentation if desired by the board. What is the companion item for this? Did we go through this one in the ordinance? Yes. The first two ordinances on second reading were the abandonment and the text amendment associated with this project and you have seen it in your capacity as the housing uh authority I'm sorry the CRA board.

Gotcha. Do we have any uh questions for Mr. Service in regards to this item? Uh pull the comment card. Madam clerk, I believe the person has left Margaret Shepard. She's left. Any questions regarding resolution number 188-25? Madam clerk. Council person Davis Paneer. Yes. Council person Dyson. Yes. Chairpro Anderson. Yes. Council person Spiritis. Yes. Chairperson Laneir. Yes. That's a unanimous vote. Next item. 11B.

Madam Chair, we are on item 11B. Resolution number 167-25, a resolution of city council of the city of River Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida, approving a site plan request on behalf of Marina Annex Housing LLC for the development of a 175 residential unit apartment building with a 15,000 foot community center to be operated by Alphi Alpha Educational Foundation and approximately plus or minus 6,500 square ft of commercial space on approximately plus or minus 3.62 acre site generally located at 251 West 11th Street providing for conditions of approval providing for applicability conflict severability and clarification and providing for an effective date and for other purposes. Madame chair we do have public comment cards on this item. The acceptance of public comment cards on this item is now closed.

So moved. Second. Never mind. Madam chair, members of the board, if I could have the director of development services, Mr. Surmans, make this presentation. Thank you, Mr. Manager. Uh this item uh 11B is the site plan resolution uh 167-25 associated with the Marina Annex project on the Judge Rogers Center site. Uh this is the site plan resolution with the associated three ordinances on second reading that were approved earlier and uh if um if desired by the board staff we'll proceed into the presentation.

Very good. Uh, public comment please. Madam Chair, we have one public comment card. George Lockhart. Mr. Lockhart. He just left. Okay. Any question in regards to resolution number 167-25. Madame clerk. Council person Davis Pier. Yes. Council person Gon. Yes. Chair Miller Anderson. No. Council person Spiritis. Yes. Chairperson Laneir. Yes. The item passes with chair pro miller Anderson dissenting. What is our next item? I know 11 C and 11D were taken off. Am I not? Is that it?

Uh yes, we're on item 11E.

Okay. Resolution 46-25, a resolution of the city council of the city of Riviera Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida, authorizing the execution of a broker of record for employee group insurance plans agreement between the city of Riviera Beach and RSC Insurance Brokerage, Inc. for benefit consultant services agreement obtained through a request for qualification number 1179-25-3 for an initial one-year period with an option to renew for four additional oneyear renewal periods and providing for an effective date. Madam chair, there are no comment cards on this item. The acceptance of the cards is closed.

Motion move. Second, Evans. Madam Chair, members of the board, if I can have the director of procurement, Miss Ammons, to make this presentation.

Good evening, everyone. My name is Latana Ammons, director of procurement for the city of Riviera Beach. Um, I present to the council request to approve a contract for the broker record service for with the vendor RSC insurance brokerage. The uh procurement department was previously before um council um seeking approval for this same vendor, but we did receive a protest. Um the board at the time agreed to move forward with the protest. Uh the city manager ruled and allowed the vendor the opportunity to cure. As such, we offered the opportunity to cure for three vendors who were all missing the same piece of information. One vendor uh submitted the required information. The other two did not. We reconvene. They um they the evaluation committee scored the additional package. The uh actual tally is in your backup. And so we are here to ask to move forward for contract with the vendor RSC.

Any uh questions for director Ammons on this item? Are there any public comment cards for this item? No, ma'am. Questions? Madam clerk, council person Davis Paneer. Council person Gon. Chair, I'm sorry. Yes. Chair prom Anderson. Yes. Council person Spiritis. Yes. Chairperson Laneir. Yes. That's a unanimous vote.

Chair, we are on item 11F. Resolution number 147-25, a resolution of the city council of the city of Rivera Beach, Florida, amending the city council's rules of procedure to update the meeting schedule, establish consistent agenda posting deadlines, modify the order of business, clarify parliamentary authority, and provide for an effective date. Madam chair, there are no cards on this item. The acceptance of cars is closed. Madam Chair, we have a motion. Second, Mr. Evans. Um, Madam Chair, uh, considering the late hour and the the breadth of this particular item, I can bring this item back at your next meeting.

Please do. Thank you very much because I had something to add to it as well. Uh, yes. Next item. Madame Chair, we are under discussion and deliberation. Item 12A, specially debt policy. Oh, no. We've moved this to the next uh agenda. We moved. No, that was next meeting. Mis. Okay. As for our next meeting. Any other items? Uh Madam Chair, that was the end of the um items on the agenda. Confirmation of direction, Mr. Evans.

Uh yes, Madam Chair. Uh the city council requested for us to bring back the special events policy specific to elected officials at your next regular meeting of the city council which is slated to be January 21st. Also, uh city council wanted us to research as it relates to the naming item or the street naming item to see if that item is permissible pursuant to Robert's rules of order to come back uh for consideration. Also, um we will be drafting a resolution that will be more memorializing the special events that the board did authorize that are um uh city council special events. Uh resolutions 14325, 14425, 14625, 13925, 1 14425, and 14025 were removed from the item or from the agenda for the purposes of uh going to have conversations with the community about items being considered to be placed on the tax bill. Next one is legislative priorities, subsequent legislative priorities. And I did add federal that they will come back to the board in subsequent actions as a discussion item, get direction and clarity from the board and then come back with a a formal adoption by virtue of a resolution addressing the lighting uh at the uh Rivier Beach Public Library. And then I did um put a note here that the uh urban farmers are to provide the documentation to the city attorney within seven to 10 days effectively curing the items that are on Sunbiz. And that is all I have for

sure. I'm sorry. Marina Marina Annex. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Um and bringing those items or getting that back before the board. And then also the uh attorney, Mr. Gaines, will send that email correspondence to you all with persons that would be uh to to uh answer questions associated with the mayor's inquiry. And that concludes uh the confirmation of direction section. All right. You have a comment as you the executive director.

Yes, madam chair. Uh really quickly, I want to recognize all the employees that received um service awards as well as our retirees and those that received awards for outstanding service to the city of Riviera Beach. Uh since it's the late hour, um I will make sure at our next meeting we invite them and and recognize them accordingly, but certainly want to recognize all the fabulous work that staff is doing. And then wishing everyone a merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah, happy Quanza, and happy new year. and then we will convene uh as a city council. Our next regular meeting is the 21st. Also, since it's the late hour, um we're going to look to reschedu that executive session concerning PBA for another day because we're going to look to bring you guys back tomorrow. So, we will work with you all to have a conversation about what some availability would be to have a discussion concerning PBA. And that concludes my comments. Madam Chair,

Madam Chair, clarification. Are we having the meeting tomorrow? I missed part of it. Okay. So, no meeting tomorrow. No. Okay. Thank you. Okay. No meeting, Madam Chair. Only to report that the email that you asked me to send to Miss Calhoun and Mr. Booty was just sent. Okay. Thank you. And I copied you on it, Madam Chair. Okay. Okay. Thank you. Just clarification. U Mr. Evans. So, with the Turnberry project, they're able to preo propose something a different type of development that fits within Uh yeah, do that. Mr. Evans, explain explain to the public what happened with that item tonight.

Yes. Um Madam Chair, uh so that item uh died for lack of a second. Uh so that item for all intent and purpose has effectively sunset. Um so in essence they would have to go through what is a another process to effectively um bring that item back only if it is a situation where um there was no vote so there's nobody on the prevailing side so they would have to go through um the the review process again. Follow follow up and if I'm not mistaken on my agenda review they didn't it didn't pass planning and zoning madam chair to provide some clarity.

Yes. Uh yes, when it did go before planning and zoning, uh it did not receive a favorable recommendation from planning and zoning uh because they were concerned about the uh the notice requirements. Uh the planning and zoning board really didn't get into the nuances of the project, but they rejected because they didn't think adequate notice was provided for the community meetings that the developers are required to hold. Okay. Thank you. Very good,

Commissioner uh Spirious. Thank you, chair. I just want to thank the Riviera Beach Police Department for the excellent job they did at the Marriott Hotel when the Singer Island uh temple the synagogue held their manora lighting ceremony. They uh they were there in force. Uh the people were so pleased and felt safe. And I want to thank all the uh people that served, Chief Coleman, uh Assistant Chief Gordon. They just did an excellent job. and I really really thank them for everything they did. Thank you, Councilwoman Davis.

Yes. I just want to wish everybody uh happy holidays and be safe and enjoy time with your family and friends and I'll miss you until next year. Yes. [laughter] Commissioner GA. Uh, yes, Madam Chair. I just like to remind the public and the council that the um renaming of Avenue S is this Saturday at 11:00 a.m. I would love to see my colleagues there. And um, happy holidays to everyone. Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh, for clarity, Mr. Evans or attorney when the item that you said died for lack of second uh would have to go through back through the process. Are they able to somebody on the prevailing side bring it back to the table? The ones that didn't vote. Madam Madam Chair, there there was no vote. So there was no there was no no prevailing side.

So when you say go back through the process, what is that steps? What does that look like for the through the process of trying to get back onto this agenda? So, Madam Chair, if I may, um, I can, this is just I can do additional research and and I will and I'll provide you something in writing if you would would allow for 24 hours, but I I think they have to go through the development review process all over again.

Madam Chair, I spoke to the staff, uh, Mr. Surmans and Mr. Thompson, and that that's what they told me that they would have to start the process over a new application. So, so board, I I know it is the late hour. Um, the item was noticed, but I think some of the concerns would need to be given to staff if they would be inclined to before we pack up have a discussion. I know it died for lack of second, but possibly to have that discussion to see what is the issues with the board to give them clear direction. We can do that tomorrow. Yeah, we we we are not going to we uh I understand

it won't be able to, Madam Chair, it won't be able to be done tomorrow based upon what staff is telling us. it would have to go through the entire approval process again back through all of the steps that it takes to get back to and I understand that that motion died for a lack of a second. Mr. Evans, go ahead.

Yeah, Madam Chair, also with with that item not proceeding forward, I also have concerns with regards to the public not being present for any action that is contemplated and it properly being noticed and the like. And so since that item died for a lack of second, um I think any discussion associated with that project, you would leave the city exposed to potential legal challenges because people departed as they were they thought that item was completed. So um but I I will write I'll get with uh the city attorney's office and we'll put something out in writing and and we'll also talk with the applicant. chair. Okay. What since you we started talking about this, I just want to make it very clear there is a resolution that was passed by council that requires any development project on Singer Island uh to be noticed by the developer to all of the civic associations and the community at large. Uh that has to be done and we should enforce that. That was a resolution passed by the council.

Very good. Uh, Commissioner Bill Anderson. Um, the um two ornament decoration ornaments by public well by Wells. I think they're supposed to have lights on them. I've never seen the lights come on. So,

we might want to check that before Christmas comes. Um, the other thing just want to say I I I I want to make this comment regarding the um the Marina annex and alpha and all of that. Like I said before, I support the project, but I still have concerns with the way in which things were done and how some of the people are moving within that project. So, I support the project, but it there's an issue. I seriously have an issue and have had one from the beginning. Um, and also want to wish everyone a merry Christmas, happy new year, happy Hanukkah, Quanza, all of that good stuff. And everybody just stay safe.

Thank you. This meeting is a journ.