Mar 12, 2024 Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee

[00:00:02]

I THINK I SPELLED IT WRONG [INAUDIBLE].

[1. CALL TO ORDER]

YES. ITEM NUMBER THREE.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

PLEASE STAND. GO AHEAD.

ITEM NUMBER FOUR, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.

[4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

WOULD YOU CALL A VOTE, PLEASE? YES.

ITEM NUMBER FIVE.

[5. PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA]

WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.

PLEASE GO UP THERE.

JEAN PUGH, 1552 RUSKIN LANE, CITY OF FERNANDINA BEACH.

CAN YOU HEAR IT? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YEAH. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YEAH. I CAN'T DO ANYTHING.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? YEAH. OKAY.

DID YOU HEAR HER? OKAY.

IS THAT BETTER? OKAY.

I'M REALLY JUST.

OKAY. THAT'S OKAY.

OKAY, GOOD.

SINCE MY NEWEST INTEREST HAS MOVED NOW FROM PICKLEBALL TO PÉTANQUE I'VE TAKEN SOME INTEREST IN WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE IN THE WORLD OF PÉTANQUE. AND I'M REALLY JUST COMING HERE TO TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER THERE'S BEEN DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN GIVEN THE NEW PLAN AT THE RIVERFRONT AND THAT WILL POTENTIALLY DISRUPT SOME THINGS IF THERE'S BEEN TALK ABOUT DOING SOMETHING MORE AT CENTRAL PARK.

YOU KNOW, TRYING TO CLEAN THOSE COURTS UP, EXPANDING THOSE COURTS.

BECAUSE GIVEN THE CURRENT PLAN THAT WILL AFFECT USAGE OF THOSE COURTS.

GIVEN WHAT'S HAPPENING, EVEN THOUGH AND WHO KNOWS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN BY THAT PLAN COMES WHETHER THEY'RE EVEN GOING TO EXIST THE WAY THINGS HAVE BEEN GOING WITH THIS RIVERFRONT. SO I'M REALLY JUST WE'RE JUST REALLY TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IF THERE'S ANYTHING PLANNED FOR CENTRAL PARK, IF THERE'S BEEN ANY THOUGHT GIVEN TO AND I'M ADVOCATING BECAUSE IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN HERE A LONG TIME, THE CLUB ACTUALLY PUT THOSE COURTS IN, I BELIEVE, ORIGINALLY.

SO THE CITY DIDN'T PUT THOSE COURTS IN.

AND IT REALLY IS ANOTHER SPORT THAT CATERS TO AN OLDER POPULATION.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, I CHECKED THE CENSUS, AND WE'RE NOW UP TO ALMOST 37% OF THE POPULATION OF THIS CITY IS OVER 65.

SO IT DOES MEET A NEED OF OLDER PEOPLE AND ACTUALLY YOUNGER PLAY.

BUT IT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT CAN'T RUN AROUND THE TENNIS OR PICKLEBALL OR OTHER COURTS.

SO I'M REALLY JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IF THERE IS ANYTHING THOUGHT GIVEN TO IT.

AND I DON'T KNOW YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES.

BACK WHEN I SAT ON THIS BOARD, THE RIVERFRONT PARK WAS NOT PART OF YOUR DOMAIN, SO I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT IN TERMS OF YOUR INVOLVEMENT AND WHETHER THERE'S BEEN ANY DISCUSSION.

SO IT'S REALLY JUST SEEKING TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHERE PARKS AND REC SITS, WHERE YOU SIT, AND TO KIND OF THROW THAT OUT THERE, THAT IT WOULD REALLY BE IMPORTANT TO HAVE SOMETHING BE DONE TO MAINTAIN THAT AS A RECREATION OPTION FOR RESIDENTS AND SO FORTH.

AND, YOU KNOW, I ASKED FRED TO SIGN UP TOO, BECAUSE I'M SO NEW TO IT.

I DON'T KNOW A LOT OF THINGS THAT YOU MIGHT ASK, QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT ASK.

SO THAT'S IT.

I APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU, BRETT? FRED PUGH, 1552 RUSKIN LANE.

I'M ONLY SPEAKING AS A RESIDENT.

I'VE BEEN A MEMBER OF THE PÉTANQUE ORGANIZATION SINCE 2013, SO I'VE PLAYED A LONG TIME, BUT I DON'T SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THEM.

[00:05:02]

AND RIGHT NOW THE RUMOR MILL IS SAYING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO PULL THE TIMBERS FROM THE PÉTANQUE COURT.

FAILING AT MY JOB.

DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. THAT THEY'RE GOING TO PULL TIMBERS FROM THE PÉTANQUE COURTS AND MAKE IT A FLEX SPACE AND IN MY MIND, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A FLEX SPACE THAT SAID, HEY, DURING THE SHRIMP FESTIVAL, WE'RE GOING TO SET UP A BANDSTAND THERE, AND THEN WHEN IT'S OVER, WE'LL TAKE IT DOWN VERSUS SAYING, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE DRIVING ON THE COURTS. AND I'M SURE YOU CAN APPRECIATE IF YOU TRANSLATE THAT TO OTHER SPORTS, WOULD WE GO AND PARK CARS ON THE BALL FIELDS OR ON THE PICKLEBALL COURTS? I DON'T THINK SO I REALIZE THAT PÉTANQUE IS A LOT OF SAND, BUT IT STILL REQUIRES A CERTAIN BASE.

IN ADDITION TO JEAN'S COMMENTS, THE CURRENT COURTS IN CENTRAL PARK, WHICH WOULD BE AN OPTION TO SHIFT THERE THEY WERE NOT BUILT PROPERLY.

THEY'RE IN DISREPAIR AND THERE AREN'T MANY COURTS THERE.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE SAME QUESTION.

JEAN ASKED, WHAT'S IN THE PLAN? FOR THE PEOPLE. AND JUST ONE LAST COMMENT.

THIS WEEKEND, ON SATURDAYS, IT'S OPEN PLAY.

AND THE TWO OF THE PEOPLE I PLAYED WITH WERE IN THEIR LATE 80S.

AND CANDIDLY, THEY WERE VERY GOOD PLAYERS.

SO THEY'RE OUT THERE COMPETING SERIOUSLY IN THEIR LATE 80S.

THERE'S PEOPLE THAT DO THAT PLAY PICKLEBALL, I'M SURE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, IT IS A PLACE FOR OLDER PEOPLE TO GET OUT AND SOCIALIZE AND HAVE AN ACTIVITY.

SO IT'S THE SAME QUESTION.

IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT WE HAVEN'T READ IN THE PAPER THAT IS BEING PLANNED FOR ADDITIONAL COURT CAPACITY IF WE'RE TAKING THOSE AWAY? IN ESSENCE, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. SCOTT, DO YOU WANT TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, PLEASE? GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY.

SCOTT MICHAELSON, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION.

SO AT THE LAST COMMISSION MEETING THE COMMISSION DID VOTE 4 TO 1 TO PROCEED WITH, I BELIEVE, THE DRAWINGS OR THE ENGINEERING OF THE NEW WATERFRONT PARK.

THERE'S A I THINK A COUPLE QUESTIONS WITHIN THIS IS THE PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE BEFORE IT WENT TO THE COMMISSION DID SUPPORT THE PARK.

I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT DATES OF THAT, BUT IT IS IN THE MINUTES THAT WE VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO SUPPORT THE DRAWINGS OF OR THE CONCEPTUAL IDEA OR THE PLAN OF THE WATERFRONT PARK.

THE ONLY ISSUE THAT WE HAD, I THINK, THAT GOT BROUGHT UP WAS THE AREA FOR A PLAY AREA, WHICH THEN THEY WENT BACK AND CHANGED THAT AREA. I WOULD SAY THAT THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, THINKING FORWARD IS WE WOULD SUPPORT THERE IS ROOM.

WE WOULD SUPPORT THE ADDITION OF ADDITIONAL COURTS AT CENTRAL PARK IF THAT HAD TO COME.

I THINK THE IDEA OF A FLEX PLAN WHERE THE EXISTING PÉTANQUE COURTS ARE IS THAT'S KIND OF WHERE SOME OF THE MAIN QUESTIONS ARE BEING ASKED.

BUT I THINK THE FLEX PLAN WAS MORE OF IF THERE WAS AN EVENT THEY COULD PULL UP THE TIMBERS OR PEOPLE.

THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE.

LET'S JUST SAY THE FARMERS MARKET WERE TO GO THERE OR AN EVENT WHERE THEY IT JUST DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PÉTANQUE ALL THE TIME.

IT'S BEING USED AS A FLEX PLAN.

PEOPLE AREN'T LIKING THAT WORD AS A FLEX PLAN, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE AWAY FROM THE PÉTANQUE PLAYERS.

SO AS OF NOW, THAT'S KIND OF WHERE IT STANDS.

THE COMMISSION DID VOTE 4 TO 1 TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.

THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME OPPOSITION OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S GOING TO WHAT'S GOING TO COME OF THAT.

BUT MY FROM PARKS AND RECREATION STANDPOINT IS I DON'T SEE BASICALLY I THINK THOSE COURTS CAN BE USED BY THE PÉTANQUE PLAYERS WHEN, YOU KNOW, AND MAYBE UNLESS THERE'S LIKE A BIG FISHING TOURNAMENT OR SOMETHING'S GOING TO BE DOWN THERE, BUT FOR MOST OF THE TIME THEY CAN BE USED BY PÉTANQUE.

BUT THEN IF THERE ARE OTHER EVENTS, IT'S BEING USED AS A FLEX OPTION.

THE PARKING, THE IDEA OF PARKING.

WE'RE NOT LOSING ANY PARKING DOWN THERE EITHER.

[00:10:03]

IT WAS MORE OF THEY CAN BE USED MULTI-USE.

SO DOES THAT KIND OF ANSWER THE QUESTIONS? I RESPOND.

YEAH, I GUESS MY RESPONSE WOULD BE, IT'S INTERESTING.

I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE WATERFRONT.

IN MY PERSONAL OPINION, BEING A FLEX SPACE, THAT DOESN'T MEAN PARKING ON IT, RIGHT? IF YOU NEED IT FOR THE SHRIMP FESTIVAL, I GET IT.

BUT GIVEN THE AGING OF THE RESIDENTS THE CONDITION OF OTHER OPTIONS, THE CENTRAL PARK COURTS ARE CANDIDLY IN TERRIBLE CONDITION.

THEY WERE NEVER BUILT PROPERLY TO BEGIN WITH AND THERE'S NOT ENOUGH OF THEM, GIVEN THE SIZE OF THE CLUB TODAY, TO DO IT.

SO WE'RE BUILDING WE'VE BUILT PICKLEBALL COURTS, WE'RE BUILDING NEW SOCCER FIELDS.

WE KEEP INVESTING.

I JUST THINK THIS IN MY OPINION, THIS SHOULD BE ON THE AGENDA TO CONSIDER MAKING AN INVESTMENT.

IT'S NOWHERE NEAR THE COST OF BUILDING PICKLEBALL COURTS, BUT IT'S STILL SHOULD HAVE A DEDICATED SPACE.

SO. SO TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, I WOULD LIKE TO YOU KNOW, WE CAN BRING THIS BACK TO THE TO YOU GUYS IN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO.

THERE IS DEPENDING ON HOW ON HOW THIS GOES AT THE WATERFRONT.

PARKS AND REC WOULD SUPPORT MORE, MORE OR ADDITIONAL PETANQUE COURTS AT CENTRAL PARK AND EVEN FIXING UP THE ONES THAT ARE THERE AND MAKING SO THEY CAN BE USED.

BUT THAT GOES INTO I MEAN, THAT COULD GO WE COULD DO THAT AS WELL AS THE WATERFRONT AT THE SAME TIME TOO.

JUST IF I COULD JUST [INAUDIBLE].

WHY DON'T YOU COME UP HERE? I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN DOWN TO THOSE COURTS OR HAVE WATCHED ANYBODY PLAY, BUT THE TIMBERS HAVE A PURPOSE.

THEY'RE NOT JUST A BORDER IT ACTUALLY HAS A PURPOSE IN PLAY THAT IF BALLS HIT IT, THEY'RE CONSIDERED OUT BECAUSE THE NATURE OF THE GAME IS THE BALLS COULD BE OUT OF THEY'RE OUT OF PLAY IF THEY HIT IT.

SO IT ISN'T JUST ESTHETICS.

IT ACTUALLY HAS A FUNCTION WITHIN THE PLAYING OF THE GAME.

AND IF THEY'RE NOT, IF THEY WEREN'T THERE PERMANENTLY, IT WOULD DEMEAN IT WOULD JUST IT WOULD BE LIKE TAKING THE BASES AWAY FROM BASEBALL AS A COMPARISON. SO THAT WAS THE ONLY OTHER JUST AS A POINT OF UNDERSTANDING AND SCOTT, YOU KNOW, REMEMBER WE DID THE AND I DON'T KNOW TOM, IF YOU WERE ON WHEN WE DID REDID THE MASTER WRECK PLAN AND WE DID THE EVALUATIONS OF THE PARK AND I DID CENTRAL PARK AND EVEN THE PICNIC TABLE DOWN THERE IS IN EXTREME DISREPAIR.

I MEAN, THERE'S PIECES OF WOOD BROKEN OFF OF IT.

SO NOT AND I DON'T THINK THE CLUB HAS BEEN PARTICULARLY ACTIVE IN COMING AND TRYING TO PRESENT THEIR CASE.

AND I COME FROM A LITTLE DIFFERENT MENTALITY THAT I'M SEEKING TO UNDERSTAND AND I'M HOPING, YOU KNOW, TO PROVIDE THIS COMMITTEE WITH SOME INFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE TO WORK WITH AND I APPRECIATE YOU GIVING US THE TIME TO PRESENT THAT TO YOU.

THANK YOU. OKAY, SO I CAN ADDRESS IF YOU GUYS WANT TO, AND YOU GUYS CAN HAVE THIS DISCUSSION NOW, I WOULD BE MORE THAN WILLING TO BRING IT BACK TO MAYBE WE CAN START PLANNING IF, DEPENDING ON HOW THE WATERFRONT DISCUSSION GOES, WHAT OUR REACTION WOULD BE OR HOW WE CAN BRING A FACILITY FOR PETANQUE DEPENDING ON HOW THE WATERFRONT MOVES FORWARD. SO YOU GUYS, IF YOU WANT TO DISCUSS IT AND THEN LET YOU KNOW, JUST LET ME KNOW.

OBVIOUSLY I'LL BE LISTENING.

YEAH. I'VE HAD A COUPLE OF CONVERSATIONS WITH COMMISSIONER ROSS ABOUT THIS EARLY ON WHEN SOME OF THE DISCUSSIONS, BECAUSE I WASN'T CLEAR, I DIDN'T I WASN'T SURE I SUPPORTED HAVING A I HATE TO USE THE WORD SPECIAL INTEREST, BUT AS A LARGE GROUP THAT WOULD JUST BE DEDICATED, A LARGE SPACE JUST DEDICATED TO ONE GROUP.

BUT I FELT COMPELLED TO SUPPORT THE PROJECT WITH THE FLEX SPACE.

AND THE WAY THAT I UNDERSTAND IT, IT'S NOT LIKE, OKAY, SOMETIMES WHEN YOU WANT TO PLAY PÉTANQUE, THE RAILS OR WHATEVER, THERE I DON'T PLAY PÉTANQUE, BUT, I'M INTERESTED TO LEARN ABOUT IT.

WHATEVER THE RAILS ARE CALLED IS THAT THEY WOULD BE THERE UNLESS SOMETHING ELSE WOULD BE GOING ON AND THEN THEY WOULD BE REMOVED TO ALLOW FOR THAT AND NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND.

LIKE THAT WOULD JUST BE EMPTY.

THEY WOULD AND IF I'M WRONG, THAT'S THE WAY THAT I UNDERSTOOD IT.

THAT'S THE WAY I HEARD IT.

YES. SO ALSO THERE WAS A LOT OF OPPOSITION.

[00:15:03]

I DID HEAR ONE SUGGESTION THAT I THOUGHT WAS A GOOD SUGGESTION.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF THE PÉTANQUE COURTS AT THE WATERFRONT IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN AND IT NEVER HAPPENED.

RIGHT. IF THAT GETS NIXED OR WHATEVER, I WOULD FULLY SUPPORT MAKING THE CENTRAL PARK COURTS MORE ROBUST AND NICER TO BE PLAYED THERE.

AND TO YOUR POINT, IT'S NOT JUST IN THE CITY THAT THE AVERAGE AGE IS MORE THAN 65.

IT'S THE LARGEST PORTION OF OUR COUNTY IS OLDER THAN 65.

AND ONE THING THAT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IS IF IT WASN'T JUST OLDER PEOPLE AND MAYBE THE CLUB COULD PUT TOGETHER AN EVENT TO KIND OF RECRUIT SOME KIDS, MAYBE HAVE A SATURDAY TO INVITE SOME KIDS OUT AND SHOW A YOUNGER GROUP OF PEOPLE WHAT PÉTANQUE IS ABOUT AND GET IT, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A HUGE EVENT THAT COMES HERE ANNUALLY.

IT'S A BIG ECONOMIC DRIVER FOR THE CITY.

I KNOW THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE IT, EVEN PEOPLE WHO DON'T PLAY ENJOY ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT COME.

I THINK IT'S A REAL OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO PREPARE THE NEXT GENERATION FOR WHY WE SHOULD BE SUPPORTING PÉTANQUE AND OTHER SPORTS LIKE THAT.

SO I WOULD CERTAINLY, IN THE SHORT TERM SUPPORT THAT.

AND I'D LIKE US TO HAVE A LONGER TERM PLAN.

THAT'S ONE OF MY BIGGEST CRITICISMS, IS I FEEL LIKE WE'RE PLANNING TO DO THINGS RIGHT NOW THAT WE GO DO, BUT NOT PLANNING LONG, MUCH LONGER TERM.

SO LET'S THINK ABOUT HOW WE COULD REALLY MAKE THAT A THING IN THE PARK.

I THINK IT'S NICE AND SHADY UP THERE.

WE'VE GOT PARKING THAT EXISTS UP THERE FOR PEOPLE, AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF DECENT HANDICAP PARKING FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN'T WALK LONG PLACES.

SO I WOULD SUPPORT THAT, I WILL GO AND FIND SOMEBODY.

MAYBE I'LL GET SHIPPED TO TAKE ME OUT AND SHOW ME WHAT THE RULES OF PÉTANQUE ARE.

BUT I THINK WE SHOULD DEFINITELY WORK TO GET OTHER PEOPLE ENGAGED.

SO THANK YOU FOR COMING.

DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SAY? NO. YES.

FRED AND JEAN, THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE BATON AREAS ARE TAKEN CARE OF, HAVING THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS HERE IS SOMETHING SPECIAL. AND I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE REALIZE HOW SPECIAL THAT IS.

SO I DON'T KNOW HOW WHAT THE DEPENDING ON THE WATERFRONT HAS TO DO WITH WHAT GOES ON DOWN IN CENTRAL PARK TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE FACILITIES DOWN THERE AS A SAFETY CONCERN.

MORE THAN ANYTHING, I DON'T UNDERSTAND IF THERE'S PARKING IN THAT AREA, DOES SOMEBODY COME BACK AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE IN A SAND TRAP.

YOU KNOW, YOU GOT A RAKE, YOU GOT TO CLEAN IT BACK UP.

SO IF THERE'S AN EVENT, DOES SOMEONE COME AROUND PARKS HAVE COME BY AND HAVE TO STRAIGHTEN IT OUT AFTER AN EVENT.

SINCE IT'S A NEW FLEX SITUATION I WOULD HATE.

RIGHT NOW WE HAVE THE BASEBALL FIELD IS USED AS A FLEX.

ALSO, ONE OF THE BASEBALL FIELDS FOR THE LITTLE KIDS IS USED AS A FLEX AREA.

I REMEMBER US HAVING TO PUT UP A FENCE EVERY YEAR, TAKE DOWN THAT FENCE BECAUSE THEY WERE GOING TO DO FOOTBALL AND WHATEVER.

I DON'T SEE THAT FOR PÉTANQUE.

I MEAN, THAT'S A GREAT PRACTICE AREA.

AS WHAT? I WAS TOLD AND ONE TIME I MET THIS GUY WHO WAS THE BEST IN THE WORLD IN THIS GAME.

FOR SOME REASON, HE WAS SITTING NEXT TO ME.

WE STARTED TALKING AND HE SAID, YOU GUYS HAVE SOMETHING SPECIAL HERE AND I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT AND THAT WAS FIVE YEARS AGO THAT GUY TOLD ME THAT.

AND SO I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR OUR CITY TO MAKE SURE THAT FERNANDINA BEACH IS KNOWN TO HAVE THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN PETANQUE AND TO RECRUIT KIDS.

THAT IS THE THING THAT WE NEED TO DO.

SO I JUST WANTED TO ADD A COUPLE A COUPLE ITEMS IS AT THE LAST COMMISSION MEETING, THERE WERE INDIVIDUALS FROM THE PETANQUE GROUP, I BELIEVE, POSSIBLY THE INCOMING PRESIDENT, POSSIBLY THAT DID SUPPORT THE IDEA OF A FLEX PLAN DOWN THERE WHERE IT COULD WORK.

IT COULD WORK FOR BOTH.

I DON'T KNOW IF NECESSARILY THE WHOLE DRIVING ASPECT ON IT, BUT MORE OF THE PEOPLE SETTING UP IF VIEWING FOR THE PAVILION

[00:20:04]

SO NOT NECESSARILY THE, THE DRIVING ASPECT.

SO AND THE FEELING THAT I GOT FROM THE PETANQUE GROUP, AND I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR THEM, THAT THEY WERE IN SUPPORT AND WOULD BE HAPPY DOING A FLEX PLAN WITH THE WATERFRONT PARK.

SO IN THE IDEA THAT IT DID GET VOTED 4 TO 1 FROM THE COMMISSIONERS TO MOVE FORWARD.

SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, THAT IS MOVING FORWARD.

I THINK US WE CAN START THE CONVERSATION OF THE COURTS AT CENTRAL PARK.

GOOD ENOUGH.

CAN WE REDO THOSE IN-HOUSE? SHOULD WE FIX THEM UP? IT'S NOT A TON OF MONEY AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DO IN-HOUSE.

SO WE MIGHT WANT TO LOOK AT THAT AS WELL.

HEY, SCOTT, ONE OF THE COMMENTS THAT I HEARD THAT WAS PRETTY, THAT I THOUGHT WAS A GREAT IDEA WAS, WELL, I'LL SAY A PORTION OF THE COMMENT WAS A GREAT IDEA BECAUSE THIS PERSON WAS SAYING THAT THE PETANQUE SHOULDN'T BE DOWN THERE AT ALL, AND THAT WE SHOULD MAKE IT REALLY ROBUST AT CENTRAL PARK BECAUSE IT WOULD DRIVE THE EVENT.

THE CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT WOULD DRIVE PEOPLE TOWARDS THAT OTHER END OF CENTER STREET AND TO THE BUSINESSES UP THERE.

SO MAYBE EVEN IF WE HAVE IT AT THE WATERFRONT, IF WE MAKE THAT MORE ROBUST DURING THAT EVENT, THAT COULD BE SOMEWHERE WHERE SOME KIND OF EVENTS COULD BE HELD.

YOU KNOW, IF THERE ARE LIKE PRELIMINARY TRIALS OR I DON'T KNOW HOW YOUR TOURNAMENT WORKS OR WHATEVER, BUT THAT PEOPLE COULD BE PLAYING UP THERE AS WELL.

IF THOSE COURTS ARE NICE ENOUGH DURING THAT WEEKEND THAT EVERYBODY'S HERE.

SO YEAH AND I KNOW ONE OF THE MAIN PUSHES FOR THE DOWNTOWN AREA FOR THE PETANQUE AND THAT TOURNAMENT IS LOGISTICS AND PEOPLE FLYING FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. AND THEY STAY RIGHT DOWNTOWN AND THEY WALK TO EVERYTHING.

GRANTED, WALKING TO CENTRAL PARK IS NOT THAT FAR, BUT I KNOW FOR THAT TOURNAMENT, JUST FOR THAT TOURNAMENT ALONE, THERE IS A BIG PUSH TO HAVE IT DOWN HERE.

I'M JUST THINKING MAYBE THEY COULD HAVE ADDITIONAL THINGS WITHIN THAT EVENT.

THAT COULD BE WHERE THEY COULD HAVE ACTIVITIES AT THE CENTRAL PARK PETANQUE COURTS.

ALSO DURING THAT EVENT, IF THEY WERE IN A CONDITION THAT WAS WORTHY OF TOURNAMENT TYPE.

DO YOU WANT COMMISSIONER ROSS TO SAY A FEW WORDS? LET COMMISSIONER ROSS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO APPROACH? I WOULD, THANK YOU.

I WOULD INDEED.

[INAUDIBLE] 210 NORTH THIRD STREET.

IT'S AMAZING HOW MUCH MISINFORMATION THERE IS OUT THERE.

LET ME ADDRESS A COUPLE OF ISSUES, THEN SOMETHING GENERAL.

NUMBER ONE, THE CLUB ALREADY HAS 2 OR 3 TIMES A YEAR.

THEY GO OUT TO THE HIGH SCHOOL AND PLAY PETANQUE WITH KIDS.

AND ONE OF THE FRENCH TEACHERS OUT THERE IS IN THE CLUB, AND SO WE'RE ALREADY DOING THAT.

THAT'S NUMBER ONE. NUMBER TWO, IN THE PAST THEY TRIED PUTTING STUFF OUT AT CENTRAL PARK AND THERE WAS HUGE PUSHBACK.

PEOPLE FROM OUT OF TOWN DON'T WANT TO GO OUT THERE.

THEY'RE COMING HERE TO BE DOWNTOWN.

THAT'S WHY THEY COME HERE.

THEY WANT TO GO OUT TO CENTRAL PARK.

SO, I MEAN, THEY TRIED THAT TWO YEARS IN A ROW AND IT WAS AN UTTER FAILURE.

SO I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT AGAIN.

I MEAN, I'M NOT THE ONE IN CHARGE OF THAT, BUT IT'S HIGHLY UNLIKELY TO DO THAT AGAIN.

THEY EVEN TRIED TO PUT SOME OF THE GAMES UP AT BROOME STREET, AND THAT DIDN'T WORK OUT TOO WELL EITHER.

SO THAT I MEAN, IF YOU WANT THAT TOURNAMENT, IT'S GOT TO BE A DOWNTOWN TOURNAMENT.

INSIDE, PETANQUE IS A GAME THAT IN FRANCE IS PLAYED ON A GRAVEL PARKING LOT.

MOST OF THE TIME THERE ARE NO COURTS.

IT'S JUST A GRAVEL PARKING LOT.

AMERICANS LIKE TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE EDGED IN SO THEY CAN BUMP SOMETHING OR SOMETHING, BUT IT'S NOT THE WAY IT'S PLAYED.

THOSE COURTS HAVE BEEN THERE SINCE 2009.

I'M TRYING I THINK ALLERGIES, I THINK, ARE BOTHERING ME SO TALKING FUNNY.

THE COURTS HAVE BEEN THERE SINCE 2009.

NOBODY'S COMPLAINED.

NOBODY. I MEAN, AND EVERY WEEKEND, 50 OR 60 PEOPLE FROM ABOUT APRIL FROM OCTOBER TO APRIL, GO DOWN THERE AND PLAY PÉTANQUE.

THERE'S PEOPLE DOWN THERE EVERY AFTERNOON IN SUMMERTIME.

ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IN THIS PARK IS IT'S HOT AS HELL AND IT'S FULL OF BUGS.

SO, I MEAN, I'VE SPENT HUNDREDS OF HOURS DOWN THERE AND THERE'S NOBODY ELSE SO THAT THEY WANT TO DO SOMETHING ELSE THERE OR SOMETHING ELSE.

[00:25:03]

WELL, THERE'S PROBABLY IN THE BATON CLUB, I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBER, BUT THERE'S 40 OR 50 PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE CITY.

TOO MANY PEOPLE HAVE OWNED SLIPS IN THE MARINA WHO LIVE IN THE CITY.

YOU SAID ANYTHING BUT THREE.

YOU'D BE WRONG. SO, I MEAN, WE HAVE THIS HUGE THING THAT WE'RE SUBSIDIZING BY $1 MILLION A YEAR, AND WE DIDN'T PUT ANY MONEY AT ALL.

I MEAN, THE BATON CLUB EVERY WEEK, RAKES.

IT TAKES CARE OF ALL THE MAINTENANCE.

THEY WEED IT, THEY DO ALL THOSE THINGS.

SO THE CITY, IF THEY SPEND $500 A YEAR ON THAT, IT'S PROBABLY EXTRAORDINARY, AS OPPOSED TO WELL OVER $1 MILLION A YEAR IN TAXPAYER MONEY TO SUBSIDIZE THE MARINA.

SO THIS WHOLE THING BLEW UP AS I THINK IT'S A TEMPEST IN A TEAPOT.

IT'S GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH PÉTANQUE.

IT'S GOT TO DO WITH THEY WANT MORE PARKING.

AND THAT IF YOU READ THROUGH ALL THE EMAILS, BELIEVE ME, I HAVE.

AND ALL THE STUFF, I DON'T GO ON FACEBOOK, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE SAYING.

IT'S ABOUT PARKING.

AND WE CHANGED THAT FROM INDUSTRIAL WATERFRONT, WHICH REQUIRED NO PARKING REQUIREMENTS TO PARKS AND RECREATION, WHICH REQUIRES PARKING.

AND THE PARKING REQUIREMENT IS ONE SPACE PER 1000FT² OF ACTIVE RECREATIONAL SPACE. SO THERE'S ABOUT 65,000FT² THERE AND 65 PARKING LOTS, MORE PARKING SPACES, MORE OR LESS.

AND THEN IF YOU GO DOWN ON SECTION F, IT SAYS YOU CAN'T HAVE MORE THAN 10%.

SO 10% OF 65 IS 6.5.

WE'LL GIVE IT SEVEN. THAT GIVES YOU 71 PARKING SPACES.

SO FOR THAT AREA YOU CAN ONLY HAVE 71 PARKING SPACES AND THIS PARK HAS TO GO THROUGH THE TRC AND THAT'S ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT. IT HAS TO MEET THE PARKING REQUIREMENTS JUST AS EVERYTHING ELSE WE DO DOES.

SO THIS IS REALLY ABOUT MORE PARKING FOR A MARINA THAN IT IS ABOUT PÉTANQUE.

THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ENJOY PÉTANQUE.

THEY GO THERE, THEY DON'T BOTHER ANYBODY.

THEY'RE NICE PEOPLE AND THEY'VE BEEN MADE TO LOOK LIKE SOME MONSTER MINORITY THAT'S OVERRUNNING THE WATERFRONT. THERE'S NOBODY DOWN THERE.

THERE IS NOBODY DOWN THERE.

AND THEN WE GO BACK TO THE WORKING WATERFRONT.

WELL, WHAT WAS BACK DOWN THERE IN THE 1920S? THERE WAS A PHOSPHATE PLANT, PHOSPHATE LOADING TIMBER TIMBER WHARFS WHERE THEY LOADED TIMBER FROM THIS, WHERE THEY WERE CUTTING ALL THE TREES DOWN HERE AND THEN THAT WAS REPLACED BY A BUNCH OF WAREHOUSES.

THE REASON THE MARINA IS WHERE IT IS.

MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IT'S THERE, BECAUSE IF YOU TAKE A PHOTOGRAPH, LOOK AT A PHOTOGRAPH FROM WHEN THE MARINA WAS WAS PUT IN INITIALLY, THAT WAS THE ONLY SPOT THERE WAS. AND IF YOU GO READ THE MINUTES AT THE TIME AND ALL THE INFORMATION AT THE TIME, THEY ALL KNEW IT WAS GOING TO.

DREDGING WAS GOING TO BE NECESSARY.

THEY KNEW THAT, BUT THERE WAS NO PLACE TO PUT IT AND THAT'S WHY IT'S THERE SO I THINK THIS IS MORE ABOUT CERTAIN PEOPLE WANT MORE PARKING FOR THEIR MARINA THAN THEY DO OTHER THINGS.

THIS IS A REALLY NICE PLAN.

IT WAS COME UP TO, NOT BY ME OR THIS CITY.

IT'S COME UP BY THE CRA, WHICH ARE ALL CITIZENS.

JUST LIKE YOU CAME UP WITH THIS PLAN.

I THINK THEY SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON IT.

I THINK THEY CAME UP WITH A GOOD PLAN AND SO I WOULD HOPE YOU WOULD SUPPORT IT.

ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE IT.

ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING THEY WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT? NOPE. OKAY.

DO WE WANT TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA FOR TO SEE IT ON THE AGENDA? YES. LET ME JUST TELL YOU HOW THIS IS GOING TO WORK.

OH, I THINK IT'S GOING TO WORK.

OKAY. ROUND TWO.

HOW I THINK THIS IS GOING TO WORK.

IT'S NOW GONE UP TO THE ENGINEERING COMPANY.

THEY'RE GOING TO COME BACK WITH A THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE THE CITY CONCEPT PLAN AND TURN IT INTO THEIR CONCEPT PLAN.

OKAY. AND THEN I CAN COME BACK AND THEN WE'LL GO FROM THERE.

SO BEFORE I GOT TOO WORKED UP, COME BACK AND SEE WHAT THEY DO.

ONE OF THE THINGS WITH THAT RAILING THERE IS IT DEFINES THE SPACE.

AND YOU DON'T WANT YOU WANT TO KEEP PEOPLE OFF THE GRASS.

YOU WANT TO DO THAT. AND THOSE CAN BE USED FOR THE BATON COURTS.

SO THERE'S MULTIPLE WAYS OF ENGINEERING THIS.

SO IT APPROACHES AND TAKES CARE OF THE NEEDS OF MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

YEAH I THINK THAT.

WEREN'T WE REALLY ADDRESSING LIKE THE BATON COURTS AT CENTRAL PARK.

YEAH I THINK WE'RE I MEAN I DON'T THINK ANYBODY'S QUESTIONING WHAT THE COMMISSION PERSONALLY I KIND OF LIKE THEM, BUT.

[00:30:06]

THANK YOU. GO AHEAD.

I THINK, YEAH, IF YOU WANT TO PUT IT ON A FUTURE MEETING TO DISCUSS, MAYBE REACH OUT TO THE CLUB AND SEE WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE WHAT'S NEEDED, IN THEIR OPINION.

I DON'T THINK ANY OF US. IT SOUNDS LIKE OUR PETANQUE EXPERTS TO BE THE ONES TO SAY WHAT'S NEEDED OUT THERE, AND THEN WE CAN DISCUSS IT.

THEN I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT WOULD BE NEEDED.

I HAVEN'T NOTICED THEM REALLY MYSELF.

SO HOW ABOUT THIS IS I'LL JUST KEEP A PULSE ON ON THIS PROCESS OF GOING THROUGH THE WATERFRONT.

I CAN ALWAYS MEET WITH FRED AS WELL.

AND TAKE A LOOK AT CENTRAL PARK AND LET'S JUST AND THEN I THINK AND I'M GOING TO KEEP THIS IN THE BACK OF MY MIND AS WE GO THROUGH THE WATERFRONT PROCESS, THAT THE POSSIBILITY AT CENTRAL PARK MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS.

OKAY. AND THEN AT THAT POINT, IF I WILL BRING IT BACK TO YOU IN THE FUTURE, WELL, MAYBE I MISUNDERSTOOD.

I MEAN, I WAS HEARING THAT THE PARKS, THE PETANQUE COURTS AT CENTRAL PARK NEED HELP.

I MEAN, THEY'RE ALREADY SO INDEPENDENT OF WHAT IS HAPPENING AT THE WATER.

OKAY. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

YEAH, WE'RE SAYING THE SAME THING.

I WANT TO MEET WITH FRED POSSIBLY THERE OR THE GROUP THERE AND SAY, HEY, WHAT CAN YOU KNOW, WHAT DO WE WHAT CAN WE DO? HERE'S WHAT I THINK WE CAN DO TO BRING THOSE UP.

AT THE SAME TIME THE WATERFRONT PROCESS IS GOING THROUGH.

BUT KEEP A PULSE ON THAT KNOWING LIKE, HEY, WE YOU KNOW, WE MIGHT HAVE TO EXPAND HERE IF WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IF IT WERE TO EVER GET NIXED AT THE WATER.

CORRECT. OKAY. YEAH.

I THINK HAVING A LONG TERM PLAN FOR THAT IN CASE THAT DOES HAPPEN WOULD BE GOOD.

YEAH. SO YOU'RE NOT THROWING SO WE'RE LOOKING AFTER BAD IF WE HAVE TO SWITCH GEARS BECAUSE I THINK IT SHOULD BE. AND IS THERE ROOM UP THERE.

WHAT IS [INAUDIBLE] JUST DOESN'T NECESSARILY RELATE TO THE PETANQUE.

BUT IT SEEMS LIKE IS THERE STILL A BACKSTOP THERE AT CENTRAL PARK.

NO, SO IT'S IT SITS JUST TO THE SOUTH OF VETERANS PARK AND BASICALLY JUST TO THE NORTH OF THE PARKING THAT GOES INTO THE PARK.

AND THEN THERE'S THE FOOTBALL FIELD A LITTLE BIT FURTHER TO THE, I SHOULD SAY, JUST TO THE FOOTBALL FIELDS JUST TO THE SOUTH THEN.

BECAUSE IF THAT NEEDED TO BE EXPANDED, I MEAN, THERE WOULD BE ROOM THERE TO DO THAT BACKSTOP DOESN'T REALLY GET USED FOR ANYTHING, DOES IT? SO THAT BACKSTOP THAT I BELIEVE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WAS REMOVED.

OH, OKAY. YES.

I MEAN, I'VE BEEN THERE LATELY, BUT I JUST HAVEN'T THOUGHT ABOUT THE BACKSTOP.

BUT IT SO, I MEAN, THERE COULD POTENTIALLY BE MORE SPACE THERE COULD POTENTIALLY BE MORE SPACE THERE.

YES. OKAY.

THANK YOU. SO IF THE PLAN DOES THAT'S GOING THROUGH WE'RE SAYING THAT'S GOING THROUGH IS VOTED 4-1.

IT'S GOING OUT TO AN ENGINEERING FIRM TO CREATE THE DESIGN I BELIEVE.

AND THEN THERE'LL BE I'M ASSUMING AT THAT POINT THERE'LL BE CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS GETTING A PRICE OF EXACTLY HOW MUCH IT IS.

YES. THAT'S WHERE THAT PROCESS IS GOING.

IT'S MOVING FORWARD BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE CENTRAL PARK IS UP TO PAR WITH WHAT NEEDS TO BE THERE AND IT'S APPROPRIATE AND AT THE SAME TIME, WORKING THROUGH THE PROCESS DOWN THERE.

SEEING WELL, MAYBE WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING.

CAN WE, INSTEAD OF BEING UP TO PAR, CAN WE BE ABOVE PAR? OF COURSE MAYBE.

PUT A ROOF OVER IT.

YOU KNOW, WELL, PUT A ROOF OVER IT AND I THINK THEY LIKE CENTRAL PARK.

THERE'S A LOT. THERE'S A COUPLE LARGE OAK TREES THAT ACTUALLY COVER IT.

OKAY. YEAH. CASE IT RAINS.

THEY CAN STILL PRACTICE SHADE STRUCTURE.

YEAH. I MEAN, A TOP NOTCH FACILITY.

IF WE'RE SAYING YOU WANT TO BE PAR, I SAY WE GO ABOVE THAT I WOULD SAY IS WHAT I'M SAYING.

IF IT WERE TO GET NIXED FOR WHATEVER REASON AT THE WATER PARK, AND THEN WE HAD TO MAKE SOMETHING SUBSTANTIAL AT CENTRAL PARK OR WHEREVER, I WOULD SUPPORT SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT NOT AS A I WOULDN'T BE IN FAVOR OF THAT KIND OF EXPENSE AND MAINTENANCE.

YEAH. I THINK FOR A ESPECIALLY HEARING THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO USE IT FOR THEIR TOURNAMENT.

RIGHT, RIGHT. WE MAY BE GETTING AHEAD OF OURSELVES JUST A LITTLE BIT.

RIGHT. YEAH, WITHOUT A DOUBT.

WE JUST WANT TO SHOW WE SUPPORT.

YES, THE DEPARTMENT I KNOW YOU ALL SUPPORT IT.

[00:35:02]

YEAH. OKAY.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR COMING.

HAVE A GOOD EVENING.

GOOD TALK. THANK YOU.

[INAUDIBLE]. OKAY.

NUMBER SIX, 6.1 SUNSETTING OF ARTS AND CULTURE OF NASSAU BOARD.

[6.1 Sunsetting Of Arts And Culture Nassau Board (Discuss Possible Duties Added To Parks And Recreation Advisory Committee)]

SO THIS IS OUR THE DISCUSSION PART OF OUR MEETING IS NORMALLY THE MEAT AND POTATOES.

THERE WASN'T A WHOLE LOT TO COME TOWARDS THE BOARD TONIGHT, BUT I DO LIKE MEETING I DON'T WANT TO I WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO GET IN FRONT OF YOU GUYS.

SO I DIDN'T WANT I BASICALLY MY POINT IS, I DIDN'T WANT TO KIND OF JUST CANCEL THE MEETING.

I THOUGHT I DID HAVE SOME IMPORTANT ITEMS TO BRING BEFORE YOU.

SO THIS FIRST ONE IS ABOUT SUNSETTING ARTS AND CULTURE.

NASSAU BOARD.

IT IS ANOTHER ADVISORY BOARD THAT PARKS AND RECREATION IS THE STAFF LIAISON TO.

THAT'S MORE FOR YOUR SITUATIONAL AWARENESS.

ON MARCH 19TH, THE CITY COMMISSION HAS AN AGENDA ITEM THAT BASICALLY THAT BOARD VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO SUNSET. NOW THEY CAN'T SUNSET THEMSELVES.

THE COMMISSION HAS TO FORMALLY APPROVE THE SUNSETTING.

WHERE THIS COMES INTO YOUR PURVIEW WOULD BE THAT AND I BELIEVE KATIE HAS THIS UP HERE.

THERE IS AN ORDINANCE WITHIN THE CITY THAT THEY ARE IN CHARGE OF PERMANENT AND TEMPORARY ART WITHIN THE CITY.

SO THERE IS A CHANCE THAT AND I DON'T KNOW RIGHT NOW, BUT THERE IS A CHANCE THAT COULD POSSIBLY FALL UNDER PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE, SO WHAT I'M ASKING YOU TO DO MORE SO THIS MONTH IS READ THROUGH THIS DOCUMENT.

BECAUSE AS WE PROCEED AND WHAT THE CITY COMMISSION DECIDES, THIS COULD BE AN ITEM THAT FALLS UNDER YOUR WATCH.

SO BASICALLY, IF ANYONE DID HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ THROUGH IT ALREADY AS IT WAS IN YOUR PACKET, I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS NOW. IF YOU HAVEN'T, ALL I'M ASKING IS THAT YOU PLEASE READ IT THIS NEXT MONTH.

AND, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN OBVIOUSLY ASK QUESTIONS IN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO, A COUPLE EXAMPLES OF LIKE, YEAH, PERMANENT ART INSTALLATIONS THAT ARE LIKE, [INAUDIBLE].

YEAH, THAT IS ONE.

SO A COUPLE EXAMPLES OF TEMPORARY AND PERMANENT ART AND IT'S NOT A LOT OF THIS STUFF ISN'T EVEN THAT ACTIVE.

IT COULD BECOME ACTIVE.

THERE WERE A FEW ITEMS IN A FEW OF THE POCKET PARKS ONE NOT THE POCKET PARK WHAT WE CALL THE ANCHOR POCKET PARK, I THINK, WHICH IS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF ATLANTIC, BUT THE ONE THAT WAS JUST A LITTLE BIT TO THE WEST.

IT'S A SMALLER AREA.

WE WERE ALLOWED TO USE THAT AS A POCKET PARK, AND IT WAS AN AREA THAT HAD TEMPORARY ART ONE TIME.

SO BASICALLY, WE COULD GET MORE INVOLVED IN THIS SETTING WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TEMPORARY ART THROUGHOUT THE CITY WHERE WE WOULD HAVE PERMANENT ART THROUGH THE CITY.

AND BASICALLY MY POINT IS A LOT OF THIS ISN'T HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.

THERE'S NOT A LOT OF TIMES WHERE PEOPLE ACTUALLY SUBMIT TO HAVE PERMANENT OR TEMPORARY ART.

BUT IT COULD AND WE COULD GROW THIS PROGRAM.

WE DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF WE BASICALLY HAVEN'T HAD SINCE THIS HAS BEEN PUT IN PLACE.

WE'VE NEVER HAD A PERMANENT ART STRUCTURE.

HOW LONG HAS THIS BEEN IN PLACE? THIS IS PROBABLY [INAUDIBLE]. 2012.

THERE'S A DATE [INAUDIBLE].

YEAH. I DON'T KNOW IF IT HAS THE NUMBER ON HERE.

RIGHT THERE. 2012, 03 AT THE END.

YEAH. SO IS THERE AN APPLICATION THAT NEEDS TO BE SUBMITTED? YEAH. 20, 20, 12.

YES. SO THERE IS AN APPLICATION TEMPORARY ART GOES TO CURRENTLY WOULD GO TO ARTS AND CULTURE NASSAU PERMANENT ART ACTUALLY HAS TO GET APPROVED THROUGH THE CITY COMMISSION.

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PERMANENT AS FAR AS.

YEAH SO TEMPORARY ART IS FOR ONE YEAR PERMANENT ART WOULD BE IT'S IN PLACE SO FOR OR GO AHEAD

[00:40:05]

ARE THEY ART DOWN BY THE RAILROAD STATION.

YEAH. SO THAT ACTUALLY DID NOT GO THROUGH.

THAT DID NOT GO THROUGH.

THAT'S JUST THE BUILDING. RIGHT.

IT'S ON.

THEY'RE ON THE BUILDING.

IT'S PART OF THE BUTTERFLY GARDEN.

YEAH. I THINK I ALL I KNOW IS THAT DIDN'T GO BEFORE, LIKE, BE LIKE THE BULL.

MARINA. YEAH. THE BULL.

THE BULL CAME BEFORE ARTS AND CULTURE NASSAU.

AND WHERE MAINLY WHERE THIS CAME INTO PLACE WAS WHEN THE SHRIMP CAME TO TOWN.

THE SHRIMP THE SHRIMP, SOME PEOPLE WERE FOR IT.

SOME PEOPLE DIDN'T LIKE IT.

GOT IT. SO THIS IS BASICALLY AN ORDINANCE THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE AREN'T EVEN AWARE OF.

BUT I ALSO WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF IT.

IF ARTS AND CULTURE DOES SUNSET SOME OF THIS STUFF OR IT'S BASICALLY A CONVERSATION TO BE HAD.

OKAY. SO PLEASE JUST READ IT IF YOU GET A CHANCE AND THEN IF THERE ARE MORE QUESTIONS NEXT MONTH, PLEASE, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

QUICK QUESTION. YEAH. THE WAY I AND I DID READ IT, THE WAY I READ IT, PEOPLE COME TO THE BOARD ASKING TO THE BOARD DOESN'T REACH OUT AND SAY, HEY, LET'S DO THAT IS CORRECT.

SOMETHING. OKAY.

RIGHT. BUT I THINK US AS A BOARD AND THIS COULD MAYBE BE A SUBCOMMITTEE.

WE COULD TAKE A FURTHER DIVE INTO THIS AND SEE IF THIS IS IF WE WOULD LIKE ANY OF IT CHANGED OR, YOU KNOW, WHERE EXACTLY ARE THE PLACES THAT WE WOULD APPROVE TEMPORARY ART, WHERE THE PLACES WHERE WE WOULD APPROVE PERMANENT ART LIKE, AS A PROACTIVE MEASURE.

AS A PROACTIVE MEASURE.

INCASE SOMEONE CAME.

YES. YEAH.

BUT AT NO POINT WE WOULD BE SEEKING OUT INSTALLATIONS OR WE DON'T.

AT NO POINT. YEAH.

GREAT QUESTION. SO WE HAVE NEVER DONE THAT.

BUT THERE ARE COMMUNITIES THAT ALL RIGHT.

THE CITY IS SEEKING A PERMANENT STRUCTURE AND THE CITY COULD GO OUT IF OBVIOUSLY THAT WOULD GO THROUGH THE COMMISSION AND STUFF.

BUT IF THERE WAS A PLACE THAT THIS GROUP OR THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE FELT LIKE WE WANTED A PERMANENT ART STRUCTURE, WE COULD GO OUT AND WHAT IS IT WHEN YOU CALL FOR ARTISTS COMMISSION, AN ARTIST AND THAT'S PART OF THIS ORDINANCE AS WELL.

OKAY. SOUND GOOD? THANK YOU. 6.2 ALL RIGHT, BOSQUE BELLO.

[6.2 Bosque Bello Cemetery Columbarium (Project History)]

I THINK IT WAS LATE 2019 TO 2020 AND THEN ULTIMATELY IT WENT TO THE COMMISSION AND I BELIEVE OF MARCH OR FEBRUARY OF 2021, AND THE PROJECT FAILED.

IT DID COME THROUGH THE IT DID COME THROUGH PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

THE PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE LIKED THE CONCEPT OR THE IDEA OF A COLUMBARIUM.

CAN YOU TELL US WHAT THAT IS? BECAUSE I DON'T.

YEAH. I'M SORRY. SO A COLUMBARIUM IS WHERE ASHES OR CREMAINS WOULD BE BURIED AT A CEMETERY.

AND I GUESS I SHOULD HAVE HAD PICTURES.

MAYBE YOU COULD PULL ONE UP, KATIE.

REALLY QUICKLY. LIKE A WALL.

IT CAN BE A WALL.

IT CAN BE A LARGE.

PERFECT. IT CAN BE AN ITEM LIKE THAT.

SO BASICALLY WHAT HAPPENED IS THE PROJECT KIND OF MORPHED INTO A EXTREMELY LARGE PROJECT EXPENSIVE.

SO ONE OF THE SO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE SUPPORTED THE IDEA OF A COLUMBARIUM WHERE WE RAN INTO SOME COMPLICATIONS WAS THE PRICE AND WHAT WAS BEING USED FOR THE COLUMBARIUM.

SO WHAT I'M ASKING YOU IS I WANT TO REINTRODUCE THIS IDEA BUT BEFORE I DIVE INTO THE IDEA OF A COLUMBARIUM AGAIN, IS I WANT TO GET YOUR SUPPORT.

I FEEL THE CEMETERY NEEDS IT.

I THINK IF WE PROCEED AND WE PROCEED THE RIGHT WAY, ECONOMICALLY AND MATERIAL WISE, I THINK WE CAN

[00:45:10]

WHAT I WOULD DO IS IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS, I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT TO YOU AND SHOW YOU WHAT SOME OF THE PLANS WERE.

WHY I THINK THEY DIDN'T MAKE IT WHERE THESE PLANS WERE, WHY WE NEED IT. FINANCIAL IMPACTS OF THE CEMETERY.

BUT BEFORE I DO ALL THAT WORK, I JUST WANT TO SEE IF THERE WOULD BE ANY CONCERNS FROM YOU GUYS AS A WHOLE.

I'D BE IN FAVOR OF IT.

IS THERE? YOU'RE IN FAVOR OF IT.

OKAY. IS THERE A DEMAND FOR IT? YES. WELL, I WAS GOING TO SAY THE LAND IS FINITE.

YEAH. MORE PEOPLE ARE MOVING TOWARDS CREMATION BECAUSE OF THE FINANCIAL.

IT'S, YOU KNOW, A LOT LESS EXPENSIVE FOR CREMATION.

ALSO, AGAIN, I CAN'T IMAGINE THERE'S A LOT OF SPACE OVER AT BOSQUE BELLO FOR ANYBODY WHO WANTS A TRADITIONAL, LIKE, IN-GROUND BURIAL.

AND WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THE AGING POPULATION, AND I COULD BRING ALL THOSE STATISTICS TO YOU.

IS, YES.

THERE IS A NEED.

THE LAND IS RUNNING OUT.

WE CURRENTLY HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE PURCHASING TRADITIONAL GRAVES, MEANING A FULL GRAVE, AND THEY'RE PUTTING CREMAINS IN IT WHERE WE COULD. THEN IN TURN, THEY WOULD BE FORCED TO PURCHASE A NICHE OR A NICHE IN THE COLUMBARIUM INSTEAD OF TAKING UP A WHOLE TRADITIONAL LOT.

YOU SAID THAT COST WAS A BARRIER BEFORE.

MAYBE THE MATERIALS.

I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO PRESENT ALL THAT TO US.

MY QUESTION WOULD BE, IS, WOULD THERE BE A WAY TO HAVE THE PROJECT SOMEWHAT SEPARATE FROM NOT FROM THE PROPERTY, BUT SOMEWHAT SEPARATE FROM THE EXISTING BURIAL SITUATION, SO THAT MIGHT QUALIFY FOR IMPACT FEES? YEAH. DO YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? SO THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT IMPACT FEES COULD BE USED, BUT I BELIEVE I CAN PRESENT A CASE WHERE THE NICHES CAN BE, CAN BE PRE-SOLD, WHERE WE WOULDN'T EVEN HAVE TO USE IMPACT FEES.

IN THE CEMETERY.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS, PLEASE? I MEAN, THAT'S ALWAYS THE QUESTION IS, WE CAN DREAM UP ALL THESE.

GREAT. AND I'M NOT SAYING THIS PROJECT, WE CAN COME UP WITH ALL THESE THINGS, BUT THEN HOW DO THEY GET FUNDED? AND I THINK WHEN YOU'RE SPENDING THE KIND OF TIME THAT YOU WOULD NEED TO SPEND ON THIS TO MAKE IT VIABLE, WE NEED TO KNOW, HAVE A GOOD IDEA WHERE SOME MONEY COULD COME FROM? YES AND I CAN PRESENT ALL THOSE AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WHY I BELIEVE IT FAILED PREVIOUSLY WAS HOW LARGE IT BECAME, HOW MUCH AND COMMISSIONER ROSS CAN ADD TO THAT IS HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH IT HOW BIG IT WAS, HOW MUCH IT COST, AND THE MATERIAL THAT WAS BEING USED IN IT, THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE BELIEVE' THAT THE IDEA OR THE NEED OF IT IS THERE.

WITH THAT SAID [IANUDIBLE] 10 NORTH 3RD STREET.

BACK IN THE DAY, WE TOOK A DEEP DIVE INTO THIS.

A COUPLE OF THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE CEMETERY.

NUMBER ONE, THE CITY OWNS THE CEMETERY.

NUMBER TWO, THERE'S SOMETHING CALLED THE PERPETUAL CARE FUND.

THE PERPETUAL CARE FUND HAS $1.3 MILLION.

SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

ONCE THE CITY CAN NO LONGER THE CITY NOW SUPPORTS THE CARE OF THE CEMETERY BY 40%.

IS IT 40%? 40% GOES TO THE PERPETUAL CARE FUND, 60%, 65, 35, 65, 35, WHICH IS WITH 35% GOES TO PERPETUAL CARE AND THE REST GOES TO MAINTENANCE.

ONCE THERE'S NO LONGER ANY GRAVESITES, THE CITY IS ON THE HOOK FOR FUNDING THAT OUT OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS.

ALTHOUGH THEY DON'T NOW, BUT THEY WILL BE.

WHEN I LOOKED AT THIS 2 OR 3 YEARS AGO WE WERE ABOUT 100 GRAVES TO GO AND A COUPLE OF THINGS CAME OUT OF THAT.

NUMBER ONE, IT'S AN ANCIENT CEMETERY AND WHAT THE CITY DESPERATELY NEEDS.

AND IF YOU GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE THERE WAS A LIBRARY, I MEAN, A CEMETERY PLAN, MASTER PLAN.

[00:50:03]

AND IT'S A STUDY TO SAY WHAT WE NEED TO DO WITH THAT ANCIENT, ANCIENT CEMETERY TO PRESERVE IT, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT REALLY DOING ANYTHING NOW.

I MEAN, THAT'S THE REALITY.

AND THAT'S ABOUT SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 50 TO $100,000.

AND THAT COULD BE PAID FROM PERPETUAL CARE FUND.

SO THAT'S THE FIRST THING I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU WOULD ASK SCOTT TO LOOK AT.

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH HOW ARE WE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THAT? IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY, THE CITY'S RESPONSIBILITY.

NUMBER TWO, THERE ARE PLACES WHERE YOU CAN PUT MORE GRAVES AND THAT'S BEEN LOOKED AT IN THE PAST, AND I HOPE THAT WE WOULD LOOK AT THAT AGAIN. AND THEN NUMBER THREE, THE COLUMBARIUM THE ORIGINAL PLANT WAS BY LADDER.

IT WAS LIKE $250,000.

IT WAS PRETTY GRANDIOSE.

IT WAS PRETTY CONTROVERSIAL AT THE TIME.

AND IT GOT DEFEATED.

AND WE'VE BASICALLY DONE IT.

SO THERE IS A NEED FOR THAT AND THEY CAN FORWARD FUND IT.

THERE'S WAYS OF FUNDING IT.

AND WE WERE GOING TO USE IMPACT FEES TO PAY FOR THAT.

SO I WOULD HOPE YOU WOULD DO THREE THINGS.

ONE, LOOK AT HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST TO GET A STUDY FOR SOMEBODY TO COME IN TO.

WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO WITH OUR ANCIENT CEMETERY? NUMBER TWO HOW CAN WE MORE GRAVES IF THAT'S FEASIBLE? FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN IN THE PAST, YOU COULD PUT SEVERAL HUNDRED MORE GRAVES OUT THERE.

AND THEN, NUMBER THREE LOOK AT THE FEASIBILITY OF PUTTING IN A MODEST COLUMBARIUM THAT COULD BE FORWARD FUNDED.

I HAVE A QUESTION.

SURE. DOES THE MONEY THAT WE HAVE ALLOCATED IN THE CEMETERY FUND CAN BE USED FOR THIS? YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE MANY OTHER THINGS.

DEPENDS HOW YOU INTERPRET IT BUT I THINK SO.

OKAY. THE WAY I INTERPRETED IT, I'M SURE SOMEBODY COULD INTERPRET IT DIFFERENTLY.

BUT I THINK YOU CAN USE THAT MONEY TOO BECAUSE WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO IS TAKE CARE OF THE CEMETERY.

WELL, EXACTLY.

BUT I THINK THE MAINTENANCE PART IS HAVING THIS VERSUS I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT PERPETUAL CARE TAKING CARE OF MAINTENANCE.

WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS FINDING OUT EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED TO DO WITH THOSE OLD GRAVES, BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL FALLING APART.

I MEAN, YOU GO UP THERE.

I MEAN, A LOT OF THEM ARE.

THEY'RE GOING AWAY.

ONCE THEY'RE GONE.

SO AND THAT'S BEEN ON THEIR MASTER PLAN FOR YEARS.

OKAY. SO I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT TAKING THAT MONEY AND USING IT FOR MAINTENANCE.

I KNOW I GET IT, I'M TALKING ABOUT COMING UP WITH A PLAN NOW HOW YOU FUND THAT PLAN, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT IT.

BUT IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PLAN IS, YOU CAN'T FUND IT.

YEAH. SO AND I'D BE INTERESTED TO KNOW SOMETHING YOU SAID CHIP OR COMMISSIONER ROSS.

CHIP IS FINE.

I'D BE INTERESTED TO KNOW WHAT THE STATISTICS ARE, BECAUSE IF THERE IS ROOM THERE TO ADD MORE GRAVES LIKE BURIAL, MY QUESTION WOULD BE IF THE WAY THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD, MORE PLACES FOR BURIAL OF CREMATION, IF THAT MAKES MORE SENSE.

GOING FORWARD, I'D LIKE TO KNOW THOSE KINDS OF STATISTICS TO KNOW, BECAUSE, AGAIN, THE LAND ITSELF WOULD BE FINITE.

AND OBVIOUSLY I WOULD SUGGEST A FIELD TRIP FOR EACH ONE OF YOU.

AND IF YOU COULD HEAD TO JACKSONVILLE, GO DOWN 17 TOWARDS JACKSONVILLE.

THERE'S A. HUGE OLD CEMETERY AND WHICH IS RUN BY THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE, I BELIEVE.

YEP. AND IT'S INCREDIBLE.

AND WHAT THEY DO I MEAN, WE WENT AND LOOKED AT GRAVES THERE.

I'VE DONE ALL THIS STUFF AND I WENT TO MORE CEMETERIES THAN I WANT TO THINK ABOUT.

WHAT THEY DO IS THEY TAKE SITES AND THEY HAVE SMALLER AREAS AND BIGGER AREAS.

I MEAN, FULL GRAVES AND THEN HALF ONES AND AND THEY DIVIDE THAT UP.

SO PEOPLE ALONG WALKWAYS.

SO I MEAN, IT'S REALLY PRETTY NICE WHAT THEY'VE DONE THERE.

IT'S WELL WORTH IT AND IT'S A REALLY BEAUTIFUL PLACE.

IT'S QUIET TOO.

OKAY. I JUST HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION.

IT'S ASKING THAT WE DO HAVE.

WE CAN PUT MORE GRAVE SITES INTO BOSQUE BELLO.

THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING [INAUDIBLE] CONFIRMED.

I'M JUST GOING.

ARE WE TOUCHING THE HISTORICAL PART? BECAUSE, YEAH, I GET IT.

BUT THERE WILL BE PEOPLE ASKING.

THE RESTORATION OF THE HISTORICAL PART NEEDS TO BE PUT THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING DONE TO THAT HISTORICAL PART TO UPGRADE IT. WELL, WHAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR IS IGNORE IT.

[00:55:01]

THEY'RE TWO SEPARATE. YEAH, IT'S TWO SEPARATE PROJECTS.

THE HISTORICAL PART IS BACK TO.

BUT AS LONG AS WE'RE NOT INDICATING THAT WE'RE GOING INTO THE HISTORICAL PART.

YEAH. SO, YEAH, WE GOT IT.

THAT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT BALLGAME.

I'VE ACTUALLY MOVED TO CEMETERY IN MY LIFE.

YES. OKAY.

SO I KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO. THAT'S IT FOR ME.

HE DOES. RIGHT HERE. I'M GOING TO ASSUME.

I DON'T KNOW FOR SURE.

MOST OF THE FUNERALS AT THE CEMETERY ARE FROM THE LOCAL FUNERAL HOME.

I HEARD OXLEY, I THINK SO, BUT YES, I THINK SO.

ANYBODY SPOKEN TO JACK HERD? WHAT ARE THEY FEEL LIKE? JUST WHAT I TOLD YOU AND THIS WAS THREE YEARS AGO.

I MEAN, HE'S ALL FOR FIXING THE HISTORIC PART, CREATING MORE PLACES.

I MEAN, FOR HIM, IT'S. I HATE TO BE CRASS ABOUT IT, BUT IT'S AN ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.

I MEAN, IF HE NEEDS A PLACE TO PUT PEOPLE.

SO, YEAH, HE WAS THEY WERE VERY PRO WHEN WE TALKED WITH THEM ITS BEEN ABOUT 3 OR 4 YEARS AGO.

SCOTT, ONE MORE WHEN I'M GUESSING WORKS LIKE A STUDY IS OR THERE'S SOMEBODY WHO DOES STUDIES ON THESE OR WHATEVER, BUT I'D BE INTERESTED TO KNOW, LIKE IN THAT UNIT THAT WE WERE JUST LOOKING AT, CLEARLY THERE'S A FIXED NUMBER OF UNITS.

I'M SURE THERE ARE COMPLIANCE REGULATIONS ABOUT HOW MUCH SPACE THERE IS PER.

SO I'D LIKE TO I'D BE INTERESTED IN LIKE A MAX AND A MINIMUM OF WHAT? THERE'S A LADY OUT IN IN CANADA NORTH IN VANCOUVER WHO WILL GIVE YOU ALL THAT INFORMATION.

I MEAN, SHE WILL TALK TO YOU FOR HOURS ABOUT IT.

YEAH, SHE'LL SEND YOU PICTURES, GRAPHS, WHATEVER.

AND SHE'S DELIGHTFUL ON THE PHONE.

I'VE NEVER MET HER. OKAY.

ALL RIGHT, WELL.

THANK YOU. ONE QUESTION.

THEY HAVE A BURIALS THAT ALLOW PERSON TO BUY A PLOT ABOVE.

ANOTHER ONE'S LIKE, MY FATHER IS BURIED ABOVE MY MOTHER.

I DON'T KNOW IF.

IS THERE A DEPTH SITUATION WHEN IT COMES TO THERE'S A FLOOR RULE SITUATION.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS.

SO I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.

IT'S AN INTERESTING QUESTION I DON'T KNOW.

YEAH. SO WE CURRENTLY DO NOT ALLOW DOUBLE DEPTH GRAVES OKAY.

BASICALLY A BODY ON TOP OF A BODY.

WE DO NOT ALLOW THAT HERE.

WHAT WE DO ALLOW IN EACH GRAVE WE ALLOW ONE TRADITIONAL BURIAL AND TWO SETS OF CREMAINS.

SO WE'VE ALREADY ACTUALLY STARTED THIS KNOWING THAT WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF SPACE.

SO OR YOU CAN BUY AND PEOPLE DO THIS ARE BUYING A TRADITIONAL GRAVE AND PUTTING THREE SETS OF CREMAINS IN THOSE GRAVES.

SO THEY'RE TAKING A FULL SIZE GRAVE AND PUTTING THREE SETS OF CREMAINS IN.

AND DO WE ALLOW CURRENTLY, LIKE IF SOMEONE JUST BOUGHT LIKE A TRADITIONAL GRAVE, WE'RE ALLOWING THEM TO GO BACK AND IF THERE'S ROOM AND THEY COULD BUY TWO CREMAINS TO GO IN THREE FOR THE PRICE OF ONE, LIKE IF THEY DIDN'T, IF THEY'RE RELATED OR WHATEVER.

YEAH. SO LET'S SAY YOU HAVE A FAMILY OF THREE, YOU BUY A GRAVE, A 4 FOOT OR 4 FOOT WIDE BY TEN FOOT GRAVE.

EACH TIME SOMEONE PASSES AWAY, YOU CAN PUT A SET OF CREMAINS IN THAT GRAVE.

THAT WOULD NORMALLY BE FOR A TRADITIONAL CASKET VAULT.

OKAY SO THOSE SPOTS ARE CURRENTLY BEING TAKEN UP.

GOT IT. SO IN TRYING TO MAKE THIS MORE OF A MODEST PROJECT, IT SOUNDS LIKE I DON'T I DIDN'T SEE WHAT YOU GUYS HAD DISCUSSED BEFORE.

SO MAYBE LIKE YOU SAID, THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD LOOK AT.

YOU COULD DO SOMETHING THAT WOULD FIT THE NEEDS AT SMALLER.

BUT THEN IN THE FUTURE, IF THEY NEEDED TO DO ANOTHER ONE THAT ANOTHER COLUMBARIUM.

YEAH. ABSOLUTELY. YEAH.

SO LIKE, RATHER THAN TRYING TO MAKE IT QUITE AS GRANDIOSE AND STUFF NOW YOU WOULD DO ONE AND THEN AS IT GETS ANOTHER ONE WOULD GET APPROVED TO MATCH IS WHAT I'M ENVISIONING, AM I RIGHT? YES.

AND THEN AND YOU SAID THAT IT COULD POTENTIALLY BE SET UP, THAT IT'S SELF FUNDING AND YOU KNOW WHEN THOSE ARE SOLD IT COULD BUILD THE NEXT ONE AND THE NEXT.

THAT'S WHAT THEY NEEDED. THERE WAS A PLAN AT THE TIME THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO WITH IT, WHETHER IT HAD FINANCIAL LEGS OR NOT, I'M NOT SO SURE.

BUT IT WAS A PRETTY GRANDIOSE THING.

IS IT THAT THE MATERIALS ARE SO EXPENSIVE? I MEAN, MOST OF THOSE MONUMENTS ARE BUILT OUT OF LIKE GRANITE AND STONE THAT I WOULD IMAGINE IF YOU HAD SEEN WHAT WAS DESIGNED, YOU WOULD KNOW WHY IT WAS SO EXPENSIVE.

YOU CAN GET SO THERE ARE BUILDINGS AND THERE ARE BUILDINGS I CAN IMAGINE.

[01:00:04]

THEY CAN GET SO ELABORATE, THESE COLUMBARIUMS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD PAY.

I KNOW THAT IN NEW YORK THEY JUST PUT ONE UP WHERE MY GRANDMOTHER WAS, AND IT WAS $1.2 MILLION FOR THIS THING, AND IT COULD PUT OVER 1500 BODIES IN THERE.

YEAH, I'VE SEEN THEM. AND IT'S HUGE.

RIGHT. BUT AND THAT'S WHAT BUT THAT'S NEW YORK AND NEW YORK HAS GOT PROBLEMS BURYING PEOPLE.

YEAH SO ANYHOW.

OKAY. ANYWAY.

WELL THANKS FOR TAKING CARE I APPRECIATE THAT WE BRING THIS UP AND HAVE A WORKSHOP ON IT AND HAVE MORE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT IT, BUT I REALLY WOULD LOOK AT THOSE THREE ISSUES.

YEAH THAT'S ME PERSONALLY.

BUT NUMBER ONE THE OLD ANCIENT CEMETERY.

NUMBER TWO, CAN YOU PUT IN MORE GRAVES AND NUMBER THREE COLUMBARIUMS OKAY.

YEAH. AND COMMISSIONER ROSS, THERE'S IN THE ANCIENT SECTION WHAT HE TALKS ABOUT WITH DETERIORATING HEADSTONES.

IT'S A THING. IT'S HAPPENING AND NOT ONLY THAT IS THE EROSION AND PART OF THE EROSION IS AFFECTING THE HEADSTONES IN THE ANCIENT SECTION.

AND THAT IS HAPPENING IN OTHER LOCATIONS AROUND THE CEMETERY.

DO WE HAVE ANY SUPPORT FROM, LIKE, THE HISTORIC GROUPS AND THE LIKE, THE MUSEUM OR PEOPLE WHO CAN? I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE WE COULD HAVE A FUNDRAISER OR SOME AGAIN, MAYBE A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP IN SOME KIND OF WAY TO.

YEAH. SO I THINK WE YEAH, WE NEED TO KIND OF SEPARATE THESE WHERE, YOU KNOW, IF THERE IS A, THE WHOLE COLUMBARIUM THING, THE ANCIENT SECTION OF THE CEMETERY, THERE'S PEOPLE WELL AWARE OF IT THE EROSION ISSUES.

YES. WE CAN BRING THOSE PEOPLE INTO IT.

YEAH. I THINK THAT WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING SOME HISTORICAL AWARENESS TO NEW PEOPLE THAT MIGHT JUST BE INTERESTED IN THAT KIND OF THING FOR THE HISTORIC PART, OF COURSE, I DON'T KNOW, I FEEL LIKE WE ALL NEED I THINK WE SHOULD PUT IT THAT WE HAVE A SECTION OF A WORKSHOP ON THIS AND HAVE SCOTT PRESENT AND ALSO HAVE THE FUNERAL HOME GIVE US DATA THAT MAY HELP US IN SHOWING THE GROWTH OF.

YEAH, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO THINK LIKE, OH, MY GOSH, WE'RE PUTTING IN A COLUMBARIUM NEXT MONTH.

I WANT TO TAKE THIS PROCESS SLOW AND GAIN THE SUPPORT AND THEN PROCEED.

SO I KIND OF WANT TO BRING WRAP IT ALL TOGETHER AND SHOW YOU WHAT HAPPENED A FEW YEARS AGO AND WHERE WE COULD, MAYBE TAKING WHAT I LEARNED FROM THAT PROCESS TO WHERE WHAT WE COULD PUT IN AT THE CEMETERY AND IT BE SUCCESSFUL.

OKAY, NUMBER SEVEN STAFF COMMENTS.

[7. STAFF COMMENTS]

ALL RIGHT. I JUST WANTED TO GO THROUGH A FEW THINGS AND KIND OF UPDATE YOU THIS PAST MONTH.

I KNOW I DID THIS LAST MONTH AS WELL.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU GUYS TO BE AWARE ESPECIALLY ON NIGHTS WHERE WE'RE NOT BRINGING SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND PUSHING IT TOWARDS THE COMMISSION.

SO THIS AND I WE DID CONNECT THIS TO YOUR AGENDA PACKET.

I KNOW THAT WAS SOME OF THE CONCERNS BECAUSE I WAS GOING TOO FAST LAST TIME.

SO YOU HAVE THIS BUT A FEW UPDATES AND THEN A FEW NEW THINGS AS WELL.

SO WE DID GET THE SIGNAGE UP AT CENTRAL PARK.

WE ORIGINALLY HAD PUT IT ON THE GATES BUT THE GATES WERE KIND OF OPEN, SO WE DID MOVE THOSE AND I DID NOTICE A FEW DOGS THIS PAST MONTH ON THOSE FIELDS, AND I HAVE MADE A FEW STOPS AS WELL AS OUR PARK SUPERINTENDENT.

SO WE ARE KEEPING AN EYE ON THAT THE TENNIS COURT BID.

NOW, THESE ARE THE TENNIS COURTS, ONE AND TWO, RIGHT ALONG ATLANTIC.

WE OPENED THOSE ON FEBRUARY 28TH AND WE DO HAVE THE WE DID BUDGET ACCORDINGLY.

WE ARE GOING TO THE WE PLAN ON USING OUR EXISTING FENCE CONTRACTOR AND THEN USING THE LOWEST BIDDER TO REDO THOSE COURTS COMPLETELY. AND WE ARE TAKING THAT TO THE COMMISSION ON APRIL 2ND.

[01:05:01]

THAT PROJECT WAS BUDGETED THIS YEAR AND WE WILL HAVE IT COMPLETED.

THE COMMISSION DID VOTE TO APPROVE THE REPAIRS OF THE SKATE PARK ON THEIR MARCH 5TH MEETING.

SO WE ARE CURRENTLY.

KATIE, DO WE PROCESS THAT PURCHASE ORDER? I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THAT TODAY.

I THINK WE'RE GETTING WE'VE REACHED OUT TO THE COMPANY.

THEY HAVE TO GIVE US A FEW ITEMS. YEAH. WE'RE WAITING ON ONE ITEM FROM THEM, BUT IT'S IN THE WORKS.

SO AS THAT PROCESS HAPPENS, I JUST WANT YOU GUYS TO KNOW I WILL BE WORKING WITH THE FRIENDS OF THE SKATE PARK TO MAKE SURE, LIKE, HEY, WHAT'S GOING ON DOWN THERE? WE DON'T WANT TO SHUT DOWN THE SKATE PARK.

AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS, I THINK OUR PLAN IS GOING TO BE TO DO ONE RAMP AT A TIME.

THIS IS MUCH NEEDED.

THIS WAS BUDGETED INTO OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT ACCOUNT FOR THIS YEAR.

SO THAT PROJECT WILL BE COMPLETED THIS YEAR.

THERE WAS A BACKSTOP THAT WAS INSTALLED AT THE PECK FIELD.

I'M NOT SURE IF ANYONE HAS HAD A CHANCE TO SEE THAT.

SO THAT'S COMPLETED.

THE CLAY AND BASES ARE ALSO GOING TO BE COMPLETED THIS WEEK OR SOMETIME NEXT WEEK.

SO THAT FIELD BASEBALL FIELD PRACTICE FIELD WILL BE BACK AT PECK FIELD THE FITNESS EQUIPMENT.

AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A GRAND OPENING, THE FITNESS EQUIPMENT THAT WAS DONATED TO US BY THE NASSAU HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

THAT EQUIPMENT WAS INSTALLED AT THE MARTIN LUTHER KING RECREATION CENTER UNDERNEATH THE SHADE STRUCTURE, RIGHT BY THE BASKETBALL COURT.

AND OUR PLANNED GRAND OPENING FOR THAT IS APRIL 3RD, 8 P.M.

YOU'LL RECEIVE AN INVITATION.

SO YOU THE ADVISORY GROUP WILL RECEIVE AN INVITATION FOR THAT.

AND I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU GUYS TO BE THERE AT THAT.

OKAY. SCOREBOARD INSTALLATION AT CENTRAL PARK.

THAT IS GOING TO BE PRESENTED TO THE COMMISSION ON MARCH 19TH.

WE HAD TO GO OUTSIDE AND GET A CONTRACTOR TO INSTALL THAT.

IT'S A LARGE SCOREBOARD.

BABE RUTH BASEBALL ORGANIZATION DONATED OVER 75 TO $90,000 WORTH OF FENCE EQUIPMENT, SCOREBOARD EQUIPMENT.

SO THIS IS ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WE SAID WE HAD AGREED TO THE CITY HAD AGREED TO TO INSTALL THIS BECAUSE WE COULDN'T DO IT INTERNALLY.

BEACH ACCESS, WE'RE CURRENTLY GOING THROUGH ALL OF OUR BEACH ACCESSES, STARTING FROM THE SOUTH AND WORKING NORTH.

OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT IS PRESSURE WASHING ALL THE TRASH CANS THAT ARE THERE.

WE'RE CLEANING UP THE PARKING LOTS.

WE'RE PUTTING ALL NEW BEACH ACCESS SIGNS, THE SMALL BLUE BEACH ACCESS SIGNS THAT ARE KIND OF FADED.

SO WE'RE GOING AND REPAIRING ALL THOSE, AND WE'RE ALSO REPAIRING BROKEN, BROKEN BOARDS AND HANDRAILS.

SO WE'RE ARE WORKING FROM SOUTH TO NORTH.

THE LANDSCAPING COMPANY STARTED DOWNTOWN.

WE HAVE IT'S CALLED THE GREENERY.

THEY ARE DOING LANDSCAPING ON CENTER STREET AS WELL AS THE SIDE STREETS FROM.

ASH TO ALACHUA AND THEN FROM FRONT TO EIGHTH.

THEY ARE COMING IN ON WEDNESDAYS AND THURSDAYS, AND THEY ARE DOING THE MAJORITY OF THE LANDSCAPING OR BASICALLY ALL OF THE LANDSCAPING IN THAT AREA.

THEIR FIRST PLAN OF ATTACK IS TO CLEAN IT UP, AND THEN THEY WILL WORK WITH US ON POSSIBLE NEW PLANTINGS.

SO HOPEFULLY PEOPLE WILL SEE A BETTER LANDSCAPED AREA DOWNTOWN IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE.

THEY STARTED LAST WEEK.

MR. GOLDMAN, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR KEEPING AN EYE ON OUR DOGGIE STATIONS.

WE GAVE MR. GOLDMAN THE DOG WASTE OR THE DOGGIE BAGS AND THE KEYS.

SO, HAVE YOU LEARNED ANYTHING FROM WHEN YOU GET THROUGH? I'LL GIVE YOU THE UPDATE.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I SHOULD HAVE KEPT THAT TO THE END.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE CONSTRUCTED THE VOLLEYBALL COURTS AT MAIN BEACH.

THEY SEEM TO BE A PRETTY BIG HIT.

THE GIRLS BEACH VOLLEYBALL TEAM IS CURRENTLY USING THEM AND AT OUR LAST MEETING, I TOLD YOU THAT THERE WASN'T REALLY AN EXPENSE.

WE DID HAVE TO BUY SOME SAND.

BUT I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE SCHOOL BOARD IS BECAUSE THEY ARE PAYING US BACK FOR THAT SAND.

SO IT WAS A GOOD PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM.

ALL THE DREDGING GOING ON AND ALL THE SAND THAT'S OUT THERE.

WE'RE RIGHT BY A BEACH. YEAH.

WE'RE NOT TOUCHING THAT SAND, WE'RE NOT DOING THAT.

[INAUDIBLE]. SO THE HIGH SCHOOL HAS A BEACH VAULT, A GIRLS BEACH VOLLEYBALL TEAM BECAUSE OF THE ADDITION OF THE BOYS LACROSSE TEAM.

[01:10:07]

WE HAVE SOME GOOD CANDIDATES.

WE HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO, WE'LL BE PUTTING SOMEONE IN THAT POSITION WHICH WILL BE A VITAL IMPORTANT POSITION TO MOVE FORWARD.

IT HAS ADDED SOME QUITE A BIT OF RESPONSIBILITY TO, TO OUR JOBS, BUT WE'RE DOING IT.

THE PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR POSITION CLOSED MARCH 1ST.

I BELIEVE THEY ARE GOING THROUGH THE APPLICANTS.

HOPEFULLY THEY'LL BE HOLDING INTERVIEWS WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS FOR THAT POSITION.

I WOULD LIKE TO SAY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN, WHAT, 2 TO 3 YEARS WE ARE OR WILL BE FULLY STAFFED IN OUR PARKS DIVISION.

WE ARE HIRING A I BELIEVE WE'RE HIRING A LADY IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO.

ONCE SHE COMES ON, STAFF WILL BE FULLY STAFFED IN OUR PARKS DIVISION, SO THAT I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

SCOTT, WHAT CAN YOU ATTRIBUTE THAT TO? HAS THE JOB MARKET CHANGED? WERE THEIR SALARIES INCREASED? WHAT HAS CHANGED BECAUSE IT WAS, IN MY OPINION, DIRE? I'D SAY A YEAR AGO IT WAS DIRE.

COVID, PROBABLY BECAUSE OF ME.

NO, I'M KIDDING.

NO, HUMBLE, IT'S ACTUALLY ME.

THAT. NO, THAT WAS A JOKE.

I'M JUST CURIOUS BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WAS HARD.

AND MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S NOT A LOT OF TURNOVER IN THE DEPARTMENT AND THAT WE CAN HIRE WHEN THERE ARE VACANCIES.

SO, YEAH.

SO I DO YOU KNOW MARY HAMBURG, WHO WORKS AND DOES A LOT OF SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS, AND KATIE WORKS WITH HER TOO AND WE'RE TRYING TO REACH THE PEOPLE WHO WE THINK THAT WE CAN GET TO, YOU KNOW IT'S HARD TO DRAW PEOPLE THAT DON'T NECESSARILY ALREADY LIVE HERE BECAUSE OF THE PRICES OF HOUSES FOR SOME OF THESE JOBS.

SO IT'S HITTING THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE AND MAYBE AREN'T AWARE OF THESE POSITIONS THAT ARE BEING POSTED.

OKAY. I'M JUST CURIOUS.

THAT'S GOOD NEWS TO HEAR.

YEAH. AND SO WE IN THE LAST WHEN WE INTERVIEWED, WE PROBABLY HAD ABOUT 4 OR 5 APPLICANTS.

AND THERE WERE GOOD APPLICANTS THROUGHOUT.

SO IF IT WASN'T THIS ONE THAT WE CHOSE, IT COULD HAVE BEEN OTHER ONES.

GOOD. SO IT'S A GOOD SIGN.

WE ARE IN THE PROCESS.

OR WE ACTUALLY HAD OUR FIRST CHEMICAL APPLICATION OF ALL OF OUR SPORTS FIELDS.

WE'RE PUTTING IN A PROGRAM WHERE WE ARE HAVING AN OUTSIDE SERVICE CHEMICALLY TREAT ALL OUR SPORTS FIELDS, OUR SPORTS FIELDS IN THE LAST FEW YEARS KIND OF HAVE. WELL, YEAH, I'D SAY IN THE LAST FEW YEARS IT KIND OF GONE DOWN A LITTLE BIT.

WE'RE REVITALIZING THEM.

WE'RE PUTTING IN THIS PROGRAM AS WELL AS LIKE AN AERATION PROGRAM.

WE'RE NOT COMPLETELY WHERE WE NEED TO BE, BUT WE WILL WORK THROUGH THAT PROCESS.

WE HAD OUR FIRST APPLICATION PROBABLY ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO AND SUMMER CAMP REGISTRATION IS OPENING FOR CITY RESIDENTS MARCH 27TH AND NON CITY RESIDENTS ON APRIL 1ST.

KATIE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT OR I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL FILL UP REALLY QUICKLY.

YES. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

AND WITH THAT, I ALSO WANT TO LET YOU KNOW IS WE ARE VERY WELL AWARE THAT WE HAVE ROOM FOR EXPANSION IN OUR YOUTH PROGRAMS, OUR AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS, AND OUR SUMMER PROGRAMS. WHAT OUR IDEA RIGHT NOW IS WE'RE TRYING TO GET IT RIGHT WHERE WE ARE AT ATLANTIC.

OUR VISION WOULD BE TO EXPAND OVER TO THE MARTIN LUTHER KING REC CENTER, SO THAT REC CENTER IS UTILIZED MORE OFTEN. SO THAT'S WHERE WE WILL BE PUSHING IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

SWIM LESSONS SWIM LESSONS FOR SPRING BREAK.

REGISTRATION IS OPEN AND THEN I BELIEVE RIGHT AFTER SPRING BREAK, WE WILL START REGISTRATION FOR OUR SUMMER SWIM LESSON PROGRAM.

THOSE ARE VERY POPULAR.

THEY FILL UP REALLY FAST.

WE'RE CURRENTLY HIRING SEASONAL STAFF FOR OUR SUMMER PROGRAMS. THAT INCLUDES LIFEGUARDS.

THAT INCLUDES SUMMER CAMP PROGRAM THAT WE DON'T HIRE THIS, BUT IT'S ALSO FOR OCEAN RESCUE.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF HIRING GOING ON FOR THE SUMMER MONTHS.

WE'RE DOING THAT CURRENTLY.

WE DO HAVE A VACANT SEAT ON THIS BOARD ON OUR TRACK BOARD.

THERE IS AN APPLICANT GOING TO THE COMMISSION ON MARCH 19TH.

[01:15:05]

SO JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE THAT THERE WILL BE THAT WILL BE GOING TO THE COMMISSION ON THE 19TH.

AND THIS IS KIND OF FOR SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AGAIN, IS THERE IS TALK ABOUT POSSIBLY A TRACK, A WALKING TRACK AT PECK FIELD POSSIBLY WITH SOME MONEY THAT A GRANT MONEY GIVEN FROM NASSAU COUNTY.

IT SEEMS LIKE THE COMMUNITY IS ON BOARD WITH IT.

THERE'S JUST VERY PRELIMINARY DISCUSSIONS, SO THERE'S NOT A TRACK GOING IN TOMORROW.

I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THE APPROPRIATE PEOPLE WILL BE, YOU KNOW, BROUGHT INTO THE LOOP.

SO WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S BUY IN THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.

BUT JUST WANTED YOU TO BE AWARE OF THAT.

WE POSITIONED THE BACKSTOP THAT WE PUT THERE A LITTLE FURTHER IN CASE THIS DOES HAPPEN.

OUR STAFF MYSELF AND DEB HOUSE WHO WORKS WITH THE CEMETERY.

WE'RE WORKING WITH THE TREE CONSERVANCY.

THEY ARE GIVING US $5,000.

WE'RE DOING SOME TREE WORK IN THE CEMETERY AND IN ADDITION, WE ARE USING OUR TREE FUND TO PLANT ABOUT 20 TREES IN THE IN THE CEMETERY.

SO IT'S ABOUT A $10,000 PROJECT.

WE'RE GOING TO BE ADDING A LOT OF TREES IN OUR, WHAT WE CALL THE FLAT SECTIONS.

WE HAD A BUNCH OF OLD OAKS THAT WERE TAKEN OUT FROM STORMS. SO THAT WILL BE HAPPENING.

WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO AND I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO BE THERE ON ARBOR DAY IN APRIL, I BELIEVE WILL BE A CEREMONY AND I WILL LET YOU KNOW WHEN THAT HAPPENS.

I'LL GET WE'LL SEND OUT THE DATE.

I DON'T HAVE THE DATE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

ELM STREET, LITERALLY. WE HAD OPENING DAY.

MARCH 9TH. I WAS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND.

KATIE WAS THERE.

JUST SO YOU KNOW, WE ARE AWARE OF SOME ISSUES AT THAT FACILITY.

SOME FENCE ISSUES IS THE MAIN CONCERN.

WE'RE DOING A LITTLE BALANCING ACT BECAUSE THERE COULD BE SOME LARGE PROJECTS COMING DOWN THE PIPE TO NOT INVESTING SO MUCH MONEY NOW BECAUSE WE I DON'T WANT TO PUT THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS INTO A FENCE THAT MIGHT BE RIPPED DOWN IN THE FUTURE AND I'LL EXPLAIN IN MY NEXT AFTER I GET THIS.

CAN I ADD ONE THING TO THAT? YES. WE WERE ABLE TO TURN THE PRACTICE FIELD INTO A FIELD WHERE THEY'RE ABLE TO HOLD GAMES.

SO NOW THEY HAVE TWO FIELDS WHERE THEY CAN HAVE GAMES ON WEEKENDS AND WEEKNIGHTS.

SO THAT ENHANCED THE FIELD IN A SENSE OF THEY HAVE SOMEWHERE ELSE TO HAVE GAMES, WHICH IS GREAT.

YEAH. SO WE ACTUALLY BROUGHT IN TEMPORARY FENCING TO CREATE A SAFE DUGOUT.

SO WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT.

THE PRACTICE FIELD IS BEING USED, I BELIEVE, BY YOUNGER KIDS, BUT IT ISN'T UP TO WHAT WE WOULD LIKE, BUT IT IS USABLE.

SO ALSO, I PUT A FEW THINGS IN HERE REGARDING SPECIAL EVENTS THEY COME THROUGH OUR DEPARTMENT.

WE'RE IN CHARGE OF THE SPECIAL EVENTS COMMITTEE.

SO WE HAVE A COMMUNITY EASTER FESTIVAL COMING UP.

WE HAVE THE SPRING FLING WHEELED THING AND THAT I DID SPELL IT LIKE THAT BECAUSE THAT'S HOW IT IS SPELLED.

PIRATES ON THE RUN, 5K AND THEN APRIL I BELIEVE OUR FIRST SOUNDS ON CENTER.

THERE'S A JOB FAIR.

EARTH DAY, TURTLE FEST AND ANOTHER FIVE K FEST IS HAPPENING.

I SAID BEFORE, IT'S NOT, BUT THE HEARTBEAT.

FIVE K IS JUST.

IT WENT FROM A RUN TO MORE OF A WALK.

BUT TURTLE FEST IS ON, IT'S HAPPENING.

OKAY, LET ME ASK YOU SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.

AND THEN A COUPLE UPDATES AS WE ARE REPAIRING THE ROOF.

AND I KNOW I TOLD YOU THIS LAST MONTH, WE'RE REPAIRING THE ROOF AT THE PECK GYMNASIUM.

THERE'S, LIKE, THREE DIFFERENT STRUCTURAL ROOFS THAT WE'RE REPAIRING.

WE'VE COME INTO SOME ISSUES.

WE'RE WAITING TO MEET WITH THEIR ENGINEERING TEAM.

I BELIEVE THE PROJECT WILL BE ABLE TO BE COMPLETED.

I WILL KEEP YOU POSTED ON THAT.

WE'RE DOING SOME NEW WINDOWS AT THE ATLANTIC RECREATION CENTER, AND WE'RE ALSO DOING A LITTLE BIT OF REPOINTING ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE AUDITORIUM AS WELL.

VOTING IS HAPPENING AT THE ATLANTIC.

EARLY VOTING IS HAPPENING AT THE ATLANTIC RECREATION CENTER AS WELL.

ALSO, IF YOU HEAR ANYTHING ABOUT THE SEASIDE PARK PARKING LOT, THERE'S SOME ISSUES WITH THAT.

WE DID SOME REGRADING, IT REALLY DIDN'T WORK TOO WELL.

SO WE'RE GOING TO GO IN THERE, WORK WITH JEREMIAH IN HIS CREW, THE OPERATIONS DIRECTOR, PUBLIC WORKS, AND GO IN THERE AND REALLY CLEAN UP THAT PARKING LOT BECAUSE

[01:20:07]

SO IF YOU HEAR ANYONE TALKING, WE ARE WORKING ON THAT AND THEN I JUST WANTED TO ADD AND WE'LL HAVE THIS DISCUSSION IN THE FUTURE.

BUT GOING BACK TO TALKING ABOUT THE FENCE AT MLK, AND I JUST WANT YOU GUYS TO BE AWARE OF THIS, AS WE DO HAVE SOME VERY LARGE PROJECTS COMING DOWN THE COMING DOWN THE PIPELINE IN PARKS AND RECREATION THAT INCLUDES YBOR, ALVAREZ, THE SPORTS COMPLEX AND AND PURCHASING THAT AND TURNING THAT INTO JUST A SOCCER COMPLEX OVER THE SOFTBALL FIELDS AND WHEN SOME OF THAT STUFF WHEN IF THERE'S NEW MOVEMENT ON THAT STUFF, I JUST WANT YOU TO BE AWARE THAT I WILL KEEP YOU INFORMED, BECAUSE THAT DOES IMPACT POSSIBLE NEW SOFTBALL FIELDS AT THE MARTIN LUTHER KING RECREATION CENTER.

IT POSSIBLY PUSHES.

ARE WE GOING TO ADD MORE PICKLEBALL COURTS BECAUSE OF OUR LOSS OF RECREATIONAL SPACE AT THE AIRPORT? SO THERE ARE SOME LARGE PROJECTS IN THE NEXT THREE YEARS THAT WILL BE COMING DOWN OUR PIPELINE THAT YOU GUYS WILL BE EXTREMELY INVOLVED WITH.

SO BASICALLY JUST WANT YOU TO BE AWARE AWARE OF THAT BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU AS A BOARD, BEING CONNECTED TO THE COMMUNITY IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT PROJECTS ARE YOU HEARING ABOUT? WHAT PROJECTS DO YOU HAVE THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU OR YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND YOU AS WE'RE STARTING THE BUDGET PROCESS FOR FISCAL YEAR 25.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION WITH YOU POSSIBLY PRESENT TO YOU OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS THAT WE, THAT PARKS AND REC WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT.

BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD TO IT OR DO YOU AGREE WITH THIS? DO YOU WANT TO ADD SOMETHING? SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, THAT WILL BE COMING DOWN IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.

CAN I JUST SAY ABOUT THE BECAUSE I KNOW IN FOLLOWING THE CHANGES AT THE WITH THE SOCCER COMPLEX AND AS THAT'S COMING WHAT'S YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF AN ETA FOR THAT? AND THE REASON WHY I'M ASKING THAT QUESTION IS BECAUSE.

I WOULD JUST CAUTION US TO BE VERY AWARE OF ANY DEFICIENCIES, ESPECIALLY MLK, HOW THAT MIGHT BE PERCEIVED, EVEN IF WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS IT'S COMING.

WE DON'T WANT TO DO.

YES. SO THE PLAN WOULD BE AND YES, I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU, IS THAT I BELIEVE WE'RE MAYBE 18 TO 20 MONTHS OUT.

SO AND I KNOW CHARLIE IS WELL AWARE OF THIS IS THE PLAN WOULD BE TO CORRECT CORRECT ANY DEFICIENCIES AT MLK PRIOR SO GET THAT SET UP.

SO KNOWING THAT THESE SOFTBALL FIELDS ARE GOING AWAY, MLK IS SET UP.

AND THEN THERE WILL BE FOUR FIELDS AT MLK.

WELL THAT'S THAT HASN'T BEEN DETERMINED YET OKAY.

BUT THAT MIGHT BE AN IDEAL SITUATION THAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO GET FOUR FIELDS.

I THINK FOUR IS A STRETCH.

BUT REMEMBER, RIGHT NOW THERE'S REALLY ONLY ONE TRUE FIELD.

THERE IS A PRACTICE FIELD THERE.

IT DOESN'T HAVE LIGHTS.

THE DESIGN OF IT IS NOT BAD, BUT WITH GETTING RID OF THE OCEAN, THE CURRENT OCEAN RESCUE BUILDING WHEN THEY MOVED TO HOPEFULLY, I BELIEVE, FIRE STATION TWO.

SO ALL OF THESE ARE DOMINO EFFECTS AND I KNOW CHARLIE AND JEREMIAH ARE WELL AWARE AND MYSELF WELL AWARE OF MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE IS AWARE HOW IT FALLS.

WELL, AND I WOULD JUST LIKE I WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO BRING IT UP IN MY COMMENTS.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS, ESPECIALLY SINCE YOU'RE TALKING NOW ABOUT POTENTIAL MORE PICKLEBALL COURTS.

ONE OF THE THINGS AND THIS MAY BE AN IDEALISTIC SORT OF IDEA, BUT IN SOME OF THE MEETINGS THAT CATHERINE HAD, I WENT TO SEVERAL OF THOSE MEETINGS AND PARTICIPATED IN SOME OF THEM AND I WOULD LIKE TO BE HAVING POSSIBLE DISCUSSIONS OF THE POTENTIAL OF A LARGER PROJECT AT THE GOLF COURSE.

SO WHERE I COME FROM IN ATLANTA, TENNIS IS A HUGE THING.

AND YOU COULD PLAY TENNIS JUST ABOUT ANYWHERE AND YOU WOULD HAVE TOURNAMENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

I WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOMETHING.

LET'S JUST SAY MONEY IS NO OBJECT LIKE, AND WE HAVE ALL THE LAND WE COULD HAVE, BUT WE HAVE AN EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE WITH THE CLUBHOUSE AT THE GOLF COURSE.

[01:25:04]

BUT EXPANDING SOME COURTS OUT THERE TO MAKE THAT CLUBHOUSE A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO PAY TO HAVE TOURNAMENTS, AND PEOPLE WHO WANT TO PAY TO RESERVE COURTS SO THEY CAN PLAY AT 10:00 ON TUESDAY OR WHENEVER THEY LIKE TO PLAY, AND KEEP OUR CENTRAL PARK COURTS WITH TENNIS AND PICKLEBALL AS MORE CASUAL PICKUP, WHERE ANYBODY CAN JUST GO TO PLAY.

THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE AN EXPERT TO GET ON THE FIELD FROM THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T WANT THEM THERE.

BUT AGAIN, TO BE ABLE TO BUILD OUT THAT AS A PLACE WHERE WE CAN INVITE TOURNAMENTS AND HAVE THAT AS AN ADDITIONAL REVENUE GENERATOR AT THE CLUB SO THAT IT DOESN'T JUST FALL ON THE GOLF COURSE, WHICH I KNOW IS DOING BETTER THESE DAYS, I THINK.

BUT I JUST SEE THAT AS AN OPPORTUNITY OF EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE THAT COULD BE IMPROVED UPON IN SOME WAY.

SO TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THAT BE THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT AND THERE WAS SOME PRETTY SEVERE PUSHBACK.

YEAH, THAT IS THE UNDERSTATEMENT OF THE YEAR.

IT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED.

SO BEFORE, IS THE PUSHBACK JUST COMING FROM ONE AREA? YEAH, THE ENTIRE GOLF COMMUNITY.

SORRY. NO.

THAT'S OKAY. THAT'S A GREAT IDEA. SO ONE OF THE ARGUMENTS I WORKED FOR THE PLANTATION HOA COMMUNITY.

THEY DID A LIVERPOOL INITIATIVE STUDY DOWN THERE AND GOLF IS LOSING INTEREST BECAUSE IN COMMUNITIES, BECAUSE IT TAKES SO MUCH SPACE FOR ONE.

AND PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR MORE WAYS TO, LIKE, WALK OR WORK OUT USING THE GYM EQUIPMENT AND THE PARKS, LIKE, YOU GUYS ARE DOING THINGS LIKE THAT AND NOT TO DO AWAY WITH THE GOLF COURSE, BUT IT'S ALSO AN EXPENSIVE HOBBY FOR PEOPLE AND SO AND IT'S AFFORDABLE AT THE AT OUR GOLF COURSE, OF COURSE IT'S MORE REASONABLE. BUT AGAIN, WE HAVE NOT TO SAY TAKE AWAY OUR GOLF, BUT WE HAVE WHAT, 36 HOLES THERE.

27. YEAH.

27. SO IS THERE SOME ROOM OUT THERE WHERE IT COULD BE EXPANDED? I DON'T KNOW, I'M JUST SAYING I THINK THAT THERE'S IT'S CERTAINLY NOT TO DO AWAY WITH GOLF.

BUT AGAIN, I DON'T THINK THAT ANYBODY HERE COULD ARGUE THAT PICKLEBALL IS GROWING LIKE CRAZY AND GOLF MAY BE WANING.

AND SOME AND I THINK THAT THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY WOULD NEED TO LOOK AT OVER TIME, BECAUSE THAT IS A LOT OF PROPERTY.

AND AGAIN, I WOULDN'T WANT TO DO AWAY WITH IT.

I SEE IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND IT AND MAKE IT.

I MEAN, WHAT IF YOUR KIDS WANTED TO PLAY GOLF AND YOU WANTED TO PLAY PICKLEBALL AND YOU COULD ALL SPEND THE DAY IN THE IN THE BAR AFTERWARDS SO THAT THAT WAS THE THAT WAS THE IDEA TO DRAW MORE PEOPLE OUT THERE, TO PUSH THE TO PUSH FOOD AND BEVERAGE.

THE TENNIS YOU GO TO, YOU KNOW, THEN YOU GO EAT, YOU GO HAVE A DRINK THAT WAS THE IDEA.

BUT THAT WAS KIND OF A IT WAS PUSHED IT THERE WAS A LOT OF PUSHBACK.

MAYBE WE COULD JUST REVISIT WITH THE CREMATORIUM.

SO. YEAH, YOU CAN BRING THAT UP.

SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU TONIGHT.

ONE EXTRA THING IS IF YOU DO SEE PEOPLE DOWNTOWN WORKING ON THE FOUNTAIN, OUR PARKS CREW DOES A LOT OF STUFF AND WE ARE FIXING THE FOUNTAIN DOWNTOWN IN FRONT OF THE COURTHOUSE.

THAT IS THE CITY'S RESPONSIBILITY.

SO WE'RE FIXING THAT AS WELL.

DO YOU LIKE THE IDEA OF THE DEPARTMENT UPDATES? I WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE TO DO IT.

I THINK IT'S GOOD FOR SITUATIONAL AWARENESS OR FOR, YOU KNOW, JUST IN CASE PEOPLE ARE TALKING TO YOU.

YOU GUYS ARE BIG PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY AND HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS THAT COME UP, YOU'RE ABLE TO ANSWER THEM.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE DOING THAT AT LEAST PART OF MY STAFF REPORT.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE FOR ME TONIGHT? YES. I LIKE THIS.

ARE YOU READY FOR GOOD? OH, YEAH. THAT'S HE WANTED TO GO FIRST, I THINK.

GO AHEAD.

OKAY, WELL, YOU EITHER KNOW OR YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT THE CITY HAS THREE LOCATIONS FOR DOGGIE POOP BAGS.

[01:30:09]

I THINK I MAY HAVE ALL THE CITY'S SUPPLY OF BAGS.

NOW GIVE ME MORE BAGS THAT WE HAVE MORE BAGS? YEAH. MORE BAGS.

ARE THEY BEING USED? NO, I DON'T NEED THEM YET.

OKAY, WELL, THAT'S A GOOD THING. I HAVE BAGS AND I HAVE KEYS THERE.

THE TWO ON CENTER STREET ARE THE SAME COMPANY AND I WAS ABLE TO FILL THEM UP WITH BAGS.

SO THAT'S DONE.

THE ONE ON MARINA, I COULD NOT GET THE KEY TO WORK.

SOMETHING IS JAMMED IN IN WHERE THE KEY GOES, AND I HAD TO GO HOME AND GET A PRY BAR AND PRY MY WAY INTO IT, PUT THE BAGS IN, AND THEN PRY MY WAY OUT OF IT.

OH GEEZ. SO THERE'S BAGS IN ALL THREE LOCATIONS RIGHT NOW AND I'LL KEEP THEM PRETTY FULL.

MY SUGGESTION IS THAT THE BAG HOLDER AND THE MARINA, I THINK WE SHOULD REPLACE WITH A SIMILAR ONE TO THE TWO DOWNTOWN.

SO FIRST OF ALL, ALL THE CONTAINERS WILL TAKE THE SAME TYPE OF BAG..

IT'S NOT A VERY EXPENSIVE THING.

AND I THINK THAT WE COULD DO THAT.

I AGREE WITH YOU AND OTHER THAN THAT YOU HAVEN'T CAUGHT HIM STEALING.

PARDON. YOU HAVEN'T CAUGHT THE PERSON STEALING THEM ALL.

I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEY COST.

ASK HIM. I ASKED IF YOU CAUGHT THE PERSON WHO WAS STEALING THEM ALL BECAUSE WASN'T SOMEONE STEALING ALL THE BAGS BEFORE.

I DON'T KNOW THAT TO BE TRUE.

THAT'S WHAT I SAID.

THAT'S YOUR JOB. YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO CATCH THE PERSON.

THE. YOU KNOW, THE FUNNY THING ABOUT THIS, YOU KNOW, MR. GOLDMAN DID THIS FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS, AND THEN I GOT AN INVOICE FROM HIM.

OH, THE INTERESTING THING IS VERY EASY TO TAKE MORE THAN ONE BAG FROM THE [INAUDIBLE] AT THE MARINA. YEP.

I LIKE TO SEE ALL THREE OF THEM HAVE THE SAME TYPE OF BAG.

SO IT COSTS US LESS MONEY AND IT'S EASIER TO FILM.

NO PROBLEM.

OKAY. ON YOUR DEPARTMENT UPDATES, I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA.

IT JUST GIVES US MORE NOW TO TALK ABOUT THOUGH, LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER YOU WRITE, I'M CHECKING TO WRITE SOMETHING ON AND TO ASK A QUESTION ON.

SO ON NUMBER FOUR, THE BACKSTOPS INSTALLED IN THE AT THE PEC, IS THERE GOING TO BE A SCHEDULE FOR PRACTICES FOR THAT AND IS IT GOING TO BE PREFERENCE TO THE LITTLE LEAGUE OR THE BABE RUTH LEAGUE WHEN IT COMES TO PRACTICE ON THAT PARTICULAR FIELD. SO THERE WILL BE A SCHEDULE THAT WE WILL PUT OUT.

WE WILL ACTUALLY WORK WITH BOTH OF THE SPORTS LEAGUES, WHICH WE CURRENTLY DO, TO SEE WHERE THEY BEST FIT.

THERE WILL NOT BE LIGHTS THERE.

SO THEY'RE CURRENTLY USING THE YBOR ALVAREZ COMPLEX THE SOFTBALL FIELD AREA.

BUT I THINK WE, I THINK STAFF WOULD WORK WITH BABE RUTH AND ELM STREET LITTLE LEAGUE TO ENSURE WHERE THE BEST SUITED PLACES FOR PRACTICE WOULD BE, BUT THEY WOULD RESERVE THAT THROUGH US.

YES. OKAY.

WOULD YOU THINK SINCE IT'S IN THE PEC AREA, THAT IT WOULD BE MORE BEST SUITED FOR THE LITTLE LEAGUE WHICH IS LOCATED THERE RATHER THAN THE BABE RUTH LEAGUE? I WOULD SAY YES IF THEY IF THAT'S WHERE THEY WANTED TO PRACTICE, PROBABLY, BUT THEY MAY NOT JUST DUE TO THE FACT THERE'S NO LIGHTS. RIGHT.

THAT'S GOING TO BE ESPECIALLY DURING THE WINTER MONTHS.

OKAY. NUMBER SEVEN, THE BEACH ACCESS.

NOW, YOU HAD TALKED ABOUT NEW SIGNS.

I SEE THOSE NATURE SIGNS THAT HAS THE PICTURES OF THE BIRDS.

THOSE THINGS ARE FADING.

A LOT OF THOSE ARE. IS THAT WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT? NO, THE SMALL WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DIFFERENT SIGN, RIGHT? YES, SIR. THE ONE THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.

THE ONES WHERE YOU'RE DRIVING DOWN SOUTH FLETCHER THERE.

THE STAKES ARE BLUE AND IT HAS THE BEACH ACCESS SIGN NUMBER ON IT.

OKAY THOSE SIGNS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, I BELIEVE, WERE PURCHASED ACTUALLY WITH TDC, AND WE WILL WE ARE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT THE SIGNAGE AT EACH ONE OF THOSE LOCATIONS TO SEE IF WE CAN DO A CONSOLIDATION.

[01:35:04]

WHAT'S THE COST FOR THAT AND WHAT ARE THE HOURS GOING TO BE FOR THAT.

SO SUMMER CAMP IT'S $95 FOR CITY RESIDENTS, $119 FOR NON CITY RESIDENTS.

AND THERE IS $137 ACTIVITY FEE THAT YOU PAY ONE TIME.

THE FEES I GAVE YOU WERE PER WEEK.

SO IS THAT PER KID TOO PER KID? YEP. WE DO HAVE A DISCOUNT IF YOU GOT 3 OR 4 KIDS.

YEAH, I DON'T KNOW OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

OKAY. SUMMER CAMP IS DESIGNED WHERE YOU REGISTER FOR.

THERE'S EIGHT WEEKS THAT ARE OFFERED, AND YOU CHOOSE THE WEEKS YOU WANT TO ATTEND.

SO YOU CAN ATTEND ALL EIGHT WEEKS.

YOU COULD ATTEND THREE WEEKS.

WE EACH WEEK HAS ITS OWN THEME TRIPS, YOU KNOW, SPRINKLED INTO THERE.

FANTASTIC. AND SO, YEAH, INTO THE FEE THAT SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE REGISTRATION FEE OR NOT, THE WHAT WAS THE TITLE OF THAT? IT'S AN ACTIVITY FEE THAT'S KIND OF A PREPAYMENT FOR T SHIRTS, SOME OF THE FIELD TRIPS THAT YOU ARE GOING ON.

SO THEY PREPAY AND THEN WE PAY OUT FOR THE FIELD TRIPS.

OKAY. THE MAIN COST IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE WEEKLY FEE AND THE HOURS OF THE SUMMER CAMP ARE FROM 7:30 TO 6.

AND SO THAT'S THE 7:30 IS EARLIEST DROP OFF, IS THERE? NOTHING? OKAY.

THE SPRING BREAK, SWIM LESSONS.

WHAT ABOUT THAT? WHAT'S THE COST FOR THAT? AND WHAT ARE THE HOURS WHEN IT COMES TO THE SPRING BREAK? SWIM LESSONS.

SO. AND REGISTRATION BREAK.

SWIM LESSON.

IT'S A BOOT CAMP, AND I'M GOING TO HAVE TO PULL UP THE FLIER BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

SO WE LAST YEAR, WE DID THE INITIATIVE FOR SAFE SWIMMER.

SO IF YOU'RE A CITY RESIDENT AND YOU ARE EITHER A MANATEE LEVEL OR A SEA TURTLE LEVEL, WHICH IS A NON SWIMMER LEVEL, YOU WOULD GET THAT FOR FREE.

AND THEN YOU KNOW, IF YOU ONCE YOU PASS THE SEA TURTLE LEVEL, YOU WOULD PAY FOR THE HIGHER LEVELS WHICH ARE STROKE IMPROVEMENT, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

I WOULD HAVE TO GET YOU THE SCHEDULE AND THE PRICES ON THAT.

YEAH, I'M INTERESTED IN THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

IT'S JUST ONE WEEK FOR SPRING.

IT'S THE WEEK OF SPRING BREAK, AND IT'S IN THE AFTERNOON.

I KNOW THAT, OKAY.

I SEE THERE'S A BUNCH OF CLASSES OFFERED, THOUGH.

AND YOU'RE CURRENTLY HIRING SEASONAL STAFF, SO WHAT? IS THE I KNOW THEY COULD PROBABLY JUST GO TO THE WEBSITE, BUT IF SOMEBODY COMES UP TO ME, I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT OR HAVE IT IN MY MIND, HEY, LISTEN, THERE'S A JOB OPENING.

THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE PAYING HOURLY.

DO YOU KNOW, RIGHT OFF THE BAT.

YEAH, MOST OF OURS RANGE $15 AN HOUR AT THE LOWEST UP TO THE $17 RANGE.

OKAY. GLAD TO HEAR THAT.

LAWRENCE SPALDING IS GOING TO BE JOINING US.

IT'S GREAT TO HAVE HER AND I HOPE SOMEBODY REACHED OUT TO HER ALREADY.

LIKE CHIP. HE REACHED OUT TO ME.

I HOPE HE PROBABLY HAS ALREADY TALKED TO HER.

SOMEBODY CONTACTED HER AND LET HER KNOW THAT I WILL CONFIRM.

I PERSONALLY HAVE NOT REACHED OUT TO HER.

I WILL I WILL TALK TO KATIE TOMORROW.

MAKE SURE ONE OF US ACTUALLY REACHES OUT TO HER TO LET HER KNOW THAT SHE'S ON THAT A COMMISSION AGENDA.

I DO BELIEVE THAT THE CLERK'S OFFICE DOES THAT, BUT I'LL MAKE SURE WE DO AS A DEPARTMENT.

OKAY. SO THE I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA ABOUT THE WALKING TRACK ALSO OVER THERE BEING DONE AND THAT YOU PUT THE BROUGHT THE FENCE IN.

I THINK THAT'S FANTASTIC.

SO THAT YOU CAN WE CAN GET THAT DONE PROPERLY.

DONE THAT WAY.

THE YOU HAD MENTIONED THE 20 TREES AT THE CEMETERY.

YOU'RE GOING TO PLANT 20 TREES OR THESE POSSIBLE PLACES THAT PLOTS CAN BE WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PLOTS THAT WE DON'T HAVE.

YOU HAD 20 TREES YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT ARE GOING TO BE PLANTED.

ARE THEY BEING PLANTED IN AREAS THAT COULD THEY ARE POSSIBLY USED FOR? THEY ARE BEING PLANTED IN ROWS THAT WERE NOT PLOTTED FOR GRAVES.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IF WE WERE TO PUT GRAVES IN THESE AREAS WHERE THESE TREES ARE GROWING.

IT'S HARD. SO WE HAVE WE YOU KNOW.

YEAH. SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, TECHNICALLY, YES, BUT THERE WOULD BE SOME OPPOSITION TO PUTTING GRAVES WHERE WE'RE PUTTING THESE TREES.

[01:40:02]

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

GREAT. THANK YOU.

YES. THE SPRINKLING WILL THING YOU DID SPELL IT RIGHT.

AND I DO APPRECIATE MAYBE YOU GUYS CAN COME OUT THERE.

HOPEFULLY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A CONNOR MILLEN.

HE'S A LOCAL KID WHO JUST RECENTLY GOT HIS PROSTHETIC, AND HE'S BEEN OUT THERE WORKING HARD TO TRY TO GET BACK TO SKATEBOARDING, WHICH IS THE REASON HE LOST ONE OF HIS LEGS.

BUT HE HAS BEEN WORKING HARD GOING OUT THERE.

AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL SEE HIM AT THIS EVENT AND I THINK THAT'S IT.

I THINK THOSE ARE ALL THE NOTES I WROTE.

THANK YOU. DO WE NEED APPROVAL FROM THIS COMMITTEE TO PURCHASE ONE MORE DOG BAG BOX? NO, SIR. YOU'LL TAKE CARE OF THAT.

YES, SIR. GOOD.

I DON'T THINK I HAVE ANYTHING SPECIFIC.

THANK YOU. I EMAILED YOU ABOUT FIXING THE LITTLE ANIMAL SOUND THING AT MARTIN LUTHER KING PARK.

MY SON WAS REALLY EXCITED, AND I'M ASSUMING, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A BROKEN CHAIR ON THE SEESAW THING AT CENTRAL PARK.

I MEAN, IT'S JUST GONE.

YEAH, WE'RE AWARE OF IT.

I FIGURED IT WAS PRETTY OBVIOUS.

YES. YEP.

SO WE ACTUALLY REACHED OUT.

WE. I DON'T THINK THERE'S A BROKEN SWING.

THE BABY SWING LIKE THE ONE WHERE YOU FACE IT.

YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT? WE REMOVED IT.

YEAH, THAT'S. THE WHOLE SEAT'S GONE.

I FIGURED, OH, BECAUSE THERE WAS METAL SHOWING IN THERE, AND WE HAVE ORDERED.

OKAY. I THOUGHT THAT WE HAD SOME IN STOCK, BUT WE HAVE WE HAD TO REMOVE THAT AND WE ALREADY HAVE ORDERED SOME FOR THAT.

OKAY. YES.

YEAH. IS ACTUALLY A LITTLE BIT OF A DESIGN FLAW.

SO YEAH, I'M PRETTY SURE THAT I TOLD CATHERINE ABOUT ONE OF THOSE DOING IT LIKE NOT LONG AFTER THE PARK.

CORRECT? YES.

SO I DON'T KNOW. IS THAT ANOTHER ONE THAT'S THE SAME ONE THAT'S DOING IT OR ARE YOU.

YEAH. SO THOSE ACTUALLY THOSE WERE USED THOSE WE INCORPORATED THOSE INTO THE.

YEAH. SO THOSE WERE A LITTLE BIT OLDER.

YEAH. THE DESIGN NOW HAS CHANGED.

SO WE HAD TO REPURPOSE.

WE GOTCHA. YEAH OKAY.

SO WE'RE WE'RE REPAIRING THAT THERE.

THERE ALSO ARE THERE'S A FEW ISSUES AT THE MARTIN LUTHER KING PLAYGROUND AREA THAT WE'RE STILL FIXING.

LIKE THERE'S A LITTLE HOLE IN THE POOR IN PLACE SO THAT IS BEING ADDRESSED.

MY SON'S LIKE A LITTLE BUILDER, SO HE POINTS ALL OF IT OUT.

YES, THAT'S.

WHICH IS WHY I GET THE NOTES FOR YOU.

HE LITERALLY IS LIKE, THIS IS BROKEN, THIS IS BROKEN, THIS SCREWS LOOSE, THERE'S A NAIL AND I'M LIKE, LET ME EMAIL HIM.

LIKE SO NO, I AND I DO APPRECIATE AND WE DO APPRECIATE THAT IF YOU AND I SAID THIS IN THE DIRECTOR MEETING LAST IT YOU KNOW WE DO TAKE CARE OF A LOT OF FACILITIES.

OUR PARK SUPERINTENDENT ISN'T AT THEM EVERY DAY.

SO IF YOU'RE AT A FACILITY AND YOU SEE AN ISSUE, PLEASE LET US KNOW.

AND SAME THING WITH THIS IS OUR MAINTENANCE, OUR MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT DOES THE LANDSCAPING AROUND, YOU KNOW CITY HALL.

SO IF PEOPLE SEE STUFF, WE WANT TO HEAR ABOUT IT.

WE WANT TO GET IT RIGHT.

CAN WE WORK TOWARDS HAVING AND MAYBE THEY ALREADY EXIST IN SOME.

I THINK MAYBE WE TALKED ABOUT THIS SOMETIME.

BUT PUTTING QR CODES UP PLACES JUST TO MAKE IT EASY FOR, YOU KNOW, WE LIVE HERE AND SO WE WOULD KNOW WHO TO CALL.

BUT YEAH, YOU KNOW, FOR AS MANY VISITORS AND THINGS THAT WE HAVE, IT MIGHT JUST BE AN EASY WAY FOR THEM TO.

YEAH. ACTUALLY, LOOKING AT A VERY INEXPENSIVE PIECE OF SOFTWARE RIGHT NOW.

OKAY. LIKE REALLY INEXPENSIVE.

YEAH. WHERE YOU COULD REPORT PROBLEMS. YOU COULD, WE COULD USE IT AS A INSPECTION PIECE ON ALL OF OUR PLAYGROUNDS.

SO EVERYTHING IS UPLOADED INTO THAT.

YEAH. AND PEOPLE WHO COME TO THEM DON'T HAVE COMPLETE ACCESS, BUT THEY COULD REPORT THROUGH THAT SOFTWARE.

OH THAT'S COOL. THAT'S ALL I HAD.

ARE WE DOING BOARD COMMENTS?

[8. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS]

OKAY. WE'RE STILL ON STAFF.

NO BOARD COMMENTS.

OKAY. FIRST OF ALL, WELL, I THINK IT'S FUNNY.

I'VE BEEN HERE TEN YEARS, AND I WHEN I FIRST CAME TO CITY COMMISSION MEETINGS, THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT HORSE POOP ON THE BEACH AND CHICKENS IN THE CITY, AND NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOG POOP. SO I FEEL LIKE THAT'S A GOOD WAY TO ROUND OUT A DECADE.

YEAH. AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY MY CONDOLENCES TO FORMER COMMISSIONER CHAPMAN.

HIS WIFE, MARLENE, PASSED AWAY RECENTLY, AND SHE WAS A FRIEND OF MINE, BUT MR.CHAPMAN SERVED THIS BOARD WELL IN OUR CITY WELL FOR MANY YEARS.

AND SO JUST THINKING ABOUT THEM AND THAT'S ALL.

[01:45:01]

FIRST OF ALL, MARCH 30TH IS THE OPENING DAY AT BABE RUTH, WHERE WE'LL BE KICKING OFF 315 KIDS FOR THIS SEASON.

AND I HOPE EVERYBODY CAN MAKE AN ATTEMPT TO COME OUT.

YOU'D BE AMAZED OF HOW, WHAT, THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS LOOK LIKE IN BASEBALL UNIFORMS. IT IS AMAZING.

SO IT'S A GOOD DAY.

THERE'LL BE A MOON BOUNCE OUT THERE AND A COUPLE OF OTHER EVENTS.

SO IT'LL BE A FAMILY EVENT, SO I WISH THE TIME FROM THAT 10:00 TILL DUSK.

WELL, WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO GET EVERY GAME WE POSSIBLY CAN IN THAT DAY AND FEATURING EVERY AGE GROUP.

SO IT'S ONE OF THOSE ALL HANDS ON DECK FOR THAT DAY.

SECOND OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR ABILITY TO GET THE FIELDS READY.

WE'RE ABOUT TWO WEEKS OUT AND WE'RE ABOUT 80% THERE, SO I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH.

THE WAY THE FIELDS HAVE COME TOGETHER, AND WE'VE WORKED TOGETHER PRETTY WELL IN GETTING THAT ESTABLISHED.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK WE HAVE TO DO, AND I THINK SCOTT BROUGHT IT UP, IS THAT I LIKE TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO SAY THAT WE WERE VISIONARIES AND THAT WE MADE A CONTRIBUTION FROM PRAC, THAT THIS 25 YEAR 2025 BUDGET, THAT WE HAVE SOME INPUT INTO THIS 2025.

SO IF YOU GUYS CAN THINK OF STUFF THAT WE SHOULD BE PUTTING IN FOR REQUEST THAT SCOTT SHOULD BE LOOKING AT, I HOPE THAT YOU PUT SOME TIME INTO IT, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE GIVE THE THE DEPARTMENT WHAT WE SEE THERE EVERY DAY, AS YOU KNOW, MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.

SO I LIKE TO THIS BOARD TO BE VERY PROACTIVE IN THE 2025 BUDGET AS MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY CAN SAYING THAT.

ANYTHING ELSE? ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING ELSE?

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.