[1. CALL TO ORDER]
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AS ALWAYS, WE'LL FIRST START WITH THE ROLL CALL.BEEN HERE? VICE MAYOR STURGIS.
AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO OCEAN HIGHWAY AND PORT AUTHORITY, MISS ROSANNA.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
ALL RIGHT. SO TODAY'S JOINT MEETING IS ABOUT A SPECIFIC TOPIC, AND THAT IS OUR RESILIENCY EFFORTS.
AND I KNOW THAT BOTH OPA AND THE CITY OF FERNANDINA BEACH IS INTERESTED IN THIS.
SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR COMING TOGETHER TODAY TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION.
[4.1 RESILIENCY EFFORTS - This item is placed on the agenda at the request of the Ocean Highway and Port Authority (OHPA). OHPA Executive Director David Kaufman requested a joint workshop to discuss multi-agency resiliency efforts. ]
SO TO START OFF WITH ITEM 4.1, WHO WANTS TO PRESENT FIRST? IS THAT GOING TO BE OR.MAYOR BING? I'D LIKE TO HAVE DAVID KAUFMAN, OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, INTRODUCE OUR SPEAKER.
YES, SIR. AND HE'LL HE'LL DO THE PROGRAM FOR US.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. WE APPRECIATE THAT.
SURE. DAVID, MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO WORK TOGETHER ON SOMETHING THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US.
WE WERE WE'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE IN THIS CASE TO HAVE GREAT STATE PARTNERS AS WELL.
AND AS A RESULT OF SOME EVENTS THAT WE EXPERIENCED BACK IN THE FALL WITH SOME OF THE BAD STORMS WE HAD UP HERE, I WAS ABLE TO SEND SOME VIDEOS AND WE MAY BE ABLE TO SHARE THEM LATER OF ONE OF OUR CONTAINERS FLOATING ACROSS THE DOCK, WHICH WAS PRETTY APPALLING IN TERMS OF THE SITUATION.
AND SO I FORWARDED IT TO THE SEAPORT OFFICE OF FDOT, AND THE RESPONSE WAS, WE GOT TO FIX THIS.
AND SO DOT CAME UP WITH THE FUNDING OF THEIR OWN TO PREPARE A RESILIENCY STUDY FOR THE PORT.
BUT WE KNEW THAT WE COULDN'T DO IT IN ISOLATION.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE PART OF THE CITY.
WE'RE SURROUNDED BY CITY PROPERTIES.
AND SO WE MADE SURE THAT THE SCOPE INCLUDED CLOSE COORDINATION WITH THE CITY.
THE STATE HIRED THE CONSULTANT WHO WE'LL HEAR FROM TONIGHT TO PREPARE THE PLAN.
THE STATE IS PAYING FOR THE PLAN.
THE STATE IS MANAGING IT THROUGH THEIR CONSULTANT.
BUT WE'RE SERVING AS A LOCAL COORDINATOR AND I'VE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH KELLY GIBSON AND HER HER STAFF AS WELL TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR EFFORTS ARE ARE COORDINATED WITH THE CITY'S EFFORTS.
AND YOU'LL FIND THAT BY MAKING SURE THAT EACH OF OUR PLANS ARE CONSISTENT WITH EACH OTHER AND CONSISTENT WITH THE STATE PLAN, THAT IT OPENS UP ADDITIONAL FEDERAL AND OTHER FUNDING THAT AT LEVELS THAT ARE VERY ATTRACTIVE.
SO WITH THAT, I WANT TO INTRODUCE JIMMY MCDONALD WITH HMTV.
HIS FATHER WAS A LONGTIME PORT DIRECTOR AT PORT MANATEE.
AND SO WITH THAT, JIMMY, YOU GOT YOUR PRESENTATION AND WE'LL LET HIM GO THROUGH.
HE'S GOT QUESTIONS ALONG THE WAY.
I'M SURE WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS OR WE CAN DO IT AFTERWARDS OR WHATEVER.
AND THANK YOU, MAYOR BAIN AND COMMISSIONERS, THIS OPPORTUNITY IS IS IS REALLY GREAT TO BE ABLE TO COME BEFORE A JOINT BODY AND WHERE WE'RE, YOU KNOW, ACTIVELY WORKING REALLY AT THE FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL LEVEL TO COORDINATE AND TO COLLABORATE TO SOLVE SOME ISSUES THAT THAT REALLY YOU KNOW, I'LL SHOW THIS IN THE PRESENTATION CAN TEND TO BE, YOU KNOW, REOCCURRING IF NOT DEALT WITH AND CAUSE MAJOR DISRUPTIONS TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO THE FOLKS THAT LIVE AND WORK IN THE COMMUNITY, TO THE FOLKS THAT WORK AT THE PORT AUTHORITY AND.
AND. THE ADJACENT PROPERTIES THAT SURROUND THE PORT, THE RAILROAD, THE MILL, THE DOWNTOWN AREAS
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OF THE CITY ITSELF.AND THESE ISSUES ARE NOT JUST A FLOOD OR WATER RISE ISSUE.
WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT IT HAS TO SHUT DOWN OPERATIONS AT THEIR AT THEIR VARIOUS FACILITIES.
THEY HAVE TO MOVE EQUIPMENT, WHICH TAKES TIME.
THEY HAVE TO SEND PEOPLE HOME FROM WORK, WHICH AFFECTS REVENUES.
AND SO THESE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS JUST BIG PICTURE THAT WE'RE DIVING INTO TO TO HELP AND ASSIST.
SO I'LL START OFF JUST KIND OF A REAL BRIEF MEETING AGENDA.
DO A BRIEF WELCOME, TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHO I AM, JUST SO YOU GUYS ARE COMFORTABLE WITH WHO I AM AND WHAT I DO AND WHO I WORK FOR, AND THEN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT THAT WE'VE PUT TOGETHER WITH THE STATE AND WITH THE PORT AUTHORITY.
WHAT'S OCCURRING, WHAT WE'RE SEEING OCCURRING AT THE PORT.
AND WE'RE STILL PULLING TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, SOME MORE EXAMPLES OF THAT, SOME SOME MORE EVIDENCE IN A SENSE TO BUILD THE CASE, TO GO AFTER MITIGATION FUNDS, TO RESOLVE SOME OF THOSE ISSUES, WHETHER IT BE THROUGH, YOU KNOW, FUTURE PROJECTS THAT WOULD, YOU KNOW, REINFORCE THE THE INFRASTRUCTURE AT THE FACILITY THAT MAY MAKE IT MORE RESILIENT TO WHERE OPERATIONS AREN'T SHUT DOWN AS OFTEN, WHERE OPERATIONS ARE ABLE TO TO RESIST IMPACT FROM MAYBE A HURRICANE BETTER OR EVEN OTHER TYPES OF EVENTS LIKE MANMADE EVENTS THAT CAN OCCUR FROM TIME TO TIME.
AND INDUSTRIAL COMMERCIAL FACILITIES.
SO THE WHOLE IDEA OF THIS IS TO KIND OF TO KIND OF LOOK AT WHERE THE VULNERABILITIES ARE AND TO BUILD A PLAN FOR THE FUTURE ON WHAT THOSE VULNERABILITIES ARE SO THAT THE PORT AND ITS AND ITS OPERATIONS AND ITS ITS TENANTS AND OPERATORS CAN BE MORE EFFECTIVE IN THEIR BUSINESS.
AND AND A MORE EFFECTIVE MEANS, HIGHER REVENUES MEANS THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO PRODUCE BETTER SERVICES FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS AND THEIR CLIENTS, WHICH MAKES THEM MORE ATTRACTIVE FACILITY IN THE LONG RUN.
SO ALL THESE THINGS, YOU KNOW, ARE TO BUILD A A OVERALL TO BUILD A FACILITY AND A CITY INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS IS MORE HARDENED, MORE READY AND MORE USEFUL AT A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF THE TIME.
SO WE'RE WORKING FOR DOT AS AN AS MR. KAUFMAN SAID, THE OFFICE THAT WE'RE WORKING FOR IS CALLED THE OFFICE OF POLICY PLANNING, OR OP, SOME PEOPLE CALL IT THIS IS IN THE PLANNING SIDE OF DOT, BUT THEY ACTUALLY HAVE AN OFFICE RESILIENCY OFFICE AND YOU CAN LOOK IT UP ON THE WEB.
YOU JUST GOOGLE FDOT RESILIENCE.
THEY HAVE A LOT OF REALLY GOOD INFORMATION AND I'LL DESCRIBE SOME OF THAT HERE IN JUST A SECOND.
AND WE'VE ALREADY PRODUCED A MAP LIKE THAT.
AND YOU'LL SEE IN MY PRESENTATION.
BUT THE MAP THAT'S BEHIND THE GENTLEMAN OVER HERE REALLY DEFINING WHAT'S THERE, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO YOU HAVE, WHAT ARE YOUR ASSETS, WHAT ARE YOUR INFRASTRUCTURE DOCUMENTING SOME OF THE IMPACTS THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN RECENT HISTORY, INCLUDING, I THINK WE'RE UP TO SEVEN HURRICANES AND TROPICAL STORMS THAT HAVE COME WITHIN 60 MILES OF THIS AREA THAT HAVE ACTUALLY HAD CERTAIN LEVELS OF OF WATER RISE IMPACTS TO THE COMMUNITY, TO THE WATERFRONT, TO THE INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY TO DETERMINING YOUR VULNERABILITIES.
WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING THAT RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE KIND OF LOOKING THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE FACILITY.
WE'RE WE'RE LITERALLY BOOTS ON THE GROUND.
BUT THEN WE ALSO BACK UP AND LOOK AT OTHER FACILITIES AND UNDERSTAND KIND OF WHAT COULD BE A VULNERABILITY, WHAT IT MAY NOT HAVE HAPPENED HERE YET, BUT IT HAS HAPPENED AT A SIMILAR FACILITY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY OR THROUGHOUT THE REGION.
RIGHT. AND SO WE CAN THINK A LITTLE BIT MORE HOLISTICALLY LIKE WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS, RIGHT? SO DEVELOPING A LIST OF VULNERABILITIES AND WHERE THE PORT MIGHT BE VULNERABLE OR WHERE THE CITY MIGHT BE VULNERABLE IN THE FUTURE AND THEN PROVIDING A MITIGATION PLAN.
THE FACILITY IN A MORE HARDENED STATE.
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RIGHT. SO THAT IT'S READY FOR, LET'S SAY, A TROPICAL STORM, A HURRICANE, A KING TIDE, YOU KNOW, A LONG TERM RAIN EVENT.SOME OF YOU ALL MIGHT BE FAMILIAR IN THE NEWS.
FORT LAUDERDALE HAD 24IN OF RAIN JUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, SHUT DOWN THE ENTIRE CITY.
YOU KNOW, THESE TYPES OF THINGS HAPPEN IN FLORIDA.
WE KNOW THAT WE'VE MOST OF US, I'M SURE, HAVE LIVED HERE FOR A LONG TIME.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN FLORIDA.
SO I KNOW, YOU KNOW, YOU GET THESE YOU GET THESE RAIN EVENTS AND AND YOU GET FLOODING.
BUT HOW DO YOU PREPARE FACILITIES SO THAT EVEN AFTER THE RAIN EVENT LEAVES, YOU DON'T HAVE THREE, FOUR OR A WEEK OF OF STANDING WATER THAT'S IMPACTING, YOU KNOW, OPERATIONS. AND THEN, OF COURSE, INTERGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION.
WE'RE WORKING WITH THE CITY. THEY'VE BEEN VERY COOPERATIVE AND FRIENDLY.
THEY'RE WORKING ON A SIMILAR PLAN, AS YOU ALL ARE AWARE.
I'M SURE WE'RE IN COORDINATION WITH WITH THOSE CONSULTANTS.
AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO BE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WE COLLABORATE AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR PLANS ALIGN.
DAVE ALLUDED TO THAT WE ALIGN WITH WHAT THE STATE'S STANDARDS ARE AND THEIR MITIGATION AND THEIR RESILIENCY PLANNING EFFORTS AND THAT WE ALIGN WITH THE CITY AND THAT THOSE TWO ALIGNMENTS REALLY HELP US WITH THE FEDERAL FUNDING ELEMENT OF IT.
QUICKLY. ME, I'VE BEEN WORKING IN FREIGHT AND MARITIME PLANNING FOR ABOUT 22 YEARS.
I JUST SAY SO THAT'S PROBABLY WHY.
BUT I, I REALLY HAVE BEEN JUST KIND OF HAD A PASSION FOR THIS.
LIKE YOU SAID, MY DAD WAS A PORT DIRECTOR.
AND THIS IS WHERE MY PASSION IS.
A LOT OF SMALLER PORTS, BECAUSE I KNOW THE CHALLENGE THAT THE CITIES AND THE COUNTIES HAVE IN GETTING PROJECTS AT THESE PORTS, THEY JUST DON'T HAVE THE SAME REVENUE GENERATION CAPABILITIES THAT YOU MAY HAVE AT A LARGER PORT LIKE LIKE PORT EVERGLADES OR JACKSONVILLE, WHERE THEY JUST, YOU KNOW, ARE BRINGING IN, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF REVENUE THAT THEY CAN TURN OVER INTO PROJECT MATCHING FUNDS.
SO SO I UNDERSTAND THAT CHALLENGE.
AND I'LL TALK A BIT ABOUT THAT AND WHY THIS PLANNING EFFORT COULD BE HELPFUL TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO A REAL QUICK, MY COMPANY, HTTB, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE A GOOD FIRM.
WE'VE BEEN IN FLORIDA FOR A LONG TIME, EMPLOYEE OWNED FIRM.
AND AND SO IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHO WE ARE, WE DO BUSINESS HERE.
AND SO WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO BE ON THIS CONTRACT AND HELPING OUT.
WE DO WORK IN ALL THESE AREAS.
SO I JUST WANTED, YOU KNOW, NOT TRYING TO MAKE A SALES PITCH HERE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
BUT I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT WE'RE A REPUTABLE COMPANY AND AND WE'RE PLANNING TO PROVIDE OUR BEST EFFORT FOR YOU ALL HERE IN IN THIS COMMUNITY. SO.
SO WHAT IS RESILIENCE? SOME PEOPLE GET IT.
YOU KNOW, THEY'VE HEARD THE WORD YOU KNOW, THEY WONDER IF IT'S A POLITICAL CATCHPHRASE.
THEY WONDER IF IT'S A HOT POTATO THAT, YOU KNOW, IS BEING PASSED ALONG WITH THE POLITICAL WINDS.
BUT REALLY, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN AROUND SINCE THE DAWN OF TIME.
RESILIENCE JUST MEANS THAT YOU'RE PREPARING, YOU KNOW, FOR WHAT COULD OCCUR.
YOU'RE KIND OF THINKING AHEAD.
IT'S REALLY AN ESSENCE OF PLANNING IN A SENSE, AND WANTING TO GIVE YOU ALL THE CAPACITY HERE IN YOUR CITY AND YOUR FACILITIES TO BETTER RECOVER FROM SHOCKS AND STRESSES.
AND I'LL KIND OF TOUCH ON WHAT THOSE ARE.
IT'S NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, FIXING YOUR DRAINS.
IT'S NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, HAVING GOOD DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH, BY THE WAY, IS SOMETIMES AN ISSUE, RIGHT? IT IS A STRESSOR. BUT BUT IT'S NOT THE ONLY THING.
AND RESILIENCE IS NOT, YOU KNOW, DEALING JUST IN PREPARING FOR NATURAL DISASTERS OR SEA LEVEL RISE, YOU KNOW, OR, YOU KNOW, DEALING WITH CARBON IMPACTS OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
IT'S MORE THERE'S A LOT MORE TO IT THAN THAT, I BELIEVE.
AND IT'S DEFINITELY NOT SUSTAINABILITY.
THIS IS A IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
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AND OBVIOUSLY HERE IN FLORIDA, WE HAVE HURRICANES.EARTHQUAKES, NOT SO MUCH HERE.
HOPEFULLY, HOPEFULLY, WE DON'T HAVE ANY OF THOSE.
YOU KNOW, NORTH FLORIDA WAS IN A LOT OF TROUBLE.
AND AND, YOU KNOW, HASN'T HAPPENED, AS YOU KNOW, RECENTLY.
WE HOPE IT DOESN'T. BUT, HEY, WE'RE SEEING IT IN OTHER PLACES IN THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, ECONOMICS, SOCIOECONOMIC, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL LIVING IN REAL TIMES RIGHT NOW.
WE SEE THE NEWS. WE SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
DON'T THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IT HERE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU NEVER KNOW.
AND THEN SO SOME STRESSORS, YOU KNOW, SEA LEVEL RISE, REPEATED FLOODING.
DAVE HAS A VIDEO ON HIS PHONE OF A CONTAINER FLOATING AT THE PORT JUST FROM A RAIN EVENT.
RIGHT. SO, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THINGS THAT IT'S JUST A THUNDERSTORM.
YOU KNOW, IT'S A RAIN EVENT OCCURRING AT AT A FACILITY.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, DEGRADING ECONOMIC SOCIOECONOMIC CONDITIONS, JUST JUST MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO TO REACT OR TO RESPOND TO SOME OF THESE EVENTS.
YOU KNOW, WHAT IS RESILIENCE? WHAT IS IT NOT? SO CONSIDERING THE PROJECT OVERALL, THE ASSETS THAT YOU ALL OWN AT THE FACILITY, AT THE TERMINAL, THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THE WITHIN THE PROJECT AREA AS A WHOLE, THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS THAT ARE CONNECTING TO AND FROM THE FACILITY, CONSIDERING THE PEOPLE, LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE JOBS THAT ARE IMPACTED, THE, YOU KNOW, THE FOLKS THAT GO DOWN EVERY DAY AND WORK FOR THE THE PORT AUTHORITY, WORK FOR THE OPERATOR, YOU KNOW, THE PILOTS THAT WORK THERE, THE RAILROAD, THE FOLKS THAT ARE WORKING AT THE MILL, YOU KNOW, TO DIRECT PASS THROUGH.
AND THEN AND THEN CONSIDERING THE RISKS, THE VULNERABILITIES, THE EXPOSURE, THE SENSITIVITIES THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, FLOODING AND SEA LEVEL RISE EVENTS THAT CAN, YOU KNOW, CAUSE AT A AT A TERMINAL LIKE A PORT TERMINAL WHERE YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE COMMODITIES THAT ARE MOVING AND AND FLOWING THROUGH THAT FACILITY, THROUGH ITS WAREHOUSES THAT HAVE VALUE, SOMETIMES HAZARDOUS MATERIALS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, THAT CAN CAN BE EXPOSED TO IMPACTS FROM THESE TYPES OF EVENTS.
AND THEN STAKEHOLDERS AND THEIR RESOURCES AND EQUIPMENT THAT THEY OWN AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
JUST ALL THESE DIFFERENT TYPES OF IMPACTS THAT ARE GOING ON FROM A A, AN EVENT.
AND WHAT IT IS NOT IS, IS IS BUILDING A LIFE LIKE OR A PROJECT CALL AND CALLING IT RESILIENCE.
YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? LIKE YOU CAN'T COME IN AND BUILD, YOU KNOW, A LIGHT FOR LIKE PROJECT AND, AND JUST AND JUST SAY, HEY, THIS IS TO, TO MEET A RESILIENCY NEED.
IT'S REALLY STEPPING IT UP A NOTCH.
IT'S TAKING IT TO A LEVEL WHERE YOU'RE PROTECTING.
AND THEY HAD JUST BUILT A WAREHOUSE THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO STAND 155 MILE AN HOUR WINDS.
AND THAT WAREHOUSE WAS PRETTY MUCH BLOWN SIDEWAYS.
THEY TOOK INTO CONSIDERATION WHAT THEIR IMPACTS WERE.
THEY HAD IT REDESIGNED AND HARDENED FOR AN EVENT LIKE A CAT FIVE HURRICANE.
THEY THEY ACTUALLY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY DID REALIZE, THOUGH, IS THAT BUILDING ALL THEIR WAREHOUSES NOW AT A HIGHER LEVEL BECAUSE OF THE IMPACTS FROM THE SURGE OF THAT STORM. SO THEIR WAREHOUSES, THEY'RE ACTUALLY RAISING THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF OF OF THEIR WAREHOUSE PROPERTIES OFF OF THE MAIN DOCKS.
[00:20:01]
THAT'S NOT RESILIENCY.THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.
RESILIENCY IS IS GOING TO THE LEVEL THAT THAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE.
AND THEN AND THEN CONSIDERING THE OVERALL SYSTEM LIKE, YOU KNOW HOW WHEN WHEN WHEN WE COME IN AND LOOK AT RESILIENT, MORE RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE, IT IS NOT JUST FOCUSING ON WHAT IS GOING ON HERE, BUT WHAT ARE THE IMPACTS OF THE THINGS THAT ARE AROUND THAT FACILITY OR THAT PROJECT.
AND THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS.
AND SO WE ARE CONSIDERING, YOU KNOW, HOW ANY OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING ON THAT THAT WOULD MITIGATE ANY ANY ISSUES THAT ARE OCCURRING WOULD IMPACT THAT COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, MAKING CERTAIN THAT THAT THAT THERE'S NO IMPACTS OR MINIMAL AT BEST.
BUT REALLY, YOU KNOW, CONSIDERING THOSE THINGS IS IS IS MOST IMPORTANT TO TO THE RESILIENCY, ANY RESILIENCY PLANNING EFFORTS THAT WE'RE DOING.
SO JUST REAL QUICKLY, I WANTED TO GO OVER KIND OF WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AND THE STATE LEVEL SO THAT YOU GUYS ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE THE OVERALL RESILIENCY EFFORTS.
THIS HAS AN ELEMENT OF IT THAT IS CALLED THE PROTECT ACT OR THE PROMOTING RESILIENT OPERATIONS FOR TRANSPORTATION AND EFFICIENT COST SAVINGS. TRANSPORTATION.
THAT'S THE THAT'S WHAT THE ACRONYM STANDS FOR.
THAT ACT HAS $7.3 BILLION THAT IS BEING ALLOCATED TO THE STATES FOR DISCRETIONARY FUNDING OF PROJECTS.
A LOT OF THAT MONEY IS GOING TO LIKE HIGHWAY TYPE PROJECTS FOR COMMUNITIES.
I BELIEVE THAT THE CITY HERE GOT SOME OF THAT MONEY FOR DOING SOME IMPROVEMENTS AND THEN 1.4 BILLION OF IT IS IS FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO DISPERSE ON COMPETITIVE GRANT APPLICATIONS WHICH THAT WE YOU KNOW, WE BELIEVE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO POSITION SEVERAL OF THE MITIGATION PROJECTS HERE WITH THE PORT TO TO BE IN GOOD SHAPE OR IN GOOD EFFORT TO GO AFTER THOSE FUNDS TO TO POTENTIALLY DO SOME MITIGATION IMPROVEMENTS AT EITHER THE PORT OR OR IN AND AROUND THE PORT WITH ITS PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS LIKE THE CITY OR WHOMEVER.
SO THE FDOT, LIKE I WAS EXPLAINING EARLIER, THEY HAVE A OFFICE OF POLICY PLANNING, AND WITHIN THAT OFFICE THEY HAVE THE RESILIENCY OFFICE.
AND JENNIFER CARVER IS KIND OF THE RESILIENCY COORDINATOR FOR THE STATE OF FLORIDA FOR DOT.
WE'VE BEEN WE'VE HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS WITH HER ALREADY.
WE'RE HAVING ANOTHER ONE COMING UP IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
BUT THEY RECENTLY THE PICTURE OF THE RESILIENCY ACTION PLAN, THEY CALL IT THE WRAP.
THEY RECENTLY HAD THAT GO INTO OUT INTO THE PUBLIC FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
IT'S ALL THE PUBLIC COMMENTS COME BACK AND I BELIEVE THEY'RE ABOUT READY TO FINALIZE THAT PLAN.
AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IS GOING THROUGH AND MAKING SURE THAT EVERYTHING WE DO IS IN DIRECT COORDINATION WITH THAT, THAT WE THAT WE ALIGN WITH IT IN THE IN THE RIGHT WAY SO THAT WHEN OUR PLAN IS COMPLETE, YOU KNOW, WITH THE PORT AUTHORITY AND THE STATE, THAT IT ALIGNS DIRECTLY WITH THAT PLAN AND THAT IT ALIGNS WITH WHAT THE CITY'S EFFORTS ARE.
AND THE REASON THAT WE'RE DOING THAT, THE MOST IMPORTANT REASON FOR THAT IS THAT IF BOTH PLANS ALIGN AND THEY'RE ACCEPTED WITHIN THE STATE AND THE LOCAL PLAN, IT CAN MAKE THE MATCHING REQUIREMENTS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL GO FROM AN 80 OVER 20 LOCAL MATCH, 80 FEDERAL, 20 LOCAL TO A 93 SEVEN.
AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THAT'S 93 FEDERAL DOLLARS, 7% STATE LOCAL.
OKAY. SO YOU CAN YOU CAN DIVIDE THAT UP HOWEVER NEEDED TO MAKE THE MATCH THE 7% MATCH, BUT POTENTIALLY GO AFTER FUNDS THAT THE PORTS HAVE AVAILABLE THROUGH THROUGH THE PORT AUTHORITY AND ITS ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FLORIDA PORTS COUNCIL.
AS A MEMBER, YOU CAN WORK WITH THE DOT POTENTIALLY.
[00:25:07]
SO SO WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL THE DIFFERENT STATE AVENUES FOR FUNDING.AND THEN, OF COURSE, YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, LOCAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES, THE POTENTIAL FOR PRIVATE INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES POTENTIALLY WITH PARTNERS THAT MAY BE BEING IMPACTED AS WELL, THAT ARE THAT ARE USING THE PORT OR WORKING WITH THE PORT ON A DAILY BASIS.
SO IT REALLY MAKES IT AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ATTRACTIVE FUNDING TO TO GET INTO MITIGATING PROJECTS THAT NOT ONLY, IN MY OPINION, NOT ONLY PREPARE THE PORT TO BE MORE RESILIENT FROM AN EVENT LIKE THIS, NOT JUST HURRICANES.
AND LIKE I SAID, THE VIDEO SHOWS THAT.
AND I'LL SHOW YOU IN JUST A SECOND WITH A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES.
THE PORT, YOU KNOW, CAN BE IMPACTED, YOU KNOW, ON A WEEK TO WEEK BASIS.
YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN'T HAVE HAPPEN.
YOU GOT TO HAVE A PORT THAT IS RESILIENT.
YOU GOT TO HAVE A FACILITY THAT IS DEPENDABLE, THAT IS PREDICTABLE, THAT THAT OPERATORS CAN MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO MOVE THEIR CARGO ON A REGULAR BASIS AND MEET THEIR SCHEDULES AND MEET THEIR DEMANDS OF THEIR CUSTOMERS.
SO MOVING ON, YOU KNOW, IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO THE STATE TO, YOU KNOW, DO THESE TYPES OF RESILIENCY PLANNING.
IT'S NOT JUST A POLITICAL HOT POTATO.
IT'S NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, A AN IDEA THAT'S COMING UP RIGHT NOW AND GOING AWAY.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE THE SIX MAJOR AREAS THAT THE STATE IS FOCUSING ON RIGHT NOW AS THE MOST IMPORTANT FROM THE DOT'S PERSPECTIVE, THIS THIS PLAN IS IS LEGITIMATELY TOUCHING FOUR OF THE SIX.
OKAY. YOU'RE TOUCHING SAFETY BECAUSE IMPROVING THE MITIGATION MEASURES OF THE PORT, LET'S SAY, YOU KNOW, IT'S A PROJECT THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, RAISES A A, YOU KNOW, A BACK LENS, ACCESS TO THE BULKHEAD.
YOU'RE INCREASING SAFETY FOR THOSE OPERATORS, FOR THOSE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE WORKING AT THAT DOCK.
YOU'RE IMPROVING THE FACILITIES AND MAKING IT MORE ROBUST.
AND YOU'RE ALSO, YOU KNOW, NOT GETTING INTO SITUATIONS, LET'S SAY, LIKE THERE'S AN ELECTRICAL BOX THAT THAT COULD GET FLOODED OUT ON A REGULAR BASIS, THAT THAT GETS MITIGATED AND MOVED.
SOMETHING LIKE THAT COULD COULD TRULY BE A SAFETY HAZARD.
WE'RE WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITIES SURROUNDING, YOU KNOW, IN COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, MAKING SURE THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS BETTER FOR THOSE THOSE THAT GO TO WORK EVERY DAY, THOSE THAT THAT NEED THE REVENUE STREAMS, YOU KNOW, EVEN HERE, YOU KNOW, WITH THIS BODY MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE GETTING ALL THAT YOU HAVE INVESTED BACK OUT OF THE FACILITY RESILIENCY THAT THE MAIN TOPIC THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AND THEN JUST A MORE ROBUST SUPPLY CHAIN, YOU KNOW, HAVING THE ABILITY FOR THE PORT TO DO WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO DO, YOU KNOW, TO TO MOVE GOODS AND SERVICES.
YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES WE KIND OF LOOK OVER THAT.
WE GO TO THE SUPERMARKET AND WE JUST ASSUME THESE PRODUCTS SHOW UP AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE THERE.
BUT HOW MANY PEOPLE HAD A TOILET PAPER SHORTAGE LAST, YOU KNOW, IN THE PAST TWO YEARS? RIGHT. YOU CAN'T YOU CAN'T ASSUME THAT THE SUPPLY CHAIN IS GOING TO REMAIN ROBUST.
YOU HAVE AN IMPACT LIKE COVID.
AND NOW YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A DISRUPTION IN THIS TYPE OF STUDY IS REDUCING DISRUPTION.
OKAY. AND THAT'S THE IDEA WE'RE TRYING TO MITIGATE FOR DISRUPTIONS SO THAT YOU CONTINUE TO HAVE THE GOODS AND SERVICES THAT YOU WANT TO HAVE THROUGH YOUR THROUGH YOUR COMMUNITY AND THROUGH YOUR YOUR BUSINESSES.
SO REAL QUICK, SCOPE OVERVIEW.
WE HAD OUR KICKOFF MEETING WITH A CLIENT AND WE'RE STILL CONTINUING TO HAVE MEETINGS WITH CLIENT AND STAKEHOLDERS THAT'LL BE ONGOING FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS UNTIL WE GET ALL THE INFORMATION TOGETHER WE POSSIBLY CAN TO MAKE SURE.
BASICALLY I KIND OF THINK OF THIS ALMOST LIKE A LEGAL CASE IN A SENSE.
WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD THE CASE SO THAT WHEN WE YOU KNOW, WHEN AND IF YOUR BODY DECIDES TO GO FORWARD WITH A PROJECT AND YOU'RE GOING AFTER FUNDING THAT YOU HAVE THE CASE BUILT.
YOU HAVE IT. YOU HAVE THE CASE BUILT, YOU HAVE IMPACTS, YOU HAVE VULNERABILITIES.
HERE'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO TO MITIGATE IT.
YOU KNOW, SO THAT'S THE IMPACT ASSESSMENT.
WE'VE ALREADY WE'RE NEAR COMPLETE ON THAT.
AND I'LL SHOW YOU SOME SOME RESULTS FROM THAT IN JUST A SECOND.
THAT'S REALLY LOOKING AT THE BROADER SPECTRUM OF ALL TYPES OF VULNERABILITIES AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
[00:30:05]
WE'RE WORKING WE'RE BEGINNING TO WORK ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE MITIGATION PLAN, WHICH WILL BE TECHNICALLY A LIST OF PROJECTS THAT WE THINK WOULD HELP THE SITUATION RESOLVE SOME OF THE PROBLEMS. AND THEN INTERGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION IS ONGOING.WE HAVE SOME BIG COORDINATION GOING ON COMING UP WITH THE STATE, WITH FDOT, WITH DEP, WITH THE CITY GOVERNMENT AND WHAT HAVE YOU, AND THEN PLAN IMPLEMENTATION IS UNDERWAY AND THAT IS REALLY JUST WRITING THE PLAN, YOU KNOW, BUILDING THE CASE FOR ALL THE BACKGROUND AND ALL THE DOCUMENTATION.
AND THIS IS THE THIS IS THE PROJECT SCHEDULE AND THIS IS WHERE WE ARE IN JULY HERE IN THE SCHEDULE.
WE'RE WE'RE BEGINNING TO WRITE THE PLAN.
WE'RE DOING AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION.
AND YOU CAN SEE WE'RE ASSESSMENT, AS I JUST DESCRIBED.
OKAY. SO THIS IS THE THE TERMINAL MAP THAT WE DEVELOPED.
THERE'S A COPY OF IT BACK THERE.
THE WRITING IS NOT SUPER CLEAR UP THERE ON THE SCREEN.
BUT WHAT WE DID AND LET ME EXPLAIN WHAT THIS IS.
WE WE NEEDED TO FIRST DOCUMENT WHAT'S THERE BEFORE WE DOCUMENT WHAT'S HAPPENING, RIGHT.
SO EXISTING CONDITIONS WE WENT THROUGH WITH THE PORT AUTHORITY AND WITH THE THE PORT OPERATOR.
SAVAGE AND WE REALLY DOCUMENTED EXACTLY WHAT'S THERE THAT THAT MATTERS.
EQUIPMENT, INFRASTRUCTURE, WAREHOUSES, YOU KNOW, BULKHEADS, RAMPS, CRANES, ALL THAT.
WE GOT IT DOWN TO WHERE WE KNOW WHERE EVERYTHING IS.
YOU KNOW, THIS TYPE OF BUSINESS INFRASTRUCTURE IS BEING IMPACTED.
THIS IS A POTENTIAL VULNERABILITY.
SO BASICALLY WE HAVE TO SAY, WHAT DO WE HAVE FIRST? AND THEN WE CAN GO ON TO SHOW WHAT'S BEING IMPACTED.
SO THIS MAP, YOU KNOW, REALLY TELLS IT, YOU KNOW, AND THIS IS SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF, TOO, AS A COMMUNITY AND AS A AS A BODY TO SEE ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT OVER THE YEARS YOU ALL HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TO FUND AND PRODUCE, THAT CREATE JOBS, THAT CREATE COMMODITY FLOWS, THAT CREATE, YOU KNOW, TONNAGE THROUGHPUT THROUGH THIS FACILITY AND HOW MUCH THAT'S BEEN A POSITIVE THING FOR THE COMMUNITY.
YOU KNOW, HOW HAS THAT BEEN A A A GOOD THING? THINK OF THE NUMBER OF JOBS THAT HAVE BEEN CREATED, PEOPLE THAT FED THEIR FAMILIES, YOU KNOW, AND ALL THAT, YOU KNOW, SECONDARY IMPACTS THAT THAT FACILITY IS BRINGING TO YOUR COMMUNITIES. IT REALLY IS A GOOD STORY AND YOU SHOULD GET BEHIND IT.
IN MY OPINION, I'M BEING SELFISH, BUT I THINK IT IS SOMETHING THAT'S A GOOD STORY TO TELL.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF MY LASER WORKS HERE.
I'LL TELL YOU, ONE OF THE LOWEST AREAS IS RIGHT IN HERE OF THE WHOLE FACILITY.
ONE OF THE HIGHEST AREAS IN THE WHOLE CITY IS RIGHT HERE.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S A DRAMATIC DROP IN ELEVATION THERE.
AND WE LOOK AT IT FROM SOME LIDAR MAPS AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
SO THIS MAP IS YOU'LL SEE IT'LL START TO AUTOMATE OR SHOULD AT LEAST IF I DID MY JOB RIGHT, IT'S GOING TO BEGIN TO SHOW YOU THE DIFFERENT SEA LEVEL RISE BASED ON FEET.
AS IT GOES UP, YOU CAN SEE IT'S ADDING TWO FEET OR ABOUT TO BE AT THREE FEET.
AND YOU'LL START TO SEE THE THE IMPACTS HERE THAT YOU'RE SEEING IN THE FACILITY.
THIS IS A NOAA BASED SEA LEVEL MAP.
IT'S IT'S YOU KNOW, IT'S THE INFORMATION WE NEED TO PROVE THE CASE THAT THERE'S IMPACTS.
AND THE REASON IT'S HISTORIC, I FIGURED OUT, IS BECAUSE IT'S WAY ABOVE SEA LEVEL RISE.
BUT IT HASN'T NEVER BEEN DESTROYED.
BUT NO, IT YOU KNOW, HONESTLY, YOU KNOW, AT A AT A MAJOR EVENT WHICH AND THIS IS GOING TO SHOW IT FROM A 3D PERSPECTIVE. OKAY.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THIS IS THE THIS IS THE PORT CRANES HERE, THE WAREHOUSES IN THE BACKGROUND.
BUT YOU START TO SEE, YOU KNOW, THE INUNDATION OF WATER COMING INTO THE PORT FACILITY.
AND I WANTED TO SHOW YOU GUYS THAT SO THAT YOU REALLY GOT A FEEL WHAT'S GOING ON? IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH.
I MEAN, WE WERE SEEING IMPACTS AT TWO FEET, THREE FEET ABOVE THE MEAN WATER.
THE MEAN TIDAL WATER FLOWS AT THE PORT.
NOW, THOSE ARE JUST, YOU KNOW, GO BACK.
SURE, I CAN GO BACK. THOSE ARE JUST.
NO MODELS. AND I DON'T KNOW, IT'S A TEN FOOT THAT'S A TEN FOOT STORM SURGE.
[00:35:04]
OR IS THAT SEA LEVEL RISE? THIS THIS IS SEA LEVEL RISE.OKAY. SO THIS IS FEET ABOVE MEAN LOW WATER.
OKAY. SO YOU CAN SEE TWO FEET, THREE FEET, AND YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE.
BUT DOES THAT TRACK WOULD WOULD THE STORM SURGE, IS THAT IS THAT A SIX FOOT STORM SURGE THAT YOU'RE SEEING RIGHT THERE? IT'S SIMILAR.
IT'S SIMILAR. WE DO HAVE STORM SURGE MODELS AS WELL.
I JUST DON'T PUT THEM IN THIS PRESENTATION.
THOSE ARE ACTUALLY WE HAVE HISTORIC EVENT MODELS THAT WE PUT THAT WILL BE PUTTING IN THE PLAN BASED OFF OF ACTUAL DATA FROM BUOYS THAT ARE OUT IN THE YOU KNOW, OUT IN THE INTERCOASTAL WATERWAY THAT MEASURE LIKE WE BASICALLY WHAT WE DID IS WE GOT A MAP OF ALL OF THE THE MAJOR HURRICANES.
MATTHEW, I THINK I THINK IT WAS IRENE WAS ONE OF THE TROPICAL STORMS. IRVIN, I THINK WAS ONE.
WE HAVE WE HAVE I THINK IT'S SEVEN TOTAL NAMED STORMS. AND THAT WILL BE IN THE PLAN.
WE HAVE A MAP ALREADY PRODUCED.
I JUST DIDN'T GET IT INTO THIS PRESENTATION.
BUT COULD YOU GO BACK TO DORA? I DON'T KNOW HOW IT WAS 60.
NO, WE DIDN'T GO BACK THAT FAR.
THERE'S DOCUMENTATION IN THE PAST THREE YEARS, YOU KNOW, PLENTY OF DOCUMENTATION.
WE COULD GO BACK AND LOOK AT ALL TIME, BUT WE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE TO.
WE JUST HAD TO BUILD THE CASE THAT THERE'S IMPACTS AND THAT IT'S MINIMAL.
IT'S MINIMAL TO RECEIVE IMPACTS, IT'S A MINIMAL INUNDATION TO RECEIVE IMPACTS.
WELL, WHY IS THAT AND HOW DO WE FIX IT? RIGHT. AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE ARE IN THE PLANNING AND DESIGN PROCESS.
WHAT IS CAUSING IT AND HOW DO WE FIX IT? HOW CAN WE MITIGATE FOR IT? SO THAT'S THE PROCESS THAT WE'RE BEGINNING TO TO TO WORK THROUGH.
SO SOME OF THE ONGOING ACTIVITIES AND I CAN PAUSE FOR A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON ON WHAT YOU JUST SAW? I CAN GO BACK AND PLAY IT AGAIN.
BUT REALLY THE IDEA WAS TO SHOW YOU, HEY, WE'RE HAVING IMPACTS HERE.
THIS THIS OCCURS, THIS HAS OCCURRED.
WE HAVE REAL FOOTAGE OF OF, YOU KNOW, FLOODING ON THE PORT TERMINAL.
WE HAVE DOCUMENTED WITH THE CITY, THE CITY AND THE CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT ROADWAY OUTAGES IN AND AROUND THE PORT WITH DIRECT ROADS THAT CONNECT TO THE PORT FACILITY AND TO THE COMMUNITY SURROUNDING.
NOW WE JUST HAVE TO SAY WHAT ARE THE WHAT ARE THOSE FIXES? YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT THAT WE NEED TO DO GOING FORWARD? AND I KNOW THE CITY IS WORKING ON SEVERAL BIG PROJECTS AS WELL.
SO WE BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, CONTINUING TO COORDINATE WITH YOU ALL, MAKE SURE THAT ANY PROJECTS THAT WE DO, YOU KNOW, ARE MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL IN A SENSE, AND THAT THEY THAT THEY WILL BE THE BEST PROJECTS, YOU KNOW, IN THE END.
SO WE'RE GOING TO IN MY PLAN AND WORKING WITH DAVE INITIALLY IS TO TO DEVELOP A LIST OF PROJECTS AND THEN AND THEN WORK TOGETHER TO FIND THE ONES THAT, YOU KNOW, ARE THE TOP PRIORITIES THAT NEED TO BE FOCUSED ON TO GO AFTER FUNDING AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
SOME OF THEM MAY BE SECURITY RELATED.
SOME OF THERE'S THERE'S OTHER DIFFERENT FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES OUT THERE.
THERE'S FEMA FUNDS RELATED TO PORT SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM.
IT COULD BE ELECTRICAL RELATED.
IT COULD BE MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL, MECHANICAL.
SO WE HAVE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT IDEAS ALREADY THAT WE'RE FLOATING.
IT COULD BE CONNECTIVITY WITH THE ROADWAY SYSTEM, CONNECTIVITY WITH THE RAILWAY SYSTEM, YOU KNOW, AND JUST SO THERE'S IDEAS THAT WE'RE FLOATING AND THAT WE'RE BEGINNING TO TO BUILD THOSE MITIGATION IDEAS AND CONCEPTS TO PUT TOGETHER.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE WORKING IN COORDINATION WITH THE CITY.
AS I MENTIONED, THEY JUST WRAPPED UP THE WRAP AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY STARTING ON A SECOND PHASE.
THAT'S CALLED THE RIP THEY'RE CALLING IT.
THEY GET REAL CREATIVE WITH THEIR ACRONYMS, BUT THE RIP IS THEIR IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
SO THEY'RE THEY'RE LOOKING AT PROJECTS.
SO REAL IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE COORDINATING WITH THEM SO WE CAN POTENTIALLY GET OUR PROJECTS, YOU KNOW, IN ALIGNMENT WITH THEIRS OR THAT THEIR PROJECTS CONSIDER PORTS AND THEY AND THEY ALREADY DO.
AND THAT'S THE GREAT THING AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AND THE STATE LEVEL PORTS ARE IDENTIFIED.
AND IT MAKES SENSE. THEY'RE ON THE MOST PORTS RIGHT THERE ON THE WATERFRONT.
[00:40:03]
SO THEY'RE GETTING IMPACTS BECAUSE OF THEIR PROXIMITY.THAT'S THE PART WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW AND FOCUSING ALL OF OUR ATTENTION ON.
WE'RE WORKING WITH THE RAILROAD.
THEY'VE BEEN VERY RECEPTIVE AND HELPFUL IN WORKING WITH US, SO THEY'RE COORDINATING WITH US ON IDEAS POTENTIALLY THAT THAT MAY BE SOME MITIGATION MEASURES.
WE'LL GO BACK TO THE MAP AND SHOW YOU WHY THAT'S THAT'S IMPORTANT.
THERE'S SOME AREAS THAT WE BELIEVE ARE, YOU KNOW, ARE MUTUAL ISSUES.
THEY WERE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ANY OF THE IMPACTS THAT THE PORT'S HAVING AND THE RAILROADS HAVING THAT MAY CAUSE THEM IMPACTS, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS BUSINESS RELATED IMPACTS, YOU KNOW, SO AND THEN NEXT STEPS WE'RE GOING TO BE MEETING, LIKE I SAID, WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, GOVERNMENT STARTING SOME NEW MEETINGS WITH DEP.
AS WE'RE DISCOVERING MORE AND UNDERSTANDING MORE, WE FEEL LIKE DEP MAY BE A GOOD PARTNER TO TALK TO.
I HOPE I GAVE YOU ALL, YOU KNOW, A GOOD IDEA OF WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHAT WE'RE UP TO AS FAR AS THE RESILIENCY PLAN FOR THE PORT AND THE STATE WOULD BE OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS YOU ALL HAVE, I'D LOVE TO ANSWER THEM AND AS BEST I CAN.
IF NOT, I'D LOVE TO GET BACK TO YOU IF I CAN'T ANSWER IT RIGHT NOW.
BUT JIM, THIS BASICALLY SHOWS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AT THE PORT.
BUT HOW CAN IT BENEFIT THE CITY AND THE PORT FINANCIALLY TO WORK TOGETHER ON EACH RESILIENCY PLAN? HOW HOW CAN THAT BENEFIT EACH OF US COMBINING PLANS TOGETHER TO TAKE CARE OF THESE SITUATIONS? SO THE CITY'S JUST STARTING AND I MAY LET IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK UP ON WHAT THE CITY IS DOING AT ALL, BUT THE CITIES ARE STARTING THEIR PLAN AND WE'RE BEGINNING TO COORDINATE WITH THEM. FROM THE PORT'S PERSPECTIVE, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE COORDINATE WITH THE CITY AND THAT THE CITY ADOPTS OR ACCEPTS WHAT WE DO AS COMPLIANT TO WHAT THEY'RE DOING BECAUSE OF THAT MATCH REQUIREMENT.
BUT THE OTHER REASON IS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE BODY OVERSEES, THE CITY OVERSEES, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE THE PORT AUTHORITY IS DOING IN A SENSE, IT'S IT'S IN YOUR DOWNTOWN AREA.
AND JUST SO THAT THAT FROM A YOU KNOW, NOT JUST A FUNDING STANDPOINT BUT FROM A COORDINATION STANDPOINT THAT ANY PROJECTS THAT THEY DO OR THAT THEY PUSH FORWARD WOULD WOULD COORDINATE WITH ANY PROJECTS THAT THE CITY'S WANTING TO DO.
RIGHT. OR IF THERE'S A PROJECT THAT CITIES WANT TO DO THAT THAT REALLY, YOU KNOW, BENEFITS THE PORT AS WELL, THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THE PORT'S ABLE TO GIVE INPUT INTO THAT PROJECT.
COMBINING THOSE THINGS MAKE THE MATCH A LOT BETTER FOR EACH OF US.
THEY JUST HAVE TO. THEY HAVE TO ACCEPT, RIGHT? YEAH. THEY HAVE TO BASICALLY ADOPT OR ACCEPT WHAT THE PORT'S DOING.
SO, CHAIRMAN, IF I MIGHT, THERE ARE PROJECTS THAT YOU SEE WHERE THE MOST OF THE MOST OF THE INUNDATION THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING OCCURS AT THAT NORTH WESTERN END OF OUR TERMINAL RIGHT NEAR THE WETLAND AREA THAT THEN GOES INTO THE RESIDENTIAL AREA BEHIND THEM, BEHIND.
SO IF WE CAN COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS THAT WILL MAKE OUR TERMINAL MORE RESILIENT AT THE SAME TIME, AT THE SAME TIME REDUCE FLOODING WITHIN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE WE KNOW WHENEVER WE HAVE SKIING EVENTS, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL OF THOSE CITY STREETS ARE SHUT DOWN.
RIGHT. THEY GET SHUT DOWN AND CALHOUN'S BEEN SHUT DOWN.
SO NOT ONLY DOES THOSE THOSE ROAD CLOSURES NOT ONLY AFFECT THE RESIDENTS THAT LIVE THERE DIRECTLY, BUT IT ALSO IMPACTS OUR ABILITY TO FUNCTION BECAUSE WE CAN'T GET OUR TRUCKS IN AND OUT EITHER. RIGHT. SO IF WE CAN IDENTIFY THOSE TYPES OF PROJECTS THAT HAVE MUTUAL BENEFIT TO PORT AND TO THE CITY, THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT, HEY, THEY SHOW THAT ALIGNMENT SO THEY GET THE BETTER MATCH, BUT THEY ALSO BECOME MORE SOLUBLE TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND STATE BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT MORE STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED THAT ARE IMPACTED BY IT AND THAT ARE COORDINATED AND FIXING.
SO I SEE THAT AT THIS STAGE IN THE PROCESS, WE'RE MAKING ALL ASSOCIATED FEDERAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AWARE OF THIS KIND OF WHAT WOULD WE NEED FROM THE CITY? HOW CAN THE CITY HELP THE PORT SIDE OF THIS PROJECT? I KNOW WE HAVE OUR OWN PROJECT RUNNING SIMULTANEOUSLY, BUT HOW CAN THE CITY HELP YOU WITH YOURS?
[00:45:01]
I THINK AT THIS POINT IT'S JUST THAT COORDINATION, RIGHT? IT'S THE ONGOING COMMUNICATION.AND WE HAD OUR FIRST KICKOFF MEETING.
KELLY WAS AT THE MEETING AS WELL AS THE RAILROAD AND THE MILL FOLKS.
AND I THINK THE MORE THAT WE WORK COLLECTIVELY ON EACH OF OUR PLANS AND FIND THOSE COMMON ELEMENTS THAT WORK FOR EVERYBODY, THE BETTER SERVE WE ALL WILL BE.
SO I THINK IT'S JUST THE CONTINUED WORK THAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING, OF COURSE.
AND WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS WE WANT TO GET TO YOU GUYS AS AS THE POLICY MAKERS AS EARLY IN THIS PROCESS AS WE COULD SO THAT YOU ALL CAN START THINKING ABOUT IT AND UNDERSTANDING IT RATHER THAN COMING TO YOU WITH A FINISHED PRODUCT AT THE END OF THE DAY.
RIGHT. SO WE KNOW EVERYBODY'S BUSY THIS TIME OF YEAR WITH BUDGETS AND EVERYTHING, AND SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, BUT WE THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO KICK THIS OFF EARLY IN THE PROCESS. SO YOU KNEW WHERE WE WERE HEADED.
AND SO YOU DON'T GET BLINDSIDED WITH A FINISHED PRODUCT.
WHAT THEY FEEL IS, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD AGREE TO OR WILL WORK WITH THE PORT AUTHORITY ON MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL OR WHAT HAVE YOU, AND THEN BRING THOSE FORWARD SO THAT THEY THEIR IDEAS THAT EVERYBODY KIND OF IS LIKE BEHIND INSTEAD OF SOMETHING WHERE WHERE WE GOT NOW WE HAVE THIS PARTY THAT'S LIKE, HEY WE DON'T AGREE TO THIS OR THIS WON'T WORK BECAUSE OF THAT. SO AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS PLANNING PHASE OF PROJECT DEVELOPMENT PART OF THE PROJECT, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE, YOU KNOW, THEIR SAY IN THE BEGINNING SO THAT WE DON'T END UP WITH SOMETHING THAT THAT'S JUST SITTING ON A SHELF WHEN THE WHOLE IDEA BEHIND THIS IS IS A GREAT MATCH OPPORTUNITY.
IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO FIX ISSUES THAT ARE REAL AND MAKE A MORE ROBUST, RESILIENT FACILITY AND COMMUNITY DOWNTOWN. SO THE MORE INPUT WE GET FROM EVERYBODY, THE BETTER THAT WE KNOW THAT THAT IS A REAL OPPORTUNITY INSTEAD OF SOMETHING THAT'S, OH YEAH, WELL, WE THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA UNTIL THIS PERSON SAID NO, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET A LOT OF COLLABORATION AND INPUT SO THAT SO THAT EVERYBODY'S KIND OF SUPPORTIVE OF IT IN THE END. AND I WOULD ADD TO THAT, YOU KNOW, JIMMY AND HIS FIRM HAVE THEIR SCOPE THAT THEY NEGOTIATED WITH THE STATE.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, RATHER THAN SHARING THAT INFORMATION.
SO THERE'S INFORMATION THAT THAT YOUR CONSULTANTS MAY BE DEVELOPING OR ACQUIRING THAT WILL HELP JIMMY DO OUR PLANNING. AND LIKEWISE THERE MAY BE DATED AT JIMMY'S BEEN COLLECTING AS PART OF HIS EFFORT THAT MIGHT HELP FURTHER YOUR PLAN WITHOUT HAVING TO DUPLICATE THOSE EFFORTS.
WE DON'T WANT TO WRITE THE BOOK ON THIS.
YOU KNOW, THE POLICY SIDE, THE THE ACTUAL REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAVE TO MEET.
AND THAT'S THE THAT'S THE GOAL WITH US BEING COLLABORATIVE AND SHARING AND WORKING TOGETHER.
AND WE FIGURED OUT THE RIGHT WAY.
AND WHEN WE FIGURED OUT TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, Y'ALL'S PROJECTS CAN BE IN THE GOOD SPOT, SO CAN THE PORTS AND AND WHAT HAVE YOU, AND WE CAN SHARE AND GO AFTER THAT.
SO FAR AS AS YOU STATED, WE'VE ALREADY STARTED WITH OUR CONSULTANTS TALKING TO YOU GUYS.
COMMISSIONERS COMMISSIONER ROSS.
THE RAILROAD IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE PORT OPERATION AND IT'S ESSENTIAL FOR THE MILLS OPERATION THERE.
THAT'S RIGHT. HOW FAR AWAY FROM THE ACTUAL AREA OF THE PORT ARE YOU LOOKING AT THE RESILIENCY FOR THE RAILROAD? BECAUSE THAT WHOLE RAILROAD TRACK FLOODS.
[00:50:01]
YEAH. SO WE'VE HAD SOME SOME SOME REAL GOOD DISCUSSIONS WITH THE RAILROAD.VERY POSITIVE. WE BELIEVE THEY'RE GOING TO BE A GOOD PARTNER IN THIS.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY REASON TO NOT BELIEVE THAT.
WE'VE HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS IN PERSON AND SEVERAL PHONE CALLS.
THEY'RE PROVIDING US WITH SOME REAL DATA RELATED TO THE FINANCIAL IMPACTS.
YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS SOME OF THEIR THEIR REAL REVENUE ISSUES, WHEN THEY HAVE TO SHUT DOWN, THEY'RE PROVIDING US SOME REAL IDEAS OF WHAT THE EXTENTS OF THEIR IMPACTS ARE FROM FLOODING LIKE YOU'RE DESCRIBING.
IT'S LIKE A DIP THERE IN THE RAIL.
SO THAT'S AN AREA THAT WE, YOU KNOW, ARE OBVIOUSLY CONSIDERING.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN THE BEGINNING PHASES OF THAT CONSIDERATION.
SO NOT IN OUR PLAN, RIGHT? RIGHT. WE'RE NOT GOING BACK INTO THE CITY.
NO. AND IT'S BECAUSE IN A SENSE, WE ARE COLLABORATING WITH THE CITY AND WE'RE COORDINATING THE CITY.
BUT THE SCOPE OF OUR PROJECT IS THE PORT BASED ON THE FACT THAT IT'S GOING THROUGH THE THE SEA PORT OFFICE AND THE OFFICE OF POLICY PLANNING AT DOT. SO THEY KIND OF YOU KNOW, THEY SEE THAT AS THE PORT, RIGHT? AND SO WE'RE WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO WORK ON ANYTHING THAT IS CONNECTING, YOU KNOW, OR CONNECTING TO THE CITY.
THAT WAS A QUESTION. I ASKED HIM HOW FAR BACK DOES IT GO FOR YOU? AND THEY SAID THAT THEIR MAIN THEIR MAIN ISSUE IS RIGHT THERE AT BISECTING THE PORT.
THAT'S WHERE THEY HAVE TO SHUT DOWN THE MOST.
IT'S A BIG IMPACT TO THEIR BUSINESS AND AND TO THE MILLS BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE EVEN FOR A RAIN EVENT LIKE WE'RE WE'RE SEEING, YOU KNOW, DOCUMENTED EVIDENCE JUST FROM HARD RAIN EVENTS WHERE THEY COULD SHUT DOWN THE RAIL, COULD SHUT DOWN ACCESS TO THE MILL BY RAIL, COULD SHUT DOWN THE PORT'S ABILITY TO ACCESS ITS ITS WHARFS AND SOME OF ITS BACKBONE STORAGE AND AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
SO AND SOME OF THEIR MAINTENANCE SHOPS AND SO.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM THIS BODY OR.
ALL RIGHT. SEEING NONE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND THANK YOU.
TODAY WE DO HAVE ONE LAST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA.
CITY CLERK. DO WE HAVE ANY REQUESTS TO SPEAK?
[5. PUBLIC COMMENT]
IS THERE ANYONE IN THE ROOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO GIVE SOME PUBLIC COMMENT THEN? MISS KIRKLAND, COME ON DOWN, SIR.WE DON'T HAVE THE TIMER UP, BUT I DO HAVE THREE MINUTES ON MY WATCH, SO WATCH.
SO LOOK OUT. OKAY, NOW, I DON'T WANT TO TAKE UP ANYBODY'S TIME.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I'M MARGARET KIRKLAND.
I'M REPRESENTING I'M THE CHAIR ACTUALLY, OF CONCERNED NASSAU.
AND WE ARE HIGHLY CONCERNED WITH ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON THAT CAUSE US TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT RESILIENCY, SEA LEVEL RISE, CLIMATE CHANGE AND SO ON.
WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH SERIOUS EXPERTISE ON THESE AREAS, SOME OF WHOM ARE IN THE ROOM WITH US TODAY, AND OTHERS LIKE JOYCE TUTEN, WHO HAS EXPERTISE ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND WOULD BE HAPPY TO GET WORKSHOPS FOR THIS GROUP OR BOTH GROUPS TOGETHER.
BUT I JUST WANT TO EXPRESS APPRECIATION FOR YOU GUYS TAKING THE DIVE TO GET INTO SERIOUS DISCUSSION OF THIS TOPIC.
THE LONGER WE KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD, THE LESS THE POSSIBILITY IS THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN DEALING WITH IT.
SO HAPPY TO PROVIDE INFORMATION WITH ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO DO SO.
THANK YOU. ANY ANY OTHER CITIZENS WISH TO SPEAK? MISS LORELEI JACOBS, PLEASE COME DOWN.
LAURA JACOBS, CITY GRANTS ADMINISTRATOR.
I JUST THOUGHT WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO POINT OUT ON THE NEXT CITY COMMISSION AGENDA.
[00:55:07]
HIGHLY COMPETITIVE.THEY ONLY CHOOSE 15 PROJECTS NATIONWIDE.
BUT IT WOULD DO OUR RESILIENCY PAIRS ALONG THE SEAWALL BACK UP AROUND BY THE PORT.
75 MILLION IS A GOOD PRICE, AND IT WOULD REQUIRE PORT SUPPORT.
IT WOULD REQUIRE THE RAILROAD.
SO I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE.
YOU'LL BE TALKING ABOUT A PROJECT SOON.
LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT. AND COMMISSIONER TAYLOR.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO HAVING SEEN SOME OF THE STORMS COME THROUGH OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, THIS IS CERTAINLY CERTAINLY NEEDED, NOT JUST FOR THE PORT, BUT AS A COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. BUT AND I THINK MS..
KIRKLAND HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD.
CAN'T CONTINUE TO KICK THE KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.
BUT, MR. MAYOR, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME TOGETHER.
THESE TYPES OF COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS ARE CERTAINLY VITAL TO OUR COMMUNITY'S SUCCESS.
JIM, THANKS FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY OUT. I KNOW SOME PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM WOULD RATHER BE OUT FISHING, BUT.
BUT THEY'RE NOT. THEY'RE HERE.
FOR COMING. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.
WE APPRECIATE THAT. AND WE WILL GO WE'LL END WITH AROUND THE HORN, STARTING WITH, AS WE JUST HEARD FROM COMMISSIONER TAYLOR, ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS WISH TO SPEAK? LET'S GO TO THE CHAIR FULL. MR. MAYOR, I WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HOSTING THIS.
AND WE CERTAINLY WANT TO WORK WITH YOU AND YOUR YOUR PLAN AND DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO HELP.
THANK YOU. SO AND I'D BE HAPPY TO VOLUNTEER TO ATTEND ANY WORKSHOPS OR GROUP MEETINGS WITH THAT ARE JOINT MEETINGS BETWEEN STAFF AND COORDINATORS.
I'M I'LL MAKE MYSELF AVAILABLE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR.
COMMISSIONER COLE AND I AS WELL.
ANYWAY, LET ME KNOW AND THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR AND THE CITY FOR THIS JOINT EFFORT.
MR. MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION AND FOR THE GATHERING OF THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS.
AS THE FORMER TERMINAL MANAGER OF WORLDWIDE TERMINALS THERE FOR 12 YEARS, I SAW THE DEVASTATING IMPACT THAT THE HIGH WATER HAS AT THAT TERMINAL. I HAD TO WORK THROUGH IT.
I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE COLLABORATION AND ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP.
THERE YOU GO. THANKS. GO AHEAD.
AND YOU'RE ALL INVITED TO STAY.
THAT'S THE END OF ME. THANK YOU, JIM.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.