[1) Call to Order – Roll Call]
          [00:00:12]
          JONAS. COUNCILMAN. ALTMAN. HERE. COUNCILMAN BUTLER HERE. CITY MANAGER. MANNS HERE. CITY ATTORNEY. DRISCOLL. COUNCILMAN MURPHY HERE. WE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE, PLEASE. A MOMENT OF SILENCE. 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. 
          [4) Presentation by WastePro RE: Solid Waste Services]
PRESENTATION BY. YES. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. FOR SOME TIME NOW, WE HAVE CONSIDERED HAVING WASTE PRO IN ATTENDANCE. AS THEY INDICATED, THERE'S SOME MATTERS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE AND PRESENT TO YOU TONIGHT. WE HAVE THREE REPRESENTATIVES IN ATTENDANCE. AND MR. PARKER WILL IS COMING FORWARD TO BEGIN THE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU DAVE. 
          GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU ALL THIS EVENING. 
          FIRST OFF, I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FRUSTRATION EXPERIENCED BY SPECIFICALLY THE MAYOR, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE OTHER RESIDENTS WHO HAVE HAD DIFFICULTY REACHING US OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS, REGARDLESS OF THE REASON. AND WE WILL ADDRESS THOSE REASONS. THAT EXPERIENCE DID NOT MEET OUR EXPECTATIONS FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND WE APPRECIATE THE CITY'S WILLINGNESS TO MEET WITH US SO WE COULD ADDRESS THESE ISSUES DIRECTLY. ONE OF THE MAIN ISSUES WE'VE BEEN HAVING IS THE PHONE LINES AND THE CUSTOMER SERVICE ISSUES. EARLIER THIS YEAR, WASTE PRO AND JD PARKER EMBARKED ON A DOOR TO DOOR CAMPAIGN IN SOME OF OUR RESIDENTIAL SERVICE AREAS FOR NEW CUSTOMERS. WE DID NOT ANTICIPATE OR PREPARE FOR THE INFLUX OF PHONE CALLS THAT WERE GOING TO COME ALONG WITH THIS DOOR TO DOOR CAMPAIGN. THAT IS WHERE WE DEFINITELY DROPPED THE BALL. ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANT YOU TO KNOW IS THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO REDUCTION IN THE MUNICIPAL SERVICE STAFFING, AND AGAIN, THE GROWTH IN THE AREAS WAS UNEXPECTED IN VOLUME. THAT CAMPAIGN HAS NOW ENDED AND WE ARE WORKING ON GETTING SOME THINGS BACK TO NORMAL. PART OF THE REASON FOR THE INFLUX OF PHONE CALLS IS WE HAD CART DELIVERY ISSUES AND SOME OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT. AGAIN, NOTHING. MAKING EXCUSES, JUST BRINGING THE REASONS TO THE TABLE. WASTE PRO AND JDP DID RECOGNIZE THESE AND WE ACTED QUICKLY TO WORK ON THEM. SOME OF THE ACTIONS WE HAVE TAKEN TO COVER THESE ISSUES, WE'VE ADDED TWO ADDITIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENTS IN OUR HOME OFFICE. WE'VE ADDED ANOTHER CSR IN A REGIONAL OFFICE. WE HAVE AN OVERFLOW OFFICE THAT COVERS THE PHONE CALLS AS WELL. ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT WE DID THAT. APPLIES DIRECTLY TO THE CITY IS WE'VE CREATED A DEDICATED MUNICIPAL CUSTOMER PATHWAY. WHEN CUSTOMERS CALL IN. THIS IS LINKED TO NEW PORT RICHEY, SAN ANTONIO AND DADE CITY. SO THE MUNICIPALITIES, WHEN SOMEBODY CALLS IN, HITS A BUTTON AND THAT GOES DIRECTLY TO A DEDICATED PHONE LINE FOR US TO ANSWER IN A QUICKER MANNER, WE'RE RECEIVING ABOUT 25 TO 30 PHONE CALLS A DAY ON THIS PHONE LINE. WAIT TIMES VARY, BUT WE ARE RUNNING, YOU KNOW, ANYWHERE FROM A MINUTE TO FIVE MINUTES, DEPENDING ON THE PHONE CALLS. 
          BUT WE HAVE ADDRESSED THAT DIRECTLY TO TAKE CARE OF THE CITY DIRECTLY, MUNICIPAL CUSTOMERS NOW BYPASS THE MAIN QUEUE AND ARE ROUTED DIRECTLY TO A LIVE AGENT. WE ALSO ARE MONITORING OUR CALL VOLUMES AND WAIT TIMES AND ADJUSTING AS ACCORDING AS NEEDED. SO THAT'S SOME OF THE THINGS WE'VE WORKING ON ON THEIR. WE HAVE WORKED DIRECTLY WITH THE CITY, WORK DIRECTLY WITH DEBBIE AND COLLIN AND OTHER ISSUES. CRYSTAL AS WELL. IF ANY ISSUE COMES UP, WE HANDLE IT DIRECTLY. MOST OF THOSE ISSUES BEING THAT WE'RE IN THE CITY OF NEW PORT RICHEY COME DIRECTLY TO ME. WE ALSO AGAIN HAVE OUR OFFICE RIGHT DOWN THE STREET, AND WE HAVE A DOOR, AN OPEN DOOR, OBVIOUSLY, TO COME SEE US AT ANY TIME. I KNOW I'VE SEEN THE 
          [00:05:01]
MAYOR THERE SEVERAL TIMES. SO AGAIN, WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE. DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION, SIR? OH, I THOUGHT I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO SAY SO. SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP IS THE THE FAVORED NATIONS CLAUSE. 
          AND I WANTED TO ADDRESS THAT TONIGHT. THE FAVORED NATIONS CLAUSE SPECIFICALLY RELATES TO OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, NOT INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTIAL ACCOUNTS. GENERALLY, WHEN WE DO OPEN MARKET ACCOUNTS AND OPEN MARKET RATES, THEY OFTEN INCLUDE, WHICH IS WHAT WAS GOING ON. 
          PROMOTIONAL RATE. THAT IS A SHORT TERM RATE AS WELL AS OTHER INCENTIVES. BUT THOSE ARE THOSE ARE GENERALLY SEPARATE. IT'S NOT AN APPLES TO APPLES COMPARISON AS IT IS WITH OTHER MUNICIPALITIES. AND THAT'S BASICALLY WHERE THE FAVORED NATIONS CLAUSE COMES INTO EFFECT. MUNICIPAL RATES ARE GOVERNED BY THE TERMS OF THE CITY'S CONTRACT, AND OPEN MARKET PRICING IS NOT SUBSIDIZED BY CITY CUSTOMERS. ADDITIONAL OPEN MARKET CUSTOMERS IMPROVE ROUTE DENSITY AND OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY. SO IN ORDER TO GET US MOVING AND ALL THAT, THAT'S WHY WE BRING IN THE THAT'S WHY WE WENT WITH THIS DOOR TO DOOR CAMPAIGN. ONE THING YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND IS, IN ADDITION TO THE PHONE LINES, ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE DEFINITELY IMPLEMENTED AND AND IS TAKING EFFECT AS WE SPEAK, WE HAVE RECOGNIZED THE ISSUES WE'RE HAVING WITH THE CITY. THE CITY OF NEW PORT RICHEY IS OUR NUMBER ONE CUSTOMER. WE WE ARE PART OF THIS CITY. WE ARE IN THE CITY. WE ARE EMBEDDED IN THE CITY. WE HAVE NOW BROUGHT IN A FLEET SPECIFICALLY FOR THE CITY. THOSE TRUCKS ARE ONLY GOING TO SERVE THE CITY. 
          THEY'RE ONLY GOING TO SERVICE THE ROUTES IN THE CITY. SO WE KNOW WHERE THEY'RE GOING AT ALL TIMES. WE KNOW WHEN THEY'RE IN THE CITY AND WE KNOW WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO START. WE BRINGING IN SPECIFIC DRIVERS TO DRIVE THOSE SPECIFIC ROUTES AND BE ON THOSE ROUTES EVERY TIME. 
          SO WE WILL UNDERSTAND THE INDIVIDUAL IDIOSYNCRASIES ON CERTAIN CUSTOMERS WHERE THEY HAVE A BACK DOOR SERVICE, OR THEY'RE A HANDICAPPED CUSTOMER, OR WHERE THEIR CANS ARE PLACED. 
          THE CITY OF NEW PORT RICHEY IS A VERY UNIQUE ENTITY IN THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CITY IS OVER 100 YEARS OLD. WE WE DO HOURLY SERVICE IN THE CITY, WE HAVE TREES, WE HAVE OTHER LINED STREETS AND DIFFERENT THINGS. IT'S NOT LIKE GOING OUT TO SOME OF THE NEWER NEIGHBORHOODS FARTHER EAST, YOU KNOW, MORADA AND STUFF, WHERE IT'S A COOKIE CUTTER DESIGN. THE CITY IS, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, A VERY UNIQUE CITY, AS IN, YOU KNOW, MOST OF THE OLDER MUNICIPALITIES IN PASCO COUNTY. SO WE'RE WORKING ON THESE ROUTING CHANGES. WE'RE WORKING ON PUTTING ON SPECIFIC TRUCKS, SPECIFIC ROUTES, SPECIFIC THINGS. WE'RE GETTING THE NOTES INTO THE SYSTEM AND WORKING WITH THE DRIVERS. WE DID HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TURNOVER EARLIER IN THE YEAR, AND WE BROUGHT IN NEW DRIVERS, SO WE WERE DEALING WITH THAT ISSUE AS WELL. THAT ISSUE IS NOW BEHIND US AND WE ARE WORKING ON MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT. WE WE ALSO HIRED AN ASSISTANT DIVISION MANAGER FOR MYSELF. HE HAS OVER TEN YEARS IN THE BUSINESS AS A MANAGER. 
          WE JUST MOVED HIM IN. HE CAME DOWN FROM DELAWARE. SO HE'S VERY ATTUNED TO THE BUSINESS. 
          IN ADDITION TO BEING MY ASSISTANT, HE HAS ALSO BEEN PUT DIRECTLY ON DEALING WITH THE ISSUES FACING THE CITY OF NEW PORT RICHEY. SO HE'S HE'S KIND OF WORKING ON A MUNICIPALITY THING DIRECTLY UNDERNEATH ME IN THE CASE THAT I'M WORKING ON SOMETHING ELSE. HE'S FOCUSING SPECIFICALLY ON THE NEEDS OF THE CITY. WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON SEVERAL OTHER INITIATIVES, AND SOME OF THEM I'VE SPOKEN WITH DEBBIE ABOUT, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE OTHER LEADERS TO STREAMLINE THINGS. ONE OF THE ISSUES WE'RE HAVING IS PEOPLE WERE CONCERNED WITH US, NOT OUR CO-MINGLING THEIR RECYCLING WITH THEIR GARBAGE. THEY'RE THINKING THE TRUCK IS PICKING UP, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE BRINGING IT THE SAME TRUCK AND THE SAME COLORED TRUCK, WHATEVER THEY'VE BEEN, THEY'VE HAD AN ISSUE WITH THAT. WHAT WE'VE DONE, WHICH IS AN INDUSTRY STANDARD ACROSS THE REST OF PASCO COUNTY, THE ONLY PLACE RIGHT NOW THAT WE'RE NOT DOING IT IS IN THE CITY LIMITS OF NEW PORT RICHEY IS ACROSS PASCO COUNTY IS WE'VE MOVED ALL OF OUR RECYCLING TO WEDNESDAYS. 
          ALL OF OUR TRUCKS GO OUT ON WEDNESDAYS, AND THAT'S ALL THEY PICK UP IS RECYCLING. SO THERE'S NO CONFUSION WITH WHAT'S GOING IN THE TRUCKS. SO THE CUSTOMER CAN LOOK OUT AND KNOW THAT IT'S ABSOLUTELY HIS RECYCLING GOING TO THE MURF, WHICH IS THE RECYCLING FACILITY OUT AT THE INCINERATOR. SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS. AND AGAIN, THAT'S ONE OF SOMETHING I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS GOING FORWARD WITH THE CITY AT SOME POINT ABOUT POSSIBLY DOING THE SAME THING IN THE CITY OF NEW PORT RICHEY. BUT THAT'S A DISCUSSION WE'LL HAVE AT DIFFERENT TIME. AGAIN, WE BROUGHT ADDITIONAL TRUCKS ON BOARD. AND AS AS MR. ALTMAN KNOWS, WE'VE STARTED WE HAVE THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. WE'VE RELEASED RECENTLY PICKED UP THE CITY OF DADE CITY AS A CONTRACT AS WELL. WE ARE OPENING A EAST YARD, AND A LOT OF OUR 
          [00:10:05]
OPERATIONS FOR THAT EAST SIDE OF THE COUNTY WILL BE HANDLED THERE, ALLOWING US MORE FOCUS ON THIS WEST SIDE RATHER THAN SPREADING OUR FOOTPRINT ACROSS THE ENTIRE COUNTY. SO WE'LL BE HAVING TWO YARDS TO WORK OUT OF, AND WHICH WILL ALSO OFFER US THE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT AND EQUIPMENT WHEN NEEDED TO MOVE BACK AND FORTH IN CASE THERE'S, YOU KNOW, BREAKDOWNS OR ISSUES OR WHATEVER. OR IF WE HAVE A HEAVY DAY, WE CAN BRING DRIVERS AND TRUCKS OVER FROM THAT SIDE AND VICE VERSA. SO THAT'S GOING TO HELP OUT THAT A LOT. SO ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE CAN THAT NEEDED TO BE ADDRESSED AND NEEDED TO BE TALKED TO IS WE HAVE MULTIPLE PLATFORMS IN WHICH TO COMMUNICATE WITH US. WE HAVE OUR, OUR LOCAL NUMBER, THE 8451024 NUMBER. WE HAVE A FACEBOOK PAGE. JD PARKER AND SONS INCORPORATED IS OUR FACEBOOK PAGE, WHICH I USE TO COMMUNICATE A LOT THROUGH TO OUR CUSTOMERS AND TO THE RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO STORMS AND HOLIDAY SCHEDULES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. SO THAT'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN THE PAST. COMMUNICATING WASTE PRO ITSELF HAS THEIR OWN FACEBOOK PAGE, WASTE PRO U.S.A. WE HAVE A WEBSITE, JD PARKER AND SONS.COM, AS WELL AS WASTE PRO HAS A WEBSITE, WASTE PRO.COM, OFFICE FORWARD SLASH OFFICE FORWARD SLASH PASCO COUNTY WHERE YOU CAN REACH OUT TO US. WASTE PRO ALSO HAS A TWITTER AND A LINKEDIN. AND THEN OF COURSE, YOU CAN ALWAYS SHOW UP AT OUR OFFICE. WE HAVE OUR OFFICE DOOR AT ANY TIME TO COME FIND US, AND WE'RE RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER. AS WELL AS MOST OF YOU ALREADY HAVE IT, BUT IF YOU DON'T, I WILL DEFINITELY GET IT TO YOU. I KNOW DEBBIE HAS IT. I KNOW COLIN CRYSTAL, MY DIRECT CELL NUMBER. IF ANY ISSUES COME UP, I EXPECT TO BE CALLED DIRECTLY FOR ANYTHING THAT GOES ON IN THE CITY OF NEW PORT RICHEY, SO I CAN HANDLE THOSE ISSUES IMMEDIATELY. BOTTOM LINE IS THIS. WE ARE PART OF THIS CITY. WE'VE BEEN HERE GOING ON 77 YEARS SINCE MY GRANDFATHER STARTED THIS. OUR VERY FIRST OFFICE WAS WHERE MOUNTAINEER COFFEE IS ON BANK STREET. THAT WAS OUR FIRST OFFICE IN THE 60S AND EARLY 70S. WE CONTINUE TO BE A PRESENCE. OUR OFFICES HERE, WE ARE LOCATED HERE WE ARE EMBEDDED IN THE CITY. WE, YOU KNOW, OUR HAVE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, YOU KNOW, WITH CHASCO FIESTA OR MAJOR SPONSOR WITH CHASCO FIESTA. I'M ON THE BOARD OF PASCO. BEAUTIFUL. SO WE DO A LOT OF EVENTS WITH THEM. WE'RE VERY INVOLVED WITH SPECIAL OLYMPICS OF PASCO. WE SPONSOR THE PACK TO PARK FOR PACK A SACK SUNCOAST LEAGUE OF CITIES. WE DO DIFFERENT TOUCH A TRUCK EVENTS. WE'VE DONE SOME HERE DOWN AT CITY HALL. AND AS FAR AS AS WELL AS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE EVENTS. BOTTOM LINE IS THIS WE ARE ALWAYS HERE FOR YOU AND VICE VERSA. WASTE PRO MAY BE BIG IN THE ENTIRE SOUTHEAST OF THE UNITED STATES AND VERY BIG IN FLORIDA, BUT JD PARKER IS UNIQUE TO PASCO. AND ON TOP OF THAT, WE ARE PART OF NEW PORT RICHEY. WE'VE BEEN PART OF NEW PORT RICHEY. NEW PORT RICHEY IS OUR HOME. WE'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE. AND. AND AGAIN, WE ARE HERE FOR YOU AND WE ARE HERE TO CORRECT ANY PROBLEMS AND, YOU KNOW, FOR WHATEVER YOU NEED. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE TIME YOU'VE GIVEN ME TONIGHT, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUED SUCCESS IN WORKING WITH YOU. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD? THE ONLY THING THAT I WOULD ADD RELATES TO THE STATEMENT THAT MISTER PARKER MADE ABOUT THE FAVORED NATION CLAUSE. I DON'T REALLY THINK OUR DISCUSSION HAS CONCLUDED RELATED TO THAT ISSUE. THEIR CAMPAIGN RESULTED IN 8000 NEW CUSTOMERS IN PASCO COUNTY. I THINK THAT'S ENOUGH TO CONSTITUTE A GROUP. AND SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO DISCUSS THAT UNTIL WE BROUGHT IT TO CONCLUSION. AND I'LL KEEP YOU UP TO DATE ON THAT. M YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING? NOTHING FROM ME, MR. MAYOR? NO. I'M GOOD. RIGHT? NO, I JUST WANT TO YOU KNOW, THANK DAVE. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, MY DAD TOOK CARE OF, YOU KNOW, THEIR TRUCKS BACK IN THE DAY, YOU KNOW. SO, YOU KNOW, I'VE KNOWN HIM PRETTY MUCH MY WHOLE LIFE AND I, I JUST APPRECIATE HIM COMING HERE AND FACING THE NEWS. BUT, YOU KNOW, OUR BIG THING IS WE WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR RESIDENTS ARE GETTING THE SERVICE THAT THEY NEED. AND IF THEY'RE NOT, WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE COMMUNICATING TO THEM. YOU KNOW, I'D LOVE YOUR FACEBOOK. I THINK YOU COULD USE IT MORE LIKE, I THINK THERE COULD BE MORE DONE TO THAT, YOU KNOW? BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN WE ALL UP HERE GET TEXT MESSAGES FROM CUSTOMERS UPSET THAT THEY DIDN'T GET THEIR 
          [00:15:04]
TRASH PICKED UP. IT'S JUST LIKE, NOT AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND AND, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S, THERE'S NO FOOLPROOF ANSWER TO FIX IT. BUT MY BIG THING IS IF SOMEBODY CALLS IN AND THEY HAVE A PROBLEM, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY GET AN ANSWER RIGHT. THAT'S OUR BIG THING HERE, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE UP HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR RESIDENTS ARE BEING TAKEN CARE OF. WE LOVE THE SINGLE HAULER SERVICE, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE THE WHOLE DEAL. WE LOVE YOU. BEEN HERE, YOU KNOW, FOREVER AND A DAY. BUT THE BIG THING IS I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CUSTOMERS ARE GETTING THE ANSWERS THAT THEY NEED. IT MIGHT NOT BE THE ANSWER THEY WANT, BUT AT LEAST THEY GET AN ANSWER. UNDERSTOOD. SO BUT I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS BEING HERE. 
          SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. WELL, JUST FIRST OF ALL, FOR ANYBODY WHO'S LISTENING WHO MIGHT BE SAYING I'M PAYING PASCO COUNTY FOR MY TRASH REMOVAL, IT'S THAT'S THE COVANTA CHARGE THAT'S ON EVERYBODY'S TAX BILL. AND IT ALWAYS CREATES CONFUSION. SO THAT'S PROBABLY THE NUMBER ONE QUESTION THAT COMES INTO THE TO FOLKS THAT WANT TO MAKE PAYMENT. 
          BUT AS TO THE AGREEMENT AND THE CONTRACT THAT YOU HAVE NEGOTIATED WITH THE CITY AND YOUR MOVE FORWARD PLANS, THERE ARE A FEW THINGS I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE SEEN THAT MAYBE I WHEN THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES, I HOPE YOU'LL BRING THEM TO US AND THAT THE CITY MANAGER WILL BRING THEM BACK TO US AS WELL TO SEE HOW WE CAN WORK THROUGH IMPROVING THE RELATIONSHIP AND IMPROVING THE SERVICE. I HAVE BEEN PRIVY TO KNOWING THAT THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY AND THE BEST WAY TO PROTECT THE FOLKS THAT ARE RIDING ON THOSE TRUCKS IS TO IS THE NEW WAY, WHICH IS HAVING THE SIDE PICK UP AND THE AND THE TRASH CANS. AND I KNOW IN A UNIQUE CITY WITH ALLEYS AND BUMPY ROADS AND THINGS THAT AREN'T ALL, YOU KNOW, SET UP AS A SUBDIVISION MAY BE FOR THAT, THAT IT DOESN'T WORK IN FULL. BUT I, YOU KNOW, WE GO TO THE CONFERENCES AND WE SEE THESE NICE TRASH CANS AND SEE THEM IN OTHER CITIES LIKE DUNEDIN OR SAFETY HARBOR OR WHEREVER ELSE THEY ARE, WHERE IT PROVIDES SOME SENSE OF. I LIVE IN THE CITY AND I KNOW IN SOME PLACES PEOPLE BUY THEM, OTHERS. BUT. BUT I THINK I WOULD LOVE TO SEE NOT JUST A COME HERE TO RESPOND TO, YOU KNOW, PROBLEMS, BUT ALSO MAYBE AS THIS ALL GETS WORKED OUT, WE CAN LOOK AT THOSE KIND OF OPTIONS. OUR MULCHING PROCESS TAKES AN AWFUL LOT OF THE TREE CITY USA TREES. 
          SO MAYBE JUST AN IDEA IF YOU'VE GOT THE CHANCE TO FIND OUT THE VOLUME OF WASTE THAT GOES ALL THE WAY OUT TO THE LANDFILL AND FIND WAYS THAT WE CAN IMPROVE THAT SYSTEM, THE CITY IS DOING A GREAT JOB, BY THE WAY. I MEAN, THE TRASH PILES THAT WERE SUCH AN ISSUE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, I HAVEN'T HEARD THOSE ISSUES FOR A LONG TIME. SO THANK YOU FOR, YOU KNOW, MANAGING THOSE PILES AND PICKING THEM UP QUICKLY BEFORE OTHERS FIND THEM AND PUT THEIR STUFF IN. I'M NOT SO SURE IF HOW MANY PEOPLE BUNDLE, BUT THAT WAS A BIG DEAL. IT WAS PART OF AN EFFORT TO ELIMINATE THAT SERVICE. SO I DON'T WANT TO BE PAYING FOR TWO THINGS. IF PART OF OUR CONTRACT IS YOU COMING AND PICKING UP THAT STUFF, HOW MUCH IS IT BEING DONE AND HOW MUCH ARE WE BEING CHARGED FOR THAT? AND WHAT OTHER OPTIONS ARE THERE ARE TO. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEVOTION TO THE CITY AND THE LONG LIFE OF DOING IT. I HOPE I HEAR IDEAS THAT COME BACK. 
          THOSE ARE A COUPLE OF THE ONES THAT I'VE THOUGHT OF. THANK YOU. YEAH. MR. MAYOR, I WOULD START BY SAYING, MR. PARKER, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. AND YOU ARE A SERVANT LEADER. YOU'RE DEVOTED TO THE CITY AND THIS COMMUNITY AND HAVE BEEN FOR YEARS. YOU'RE A STAND UP GUY. 
          YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, YOU WHAT YOU COMMIT TO YOUR YOUR WORD IS CREDIBLE. AND THAT THE RICH HISTORY J.D. PARKER HAS IN THIS COMMUNITY GOES WITHOUT SAYING. I WAS ESPECIALLY MOVED TO HEAR OF THE DOOR KNOCKING CAMPAIGNS EARLY ON, AND JD PARKER'S FOUNDING. THAT REALLY SHOWS THE GRIT AND THE AMERICAN DREAM THAT'S IN THAT COMPANY. I HAVE BEEN VERY VOCAL AND CONTINUE TO BE JUST TO SAY THAT THIS THIS INTERACTION RIGHT NOW IS QUITE BIZARRE TO ME THAT WE'RE HAVING WITH, WITH, WITH, WITH WHAT IS NOW WASTE PRO WHEN I'M OUTSIDE OF MY HOME, I COULD SEE A POLICE OFFICER GO BY AND I KNOW THAT THE CITY OF NEW PORT RICHEY AND I MIGHT SEE ONE NOW WITH OUR NEW CHIEF AND AT THE DIRECTION OF OUR CITY MANAGER, I MIGHT SEE ONE, YOU KNOW, ONCE A MONTH. THEY COME BY WAY MORE FREQUENTLY WHEN IT COMES TO OUR PUBLIC WORKS. I SEE THEM ALL THE TIME, TOO, BUT THE PEOPLE WE SEE MOST NOW ARE THE GARBAGE TRUCKS AND THE GARBAGE MEN. AND 
          [00:20:03]
BEFORE, IF I DIDN'T LIKE WHAT I WAS SEEING, I COULD GO WITH ANOTHER COMPANY. UNFORTUNATELY, NOW THIS CITY HAS FORCED ME AND OTHERS TO USE THAT GARBAGE SERVICE. AND WHILE THE EFFORTS BEING MADE TO ENSURE THAT THE CONFIDENCE FROM OUR COMMUNITY IS RESPECTED, AND I APPRECIATE THAT THIS IS THAT GESTURE. THANK YOU. I DO THINK IT'S WORTH NOTING THAT THIS CITY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PUBLIC TRUST, AND I HAD BROUGHT UP AT MULTIPLE WORKSHOPS THE QUESTION OF, YOU KNOW, WHO WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE, WHO WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR COMPLAINTS? I COULDN'T GET A MIXED ANSWER. I GOT A MIXED ANSWER FOR QUITE SOME TIME, AND THEN IT WAS ULTIMATELY PUT ON THE RECORD THAT JD PARKER WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE, WHICH HAS NOW BECOME WASTE PRO. THAT WAS BEFORE WE EVEN ENTERED THIS AGREEMENT. THE CITY ENTERED THIS AGREEMENT. IT IS DISHEARTENING TO ME, FROM A PUBLIC SERVICE PERSPECTIVE, THAT IT TAKES AN EXPERIENCE FROM ONE OF US, A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OVER OUR TRASH, FOR US TO THEN GET A PRESENCE WITH THE COMPANY. I'LL SAY IT AGAIN, I, I LOOK FORWARD TO THE REOPENING OF THIS CONTRACT WHENEVER THAT TERM COMES UP. 
          AND THE REHASHING OF THIS PARTNERSHIP, BECAUSE I THINK JD PARKER IS A PHENOMENAL COMPANY AND I'D LOVE TO CONTINUE TO CONTINUE TO BE SERVED BY THEM AS A PRIVATE CUSTOMER, NOT AS A SERVICE TO THE CITY. UNDERSTOOD. I JUST FOR THE RECORD, WANT TO SAY THAT ONLY ABOUT, I THINK IT WAS ABOUT 75% OF THE CITY WAS SERVICED WHEN WE HAD FIVE HAULERS. AND SO PEOPLE JUST DIDN'T GET THEIR TRASH PICKED UP. THEY DIDN'T SIGN UP WITH ANYBODY. SO THIS WAS A SERVICE TO ACTUALLY PROTECT THE CITY, TO HAVE A HAULER, ONE HAULER, EVERYBODY HAS TO GET IT. AND, AND I THINK THAT WAS A GREAT IDEA. NOW, I THINK IN THE LAST YEAR OR SO, I THINK YOU'VE HAD A PR PROBLEM, WHETHER IT'S THE PHONES, WHETHER IT'S THE TRASH PICKUP. I THINK IT'S A WHOLE A WHOLE BALL OF WAX OF PROBLEMS. AND AND YOU HAVE TO RECOVER FROM THAT. AND IT'S A BIG PR PROBLEM YOU HAVE RIGHT NOW. I'VE BEEN UP HERE WITH, AS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER AND THE MAYOR FOR 12 YEARS, AND THAT THIS IS THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT I'VE BEEN COMPLAINED ABOUT TO ME BEEN COMPLAINED TO ME ABOUT. AND THEN IF ALL 12 YEARS PUT TOGETHER AND IT'S ALL BEEN IN THE LAST YEAR AND IT'S ALL BEEN WASTE PRO. JD PARKER YOU KNOW, SO I THINK YOU HAVE A REAL PROBLEM WITH, WITH THE CITY. YOU DID A DOOR TO DOOR, BUT YOU'VE GONE AHEAD AND RUINED THAT BECAUSE YOU HAVEN'T PROVIDED SERVICE, YOU KNOW, AND I AND I'VE COME TO YOU. AND IN FACT, I WAS ON HOLD AND DROVE OVER THERE AND I WAS WENT FROM NUMBER TEN TO NUMBER SEVEN WHEN I WALKED IN THERE. AND I WAS STILL GOT SERVICE BEFORE THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT WERE ALREADY AHEAD OF ME ON THE PHONE. SO, I MEAN, IT'S A REAL PROBLEM. YOU'VE GOT SOME REAL PROBLEMS. AND I JUST WANT TO ADDRESS THAT. I THINK I'VE ADDRESSED WITH YOU A LITTLE ON THE SIDE, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A PUBLIC FORUM AND THAT'S WHY I'M BRINGING IT UP HERE. AND NOT JUST THROW LAST COMMENT IS YOU. I ADDRESSED SOME RECYCLE PICKUP ABOUT A MONTH AGO. IT DIDN'T HAPPEN THURSDAY. SO I SAID, WELL, I'LL GIVE IT TILL FRIDAY. AND THEN I LOOKED AT THE SCHEDULE FOR FOR TUESDAY. AND I SAID, WELL, YOU'RE COMING HERE, I DON'T HAVE TO GO THERE. BUT IT DIDN'T GET IT DIDN'T COME DOWN MY ALLEYWAY ON, ON THURSDAY. SO, I MEAN, THE PROBLEM ISN'T ALL SOLVED YET, YOU KNOW, SO SO WE CONTINUE WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON IT. YES. I JUST SAID IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, I JUST, I MEAN, OF ALL THE THINGS THAT GO ON IN THE CITY, YOU KNOW, I WOULD NEVER EXPECT MY NUMBER ONE PROBLEM IN 12 YEARS, REALLY ALL CONDENSED DOWN INTO ONE YEAR BEING THE TRASH PICKUP. OKAY, MR. MAYOR, CAN I ADD ONE THING? I MISSED THIS, AND I JUST WANT I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING IMPORTANT. YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL, YOU KNOW, BRINGING UP THESE ISSUES. BUT WHAT I THINK WE NEED TO SEE IS SOME SORT OF A FOLLOW UP AND MAYBE 3 TO 4 MONTHS, BECAUSE I THINK THAT WOULD REALLY PUT OUR RESIDENTS AT EASE, THAT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS ACTUALLY GOING TO HAPPEN. SO I WOULD MAYBE, YOU KNOW, BRING THIS UP TO THE CITY MANAGER TO MAYBE HAVE YOU MAYBE COME BACK AT A MEETING AND LET US KNOW HOW THESE THINGS ARE PROGRESSING. SO THIS WAY, YOU KNOW, WE CAN LET THE RESIDENTS, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THE ONES THAT ARE HAVING ISSUES, THEY HOPEFULLY WILL FIRSTHAND SEE IT. BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT SOME FOLLOW UP AFTER THIS IS ALL IMPLEMENTED, BECAUSE IT'S OBVIOUSLY NOT GOING TO HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. SO ABSOLUTELY. JUST WANT TO ADD THAT IF ACTUALLY WHEN YOU DO MAKE MISTAKES AND YOU GO DOWN, YOU JUST RUN DOWN AND PICK THE TRASH UP. I MEAN, YOU COULD LEAVE A NOTE ON THE TRASH CAN SAYING, SORRY WE MISSED YOU, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, YOU COULD JUST HAVE SOME LITTLE STICKER YOU STICK ON THEIR TRASH BAG. I MEAN, THE TRASH TRASH CAN. JUST SOMETHING TO SAY THAT YOU RECOGNIZE THAT YOU MISSED THEM, 
          [00:25:02]
YOU KNOW, KIND OF APOLOGY, MR. MAYOR. MR. MR. TO REPLY TO MR. JONAS, IF THERE IS GOING TO BE A FOLLOW UP THAT. THAT BEING SAID, MR. MR. PARKER DID LAY OUT SOME THINGS THEY'VE DONE FOR GOING FORWARD, BUT TO BE ABLE TO BENCHMARK PROGRESS, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL, MAYBE IN A CITY MANAGER'S REPORT OR SOME WAY TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE AT CURRENTLY, BECAUSE I'M HEARING THE MAYOR TALK ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCE WITH HIS ALLEY. BUT IF THERE ARE MISS PICKUPS, I'M CURIOUS IF JD, IF WASTE PRO HAS A NUMBER THAT THE CITY IS REPORTING MISS PICKUPS AND OR WAIT TIME AND AVERAGE WAIT TIME, AND THEN WHEN THEY REPORT BACK IN TWO MONTHS, WE CAN GET AN UPDATE ON WHAT THAT NUMBER LOOKS LIKE. OKAY. ANYBODY ELSE YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO ADD? WAS THAT DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO ADD? I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IF YOU NEED ME FOR ANYTHING, GIVE ME A CALL. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. 
          [5.a) Presentation by Economic Development Director Dave Gammon RE: Storm Surge Resiliency Project]
THANKS, DAVE. HEY, DAVE. I'VE GOT STORM SURGE RESILIENCE PROJECT. PROJECT THAT THE MAYOR HAS INTRODUCED IS A STORM SURGE BACKFLOW PROJECT, AND IT'S OF A SCALE OF CONSIDERABLE MAGNITUDE. 
          ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE HAVE PUT IT ON THE AGENDA FOR OUR PRESENTATION TO YOU THIS EVENING IS BECAUSE WE WE WOULD LIKE VERY MUCH YOUR SUPPORT OF ALLOWING US TO GO FORWARD WITH A PRESENTATION TO PASCO COUNTY FOR ACCESS TO THEIR CDBG FUNDS, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT DISASTER RESPONSE FUNDS, OF WHICH THEY HAVE AN APPROPRIATION OF $585 MILLION TO FUND A CODY RIVER RESILIENCE GATE. THAT IS ONE OF MANY PROJECTS WHICH WILL BE PRESENTING TO YOU FOR CONSIDERATION LATER ON IN THE AGENDA TO SEE WHICH ONES YOU REALLY HAVE A TASTE FOR, SO THAT WE CAN HONE IN ON A MANAGEABLE LIST OF PROJECTS THAT WE CAN PROPOSE FOR FUNDING WITHIN THE VARIOUS FUNDING BUCKETS THAT HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED AS ELIGIBLE AREAS BY PASCO COUNTY. AND WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MR. GAMMON, WHO HAS A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION FOR YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD. THANK YOU, MR. BARNES. MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL, I'VE BEEN THINKING A LONG TIME ABOUT HOW TO PRESENT THIS, AND I KIND OF WANT TO SEGUE, I THINK, A LITTLE BIT OFF OF COUNCILMAN ALTMAN'S RESILIENCY FORUM THAT MANY OF US ATTENDED LAST WEEK, EVEN IN THE AUDIENCE ATTENDED. AND THE SUMMARY OF THAT, I THINK ALAN BIDDLECOMBE WITH THE COUNTY KIND OF SUMMARIZED IT VERY GOOD AT THE END, IF YOU REMEMBER, HE SAID TWO THINGS. HE SAID, THINK BIG. AND HE ALSO SAID, THINK LONG TERM. AND I'D LIKE TO ADD A COUPLE OF THINGS TO THAT. ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER WILLIAMSON HAS TOLD ME TO THINK REGIONAL, SO I TAKE HIM ON THAT ONE ALSO. AND I ALSO WANT TO SAY COUNCILMAN MURPHY HAD BROUGHT UP IN THE LAST MEETING, WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT SOME FLOOD ISSUES, HE WANTED TO SEE MORE OF A CITY WIDE APPROACH VERSUS AN INDIVIDUAL HOUSE OR NEIGHBORHOOD. SO I WANT TO TAKE THOSE FOUR THINGS. AND I THINK THIS CONCEPT ADDRESSES ALL THOSE THINK BIG, THINK LONG TERM, THINK REGIONAL AND THINK CITYWIDE. SO THAT'S HOW WE'VE KIND OF STARTED AND CAME UP WITH CODY RIVER RESILIENCE GATE, IF YOU WILL. WE ALL KIND OF KNOW THE PROBLEM. WE'VE GOT FLOODING ISSUES. YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T DO MUCH ABOUT STORMS. WE HAD THREE MAJOR STORMS IN THE COURSE OF A LITTLE OVER 15 MONTHS. THAT'S A PRETTY BIG DEAL. BUT WE HAD 2000 ABOUT 2000 HOMES DAMAGED, SOME COMPLETELY DESTROYED. WE HAD 200 WATER RESCUES. AND AS MISS MANNS MENTIONED, THE GOOD NEWS IS PASCO COUNTY RECEIVED $585 MILLION IN HUD MONEY TO HELP RECOVERY IN THE COUNTY. I THINK THIS IS A REALLY GREAT MAP CHRIS MAKES DOWN IN DALE'S DEPARTMENT. THIS SHOWS ALL OF THE PROPERTIES THAT HAD DAMAGE DURING HELENE AND MILTON. THE BLUE DOTS ARE HELENE, THE RED DOTS ARE MILTON, AND OBVIOUSLY EVERY BLUE DOT IS A RED DOT. ALSO, BECAUSE WHEN MILTON CAME IN, THAT WAS JUST ON TOP OF THAT. I THINK WHAT'S INTERESTING TO NOTE HERE IS THE HIGHLIGHTED US 19 IT'S A NATURAL DIKE, IF YOU WILL. IT BLOCKS THE STORM SURGE FROM COMING INTO OUR CITY. BUT YOU'LL NOTICE THAT A LOT OF THE PROPERTY DAMAGE WAS ON THE INLAND SIDE OF THAT. THIS MIGHT SHOW A LITTLE BIT BETTER. THIS IS ALL OF THE WATER THAT CAME IN THAT WAS UNDER TEN FEET IN IN THE CITY OF NEW PORT RICHEY, WHERE IT FLOODED. AND ACTUALLY, THIS IS PRETTY CLOSE BECAUSE I 
          [00:30:03]
LIVED IN SIMS HOUSE AND IT CAME RIGHT UP TO THAT. AND IT SHOWS IT RIGHT, RIGHT ON THIS, EXACTLY WHERE IT IS. AND IT'S NO COINCIDENCE, OBVIOUSLY, THAT ALL OF THOSE BLUE AND RED DOTS ARE IN UNDER THAT WATER RIGHT THERE. SO LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE CAN PREPARE FOR STORMS LIKE THIS. YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE SOME OF THIS CAME UP IN COUNCILMAN ALTMAN'S MEETING LAST WEEK OF USING ORANGE LAKE. AND COULD WE DO THAT KIND OF AS AN INUNDATION POND BEFORE A MAJOR EVENT? COULD WE GET IN THERE AND PUMP WATER OUT, MAYBE TO A SIX FOOT LEVEL AND CREATE A RETENTION POND, IF WE WOULD RIGHT THERE AT ORANGE LAKE? RIGHT. SO IF WE DID THAT, WHAT WOULD THAT WOULD CREATE IS A STORAGE FOR ABOUT 15 ACRE FEET OF WATER. OKAY. I'M NOT AN ENGINEER. I'M NOT CALLING, I DON'T UNDERSTAND 15 ACRE FEET, BUT I DO UNDERSTAND 15 ACRES. 
          THAT'S 15 ACRES. AND IT'S A FOOT DEEP OF WATER OVER THAT WHOLE PARCEL OF LAND. SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF WATER TO ME. BUT THEN WE LOOK AT STORM SURGE AND WHAT IT REALLY IS. SO WHEN WE HAVE FOUR FOOT STORM SURGE, WE CAN GET ANYWHERE BETWEEN 4600 AND 9200 ACRE FEET OF WATER INTO THE CITY, ON AVERAGE, ABOUT 6900. IF IT'S SIX FEET, YOU'RE GETTING UP TO 13,000 ACRE FEET AND AN EIGHT FOOT SURGE, WHICH WE HAD IN MILTON. YOU CAN ACTUALLY HAVE OVER 20,000 ACRE FEET OF WATER COMING INTO THE CITY. SO LET'S LOOK AT ORANGE LAKE REAL QUICKLY. WHAT I JUST TALKED ABOUT, THAT'S 15 ACRE FEET. WE'D NEED ABOUT 460 ORANGE LAKES THROUGHOUT THE CITY, WHICH WE DON'T HAVE THE LAND FOR, OBVIOUSLY, TO HOLD JUST FOUR FEET OF WATER. I WANT TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE. I'M GOING TO HAVE TO PUT MY CALL IN HAT ON FOR JUST A SECOND. I'M GOING TO SOUND LIKE COLIN, IF THIS 160 GALLON STEEL TANK, 80FT HIGH REPRESENTS FOUR FEET OF STORM SURGE, AND WE USE THE SAME RATIO THAT ORANGE LAKE WOULD GET, THIS IS WHAT IT WOULD HOLD APPROXIMATELY, A CARNIVAL DUNK TANK. SO IT'S REALLY WE'RE NOT REALLY ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM YET. WE'VE GOT TO KIND OF THINK BIGGER AND THINK DIFFERENTLY. AND THAT'S WHERE THIS CONCEPT CAME FROM. THIS IS OUR COMMUNITY, OBVIOUSLY. AND WHEN STORMS COME, SURGE, WHEN SURGE COMES IN, WE ALREADY HAVE THAT NATURAL DIKE ON 19, RIGHT? SO THAT BLOCKS MOST OF IT. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT STUFF ON THE WEST SIDE, UNFORTUNATELY. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE RESILIENCY PROJECTS THE COUNTY IS WORKING ON. BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WE'VE GOT A DIKE THERE. BUT COUNCILMAN ALDERMAN NOTICED, NOTED IN OUR LAST MEETING THAT EVERYTHING FUNNELS THROUGH THE CODY RIVER. SO WE HAVE A DIKE, BUT WE HAVE A HOLE IN THE DIKE, IF YOU WILL, WHERE SURGE SURGES UP THE CODY RIVER AND FLOODS THOSE. WE JUST SHOWED YOU ALL THE DOTS ON THE EAST SIDE OF 19 THAT WERE FLOODED. AND THE REASON THEY WERE IS BECAUSE IT CAME UP THE CODY RIVER. SO AGAIN, AS THE RIVERS ARE SURGE CONDUIT, IF YOU WILL, IT CREATES A VULNERABILITY, OBVIOUSLY FOR DOWNTOWN, FOR SIMS PARKS AND ALL THE SURROUNDING BUSINESSES AND AREAS THAT ARE CLOSE TO THE RIVER. THE GOOD THING ABOUT THAT IS IT ALSO CREATES BOTH A NATURAL AND A MAN MADE PINCH POINT THAT WE CAN DO SOMETHING WITH. SO HERE'S OUR CONCEPT. WE'D LIKE TO CONSTRUCT THE SURGE GATE THAT US 19 BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER. BEFORE THE SURGE. WE COULD DRAW. WE COULD DROP THE GATE DOWN AND WE COULD SUCK THE WATER OUT OF THE RIVER, THE RIVER BASIN. AND WE WOULD CREATE, IN EFFECT, A THREE MILE LONG INUNDATION POND AS THE RIVER BASIN. THAT'S THE CONCEPT OF HOW THIS GOES. THIS IS HOW IT WOULD WORK 99% OF THE TIME. COUNCILMAN JONAS AND ALL OF THE BOATING ENTHUSIASTS IN IN THE CITY WOULDN'T EVEN NOTICE IT'S THERE. YOU'RE JUST GOING IN AND OUT 99% OF THE TIME WHEN AN EVENT IS FORECAST, WE DROP THE GATE AND AGAIN, PUMP THE WATER OUT UPRIVER TO CREATE A STORAGE BASIN, IF YOU WILL. THAT'S THE MIDDLE SLIDE. THE ONE ON THE RIGHT IS WHEN THE STORM FINALLY GETS HERE AND THE SURGE HITS, IT IS PREVENTED FROM GOING UPRIVER BY THE GATE. AND THEN RAINFALL AND RUNOFF CAN NATURALLY FLOW RIGHT INTO THE RIVER BASIN. SO WE'VE CREATED A RIVER BASIN TO DO THAT. SO LET'S TALK AGAIN ABOUT THOSE ESTIMATES. SO THOSE ARE THE SAME ESTIMATES WE HAD BEFORE 6900 ON FOUR FEET. LET'S CONCENTRATE ON THAT EIGHT FOOT MILTON SURGE 2000 ACRE FEET OF OF STORAGE. IF WE USE THAT RIVER BASIN AND WE DRAIN IT FOUR FEET INTO THE BASIN, WE CAN CREATE ABOUT 20,000 ACRE FEET OF STORAGE. SO WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO MAYBE NOT PREVENT THE HURRICANE, BUT AT LEAST HAVE A CHANCE TO MINIMIZE SOME OF THE DAMAGES. SO I WANT TO TALK ABOUT BRIEFLY THE PINCH POINT NOTE. I THINK YOU ALL PROBABLY KNOW BETTER THAN I DO. AT ABOUT SIX FEET SURGE, THE WATER STARTS BREACHING US 19. SO IT STARTS FLOWING OVER 19 AT ITS LOW POINT, WHICH IS AROUND MAIN STREET. SO THERE'S REALLY NO REASON TO BUILD A GATE MUCH HIGHER THAN SIX, MAYBE EIGHT 
          [00:35:01]
FEET, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO FLOW OVER THE HIGHWAY ANYWAY. BUT IF WE DID THAT GATE RIGHT THERE AT 19, THAT'S HOW WE CAN DO IT. SO I WANT TO QUICKLY GO THROUGH THOSE BLUE DOTS AGAIN. THOSE BLUE DOTS WERE JUST NEWPORT RICHIE THINGS. WE DON'T HAVE THE INFORMATION FROM PORT RICHIE AND UNINCORPORATED PASCO COUNTY FOR JUST US. SO YOU'VE GOT PORT RICHIE TO THE NORTH THERE THAT DOESN'T HAVE ANY DAMAGE. AND OBVIOUSLY SOME OF THE HOMES GOT DAMAGED THERE. SO JUST THIS IS 90 HOMES RIGHT NOW AND I'M JUST GOING TO GO UPRIVER REAL QUICKLY. 115 PROPERTIES WERE DAMAGED AS YOU KEEP GOING UP RIVER HERE. THIS IS JUST NORTH OF SIMS PARK. ABOUT 29 PROPERTIES. THIS IS ON MAIN STREET 119 PROPERTIES. A LOT OF THOSE. AGAIN THIS IS THE LOW POINT OF 19. SO WHEN IT CAME SURGING OVER, THERE WAS NOWHERE FOR IT TO GO BECAUSE THE RIVER WAS THE SAME HEIGHT. SO IT FLOODED INTO THOSE PROPERTIES WHERE THE OLD JELLY'S WAS. AND ALL THOSE PROPERTIES IN RIVERGATE PALM GOT FLOODED BECAUSE THERE WAS NOWHERE FOR THE WATER TO GO. AND THAT WAS 119 PROPERTY. SO QUITE A FEW. AS WE MOVE DOWN, ONE OF THE COUNCILMAN MIGHT RECOGNIZE THIS ONE. HE'S A BLUE DOT ON THERE. THAT'S 65 PROPERTIES. AND THEN THIS ONE I THINK IS REALLY INTERESTING. 
          YOU KNOW, WE'RE A LONG WAY FROM THE COAST HERE. I MEAN, THIS IS A LONG WAY. 233 HOMES DAMAGED HERE. JACKIE PHILLIPS THAT COMES IN HERE ALL THE TIME TALKING ABOUT HER PROPERTY. 
          IT'S ON THIS ONE. WE'VE GOT A MOBILE HOME PARK THERE TO THE RIGHT, 233 HOMES. SO I JUST SHOWED YOU 651 PROPERTIES THAT MAYBE COULD BENEFIT IF WE COULD BUILD SOMETHING LIKE THIS. YOU ALL HAVE PROBABLY SEEN THIS. THE CODY RIVER BASIN GOES ALL THE WAY UP INTO INTO HERNANDO COUNTY. THE OTHER THING WE HAD, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING, IT WAS A WORD I'LL HAVE TO USE AGAIN FROM THE FORUM LAST WEEK FROM JACOBS GROUP. THEY HAD CAME CAME UP WITH THE WORD RAIN BOMB. I LIKE THAT RAIN BOMB WORD. IT WAS AN INTERESTING ONE. WHEN YOU GET A TREMENDOUS RAIN EVENT OR EVEN AFTER STORM EVENTS WHERE THE UP RIVER STUFF COMES DOWN THE RIVER AND THERE'S NOWHERE FOR IT TO GO, AND IT FLOODS US AGAIN. SO WE COULD CREATE A BASIN THAT COULD CAPTURE THE FLOOD WATER OR RAINWATER AFTERWARDS. SO IT WORKS TWO WAYS. SO I ASKED CLAUDE, OR I ASKED MY SON CALEB TO ASK CLAUDE FOR ME. CAN YOU DO ME A MAP THAT SHOWS AREAS THAT THIS COULD POSSIBLY HELP? AND THAT'S WHAT CAME OUT OF THIS. SO WE FED IT INTO AI AND IT SAYS, HEY, HERE'S SOME OF THE AREAS THAT WILL BENEFIT. OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A DOWNTOWN BENEFIT, SIMS PARK AND ALL THE NEIGHBORS NEIGHBORHOODS ALONG THE RIVER, BUT ALSO IT GOES AS FAR SOUTH AS TRINITY THAT COULD SEE SOME BENEFITS AND AS FAR NORTH AS AS HOLLIDAY. I'VE TALKED TO A LOT OF ENGINEERS ABOUT ANYTHING THAT TOUCHES THE COAST, WHO WE SHOULD USE AS AN ENGINEERING FIRM, AND A LOT OF THEM COME UP WITH RUBEN CLAASSEN IS THE GROUP TO DO SO. WE MET WITH RUBEN CLAASSEN TEAM AND SAID, HEY, WE NEED A PROPOSAL. WE WANT TWO THINGS. WE WANT A PHASE ONE PROPOSAL TO SEE IF THIS IS EVEN FEASIBLE. 
          AND THEN WE ALSO WANT TO SEE IF IT IS FEASIBLE. LET'S TAKE IT TO THE NEXT STEP AND GET A LITTLE BIT DEEPER ON THE FEASIBILITY AND DESIGN AND PERMITTING, AND SEE WHAT THAT IS. PHASE ONE, THEY CAME OUT AT A $64,000 ESTIMATE FOR FEASIBILITY, AND THE SECOND PHASE WOULD BE ANYWHERE FROM TWO AND A HALF TO $4 MILLION. THE THAT'S KIND OF THE THE HARDER NEWS. THE GOOD NEWS IS THE FUNDING ALREADY EXISTS FOR THIS. WE'VE GOT RESILIENT FLORIDA, WHICH IS A STATE DESIGN GROUP FOR LOCAL FLOODING AND RESILIENCY PROJECTS, PROJECTS. SO IT FITS RIGHT INTO THAT. AS CITY MANAGER MAN'S MENTIONED EARLIER, THE PASCO COUNTY CDBG FUNDING, THAT'S FOR SURGE PROTECTION AND REPETITIVE LOSS PROPERTIES. AGAIN, A PERFECT FIT. AND WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED THIS PROJECT WITH CHUCK LANE, WHO'S THE DIRECTOR OF THE BETTER FUTURE PROGRAM. HE LIKES WHAT HE SEES SO FAR. AND THE LAST ONE DOWN THERE IS THE FEMA FLOOD MITIGATION ASSISTANCE. AGAIN, THAT'S FROM HUD. BUT YOU GOT TO GO THROUGH THE STATE, AND THE STATE HAS TO GO THROUGH A COUNTY. AND THE ONLY WAY TO DO THAT IS FOR US TO PRESENT IT TO THE COUNTY. AND WE DID THAT BACK IN JULY OF 27TH OF THIS YEAR. WE PRESENTED THE PASCO COUNTY'S LOCAL MITIGATION STRATEGY WORKING GROUP, AND THEY ENDORSED IT. SO IT'LL GO OUT TO THE NEXT STEP UP TO THE STATE FROM PASCO COUNTY. IT'S NOT LIKE PEOPLE HAVEN'T BEEN TALKING ABOUT FLOODING AND WHAT WE CAN DO DOWN HERE, OBVIOUSLY. BUT THE THING ABOUT THIS, IT'S A REALLY GOOD FIT. PASCO COUNTY ALREADY HAS THEIR RESILIENT PASCO PROJECT. SO WE COMPLEMENT THAT. AND IT ALSO COULD WORK REALLY WELL WITH OUR GROUP, OUR PUBLIC WORKS GROUPS THAT HAVE A LOT OF CITY STORMWATER PROJECTS THAT IT COULD PROVIDE A STORAGE AREA FOR IT. THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF WE STILL DON'T KNOW, A LOT OF QUESTIONS, BUT THAT'S WHAT THE FEASIBILITY STUDY IS FOR, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE TALKING TO YOU ALL TO SEE WHAT YOUR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS ARE. COULD BE WATER QUALITY, COULD BE SEAWALLS. IT COULD BE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES. OBVIOUSLY THOSE ARE GOING TO BE PROBLEMS, MULTIPLE AGENCY COORDINATION, ALL OF THAT KIND OF STUFF. SO WE KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE PROBLEMS, BUT IT'S A TARGETED FIRST MOVE. YOU KNOW WE'RE NOT TRYING TO SOLVE HURRICANES. WE'RE NOT GOING TO SAY THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE ANY MORE HURRICANES, BUT WE CAN LOWER THE PEAK FLOOD ELEVATION ALONG THE CODY RIVER BASIN, PROTECT ASSETS AND FORM THE FIRST PHASE OF A BROADER REGIONAL 
          [00:40:06]
RESILIENCE SYSTEM. AS ALWAYS, I ALWAYS APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THIS CONCEPT. I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS. DO YOU HAVE A BALLPARK FIGURE TO PUT THE WALL IN AND PUMPS IN? I DO, I AM COMPLETELY UNEDUCATED IN THIS, BUT I'M GUESSING ANYWHERE FROM 50 TO 100 MILLION. AND THE OTHER THING IS, WHAT KIND OF TIME FRAME DO YOU NEED TO PUMP THE WATER OUT OF THE RIVER ONCE YOU PUT THE WALL IN? THAT'S A REALLY GREAT QUESTION. AND AGAIN, THAT GOES MUCH MORE TO THE UTILITIES. AND THEY HAVE THOSE KIND OF THINGS. BUT YOU WOULD OBVIOUSLY WANT TO DO IT AT A LOW TIDE TO MAKE IT LESS. YEAH, YEAH. BUT A HURRICANE DOESN'T SAY WAIT FOR THE TIDE. IT DOESN'T WAIT FOR THE TIDE. BUT YOU CAN PUMP IT FOR THAT. 
          BUT THAT'S PART OF THE THINGS. WE'LL DEFINITELY HAVE TO BE THOUGHT OUT AND CONSIDERED IN THE FEASIBILITY STUDY. HOW BIG A PUMP TO GET THAT MUCH WATER OUT OF THERE. MULTIPLE PUMPS PROBABLY. ABSOLUTELY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I DO? I MEAN, MY BIGGEST CONCERN WOULD JUST BE THE ENVIRONMENTAL FACTOR. YOU KNOW, ALL THE WILDLIFE THAT'S IN THERE. YOU KNOW, WE GOT MANGROVES UP RIVER. SO THAT'D BE THE MY BIGGEST QUESTION, YOU KNOW, AND THEN THE OTHER PART TO IT, HOW MUCH CAN WE SUCK OUT? RIGHT? HOW MUCH CAN WE SUCK OUT? AND THEN THE OTHER ISSUE IS ONCE THE EVENT IS OVER, HOW QUICKLY CAN WE BRING THE WATER BACK IN? YOU KNOW, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A HURRICANE, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY GOING TO BE DEBRIS IN THE WATER, YOU KNOW, AND THEN THE OTHER PART WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, GOD FORBID, THERE WAS A BREACH OF IT. AND THEN WE'RE CAUSING LIKE A MAJOR FLOODING EVENT BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY PUMPED IT DOWN. AND NOW WE'VE GOT ALL THIS WATER RUSHING IN. SO THOSE WOULD BE KIND OF THE FEW THINGS JUST JUST OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD THAT I'M JUST THINKING, YEAH, VERY, VERY GOOD POINTS. AND YOU HAVE THE SAME, I THINK YOUR POINTS ARE INTERESTING ALSO THE OTHER WAY AROUND, BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T DO IT AND IT WENT UP EIGHT FEET, RIGHT. THAT'S A PRETTY BIG ENVIRONMENTAL. AND THE CRITTERS THERE THAT THAT WAS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT FOR THEM. SO I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING BOTH WAYS. YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO OUT 40 MILES FLYING FISH. YEAH. A LOT OF QUESTIONS ON FEASIBILITY AND YOU KNOW, STUFF THAT GOES INTO IT. BUT I MEAN, I LIKE IT. IT'S A BIG PICTURE. YOU KNOW, LOOK AT IT AGGRESSIVE. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY HAVE MANY LIKE THAT AROUND THE STATE. BUT NO, I THINK IT'S A GOOD GOOD START TO LOOK AT. YEAH MR. MAYOR, IT'S BOLD. IT SOUNDS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT A LITTLE BIT INTERESTING. MY YOU KNOW, I, I'M JUST GOING TO SAY WHAT MR. JONAS SAID. VALID POINTS ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL. AND I THINK MATT KIND OF CARRIED OFF OF THAT. MY, MY, MY OTHER THING IS, IF, YOU KNOW, HAVING BEEN THERE WHEN THE WHEN THIS PARTICULAR HURRICANE HAPPENED, TO YOUR POINT, THE RIVER, THE THE WATER CAME UP THROUGH THE RIVER. AND THEN WHEN YOU GOT OUT TO 19 IT FELL OFF. SO. 19 WAS THAT NATURAL BUFFER. AND YOU COULD SEE THAT IT WAS THE. WHERE THE RIVER WAS LOCATED WAS WHERE THE WATER WAS COMING UP. MY CONCERN IS IF WE ARE PUMPING WATER, WE ARE ESSENTIALLY CAUSING FLOODING PRIOR TO A HURRICANE, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE PUMPING THIS WATER BACK OUT INTO THE GULF, THE WEST SIDE, WHICH ALREADY WOULD HAVE FLOODED ANYWAYS, IT IS FLOODING BECAUSE OF A CITY MADE DECISION VERSUS AN ENVIRONMENTAL HAPPENING. AND I'M CURIOUS WHAT THE LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS OF THAT ARE. IF WE ARE, THROUGH OUR ACTIONS OF MITIGATING FLOODING IN ONE SPOT, ARE CAUSING FLOODING IN ANOTHER SPOT. AND I DON'T KNOW IF A, YOU KNOW, AS FURTHER PRESENTATIONS COME UP OR IF THIS GOES BEFORE WE FUND A FEASIBILITY STUDY, IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN CATCH. BUT WHAT ARE THE IMPACTS OF BLOCKING THAT WATER? ARE YOU ARE YOU GOING TO CAUSE WEST SIDE FLOODING BEFORE THE HURRICANE HAS EVEN HAPPENED? I WOULD SAY THEY WOULD PROBABLY PUMP THE WATER OUT FURTHER THAN JUST OUT THE MOUTH OF THE RIVER. THEY'D SEND IT OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GULF OR 100 YARDS, 200, A QUARTER MILE OUT IN THE GULF. I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T STUDY THAT STUFF. SO I'M CURIOUS IF A FEASIBILITY STUDY COULD. FIRST OF ALL, THERE'S NO PUMP THAT'S GOING TO PUMP THE WATER OUT OF THE RIVER. IF IT WATER GOES DOWN AT LOW TIDE AND YOU LOOK AT THE YOU LOOK AT THE ORANGE LAKE MODEL, WE DO HAVE TO PUMP IT OUT OF THE LAKE TO GET IT BELOW THE LEVEL OF THE TIDE. AND WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT. SO I THINK OR WE USED TO DO IT, I IMAGINE WE STILL CAN TURN THOSE PUMPS ON AND DO IT. AND WE DID HAVE FLOODING IN THE STREETS OF TOWN, ETC. AND SO I 
          [00:45:06]
GUESS I HAVE TO SAY, I WOULD REWARD YOU WITH THINKING BIG. AND I APPRECIATE ALL OF THAT. I THINK THAT ALREADY, HAVING LISTENED TO THAT AND WHAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE TO SAY, THE REAL ISSUE FOR US IS TO SAY, HERE'S AN IDEA. THERE ARE OTHER IDEAS AS WELL, WHICH ARE LIVING SHORELINES. YOU KNOW, COUNTY COMMISSIONER MARIANO IS ALL ABOUT RAISING THE HEIGHT OF ALL OF THE SEAWALLS. WE DID JOIN AND BECOME THE SECOND CITY TO DO THE THE REQUESTED. ORDINANCE, WHICH GAVE US OPTIONS ON HOW HOW TO DEAL WITH FLOODING. AND, AND AGAIN, THE THE MEETING LAST WEEK REPRESENTED SOME REALLY GOOD AND VALID IDEAS. SO THE IDEA THAT WE GO OUT AND SELECT A FIRM BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY CHOSEN WHO THEY ARE WITHOUT AN RFP OR ANYTHING, WE CAN'T DO THAT. WE CAN'T HIRE JACOBS, WE CAN'T HIRE THAT FIRM UNTIL WE GO OUT AND SAY, WE WANT TO DO A STUDY. SO I WOULD JUST SAY TO INTRODUCE THAT CONCEPT AND FIND OUT FROM THE PROFESSIONALS, THE FOLKS THAT WERE HERE LAST THURSDAY. HE WAS THE EASTERN UNITED STATES LEAD FOR A LARGE ENGINEERING COMPANY. AND AND HE BROUGHT SOME FOLKS THAT HAD SOME SOME IDEAS. THE FOLKS IN THE NETHERLANDS WOULD SAY, LET THE WATER THROUGH AND FIGURE OUT WHERE IT CAN GO SO IT DOESN'T FLOOD THE PEOPLE. SO BLOCKING IT AND STOPPING IT MAY HAVE ANCILLARY EFFECTS ON THE PROPERTIES AROUND IT MIGHT WORK. SO I'M NOT GOING TO POO POO IT. LIKE I GET TO HEAR MANY IDEAS THAT COME UP THAT WE PRESENT. BUT I ALSO THINK THAT AN ENTIRELY GOVERNMENT MANAGED SAVING GRACE FOR THE CITY'S FLOODING. NO MATTER HOW WELL IT WORKS, HAS TO BE MARRIED IF IT EVEN DOES WORK, HAS TO BE MARRIED WITH AN EDUCATION CAMPAIGN, WITH EDUCATING OUR COMMUNITY AND ALSO PEOPLE USING THEIR OWN PROPERTY. I HAD TAKEN JACOBS TO MY HOUSE AND SHOWN HIM NEXT TO THE BRIDGE, THE AREA THAT HAS REALLY BEEN OVERRUN. IT BELONGS TO THE COUNTY. THEY DON'T MAINTAIN IT. THERE ARE MANY EXAMPLES OF PEOPLE WHO COULD, IN THEIR OWN LOTS, DO SOMETHING TO HELP, TO ABSORB THAT BEFORE IT GETS THE REST OF THEIR YARD. THERE'S CHANCES FOR US TO DEVELOP INCENTIVES AND POLICIES, SO I WOULD LIKE TO BROADEN THE REQUEST TO THEM TO SAY, WE WANT TO SOLVE OUR PROBLEM. WE HAVE SOME IDEAS. WE HAVE NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS. WE'VE GOT. LET'S JUST STOP IT FROM COMING IN THE RIVER. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE MATH AND ALL OF THAT. IT SOUNDS VERY INTERESTING, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I'VE HAD PLENTY OF IDEAS THAT I GOT STOPPED RIGHT IN THE TRACKS AT SOME POINT BECAUSE MAYBE THE ENVIRONMENTALISTS WOULD NEVER ALLOW US TO DO IT. BUT AND I KNOW IN VENICE AND SOME OF THOSE PLACES, THEY GOT HUGE OCEAN ONES THAT ARE COMING UP NOW TO STOP IT. SO IT'S NOT OUT OF THE REALM OF POSSIBILITY, BUT IT ALSO HAS A LOT OF FACTORS THAT I THINK WE WOULD WANT TO WEIGH THAT NOT JUST SAY, THIS IS OUR MISSION TO DESIGN THIS, BUT OUR MISSION IS TO DO A FEASIBILITY STUDY TO LOOK AT ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE. AND IN PARTICULAR, I'VE BEEN PUSHING FOR OPPORTUNITIES THAT ALLOW US TO HAVE RECREATIONAL USES AND TO BRING BACK THE WALKABILITY AND ALL THOSE THINGS. SO I'D LIKE TO EXPAND OUR PLANNING BECAUSE IT'S ABOUT LONG TERM ECONOMIC STRENGTH. AND I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT WAYS WE CAN LOOK AT EVERY POSSIBILITY. SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT TO US. AND I'LL WAIT TILL WE GET TO THE REQUESTS LATER ON IN THE AGENDA. ANY SPECIFIC FUNDING SOURCES THAT WE WOULD BE ASKING. YOU TO SUPPORT OUR APPLICATION OF WOULD BE FOR PLANNING SO THAT THESE ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENGINEERING ISSUES CAN BE ADDRESSED SO THAT WHEN IT'S BROUGHT BACK BEFORE YOU, YOU CAN MAKE A WELL EDUCATED DECISION AND ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT IT'S A PROJECT THAT'S WORTH THE RISKS OR THE BENEFITS ASSOCIATED WITH IT. AND IF. AND WE WOULD ALSO ASK FOR FUNDING FOR FROM MITIGATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE AS A SECOND PROJECT SO THAT WE'RE AT LEAST OPENING OUR HANDS AND LETTING THE COUNTY KNOW THAT WE'RE INTERESTED IF WE CAN MAKE A PROJECT COME TO FRUITION. WITH YOUR APPROVAL, OF COURSE. DO YOU WANT ANYTHING FROM YOU, MR. MAYOR? VOXPOP, YOU GOT A MINUTES TO APPROVE? I'M TRYING TO GET APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES 
          [6) Approval of Minutes]
FOR AUGUST 10TH AND AUGUST 18TH FOR APPROVAL. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. IT'S FIVE 
          [7) Vox Pop for Items Not Listed on the Agenda or Listed on Consent Agenda]
          [00:50:08]
NOTHING. VOX POP, PLEASE. ALL THOSE IN ATTENDANCE MUST BE RESPECTFUL OF OTHERS OPINIONS AND REFRAIN FROM MAKING PERSONAL ATTACKS. ANY PERSON WHO BECOMES DISORDERLY OR WHO FAILS TO CONFINE REMARKS TO THE IDENTIFIED SUBJECT OR BUSINESS AT HAND, SHALL BE CAUTIONED BY THE PRESIDING OFFICER AND GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONCLUDE REMARKS ON THE SUBJECT IN A DECOROUS MANNER AND WITHIN THE DESIGNATED TIME LIMIT. ANY PERSON FAILING TO COMPLY AS CAUTION MAY BE BARRED FROM MAKING ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS DURING THE MEETING BY THE PRESIDING OFFICER, UNLESS PERMISSION TO CONTINUE OR AGAIN ADDRESS THE COUNCIL IS GRANTED BY THE MAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT. I HAD ONE PERSON SIGN UP TO SPEAK THAT WAS NATHAN POLLOCK. GOOD EVENING. NATHAN POLLOCK, 6153 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE. I'VE BEEN SPEAKING TO THE COUNCIL FOR YEARS ON THIS, AND SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO WORK IN MY FAVOR, THAT I'M NOT GOING TO BE OFFERED A NEW HEARING, BUT I'LL JUST SHARE WHAT I THOUGHT. SO RIGHT NOW I HAVE A STANDING ORDER TO DEMOLISH MY CITY. IT'S A DECISION THAT WAS MADE BY THE CITY COUNCIL. I THINK IT WAS A POOR DECISION NOT TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT. THE THINGS THAT ARE ACTUALLY STATED IN THE CITY'S OWN CODE. THE CODE WAS WRITTEN AND APPROVED IN 2005, AND NOWHERE IN THERE DOES IT CLEARLY STATE TO ELIMINATE SIGNS. I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE CITY MANAGER DECIDED SHE WAS GOING TO ENFORCE WITHOUT ACTUALLY CHANGING THE CODE, WHICH IS SOMETHING I THINK IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO BLESS OFF ON APPROVE, WHICH IT SEEMS REASONABLE THAT IF YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO ORDER ME TO DEMOLISH THE SIGN, YOU COULD ALSO ALLOW A NEW HEARING TO REVISIT THE ISSUE, BECAUSE I'VE PRESENTED EVIDENCE THAT'S CLEAR THAT YOU'VE ALLOWED THOSE SIGNS JUST BEFORE ME, JUST AFTER ME. SO I THINK THAT FALLS INTO THE DEFINITION OF SELECTIVE ENFORCEMENT. SO I HAVE A STANDING ORDER TO DEMOLISH. I'D LIKE A NEW HEARING. AND IF NOT, JUST JUST WIPE AWAY THE STAY BECAUSE ALL THE STAY IS, IS A, IT JUST HOLDS ME IN LIMBO. AND, AND IT DOESN'T ALLOW ANYTHING TO ACTUALLY TAKE PLACE. YOU'RE NOT DOING ME ANY FAVORS. I THINK YOU'RE ACTING LIKE IT. IT SEEMS ON THE. ON THE FACE OF IT, IT LOOKS PRETTY. BUT IT'S NOT DOING ME ANY FAVORS. IT'S DISHONEST IN NATURE. I WAS NOT GIVEN A FAIR HEARING. WE KNOW THAT. AND AND AGAIN, YOU ALLOW THOSE SIGNS EVERYWHERE ELSE, RIGHT? I'VE REQUESTED AND I WANT TO MAKE IT REALLY CLEAR. I WANT THE. I'VE DONE PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS FOR THE KAISER UNIVERSITY SIGN THAT'S ON US 19 RIGHT BY MAIN STREET. AND I KEEP BEING TOLD THAT THEY DON'T HAVE IT. IT SEEMS LIKE YOU HAVE TO HAVE A PERMIT TO DO ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING IN AN APPLICATION. AND SO I WOULD LIKE A COPY OF THAT. I'VE DONE IT WRITTEN I'M SAYING IT PUBLICLY. IF THE COUNCIL COULD HELP ME WITH THAT, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT. AND IF YOU WERE TO GRANT ME A NEW HEARING, I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT AS WELL. THAT WOULD BE, I THINK, WHAT WOULD BE MOST FAIR AND AND SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE SIGN AS FAR AS LIKE THE TRASH GOES, YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH THE PERFORMANCE OF THAT COMPANY. I EVEN USE THEM AT MY OWN HOME. I WILL SAY THAT WHEN THE CITY DECIDED TO MAKE FINANCIAL DECISIONS ON BEHALF OF MY BUSINESS, MY PRICE WENT UP 300% AS A SMALL BUSINESS, AND I PRODUCED LESS TRASH THAN MOST HOMES. ALSO, I DON'T KNOW IF THE MAYOR IS AWARE OF IT, BUT YOU CAN ACTUALLY TAKE EIGHT BAGS TO THE DUMP EVERY DAY. SO IF PEOPLE DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE A TRASH SERVICE, THEY PAY FOR THAT THROUGH THEIR TAXES. AS A BUSINESS, I PAY A SOLID WASTE ASSESSMENT, SO I'M FORCED TO PAY THAT AND THEN PAY. JD PARKER THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN SPEAKING, PLEASE COME DOWN FRONT. HI, MAYOR, I'M SUE GRASON. I REALLY AM HERE JUST TO GIVE SOME ACCOLADES. I WANT TO, FIRST OF ALL, THANK MR. ALTMAN, COUNCILMAN ALTMAN, FOR GETTING TOGETHER THE FORUM THAT WAS HELD LAST WEEK. IT WAS INCREDIBLE TO HEAR ALL THE POSSIBILITIES THAT EXIST FOR US TO HANDLE SO MANY DIFFERENT ASPECTS LIVING ALONG THE RIVER. THE JACOBS GROUP'S PRESENTATION WAS AMAZING, AND TO SEE A BICYCLE PATH OVER A STORMWATER BYWAY THERE WAS AMAZING TO SEE THE POSSIBILITIES THAT DO EXIST FOR US. I UNDERSTAND THE DIFFICULTY AND I'M JUST LOOKING AT ALL THE PRESENTATION THAT 
          [00:55:01]
MR. GAMMON GAVE ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF WATER I, FOR THE FIRST TIME, HAD WATER COME ALL THE WAY TO MY BACK FENCE DURING THAT STORM, BUT I. I LOOK FORWARD, BUT I DID WANT TO THANK MR. ALTMAN AND THE REST OF YOU ON THE COUNCIL FOR GETTING THAT TOGETHER, AS WELL AS THE CITY MANAGER. MANAGER, AND I ALSO WANTED TO GIVE A THANK YOU TO MR. TRAPP FOR HAVING THE CHAIRS AND EVERYTHING SET UP SO NICELY. THE ONLY THING I'D SUGGEST IS IF WE COULD GET A MICROPHONE IN THERE NEXT TIME, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU GET OLD AND YOU GET HARDER OF HEARING. SO IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE THAT. BUT JUST TO SAY THANK YOU FOR, FOR YOUR ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN TRYING TO MAKE THE CITY A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE AND TO BRING IN NEW BUSINESSES, NEW PEOPLE, AND, AND TO HAVE OUR CITY A SAFE PLACE TO LIVE. THANKS. DALE WEBB, 5647 KENTUCKY AVENUE. GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY. I DIDN'T HAVE ANY INTENTIONS OF GETTING UP AND SPEAKING UNTIL I HEARD MR. GAMMON'S PRESENTATION, AND I'LL GIVE YOU AN A FOR AN F EFFORT, AND I'LL GIVE YOU AN F FOR FEASIBILITY. AS THE MAYOR SAID, THERE AIN'T A PUMP BIG ENOUGH TO PUMP WATER OUT OF THAT RIVER, AND I'D HATE TO SEE US WASTE A LOT OF MONEY ON FEASIBILITY STUDIES FOR THIS. I MEAN, I'VE. IT'S GOT TO GO SOMEWHERE. BUT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO, YOU KNOW, MOTHER NATURE, THAT'S LIKE PICKING YOUR DOG POOP UP AND THROWING IT ACROSS INTO YOUR NEIGHBOR'S YARD. THAT WATER'S GOT TO GO SOMEWHERE. AND I JUST, LIKE I SAID, I'D GIVE YOU AN A FOR EFFORT FOR COMING UP WITH IT, BUT I JUST DON'T THINK THAT'S MUCH OF A THANK YOU. EVERYBODY ELSE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK. SEEING NO ONE ELSE COME FORWARD, WE'LL GO BACK TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA. OH, THAT'S RIGHT, ABOUT THE SUBJECTS ONLY NOT NOT A DISSERTATION. WELL, ABOUT GOING BACK TO THE WHOLE RESILIENCY AND AND THE IDEA THAT MR. 
          [8) City Council Response to Vox Pop Speakers]
CAMERON HAD ITS I YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF LIKE HOW SOLUTIONS ARE, ARE HAPPEN AS YOU THROW THINGS OUT THERE, BIG THINGS, SMALL THINGS AND TRY TO, YOU KNOW, YOU BREAK THEM DOWN AND SEE WHAT WILL WORK AND WHAT DOESN'T. SO I THINK IT'S JUST PART OF A CONVERSATION. AND IT MAY, IT MAY TURN INTO SOMETHING THAT REALLY IS POSSIBLE, WHATEVER THAT MAY BE. BUT I THINK YOU GOT TO START SOMEWHERE. AND I JUST LIKE THE EFFORT BY, BY STAFF BY DOING THAT. RIGHT? WELL, GOOD. JUST BACK, I THINK THAT, MR. POLLACK, I WOULD ASK THE CITY TO LOOK UP THE OLD SULLIVAN AND BRENNAN LAWSUIT THAT CAME AS THEY WERE CODE ENFORCED FOR BEING OPPOSED TO THE MADISON STREET BRIDGE. AND IT COST THE CITY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN LEGAL FEES. SO I'M NOT SAYING THAT MR. POLLACK WOULD SUE US OR TRY TO GET OTHER LEGAL MATTERS, BUT HE MADE A VERY GOOD POINT THAT HE HAD TWO EXAMPLES THAT WERE REALLY IDENTICAL TO HIS IN TERMS OF THE ABILITY FOR SOMEONE TO, YOU KNOW, DO SOMETHING NEW OR RENOVATED AT A POINT WHEN THOSE STRUCTURES WERE EMPTY FOR A LONG TIME. SO IF WE USED THE GRANDFATHERING CLAUSE FOR THE HACIENDA OR THE HISTORIC GRANDFATHERING CLAUSE, OR IF WE USED IT, A NEW PROJECT ON THE HIGHWAY, AND IT'S DIFFERENT FOR THE KAISER UNIVERSITIES, WE HAVE HIM IN THE MIDDLE, AND I THINK HE MAKES A VALID POINT. I'M TIRED OF HAVING THIS COME UP. I WANT TO SEE IT RESOLVED. AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, I'VE SAID IT BEFORE, YOU CAN COME UP WITH A MILLION DIFFERENT OPTIONS, BUT I SAY THAT BASED ON THE PRESENTATION HE MADE, MY OWN POINT IS, LET'S JUST NOT WORRY ABOUT HOW MANY DAYS THAT BUSINESS WAS CLOSED BEFORE HE OPENED IT BACK UP AND RECOGNIZED THAT AT THAT POINT IN TIME, WE WERE NOT ENFORCING THOSE. AND SO I'M JUST I'M TIRED OF IT. YEAH. TWO QUICK THINGS, MR. MAYOR. THE FIRST ONE IS RELATED TO THE COMMENTS MADE ABOUT THE PRESENTATION FOR POTENTIAL FLOOD MITIGATION. I'M GLAD IT WAS PUT FORTH. AND I THINK ANY GOOD SCIENCE REQUIRES US TO HAVE DIFFERENT OPINIONS ON AN ISSUE. AND IN THIS CASE, I HOPE THAT WE'RE PROVEN WRONG THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS ISN'T 
          [01:00:06]
POSSIBLE. I WOULD HOPE TO SEE SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPEN. ON THE TOPIC OF MR. POLLACK AND THE SIGN ORDINANCE, I DID AT MULTIPLE TIMES TALK WITH OUR CITY ATTORNEY AND SUBMITTED TO HIM THAT I FELT THERE WERE EIGHT INCONSISTENCIES WITH HOW THAT HEARING WAS CONDUCTED AND WHAT OUR RESOLUTION SAYS FOR QUASI JUDICIAL HEARINGS. I'VE BEEN VERY CLEAR ON THAT, AND I CONTINUE TO BELIEVE TO AND I'M REPLYING TO RESPONDENT ADDRESSING THIS TOWARDS CITY STAFF. I CONTINUE TO BELIEVE HE WAS NOT GIVEN A FAIR HEARING. THAT SAID, AND THERE WAS A JUDGE A FEW YEARS AGO IN A DIFFERENT CASE THAT DECIDED THAT THIS CITY ALSO HAS SOME INCONSISTENCIES IN HOW IT CONDUCTS ITS QUASI JUDICIAL. SO DON'T TAKE MY OPINION FOR IT. 
          TAKE THE JUDGE'S OPINION. BUT THAT BEING SAID, THIS CITY ATTORNEY HAS MADE IT CLEAR THAT THERE IS NO AVENUE FOR REHEARING AND THERE IS NO AVENUE FOR THE OTHER OPTION BEING TO MOTION THAT YOU COULD APPEAL TO A HIGHER LEVEL TO TO A THE NEXT LEVEL OF APPEAL, AND THAT'S REAFFIRMED BY STATE STATUTES. IT'S REAFFIRMED BY COURT CASES, IT'S REAFFIRMED BY ATTORNEY OPINIONS. SO THERE'S JUST NOTHING WE CAN DO IN TERMS OF REOPENING THAT HEARING. BUT I DO BELIEVE YOU DID NOT RECEIVE A FAIR HEARING. AND THERE ON THIS SIGN ORDINANCE ISSUE, IT'S BEEN BROUGHT UP MULTIPLE TIMES, AND I FEEL LIKE OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT ARE GETTING BEATEN UP OVER THIS. AND I JUST WANT TO GO OUT ON A LIMB HERE AND SAY, I DON'T THINK THIS IS A SELECTIVE ENFORCEMENT ISSUE. I THINK OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT WORK VERY HARD TO INTERPRET AND TO INTERPRET AND ENFORCE THE CODE AS THEY SEE IT. AND THAT IS US UP HERE AS A CITY COUNCIL WHO HAS AN ARBITRARY CODE SECTION FOR SIGNS, AND WE NEED TO GET IT TOGETHER UP HERE AND REALLY LOOK AT THE SIGN ORDINANCE AND RETHINK THIS IDEA OF BANNING PULL SIGNS. I'LL TALK MORE ABOUT IT DURING COMMUNICATIONS, BUT IT WAS A VERY, IN MY OPINION, ARBITRARY REASON WHY PULL SIGNS WERE BANNED TO BEGIN WITH. BUT I DON'T THINK OUR CODE IS DOING ANYTHING WRONG WHEN IT COMES TO PULL SIGNS. THEY'RE DOING THEIR JOB. WE 
          [9) Consent Agenda]
NEED TO DO OUR JOB CONSENT AGENDA. MOVE FOR APPROVAL. I'LL SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR. SIGNIFY BY I I. MOVE MOVING QUICK. I WANTED TO PULL THE THE CDBG ITEM FROM THE PURCHASES AND PAYMENTS FOR CITY COUNCIL JUST TO ASK WHERE BOTH OF THOSE. THE CDBG REHAB PROGRAM WAS THAT ALSO FOR SIDEWALK. ARE THOSE TWO COMPLETELY. WE'RE IN A CONSENT AGENDA. WHICH ONE IS THAT? 9191 ITEM NINE E THE PURCHASES AND PAYMENTS FOR CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL. OKAY, THERE'S TWO CDBG ITEMS. I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF THEY WERE CONNECTED OR IF THOSE ARE TWO SEPARATE PROJECTS. THERE ARE TWO SEPARATE PROJECTS. ONE RELATES TO THE REHABILITATION OF A SINGLE FAMILY HOME, AND THE SECOND IS FOR SIDEWALK WAS THE SINGLE FAMILY HOME FROM NICE FROM C OR IS THAT THE THE CDBG PROGRAM, THE COUNTY, THE COUNTY OR THE SEPARATE FROM CRA? IT IS. 
          YES. THANK YOU. YES OR NO THEN. OH YES. YEAH. OKAY. SO IT'S FIVE NOTHING. PUBLIC READING OF 
          [10.a) First Reading, Ordinance No. 2026-2373: FY 2026-27 Utility Rate and Fee Schedule]
ORDINANCES. FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 2026 2373. HAVING A LITTLE ROAD UTILITY RATE AND FEE SCHEDULE THIS ORDINANCE NUMBER 2026 2373. AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF NEW PORT RICHEY, FLORIDA, PROVIDING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF UTILITY RATES, CHARGES AND FEES FOR THE CITY, WATER, SEWER AND RECLAIMED WATER UTILITY SERVICES, PROVIDING FOR ADOPTION OF ALL RATES, CHARGES AND FEES SET FORTH IN EXHIBIT A ATTACHED HERETO. PROVIDING FOR INCREASES IN OR NEW RATES, CHARGES AND FEES WHERE APPROPRIATE, PROVIDING FOR CONFLICT, SEVERABILITY AND EFFECTIVE DATE AS INDICATED BY THE CITY ATTORNEY. THE PURPOSE OF THE ORDINANCE IS TO PROPOSE CHANGES TO OUR UTILITY RATE AND ADDITIONALLY TO OUR FEE STRUCTURE. AND IN THAT REGARD, MR. WILLIAMSON WILL MAKE A PRESENTATION TO YOU IN RESPECT TO THE AGENDA ITEM. THANK YOU, MR. BARNES. MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL, GOOD EVENING. HE'S GETTING QUEUED UP FOR US RIGHT NOW, I BELIEVE. SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT, WHAT'S BEFORE YOU IS TO ADOPT A SINGLE CONSOLIDATED RATE AND FEE SCHEDULE FOR WATER, WASTEWATER RECLAIMED AND ALL YOUR DEPOSITS AND FEES INCLUDED. ONE DOCUMENT APPLY THE SAME 4% ANNUAL INCREASE THAT COUNCIL HAS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED, AND THE MAKING CRITICAL CHANGES TO THE RATE STRUCTURE. ALL OF THIS WOULD ADD UP, IF APPROVED, TO WHAT AMOUNTS TO A 87 CENT INCREASE PER MONTH TO THE MONTHLY BILL FOR ABOUT 75% OF YOUR CUSTOMERS, THE AVERAGE 
          [01:05:05]
CUSTOMER USES 4000 GALLONS OF WATER OR LESS. IT'S ACTUALLY CLOSER TO 3000. BUT THE TEARS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BRING TO YOU ARE BETWEEN 0 AND 4 000. SO THAT WOULD BE THE HEADLINE INCREASE OF $0.80 PER MONTH. THIS REALLY REPRESENTS THE FIRST OR THE SECOND OF THREE STEPS. THE FIRST STEP WAS THE ORDINANCE THAT WE BROUGHT TO YOU A FEW MONTHS AGO, WHERE WE MOVED TO A OWNER ONLY MODEL, AND WE HAVE OUR DEPOSITS PLACED IN A NON-INTEREST BEARING ACCOUNT, AND THAT THESE RATES AND FEES NEED TO COME BACK TO YOU FOR APPROVAL, WHICH IS WHERE WE FIND OURSELVES NOW FOR THE RATE AND FEE SCHEDULE. THIS THIRD OR NEXT STEP THAT WOULD COME BACK TO COUNCIL WOULD BE AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE WHERE WE'RE DOING AN UPDATE TO CHAPTER 24, THAT WE'RE TAKING A LOOK AT THE LANGUAGE TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE AGREEMENTS WE HAVE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF AGREEMENTS, INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS, SERVICE AGREEMENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEARS. WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE UPDATED THE LANGUAGE AND THAT EVERYTHING IS SCRUBBED THERE. SO IT SHOULD BE FIVE KEY CHANGES TONIGHT. THE BILLING RATE, THE FIRST TIME IT WILL BE RECOMMENDED FOR A CHANGE SINCE 2016 FISCAL YEAR. I'M LOOKING AT A THREE YEAR IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT BILLING RATE INCREASE. WE'D BE LOOKING AT A SIMILAR THREE YEAR SEWER BASE RATE, ONLY INCREASE THE DEPOSITS AND METER FEES WOULD BE SET BASED ON THE MARKET RESPONSE. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME RESULTS FROM THE STANTEC BENCHMARKING RATE STUDY THAT I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE BEEN AWARE THAT THAT'S BEEN GOING ON THAT WAS RECENTLY COMPLETED THE WATER TEARS. WE'RE GOING TO RECOMMEND THAT WE HAVE A CHANGE TO THAT. AND THEN THE POLICY ON OUTSIDE CITY RATES THAT THAT REMAIN CONSISTENT. SO AS I WAS MENTIONING BEFORE NOW, IF WE WERE TO LOOK AT NOT INCLUDING MULTIFAMILY, BUT OUR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS, THEIR MEDIAN IS RIGHT AROUND 3000 GALLONS PER MONTH. RIGHT NOW, OUR TEARS RUN 0 TO 5000 GALLONS PER MONTH. SO THE IDEA BEHIND A TIERED SYSTEM IS YOU'RE TRYING TO ENCOURAGE CONSERVATION. AND SO WHAT WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT IS EVEN THOUGH WE WOULD RECOMMEND A REDUCTION OF 20% OF OUR TEARS FOR OUR WATER CONSUMPTION, THAT REALLY THIS WOULD NOT IMPACT WHERE A MAJORITY OF OUR CUSTOMERS LIVE, WHICH IS AT THAT LEVEL, BELOW 4000 GALLONS. THESE ARE SOME. THE FOLLOWING THREE SLIDES REPRESENT RESULTS FROM THE STANTEC BENCHMARKING ANALYSIS, WHERE WE HAD THEM TAKE A LOOK AT OTHER UTILITIES IN THE AREA TO SEE WHAT THEY ARE CHARGING. YOU CAN SEE HERE IN THIS SLIDE YOUR BASE RATE OR FIXED CHARGE THE WATER THERE ON THE TOP. THAT ORANGE THERE RECTANGLE THERE IN THE CENTER THAT REPRESENTS GRAPHICALLY OUR CITY'S BASE RATE RELATIVE TO THE MARKET. AND THAT LINE THAT GOES ACROSS THERE, I THINK IT'S 1530 OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES. I CAN'T SEE IT FROM HERE. 
          YEAH. THAT REPRESENTS YOUR MEDIAN. WE'RE SLIGHTLY BELOW THAT. WHAT I'D LIKE TO CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO IS THE SEWER BASE RATE. YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'RE THE SECOND LOWEST IN 12 YEARS, ALL THE WAY OVER TO THE LEFT SIDE, SIGNIFICANTLY BELOW MARKET. IF YOU LOOK AT WATER BILL 4000 GALLONS, AND YOU COMBINE THE BASE RATE WITH THE 4000 GALLONS OF USAGE, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE ARE AGAIN, RIGHT THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PACK IN THE MARKET. AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE SEWER BILL FOR 4000 GALLONS, IT SHOULD BE NO SURPRISE BASED ON OUR BASE RATE, THAT WE'RE PRETTY FAR OVER TO THE SIDE. THAT CONSUMPTION RATE LOOKS TO BE COMPETITIVE WITH THE MARKET WHERE IT SHOULD BE, BUT NOT THE BASE RATE. LASTLY, AS WE LOOK AT DEPOSITS AND INSTALLATION FEES, THE MAIN TAKEAWAY HERE TO KNOW IS THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US AS A UTILITY TO RECOVER OUR COSTS. SO FOR EXAMPLE, A METER INSTALLATION OR A BACKFLOW PREVENTER INSTALLATION, EITHER THE METER OR THE BACKFLOW IS GOING TO BE AROUND 500 TO $550 FOR A BACKFLOW, AND IT'S GOING TO BE AROUND $400 FOR A METER INSTALLATION, A NEW METER. AND THAT DOESN'T EVEN INCLUDE THE LABOR. AND BEFORE THIS RECOMMENDATION TO RECAPTURING ABOUT $150. SO THIS IS JUST A TRUE UP AND AN UPDATE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY IS CAPTURING OUR COSTS AND THAT SOME MEMBERS AREN'T BASICALLY SUBSIDIZING THE COST OF THESE NEW ASSETS TO PUT THEM IN THE GROUND FOR OTHERS. EVEN WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE'LL SHOW YOU HERE IN THE NEXT FEW SLIDES, IT WOULD STILL HAVE US BELOW THE MARKET MEDIAN. SO THE FIRST CHANGE IS THAT BILLING RATE, THE BILLING RATE IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO WE CHARGE FOR MAINTAINING THE ACCOUNTS, CUSTOMER SERVICE, THE BILLING AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, MAINTAINING THE ACCOUNTS. IT'S BEEN AT $1.05 SINCE 2016. AND WHEN WE DID THE STUDY FOR SUSTAINABILITY, AND THAT WAS PRESENTED TO COUNCIL IN OCTOBER OF 2024, IT IDENTIFIED THAT 
          [01:10:04]
THAT RATE SHOULD BE AT $2.16. SO WE'RE A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN HALF OF WHERE WE SHOULD BE. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT RECOMMENDING TO CITY COUNCIL FOR YOU TO CONSIDER A THREE YEAR TRUE UP WHERE WE CAN GO FROM THE 105, WHERE WE'RE AT NOW TO ALMOST TO THAT 216 NUMBER, THE NEXT ITEM FOR YOU TO CONSIDER WOULD BE SEWER BASE RATE CHANGE. ONLY THE USAGE RATE OF 4%. COUNCIL HAS ALREADY APPROVED. WE'RE NOT RECOMMENDING ANY CHANGE TO THAT, BUT WE ARE RECOMMENDING A THREE YEAR IMPLEMENTATION TO TAKE OUR BASE RATE FROM THE 1697, WHERE WE FIND OURSELVES TODAY, UP CLOSER TO THAT MARKET MEDIAN, AROUND $23. WE WOULD DO THAT 20% THIS YEAR, THEN 40%, AND THEN ANOTHER 40%. SO WE WOULD CLIMB THE LADDER TO GET TO THAT BASE RATE. AND ONCE WE GET THERE, WE'RE STILL GOING TO BE BEHIND THE MEDIAN OF THE MARKET. RATES. RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE A POLICY THAT WE WILL, WE CHARGE 25% MORE FOR CUSTOMERS THAT FALL OUTSIDE THE CITY. I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT'S ONE CONSISTENT WITH FLORIDA STATUTE THAT INCLUDES HOUSE BILL 451 THAT PASSED THIS SESSION. AND IT ALSO IS CONSISTENT WITH EVERY OTHER MUNICIPAL UTILITY THAT CHARGES A SURCHARGE. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM IS ALSO AT 25%. NONE OF THEM ARE LOWER CUSTOMER NOTICES. WANTED TO MAKE SURE I KNOW THIS WAS IMPORTANT TO COUNCIL, THAT WE ARE NOTIFYING FOLKS NOT ONLY OF THE ORDINANCE THAT WE PASSED RECENTLY, BUT ANY CHANGES MOVING FORWARD AS WELL. SO ONE OF THE NOTICES IS REQUIRED AS PART OF THIS ORDINANCE, AND WE'LL HAVE ONE FOR THE SECOND READING SCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER 15TH. BUT THE OTHER NOTICE IS NOT REQUIRED BY THE STATE. BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DOING BASICALLY AT YOUR PRIORITIZED DIRECTION THAT WE ARE NOTICING. WE'RE NOTIFYING EVERY ONE OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE CITY, AS WELL AS EVERY ONE OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT'S OUTSIDE THE CITY, BUT WITHIN OUR UTILITY SERVICE AREA OF THE ORDINANCE THAT JUST PASSED TO GO TO OWNER ONLY HERE, AGAIN, TRYING TO TAKE YOUR DIRECTION THAT YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE WE OVER COMMUNICATED ON THAT AS PROPOSED. THE CHANGES WOULD ALLOW US TO MEET OUR DEBT SERVICE, OUR CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN PROVIDED TO YOU IN THE DRAFT BUDGET ALREADY, AND OUR UTILITY OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE BUDGET. THE CHANGE FOUR OF SIX HERE. THIS IS, I CONSIDER A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE BECAUSE PRETTY MUCH AS LONG AS YOU'VE HAD A UTILITY, YOU'VE PRETTY MUCH BEEN AT 5000 GALLONS. YOUR MARKET IS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 3 AND 4500 GALLONS. FOR THE MOST PART, PASCO IS AT FIVE. THERE ARE SOME AT FIVE, SOME ARE. THERE'S LITERALLY ONE TIER AND SAINT PETE AND THE SECOND TIER, IT MORE THAN DOUBLES. AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'VE GOT. THE IDEA IS TO TRY TO SET YOUR TEARS TO WHERE THEY WOULDN'T IMPACT FOLKS THAT ARE BELOW YOUR AVERAGE USAGE. BUT IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE THAT IS NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO CONSERVING WATER, IT'S GOING TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPENSIVE FOR THEM. AND KEEP IN MIND THAT EVERY THOUSAND GALLONS OF WATER WE PURCHASED, THERE IS A RATE THAT WE PAY TO TAMPA BAY WATER. SO WATER CONSERVATION IS GOING TO BECOME MORE IMPORTANT BECAUSE THERE'S A PRICE TAG ASSOCIATED WITH IT. WE WOULD KEEP FIVE TIERS THE SAME AS WE HAVE NOW. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS OUR TIERS WOULD GO FROM 5000 A TIER TO 4000 A TIER DEPOSITS A METER, INSTALLATION FEES. RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT 125. WE RECOMMEND YOU GO 150 THAT 5/8 INCH METER. WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW IS THAT ALMOST ALL OF OUR RESIDENTIAL, SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCES HAVE THAT SIZE METER. SO FOR THE MOST PART, YOU'RE GOING TO BE AT THAT 150 NUMBER METER INSTALLATION FEE. AGAIN. RIGHT NOW WE'RE CAPTURING 150 AGAINST A COST OF $500. SO THIS TRUES US UP THERE. IF YOU LOOK AT A COMBINED BILL, WATER AND SEWER, IF YOU WERE TO APPROVE WHAT IS BEING RECOMMENDED WITH THIS FIRST ORDINANCE OR MOVE THAT TO THE SECOND READING AND THEN ULTIMATELY APPROVE, THIS IS THE SECOND READING, THE RATE WOULD GO FROM $74.88 FOR A TYPICAL SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY, USING 4000 GALLONS TO 7575. THIS GRAPH IS USING THE COMBINED WATER AND SEWER FROM THE STUDY, AND THOSE RESULTS WERE FROM MAY. WE ARE AWARE THAT SOME UTILITIES ON THIS LIST HAVE ALREADY INCREASED THEIR RATES. SO IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU APPROVE WHAT'S PROPOSED OUR POSITION TO MARKET, WE BECOME EVEN MORE CONSERVATIVE COMPARED TO OUR PEERS. COMBINED BILL AT 4000 GALLONS. THIS IS A SLIDE THAT WAS RECOMMENDED VERY WISELY BY OUR MAYOR, SOMETHING I HAD MISSED. WE ARE ONE OF SIX MEMBERS OF TAMPA BAY WATER. AND SO WHERE THE PREVIOUS SLIDE SHOWS OTHER UTILITIES, MUNICIPAL UTILITIES IN OUR MARKET, NOT EVERY ONE OF THESE ON THIS GRAPH HERE IS A MEMBER OF TAMPA BAY WATER. SO THEY HAVE TO PURCHASE THEIR WATER FROM SOMEBODY WHO IS. THESE ARE YOUR SIX MEMBERS OF TAMPA BAY WATER, OF WHICH NEWPORT RICHIE IS ONE. AND IF YOU LOOK AT OUR RATES COMPARED TO THEIR RATES, AGAIN, WE WOULD FALL JUST BELOW THE AVERAGE. SO AGAIN, WE HAVE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT. BASICALLY IT WOULD BE TO APPROVE TO GO TO 
          [01:15:06]
THE SECOND READING AND WHATEVER CHANGES YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE OR COMMENTS, OBVIOUSLY STAFF WILL ADHERE TO THOSE. QUICK SYNOPSIS, THE BASE RATE THAT WE'VE ALREADY APPROVED IN PREVIOUS YEARS WOULD BE PRESERVED. THE BILLING RATE WOULD HAVE THAT FIRST STEP OF 3 TO 100 AND 5 TO 110 SEWER BASE RATE. WE HAVE THAT FIRST STEP OF 3 TO 16, 97 TO 23. THE TIER THRESHOLDS WOULD GO FROM 5000 GALLONS TO FOUR. AND YOUR DEPOSITS AND FEES, WE WOULD ALIGN THOSE WITH THE MARKET RESPONSE. I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ONE THING AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT TWO YEARS. THIS IS IMPORTANT. TAMPA BAY WATER, SINCE IT'S FORMING IN 1998, HAS PAID ITS MEMBERS A FACILITY ACQUISITION CREDIT FOR NEW PORT RICHEY. IT AMOUNTS TO ABOUT 8000 GALLON CREDIT PER MONTH. THAT CREDIT IS DUE TO EXPIRE IN SEPTEMBER OF 2029, SO WE WILL ENJOY THAT CREDIT FOR ONE MORE FISCAL YEAR. BUT I DO WANT TO MAKE YOU AWARE THAT WHEN WE GET TO THAT FY 2829, THAT CREDIT EXPIRES AND IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THE COST PER GALLON FOR TAMPA BAY WATER WOULD GO FROM $2.66 TO $2.83. SO THERE WOULD BE A FUTURE INCREASE THERE. THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE BEFORE YOU. SECOND READING WOULD TAKE PLACE IN A FEW WEEKS, ASKING YOU TO ADOPT THE UTILITY RATE AND RESCHEDULE. WE WILL HAVE A PROPERLY TITLED COVER PAGE WHERE IT WILL ACTUALLY SAY WHEN WE GET TO THE SECOND READING. THANK YOU, TIM, FOR THAT, AND I'LL MAKE MYSELF A BILL FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT. SEEING NO ONE COME FORWARD, BRING IT BACK FOR DISCUSSION AND VOTE. I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE. I'LL MAKE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION TO MAKER. NO, I JUST I WANT TO THANK, YOU KNOW, ROB AND THE STAFF FOR, YOU KNOW, PUTTING THAT POWERPOINT TOGETHER AND, YOU KNOW, REALLY GIVING US A REAL THOROUGH EXPLANATION OF WHAT'S GOING ON. AND, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE ALL CONCERNED ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE IN OUR CITY. AND I THINK THIS IS JUST ONE OTHER STEP TOWARDS GETTING US BACK TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE. AS OUR CITY'S GROWING, SO DOES OUR UTILITIES, SO DOES OUR USAGE. AND, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO BE CONSCIENTIOUS, YOU KNOW, OF THIS, YOU KNOW, ADJUSTMENT COMING TO OUR WATER COSTS DOWN THE LINE. SO I THINK THIS IS A GOOD IDEA. SO THANK YOU. SECOND, YEAH, I DO BELIEVE THAT THE CONSERVATION RATE CHANGE IS A POSITIVE MOVE AND IT WILL ALLOW FOLKS TO MANAGE IT. I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THE INFORMATION WE GIVE TO THE PUBLIC IS GOING TO SAY THAT WE ALSO WANT TO HELP THE PUBLIC TO BE ABLE TO SEE THEMSELVES, THEIR WATER USE ON AS MUCH OF A REGULAR BASIS AS POSSIBLE AND IDENTIFY THEIR LEAKS. BECAUSE REALLY, THE BOTTOM LINE OF A CONSERVATION RATE IS TO TRY TO CONSERVE. AND THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT IS TO EDUCATE AND HAVE FOLKS HAVE CONTROL OVER THEIR WATER PROBLEMS WHEN THEY OCCUR, WHETHER IT'S A LEAKY TOILET HANDLE OR TOILET HANDLE, OR A LEAKY FAUCET OR HOSE IN THE BACKYARD. SO ALL OF THAT IS GOOD. I WOULD DEFER BACK TO THE MAYOR, BUT I THINK WHEN YOU LOOKED AT THE LOWEST RATE BEING TAMPA OF TAMPA BAY WATER, THE REASON IS THEY HARDLY BUY ANY WATER. TAMPA BAY WATER, THEY GET IT OUT OF THE RIVER, JUST IN THE SAME WAY THAT THE CITY OF DADE CITY HAS A PERMIT TO PUMP THEIR WATER OUT. AND THEY DO SPEND MONEY TO, TO, TO CORRECT IT. BUT THE BENEFIT OF NEW PORT RICHEY IS WE HAVE, THROUGH OUR MEMBERSHIP OF TAMPA BAY WATER, A GUARANTEE OF ALL THE WATER THAT WE WILL EVER NEED. AND SO THEY'RE STANDING BEHIND THAT. SO OUR CITY DOESN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT PERMITS BEING RENEWED AND, AND THE LIKE. AND FINALLY, THE LOWEST PRICE OF ALL WAS DADE CITY. AND PARTLY BECAUSE THEY HAVE A WELL, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE A CHARGE ON THEIR WATER BILLS TO ALL CITY RESIDENTS, WHICH IS A 10% UTILITY TAX. AND THAT COMES BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD ADD ANOTHER 10% TO THAT CUSTOMER'S BILL IF YOU LOOKED AT THEIR BILL, BECAUSE IT DOES INCORPORATE A TAX THAT WOULD OTHERWISE WE DO NOT HAVE CURRENTLY. SO WE GET THE 25% MARKUP ON THE OUT OF CITY SERVICES. AND. AND THAT'S AN AVAILABILITY THAT WE'VE NOT TAKEN AND SAVED THE RESIDENTS FROM PAYING A TAX ON THEIR ON THEIR WATER BILLS. OKAY. MR. POOLE. YEAH, THE 4% LOOKS GOOD. THE BILLING RATE AND SEWER RATES LOOK FINE. THANK YOU FOR EXPLAINING THOSE AND HOW WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO. GET TO AT 
          [01:20:01]
COST. BUT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY NOT THERE. THE CONCERN I HAD WAS ACTUALLY THE FLIP OF ALTMAN. I GET THE IDEA OF, YOU KNOW, ENCOURAGING RESIDENTS TO CONSERVE. THAT'S AN HONORABLE GOAL. BUT THE FLIP OF THAT IS THE THE TIER THRESHOLDS SHIFTING BACK. I'D REALLY LIKE TO KNOW ON THE SECOND READING, SOME TANGIBLE NUMBERS, YOU DID HIGHLIGHT THE 73% OR 75% AND WHERE THOSE AVERAGES WERE, OR YOU SAID THAT THAT'S YOU KNOW, I WON'T CHARACTERIZE IT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE OF HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD END UP SHIFTING AS A TANGIBLE VALUE IN TERMS OF CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE. BECAUSE THEN BACK TO ALTMAN'S POINT, IF WE ARE DOING SOME SORT OF EDUCATION AROUND CONSERVATION, IF THIS IF THIS SHIFT, IF THIS COMPRESSION IS GOING TO MOVE PEOPLE INTO PAYING MORE, THEY SHOULD BE KNOWN, PERHAPS EVEN PROACTIVELY, HEY, THIS IS WHY THIS IS HAPPENING. HERE'S HOW YOU CAN GET BACK DOWN. OR YOU COULD WORK TO GET BACK DOWN. I'VE ALWAYS BEEN CAUTIOUS. YOU KNOW, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, WE GOT TO DO THINGS FOR THE BUDGET. AND IT'S A GREAT PRESENTATION ON HOW TO DO THAT. 
          BUT THEN THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT IS OBVIOUSLY THE PUBLIC TRUST. AND DUKE ENERGY HAS A HABIT OF WHAT I FEEL. AND THIS IS VERY EDITORIAL, BUT I THINK IT'S RELEVANT, OFFERING WHAT FEELS LIKE A LITTLE BIT OF A CONDESCENSION, A CONDESCENDING TOWARDS CUSTOMERS WHEN THEY HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THEIR RATES INCREASING AND THEIR RESPONSE IS, WELL, ARE YOU CONSERVING ENERGY? AND ARE, YOU KNOW, HAVE YOU REPLACE YOUR WATER HEATER? HAVE YOU DEALT WITH LEAKS? AND SO I WOULD JUST CAUTION US AS A CITY FROM MAKING THIS CHANGE AND THEN GOING BACK TO RESIDENTS AND SAYING, WELL, YOU'RE NOT SAVING YOUR WATER WHEN WE'RE THE ONE WHO MADE THE CHANGE. AND SO THAT'S THE PUBLIC TRUST PIECE, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE RISING COSTS IN EVERY WAY, OTHER SHAPE, FORM. IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE A LOT ON PAPER. IT'S NOT A LOT, BUT IT DOES. IT DOES HURT PEOPLE'S BOTTOM LINES. AND THEN ON THE NEW FEES, THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING THAT. I SAW THE 50, THE 70, THE CURRENT COST OF LABOR. ONE'S. WHAT IS THE WHAT IS THE RATIONALE BEHIND THAT? AND I APPRECIATE MR. WILLIAMSON REACHING OUT. I APOLOGIZE FOR PUTTING YOU ON THE SPOT WITH QUESTIONS, BUT THANK YOU FOR ENTERTAINING THEM. THE PREMISE VISIT FEE. WHAT IS SO JUST FOR IS THAT FOR RELATED TO BACKFLOWS, OR IS THAT ANY TYPE OF CITY STAFF VISITING A PREMISES FOR ANY REASON? THERE'S A $70 FEE. GREAT QUESTION. WE HAVE SOME CUSTOMERS WHERE WE HAVE TO MAKE MULTIPLE VISITS TO THE PROPERTY, NOT FOR SHUT OFF, NOT FOR A TURN ON, IT MIGHT BE, OR JUST BEING ABLE TO ACCESS OUR EQUIPMENT TO ACCESS OUR METER OR ANY NUMBER OF REASONS. AND THE IDEA BEHIND THAT IS IF WE HAVE TO SEND OUT AN EMPLOYEE OR A REQUEST, THAT IS, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WAY OF SAYING IT, IT'S NOT OUR FAULT. THEN THERE WOULD BE A FEE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. THAT ONE WOULD BE VERY RARE IN OCCURRENCE. AND AGAIN, THESE ARE RECOMMENDATIONS AS WELL. SO IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT ME TO PROVIDE YOU MORE AND COUNSEL MORE OF A NARRATIVE OF WHEN THAT WOULD BE APPLIED, I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT. YEAH. AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE LIKE A CASE STUDY OF WHEN IT'S POPPED UP, BUT JUST SOME SORT OF GENERAL DESCRIPTION. WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING MAKES SENSE IN THE FACT THAT. GO AHEAD. YEAH, IF I MAY. TO MR. WILLIAMSON'S POINT, WHAT WE WOULD BE TALKING ABOUT WITH THAT $70 FEE IS ANY PARTICULAR INSTANCE WHERE WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE IN PLACE THAT LIMITS PEOPLE AND THE STRUCTURES THEY MAY PUT OVER TOP OF OUR UTILITY EASEMENT AND OUR UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE. SO THERE WILL BE CASES WHERE MAYBE THERE'S A AN INSTANCE, AND WE'VE RUN INTO THIS A FEW TIMES WHERE WE NEED TO ACCESS A METER, WHETHER IT'S TO GET A POSITIVE READ OUT OF IT, OR IF WE WANT TO DO AN INSPECTION ON THE METER OR THE BACKFLOW ITSELF, AND WE GET OUT THERE. AND WHAT YOU'LL FIND IS SOMEBODY MIGHT HAVE PUT A SHED UP OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, AND WE'LL HAVE TO MAKE MULTIPLE VISITS TO THAT SITE IN ORDER TO MOVE THE PROCESS ALONG AND ENSURE THAT WE CAN ACCESS THAT UTILITY EASEMENT. IT MAY EVEN BE AS SIMPLE AS THE GATE WAS LOCKED A FEW DIFFERENT TIMES, AND WE'RE NOT ABLE TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE RESIDENT. IT WOULD BE RARE THAT WE WOULD IMPLEMENT IT IN THAT PARTICULAR INSTANCE. BUT WHEN THERE'S A VIOLATION OF OF A CODE ORDINANCE OR AN ORDINANCE IN THAT SITUATION, THEN IT MIGHT BE SUITABLE TO APPLY IT IN THAT CIRCUMSTANCE, IF THAT IF THAT MAKES ANY SENSE. 
          YEAH. THAT HELPS. YEAH. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I GOT. BUT JUST STRESSING THE IMPORTANCE OF 
          [01:25:04]
HAVING SOME NUMBERS TO GO WITH THE TIERED THRESHOLDS, PUT THOSE TOGETHER FOR THE NEXT MEETING. YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THE THOROUGH PRESENTATION. NOBODY LIKES, YOU KNOW, COSTS TO GO UP EVEN IF IT'S A PENNY. BUT SERVICES, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY COST MONEY AND PRICE OF GOODS, YOU KNOW, GOES UP INFLATION, YOU CAN'T GET AWAY FROM IT. AND I KNOW WE DO A VERY GOOD JOB OF TRYING TO OFFSET THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MAKING OUR RATES, YOU KNOW, AS FEASIBLE AS POSSIBLE, YOU KNOW, AFFORDABLE AS POSSIBLE. SO I APPRECIATE THAT FROM THE STAFF, BUT I'M GOOD WITH IT. I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH 5000 GOING TO 4000. AND THE REASON I DO IS THAT I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO CONSERVE WATER OR PEOPLE'S MENTALITY IS GOING TO CONSERVE WATER. I THINK THAT THE REASON THAT THEY'RE AT 5000 INSTEAD OF 4000, IF THAT HAPPENS TO BE A NUMBER IN THEIR HOUSEHOLD, IS BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE. AND SO HERE WE'RE. RAISING THE RATES ON SOMEBODY THAT HAS A FULL HOUSEHOLD VERSUS SOMEBODY LIKE MYSELF WHO'S AN INDIVIDUAL. AND, YOU KNOW, SO I WOULD LIKE YOU TO INVESTIGATE THAT, THAT 50004000 NUMBER AND SEE WHAT YOU THINK YOU SHOULD, YOU KNOW, BEFORE THE NEXT READING, BECAUSE MY, MY DISCUSSIONS WITH ROB WAS ALL ABOUT ENFORCING THEM TO CONSERVE. WELL, I DIDN'T REALLY THINK THAT WAS WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS, THAT THE HOUSES, THEY WERE OVERUSING THE WATER, THEY WOULD KNOW IT AND THEY, THEY DON'T CARE. SO THEY'RE NOT GOING TO CONSERVE ANYHOW, IF YOU CHANGE THE RATES OR CHANGE THE NUMBERS. SO ANYHOW, I'D LIKE YOU TO INVESTIGATE THAT. ALL THOSE. AND I'M SORRY, I PROBABLY OVERSTATED THE CONSERVATION ELEMENT OF THAT. IT IS ALSO TRYING TO ALIGN WITH MARKET AS WELL. BUT I WOULD SAY IT'S MORE CONSERVATION THAN IT WOULD BE LIKE MARKET. AND THOSE NUMBERS FOR YOU, I JUST DON'T I JUST DON'T THINK PEOPLE ARE GOING TO THINK OF IT THAT WAY BECAUSE WE HAVE SIX, 45% RENTALS IN TOWN. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO CONSERVE WHATEVER AND YOU'RE JUST GOING TO CHARGE YOU MORE. ALL RIGHT, MR. MAYOR, I'M SORRY, BUT I HEARD YOU SAY THAT THE REPORT WAS BEEN DONE BY HAS BEEN DONE BY STANTEC. DID WE REPORT COME TO US OR IS IT JUST ENTERING ITS FINAL STAGES? BECAUSE WHEN REPORTS ARE DONE ON WATER RATES, THEY THEY ALWAYS LOOK AT WHAT IS OUR CAPITAL PLAN? WHAT ARE OUR EXPENSES WE HAVE TO COVER, AND WHY DO WE NEED TO RAISE THE RATES? AND I'M SURE WE HAVE THE DEFENSE FOR THAT. WHEN PEOPLE ASK, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A PENDING DOCUMENT OR ONE I MISSED. LOOKING AT THE CITY MANAGER'S DIRECTION, WE DO HAVE THE BENCHMARKING STUDY. IT IS NOT A COMPREHENSIVE RATE STUDY AS WHAT YOU MAY HAVE DESCRIBED. 
          I THINK WE HAD THE SUSTAINABILITY REVENUE STUDY. ARE WE BRINGING IN ENOUGH REVENUE TO SUSTAIN OUR UTILITY? THAT'S THE ONE THAT WAS REFERENCED FROM 2024. THIS IS A BENCHMARKING STUDY. I HEAR YOU FOR RATES. WE DO HAVE A DOCUMENT THAT WE CAN SHARE WITH EVERYONE. OH, I HEAR YOU AND I APPRECIATE THE ANSWER. THANK YOU. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY 
          [10.b) Second Reading, Ordinance No. 2026-2360: Sale of Surplus Property]
I, I THAT'S FIVE NOTHING. SECOND READING OF ORDINANCE 2026 2360 SALE OF SURPLUS PROPERTY. THIS IS ORDINANCE NUMBER 2026 2360. AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF NEW PORT RICHEY, FLORIDA, PROVIDING FOR THE SALE OF SURPLUS CITY PROPERTY, PROVIDING FOR THE SALE OF THREE PROPERTIES LOCATED GENERALLY ALONG EDGEWATER DRIVE AND GARDEN DRIVE AND LEGALLY DESCRIBED IN EXHIBIT A, ATTACHED HERETO PROVIDING FOR CONDITIONS. PROVIDING AUTHORIZATION TO THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENTS IN ACCORDANCE HEREWITH AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. AS INDICATED, THIS IS A SECOND READING BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING AND IT RELATES TO PROPERTIES IN THE EDGEWATER GARDEN SUBDIVISION, WHICH THE CITY ACQUIRED TWO LOTS IN 1999 AND ANOTHER LOT IN 2025. AND AT THE FIRST READING, THE REQUEST FROM STAFF WAS TO RECEIVE AN AUTHORIZATION TO SELL THE PROPERTY TO NOVO CONSTRUCTION, WHO WAS WHO WERE DUE TO BUILD TWO COASTAL COTTAGES ON THE PROPERTY. AND AT THAT TIME YOU ASKED FOR SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE DEVELOPER. I HAVE FOLLOWED UP NOW AND WROTE TO YOU IN THE CITY MANAGER'S REPORT ABOUT NOUVEAU IN LIEU OF THE PORTFOLIO THAT YOU HAD REQUESTED ON THEM AND THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT, IF YOU DON'T RECALL, IS THE LOTS WERE TO GO FOR WITHOUT A FEE FOR THE BENEFIT OF CONSTRUCTING THE STRUCTURES IN THAT SUBDIVISION. AND THERE WAS ALSO A $25,000 INCENTIVE AFTER THEY RECEIVED A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY. I REMEMBER THERE WAS ALSO A CLAWBACK PROVISION. IF THEY FAILED TO BUILD THE HOUSE 
          [01:30:01]
WITHIN A A ONE YEAR PERIOD OF TIME. AND AT THIS TIME, WE'RE PREPARED TO ASK YOU TO APPROVE THE ORDINANCE AT SECOND READING. ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? SEEING NO ONE COME FORWARD, BRING IT BACK FOR DISCUSSION AND VOTE TO APPROVE. I'LL SECOND TO THE MAKER. THIS IS FOR THE RELATED TO THE COASTAL COTTAGES REZONING. YEAH, YEAH. I THINK THE CLAWBACK PROVISION IS WHAT GIVES ME SANITY. I APPRECIATE THE CITY MANAGER AND CITY STAFF RESPONDING QUICKLY TO THE REQUESTS ABOUT PRIOR EXPERIENCE WITH RESIDENTIAL. AND, YOU KNOW, QUITE FRANKLY, THE RESPONSE WAS NOT WHAT I ANTICIPATED, THAT BEING THAT THERE WASN'T REALLY ANYTHING REALLY TO PRESENT. 
          HOWEVER, THE CLAWBACK AND THE FACT THAT THERE'S THERE'S STILL A NET GAIN HERE FOR THE CITY. 
          AND THIS IS AN INNOVATIVE REZONING PROJECT. THIS IS THIS ALL LINES UP AS BEING WHAT WE WANT TO SEE. AND HOPEFULLY THIS, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS GROUP OF DEVELOPERS BECOMES SOME SORT OF PARTNER TO US. I JUST THINK THIS IS A JUST ONE STEP CLOSER TO REVITALIZING THAT SECTION OF GREEN KEY. YOU KNOW, THE, THE COUNTY HAS APPROVED SOME WORK TO BE DONE ON GREEN KEY ROAD WITH SOME, YOU KNOW, UTILITY AND UNDERGROUND. AND I JUST THINK THIS IS US WORKING WITH THE COUNTY, CREATING THIS PATH. AND ON THE FLIP SIDE, I JUST DON'T SEE THERE'S REALLY A RISK TO US WITH GETTING THE PROPERTY BACK. I MEAN, IT'S REALLY MORE OF A RISK TO THE BUILDER IF HE FAILS. WE'RE GOING TO GET A PROPERTY BACK WITH A HOUSE ON IT. SO YOU KNOW I JUST CREDIT, YOU KNOW, THE CITY STAFF FOR SEARCHING THIS BUILDER OUT, FINDING THEM AND THEN WANTING TO TAKE A CHANCE IN DOING THIS FOR US. AND HONESTLY, I HOPE WE SEE MORE OF THESE COME FORWARD. 
          YEAH. NO, NOTHING TO SAY. THANK YOU. I JUST THINK REALLY I GOT TWO QUICK THINGS. THE FIRST ONE WAS THERE WAS CONVERSATIONS NOT RELATED TO THIS ORDINANCE, BUT THIS WHOLE PROJECT. MR. MAYOR, THESE TWO PROPERTIES IN THAT THERE MIGHT BE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COUNTY ON DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE AND THAT, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT I HOPE THAT'S STILL OBVIOUSLY, YOU CAN'T WRITE THAT INTO AN ORDINANCE, BUT I HOPE THAT'S STILL THE CASE, THAT THAT'S A PART OF THE PARTNERSHIP. AND THEN, WELL, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE SECOND THING, SO WE'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT ONE. THAT HAS BEEN THE LEAD PERSON WITH THE COUNTY IN RESPECT TO THIS PROJECT, AND THE DISCUSSIONS ARE ONGOING WITH THEM IN RELATIONSHIP TO DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE OR OTHER GRANT FUNDS THAT THEY CAN PROVIDE. AND YOU JUST REMINDED ME OF THE SECOND THING, OR ACTUALLY, AS MR. JONAS HAS SPURRED THE THOUGHT, I HAD TALKED ABOUT THE PROPERTY THAT OFF OF GREEN KEY, COMPLETELY UNRELATED TO THIS, BUT RELATED TO THE GENERAL MARKET ON THE WEST SIDE OF US 19 AND WANTING TO KNOW MORE ABOUT WHERE THEY WERE AT WITH THINGS, AND I HAVE NOT HEARD BACK ON THAT. SO BUT IT'S NOT PREVENTING ME FROM MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS ORDINANCE. BUT AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE ALONG WITH THIS PROJECT AT LARGE, THAT WILL SLOW ME DOWN BECAUSE WE'RE GIVING OUT $25,000 IN INCENTIVES HERE. BUT IF WE HAVE MARKET, IF WE HAVE DEVELOPERS WHO CAN'T BUILD WITHOUT INCENTIVES, ARE WE PUTTING MONEY WHERE WE DON'T NEED TO BE PUTTING MONEY? FOR THE RECORD? FOR THE RECORD, I JUST THINK THAT IT'S A NEW DEVELOPMENT IN THAT AREA. IN THAT AREA NEEDS IT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY I, I THAT'S FIVE NOTHING. SECOND READING OF ORDINANCE 2026 2371 AMENDMENT 
          [10.c) Second Reading, Ordinance No. 2026-2371: Amendment of Article III, Chapter 23, Code of Ordinances RE: Parking Enforcement]
TO ARTICLE THREE. CHAPTER 26 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES. PARKING ENFORCEMENT. THIS ORDINANCE NUMBER 2026 2371. AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF NEW PORT RICHEY, FLORIDA, PROVIDING FOR AMENDMENT OF ARTICLE THREE OF CHAPTER 23, SECTION 23-62 OF THE NEW PORT RICHEY CODE OF ORDINANCES PERTAINING TO PARKING ENFORCEMENT. PROVIDING FOR COUNTY COURT ENFORCEMENT, PROVIDING ALTERNATIVE ENFORCEMENT PROCEDURES, PROVIDING FOR ADDITIONAL PARKING RESTRICTIONS. PROVIDING FOR A NEW SECTION 23-60 PERTAINING TO DEFINITIONS OF TERMS, PROVIDING FOR ENFORCEMENT, PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY AND EFFECTIVE DATE, AS INDICATED BY THE CITY ATTORNEY. THIS IS A SECOND READING AND CHIEF COACH AND IS PREPARED TO PRESENT MORE FULLY THE AGENDA ITEM TO YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. COUNCIL MEMBERS. SO THE QUESTION FOR YOU TONIGHT IS CONDUCT A SECOND READING OF ORDINANCE 2026 2371, WHICH AMENDS ARTICLE THREE OF CHAPTER 23 PERTAINING TO PARKING ENFORCEMENT CITYWIDE. AS WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE FIRST READING, THIS ORDINANCE IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? IT'S BETTER NOW. YEAH. THANKS. OKAY. THANK YOU. THIS PROVIDES FOR UPDATED RULES 
          [01:35:04]
AND REGULATIONS FOR PARKING ENFORCEMENT, ESPECIALLY IN THAT DOWNTOWN AREA, BUT ALSO CITYWIDE. IT ENHANCES THE ABILITY TO ENFORCE PARKING REGULATIONS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA AND THROUGHOUT THE CITY. IT ALSO UPDATES THE DEFINITIONS OF VEHICLES BECAUSE THE OLDER ORDINANCE THAT WE BECAME A GOLF CART COMMUNITY, WE NOW HAVE ELECTRIC VEHICLES ON THE ROADWAYS. SO WE HAVE ALL UPDATED DEFINITIONS SO WE COULD DEAL WITH ANY VIOLATIONS COMMITTED BY THOSE VEHICLES. IT ALSO ALLOWS US TO UTILIZE THE COUNTY CITATION PROCESSING SYSTEM THROUGH THE COUNTY COURT. WE ARE INTERFACED WITH THE COUNTY COURT ELECTRONICALLY. SO THAT IS A BIG BENEFIT. SO WITH THAT SAID, OUR CITY ATTORNEY HAS REVIEWED THIS ORDINANCE AND HAS CERTIFIED IT TO A LEGAL FORM. IF YOU APPROVE THIS ON A SECOND READING TONIGHT, OUR GOAL IS TO START A WARNING CAMPAIGN. WE ALREADY HAVE THE CARDS PRINTED AND READY TO GO. 
          WE WANT TO EDUCATE PEOPLE, BUT AFTER THAT PERIOD OF TIME, IF THESE VIOLATIONS STILL CONTINUE AND TO CREATE PUBLIC SAFETY HAZARDS, WE WILL START ENFORCING THE ORDINANCE. SO WITH THAT SAID, I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT SEEING NO ONE COME FORWARD, BRING BACK FOR DISCUSSION AND VOTE. I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE. SECOND, THE MAKER. NO, I MEAN, THIS HAS BEEN LONG OVERDUE. MY MY BIG QUESTION IS HOW LONG ARE WE GOING TO BE HANDING OUT WARNINGS BEFORE WE START DOING ENFORCEMENT? 30 OR 45 DAY PERIOD? OKAY. THAT'S A SECOND. ALL RIGHT. YEAH, NO, I THINK IT'S DEFINITELY NEEDED. 
          AND, YOU KNOW, WE DO A LOT OF WORK TO MAKE OUR CITY LOOK GOOD, BEAUTIFY IT. YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE COME DOWNTOWN THE WAY THEY'RE PARKED AND, YOU KNOW, IT LOOKS LIKE A FRONT YARD OF A FRAT HOUSE SOMETIMES ON CURBS AND GRASS AND, YOU KNOW, SO WE GOT TO GET SOME ORDER TO THAT. YOU KNOW, WE GOT TO HAVE SOME KIND OF STABILITY WITH THAT. SO. 
          IT'S JUST A MUCH, MUCH BIGGER ISSUE. ALTHOUGH THIS CERTAINLY THE, THE, THE FINES THEMSELVES GOT IS TWICE ON THE NEWS. SO FOR THIS ITEM, FOR THIS ONE ISSUE, I'LL VOTE FOR IT. BUT A LOT OF WHAT'S BEING SAID IS A RESULT OF TALKING ABOUT PARKING IS EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT UP HERE. SO I'LL WAIT TO SEE THAT CONVERSATION. YEAH. THANK YOU TO STAFF FOR TAKING THE INITIATIVE TO UPDATE THIS ORDINANCE. DEFINITELY WAS NECESSARY, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE WORKSHOP THAT WAS PROPOSED BY COUNCILMAN ALTMAN FOR US TO HAVE A DEEPER CONVERSATION ABOUT, BY THE WAY, IN THE MEDIA, I NOW GO BY CHIEF COACHMAN. YES. MR. SAY THAT I THINK SOME PARKING LINES NEED TO BE PUT IN DIFFERENT PLACES THAT ARE WHERE THEY AREN'T, AND WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT FIRST BEFORE WE DO START THAT 30 OR 45 DAYS BEFORE WE DO IT, START IN FORCE IN IT. AND I CAN GIVE AN EXAMPLE IS FLORIDA ROAD, FLORIDA AVENUE, WHERE IT HITS MAIN STREET. THERE'S PARKING ON BOTH SIDES, BUT THERE'S NO LINES ON EITHER SIDE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY A FIVE BOARD APPOINTMENT. KELLY MOTHERSHEAD TIMMONS FOR THE 
          [11.a) Board Appointment: Kelly Mothershead Timmons, Land Development Review Board]
LAND DEVELOPMENT BOARD. YES. MISS. MOTHER'S HAD TEN MINUTES. MRS. HAS BEEN SERVING ON THE LAND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD AS A SECOND ALTERNATIVE MEMBER. WHEN SHE WAS APPOINTED IN OR SINCE JUNE OF 2025 AND DUE TO THE UNTIMELY PASSING OF ONE OF THEIR MEMBERS, MR. GEORGE ROMAGNOLI, WE NOW HAVE A REGULAR POSITION ON THE BOARD WHICH WE WOULD LIKE TO ADVANCE HER TO. SO WITH YOUR APPROVAL, THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPOINT KELLY MOTHERSHEAD TIMMONS TO A TERM WHICH WOULD ELAPSE ON JUNE 3RD, 2028, TO THE POSITION OF A REGULAR MEMBER, WHICH. LEAVES ONE OPEN ALTERNATIVE MEMBER POSITION. ANY PUBLIC COMMENT, SEEING NO ONE CAN COME FORWARD. DOES ANYBODY HERE HAVE A COMMENT? NO. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY A MOTION WHAT YOU DO NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE. I'LL SECOND YOU HAVE A COMMENT? NO. ALL 
          [11.b) Board Appointment: Robert (Bobby) Busch, Land Development Review Board]
THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY I I, I BOARD APPOINTMENT OF BOBBY BUSH TO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD. SORRY, I FORGOT TO MENTION IN THE LAST AGENDA ITEM THIS IS HAD TIMMONS 
          [01:40:02]
COMMUNICATED WITH ME TODAY AND EXPRESSED HER REGRETS FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO BE HERE THIS EVENING AND THANKS YOU FOR THE APPOINTMENT AS WELL. THIS AGENDA ITEM RELATES TO AN APPOINTMENT AS AN ALTERNATE MEMBER OF THE LAND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD, AND MR. BOBBY BUSH IS IN ATTENDANCE THIS EVENING TO REPRESENT HIS INTEREST IN SERVING ON THE BOARD, AND HE HAS ATTENDED THE REQUISITE TWO NUMBER OF MEETINGS. IN FACT, I THINK MORE THAN THAT OF THE LAND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD TO EXPRESS HIS INTEREST AND. WE HAVE ALREADY MOVED UP, MR. PETERS. NOW WE HAVE MOVED UP. MISS KELLY. MOTHERS HAD TIMMONS TO A REGULAR MEMBER STATUS, SO WE DO HAVE A POSITION VACANT WHICH WOULD EXPIRE IF YOU DETERMINE IT'S APPROPRIATE TO APPOINT MR. BUSH THROUGH ON SEPTEMBER 1ST OF 2026. ANY COMMENTS? BOBBY, YOU WANT TO TALK? MIGHT AS WELL. YOU'RE ALL DRESSED UP AND EVERYTHING. YEAH, SOME SAY I CLEAN UP WELL. BUT ANYWAYS, I LOOK FORWARD TO THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT THE COMMITTEE. LOOK FORWARD TO HELPING GROW AND MAKE WISE, HEALTHY DECISIONS. AS FAR AS THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE THE CITY, I LIKE THE DIRECTIONS IT'S HEADING AND LOOK FORWARD TO POSSIBLY HELPING TO AID THAT AS THEY MOVE FORWARD. THANK YOU. BRING IT BACK FOR DISCUSSION AND VOTE. YOU HAVE AN OPEN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. OH, THAT WAS HIM. THAT WAS HIM. I BUGGED HIM, THAT WAS WHAT I DID. I SAID, BOB, KNOW WHAT I SAID? DOES ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? BOBBY, ARE YOU COMING DOWN? OKAY? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. APPROVAL OF BOBBY BUSH TO THE BOARD AS AN ALTERNATE MEMBER. TOMMY, JUST TO THANK HIM AGAIN FOR COMING AND SITTING THROUGH THE MEETING AND PAYING ATTENTION AND HIS INTEREST. THANK YOU. SECOND, YEAH, I APPRECIATE HIM TAKING ON THIS ROLE. I KNOW I CAN TELL YOU FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE THAT I TALKED TO BOBBY FREQUENTLY ABOUT CITY ISSUES AND THINGS THAT GOES ON. AND, AND WE HAVE A GOOD COMMUNICATION ABOUT ABOUT THINGS. AND I APPRECIATE HIM BEING INVOLVED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR GIVING BACK, I APPRECIATE IT. YEAH. MR. BUSH IS VERY ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY. HE BRINGS A LOT OF INSIGHT. HE WOULD DIVERSIFY THE LDB IN TERMS OF HIS PRIOR EXPERIENCE IN FINANCE AND BANKING, AND HE DOES NOT. HE NOT ONLY IS HE ABLE TO GET INTO THE BORING CITY ISSUES, BUT I THINK HE ADDS A BIT OF FLAIR AND MAKES IT ENTERTAINING AND FUN AND OFFERS A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY I, I. I, I SAY I OR A I DON'T KNOW. I SAY YOU AND I, YOU AND I. YEAH. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR I FIVE 
          [11.c) Board Re-Appointments: Dell deChant, Mike Peters, Tammy Ledford and Judy Meyers, Flood Risk and Preparedness Public Information Committee]
NOTHING I BOARD REAPPOINTMENT OF DALE DUCHAMP, MIKE PETERS, TAMMY LEDFORD, JUDY MYERS, FLOOD RISK AND PREPARATION, PUBLIC INFORMATION COMMITTEE. THIS COMMITTEE WAS CONVENED BY ORDINANCE BACK IN JULY OF 2024. THEY PERFORM A VERY IMPORTANT FUNCTION FOR THE CITY IN THAT THEY MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO YOU ON INFORMATION THAT SHOULD BE DISSEMINATED TO THE PUBLIC, PUBLIC RELATED TO FLOOD RISK AND PREPAREDNESS TOPICS. THEY ALSO SERVE IN AN ADVISORY CAPACITY FOR IMPROVEMENTS THAT COULD BE IMPLEMENTED THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY RATING SYSTEM OF THE NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM. ALL OF THE MEMBERS HAVE SERVED VERY EFFECTIVELY IN THEIR TERM SINCE 2024, AND WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT YOU CONSIDER REAPPOINTING ALL OF THE MEMBERS. FIVE, FOUR, I'M SORRY, FOUR MEMBERS TO THE COMMITTEE. PUBLIC COMMENT. JUDY, YOU WANT TO TALK? BRING IT BACK FOR DISCUSSION. I WAS RECOMMENDED TO REAPPOINT. 
          THAT'S FINE. I'M HAPPY TO HAVE THEM CONTINUE. SECOND, I AM AS WELL HAPPY THAT THEY ARE. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY I, I, I THAT'S FIVE NOTHING BOARD 
          [11.d) Board Re-Appointment: Vincent Gaddy, Cultural Affairs Committee]
REAPPOINTMENT OF VINCENT GATTI FOR THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE. YES, MR. GANDHI IS IN ATTENDANCE THIS EVENING, AND HE HAS BEEN SERVING ON THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE SINCE JULY 16TH OF 2024. AND HIS TERM EXPIRED AT THIS TIME. SO WE'RE ASKING YOU, SINCE HE 
          [01:45:01]
HAS SUBMITTED HIS APPLICATION, INDICATING HIS CONTINUED INTEREST TO REAPPOINT HIM TO THE COMMITTEE, THE TERMS OF WHICH ARE FOR TWO YEARS. SO IT WOULD SPAN THROUGH SEPTEMBER 1ST OF 2028. ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? ARE YOU COMING DOWN? AS A MEMBER OF THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS? I WANT TO RECOMMEND VINCE. HE'S BEEN AN ABSOLUTE BENEFIT TO OUR GROUP, HE ADDS DIVERSITY AND AN INSIGHT THAT A LOT OF US DON'T HAVE. HE COMES TO EVERY MEETING AND EVERY EVENT THAT WE DO, AND HE BRINGS HIS LOVELY FAMILY WHEN HE CAN, AND WE'RE ALWAYS HAPPY TO HAVE HIM. SO I APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION FOR VINCE. I THOUGHT YOU SEND YOUR KIDS DOWN TO YOUR PLACE. I'M BRINGING BACK A MOTION TO APPROVE VINCE, TO REAPPOINTMENT TO THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE. AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR PARTICIPATING. SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY I, I THAT'S FIVE NOTHING. ALL RIGHT, DAD, YOU CAN TAKE HIM HOME NOW. YEAH. THANKS, VINCE. BYE. BEAUTIFUL DISCUSSION 
          [11.e) Discussion Regarding Proposed Pasco County CDBG-DR Project Ideas]
REGARDING THE PROPOSED PASCO COUNTY. CDBGRD PROJECT IDEAS? YES. AS INDICATED PREVIOUSLY IN THE MEETING THIS EVENING, THE CITY, OF COURSE, HAS INTEREST IN APPLYING FOR SOME OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT FUNDING THAT HAS BEEN MADE AVAILABLE TO THE COUNTY FOR PURPOSES OF DISASTER RECOVERY ALSO IS INDICATED THIS EVENING. THEY HAVE RECEIVED 585. 
          MILLION $704 TO HELP THE COMMUNITIES IN PASCO COUNTY AND IN AN EFFORT TO HELP THEM HELP US, WE ARE PROPOSING SOME PROJECTS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. WE ARE ASKING FOR ANY PROJECTS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE IN MIND THAT WE DIDN'T THINK TO INCLUDE, AND MISTER GAMMON WILL PRESENT A POWERPOINT IN RESPECT TO THE AGENDA ITEM. THANK YOU AGAIN, MISS MANNERS. MISTER MAYOR COUNCIL, I WANT TO REITERATE YOUR POINT THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IDEAS FROM YOU ALL ALSO. SO THIS IS NOT A AN A LIST THAT CAN'T BE ALTERED AT ALL. OBVIOUSLY, WE TOUCHED ON THE PASCO COUNTY CDBG FUNDS EARLIER THIS EVENING. THE PURPOSE OF THIS AGENDA ITEM IS TO BRIEFLY DISCUSS PROJECT IDEAS FROM BOTH CITY STAFF AND COUNCIL. FOR SOME OF THESE FUNDS. CDBG COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT DISASTER RECOVERY. THAT'S WHAT ALL THAT STANDS FOR. 
          THERE'S A LOT OF ACRONYMS. IT'S BEING MANAGED BY THE OFFICE OF DISASTER RECOVERY AND RESOURCES WITH PASCO COUNTY. THIS IS HUD FUNDING. IT WAS FOR LONG TERM DISASTER RECOVERY AND MORE RESILIENCY IN THE FUTURE FOR FUTURE DISASTERS. PASCO COUNTY RECEIVED THESE FUNDS IN JANUARY 25TH, 585 MILLION, AS MISS MANNS MENTIONED. AND THEN THEY KEEP IN MIND THESE CONSIDERATIONS WHEN THEY LOOK AT THINGS. FIRST, THEY WANT THE PROJECT TO BE READY. NOW THAT'S ONE OF THEIR CONSIDERATIONS. NUMBER TWO, THEY WANT TO DOCUMENTED RECOVERY RESILIENCE AND MITIGATION BENEFIT. NUMBER THREE, THEY'RE LOOKING FOR LOW TO MODERATE INCOME BENEFIT AT LEAST 75, AT LEAST 70% TO LOW TO MODERATE INCOME RESIDENTS. AND LASTLY, THEY THEY ARE REQUIRED TO SPEND ALL THIS MONEY BY JANUARY 31ST. SO THEY WANT TO HAVE THINGS DONE QUICKLY. THIS IS RIGHT OFF THE COUNTY WEBSITE. THEY ESTABLISHED SIX PROGRAM AREAS, AND WE'LL GET INTO EACH ONE OF THESE IN JUST A LITTLE BIT. INDIVIDUAL HOUSING PROGRAM. 
          THIS IS THE ONLY ONE THAT'S OPEN UNTIL JUST A FEW DAYS AGO. AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM, A PLANNING PROGRAM. THAT'S THE ONE THAT JUST OPENED LAST WEDNESDAY. SMALL BUSINESS AND NONPROFIT RECOVERY INFRASTRUCTURE MITIGATION PROGRAM, AND ALSO PUBLIC SERVICES. SO LET'S TALK ABOUT HOW THESE FUNDS WERE ALLOCATED ACROSS THESE SIX PROGRAMS AND WHERE THEY ARE TO DATE. TO DATE, THEY'VE FUNDED $5.4 MILLION TOWARD THE INDIVIDUAL HOUSING. 
          THEY'VE FUNDED 2.6 MILLION TOWARD ADMINISTRATION COSTS FOR THE COUNTY. AND JUST LAST WEEK ON 825, THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS APPROVED $156 MILLION IN COUNTY PROJECTS. 
          [01:50:04]
THAT LEAVES. SO IF WE WANT TO JUST KIND OF CONCENTRATE ON THAT REMAINING COLUMN OVER THERE ON THE ON THE RIGHT, WHAT'S LEFT? SO THERE'S 300 MILLION LEFT IN HOUSING THAT WILL BE SPLIT AMONG THREE CATEGORIES, 150 MILLION TOWARD REPAIR, RECONSTRUCTION, AND ELEVATION FOR EXISTING HOMES. NUMBER TWO, 100 MILLION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND NUMBER THREE, 50 MILLION FOR MANUFACTURED HOUSING INFRASTRUCTURE. THERE'S $15 MILLION REMAINING THAT WILL BE SPLIT AMONG TWO CATEGORIES CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, RESILIENCE OF 9 MILLION AND PUBLIC FACILITIES OF 6 MILLION. MITIGATION. THEY HAVE 35 MILLION LEFT THERE AND 45 MILLION LEFT. COMBINED ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION, PUBLIC SERVICES AND PLANNING. AS I MENTIONED, THE INDIVIDUAL HOUSING PROGRAM OPENED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, AND LAST WEDNESDAY THEY JUST DID THE. THE OPENING OF THE PLANNING PROGRAM. ANY QUESTIONS THERE? I'LL STOP IF I GO TOO FAST OR I'LL JUST KEEP GOING. WHEN YOU SAY KNOWS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO OPEN, THEY'RE GOING TO OPEN, THE OTHERS WILL OPEN IN THE FUTURE. IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A COUPLE OF MONTHS, A COUPLE MONTHS. HOPEFULLY THEY'LL COME SOON, BUT THEY HAVE, AS YOU CAN SEE, ALREADY ENCUMBERED SOME THROUGH COUNTY SPECIFIC. THEY WEREN'T OPEN TO EVERYBODY. AND THAT ENCUMBRANCE THEY THEY COULD STILL FROM THE REMAINING CONTINUE TO FUND COUNTY PROJECTS. ABSOLUTELY. THIS IS YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. THIS IS A MAP ON THEIR WEBSITE THAT SHOWS WHERE ALL THE HOUSING APPLICATIONS WERE FROM. I JUST PUT IT IN IT'S BY ZIP CODE. YOU CAN KIND OF SEE A PRETTY CLEAR DISTINCTION HERE. THE DARK GREEN ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE IS FROM SURGE DAMAGE, OBVIOUSLY OVER OUR AREA. AND THE LIGHTER GREEN ON THE EASTERN COUNTY IS FROM RAIN, RAIN AND FLOODING THAT OCCURRED FROM THERE. IT BROKE IT OUT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER. I APOLOGIZE, IT'S A LITTLE HARD TO SEE IT ON THE SCREEN. YOU CAN SEE IT IN YOUR PACKAGES. NORTH PORT RICHEY. NEW PORT RICHEY HAD THE MOST APPLICANTS BY FAR. WE REPRESENT ABOUT 10% OF THE APPLICANTS ON THE INDIVIDUAL HOUSING. EVEN THOUGH WE'RE 2% OF THE COUNTY POPULATION, WE WERE KIND OF AWARDED A SMALLER PORTION. LET'S SAY IT THAT WAY. OUR AVERAGE IS ABOUT 5600 PER DOOR. AND THERE WERE SOME AREAS THAT GOT UP TO ABOUT $50,000 A DOOR. 
          SO I JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS INTERESTING. INTO THE PROGRAMS OF THE 300 MILLION REMAINING IN HOUSING, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM HAS 1,000,100 MILLION ALLOCATED TOWARD IT. THEIR GOAL HERE IS TO EXPAND AND PRESERVE LONG TERM, RESILIENT HOUSING OPTIONS. IT'S NOT OPEN YET. 
          HERE'S THE THREE IDEAS THAT WE HAVE. AND AGAIN, OPEN TO ANYTHING YOU ALL HAVE. THE FIRST IS A SMALL LANDLORD RESILIENCE PROGRAM THAT WOULD TARGET OWNERS, LANDLORDS THAT OWN 2 TO 20 RENTAL PROPERTIES AROUND TOWN. THEY'RE TOO SMALL, REALLY, FOR ANY OTHER INSTITUTIONAL HOUSING PROGRAMS. SO WE THIS IDEA WOULD OFFER GRANTS OR LOW INTEREST LOANS FOR ROOFS, WINDOWS, FLOOD PROOFING, ETC. AND IN RETURN, THE LANDLORD WOULD PROMISE TO KEEP THESE PROPERTIES AFFORDABLE FOR 5 TO 10 YEARS. THE SECOND IS A WORKFORCE HOUSING PRESERVATION PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM IS SPECIFICALLY FOR TEACHERS, FIREFIGHTERS, POLICE, HEALTH CARE, OTHER ESSENTIAL WORKERS. WHAT WE WOULD OFFER HERE OR PROPOSED IS POSSIBLE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE, RENTAL ASSISTANCE, REHAB OF FACILITIES, AFFORDABLE RENTAL DEVELOPMENTS, EMPLOYER ASSISTED HOUSING, THOSE KIND OF IDEAS. IT SUPPORTS THE COMMUNITY RECOVERY AND WORKFORCE CONTINUITY. SO THAT'S WHY THAT ONE CAME ALONG. AND THIS ONE WE JUST TALKED ABOUT, COUNCILMAN BUTLER, THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT. THIS IS THE COASTAL COTTAGE LINE OF CREDIT. WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THIS. WE HAVE ALREADY DISCUSSED THIS CONCEPT WITH CHUCK LANE AND PRESENTED IT TO THE CRA BOARD A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. THIS AGAIN IS A REVOLVING LINE. IT WOULD FUND PROPERTY ACQUISITION, WHETHER THAT BE LOTS OR MANUFACTURED HOMES. IT WOULD FUND CONSTRUCTION OF ELEVATED COASTAL COTTAGE UNITS. IT WOULD HELP BUY DOWN THE PRICE OF THESE AND ALSO DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE. AND THEN ONCE THE UNITS ARE SOLD, THE SALES PROCEEDS WOULD REPLENISH THE LINE. AND WE COULD JUST KEEP MOVING FORWARD. ANY QUESTIONS ON THOSE THREE OR ANY OTHER IDEAS, ANY PUBLIC. GO AHEAD. 
          WERE YOU GOING TO MENTION SOMETHING ABOUT THE HISTORIC HAZARD MITIGATION PROGRAM? NO, I WASN'T, BUT OKAY, YOU CAN. THE FUNDING WOULD BE USED TO. APPLY TO HISTORIC STRUCTURES OF THE CITY TO PREVENT HURRICANE DAMAGE GOING FORWARD. THERE'D BE A HARDENING PROJECT IN LARGE PART WOULDN'T BE UNDER THIS PROGRAM. IT WOULD BE UNDER FOR HOUSING. OH, NO. I'M SORRY. IT IT IT IS ON YOUR AGENDA AND MEMO, BUT IT WOULDN'T BE UNDER THIS PROGRAM. MAYBE THAT'S WHY I DIDN'T SEE IT. THANK YOU. YEAH. ALTHOUGH WELL, HE'S GOT MORE TO GO. WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC 
          [01:55:04]
COMMENT SEEING NO ONE COME FORWARD BRING IT BACK FOR DISCUSSION AND VOTE. IS THAT IT? OH NO NO IT'S NOT. IT'S NOT FOR VOTE. I'M JUST SAYING IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS AND THIS ISN'T A VOTE ANYWAY. OKAY. SEE IF I CAN LEAD THE WAY ON A QUICK WORD, WHICH IS WORKFORCE HOUSING PRESERVATION PROGRAM. AND YOUR COMMENT THAT THINGS SHOULD BE SHOVEL READY OR THAT WE COULD DO SOMETHING, ACTUALLY MOVE FORWARD WITH IT. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PARCELS OF LAND THAT HAVE BEEN OFFERED AS AVAILABLE TO THE CITY, ONE OF THEM BEING ON CONGRESS, WHICH IS THE. THE JEWISH COMMUNITY BUILDING AND PROPERTY THAT'S ALONG THERE. AND THE THE RABBI HAS INDICATED AN INTEREST IN SEEING SOMETHING HAPPEN WITH THAT PROPERTY THAT COULD EVEN INCLUDE SOME PUBLIC SPACE, WHERE I THINK IT'S BASICALLY ONLY USED ON A SATURDAY AND AN OCCASIONAL EVENT RIGHT NOW BY NOT A WHOLE LOT OF FOLKS THAT ARE THERE. BUT THE RABBI HAS INDICATED INTEREST, HAD SPOKEN TO THE CITY BEFORE ABOUT THE CITY ACQUIRING THAT. I THINK IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A PRIOR A PRIOR ECONOMIC DIRECTOR. THAT'S THE KIND OF A PROPERTY THAT'S ON CONGRESS AS CLOSE TO GROCERY STORES, NOT TOO FAR FROM OTHER AFFORDABLE HOUSING, CLOSE TO OUR PARKS AND OUR DOWNTOWN. IF WE WANT TO FIND A PLACE FOR SOME WORKFORCE HOUSING, CAN WE IDENTIFY THAT WE WANT TO ACQUIRE THE PROPERTY AND DEVELOP AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM? AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK HAVING IT BEEN MENTIONED THAT GEORGE ROMANELLI, WHO PASSED AND I WENT TO HIS FUNERAL THIS PAST SUNDAY, WAS SOMEONE WHO WAS WELL KNOWN ACROSS THE STATE FOR HIS AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AND I'LL BET YOU ANYTHING THAT FROM WHAT I HEARD AT HIS LIFE EXPERIENCE THAT THERE WAS A DEVELOPER, HE. HE BRAGGED ABOUT IT WHEN HE WAS HERE JUST TWO WEEKS AGO THAT HE DID SOME BIG PROJECT IN SAINT PETE. THE PERSON WHO PUT THAT PROJECT TOGETHER CAME TO HIS SERVICE. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IF WE COULD DO SOMETHING TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE DO SOMETHING IN WORKFORCE HOUSING. AND SO THAT'S JUST ONE PROPERTY I HAVE IN MIND. IT MAY NOT BE THE ONE, BUT IT. I THINK WE SHOULD PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER AND MAKE MAKE IT WORK. 
          THERE'S ALWAYS A, A REQUEST FOR US TO DO SOMETHING. IF THAT MONEY'S THERE, WE SHOULD TRY TO DO SOMETHING. I AGREE. VERY GOOD. WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT. PLANNING PROGRAM. AGAIN, THEY SAY ON THEIR WEBSITE THIS IS 10 MILLION. THEY HAVE OPENED THIS PROGRAM LAST WEDNESDAY FOR APPLICATIONS. IT'S CALLED A NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY. AND JUST TO PUT A CAUTION OUT THERE FOR YOU TO KEEP IN MIND, WE CAN NO LONGER DISCUSS WITH PASCO COUNTY EMPLOYEES ANY OF THESE PLANNING IDEAS. IT HAS TO BE IN WRITING, AND YOU CANNOT TALK TO ANY OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONER ABOUT ANY OF YOUR PROJECTS. NOW THAT IT'S UNDER NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY. SO WHAT THEY HAVE OPENED IS $1 MILLION FOR INNOVATIVE HOUSING. THAT'S PLANNING STUDIES FOR FUTURE AFFORDABLE INVESTMENTS, $1 MILLION FOR LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND WORKFORCE CAPACITY BUILDING. THAT'S PLANNING STUDIES TO IDENTIFY STRATEGIES TO SCALE OPERATIONS, STRENGTHEN WORKFORCE, AND CREATE JOBS FOR LOW TO MODERATE INCOME RESIDENTS. AND THE THIRD MILLION DOLLARS THAT THEY'RE OPENING UP IS FROM COMMUNITY CAPACITY BUILDING TO HELP ORGANIZATIONS EXPAND PROGRAMS AND IMPROVE SERVICE, DELIVERY AND SERVICE. A GREATER NUMBER OF LOW INCOME RESIDENTS. JUST SO YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IT OPENED LAST WEEK. APPLICATIONS ARE DUE BY SEPTEMBER 29TH. AND THEY'VE GOT A PRETTY AGGRESSIVE PROGRAM HERE. THEY THINK THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THE B, C, C, B O APPROVE THESE BY NOVEMBER 11TH. 
          SO THAT'S A PRETTY QUICK TIMELINE. I LIKE IT. SOME OF THE PROGRAMS WE'VE IDENTIFIED TO TALK ABOUT THIS IS THE FIRST TWO ARE KIND OF TOGETHER, THE WALKABILITY, FLOODING STORM STUDY, STORMWATER STUDY, AND THE MASTER PLANNING STUDY. THIS IS TO EXAMINE SOLUTIONS TO NEWPORT. RITCHIE'S VULNERABILITY THAT AFFECTS ALL FOUR, AFFECTS THE CITY, AND ALSO OUR FOUR CRA OWNED PROPERTIES ALONG THE RIVER IMPROVES RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND BUSINESS RESILIENCE. RESILIENCY TO EFFECTIVELY MANAGE CITY CHALLENGES. WORKFORCE HOUSING PRESERVATION PROGRAM. WE DISCUSSED THAT ONE EARLIER NEIGHBORHOOD MICRO GRANT PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE SMALL GRANTS TO NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS FOR RESILIENCY PROJECTS. THE NEWPORT RITCHIE RESILIENCY LOAN FUND, THAT'S TO CREATE A REVOLVING LOAN AND FORGIVABLE LOAN STRUCTURE FOR INCENTIVES. AND THE STORM SURGE GATE WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED EARLIER. AND JUST TO MAKE CLEAR ON THAT, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT WITH CHUCK LANE. THAT WOULD NOT BE A CRA OR A CITY THING THAT THAT PLANNING FUNDS WOULD COME 100% FROM CDBG MONIES. ANY QUESTIONS OR OTHERS WE'RE MISSING HERE? KEEP GOING. 
          [02:00:12]
YES, YES. KEEP GOING. THE WORKFORCE HOUSING PRESERVATION PROGRAM, WE'VE GOT ALL THAT HOUSING MONEY. I DON'T IF THESE ARE YOUR IDEAS THAT ARE UP THERE, NEIGHBORHOOD MICRO GRANT PROGRAM. THIS IS HELPING INDIVIDUALS. MY UNDERSTANDING WOULD BE THAT WE SHOULD BE PLANNING FOR LONG TERM RESILIENCY AND ECONOMIC. I THINK THAT YOUR BIG IDEA, THE WALKABILITY, FLOODING, STORMWATER STUDY AND THE MASTER PLANNING STUDY IS THE TOP TWO. 
          PROBABLY UNLESS THEY'RE WILLING TO GIVE YOU THE MONEY TO TO DIVVY IT OUT. THEY'RE LOOKING FOR PROJECTS THAT ARE READY TO BUILD. AND I THINK YOUR STORM SURGE GATE BECOMES A SUBCATEGORY OF THE WALKABILITY, FLOODING, STORMWATER STUDY. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO CAME LAST WEEK, TWO OF THE PEOPLE WHO CAME LAST WEEK WERE FOR THE TAMPA BAY REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCIL. AS I LEFT THE MEETING, THEY WERE VERY EXCITED. THEY'VE ALREADY DONE A LITTLE BIT OF THE RIVER GATE STUDY. NOT THAT THAT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT WE'VE ADOPTED OR USED, BUT THEY'RE STANDING BY AND READY WITH 12 COMPETENT EMPLOYEES AND A GOVERNMENT ENTITY TO HELP US IN PUTTING THESE THINGS TOGETHER. SO I WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE FOR A LONG TIME, THEY'VE BEEN ASKING IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT THEY COULD DO, HELPING US TO WRITE THE GRANT AND POTENTIALLY HELPING US TO PUT IT TOGETHER. I'M ONLY SUGGESTING THAT THAT'S THEIR BIG JAM AND THAT'S WHAT THEY DO, IS STORMWATER, AND THEY KNOW WHERE A LOT OF THOSE DOLLARS ARE. I WOULD I'M NOT BEGGING, BUT I'M COMING CLOSE TO SAYING, PLEASE, YOU KNOW, COMMUNICATE BACK WITH THEM IF THEY REACH OUT TO YOU AND CONSIDER YOUR COUNSEL. YEAH. AND CONSIDER THAT YOU CAN UTILIZE THEM. YES. IN TERMS OF DELIVERING IN A QUICK TIME FRAME, SOME, SOME IDEAS THAT, THAT YOU CAN BOUNCE OFF OF ON THOSE STUDIES. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE A PROPENSITY FOR THESE OTHER PROGRAMS OR YOU REALLY LIKE THEM. I'M NOT TRYING TO POO POO THEM, BUT WOULDN'T THE MICRO GRANT PROGRAM ALSO WORK UNDER THE HOUSING PROGRAM WHERE THE GOBS OF MONEY ARE? IT WOULD. IT'S ALL POSSIBLE. SURE. I THINK I'D MOVE ANYTHING HOUSING INTO THE HOUSING. THAT'S WHERE THE BIG DOLLARS ARE. I'LL KEEP MOVING ON. INFRASTRUCTURE MITIGATION PROGRAM. THIS PROVIDES $50 MILLION TO SUPPORT, REPAIR, REPLACEMENT AND IMPROVEMENT OF CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND PUBLIC FACILITIES. A COUPLE OF IDEAS HERE. RESTORE GREEN KEY BEACH. THIS IS A MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL OWNERSHIP THERE. OBVIOUSLY, COUNCILMAN JONAS MENTIONED EARLIER PART OF THE COUNTY APPROVAL WAS $9 MILLION TOWARD IMPROVEMENTS ON GREEN KEY ROAD. SO THIS JUST SEEMS LIKE A NATURAL FIT DOWNTOWN PARKING STRUCTURE. THIS COULD REDUCE IMPERVIOUS, IMPERVIOUS AREAS AND PROVIDE A SAFE VEHICLE, PARKING AND FLOODING. SHORELINE STABILIZATION. ACCESS. RIVER SHORE LINE AND EXISTING SEAWALL CONDITIONS FOR SUITABILITY OF NATIVE VEGETATION FOR STABILIZATION AND GREATER STORMWATER RESILIENCE AND HARDENING OF OPERATIONAL FACILITIES. THAT'S FOR OUR TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT. SO A LOT IN THIS ONE. LAKEWOOD VILLAS SEPTIC TO SEWER AND UTILITY CONVERSION PROJECT. THAT'S A 614 LOT SUBDIVISION. THE PURPOSE IS TO IMPROVE RESILIENCY AND RELIABILITY OF PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE, PROVIDE FIRE PROTECTION, IMPROVE WATER QUALITY, REDUCE PUBLIC HEALTH RISK AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION. OUR HEADWORKS BYPASS PUMP AND RESTORE RESTORATION. THIS IS UPGRADE AND REFURBISHMENT OF THE LIFT STATIONS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE CITY'S VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT. A WALKING TRAIL THAT COULD FUNCTION AS A STORMWATER SYSTEM FOR A PARK PROPERTY AT THE END OF CONGRESS STREET TO HELP MITIGATE FLOODING. HARDEN THE REC CENTER, OBVIOUSLY AS AN EOC TO ADDRESS ANY ITEMS WITH DEFENSIVE DEFICIENCIES. AND AGAIN, THE STORMWATER CONCEPT, WHICH WE ALREADY DISCUSSED, QUESTIONS AND IDEAS. OR I CAN KEEP MOVING. 
          WELL, HOW DO YOU. WELL, THEY'RE NOT UP FOR BID YET, RIGHT. I MEAN THERE HASN'T BEEN OPENED HASN'T BEEN OPENED. YEAH. NO, NO. WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT. YEAH. ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION AGAIN. 
          THEY HAVE 25 MILLION TO RECOVER FROM STORM RELATED DAMAGE OR INCOME LOSS. SOME OF THE IDEAS INCLUDE, AGAIN THE MASTER PLANNING THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED A COUPLE OF TIMES, THE SMALL 
          [02:05:02]
LANDLORD RESILIENCE PROGRAM, WHICH WE DISCUSSED AT THE BEGINNING ALSO, AND ONE OTHER ONE WE ADDED WAS A RESILIENT RESTAURANT AND HOSPITALITY HOSPITALITY PROGRAM THAT TARGETS BUSINESSES HEAVILY DEPENDENT ON TOURISM AND DOWNTOWN ACTIVITY. THE GOAL IS TO KEEP THE DOWNTOWN ECONOMY FUNCTIONING AFTER A OR AFTER OUR NEXT STORM. ANY IDEAS OR QUESTIONS THERE? THAT'S GOOD BECAUSE I'M AT THE END, SO I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR NEW IDEAS. ANYTIME YOU WANT TO DIRECT THEM OUR WAY, WE'LL FOLLOW UP ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS. SEEING NO ONE COME FORWARD, ANYBODY ELSE WILL MAKE COMMENTS TO THE TIMELINE THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT GETTING THIS IN BY THE END OF SEPTEMBER. AND THEN WE'VE GOT THE FIRST MEETING IS HELD NOW IN TWO WEEKS. WE HAVE THE NEXT MEETING. SO IT WOULD BE FOR US A TWO WEEK TURNAROUND. AND IT'S ALSO BUDGET MEETINGS AND MILLAGE AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S GOING ON HERE. SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GOING TO TAKE A SPECIAL MEETING OR WE'LL NEED TO DO IT BEFORE THE DEADLINE OCCURS OR, YOU KNOW, BUT. I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO MOVE FORWARD AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN. WE'RE ANXIOUS TO WE'RE JUST AWAITING YOUR DIRECTION. AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET SOME OF THAT TONIGHT. SO WE KNOW WHICH PROJECTS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE TO BE APPLIED FOR. 
          WE CAN START ON. THE ONLY DIRECTION YOU NEED IS PLANNING, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, RIGHT NOW. 
          THAT'S RIGHT. AND SO I'VE MADE MY COMMENTS. SO ANYTHING ELSE PLANNING HAD. PLANNING HAD LANDLORD IN IT OR. NO. NO IT DID NOT. NO AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THAT'D BE WHERE. I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT THE TWO, YOUR TOP TWO AND HOW WALKABILITY CAN BE TUCKED UNDER THAT. NOT NECESSARILY HELPING WITH THE RANKINGS, BUT WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY WALKABILITY, FLOODING, STORMWATER STUDY? IS THAT ARE WE A SPECIFIC AREA OR IS THAT IT'S FOR THE ENTIRE CITY? BASICALLY, BECAUSE YOU DEFINITELY WANT TO INCLUDE ALL FOUR CRA PARCELS THAT WE OWN FROM THE FORMER GULF HIGH ON THE SOUTH, ALL THE WAY UP TO THE 19 RIVERSIDE END PROPERTY AND IN BETWEEN AND THEN DOWNTOWN AND ALL OF IT. AND YEAH, I HAVE NOTHING OTHER FOR PLANNING, BUT JUST PUT IT TO PUT IT ON STAFF'S RADAR FOR THE OTHER CATEGORIES, SPECIFICALLY THE HOUSING ONE AND THE ONE AFTER THAT. THERE'S WHAT WAS THE HOUSING AND MITIGATION? PROBABLY IT WAS AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AND THEN PLANNING IS WHAT WE DID NEXT, AND THEN HOUSING. AND THEN THERE WAS SOMETHING BEFORE THAT, THE LANDLORD WAS IN TWO CATEGORIES. 
          BUT IN THOSE CATEGORIES, IF THAT'S A PERMISSIBLE USE, POTENTIALLY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DID THEIR THING ON ADUS RECENTLY. WE'RE WORKING ON OUR THING ON ADUS AT A LOCAL LEVEL. I DO SEE AN ANGLE WHERE ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS SERVE MITIGATION PURPOSES, OBVIOUSLY NOT ON THE COAST, BUT FURTHER IN. AND IF THERE'S A WAY FOR US TO ENCOURAGE THE BUILDING OF ADUS TO BRING PEOPLE BACK WHO ARE NO LONGER HERE BECAUSE OF THE HURRICANES, I'D BE CURIOUS TO SEE IF THERE'S AN ANGLE FOR US TO INCLUDE ADUS WITHIN THE HOUSING CATEGORY, OR AS A INCENTIVE TO LANDLORDS NOW THAT THEY CAN RECEIVE FINANCING FOR ADUS. IF THAT CAN'T GO HAND IN HAND WITH SOME SORT OF FUND. COULD WE ADD IN THE PLANNING PROGRAM THE SITE SPECIFIC? BECAUSE WHEN I WAS ALLOWED TO TALK WITH THEM BEFORE THE CONE OF SILENCE DARK CLOUD ROLLED ABOVE US HERE, THERE WAS A LOT OF COMMENTARY ABOUT PLANNING FOR THINGS THAT WERE ON THE GROUND THAT WERE ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT COULD OCCUR. AND TO THAT DEGREE, THE INNOVATION HUB, THE MARINE, THE A LOT OF THE IDEAS THAT WE'VE HAD ABOUT CREATING A, A BUSINESS CLIMATE THAT INCORPORATES, YOU KNOW, OUR CITY'S DIRECTION, LONG TERM DIRECTION FORWARD BECAUSE THE 25 MILLION IS FOR LONG TERM. AND SO WE SHOULDN'T JUST BE LOOKING AT THESE SITES INDIVIDUALLY, BUT SAYING WE'RE I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES WE HAVE TO SAY IT. WE'RE A RIVER CITY. THE FLOODING, THE MASTER PLANNING, AND WHAT IS GOING TO BE THE JOBS FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE FUTURE THAT ARE OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN, AND HOW CAN WE ENCOURAGE THEM INTO THE RIGHT FIT IN TAMPA BAY? SO I THINK IT'S IT WAS COMMENTED AT THAT MEETING THAT WE SHOULD BE THINKING REGIONALLY. THAT WAS ONE OF YOUR FOUR POINTS. AND I THINK ON THE REGIONAL PART, WE START GETTING INTO THE ECONOMIC STRATEGIES, WHICH, AGAIN, DEBBIE CAUSES ME TO TALK 
          [02:10:04]
ABOUT THE VARIETY OF ANGLES AND INTERESTS THAT THE REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCIL HAS, FROM ENVIRONMENTAL TO ECONOMIC TO STORMWATER TO RECOVERY, TO ALL OF THOSE THINGS. THANK YOU. ALL 
          [11.f) City Manager Salary Market Adjustment ]
RIGHT. MOVING ON, CITY MANAGER, SALARY MARKET ADJUSTMENT. ABOUT A MONTH AGO, MAYBE A MONTH AND A HALF AGO, I ASKED DEBBIE TO GIVE ME A. A COMPARABLE TO CITIES OF OUR SIZE. AND AND THEN SHE REMINDED ME THAT PETE SAID, LET'S BRING THIS UP IN SEPTEMBER. SO HERE WE ARE. 
          DEBBIE. OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. AS INDICATED IN PART BY THE MAYOR BACK IN APRIL OF 26, AN ITEM RELATED TO A WAGE ADJUSTMENT WAS PRESENTED TO THE COUNCIL AND AND AS THE MAYOR INDICATED, THE CONSENSUS WAS TO WAIT TILL THE END OF BUDGET SEASON OR OR PERHAPS UNTIL THE CITY'S GENERAL CLASSIFICATION STUDY HAD BEEN CONDUCTED. AND SINCE THAT TIME, EVERGREEN SOLUTIONS HAS COMPLETED THEIR WORK ON OUR WAGE STUDY FOR GENERAL EMPLOYEES AND EVERGREEN SOLUTIONS IS RECOGNIZED AS A SPECIALIST IN COMP STUDIES FOR PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS TO INCLUDE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, CITIES, COUNTIES AND HIGHER EDUCATION FACILITIES. THE. CITY HAS RELIED ON EVERGREEN'S METHODOLOGY TO SET AND MAINTAIN ITS PAY PLAN FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS, AND IT WAS AT THAT TIME THAT I ASKED THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER ALLOWING ME TO GO FORWARD WITH A WAGE STUDY EACH YEAR IN THE CITY, COVERING A DIFFERENT EMPLOYEE GROUP, THE THREE GROUPS BEING POLICE AND FIRE AND GENERAL EMPLOYEES. AND WE HAVE SINCE THAT TIME CONDUCTED ONE STUDY PER YEAR BECAUSE, AS YOU INDICATED IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN, RETAINING AND RECRUITING TALENT WAS IMPORTANT TO YOU AND REWARDING THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE. AS PART OF THAT METHODOLOGY, WE HAVE ALWAYS SET OUR PAY RATES AT THE 60TH PERCENTILE, WHICH MEANS WE DON'T PAY IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR COMP STUDIES. WE PAY JUST HIGHLY ABOVE WHAT THE MEDIAN PAY MEDIAN FOR. THAT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED BY A COMP STUDY. SO AT THIS POINT, THE GENERAL CLASSIFICATIONS, WHICH IS ALL OF OUR NON-BARGAINING EMPLOYEES AS WELL AS THE CITY MANAGER, PAY GRADE AND RATE STRUCTURE HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED. AND MY INTENT IS THAT THE ADJUSTMENTS RECOMMENDED FOR THE GENERAL EMPLOYEES WILL BE IMPLEMENTED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ADOPTION OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2027. I'M SORRY. 27 THANK YOU. 28 FISCAL YEAR AND I'M SORRY, NO. 2627 THANK YOU. IT WILL BE EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1ST. AND SINCE ROB WILLIAMSON WAS EMPLOYED BY EVERGREEN BEFORE I WOOED HIM OVER TO THE PUBLIC SECTOR, I HAVE ASKED HIM, AS IN HIS PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE, HE WAS A SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER FOR EVERGREEN TO PRESENT A POWERPOINT TO YOU THAT HONES IN ON SPECIFICALLY THE EVALUATION THAT TOOK PLACE RELATED TO THE CITY MANAGER CLASSIFICATION. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. COUNCIL, AGAIN. CAN YOU HEAR ME? I DID HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH EVERGREEN FOR FOUR YEARS BEFORE. I WAS BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO JOIN THIS TEAM. AND THE LAST THREE COMPENSATION STUDIES THAT THIS CITY DID, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AS THE PROJECT LEAD FOR ALL THREE OF THOSE. SO I'M FAMILIAR WITH THE NEW PORT RICHEY STRUCTURE, THE COMPENSATION STRUCTURE. BUT OUTSIDE OF THAT, I WAS ALSO THE PROJECT LEAD FOR COMPENSATION STUDIES FOR CITRUS COUNTY, MANATEE COUNTY, DESOTO COUNTY AND PASCO COUNTY, AND THEN ALSO SERVED AS A PROJECT LEAD FOR THE CITIES OF OLDSMAR, BROOKSVILLE, BRADENTON AND NAPLES. SO I KIND OF FOUND MYSELF ALWAYS IN A CONTINUAL STATE OF EVALUATING COMPENSATION IN YOUR AREA. AND SO I, I HOPE THAT TONIGHT, THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT THIS OR THE COMPENSATION PLAN IN GENERAL, AND KIND OF 
          [02:15:02]
PUT MY CONSULTANT HAT BACK ON AND, AND MAYBE GET YOU SOME GOOD INFORMATION HERE. I'M KIND OF THE HEADLINE NUMBER IS WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS. IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR ANYTHING OR ANY TREATMENT THAT WOULD BE DIFFERENT FOR THE LEAD EXECUTIVE POSITION THAN YOU HAVE FOR THE REST OF STAFF. THAT COMPENSATION PHILOSOPHY OF BEING ABOVE THE MARKET AVERAGE, SETTING THAT 60TH PERCENTILE AS A TARGET. WE SEE LOOKING AT THAT, THAT THE CITY MANAGER POSITION WOULD FALL RIGHT ABOUT 18% BELOW MARKET. AND IF YOU LOOK AT WHERE MY SALARY WOULD END UP BEING OR MY MIDPOINT FOR MY PAY RANGE, THAT WOULD HAVE ME GETTING PAID MORE AT THE MIDPOINT THAN THE PERSON I REPORT TO RIGHT NOW, THE CITY MANAGER'S SALARY. THAT POSITION IS AT 168382. IT STARTED AT 115 BACK IN JUNE OF 2014, I BELIEVE IT WAS. AND THE RECOMMENDATION TO TAKE IT TO THE 60TH PERCENTILE WOULD BE AT 205. THAT REPRESENTS A $36,618 DELTA. 
          THE PEER GROUP IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE SELECTING A MARKET, AND IF THAT MARKET IS ALL THE HIGH END, PROPER JURISDICTIONS THAT PAY THE MOST, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO END UP WITH A MARKET POSITION THAT WOULD BE ON THE HIGHER END. IF YOU PUT A BUNCH OF PALM BEACHES IN THERE AND MIAMI-DADE'S IN THERE, YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO BE A LITTLE ON THE HIGH END. CONSEQUENTLY, YOU KNOW, IF THE REVERSE SIDE OF THAT, IF YOU TAKE THE ONES THAT EVERYONE KNOWS MIGHT PAY ON THE LOWER END OF THE MARKET, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE AN ARTIFICIAL NUMBER THERE. SO WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO IS GET A BLEND OF HIGH AND LOW. I WILL TELL YOU THAT THE SAME PEERS THAT WERE APPROVED THAT WE USED IN THE COMPENSATION STUDY IN MARCH OF 2023, THE STUDY THAT WAS THE LAST CITYWIDE STUDY FOR NONUNION POSITIONS ARE THE SAME PEERS THAT WE USED FOR THIS STUDY. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS TO MAKE SURE IT WAS MORE ON THE CONSERVATIVE SIDE. FOR THE EXECUTIVE POSITION, WE REMOVED, AND EVERGREEN HAD PUT IN THEIR BACK UP, BY THE WAY, THAT THEY REMOVED JURISDICTIONS WITH APPROXIMATELY 30,000 RESIDENTS. 
          I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW, CLAREMONT, AFTER SCRUBBING THIS A LITTLE BIT, CLAREMONT HAS MORE LIKE 50,000 RESIDENTS. SO THAT'S ONE THAT IS NOT EXACTLY APPROPRIATE. BUT I WILL TELL YOU, THEY'VE HAD AN INTERIM SINCE DECEMBER OF 2024. SO ACTUALLY INCLUDING THEM BRINGS THE NUMBER DOWN. IT DOESN'T RAISE IT UP. BUT PASCO COUNTY, YOU WILL NOTICE, IS AN OBVIOUS OMISSION HERE BECAUSE EVERGREEN WAS TRYING TO HAVE IT BE MORE ORGANIZATIONAL SIZE BUDGET. THE AVERAGE DISTANCE IS 40 MILES FROM THE CITY FOR ALL THE TEN PEERS, AND TRYING TO GET TO SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE MORE OF A CONSERVATIVE FLAW. WHEN YOU DO THAT. THE LAST THREE HIRES GOING BACK TO DECEMBER 2024, RIGHT AT 181,000 SALARY. THEY'RE KIND OF A OVERARCHING LOOK AT THESE PEERS. ONE THING THAT SHOULD STICK OUT TO YOU IS THAT THE AVERAGE IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA FOR TENURE, FOR A LEAD EXECUTIVE POSITION IS RIGHT AT SIX AND A HALF YEARS PER FCC M A CURRENTLY, YOUR CITY MANAGER IS JUST BEGINNING THEIR 13TH YEAR. WHEN WE LOOK AT INTERNAL EQUITY, THIS WOULD APPLY TO YOUR ENTIRE PAY PLAN. AND INTERNAL EQUITY IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EMPLOYEES AND OUR CLASSIFICATION IN THEIR DIRECT REPORT. AND YOU PROBABLY HEARD THIS, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE RUN UP POST COVID, WHERE YOU WOULD HAVE FOLKS GETTING HIRED AND THEY'D BEEN WITH THE CITY OR COUNTY FOR MAYBE A COUPLE OF WEEKS, AND THEY'RE MAKING THE SAME AMOUNT OR MORE AS SOMEBODY THAT'S BEEN THERE SEVERAL YEARS. JUST BECAUSE THE MARKET WAS MOVING SO QUICKLY. WE'VE RETURNED TO MORE OF A SENSE OF NORMALCY HERE. BUT ONE THING IS FACTUAL, AND THAT IS AT THE 60TH PERCENTILE OF THE MARKET. YOU CAN SEE THE LEFT IS THE PROPOSED RANGE MIDPOINT. THAT WOULD BE MAINTAINING THE SAME GRADE RELATIONSHIP THAT EXISTS TODAY. SO THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER POSITION TODAY CURRENTLY IS ONE PAY GRADE HIGHER THAN THE POLICE CHIEF. THAT'S THE SAME RELATIONSHIP. IF YOU LOOK AT THAT, THE PROPOSED PAY RANGE MIDPOINT FOR THE POLICE CHIEF WOULD BE 162. I WOULD BE AT 170. THAT BASICALLY WOULD HAVE THE CITY MANAGER'S MIDPOINT, CURRENTLY 4% BELOW MY PAY RANGE AND 4% ABOVE THE POLICE CHIEF AND RIGHT AT 8% FOR THE FINANCE DIRECTOR. TYPICALLY, ESPECIALLY IN THOSE DIRECTOR ROLES THAT DIRECT REPORT, YOU WANT TO HAVE ABOUT 15 TO 20% LEEWAY IF YOU WERE DUE TO THE MATH ON THAT, AND YOU GO 20% ABOVE MY MIDPOINT, THAT WOULD PUT YOU AT ABOUT 204 AND SOME CHANGE, WHICH IS RIGHT WHERE OUR RECOMMENDATION OR WHERE EVERGREEN'S RECOMMENDATION FALLS. SO AT THE 60TH PERCENTILE, YOU HAVE WHAT THE 
          [02:20:03]
NUMBER WOULD BE FOR THE CITY MANAGER POSITION, AND THIS WOULD BE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RANGE AGAIN. AND THEN YOU CAN SEE WHERE WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL OF THE POSITIONS FOR THE CITY AND WHERE YOU ARE PERFORMING RELATIVE TO MARKET AT THE MINIMUM RIGHT NOW AT THE 60TH PERCENTILE OVERALL SUMMER HIRE, SOME ARE LOWER, BUT RIGHT AT 21% BEHIND MARKET, THAT WOULD BE VERY IMPORTANT FOR YOUR INTRODUCTORY POSITIONS AS YOU MOVE INTO MORE LEADERSHIP POSITIONS, THAT SURVEY MIDPOINT NUMBER BECOMES VERY IMPORTANT 21% BEHIND MARKET OVERALL. 
          YOU'RE SEEING TREND CONSISTENCY THERE. AND THIS WAS A VERY ROBUST SURVEY BY EVERGREEN. 
          YOU'RE BASICALLY LOOKING AT ALMOST TEN MATCHES FOR EVERY JOB TITLE THAT WE HAVE IN THE STUDY. AND YOU NEED FIVE JUST TO HAVE A DEFENSIBLE SAMPLE. SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND THAT IS ALSO DIFFERENT WITH LOOKING AT TRYING TO FIND ACCEPTABLE PEERS AND COMPARING ALL THE PEERS THAT ENDED UP IN THE STUDY. NOT ALL OF THEM HAVE A POLICE DEPARTMENT, A FIRE DEPARTMENT, A UTILITY, AND A CRA. ALL FOUR OF THOSE AS PART OF THE SPAN AND CONTROL FOR A LEAD EXECUTIVE. NEWPORT RICHIE DOES, AND THEIR UTILITY IS LARGE ENOUGH TO SERVICE A CITY FOUR TIMES ITS SIZE. MORE THAN HALF OF OUR CUSTOMERS IN THE UTILITIES. WE'VE BEEN WELL AWARE OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS TALKING ABOUT UTILITIES ARE FROM OUTSIDE THE SERVICE AREA. THE CRA, I THINK, IS WELL OVER 25 MILLION, AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT AROUND 250 EMPLOYEES WITH PART TIMERS AT ANY GIVEN TIME UNDER THE DIRECT SPAN OF CONTROL OF THE LEAD EXECUTIVE. 
          AND SO REALLY WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IS YOU HAVE A CITY MANAGER POSITION AND YOU HAVE AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR POSITION CURRENTLY THAT'S FUNDED 75, 25 AND A RECOMMENDATION FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IS THAT IF YOU WERE TO CHANGE THE ALLOCATION AS PART OF OUR NORMAL BUDGET PROCESS, YOU COULD GO TO 65% OF THAT. TOTAL COMPENSATION WOULD BE FUNDED THROUGH THE GENERAL FUND, 35% WOULD BE FUNDED THROUGH THE CRA, AND THAT WOULD HAVE A GENERAL FUND IMPACT RIGHT AROUND $7,000 AND AROUND 29,000 FOR THE CRA. AGAIN, THAT PENDULUM CAN SWING EITHER WAY. 
          SO AS THE ALLOCATION OF TIME WOULD MAYBE BE REDUCED AND THE PENDULUM WOULD SWING BACK TOWARDS SPENDING MORE TIME ON GENERAL FUND RELATED ITEMS, NON CRA ITEMS, THEN IT COULD GO BACK TO 75%. AND I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT THE COUNCIL LOOK AT A POLICY ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, WHERE MAYBE EVERY THREE YEARS IN A ROLLING, YOU COULD HAVE AN ASSESSMENT OF WHERE THE ALLOCATION IS TIME WISE FOR YOUR LEAD EXECUTIVE. HERE'S HOW THE NUMBERS PLAY OUT. THIS IS KIND OF A RECALIBRATION STORY AS MUCH AS IT IS A REALLOCATING OF COST, AND YOU'D BE REALLOCATING COST APPROPRIATELY TO THE. ENTITIES, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WAY OF SAYING IT, BASED ON THE TIME THAT'S BEING SPENT ON THEM. 6525 IT'S NOT A CONDITION OF THIS. OBVIOUSLY, THE WILL OF THE COUNCIL TO WANT TO HAVE A COMPENSATION PHILOSOPHY OF PAYING AT OR ABOVE THE MARKET AVERAGE. REALLY, THE ALLOCATION ISN'T AS IMPORTANT AS MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE TREATING YOUR CITY MANAGER'S COMPENSATION THE SAME AS YOU WOULD TREAT THE COMPENSATION RANGE FOR ANY OTHER CLASSIFICATION IN YOUR PAY PLAN. AND IF YOU'RE DOING THAT, THEN YOU WOULD WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE EQUITABLE TREATMENT IN THE SLOTTING. THE RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO SET THE CITY MANAGER ANNUAL BASE SALARY AT THE 60TH PERCENTILE, CONSISTENT WITH THE TARGET FOR THE REST OF THE EMPLOYEES AT THE CITY, AND THAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER AN ALLOCATION OF 6535 GENERAL FUND TO SEE A. AND THAT THIS WOULD BE EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1ST. I THINK THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION. YOU HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? SEEING NO ONE COME FORWARD, BRING IT BACK FOR DISCUSSION AND VOTE. I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE. I SECOND THE MAKER. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, THANK MR. WILLIAMSON FOR HIS THOROUGHNESS ON EXPLAINING THIS, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS A ODD SITUATION WHEN YOU'RE DISCUSSING SOMEBODY'S SALARY IN FRONT OF THEM. BUT I JUST THINK THAT JUST GOES TO SHOW WHAT THE LEAD PERSON OF OUR CITY IS, VALUE SHOULD BE. AND THE WORK THAT SHE PUTS IN HERE. AND TO ME, IT'S KIND OF A SHAME THAT WE HAD TO WAIT THIS LONG. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE BEFORE, BUT WE HAD TO WAIT. AND I JUST APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, ROB. SECOND. YEAH, I THINK THAT, YOU 
          [02:25:03]
KNOW, RETENTION IS, IS VERY IMPORTANT WITH EMPLOYEES. AND OBVIOUSLY PAY IS A BIG PART OF THAT. AND I THINK WITH UPCOMING UPCOMING, YOU KNOW, ELECTIONS AND AMENDMENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE MAINTAIN SOMEONE WITH THE EXPERIENCE THAT IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET US THROUGH THIS, IF NEED BE. IT COULD TAKE YEARS. SO I THINK AT THIS TIME, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE RETAINING OUR BEST EMPLOYEES. WELL, THE COMMENTARY TALKS ABOUT THE EMPLOYEES, BUT THE MOTION IS ABOUT A SINGLE EMPLOYEE. SO WHAT I'M CURIOUS TO FIND OUT IS WHETHER OR NOT THESE LARGE ADJUSTMENTS ARE AS THEY ARE CYCLING DOWN THE ROAD, HAVE THEY BEEN WORKED INTO THE BUDGET FOR US ALREADY? THEN THEY HAVE. AND AND ALSO TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT COME JANUARY 1ST, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE A LIST OF EVERY EMPLOYEE IN EXACTLY WHAT THEY MAKE THAT WILL BE PUBLISHED WITH THE NAMES OF ALL OF THE EMPLOYEES ON THEM. SO, I MEAN, THE FLORIDA LAW HAS GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE NONE OF US WILL BE SHELTERED FROM ANYONE KNOWING HOW MUCH ANYONE THAT WORKS FOR THE CITY MAKES. THAT BEING SAID, WE HAD A DISCUSSION EARLIER ABOUT BENCHMARKING, AND THAT'S HOW WE ARRIVED AT A INTERIM DETERMINATION OF SETTING OUR RATES AT THE RIGHT LEVEL. SO I'M TAKING THIS DISCUSSION AS A BENCHMARKING DISCUSSION, WHICH IS WHAT IT WAS. SO AS IT COMES TO OUR APPRAISALS AND EVALUATIONS AND TO UNFORTUNATELY, THE COMMENT THAT YOU MADE THAT YOU WAITED TOO LONG AND YOU'RE AND SORT OF THERE WAS A SORT OF NEGATIVE ATTRIBUTE THAT WAS THAT WAS APPARENT TO ME FROM THAT CONVERSATION, IS THAT WE SHOULD HAVE GIVEN THAT TO HER THEN. 
          WELL, A, WE DIDN'T HAVE THE STUDY INFORMATION, AND THIS IS BENCHMARKING. AND B, THE THING THAT I ASKED FOR WAS TO SAY, I'D LIKE TO SEE THE PROGRESS ON HOW WE GET THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS. THAT BEING SAID, I'M HAPPY TO JOIN YOU IN THE VOTE, BUT THERE'LL BE A REQUEST ON MY PART TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO THAT, WHICH WOULD BE THAT AT THE POINT AT WHICH OUR 2025 AUDIT IS COMPLETE, AND AT THE POINT WHEN WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE FINANCIAL INFORMATION THAT THE AUDITORS HAVE TOLD US, TWO CONSECUTIVE AUDIT YEARS WE SHOULD HAVE, THAT WE SHOULD HAVE CURRENT FINANCIAL STATEMENTS WITHIN AT LEAST THE THE WITHIN AT LEAST A QUARTER. 
          SO, I MEAN, IF I DO NOT KNOW THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, I HAVEN'T SEEN THEM. THEY HAVEN'T BEEN SHARED. WE HAD A DISCUSSION EARLIER TODAY ABOUT HOW WE WOULD PAY FOR THE SKATE PARK. AND WELL, WE HAVE TO TAKE THE MONEY FROM HERE AND WE HAVE TO TAKE THE MONEY FROM THERE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE MONEY IS. I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT IS. I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE STAND. AND I'M SUPPOSED TO BE A POLICY MAKER. SO I JUST HAVE TO SAY, THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THE CITY MANAGER HAS PUT AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF TIME AND EFFORT AND HAS THE CITY HAS DETERMINED THAT WE'VE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN OUR REDEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES AND THAT THE THAT WE HAVE ASSEMBLED A GREAT STAFF RIGHT NOW, AND I'M VERY HAPPY FOR THE STAFF AND FOR MY COLLEAGUES UP HERE, BUT I AM NOT GOING TO PLAY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE UP HERE AND DECIDE THAT EVERYBODY DOESN'T HAVE TO HAVE THE OVERSIGHT FROM OUR BOARD TO SAY, WE NEED THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, WE NEED THE AUDIT. IT'S BEEN IN OUR LIST THAT WE'LL BE HAVING IT. MAYBE IT'S ONLY A MONTH AWAY, MAYBE IT'S TWO MONTHS AWAY, BUT I CAN'T VOTE FOR WHAT I SAID I WANTED TO WAIT FOR TO SEE. AND I WANT YOU ALL TO UNDERSTAND. I'M NOT TRYING TO BE NEGATIVE. I'M JUST SAYING WE HAVE A BENCHMARK. IT'S A IT'S A SUBSTANTIAL RAISE. IT ALSO COMES WITH A SUBSTANTIAL WALK OUT THE DOOR, PAY AS WELL. AND WE HAVE A CITY MANAGER WHO HAS, OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS APPLIED FOR OTHER JOBS. SO IMMEDIATELY, ONCE THIS WAGE GOES INTO EFFECT, THE PAYOUT PROVISION OF HER CONTRACT CHANGES AS WELL. SO THIS IS NOT JUST A RAISE FOR THIS YEAR. 
          THIS IS A SUBSTANTIAL THANK YOU, WHICH I HOPE IS RECEIVED IN THE MANNER IN WHICH IT IS BEING PRESENTED TO SAY, YES, YOU ARE YOU ARE IN THAT RANGE. AND YES, OUR CITY DOESN'T HAVE THE AVERAGE PROPERTY VALUES. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER THING THAT WE COULD LOOK AT THINGS FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS. THE OTHER THING THAT CAUSED ME SOME GRIEF IS SAYING, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A REPORT ON WHAT THE AVERAGE CRA DIRECTOR MAKES, BECAUSE I REALLY BELIEVE THAT PERHAPS WE NEED TO HAVE A CRA DIRECTOR WHO'S SEPARATE AND APART FROM THE CITY MANAGER, CRA DIRECTOR START WITH CITIES. WHEN THEY HAVE NO MONEY, WE'VE GOT $10 MILLION A YEAR COMING INTO THAT FUND. SO PERSONALLY, I DON'T THINK $75,000 FOR CRA DIRECTOR IS COMPENSATION FOR 
          [02:30:08]
THAT. AND SO THAT STRESSES THE CITY, STRETCHES THE CITY MANAGER OUT. THANKFULLY, WE DO HAVE A, YOU KNOW, A GREAT AND BUILDING STAFF. AND I HAVE GREAT RESPECT FOR THOSE DECISIONS, DEBBIE, THAT YOU HAVE MADE AND THE PEOPLE THAT YOU HAVE HIRED. I'M NOT HERE TO TRY TO TAKE YOU OVER THE COALS, ONLY TO SAY THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE SHOULD BE REQUESTING AND WE SHOULDN'T BE GETTING AFTER EACH OTHER BECAUSE WE ARE NOT QUICK ENOUGH TO JUMP WITHOUT LOOKING AT ALL THE ISSUES THAT ARE THERE. SO I'D ONLY ASK FOR FOR THAT UNDERSTANDING WITH YOU, COUNCILMAN, THAT I'M NOT TRYING TO BE NEGATIVE, AND I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO BE FEELING AN IMPRESSION OF ANY KIND OF SENSE THAT ANY OF US DON'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE THE ONES CALLING THE SHOTS AND DECIDING WHAT TO DO. AND I THINK FROM THE BEGINNING, FROM THE DAY THE CITY MANAGER GOT HERE, BECAUSE I WORKED FOR HER WHEN SHE WAS, SHE MADE IT A COMMENT. AND DEBBIE, I WON'T SAY SHE. YOU'RE RIGHT THERE. YOU MADE A COMMENT TO TALK ABOUT THE THE GREEK THEORY OF SERVICE AND, AND YOU'VE ALWAYS RECOGNIZED THAT CITY COUNCIL AS BEING YOUR COLLECTIVE BOSSES. SO YOU DON'T WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN A MORE. YOU KNOW, PROPER ESTABLISHED SET OF RULES AND, AND PAYMENT THAT THAT THERE IS PROPER DECISION MAKING BEING MADE UP HERE BY US AND THAT WE'RE A PARTICIPATORY GROUP. WE LIKE TO JUMP IN AND SAY, WHAT, WHAT CAN WE DO HERE? WHAT COULD WE DO THERE? AND I WANT TO BE MORE INVOLVED. AND, MR. MAYOR, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE POISED TO DO SOME GREAT STUFF, AND WE DON'T NEED TO BE THROWN OFF BY CHANGE OF THE GUARD. SO. SO, DEBBIE, I HOPE THAT WITH THE SALARY THAT YOU DON'T CASH IT OUT QUICKLY AND GET THE HECK OUT OF DODGE, THAT YOU STICK AROUND, THAT THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING TO HAVE AND THAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, A FULL DEVELOPMENT OF PROPER PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES AND THAT WE HAVE MAYBE SOME IMPROVEMENT IN THE WAY IN WHICH MEMOS COME OUT TO US THAT THAT REFLECT POORLY TO THE COMMUNITY, WHICH I EXPERIENCED RECENTLY. SO AND I'LL TALK TO YOU ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YEAH. I'LL START BY SAYING THAT A CONCERN I RAISED COMING INTO THIS A FEW YEARS BACK WAS THE TURNOVER RATE EXPERIENCED IN SOME OF THOSE HIGHER PLACEMENTS THAT WERE REFERENCED IN TERMS OF EQUITY AND THAT WE, WE, WE AREN'T SEEING THAT. THIS IS NOTHING THAT I DIDN'T HAVE LET ME BACK UP TO SAY RECENTLY. WE HAD OUR CITY MANAGER EVALUATION. 
          AND RIGHT AROUND THAT SAME TIME, IT WAS COUNCILMAN ALTMAN WHO SUGGESTED THAT THIS BE POSTPONED TO A TIME IN WHICH ALL THE FINANCIALS WERE IN PLACE, NOT JUST TO KICK IT TO SEPTEMBER, BUT POSTPONE IT TO A TIME WHERE THE FINANCIALS COULD BE IN PLACE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHERE WE'RE AT. I THINK MR. WILLIAMSON HAS DONE A GOOD JOB CONTEXTUALIZING THE CITY MANAGER MARKET STUDY. BUT THOSE FINANCIALS WERE NOT PRESENTED. AND TO THAT TO THAT POINT, HE RAISED IT. I WAS GOING TO RAISE THE SAME ONE JUST AS RECENT AS TONIGHT. 
          WE'RE HEARING OF CERTAIN ROLLOVER DOLLARS GETTING REPRIORITIZED, WHICH I APPRECIATE. BUT THAT IS A WHAT I FEEL IS A POLICY MAKING DECISION OF THIS BODY. AND SO WHILE I APPRECIATE THE CITY STAFF AND THE CITY MANAGER'S INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY IN FINDING WAYS TO MAKE SURE THINGS GET FUNDED THAT WE'VE ASKED TO BE FUNDED, I DO THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN A POSITION ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE UNIQUE. TALK ABOUT HAVING A CITY MANAGER WHO HAS BEEN ABLE TO EXCEED EXPECTATIONS AND WHAT IS A HIGH TURNOVER FOR CITY MANAGERS ACROSS THE NATION. SHE'S OUTPERFORMED IN THAT WAY. WELL, WE AS A COUNCIL IN OUR MATRIX, WE ALSO HAVE A FINANCE BACKGROUND WITH MANY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE. AND I DON'T SEE US LEANING IN ON THAT IN IMPORTANT MOMENTS LIKE THIS ONE, WHERE IT'S DIFFICULT TO JUSTIFY THE POSITIONS WE'RE TAKING BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE DATA, IN FACT. AND SO WHAT WHAT ENDS UP LOOKING LIKE PUSHING DOWN THE ROAD IS REALLY TRYING TO GET TO A PLACE OF YES. AND IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH CITY MANAGER ABOUT HER EVALUATION, I TRIED TO BE AS DETAILED AS POSSIBLE. 
          [02:35:01]
I OFFERED ADDITIONAL VERBAL INFORMATION AND, AND I SHE DIDN'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME RELATED TO THAT EVALUATION. AND SO I WAS AS HONEST AS I COULD BE. IN 2023, THE MARKET ADJUSTMENT, EXCUSE ME. THE MARKET STUDY DONE FOR GENERAL EMPLOYEES QUOTED. THIS IS A DIRECT QUOTE REVEALED THAT THE CITY IS CURRENTLY LAGGING THE MARKET AT 60TH PERCENTILE. AND THE CITY MANAGER DID SAY, AND SHE'S RIGHT, THE STUDY CALLED SHE MADE THE RECOMMENDATION, BUT IT WAS THE STUDY THAT CALLED OUT, QUOTE, A FULL COMPENSATION AND CLASSIFICATION REVIEW IS RECOMMENDED APPROXIMATELY EVERY FOUR OR EVERY 3 TO 5 YEARS. SO I APPRECIATE THE RECOMMENDATION. AND THAT'S WHAT THE STUDY CALLED FOR US TO DO. I FIND IT DIFFICULT, THOUGH, AND THIS IS WHERE I GO INTO THE NOT HAVING ENOUGH INFORMATION TO ACT CATEGORY. I FIND IT DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND HOW THREE YEARS AGO, RIGHT BEFORE I GOT UP HERE, THE COUNCIL BEFORE ME WAS RECEIVING RECOMMENDATIONS THAT STAFF WERE BELOW THE 60TH PERCENTILE. AND NOW, THREE YEARS LATER, WE HAVE THE SAME CITY MANAGER COMING BEFORE A DIFFERENT A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT COUNCIL MAKING THAT SAME ARGUMENT. AND IT BEGS THE QUESTION, WHAT HAS BEEN DONE IN THE LAST THREE YEARS? AND THE. AND SO THE QUESTION I HAVE TO BE ABLE TO GET TO A POSITION OF. YES, IS WHERE ARE OUR GENERAL EMPLOYEES AT? BECAUSE THIS STUDY IS FOR THE CITY MANAGER. IT'S NOT A GENERAL STUDY FOR ALL EMPLOYEES. WHERE ARE OUR CURRENT EMPLOYEES AT. AND ARE THEY TO GOING TO BE AT THE 60TH PERCENTILE CURRENTLY, AT THE MINIMUM, THEY YOUR OVERALL AVERAGE IS ABOUT 21% BEHIND MARKET. WHEN YOU GO UP TO THE MAXIMUM, YOU'RE ABOUT 18% BEHIND MARKET OVERALL, SOME OF THOSE COUNCILMEN ARE FURTHER BEHIND MARKET. SOME OF THEM ARE LESS. THAT'S AN OVERALL AVERAGE. WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL OF THE POSITIONS THAT RETURNED AT LEAST FIVE RESPONSES, THERE WAS, I BELIEVE, FIVE CLASSIFICATIONS THAT DID NOT RETURN THE APPROPRIATE NUMBER OF RESPONSES. SO I DON'T HAVE DATA FOR THEM. 
          SO THAT AVERAGE I'M GIVING YOU, THEY'RE NOT SKEWING IT. THEY'RE PULLED. OKAY. WE DON'T MAKE A RECOMMENDATION ON THEM. THE 60TH PERCENTILE IS A TARGET IN SETTING THE PAY RANGES FOR THE PROPOSED BUDGET RIGHT NOW. YES. OVERALL MARKET POSITION FOR THE CITY, FOR THE EMPLOYEES IN THE CITY WOULD BE ACHIEVABLE AT 60%. THAT WOULD AGAIN BE AN AVERAGE AND THE OVERALL AVERAGE OF ALL COMPENSATION. IT IS A TARGET. BUT KEEP IN MIND THAT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 21% BEHIND THE MARKET, THAT'S THE PAY RANGE. AND THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT DISTINCTION, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT SAYING THAT EVERYONE THAT WORKS IN THE CITY, ALL 215 FULL TIMERS, SHOULD GET A 21% RAISE. IT'S REALLY DEPENDENT THAT COST FACTOR. THAT WOULD BE WHAT COUNCILMAN ALTMAN IS TALKING ABOUT. AND THE NUMBER THAT'S PART OF THE BUDGET, THAT'S BASED LARGELY ON WHAT ARE WE PAYING PEOPLE TODAY. AND THAT PAY RANGE LETS US KNOW WHERE SHOULD THEY BE TO MARKET BASED ON THEIR TENURE. IT'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE HAVEN'T REALLY TALKED ABOUT RELATIVE TO COMPENSATION, IS THAT YOU HAVE, IN THIS INSTANCE, A LEAD EXECUTIVE WHO IS SHOULD BE AT OR ABOVE THE MIDPOINT OF THEIR PAY RANGE AT 13 YEARS. BUT IN ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION, WE DO BELIEVE THAT OVERALL WE WILL HAVE PAY RANGES AT THE 60TH PERCENTILE, AND THEN WE GOT TO MOVE EMPLOYEES INTO THOSE PAY RANGES. AND I SYMPATHIZE WITH YOUR POINT ON THE MIDPOINT. I JUST WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT I AM NOT REFUTING THE MARKET ADJUSTMENT RECOMMENDATION BY EVERGREEN SOLUTIONS THAT SUGGESTS THE CITY MANAGER IS NOT AT THE 60TH PERCENTILE. I AM NOT I SYMPATHIZE AND AGREE WITH THE IDEA THAT WE HAVE A CITY MANAGER WHO IS VERY TALENTED, WHO WHO HAS SERVED A LONG TIME IN THE CITY AND AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THAT, HAS UNFORTUNATELY LAGGED BEHIND WHERE SHE NEEDS TO BE. BUT WHERE WHERE I GET LOST IS HOW THE EMPLOYEES AT LARGE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE CRA FOR RECALIBRATION. THERE ARE NOT THESE OTHER TOOLS TO GO BACK TO EMPLOYEES TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT THIS IS A FAIR ACROSS THE BOARD. I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. WITH THE 21%, BUT THE THE THE OTHER PIECE THAT'S HARD FOR ME TO GET THE YES IS WHAT'S FAIR RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF GETTING TO THE 60TH PERCENTILE, IF THAT'S THE GOAL. ASIDE FROM THE MIDPOINT ARGUMENT, WHICH WOULD ARGUABLY PUT HER ABOVE THE 60TH PERCENTILE, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IF WE'RE GETTING HER TO PASS HER MIDPOINT FOR 
          [02:40:01]
BEING 13 YEARS IN, 205 IS THE NUMBER. IT'S ON THE 205, WHICH IS CLOSER TO WHAT I READ, 80 PERCENTILE OR 70? NO, THAT'S THE 60TH PERCENTILE. THAT IS THE 60TH PERCENTILE. SO 50 WOULD BE THE 187. THE THE THE, THE POINT IN BETWEEN, SORRY, THERE WAS A 50TH PERCENTILE AMOUNT AND 60 60TH PERCENTILE 6205. THE AVERAGE WOULD BE 198. THE 60TH PERCENTILE IS THE 205198. WHAT. AND I DON'T WANT TO FAULT HER FOR IT BECAUSE IT'S HER RIGHT TO DO IT. THE BRINGING ON OF ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER COULD BE PERCEIVED BY THIS COUNCIL AS PROGRESSION PLANNING. THE INTERVIEWING AND OTHER CITIES COULD BE PERCEIVED AS IN TWO WAYS, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS CONTRIBUTING TO THIS NEGOTIATIONS HERE OR PROGRESSION PLANNING. AND SO IT WOULD ALSO BE, YOU KNOW, NOW I'M TAKING OFF THE WHAT'S FAIR FOR ALL EMPLOYEES HAT AND PUTTING ON THE THE BUDGET FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY HAT TO THEN HAVE TO PAY OUT WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO FOR SOMEONE WHO IS NOT AT THE MIDPOINT, BUT IS REALITY READY TO BE DONE WITH THEIR CAREER WITH THE CITY OF NEW PORT RICHEY IN CONSIDERING THAT AS WELL, ALL OF THOSE TAKEN INTO TOTALITY, AND THE CITY MANAGER EVALUATION THAT I'VE GIVEN IN DETAIL TO HER TO TO TO YOU, MISS MANN'S, I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THE 60TH PERCENTILE. I JUST I'VE BEEN AROUND HERE FOR 13 YEARS, EXCEPT ONE LITTLE ONE OUT, ONE YEAR BREAK. AND I JUST BEEN ELATED AT WHAT THIS TOWN'S HAPPENED TO THIS TOWN OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME. AND IT TAKES LEADERSHIP TO DO THAT. AND AND THE FIVE OF US UP HERE, NOT FIVE OF YOU PERSONALLY, BUT THE POSITIONS HERE HAVE HAVE PUT A LOT OF FAITH IN IN THE CITY MANAGER AND HER OBJECTIVES IN GETTING THE CITY WHERE IT IS NOW. I THINK THAT THE 205 IS A FINE NUMBER. I ALSO THINK THAT PUTTING PUTTING 35% OF IT INTO THE CRA IS VERY IMPORTANT. I THINK YOU HAVE A STAFF SITTING OUT HERE IN FRONT OF YOU THAT DOES A LOT OF THE WORK FOR THE CITY ITSELF IN THE BUDGET, BUT THAT THAT 20, 35% COME OUT OF THE CRA IS A SMART IDEA. AND IT'S A GROWTH THING BECAUSE SHE DOESN'T HAVE AN ASSISTANT IN THE CRA. SHE DOESN'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE CRA DOESN'T HAVE ALL THESE OTHER POSITIONS IN CRA THAT SHE HAS THAT SHE HAS HERE SITTING HERE. BUT SO I'M I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH HER, CONTINUE TO WORK WITH HER. I MEAN, WE'RE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE SOMEBODY THAT WE STUCK AROUND FOR 13 YEARS. I WAS HERE WHEN WE HIRED HER. IT WAS IT WAS A MESS TRYING TO HIRE SOMEBODY, YOU KNOW, IT WAS REALLY IT WAS JUST REALLY A MESS. AND BUT WE FOUND SOMEBODY AND I THINK SHE'S STRAIGHTENED THE CITY OUT AND I'M REAL HAPPY FOR IT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY I, I. THOSE OPPOSED. NO. AS I'VE STATED. OKAY, SO IT'S A THREE TWO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. DEBBIE. CULTURE AFFAIRS 
          [11.g) Cultural Affairs Committee Funding Recommendation RE: Storybook Spectacular]
COMMITTEE FUNDING RECOMMENDATION. THE STORYBOOK. SPECTACULAR. THE STORYBOOK SPECTACULAR IS AN EVENT THAT IS PROPOSED FOR RAILROAD SQUARE ON SEPTEMBER 13TH, 2026, AND MISS PIGGOTT WILL REPRESENT THE AGENDA ITEM. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. HELLO. I'LL TRY IT AGAIN. 
          THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER. AND GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. AT ITS AUGUST 19TH MEETING, THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE REVIEWED A FUNDING PROPOSAL FOR STORYBOOK SPECTACULAR, A FREE, FAMILY FOCUSED CULTURAL EVENT CELEBRATING LITERATURE AND BUILDING EARLY LITERACY SKILLS, ORAL STORYTELLING, CREATIVITY AND THE PERFORMING ARTS. IF APPROVED, STORYBOOK SPECTACULAR WOULD TAKE PLACE CONCURRENTLY WITH THE CITY'S SUNSHINE SERIES DAY RAVE ON SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13TH FROM 11 A.M. TO 2 P.M. IN RAILROAD SQUARE. PLANNED ACTIVITIES WOULD INCLUDE LOCAL CHILDREN'S AUTHORS, STORYBOOK AND FAIRY TALE CHARACTER APPEARANCES AND PHOTO OPS APPEARANCES BY ACTORS FROM THE RICHEY SUNCOAST THEATER'S UPCOMING WILLY WONKA PRODUCTION, FREE CRAFTS AND LITERACY ACTIVITIES, THE ELLROY MOBILE LIBRARY AND AT 1 P.M. EVERYTHING WOULD CULMINATE WITH THE MIXED UP FAIRY TALE 
          [02:45:02]
PERFORMANCE BY EMMY AWARD WINNING PERFORMERS NAMED PAGE TURNER ADVENTURES. SOME OF THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT HAVE ALREADY AGREED TO PARTICIPATE ARE THE EARLY LEARNING COALITION OF PASCO COUNTY FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY BRAINSTORMS ORGANIZATION, AND, OF COURSE, OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS AND THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEMBERS WHO OFTEN SHOW UP AND ASSIST WHOLEHEARTEDLY AS VOLUNTEERS FOR THESE EVENTS. THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE REVIEWED THE PROPOSAL AND VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY COUNCIL FUND THIS REQUEST OF $2,960 FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN CITY COUNCIL'S FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET AND IF APPROVED, FUNDS WOULD BE USED TO SUPPORT THE FEATURED ENTERTAINMENT, CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES, GIVEAWAYS, MARKETING AND A FEW OF THE EVENT SUPPLIES THAT ARE NEEDED. MEMBERS OF THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE ARE PRESENT TONIGHT, AND THEY OR I AM ARE ARE AVAILABLE. IF YOU SHOULD HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS OR SUGGESTIONS, THANK YOU. HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? SEEING NO ONE COME FORWARD, BRING IT BACK FOR DISCUSSION AND VOTE. I MAKE APPROVAL FOR THE REQUESTED FUNDING. I'LL SECOND. SOUNDS LIKE A SPECTACULAR STORYBOOK. THE SECOND, I JUST THINK IT'S A GREAT ADDITION TO RAILROAD SQUARE. THANK YOU. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK, GUYS. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY I I I. THAT'S FIVE NOTHING EXCEPT FROM THE CITY OF NEW PORT RICHEY RED 
          [11.h) Acceptance of the City of New Port Richey Red-Light Camera Traffic Safety Program Annual Report]
LIGHT CAMERA, TRAFFIC SAFETY PROGRAM, ANNUAL REPORT, ACCEPTANCE OF IT. YES. THE REPORT COVERS THE PERIOD JULY 1ST, 2025 THROUGH JUNE 30TH, 2026 AND INDICATED IT'S AN ANNUAL REQUIREMENT FOR US TO SUBMIT THE REPORT. AND CHIEF COACHMAN WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU. MR. MAYOR. COUNCIL MEMBERS. SO AS A CITY MANAGER SAID, THE REQUEST IS FOR YOU TO ACCEPT OUR ANNUAL RED LIGHT CAMERA REPORT TO DHSMV COVERS THE PERIOD FROM JULY 1ST, 2025 THROUGH JUNE 30TH, 2026, AND YOUR BACKUP IS ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE DID REPORT TO DHSMV AND IT'S KIND OF INTERESTING. AS YOUR CHIEF, I'M I'M A BIG SUPPORTER OF THESE OF THE RED LIGHT CAMERA PROGRAM BECAUSE IT SAVES LIVES. AND WHEN YOU LOOK AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE REPORT THAT WE GAVE YOU, WE DID ISSUE 8229 CITATIONS FOR VEHICLES THAT RUN RED LIGHTS. WELL GUESS WHAT? ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, 21,000,900 VEHICLES TRAVERSED US 19. 
          THAT'S A LOT OF VEHICLES. SO WE ARE ISSUING CITATIONS TO 0.038% OF ALL THESE VEHICLES. WE ARE HAVING AN IMPACT. AND AS YOUR CHIEF, IF I MAY, RIGHT ANGLE CRASHES. INTERSECTION CRASHES ARE VERY DANGEROUS. NOW, BACK IN THE DAY WHEN I WAS A YOUNGER OFFICER, I HAVE ADVANCED TRAINING IN TRAFFIC HOMICIDE INVESTIGATIONS. AND THAT WAS PROBABLY WHEN T REX ROAMED THE EARTH WAY BACK WHEN. BUT I STILL RETAIN SOME OF THAT KNOWLEDGE. AND I WILL TELL YOU THE DYNAMICS OF THIS. SO A PERSON ENTERS 19 ON A GREEN LIGHT AND THEY'RE CROSSING. 19 A PERSON TRAVELING ON. 19 RUNNING A RED LIGHT, USUALLY AT HIGH SPEED. ALL THE DATA SHOWS US AND THE EVIDENCE THAT WE HAVE THESE VEHICLES RUN THESE RED LIGHTS AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. SO THE DYNAMICS OF THE TRAFFIC CRASH PLAY OUT LIKE THIS. THERE IS SO MUCH FORCE AND ENERGY EXPENDED IN A TRAFFIC CRASH THAT CAN BE MEASURED IN MILLISECONDS, NOT SECONDS. THE PERSON THAT'S IN THE INTERSECTION LAWFULLY ENTERING THE INTERSECTION IS GOING TO GET SIDE IMPACTED BY THE VEHICLE THAT IS RUNNING A RED LIGHT AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. NOW THAT DRIVER HAS A LOT OF VEHICLE MASS IN FRONT OF THEM, BUT IF IT'S YOU IN THE INTERSECTION, YOU REALLY HAVE MUCH VEHICLE MASS BETWEEN YOU AND THAT VEHICLE THAT'S GOING TO STRIKE YOU. AND WE LOOK AT OCCUPANT KINEMATICS, WHICH THE SCIENCE OF HOW THE BODY MOVES DURING A TRAFFIC CRASH. WE ALL KNOW THAT IF YOU GET HIT FROM BEHIND, WHICH WAY IS YOUR BODY GO BACKWARDS. IF YOU HIT SOMEONE FROM BEHIND, YOU GO FORWARD. AND THIS TYPE OF CRASH, YOUR BODY IS NOW GOING INTO THE FORCE AND MASS OF THAT VEHICLE CRASHING INTO THE SIDE OF YOUR VEHICLE, WHICH REALLY HAS NO MASS IN A MILLISECOND. MOST LIKELY IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A GOOD DAY FOR YOU, BUT THE OFFENDER WILL WALK AWAY, USUALLY UNHURT. THE VIDEOS THAT WE SEE OF VEHICLES RUNNING RED LIGHTS ON 19 ARE SCARY. THIS PROGRAM IS ESSENTIAL. I BELIEVE 
          [02:50:06]
IT SAVES LIVES. IN ADDITION TO ALL THE OTHER ENFORCEMENT INITIATIVES THAT WE DO ON. 19 SO WITH THIS REPORT, WE ARE ASKING THAT YOU ACCEPT IT. THAT'S THE REQUEST OF THIS COUNCIL. ALL THE INFORMATION IS IN YOUR BACKUP, AND I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE, ANY PUBLIC COMMENT. SEEING NO ONE COME FORWARD, BRING BACK FOR DISCUSSION AND VOTE TO APPROVE. I'LL SECOND, MR. MAKER, JUST TO SAY THAT OVER THE EVOLUTION OF MY TIME ON COUNCIL, I'VE MOVED FROM BEING WARY OF THE RED LIGHT CAMERA PROGRAM AND IT BEING A WAY TO PREDATORILY CHARGE PEOPLE TO REALLY UNDERSTANDING THROUGH THE CHIEF OF POLICE AND OUR CITY MANAGER AND THE DEDICATED LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE CITY, THE CRITICAL BENEFIT IT DOES. AND CHIEF DID A GOOD JOB LAYING OUT THE NUMBERS. IT'S IN THE REPORT THERE. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT SOMEONE WHO GETS ONE OF THESE TICKETS WILL NOT DO IT AGAIN. IT'S YOUR YOUR INSTINCT IS TO NO LONGER SPEED THROUGH THESE INTERSECTIONS OR, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE YOU'RE STOPPING EARLY OR IF ANYTHING, IN THE CASE OF THE RED LIGHT TURN OR EXCUSE ME, THE RIGHT HAND TURNS. IN PARTICULAR, YOU LAID OUT THE, THE IT'S JUST IT'S SO, SO IMPORTANT SAFETY. 
          AND THAT BEING SAID, I DO ASK, THOUGH, THAT THE. THERE WAS SOME COMMENTS MADE IN THE NEWS ABOUT CHANGES TO OUR FLOCK CAMERA PROGRAM AND THAT THE CITY HAS ADOPTED. PROGRAM, AND I HAVEN'T HEARD. WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED THAT INFORMATION. SO IF THE CITY MANAGER IS ABLE TO GET US AN UPDATE ON WHERE THINGS ARE AT WITH THAT. THE SECOND. I JUST WOULD THANK THE CHIEF AND HIS STAFF AND THEIR DUE DILIGENCE, AND I APPRECIATE HIS THOROUGHNESS AND HIS EXPLANATION BECAUSE NOT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS IT. SO I THINK YOU EXPLAINING IT THAT WAY JUST MAKES IT THAT MUCH EASIER. BUT I DO APPRECIATE THIS. THANK YOU. YEAH, YEAH, I DEFINITELY FEEL IT'S A DETERRENT. IT WORKS ON ME. SO I HAVE TO BELIEVE IT WORKS ON OTHERS TOO. SO. NO SIR. I'M GOOD. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY I, I IT'S FIVE 
          [11.i) ITB26-033 Astor & Palmetto Drainage Improvements Project Bid Award]
NOTHING I TV 26033 ASTER AND PALMETTO DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT BID AWARD. ALL RIGHT, MR. MUELLER, CAN YOU PRESENT THE AGENDA ITEM FOR US? THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. GOOD EVENING COUNCIL. SO BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING, STAFF IS REQUESTING THAT CITY COUNCIL REVIEW AND CONSIDER FOR APPROVAL OF THE LOW BID IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1,398,955.50 AN AWARD I TB 26-033 TO DB CIVIL CONSTRUCTION, LLC FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE ASTER PALMETTO DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT. SO THIS PROJECT IS INCLUDED IN THE CITY'S CURRENT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM UNDER THE FLOOD CONTROL AND WATER QUALITY PROJECT SECTION, AND WAS IDENTIFIED IN THE CITY'S 2013 STORMWATER MASTER DRAINAGE PLAN TEN YEAR UPDATE, AND WAS ALSO THE IMPETUS BEHIND IT WAS DUE TO SOME OF THE ONGOING STREET FLOODING AND REPETITIVE, REPETITIVE FLOODING OF HOMES DURING THE STORM EVENTS. THE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDE THE INSTALLATION OF INLETS AT THE ASTER DRIVE AND BERKELEY ROAD INTERSECTIONS, THE ASTER DRIVE AND CARLTON ROAD, DARTMOUTH ROAD AND PALMETTO ROAD INTERSECTIONS. INSTALLATION OF 1500 LINEAR FEET OF 36 INCH STORMWATER PIPE WITH A NEW OUTFALL HEADING TO THE RIVER AND THE INSTALLATION OF A CDS UNIT THERE. AS YOU CAN SEE BY THE MAP HERE, IT'S REFLECTED WHERE YOU WOULD SEE THE THE STORMWATER INLETS GOING IN THERE. YOU HAVE FOUR AT EACH INTERSECTION THERE, A COUPLE MORE GOING DOWN PALMETTO ROAD, AND THEN ULTIMATELY THE CDS UNIT WHERE WE'LL TIE IN TO THE REMAINING 36 INCH. ON JULY 31ST, 2026, THE CITY OPENED 12 COMPETITIVE SEALED BIDS FOR THE PROJECT. THE BIDS RANGED FROM A LOW BID OF $1,398,955, TO A HIGH BID OF $2,594,000, OR 950 $594,115.04. AND FOLLOWING THE ENGINEER'S REFERENCE AND REVIEW AND DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CONTRACTOR, DB CIVIL CONSTRUCTION, LLC, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THEY'RE CAPABLE OF MEETING ALL THE CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS. STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE LOW BID AND AWARD OF THE PROJECT TO DB CIVIL CONSTRUCTION AT THIS TIME, AND I'M HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT. 
          SEEING NO ONE COME FORWARD, BRING BACK FOR DISCUSSION AND VOTE. MOVE FOR APPROVAL. I'LL SECOND. YEAH INFRASTRUCTURE. YOU KNOW WE HAVE TO KEEP UP WITH IT. THIS IS AN AWESOME, AWESOME EXAMPLE. SO THANK YOU. SECOND, I JUST THINK THAT'S A CRUCIAL AREA THAT NEEDS TO, YOU 
          [02:55:02]
KNOW, TAKE CARE OF THEIR FLOOD MITIGATION OVER THERE. AND I DEFINITELY THINK THAT THIS WILL HELP THAT SITUATION OUT. PATEL JUST HAD LAST WEDNESDAY OR LAST THURSDAY'S MEETING, I THINK THAT, DEBBIE, YOU MENTIONED IN YOUR COMMENTS THE SEPARATOR, IS THAT WHAT IT WAS CALLED? IT'S A CDS UNIT. YEAH. THE CDS UNITS AND AND THE SUGGESTION THAT THE CITY WAS LEADING THE WAY IN TERMS OF HELPING TO PROTECT THE WATER OUTFALL INTO THE RIVER. AND SO. I CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE THAT AS WE TALK ABOUT STORMWATER AND HELPING PEOPLE NOT TO HAVE TO WAIT FOR AN HOUR TO GET OUT ON THE ROAD, BECAUSE WHEN THE RAIN COMES DOWN, LOUISIANA WAS FLOODED JUST TWO DAYS AGO. BUT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE INCORPORATING THOSE IMPROVEMENTS, AND THEN THERE'S A LOT MORE TO TO COME. SO MAYBE THAT'S THE NEXT YEAR BUDGET ISSUE. BUT WITH SOME SOME OF THE PLANNING WE'VE DISCUSSED GOING AFTER, I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE THAT WE DO AS ROBUST OF A REQUEST AS WE CAN TO REALLY SHOW THAT WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT ALL ASPECTS OF STORMWATER DRAIN SYSTEM. YEAH, YEAH. I MADE A STATEMENT UP HERE, AND I OFTEN DO IT WHEN I KNOCK DOORS. 
          THAT IS, THERE IS NOT A ROAD IN THE CITY THAT IS NOT UP TO A CERTAIN HIGH QUALITY STANDARD. 
          AND I PURPOSELY ASKED THAT BECAUSE WHEN PEOPLE THROW OUT ROADS, IT ALWAYS ENDS UP BEING THE COUNTY OR, YOU KNOW, OUR NEIGHBORING CITY. I WILL SAY THOUGH. SO ONE, IT'S GREAT THAT OUR ROADS ARE LOOKING THE WAY THEY DO. BUT. TWO, IF I DID HAVE, I HAVEN'T HAD IT HAPPEN YET, BUT IF SOMEONE FROM ASTER WERE TO SAY THAT ROAD, THAT WOULD BE THE ROAD THAT WOULD MAKE ME LOSE THAT CHALLENGE. I DO NOTICE THAT THERE'S SOME SAND AND SOME ROCK THAT OFTEN SITS AT THE EDGES WHERE THESE DRAIN, WHERE WHERE YOU HAVE THESE DRAIN THINGS GOING, EXCUSE ME, STORMWATER DRAINS GOING, AND I WONDER IF THAT MIGHT HELP. TAKE SOME OF THE EROSIVE ELEMENTS OFF OF THE ROAD TO BE ABLE TO HELP WITH THAT ROAD'S LIFESPAN, BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S DEFINITELY TAKEN A BEATING. AND FOR SOME REASON, AT THOSE INTERSECTIONS WHERE THERE ISN'T DRAINAGE, YOU GET THAT COLLECTION OF SAND. SO YES, AND ALSO PART OF THE REASON WHY THAT PROJECT OR THE ASTER ROAD AREA IN PALMETTO ROAD AREA HASN'T BEEN ADDRESSED IN SOME OF THE PAVEMENT MANAGEMENT WAS PARTICULARLY BECAUSE THIS PROJECT WAS GOING ON AND WE DIDN'T LIKE THE IDEA OF GOING AHEAD AND GOING AND REDOING THE ROAD. MAYBE 3 OR 4 YEARS AGO, WHILE WE WERE STILL PLANNING THIS PROJECT AND THEN TEARING IT ALL BACK UP. SO PART OF THE DEAL THERE WOULD BE THAT AT THESE INTERSECTIONS, WE'RE DOING A COMPLETE REMODEL OF IT, AND WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE REPLACING SOME OF THE WATER LINES IN THERE TO TRY AND GET IT ALL DONE IN ONE SHOT, UPDATE THE WATER IN THE AREA AND SOME OF THE SEWER AND STORM WATER, AND THEN MOVE ON WITH THE REST OF THE PROJECT. AND SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN ADDRESS BOTH OF THOSE. THE SAND AND SEDIMENT AND THINGS LIKE THAT WOULD BE CAUGHT IN THE INLET SYSTEM AND ULTIMATELY FLUSHED DOWN TO THE CDS UNIT, WHERE STAFF WOULD THEN CLEAN THAT OUT AND MAINTAIN THAT. BUT THANK YOU. TIRES AIN'T PRETTY, BUT YOU CAN'T DRIVE A CAR WITHOUT TIRES. 
          ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY I, I THAT'S FIVE NOTHING CHICK SMITH I TO BE 26020WWTF 
          [11.j) ITB26-020 WWTP Clarifier No. 3 Rake and Plow Refurbishment Project Close Out]
CLARIFIER NUMBER THREE RAKE AND PLOW REIMBURSEMENT CLOSEOUT. YES, MISTER MAYOR, WE HAVE A PROJECT CLOSEOUT WHICH INCLUDES A DEDUCTIVE CHANGE ORDER AND THE AMOUNT OF $5,000 AND A FINAL PAY REQUEST IN THE AMOUNT OF $150,088.90, AND PREMIERE COATING SOLUTIONS, LLC WAS OUR CONTRACT FOR THE PROJECT. AND MR. MUELLER WILL DESCRIBE A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT WE DID TO OUR RAKE AND PLOW. THANK YOU, MISS MANNS STRUCTURE. SO AS STATED, THIS IS FOR THE CLARIFIER NUMBER THREE PROJECT CLOSEOUT. AS YOU MAY KNOW, THE CLARIFIER NUMBER THREE IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF THE CITY'S WASTEWATER TREATMENT PROCESS AT OUR WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY. AND IT'S ESSENTIALLY A RAKE AND PLOW STRUCTURE THAT CONTINUOUSLY COLLECTS AND MOVES SOME OF THE SETTLED SOLIDS AND SLUDGE FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE CLARIFIER TO THE HOPPER, WHERE IT CAN BE REDIRECTED. AND THEN WE COMPRESS THAT DOWN AND DEWATER IT. IT ALSO HELPS REDIRECT THE FLOATING MATERIALS TOWARDS THE SURFACE COLLECTION POINT SO WE CAN PULL THOSE AS WELL. SO REFURBISHING THIS EQUIPMENT HELPS MAINTAIN THAT PROPER SOLIDS SEPARATION. IT EXTENDS THE LIFE OF THOSE RAKE AND PLOW STRUCTURES. AND IT ALLOWS US TO CONTINUE TO MEET THAT REGULATORY COMPLIANCE BY MAINTAINING THAT STRUCTURE AND ALLOWING IT TO OPERATE MORE EFFICIENTLY. ON APRIL 21ST, 2026, CITY COUNCIL AWARDED THE 
          [03:00:03]
PROJECT TO PREMIERE COATING SOLUTIONS, LLC IN THE AMOUNT OF $155,088.90. THIS PROJECT BEGAN ON MAY 26TH AND WAS COMPLETED JULY 31ST FOLLOWING INSPECTIONS, AND SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION WAS ISSUED ON AUGUST 3RD. THE PROPOSED 5000 DEDUCTIVE CHANGE ORDER IS RECOMMENDED AT THIS TIME, AND THE $155,000, OR $155,088.90 FOR THE FINAL CONTRACT VALUE BEING REDUCED DOWN TO THE $150,088.90 IS RECOMMENDED AT THIS TIME, AND I'M HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? SEEING NO ONE COME FORWARD, BRING IT BACK FOR DISCUSSION AND VOTE TO APPROVE. SECOND, SECOND, JUST TO SAY THERE IS THE 5000 ROLLOVER DOLLARS THAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR. HE. I'LL JUST ROLL OVER. RYAN, BECAUSE I ACTUALLY WENT OUT THERE AND I ACTUALLY SAW THEM WORKING ON IT. AND IT'S PRETTY IMPRESSIVE OF WHAT ACTUALLY GOES INTO DOING THAT. SO I'LL JUST LET YOU GUYS KNOW THAT ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY I, I, I IT'S FIVE 
          [11.k) Water Loss Investigation Services – Task Order No. 2 Engineering Services]
NOTHING WATER LOSS INVESTIGATION SERVICES TASK ORDER NUMBER TWO ENGINEERING SERVICES. THIS AGENDA ITEM REFERS TO OUR WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM. AND THE PURPOSE OF THE AGENDA ITEM IS TO REQUEST YOUR PERMISSION TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH A CONSULTANT FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $50,000. FOR SOME ENGINEERING SERVICES THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED TO CONDUCT A WATER LOSS INVESTIGATION, WE'RE RECOMMENDING CLOUGH HARBOR AND ASSOCIATES, AND I'M GOING TO ALLOW MR. MUELLER TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE AGENDA ITEM. THANK YOU AGAIN, MISS MANSE. SO, YOU KNOW, AS WE'RE WE'RE LOOKING TO ENGAGE IN TASK ORDER NUMBER TWO FROM CLOUGH HARBOR AND ASSOCIATES. THAT'S CHA IN THE AMOUNT OF $50,000. AND THIS IS WITH REGARDS TO THE CITY'S POTABLE WATER SYSTEM. AND AS YOU LEARNED IN THE PRESENTATION THAT WE PROVIDED FOR THE CITY'S UTILITY SYSTEM, THAT WE'RE PROVIDE, WE PROVIDE WATER THROUGH A SERIES OF OUR GROUNDWATER WELLS FROM OUR WELL FIVE AND OUR STARKEY WELL, AND THAT THOSE WELLS ARE THEN TREATED, THAT WATER IS TREATED AND THEN DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE MAJORITY OF THE SYSTEM, BOTH TO OUR INTERCONNECT WITH TAMPA BAY AND ALSO TO OUR OUR RESIDENTS. ANNUALLY, WE CONDUCT A WATER AUDIT IN WHICH WE REVIEW ALL OF THE ITEMS, WHETHER IT'S OUR BACK TEES, OUR RESIDUALS, AND ALSO OUR WATER LOSS. AND SO WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT WE'RE RANGING SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN 20 TO 30% OF OUR WATER LOSS THROUGHOUT OUR DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM. SO WHAT WE'VE REQUESTED FROM CHA IS TO GO AHEAD AND REVIEW THE SYSTEM AS A WHOLE AND CONDUCT A THOROUGH SET OF INVESTIGATION AND GET US A DATA ANALYSIS REPORT TO FIGURE OUT WHERE WE COULD BETTER IDENTIFY POTENTIAL WATER LOSS. AND WE HAD DONE THAT ORIGINALLY YEARS BACK, AND WE HAD GONE WITH THE ARMY SMART METER PROGRAM. WELL, THAT REDUCED SOME OF THAT WATER LOSS PRETTY SIGNIFICANTLY. BUT WE STILL HAVE AN ISSUE THERE THAT WE NEED TO IDENTIFY. AND SO WHAT CHA IS PROPOSING IS KIND OF A SYSTEMATIC APPROACH IN WHICH WE START OUT AT THE AT THE MACRO REGISTER, WHERE WE, THROUGH THE USE OF SONAR DETECTION, LEAK DETECTION, AND THEN SOME GROUND PENETRATING RADAR AND ADDITIONALLY UTILIZING CLAMP ON METERING. SO THAT ESSENTIALLY YOU'RE GOING TO GO IN AND YOU'RE GOING TO METER, YOU KNOW, A LARGE PORTION OF THE DISTRIBUTION MEAN AND IDENTIFY HOW MUCH WATER YOU HAVE GOING INTO A SYSTEM. AND THEN LOOK AT OUR BILLING AND COLLECTIONS TO IDENTIFY IN THOSE DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS. ARE WE MIRRORING THOSE TWO NUMBERS? IS IT MATCHING? AND SO OUR THE PROPOSAL THAT WE HAVE FROM CHA IS TO START THAT PROCESS AND START REALLY HONING, HONING IN ON WHERE POTENTIAL ISSUES MAY LIE WITHIN OUR SYSTEM. AND SO THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT TODAY. AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I WENT INTO A LITTLE MORE THOROUGHLY. SO YOU BETTER UNDERSTOOD WHAT THIS TASK ORDER IS REFERRING TO. AND SO THE APPROVAL OF THIS TASK ORDER WILL ALLOW CZ TO CONTINUE IN ASSISTING THE CITY IN THAT IDENTIFICATION PROCESS AND REALLY PROVIDE US SOME SORT OF DIRECTION FOR CORRECTIVE ACTION. STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE TASK ORDER NUMBER TWO AT THIS TIME IN THE AMOUNT OF $50,000. AND AGAIN, I'M HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? SEEING NO ONE COME FORWARD. BRING IT BACK FOR DISCUSSION AND VOTE. I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE. SECOND. WELL, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WATER CONSERVATION EARLIER, SO I THINK IT KIND OF STARTS AT HOME. I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT WASTING WATER. SO I THINK THIS IS GREAT THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS. AND THEN WE CAN BRING IT ON DOWN TO THE HOMEOWNER. SECOND. YEAH. MR. JONES, I WENT IN THE SAME DIRECTION OF THAT CONNECTION. AND MR. MUELLER'S COMMENTS REMINDED ME THAT WE DO HAVE SOME TECH COMING UP THAT'S 
          [03:05:08]
GOING TO BENEFIT OUR RESIDENTS. SO THAT'S ANOTHER POINT. NOT THIS SPECIFICALLY, BUT THE STUFF COMING OUT OF THE BILLING DEPARTMENT TO BENEFIT OUR RESIDENTS TO MAKE THINGS MORE TRANSPARENT. AND SO THAT'S A WIN TO THE. YEAH, I THINK IT GOES TO PLAY ON THE DISCUSSION WE HAD EARLIER WITH THE IMPORTANCE OF US PAYING OUR SALARIES TO OUR STAFF AND OUR EMPLOYEES. SO WHEN YOU ADD THE SALARIES, THE INSURANCES, ALL OF THE EXPENSES THAT GO ALONG WITH AN EMPLOYEE, THE ABILITY FOR US TO BECOME SMARTER IS A CRITICAL SECOND SIDE TO THAT. 
          SO IF WE'RE GOING TO BE A SMART CITY, WHETHER IT'S CLOSING THE PEARLY GATES OF THE RIVER OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER IDEAS THAT WE COME UP WITH, WE PAY FOR EVERY GALLON OF WATER THAT THAT'S CHARGED TO US THAT WE GET FROM TAMPA BAY WATER. I'M CURIOUS AS TO WE DON'T BUY IT ALL FROM THEM, THOUGH. IS THAT CORRECT? I THINK SOME OF IT COMING FROM OUR OWN WELLS AS WELL. SO THE AMOUNT OF WATER WE WE HAVE TO TAKE FROM TAMPA BAY IS ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, COMPLICATION OF THE WHOLE MATHEMATICS OF IT. BUT THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT THIS IS IN ADDITION TO US WATCHING. AND THE REASON I GO ON TO SAY THAT IS TO SAY SOME OF THE DISTRIBUTION LINES AS WELL, THAT THERE ARE MONITORS THAT CAN HELP US TO IDENTIFY, ONCE WE BECOME AUTOMATED, JUST WHERE THAT LEAK OR WHERE THAT INCIDENT IS OCCURRING. SO EVERY DOLLAR SPENT TO FIND LOSS, BUT ALSO TO BE ABLE TO MONITOR THE TRANSMISSION OF THAT WATER, I THINK IS MONEY WELL SPENT. SO YOU'LL NEVER SEE ME TRYING TO STOP YOU FROM MAKING AN IMPROVEMENT TO THAT SYSTEM. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY I, I IT'S FIVE NOTHING. REQUEST TO 
          [11.l) Request to Purchase Regenerative Air Street Sweeper]
PURCHASE A REGENERATIVE AIR SWEEPER. STREET SWEEPER. OKAY, THE AMOUNT OF THE PURCHASE IS $368,879. THE REQUEST IS TO BUY A 2026 TEMCO MODEL 600 REGENERATIVE AIR STREET SWEEPER. 
          THE PROPOSED PAYMENT METHOD IS A $68,000 DOWN PAYMENT AND THREE ANNUAL PAYMENTS OF $109,039.21. THE STAFF DID LOOK AT FINANCING THROUGH A PRIVATE COMPANY RATHER THAN THROUGH THE EQUIPMENT SUPPLIER, AND FOUND THAT THE MORE FAVORABLE RATE WAS TO GO THROUGH THE EQUIPMENT SUPPLIER, AND WE FEEL THAT THE EQUIPMENT NEEDS TO BE PURCHASED RIGHT AWAY, OTHERWISE WE WOULDN'T BE RECOMMENDING A FINANCING ON THIS PURCHASE. THANK YOU, MISS VANCE. AND SO JUST TO ADD TO WHAT MISS MANN'S PRESENTED HERE, THIS STREET SWEEPER THAT WE'RE REQUESTING THAT WE HAVE BEFORE YOU HERE IS ONE OF THOSE IMPORTANT COMPONENTS OF THE CITY'S STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM. IT HELPS REMOVE A LOT OF THAT DEBRIS PRIOR TO IT, GETTING INTO THE INLETS AND INTO OUR STORMWATER SYSTEM. SO IT'S ONE OF THOSE CRITICAL COMPONENTS THAT HELPS US MAINTAIN OUR NPDES PERMIT AS A MUNICIPALITY. THE CITY'S EXISTING STREET SWEEPER IS A 2013 MODEL, AND IT HAS REACHED THE END OF ITS EXPECTED USEFUL LIFE. STREET SWEEPERS TYPICALLY HAVE AN APPROXIMATE SERVICE LIFE OF ABOUT TEN YEARS, SO WE'VE REALLY STRETCHED THIS ONE OUT PRETTY WELL, AND WE INTEND ON KEEPING IT IN SERVICE TYPICALLY AS LIKE A BACKUP KIND OF SITUATION. THE REPLACEMENT OF THE STREET SWEEPER WAS INCLUDED IN THE 2526 BUDGET, AND WITH THE FUNDING ALLOCATED WITHIN THAT THREE YEAR LEASE AS DESCRIBED, AND STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT CITY COUNCIL APPROVE THE LEASE PURCHASE OF THE 2026 TEMCO MODEL 600 REGENERATIVE AIR STREET SWEEPER, CONTAINER SYSTEMS EQUIPMENT COMPANY, INCORPORATED IN THE AMOUNT OF $368,879. PUBLIC COMMENT. THOSE STREET SWEEPERS OUT THERE, I'LL BRING IT BACK FOR DISCUSSION AND VOTE. MOVE TO APPROVE. SECOND MAKER. YEAH. THANKS FOR BREAKING DOWN THE TWO TWO OPTIONS AND WHAT ULTIMATELY, THE STAFF RECOMMENDED WE GO FORWARD WITH THE HOT BOX. WILL ALWAYS HAVE MY HEART, BUT I'LL PUT THIS CLOSE TO SECOND THE STORM. WHAT IS IT CALLED? THE AIR STREET SWEEPER. SECOND. NO GOOD. BRIAN. I'M GOOD. PETE. 
          I'M HERE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY AYE, AYE. THAT'S FIVE. NOTHING. I'M GOING TO 
          [12) Communications]
          [03:10:02]
HAVE COMMUNICATIONS. AND JUST A REMINDER, WE STILL HAVE A CRA MEETING AFTER THIS. IF YOU DON'T REALLY NEED TO DWELL ON IT TODAY, DON'T DWELL ON IT TODAY. GO AHEAD PETE. ALL RIGHT. 
          WELL I'LL JUST MAKE A QUICK THE CHASCO FIESTA. WE'VE TALKED FOR A LONG TIME. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S COMING UP ALREADY. I SAW THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF ALL OF THE MONEY THAT WAS RECEIVED FROM THE TOURISM BOARD FOR SOME OTHER EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES, SO I REALLY AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT WORKSHOP TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE ARE AN EVENT CITY AND HOW WE CAN FAIRLY DISTRIBUTE THE, THE, THE PAIN THAT IS CAUSED BY, IN THE, IN THE WAY THAT WE ARE BILLING THAT ENTITY. I THINK I HAVE HEARD FROM MY COLLEAGUES THAT WE SHARE THE OPINION THAT THAT HAS TO GET CONTINUE TO GET BETTER, NOT BE CHOPPED BACK IN WHATEVER WAY IT HAPPENS. AND I HOPE THAT IT EXPANDS MORE CITYWIDE TO A FULL CITY CELEBRATION, KIND OF LIKE THE 4TH OF JULY. AND THE OTHERS ARE IT'S IT'S OUR CITY ACTIVITY. AND HOWEVER WE WORK WITH THAT PARTICULAR NONPROFIT, NONPROFITS WORK TIRELESSLY TO HELP OUR CITY. AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN DEAL WITH THAT AS IT RELATES TO PRIVATE EVENTS AND OTHER THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO AS WELL. ALL GOOD. YEAH. NO, SIR. GOOD. ALL RIGHT. I'LL JUST UTTER PETER'S SENTIMENTS REAL QUICK ON CHASCO. I MEAN, WE'RE WORKING VERY HARD ON IT. WE'RE WORKING ON ENTERTAINMENT, YOU KNOW, WORKING ON EVERYTHING. SO ANY, ANY HELP THAT CAN BE PROVIDED BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, SPORTS COAST AND THE CITY IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. SO THANK YOU. I WAS HOPING TO HAVE A DATE TODAY, BUT THERE'S GOING TO BE A MAYOR'S KICKBALL TOURNAMENT IN NOVEMBER. IT'LL BE A SATURDAY. WE'RE LOOKING AT THE 14TH, BUT WE NEED TWO FIELDS AT THE SCHOOL BESIDES TWO FIELDS AT SWETMAN. SO I'LL BE GETTING THE DATE HERE PROBABLY THIS WEEK SOMETIME, AND I'LL LET YOU KNOW. I'M LOOKING FOR 16 TEAMS, MOSTLY ADULT TEAMS. SO CITY EMPLOYEES, CITY RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES, THEY'RE ALL WELCOME TO PUT A TEAM IN. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY YES.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.