City Council - Regular Meeting

We can jump right into the commission meeting. Okay, great.

All right, good evening again. I'm going to call to order the city commission meeting of Tuesday, May 12th at 5.03. Felicia Bravo, please call the roll.

Deputy Mayor Guzman.

Here.

Assistant Deputy Mayor Clark. Here. Commissioner Kirch.

Here.

Commissioner Scudo. Present. City Manager Mark Lebowski. Present. City Attorney Thomas Moss. Present. Administrative Services Manager Lourdes Lawrence. Present. City Clerk Felicia Bravo here.

Thank you. This meeting has been noticed as both an in-person meeting and a virtual meeting. The public may attend in person or participate in the meeting by calling 954-395-2401 and entering the code 368262. Proceedings for public participation and comments will be explained in a moment. Information for each item on the agenda has been and is currently available at City Hall and online 24 hours a day at www.sunrisefl.gov. The city has provided various options for members of the public to address the commission. Prior to the start of the meeting, we asked if anyone wished to speak on any matter before us. We have maintained that list and will call upon any speakers at the appropriate time. I will open it up for public comment at the appropriate time and ask if anyone attending in person or by telephone wishes to speak. For those participating by telephone, you may press five star on your phone to request to be heard. I will attempt to take comments in the order they are requested by the five star feature on your phone. All comments will be included as part of the public record for this meeting and will be considered prior to any action taken. When addressing us, please state your name, address, and what you're speaking about. I would ask everyone on the call to mute your phones until you wish to speak. Also, please do not place this call on hold as it could cause unintended interruption to the meeting due to the background noise, music and the whole music, excuse me. If you are experiencing technical difficulties, you may call 954-578-4792 at any time staff is available to assist you. At this time, as we do at each meeting, we take an opportunity to have a moment of silence and join together in the Pledge of Allegiance. To my colleagues, is there anyone you'd like to recognize?

Yeah, we had a personal friend that I grew up with here in Florida. Their family had a couple of chains, video stores down here. Michelle's video, Joseph Palazzato, who I grew up with, passed away at 63 years old. He had a massive stroke. So if we could just keep his brother and his two brothers, Anthony and Peter, and their nephew, Peter, in our prayers. Thank you.

Thank you. Anyone else? At this time, can we stand for a moment of silence in the Pledge of Allegiance? Okay, consent agenda. We have our consent agenda for A through 4G. Do I have a motion?

Second.

Okay, motion by Commissioner Kirch, second by Commissioner Scudo. Do any of my colleagues have any items to wish to pull from this agenda?

B.

B, okay.

Any pulls from staff?

No pulls from staff.

Anyone in the public wish to pull an item and have it heard during the consent discussion portion of the meeting? If you're on the phone, please press five to raise your hand. Lords, can you confirm no one's raised their hand?

I confirm no hands are raised.

Thank you. Felicia Bravo, please call the roll for Consents Agenda Item A, then C through G. Commissioner Kirch?

Yes.

Commissioner Escudo? Yes. Assistant Deputy Mayor Clark? Yes. Deputy Mayor Guzman? Yes.

Those items passed in the state. Sorry, those items passed 4-0. We're going to move on to special items. Please bear with me because I haven't done this in five years. So since the mayor is not here, I'm doing my best. We're going to go to our proclamations. I guess, Assistant Deputy Mayor Clark, if you'd like to read the first one, please.

Proclamation C. Proclamation C. Okay. Presentation A. Presentation of Youth Athletes of the Month for May 2026 to Charlotte Diaz from the Recreation Softball Program and Lorenzo Adair from the Recreation Baseball Program. Kevin Picard, Director of Leisure Services.

Thank you. I'll give it right to Kevin. Here you go.

Good afternoon, everybody. My name's Kevin Picard. I'm the Director of Leisure Services. And Lorenzo, you're going to have to stand up here. You're the star tonight, so you're going to have to stand with me, okay? Perfect. So it's my honor to introduce you to our May 2026 Youth Athlete of the Month, Lorenzo Adia. So, Lorenzo, there's a lot of people watching at home, too. So you've got to make sure you smile big for the cameras, and then there's a big crowd, okay? So this one's a little personal for me because I'm going to read you some great information about our excellent Youth Athlete of the Month. But the first thing I'll tell you is that a few years ago, I got the opportunity to personally coach Lorenzo, and so he's already had to overcome terrible coaching. So, like, to get here is amazing, okay? But I love that I get to see you again here. Okay, so coaches submitted information for our youth athletes of the month, and our Leisure Service Advisory Board got to select the winners. So of all the kids playing baseball this year, our Leisure Service Advisory Board selected you. So you're going to hear some nice things, okay? Lorenzo Adia is an eight-year-old student in the Classical Conversations homeschool program and a participant in the Sunrise Recreation baseball program. A few comments from his coach. I believe Lorenzo should be recognized for his outstanding contributions both on and off the field. In games, he consistently delivers impactful performances by staying focused, making smart decisions, and stepping up in key moments to help his team succeed. This year he stepped up to be catcher for a very strong, hard-throwing pitcher. He also demonstrates excellent sportsmanship and teamwork. He encourages teammates, shows respect to his opponents, and maintains a positive attitude, win or lose. His team-first mindset makes him someone others can rely on. He is always cheering for everyone. With his schoolwork, Lorenzo shows strong dedication by maintaining a solid academic performance while balancing athletic responsibilities. He will compete at the end of the month in the Science Olympiad at FAU. His discipline and work ethic reflect his commitment to success in all areas. Overall, Lorenzo represents what it means to be a well-rounded student athlete and truly deserves this recognition. Congratulations, Lorenzo.

Congratulations, Lorenzo. I want to share with the family that my son is 18, but he started with the City of Sunrise T-ball back when he was little. And I actually coached with those kids as well. So it's my honor today to have this for you today and your family to be here. And congratulations. And I hope to see you continue to do sports as you become older and get into middle school and high school, right? Awesome. Congratulations. Congratulations.

Proclamation. Proclamation proclaiming the month of May 2026 as Civility Month in the City of Sunrise. Mayor Michael J. Ryan, Deputy Mayor Jacqueline A. Guzman, Assistant Deputy Mayor Latoya S. Clark, Commissioner Neal C. Kirsch, and Commissioner Joseph A. Scudo.

So every year the mayor asks all of us to come down, so I'm going to ask the same while I read this, please. So while you do that, I'll go ahead and read. Civility Month. Whereas civility is the foundation of respect and inclusive society, fostering a spirit of understanding, kindness, and cooperation among all individuals. And whereas acts of incivility have become prevalent in today's complex, competitive society and affect the quality of life for all who live in, work in, and visit our city. and whereas the open exchange of public discourse is essential to the democratic systems of government and whereas practicing civility in our words and actions contributes to a stronger more unified community promoting peace dialogue and mutual respect across differences And whereas Civility Month serves as a timely reminder of the importance of treating others with dignity, embracing empathy, and encouraging open-minded conversations. And whereas by celebrating Civility Month, we affirm our collective commitment to create environments, whether at home, in the workplace, in schools, or in public spaces. where all people feel valued, heard, and respected. And whereas displays of anger, rudeness, ridicule, impatience, and lack of respect and personal attacks detract from the open exchange of ideas, prevent fair discussion of the issues, and can discourage individuals from participation in government. and where civility can uplift our daily life and make it more pleasant to live in an organized society. And now, therefore, the mayor and city commission together hereby proclaim the month of May 26, 2026 as Civility Month in the City of Sunrise and call upon all to act with civility in their daily lives by listening with empathy, speaking with kindness, and acting with integrity. So thank you. Thank you. I'll give this to you.

60 Proclamation proclaiming the month of May 2026 is Haitian Heritage Month and May 18th, 2026 is Haitian Flag Day in the City of Sunrise. Mayor Michael J. Ryan, Deputy Mayor Jacqueline A. Guzman, Assistant Deputy Mayor Latoya S. Clark, myself and Commissioner Joseph A. Scudo.

Thank you. And I'm going to ask the Salsa Ninja to come and join me up here before I read the proclamation. And I'd like you to say your name because I did not want to butcher it. So welcome. Please introduce yourself.

My name is Roshambo Dosin and I am the owner of Salsa Ninja Dance Academy and I love to dance salsa and bachata and I like to share with the community of Sunrise.

And your background?

Yes. My background is actually Haitian, believe it or not, but I also have Dominican in my family as well. A lot of people actually don't know that. But growing up in a Haitian background, I tend to go up against the odds and show them, hey, we can also dance, too, to Latin music because, believe it or not, a lot of the history comes from Haitian background.

Thank you.

Thank you for being here. And to Salsa Ninja, you're here in Sunrise. If you can just share where you're located and a little bit about your company.

Yes. The name of my company is Salsa Ninja Dance Academy. It's located off of Oakland, uphill 10070 West Oakland Park Boulevard. Right in, well, we're pretty much neighbors. I'm right next to you. Thank you.

So before I read the proclamation, I think I did mention if we could do like a little salsa move.

I would love to do a salsa move. Yeah? I may ask my lovely wife to come and join me.

Oh, okay. That would be a great little, if you don't mind, show us your moves. Thank you. Awesome, I appreciate that. Do we need music or no? You could just do it, you're good. Thank you. You can actually stay here with us. But I want to appreciate you for coming in. It was my honor to invite you to come here today. Being that you're Haitian, I'm also Hispanic, so I thought it was a nice little mix. And we're honored to have you here with us today. OK, Haitian Heritage Month and Haitian Flag Day. Whereas Haitian Heritage Month is celebrated during the month of May and is set aside to acknowledge the contributions and achievements of Haitians and the Haitian culture and the shared fabric of our community. And whereas Haitian Heritage Month provides our diverse community the opportunity to recognize, celebrate, and honor the rich heritage and many historic cultural, social, and economic contributions of Haitians to the United States of the world. Whereas musician Wyclef Jean, did I say that right, John? OK. Actress Garcelle Beauvais, author, poet, and artist Franck Etienne, soccer player Reginald Gorak, and actress Meta Golding are all Haitians or of Haitian descent that have made contributions to the arts and world culture. And our very own Congresswoman Sheila Sheflis McCormick is currently the only member of Congress of Haitian descent. And whereas the Haitian community also comes together on Flag Day on May 18th to celebrate the creation of the flag of Haiti and their historic and cultural identity. And whereas Catherine Flan was a Haitian seamstress, patriot and national heroine that sewed the first Haitian flag in 1803. She is regarded as one of the symbols of the Haitian Revolution. Flan also became a figure of admiration among Haitian women. Social events and women-led activist movements are named after the revolutionary hero. On festivals and national holidays, young women dressed as flan and other female revolutionaries calling attention to the role of women in the revolution and in Haitian history as a whole. And whereas the City of Sunrise recognizes the importance of commemorating Haitian History Month as it acknowledges the achievements of Haitians and encourages families and the larger community to share and demonstrate pride in Haitian culture and history. Now, therefore, it be resolved that the mayor and city commission do hereby proclaim the month of May 2026 as Haitian Heritage Month and May 18th as Haitian Flag Day in the City of Sunrise. I have to come check that out soon.

All right. E, proclamation proclaiming the week of May 4th through 10th, 2026 as tour course takeover week 2026. Mayor Michael J. Ryan, Deputy Mayor Jacqueline A. Guzman, Assistant Deputy Latoya S. Clark, Commissioner Neil C. Kirch, and Commissioner Joseph A. Scudo.

Thank you. Before I hand this over to Commissioner Kirch, can I please have Attorney Michael Garcia please come up to the front? Thank you.

Yeah? No? Okay.

Well, thank you for being here. So for those who don't know, Attorney Michael Garcia has been advocating for lung cancer in our community. Hello. Thank you for being here. And we are giving him here this proclamation for turquoise takeover. Before I read this, I'd like you to share a little bit of what you're doing in the community.

So first I want to thank, uh, vice mayor commissioners, commissioner Kirch, uh, the city of sunrise for giving this proclamation to the American lung association. This is the week that we culminate, uh, our awareness for American lung association, raising awareness about lung cancer. Um, Lung cancer kills more people than any other cancer. Today, 356 people will die of lung cancer. every two and a half minutes someone gets diagnosed with lung cancer. So we appreciate the city for partnering up with the American Lung Association as several other cities have done this week to raise awareness because the issue is lung cancer doesn't get the same media attention as other cancers, but it's killing more people than anyone else. Lung cancer also disproportionately kills more women than men. So for 10 years I've been involved with the American Lung Association raising awareness and on behalf of the American Lung Association we appreciate the city for giving us this proclamation, giving the American Lung Association this proclamation to raise awareness because it's an important thing. In Florida, I think like 24,000 people get diagnosed with lung cancer. And the last bit of information, there's a bunch of stats, but for the young people, vaping is no better. Some people think, oh, I vape, so I'm not going to get lung cancer. Vaping is just as worse as smoking. And there's a lot of young people that are vaping, and this is the reason why we do this, is to raise awareness so people can stop smoking. Because 90% of people that get lung cancer, it's associated to smoking. So we're trying to tell people to stop smoking. So thank you. Well, I appreciate it. So on Friday, the gala at Golf Stream is the gala. And part of the fundraising is we're going to be dancing with the stars. There's six people. I'm one of them. We're going to be dancing side to side. Do you want to dance with me? So, yes, and this is just part of this week. There's been a bunch of events all week just raising awareness, and Friday is the gala. I will be dancing, so you're welcome to come and watch me. And it's donating to the cause, yes. So all the dancers are dancing, but the purpose is to raise funds and everyone that's

dancing has raised significant funds for for this purpose so it's fun but it's also with a purpose so thank you commissioner all right thank you turquoise takeover week whereas about every two and a half minutes a person in the u.s. is diagnosed with lung cancer and whereas lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer deaths for women and men and whereas lung cancer screening saves lives and advocacy and increased awareness will result in more high-risk individuals getting screened WHEREAS PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR RESEARCH FUNDING WILL RESULT IN NEW TREATMENTS AND BETTER METHODS OF EARLY DETECTION. AND WHEREAS LUNG FORCE IS A NATIONAL INITIATIVE LED BY THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION TO DEFEAT LUNG CANCER. NOW, THEREFORE, THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE WEEK OF MAY 4TH THROUGH MAY 10TH, 2026 AS TURQUOISE TAKEOVER WEEK IN THE CITY OF SUNRISE AND URGE ALL TO LEARN MORE ABOUT LUNG CANCER, RISK FACTORS AND EARLY DETECTION.

Equal rights with women. You should have just continued on. Proclamation. Proclamation. Proclaiming the month of May 2026 as Jewish American Heritage Month in the City of Sunrise, Mayor Michael J. Ryan, Deputy Mayor Jacqueline A. Guzman, Assistant Deputy Mayor Latoya S. Clark, Commissioner Neal C. Kirsch, and Commissioner Joseph A. Scudo.

The rabbi is not here, so we're going to put this on for the next commission meeting, if that's okay. All right, thank you. And we'll go on to the next one.

Go ahead.

Proclamation proclaiming the week of May 16th through May 22nd, 2026 is National Safe Voting Week in the City of Sunrise. Mayor Michael J. Ryan, Deputy Mayor Jacqueline A. Guzman, Assistant Deputy Mayor Latoya, Ms. Clark, myself, and Commissioner Joseph A. Scudo, and Ms. Sherman, if you'll join us in the well.

Thank you. It's great to see you again.

I'll give you another hug. I love you guys.

All right. So you can go ahead and share with the program and what you do in the community for awareness. Thank you.

This is Safe Boating Week, and I've been involved with the Coast Guard Auxiliary for quite a many years, and I'm now elected official for Flotilla 3A. We meet in plantation. I'm now the vice commander, which is something very, you know, different that I didn't know that I was going to end up doing. So... But this is Safe Boating Week, and we're out there all the time at the docks when you're launching your boats, and we want you to be safe. So whether you take the safe boating courses that we offer, if you wear your life jackets, if you get your boat inspected when we do vessel exams, and we just want you to be safe on the water. We saw the accident on the news this weekend, and the lady said she smelled fumes, and that's something that we teach in the safe boating class. And so you want to be safe on the water. This is Florida. And reach out to the Coast Guard Auxiliary and we'll come inspect your boat or answer any questions on how to be safer and take the safe boating course.

You know, I don't think many know this, but those of you that know my mom, my dad's a boater. Since I've been little, I know he's been fishing, and that's just what he does. But about 20 years ago, he took my mom out into the ocean, and I guess on their way back, hit some pretty high waves. She flew up in the air. I don't know how high, but when she came back down like a rag doll, and she broke her back. And so my dad had to go super slow to get to shore. And by then, you know, the medics and everybody was there. My mom spent almost two months in the hospital. So I'll never forget that like yesterday. So I appreciate the awareness that you're doing in the community. Okay. National Safe Boating Week. Whereas on average, there are 700 boating accidents resulting in over 80 deaths each year in boating-related accidents in the state of Florida, with the vast majority of these incidents caused by human error and poor judgment and not by the boat, the equipment, or environmental factors. And whereas on June 23rd, 2026, the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary will celebrate its 87th year of volunteer service to the City of Sunrise, Broward County, and to the boaters of America. And whereas Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla, did I say that right? 38 proudly serves the US Coast Guard Station Fort Lauderdale and the City of Sunrise residents by teaching boat safety courses, providing vessel safety checks, conducting harbor patrols, and assisting local law enforcement agencies by patrolling the local waterways. And whereas each day, more than 30,000 Coast Guard auxiliary volunteers continue to provide support to Coast Guard units across the US and its territories, and on average, contribute to saving over 500 lives, assisting over 15,000 mariners in distress calls, conducted thousands of safety patrols, performed more than 150,000 vessel safety checks, and educated over 500,000 people on boating safety. And whereas this year, May 16 through the 22nd, 2026, is National Safe Boating Week in the United States, and the US Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 38 encourages all voters to help raise awareness about boating responsibility and to take appropriate precautions before leaving the dock this season. And whereas boating is an important part of our national and local heritage, Let us respect Safe Boating Week and carry the tradition forward by following common sense safety procedures and keeping our lakes, ICW, and the Atlantic ocean safe and clean for all to enjoy. Now, therefore, be it resolved, the Mayor and the City Commission do hereby proclaim the week of May 16th through the 22nd, 2026 as National Safe Boating Week in the City of Sunrise and urge all those who boat to practice safe boating habits and wear a life jacket at all times while boating. Thank you. All right, thank you. Open discussion. Felicia Bravo, has anyone signed up for open discussion? Yes, Nicole Pazos and Ara Lopez. Okay. Does anyone else in the public wish to speak under open discussion? If you're on the phone, please press five star to raise your hand.

No hands are raised, Commissioner.

Thank you. Nicole Pazos, if you'd like to come up, please state your name, address, and what you're here to speak on.

Good evening. Nicole Pazos, 3107 Northwest, 107th Drive. Tonight I want to talk about something that I believe that should concern every single resident in the city. This is about what happens when people begin to fear the very systems that are supposed to protect them. Now everything I'm discussing tonight comes from directly public records. And when you step back and look at the full picture, this timeline tells a much bigger story. According to the records, the story began with Officer David Tricoli. He became involved in an internal affairs investigation connected to a June 10th arrest and termination of a sergeant. At first, Tricoli was simply cooperating as a witness. But as the investigation unfolded, the records reflect that Tricoli began growing concern about what he was hearing behind the scenes. And according to his statement, certain conversations and remarks made during the investigation caused him to genuinely fear retaliation and worry for his personal safety. According to the records, Tricoli disclosed statements made by the sergeant claiming to have an intimate and political relationship involving Ms. Guzman. And according to Tricoli, those statements immediately raised larger concerns in his mind about political influence and whether certain relationships inside the city could potentially affect investigative integrity. and according to trickle is account once he began cooperating and sharing those concerns the atmosphere around him quickly shifted he stated that warnings began circulating people began cautioning him and according to the records members of the command staff even advise him to have uh... to avoid miss guzman altogether Then fast forward to July 16, 2024. There's a chaotic scene unfolding at the Sunrise Civic Center during a youth basketball game. Officers respond. More than 30 people are present. Emotions are high. And police are trying to separate witnesses, secure the scene, and determine exactly what happened. But according to Tricoli's report, while officers were actively trying to conduct this investigation, Ms. Guzman arrived at the scene and became involved in witness interactions connected to the case. Because according to the records, Tricoli believed that interaction compromised investigative integrity and created safety concerns for the officers involved. But what happened thereafter is where the story becomes even more troubling. According to the records, after Tricoli cooperated in the internal affairs investigations involving misconduct concerns, he later came to believe that he became a whistleblower and was facing retaliation. The records also reflect claims of lost assignments, denied transfer opportunities, exclusions from positions, and long-term damage to his career. And these concerns weren't raised by Tricoli alone. According to the records, multiple individuals reviewing the matter questioned how the investigation was handled. The records reflect that Tricoli was immediately placed on administrative leave, and criminal allegations were pursued. Yet ultimately, those allegations were not sustained. It is noteworthy to mention that former Deputy Chief Swisher reportedly believed this investigation appeared to be retaliatory, while other officers reviewing this matter questioned whether the allegations should have been upheld at all. Additionally, the records also indicate another deeply unsettling issue. According to Tricoli's testimony, Information from a confidential human resource meeting involving personal matters related to his gender identity and sexual orientation was reportedly disclosed within the department, leading to gossip and public humiliation. Moreover, I also believe it's important to point out a pattern that I have noticed regarding retaliation and intimidation that have not only seemed to come from city employees, but also experiences from private citizens that share similar concerns. For example, last year, former Commissioner Sheila Alou later became the subject of a Florida Bar complaint filed by Ms. Guzman related to Ms. Alou's online public comments. According to publicly available information, Ms. Guzman requested that Sheila Alou either permanently lose her ability to practice law or, at a minimum, temporarily lose it. However, the matter was ultimately closed without disciplinary action due to insufficient evidence. And I can personally relate to some of these concerns myself. because in 2022 false allegations were made from miss guzman who claimed that i battered her during a fall festival that accusation resulted in a police investigation and ultimately those allegations were unsustained in fact according to my specific case the matter was eventually referred to the fdle because the department acknowledged that there was an inherent conflict in investigating allegations involving elected leadership within the city itself in And in my opinion, I believe that this same level of neutrality should have been applied with Officer Tricoli's case. And in closing tonight, I leave you with this question. Moving forward, what will be done to ensure that employees and residents alike no longer fear speaking up and that the appropriate parties are held accountable at every level of management and including at the level of the commission?

Is there anyone else here to speak? Is that your name, address, and what you're here to speak about?

Good evening, everyone. Sheila Alou. I wasn't going to speak, but I didn't know what you were going to say. Sunrise resident, address exempt, and due to the frivolous lawsuit that you filed against me with the Florida Bar, I can now say I am also a Florida Bar member 043178. Let's talk about civility. I have tried civilly to speak to each commissioner about 501Cs. I've spoken to Joey, to the mayor, to Mr. Kirsch, and I'm again here to talk about it. think it's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of that you guys go out into the community and you solicit funds from business owners or from residents and you don't have to give any accounting for where this money goes.

I don't. So when you say you guys.

You do. I'm sorry. I do not solicit from businesses. And you also claim, you also file the appropriate paperwork and has.

I haven't solicited from any businesses.

But you guys know, let's just cut to the chase. You all know that Commissioner Guzman goes out into the community. We all know her financial situation, right? You know that she goes to Sawgrass Mills Mall and she has all these functions because of your attorney. opinion, which I disagree with Michelson on numerous occasions. I absolutely disagree with his position. All you have to do is just make anybody a 501c and you can collect money from them and you don't have to tell us where the money's going. I personally, I'm appalled that you guys are sitting back and allowing this to happen. You all know what's going on and I think you guys should change the policy. You guys should do an ordinance or resolution where it's prohibitive. You should not be able to go out in the community, collect money that we don't know who you're getting the money from. We don't know what it's for. She gives proclamations like it's candy to her own personal attorney. We all know that was her foreclosure attorney. It's getting to be ridiculous. You guys are becoming like Tamarack and Miramar, and it's embarrassing. And if you don't do something about it, as soon as I have time, because lately I've been appearing before the West Palm Beach City Commission because they're trying to pave over my family's funeral site. So I've been very busy with that. But come on, you guys. It's time now. You know it's wrong. It's totally inappropriate. I want to know where my commissioners are getting money from and where it's going. I don't think it's too much to ask. And you guys need to do something. And if you don't, you're going to make me write every member of Congress. And for her to sit here and bring up Haitian American Month when Sheila McCormick was removed from Congress because she's a cheat and a fraud, perfect example. So is she. You guys need to do something about it. I'm watching you. And I'm disappointed in you. I really am, Tom.

Anyone else here to speak on any matters? One more speaker, oh yes, hi. Please state your name, your address, and what you're here to speak about, please, thank you.

Good evening, everyone. My name is Aura Lopez. I'm a resident of Sunrise. I live in 9518 North 3rd Street. Proud Sunrise resident. And I'd like to shift the conversation a little bit about something a little bit more closer to home and me as a parent here in the city of Sunrise. And it is about Piper High. One of the biggest decisions that lots of families make when deciding to move into a city is their children's education. And I always like to tell about my story. When my children were very little, we moved here, and one of the rumors that I heard is like, the elementary school's great, middle school's okay, stay away from Piper High. That's what I always heard. But as my children became older, and I learned a little bit more about what was going on in the school, I learned how incredible the transformation and the reputation has been at Piper High. I have a ninth grader in Piper High, and he actually had a seat at Cypress Bay. to go there and I called them and I said my child will be going to Piper High. So why am I speaking to you all about this story here? We all know or we should know about the previous principal in Piper High, Marie Hodigan, and the incredible work that she did to transform the school and change my decision of where my children will go and go to high school. Very recently she retired in December and we've had an interim principal, Mr. Lewis. So we also know about the troubling news that we have in Broward County schools about the school closures, about the layoffs, and really the displacement of leadership that we'll see from some of these schools that are closed. While I believe that these are fine educators, I want to advocate for everyone, either if you write to the school board, if you speak out in the community, to show support for Mr. Lewis to really be appointed as the permanent principal at Piper High. He meets all of the requirements to be a principal. But one of the things that I was ignorant of is that principals are appointed year to year. And right now he's there as an interim principal. Mr. Lewis was part of the success of Ms. Marie Hodigan in training around Piper High. The students know him, the parents know him. I forgot to mention I am the PTSA vice president and I am the chair of the school advisory forum as well. I also serve in a board here in the city of Sunrise among other things. I'm a social worker here in the state of Florida. And I say that not to rattle off credentials but to tell you that I look and I'm just like anybody else here but I'm also a proud parent. So I encourage everyone if you don't know about Piper High, if you don't know about our PTSA, please come to me and get involved. and really help us also by advocating for Mr. Lewis to continue to be the principal by helping us by either writing to the school board, joining me and the PTSA and other parents. I am also drafting a letter to the commission here. I've given out the information and unfortunately our meeting for May was canceled due to just some meetings that we're waiting to at the school. If not, I would have folks here with me today and maybe we'll come back in a couple of weeks as well. So again, just want to encourage everyone to think about the success of Piper High. It is a school in our city. We are boarded by other cities as well, but it is a school in here in the city of Sunrise, and I want to encourage the community to please support our school in any way, whether it is really advocating for Mr. Lewis, for joining the PTSA. We gave out two scholarships this year, thanks to fundraising and work that we did with the alumni, and we've acknowledged teachers and appreciated the students. Thank you so much. I'll be here for a little while if anybody wants to learn more about PTSA and supporting our community. Thank you.

Oh, I didn't push a button, sorry. Thanks for coming tonight. I think Mr. Lewis would make a great principal, so I'll be happy to throw out my recommendation to the school board and the superintendent. As you know, we don't get to make that choice. Of course. If we did, he'd be your principal, but certainly happy to support that decision. Ms. Hodigan and Mayor Gomez before that, as I called him, the mayor of Piper, that whole... uh, secession of principals have been fantastic and really turned the school around and made it, uh, an incredible school. So whatever I can do to help, I'll reach out to school board members and the superintendent, but thank you so much.

I'll be, I'll be writing to all of you, but of course I'll call you our commissioner Kersh. And, and again, um, advocacy starts at home and what's more home than their high school in our backyard. Thank you.

No, I mean, I just want to say that we've had a long relationship with Piper. My nephew Nicholas graduated from Piper. My nephew Anthony, my nephew Michael, my niece Nicolette. So they all went to Piper High School. They all graduated. My daughter is graduating from Piper High School this year. She did... She's a full disabled, but she does her curriculum from home. So she's going to be graduating from Piper. But we've given over 50 scholarships to Piper High School students over the last 12 to 13 years. So Ms. Hartigan has done an unbelievable job. Gomez started it. um miss hardigan went from just having the piper zone be the high school but she brought that cambridge into the elementary she brought the cambridge into the middle so she really started this and did this push not just for you know for piper but she did the whole area which it takes care of so um The first night that we got to meet Mr. Lewis that I did was the night that Ms. Hartigan got acknowledged here with the band and everything. And while I was just standing there and I went over to shake Mr. Lewis's hand and say, you know, whatever it is that we could do to help. And as he shook my hand, he said, are you related to Frankie Scudo? And I said, yes, that's my other nephew. He said, yeah, I had him as a student in Monarch, and he was also the coach for football. So like you said, we've taken someone who left another school to our school. He's had a great working relationship under Ms. Hartigan. And yes, I would have no problem of writing a letter whether we do it individually we do it all together and like you said we're sunrise are not the only kids that go to piper it's tamarack it's lauder hill it's some kids from lauderdale lake so if we could pass that on if whoever goes to the group letter I'm saying, but also the Northwest Council of Mayors, when you guys have that meeting on Monday, if anyone attends the next one, that maybe some of those other partnering schools could also champion a nice letter for Mr. Lewis.

Thank you, thank you so much. You're welcome. Also, interesting enough, when Ms. Hodigan left, and she, of course, was happy to leave Mr. Lewis in the hands of Piper, a lot of the students were like, oh, no, because he's like a drill sergeant, is what they say. But since he's been there and doing his thing, the students love him. My son's a high school senior there, and he speaks highly of Mr. Lewis. I think he's great. He's been doing a great job, so I'll be happy to also send out that letter. But you did mention something that we've spoken about previously, and it was, recognizing and highlighting our schools. And a couple of years ago when we had this discussion, we did not have a videographer or our media team in place at the time. And so I'm wondering if now that we do, if this is something that we could possibly highlight Piper High School from our team from the City of Sunrise and speak highly about the school and if it's something that we can do. My colleagues, if that's something that could be done with staff or I don't know what the protocol would be, but I would love us to have an opportunity to highlight our high school.

We'd love it. One of the goals when I joined the PTSA and became the staff chair was to say do more work to get the community to know more about Piper High because I'm sure there's lots of parents that were like myself, that they were scared away from Piper High, and I love all the educators and the administrator there.

So many great programs. So thank you for being here. Thank you. Thank you so much. All right, before we go to consent discussion, we do have the rabbi here. If you'd like to go, if someone can read off that proclamation, thank you.

Here's Joey, right? We were at? F. F? 6F.

Proclamation, proclamation proclaiming the month of May 2026 as Jewish American Heritage Month in the City of Sunrise, Mayor Michael J. Ryan, Deputy Mayor Jacqueline A. Guzman, Assistant Deputy Mayor LaToya S. Clark, Commissioner Neal C. Kirsch, and Commissioner Joseph A. Skudow.

Thank you. If I can have the rabbi and also Debbie Banner, please join us. Thank you for being here.

Thank you.

If I can have you introduce yourself and obviously your place of religious organization here in the City of Sunrise. And Debbie, if you'd also like to share a few words, I'd appreciate that. Thank you.

Hi everybody, my name is Rabbi Doch, Rabbi Yossi, and I'm actually a neighbor. I'm here in 10082 West Oakland Boulevard. I'm a rabbi of a Jewish community called Rashbi. I'm here already 20 years in Sunrise. Lovely place to live. Never want to leave the place. This is my home, and Sunrise is my community. Our community is growing with time. Thank God. And we're happy to be here in Sunrise.

Thank you.

Thank you. And Debbie, actually, if you can share a few words. I had the opportunity to speak with her, and she spoke highly of your place of organization here in the city of Sunrise. If you'd like to share a few words. Thank you.

Yes, good evening, everyone. I am Debbie Banner, and I'm honored to be here this evening and look forward to hearing the proclamation on behalf of Jewish American Heritage Month. And I'm a member of Rosh B2. Thank you very much.

Thank you. So I will share with the city of Sunrise and the mayor and our commission. We are very welcoming to all of the interfaith different religious organizations. We have several here in the city of Sunrise, I think more than a lot of our cities in Broward County. So it is my honor to have you here and to read this proclamation for you. Jewish American Heritage Month, whereas Jewish immigrants to America ever since their first arrival to our shores in the 16th century have played a central role in the creation, growth, freedom, prosperity, and strength of the United States of America. And whereas Jewish American Heritage Month is celebrated each May to honor the invaluable contributions of Jewish Americans to the fabric of the United States and to recognize the rich cultural, religious, and historical traditions that have shaped our nation. And whereas Jewish Americans have been integral to the development of this country since its founding, contributing to all aspects of American life, including the arts, sciences, education, business, politics, and public service, enriching our society with their diverse perspectives, talents, and resilience. And whereas Jewish Americans have faced adversity, including discrimination, prejudice, and persecution, yet have preserved and continue to play a vital role in promoting social justice, tolerance, and equality for all people. AND WHEREAS THE HISTORY AND CULTURAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF JEWISH AMERICANS FROM THE EARLY IMMIGRANTS TO THE PRESENT DAY LEADERS PROVIDE AN EXAMPLE OF STRENGTH, PERSEVERANCE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF A COMMUNITY IN BUILDING A BETTER FUTURE FOR ALL AMERICANS. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESULT THAT THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COMMISSION DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF MAY 2026 AS JEWISH AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH IN THE CITY OF SUNRISE AND CALL UPON ALL TO JOIN IN CELEBRATING THE HISTORY and contributions of Jewish Americans, and to reflect on the ongoing importance of diversity, inclusion, and mutual respect in our nation. This is for you. Thank you. I didn't close open discussion, so I'm going to close open discussion now. Thank you. And consent discussion, we're going to be. One second. Okay, I'm going to reopen open discussion. If you can please come up. Thank you. Please state your name, address, and the reason you are here.

Welcome. My name is Giovanna Kennedy. I live at Springfield West Coast, and I'm the president of the board. I was coming in today because I did email a couple of times, and I chimed everyone in. And I didn't get much of a response, yes, they resolve, you know, there was a pipe break, but I also had concerns because, as you guys know, the city currently in a litigation but aside from that. with the city of Sunrise. So besides that, we have concerns because the area where the pipes broke, it's an area where there's no traffic. There's no foot traffic, there's no vehicle traffic. So we're wondering, has there been any changes to the foundation given that the Broward Hospital was allowed to build the construction there. We're wondering, since there was so many months of vibration, even though you guys assured us that there were vibration monitors, So we don't know what damages were caused given that we're in imminent danger of a collapse. So now with these pipes breaking out of nowhere because they were less than 24 hours, it was like a window of 12 hours of them repairing one side and then having another break and then them having to come back out within 24 hours to repair an area where the pipes The fire. Yeah, sorry. So we're just concerned. And I put that in one of the emails. And I said that if you can please have someone maybe check, maybe an engineer or somebody who can, you know, at least give us reassurance that there hasn't been a change. in the status of the foundation and everything that's going there. And also, you know, the previous board, I've been in the president now for 10 months, they were able to get in touch with the city manager very frequently. And you even mentioned, Mark, in one of the commissioner meetings that you talk to the president all the time, and I've never spoken to you. And I've also send emails addressing these concerns to you, and I don't get a phone call. I understand we're in the litigation, but at the same time, this has nothing to do with the litigation we have going on. It has to do with concerns of the changes within the entire area, not just the canal. So I'm here to understand, can I get some fairness in communication with you? especially because you are the city manager.

Thank you. So I see the emails and thank you for one being here to address it. And I do want to direct it to Mark to see the update on what happened exactly.

A few comments. One is the water main break was independent and not connected any way, shape or form with the work being done by Broward Health on their property. The second, anything regarding the canal banks and the issue that is tied to the litigation, you have to coordinate with the city attorney's office to get any answers regarding that.

Well, it was in regards to that. It was regards to what happened within the last 48 hours. And I have it. It was, I think, May 1st, was it? Or May 2nd?

The most recent I have here, well, I have May 12th. But if you're going back a few days, I have to go through a chain of emails.

And prior to the litigation, I was able to get a response from pretty much, I mean, I have the emails here. I could go over it with you. But I was able to get quicker response, but now that we're in litigation, even though it doesn't have anything to do with the case, there's no reason why there shouldn't be a communication or for me to be able to contact you and get a response.

Excuse me, I apologize if there's been no response, but as soon as the email that I recall was about there being a water main break. As soon as that occurred, it was forwarded over to staff. They were out there and did the repair. In fact, I think they were already out there.

But there was not even an acknowledgment that you received it. I did speak to Ashley, and she was very good. And I sent her an email back telling her that, you know, thank you for your quick response. But, you know, the courtesy would be to say, hey, I received it. We're aware. Thank you. We're following up on it.

Well, I did follow up with staff, and they did say they contacted you.

uh... actually contacted me but there was also another concern where we wanted to see if an engineer was going to come out or somebody who can at least uh... do a maybe a survey or study of that area because it was submerged in water and it was meeting with the canal so you know our condition is not really good i mean what you're here for. We have concerns and we feel like they're not being heard. And we also feel, well, I feel like I'm not being treated fairly when it comes to communication, especially with you. So Ms. Kennedy,

Let me just, on the canal issue again, you would have to coordinate through the city attorney's office.

This is not a canal issue, though. You keep saying that, but it's not.

So I am sorry to interrupt you. I actually just forwarded the email. I see that everyone who's on this chain, he's not on it. So the most recent information, I just forwarded to him. So I'll let him take a look at that and then give you.

That was a response to Ashley.

Okay.

yeah so now that you're here and he sees it i'm sure they'll be giving you a follow-up and i'm sorry that you feel that there's no communication but i will say that our staff is pretty good about that so i'm sorry there was some crack there yeah because even prior before this uh the i guess um the last meeting i was i also mentioned that and i could also bring that up if you guys want me to send you the emails all right now i'm going to chime in now

So I'm going to stick up for my city manager at this point now, because no disrespect to you, but we as a city, 10 plus years ago, when your development was in trouble for a collapse, it was this city that came forward and spent $250,000 plus. Okay, see, this is what you're gonna start with. Just let me finish, okay? Don't interrupt me for the reason that when you make a comment like that, then it pertains to the lawsuit. So that's why, just hear me out. Your frustration should not be with us, first of all, okay? We were there and we had your back. if it's your previous association did whatever they did okay that was their problem your also association had every right before you and this is i'm not talking about you i'm talking before you at every opportunity for five-plus years that mister strong came before us in purchase the property and was gonna do something with the property your previous board had every opportunity for five years to get ahold of Broward Health and say, hey, maybe together, while you're gonna be here and your people are gonna be mobilized with all kinds of equipment, maybe we could partner with you and would have saved you in a huge amount of money. But that was a personal decision from your previous board that had nothing to do with us. So whenever you say something or whenever you text something or whenever you email something that pertains to anything to that canal, it is part of the lawsuit. I spoke to you all the time. You've come to my restaurant all the time. But I cannot talk to you now because my city attorney says, yes it may start off that she's worrying about this but once she goes into this and you say something scudo then you're jammed so don't do it so i'm not being disrespectful to a resident but we're now in litigation to mr lebowski's point his job is if something breaks It's not going to him. It's going to go to, someone's going to call and it's going to go to Rodrigo. Rodrigo will tell the city manager or to Sean or to Emily. But it automatically gets fixed. No one's not going to your neighborhood, okay? But for the city manager, you can't put him in a spot because he's not emailing you, because whatever's in the email, he has to be cautious of whatever. And he may have to send it to Tom first before he could think about saying it. I'm not a lawyer, okay? But Neil, I'm saying, but Neil or the mayor are lawyers, so they're gonna know when they get that email, They know what they can and what they can't say. Me as a lay person, I may want to answer because that's the nature of me. Just like them, they want to answer. It's just it ties our hands. And then when I say to Tom... Or I could even say to Mark, Mark will say, don't ask me, ask Tom.

Can I ask Tom? Because, Tom, you haven't said anything.

But he's, listen, he's not your lawyer, right?

That's right, but you said we cannot speak about the canal.

Your lawyer has to speak to him.

Once you filed this lawsuit, it's now a conversation.

Right, then it's between them. That's what we're trying to say. That's where we're coming with is we came here because we communicated about an area.

And we fixed it as a city, just like any resident could come and say their water main broke in front of their house. We don't let it sit there for three days. We go out and we fix it. That's all we could do. It's not for the city manager to get back in touch with you. That would be the staff person. It would be Rodrigo. And maybe Rodrigo's the director. He doesn't actually go out and do the work. So whoever his supervisor is the one who's gonna be contacting you and saying, hey, I'm the field supervisor. I'm the director of this. We were out there at four o'clock. We fixed it by 5.20. There's no issue. And this happens to us all the time. We could fix a pipe over here, and then the next day the pipe over there breaks because it happens. It's not just happened to you. And look, we're not sending out an engineer to go and check your property because then what? Now what?

Our property, it's your property. That's your property we're asking for you to check. It's not our property. It's the area between 38th, I think it's 38th Avenue and 91st Lane. That is your property. It's gated. That's not our property. We came here to ask about your property because if something happens in your property that's not stable, it affects our property. Same thing with the litigation we can't talk about. It's your property, but if something happens, it happens to our property. So we're asking you to check your property.

Okay.

That's what we're here for.

Well, now, if you're going to talk that, then, again, I'm not going to answer. I'm going to let Tom answer that.

So, Tom, I'm going to ask you. It has nothing to do with the canal. It's that pocket, that window, that area that is owned by the City of Sunrise.

So, Tom, what do you suggest as the next step for her or for us to go from here?

Yeah, I mean, first of all, I'm not sure the area you're referring to. I'm not sure how close it is to the canal bank. I can show you a video if you don't mind. Well, I mean, I don't have that information. So obviously I'm uncomfortable with any discussion regarding the subject of the litigation.

I'm not talking about the litigation.

Well, the word litigation keeps coming up over and over. Because you've got to spread it.

It's obviously an area that you guys own that had an issue recently.

Tom, I'll just jump in a little bit. So the canal that she's referring to is was there's no concern with the canal, the city's property at this point. And there's no I can give assurance that there's no no issues with the city's property there.

But that that little area, we just want to make sure that it's stable.

We're fine.

So on the record, Mr. Lebowski, you're good saying that that property is stable?

The city's property is stable, yes.

Okay.

Do you have any other evidence that says it's not?

I don't, but I know that there's...

If you have something, reach out, let us know, and we'll reevaluate.

All right.

Fair enough?

Sounds good. Thank you, guys. Thank you. I'm going to close open discussion. Okay. Thank you. We're going to go to consent discussion. Item B, a resolution of the City of Sunrise, Florida to award bid number 260410MM to ejtropicalawnings.inc for removal and reinstallation of canopies and awnings and providing an effective date. City Manager Mark Lebowski, Kevin Picard, Director of Leisure Services. Do I have a motion?

Move it.

Motion by Commissioner Escudo, second by Commissioner Kirch. Joey, it's all yours.

So my question is not with the company. My question is, over the last couple of months now, it's now another company where people are bidding, and then when it comes down to it, one bid was $200,000, one was $100,000, one is $80,000, right? I'm just saying. But then the first company doesn't want it. I'm just saying. My question is, is this like the new norm right now? I mean, is this every time we're doing a bid for anything in the city, is it like people are just throwing bids in and then if they get awarded the bid, then they're like, well, I don't have the bond and I don't have the insurance. So how are they even making it to the point of doing the bid? It's like it seems like over the last three months now, Numerous different contracts for different things. It seems like we're having the same stupid issue. Like why would somebody waste all their time to do the bid and then not want to, are they doing it for a specific reason or it's just, I don't get it.

I'm not sure I can answer the specifics of the individual bidders, but this is the reason why we have the process and our code in place for the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. You know, you may have a case where a company is going out for work in multiple agencies and try the low ball and low bid work, and then when it comes down to actually awarding, they don't have the resources or the ability or wherewithal to be able to deliver the project. And then some projects, they just don't meet the qualifications where we vet them out through the overall process. I think this was, one was unresponsive. One company, in essence, withdrew their bid. The only protections we have is potentially a bid bond, which only protects us for the staff time to put the project out for a bid. So unfortunately, it is something that we've been dealing with, and that's what our staff does. We spend the time making sure that When we bring an award, that we've done the vetting to make sure that the company bid is reasonable and within industry standards and that they have the resources and the ability to deliver. In this case, we believe that the... No, I'm saying, I'm not questioning this company.

It's just, I'm saying, it just seems to be annoying for staff to, like, begin negotiating with these number ones and number twos and... It's like, why even, and then the prices. It's like, what do they think? They're just going to be lucky and get something and no one's going to ask for anything? I just hope we're not going down like a slippery slope where we'll end up making people because we're not getting enough bids of people not putting up bonds and people not putting up. That's really where I'm going at. I don't want it to be where nobody's bidding on this stuff. And then the guy's going to be like, well, I'm the only person who bid, so why should I have to put up the bond? I'm good. You know I'm the only one who could do it. And I don't want to get stuck. That's where I'm going with it. So I'm just saying, this is like every meeting over the last couple of months, there's been something like this that it's over and over and over. And then it's horrible because we're trying to take the lowest bidders and... Are we going to start getting stuck with the bottom of the barrel with these low bidders that are even going to be more of a problem? You know, that's the next thing I don't want to get stuck with.

And that's why it's important that we put together a good spec document in terms of their experience and overall licensing requirements to ensure that we're getting minimum qualifications for each of our bidders. Okay.

Anyone else? That's it. Thank you. Anyone else in the public wish to speak on this item? If you're on the phone, please press 5 star to raise your hand Or just please confirm if anyone's raise your hand.

No hands are raised.

Thank you Felicia Bravo, please call the roll Deputy mayor Guzman.

Yes Commissioner Kurtz. Yes Commissioner Skudo. Yes assistant deputy mayor Clark.

Yes. The item passes 4-0. Thank you moving on to 12 a Amendment Commission discussion and or action regarding second reading of an ordinance of the City of Sunrise, Florida, amending fiscal year 2025-2026 budget ordinance number 720, amending the general fund 001, the one penny surtax fund 181, and the stormwater fund 444. Providing for conflict providing for surability and providing an effective date city manager mark Lebowski Susan neighbors director of finance and administrative services first reading CCM for 2026 past 50 do I have a motion move it? motion by Commissioner skuto Second by deputy mayor Clark Anyone in the public we should speak on this item I If you're on phone, please press five star to speak, to raise your hand. Lords, can you confirm no hands are raised? No hands are raised. Thank you. I'm going to close public hearing. Any discussion from my colleagues? City Clerk, please call the roll.

Commissioner Skidow?

Yes.

Assistant Deputy Mayor Clark?

Yes.

Deputy Mayor Guzman? Yes. Commissioner Kirch?

Yes.

Item passes 4-0. Now a question to our city attorney for the quasi.

Am I going to read this, or do we pass it since we... No, as the city manager said when we were at the local planning agency, the applicant has requested to not have this considered this evening, so it's going to be renoticed for a future city commission date.

Okay, great. Thank you. I'm going to move on to Commissioner Mayer reports, and I will start with Assistant Deputy Mayor Clark.

No reports.

I just want to touch on a few things and it's just talking in general so we have police officers we have firefighters and we have general employees so there's a lot of talk out there I'm just talking in general so I know you've met with some of the police you've met with some fire and some general and But I'm hearing that for whatever reason, we have people that want to leave the city, not because they don't like working for the city, not because of whatever reason. So. You know, people will say, why are you building all these apartments in the city? Why are you trying to build affordable housing in the city? Why we're advertising to try to get police fired, whoever teaches general employees housing in the city. You know, BSO changed their FRS plan. I'm saying I've been up here a long time. We never really had a... People leaving Sunrise to go work for BSO because our pension was superior to theirs. They had FRS. They were only getting 1%. They were only getting like 1% in their drop or whatever it is. Now that all that changed, people that are in police and fire could want to move on for whatever reason. We also have people that are leaving to go to West Palm. And they're leaving to go to West Palm because West Palm is booming. They're building new stations all over the place. They're growing, and it's a little bit cheaper. I don't say a lot cheaper because here in Sunrise, a one-bedroom apartment is $2,750 for rent. $2,750 for a one-bedroom. Palm Beach, it's like 2,200. So yeah, it's a savings of 500, but still for a one bedroom, 2,200 to 2,700 is a lot of money. So I know the unions are all looking for all these different things. So I'm just putting it out there that we're taking our own hits. We're taking our own hits in water. We may take hits in property tax, even if it goes forward and if it doesn't go forward this year, if it goes forward next year or whatnot. So I'm just saying how everybody comes and talks about, you know, what they want as far as benefits and changing the drop or changing tier one or changing tier two. And I'm sure you're hearing all of this. And I'm just saying all this because it's not of our own doing if people want to leave the city employment. I mean, it's a great place to work. So I don't want people to be throwing stuff out there that people are leaving us for whatever particular reason. And it's only because it's very hard to live in Dade and Broward right now. It's very, very expensive. So to all these developments that are coming online and silver leaf was like the perfect opportunity where they said, hey, this is what we could do. The city advertised it, put it out there that if anybody's interested, any city employee or any city resident, you could get first crack. The one that's going to now be on 44th Street and Pine Island. That's gonna be another opportunity. So for the police and the fire, there's time still that if, I'm not telling you to leave, but there are opportunities that we are creating, the mayor and the city commission and staff Working with these developers that are building these 400 units apartments that a good 15, 20% of them are going to be in the affordability. And then the sum of the ones that are only 150 units or 50 units are all affordable. So there is opportunities out there. So I just want to make sure that. between the two chiefs and the general employees for yourself through Emily and Sean and yourself, how we could pump this to them. So I just wanted to touch on that.

If I may just jump in, because those are excellent comments and points.

And I know I'm saying as far as the city manager, I know you're the first one that's going to be dealing with these unions coming forward. So when we hear these things that people are leaving, I say they're not leaving because they don't like working here. They're saying it because, look, I have an opportunity to go work at West Palm and start off at $85,000 and save $500 on my rent, where Sunrise I'm starting off at $70,000, $75,000. Right. But you don't have the details you're going to get. You don't get to work in a concert. You don't get to work in the arena. You don't get to work at the mall. I'm just saying there's a lot more that we have to offer where they can make extra, not to say we don't pay you enough and we want you to do detail to make more money, but the opportunity is there. Yeah.

yeah so those are those are excellent points and housing is is a real challenge here in south florida and and i really uh applaud the commission because there's been a number of projects that have come forward here and as part of agreements for the each one of those projects the commission has uh negotiated a first look component as you were referencing for our employees and our residents and the satin leaf project that you mentioned that was had a first look which is uh successful in terms they've got a lot of a number of people signed up for potentially for that project we also have the project on 44th street which is currently under construction that has a first look for our employees and residents also. And then also the RAE project, which is still coming, is still in the planning stages, also has a first look for our employees and residents. So we will continue to go down that path and look for opportunities to provide opportunities for our employees and our residents for affordable housing in the future. Thank you. Okay, thank you.

If I can just make a suggestion to what you're saying, which is a great idea, is if there's a way that we can put together some kind of presentation or video of all of these upcoming projects that are beneficial to our staff, and maybe it can be presented internally to our police, fire, and general employee union, just so they know what to expect, what's coming down the pipeline, and they can kind of get excited about it, like all in a nutshell. Just an idea. Thank you. Commissioner Kirch?

Yeah, chief, police chief. I know we had some discussions on e-bikes and e-scooters. Not getting involved in the enforcement on that. That's for the state to figure out. But what I do hate to see is all these young kids riding without helmets. I remember a while back ago, the police department had helmets and they were giving them out to kids on bikes. I don't know if we still have any. If we do, if you can put them in the trunks of your squad cars. And as your officers are going by and you see a young boy with an e-bike without a helmet, perhaps educate him, get him a helmet. Let mom and dad know that he shouldn't be riding in the roads. Kind of take a little proactive. I see seven or eight in my neighborhood, and none of them got a helmet. So if we have them, it would be much appreciated.

Yes, sir. We have great partners in the community, and we'll – distribute those helmets. You know how to do it.

Community-based policing. Thank you, sir. Wait, before you leave, now that he brought you to the podium, two things now. One, the tag readers, which I, you know, was the big proponent to make sure that we get them because I always brought up Lord Hill every single time that they had 260 and we had zero. How massive are those solar panels? I mean, everybody's like, what the hell are these big solar panels? And I have to explain to them what they are. But why are they so big? I mean, is there only because they're solar and they're not hardwired that that has to be that big? But other cities have them, and they're not that big.

That's correct. The company we went with, and we just had a conversation about this yesterday. We had an update. Um, 72 of the a hundred and about 60 locations are currently in the ground. Uh, and speaking to the vendor, the solar panel size, uh, and this is an engineering conversation, uh, that size was specific to function those cameras. And most of the cameras that you see, or the poles that you see have two cameras per pole, as opposed to some of the other, uh, equipment that you see in other cities. It's one camera per, per pole, per location. So the solar panel, from an engineering standpoint, I'm told, is what's required to run that specific location. Now, I did ask in this meeting if there's a way to...

But they're so low, too, I'm saying. They're not a high... I mean, they're only like 12 feet off the ground, so it's like right in your face, and they're like right by the core. I'm just saying, it just...

I did ask about reducing the size of the solar panel, and I'm waiting for a response from...

Okay, and then the last thing is the speed cameras in the schools. There is like no signage. I'm saying the people, and I'm sure you're going to give us a report of how many, I think you said the first was like 23,000 or whatever, but the people hit the school zone and they don't know what the speed limit is. So here, I want to say this because I'm riding next to a city employee and I said something and he's like, oh no, you could do 40. I said, no, you cannot go more than 26. So I said this to staff, you need to tell our employees too that, that it's only 26, otherwise you're getting a ticket. So like if our own employees don't know what the exact speed is to be in that school zone, it's 15 plus 11 is the max would be 26. During the beacon times. During the times. So what I'm saying is like, I'm laughing now because I'm saying I know. So I go hiatus road passing Sandpiper and I'm in the right lane. So I'm like, I don't care. I'm doing the 26th. And they're honking, they're going right around me, and then I'm, like, saying to myself, 100, 200, 300. But nobody knows the actual... So, like, how do we get that out there for them to understand? It says speed camera, right? Then over the speed limit. I understand, but nobody knows that from the point.

Nobody knows what the speed limit is.

Exactly. So... How do we...

So you need a sign before you go in the camera zone.

I just want to clarify. The flashing lights is 15. And then during those flashing lights...

But then it's not flashing.

I know, but you're saying 26 during the flashing light, but it's not.

No, no, no.

20, it's...

I'm saying after the flashing light is done... There's still four hours that it's not flashing, but you're going to get the ticket.

At the speed limit, yeah, which is usually 30 on that particular road. Right, but that's what I'm saying.

But they're all flying like more. I'm just saying.

So thank you for the question. I think this is a great opportunity. The speed limit in school zones is 15 miles per hour when the beacons are flashing or when the light is flashing. The way the system is set up, and this is not a suggestion to do 10 over the speed limit in the school zone. This is not what I'm saying. But the violations don't trigger until 11 over. So if it's 15 miles per hour, it would trigger at 26 miles per hour. Again, that is not a suggestion to speed in a school zone. The speed limit is clearly 15 miles per hour during beacon times. That's correct. During beacon times. The, the, the problem is the issue limits different on knob Hill hiatus on it reverts back to the normal posted speed limit. And then you didn't hear this from me, but there's a 10 mile per hour buffer. 11 over, so 41 and a 30, and I'm doing my math, 51 and a 40, 11 over, it triggers, and you will receive a notice of violation. Warning periods have ended.

So if I turn coming down Oakland Park, I make a right, I go down Knob Hill, there's no speed limit sign before I hit that.

I was just going to say that.

There's no warning sign to say, hey, this is the speed limit.

That's what he's getting at. Okay, understood.

And I remember about a month, maybe two months ago, I asked for us to do a survey across the entire city to all of the streets to see what streets don't have a sign. And I have to say... More than 60% do not have any speed limit sign on the street. So if they're getting tickets, and I hate to openly say this and be transparent, but if they're getting tickets right now, they can fight that because there's no sign stating what the actual speed limit is.

But there is that little thing that tells you you're going fast.

But it doesn't tell you what the speed limit is.

There's no speed limit time. I get that. It tells you what your speed is, but you don't know what the speed limit is. You should see that you're going fast. But it still defeats the purpose.

I get that, but I just want to clarify that we all know that.

I just want to make sure that the posted speed limit is before they hit that zone.

That's all I'm saying. Where it says your speed is 40 and it should say speed limit. 42 or the speed limit. You know what I mean?

On that side. I'll look at each location and ensure the speed is posted and is specific to that location.

Because that's what the people are saying. I just don't know. There was no posted sign before.

I'm sorry. So from that assessment that we spoke last about, has there been any signs put up?

So so the issue the issue with the signage is we don't place the signage and there's signage requirements there's there's offsets from specific locations. so well all do is for all of the locations that we currently have the speed enforcement schools on program active uh... although do a complete study of all of them at all or about a report that mission but you gotta provide it to the county because if you need a sign it's got to go to that for those locations that don't have appropriate signage all identify those but that's going to take time because they take time and this is something that's rolling out across the county so if we don't get to them first

whoever else get him.

Yes, sir, and the easy solution as identified as those feedback signs or readback signs would be likely an easy location to identify. They have it in Fort Lauderdale. But we're likely going to get the same argument that it said 30, it says I'm doing 30, but now I'm in a school zone, a beacon, which one do I pay attention to? The arguments are going to come.

We should just do away with them, huh? Just kidding. Relax. At different colors.

Is that it? Yes, that's it. Okay, so three things. Don't go anywhere just yet. So one, going back to the e-bikes, and you mentioned not being able to enforce them, and I totally get we're not going to have that conversation, but my question is, I see this often when the schools, the bell rings and everyone's coming out, all of those kids are on their e-scooters and they're riding in the middle of the street. And they're driving or riding right past our patrols, and there's like four of them on, for instance, 44th Street. And I get they're there to enforce the speed or just keep an eye, there's no fights and whatnot. But at what point, and not just Piper, other schools, middle school particularly, at what point do we... continue the conversation of education and not so much enforcing but stating the the safety issues that we have because not only for themselves but just for other cars driving on the road the pedestrians walking on the streets like i see this every morning and every afternoon it's scary yeah it it continues to be a challenge we've worked with the schools and the sros to get this information out right uh the information to the parents to ensure that the kids are operating these bicycles and or scooters

and or e-bikes or the motorcycles as required by law, we will continue. Are they allowed to be on the street?

So how are our officers addressing those issues now rather than later?

If a scooter or a bike are in the street, it can be enforced. We're dealing with 13-year-olds, 14-year-olds, 15-year-olds in some cases. It's a challenge.

I think a bike's allowed to be in the street, isn't it?

They can if they're operating on their X amount of speed. On the roadway with the proper equipment. These are scooters.

A bicycle can be in the street. An e-bike can be in the street.

We should have an event and invite them all. It's a scooter. Wait, this is funny. When I first got elected, we had a huge problem with graffiti. A huge problem. So the gang unit, Cannon, all those guys that were here, had a contest, an art contest. And they all came, and they all started doing their artwork, and that's how we were able to pinpoint who were the ones tagging the city. Swear to God. So it was true. And then I passed that every Home Depot and every Lowe's in the city You couldn't buy spray paint. Right, you still, yay. Right, because I did that because they were tagging every wall, every night, every business, every church, every night. Swear, they were doing this. And the gang unit got this and said, oh, we're going to have an art contest to, you know, do your artwork. And then they knew who everybody was. They had a book. They had a literal book of every single person, their name, everything. So maybe you have, I'm not saying to get them, but have an event like you do the seat belt safety. Have something with the scooters. Have something with these e-bikes to teach these kids what it is to be safe. Because look, you go to any corner now, if they pull next to you on a bike, every kid's pulling a wheelie. on no matter what bike it is, the electric bike, dirt bike, motorcycle. It's just about safety. And I agree with Neil. Have those extra. You have a doll in the car for the kid who you go to a domestic. Have a helmet in every car because you pull over a kid. And you know what? I was that kid. When I first moved here in 1979, I had a dirt bike, and we rode everywhere. And Nyloff and Grillo and all those cops made me pick up my dirt bike, put it in the back of the cop car, drive me home, take it out. You know what I'm saying? And I understood, but I respected them. You know what I'm saying? But now it's a different time, and these bikes... are very high speed. So, I mean, if we could have an event somehow, like you do the car show, have a bike show, try to, you know, I'm saying tie it together and then try to give them like a whole thing. Give them a helmet, give some.

Your pop-up barbecue, they'll show up. Yeah, there you go.

We'll look into it. You know what I'm saying. Yes, sir.

So I know school's almost over. Hopefully during the summer, before school starts next year, we can have a huge education campaign about not riding on the actual streets. And the second thing is the LPRs are mentioned. That's also been on my radar. Those sonar panels are huge and massive. They don't look very pleasant to the eye on the streets. It literally takes away the whole greenery and the look of what we've obviously worked hard for. And so my question is, I know that this is what we approved, but moving forward, are there options to minimize that, to change it? What does that look like?

So this is something that we've had a discussion internally as staff and with the chief. I think what we'll probably do is look to try to propose some sort of program in the upcoming budget where we can start to phase and underground some of these on our major corridors over the course of time. It is going to be quite an undertaking, but it's something that we can certainly look at, and we've been looking at internally already.

Thank you. The last thing, it doesn't involve police. But I had an opportunity to attend the 1010 restaurant event, which was the anti-Asian hate education awareness forum. And of all the questions and statistics they showed about safety and whatnot for our youth and adults, there was one question that has a stump. And I felt really bad that I didn't know. And the question was, if there was a Chinese-American to come in to our commission and need translation, how would we address that? And so I wanted to know, in the event that anyone came, regardless of their language, what are options? Are there any other municipalities that are using some kind of platform? What does that look like? Have we heard of this before?

I'll have Emily answer this.

Thank you. Emily Smith, Deputy City Manager. Thank you for the question. It's actually an excellent question that they had. And it is one of the things that we have focused on in the last several months. And we have employed the services of a translation service provider in the event that we need any of our information translated in other languages. If it was a short-term need that we had to have immediately, we could possibly... Technology to help assist in that in that time frame But if there was an ongoing need we would use the translation services to do whether it was you know Forms or letters or any information on a permanent basis?

So for an immediate answer if somebody walked in today Then we can use our devices to translate like a Google Translate of some sort, right? Yes Some option, right?

Yeah, and we have those services ongoing as we need them.

Okay. Thank you, and that's it for me Okay, a city manager's report no report.

I

City Clerk's report? No report, ma'am. City Attorney's report?

No report, thank you.

All right, can I get a motion to adjourn?

Motion to adjourn.

Motion by Commissioner Kirch, second by Commissioner Escudo. Thank you.