[1) Call to Order – Roll Call]
          [00:00:10]
          MAYOR DAVIS HERE. DEPUTY MAYOR MURPHY HERE. COUNCILMAN ALTMAN HERE. COUNCILMAN BUTLER HERE. 
          COUNCILMAN JONAS. CITY MANAGER. MANNS. CITY ATTORNEY. DRISCOLL HERE. ARE WE PERMANENTLY SWORN? KIND OF LIKE THIS BETTER. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 
          AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. FOR ALL. THANK YOU. BOB. DON'T GET. DON'T SIT DOWN. COME ON DOWN. IT'S BETTER THAN ME. HOW ARE YOU DOING? GOOD. ARE YOU READY FOR ME TO READ IT? OKAY. THIS IS A 
          [4.a) Irish American Heritage Month ]
PROCLAMATION OF THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF NEW PORT RICHEY. WHEREAS THE IRISH FIRST CAME TO FLORIDA IN THE 1500S, FIRST AS MISSIONARIES AND MERCENARY SOLDIERS AND THEN AS PLANTERS, TRADERS, BUSINESSMEN, DOCTORS AND ADMINISTRATORS. AND WHEREAS, FATHER RICHARD ARTHUR, AN IRISH BORN PRIEST FROM LIMERICK WHO WAS APPOINTED PARISH PRIEST FOR SAINT AUGUSTINE IN 1597, AN ECCLESIASTICAL JUDGE OF FLORIDA, ESTABLISHED THE FIRST PUBLIC SCHOOL IN AMERICA AND OPENED IT TO BOTH BOYS AND GIRLS OF ALL RACES. AND WHEREAS BY 1776 NEARLY 300,000 IRISH NATIONALS HAD EMIGRATED TO THE AMERICAN COLONIES AND PLAYED A CRUCIAL ROLE IN AMERICA'S WAR FOR INDEPENDENCE. AND WHEREAS FIVE SIGNERS OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE WERE OF IRISH DESCENT AND THREE SIGNERS WERE IRISH BORN, AND WHEREAS OVER THE COURSE OF OUR NATION'S HISTORY, 22 PRESIDENTS HAVE PROUDLY PROCLAIMED THEIR IRISH AMERICAN HERITAGE. AND WHEREAS 20 PRESIDENTS HAVE PROUDLY PROCLAIMED THEIR IRISH AMERICAN HERITAGE. AND WHEREAS IN 1792, IRISH BORN JAMES HOBAN PROVIDED THE ARCHITECTURAL PLANS FOR THE WHITE HOUSE AND SERVED AS ONE OF THE SUPERVISING ARCHITECTS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CAPITOL. AND WHEREAS IRISH AMERICANS HAVE PLAYED INTEGRAL ROLES IN OUR ARMED FORCES, INCLUDING COMMODORE JOHN BARRY, WHO IS RECOGNIZED AS THE FIRST FLAG OFFICER OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY, CAPTAIN OLIVER PERRY, WHO ACHIEVED A MAJOR NAVAL BATTLE VICTORY IN THE BATTLE OF LAKE ERIE, AND THE FIVE SULLIVAN BROTHERS WHO MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE FOR DEMOCRACY AND FREEDOM DURING THE NAVAL BATTLE OF GUADALCANAL. NOW, THEREFORE, I. CHOPPER DAVIS, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF NEW PORT RICHEY, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF MARCH 2026 AS IRISH AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH IN THE CITY OF NEW PORT RICHEY AND ENCOURAGE ALL RESIDENTS TO CELEBRATE THE DIVERSE CULTURES, TRADITIONS AND HISTORIES OF IRISH AMERICANS AND TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY THEM. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR DAVIS AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS BOB BLANCHARD. I'M A RESIDENT OF PASCO COUNTY AND A MEMBER OF THE ANCIENT ORDER OF HIBERNIANS. AS A RESIDENT OF PASCO COUNTY, THANK YOU ALL FOR SERVING ONE OF ITS BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITIES AS A MEMBER OF THE ANCIENT ORDER OF HIBERNIANS. 
          THANK YOU FOR PROCLAIMING MARCH IRISH AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH. FOR THOSE WHO MAY NOT KNOW, HIBERNIA IS THE LATIN TERM FOR IRELAND. HIBERNIAN IS ANYONE OF IRISH BIRTH OR DESCENT. THE ANCIENT ORDER OF HIBERNIANS IS THE OLDEST IRISH CATHOLIC FRATERNAL ORGANIZATION IN THE UNITED STATES. IT WAS FOUNDED IN 1836. THE LADIES ANCIENT ORDER OF HIBERNIANS WAS FOUNDED IN 1894. I BELONG TO THE JAMES FRANCIS POWERS DIVISION, ONE OF TWO DIVISIONS IN PASCO COUNTY. 
          THE OTHER DIVISION IS LOCATED HERE IN NEW PORT RICHEY. ONE OF OUR CORE PRINCIPLES IS FRIENDSHIP. IT'S FOR THAT REASON THAT I AM TRULY GRATEFUL TO ACCEPT THIS PROCLAMATION AS A DEMONSTRATES YOUR FRIENDSHIP TO ALL IRISH AMERICAN RESIDENTS IN NEW PORT RICHEY AND THROUGHOUT PASCO COUNTY. THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU. 
          AUTO AUDIT AUDIT PRESENTATION AN AUDIT PRESENTATION. MR. MAYOR AND WADE STANSBURY OF MALDEN AND JENKINS WILL MAKE THE PRESENTATION AND CRYSTALS ON. 
          IF YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE SOME PRELIMINARY COMMENTS WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO. AS HARD AS YOU'VE WORKED ON THIS AUDIT THIS YEAR. GOOD EVENING. COUNCIL MAYOR AND CITY MANAGER, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE WADE SANSBURY. HE'S THE AUDIT ENGAGEMENT PARTNER PARTNER FOR MALDEN AND JENKINS. 
          [00:05:01]
HE DID CONDUCT THE CITY'S ANNUAL FINANCIAL AUDIT, THE AUDIT AND THE SINGLE AUDIT. OUR AUDIT REPRESENTS A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE CITY'S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, THE INTERNAL CONTROLS AND COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS AND REGULATIONS. WE DO APPRECIATE THEIR PROFESSIONALISM, THEIR THOROUGHNESS AND THE COLLABORATIVE APPROACH THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PROCESS. I'LL TURN IT OVER TO WADE. HE DOES HAVE SLIDES TO PRESENT WITH THIS PRESENTATION. CAN YOU HEAR US, WADE? 
          [6) Police Department Accreditation Presentation]
          [00:13:39]
ARE VERY STRICT ABOUT YOU BEING ACCREDITED AGENCY. YOU FOLLOWING ALL THEIR STANDARDS. SO WE HAVE TO CONTINUALLY EARN THIS. WE CAN NEVER GET COMPLACENT. WE HAVE TO ALWAYS REMEMBER WE HAVE TO STRIVE TO BE BETTER. IT ALSO IMPROVES DELIVERY SERVICE. AND LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT, IT BUILDS PUBLIC TRUST. SO IN 2023, CITY COUNCIL APPROVED THE CONTRACT WITH THE CFA. WE HAD TWO YEARS TO GET ACCREDITED. THAT WAS THE DEADLINE. YOU HAD TWO YEARS ONCE WE SIGNED THAT CONTRACT. SO IT WAS GAME ON. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS ESSENTIAL, HAVING RUN AN ACCREDITED AGENCY FOR OVER A DECADE, IS WE HAD TO GET THE RIGHT PERSON TO BE OUR ACCREDITATION MANAGER. WE HAD A CONSULTANT, BUT WE HAD TO GET THE RIGHT PERSON. IT'S LIKE BUILDING A MACHINE. YOU GOT TO PUT THE BEST PARTS IN THE RIGHT PLACES AND THEN YOU HAVE A FINE TUNED MACHINE. SO SERGEANT MATT PATCH, I'M GOING TO CALL YOU OUT TONIGHT. YOU DO A PHENOMENAL JOB. YOU WERE ALL IN FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, DEDICATED AS CAN BE, LEARNING THE PROCESS, WORKING THROUGH THE PROCESS. AND HE, LIKE ALL OF US, ARE NOW FOCUSED ON REACCREDITATION IN THREE YEARS. SO WE STARTED OFF WITH A MOCK CFA ASSESSMENT. ONCE WE KIND OF FELT WE WERE READY. AND THAT'S A TEAM THAT COMES IN FROM THE CFA, AND THEY SPEND THREE DAYS WITH YOU AND THEY BASICALLY RIP YOU APART. AND WHEN WE WHEN WE GOT THAT MOCK ASSESSMENT, THEY SAID WE WERE ON TRACK IN NOVEMBER TO HAVE THE CFA TEAM COME IN, DO AN ASSESSMENT TO 
          [00:15:05]
GET OUR FINAL ACCREDITATION STATUS. BUT WE HAD A CHECKLIST OF ABOUT 150 THINGS WE HAD TO DO. SO YEAH. SO AGAIN GAME ON TOO. RIGHT. SO WE WERE WE WERE FULL SPEED AHEAD. SO THAT WAS A CRITICAL STEP. AND WE SCHEDULED OUR FINAL ASSESSMENT IN NOVEMBER OF 2025, MEETING THAT DEADLINE BEFORE THE END OF DECEMBER. SO IT WAS SWEAT TIME NOVEMBER 18TH THROUGH THE 20TH. 
          SO WE HAD THIS TEAM IN. EVERYBODY WAS NERVOUS AND I JUST SAT BACK KIND OF LAUGHING BECAUSE I KNEW THEY THEY HAD IT MADE. I KNEW THEY HAD IT DONE. I KNEW THAT THEY WERE GOING TO ROCK. IT'S NOT ABOUT ME. IT WAS ABOUT THEM. SORRY, MATT, I KNOW, I KNOW, WE'VE TAKEN YEARS OFF YOUR LIFE, BUDDY, BUT THE ASSESSMENT. YEAH, YEAH, THE ASSESSMENT WENT VERY WELL FOR US. USUALLY THEY SPEND THREE DAYS WITH YOU. AND LIKE I SAID, FOR LACK OF BETTER TERMINOLOGY, THEY TEAR YOU APART. THEY WERE DONE IN TWO. NOW, WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT ALL YOU GUYS IN OUR AGENCY AND ALL OF US? WHAT WE DID, ALL OF US. WE. THAT'S THE KEY WORD. WE REALLY WE REALLY ROCK THAT ASSESSMENT. THEY WERE SO IMPRESSED WITH US. WE WERE DONE IN TWO DAYS AND THEY SENT THEIR REPORT TO THE CFA. SO THIS IS JUST SOME PICTURES OF OF LIEUTENANT PASCAL AND MATT PATCH GETTING READY FOR THE FINAL ASSESSMENT. ALL THE THINGS THAT WE HAD TO DO AGAIN, WE WERE WE WERE AWARDED FINAL ACCREDITATION STATUS ON FEBRUARY 19TH WHEN WE WENT BEFORE THE CFA COMMISSION REALLY WAS A DEFINING MOMENT FOR US. EVERYBODY WAS PROUD. 
          EVERYONE WAS KIND OF GLEAMING UP THERE, AND YOU COULD SEE IN THAT PICTURE, YOU KNOW, HARD WORK GETS REWARDED. SO I'M ALREADY LOOKING DOWN THE ROAD IN THREE YEARS, ALL THE THINGS WE GOT TO DO TO GET REACCREDITED. SO THAT'S THE THAT'S OUR NEXT CHALLENGE AND WE ARE UP TO IT. BUT WITH THIS TEAM IN PLACE, WITH ALL OF US, WE CAN'T FAIL. THERE'S NO WAY IT'S NOT GOING TO FAIL. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT. THANK YOU. CITY MANAGER MAN'S THANK YOU, COMMAND STAFF, DEPARTMENT MEMBERS. YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME. AND AND THREE YEARS. WE'LL BE BACK BEFORE THAT COMMISSION, SO THANK YOU. JUST A SECOND HERE. THEY WANT TO SPEAK FIRST IF YOU IF YOU DON'T MIND I MEAN YOU KNOW I GOT TO LISTEN TO YOU EXPLAIN THAT TO ME. WHEN I DID MY TOUR OF THE PD. AND YOU KNOW, WHEN SOMEBODY TELLS YOU THOSE THINGS, IT REALLY DOESN'T RESONATE BECAUSE WE'RE NOT DOING IT. SO FOR YOU GUYS TO ACCOMPLISH THOSE THINGS TO ME IS HUGE. AND WE UP HERE ARE VERY PROUD TO BE PART OF IT. OBVIOUSLY YOU GUYS DID THE DIRTY WORK, YOU KNOW, BUT WE'RE WE'RE ALL VERY PROUD OF YOU GUYS AND CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU IN THREE MORE YEARS. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE YOU GUYS. THANK YOU. 
          VIDEO ON THAT. CONGRATULATIONS ON SOMETHING WELL DESERVED. AND I KNOW EVERYONE WORKED REALLY HARD ON IT. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THAT ON AND GETTING THAT ACCOMPLISHED. THAT'S AN AMAZING FEAT. SO CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU TIM. YEAH IT'S NOT EASY TO WANT TO HOLD YOURSELF ACCOUNTABLE TO HIGH STANDARDS. I THINK ANY AGENCY SHOULD, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE PUTTING YOUR TRUST, THE PUBLIC'S TRUST IN YOU, BEING ABLE TO PERFORM A HIGH DEGREE JOB IN A TIME WHERE WE LOOK TO OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO BE THE TRUSTED SOURCE FOR OUR COMMUNITY WHEN IT COMES TO SAFETY, I THINK ACCREDITATION IS A GOOD WAY TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE TO EACH INDIVIDUAL THAT WE HAVE 200 PLUS STANDARDS THAT ARE BEST PRACTICES ACROSS THE STATE OF FLORIDA, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU GUYS SET OUT TO ACHIEVE, YOU KNOW, NOT TO ALSO CALL UP MR. MR. PATCH, BUT HE I COULD SAY THAT HE HAS, THROUGH HIS WORK WITH THE LIFT PROGRAM, BUILT THAT TRUST WITH THE COMMUNITY. SO TO BRING HIM ON TO THE ACCREDITATION SIDE, TO HAVE THAT PERSPECTIVE, I THINK WAS A STRATEGIC ADVANTAGE FOR THE ORGANIZATION. JUST TO ALSO ADD THAT IT WAS OUR CHIEF OF POLICE TO GIVE A GLIMPSE OF HIS LEADERSHIP YEARS PRIOR, WHEN COUNCIL FIRST WAS GETTING GLIMPSES OF WHAT WOULD BE THE ROUTE TO ACCREDITATION, SAID THAT THEY WOULD BECOME AN ACCREDITED AGENCY. AND TONIGHT SHOWS THAT HE WAS RIGHT ON THE MONEY WITH THAT. HE WAS CONFIDENT IN IT, AND HE CLEARLY SHOWED THE LEADERSHIP FOR HIS TEAM TO TO GET OVER THAT FINISH LINE. SO THANK YOU TO THE TO EVERYONE IN THE LEADERSHIP FOR MAKING SURE IT HAPPENS. I'M SURE IT WAS NOT EASY. I'M SURE THERE WAS LEARNING CURVES AND GETTING EVERYONE ON BOARD, BUT IT CLEARLY HAS BEEN THE CASE THAT EVERYONE IS ON BOARD. SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. JUST REFLECTING ON SOME THINGS THAT ALWAYS TRY TO KEEP FRONT OF MIND, WHICH IS THAT PEOPLE REALLY DON'T CARE WHAT YOU KNOW UNTIL THEY KNOW THAT YOU CARE. AND YOU KNOW, THE ONE THING I THINK THAT HAS BECOME ABUNDANTLY CLEAR IN OUR CITY IS THAT WHEN THERE ARE BIG CROWDS AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE AND THERE'S POTENTIAL DANGER, WE SEE YOU, WE SEE YOU ALL OUT THERE AND YOU KEEP A STRAIGHT 
          [00:20:07]
FACE AND YOU AND YOU WATCH WHAT'S GOING ON. BUT YOU'RE ALSO DO HAVE A FRIENDLY, WELCOMING ATTITUDE, WHICH IS PART OF WHAT OUR CITY WANTS TO WANTS TO PORTRAY. THERE ARE A LOT OF CHALLENGES, OBVIOUSLY, FROM A FROM A NATIONAL STANDPOINT. WE LIKE TO STAY OUT OF ALL THAT MESS. WE'RE WE'RE NONPARTIZAN. WE ALL GET ALONG TOGETHER AND WE WANT A CITY THAT ACTS THAT WAY. WE'RE VERY DIVERSE TOWN. AND WE I PERSONALLY WANT TO JUST SAY THAT WE APPRECIATE YOUR YOUR EFFORTS TO GET ACCREDITED, BUT ALSO APPRECIATE YOUR EVERYDAY INVOLVEMENT IN OUR CITY AND YOUR WILLINGNESS TO BE A PART OF IT ALL. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO EVERY DAY. DESPITE A LOT OF EXTERNAL OPINIONS THAT ARE OUT THERE, WE KNOW WHO WE ARE AND WE'RE PROUD OF OUR CITY AND WE'RE PROUD OF YOU. SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU NOT TO REPEAT, NOT TO REPEAT WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE SAID. BUT FIRST RESPONDERS ARE LIKE THE KEY TO THE CITY. AND SO IF YOU'VE GOT FIRST RESPONDERS DOING THE JOB, THEN EVERYBODY'S GOING TO LOVE WHAT WHAT THEY FIND IN THE CITY. AND AND I REMEMBER WHEN YOU STARTED ON THIS SERGEANT PATCH, YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANY GRAY IN YOUR BEARD. WE GO DOWN AND TAKE A PICTURE. 
          YEAH. COME ON, DEBBIE, YOU'RE COMING TO. 
          MAKE A PYRAMID. RIGHT? THANK YOU SIR. THANK YOU I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, THANK YOU SIR. APPRECIATE THAT. THANKS. ALL RIGHT GUYS THAT. YEAH I'LL TAKE THAT BACK. OKAY. CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME? I WAS LIKE WHERE'S HE GOING? OKAY. HELLO. NEED APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM FEBRUARY AUDIT. THANK THE AUDITORS. OH. DO YOU HAVE ON. 
          GOOD EVENING. OKAY. CAN YOU HEAR US? YES. OKAY. CAN YOU HEAR ME? ALRIGHT THEN WE'LL DO 
          [5) Audit Presentation by Mauldin & Jenkins]
THE AUDIT PRESENTATION. ALL RIGHT. SO HOPEFULLY Y'ALL CAN HEAR ME. OKAY. SORRY ABOUT THE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, COMMISSIONERS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO TO SPEAK WITH YOU ALL TONIGHT. I'VE GOT A BRIEF PRESENTATION TO GO OVER AND I'LL GO OVER THIS PRETTY QUICKLY. I KNOW YOU'VE GOT A BUSY AGENDA AHEAD OF YOU. HOPEFULLY THEY'LL JUST ADVANCE THE SLIDES FOR ME. THE FIRST COUPLE SLIDES ARE JUST A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ABOUT MALDEN AND JENKINS. I WON'T GO OVER ALL OF THAT. I WILL JUST SAY THAT WE DID JUST ACQUIRE A LARGE FIRM OUT IN LOUISIANA AND TEXAS. SO WE'VE INCREASED OUR OVERALL CAPACITY, INCREASED OUR OVERALL AMOUNT OF RESOURCES. WE'RE NOW ABOUT 800 STRONG AND ABOUT ALMOST 20 SO JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT OBVIOUSLY FOR THAT IS AN ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT. 
          THIS IS ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT THE STATE REQUIRES. SO KUDOS TO YOU ALL FOR GOING THAT EXTRA MILE TO TO ACTUALLY PREPARE AND ACT FOR US. I'M ON THE OPINION SLIDE. JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE THE RESPONSIBILITY AND THE REPRESENTATION OF MANAGEMENT. OUR RESPONSIBILITY WAS TO PERFORM AN AUDIT AND THEN TO EXPRESS AN OPINION BASED ON THAT AUDIT. WE HAVE DONE SO ABOUT ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF AGO, WE RENDERED AN UNMODIFIED AUDIT OPINION. THIS IS THE TYPE OF OPINION THAT YOU ALL WISH TO RECEIVE EACH AND EVERY YEAR. IN OUR OPINION, THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE CONSIDERED TO PRESENT FAIRLY THE FINANCIAL POSITION AND RESULTS OF RESULTS OF OPERATIONS OF THE CITY AS OF AND FOR THE YEAR ENDED SEPTEMBER 30TH OF 2020. FOR THE NEXT SLIDE IS OUR A LITTLE BIT INFORMATION ABOUT THE YELLOW BOOK REPORT AND SINGLE AUDIT REPORT. THESE ARE IN THE BACK 
          [00:25:04]
OF OF THE OVER THE ACTOR DOCUMENT. THIS IS A REPORTER IN OUR TEST OF THE CITY'S INTERNAL CONTROLS COMPLIANCE, COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS AND REGULATIONS. WE DID REPORT TWO CURRENT YEAR FINDINGS, ONE OF WHICH IS REGARDING A NON COMPLIANCE WITH STATE LAW. OBVIOUSLY, THE AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE STATE REQUIRES THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS TO BE DONE BY JUNE 30TH OF THE FOLLOWING YEAR. THAT WAS NOT MET. THERE WAS ALSO A FINDING REGARDING MATERIAL ADJUSTMENTS THAT NEEDED TO BE MADE FROM THE FROM THE STARTING POINT OF OUR OVERALL AUDIT THIS YEAR, THE CITY DID EXPEND MORE THAN 750,000 IN FEDERAL AWARDS, WHICH DID REQUIRE US TO PERFORM AN ADDITIONAL SINGLE AUDIT. THIS WAS AGAIN ON YOUR ARPA FUNDS. IT COVERED APPROXIMATELY 4.3 MILLION OF THE CITY'S TOTAL EXPENDITURES OF ABOUT 4.6 MILLION. NEXT SLIDE JUST GIVES YOU A COUPLE OF THE OTHER REPORTS THAT WE WE ALSO RENDER OF THE MANAGEMENT LETTER AND INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS REPORT ON INVESTMENT OF PUBLIC FUNDS. 
          THE NEXT FEW SLIDES ARE ON REQUIRED COMMUNICATIONS. I WON'T GO OVER ALL OF THOSE. ONE THING JUST WE DO LIKE TO POINT OUT IS THAT WE ARE OBVIOUSLY INDEPENDENT WITH REGARDS TO THE CITY. WE TAKE THAT VERY, VERY SERIOUSLY. AGAIN, WITH THE TWO FINDINGS THERE, WE HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AS PART OF THOSE REQUIRED COMMUNICATIONS. THOSE ARE ALSO INCLUDED IN OUR ADA DOCUMENT. THE AUDITORS DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS. ALL RIGHT. THE NEXT SLIDE IS JUST SOME HIGH LEVEL GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE CITY. THERE'S A 2024 SLIDE AS WELL AS THE 2023. JUST START OUT WITH SPENDING PER RESIDENT APPROXIMATED $2,400 FOR 2024. 
          THE GENERAL FUND FUND BALANCE ENDED THE YEAR AT ABOUT 12.89 MILLION. THIS WAS ABOUT A 2,829% INCREASE FOR THE YEAR. OUR OVERALL DEBT PER RESIDENT WAS ONLY $997. WE ENDED THE YEAR WITH ABOUT 278 NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES. AND THEN YOU'VE GOT SOME AVERAGE EMPLOYEE AND SOME PERCENTAGE OF GENERAL FUND BUDGET INFORMATION THERE AS WELL. AGAIN, THE NEXT SLIDE IS THE SAME INFORMATION AS OF 2023. AND THEN THE NEXT SLIDE IS ON GENERAL FUND REVENUES. YOU KNOW THIS IS WHERE THE WHERE THE FUNDS COME FROM, THE MAJORITY OF WHICH ARE OBVIOUSLY TAXES FOLLOWED BY INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES. THEN THE NEXT SLIDE IS WHERE DOES THAT MONEY GO. SO THIS IS YOUR EXPENDITURE SIDE FOR THE GENERAL FUND, THE MAJORITY OF WHICH ARE GOING TO BE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, WHICH IS VERY TYPICAL OF A GOVERNMENT. YOUR SIZE. ALSO, GENERAL GOVERNMENT IS THE SECOND HIGHEST EXPENDITURE TOTAL THERE. THEN THE NEXT SLIDE IS YOUR GENERAL FUND FUND BALANCE HISTORY. FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS IT'S BEEN PRETTY STEADY OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS AND OBVIOUSLY A PRETTY GOOD INCREASE IN 2024 TO ACTUALLY EXCEED THE PRIOR FOUR YEAR BALANCE. SO THAT'S THAT'S ALL VERY GOOD. THE NEXT SLIDE IS JUST A SLIDE FOR YOUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS. WE ALWAYS I ALWAYS WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR OPERATING REVENUES ARE EXCEEDING YOUR OPERATING EXPENSES. THIS TELLS ME THAT YOU ALL ARE CHARGING THE APPROPRIATE FEES TO COVER THOSE COSTS OF OPERATIONS. SO BOTH YOUR WATER AND SEWER, AS WELL AS YOUR STORMWATER AND THE NEW SOLID WASTE ALL HAD OPERATING REVENUES THAT EXCEEDED OPERATING EXPENSES. NEXT SLIDE AGAIN IS JUST INFORMATION ON THE ADA, THE AUDITOR'S DISCUSSION ANALYSIS. THIS IS WHERE AGAIN, WE LIST OUT ALL OF OUR REQUIRED COMMUNICATIONS IN A WRITTEN FORMAT. WE ALSO LIST OUT ALL OF THE UPCOMING GASB STANDARDS AND PRONOUNCEMENTS THAT WILL BE APPLICABLE FOR THE CITY GOING FORWARD. WE ALSO LIST OUT THE FACT THAT WE DO PROVIDE FREE CPE AND TRAINING FOR ALL OF OUR CLIENTS. SO CERTAINLY THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, ANYONE IN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, OR ANYONE ON THIS BOARD IS MORE THAN WELCOME TO ATTEND THOSE TRAININGS. THEY ARE GENERALLY DONE VIRTUALLY AND AT NO COST TO THE PARTICIPANT. SO I KNOW THAT WAS REALLY QUICK, BUT THAT'S THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAD FOR YOU ALL TONIGHT. DO YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? NO WE DON'T. THANK YOU. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR. THANK YOU. CRYSTAL. THE MINUTES 
          [7) Approval of Minutes]
FOR NOVEMBER 17TH, 2026 I'LL SECOND. A BOX. POP I UNDERSTAND MISS, YOU WANT TO SPEAK FIRST? 
          [8) Vox Pop for Items Not Listed on the Agenda or Listed on Consent Agenda]
ABOUT VOX POP? GOOD. I DID YOU WANT ME TO SPEAK AT VOX POP? YEAH. RELATED TO A MATTER 
          [00:30:02]
INVOLVING THE CLAUDE PEPPER SENIOR CENTER. THERE'S BEEN SOME MISINFORMATION BEING DISSEMINATED IN THE COMMUNITY RELATED TO AN OCCUPANT WHO IS CURRENTLY HOUSED AT THE CLAUDE PEPPER SENIOR CENTER, AND I WANTED TO, AT A MINIMUM, ADDRESS SOME OF THE INACCURACIES THAT ARE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. BEFORE WE INITIATED VOX POP COMMENT SO THAT THE CITY'S PERSPECTIVE WAS AT LEAST IDENTIFIED, THE THE OCCUPANT OF OF THE PROPERTY IS WITHOUT A LEASE BY THE CITY TO OCCUPY THE PROPERTY AND WITHOUT INSURANCE, WHICH PROTECTS THE CITY'S RISK. AS A RESULT OF THAT, SOME COMMUNICATIONS HAVE GONE BACK AND FORTH SINCE SEPTEMBER OF 25, REQUESTING THAT THOSE ITEMS BE SOLIDIFIED AND THOSE ITEMS HAVE NOT COME TO FRUITION, WHICH IS WHY THEY RECEIVED A LETTER ON FEBRUARY 16TH, AND THOSE TERMS WERE SPECIFICALLY IDENTIFIED AS BEING DEFICIENT. AND IN THE CLOSING OF THE LETTER, THE A LINE WAS WRITTEN THAT SAID ABSENT THESE ITEMS, THE A LETTER OR FORECLOSURE, I'M SORRY, EVICTION PROCEEDINGS WILL BE INITIATED. WHICH MEANS IF THESE THINGS DON'T GET SETTLED BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING THEM SINCE SEPTEMBER OF 25, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BRING THE MATTER BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL. THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO. AND AN EVICTION WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION, BECAUSE YOU ARE PRACTICING IN THE PROPERTY. 
          MEDICAL. TREATMENT OF PATIENTS AND THE CITY IS NOT PROTECTED FOR ANY LIABILITY, FOR ANY ERRORS THAT MAY OCCUR IN YOUR TREATMENT. AND WE NEED TO BUTTON THAT UP. YOU NEED TO COME FORWARD. YOU NEED TO GIVE US INFORMATION, AND WE NEED TO GET SOME DOCUMENTATION IN PLACE RELATED TO YOUR OPERATION AT OUR FACILITY. AND. I'VE RECEIVED A COMMUNICATION FROM LORI VENTURA, WHO APPARENTLY IS AN OPERATING OFFICER OF THIS ESTABLISHMENT. ON FEBRUARY 20TH. 
          AND SHE INDICATED THAT SHE'S WORKING ON A SOLUTION. AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S PROBABLY THE CASE. I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING SINCE THAT TIME, BUT I BELIEVE THAT HER WORD IS GOOD AND THAT SHE IS WORKING ON A SOLUTION. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS YET, AND I WILL FOLLOW UP WITH HER IF I DON'T HEAR SOON WHAT HER VERSION OF A SOLUTION IS. BUT IN THE MEANTIME, THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF TALK IN AND AROUND THE COMMUNITY. AND SO I THOUGHT AT A MINIMUM, I SHOULD PROVIDE SOMEWHAT OF AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON AND WHY THE CITY FELT IT WAS APPROPRIATE TO TAKE SOME FORM OF ACTION, ABSENT THE APPROPRIATE FORMS OF PROTECTION THAT THE CITY WOULD NEED TO HAVE IN PLACE. WHEN SOMEONE IS AN OCCUPANT IN ONE OF OUR PROPERTIES, THAT NO, I WOULD JUST ADD THAT SOMEHOW THIS PARTICULAR FACILITY BECAME A MEDICAL CLINIC IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, AND WE ARE JUST NOT SET UP TO OPERATE THAT TYPE OF FACILITY OR TO HAVE THAT FACILITY ON GOVERNMENT PROPERTY. 
          AND AS THE CITY MANAGER SAID, THERE IS NO INSURANCE TO PROTECT THE CITY. AND I DON'T KNOW THAT OUR INSURANCE WOULD PROTECT US FROM ANY OF THOSE TYPES OF ACTIVITIES. WE'RE JUST NOT IN THE MEDICAL BUSINESS. THOSE THAT'S A VERY PARTICULAR SET OF SERVICES BEING PROVIDED, AND THIS WAS NEVER INTENDED FROM MY READING OF THE ORIGINAL LEASE TO BE USED FOR THAT TYPE OF ACTIVITY. SO IT IS A CONCERN. IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. AND THAT'S WHAT THE CITY MANAGER HAS BEEN TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH. THAT'S REALLY ALL I CAN ADD AT THIS TIME, BUT IT DOES NEED TO 
          [00:35:02]
BE ADDRESSED. IT'S A IT'S A TIME BOMB OF A SITUATION WITH WHATEVER IS GOING ON IN THAT FACILITY. WOULD YOU GO AHEAD AND READ THE VOXPOP? YES, SIR. MR. MAYOR, IF I MAY, I JUST WANT TO THANK THE. NO, JUST A SECOND. WE'RE DOING VOX POP RIGHT NOW. SO IF WE'RE ON THE TOPIC OF THE CLAUDE PEPPER CENTER, I DO WANT TO MAKE A QUICK INITIAL COMMENT. WE DID THIS FOR WHEN WE GET TO THE TIME WHEN WE CAN SPEAK, WE WILL. RIGHT NOW WE'RE DOING VOX POP AND YOU'LL HAVE YOUR CHANCE. SIR, I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT THE COMMUNICATIONS TAKE PLACE AFTER VOX POP AND THOSE INDIVIDUALS MAY LEAVE. EXCUSE ME SIR, PLEASE WAIT. THANK YOU. ALL THOSE IN ATTENDANCE MUST BE RESPECTFUL OF OTHERS OPINIONS AND REFRAIN FROM MAKING PERSONAL ATTACKS. ANY PERSON WHO BECOMES DISORDERLY OR WHO FAILS TO CONFINE REMARKS TO THE IDENTIFIED SUBJECT OR BUSINESS AT HAND, SHALL BE CAUTIONED BY THE PRESIDING OFFICER AND GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONCLUDE REMARKS ON THE SUBJECT IN A DECOROUS MANNER AND WITHIN THE DESIGNATED TIME LIMIT. ANY PERSON FAILING TO COMPLY, AS CAUTIONED MAY BE BARRED FROM MAKING ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS DURING THE MEETING BY THE PRESIDING OFFICER UNLESS PERMISSION TO CONTINUE OR AGAIN ADDRESS THE COUNCIL OR BOARD IS GRANTED BY THE MAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL OR BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT. WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT SIGNED UP. I DO HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. THE FIRST PERSON I HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IS JACKIE PHILLIPS. 
          JACKIE PHILLIPS, 54, 41 DRINKER DRIVE, NEW PORT RICHEY, FLORIDA. I JUST WANT YOU GUYS TO KNOW I DID MY DUE DILIGENCE. DILIGENCE. I WENT TO THE REC CENTER AND I HAD MY MEETING WITH CHUCK LANE, AND THEN I ALSO ATTENDED THE GUS BILIRAKIS THING THAT WAS HELD OUT AT THE CONFERENCE CENTER CONTROL CENTER, AND LISTENED TO CHUCK LANE SPEAK AGAIN, ALONG WITH ABOUT 15 OTHER PEOPLE. NOW, THE PROBLEM HERE IS I'M STILL ASKING THE CITY TO PROVIDE US WITH THE $45,000 FROM THE CRA FUNDING, AND THIS IS WHY. BECAUSE MEETING WITH CHUCK, THEY'VE PLACED $205 MILLION TO REPAIR AND REBUILD. BUT 70% OF THIS GOES TO LOW INCOME FAMILIES. 
          AND THERE'S ALREADY THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF APPLICATIONS OUT THERE. AND WHEN I ASKED HIM ABOUT THE MONEY FOR THE BACKFLOW VALVES, HE SAID EVERYONE WOULD HAVE TO APPLY INDIVIDUALLY. AND THAT'S NOT REALLY ABLE TO HAPPEN. AND THE FIVE, THE TWO, THE $205 MILLION, HE SAID, WILL COVER ABOUT 500 HOMES TO REPAIR AND REBUILD. AND EVEN IF WE MAKE APPLICATION, IT'S LOW ON THE TOTEM POLE BECAUSE IT'S IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, AND WITH THEIR FIVE COMMITTEE PEOPLE THAT HAS DECIDED HOW ALL OF THIS MONEY IS GOING TO GET DISPERSED, THAT WE WILL MORE THAN LIKELY, EVEN AS INDIVIDUALS NOT BE ABLE TO GET THE MONEY. SO I THINK THE CITY HERE, WE HAVE THREE MONTHS TO GO BEFORE THE NEXT HURRICANE SEASON. AND YES, IN 25 WE GOT VERY LUCKY AND WE'RE PRAYING LIKE HECK THAT WE GET VERY LUCKY AGAIN THIS YEAR. BUT WHAT IF IT DOESN'T HAPPEN? AND THEN WE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT GETTING ALL OF THIS SEWER BACK UP INTO OUR HOMES AGAIN, AND WE DON'T NEED IT AND DON'T WANT IT. WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A SAFE AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT TO LIVE IN, AND IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THERE'S ANY WAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET THIS FROM THE CITY, FROM THE PASCO COUNTY, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR RENOVATIONS OR REBUILDING. THANK YOU. WHO ELSE DO WE HAVE? NEXT PERSON WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IS BETH STEVENSON. CARRIE. I GOT TALLER. BEVIS STEVENSON, CARRIE, FIVE SEVEN, 
          [00:40:16]
ONE NINE LAFAYETTE STREET, NEW PORT RICHEY. ON BEHALF OF SOS REGARDING OUR REQUESTED VOLUNTEER CLEANUP FOR OUR BEAUTIFUL 1922 AND PROPERTIES, WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED ASSISTANCE AND ADDRESSING THE SPECIFICS IN LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS RELATED TO THE SCHEDULED CLEANUP OF THE 1922 GULF HIGH SCHOOL PROPERTIES, OUR CONSULTANT, MR. BYBEE OF GREEN AND GOOD, HAS REMAINED IN CONSISTENT COMMUNICATION WITH SAINT LEO UNIVERSITY REGARDING THE EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIP. A DRAFT MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING IS CURRENTLY IN DEVELOPMENT TO BETTER DEFINE THE SCOPE, STRUCTURE AND SHARED GOALS OF THAT COLLABORATION. WE ANTICIPATE REACHING AGREEMEN& WITHIN THE COMING WEEK WITH CHASCO FIESTA RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER. APPROACHING QUICKLY, WE FEEL IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE COMMUNITY AND VISITING COUNTIES SEE THE PROPERTY PRESENTED IN ITS BEST, BEAUTIFUL CONDITION. 
          WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST SCHEDULING AND INITIAL CLEANUP FOR SATURDAY THE 14TH FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON THE VISIBLE SCHOOL GROUNDS AND FACADE. ALL RIVER RELATED ACTIVITIES WILL BE RESERVED FOR A DATE SOON. ONCE COORDINATION WITH SAINT LEO IS FINALIZED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH MISS MANS AND OTHER HELPING OTHER OTHERS THAT ARE HELPING FOR YOUR ATTENTIVENESS AND CONTINUED SUPPORT ON THIS IMPORTANT MATTER TO US. FOLLOW UP AND COMMUNICATIONS WOULD BE VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. THIS EVENING OUR SOS GROUP, ALSO KNOWN AS NONPROFIT CREEK DOING BUSINESS AS FRIENDS OF 1922, LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE CITY AND OTHER SUPPORTING NONPROFITS WITH THE SAME COMMUNITY VISION TO BRING THIS ICON AND PROPERTIES ALONG. 
          AWAITED BEAUTIFICATION AND LOTS OF TLC. THANK YOU. NEXT PERSON I HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IS SCOTT CHITTUM. SCOTT CHITTUM, 5708 KENTUCKY AVENUE. GOOD EVENING. I WANT TO TAKE YOU BACK TO YOUR VOTE OF FEBRUARY 3RD WITH THE CRA FOR YOUR GRANT APPROVALS. I REALIZED THAT THERE WAS THERE'S TWO ADDRESSES THERE, BUT IT'S THE SAME EXACT PROJECT. OKAY. IF YOU'RE GOING TO, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT IF YOU'RE GOING TO APPROVE FUNDING FOR AN ADDRESS, THEN DO IT FOR THAT ADDRESS AND THEN DO IT FOR THIS ADDRESS. THESE ARE THE SAME PROJECT. I DON'T THINK THAT WAS THE INTENT OF THE CRA. AS FAR AS THE APPLICATION GOES. IT TALKS ABOUT OR ASKS FOR APPLICATION MUST INCLUDE TWO BIDS FROM LICENSED CONTRACTORS. HOW MANY DID Y'ALL SEE? ONE. 
          ANOTHER FORM SAYS THIS. THIS FORM MUST BE REVIEWED AND SIGNED BY THE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVE PRIOR TO SUBMITTING APPLICATION TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STAFF. 
          NOTHING THERE. NOTHING. IT ASKS THE APPLICANT TO PROVIDE. YOU KNOW, WHAT TYPE OF OPERATION OF ONE OF THE FOLLOWING BUSINESSES? CHECK ONE. NOTHING. YOU APPROVED NINE AIR CONDITIONERS. 
          SEVEN OF THEM ARE UPSTAIRS. I ASK YOU WHAT? WHAT'S THE ADDRESS THERE? IS IT IS IT PART OF ONE OF THE THE MISSION STATEMENTS OF A CRA? IS THERE RETAIL UP THERE? IS THERE A COFFEE SHOP? WHAT IS IT? RESIDENTIAL. PROBABLY. I DON'T THINK THAT'S AN APPROVED USE FOR OUR CRA FUNDS. SO YOU SPENT 54,000 FOR AIR CONDITIONERS, PLUS THE ACCOMPANYING 24,000 FOR ELECTRIC. ON TO THE FACADE IMPROVEMENT. AGAIN SIGNED BY THE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVE. NOTHING THERE. ZERO. NOTHING CHECKED OFF. FOR WHAT TYPE OF BUSINESS? YOU APPROVED? SKYLIGHT REPAIR AND ROOF REPAIRS. ABOUT $4,000 WORTH, WHICH WAS ALREADY 
          [00:45:01]
COMMENCED AND PAID FOR IN DECEMBER OF 2025. IT SPECIFICALLY STATES IN HERE ANY ITEMS COMPLETED BEFORE THE APPLICANT PRIOR TO CRA APPROVAL MAY BE EXCLUDED. I DON'T SEE HOW A ROOF REPAIR AND A SKYLIGHT IS PART OF A FACADE IMPROVEMENT. I DON'T SEE IT. 
          YOU KNOW, THE THE STATE LEGISLATOR, LATE LEGISLATURE RECENTLY, YOU KNOW, TRIED TO MESS WITH THE CRAS AND THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO ELIMINATE CRAS AND THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO STOP THE FUNDING. I DON'T WANT YOU TO GIVE THEM ANY MORE FUEL. AND FOR THE RECORD, I WHEN I WAS ON COUNCIL, I APPROVED THE CRA FOR THE ENTIRE CITY. THANK YOU. NEXT PERSON I HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IS JUNE PEARSON. JUNE PEARSON, 5637 GEORGIA AVENUE. I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT A NUMBER OF THINGS, BUT THE OVERALL TOPIC IS TRANSPARENCY AND WHAT YOUR JOB AS CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR ARE AND WHY. I HAD TO ASK FOR COMMUNICATIONS FROM YOU REGARDING THE ISSUE OF THE CLEANUP COMMITTEE, WHICH OUR GROUP OF FOLKS SPECIFICALLY ASKED IN A CERTIFIED LETTER TO THE CITY IN SEPTEMBER FOR A DATE AND AS LATE AS THE DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY, OR MAYBE IT WAS EVEN YESTERDAY, WE WERE SUDDENLY MADE AWARE OF THE FACT THAT YOU WANTED A DIRECT COMMUNICATION AND A DATE FROM SAINT LEO'S COLLEGE IN ORDER TO SCHEDULE OUR CLEANUP EVENT. NOW, WE COULD HAVE BEEN LET KNOW ABOUT THAT A LONG TIME AGO. BUT IN PREPARATION FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING, I SAW THAT THE AUDIT WAS ON THE AGENDA. SO I WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT THE CITY BUDGET FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. IT'S POSTED ON THE WEBSITE. FIRST OF ALL, THERE WAS NO AUDIT REPORT DATA, NOT EVEN THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION IN THE MEETING AGENDA PACKET. SO WE COULDN'T READ HALF OF THE SLIDES THAT WERE NOTED. ONE OF THE THINGS AN INQUIRING CITIZEN MIGHT WANT TO KNOW IS WHAT REVENUE COMES TO THE CITY FROM SALES TAX, HOW MUCH COMES FROM FINES TO CITIZENS, HOW MUCH COMES FROM CODE ENFORCEMENT QUESTIONS LIKE THAT THAT COULDN'T POSSIBLY BE ANSWERED BY ANY OF THE DOCUMENTS THAT WERE SHOWN TO YOU TONIGHT. AND IT CERTAINLY WEREN'T IN YOUR PACKET. THE QUESTION IS YOU NEED TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE ISSUES DURING COMMUNICATIONS. TOO MANY TIMES, IT APPEARS THAT THE PUBLIC CAN ONLY GET YOUR ATTENTION WHEN THEY'RE HERE MAKING A FUSS ABOUT A PARTICULAR ISSUE, OR SOCIAL MEDIA STARTS GETTING LOUD ABOUT CERTAIN TOPICS THAT DOES NOT SERVE YOU WELL AS COUNCILMAN OR AS THE MAYOR OF THIS CITY. IT MEANS THAT VOTERS CAN ONLY REACT AT ELECTION TIME BECAUSE THEY AREN'T HEARING THE FULL STORY ON 90% OF THE ISSUES THAT COME BEFORE THIS COUNCIL. IT'S TIME TO GET REAL. IT'S TIME NOT TO LET OUR BUILDING OVER ON GULF AND BOULEVARD BECOME A DERELICT BUILDING BECAUSE OF INACTIVITY. THERE, BY THE WAY, IS NOTHING IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET THIS YEAR FOR THAT BUILDING'S MAINTENANCE, OTHER THAN A $200,000 LINE ITEM THAT'S LEFT OVER FROM LAST YEAR'S BUDGET. NOTHING UNTIL 1927 UNTIL 2027. BUDGET YEAR. THANK YOU. NEXT PERSON I'VE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IS RITA KING. 
          RITA KING 10926 BOUNTY STREET, NEW PORT RICHEY, IN REFERENCE TO THE SWETMAN PROPERTIES. I HAVE A QUESTION, A REQUEST AND SOME INFORMATION LOOKING ON THE CITY WEBSITE. THE LAST CRA REDEVELOPMENT MASTER PLAN UPDATE IS FROM 2023. MY QUESTION IS WHERE CAN WE LOCATE AND VIEW? THE RECENT PLANNING BOARD PRIORITIES? OKAY, MY REQUEST IS SOS GROUP RESPECTFULLY REQUESTS THE CRA PLANNING BOARD PRIORITIES BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC 
          [00:50:03]
AND POSTED ON THE CITY WEBSITE. UNDER INFORMATION. THE ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTION REPORT THAT WE ALL HEARD ON JANUARY THE 22ND ON THE SWETMAN PROPERTIES, CLAIMED NO HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES, NO EVIDENCE OF FLUID LEAKAGE OR CHEMICAL STRESSED VEGETATION, NO SEPTIC SYSTEMS AND THE SURROUNDING PROPERTIES WERE NOT POTENTIAL CONTAMINATION THREATS. 
          SO OVERALL, THERE WAS NO LIMITING CONDITIONS REGARDING ACCESS TO THE PROPERTY AND THE BUILDINGS. OTHER ORGANIZATIONS HAVE BEEN USING THIS PROPERTY FOR YEARS. WE COULD BE GENERATING REVENUE FOR THE PROJECT NOW IF THE COUNCIL WOULD TAKE THE FIRST STEP FORWARD, WHICH ONLY YOU ALL CAN DO, IT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. WATCHING OTHER CITY PROJECTS MOVE SMOOTHLY PAST US WHILE WE STANDING STILL WITH CONSTANT DELAYS, KIND OF MAKES US WONDER IF THERE'S A HIGHER POWER, HOPING WE'LL DIE OFF FIRST. YES, YOU KNOW WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE AND GROW OLD CIRCLE OF LIFE AND ALL THAT. BUT THERE IS A GROWING GROUP OF SUPPORTERS, FRIENDS, FAMILIES, CHILDREN, GRANDKIDS AND A MUCH LARGER GROUP OF YOUNGER GULF HIGH ALUMNI ALL COMMITTED TO SEE THIS PROJECT HAPPEN. SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO AWAY. THE FACES MAY CHANGE, BUT I'VE BEEN TOLD THE FUTURE GENERATIONS ARE ALL IN UNTIL THIS PROJECT BECOMES A REALITY. AND AS A COURTESY, WE THOUGHT YOU ALL WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THIS. THANK YOU. FINAL PERSON I HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IS DAISY THOMAS. GOOD EVENING. MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, CITY STAFF. HAPPY IRISH AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. MY NAME IS DAISY THOMAS. I'M 5703 TENNESSEE AVENUE. WHEN AN ADDRESS, PLEASE NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. OKAY. I'M SORRY I MISSED DAISY THOMAS, 5703 TENNESSEE AVENUE. I WANT TO THANK THE CITY MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY FOR SPEAKING TO THIS ISSUE PRIOR TO OPENING VOX POP, AS IT HAS SPARKED MUCH DISCUSSION BOTH ONLINE AND OFF. AS MENTIONED, ON FEBRUARY 16TH, THE CITY MANAGER SENT A LETTER TO THE FREE SENIOR HEALTH CLINIC DIRECTING THEM TO VACATE THE CLAUDE PEPPER SENIOR CENTER WITHIN 30 DAYS. THAT PUSHED THE DEADLINE AT APPROXIMATELY MARCH 18TH. THE COMMUNITY LEARNED ABOUT THIS NOT THROUGH ANY CITY COMMUNICATION, BUT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA. MORE THAN 1200 SENIORS HAVE ACTIVE APPOINTMENTS AT THAT CLINIC. 
          THEY DESERVE CLARITY AND THEY DESERVE IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I AM NOT HERE TO RELITIGATE THE UNDERLYING DISPUTE. THE CITY HAS IDENTIFIED TWO SPECIFIC ISSUES. THE CLINIC DOES NOT HAVE A VALID LEASE AGREEMENT, AND THE LIABILITY INSURANCE SUBMITTED WAS DEEMED INSUFFICIENT. THOSE MAY BE LEGITIMATE CONCERNS. WHAT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE IS THAT A 30 DAY CLOCK IS RUNNING ON SERVICES THAT AFFECT OVER 1000 UNINSURED SENIORS, WITH NO VISIBLE PUBLIC PROCESS AND NO CONTINUITY PLAN. I AM ASKING FOR VERIFIED FACTS AND A TRANSPARENT PROCESS ON FOUR POINTS. FIRST, WHAT IS THE CURE PATH AND TIMELINE? IF THIS IS A DOCUMENTATION AND INSURANCE ISSUE, WHAT EXACTLY DOES THE CLINIC NEED TO PROVIDE BY WHEN AND WHAT IS THE CITY DOING TO FACILITATE RESOLUTION BEFORE MARCH 18TH? SECOND, WHAT IS THE CITY DOING TO PREVENT A GAP IN CARE WHILE COMPLIANCE IS BEING VERIFIED? THIRD, IF DISRUPTION CANNOT BE AVOIDED, WHAT IS THE CONTINUITY PLAN? SENIORS WITH CHRONIC CONDITIONS CANNOT BE LEFT WITHOUT PROVIDERS RECORDS OR REFERRALS. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE, NO LONGER AN ADMINISTRATIVE ONE. 
          FOURTH WHO IS THE CURRENT LEASE HOLDER OF RECORD, AND WHAT PROCESS WILL GOVERN ANY NEW OR RENEGOTIATED AGREEMENTS SO THAT THE PROCESS IS VISIBLE AND ON RECORD? I AM REQUESTING TWO PROCEDURAL STEPS ONE A WRITTEN STAFF UPDATE ANSWERING THOSE QUESTIONS IN PLAIN LANGUAGE WITH SPECIFIC DATES AND DEADLINES WITHIN ONE WEEK. AND TWO, THAT COUNCIL PLACED THIS ON A FUTURE AGENDA FOR PUBLIC DISCUSSION EVEN WITHOUT A VOTE TONIGHT. THIS BELONGS ON RECORD, IN ONE PLACE. AND WITH THE FACTS AND THE PLAN, THE COMMUNITY SHOULD NOT HAVE TO CHASE CRITICAL INFORMATION ABOUT SENIOR HEALTH CARE THROUGH RUMOR AND SOCIAL MEDIA. 
          THAT IS BASIC GOVERNANCE STANDARD AND IT APPLIES HERE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. 
          DO WE HAVE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? YEAH. DALE WEBB 5647 KENTUCKY. YEAH. I'VE BEEN APPROACHED BY SOME PEOPLE THAT LIVE OVER AND I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY ELECTED ME OTHER THAN THEY THE ONE GUY WHO WORKS AT NIGHT. BUT APPARENTLY THE INTERSECTION OF VAN BUREN AND INDIANA, THE FOUR WAY STOP SIGN THERE, PEOPLE ARE FLYING THROUGH THERE. THEY'RE FLYING THROUGH THERE. AND. THEY I'VE NOTICED THAT, YOU KNOW, I'VE KIND OF LIKE FOUR OF THESE FOUR 
          [00:55:06]
WAY STOP SIGNS. THEY DON'T BOTHER ME. IF PEOPLE WOULD JUST LEARN NOT TO BE TRY TO BE POLITE AND JUST GO WHEN IT'S YOUR TURN AND GO, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE ARE IDIOTS AND THEY WANT TO BE NICE AND SAY, NO, YOU GO FOR IT. NO, YOU GO FIRST. BUT I KNOW DOWN THERE. BY THE SCHOOL WHERE THEY GOT THE, YOU KNOW, THE STOP SIGN UP WITH THE REFLECTORS. OKAY. FANTASTIC. 
          THAT THAT IS A VERY DANGEROUS INTERSECTION THERE AT INDIANA. AND IT'S THE INDIANA TRAFFIC GOING NORTH AND SOUTH. I BELIEVE IT'S CAUSING A PROBLEM. NOT NOT VAN BUREN. SO I SUGGEST MAYBE MAYBE THINK ABOUT GETTING SOME REFLECTORS ON THE SIDES HERE. I DON'T KNOW I DON'T KNOW THE CHIEF IF YOU'VE HAD ANY TERRIBLE ACCIDENTS THERE OR NOT. IT THAT INTERSECTION OF INDIANA AND VAN BUREN, BUT THEY'RE FLYING THROUGH THERE. OKAY. FIRST THING I WANTED TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION GRANTS. GRANTS FOR INDIVIDUALS. I WAS PAYING MY WATER BILL A MONTH AGO. WHATEVER. AND I STOPPED IN TO VISIT THE GIRLS IN PERMITTING. I'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THEM FOR YEARS AND A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM. AND I ASKED HIM, I SAID I'D LIKE TO STAY UP ON THINGS FOR MY CUSTOMERS, TO KNOW WHAT'S AVAILABLE WHEN IT'S AVAILABLE. 
          THEY SAID, WE DON'T KNOW THAT ANYMORE. YOU HAVE TO GO UPSTAIRS TO FIND THAT OUT. WHEN DID THAT ALL CHANGE? WHERE PEOPLE CAN JUST WALK RIGHT INTO, YOU KNOW, DOWNSTAIRS WHERE YOU GET PERMITS AND GET THE INFORMATION, YOU KNOW, WHY DID THEY MAKE IT MORE COMPLICATED? DID WE GOT TO GO THROUGH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE? THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WHAT I WAS TOLD BY TAMMY AND THE GIRLS. AND I WAS KIND OF SHOCKED. THEY KNEW NOTHING ABOUT ANY. AND I LOVE THE GIRLS. I'VE HAD A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM OVER THE YEARS, BUT THEY SAID ANY BODY THAT WOULD KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT GRANTS WOULD BE UPSTAIRS. IT REALLY CONFUSED ME, YOU KNOW? WHY BE SO HARD FOR A CUSTOMER, YOU KNOW, TAXPAYER, TO WALK IN AND NOT BE ABLE TO ASK A SIMPLE QUESTION, YOU KNOW? DON'T REALLY GOT TIME FOR THIS, BUT I GOT A QUESTION. WE GOT A LICENSE PAVER THAT LIVES ON THE CIRCLE. WHY WASN'T HE GIVEN A CHANCE TO BID ON THIS PAVING WORK THAT WAS DONE IN THE CITY? HE'S GOT THE EQUIPMENT AND HE WAS NEVER GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO TO EVEN BID ON THE PAVING. AND HE'D BEEN HERE A LONG TIME. AND MY TIME'S UP AND THAT'S IT. 
          I'M JUST THANK YOU. A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED THAT ONE OF OUR LONG TIME RESIDENTS WASN'T GIVEN A CHANCE OPPORTUNITY TO TO BID THIS PAVING WORK. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? PUT THE MIC UP. ALL RIGHT. MARLOW JONES, I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL THE WONDERFUL RESIDENTS. PLEASE DON'T HAVE TO GIVE THAT, MR. MAYOR. YOU KNOW THAT. ANYWAYS, MY ADDRESS IS PROTECTED, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU WOULD DO THAT. YOU KNOW THE RULES. YOU KNOW THAT. ANYWAYS, SO I JUST WANT TO STAND HERE WITH THE PEOPLE HERE AND JUST ASK THAT THE COUNCIL LISTEN TO OUR MEMBERS AND THE SOS GROUP. WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE A FASTER PACED TRACT ON THIS. WE BOUGHT THE PROPERTY. WE DON'T WANT TO SEE Y'ALL HOLDING AND WALKING YOUR FEET. WE'D ACTUALLY LIKE TO SEE MAYBE A TOWN HALL OR SOMETHING WHERE YOU GUYS CAN INVITE US HERE AND UPDATE US, UPDATE US ON WHAT'S GOING ON, WHY IT MIGHT BE TAKING A LITTLE BIT LONGER JUST SO WE'RE ALL TRANSPARENT AND WE ALL KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, BECAUSE THAT'S A BIG PROBLEM WE HAVE WITH OUR COUNCIL RIGHT NOW IS TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY. 
          SO THAT'S THE FIRST THING I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY. I SUPPORT THEM. AND I JUST HOPE THAT YOU, AS THE COUNCIL, TAKE THE POWER THAT YOU ALL COLLECTIVELY HAVE. YOU ALL COLLECTIVELY HAVE POWER TO DO THINGS. SO MAYBE YOU GUYS COULD SET ON THE AGENDA FOR A TOWN HALL SO WE COULD DISCUSS SOME OF THESE THINGS. ANOTHER THING WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION AND I WOULD JUST LIKE, I KNOW YOU'RE NOT GOING TO TELL ME NOW, BUT POSSIBLY IN COMMUNICATIONS, YOU COULD TELL US IF THERE IS A SINKHOLE AT THE NEW FIRE STATION. SO IF THAT COULD BE BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION, IF CITY MANAGER OR PUBLIC WORKS OR ANYBODY COULD COMMENT ON THAT. 
          AND THE LAST THING I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IS TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY. WE JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. IT SHOULDN'T BE THAT HARD TO GET BACK TO THESE WONDERFUL FOLKS, BECAUSE I COULD TELL YOU, WE'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE. WE'RE GOING TO KEEP BUGGING Y'ALL UNTIL WE GET ANSWERS, UNTIL WE GET PROGRESS. THAT IS A BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF PROPERTY. WE WANT TO SEE. IT TURNED INTO THE VISION THAT WE HAVE ALL PUT BEFORE YOU SO MANY TIMES. SO WE HOPE THAT YOU LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE AND GIVE US THE RESPECT WE DESERVE. BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, 
          [01:00:04]
WE ELECTED YOU, WE PUT YOU IN THOSE POSITIONS AND YOU WORK FOR THE PEOPLE. IF ANYBODY ELSE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, SEE NO ONE ELSE, COME FORWARD OR BRING IT BACK. AND YOU WANTED TO MENTION SOMETHING ABOUT WHAT DEBBIE HAD TALKED ABOUT? YES. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THAT PART. JUST THAT PART. YEAH. YEAH, WE DID THAT OUT OF ORDER. THE. THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE BY OUR CITY MANAGER. I WANT TO ADD SOME CONTEXT TO THEM. FOR EXAMPLE, DURING VOXPOP. AND PERHAPS THIS STATEMENT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SAID AT VOXPOP IF WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONTEXTUALIZE THAT THEY WERE ONLY GIVEN 30 DAYS NOTICE. THERE'S A 30 DAY CLOCK. THE REALITY IS THAT OUR CITY MANAGER HAS BEEN ATTEMPTING TO GET AHOLD OF THE PARTICULAR ENTITY WITH A LEASE AGREEMENT FOR SOME TIME NOW, AND OUR CITY COUNCIL WAS MADE AWARE ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS DATING BACK TO DECEMBER, AND THEN AGAIN IN FEBRUARY AND JANUARY OF THE ONGOING SITUATION AS IT RELATES TO THE CLAUDE PEPPER CENTER. AND SO WE'VE I CAN SPEAK ONLY FOR MYSELF, BUT THE CITY MANAGER HAS EMPOWERED EACH OF US AS THE ELECTED OFFICIALS UP HERE WITH THE INFORMATION WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO INFORM THE PUBLIC. SO I FOUND IT A LITTLE INAPPROPRIATE THAT WE HAD TO PUT THE CITY MANAGER ON THE SPOT AND ASK HER TO MAKE AN EXPLANATION. I'M MORE THAN CAPABLE OF SPEAKING FOR THE INFORMATION SHE HAS RELAYED TO US. AND THAT BEING SAID, THE THE PROCESS THAT'S TAKING PLACE HAS INVOLVED COMMUNICATION. ONE TWO. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, SINCE THIS LATEST ARTIFACT HAS COME TO LIGHT, IF THAT'S HOW WE WANT TO CHARACTERIZE IT, OF A POTENTIAL EVICTION THAT SEEMS TO HAVE GOTTEN THE CONVERSATION MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. SO WHAT I WILL SAY IS, THROUGH ALL THAT NOISE, I REALLY THINK THERE IS GOING TO BE AN EFFECTIVE SOLUTION. THANKS TO THE CITY, THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CITY STAFF'S DECISION TO GO THIS ROUTE TO ACTUALLY GET SERVICES PROVIDED TO THESE RESIDENTS AND NONRESIDENTS, THE MEDICAL SERVICES PROVIDED, OR WHATEVER ADDITIONAL SERVICES ARE RENDERED THROUGH A LEASE THROUGH THE PROPER PROCESS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S SAFE, IT'S UP TO CODE, IT'S UP TO STANDARD, AND THAT WE'RE NOT PROVIDING, YOU KNOW, MEDICAL SERVICES THAT DON'T MEET THE GRADE THAT'S NECESSARY. SO THANK YOU FOR THE CITY MANAGER FOR VOLUNTEERING TO PROVIDE AN EXPLANATION. BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT SHOULD COME FROM THE MAYOR IN THIS COUNCIL. 
          SPEAK ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT? I, I HAVE A JUST A I GUESS A COUNTERPOINT TO THE COMMENT BY OUR CITY ATTORNEY ABOUT THE APPROPRIATENESS OF A CLINIC THERE. IT WAS OVER 30 YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS A CPA WORKING IN THE OLD ROSCOE'S DRUGSTORE, THAT I HAD A CUSTOMER COME IN. I THOUGHT HE WAS A CUSTOMER, BUT IT WAS AN OLDER GENTLEMAN. HE HAD EYE SURGERY AND HE WAS UNABLE TO BE DOING SURGERY ANYMORE. SO HE WAS LOOKING TO GO TO THE FREE CLINIC OR A CLINIC IN TAMPA. AND I WAS AWARE THAT THERE WAS AT THAT TIME AND REMAINED AT THAT FACILITY THAT I THINK THE ALZHEIMER'S ORGANIZATION WAS RUNNING PART OF IT. BUT THERE WAS OVER 30 YEARS AGO, A CLINIC. SO I TOLD THE I TOLD THE DOCTOR THAT I WOULD TRY TO FIND OUT IF THEY NEEDED A DOCTOR. HE WAS LOOKING TO SERVE. HE WAS UNABLE TO PRACTICE, BUT HE WANTED TO SERVE IN THAT CAPACITY. HE CAME BACK A WEEK LATER AS I HAD ASKED HIM TO, AND I HAD FAILED TO FOLLOW UP ON IT. SO ASKING HIM TO WAIT IN THE LOBBY, I CALLED THE CENTER AND SPOKE TO THE PERSON, ASKED IF I COULD TALK TO THE MANAGER OF THE BUILDING, AND VERY STRANGELY, THAT WAS THE SAME DAY. THE MANAGER CAME ON TO THE PHONE AND SAID SOMEONE KNOCKED AT THE DOOR. JUST AS I WAS TELLING MY STAFF THAT OUR DOCTOR HAD DECIDED NOT TO PRACTICE ANYMORE, AND I TOLD THE GROUP THAT I'M NOT MUCH TO PRAY, BUT I THINK ALL WE HAVE LEFT IS TO PRAY. 
          AND AT THAT POINT THE DOOR KNOCKED AND THE MANAGER SAID, THE MAYOR IS ON THE PHONE AND HE'S GOT A DOCTOR WHO WANTS TO SERVE. AND HE WENT AND SERVED THERE AND WAS ONE OF THE MOST SORT OF CHILLING EPISODES FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO BE A PART OF, OF A PLAN WHICH I FELT WAS NOT MINE. BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS, 30 SOME YEARS AGO THERE WAS A CLINIC THERE. IT HAS RUN FOR A LONG TIME, AND SO I AM QUESTIONING THAT THE CITY IS NOT TO BE IN THAT BUSINESS. IT WAS IN THAT BUSINESS, I THINK, AS CARES WAS THERE, AND I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO CORRECT THE RECORD ON THAT AND TO SAY INDICATING THAT IT'S NOT APPROPRIATE FOR THE CITY OR WE HAVEN'T BEEN IN IT. WE'VE BEEN IN IT FOR A LONG TIME. BUT IT'S ALSO APPROPRIATE TO SAY THAT THE CITY DOES NOT CHARGE ANY MONEY IN RENT. SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT EVICTION, THERE IS NO 
          [01:05:05]
RENT. THE CITY SHOULD BE CREDITED FOR ALL THE WORK IT'S DONE. AND THE DISAPPOINTMENT TO ME IS THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THE DAYCARE FACILITIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR FOLKS LIKE MYSELF WHO WERE INVOLVED IN CAREGIVING THROUGH A HOSPICE SITUATION AND, AND RECEIVED, I GUESS, THE SLEEP DEPRIVATION THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR ELDERLY. WE HAVE A DESPERATE NEED FOR THIS SERVICE. WE HAD A LARGE GRANT THAT WAS BEING BROUGHT TO US BY AREA AGENCY ON AGING. GOOD NEWS IS THEY FOUND ANOTHER LOCATION THEY WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE THERE BECAUSE OF DIFFICULTIES IN US ASSEMBLING AN APPROPRIATE SPOT FOR THEM. BUT WE NEED THESE KIND OF SERVICES. THE CITY HAS ALWAYS BEEN THERE TO HELP, AND THAT CLAUDE PEPPER CENTER IS THERE FOR SENIORS. I HOPE NOT ONLY THAT WE CAN SOLVE THE PROBLEM, BUT I HOPE THAT WE CAN RESTORE THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE BUILDING, BECAUSE WE REALLY DO NEED A PLACE FOR OUR SENIORS TO BE ABLE TO GO AND ENJOY BEING IN OUR CITY. SO I THINK BEYOND JUST THE DISCUSSION, IT'S A BIGGER QUESTION, AND I DO AGREE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE THIS ON AN AGENDA SO WE CAN TALK TO IT. I ASSUME MY COLLEAGUES DO AS WELL. MATT, YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING? YEAH, I JUST WANT TO SAY IT. YOU KNOW, WE WE WANT WE WANT THIS ISSUE TO BE RESOLVED. AND WE'RE NOT TRYING TO NEGLECT ANYONE OR SO THEY DON'T HAVE CARE. YOU KNOW, THERE'S TWO THERE'S TWO SIDES TO IT. I MEAN, YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND, WE YOU KNOW, THE CITY HAS TO DO THEIR JOB TO PROTECT THE CITIZENS, TOO. AND, YOU KNOW, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, IF SOMETHING HAPPENED IN THERE, SOMEONE DIED OR WHATEVER, AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE PROPER CERTIFICATIONS OR INSURANCE, AND THEN THEY'RE SUING THE CITY, AND WE GET HIT WITH A COUPLE MILLION DOLLAR LAWSUIT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. YOU'RE GOING TO TURN RIGHT AROUND AND LOOK AT US AND BE LIKE, WHY DON'T YOU GUYS STOP THAT FROM HAPPENING? YOU KNOW? SO THERE'S TWO SIDES TO EVERY EVERY STORY. WE'RE DOING OUR DUE DILIGENCE TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS LEGIT SO THE SERVICES CAN HAPPEN. SO JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND. IT'S YOU KNOW AND I SAY THIS ALL THE TIME, IF YOU SEE IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA IT'S PROBABLY NOT TRUE. YOU KNOW, TRY TO GET THE INFORMATION FIRST TO STIR THINGS UP AND AND SAY THINGS THAT THEY HAVE NO CLUE ABOUT THE SITUATION. SO JUST BE JUST JUST REALIZE THAT. AND WE'RE TRYING TO TRYING TO MAKE MAKE THIS WORK AND, AND GET THROUGH THE PROCESS. BUT WE HAVE TO WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO OUR CITIZENS, FINANCIALLY AND HEALTH WISE, TO MAKE SURE THAT THINGS ARE PROPER. RIGHT? JUST JUST REAL QUICK. I MEAN, I, I AGREE WITH WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE ALL SAID, YOU KNOW, AND ME PERSONALLY, ONE OF THE DOCTORS WHO WORKS THERE, I'VE BEEN COMMUNICATING WITH HIM DIRECTLY, YOU KNOW, AND HE KIND OF ALLUDED TO ME THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE A SOLUTION. AND HE ALSO KIND OF ALLUDED THAT, YOU KNOW, CAN WE HELP THEM WITH MAYBE AN EXTENSION. SO I JUST WANT TO BRING THAT POINT TO YOU GUYS, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE DON'T WANT TO PUT ANY ELDERLY ON THE STREET THAT NEED THE HELP, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO PROTECT OUR LIABILITY SITUATION THERE. SO I'M HOPING WITH THE CITY MANAGER OR CITY ATTORNEY, WE CAN MAYBE COME UP WITH SOME SORT OF EXTENSION FOR THEM, BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY MIGHT HAVE AN ALTERNATE LOCATION, WHICH, LIKE YOU GUYS SAID, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO KICK HIM OUT. BUT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO PRACTICE, YOU KNOW, CORRECTLY, YOU DON'T HAVE A LEASE THAT'S VALID. 
          WE'VE GOT TO PROTECT THE CITIZENS HERE. AND THAT'S REALLY THE BOTTOM LINE. BUT WE ALSO PROTECT OUR ELDERLY. SO WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO COME UP WITH SOME SORT OF A, MAYBE AN EXTENSION TO ALLOW THEM TO STAY THERE UNTIL THEY CAN GET THEIR NEXT LOCATION. BUT IF THAT HAPPENS, THEN OBVIOUSLY THEY NEED TO PROVIDE AT LEAST SOME SORT OF INSURANCE, SOME DOCUMENTATION. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE YOU GUYS AWARE OF THAT. I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT YOU'RE NOT A ONE PERSON HERE AT HOME OR HERE IS GOING TO LET SOMEBODY DRIVE THEIR CAR WITHOUT AN WITHOUT A DRIVER'S LICENSE, YOU KNOW, JUST NOT GOING TO LET THAT HAPPEN. 
          THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW. WE'RE NOT GOING TO LET PEOPLE DRIVE OUR OUR PROPERTIES WITHOUT A LICENSE, YOU KNOW, OR INSURANCE. SO WE GOT TO KEEP THAT IN MIND, YOU KNOW, PROTECT OUR OWN INVESTMENTS HERE. I AND I THINK THERE'S LIKE, I THINK 3 OR 4 OTHER PLACES THEY CAN GO IN IN PASCO COUNTY TO GET HELP AT THIS POINT. SO IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S CLOSED DOOR FOR EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY THAT'S IN HERE. SO THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES HERE. AND WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS IT. AND WE'RE ADDRESSING IT NOW THAT THEY'VE STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE, WHICH THEY HADN'T DONE SINCE WHAT SEPTEMBER. YOU SAID IT WAS ORIGINALLY SEPTEMBER WHEN WE. 
          SO THEY'RE JUST HERE AT THE END WHEN WE KIND OF, YOU KNOW, PUT THE, YOU KNOW, THE STOP ON IT. 
          THEN THEY THEN THEY ALL SUDDEN WAKE UP. SO I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW, LET YOU KNOW, I THINK ALL ALL FIVE OF US UP HERE HAVE AN OPEN DOOR POLICY INSTEAD OF MAKING, YOU KNOW, FOOLISH 
          [01:10:03]
COMMENTS ON FACEBOOK. DO YOU COME AND ASK US BECAUSE WE PROBABLY KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHATEVER WAS WRITTEN IN FACEBOOK THAN WHAT WHAT REALITY IS. SO JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND, PLEASE. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. I'M SORRY. YEAH. BRIAN, YOU HAD MENTIONED AN EXTENSION ON THE EVICTION. IS THAT CITY ATTORNEY? IS THAT SOMETHING WE NEED TO LEGISLATIVELY COMMENT ON? NO, I WAS I WAS GOING TO MENTION THAT TWO THINGS. NUMBER ONE, I APPRECIATE COUNCILMAN ALTMAN'S PERSPECTIVE ON IT, BECAUSE THAT'S INFORMATION I WASN'T AWARE OF THAT THIS MAY HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR A MUCH LONGER PERIOD OF TIME. WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THIS WAS PRETTY WAS PROBABLY UNDER THE CARES CONTRACT. AND IT MAY HAVE IT MAY HAVE EVOLVED. THERE'S NOTHING IN THE LEASE THAT INDICATES THAT TYPE OF ACTIVITY. IT MAY HAVE JUST SORT OF EVOLVED OVER TIME. AND NOW IT'S MAYBE JUST GETTING BIGGER. BUT AS TO THE EVICTION, I HAVE NO INTENTION OF FILING AN EVICTION WITHOUT A VOTE OF THIS. COUNCIL AUTHORIZED ME TO DO SO. SO THERE IS NO DEADLINE IN THAT RESPECT AS TO WHEN THAT WILL BE COMMENCED. AND OBVIOUSLY I WON'T DO THAT UNTIL WE'VE HAD A CHANCE. I THINK THE CITY MANAGER HASN'T HAD A FULL CHANCE TO TRY TO WORK OUT THE ISSUES, SO THAT HOPEFULLY WE CAN BRING YOU SOMETHING THAT WILL BE A SOLUTION, AND THEN YOU CAN DECIDE WHETHER YOU ACCEPT THAT A SOLUTION OR NOT OR DIRECT US IN ANOTHER WAY. SO THERE WILL BE NO EVICTION. YOU DON'T NEED TO TAKE ANY ACTION. 
          IF YOU WANTED TO TELL ME, HEY, THIS IS TOO BIG, YOU NEED TO START THAT EVICTION NOW. YOU COULD. I DON'T RECOMMEND THAT. I'M NOT AT THAT POINT IN THIS. IN THIS PROCESS, I WANT TO GIVE THEM EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO, TO TO SHORE UP OUR LEGAL STANDING, BECAUSE I'M JUST CONCERNED THAT, THAT THERE'S SOME EXPOSURE TO THE CITY AS IT'S CONDUCTED RIGHT NOW. ALL RIGHT. LET'S GO. 
          [9) Consent Agenda]
MOVING ON THEN. PURCHASE PAYMENTS FOR THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL. MOVE TO APPROVE. I'LL SECOND BY BY THE LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD. MINUTES. WE NEED TO ACCEPT THEM. THAT'S ALL 
          [10.a) First Reading, Ordinance No. 2026-2351: Amending Section 23-46 of the Code of Ordinances RE: One Way Street and No Parking on Railroad Square
 ]
PART OF THE CONSENT. OKAY, SO YOU'VE APPROVED IT. OKAY. I'M READING THE ORDINANCES. THE FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 20, 26, 2351, AMENDING THE SECTION 2346. THIS ORDINANCE NUMBER 2026 2351, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF NEW PORT RICHEY, FLORIDA, PROVIDING FOR THE PROHIBITION OF PARKING ON NEBRASKA AVENUE BETWEEN ADAMS STREET AND GRAND BOULEVARD. PROVIDING FOR AMENDMENT OF SECTION 2346 OF CHAPTER 23 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES PERTAINING TO ONE WAY STREETS PROVIDING FOR DESIGNATION OF NEBRASKA AVENUE BETWEEN ADAMS STREET AND GRAND BOULEVARD AS A ONE WAY WESTERLY DIRECTION STREET PROVIDING FOR THE POSTING OF APPROPRIATE SIGNS. PROVIDING FOR ENFORCEMENT, PROVIDING FOR CONFLICT, SEVERABILITY, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE. AS INDICATED BY THE CITY ATTORNEY. THIS AGENDA ITEM RELATES TO NEBRASKA AVENUE. MORE SPECIFICALLY, THE RAILROAD SQUARE PROJECT, WHICH EXISTS ON NEBRASKA AVENUE BETWEEN ADAMS STREET AND GRAND BOULEVARD. THE PURPOSE OF THE AGENDA ITEM IS TO DESIGNATE NEBRASKA AVENUE AS ONE WAY TRAFFIC ONLY WESTBOUND, TRAVELING FROM ADAMS STREET TO GRAND BOULEVARD AND PROHIBITING THE PARKING OF VEHICLES ON THAT STREET OF ANY KIND. AND CHIEF COACHING HAS PREPARED THE AGENDA ITEM. SO WE LET HIM TELL YOU MORE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE AGENDA ITEM. THANK YOU. MR. MAYOR. COUNCIL MEMBERS. SO AS WAS SAID, THE REQUEST CITY COUNCIL IS TO CONDUCT A FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 2026 2351 PROHIBITS PARKING FOR ALL VEHICLES ON NEBRASKA AVENUE BETWEEN ADAMS STREET AND GRAND BOULEVARD, AND DESIGNATES THAT STRETCH ON NEBRASKA AS ONE WAY WESTBOUND STREET. I WILL SAY PERSONALLY, THIS THIS PROJECT IS TRANSFORMATIONAL. IT'S AWESOME AND IT'S PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY. WE ARE WE ARE NARROWING THE ROAD. SO THIS ORDINANCE IS GOING TO PROVIDE SAFEGUARDS, GOING TO PROVIDE PUBLIC SAFETY. SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE DESIGNATING THIS NO PARKING. WE'RE DESIGNATING AS A ONE WAY STREET. SO AS OUTLINED AGAIN IN ORDINANCE 2026 2351, PARKING, STANDING OR IDLING VEHICLES OF ANY KIND ON NEBRASKA AVENUE BETWEEN ADAMS AND GRAND IS PROHIBITED. AND AGAIN, GOLF CARTS, MOBILE FOOD TRUCKS, ANY TYPE OF VEHICLE IS PROHIBITED. ALSO, WE HAVE ESTABLISHED A ONE WAY STRETCH ON NEBRASKA FROM ADAMS TO GRAND. AND AGAIN, THESE REGULATIONS ARE NECESSARY DUE TO THE RECENT REDEVELOPMENT OF THIS AREA, WHICH IS KNOWN AS RAILROAD SQUARE. SO AGAIN, FOR PUBLIC SAFETY PURPOSES, THE ORDINANCE OUTLINES WHAT IS PROHIBITED PARKING ONE WAY STREET. AND AGAIN, THIS IS NECESSARY FOR SAFETY, FOR PEDESTRIAN SAFETY, FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. CITY ATTORNEY TIM DRISCOLL REVIEWED THIS ORDINANCE AND APPROVED IT AS THE FORM STAFF RECOMMENDS. CITY COUNCIL APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 2026 2351 AND THERE IS NO BUDGET IMPACT. I'M HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT. 
          [01:15:03]
SEEING NO ONE COME FORWARD, BRING IT BACK FOR DISCUSSION AND VOTE. I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE SECOND TO MAKER. NO, I JUST I THINK THIS IS, YOU KNOW, DEFINITELY NECESSARY. I MEAN, UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO AFFECT US WHO LIKE TO PARK OUR GOLF CARTS THERE. BUT ON THE FLIP SIDE, YOU KNOW, WE SPENT ALL THIS MONEY BEAUTIFYING THIS AREA, MAKING IT PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY, NECESSARY. SECOND, YOU GUYS CAN FIGHT OVER IT. YOU'RE DOWN THERE MORE SO YOU CAN TAKE IT. ALL RIGHT. YEAH, IT'S WE'VE CHANGED THE WHOLE THE WHOLE USE AND AND THE WAY IT'S STRUCTURED THERE. SO I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY WE GOT TO CHANGE THE RULES A LITTLE BIT TO PROTECT WHAT WE'VE, WE'VE BUILT AND KEEP PEOPLE SAFE. SO IT JUST MAKES SENSE. SO THE OTHER SECOND, THE STRATEGIC PLAN CALLS FOR US TO HAVE A WALKABLE DOWNTOWN OR EXCUSE ME, WALKABLE CITY. THE STRATEGIC PLAN CALLS FOR US TO HAVE A ACTIVE CONNECTED DOWNTOWN. SO IT SHOULD HAVE THERE SHOULD BE NO SURPRISE HERE THAT THIS ORDINANCE IS ONE OF THE MANY WAYS THAT WE ARE GOING TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE USING, YOU KNOW, STEAMWORKS RIGHTS MARKET THAT ARE GOING TO COME OUT OF THOSE BUSINESSES. 
          THEY'RE GOING TO BE PRESENTED EVENTUALLY WITH A BEAUTIFUL MURAL. THEY'RE GOING TO KNOW IT'S SAFE TO WALK ON THAT STREET. THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO TRAVERSE FROM THERE DIRECTLY TO THE RICHEY SUNCOAST THEATER, TO ELLA'S TO THE CAVALIER SQUARE FOR SOME OF THE EVENTS WE'LL BE PUTTING ON, INCLUDING ONE I'M EXCITED ABOUT COMING UP. SO THERE ARE AN ABUNDANCE OF REASONS WHY THIS SHOULD BE SUPPORTED, AND I APPRECIATE OUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR TAKING THE LEAD TO MAKE SURE IT SAFETY INITIATIVE AT THE FOREFRONT. 
          THAT ALSO, COINCIDENTALLY BENEFITS OUR DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES. I'M GOOD. I JUST WANT TO SAY, BRIAN, THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE PARKING FOR GOLF CARTS ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE VERIZON BUILDING. WELL, THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE THAT. GO AHEAD IN THE PUBLIC PARKING LOT AS WELL. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALSO ARE AWARE THAT THIS WILL NOT ALLOW COMMERCIAL DELIVERIES ON THAT STREET EITHER. SO THERE WILL BE NO DELIVERIES OF ANY KIND. JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE AWARE ON THAT. I DO HAVE A QUESTION. IS THERE ANYTHING, IF, MR. MAYOR, IF I MAY. IS THERE ANYTHING ON MAIN OR THE. I GUESS THAT WOULD BE ADAMS AND I'M ASSUMING NOT GRANT, BUT ANYTHING ON MAIN OR ADAMS WRITTEN IN ORDINANCE OR CODE PREVENTING DELIVERIES. SO LIKE IF THEY WANT SOMEONE WANTED TO PULL UP ON ADAMS TO BE ABLE TO UNLOAD. NO, THERE'S NO SPECIFIC PROHIBITION OF ANY DELIVERIES IN THOSE AREAS. THERE'S NO ALTERNATIVES. THERE'S STILL THE PARKING LOT RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET. THERE'S STILL. YEAH, RIGHT. ENCOURAGING SAYS TO EMPLOY THE SAME TACTICS THAT THEY ARE NOW TO GET THEIR DELIVERIES TO CONTINUE THOSE PRACTICES GOING FORWARD. PERFECT. SO NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE FROM THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS. SIGNIFY BY I RECOMMENDATION RECOMMENDATIONS. 
          [11.a) Recommendation for Cultural Program Funding RE: Boots on the Ground: Celebrating Marchin' On Event]
CULTURE PROGRAM FUNDING. BOOTS ON THE GROUND. CELEBRATING MARCHING ON ON BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING RELATES TO A PROPOSED EVENT CELEBRATING THE JUNETEENTH NATIONAL HOLIDAY, WHICH IS A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE TO HOST A BOOTS ON THE GROUND CELEBRATING MARCHING ON ON FRIDAY, JUNE 18TH AT THE RICHEY SUNCOAST THEATER. THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO SUPPORT THE EXPENDITURE THROUGH USE OF THE CITY COUNCIL'S CULTURAL AFFAIRS BUDGET, AND I WOULD LIKE TO ASPIRE TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE AGENDA ITEM. THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER MANSON. GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR, DEPUTY MAYOR, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. AT THE FEBRUARY 18TH CULTURAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEETING, LARNELL SCOTT, WELL-KNOWN COMMUNITY ADVOCATE AND EVENTS COORDINATOR, PRESENTED A FUNDING REQUEST OF $4,500 FOR A SPECIAL COMMUNITY EVENT ENTITLED BOOTS ON THE GROUND MARCHING ON CELEBRATING THE JOURNEY. THE GOAL OF THIS EVENT IS TO CELEBRATE THE JUNETEENTH NATIONAL HOLIDAY BY SPOTLIGHTING THE HISTORY, CULTURE, AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY WHILE HONORING OUR COMMUNITY SPIRIT OF UNITY. AS YOU MAY RECALL, MISS SCOTT COORDINATED LAST YEAR'S BOOTS ON THE GROUND CELEBRATING THE JOURNEY EVENT, WHICH UTILIZED VOLUNTEERS AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE TO ASSIST WITH THE PROGRAM. IT WAS A HIGHLY ATTENDED. IT WAS WELL RECEIVED AND AN ESTIMATED 250 PEOPLE ATTENDED THAT EVENT. IF 
          [01:20:06]
APPROVED, THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND MARCHING ON EVENT WILL TAKE PLACE AT 7 P.M. ON JUNE THE 18TH AT THE RICHEY SUNCOAST THEATER. AS LAST YEAR, THE EVENT WILL INCLUDE SPOKEN WORD, AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION AND DANCING. NEW THIS YEAR, TO ADD TO THE SUCCESS OF THE EVENT, MISS SCOTT PLANS TO BUILD ON THAT EVENT BY ADDING A MIME, A DRUMLINE, A STEP TEAM FROM A UNIVERSITY, A GOSPEL SINGER AND THE MILLION DOLLAR DIVAS STUDENT DANCE PERFORMANCE. THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE REVIEWED THE PROPOSAL AND UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDED THAT CITY COUNCIL FULLY FUND THIS EVENT FOR $4,500. FUNDING IS AVAILABLE AND THE REQUEST THE REQUESTER, LARNELL SCOTT, IS UNAVAILABLE THIS EVENING BECAUSE SHE IS ON THE WAY TO ATTEND HER THE BIRTH OF HER SECOND GRANDCHILD, SO SHE SENDS HER APOLOGIES. BUT I'M AVAILABLE IF YOU SHOULD HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. AND THERE IS A MEMBER OF THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE PRESENT THIS EVENING AS WELL. WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC INPUT ON THIS. SEEING NO ONE COME FORWARD, BRING IT BACK FOR DISCUSSION. A VOTE TO APPROVE. I'LL SECOND TO THE MAKER. JUST TO SAY TWO THINGS. THE FIRST IS THE EVENT WAS A SUCCESSFUL PRIOR. SO, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S DEFINITELY CONFIDENCE THAT IT'LL GO OVER AS WELL THIS TIME AS WELL. AND IT'S GREAT TO SEE THAT YOU'RE EXTENDING SOME OF THE PROGRAMS ASSOCIATED WITH IT. THE SECOND THING IS, CONTEXTUALLY, THE CULTURE FAIRS WERE GIVEN THE CHALLENGE TO UNDER THIS CURRENT CITY COUNCIL TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS UNDER THE CITY COUNCIL'S BUDGET FOR CULTURAL EVENTS TO MEET THOSE NEEDS. AND THEY CONTINUE TO EXCEED EXPECTATIONS TO PRESENT EVENTS BEFORE CITY COUNCIL FOR RECOMMENDED APPROVAL FOR FUNDING. THIS IS THE LATEST EXAMPLE OF AN EVENT THAT HAS ONLY GROWN THE. IT'S NOT EASY TO PUT ON EVENTS, SO TO SEE THEM WANTING TO ADD MORE TO IT SHOWS THAT IT IT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE OF THE CITY COUNCIL'S OR THE CITY'S ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT TO MAKE IT PUBLIC AND FREE. ANYBODY ELSE? SECOND, YEAH, I JUST WANT TO SAY I ATTENDED LAST YEAR AND IT WAS GREAT, VERY INFORMATIVE. I WILL DEFINITELY UP MY FAN GAME THIS YEAR BECAUSE I WAS DEFINITELY NOT GOOD AT THAT. SO I, I REQUEST ANY OF YOU WHO ARE GOING TO GO GET A GOOD FAN. LOOKING FORWARD TO ANOTHER GREAT EVENT. IT WAS IT WAS FUN AND EXCITING AND SO WE'LL BE EXCITED AGAIN. IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO MAKE MY FAN MAKE NOISE. THAT'S WHAT IT WAS. OKAY, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY I, I. ALL 
          [11.b) Recommendation for Cultural Program Funding RE: ¡Viva Cavalaire!]
RIGHT. CULTURE, AFFAIRS, FUNDING FOR VIVA CAVALIER REQUEST BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING IS ALSO ADVANCED BY THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE. AND IT IS FOR AN EVENT THAT IS. A COMMUNITY EVENT ALSO CELEBRATING HISPANIC HERITAGE. IT IS. TO BE HOSTED AT CAVALIER SQUARE. AND MISS FIGARD WILL TELL YOU ABOUT THE EVENT, WHICH IS SLATED TO OCCUR ON FRIDAY, MAY 1ST OF 2026. THANK YOU CITY MANAGER MANS AGAIN. AT THEIR FEBRUARY 18TH MEETING, THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE REVIEWED AN EVENT PROPOSAL PRESENTED BY THE LIBRARY FOR AN EVENT ENTITLED VIVA CAVALIER, A SPECIAL COMMUNITY EVENT THAT CELEBRATES THE CULTURAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND ENDURING INFLUENCE OF HISPANIC AND LATINO LATINA COMMUNITIES WITHIN THE UNITED STATES AND HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY. IN CONSIDERATION OF THE CITY'S GROWING HISPANIC AND LATINO POPULATION, SUSTAINED COMMUNITY INTEREST IN HISPANIC CULTURAL PROGRAMING, AND THE DEMONSTRATED SUCCESS OF TWO PRIOR EVENTS, INCLUDING SALSA SATURDAY AND THE HISPANIC HERITAGE FESTIVAL. THE COMMITTEE VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF $3,000 FUNDING FOR COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION. IF APPROVED, THIS WOULD BECOME THE CITY'S THIRD CONSECUTIVE ANNUAL EVENT, HIGHLIGHTING THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND INFLUENCE OF THE HISPANIC AND LATINO LATINA INDIVIDUALS IN OUR AREA. VIVA CAVALIER 
          [01:25:06]
WOULD COINCIDE WITH DIA DEL TRABAJO DE TRABAJO. SORRY. THANK YOU. ALSO KNOWN AS INTERNATIONAL WORKERS DAY. SO THIS IS A WIDELY OBSERVED HOLIDAY IN MANY COUNTRIES, AND IT'S COMPARABLE IN SIGNIFICANCE TO THE UNITED STATES. LABOR DAY. PLANNED PROGRAMMATIC FEATURES INCLUDE TRADITIONAL LIVE BOLERO MUSIC BY THE BAND, INNOVATIVE SALSA AND MERENGUE DANCING, OPEN COMMUNITY DANCING, FAMILY ACTIVITY STATIONS HOSTED BY LIBRARY STUDENTS FROM BEGINNING ENGLISH, ENGLISH, NEXT LEVEL AND CAFE CONVERSATIONS CLASS, AND A FOOD TRUCK SELLING AUTHENTIC HISPANIC CUISINE. SO CONTINGENT UPON YOUR APPROVAL, THE EVENT WOULD BE HELD IN CAVALIER SQUARE. FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF SCHEDULED RENOVATIONS, THE CELEBRATION WILL SHOWCASE THE SQUARE'S BEAUTIFUL SCULPTURAL STAGE. THE WATER FEATURE, THE NEW PAVERS AND A POCKET PARK WITH SWINGS. PERFECT LOCATION FOR A FAMILY ORIENTED EVENT. AND ALSO, I'LL NOTE THAT IT WOULD BE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. FUNDING FOR THE REQUEST WOULD IMPOSE. THE DIRECT COST OF $3,000, WHICH IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IN CITY COUNCIL'S BUDGET. MEMBERS OF THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE ARE PRESENT AT TONIGHT'S MEETING, AND THEY OR I AM AVAILABLE. IF YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT. SEEING NO ONE COME FORWARD, BRING IT BACK FOR DISCUSSION AND VOTE. I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE THIS DOSE TO MAKER. 
          NO. I APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK IN GETTING THESE EVENTS GOING. YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO BE A NICE LITTLE HIGHLIGHT FOR CAVALIER SQUARE IN THE POCKET PARK. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. 
          SECOND SAME HERE WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CAVALIER PARKING LOT THOUGH, THE PARK AND THE STATUTE. I HAVE SAID BEFORE, AND I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT EITHER THE NEW PORT RICHEY MAIN STREET WITH THEIR. THEIR TIED TO TIME. THANK YOU, WOULD CONSIDER PUTTING A PLAQUE UP FOR THE STATUTE BY THE LATE CHARLES PARTON, WHO WAS A LONG STANDING MEMBER AND WHO CAME BACK AND SPENT A WEEK OR MORE, SEVERAL WEEKS, I THINK, WITH A TOOTHBRUSH AND SCRUBBING ALL OF THE ALL OF THE PLAQUE OFF OF THAT TO TO RENEW THAT AND ALSO TO MENTION THAT IT HAPPENED BECAUSE THE WATER WAS NOT PROPERLY DIDN'T GO THROUGH A FILTER. AND SO THERE IS A FOUNTAIN TO THAT. AND WITH ALL THE MONEY WE'RE SPENDING, IF IT'S POSSIBLE, MAYBE BY NOW THERE'S SOME NEW TECHNOLOGY WHERE YOU COULD PUT SOMETHING UP AGAINST THE WALL WITHOUT AFFECTING THE USE OF THE RESTAURANT, THEIR SPACE FOR THEIR GARBAGE CANS OR WHATEVER. BUT SOME WATER CLARIFICATION AND SOME WATER SOURCE BACK TO THAT FOUNTAIN, I THINK WOULD REALLY MAKE IT COME BACK TO LIFE. AND I DO SEE OCCASIONALLY CHARLIE CHARLES PARTON'S DAUGHTER ON FACEBOOK. AND I THINK IF WE DID SOMETHING AT SOME POINT TO RECOGNIZE HIM AND HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO ARCHITECTURE IN IN WEST PASCO AND ALL THE WAY TARPON SPRINGS, SOME OF THE CHURCHES THAT HE HELPED DESIGN, IN FACT, THE EXPANSION OF THE QUEEN OF PEACE CATHOLIC CHURCH WAS DESIGNED, I THINK, BY CHARLIE PARTON, AMONG OTHER THINGS. BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE A NICE GESTURE TO RECOGNIZE HIM. AND ALSO A LITTLE HISTORICAL FACT, IF WE CAN FIND OUT THAT THE BRICKS CAME FROM NEBRASKA AND THE CARVING, IT'S KIND OF AN INTERESTING STORY. IT WAS A VERY EXPENSIVE ONE. AND I, I PAID THE PRICE FOR IT, FOR THE COST OF THAT PROJECT BACK IN THE DAY. BUT I THINK IT DOES HAVE ITS USEFULNESS, AND I THINK IT WILL BECOME A GOOD PART OF THE OVERALL. I THINK TAKING THE WALLS DOWN A BIT, ABSORB IT INTO THE REST OF. YEAH, I THINK THAT'S A THAT'S A GREAT MODIFICATION THAT WAS MADE. THANK YOU. JOHN. YES, SIR. FOLLOW UP. YEAH I ACTUALLY TALKED TO JILL, HIS DAUGHTER. IT'S BEEN A WHILE AGO NOW THOUGH. BUT SHE WOULD LOVE TO. 
          SHE WOULD LOVE TO BE INVITED TO THAT. THAT WOULD BE NICE FOR HER. BUT NO. LOOKING FORWARD TO ANOTHER GREAT EVENT. I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT CHOPPER IS IN SPANISH. DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHAT CHOPPER IS IN SPANISH? EL CHAPO, EL CHAPO, I DON'T KNOW. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY I. 
          THAT'S FINE. THAT'S ZERO ONE FOR FIRE STATION NUMBER ONE HARDENING PROJECT FOR THE CITY 
          [11.c) ITB 26-014 Fire Station No. 1 Hardening Project Bid Award]
          [01:30:04]
IS IN RECEIPT OF A HUD GRANT AMOUNT FOR PURPOSES OF HARDENING. FIRE STATION NUMBER ONE. THE GRANT IS ACTUALLY IN THE AMOUNT OF $969,500. AND WE ARE REQUESTING TO ACCEPT A BID IN THE AMOUNT OF $719,203. THERE'S A LOCAL MATCH ASSOCIATED WITH THE GRANT, AND I'M GOING TO LET COLIN EICHEN MUELLER TELL YOU ALL ABOUT THIS PROJECT. THANK YOU, MISS MANSE. 
          GOOD EVENING. COUNCIL. THE REQUEST BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING FOR CITY COUNCIL TO REVIEW AND APPROVE IS A NOT TO EXCEED BID AMOUNT OF $719,203 AND AWARD ITB 26 014 FOR THE FIRE STATION NUMBER ONE HARDENING PROJECT. AND THIS IS TO COALESCE GENERAL CONTRACTORS, LLC, THE CITY OF NEW PORT RICHEY FIRE STATION, AS YOU KNOW, IS LOCATED AT 630 6333 MADISON STREET AND WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1964 AND THEN RENOVATED AGAIN IN ABOUT 1993. IT'S A TOTAL OF 70 200FT■!S AND HOUSES THREE APPARATUS, BASE AND FIVE PERSONNEL PER SHIFT, AND SERVES AS A CRITICAL FACILITY DURING OUR STORMS. AS I'M SURE YOU'RE ALL AWARE, THE CITY HAS RECEIVED A GRANT FROM THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $572,005 AND WILL PROVIDE $397,495 IN MATCHING FUNDS, FOR A TOTAL PROJECT BUDGET OF $969,500. THE IMPROVEMENTS WILL INCLUDE REPLACEMENT OF THE ROOF, THE BAY DOORS, EXTERIOR DOORS AND THE WINDOW REPLACEMENTS AS WELL, AND INSTALLING A NEW 85 KILOWATT GENERATOR, A BRICK AND GROUT REPAIRS, AND BATHROOM RENOVATIONS TO STRENGTHEN THE FACILITY'S OVERALL RESILIENCY. 
          FIVE BIDS WERE OPENED ON JANUARY 30TH, 2026, RANGING FROM $719,203 TO $990,000, OR $990,047. THE LOWEST RESPONSIVE BID FROM QUALITY GENERAL CONTRACTORS, LLC IS CONSISTENT WITH THE PROJECT ESTIMATES, REVIEWING IT WITH STAFF AND THE K2 DESIGN CONSULTANTS. WE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A SUITABLE BID AND THAT THESE CONTRACTORS ARE MORE THAN CAPABLE OF DOING THE JOB BASED ON COMPETITIVE BID PRICING AND SUCCESSFUL WORK WITH CITY STAFF. THEY COMPLETED A PROJECT PREVIOUSLY ON OUR RENOVATIONS FOR THE REC CENTER BATHROOMS. THAT PROJECT WENT SUCCESSFULLY WITH NO ISSUES, AND WE RECOMMEND APPROVAL AND AWARD IN THE AMOUNT OF $790,203 FOR ITB 26 014, AND I'M HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS. PUBLIC COMMENT. SEEING NO ONE COME FORWARD, BRING IT BACK FOR DISCUSSION AND VOTE. I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE SECOND TO MAKER. NO, WE'VE WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS PROJECT. IT'S NECESSARY. YOU KNOW, THE ONLY QUESTION I'VE GOT IS ARE WE GOING TO DISPLACE THE FIREFIGHTERS DURING THIS CONSTRUCTION, AND IF SO, HOW ARE WE GOING TO HANDLE THAT? NO, WE'RE NOT INTENDING ON DISPLACING AT THIS TIME, SO WE'RE GOING TO WORK AROUND THEM. OKAY. THANK YOU. GOOD. I'M GOOD. GENTLEMEN. GOOD, GOOD. ALL 
          [11.d) New Port Richey Main Street, Inc. Alcoholic Special Event Permit Application RE: City of New Port Richey's Spring Concert Series]
THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY NEWPORT. RICHIE. MAIN STREET INC. ALCOHOLIC. SPECIAL EVENTS APPLICATION FOR THE CITY OF NEWPORT. RICHIE. SPRING CONCERT SERIES. PURPOSE OF THIS AGENDA ITEM IS TO ADVANCE A REQUEST TO SELL BEER AND WINE AT SIMS PARK DURING THE SPRING CONCERT SERIES HOSTED BY THE CITY ON MARCH 14TH, APRIL 18TH AND MAY 16TH, BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 5 P.M. AND 10 P.M. IN SIMS PARK AND THE NEWPORT RICHIE MAIN STREET ORGANIZATION, WHICH IS A 500 1C3, HAS INDICATED THEIR INTEREST IN SELLING THE BEER AND WINE, AND THEY MEET THE REQUIREMENT OUTLINED IN OUR CODE OF ORDINANCES TO DO SO. THEY HAVE MET WITH THE SPECIAL EVENTS TEAM ON JANUARY 13TH TO DISCUSS EVENT LOGISTICS, AND A SITE MAP IS ATTACHED TO YOUR AGENDA. MEMO, WHICH INDICATES A SITE LOCATION AT FROM WHICH THEY WOULD SELL BEER AND WINE 
          [01:35:04]
IF APPROVED TO DO SO. AND IF YOU APPROVE THE SALE OF BEER AND WINE AT OUR CONCERT SERIES, THEY WILL SUBMIT ALL OF THE NECESSARY LIQUOR LIABILITY INSURANCE AND PROPERTY DAMAGE INFORMATION PRIOR TO THE MARCH 14TH CONCERT WITH PUBLIC COMMENT. THANK YOU CITY MANAGER. 
          COUNCIL, JUST SO YOU KNOW, WE APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION ON THESE THREE EVENTS BECAUSE AS A FUNDRAISER FOR US AND WE DO PUT EVERY PENNY OF MONEY WE MAKE BACK INTO THE CITY THROUGH OUR EVENTS AND WHATEVER. AND I THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE A PERFECT TIME TO TELL YOU THAT SATURDAY IS THE CHALK ART FEST, SO I HOPE YOU SHOW UP. WE'VE GOT 15 ARTISTS ALREADY SIGNED UP READY TO GO, SO WE'LL BE PUTTING THE SQUARES OUT ON THE SIDEWALK DOWN MAIN STREET. AND THE OTHER EVENT, WHICH I THINK IS EVEN MORE EXCITING, IS OUR. WE'VE BEEN DESIGNATED TO BE THE HOST CITY FOR THE NEXT STATE OF FLORIDA'S MEETING OF MAIN STREET AND TRAINING. SO THAT'S GOING TO BE HELD ON MARCH 11TH. SO THEY'LL GET TO SEE THE BEAUTIFUL CITY THAT WE HAVE HERE. AND I'LL ATTRIBUTE IT TO A GREAT TEAM. SO WE HOPE THAT, YOU KNOW, APPRECIATE ANY CONSIDERATION YOU COULD GIVE US FOR THESE CONCERTS. SO THANK YOU. YOU WANT A QUESTION? WHEN IS YOUR GROUP MEETING ON MARCH 11TH OR IT'S IT'S AN ALL DAY FROM 9 TO 3 AT THE FLORIDA ROOM. 
          WE'LL BE HAVING LUNCH AT SASHA'S. AND WE'LL BE PROVIDING BREAKFAST IN THE MORNING LIKE PASTRIES AND COFFEE. AND THEN WE'RE HAVING A MIXER, AND I BELIEVE IT STARTS AT FIVE. BUT DON'T QUOTE ME ON THAT PART. THERE WAS STILL SOME QUESTION ABOUT THAT, BUT WE'LL BE HAVING A MIXER AFTER THE EVENT SO PEOPLE CAN MAYBE SEE TIDES OF TIME OR ENJOY OTHER PARTS OF OUR CITY. TIDES OF TIME. YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE HIS HINT. I HEARD WHAT MR. ALTMAN SAID. I DID WRITE IT DOWN. WE WE HAVE BEEN KIND OF SEEING IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER INTEREST IN DOING A COUPLE OF MORE PLAQUES. THERE'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF A HINT THAT MAYBE THE GRASS AND FAMILY WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THE GRASS AND BRIDGE. THIS COULD BE ANOTHER ONE THAT MAYBE WE COULD FIND A SPONSOR FOR. SO WE'D LIKE TO DO THREE. SO WE'RE STILL KIND OF WORKING ON THAT. 
          SO AND THEN WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON A LARGER ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN TO BRING PEOPLE THAT WOULD BE FOCUSED ON BRINGING PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE THE COUNTY INTO THE CITY FOR THE TIDES OF TIME, AND HOPEFULLY BEING ABLE TO TRACK WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM. SO WE'VE GOT SOME IDEAS ON HOW WE MIGHT DO THAT SO WE CAN REPORT BACK ON HOW OUR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN WOULD BE WORKING. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. SEEING NO ONE ELSE COME FORWARD, BRING IT BACK FOR DISCUSSION AND VOTE. I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE. SECOND, NO, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY WE KNOW WE KIND OF NEED TO FIND SOME WAYS TO GENERATE SOME REVENUE FOR THESE EVENTS BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, BEING ON THE COMMITTEE, I KNOW ENTERTAINMENT IS NOT CHEAP. SO WE NEED TO FIND WAYS TO GENERATE SOME MONEY. AND UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE LIKE TO COME TO FREE CONCERTS, BUT ALSO THEY COST. SO AND WE DON'T HAVE AN UNLIMITED BUDGET UP HERE. SO WE NEED TO COME UP WITH MONEY SOMEWHERE. SO I THINK THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY. I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE RECEIVED WELL. THE ONLY THING I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE GOING TO BE SERVING ALCOHOL IN THE PARK, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THERE JUST IN CASE. SO THAT'S THE ONLY POINT I WANT TO BRING UP. SO THANK YOU. AND YEAH, I MEAN IT'S AND I'LL TELL YOU EVERYBODY LOVES LOVES THE CONCERT SERIES. I MEAN THEY LOVE GOING OUT THERE AND WATCHING. SO THIS WILL I THINK THIS WILL MAKE IT I DON'T KNOW EVEN EVEN BETTER TO SOME PEOPLE. 
          SO LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. THIS ONE. YEAH. IF WE'RE LOOKING AT IT FROM A FINANCIAL STANDPOINT, I DO THINK IT HAS A NET BENEFIT FOR THE MAIN STREET ORGANIZATION AND THE WORK THEY DO FOR THE WORK THEY DO FOR OUR DOWNTOWN AND FOR THE LARGER COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. ALTHOUGH I DO THINK THAT SOME OF THOSE, SOME OF THAT WILL BE OFFSET BY THE NEED FOR POSSIBLY MORE POLICE PRESENCE. THAT BEING SAID, I DON'T THINK IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE BEING FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE, WHICH THIS IS. BUT MORE THAN THAT, IT'S ABOUT PROVIDING A A 
          [01:40:01]
FREE CONCERT IN THE PARK. AND THAT IS THE PRIMARY SERVICE. THIS IS JUST AN ADDED BENEFIT TO THAT SERVICE. IT PUTS A FUNDRAISER SPIN TO IT. IT ADDS ADDS TO IT. THE CONSTANT IN THE PARK SERIES IS VERY POPULAR. IT'S WELL RECEIVED. IT'S CRITICAL. PART OF SOME OF THE DOWNTOWN FUND THAT TAKES PLACE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. SO WHY NOT HAVE A FUNDRAISING PART TO BENEFIT THAT GOES JUST CYCLES IT RIGHT BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY, SO IT FITS. THE PURPOSE WILL SUPPORT IT. I'D LIKE TWO THINGS I'D LIKE TO SAY. FIRST OF ALL, PLEASE CONTACT THE CITY OF DADE CITY BECAUSE THEY'RE CONSIDERING BECOMING ANOTHER MAIN, BECOMING A MAIN STREET CITY AGAIN. SO IF THERE'S SOME TRAINING AND THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY, I'M HAPPY TO GIVE YOU THOSE CONTACTS. SOME OF THOSE BUSINESS PEOPLE MIGHT BE MOTIVATED IF THEY COULD GET TO SOMETHING VERY CLOSE BY THAT THEY COULD OBSERVE. AND THEN. 
          JUST IN TERMS OF THE THE FUNDRAISING FROM THAT, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF YOU COULD USE THE REVENUE THAT YOU GENERATE TO HELP YOU FUEL YOUR MARKETING, BECAUSE WHEN THE CITY GIVES ITS CRA MONEY TO MAIN STREET, THAT WE HAVE A STATUTORY PROVISION THAT THAT DOES NOT ACCEPT USE OF OUR MONEY FOR MARKETING. AND NOW THERE IS A THERE IS AN OPTION ON THAT, WHICH IS IF IF OUR CITY'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO HAVE A TABLE THERE AND TO PRESENT SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE CRA. WHEN YOU HAVE CROWDS OF PEOPLE THERE, THEN OUR MONEY AT LEAST THAT WE'RE GIVING TO YOU COULD BE THOSE MARKETING EVENTS. COULD BE, YOU KNOW, PART OF A LEGITIMATE USE OF MONEY. BUT A LOT OF THE CRAS ACROSS THE STATE, BECAUSE OF THE SORT OF CHANGES THAT WERE MADE TO THE STATUTES WHICH LIMITED FROM YOU MAY TO YOU SHALL ONLY DO THE THINGS THAT ARE LISTED THERE HAS RESULTED IN SOME ADVICE TO SAY MARKETING IS NOT A ACCEPTABLE USE. SO GIVING THE MONEY TO THE MAIN STREET GROUP FOR SERVICES HAS TO BE, YOU KNOW, CLOSELY WATCHED. AND I THINK THAT YOU HAVE OTHER SOURCE OF REVENUE IS GREAT BECAUSE THAT ALLOWS YOU TO SAY THE MONEY YOU'RE GIVING US IS HELPING US TO DO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE ALLOWED. SO IT'S A GOOD POINT AND A GOOD REASON TO TRY TO HELP YOU RAISE MONEY IN ADDITION TO THE MONEY THAT COMES FROM THE CITY. SO I'M IN FAVOR. ALL THOSE IN 
          [11.e) Discussion Regarding Proposed Ordinance for Automated License Plate Recognition Technology]
FAVOR SIGNIFY BY I. THAT'S FIVE NOTHING DISCUSSION REGARDING PROPOSED ORDINANCE FOR AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY. THIS AGENDA ITEM IS BEING BROUGHT TO YOU FOR DISCUSSION. BASED ON SOME DISCUSSION THAT TOOK PLACE AT YOUR FEBRUARY 17TH, 2026 MEETING. IN LARGE PART BASED ON THE FACT THAT WE ARE INTRODUCING AN AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE RECOGNITION CAMERA SYSTEM AS PART OF OUR SCHOOL ZONE SAFETY PROGRAM AND OUR RED LIGHT CAMERA PROGRAM, AND IN RESPECT TO THAT, COUNCILMAN BUTLER SUGGESTED A PROPOSED ORDINANCE AND THE ORDINANCE RESTRICTED LIMITATIONS ON THE CITY'S USE OF THE AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE RECOGNITION CAMERA SYSTEM, SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO THE AUTHORIZED USES OF THE TECHNOLOGY. THE PROHIBITED USES OF THE TECHNOLOGY, THE POLICY. 
          OF A MANUAL AND VENDOR CONTRACTS AND ENFORCEMENT. AND THIS IS REALLY NEW TECHNOLOGY AND A LOT, ALTHOUGH IT'S COMMONLY USED AND BUT WE WE DO HAVE SOME IDEAS OF HOW WE WANT TO GO FORWARD WITH IT. AND, AND WE WE DO HAVE A FRAMEWORK OF A POLICY THAT WE WOULD WANT TO FOLLOW. IF YOU WANT US TO USE THIS TECHNOLOGY. AND I'D LIKE TO START OFF AND LET THE CHIEF SORT OF INTRODUCE THE TECHNOLOGY. AND I THINK THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY IS TO LET HIM START WITH A POWERPOINT, AND THEN WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE ORDINANCE AND THE LEGAL PERSPECTIVES, WHICH ARE IMPORTANT AS WELL. AND THEN WE CAN GO ON AND DECIDE WHERE COLLECTIVELY YOU WANT US TO GO FROM THERE. CHIEF, IF YOU GO AHEAD AND KICK IT OFF. THANK 
          [01:45:03]
YOU. MR. MAYOR. COUNCIL MEMBERS. SO AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS ALPR. SO REALLY, WHAT IS IT? IT REALLY IS IN TODAY'S DIGITAL ENVIRONMENT AND WE ARE IN A DIGITAL ENVIRONMENT. THERE ARE CAMERAS, THERE ARE YOUR CELL PHONES, CELL TOWERS AND TECHNOLOGY IS EVERYWHERE. BUT IN TODAY'S DIGITAL ENVIRONMENT, ALPR TECHNOLOGY EMPLOYS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TO RAPIDLY ANALYZE VEHICLE DATA IN PUBLIC SPACES. AND THAT'S THE KEY PHRASE PUBLIC SPACES. BY READING LICENSE PLATES WHICH ARE PROPERTY OF THE STATE. IMPORTANTLY, ARE ALPR DOES NOT CAPTURE FACIAL RECOGNITION. 
          THAT'S NOT WHAT IT DOES, AND IT DOES NOT SPECIFICALLY TRACK INDIVIDUALS. WE'RE LOOKING AT TAGS. SO THROUGH REAL TIME DATA ALPR SYSTEMS AID LAW ENFORCEMENT AND QUICKLY REACTING TO ALPR ALERTS AND ENHANCING PUBLIC SAFETY. NOW THIS STAT THAT I'M GOING TO READ TO YOU IS YOU GOT TO REFLECT UPON IT FOR A SECOND, BECAUSE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, WE'VE INVESTIGATED THESE CASES AND THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY HEART WRENCHING. SO ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR MISSING AND EXPLOITED CHILDREN, ALPR TECHNOLOGY HAS CONTRIBUTED TO RESOLVING OVER 100 CASES OF MISSING CHILDREN. SO THIS TECHNOLOGY, WHEN USED RIGHT WHERE WE'RE SAFEGUARDING, YOU KNOW, INDIVIDUAL LIBERTIES AND WE'RE USING IT RIGHT. AND WE HAVE A GOOD POLICY IN PLACE, CAN GREATLY ENHANCE PUBLIC SAFETY IN A COMMUNITY. SO SOME OF THE REAL WORLD EXAMPLES THAT I WANT TO KIND OF TALK TO YOU ABOUT, JUST A COUPLE HERE REAL QUICK THAT I GIVE YOU ON. 1125 2025 SANDUSKY COUNTY AUTHORITIES IN OHIO UTILIZE ALPR CAMERAS TO IDENTIFY AND LOCATE A VEHICLE OF AN ELDERLY MAN WITH DEMENTIA, RESULTING IN HIS SAFE RECOVERY. THESE ARE WHAT WE CALL SILVER ALERTS, AND THEY'RE TAG DRIVEN. SO IF SOMEONE WERE TO GET IN THEIR CAR AND DRIVE THAT HAD DEMENTIA AND SOMEBODY REPORTED THAT AND GAVE US THEIR TAG, THESE SYSTEMS WOULD HIT ON THAT TAG AND WE CAN RESPOND TO IT RAPIDLY. THE OTHER THING IS AMBER ALERTS MISSING, MISSING OR ABDUCTED CHILDREN ABDUCTED CHILDREN. SO THESE SYSTEMS AGAIN CAN RECOGNIZE VEHICLES, BUMPER STICKERS, COLOR, MAKE BODY TYPE IN REAL TIME. SO IT'S LIKE REALLY HAVING A BUNCH OF EYES IN THE PUBLIC SPACE THAT ARE READING TAGS AND GIVING US INFORMATION WHEN THEY ALERT OWNING. SO SOME REAL WORLD EXAMPLES. AGAIN, I GAVE YOU THE ONE. SO IN 2025, IN GWINNETT COUNTY, GEORGIA, ALP TECHNOLOGY ASSISTED WITH THE RECOVERY OF OVER 150 STOLEN VEHICLES AND ASSISTED POLICE IN LOCATING OVER 250 WANTED INDIVIDUALS. I DON'T WANT PEOPLE WITH FELONY WARRANTS IN OUR COMMUNITY. I DON'T THINK ANYONE HERE DOES EITHER. ON ONE FIVE 2026, MACON COUNTY, ILLINOIS, INVESTIGATORS ENTERED SUSPECT VEHICLE INFORMATION INTO THE ALPR SYSTEM, AGAIN A LAW ENFORCEMENT PURPOSE WHICH LOCATED HIS VEHICLE ON ROUTE 51 AND ASH AVENUE AND DECANTER, LEADING TO THE ARREST OF A MAN CHARGED WITH CHILD ABDUCTION. THAT'S A THAT'S AN AMBER ALERT THAT THAT'S SOMEBODY THAT ABDUCTED A CHILD. AND THIS TECHNOLOGY CONTRIBUTED TO SAFELY RETURNING THAT CHILD. ON 112 2026, MONROE COUNTY DEPUTIES IN MICHIGAN USED A PRO LICENSE PLATE READER DATA IN CONJUNCTION WITH STORE SECURITY FOOTAGE TO IDENTIFY AND LOCATE A VEHICLE CONNECTED TO A RUNAWAY 14 YEAR OLD. THE JUVENILE WAS SAFELY RETURNED AND THE ANY ADULT MALE WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY AGAIN. ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A JUVENILE THAT WAS TAKEN AND ON 115 2026, AN AL PR READER ALERT AT 11:43 A.M. ENABLE THE COTTONWOOD POLICE DEPARTMENT IN ARIZONA TO LOCATE A STOLEN VEHICLE TRANSPORTING A REPORTED 16 YEAR OLD MISSING PERSON. OFFICERS CONDUCTED A HIGH RISK TRAFFIC STOP AND SAFELY RECOVERED THE JUVENILE. THESE ARE. THESE ARE EXAMPLES OF HOW THIS TECHNOLOGY, WHEN USED IN THE RIGHT WAY, CAN GREATLY ENHANCE PUBLIC SAFETY AND SAFEGUARD LIVES. THAT'S JUST AN EXAMPLE OF AN ALPR CAMERA. MOST OF THEM ARE SOLAR DRIVEN. THEY'RE ON CITY STREETS. MOST OF THEM ARE STATICALLY DEPLOYED ON POLES AND PUBLIC SPACES. POLICY DEVELOPMENT SAFEGUARDS. SO WE'RE GETTING TO THIS POINT BECAUSE WE HAVE READ SPEED, AS THE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED, AND WE ALSO HAVE EXXON TECHNOLOGY. SO THE THREE REAL BIG PLAYERS IN THIS GAME ARE GOING TO BE AXON, MOTOROLA, AND THOSE ARE THE THREE BIG PLAYERS IN THE GAME OF LPR TECHNOLOGY. SO AS A FULLY ACCREDITED LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING AN AGENCY POLICY FOR ALPR USE. THE GOAL WOULD BE A BEST PRACTICE POLICY WOULD BE PROMOTE PUBLIC SAFETY, PROTECT PRIVACY. THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. 
          INCREASE TRANSPARENCY AND ENFORCE STRICT PENALTIES FOR MISUSE OF THE ALPR TECHNOLOGY. 
          ALPR TECHNOLOGY WILL NOT BE DEPLOYED BY THE NEW PORT RICHEY POLICE DEPARTMENT THROUGH RED SPEED OR USAA TECHNOLOGIES. UNTIL WE HAVE A POLICY, WE DO NOT CURRENTLY HAVE ANY ALPR 
          [01:50:08]
CAMERAS IN USE. WE DON'T HAVE A POLICY. WE'RE NOT USING THEM. WE HAVE PROJECTS WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE USING THEM, BUT WE'RE STILL IN THE EARLY PHASES OF FORMULATING OUR POLICY. 
          HERE'S A HERE'S A HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF APRIL TECHNOLOGY. IT'S EVERYWHERE. OUR TOLLBOOTHS, PAYMENT PROCESSING OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY PASS THROUGH TOLLS WITHOUT STOPPING TRAFFIC SAFETY AND MONITORING. EVERYWHERE YOU GO. THESE CAMERAS ARE ON THE SUNCOAST PARKWAY AT THE AIRPORT. 
          THEY'RE ALSO IN GARAGES. ACCESS AND BILLING, PERMIT MANAGEMENT, SECURITY AND SAFETY. SO AGAIN, WE'RE USING TECHNOLOGY IN A DIGITAL AGE, IF IT'S USED PRUDENTLY, CAN GREATLY ENHANCE YOUR CAPABILITIES. SO PRIVACY AND CIVIL LIBERTIES THAT'S A BIG THING. AND WE HAVE TO ALWAYS RESPECT THAT. SO THE COURTS HAVE UPHELD THE CONSTITUTION OF USING ALPR CAMERAS IN PUBLIC SPACES. AGAIN, THAT'S THE KEY WORD PUBLIC SPACES. FOR EXAMPLE, ON JANUARY 27TH, 2026, A FEDERAL JUDGE IN THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA RULED THAT NORFOLK'S 170. I THINK THEY ACTUALLY HAVE OVER 200 NOW. ALPR CAMERAS DID NOT VIOLATE CIVIL RIGHTS, ACCORDING TO OUR OWN CITY ATTORNEY. I DID RESEARCH ON THIS IS LEGALLY PERMISSIBLE FOR THE CITY TO USE ALPR TECHNOLOGY IN PUBLIC SPACES. ALTHOUGH LEGAL PRECEDENTS REGARDING ALPR TECHNOLOGY IN THE UNITED STATES ARE STILL DEVELOPING. AND I THINK THAT'S A FAIR STATEMENT. 
          THEY ARE STILL DEVELOPING. IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT OUR DEPARTMENTS POLICY ADDRESS SEVERAL KEY POINTS, AND THESE ARE WHAT WE WOULD CALL BEST PRACTICES. SO THE RETENTION OF DATA FOR 30 DAYS TO FACILITATE INVESTIGATIONS BASED ON REASONABLE SUSPICION, OR TO UTILIZE ACTIONABLE DATA FOR LEGITIMATE USE. THAT WORD, AGAIN, LEGITIMATE LAW ENFORCEMENT PURPOSES FOR CRIMINAL AND JUVENILE JUSTICE INFORMATION SYSTEM, ALSO KNOWN AS CJIS. THIS IS ONE OF THEIR GUIDELINES. FDO IS ALSO INVOLVED IN THIS GAME. WE HAVE STATE LAW ON AL PR TECHNOLOGY. THE OTHER THING WOULD BE RESTRICTING ACCESS TO THE SYSTEM FOR ONLY TRAINED LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL, WITH ALL SEARCHES IN THIS SYSTEM BEING LOGGED AND AUDITABLE, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND PROHIBITING THE USE OF FACIAL RECOGNITION, WHICH THESE CAMERAS DON'T HAVE. ENSURING COMPLIANCE WITH POLICY AND ADOPTING ADOPTING SANCTIONS FOR MISUSE. THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. IF ANY OF OUR PERSONNEL MISUSE THIS TECHNOLOGY, THEY NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. 
          ACCOUNTABILITY IS KEY. SO ENSURING COMPLIANCE AGAIN WITH POLICY AND THEN RESTRICTING THE USE OF ALPR SYSTEMS SOLELY FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT PURPOSES AND PROHIBITING ACCESS FOR ANY UNRELATED CIVILIAN OR PRIVATE MATTERS. SO IF MY WIFE AND I ARE DRIVING THROUGH NEW PORT RICHEY AND WE DRIVE THROUGH AN LPR CAMERAS ZONE, IT'S NOT GOING TO ALERT. WELL, I GOT NOTHING TO HIDE. IT'S NOT GOING TO HIT MY VEHICLE. IT'S NOT GOING TO ALERT. IT'S NOT GOING TO NOTIFY THE PD. MY CAR IS NOT STOLEN. I'M NOT MISSING. I'M NOT ABDUCTED. SO THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT THE SYSTEM WILL HIT ON. NOW, THERE WILL BE A LOT OF DATA IN THERE OVER A 30 DAY PERIOD, BUT. BUT IF THERE'S NO ALERTS ON IT, WE HAVE NO USE FOR IT. WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR IT AND THEN IT WILL BE DELETED AFTER 30 DAYS. I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. 
          30 DAYS IS REALLY THAT INDUSTRY STANDARD THAT GIVES US ENOUGH TIME THAT IF WE DO HAVE ACTIONABLE DATA FOR LEGITIMATE LAW ENFORCEMENT PURPOSE, THAT WE CAN ACT UPON IT. PRIVACY AND CIVIL LIBERTIES. AGAIN, OUR POLICY SHOULD INCLUDE PROVISIONS FOR TRANSPARENCY, SUCH AS ANNUAL REPORTING ON ALPR USE AND THE DISSEMINATION OF COMMUNITY EDUCATION ABOUT ALPR TECHNOLOGY THROUGH VARIOUS MEANS. OUR POLICY WILL HAVE A MANDATE FOR ANNUAL REVIEW AND IMMEDIATE REVIEW IF THE LANDSCAPE WITH ALPR USE IN THE UNITED STATES CHANGES. 
          OBVIOUSLY, CASE LAW COURTS MAY RULE DIFFERENT THINGS. WE ALWAYS HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THAT. 
          SO HERE'S AGAIN TWO OTHER EXAMPLES. LEXINGTON POLICE USE FLOCK CAMERAS TO ARREST ALLEGED BANK ROBBER. I DON'T WANT BANK ROBBERS IN OUR COMMUNITY. FLOCK HELPS LOCATE ARMED CARJACKING SUSPECTS. AGAIN, THIS TECHNOLOGY IS REAL TIME DATA. IT RAPIDLY GIVES US DATA TO HELP US SOLVE CRIMES, TO HELP US LOCATE WANTED PERSONS, TO HELP US LOCATE MISSING PERSONS, ABDUCTED PERSONS. THIS IS THIS IS REALLY THIS IS REALLY GOOD TECHNOLOGY IF WE USE IT. RIGHT. 
          SO WHEN USED PRUDENTLY WITH ROBUST PRIVACY SAFEGUARDS AND BEST PRACTICES IN PLACE, ALPR TECHNOLOGY CAN GREATLY BENEFIT OUR COMMUNITY BY ENHANCING PUBLIC SAFETY, MAINTAINING TRUST BETWEEN THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND THE CITIZENS IT SERVES. AND THAT IS WHAT WE STRIVE FOR. AS A POLICE DEPARTMENT. WE ARE ACCREDITED. WE WANT TO SAFEGUARD CIVIL LIBERTIES, BUT WE WANT THIS TECHNOLOGY TO SAFEGUARD OUR COMMUNITY, ENHANCE PUBLIC SAFETY. PRETTY GOOD. I COULD JUST ADD A LITTLE BIT TO THE DISCUSSION. I DID PROVIDE A MEMO TO COUNCIL ON THE LEGAL ISSUES. IT HAS BEEN UPHELD BY COURTS. IT HASN'T BEEN TESTED VERY MUCH BY COURTS, BUT IT HAS BEEN UPHELD. SO IT IS LEGAL TO USE THE TECHNOLOGY. THERE'S NO WARRANTS REQUIRED OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. AS THE CHIEF POINTED OUT IN HIS SLIDE PRESENTATION, 
          [01:55:02]
THERE IS A GUIDELINE THAT'S BEEN SET UP BY A STATE COMMISSION AND THAT'S GOT A LONG NAME, AND IT'S JUVENILE JUSTICE, CRIMINAL CHARGES. THEY THEY'VE SET UP A GUIDELINE. WE WILL HAVE TO FOLLOW THAT GUIDELINE. AND THAT WILL DICTATE THINGS LIKE RETENTION OF INFORMATION, USE OF INFORMATION, REPORTING ON THE USE OF THE INFORMATION, ALL THE ALL. A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT ARE IN THIS PROPOSED ORDINANCE, IT'S MY RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU ALLOW THE CHIEF TO PROVIDE THAT POLICY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THOSE GUIDELINES. AND IF YOU WANT IT TO BE PRESENTED TO YOU ALL TO REVIEW IT, YOU CERTAINLY CAN. YOU CAN MAKE A PUBLIC POLICY DECISION AS TO WHETHER YOU EVEN WANT TO HAVE THESE CAMERAS AT ALL. YOU ABSOLUTELY CAN DO THAT. 
          I DON'T THINK YOU NEED AN ORDINANCE IF YOU WANT TO HAVE THE CAMERAS. I THINK THE BEST PRACTICE IS TO ALLOW THE CHIEF TO ESTABLISH THAT POLICY. AND IF YOU HAVE SOME CONCERNS WITH SOME ASPECT OF THAT POLICY, YOU CAN CERTAINLY MAKE THOSE KNOWN. AND THEN MAYBE THOSE PARTICULAR ISSUES CAN BE LOOKED AT. BUT LAW ENFORCEMENT IN GENERAL IS GUIDED BY A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS IN THE PURSUIT OF WHAT THEY DO. AND FDLE HAS OVERSIGHT. THEY HAVE FOURTH AMENDMENT ISSUES, CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS THAT THEY HAVE TO BE AWARE OF. THEY GET COUNSEL FROM THE STATE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WHEN NEEDED, AND THE COURTS WILL ALWAYS ADDRESS WHATEVER LAW ENFORCEMENT DOES WITH RESPECT TO ANY LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITY THAT THEY CONDUCT. SO YOU ARE PROTECTED. THE CITIZENS ARE PROTECTED BY ALL OF THAT. AND THE BEST PRACTICE, I THINK, FOR THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE IS TO GIVE THE CHIEF AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE THAT POLICY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THOSE GUIDELINES. AND AS HE STATED, HE HAS NO INTENTION OF STARTING TO USE ANY OF THIS TECHNOLOGY UNTIL THAT POLICY IS IN PLACE. AND IF YOU WANT HIM TO REPORT TO YOU OR THE CITY MANAGER TO REPORT TO YOU ON THAT POLICY OR HOW IT'S BEING USED, YOU CERTAINLY CAN REQUEST THAT. BUT THEY DO A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT REQUIRE A LOT OF POLICIES THAT THEY HAVE TO FOLLOW IN GENERAL ORDERS. AND THIS IS JUST ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE. THERE'S NOTHING THAT'S UNIQUE ABOUT THIS. IT'S NOT ANY MORE INVASIVE THAN OBTAINING A WARRANT FOR SOMEONE'S CELL PHONE DATA OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THAT'S ALWAYS OUT THERE AND AVAILABLE. SO THIS POLICY IS JUST ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE TYPES OF POLICIES. BUT SO THAT'S MY RECOMMENDATION. AND I THINK THE CHIEF LAID IT OUT PRETTY CLEAR TO YOU. TO YOU WHAT WHAT IS INVOLVED. I DON'T THINK YOU NEED THIS ORDINANCE. AND I THINK YOU CAN HAVE A POLICY THAT WILL PROTECT THE PUBLIC WITHOUT HAVING AN ORDINANCE ON IT. ANY PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS POINT, SEEING NONE COME FORWARD, NO ONE COME FORWARD. I'LL BRING IT BACK AND I'LL LET YOU START OUT. YEAH. SO WHEN WHEN THIS. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. WHEN THIS CONTRACT FOR THE SPEEDLITE CAMERAS WAS BROUGHT BEFORE US, IT INCLUDED THAT THERE WOULD BE ALPR TECHNOLOGY. THE CONTRACT HAS BEEN APPROVED. AND SO THE CJIS CALLED FOR SOME SORT OF POLICY TO BE MADE. IF ALPR TECHNOLOGY IS USED. SO WE AS A COUNCIL, APPROVED FOR THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY WITHOUT THERE BEING AN EXISTING POLICY IN PLACE BY ENTERING A CONTRACT WITH FLOC. 
          THAT IS WHAT SET OFF THE ALARMS FOR ME PERSONALLY AND WHY, YOU KNOW, HAD HAD HAD IT TURNED AROUND IN CITY COUNCIL AND CITY. EXCUSE ME, CITY ATTORNEY AND CITY MANAGER COME AND SAID, WHOA WHOA WHOA WHOA, PUMP THE BRAKES. WE HAVE A POLICY ALREADY. DON'T DON'T MAKE ANOTHER DON'T DON'T MAKE THIS MORE COMPLICATED THAN IT HAS TO BE. THEN I WOULD HAVE SAID, FINE, LET'S SEE THE POLICY. CAN YOU PUT IT BEFORE COUNCIL FOR DISCUSSION? LET'S JUST MAKE SURE IT'S UP TO STANDARD NO VOTE OR ANYTHING. JUST MAKE SURE WE'RE BEING TRANSPARENT ABOUT IT. BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE A POLICY. SO TECHNICALLY RIGHT NOW IF IF THE YOU KNOW I KNOW THE CHIEF IS A STAND UP INDIVIDUAL AND THE OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT THROUGH ACCREDITATION AS EVIDENCE OF THAT, THEY'RE GOING TO FOLLOW THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CJIS AND MAKE A POLICY. BUT TECHNICALLY WE ALREADY APPROVED FOR A CONTRACT. SO CONTRACT COULD GO THROUGH. AND AND IT CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG RIGHT NOW, THERE IS NOT A POLICY IN PLACE. SO THAT THAT BEING SAID, WE CAN GO INTO THE PHILOSOPHICAL FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCE. AND IT IS SOMETHING EVEN COUNCILMAN ALTMAN HAS ADDRESSED ON DIFFERENT TOPICS, NOT THIS ONE, BUT WHERE THE LINE IS BETWEEN THE POLICY MAKING OF OUR COUNCIL AND WHERE THE LINE IS BETWEEN OUR CITY MANAGER AND HER STAFF, SUGGESTING POLICIES TO US THAT THEN SOME WOULD CHARACTERIZE US AS RUBBER STAMPING AND SOME OTHER PEOPLE WOULD CHARACTERIZE US. I FALL INTO THE SECOND GROUP AS TAKING A CRITICAL EYE OF AND PROVIDING OUR INPUT. 
          THAT BEING SAID, THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS STATED HE JUST NOW AND YOU'RE CLEAR TO YOUR YOUR MIND TO REVISE THAT THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE HAS A LOT OF THE SAME THINGS THAT ARE IN THE CJ JUDGE'S AGREEMENT, AND THAT'S INTENTIONAL BECAUSE I TRUST THEIR JUDGMENT. I TRUST I TRUST THE JUDGMENT OF OUR OF OUR CHIEF OF POLICE. BUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE UNIQUE 
          [02:00:02]
TO OUR CITY, WHICH IS THE WHOLE POINT OF A CITY COUNCIL, IS TO GO BEYOND THE SCOPE OF A STATE AGENCY, IS TO PROVIDE NUANCE TO THAT POLICY. FOR EXAMPLE, THE CJIS VERY BRIEFLY, IF AT ALL, SPEAKS TO THE THE NOTION OF HAVING AN OUTSIDE VENDOR FACILITATE THE TECHNOLOGY, WHEREAS THERE IS A SECTION IN THIS ORDINANCE, AND PERHAPS IT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD BE SPOKEN TO WITHIN WHATEVER POLICY IS MADE ON THE POLICE'S SIDE FOR PROPOSAL FOR FOR THIS TECHNOLOGY, WE DO NOT, YOU KNOW, DATA OWNERSHIP. WHAT IS THE WHAT IS OUR YOU KNOW, ARE WE THE SOLE OWNER OF ALL DATA THAT PASSES THROUGH TECHNOLOGY, OR DOES FLOC HAVE SOME OWNERSHIP OF THAT DATA? MY OTHER QUESTION IS, AND THIS IS SOMETHING WE CAN SPEAK TO TONIGHT, IT'S SPOKEN TO IN THE ORDINANCE, OR IT COULD BE PRESENTED THROUGH POLICY OR THE CITY MANAGER. MY OTHER QUESTION, THE PR DATA THAT IS CAPTURED BY THE VENDOR, IS IT BEING STORED AT ALL WITH FLOC TECHNOLOGY OR WE'RE NOT WITH MOTOROLA OR READ THE OTHER COMPANIES, I ASSUME, BUT WITH ALPR. BUT IF WE WERE, DO THOSE VENDORS HAVE THAT DATA ON THEIR CLOUD AT ANY POINT IN TIME, AND HOW LONG DO THEY HAVE IT ON THEIR CLOUD FOR? IS IT THREE MINUTES? IS IT ONE MINUTE? WHAT IS THE BEST PRACTICE STANDARD WE HAVE? BECAUSE WE COULD THROW THAT TERM AROUND BEST PRACTICES. 
          BUT WE'RE ADMITTING THAT THIS TECHNOLOGY IS NEW. SO THERE HASN'T REALLY BEEN MUCH PRACTICE AT ALL TO NOW DELINEATE BEST PRACTICES. THE THIRD THING ON DATA SHARING OTHERWISE SENT TO THE VENDOR OTHERWISE PRODUCED IS FLOC ABLE TO SHARE THEIR DATA IF THEY RUN INTO A TROUBLE, IF THEY IF THEIR CLOUD CRASHES, IF AWS GOES DOWN AND THEY NEED TO TROUBLESHOOT THE DATA DURING A CRASH, CAN THEY SHARE THAT DATA WITH AN OUTSIDE VENDOR WHO NOW HAS ACCESS AND PUTS US VULNERABLE TO A DATA BREACH? THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT CJIS DOES NOT ADDRESS. THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WON'T COME UP IN COURT CASES, AND I'M GOING TO GO A LITTLE BIT PHILOSOPHICAL, PHILOSOPHICAL HERE, JUST BECAUSE IT'S A POINT THAT'S BEEN BROUGHT UP SEVERAL TIMES UP HERE AND WHY I FELT THE NEED TO JUST GO RIGHT TO ORDINANCE, BECAUSE THERE IS THIS THERE'S THIS HABIT OF NOTHING IN MY ORDINANCE PREVENTS YOU FROM DOING ANYTHING. YOU LIST IT UP THERE, NOTHING IN THE ORDINANCE. 
          YOU JUST SPENT A GOOD 15 MINUTES TALKING ABOUT FOURTH AMENDMENT RIGHTS AND THE NECESSITY OF THIS TECHNOLOGY. THIS ORDINANCE ALLOWS FOR HOT SEARCHES. IT ALLOWS FOR THE ALERTS. IT ALLOWS FOR THE USE OF THE SPEEDLIGHT CAMERAS. IT ALLOWS FOR THE USE OF THE RED LIGHT CAMERAS. IT ALLOWS FOR IT. YOU DIDN'T EVEN MENTION IT, BUT IT ALLOWS FOR IT TO HAVE A CAMERA MOUNTED ON A POLICE VEHICLE. AND YOU DO IT THAT WAY, LIKE NEW PORT RICHEY THE OTHER DAY, THEY THEY GOT A HOT THING ON THE BACK OF MY LICENSE PLATE AND PULLED ME OVER. AND IT TURNED OUT THERE WAS NO CR PROBLEM WITH THE TECHNOLOGY. AND THEY TOOK THE EIGHT AND IT WAS ACTUALLY A D, AND IT WASN'T EVEN MY VEHICLE. AND THEY PULLED ME OVER AND WANTED TO AND THEY REALIZED IT WASN'T EVEN ME. SO AND THEY USE ALPR. SO THE POINT IS THERE'S NOTHING HERE PREVENTING YOU FROM DOING THOSE THINGS AND OTHER THINGS. IT'S A MATTER OF WE AS A COUNCIL. AND THAT WAS OUR MISTAKE. APPROVED THE ENTERING OF AN AGREEMENT AND A USE OF A TECHNOLOGY WE HAVE NOT AT ALL REGULATED OR PROVIDED STANDARDS FOR. THAT'S THE POINT TO ADDRESS THE CITY ATTORNEY'S MEMO, HE SPENDS THE FIRST 4 OR 5 PARAGRAPHS TALKING ABOUT FOURTH AMENDMENT RIGHTS, WHICH PROBABLY ONLY APPLIES TO THE PROHIBITION SECTION OF MY PROPOSED ORDINANCE, WHICH HE THEN WHICH I'M NOT GOING TO ADDRESS BECAUSE IT'S IRRELEVANT TO. I DON'T BRING UP FOURTH AMENDMENT CONCERNS. I THINK ALPR DOES NOT VIOLATE PEOPLE'S RIGHTS INHERENTLY. IT'S DEPENDING ON HOW THE DATA IS STORED. HE GOES ON TO SAY THAT THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS ISSUED GUIDELINES ON ITS USE TECHNOLOGY. WE TALKED ABOUT THAT TONIGHT. AND WE DON'T HAVE THOSE TECHNOLOGY. WE DON'T HAVE THOSE GUIDELINES ADOPTED. AND HIS FINAL PARAGRAPH, HE SAYS THE RETENTION OF THE DATA PROVISIONS COULD SIGNIFICANTLY LIMIT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE TECHNOLOGY. I WOULD PREFER SOME ELABORATION ON THAT, BECAUSE THE STANDARDS I PUT FOR THE 30 DAYS, THE AND IT'S NOT JUST 30 DAYS, IF YOU GET A HIT, IT'S UP TO THREE YEARS. AND THAT'S ANYTHING FROM SERIAL KILLER OR BELOW. SO IT'S YOUR IT DEPENDS ON HOW YOU DEFINE A HIT. BUT ONCE THAT'S KICKED IN YOU GET THREE YEARS. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS REFERRED TO AS IT'S LIMITED EFFECTIVENESS. THAT'S THE POINT. WE WANT LIMITS AROUND ITS USE. AND THE LIMITATIONS ON USE RELATED TO IMMIGRATION COULD BE CONSIDERED OF A VIOLATION OF THE RECENT IMMIGRATION STATUSES ADOPTED BY THE STATE. THERE. THERE IS. THE CHIEF OF POLICE ASSOCIATIONS MADE A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE SHOULD ENTER 287G AGREEMENTS. THERE IS NOTHING IN STATE STATUTE THAT ENCOURAGES MUNICIPALITIES TO DO THAT. IT IS ONLY THE COUNTY SHERIFFS THAT HAVE TO ENTER THOSE AGREEMENTS. I FUNDAMENTALLY DISAGREE THERE, BUT I HAVE A FEELING THIS COUNCIL DISAGREES WITH THAT ASSESSMENT, SO I'D BE HAPPY TO WITHDRAW OR STRIKE THROUGH THAT PART. AND FINALLY, 
          [02:05:02]
THE PREFERRED POLICY WOULD BE DEVELOPED BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FDLE GUIDELINES USING BEST PRACTICES. I'M FINE WITH THAT. IF YOU WANT TO DEVELOP A POLICY ORDINANCE AND PRESENT TO US, AND WE CONTINUE TO LET OUR CITY MANAGER BE THE POLICY MAKER OF OUR CITY, I'M TOTALLY FINE WITH THAT. BUT I REALLY THINK WHAT IT SHOULD BE IS THAT OUR COUNCIL TELLS OUR CITY DEPARTMENT, OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHAT THEIR GUARDRAILS ARE, AND THEY HAVE TO ACT WITHIN THOSE GUARDRAILS TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY THERE. 
          THERE'S THEY'VE GIVEN US NO REASON TO SAY THEY'RE NOT. SO I DON'T I DON'T KNOW WHY ON THIS ISSUE THERE ARE SOME DIFFERING OPINION. I WILL SAY IN STATE STATUTE, THERE'S TWO PARAGRAPHS, TWO LINES THAT TALK ABOUT ALPR IN THEIR GUIDELINES WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR USES, BECAUSE IT'S SO NEW. AND SO TO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S POINT, MORE WILL BE COMING. BUT WE'RE NOT WAITING FOR MORE. WE'RE JUST SAYING YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND PUT PUT IT IN KIDS AREA OR AREAS WHERE KIDS ARE AND JUST ROLL WITH ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES UNTIL THE STATE FIGURES THINGS OUT. AND ON ONE NOTE, AND BECAUSE I SEE WHERE THIS IS GOING, UNLESS YOU GUYS HAVE OPINIONS, BUT THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT DEVELOPMENT. SO I WANT THE CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT TO BE AWARE. THE TECHNOLOGY AS THE TECHNOLOGY IS PRESENTED AND UNDERNEATH THE GUIDELINES. AND I WOULD LIKE THIS ON THE RECORD. AND PLEASE CORRECT ME BECAUSE THIS IS THIS IS THE PART THAT CONCERNS ME. MELISSA ON THE STREET, SHE COULD DRIVE THROUGH A A SCHOOL ZONE BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE THEM NOW. MISSION CREEP. WE'RE GOING TO EXPAND IT. I KNOW IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT FOR RIGHT NOW IT'S ONLY IN THE SURVEILLANCE SURVEILLANCE ZONES. 
          IF MELISSA HAS A LICENSE PLATE. AND ON HER BUMPER STICKER, IT SAYS SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF I SUPPORT DONALD TRUMP OR BIDEN OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, GIVING A POLITICAL VIEW. THERE IS NOTHING IN THE JUDGE'S GUIDE. IN FACT, IT SAYS IF YOU EXPAND YOUR DATA TO INCLUDE OTHER THINGS, YOU JUST HAVE TO LABEL IT. SO THERE'S NO PROHIBITION. SO THAT BEING SAID, THERE IS NOTHING PREVENTING A CITY FROM TURNING AROUND AND GETTING A LICENSE PLATE CONNECTING THAT TO SOMEONE'S IDENTITY, GETTING THAT BUMPER STICKER AND PUTTING THOSE THINGS TOGETHER. AND NOW YOU HAVE A DATABASE THAT TRACKS SOMEONE'S POLITICAL IDENTITY ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR WITH THEIR PHYSICAL IDENTITY, AND THAT'S, THAT'S STORED IF THEY HAVE A TRAFFIC VIOLATION THAT'S UNPAID. NOW THAT'S A HOT, HOT, HOT HIT AND IT STAYS IN THERE FOR THREE YEARS. THERE HAVE BEEN DOCUMENTED CASES. GEORGIA POLICE CHIEF CHARGED WITH A USING LICENSE PLATE READERS TO STALK AND HARASS PEOPLE. THAT'S 2025 MILWAUKEE POLICE OFFICER CHARGED WITH USING FLOCK CAMERAS TO KEEP TABS ON GIRLFRIEND. THAT'S SIX DAYS AGO. POLICE SERVANTS IS RIPE FOR ABUSE, IF NOT LIMITED. THAT'S THE ACLU. SO THERE'S THE WE'RE PROTECTING OUR KIDS, WHICH THIS ORDINANCE DOES. BUT THEN THERE'S ALSO THE WHAT ARE LIMITS ARE WE PLACING ON AN INDIVIDUAL FROM ABUSING THIS TECHNOLOGY, FROM USING IT TO TRACK PEOPLE, TO CREATE CATALOGS, PEOPLE TO SEE HOW PEOPLE VOTE, TO SEE PEOPLE'S BEHAVIORS AND HABITS GOING INTO SCHOOL ZONES. THAT'S WHERE THAT'S WHERE I DON'T THINK WE'VE WE HAVEN'T ADDRESSED IT ON THE POWERPOINT. WE DIDN'T ADDRESS IT IN THE MEMO. THAT PARTS NOT IF SOMEONE GETS A HIT AND THEN IT GOES BEFORE COURT AND THE COURTS DECIDE IT CAN BE USED AGAINST THEM. GOOD. THAT'S THAT'S A GOOD THING. I'M TALKING ABOUT THE INNOCENT PEOPLE WITHOUT ANY HITS WHO ARE PASSING THROUGH THESE ZONES BEING TRACKED. WHAT IS THE WHAT ARE WE DOING TO ADDRESS THAT POINT, AND WHAT ARE WE DOING TO MAKE SURE VENDORS WHO ARE WE'RE NOT OUR TECH DEPARTMENT ISN'T MAKING THE TECHNOLOGY. IT'S NOT IN-HOUSE. SO WHAT ARE WE DOING TO MAKE SURE VENDORS ARE BEING HELD RESPONSIBLE BECAUSE THE STATE WON'T HOLD THEM RESPONSIBLE? AND WE ARE CREATURES OF THE STATE, SO WE NEED TO DO IT. IF THEY WON'T, THAT'S WHERE I'M AT WITH IT. SO I SOME OF WHAT I HEARD LISTENING TO THE PRESENTATION AND AGAIN WHEN WHEN A COUNCIL MEMBER HAS AN ISSUE, IT'S ALWAYS MY PREFERENCE TO HEAR WHAT THE ROOT OF THE ISSUE IS AND AND NOT TO HAVE IT GET, YOU KNOW, TURNED INTO A WHOLE NOTHER PITCHFORK. BUT I KNOW THAT IT WAS A SENSE THAT THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT IT, AND YOU'VE DONE A GOOD JOB OF EXPLAINING TO US WHAT IT IS. WHAT I DID HERE WAS THAT IT'S THE LICENSE PLATE IS THE OWNERSHIP OF THAT IS THE STATE, AND SO THERE'S NO LEGAL REASON AGAINST IT. AND I ALSO HEARD THAT IT'S THE CAR, NOT THE PERSON DRIVING IT. SO IF SOMEONE IS A CRIMINAL, HE COULD BE DRIVING OUR CAR AND NOBODY WOULD KNOW. SO TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT DATA IS BEING CAPTURED IN THIS PARTICULAR WAY, IT ALWAYS CONCERNS ME AS A FROM EARLY CHILDHOOD BEING TAUGHT THAT A MAN'S HOME IS HIS CASTLE. PRIVACY IS SOMETHING ILLEGAL. SEARCH AND SEIZURE, PRIVACY. 
          [02:10:03]
ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE NOW BECOMING, YOU KNOW, SORT OF OBSOLETE IN THE SENSE THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE UP ON TOP OF VEHICLES, UP ON TOP OF WHEN WE HAVE EVENTS. WE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT EVENTS THAT ARE GOING TO OCCUR RIGHT NOW IN OUR WORLD, THE WAY WE ARE RIGHT NOW. 
          THERE'S AN ELEVATED, YOU KNOW, RISK BECAUSE OF THE ENGAGEMENT IN FOREIGN AFFAIRS. WHEN 9/11 HAPPENED, THE WHOLE SENSE OF PRIVACY CHANGED IN A LARGE DEGREE. AND THE PUBLIC HAS IN GENERAL, TO YOUR POINT, HAS ACCEPTED THAT. SO WHAT WE WERE TAUGHT TO BELIEVE AND OUR ABILITY TO BE FREE AND DO WHAT WE WANT DOESN'T EXTEND TO STEALING A CAR, DOESN'T EXTEND TO CHILD ABUSE, AND DOESN'T EXTEND TO THE ISSUES THAT YOU RAISED. I MEAN, 100 PEOPLE IN THE WHOLE COUNTRY IS AN INTERESTING FACT. AND IT WAS ONE CHILD BEING SAVED IS ALWAYS THE COMMENT, YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S WORTH WHATEVER IT TAKES TO SAVE ONE LIFE. I UNDERSTAND ALL OF THAT. I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS THAT YOU HAVE, COUNCILMAN, AND I GLAD THAT YOU BROUGHT THIS UP. SO IT REALLY IS YOUR ISSUE. YOU YOU HAVE EXPOUNDED ON IT TREMENDOUSLY TO EXPLAIN YOUR CONCERNS. THE CONCERN I HEARD AND THE ONE I SHARE, ALTHOUGH I WOULD SAY WHEN I WATCH TV, I HAVE TO WONDER HOW MUCH THE TELEVISION KNOWS ABOUT ME FOR ALL OF THE MEDICINES AND PILLS AND DISEASES THAT IT THINKS THAT I HAVE, BECAUSE I MUST BE REALLY SICK. BECAUSE ALL I SEE IS JUST ONE ADVERTISEMENT AFTER THE OTHER ABOUT WHAT I NEED TO BE MORE HEALTHIER AND VIRILE OR WHATEVER ELSE THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO PUSH. SO BOTTOM LINE IS WE ARE WELL DOCUMENTED. WE'RE DOCUMENTED BY OUR SOCIAL MEDIA. WE'RE DOCUMENTED BY OUR USE OF CREDIT CARDS. OUR INSURANCE COMPANIES DOCUMENT US BASED ON WHETHER WE SHOP AT, WHETHER WE EAT AT, AT A STORE THAT HAS ALCOHOL OR AT A. AND WHAT ARE OUR SPENDING HABITS ARE. SO WE'VE ALL BEEN PSYCHOGRAPHICS, YOU KNOW, DETERMINED FOR THE MARKETING PURPOSES. SO SO YOUR POINT IS VALID INFORMATION ABOUT WHERE WE GO, WHAT WE DO, HOW MUCH WE DRIVE. IT'S JUST ANOTHER COLLECTION OF OUR DATA. SO IN THAT REGARD IT'S OVERWHELMING. 
          I APPRECIATE YOUR CALLING OUT THE CONCERN. THE CANARY IN THE COAL MINE. I THINK THE CANARIES ARE LAYING ALL OVER THE FLOOR OF THE CAVE RIGHT NOW, SO THAT'S KIND OF MY RESPONSE TO YOU, IS, I WOULD MUCH LIKE TO SEE THAT THE DATA THAT WE COLLECT IS PROTECTED FROM COMMERCIAL USAGE. AND IF THAT'S WHAT I HEARD, ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT'S SERIOUSLY PART OF YOUR ISSUE, THEN I WANT TO SEE I WANT TO SEE THAT IN A POLICY. AND IF YOU'RE WILLING AND THERE'S NOT A THERE'S NOT A MAJORITY TO APPROVE THE ORDINANCE THAT YOU PRESENTED. 
          THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU'VE DONE. I WOULD CERTAINLY LIKE TO SEE A POLICY THAT SAYS, WE'RE HERE TO USE IT IN THE WAY THAT CHIEF COHEN SAID. WE'RE GOING TO USE THIS, AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMPANY THAT COLLECTS THIS DATA DOESN'T HAVE ANY OWNERSHIP OF IT TO MARK IT UP, EVEN THOUGH EVERY DAY WE SAY ACCEPT BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO READ THE 15 PAGES WORTH OF CRAP THAT THEY WANT US TO READ, TO TELL US WHAT WE'RE GETTING INTO EVERY TIME WE AGREE WITH ANYTHING ON THE INTERNET. I THINK IT'S A DIFFERENT WORLD AND IT'S UNFORTUNATE. IT'S GREAT TO SORT OF FIGHT AGAINST IT, AND I DON'T WANT TO SAY WE OUGHT NOT DO IT. SO KUDOS TO YOU FOR BRINGING IT UP. IT'S KIND OF THE REASON WHEN IT WAS JUST AT THE SCHOOL ZONE ALONE, THAT I'M LIKE, THIS IS JUST SUCH A MASSIVE ISSUE THAT YOU'RE RAISING. IT'S ONE THAT SHOULD BE RAISED IN CONGRESS AND IN THE STATE HOUSE, AND IT'S ONE THAT YOU CAN MAKE YOUR STATEMENT, AND I APPRECIATE IT. I DON'T DISAGREE WITH YOU. I THINK THE POLICY SOUNDS LIKE THE WAY WE'RE GOING, AND I'D LIKE TO HEAR BACK FROM THE CITY THAT WE HAVE A POLICY THAT WE CAN TELL THE CITIZENS WE'RE PROTECTING THEM, AND WE'RE NOT JUST TRYING TO FIND A CHANCE TO PULL SOMEBODY OVER BECAUSE THEY HAPPEN TO HAVE AN EXPIRED TAG THAT'S PICKED UP BY THIS, YOU KNOW, ULTRA SENSITIVE CAMERAS ARE THE SAME THING. THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS IN TOWN THAT DON'T LIKE CAMERAS EVERYWHERE. THEY DON'T WANT TO BE INSPECTED AND VIEWED EVERYWHERE. AND THEN WE'RE SAYING IN PUBLIC, IN PUBLIC SPACES, WE'VE GOT TO CONTROL AND PROTECT IT. SO IT'S AN UNFORTUNATE IT'S AN UNFORTUNATE SITUATION. BUT I THINK IT'S IT'S A DIFFICULT ONE TO FIGHT. SO I WOULD I WOULD ASK FOR THE POLICY DIRECTION AND JUST CAN I JUMP IN REAL QUICK AND JUST SAY A COUPLE THINGS IN RESPONSE TO SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT COUNCILMAN BUTLER MADE, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. COUNCILMAN BUTLER, ABOUT THE SUBJECT, AND I AND I KNOW YOU, YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WHEN YOU 
          [02:15:02]
WHEN YOU BRING THIS UP. I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE EGREGIOUS EXAMPLES OF THE MISUSE OF THIS TECHNOLOGY THAT YOU POINTED OUT ARE NOT PREVENTED BY YOUR ORDINANCE, AND THEY'RE NOT THERE, BUT THEY ARE PREVENTED BY THE REQUIREMENT THAT IT BE USED FOR LEGITIMATE POLICE PURPOSES. AND THAT IS PROVIDED BY THE POLICY THAT THE STATE HAS PROMULGATED. 
          SO THERE'S NOTHING THERE'S NOTHING DIFFERENT ABOUT YOUR ORDINANCE THAT WOULD ADDRESS THOSE EGREGIOUS EXAMPLES THAT YOU LAID OUT THAT WOULDN'T BE ADDRESSED BY A POLICY CURRENTLY. 
          AND LET ME JUST FINISH, IF YOU DON'T MIND, WE CURRENTLY HAVE A SYSTEM WHERE POLICE OFFICERS CAN CHECK LICENSE PLATES THEMSELVES MANUALLY AND GET INFORMATION THAT'S ALSO SUBJECT TO THOSE SAME, SAME PARAMETERS. YOU CAN'T USE THAT FOR PERSONAL PURPOSES. TO FIND OUT WHERE YOUR GIRLFRIEND OR BOYFRIEND IS AT, YOU HAVE TO USE IT FOR LEGITIMATE POLICE PURPOSES, AND WE HAVE DISCIPLINARY POLICIES THAT GO WITH THAT, AND THOSE ARE VERY SERIOUS POLICIES, AND THAT WILL BE THE SAME HERE. AND THAT'S WHAT THE CHIEF WILL HAVE TO DEVELOP. AND THEN WE CAN CERTAINLY PRESENT THAT TO YOU. BUT I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU SOME ASSURANCE THAT THERE'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT YOU HAVE AND WHAT THIS POLICY WILL BE, WON'T CHANGE THE FACT THAT YOU CAN'T MISUSE THIS TECHNOLOGY IN THOSE EGREGIOUS WAYS THAT YOU DESCRIBED. THAT WOULD BE A VIOLATION AND THAT WOULD BE SUBJECT TO SERIOUS DISCIPLINE. JUST TO JUST TO ADD TO THAT, YOU LEAVE $100 LAYING ON THE FLOOR OF YOUR ROOM VERSUS YOU LOCK IT UP. SOMEONE WHO BREAKS INTO YOUR SAFE, THEY'RE STILL IN $100, SOMEONE WHO STEALS IT OFF THE FLOOR. 
          THEY'RE STEALING $100. BUT THE DIFFERENCE IS WHETHER IT'S ACCESSIBLE. THIS ORDINANCE DOES CALL FOR THE ONLY DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE CG CJIS GUIDELINES, AND THE ORDINANCE I PRESENTED WAS THE THE AND THIS IS THEIR DEFINITION. USE NOT MY DEFINITION. USE OF TACTICAL USE IS LIMITED TO 24 HOURS WITHIN THIS ORDINANCE CGI, CGI, OR EXCUSE ME, THE CRIMINAL AND JUVENILE LONG WINDED NAME. THEY ALLOW FOR IT FOR UP TO 30 DAYS, WHICH ALLOWS FOR THE MISUSE THAT YOU JUST DESCRIBED. SO THAT THAT THAT IT'S A KEY POINT, BUT IT'S NOT SOMETHING I GLOSSED OVER. IT WAS INTENTIONAL THAT IT WAS LIMITED. IF SOMEONE'S EX-GIRLFRIEND IS COMMITTING CRIMES, THEN THEY SHOW UP IN A LIST AND THAT'S BEING ABUSED. THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN SOMEONE'S EX-GIRLFRIEND IS JUST DRIVING THROUGH A ZONE. AND NOW THIS EXISTS IN A 30 DAY LIST THAT SOMEONE COULD POTENTIALLY ABUSE IF THEY HAVE ACCESS TO IT. THAT. BUT IF YOU'RE IF YOU DECIDE THAT 30 DAYS IS BETTER AND WE AS A COUNCIL WANT TO TAKE THE GAMBLE ON THAT, OPENING THE DOOR TO SOMEONE PEEKING INTO THAT DATA AND FINDING TRENDS OF INNOCENT PEOPLE THAT HAVE DONE NOTHING WRONG, THEN THAT'S THE GAMBLE OR THE DECISION WILL HAVE TO MAKE. BUT I DISAGREE WITH IT. PERSONALLY. I JUST WANT TO. THERE'S A MIX UP HERE. THE DATA IS NOT AVAILABLE UNLESS THERE'S IT'S UNLESS SOME ILLEGAL LICENSE PLATES IN THERE. 
          CORRECT? CORRECT. THEY HAVE TO HAVE A REASON TO EVEN LOOK AT IT. YEAH. SO SO SO SO IT'S NOT REALLY AVAILABLE THEN. CORRECT. BECAUSE WHAT COUNCILMAN BUTLER'S DESCRIBING ARE ALL ILLEGAL THINGS. SO THEY'RE NOT GOING TO USE IT ILLEGALLY. NOW YOU'RE JUST ASSUMING THAT BECAUSE YOU CAN USE IT ILLEGALLY, LIKE ALL KINDS OF TECHNOLOGY THAT'S AVAILABLE TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THAT THAT MEANS SOMEBODY IS GOING TO USE IT ILLEGALLY. YOU CAN'T PUT SO MANY SAFEGUARDS AND CONSTRAINTS THAT YOU YOU END UP NOT MAKING THE TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE FOR THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH IT WAS INTENDED. 100 OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO IF THEY WANT TO GO THE WRONG ROAD, THEY CAN GO THE WRONG ROAD. THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS YOU COULD DO WRONG, IF THAT'S WHAT YOUR INTENT IS. AND OBVIOUSLY THE LAW PROTECTS THE CITIZENRY FROM THAT AND THERE ARE REPERCUSSIONS FOR THAT TYPE OF THING. SO I DON'T THINK THAT YOU NEED AND YOU KNOW, YOU I AGREE YOUR ORDINANCE HAS SOME GOOD THINGS IN IT AND SO DOES THE POLICY. YEAH, THEY'LL HAVE SAFEGUARDS ON THAT AS WELL, JUST AS THEY DO ALL THESE OTHER POLICIES. YES. AND IT'S GOING TO GO THROUGH THE CHAIN OF COMMAND. EVERYTHING HAS TO GO THROUGH THE CHAIN OF COMMAND. IT'S GOING TO ULTIMATELY COME UP THE CHAIN OF COMMAND, AND YOU'RE GOING TO BE PROTECTED BY THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT PROVIDES, AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE RELYING ON, AND THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE TO RELY ON. THAT'S THAT'S THE NATURE OF HAVING A POLICE DEPARTMENT. OKAY. JUST JUST TO PUT IT ON THE RECORD, BECAUSE THE QUESTION WAS RAISED IN AN ANSWER HAS BEEN GIVEN THAT I DISAGREE WITH THE CJIS DIFFERENTIATES BETWEEN USE OF THE DATA FOR HOTLIST USE OF THE DATA FOR INVESTIGATIVE PURPOSES, AND USE THE DATA FOR TACTICAL USE. I DON'T THINK IT'S POSSIBLE FOR SOMEONE, A CHIEF OF POLICE IN GEORGIA, TO BE CHARGED FOR STALKING. IF IT WASN'T FOR HE HAD ACCESS TO DATA THAT WAS NOT UNDER A HOTLIST OR INVESTIGATION. I'M HAPPY TO LOOK FURTHER INTO INTO IT, BUT THIS DATA IS STORED FOR UP TO 30 DAYS UNDER THE CJ. WE CAN GO ABOUT WHETHER IT'S ACCESSIBLE OR NOT, BUT IT IS. IT IS DATA FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE SOMEONE WHO JUST DRIVES THROUGH 
          [02:20:02]
A SCHOOL ZONE. THEY ARE BEING THEIR DATA IS BEING STORED WITHOUT HAVING ANY CRIMINAL RECORD OR ANY HOT LISTS, BEING WANTED OR STEALING, KIDNAPING SOMEONE THEIR DAD IS BEING STORED SOMEWHERE. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S CLEAR. YEAH, I, I APPRECIATE YOUR CONCERN. 
          EVERYBODY'S CONCERNS. I HAVE NO CONCERNS MYSELF ABOUT TECHNOLOGY AND THE ACCESS TO THAT. THEY HAVE TO TO US PEOPLE. BUT I THINK AND I HAVE MISTAKEN, I THINK THE CHIEF SAID THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE IN USE UNTIL THERE WAS A POLICY THAT WAS APPROVED. SO UNTIL THEN, I THINK, I THINK THE BEST COURSE WOULD BE TO LET THEM COME UP WITH A POLICY AND THEN THEY CAN PRESENT IT TO US AND WE CAN KIND OF GO THROUGH IT AND LOOK AT IT AND THEN KIND OF TAKE IT FROM THERE. AND I THINK HE'S DEFINITELY WELL AWARE OF THE CONCERNS THAT THAT EVERYONE HAS UP HERE ABOUT IT. AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A FAILSAFE FOR PREVENTING EVERYTHING. I DON'T THINK THAT'S POSSIBLE. YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, CRIMINALS ARE GOING TO BE CRIMINALS AND, AND, AND SO FORTH. BUT I SAY THAT'S THE FIRST STEP RIGHT NOW IS LET'S GET THAT POLICY WRITTEN AND KIND OF GO FROM THERE. WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT THEN TO INCLUDE COMMERCIAL USE. MET ANYTHING THAT WE WE FEEL IS IMPORTANT. OKAY. SO I JUST WANT TO FIRST START OUT BY, YOU KNOW, THANKING COUNCILMAN BUTLER FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER. AND I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR YOU, BUT I THINK WHERE THIS REALLY CAME FROM IS WHEN THOSE CAMERAS CAME TO BE, WE DIDN'T REALLY GET THE FULL EXPLANATION OF THIS PART OF IT. SO I THINK THAT RAISED A RED FLAG TO YOU, THAT MAYBE SOMEBODY WAS TRYING TO SNEAK SOMETHING THROUGH WITHOUT GIVING YOU THE INFORMATION. BUT I THINK WHAT THE CHIEF IS PRESENTED, I MEAN, HECK, THEIR ACCREDITATION ALONE WOULD BE JEOPARDIZED IF ANY OF THESE INSTANCES THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING OF WERE TO HAPPEN. AND I DON'T THINK THEY WORKED FOR THREE YEARS ON THAT TO JUST THROW IT AWAY. SO TO ME, WE HAVE THESE PEOPLE HERE WHO ARE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND THEIR THEIR JOB IS TO PROTECT US AND IN FACT PROTECT EVERYBODY OUT THERE. SO WE HAVE TO GIVE OUR FAITH AND TRUST INTO THE TEAM THAT THE POLICY THAT HE'S GOING TO BRING FORWARD IS THE BEST THING FOR ALL OF US. NOW, OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE GOING TO CONFIRM THAT. AND I AGREE WITH, YOU KNOW, WITH WHAT MATT HAD TO SAY, I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT GOING TO GO INTO EFFECT UNTIL A POLICY IS PUT TOGETHER. HE'S GOING TO PUT A POLICY TOGETHER. AND OBVIOUSLY THIS POLICY IS GOING TO EVOLVE BECAUSE LIKE YOU BROUGHT UP, THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF CASE LAW. IT'S VERY NEW. SO IF WE WERE TO CREATE AN ORDINANCE, THE PROBLEM IS WE'D HAVE TO KEEP CHANGING THAT ORDINANCE. SO WITH A POLICY WE CAN MAKE THOSE CHANGES. I THINK A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE FLY, SO TO SPEAK. BUT I DO WANT TO SAY I, I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR HARD WORK BRINGING THIS INFORMATION FORWARD, YOU KNOW, AND THIS IS WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE TO TALK AMONGST OURSELVES. YOU KNOW, WE'RE COMMUNICATING, WE'RE DISCUSSING. 
          BUT THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND I DO APPRECIATE IT. OKAY. I WANT TO SAY YOU STARTED OUT WITH LIKE FOUR QUESTIONS. YOU DIDN'T START OUT WITH A STATEMENT. YOU START WITH FOUR QUESTIONS. SO I'D LIKE YOU TO PRESENT THOSE FOUR QUESTIONS AS IT WAS FOR TO TO CITY STAFF AND HAVE THEM ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS YOU STARTED OUT WITH. THAT'S MY FIRST THOUGHT. THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF OF OF A A WALMART HAS THE PICTURES AND YOU I MEAN, YOU KNOW THEY TAKE PICTURES A LOT OF OTHER BUSINESSES TAKE PICTURES. YOU COULD BE DRIVING DOWN SOME STREETS IN THE TOWN WHERE THE SHERIFF COULD ACTUALLY GET THAT INFORMATION AND PUT IT OUT THERE. YOU CAN DRIVE DOWN 19. YOU COULD HAVE THE STATE GETTING THE INFORMATION. YOU COULD HAVE THE COUNTY GET THE INFORMATION. SO THAT INFORMATION IS GOING TO BE AVAILABLE TO OTHER ENTITIES BESIDES US. SO POLICY. YES. BECAUSE I THINK DOWN THE ROAD THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF CHANGES. I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF TESTING IN THE COURTS. SO WE'LL HAVE TO COME BACK AND MODIFY THAT. SO I'D LIKE TO JUST KEEP MOVING AHEAD MYSELF PERSONALLY WITH, YOU KNOW, AN OR NOT AN ORDINANCE, BUT, YOU KNOW, SOME KIND OF, YOU KNOW, GUIDELINES THAT WE SHOULD USE, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S A POLICE GUIDELINES OR WHETHER IT'S A CITY GUIDELINES. 
          BUT WHATEVER THE GUIDELINES ARE, BUT NOT AN ORDINANCE. SO DOES ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO ADD SOMETHING BEFORE? BECAUSE THIS IS A DISCUSSION, WE'RE NOT VOTING ON ANYTHING, WHICH I'M CURIOUS I'M CURIOUS IF A A MIDDLE GROUND COULD BE A SIMPLIFIED ONE SENTENCE ORDINANCE THAT CALLS FOR SIMILAR TO THE SPEED LIGHT CAMERA PROGRAM ITSELF, THAT CALLS FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO DEVELOP A POLICY IN RELATIONSHIP TO ALPR TECHNOLOGY THAT MUST BE APPROVED BY COUNCIL. I'M JUST I DON'T HAVE. YOU'RE ASKING US TO MAKE A DECISION ON STUFF THAT I DON'T HAVE INFORMATION IN FRONT OF ME. WELL, IT'S NOT NOT NOT THE NO NO GUIDELINES OF THE POLICY. CAN I MAKE MY STATEMENT IS NOT TO BE REBUTTED. IT'S THE WAY I 
          [02:25:02]
FEEL. BUT YOU YOU SPARKED A POINT TO ME, WHICH IS THAT MY LARGER GRIPE HERE IS THAT I FEEL LIKE WE GIVE A LOT OF OUR POLICY MAKING DECISION TO THE CITY MANAGER. AND DON'T GET ME WRONG, SHE IS UTTERLY QUALIFIED TO DO THE JOB. LOTS OF EXPERIENCE, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE WERE ELECTED. AND SO WHEN I GO BEFORE A VOTER, I DON'T WANT MY EXPLANATION TO BE SORRY. THAT WAS A POLICY DEVELOPED BY THE CITY MANAGER AND CHIEF OF POLICE. WE HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. I WANT MY EXPLANATION TO BE, YES, I VOTED FOR THAT POLICY THAT THE CITY POLICE AND THE CHIEF OF POLICE DEVELOPED. GIVEN THIS IS A HOT TOPIC ISSUE VERSUS AN ORDINANCE, I AGREE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE A POLICY. BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT YOU CAN DEVELOP AN ORDINANCE THAT JUST SAYS THIS NEEDS TO COME BEFORE COUNCIL, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THEY COULD DEVELOP A POLICY AND SHE APPROVES IT. WE HAVE NO. CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG. WE HAVE NO SAY IN THE MATTER AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW. AND THEY COULD CHANGE THE POLICY AND WE HAVE NO SAY IN THE MATTER. BUT IF WE DEVELOP A ONE SENTENCE ORDINANCE AT THE DIRECTION OF CITY ATTORNEY THAT JUST BASICALLY SAYS ONCE A YEAR BECAUSE IT'S CJIS SAYS IT NEEDS TO BE REVIEWED ANNUALLY. SO ONCE A YEAR WE JUST HAVE TO REVIEW OR IF YOU WANT TO, THEY CAN THEY KNOW BECAUSE IT'S REQUIRED TO BE DONE ANNUALLY. SO IT'D BE AN ANNUAL REVIEW I DON'T HAVE I DON'T HAVE THE INFORMATION IN FRONT OF ME TO MAKE THAT. THE INFORMATION IS THE POLICY. THE COUNCIL WOULD VOTE UP AND DOWN ON AN ORDINANCE. WE DON'T HAVE THE POLICY ON A POLICY. WE JUST DIRECTED THEM TO LET US SEE THE POLICY WHEN IT'S DEVELOPED, TO LOOK AT AND GO OVER. IF WE WANT TO MAKE A MOTION, WE CAN DO THAT TO MAKE A MOTION, TO LOOK AT A POLICY BEFORE IT GOES INTO EFFECT, TO TO LOOK AT IT. I MEAN, THAT'S WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO THAT. I'M FINE WITH DOING A TEMPORARY I THINK THAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE BASED ON WHAT I'M HEARING FROM EVERYONE HERE. I THINK WE NEED TO SEE A POLICY BEFORE WE CAN MAKE A DECISION ON WHAT WE WANT TO DO WITH IT. RIGHT, EXACTLY. SO I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR. YOU WANT AN ORDINANCE BEFORE WE EVEN HAVE A POLICY. WHAT I AM TRYING TO COMMUNICATE TO YOU, MAYOR, IS RIGHT NOW WHEN THEY SAY THEY'RE WRITING A POLICY, THERE IS NOTHING LEGISLATIVELY THAT REQUIRES THEM TO PRESENT THAT TO US. THEY'RE BEING. THANK YOU. YOU'RE CHOOSING TO PRESENT IT. 
          BUT IF WE ARE THE I'D BE HAPPY WITH THAT. OKAY. SO I MAKE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE TO COME BACK IN FRONT OF US, I'M GOING TO MAKE THEM BACK THEN. WE'RE NOT GOING TO WE DO NOT HAVE TO COME BACK BEFORE WE. I'M MAKING A MOTION THAT THE. THIS IS A DISCUSSION. I'M NOT MAKING ANY MOTIONS. I'M MAKING A MOTION THAT THE POLICY DEVELOPED BY THE CHIEF OF POLICE IS PRESENTED TO COUNCIL FOR, FOR FOR REVIEW AND APPROVAL. I'LL SECOND YOUR MOTION. THANK YOU. SIR, I HAVE NOTHING ELSE ON THE MOTION. ON AN ORDINANCE. HE'S BACKED UP. JUST WHATEVER THEY PRESENT. 
          YEAH. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE, AYE. DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER. THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE? TIM? I KNOW, THAT'S IT. I JUST I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS A LOT OF POLICIES, AND THOSE POLICIES ARE PUT TOGETHER BY THE CHIEF AND HIS STAFF USING THE PRACTICES THAT THEY HAVE TO USING THE ACCREDITATION, USING THE LEADERSHIP FROM THE FDLE. 
          AND AND IF YOU THINK THAT THIS PARTICULAR POLICY NEEDS TO BE REVIEWED, THAT'S OBVIOUSLY YOUR PREROGATIVE. BUT I JUST WANT TO CAUTION YOU AGAINST TRYING TO MICROMANAGE THE POLICIES OF YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT TOO MUCH, BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY NOT THE WAY LAW ENFORCEMENT IS REALLY SUPPOSED TO WORK. LIKE THEY HAVE A USE OF FORCE POLICY. THEY HAVE TO DEVELOP THAT, AND THAT'S MADE THROUGH THE BEST PRACTICES. AND IF WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO DISCUSSIONS AT THIS LEVEL FOR YOU TO SET USE OF FORCE POLICY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU'RE GOING TO BE REALLY MICROMANAGING YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. BUT THAT'S MY CONCERN. AND JUST TO ALLEVIATE, TO TO ALLEVIATE YOUR CONCERN, THE WHAT PROMPTED THIS WAS WE APPROVED THE USE OF A PR TECH. 
          WE APPROVED THE USE OF A CONTRACT INVOLVING ALPR TECHNOLOGY WITHOUT A POLICY. 
          THAT'S THAT'S THAT'S WHAT PROMPTED THIS. I DON'T THINK THIS IS GOING TO OPEN THE DOOR TO MICROMANAGEMENT. IF THERE'S A CONCERN WITH USE OF FORCE, THEN THAT POLICY WOULD PROBABLY COME BEFORE US, TOO. BUT THERE WAS A CONCERN DIRECTLY RELATED TO APPROVING A CONTRACT FOR ALPR WITHOUT ANY POLICY EXISTING. WE'VE GIVEN THEM THE DIRECTION WE WANT. I'M JUST ADDRESSING HIS POINT. AND HE HE MADE A CONCERN, AND I'M ADDRESSING THE CONCERN THAT WE VOTED ON THIS. YES, YES YOU HAVE. SO THEIR POLICY WILL BE PRESENTED TO YOU FOR APPROVAL. 
          [11.f) Request for Waiver of Outstanding Fees Associated with the 2025 Chasco Fiesta]
YES. YEAH. REQUEST FOR A WAIVER OF OUTSTANDING FEES ASSOCIATED WITH 25 2025 CHASCO FIESTA. OH. 
          GO AHEAD. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. AT YOUR WORK SESSION ON FEBRUARY 17TH, 2026, SOME DISCUSSION TOOK PLACE RELATED TO POTENTIALLY WAIVING THE FEES ASSOCIATED WITH CHASCO FIESTA 2025. THE EXPENSES WERE $81,459.88. CHESTER FIESTA HAD PAID $6,076 THEY HAD RECEIVED 
          [02:30:11]
FROM THE CITY AN IN-KIND DONATION OF $40,000, WHICH LEFT A REMAINING BALANCE OF $35,383. 
          THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT POTENTIALLY BRINGING THE MATTER UP AT YOUR REGULAR SESSION ON FEBRUARY 17TH, 2026, AND IT SOUNDED LIKE THERE WAS SOME GENERAL CONSENSUS AND INTEREST IN TALKING ABOUT IT AND POTENTIALLY WAIVING THOSE FEES. BUT IT DID NOT COME UP AT YOUR FEBRUARY 17TH REGULAR SESSION MEETING. SO I PUT IT ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT SO THAT YOU WOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THAT MATTER AND BRING IT TO CONCLUSION. WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS SEEING NO ONE COME FORWARD, BRING IT BACK FOR DISCUSSION AND VOTING. 
          SOUNDS LIKE YOU WANT TO TALK FIRST, PETE. YEAH, I JUST I THINK IN ORDER TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION, I NEED TO MAKE A MOTION. SO I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION THAT THE FEES THAT EXIST CURRENTLY RELATED TO OUTSTANDING EXPENSES ARE PROVIDED IN INVOICE TO THEM FOR YEARS UP UNTIL THE CURRENT YEAR, ARE WAIVED. SECOND, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION HERE. WERE YOU ON THE BOARD DURING THE 25 CHASCO? SO I'M ASKING TIM IF HE'S NO, BECAUSE THAT'S A VOLUNTARY POSITION. HE DOESN'T HAVE ANY PERSONAL GAIN, I ASSUME. RIGHT. YEAH. THAT'S FINE. I APPRECIATE FOR MAKING THAT CLEAR. YEAH. NOTHING NOT NO BENEFIT HAS OCCURRED TO MY SPECIAL AND PRIVATE GAIN OR ANY OF MY FAMILIES. AND SO WE HAVE A MOTION MADE THE SECOND. SO JUST UNDER THE SECOND, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION EARLIER TODAY. WE MADE A DECISION TO ALLOW FOR ALCOHOL SALES AT A CITY SPONSORED EVENT. THE CITY HAS COME A LONG WAY IN THE WAY IN WHICH IT TREATS ITS EVENTS, AND ITS INTEREST IN DRAWING PEOPLE INTO TOWN. THIS IS ONLY FOR THE PURPOSES OF US BEING ABLE TO DISCUSS WHAT I'VE BEEN PROPOSING, WHICH IS NOT IN THIS MOTION, WHICH IS THAT WE HAVE AN AFTER EVENT REVIEW OF THIS. BUT I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE THE SOLE PURPOSE OF THE CHASCO FIESTA IS PROVIDE AN EVENT THAT HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN A NEW PORT RICHEY EVENT, AND I HOPE IN THE FUTURE THAT IT'S CLEARLY DEFINED AS A NEW PORT RICHEY EVENT. THE SPRING CONCERT SERIES ARE A NEW PORT RICHEY EVENT. I'M LATCHING MY WAGON TO THE CITY'S MAIN STREET TO SAY THEY'RE NOT PUTTING ON THE PROGRAM, BUT THEY'RE MAKING MONEY TO TOWARDS A GOAL TO SUPPORT THE CITY'S OVERALL BENEFITS. THE CHASCO FIESTA IS NOT MAKING MONEY. IF IT DOES, I AM HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION THAT THAT MONEY GOES TO THE TO THE 500 1C3 PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION, WHICH IS TO FOSTER CULTURE AND MAKE IT AFFORDABLE. NOTHING IS MORE AFFORDABLE THAN THE CITY'S SPRING CONCERT EVENTS, WHICH ARE FREE, OR THE OTHER CONCERT EVENTS WHICH ARE FREE. REALLY, IT'S LOOKING TO HAVE A PARTNERSHIP. SO I'LL SAY IT ONCE AGAIN FOR THIS YEAR. WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN IT'S OVER. 
          WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT EARLY SO THAT WHEN WE GET UNTIL WE GET TO THE 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION OR OTHER OTHER CELEBRATIONS THAT ARE TRULY CITY EVENTS, THAT THEY BE MANAGED IN A WAY IN WHICH THE CITY IS THE SPONSOR AND THE SUPPORTING ACTORS ARE EITHER CHASCO, FIESTA 501, C THREE, THE THE GULF HIGH SCHOOL GROUP, IF THEY HAVE EVENTS THAT THEY ARE INVOLVED IN, WHICH HOPEFULLY WILL BECOME THE SECOND ANNUAL GULF HIGH ALUMNI JAM MUSIC JAM TO CELEBRATE THE TIGHTNESS OF OUR COMMUNITY'S HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI OR THE OR THE MAIN STREET GROUP, THERE REALLY IS A DEFINITIVE POINT I WANT TO MAKE, WHICH IS THE ORGANIZATIONS ARE SOLELY IN THE BUSINESS OF SUPPORTING OUR CITY'S CULTURE, NOT TO PROVIDE A BENEFIT TO A NONPROFIT. SO I'M SEPARATING THE CHESCO FROM IT'S THE NONPROFITS ELEMENT. TO SAY IT'S NONPROFIT PURPOSE IS TO SUPPORT THE CITY'S GOALS. AND THAT'S WHY I THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT IT AGAIN. BUT FOR THIS PURPOSE ON THIS ACTION, I'D LIKE TO CLEAR THE SLATE SO THEY CAN DO THE MOST THEY CAN TO PUT OUR CITY IN A GOOD LIGHT THIS YEAR. DON. YEAH, THAT'S A SECOND. I HAD A SECOND. I THINK THE DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN CHASCO AND THE NONPROFIT IS AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION TO MAKE. AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE NEED TO BE GOOD PARTNERS TO WHAT IT HAS BEEN AND WHAT WHAT WILL 
          [02:35:03]
CONTINUE TO BE A CORNERSTONE EVENT OF THE CITY. I THINK THE LARGER QUESTION I HAVE, WHICH IS NOT IN THIS MOTION, SO I'LL BE BRIEF, IS HOW WE CAN MAKE CHASCO FIESTA CONTINUE TO BE AFFORDABLE, BECAUSE IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE'S BEEN KIND OF THIS, THIS, THIS CYCLIC, YOU KNOW, PRINCIPLED. THERE'S PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT ATTENDING CHASCO OUT OF THE PRINCIPLE OF THE THE FEE CHARGE AT THE DOOR, WHICH IS THEN IN TURN PROBABLY LOWERING SOME TO SOME DEGREE, THE NUMBER OF LOCALS WHO ACTUALLY PARTAKE IN THE EVENT. NOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT THAT ENTRANCE FEE IS A MAJOR PART OF REVENUE TO TRY TO RECOVER COSTS. AND SO IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE THAT IS A PROBLEM, THAT PERHAPS THE CITY SHOULD PLAY A LARGER PART IN THAT IS UNIQUE TO THE CHASCO EXPERIENCE. WE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEING A WALKABLE CITY. WELL, THE OTHER PART OF THAT VISION STATEMENT IS A HISTORIC CITY, A HISTORIC, WALKABLE DOWNTOWN. SO IF WE'RE STAYING TRUE TO THE VISION, CHASCO IS A HISTORIC EVENT. THAT'S ITS STRATEGIC ADVANTAGE OVER ANY OF THE OTHER EVENTS IN OUR CITY. SO IT DOES DESERVE TO BE TREATED A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY OR PUT ON A HIGHER PEDESTAL BECAUSE IT'S OUR IT'S A IT'S A HISTORIC EVENT. SO THAT THAT BEING SAID, SIMILAR TO HOW WE JUST PURCHASED A HISTORIC PROPERTY FOR QUITE A BIT OF MONEY, WE TEND TO VALUE HISTORIC THINGS AND WE KEEP GETTING, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS KEEP GETTING ELECTED UP HERE ON THOSE ISSUES. SO CLEARLY THE COMMUNITY IS IN FAVOR OF IT. SO THAT BEING SAID, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY WITH THIS REQUEST. 
          IT'S ABSORBING. IT'S IT'S ABSORBING COSTS THAT WERE ACCRUED. CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT THESE ARE IMPLIED COSTS FROM POLICE SERVICES AND FIRE DEPARTMENT. WE'RE NOT WRITING A CHECK TO CHASCO WITH THIS. THERE'S NO CHECK WRITING. WE'RE JUST NOT MAKING THEM PAY CERTAIN FEES THAT WE'VE CALCULATED. SO THAT BEING SAID, I THINK IT'S IT'S MOST APPROPRIATE TO DO THIS AND HOPEFULLY IT'LL BE A CATALYST FOR LARGER CONVERSATION OF HOW THE CITY CAN HELP MAKE SURE THAT CHASCO CAN BE REVENUE POSITIVE FOR THE COMMUNITY, AND GET SOME OF OUR LOCALS BACK ATTENDING THE EVENT. SO I'LL SPEAK TO IT BECAUSE I AM ON THE CHASCO FIESTA COMMITTEE, SO I AM WELL AWARE OF ALL OF IT, AND I'VE SEEN IT FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS. YOU KNOW, FORTUNATE OR UNFORTUNATE, EVERYBODY ASSUMES CHASCO FIESTA IS PUT ON BY THE CITY. THEY DON'T REALIZE THAT SOMEBODY ELSE DOES IT. SO I THINK THIS CAN REALLY SET THE STAGE FOR IT TO BE TRULY A CITY EVENT, WITH CHASCO INVOLVED AND WITHOUT ME SPEAKING FOR EVERYBODY ON THE COMMITTEE, I WOULD LEAN TOWARDS THE FACT IF WE COME UP WITH A BETTER CONCEPT OF FEE CHARGES FOR THESE EVENTS, I THINK THERE'S A POTENTIAL TO GET RID OF THAT GATE FEE, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT TRYING TO GET MORE MONEY TO PAY THESE FEES. AND I UNDERSTAND THESE FEES ARE LEGITIMATE FOR THE CITY. LIKE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S POLICE, THERE'S FIRE, THERE'S THERE'S THINGS THERE. BUT I THINK AS OUR CITY GROWS, AS THE GOLF HIGH SCHOOL LADIES WANT TO PUT EVENTS AT SCHWERTMANN AND CAVALIER SQUARE AND RAILROAD SQUARE, TO ME, THE MORE EVENTS WE DO, THE MORE WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO RECONSIDER HOW WE DO OUR ENTERTAINMENT. AND IT'S GOING TO DEFINITELY AFFECT OUR BUDGET. SO WITH HELPING THEM GET A CLEAN SLATE, I THINK IT'LL ENSURE THIS CONTINUES BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IF WE KEEP CHARGING SO MUCH MONEY TO THESE EVENTS, THEY CAN'T SUSTAIN BECAUSE EVERYTHING KEEPS GOING UP. YOU KNOW, EVERY SINGLE THING INVOLVED ENTERTAINMENT, TRAVEL, ALL THESE THINGS KEEP GOING UP. 
          AND IF THEY KEEP GOING THAT DIRECTION, THERE'S A POTENTIAL THAT CHASCO FIESTA IS NO MORE. 
          AND THAT WOULD BE A HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT TO THE CITY. YEAH, I DON'T THINK THAT'S AN OPTION FOR LET THE LET LET CHASCO NOT BE AND LET IT FAIL. I'M A LITTLE HESITANT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WIPING AWAY FEES. AND I'M SURE JUST BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE FUNDS TO COVER IT, IT'S KIND OF LIKE A IT'S GOING TO RELIEVE THEM AND EVERYBODY ELSE, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT TO MAKE SURE YOU PAY. BUT I DO FEEL CHASCO IS, IS, IS A NEW PORT RICHEY THING AND IT NEEDS TO GO ON. AND I THINK WE JUST NEED TO MAKE IT BETTER, HOWEVER THAT MAY BE. AND I KNOW THERE'S, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WORKING ON THAT. MAYBE WHEN I'M NO LONGER ON COUNCIL MIGHT HELP OUT WITH THAT. DON'T HOLD ME TO IT. BUT YEAH, PLEASE COME HELP ME. BUT WE'LL SEE. BUT I'LL GO ALONG WITH IT. I JUST WANT TO. I'VE BEEN TALKING WITH CHASCO THIS YEAR, AND THEY'VE GIVEN UP THE PARADE TO THE HOLIDAY ROTARY. NOW, I WOULD GUESS THAT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT POLICE AND FIRST RESPONDERS. THAT'S THE BIG NUT. REALLY ONE OF THE. YEAH. I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT PARADE 
          [02:40:06]
THAT'S A MILE AND A HALF LONG AND YOU'VE GOT COPS ON EVERY CORNER AND YOU BRING THEM IN FROM, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE OTHER ENTITIES. AND SO NOW IF WE'RE TAKING THAT OUT, YOU KNOW, IN THIS SENSE, IF THIS, THIS KIND OF DOLLAR VALUE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT JUST, YOU KNOW, SECURITY IN THE PARK, NOT A SECURITY FOR HALF A DAY ON GRAND BOULEVARD AND MAIN STREET. SO RIGHT NOW I DON'T SEE I DON'T HAVE A NUMBER IN MY MIND WHERE I SEE THIS THING GOING, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS CHASCO. BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, THEY'RE THEY'RE NO LONGER INVOLVED WITH THE PARADE, YOU KNOW, HOLIDAYS, DOING THE PARADE. SO NOW IT'S HOLIDAY ROAD. ARE WE GOING TO COME AND SAY, HEY, WE GOT SO MUCH MONEY LAST YEAR, YOU KNOW, WE GOT THIS GIVEN TO US. HOW COME WE GOT TO PAY IT NOW? SO I THINK IN REAL SOON TIMES WE'VE GOT TO YOU KNOW, AND WE'VE GOT TO, WE'VE GOT A, YOU KNOW, BIKE FEST WHERE THEY SHUT DOWN THE ROADS FOR, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, THREE, TWO AND A HALF DAYS. AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO GET A SERIOUS DISCUSSION. SIT DOWN HERE AND SAY, BECAUSE THESE OTHER OTHER ENTITIES ARE GOING TO COME AND SAY, WHAT ABOUT US? WHAT ABOUT US? WHAT ABOUT US? AND SO AT SOME POINT, WE'VE GOT TO SIT DOWN AND SAY, WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THIS. AND I THINK THIS NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE NEXT BUDGET SEASON, YOU KNOW, DURING THIS BUDGET SEASON, GET THIS FIGURED OUT FOR DOWN THE ROAD. SO FOR THIS TIME I'LL GO ALONG WITH IT. BUT I CAN TELL EVERY ORGANIZATION OUT THERE YOU DON'T HAVE A FREEBIE. YOU DO NOT HAVE A FREEBIE, YOU KNOW. SO YOU KNOW, WHETHER YOU'RE COMING AND KNOCKING ON THE DOOR FOR THE BIKE FEST, YOU COME IN AND KNOCK ON THE DOOR FOR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, RAILROAD SQUARE, WHATEVER. YOU DON'T HAVE A FREEBIE. SO ANYBODY ELSE YOUR COMMENTS WOULDN'T HAVE TO DO WITH THE NEXT ORDINANCE OR THE NEXT ITEM WHERE WE DO GIVE OUT SOME FREEBIES. EXCUSE ME? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY. AYE, THAT'S FIVE NOTHING. OKAY. 
          [11.g) Approval of In-Kind Support for Special Events]
APPROVAL. TIME FOR SPECIAL EVENTS. ITEM BEFORE YOU IS TO CONSIDER IN-KIND SUPPORT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2526 EVENTS, SOME OF WHICH. HAVE ALREADY OCCURRED, OTHERS OF WHICH ARE DUE TO OCCUR. THIS AGENDA ITEM HAS BEEN HANGING OUT, WAITING FOR US TO HAVE OUR. MEETING WITH I'M SORRY, OUR WORKSHOP. THANK YOU. RELATED TO SPECIAL EVENTS, THE MONEY THAT THE FUNDING THAT WE HAVE SET ASIDE TO SUPPORT OUR EVENTS FOR 2526 IS 80,000. I'D BE WILLING TO TAKE $35,000 OFF THE TOP, THOUGH, IF YOU'D BE WILLING TO DEDUCT THE MONEY WE JUST GAVE AWAY TO CHASCO, BUT PROBABLY NOT. SO WE HAVE $80,000 TO SUPPORT CHASCO FIESTA, THE CHASCO STREET PARADE, THE CODY RIVER BIKE FEST, AND THE HOLIDAY STREET PARADE FOR 25, AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS BEFORE YOU DO SUPPORT AN $80,000 APPROPRIATION. OF COURSE, THEIR REQUESTS FAR EXCEEDS THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING THAT WE BUDGETED FOR THAT PURPOSE. THEY REQUESTED $133,000 TO SUPPORT THEIR EVENT FOR THIS YEAR. CHASCO FIESTA SUPPORT REQUESTED 80,000. THE CHASCO STREET PARADE REQUESTED 15,000. THE CODY RIVER BIKE FEST REQUESTED 25,000, AND THE HOLIDAY STREET PARADE REQUESTED 13,000. AND I AM RECOMMENDING 36,000 FOR THE CHASCO FIESTA, 10,000 FOR THE CHASCO STREET PARADE, 21,000 FOR THE CODY RIVER BIKE FEST, AND 13,000 FOR THE HOLIDAY STREET PARADE. AND AT OUR WORK SESSION WHEN WE DISCUSS SPECIAL EVENTS, YOU ASKED US TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR ESTIMATED EXPENSES FOR THIS YEAR, AND I DID SO ON THE SECOND PAGE OF MY MEMO TO YOU AND THE ESTIMATED COST FOR CHASCO FIESTA THIS YEAR ARE 68,000, ABOUT 500. THE CHASCO STREET PARADE, 23,182, CODY RIVER BIKE FEST, 31,285 AND THE 
          [02:45:05]
HOLIDAY STREET PARADE $28,099. AND I'M PREPARED TO RESPOND TO ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE OF ME. DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC INPUT? YOU GOT SOME. SOME DON'T SEE ANYBODY COMING FORWARD. WE'LL BRING IT BACK FOR DISCUSSION ABOUT MOVE FOR APPROVAL. I'LL SECOND TO THE MAKER. YEAH. I MEAN, WE HAD THE WORKSHOP. WE TALKED ABOUT IT. WE WE. OKAY. WE AGREED TO BRING THIS FORWARD WITH, WITH THE TOTALS THAT WE HAD SET ASIDE ALREADY TO GET THIS THROUGH AND WITH THE THE THOUGHT OF LOOKING AT NEXT YEAR'S MORE THOROUGHLY AND TRYING TO SEE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HAVING CITY EVENTS AND BEING ABLE TO HELP, HELP MORE WITH THOSE THINGS. SO HOPEFULLY NEXT YEAR WE CAN HAVE SOME CHANGES AND THINGS DIFFERENT FOR THESE EVENTS. SO OKAY, GOOD A SECOND. NO, I AGREE WITH WHAT WITH MATT HAD TO SAY. YOU KNOW OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW ALL THESE EVENTS ARE IMPORTANT. YOU KNOW THEY'RE ATTENDED WIDELY BY, YOU KNOW, OUR COMMUNITY AND YOU KNOW, PEOPLE FROM AROUND OUR COMMUNITY. SO YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE POINT TO WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS WE WANT TO BRING PEOPLE TO OUR COMMUNITY. WE WANT THEM TO WANT TO COME BACK. WE WANT THEM TO SPEND MONEY IN OUR BUSINESSES AND THEN BE, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY WANT TO LIVE HERE, YOU KNOW, SO, SO TO ME, YOU KNOW, WE'RE PUTTING THE BEST PRODUCT WE CAN OUT THERE. 
          SO THIS WAY PEOPLE WILL WANT TO COME VISIT. AND YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A CARNIVAL THIS YEAR FOR CHASCO. SO YOU KNOW LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT AND MANY MORE YEARS TO COME. I WENT FIRST. 
          YEAH. THE THE JUST TO CLARIFY, THE MOTION IS TO APPROVE STAFF'S RECOMMENDED AMOUNT. IS THAT WHAT IT WAS OR RECOMMENDED AMOUNT. WE WE SET THAT RIGHT. BUT THERE WAS AN ORIGINAL RECOMMENDATION BY STAFF AND THE PRIOR ONE. SO WE'RE NOT DOING WE'RE DOING YOU'RE DOING THE ONE WE NEGOTIATED OKAY. WORK SESSION. YEAH. YEAH OKAY. I THINK IT WAS WELL STATED THAT WE'RE JUST TRYING TO CLEAN UP THE CLEAN UP THIS YEAR'S FIGURES FOR THAT PURPOSE. AND ONCE AGAIN, I THINK A LARGER DISCUSSION IS TONIGHT'S NOT TONIGHT TO HAVE IT RELATED TO THE FACT THAT WE ALSO HAVE UPCOMING A LOT OF CHANGES, POTENTIALLY WITH A SHARE OF LOOKING FOR A NON AD VALOREM. HOW'S THE CITY GOING TO FIT IN. THERE'S A LOT OF POLICY THAT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT. THAT'S THAT'S MUCH GRANDER ISSUE AND A LARGER R LEVEL ISSUE THAN WHETHER WE ARE GOING TO ARGUE OVER INVOICES. YEAH. AND THAT'S WHY I SAID EARLIER I SAID THIS IS JUST TO GET US THROUGH THIS, YOU KNOW. ANYHOW, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY. AYE, THAT'S FIVE NOTHING COMMUNICATION FOR TELL YOU WANT ME TO START. YEAH. I HAVE FOR THE. I'M JUST GOING TO RESPOND TO VOXPOP TONIGHT THE COMMENTS ON DATES FOR THE OLD GULF HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE SINKHOLE, THE COMMENTS ABOUT CONCERNS OVER SINKHOLES. I'M GOING TO DEFER TO STAFF ON THOSE TWO. I'LL SEND FOLLOW UP EMAILS AND SEE THE RESPONSES I GET FOR THE STRINGENT PROCESS FOR CERTAIN GRANTS. OH, FOR THE COMMENTS MADE ABOUT THE GRANTS WE APPROVED AT CRA. I DID GET TO THINKING, BECAUSE I THINK I THINK IT WAS COUNCILMAN ALTMAN OR SOMEONE UP HERE THAT ACTUALLY RAISED THE POINT DURING THE MEETING ABOUT THE ADDRESSES, AND THAT'S BROUGHT TO LIGHT BECAUSE WE STARTED PUTTING THEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. I KNOW FOR THERE ARE I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU GUYS FEEL ABOUT IT, BUT IF YOU'RE COMING TO THE CITY AND ASKING THEM FOR SUPPORT AND ONE OF YOUR PROJECTS THAT ULTIMATELY BENEFITS THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE CITY, I WOULD FEEL IT MIGHT BE WORTHWHILE TO MOVE OFF OF THE CONSENT AGENDA AND START HAVING EITHER OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR OR THE APPLICANT PRESENT THE NEED FOR THOSE FUNDS, AND WE JUST APPROVED THEM LIKE WE WOULD A OTHER COST. 
          OTHER EXCUSE ME PROJECTS THAT WAY THAT WOULD CLEAR UP. I MEAN, YOU HAVE AN APPLICANT THAT COMES BEFORE YOU AND THEN JUST DOES A SWIVEL AND THEN IS HERE AGAIN ASKING FOR MONEY. THAT WOULD CLEAR UP SOME OF THE TRANSPARENCY ISSUES WITH THAT, BECAUSE THAT SOUNDED LIKE THE CORE CONCERN IS HAVING A CLEAR ANSWER ON HOW SOMEONE WOULD JUST TWO DIFFERENT ADDRESSES NEXT TO THEM CAN GET GRANT FUNDING FOR THE SAME PROJECT. HOWEVER, WE HAVE GIVEN FUNDING TO THE SAME ENTITY FOR ADDRESSES AT DIFFERENT AREAS. SO I REALLY THINK IT WAS IT JUST NEEDS TO BE CLARIFIED IS WHAT IT IS AND HAVING THEM PRESENT HAVE A PRESENTATION 
          [02:50:02]
STYLE FOR THEIR FOR THEIR GRANT APPROVALS. I THINK THAT WOULD BE ADVANTAGEOUS IF THAT'S PERHAPS THE WORD WAS USED. SO I'M GOING TO USE IT IF THAT'S PERHAPS TOO MICROMANAGEMENT, TOO MUCH MICROMANAGEMENT FROM THE CRA, THEN, THEN SO, SO THEN YOU'LL, YOU'LL, YOU'LL LET ME KNOW. MAKING A FUSS ON SOCIAL MEDIA. OH, THERE WERE SOME COMMENTS MADE THAT THERE WERE SOME INACCURACIES ON SOCIAL MEDIA RELATED TO THE CLAUDE PEPPER CENTER. I THINK THERE WAS A LOT OF COMMENTARY THAT WAS INACCURATE. HOWEVER, THE INITIAL POST THAT SPURRED SOME OF THE LARGER CONVERSATIONS THE GENTLEMAN HERE WAS HERE TONIGHT THAT MADE THAT POST. I DID NOT SEE ANYTHING IN THAT POST THAT WAS SUGGESTIVE, OR IT SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS QUESTION ASKING. IT DEFINITELY DID NOT SEEM INACCURATE TO ME, SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT ON THE RECORD THAT I'M GLAD THAT THE PUBLIC IS SEEING THINGS AND TRYING TO GET ANSWERS, AND THEY'RE NOT STAYING QUIET. INDIANA AND VAN BUREN. THAT INTERSECTION WAS BROUGHT UP FOR SAFETY CONCERNS. I KNOW THERE WAS A RECENT WHAT WAS DESCRIBED IN THE MEDIA AS A HIT AND RUN, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CHARGES ENDED UP BEING FOR A GENTLEMAN OR FOR A PERSON WHO HAD. I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO THE SPECIFICS, BUT APPARENTLY HIT A, A, A, A CHILD OF SOME SORT ON A BICYCLE AND THAT HAD TO BE ADDRESSED AT THAT INTERSECTION. SO THE SAFETY CONCERNS ARE WELL NOTED, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, I DON'T KNOW IF LED IS THE BEST OR SOME SORT OF LIGHTS ON. THE STOP SIGNS IS THE BEST SOLUTION FOR SOME SORT OF SPEEDING OR BLOW AWAYS. I'M SURE THE CHIEF OF POLICE AND THE CITY MANAGER CAN LOOK INTO IT AND FIGURE OUT WHAT THE BEST STRATEGY IS THERE, AND I THINK THAT THAT COVERS THEM ALL. GREAT ENVELOPES. YEAH. I DON'T HAVE ANY NOTES ON WELL, IF YOU OPEN IT UP, YOU'VE GOT A GOOD SPEECH IN THERE ABOUT SOMETHING HAPPENING HERE. SO YEAH, I'M WRITING ON EVERYTHING. I CAN GET MY HANDS ON PAPER RIGHT HERE. YEAH. SO FIRST OF ALL, TO JUST SHARE WITH YOU ALL WHAT I'VE BEEN UP TO. AND THAT'S OUR OPPORTUNITY TO DO IT. SO I'LL DO IT AS RAPIDLY AS I CAN. I THINK I MENTIONED TO YOU WHILE I WENT A FEW WEEKS AGO TO THE SCIENCE OF EVENT IN SAINT PETERSBURG, AND I RAN INTO FOLKS WHO WERE RUNNING THE SAINT PETERSBURG. AND I'M GOING TO GET IT WRONG, BUT IT'S MARITIME, AND I THINK IT'S IT'S MILITARY, BUT IT INNOVATION CENTER. AND IN TALKING TO THAT PERSON WHO MADE A PRESENTATION TO THE REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCIL, I LEARNED OF THE POTENTIAL FOR THE CITY AND THE AREA, THE REGION, TO IDENTIFY ITSELF AS A INNOVATION DISTRICT OF OUR OWN. SO I SEE MAYOR HOOVER HERE FROM PORT RICHEY JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF THESE MEETINGS, CAN YOU, SIR? SO SO I JUST READ RECENTLY THAT THERE IS A SALVAGE NATIONAL SALVAGE COMPANY THAT'S THAT'S LOCATING IN PORT RICHEY THAT'S DOING MARINE SALVAGE WORK. SO IF THERE'S A THEME THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT UP HERE BEFORE, AND THIS IS OUR COLLECTIVE THEME THAT I TRY TO CARRY WITH ME WHEN, WHEN I AM OUT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT IS OUR IDENTITY, IT REALLY DOES FACTOR ON OUR RIVER, OUR ENVIRONMENT, OUR, OUR EDUCATION AND ALL THOSE SORTS OF THINGS, AS WELL AS THE NEED FOR US TO ELEVATE OUR SCHOOL KIDS FROM RICHEY ELEMENTARY AND THE. AND SO FOR THAT REASON, THE WHOLE BRAINSTORM SCIENCE DISCOVERY CENTER KIND OF CAME UP AT AS MADDENING IT IS TO THE FOLKS THAT ARE ON THAT COMMITTEE WITH ME. THE REALITY IS THE BIGGER PICTURE IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR REGION TO IDENTIFY OURSELVES AS THAT ECOTOURISM CENTER OF CROSSING THE FLORIDA CROSS CHANNEL, THE BIKE PATHS, ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING. THE SALT SPRINGS STATE PARK, THERE'S INCREDIBLE HISTORY GOING BACK TO THE. 
          CIVIL WAR, WHERE THE SALT THAT WAS TAKEN OUT OF THAT WAS PROVIDING THE TROOPS. I MEAN, THERE'S THERE'S SO MUCH HISTORY, AS MUCH AS IT'S NOT ENGLAND OR SOMEPLACE GOES BACK FOR CENTURIES. THERE'S A LOT OF HISTORY HERE THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HISTORY, ECOTOURISM, JOB OPPORTUNITIES, FOLKS THAT MOVED AWAY LIKE ONE OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO CAME BACK BECAUSE HE SAW THINGS HAPPENING IN OUR CITY. ALL OF THIS HAS RESULTED, I THINK, IN THE CRESCENDO OF A MEETING THAT I HAD WITH CITY MANAGER ATTENDING THIS WEEK WITH THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO MAKE AN APPEAL TO THEM, THAT A LOT OF THIS, 584 MILLION, OF WHICH SOME FOLKS IN THE AUDIENCE ARE WAITING FOR THEIR 45,000 AND OTHER FOLKS ARE LOOKING TO SEE HOW THAT CAN HOW WE CAN GET THOSE DOLLARS TO DO SOME OF THIS, THAT WHAT WE REALLY NEED IS SOME SUBSTANTIAL 
          [02:55:04]
PLAN FOR OUR ECONOMIC RECOVERY AS A CITY AND AS A REGION. AND I THINK THE INTEREST IS THERE. 
          MAYOR HOOVER SITS ON THE REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCIL AND ON THE RESILIENCY COMMITTEE THAT HE'S JUST BEEN, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF RESOURCES THAT HAVE COME TO BEAR. I DOUBT IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, BECAUSE AT MIDNIGHT, THE DOOR CLOSES FOR AN EPA GRANT THAT HAS A 200 TO $250,000 GRANT THAT NEEDS A 25% MATCH, WHICH IS ABOUT $70,000, TO DEVELOP PLANNING FOR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT CAN HELP US TO IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT, WHICH COULD BE OUR RIVER QUALITY. BUT USING IT AI I'M SORRY, USING AI. AI TO PREDICT THE SCALLOP POPULATION NEXT YEAR, OR AI TO PREDICT AND LOOK AT WHEN CHANGES ARE HAPPENING. ALL THAT WILL TURN OUR CITY SORT OF. IF IT WERE TO HAPPEN INTO SORT OF LIKE A GIANT LABORATORY TRYING TO COLLECT INFORMATION COLLECTIVELY. AND SO IT'S VERY EXCITING. IT GOT SUBMITTED THAT GRANT WAS PROMOTED TO ME BY THAT INNOVATION DISTRICT IN SAINT PETE. SO YOU GO TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT ARE HAVING THEIR LITTLE SCIENCE DISPLAYS. AND I'VE MET FOLKS, AS I TOLD YOU BEFORE, NOAA'S OUT OF THERE, ALL THESE AGENCIES AND THERE'S OTHER AGENCIES THAT ARE LOOKING TO US. SO WHEN I MET COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, IT WAS NOT ON THE GUISE OF THIS POLICE SERVICE TAX. BUT IF YOU TALK TO THE CITY MANAGER, SHE'LL SHE'LL LET YOU KNOW THAT I UNVEILED THE UMBRELLA OF IDEAS THAT I HAD TO HIM IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, BUT WE HAD A GOOD RESPONSE FROM HIM. AND AS I'VE TOLD YOU AND OTHERS BEFORE, I FEEL LIKE I'M IN THE PLAYOFFS OF MY POLITICAL CAREER. HE HE HE REACTED TO THAT AND HE SAID, LET'S FIND THOSE ONE, TWO, THREE ITEMS THAT CAN GET US THROUGH THE PLAYOFFS, AND MAYBE WE CAN HIT ITEMS FOUR AND FIVE AND GET TO THE SUPER BOWL. SO IF WE CAN TALK IN IN TERMS OF HOW THE COUNTY IS GOING TO HELP US TO ACHIEVE THIS, BECAUSE IT'S MORE THAN JUST THE CITY, IT'S A REGIONAL APPROACH. AND WHENEVER WE GO FOR GRANTS, WE GET MORE MONEY. IF WE ALL BAND OURSELVES TOGETHER, WHETHER IT'S THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, THE THE, I THINK THE, THE, WELL, THE SCHOOL BOARD, THE, YOU KNOW, JOHN LEGEND AND BETSY COHEN AND THAT AREA HAS EXPRESSED INTEREST AS WELL. SO US ALL GETTING TOGETHER, EVERYONE HAVING THEIR INPUT AND GETTING BEHIND A SORT OF LIKE A WAVE. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT 100 YEARS SINCE SIMS DID HIS THING AND THAT AFFECTING THE PROPERTY AND THE VISION THAT THEY HAVE. BUT THAT VISION REALLY IS MORE THAN JUST THAT PROPERTY. IT'S A VISION FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND A VISION THAT EXPRESSES OUR WILLPOWER AND OUR INTEREST IN EDUCATION, OUR NEED FOR TOURISM, OUR RECRUITMENT FOR EMPLOYEES THAT CAN DO THE WORK AND INCLUDING THE MEDICAL. AND FLORIDA IS GOING TO BE THE MEDICAL CENTER OF THE UNITED STATES WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR FUTURE STRATEGY. AND IN AI IS BEING PREDICTED TO AFFECT SO MANY JOBS IN THE FUTURE. SO THIS THIS PARTICULAR GRANT, WE MAY NOT BECAUSE I'M TALKING TOO LONG, GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE COULD EVEN PUT IT IN. BUT IF WE PUT IT IN, WE HAVE TO SAY WHERE THE MATCH WOULD COME FROM. AND I'M TEMPTED TO NOT COMMIT TO IT, BUT TO SAY, IF WE PUT THIS IN AND WE DON'T INCLUDE IT, AND THEN THEY CALL BACK AND SAY, WE NEED TO FIND THAT MATCH, THEN I'LL BE BACK TO TALK TO YOU AND THE CITY MANAGER. SO I'D LIKE TO SUGGEST WE MIGHT BE TRYING TO GET INVOLVED IN SOMETHING THAT PUTS US RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE AS A, AS A COUNCIL OF AN INITIATIVE THAT WE CAN SUPPORT. AND IT MAY BE IN JUST LOCATION AND FACILITY OF SUPPORT, BUT OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT HAS GOT STORMWATER OUTFALL ISSUES. 
          THE NEED FOR US TO PROTECT WHAT GOES INTO THE WATER, THE THE REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAVE FOR ALL THE TESTING OF THE PFAS AND AND THE POLLUTION. AND QUITE FRANKLY, WE JUST HAVEN'T HAD THE HAVEN'T HAD THE STAFFING, I GUESS, BEST TO REALLY GET OURSELVES AS FULLY ENGAGED. SO MY COMMENTS TO YOU ALL IS I MADE AN APPEAL WITH DEBBIE THAT I FELT AS A CITY, WE CAN'T BE THE HOST OF THIS 200,000 PEOPLE, ALONG WITH THE SMALLER CITY OF PORT RICHEY, WITHOUT THEM GETTING, YOU KNOW, BUYING INTO IT. AND ONE OF THE ARGUMENTS CIRCLE BACK TO THE POLICE POLICY THAT IT STARTED WITH WAS THEY HAD A PROPOSAL TO DO A NON AD VALOREM ASSESSMENT FOR POLICE, FOR SHERIFF SERVICES AND HAVE US BUY INTO IT, IN PART BACK TO SPECIAL EVENTS. 
          [03:00:06]
THAT BEING ONE PART OF IT, SAYING, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE EXPERIENCING EXPENSES. NOW IMAGINE IF THEY STARTED BUILDING CHASCO FIESTA OR THE FLORIDA STATE FAIR OR ANYONE ELSE WHERE ALL THE THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS SORT OF DO MUTUAL AID AND COME TO THEIR AID. SO IF THERE'S A CHANCE THAT THAT NON-AD VALOREM ASSESSMENT COULD INCLUDE FACTORING IN OUR COSTS, AND WE CAN AGREE TO LET THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT AS LONG AS THEY HAVE SOME EQUITY WITH US. I DIDN'T WANT TO JUST SLAM THE DOOR AND GO BACK TO OUR OLD SILOS AND SAY, GET OUT OF HERE. WE'RE NOT INTERESTED. SO I THINK WHAT I'M TRYING TO EXPRESS IS THAT THE THE COMPLEXITIES OF POLICY, THE CHANGES OF THE POTENTIAL ADDITIONAL EXEMPTIONS ON ON AD VALOREM TAXES AND THE SHIFT THAT MAY OCCUR AND THE WAY THINGS GET FUNDED, INCLUDING THE FACT THAT THE COUNTY AND REFLECTED TO THEM, WE GET $4 MILLION OF THEIR MONEY EVERY YEAR INTO THE CRA. AND IF WE INVITE THEM TO BE OWNERS IN THIS KIND OF PLAN, ECONOMIC PLAN, IT MATCHES THE TRANSPORTATION ISSUES YOU HAVE. 
          IT MATCHES THAT YOU DEAL WITH. IT MATCHES THE RECREATION AND TOURISM ISSUES THAT YOU DEAL WITH. IT MATCHES OUR REGIONAL COLLABORATION AND IT MATCHES THE ALL OF THE EFFORT THAT YOU'VE HAD OVER THE YEARS. MR. MAYOR, IN TERMS OF TRYING TO BRING PROGRESS TO US, I WAS VERY ENCOURAGED BY THE SENSE FROM THE ADMINISTRATOR, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO TALK TO THE CITY MANAGER TO GET HER HER REACTION, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I DID ALL THE TALKING, IF YOU CAN BELIEVE THAT. BUT I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT ISSUE AND I WANTED TO SHARE IT WITH YOU. THERE'S 580 MILLION, 10 MILLION OF THAT IS IN PLANNING. A LOT OF THAT MONEY IS ALSO IN THERE FUTURE FUTURE CATEGORY WHICH CALLS FOR MATCHING. IF WE COULD MATCH OUR CRA MONEY WITH THEIR MONEY, WE COULD ACTUALLY DOUBLE OUR CRA MONEY IN SOME CAPACITY ON PROJECTS. AND, YOU KNOW, MR. OAKLEY SAID NINE YEARS AGO HE LOOKS FOR PROJECTS WHERE THERE'S SKIN IN THE GAME. SO EFFECTIVELY WE HAVE SOME OF THEIR SKIN, WHICH REALLY BELONGS AND CAME FROM OUR RESIDENTS. AND SO I ALSO INTRODUCED THE IDEA THAT WE NEEDED TO LOOK AT ALL THE ISSUES, AND WE'RE COMING UP WITH THE RECREATION SERVICE AGREEMENT, WHICH COULD BRING THE MONEY FOR US TO ACTUALLY INCREASE OUR OUR FUNDING FOR RECREATION, WHICH COULD SOLVE THE $5 CHARGE THAT IS BREAKING THE BACKS OF PEOPLE WHO PAY $10 TO PARK, BUT DON'T WANT TO PAY $5 TO GET IN. PARDON ME FOR BEING A BIT SNIDE ABOUT IT, BUT, YOU KNOW, BOTTOM LINE IS, IF WE COULD MAKE IT FREE, THAT'D BE GREAT. AND IF WE COULD FIND A WAY TO SUPPORT IT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PROBABLY OPEN OUR OUR SELF UP TO GETTING TO MAKING SURE WE'RE OPEN. AND SO THESE ARE POLICY ISSUES. AND I DON'T WANT IT TO BE SORT OF KILLED BEHIND THE SCENES. I THINK I'M HOPING TO SPEAK WITH COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. I HOPE YOU ALL WAS WELL. I THINK WE ARE ALL REACHING OUR HANDS OUT TO EACH OTHER. AND I THINK THEY THEY LIKE OUR CITY NOW AND THEY SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING, AND I THINK THEY CAN BENEFIT BY BEING A PART OF IT. I THINK THE TIME IS RIPE. THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO STOP AT THAT. WOULD BE GOOD IF YOU USE THAT FRIDAY REPORT TO KIND OF GIVE US A LITTLE FEEDBACK ABOUT YOU, YOUR TWO MEETING, YOUR MEETINGS WITH THE WITH THE COUNTY AND, YOU KNOW, SOME KIND OF SOMETHING THAT WE SOME INPUT THAT WE CAN GO TALK TO COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OR WHOEVER WE THINK WE'D LIKE TO TALK TO, AND WE WILL BE TALKING TO THEM WHEN THAT ORDINANCE COMES UP ON THE RECREATION SERVICE AGREEMENT, BECAUSE BY STATUTE, IT'S GOING TO BE THE COUNTY COMMISSION DIRECTLY IN COMMUNICATION WITH US. SO I THINK THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO COME TOGETHER IS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S NOT AT ODDS WITH THEM, BUT ONLY TO SUGGEST THAT THE BENEFITS. AND THAT'S WHERE SOMEONE JUMPED IN AND SAID, WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE A FREE RIDE, AND WE DON'T WANT TO LET PEOPLE FREE INTO THE REC CENTER. I BROKE MY RULES AND I CAME BACK AND SAID, WHAT IS THE COUNTY CHARGE FOR THEIR RECREATION MEMBERSHIP? AND IT'S VERY LIGHT, LIKE 5 OR $10. SO IF SOMEHOW WE CAN GIVE THEM SOMETHING BACK FOR ALL THAT 60% OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN PAYING THAT FEE AND GET THREE OR 4 OR 5 TIMES AS MUCH REVENUE TO RUN OUR DEPARTMENT, THEN EQUITY BECOMES THE ISSUE. AND STATUTES, I BELIEVE, ARE ON OUR SIDE. THE TRICK IS NOT TO GET OUR BACKS UP OR TRY TO GET BACK INTO OUR SILOS, I THINK. AND SOMETIMES THAT HAPPENS. BUT BUT I DO WANT TO ALSO SAY THAT THE CRA 
          [03:05:04]
MEETING IS WHERE THE ISSUE OF THE GRANTS, WHICH WAS BROUGHT UP BY MR. CHEATHAM, AND IF IT WERE ON THE IF IT WAS A CITY AGENDA, I WOULD HAVE BEEN USING MY POWER AS ONE WHO VOTED FOR THE MOTION TO ASK TO RECONSIDER THE MOTION. AND THEN OUR OUR ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER GENERAL OVER THERE IS GOING TO TELL ME I CAN ONLY DO THAT SO OFTEN, BUT I WOULD HOPE THAT I COULD DO IT AT THE NEXT CRA MEETING IF IT GOES. IS THERE A 30 DAY PERIOD OR IS IT AT THE NEXT MEETING? NO. YOU COULD. IT'S THE NEXT MEETING. YEAH, YOU CAN BRING IT UP. I THINK WE HAVE TO DO IT PRETTY QUICKLY THOUGH. RIGHT. AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE VOTED FOR IT, WHICH I DID. YEAH. 
          AND YOU DO HAVE TO. THERE IS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A REASONABLE TIME PERIOD. SO THE NEXT MEETING, EVEN WHEN IT'S REASONABLE TO ME WOULD BE REASONABLE. YEAH. I THINK HE BROUGHT UP SOME POINTS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED. IF, IF WE HAVE AIR CONDITIONING SERVICES FOR RESIDENTIAL AND THAT'S NOT PART OF WHAT WE ALLOW. I'M NOT SURE THAT IT IS, BUT I'M NOT QUESTIONING IT NOW. BUT I'M SAYING I THINK WE NEED TO TRY TO GET SOME RESPONSE FROM THAT. 
          NOT TONIGHT, BRIAN. SO IN REFERENCE TO THAT, SINCE IT'S THE LAST THING YOU SAID, I DO AGREE, BECAUSE I DID MENTION THAT IT SEEMED ODD TO ME THAT YOU COULD HAVE TWO GRANTS FOR ONE BUILDING WITH TWO ADDRESSES. NOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT MIGHT LEGALLY HAVE TWO ADDRESSES, AND I DO BELIEVE THAT MOST OF THOSE UNITS UPSTAIRS ARE OFFICE RENTAL. BUT I DO AGREE WITH MR. CHEATHAM DID BRING UP, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE SOMETIMES WHEN YOU GOT A LOT OF INFORMATION UP HERE, YOU GO THROUGH IT, BUT YOU DON'T KNOW. WE SEE EVERYTHING. SO I APPRECIATE HIM BRINGING THAT UP AND YOU KNOW. YEAH. YEAH. BECAUSE YOU BROUGHT THAT UP. BUT I'LL GO BACK TO YOU. 
          THANKS. ALL RIGHT. SO I WAS I WAS KIND OF, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THOSE ISSUES AND THE ADDRESSES THING. AND BACK WHEN THAT BUILDING WAS BUILT, THEY WERE JUST HAPPY TO GET POWER TO IT, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE JUST HAPPY. BUT NOWADAYS WHEN YOU BUILD COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES LIKE THAT, EVERYBODY'S ON AN INDIVIDUAL METER WHICH HAS AN INDIVIDUAL ADDRESS. SO THAT BUILDING WASN'T BUILT THAT WAY, BUT THEY DO RUN OUT OF SPACE IN DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, SO IT'D BE LIKE ADDRESS ONE, TWO, 3A123B13C. SO I MEAN, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO LOOK AT I DON'T KNOW. BUT I DON'T I DON'T THINK IT'S NECESSARILY WRONG GRANTING THEM TWO ADDRESSES BECAUSE IT'S MAYBE IT'S ALL OFFICES BECAUSE IT'S A RESIDENTIAL USE THAT WAS BROUGHT UP. I'M NOT SURE. THAT'S. NO I THINK IT'S RESIDENTIAL. IT'S IT'S OFFICE SPACE. RIGHT, RIGHT. NO, NO. YOU'RE GOOD. AND THEN ALSO, YOU KNOW, SO SOMETHING I'M KIND OF WORKING ON BEHIND THE SCENES ON THE TOURISM BOARD. SO BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW MOST OF THE TOURISM REVENUE COMES FROM HERE. SO EVERY MONTH WE GET A REPORT. 
          MOST OF IT COMES FROM NEW PORT RICHEY AREA. BUT WE GET SUCH A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THAT MONEY. 
          THE PROBLEM IS WE DON'T HAVE A LOT TO ASK FOR. SO I'VE BEEN WORKING ON SOME PROJECTS TO TRY TO GET SOME MORE TOURISM DOLLARS OVER HERE. THE BIGGEST THING IS, YOU KNOW, HEADS AND BEDS. SO PEOPLE HAVE TO COME TO EVENTS AND HAVE TO STAY OVERNIGHT. WE HAVE TO ADVERTISE OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTY. THERE ARE CERTAIN PARAMETERS TO GET THAT MONEY. SO I JUST WANT TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW THAT I AM WORKING ON THAT. THEY CANCELED OUR MEETING THIS MONTH. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN TOMORROW. SO OUR NEXT OR EXCUSE ME FEBRUARY. SO OUR NEXT MEETING IS IN MARCH. 
          SO AFTER THAT MEETING I'LL HAVE A REPORT BACK TO YOU GUYS TO KIND OF KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. 
          BUT OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, THE TWO MAJOR EVENTS THEY SUPPORT HERE CODE RIVER BIKE FEST AND CHASCO FIESTA. BUT I THINK THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS ARE A LITTLE LEAN. SO I'D LIKE TO SEE US GETTING A LITTLE BIT MORE FROM THEM. IN REGARDS TO THAT, BRIAN IS ON THE JOB, ESPECIALLY THOSE TYPE, THOSE TWO PROJECTS. YEAH, PEOPLE ARE STAYING IN HOTELS OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS. YES, BUT IT'S AFFECTING THAT. DO WE GET ANY OF THAT IN OUR IN OUR CALCULATION. WELL THAT'S WHAT WHAT THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO CHECK ON BECAUSE WE'RE LIMITED ON HOW MANY BEDS WE HAVE IN THE CITY, YOU KNOW. BUT IT DOES EXPAND OUT TO LIKE HOLIDAY AND REGULAR NEW PORT RICHEY, NOT JUST THE CITY. SO IT IS CALCULATING ALL THOSE, YOU KNOW, AND THEN I JUST WANT TO BRING UP VERY BRIEFLY, YOU KNOW, THIS CLAUDE PEPPER SITUATION JUST TO KIND OF PUT IT TO BED. YOU KNOW OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW WE'RE WE'RE NOT TRYING TO KICK ANYBODY OUT. WE'RE NOT TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, LEAVE THE ELDERLY WITHOUT WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROTECTED. AND THAT GOES ACROSS THE BOARD FOR ANYTHING, INCLUDING THE FLOCK CAMERAS. SO WE'RE MAKING SURE WE'RE PROTECTING OURSELVES IN ALL FACETS OF THE CITY. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT DOESN'T GET MISCONSTRUED, LIKE WE'RE JUST TRYING TO KICK THEM OUT. AND 
          [03:10:01]
THEN ALSO WITH THE LADIES, I HAVE BEEN IN DISCUSSIONS. WE ARE WORKING ON A CLEANUP EVENT, BUT OBVIOUSLY WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S SAFE AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NO ISSUES WITH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CUTTING DOWN WRONG THINGS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. AND I WILL 100% BE THERE. SO AS SOON AS WE HAVE A DATE, WHICH SHOULD BE SOON, YOU GUYS WILL BE THE FIRST TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, AND AND ON THE ON THE OTHER NOTE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT SOME ISSUES WITH SOME THINGS AROUND THE CITY THAT PEOPLE LIKE TO BRING UP ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND LIKE, YOU KNOW, MAYOR HAD SAID EARLIER, YOU KNOW, TO ME, DON'T GIVE MISINFORMATION IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER, DON'T GIVE WHAT YOU THINK IT IS. YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I HEAR IT EVERY DAY ONCE RAILROAD SQUARE ARE GOING TO BE DONE, YOU KNOW, WHEN'S RAILROAD SQUARE GOING TO BE DONE? SO IF YOU WANT TO KNOW, ASK, YOU KNOW. SO YOU KNOW, THE POTENTIAL IS WE'RE TRYING TO HAVE IT OPEN FOR CHASCO, YOU KNOW THAT'LL MAKE THE COMMITTEE EXTREMELY HAPPY. YOU KNOW. BUT IF YOU WANT TO KNOW, WE'RE ALL AROUND, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN ASK ANY OF US, YOU KNOW, WE GET TEXT MESSAGES, EMAILS ALL THE TIME. SO PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH US. WE'RE WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, ACCEPTABLE TO TAKING ANY OF THOSE CALLS. SO THANK YOU, MATT. YEAH A COUPLE COUPLE QUICK THINGS JUST KIND OF REAL QUICK ON THE WHOLE POLICY AND PROCEDURE WRITING AND ALL THAT. I MEAN, IN THE PAST I HAVE DONE SOME OF THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR HR THINGS, INDUSTRY THINGS FOR ELECTRICAL AND THE MILITARY. AND THEY'RE NOT EASY. THEY'RE HARD. AND THOSE ARE SUBJECTS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE KIND OF FAMILIAR WITH WRITING THEM. AND TO TAKE SUBJECTS THAT YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH AND WRITE POLICY THAT'S LIKE A DEEP DIVE. AND YOU REALLY GOT TO PUT THE TIME IN FOR THAT. AND I JUST DON'T I MEAN, NOT NOT SAYING IF SOMEONE WANTS TO DO THAT, IT'S, YOU KNOW, FINE, HAVE AT IT. BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S OUR JOB TO NECESSARILY WRITE POLICY. UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE TO HAVE ANOTHER JOB BECAUSE THIS PAYCHECK, YOU KNOW, MAY COVER MY ELECTRIC BILL, YOU KNOW, SO I'VE GOT TO WORK SOMEWHERE ELSE. 
          AND I CAN'T DEDICATE 40 HOURS A WEEK TO WRITING POLICY FOR THE CITY. WHEN WE HAVE EXPERTS THAT ARE HERE AND DO THAT. NOT NOT NO DISRESPECT TO YOU OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. IT'S JUST I DON'T I DON'T I DON'T FEEL LIKE THAT'S IN OUR SCOPE OF WORK. WE CAN HELP OR WE CAN GIVE ADVICE, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS SOMEBODY ELSE, ANOTHER ENTITY. WHEN YOU'RE WRITING POLICY AND PROCEDURES THAT SAYS, OH, YOU CAN'T DO THAT BECAUSE NOW YOU'RE STEPPING ON OUR TOES. 
          STATE, FEDERAL, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALL KINDS OF GUIDELINES AND DIFFERENT THINGS. SO IT'S NOT IT'S NOT AN EASY THING. BUT THAT'S WHY I ALWAYS REFER BACK TO THE EXPERTS. LET'S LET THEM DO IT, WRITE IT. AND THEN WE CAN LOOK AT IT. AND IF THERE'S THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE MIGHT WANT TO SEE IF WE CAN CHANGE, WE CAN SEE IF IT'S POSSIBLE AND KIND OF GO FROM THERE. BUT I MEAN, BY ALL MEANS, IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO SPEND THE TIME TO DO THAT, GREAT. I JUST DON'T FEEL LIKE IT'S IT'S OUR NECESSARILY OUR JOB ON THE CITY COUNCIL TO DO THAT. RIGHT. POLICY AND PROCEDURES BECAUSE IT'S JUST YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. AND ARE YOU GOING TO BE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME RESEARCHING? AND SECOND THING, I JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE BEV STEPHENSON, NOMINATION FOR QUEEN CHASCO RIGHT HERE FOR A SECOND TIME. 
          YEAH. WELL, 1962 WAS THE LAST TIME 1962. SO BIG GAP. THAT'S WHO WE ARE. QUEENS IN HIGH SCHOOL. YEAH. CONGRATULATIONS. NOT QUEENS BECAUSE THEY WORKED IN THE COMMUNITY. SPOKEN LIKE A TRUE POSSIBLE KING. NO, NOT EVEN CLOSE, BUT BETTER THAN I. WELL, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT POSITIVE THINGS, I JUST THOUGHT I'D SAY THAT I'M ENGAGED NOW, SO. OH, YEAH. CONGRATULATIONS. 
          YEAH, YEAH. NO SHE DOESN'T. RIDE IN YOUR FUTURE. YEAH. SHE FOUND IT IN THE BOTTOM OF A MARTINI GLASS, SO. AND I JUST WANT TO THANK THE PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT COME HERE AND BRING UP THESE IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS. AND I ACTUALLY SAW THE THREE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THAT ARE RUNNING AGAINST ME HERE TONIGHT. ONLY ONE OF THEM STAYED FOR THE WHOLE MEETING, WHICH IS NOT SURPRISING. BUT, YOU KNOW, IN FACT, I'M SURPRISED SHE STAYED THE WHOLE MEETING BECAUSE I DON'T THINK I'VE SEEN HER HERE BEFORE. AT LEAST I DON'T REMEMBER IT ANYHOW. SO ANYHOW, THAT'S ALL I REALLY GOT FOR TONIGHT, SO THANK YOU, GUYS. OH, NOPE. GOT NOTHING. NOT THIS TIME, MR. MAYOR. IF YOU'D ALLOW ME FIRST, I WANTED TO REPORT TO YOU A PROJECT THAT THE CITY SUBMITTED FOR FOR A LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATION, WHICH IS BEING SUPPORTED BY BOTH THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE. AND IT'S FOR SOME ELEVATED LIFT STATIONS, AND IT 
          [03:15:01]
IS IN GOOD STANDING AND BEING ADVANCED BY BOTH. SO SUBJECT TO A GOVERNOR'S VETO. OUR PROJECT WILL WILL BE FUNDED THIS FISCAL YEAR. I WANTED TO LET BEV STEVENSON KNOW THAT SATURDAY, MARCH 14TH SOUNDS LIKE A LOVELY DAY FOR A CLEANUP. AND WE CAN WE CAN FACILITATE THAT WITHOUT A PROBLEM. YOU JUST DIDN'T TELL ME A TIME. SO YOU'LL NEED TO DO THAT AND WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN. I WANTED TO FOLLOW UP. SCOTT SHOULD HAVE MADE A LOT OF GOOD POINTS TODAY. SOME OF THE EXPENDITURES THAT HE INDICATED, SOME CONCERN ABOUT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN APPROVED. AND I'M GOING TO CHECK THAT WITH DAVE AND REVIEW THAT TOMORROW. BUT THE THE POINT RAISED ABOUT THE ADDRESSES AND USING TWO ADDRESSES, THAT MAY BE AN ISSUE THAT WE NEED TO TAKE UP AS A CRA BOARD AND JUST TAKE THAT RULE OUT, AND IT MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE FOR US TO ALLOW SOMEBODY TO USE TWO ADDRESSES, BECAUSE THIS IS JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE WHERE IT DOESN'T WORK. 
          AND WE CAN DISCUSS THAT AT OUR NEXT MEETING. AND THAT MAY BE THE SOLUTION. THE. RITA KING REMINDED ME THAT I HAVE A REPORT FOR YOU ON SOME ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AT THE FORMER GULF HIGH SCHOOL, AND BOTH THE ABANDONED TANK RESTORATION PROGRAM AND THE UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK APPLICATIONS WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION BY MARCH 10TH. THE ASBESTOS REPORT HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND WE FOUND SOME IN THE CEILING TILES ONLY. SO AS LONG AS WE DON'T DISTURB IT AND WHEN WE DISTURB IT, WE DESERVE WE DISTURB IT WITH APPROPRIATE ABATEMENT PROCEDURES. WE'RE GOING TO BE OKAY THERE. THERE WAS NO ACTIONABLE LEAD BASED PAINT. AND SO NO HAZARDS WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE BUILDING. THERE WERE INTERIOR MOLD SPORES FOUND TO BE ELEVATED IN THE BUILDING, BUT NO REGULATORY THRESHOLDS WERE. DETERMINED TO INDICATE THAT FURTHER REMEDIATION WAS REQUIRED. AND THE RADON TESTING'S INDICATED NO, NO ELEVATED LEVELS. SO ALL'S GOOD ON THE INSIDE OF THE BUILDING. SO WE'RE HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY. AND WE CAN LET LET MISS KING KNOW THAT, BECAUSE I KNOW SHE WAS KIND OF CURIOUS. I WANTED TO THANK DALE WEBB, BUT HE'S GONE HOME. SOME KIND OF REPORT MIGHT BE NICE IN YOUR FRIDAY REPORT TOO, ABOUT THAT. 
          SO WE'RE PREPARED TO TALK. I THOUGHT I WAS GETTING OUT OF THAT BY TELLING YOU TONIGHT. 
          WELL, I DON'T HAVE A MEMORIZE IT, BUT I WILL REPORT ON FRIDAY AS WELL. DALE WEBB NEEDS TO BE THANKED FOR HIS REPORT ON VAN BUREN, INDIANA. AND WE WILL HAVE THE POLICE CHIEF LOOK INTO THE INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED THERE IN CASE WE NEED TO TAKE SOME AND THE HISTORY THERE. 
          WE'RE LOOKING INTO IT. LOOK AT YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. CHIEF, AND I WILL FIND OUT WHY SOMEONE FROM THE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT SENT SOMEBODY UPSTAIRS TO FIND OUT ABOUT GRANT INFORMATION. 
          BECAUSE WE DO NOT DISSEMINATE INFORMATION ABOUT HOUSING GRANTS IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE. THAT'S NOT WITHIN HER RANGE. THAT SHOULD BE HANDLED BY THE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, AS IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY. AND IT'S NOT ACCURATE THAT HIS NEIGHBOR CAN'T BID ON PAVING WORK. ANYONE CAN BID ON PAVING WORK. ALL OF OUR PAVING PROJECTS ARE ADVERTISED, AND ANYONE THAT READS ADVERTISEMENTS ARE INVITED TO BID ON CITY PROJECTS. 
          AND SO I NEEDED TO MAKE THAT STATEMENT PUBLICLY. AND I WISH HE WERE HERE TO HEAR THAT SO THAT HE CAN ADVISE HIS NEIGHBOR, THAT HE CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES SHOULD THEY BE OF INTEREST TO HIM AND BID ON CITY PROJECTS. AND THAT'S IT FOR TONIGHT. SO THANK YOU AND GOOD NIGHT. NOTHING FOR ME, MR.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.