Jun 16, 2026 City Council

[1) Call to Order – Roll Call]

[00:00:13]

JONAS. COUNCILMAN. MURPHY. COUNCILMAN. ALTMAN. HERE. COUNCILMAN. BUTLER HERE. CITY MANAGER. MANZ. CITY ATTORNEY. DRISCOLL HERE. STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF SILENCE, PLEASE.

ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU.

CHRIS. THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS A SWEARING IN OF A FIREFIGHTER, AND I'D LIKE TO

[4) Swearing In of New Firefighter Kody Mounts]

CITY COUNCIL, COME ON UP A LITTLE BIT CLOSER. IT'S ALWAYS A PRIVILEGE TO STAND BEFORE YOU AND WELCOME A NEW FIREFIGHTER. AND I TELL YOU, THIS ONE'S SPECIAL. HE'S A HE'S A REALLY GREAT KID. GOTTEN TO KNOW CODY MOUNCE A LITTLE BIT. HE ACTUALLY STARTED WITH US IN LATE APRIL AND WE POSTPONED HIS SWEARING IN SO HIS FAMILY COULD BE HERE THIS EVENING. TONIGHT MARKS THE OFFICIAL START OF HIS FIRE SERVICE CAREER, AND WE'RE SO DELIGHTED TO HAVE HIM AS A NEW MEMBER OF OUR STAFF. A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CODY. HE WAS BORN IN RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA, AND MOVED TO TAMPA AROUND THE AGE OF 11 WHEN HIS FATHER WAS REASSIGNED TO MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE. HE GRADUATED FROM STEINBRENNER HIGH SCHOOL AND COMPLETED HIS FIRE AND EMT TRAINING AT FLORIDA GATEWAY COLLEGE IN LAKE CITY. HE. HE BRINGS A STRONG DEDICATION TO PUBLIC SERVICE. HE'S DEMONSTRATED THAT. HE'S EXPRESSED THAT THROUGH THE HIRING PROCESS AND HE. HE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THAT AS A PREFERRED CANDIDATE. HE IS.

HE UNDERSTANDS THE IMPORTANCE OF TEAMWORK. HAVING PLAYED SOCCER, COMPETITIVE SOCCER FOR TEN YEARS. AND HE BRINGS A POSITIVE ATTITUDE, COMMITMENT TO SERVICE, AND A STRONG WORK ETHIC, WHICH ALIGNS WITH THE CULTURE OF OUR ORGANIZATION. AND HE WILL DRIVE, WHICH WILL DRIVE HIS SUCCESS AT CARRYING OUT THE MISSION OF THE DEPARTMENT. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO MANY YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE CITY FROM HIM, AND A FEW THINGS THAT HE LIKES TO DO ON HIS FREE TIME IS FISHING, GOLFING AND RUNNING TO STAY FIT. I THINK HE GAVE UP SOCCER, RIGHT? I'D LIKE TO THANK HIS FAMILY FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING. HIS PARENTS ARE HERE, HIS GRANDMOTHER, HIS GIRLFRIEND AND I BELIEVE MY THE ON DUTY STAFF. WE'VE GOT A FEW HERE. CODY IS WORKING TODAY, SO WE'LL GET HIM GOING TO GET HIM BACK TO WORK HERE QUICKLY. SO AT THIS TIME, I'D ASK THE CITY CLERK TO COME DOWN AND ADMINISTER THE OATH OF OFFICE, FOLLOWED BY A BADGE PINNING BY HIS FATHER. BRIAN. WHAT IS IT? THE WHOLE FAMILY COME UP HERE NOW. COME ON. COME ON. IT'S GETTING CLOSE TO THE PODIUM SO THEY CAN HEAR YOU. THAT'S GOING TO BE YOUR OATH. OKAY. TURN AND FACE ME. THERE WE GO. OKAY. OKAY. YOU'LL GO AHEAD AND RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. REPEAT AFTER ME. I AND STATE YOUR NAME. I, CODY MOUNCE, A CITIZEN OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, A CITIZEN OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND BEING EMPLOYED BY OR AN OFFICER OF THE CITY OF NEW PORT RICHEY, AND BEING EMPLOYED BY, OR AN OFFICER OF THE CITY OF NEW PORT RICHEY, AND A RECIPIENT OF PUBLIC FUNDS.

AS SUCH EMPLOYEE OR OFFICER, AND A RECIPIENT OF PUBLIC FUNDS AS SUCH, EMPLOYEE OR OFFICER DO HEREBY SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM. DO HEREBY SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM THAT I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AND OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA. THAT I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AND OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA, AND THAT I WILL HONESTLY, FAITHFULLY AND IMPARTIALLY DISCHARGE, AND THAT I WILL HONESTLY, FAITHFULLY AND IMPARTIALLY DISCHARGE THE DUTIES OF MY TRUST AS FIREFIGHTER NEW PORT RICHEY

[00:05:01]

THANK YOU.

COME THROUGH THE SHIRT. BEFORE YOU GO AWAY, COULD WE GET THE REST OF THE FIREMEN DOWN HERE AND GET A PICTURE TOO? THANK YOU, CHIEF, I APPRECIATE IT. COME ON.

CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. THANKS. COME ON. I LIKE THAT. STICK. VERY NICE.

YOU'RE MESSING WITH ME ALL DAY. THANKS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR TAKING CARE OF IT. NEXT ON THE AGENDA, MR. MAYOR, WE WILL BE SWEARING IN THREE NEW POLICE OFFICERS.

[5) Swearing In of New Police Officers San Julo King, Mike Fox and Inmer Berrios]

OUR NEWEST OFFICER, OFFICER IN BARRIOS, IS OUR MOST RECENT HIRE AND CAME TO US FROM BALTIMORE, MARYLAND. HE WORKED FOR BALTIMORE CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR THE LAST NINE YEARS. HE RELOCATED HERE TO FLORIDA WITH HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN TO BEGIN A NEW CHAPTER AND ENJOY THE BEAUTIFUL WEATHER. SO WHAT I HAVE TO SAY TO YOU, GENTLEMEN, CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THREE OF YOU ON THIS ACHIEVEMENT. YOUR COMMUNITY IS COUNTING ON YOU. YOUR DEPARTMENT IS PROUD OF YOU, AND YOUR JOURNEY OF SERVICE WITH THE DEPARTMENT BEGINS TODAY.

WEAR THE BADGE WITH HUMILITY. CARRY THE RESPONSIBILITY WITH PRIDE. AND ALWAYS REMEMBER THE OATH YOU WILL TAKE. WELCOME TO OUR FAMILY. THANK YOU MA'AM. MAY I ASK OUR FAMILY TO COME DOWN AND PIN THEIR BADGE ON FAMILY MEMBERS THAT ARE PINNING THE BADGES? MAY I ASK THE CITY CLERK TO COME DOWN, PLEASE, FOR THE OATH. BRING YOUR WHOLE FAMILY, GENTLEMEN. FAMILY COMING. YOU'RE ALL GOING TO HAVE TO TURN AND FACE THE CITY CLERK. YES. I DON'T KNOW WHAT

[00:10:07]

YOU WANT TO FOLLOW. ME? OKAY. YOU JUST GET THE TOP ONE ON AND PRETEND LIKE IT GOES LIKE. CAN WE ALL GET TOGETHER, GENTLEMEN? EVERYBODY COME ON, GET IN HERE. NO! YOU'RE NOT. ADVERTISING.

I'M ADVERTISING. CAME OVER YOUR FACE. YOU CAN DO THREE. THREE. PERFECT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

CONGRATULATIONS. CONGRATULATIONS. YOU GUYS.

[6.a) Parks and Recreation Month]

TOGETHER. ARE YOU READY? SAY YOUR PROCLAMATION OF THE OFFICE OF

[00:15:03]

AND. WHEREAS, PARKS AND RECREATION IS FUNDAMENTAL TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL WELL-BEING OF OUR COMMUNITY AND. WHEREAS. IN 1985, THE US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES DESIGNATED JULY AS PARKS AND RECREATION MONTH AND. AND IT HAS BEEN HONORED AS SUCH EVER SINCE. NOW, THEREFORE, I. CHOPRA DAVIS, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF NEW PORT RICHEY, DO HEREBY DESIGNATE THE MONTH OF JULY 2026 AS PARKS AND RECREATION MONTH AND ENCOURAGE ALL RESIDENTS TO ENJOY THE BENEFITS DERIVED FROM OUR PARKS AND RECREATION RESOURCES. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER, CITY ATTORNEY, CITY CLERK.

THANK YOU TO THE TEAM HERE FOR SHOWING UP. I MIGHT HAVE WORRIED SOME OF THEM. I SAID, PREPARE A SPEECH, BUT I'LL TAKE CARE OF THE SPEECH FOR YOU GUYS. IT'S AN HONOR TO RECEIVE THIS PROCLAMATION. DURING DECLARING JULY AS PARKS AND RECREATION MONTH. I'M A BELIEVER THAT EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM HAS HAD A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE AS IT RELATES TO PARKS AND RECREATION, AND I'M JUST GOING TO LIST A COUPLE WAS WALKING THROUGH OUR AMAZING CITY PARKS, TAKING A SWIM LESSON AT THE REC CENTER. LIFEGUARDS ARE IN RED, PARTICIPATING IN SUMMER CAMP, SUMMER CAMPS IN BLUE, HIKING THROUGH THE GREAT PRESERVE, ENJOYING THE CODY RIVER, PICKLEBALL, BASKETBALL, AND MANY OTHER ITEMS THAT THIS PROCLAMATION IDENTIFIES. AND ALL THE ITEMS I MENTIONED ARE IN LARGE PART DUE TO THE CITY COUNCIL ADVISORY BOARD AND CITY MANAGER'S SUPPORT OVER THE YEARS AND COMMITTING TO HAVING WORLD CLASS PARKS AND RECREATION AMENITIES FOR EVERYONE TO ENJOY. IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THE STAFF AS WE HAVE HERE. THEY'RE THE ONES BEHIND THE SCENES TO KEEP EVERYTHING RUNNING SMOOTHLY AND HELP MAKE LASTING MEMORIES FOR ALL THOSE TO ENJOY. BENEFITS OF PARKS AND REC. WE HAVE A HANDFUL OF STAFF HERE. I'LL JUST LIST THEM BY NAME, JUST SO EVERYBODY, WHEN THEY COME TO THE REC CENTER OR SEE THEM OUT IN THE PARKS, THEY KNOW THEM. WE'LL START WITH OUR LEADERSHIP. RILEY AND CHANDLER RILEY LEADS OUR AQUATICS TEAM AND CHANDLER LEADS RECREATION.

AND THEN WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, JUST RAISE YOUR HAND AND SAY HI. WE HAVE FINN FOR LIFEGUARD. WE HAVE SAMMY, LIFEGUARD, KENZIE, LIFEGUARD MADDIE, LIFEGUARD AND EMILY, LIFEGUARD. THEN WE HAVE CAMERON SUMMER CAMP AND SUMMER CAMP. ALLIE, SUMMER CAMP, PATRICK, SUMMER CAMP, AND SUMMER CAMP. I ALSO WANTED TO RECOGNIZE COLLIN AND THE PUBLIC WORKS PARKS TEAM FOR EVERYTHING THEY DO, MAINTAINING THE PARTS. IT'S A GROUP EFFORT HERE AND THEY DO. AWESOME. SO I DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE COLLIN AND HIS TEAM OVER THERE. THEY REALLY THEY REALLY DO A FANTASTIC JOB MAINTAINING THE PARKS. I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY AGAIN AND THANK THANK YOU GUYS AND THANK YOU TO THE TEAM. THANK YOU JOEY. I DIDN'T HAVE HIM LISTED. SO JOEY, SORRY FOR FORGETTING YOU, BUT HE WAS ON MY LIST. SO JOEY OVERSEES OUR FITNESS CENTER AND OCTAVIA.

THANK YOU. SHE'S GOOD. YOU GET SOME PICTURES? SHE GOT IT.

TWO. THIS IS A PROCLAMATION OF THE OFFICE OF THE MAYOR OF THE CITY

[6.b) Richey Suncoast Theatre]

[00:20:03]

AS A 501 C THREE DESIGNATED NONPROFIT, WE RELY ON OUR VOLUNTEERS, PATRONS, SPONSORS AND LOCAL COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT OUR EFFORTS, AND WE JUST THANK EVERYBODY IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY FOR EVERYTHING THAT THEY'VE DONE FOR US. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CITY OF NEW PORT RICHEY CITY COUNCIL, AS WELL AS THE CRA. EVERY SINGLE COUNCIL MEMBER, EVERYBODY ON THE CRA, OUR CITY MANAGER, OUR CITY ATTORNEY, ALL THE STAFF THAT HAS WORKED TO MAKE DREAMS COME TRUE IN NEW PORT RICHEY AND MAKE THE THEATER THE HEART OF THE COMMUNITY AS IT ONCE WAS AND IS. AGAIN, IN MY HUMBLE OPINION, YOU HAVE MADE SO MANY DREAMS COME TRUE FOR SO MANY YOUNG ARTISTS, AS WELL AS OUR AMAZING STAFF MEMBERS AND THE REST OF THE BOARD OF RICHEY SUNCOAST, OF WHICH I AM A BOARD MEMBER. AND I AM THRILLED THAT ON THIS GREAT DAY OF JUNE 16TH AND GREAT STATE OF FLORIDA, THAT WE CAN ACKNOWLEDGE SOMETHING AS SPECIAL AS THE THEATER AND WHAT IT DOES FOR OUR COMMUNITY. SO I'LL STOP THERE, BUT THANK YOU. MINUTES

[7) Approval of Minutes]

FOUR AND A HALF. HELLO. I. BOX POP. ALL THOSE IN ATTENDANCE MUST BE RESPECTFUL OF OTHERS

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

[00:25:01]

LAST WEEK, OUR SOLAR ARRAY WENT LIVE AND WE ARE NOW PRODUCING ENERGY BACK INTO THE GRID. THIS PROJECT WAS RARELY A STRAIGHT LINE. IT WAS BUILT ON RESILIENCE, LEARNING FROM FAILURES AND NEVER LOSING SIGHT OF OUR WHY. WE HAVE SOLD OVER 29,000 TICKETS FOR THE 2025 2026 SEASON. THIS MAKES RICHEY SUNCOAST THEATER A MAJOR ECONOMIC DRIVER FOR THE CITY, AND WE HOPE TO CONTINUE THAT LEGACY FOR MANY YEARS TO COME. WE WILL BE HOLDING OUR CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION ON WEDNESDAY, JULY 1ST, STARTING AT 6 P.M. WE WILL BE SHOWING THE SILENT FILM THE NEW KLONDIKE, WHICH IS THE SAME FILM THAT WAS SHOWN ON THE OPENING DAY, JULY 1ST, 1926. WE HOPE THAT YOU ALL WILL ATTEND. ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE CITY SUPPORT. WITH THE RENEWED COMMITMENT TO KEEP STRIVING FOR EXCELLENCE, RICHEY SUNCOAST THEATER BELONGS TO EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN PART OF THIS JOURNEY. THANK YOU. WHAT WAS THE TIME ON JULY 1ST STARTS AT 6 P.M. THANK YOU. QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS OR STATEMENTS? WE'LL DO THAT AT THE END. OKAY. THANK YOU. THE NEXT PERSON I HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IS GEORGE ROMAGNOLI. GOOD EVENING. GEORGE ROMAGNOLI, 6235 FLORIDA AVENUE. LAST TIME I WAS AT VOXPOP, I TALKED ABOUT CASSANDRA. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT ANOTHER ANCIENT STORY, THE SWORD OF DAMOCLES. DAMOCLES WAS A STEWARD FOR THE KING OF SYRACUSE. AND HE TOLD THE KING, HEY, I COULD BE THE KING. LOOKS PRETTY GOOD. THE KING SAID, SURE, PUT HIM ON THE THRONE. BUT THEN HE LOOKED UP AND THERE WAS A SWORD OVER THE THRONE, HELD UP BY A HORSEHAIR. REALIZED IT WAS PRETTY ROUGH.

THE CITY HAS THE SWORD OF DAMOCLES OVER US RIGHT NOW, AND THAT'S THE PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX REFORM THAT WILL BE ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER. BUDGET SEASON IS ABOUT TO COME UP, I HOPE. I'M SURE PRETTY EASILY. THE PROPERTY APPRAISER'S OFFICE CAN GIVE US WHAT THE LOSS WOULD BE AS FAR AS PROPERTY TAXES, IF THAT IS EXTENDED, AND HOPEFULLY DO A BUDGET BASED ON BOTH. WHAT IF IT PASSES AND IF IT DOESN'T PASS SO YOU ACCURATELY REFLECT BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT. SO YOU'RE NOT CAUGHT SHORT IN NOVEMBER IF THAT REFORM IS PASSED. BUT THAT BRINGS US TO ANOTHER ISSUE. YOU HAVE TWO ISSUES IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY FROM THE COUNCIL AND THE CRA FOR VILLA DEL SOL. AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE SPOKEN AGAINST THAT BEFORE, NOT SO MUCH AGAINST THE PROJECT, BUT HOW IT WAS APPROVED. NO PROPER UNDERWRITING WAS DONE TO SEE WHETHER THE DEVELOPER ACTUALLY NEEDED THE MONEY. THINK WHAT YOU COULD DO WITH 20 OR $24 MILLION. I FORGOT WHAT THE EXACT SUBSIDY THE CITY IS GOING TO GIVE TO THOSE MARKET RATE APARTMENTS. YOU COULD DO GULF HIGH SCHOOL, THE OLD GULF HIGH, AND TOTALLY RENOVATE THAT AND BRING IT UP TO WHERE IT SHOULD BE. THE CDBG PROGRAM, WHICH YOU HAVE TO SAY IS A FAILURE AT THIS POINT. BUT SEVEN YEARS SINCE WE APPLIED AND NOT A HOUSE HAS BEEN FIXED. WELL, YOU KNOW, AND WE HAVEN'T HAD THE STORY WHY? WE HAD ONE CONSULTANT GOT RID OF HIM, BROUGHT HIM BACK, AND STILL NOTHING'S BEEN DONE. AND SO ANGRY WOMEN ARE PUTTING SIGNS ON THEIR WINDOWS BECAUSE NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN DONE TO THEIR HOMES. YOU COULD USE THAT MONEY. YOU COULD TAKE 2 OR $3 MILLION, HIRE A CONSULTANT TO RUN A PROGRAM OURSELVES. I THINK WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT THAT, THAT THERE ARE BETTER USES OF THE CRA MONEY THAN GIVING MONEY TO MARKET RATE HOUSING, AND THAT THAT SITE WILL BE DEVELOPED EVENTUALLY, YOU KNOW, AND PROBABLY HASN'T BEEN DEVELOPED BECAUSE HCA HAS NOT PRICED IT CORRECTLY. FOR THE MARKET TO RECOGNIZE IT. IT WILL BE DEVELOPED ONE DAY WITHOUT A SUBSIDY SO SUBSTANTIALLY THAT WE'RE GIVING. THANK YOU. THE FINAL PERSON I SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IS DONNA JENSEN. GOOD EVENING, DONNA JENSEN, 5922

[00:30:18]

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

[00:35:06]

AND OUR CITY IS NOT REALLY PROVIDING ANSWERS OR BEING TRANSPARENT TO THE PUBLIC ON WHAT THOSE CUTS WILL BE. OTHER CITIES LIKE SAINT PETERSBURG, CLEARWATER, THEY HAVE OUTLINED WHAT THIS WILL BE AND THE DEVASTATION THAT IT WILL CAUSE. SO I'M ASKING THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE THAT THEY COULD PROVIDE US ON OUR WEBSITE OR MAYBE A NEWSLETTER THAT YOU SEND OUT TO THE PUBLIC SOME OF THE CUTS AND THINGS THAT WE WILL FACE AS A CITY, BECAUSE WE WILL NOT BE EXEMPT. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I NOTICED THE CITY CLERK PASSING A NOTE TO THE CITY MANAGER. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THAT WILL BE IN THE PUBLIC RECORD. THANK YOU. JUST JUST HOPE YOU CAN STICK AROUND SO YOU CAN LISTEN TO OUR VOX POP COMMENTS. DO YOU HAVE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? DOES ANYBODY WANT TO ANSWER ANY

[9) City Council Response to Vox Pop Speakers]

I'M SORRY TO JUMP IN. IT'S HARD FOR ME TO KNOW WHEN IT'S APPROPRIATE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO START WITH THIS QUESTION ABOUT THE LOSS OF HOMESTEAD AND TAX. AND I THINK IF I HAD ONE SHORT COMMENT TO MAKE, IT WOULD BE THAT THOSE THAT FEEL THAT THE SKY IS FALLING, WE WE KIND OF NEED TO SNAP OUT OF IT. THIS IS NOT DEVASTATION TO THE CITY. I HAVE DONE THE CALCULATIONS IN YEAR ONE. THE CITY, IF THAT PASSES, WOULD HAVE $1.4 MILLION OF A SHORTAGE IN YEAR TWO, WHEN THE SECOND $100,000 COMES IN, IT WOULD BE 1.9 MILLION NEARLY. THAT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY, BUT WHAT I'M JUST AT RIGHT NOW, ORLANDO, AT THE FLORIDA GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION ANNUAL MEETING. AND THIS HAS BEEN A BIG DISCUSSION. SO I WILL ONLY SAY I'LL TALK ABOUT IT AFTERWARDS. BUT THERE ARE MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE CITY IF THIS PASSES IN NOVEMBER, BUDGET, A YEAR FROM NOW WILL BE THE TIME AT WHICH WE'LL HAVE TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS AND OR SEEK ALTERNATIVE REVENUE SOURCES. BUT WE HAVEN'T LOST ANYTHING, AND WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO TAKE A MEASURED APPROACH TO MAKE SURE THAT VITAL SERVICES WILL NOT BE INJURED. ALSO, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING A REPORT AND SEEING THE EFFECT OF THE FLOODING AT THE SCHOOL, AND I'M SURE THAT THAT WILL BE ANSWERED AS WELL. AND TO I'LL LEAVE IT TO MY COLLEAGUES TO ADDRESS THE OTHER QUESTIONS AND TO THANK THE SUNCOAST THEATER FOR THE WORK THEY'RE DOING AND THE VISUAL THEY PRESENTED ON THE SOLAR ARRAYS THAT WENT ON TOP OF THE ROOF AT THE THEATER, MODERNIZING THE BUILDING, WHILE ALSO AT THE SAME TIME PROTECTING THE HISTORY OF THAT BUILDING. THANK YOU FOR THAT. I WOULD DEFER TO THE CITY MANAGER WHEN IT COMES TO THE OLD OR THE OLD GULF HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING, AND GIVE THEM THE TIME TO DEVELOP A REPORT THAT THEY CAN GET BACK TO US. I WILL SAY THAT THE CITY ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN QUICK TO GIVE US THE UPDATE OF THE PRELIMINARY OF WHAT WHAT THEY FELT HAPPENED AND THE WORK BEING DONE, BUT I WANT TO GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO GET ALL THE RIGHT FACTS. SIMILARLY, ON THE TAX STATEMENT, I HAVE BEEN SEEING SOME REPORTS BEING RELEASED BY OTHER CITIES SUGGESTING WHAT THEY WOULD LOSE AND PUTTING THOSE NUMBERS ONTO PAPER. I DON'T KNOW IF OUR CITY INTERNALLY HAS SOME SORT OF DOCUMENT, BUT COUNCILMAN ALTMAN HAS LET OUT SOME FIGURES, AND IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE A STAFF BACKED REPORT ON WHAT THE IMPACT COULD BE GIVEN. NOW THAT WE KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO BE GOING BEFORE US AND ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT, AS IT RELATES TO SOME OF THE OTHER COMMENTS, THERE WAS A LOT STATED THERE. SO I'D LIKE A CHANCE TO LOOK FURTHER INTO THOSE AND I'D BE HAPPY TO REPLY. I HAVE YOUR I HAVE YOUR EMAIL, SO I'LL BE REACHING OUT. NO, I, YOU KNOW,

[00:40:01]

YOU KNOW, I HAPPENED TO BE PRESENT WHEN THEY RECEIVED THEIR LEGACY AWARD, AND IT WAS TRULY AN HONOR FOR ME AND THE REST OF THE STAFF THAT WAS THERE TO BE PRESENT FOR THAT AWARD. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, TO ME, THAT'S A BIG DEAL. YOU KNOW, AS MUCH AS, YOU KNOW, THE EAST SIDE OF THE COUNTY GETS A LOT OF PUBLICITY BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT A LOT OF NEW THINGS OUT THERE. YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT'S ABOUT TO BE 100 YEARS OLD. BEING RECOGNIZED, I THINK, IS A HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT. YOU KNOW, AS A KID, I USED TO GO THERE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, PLAYS AND SHOWS AND TO SEE WHAT THEY'VE DONE TO IT, BROUGHT IT BACK AND THE LINES OUT THE DOOR FOR PEOPLE TO GO SEE THEATER JUST REALLY MEANS A LOT TO THE CITY. IT MEANS A LOT TO ME. SO THANK THEM FOR THAT. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WITH THE, YOU KNOW, WITH THE OLD GOLF HIGH SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, SITUATION, IT WAS DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, CONCERNING TO ME WHEN I DROVE BY AND I SAW THE GREEN TRUCKS THERE, I KNEW IMMEDIATELY WHAT THE SITUATION WAS, BUT OBVIOUSLY NOT THE SEVERITY. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING, YOU KNOW, FROM STAFF ON WHAT THE SITUATION IS WITH THAT. AND THEN I'M GOING TO DEFER TO THE REST OF THOSE TO GET SOME MORE INFORMATION. YEAH, I WANT TO JUST GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THIS, TO RICHEY SUNCOAST THEATER AND ALL THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE. IT'S COME SUCH A LONG WAY. AND, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE REALLY RECOGNIZE HOW FAR IT'S COME. AND IT'S JUST YOU'VE DONE AN AMAZING JOB. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT A REALLY GREAT TEAM AND IT'S AMAZING WHAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENED, THE PROPERTY TAX, I THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT. THE GULF HIGH SCHOOL, THE ISSUE WITH THE FLOODING, DEFINITELY SOMETHING FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE, YOU KNOW, WANTED FOR SURE. JUST SOMETHING HAPPENED. YOU KNOW IT'S AN OLD BUILDING AND THINGS DO HAPPEN. I SEE IT EVERY DAY IN MY LINE OF WORK, BUT IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE WANTED TO HAVE TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH, I CAN TELL YOU THAT FOR SURE. THE COMMENT WAS MADE ABOUT THE THE THE CITY CHARTER REVISION. I'M NOT SURE WHAT THOSE WHAT REVISIONS WERE NEEDED. AND, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, VOXBOX HAS CHANGED. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EVERYTHING RIGHT AFTER THE COMMENTS ARE MADE. SO THANK YOU. I DON'T THINK I NEED TO REPEAT ANYTHING THAT ANYBODY ELSE HAS DONE. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, YOU CAN ALWAYS GET WITH ONE OF ONE OF THE COUNCIL

[10) Consent Agenda]

[11.a) First Reading, Ordinance No. 2026-2347: Duke Energy Franchise Agreement Renewal]

MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. THE STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING WITH DUKE ENERGY FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW, IN EXCESS OF SIX MONTHS ON A RENEWAL OF A FRANCHISE AGREEMENT WITH THEM.

AND WE'VE PRESENT TO YOU THIS EVENING A VERSION OF A FRANCHISE AGREEMENT THAT WE FEEL COMFORTABLE ADVANCING TO YOU ON A FIRST READING BASIS. WE HAVE SEVERAL REPRESENTATIVES IN ATTENDANCE THIS EVENING FROM DUKE ENERGY, AND MR. MUELLER WILL PRESENT THE FULL AGENDA ITEM TO YOU AND SPECIFY THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS THAT ARE CHANGE IN THE RENEWAL FRANCHISE AGREEMENT FROM OUR EXISTING FRANCHISE AGREEMENT. THANK YOU, MISS MANCE. EVENING COUNCIL STAFF IS REQUESTING CITY COUNCIL TO REVIEW AND APPROVE THE FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 2026 2347, WHICH AUTHORIZES THE RENEWAL OF THE ELECTRIC UTILITY FRANCHISE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF NEWPORT AND DUKE ENERGY. THE CITY'S CURRENT FRANCHISE AGREEMENT, ORIGINALLY EXECUTED IN 1996, EXPIRES ON JULY 16TH, 2026, MAKING RENEWAL NECESSARY TO ENSURE THE CONTINUED PROVISION OF ELECTRIC UTILITY SERVICES WITHIN THE CITY.

BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING, THERE'S A PRETTY EXTENSIVE REPORT MEMORANDUM THAT OUTLINES

[00:45:01]

THE PROPOSED AGREEMENT RETAINS SOME OF THOSE KEY BENEFITS THAT WERE REFLECTED IN THE 1996 AGREEMENT, WHICH INCLUDE THE CONTINUED 6% FRANCHISE FEE, THE CITY'S AUDIT RIGHTS AND THE CITY'S AUTHORITY TO EXERCISE ITS GENERAL POLICY POWERS RELATED TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND RIGHT OF WAY MANAGEMENT. THE UPDATED AGREEMENT ALSO INCLUDES EXPANDED OPERATIONAL PROTECTIONS FOR DUKE ENERGY, ALLOWING THEM TO WORK WITHIN RIGHT OF WAYS. IT ALLOWS THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO CORRECT SOME THINGS MUCH FASTER WITHOUT HAVING TO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF DANCE THROUGH IT, TO PUT IT LIGHTLY. THE OVERALL PROPOSED FRANCHISE AGREEMENT BALANCES THE CITY'S INTEREST IN MAINTAINING REGULATORY, REGULATORY OVERSIGHT AND PUBLIC SAFETY WITH THE INCLUSION OF REVENUE GENERATION, WHILE ENSURING DUKE ENERGY CAN CONTINUE TO PROVIDE RELIABLE ELECTRIC SERVICE FOR THE CITY OF NEWPORT. RICHIE STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 2026 2347, AND I'M HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS, AS WELL AS SOME REPRESENTATIVES WITH DUKE ENERGY, THEY ARE HERE THIS EVENING TO INCLUDE MISS HARRIGAN. MR. MAYOR, I MIGHT ADDITIONALLY WANT TO NOTE THAT THE FRANCHISE FEE IS IS A NON-NEGOTIABLE ITEM. IT'S SET BY THE PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION AND THE TERM OF THE AGREEMENT THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING TO YOU IS 15 YEARS, WITH TWO SUCCESSIVE FIVE YEAR TERMS THAT ARE AUTOMATIC RENEWAL OPTIONS. OUR PREVIOUS AGREEMENT WITH DUKE WAS FOR A 30 YEAR PERIOD OF TIME. YOU HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS BEFORE YOU SPEAK. HELLO, MY NAME IS MARLEY PRICE. I LIVE AT 5034 32ND AVE NORTH IN SAINT PETERSBURG, FLORIDA. I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE I. I'VE REQUESTED MOST OF DUKE ENERGY'S AGREEMENTS IN THE STATE. MOST PEOPLE HAVEN'T DONE THAT, BUT I'VE READ THROUGH THEM AND I'VE SEEN HOW THEY'VE CHANGED OVER TIME. DUKE ENERGY IS NOT GOING TO TELL YOU THOSE THINGS. THEY'RE GOING TO SAY THE CHANGES ARE PRETTY STANDARD.

THEY MAYBE ARE FOR WHAT THEY'VE DONE, BUT THEY STARTED MAKING THESE CHANGES IN 2021. THESE ARE RELATIVELY NEW CHANGES. THEY PROMPTED ME TO DRIVE ALL THE WAY UP HERE, AND IT'S BECAUSE COMPANIES LIKE DUKE STARTED TO FEEL THE PRESSURE FROM CUSTOMERS THAT REALLY WANTED TO START LOOKING AT THEIR OPTIONS. AND TWO OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT I REALLY WANT TO POINT OUT THAT YOU SHOULD CONSIDER HEAVILY BEFORE YOU JUST SIGN ON TO THIS, IS MOVING FROM A NON-EXCLUSIVE AGREEMENT TO AN EXCLUSIVE ONE, AND GIVING DUKE THE OPTION TO WITHHOLD FRANCHISE FEES IF THE CITY ISN'T IN QUOTE UNQUOTE, GOOD FAITH NEGOTIATIONS TOWARDS A NEW FRANCHISE AGREEMENT THAT'S MAKING THIS A MARRIAGE WITHOUT AN OPTION FOR A DIVORCE AT ANY POINT, YOU JUST CAN'T EXIT AT ANY POINT. YOU JUST HAVE TO BE WITH DUKE FOREVER.

DO YOU WONDER WHY MAYBE DUKE WOULD WANT TO DO THAT, WHEN PASCO IS ALREADY REALLY WORRIED ABOUT DATA CENTERS COMING TO THE AREA? AND I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT DUKE ENERGY RECEIVED $6 BILLION FROM BROOKFIELD ASSET MANAGEMENT LAST YEAR. AND BROOKFIELD IS A COMPANY THAT IS TAKING A REALLY BIG SWING ON DATA CENTERS RIGHT NOW. SO EVEN IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE ON WITH DUKE ENERGY RIGHT NOW, I REALLY DON'T THINK IT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THIS CITY TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT THAT HAS NO POSSIBLE EXIT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS, REGARDLESS OF ANYTHING THEY WANT TO DO. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. JASON SCOTT 4636 REDFISH LANE. I DO HAVE EXPERIENCE READING THROUGH FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS, AND I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SOME CONCERNS I HAVE FOR THE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT THAT WAS PRESENTED. FIRST, I WANT TO MENTION THAT MOST FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS ARE NON-EXCLUSIVE AND THEY DO NOT CONTAIN PROVISIONS ALLOWING FRANCHISE FEES TO BE WITHHELD OR EXPOSING THE CITY TO ADDITIONAL LIABILITY THROUGH INJUNCTIVE RELIEF. SO I'M JUST GOING TO GO THROUGH SOME ITEMS THAT I HIGHLIGHTED IN THE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT. SO FIRST I HAVE SECTION FIVE B. THE CITY SHOULD NOT LOCK ITSELF INTO AN EXCLUSIVE AGREEMENT FOR WHAT COULD LAST UP TO 25 YEARS. MOST CITIES THAT ARE LOOKING TO REVIEW THEIR FRANCHISE AGREEMENT RIGHT NOW ARE LOOKING FOR A GOAL OF AT LEAST KEEPING THAT LIMITED TO TEN YEARS, SO I'M NOT SURE WHY THIS CITY WOULD WANT TO SIGN UP FOR POTENTIALLY 25. THEN I WANT TO GO INTO SECTION FOUR C STATING THAT THE SOLE ELECTRIC UTILITY PERMITTED TO USE THE RIGHT OF WAY TO BE DUKE ENERGY. THE CITY DOESN'T SET THE ELECTRIC UTILITY TERRITORY THAT IS SET

[00:50:02]

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU'VE SEEN A REPORT FROM DUKE ENERGY COMING FROM THEIR REVENUES OR FINANCIALS FOR FOR THE CITY? SO I THINK IT WOULD BE BETTER TO HAVE THE LANGUAGE SET OUT THAT THE RECORDS AND REPORTS SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE WHENEVER REASONABLE, REASONABLY REQUESTED, RATHER THAN BEING CONSTRAINED TO A ARBITRARY TIMELINE. THEN IN SECTION TEN, IT OUTLINES THAT IT THAT THE LIABILITY TO THE CITY WOULD BE LIMITED AND THAT THE CITY SHOULD NOT. THE CITY. OVERALL, THE CITY SHOULD NOT BE BROADLY WAIVING THE ABILITY TO RECOVER CERTAIN CATEGORIES OF DAMAGES ARISING FROM DUKE ENERGY'S ACTIONS. SO THAT WAS CONCERNING AS WELL. AND THEN AGAIN IN SECTION FIVE C, WHEN IT COMES TO FRANCHISE FEES, THERE WAS A PROVISION SAYING THAT BASICALLY DUKE ENERGY COULD WITHHOLD FRANCHISE FEES IF THE AGREEMENT EXPIRES. AND THOSE NET GOODWILL. THERE'S A SUPREME COURT DECISION FOR FLORIDA IN 2004 THAT UPHELD THE RIGHT OF GETTING FRANCHISE FEES. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS BRITTANY SCHNEIDER 8534 MOBLEY WAY. I AM A RESIDENT OF NEW PORT RICHEY. I AM NOT GOOD AT PUBLIC SPEAKING, SO I'M GOING TO KEEP MY COMMENT VERY BRIEF. NOT A FAN OF DUKE ENERGY AND AS A RESIDENT, I STRONGLY OPPOSE THE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT WITH DUKE ENERGY. IT GRANTS DUKE ENERGY UNNECESSARY RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS THAT GO BEYOND A TYPICAL FRANCHISE AGREEMENT, WHILST LIMITING THE CITY'S FLEXIBILITY AND INCREASING POTENTIAL LEGAL EXPOSURE, LOCKING THE CITY INTO AN EXCLUSIVE AGREEMENT FOR UP TO 25 YEARS IS UNREASONABLE. AT A TIME WHEN THE ENERGY INDUSTRY IS EVOLVING RAPIDLY, THE CITY SHOULD PRESERVE ITS ABILITY TO ADAPT TO FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES, GENERATIONS, REGULATIONS AND MARKET CHANGES. ADDITIONALLY, PROVISIONS LIMITING DUKE ENERGY'S LIABILITY, RESTRICTING ACCESS TO RECORDS AND CREATING PENALTIES RELATED TO FRANCHISE FEES ARE NOT IN THE CITY'S BEST INTERESTS. THIS AGREEMENT SHOULD BE REVISED, IN MY OPINION, TO BETTER PROTECT THE CITY'S INTERESTS AND TAXPAYERS BEFORE IT'S APPROVED. THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS THOMAS. I LIVE AT 4927 13TH AVENUE NORTH.

I'M A. I WANTED TO MAKE SURE CITY COUNCIL IS AWARE OF HOW UNORTHODOX THE STIPULATIONS PUT ON THE CITY AND ITS PEOPLE ARE. EVEN FOR A COMPANY AS SHADY AS DUKE ENERGY, I WANT TO BRIEFLY LIST OFF SOME OF THE FRIGHTENING SECTIONS I SAW IN THE NEW AGREEMENT. MANY OF THESE HAVE ALREADY BEEN MENTIONED BEFORE BY PREVIOUS SPEAKERS, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU KEEP THESE IN MIND WHEN SIGNING A CONTRACT WITH THE ENERGY EQUIVALENT OF THE DEVIL IN FLORIDA. I'M. ONE OF THE FRIGHTENING PROVISIONS I SAW WAS IN A SECTION FOUR C, THE PROVISION MAKING DUKE ENERGY THE SOLE UTILITY SOLE ELECTRIC UTILITY, PERMITTED TO USE THE RIGHTS OF WAYS. SINCE IT'S COMPLETELY UNNECESSARY, SERVICE TERRITORIES ARE DETERMINED BY BY THE FLORIDA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, NOT BY MUNICIPAL FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS, INCLUDING LANGUAGE THAT DESIGNATES DUKE ENERGY AS THE SOLE UTILITY AND ENTITLES TO INJUNCTIVE RELIEF AGAINST OTHER ENERGY UTILITY PROVIDERS, CREATES UNNECESSARY LEGAL EXPOSURE AND POTENTIAL LIABILITY FOR THE CITY OVER MATTERS THAT MAY BE OUTSIDE OF ITS OWN CONTROL. I'M ALREADY IT WAS ALREADY MENTIONED BEFORE, BUT SOMETHING THAT WAS REALLY LIKE HORRIFYING FOR ME WAS. WAS THE WAS THAT YOU'RE LOCKING YOURSELF INTO AN EXCLUSIVE AGREEMENT WHEN MOST CITIES ALREADY HAVE NON-EXCLUSIVE AGREEMENTS AND DO NOT CONTAIN PROVISIONS ALLOWING FRANCHISE FEES TO BE WITHHELD OR EXPOSING THE CITY TO ADDITIONAL LIABILITY THROUGH INJUNCTIVE RELIEF, RELIEF. SEVERAL PROVISIONS AND AGREEMENTS GRANT DUKE ENERGY RIGHTS AND REMEDIES THAT GO SO FAR BEYOND WHAT IS TYPICALLY REQUIRED FOR A FRANCHISE AGREEMENT. AND I LIVE IN SAINT PETERSBURG, WHICH ALREADY HAS A HORRIBLE AGREEMENT LIKE A. WE'RE ALMOST GOING TO SIGN ON TO A. WE WERE ALMOST GOING TO SIGN ON TO A 30

[00:55:06]

MY BILLS GO UP, YOUR BILLS GO UP, ALL OF OUR BILLS ARE GOING TO GO UP. AND PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT ARE THE MOST IMPACTED AND VULNERABLE ARE GOING TO FACE THE ISSUES AND REPERCUSSIONS OF HOW YOU VOTE TODAY AND HOW YOU VOTE WHEN THIS COMES UP FOR A SECOND READING. SO I JUST URGE YOU ALL TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE RESEARCH. JUST DON'T VOTE ON SOMETHING BECAUSE YOU GOT A PACKET FROM THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE. DO YOUR RESEARCH BECAUSE OTHER COMMUNITIES, OTHER SISTER CITIES, SAINT PETERSBURG, CLEARWATER, THEY ARE EXPLORING OTHER OPTIONS AS WELL. AND ONE QUESTION I HAD AFTER LISTENING TO EVERYBODY, WHAT OTHER OPTIONS DID THE CITY EXPLORE BEFORE OR DURING NEGOTIATIONS WITH DUKE? HAVE WE EXPLORED ANY OTHER OPTIONS? AND IF NOT, WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE? THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? SEEING NO ONE COME FORWARD, WE'LL BRING IT. OH. GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL. MY NAME IS ANDREW SMITH. 7049 COLUMN CIRCLE. AND LIKE I SAID BEFORE, ME AND MY PEERS BEFORE ME HAVE DEFINITELY SAID QUITE A BIT CONCERNING THE FACT. BUT ONE THING I'D LIKE TO BRING UP IS THAT WHILE YOU CAN LOOK AT DUKE ITSELF AS SAYS THAT IT CLAIMS THAT IT WILL USE AI TO HELP SUPPORT AGAINST SCAMS AS WELL AS RELIABILITY FOR CUSTOMERS.

SO TO ME, WHEN THEY ALREADY HAVE AN INTRINSIC NEED TO ALREADY HAVE A, ESPECIALLY WITH A TIMELY CONVERSATION OF AI DINNER CENTERS, AS I CAME UP EARLIER FROM THE PASCO COMMITTEES COMMISSIONS MEETING TALKING ABOUT THE MORATORIUM, YOU ALSO CAN SEE YOU CAN ALSO SEE THERE'S A CLEAR KIND OF RELATIONSHIP THERE THAT'S BUILDING ON WITHOUT THE THE ACCOUNTABILITY OF THE PEOPLE OF OF NEW PORT RICHEY OR PASCO THAT ARE KIND OF BYPASSING, EXCUSE ME. WE CAN ALSO LOOK AT. WHILE DUKE CLAIMS RELIABILITY AND SERVE ITS CUSTOMERS, YOU CAN LOOK AT REVIEW SITES SUCH AS YELP, TRUSTPILOT AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS WITH AN AVERAGE SCORE OF 1.4 OUT OF FIVE. AND I DO SEE THAT IT'S NOT OBVIOUSLY THE SAME REGARD, BUT IF I WENT TO A RESTAURANT THAT WAS 1.5 ON REVIEW SITES OUTSIDE A LITTLE BIT, BUT WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO RESCIND MY TIME. ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? SEEING NO ONE ELSE COME FORWARD, BRING IT BACK FOR DISCUSSION AND VOTE. DO YOU WANT TO HEAR FROM ANYBODY FROM DUKE OR JUST GO, RIGHT, DUKE WANT TO SPEAK? IF THEY WANT TO. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR DAVIS.

DEPUTY MAYOR JONAS, COUNCIL MEMBER. BUTLER. COUNCIL MEMBER. MURPHY. COUNCILMAN ALTMAN COMING FROM ABOVE. CITY ATTORNEY. DRISCOLL. CITY MANAGER. MANNS AND MR. MUELLER.

[01:00:03]

THAT'S ALL IT IS. IN EXCHANGE, WE PAY A FEE. THAT'S IT. SO THE IDEA OF EXCLUSIVE, NON-EXCLUSIVE, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE IS SOME CONFUSION ABOUT EXCLUSIVE AND NON-EXCLUSIVE IN THE PRIOR AGREEMENT. IT SAID NON-EXCLUSIVE, BUT IT SAID NON-EXCLUSIVE AS TO ANYONE THAT WOULD TAKE AWAY BENEFITS THAT DUKE HAS. AND OBVIOUSLY, ONE OF THE BENEFITS IS TO BE THE EXCLUSIVE ELECTRICITY PROVIDER. SO THIS AGREEMENT IS NOT EXCLUSIVE TO IT'S JUST WE CAN HAVE WATER, WE CAN HAVE SEWER, WE CAN HAVE ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF THINGS IN THE RIGHT OF WAY. BUT IT'S EXCLUSIVE AS TO ELECTRICITY PROVISION. AND THAT'S THE BENEFIT THAT WE GET. THE CITY GETS MONEY, WE GET TO BE IN THE RIGHT OF WAY. AND THAT'S JUST A VERY SIMPLE IT'S A VERY SIMPLE EXCHANGE IN THIS PARTICULAR AGREEMENT. SO IF THE COUNCIL HAS ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM. BUT I YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, DUKE REALLY HAS SHOWN UP IN THIS COMMUNITY, AND I HOPE THE COUNCIL WILL RECOGNIZE THAT TONIGHT. ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY. I WAS GOING TO SPEAK WITH YOUR GROUP. THANKS. ANYBODY ELSE GOING TO SPEAK FROM YOUR GROUP? NO. OKAY. THANK YOU. BRING IT BACK FOR DISCUSSION AND VOTE.

I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE A SECOND MAKER. NO, I YOU KNOW, I AGREE. YOU KNOW, I LIVE HERE IN THIS COMMUNITY AND I THINK DUKE HAS DONE A VERY GOOD JOB HERE. I THINK IT'S BEEN A GOOD PARTNERSHIP. YOU KNOW I SEE HIM COME THROUGH, YOU KNOW, CHECKING POLLS, MAKING SURE THEY'RE UP TO DATE, YOU KNOW, STAMPING THEM. I MEAN, IF YOU SAW THE MAPPING SYSTEM THAT THEY HAD FOR TRACKING THAT SYSTEM, YOU WOULD BE VERY IMPRESSED. SO THANK YOU GUYS.

APPRECIATE IT. SECOND, YEAH, THAT'S KIND OF WHERE MY BACKGROUND CAME FROM. I USED TO WORK IN UTILITIES. I WAS A LINEMAN FOR 20 YEARS AND, AND WORKED FOR SEVERAL UTILITY COMPANIES IN THE AREA. SO I KNOW WHAT THEY DO AND WHAT THEY HAVE TO HAVE TO PROVIDE. AND IT'S NOT EASY. SO I'VE GOT I'VE GOT NOTHING MORE THAN THAT. YEAH. I WOULD START BY SAYING THE COMMENT WAS MADE BY THE DUKE ENERGY. EXCUSE ME, WHAT WAS YOUR NAME, MA'AM? MISS CHRISTIAN. THANK YOU. MISS CHRISTIAN HAD SAID THAT WE WE'VE BEEN HERE AND DUKE ENERGY HAS FOR FOR SURE, FOR CERTAIN. BEEN HERE FOR QUITE SOME TIME. AND THE INVESTMENT THAT THEY HAVE MADE INTO OUR COMMUNITY STANDS FOR ITSELF, ESPECIALLY SOME OF THE UNDERGROUNDING WORK THEY'RE DOING TO HELP WITH RESILIENCY. AND AND THAT BEING SAID, I POINT THE DIRECTION TO OUR CITY ADMINISTRATION AND TO OUR STAFF JUST TO SAY THAT IS HISTORY GOING BACK TO 1996 WITH THIS AGREEMENT THAT WE COULD BE PULLING DATA TO TO MAKE THE ARGUMENT FOR HOW DUKE ENERGY IS, OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH DUKE ENERGY IS PROVIDING FOR AFFORDABILITY, HOW WE CAN BE EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY ON HOW AGREEMENTS UNIQUE TO THIS ONE SERVE OUR RESIDENTS. WHAT I SEE HERE IS A YOU KNOW, THE COMMENT WAS MADE THAT WE APPEAR AS COUNCIL MEMBERS RECEIVE A PACKET. I'D LOVE TO RECEIVE A PACKET, BUT WHAT I HAVE IN FRONT OF ME IS A CONTRACT THAT'S BEEN REDLINED. THAT QUOTE UNQUOTE, MODERNIZES SELECTIONS OF OUR OF THE AGREEMENT WITHOUT DISCUSSING, ONE, THE IMPLICATIONS OF THOSE CHANGES. BUT TWO, MORE

[01:05:05]

BUT THERE'S THERE'S NO WAY TO KNOW. AND UNLESS OUR STAFF IS WILLING TO ANSWER SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS. SO THE QUESTIONS I DIRECT STAFF GOING INTO THE SECOND READING IS, WHAT ARE THE EXISTING PROGRAMS WE HAVE UNDER THE DUKE RELATED TO UNDERGROUNDING, RELATED TO OUR BUYBACK PROGRAM FOR SOLAR? ANY OTHER, YOU KNOW, TOUCH POINTS THAT COME BEFORE COUNCIL THAT WE'VE APPROVED IN THE PAST, DOES THAT BEAR ANY RELEVANCE TO THIS AGREEMENT AND HOW ARE THEY IMPACTED? AND THEN THE SECOND ONE, SINCE THE QUESTION WAS RAISED IS, WHAT IS OUR WHAT IS OUR EXPOSURE WHEN IT COMES TO. I'M ASSUMING THIS IS RELATED JUST TO THE SERVICE OF ELECTRICITY. IS THERE ANY MENTION OR IMPACT ON DATA CENTERS? BECAUSE I DIDN'T READ ANYTHING THAT SUGGESTED THAT. BUT I'M NOT A LAWYER. I'M NOT A LAWYER. SO IF THEY IF THEY IF WE CAN JUST QUELL THE NERVES OF ANYONE WHO'S CONCERNED ABOUT DATA CENTERS, IF THAT CAN BE TALKED ABOUT IN THE IN THE SECOND READING. AND JUST TO END BY SAYING, I WANT TO END ON A POSITIVE NOTE TO AGAIN HIGHLIGHT AND THANK OUR ENERGY PROVIDER FOR BEING A PARTNER WITH US FOR SO MANY YEARS AND THAT IN THIS MOMENT WHERE WE DO HAVE AN AFFORDABILITY CRISIS AND PEOPLE ARE GENUINELY CONCERNED, MY ELECTRICITY BILL WENT UP AND IT'S HARD TO PAY IT THAT WE ARE FINDING WAYS TO SAVE MONEY FOR OUR RESIDENTS. I JUST DON'T KNOW WHETHER THAT MEANS CUTTING UP A 30 YEAR RELATIONSHIP, YOU KNOW, 30 PLUS YEAR RELATIONSHIP IN THE NAME OF NOT POTENTIALLY NOT EVEN SAVING MONEY FOR HAVING TO GO ROGUE AND GO WITH A PRIVATE PROVIDER OR DIFFERENT PRIVATE PROVIDER OR MAKING OUR OWN SERVICE. SO, PETE, YOU GOT ANY

[01:10:05]

I DO WANT TO MAKE NOTE THAT WE WERE AMONG THE FIRST COMMUNITIES THAT DUKE CAME AND REPLACED OUR STREET LIGHTS WITH A LESS EXPENSIVE. VARIETY. USING A MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT LIGHTING AND THEN SECONDLY, THAT MUCH OF THE LIGHTS WE HAVE IN OUR DOWNTOWN AND OUR DECORATIVE LIGHTS, I BELIEVE MANY OF THEM ARE LEASED LIGHTS FROM DUKE. AND I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WOULD IMPAIR US AT SOME POINT WITH RESPECT TO THOSE LEASES, FROM REPLACING CAPITAL EQUIPMENT WITH OUR OWN EQUIPMENT, WHICH WE SEE SOMETIMES AT OUR CONFERENCES, AND HAVING THOSE DISCUSSIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVIDE THE MOST EFFICIENT SERVICES TO THE RESIDENTS. FINALLY, I KNOW IT WAS A FEW YEARS BACK WHEN THE CITY ENGAGED IN THE ACQUISITION OF SOME PARTNERSHIP, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY, OR JOINT OWNERSHIP IN THE SOLAR FIELDS WITH AN AGREEMENT THAT THAT WOULD MAINTAIN A LOWER OUR BILLS IN THE LONG TERM. SO WE MADE A LONG TERM INVESTMENT. WE HAVE MANY OTHER ENGAGEMENTS WITH DUKE BEYOND OUR USE OF THE RIGHT OF WAY FOR POLES AND WIRES. I'M THINKING ABOUT POTENTIAL SOLAR ELECTRICITY. I AM CONCERNED, AND I'D LIKE TO HAVE SOME KIND OF RESPONSE AT THE SECOND READING. A RECOGNITION AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE INABILITY FOR RESIDENTS WHO GENERATE ELECTRICITY TO, IN TURN, CONTRIBUTE THAT TO THE POWER GRID, OR TO THE CITY, OR ANY THING THAT WE WOULD DO. I DON'T WANT US TO BE INHIBITED FROM BECOMING PROGRESSIVE IN TERMS OF OUR ABILITY TO PARTICIPATE WITH DUKE, WHO DOES HAVE THE LINES IN THAT REGARD.

SO THERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS, BUT THIS IS FIRST READING, AND I WILL SUPPORT THE MOTION. I THINK THERE'S QUESTIONS THAT ARE ALWAYS BROUGHT UP AT FIRST READING AND DEALT WITH BEFORE THE SECOND READING, USUALLY WITH STAFF INSTEAD OF HERE ON COUNCIL. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY I, I, I I THAT'S FIVE NOTHING. FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 2026 2350

[11.b) First Reading, Ordinance No. 2026-2350: Amendments to Utility Ordinance]

[01:15:02]

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU, MAYOR. COUNCIL, I THINK THE LAST TIME. BRING THE MIC.

PEOPLE CAN'T HEAR. BRING IT UP CLOSE TO YOU. HOW ABOUT NOW? IS THAT BETTER? WELL, I KNOW PEOPLE AT HOME HAVE PROBLEMS. OKAY? IT'S THE FIRST TIME THAT ANYBODY'S EVER SAID THEY COULDN'T HEAR ME. SO THIS IS THIS IS UNIQUE. I THINK IT WAS ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO. IT WAS THE LAST TIME THAT I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TO COUNCIL. AND I DID SO AS YOUR CONSULTANT AND TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO TONIGHT AS A MEMBER OF YOUR TEAM. I'M VERY GRATEFUL. SO IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK WITH YOU AGAIN. THE ITEM BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IS TO REQUEST AMENDMENTS TO THE CITY'S UTILITY ORDINANCE, AND WE WANT TO KIND OF PULL BACK A LITTLE BIT AND GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THAT YOUR CITY'S UTILITY DOES NOT JUST SERVICE THE CITY LIMITS. IN FACT, YOU'LL SEE THE AREAS WITH THE DOTTED LINES THAT FALL OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS, AND THEY MAKE UP ABOUT 40% OF YOUR OVERALL CUSTOMER BASE LIES OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS HERE. JUST SOME DATA THAT KIND OF GIVES YOU AN IDEA, AGAIN, OF THE SCOPE, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT YOUR WASTEWATER OPERATION THERE IN THE CENTER, 7.5 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY IS OUR CAPACITY THAT WE HAVE AT OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT. OR YOU MAY SEE IT SAYS W RF WATER RECLAMATION FACILITY. IT'S THE SAME THING THAT'S SPLIT UP BETWEEN. PASCO COUNTY HAS 3.7 MGD OF THAT CAPACITY. WE HAVE 3.8 OF THAT CAPACITY AND A LITTLE OVER 50 EMPLOYEES. ALL TOLD, FOR YOUR WATER, WASTEWATER, STORM WATER UTILITY OPERATIONS. WE LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF CONNECTIONS AROUND 11,701 IS THE WATER CONNECTIONS YOU HAVE. THAT BREAKS DOWN TO ABOUT A 5643 SPLIT OF THOSE WITHIN THE CITY AND THOSE THAT FALL OUTSIDE THE CITY. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SEWER CONNECTIONS, TYPICALLY YOU'D FIND UTILITY THAT'S A LITTLE BIT LESS. YOU SEE THAT HERE, A LITTLE OVER 9500 CONNECTIONS. THEY'RE NOT RIGHT AT 32% OF YOUR CONNECTIONS FALL OUTSIDE THE CITY. THE NUMBERS ALONG THE BOTTOM, THAT 15.6, NUMBER 15.593. THAT'S YOUR THREE YEAR AVERAGE OF ANNUAL REVENUE. WATER, WASTEWATER AND THE 1.2. THAT'S 8344 DEPOSITS THAT ARE BEING ADMINISTERED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. AND OF THOSE, 8344, ONLY 352 OF THEM EARNED INTEREST. THAT EXCEEDED TEN BUCKS. SO IT IS AN INCREDIBLE UNDERTAKING. ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WE OR THE AMENDMENTS THAT WERE REQUESTING THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER TONIGHT IS THAT WE WOULD HAVE THE TREATMENT OF THOSE SECURITY DEPOSITS BE PLACED IN A NON-INTEREST BEARING ACCOUNT. NOW WE PIVOT TO CUSTOMER ACCOUNTS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN CONNECTIONS AND TOTAL, RIGHT AT ABOUT 17,000 TOTAL CUSTOMER ACCOUNTS, ALL IN WATER AND WASTEWATER. BUT IF YOU'LL NOTICE, RIGHT AT 94% OF THEM ARE RESIDENTIAL ACCOUNTS AND ONLY 6% COMMERCIAL. BUT REALLY THE COMPELLING NUMBER IS THAT 8317 WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TOTAL MAKEUP OF CUSTOMERS THAT FALL AS AN OWNER OR A NON-OWNER, NON-OWNERS MAKE UP ONLY 17% OF YOUR ENTIRE WATER AND WASTEWATER UTILITY CUSTOMER BASE, THE 499 THAT REPRESENTS THE LAST THREE YEARS AVERAGE OF WHAT WE HAVE APPLIED TO OUR BAD DEBT ALLOWANCE. IT'S BASICALLY THE AMOUNT THAT WE FELT WE WERE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO COLLECT. IF YOU KEEP THAT 8,317% NUMBER IN MIND, YOU CAN LOOK AT THE NUMBER TO THE RIGHT, THE PERCENTAGES THERE, AND OF THE UNCOLLECTED REVENUE IN YOUR CITY'S UTILITY, 64% OF THAT UNCOLLECTED REVENUE COMES FROM 17% OF YOUR CUSTOMERS. AND SO THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT WOULD GO INTO WHY WE WOULD BE RECOMMENDING THE AMENDMENTS THAT ARE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT.

[01:20:06]

[01:25:05]

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY I, I, I, I THAT'S FIVE NOTHING. MOVING ON TO SECOND READING OF

[11.c) Second Reading, Ordinance No. 2026-2364: Amendments to Chapter 23, Code of Ordinances RE: Transportation Devices]

[01:30:07]

OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, I BROUGHT UP, YOU KNOW, THE THE GOLF CARTS BEING ALLOWED TO PARK ALONG THE SIDE OF THE, THE PARK DURING EVENTS. SO I THINK WE CLEAR THAT UP. AND, YOU KNOW, TO THE COMMENT ABOUT THE, THE E-BIKES AND GREAT PRESERVE, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY IT'S NECESSARY. I MEAN, MY WIFE AND I GO WALK THROUGH THERE ALL THE TIME AND KIDS JUST PLOW THROUGH THERE AND DON'T HAVE ANY REVERENCE FOR ANYBODY BEING THERE. SO UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS IS A GOOD IDEA MOVING FORWARD. SO SECOND, I'M GOOD. SO YEAH, JUST TO SAY WHAT I SAID BEFORE, WHICH IS THAT WHAT THIS ORDINANCE IS DOING IS IT IS LIMITING THE SAFE PLACES THAT A BICYCLE, A MICRO MOBILITY DEVICE, A SCOOTER, THE PLACES WHERE THEY CAN GO WITHOUT COMPETING WITH TRAFFIC, WITHOUT COMPETING WITH A VEHICLE THAT IS GOING TO HIT THEM AND POTENTIALLY KILL THEM. THE AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF THERE IS A PROBLEM WHERE THERE THERE IS A FEELING OF SOME MICRO MOBILITY DEVICE SPEEDING AND CAUSING A NUISANCE, CAUSING A NUISANCE IN OUR PARK. THE. THE CITY STAFF HAS HAS PROVEN, EVIDENCED BY OUR OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO MOBILIZE A PROBLEM SOLVING UNIT QUITE QUICKLY, AND THE NUMBERS SUPPORT IT. THEY HAVE PRESENTED THE NUMBERS TO SUPPORT THE FACT THAT IF THERE IS A PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED, A CHRONIC ISSUE WITH USE OF MICRO SCOOTERS, AS HAS BEEN SUGGESTED THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO LOOK INTO THAT AND AND ADDRESS IT, BUT TO TAKE AWAY SIGNIFICANT PARTS OF OPEN SPACE FROM OUR MICRO USERS, TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE, PUTS THEM ON THE ROADS, PUTS THEM ON SPACES WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE INTERACTING WITH CARS THAT COULD KILL THEM. SO FOR THOSE REASONS, I DON'T SUPPORT ORDINANCE. YES. I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT STARTED OUT AS SOMETHING FOR RAILROAD SQUARE? AND TURNED INTO SOMETHING MUCH BIGGER. AND I THINK THE EXPANDED, THE EXPANDED DEFINITION OF TRANSPORTATION DEVICES TROUBLES ME. I MEAN, MICRO DEVICES THAT ARE ELECTRONICALLY OR ARTIFICIALLY POWERED IN SOME WAY IS ONE THING. BUT JUST BECAUSE. A SKATEBOARD, ROLLER SKATES, ROLLER BLADES, A CHILD HAVING AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE THAT THEY HAVE GOTTEN FOR CHRISTMAS, GOING INTO FRANCIS PARK AND DRIVING AROUND IN AN EMPTY FIELD WHERE NOBODY IS ELIMINATING THAT IS A RESTRICTION IN A REGULATION THAT KIND OF GOES AGAINST THE CURRENT TRENDS OF LESS REGULATIONS. NOW, I UNDERSTAND THE SAFETY ISSUE. MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE THAT THIS ORDINANCE APPLY DURING SPECIAL EVENTS, THAT WE DON'T WANT THOSE KIND OF ACTIVITIES GOING WHEN WE ARE CROWDED AND HAVE LOTS OF FOLKS ON SIDEWALKS AND THE LIKE. THE THE COMMENTS THAT I HEARD FROM COUNCILMAN JONAS, I THINK, REFLECTED TO SOMEONE GOING VERY FAST AND RIDING ON PLACES THAT THEY PROBABLY WERE NOT AND SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO RIDE ON IN TERMS OF PATHS, BUT TO BROAD BRUSH OUR PARK AND OUR PARKS. AND AS I LOOK AT FRANCIS

[01:35:01]

ARE NOT TRANSPORTATION DEVICES. SKATEBOARDING ONLY IN SKATEBOARD PARK. GOODNESS, IF YOU'RE A SKATEBOARDER AND YOU CAN DO IT, YOU KNOW, REASONABLY, I THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT TOO, TOO MUCH. SO I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT THERE'S ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE AT THIS POINT. IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'VE GOT SUPPORT FOR IT, BUT I WILL ALSO VOTE AGAINST IT, JUST IN THE SENSE OF IT BEING OVER A BIT OVERREACH. I JUST HAVE AN OPINION THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH ALL THE GROWTH AROUND THIS AREA, WITH PEDESTRIANS ON THE PARK, BUT ON THE STREETS AND JUST JUST IN THE WHOLE TOWN, YOU KNOW, I, I SUPPORT THIS BECAUSE I LOOK FOR I'VE SEEN, I'VE SEEN THE, THE BIKES ON SIDEWALKS RUN INTO PEOPLE JUST STANDING ON THE SIDEWALK. SO JUST THE PUBLIC SAFETY IN THESE VEHICLES, THE PEOPLE AREN'T STOPPING IT. IT STOPS SIGNS. THEY JUST BUZZ RIGHT THROUGH BECAUSE THEY'RE JUST NOT OBEYING THE LAW. SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, MR. MAYOR, BEFORE YOU VOTE, CAN I JUST MAKE A COUPLE COMMENTS FOR THE RECORD? I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND THE CHANGE FROM THE FIRST TO SECOND READING, WHICH WAS HIGHLIGHTED.

BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU I MAKE YOU AWARE OF IT AS WELL. THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT GOLF CARTS, ESPECIALLY DURING SPECIAL EVENTS, AND I INCLUDED GOLF FOR GOLF CARTS IN THE TRANSPORTATION DEVICE DEFINITION, EVEN THOUGH I THINK THERE ARE ESSENTIALLY ALREADY INCLUDED. BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS CLEAR. AND THEN AS THE CITY MANAGER ALLUDED TO, THERE'S A PROVISION THAT ALLOWS FOR SPECIAL DISPENSATION FOR ANY TYPE OF DEVICE DURING ANY TYPE OF EVENT THAT'S EITHER APPROVED BY THIS COUNCIL OR THE CITY MANAGER TO GIVE YOU SOME FLEXIBILITY TO OPEN THOSE AREAS BACK UP FOR SPECIFIC THINGS. SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT TO YOU AND I, AND NOT TO EVEN COMMENT ON ANY OF THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE, BUT JUST TO MAKE YOU AWARE THAT THIS DOES APPLY IN THE PARKS, AS YOU OBVIOUSLY WELL AWARE OF, BUT IT DOESN'T APPLY TO THE RIGHT OF WAYS. SO THE ONLY PROVISIONS THAT APPLY TO THE RIGHT OF WAYS ARE A MULTI-USE PATH, ARE THE PROVISIONS WITH REGARD TO RECKLESS OPERATIONS. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S CLEAR. WE DIDN'T GET INTO TRYING TO REGULATE AGE RESTRICTIONS, HELMET REQUIREMENTS, SOME OF THOSE OTHER THINGS. I THINK THOSE ARE GOING TO PROBABLY COME BACK BEFORE YOU. AT SOME POINT, YOU MIGHT FIND THE NEED TO GET INTO THOSE. THE STATE LAW DOES NOW ALLOW US SOME FLEXIBILITY IN SOME OF THOSE AREAS, SO THAT MAY BE SOMETHING IN THE FUTURE THAT YOU WANT TO CONSIDER, BUT THAT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS ORDINANCE AT THIS TIME. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY I, I, THOSE OPPOSED.

NAY, IT'S A THREE TWO. MOVING ON TO REQUEST WAIVE FEES FOR CODY RIVER BIKE FEST. YES, WE

[12.a) Request to Waive Fees for 2025 Cotee River Bikefest]

AND THIS AGENDA ITEM RELATES TO THE 2025 CODY RIVER BIKE FEST, WHICH IS A CITY EVENT THAT, OF COURSE, TOOK PLACE LAST YEAR. AND THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF CITY SUPPORT THAT WAS DEDICATED TO THE PROJECT OR THE EVENT WAS $21,000, AND THE TOTAL FEES FOR THE ASSOCIATED WITH PUTTING ON THE EVENT FROM THE CITY'S PERSPECTIVE, WAS $31,285.76. AS YOU'LL RECALL AT YOUR MEETING ON MARCH 3RD. ON 2026, THERE WAS A MOTION MADE AND SUPPORTED BY YOU TO WAIVE FEES ASSOCIATED WITH THE 2025 CHASCO FIESTA, WHICH PROMPTED THE QUESTION BY MISS FARRELL ABOUT THE

[01:40:05]

I WON'T SPEAK FOR THE REST OF THE COUNCIL, BUT I CAN SAY I'M THINKING WHEN I READ THAT, THE FIRST THING I THOUGHT BACK TO IS MR. JONES. COUNCILMAN JONAS'S COMMENTS ABOUT, HEY, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A CRITERIA PROCESS GOING FORWARD. AND I THINK BACK EVEN FURTHER TO MR. ALTMAN'S CONVERSATIONS, THE LAST 2 OR 3 BUDGET SEASONS AS IT RELATES TO HOW WE GO ABOUT MANAGING THESE EVENTS TO BEGIN WITH. BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, ALL OF THESE COSTS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS. AND SO WHETHER WE CONSIDER SOME OF THESE EVENTS, AS WOULD, I WOULD SAY, FOR OKTOBERFEST OR EXCUSE ME, FOR BIKE FEST, TO BE STAPLE EVENTS TO THE COMMUNITY THAT BRING A LOT OF PEOPLE TO OUR DOWNTOWN, THAT GENERATE A LOT OF BUZZ, THAT CREATE A CHARITABLE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. I THINK THAT THEY CHECKBOX, THEY EVERY BOX IS CHECKED THERE WHEN IT COMES TO THIS EVENT. AND SO IT'S THE SECOND EVENT OF MANY THAT WE ARE NOW HAVING TO CONSIDER ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS, BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE A FORMAL PROCESS. SO THAT BEING SAID, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD YOU KNOW, WHAT IS BEING OUTLINED HERE AND THE CASE BEING MADE HERE. I DON'T THINK PERSONALLY WE SHOULD AT ANY POINT IN TIME FAULT SOMEONE FOR ASKING THE QUESTION. AND MY MIND GOES TO UNTIL WE CAN GET OUR HOUSE IN ORDER. WHEN IT COMES TO SPECIAL EVENTS THAT I MOTION, UNLESS THERE'S. I DON'T WANT TO JUMP THE GUN, BUT I MOVE TO APPROVE THE. OR EXCUSE ME, LET ME SEE IF THERE WAS A RECOMMENDATION. EXCUSE ME. RECOMMENDATION FOR CITY. I MOVE IT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY TO TO PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL IN-KIND SUPPORT TO THE FERAL CARES INC. IN THE AMOUNT OF $10,285.76. SECOND. I'LL SECOND. ANYTHING ELSE? MY COMMENTS STAND. OKAY, WELL, JUST TO REITERATE WHAT I'VE SAID IN THE PAST, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE NOT FOR PROFITS, EVERYTHING THEY DO FOR OUR CITY, IT'S GREAT, BUT WE NEED TO GET IT IN LINE OURSELVES. AND I SAID IT BEFORE AND, AND HOPEFULLY WHEN WE DO OUR BUDGET, I'D LIKE TO CHANGE POTENTIALLY HOW WE DO THESE EVENTS. AND, YOU KNOW, HAVE THESE, YOU KNOW, EVENTS COME TO US PRIOR AND PUT THEIR REQUESTS IN SO WE CAN ALLOW FOR BUDGETARY MONEY TO SUPPORT THESE EVENTS. BUT I DEFINITELY DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR FOR US TO GIVE MONEY TO CHASCO AND NOT TO, YOU KNOW, CODY RIVER BIKE FEST. BUT THE PROBLEM IS WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE RECTIFY THIS SITUATION DURING THIS UPCOMING BUDGET SEASON SO WE DON'T HAVE THIS PROBLEM AGAIN, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OTHER EVENTS COMING TO US ASKING FOR THE SAME THING. AND IT'S GOING TO BECOME A PROBLEM BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THIS MONEY BUDGETED AND WE'RE GIVING IT OUT. SO IF I IF I CAN, MR. JONES, YOU JUST STIRRED A THOUGHT FOR ME. WHEN WE START HAVING THAT CONVERSATION, YOU KNOW, IN ADDITION TO OBVIOUSLY LOOKING AT OTHER CITIES AND HOW THEY DO IT, MY MIND GOES TO INSTEAD OF HAVING TO TURN THIS INTO, WELL, WHY DID CODY RIVER GET THIS AMOUNT? BUT CHASCO GOT THIS AMOUNT TO JUST BUILD IN SOME SORT OF TIERED SYSTEM WITHIN THE SPECIAL EVENTS PROCESS. WHATEVER THE CASE, IT MAY BE WHERE IT'S ASSOCIATED

[01:45:03]

THAT'S ONLY 50% OF IN-KIND COSTS. WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE. I IT'S IT'S JUST IT'S TROUBLING TO ME AND TO YOUR POINT TO BE PLAYING, YOU KNOW, THIS GAME OF, WELL, WE JUST HAVE TO DO IT FOR THEM BECAUSE WE DID IT FOR THE OTHER PEOPLE. THERE'S NO THERE'S NO BASIS OF THAT. AND IT'S A $10,000. IT'S A $10,000 COST FOR PLAYING THIS SUBJECTIVE GAME OF WHO GETS WHAT WITHOUT HAVING THE NUMBERS TO SAY THIS WAS THE ECONOMIC BENEFIT OF THIS EVENT. AND THIS WAS THE BURDEN ON THE ON THE CITY STAFF. SO TO YOUR POINT, YEAH, THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME SORT OF CRITERIA, IF I MAY. SO I KNOW MR. TRAPP WAS WORKING ON SOMETHING, SO I'M GOING TO BRING THAT BACK UP TO HIM MOVING FORWARD. HE WAS LOOKING INTO POSSIBLY DOING SOMETHING LIKE CLEARWATER DOES THEIR SPECIAL EVENT. SO I WANT TO I WANT TO RELOOK AT THAT BECAUSE WE NEED TO MODEL OFF OF SOMEONE WHO'S DOING IT. AND I KNOW CLEARWATER DOES A LOT MORE EVENTS THAN WE DO, SO WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING. BUT I THINK WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE HERE SAYING, HEY, YOU ONLY DID 50%. I I'M NOT COMFORTABLE SAYING THAT HERE BECAUSE I'VE SEEN THE BENEFIT THIS EVENT HAS HAD IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO I'M NOT COMFORTABLE SAYING, NO, WE'RE LEAVING IT AT 21,000 BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT NUMBER IS BASED ON. RIGHT. MR. MAYOR, JUST A SECOND. YEAH, I'M I'M ALSO BUILDING FORWARD. I MEAN, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE CHASCO FIESTA AND TALKING ABOUT IN CANADA, AND WE KNEW THIS WOULD PROBABLY HAPPEN. AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DUE FOR ONE, WE HAVE TO DO FOR THE OTHER. YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE FAIR TO TO DO OTHERWISE. BUT WE DO NEED TO GET IT A SYSTEM IN PLACE IN WRITING SO WE KNOW HOW TO OPERATE IN THE FUTURE. PETE. YES, SIR. JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS. I MEAN, THERE'S SOME REALLY GREAT EVENTS IN THE TOWN THAT I SUPPORT THE SUICIDE PREVENTION WALK AS A DAY. THERE ARE EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE PARK REGULARLY, MANY OF THEM BY CHURCHES OR OTHER CHARITABLE EVENTS. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BIG EVENTS, THE THE ONES IN WHICH END UP ON THE SHORT LIST OF THE CITY'S CALENDAR OF EVENTS. MANY TIMES WE'VE TALKED ABOUT OUR 4TH OF JULY EVENT, OUR CHRISTMAS PARADE, AND OF COURSE, THE CHASCO. AND BECAUSE OF ITS SUCCESS, THE THE BIKE FEST HAS BECOME ONE OF THOSE TOP TIER EVENTS THAT WE WE MIGHT FIND ON OUR FLIERS. I WOULD LIKE TO JUST CORRECT ONE THING THOUGH.

THE COMMENT THAT WAS MADE THAT SIMILAR TO THE CHASCO FIESTA THAT THIS EVENT SUPPORTS LOCAL CHARITIES. I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE CHARITY IS, BUT I'M. AND I'M NOT SURE THAT THE MONEY THAT'S COLLECTED GOES TO A LOCAL CHARITY, BUT THE CHASCO FIESTA DOES NOT PROVIDE FUNDING TO CHARITIES. THE CHASCO FIESTA IS A PROVIDER OF ENTERTAINMENT AND SERVICES WHOSE MONEY IS DEVOTED SOLELY TO ITS PURPOSE, WHICH IS TO INCREASE ENTERTAINMENT AND EDUCATION. SO I WANT TO BE JUST SPECIFIC TO TO WHEN WE GET TO IT, TO LOOK AT AND IT'S MY OPINION AND I'LL LET IT OUT NOW THAT THAT THE EVENTS THAT THE CITY IS PUTTING ON NOW, IT'S MUSIC IN THE PARK IS SUMMER MUSIC SEASON NOW IS BEGINNING TO SERVE ALCOHOL. AND SO WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO DO IS LOOK AT A PROPER BUDGET TO PROVIDE THE SECURITY THAT'S NECESSARY FOR THE EVENTS THAT WE WANT TO HAPPEN, AND TO WHICH WE SHOULD HAVE SOME CONTROL OVER THEIR QUALITY. AND COUNCILMAN MURPHY MADE THE COMMENT, THE LAST MEETING, I BELIEVE, OR THE ONE BEFORE THAT THE CHASCO FIESTA HAS, HAS SUFFERED IN TERMS OF ITS, YOU KNOW, ENTERTAINMENT VALUE OR ITS SUCCESS. IT SUFFERED REALLY BECAUSE IT CAN NO LONGER REALLY DEPEND ON REVENUE FROM A CARNIVAL. AND BECAUSE SPONSORSHIP IS DIFFICULT TO MAKE. I KNOW THAT THERE ARE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS THAT WERE MENTIONED AS WELL. SO I THINK TO THE POINT THAT COMMISSIONER BUTLER, COUNCILMAN BUTLER'S MADE ABOUT ITS VALUE AND ITS ECONOMIC VALUE TO THE CITY, THAT WE DO NEED TO COME UP WITH SOME KIND OF A MEASUREMENT GAUGE TO SHOW, AND IT'S POSSIBLE TO DO IN TODAY'S WORLD WHAT KIND OF ECONOMIC IMPACT THESE EVENTS ARE HAVING, AND

[01:50:05]

THANK YOU. YOU GOT OUR THREE MINUTE CLOCK GOING HERE. YEAH. I JUST WANT I WANT TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, I CAME TO TOWN AND WAS CHASCO, YOU KNOW, AND THEN ABOUT GIVE ME THE NUMBER SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE YEARS AGO, WE CAME WITH THE BIKE FEST AND NOW WITH RAILROAD SQUARE WITH THE SIMS PARK, THERE'S, THERE'S WE JUST HAVE NO IDEA WHERE WE'RE GOING. I THINK AN EXAMPLE WAS NEW YEAR'S EVE. WE, WE HAD NO IDEA WE WERE GOING TO GET 15,000 PEOPLE THERE, YOU KNOW, SO I THINK WE'VE GOT TO GET SOME KIND OF ORGANIZATION PLAN AND PUT IN PLACE SO THAT WHEN SOMEBODY DOES COME, HERE WE ARE. WHERE DO YOU FIT IN HERE? AND THIS IS WHAT THE THE RULES AND REGULATIONS ARE THOSE THOSE ARE OUR GUIDELINES. ARE THOSE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY I, I,

[12.b) Request to Enter into an Infrastructure Agreement with NPR Grand 1, LLC RE: Villa del Sol Project]

THE INFRASTRUCTURE AGREEMENT DEALS WITH ONE ELEMENT OF AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE PACKAGE THAT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, AND THIS IS ON THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA, BECAUSE WE ARE ACTUALLY REQUESTING YOUR PERMISSION TO ALLOW STAFF TO INSTALL AN EIGHT INCH WATER LINE TO SUPPORT THE TRANSMISSION OF RECLAIMED WATER FROM CECILIA AVENUE TO A PORTION OF THE GEORGE STREET, WHERE IT WILL BE CONNECTED TO THE PROPERTY TO SERVICE THE. TO SERVICE THE THE PROPERTY AND BY WAY OF THIS AGREEMENT, IF YOU APPROVE US TO DO THE WORK ON

[01:55:12]

SECOND, WE GOT SOMEBODY COMING DOWN. OH I'M SORRY. DONNA JENSEN 5922 WYOMING AVENUE, NEW PORT RICHEY. FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO SAY I'M EXCITED ABOUT SEEING SOMETHING GOING ON EVENTUALLY AT COMMUNITY HOSPITAL PROPERTY. YOU KNOW, WE CAN USE THE INCOME COMING IN FROM TAX BASE. MY QUESTION ONE QUESTION IS HOW MUCH IS IT GOING TO COST THE CITY TO RUN THIS LINE? HOW MUCH IS IT COSTING THE TAXPAYERS TO RUN THIS LINE? AND SECONDLY, WHO'S BENEFITING OTHER THAN THIS DEVELOPER TO HAVE THIS LINE BEING BROUGHT IN? ARE THERE OTHER PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT WILL BE ACCESSING ACCESSING THIS WATER LINE THAT'S COMING IN, OR IS IT JUST FOR HIS BENEFIT? IF IT'S JUST FOR HIS BENEFIT, THEN I THINK YOU NEED TO LOOK AT IT AGAIN, BECAUSE $100,000 OR HOWEVER MUCH IT IS, WOULD GO TO HELP A LOT OF ELDERLY PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT NEED A ROOF ON THEIR HOUSE, OR MAYBE ELECTRICAL WORK OR PLUMBING. SO WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT THE THE CONSTITUENTS THAT LIVE HERE AND NOT JUST THE DEVELOPER THAT'S COMING IN. HE SHOULD BE ABLE TO AFFORD, IF HE'S GOING TO BUILD WHAT HE PLANS ON BUILDING THERE, HE SHOULD BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO PAY FOR THE LINE IF NECESSARY.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. DID YOU WANT ME TO RESPOND AGAIN? THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH THIS AGENDA ITEM OR IS NOT ATTACHED TO THIS AGENDA ITEM AT ALL? IT IS PART OF THE CRA AGENDA LATER ON THIS EVENING. THIS IS THE. THE PURPOSE OF THIS AGENDA IS TO ASK IF WE CAN. IF WE CAN COMMIT CITY RESOURCES TO BUILD THE LINE AND IT WILL SERVICE THE PROPERTY. OR. IT'S DESIGNED TO SERVICE THE PROPERTY EXCLUSIVELY AT THIS POINT. BUT THERE IS SOME CAPACITY, SOME ADDITIONAL CAPACITY IN THE LINE, WHICH WILL BE INSTALLING ON GEORGE STREET, WHICH COULD ALSO SERVICE SOME ADDITIONAL PROPERTIES IF THEY DETERMINED THAT RECLAIMED WAS WATER THAT THEY WANTED TO ACCESS. AND WE WOULD LOOK INTO THAT MATTER. BASED ON WHERE WE HEADED IN GEORGE GEORGE STREET TO SEE WHAT MAKES SENSE. BUT WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING TO EXPAND, RECLAIM LINES IN THE CITY. AND I THINK THOSE WERE THE MAJOR QUESTIONS, A FEW STATEMENTS, BUT I THINK THOSE WERE THE EVERYBODY ELSE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK. AND I'M SORRY. GO AHEAD.

I DON'T KNOW IF HE SAID, ANYBODY ELSE YOU WANT ME TO GO AHEAD NOW. COME ON. MAYOR

[02:00:02]

THAT'S A WONDERFUL ADDITION TO HAVE THIS COMMUNITY COME IN. I'M ALSO WORRIED ABOUT DO WE HAVE ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE TAKEN CARE OF FOR IT? ARE THE ROAD CAPACITIES AVAILABLE? NOT JUST THE WATER, THE RECLAIMED WATER, BUT ARE WE GOING TO HAVE ENOUGH WATER TO SERVICE OUR COMMUNITY PROPERLY, OR ARE WE GOING TO HAVE WATER SHORTAGES, WHICH WE'VE ALL EXPERIENCED? IF YOU LIVED IN FLORIDA VERY LONG, WE'VE ALL EXPERIENCED WATER SHORTAGES. SO WATER IS A MAJOR CONCERN, WHETHER IT BE RECLAIMED OR REGULAR WATER. BUT, YOU KNOW, I'D LOVE TO HAVE RECLAIMED WATER. I HAVE A BIG YARD AND I CAN'T WATER MY YARD BECAUSE I CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY SEWER AND WATER ON IT. SO THAT'S JUST A CONCERN. THANK YOU CAN HELP ME, BUT DOESN'T.

IS IT RECLAIMED WATER BASED ON THE RESIDENTS OF THAT STREET GETTING TOGETHER? WE'VE NEVER BEEN ASKED. WELL, WELL, IT'S USUALLY THE NEIGHBORS GET TOGETHER AND THEN THEY APPROACH THE CITY BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO HAVE A PERCENTAGE. YEAH, WE. SO I SHOULD RUN AROUND AND GET.

YOU'RE TELLING ME I SHOULD RUN AROUND AND ASK HAPPENED ON THE STREETS THAT HAVE IT? YES. OKAY.

I WAS MADE AWARE OF THAT EVER. THERE WAS NOTHING THAT WAS EVER SENT OUT TO US AS HOMEOWNERS THAT'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, OH, IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME. BUT LIKE I SAID, I'VE LIVED IN MY HOUSE OVER 50 YEARS. THAT WAS AVAILABLE. WHEN WE BROUGHT THAT PROGRAM IN, I, I WASN'T EVEN ON COUNCIL THEN. RIGHT. AND THAT PROGRAM WAS. BUT I'M SAYING I NEVER, EVER RECEIVED ANYTHING TO GIVE THAT ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, DO YOU OR DON'T YOU WANT RECLAIMED WATER? THAT'S JUST WHAT I'M SAYING. SO IT'S REALLY UP TO YOUR NEIGHBORS TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU, THOUGH. I'M SORRY. WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH YOU. OKAY. PERFECT. YEAH. THANK YOU.

ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? SEEING? NO. NO ONE ELSE. COME FORWARD. BRING IT BACK FOR DISCUSSION. THE VOTE, MR. MAYOR. I'LL VOTE FOR APPROVAL OF THE REQUEST TO PROVIDE THE STAFF WITH AUTHORITY. I'LL SECOND. ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY, PETE? I DO, I DO, AND FIRST OF ALL, YOU KNOW, IN MY TIME BACK LOOKING AT THE UTILITIES, IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE RECLAIMED WATER IS A HAS BEEN A COST TO THE CITY. AND I THINK IT WOULD BE WORTHWHILE TO GET SOME REPORTS OF RELATED TO HOW MUCH THE CITY HAS PAID TO THE COUNTY FOR ELIMINATING FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE RECLAIMED WATER TO THEM BECAUSE THEY CHARGE US OR THEY ALWAYS HAVE CHARGED US FOR TAKING THE RECLAIMED WATER. SO FOR MANY YEARS WE WERE LOOKING FOR LOCATIONS IN ORDER TO GET IT DISTRIBUTED. AND THEN YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE COST OF THE PROJECTS INVOLVED. WHICH GOES TO YOUR POINT, MR. MAYOR, AS YOU DESCRIBED TO MR. GRAYSON, THAT THE YOU KNOW, THE THE CAPITAL COST TO GET WATER ALONG A CORRIDOR LIKE THAT MAY COST MUCH MORE WHENEVER WE FIND A NEW SUBDIVISION. AND I WOULD HOPE, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT THE NEW COMMUNITIES TO THE EAST THAT HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, CLOSE TO LITTLE ROAD THAT WE ARE SERVING UTILITIES, THAT THOSE KIND OF COMMUNITIES INSTALL WATER IRRIGATION FOR RECLAIMED WATER.

BECAUSE FOR A LONG TIME WE LOOKED TO TRY TO GET RID OF IT. BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, WHEN IT'S A DROUGHT, THEN YOU'RE A SHORTAGE OF WATER. BUT IF WE DON'T HAVE IT, THEN IT DOESN'T GO THROUGH THE PIPES. BUT IT'S IT'S NOT AN ECONOMIC BENEFIT TO THE CITY. I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A REQUEST FOR IT TO BE ALLOWED IN CASE OR AND IF THE CRA WAS TO PAY FOR IT, AND THE CRA HAS ITS OWN CHARGE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS A KIND OF A SEPARATE ISSUE.

SO THE FACT THAT YOU'RE NOT ASKING THE CURRENT UTILITY PAYERS TO PAY FOR THIS OUT OF THE UTILITY REVENUES REALLY IS AN IMPORTANT THING TO MENTION. AND THE FACT THAT WE HAVE THIS

[02:05:01]

AND I THINK THAT'S THE SITUATION HERE. SO I HOPE WE CAN GET IT PASSED. HAVE A SECOND. YEAH. AND I THINK A LITTLE BIT WHAT COUNCILMAN ALLMAN WAS TALKING ABOUT. IT'S MUCH EASIER TO GO INTO A BLANK CANVAS, A NEW SUBDIVISION GOING IN AND INSTALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WAY VERSUS WAITING TILL EVERYTHING'S BUILT AND THEN COMING BACK AND TRYING TO DO. IT'S MUCH MORE COSTLY THAT WAY. SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, FINANCIAL WISE, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S COST BENEFIT TO DO IT WHEN IT'S NEW. IT'S KIND OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT'S MUCH EASIER TO INSTALL SOMETHING IN YOUR HOUSE WHEN IT'S BEING BUILT VERSUS AFTER IT'S BUILT. YOU HAVE TO TEAR DOWN WALLS TO PUT IT IN, YOU KNOW, SAME, SAME CONCEPT. IT COSTS MORE. BUT I'M GLAD THEY'RE DOING THAT. AND I THINK ANYTHING NEW THAT WE DO, IT SHOULD BE INCLUDED. JUST TO MISS GRAYSON'S POINT, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND SHE'S BEEN HERE A LONG TIME. I MEAN, I'VE KNOWN HER MY WHOLE LIFE. YOU KNOW, WE'RE AN OLD CITY, YOU KNOW, LIKE, FOR MY OWN PROPERTY, WE HAVE A. WELL, SO THAT'S KIND OF A LITTLE BIT OF AN ISSUE FOR, YOU KNOW, RUNNING RECLAIMED LINES THROUGHOUT THE CITY IS A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE A WELL, SO THEY DON'T WANT TO PAY THE CONNECTION TO GET RECLAIMED. SO TO THE POINT IS KIND OF A LITTLE BIT OF A TOUGH THING.

YOU KNOW, NOBODY WANTS TO BANG ON THEIR NEIGHBOR'S DOOR AND SAY, LET'S GET TOGETHER AND DO RECLAIMED. BUT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THAT'S A GOOD WAY TO GET TOGETHER WITH YOUR NEIGHBOR AND MAYBE START SOMETHING. AND THEN WE CAN, YOU KNOW, INCREASE THIS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. YEAH, I, I DON'T WANT TO SPEND TOO MUCH TIME ON IT, BUT SINCE IT WAS BROUGHT UP, I DO WANT TO GET A LITTLE BIT OF CLARIFICATION. THE RECLAIMED PROGRAM THAT WAS DISCUSSED, AND THIS IDEA OF BEING ABLE TO COLLECT SIGNATURES OR GET SOME INTEREST FROM THE COMMUNITY, THERE IS STILL A CONNECTION FEE. THERE'S STILL SOME RELATED TO SUCH A PROGRAM. THERE'S STILL A FEE ASSOCIATED BY THE RESIDENTS FOR PUTTING THAT. IF THE CITY WERE TO DO THAT, THAT THE RESIDENTS WOULD ABSORB THE COST OF THAT. RIGHT. AND SO I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE QUESTION BECOMES, DOES THE 100, YOU KNOW, $50 MILLION INVESTMENT THAT THE DEVELOPER PLANS TO MAKE ON THIS PROJECT IN SUCH A RESPECT, JUSTIFY THE $98,000 OR WHATEVER THE NUMBER MAY BE THAT IS BEING SPENT FOR RECLAIM. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, MAYBE FOR THE CITY MANAGER, MAYBE FOR THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, MAYBE FOR THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, MAYBE FOR THE DEVELOPER. IT'S, YOU KNOW, TIT FOR TAT OVER MONEY OR NUMBERS. BUT THE POINT THAT'S BEING RAISED HERE TONIGHT, AND IT'S STILL A VALUABLE POINT. AND I, AND I HATE THAT THE VILLA DEL SOL, THAT PROJECT HAS TO BE THE SORT OF EXAMPLE OR NOT TO PUT IT CYNICALLY, BUT THE PUNCHING BAG FOR SOME OF THESE DARKER CORNER, YOU KNOW, DARKER CORNER ISSUES OF OUR CITY THAT CONTINUE TO BE PUSHED DOWN THE ROAD IS WE WOULDN'T BE HAVING TO, YOU KNOW, TIT FOR TAT OVER $98,000 IF WE HAD A FUNCTIONAL RECLAIM PROGRAM THAT WAS MORE ROBUST AND MORE USED. I MEAN, WE HAVE A RESIDENT WHO'S SAYING THEY'VE BEEN HERE FOR AS LONG AS THEY'VE BEEN, AND THEY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THE PROGRAM EXISTED. WE HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER UP HERE WHO I'M NOT GOING TO CALL OUT, BUT WHO HAS A NEIGHBOR OR A FAMILY MEMBER OR FRIEND WHO'S TRYING TO GET RECLAIM THEIR PEOPLE ACROSS THE STREET FROM THEM HAVE RECLAIMED AND THEY CAN'T GET RECLAIMED. AND SO THE POINT THAT WAS MADE TONIGHT WAS LESS ABOUT A DEVELOPER WAS LESS ABOUT THEM BEING PICKED FIRST.

I THINK THE POINT IS WE CONTINUE TO DO THINGS, AND MR. ALTMAN ACTUALLY KIND OF HIGHLIGHTED IT PERFECTLY. AND WHEN WE GO INTO BUDGET SEASON, I HOPE IT'S MADE A PRIORITY. WE CONTINUE TO PAVE THE WAY FOR THOSE WHO ARE ABLE TO PAY NOW, AND WE CONTINUE TO LOSE SIGHT ON THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A WHILE AND WHO HAVE BEEN PAYING IN FOR DECADES. AND SO I DON'T THINK I'M VOTING FOR THIS BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THIS PROJECT SHOULD BE HELD UP ON SOMETHING I SUPPORT, WHICH IS RECLAIMED WATER. I DO THINK THAT ANY OPPORTUNITY WE GET TO TAKE A BLANK CANVAS, LIKE MR. MURPHY SAID, AND PUT RECLAIMED WATER. WE SHOULDN'T HOLD THAT UP JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE ELSE HAS NOT GOTTEN IT YET. BUT THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT SOME WAYS TO LEVERAGE FINANCIAL DOLLARS TO DO THINGS FOR OUR RESIDENTS. AND I KNOW FOR ME, IF IT'S A MATTER OF A MONETARY AMOUNT, I'M ON BOARD.

WELL, THAT'S GOING TO COST THE CITY. OKAY, WELL, LET'S FIGURE OUT A WAY TO MAKE IT WORK

[02:10:03]

[12.c) ITB26-019 Plunge Pool and Dive Pool Resurfacing Bid Rejection]

[12.d) ITB23-007 Fire Station No. 2 Relocation Project Close-Out]

YEAH. IT'S ACTUALLY A CHANGE ORDER AND A FINAL PAY AMOUNT ON A ON A PROJECT CLOSE OUT WITH IAN L CONSTRUCTION GROUP. AND MR. MUELLER IS GOING TO PRESENT THE AGENDA ITEM. THANK YOU, MR. MANCE. GOOD EVENING COUNCIL. THE REQUEST FROM STAFF FOR CITY COUNCIL IS TO REVIEW AND CONSIDER FOR APPROVAL THE ATTACHED DEDUCTIVE CHANGE ORDER IN THE AMOUNT OF $706,017.08, AND THE FINAL PAY REQUEST IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $203,880.96, THAT WAS SUBMITTED BY IAN L CONSTRUCTION GROUP INCORPORATED FOR THE PROJECT. CLOSEOUT OF THE FIRE STATION.

NUMBER TWO RELOCATION PROJECT. AS COUNCIL MAY RECALL, THE CITY CONTRACTED WITH SPRING ENGINEERING IN 2019 FOR THE DESIGN OF THE NEW FIRE STATION TWO PROJECT FACILITY, WHICH WAS CONSTRUCTED ON A 1.19 ACRE SITE LOCATED ON GRAND BOULEVARD BETWEEN MARINE PARKWAY AND HIGH STREET. THE COMPLETED 7876 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY INCLUDES TWO DRIVE THRU APPARATUS, BAYS, ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES, LIVING QUARTERS FOR UP TO SIX PERSONNEL, TRAINING AND EXERCISE ROOMS, COMMERCIAL GRADE KITCHEN BUNKER GEAR STORAGE AND OSHA CERTIFIED DECON ROOM, AND OTHER AMENITIES NECESSARY TO SUPPORT MODERN FIRE SERVICE OPERATIONS. I BELIEVE MOST OF YOU WERE THERE FOR THAT OPENING. WHILE THE PROJECT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED AND IS OPERATIONAL, CONSTRUCTION EXCEEDED THE CONTRACTUAL COMPLETION PERIOD BY A TOTAL OF 672 DAYS. FOLLOWING EXTENSIVE REVIEW AND DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CONTRACTOR, STAFF DETERMINED THAT 315 OF THOSE DAYS WERE JUSTIFIED AND EXCUSABLE, RESULTING IN 357 OF THOSE DAYS BEING UNEXCUSED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONTRACT PROVISIONS, WHICH ESTABLISHES LIQUIDATED DAMAGES OF $1,500 PER DAY FOR DELAYS BEYOND THE APPROVED COMPLETION DATE, THE CITY HAS ASSESSED LIQUIDATED DAMAGES TOTALING $535,500. THIS AMOUNT HAS BEEN CORPORATE

[02:15:02]

[12.e) Update on Discussion Regarding Pasco County's Proposed Municipal Service Taxing Unit for Parks, Recreation, and Natural Resources ]

[02:20:06]

[02:25:08]

THAT'S COMPLETELY IT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SUBJECT. OKAY. BECAUSE IT'S ON HERE. SO I'M JUST MAKING SURE IF WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DISCUSSING THAT TONIGHT OR NOT. OKAY. IS THERE I KNOW I'M HEARING A LOT OF THEY, THEY, THEY PROPOSE WE DO THIS, THEY PROPOSE WE, YOU KNOW, USE THESE FIGURES, THESE AMOUNTS IS THERE IS THIS IN CITY STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION? AND COUNCILMAN ALTMAN OBVIOUSLY CHIME IN HERE BASED ON I MEAN, IF WE IF WE JUST DON'T GIVE WAY, IS THERE OTHER IS THERE OTHER OPTIONS THAT ARE MORE FAVORABLE TO THE CITY? I I'M NOT HEARING.

AND MAYBE I'M JUST NOT HEARING IT PROPERLY. I'M NOT HEARING A LOT OF THE CITY STAFF HAS, YOU KNOW, COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THIS IS THE BEST ROUTE FORWARD. I'M HEARING A LOT OF THE COUNTY IS SAYING, YOU KNOW, THIS IS YOUR OPTION IF YOU WANT TO BE A PART OF THIS. OTHERWISE WE'LL JUST SIT IT OUT. IF I CAN REPLY, LET'S IMAGINE IF WE DID NOT. IF WE SET IT OUT, OUR

[02:30:04]

SO TO ME, TELLING THEM, WE DON'T WANT TO PAY FOR YOUR STUFF AFTER ALL THE YEARS THAT WE'VE BEEN ASKING THEM NOT TO DOUBLE TAX US AND THEM CONTINUING TO BELIEVE OR SAY OR HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE AT ODDS WITH US, THERE'S NO INCREASE BY ALLOWING THEM TO DO IT. THE ONLY THING IT DOES IS IT RESTRICTS US FROM INCREASING OUR PROPERTY TAX MILLAGE. AND SO IF WE'RE WORRIED THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT, I WOULD BE VERY SURPRISED IF ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF US WOULD BE SAYING THAT. AND SO TO MY REPLY AGAIN TO TO YOU, COUNCILMAN BUTLER, IF IT HAS AN OUT CLAUSE BY MAY THE 1ST OF ANY YEAR, THEN WE WE ARE CLEARLY ABLE TO SAY, GO AHEAD, BUT WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT THIS HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION BECAUSE WE DON'T BELIEVE, COUNCILMAN ALTMAN, THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THE END OF THE WORLD. YOU HAVE UNTIL MAY TO SAY YOU DON'T AGREE WITH ME AND PULL OUT OF IT IF THAT AGREEMENT IS STILL AS IT WAS WHEN I LOOKED AT IT. SO IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S NOTHING TO LOSE BY CONTINUING TO WORK IN A COOPERATIVE WAY WITH THE COUNTY. AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF STEPPING AWAY FROM WHAT HAS BEEN A LIFETIME OF PAYING THEM OUR FULL SHARE OF PARKS AND REC RECREATION CHARGES. ALL OF A SUDDEN TO SAY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE PART OF IT ANYMORE. NO.

NOW, WHAT I WAS GETTING, I'M JUST SAYING, THE WAY IT'S CURRENTLY STRUCTURED IS I'M HEARING WE WE DO THIS AGREEMENT. OR THE OTHER OPTION IS WE SIT IT OUT. I WAS CURIOUS IF THERE'S OTHER WAYS TO STRUCTURE IT, WHERE IT'S MORE OF THIS IS WHAT THE CITY IS PROPOSING VERSUS I'M HEARING A LOT OF THIS IS WHAT THE COUNTY. I MEAN, THIS IS A COUNTY. I'M LOOKING AT A COUNTY DIAGRAM. WHERE'S OUR LIKE, WHAT ARE WHAT IS OUR ARE WE ON BOARD WITH THIS? BECAUSE, I MEAN, THIS IS REQUIRING US, LIKE YOU SAID, TO, TO INCREASE OUR CAP ON MILLAGE TO BE ABLE TO OR EXCUSE ME TO NEAR THE CAP CLOSER UP TO 8.7%. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FINANCIALLY. AND, AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, I'M LOOKING AT A COUNTY GRAPH RIGHT NOW. SO I, I'M, I'M, IS THIS THE COUNTY TELLING US WHAT WE WHAT OUR OPTIONS ARE? OR DO WE HAVE OPTIONS THAT WE CAN PUT FORTH TO THE, TO, TO, TO, TO THE COUNTY? AND THAT'S MY SOLE QUESTION. AND SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T HAVE A BACKGROUND IN FINANCE, I'M LEANING ON YOU A LITTLE BIT, MR. ALTMAN AND THE CITY MANAGER AND THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT. AND WHAT I'M HEARING IS THEY ARE I KEEP HEARING THEY THEY ARE SAYING, YOU KNOW, THIS IS HOW IT'S GOING TO BE STRUCTURED. SO I'M JUST CURIOUS IF IF YOU IF WHAT I'M HEARING IS, IS ACCURATE, IF THERE'S MORE, IF THERE'S IF THERE'S A THIRD OPTION, A FOURTH OPTION OTHER THAN THE TWO BINARY BINARY OPTIONS I'M GETTING RIGHT NOW, IF I, IF I MAY CONTINUE. MR. MANN'S, THE QUESTION YOU'RE ASKING IS, IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN CONTROL WHAT THE COUNTY DOES, WHAT FIGURE THEY COME UP WITH, HOW MUCH IMPROVEMENT THEY WANT TO MAKE? THEY'RE PLANNING $40 MILLION, FOR EXAMPLE, I THINK, OR SO FOR SUPER PARKS ON THE EAST SIDE, 1 OR 2, I'M NOT SURE.

AND AND UP TO THIS POINT IN OUR LIFETIME OF THE CITY, WE HAVE PAID OUR SHARE OF BOND ISSUANCES AND COSTS OF OPERATION ARE OUR FAIR SHARE, JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER COUNTY RESIDENT. SO BOTTOM LINE IS WHATEVER THEY DO IS GOING TO BE UP TO THEIR VOTE. AND THEY'RE ASKING US, THEY'RE TELLING US THAT WHATEVER THEY DO IS GOING TO BE AN EVEN TRADE OFF OF THE OF THE MILLAGE FROM THEIR END, THEY'RE REDUCING IT BY ONE AMOUNT AND MOVING IT TO THE MSTU. SO YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT THAT THE ONLY CHALLENGE TO US IS GOING TO BE, WHAT ALTERNATIVE WOULD WE HAVE IF WE CAME CLOSE TO THE MILLAGE CAP, BECAUSE WE'VE DETERMINED THAT WE WANT TO RAISE THE PROPERTY TAXES ON OUR RESIDENTS, YOU KNOW, A HALF A MIL OR MORE THAN A HALF A MIL, OR TO FEEL THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES. AND MY ANSWER TO YOU IS WE DON'T HAVE TO. WE COULD TAKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND TURN THAT INTO MSTAA SEPARATE NON-AD VALOREM ASSESSMENT ACROSS THE BOARD. SO IF ALL OF A SUDDEN EVERY RESIDENT IN THE CITY THAT'S HOMESTEADED, THAT GETS OFF THE HOOK COMPLETELY FOR ANY

[02:35:02]

ANYBODY ELSE I AGREE. ALL RIGHT. COMMUNICATION. NO VOTE ON THAT ONE. WE'RE NOT VOTING ON IT.

I'M ASKING. NO THAT'S WHAT WE STARTED OUT. WELL, IF THERE WAS IF THERE WAS A VOTE JUST TO PUT IT ON THE RECORD, IF THERE WAS A FIRST READING, THERE'S NO VOTE. WELL, IF THERE WAS A FIRST READING BASED ON WHAT'S PRESENTED HERE, I JUST DON'T I'M NOT TO GIVE A SENSE OF DIRECTION. WHEN THE FIRST READING COMES UP, I. I JUST NEED TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHY OUR ONLY OPTION IS TO. IS, IS THIS WHY THE WHY IT'S STRUCTURED THIS WAY. OTHERWISE, I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD SPEND MORE TIME WITH CITY MANAGER THEN. OKAY, PETE, DO YOU WANT

[13) Communications]

[02:40:04]

AND THAT'S IT FOR TONIGHT, MATT. I'M GOOD. MR. HARRISON, COULD YOU NEXT TIME COME WITH THREE MINUTES OF INFORMATION ABOUT BRIAN FOR US SINCE SHE GREW UP WITH HIM? OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO ADJOURN FOR FIVE. OH, OKAY. THANK YOU. GO AHEAD. I JUST WANT TO. AT LEAST MAKE THE POINT. I'M GOING BACK TO THE IN-KIND MATTER FOR SPECIAL EVENTS THAT WE DO HAVE VARIABLES THAT WE TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION EVERY YEAR AS PART OF THE EVALUATION PROCESS FOR THE APPROPRIATION THAT WE ESTABLISH IN THE CITY COUNCIL BUDGET. WHEN WE ADVANCE THAT TO YOU WITH A RECOMMENDATION, WE ARE WE DID LOOK THIS YEAR ABOUT SOME WAYS THAT WE CAN REFINE AND MAKE THAT SYSTEM BETTER, AND WE ARE GOING TO IMPLEMENT THOSE IMPROVEMENTS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ROUND FOR THIS NEXT FISCAL YEAR. SO YOU'LL SEE SOME IMPROVEMENTS THERE. BUT WE HAVEN'T MADE THEM ABSENT ANY VARIABLES IN THE PAST. I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT BOOTS ON THE GROUND, THE JUNETEENTH EVENT IS THIS FRIDAY NIGHT AT 7:00 AT THE RICHEY SUNCOAST THEATER, AND ALSO OUR RED, WHITE AND BLUE HOMETOWN EXTRAVAGANZA HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO A TWO DAY PATRIOTIC CELEBRATION OF AMERICA'S 250TH ANNIVERSARY, AND IT WILL BE HELD ON SATURDAY, JUNE 27TH STARTING AT 4:00 PM WITH SOME FREE FAMILY AND KIDS ACTIVITIES AND 7:00, THE MUSIC AND FUN BEGINS EVEN FURTHER. AND ON SUNDAY, JUNE 28TH, WE HAVE A PATRIOTIC PADDLE AND A RICHEY SUNCOAST CONCERT BAND, SO CHECK OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE DETAILS.

AND WE ALSO HAVE A COMMEMORATIVE COIN, A LIMITED EDITION ONE THAT'S ON SALE AT THE UTILITY BILLING OFFICE IN CITY HALL, THE LIBRARY, AND THE RECREATION AND AQUATIC CENTER.

IT'S PRETTY FANCY. THEY'RE AVAILABLE FOR $15 EACH. THAT'S ALL. I GET THEM AT THE REC CENTER, TOO, CAN'T THEY? THE RECREATION AQUATIC CENTER? YES. YOU SAID A UTILITY, SO I DID, AND CITY HALL AND THE LIBRARY AND REC. OH. THREE PLACES. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. TIM, YOU GOT ANYTHING? NOTHING FROM ME, MR. MAYOR. OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO ADJOURN FOR FIVE MINUTES, AND THAT'S FIVE MINUTES. WE'LL BE

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.