[4.1 PROCLAMATION - RETIREMENT OF DEPUTY CHIEF OF POLICE DAVID BISHOP - Recognizing Deputy Chief of Police David Bishop upon his retirement after forty years of dedicated service to the City of Fernandina Beach. Deputy Chief Bishop retires October 31, 2025 and will be in attendance to accept.]

THE FIRST IS GOING TO BE OUR RETIREMENT OF OUR DEPUTY CHIEF OF POLICE, DAVID BISHOP. BEFORE I BRING THAT UP, I FORGOT TO MENTION EARLIER TO THE POINT OF ORDER FOR DECORUM, I'D PLEASE ASK THAT ANY DOCUMENTS THAT WISH TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO THE COMMISSION ARE BROUGHT TO. MADAM CLERK, IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK, PLEASE FILL OUT A SPEAKER CARD AS WELL.

IF YOU'RE TAKING ANY PHOTOS, PLEASE REFRAIN FROM COMING ACROSS THE DAIS.

AND IF YOU'RE SPEAKING FROM THE PODIUM, PLEASE ADDRESS THE COMMISSION OR MYSELF AS A WHOLE. NO INDIVIDUALS IN THE AUDIENCE OR INDIVIDUALS ON THIS BOARD BY NAME.

THAT BEING SAID, WE'LL TAKE IT AWAY WITH MR. BISHOP. ABSOLUTELY. WHEREAS IT IS WITH GREAT HONOR THAT THE CITY OF FERNANDINA BEACH HEREBY RECOGNIZES DEPUTY CHIEF OF POLICE DAVID BISHOP, FOLLOWING HIS LONG AND DISTINGUISHED CAREER.

AND WHEREAS DEPUTY CHIEF BISHOP BEGAN HIS EMPLOYMENT ON MARCH 2ND, 1985. HE QUICKLY ROSE THROUGH THE RANKS BASED ON ABILITY, APTITUDE AND A CAN DO SPIRIT THROUGH THE COURSE OF HIS 40 YEAR AND SEVEN MONTH TENURE.

FOR DECADES. CONGRATULATIONS.

THANK YOU. CHIEF BISHOP WAS REGULARLY PROMOTED FROM AIRPORT LINEMAN, ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER, POLICE OFFICER, POLICE DETECTIVE, POLICE SERGEANT, POLICE CAPTAIN AND NOW DEPUTY CHIEF OF POLICE.

WHEREAS DEPUTY CHIEF BISHOP, ALWAYS IN HONOR OF THE BADGE, STEADFASTLY DEMONSTRATED PROFESSIONALISM, INTEGRITY, COMPASSION AND LEADERSHIP, EARNING THE RESPECT OF COLLEAGUES, THE GRATITUDE OF CITIZENS, AND THE ADMIRATION OF OUR COMMUNITY.

AND WHEREAS, THE CITY COMMISSION, ALONG WITH RESIDENTS AND COLLEAGUES, HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGE THE SACRIFICES MADE NOT ONLY BY DEPUTY CHIEF BISHOP BUT ALSO BY HIS FAMILY, WHO SHARED IN THE CHALLENGES OF A LOVED ONE COMMITTED TO A LAW ENFORCEMENT CAREER.

WHEREAS DEPUTY CHIEF BISHOP NOW EMBARKS ON A WELL DESERVED RETIREMENT, LEAVING LASTING A LASTING LEGACY OF SERVICE, HONOR AND COMMITMENT TO THE SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF THIS COMMUNITY.

AND WHEREAS, FOLLOWING MORE THAN FOUR DECADES OF FAITHFUL AND DEDICATED SERVICE, DEPUTY CHIEF BISHOP RETIRES OFFICIALLY ON OCTOBER 31ST, 2025. HIS EFFORTS UNEQUIVOCALLY BENEFITED THE CITY OF FERNANDINA BEACH, THE EMPLOYEE, FAMILY AND COMMUNITY AT LARGE.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF FERNANDINA BEACH, FLORIDA, THAT GENUINE AND SINCERE GRATITUDE IS HEREBY EXPRESSED FOR THE PROFESSIONAL AND LOYAL EFFORTS OF DEPUTY CHIEF OF POLICE.

THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS, FOR THIS PROCLAMATION.

IT'S BEEN AN HONOR TO WEAR THIS BADGE AND REPRESENT FERNANDINA BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT WHILE SERVING THE CITIZENS OF THIS COMMUNITY.

I'VE ALWAYS FELT SUPPORTED BY THE COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT MY CAREER, AND FOR ANY BEACH HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL PLACE TO GROW UP IN, BUILD A CAREER WITH THE CITY, RAISE MY FAMILY, AND NOW RETIRE AFTER 40 YEARS.

I WANT TO EXTEND MY GRATITUDE TO CHIEF TAMBASCO FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AS THE DEPUTY CHIEF.

MY HOMETOWN. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY PAST AND PRESENT FELLOW OFFICERS AND

[00:05:05]

COWORKERS. WITHOUT THEM, THESE YEARS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE.

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO TAKING SOME TIME OR SOME TIME RV CAMPING AROUND THE COUNTRY AND CONTINUING WITH THE CITY AS A PART TIME RESERVE OFFICER.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.

THIS IS MY LAST MEETING, I HOPE.

YOU'RE NOT OFF THE HOOK YET.

WE'LL TAKE JUST A MOMENT TO COLLECT THE ROOM, AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK UP FOR OUR NEXT

[4.2 PROCLAMATION - "RIGHT WHALE MONTH" - Recognizes November 2025, as "Right Whale Month." Amelia Island Whale Ambassadors Candis Whitney, Scott Rowley, and Krissi Barr will be in attendance to accept the Proclamation.]

PROCLAMATION FOR THE RIGHT WHALE FESTIVAL OVER THERE.

IF THE MEMBERS OF THE RIGHT WHALE ORGANIZATION WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND RECEIVE THIS PROCLAMATION WITH ME, PLEASE.

DON'T BE SHY. OKAY. WHEREAS WHALE HUNTING BEGAN AROUND 3000 B.C., BY THE LATE 1930S, MORE THAN 50,000 WHALES WERE BEING SLAUGHTERED ANNUALLY FOR THEIR MEAT, OIL AND BLUBBER.

MERCIFULLY, IN 1986, THE INTERNATIONAL WHALING COMMISSION, OR THE IWC BANNED COMMERCIAL WHALING BECAUSE OF THE EXTREME DEPLETION OF THE WORLD'S WHALE STOCKS. AND WHEREAS THE NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALE HAS STILL NOT RECOVERED FROM BEING HUNTED TO NEAR EXTINCTION, TODAY FEWER THAN 400 WHALES EXIST IN THE RIGHT WHALE POPULATION. SO THEY ARE FEDERALLY PROTECTED ENDANGERED SPECIES UNDER THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT AND THE MARINE MAMMAL PROTECTION ACT.

WHEREAS EACH FALL, RIGHT WHALES TRAVEL MORE THAN 1000 MILES TO WARM COASTAL WATERS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA AND HERE IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA.

THESE SOUTHERN WATERS ARE THE ONLY KNOWN CALVING AREA FOR THE SPECIES, AN AREA WHERE THEY GIVE BIRTH AND NURSE THEIR YOUNG.

WHEREAS THE CITY OF FERNANDINA BEACH, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE AMELIA ISLAND WHALE AMBASSADORS, THE CLEARWATER MARINE AQUARIUM RESEARCH INSTITUTE AND NOAA FISHERIES IS COMMITTED TO THE CONSERVATION AND PROTECTION OF NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALES.

AND WHEREAS THE RIGHT WHALE FESTIVAL CELEBRATES THE ANNUAL RETURN OF RIGHT WHALES TO OUR WARM COASTAL WATERS, THIS FAMILY FUN EVENT RAISES AWARENESS OF THE THREATS TO RIGHT WHALES AND HOW TO AID IN THEIR RECOVERY.

THE FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS LOCAL EFFORTS TO PROTECT THESE WHALES FROM EXTINCTION, AS WELL AS OCEAN THEMED ACTIVITIES AND EXHIBITS THAT EMPHASIZE EDUCATION AND ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE ADVENTURES AND PRODUCTS.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JAMES ANTON, BY VIRTUE OF THE AUTHORITY VESTED IN ME AS THE MAYOR OF THE OF CITY OF FERNANDINA BEACH, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2025 AS NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALE MONTH.

PLEASE DO. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ON BEHALF OF THE AMELIA ISLAND WHALE AMBASSADORS AND THE RIGHT WHALE FESTIVAL, I WANT TO THANK YOU. OUR COMMISSIONERS, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, AND OTHER CITY OFFICIALS, AS WELL AS THE WHOLE CITY OF FERNANDINA BEACH FOR HELPING PROTECT OUR NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALES.

AS THE MAYOR SAID, WE HAVE LESS THAN 400 LEFT, AND OUR ISLAND HAS A SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR RIGHT WHALES BECAUSE THEY COME HERE EVERY YEAR TO HAVE THEIR BABIES RIGHT OFF OUR SHORE. AND THAT'S A SPECIAL THING.

THEY COME EVERY MID-NOVEMBER THROUGH MID-APRIL.

AND TO CELEBRATE THAT, WE HAVE FOUR THINGS GOING ON.

THE FIRST RIGHT WHALE WEEK OCTOBER 24TH THROUGH NOVEMBER 2ND.

PLEASE COME SUPPORT THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE HAVING REALLY FUN WHALE THEMED MERCHANDISE AND FOOD AND DRINK. IT'LL BE A BLAST.

AS THE MAYOR SAID. RIGHT.

WELL, FESTIVAL, WHO HASN'T HAD A GREAT TIME AT RIGHT WHALE FESTIVALS? NOVEMBER 1ST AND SECOND AT MAIN BEACH.

THERE'S EVEN A LIFE SIZE RIGHT WHALE INFLATABLE, SO YOU CAN SEE HOW MAGNIFICENT THESE SEA MAMMALS ARE.

THE THIRD WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE CITY MARINA TO BUILD PACKETS OF INFORMATION SO THAT THEY CAN LET THE VOTERS KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.

HERE'S THIS EXAMPLE OF THEM.

WHAT'S GOING ON WITH OUR RIGHT WHALES THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE VISITING, AND TO TRY TO AVOID SOME VESSEL STRIKES WHICH CAN HURT THEM AND KILL THEM. AND THE FOURTH THING WE HAVE GOING ON IS SOMETHING REALLY EXCITING.

WE'VE WORKED ON IT FOR OVER A YEAR NOW.

THE AMELIA ISLAND MUSEUM OF HISTORY IS LAUNCHING A RIGHT WHALE EXHIBIT, WHICH IS SUPER EXCITING.

IT OPENS ON DECEMBER THE 19TH AND IT RUNS THROUGH APRIL.

SO AGAIN, THIS IS OUR ISLAND.

THESE ARE OUR WHALES. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HELPING US SAVE THE RIGHT WHALES BEFORE THEY GO EXTINCT. THANK YOU.

[4.3 PRESENTATION — FLORIDA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMPANY — COMMUNITY UPDATE — FPUC representatives will provide a community update presentation.]

ALL RIGHT. THAT WILL TAKE US ALONG TO ITEM 4.3, OUR PRESENTATION FROM FPU FOR OUR COMMUNITY UPDATE.

[00:10:02]

AND WE HAVE SOME OF OUR REPRESENTATIVES FROM FPU WITH US IN THE ROOM.

RIGHT. JEREMIAH, YOU ARE YOU DRIVING THIS? I CAN DRIVE, YES. OKAY, GREAT.

GOOD EVENING. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, CITY COMMISSION.

I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

MY NAME IS VICTORIA PRICE, AND I AM THE DIRECTOR OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS FOR FLORIDA PUBLIC UTILITIES.

YOU MAY KNOW SOME OF MY TEAM, WHICH IS RJ, AND WE HAVE STEVE HERE AS WELL IN THE AUDIENCE AS WELL AS LARRY SNOOK, WHO'S WITH OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND JARED HE'S BACK THERE WITH OUR ELECTRIC OPERATIONS.

SO WE ARE HAPPY TO BE HERE AND WE'RE ALWAYS OPEN TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU ANYTIME YOU MAY WANT TO. AS WE START ANY MEETING IN FLORIDA, PUBLIC UTILITIES, WE START WITH A SAFETY MOMENT. SO IF WE CAN HEAD THERE.

PERFECT. Y'ALL ARE NOT UNFAMILIAR WITH HURRICANES HERE.

UNFORTUNATELY, NEITHER ARE WE.

BUT IT IS STILL HURRICANE SEASON UNTIL NOVEMBER 30TH, SO PLEASE BE PREPARED AND READY.

I KNOW WE CAN GET A LITTLE COMPLACENT BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY THIS SEASON.

KNOCK ON WOOD, LET'S KEEP IT THAT WAY.

BUT WE STILL WANT TO BE PREPARED.

AND IT DOES GO TO NOVEMBER 30TH.

SO PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR FAMILY HAS A PLAN ACCORDINGLY.

SO MOVING INTO A QUICK UPDATE ABOUT US IMPROVING OUR INFRASTRUCTURE HERE ON THE ISLAND. SO FLORIDA PUBLIC UTILITIES IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING FERNANDINA BEACH WITH RELIABLE, AFFORDABLE AND SAFE ENERGY.

WE ARE ALREADY UNDERWAY WITH UPGRADING OUR SYSTEM THROUGH THE STORM PROTECTION PLAN.

Y'ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH THAT, I BELIEVE.

AND THAT INCLUDES HARDENING UP ABOVE US AND UNDERGROUNDING WHEN POSSIBLE.

AND SO WE ARE ACTUALLY UPGRADING 141 MILES.

AND WE TO DATE WE HAVE ABOUT 25 DONE ON THE ISLAND.

WE HAVE 25 MILES DONE.

WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH PHASES OF THAT.

SO AND THEY ARE UPGRADED TO THE NATIONAL ELECTRIC SAFETY CODE TO ENSURE THEIR EXTREME WIND STANDARDS HERE FOR THE ISLAND.

SO THAT'S PART OF OUR STORM PROTECTION PLAN.

THE STORM PROTECTION PLAN WAS PASSED BY THE LEGISLATURE IN 2017, AFTER A VARIETY OF HURRICANES, TO ENSURE THAT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE WAS RELIABLE AND THAT WE WERE PREPARED TO MAKE SURE YOU COULD HAVE RELIABLE SERVICE AND WE COULD GET YOUR POWER BACK ON WHEN IT GOES DOWN.

IN ADDITION, WITH THAT STORM PROTECTION PLAN, WE HAVE A FOUR YEAR VEGETATION MANAGEMENT CYCLE.

SO YOU'LL YOU'LL NOTICE WE'RE TRIMMING TREES, MAKING SURE THEY'RE AWAY FROM LINES.

SO AGAIN, WHEN THE WIND BLOWS AND A BRANCH FALLS IT DOESN'T AFFECT THE LINES WE CAN KEEP YOUR SERVICE ON, AND THAT GOES INTO ENSURING WE HAVE RELIABILITY AND UPGRADES TO SUBSTATIONS AS WELL AS PART OF THAT INFRASTRUCTURE.

I KNOW THAT LED LIGHTING IS SOMETHING REALLY IMPORTANT TO THE TO THE ISLAND AND WE AGREE.

AND SO IN ABOUT TWO MONTHS THOSE CONVERSIONS ARE STARTING.

THE EQUIPMENT IS FINALLY COMING IN.

SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO TRANSITIONING THOSE POLES TO LED LIGHTS ACROSS THE ISLAND.

IN ADDITION, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED ABOUT 200 ABANDONED POLES FROM THE STORM PROTECTION PLAN WHERE AT&T OR OTHER OTHER TELECOMMUNICATION COMPANIES ARE ON THOSE POLES. AND SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM AS WELL AS BE HAPPY TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY FURTHER TO MAKE SURE WE GET THOSE REMOVED AND GET THOSE TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES TO THE RIGHT PLACE. AND WE ARE CONTINUING TO MAINTAIN THAT EXCELLENT RESPONSE WHEN WE HAVE OUTAGES.

OUR LINEMEN WORK REALLY HARD AND SO IF YOU SEE THEM, THANK THEM, BUT THEY DO.

THEY TRY THEIR BEST TO MAKE SURE YOU GET YOUR POWER ON AS FAST AS POSSIBLE WHEN THEY ARE OUT. SO THAT IS INFRASTRUCTURE MOVING INTO ENHANCING OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE.

SO WE HAVE HAD A SIGNIFICANT OVERHAUL OF OUR SYSTEM, ENSURING WE ARE GETTING OUR CUSTOMERS THE RIGHT ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH US AND ENSURE THAT WE CAN TAKE CARE OF THEIR NEEDS.

SO A FEW THINGS I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT HERE IS OUR ANSWERING SPEED TIME.

IT'S BEEN THREE MINUTES IN THE FIRST TEN DAYS OF OCTOBER.

THIS IS AN IMPROVEMENT FROM SEPTEMBER.

WE ACTUALLY DECREASED BY THREE MINUTES FROM SEPTEMBER TO OCTOBER.

SO WE'RE WORKING THROUGH ANSWERING TIMES AS WELL AS HOLDS.

IT'S ABOUT AN AVERAGE HOLD TIME OF NINE MINUTES.

AND I WANT TO REMIND THE CITY COMMISSION AND THOSE IN THE AUDIENCE ABOUT WAYS YOU CAN PAY YOUR BILL. SO THERE ARE IN-PERSON LOCATIONS ACROSS THE ISLAND THAT YOU CAN GO TO PAY THAT IN PERSON. WESTERN UNION, YOU CAN SEE HERE, HIGHLIGHTED IN THE RED BOX, IS ACTUALLY A PLACE THAT WE DON'T THERE'S NOT A FEE CHARGED.

ALL THE OTHER PLACES WITH PARTNERING WITH THE DIFFERENT COMPANIES DO HAVE A 199 FEE AT THOSE LOCATIONS. BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, THERE'S A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT SELF-SERVICE OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE ROLLED OUT LATELY.

WE HAVE AN AUTOMATIC PHONE SYSTEM WHERE YOU CAN CALL US INSTEAD OF WAITING TO TALK TO SOMEONE. YOU CAN GET BOTH THE PAYMENT EXTENSION IF YOU NEED TO HAVE IT, A PAYMENT EXTENSION THAT'S NOW OFFERED VIA PHONE SYSTEM.

YOU CAN ALSO GET YOUR BALANCE THE NEXT DUE DATE.

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU PAID? AND WHEN WE RECEIVED THAT PAYMENT ALL THROUGH THAT AUTOMATIC ANSWERING SERVICE, AS WELL AS WE HAVE A NEW CUSTOMER PORTAL, WHICH THERE'S A SLIDE HERE.

WE'LL GO TO THAT IN JUST A SECOND.

[00:15:01]

SO THERE'S A LOT MORE SELF-SERVICE FEATURES THROUGH OUR NEW PORTAL, AS WELL AS SOME MORE DIGITAL OPTIONS COMING SOON IN THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS AND INTO THE NEW YEAR. SO AS I SAID, THE CUSTOMER PORTAL IS REALLY A PLACE WHERE WE ARE ABLE TO ENHANCE THOSE ONLINE FEATURES FOR OUR CUSTOMERS.

THERE IS A VARIETY OF FEATURES ON THIS.

IT'S NO DIFFERENT THAN WHAT OTHER UTILITIES HAVE, BUT WE ARE ENSURING THAT WE'RE UPGRADING IT SO EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO IT.

SO YOU CAN VIEW AND DOWNLOAD YOUR BILLS, YOU CAN PRINT THEM.

YOU CAN ALSO MANAGE YOUR CONSUMPTION.

SO YOU CAN SEE THERE ON THAT GRAPH THE EXAMPLE OF THE CONSUMPTION THERE, THE HISTORY OF CONSUMPTION. SO YOU CAN DO THINGS AT HOME WITH ENERGY EFFICIENCY TO HELP REDUCE CONSUMPTION AND REDUCE YOUR BILL.

YOU CAN SEE THE HISTORICAL USAGE MANAGE YOUR PAYMENTS OR FOR BUSINESSES THERE IS AN ABILITY TO MANAGE MULTIPLE ACCOUNTS.

NOW ON THE DIGITAL PLATFORM.

SO THAT WAS NOT AVAILABLE BEFORE WHICH THAT WILL BE GREAT FOR THE BUSINESSES HERE IN TOWN. AND THEN YOU CAN ALSO HAVE GUEST USERS.

SO IF YOU ARE A BUSINESS, YOU CAN HAVE YOUR GENERAL MANAGER OR SOMEONE ELSE BE ABLE TO LOG ON AND HELP GET THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU AND UPDATE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION QUICKLY. AND WE ALSO HAVE AN INBOX FEATURE SO THAT YOU CAN DIRECTLY MESSAGE US, AND WE CAN GET BACK TO YOU IN A QUICKER FORM.

MOVING INTO SOME OF THE NEW ADDED PROGRAMS AROUND ENERGY EFFICIENCY.

SO WE HAVE ENERGY FIRST PROGRAM, WHICH IS OUR FLAGSHIP ENERGY SAVING INITIATIVE FOR OUR RESIDENTIAL ELECTRIC CUSTOMERS.

IT'S A FULLY DIGITAL EXPERIENCE AND IS DESIGNED TO SIMPLIFY ENERGY CONSERVATION, PROVIDING FREE HOME WEATHERIZATION KITS AND SMART HOME ENERGY KITS TO PARTICIPATING CUSTOMERS. IT'S AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE.

IT IS A TWO STEP PROCESS THOUGH, SO ONCE YOU LET US KNOW THAT YOU ARE INTERESTED, WE'LL SEND YOU A WEATHERIZATION KIT WHICH INCLUDES WEATHERING STRIPS AND SOME OTHER SEAL ERRORS. AND THEN ONCE YOU'VE DONE THAT, WE ASK YOU TO GO TO OUR WEBSITE, FILL OUT THAT SURVEY, CONFIRM YOU HAVE THAT WEATHERIZATION, AND WE CAN SEND YOU AN ADDITIONAL SMART HOME KIT AS WELL. SO THIS WILL HELP AGAIN, ENERGY EFFICIENCY ACROSS THE BOARD FOR OUR CUSTOMERS. AND IT'S COMPLETELY FREE TO EVERY RESIDENT.

IN ADDITION TO ENERGY EFFICIENCY, WE HAVE A REBATE PROGRAM ACROSS THE COMPANY AND SPECIFICALLY FOR ELECTRIC, WE HAVE A HEATING AND COOLING EFFICIENCY UPGRADE PROGRAM. WE OFFER ABOUT 250 TO $500 FOR AN HVAC ENERGY SYSTEM.

SO YOU CAN IF YOU ARE UPGRADING OR RENOVATING YOUR HOUSE, OR YOU JUST NEED A NEW HVAC SYSTEM, PLEASE CHECK OUT OUR REBATES AND YOU CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE HERE AND DO THAT TO REPLACE YOUR SYSTEM.

AND IN ADDITION TO THE HVAC SYSTEMS, IT'S NOT ON THIS SLIDE, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A SMALL APPLIANCE PROGRAM TOO.

AND YOU CAN GET A REBATE FOR YOUR SMALL APPLIANCES.

AGAIN, THIS IS ALL AVAILABLE WHEN YOU GO TO FILL IT OUT.

IT'S PRETTY SIMPLE AND WE ARE HAPPY TO REPORT WE DID ABOUT $6.4 MILLION IN REBATES JUST LAST YEAR ACROSS THE COMPANY.

SO IT'S REALLY A GREAT PROGRAM AND WE ENCOURAGE OUR RESIDENTS AND CUSTOMERS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT. AND SO QUICKLY LOOKING AHEAD SO THAT WAS WE ARE REALLY EXCITED FOR THE NEW YEAR AS WE'RE PARTNERING WITH THE CITY AND THE SHRIMP DROP.

WE HAVE A BRAND NEW SHRIMP THAT'S COMING.

SO LOOK FORWARD TO THAT AND I'M EXCITED FOR THAT IN THE NEW YEAR.

CUSTOMER CONNECTION EVENTS IN FERNANDINA. SO WE HAVE A FEW.

WE JUST HAD 1ST OCTOBER NINTH IN THE COMMUNITY, AND WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE COMING UP IN SPRING 2026 AT THE FERNANDINA BEACH MARKETPLACE.

WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

WE ALSO HAVE FUTURE ENSURE VIRTUAL CUSTOMER CONNECTION EVENTS.

SO WE JUST HAD A VIRTUAL TOWN HALL.

WE ALSO HAD AN IN-PERSON TOWN HALL JUST A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIND NEW WAYS TO ENSURE OUR CUSTOMERS CAN COME TALK TO US DIRECTLY.

SO MEETING YOU WHERE YOU ARE, WHETHER IT BE IN PERSON OR ONLINE OR AT THE MARKETPLACE, PLEASE COME.

GET UPDATES FROM US OR ALLOW US TO TALK WITH OUR CUSTOMERS DIRECTLY OR ANY OF YOU.

AND THEN IN ADDITION, OUR STORM HARDENING CONTINUES.

LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE ALREADY DONE A DECENT AMOUNT OF MILEAGE.

WE HAVE MORE PLANNED FOR 2026 TO KEEP THAT OVERHEAD AND UNDERGROUND AS WE PLAN FORWARD WITH OUR STORM PROTECTION PLAN.

AND I JUST WANT TO NOTE, THIS PICTURE HERE IS REALLY KIND OF A COOL THING. SO KEEP NASSAU BEAUTIFUL HIGHLIGHTED THIS FOR US.

IT WAS WE THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT PARTNERSHIP. WE'RE ABLE TO UTILIZE OUR SKILLS IN THE COMMUNITY, GET OUR LINEMEN AND OUR TRUCKS OUT THERE TO BUILD AN OSPREY NEST.

AND I KNOW YOU ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH THAT, BUT JUST A GOOD EXAMPLE OF HOW WE CAN PARTNER WITH YOU OR PARTNER WITH THE COMMUNITY FOR OUR SKILLS. AND PLEASE LET US KNOW WHEN WE CAN DO THAT MORE. THAT WAS AWESOME.

WE FELT LIKE WE WERE ABLE TO REALLY DO SOMETHING GOOD FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND WE WANT TO KEEP DOING THINGS LIKE THAT. SO THAT IS WHAT I HAVE FOR YOU TODAY AND HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS. ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION COMMISSIONER MINSHEW? SO I WILL SAY THAT I THINK THE QUALITY OF THE ACTUAL ELECTRICAL SERVICE THAT YOU PROVIDE IN THE STABILITY IS GOOD. I HARDLY EVER AM WITHOUT POWER.

AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT, BUT I HAVE SOME SIGNIFICANT ISSUES AND CONCERNS ABOUT YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND AND SOME OF THE OTHER WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.

[00:20:03]

AND I WANT TO GO THROUGH THOSE WITH YOU TODAY.

THE FIRST THING IS AND, CAROLINE, DO YOU WANT TO PASS THIS TO HER? HOW DO YOU WANT. WE WE ALL GOT A LETTER THIS WEEK FROM A MR. MENZEL WHO HAS BEEN TRYING FOR MONTHS TO RESOLVE ISSUES WITH YOU AND HIS SOLAR SERVICES, AND HE CANNOT GET PHONE CALLS BACK.

HE CANNOT GET RESPONSES.

I WOULD LIKE FOR SOMEONE IN THE COMPANY TO CONTACT HIM AND TOMORROW MORNING AND FIX HIS PROBLEM. AND THEN I WOULD LIKE FOR ALL OF US TO BE TOLD THAT IT IS RESOLVED, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO FOLLOW BACK UP WITH HIM AND MAKE SURE THAT IT IS.

ABSOLUTELY. WE GET DOZENS OF EMAILS FROM PEOPLE COMPLAINING THAT THEY CANNOT CONTACT YOU TO GET THEIR SERVICES DISCONNECTED, SO THAT THEY CAN GET SERVICE AT ANOTHER LOCATION. IT IS ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE.

I SAW WHAT YOU SAID YOUR CALL HANDLING TIMES WERE.

FRANKLY, I DON'T BELIEVE THEM. OKAY.

I'VE HAD PEOPLE TELL ME THAT THEY HAVE CALLED YOU FOR WEEKS AND THERE IS NO ANSWER.

THEY ARE ON HOLD FOR HOURS AND THERE AND THEN THEY JUST GET DROPPED OFF.

I WORKED FOR A PUBLIC UTILITY FOR 40 YEARS, AND I UNDERSTAND HOW HARD IT IS TO PROVIDE GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE, BUT THAT IS.

BUT IT'S NOT OKAY FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING TODAY.

IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE OPINION IS WE DON'T CARE.

WE DON'T HAVE TO. AND THAT HAS GOT TO STOP IN THE CITY OF FERNANDINA BEACH.

I KNOW THAT YOU PROVIDE SERVICES REGIONALLY AND NATIONALLY, AND I ACTUALLY DON'T CARE ABOUT THOSE OTHER CITIES, BUT I DO CARE ABOUT MY CUSTOMERS AND MY PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE AND THE POOR, POOR QUALITY OF SERVICE THAT THEY HAVE BEEN RECEIVING FROM Y'ALL FOR PROBABLY WELL OVER A YEAR AT THIS POINT. WHEN WE GET IN, WHEN I GET AN EMAIL FROM THEM, AND THIS REALLY BREAKS MY HEART TO DO THIS.

I ACTUALLY SEND THEM THE LINK TO THE FLORIDA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION COMPLAINT SITE SO THEY CAN FILE A COMPLAINT AGAINST YOU.

AND THAT IS ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE.

AND I SHOULD NEVER HAVE TO HAVE TO DO THAT.

BUT I HAVE DONE IT DOZENS AND DOZENS OF TIMES.

I APPRECIATE THE FEEDBACK.

AND WE I'M NOT DONE. OKAY.

I'M NOT DONE. YOU SAID THAT YOU'RE GOING TO START ON THE LED LIGHTING PROGRAM.

WE HAVE BEEN TRYING FOR YEARS TO GET YOU TO RESOLVE THE LED AND CONVERT OUR LIGHTS TO LED, AND NOTHING HAS HAPPENED.

SO IF, IN FACT, YOU HAVE A PLAN NOW, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A START DATE.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AN END DATE.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A PROJECT PLAN THAT SAYS HOW YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT AND HOW LONG IT'S GOING TO TAKE. LIKE NEXT WEEK, LIKE BEFORE THE END OF THE WEEK.

OKAY. WE HAVE ASKED FOR TURTLE SHIELDS ON LIGHTS ALONG THE BEACH, AND WE DO NOT HAVE THOSE.

AND I'D LIKE TO HAVE A PLAN TOGETHER FOR HOW YOU'RE GOING TO ADDRESS THAT BEFORE THE END OF THE WEEK. AND YOU TALKED ABOUT YOU'RE ABOUT TO GET STARTED ON OLD ABANDONED POLES.

BUT, JEREMIAH, IF YOU'D LIKE TO PUT A PICTURE UP.

WE HAVE ABANDONED POLES THAT HAVE BEEN IN PLACE SINCE 2019.

THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE. AND AND WE TAKE PRIDE IN OUR CITY AND HOW IT LOOKS.

WE DON'T ALWAYS QUITE HIT THE MARK, BUT WE WORK HARD AT IT.

BUT I WOULD TELL YOU THAT FLETCHER LOOKS.

I MEAN, IT LOOKS HORRIBLE.

I'VE NEVER SEEN SO MANY POLES UP AND DOWN A STREET, AND IT IS AN EMBARRASSMENT.

FOR THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE.

THE CITY HAS TAKEN OVER EIGHT MONTHS TO RESOLVE BILLING ISSUES, TO WORK ON BILLING ISSUES WITH ABSOLUTELY NO RESOLUTION.

AND IN FACT, Y'ALL TURNED THE POWER OFF TO THE LIGHTHOUSE LAST WEEK BECAUSE WE HADN'T PAID THE BILL. BUT WE CAN'T GET A HOLD OF YOU TO RESOLVE THE BILLING ISSUES.

AND THEN YOU TURNED OUR POWER OFF FOR SOMEBODY WHO PAYS YOU $500,000 A YEAR.

THAT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE PRACTICE AND ACCEPTABLE SERVICE.

SO AND THEN THE FINAL THING IS THIS LOCAL PAYMENT LOCATION, YOUR FRANCHISE AGREEMENT WITH US SAYS THAT YOU WILL HAVE A LOCAL PAYMENT IN THE CITY, A PAYMENT LOCATION. DO YOU HAVE ONE? YES, MA'AM. THOSE COMPANIES THERE ARE ALL ON THE ISLAND AND WITHIN FERNANDINA CITY BEACH.

NOT. NOT ON THE ISLAND IN YOUR FRANCHISE AGREEMENT SAYS IN THE CITY LIMITS AND THE CITY LIMITS. AND THOSE THOSE ARE THROUGHOUT THIS AREA AND IN THE CITY LIMITS,

[00:25:04]

SO THAT YOU COULD BE ABLE WHICH ONE IS IN THE CITY LIMITS? CVS'S, I DON'T THINK. IS IT.

YEAH. YEAH. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

SO. OKAY. YEAH. YES. YES.

ALL RIGHT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

ALL I'M SAYING IS THAT YOUR SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY HAVE BEEN ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE, TO THE POINT THAT I'M READY TO ASK THE CITY MANAGER TO LOOK AT YOUR FRANCHISE AGREEMENT AND WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO DO BUSINESS WITH YOU.

SO I NEED TO SEE PLANS, AND THE STAFF NEEDS TO SEE PLANS THAT SAY HOW YOU'RE GOING TO FIX THESE PROBLEMS SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.

AND I WOULD LIKE CONTACT INFORMATION PROVIDED TO OUR STAFF SO THAT WHEN WE GET A COMPLAINT FROM A CUSTOMER WHO SAYS THEY CAN'T GET ANYBODY.

I WOULD LIKE A NAME AND A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL THEM.

WE USED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE IN OUR PRESIDENT'S OFFICE, THEY HAD A PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION HOTLINE SO THAT PEOPLE COULD CALL THAT.

AND THEN WE KNEW THAT WHEN WE GOT THAT CALL BACK DOWN ON US, WE HAD TO GET BUSY AND WORK ON IT.

SO I'D LIKE TO KNOW, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING SIMILAR? DO YOU HAVE A PRESIDENTIAL HOTLINE FOR CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS THAT WE KNOW WILL BE ANSWERED, AND THAT THOSE ISSUES WILL BE RESOLVED? AND IF NOT, I WANT THE NAME OF A PERSON THAT I CAN REFER PEOPLE TO, THAT I KNOW THAT SOMEONE WILL ANSWER THE PHONE AND THAT THEIR PROBLEM WILL GET RESOLVED. BECAUSE THE SERVICE YOU HAVE PROVIDED THIS COMMUNITY FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS HAS BEEN COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE AND CANNOT CONTINUE.

I'M DONE. OKAY. THANK YOU.

ABSOLUTELY. WE APPRECIATE YOUR FEEDBACK. AND I WROTE DOWN THE VARIOUS THINGS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE BACK TO YOU WITHIN THE WEEK AND A PLAN.

WE ARE HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOU TO GET YOU THAT INFORMATION.

YOU WILL HAVE MY PERSONAL CARD, MY PERSONAL CELL PHONE NUMBER, COMMISSIONER. SO IF YOU HAVE ISSUES OR YOU HEAR OF THINGS, YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO REACH OUT TO ME.

STEVE HERE IS ALSO GOING TO BE LOCAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR FERNANDINA MOVING FORWARD.

AND WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE YOU HAVE A PERSON HERE THAT YOU CAN TALK TO.

AND IT'S NOT WHO I WANT TO TALK TO.

IT'S WHO THE CUSTOMER.

IT'S WHO. YOUR CUSTOMERS.

YES, MA'AM. NEED TO TALK TO.

AND AS I MENTIONED ON THE CUSTOMER PORTAL, IT'S AN IMPROVED PROCESS.

THERE'S BUMPS IN THE ROAD ALWAYS WHEN WE INTRODUCE A NEW PLATFORM.

AND THAT INBOX FEATURE IS AN ABILITY FOR SOMEONE TO DIRECTLY MESSAGE AND GET THEIR THINGS ANSWERED. AND THEN WHAT'S YOUR COMMITMENT TO GET THOSE ANSWERS BACK? THE COMMITMENT. THE COMMITMENT. TIME COMMITMENT. WHAT IS YOUR TIME COMMITMENT ON YOUR PORTAL? SO WE GO BACK TO OUR AVERAGE, RIGHT.

SO WE HAVE A THREE MINUTE ANSWERING SERVICE AND A NINE MINUTE ON HOLD.

THAT'S THE DAY THAT I CAN PROVIDE YOU TODAY.

AS WE ALREADY IMPROVED WITHIN THE LAST MONTH.

AND WE HAVE A TEAM WORKING VERY HARD EVERY DAY TO IMPROVE THAT SERVICE AND GET THESE PLATFORMS IN PLACE FOR THE CUSTOMERS TO BE ABLE TO TALK TO US.

SO YOU COULD PROVIDE US THOSE NUMBERS ON A WEEKLY BASIS FOR THE NEXT, SAY, SIX MONTHS. SO WE COULD SEE WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE IMPROVING.

SO I CAN'T PROMISE YOU A WEEKLY BASIS BECAUSE THE DATA IS THE DATA IS DAILY.

I KNOW HOW THE DATA WORKS. I USED TO RUN CALL CENTERS.

SURE, YOU CAN GET THE DATA MINUTE BY MINUTE.

WE THAT'S WHY WE ARE ABLE TO GIVE YOU THE FIRST TEN DAYS. WE WEREN'T ABLE TO PULL THAT DATA TODAY TO GET YOU THE REST OF THE MONTH, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO GIVE YOU THE FIRST TEN DAYS OF THIS MONTH. WE HAVE AGAIN, THIS IS AN OPEN DIALOG BETWEEN US AND THE YOU AND THE COMPANY AND OUR CUSTOMERS.

THAT'S WHY WE OPEN TOWN HALLS.

IT'S WHY WE HAVE VIRTUAL TOWN HALLS AS WELL.

SO IF YOU CAN'T MEET US IN PERSON, YOU CAN COME TO US ONLINE.

WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN THINK POSSIBLE TO MEET YOU WHERE, WHERE YOU ARE, WHETHER IT BE Y'ALL OR WHETHER IT BE THE CUSTOMERS.

AND SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

AS I MENTIONED, LOOKING FORWARD AND FINDING OTHER OPPORTUNITIES WHERE YOU SEE US PRESENT AND YOU CAN BRING US THOSE ISSUES, THIS IS HELPFUL.

I WELCOME YOU TO FORWARD THESE TO ME SO THAT I CAN GET THEM TO THE RIGHT PERSON AND CUSTOMER CARE, BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WE'RE GETTING A BUNCH OF CALLS FOR JUST AS SIMPLY, WHEN IS MY BILL DUE? OR DID YOU RECEIVE MY PAYMENT? AND THAT LOGS OUR SYSTEM.

AND WE CAN'T ANSWER THESE IMPORTANT THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DISCONNECTED OR NOT DISCONNECTED OR CHANGE THINGS. AND SO WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THAT.

SO I JUST I WANT TO BE CLEAR, WE ARE IMPROVING ALL OF OUR PLATFORMS. WE ARE TRYING TO MEET OUR CUSTOMERS.

WE HAVE WE HAVE PUT THINGS IN PLACE.

AND I'M HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOU TO GET THESE PLANS IN A PLACE WHERE YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE AND THAT YOU FEEL CONFIDENT IN THE SERVICE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING OUR CUSTOMERS.

SO I CAN SEND CUSTOMERS DIRECTLY TO YOU.

I'D BE GLAD TO RECEIVE THOSE.

AND YOU ANSWER YOUR PHONE AND YOU CHECK YOUR EMAILS, AND I ANSWER MY PHONE FROM PEOPLE ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

YES, MA'AM. THAT GOES IN THE THAT GOES IN THE RECORD.

OKAY. THAT'S GOOD. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SOME REPORTS BEFORE THE END OF THE WEEK.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER POINTER.

YEAH. WHEN I WAS A COMMISSIONER PREVIOUS WHENEVER YOU USED TO HAVE A OFFICE ON EIGHTH

[00:30:01]

STREET, AND WE ALLOWED YOU TO MOVE IT OVER TO THE AIRPORT, PROVIDED THAT YOU WERE GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE IN THERE SERVICING THE ISLAND.

AND I GUESS THAT COVID, YOU CLOSE THAT OFFICE.

WHY HASN'T THAT BEEN OPENED? BECAUSE PEOPLE I TALKED TO WHO TRY TO YOU CAN'T GO TO CVS AND GET A QUESTION ANSWERED.

YOU CAN ONLY PAY YOUR BILL, RIGHT? WELL, MOST PEOPLE, THEY KNOW HOW TO PAY A BILL.

THEY'VE GOT A QUESTION.

AND THERE'S THE FRUSTRATION IS WHAT COMMISSIONER WAS SAYING.

NO ONE CAN GET TO ANYBODY.

NO ONE'S CALLING THEM BACK.

AND JUST THREE MINUTE.

THING IS, I'VE NEVER EXPERIENCED THREE MINUTES WITH YOUR COMPANY.

I'M NOT COMPLAINING ABOUT YOUR POWER.

YOUR POLES ARE RIDICULOUS.

HOW MANY POLES ARE AROUND US, AND I UNDERSTAND WELL, YOUR. THEY KEEP TELLING ME.

WELL, WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DO ANYTHING BECAUSE AT&T IS ON IT.

BUT YOU GAVE THEM PERMISSION TO PUT THEM ON YOUR POLES.

INITIALLY, YOU CAN TELL THEM TO GET IT OFF YOUR OLD POLES AND PUT IT ON THE OTHER SO THAT ARGUMENT DOESN'T SIT WELL WITH ME.

BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY, AND A LOT OF THIS WOULD BE RECTIFIED IF YOU OPEN THAT OFFICE BACK UP SO PEOPLE ON THE ISLAND CAN GO WITH THEIR BILL, SIT DOWN WITH A HUMAN BEING AND SAY, WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? BECAUSE THAT SERVICE YOU DO NOT PROVIDE.

SO GOING BACK TO THE IN-PERSON EVENTS THAT WE'VE HAD WE HAVE OPENED IT UP TO CUSTOMERS TO COME AND BRING US THEIR BILLS.

WE'VE HAD SOME GREAT EVENTS.

WE'VE ALSO HAD SOME NOT WELL ATTENDED EVENTS, BECAUSE I'M NOT QUITE SURE IF PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO COME TALK TO US IN PERSON OR WHAT THAT MAY HAVE YOU, BUT WE ARE OPENING THOSE UP.

AND THE SENSE OF PAYING YOUR BILL AND TALKING TO SOMEONE WE ARE HAPPY TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY AND OTHER SOLUTIONS MOVING FORWARD.

I THINK THERE'S SOME OPTIONS THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT IN 26 FOR THAT.

SO I'M HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ON IT. BUT AGAIN, THIS ISN'T WORKING, SO THAT'S OKAY.

UNDERSTOOD. AGAIN, MOVING FORWARD, WE'RE HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AND FIGURE OUT THE BEST PLAN THAT YOU THINK THAT WE CAN WORK WITH THE CUSTOMERS AND OPEN UP SOME ABILITY FOR THEM TO REACH US IN PERSON. BUT AGAIN, WE HAVE TOWN HALLS, WE HAVE VIRTUAL TOWN HALLS.

AND THIS WAS REQUIRED BY THE PSC AS WELL TO ENSURE WE IMPROVE OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE.

AND WE'RE FOLLOWING THROUGH WITH THAT AND WE'RE OPEN.

LIKE I SAID, I AM OPEN, OUR TEAM IS OPEN.

WE ARE HAPPY AND COMMITTED TO THIS COMMUNITY AND WANT TO ENSURE WE HAVE THE BEST SERVICE, WHERE YOU'RE CONFIDENT IN WHAT WE DO. ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER? I JUST WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW YOU'RE GOING TO RESOLVE THE EIGHT MONTHS WORTH OF BILLING PROBLEMS WITH THE CITY.

I MEAN, WHO IS THE CONTACT FOR THE CITY TO GET THOSE EIGHT MONTHS WORTH OF BILLING ISSUES RESOLVED? WE ARE.

I WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ON THAT AND GET BACK TO YOU NEED TO FOLLOW UP WITH THE CITY MANAGER. ABSOLUTELY. SHE'LL GET MY CARD AS SOON AS I WALK AWAY FROM THIS PODIUM.

I BELIEVE OUR CITY MANAGER HAS A QUESTION THAT I HAVE COMMISSIONER TUTON AND VICE MAYOR. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER. CERTAINLY. GO FIRST. I CAN GO TO AT THE END. COMMISSIONER AND THEN VICE MAYOR. I WANT TO REITERATE WHAT THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE ALREADY SAID.

I LIVE DOWN A DEAD END ROAD, AND I HAVE LOST POWER TWICE IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. AND I'VE BEEN SUPER IMPRESSED HOW QUICKLY I'VE GOTTEN POWER BACK ON WHEN I GO AND, YOU KNOW, INDICATE MY OUTAGE.

I HAVE NOT BEEN SUPER IMPRESSED WITH WITH THE CUSTOMER SERVICE.

AND THIS GENTLEMAN'S EMAIL IS IS SHOCKING THAT HE'S HAD HIS, HIS NET METERING WITH HIS SOLAR HAS NOT BEEN WORKING RIGHT FOR SINCE JUNE.

HE'S BEEN TRYING TO GET THIS RESOLVED AND HE'S BEEN OVERCHARGED BY MINIMUM $500 HE'S BEEN REQUIRED TO PAY, LET ALONE WHAT HAS NOT BEEN CREDITED BACK TO HIM. IT'S A IT'S A SHOCKING EMAIL.

AND IF AND IF HE HAS THIS PROBLEM, OTHERS MUST.

SO YEAH CUSTOMER SERVICE NEEDS TO REALLY BE IMPROVED.

THE ABANDONED POLLS, YOU SAID YOU SAID IN YOUR PRESENTATION YOU HAD 200, YOU IDENTIFIED 200 ABANDONED POLLS.

WHAT IS THE ACTUAL PLAN? WHAT IS THE PATH TO GET THEM REMOVED? AND IS THERE A TIMELINE? SO THE ABANDONED POLL ISSUE IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO PARTNER WITH YOU ALL AND PARTNER WITH THE TELECOMMUNICATION COMPANIES, LIKE I MENTIONED YOU DID.

YOU SAID SAID IT RIGHT COMMISSIONER THAT THEIR THEIR EQUIPMENT IS ON THAT POLE.

WE CAN'T TOUCH THAT EQUIPMENT.

OUR LINEMEN, THEY'RE NOT QUALIFIED TO TOUCH IT.

AND JUST THE SAME, WE DON'T WANT THE TELECOMMUNICATION COMPANY TOUCHING OUR ELECTRIC STUFF. SO WE WE ALLOW THEM TO DO THEIR BUSINESS AND WE DO OUR BUSINESS.

WE HAVE NOTIFIED THEM ABOUT THESE POLES.

IT'S NOT THAT WE HAVEN'T TOLD THEM.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A BRAND NEW POLE LIKE YOU NEED TO MOVE.

YOU'RE WELCOME TO MOVE TO OUR NEW POLE.

WE GOT TO GET OFF THE OLD POLE.

SO AGAIN, THAT'S A I CAN'T SPEAK FOR SOMEONE ELSE IN OTHER COMPANY.

I AND MY TEAM IS NOT ALLOWED TO TOUCH THEIR EQUIPMENT AND WHO, WHO AND WHO IN YOUR COMPANY.

CAN YOU LET OUR CITY MANAGER KNOW WHO IS THE POINT PERSON IN YOUR COMPANY THAT

[00:35:04]

COMMUNICATES WITH THE TELECOMS? YEAH, I'D BE HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP.

THAT'D BE GREAT. AND THEN LASTLY, I HAD A RESIDENT CONTACT ME THAT THE NEW INTERFACE, THE NEW SECURITY WHEN YOU LOG IN, REQUIRES YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER, WHICH THEY WERE NOT HAPPY ABOUT PROVIDING.

AND THEY'RE WONDERING, CAN THERE BE A DIFFERENT SECURITY ACCESS? YEAH. SO THE DIGITAL PLATFORM AGAIN, IT'S IT'S A NEW PLATFORM.

SO WE'RE WORKING THROUGH, AS I SAID, BUMPS AND THINGS THROUGHOUT GETTING THAT PLATFORM AND UPDATED AND WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE FOR OUR CUSTOMERS.

SO WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT. AND WE DID HAVE SOME SOME THINGS AND WE'VE ALREADY ADDRESSED IT AND WE'RE GOING TO BE IMPROVING. IT DOESN'T WORK. THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR. ON THAT SOCIAL SECURITY NOTE, ISN'T IT THE LAST FOUR? YEAH, IT WAS THE LAST FOUR.

ONE. YEAH. ALL RIGHT, SO I KNOW THAT FPU IS NOT GOING TO BE IN HERE, AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE ANY EXCUSES, BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO GIVE THEM YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND INFORMATION.

YOU KNOW, FPU IS ACTUALLY FALLS UNDER THE CHESAPEAKE COMPANY.

SO THEY'RE A LARGE GAS COMPANY, AND THEY'VE RECENTLY JUST PURCHASED THE SECOND LARGEST GAS COMPANY IN THE STATE.

SO THIS ISN'T TO MAKE EXCUSES, BUT THEY'RE MERGING TWO VERY, VERY LARGE COMPANIES, WHICH IS REALLY ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS THAT WE'RE SEEING SOME OF THE DELAYS IN CUSTOMER SERVICE.

IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THAT THEY'RE JUST IGNORING PEOPLE.

THEY HAVE A LOT THAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW THAT IS CAUSING SOME OF THE DELAYS IN WHAT WE'RE SEEING NOW. I HEAR THE SAME COMPLAINTS THAT MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS HEAR.

AND THAT'S NO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S I'M NOT MAKING EXCUSES THERE, BUT WHAT I WHAT I WILL SAY, THOUGH, IS, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK AS GOVERNMENT, WE SHOULD BE GETTING IN THE MIDDLE OF, OF A PRIVATE PROVIDER AND CITIZENS.

HOWEVER, WHEN I GET THAT MESSAGE OR OR SOMEBODY WHO COMES UP TO ME AND SAYS AND IT JUST HAPPENED THE OTHER DAY A FRIEND OF MINE LIVES RIGHT OFF OF 18TH STREET, NORTH 18TH STREET RIGHT THERE SAID, HEY, MY LIGHT'S OUT.

WHAT CAN YOU DO? I PICK UP THE PHONE, CALL JEREMIAH, I PICK UP THE PHONE, I CALL MARK, I SAID, HEY, LIGHTS OUT AT YOU KNOW, 18TH OR 18TH IN LARCHWOOD RIGHT THERE.

AND LITERALLY THE NEXT DAY, THE LIGHT WAS UP WITH A NEW LED.

IT REALLY ISN'T THAT DIFFICULT IF YOU KNOW WHO TO TALK TO WHEN YOU GET THESE EMAILS, PICK UP THE PHONE, CALL JEREMIAH.

HE'LL CALL. MARK IT. REALLY, THESE SITUATIONS GET DONE.

I'M NOT TRYING TO PLAY MIDDLEMAN HERE, BUT TO BE QUITE HONEST WITH YOU, IT I'VE SOLVED PROBABLY A HALF A DOZEN OF THESE ISSUES JUST BY PICKING UP THE PHONE AND CALLING MARK. AND HE'S HE'S HAPPY TO DO IT.

HE SAYS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'LL GET RIGHT ON IT.

YOU KNOW, I'VE TALKED TO RJ AS WELL, AND RJ IS LIKE, PLEASE, YOU KNOW, ROPE, YOU KNOW, BRING ME IN ON THIS SO I KNOW SO I CAN PASS IT DOWN TO MY CREW.

WE KNOW THAT THERE'S STRUGGLES, WE KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.

BUT I JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE THE BACKGROUND OF WHAT? OF WHY THAT'S HAPPENING.

AND I MEAN, IT'S UNFORTUNATE, BUT IT REALLY ISN'T THAT DIFFICULT.

I THINK I'VE I'VE AGAIN, I'VE HANDLED HALF A DOZEN OF THEM AND HAD A LIGHT ON IN LESS THAN A DAY.

SO I, YOU KNOW, I FPU OR THEIR GREAT, GREAT COMMUNITY PARTNERS YOU KNOW, WE WOULDN'T HAVE OUR FIREWORKS. I KNOW A NONPROFIT'S THE ONE THAT RUNS IT, BUT FPU DOES THAT. THEY DO THE SHRIMP DROP.

THEY DO A LOT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

I MEAN, I WOULD SAY GIVE THEM PATIENCE, SIR. I'M SORRY THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE HAD THE ISSUE WITH THIS. AND I SAW THE EMAIL.

I JUST HADN'T HAD A CHANCE TO CALL MARK.

AND I PROMISE YOU, HE CAN GET ON IT IMMEDIATELY.

OKAY. I MEAN, YOUR CUSTOMER AND I APOLOGIZE TO HIM, YOU KNOW? I MEAN, IT REALLY IS JUST A SIMPLE PHONE CALL.

AND IT I MEAN, THEY'RE VERY RESPONSIVE LOCALLY.

AND I APOLOGIZE THAT SOMETIMES THERE ARE THERE IS THAT ISSUE, BUT YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I KNOW THAT THEY'RE WORKING TOWARDS IT.

IF YOU CAN JUST KIND OF BE PATIENT WITH THEM, THEY'VE GOT A LOT GOING ON WITH THE COMPANY. I KNOW THAT'S NOT YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT WHAT EVERYBODY WANTS TO HEAR. AND I KNOW THEY'RE NEVER GOING TO MAKE AN EXCUSE FOR IT, BUT I JUST WANT TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT THAT'S REALLY THE ISSUE THAT'S GOING ON.

THANK YOU. VICE MAYOR. COMMISSIONER MINSHEW. WELL, IT'S GETTING A LIGHT FIXED ON A CORNER AND RESOLVING EIGHT MONTHS OF BILLING ISSUES ARE TWO VERY DIFFERENT SKILL SETS AND REQUIRE DIFFERENT PEOPLE WITHIN A DEPARTMENT.

I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT LOTS OF COMPANIES GO THROUGH MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS, AND, AND THERE IS NO EXCUSE.

AND I WENT THROUGH MANY MYSELF.

YET WE STILL MANAGE TO MAKE OUR NUMBERS AND MEET OUR CUSTOMERS EXPECTATIONS.

SO SIMPLY SAYING THAT I'M GOING THROUGH A TOUGH PATCH IS NOT ACCEPTABLE, I SAY. I'VE NOT SAID THAT.

I KNOW, BUT I SAID THAT I KNOW, AND I'M JUST SAYING THAT IT'S NOT AN ACCEPTABLE EXCUSE. AND YOU JUST YOU'VE GOT TO FIX THIS BECAUSE YOU'RE YOU ARE A

[00:40:02]

MONOPOLY. YOUR CUSTOMERS DON'T HAVE A CHOICE OF WHERE THEY GET THEIR ELECTRIC SERVICE FROM. AND SO IF YOU CAN'T PROVIDE THEM THE THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT THEY NEED, SIMPLY SO THEY CAN TURN THEIR SERVICE ON AND MOVE THEIR SERVICE AND DISCONNECT THEIR SERVICE WHEN THEY LEAVE WITHOUT SPENDING MONTHS BEGGING SOMEBODY TO DO THAT.

THEN YOU WE NEED TO FIND ANOTHER PROVIDER.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR OUR PRESENTER? YEAH, JUST A COUPLE. THANK YOU MAYOR.

AGREED WITH THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE. RELIABILITY IS GOOD. MARK IS VERY RESPONSIVE.

A LOT OF THESE ISSUES ARE OUT OF MARC'S ABILITY TO TO ASSIST AND CONTROL ON THE POLE REMOVAL. I WAS ADVISED TODAY THAT THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE REQUIRES THE TELECOMS TO REMOVE THEIR EQUIPMENT WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF BEING NOTIFIED.

SO I GUESS I WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROCESS THERE.

AND THE PINCH POINT. ARE THEY BEING NOTIFIED? ARE THEY BEING NOTIFIED EFFECTIVELY? AND HOW ARE WE TRACKING THINGS NOW ON SIX YEARS.

WHEN. SIX MONTHS. AND THEN WHAT'S THE WHAT'S THE REMEDY WHEN THEY ARE VIOLATING THAT REQUIREMENT OF THE FLORIDA LAW.

WHAT TOOL DO WE HAVE TO COMPEL THEM TO PERFORM? THE SECOND THING IS THAT WHEN YOU DO YOUR STORM PROTECTION PLAN UPDATES, I THINK AS A COMMUNITY PARTNER, WE WOULD LOVE TO BE MORE INVOLVED IN THAT AND COORDINATE IF WE HAVE AREAS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE REBUILDING A ROAD OR WE'RE GOING TO DO BORING. MAYBE THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT WE CAN ALIGN ON AND BE A LITTLE BIT MORE STRATEGIC WITH AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

AND LASTLY, IT GOES BACK TO THE ACCOUNTS AGAIN.

AND AS THE CITY, NOT ONLY ARE WE HEARING FROM THE CUSTOMERS AT LARGE, BUT THE CITY AS A CUSTOMER, WE HAVE OVER 140 ACCOUNTS WITH YOU, 21 HAVE BEEN 21 OF THEM HAVE BEEN FROZEN OUT OF THE NEW SYSTEM FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. AND OUR REP ADVISED US THAT SHE'S NO LONGER IN THAT POSITION AND CANNOT HELP.

AND THAT IS NOT THE THE EXPECTATION OF CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT I HAVE FOR OUR CITY TEAM. I EXPECT A HANDOFF TO SOMEBODY WHO CAN HELP.

I EXPECT OWNERSHIP OF THE PROBLEM UNTIL IT IS RESOLVED.

AND OUR OUR FISCAL YEAR CLOSED OUT 21 DAYS AGO.

AND, AND WE HAVE AN ISSUE WHEN WE CAN'T PAY OUR BILLS THAT WE OWE AND WE'RE INTO ANOTHER FISCAL YEAR NOW. SO I'M I'M GENUINELY BAFFLED BY THE INABILITY FOR SOMEONE TO HELP ONE OF YOUR LARGEST CUSTOMERS JUST PAY THEIR BILLS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS CAMPBELL.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO RESPOND? NO, I MEAN, MISS CAMPBELL.

I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ABOUT ABOUT THE POLLS.

AND I APPRECIATE THE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP OFFER.

WITH OUR STORM PROTECTION PLAN, WE WE PARTNER WITH OTHER CITIES AND COMMUNITIES TO DO THAT, WHETHER IT BE GAS OR ELECTRIC.

AND SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. AND WE APPRECIATE GETTING TO THE BOTTOM OF SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT RESIDENTS HAVE BROUGHT TO US.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. MOVING ALONG.

[4.4 PRESENTATION - BUDGET SUMMARY — Comptroller Susan Carless will review the September 2025 budget summary and be available to answer any questions.]

WE'LL GO TO ITEM 4.4, OUR BUDGET SUMMARY.

MISS CARLOS, PLEASE TAKE US AWAY.

AND JUST FOR MR. WILKING IN THE AUDIENCE, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'LL TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT AT ITEM FIVE.

I HAVE A SPEAKER CARD FROM YOU. I'LL TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT AT ITEM FIVE.

GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.

IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE IT, BUT ALREADY OUR FISCAL YEAR IS PRETTY MUCH DONE. I LIKE TO SAY 99.9% COMPLETE.

WE'RE DOING SOME ACCRUALS. WE'RE PAYING THOSE BILLS THAT ARE LAGGING TO COME IN AND TAKING CARE OF SOME THINGS. SO.

WE'LL START AS USUAL WITH GENERAL FUND REVENUES.

THE GRAPHS HERE IS FAMILIAR TO YOU.

IT SHOWS THE BREAKDOWN OF REVENUES BY THE SOURCE.

JUST A REMINDER, I KNOW I SAID 99.9.

THESE ARE PRELIMINARY NUMBERS.

THEY'RE GOING TO CHANGE A LITTLE BIT BETWEEN NOW AND WHEN WE DO OUR ANNUAL CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL REPORT. LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS, YOU'LL NOTICE IN SEPTEMBER,

[00:45:02]

REVENUES FOR LICENSING AND PERMITTING WERE REDUCED BY SOME ACCOUNTING ENTRIES TO DEFER REVENUE TO FY 26. SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS BASICALLY PEOPLE COME IN AND THE THE VERY LAST PART OF OUR FISCAL YEAR, THEY'RE PAYING FOR THEIR BUSINESS LICENSES, REALLY FOR NEXT YEAR, WE DEFER THE REVENUE TO NEXT YEAR.

SO THEY PAID US THIS YEAR IT'S GOING TO BE ON NEXT YEAR'S FINANCIALS.

SOME OTHER REVENUE LINES DON'T REFLECT THE TOTAL EXPECTED TO BE RECEIVED YET.

AND AND WHAT THAT IS, IT IS THE ENTITIES LIKE FPU WITH OUR FRANCHISE FEES. THEY'VE GOT TO CALCULATE THEIR ENDING MONTH TOTALS AND THEN PAY US.

SO WITHIN 60 DAYS OF OUR FISCAL YEAR END, WE'LL BE RECEIVING SOME ADDITIONAL REVENUES THAT WILL BE RECORDED.

THIS IS A SLIDE THAT I'VE SHOWN A COUPLE OF TIMES COMPARING OUR REVENUES AS PERCENT OF BUDGET. I THINK WE'VE DONE VERY WELL WITH BUDGETING.

WE ALIGN VERY CLOSELY IN ALL OF THE MAJOR AREAS HERE.

YEAR TO DATE, GENERAL FUND REVENUES ARE 32,000,003 47, 656 AND THEY EXCEED THE TOTAL BUDGETED SO FAR BY $1.1 MILLION.

SOURCES THAT SIGNIFICANTLY EXCEEDED THE BUDGET INCLUDE INTEREST EARNINGS, WHICH EXCEEDED THE BUDGET BY 200,000, THE ELECTRIC FRANCHISE EXCEEDED BY 240,000, AND OUR MS ARE WHAT WE CALL AMBULANCE SERVICE.

REVENUE THIS YEAR EXCEEDED THE BUDGET BY 600,000.

SO. YES, THAT ONE WAS GOOD AND BAD NEWS, RIGHT? WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS YEAR VERSUS LAST YEAR NOW.

AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT KIND OF SHOWS THAT WE'RE SEEING A SIMILAR TREND ON BOTH THINGS. WE'VE HAD SOME A LITTLE VARIANCE HERE AS WELL.

REDUCTIONS IN SALES USED FUEL THOSE TAXES.

THEY REFLECT THE REVERSAL OF PRIOR PERIOD ACCRUALS.

THEY'RE GOING TO BALANCE OUT WHEN WE GET THE FINAL NUMBERS. SO WE REVIEW REVERSE SOME STANDING ACCRUALS. AND AS THE MONEY COMES IN WE'LL SEE THE TRUE TOTAL GET ADJUSTED THE MONTHLY AMOUNT IN FY 24.

WE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT LAST YEAR.

THERE'S A LARGE INSURANCE PREMIUM TAX THAT'S AROUND A HALF $1 MILLION.

WE RECEIVED IT THIS YEAR IN AUGUST AND REPORTED IT LAST YEAR.

IT CAME IN THE SEPTEMBER PERIOD.

SO THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF THAT VARIANCE AND THE REDUCTIONS IN TAXES, LICENSES AND PERMITS AS WE DISCUSSED, THOSE ARE THE RESULT OF DEFERRALS OF FY 26 REVENUE. GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES BY FUNCTION.

AND I LIKE THIS GRAPH BECAUSE IT KIND OF SHOWS OUR FOCUS ON PUBLIC SAFETY.

DEPARTMENTS EXCEEDED THE 100% BENCHMARK ON THEIR SPENDING.

AND FOR THE GENERAL FUND, THE MAIN SIGNIFICANT EXPENDITURE ABOVE NORMAL OPERATING COSTS WAS WE BOUGHT A NEW POLICE SERVICE VEHICLE, AND THAT WAS AROUND 66,000 ON THE PURCHASE.

THIS VIEW SHOWS DOLLAR SPENT BY FUNCTION.

THE DECREASE IN TRANSFERS AND OTHERS FROM FY 24 TO 25 IS MAINLY ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE DECREASE IN THE TRANSFER TO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS FUND.

SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN ADMINISTRATION ARE FROM LITIGATION AND SETTLEMENT COSTS OF OVER 700,000, AND CAPITAL PROJECTS IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT FOR THE EGAN'S CREEK BRIDGE IN THE GREENWAY AND THE ADAPTATION PLAN.

PUBLIC SAFETY INCREASED BECAUSE WE ADDED STAFF AND EXTENDED SERVICE HOURS.

AND HERE'S OUR FUND BALANCE.

YEAR TO DATE, GENERAL FUND REVENUES EXCEED EXPENDITURES BY 378,000.

SEEING AN INCREASE IN FUND BALANCE FROM LAST YEAR FROM 8.3 MILLION TO 10.6 MILLION.

SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS.

I ALWAYS LIKE TO MAKE THE POINT ABOUT THESE BECAUSE THEY ARE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE NORMALLY SEE IN OUR BUDGETING PROCESS.

SO JUST REMEMBER, THE MAIN DIFFERENCE IS THEY EXIST TO ACCOUNT FOR HOW WE USE SPECIFIC REVENUE STREAMS. THEY'RE NOT USED FOR OPERATIONS SO WE DON'T HAVE RESERVES.

AND THESE ARE THE BALANCES OF OUR SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS.

AT THE POINT IN TIME WHEN I WAS PULLING THE INFORMATION FOR THIS REPORT,

[00:50:02]

YEAR TO DATE, YEAR TO DATE, REVENUES EXCEED EXPENDITURES FOR ALL SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS EXCEPT FUND NUMBER ONE.

40 IS OUR BUILDING FUND.

EXPENDITURES IN THIS FUND EXCEED REVENUES BY 239,000.

FUND 145 WASTEWATER CAPACITY EXPENDITURES EXCEED REVENUES BY 54,008 16.

AND THEN IN THE NUMBER 180 COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT EXPENDITURES EXCEED REVENUES BY 578. 876 AND THAT'S MAINLY DUE TO THE $600,000 WE SPENT ON ALACHUA STREET.

SIX NOTE NONE OF THESE ARE CONCERNING BECAUSE THESE FUNDS WERE BUDGETED TO REDUCE RESERVES.

SO WE BUDGETED THEM KNOWING THAT WE WERE GOING TO SPEND MORE THAN WE BROUGHT IN THIS YEAR ON PURPOSE. AND THEN IN FY 26 WE'VE ADDRESSED THOSE TRENDS.

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUNDS.

YES. WE TALKED ABOUT WE HAVE FOUR.

THREE OF THEM ARE SIMILAR IN HOW THEY OPERATE.

WE SEPARATE OUT REPORTING FOR THE IMPACT FEES BECAUSE IT HAS SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS.

HERE'S HOW WE LOOK ON OUR GENERAL CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUNDS.

TODAY SIGNIFICANT EXPENDITURES FOR FUND 300.

FOR 300, EXCUSE ME, 38,467 FOR CITY HALL WINDOWS, 57,000 FOR THE NORTH SECOND STREET STREETSCAPE.

THERE WERE NO SIGNIFICANT EXPENDITURES FOR THE WASTEWATER IMPROVEMENT ON THIS MONTH.

AND THEN THE ARPA FUND, WE SPENT 185,984 FOR DRAINAGE PROJECTS AND REIMBURSED THE STORMWATER FUND FOR 368,000 FOR INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS THAT THEY DID. CAPITAL EXPANSION FUND.

THIS IS THE TOTAL REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES YEAR TO DATE AT THE POINT THE REPORT WAS TURNED. LOOKING BACK OVER THE PRIOR YEAR, BECAUSE WE'RE AT THE END OF THE PERIOD, POLICE EXPANDED THE FORCE AND PURCHASED TWO ADDITIONAL VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT FOR THE OFFICERS OUT OF THIS FUND.

PRIMARY EXPENDITURES FOR PARKS AND REC WERE THE WATERFRONT PARK AND HICKORY STREET RESTROOMS. WE COME TO OUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS, WHICH WE CALL OUR BUSINESS CLASS FUNDS.

YEAR TO DATE, REVENUES EXCEED EXPENDITURES FOR ALL BUT THREE OF OUR BUSINESS CLASS FUNDS. NOTE WHEN I'M REPORTING ON THIS RIGHT NOW, IT IS ALL REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES, INCLUDING CAPITAL EXPENDITURES, THAT IS NOT WITH CAPITAL.

IT'S NOT JUST OPERATIONS.

WE'VE SEEN AN IMPROVEMENT IN GOLF.

YEAR TO DATE, REVENUES ARE 107% OF THE TOTAL BUDGETED.

THEY EXCEEDED THE BUDGET BY 242,000.

SO WE HAVE A POSITIVE TREND GOING THERE WITH A GOLF DEPARTMENT.

YEAR TO DATE EXPENDITURES ARE 93.9% BUDGETED, SO THEY WERE LESS THAN BUDGETED BY 185,000.

SO YEAR TO DATE REVENUES EXCEED EXPENDITURES BY 415,000.

THOUSAND. SO WE HAD BUDGETED AND COMPLETED A TRANSFER OF 890,000 FROM THE GENERAL FUND.

AND THEY ACTUALLY ENDED UP NEEDING 415,000 LESS THAN WE TRANSFERRED.

SO WE'RE SEEING A POSITIVE TREND.

FOR THE AIRPORT. YEAR TO DATE EXPENDITURES EXCEED REVENUE BY 20,000.

THE PRIMARY SOURCES OF REVENUE IN THE AIRPORT ARE GRANTS AND LEASE PAYMENTS.

SIGNIFICANT EXPENDITURES THIS MONTH ARE 140,000 FOR TAXIWAY REHAB AND 27,000 FOR HANGAR APRON REHAB, ALONG WITH 359,000 FOR DEBT PAYMENTS.

AND OUR SANITATION FUND.

YEAR TO DATE, REVENUES EXCEED EXPENDITURES BY 237,000 FOR WASTEWATER.

YEAR TO DATE, REVENUES EXCEEDED EXPENDITURES BY 518,000.

SIGNIFICANT EXPENDITURES THIS MONTH WERE 165,000 FOR SIMMONS ROAD FORCE MAIN 60 2000 FOR MANHOLE REHABS AND 38,000 FOR LIFT STATION UPGRADES IN OUR WATER DEPARTMENT.

YEAR TO DATE EXPENDITURES EXCEED REVENUES BY 658,000.

LAST YEAR, WATER FUND REVENUES INCLUDED A MILLION.

TRANSFER FROM WASTEWATER DID NOT CONTINUE IN FY 25.

SO I THINK THAT'S SOME OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE.

YEAR TO DATE, WATER REVENUES ARE 832,000 LESS THAN LAST YEAR.

SO WE HAVE TO CONSIDER THAT THEY HAD RECEIVED $1 MILLION IN SUPPORT FROM WASTEWATER IN OUR STORMWATER FUND. YEAR TO DATE, REVENUES EXCEED EXPENDITURES BY 179,000.

AND THEN IN OUR MARINA.

YEAR TO DATE EXPENDITURES EXCEED REVENUES BY 232,000.

[00:55:04]

AND I ALWAYS LIKE TO MAKE THE NOTE THAT 1 MILLION OF THAT WAS FOR DREDGING.

AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION FOR MISS CARLOS? SEEING NONE.

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU SO MUCH VERY MUCH. AND THAT WILL BRING US ON TO ITEM 4.5, OUR PROJECT UPDATES FROM MR.

[4.5 PRESENTATION - PROJECT UPDATES — Deputy City Manager Jeremiah Glisson will provide an update on current and/or pending projects.]

GLISSON. OKAY. THANK YOU.

MAYOR. I'LL MOVE THROUGH THIS QUICKLY. WE'VE GOT A PACKED HOUSE, AND I KNOW WE WANT TO MOVE ON WITH THE EVENING. THIS IS OUR CAPITAL PROJECT REPORT. THIS IS THE MONTHLY REPORT THAT LOOKS AT $40 MILLION WORTH OF PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE IN THE QUEUE FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR. AS MISS CARLOS JUST MENTIONED, WE JUST 21 DAYS IN.

SO WE'LL YOU'LL SEE NOT MANY OF THESE PROJECTS REALLY ANY HAVE BEEN MARKED TO COMPLETION YET. BUT WE'RE WE'RE EAGER TO GET STARTED HERE.

AS A REMINDER, THOSE MARKED IN GREEN ARE IN PROGRESS AND ON TRACK.

THOSE IN YELLOW ARE AT RISK OR PAUSED FOR REGULATORY REASONS OR OTHERWISE.

RED SUSPENDED OR OFF TRACK AND BLUE IS COMPLETED.

WANT TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THREE HERE? LOOK AT REFERENCE 12 AND 13 BECAUSE THEY'RE RELATED. THIS IS THE ATLANTIC SEAFOOD DEMOLITION.

THIS IS A NEW PROJECT.

WE DID NOT BUDGET FOR THIS.

THIS IS A RESULT OF AN EARLY TERMINATION OF A LONG TERM LEASE.

THE BUILDING OFFICIAL HAS ISSUED AN UNSAFE STRUCTURE WITH 60 DAYS TO DO A DEMOLITION.

THERE'S SOME COMPLICATIONS WITH THIS, AND I'LL THROW IT OVER A SCREEN HERE.

JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA.

AND THAT IS THIS FACILITY.

JUST 40 SQUARE FOOT, 40 SQUARE FOOT IS OVER THE MEAN HIGH WATER LINE, WHICH REQUIRES AN ARMY CORPS PERMIT.

SO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE CORPS.

IT'S A PRETTY QUICK PERMIT.

SO WE'RE HOPING TO STILL MEET THE DEMOLITION NOTICE PROVIDED BY THE BUILDING OFFICIAL.

BUT THAT WILL REQUIRE A NATIONWIDE THREE SECTION PERMIT TO PROCEED WITH DEMOLITION BECAUSE IT IS PARTIALLY OVER THE MEAN HIGH WATER LINE.

SO WE ARE WORKING ON THAT AND WE CAN HANDLE THAT DEMOLITION COSTS INTERNALLY.

SO THERE WOULDN'T BE ANY FURTHER COMMISSION ACTION NEEDED OTHER THAN REGULATORY THROUGH THE HTC. AND THAT APPLICATION GOES TO THEM NEXT MONTH.

BECAUSE OF THAT, THAT OPENS UP THAT SPACE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE WATERFRONT PARK.

SO WHAT YOU WILL SEE AT THE NEXT MEETING IS A WORK ORDER FOR THE WATER PARK EXPANSION, WHICH IS CREATING A CONCEPT WITH THOMAS AND HUTTON, OUR DESIGN FIRM THAT IS WORKING ON OUR WATERFRONT PARK THAT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION NOW. BUT TO WORK ON INCORPORATING THAT AREA INTO THAT, INTO THE PARK THAT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION, ALONG WITH THAT BOAT RAMP AREA.

SO IT STILL WORKS RIGHT THERE WITH OUR DOWNTOWN THERE AT THE FOOT OF ASH STREET.

NEXT IS NUMBER 14, THE DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION.

I BRING THIS UP BECAUSE BEFORE YOU, TONIGHT IS A WORK ORDER FOR $200,000 TO COMPLETE THE DOWNTOWN DESIGN AND ENGINEERING.

AS YOU'RE AWARE, THE CENTER STREET DESIGN IS COMPLETE AND BEEN FINALIZED, AS IS SECOND STREET. WHAT LACKS ARE THE SIDE STREETS FROM ASH TO ALACHUA THIRD, FOURTH, FIFTH, AND SIXTH SO THAT WORK IS IN FRONT OF YOU.

KIMLEY-HORN IS A CONTRACTOR.

THEY'LL NEED ABOUT SIX MONTHS TO COMPLETE THAT, AND THEN THAT PROJECT WILL BE READY TO GO OUT FOR BID FOR THAT DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION PROJECT.

I WANT TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO ONE OTHER ONE HERE.

NUMBER 27, THIS IS THE MLK SOFTBALL FIELD COMPLEX REDEVELOPMENT.

MR. GLENN ACKERMAN WILL BE PROVIDING A WORKSHOP AND PRESENTATION AT OUR NEXT WORKSHOP ON NOVEMBER 4TH.

DIVE A LITTLE BIT FURTHER INTO THIS PROJECT.

THIS HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

IT'S IN OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND. THIS IS THE IMPACT FEE FUNDED PROJECT.

SO JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT MORE IS COMING ON THAT HERE SOON.

ONE OTHER ONE HERE IS STREET PAVING.

THIS IS ITEM NUMBER 39 HERE STREET RESURFACING.

I MENTIONED THAT BECAUSE PHASE ONE BEGINS NEXT WEEK, WE'LL BE PAVING ABOUT 1.5 MILES OF STREETS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

LARGELY THE WORK WILL BE BEHIND THE REC CENTER AREA.

THIS IS C SIDE SUBDIVISION, OCEAN K.

WE'LL BE DOING A LITTLE WORK ON THE NORTH END OFF OF NORTH FLETCHER, A COUPLE PARKING LOTS, AND THEN NORTH SECOND AS WELL TO OPEN THAT BACK UP. WE'LL BE PAVING FROM ALACHUA ALL THE WAY TO THE PORT.

SO THAT'S PHASE ONE. AND WE'LL COME BACK LATER IN THIS FISCAL YEAR TO KNOCK OUT SOME OTHER ROADS ON OUR STREET RESURFACING LIST.

SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR NOW, UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, MR. GLEASON. ARE THERE ANY COMMISSIONER QUESTIONS SEEING NONE COMMISSIONER JEREMIAH, THAT WE TALKED ABOUT. AND I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY ABOUT THE WATERFRONT PARK EXPANSION.

IF WE IF, IF ATLANTIC SEAFOOD IS REMOVED OR WHEN IT'S REMOVED THAT WE WON'T.

THANK YOU. THAT THE BOAT RAMP AS AS A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW, NEEDS SIGNIFICANT REHABILITATION.

SO THE PLAN FOR THE EXPANSION THERE IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING EXTREMELY SIMPLE, PROBABLY. RIGHT. LIKE GRASS, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE IMPACTED WITH THAT RENOVATION. HUNDRED PERCENT.

YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO SEE THE TERMINATION, THE CORE RIGHT HERE BECAUSE THAT FACILITY IS IN THE WAY. SO THE NEXT SEGMENT, A SEGMENT, EXCUSE ME, OF SEAWALL CONSTRUCTION, IS THROUGH HERE.

WE HAVE THE BOAT RAMP THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED ALONG WITH THE FLOATING DOCK. SO YES, ALL THAT WILL BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION TO BECAUSE OF UPCOMING IMPROVEMENTS THAT NEED TO BE MADE THERE INFRASTRUCTURE WISE. OKAY. THANK YOU.

[01:00:03]

I HAVE A QUESTION, COMMISSIONER. WHEN ARE WE GOING TO GET AN UPDATE ON, THE SOCCER FIELDS. THE NOVEMBER 4TH WORKSHOP.

OH, BOY. OKAY, THANKS.

I'M SORRY. SOCCER FIELD.

SOCCER FIELDS. THAT WILL THAT WILL TIE INTO THE CONVERSATION AT THE NOVEMBER 4TH WORKSHOP. BUT WE DON'T HAVE THAT POSITION YET.

WE'RE STILL WAITING ON SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM THE COUNTY, AND WE KNOW THAT THAT WILL BE A CONVERSATION. THE JOINT VISIONING SESSION, ONCE THOSE DATES ARE ESTABLISHED. OKAY.

ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR MR. GLEASON OR STAFF? SEEING NONE. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK. THAT WILL BRING US ALONG TO ITEM FIVE.

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

PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA.

AND FIRST UP, I HAVE MR. PETE WILKING. THANK YOU FOR HAVING HAVING ME HERE. MY NAME IS PETE WILKING.

I LIVE AT 1551 LISA AVENUE, FERNANDINA BEACH.

I'M PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER OF A-1A SOLAR CONTRACTING FOR 15 YEARS, NOW DOING ENERGY SERVICES, HVAC, SOLAR POWER SYSTEMS. I AM HERE ON BEHALF OF SEVERAL OF MY SOLAR CUSTOMERS WITHIN THE LAST YEAR AND CHANGE WHO HAVE HAD TREMENDOUS ISSUES WITH THEIR BILLING AND COMMISSIONER MINSHEW.

THESE HANDFUL OF CUSTOMERS THAT I HAVE WOULD AGREE WITH YOU WHOLEHEARTEDLY OF WHAT THEY'VE BEEN THROUGH. I A-1A SOLAR HAS REALLY BECOME THE DE FACTO COMPLAINT DEPARTMENT FOR THESE CUSTOMERS BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T HAD ANY OUTLET AND I'VE HAD TO DO THE SAME THING.

ONLY THING I CAN TELL YOU TO DO IS JUST GO TO THE PUC AND FILE A COMPLAINT, BECAUSE THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY ACCESS.

SO I'VE HAD TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THEIR ELECTRIC BILLS AND WHAT THEIR SOLAR PRODUCTION IS AND ALL THAT.

SO I'VE BEEN HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THIS.

I HAVE ONE MORE CUSTOMER LETTER IS SIMILAR TO MR..

MENDEZ THAT HAS THE SAME THING.

I HAVE SOME OTHER CUSTOMERS AS WELL. I'M COMING HERE ON BEHALF OF THESE CUSTOMERS.

SINCE THE CITY IS PAYING GETTING FRANCHISE FEES OF JUST HOW POOR IT IS.

AND THIS CUSTOMER IS PROBABLY DUE SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS OF OVERBILLING FOR A HOUSE ON ATLANTIC AVENUE. THEY GOT A $1,200 BILL, ZERO EXPLANATION, ZERO HELP. AND THEN THEY PAID THAT.

AND THEN THEY STARTED NOT GETTING BILLS, BUT THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHERE THEY ARE.

SO THIS CUSTOMER IN MY HAND RIGHT NOW IS PROBABLY OWED A COUPLE THOUSAND DOLLARS.

SO I APPRECIATE THE COMMISSION'S HELP ON GETTING THESE CUSTOMERS ACCOUNTS RECTIFIED, BECAUSE WHAT'S HAPPENING IS JUST IT'S JUST NOT RIGHT.

THAT'S ALL I GOT. ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? I'LL GIVE IT TO COMMISSIONER.

I KNOW A ONE SOLAR, ONE A SOLAR SERVICES, JACKSONVILLE A LOT.

I PRESUME YOU DON'T HAVE SIMILAR, SIMILAR ISSUES WITH NET METERING THERE AT ALL? YEAH. OKAY. YEAH.

WE DEAL WITH NINE DIFFERENT UTILITY COMPANIES IN NORTH FLORIDA AND SOUTH GEORGIA, AND I'VE NEVER HAD CUSTOMERS WITH THIS BIG OF A BILLING DEBACLE.

MR. WILKIN, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO PROVIDE THAT TO OUR CITY CLERK, PLEASE? ABSOLUTELY.

THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. WILKIE? THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE MISS MIRIAM HILL.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR ANTON AND CITY COMMISSIONERS.

MY NAME IS MIRIAM HILL.

I LIVE AT TEN NORTH 15TH STREET, FERNANDINA BEACH, AND I AM PRO BONO COUNSEL REPRESENTING MISS CATHY STEVENSON AND HER HUSBAND, JOHN, OF 2029 ATLANTIC AVENUE.

I'M HERE TO URGE YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION ON TWO URGENT TRAFFIC SAFETY ISSUES.

AT THE INTERSECTION OF CITRUS AND ATLANTIC AVENUE AND ALONG ATLANTIC AVENUE.

REGARDING TRAFFIC CALMING THE PROBLEM IS THAT FOUR FOR SEPARATE VEHICLES TRAVELING NORTH ON CETRONIA HAVE RUN THE ATLANTIC AVENUE STOP SIGN AND CRASHED INTO MY CLIENT'S HOME, CAUSING SEVERE DAMAGE AND HOSPITALIZATIONS.

RECENTLY, ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING WEST AT THIS INTERSECTION COLLIDED WITH A CAR TURNING SOUTH ONTO CETRONIA, VEERED OFF OF ATLANTIC AVENUE AND CRASHED INTO A BRICK FENCE.

THESE INCIDENTS ARE NOT JUST DRIVER ERROR.

THEY ILLUSTRATE A CLEAR INFRASTRUCTURE FAILURE.

MY CLIENT HAS REQUESTED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS SPEED HUMPS ALONG CETRONIA TO CLOSE VEHICULAR TRAFFIC APPROACHING ATLANTIC AVENUE, AND WE'VE HEARD VARIOUS RATIONALES AS TO WHY THAT CAN'T HAPPEN. BUT BEECH AND CETRONIA IS AN ENTRANCE TO THE RON EGAN'S CREEK GREENWAY, AND IT IS 893FT FROM THE INTERSECTION OF ATLANTIC AVENUE, WHICH IS A GREAT PLACE TO SLOW PEOPLE DOWN AS THEY'RE APPROACHING ONE OF OUR MAIN THOROUGHFARES. IT'S A LOW VISIBILITY TURN.

PEOPLE WHO DRIVE THAT INTERSECTION REGULARLY COMMENT THAT IT'S DIFFICULT TO NAVIGATE IN

[01:05:01]

THE DAYTIME WITH ALL THE LIGHTS ON AND NO IMPAIRMENTS.

THE FOUR SEPARATE INCIDENTS TELL US THAT WE DON'T NEED STANDARD RESPONSES.

WE NEED AN IMMEDIATE ACTION.

SO. SO REALLY WHAT'S NEEDED? BEST CASE SCENARIO IS INTENTIONAL, PEDESTRIAN FOCUSED PLANNING FOR MAIN CORRIDORS LIKE A-1-A AND SETRONA.

WE NEED TO MOVE BEYOND POST-ACCIDENT REACTIONS TO INTRINSIC SAFETY BY DESIGN.

THESE ARE MAIN CORRIDORS, BUT THAT TAKES TIME, RIGHT? OVERLAYS TAKE TIME.

AMENDMENTS TO THE COMP PLAN TAKE TIME.

AMENDMENTS TO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE TAKE TIME.

BUT WHAT WE NEED TODAY IS IMMEDIATE ACTION FOR SAFETY.

PLEASE INSTALL SPEED HUMPS AT BEACH AND SETRONA OR BETWEEN THAT INTERSECTION OF ATLANTIC AVENUE. PLEASE CALM TRAFFIC IMMEDIATELY ON THE STREET IN THE LONG TERM.

PLEASE CONSIDER PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED TRAFFIC CALMING OVERLAYS FOR MAIN CORRIDORS SUCH AS A-1-A AND CETRONIA. AND I RAISE THIS ISSUE FOR YOU AT THIS TIME, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE FDOT IS EMBARKING ON THEIR RESURFACING FOR ATLANTIC AVENUE.

A-1-A. RIGHT. AND AS PART OF THAT, THEY WILL RESTRIPE THE ON STREET PARKING IS NATURAL TRAFFIC CALMING.

PLEASE DON'T TAKE THOSE SPACES AWAY ALONG ATLANTIC AVENUE BECAUSE THOSE CARS, WHEN THEY'RE PARKED THERE, THEY PROTECT HOMES, THEY PROTECT PEDESTRIANS, AND THEY CALM THE TRAFFIC FLOW.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.

COMMISSIONERS AND MAYOR ANTON AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO A SAFE FERNANDINA BEACH.

THANK YOU, MISS HILL. AND IF I MAY, CAN I ASK STAFF TO ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS ON AN IMMEDIATE BASIS, PLEASE? THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE MR. PAUL LOWRY. PAUL LAWRIE, 11 SOUTH SEVENTH STREET, FERNANDINA BEACH, FLORIDA. FIRST, BEFORE I GET TO MY PERSONAL ISSUE WITH THE COMMISSION, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE FERNANDINA POLICE DEPARTMENT.

LAST WEEK WE HAD A FANTASTIC THREE DAYS TALKING ABOUT VETERAN SUICIDE, HOW TO PREVENT VETERAN SUICIDE, AND THE COMMUNITY GETTING MORE INVOLVED.

AND I THOUGHT IT WAS IT WAS JUST A REALLY WONDERFUL THREE DAYS.

I THINK ACTUALLY THE AMOUNT OF OFFICERS THAT WE'VE HIT FOR FERNANDINA BEACH, I HAVE TO VERIFY THIS, BUT THEY MIGHT BE THE FIRST POLICE DEPARTMENT IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA THAT WILL ACTUALLY BE DECLARED A VETERANS SAFE PLACE, OR THEY'LL BE IN THE TOP, THE TOP TWO.

BUT I WAS REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NOW I'M REALLY PUMPED UP.

I WAS GOING TO END THERE BECAUSE I KNOW OFFICER BISHOP WAS JUST SUCH A POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT. BUT COMMISSIONER MINSHEW REALLY MOTIVATED ME ABOUT CUSTOMER SERVICE WITH WITH THE GOVERNMENT IN A, IN A PRIVATE CORPORATION.

SO I FIGURED I WOULD COME UP HERE TO TALK ABOUT CODE ENFORCEMENT AGAIN, AND I KNOW I ONLY HAVE A LITTLE TIME.

WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS I WOULD LIKE TO PUT TOGETHER A PROPER PRESENTATION, AND I'LL GET WITH MISS BEST, BECAUSE I THINK I HAVE THAT THAT RIGHT TO DO THAT IN THE BEGINNING OF A COMMISSIONER MEETING.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO GO THROUGH SEQUENTIALLY THE CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT I RECEIVED FROM THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICE.

IT WOULD IT WOULD REALLY, I THINK, BE AN EYE OPENER TO FOR ME AS A CITIZEN WHO IS TRYING TO RESTORE A HISTORIC HOME ON HOW WE WERE TREATED THROUGH THE PROCESS. WHEN I WAS JUST LOOKING AT THE CODE ENFORCEMENT MISSION, AND WHEN IT TALKS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, YOU SHOULD WORK WITH CITIZENS ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS. THERE WAS NEVER ONCE THAT WE PURCHASED THAT HOUSE, THAT WE MOVED FORTH WITH A PLAN WITH THAT HOUSE, HIRED AN ARCHITECT WITH THAT HOUSE TO RESTORE THAT HOUSE, THAT WE WERE NEVER GOING TO DO ANYTHING VOLUNTARILY AND TO BE SITTING WITH A $600 BILL WHILE I WATCH A WATERFRONT BUILDING GET TORN DOWN UNDER THE CITY'S LEADERSHIP AND NEVER HAVE SEEN THEM IN A PUBLIC MEETING.

HAVING TO ANSWER HOW I'M FIXING MY STRUCTURE AND NEVER LISTENING TO HOW THEY'RE GOING TO FIX THAT STRUCTURE, AND NOW LISTENING TO A NON BUDGETED ITEM OF ATLANTIC SEAFOOD HAVING TO COME DOWN BECAUSE THIS CITY DID NOT TAKE CARE OF ITS STRUCTURE.

AND THIS CITY ACKNOWLEDGED BEFORE, ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS BEFORE I PURCHASED THIS HOUSE, THAT THAT HOUSE WAS GOING TO COME DOWN BY DEMOLITION.

DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT.

SO I THINK IT'S, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU'RE REALLY ACTIVE AND EXCITED ABOUT HELPING CUSTOMERS OUT.

THERE'S CITIZENS THAT SHOULD BE ALSO HELPED OUT HERE ON A VERY SIMPLE BASIS, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF A PIECE OF FERNANDINA HISTORY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISTER LORRY.

NEXT WE HAVE MISTER ALLEN HOPKINS.

GOOD EVENING. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO SAY I ALWAYS DO.

[01:10:03]

NAME AND ADDRESS FOR SERVICE, PLEASE, MR. HOPKINS. OH, HELEN HOPKINS, 2272 PIRATES BAY HERE IN FERNANDINA BEACH.

THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR SERVICE. REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT TAKES A LOT TO RUN FOR OFFICE AND TO SERVE AND TO HAVE TO LISTEN TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS ALL THE TIME.

SO I SAY THANK YOU. YOU SAID THAT I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY FAVORITE SUBJECT.

LEAST FAVORITE SUBJECT, WHICH IS OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BANK THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO SAY, BEFORE I GET STARTED, IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT.

CONTRACT THAT WAS SIGNED.

I DON'T THINK ANY OF YOU OR A FEW OF YOU WERE INVOLVED WITH IT, BUT I THINK EVERYONE SHOULD BE AWARE OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED.

THE CITY IS LOSING ABOUT.

WE'RE NOT RECEIVING ABOUT 25 TO $40,000 A MONTH.

STILL, TO THIS DAY, I MAKE IT REAL SIMPLE.

WE HAVE A BANK. THAT BANK ALSO WORKS WITH THE COUNTY.

THE COUNTY IS BEING PAID ABOUT 3.9% INTEREST ON THE MONEY THEY HAVE.

WE'RE BEING PAID ABOUT 1.6 TO 1.7%.

BY CONTRACT. SOMEBODY.

WHEN THIS CONTRACT WAS SIGNED, SOMEBODY DECIDED THEY WERE GOING TO WORK IN THE BEST INTEREST OF SOMETHING ELSE, THE BANK, AND NOT THE BEST INTEREST OF ALL OF US.

NO DENYING THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED. BECAUSE THEY SHOULD HAVE JUST ASKED SIMPLY GIVE US THE SAME DEAL YOU GIVE THE COUNTY OR ANYBODY ELSE.

BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENED.

NOW SAYING IT'S YOUR FAULT. JUST SAYING.

THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED. HALF $1 MILLION A YEAR OR MORE.

I'M NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT PAID PARKING. I'M NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE. I'M TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING REALLY SIMPLE. THE FACT THAT THE BANK WE USE IS NOT PAYING US WHAT THEY'RE PAYING THE COUNTY, AND IT'S COSTING EVERY SINGLE PERSON HERE LOTS OF MONEY EVERY YEAR.

FORTUNATELY, I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO PUT THIS OUT AND CHANGE THIS.

SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.

THANK YOU FOR REPRESENTING ALL OF US.

THE LAST THING I'M GOING TO SAY IS I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TODAY TO MEET WITH THE CFO OF FLORIDA. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL KNOW WHAT HE'S BEEN DOING, BUT HE'S GONE AROUND THE STATE AND HE'S FOUND WASTE, FRAUD AND ABUSE TO THE TUNE OF OVER $1 BILLION THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS IN DIFFERENT COUNTIES.

HE DOESN'T CARE IF YOU'RE RED, DOESN'T CARE IF YOU'RE BLUE. WHICH IS REALLY GOOD FOR ME BECAUSE I'M A LIBERTARIAN, SO HE DOESN'T CARE.

HE JUST WANTS TO FIND WASTE, FRAUD AND ABUSE.

I CAN TELL YOU, AFTER TALKING WITH HIM, BERNARDINO BEACH HAS HIS ATTENTION.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISTER HOPKINS.

FOLKS, PLEASE, NO CLAPPING FROM THE AUDIENCE. WE NEED TO MAINTAIN DECORUM IN THE CHAMBERS.

AND ALSO NO COMMENTS WHEN YOU'RE NOT AT THE PODIUM.

NEXT WE HAVE MISTER VALDEMAR BARREIRO.

MY NAME IS WALTER MARRERO, 31 SOUTH FIFTH STREET, FERNANDINA BEACH, HOME OF OLYMPIAN POA PENSON.

I WANT TO THANK EVERY ONE OF YOU GUYS FOR WEARING A PINK SHIRT TODAY.

I REALLY DO. IT'S CLOSE TO MY HEART.

I DRIVE AROUND ON A PINK BIKE.

MY SISTER HAD A MASTECTOMY A COUPLE YEARS AGO, AND IT'S GOOD TO SEE THE STAFF THE WAY YOU GUYS ARE TODAY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, I APPRECIATE THAT.

THE RIGHT. WELL FESTIVAL, WE HAD THEM GET A PROCLAMATION TODAY.

THEY TALKED ABOUT THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO HAPPEN. WELL, WE ARE HAVING OUR THIRD ANNUAL RIGHT WHALE FESTIVAL SKATE COMPETITION.

RIGHT AT THE BEACH. THEY INVITED US THREE YEARS AGO.

AND EVERY YEAR IT KEEPS ON GETTING BIGGER FOR OUR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION.

WHAT DID IT SAY ABOUT THE FPU? FOR 22 YEARS, THEY'VE BEEN GOOD TO ME.

I'VE HAD ONE ISSUE, AND I THINK ME AS A CITIZEN AND THE CITY PAYING THE BILLS THAT THEY PAY. I THINK WE'RE ON THE EVIL EVEN GROUND, REGARDLESS OF THE AMOUNT THAT YOU GUYS PAY AND THE AMOUNT THAT I PAY, I THINK WE STILL GET THE SAME TYPE OF RESPONSE.

I FEEL THAT THEY'VE DONE A GOOD JOB FOR ME AS A CUSTOMER SERVICE, SO I HAVE ZERO COMPLAINTS WITH THEM.

PO PINSON, OUR LOCAL OLYMPIAN, HAS TURNED PRO AND SHE TURNED PRO THREE WEEKS AGO. SHE GOT HER BOARD SKATEBOARD NAMED AFTER HER BIG COMPANY.

[01:15:06]

AND LOOK FOR THOSE SKATEBOARDS THROUGHOUT YOUR COMMUNITY.

A LOT OF KIDS ARE BEING INSPIRED BY HER BECAUSE OF WHAT SHE HAS DONE.

RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE THREE YOUNG LADIES IN CALIFORNIA AT THE EXPOSURE, THE 14TH ANNUAL EXPOSURE COMPETITION.

IT'S THE WORLD'S LARGEST WOMEN'S SKATE COMPETITION.

AND WE HAVE THREE GIRLS THERE.

THAT IS WHERE POPE HENSON WON HER FIRST ONE OF HER MAJOR COMPETITIONS.

SHE TOOK FIRST PLACE WHEN SHE WAS TEN YEARS OLD.

RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A SIX YEAR OLD, AN EIGHT YEAR OLD, AN 11 YEAR OLD OVER THERE RIGHT NOW GETTING READY TO COMPETE ON NOVEMBER 1ST AND SECOND REPRESENTING FERNANDINA BEACH.

I'D LIKE TO SHOUT OUT THEIR NAMES TO CORAL MAY COCO WALDO, THE 11 YEAR OLD PRIMROSE, PRIM WALDO, EIGHT YEAR OLD, AND MARIGOLD GOLDIE WALDO, WHO IS SIX.

THEY WILL BE COMPETING REPRESENTING FERNANDINA BEACH AND AGAIN, POPE HENSON. WHEN SHE WAS TEN, SHE WON THAT COMPETITION.

AND I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT WE ARE STILL ON THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FOR NEXT YEAR.

THE SKATE PARK THAT'S SHOUT OUT TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION.

SO YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN DOING A GOOD JOB.

AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PINK SHIRTS I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU, MISTER MR. BORRERO.

NEXT WE HAVE MISS JULIE FERREIRA.

JULIE FERREIRA, 501 STATE STREET.

SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FPU TONIGHT, I HAVE ASKED THE CITY REPEATEDLY TO WORK WITH FPU AND GET FPU TO PROVIDE A CATALOG OF WHAT ARE THE LIGHTING FIXTURES FOR NEIGHBORHOODS AND CITY PUBLIC STREETS, SO THAT THE NEW LIGHTING FIXTURES THAT ARE GETTING INSTALLED IN OUR CITY AS THEY REMOVE OLD ONES ARE COORDINATED THERE? THE COLOR AND LUMEN OF LIGHTING THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE TO CREATE AMBIANCE, AND THEY ARE NOT HARSH LIGHTING.

I HOPE THAT SOMETIME WE CAN WORK WITH FPU AND GET THAT TOGETHER.

I'VE ONLY BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS.

I BECAME AWARE LAST WEEK THAT THE I DON'T KNOW I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, BUT THAT THAT SNAG, A SLIP THAT WORKS WITH THE MARINA IS GOING BELLY UP. AND I WONDERED IF THE CITY HAD PLANS TO TAKE OVER THE MARINA, AND WE RUN IT AS A CITY RUN FACILITY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS PEREIRA.

ALL RIGHT. I HAVE NO OTHER COMMENTS FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA.

SO WE'LL MOVE ALONG TO ITEM SIX, OUR CONSENT AGENDA.

[6. CONSENT AGENDA]

DO ANY COMMISSIONERS WISH TO PULL AN ITEM FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA? MOVE TO APPROVE. SECOND.

I HAVE A MOTION. AND A SECOND. ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE. MISS BESS, PLEASE START THE VOTE.

THAT MOTION PASSES FIVE ZERO AND WILL MOVE ALONG TO ITEM SEVEN RESOLUTIONS STARTING WITH

[7.1 LEGAL DIRECTION - RAYONIER PERFORMANCE FIBERS, LLC'S CLAIM PURSUANT TO THE BERT J. HARRIS, JR. PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS ACT - RESOLUTION 2025- 183 AUTHORIZING THE CITY ATTORNEY TO TAKE ACTION AS REQUIRED BY STATUTE IN THE MATTER OF RAYONIER PERFORMANCE FIBERS, LLC’S NOTICE UNDER THE BERT J. HARRIS JR. PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS PROTECTION ACT; AUTHORIZING THE CITY COMMISSION’S RESPONSE TO THE CLAIM; AUTHORIZING ADMINISTRATIVE CORRECTIONS OF SCRIVENER’S ERRORS; AUTHORIZING EXECUTION; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. Synopsis: Provides direction to the City Attorney in the above-mentioned matter. This item was first considered at the October 7, 2025, regular meeting and continued.]

7.1. OUR LEGAL DIRECTION FOR OUR BERT HARRIS CLAIM.

AND TAKE US AWAY, MISS PRINCE.

YES. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSIONERS.

I'M GOING TO JUST GET STRAIGHT TO TERESA.

CAN YOU SPEAK LOUDER? OH, CERTAINLY.

I'VE NEVER BEEN ACCUSED OF BEING QUIET, BUT THANK YOU FOR THAT.

YES. WE'RE. WE HAVE LITIGATION COUNSEL ON TONIGHT.

WE ARE PROVIDING AN UPDATE.

BUT WE ARE GOING TO BE RECOMMENDING THAT YOU CONTINUE THIS TO NOVEMBER 4TH YOUR NEXT MEETING TO GIVE US MORE TIME AS JUST TO BRING EVERYONE UP TO SPEED.

THIS MATTER WAS BROUGHT BEFORE YOU BECAUSE OF BERT HARRIS CLAIM WAS FILED.

AND UNDER CHAPTER 70 THE 70.001, YOU'RE REQUIRED TO LOOK AT CERTAIN ITEMS AND CONSIDER SETTLEMENT IF IT'S AT ALL POSSIBLE, AND IF NOT, PART OF THE SETTLEMENT THAT YOU CAN CONSIDER IS OPTION 11 TO UPHOLD THE PREVIOUS DECISION OF THE CITY. SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO SAM ZISKIND, LITIGATION COUNSEL WITH WEISS SEROTA SO HE CAN BRING YOU UP TO SPEED.

ON WHERE WE'RE AT WITH DISCUSSIONS WITH RYAN.

OKAY. THANKS. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.

FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW ME, MY NAME IS SAM ZISKIND.

[01:20:03]

I'M OUTSIDE COUNSEL REPRESENTING THE CITY IN DEFENSE OF BOTH THE STATE AND FEDERAL CLAIMS THAT HAVE BEEN FILED AGAINST THE CITY BY RYAN.

BUT THAT'S NOT WHY I'M HERE TONIGHT.

I'M HERE AGAIN TO TALK REALLY ONLY ABOUT THE NOTICE OF HARRIS CLAIM THAT HAS BEEN SERVED ON THE CITY. SO RECALL THAT AT THE LAST MEETING THE COMMISSION GAVE US DIRECTION TO EXPLORE AND GATHER MORE INFORMATION REGARDING A SPECIFIC LIST OF ISSUES.

TO HELP THE THE COMMISSION INFORM THEIR DECISIONS ON THIS PROCESS.

IN FURTHERANCE OF THAT DIRECTIVE, WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS, BOTH WITH COUNSEL AND WITH THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM FROM RIM REGARDING THESE ISSUES AND HAVE BEGUN TO RECEIVE SOME OF THE INFORMATION.

THERE IS STILL ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, THOUGH, THAT WE'D LIKE TO RECEIVE AND ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ON THESE POINTS. SO FOR THAT REASON, WE'RE ALSO RECOMMENDING THAT THIS ITEM BE CONTINUED TO THE NEXT MEETING TO GIVE US THE TIME TO DO SO.

AND MR. MAYOR PRIOR TO TAKING ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION, THE NEXT MEETING WOULD BE NOVEMBER 4TH.

AND ALSO, I WANTED TO LET CITIZENS KNOW.

AND ANYONE THAT'S HERE INTERESTED IN THIS ITEM, THAT YOUR COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE ON OCTOBER 2ND, ON OCTOBER 7TH, AT OUR LAST MEETING ARE PART OF THIS RECORD.

THEY ARE BROUGHT FORWARD.

THEY WILL BE BROUGHT FORWARD AGAIN ON NOVEMBER 4TH.

IF YOU'RE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM TONIGHT, DEPENDING ON THE ACTION THE COMMISSION TAKES, IF THEY DO CHOOSE TO CONTINUE IT, YOU CAN COME BACK ON NOVEMBER 4TH.

YOU CAN SPEAK THIS EVENING IF YOU DESIRE.

IF YOU SPOKE LAST TIME AND FEEL THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO GET UP AND SPEAK AGAIN AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME, YOU CAN ALSO JUST EMPHASIZE THAT YOU SUPPORT WHAT YOU SAID LAST TIME.

BUT I WANT TO ASSURE YOU THAT YOUR INFORMATION YOU PROVIDED THE COMMENTS YOU MADE ARE PART OF THIS RECORD, WILL MOVE FORWARD FOR THIS ITEM AND AGAIN ON NOVEMBER 4TH. AND WITH THAT, MR. MAYOR, WE CAN OPEN IT UP TO DECIDE HOW THE COMMISSION, IF THEY WANT TO CONTINUE IT.

AND TAKING ANY COMMENT? SURE. UNLESS THE COMMISSION'S OPPOSED, I WILL GIVE OUR CITIZENS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, AND THEN I'LL TAKE OUR MOTION. OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. SO FIRST WE HAVE DOCTOR LISA WHITE.

WHO USED TO BE SITTING ON THE FLOOR THERE.

I DID TALK LAST TIME, AND WE REALLY JUST SPOKE.

GOOD EVENING. MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, VICE MAYOR.

APPRECIATE ALL YOUR HARD WORK.

NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE WHITE DOCTOR, LISA WHITE, 814 SOUTH SIXTH STREET.

THANK YOU. RESEARCH SCIENTIST, BUT I DID NOT BRING I SPOKE OVERALL ABOUT THE FACT WE'RE ALL HUMAN BEINGS.

AND IF SOMETHING HAPPENS WITH THIS FACILITY ON THE ISLAND, IT'S NOT GOING TO MATTER WHAT COLOR, WHO WE VOTE FOR OR ANYTHING ELSE.

THAT WAS THE MAIN THING. I WAS I'VE BEEN CONTACTED BY SEVERAL PEOPLE ASKING ME SPECIFICS ABOUT WHAT I SPOKE ABOUT.

WITH INCREASED RISK OF CANCER, INCREASED RISK OF LUNG ISSUES NEUROLOGIC DEGENERATIVE DISEASES SIMILAR TO MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS OR ALS, THINGS THAT MAYBE EVERYBODY DOESN'T KNOW ABOUT.

THE PROBLEM IS THERE'S A VERY GOOD CENTER CALLED THE ENVIRONMENTAL INTEGRITY PROJECT.

IT'S NONPROFIT. THEY'VE DONE A DETAILED DIVE AS OF JUNE 12TH OF 24, INTO LOOKING AT WHAT'S COMING OUT OF THE BIOETHANOL PLANTS AROUND THE COUNTRY VERSUS THE ACTUAL REFINING OF OIL.

YOU WON'T BELIEVE IT, BUT FOUR TIMES THE AMOUNT OF FOUR SPECIFIC.

TWO OF THEM CARCINOGENS.

TWO OF THEM NEUROTOXINS, ARE COMING OUT OF THE BIOETHANOL PLANT.

I SENT EVERYBODY, I HAD THE EMAIL FOR TWO.

I SENT IT TO JOYCE AND A COUPLE OF YOU I HAD THE EMAILS FOR.

SO PLEASE PASS IT AMONG YOURSELVES SO YOU CAN REVIEW IT IF YOU IF YOU CARE TO.

THEY ALSO HAVE A DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATION WHO I'VE SPOKEN TO, WHO'S WILLING TO TALK TO US MORE ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND THE ISSUES AROUND THE COUNTRY OF THE REALITY OF THE AIR QUALITY IN THESE COMMUNITIES AND THE THAT IT'S NO JOKE AND THE

[01:25:01]

THE FOR JUST GOING TO MENTION FOR AND THEN I'LL GET OFF OF HERE.

VERY VERY SERIOUS. TWO OF THEM VERY SERIOUS CARCINOGENS, TWO OF THEM VERY SERIOUS NEUROTOXINS THAT ARE KNOWN TO COME FROM THESE PLANTS.

AND THE STACKS ON THESE PLANTS.

THE FIRST IS WE'VE ALL HEARD OF FORMALDEHYDE.

FORMALDEHYDE. WHAT WE EMBALM BODIES WITH.

BUT THAT IS A KNOWN CARCINOGEN.

AND YOU WON'T BELIEVE THE STACKS FROM A BIOETHANOL PLANT PUT OUT 235,000 POUNDS VERSUS AN OIL REFINERY.

PUTS OUT 67,000 POUNDS.

THAT'S A FACTOR OF FOUR TIMES MORE POLLUTION FROM THE BIOETHANOL PLANT.

HEXANE. DIRTY, DIRTY NERVE AGENT.

76 MILLION POUNDS OF HEXANE FROM A BIOETHANOL PLANT VERSUS 26 MILLION FROM A REFINERY. IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME.

ACETYL. I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF I COULD SAY THIS ONE.

THANK YOU. DOCTOR. TWO MORE. YES.

THANK YOU. NEXT UP, WE HAVE MISS TINA CHRISTNER.

AND WHILE EVERYONE IS COMING TO THE PODIUM, MR. MAYOR, IF I MAY, I DO WANT TO SAY THAT THE COMMISSION HAS RECEIVED ALL YOUR EMAILS AS WELL. SO AGAIN, IF YOU SENT EMAILS REGARDING THIS MATTER, YOU CAN ALSO STAND UP AND SAY THAT YOU SENT YOUR EMAIL AND THAT YOU WERE IN SUPPORT OR OPPOSED OR WHATEVER, AND AND THEN JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD THAT YOU SENT US THE EMAIL. AND JUST KNOW THAT THAT WILL BE ON FILE WITH US AND THAT THESE COMMISSIONERS HAVE SEEN IT.

THANK YOU, MISS PRINCE. TINA CHRISTNER 406 BEACH STREET.

WAY BACK IN 2016 WHEN YOU HAD RAYONIER AND LIGNO TECH AND BEAUREGARD OFFICIALS COME APPROACH THE CITY ASKING ABOUT THE PERMIT FOR BUILDING LIGNO TECH.

ONE OF OUR CITIZENS WHO HAD INCREDIBLE FORESIGHT AND WAS JULIE FERREIRA, ASKED THESE OFFICIALS IF THEY HAD AN INTENT TO BUILD AN ETHANOL PLANT.

AND THEY WROTE BACK TECH BEAUREGARD RYAN VENTURE JOINT VENTURE.

AND THEY WROTE BACK TO THE CITY AND IT WAS ACTUALLY SIGNED BY ONE OFFICIAL WHOSE NAME WE'RE ALL GOING TO REMEMBER IS MARK HOMANS, WHO IS CURRENTLY THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE ETHANOL PLANT. AND IN IT, IT SAYS VERY CLEARLY THAT THEY DON'T HAVE AN INTENT TO BUILD AN ETHANOL PLANT.

I'M GOING TO GIVE THIS TO MISS CAROLINE BEST.

AND THE REASON I'M BRINGING IT UP IS BECAUSE RYAN IS SUING THE CITY UNDER A BERT HARRIS CLAIM, AND UNDER BERT HARRIS CLAIM, THEY HAVE TO CLAIM THAT THEY ARE BURDENED BY AN EXISTING USE OR A VESTED RIGHT.

AND THEIR OWN LETTER SAID THEY DID NOT INTEND TO PRODUCE ETHANOL.

SO HOW CAN THAT BE AN EXISTING USE A VESTED RIGHT? YOU CAN'T HAVE A VESTED RIGHT TO SOMETHING.

YOU OFFICIALLY TOLD CITY OFFICIALS.

THEY WROTE THIS LETTER TO THE MAYOR AS AN OFFICIAL LETTER TO CITY OFFICIALS, AND THEY TOLD HIM THEY WEREN'T GOING TO DO IT. SO HOW CAN YOU LOSE A RIGHT THAT YOU ACTUALLY OFFICIALLY TOLD THE CITY THAT YOU NEVER HAD? SO I HOPE THAT THIS HELPS YOU WITH YOUR WITH THE BERT HARRIS LAWSUIT.

AND THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO SPEAK TONIGHT, BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TWO MORE WEEKS TO PREPARE. I'VE ACTUALLY DISCUSSED THIS WITH SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE WHO ARE ACTUAL LAWYERS, AND THE CITY MIGHT ACTUALLY EVEN HAVE AN ESTOPPEL CASE ON THE SIGNATECH PLANT.

NOW, NOBODY WANTS TO SEE THAT HAPPEN, BUT MAYBE IT WOULD STOP THE THEM PURSUING ETHANOL. SO THIS LETTER ISN'T JUST A SIDE NOTE.

THIS IS A PAPER TRAIL OF TRUST.

THE COMMUNITY AND CITY OFFICIALS TOOK RAHM OFFICIALS MARK HOMANS AT HIS WORD THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO PURSUE AN ETHANOL PLANT.

AND I DON'T SEE HOW THAT COULD NOW BE A BERT HARRIS CLAIM.

SO LET'S HOLD RYAN TO ITS WORD, AND I'LL GIVE THIS TO MISS BESS RIGHT NOW.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MISS CHRISTNER.

NEXT WE HAVE MR. RICHARD DEAN.

GOOD EVENING, RICHARD DEAN, 4104 DUNEWOOD PLACE, FERNANDINA BEACH. I APPRECIATE THE ACTION TAKEN AT THE LAST MEETING TO HAVE A LONG LIST OF THINGS TO PURSUE WITH RYAN.

I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN THAT IS A RISK ASSESSMENT WHICH IS PART OF YOUR LIST.

AND THAT RISK ASSESSMENT SHOULD INCLUDE SEVERAL ITEMS. YOU'VE GOT A PLANT NEXT TO A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S ALSO VERY CLOSE TO A HISTORIC DISTRICT. YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE THREAT THERE IN TERMS OF EXPLOSION? THE DAMAGE IF THERE'S A LEAK, TOXIC SUBSTANCES.

[01:30:03]

WE'VE GOT A FACILITY THAT'S RIGHT ON TOP OF THE RIVER.

WHAT'S THE RISK TO OUR MARINE LIFE? FLORA. FAUNA. I MEAN, WE'VE SEEN SOME OYSTER BEDS GO BECAUSE OF FIRE PLANTS. WE DON'T WANT TO ADD TO THAT LIST.

THE TANKER TRAFFIC. THAT'S ANOTHER RISK THAT I THINK IS IS VERY IMPORTANT.

WE SEE A FEW LOG TRUCK ACCIDENTS.

I THINK AN ACCIDENT WITH TANKER TRUCK WITH A FLAMMABLE LIQUID IS A WHOLE MAGNITUDE DIFFERENT THING. NOW WHAT'S THE ECONOMIC LOSS TO THE CITY IF WE HAVE AN EXPLOSION OR ACCIDENT? AND THE LAST POINT I'D LIKE TO MAKE IS THAT THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT THE ETHANOL PLANT. THIS IS ABOUT OUR COMPREHENSIVE CODE, OUR PLAN, AND THE PRESS THAT WE SET THAT WE FOLLOWED ON THIS BIRD HARRIS CLAIM THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE GOING TO BE LINING UP TO FILE THEIR CLAIMS PRETTY SOON.

WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT 85 FOOT CONDO TOWERS, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT STANDING UP FOR OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MR. DEAN. NEXT IS MISS SUSAN ESCHENBURG.

SUSAN. ESCHENBURG, 1741 NEIGHBOR STREET, FERNANDINA.

I WROTE YOU ALL. I WAS STRUCK LAST MEETING BY THE DAVID VERSUS GOLIATH, WITH THE CITY STANDING UP TO RYAN AND SAYING, NO, YOU CAN'T HAVE THIS LAND.

YOU CAN'T USURP OUR CP CODES.

AND I WAS THINKING, THERE'S FIVE OF YOU.

AND WHEN DAVID FACED GOLIATH, HE PICKED UP FIVE SMOOTH STONES.

AND THAT'S THE WAY I SEE THIS COMMISSION THAT YOU ARE OUR FIVE SMOOTH STONES, AS WELL AS OUR DAVID STANDING UP TO THIS.

I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT WAS STATED IN THE LAST SET BY THE LAST SEVERAL PEOPLE, BUT THIS IS A DAVID VERSUS GOLIATH SITUATION AND YOU HAVE TO REPRESENT, PLEASE, YOU HAVE TO REPRESENT IT AND BE OUR SMOOTH STONES AND BE OUR DAVID AND NOT ALLOW THEM TO SAY, THIS IS OUR GROUND, WE'RE GOING TO DO WHAT WE WANT.

I THANK YOU ALL FOR SERVING.

THIS IS NOT I CAN'T IMAGINE THE STRESS OF SERVING ON A BOARD LIKE THIS.

AND I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU DO.

AND THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MRS. ZUCKERBERG. NEXT WE HAVE MR. CHRISTOPHER BIDWELL. SOMEBODY LEFT THEIR TELEPHONE.

THAT'S ME. OKAY. SHE CAN'T GET UP.

CHRISTOPHER BIDWELL, 2134 CANTERBURY LANE, FERNANDINA BEACH.

MY FRIEND COULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT AND ASKED ME TO READ THIS ON HER BEHALF.

A VERY SHORT STORY ENTITLED WAKE UP! AUTHOR. ANONYMOUS. DOC, YOU GOTTA HELP ME.

I HAD THIS HORRIBLE NIGHTMARE AND I CAN'T SHAKE IT.

IT FELT SO REAL. THE PSYCHIATRIST SAYS, TELL ME ABOUT YOUR DREAM.

WELL, I'M LIVING IN THIS BEAUTIFUL LITTLE COASTAL TOWN.

PEACEFUL, CLOSE KNIT. THE KIND OF PLACE PEOPLE COME TO RACE, FAMILIES, VACATION, RETIRE.

AND SOMEHOW I'VE LANDED A POSITION OF AUTHORITY IN THE CITY GOVERNMENT.

I PROMISED EVERYONE I'D PROTECT THEM, THEIR HOMES, THEIR FAMILIES, THEIR FUTURE, AND STOP DANGEROUS INDUSTRY FROM EVER THREATENING OUR WONDERFUL TOWN.

THE PEOPLE BELIEVED ME.

THEY BELIEVED IN ME. SO THERE'S THIS BIG MANUFACTURING PLANT RIGHT ON THE EDGE OF DOWNTOWN. NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS, CHURCHES.

ONE DAY, THEY ANNOUNCED THEY WANT TO EXPAND TO PRODUCE MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF SOME HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL.

I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT IS, BUT IT'S VERY DANGEROUS, EXPLOSIVE, AND ABSOLUTELY AND ABSOLUTELY AGAINST THE LAW TO MANUFACTURE HERE.

EVERYONE KNOWS IT. AT FIRST, I STAND FIRM.

NO WAY. I SAY IT'S ILLEGAL.

IT'S UNSAFE AND WILL NEVER ALLOW IT.

BUT THEN THE COMPANY CHANGES ITS COLORS.

THEY GO FROM SUPPOSEDLY BEING A FRIENDLY NEIGHBOR TO RUTHLESS POWERHOUSE, BRINGING A BUNCH OF LAWSUITS, TWISTING THE FACTS TO CHANGE THE LAWS, THREATENING OBSCURE LEGAL ACTIONS, THROWING MONEY AROUND, FLOODING THE TOWN WITH SHINY ADS ABOUT JOBS AND PROGRESS AND SAFETY.

APPLYING CONSTANT PRESSURE AND INSTILLING REAL FEAR.

[01:35:03]

AND SOMEHOW I CAVE. I TELL MYSELF WE CAN NEGOTIATE.

FAST FORWARD. THEY BUILD THE PLANT, AND PRETTY SOON PEOPLE START GETTING SICK.

REALLY SICK. AND SOME ARE DYING.

THE AIR, THE WATER, THE LAND POISONED.

TOURISM COLLAPSES. PROPERTY VALUES.

TANK. I CAN'T EAT, I CAN'T SLEEP.

MY SUPPORTERS HATE ME SAYING I BETRAYED THEM.

EVERY NIGHT I LAY AWAKE, TERRIFIED THE WORST COULD HAPPEN.

THAT ONE ACCIDENT COULD DESTROY EVERYTHING.

THAN IT DOES THE UNTHINKABLE.

A LEAK, A SPARK, A STORM.

WHO KNOWS WHAT CAUSED IT.

BUT THE WHOLE PLACE EXPLODES LIKE AN ATOM BOMB.

FIRE. TOXIC SMOKE. CHAOS EVERYWHERE.

PEOPLE SCREAMING, DYING.

ONE TANKER TRUCK TRYING TO EVACUATE.

AN IMPOSSIBILITY. CARRYING THOUSANDS OF GALLONS OF THE STUFF.

PANICS. RUNS A STOP SIGN AND CRASHES INTO A SCHOOL BUS.

HORRIBLE. AND I KNOW I DID THIS.

ME, I DID THIS. I COULD HAVE STOPPED IT, BUT I DIDN'T.

I LET IT HAPPEN. GUILT AND SHAME.

SHAME AND GUILT. THEY CRUSHED ME.

UNBEARABLE. I DRIVE TO A HIGH BRIDGE.

DETERMINED TO END THE PAIN.

LOOKED OVER MY DEVASTATION AND PRAYED FOR FORGIVENESS.

I CLIMBED THE RAILING AND JUMPED.

THEN AS I'M FALLING OUT OF NOWHERE.

THANK YOU, MR. BIDWELL. CAN I JUST FINISH THIS LAST LITTLE BIT? IF I GIVE YOU FIVE EXTRA SECONDS, I GIVE EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM FIVE SECONDS. WE HAVE A LOT OF SPEAKER CARDS, SIR.

OKAY. I DID SEND A NOT NOT THIS, BECAUSE THIS WAS JUST GIVEN TO ME, BUT AN EMAIL. YOU ALL GOT THAT? SO THANK YOU, MR. BIDWELL.

NEXT WE HAVE MISS KATHY SCHOFIELD.

OKAY. KATHY SCHOFIELD, 2603 PORTSIDE DRIVE, FERNANDINA.

MAYOR, COMMISSIONER, ASKEW AND ALL THE COMMISSIONERS.

I URGE YOU TO CHOOSE NUMBER 11 AND DEFEND OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

I HAVE TWO POINTS DEPENDING ON TIME.

FIRST, WE SHOULD NOT BE AFRAID OF THE 6.6 MILLION BERT HARRIS LAWSUIT.

LITIGATION GIVES FERNANDINA BEACH AN OPPORTUNITY THROUGH DISCOVERY TO REQUIRE AN INDEPENDENT REAPPRAISAL AND A FULL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF THE SITE.

ADJACENT LAND, SILT AND GROUNDWATER.

IT NEEDS TO BE INDEPENDENT.

SISTER PLANT IN PORT ANGELES, WHICH USE A SIMILAR PROCESS AND PRODUCT, CLOSED IN 1997 AND BECAME A SUPERFUND SITE.

AS WE DISCUSSED, DANGEROUS CARCINOGENS WERE FOUND AND RAYONIER WAS HELD RESPONSIBLE, WITH COST ESTIMATED AT 30 MILLION.

RAYONIER SPUN OFF IN 2014 AND IS NOW THE ENTITY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FERNANDINA BEACH SITE. OUR ZIP CODE 32034 SELF-REPORTS 25 PLUS TOXINS.

DOCTOR LISA WHITE TALKED ABOUT THAT A BIT ON THE EPA LIST.

THE EPA NOTES SIDE EFFECTS FOR EACH TOXIN THAT HARMS EVERY SYSTEM IN YOUR BODY.

THE EPA SAYS KNOWLEDGE IS POWER FOR THE CITIZENS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

IT'S UP TO US TO ACT. THIS REPORT IS ALWAYS TWO YEARS BEHIND.

WE LACK LIVE AIR AND WATER MONITORING.

THIS DENSELY POPULATED BARRIER ISLAND WITH TWO SMALL BRIDGES IS ALREADY OVERBURDENED.

ADDING A HAZMAT BIOETHANOL PLANT, WHICH IS KNOWN FOR DEGRADING AIR AND WATER, WILL TIP OUR SCALE. WE MUST PROTECT OUR PUBLIC HEALTH AND PROPERTY.

SECOND POINT POPES PAUL VI, JOHN PAUL II, POPE FRANCIS, POPE LEO THE 13, ALONG WITH SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI, PATRON SAINT OF ECOLOGY.

FORM A CONSISTENT MESSAGE OF CREATION CARE THAT TRANSCENDS ALL FAITHS AND INDIVIDUALS WHO JUST FIND SPIRITUALITY IN NATURE.

THEY CALL ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP A MORAL AND SPIRITUAL DUTY, AND WARN OF THE TRAGIC CONSEQUENCES OF UNCHECKED EXPLOITATION.

AS PAUL VI WROTE, DUE TO AN ILL CONSIDERED EXPLOITATION OF NATURE, HUMANITY RUNS THE RISK OF DESTROYING IT AND BECOMING IN TURN THE VICTIM OF THIS DEGRADATION. SAINT FRANCIS REMINDS US TO HEED THE CRY OF THE EARTH AND THE CRY OF THE POOR.

PLACING A HAZMAT BIOETHANOL PLANT ON AN OVERBURDENED, FRAGILE, DENSELY POPULATED BARRIER ISLAND IS SIMPLY THE WRONG LOCATION AND RISKS US BECOMING A VICTIM, AS WARNED.

WE ALL HAVE A RIGHT TO SAFETY, CLEAN AIR AND WATER, AND A HEALTHY ECOSYSTEM FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

OUR CONSCIENCE CALLS US TO UPHOLD THIS VISION.

THANK YOU, MISS SCOFIELD. NEXT UP, WE HAVE MR.

[01:40:02]

JACK IMBER.

JACK IMBER, 1003 BROOME STREET, FERNANDINA.

I HOPEFULLY WILL NOT BORE YOU WITH GOING OVER THINGS THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE GONE THROUGH, BUT SOME OF THIS STUFF IS TOO IMPORTANT TO NOT BRING OUT.

WE KNOW ABOUT THE HAZARDS IN RYE NOW.

DANGEROUS. DEADLY. THEIR SAFETY RECORD RIGHT NOW OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS HAS BEEN CRAPPY.

LARGE FIRES IN TARTUS, FRANCE, JESUP, GEORGIA, AND IN FERNANDINA. THEY'VE HAD NUMEROUS EMERGENCY RESPONSES, INCLUDING LAST YEAR, A DUMPSTER FIRE.

DUMPSTER FIRES DON'T JUST START THEMSELVES.

IT'S KIND OF IT LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THEY CANNOT.

DEAL WITH EMERGENCIES ON THEIR OWN, BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO CALL OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT EVERY SINGLE TIME. IF WE DO HAVE A CATASTROPHIC EVENT IN THE FUTURE HERE, HOW MANY BUSINESSES WILL FAIL? HOW MANY PEOPLE LOSE THEIR LIVES, BE INJURED OR EVEN DIE? WOULD LIFE EVER AGAIN BE THE SAME? AND I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT PUTTING A MEMORIAL UP WILL NEVER DO IT.

EVERYONE HERE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALLOWING SUCH A CONSEQUENCE TO HAPPEN SHOULD AN ETHANOL PLANT BE BUILT.

COULD YOU LIVE WITH THESE ATROCITIES THAT YOU HELPED HAPPEN BY SUPPORTING RAOM OR STAYING SILENT? COULD YOU SLEEP AT NIGHT? SO THE BERT HARRIS ACT.

I THINK IT'S ERRONEOUS.

I THINK IT'S A IT'S A HAIL MARY PLAY AT THE END OF THIS LONG LITIGATION THING.

I THINK THEY'RE JUST POKING.

POKING THE BEAR. THE RISK INVOLVED FAR OUTWEIGH ANY BENEFITS THAT RAOM COULD EVER GET COULD EVER CLAIM TO GET.

IN 1973, WHILE TRANS PORTING TRANSITING WATERS FROM NORTH VIETNAM TO SHIPYARDS IN SASEBO, JAPAN. I WITNESSED AN ATROCITY IN THE TAIWAN STRAITS.

THE PROXIMITY OF RHYMES PROPOSED ETHANOL PLANT BRINGS BACK TO THE FRONT OF MIND THE CIRCUMSTANCES LEADING UP TO THAT AVOIDABLE TRAGEDY.

I THINK OFTEN WHAT COULD I HAVE DONE TO PREVENT IT? BUT WE CAN'T GO BACK. THE BEST WE CAN DO NOW IS THE BEST IS OUR BEST.

TO PREVENT THIS PROBABLE BUT PREVENTABLE SERIES OF ACCIDENTS THAT WILL HAPPEN NO MATTER HOW CALM AND EFFICIENT YOU ARE DURING AN EMERGENCY.

IT CAN NEVER BE AS MORE IMPORTANT THAN PREVENTING INJURY AND DEATH IN THE FIRST PLACE. THANK YOU, MR. EMBER.

NEXT IS MISS JULIE FERREIRA.

JULIE FERREIRA, 501 DATE STREET.

I CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO WALK AWAY FROM THIS AND TO VOTE FOR NUMBER 11 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. 1071.0 7.12G STATES A MANDATORY PROHIBITION AGAINST THIS PLANT, AND THAT SECTION HAS BEEN ON THE BOOKS SINCE 1999.

THE PLANT POSES AN ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS AND NUISANCES TO THE PUBLIC THAT ARE FLAT OUT PROHIBITED BY 1.07 12 G.

GRAHAM SHOULD NOT BE PUTTING ONE MORE DROP OF INDUSTRIAL EFFLUENT INTO OUR RIVER AND BIOETHANOL PRODUCTION, AS WAS STATED BEFORE.

INCREASES SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF HAZARDOUS AIR POLLUTANTS.

AND YES, THEY INCLUDE CARCINOGENIC, CARCINOGENIC CARCINOGENS.

CAN'T SAY THE WORD FORMALDEHYDE.

ACETYLENE, ACETYLIDE, HEXANE, AND OTHERS THAT COULD POSSIBLY IMPACT OUR AIR QUALITY. THEY'RE KNOWN TO DO THAT AT OTHER BIOETHANOL PLANTS.

[01:45:05]

THIS IS A HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUE.

AN INCREASE OF DANGEROUS MATERIALS TRAVELING ON CROWDED PUBLIC ROADWAYS.

INCREASED EXCESSIVE NOISE IN ADJACENT NEIGHBORHOODS.

THREATS OF ETHANOL PLANTS WAFTING INTO NEIGHBORHOODS.

ALL THESE THINGS AND MORE ARE NUISANCES.

THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN CLEARLY STATES THAT THESE ADDITIONAL NUISANCES IN A HEAVY INDUSTRIAL AREA ARE PROHIBITED.

YOU HAVE A ROCK SOLID CASE.

IF BERT HARRIS GOES TO COURT.

THIS IS KIND OF RUDE TO SAY, BUT A MICKEY MOUSE LAWYER COULD SHOOT HOLES IN THE APPRAISAL THAT THEY'RE BASING THE BERT HARRIS ACT ON.

THAT'S $6.6 MILLION. IF YOU READ THE APPRAISALS THEY'RE BASING THEIR APPRAISALS ON IN MIAMI NEXT TO AN AIRPORT, ALL.

I DON'T EVEN CAN'T REMEMBER.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THE WE HAVE FIRM FOOTING TO STAND ON THE OTHER TWO LAWSUITS, THE ONE IN CIRCUIT COURT, THE ONE IN FEDERAL COURT.

YOU KNOW, THEY'RE EGREGIOUS.

AND YOU HAVE ONE OF THE BEST LAW FIRMS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

WHY ISN'T SEROTA REPRESENTING YOU? YOU'RE BEING BULLIED, AND YOU HAVE GOOD GROUNDS TO STAND FIRM.

AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO THAT. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MISS FERRARA. NEXT IS MISS SANDY CARY.

SANDY KERRY, 1255 FOREST DRIVE.

I'M SURPRISED BECAUSE I THOUGHT I HAD NO KNOWLEDGE AT ALL BECAUSE IT'S STILL ON THE AGENDA. BUT I'M GLAD BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S MORE EVIDENCE AND MORE THINGS THAT HAVE COME TO LIGHT, AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL INCLUDE THE SWORN DEPOSITION STATEMENTS AND AFFIDAVITS THAT WE SUBMITTED AT THE MEETING LAST WEEK, BECAUSE I THINK THEY WILL GIVE US Y.

SARUTA GREAT GROUNDS FOR CHALLENGING THIS.

I WANT TO TALK TO YOU TONIGHT ABOUT PUBLIC TRUST.

OPPOSITION TO RYAN'S PROPOSED ETHANOL MANUFACTURING PLANT WAS THE MOST, IF NOT WAS THE MOST, IF NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE DURING THE LAST CITY ELECTIONS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF VICE MAYOR ASKEW.

ALL OF YOU ATTENDED PUBLIC WORKSHOPS AND PUBLIC DEBATES, DURING WHICH YOU PLEDGED TO OPPOSE THE CONSTRUCTION OF RYAN'S ETHANOL PLANT.

OUR COMMUNITY SPOKE LOUD AND CLEAR.

YOU WERE ELECTED AND YOUR POLITICAL OPPONENTS WHO SUPPORTED THIS PROJECT WERE ALL DEFEATED.

THEREFORE, YOUR ELECTION AS A CITY COMMISSIONER WAS BASED ON A BOND OF TRUST WITH THE COMMUNITY. NO ETHANOL PLANT.

NOTHING HAS CHANGED THAT WOULD JUSTIFY CHANGING YOUR PLEDGE.

THE PROPOSED ETHANOL PLANT INVOLVES, WITHOUT A DOUBT, CHEMICAL MANUFACTURING AND REFINING.

THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS STILL IN PLACE AND CONTINUES TO PROHIBIT ADDITIONAL CHEMICAL MANUFACTURING AND REFINING IN OUR CITY.

THE FIRE AND EXPLOSION RISKS IDENTIFIED BY OUR LOCAL TECHNICAL EXPERTS HAVE NOT CHANGED.

IN FACT, SEVERAL OTHER CONSIDERATIONS, SUCH AS THE IMPACT OF THE ETHANOL PLANT ON OUR SENSITIVE AQUIFER AND THE IMPACT OF USING GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS ON LAND, WATER, OR AIR HAVE YET TO BE DISCUSSED AND ESTABLISHED.

THE DECISION DECISION YOU'RE ABOUT TO MAKE TRANSCENDS A BURT HARRIS CLAIM.

IT IS THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL DECISION THAT ANY CITY COMMISSION, IN MY OPINION, HAS FACED IN DECADES, AND IT WILL IMPACT IRREVERSIBLY OUR COMMUNITY FOR DECADES TO COME. SETTLING THE BURT HARRIS CLAIM IMPLIES THAT THE CITY MADE A MISTAKE IN DENYING RYAN'S BUILDING PERMIT SO AN ETHANOL PLANT COULD BE BUILT.

PLEASE DON'T BREAK THE BOND OF TRUST WITH OUR COMMUNITY.

DON'T LOSE YOUR COMMUNITY'S SUPPORT.

DON'T SETTLE THE BURT HARRIS CLAIM, AND STAY FIRM IN YOUR OPPOSITION TO BUILDING A RYAN'S ETHANOL PLANT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS KERRY. NEXT IS MR. FRANKLIN HOYLMAN.

FRANKLIN. EXCUSE ME. I LOST MY VOICE TODAY.

FRANKLIN HEILMAN, 1559 PLANTATION OAKS TERRACE.

HONESTLY, GIVEN WHAT'S OCCURRED, NORMALLY I WOULD JUST WAVE IN OPPOSITION, BUT I WANT TO JUST LEAVE THE BOARD OR THE COMMISSION WITH JUST A COUPLE POINTS OF

[01:50:03]

CONTEXT FOR WHEN YOU DO GO OVER WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET AND THEN COME BACK.

I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THE CONTEXT OF WHICH YOU'RE SITTING HERE TONIGHT, AND THAT IS THE CONTEXT OF THIS LAW FIRM, Y02, PROVIDING YOU WITH A VERY DETAILED MEMORANDUM THAT SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT THIS PLANT IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE USE UNDER OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OR THE LDC PERIOD.

ON TOP OF THAT, IF THE COMMISSION WERE TO GO OUTSIDE OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, THE LDC, YOU'D BE REQUIRED TO DO A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT AND LDC AMENDMENT IN ORDER TO DO THAT.

NOW, RYAN COULD HAVE BROUGHT THAT.

THEY COULD HAVE DONE THAT ON THEIR OWN. IF THIS WAS SUCH A GREAT PROJECT, THEY COULD HAVE COME TO THE CITY AND SAID, WE GOT A GREAT PROJECT. WE'RE GOING TO ASK FOR A PLAN AMENDMENT AND GET OUR PROJECT.

THEY DIDN'T DO THAT. THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THEY HAVE BROUGHT TWO LAWSUITS.

THEY WENT TO THE LEGISLATURE AND LOST.

THEY'RE NOW HERE ON A BERT HARRIS CLAIM.

AND THE BERT HARRIS CLAIM IS NOTHING MORE THAN WE WANT $6.6 MILLION, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO MAKE YOU WE'RE GOING TO FORCE YOU TO AGREE WITH US, TO ALLOW US TO BUILD OUR PLAN.

THEY DON'T WANT $6.6 MILLION.

EVERYONE KNOWS THAT THEY'RE NOT INTERESTED IN $6.6 $2.6 MILLION.

WHAT THEY WANT IS TO BUILD THIS PLANT.

PERIOD. SO THE ONLY OPTION YOU HAVE IS OPTION 11, WHICH IS NOT TO NEGOTIATE.

IT'S THE OPTION TO JUST SIMPLY GO WITH WHAT Y02 HAS ALREADY SAID THAT THIS PROPOSED PROJECT WOULD VIOLATE THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND THE LDC, AND SOMETHING THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT, I THINK COMMISSION SHOULD BE AWARE OF. AND I'M SURE WEIS HAS TALKED TO YOU.

THEY IF THERE IS A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT AND IT IS CONTROVERSIAL, IF IT CONTRAVENES A STATE STATUTE, IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO GO TO THE COURT, BACK TO THE COURT ON A JOINT FILING BY THE CITY AND RYUM TO GET APPROVAL BY THE COURT OF THAT SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT, AND THAT APPROVAL IS BASED ON WHETHER OR NOT WHAT HAS BEEN DONE PROTECTS THE PUBLIC AND PROTECTS THE INTERESTS THAT ARE SET FORTH IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

THEY CAN'T DO THAT. IT'S NOT GOING TO PASS MUSTER IF THEY IF THE IF THE COMMISSION CONTRAVENES AN ORDINANCE, IT CHANGES THE LOOK AT IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. BUT THEY CAN STILL GO.

WE CAN STILL GO TO COURT.

WE CAN STILL CHALLENGE IT.

A THIRD PARTY CAN CHALLENGE IT.

AND AGAIN THE COURT COULD SAY IT'S NOT VALID.

SO THANK YOU. MR.. KEEP THAT IN MIND.

THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE MISS MARGARET KIRKLAND.

MARGARET KIRKLAND, 1377 PLANTATION POINTE DRIVE.

I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF CONSERVED NASSAU.

I HAVE SPOKEN ON THIS ISSUE FOR, WHAT, TWO YEARS? THREE YEARS? FOR A LONG TIME NOW.

SPOKE LAST AT THE LAST MEETING AND WILL CONTINUE TO MY DYING DAY TO SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE. SOME OF US LAST TIME TALKED ABOUT THE FIRST HALF OF THE COMP PLAN POLICY 107 12 ABOUT CHEMICAL MANUFACTURING.

AND I'D LIKE TO FOCUS ON THE SECOND PART OF THAT, WHICH IS OTHER USES GENERATING POTENTIALLY HARMFUL ENVIRONMENTAL OR NUISANCE IMPACTS SHALL BE PROHIBITED. WHAT THAT MEANS IS USING ONE'S PROPERTY IN A MANNER THAT HAS AN UNREASONABLE ADVERSE EFFECT ON NEIGHBORS, COULD BE NOISE, COULD BE ODORS THAT AFFECT OUR ECONOMY, AND OUR QUALITY OF LIFE.

COULD BE AIR POLLUTION THAT IMPACTS THE HEALTH OF OUR CHILDREN.

WATER QUALITY, WELFARE OF OUR WILDLIFE IN OUR ESTUARY.

THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR ECONOMY.

TRUCK AND TANKER ACCIDENTS, WHICH SEEM TO BE INCREASING HERE.

THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN NUMEROUS FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS IN BIOETHANOL PLANTS.

YOU ALL KNOW THIS ETHANOL IS A VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUND.

AND ALL IT TAKES IS A SMALL PROBLEM IN PROCESSING, HANDLING, STORAGE. JUST A MINOR HUMAN ERROR.

OR MAYBE JUST SOMETHING THAT OCCURS IN NATURE THAT IS NOT HUMANLY CAUSED.

[01:55:06]

SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE ADDRESS THIS AND THE FACT THAT THERE ARE ALREADY OTHER HAZARDOUS ELEMENTS THERE ON THE PROPERTY MAKES IT AN INCREASED RISK.

THIS ALL REMINDS ME OF THE LATE CHARLIE GEORGE.

MANSON AND I MET WITH HIM IN REGARD TO THIS AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THIS PROCESS TO EXPRESS OUR CONCERNS ABOUT THE PLANT.

HE ASSURED US HE WOULD MAKE SURE THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT WOULD PROPERLY REVIEW THE APPLICATION RELATIVE TO AND SO ON.

THEN HE WALKED OVER TO HIS DESK AND PICKED UP AN OLD YELLOWED NEWSPAPER WITH A PHOTO.

AN ARTICLE REPORTING ON THE IMPERIAL SUGAR REFINERY EXPLOSION IN PORT WENTWORTH, GEORGIA. AND HE SAID, I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DIE HERE.

MY SHOES WERE LITERALLY BURNED OFF MY FEET.

THANK YOU, MISS KIRKMAN. I'LL SEND IT TO YOU BY EMAIL.

ALL RIGHT. I HAVE NO MORE REQUESTS TO SPEAK ON THIS AGENDA ITEM.

DO I HAVE A MOTION FROM THE COMMISSION? I WOULD MOVE THAT. WE CONTINUE 7.1 UNTIL THE NOVEMBER 4TH MEETING ON ADVICE OF COUNSEL TO ALLOW OUR BOTH OUR CITY ATTORNEY AND OUR OUTSIDE COUNSEL TO CONTINUE TO DO THE NECESSARY RESEARCH REQUIRED TO REPLY TO THE VERDERERS CLAIM.

I SECOND HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ANY ADDITIONAL COMMISSIONER DISCUSSION? YEAH.

COMMISSIONER? YEAH. ONE THING I'D LIKE TO SAY TO THE PUBLIC IS WE GET A LOT OF EMAILS ABOUT THIS ISSUE, AND I KEEP LITERALLY COPYING AND PASTING THE SAME ANSWER TO EVERYBODY, WHICH MAKES ME FEEL TERRIBLY GUILTY.

IT'S IT'S A, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR SENDING THIS, BUT BECAUSE OF ONGOING LITIGATION, I CAN'T, YOU KNOW, COMMENT FURTHER. SO I JUST WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW I AM ACTUALLY READING YOUR ENTIRE EMAIL, BUT I REALLY CAN'T COMMENT FURTHER.

AND I AND IT DOESN'T FEEL GREAT TO SEND THAT KIND OF AN ANSWER.

TWO I HAVE A QUESTION FOR MISS PRINCE.

OR MAYBE MR. ZISKIN THAT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LAWSUITS, WE WILL BE MANDATED TO GO TO MEDIATION.

BUT IT'S NON-BINDING MEDIATION, CORRECT? YES. UNDER THE RULES OF CIVIL PROCEDURE, YOU WILL HAVE TO GO TO MEDIATION.

THERE'S ALREADY A COURT ORDER IN PLACE WHICH WOULD REQUIRE US TO GO ON THE CIVIL CASE SOMETIME NEXT YEAR. AND THEN UNDER THE FEDERAL RULES OF CIVIL PROCEDURE, WE WILL HAVE TO GO TO MEDIATION.

AND YES, IT IS TO YOUR POINT, IT'S NON-BINDING UNLESS THE PARTIES COME TO AN AGREEMENT. SO AT MEDIATION YOU CAN COME TO AN AGREEMENT AND THEN IT CAN BE BINDING.

BUT YOU'RE GO. AND IF YOU CANNOT COME TO AN AGREEMENT THEN AND THEN PASS ON.

AND MR. ZISKIND, IF YOU WANT TO CHIME IN OR SAM, IF YOU WANT TO EXPAND ON THAT ANY FURTHER.

I MEAN, NO, I THINK YOU COVERED IT CORRECTLY.

IF THERE'S ANY MORE SPECIFIC QUESTION ABOUT THE MEDIATION PROCESS, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER IT.

BUT THAT'S RIGHT. I MEAN, WE'VE ALREADY BEEN ORDERED TO MEDIATE IN BOTH CASES. THERE'S DEADLINES SET ALREADY IN BOTH THE STATE AND FEDERAL CASE TO CONDUCT THE MEDIATIONS. AND THAT'S PURSUANT TO THE RULES OF CIVIL PROCEDURE BOTH IN STATE AND FEDERAL COURT. THAT MANDATE THAT SO WILL BE REQUIRED TO DO IT.

AND LIKE THE CITY ATTORNEY ACCURATELY SAID IT'S NOT BINDING UNLESS YOU REACH AN AGREEMENT DURING THE MEDIATION AND ENTER INTO A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT.

BUT THERE IS A REQUIREMENT THAT SOMEONE ATTEND MEDIATION WITH AUTHORITY TO NEGOTIATE.

ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR MISS PRINCE OR FOR SAM FROM THE COMMISSION? SEEING NONE, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

WAIT, ACTUALLY, CAN I SAY ONE MORE THING? I DO JUST WANT TO REITERATE TO MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS THAT I.

I HAVE A MASTER'S DEGREE IN NUTRITIONAL BIOCHEMISTRY, SPENT THREE YEARS IN A LAB WRITING MY THESIS AND CERTIFIED TO TEACH CHEMISTRY, TAUGHT CHEMISTRY FOR 15 YEARS.

I AM I PROBABLY HAVE SPENT I TRIED TO ESTIMATE IT 2 OR 300 HOURS READING RESEARCH AND I ABOUT HOW BIOETHANOL IS PRODUCED.

AND I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT IT'S IN VIOLATION OF OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

[02:00:05]

THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.

THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER. COMMISSIONER MINSHEW. I WOULD JUST SAY THAT I MOVED TO EXTEND THIS CONVERSATION AT THE REQUEST OF OUR ATTORNEYS.

AND IT HAS. OTHER THAN THAT, I MEAN, THAT'S IT.

THAT'S IT. I MEAN, ATTORNEYS ASK FOR MORE TIME AND I'M WILLING TO GIVE IT TO HIM.

THANK YOU. COMMISSIONERS, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND MISS BEST, PLEASE START THE VOTE.

THAT PASSED 5 TO 0, MAYOR.

THANK YOU. THAT PASSES FIVE ZERO.

AND AS MISS PRINCE SAID EARLIER, YOU'RE STILL WELCOME TO ATTEND THE NEXT MEETING. YOU HAVE THE OPTION TO EITHER JUST REFER TO YOUR COMMENTS MADE PREVIOUSLY, OR YOU CAN MAKE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS IF NECESSARY.

BUT OTHERWISE WE WILL MOVE ALONG.

THAT BRINGS US TO ITEM 7.2, A LEASE AGREEMENT WITH AMELIA ISLAND PIRATE

[7.2 LEASE AGREEMENT - AMELIA ISLAND PIRATE VOYAGES LLC - RESOLUTION 2025-192 APPROVING A LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN AMELIA ISLAND PIRATE VOYAGES, LLC AND THE CITY OF FERNANDINA BEACH FOR LAND FOR A TICKET KIOSK AT THE FERNANDINA BEACH HARBOR MARINA; AUTHORIZING ADMINISTRATIVE CORRECTION OF SCRIVENER’S ERRORS; AUTHORIZING EXECUTION; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. Synopsis: Approves a one-year (optional renewals) lease agreement with Amelia Island Pirate Voyages, LLC, to operate a ticket kiosk at the Fernandina Harbor Marina and land to construct a temporary ticket kiosk.]

VOYAGES, LLC. MISS CAMPBELL, TAKE US AWAY.

THANK YOU. MAYOR, THIS IS CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION 2025 192, WHICH IS FOR A KIOSK FOR AMELIA ISLAND PIRATE VOYAGES.

THIS WOULD BE A TEMPORARY KIOSK PLACED AT THE WATERFRONT PARK.

IT'S 225FT² AND THERE IS A LEASE AMOUNT PAID TO THE CITY OF $329.78 A MONTH, AND THAT INCREASES ANNUALLY.

THIS HAS BEEN TO THE HISTORIC DISTRICT COUNCIL AND WAS APPROVED AT THEIR SEPTEMBER 18TH MEETING. STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL.

THANK YOU, MISS CAMPBELL. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS AGENDA ITEM FROM THE COMMISSION? MOVE TO APPROVE.

SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? JUST WANT TO THANK THE HTC FOR HELPING US STAY BEAUTIFUL DOWN HERE.

THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER. AND I ECHO THAT COMMENT. OUR MOTION.

AND SECOND IS THE VOTE.

THAT MOTION PASSES FIVE ZERO, WHICH TAKES US ON TO 7.3, A FACILITIES USE AGREEMENT WITH COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS.

[7.3 FACILITIES USE AGREEMENT - COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS OF NASSAU COUNTY, INC. - RESOLUTION 2025-193 APPROVING A FACILITIES USE AGREEMENT WITH COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS OF NASSAU COUNTY, INC. FOR USE OF THE MLK RECREATION CENTER PATRICIA A. THOMPSON AUDITORIUM FOR EMERGENCY COLD WEATHER SHELTERS FROM OCTOBER 1, 2025, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30, 2026; AUTHORIZING CORRECTION OF SCRIVENER'S ERRORS; AUTHORIZING EXECUTION; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. Synopsis: Approves a Facilities Use Agreement with the Coalition for the Homeless Nassau County, Inc., to provide cold-weather emergency shelter on an asneeded basis for one year term from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026 with the option to extend the agreement for two one-year terms if agreed upon by both parties.]

TAKE US AWAY AGAIN, MISS CAMPBELL. THANK YOU. MAYOR. THIS IS CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION 2020 5-1 93. THIS WOULD BE AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS. TO ALLOW FOR A COLD WEATHER SHELTER AT THE MLK AUDITORIUM.

WE HAVE HAD THIS PARTNERSHIP IN PRACTICE BEFORE, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO REAFFIRM THIS RELATIONSHIP AND EXTEND THE AGREEMENT.

IT'S A ONE YEAR AGREEMENT WITH THE OPTION TO EXTEND FOR TWO ADDITIONAL ONE YEAR TERMS IF AGREED UPON BY BOTH PARTIES.

THERE'S NO FISCAL IMPACT BY EITHER PARTY, AND STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL.

THANK YOU, MISS CAMPBELL. I DO HAVE ONE REQUEST TO SPEAK.

ARE THERE ANY COMMISSIONER QUESTIONS FOR MISS CAMPBELL BEFORE I TAKE OUR SPEAKER? SEEING NONE. MISS SHEILA COFFEY. COME ON UP.

THANK YOU. SHEILA COFFEY, 1553 INDIGO STREET.

WE THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS BACK TO THE COMMISSION.

I HOPE THAT YOU ALL WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THIS MEASURE.

IT'S BEEN OVER, OVER THE COUPLE OF THREE YEARS THAT THIS HAS STARTED AND PROGRESSED.

IT'S BEEN VERY WONDERFUL TO SEE IN OUR COMMUNITY THE PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING HELPED AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE VOLUNTEERING TO HELP THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND JUST A REMINDER FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, THANK YOU FOR DOING IT FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR, BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST COLD WEATHER, IT'S EXTREMELY HOT WEATHER.

IT LAST YEAR WE HAD THREE WEEKS SOLID OF RAIN.

SO THERE WERE SOME OPPORTUNITY THERE WHERE WE COULD HAVE GOTTEN PEOPLE OUT OF THE RAIN. SO I HOPE THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO OFFER THIS FACILITY FOR THOSE WITH THE EXTREME WEATHER, NOT JUST THE COLD.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU, MISS COKEY. SEEING NO ADDITIONAL REQUESTS TO SPEAK.

DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION.

AND A SECOND. ANY COMMISSIONER DISCUSSION I SEE COMMISSIONER MINSHEW ON. I JUST WANT TO MAKE A CLARIFICATION. THIS IS JUST A COLD WEATHER SHELTER.

THAT'S CORRECT. THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING. THIS IS NOT THIS IS NOT THIS AGREEMENT IS ONLY FOR COLD WEATHER. IT IS NOT FOR INCLEMENT WEATHER OR OTHER EMERGENCIES.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT CLARIFICATION.

THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER. COMMISSIONER TUTON. CAN CAN WE CAN WE DISCUSS CAN WE ASK STAFF TO LOOK INTO THE POSSIBILITY OF EXTENDING IT, DOING SOMETHING SIMILAR FOR OTHER TYPES OF WEATHER? I MEAN, I KNOW, I KNOW FOR HURRICANES IT'S NO GOOD BECAUSE WE HAVE TO EVACUATE AND WE CAN'T BE A SHELTER DURING A HURRICANE.

MR. MAYOR, WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO RESPOND TO THAT? THIS IS WHERE WE FOUND OURSELVES IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR. OR MAYBE IT WAS DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR, AND WE KIND OF GOT HUNG UP ON THIS, AND WE ULTIMATELY DIDN'T APPROVE THE AGREEMENT AT ALL. SO WE ARE AT A, AT A MINIMUM, RECOMMENDING THAT YOU APPROVE THE AGREEMENT IN FRONT OF YOU TO THE POINT OF SEVERE

[02:05:03]

WEATHER. AGAIN, WE ARE NOT YOU KNOW, SHELTERS ARE RATED BY THE BY THE COUNTY AT THE STATE LEVEL. THEY HAVE CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS. SO I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND FOR, YOU KNOW, HURRICANES, THAT TYPE OF THING.

THE COUNTY HAS A SHELTERING PROCESS THROUGH THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIVISION FOR THAT.

WE HAVE TALKED A LOT ABOUT COOLING STATIONS.

I BELIEVE SOME OTHER ORGANIZATIONS OPEN COOLING STATIONS THIS SUMMER.

POTENTIALLY SOME SOME FAITH BASED INSTITUTIONS OPENED SOME COOLING STATIONS THIS SUMMER. THAT'S A VERY DIFFICULT TO MANAGE AND TO PREDICT.

AT WHAT TIME WHAT IS THE WHAT IS THE HEAT THAT WE'RE ALLOWING PEOPLE TO TOLERATE? AT WHAT TIME OF DAY DOES THAT HEAT? DOES IT HAVE TO REACH THAT TEMPERATURE? WHEN ARE WE GOING TO MAKE THAT CALL? I THINK THERE WAS SOME QUESTION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE BOOKING OF THE FACILITY.

IS THIS A YEAR? IS THIS NOW A YEAR ROUND? PREVENTS OTHER PEOPLE FROM BOOKING THE FACILITY AND THE ORGANIZATION? TIME TO SPEAK. I'M HAPPY TO HAVE YOU STOP RIGHT THERE.

HAPPY TO STOP RIGHT THERE. THE NONPROFIT'S CAPABILITY OF OF OPERATING IT ON, ON A YEAR ROUND BASIS WAS, WAS AN ISSUE.

SO AT A MINIMUM, WE WANTED TO GET THE COLD WEATHER SHELTER. IF THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE FURTHER, WE'RE HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT IT. BUT IT GOT REALLY DIFFICULT TO TO FIGURE OUT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS CAMPBELL.

COMMISSIONER, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR IF YOU NEED. NO, SIR. I SEE NO OTHER REQUEST TO SPEAK FROM THE COMMISSION.

WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND MISS.

BEST, PLEASE START THE VOTE. AND THAT MOTION PASSES FIVE ZERO.

WHICH TAKES US ALONG. LET ME GET MY SPOT AGAIN.

[7.4 CHANGE ORDER APPROVAL - KIMLEY-HORN AND ASSOCIATES, INC. - RESOLUTION 2025-194 APPROVING KIMLEY-HORN AND ASSOCIATES, INC. CHANGE ORDER NO. 3 FOR STREETSCAPE DESIGN AND ENGINEERING FOR THE DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION: 3RD THROUGH 6TH STREETS FROM ASH TO ALACHUA STREETS; APPROVING A BUDGET TRANSFER OF $35,108; AUTHORIZING ADMINISTRATIVE CORRECTION OF SCRIVENER’S ERRORS; AUTHORIZING EXECUTION; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. Synopsis: Approves Kimley Horn and Associates, Inc. Change Order No. 3 for design and engineering documents the streetscape of 3rd through 6th Streets from Ash to Alachua Streets within the Downtown area, in the amount of $200,000.]

7.4 OUR CHANGE ORDER APPROVAL FOR KIMLEY-HORN AND ASSOCIATES.

MISS CAMPBELL. THANK YOU. MAYOR.

AS MR. GLEASON MENTIONED EARLIER, THIS IS CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION 2020 5-1 94, WHICH IS A CHANGE ORDER WITH KIMLEY-HORN TO CONTINUE THE ENGINEERING DESIGN FOR THE DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION.

THE TOTAL AMOUNT IS $200,000, AND IT DOES INCLUDE A BUDGET TRANSFER OF $35,000 FROM THE DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION ACCOUNT.

THIS WOULD CONTINUE THE DESIGN OF THE SIDE STREETS FROM THIRD THROUGH SIXTH, FROM ASH TO ALACHUA. THIS IS THE ONLY COMPONENT OF THIS PROJECT THAT WE BUDGETED THIS YEAR WAS THE CONTINUATION OF THE DESIGN.

AT THE COMPLETION OF THIS, WE WILL HAVE BIDDABLE DOCUMENTS.

OBVIOUSLY WE WON'T BE ABLE TO RELEASE THAT BID UNTIL WE DETERMINE THE FUNDING SOURCES FOR THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION, BUT AT A MINIMUM, WE RECOMMEND MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS NEXT STEP.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS CAMPBELL.

ANY COMMISSIONER QUESTIONS FOR OUR CITY MANAGER TO APPROVE? SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION.

AND A SECOND. ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE. MISS BASS, PLEASE START THE VOTE. THAT PASSES FIVE ZERO.

WHICH BRINGS US TO 7.5.

AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH FIVE BOARD NATIONAL PURCHASING COOPERATIVE.

[7.5 INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT — BUYBOARD NATIONAL PURCHASING COOPERATIVE - RESOLUTION 2025-195 APPROVING AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE BUYBOARD NATIONAL PURCHASING COOPERATIVE FOR COOPERATIVE PURCHASING AGREEMENTS; AUTHORIZING EXECUTION; AUTHORIZING ADMINISTRATIVE CORRECTION OF SCRIVENER’S ERRORS; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. Synopsis: Approves an agreement to join Buyboard National Purchasing Cooperative to expand the City's purchasing options for competitive solicitation.]

MISS CAMPBELL. THANK YOU.

MAYOR. CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION 2020 5-1 95.

THIS IS A PIGGYBACKING ARRANGEMENT.

WE HAVE A NUMBER OF THESE IN THE CITY, WHERE WE ENTER INTO AN ARRANGEMENT WITH A LARGE NATIONAL PURCHASING CO-OP THAT ALLOWS US TO OBTAIN LOWER PRICES THROUGH VOLUME PURCHASING AGREEMENTS.

THE AGREEMENT HAS BEEN VETTED THROUGH LEGAL AND WE SUPPORT THIS ARRANGEMENT TO IT'LL DOVETAIL INTO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM, BUT WE'RE HAPPY TO SUPPORT RECOMMENDING THIS ITEM. THANK YOU, MISS CAMPBELL.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR MISS CAMPBELL ON ITEM 7.5? I MOVE TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 2020 5-1 95.

SECOND. I HAVE OUR MOTION.

AND SECOND, ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE. MISS BASS, PLEASE START THE VOTE. THAT PASSES FIVE ZERO AS WELL. WHICH BRINGS US TO OUR FINAL ITEM.

[7.6 PURCHASE APPROVAL - CLEARGOV BUDGET SOFTWARE - RESOLUTION 2025-196 APPROVING THE CLEARGOV BUDGET SOFTWARE PURCHASE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025/2026; AUTHORIZING ADMINISTRATIVE CORRECTION OF SCRIVENER’S ERRORS; AUTHORIZING EXECUTION; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. Synopsis: Approves the purchase of software in the amount of $74,000 to improve the process of developing and publishing the annual budget and enable the community to access budget data in a user-friendly interface.]

NUMBER SEVEN, PURCHASE APPROVAL FOR CLEAR GOVT BUDGET SOFTWARE ITEM 7.6.

THANK YOU MAYOR. I'M EXCITED TO BRING THIS ITEM TO YOU TONIGHT.

RESOLUTION 2020 5-1 96.

THIS IS PART OF YOUR EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS AND HAS BEEN ON THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT'S RADAR FOR A LONG TIME.

THIS IMPROVES OUR EFFICIENCY IN DEVELOPING THE BUDGET, AND ALSO ADDS A LAYER OF PUBLIC TRANSPARENCY IN THE BUDGET PROCESS.

OBVIOUSLY, WE DO POST THE BUDGET RIGHT NOW ONLINE AS A PDF DOCUMENT SO THAT EVERYBODY CAN SEE IT. THIS IS A LITTLE BIT MORE USER FRIENDLY INTERFACE, BUT IT ALSO MANAGES THE BUDGET PROCESS FROM THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN DEVELOPMENT ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT AND PRESENTATION.

SO WE'RE NOT HAVING TO SWITCH BETWEEN MUNIS, OUR GENERAL LEDGER SYSTEM,

[02:10:01]

AND EXCEL SPREADSHEETS WHERE THINGS COULD POTENTIALLY BE MISSED.

THIS IS A HUGE EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENT FOR US AND I RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE SOFTWARE.

THANK YOU, MISS CAMPBELL. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR OUR CITY MANAGER ON ITEM 7.6? MOVE TO APPROVE. SECOND.

SEEING NONE, WE HAVE OUR MOTION. AND SECOND, ANY ADDITIONAL COMMISSIONER DISCUSSION.

GREAT. GREAT TO SEE. REALLY GREAT.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. MISS BESS, PLEASE CALL THE VOTE.

THAT ITEM PASSES FIVE OH AS WELL.

WE'LL MOVE ALONG TO ITEM EIGHT.

OUR FIRST READING OF ORDINANCES 8.1 IS OUR PAID PARKING ORDINANCE.

[8.1 PAID PARKING - ORDINANCE 2025-11 PROHIBITING PAID PARKING IN DESIGNATED AREAS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, HISTORIC DOWNTOWN AND BEACHES; AUTHORIZING ADMINISTRATIVE CORRECTION OF SCRIVENER’S ERRORS; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. Synopsis: In accordance with Charter Section 141 a citizen organized Paid Parking committee was created in response to the downtown paid parking implementation as a means to fund necessary capital improvement projects.]

MISS CAMPBELL. MISS PRINCE, DO YOU WANT. I'LL START IT OFF AND THEN PASS IT TO THE ATTORNEY. THIS IS CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE 2020 5-11 FIRST READING.

WE HAVE OBVIOUSLY MOVED THROUGH THE PAID PARKING PROCESS.

AT THE COMMISSION'S REQUEST, A PAID PARKING POLITICAL COMMITTEE WAS FORMED IN OPPOSITION TO THE CITY COMMISSION'S EFFORTS TO IMPLEMENT PAID PARKING.

THE ATTACHED ORDINANCE IS SUBMITTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHARTER SECTION 141 E1.

YOU WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONSIDER THIS AT FIRST READING TONIGHT.

I AM GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO THE ATTORNEY FOR THE READING AND FOR FURTHER PROCESS CLARIFICATION. THANK YOU.

ORDINANCE 2025 DASH 11 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF FERNANDINA BEACH, FLORIDA, PROHIBITING PAID PARKING IN DESIGNATED AREAS, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO HISTORIC DOWNTOWN AND BEACHES.

AUTHORIZING ADMINISTRATIVE CORRECTION OF SCRIVENER'S ERRORS, PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY, AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

AND WITH THAT, MR. MAYOR, I WILL ADD A FEW PIECES OF INFORMATION.

AS MISS CAMPBELL HAS SAID, IF YOU DO NOT ADOPT THIS ORDINANCE TONIGHT, THEN THE CHARTER REQUIRES YOU TO PUT IT, PLACE IT ON A BALLOT.

YOU CAN PLACE IT ON EITHER THE AUGUST 18TH PRIMARY ELECTION NEXT YEAR OR THE NOVEMBER 3RD ELECTION NEXT YEAR.

BUT FOR TONIGHT'S PURPOSES YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER THIS ORDINANCE.

AND IF IT IS NOT ADOPTED, THEN WE MUST PLACE IT ON A BALLOT.

THANK YOU. MISS JACKSON. AND I DO HAVE A NUMBER OF SPEAKER CARDS HERE, SO WE'LL BEGIN WITH THAT, AND THEN WE'LL TAKE OUR COMMISSIONER VOTE.

FIRST UP IS MISS MARISOL TRIANA.

MARISOL TRIANA, THREE FOUR, FOUR TARPON AVENUE.

I'M ASKING YOU TO HONOR THE PAID.

I'M ASKING YOU TO HONOR THE PETITION AND IMPLEMENT THE NO PAID PARKING ORDINANCE THAT HAS BEEN PRESENTED TO YOU BY 1722 OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS.

IN THE EVENT YOU DON'T, AND INSTEAD FORCE THIS TO A VOTE, I IMPLORE YOU, DO NOT CONTRACT WITH ANY PAID PARKING VENDORS UNTIL AFTER THE VOTE.

YOU HAVE BEEN A BROKEN RECORD.

EITHER A RAISE TAXES OR BE PAID PARKING ACCORDING TO FOUR OF YOU.

THERE IS NO THIRD OPTION.

IT'S EITHER OR. WELL, YOU CHOSE A.

YOU RAISED TAXES. SO IT STANDS TO REASON THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH WITH PAID PARKING. YET HERE WE ARE.

AND FOR THOSE OF YOU USING PROPERTY TAXES AS THE SCARE TACTIC, YOU KNOW IT IS THERE IS, WITH OR WITHOUT PAID PARKING ZERO GUARANTEE THAT OUR PROPERTY TAXES WILL NOT BE RAISED AGAIN.

IT IS JUST ANOTHER FALSE PROMISE BY A COMMISSION THAT HAS LIED ABOUT POLITICAL AFFILIATION, LIED ABOUT CAMPAIGN PROMISES ON PAID PARKING AND DISMISSED FLAGRANT CONFLICTS OF INTEREST. THIS IS A ROAD COMMISSION IN WHICH FOUR OF YOU HAVE DECIDED YOU DON'T WORK FOR US ANYMORE. BUT WE'RE HERE TO REMIND YOU THAT YOU DO NOT DICTATE THE TERMS OF THIS RELATIONSHIP. YOU HAVE A DUTY TO WORK FOR THE 1722 CONSTITUENTS WHO SIGNED THIS PETITION.

YOU HAVE DESTROYED PUBLIC TRUST.

YOU HAVE TIME TO REDEEM YOURSELVES.

AND HERE IS HOW. UPHOLD YOUR OATH OF OFFICE.

HONOR THE CAMPAIGN PROMISES YOU MADE.

DON'T SPEW ABSOLUTE DISDAIN FOR THE POLITICAL PARTY YOU PRETENDED TO BE A PART OF IN ORDER TO GAIN OFFICE. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, YOU CAN REDEEM YOURSELVES BY RESPECTING THE 1722 SIGNATURES AND ADOPT THE NO PAID PARKING ORDINANCE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU, MR. RIJINO FOLKS.

NO CLAPPING. NO NO NO.

COMMUNICATIONS. NOT FROM THE PODIUM WHERE WE WILL RECESS THE MEETING.

NEXT WE HAVE MISS DON MAYS.

[02:15:03]

MAYOR COMMISSIONERS. I'M REVEREND DON MAYS, 510 ALACHUA STREET.

PASTOR OF FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH ON SIXTH STREET.

ASK JUST ABOUT ANYONE WHAT THEY LOVE ABOUT FERNANDINA, AND THEIR FIRST RESPONSE WILL NOT BE THE BEACH OR THE WEATHER.

IT WILL BE THE PEOPLE, THE COMMUNITY, THE ENVIRONMENT, THE SMALL TOWN FRIENDLY FEEL WHERE YOU KNOW THAT FOLKS CARE ABOUT ONE ANOTHER.

IT'S THE FACT THAT WE TRY OUR BEST TO LIVE OUT THE TRUTH OF SCRIPTURE, TO LOVE OUR NEIGHBORS AS OURSELVES.

THAT'S WHY SO MANY OF US HAVE MADE OUR HOMES HERE.

THAT'S WHAT BRINGS PEOPLE TO VISIT OUR TOWN.

THE THING THAT CONCERNS ME MOST ABOUT PAID PARKING IS THAT IT CHANGES ALL OF THAT.

IT ALREADY HAS, AND IT HASN'T EVEN BEEN IMPLEMENTED YET PEOPLE WHO LOVE THIS COMMUNITY DEEPLY FEEL THAT THOSE WE ELECTED TO REPRESENT US ARE NOT, ARE DOING ANYTHING BUT THAT THE CITIZENS HAVE SPOKEN.

PEOPLE DO NOT WANT PAID PARKING.

THEY RECOGNIZE THE HARM IT WILL CAUSE TO BUSINESSES, RESTAURANTS, CHURCHES, CITIZENS AND VISITORS ALIKE.

THEY KNOW THE BEAUTIFUL STREETSCAPES WILL BE MARRED BY SIGNS AND KIOSKS THAT PEOPLE, MY CHURCH MEMBERS KEEP TELLING ME THIS, ARE STRESSED BY THE CHALLENGES OF THINKING ABOUT THAT TECHNOLOGY.

THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN, BUT IT FEELS LIKE THE VERY COMMISSION WE ELECTED IS AT ODDS WITH US.

THIS IS NOT HOW IT FEELS TO BE NEIGHBORS.

I HAD BEEN ASSURED THAT CHURCH WORSHIP SERVICES, ESPECIALLY MEMORIAL SERVICES, WOULD CONTINUE TO BE HELD SACRED ON FRIDAY OF LAST WEEK. CITY CODE ENFORCEMENT SHOWED UP AT MY CHURCH DURING A MEMORIAL SERVICE, CAME INTO THE FELLOWSHIP HALL AND TOLD US WE HAD TO TAKE DOWN OUR MEMORIAL SERVICE PARKING SIGNS THAT WE ARE NO LONGER ALLOWED TO DO THAT DURING THE MEMORIAL SERVICE.

THE CHURCH HAS USED THOSE SIGNS FOR DECADES, AS HAS MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST, AS HAS OXLEY HEARD FUNERAL HOME.

IS THIS WHAT WE WANT FERNANDINA TO BE? I TALKED WITH SOMEONE TODAY FROM CODE ENFORCEMENT WHO REITERATED, WE ARE NO LONGER ALLOWED TO PUT OUT THOSE MEMORIAL SERVICE PARKING SIGNS.

I HAVE TALKED WITH ONE COMMISSIONER AND SOMEONE ELSE AT THE CITY WHO HAVE ASSURED ME THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK INTO THIS, AND I APPRECIATE THAT.

MY FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE, REVEREND MARK CHARLES, PASTOR OF MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST, IS NOT ABLE TO BE HERE.

AND HE ASKED ME TO SPEAK ON HIS BEHALF AS WELL.

HE SAID THE COMMISSION IS PICKING THE WRONG FIGHT.

I WOULD ECHO THAT YOU ARE FIGHTING THE WRONG PEOPLE.

FIGHT FOR A MORE EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS FROM COUNTY TOURISM TAX THE MONEY IS THERE. EXPLORE OTHER FUNDING AVENUES, ADVOCATE AND NEGOTIATE WITH THE COUNTY.

EXPLORE OTHER OPTIONS.

THE CITIZENS WHO ELECTED YOU WANT YOU TO FIGHT WITH US, NOT AGAINST US. PLEASE BE ON OUR SIDE.

PLEASE DO NOT COMPROMISE THE CHARACTER OF OUR COMMUNITY.

PRESERVE ALL THAT MAKES FERNANDINA GOOD AND WONDERFUL, AND YOU WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR DOING THE RIGHT THING, NOT THE WRONG THING. LET'S BE NEIGHBORS TO ONE ANOTHER.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS MAYES.

NEXT IS MISS SHEILA. FREEZE! HELLO, SHEILA. FREEZE! 2811 TURTLE SHORES DRIVE.

I TEACH AT EMMA LOVE HERE ON THE ISLAND, AND I HAVE BEEN IN EDUCATION FOR 30 YEARS.

OUR FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS ARE CURRENTLY LEARNING ABOUT GOVERNMENT, FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL.

THEY ARE LEARNING ABOUT DELEGATES, REPRESENTATIVES AND WHAT THEIR JOBS ARE.

IN THE CLASSROOM DISCUSSION.

THEY ACTUALLY BROUGHT UP PAID PARKING.

THE STUDENTS FIND IT NOT FAIR THAT IF YOU ARE ELECTED TO SERVE A CITY AND ARE SUPPOSED TO DO WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE OR OF YOUR CITY, THEN WHY AREN'T YOU LISTENING? THEY WORRY THAT WHEN THEY GET OLD ENOUGH TO DRIVE DOWNTOWN, THEY WILL HAVE TO PAY JUST TO GO TO THE FUDGE SHOP OR GET AN ICE CREAM CONE, OR WALK AROUND WITH THEIR FRIENDS.

THEY WORRY THAT THEIR PARENTS WON'T PAY TO DRIVE THEM DOWN, AND THEY EVEN SAID THAT THEY'RE AFRAID THEIR GRANDPARENTS WILL NO LONGER AFFORD TO GO DOWNTOWN OR NOT BE ABLE TO USE THE TECHNOLOGY TO DO SO.

THESE CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE.

THEY ARE CONCERNED AND WE SHOULD LISTEN.

PLEASE DO NOT MAKE US TEACHERS AND CITY RESIDENTS EXPLAIN WHY WHAT THEY ARE LEARNING IN CLASS IS NOT ACTUALLY HAPPENING IN OUR OWN CITY.

EARLIER TONIGHT WE HEARD COMPLAINTS REGARDING FPUC, AND IT SEEMS LIKE MANY OF THOSE COMPLAINTS COULD BE ALSO DIRECTED TOWARDS WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH PAID PARKING.

THOSE AGAINST PAID PARKING DO TAKE PRIDE IN OUR CITY AND HOW IT LOOKS, AND WE PREFER TO KEEP THE CHARM OF OUR TOWN WITHOUT METERS.

[02:20:01]

PLEASE LISTEN AND DO WHAT IS RIGHT, WHAT IS ASKED AND WHAT IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CITY'S OWN ORGANIZATION CHART.

IT HAS CITIZENS AT THE TOP.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS RICE.

NEXT, I HAVE TWO NAMES ON ONE SHEET, JEFF JOHNSON AND CRAIG NIEMEYER.

DO YOU WANT TO SPLIT YOUR TIME GOING UP? MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS FERNANDINA BEACH, PLEASE NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.

OH. I'M SORRY. CRAIG NIEMEYER, 2740 A OKLAWAHA.

FERNANDINA BEACH. YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 20 YEARS.

AND WE RECENTLY CHANGED OUR.

FULL TIME CITIZENSHIP TO FLORIDA.

AND MY GOOD FRIEND WHO'S HERE TOLD ME FERNANDINA.

BEACH IS ADDICTIVE. YOU'RE GOING TO YOU'RE GOING TO LIKE THE PLACE THE LONGER YOU'RE HERE. THAT'S TRUE. HERE'S THE PROBLEM WITH PAID PARKING.

FIRST, YOU'RE GOING TO CHANGE THE WHOLE CULTURE OF THE DOWNTOWN WITH PARKING METERS.

THAT'S NOT ATTRACTIVE.

SECOND, THERE'S A REAL QUESTION OF HOW MUCH MONEY YOU'RE GOING TO GENERATE.

AS I UNDERSTAND IT, FROM READING IN THE PAPER, IT SAID THAT THE RESIDENTS WOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY UNLESS YOU HAD A SECOND CAR.

STEP ONE IS PAID PARKING.

STEP TWO IS GOING TO BE RESIDENTS PAY.

I WOULD SUGGEST TO YOU SOMEBODY EARLIER SAID HOW FOUR OF YOU GOT ELECTED AND THAT WAS OPPOSITION TO THE ETHANOL PLANT.

I WOULD SUGGEST TO YOU, IF YOU WANT TO STAY COMMISSIONERS, YOU BETTER GET ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THIS ISSUE, BECAUSE I CAN SENSE THERE'S GOING TO BE RETRIBUTION WITH A VENGEANCE.

SO THINK IT THROUGH VERY CAREFULLY, AND I'M SURE YOU'LL MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION.

THANK YOU, MR. NIEMEYER. NEXT WE HAVE MISS JEANETTE.

RUBY.

GOOD EVENING. JEANETTE. RUBY, 909 CEDAR IN THE WAKE OF NO KINGS DAY.

IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WHEN THE THRESHOLD OF THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS HAS BEEN MET, WE ALLOW THAT TO PLAY OUT.

YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO ACCEPT THE PETITION THAT SEVERAL OF US WORKED SO INCREDIBLY HARD ON, AND ALLOW THE RESIDENTS OF THIS CITY TO HAVE THEIR SAY AND PAID PARKING IN AUGUST OR NOVEMBER OF 2026. THE FINAL SAY SO IN WHAT OCCURS, SHOULD BE HELD TO A VOTE.

LOCALS HAVE DONE RESEARCH.

WHAT WAS FOUND OUT IS THAT AT VARIOUS TIMES OF THE DAY AND ON RANDOM DAYS.

NOT ONCE DID WE MEET THE 72% THRESHOLD THAT YOU GUYS STATE THAT WE NEED IN ORDER TO MAKE PAID PARKING WORK. WHAT THEN? HOW LARGE WILL THE PREMIUM AREA EXTEND TO, AND WHAT'S STOPPING YOU FROM EXTENDING IT TO THE BEACH? FORCING US TO POTENTIALLY LOSE OUR RENOURISHMENT STATUS WITH THE NAVY, AS STATED ON THE SOCIAL MEDIA OF A LOCAL ESTABLISHMENT ON THIRD STREET, AS RESIDENTS AND TOURISTS ALIKE, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO LEAVE OUR PHONES AT HOME AND UNWIND WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILIES AND NOT WORRY ABOUT A TIME CLOCK.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS RUBY.

NEXT IS MR. MCMORRIS. CAN WE CORRECT FOR THE RECORD THAT THE CITY'S ESTIMATING 52% OCCUPANCY? THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. WE MEET AGAIN. MCMORRIS.

821 PARK VIEW BLAISE INGOGLIA SAID THAT HE'S THE CFO FOR FLORIDA.

HE SAID THAT KEEPING THE PROPERTY TAX MILLAGE RATES THE SAME IS A TAX INCREASE.

I'M WONDERING IF FOUR OF YOU ARE CALLING FLORIDA'S CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER A LIAR.

THE TDC'S 2024 REPORT LISTS ONLY 816,300 OVERNIGHT VISITORS AND 219,500 DAY ONLY VISITORS. THAT'S MUCH LOWER THAN THE NUMBERS YOU ALL HAVE BEEN RECORDED SAYING YOUR PAID PARKING REVENUE PROJECTIONS ARE ALREADY FALLING SHORT.

YOU AND YOUR VERY FEW SUPPORTERS FOR PAID PARKING HAVE SAID IT WAS PAID PARKING REVENUE OR AN INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAXES BY KEEPING THE MILLAGE RATE THE SAME.

YOU HAVE DONE BOTH. WAS THAT BECAUSE YOU KNEW THE PAID PARKING REVENUE WOULD FALL SHORT AND WANTED INCREASED PROPERTY TAXES TO COVER THE SHORTFALL? THE CITY COMMISSIONERS MUST NOW ALLOW CITY VOTERS THE RIGHT TO DECIDE TO CONTINUE WITH A PAID PARKING CONTRACT.

[02:25:02]

AT THIS POINT. IS MALFEASANCE A MISUSE OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS? I AM ASKING YOU TO DO THE RIGHT THING TONIGHT.

ROLL BACK THE MILLAGE RATE TO EQUAL LAST YEAR'S TAX REVENUE.

ADD IT TO THE NEXT COMMISSION MEETING AGENDA TONIGHT, OR CANCEL ALL PAID PARKING NEGOTIATIONS AND PLANS TONIGHT.

PREFERABLY BOTH TONIGHT.

DO THE RIGHT THING, DO THE RIGHT THING TONIGHT, AND I KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO DO THE RIGHT THING.

YOU HAVE TO BE A STRONG PERSON TO DO THE RIGHT THING.

THE RIGHT THING RIGHT NOW IS CANCELING EVERYTHING TO DO WITH PAID PARKING AND ALLOWING THIS COMMUNITY TO HEAL, AND TO ALSO START OFFERING FORGIVENESS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISTER MORRIS.

NEXT WE HAVE MISTER JACK EMBER.

THANK YOU. JACK.

EMBER 1003 BROOME STREET, FERNANDINA BEACH, ON THE 8TH OF OCTOBER NEWS-LEADER. THERE'S A LETTER TO THE EDITOR BY ALAN JONES, AND I JUST WANT TO READ THE HIGHLIGHTED VERSION THAT I GAVE TO YOU ALL.

JUST TO JUST TO REITERATE AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE IT.

POLICE CHIEF MICHAEL KEYS STATED THAT AFTER THREE YEARS OF PAID PARKING IN THEIR COMMUNITY, NEPTUNE BEACH NOW HAS $500,000 IN UNPAID PARKING CITATIONS.

THESE CITATIONS ARE VIRTUALLY UNCOLLECTABLE.

CHIEF KEYS ALSO REPORTED THEIR PAID PARKING SYSTEM IN NEPTUNE BEACH IS DYSFUNCTIONAL.

YOU'VE ALL BEEN IN THE WORLD LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT THE ONE WHO WRITES A CONTRACT BENEFITS THE MOST FROM A CONTRACT.

MAKE NO MISTAKE, PARKING ONE WILL MAKE SURE ALL COST AND MONEY FROM PAID PARKING WILL FULFILL COMPANY NEEDS AND EXPECTATIONS BEFORE OUR CITY SEES A DIME.

THAT'S JUST THE WAY THE WORLD WORKS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. EMBER. NEXT WE HAVE ASHLEY ALEXANDER.

ASHLEY ALEXANDER 1318 FIR.

I AM A RESIDENT OF THE CITY.

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY THAN THAT, I AM A CHRISTIAN, AND THEREFORE I BELIEVE THAT I AM CALLED TO BE THE SALT AND THE LIGHT IN THIS WORLD.

AND THAT MEANS TO POSITIVELY INFLUENCE THE WORLD BY PRESERVING IT FROM CORRUPTION AND ILLUMINATING IT WITH HOPE AND GOODNESS.

SADLY, MONTHS AGO WHEN I WAS HERE IN JULY AND I SPOKE, THAT WAS WHEN WE WERE FIRST HEARING THE PROPOSALS FOR PAID PARKING AND I, AMONG MANY OTHERS WHO ARE HERE TONIGHT, EXPRESSED OUR SERIOUS CONCERNS OVER THE INITIATIVE. YET HERE WE ARE MONTHS LATER, AND YOU'VE CONTINUED TO PUSH IT FORWARD DESPITE THE NUMEROUS EFFORTS OF YOUR CITIZENS TO ENSURE THAT IT DOES NOT MOVE FORWARD.

THANKFULLY, THOUGH, OUR SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT ALLOWED FOR US TO COLLECT VERIFIABLE PETITIONS. THAT HAS BROUGHT THE ORDINANCE TO YOU TONIGHT AND I, LIKE THE OTHERS, ALSO IMPLORE YOU TO ACCEPT THE ORDINANCE SO THAT WE CAN GET THIS OVER WITH AND STOP TALKING ABOUT PAID PARKING.

BUT I DO ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT I FIND THE BLATANT HYPOCRISY THAT THIS COMMISSION EXPRESSED EVEN TONIGHT, WITH OTHER AGENDA ITEMS, TO BE APPALLING. JUST EARLIER TONIGHT, COMMISSIONER MINSHEW EXPRESSED CONCERNS THAT WERE GOING UNADDRESSED AND NOT LISTENED TO.

DOES THAT SOUND FAMILIAR? IT IS HYPOCRITICAL FOR YOU TO IGNORE THE OVER 1700 CITY RESIDENTS THAT HAVE POINTED OUT TO YOU OUR CONCERNS OVER AND OVER AGAIN WITH THE ISSUES WITH PAID PARKING.

YOU ARE NOT LISTENING.

YOU ARE PUSHING THIS FORWARD WITH BLATANT DISREGARD AND DISRESPECT FOR THE CITIZENS AND IT IS BEING NOTICED. I KNOW THE OTHER CITIZENS HAVE EXPRESSED THIS BEFORE AND I WILL ECHO THEM HERE NOW.

WE, THE CITY RESIDENTS ARE NOT UNREASONABLE.

WE ARE WILLING TO CONSIDER ALTERNATIVES AND WORK WITH YOU TO TRULY ADDRESS NECESSARY PROJECTS. BUT THAT SHOULD INCLUDE TALKING ABOUT EXPENDITURE REDUCTIONS, DOING COMMUNITY CENTERED DESIGN, THINKING TO ENVISION WHAT SHOULD BE AND WHY.

AND FINALLY, I ALSO WANT TO EXPRESS A CONCERN WITH WHAT I FEEL HAS BEEN AN ETHICAL CONFLICT WITH A COMMISSIONER THAT HAS NOT RECUSED HIMSELF FROM THE PAID PARKING INITIATIVE ALTOGETHER SINCE THE BEGINNING.

[02:30:02]

PLEASE LISTEN TO YOUR CITIZENS WHO VOTED YOU INTO YOUR ROLES AND CONSIDER WHAT YOU SHOULD DO AS SERVANT LEADERS THAT WILL PRESERVE THE CITY OF FERNANDINA BEACH FROM CORRUPTION AND GREED, AND WILL INSTEAD PROVIDE GUIDANCE AND LIGHT THAT CREATES HOPE FOR OUR CITY MOVING FORWARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS ALEXANDER.

NEXT WE HAVE MISS JULIE FERREIRA.

MY NAME IS JULIE FERREIRA, 501 STATE STREET.

SO MY QUESTION IS, DID THE CITY RESEARCH IF THE AUTOMATIC LICENSE PLATE READER SYSTEM THAT'S GOING TO BE USED BY ONE PARKING COORDINATES WITH THE FLOCK SAFETY PROGRAM? I SENT SOME OF YOU AN EMAIL ASKING THIS QUESTION, SENDING YOU SENDING YOU INFORMATION ABOUT THE FLOCK SAFETY PROGRAM.

I FEEL LIKE THAT WE'RE THE CITY IS NOT DOING DUE DILIGENCE UNLESS WE KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION. TOWNS ACROSS AMERICA ARE CANCELING THEIR CONTRACTS WITH COMPANIES UTILIZING AUTOMATIC LICENSE PLATE READERS.

FLOC HAS COME UNDER FIRE, AS FEDERAL IMMIGRATION AGENCIES HAVE BEGUN TO RELY ON IT TO ENFORCE CRACKDOWNS.

SOME, LIKE THE ACU AND OTHER MUNICIPALITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, ARE ARGUING THAT THIS KIND OF DATA COLLECTION VIOLATES BOTH STATE AND LOCAL LAWS.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT WOULD VIOLATE OUR LOCAL LAWS.

FLOC PITCHES THAT THEY'RE COLLECTED INFORMATION TO LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT THEY ARE COLLECTING VEHICLE FOOTPRINT FINGERPRINTS.

SORRY. NOT FOOTPRINTS.

EVANSTON, ILLINOIS SENT A CEASE AND DESIST TO FLOC UPON DISCOVERING THAT INSTALLED PARKING UNITS PROVIDE MUCH MORE INFORMATION ABOUT VEHICLES THAN WHAT LOCAL POLICE CAN SEE WHEN THEY RUN LICENSE PLATES.

OTHER MUNICIPALITIES HAVE ALSO CUT TIES WITH FLOCK ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

ONE VIRGINIA MAN, AFTER INVESTIGATING THE COMPANY, FOUND THAT HE PERSONALLY HAD BEEN TRACKED 526 TIMES IN FOUR MONTHS.

NOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TRACKED MEANS, BUT 526 TIMES SOUNDS LIKE A LOT.

THIS CITY SHOULD NOT BE UTILIZING ANY COMPANY THAT SHARES INFORMATION WITH FLOCK SYSTEMS AND CREATES VEHICLE FOOTPRINTS.

ONE PARKING SHOULD BE VETTED ON THIS ISSUE AND IF THEY DO SHARE WITH FLOCK, THEN THE CITY SHOULD WALK AWAY.

I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT AS AN INDIVIDUAL, I HAVE TWO CARS.

THEY'RE BOTH OLDER AND THEY WILL BE USED INTERCHANGEABLY IF ONE BREAKS DOWN.

SO I'M INCENSED THAT DISCUSSED AT THE LAST MEETING TWO WEEKS AGO, THAT A CITY HOUSEHOLD WILL ONLY GET ONE CAR PERMIT IF YOU DECIDE TO MOVE FORWARD, THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED IN WAYS THAT DON'T IMPACT CITY TAXPAYERS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS FERREIRA.

NEXT WE HAVE MISS ANDREA LEE.

GOOD EVENING, ANDREA LEE, 203 SOUTH 18TH STREET, FERNANDINA BEACH. I WANTED TO REMIND YOU WHAT A PUBLIC SERVANT IS.

MY DAD WAS A PUBLIC SERVANT FOR OUR TOWN AND FOR OUR COUNTY, FOR HIS ENTIRE. MY ENTIRE CHILDHOOD AND ADULT LIFE.

IT'S A LOT. IT'S HARD.

I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT THE DEFINITION OF IT IS TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY'S INTEREST AND TO UPHOLD PUBLIC INTEREST.

WHAT I'VE NOTICED FROM COMING TO THESE MEETINGS IS THAT MANY OF YOU HAVE YOUR OWN AGENDAS. WHILE IN TERM THINGS THAT YOU WANT TO GET DONE WELL, AND WE ELECTED YOU TO SERVE US.

IT'S NOT YOUR MONEY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT NEEDS TO GO WHERE ITS CITIZENS, TAXPAYER DOLLARS THAT YOU'RE SPENDING.

SO I ASK, AND I KNOW YOU HAVE A LOT OF CHALLENGES.

I'VE HEARD ALL THE CHALLENGES, ALL THE CRUMBLING STRUCTURES, AND YOU CAN SEE THEM DOWNTOWN.

WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, OBLIVIOUS TO ALL THE THINGS THAT WE NEED MONEY FOR.

BUT YOU CAN LOOK AT CHALLENGES AS EITHER AN OBSTACLE AND EVERYONE STARTS FIGHTING WITH EACH OTHER LIKE WE HAVE BEEN.

OR YOU CAN LOOK AT IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD BRIDGES WITH THE TDC, WITH MAIN STREET, WITH LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS, WITH THE CITIZENS THAT WANT TO COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS.

WE JUST DON'T LIKE THE PAID PARKING AS A SOLUTION.

[02:35:04]

SO I ASK YOU TO ADOPT THE NO PAID PARKING INITIATIVE TONIGHT AND TO WORK TOGETHER AND LET'S MOVE FORWARD AND MAKE THIS CITY GREAT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS LEE.

NEXT IS MR. ROGER MARTIN.

ROGER MARTIN, 1517 ATLANTIC AVENUE.

AT THE LAST CITY COMMISSION MEETING, I TALKED ABOUT THE VIOLATION OF CODE OF ETHICS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO EXPAND ON THAT.

THE CODE OF ETHICS FOR PUBLIC.

CHAPTER 112, PART THREE OF THE FLORIDA STATUTE IS THE CODE OF ETHICS OF PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES.

AND YOU PREVENT YOU FROM ACTING IN YOUR OWN FINANCIAL INTEREST RATHER THAN IN THE INTEREST OF THE CITIZENS WHO ELECTED YOU.

I BELIEVE IF YOU OWN COMMERCIAL PROPERTY WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS, THAT THAT WOULD CERTAINLY BE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST WHEN YOU'VE ONLY GIVEN US THE ONLY ALTERNATIVE IS TO RAISE TAXES.

I WOULD ALSO SAY IT'S A CODE OF ETHICS VIOLATION IF YOU CAMPAIGNED ON PROMISES OF NOT PAID PARKING. SO THAT WOULD ELIMINATE FOUR OF YOU TO ABSTAIN FROM VOTING FOR ANYTHING? NO. WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, SIR, I NEVER CAMPAIGNED ON SAYING.

I DIDN'T SAY YOU. I DIDN'T MENTION ANYONE'S NAME.

YOU SAID FOUR, I, FOUR OF YOU.

IF YOU LET ME FINISH MY SENTENCE AND YOU'LL TAKE SOME OF MY TIME. I SAID THAT WOULD TAKE FOUR OF YOU FROM ABSTAINING TO FURTHER ADVANCE PAID PARKING.

THAT WOULD LEAVE ONLY COMMISSIONER ASKEW TO VOTE, WHICH HE HAS REPEATEDLY, REPEATEDLY SAID THAT HIS POSITION IS TO SERVE THE CITIZENS. I'M DONE.

THANK YOU, MR. MARTIN. AND LASTLY, WE HAVE MR. PAUL LAWRIE.

11 SOUTH SEVENTH STREET, FERNANDINA BEACH, FLORIDA.

TONIGHT IS NOT ABOUT WHETHER THE COMMISSIONERS, MYSELF OR ANYONE HERE IS AGAINST PAID PARKING.

TONIGHT IS ABOUT A CITIZEN ORDINANCE BROUGHT BEFORE THE CITY, AN ORDINANCE DESIGNED TO REMAIN LIVING IN OUR CITY AND OUR CITY.

CHARTER AND ORDINANCE DESIGNATED TO LET THE CITIZENS VOTE ON A SIGNIFICANT POLICY CHANGE, NOT U5. THIS PROPOSED ORDINANCE IS BUILT TO CREATE A COMMUNITY CONVERSATION.

INSTEAD OF BEING LED BY ANY CITY MANAGER OR ANY FIVE REVOLVING TEMPORARY SITTING COMMISSIONERS. AND I MEAN NO DISRESPECT FOR THAT, BUT I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF CONFIDENCE IN THE COUNCIL MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT.

IT'S A REVOLVING DOOR OF AGENDAS, ENDERS PERIOD TONIGHT IS GIVEN A COMMUNITY A VOICE FOR TODAY, FOR TOMORROW AND INTO THE FUTURE BY THE ORDINANCE.

IT'S REALLY SO SIMPLE ABOUT THIS ORDINANCE.

IT TAKES AWAY THAT BICKERING AND LETS THE CITIZENS DECIDE.

AND I GET THAT. YOU HAVE SAID OVER AND OVER AGAIN, YOU HAVE VOTED ME IN AND I SHOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE THESE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES.

WELL, SOME OF YOU HAVE BEEN VOTED IN ON WRITING THAT VERY THIN LINE OF WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN AND WHAT YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN, AND IT'S VERY MISLEADING, VERY MISLEADING. I CAN TELL YOU PERSONALLY, AND I'LL THROW MYSELF UNDER THE BUS WHEN YOU HEAR SOMEBODY BRINGING PAID PARKING INTO A CONVERSATION, IT'S LEADING THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ADVOCATES FOR THAT.

60 THREE YEARS NOW, I, I WILL BE LIVING IN THIS WORLD.

AND THERE ARE SOME OF YOU IN THIS COMMISSION THAT HAVE TURNED ME SO OFF ON POLITICS, BECAUSE TO HAVE TO LISTEN TO EACH WORD IN 2024 AND TO SEE WHERE WE'RE SITTING AT TO NOW, NOW IS JUST SO DISHEARTENING, SO DISHEARTENING, BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU IT WAS MISLEADING.

AND I COULD TELL IT'S SENSITIVE BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY JUST HAD SOMEBODY SPEAK OUT.

YOU JUST REALLY RODE THAT LINE AND THAT'S A SHAME.

BUT IF YOU ARE JUST HAVE ALLOWED THIS ORDINANCE OR FOR THE PEOPLE TO VOTE ON THIS SIGNIFICANT CHANGE, IT WOULDN'T HAVE MATTERED ABOUT YOU.

IF 3000 PEOPLE COME TO THE POLLS IN 2026, AND 2500 CITIZENS IN THIS CITY SAY WE WANT PAID PARKING. YOU KNOW WHAT? IT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING. JUST LIKE OUR CHIEF OF OFFICE.

IT'S A SHIFT OF POWER.

PAID PARKING. IT IS. THE CITIZENS HAVE SPOKEN.

[02:40:03]

BUT TO LEAVE PAID PARKING TO YOU ALL WITH AN AGENDA.

YOU CAME HERE WITH AN AGENDA.

I'LL END WITH THIS. IN SEPTEMBER, THERE WERE A LOT OF NO PAID PARKING STATEMENTS IN NOVEMBER.

SOME PEOPLE WERE ELECTED IN NOVEMBER.

THANK YOU, MR. MURRAY. PAID PARKING.

CAME UP ON THE PLANNING ADVISORY BOARD.

AND NOW HERE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT PAID PARKING.

LET THE VOTE. THE THE PEOPLE SPEAK.

IT'S SIMPLE. THANK YOU, MR. LOWRY. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE OUR SPEAKERS.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION FOR STAFF ON THIS ITEM? I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS, BUT, VICE MAYOR, PROCEDURALLY SPEAKING, I'M GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A STATEMENT, OR CERTAINLY.

AND THEN WE'LL TAKE OUR VOTE. WELL, I WANT TO I MEAN, I WANT TO I WANT TO LAY OUT THE THE PROCEDURE THAT HERE.

SO, YOU KNOW, MR. PRINCE, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG BEFORE US, WE CAN TAKE, YOU KNOW, THE ACTION OF ADOPTING IT AT FIRST READING.

AND IF WE DO THAT, THEN WE'D GO TO A SECOND READING.

IF WE CHOOSE NOT TO ADOPT TONIGHT IT WILL NOT GO TO A SECOND READING.

AND THEN AT SOME POINT, AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE WE, WE AS A COMMISSION WILL HAVE TO DECIDE THAT THIS WILL BE AN ELECTION.

AND WHEN THAT ELECTION IS AND THE THREE OPTIONS ARE, IT COULD BE A SPECIAL ELECTION, BUT IT CAN'T BE MORE WITHIN 90 DAYS.

AM I CORRECT ON THAT IN THE RIGHT OR LESS THAN 90 DAYS? I'M SORRY. IT CANNOT BE.

IT HAS TO BE 90 DAYS FROM THE DATE THAT THE INITIATIVE WAS CERTIFIED.

SO WE WILL PROBABLY EASILY FALL WITHIN THAT.

BUT OKAY. AND THEN OR OBVIOUSLY WE COULD PUT IT ON THE PRIMARY AGENDA, THE PRIMARY ELECTION IF WE CHOSE.

OR WE COULD PUT ONE ON IN THE NOVEMBER ELECTION AS WELL.

THAT IS CORRECT. OKAY.

AND SO THEN FURTHERMORE, THOUGH, IT'S IT'S THE CITY'S POSITION THAT WHENEVER THIS DOES GO TO THE BALLOT BECAUSE IT WILL GO TO THE BALLOT, THAT IT WOULD NOT BE IF THE CITIZENS WERE TO SAY, WE DON'T WANT PAID PARKING PER THIS ORDINANCE, THAT IT WOULD NOT BE RETROACTIVE.

IF THE INITIATIVE WAS ADOPTED, BECAME AN ORDINANCE, THEN IT IS NOT RETROACTIVE.

TYPE OF LEGISLATION WOULD NOT BE RETROACTIVE.

OKAY, IN MY OPINION, AS IT STANDS.

RIGHT. OKAY, SO BUT THEN ALSO IN THE IN THE IN THE THE CHARTER, IT STATES THAT EVEN IF THIS WERE TO PASS, 4/5 OF THE COMMISSION COULD UNDO THIS ORDINANCE. CORRECT? CORRECT.

PURSUANT TO OUR CHARTER SECTION, WHAT IS BEING VOTED UPON? THE INITIATIVE IS AN ORDINANCE IS AN ORDINANCE THAT IF IT WAS APPROVED BY THE VOTERS, WOULD BECOME. LEGISLATION LIKE ANY OTHER ORDINANCE.

THAT'S WHAT IT'S REFERRED TO IN THE CHARTER.

AND YES, THE CHARTER ALSO PROVIDES IN SECTION 141 F THAT ONCE THAT ORDINANCE IS CONSIDERED ADOPTED BECAUSE IT WAS APPROVED, THAT 4/5 OF THE COMMISSION COULD OVERTURN IT.

CORRECT. LIKE ANY WELL, THERE'S A SUPERMAJORITY OF THE 4/5.

SO IT'S A LITTLE MORE UNUSUAL THAN ANY OTHER ORDINANCE.

BUT YES. OKAY. JEREMIAH, CAN YOU PULL UP THE THE, THE TABLE FOR ME? AND I'LL STATE THIS.

YOU KNOW, I OBVIOUSLY FOR THIS, THIS ORDINANCE AND, YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR IT. OBVIOUSLY I'VE, I'VE BEEN PUSHING AND I THINK PAUL KIND OF SUMMED IT UP CORRECTLY.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOTTEN TO A POINT FOUR PAID PARKING, PAID PARKING. HOWEVER THAT WORKS, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, BUT I'VE BEEN AN ADVOCATE FROM THE BEGINNING.

LET THEM VOTE. LET THE PEOPLE VOTE.

LET THEM HAVE THEIR VOTE, RIGHT? I MEAN, I'M NOT TRYING TO POINT FINGERS OR ANYTHING ELSE LIKE THAT, BUT, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS SUBJECT THAT THESE PEOPLE NEED TO VOTE ON THIS.

THEY NEED TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO VOTE ON THIS.

HERE'S HERE'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE DONE, JEREMIAH. TAKE THAT HOURLY RATE AND GO TO 250.

WHICH IS A CHANGE OF ABOUT $500,000, 600, $600,000.

WE CAN HOLD A SPECIAL ELECTION WHENEVER WE WANT ON THIS ISSUE, AND IT'S ABOUT $40,000.

LET'S JUST SAY IT'S 60.

OKAY. IF WHAT I'M HEARING COMING OUT OF CITY HALL IS THAT THIS RIGHT HERE IS JUST A VOCAL MINORITY, AND THAT THERE'S A MAJORITY THAT'S OUT THERE.

I DON'T THINK THEY'RE WRINGING THEIR HANDS OVER $2 OR $2.50.

THIS COMMISSION HAS A CHANCE TO HAVE A MANDATE.

YOU COULD PUT THIS OUT TO A VOTE BEFORE YOU GET INTO A CONTRACT WITH ANYBODY AND GET YOUR MANDATE, AND THEN YOU CAN CREATE ANY KIND OF REVENUE THAT YOU WANT AND COVER THE COST OF A

[02:45:01]

40 OR $60,000 SPECIAL ELECTION COMING UP HERE IN JANUARY OR FEBRUARY.

AND, I MEAN, I WOULD JUST CHALLENGE US TO SAY, BEFORE WE GET DOWN THE ROAD OF PUTTING ANY KIND OF SIGNS IN THERE, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO PUT THIS TO A VOTE BEFORE BEFORE WE DO ANYTHING ELSE.

AND YOU CAN MAKE IT UP WITHOUT A PROBLEM IF THERE IS A SILENT MAJORITY OUT THERE.

THEY'RE NOT WRINGING THEIR HANDS OVER $2 OVER $0.50.

YOU COULD EVEN GO DOWN TO 225 IF YOU WANTED TO.

I'M SURE, JEREMIAH. I MEAN, CAN WE SEE IT? I MEAN, THAT'S GOING TO COVER THE COST OF THE ELECTION.

IF THIS COMMISSION IS SO CERTAIN THAT THIS IS A THIS IS A VOCAL MINORITY, THEN WHY DON'T WE JUST PUT IT TO THE TEST SOONER THAN LATER? WHY ARE WE GOING TO WAIT TILL AUGUST? WHY ARE WE GOING TO WAIT TILL NOVEMBER? WHY DON'T WE FIND OUT RIGHT NOW.

THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR. MR. MAYOR, IF I MAY IF YOU WERE TO DECIDE ON A SPECIAL ELECTION, YOU KNOW, OTHER THAN THE TWO THAT ARE EXISTING IN AUGUST OR THE NOVEMBER DATES WHERE MISS BEST CLEARLY KNOWS THE DEADLINES FOR FOR SUBMITTING THE INFORMATION YOU WE WOULD HAVE TO EXPLORE MISS BEST AND I WITH THE SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS.

ACTUALLY, THERE'S ONE THING OF WHEN THE CHARTER SAYS WE CAN DO IT, BUT THERE WOULD BE A COORDINATION EFFORT AND THERE WOULD BE A COST. YOU ARE CORRECT.

I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLEAR.

THE DATE WOULD HAVE TO BE DETERMINED BASED ON DEADLINES AND WHAT THE SUPERVISOR WOULD REQUIRE OF US. AND DOES THAT SOUND CORRECT? MISS BEST. THANK YOU. AND JUST TO FURTHER CLARIFY, IF IT WERE TO GO TO EITHER THE AUGUST ELECTION OR SOONER, THERE WOULD POTENTIALLY BE NO COST INCREASE IF WE WENT LATER.

THAT IS WHEN WE DO INCREASE.

IS THAT RIGHT? THE AUGUST OR NOVEMBER DOES NOT PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL COST.

IF WE DID A SPECIAL ELECTION, THERE WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL COST.

SO EARLIER IS WHAT CAUSES IT.

THANK YOU. I HAVE NO OTHER REQUESTS TO SPEAK FROM THE COMMISSION.

DO I HAVE A MOTION? MOVE TO APPROVE.

I HAVE A MOTION. DO I HAVE A SECOND? THAT MOTION DIES FOR LACK OF A SECOND.

SO, FOR THE FOLKS IN THE AUDIENCE, WHAT THAT TELLS YOU IS THIS WILL GO TO THE BALLOT. AND ULTIMATELY, THERE IS NO FURTHER MOTION AT THIS TIME.

AND FOLKS, I UNDERSTAND YOUR OPINIONS.

PLEASE STOP COMMENTING FROM THE AUDIENCE OR WE WILL RECESS.

NO YOU DON'T. WE'LL TAKE A FIVE MINUTE RECESS.

OFFICER STURGIS. THE MICS ARE LIVE AGAIN.

THANK YOU, MISS BASS. AND, FOLKS, WE WILL RECONVENE OUR OCTOBER 21ST MEETING. MOVING ALONG TO ITEM 8.2, WE HAVE A CODE AMENDMENT FOR A BUDGET

[8.2 CODE AMENDMENT - BUDGET TRANSFER AUTHORITY - ORDINANCE 2025-12 AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES BY AMENDING CHAPTER 2, ADMINISTRATION, ARTICLE VII, FINANCE BY AMENDING SECTION 2-412, BUDGET AMENDMENTS/TRANSFER OF FUNDS TO INCREASE THE CITY MANAGER’S BUDGET TRANSFER AUTHORITY FROM $25,000 FOR INTERDEPARTMENTAL TRANSFERS AND $15,000 FOR DIVISION TRANSFERS TO $50,000 FOR ALL TRANSFERS; AMENDING SECTION 2-426 EXCEPTIONS AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO APPROVE CHANGE ORDERS FOR CONTRACTS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED THE LESSER OF TEN PERCENT OF THE TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OR $250,000 IF BUDGETED; AUTHORIZING ADMINISTRATIVE CORRECTIONS OF SCRIVENER’S ERRORS; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. Synopsis: Approves increasing the City Manager's spending authority for budget transfers and change orders.]

TRANSFER AUTHORITY. MISS CAMPBELL, TAKE US AWAY.

THANK YOU. MAYOR. THIS IS A FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE 20 2512, WHICH WOULD AMEND THE PURCHASING AUTHORITY OF ME.

BASICALLY, THIS WAS ANOTHER EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENT THAT WE IDENTIFIED EARLIER THIS YEAR. BEFORE I ARRIVED, THE MANAGER'S PURCHASING AUTHORITY WAS RAISED TO $50,000. HOWEVER, THE MANAGER'S TRANSFER AUTHORITY IS SET IN THE CODE, AND THAT'S LIMITED TO $25,000.

SO WHAT THIS ORDINANCE WOULD DO WOULD BRING THOSE INTO ALIGNMENT.

MY PURCHASING AUTHORITY AND MY TRANSFER AUTHORITY WOULD BE $50,000.

IN ADDITION THERE IS NO CURRENTLY ANY CHANGE ORDER PROVISION.

THIS WOULD GIVE THE MANAGER THE ABILITY TO EXECUTE CHANGE ORDERS UP TO 10% OF THE TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT, OR $250,000, WHICHEVER IS LESS.

PROVIDING THAT THE CHANGE ORDER HAS BEEN BUDGETED.

IN ADDITION ATTORNEY PRINCE HAS A RECOMMENDED ADJUSTMENT TO THE DRAFT ORDINANCE TO BRING IT INTO COMPLIANCE WITH OUR CHARTER.

ADDING SOME LANGUAGE BACK IN.

AND SO I'M GOING TO TURN THAT TO HER FOR THE FIRST READING AND THAT THAT RECOMMENDATION OF AN AMENDMENT. THANK YOU.

ORDINANCE 2025 DASH 12, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF FERNANDINA BEACH, FLORIDA, AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES BY AMENDING CHAPTER TWO ADMINISTRATION ARTICLE SEVEN FINANCE BY AMENDING SECTION 2-4 12 BUDGET AMENDMENTS. TRANSFERS OF FUNDS TO INCREASE THE CITY MANAGER'S BUDGET TRANSFER AUTHORITY FROM 25,000 FOR INTERDEPARTMENTAL TRANSFERS AND 15,000 FOR DIVISION TRANSFERS TO 50,000 FOR ALL TRANSFERS.

AMENDING SECTION 2426 EXCEPTIONS, AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO APPROVE CHANGE ORDERS FOR CONTRACTS AND AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED THE LESSER OF 10% OF THE TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT, OR $250,000 IF BUDGETED, AUTHORIZING ADMINISTRATIVE CORRECTIONS OF SCRIVENER'S ERRORS, PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY, AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

AND MR. MAYOR, IF I MAY IF JEREMIAH GLISSON HAS UP THE ORDINANCE, IF YOU WOULD SCROLL DOWN, MR. WILSON. THANK YOU. AND KEEP SCROLLING DOWN TO THE SECTION.

[02:50:06]

YES. OKAY. IT'S KIND OF HARD TO READ.

I DID PASS IT OUT TO EACH OF YOU.

WE STRUCK LANGUAGE THAT WAS SPECIFIC TO WITHIN THE SAME DEPARTMENT OR OR SAME DIVISION AND AMOUNT. SO THOSE THE WORDS THAT WERE STRICKEN WERE ACTUALLY IN THE CHARTER AS WELL. CAN YOU SWITCH OVER TO THE CHARTER? MR.. AND I HANDED THIS ORDINANCE OUT TO EACH OF YOU.

I HAVE SOME EXTRA COPIES IF ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE WANTS TO SEE IT.

BUT THE LANGUAGE THAT WE STRUCK THAT SAID OR SAME DIVISION.

VISION. AND SAME DEPARTMENT IS CLEARLY IN YOUR CHARTER 74 AGAIN A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO READ BUT BUT YOU CAN SEE IT UP THERE.

IT SAYS WITHIN SAME DEPARTMENT OR DIVISION.

SO ALL I'VE DONE IS IF YOU COULD SWITCH BACK, MR. GLEASON. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HELPING ME WITH THIS HE'S.

AND IF YOU DO WISH TO APPROVE THIS TONIGHT, I WOULD ASK YOU TO APPROVE IT WITH THESE CHANGES THAT ARE REFLECTED ON THE SCREEN THAT WOULD PUT THE LANGUAGE BACK IN ABOUT THE SAME DEPARTMENT OR SAME DIVISION.

IT DOESN'T CHANGE ANY OF THE NUMBERS AND IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE TITLE.

IT WOULD STILL BE THE $50,000.

BUT THAT'S THE BASIS FOR ASKING FOR THAT CHANGE IF YOU APPROVE IT ON FIRST READING.

THANK YOU, MISS PRINCE.

AND I DO HAVE ONE SPEAKER CARD AS WELL, NOT ME.

OKAY. OH, THAT WAS THE LAST ITEM.

DO I HAVE ANY COMMISSIONER QUESTIONS FOR MISS CAMPBELL OR MISS PRINCE? I WOULD JUST SAY THAT THIS THIS WHAT SEEMS LIKE NOT A REALLY BIG CHANGE WILL ACTUALLY REDUCE THE TIME ON MANY PROJECTS BY WEEKS BECAUSE OF OR EVEN MONTHS BECAUSE WE HAVE OFTEN HAD TO GO FROM MEETING TO MEETING TO MEETING TO JUST MAKE MINOR CHANGES.

AND SO THIS IS THIS IS A BIG HELP TO THE STAFF, AND IT SHOULD IMPROVE OUR ABILITY TO GET THINGS DONE FASTER, QUICKER, SMARTER. SO I AM IN FAVOR OF IT.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER, AND I'LL SECOND THAT COMMENT.

MY ONE SPEAKER REQUEST HERE FOR THIS ITEM.

AND I DO HAVE AN NO AGENDA TIED TO IT.

SO I'LL TAKE OUR OTHER SPEAKER AS WELL. BUT FIRST WILL BE MISS SANDY CAREY.

SO I WAS JUST LOOKING THROUGH THE CHARTER, AND I THINK A CHARTER AMENDMENT IS PRETTY IMPORTANT. I DON'T THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN JUST DO IN A COUNCIL MEETING AND AS A RESOLUTION NOT DOING THAT.

OH, I'M JUST I'M JUST MAKING A GENERAL STATEMENT AND PUT MY TIME BACK, PLEASE. ANYWAY MY CONCERN IS THE CODE SECTION 2412, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, BROUGHT FORWARD THROUGH THE CODE THE CITY CHARTER, SECTION 74 GIVES THE MANAGER THE AMOUNT OF MONEY TO, TO MOVE MONEY AND PER YOUR RESOLUTIONS IN 2015, IS THE ONLY THING I COULD FIND WHICH KEEPS IT AT $7,500.

THAT WAS 2015 87 DASH 87 RESOLUTION AND 20 1588.

SO THE OTHER PLACE ONLY THAT I FOUND IT DOESN'T MENTION ANYWHERE THERE BEING AN INCREASE TO $25,000 FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO MOVE FUNDS EITHER BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS AND OR DEPARTMENTALLY, OR BY OR THROUGH DIVISION.

THE ONLY PLACE IT MENTIONS IT, WHICH IS NOT YOU KNOW, AN ORDINANCE. THE IT STATES THAT IN A CITY PUBLICATION, THE THE CITY'S MOST RECENT PUBLISHED FINANCIAL REPORT, THE ANNUAL FINANCIAL STATEMENT STATES THE CITY MANAGER IS AUTHORIZED TO TRANSFER UNENCUMBERED APPROPRIATIONS AMONG PROGRAMS WITH A DEPARTMENT OF UP TO $25,000, AND MAY TRANSFER BETWEEN DIVISIONS OF UP TO $15,000.

THERE IS A CURRENT LIMIT, THOUGH. AS I SAID, UNDER THE 1985 TWO RESOLUTIONS OF $7,500.

SO MY QUESTION IS WHERE IS THE AUTHORIZATION BY ORDINANCE CURRENTLY FOR $25,000? IT'S. OH, SORRY. THANK YOU.

SO PUBLIC COMMENT IS NOT DESIGNED TO SOLICIT QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION, BUT IF THE CITY ATTORNEY WISHES TO ANSWER, YOU MAY FEEL FREE TO DO SO, MISS CARRIE. IT IS IN THE CURRENT.

IT'S IN THE CURRENT CODE OF ORDINANCES.

SECTION FOUR. WHICH ORDINANCE? IT'S SECTION FOUR. DASH TWO.

DASH 412 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES.

IT'S GO TO IT SAYS IF IT'S OVER $7,500, YOU HAVE TO PASS AN ORDINANCE OR RESOLUTION, WHICH YOU DID IN 2015, WHERE YOU EXTENDED APPROPRIATION FOR MORE THAN $7,500. BUT THERE'S NO ORDINANCE OR RESOLUTION WHERE YOU EXTENDED IT TO 25.

YOU'RE NOT GIVING ME A $25,000 FIGURE OF ANY ORDINANCE.

[02:55:04]

ORDINANCE 2024 DASH 18 IS INCLUDED IN THE PACKET TONIGHT, AND THAT WAS ADOPTED BY THE CITY COMMISSION, INCREASING THE MANAGER SPENDING AUTHORITY UP TO $50,000, AND THAT YOU'RE GOING FROM 25 TO 50 TONIGHT.

NO, MA'AM. THIS IS ON TRANSFERS, NOT ON PURCHASES.

WELL, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE MONEY IN THE BUDGET. YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO AMEND. THE BUDGET IS GIVEN TO YOU FOR YOUR CITY CHARTER, AND IT SAYS YOU CAN ONLY DO THAT UP TO $7,500, EXCEPT FOR WHEN YOU CHANGED IT IN 2015 TO GO BEYOND THAT.

I MEAN, I'M JUST MAYBE, MAYBE.

CAN YOU READ THAT ORDINANCE THAT'S THE CITY OPERATES IS WE HAVE A CODE OF ORDINANCES THAT ONCE THEY'RE ADOPTED, THEY BECOME SECTIONS OF YOUR CODE.

OKAY. IT'S NOT JUST THE ORDINANCE.

AND THE ORDINANCE AS IT READS NOW, CLEARLY IS SECTION TWO FOR 12.

AND RIGHT NOW, IT GIVES THE AMOUNT OF 25,000 FOR A TRANSFER OF FUNDS AND ANOTHER, ANOTHER LIMIT OF 15,000 IF IT'S WITHIN THE SAME DIVISION.

THIS ORDINANCE THAT YOU'RE CONSIDERING TONIGHT, COMMISSIONERS WOULD ALLOW THE 50,000 WITHIN THE SAME DEPARTMENT OR SAME DIVISION.

SO YOU WILL GO TO 50,000 FROM 25,000 ON ONE ITEM AND 15,000 ON THE OTHER ITEM.

THE CHARTER IS VERY CLEAR THAT WE HAVE TO ADOPT IT BY ORDINANCE, AND WE ARE ADOPTING IT BY ORDINANCE 2020 2025 DASH 12.

TONIGHT, YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO IT AND IT'S BEING DONE APPROPRIATELY.

SO WHAT IS THE 2024 ORDINANCE? THANK YOU, MISS KERRY.

THIS COMMISSION IS NOT TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. OUR OTHER SPEAKER, ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT FOR THIS AGENDA ITEM, IT WAS A THANK YOU, MR. PAUL NOLAN. PAUL NOLAN 4167 SOUTH FLETCHER AVENUE.

THINGS HAVE BEEN PRETTY HEAVY THE LAST FEW MONTHS.

BUT I HAVE I WANT TO PERSONALLY, AS THE SON OF A WOMAN WHO PASSED AWAY FROM BREAST CANCER AND PROFESSIONALLY AS A FORMER ONCOLOGY NURSE.

THANK EVERYBODY FOR WEARING PINK.

I PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY APPRECIATE IT.

THANKS. THANK YOU, MR. NOLAN. ARE THERE. MISS FERREIRA, WOULD YOU MIND FILLING OUT A SPEAKER CARD AND COMING UP? YEAH. THANK YOU.

I DON'T REMEMBER THE DATE.

FIRST. SO I UNDERSTAND THAT BUDGET IS LIKE A CAVEAT IN THIS IN THIS ORDINANCE OR WHATEVER, BUT I THINK THAT.

I THINK THE CITY COMMISSION SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE IN CASES OF COST OVERRUNS AND EXPENDITURES. $250,000 IS A LOT OF MONEY.

I THINK THAT IF IT WAS BROUGHT BEFORE THE PUBLIC, I MEAN, I THINK OF HOW MANY COST OVERRUNS THAT THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DOWN BY THE AIRPORT OR THE AIRPORT HAD.

LIKE A LOT, A LOT, A LOT, A LOT, A LOT.

AND IT JUST SEEMS LIKE IF WE COULD DO THIS SO THAT I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE ON ONE PERSON'S HEAD TO SAY THAT IT'S OKAY JUST BECAUSE THERE'S SOME MONEY LAYING AROUND THAT YOU CAN INCREASE UP TO $250,000.

I THINK THAT SHOULD BE A PUBLIC DISCUSSION IN YOU KNOW, FASTER, QUICKER, SMARTER.

ALL THAT'S GOOD, BUT PUBLIC INPUT IS REALLY GOOD.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS FERREIRA.

DO I HAVE ANY COMMISSIONER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF, COMMISSIONER MINSHEW AND THEN COMMISSIONER? I WOULD JUST SAY THAT SECTION D IS CHANGED TO SAY UNDER THE CHANGE ORDERS, THAT PROVIDING THAT FUNDING FOR THE CHANGE ORDER HAS BEEN BUDGETED.

I THINK IN MANY CONTRACTS WE HAVE CONTINGENCY PLANS, CONTINGENCY FUNDS, WHICH ARE USED PRIMARILY TO MANAGE CHANGE ORDERS.

SO I THINK THAT THE WORDING IN THIS PROPOSED ORDINANCE MORE THAN COVERS THE ABILITY OF THINGS, OF THINGS TO GET HANDLED WITHIN BUDGETED DOLLARS.

THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER. COMMISSIONER. AND I ALSO WANT TO ADDRESS THAT.

I ASKED THE SAME QUESTION.

AND WE TALKED ABOUT HOW THE NEW THE NEW ORDINANCES WE'VE BEEN WE ARE SEEING AT OUR DIRECTION ADD A NOTE ABOUT CORRECTING FOR SCRIVENER'S ERRORS AUTOMATICALLY WITHOUT HAVING TO COME BACK TO US AGAIN.

[03:00:01]

AND THAT ORDINANCES THAT, THAT RESOLUTIONS THAT WE'RE PASSING REGARDING EXPENDITURES, LARGE EXPENDITURES, THEY WILL WE WILL HAVE TO APPROVE THAT, THAT THERE MIGHT BE AS MUCH AS A $250,000 OR 10% AS A IS AT 10%.

IT'S 10% OR OR 250,000, WHICHEVER IS LESS.

AND AND IT WOULD BE IN WRITTEN IN WHATEVER WE'RE APPROVING ALREADY AHEAD OF TIME THAT WE WOULD INCLUDE THAT IN THE RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE CONTRACT.

YES. IT'S PART OF THE CONTRACT.

SO IT IS AN APPROVED BUDGET.

SO IT'S NOT JUST A CITY MANAGER.

WE WOULD BE APPROVING IT.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. I SEE NO OTHER COMMISSIONER REQUEST TO SPEAK.

DO I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED.

I MOVED TO APPROVE ORDINANCE 2025 DASH 12.

AS WITH THE UPDATED, HIGHLIGHTED ITEMS PROVIDED BY THE CITY ATTORNEY AT TONIGHT'S MEETING. SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ANY COMMISSIONER DISCUSSION.

SEEING NONE. MISS BASS, PLEASE START THE VOTE. STARTS RIGHT BACK.

YES. HE LET HIMSELF TIME OUT.

HE LET HIMSELF. THAT MOTION PASSES FIVE ZERO, WHICH WILL TAKE US TO ITEM NINE.

OUR BOARD APPOINTMENTS FOR OUR GENERAL EMPLOYEES PENSION PLAN.

[9.1 GENERAL EMPLOYEES' PENSION PLAN — One reappointment (5th Trustee Steven Gibb).]

MISS CAMPBELL. THANK YOU.

MAYOR. THE GENERAL EMPLOYEES PENSION PLAN IS MADE UP OF FIVE INDIVIDUALS.

TWO WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THE PLAN.

EMPLOYEE TRUSTEES TO OUR RESIDENT TRUSTEES APPOINTED BY THE COMMISSION.

AND THE FIFTH TRUSTEE IS APPOINTED, APPOINTED JOINTLY BY BOTH THE MEMBERS AND THE RESIDENT TRUSTEES. SO THIS IS THE RENEWAL OF MR. STEVEN GIBB'S TERM. HE IS THE FIFTH APPOINTEE.

SO THIS WAS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BY THE PENSION PLAN.

IT WOULD NOW BE APPROVED BY THE COMMISSION.

SO MOVED. SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ANY COMMISSIONER DISCUSSION. SEEING NONE.

MISS BASS, PLEASE START THE VOTE. THAT MOTION PASSES FIVE ZERO, WHICH TAKES US ON TO OUR DISCUSSION ITEM FOR 10.1, OUR CHARTER OFFICER PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS.

[10.1 CHARTER OFFICER PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS - This item is placed on the agenda in accordance with Charter Section17(c): the Mayor ensures that every Commissioner completes an annual performance evaluation for each Charter Officer.]

SO I DON'T YEAH, I'M HAPPY TO KICK IT OFF.

FIRST OF ALL, I'M GOING TO PASS OUT THE THIRD QUARTER FOR YOUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES.

THE THIRD QUARTER UPDATE I THINK THIS IS A GOOD SUMMARY OF WHAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED OVER THE LAST PERIOD SINCE THE SIX MONTH EVALUATION WAS IN JUNE.

WE'RE NOT QUITE TO ONE YEAR, BUT IT GIVES YOU A GOOD SENSE OF WHAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED. IN ADDITION ON BOARDED OUR CAPITAL PROJECT MANAGER ON BOARDED OUR CITY ATTORNEY COMPLETION OF THE MEN'S LOCKER ROOM RENOVATIONS COMPLETION OF THE CITY HALL WINDOWS, LAUNCHING OUR GROCERY GETTER SHUTTLE PROGRAM.

WE HELD OUR EMPLOYEE HEALTH FAIR.

WE CHANGED BOTH OUR HEALTH INSURANCE AND OUR PROPERTY CASUALTY LIABILITY INSURANCE TO SAVE MONEY FOR THE CITY. OVERSAW A LEADERSHIP CHANGE IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.

WE JUST COMPLETED ALL OF THE EVALUATIONS FOR OUR DIRECTORS AND DEPUTY CITY MANAGER.

ADOPTED THE CITY BUDGET AND LAUNCHED FERNANDINA BEACH ASCEND, WHICH IS A NEW INTERNAL LEADERSHIP PROGRAM FOR SORT OF THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS IN THE CITY. THIS YEAR'S CLASS INCLUDES 18 INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE GOING TO BE GOING THROUGH A NINE MONTH JOURNEY EXPLORING LEADERSHIP TOPICS.

AND I'M CERTAINLY STILL GLAD TO BE HERE AND HAPPY TO TO BE A PART OF THE TEAM AND HAPPY TO HEAR FEEDBACK. I THINK I'VE GOTTEN FEEDBACK FROM JUST ABOUT EVERYBODY AT THIS POINT, SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS CAMPBELL.

DO ANY COMMISSIONERS WANT TO BEGIN WITH OUR DISCUSSION, I CAN START. IT'LL BE QUICK.

FOR BOTH CAROLINE, BETH AND CITY MANAGER.

I'VE BEEN INCREDIBLY PLEASED WITH THEIR PERFORMANCES.