Apr 07, 2026 City Council

[1) Call to Order – Roll Call]

[00:00:37]

FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

THANK YOU. YES. JUST IN THE NICK OF TIME, WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION HERE FOR THE

[4.a) Public Safety Telecommunicators Week ]

THIS IS A PROCLAMATION OF THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF NEW PORT RICHEY. WHEREAS EMERGENCIES CAN OCCUR AT ANY TIME THAT REQUIRE POLICE, FIRE OR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES. AND WHEREAS WHEN AN EMERGENCY OCCURS, THE PROMPT RESPONSE OF POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS IS CRITICAL TO THE PROTECTION OF LIFE AND PRESERVATION OF PROPERTY. AND WHEREAS THE SAFETY OF OUR POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS IS DEPENDENT UPON THE QUALITY AND ACCURACY OF INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM CITIZENS WHO TELEPHONE THE CITY OF NEW PORT RICHEY POLICE DEPARTMENT, EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS CENTER. AND WHEREAS, PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATORS ARE THE FIRST AND MOST CRITICAL CONTACT OUR CITIZENS HAVE WITH EMERGENCY SERVICE. AND WHEREAS PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATORS ARE THE SINGLE VITAL LINK FOR OUR POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS, BY MONITORING THE ACTIVITIES BY RADIO, PROVIDING THEM INFORMATION AND ENSURING THEIR SAFETY AND WHEREAS PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATORS OF THE CITY OF NEW PORT RICHEY POLICE DEPARTMENT HAVE CONTRIBUTED. CONTRIBUTED SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE APPREHENSION OF CRIMINALS, SUPPRESSION OF FIRES AND TREATMENT OF PATIENTS. AND NOW, THEREFORE, I, CHOPPER DAVIS, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF NEW PORT RICHEY, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE WEEK OF APRIL 12TH, 2026 THROUGH APRIL 18TH, 2026, AS NATIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATORS WEEK IN THE CITY OF NEW PORT RICHEY AND EXTEND APPRECIATION TO OUR PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATORS AND TO ALL THE PUBLIC PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATORS FOR THE VITAL SERVICES THEY PERFORM AND THEIR EXEMPLARY DEDICATION TO THE COMMUNITIES THEY REPRESENT. THANK YOU. YOUR.

THANK YOU MAYOR. COUNCIL MEMBERS. SO AS PROCLAMATION READS, OUR TELECOMMUTERS ARE JUST ESSENTIAL TO OUR POLICE OFFICERS AND ESSENTIAL. EVERYTHING WE DO. AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A PRIMARY APP WHICH IS THE COUNTY AND A SECONDARY PIECE APP, WHICH IS US. TONIGHT I HAVE WITH ME REESE WAYMIRE, WHO'S OUR COMMUNICATIONS CENTER SUPERVISOR. HE DOES AN AWESOME JOB. AND LIEUTENANT MALIKR, SO WE RECOGNIZE THIS WEEK TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THE HEROES. AND YOU ARE REESE, YOU, YOU ARE THE UNSUNG HEROES BEHIND THE SCENE THAT PEOPLE REALLY DON'T SEE. BUT WHAT YOU DO IS AWESOME. THEY WORK TO ENSURE THE SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF OUR OF OUR OFFICERS AND THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE. TELECOMMUNICATORS.

ESPECIALLY THOSE IN THE NEW PORT RICHEY POLICE DEPARTMENT, ARE THE UNSUNG HEROES WHO ANSWER THE CALLS FOR HELP, PROVIDE CRITICAL INFORMATION AND DISPATCH NECESSARY ASSISTANCE DURING TIMES OF CRISIS. THEY REMAIN CALM UNDER PRESSURE, OFFER REASSURANCE AND DISTRESS, AND MAKE SPLIT SECOND DECISIONS. THAT CAN MEAN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH. MUCH LIKE A POLICE OFFICER IN THE STREET, THEIR COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SAFETY IS UNWAVERING. THEIR DEDICATION ON MATCH, DAY IN AND DAY OUT. THEY WORK LONG HOURS, OFTEN IN HIGH STRESS ENVIRONMENTS, TO ENSURE THAT HELP IS JUST A PHONE CALL AWAY. SO REESE, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO. WE RUN AN AWESOME SECONDARY PEACE APP. OUR OUR TECHNOLOGY AND EQUIPMENT IS SECOND TO NONE ALONG WITH PASCO COUNTY. SO VERY PROUD OF YOU AND ALL THE WORK YOU DO AND YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING. DEFINITELY. THANK YOU CHIEF AND CITY COUNCIL FOR RECOGNIZING THIS WEEK. IT'S NOT OFTEN THAT TELECOMMUNICATORS ACTUALLY GET RECOGNIZED. WE SIT BEHIND SCREENS ALL DAY IN AN OFFICE, BUT AS CHIEF SAID, WE ARE SOMETIMES FIRST RESPONDERS.

WE'RE THE ONES TAKING THE 911 CALLS, THOSE EMERGENCY CALLS FROM PEOPLE. I HAVE A GREAT TEAM BEHIND ME. WE'RE GOING TO DEFINITELY CONTINUE DOING THE WORK EACH YEAR. THANK YOU GUYS.

THANK YOU. YEAH. LET'S GO. FOR THE DAY. PROCLAMATION. THIS IS A PROCLAMATION OF THE MAYOR OF

[4.b) Florida Loquat Day ]

[00:05:28]

BUT IF YOU GOT A LADDER, YOU CAN GO UP AND GET THE REST OF IT. THAT'S GREAT. WELL, THANK YOU, MAYOR CHOPPER DAVIS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE SUPPORT AND FOR ACTUALLY HAVING THE LOQUAT TREE THAT OTHERS CAN BENEFIT FROM. I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE CITY COUNCIL, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR THE SUPPORT, NOT JUST FOR THIS YEAR, OUR 13TH YEAR, BUT FOR ALL THE YEARS IN THE PAST. WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO THIS WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY OF NEW PORT RICHEY.

SO MANY FOLKS ASK, HOW ARE YOU ABLE TO DO THIS? YOU GUYS PUT A LOT OF WORK INTO IT. WE DO HAVE A WONDERFUL TEAM HERE. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE EVERYONE THAT'S HERE WITH US TODAY, BUT WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO IT WITHOUT THE BACKING OF THE CITY. SO MANY EVENTS THAT WE DO ARE ONLY POSSIBLE BECAUSE THE CITY SUPPORTS IN BOTH TANGIBLE AND INTANGIBLE WAYS. SO WE'RE PUTTING A BIG PUBLIC SHOUT OUT AND THANK YOU TO THE CITY COUNCIL. NOW, BESIDES THE CITY COUNCIL, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO DO IT WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF NEW PORT RICHEY. SO WE THANK EVERYONE THAT'S HERE, AND I'M SURE EVERYONE WILL BE AT THE FESTIVAL, RIGHT. YOU'LL BE THERE ON SATURDAY. HOW MANY GOING TO BE THERE? AND THE REST OF YOU, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO WANT US TO BRING IT TO YOUR HOUSE? NO, NO, WE'LL BE THERE.

WE'LL BE THERE. I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE SOME OF OUR MAYORAL CANDIDATES THAT ARE HERE TONIGHT. THANK YOU FOR COMING, AND YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME TO THE FESTIVAL AS WELL. ONE OF YOU MAY WELL BE THE MAYOR NEXT TIME. WHO KNOWS? YOU JUST NEVER KNOW. ONE OF YOU MAY WELL BE THE MAYOR. AND YOU CAN READ THE PROCLAMATION FOR THE LOCAL FESTIVAL FOR 2027. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR SOME OF OUR HARVESTERS THAT ARE HERE, SOME OF OUR MAKERS THAT ARE HERE, WE HAVE GLADYS, WE HAVE REGGIE. YOU CAN PUT YOUR HANDS UP BECAUSE GLADYS, REGGIE, WE HAVE AMANDA, WE HAVE LILY, WHO'S HOLDING THE SIGN, OUR YOUNGEST LOQUAT MAKER. WE HAVE MISTY, WE HAVE WARREN, WE HAVE SASHA, AND WE HAVE CARTER AND OH, AND WE HAVE CATHERINE. SO WE HAVE EVERYBODY HERE. I REMEMBERED ALL THE NAMES. HOW ABOUT THAT TOO, RIGHT? YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, I MAY YOU KNOW, I MAY LOOK OLDER, BUT I STILL CAN REMEMBER SOME OF THE NAMES. I THINK I DID GET IT GOT EVERYBODY'S NAME. WOULDN'T BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

WOULDN'T BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF THE RESIDENTS. AND IT WOULDN'T BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF THE MANY, MANY VOLUNTEERS THAT ARE HERE. AND ALSO A BIG SHOUT OUT TO OUR PRIMARY SPONSOR, WHICH IS THE ROTARY CLUB OF NEW PORT RICHEY. I THINK WE HAVE SOME MEMBERS OF THE ROTARY CLUB THAT ARE HERE, SO WE APPRECIATE THE ROTARY CLUB AND ALSO SERVE PRO TEAM JORGE AND ALSO THE SUNCOAST CREDIT UNION AND MANY OTHER SUPPORTERS THAT MAKE THIS EVENT POSSIBLE. NOW, BEFORE I CONCLUDE, I DO ALSO WANT TO REVEAL THE SHIRT FOR THIS YEAR'S FESTIVAL. AND CARTER, I THINK YOU HAVE THE SHIRT. SO WE'RE GOING TO LET LILIANA TAKE IT OUT OF THE BAG. LILI YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE IT OUT OF THE BAG. SO THIS IS THIS YEAR'S SHIRT.

[00:10:03]

WE CAN SHOW THAT THAT'S THE 20. THAT'S THE 2026 SHIRT AND TURN THE YEAH, THE SHIRT RIGHT.

THERE YOU GO. WE'RE GOING TO TURN THE SHIRT AROUND. SO IF YOU CAN SEE THAT ON TV, YOU CAN COME TO THE FESTIVAL. AND FOR A MODEST DONATION, YOU CAN GET YOUR 2026 FESTIVAL SHIRT. IT WILL BE AT SIMS PARK AROUND THE PEACE HALL STARTING AT 10:00 AND GOING TILL 2:00 OR SO. I DO WANT TO NOTE ONE OTHER EVENT THAT'S COMING UP, AND THAT'S THURSDAY NIGHT AT 5:00 AT THE CODY RIVER BREWERY. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE RELEASE OF THE LOKO BEER. THIS YEAR'S LOQUAT BEER WILL BE THERE, AND WE'LL ALSO HAVE SOME ARTWORK. THIS YEAR WE'RE GOING TO FEATURE AN ART SHOW OF FLORIDA PRODUCE THAT IS DONE IN COOPERATION WITH THE WEST PASCO ART GUILD, AND THEY'RE DOING LOCO ART AND OTHER PRODUCE. SO IT'S GOING TO BE A LARGE FESTIVAL, A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS GOING ON. BUT MOST OF ALL, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE WONDERFUL FRUIT. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE WONDERFUL PRESERVES. AMANDA, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT TO SHARE ON THIS? LILY? DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SHARE? IS IT LOQUAT TASTY? YEAH. OKAY. YEAH. WELL, LILY SAYS THAT THE LOQUAT. STACEY, COME AND JOIN US. WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING ALL OF YOU THERE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE SUPPORT. RYAN, COME ON DOWN. IT'S A PROCLAMATION FOR

[4.c) Day of Remembrance ]

THIS YEAR BEING APRIL 14TH, 2026. AND WHEREAS THE DAY OF REMEMBRANCE HAS BEEN SET ASIDE TO REMEMBER THE VICTIMS OF THE HOLOCAUST AND THE INNOCENT VICTIMS OF ALL WAR, VIOLENCE AND HATRED HERE AND ABROAD, AS WE REFLECT ON THE NEED OF RESPECT FOR ALL PEOPLES. NOW THEREFORE, I, CHOPPER DAVIS, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF NEW PORT RICHEY, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 14TH, 2026, AS DAY OF REMEMBRANCE IN MEMORY OF THE VICTIMS OF THE HOLOCAUST AND IN HONOR AND OR MEMORY OF THE SURVIVORS, AS WELL AS THE RESCUERS AND LIBERATORS, AND URGE ALL RESIDENTS TO HELP TO PROMOTE HUMAN DIGNITY AND CONFRONT HATE WHENEVER AND WHEREVER IT OCCURS. I AM. TRYING TO PROTECT IT. YEAH, I SAY WE'RE HERE TO. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER AND CITY CLERK, AND FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE TO HELP US OUT DURING THIS TIME. SO ON BEHALF OF OUR COMMUNITY, WE THANK YOU. SINCE THE LAST TIME I SPOKE TO YOU DURING LAST YEAR'S PROCLAMATION, I TRAVELED TO SOUTHERN ITALY, TO THE TOWN OF BARI IN THE BOOT, THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE HEEL OF ITALY WHERE MY FATHER WAS IN A DISPLACED PERSONS CAMP RIGHT AFTER THE WAR. HE WAS AN AUSCHWITZ SURVIVOR. HE LOST HIS

[00:15:06]

[4.d) Sarah Simon, Jacksonville University Sports Hall of Fame]

COME ON. PARENTS. SHEESH. ALL RIGHT. THIS IS A PROCLAMATION OF THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR OF CITY OF NEW PORT RICHEY. WHEREAS SARA SIMON IS A PROUD NATIVE OF NEW PORT RICHEY, WHOSE DEDICATION, PERSEVERANCE AND ATHLETIC EXCELLENCE HAVE BROUGHT DISTINCTION TO HERSELF, HER FAMILY IN HER HOMETOWN. AND WHEREAS SARA EARNED A DIVISION ONE ATHLETICS SCHOLARSHIP TO PLAY SOFTBALL FOR JACKSONVILLE UNIVERSITY, COMPETING AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF COLLEGIATE ATHLETICS WITH THE JACKSONVILLE UNIVERSITY DOLPHINS. AND WHEREAS, DURING HER REMARKABLE COLLEGIATE CAREER, SARA ESTABLISHED HERSELF AS ONE OF THE GREATEST PLAYERS IN JACKSONVILLE UNIVERSITY HISTORY, BECOMING THE ALL TIME LEADER IN HOME RUNS, RUNS, BATTED IN WALKS, SLUGGING PERCENTAGE ON BASE PERCENTAGE, TOTAL BASES AND FIELDING PERCENTAGE. AND WHEREAS HER OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE EARNED HER THE HONOR OF ATLANTIC SUN CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE YEAR IN 2013, AS WELL AS SELECTION TO THE ATLANTIC SUN ALL-DECADE TEAM FOR THE YEARS 2011 THROUGH 2020. AND WHEREAS, IN RECOGNITION OF HER EXTRAORDINARY ACHIEVEMENTS AND LASTING IMPACT ON THE SPORT, SARA SIMON WAS INDUCTED INTO THE JACKSONVILLE UNIVERSITY SPORTS HALL OF FAME ON JANUARY 31ST, 2026. AND WHEREAS SARA SIMON'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS SERVE AS AN INSPIRATION TO YOUNG ATHLETES THROUGHOUT NEW PORT RICHEY AND DEMONSTRATE THE POWER OF HARD WORK, DISCIPLINE AND COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE.

NOW THEREFORE, I, CHOPPER DAVIS, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF NEW PORT RICHEY, DO HEREBY RECOGNIZE AND CONGRATULATE SARA SIMON ON HER INDUCTION INTO THE JACKSONVILLE UNIVERSITY SPORTS HALL OF FAME AND COMMEND HER FOR HER EXCEPTIONAL ATHLETIC CAREER AND HER PROUD REPRESENTATION OF OUR COMMUNITY. YOU DO NOT GET TO TALK. GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR THIS RECOGNITION, AND THANK YOU. IT'S TRULY AN HONOR TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED IN THIS WAY, AND I'M INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL TO BE A PART OF A COMMUNITY THAT VALUES DEDICATION, TEAMWORK, AND PERSEVERANCE. BEING INDUCTED INTO THE HALL OF FAME IS SOMETHING I'M VERY PROUD OF, BUT IT'S NOT SOMETHING I ACCOMPLISH ALONE. I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE TO BE SURROUNDED BY AMAZING TEAMMATES, COACHES, MENTORS, AND FAMILY WHO SUPPORTED ME EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. THIS RECOGNITION BELONGS TO THEM AS MUCH AS IT DOES TO ME. I WAS ALWAYS ESPECIALLY PROUD TO TRAVEL TO MAJOR UNIVERSITIES LIKE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY AND UNIVERSITY OF

[00:20:06]

[4.e) Donate Life Month ]

[5) Approval of Minutes]

[6) Vox Pop for Items Not Listed on the Agenda or Listed on Consent Agenda]

[00:25:03]

NEXT PERSON I SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IS DOCTOR KIRK PHILLIPS. THAT'S AN AMAZING SUBJECT. THAT GENTLEMAN WAS UP HERE FOR. IT'S BEEN A LONG DAY. COUNCIL MADAM MANAGER. MR. MAYOR, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. SO I'M JUST GOING TO READ THIS AND GET ON WITH IT. NAME AND ADDRESS. I'M SORRY, DOCTOR KIRK PHILLIPS ALSO KNOWN AS KIRK PHILLIPS 2031 WATERVIEW DRIVE. THE LAST TIME WE GATHERED IN THIS CHAMBER, WE LEFT OFF ON PAGE FIVE OF 100. AS I RECALL, THE ANALOGY ABOUT THE REVITALIZATION STORY OF THE HISTORIC 1922 GULF HIGH SCHOOL ON GULF AND GRAND. THANKS TO THE HUGELY SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY CLEANUP RECENTLY, WE'VE NOW TURNED TO PAGE SIX, IF NOT SEVEN, I MAY ADD, OR I HOPE TO ADD. BEFORE WE WRAPPED UP WITH THAT ANALOGY, WE DISCUSSED THE EIGHT TENTACLES OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN ADDITION TO WHAT THE 1920 2SO. S GROUP HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT. THE FRIENDS OF 1922 GULF HIGH IN OUR COMMUNITY. UNDERSTAND THE VISION FOR AN EDUCATION, HERITAGE AND CULTURAL CENTER MUST BE ECONOMICALLY SUSTAINABLE AND SERVE AS A CATALYST FOR REVITALIZING THE SURROUNDING AREA. ONE OF THE CRA'S MAIN GOALS THAT BEGINS WITH AWARENESS. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. RULE NUMBER ONE IS AWARENESS. IN ESSENCE, AWARENESS IS FREE MARKETING. TONIGHT, WE ASK THE CITY TO NOMINATE THE 1922 PROPERTY FOR THE FLORIDA'S 11 TO SAVE PROGRAM THROUGH FLORIDA'S TRUST OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION. THIS PROGRAM HELPS LAUNCH PRESERVATION EFFORTS AND PROTECT FLORIDA'S ENDANGERED HISTORIC PLACES. SO WHAT THEY DO ON THE BOARD LAST YEAR, IF LET'S SAY YOU NEED THE ROOF REPAIRED, THEY HELP YOU REPAIR IT TO SUSTAIN THE PROPERTY UNTIL YOU FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO WITH IT. THIS NOMINATION WILL BRING STATEWIDE ATTENTION NOT ONLY TO THE OLD SCHOOL HOUSE ON GRAND AND THE ON GULF, BUT ALSO THE BROADER REVITALIZATION UNFOLDING EFFORTS THROUGHOUT NEW PORT RICHEY. DURING OUR RESEARCH, WE DISCOVERED AN ERROR IN THE LOCAL HISTORICAL RECORD THAT DESCRIBED THE BUILDING AS PRAIRIE STYLE. IT IS NOT PRAIRIE STYLE. THAT'S WHY IT'S BEEN HIDDEN AS A GEM FOR ALL THESE DECADES. WHILE IT FEATURES PRAIRIE STYLE ELEMENTS, ESPECIALLY ON THE INSIDE, IT'S ACTUALLY COLONIAL REVIVAL AND NEO-CLASSICAL. THINK ABOUT IT DOWNTOWN NEW PORT RICHEY YOU HAVE MEDITERRANEAN CLASSICAL REVIVAL, NOW YOU HAVE COLONIAL REVIVAL. ON THE OTHER END OF TOWN TOWN, A BLEND OF ARCHITECTURAL IMPORTANCE. WE HAVE FOUND ONLY SIX OF THIS KIND REMAIN IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA TODAY. FOR THE SAKE OF TIME, I'M NOT GOING TO NAME

[00:30:04]

IN FACT, I'LL BE AT THE WHITE HOUSE ON THE 21ST OF APRIL HAVING THIS DISCUSSION WITH THE DIRECTOR OF THE SMITHSONIAN ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY. AND YOU'RE GOING TO FIND OUT HERE IN A SECOND WHY THE SECOND TENET OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS SIGNIFICANCE AND DIFFERENTIATION. I SAID THERE WERE SIX SIMILAR PROPERTIES IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. THAT'S THE. SO WHAT FACTOR THE 1922 GULF HIGH IS EXCEPTIONALLY SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE ITS CONNECTION TO PIONEERING WOMEN ARCHITECTS. IDA ANNA. THAT'S A N N A H. RYAN AND ISABELLA ROBERTS, WHO ARE THESE TWO WOMEN? RYAN, THE FIRST WOMAN IN THE UNITED STATES TO EARN A MASTER'S DEGREE IN ARCHITECTURE FROM MIT. SHE'S ALSO THE VERY FIRST RECOGNIZED WOMAN ARCHITECT IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. SHE IS BELIEVED TO HAVE DESIGNED GULF HIGH WHILE WORKING FOR FREDERICK TRIMBLE. NOW THINK OF THE CONTEXT. WOMEN JUST OBTAINED THE RIGHT TO VOTE, AND TYPICALLY MEN TOOK CREDIT FOR THE WOMEN'S EFFORTS. AND WE BELIEVE THIS TO BE TRUE IN THIS CASE, TOO. SO WHO IS THE SECOND ESTEEMED LADY? THE SECOND LADY WAS WORKING ON A LITTLE HOUSE AS AN APPRENTICE FOR HER MOTHER IN CHICAGO. FOR FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT. THAT'S WHERE THE PRAIRIE STYLE ON THE INSIDE OF THE BUILDING COMES FROM. WE BELIEVE AS WE MOVE FORWARD, SORT OF LIKE THE PHANTOM OF THE THEATER AND THE GHOST DOWN HERE IN THE HACIENDA, THE BELIEF OF THESE TWO WOMEN PIONEERING WOMEN'S IMPACT ON ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IS SIGNIFICANT. FROM THE START, THE FRIENDS OF 1922 GULF HIGH HAVE PARTNERED WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE CITY OF NEW PORT RICHEY TO MAKE THIS VISION A REALITY. WE'VE ALREADY DRAFTED THE NOMINATION, AS MISS BEVIN HAS SPOKEN TO YOU ABOUT FOR YOUR REVIEW AND SUBMITTAL BY THE 15TH OF APRIL. THIS IS ONLY A NOMINATION. GRANTS WILL COME LATER IF WE SO CHOOSE TO HELP YOU APPLY FOR THEM. ADDITIONALLY, WHEN THE TIME COMES, MY COMPANY, TG INTERNATIONAL AND CONCOURSE FEDERAL, TWO CONSULTING FIRMS OUT OF WASHINGTON DC WILL PROVIDE PRO BONO GRANT WRITING ASSISTANCE IF NEEDED. THANK YOU. FINAL PERSON I HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IS DONNA JENSEN. DONNA JENSEN, 5922 WYOMING AVENUE, NEW PORT RICHEY. GOOD EVENING, DISTINGUISHED MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER, ATTORNEY DRISCOLL. IN TEN DAYS, DOCTOR PHILLIPS WILL BE IN WASHINGTON, DC TO CONTINUE RESEARCH AT THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTE CONCERNING GULF HIGH 1922. WE ONLY HAVE A FEW DAYS TO SUBMIT THIS APPLICATION. PLEASE TAKE HEED AND NOT DELAY THIS APPLICATION. IF WE ARE PUT ON THE LIST OF TEN WILL OPEN OPPORTUNITIES TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE G. S 1922, NOT ONLY FOR NEW PORT RICHEY BUT FOR OUR COUNTY, OUR STATE AND OUR NATION. THE LONGER THAT WE DELAY TO BEGIN RESTORATION ON, THE MORE WORK IT WILL BE NEEDED IN THE FUTURE. OUR SOS GROUP IS WORKING DILIGENTLY TO HELP OUR CITY RESTORE, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS OUR SINCERE THANKS TO DOCTOR PHILLIPS FOR HIS CONTINUED SUPPORT WITH SOS. WITHOUT HIM, WE WOULD NOT HAVE THIS APPLICATION READY TO PRESENT. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, DOCTOR. CAPTAIN KIRK PHILLIPS, PLEASE CONSIDER THIS APPLICATION AND DILIGENTLY WORK TO GET IT ACCEPTED. TO GET IT IN, GET IT ON BY THE 15TH SO THAT WE DO NOT HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER YEAR TO SUBMIT IT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK. MY NAME IS JUDITH ALLEN. I LIVE AT 5940 GRAND BOULEVARD. YOU CANNOT MISS MY HOUSE. IT'S THE HOUSE WITH THE BLUE TARP ON GRAND BOULEVARD, WITH ALL THE SIGNS ON THE WINDOWS THAT I HAVE DONE WITHOUT HOT WATER SINCE 2017. I HAVE DONE WITHOUT HEAT OR AIR SINCE 2019 BECAUSE OF SOMEONE. WE'RE VOTING FOR A RAISE TONIGHT WHO IS DELIBERATELY, ACTIVELY AND FORCEFULLY NOT ALLOWED ALL 11 OF THE HOMES INVOLVED IN THE CDBG GRANT TO GET A GRANT. SINCE 23, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET THIS GRANT PASSED. DEBBIE. MAN, SINCE 2023,

[00:35:04]

PETER. SO YOU'VE ADMITTED ON TAPE THAT YOU'VE KNOWN ABOUT IT FOR 4 OR 5 YEARS. ACTUALLY, YOU'VE KNOWN ABOUT IT LONGER. THERE SHOULD BE NO RAISE TO ANY ADMINISTRATION THAT ALLOWS THIS TO GO ON. PLUS A WHOLE LOT OF OTHER STUFF THAT'S GONE ON AND THEN SEND OUT SLANDER AND ALL KINDS OF STUFF. LET ME READ THIS. I WANT IT TO BE KNOWN. FIRST OF ALL, I HAVE NO INTENTION OF HARMING MYSELF OR ANYONE ELSE. THAT'S UNFORTUNATELY NECESSARY BECAUSE OF THE SLANDER AND DEFAMATION. I HAVE NEVER BEEN PRESCRIBED OR USED ANTIDEPRESSANTS IN MY ENTIRE LIFE. I HAVE NEVER BEEN PRESCRIBED OR USED ANTI-ANXIETIES. I HAVE NEVER BEEN PRESCRIBED OR USED ANY PSYCHOTIC DRUGS. I'VE NEVER USED ILLEGAL DRUGS, INCLUDING MARIJUANA, NEVER SUSPECTED OR STOPPED IN ANY WAY AT ANY TIME. BEING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL. I DON'T DRINK HARDLY AT ALL. I MEAN, OCCASIONALLY ON CHRISTMAS I MIGHT HAVE A GLASS OF WINE, BUT WE CAN'T SAY THAT BY THIS GROUP. OVER HERE TO THE TO THE RIGHT. OKAY, EVERYONE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THIS. WE HAVE TO DO THIS BECAUSE OF THE DEFAMATION.

SITTING DOWN, SITTING DOWN. NO ILLEGAL CRIME. YOU ARE SITTING EVER BEEN ACCUSED? EXCUSE ME, EXCUSE ME. I GOT SENT TO CRIMINAL COURT. DO NOT VOTE FOR ANY INCUMBENTS. EXCUSE ME, MA'AM, FOR YEARS. AND I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE. DOES ANYBODY ELSE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? CAN YOU HEAR ME? EMERSON MARTIN, 9330 CREEDMOOR LANE, NEW PORT RICHEY, FLORIDA. I GUESS TO PIGGYBACK OFF OF THE LAST STATEMENT, WHICH I HAVE TO SAY WAS I WAS QUITE IMPRESSED. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. ACCORDING TO THE AVAILABLE DATA, THE HIGHEST PAID EMPLOYEE IN THE CITY WAS THE CITY MANAGER, EARNING $173,441 2020 FOR. THAT SAME DATA ALSO SHOWED CITYWIDE SALARIES INCREASED BY AROUND 10% FROM 2023 TO 2024. THIS IN ONE YEAR IS SIGNIFICANT, ESPECIALLY WHEN MANY RESIDENTS DID NOT RECEIVE ANYTHING CLOSE TO THAT. I BELIEVE THEY ARE THE ONES WHO PAID THE SALARY. THE CITY MANAGER IS AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT POSITION. I ACTUALLY HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR THAT ROLE. IT HOLDS A LOT OF POWER, AND WITH THAT KIND OF POWER OVER SUCH A LARGE GROUP OF PEOPLE REQUIRES TRANSPARENCY AND OPEN DIALOG. THE MORE I PAY ATTENTION, THE MORE CONCERNED I GROW OVER THE PROPOSAL OF SUCH A RAISE. THERE IS, AS FAR AS I'M AWARE, NO CURRENT EASY ACCESS FOR RESIDENTS TO TRACK PROGRESS ON THE CITY'S PROJECTS, AND THERE ARE MANY DEVELOPMENTAL PROJECTS TAKING PLACE RIGHT NOW. I THINK RESIDENTS DESERVE TO SEE HOW THESE ARE MANAGED. THIS IS NOT A BIG ASK. OTHER CITIES LIKE TAMPA ALREADY HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THIS THAT WE COULD MODEL AFTER. I ALSO FROM REVIEWING PAST CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, HAVE SEEN THE MANAGER ATTEMPT TO PREVENT PUBLIC COMMENTS ON CHANGES THAT DIRECTLY AFFECT THE LIVES OF THE RESIDENTS, SUCH AS THE WASTE MANAGEMENT SITUATION. I WILL BE HONEST, THE ATTITUDE DISPLAYED DISAPPOINTED ME DEEPLY. I'M ALSO CONFUSED ABOUT THE $30 STATE OF THE CITY WITH THE CITY MANAGER. WHY ARE YOU MAKING YOUR RESIDENTS PAY FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS? AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT LUNCH SHOULD COST THAT MUCH. ALSO, WHEN FELLOW CAMPAIGN VOLUNTEERS REACHED OUT TO THE CITY CLERK WHO IS UNDER THE CITY MANAGER, ABOUT CONCERNS OF CAMPAIGN SECURITY, WE WERE PATRONIZED. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS IS THE RESPONSE TO PEOPLE WHO WANT TO CLARIFY, WHO WANT CLARITY ON THE SECURITY OF THE BALLOTS, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT

[00:40:04]

IF WE CAN HAVE A DJ AT THE UPCOMING RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY AT RAILROAD SQUARE, WE CAN HAVE A DJ AT THE PARK EVERY NOW AND THEN FOR OUR PRE-TEENS AND TEENS. JUST AN IDEA. CALL IT TEEN NIGHT AT THE PARK. WE HAVE THE RESOURCES. OUR OFFICERS DO A GREAT JOB OF WHAT DO I. HOW DO I PUT IT? CONTAINING AND MAKING SURE EVERYONE'S SAFE AT OUR EVENTS.

SO I HONESTLY FEEL THAT IF WE CAN ALL COME TOGETHER AND ENJOY OUR ADULT, WONDERFUL ADULT ESTABLISHMENTS DOWNTOWN, WE CAN COME TOGETHER AND TURN UP DOWNTOWN. WE CAN COME TOGETHER AND TURN UP FOR OUR YOUTH IN THIS COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, CITY MANAGER, CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS KIM BRUST. I LIVE AT 6545 CIRCLE BOULEVARD, AND I'D LIKE TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT. THE STATE OF THE CITY IS A IS A NEW PORT RICHEY MAIN STREET MEETING. WE ARE COLLECTING THE $30 HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH CITY MANAGER, MANS OR CITY COUNCIL OR DOWNTOWN. SO IT IS THE COST OF THE LAUNCH. WE ARE NOT MAKING ANY EXTRA. SO PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THAT IS NOTHING TO DO. WE'VE INVITED HER AS OUR SPEAKER. THANK YOU. SO. GOOD JOB ON. ALL THOSE.

OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MARLO JONES. I'M HERE TODAY AND I JUST ADDRESS, PLEASE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. MAYOR. MARLO JONES, RESIDENT HERE OF THIS GREAT CITY OF NEW PORT RICHEY.

I WOULD JUST LIKE TO STATE, FOR THE RECORD, I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY THAT HAS COME UP TODAY THAT ARE SPEAKING FROM THE HEART AND SPEAKING ON ISSUES THAT WE CARE DEEPLY ABOUT HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE LADY FOR COMING UP AND

[00:45:01]

[7) Consent Agenda]

[8.a) First Reading, Ordinance No. 2026-2344: Vacation of Right-of-way for the East Side of Grand Boulevard and a Section of High Street]

WHAT THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING IS A VACATION OF THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY FOR HIGH STREET LOCATED BETWEEN GRAND BOULEVARD AND ASPEN, AND THE EAST SIDE OF GRAND BOULEVARD.

ADDITIONALLY, A CONVEYANCE OF SURPLUS PROPERTY WHICH IS LOCATED WITHIN THE RIGHT OF WAY

[00:50:02]

COHESIVE SITE DESIGN TO BEGIN THE REPLAT PROCESS AND SITE CONSTRUCTION PERMIT DRAWINGS FOR THE VILLA DEL SOL PROJECT THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL SOME TIME AGO. THE VILLA DEL SOL PROJECT. THIS IS THE APPROVED SITE PLAN OR CONCEPT PLAN FOR THAT PROJECT.

THE AREA SHOWN IN RED IS THE LOCATION OF THE VACATION AND PROPERTY AREA, AND THEN THE AREA SHOWN IN YELLOW IS PROPERTY, CITY PROPOSITION OR CITY ACQUISITION PROPERTY THAT I'LL GET INTO IN JUST A MOMENT. SO I'M GOING TO ZOOM IN ON THE AREA THAT'S CIRCLED IN RED, SPECIFICALLY, THE AREAS THAT ARE REQUESTED ARE THREE SPECIFIC AREAS. AREA ONE IS A PORTION OF GRAND BOULEVARD THAT'S ASKED TO BE VACATED. THIS IS A RIGHT OF WAY. AND THEN AREA TWO IS A PORTION OF HIGH STREET THAT'S TO BE VACATED. AND AREA THREE IS THE SMALL GREEN AREA THAT IS ACTUALLY A SURPLUS PARCEL OF LAND. THAT'S A REMNANT THAT IS INCLUDED IN THIS, WHICH IS ALSO REQUESTED FOR THE APPLICANT. THAT IS THE NEXT ITEM THAT'S GOING THAT'S THE NEXT ORDINANCE. SO THE RED OR PINK AREA IS THIS ORDINANCE. AND THE GREEN AREA IS THE SECOND ORDINANCE. YOU MIGHT RECALL THAT HIGH STREET WAS BROUGHT TO THE COUNCIL IN DECEMBER OF 2025. THERE WAS A FIRST READING OF THAT. HOWEVER, A SECOND READING WAS NEVER ACCOMPLISHED BECAUSE THERE WAS ADDITIONAL PROPERTIES THAT WERE GOING TO BE ADDED TO THAT, WHICH IS WHAT WE SEE THIS EVENING. IN ADDITION, THE ORDINANCE TALKS ABOUT THE ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY THAT THE CITY WILL GET FROM THIS, WHICH IS JUST SOUTH OF THE NEW FIRE STATION. NUMBER TWO, IT IS AN ACCESS AREA WHERE WE HAVE OUR DRIVEWAY, AND THAT WILL BE AN ITEM IN THE ORDINANCE THAT WILL BE CONVEYED. THAT PARCEL WILL BE CONVEYED TO US. THE ORDINANCES THAT WERE DELIVERED TO, I BELIEVE THEY'RE ORDINANCES THAT WERE GIVEN TO YOU THIS EVENING. AND I'LL SUMMARIZE THOSE ORDINANCES. RIGHT NOW. THE TITLE CONDITIONS IN THE VACATION PROPERTY SAYS THAT TO TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, THE APPLICANT WILL OBTAIN ALL THE PROPERTIES AS PER THE APPROVED CONCEPT. RIGHT NOW THEY'RE STILL IN OWNERSHIP OF THE HOSPITAL AND HE'S IN THE PROCESS OF ACQUIRING THEM. AND HE CONVEYS THE FIRE STATION PROPERTY TO THE CITY. IN ADDITION, DEVELOPMENT CONDITIONS ARE THAT THEY HAVE AN APPROVAL OF THE UTILITY PLAN OF THE CONSTRUCTION AREA. BASICALLY, ANY UTILITIES IN THERE NEED TO HAVE EASEMENTS PLACED ON THEM OR TO BE MOVED OUTSIDE, WHICH WILL BE DETERMINED IN THE SITE PLAN REVIEW PROCESS. SITE CONSTRUCTION PERMITS FOR THE APPROVED CONCEPT, WHICH WAS DONE IN ORDINANCE 20 2024 2311, WILL BE RESOLVED. A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY SHALL BE ISSUED FOR THE AREA THAT I'LL SHOW SPECIFICALLY IN THE ORDINANCE, THAT INCLUDE THREE BUILDINGS IN APPROXIMATELY 132 LIVING UNITS. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THE REMAINING DEVELOPMENT GETS A CEO AND I'LL EXPLAIN WHY THERE'S A BREAK OUT BETWEEN THE TWO IN JUST A MOMENT. THERE'S ALSO A REVERSION CLAUSE IN THERE THAT SPECIFICALLY THE DEVELOPER HAS FIVE YEARS IN WHICH TO OBTAIN A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY FOR THE AREA, WHICH IS SHOWN IN RED, WHICH IS THE AREA THAT WE WOULD BE VACATING. SO THEY'LL NEED THE DEVELOPER WILL NEED TO COMPLETE THAT AND GET A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY ON THE VACATED AREA WITHIN FIVE YEARS, OR THE PROPERTY GOES BACK TO THE CITY. THAT'S A BRIEF SUMMARY OF, AGAIN, BOTH OF THE ORDINANCE ITEMS, AND I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO EXPAND ON THOSE. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT, SEEING NO ONE COME FORWARD, BRING IT BACK FOR DISCUSSION. OH. EXCUSE ME. DONNA JENSEN 5922 WYOMING AVENUE. I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH PROGRESS IN OUR COMMUNITY. WHAT I DON'T LIKE IS WHEN WE START CHANGING THINGS LIKE CLOSING ROADS, WE DON'T NEED ROAD CLOSURES, WE NEED MORE ROAD ACCESS FOR OUR RESIDENTS. AND WHEN YOU CLOSE HIGH STREET OFF, YOU'RE CLOSING IT OFF TO ALL THE PEOPLE ON THE EAST SIDE, ALL THE WAY DOWN PAST THE HIGH SCHOOL, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE AS MUCH ACCESS TO THE

[00:55:05]

SO AS MUCH AS THERE HAS BEEN A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF COMMENTARY ABOUT THE THE BENEFITS OF THIS, THE THE THIS IS ALREADY MOVING. AND I THINK THIS IS APPROPRIATE ACTION TO TAKE CONSISTENT. IF OUR CITY BEGINS TO BACK PEDAL ON PROJECTS THAT HAVE TAKEN TWO AND THREE YEARS TO MOVE FORWARD, KIND OF WORKS AGAINST THE ARGUMENT THAT WE AREN'T MOVING FAST ENOUGH TO GET THINGS DONE. AND SO I'M ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS SECOND. YEAH, I AGREE WITH WHAT PETER'S GOT TO SAY. I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND DONNA'S SENTIMENTS ON ON THE HIGH STREET SITUATION, YOU KNOW, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, WE'VE ALREADY GOT THIS IN MOTION. THESE ARE JUST A FEW LITTLE CLEANUP THINGS FROM WHAT DALE HAS EXPLAINED, TO JUST GET THE PROJECT MOVING. AND I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME DELAYS ALREADY. SO TO ME, LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE PETER MENTIONED, LET'S GET THE BALL ROLLING. GETE DEVELOPING THIS SO WE CAN GET MORE RESIDENTS COUNCIL MEETINGS.

YEAH, I AGREE, WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS. I KNOW THE HIGH STREET. I MEAN I UNDERSTAND WHAT SHE'S SAYING, BUT I MEAN, I KNOW IT'S BEEN LOOKED AT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GOT PROPER, PROPER FLOW AND PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO MOVE AROUND LIKE THEY NEED TO. I CAN'T SAY, BUT IT MAY MAY END UP IMPROVING HOW PEOPLE GET AROUND. SO I'M GOOD. YEAH. MR. MAYOR, FIRST TO MR. HALL AND THE CITY ATTORNEY AND CITY MANAGER FOR ENSURING THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH THE DEVELOPER TO MAKE SURE THE PROJECT THAT THIS COUNCIL VOTED FOR IS SEEN THROUGH WITHOUT SOME LEVEL OF FAILURE. THAT'S IMPORTANT. AND I THINK THESE LEGAL INSTRUMENTS DO THAT. IN REGARDS TO THE COMMENTS MADE FOR FLOODING AND EVACUATION ROUTES, I KNOW I HAVE BEEN VERY ADAMANT WITH THIS PROJECT THAT THE NORTH WEST CORNER, THE NORTH OR EXCUSE ME, THE SOUTH WEST CORNER AND THE SOUTHEAST CORNER ALL HAVE PARTS OF A PLAN TO ADDRESS AND MITIGATE STORMWATER, BUT I DO REMAIN CONCERNED. OVER THE NORTHEAST CORNER. AND WHAT IS FOR THAT? WHAT IS FOR THAT AREA IN TERMS OF PREVENTING SOME LEVEL OF FLOODING? THAT BEING SAID, THIS IS A VACATION OF THE BETWEEN ASPEN AND GRANT OR EXCUSE ME, OF THE RIGHT OF WAY ON GRAND BOULEVARD. AND SO I'M NOT GOING TO HAVE PREJUDICE TOWARDS THIS INSTRUMENT JUST BECAUSE I HAVE SOME RESERVATIONS OVER THE NORTHEAST CORNER. I THINK THIS PARTICULAR ITEM SHOULD NOT HOLD UP OR EXCUSE ME, MY RESERVATIONS WITH THE NORTHEAST OR NORTHEAST CORNER SHOULD NOT HOLD UP. THIS THIS SPECIFIC ITEM. JUST GOT A QUESTION. SHOULD WE VOTE ON ONE AND THEN THE OTHER? YES. YOU HAVE A MOTION ON THIS ONE, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE ONE COMMENT FOR THE RECORD IF I COULD. MR. MAYOR, ONE OF THE IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF THIS PARTICULAR ORDINANCE AND THIS PARTICULAR NEGOTIATION THAT WAS CONDUCTED WITH THIS DEVELOPER WAS TO GET THAT ACCESS TO OUR FIRE STATION. WHEN WE FIRST WERE TALKING ABOUT CONSTRUCTING THAT, I WAS CONCERNED THAT WE HAD NO ACCESS TO MARINE PARKWAY, AND THE BEST WE COULD GET FROM THE HOSPITAL WAS AN EASEMENT. THEY WOULDN'T GIVE US TITLE. WE TRIED TO WORK AN ARRANGEMENT TO GET TITLE.

AND THEN THIS DEVELOPER COMES ALONG AND HAS AGREED NOW TO GIVE TITLE. SO I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT'S AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THIS, SO THAT OUR FIRE STATION IS NOT SUBJECTED TO AN EASEMENT AS IT'S A MAIN ACCESS. SO THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND THAT. I JUST THINK IT'S A FAIR TRADE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY I,

[8.b) First Reading, Ordinance No. 2026-2354: Deed of City Property Adjacent to Grand Boulevard and High Street]

[01:00:01]

[9.a) Investigation Station - Potential Donation of Interactive Park]

AT ONE POINT WE DID SUGGEST THAT THEY MIGHT BE WELL SUITED TO THE GRAY PRESERVE, AND THE COMMITTEE DID TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND REALLY HAD A PREFERENCE FOR CODY RIVER PARK.

AND SO THAT'S THE ONE THAT THEY HAVE ASKED US TO SUGGEST TO YOU FOR PLACEMENT OF THIS EXHIBIT, WHICH THE STATIONS ARE INTERACTIVE, AS YOU CAN TELL FROM THE BACKUP MATERIAL THAT WE PROVIDED TO YOU WITH THIS AGENDA ITEM. AND. THE ONLY QUESTIONS THAT WE REALLY WANTED TO HONE IN ON IS THE INTERACTIVE SIGNAGE. AND DALE, I KNOW YOU PROBABLY HAVE THINGS THAT YOU WANT TO SAY ABOUT THIS. SO, MR. HALL, SHOULD I JUST TURN THAT OVER TO YOU? THANK

[01:05:07]

THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF THE PROJECT WAS IN SEPTEMBER OF 2025, THE CONCEPT WAS RESUBMITTED TO THE CITY AND UNDERSTANDING THE MERITS OF THE REQUEST, STAFF HAD PROPOSED ALTERNATIVE SITE FOR THAT AT THE GRAY PRESERVE. NOW, WE'RE HERE TONIGHT BEFORE YOU TO SHOW THE THE CONCEPT, AND I BELIEVE MISS CAMPOS MIGHT DO SOME OF THAT AND THIS AND DETERMINE WHETHER WHAT LOCATION IS THE BEST FOR THIS AND HOW TO PROCEED IN REVIEWING THIS PROJECT IF IT'S DEEM APPROPRIATE. SO YOU'RE LOOKING FOR US TO LOOKING FOR YOU TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS. GIVE US PERMISSION TO ESTABLISH THIS EXHIBIT AT CODY RIVER PARK, AS IS THE REQUEST BY THE INVESTIGATION STATION FOLKS. AND AND MISS CAMPO WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS YOU THIS EVENING. COME ON DOWN THEN, MISS MANNERS, IF I MAY ADD TO THAT. EVEN.

WHETHER THE COUNCIL DECIDES TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS OR NOT, THEY WOULD STILL BE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT THE INFORMATION THAT'S REQUIRED TO GET CONSTRUCTION OF THIS. THIS THIS WOULD NOT BE JUST AN OUTRIGHT APPROVAL OF THIS. THEY WOULD STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH CONSTRUCTION REVIEW AND ALL OF THAT. THIS IS THE SITE THAT'S PRESENTED OR DEEMED TO BE PRESENTED IS IN THE SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD AREA. AND THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS THAT THE CITY HAS OR THE DRC HAS EXPRESSED THAT IS OUTLINED IN THE PRESENTATION MATERIAL IN YOUR REPORT, AND I CAN GO INTO DETAIL IF IF REQUIRED. HI, I'M LISA CAMPOS, I'M THE DIRECTOR OF INVESTIGATION STATION. WE CREATE INTERACTIVE EXHIBITS FOR KIDS AND THEIR CAREGIVERS TO EXPERIENCE FOR FREE ON THEIR OWN TIME AND PASCO COUNTY AND BACK IN LIKE 2018 OR 19, CHOPPER DAVIS HAD COME TO ME AND SAID, WE WANT AN EXHIBIT FOR CODY RIVER PARK. AND AT THE TIME, I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF CREATING A SPLASH PAD EXHIBIT, WHICH MR. MURPHY HELPED WITH THE ELECTRICITY ON AT THE VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK IN HUDSON. SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS SINCE WE OPENED THAT ONE BACK IN 2023. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH LOCAL ARTISTS AND BUSINESSES TO COME UP WITH A PLAN TO CREATE THIS EXHIBIT SO THAT IT WOULD BE IN THE SIDEWALK. WE WOULD PULL UP THE EXISTING SIDEWALK, PUT DOWN NEW SIDEWALK WITH THE ARTWORK IN IT, SO THAT AS LITTLE DISRUPTION AS POSSIBLE WOULD HAPPEN TO THE PARK. THEN WE THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD BE GREAT FOR THE CHILDREN TO HAVE SOME INTERACTIVE PORTIONS WITH MANIPULATIVES, AND DUE TO THE POTENTIAL FLOODING DOWN THERE, WE'VE WORKED OUT WITH OUR ENGINEER TO MAKE THOSE INTERACTIVE TABLES REMOVABLE SO THAT WHEN A FLOOD IS IMMINENT, THE A A STAFF MEMBER CAN COME WITH THE TYPE OF TOOL NECESSARY FOR THE. SORRY, THE. YEAH, THE REMOVABLE BOLTS THAT ARE REQUIRED FOR ANTI. THEFT AND VANDALISM. HARDWARE TO REMOVE IT, PUT THE THOSE FOUR TABLES INTO STORAGE UNTIL THE FLOOD WATERS CLEAR. AND THEN YOU KNOW, IT'S SAFE TO PUT THEM BACK AND THEN REASSEMBLE EVERYTHING. AND THAT WOULD BE OUR, OUR SOLUTION FOR THAT. AND, AND SIDEWALKS, THE SIDEWALK ARTWORK WOULD BE THERE JUST THE WAY A SIDEWALK IS. I MEAN, YOU DON'T HAVE TO REPLACE SIDEWALKS EVERY TIME THAT THERE'S A FLOOD. SO IT WOULD JUST BE THE SAME AS THE SIDEWALK. JUST IT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, WITH ARTWORK SIMILAR TO SOMETHING LIKE THIS, YOU KNOW,

[01:10:06]

AND SO IT'S REALLY HARD NOT ONLY AS FOR ADULTS, BUT FOR CHILDREN TO UNDERSTAND THAT FLORIDA CAME OFF OF AFRICA, MOVED ACROSS THE GLOBE, AND THEN WAS UNDERWATER FOR MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF YEARS UNTIL THE THE STRAIT BETWEEN FLORIDA AND GEORGIA WAS FILLED IN DUE TO THE EROSION OF THE APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS. THEN ONCE THAT WAS FILLED IN. THEN CONTINUED EROSION SLOWLY BROUGHT FLORIDA ABOVE SEA LEVEL. AND SO THESE ARE THE KINDS OF CONCEPTS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO CONVEY AND HELP CHILDREN UNDERSTAND. AND IT'S A GREAT BONDING ACTIVITY. LIKE THE THE ONE SPEAKER CAME UP AND SAID SHE WISHED THAT WE HAD MORE THINGS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. THIS WOULD DEFINITELY SATISFY THAT. DOES ANYBODY WANT TO MAKE A PROPOSAL? DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? YEAH, COME ON DOWN. IF YOU'RE GOING TO SPEAK, WORK YOUR WAY DOWN TO THE FRONT, PLEASE. COLOR COORDINATED. YEAH, I ALWAYS HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY WHEN IT COMES TO CULTURE, SUPPORT, CULTURE SEARCH. SHE DOES. THAT'S RIGHT. SUPPORT CULTURE. RIGHT. THANK YOU CHARLES. MY NAME IS CHARLES ADLER. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE MAPS MUSEUM. AND WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT LISA AND HER GROUP WITH ANYTHING, GEOLOGICAL OR ANY KIND OF INPUT THAT WE CAN GIVE TO MAKE IT A SUCCESSFUL PROJECT. THANK YOU.

CHARLES. DOCTOR PHILLIPS, AS A DOCTOR IN EDUCATION, 60% OF LEARNING HAPPENS OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOMS. THAT'S WHY I'VE BEEN ENGAGED SO MUCH WITH THE 1922 SCHOOLHOUSE. AND WE ALL KNOW OUR AREA IS SO CONGESTED. WE HAVE LIMITED FREE OPEN SPACE FOR THESE INTERACTIONS TO HAPPEN. I WOULD HIGHLY ENCOURAGE THESE TYPES OF THINGS. THANK YOU. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS UP HERE. YEAH, JUST JUST FIRST OFF, THANK YOU, MISS CAMPOS, FOR TAKING THE TIME AND FOR YOUR WHAT APPEARS TO BE PATIENCE AND RESILIENCY THROUGHOUT THE YEARS TO GET THIS IN FRONT OF US. SO APPRECIATE THAT. IT'S DEFINITELY BEEN THOROUGHLY ANALYZED BY YOURSELF AND OUR DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. AND I APPRECIATE THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE AND I'M ASSUMING REPRESENTING THE MAPS MUSEUM, OR MAYBE JUST AN INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY COMING OUT TO SUPPORT THE PROJECT. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THE THAT THE WORK BEING DONE HERE THAT DOCTOR PHILLIPS ACTUALLY HIGHLIGHTED IS OF A NET BENEFIT TO OUR KIDS AND TO OUR SENIOR POPULATION AND ANYONE WHO WANTS TO ENJOY IT. MY ONLY QUESTION, AND PLEASE DON'T TAKE THIS QUESTION AS OPPOSITION, BUT I THINK I'M HEARING IT LOOKS LIKE THERE MIGHT BE SOME DISAGREEMENT OVER THE PLACEMENT, WHICH IS PRETTY EVIDENT IN THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION. IS THERE A IS THERE A RATIONALE BEHIND THE CODY RIVERWALK VERSUS THE JAMES GRAY PRESERVE? AND I'M GOING TO LOAD MY QUESTION WITH A QUICK CONTEXT. BEING THAT THE JAMES GRAY PRESERVE IS SITUATED CLOSER TO TWO OF OUR HIGH NEED POPULATION SCHOOLS, WHICH ARE BOTH IN D STATUS AT THE STATE LEVEL, WHO HAVE KIDS WHO COULD BENEFIT FROM THE SCIENCE THAT IS REVEALED HERE, VERSUS THE CODY RIVERWALK, WHICH IS PREDOMINANTLY WITHOUT CHARACTERIZING IT AS PREDOMINANTLY NOT OUR STUDENT BASED POPULATION? I'M JUST CURIOUS. I'M CURIOUS WHAT THE RATIONALE IS. WE WERE REQUESTED BY MAYOR CHOPPER DAVIS TO HAVE CREATE AN EXHIBIT FOR THAT PARK, SPECIFICALLY WHEN IT WAS PROPOSED TO US TO PLACE IT AT GRAY PRESERVE. WE WENT AND LOOKED AT IT, AND IT IS THAT IS A BEAUTIFUL LOCATION, OF COURSE,

[01:15:08]

AND SO THAT'S WHY THEY, YOU KNOW, GRANTED US FUNDING FOR THAT. APPRECIATE IT. I APPRECIATE THE HONESTY. AND THAT DOES PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT. I DO SEE A WORLD WHERE DURING CHASCO, WHEN, YOU KNOW, SOME, SOME AREAS OF OUR DOWNTOWN ARE NOT AS EASILY ACCESSED FOR OUR, OUR, OUR, OUR YOUTH POPULATION, THIS BEING A POTENTIAL NET BENEFIT. AND, AND JUST IN GENERAL, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T ASSOCIATE THAT PARK AS BEING A PARK. SO ADDING SOME LEVEL OF ELEMENTS OF THIS NATURE MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP REALIZE THAT IT'S, IT'S A DIVERSE AREA FOR BOTH, YOU KNOW, KIDS TO KIDS TO ENJOY THE RIVERFRONT AS WELL AS OUR ADULT POPULATION. SO I'M CURIOUS TO HEAR IF STAFF HAS ANYTHING THEY WANT TO ADD. BUT THAT'S THE ONLY QUESTION I HAD.

THANK YOU. I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS. THE SIZE OF THE STRUCTURES, THE TABLES SIZE AND WEIGHT OF THE TABLES. ARE THEY SUBSTANTIAL CONSTRUCTION? HEAVY? WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO PROVIDE THAT. WE HAVE SOME SIZE, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ON CONSTRUCTION OR, YOU KNOW, THINGS OF THAT. NO SHOP DRAWINGS. THANK YOU. I'VE LOOKED AT YOUR SOME OF YOUR WEBSITE OR FACEBOOK AND I'VE SEEN THE THINGS YOU DO. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR CHARITABLE EFFORTS TO TRY TO HELP THE YOUTH AND HELP FURTHER EDUCATION. I BELIEVE IT'S OLDSMAR. I DON'T THINK IT'S SAFETY HARBOR, BUT ONE OF THE TAMPA BAY PARKS HAS GOT, I THINK ALL OF THE PLANETS, IF YOU WALK AROUND THE PARK IN THESE STANDING DISPLAYS AND QUESTIONS AND THINGS THAT INSPIRE CURIOSITY, AND I THINK WHAT YOU HAVE IS GOOD, I WOULD SAY IF THE PURPOSE OF THIS IS TO GET A HIGHLY VISIBLE LOCATION, AND THAT'S WHAT YOUR SPONSORS WANT TO THE QUESTION OF HOW THE AMOUNT OF OR THE THE COMMENT THAT WAS MADE ABOUT SPONSORS BECOMING THE PARK, BECOMING PROMOTIONAL. I'VE HEARD THAT FROM OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE PAST. I'M NOT AS CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. IF IT'S A IF IT IS AN APPROPRIATE, YOU KNOW, RECOGNITION OF SOMETHING. BUT IF IT'S BEING PROMOTED IN ORDER TO BE AN ADVERTISEMENT, THEN IT TAKES US TO SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, IN RETROSPECT, I, I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT THE CITY BACK IN THE DAY ALLOWED A FIRM TO BRING A BUNCH OF PARK BENCHES IN WHICH THE BIG GIANT POSTERS AND ADVERTISEMENTS. SO I THINK ADVERTISEMENT HAS TO BE, YOU KNOW, FOR SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY GOES UP AND LOOKS AT IT AND CAN SAY, OH, I CAN ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PERSON WAS THE SPONSOR, AND I SUSPECT THAT'S THEIR INTENT. AND NOT FOR US TO TURN THIS INTO AN ADVERTISING.

DEBACLE OR CALLING OF COLLEGE BEFORE THEY'RE ALLOWED TO DRINK THE STADIUM OR WHATEVER ELSE YOU MIGHT THINK OF, OR SPORTS BETTING OR ANY OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE NOT PARTICULARLY HEALTHY, THAT ARE HAPPENING WITH SPONSORSHIPS. I WOULD SAY WE HAVE A GOOD BIT OF RIVERFRONT AND WE HAVE MORE RIVERFRONT THAT IS OCCURRING. I DON'T KNOW THE TIME FRAMES OF THIS, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE APPROVE WITH THE CONCEPT. BUT JUST BECAUSE THE MAYOR SAID THAT'S THE RIGHT PLACE FOR IT, ACROSS FROM HOUSES AND RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS, THERE MIGHT BE A PLACE THAT WE CAN COME UP WITH AGAIN TO FIND THEIR FINAL LOCATIONS. THAT IS A GOOD TRACK WHERE THE KIDS ARE. I'M THINKING ABOUT ORANGE LAKE. I'M THINKING ABOUT AROUND THE SPLASH PAD. I'M THINKING ABOUT OTHER PLACES HAS BEEN COMMENTED WHERE WE'RE CHILDREN ARE REALLY ARE. SO FOR THE PURPOSE YOU HAVE, I WOULD JUST ASK IF WE COULD APPROVE THIS CONCEPT AND ASK YOU TO FURTHER REFINE THE LOCATIONS. I'M NOT AGAINST THE

[01:20:04]

ABSOLUTELY. DO I HAVE A PROPOSAL THAT WE TAKE THIS, CONTINUE TAKING THIS FORWARD. I WILL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ENDORSE THE CONCEPT AND WOULD APPROVE AND DIRECT THE STAFF TO WORK OUT MORE OF THE DETAILS RELATED TO THE PRODUCT ITSELF, AND COME BACK TO US WITH SOME HOPEFUL, AGREED UPON BEST LOCATIONS FOR IT IN THE IN THE DOWNTOWN. I SECOND WAS IN FAVOR.

THAT'S FIVE NOTHING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF PAUL

[9.b) Board Appointment: Paula Athans, Cultural Affairs Committee]

[01:25:03]

SECOND, JUST THANK HER FOR VOLUNTEERING AND I APPRECIATE HER KNOWLEDGE OF THE FACTS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR SERVING. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY I I. THAT'S FIVE.

[9.c) Authorizing the Execution of FY25 Audit Engagement Letters]

THE CITY DID UTILIZE THE STATE'S MASTER SERVICES AGREEMENT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024, WHICH WAS PERFORMED BY MALDON AND JENKINS, SO THE RECOMMENDATION FROM STAFF THIS EVENING IS TO APPROVE THE USE AGAIN OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT SERVICES MASTER SERVICES AGREEMENT NUMBER 84111600-20-1. TO ENGAGE MALDON AND JENKINS LLC FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025 AUDIT SERVICES AND AUTHORIZE THE EXECUTION OF THE ASSOCIATED ENGAGEMENT LETTERS. THE TOTAL COST FOR THOSE AUDIT SERVICES FOR FISCAL YEAR 25 IS $52,600, WITH SINGLE AUDIT FEES OF $5,700 FOR EACH MAJOR PROGRAM. AND THE FUNDING FOR THESE SERVICES HAS BEEN BUDGETED IN THE FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET. THAT'S ALL I HAVE PREPARED FOR YOU FOR THOSE ENGAGEMENT LETTERS, BUT I CAN I'M PREPARED TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. DO YOU HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? SEEING NO ONE COME FORWARD, BRING IT BACK FOR DISCUSSION. VOTE. I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE. I'LL SECOND THE MOTION. THE MAKER. GOOD. THANK YOU. OKAY. YES. JUST. I HAVE TO SAY THAT THE LATENESS OF THE AUDIT FOR THE 2024 AUDIT CAUSES ME TO ENCOURAGE THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY MANAGER TO. MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE THE ASSISTANCE TO YOU IN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE SOME OF THE THINGS HAPPEN EVERY YEAR. THERE ARE NEW GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTING STANDARD ISSUES, WHETHER THEY'RE LEASES OR SUBSCRIPTIONS

[01:30:06]

I'VE COMMITTED ON MY WORK ACROSS THE COUNTY, AND THIS IS A FISCAL YEAR FROM OCTOBER TO NEXT SEPTEMBER TO COMPLETE THREE AUDITS IN ONE YEAR, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW FAR BEHIND THEY GOT FROM A SOFTWARE DEBACLE THAT THEY HAD THAT THAT I INHERITED. ONCE YOU'RE BEHIND, IT'S IT'S NOT ONLY STRESSFUL, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE INFORMATION WE NEED. SO IF WE'RE GOING TO TAKE SERIOUSLY THE AUDIT FINDINGS AND THE RESPONSES THAT WERE GIVEN TO IT, THAT WE WERE GOING TO CATCH OURSELVES UP. STARTING THAT AUDIT NOW. I THINK IS A CRITICAL A CRITICAL THING TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE CURRENT. SO MY APPROVAL IS FOR THE AUDIT.

MY APPEAL IS LET'S MAKE SURE WE GET THEM EVERYTHING THEY NEED AND GET OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT WHAT IT NEEDS PROFESSIONALLY. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE? YEAH. JUST AS AN INDICATION TO THE CITY MANAGER OF WHERE I STAND ON MR. ALTMAN'S COMMENTS, I THINK THE YOU KNOW, OUR OUR NEW PORT RICHEY IN THIS COUNCIL IS OF AN ADVANTAGE THAT WE DO HAVE A VERY STRONG FINANCE DIRECTOR, A STRONG CITY MANAGER. AND ON OUR BOARD MATRIX, WE HAVE A SEASONED, YOU KNOW, 30 YEAR PLUS PROFESSIONAL IN THE FINANCE WORLD. AND SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THIS IS ABOUT APPROVING THE ENGAGEMENT LETTERS, BUT THAT WE HEED THE ADVICE AND TAKE IT SERIOUSLY AND, AND FOLLOW UP PUBLICLY TO THE REST OF THIS BOARD. THE AT SOME POINT, WHAT THE STATUS OF WHAT HE JUST ADVISED IS AND WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE GOING FORWARD, BECAUSE I DO SUPPORT IT. I JUST WANT TO CHIME IN. AND I DO AGREE WITH WHAT PETER HAS TO SAY. YOU KNOW, HE'S HE'S BEEN AROUND THE BLOCK A TIME OR TWO. SO I DO UNDERSTAND WHAT HE'S SAYING. AND IF WE DO NEED THE HELP THEN WE SHOULD GET IT. NOW IF THAT'S THE CASE THEN LET'S DO IT. SO YEAH, MINE JUST LET'S STAY ON TOP OF THE BALL AHEAD OF THE BALL THAT TIME.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY I, I. THAT'S FIVE NOTHING. RESOLUTION NUMBER 20 2612.

[9.d) Resolution No. 2026-12: Re-establishing the Rules for Railroad Square on Weekends]

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY OF NEW PORT RICHEY, FLORIDA, AUTHORIZING THE CLOSURE TO VEHICLE TRAFFIC OF THE AREA, COMMONLY KNOWN AS RAILROAD SQUARE, NEBRASKA AVENUE, BETWEEN ADAMS STREET AND GRAND BOULEVARD ON WEEKENDS, PROVIDING FOR THE AUTHORIZATION OF CONSUMPTION AND POSSESSION OF OPEN CONTAINERS OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES IN SAID AREAS AND OTHER PUBLIC PROPERTIES ON WEEKENDS, AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. THIS RESOLUTION IS RELATING TO RAILROAD SQUARE AND COVERS CAVALIER SQUARE AS WELL, AND ITS TIMING RELATES SPECIFICALLY TO THE FACT THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO REESTABLISH RAILROAD SQUARE AS AS PUBLIC

[01:35:04]

THANK YOU. PUBLIC COMMENT. SEEING NO ONE COME FORWARD OR BRING IT BACK FOR DISCUSSION AND VOTE, I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE. SECOND. SECOND MAKER. NO, I THINK THIS THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING. I MEAN, THIS HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT FOR TEN YEARS THAT I CAN REMEMBER.

SO I JUST THINK IT'S A GREAT SPOT. I MEAN I WAS DOWN THERE SATURDAY AND THERE WAS A GROUP OF ABOUT 60 PEOPLE FOR AN 80S STYLE 40TH BIRTHDAY PARTY, YOU KNOW. SO TO ME, THIS SCREAMS ECONOMIC VITALITY BECAUSE THESE BUSINESSES ARE JUST GOING TO GET PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO WANT TO COME CONGREGATE, YOU KNOW, AND I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT SATURDAY FOR OUR GRAND OPENING. I LIKE OUR LITTLE INSTAGRAM POST THAT I GOT TO SEE TODAY, SO I'M EXCITED TO SEE HOW THAT ROLLS OUT. BUT YOU KNOW, I JUST THINK IT'S GREAT. AND I THINK THE, THE DESIGN CAME OUT VERY WELL. YOU SLIP ON THE BANANA. NO, I DID NOT. OH, OKAY. JUST A SECOND. I THINK OUR CITY HAS BEEN VERY INTENTIONAL WHEN IT COMES TO RED SQUARE AND ITS ROLL OUT, REALLY EMPHASIZING WHAT MISS FIGARD SAID TONIGHT ABOUT COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC VITALITY WITH THE, YOU KNOW, A REMINDER OF GOLF CART PARKING, THE CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR BUSINESS OWNERS, THE BUSINESS MEETING, BUSINESS MEETINGS THAT I'VE HAD. AND REALLY WHAT THIS IS ABOUT IS WALKABILITY. WHEN YOU WALK OUT OF A BUSINESS, OUR CITY IS ENCOURAGING YOU TO STAY ON FOOT, TO EXPLORE OTHER BUSINESSES, TO EXPLORE WHAT OUR DOWNTOWN HAS TO OFFER THE THEATER, THE CULTURE, AND TO DO THAT IN A SAFE MANNER. KNOWING THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO WALK TO AND FROM.

AND SO THIS ACHIEVES THAT. IT DEFINITELY BRINGS US TOGETHER. AND I THINK MISS FIGARD SAID IT

[01:40:01]

AND PART OF IT IS BECAUSE OF THE FRIENDSHIP AND THE CAMARADERIE. SO WHEN YOU GO OUT ON A WEEKEND AND YOU RUN INTO FOLKS, YOU KNOW, AND YOU'RE PART OF A BIG FAMILY, I THINK THAT'S THE THING THAT'S MISSING IN SO MANY OTHER PLACES THAT WE NEED TO HOLD CLOSE TO US. AND SO I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT THING. I HAVEN'T QUITE FIGURED OUT THE ONE AREA WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE. I GUESS, WITH THE TWO OVER PARTS. SO I'M WAY I'M ANXIOUS TO GET THE INSTRUCTIONS ONCE WE GET TO THE GRAND OPENING OF HOW ALL OF THAT'S GOING TO FUNCTION, BUT THAT'S EXCITING. I LOOK FORWARD TO BEING THERE. YEAH, THIS IS AN AMAZING SPACE. I THINK LIKE NO OTHER AND FOR, FOR EVERYBODY TO BE ABLE TO CONGREGATE, MOVE AROUND FREELY AND HAVE ALL THE ACCESS TO, TO ALL THAT SPACE FOR CONCERTS AND EVENTS. I MEAN, IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST SUCH AN ASSET TO THE CITY. AND I'VE HEARD NOTHING BUT GOOD THINGS SO FAR. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

YOU, PATEL, DID YOU SPEAK ALREADY? YEAH. OKAY. OKAY. I JUST WANT TO SAY THIS WHOLE LAST TEN YEARS AND THE GROWTH DOWNTOWN HAS JUST CHANGED THIS TOWN. AND, YOU KNOW, I USED TO GO DOWNTOWN TEN YEARS AGO AND PEOPLE SAY, I'M GOING TO DUNEDIN. I'M GOING TO SAFETY HARBOR. I'M GOING TO, YOU KNOW, TARPON SPRINGS, I'M GOING TO YBOR. BUT YOU DON'T HEAR THAT ANYMORE. AND I THINK THIS IS THIS PROGRAM RIGHT HERE. RAILROAD SQUARE IS GOING TO EVEN TAKE IT TO A WHOLE NOTHER LEVEL AND NOT JUST FOR THE ADULTS, BUT I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE FAMILIES THERE, AND THERE'S GOING TO BE KID EVENTS AND BIRTHDAY PARTIES. AND YOU KNOW, THE LITTLE PART THAT YOU'RE NOT SURE WHAT IT IS WILL BE A BIRTHDAY PARTY AREA, WITHOUT A DOUBT, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE PARENTS CAN SIT OVER AT A TABLE AND GET A BITE TO EAT. SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY I, I. THAT'S FIVE NOTHING. PUBLIC ART FUND

[9.e) Public Art Fund: Request to Purchase Freenotes Harmony Park Outdoor Musical Instruments]

AGENDA ITEM. IS BEING ADVANCED BY MISS FIGARD, WHO MADE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE TO PURCHASE SOME OUTDOOR PARK MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS TO BE INSTALLED AT GRAND BOULEVARD PARK BY USE OF OUR PUBLIC ART FUND. SO, MISS, DO YOU WANT TO TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT? I'D BE HONORED TOO. THANK YOU. CITY MANAGER MANNES, THE REQUEST BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IS CONSIDER THE PROPOSAL OF ADDING FREE NOTES. HARMONY PARK OUTDOOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS TO THE GRAND BOULEVARD PARK AND AUTHORIZE AN EXPENDITURE OF $44,796.64 FROM THE PUBLIC ART FUND FOR THE PURPOSE OF ADDING AN INTERACTIVE MUSIC WALK THAT WILL APPEAL TO MUSICIANS OF ALL ABILITIES AND AGES. SO AT THEIR OCTOBER 14TH, 2025 MEETING, THIS IDEA WAS ORIGINALLY PRESENTED AND DISCUSSED BY MEMBERS OF THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, AND SINCE THAT TIME, THE COMMITTEE HAS WORKED WITH STAFF TO IDENTIFY, VISIT, EVALUATE POTENTIAL LOCATIONS, REVIEW CATALOGS WEBSITES, LISTEN TO THE MUSICAL RECORDINGS OF SOME OF THESE INSTRUMENTS, AND PARTICIPATE IN A VIRTUAL MEETING WITH THE FREE HARMONY NOTES. REPRESENTATIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS ASK DETAILED QUESTIONS AS ONE WOULD EXPECT

[01:45:02]

THE CONCERT QUALITY MUSICAL EXPERIENCE IS NOT COMMONLY AVAILABLE THROUGH TRADITIONAL PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT, SO THAT MAKES THESE INSTRUMENTS AND THIS MANUFACTURER DIFFERENT THAN OTHERS THAT YOU MIGHT FIND THERE ARE NO WRONG NOTES. SO THEY ARE DESIGNED TO TO HARMONICALLY FOLLOW PENTATONIC TUNING, WHICH ENSURES THAT ALL THE INSTRUMENTS WILL SOUND GOOD TOGETHER NO MATTER YOUR MUSICAL ABILITIES. THEY'RE ORIGINALLY DESIGNED BY A GRAMMY AWARD WINNING MUSICIAN, RICHARD COOK, AND HE DESIGNED THEM IN 1995. THEY USE CABLE BASED INSTRUCTION. THEY'RE ADA COMPLIANT. THEY INCLUDE A FIVE YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY, AND SOME PARTS INCLUDE LIFE WARRANTY. THEY HAVE AN EXPANDED MUSICAL RANGE OF 36 NOTES, WHILE OTHER INSTRUMENTS USUALLY OFFER ONLY 12 TO MAYBE 20 NOTES. SO THERE'S A MAJOR DIFFERENCE THERE. AND THEY'RE COATED WITH AN ANTI-GRAFFITI COATING, ALSO, AN ECO COASTAL COVERAGE PACKAGE, WHICH IS AN ADDITIONAL FEATURE THAT THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED THAT WOULD PROTECT THE THE ANODIZED STEEL FRAMES EVEN MORE SO THAN THAN A REGULAR POWDER COATING. THEY CAN BE EASILY CLEANED WITH SOAP AND WATER. AND I THINK THOSE ARE SOME MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS FOR THIS PARTICULAR MANUFACTURER THAT DIFFERS THEM FROM OTHER COMPANIES THAT SELL LARGE PLAYGROUND AND INTERACTIVE EQUIPMENT. SO IF APPROVED, THE INSTRUMENTS WOULD BE SOURCED DIRECTLY FROM FREE NOTES HARMONY PARK. THEY ARE WEATHER RESISTANT, ERGONOMICALLY DESIGNED. THEY HARMONIZE AUTOMATICALLY, AND THE INSTALLATION WOULD BE COMPLETED BY PUBLIC WORKS STAFF. THE PROPOSED LAYOUT, WHICH YOU'LL SEE AS ONE OF THE ATTACHMENTS, INCLUDES TWO GRASSY AREAS BETWEEN THE PAVILION AND PLAYGROUND, AND IT WAS SELECTED TO MINIMIZE IMPACTS FROM FLOODING FROM NEARBY RESIDENCES AND ALSO FROM TRAFFIC. THE

[01:50:06]

AND IF WE AREN'T, IF WE CAN. AND, AND ON THAT TOPIC, I DON'T WANT TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS. SO IT'S MORE OF A FOOTNOTE THAT WE CAN DISCUSS LATER. BUT THE PUBLIC ART FUND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, I'M GLAD TO SEE IT'S BEING ACTIVATED AND BEING USED. AND THIS IS A BIG PROJECT TO REALLY KICK THINGS OFF, BUT TO ALSO SEE WHERE THAT FUND WILL BE AT GOING INTO NEXT YEAR. IF THIS IS EXHAUSTING, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S ROLLING OVER FROM THE PRIOR YEAR. SO I'M ASSUMING

[01:55:02]

OKAY. AND AND SO THEN JUST GETTING A STATUS UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE WITH THE PUBLIC ART FUND AND, AND WHAT OTHER PROJECTS ARE IN THE WORKS IN TERMS OF MURALS AND WITH THE ADDITION OF THE FUNDS THAT WILL BE DEPOSITED IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE FIRE STATION NUMBER TWO PROJECT, WE WOULD HAVE $157,000 IN THE FUND. AND IF THIS AGENDA ITEM IS APPROVED, OBVIOUSLY IT'LL BE $45,000 LESS. THANK YOU. SO, YOU KNOW, I AGREE WITH EVERYBODY'S GOT TO SAY UP HERE, YOU KNOW, I JUST THINK, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE GOING DOWN GRAND BOULEVARD, YOU KNOW, IT'S VIBRANT. IT CATCHES YOUR ATTENTION. SO IT'S GOING TO CREATE PEOPLE TO USE MORE OF OUR PARKS. YOU KNOW, WE, WE SO FOCUS ON SIMS PARK, BUT WE FORGET THE OTHER PARKS. SO I JUST LIKE THE FACT THAT WE'RE, WE'RE VENTURING OUT, WE'RE DOING SOME MORE FOR THE OTHER PARKS, YOU KNOW, AND I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE FRANCIS AVE OUT OF THERE. SO I'D LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING OVER THERE. SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING IN THE WORKS, BUT I'D LIKE TO HEAR SOMETHING FROM THERE. SO AS AS BERTEL SAYS ALL THE TIME, THAT'S WHERE THE MIDDLE SCHOOL KIDS ARE PASSING BY AND I SEE THEM ALL THE TIME. SO I LIKE WHAT WE'RE DOING. SO THANK YOU, KEVIN. I'LL COME UP WITH SOMETHING. YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT CODY RIVER PARK AND NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GRAND PARK. I THINK IT IS STARTING TO GROW OUT. AND PLUS I GET TO GO BY AND PLAY LULLABIES FOR MATT WHEN HE GOES TO BED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY I, I, I.

[9.f) Resolution No. 2026-11: Disposition of Surplus City Property RE: K-9 Havoc ]

K-9 NAMED HAVOC TO BRIAN FINCH, AND IT ALSO HAS A WAIVER RELEASE AND AN INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT ATTACHED TO THAT TOO, AS EXHIBIT A. SO K-9 HAVOC IS SEVEN YEARS OLD. HE SERVED THE CITY FOR A LONG TIME, SO HE'S AN OLDER POLICE K-9, AND WHEN A WHEN A K-9 OFFICER SEPARATES THE DOG THAT AGE, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH IT? AND THE BEST PRACTICE IS TO LET THE DOG RETIRE WITH THE HANDLER. AND THERE'S SEVERAL. THERE'S A MYRIAD OF REASONS FOR THAT.

SOME OF THEM ARE. IS THAT THE BOND THAT IS BUILT BETWEEN A DOG AND THE HANDLER IS INTENSE AND AT SEVEN YEARS OLD, TO TRY AND REPURPOSE THAT DOG WITH ANOTHER HANDLE WILL NOT WORK TO TRY AND ADOPT THAT DOG OUT TO A FAMILY. BEING A POLICE K-9 WILL NOT WORK. THE DOG HAS EARNED IT.

THE BEST PLACE FOR HIM TO BE IS WITH THE HANDLER. SO WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT YOU APPROVE THIS RESOLUTION, WHICH TRANSFERS THE OWNERSHIP OF K-9 HAVOC TO BRIAN FINCH. AND WE'RE ASKING YOU TO APPROVE THE K-9 WAIVER. I'M HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. DO YOU HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? SEEING NO ONE COME FORWARD, BRING IT BACK FOR DISCUSSION.

VOTE. MOVE. APPROVAL OF THE REQUEST. I'LL SECOND TO MAKE. NO, SIR. SECOND. NO, IT WAS EXPLAINED WELL THANK YOU MATT. I'M GOOD. PATEL OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY I I. THAT'S

[9.g) City Manager Wage Adjustment   ]

MY ANNUAL PERFORMANCE AGREEMENT OCCURS IN MARCH, AND I HAVE TALKED TO MOST OF YOU ABOUT THAT ALREADY. AND IN 2024, A CONVERSION WAS MADE IN MY CONTRACT IN THE FORM OF AN AMENDMENT WHICH CONVERTED MY SALARY INCREASES TO AN ANNUAL COST OF OR, I'M SORRY, THE ANNUAL SALARY SALARY INCREASE WAS BASED ON THE CPI PERCENTAGE. AND IN 24 AND IN 25 THE CPI WAS

[02:00:09]

[02:05:06]

I AM GOING TO ASK THAT THE COUNCIL TABLE THIS WHAT I WHAT I THINK SHOULD HAPPEN. AND I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE THE CITY MANAGER'S PERFORMANCE EVALUATION, THE SAME ONE THAT YOU GUYS SEE WHEN YOU GRADE HER ON WHETHER SHE DESERVES A RAISE OR NOT. NOW, I UNDERSTAND THE CITY MANAGER'S POSITION IS A VERY IMPORTANT POSITION, AND SHE HAS AN IMPORTANT JOB AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT RIGHT NOW WITH THE STATE OF THE ECONOMY, LIKE MISS DONNA SAID, THE STATE OF OUR COUNTRY RIGHT NOW, YOU ALL SHOULD, ESPECIALLY MOST OF YOU, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, ARE VERY CONSERVATIVE. SO I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND WHY WE AS RESIDENTS ARE A LITTLE CONCERNED. I THINK THE SALARY SHE HAS RIGHT NOW, LIKE MR. DALE SAID, IS PRETTY GOOD. AND I KNOW THAT THERE WAS SOME MISSIONS OF OTHER CITIES WITH DIFFERENT SALARIES, BUT THEY HAVE BIGGER REVENUES, THEY HAVE LARGER CITIES. SO I HOPE YOU ALL ARE TAKING THAT INTO ACCOUNT. AND ALSO JUST, YOU KNOW, SO WE'RE ALL BEING FULLY TRANSPARENT. LIKE THE WONDERFUL LADY SAID BEHIND ME, ARE WE DOING THIS RIGHT NOW FOR A PARTICULAR REASON? BECAUSE I DO FIND IT STRANGE THAT THIS WAS BROUGHT UP RIGHT BEFORE AN ELECTION, AND IT SEEMS LIKE RIGHT BEFORE A MAYORAL ELECTION, THIS IS ALWAYS RIGHT BEFORE US, AND IT'S THE LAST THING ON THE AGENDA. WHY IS IT THE LAST THING ON THE AGENDA? WHY COULDN'T WE TALK ABOUT THAT WHEN IT WAS A ROOM FULL OF PEOPLE? IT ALWAYS FEELS LIKE THERE'S SOMETHING YOU DON'T WANT US TO KNOW. WE'VE BEEN HERE FOR HOURS, SO I WOULD HOPE THAT THE COUNCIL RECONSIDERS GIVING ANY RAISES, BECAUSE WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT LAST YEAR WHEN WE WERE HERE, LISTENING TO YOU ALL TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET AND HOW MANY OF THE EMPLOYEES THAT SIT TO OUR LEFT AND RIGHT ARE NO LONGER HERE. DID WE ELIMINATE LIKE 11 OR 12 POSITIONS WITHIN THIS CITY GOVERNMENT? RIGHT. BECAUSE OF BEING CONSERVATIVE AND TRYING TO PROTECT THE BUDGET. SO HOW ARE WE GOING TO JUSTIFY LETTING TEN, 12 PEOPLE GO MOVING THEIR POSITIONS? AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THE CITY MANAGER A RAISE. WE HAVE RESIDENTS THAT DON'T EVEN HAVE HOT WATER IN THEIR HOMES. WE HAVE SENIORS THAT COULD BE FACING MORE ISSUES IF THEY'RE CLAUDE PEPPER CENTER IS NOT GOING TO BE A SUFFICIENT PLACE FOR THEM TO BE.

SO I THINK WE SHOULD FOCUS OUR RESOURCES ON THINGS THAT THE RESIDENTS WANT. AND I THINK YOU SHOULD TABLE THIS UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? IF ANYBODY ELSE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, PLEASE COME DOWN FRONT. EMERSON MARTIN, 9330 CREEDMOOR LANE, NEW PORT RICHEY, FLORIDA. I JUST WANT TO MAKE AN APOLOGY ABOUT GIVING MISINFORMATION EARLIER. IT'S NEVER MY INTENT TO DO THAT. THANK YOU FOR CORRECTING ME ON WHAT YOUR SALARY IS. I DO WANT TO SAY THAT MY POSITION STILL STANDS DESPITE THAT. SO JUST THINK ABOUT WHAT I SAID EARLIER. I THINK THAT THIS IS A BIG DECISION THAT YOU NEED TO CONSIDER. AND I WANT TO SECOND WHAT ONE OF THE LADIES SAID BEFORE ME ABOUT. WHILE BEAUTIFICATION IS VERY IMPORTANT, WE STILL NEED TO REMEMBER THE RESIDENTS THAT DO LIVE HERE AND WE DO WANT TO BEAUTIFY. WE DO WANT TO BRING PEOPLE IN BECAUSE IT BRINGS A LOT OF MONEY INTO OUR INTO OUR AREA. BUT I THINK WE SHOULD TRY TO REMEMBER OUR DAY ONES. THANK

[02:10:04]

WHAT HAPPENED WAS OUR CITY MANAGER CAME BEFORE THIS COUNCIL, AND IT WAS MR. PETERS WHO SAT IN THE SEAT BEFORE ME WHO MADE THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WE SHOULD GIVE HER WHAT ENDED UP BEING A 9% RAISE, CONTINGENT ON THE FACT THAT WE WOULD USE THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX GOING FORWARD FOR A FIVE YEAR TERM. SO THAT FIVE YEAR TERM IS NOT UP. WE'RE ONLY TWO YEARS, YOU KNOW, 2023, APRIL 2023. SO WE'RE WE'RE ON THE CUSP OF THREE YEARS INTO THAT.

AND SO I THINK IT IS APPROPRIATE THAT IF THE CITY MANAGER BELIEVES THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE A MARKET ADJUSTMENT, THAT THAT CONVERSATION OCCURS AT THE END OF HER FIVE YEAR CONTRACT. AND WHEN WE REOPEN THE CONVERSATION OF HER SALARY, WE CAN TALK ABOUT A MARKET ADJUSTMENT TO GET HER TO WHERE SHE BELIEVES IS FAIR AND WHERE. I WILL CONCEDE TO THE FACT THAT OTHER CITY MANAGERS DO MAKE, YOU KNOW, I WOULDN'T SAY SIGNIFICANT MORE, BUT FOR A CITY OUR SIZE, SHE IS LAGGING BEHIND. BUT THAT IS THE CONSEQUENCE OF LONGEVITY WITH THE CITY TO BEGIN WITH. IF YOU IF YOU LOOK AT THE STUDIES SHE PROVIDED THE CITIES WITH A CITY MANAGER WHO HAS A LONGER TERM OF SERVICE THERE TEND TO LAG BEHIND. GIVEN SOME OTHER CIRCUMSTANCE, CHANGING COUNCIL, CHANGING ANNEXATION, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE. IF I COULD JUST ADD ONE MORE ONE MORE PIECE TO THIS. THE SUGGESTION WAS MADE THAT OUR CITY MANAGER WOULD LIKE TO JUST BALANCE OUT WITH WHAT OUR EMPLOYEES MAKE, OR WHAT OUR EMPLOYEES SAW AN INCREASE THIS YEAR. I WOULD BE MINDFUL TO REMIND THIS COUNCIL THAT IN THE YEAR THAT THIS CONTRACT WAS MADE, OUR CITY EMPLOYEES AND I'M FREE. I'M READY TO BE CORRECTED ON THIS BECAUSE I I'M CONFIDENT THIS IS TRUE. RECEIVED A 3% IN SOME CASES, A 2%, A 3% RAISE. AND I'M NOT INCLUDING LABOR IN 2023, THE YEAR THAT THIS CONTRACT WAS MADE, A 3% RAISE WITH THE POSSIBILITY FOR UP TO 2% BASED ON PERFORMANCE. SO WHILE THE CITY MANAGER WAS GIVEN A 9% RAISE, OUR EMPLOYEES THAT YEAR HISTORICALLY WERE GIVEN A 3% RAISE WITH THE POSSIBILITY FOR UP TO 2%. SO IF YOU REALLY IF YOU REALLY THINK ABOUT IT, THE CPI THIS YEAR JUST BALANCED THAT BACK OUT. WE GAVE HER A 9%. THEN SHE WANTS TO GET BACK TO 9% NOW. SO YOU'RE JUST BRINGING HER BACK TO WHERE EVERYTHING'S FAIR AGAIN. SO I WOULD CAUTION ANYONE WHO'S SAYING WHO'S USING THE ARGUMENT OF, WE'RE JUST DOING WHAT'S FAIR TO BALANCE OUT THE EMPLOYEES, TO REALIZE BY BY POSTPONING THIS AND WAITING FOR AN ACTUAL REOPENING OF THE CONTRACT, YOU ARE ACTUALLY KEEPING THINGS FAIR TO WHAT WAS UNFAIR FOR OUR EMPLOYEES BACK IN 2023. AND THAT'S THOSE ARE THE POINTS I WANTED TO MAKE IN TERMS OF POSTPONEMENT. WHAT IS THE CPI? WHAT WHAT IS THE CPI RIGHT NOW? 2.1%, 2.2%, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THAT INFORMATION ON ME AND HANI KNOWS. ACTUALLY IN MISS MANN'S CONTRACT, IT'S BASED ON THE CPI AS OF MARCH. SO ACTUALLY THE CPI FOR MARCH WILL COME OUT APRIL 10TH FOR. THAT WOULD BE TIED TO THAT CONTRACT IN FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY IT WAS AT 2.4%. OKAY. SO AGAIN, DEPENDING ON WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE

[02:15:04]

AND I'M JUST GOING TO REVISIT LAST YEAR'S DISCUSSION A LITTLE BIT, WHICH IS, FIRST OF ALL, WE ALL KNOW THAT INFLATION IS HITTING A LITTLE HARD IN THE LAST MONTH OR TWO, AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT NUMBER WOULD BE, BUT IT COULD BE AS HIGH AS 2.5, 2.6. WHO KNOWS WHAT THAT THAT INFLATION FACTOR IS GOING TO BE WHEN IT'S DETERMINED. THE REQUEST I HEARD WAS FOR 3%. IF THAT REQUEST WAS FOR AN ADDITIONAL 3% OVER THE CPI, THEN THAT'S A WHOLE NOTHER STORY. SO I WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT'S BEEN ASKED. I'M I'M WILLING TO SUGGEST THAT WE ADHERE TO THE CONTRACT AS HAD BEEN SUGGESTED, BUT I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO CONSIDER AND TALK TO THE CITY MANAGER. SHE HAD. SHE WASN'T STRONGLY IN OBJECTION TO IT THAT RATHER THAN HAVING THE DECISION RIGHT AFTER TWO NEW MEMBERS A YEAR FROM NOW, GET ON THE CITY COUNCIL POTENTIALLY MEANING THAT THERE'S NOT THAT THERE'S NOT AN EXPERIENCE TO YOUR ARGUMENT TO BE ABLE TO JUDGE THAT. I'VE ASKED THAT WE COULD DO IT AT THE END OF THE THE BUSIEST, MOST IMPORTANT TIME FOR US, WHICH IS THE ADVICE AND CONSULTATION AS WE GO THROUGH THE BUDGET AND AND DEVISE THINGS, THERE ARE CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN SUGGESTED TO US THAT I THINK ARE COMING. I'M EXCITED. WE HAVE AN ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER THAT WE HAVE OUR FULL STAFF IN PLACE AND THAT WE ARE MOVING. I, I THINK FROM A STANDPOINT OF US GIVING A BENEFICIAL CONSIDERATION, THAT THE TIME TO DO THAT IS AFTER WE'RE FINISHED HAVING OUR WORK REALLY HAMMERED INTO. AND SO I WOULD SUGGEST THAT FOR NOW, I WOULD ASK THAT WE JUST STAY WITH THE CONTRACT, BUT I'M WILLING TO RELOOK AT THE CONTRACT IN, IN OCTOBER.

AND I DON'T THINK IT'S UNUSUAL. FOR EXAMPLE, SALARIES OFTEN ARE IN THE BUDGET THAT REFLECT THAT PERCENTAGE THAT GOES INTO EFFECT IN OCTOBER. AND SO IF OCTOBER IS THE YEAR THINGS GO INTO EFFECT, THEN SIX MONTHS LATER, THERE'S ANOTHER TIME TO LOOK AND IT GIVES US A COUPLE OF PICTURES AND TIME. SO CPI, IF THERE'S ADJUSTMENTS TO THE CONTRACT, I'D BE HAPPY TO HAVE IT DISCUSSED. BUT FOR NOW, I THINK THAT THE TENOR WE'RE IN, THE SITUATION WE'RE IN AND WITH ALL THE POSITIVE THINGS THAT ARE COMING AROUND THE CORNER, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A MUCH.

WELL, FROM MY PERSONAL STANDPOINT, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THAT BEFORE I WOULD CONSIDER WHAT I THINK IS AN IMPORTANT. FOR THE RESIDENTS AND THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE CITIES THAT ARE GETTING $200,000 THERE. THERE WAS SOMEBODY WORKING AT A UNIVERSITY MAKING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. I CAN'T EVEN COMPREHEND SOMEONE WORKING IN EDUCATION, MAKING THAT KIND OF MONEY. BUT THIS IS A DIFFERENT WORLD AND WE JUST CAN'T CONTINUE TO COMPARE IT AS RESPECTS TO THE EMPLOYEES. THE EMPLOYEES HAVE NOT HISTORICALLY IN THIS CITY, BEEN PAID A LOT OF MONEY. IT'S BEEN HARD TO KEEP THEM. AND SO THE REAL QUESTION IS, CAN WE KEEP THE CITY MANAGER AND CAN WE GET HER TO AGREE TO JUST FOLLOW THE CONTRACT SHE AGREED TO, TO PATEL'S POINT AND THROW IN THE POINT OF, LET'S LOOK AT THE EVALUATION FOR THAT PART OF THE CONTRACT SAYS AN ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATION, AND LET'S MOVE THE ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATION, WHICH WOULD BE MY MOTION WOULD BE TO STAY WITH THE CONTRACT, ALLOW, YOU KNOW, THAT CONTRACTUAL INCREASE TO OCCUR AND AND REVISIT THIS IN OCTOBER.

I'M JUST GOING TO HOLD OFF. I'LL TAKE YOUR PROPOSAL. I'M NOT MAKING THE MOTION. OH, OKAY.

I THOUGHT THAT WAS I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT WITH WITH THE CONTRACT TAKE THE CPI IN MARCH.

[02:20:08]

WE HAVE HAD DIFFICULTIES. WE'VE WE'VE LOST GRANTS. WE'VE HAD SOME COMMUNICATION ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP BY THE PUBLIC. YOU KNOW, THAT'S BEEN PART OF THE CAMPAIGN. AND TO DO THIS RIGHT BEFORE THE ELECTION IS IS A BAD LOOK TO US, I THINK. AND SO THAT'S WHY FOR ME, I'VE TOLD HER I'M WOULDN'T AGREE TO IT NOW, BUT I AM WILLING TO LOOK, YOU ALL MAKE A DECISION.

IT TAKES THREE VOTES IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT AND THEN THEN GO FOR IT. BUT IF SHE'S WILLING TO ACCEPT IT AND IF SHE'S WILLING TO STAY HERE AND WORK FOR US UNTIL THEN, THAT'S A QUESTION THAT WE COULD ASK HER. SO ARE YOU SAYING NOW, LATER? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? OKAY. WANT TO BE CLEAR? I DON'T KNOW IF SHE WOULD CONSIDER IT, BUT LOOKING THE OTHER WAY, I GUESS I WOULD ASK I WOULD ASK YOU IF YOU WOULD CONSIDER US REVISITING THAT ADDITIONAL REQUEST AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS. I WORK AT YOUR PLEASURE. IT'S MY PLAN TO

[02:25:04]

IT WAS IT WAS 2.42 AS OF AS OF LAST MONTH. SO AGAIN, THAT'S THE NUMBER WE'D BE USING. SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 2.2.43.1. I KNOW SHE ASKED FOR 3.1 RIGHT. I SAID I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET 3.1 WITH THE CPI COMING OUT AGAIN. NO. BUT I'M JUST SAYING RIGHT NOW WE'RE WORKING WITH 2.4. SO AGAIN THAT'S AS OF FEBRUARY. AGAIN THE MARCH NUMBER IS GOING TO COME OUT ON APRIL 10TH. SO BASICALLY WE'RE IN THAT WITHIN A HALF A PERCENT. SO THEY'RE NOT ASKING FOR MUCH. THE CHANCES ARE WE COULD GIVE HER MORE IF WE GET A POSITIVE BUDGET SEASON. AND THEN IF THINGS COME ALONG AS THEY WERE INTENDED. SO TO THOSE OF YOU WHO WANT TO LOCK HER IN FOR A HALF, A PERCENT OR 4%, YOU KNOW, THAT MIGHT BE THE WISE THING TO DO. BUT SHE'S NOT ASKING FOR AS MUCH AS FOLKS ARE BELIEVING WHEN THEY SEE THOSE 220,000. SO TO THAT POINT, IT'S IMPORTANT TO SAY PUBLICLY, YOU'RE NOT ASKING FOR 220,000. YOU'RE ASKING FOR IS IT A CUMULATIVE IT'S AN ADD ON TO THE CPI. AND SO IT WOULDN'T BE 2.5 VERSUS THREE. IT'S THIS PLUS THREE. AND I'M JUST SAYING THAT PLUS THREE IS A DECISION I WOULD PREFER TO PUT AFTER OUR PERFORMANCE WHEN WE COULD REALLY EVALUATE ON THAT AND HAVE A COUNCIL THAT'S GOING TO BE HERE FOR AT THEIR PLEASURE, BUT NOT RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING OF THEIR TERM WHEN THEY COULD HAVE SOME OTHER PROPOSAL. LET ME MAKE IT AND SEE IF IT PASSES.

I'M GOING TO PROPOSE TO HOLD THE LINE ON THE ADDITIONAL REQUEST THAT'S BEFORE US.

APPRECIATE THE AGREEMENT OF THE CITY MANAGER TO CONTINUE TO WORK UNDER THE CONTRACT AND ASK IF WE COULD, IN THE FIRST MEETING IN SEPTEMBER, TAKE UP THE CONVERSATION OF AN INCREASE.

SECOND, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? SO SORRY. OKAY, SO SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, YOU'RE SAYING THE CPI AND WHAT SHE'S REQUESTING IS AN ADDITIONAL. POINT 6%. ON TOP OF THAT, SHE'S ASKING FOR 3%, 3% ON TOP OF THAT. OKAY. ALL THE YOUR MOTION YOUR MOTION WAS POSTPONED TILL SEPTEMBER WITH CPI. NO, THE CPI GOES INTO EFFECT. RIGHT. THE REQUEST IS THAT SHE GET A RAISE BASED ON HER PERFORMANCE. WE'RE HONORING HER CONTRACT BECAUSE WE HAVE TO. RIGHT. AND THEN JUST HER ADDITIONAL ASKING TO WAIT UNTIL SEPTEMBER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY A A, A NAY 4 TO 1

[10) Communications]

[02:30:01]

MOST IMPORTANTLY, A GREAT ANNOUNCEMENT, AND I'M VERY MUCH APPRECIATIVE OF THE INVITATION FOR THE BRAINSTORMS GROUP TO BE ABLE TO DO SOME CHILDREN'S STUFF IN RAILROAD SQUARE TO THE POINT OF OUR DISCUSSION EARLIER, AND A GREAT ANNOUNCEMENT TO MAKE THAT THEY HAVE MADE THE FUNDRAISING GOAL TO BE ABLE TO BRING. IDEAS. ORLANDO ORGANIZATION IN IN THE NEXT MONTH TO HOLD A 20 MEMBER ROUNDTABLE CONSIDERATION OF HOW TO HOW TO BUILD THAT INTO A REGIONAL TOURIST ATTRACTION AND ALSO TO HELP OUR, OUR FAILING STUDENTS GRADES AND HAVE AN ECONOMIC EFFECT ON OUR DOWNTOWN. SO WE GOT SOMETHING VERY EXCITING. IT'S GETTING READY TO COME OUT. IT REALLY FITS WITH EVERYTHING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT. AND I'M WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THE CANDIDATES FOR MAYOR, NO MATTER WHICH ONE, BECAUSE IT GETS ELECTED AS ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT PITCH IS, BECAUSE WE CAN MAKE IT TO THE COUNTY AND THEY HAVE $100 MILLION IN THERE THAT WE COULD BE MATCHING TO BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING, TO HELP, TO REALLY PICK UP AND KICK IN THAT FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT PART OF OUR CITY THAT IS JUST A PART OF THE OF THE SWETMAN GULF HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT. AND IT'S ALL PART OF THE SAME THING AS IS THE MAPS AND AS IS THE WHAT WE HEARD FROM THE IMAGINATION STATION. SO JUST AMAZINGLY TONIGHT, A MEMBER OF BRAINSTORMS, A MEMBER OF GULF HIGH SCHOOL, MEMBERS FROM THAT ORGANIZATION, FROM IMAGINATION, FROM MAPS, FROM CULTURAL, FROM THE LIBRARY, FROM CAPTAIN PHILLIPS ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL END. YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY THAT'S IN THIS ROOM TODAY IS PART OF WHAT COULD BE THE FUTURE OF THIS NEXT HUNDRED YEARS ENVISIONING. AND THERE'S MONEY THERE FOR US TO ENVISION A REAL INNOVATION DISTRICT THAT WE ALL SHOULD BE PART OF. SO OF THE 25 PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO BE ASSEMBLING, I REALLY WANT BADLY FOR A COUPLE MEMBERS OF THE CITY TO BE INVOLVED AND SOME COUNTY AND SCHOOL BOARD INTERESTS THAT ARE IN THERE, SO THAT WE COULD REALLY HELP TO OVERPOWER ANY OBJECTIONS THAT WOULD COME, AGAIN FROM DOING SOMETHING THAT'S HEALTHY, THAT THAT WILL HELP TO HAVE OUR CHILDREN STAY HERE AND LEARN IMPORTANT THINGS ABOUT OUR ENVIRONMENT AND INNOVATE SOLUTIONS TO SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE. SO PLEASE STOP BY THE BRAINSTORMS BOOTH ON SUNDAY, AND THANK YOU FOR INVITING US. AND WE'VE GOT SOME REALLY EXCITING THINGS, BUT WE AREN'T GOING TO TELL ANYBODY WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.

WE'RE ASKING EXPERTS TO COME IN HERE AND HELP US DEVELOP IT, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS A COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, VISION, AND I THINK WE CAN GET THE MONEY FOR IT IN APRIL ON THE 23RD. YOU PROBABLY ALREADY HAVE THE THE MENTION. THERE'S A WORKSHOP FOR THE SECOND PHASE OF THE COUNTY'S DOLLARS RELATED TO LONG TERM RESILIENCY AND LONG TERM IMPROVEMENTS. I'M HOPEFUL THAT WITH THE CITY MANAGER NOW, THIS SHOULD. NOW THAT I'VE BUTTERED HER UP WITH THE LAST MOTION, WILL. WILL BE HELPING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE STAFF AND THE PUBLIC AND THE PHILANTHROPY ELEMENT AND THE SCHOOL ELEMENT THAT WE CAN ALL COME TOGETHER IN SOMETHING THAT WILL BRING THIS MONEY BACK, FINALLY, THAT CAN BRING TOURISM AND TRAFFIC AND ECONOMY. SO I'LL GO INTO IT A LITTLE MORE LENGTH THE NEXT TIME, BUT I TELL YOU ALL ABOUT IT, BUT I'M EXCITED AND I'M EXCITED OF THE YEAR AHEAD. AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEPTEMBER BECAUSE I REALLY BELIEVE THAT THINGS ARE ARE GOING TO START MOVING EVEN FASTER THAN THEY ALREADY HAVE.

[02:35:04]

AND IT'S REALLY US WHO NEED TO TALK BECAUSE WE CAN'T TALK ANYWHERE ELSE BUT HERE, YOU KNOW? SO I JUST APPRECIATE THAT WE CAN HAVE THESE DISCUSSIONS. WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE TO AGREE, YOU KNOW, BUT OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, WE BRING UP POINTS OF, YOU KNOW, ABOUT THE TOPIC TO EACH OTHER THAT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE YOU'RE LIKE, HEY, I GOT TO THINK ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE, YOU KNOW, SO THAT'S A REALLY BIG BREATH OF FRESH AIR. AND I DID MENTION TO THE, YOU KNOW, TO THE 1922 LADIES, I SAID, YOU KNOW, WHEN'S OUR NEXT CLEANUP? SO I'M HOPING THEY'RE WORKING ON THAT DATE BECAUSE I WANT TO GET A ANOTHER CLEANUP OVER THERE BECAUSE I NEED TO PUT MY KIDS TO WORK. BUT NO, I'LL KEEP IT. YOU'RE WELCOME. I'LL KEEP IT SHORT FOR TONIGHT SINCE WE GOT CIARA. YEAH, I WAS GOING TO. MENTION TOO, THE THE WEATHER WAS GREAT. I THINK IT WAS TURNED OUT REALLY WELL. THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS OBVIOUSLY THAT YOU LEARN, YOU LEARN FROM FROM PAST ONES. AND YOU LOST ONE. OH, THERE'S ANOTHER ONE GOING BY CAROL. BUT BUT I DO WANT TO I WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND LIKE THE WRAP UP MEETING FOR CHESKA WHEN YOU GUYS DO THAT TO KIND OF SEE WHAT TAKEAWAYS FROM THAT, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THERE'S MAYBE SOME THINGS WE CAN CHANGE OR DO BETTER, YOU KNOW, ALWAYS, ALWAYS TO DO THAT. BUT ANYWAYS, I'LL SAVE THAT FOR THAT FOR THAT MEETING. I DID THINK SHIVANI.K HAD A GOOD IDEA ABOUT TEEN NIGHT AT THE PARK. I DON'T KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT PARKS AND REC CAN DO, BUT I KIND OF LIKE THAT IDEA THAT'S KIND OF SOMETHING DIFFERENT. AND. YOU KNOW, FOR TEENS TO DO AND MORE WHOLESOME AND, YOU KNOW, KIND OF ACTIVITY. SO MAYBE WE CAN LOOK AT THAT. AND THEN, OH, I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT ON THE WHOLE CREATIVE LOAFING ARTICLE. I READ THE ARTICLE TOO, AND I THOUGHT THERE WERE SEVERAL THINGS IN THERE THAT WERE FUNNY. I DIDN'T HIT THE BUTTON TO TO LAUGH, BUT I GUESS I SHOULD HAVE. MAYBE I WOULD HAVE GOT IN TROUBLE, BUT I DON'T. I MEAN, THERE WAS THERE WAS SOMETHING THE WRITER SAID, I THINK THE MAYOR SAID SOMETHING. IT WAS A COUPLE THINGS IN THERE TOO COMICAL. SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO KIND OF. I DON'T KNOW, NOT BE SO CRITICAL OF OF PEOPLE'S COMMENTS ON THINGS, ESPECIALLY IN THE POLITICAL WORLD BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU GET IT ALL THE TIME.

IF I, IF I GOT UPSET EVERY TIME SOMEONE PUT A SAD FACE OR SOMETHING ON MY POST OR CALL ME AN IDIOT, YOU KNOW, I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GET THROUGH THE DAY, YOU KNOW? BUT I DID THINK THERE WERE SOME THINGS IN THE ARTICLE THAT WERE WERE COMICAL, BUT I DON'T THINK IT WASN'T NECESSARILY DIRECTED AT ANYBODY. DEROGATORY. CREATIVE LOAFING IS KIND OF KNOWN FOR BEING SILLY SOMETIMES IN THEIR ARTICLES AND THE WAY THEY WRITE THINGS. SO THAT'S MY COMMENT ABOUT THAT.

YEAH, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE COMMITTEE. I THANK THEM ON THE LAST SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE CONCERT. BUT, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY DID I THANK THEM, BUT I THANK THE CITY, YOU KNOW, FIRST RESPONDERS AND, AND THE, THE CITY MAINTENANCE TYPE PEOPLE IN THE PARK. THEY DID A PHENOMENAL JOB. I, I HAVE, I DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ASKED ABOUT SOME SUNDAY MORNING. I THINK THERE MIGHT BE A CONFLICT IF YOU'RE THERE AND I'M THERE A SUNSHINE CONFLICT, BUT SO I PROBABLY WON'T BE THERE. WELL, I WILL LET THE NEWSPAPER KNOW THAT YOU'LL BE THERE. IF YOU'D LIKE TO LET ME KNOW, WE'LL, WE'LL TELL THEM. WELL, I'M JUST HAPPY TO NOTICE IT. YEAH, I'M JUST SAYING. I'LL JUST LET THAT GO. I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU WHAT HAPPENED, AS FAR AS I SEE,

[02:40:03]