[* A portion of this meeting is without audio *]
[4.1 OPERATIONAL ASSESSMENT]
[00:04:30]
>>> ALL THIS IS VERY INDIVIDUAL. IT IS NOT A GROUP PROCESS. SO FOR EACH OF US, WE WILL GO THROUGH THIS -- THESE STEPS IN MULTIPLE WAYS THAT ARE DIFFERENT. SO I COULD GO THROUGH THEM ONE WAY, AND I COULD RUN THROUGH THESE REALLY QUICKLY AND GET TO ACKNOWLEDGMENT IN A HURRY. WHERE SOMEONE WHO'S RIGHT NEXT TO ME WHO HAS THE SAME JOB I DO STAYS IN RESISTANCE OR COMES BACK TO RESISTANCE. SO IT IS VERY
[00:05:01]
INDIVIDUAL IN NATURE WHICH IS WHAT MAKES CHANGE HARD. CHANGE ITSELF IS NOT REALLY DIFFICULT, IT'S THAT WE ARE EMOTIONAL BEINGS AND HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS. SO THE FIRST STEP IS RESISTANCE, AND WE TEND TO AS HUMAN BEINGS TALK ABOUT -- WE TEND TO SAY I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT OR I'M NOT GOING TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT OR I DON'T WANT THAT. SO WHEN YOU'RE IN RESISTANCE, YOU'LL SAY THAT. THE NEXT STEP IS OBSERVE, AND YOU CAN SEE THIS IS VERY MUCH LIKE THE MOURNING PROCESS BECAUSE AS HUMAN BEINGS WE NEED TO MOURN THE OLD WAY BEFORE WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THE NEW WAY. THE SECOND PIECE IS OBSERVE -- I WILL WHAT HAPPENS. I SEE SOME CHANGE HAPPENING, AND MAYBE THERE'S A REASON FOR IT. MAYBE I'LL PARTICIPATE, MAYBE I WON'T, BUT I'M GOING TO WATCH AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS. THEN THERE BECOME AN ACCEPTANCE OF CHANGE IS HAPPENING AND IT NEEDS TO HAPPEN. NOT SURE WHAT I'M GOING TO DO ABOUT THAT, BUT I CAN SEE THAT IT NEEDS TO HAPPEN. AND THEN YOU WILL ENGAGE DURING THE -- AS A PERSON, YOU'LL ENGAGE AND SAY I WANT TO BE A PART OF THIS PROCESS, SOMETIMES THE MOTIVATION IS DIFFERENT, BUT A LOT OF TIMES IT'S I DON'T WANT TO BE LEFT BEHIND, AND I WANT TO HAVE MY SAY SO, SO I'M GOING TO ENGAGE. AND THEN YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THIS CHANGE IS GOOD, AND I SUPPORT IT, AND I'M GOING TO DO MY PART TO HELP THE CHANGE. EVERYTHING UP TO THAT POINT AS HUMAN BEINGS YOU CAN GO TO ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND SAY CHANGE IS GOOD, AND I SUPPORT IT, AND SOME CRISIS OR ISSUE CAN SHOW UP, AND YOU CAN GO RIGHT BACK TO RESISTANCE. THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES IT SO CHALLENGING AS A COMMUNITY AND CERTAINLY AS AN ORGANIZATION BECAUSE AT ANY GIVEN TIME, PEOPLE CAN MOVE BACK AND FORTH. THE KEY -- THE VITAL PART OF CHANGE IS -- AND CHANGE MANAGEMENT IS THE FACT THAT YOU -- WE CANNOT -- WE HAVE TO INCLUDE, EVERYONE NEEDS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE PROCESS, HAS TO BE DONE WITH YOU, NOT TO YOU, AND I THINK THAT'S THE KEY PART AS WE START TO GO THROUGH THE CHANGE PROCESS AND HAVE ALREADY WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION. SO I WANTED TO TALK REAL FAST ABOUT MORALE. I HEAR THREE THINGS WHEN I GO INTO AN ORGANIZATION THAT ARE PROBLEMS. NUMBER ONE IS WE DON'T HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY. NUMBER TWO IS WE GOT TO COMMUNICATE BETTER, BOTH VAGUELY DEFINED AND OUR MORALE, OUR MORALE IS LOW. AND THAT IS CLEAR THAT THAT IS A SYMPTOM. BUT I WANTED TO TALK REAL QUICK ABOUT WHAT MORALE REALLY IS AND DEFINE IT. I COULD NEVER FIND A DEFINITION, SO WORKED TOGETHER WITH SOME OTHER LEADERS TO CREATE THIS ONE. FIRST IT STARTS WITH ACCOUNTABLE LEADERSHIP, AND ACCOUNTABLE LEADERSHIP MEANS THAT YOU WILL SAY WHEN YOU MAKE A MISTAKE, YOU'LL OWN IT, AND THEN YOU WILL FIX IT. AND THEN THE LAST PART IS YOU MOVE ON. WE HAD A GREAT EXAMPLE WITH OUR CITY MANAGER RECENTLY WITH THE BUDGET PROCESS. OWNED IT, FIXED IT, AND THEN MOVED ON TO THE NEXT CHALLENGE. THE NEXT ONE IS INSPIRED VISION. I BELIEVE IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT, IT'S EASY TO HAVE AN INSPIRED VISION BECAUSE WE SERVE OTHER HUMAN BEINGS, AND WE SERVE THE COMMUNITY. SO IT'S -- SOMETIMES IT'S VERY EASY TO SELL THAT, HAVE AN INSPIRED VISION. BUT TO HAVE HIGH MORALE, YOU NEED TO HAVE ONE THAT YOU CHASE. THE NEXT ONE IS ACTION-BASED COMMUNICATION, NOT JUST TALKING, RIGHT, DEFINING WHAT WE'RE SAYING AND BEING ABLE TO TAKE ACTION ON THE COMMUNICATION THAT WE HAVE.INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT, I'LL TALK ABOUT HOW THAT IMPACTS THINGS IN A MINUTE. WELL-BEING AND SAFETY. THIS IS NOT JUST -- YOU KNOW, WE TALK TODAY A LOT ABOUT EMOTIONAL SAFETY, BUT IT'S ALSO PHYSICAL SAFETY. WE PROVIDE SERVICES THAT PUT OUR STAFF AT PHYSICAL RISK. , AND SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE GOING TO BE OKAY, AND WHEN THEY ARE EXPOSED TO THAT, THEY CAN BE OKAY AFTERWARDS. AND THEN THE LAST ONE, FOR ALL OF US AS HUMAN BEINGS, WE LEARNED SO MUCH IN COVID, HAVING MEANINGFUL AND ACCOMPLISHMENT THROUGH CONNECTION IS WHAT WHAT MAKES HIGH MORALE . SO SOME GENERAL CONCLUSIONS THAT I'VE COME TO THROUGH THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS. WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF LEADERSHIP TRANSITIONS. MOST OF THE DEPARTMENT HEADS IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS MAYBE THAT'S OUR SENIOR, YOU KNOW, THERE MIGHT BE A FEW EXCEPTIONS. BUT IN GENERAL, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF LEADERSHIP TRANSITIONS. THOSE HAVE BEEN GENERALLY POSITIVE, BUT THEY DO HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACTS. WE HAVE ANTIQUATED TECHNOLOGY. NOW, WE'RE WORKING ON THAT. YOU OKAYED -- THE COMMISSION OKAYED IT A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, THE CITY VIEW PROCESS WHICH IS OUR PERMITTING. WE NOW HAVE THAT BACK UP AND MOVING FORWARD. BUT WE ARE NOT -- WE HAVE NOT KEPT
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UP. I WANT TO BE CLEAR HERE, THIS IS NOT A FERNANDINA PROBLEM, THIS IS AN INDUSTRY-WIDE PROBLEM, BUT WE ARE WORKING -- WE HAVE IDENTIFIED, AND WE ARE WORKING ON THAT. THE LACK OF TRUST. THAT IS PERVASIVE HERE, AND IT'S NOT JUST THE COMMUNITY TO THE COMMISSION OR THE STAFF TO THE COMMUNITY, IT'S STAFF INTERNAL TO STAFF, AND THAT GOES TO SOME OF THAT SILOED PIECE THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT. ONE OF THE KEYS TO SOLVING THAT PROBLEM IS PUTTING THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT PLACES ON THE FIELD. EMPLOYEE LEADERSHIP AND DEVELOPMENT. THIS IS ONE THAT WE'LL TALK ABOUT IN A SECOND THAT WE'VE STARTED TO WORK ON. BUT WHEN EMPLOYEES KNOW THAT THEY'RE BEING COMMITTED TO, AND THEY CAN GO GET THE TRAINING THEY NEED, THEN THEY END UP -- THEIR MORALE GOES UP, BUT THEY THEN TEND TO PROVIDE BETTER SERVICE AND ARE EXPOSED TO OTHER THINGS. I'VE BEEN LUCKY OR UNLUCKY IN THAT I HAVE WORKED IN -- AS A CONSULTANT AND AS A STAFF MEMBER IN OVER 30 ORGANIZATIONS. I'VE BEEN EXPOSED TO A LOT OF THINGS. SO I CAN SEE A LOT OF PATTERNS. YOU HERE HAVE A LOT OF EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE BEEN HERE FOR -- WE'RE GOING TO CELEBRATE SOME, MANY THAT ARE OVER 25 YEARS THIS WEEK. AND THAT COMES FROM A DEDICATION AND A LOVE OF THE COMMUNITY. AND SO THAT'S A POSITIVE THAT YOU HAVE. BUT DEVELOPING THEM CONTINUALLY WITH ALL THE NEW TECHNOLOGIES IS AN IMPORTANT PART. WORK STANDARDS AND EXPECTATIONS. THESE VARY FROM TIME TO TIME AS MORALE GOING DOWN, STAFF GETS IN TO SURVIVAL MODE AND JUST TRIES TO DO THE BASICS. I DON'T HAVE TO TELL ALL OF YOU THAT ELECTIONS IMPACT HOW WE GO ABOUT DOING THINGS. BUT HAVING A CLEAR STANDARD AND HAVING EVERYONE UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT IS AND THEN MEETING IT, AND THEN WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR EXPECTATIONS ARE AND THE FACT THAT WE MEET IT, AND THEN WHEN YOU HAVE WORK STANDARDS, CONTINUALLY LOOKING TO RAISE THEM. SO -- I'M GOING TO FLIP THROUGH THESE. THE CULTURE CHANGE. SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE ALREADY, SO I LOOKED AT -- I'VE DONE EVALUATION OF PLANNING, CODE ENFORCEMENT, BUILDING AND THE CAPITAL PROGRAM, THOSE ARE THE FOUR THAT ARE COMPLETED. SO WE WORKED TO INCREASE EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT. SO HOW HAVE WE DONE THAT? WELL, WE HAVE TAKEN A -- RATHER THAN A TOP-DOWN APPROACH, A BOTTOM-UP APPROACH. SO WE HAVE ENGAGED OUR EMPLOYEES BY GIVING THEM THE SAY SO IN HOW WE GO ABOUT IT. IT'S BEEN REFLECTED -- IT'S FULLY IMPLEMENTED NOW IN PLANNING. SO WHEN YOU COME INTO THE PLANNING OFFICE, IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN THERE IN A WHILE, YOU WILL SEE THE DIFFERENCE AND HOW THEY ENGAGE, AND THEY'RE EMPOWERED TO MAKE THE DECISIONS THAT ARE APPROPRIATE TO BE ABLE TO SERVE THE CUSTOMER. THAT ALLOWS FOR PUBLIC SERVANTS -- ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE DO THIS WORK IS BECAUSE WE LIKE THAT INTERACTION. SO WHEN I ASKED -- I ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS TO DO THIS PROCESS, AND THE ONE QUESTION I ASK IS WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THE JOB. AND 90% OF THE STAFF HERE ANSWERED THE PEOPLE, NOT JUST THE PEOPLE THEY WORK WITH, THE PEOPLE. SO FOR THEM, WHEN THEY CAN'T SERVE THE PEOPLE, THAT CAUSES THEM PAIN. SO WE HAVE NOW INCREASED THEIR ENGAGEMENT. WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO FOCUS IN ALL THREE GROUPS, THE THREE MAIN GROUPS, WE HAVE STARTED TO PRIORITIZE WHAT'S IMPORTANT. ONE OF THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITIES IS WORKING TOGETHER TO SOLVE THE COMMUNITY'S PROBLEMS. SO YOU CAN ALSO ARRIVE TODAY AND SEE AT ANY GIVEN TIME A PLANNER OVER IN BUILDING AND THE BUILDING FOLKS, INCLUDING THE BUILDING OFFICIAL OVER IN PLANNING. THAT WAS NOT BEING DONE WHEN I ARRIVED IN JUNE. AND SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS FREED THEM UP TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS. MOST OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS I'M NOT INVOLVED IN, VERY FEW. THEY'RE HAVING THEM IN SOLVING PROBLEMS ON THE FRONT LINES SO THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN BENEFIT. WE HAVE STARTED AN EMPLOYEE -- EMPLOYEE PROGRAMS, WE'RE REVAMPING A LOT OF THE EVALUATION PROCESS TO INCLUDE TRAINING PLANS, BUT THE BIG THING THAT WE'VE LAUNCHED RECENTLY IS THE ASCEND PROGRAM WHICH IS A LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, AN INTERNAL ONE, THAT IS LED BY STAFF SENIOR LEADERSHIP, FACULTY, AND WE'VE HAD TWO SESSIONS THAT HAVE BEEN HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL. THERE ARE NINE SESSIONS, AND WE'LL FINISH THE FIRST CLASS IN JULY. AND I THINK WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN INTERNALLY THE DIFFERENCE IN HOW PEOPLE ARE INTERACTING AND HOW PEOPLE ARE LEADING. I KNOW THIS SOUNDS WEIRD TO ENCOURAGE INNOVATION WITHIN GOVERNMENT BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY[00:15:04]
REGULATIONS, AND WE ARE REGULATORS, BUT INNOVATION IS HOW WE CAN SERVE THE COMMUNITY AND SOLVE THE PROBLEMS. AND THEN I MENTIONED ESTABLISHING STANDARDS. IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT ESTABLISHING THEM, IT'S ABOUT CONTINUALLY GROWING TO INCREASE THEM. SO THOSE ARE THE CULTURE CHANGES THAT WE'VE HIGHLIGHTED, SOME STRUCTURE CHANGES THAT WE'VE DONE. WE HAVE CLARIFIED STAFF ROLES. SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT. SO IN PLANNING, WE HAVE DONE A RESTRUCTURE. SO WE NO LONGER HAVE A PLANNING DIRECTOR, WE HAVE A PLANNING MANAGER, AND WE PROMOTED MARGARET PIERSON INTO THAT ROLE, AND SHE'S THERE NOW. WE HAVE NOW RECENTLY PROMOTED MIA SADDLER TO A PLANNER 2, AND WE ARE LOOKING AT -- WE HAVE ALSO HIRED A NEW FRONT LINE PERSON WHO ALSO HAS A DEGREE IN PLANNING. SHE'S ABOUT TO GET HER MASTER'S IN PLANNING. SO WE HAVE A STRONG TEAM THAT IS -- HAS LOTS OF EXPERIENCE AND LOTS OF YOUTH AND ENERGY, SO WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD MIX THERE. THAT HAS ALLOWED US TO IDENTIFY WHERE OUR SKILL GAPS ARE, AND WE'RE STILL DOING THAT. WHEN WE LOOK AT CODE ENFORCEMENT, ACTUALLY, ALL THREE DIVISIONS HAVE RETIREMENTS, UPCOMING RETIREMENTS THAT WILL IMPACT US SIGNIFICANTLY. THE MOST IMPACTED IS CODE ENFORCEMENT. TWO OF THEIR THREE PEOPLE ARE RETIRING IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. AND WE HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THAT TO CLARIFY THE ROLES, DO A LITTLE BIT OF RESTRUCTURING AND MAKE SURE THAT THE RIGHT PLANNERS ARE ON THE FIELD. SO HIRING IN CODE ENFORCEMENT IS GOING TO BE A BIG PART OF OUR PROCESS, AND WE ARE IDENTIFYING SKILL GAPS TO MAKE SURE WE CAN DO THAT. THAT'S WHERE DEVELOPING, CROSS TRAINING ENSURES OUR CONTINUITY. THREE PEOPLE, IT'S HARD TO HAVE THAT CONTINUITY, BUT IN BUILDING, WE'RE DOING A LOT OF CROSS TRAINING AS FAR AS THAT GOES. WE EVALUATED EACH DEPARTMENT STRUCTURE AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT. I DID WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ON THE CAPITAL PROGRAM, AS FAR AS STRUCTURE GOES, WHAT WE FOCUSED ON IS NOT SO MUCH THE PERSON STRUCTURE BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY A COUPLE OF OF US DOING THAT WORK, IT'S TO FOCUS ON HOW WE BUILD A PROJECT FROM START TO FINISH AND THEN HOW WE WORK WITH OUR COMMUNITY TO DO THAT, TO EDUCATE THEM ON WHAT'S COMING. YOU'VE SEEN THE FIVE-YEAR PLAN. THAT'S THE FIRST STEP. WE GOT A 20-YEAR PLAN, AND THEN WE'VE GOT A PROCESS THAT WE'RE EVALUATING TO GO THROUGH MAKING SURE THAT THAT STRUCTURE IS UNDERSTOOD. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE ALL THE STRUCTURE NEEDS REFLECTS THE COMMUNITY NEEDS. THAT'S A MANDATE THAT YOU GAVE US TO MAKE SURE WE EVALUATE THE STRUCTURES, MEETING THE COMMUNITY NEEDS, BOTH FROM A FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE BUT ALSO FROM A SERVICE PERSPECTIVE.HIGHLIGHTING PROCESS CHANGES. PROCESS IS VERY -- WE WANT TO DOCUMENT AND EVALUATE -- THE KEY FOCUS HERE IS WE'RE PLANNING AND SCHEDULING. YOU PROVIDE US A BUDGET THAT GIVES US A GUIDE FOR THE MONEY. THE OTHER PART THAT WE HAVE, THE ONLY OTHER LIMITATION WE REALLY HAVE IS OUR TIME. AND SO WE'RE DEVELOPING A WORK PLAN FOR EVERY STAFF MEMBER SO THAT WE KNOW WHAT THE PRIORITIES ARE AND THEY ARE MEETING THE NEED OF THE COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS THE THINGS THAT WE SHOULDN'T BE DOING BECAUSE THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE ARE SPENDING TIME DOING THAT MAYBE WE SHOULDN'T BE DOING, WE'RE PUTTING THEM ASIDE.
EVENTUALLY THE GOAL IS TO MATCH THE WORK PLAN AND THE BUDGET SO THEY REFLECT EACH OTHER. THAT -- ALL OF THAT BRINGS TRANSPARENCY AND THE ABILITY TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ON WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING. IT'S NOT -- IT SHOULDN'T BE AND IT'S NOT TOP SECRET, BUT WHEN WE GET REALLY BUSY, WE DON'T ALWAYS REPORT OUT. SO -- AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN ANALYTICS IN A MINUTE.
WE ARE DOING SOME SYSTEM CHANGES, PERMIT SOFTWARE IS GOING TO IMPACT THE THREE MAIN DIVISIONS THAT I TALKED ABOUT AT A HIGH LEVEL. WE ARE ON SCHEDULE RIGHT NOW TO GO TO LIVE IN EARLY MAY, AND WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR END USERS TO BE A PART OF THAT PROCESS. WE ARE WORKING ON ASSET WORK MANAGEMENT. NOW, THAT TENDS TO BE -- THAT TENDS TO BE AN OPERATIONAL FOCUS, BUT IT DOES IMPACT THE CAPITAL BECAUSE WHEN WE SEE ITEMS THAT ARE NOT BEING -- THAT ARE FAILING TOO FAST, WE START TO REALIZE WE NEED TO DO A REPLACEMENT ORDER OR TAKE A MORE AGGRESSIVE ROLE AND BRING THAT BACK TO YOU TO GET BUDGET MONEY TO MOVE FORWARD. SO ASSET MANAGEMENT IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR CAPITAL PROGRAM
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EVENTUALLY. AND THEN ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT OUR SYSTEMS BUILDINGS, THEY ARE ANTIQUATED. WE HAVE CHALLENGES ALL THE TIME WITH OUR TECHNOLOGY JUST IN THIS ROOM, AND WE NEED TO PUT TOGETHER A PLAN TO MAKE SURE WE CAN MEET THAT AND BE MORE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE AS A STAFF. AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO BRING IN A LOT OF TECHNOLOGY TO HELP MEET THE NEED. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A STRATEGY TO INTEGRATE ALL OF THAT BECAUSE IF THE APP OPERATE IN SILOS, SO WILL WE, AND THAT'S NOTEFFECTIVE. >> REPORTER: WE DO HAVE A LOT OF LAWS AND REGULATIONS THAT HAVE CHANGED AND CONTINUE TO, AND WE CONTINUE -- WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO BE NIMBLE TO REACT TO THOSE.
WE HAVE A LOT OF STRATEGIC MASTER PLANNING PROCESSES GOING, INCLUDING THE MASTER PLAN FOR THE AIRPORT, FOR THE PARKS OR THE HARBOR. WE HAVE A COMP PLAN UPDATE COMING IN THE NEAR FUTURE, ALL OF THOSE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR NOT JUST STAFF BUT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY TO GET TOGETHER AND UNDERSTAND WHERE WE NEED TO GO. AND THEN ALL OF THIS IS A REQUIREMENT TO START TO BUILD WITH PUBLIC TRUST AND TO BUILD OUR REPUTATION. IT IS NOT -- AS A STAFF, IT'S NOT PERFECT. WE KNOW THAT. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE FOR OUR OWN MORALE AND OUR OWN GUIDANCE IS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A GOOD REPUTATION AND HAVE THE PUBLIC TRUST US. PART OF THAT PROCESS IS ANALYTICS. WE NEED TO DEVELOP A REPORTING MECHANISM, NOT JUST TO OURSELVES, NOT JUST TO JUST YOU AS A COMMISSION BUT TO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE. WE NEED TO BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT WE'RE MEASURING AND WHAT IT TELLS US.
ONE OF THE -- I ALWAYS USE THE BASEBALL ANALOGY HERE BECAUSE BASEBALL COUNTS EVERYTHING, IN GOVERNMENT WE TEND TO COUNT EVERYTHING. NOT EVERYTHING IS IMPORTANT TO OUR MISSION. AND THEN TO HAVE A STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS. FOR EACH DEPARTMENT INDIVIDUALLY SO THAT EVERYONE KNOWS WHERE WE'RE GOING, AND WE GET THE PUBLIC INPUT FOR THAT. SO I'VE MENTIONED A FEW OF THESE, DEPARTMENT COLLABORATION HAS SKYROCKETED BETWEEN THE ONES THAT HAVE EVALUATED, BUT IT'S MUCH MORE THAN THAT. WE HAVE REDONE THE TRC PROCESS WHICH IS ALL OF OUR TECHNICAL PEOPLE HELPING OUR COMMUNITY BUILD IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE. THAT PROCESS IS NOW BECOME A BEACON OF COLLABORATION BETWEEN ALL DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE CITY. I MENTIONED THE PLANNING AND STRUCTURE UPDATES ALREADY. WE'RE EVALUATING BUILDING IN CODE ENFORCEMENT AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
CUSTOMER SERVICE FOCUS, ACTUALLY STARTED WITH A NEW CITY MANAGER.
ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS SHE DID IS INTRODUCE A NEW CUSTOMER SERVICE STANDARD, AND WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT. OUR MAIN -- OUR FOCUS IS CERTAINLY IN PLANNING, BUILDING, AND CODE ENFORCEMENT IS ON THE CUSTOMER SERVICE PORTION OF THE CONVERSATION. DELIVERING A GOOD PRODUCT. WE ARE WORKING REALLY HARD TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. PLANNING HAS DONE A REALLY NICE JOB. WE NOW DO PREMEETINGS REGULARLY WITH FOLKS WHEN THEY HAVE QUESTIONS. WE DON'T JUST GIVE THE ANSWER AND POINT THEM TO THE CODE. WE'LL COME AND WALK THEM THROUGH. OUR CODE IS NOT EASY, AND WE NEED TO HELP THEM THROUGH THAT PROCESS. AND THEN I MENTIONED THE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PART OF THE PROGRAM.
SO THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE QUOTES BECAUSE IT'S BEEN PROVEN PHYSICALLY TRUE THAT WHEN YOU CHANGE THE WAY YOU LOOK AT THINGS, THE THINGS YOU LOOK AT CHANGE. SO WITH THAT, I TRY TO GO AS QUICK AS I COULD BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE ANOTHER HEAVY ITEM, BUT I WANTED TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, AND THEN I HAVE KIND OF A SUMMARY THAT I WANTED TO PUT OUT THERE.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION. ANY QUESTIONS FROM
THE COMMISSION? >> THIS IS LIKE -- WELL, OKAY, I FEEL LIKE I'M BACK AT WORK, BUT THIS IS REALLY A BREATH OF FRESH AIR AND SOMETHING LONG OVERDUE, AND I THINK IT'S GREAT. AND IT'S HOW YOU MAKE THINGS BETTER, YOU KNOW, NO MATTER WHAT DEPARTMENT, NO MATTER WHAT COMPANY, NO MATTER WHAT INDUSTRY. THIS IS HOW YOU MAKE THINGS BETTER. SO I APPLAUD THE WORK THAT YOU AND THE CITY MANAGER AND ALL THE DEPARTMENT HEADS ARE DOING TO TAKE THIS ON. THERE ARE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES AT THE END OF THIS ROAD, AND SO I'M EXCITED.
>> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. >> I'D LIKE TO ECHO THAT AND JUST MENTION HOW SOME OF THE FAULTY PROCESS IS PART OF THE REASON WHY I'M SITTING UP HERE, FRUSTRATIONS THAT WE DON'T NEED TO GET INTO THE DETAILS THIS EVENING. BUT I'LL JUST ECHO TO
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SEE HOW WONDERFUL IT IS THAT THESE ARE COMING TOGETHER. THANKYOU. >> I DO WANT TO WRAP IT UP. SO AS A CITY COMMISSION, YOU SET THE POLICY, AND AS STAFF, OUR ROLE IS TO GIVE YOU ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE CAN POSSIBLY COME UP WITH SO YOU CAN MAKE GREAT POLICY DECISIONS. BUT IF YOU DON'T MAKE A GREAT POLICY DECISION, IT'S STILL OUR JOB TO IMPLEMENT WHATEVER POLICY YOU SET FORWARD. AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WANTED TO SAY TO YOU, BUT I WANTED THE COMMUNITY TO HEAR. AS STAFF MEMBERS, WE KNOW THAT. AND WHEN WE TRY TO GO TO POLICY, WE FAIL. AND SO WE DON'T. WE WORK REALLY HARD TO IMPLEMENT YOUR POLICY. THE COMMUNITY -- AND BECAUSE OF THAT, BECAUSE WE IMPLEMENT, THE COMMUNITY BUILDING PROCESS STARTS ACTUALLY WITH STAFF BECAUSE WE'RE IMPLEMENTING WHAT YOU'RE ASKING US TO DO SO THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN HAVE THEIR COMMUNITY THAT THEY WANT. SO SINCE IT STARTS WITH US, A COMMUNITY REALLY NEEDS A PROFESSIONAL, A DILIGENT AND AN ENTHUSIASTIC STAFF TO HAVE A WORLD CLASS COMMUNITY. I BELIEVE THAT AT THIS POINT UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF CITY MANAGER CAMPBELL, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING. THAT'S WHERE THINGS ARE MOVING TOWARDS. I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT TOO, AS A PUBLIC EMPLOYEE, WE DON'T -- WE HAVE A DIFFERENT MOTIVATOR. I'VE BEEN A PUBLIC EMPLOYEE ON AND OFF FOR THE LAST 40 YEARS, AND WHAT MOTIVATES ME IS BEING ABLE TO HELP SOMEONE LIVE THEIR DREAM, AND THAT IS WHAT MOST OF THE CITY STAFF DO. THERE ARE OVER 700,000 CITY LOCAL GOVERNMENT STAFF WITHIN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. 13% OF THE WORK FORCE IN THE COUNTRY IS MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, JUST 13. BUT WE ALSO KNOW -- I'M GOING TO TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY VERY SERIOUSLY THAT WE IMPACT ALL THE REST OF THE PEOPLE WHO -- WE IMPACT EVERYBODY'S LIFE. I MEAN, WE PROVIDE WATER, WE PROVIDE SAFETY, WE PROVIDE EVERYTHING THAT MAKES AN AMERICAN LIFE EXCITING. AND SO WE KNOW THAT, WE TAKE THAT AS A SERIOUS RESPONSIBILITY. WE KNOW WE HAVE TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF THE TAX MONEY, BUT OUR CURRENCY IS NOT MONEY, IT'S PUBLIC TRUST. AND WE KNOW RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO THERE, AND WE'RE WORKING HARD TO DO IT EVERYDAY. AND OUR PRODUCTS AND OUR SERVICES WILL PROVE THAT, AND WE'RE NOT ASKING THE COMMUNITY TO JUST BLINDLY TRUST US. WE'RE TELLING YOU RIGHT NOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO EARN THAT, AND WE'RE GOING TO ENTHUSIASTICALLY IMPLEMENT YOUR POLICY. SO I'M HONORED TO BE HERE, AND I THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[4.2 YBOR ALVAREZ REGIONAL SPORTS COMPLEX - SOCCER FIELDS]
>> THANK YOU. >> SO ITEM 4.2, SPORTS COMPLEX.
I BELIEVE THAT'S STILL FOR YOU. >> YES.
>> PROJECT MANAGER. I TRIED NOT TO TALK MOST OF THE DAY BECAUSE I KNEW I WOULD BE UP HERE. SO I'M NOT GOING TO DO ALL OF IT TODAY, THOUGH. SO WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN -- CAN YOU HELP ME OUT WITH THIS, THE TECH EXPERT? I'M GOING TO -- WE BROUGHT YBOAR ALVAREZ SPORTS COMPLEX BACK TODAY. WE WANTED TO -- IT'S BEEN A LITTLE WHILE SINCE WE'VE BEEN HERE LAST, AND WE HAVE SOME EDUCATION PIECES THAT WE WILL -- THAT WE WANT TO WALK THROUGH. SO FIRST -- THANK YOU. SO JUST TO HIGHLIGHT THE CURRENT SITE, IT HASN'T CHANGED AS OF THE LAST TIME WE TALKED. THERE ARE FOUR SOFTBALL FIELDS, BLEACHERS, STORAGE, CONCESSIONS, SIX YOUTH SOCCER FIELDS, MANY OF THEM ARE LIGHTED, AND THEN WE -- OF COURSE WE HAVE THE PARKING LOT. I'M GOING TO INTRODUCE NATHAN COYLE, THE AIRPORT MANAGER. HE'S GOING TO COME UP AND WALK US THROUGH -- LAST TIME WE BRUSHED ON THE FAA REGULATIONS, AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO A LITTLE BIT OF DEPTH ON HOW THEY IMPACT THE SITE. SO WITH THAT --
>> COMMISSIONERS, GOOD EVENING. NATHAN COYLE, AIRPORT MANAGER. I THINK WE HAD JUST A GENERAL REVIEW SLIDE, A LITTLE BIT AHEAD
[00:30:05]
ON THIS. BUT -- ITSELF. SOME OF THE FAA'S RULES AND REGULATIONS THAT GOVERN USE OF THE PROPERTY AT THE AIRPORT I. KNOW WE HAVE SOME NEW COMMISSIONERS HERE, AND WE'VE GONE THROUGH THAT PREVIOUSLY, BUT I THOUGHT I'D WALK BACK THROUGH SOME OF THE INFORMATION AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. THE CHALLENGES THAT ARE AT HAND MOVING FORWARD MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT THE PROPERTY, AND GLENN IS GOING TO COME WHACK TO THE TABLE AND SEE WHAT THOSE COSTS AND FUNDING AND ASK FOR A LITTLE BIT OF DIRECTION FROM YOU THIS EVENING. SO I THINK MOST MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE HISTORY OF THE AIRPORT. I WANTED TO TOUCH ON THE HISTORY OF THE AIRPORT MORE FROM A REGULATORY PERSPECTIVE.SO A LOT OF TIMES WE TALK ABOUT THE FEDERAL REGULATIONS THAT GOVERN THE AIRPORT. OUR AIRPORT WAS INITIALLY CONSTRUCTED DURING WORLD WAR II AS AN OUTLYING FIELD FOR THE NAVY. THAT WAS A COMMON PROCESS WITHIN WORLD WAR II WHERE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT EITHER LEASED PROPERTY FROM A LOCAL COMMUNITY OR PURCHASED PROPERTY AND DEVELOPED AN AIRPORT. AT THE END OF WORLD WAR II WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DECIDED THEY DIDN'T NEED ALL THE ASSETS THEY HAD, THERE WAS A PROGRAM CALLED THE SURPLUS PROPERTY ACT WHEREBY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GAVE THE PROPERTY AND THE IMPROVEMENTS OR THE IMPROVEMENTS BACK TO THAT LOCAL COMMUNITY UNDER THE ACT TO USE AS A PUBLIC AIRPORT GOING FORWARD. THAT'S HOW YOUR AIRPORT WAS CONSTRUCTED AND TURNED IN TO FERNANDINA BEACH. AT THE END OF WORLD WAR II, THE LEASE THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GAVE TO THE COMMUNITY, TO DEVELOP THAT AIRPORT, THOSE IMPROVEMENTS CAME BACK, BUT IT CAME BACK WITH THE RULES OF THE SURPLUS PROPERTY ACT WHICH IS WHAT WE CALL SURPLUS PROPERTY DEED RESTRICTIONS, RIGHT? SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FEDERAL OBLIGATIONS RELATING TO THE AIRPORT, THAT'S WHERE OUR OBLIGATIONS DEVIEVED FROM FOR THE AIRPORT. THERE'S A FEW DIFFERENT WAYS FEDERAL OBLIGATIONS CAN BE ATTACHED TO AN AIRPORT, SURPLUS PROPERTY ACT IS ONE WAY. OBVIOUSLY IF IT WAS CONSTRUCTED UNDER THAT PROGRAM.
IF THE FAA CAME IN AND BUYS PROPERTIES AND FEDERAL INVESTMENT, IT HAS A FEDERAL OBLIGATION ON IT. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN AIRPORTS CAN ACQUIRE PROPERTY AND GET RID OF PROPERTY, THERE'S NO FEDERAL MONEY INVOLVED, AND THE FAA MAY NOT HAVE AUTHORITY OVER THAT. THAT DOES EXIST. FOR THE PURPOSES OF OUR AIRPORT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, THOSE FEDERAL OBLIGATIONS WE'RE REFERRING TO GO BACK TO WHEN WE TOOK THAT AIRPORT BACK FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WHEN WE GOT THOSE DEED-RESTRICTED OBLIGATIONS FOR THE USE OF THE PROPERTY. LATER DAY, AND AS YOU EVOLVE THROUGH TIME, THE FAA EVOLVED GRANT ASSURANCES. WE CONTINUE TO ACCEPT GRANT ASSURANCES, AND THOSE ALSO HAVE SOME OTHER CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS FOR THE USE OF THE PROPERTY. SPECIFICALLY THE FAA HAS SOME TERMS AND CONDITIONS ON THE USE OF PROPERTY FOR NON-AVIATION USE WHICH WE'RE GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FURTHER HERE. BUT OUT OF THE MASTER PLAN, I JUST WANTED TO CALL YOUR ATTENTION, WHEN THE AIRPORT CAME BACK AT THE END OF WORLD WAR II, IT WAS ABOUT 1,100 ACRES. OVER TIME WE'VE RELEASED OBLIGATIONS ON SOME PARCELS. IN THE EARLY 1950S, THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF PROPERTY WHERE THE COMMUNITY PREDATED THE FAA, WENT BACK TO THE CAA, WENT BACK TO THE CAA AND ASKED TO RELEASE THE OBLIGATIONS THEMSELVES TO SOME OF THOSE PROPERTIES, AND THE CAA AT THAT TIME GAVE APPROVAL TO DO THAT.
THAT'S HOW YOU'VE REDUCED YOUR PROPERTY LINE DOWN AT THE AIRPORT TO WHAT'S SHOWN AT THE TOP. SO THAT'S YOUR REMAINING PRESENT-DAY FEDERALLY OBLIGATED PROPERTY AT THE AIRPORT. SO UNDER THOSE FEDERAL OBLIGATIONS, WE ARE REQUIRED TO FOLLOW FAA LAY AND OUR CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS FOR THE USE OF THE PROPERTY. THE FAA HAS SOME GUIDANCE FOR USE OF THE PROPERTY. OBVIOUSLY THE FIRST AND FOREMOST INTENDED USE OF AN AIRPORT IS FOR AIRPORT PURPOSE OR AVIATION USE. THE FAA DOES RECOGNIZE THAT THERE CAN BE PORTIONS OF AIRPORT PROPERTY THAT MAY NOT BE READY FOR AVIATION USE AND COULD OTHERWISE PRODUCE REVENUE FOR THE AIRPORT, AND THE FAA WANTS AN AIRPORT TO BE SELF-SUSTAINING. THEY WANT AN AIRPORT TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE FEDERAL INVESTMENT AND TO MATCH GRANTS TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THE AIRPORT. SO THEY HAVE SOME RULES GOVERNING HOW YOU DO THAT, AND THE REQUIREMENT IS THAT YOU TAKE THAT PROPOSAL BACK TO THE FAA FOR APPROVAL, THAT USE SHOULD BE AT FAIR MARKET VALUE, AND YOU PROPOSE A LEASE TERM AND USE OF THE PROPERTY TO THE FAA FOR THE FAA TO APPROVE. THEY'LL REVIEW THAT, IT ACTUALLY GOES THROUGH A FEDERAL REGISTER PROCESS, SO IT GOES THROUGH THE FAA HEADQUARTERS, GETS PUBLISHED IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, AND IT CAN COME OUT TO WHAT WE CALL A CHANGE IN USE. IF THE FAA APPROVES IT, OKAY, IT'S FAIR MARKET VALUE. THE TERM IS 20 YEARS, WE DON'T THINK YOU'RE GOING TO PRECLUDE AN AVIATION DEED IN THAT TIME, AND THAT'S NOT COMPATIBLE AND THEY CAN APPROVE THAT USE. SO THAT'S THE GENERAL USE OF THE FEDERALLY OBLIGATED PROPERTY. THERE'S AN EXEMPTION THAT EXISTS WITHIN FEDERAL REGULATIONS CALLED COMMUNITY USE. IF AN AIRPORT HAS PROPERTY THAT HAS WHAT THEY CALL DIMINISHED VALUE, YOU CAN -- IF IT'S FOR GOODWILL OF THE COMMUNITY, YOU CAN ALLOW ITS USE FOR SOMETHING LESS THAN FAIR MARKET VALUE. IT'S GOT A LOT OF STRINGS ATTACHED TO IT, THOUGH, SO IT CAN'T PRECLUDE AIR NAUTICAL USE IN THE FUTURE. SO A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN YOUR NON-AVIATION USE, THE COMMUNITY
[00:35:01]
USE IS NOT -- BY THE FAA'S INTEND, INTENDED TO BE USED FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME BECAUSE IF AN AERONAUTIC USE COMES ALONG, YOU'RE NOT PAYING FAIR MARKET VALUE, THAT USE SHOULD BE ABLE TO REPLACE THAT USE. IT SHOULD TECHNICALLY BE PROPERTY THAT CAN'T PRODUCE A LOT OF REVENUE FOR THE AIRPORT BECAUSE OTHERWISE THEY WANT THE AIRPORT TO BE PRODUCING THAT REVENUE AND BE SELF-SUSTAINING. I MENTIONED COMMUNITY USE ONLY BECAUSE IN 2013 THERE WAS AN INFORMAL COMPLAINT TO THE FAA ABOUT PROPERTY USE AT THE AIRPORT HERE PAR 13 COMPLAINTS. THAT'S HOW E- OUR USE OF YBORE ALVAREZ WAS CATEGORIZED TO THE FAA. AT THE SAME TIME THE CITY WAS PAYING THE ENTERPRISE ABOUT $200,000 FOR THAT PROPERTY. IT'S GOOD WILL, THERE'S SOCCER ACTIVITY HAPPENING, BASEBALL ACTIVITY HAPPENING AT THE AIRFIELD. THE FAA ACCEPTED IT AND REMINDED THE COMMUNITY -- OR THE CITY OF THE OTHER STRINGS ATTACHED THAT COMMUNITY USE CAN'T PREDLEUD AERONAUTICAL USE, ALL THE THINGS IN THAT PROPERTY WAS DURING THAT INFORMAL COMPLAINT PROCESS. THE THIRD FEDERAL OBLIGATION COMPONENT THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW IS IF YOU ARE INTERESTED OR YOU THINK THAT THERE'S NO LONGER A FUTURE OF CIVIL AVIATION USE OF THAT PROPERTY, YOU CAN GO TO THE FAA AND ASK FOR A RELEASE OF OBLIGATIONS. THE RELEASE OF OBLIGATIONS IS INTENDED TO DISPOSE OF THE PROPERTY. AND THE FAA WANTS TO ENSURE THAT IT REALLY ISN'T PROPERTY THAT HAS A FORESEEABLE USE FOR THE AIRPORT FOR AVIATION IN THE FUTURE, AND THEIR EXPECTATION, AGAIN, IS YOU'RE GOING TO RECEIVE FAIR MARKET VALUE FOR THAT PROPERTY. WE DID THIS RECENTLY A FEW YEARS AGO WITH A SMALL ROADWAY ACROSS THE STREET FROM AIRPORT ROAD NEXT TO FIRST STORAGE. IT WAS A SMALL ROADWAY THAT OBVIOUSLY HAD NO FUTURE USE FOR THE AIRPORT. SO WE WENT TO THE FAA AND ASKED FOR A RELEASE OF OBLIGATIONS. FIRST STORAGE WAS INTERESTED IN PURCHASING THAT PROPERTY. WE GOT AN APPRAISAL AND GAVE THAT TO THE FAA TO RELEASE OBLIGATIONS. THEY APPROVED IT. IT WAS PURCHASED AND REMOVED FROM THE AIRPORT'S Z'S PROPERTY BOUNDARY AND THE PROPERTY MAPS. THAT'S HOW THAT PROCESS WORKS. WE'VE GONE THROUGH THAT A FEW TIMES. JUST MOVING ON BEYOND THE OBLIGATIONS, I KNOW THIS IS A BUSY SLIDE, WHERE WE'VE COME FROM IN THIS DISCUSSION IS SOME OF YOU WERE SITTING UP HERE, IF YOU REMEMBER, BACK IN 2022. WE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE SAME RULES GOVERNING THE PROPERTY, AND, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE CHALLENGES AT THE TIME WERE THE AIRPORT HAS A GRANT FROM THE STATE FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO CONSTRUCT T-HANGARS. THERE IS INTEREST IN PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT OF T-HANGARS TO SERVE THE NEED AT THE AIRPORT, AND WE KNEW THAT WE ALSO NEEDED TO DISCUSS ALVAREZ AND HOW TO SOLVE THAT CHALLENGE AT THE SAME TIME. THE AZ CC HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT AND THE IDEA TO PUT THAT DEVELOPMENT ADJACENT TO THE FUEL FARM WHERE THE OTHER T-HANGARS ARE AT THE AIRPORT, AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, WE'LL ASK THE COMMUNITY FOR THE AIRPORT, THERE WAS SOME DESIRE AT THE TIME DURING THAT DISCUSSION AND MAKING IMPROVEMENTS TO RECREATIONAL FACILITIES. AND ONE OF THE REASONS I WANTED THE COMMUNITY'S BENEFIT DISCUSSION HEAVILY IS WE HAD THAT CONVERSATION, SOME OF THE CHALLENGES OF MAKING THOSE IMPROVEMENTS ARE CAN YOU PROTECT THAT INVESTMENT GOING FORWARD AND HOW DO YOU PROTECT THAT, AND THERE'S REALLY ONLY TWO WAYS TO DO THAT IF YOU'RE GOING TO PUT A LOT OF MONEY INTO RECREATIONAL FACILITIES AT ALVAREZ, YOU GO THE TO GO AND GET A LONG-TERM LEASE WHERE YOU CAN PROTECT THAT INVESTMENT OVER TIME OR YOU'RE ASKING TO RELEASE THE OBLIGATIONS AND PURCHASE THE PROCESS AND MAKE SURE WHEN YOU MAKE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS THEY'RE YOURS. THE COMMUNITY USE BENEFIT CONCEPT CAN BE RISKY. I MEAN, IS IT LIKELY OR CAN IT BE PROMISED AFTER MAKING THE INVESTMENT THAT SOMETHING WOULDN'T COME IN AND HAVE THAT EFFECT ON THE PROPERTY IN THE FUTURE? THAT'S DIFFICULT. SO THAT'S WHERE THAT CONVERSATION STARTED IN 2022.AND I THINK AS THIS COMMISSION KNOWS, THE DIRECTION THAT CAME EVENTUALLY WAS REDEVELOP THE SOCCER FIELD SIDE, SEEK A RELEASE OF OBLIGATIONS TO PURCHASE THE SOFTBALL FIELD SIDE IN DISCUSSION WITH THE FAA TO DO THAT THEY REQUIRED US TO FIRST DO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, AND THAT WOULD COVER BOTH THE REDEVELOPMENT COMPONENT AND THE RECREATIONAL COMPONENT OF PURCHASING THE PROPERTY ON THE OTHER SIDE. SO THE FORMAL REQUEST TO PURCHASE THE SOFTBALL FIELDS HAS NOT OCCURRED, INFORM ALLEY, THE FAA HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL BECAUSE THEY SEE US MOVING IN A DIRECTION THAT WILL RESULT IN THE FULL COMPLIANCE OF THE PROPERTY. BUT I THINK NOW I UNDERSTAND WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT OPTION BECAUSE OF COST OF THE PROPERTY. OUR TIMELINE ON THE AIRPORT SIDE FROM THAT DIRECTION, WE'VE STARTED THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT WHICH IS REQUIRED TO REDEVELOP AND WOULD BE REQUIRED TO REQUEST FOR RELEASE OF OBLIGATIONS. WE'LL BE DONE WITH THAT PROCESS IN THE SUMMER OF 2026. WE'VE ALSO STARTED THE DESIGN OF THE TAXIWAY EXTENSION AND THE T-HANGAR DEVELOPMENT. THAT T-HANGAR GRANT WAS INITIALLY
[00:40:01]
ISSUED IN 2022, THE STATE HAS GIVEN US AN EXTENSION OUT TO AUGUST OF 2027. SO THAT GRANT NEEDS TO BE CONSTRUCTED AND COMPLETED BY AUGUST OF 2027. THAT'S PROBABLY ENOUGH JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA THAT THE $950,000 GRANT IS A 50/50 GRANT, THE AIRPORT HAS TO MATCH THAT GRANT. YOU KNOW, THAT'S PROBABLY A BUILDING, A FULL T-HANGAR BUILDING IN INFRASTRUCTURE. SO IT'S NOT A SIGNIFICANT BUILDOUT. THERE IS A PRIVATE INTEREST IN CONSTRUCTING T-HANGARS TO MEET THE SIGNIFICANT DEMAND AS WELL, BUT OBVIOUSLY THAT FULL DEVELOPMENT OF THE WEST SIDE, I'LL SHOW A CONSEPTEMBERRUAL IMAGE, WILL BE PHASED OVER TIME. BUT THAT'S WHERE WE ARE, YOU KNOW, WITH THE PROCESS OF COMPLETING THE EA BY THE SUMMER OF 2026 AND OUR INTENT TO BID THE PROJECT TO MAKE THE TIMELINE OF THE GRANT WOULD BE BIDDING THAT PROJECT HERE IN THE SPRING OR SUMMER OF THIS YEAR SO WE CAN START CONSTRUCTION AND BE DONE WITH CONSTRUCTION OF THE T-HANGAR PROJECT BY AUGUST OF 2027.>> IS THAT A STIPULATION OF THE GRANT, THAT IT BE DONE -- THE
EXTENSION BE DONE BY '27? >> YES, MA'AM. IT WAS ORIGINALLY A THREE-YEAR GRANT, SO THE ORIGINAL EXPIRATION WAS AUGUST OF '25. AS THIS CONVERSATION EVOLVED OVER TIME, WE'VE APPROACHED THE STATE AND ASKED IF THEY WOULD GIVE US AN EXTENSION, AND THEY'VE OFFERED AN EXTENSION TO AUGUST OF 2027.
AND THAT WAS WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE STATE ALSO KNOWS THAT THE EA IS INTENDING TO BE COMPLETE THIS SUMMER, SO WE COULD BE BIDDING THAT PROJECT WHEN THE DESIGN IS COMPLETE AND FEEZ BLI CONSTRUCTING UNDER THE TIMELINE
OF THE GRANT. >> THIS WAS THE ORIGINAL EARLY CONCEPTUAL DISCUSSION THAT WAS TAKING PLACE EARLY IN THE CONVERSATION. AS I MENTIONED, THIS SHOWS FULL DEVELOPMENT ON THE WEST SIDE WITH THE INTENT TO PURCHASE THE SOCCER FIELDS ON THE EAST SIDE. OBVIOUSLY THERE WOULD BE SOME AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT, THE PING HANGARS ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE TAXIWAY AND SOME PRIVATE HANGARS OVER ON THE WEST SIDE. AS MENTIONED THAT, WOULD BE PHASED OVER TIME, BUT THIS WAS AN EARLY CONCEPTUAL BUILDOUT, CONCEPTUAL. AND THEN FINALLY, FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, I THINK -- AT LEAST ON THE AIRPORT SIDE, THERE'S SOME CHALLENGES ON HERE THAT GLENN WILL DISCUSS, BUT OBVIOUSLY ONE OF OUR CONSTRAINTS HAS BEEN THE PROJECT, THE GRANT FROM THE STATE TO COMPLETE HANGAR CONSTRUCTION, GETTING AN EA COMPLETED, AND IF WE'RE GOING TO TRANSITION USE OF RECREATIONAL ASSETS HOW THAT MIGHT HAPPEN, AND OBVIOUSLY WE'RE MOVING ALONG AS TIME IS PASSING BY, AND IT'S GETTING CLOSER. I THINK I'LL PASS IT BACK TO GLENN.
>> CAN I ASK -- >> YES, MA'AM.
>> CAN I ASK A COUPLE QUESTIONS? SO EVERYWHERE THIS BALL FIELD AND SOCCER FIELD IS ALL AIRPORT PROPERTY, AERONAUTICAL USE. THAT WAS ORIGINALLY GRANTED TO US BACK IN WORLD WAR II?
>> YES, MA'AM. >> AND THEN SOMEWHERE IN THE PAST WE ARRANGED WITH THE FAA TO DO COMMUNITY SERVICE BALL FIELDS, RECREATION, ON BOTH OF THOSE PIECES OF PROPERTY?
>> I DON'T KNOW THAT WE ARRANGED WITH THE FAA TO DO THAT. I THINK THE CITY PUT THE RECREATIONAL ASSETS THERE. WHEN I DISCUSSED THE PART 13 COMPLAINT, I THINK THE CITY WAS RESPONDING, SAYING WE ARE PAYING SOMETHING TO THE AIRPORT, BUT WE DIDN'T GO TO THE FAA. AND THOSE RULES HAVE EVOLVED OVER TIME.
>> RIGHT. BECAUSE IT'S BEEN THERE FOR A GOOD AMOUNT OF TIME.
>> YEAH. >> AND SO NOW WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS YOU HAVE DEMAND FOR HANGARS WHICH I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND, AND I THINK WE SHOULD BE BUILDING THEM AS FAST AS WE CAN BECAUSE THEY GENERATE REVENUE, ON WHAT IS EFFECTIVELY THE SOCCER FIELDS. THEN OUR PLAN WAS TO MOVE THE BASEBALL FIELDS TO MLK? OR SOMEWHERE SO YOU COULD PUT SOCCER WHERE BASEBALL WAS. AND THAT'S WHAT IS THE CONFLICT NOW IS THE ISSUE WITH
THE COST OF THE LAND -- >> CORRECT.
>> -- AND SO WE'RE TALKING ON ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER OF I GUESS
THE ROAD TO CRANE ISLAND? >> LET ME SHOW YOU THIS.
>> I WAS TRYING TO -- >> SO IN THE CENTER HERE IS THE GRAVEL PARKING LOT, THE WHITE PARKING SPACES.
>> YEAH. >> SO EAST SIDE IS SOFTBALL EXISTING TODAY. THE CONCEPT AT THE TIME FAA AND PURCHASE THAT FROM THE AIRPORT SO IT'S OUT OF THE AIRPORT'S PROPERTY MAP, YOU DEVELOP IT, AND IT'S NO LONGER FEDERALLY OBLIGATED PROPERTY. THE FINANCIAL CHALLENGES ARE EITHER -- EVEN IF YOU DIDN'T DEVELOP ANYTHING ON THAT PROPERTY, AND YOU WANT TO MAKE SOME IMPROVEMENTS, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE EITHER GOT TO START PAYING THE ENTERPRISE FUND SOMETHING OR IF YOU WANT TO LOCK IT IN TO TERM, PAY THAT LEASE RATE AND LOCK INTO A TERM WITH THE FAA'S APPROVAL OR PURCHASE THE PROPERTY IF THE FAA WILL ALLOW YOU TO DO IT, AND I THINK THOSE ARE THE FINANCIAL CHALLENGES IN FRONT OF US.
>> ARE WE STILL CURRENTLY PAYING $100,000 A YEAR FROM THE CITY?
[00:45:04]
>> NO. >> SO AT SOME POINT THAT
STOPPED. OKAY. >> I'M NOT SURE. I NEVER INVESTIGATED WHEN THAT STOPPED. THAT PREDATES ME. I THINK THE
COMPLAINT WAS 2013. >> OKAY, ALL RIGHT.
>> WHAT WOULD THE FAIR MARKET LEASE BE ON THAT NOW, A YEAR?
>> WE DID THAT SOME TIME AGO. I THINK THERE'S ACTUALLY A NUMBER IN HERE.
THANK YOU. >> I'LL JUST BE RIGHT HERE IF
YOU HAVE A FEW MORE QUESTIONS. >> THANK YOU.
>> I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE NEW A BAD SPOT.
>> JUST AS A POINT OF ORDER AS WE ARE APPROACHING WHAT NORMALLY WOULD BE THE END OF THE WORKSHOP TIME, I'M GOING TO ALLOW 10 TO 15 EXTRA MINUTES, AND IF WE CAN TAKE THE PUBLIC SPEAKERS DURING THE GENERAL COMMENT MEETING, I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT. THANK
YOU. >> SO WE ALREADY HIGHLIGHTED A FEW OF THE KIND OF AIRPORT THINGS, BUT I DID -- WE DID GET MONEY FROM -- WELL, WE DIDN'T GET THE MONEY YET, WE GOT THE AGREEMENT TO GIVE US MONEY FROM THE COUNTY. THAT TIMELINE IS JULY OF '27 THAT WE NEED TO HAVE CONSTRUCTION DONE ON A REPLACEMENT AT THIS SITE. WE -- AS PART OF THE PRELIMINARY DESIGN, WE KNOW THAT WE NEED 15 ACRES OF SPACE ON THIS SITE BECAUSE OF DRAINAGE AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE NEEDED TO DESIGN AND PUT THE SOCCER FIELDS ON THIS SITE. FUNDING SOURCE IS A CHALLENGE. WE -- BASED ON WHAT EXPERT CONSULTANTS HAVE TOLD US THAT THIS IS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR IMPACT FEES. THIS PROJECT WOULDN'T BE. AND THEN WE HAVE ALL OF THE GRANT OBLIGATIONS, A COUPLE OF THEM, THAT WE'VE HIGHLIGHTED. BUT WE ALSO HAVE GRANT OBLIGATIONS THAT COME FROM THE PAST THAT ARE STILL NOT RESOLVED AS FAR AS THE STATE AND FEDERAL MONEY THAT WE TOOK TO BUILD THE RECREATION SITES ON HERE. WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THOSE. SO I'M GOING TO HAVE PARKS DIRECTOR MICHAELON COME UP AND HELP US IDENTIFY THE SITES WE'VE IDENTIFIED AS OPTIONS, AND I'LL COME BACK AND TALK ABOUT PROS AND CONS.
>> GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS. SCOTT MICHAELSON, DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A QUICK STATEMENT. AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN THIS PROCESS, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR MY PARKS AND RECREATION STANDPOINT TO IDENTIFY AND EVALUATE ALL POTENTIAL PROS AND CONS OF AVAILABLE SITES COMPARABLE TO THE EXISTING LOCATION. THIS APPROACH SUPPORTS COMMUNITY DISCUSSION AND THOUGHTFUL DECISION MAKING.
RECOGNIZING THAT EACH LOCATION WILL PRESENT ITS OWN CLEAR ADVANTAGES AND CHALLENGES. WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT CERTAIN LOCATIONS FOR THIS SOCK -- FOR THE SOCCER FIELDS.
THE FIRST ONE HERE, THE SLIDE THAT IS SHOWING, AND MR. COYLE HAS SPOKEN TO THAT, ON THE EAST SIDE OR THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SLIDE SHOWS WHERE THE SOCCER FIELDS COULD BE RELOCATED, AND THAT WOULD BE OVER THE EXISTING SOFTBALL COMPLEX. ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SLIDE HERE, THE WESTERN SIDE SHOWS WHERE THE T HANGARS WOULD BE. BASICALLY YOU WOULD BE TAKING THE EXISTING SOCCER -- THE EXISTING -- THE EXISTING SOCCER COMPLEX FIELDS AND JUST RELOCATING THEM RIGHT OVER THE TOP OF THE SOFTBALL FIELDS. WITH THAT, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE EVERYONE AWARE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS MAINLY USED BY MILLE ISLAND YOUTH SOCCER. THE CITY RECREATION ALSO USES IT, SPORTS LEAGUES, AND ALSO SOFTBALL AND BASEBALL, THE YOUTH SPORTS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY, THEY USE THE EXISTING CURRENT SOFTBALL FIELDS FOR PRACTICES.
SO THIS IS JUST BASICALLY A CONCEPTUAL OVERLAY. BUT THIS IS A POTENTIAL OPTION WITH PROS AND CONS ATTACHED TO IT. ONE OTHER ITEM I DID WANT TO MENTION. IF WE DO MOVE ON FROM THIS POTENTIAL SITE, THIS WOULD BE A VERY NICE -- OR A VIABLE STOPGAP IF WE DO HAVE TO MOVE ON. WE COULD POSSIBLY WORK WITH THE AIRPORT WHERE SOCCER COULD USE THE SOFTBALL SIDE. IT HAS EXISTING LIGHTS WHERE IF WE NEEDED A TIME FRAME FOR THEM TO USE IT, WE COULD POSSIBLY WORK THROUGH THAT SITUATION.
>> SCOTT, CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION?
>> YES. >> YOU SAID BEFORE THERE'S SIX SOCCER FIELDS TODAY CURRENTLY OUT THERE.
>> YES. SO WHEN WE LOOK AT IT -- >> SOMEBODY SAID THERE WAS SIX.
I WROTE IT DOWN. >> YOU ARE CORRECT.
>> SO HOW MANY WOULD -- IF YOU GO BACK TO THAT OLD SLIDE, HOW
MANY ARE THERE? >> YEAH. SO RIGHT NOW THESE ARE
[00:50:02]
THREE FULL-SIZED SOCCER FIELDS. THEY'RE BASICALLY A SOCCER FIELD WOULD BE JUST LIKE A HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL FIELD, 100 -- AND THEY DO BASICALLY 240 FEET WITH 360 FEET NORTH/SOUTH,BASICALLY -- >> SO WE WOULD BE GOING FROM SIX
SOCCER FIELDS TO THREE? >> SO WHEN WE SAY SIX, BASICALLY WHAT WE WOULD DO IS WE WOULD PROVIDE THEM WITH THE THREE FULL-SIZED FIELDS. BUT THEN BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF CHILDREN THAT THEY HAVE IN EACH AGE GROUP, THEY BREAK THEM UP.
>> OKAY. >> SO PROVIDING THEM THE FOOTPRINT, WE WOULD PROVIDE THE FOOTPRINT, THE GRASSED AREA.
THEY LAY OUT THE FIELDS BASED ON HOW THEY NEED IT, BASED ON -- IT MIGHT CHANGE FROM YEAR TO YEAR. THEY MAY HAVE MORE KIDS IN A
CERTAIN AGE GROUP. >> RIGHT. SO HOW MANY ACRES IS IT TODAY VERSUS HOW MANY ACRES WOULD IT BE THERE?
>> SO WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT LEASING OR BUYING 15 ACRES. 15 ACRES PUTS US VERY CLOSE TO PURCHASING WHAT THEY EXACTLY HAVE NOW. IT WOULD ALLOW US TO PROVIDE VERY SIMILAR TO THEIR
EXISTING SITE. >> OKAY. THANK YOU.
>> YEAH. SO THIS IS ANOTHER LOCATION. AND ONCE AGAIN, WE DO UNDERSTAND THERE'S PROS AND CONS. AND AFTER WE TALK ABOUT EACH LOCATION, WE'RE GOING TO SUMMARIZE THE PROS AND CONS BASED ON THESE LOCATIONS. SO THIS IS A SITE THAT'S OUT IN YULEE, IT'S THE YULEE SPORTS COMPLEX. IT'S NORTH ON 17. THIS IS 102-ACRE SITE. THERE ARE THREE SOCCER FIELDS THAT ARE PLANNED ON THIS EXISTING SITE. AND THERE IS ALSO -- THE COUNTY IS IN DESIGN TO HAVE THREE ADDITIONAL SOCCER FIELDS WHERE WE COULD WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH THE COUNTY FOR POSSIBLE ADDITIONAL FIELDS HERE, OFF SITE, OFF THE ISLAND. AND THERE'S ALSO ADDITIONAL ACREAGE AT THIS LOCATION. SO WE WOULD BE WORKING WITH THE COUNTY TO PROVIDE A FACILITY, AND IT WOULD
BE OFF THE ISLAND. >> SCOTT, AND DO WE ALREADY KNOW THAT WE CAN'T USE IMPACT FEES OUTSIDE CITY LIMITS?
>> ALL RIGHT. HERE'S ANOTHER LOCATION. THIS IS HICKORY STREET PARK. THIS IS ASH EXISTING 9 1/2-ACRE SITE. WE LEASE IT FROM THE NASSAU COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. THIS IS JUST ANOTHER POSSIBLE STOPGAP. AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S THREE EXISTING FIELDS ON HERE. THESE FIELDS ARE NOT COMPLETE FULL-SIZED FIELDS.
THERE'S SOME ISSUES WITH THIS PROS AND CONS. THERE IS NO EXISTING LIGHTING HERE, NETTING WOULD HAVE TO BE PLACED AROUND THE COMPLEX, AND THERE'S NEIGHBORHOODS DIRECTLY TO THE SOUTH AND DIRECTLY TO THE EAST. IT MIGHT BE HARD TO SEE ON THERE, BUT THE NORTH TO SOUTH, THE DISTANCE IS 275 FEET, I BELIEVE. YEAH, 275 FEET. WHAT WE WOULD BE LOOKING FOR IS ABOUT 360 FEET. THE PARKING, AS YOU KNOW, WE DID PUT BATHROOMS IN THIS LOCATION. THE PARKING IS MINIMAL THERE. ALSO WITH THIS BEING A STOPGAP, THIS DOES PRESENT SOME PROBLEMS. IT COULD CREATE A RIPPLE EFFECT. MANY OTHER YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS DO USE THIS COMPLEX MAINLY AS A PRACTICE. JUST TO NAME A FEW, YOUTH FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION, SCHOOL SOCCER TEAMS, YOUTH SCHOOL LA CROSSE TEAMS AND JUST THE GENERAL COMMUNITY AS WELL. A LOT OF PEOPLE GO OUT THERE AND JUST PLAY. AND THEN WE HAVE THIS PARCEL OF LAND THAT IS OUT THERE. SO THIS AREA IS A 20 PARCEL PIECE OF LAND THAT IS JUST WHAT I WOULD SAY IS NORTH.
I GET A LITTLE DIRECTIONALLY CHALLENGED AROUND THE AIRPORT AREA. A LITTLE NORTH ACROSS THE PARKWAY FROM THE AIRPORT. THE BIG RED X THAT YOU SEE RIGHT THERE IS WHAT WE WOULD CALL A RUNWAY PROTECTION ZONE. OKAY. GOT THAT RIGHT. SO THE CITY ACTUALLY OWNS THAT. SO WE COULD NOT DO -- WE COULD NOT DO ANY DEVELOPMENT THERE. BUT THIS IS A LARGE PIECE OF LAND THAT WE NEED TO VET AND HAVE A CONVERSATION, AND LIKE ANY OTHER PIECE OF LAND, PROS AND CONS COME WITH THAT. WE OWN THIS LAND, SO
[00:55:04]
DEVELOPING IT, WE WOULD JUST HAVE TO PAY TO DEVELOP IT. WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO PURCHASE THE LAND. IT IS RECREATION. WITH THAT BEING SAID, THOSE ARE -- IT'S NOT EASY FINDING 15 ACRES OF LAND ON THIS ISLAND. SO THOSE ARE THE AREAS THAT WE HAVE PINPOINTED. WITH THAT BEING SAID, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DISCUSS THE PROS AND CONS. I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ALREADY KNOW THE PROS AND CONS WITH EACH ITEM, BUT I THINK THAT WILL BE THE NEXT STEP IN THIS PRESENTATION. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME SPECIFICALLY?>> QUESTIONS FOR MR. MICHAELSON? >> CAN WE GO BACK ONE SLIDE, PLEASE? SO HOW MUCH OF THE 20 ACRES IS IN THE RED? DO WE KNOW
SPECIFICALLY. >> I MEAN, IT'S NOT HALF.
>> IT'S NOT HALF. SO WE WOULD HAVE TO START ON THE EASTERN
SIDE OF THAT. >> YEAH. SO -- BUT YOU COULD PUT
PARKING THERE OR MAYBE? >> SO THE INTENT OF A PROTECTION ZONE IS TO PROTECT THE PROPERTY AND INDIVIDUALS. IT'S AN AREA OF HIGH INCIDENT, AIRCRAFT INCIDENT ACCIDENTS. THE FAA'S GENERAL RULE IS NO PROPERTY OR PERSONS IN THE RPC. SO YOU WOULD NOT WANT TO PUT
>> FREE FROM ABOVE-GROUND OBSTRUCTIONS.
>> THAT'S FINE. >> IF IT'S HELPFUL, EITHER NOW OR AT THE END, WE HAVE THE AIRPORT'S LAYOUT PLAN, AND WE CAN PULL THAT UP AND SHOW YOU. THIS IS A HANDDRAWN SKETCH, WITH
THE EXACT LAYOUT OF THAT RPC. >> YEAH. I KNOW WHERE THAT IS.
THAT BACKS UP TO THE -- >> AND THIS IS JUST THE PARCEL OF LAND -- YES, THAT IS THE CITY GOLF COURSE WEST 5, AND THEN ALSO IT'S WHERE SIMMONS PARK IS IF YOU GO TO THE NORTH. THANK
YOU. >> THANK YOU, MR. MICHAELSON.
>> OKAY. SO WE'LL HIGHLIGHT THE PROS AND CONS HERE. SO I'LL START WITH PROCEEDING WITH THE LAND PURCHASE. I'LL SHOW IN A MINUTE THE APPRAISAL WHICH WAS $3.5 MILLION. I'LL TALK THROUGH WHY THAT IS THE WAY IT IS. SO AS WE'RE LOOKING AT THE CONS, CERTAINLY THE COST OF PURCHASING, AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, CONSTRUCTION IS A CON FOR THE CURRENT SITE. WE ALSO HAVE A FUNDING SOURCE AND DETERMINE WHAT THAT IS WITH ALL THE COMPETING INTERESTS, ALSO A CON. ON THE PROS, IT IS PART OF OUR CIP, WE HAVE INVESTED A LITTLE BIT OF FUNDING IN TO PREDESIGN AND CONCEPTS, SO WE DO KNOW WHAT WE'RE GOING TO PUT THERE AND WHERE WE'RE GOING TO PUT IT. SO THAT'S A PRO. AND THEN THE -- THERE IS LESS DISRUPTION TO THE COMMUNITY IN THE LONG RUN. THERE STILL WOULD BE IF WE WERE ON THAT SITE BECAUSE IN ORDER TO CONSTRUCT IT, WE WILL HAVE TO RAISE THE SITE ABOUT 8 1/2 INCHES SO THERE WON'T BE USE ON A PERIOD OF TIME DURING CONSTRUCTION. THE HICKORY STREET PARK AREA, THE PARKS DIRECTOR WALKED US THROUGH A LOT OF THE CONS. IT'S NOT LIGHTED, THE PARKING IS NOT ADEQUATE, THERE IS INSUFFICIENT SPACE FOR THE FIELD SIZE. IT COULD BE USED AS AN INTERIM, BUT A LONG-TERM SOLUTION IS -- IT IS NOT OPTIMAL. IT IS AN AVAILABLE SPACE THAT WE HAVE LEASED TO, SO THAT IS A PRO RIGHT NOW. IT IS CURRENTLY UTILIZED BY MANY PARKS USERS. THE COUNTY COLLABORATION, THE PRO IS THAT THEY'RE OPEN TO IT, THAT THE REAL ESTATE IS AVAILABLE. THEY ARE ALREADY DOING SOME PREDESIGN WORK. SO THE CON IS THAT IT'S OFF ISLAND. IT PUTS AT RISK OUR ON-ISLAND FIELD COUNT. IT STILL NEEDS TO BE CONSTRUCTED, SO THERE IS A TIME GAP IN THERE AS FAR AS THE CON GOES. WE HIGHLIGHTED AT LEAST ONE OTHER LAND SITE, THE 20-ACRE AREA. IT IS DIFFICULT TO FIND 15. WE HAVE NOT EVALUATED EVERY 15-ACRE PLOT OUT THERE CURRENTLY. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DO. THE PRO THERE IS IT KEEPS ON ISLAND, A NEW FACILITY WOULD LIKELY -- I'M NOT GOING TO COMMIT 100%, BUT IT WOULD LIKELY ALLOW FOR USE OF IMPACT FEES, SO BUDGET WOULD LIKELY BE AVAILABLE. THE CONIS UNKNOWN COSTS AND AVAILABILITIES TO THAT PROPERTY
[01:00:01]
AND UNKNOWN IMPACTS. ALSO CERTAINLY IN THE ONE WE HIGHLIGHTED, TAKING DOWN TREES IS A CON IN THIS SITUATION AND WHAT THAT IMPACT WOULD BE. THE OTHER IS TIMELINES. WE WOULD HAVE TO DO PURCHASING, WE'D HAVE TO DO A DESIGN SPECIFIC TO THAT PROPERTY. THAT PROPERTY ON ITS OWN DOES NOT HAVE UTILITIES IN IT, SO THOSE ARE THINGS WE WOULD HAVE TO PLAN FOR THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVEN'T. AND THEN THE DO NOTHING, AND THE DO NOTHING IS THE FACT THAT WE DON'T TAKE ANY OF THE OTHER THREE OPTIONS, AND WE ALSO DON'T REPLACE THE SITE. SO THERE'S SOME PROS -- THE BIGGEST PRO THERE IS OUR OPERATIONAL AND CAPITAL SAVINGS IS SIGNIFICANT, BUT THE LOSS OF USE SPORTS OPPORTUNITIES IS A MAJOR CON, AS WELL AS PUTTING THE PRESSURE OFF ISLAND AND TRAVEL TIME FOR ALL OF OUR YOUTH SPORTS PIECES. SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT. SO TO GO OVER, WHEN WE DID THE VALUATION, THE ORIGINAL VALUE WAS LOOKED AT 12 ACRES. AND WHEN WE DID OUR PRELIMINARY DESIGN, WE KNEW WE NEEDED 15 1/4 ACRES TO BE ABLE TO MEET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS FOR STORM WATER AND THOSE THINGS. SO WE DID THE EVALUATION ON THE 15.2 ACRES WHICH GOES TO ROUGHLY $3.5 MILLION. BUT YOU CAN SEE THAT THE SQUARE FOOT OF THE LAST ONE WAS $150,000 PER SQUARE FOOT, THE VALUE. AND THEN WE HAD AN INCREASE OF 53% TO 230. SO THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN THE PROPERTY VALUE TO BEGIN WITH, EVEN WITHOUT THE INCREASE OF SURFACE AREA. SO IN THE REPORT, THERE IS -- IT DOES TALK ABOUT THE LEASE VALUE WHICH IS $350,000 AND THAT IS PER YEAR WOULD BE THE FAIR MARKET VALUE LEASE OF THE 15.25 ACRES. I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT IF IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE WANTED TO EXPLORE WHERE WE TRIED TO GET MORE THAN THAT, THEN 350, EVEN ON A TEMPORARY BASIS, THE $350,000 WOULD ONLY BE FOR THE 15.25. I HIGHLIGHTED THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT ALREADY ABOUT WE HAD THREE YEARS WHEN THIS AGREEMENT WAS SIGNED, THAT IS THE SUMMER OF '27 WHERE WE WOULD HAVE TO DELIVER. THAT'S THE ILA AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY WITH THE $1.7 MILLION THAT THEY WERE GOING TO GIVE US. I DID WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT WAS NOT JUST OR FOR PURCHASE, IT WAS TO DELIVER CONSTRUCTION SO WE COULD IN THEORY USE IT FOR EITHER OR. SO TO SUMMARIZE, WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THE PRICE, WE BELIEVE THAT THE OFF-ISLAND OPTION IS VIABLE BUT CERTAINLY HAS ITS CHALLENGES WHICH WE'VE HIGHLIGHTED. WE HAVE A LIMITED SUPPLY OF ACREAGE FOR SOCCER FIELDS ON THE ENTIRE ISLAND. HICKORY PARK IS A SOLUTION, NOT A LONG-TERM ONE, AND THE FUNDING THE BALL FIELD'S REPLACEMENT CONTINUES TO BE A FINANCIAL CHALLENGE. SO AS THE SUMMARY OF OPTIONS, I DID WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT ALL OF THESE -- WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR TONIGHT IS NOT A SOLID 100% DECISION. WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS ARE THERE ANY OF THESE THAT YOU WANT TO ELIMINATE AND ARE THERE OTHER THINGS THAT WE NEED TO GO FIND OUT TO BE ABLE TO -- TO BRING BACK TO YOU SO THAT WE CAN MAKE AN -- ULTIMATELY A DECISION ON THIS DIRECTION?>> DOES THE COUNTY HAVE -- WHAT KIND OF TIMELINE DOES THE COUNTY HAVE ON THERE, HOW HARD AND FAST?
>> THEY ARE IN THEIR DESIGN PROCESS. I THINK THEY'RE LOOKING AT SPRING TO SUMMER OF '27 --
>> YOU SAID AN 18-MONTH WINDOW BEFORE THEY WOULD HAVE PLAYABLE
FIELDS, SO SUMMER '27. >> THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING
>> JUST A POINT OF DISCUSSION WITH US, THE 20 ACRES OF WOODED PARCEL IS NOT MY FAVORITE TO PUT A SOCCER FIELD. PUTTING THAT UP
THERE. >> YEAH. FROM A HIGH LEVEL I'LL AGREE, THAT'S PROBABLY THE MOST EXPENSIVE OPTION AS WELL. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S AN OPINION AMONG THE REST OF YOU
[01:05:02]
COMMISSIONERS, BUT I PERSONALLY THINK DESPITE THE FACT THAT I GET TO DRIVE DOWN THE ROAD AND GET TO TAKE MY DAUGHTER TO YOUTH SOCCER, IT'S WORTH DISCUSSING WITH THE COUNTY THE COLLABORATION EFFORT, POSSIBLY USING HICKORY AS A STOPGAP, BUT I'M INTERESTED TO HEAR IF THERE'S ANY OPINION ON THEBOARD HERE. >> WELL, YOU GOT $3.5 MILLION IN PURCHASE PRICE, PLUS YOU GOT TO BUILD IT. AND I WAS TOLD, GLENN, YOU SAID ABOUT $1.5 MILLION TO BUILD THE SOCCER FIELDS. WE'RE
TALKING $5 MILLION. >> DEPENDING ON THE BID ENVIRONMENT THAT WE DO THAT, IT COULD BE -- WE'RE BELIEVING BASED ON THE NEED IS ANYWHERE FROM $2 TO $2.5 MILLION FOR
CONSTRUCTION AT THIS POINT. >> ON TOP OF THE $3.5?
>> COLLABORATION WOULD BE DRAMATICALLY LESS.
>> RIGHT. AND THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF THE POPULATION IS GOING.
WE HAVE BEEN SUPPLYING THE COUNTY FOR DECADES, THEIR PARKS AND REG PROGRAM. SO THE COUNTY KIDS HAVE ALWAYS HAD TO COME TO THE ISLAND BECAUSE THEY HAD NO RECREATIONAL FACILITIES TO SPEAK OF OUT THERE. AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT'S A CHANCE NOW FOR THEM TO HELP US BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT NEED TO GET DONE IN THIS COMMUNITY, AND, YOU KNOW, YOU QUESTION THE WILL OF THE COMMUNITY ON PAYING FOR ALL THIS STUFF. I MEAN, ALL THIS STUFF COSTS A LOT OF MONEY, AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SKATE PARKS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS THAT PEOPLE IN THEIR INDIVIDUAL GROUP WANT, BUT COLLECTIVELY, WHERE DO WE GET THE MONEY FOR ALL THIS? SO, YEAH, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A BEAUTIFUL SOCCER COMPLEX HERE.
ON THE ISLAND, IT WOULD BE FANTASTIC. IT DOESN'T SEEM VIABLE RIGHT NOW TO HAVE THAT WITH THOSE KIND OF DOLLARS TO BE SPENT. WE ARE GETTING READY TO HAVE A CONSULTANT COME IN TO DO AN OVERALL ISLAND WIDE EVALUATION OF OUR FIELDS AND WHAT WE COULD DO AND NOT DO AND THIS TYPE OF STUFF, AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE COME UP WITH THE MONEY FOR THAT. I REALLY DON'T.
>> SO I'D LIKE TO SEE -- THESE THREE -- AT LEAST THE TOP THREE OPTIONS, LIKE, TAKEN DOWN ANOTHER LEVEL, YOU KNOW, LIKE, NOT JUST PICK ONE, BUT SAY TAKE THE TOP THREE ACROSS THERE AND VET THEM JUST ANOTHER COUPLE LEVELS AND THEN COME BACK TO US SO THAT YOU'D HAVE, YOU KNOW, MORE SPECIFICS ON MONEY AND TIME FRAMES AND INTEREST, AND THEN I THINK WE ALSO NEED TO AT THIS POINT, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE HAVE SOME TOWN HALLS OR HAVE SOME COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CONVERSATIONS WITH THE SPORTS FOLKS. I KNOW THERE'S A BUNCH OF SPORTS FOLKS HERE TONIGHT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE NEED TO START FIGURING OUT HOW TO GET THAT INPUT INTO THIS PROCESS AND UNDERSTAND THE PUTS AND TAKES.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN PUSHING FOR TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION IS THAT SO THE COMMUNITY CAN REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS ARE THAT WE'RE UP AGAINST, FOR WHATEVER REASON, AND ALL THIS STUFF WITH THE FAA AND AIRPORT IS VERY CONVOLUTED AND WEIRD. BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN THESE. BUT I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE THE TOP THREE DOWN A COUPLE MORE LEVELS AND COME BACK WITH SOME MORE DETAIL.
>> I KNOW THAT WE ASKED THE COUNTY TO EVALUATE IF THEY ADDED A COUPLE MORE FIELDS AND WHAT THAT WOULD COST THE COMMUNITY HERE IN ORDER TO TAG ON TO WHAT THEY'RE DOING. WHEN DO WE HOPE TO GET THOSE NUMBERS? SOMETIME NEXT MONTH?
>> YES, JANUARY. >> IN JANUARY? OKAY.
>> CAN WE SET A WORKSHOP THEN AFTER WE HAVE THOSE NUMBERS? I MEAN, I AGREE WITH GENECE. WE NEED A LOT OF COLLABORATION FROM THE CITY. AND, YOU KNOW, IF MY BRAIN FAST FORWARDS, SIX FIELDS TOGETHER IS A GREAT COMPLEX. IT ENABLES THE ENTIRE ORGANIZATION TO BE TOGETHER, AND WE COULD STILL DEVELOP HICKORY TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, BETTER, VERY YOUNG KIDS. I KNOW AS A PARENT, SOCCER COACH, SOCCER PLAYER, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOUR KIDS ARE VERY LITTLE PLAYING A SPORT, YOU'RE NOT THAT INVESTED, AND IT'S SUPER
[01:10:01]
NICE IF IT'S AROUND THE CORNER. BUT, YOU KNOW, BY THE TIME THEY'RE 12 OR 14 PLAYING SERIOUSLY, YOU CAN DRIVE 20 MINUTES TO WHAT WOULD IN THEORY BE A WORLD CLASS COMPLEX THAT COULD ALL BE TOGETHER. BUT HOW DO WE BRIDGE THEM FROM HERE TO THERE, THAT THERE WOULD BE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS. IT'S A HUGE PROGRAM WITH A TON OF PLAYERS>> WHICH IS WHY WE NEED TO, I THINK, GET THE YOUTH SPORTS FOLKS AT THE TABLE AND START, LIKE, WORKING THROUGH SOME OF THESE ISSUES AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT -- YOU KNOW, TO ME, IT'S KIND OF LIKE LIKE THE MLK, YOU KNOW, BALL FIELD, SOFTBALL FIELD ISSUE. I MEAN, WE VA A FINE ITEM AMOUNT OF LAND IN THE CITY, AND WE NEED TO USE IT TO ITS BEST AND HIGHEST USE. SO TO HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THE JOE VALARDI FIELD OVER THERE IS NOT BEING MAINTAINED TO THE LEVEL IT NEEDS TO BE SO IT CAN BE PROPERLY USED OR MAYBE NOT HAVING HICKORY STREET NOW THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE LEASE WITH THE COUNTY, WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD, RATHER, YOU KNOW, HAVING HICKORY STREET TO ITS BEST AND HIGHEST USE ARE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO PLAN FOR BECAUSE, AGAIN, WE JUST HAVE SO MUCH LAND IN THE CITY. AND WE CAN'T JUST CREATE NEW LAND OR GO OUT AND BUY LAND. I MEAN, IT'S JUST NOT REASONABLE TO THINK. SO WE NEED TO BE SMART ABOUT HOW WE USE WHAT WE HAVE AND HOW THEN WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO PARTNER WITH THE COUNTY BETTER TO BE ABLE TO EXPAND THESE PROGRAMS THAT WAY
>> YEAH. I MEAN, SO WHEN THIS CAME UP BACK IN EARLY PART OF MY TERM, I REALLY WASN'T A BIG FAN OF PURCHASING THE LAND, AND IT REALLY HAD TO DO WITH JUST NOT UNDERSTANDING HOW THAT WHOLE -- YOU HAVE TO BUY IT FROM YOURSELF. I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ASK ME THAT ALL THE TIME. WHY ARE YOU BUYING LAND FROM YOURSELF? SO IT TOOK ME A WHILE TO PROCESS THAT. BUT ONCE I KIND OF UNDERSTOOD IT AND KNEW THAT, HEY, THE COUNTY WAS GOING TO CHIP IN $1.7 MILLION, IT STARTED TO MAKE A LITTLE BIT OF SENSE.
AND THE REASON IS BECAUSE THE LAND ISN'T GETTING ANY CHEAPER, AND THE WAY THAT I LOOK AT THIS, IF YOU MOVE AWAY FROM PURCHASING THE ALVAREZ FIELDS, AND FIRST OFF, THEY ARE KIND OF HISTORIC TO A LITTLE BIT -- I SEE MR. ALVAREZ IN THE BACK THERE. SO I KNOW THAT THEY'VE BEEN PART OF THE -- PART OF OUR COMMUNITY FOR A REALLY LONG TIME, BUT IF WE ABANDON THAT, THEY'RE GOING TO BECOME HANGARS. AND I JUST WANT THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND, WE DON'T PUT THIS IN CONSERVATION NOW, THAT WHOLE ENTIRE AREA IS GOING TO BECOME CONCRETE, IT'S GOING TO BECOME MORE T HANGARS, IT'S GOING TO BECOME MORE AIRPORT, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IF WE DO NOT PURCHASE THAT LAND. AND WE HAVE THE AVAILABILITY WITH WHAT THE COUNTY HAS PLEDGED WITH $1.7 TO GET THAT LAND INTO CONSERVATION. IF WE CAN'T DO THAT BECAUSE OF FINANCIAL REASONS, I GUESS -- I MEAN, I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT. I UNDERSTAND THE FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY THAT THIS COMMISSION COMOITION HAS TO THE COMMUNITY ITSELF. BUT, YOU KNOW, I JUST -- I WANT THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND THAT IF WE DON'T PURCHASE IT, IT'S GOING TO BECOME AIRPORT HANGARS, AND WE'RE GOING TO LOSE A 15-ACRE BASICALLY CONSERVATION PIECE OF LAND. I THINK WE CAN WORK WITH HICKORY. I MEAN, IT WAS ONE OF MY FIRST CHOICES, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT COMES WITH ITS OWN -- IT COMES WITH ITS OWN SET OF PROBLEMS AND ISSUES. SO I DON'T -- I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE GO FROM THERE, BUT THE TWO THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS I DO BELIEVE THAT THIS SHOULD COME BACK AS A WORKSHOP OF ITS OWN BECAUSE, I MEAN, WE'RE ALREADY 30 MINUTES RUN OVER. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A WORKSHOP BY ITSELF.
IT SHOULD COME BACK BY ITSELF SO WE CAN HAVE A LONGER DISCUSSION ON WHAT WE NEED TO DO. I AGREE GETTING MORE INFORMATION ON HOW WE NEED TO DO THAT. BUT, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S DECIDEDLY THAT WE'RE GOING TO MOVE AWAY FROM NOT PURCHASING THE ALVAREZ FIELDS WITH THE HELP OF THE COUNTY, THEN WE KIND OF NEED TO MAKE THAT DECISION SO THE COUNTY CAN RELEASE THOSE FUNDS BEING AND THEY CAN START DOING WHAT THEY NEED TO DO WITH THEIR PARKS
AND REC AS WELL. >> THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR.
>> IN THE ESSENCE OF TIME. >> CAN I CLARIFY? SO YOU THINK THE COUNTY -- I DON'T THINK THE COUNTY WOULD GIVE US THAT MONEY IF WE WERE GOING TO PUT IT IN TO CONSERVATION BECAUSE THEY WANT
THAT MONEY FOR RECREATION. >> CORRECT.
>> I MEAN, IT WOULD GO IN -- CONSERVATION, RECREATION, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, IT'S LAND THAT ISN'T GOING TO BE CONCRETE. THEY'RE GIVING US $1.7 MILLION SO THAT WE CANNOT PUT MORE CONCRETE AND MORE HANGARS UP.
>> OKAY. SO I DON'T CARE IF IT'S CONSERVATION. I MAY HAVE USED THE WRONG TERM OF CONSERVATION, RECREATION,
[01:15:01]
WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, IT'S JUST MORE CONCRETE THAT'SGOING TO GO IN THE GROUND. >> OKAY. NO. I JUST WANTED CLARIFICATION BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T FUNDED CONSERVATION LAND SINCE 2019, EXCEPT DON'T THINK WE HAVE THE FUNDING FOR CONSERVATION.
>> NO. SO, COMMISSIONERS, IF I MAY, IN ORDER TO WRAP THIS UP AND GET TO OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING, I AM HEARING CONSESUS WE WANT MORE INFORMATION, WE WANT A TOWN HALL AND WE WANT TO COME BACK FOR ANOTHER WORKSHOP, IS THAT RIGHT?
>> YES. >> DOES STAFF NEED ANY MORE
>> WE WILL
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.