>> I'M CALLING TO ORDER THE MEETING FOR
[00:00:02]
PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING SCHEDULED FOR JUNE THE 11TH, 2024 AT 5:00 PM.WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL?
>> MEMBER GOLDMAN, MEMBER BORRERO.
>> EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE ME. [LAUGHTER]
>> HERE. WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND FOR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? NUMBER 401, APPROVAL OF THE MAY 14TH, 2024 MEETING MINUTES.
[4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
>> I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
>> ANY DISCUSSION? TAKE A VOTE.
>> CATE, CAN YOU REMIND THEM ABOUT THE?
>> YES. AT OUR LAST MEETING, WE SPOKE ABOUT THE PUBLIC ART ORDINANCE THAT WILL BE ON THE COMMISSION AGENDA FOR JUNE 18? AFTER THAT, WE'LL BRING IT BACK AND DISCUSS THE ITEMS THAT WE DISCUSSED AT OUR LAST MEETING, LIKE, LOCATIONS.
DO WE WANT TO DESIGNATE LOCATIONS OF WHERE TO PUT PUBLIC AND PERMANENT ART AND IF WE WANT TO ESTABLISH FEES WITHIN THE ORDINANCE?
>> JUNE 18 IS WHEN IT GOES TO COMMISSION.
THEN JULY, IF WE HAVE ROOM ON OUR AGENDA, THERE MIGHT BE SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DISCUSS, BUT ASSUMING WE HAVE ROOM, WE'LL PUT IT ON THE JULY AGENDA.
>> APPLICATIONS WILL GO ON THE AGENDA.
>> NUMBER 5, PUBLIC COMMENTS REGARDING ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA.
[6.1 Budget Calendar]
DISCUSSION ITEMS, BUDGET CALENDAR. SCOTT.SCOTT MICHAELSON DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION FOR THE RECORD.
IT'S IN YOUR PACKET AS WELL IN FRONT OF YOU.
WE DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT TO DISCUSS TONIGHT, BUT AS ALWAYS, I DO FEEL IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE EVERY MEETING.
IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE FACE TO FACE.
BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, I DID WANT TO INCLUDE THE BUDGET CALENDAR FOR YOUR PACKET AND FOR YOUR REVIEW.
RIGHT NOW, WE ARE IN STEP, I GUESS IT WOULD BE JUNE 3RD THROUGH THE 7TH.
IT WOULD BE CONSIDERED THE BUDGET HAS BEEN MOVED TO THE SECOND LEVEL.
THE SECOND LEVEL WOULD BE THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER, WHICH NOW IS JEREMIAH GLISSON AND THE COMPTROLLER PAULINE TESTAGROSE.
THEY WILL BE MEETING WITH EACH INDIVIDUAL CITY COMMISSIONERS REGARDING EACH DEPARTMENT'S PROPOSED BUDGET.
WE'RE STILL IN THE, I GUESS, EARLY STAGES OF IT, BUT IT IS OUT OF THE DEPARTMENT'S HANDS RIGHT NOW.
THEN IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, IT WOULD COME BACK TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS AND SO FORTH.
I CAN SAY THAT CATE AND I AND OUR TEAM ARE PROUD.
WE DID PRESENT A BUDGET THAT IS A 1% INCREASE OVER LAST YEARS.
IF WE HAD TO MAKE ANY MORE CUTS, WE FEEL LIKE WE COULD POSSIBLY GET BACK TO THE SAME OVERALL EXPENSE BUDGET THAT WAS IN THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR THAT WE'RE IN.
AS OF RIGHT NOW, OUR BUDGET THAT IS PROPOSED FOR PARKS AND RECREATION WAS TURNED OVER, AND IT'S AT THE SECOND LEVEL, AND IT IS WITH A 1% INCREASE OVER LAST YEARS.
I JUST WANTED YOU TO BE AWARE OF THAT.
WITH THAT, ALSO, I WANTED YOU TO BE AWARE OF THE CALENDAR AND WHERE THINGS FALL.
[00:05:03]
IF YOU HAD ANY QUESTIONS, MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM AT THIS POINT.>> WE'RE OBVIOUSLY IN A GREAT STATE OF FLEX WITH WHAT'S GOING ON WITH CHARLIE AND JEREMIAH STEPPING IN TO THIS ROLE.
I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN A PART OF THIS PROCESS FOR MANY YEARS, OBVIOUSLY, BUT NOW YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS FULLY.
>> ONE QUESTION WOULD BE, WERE THE DEPARTMENTS GIVEN ANY DIRECTION ABOUT WHERE THEY NEEDED TO BE OVER LAST YEAR, OR IS IT AN ORGANIC PROCESS WHERE YOU'RE LOOKING AT WHAT THE NEEDS ARE? BECAUSE I'M CONCERNED. I'M SURE THERE'S SOME MONEY THAT WE DIDN'T SPEND THIS YEAR THAT STILL NEEDS TO BE SPENT.
IT WILL BE MORE EXPENSIVE NEXT YEAR.
I KNOW THAT WE WILL POTENTIALLY BE LOOKING AT A ROLLBACK RATE AS A CITY BASED ON SOME POSITIONS.
I'M REALLY CONCERNED BECAUSE AGAIN, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT AND STARTING TO TACKLE REALLY LARGE PROJECTS THAT THEN WILL REQUIRE MAINTENANCE, AND I WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF ALL OF MY EXPENSES ONLY WENT UP 1%.
AT HOME I KNOW THAT'S NOT REALISTIC.
I'M CONCERNED, AND I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO KNOW WHAT THINGS WERE CUT? AT WHAT POINT WOULD IT FEEL LIKE PROBLEMATIC TO YOU, I GUESS.
I THINK WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT IS, THE WAY I'M LOOKING AT THIS EXISTING BUDGET IS A MAINTENANCE BUDGET.
I THINK THE PROCESS IS ORGANIC TO ANSWER YOUR FIRST QUESTION.
FROM WHAT I SEE OF THE EXISTING COMMISSION, IT DOES SOUND LIKE A ROLLBACK RATE BUDGET, POSSIBLY.
BUT IT IS ORGANIC IN THE FIRST PROCESS.
THE FIRST PROCESS IS TO THE DEPARTMENT HEADS WORKING WITH THEIR TEAM TO SUBMIT A BUDGET.
OBVIOUSLY, THE WAY I TAKE IT IS KNOWING THAT THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE WE WILL BE GOING BACK TO THE ROLLBACK RATE IS I WANT TO BE MORE REALISTIC ABOUT IT.
THE BUDGET THAT WE DID PREPARE IS WE CAN HANDLE A LOT OF THE MAINTENANCE AND THE UPKEEP THAT WE HAVE THROUGH THIS BUDGET.
WHERE SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN CUT WOULD BE MORE OF THE LARGER CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT COST, WHERE THEY MIGHT BE PUSHED DOWN BACK ONE MORE YEAR?
>> AGAIN, I'M NOT TRYING TO PUSH BACK TO YOU BECAUSE I'M REALLY JUST CONCERNED FROM THIS BOARD, BUT AS A CITIZEN, TOO, BEACH WALKOVERS, THEY'RE ENORMOUSLY EXPENSIVE.
I FEEL LIKE ARE WE GOING TO BE AT A PLACE WHERE WE HAVE ANY ROOM AT ALL FOR CONTINGENCIES OR.
>> YEAH, SO THAT IS A GREAT EXAMPLE.
THE WAY THAT I LOOKED AT IT IS IN OUR EXISTING BUDGET, WE ACTUALLY HAD TWO FULL TIME CARPENTER POSITIONS THAT WERE PLACED IN OUR '24 FISCAL YEAR BUDGET THAT WAS THIS YEAR.
THE WAY THAT I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD IS I AM WORKING ON WE ACTUALLY WENT OUT TO BID.
I'M ACTUALLY TRYING TO GET QUOTES NOW FROM SOME LOCAL CONTRACTORS WHERE WE CAN GET A CARPENTER CONTRACTOR ON CONTRACT.
THEN INSTEAD OF HAVING THOSE TWO INDIVIDUAL FULL TIME EMPLOYEES, WE CAN COME OUT, WE GET THEM UNDER CONTRACT.
HOPEFULLY, I CAN BUDGET FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS AT LEAST $100,000, SO WE CAN RE-DECK, RE-HANDRAIL, FIX THE STRINGERS ON THE BOARDWALKS.
THAT'S MY ULTIMATE GOAL IS WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT THINGS WITHIN OUR CITY, AND I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE STRUGGLED TO MAINTAIN WHAT WE HAVE.
IF WE CAN GET TO A POINT WHERE WE CAN MAINTAIN WHAT WE HAVE, THEN IT WOULD BE GREAT TO ADD NEW STUFF.
>> FROM A BUDGETING STANDPOINT, I MEAN, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE REPAIRS THAT WOULD NEED TO BE MADE AT ATLANTIC REC CENTER.
>> YES. THOSE ARE STILL PENDING, YES.
NO, I DO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE FACILITY MAINTENANCE TEAM ON THOSE.
[00:10:04]
THOSE WOULD BE INCLUDED IN OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT. OUR CIP? THAT 1% IS MY OPERATING, THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT COSTS ARE TECHNICALLY A DIFFERENT BUDGET, BUT THOSE ARE STILL BUDGETED TO MOVE FORWARD.>> BUT DID I UNDERSTAND TO SAY THAT IF THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WOULD GET KICKED DOWN THE ROAD?
>> THE LARGER ITEMS ARE ULTIMATELY THE ITEMS THAT WOULD GET PUSHED DOWN. YES.
>> WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE FOR US TO SEE WHAT THINGS OR HOW THEY'RE PRIORITIZED.
>> I'D LIKE TO SEE THE THINGS THAT YOU GUYS FELT LIKE THIS DIDN'T MAKE THE CUT BECAUSE WE'RE RUNNING AT SUCH THIN MARGINS, AND I GET, WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO NOT BE JUST SPENDING MONEY WILLY NILLY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THERE'S A LOT OF THIS STUFF IT REQUIRES MONEY TO MAINTAIN SO MANY THINGS THAT WE HAVE THAT FALL INTO OUR DEPARTMENT.
>> OUR DEPARTMENT IS THE THIRD LARGEST BUDGET IN THE CITY BEHIND THE POLICE AND THE FIRE.
JEREMIAH, HE WILL SAY, TOO, IS WE HAVE THE MOST BUILDINGS, AND THEY'RE OLDER.
MAINTENANCE IS A HUGE PART OF OUR BUDGET.
>> SOMEBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?
>> WHAT WAS THE AMOUNT, I KNOW YOU SAY 1% WHAT IS THE NUMBER OF FIGURES? THIS IS SOMETHING I COULD FIND SOMEWHERE? IS IT SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD?
>> THE NUMBER IS CLOSE TO FIVE MILLION.
>> THE TOTAL BUDGET WOULD BE 1%, FIVE MILLION WAS THIS YEAR, 5,500,000 OR 1% OVER THAT NUMBER.
>> THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO KNOW.
>> THE OTHER THING IS THE REORGANIZATION OF THE DEPARTMENT AS WELL SO WE'RE ABLE TO SAVE A FEW COSTS IN THAT.
>> WELL, I THINK, TOO, OBVIOUSLY, THE ASSETS THAT WE HAVE AND THE MAINTENANCE OF THAT COST MONEY, BUT THEN WE HAVE A LOT OF PROGRAMS TOO.
FROM A PERSONNEL STANDPOINT, ARE YOU ALSO THEN THE THIRD LARGEST PERSONNEL REQUIRED FROM EACH DEPARTMENT?
>> I WOULD SAY THAT WE'RE REALLY CLOSE TO YES.
IN THE EXISTING BUDGET THAT WAS PROPOSED, WE HAVE 25 FULL TIME EMPLOYEES, 18 SEASONAL AND 27 PART TIME.
[OVERLAPPING] SALARIES IS ABSOLUTELY THE MAIN EXPENSE AND IT'S NOT JUST THE SALARIES, IT'S THE RETIREMENT.
IT'S THE BENEFITS THAT GO ALONG WITH.
>> [NOISE] I GUESS I JUST WANT TO ADD ONE REALLY QUICK THING IS, OUR GOAL IS AND WE WILL CREATE MORE PROGRAMS. THE ONE GOOD THING ABOUT PROGRAMS ARE CREATING MORE PROGRAMS IS WE FEEL WITH THE EXISTING STAFF THAT WE HAVE, OUR EXPENSES ARE GOING TO BE MINIMAL COMPARED TO SOME OF THE REVENUE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO BRING IN FROM RUNNING THESE PROGRAMS. WE HAVE A LOT OF THE STUFF THAT WE ALREADY HAVE IT.
WE'RE JUST NOT RUNNING THE PROGRAMS. WE'RE NOT RUNNING YOUTH BASKETBALL, WE HAVE THE GYMNASIUM, WE HAVE THE ELECTRICAL COSTS THAT GO ALONG WITH IT.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE STAFF NOW OR IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE WITH THESE RE COORDINATORS COMING IN, SO THAT EXPENSE IS GOING TO BE RELATIVELY MINIMAL.
THEN WE ARE GOING TO RECOUP SOME OF THOSE COSTS.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO CHARGE ASTRONOMICAL FEES, BUT WE ARE GOING TO BRING IN SOME FEES FROM THESE PROGRAMS TO HELP OUR REVENUE SIDE OF IT.
>> DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO ADD TO WITH, SCOTT?
>> NO, I DON'T. UNLESS YOU GUYS HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, WE COULD MOVE ON TO ITEM 6.2.
>> IF YOU DON'T MIND, ITEM 6.2 IS REGARDING
[6.2 Budget: Current Fiscal Year and Next Fiscal Year]
THE BUDGET AS WELL AS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR AND NEXT FISCAL YEAR.I KNOW THIS WASN'T ATTACHED, BUT I DID SEND YOU GUYS AN EMAIL OF THIS UPDATE. DID I MISS SOMETHING?
[00:15:08]
>> NO, I WAS WONDERING [OVERLAPPING] THERE IT WAS BECAUSE I WATCHED THE OTHER.
>> THANK YOU. KATIE PUT IT UP HERE, JUST IN CASE YOU DID NOT GET THE EMAIL.
BUT IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR THAT WE ARE IN, WE HAVE JUNE JULY, AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER.
WE'RE EIGHT MONTHS IN SO WE HAVE FOUR MONTHS TO GO.
SEPTEMBER 30 IS IS THE END OF OUR BUDGET.
I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A BIG OVERVIEW OF IT.
IN OUR DOWNTOWN DISTRICT, WHICH IS ONE OF THE DIVISIONS THAT FALLS UNDER PARKS AND RECREATION, MAINLY THE MAINTENANCE SIDE OF IT, WE DO CARRY THE CONTRACT WITH THE GREENERY, THE NEW COMPANY.
THAT'S A LARGE EXPENSE FOR OUR DOWNTOWN BUDGET.
I HAVE RECEIVED SOME COMPLIMENTS REGARDING SOME OF THE WORK THAT THEY HAVE DONE.
WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY REMAINING IN THAT BUDGET, WHERE WE'RE GOING TO START ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTING THE DOWNTOWN PARTS OF THE PLANTING.
I KNOW THERE'S A POSSIBILITY OF REVITALIZATION DOWNTOWN, I OBVIOUSLY DON'T WANT TO PLANT STUFF AND GET THEM RIPPED UP.
I'M WORKING WITH THE FACILITIES TEAM, THE STREET TEAM ON WHERE WE COULD DO SOME PLANTINGS IN OUR DOWNTOWN AREA TO HELP THE BEAUTIFICATION OF THAT.
WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING THAT, BUT THAT BUDGET IS IN GOOD HANDS RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY REMAINING, SO WITHIN THE NEXT FOUR MONTHS, WE WILL BE STARTING THAT PROCESS.
THE CEMETERY FALLS UNDER PARKS AND RECREATION, AS YOU KNOW.
THERE'S A LOT OF CHALLENGES WITH THE CEMETERY.
IT IS, AS OF RIGHT NOW IN THIS FISCAL YEAR, I HAD $104,000.
BUT SOME OF THOSE NUMBERS GETS A LITTLE TRICKY BECAUSE PART OF THAT GOES INTO OUR PERPETUAL CARE ACCOUNT.
THE PERPETUAL CARE FUND FOR THE CEMETERY IS AT AROUND 1.4 MILLION.
HOWEVER, WHEN WE DO END UP NOT BEING ABLE TO SELL ANY MORE GRAVES IN THE CEMETERY, THE CITY ULTIMATELY WE'LL USE THAT PERPETUAL CARE MONEY TO MAINTAIN THE CEMETERY.
WHATEVER, AS OF RIGHT NOW, IT'S 1.4 MILLION, IT WILL CONTINUE TO GROW, BUT ULTIMATELY, IN THE FUTURE, ONCE WE CAN'T SELL ANY MORE GRAVES AND WE DON'T HAVE REVENUE, THE CITY IS GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF THE CEMETERY.
>> IS THAT MONEY INVESTED, LIKE IS IT?
>> WE'RE NOT RECEIVING A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY BACK, YES.
>> BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WITH NO WAY TO INCREASE THE REVENUE FROM THAT BECAUSE IT'S A FINITE PRODUCT.
[NOISE] AT SOME POINT, YOU COULD POTENTIALLY RUN DOWN THE MONEY THAT IT.
THIS IS ITEMS THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO ADDRESS AS A TEAM, AND I FEEL IN THE NEAR FUTURE IS IT'S BRINGING UP THE CONVERSATION OF CAN WE IMPLEMENT A COLUMBARIUM THAT IS FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE FOR THE CEMETERY TO EXTEND THE LONGEVITY, SO WE'RE NOT GOING INTO THE PERPETUAL CARE ACCOUNT.
I BELIEVE THE NUMBER 70% OF THE PEOPLE WHO NOW PASS AWAY DO CREMAINS.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT TO YOU AND ALSO THE COMMUNITY TO GET BY IN BECAUSE WE FEEL VERY STRONGLY THAT CEMETERY DOES NEED A COLUMBARIUM.
THEN IN ADDITION TO THAT, IT'S WHERE IN THE CEMETERY, CAN WE FIND ADDITIONAL PLACES FOR BARRIERS? THOSE ARE THE ITEMS. IF WE WERE TO DO NOTHING RIGHT NOW, WE'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT 5-6 YEARS, AND WE WOULD BE OUT OF GRAVES.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE AND I WILL BE BRINGING SOME ITEMS TO YOU.
>> ARE YOU THINKING THAT THOSE DISCUSSIONS ARE GOING TO BE IN NEXT YEARS'?
>> I HAVE BUDGETED MONEY FOR NEXT YEARS IN CASE WE CAN GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE COULD IMPLEMENT A COLUMBARIUM.
>> ARE WE GOING TO NEED TO DO A STUDY ABOUT THAT TO SEE HOW MUCH OR WHAT IS IT JUST GETTING QUOTES OF WHAT THAT MONUMENT WOULD COST OR WHATEVER?
>> THE PROCESS TO ME WOULD BE IS, YOU COME UP WITH A DESIGN, YOU GET COMMUNITY FEEDBACK ON THE DESIGN.
DOES THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT THIS? IF THE COMMUNITY SUPPORTS IT,
[00:20:01]
YOU FIX IT UP A LITTLE BIT, ENGINEERING DRAWINGS, CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS, AND THEN WE GO OUT TO BID TO SEE HOW MUCH IT WOULD BE.DO WE PHASE IT? I'M A BELIEVER THAT WE COULD PRE-SALE A LOT OF THESE AS WELL TO HELP PAY FOR THE PROJECT.
I CAN'T TELL YOU SPECIFICALLY HOW MUCH, BUT WE COULD PAY FOR AT LEAST PHASE 1 OF IT OR PHASE 2 OF IT, DEPENDING ON HOW WE GO, IF WE'RE GOING TO PHASE IT OR IF WE'RE JUST GOING TO BUILD IT OUT.
>> I WOULD LOVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW OR WHEN WE CAN GET SOME NUMBERS. WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? ARE WE TALKING ABOUT $100,000, $1,000,000? I WOULD HAVE NO IDEA.
>> YEAH, AND OF COURSE, AND BEFORE WE DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT IS THOSE NUMBERS WOULD BE PRESENTED TO YOU.
>> YEAH. I'M JUST CURIOUS WHAT DOES SOMETHING LIKE THAT COST TO KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD DO IN PHASES.
>> I BELIEVE I CAN PRESENT SOME GOOD INFORMATION TO YOU NEXT MONTH AT OUR MEETING OR THE FOLLOWING MONTH.
>> BUT THE SENTENCE'S ALREADY BAKED IN FOR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGETING SO THAT IF SOMETHING REAL CAME ABOUT, YOU COULD POTENTIALLY DO SOMETHING IN '25?
>> YEAH, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IS CURRENTLY IN THERE, IT WOULD BE A PHASE PROJECT.
IT WOULD NOT BE THE ENTIRE AMOUNT.
>> BUT THROUGH THIS PROCESSES, WE DO STILL HAVE SOME TIME WHERE WE COULD, AND I WOULD HAVE TO PRESENT THIS AND GET YOUR SUPPORT NOT ONLY WITH JEREMIAH, THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER, BUT THE COMMISSION TOO.
THEY'RE GOING TO WANT TO SEE NUMBERS.
>> BUT WITH THE CEMETERY, ALSO, IT'S NOT JUST A COLUMBARIUM, AND WE CAN HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS IN THE FUTURE, BUT, THERE ARE SOME EROSION ISSUES IN THE ANCIENT PART OF THE CEMETERY.
THERE'S MONUMENT REPAIR THAT NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE.
WE WILL ALWAYS WORRY ABOUT THE TREE CANOPY, NOT ONLY IN THE CITY, BUT THE CEMETERY.
BOSCOBEL MEANS BEAUTIFUL WOODS, SO OBVIOUSLY TAKE CARE OF THAT.
THEN D&E, OBVIOUSLY SAY MORE GRAYS IN COLUMBARIUM BECAUSE, LIKE I SAID, IS WE ARE PUSHING FORWARD TO A 5-6 YEARS, IF WE DO NOT AND DO NOTHING, THEN WE IMMEDIATELY START EATING INTO OUR PERPETUAL CARE FUND.
THIS SPECIFIC YEAR, FISCAL YEAR '24, OUR BUDGET IS ALL UNDER ONE.
HISTORICALLY, WE HAVE HAD, SHE MAKES FUN OF ME WHEN I SAY THAT, IT WAS BROKEN UP.
THIS PAST YEAR, THIS CURRENT YEAR, IT'S ALL UNDER OUR 7200 ACCOUNT.
NEXT YEAR, THE BUDGET THAT I'M PROPOSING IS I BROKE IT BACK OUT SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE EIGHT DIVISIONS.
OUR 7200 ACCOUNT IS OUR RECREATION.
OUR 7210 ACCOUNT WILL BE PARKS.
OUR 7220 ACCOUNT WILL BE PEC, 7225 IS MLK, 7230 IS YOUTH, 1740 IS AQUATICS.
THE REASONING BEHIND THIS IS IT'S GOING TO ALLOW US TO REALLY HONE IN ON OUR EXPENSES AND ITEMS LIKE THAT, SO IT GOT BROKEN BACK OUT TO WHAT WE WERE AT PRIOR TO THIS FISCAL YEAR.
>> DOES THAT LIMIT YOU WHEN REALLOCATION BECOMES NECESSARY THAT IF SAY NOW IF WE HAVE SOMETHING JUST IN ONE FUND, ONE PROJECT GETS MOVED AND THE FUNDS CAN BE ALLOCATED TO?
>> NO, I IT'S NOT GOING TO AFFECT US BECAUSE IT'S STILL INTO OUR DEPARTMENT.
AS LONG AS WE'RE TRANSFERRING MONEY, THOSE ARE DIVISIONS.
IT REALLY MAKES US BUDGET MAKE SURE WE KNOW WHEN WE BUDGET THIS IS THIS IS WHAT WE REALLY FEEL IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
THE PLANNING PHASES, IT'S IMPORTANT.
>> WE ARE BREAKING THAT BACK UP.
BESIDES THOSE TWO IS THE DOWNTOWN BUDGET AND THE CEMETERY BUDGET.
CAPITAL PROJECTS COMPLETE? CAPITAL PROJECTS.
ALL OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS THIS YEAR WILL BE COMPLETED BY JULY, THAT DOES INCLUDE SOME BOARDWALKS.
WE HAVE SOME PROJECTS GOING ON RIGHT NOW, AS WELL AS THE TENNIS COURTS, THE SKATE PARK, THERE WAS ONE OTHER ONE I CAN'T THINK OF OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT ALL THOSE WILL BE COMPLETED AT NO LATER THAN THE END OF JULY.
THE ONLY ONE THAT WE'RE REALLY WORKING ON IS IN THE VERY BEGINNING PHASES IS WE'RE GOING TO RESURFACE THE POOL AT THE MLK CENTER.
[00:25:04]
KATIE AND I FEEL THAT VERY CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO DO THAT IN AUGUST IN SEPTEMBER, OR HOPEFULLY IN SEPTEMBER, ONCE THE POOL SEASONS WRAP DOWN, SO WE'RE NOT PUSHING PEOPLE OUT OF THE POOL.THAT WILL BE THE FINAL CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.
LIKE I SAID EARLIER TOO, IS I AM WORKING WITH SOME LOCAL CONTRACTORS AND GETTING QUOTES REGARDING CARPENTRY WORK.
I THINK YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT ABOUT THAT IS THAT OUR BOARDWALKS HAVE BEEN NEGLECTED, AND I THINK AS OF RIGHT NOW, THIS IS THE BEST WAY TO DO IT.
I THINK A LOT OF OUR BOARDWALKS NEED TO BE RE-DECKED, RE-HANDRAILED.
THE ONES THAT HAVE POSTS THAT HAVE ISSUES WITH POSTS GOING INTO THE GROUND, THAT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT BALL GAME, THOSE WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO GO OUT A BIT. YES.
>> HAVE YOU LOOKED AT DOING THE DECKING AND THE HANDRAILS IN ANY SYNTHETIC DECKING RIGHT NOW?
>> THE TREK WOOD OR I BELIEVE, YEAH.
TO BE HONEST, I HAVE NOT, BUT I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING I CAN DO.
>> I MENTIONED IT TO KATHERINE WHEN SHE WAS HERE BECAUSE MY HUSBAND AND I PUT A COUPLE OF BOARDWALKS IN AND WE'VE USED A PRODUCT CALLED WEARDECK ON ALL OF OURS.
>> WEARDECK. IT'S A SYNTHETIC.
BUT WE PUT IT ON FOR ALL OF OUR DECKS AT OUR RENTAL PROPERTIES AND ALL OF OUR BOARDWALKS, AND WE HAVE NEVER HAD TO REPLACE A BOARD.
WE'VE GOT OUR OLDEST ONE THAT'S IN THAT ALMOST FIVE-YEARS-OLD.
IT'S MORE, BUT I KNOW WHEN WE FIRST DID ONE, IT WAS WHEN LUMBER PRICES WERE REALLY HIGH A COUPLE OF YEARS BACK, AND SO THE PRICE DIFFERENCE WASN'T THAT SIGNIFICANT, AND NOW I THINK THE DIFFERENCE IS A LITTLE BIT MORE AGAIN, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY HELD UP REALLY WELL.
IT DOESN'T GET AS HOT, IT DOESN'T SPLINTER.
>> YEAH, WHEN THE PRODUCT, AND THAT WAS THE MAIN REASON WHY WE NEVER DID THAT, IS BECAUSE THE PRICE DIFFERENCE WAS SO DRAMATIC.
>> WHEN TRACK CAME OUT, IT'S REALLY EXPENSIVE.
>> YEAH, WHEN IT WAS REALLY NEW.
>> BUT THE LAST TIME, WHEN FIRST ONE LUMBER WAS HIGH, IT WAS LIKE LESS THAN 10% DIFFERENT.
>> MAINLY WHEN YOU DO THOSE, IT'S THE DECKING AND THEN THEN THE TOP OF THE HANDRAIL.
YOU'RE NOT DOING THE WHOLE BOARDWALK.
>> THE OTHER PART OF THE WHOLE SCENARIO IS, THE MAINTENANCE IS A GOOD 25 YEARS.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS CHOOSE A PRESSURE WASHER.
>>YEAH. YOU DO STAINLESS SCREWS INSTEAD OF NAILS.
>> THAT'S A REVOLVING 25 YEARS OF [OVERLAPPING].
>> REGARDLESS, IS WE'RE AT A POINT NOW WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF OUR BOARDWALKS.
>> WELL, MAYBE SOMETHING LIKE THAT TOO.
BECAUSE AGAIN, WE DID WHAT? FOUR OR FIVE LAST YEAR.
THEY'RE $100,000 OR SOMETHING.
>> YEAH. WELL, BEACH ACCESS 40, THAT WAS ONE OF THE BOARDWALKS, I BELIEVE IN 2019 THAT WAS REMOVED.
BEACH ACCESS 40, WE JUST DID THAT AND THAT WAS I THINK RIGHT AROUND A HIGH TWOS $300,000.
>> MAYBE IT WOULD BE WORTHWHILE TO LOOK AT THAT AS A PROGRAM TO YOUR POINT, SO THAT INSTEAD OF REPLACING ANY, SO IF THERE'S MINIMAL MAINTENANCE TO ONE, MAYBE WE JUST CONTINUE ON WHERE IT IS, BUT IF IT'S A FULL REPLACEMENT, THAT THEY START GETTING REPLACED THAT WAY WITH SOMETHING ELSE.
[OVERLAPPING] AGAIN, YOU CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU NEED NOW FOR THE BUDGET, BUT THEN WHAT'S SUSTAINABLE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR? YEAH. THAT'S A MOVING TARGET.
>> YEAH. OUR GOAL WAS TO WORK WITH, THEY PUT TOGETHER A BEACH ACCESS COMMITTEE, AND THERE WAS TIME FRAMES ON WHEN THEY WANTED TO INSTALL THE BEACH ACCESSES THAT WERE REMOVED.
WE ARE WORKING THROUGH THAT LIST, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S MAINTAINING THE ONES THAT WE HAVE.
IF WE DON'T MAINTAIN THOSE, WE'RE GOING TO BE IN THE SAME SPOT.
>> WELL, JUST IN THIS VEIN, I WOULD SUPPORT IF YOU GUYS ARE INTERESTED OR WILLING IS I WOULDN'T SPEND TOO MUCH TIME UNTIL WE CAN GET SOME DIRECTION, BUT MAYBE LOOK AT SOME PRELIMINARY COSTS ABOUT WHAT WE SPENT TO REBUILD ONE COMPLETELY AND WHAT THAT WOULD HAVE COST TO DO IT IN A COMPOSITE.
>> BECAUSE THE FIRST BOARDWALK THAT WE PUT IN WITH IT IS A VERY LONG ONE.
[00:30:03]
IT'S ON THAT REAL LONG STRETCH WHERE THE DUNES ARE REALLY LONG ON PLETCHER DOWN THERE.WE PUT IT IN WITH WEARDECK, AND OURS WAS NOT ANYWHERE NEAR THE PRICES THAT YOU GUYS HAVE SAID YOU'VE PAID FOR BOARDWALK.
>> YEAH, THAT'S INTERESTING. I WOULD LIKE TO COMPARE IT.
>> YOU'RE DOING RESIDENTIAL OR YOU'RE DOING COMMERCIAL ALL DIFFERENCE [INAUDIBLE]
>> BUT THE MATERIAL COST WOULDN'T BE DIFFERENT, MAYBE THE ENGINEERING, BUT NOT THE MATERIAL.
>> MATERIAL, THE WHOLE THING [INAUDIBLE].
>> I'D BE INTERESTED TO SEE SOME NUMBERS AND SEE WHAT OPTION.
AGAIN, LOOKING FOR SOMETHING THAT OR IN 10 YEARS, 20 YEARS WHEN WE'RE ALL NOT SITTING HERE, AND YOU'RE NOT HERE, HOPEFULLY YOU'RE RETIRED, THAT SOMEBODY ELSE IS NOT HAVING THE SAME CONVERSATION, REPLACING SOMETHING THAT IS CONSISTENTLY.
>> I BELIEVE ANOTHER ISSUE WITH IT IS THE FORMATION OF THE DUNES AND IF THEY ARE TAKING OVER PARTS OF THE BOARDWALK.
TAKING IN THAT IS IF YOU DO PAY THAT EXTRA AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR THAT TYPE OF WOOD, THEN IS IT GOING TO BE SWALLOWED UP BY THE DUNE SYSTEM AS IT GOES ALONG IN A 20.
IT'S ALL OF THOSE FACTORS IS MY POINT.
>> SCOTT, THEY'VE BEEN USING TRUCK DECKING UP NORTH IN REHOBOTH AND IN LEWES, DELAWARE.
THAT WHOLE PROCESS STARTED BACK IN 2001, THEY STARTED USING THAT PRODUCT UP THERE IN THE NORTH.
THEY ARE NOW JUST STARTING TO DO A COUPLE OF REPLACEMENT BOARDS WHERE THEY CAN POP THEM RIGHT UP BECAUSE OF THE SCREWS AND PUT THEM RIGHT BACK DOWN AND THE PRESSURE WASHER, IT'S CLEAN.
GUESS WHAT? YOU DON'T GET SPLINTERS IN YOUR FEET WHEN YOU'RE WALKING ACROSS THESE BOARDS.
>> WHAT I CAN DO IS I COULD DO A COST ANALYSIS OF THAT WOULD BE RELATIVELY EASY.
>> JUST LIKE, IF WE HAD DONE THIS IN THIS MATERIAL, WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE IF IT'S DIFFERENT? I'D JUST BE CURIOUS.
ONE OF MY BIGGEST COMPLAINTS I FEEL HAPPENS IN THE CITY A LOT IS REACTIONARY THINGS.
ANY PLACE THAT WE COULD LOOK TO BE PROACTIVE IN PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE, I THINK IS A GOOD THING.
>> I CAN DO A COST ANALYSIS ON SOME OF THAT STUFF.
THEN THE LAST PART ON HERE IS LARGE PROJECTS ON THE HORIZON.
YES, SOME OF THIS DOES INCLUDE OUR 310 ACCOUNT, WHICH IS OUR IMPACT FEE MONEY BUT OBVIOUSLY, I THINK YOU SHOULD BE AWARE OF THIS AND WE ARE WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES.
THEN OBVIOUSLY WE BRING THIS TO YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
BUT WE DO HAVE SOME LARGE ITEMS COMING DOWN THE LINE.
I DO THINK IBO ALVAREZ IS THERE WAS A LITTLE WALL THERE FOR A LITTLE WHILE.
I DO THINK THAT WE ARE STARTING TO MOVE FORWARD A LITTLE BIT MORE WITH THAT.
I HAVE MET WITH THE AMELIA ISLAND YOUTH SOCCER ORGANIZATION AND THE ENGINEER THAT IS PUTTING THAT DESIGN TOGETHER.
I BELIEVE THAT'S GOING TO BE MOVING FORWARD HERE IN THE NEAR FUTURE, WHICH IS A GREAT THING.
>> DO YOU GUYS HAVE A TARGET DATE FOR THAT, GOD WILLING AND THE CREEK DON'T RISE, LIKE 2025?
>> THAT WOULD BE GREAT. I CAN TELL YOU FROM THE PARKS AND RECREATION STANDPOINT IS, I DON'T THINK WE OR THE ENGINEER WILL BE THE HOLDUP.
I DON'T HAVE MUCH CONTROL WITH THE FAA, AND HONESTLY, COMMISSIONER ROSS IS HERE.
I THINK HE MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT MORE AWARE OF THAT.
I AM MAKING SURE THAT OUR DEPARTMENT IS READY, AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE READY IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
>> BUT ARE WE AND I DON'T MEAN PARKS AND REC NECESSARILY, BUT AS THE CITY, IS THERE A TARGET DATE, IS IT THE FALL 2025 SOCCER SEASON?
>> I DON'T WANT TO PUT A DATE ON IT.
[00:35:04]
>> THERE ARE PROCESSES WITH THE FAA.
THERE WERE SOME GRANTS THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THAT.
THE ONLY REASON WHY I DON'T WANT TO GIVE YOU A TIME FRAME IS I DON'T KNOW THE TIME FRAME.
>> I WOULDN'T HOLD YOU TO IT HARD AND FAST.
I'M ASKING FOR A REASON OF ARE WE GOING TO SEE THIS MAYBE IN THE NEXT BUDGET YEAR? DO WE THINK IT'LL BE LONGER THAN THAT? I WAS JUST CURIOUS.
>> IT'LL BE IN THE NEXT BUDGET YEAR.
MEANING THERE'S MONEY IN THE NEXT BUDGET YEAR TO PROCEED.
I DON'T WANT TO SAY THAT'S GOING TO BE DONE IN NEXT BUDGET YEAR.
>> THE COUNTY HAS [OVERLAPPING].
YES. THEN WE ARE AWARE THAT WITH THE DESIGN OF THE WATERFRONT, THE PATON COURTS WERE REMOVED FROM THAT.
THERE'S 16 COURTS THAT WERE REMOVED FROM THAT DESIGN.
I AM, AS OF RIGHT NOW, WORKING WITH THAT ORGANIZATION IS WHERE CAN WE PUT THOSE WITHIN PARKS AND RECREATION.
I AM WORKING ON THAT, THAT WILL BE COMING FORWARD TO YOU.
JUST FOR A HEADS UP, I BELIEVE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING A PRESENTATION FROM THAT ORGANIZATION AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
THEN ALSO THE MARTIN LUTHER KING SOFTBALL FIELDS.
THOSE ARE, TO ME, SOME LARGER PROJECTS THAT ARE DEFINITELY ON THE HORIZON IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE. ANY QUESTIONS?
>> COMMISSIONER ROSS, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
>> I MEAN, I'M JUST CURIOUS [OVERLAPPING].
I MEAN, NOT EVERY PHASE OF THE PROJECT.
ARE WE LOOKING FOR CHILDREN WHO ARE SCHOOL AGE NOW BEING ABLE TO PLAY SOCCER ON THIS FIELD, OR ARE THEY GOING TO AGE OUT BEFORE THIS GETS [OVERLAPPING].
>> I'M NOT GOING TO [LAUGHTER].
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN. HERE IT IS.
BACK IN THE EARLY '80S, THE CITY GOT A GRANT FROM THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT TO BUILD THE YBOR'S SOFTBALL FIELDS.
BACK IN THE LATE '90S, EARLY 2000S, THEY GOT A GRANT FROM THE SAME ORGANIZATION TO BUILD THE SOCCER FIELDS. ALL RIGHT.
IN THOSE GRANTS, IT SAID THAT THEY WOULD BE KEPT IN PERPETUITY AND RECREATION AND IN THESE SPECIFIC THINGS.
OR YOU CAN REPLACE THEM SOMEWHERE ELSE, SAME AMOUNT OF LAND, SAME AMOUNT OF EVERYTHING, OR YOU CAN PAY US BACK.
ALONG CAME THE PEOPLE WHO WANTED WHERE THE SOCCER FIELDS ARE, AND THAT'S AIRPORT OBLIGATED LAND.
THE CITY HAD NO LEASES, NO NOTHING, AND SO THE CITY SAID, OKAY.
THE FAA SAID, OKAY, THEY WANT IT.
YOU HAVE TO GIVE IT UP BASICALLY.
THE CITY WAS GOING TO MOVE THE SOCCER FIELDS TO WHERE THE SOFTBALL FIELDS ARE.
WE'RE REPLACING, AND THAT GRANT WAS FOR ABOUT $120,000, AND SO WE'RE REPLACING THAT IN KIND, AND WE JUST HAVE TO TELL THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO, THE TIMELINE OF DOING THAT.
I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
THEN THERE'S THE SOFTBALL FIELDS.
SOFTBALL FIELDS, THERE'S NO WAY WE CAN REPLACE THOSE THREE-AND-A-HALF SOFTBALL FIELDS.
THERE'S NO LAND IN THE CITY TO DO THAT.
WE'RE GOING TO PROBABLY HAVE TO PAY THEM BACK, AND THAT'S GOING TO COST ABOUT $45,000.
THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
IF WE CAN PAY THEM BACK AND GET THEM TO AGREE TO THE PLAN THAT WE HAVE GOING FORWARD, HOPEFULLY, THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH.
THEN THAT HAS TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE FAA.
THE FAA, AND THERE'S TWO WAYS IT DIVIDES.
ONE IS THAT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY AND ALL THIS OTHER STUFF, AND THAT COULD TAKE YEARS.
OR WE CAN GO, WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY.
THAT'S CONTINGENT ON THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT SAYING, WE DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH THEM DOING WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO WITH GIVING US THE MONEY BACK AND REPLACING THIS SOCCER FIELDS.
ASSUMING THAT WE GO THE LESSER ROUTE, THEY AGREE TO THAT, THAT'S ABOUT THREE OR FOUR MONTHS.
THEN YOU HAVE TO GO OUT TO BID,
[00:40:04]
AND HOPEFULLY DURING THE SAME TIME, ASA GILLETTE IS DOING PLANS FOR THOSE SOCCER FIELDS.HOPEFULLY IN THE INTERIM WHILE ALL OF THIS IS GOING ON, WE CAN GO OUT AND BID ON THAT AND FIND OUT WHAT THAT'S EXACTLY GOING TO COST.
ONCE YOU GET THE RELEASE FROM THE FAA THAT YOU CAN DO ALL THIS, THEN WE HAVE TO BUY THE LAND, THAT SHOULDN'T TAKE MORE THAN A MONTH OR SO.
THIS IS ASSUMING THE COUNTY, AND I HAVE NO DOUBT TO BELIEVE THAT THEY WON'T HONOR WHAT THEY'VE SAID THEY WOULD DO.
THEN YOU HAVE TO BUILD THAT ABOUT FOUR, SIX MONTHS, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
MONTH, LAYING AT MY HEAD A [OVERLAPPING].
>> NO, I'M NOT COUNTING THAT LONG.
>> I'M COUNTING ONE MONTH, THREE MONTHS, THAT'S FOUR MONTHS.
YOU COULD HAVE THAT DONE IN EIGHT OR NINE MONTHS.
THAT'S THE BEST SCENARIO. ASSUMING ALL THE STARS LINE UP AND EVERYTHING.
>> THE EIGHT TO NINE MONTHS IS, I BELIEVE WHAT HE SAYS, EVERYTHING LINES UP.
>> IF EVERYTHING LINES UP, THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
>> MARCH OR APRIL NEXT YEAR, RIGHT?
>> EIGHT MONTHS FROM NOW IS WHATEVER IT IS.
>> REMEMBER THOUGH, HE DID SAY IF EVERYTHING LINES UP [OVERLAPPING].
>> I FEEL LIKE THAT VERY OPTIMISTIC, AND AMBITIOUS.
EIGHT OR NINE MONTHS SEEMS VERY AMBITIOUS.
>> ACTUALLY, I THINK IT'S DOABLE. I TRULY DO.
MY GOAL IS TO HAVE THIS DONE BY NOVEMBER WHEN I LEAVE, AND I MAY BE CLOSE.
IT JUST DEPENDS IF [OVERLAPPING].
>> I'LL THINK I'LL INVITE YOU TO OPENING DAY, STILL.
BUT ANYHOW, THAT'S BASICALLY THE TIMELINE ON THAT.
LET'S GO BACK TO THE, IF YOU DON'T MIND, ONE OTHER THING.
ASKING FOR ALL THESE STUDIES THAT YOU ASKED FOR, I WANT A MAINTENANCE STUDY, I WANT THIS STUDY, I WANT TO COMPARE THAT.
WELL, I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER ONE THING.
THERE'S A STAFF HERE, AND THEY HAVE LIMITED TIME AND LIMITED RESOURCES.
WHEN YOU SAY THE STAFF, I DON'T KNOW WHO'S GOING TO DO THOSE STUDIES.
WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY, AND THE CITY COMMISSIONERS DO THIS TOO, WELL, THE STAFF IS GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THAT.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THAT, THEY'RE RUNNING A FULL TIME CITY.
THEY'RE DOING ALL THESE THINGS, AND ALL THAT STUFF TAKES TIME.
TO DO A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS LIKE THAT, THAT'S 40, 50 HOURS OF TIME.
YOU'VE DONE A LOT OF THESE THINGS, AM I CORRECT? IT'S A LOT OF TIME TO COMPARE ALL THESE THINGS.
WHO IS GOING TO DO THAT IN THE CITY STAFF? ASKING HIM TO DO IT, I MEAN, HE'S GRACIOUSLY SAID I'M GOING TO DO IT.
BUT HE'S GOT TO RUN UP A STAFF OF HOW MANY PEOPLE, 50 PEOPLE, 60 PEOPLE, AND DO ALL THESE OTHER THINGS.
WHAT I WOULD SAY IS, IF YOU WANT THOSE THINGS DONE, AND SEND THIS TO OTHER PEOPLE, YOU NEED TO DO IT YOURSELF.
THAT'S WHAT I DO. I MEAN, I GO, IF I'M INTERESTED IN SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU CAN GET THE DATA FROM THEM, YOU MAKE A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST, AND GET WHATEVER DATA YOU WANT, AND THEN YOU GO CRANK THE NUMBERS.
I THINK IF YOU REALLY WANT STUDIES DONE AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED TO DO.
THAT'S MY NEW MANTRA, BECAUSE THE CITY STAFF IS OVERWHELMED.
THEY ARE TOTALLY OVERWHELMED DOING JUST TREADING WATER.
>> I ALSO THINK THAT THERE'S INFORMATION THAT THEY HAVE READILY AVAILABLE THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR US TO HELP THEM.
>> WELL, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT THAT INFORMATION IS, DO WHAT I DO.
>> PROBABLY THE ONLY PERSON WHO ASKED MORE OF THOSE THAN ME IS YOU.
>> MIKE LENOVICH IS UP THERE, TOO.
I MEAN, IF YOU WANT THE DATA, THEY'LL GIVE IT TO YOU.
>> IN MY MIND, JUST A SIMPLE, I DON'T WANT TO STUDY ON THE COMPOSITE MATERIAL.
I'D JUST BE INTERESTED TO KNOW WHAT WE WERE PAYING FOR A PIECE OF LUMBER AND THEN COMPARE THAT.
>> WELL, [OVERLAPPING]. EVERY ONE OF THOSE BIDS CAME IN.
EVERY ONE OF THOSE BIDS CAME IN, AND THEY WERE ALL BID OUT WITH COMPOSITE. EVERY ONE OF THEM.
THE COMPOSITE AND EVERY BID THAT WE GOT BACK CAME BACK AT A PRICE THAT DIDN'T WANT TO PAY IT, CITY COMMISSION, SO THEY WENT WITH THE LUMBER.
YOU'RE RIGHT, IF YOU PRICE IT OVER THE LIFETIME OF THE THING, IT'S CHEAPER TO GO WITH NOT ONLY COMPOSITE, IT'S EVEN CHEAPER TO GO WITH CONCRETE.
I MEAN, YOU CAN DO THESE THINGS IN CONCRETE.
BUT THE UPFRONT COSTS ARE WHERE THEY DON'T WANT TO PAY IT, SO WE SPREAD IT OUT OVER TIME, AND IT DOESN'T WORK OUT REALLY WELL.
[00:45:04]
I CAN TELL YOU IN THE CAPITAL BUDGET THIS YEAR, THERE WILL BE NO REPLACEMENT OF ANY OF THE BEACH WALKOVERS.IT'S JUST NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. THERE ARE GOING TO BE THREE NEW FIREMEN, THREE NEW POLICE PEOPLE.
>> THOSE ARE ALL COVERED WITH GRANTS.
>> NO, THEY'RE NOT. NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT.
IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE GRANTS, I THINK WE'VE BEEN WITHDRAWN FROM THEM BECAUSE THE CHANCES OF US GETTING THOSE GRANTS WERE REALLY LIMITED, BECAUSE THEY WERE MEANT FOR COMMUNITIES THAT HAD NOT MUCH RESOURCES, AND THAT'S NOT OUR COMMUNITY, SORRY.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR, IT'S $18,000,000 FOR OUR SALARIES, 3% RAISE, THAT COMES OUT TO ABOUT $500,000.
IF YOU GO TO THE ROLLBACK RATE, AND THEN YOU LOOK AT THE NEW COST OF CONSTRUCTION, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS GET AN ADDITIONAL REVENUE.
KEVIN LILY CRANKED THE NUMBERS FOR US, AND IT'S ABOUT $500,000.
IF YOU KEEP THE CURRENT RATE AT WHAT IT IS, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET AND WHAT YOU COULD SPEND IS $1.3 MILLION.
SO THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY TO PLAY WITH.
WHEN THEY SAY THIS IS A MAINTENANCE BUDGET, WELL, I MEAN, NEXT YEAR IS GOING TO BE A MAINTENANCE BUDGET, AND NEXT YEAR IS GOING TO BE A MAINTENANCE BUDGET.
HOW DO YOU PAY FOR CAPITAL OUT OF ALL THESE THINGS? THOSE ARE THE DILEMMAS THAT ARE FACING THE CITY RIGHT NOW.
>> THANK YOU [INAUDIBLE].SORRY.
I DON'T THINK I HEARD IT UP EARLIER.
>> ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR ME REGARDING 6.2?
>> IF NOT, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE ON TO THE STAFF COMMENTS, 7.1.
[7. STAFF COMMENTS]
KATIE HAS PUT THIS UP HERE.YOU CAN FOLLOW ALONG UP THERE OR IF YOU HAVE THE SHEET IN FRONT OF YOU.
IS TENNIS COURTS 1 AND 2 ON ATLANTIC AVENUE.
MY GOAL IS TO HAVE THEM RESURFACED BY THE END OF NEXT WEEK.
THE FENCE IS GOING UP RIGHT NOW.
HOPEFULLY, WE'LL GET DOORS ON THERE AS YOUR CHILD.
>> YESTERDAY MY SON WAS LIKE, THEY PUT THE FENCE UP.
HE FORGOT TO PUT THE DOORS ON.
>> THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO FINISH THE FENCING THIS WEEK.
THE SURFACING CREW WILL COME IN THE WEEK OF JUNE 17, WHICH IS NEXT MONDAY TO COME IN AND SURFACE IT.
THEY'RE HERE WHEN THEY SAY THEY'RE GOING TO BE HERE.
IT'S REALLY GOOD. I REALLY ENJOY WORKING WITH THOSE TWO CONTRACTORS.
SKATE PARK 2, I BELIEVE THIS HAPPENED AFTER OUR PREVIOUS MEETING.
THREE OF THE RAMPS HAVE BEEN PULLED.
AFTER THEY'RE FABRICATED, THEY WILL GO TO GALVANIZER.
WE WILL BRING THEM BACK, WE WILL INSTALL THEM AND PUT NEW GATOR SKINS ON THEM.
THEN AFTER THOSE THREE RAMPS ARE COMPLETED, WE WILL THEN REMOVE TWO MORE.
DEFINITELY BEFORE THE END OF SEPTEMBER, I AM SHOOTING FOR THE MONTH OF JULY, AUGUST.
THE GALVANIZER IS WHAT'S TAKING A LITTLE BIT LONGER BECAUSE IT'S ALL SCHEDULED OUT.
>> WERE THOSE GALVANIZED BEFORE, OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT HAS TO CONTINUALLY DO BECAUSE OF THE CORROSION OF THIS? OR WE ONE TIME DO IT?
>> YEAH. JUST BECAUSE OF THE PROXIMITY TO THE BEACH.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS COMPLETELY GALVANIZED.
WE DIDN'T BELIEVE THAT THE SCAFFOLDING PART WAS GALVANIZED, BUT IT WAS AND THEN PAINTED.
HOWEVER, WITH THE FRICTION, IT HAD OVER THE COURSE OF ITS TIME, YOU CAN RUB THE GALVANIZATION OFF OF IT.
WHERE THERE WAS NO MOVEMENT ON IT, NO PROBLEM WITH THE GALVANIZED MATERIAL.
IT WAS WITH THE ITEMS THAT WE'RE SHIFTING A LITTLE BIT.
>> THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD CONTINUALLY NEED TO BE?
>> THE GUY THAT WE'RE HAVING FABRICATED ACTUALLY IS HE IS TELLING US, AND I BELIEVE, JUST A FEW SMALL ADJUSTMENTS WHERE WE WILL NOT HAVE THAT ISSUE.
>> IN THIS, WE DID GET SOME QUOTES.
IT WAS 200 AND SOME THOUSAND DOLLAR TO REPLACE ALL THESE.
WE'RE DOING ALL THIS WORK FOR 50,000, AND POSSIBLY THERE'S A CONTINGENCY ON IT FOR EIGHT ADDITIONAL THOUSAND.
WE MIGHT HAVE TO JUMP INTO THAT CONTINGENCY A LITTLE BIT.
BUT WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE SKATE PARK FAMILY
[00:50:01]
WITH ALL NEW RAMPS FOR THE MOST PART. WE'RE HAPPY WITH THAT.>> IS ALL THE BROWN SKINS WILL BE REPLACED? BECAUSE I SEE THAT THEY REPLACES SOME OF THE SKINS AND THERE'S SOME THAT ARE NOT.
>> WE'RE GOING TO REPLACE AS MANY AS WE CAN.
YES. FOR EXAMPLE, THE ONES THAT WE REPLACED, I THINK, LAST WINTER, WE'RE GOING TO KEEP THOSE.
>> I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT THE BROWN ONES.
THE BROWN ONES ARE THE ORIGINAL.
>> ANY OF THE ONES THAT HAVE ANY NICKS IN IT OR ANY OF THE OLDER ONES, THEY'RE GOING TO BE REPLACED.
>> NOW, THE RAIL, DOWN THE STAIR RAIL, HAS THAT BEEN ATTENDED TO?
>> YES, AND I'M GOING TO GET WITH YOU, AND I BELIEVE MIKE, THE TWO RAILS THAT ARE MISSING ARE GOING TO BE PART OF THAT CONTINGENCY.
I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO BE THAT EXPENSIVE.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO ADD THOSE TWO RAILS BACK IN.
>> I THINK THOSE ARE THE TWO RAMPS TO THE, NORTH.
>> YES. IT'S GOOD SEEING THE WORK OUT THERE.
THE KIDS SEE THAT THERE'S COMMUTING INVOLVEMENT AND THAT PARKS AND REC IS BEHIND IT, AND SO THEY'RE EXCITED THAT THEY SEE SOMETHING HAPPENING.
I WANT TO COMMEND WHAT YOU GUYS DID OUT THERE SO FAR. AWESOME.
>> THANK YOU. THE SCOREBOARD AT CENTRAL PARK IS COMPLETED.
THAT WILL COME OFF OF THIS LIST.
WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF THE WALKING TRAIL AT PECK FIELD.
I BELIEVE IN THE NEAR FUTURE, I'M GOING TO BE HOLDING A COMMUNITY MEETING OVER AT THE PECK CENTER JUST TO GET FEEDBACK.
THE LAST I KNOW ABOUT THAT IS THERE WAS A SURVEY THAT MANSI AND DRAKE IS WORKING ON RIGHT NOW OF THAT AREA BEFORE WE DO.
BEFORE WE DO ANY INSTALLATION, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE IN LINE WITH THE COMMUNITY AND JUST SO TO WIN FOR OUR DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY.
>> A LAND SURVEY. I THOUGHT YOU SAID SURVEY, AND I WAS THINKING A POLE.
>> [INAUDIBLE] WE TALKED ABOUT. THE COMMISSION VERY EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE ARE NOW HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE NEW PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT AT EGANS CREEK PARK.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH [OVERLAPPING]
>> FITNESS EQUIPMENT. THANK YOU.
WE'RE REPLACING THE EXISTING FITNESS EQUIPMENT THAT IS THERE.
IT'S GOING TO BE THE SAME TYPE, BUT IT'S JUST WITH THE PROXIMITY TO THE OCEAN.
IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN GALVANIZED IN THE FIRST PLACE.
WE'RE ACTUALLY SAVING 50% OF THE COST OF THE ORIGINAL.
I THINK WE'RE SPENDING 56,000, WHERE IT COULD HAVE BEEN AN $80,000 PROJECT.
WE FELL WITHIN THEIR 10 YEAR WARRANTY.
>> I WAS GOING TO SAY HOW OLD IS THAT EQUIPMENT?
>> IT'S ACTUALLY EIGHT, NINE YEARS OLD.
IT'S FALLING JUST WITHIN THE 10 YEAR WARRANTY.
IT'S SOMETHING WE DID WANT TO MOVE ON FAST.
THE COMMISSION DID APPROVE IT AT THEIR LAST COMMISSION MEETING.
WE'RE WAITING FOR A FEW BUDGET TRANSFERS.
WE'RE GOING TO ORDER PARKS AND REC WILL INSTALL IT ON THE EXISTING PATHS.
WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
THEN A RESURFACING OF THE MLK POOL, WHICH WILL HAPPEN AFTER THIS SUMMER.
GOING BACK TO WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE CARPENTER.
SOME LITTLE THINGS THAT I THINK THAT WE MISS.
A LOT OF MY STAFF SAY, "YOU'RE SO DETAILED." I SEE THINGS AND I WANT TO GET THEM FIXED.
OUR BEACH ACCESS SIGNS ALONG SOUTH FLETCHER, THEY'RE THE BLUE SIGNS, THEY HAVE THE ACCESS NUMBERS ON IT.
THESE ARE JUST SOME LITTLE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING TO MAKE IT LOOK NICE.
ALL OF THOSE ARE GOING TO BE REPLACED IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS WITH HOPEFULLY THE CONTRACTOR THAT I GET UNDER CONTRACT.
>> BECAUSE THE CENTER CREEK, THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE HIDDEN.
I KNOW THAT THEY'RE THERE OR SHOULD BE THERE, BUT SOMETIMES SOMEBODY IS LIKE, MEET ME AT THE BEACH [INAUDIBLE] I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE THAT IS.
I'M REALLY LOOKING AND A COUPLE OF TIMES I'VE BEEN THERE LOOKING FOR IT WHEN IT'S DARK.
MAYBE IF THOSE SIGNS COULD BE REFLECTIVE, YOU KNOW HOW A STREET SIGN HAS THE REFLECTIVE NUMBERS.
IF WE COULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
IF YOU GUYS ARE MAKING IMPROVEMENTS.
[00:55:03]
IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS I MEAN, I GUESS EVERYBODY IS NOT REALLY AT THE BEACH AT DARK.>> YOU GET WITH A CARPET BECAUSE IT HAS TO BE MADE OUT OF WOOD, AND YOU'RE SAYING SOME REFLECTIVE.
HOWEVER, THERE IS A BEACH SIGN.
IT SITS IN A WOODEN, BUT YES, THERE'S A BEACH SIGN ACTUALLY.
WE COULD ADD REFLECTIVE LIGHT NUMBERS, I THINK.
>> YOU ARE CORRECT, THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN BEACH ACCESS SIGNS THAT ARE HIDDEN AND WE ARE MOVING THEM TO THE APPROPRIATE PLACE.
I'LL WORK WITH STREETS TO MAKE SURE OF THAT.
>> BECAUSE SOMETIMES WHAT I'VE FOUND IS AS PEOPLE BUILD OUT THEIR HOUSES, WHERE IT WAS AND NOW HOW THEIR DRIVEWAY OR THEIR LANDSCAPING MIGHT IMPEDE IT AS YOU'RE APPROACHING IT.
IT'S NOT THAT THE SIGNS ARE GOOD.
>> THAT'S NOT A NEW SIGN BY THE WAY.
>> THE THINGS GROWING UP AROUND THEM, THINGS CHANGE.
>> YES, THEY DO. THAT'S WHY I THINK THIS IS ALSO AN IMPORTANT PROJECT.
IS SOME OF THOSE SIGNS HAVE BEEN HIDDEN BY TREES MOVED BEHIND HOUSES.
WE'RE PUTTING THEM BACK UP TO WHERE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE. POSITIONS.
>> WE DID HAVE A MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN THAT MOVED OVER TO STORM WATER.
WE HELD INTERVIEWS THIS PAST WEEK.
WE ARE VERY CLOSE TO OFFERING A POSITION TO A GENTLEMAN THAT LIVES HERE ON THE ISLAND, SO THAT POSITION IS FILLED.
[NOISE] PARKS ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR WAS FILLED INTERNALLY.
GOING BACK TO REORGANIZATION AND US FEELING THAT THIS IS GOING TO HELP OUR PARKS TEAM EVEN GET MORE ORGANIZED SO THEY CAN BE OUT DOING A LOT OF THE WORK WHERE ADMINISTRATIVELY, SOME OF THAT STUFF CAN BE HANDLED BEHIND THE SCENES.
THIS IS NOT ANOTHER FTE, IT'S JUST A RE-APPROPRIATION OF A FULL TIME EMPLOYEE.
OUR FINAL TWO HIRES THAT WILL TAKE PLACE, WE'RE LOOKING FOR, AND WE HAVE INTRODUCED SETUP FOR RECREATION COORDINATORS, AND THESE WILL BE THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE OUT RUNNING MORE WITH THE PROGRAMS. THESE ARE NOT NEW ADDITIONAL FULL TIME EMPLOYEES.
THESE ARE JUST ONCE AGAIN, A RE-APPROPRIATION OF THE STAFF.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, KATIE, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'M GOING TO HAVE YOU GO OVER THE SPECIAL EVENTS.
I DID WANT TO ADD, AND THIS IS OUR GOAL MOVING FORWARD AS PROGRAMS. OUR SUMMER CAMP IS FULL AT THE ATLANTIC RECREATION CENTER AND I KEEP PUSHING AND HOPEFULLY, NEXT SUMMER, WE'LL HAVE A SUMMER CAMP AT THE MARTIN LUTHER KING CENTER AND HOPEFULLY, NEXT YEAR DURING SCHOOL, WE'LL HAVE AN AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM THERE.
OUR ADULT SOFTBALL LEAGUE IS WRAPPING UP.
WE HAVE 18 TEAMS IN OUR ADULT BASKETBALL LEAGUE THAT MR. JOHN COVERDELL RUNS.
EIGHTEEN TEAMS IS ONE LESS TEAM THAN OUR RECORD OF 19.
WE WENT FROM ADULT SOFTBALL TO NOW WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING ADULT BASKETBALL, AND THEN FOLLOWING THAT, WE'LL BE RUNNING INTO FLIGHT FOOTBALL.
WE'RE NOT TO A POINT WHERE WE WANT TO BE, AND THAT'S HAPPENING SHORTLY.
KATIE, IF YOU DON'T MIND, IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT EVENTS THAT HAPPENED OR EVENTS IN THE FUTURE, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT EVENTS THAT NEED AN ANSWER?
>> THE COMMUNITY FIELD DAY IS AN ORGANIZATION, AND I'M FLANKING ON WHO THEY ARE NOW, BUT THEY ARE FROM JACKSONVILLE, AND THEY GO TO COMMUNITIES AND THEY OFFER A FIELD DAY TO THE KIDS IN THE COMMUNITY.
THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE BOUNCE HOUSES, FIELD GAMES, SOME FOOD TRUCKS AT THE MARTIN LUTHER KING REC CENTER.
>> [OVERLAPPING] WHERE IS THIS BEING ADVERTISED?
>> YEAH. BUT I CAN GET THEIR FLIER AND SEND IT OUT.
>> WAS IT ON THE REC CENTER THINGS?
>> I THINK IT WAS ON THE REC CENTER BOARD.
>> BUT I CAN SEND EVERYONE THEIR FLIER.
>> THE ONE THAT'S UPFRONT THAT THEY CHANGE?
>> I'M JUST THINKING THAT WOULD BE A FUN, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO SHARE IT WITH OTHER PEOPLE.
>> I CAN SEND YOU THEIR FLIER.
>> IT HAS BEEN ADVERTISING THE BLACK COMMUNITY. GREAT.
[01:00:01]
THEN ON THE 22ND IS THE JUNETEENTH JUMP OFF AT THE PECK CENTER FIELD.JUNE 29TH IS A CHRISTIAN HERITAGE PARADE.
THEN RIGHT AFTER THE PARADE, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A FAITH FESTIVAL AT CENTRAL PARK.
THEN THE JULY 4TH FIREWORKS IN PARKING LOT B.
THAT'S ALL THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO OUR NEXT MEETING. ANY QUESTIONS?
>> [BACKGROUND] YEAH. IS IT 9:00? I THINK IT'S 9:00 PM.
7:00 PM IS MY BED TIME. [LAUGHTER]
>> ALTHOUGH WITH THAT, KATIE, DON'T THEY HAVE WHEN THEY SHUT DOWN PARKING LOT B, AND THEN I BELIEVE IS IT LIGHT UP AMELIA OR IS IT?
>> I BELIEVE THEY HAVE SOME VENDORS, SO I THINK THERE'S STUFF LEADING UP TO THE FIREWORKS WHEN IT DOES HIT NINE O'CLOCK AT DARK TIME.
>> CORRECT. YES. I CAN SEND YOU MORE.
>> YOU GUYS HAVE A [INAUDIBLE] [OVERLAPPING]
>> ARE FIREWORKS AND STUFF, THAT'S APPROVED AS SPECIAL EVENTS?
>> OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, JASON HIGGINBOTHAM, HE ACTUALLY WORKS WITH LIGHT UP AMELIA TO DO THESE FIREWORKS.
IT'S OVERSEEN BY OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT.
>> I ALWAYS JUST WONDER BECAUSE I KNOW WHERE I LIVE OVER BY HICKORY PARK, I COULD STILL HEAR ALL THE BOOMS AND ALL THE THINGS, AND THEY HAVE FIREWORKS THAT DON'T HAVE ALL OF THAT NOISE.
I'M JUST SAYING. [LAUGHTER] I'M A FUN.
[OVERLAPPING] DON'T DO IT, SCOTT. I'M JUST SAYING.
>> I HAVE SOME SOUND MACHINES I CAN RECOMMEND.
>> [LAUGHTER] [OVERLAPPING] I'M GOING TO GET HATE MAIL IF ANYBODY SEES THIS.
[LAUGHTER] BUT AGAIN, I HAVE APPRECIATED ALL THE DRONE STUFF AND JUST THAT MY DOGS GO CRAZY, AND THERE ARE PEOPLE WITH PTSD THAT, THINGS LIKE THAT.
I'M JUST CURIOUS IF THOSE ARE EVER THINGS THAT ARE CONSIDERED.
>> WE CAN BRING IT UP TO THEM.
>> WE CAN HAVE DRONES DOING IT.
>> YEAH, HATE MAIL. I'M GETTING HATE MAIL.
[LAUGHTER] YOU'RE NOT WRONG, THOUGH AND WE CAN BRING IT UP.
>> JUST A QUICK FOLLOW UP THINGS FROM TONIGHT IS I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO MEET WITH ANY ONE OF YOU DURING THE WEEK IF THERE'S QUESTIONS REGARDING THE BUDGET.
THERE'S DETAILED LINE BY LINE ITEM THAT IS IN THE BUDGET.
KATIE AND I ARE MORE THAN HAPPY TO DISCUSS ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE OR CONCERNS YOU HAVE.
ONCE AGAIN, I APPRECIATE TEXT MESSAGES THAT I MAY RECEIVE OR EMAILS ABOUT ITEMS THAT YOU MAY SEE IN OUR PARKS OR STUFF THAT'S GOING ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
PLEASE CONTINUE TO MAKE ME AWARE OF THAT OR KATIE OR OUR TEAM IN GENERAL.
SOMETIMES WE DON'T SEE SOME STUFF.
JUST THIS AFTERNOON, WE SAW A GARBAGE CAN RIGHT ALONG ATLANTIC AVENUE THAT WAS FULL.
A CITIZEN CAME IN AND SAID, HEY, AND IT WAS MISSED.
TUESDAY IS OUR TRASH RUN. WE MISSED IT.
BUT IF YOU GUYS CONTINUE TO DO THAT, WE CAN HIT STUFF FASTER.
IF IT'S NOT ME, IF IT'S KATIE, DIANA, IT ALLOWS US TO REACT FASTER.
LIKE I SAID, IS IF YOU DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET MOVING FORWARD, WE WOULD LOVE TO DO THAT.
>> OR ANYTHING. ONE GOOD THING OF NOTE IS THE NEW GOLF DIRECTOR HAS STARTED.
I AM HELPING HIM AS MUCH AS I CAN, BRINGING HIM UP TO SPEED.
I WILL BE AT THE GOLF COURSE ADVISORY MEETING THURSDAY NIGHT AT FOUR O'CLOCK, HELPING LEAD THAT AS WELL.
I'LL BE INTRODUCING HIM. GREAT GUY.
AS ALWAYS, ANYONE THAT COMES INTO A POSITION FROM OUTSIDE THE CITY INTO A DIRECTOR ROLE, THERE'S A LOT TO LEARN.
>> WHO'S HELPING HIM WITH HIS BUDGET?
>> I AM. YEAH. I'M HELPING AS MUCH AS I CAN.
BUT SOMEONE COMING FROM THE OUTSIDE INTO A HIGHER END POSITION, THERE'S A LEARNING CURVE, AND THERE'S A LEARNING CURVE OF ALL THE SOFTWARE THAT NEEDS TO BE USED, SO I'M TRYING TO HELP HIM AS MUCH AS I POSSIBLY CAN.
THE ONLY WAY I CAN DO THAT IS OBVIOUSLY WITH THE HELP OF THESE TWO LADIES OVER HERE.
>> I'M GOING TO CRY. [LAUGHTER] THAT'S SO SWEET OF YOU.
MY GOAL WITH PARKS AND RECREATION, AND THIS WILL BE THE LAST THING I SAY IS I WANT TO BUILD A TEAM THAT WORKS WELL TOGETHER AND WORKS WITH THE COMMUNITY.
[01:05:03]
ULTIMATELY, WE DO THAT, I THINK WE CAN WIN IN A LOT OF SITUATIONS.>> THANK YOU. ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS.
[8. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS]
WE'RE GOING TO START WITH THE LADIES ON THE RIGHT.QUIET FIREWORKS. NO, I WAS JUST KIDDING [LAUGHTER].
THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU GUYS ARE DOING.
I WILL REACH OUT TO YOU SEPARATELY BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE BUDGET DETAIL, BUT YOU GUYS HAVE GOT YOUR WORK CUT OUT FOR YOU, FOR SURE.
I DO HAVE A QUESTION. IT'S REGARDING THE SPLASH PAD HOURS AT THE TWO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, AND I DON'T KNOW WHICH ONE OF YOU WOULD BE BETTER TO DISCUSS IT.
THE ATLANTIC REC CENTER SPLASH PAD, IS THAT USED IN THE MORNING FOR THE SUMMER CAMPS EVERY DAY? YES. IT IS USED FOR THE SUMMER CAMP.
THE WHOLE POOL IS USED FOR THE SUMMER CAMP BETWEEN 11-12.
BEFORE THAT, WE HAVE OTHER PROGRAMS. WE HAVE AKA AEROBICS IN THERE.
THEN THE EARLY MORNING WE HAVE JUST LAPS.
IT'S TOO EARLY FOR ANYONE. I DID TO WANT TO GO TO IT.
BUT BEFORE 11:00, YOU DON'T HAVE ANYBODY AT THE SPLASH PAD? NO.
I'VE HAD MULTIPLE FRIENDS WITH KIDS, AND I'VE NOTICED IT TOO TO ALLOW USE OF THE SPLASH PAD AT THE REC CENTER PRIOR TO 11:00 FOR KIDS OUTSIDE BECAUSE IT'S ONLY OPEN.
I KNOW THAT MLK IS OPEN, BUT LIKE SWITCH IT UP.
IT'S ONLY OPEN FOR 12:00-5:00.
REALISTICALLY, ANYBODY WHO HAS YOUR KIDS, THEY'RE NAPPING, SO THEN THEY DON'T REALLY EVER GET TO USE THAT ONE? I'VE BEEN OVER THERE SEVERAL TIMES BECAUSE WE GO TO THAT PLAYGROUND A LOT WHEN THE CAMP'S NOT OUT THERE, AND THERE'S NEVER ANYBODY ON IT.
IT'S RUNNING, AND YOU DON'T NEED A LIFEGUARD THERE.
TO ME, I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU COULDN'T HAVE A SIGN THAT SAYS, YOU CAN USE IT WHEN SUMMER CAMP IS NOT HERE, AND THEN YOU JUST HAVE TO LEAVE IF THEY COME OR SOMETHING.
THEN THE OTHER QUESTION ABOUT THE POOL AND SPLASH PADS IS IF THERE'S ANY WAY TO OVERLAP ANY OF THE HOURS WHERE IF YOU'RE AT THE SPLASH PAD, YOU CAN USE THE POOL, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW AT MLK, WHEN IT'S OPEN, THE POOL IS NOT ALLOWED.
YOU PAY TO GO IN AND USE THE SPLASH PAD, AND YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO GET IN THE POOL.
THE LAST TWO WEEKS I'VE GONE, THERE'S BEEN NOBODY LAP SWIMMING, SO THE POOL IS COMPLETELY EMPTY.
I WAS WITH FIVE FRIENDS, BOTH TIMES AND ALL OF OUR KIDS, AND THE LIFEGUARDS ARE SITTING THERE AND SAID, WE COULDN'T GET IN THE POOL.
I'M LIKE I KNOW IT'S FOR LAP SWIMMING, AND I WOULD GET IT IF THE POOL IS FULL AND THERE WAS PEOPLE WAITING, BUT THERE WAS LIFEGUARDS WHO ARE BEING PAID SITTING THERE, AND WE WERE LIKE, WELL, CAN WE JUST GET IN ON THE STAIRS? WE'RE TRYING TO WORK WITH OUR TODDLERS SWIMMING AND THEY'RE LIKE, NO, IT'S LAPS ONLY RIGHT NOW, BUT THERE WASN'T A SINGLE PERSON.
I'M CONFUSED. THAT'S AT THE MARTIN LUTHER KING RECORD? YEAH.
MAYBE IT WAS THE SWIM LESSON TIME, BUT THERE WAS NOTHING GOING ON.
THERE WAS NOBODY IN THE POOL AT ALL EITHER TIME.
I'M NOT SURE WHY THAT'S THE CASE BECAUSE WE DO HAVE SOME LESSON THERE UNTIL 1:00 EVERY DAY.
THERE SHOULD BE SOME LESSONS IN THERE FROM 9:00-1:00, BUT THERE IS AN OVERLAP BETWEEN THE KITTY POOL AND OPEN SWIM FROM 1:000-4:00 OR 5:00 DEPENDING ON AT MLK.
I THOUGHT THE MLK ONE WAS ONLY OPEN AT 9:00 THE KITTY'S.
[OVERLAPPING] NO, KITTY POOL IS OPEN ALL DAY, 8:00-4:00 OR 5:00 DEPENDING ON THE DAY BECAUSE THEN WE OPEN.
AT MLK, CORRECT. AT 1:00, WHEN WE STOP SWIM LESSONS, YOU CAN TRANSITION INTO THE BED.
AT MLK. BUT FOR THE ATLANTIC REC CENTER, IS THERE A WAY TO USE IT WHEN THE DAY CAMP IS NOT USING IT? WE CAN LOOK INTO THAT. THE PROBLEM WE FACED IN THE PAST IS WE HAVE A HARD TIME HAVING PEOPLE LEAVE THE KITTY POOL, AND IT'S ONLY TWO HOURS BEFORE, WHERE I KNOW THAT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT, BUT WE WEREN'T HAVING A TON OF PEOPLE COME, AND THEN WE WERE HAVING A HARD TIME HAVING THEM LEAVE, AND WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO MIX WITH THE PUBLIC.
THAT IS WHY WE CHOSE THIS YEAR NOT TO DO THAT.
I BELIEVE WE DID IT LAST YEAR AS WELL, BUT THAT IS WHY MLK IS OPEN IN THE MORNING THAT PEOPLE CAN GO OVER THERE, AND IT IS OPEN ALL DAY.
IS THE POOL AT THE REC CENTER OPEN SWIM IN THE MORNING? WELL, SO 5:30-8:30, IT'S SLAP SWIM.
IF YOU SHOWED UP, THOUGH, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO SAY, YOU CAN'T GET IN THE POOL, YOU JUST HAVE TO BE IN A LANE NOT IN A BIGGER LANE.
WE'VE STRUGGLED WITH STAFFING VERY BADLY THIS PAST YEAR.
NOW THAT IT'S SUMMER, WE CAN OPEN UP MORE, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY AT THE REC CENTER,
[01:10:03]
OUR JOB IS TO KEEP THOSE KIDS SAFE THAT ARE IN OUR CARE, AND WE CANNOT MIX WITH THE PUBLIC.THAT IS WHY WE DID CLOSE BECAUSE WE WERE OPEN IN YEARS PAST AND MERGED WITH THE PUBLIC, AND IT IS AGAINST.
[OVERLAPPING] I SEE IT WAS OPEN LAST YEAR BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE WOULD GO IN THE MORNINGS A LOT.
IT WAS NOT BECAUSE I OVERSAW IT LAST YEAR, TOO.
THE MORNING WASN'T OPEN THERE.
UNLESS YOU WERE GOING IN THE LIBRARY, WE'RE LETTING YOU IN, BUT.
[OVERLAPPING] HOW ABOUT THIS? IF YOU DON'T MIND, MEMBER MOUNTJOY I ACTUALLY WANT TO PULL BOTH THE FLYERS IN THE TIME FRAME SO WE CAN GET THEM IN FRONT OF OURSELVES, AND I CAN EMAIL THOSE TO YOU AND EMAIL IT TO THE GROUP, BUT I THINK WE WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO LOOK AT IT JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE IN LINE WITH WHERE IT SHOULD BE.
I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE BOTH OF THOSE TIMES IN FRONT OF ME. I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS RECENTLY.
[OVERLAPPING] I WAS LOOKING AT IT EARLIER TODAY TO COMPARE, AND THAT'S MAYBE WHERE THIS ONE LESSONS, BUT WE WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF WE'RE GOING, I HAD SOME FRIENDS ASKING ME AND ASKED ME IF I COULD ASK YOU, IF WE'RE GOING AND FOR ANYONE WITH LITTLE KIDS, THE AFTERNOONS DOESN'T REALLY WORK BECAUSE THEY'RE NAPPING.
THEY WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF YOU COULD GO TO A SPLASH PAD WHEN THE POOLING BEEN SO THAT YOU CAN DO THAT.
[OVERLAPPING] I WILL SAY MLK. I UNDERSTAND.
I DO THINK THE TIME THAT YOUR FRIENDS WERE THERE WAS MAYBE BEFORE WE SWITCHED TO SUMMER WHEN IT WAS LAP SWIM AT MLK.
WE ARE LAP SWIM OVER THERE, BUT AGAIN, AND THIS COULD HAVE BEEN JUST THE FAULT OF NOT EDUCATING OUR LIFEGUARDS, BUT YOU CAN'T GET IN THE POOL.
IT'S JUST YOU'RE IN A LANE, YOU'RE NOT.
I WAS LIKE, CAN I GET IT IF AN ADULT SHOWS UP AND IT'S SUPPOSED TO LAP SWIM IN THEY'RE LIKE, OH, WE NEED.
WHEN YOU HIRE, 10 LIFEGUARDS AT ONCE, YOU'RE NOT GETTING ALL THE INFORMATION TO ALL OF THEM THE DAY THEY'RE HIRED AND YOU'RE TRAINING THEM A BUNCH OF OTHER THINGS, SO THAT CAN BE.
I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH OUR COMMISSIONER CHIP ROSS ON LOOKING STUFF UP.
WE HAVE AS A COMMUNITY, TRY TO HELP THESE STAFF, THE CITY OFFICIALS TO TRY TO DO THESE JOBS AND TASKS THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.
40 MINUTES OR 40 HOURS IS RIDICULOUS NOWADAYS.
IT SHOULD TAKE YOU FIVE MINUTES TO BE ABLE TO RUN A COMPARISON ANALYSIS, BUT SOMEBODY ELSE SHOULD DO IT, LIKE HE SAID.
IT'S NOT GOING TO TAKE AS LONG AS HE SAID, THOUGH.
THAT'S WHY WE ARE REACHING OUT AS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION TO TRY TO GET SOME OF THESE ISSUES TAKEN CARE OF, BECAUSE IT IS, WE SEE YOU GUYS OVERWORKED AND UNDERSTAFFED UNDERPAID, IF I MIGHT ASK.
IF YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO SPEAK TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING THE GRASS EARLY IN THE MORNING IN DOWNTOWN, CAN YOU GIVE THEM AN HOUR BECAUSE IT'S WAY TOO EARLY.
SOMETIMES WHEN I'M HEARING THEM RUNNING THEIR GRASS THINGS AT 5:00 IN THE MORNING, ONE TIME, IT WAS LIKE, I DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WAS MY NEIGHBOR, BUT I LOOK DOWN AND I SEE THESE PEOPLE GET PREPARED TO DO THEIR EARLY MORNING THINGS.
IF YOU CAN FIND OUT HOW EARLY THEY CAN DO THIS AND IF THEY CAN STOP IT IF IT'S THAT EARLY IN THE MORNING.
[LAUGHTER] I JUST WANT TO REALLY COMMEND YOU GUYS ON ALL THE GOOD JOB YOU'RE DOING WITH THE SHORT STAFF YOU HAVE.
THE FIXING OF THE SKATE PARK AND DOING THOSE SMALL THINGS FOR WHAT WE HAVE, YOU GUYS REALLY DON'T KNOW THE IMPACT THAT YOU'RE HAVING ON THE COMMUNITY AND PREFERABLY A YOUNG LADY WHO'S GOING TO THE OLYMPICS.
HAVING THOSE THINGS DONE BECOMES A PRACTICE FIELD FOR THIS YOUNG LADY, AND TO KNOW THAT PARKS AND RECREATION, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU HAVE A PART IN HER SUCCESS EVER SINCE THAT SKATE PARK WAS PUT THERE, AND WHATEVER WENT BEHIND IT, BUT THE MAINTENANCE OF IT RECENTLY SEEING THIS IS A CALL TO ACTION, AND A LOT OF THESE KIDS SEE THAT HAPPENING, AND ESPECIALLY AGAIN, OUR OLYMPIAN, WHO WAS JUST OUT THERE THE OTHER DAY, SKATEBOARDING BY HERSELF WITH A LITTLE KID OUT THERE.
I'M WONDERING, AS WELL, IF THE CITY KNOWS THAT SINCE YOU GUYS HAVE PARTS OF REX HAS A HUGE IMPACT INTO THIS YOUNG LADY'S LIFE BECAUSE OF THE MAINTENANCE AND THE STUFF YOU GUYS HAVE DONE, WOULD YOU GUYS BE LOOKING INTO PARTICIPATING IN THE SUCCESSES OF HER BY MAYBE HAVING AN OLYMPIC WATCH,
[01:15:01]
LIKE YOU PUT UP THOSE TVS FOR THOSE NIGHTS ON THE DAY THAT SHE WILL BE COMPETING IN THE OLYMPICS, A CITYWIDE PARKS AND RECREATION CAMPAIGN TO FLOOD EVERYBODY TO TURN THEIR TVS ON AND WATCH OUR LOCAL OLYMPIAN ON JULY 28, AT NOON, SHE WILL BE COMPETING.IF SHE CONTINUES, SHE WILL COMPETE THAT SAME TIME AT 5:00 P.M IN PARIS, FRANCE.
WE ALSO HAVE PLANNED A PARADE FOR THIS OLYMPIAN AND WONDERING HOW MUCH THE CITY WOULD BE BEHIND THAT AS WELL, AS WELL AS PARKS AND RECREATION, HAVING ANY TYPE OF FLOAT OR ANY TYPE OF RECOGNITION FOR THE JOB WELL DONE THEY HAVE DONE BY MAINTAINING THAT SKATE PARK AND ELEVATING THIS YOUNG LADY TO THE LEVELS THAT SHE'S AT.
WHAT I MEAN BY THE PARTICIPATION BY HAVING A FLOAT OR SETTING UP A CANOPY OR WHATEVER AT HER HOMECOMING PARADE THAT WE WILL BE HAVING THAT HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE CITY.
I HOPE I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS THE CHILLS UP AND DOWN YOUR SPINES WHEN YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT OLYMPIAN IN YOUR CITY.
HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY WILL STAY TUNED AND WATCH THIS, AND I DO APPRECIATE PARKS AND REX HAVING A HUGE IMPACT IN THIS YOUNG LADY'S LIFE. THAT'S IT.
>> THE REASON I'M GOING TO ASK THIS QUESTION IS BECAUSE I'M GOING TO BE ASKED THIS QUESTION TOMORROW IN THE BUDGET MEETING, SO I'D LIKE A LITTLE HELP.
GOLF IS A RECREATIONAL ACTIVITY.
BUT THE QUESTION IS, THIS YEAR, THE GOLF COURSE WAS SUBSIDIZED $200,000.
HOW MUCH SHOULD THEY BE SUBSIDIZED IN THE COMING BUDGET IF AT ALL? DOES ANYBODY HAVE AN OPINION? IT'S YOUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS?
>> BECAUSE THEY DON'T [LAUGHTER] [OVERLAPPING].
THE SAME REASON EVERYBODY SUBSIDIZED, BECAUSE THEIR EXPENSES EXCEEDED THEIR REVENUE.
THE COST OF FERTILIZER'S GONE UP, 20, 30, 40%, THE COST OF CHEMICALS HAS GONE UP, [INAUDIBLE] HAS GONE UP, I CAN KEEP GOING.
THE COST OF RUNNING A GOLF COURSE HAS GONE UP.
IN THE PAST, THE CITY SUBSIDIZED THEM EVEN MORE.
THE MARINA GETS SUBSIDIZED ABOUT $1 MILLION A YEAR.
THAT'S ANOTHER QUESTION, WE'LL LEAVE THAT ONE ALONE. I'M JUST CURIOUS.
DO ANY OF YOU HAVE ANY OPINION? A, SHOULD THEY BE SUBSIDIZED? SHOULD THE GOLF COURSE BE SUBSIDIZED? B, IF SO, HOW MUCH?
>> IF THIS IS AN ONGOING [OVERLAPPING].
>> EVERYBODY KNOWS IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN?
>> NO. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO HAPPEN.
I MEAN, WHERE'S THE MONEY GOING TO COME FROM? I MEAN, IT COMES FROM SOMETHING ELSE.
>> IT'S $200,000, BUT YOU WANT TO PUT A FLOAT IN AND ALL THAT. THAT COSTS MONEY.
THE MONEY EITHER GOES TO THE GOLF COURSE OR IT GOES TO THAT, OR IT GOES TO SOMETHING ELSE, GOES TO FIXING THOSE BEACH WALKOVERS.
>> $200,000 WILL BUY A BEACH WALKOVER.
YOU WANT TO DO A BEACH WALKOVER OR SUBSIDIZE THE GOLF COURSE?
>> I GUESS WHAT I'M ASKING IS, AT THE GOLF COURSE, THERE'S A NEW GUY? WHAT ARE [OVERLAPPING].
>> HE DOESN'T KNOW. I MEAN, HE'S JUST BEEN [OVERLAPPING].
>> I KNOW. THAT'S THE THING I WANT TO SAY, IS HE'S COMING INTO THIS SITUATION AND HAS TO DEAL WITH IT.
BUT YOU WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT THERE WOULD BE PLANNING AND IDEAS ABOUT HOW TO DEAL WITH THIS RATHER THAN HAVE IT BE AN ONGOING ISSUE.
>> I'M NOT GOING TO COMMENT BECAUSE OF THE MERE FACT THAT WE HAVE A GOLF ADVISORY BOARD.
>> RIGHT. WELL, I GOT TO ANSWER THE QUESTION TOMORROW, AND THAT'S NOT TILL THURSDAY.
I'M GOING TO ANSWER THE SAME QUESTION THERE.
>> YOU CAN ASK THAT QUESTION ON THURSDAY.
[01:20:02]
I MEAN, I'M GOING TO SIT THERE AND DIDDLE AROUND THIS ONE IN MY HEAD AND TALK TO MY WIFE.
THAT'S THE WAY WE'RE GOING TO ANSWER IT, BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS WHAT THE PUBLIC THINKS ABOUT THAT.
I MEAN, SHOULD IT BE SUBSIDIZED?
>> I DON'T THINK I HAVE ENOUGH BACKGROUND INFORMATION TO ANSWER IT.
>> WHAT MORE INFORMATION DO YOU NEED? I MEAN, I'M BEING SERIOUS.
I MEAN, I DO YOU THINK, IS THE GOLF COURSE AN AMENITY OR SHOULD IT BREAK EVEN ON ITS OWN?
>> ARE YOU WILLING TO SUBSIDIZE? ARE YOU WILLING TO PAY MONEY?
>> I THINK IT'S PART OF OUR COMMUNITY, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO USE IT.
>> THAT WAS THE NEXT PART I WAS THINKING OF, IS WHAT'S THE BENEFIT TO THE CITY?
>> THERE'S A LOT OF KIDS WHO PLAY BASKETBALL AND DO ALL THINGS, AND A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO PLAY GOLF.
I MEAN, IT'S ONE PLACE WHERE PEOPLE AT A REASONABLE RATE CAN PLAY GOLF.
I MEAN, HOW MANY GAMES OF GOLF HAVE I PLAYED IN MY LIFE? LET ME THINK.
I MEAN, IT'S NOT FOR ME, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE.
>> I THINK WE'RE KNOWN AS A GOLF COMMUNITY.
THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO COME HERE FOR GOLF.
WE HAVE GOLF TEAMS AT OUR HIGH SCHOOL.
WE HAVE GOLF CAMPS THAT ARE PUT ON THERE FOR THE KIDS, AND IT IS ONE OF THE ONLY AFFORDABLE GOLF COURSES FOR THE KIDS OR PEOPLE TO GO PLAY.
>> WHAT I THINK I'M HEARING IS, YES, YOU WOULD SUBSIDIZE IT, BUT THEN THE QUESTION BECOMES HOW MUCH?
>> I DON'T KNOW THE HOW MUCH QUESTION.
IT WOULD BE GREAT IF THE GOLF COURSE COULD MAKE MONEY.
>> IT'D BE GREAT IF THE MARINA COULD MAKE MONEY.
>> ALL OF THOSE THINGS, COULD THEY PROBABLY BE OPERATIONALLY DIFFERENT AND STILL MAINTAIN SOME OF THAT CHARACTERISTIC, PROBABLY>
>> I THINK THEY'RE OPERATING PRETTY LEAN.
I MEAN, I SPENT HOURS LOOKING AT THIS STUFF.
>> WELL, WHEN I SAY THAT, I'M TALKING ABOUT, AT THE GOLF COURSE, WE HAVE, WHAT, 27 HOLES OVER THERE? MAYBE THAT COULD BE DIFFERENT AND THERE COULD BE ADDITIONAL THINGS OVER THERE.
IDEAS HAVE BEEN FLOATED ABOUT MAKING IT A TENNIS AND GOLF CENTER WHERE YOU CAN UTILIZE THE CLUBHOUSE AND MAYBE MAKE IT SOMEWHERE WHERE IT'S MORE THAN JUST A SANDWICH OVER THERE.
I THINK THERE'S SOME WAYS TO DO THAT, BUT AGAIN, IT TAKES CAPITAL TO DO THAT AND SOME PLANNING, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE DOING THAT ALL THE TIME.
>> ANY OTHER? IT'S YOUR TAXPAYER MONEY.
I'D BE CURIOUS WHAT YOUR COMMENT IS.
>> MY COMMENTS WILL BE MADE TO YOU ON THURSDAY.
>> BUT MY MEETING IS TOMORROW.
>> OKAY. IF YOU WANT ME TO COME OUT AND DIRECTLY TELL YOU HOW I FEEL ABOUT IT [OVERLAPPING].
I'M ONE OF THOSE KIND OF GUYS. TELL ME WHAT YOU REALLY THINK.
>> YOU MADE A LARGE MISTAKE FIVE YEARS AGO IN PUTTING TOP TRACER IN HERE.
>> THE REVENUE THAT WE ARE PAYING FOR THAT PARTICULAR PART OF THE GOLF COURSE, IF WE GET RID OF IT, WE COULD SUBSIDIZE IN IMPROVING THE DRIVING RANGE AND THE STUFF FOR IT WITHIN ONE YEAR.
WE COULD USE THE MONEY THAT WE GOT FROM THE REVENUE, AND THAT COULD BE TAKEN IN IMPROVING THE DRIVING RANGE, AND GOING FORWARD, IT WOULD BE A PROFIT CENTER.
>> NO SUBSIDY, GET RID OF TOP TRACER. IS THAT WHAT I'M HEARING?
>> YOU'RE HEARING ME TO SAY TO YOU PUBLICLY AND ON RECORD, I'D LIKE TO SEE TOP TRACER GONE.
BUT HOW ABOUT THE SUBSIDY? HOW ABOUT THE OTHER 200,000, 300,000, 400,000?
>> I THINK YOU UNDERSTAND THIS BURDEN ANYBODY.
IT'S BEEN MISMANAGED OVER THE YEARS.
>> I WOULD DISAGREE WITH THAT, BUT IT'S OKAY.
>> IF YOU THINK CASPER WAS THE RIGHT.
>> I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT CASPER. THAT'S A WHILE AGO.
WE COULD SPEND HOURS TALKING ABOUT WHAT'S DOWN THE ROAD. I WAS TALKING ABOUT TODAY.
>> I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE PAST.
>> THE FUTURE IS, LET'S START WITH ONE THING.
LET'S GET RID OF TOP TRACER AND TAKE THAT REVENUE AND BUILD US A GREAT DRIVING RANGE.
YOU WILL SEE IT PAY DIVIDENDS.
>> FIRST OF WHAT'S TOP TRACER?
>> IT'S A COMPUTER AND DRIVING, AND YOU CAN PLAY GAMES ON IT.
[01:25:02]
>> CAN I ADD SOMETHING REALLY QUICKLY? TOP TRACER IS AT THE DRIVING RANGE.
TOP TRACER IS SIMILAR TO YOU GOING TO WHAT'S CALLED TOP GOLF.
>> NO, YOU'RE HITTING GOLF BALLS.
IT'S SEEING HOW FAR YOUR GOLF BALLS GO.
YOU CAN PLAY DIFFERENT GOLF COURSES, YOU CAN PLAY ST. ANDREWS, YOU CAN PLAY PEBBLE BEACH.
>> THAT SOUNDS RIDICULOUS. BUT THAT'S JUST ME.
>> BUT DRIVING RANGES I BELIEVE WHAT TOM WAS SAYING IS, DRIVING RANGES MAINLY FOR A GOLF COURSE ARE PROFIT MAKERS.
YOU CAN MAKE BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A LOT OF OVERHEAD.
IT'S NOT UNCOMMON FOR A DRIVING RANGE TO MAKE BETWEEN 100,000 AND 150,000 DOLLARS A YEAR, BASED ON JUST HITTING RANGE BALLS.
EVERY GOLFER THAT GOES THERE WANTS TO HIT A SMALL BUCKET, A MEDIUM BUCKET, OR A LARGE BUCKET OF BALLS BEFORE THEY GO PLAY.
WITH TOP TRACER, IT'S ONE OF TWO THINGS.
TOP TRACER HAS EXPENSES THAT ARE RELATED TO IT.
ON A YEARLY BASIS, YOU PAY 24,000 DOLLARS IN LICENSING FEES.
THEN IN ADDITION TO THAT IS YOU HAVE TO PAY STAFF TO BE THERE, TO HELP OPERATE IT.
BEFORE YOU COVER ANY REVENUE, YOU'RE LOOKING AT BETWEEN, I THINK, 55 TO LET'S JUST SAY 60,000 DOLLARS BEFORE YOU MAKE A PENNY.
THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE ALL THE EXPENSES.
THE INTERNET THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE DOWN THERE IS SURPRISINGLY VERY EXPENSIVE.
AS OF RIGHT NOW, IT BASICALLY BREAKS EVEN.
WHAT TOM IS SAYING OR SUGGESTING IS THAT YOU HAVE THE BUILDING, IT WOULD BE THE ONLY COVERED DRIVING RANGE AT ANY OF THE GOLF COURSES, ALTHOUGH LONG POINT JUST PUT IN A HUGE TRADE STRUCTURE.
>> WHICH I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THAT COSTS, BUT WE'RE NOT HITTING LONG POINT.
IS ULTIMATELY YOU WOULD GET RID OF THOSE EXPENSES.
EITHER YOU GOT ONE OR TWO OPTIONS WITH TOP TRACER, IS YOU EITHER NEED TO PROGRAM IT AND GET PEOPLE OUT THERE TO PLAY IT TO MAKE MORE MONEY, OR YOU NEED TO CUT YOUR EXPENSES AND TAKE THE 110,000-150,000 DOLLARS IN DRIVING RANGE MONEY.
THE DRIVING RANGE NEEDS NEW POLES.
IT NEEDS NEW NETTING, IT NEEDS NEW DRAINAGE.
TOM IS SUGGESTING YOU TAKE THAT INITIAL YEAR OF PROFIT YOU PUT THAT MONEY INTO THE DRIVING RANGE, YOU GET IT FIXED UP.
AFTER THAT IS COMPLETE, NOW YOU HAVE 150,000 DOLLARS OF REVENUE GOING INTO THE GOLF BUDGET.
THE BUDGET HAS FOUR DIFFERENT DIVISIONS AT THE GOLF COURSE, GOLF, THE PRO SHOP, TOP TRACER, AND FOOD AND BEVERAGE.
>> YOU THEN PUT IT BACK INTO THE GOLF COURSE TO HELP WITH CHEMICAL COSTS.
AT THE GOLF COURSE, IS COMMISSIONER ROSS, IS CORRECT, IS YOU EITHER NEED TO MAKE MORE REVENUE, YOU NEED TO GET MORE PEOPLE ON THE GOLF COURSE, MORE MEMBERS, MORE ROUNDS OF GOLF, OR YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT CUTTING YOUR EXPENSES.
IT'S A DOUBLE EDGED SWORD BECAUSE AT LEAST A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, THE GOLF COURSE WASN'T, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A PRODUCT TO SELL FOR PEOPLE TO COME.
NOW IF THEY GO AND PLAY IT, REALLY.
WE'RE CLOSE. WE'RE GETTING TO A POINT WHERE WE CAN SELL THE GOLF COURSE.
NOW WE EITHER NEED TO GET MORE PEOPLE ON THE GOLF COURSE TO BRING UP OUR REVENUE AND AT THE SAME TIME, CAN WE CUT EXPENSES, MEANING WHAT TOM WAS JUST SAYING, IS THAT IS AN EXPENSE THAT YOU DON'T NEED, OR YOU NEED TO PROGRAM IT TO MAKE MORE MONEY.
>> I JUST WANT TO ADD ONE OTHER THING.
IT WAS POORLY DESIGNED, NUMBER 1.
IT WAS MISSING BATHROOMS. IT WAS MISSING THE ABILITY TO HAVE FOOD AND BEVERAGE OUT THERE, WHICH IS 60 PERCENT OF THE BUDGET OF TOP GOLF, 60-40 SPLIT IS WHAT THEY GET.
THE REVENUE. SAYING ALL THOSE NICE NUMBERS, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE, AND I AGREE WITH YOU.
THERE'S A LOT THAT WE NEED TO PUT BACK IN, BUT WE ARE SO CLOSE AND GETTING A GOLF COURSE THAT IT WILL BE A PUBLIC GOLF COURSE THAT WHERE WE CAN GET PEOPLE ON THERE.
WE ARE A RESORT CITY WITH A LOT OF HOTELS, AND THE PRICE OF GOLF IS ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE FOUR HOURS YOU EVER WANT TO SPEND,
[01:30:06]
AND IT'S 150-560 DOLLARS A ROUND FOR SEVEN GOLF COURSES, 560 DOLLARS YOU CAN GET ONE OF THE GOLF COURSES.NOW, WE'RE ONLY CHARGING 79 DOLLARS OR 70 DOLLARS.
>> BETWEEN 60 AND 70, 55 AND THEN THERE'S DIFFERENT PRICES.
>> ALMOST HALF OF THE GOING PRICE OF A SEMI GOLF COURSE.
WE SHOULD BE WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR, IF EVERYTHING GOES WELL, WE SHOULD BE AT THE POINT WHERE WE CAN SAY TO OURSELVES, WE HAVE A GOOD PRODUCT, AND WE CAN ADVERTISE IT AS A GOOD PRODUCT.
>> HAS THERE BEEN ANY TOURNAMENTS OR THE WAY TO MAKE MONEY, LIKE, HAVE SOME LIKE A BIG TOURNAMENTS VENUE?
>> IT COMES DOWN REALLY SIMPLE IS ROUNDS OF GOLF.
THERE'S TWO WAYS YOU HAVE TO THE EXPENSES ARE HERE TO MAINTAIN A DECENT GOLF COURSE.
WELL, THEY'RE UP. THE IDEA IS ROUNDS OF GOLF.
THAT'S ROUNDS OF GOLF IS WHAT PAYS FOR THAT, AND WE'RE NOT THERE RIGHT NOW.
>> TWENTY YEARS AGO, THERE USED TO BE 50,000-60,000 ROUNDS OF GOLF WITH THAT COURSE, AM I CORRECT? NOW THERE'S ABOUT 32,000.
NOW, IN THAT TIME, WE HAD SIX GOLF COURSES. THERE WAS A COMPETITION.
>> CAN I JUST SO I USED TO WORK FOR THE AMELIA OLLEN COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION, AND THEY DID A STUDY THERE WHEN THEY REMEMBER WHEN OMNI PULLED OUT THE GOLF COURSE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND IT WAS A SITUATION.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY LOOKED AT FOR A LONG TERM IN THAT COMMUNITY IS GOLF ON THE WHOLE.
AGAIN, I'M GOING TO GET THE HATE MAIL TODAY BECAUSE WHAT'S HAPPENING.
IF YOU LOOK AT GOLF ON THE WHOLE, IT IS POPULAR IN AFFLUENT AREAS, WHICH WE COULD BE CONSIDERED.
BUT A LOT OF COMMUNITIES WITH THE BABY BOOMER GENERATION AND PEOPLE ACTUALLY LIVING LONGER, WHAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR IS USING ALL OF THAT LAND, NOT FOR GOLF, WHICH IS CONSIDERED AN ELITIST AND ONLY A FEW PEOPLE USING THAT.
PEOPLE WHO ARE DRIVING THE DIRECTION OF THEIR COMMUNITIES WOULD RATHER SEE IF YOU LIVED ON A GOLF COURSE, I GREW UP IN A PLACE WHERE THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS WERE BUILT AROUND A GOLF COURSE AND YOU LIVED ON THE GOLF COURSE.
BUT NOW THOSE COMMUNITIES ARE USING THOSE FOR WALKING TRAILS AND THE OUTDOOR EQUIPMENT EXERCISE EQUIPMENT, THINGS FOR HEALTH FOR ALL PEOPLE, NOT JUST PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE PLAYING GOLF, BECAUSE IT'S A LOT OF LAND, WHICH WE ALL KNOW IS FINITE.
AGAIN, I THINK GENERALLY GENERATIONALLY, THOSE THINGS ARE CHANGING SOME AND THAT'S WHY IN MY MIND, WHEN I THINK ABOUT WHAT DOES THAT PROPERTY LOOK LIKE OVER THE LONG TERM, YES, COULD IT STILL BE USED FOR GOLF? BUT MAYBE THAT EVOLVES A LITTLE BIT AND IT'S NOT JUST FOR THAT.
AGAIN, I THINK SOMETIMES AND THE GOLF COURSE IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF WE ARE NOT NECESSARILY LOOKING AT THINGS DIFFERENTLY THAN THEY HAVE BEEN.
HOW CAN WE USE WHAT WE HAVE? BUT MAYBE SOMETIMES YOU CAN ENVISION IT IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
AND I'M NOT SAYING TAKE IT AWAY.
I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.
JUST LIKE ALL OF THE NUGGETS THAT WE HAVE, LIKE THE SKATE PARK, AND WE OFFER ALL OF THESE THINGS PATONG.
BUT YES, AT SOME POINT, I THINK WE DO KEEP TRYING TO REDESIGN WHAT'S GOING ON THERE.
WHETHER IT'S A MANAGEMENT COMPANY, DO WE OWN IT? IS IT UNDER PARKS? I MEAN, IT'S BEEN ANY INCARNATION OF THINGS.
HOW DO WE TAKE THOSE THINGS AND MAKE THEM THE MOST THAT THEY CAN BE? WITHOUT I DON'T MIND SUBSIDIZING SOME OF IT.
I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE FULLY FUNDED BY THE TAXPAYERS, THERE SHOULD BE SOME BENEFITS TO THAT.
BUT I THINK SOMETIMES TOO, IT DOES WE HAVE THAT INFRASTRUCTURE THERE BECAUSE OF THE TAXPAYERS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE MAGIC NUMBER IS OF HOW MUCH DO WE DO IT? COULD IT BE BETTER? I THINK WE SHOULD ALWAYS STRIVING FOR IT TO BE FOR IT TO BE PROFITABLE, SO IT'S NOT THAT.
>> NEXT MONDAY, I THINK MONDAY AT 10:00, MR. JEFFREY BIGGERS, THE NEW GOLF COURSE DIRECTOR AND MYSELF ARE MEETING WITH JEREMIAH AND THE CONTROLLER PAULINE TESTAGROSE,
[01:35:03]
TO GO OVER THE GOLF COURSE BUDGET.>> AND I WILL JUST LIKE TO TELL YOU TO MY FRIENDS HAPPENED TO BE OPENING A GOLF SIMULATOR.
I THINK THAT WOULD FILL IN THE GAP FOR ANYBODY WHO [OVERLAPPING] TRACER BEING DONE.
THE LAST PART THAT I REALLY LIKE TO EMPHASIZE THERE CHANGE TAKES TIME, JUST LIKE BUILDING GRASS.
IT TAKES TIME TO GET THE COURSE UP TO SPEED, AND IT DOESN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.
IT'S COULD TAKE UP TO SIX MONTHS TO GET GRASS TO GROW PROPERLY.
WE DID NEVER HAD THAT TYPE OF SUPERINTENDENT, AND WE'RE SEEING RESULTS FROM JUST SEVEN MONTHS AGO WHEN HE STARTED THIS PROCESS.
THE LAST THING THAT I WANT TO ADD TO THIS, WE HAVE A DOMINO EFFECT.
WE HAVE A GREAT CHEF THERE AT THE GOLF COURSE NOW.
THEY HAD PUT ON SOME DIFFERENT MEALS ON A MONTHLY BASIS THAT ARE VERY REASONABLE, AND THE FOOD IS EXCELLENT.
WE NEED TO GET MORE OUT THERE TO THE COMMUNITY? YES. IT'S THE GOLFERS THAT HAVE BEEN THE PRIMARY ZONE.
OKAY. WHERE I'M GOING WITH ALL THIS IS TIME.
GIVE THE GOLF COURSE THE TIME, BUT ALSO GIVE IT THE PROPER WAY OF GIVING IT TIME.
GET RID OF STUFF THAT'S NOT MAKING MONEY THAT IS HOLDING US BACK FROM IMPROVING THE GOLF COURSE.
LET'S GO WITH THE DIRECTION THAT IT HELPS US IN THE FUTURE.
BECAUSE WHATEVER WE DO NOW, WE CAN REAP OUR REWARDS DOWN THE ROAD.
>> I JUST A LITTLE PLUG FOR THE GOLF COURSE, JUST TO MAKE YOU AWARE IS YES.
AS CHIP WOULD SAY, IS WE EITHER NEED TO BRING IN MORE REVENUE OR CUT EXPENSES TO BRING THEM TOGETHER.
THIS IS JUST SOMETHING THAT THEY DEAL WITH ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS.
THEY'RE DOWN TO ONE FAIRWAY UNIT.
THE OTHER DAY, THE AXLE BROKE ON THE OTHER FAIRWAY UNIT.
WELL, A FAIRWAY UNIT COSTS ABOUT $100,000.
THAT 100,000 FOR ONE NEW ONE IS NOT IN THE BUDGET.
>> THAT'S LIKE THE [INAUDIBLE].
>> NO, I WOULDN'T GO THERE, BUT NO.
BUT ANYWAYS, IT DOES COME DOWN TO BRINGING IN MORE REVENUE, OR AS COMMISSIONER ROSS, IS WHAT IS THE FEELING OF THE COMMUNITY TO SUBSIDIZE IT?
>> DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING ELSE THEY'D LIKE TO HAVE?
>> WELL, $200,000 IS A LOT TO SUBSIDIZE.
I HAVEN'T SEEN AN OLYMPIAN COME OUT OF THERE.
>> THAT WAS THE LOW BLOW, BUDDY?
IS THERE AN OLYMPIAN THAT COME OUT OF THERE? NO.
>> TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TO SUBSIDIZE? I'M NOT FOR THAT.
I LIKE THE IDEAS THAT VICE CHAIR BROUGHT UP.
THERE'S ALL KINDS OF THINGS YOU CAN DO.
TOP TRACER, BUT FROM WHAT I HEARD, GET RID OF IT.
>> PASSIVE RECREATION BRINGS IN MIND BIRD WATCHING.
HAVE A BIRD WATCHING MORNING WITH A BREAKFAST, OR I DON'T KNOW.
YEAH. BEFORE THE GOLFERS GET OUT BIRDERS ARE OUT AT 6:00 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.
I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK BUT I THINK THERE IS A FAIRLY DECENT BIRD LIST.
>> YEAH. GOLFERS ARE OUT THERE VERY EARLY.
WE DO HAVE A GOLF COURSE ADVISORY MEETING THURSDAY AT 4:00 O'CLOCK.
[01:40:03]
>> I LOVE FOR YOU EACH TO ATTEND.
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE I'D LIKE TO ADD TO.
WITH THAT, IF NOBODY HAS ANYTHING ELSE, CALL US
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.