[1. CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:10]
>> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. WELCOME TO OUR JANUARY 20TH CITY COMMISSION WORKSHOP. MS. BEST, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
>> COMMISSIONER MINSHEW. >> HERE.
>> COMMISSIONER POYNTER. >> HERE.
>> COMMISSIONER TUTEN. >> HERE.
>> PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICAN AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD,
INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY >> S YOU MAY BE SEATED. AND
[4.1 SPECIAL EVENT POLICY AND PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS]
STAFF AS A PRESENTATION FOR US TODAY FOR OUR SPECIAL EVENTS WORKSHOP SO IS THAT WE CAN DISCUSS HOW WE CAN STREAMLINE AND MAKE SOME CONSISTENCY WITH HOW WE RECEIVE AND APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE SPECIAL EVENTS, AS WELL AS WHETHER OR NOT POTENTIAL FEE WAIVERS ARE CAREGIVERRED. MR. GLISSON, WILL YOU TAKE USAWAY? >> THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO SPECIAL EVENTS, IT'S A LONG-BEEN-DISCUSSED TOPIC. THIS COMMISSION HAS EXPLORED OVERHAULING OUR SPECIAL EVENTS PROCESS, AS HAS THE COMMISSION BEFORE. THERE'S A LOT TO SPECIAL EVENTS. SO WE DON'T EXPECT TO WALK AWAY WITH ANY DEFINITIVE CONCLUSION TONIGHT. WE KNOW THERE'S STILL A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE. THIS IS THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY START TAKING A LOOK AND DIVING INTO THE WEEDS OF SOME OF THE CHALLENGES, SOLUTIONS AND SO ON WHEN IT PERTAINS TO SPECIAL EVENTS. SO I'M GOING TO INTRODUCE JUST THE GOALS OF THIS EVENING, AND THEN WE'LL TALK TO MR. BARROW WITH PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT TO TAKE A FURTHER DIVE INTO WHAT WE'VE DONE AND WHAT WE LOOK TO GET OUT OF THIS MEETING THIS EVENING. SO OUR GOALS FOR THIS EVENING ARE TO REVIEW OUR SPECIAL EVENTS PROCESS, WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW, IDENTIFY SOME OF OUR ONGOING CHALLENGES, AND THEN EVALUATE SOME OF THE RECENT IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'VE MADE. WE'VE HEARD YOU, WE'VE HEARD THE COMMUNITY.
WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF THINGS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, AND WE'VE MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS AT A STAFF LEVEL ALREADY AND GET SOME FEEDBACK ON YOU ON POTENTIAL ORDINANCES AND POLICY CHANGES THAT WE'LL BRING BACK TO YOU AT A FOLLOWING MEETING.
SO THAT'S THE GOAL OF OUR WORKSHOP HERE TONIGHT. SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MR. BARROW WHO'S GOING TO
TAKE IT FROM HERE. >> HI, EVERYONE. KIRA BARROW RECREATION DEPARTMENTS DEPUTY DIRECTOR. WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS THE TYPES OF EVENTS WE HAVE IN THE CITY. SO WE HAVE FACILITY RECOMMENDS. THOSE EVERY THE SMALL-SCALE EVENTS THAT WE'VE HAD. WE HAD 214 LAST YEAR. AND THESE ARE PARTIES, FAMILY REUNIONS AND CEREMONIES. NEXT WE HAVE OUR SPECIAL EVENTS. LAST YEAR WE HAD 71 SPECIAL EVENTS. THESE ARE LARGE-SCALE EVENTS THAT YOU'RE SEEING. EXAMPLES OF THAT ARE THE HISPANIC FOOD FESTIVAL, VARIOUS OCTOBER FESTS AND THE TERRY KELLY SKATE JAM.
OUT OF 71 EVENTS 11 OF THEM WERE CORESPONSE ORDED LAST YEAR.
THESE ARE ENDORSED BY THE CITY. DICKENS ON CENTRAL IS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT. CURRENT CHALLENGES. SO VENUES IS ONE OF OUR CURRENT CHALLENGES, STREET CLOSURES, PARKING LOT CLOSURES, HOW EVENTS AFFECT THE MARINA. STRATEGIC PLANNING. THIS INVOLVES OUR COSPONSORSHIPS, FEE WAIVERS, FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS AND LONG-TERM COMMITMENTS THAT WE HAVE. ANOTHER CHALLENGE WE FACE IS POLE BANNER MARKETING AND THE USE OF OUR CITY SEAL. AND THEN EXECIAL FORCES, THINGS THAT ARE JUST COMPLETELY OUT OF OUR CONTROL WHICH IS POLITICS, WEATHER AND THEN EVENTS HAPPENING THAT ARE UNPLANNED. HOW DID WE GET HERE? AS MR. GLISSON MENTIONED, THE CURRENT -- COMMISSION HAD ASKED US TO OVERHAUL OUR SPECIAL EVENT PROCESS BECAUSE THE CITY OF FERNANDINA BEACH IS BECOMING AN EVENT DESTINATION. PEOPLE WANT TO COME HERE AND HAVE THEIR EVENTS. IN 2018, THAT WAS THE LAST TIME THAT WE REVIEWED OUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AND MADE UPDATES TO IT. IN FEBRUARY OF 2019, WE HAD OUR FIRST RESOLUTION COME BEFORE THE COMMISSION FOR COSPONSORED EVENTS. THAT'S THE NINE EVENTS THAT YOU APPROVED EARLIER IN THIS FISCAL YEAR. AT THE AUGUST 15, 2023 COMMISSION MEETING, THE COMMISSION ASKED THAT WE BRING BEFORE THEM ALL OF OUR EVENTS THAT CLOSE DOWNTOWN STREETS.
THEY WANTED TO BE THE FINAL SAY FOR THAT. BETWEEN NOVEMBER OF 2023 AND NOVEMBER OF 2024, CITY STAFF DID A COMPLETE OVERHAUL OF ALL OF OUR GUIDELINES, POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, AND WE COLLABORATED WITH ALL OF CITY STAFF TO DO SO. N DECEMBER OF 2023, WE PRESENTED OUR DRAFTS OF THE PROCESS TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND THEY APPROVED THE DRAFTS WITH THE RECOMMENDATION TO REMOVE THE CONDITIONS FOR POLE BANNERS THAT WE HAD IN THERE. SO WHAT HAS STAFF DONE? WE WENT
[00:05:05]
FROM A FIVE-PAGE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES PROCESS TO, I THINK, A 25-PAGE GUIDEBOOK WITH STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS, A FEE SCHEDULE, CONTACT INFORMATION AND A LAID-OUT APPROVAL PROCESS SO IT LEAVES NOTHING OUT TO QUESTION, HOPEFULLY. WE INCREASED STREET CLOSURE FEES. WE UPDATED THE APPLICATION SUBMISSION TIMELINE FROM 60 DAYS TO 90 DAYS FOR EVENTS THAT INCLUDE ALCOHOL AND REQUIRE COMMISSION APPROVAL. THE 60 DAYS JUST WASN'T ENOUGH TIME FOR US TO GET THROUGH THAT PROCESS. WE CLARIFIED STANDARDS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR FENCING, SECURITY, POLICE, FIRE, REST ROOMS AND SANITATION. WE ADDED A DETAILED LIST OF INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS. WE ADDED SITE MAPS AND PARKING PLAN REQUIREMENTS. WE REQUIRE -- WE'RE ASKING THERE TO BE A PRE-AND POST-EVENT MEETING WITH THE ORGANIZERS TO ENSURE THAT PROPER SETUP IS BEING EXECUTE AND THE EVENT IS FOLLOWING OUR GUIDELINES. AND THEN FINALLY WE ARE LIMITING THE CONVERSATION FROM IT BEING THE ORGANIZER TO EVERY CITY DEPARTMENT TO JUST ONE PERSON WITHIN THE CITY THAT WORKS BETWEEN THE CITY STAFF AND THE ORGANIZER. LET'S TALK ABOUT COSPONSORSHIPS. SO IN 2019, THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, THAT THE NINE COSPONSORED EVENTS WENT TO COMMISSION AS A RESOLUTION. IT'S ONE VOTE FOR THOSE NINE EVENTS, AND THAT WAS IT. IN 2024, DUE TO THE ATHLETIC ORGANIZATIONS ASKING FOR A FEE WAIVER, WE ESTABLISHED THIS FEE WAIVER FORM THAT COULD ALSO BE USED FOR COSPONSORED EVENTS. SO AS TIME WENT ON, WE HAD PEOPLE START TO REQUEST COSPONSORSHIP AND FEE WAIVERS OUTSIDE OF THAT RESOLUTION. SO AT CURRENT, WE HAVE TWO PROCESSES. SO HERE ARE OUR DECISION POINTS. THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE ASKED TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT. SO WE NEED FEEDBACK ON THE GUIDELINES AND APPLICATION. WE NEED A DECISION MADE ON HOW WE GO FORWARD WITH POLE BANNERS. WE HAVE THREE OPTIONS. WE COULD LIMIT POLE BANNERS TO SEASONAL CITY BANNERS, THAT IS JUST BANNERS WITH THE CITY SEAL AND THEN, YOU KNOW, A TREE, A FOOTBALL, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.OUR SECOND OPTION WOULD BE TO LIMIT POLE BANNERS TO JUST CITY COSPONSORED EVENTS, AND THEN FINALLY, OUR THIRD OPTION WOULD BE TO JUST KEEP THEM THE WAY THEY ARE NOW WHERE ANY EVENT COULD HANG A POLE BANNER. WE ARE ASKING FOR DIRECTION ON FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS. CURRENTLY THE SHRIMP FESTIVAL AND THE FARMERS MARKET ARE OUR ONLY FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS. WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO CONSIDER OTHER LARGE-SCALE REPEAT EVENTS HAVING FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS LIKE DICKENS ON CENTRE. WE ARE ASKING FOR DIRECTION ON COSPONSORSHIPS. DOES COMMISSION WANT TO APPROVE COSPONSORED EVENTS? DO YOU WANT CITY STAFF TO APPROVE COSPONSORED EVENTS, AND WHICH PROCESS WOULD YOU PREFER? WOULD YOU PREFER IT TO COME AS A RESOLUTION OR INDIVIDUAL APPROVALS THROUGH THE FEE WAIVER PROCESS? AND THEN FINALLY, FOR STREET CLOSURE, WE WOULD LIKE THERE TO BE SOME GUIDANCE ON DOES THE CITY COMMISSION WANT TO APPROVE ALL NEW DOWNTOWN STREET CLOSURES, DO YOU WANT TO HAVE SUPPORT FROM THE BUSINESSES AND NEIGHBORS FOR CLOSURE OF STREETS BETWEEN 80 TO 100%. SO THIS IS WHERE WE'RE LOOKING FOR GUIDANCE. AND THEN ONCE WE GET THAT GUIDANCE, WE WILL UPDATE THE GUIDELINES AND APPLICATION BASED OFF OF THE DECISIONS MADE. WE WILL THEN MOVE TO AN ORDINANCE READING. WE'LL HAVE TWO OF THOSE, AND THEN ASSUMING THOSE GET PASSED, WE WILL GRANDFATHER IN THE CURRENTLY APPROVED EVENTS TO THE OLD POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AND THEN MOVE FORWARD WITH THE NEW ONES. SO IT WILL BE A FULL CYCLE OF A YEAR BEFORE WE ACTUALLY SEE THE CHANGES COME FORWARD. AND WITH THAT, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU. IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR KATIE BEFORE WE CONTINUE DISCUSSION AMONG THE COMMISSION?
>> WELL, I HAVE LIKE A HUNDRED. >> FIRE AWAY.
>> WELL, WE KIND OF -- >> THE DECISION CHART.
>> YEAH. PULL THAT ONE BACK UP. >> MAYBE WE SHOULD BACK UP TO
SOME SLIDES. >> AT THIS POINT, I'VE LOOKED AT THE GUIDELINE AND APPLICATION AND I THINK THERE'S A HUGE IMPROVEMENT. WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THOSE RECENTLY, AND I THINK THOSE KIND OF CHANGES ARE GOOD. SO I APPRECIATE THAT. I DON'T HAVE
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ANY REAL FEEDBACK ON THAT OTHER THAN GOOD JOB.>> THANK YOU. >> I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF CONVERSATION WE NEED TO HAVE ABOUT POLE BANNERS, AND MAYBE I WANT TO HOLD THAT. YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT -- FOR ME ANYWAY, SO WHAT'S THE PURCHASE OF A FRANCHISE AGREEMENT VERSUS JUST A REGULAR ONGOING YEARLY, LIKE -- WE MENTIONED SHRIMP FEST, FARMERS MARKET, DICKENS, WHERE DOES THE CENTRE GET INTO THAT? AND I WOULD EXPECT TO SEE ON THESE COSPONSORED EVENTS SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FROM PARKS AND REG AND THE CITY STAFF ON WHAT YOU THINK THE CRITERIA SHOULD BE BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE IT'S A GREENFIELD EXERCISE RIGHT NOW, AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S YOUR INTENT. SO I GUESS I WAS EXPECTING A LITTLE MORE MEAT ON THE BONES FOR THIS MEETING TODAY. AND SO THOSE ARE KIND OF
MY COMMENTS FOR THE MOMENT. >> SO IF YOU GO BACK TO THE COSPONSOR SLIDE, WE CURRENTLY DO HAVE SOME CRITERIA FOR -- IF YOU SEE ON THE 2019 RESOLUTION, WE WANT -- AND IT'S THE SAME FOR BOTH, IN ESSENCE, WHERE WE WANT THESE COSPONSORED EVENTS TO IMPACT A LARGE COMMUNITY, NOT JUST ONE SPECIFIC GROUP OF PEOPLE. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE PE TONK, THAT'S ONE SPECIFIC GROUP OF PEOPLE. WE WANT IT TO BE A LARGER SCALE, SOMETHING THAT INCLUDES EVERYONE, ANYONE CAN COME. WE WANT THE EVENTS TO IMPACT US POSITIVELY, SO BRINGING IN, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE TO SPEND MONEY AND HELP THIS CITY. AND ONE OF THE OTHER REQUIREMENTS THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT IS THERE BEING A LARGE CONTRIBUTION IN ESSENCE. SO THOSE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT AND OTHER THINGS THAT WE HAVE ALREADY PROVIDED AND
CURRENTLY HAVE. >> WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY LARGE
CONTRIBUTION? >> SO JUST, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE HAVING AN EVENT, THE ORGANIZER IS PAYING FOR GARBAGE OR SOMETHING THAT'S BEING PROVIDED TO THE CITY, IN ADDITION TO THEM HOSTING THE EVENT. AND WE CAN -- THAT'S NOT SOMETHING WE REQUIRE NOW, THAT'S JUST SOMETHING WE LOOKED
AT THAT COULD BE AN OPTION. >> SO SHOULD YOU REQUIRE, LIKE, HOW LONG THE ORGANIZE HAS BEEN IN PLACE AND HOW MANY EVENTS THEY'VE HAD THAT WERE NOT COSPONSORED?
>> THAT COULD BE AN OPTION. >> I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT YOU MIGHT WANT AN ORGANIZATION TO HAVE BEEN IN BUSINESS, ACTIVE IN THE CITY AND DONE EVENTS FOR, I DON'T KNOW,
LIKE FIVE YEARS OR SOMETHING -- >> RIGHT.
>> -- WOULD SEEM TO BE ME TO BE KIND OF REASONABLE.
>> AND I THINK CITY STAFF COULD COME UP WITH A LIST OF REQUIREMENTS THAT WE COULD PRESENT TO YOU FOR HOW THIS IS GOING TO LOOK IF YOU WANT TO PUT IT IN OUR HANDS. SO THAT'S AN OPTION BECAUSE AT THIS LEVEL IT'S AT YOUR LEVEL, IT'S NOT
AT OURS. >> SO WHAT'S YOUR DEFINITION OF
COMMUNITY IMPACT? >> MINE SPECIFICALLY?
>> NO, THE STAFF. I MEAN, WHEN YOU SAY COMMUNITY IMPACT, WHAT
DO YOU MEAN? >> AN EVENT THAT I WOULD SAY HAS A LARGE COMMUNITY ACT WOULD BE THE SHRIMP DROP OR THE FIREWORKS. THOSE ARE, YOU KNOW, A HOLIDAY THAT MANY PEOPLE PARTICIPATE IN, AND THERE IS A LOT OF PEOPLE DOWN HERE THAT ARE GOING TO. YOU CAN BRING YOUR WHOLE FAMILY TO IT. IT'S
NEUTRAL, ANYONE CAN GO TO IT. >> SO WHAT ABOUT, LIKE, OPENING OF THE BEACHES AND THE WHALE FESTIVAL, WHERE DO THEY FIT IN?
>> OPENING OF THE BEACHES I WOULD SAY IS A COMMUNITY IMPACT EVENT, BRIGHT WHALE I WOULD SAY COULD BE, YEAH.
>> WELL, PRETTY MUCH ALL EVENTS ARE --
>> I THINK WHAT THE COMMISSIONER IS GETTING TO IF WE CAN'T HAVE A LITTLE MORE DEFINED CRITERIA, THIS BECOMES A LITTLE GRAY. I WOULD JUST SAY MY FEEDBACK IS, THE CONCERN I WOULD HAVE IF I WAS A DOWNTOWN SHOP OWNER, HOW MANY TIMES A MONTH OR PER YEAR ARE WE CLOSING STREETS WHERE AN ICE CREAM SHOP DOES BETTER AND A
CLOTHING RETAIL SHOP DOESN'T. >> ABSOLUTELY.
>> AND WHAT IS THE FRAMEWORK THAT SPELLS THAT OUT?
>> AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO, IT'S JUST NOT SOMETHING WE HAVE RIGHT NOW. SO IF THE GOAL WOULD BE FOR STAFF TO GO THROUGH AND CREATE A FULL CRITERIA FOR HOW WE DEFINE COSPONSORED EVENTS AND WHAT THE IMPACT SHOULD BE, AND WE PRESENT IT TO YOU AND YOU TASK IT TO US, AND THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD FOLLOW, OR IT COMES BACK TO YOU EVERY TIME. THAT'S WHAT WE
COULD DO. >> I'M CURIOUS HOW MUCH INTERFACING WITH MAIN STREET AND WE'VE LOOKED AT PROJECTIONS ON
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MARKING REVENUES, THERE'S SO MUCH CREDIT CARD PROCESSING GOING ON, ARE WE LOOKING AT THAT TO MAKE A DATABASE SORT OF DECISION OR AMBIGUOUS -- LIKE, WE LOOK AT HOW MANY PEOPLE SHOW UP, AND THAT'S THE COMMUNITY IMPACT.>> RIGHT. >> SO IS THE HIGH COMMUNITY IMPACT IS 5,000 PEOPLE SHOW UP, 3,000 PEOPLE SHOW UP?
>> RIGHT. >> I MEAN, IF ST. MICHAELS HAS A BIG CARNIVAL THEY USED TO PUT ON, YOU KNOW, AT CENTRAL PARK, AND IT'S A COMMUNITY IMPACTFUL EVENT, SO SHOULD THAT BEING CITY
COSPONSORED? >> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
>> WHAT ABOUT THE 3,000 PEOPLE SHOW UP NOW AT THEIR EVENTS, AND PEOPLE COME FROM THE WHOLE REGION, SOUTH FLORIDA ALL THE WAY DOWN, BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY PRIDE EVENT IN JUNE IN THE WHOLE NORTH FLORIDA, NORTHEAST FLORIDA, SOUTH GEORGIA AREA. SO IT'S GROWING AND GROWING MORE EVERY YEAR. SO, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I GUESS I JUST THOUGHT TONIGHT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE A LITTLE MORE
MEAT ON THE BONES. >> WELL, WE SET THE EXPECTATION RIGHT UP FRONT. I MEAN, WE HAVE NOT HAD OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION, SO WE'VE BEEN NEARLY A YEAR WITHOUT AN ATTORNEY, GETTING THEM TO SPEED AND NOW STARTING TO LOOK AT OUR ORDINANCES TO MAKE SURE THIS CONVERSATION WAS COORDINATED.
YOU CAN'T TALK AMONGST YOURSELF JUST ABOUT WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS ARE. ONCE AGAIN, WE HAVE NO EXPECTATIONS THAT SOME HARD DECISIONS WILL BE MADE TONIGHT. IT'S A VERY COMPLEX SUBJECT.
BUT WE'RE JUST LOOKING FOR SOME GUIDANCE ON A FEW TOPICS, AND WE WILL BRING SOMETHING BACK THAT WILL BE MORE DEFINITIVE AND HAVE MORE MEAT ON THE BONES, IF YOU WILL.
>> WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FEE WAIVERS, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO UNDERSTAND, WHAT FEES ARE WE WAIVING AND HOW MUCH MONEY ARE WE LEAVING ON THE TABLE? BECAUSE IT'S REVENUE, AND SO AT SOME POINT IT ADDS UP TO BE A LOT. AND ALSO WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHETHER IT'S A FRANCHISE AGREEMENT OR A SPECIAL EVENT, ARE WE ACTUALLY WRITING A CHECK FOR ANYTHING COMING OUT OF THAT EVENT AS WELL? BECAUSE I HAVE LESS TROUBLE WITH FEE WAIVERS THAN I AM WITH ACTUALLY WRITING A CHECK FOR SOMETHING.
AND SO WE NEED TO, I THINK, UNDERSTAND FOR EACH ONE OF THESE AS IT COMES TO US, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE WHOLE FINANCIAL IMPLICATION AND IS THERE A PROPOSED FINANCIAL BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY OR TO THE CITY AND WHAT IS IT AND HOW DO YOU QUANTIFY IT? AND IF WE COULD GO BACK TO THE SLIDE -- LIKE ONE OF THE FIRST SLIDES THAT SHOWS THE NUMBERS?
>> I'LL DO THAT. LET ME ANSWER THE QUESTION YOU JUST ASKED BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, AS KATIE HAD MENTIONED, THE COSPONSORED EVENTS ARE FULLY IN THE COMMISSION'S HANDS. THAT WAS WHAT WAS DECIDED THAT YOU WANTED TO LOOK AT THOSE EVENTS AND APPROVE. IF IT WERE TO GO TO A STAFF EFFORT, WE WOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH SOMETHING THAT SOME OTHER NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES WOULD HAVE. THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE HERE, NOT SO CLEAR, THE CITY OF WHAT MATTERS, AND THEY HAVE AN APPLICATION PROCESS THROUGH THEIR WEBSITE WHERE THERE'S CERTAIN ELIGIBILITY REQUIRED.
BUT AN APPLICATION FOR A COSPONSORED EVENT WOULD RUN THROUGH THESE -- IT WOULD HAVE TO MEET CERTAIN PARAMETERS AND MEET THIS PROCESS, AND THAT WOULD BE DONE AT A STAFF LEVEL.
SO IF THE DIRECTION FROM YOU ALL WAS TO MOVE IN A SIMILAR FASHION, THEN WE WOULD ADOPT SOMETHING SIMILAR. WE DON'T NEED TO REINVENT THE WHEEL. A LOT OF OTHER COMMUNITIES HAS ALREADY HAD THIS. OUR PRIOR GUIDANCE WAS THAT THE COMMISSION WANTED TO SEE ALL COSPONSORED EVENTS. LET ME BACK UP TO THE
SLIDE HERE. >> I PROMISE I'LL BE QUIET.
>> I DO VA COMMISSIONER TEUTZEN AND COMMISSIONER POYNTER NEXT.
>> OPERATOR ERROR HERE. >> JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO BE COSPONSORED? DOES THAT MEAN ALL THEIR FEES ARE WAIVED?
>> SO ALL THEIR FEES ARE WAIVED, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF POLICE AND FIRE. THEY HANDLE THAT SEPARATELY. AND THEN THEY CAN -- THEY'RE COSPONSORED BY THE CITY, SO THE CITY CAN HAVE A BOOTH THERE, AND WE KIND OF WORK HAND IN HAND FOR THOSE EVENTS
>> IT ALSO MEANS THEY CAN USE THE LOGO?
>> UH-HUH. >> LET ME GO BACK TO THE SLIDE THAT SHOWS, LIKE, JUST HOW MANY WE DID.
>> I THINK IT'S THE SECOND, THIRD.
>> THERE. SO THE 71 SPECIAL EVENTS, I THINK AS A PART OF OUR ANALYSIS OR OUR UNDERSTANDING IS I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE 71 ARE AND WHAT THE -- HOW MUCH THEY PAYED OR IF THEY DIDN'T PAY. AND WHAT ARE THOSE 71 EVENTS LOOK LIKE BESIDES THE FOUR OR FIVE YOU GOT LISTED ON THERE?
>> WE CAN PROVIDE THAT. >> THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.
>> SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD, SCOTT MICHAELSON PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR. I THINK JEREMIAH HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD IN THE LAST THING HE JUST SAID IS THAT TONIGHT CURRENTLY
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THE COSPONSORED EVENTS DUE TO RESOLUTION COME TO YOU FOR APPROVAL. WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO THAT OR WE CAN LOOK THROUGH A DIFFERENT PROCESS AND COME UP WITH THOSE GUIDELINES. ARE THOSE SUBMITTED TO STAFF? AND THEN WE COME UP WITH THOSE GUIDELINES AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CITY COMMISSION. DO WE COME UP WITH A POSSIBLE BUDGET OF HOW MUCH WE'RE WILLING TO WAIVE FOR COSPONSORSHIP EVENTS? SO ONCE WE GET THAT DIRECTION, I BELIEVE, FROM THE COMMISSION, IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE TO SEE THOSE, WE CAN MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION. IF NOT, WE CAN COME UP WITH THOSE OTHER PROCESSES. AND I THINK THAT WAS ONE OF THE MAIN QUESTIONS THAT WE WERE TRYING TO GET ANSWERED, DO YOU WANT TO CONTINUE APPROVING THOSE NINE EXISTING ONES.>> I WOULD JUST SAY THAT I THINK IT DEPENDS ON THE CRITERIA AND
THE PROCESS TO APPLY. >> YES. AND I THINK ALL OF THESE SPECIAL EVENTS THAT COME TO OUR COMMUNITY, THEY ALL HAVE COMMUNITY IMPACT. YOU CAN LOOK AT ANY EVENT THAT COMES, AND THERE IS IMPACT TO OUR COMMUNITY. SO IT WILL BE A TOUGH
DECISION. >> COMMISSIONER TUTEN.
>> SORRY. I'LL WITHDRAWAL. >> COMMISSIONER POYNTER.
>> YEAH. MY CONCERN IS WHEN YOU LEAVE IT TO THE COMMISSION, EVERYONE WHO COMES UP HERE, WE WAIVE IT. I MEAN, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHY WE HAVE FEES IF WE JUST KEEP WAIVING ALL THE FEES BECAUSE EVERYONE, EVERYONE HAS A STORY, EVERYONE HAS A REASON.
EVERYONE -- THIS IS GOING TO BE IMPACTING OUR CITY, AND PERSONALLY I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE IT OUT OF THE COMMISSION'S HAND AND HAVE OUR CITY STAFF PUT TOGETHER A CRITERIA THAT PEOPLE NEED TO MEET BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, OTHERWISE EVERY LITTLE PERSON WHO COMES UP HERE, EVERY GROUP, THEY HAVE A STORY, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T DO THIS BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO RAISE MONEY, BUT THEN THE CITY IS -- THE CITY CONTINUES TO GET BASHED ON WE'VE GOT FEES, AND WE DON'T COLLECT ANYTHING, AND WE KEEP GETTING IT WAIVED, AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY, AND THIS IS WHY. THEN IN THE NEXT BREATH, EVERY GROUP COMES UP AND HAS THEIR STORY OF WHY THEY SHOULD BE EXEMPT, AND THEN THE COMMISSION PRETTY MUCH WITHOUT ANY REASONS WHY THEY'RE NOT, THEY WAIVE THE FEES. SO IT'S EITHER WE HAVE FEES, AND WE HAVE CITY STAFF, HAVE THE CRITERIA, AND THAT'S THE CRITERIA, AND THAT'S IT. AND IT TAKES THE POLITICS OUT OF IT, IT TAKES THE EMOTIONS OUT OF IT WHICH I THINK THE CITY NEEDS TO TAKE SOME OF THE POLITICS AND EMOTIONS OUT OF A LOT OF THINGS HERE. AND THEN THIS IS IT. I MEAN, IF YOU QUALIFY FOR THIS, THIS IS WHAT YOU GET. IF YOU DON'T QUALIFY FOR THIS, MAYBE YOU'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE MONEY ON YOUR FUNDRAISER OR WHATEVER. WE'RE ALSO -- THE CITY IS NOT GOING TO WRITE A CHECK OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO OFFSET YOUR FUNCTION. AND THAT WOULD BE THE DIRECTION I WOULD LIKE TO PUT FORWARD, THAT CITY STAFF COMES UP WITH A REALLY TIGHT CRITERIA ON THIS TYPE OF STUFF, AND WE LET IT FALL WHERE IT FALLS.
>> I COULD SUPPORT THAT. TO PIGGYBACK, MY WORST THING IS TO HAVE THE CITY NOT PICKING FAVORITES AND WAIVING THESE FEES AND NOT THESE FEES. AND TO COMMISSIONER'S POINT, IF WE WERE TO LOOK AT WHAT IS THE TOTAL DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT WE WAIVED LAST YEAR AND WHAT IS THE THRESHOLD? YOU KNOW, LIKE WE HAVE CERTAIN NONPROFIT SPONSORSHIP THAT WE OFFER. WE SET THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT -- AND I DON'T WANT TO SAY WHAT THAT SHOULD BE RIGHT NOW, BUT I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE NUMBER OF TOTAL WAIVED FEES IS FIRST. THAT MIGHT BE A THRESHOLD. OR WE HAVE THE STAFF LEVEL -- I TOTALLY AGREE REMOVING THE POLITICS FROM IT, NOT SOMETHING THAT HAS THE COMMISSION HAVE THEIR EAR BENT, AND EVERY SINGLE STORY PULLS US INTO A LITTLE BIT OF THAT. I
HAVE COMMISSIONER TUTEN. >> YEAH. I TEND TO AGREE THAT REMOV ING -- REMOVING THE EMOTION FROM THE -- AND EVEN MAYBE HISTORIC PRECEDENCE AS THESE NUMBER OF EVENTS GROW, REMOVING SOME OF THAT, AND TO COMMISSIONER MINSHEW'S POINT, IT WOULD BE THE CITY'S INTENT -- I THINK IT WOULD BE THE CITY'S INTENT THAT THERE ARE A FEW EVENTS THAT WE WOULD WANT TO WAIVE FEES BECAUSE WE CAN ALL IMAGINE CERTAIN EVENTS THAT WOULDN'T BE CAPABLE OF HAVING AN EVENT WITHOUT SOME HELP. AND SO -- BUT I THINK IF A BUDGET ANALYSIS, A REAL ANALYSIS WAS DONE OF ALL THE EVENTS, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE INVOLVED, THE COSTS, THE NUMBER OF DAYS, ALL THESE THINGS, YOU
[00:25:04]
COULD -- IT MIGHT HELP WRITE THE RULES FOR -- YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT WRITE WAIVER RULES THAT RESTRICTS -- THAT NOBODY WOULD EVER MEET THE MARGIN OR, YOU KNOW, MEET THE GOAL, NOBODYWOULD GET A WAIVER. >> SOUNDS LIKE WE JUST GOT SOME
DIRECTION. >> YEAH. SO I THINK THE DIRECTION ON THE COSPONSORED EVENTS IT SOUNDS AS THOUGH TAKING IT OUT OF THE COMMISSION SO WE'RE NOT PRESENTING THE NINE EVENTS THAT WOULD BE COMING TO THE COMMISSION, WE WOULD COME UP WITH A CRITERIA OF SORTS THAT WOULD BE REVIEWED, AND THESE APPLICATIONS WOULD COME TO THE CITY -- WOULD COME TO STAFF, WE WOULD MAKE THESE -- WE WOULD REVIEW THESE AND MOVE FORWARD WITH AN APPROVAL PROCESS ON COULD -- ALSO WE COULD KEEP THAT THE EXISTING FEE WAIVER COSPONSORSHIP AND POSSIBLY IF ANY THAT CAME FORWARD LATER, THAT COULD POSSIBLY COME TO YOU AT AN EXTRA -- AT A SPECIAL -- ONE OF THE COMMISSION MEETINGS. BUT WE COULD COME UP WITH A CRITERIA, AND STAFF COULD APPROVE THOSE COSPONSORED EVENTS, IF THAT'S THE DIRECTION.
>> THANK YOU, SCOTT. VICE MAYOR. >> YEAH. I MEAN, I CAN GO WITH ALL THIS. I WOULD JUST SAY THAT NOTHING IS POLITICAL UNTIL IT IS. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOU DO HERE. YOU KNOW, WE SEE IT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. WHEN WE GET THE PHONE CALLS IS WHEN WE START CALLING STAFF, AND WE START SAYING WHAT IS GOING ON OVER THERE. AND THEN THAT PUTS THEM IN A BAD POSITION BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BEAR DOWN ON STAFF AS HARD AS WE POSSIBLY CAN BECAUSE SO AND SO CALLED US, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO. I DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS IN TRYING THIS, IT'S JUST I'M NOT SO NAIVE TO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS GOING TO STOP THE POLITICAL PHONE CALLS THAT ARE COMING TO THE FIVE OF US. I THINK THAT'S WHY IT'S UP THERE, LET IT COME TO THE COMMISSION, AND WE ALWAYS DO WAIVE IT, I DON'T DISAGREE WITH THAT, BUT THAT'S JUST THE NATURE OF IT. WE CAN TRY IT. GOT NO PROBLEMS WITH IT. I'M JUST NOT SO NAIVE TO BELIEVE THAT THE POLITICS ARE GOING TO GO AWAY BECAUSE WE CAME UP WITH A 25-PAGE BOOKLET THAT WE HAND OVER TO SOMEBODY AND SAY, HEY, IT'S GOING TO COST X AMOUNT TO DO YOUR EVENT, AND THEN THEY'RE JUST GOING TO GO, OKAY, WE'RE COOL WITH THAT. WE'RE NOT GOING TO PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL THREE OR FOUR OR FIVE OF OUR COMMISSIONERS TO FIX THIS. I MEAN, I JUST THINK THAT'S NAIVE TO BELIEVE. WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET THE POLITICS OUT OF IT. THAT'S IT. BUT I DON'T MIND
TRYING IT. >> COMMISSIONER POYNTER.
>> YEAH. I JUST WANT TO ADDRESS THE NAIVETY OF THIS. I THINK THE REASON WHY IT'S ALWAYS COME TO THIS IS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A GOOD POLICY, AND THE COMMISSION CAN SAY, WELL, THAT'S THE POLICY. I MEAN, YOU GUYS WANT TO LIVE BY RULES, THESE ARE THE RULES. I PERSONALLY DON'T PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL STAFF AND BEAT ON THEM ON ANYTHING. I WOULD FEEL A WHOLE LOT BETTER IF I HAD SOMETHING TO SAY, LOOK, IF WE KEEP MAKING IT SO EASY THAT WHY NOT IN THREE YEARS WE HAVE 300 EVENTS, LET'S JUST HAVE EVENTS ALL THE TIME BECAUSE WE CAN JUST KEEP WAIVING THINGS, AND LET'S CLOSE SOME MORE STREETS. YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A CRITERIA ON CLOSING STREETS. AT LEAST 70% OF THE EXISTING BUSINESSES ON THE STREETS -- NOT EVERYONE WANTS A STREET CLOSED ALL DAY ON A SATURDAY IN FRONT OF THEIR
BUSINESS. >> OR THEIR RESIDENCE.
>> OR THEIR RESIDENCE. SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GETTING BUSIER AND BUSIER, AND WE ALL KNOW THAT. AND THERE'S A LOT OF PUSHBACK ON A LOT OF THESE TYPES OF THINGS. AND I THINK IT BEHOOVES US AS A COMMISSION TO BE ABLE TO DO OUR JOB MORE EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY, AS WELL AS THE CITY TO PUT PLANS IN PLACE THAT DEFINE WHAT THIS IS AND IF THEY MEET THE CRITERIA, THEN THEY MEET THE CRITERIA. IF THEY DON'T MEET THE CRITERIA, FIGURE OUT HOW TO MEET IT OR YOU CAN'T HAVE THAT EVENT. THAT'S WHAT I THINK IS LACKING ON HERE IS NO DIRECTION. SO LET'S GIVE THE DIRECTION AND THEN BE ABLE TO SAY, HERE, IT'S ON PAGE TWO HERE, THIS IS THE QUALIFICATIONS, THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO. DON'T COME TO ME BEGGING ABOUT IT BECAUSE WE'VE DECIDED AS A COMMISSION AND AS A CITY THIS IS OUR CRITERIA ON
MOVING FORWARD. THAT'S IT. >> YEAH. AND I THINK STAFF WERE VERY CONFIDENT ON COMING UP WITH THOSE DPLIENS. ONCE WE HAVE DIRECTION FROM YOU, WE CAN COME UP WITH THOSE GUIDELINES, AND WE
[00:30:03]
CAN HANDLE THAT PROCESS. AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE DECISION POINTS TONIGHT IS NOW KNOWING THAT WE CAN -- WE'LL TAKE THOSE AND RUN WITH THOSE GUIDELINES.>> I ALSO -- >> I DO HAVE COMMISSIONER TUTEN.
>> SORRY. I DIDN'T USE THE BUTTON. I APOLOGIZE.
>> YOU DON'T USE IT OFTEN. >> YEAH. I REALLY LIKE -- I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IF THE GUIDELINES -- ALMOST IN THE WAY THE BID PROCESS CAN SOMETIMES BE -- HAVE SOME KIND OF A WEIGHTED ASPECT, PARTICULARLY WITH SOMETHING AS EMOTIONAL AS A FEE WAIVER, YOU KNOW, DOWN TO HOW BIG IS THIS EVENT, HOW SMALL IS THIS ORGANIZATION. COULD THE ORGANIZATION PAY AND HOW DO YOU WAIVE THAT? ANOTHER -- ONE OTHER THING, BACK TO STREET CLOSURES BECAUSE WE HAVE ONE ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT, DO WE HAVE ANY DATA LIKE THAT? COULD WE ASK MAIN STREET TO, LIKE, SURVEY BUSINESSES AND WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT STREET CLOSURES? YOU KNOW, MY INSTINCT IS I WOULD IMAGINE THAT EVENTS BRING A LOT OF PAYING CUSTOMERS AND THAT THEY'RE GREAT. BUT I DON'T HAVE DATA ABOUT THAT, AND I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THAT
BETTER. >> MAIN STREET COULD PROVIDE US WITH SOME OF THAT FEEDBACK. I THINK IT DEPENDS ON THE EVENT, IF YOUR EVENT IS, YOU KNOW, AN EVENT WITH A BUNCH OF VENDORS --
>> YEAH, SURE. >> -- WHERE YOU CAN PURCHASE THINGS THAT THE BUSINESSES HURT A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE SHOPPING IN THE STREETS. BUT I DON'T HAVE EXACT DATA FOR THAT.
I'VE HEARD THAT FEEDBACK BEFORE. SO WE CAN GET SOME
SUBSTANTIAL -- YEAH. >> I'D LOVE TO SEE THAT,
THANKS. >> COMMISSIONER TUTEN, THAT'S EXACTLY WHY THE STREET CLOSURE PORTION DOES COME TO THE COMMISSION TO LOOK AT EVERY STREET CLOSURE BECAUSE SOME PRIOR HEARTBURN OVER BUSINESSES THAT LOST BUSINESS DURING THE DAY BECAUSE OF THE STREET CLOSURE RELATED TO THEIR EVENT.
>> SURE. >> OFTEN BUSINESSES WILL SUPPORT A STREET CLOSURE WHEN IT'S NOT THEIR STREET. THAT'S SOMETHING
>> THAT IS A POINT -- A DECISION POINT FOR YOU ALL IS DOES THE COMMISSION -- RIGHT NOW YOU HAVE TO SEE EVERY STREET CLOSURE, AND YOU HAVE TO WEIGH IN ON EVERY STREET CLOSURE. A POSSIBLE CONCEPT, IF YOU WOULD ENDORSE, IS THAT IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THE SUPPORT OF BUSINESSES ON THE STREET THAT'S CLOSING, ANYWHERE BETWEEN, SAY, 80% TO 100%, THEN THE EVENT DOESN'T HAPPEN. SO AS LONG AS YOU GOT BUY-IN FROM EVERYONE ON THIRD STREET FROM ALACHUA TO CENTRE, THAT MOVES FORWARD AND CHECKS THE BOX.
THAT'S SOME -- DO YOU WANT TO LOOK AT EVERY STREET CLOSURE AS A BODY? MAYBE YES, MAYBE NO. THE COPS CENSUS I THINK THAT WE'RE GETTING IS NO, BUT IF YOU HAD THE CRITERIA IN PLACE WHERE THE OTHER SURROUNDING BUSINESSES OR RESIDENCES, COMMISSIONER MINSHEW, SUPPORT, THAT WOULD GET THEM AN APPROVAL.
>> SORRY. I REMOVED MY NAME, BUT CAN I?
>> SURE. >> ONE OTHER ISSUE THAT IS NOT A POPULAR ISSUE THAT WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT IS STREET CLOSURES AND EVENTS WOULD MEAN -- YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE IMPLEMENTING PAID PARKING WOULD MEAN A LOSS OF PAID PARKING REVENUE. AND SO JUST THE SAME WAY AN EVENT CREATES IS COST FOR POLICE OR TRASH, IT CREATES A -- YOU KNOW, IT'S A LOSS OF REVENUE IF WE'RE NOT COLLECTING PAID PARKING FEES. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO ADDRESS ALSO OR IS IT A WASH BECAUSE YOU'RE BRINGING MORE PEOPLE, AND THE CITY'S GETTING, YOU KNOW, MORE REVENUE INDIRECTLY? VERY INDIRECTLY, AT LEAST OUR
BUSINESSES ARE. THAT'S ALL. >> I WOULD WEIGH IN JUST BEFORE YOU LOI YOU, COMMISSIONER, THAT THAT WOULD BE MUCH MORE BETTER
>> IF WE'RE ABLE TO SEE A THRESHOLD OF BUY-IN, AS WELL AS TRUE DATA TO SHOW GROSS SALES OF RESTAURANTS OR SHOP OWNERS REPORTED THAT THEY DID TWICE THEIR NORMAL GROSS SALES IN A DAY, EVEN IF THEY DIDN'T WANT TO SHARE THE NUMBERS, THAT'S THE KIND OF METRICS WE COULD MAKE THAT DECISION ON.
COMMISSIONER MINSHEW. >> SO I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS AND JUST SPECIAL EVENTS JUST IN TERMS OF WHY WE HAVE FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS AND WHAT'S THEIR VALUE VERSUS JUST DOING A COSPONSORED EVENT? I'M
NOT -- >> IF YOU DON'T MIND, I WOULD LIKE TO LEAN ON MR. GLISSON A LITTLE BIT ON THIS. BUT I DO KNOW WITH, LIKE, FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS, YOU KNOW, YEAR AFTER YEAR WE ARE BRINGING THESE CERTAIN SAME EVENTS THAT WE KNOW THAT WE'RE COSPONSORING. THIS WOULD, I THINK, ALLEVIATE SOME OF THIS -- THIS WOULD ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE BEHIND-THE-SCENES PAPERWORK THAT GOES INTO IT, AND I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT FEES ARE BEING WAIVED WITH THIS FRANCHISE AGREEMENT, BUT WE COULD COLLECT ALL THAT DATA BEFORE WE WOULD MAKE ANY RECOMMENDATION ON WHAT EVENTS THAT WOULD BE -- WE WOULD LIKE TO MOVE TO THE --
[00:35:01]
>> RIGHT. >> TO THE -- I'M SORRY. I JUST
LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT. >> YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE LONG-TERM RECURRING EVENTS THAT WOULD BE BETTER SERVED WITH A FRANCHISE AGREEMENT AND TO SEE A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE STAFF ABOUT WHAT MAKES SENSE BECAUSE THERE'S SEVERAL. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THAT MIGHT BE BETTER SERVED TO BE A FRANCHISE AGREEMENT, WHETHER YOU WAIVE FEES OR NOT, RIGHT?
>> THAT'S CORRECT. >> A FRANCHISE AGREEMENT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT I'M WAIVING FEES.
>> CORRECT. >> IT MEANS THAT I HAVE A LONGER STANDING AGREEMENT WITH YOU, AND THIS IS GOING TO BE THE COST, YOU KNOW, TO ME THAT'S WHAT A FRANCHISE AGREEMENT WOULD SAY.
>> AND WE HAVE A FEW OF THOSE EVENTS THAT WE BELIEVE THAT ARE CURRENTLY TAKING PLACE THAT WOULD PROBABLY -- THAT WOULD
MEET THAT THRESHOLD. >> FOR SURE. THERE'S A HUGE IMPROVEMENT IN EFFICIENCY BECAUSE YOU'RE ALWAYS GOING TO BE TALKING THESE EVENTS EVERY YEAR, AND IT PROVIDES SOME STABILITY FOR THE ORGANIZERS. YOU KNOW THAT YOU HAVE COMMITTED FOR, SAY, A FIVE-YEAR TERM TO HOST THAT EVENT, DICKENS IS A GREAT CANDIDATE FOR WHAT A FRANCHISE AGREEMENT WOULD LOOK LIKE. THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT, AND THAT BEGINS THE SECOND THE EVENT ENDS, AND THERE'S ALWAYS A CONCERN OF IS THE COMMISSION GOING TO SUPPORT OR NOT, THE COMMISSION'S CHANGE COMES AND GOES, A FRANCHISE AGREEMENT WOULD PROVIDE THAT EFFICIENCY AND STABILITY FOR THE EVENT ORGANIZERS AND REDUCE A LOT OF STAFF TIME BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF WORK BEHIND THE SCENES THROUGH THE SPECIAL EVENT COMMITTEE THAT WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT. EVERYTHING THAT GOES ON BEFORE THE EVENT MAKE IT IS TO YOUR LEVEL, THAT WOULD BE REDUCED CONSIDERABLY BECAUSE IT'S A FIVE-YEAR TEAL DEAL OR 10-YEAR DEAL OR WHATEVER IT IS
THAT YOU ALL WOULD APPROVE. >> COMMISSIONER MINSHEW.
>> AND THEN I GUESS FINALLY, FRANKLY, I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE WITH POLE BANNERS, WHY WE WANT TO DO AWAY WITH THEM OR LIMIT THEM TO ONLY COSPONSORED EVENTS BECAUSE THAT MEANS YOU WOULDN'T HAVE POLE BANNERS FOR FLORIDA/GEORGIA WEEKEND, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE -- I THINK THERE'S SOME POLE BANNERS UP
NOW. THERE ARE FOR SOMETHING. >> IT'S BLUE. I REMEMBER SEEING
IT. >> SO, YOU KNOW, I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND THE DRAMA AROUND POLE BANNERS. SO I THINK OPTION THREE OUGHT TO BE THAT WE OUGHT TO JUST LEAVE THE POLE BANNER PROCESS THE WAY IT IS. I MEAN, PEOPLE PAY TO HAVE THE POLE BANNERS PUT UP AND TAKEN DOWN. YOU HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME THEY'RE ALLOWED TO BE UP, AND --
>> I THINK THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM ON THE POLE BANNER PIECE IS IN THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE I KNOW I'VE RECEIVED EMAILS CRITICIZING THAT THE CITY PAID FOR BANNERS FOR CERTAIN
ORGANIZATIONS -- >> AND THEY DON'T.
>> -- THAT'S WHEN IT BECOMES POLITICAL.
>> AND WE DON'T PAY FOR BANNERS.
>> THAT'S WHY I PERSONALLY HAVE NO ISSUE LEAVING THAT THE WAY IT IS, BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO EXPLAIN WHAT I'VE SEEN IN MY THREE YEARS HERE. SO I THINK STAFF HAS CONSENSUS. AND I HAVE NO OTHER COMMISSIONERS REQUESTED TO SPEAK. DOI HAVE TWO SUBMISSIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE NOW. AS A POINT OF CLARIFICATION, I THINK WE WERE GOING TO REMOVE PUBLIC COMMENTS FROM WORKSHOPS AND GO TO THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING. BUT FOR TIME'S SAKE, WE DO HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO HONOR THESE TODAY. SO UNLESS THERE'S ANY OTHER COMMISSION DISCUSSION, I'LL MOVE ALONG TO PUBLIC COMMENT OR ANY OTHER INPUT. DO YOU FEEL YOU HAVE CONSENSUS, OR IS THERE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO
BUTTON UP A LITTLE BIT? >> I'D LIKE TO HAVE CONSENSUS, THAT WOULD HELP US ON THE DECISION POINTS.
>> WHATEVER. >> COME AGAIN, MAYOR?
>> I DON'T THINK WE WERE CLEAR AT ALL ON ANY OF THAT.
>> THE ONLY CONSISTENCY WE GOT WERE ON THE COSPONSORED EVENTS.
I THINK YA'LL WANT TO SEE US GO BACK --
>> IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, I'VE HAD THE MAJORITY AT LEAST MENTION THEY WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THIS BEING PROPOSED, WHAT CRITERIA TO BRING IT TO STAFF LEVEL. I KNOW MR. POYNTER MENTIONED HE'D -- AND THEN UNLESS THERE'S OPPOSITION TO LIMITING POLE BANNERS, THAT'S A POLICY THAT MIGHT REMAIN, AND THEN IT'S MORE SO OF JUST TIGHTENING UP WHATEVER THAT CRITERIA MIGHT BE AND BRINGING THAT BACK TO US FOR SOME FEEDBACK UNLESS ANY OF MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS ARE OPPOSED.
>> I MEAN, I'LL SAY THIS ABOUT THE POLE BANNERS. IT'S BACK TO THE POLITICS. IT'S POLITICAL UNTIL IT'S NOT. AND THERE'S NOTHING THAT'S GOING TO STOP ANYTHING FROM GOING UP ON A POLE BANNER, AM I RIGHT, AS LONG AS THEY PAY FOR THEM?
>> RIGHT. I MEAN -- >> NOTHING?
>> YEAH. >> HOW LONG DO YOU HAVE TO PUT THEM IN? AS LONG AS YOU PAY FOR THEM?
>> SO YOU SUBMIT FOR POLE BANNERS WHEN YOU SUBMIT FOR YOUR
EVENT. SO 60 -- >> THEY HAVE TO GO WITH AN
EVENT? >> THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO WITH AN EVENT, BUT OUR APPLICATIONS ARE 60 OR 90 DAYS, SO WE WOULD
BE -- YEAH. >> IT HAS TO SCHEDULE AN EVENT THAT YOU'RE DOING WITH THE CITY?
>> NO. YOU CAN REQUEST POLE BANNERS JUST IN GENERAL.
>> SO ANYTHING YOU WANT THERE, RIGHT?
>> SO RESTAURANT WEEK IS UP RIGHT NOW.
[00:40:01]
>> LET'S DO IT. >> YEAH. I THINK YOU RAISE A GOOD POINT. THAT NEEDS SOME QUALIFICATION, BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE SELECTIVE ABOUT WHICH EVENTS, BUT PERHAPS IT JUST CAN'T BE NATIONAL DOG DAY HAS A BANNER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO WE'RE GOING TO DMIM NEAT?
>> YES. VICE MAYOR, IT CAN BECOME POLITICAL. IT CAN -- PEOPLE -- WHAT WE WILL GET IS PEOPLE WILL -- THERE'LL BE A BANNER THAT'S POSTED ON CENTRE STREET, AND THEN WE'LL IMMEDIATELY GET PHONE CALLS ABOUT, WELL, I WANT TO DO THIS.
SO IT CAN BECOME WHERE SOMEONE, I GUESS I COULD SAY, WOULD BE WEAPONIZING TO A CERTAIN EXTENT A POLE BANNER. WELL, THEY DID THIS, I'M GOING TO DO THIS. SO THAT IS ONE OF THE TOPICS -- OR ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT DOES COME UP WITH THAT. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO -- YOU DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE AN EVENT. IT CAN BE JUST A POLE
>> -- AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DISCUSS.
>> SO THAT'S WHERE I THINK THERE'S A DISCREPANCY IN WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AND WHAT'S SAID THERE. RIGHT THERE IT SAYS ANY SPECIAL EVENT COULD HANG POLE BANNERS, AND KATIE JUST EDIFIED, YOU CAN PUT POLE BANNERS UP. THAT'S IT RIGHT THERE. IF THERE'S A PROCESS FOR THE CITY, THAT WOULD BE FAIR FOR
FOR ME. >> YEAH. OBVIOUSLY THE POLE BANNERS HAVE TO BE AVAILABLE, I MEAN, AND I KNOW YOU PROBABLY UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT THAT COULD BE A CHANGE THAT WE DO IN THE APPLICATION PROCESS, THAT IF YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE AN EVENT WITH
THE CITY -- >> I MEAN, LIKE -- WHAT'S THE SMALLEST EVENT YOU CAN DO? CAN I HOLD A SMALL GATHERING IN POCKET
PARK OR SOMETHING? >> THE SMALLEST SPECIAL EVENT WE HAD WOULD BE SOMEBODY HAVING AND HAVING ALCOHOL. SO THAT'S ONE OF OUR CRITERIAS FOR YOU BECOMING A SPECIAL EVENT. SO MOST LIKELY YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HANG POLE BANNERS
>> WHAT KIND OF SPECIAL -- I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT I MEAN,
PARADES OR -- >> YOU COULD HAVE A VERY SMALL SPECIAL EVENT AND HAVE ALCOHOL. JUST FOR AN EXAMPLE, ALCOHOL IMMEDIATELY PUSHES IT TO A SPECIAL EVENT BECAUSE IT MEETS OTHER GUIDELINES, SO IT PUSHES IT TO A SPECIAL EVENT. SO YOU GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS. IT COULD BE VERY SMALL. AND IF THAT WAS APPROVED, THEN YOU COULD HAVE THE OPTION TO PUT POLE BANNERS.
>> IT HAS TO HAVE ALCOHOL? >> NO. THAT PUSHES IT TO THE SPECIAL EVENT PROCESS. YOU COULDN'T SIMPLY HAVE ALCOHOL IF YOU'RE NOT APPLYING FOR THE SPECIAL EVENT?
>> CORRECT. >> STILL NOT GRASPING THIS. I SAID WHAT'S THE SMALLEST SPECIAL EVENT YOU COULD HAVE? COULD I -- COULD I HOLD A BIRTHDAY PARTY IN CENTRAL PARK
AND CALL IT A SPECIAL EVENT? >> NO. UNLESS YOU WOULD --
>> AND I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO HOLD POLE BANNERS.
>> SO TO BE A SPECIAL EVENT, YOU NEED TO -- THERE'S CERTAIN CRITERIAS. SO IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE ALCOHOL AT YOUR EVENT, THAT IS A -- THAT WOULD MAKE IT A SPECIAL EVENT. IF YOU'RE AMPLIFIED SOUND, LIKE SOUNDS ON CENTRE, THAT WOULD MAKE YOU A SPECIAL EVENT, AND IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE THAN 200 PEOPLE, THAT PUSHES YOU INTO, OKAY, YOU'RE GOING TO BE A SPECIAL EVENT, OH, AND IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE FOOD TRUCKS, THAT
PUSHES YOU INTO A SPECIAL EVENT >> THIS IS WHERE YOU SEE THE SEPARATION BETWEEN FACILITY -- ON CITY PROPERTY AS WELL. THIS IS WHERE YOU SEE A SEPARATION BETWEEN THE CITY RENTALS, YOU HAVE RENT OUT THE GAZEBO AT CENTRAL PARK, AND IT WILL ADVANCE TO A SPECIAL EVENT ONCE THE CRITERIA THAT KATIE
MENTIONED ARE HIT. >> YOU COULD HOLD A PARADE. YOU COULD HAVE 200 PEOPLE AT AN EVENT --
>> BUT I'M SAYING YOU COULD HOLD A PARADE, AND THAT WOULD QUALIFY YOU TO BE ABLE TO HANG POLE BANNERS. BUT THAT PARADE WOULD NEED TO BE APPROVED THROUGH THE EVENT PROCESS, SO I DON'T THINK IT'S QUITE AMBIGUOUS AS YOU'RE TRYING TO
MAKE IT SOUND, VICE MAYOR. >> OR WE COULD CLOSE DOWN THE WATERFRONT PARK TO HOLD A SMALL EVENT, 200 GATHERING OF SORTS,
AS LONG AS IT WAS 200 PEOPLE. >> YES.
>> AND WE PAID FOR THAT, YOU COULD HAVE POLE BANNERS.
>> I HAVE COMMISSIONER TUTEN AND THEN COMMISSIONER MINSHEW.
>> QUICK QUESTION ON POLE BANNERS. DO WE MAKE MONEY ON
THEM, OR DO WE BREAK EVEN? >> SO WE BREAK EVEN. WE DO CHARGE A FEE OF $15 PER POLE BANNER. AND DOW HAVE TO HAVE -- THERE IS A PERMIT FEE, A SMALL PERMIT FEE AND THEN $15 PER BANNER. SO WE BASICALLY COVER OUR COSTS. WE'RE NOT MAKING
MONEY ON IT. >> AND NOT LAYING OUT ANY MONEY?
>> WE DO NOT PURCHASE THE POLE BANNERS. THE EVENT ORGANIZER
[00:45:02]
WOULD PURCHASE IT, PROVIDE IT TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, AND THEN WE WOULD PUT THEM UP, THE PARK STAFF PUTSTHEM UP. >> I SEE WHERE COMMISSIONER AYSCUE IS GOING, AND I DON'T HATE OPTION ONE OF LEAVING THE POLE BANNERS JUST FOR CITY, ONLY THE CITY CAN PUT THEM UP, AND WE FULLY CONTROL WHAT WE WANT TO LOOK LIKE AND WHAT WE WANT TO REPRESENT. BUT YA'LL COULD CONVINCE ME OTHERWISE. TO ME IT'S LIKE AN ART CONTEST OR A NAMING CONTEST. THE WINNER CAN SOMETIMES NOT BE WHAT YOU WANT. YEAH. ALL RIGHT.
>> COMMISSIONER MINSHEW. >> SO HOW DID -- SO THERE ARE POLE BANNERS UP THIS WEEK, AND THEY'RE NOT TIED TO A SPECIAL EVENT, RIGHT? THERE ARE RESTAURANT WEEK POLE BANNERS UP.
>> IS THAT CORRECT. >> AND THERE IS NO SPECIAL EVENT FOR RESTAURANT WEEK. SO THEY JUST PAY THE $15 PER POLE BANNER
AND BROUGHT YOU THE BANNERS? >> THAT IS CORRECT.
>> AND YOU PUT THEM UP. >> SAME THING FOR
FLORIDA/GEORGIA WEEKEND. >> SAME THING FOR WHALE
FESTIVAL. >> RIGHT. SO SOME OF THEM ARE
>> RIGHT? SOME OF THEM ARE NOT TIED TO EVENTS.
>> RIGHT. SO WHAT DOES SEASONAL POLE BANNERS MEAN?
>> SO WE COULD DO IT QUARTERLY. LIKE SOME COMMUNITIES HAVE, YOU KNOW, WHEN SPRING IS ROLLING AROUND, THEY WOULD PUT A CERTAIN BANNER UP THAT WOULD MAYBE, YOU KNOW, HAVE FLOWERS OR AS CHRISTMAS AND THE HOLIDAYS COME AROUND, WE COULD DO IT
QUARTERLY, WE COULD -- >> SO DOES THAT MEAN THAT YOU WOULD NOT THEN HAVE POLE BANNERS ASSOCIATED WITH SPECIAL EVENTS?
>> YES. >> YOU ONLY HAVE CITY SEASONAL POLE BANNERS WHICH ARE GENERIC AND --
>> NOT OFFENSIVIVE. >> NON-OFFENSIVE, GOVERNMENT
SPEECH. LEGAL TERM. >> THAT'S WHAT THAT WOULD SUGGEST, AND THEN WE COULD DO IT QUARTERLY, MONTHLY, WE WOULD
HAVE TO LOOK AT IT. >> SO, FOR EXAMPLE, MAIN STREET AND THE CITY OF DEFEUNIAC SPRINGS WHICH IS A SMALL TOWN IN THE PANHANDLE HAS A PROGRAM WHERE THEY HONOR FOR THE WHOLE MONTH OF FEBRUARY HISTORIC BLACK FIGURES FROM THE COMMUNITY. AND PEOPLE CAN BUY A POLE BANNER TO HONOR A PERSON, THEIR NAME IS ON IT, THEIR PICTURE, AND THEY GO UP FOR THE MONTH. AND THAT'S A -- AND IT'S A WAY TO -- IT'S -- ACTUALLY, TO ME, IT'S A GREAT WAY TO HONOR INDIVIDUALS IN YOUR COMMUNITY. FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH, YOU COULD DO IT FOR VETERANS IN NOVEMBER. SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING BY GOING TO OPTION ONE IS THAT KIND OF THING WOULD NOT -- THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY WOULD NOT
DO? >> I WOULD NOT SAY THAT. I WOULD SAY THAT THAT'S A POSSIBILITY THAT THAT COULD BE INCORPORATED INTO WHAT THE CITY MAY DECIDE ON WHAT TYPE OF POLE BANNER THAT
IS. >> YEAH. I JUST THINK WE'RE TAP DANCING AROUND THE REAL ISSUE HERE WHICH IS YA'LL DON'T WANT
THE PRIDE BANNERS UP. >> I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE
>> THAT IS CORRECT. I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE CASE AT ALL. I THINK IT COMES DOWN TO, YOU KNOW, LIKE MAYOR HAD SAID, IT BECOMES POLITICAL, WE GET PHONE CALLS: SOME GROUP'S PUTTING UP A POLE BANNER, NOW WE'RE GOING TO PUT UP THIS POLE BANNER. SO THAT'S KIND OF THE DIRECTION -- THAT'S WHAT IT IS.
>> NOW WE'RE JUST THROWING THE -- WELL, ANYWAY. NOW WE'RE THROWING THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATH WATER. WHATEVER.
>> COMMISSIONER POYNTER. >> I DON'T THINK WE'RE CLOSE AT ALL ON THIS ISSUE. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE CITY STAFF COME BACK WITH -- LOOK, YOU'VE BEEN AROUND HERE LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW THE PROBLEMS, THE PHONE CALLS YOU'VE GOTTEN, THIS TYPE OF STUFF. AND I DON'T DISAGREE WITH YOU, COMMISSIONER, YOU KNOW, THAT THERE'S PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THAT AS THEY HAVE PROBLEMS WITH OTHER THINGS AS WELL. SO THIS IS A DICEY -- THIS IS A DICEY THING. AND IF YOU LEAVE IT TO THE CITY COMMISSION, IT'S GOING TO BE, AGAIN, POLITICAL, PICK AND CHOOSE YOUR FAVORITES, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THIS TYPE OF STUFF. AND I REALLY THINK TO BE MORE EVEN HANDED, WE NEED TO HAVE A GOOD POLICY, AND THEN IF YOU MEET THE CRITERIA, THAT'S IT, REGARDLESS OF YOUR POLITICAL AFFILIATION, YOUR -- WHATEVER
[00:50:01]
ASSOCIATION YOU HAVE, THAT HAS NO BEARING ON WHETHER YOU QUALIFY FOR THIS OR THAT BECAUSE YOU QUALIFY WITH VERY SPECIFIC CRITERIA, AND WHEN YOU HAVE THAT CRITERIA, THAT'S IT. IF YOU MEET THE CRITERIA, YOU PAY FOR THE STUFF, YOU PUT IT UP, AND THAT'S IT. AND YOU CAN FALL BACK ON THAT TO ANY RESIDENT OF THE COMMUNITY AND SAY, LOOK, WE'VE ESTABLISHED THIS CRITERIA, THEY'VE MET THE CRITERIA, AND THAT'S THAT. IF YOU WANTED TO DO SOMETHING, MEET THE SAME CRITERIA ON WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, AND WE WILL HAVE NO ISSUES WITH THAT AS WELL. BUT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW IS JUST DANCING AROUND THE NEEDLE OF A -- IT'S NOT PRODUCTIVE RIGHT NOW.>> COMMISSIONER TUTEN AND MINSHEW, I HAVE BOTH YOUR --
>> I'M SORRY. I'M DONE. >> WHAT I'M LOOKING HERE IN THE AGENDA PACKET, IS THIS POLE BANNER APPLICATION, IS IT JUST
>> YEAH. IT SAYS BANNER APPLICATION.
>> THAT'S ALL THE SAME -- IT'S ALL ONE APPLICATION, BUT IT'S
>> IT SHOULD SAY SEASONAL BANNERS IS EXTREMELY BORING, AND ALL OUR SUPER FUN BANNERS FOR ALL YEAR LONG FOR OUR KOOKY QUIRKY EVENTS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES THIS CITY FUN. SO I THINK COMMISSIONER POYNTER HAS CONVINCED ME. I THINK I DO LIKE OPTION THREE, BUT I WOULD LIKE IT -- LIKE THE APPLICATION TIGHTER, THAT SOMETHING -- YOU KNOW, SOME KIND OF GUIDELINES, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD ARGUE THAT A MAJORITY OF THE CITY WOULD, YOU KNOW, AGREE WITH. THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. I DON'T KNOW WHERE
YOU GET THOSE GUIDELINES. >> FOR RIGHT NOW I THINK WE COULD LOOK AT THAT, ESPECIALLY LOOKING AT THE IDEA OF --
>> WE'LL NEED TO LOOK AT THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF IT. PUTTING CRITERIA ON AN APPLICATION WHETHER YOU GET A BANNER UP OR DOWN, AND IF THAT'S THE DIRECTION YOU WANT US TO LOOK AT, WE CAN. WE KNOW THAT THE CLEAR DIRECTION IF IT WAS THE CITY, OPTION ONE, THE SEASONAL -- WHETHER OR NOT IT'S SEASONAL, BUT IF IT'S THE CITY DECIDING TO PUT UP POLE BANNERS, THAT IS CONSIDERED GOVERNMENT SPEECH, AND WE ARE ALLOWED TO DO THAT, DEFINITELY. WE ARE ALLOWED TO DO OPTION THREE. I UNDERSTAND THE CONFUSION. IT REALLY RIGHT NOW IS NOT TIED TO SPECIAL EVENTS, CORRECT? I MEAN, THERE'S SPECIAL EVENTS, RESTAURANT WEEK IS AN EVENT, IT'S JUST NOT ONE OF OURS, SO IT'S GENERALLY TIED TO SOME EVENT, BUT IT MAY NOT BE TIED TO A CITY EVENT. SO OPTION THREE WHERE YOU JUST GET YOUR APPLICATION IN, YOU PAY, YOU DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO, WE KNOW OPTION THREE IS CONSTITUTIONAL, AS LONG AS THERE'S -- BUT THE CRITERIA IN TRYING TO TIE IT TO A CRITERIA COULD BE PROBLEMATIC.
>> LITTLE BIT. >> SO -- AND THAT'S WHERE OPTION TWO WAS DISCUSSED ABOUT COULD WE THEN JUST MAKE IT TIED TO COSPONSORED EVENTS, AND WE WERE GOING TO LOOK AT THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF THAT. SO I THINK THEY WANTED THE DIRECTION.
BUT IF WE GO WITH OPTION THREE, IT'LL BE -- IN MY OPINION, IT'LL HAVE TO PRETTY MUCH STAY THE WAY IT IS NOW. YOU APPLY, AND IF THEY'RE AVAILABLE, AND SOMEBODY HASN'T ALREADY APPLIED TO PUT THEM UP, YOU PAY, AND YOU GO FORWARD. OKAY .
>> IF WE COULD GET CONSENSUS ON STREET CLOSURES BEFORE WE WRAP
THIS UP. >>S TO ANYONE WANT TO PROPOSE A SUGGESTION ON WHAT WE CAN DO ON STREET CLOSURES? AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, MY CONCERN IS HOW MANY STREET CLOSURES, AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE REALLY GOING TO WARRANT A STREET CLOSURE. OBVIOUSLY SHRIMP FEST, THAT'S HISTORIC, THAT'S BEEN WITH US. A NEW EVENT ALSO WANTS TO CLOSE DOWN CEPTOR STREET, AND WE GET TO CLOSE TO 20 DAYS IN A YEAR CENTRE STREET IS CLOSED, WHEN
DOES THAT GET OUT OF HAND? >> I WOULD SAY IF WE'RE DOING STREET CLOSURES -- LOOK, WE'RE GETTING READY TO HAVE A WATERFRONT PARK, AND IT CAN'T BE A SITUATION WHERE WE DON'T WANT TO CLOSE DOWN STREETS HERE, BUT YOU CAN HAVE YOUR CHILI FESTIVAL THERE. AND WE'D MAKE THAT MORE ENTICING FOR THEM TO GO OVER AND HAVE THEIR EVENT THERE INSTEAD OF ON SECOND STREET AS AN EXAMPLE OR, YOU KNOW, ONE LITTLE SPOT HERE WHERE THE DOWNTOWN IS GETTING VERY DISRUPTIVE WITH TRAFFIC AND EVERYTHING ELSE WHEN YOU COULD GO OVER HERE, WE'RE DOG THIS THING AND SPREADING OUT THE COMMUNITY. SO WE'RE HAVING AN EVENT THERE, BUT WE'RE ALSO NOT IMPACTING TRAFFIC, WE'RE NOT IMPACTING OTHER RETAILERS THAT AREN'T SHARING IN THE JUBILATION OF HAVING A STREET CLOSED, AND I THINK THAT'S
[00:55:04]
IMPORTANT. BUT I DO THINK THAT WE SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST 70% OF THE PEOPLE ON THAT STREET SIGNING OFF ON HAVING IT CLOSED.>> I WOULD SUPPORT THAT. >> ME TOO.
>> IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION TO THAT PARTICULAR CRITERIA?
>> I'D LIKE TO SEE WHAT MAIN STREET HAS TO SAY ABOUT THAT OR
AT LEAST TALK TO THE BUSINESSES. >> OKAY.
>> IT'S MORE IMPACTFUL THAN JUST THE STREET, I GET THAT. IT IMPACTS THOSE STREET BUSINESSES, BUT IT DOES IMPACT THE OTHER ONES AS WELL. SO IS IT OF THE STREET OR 70% OF THE DOWNTOWN? I MEAN, I'D KIND OF LIKE TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT BUSINESSES THINK ABOUT IT AS A WHOLE.
>> I THINK PERSONALLY THE MOST RELEVANT WOULD BE THAT STREET, BUT I'M HAPPY TO GET THAT FEEDBACK. AND I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR IF THE COMMISSION ALSO WANTS TO SUGGEST A THRESHOLD PERHAPS WHERE WE ARE CONCERNED THAT HOW MANY DAYS OF STREET CLOSURE IN A CUMULATIVE YEAR WE'RE LOOKING AT.
>> WELL, CAN WE GET THAT INFORMATION?
>> SURE. >> YEAH. I'D LIKE TO SEE SOME DATA FROM MAIN P MAIN STREET AND WHAT BUSINESSES THINK.
>> DOES THAT HELP, MR. GLISSON? >> IT DOES. THAT'S HELPFUL.
>> YEAH. AND I'D LIKE -- I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA THAT -- TO SIGNOFF FROM THE PEOPLE ON THE ACTUAL STREET. BUT TO COMMISSIONER AYSCUE'S POINT, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW FROM MAIN
[5. PUBLIC COMMENT]
STREET WHAT DO ALL THE BUSINESSES THINK ABOUT THESECLOSURES. >> UNLESS THERE'S ANY ADDITIONS, I DID WANT TO GIVE OUR AUDIENCE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, AND WE'LL JUST CARRY FORWARD FOR ANYONE I DON'T GET TO IN THIS WORKSHOP FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THE ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA. ALL GOOD? ALL RIGHT. FIRST WE HAVE MR. SCOTT
ENGLIS. >> SCOTT ENGLIS, 61 OAK GROVE PLACE, FERNANDINA BEACH. JUST TO MAYBE HELP YOU OR GIVE YOU MAYBE SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT THIS, FEES, HOW THE STREET FEES -- FROM WHAT I WAS TOLD, AND PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THERE WAS AN ART ASSOCIATION FROM MIAMI, FORT LAUDERDALE THAT WANTED TO COME UP HERE AND DO ART IN THE STREETS ONCE A MONTH, AND THEY WANTED TO OWN ALL THE STREETS BECAUSE THE STREET FEE WAS SO CHEAP. THEY WERE WILLING TO PAY IT, AND THEY WERE GOING TO BRING IN ALL THEIR ARTISTS, AND THEY WERE GOING TO DO LIKE SHRIMP FESTIVAL ONCE A MONTH. SO THEN THE STREET FEES WENT UP IN ORDER TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE NOT TO DO THAT. SO THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT. THE OTHER THING IS DIFFERENT SIZE EVENTS SHOULD HAVE DIFFERENT CRITERIAS BECAUSE A PERFECT EXAMPLE IS THE YOUTH GROUP THAT'S PUTTING ON THE CHRISTMAS PARADE, THEY HAVE ZERO MONEY, THEY SIGN UP, AND THEY SLAPPED TOGETHER A PARADE, AND WE DO THE PARADE EVERY YEAR, AND THEY ARE THE ONES THAT ALWAYS DO IT. IF YOU LOOK AT THEIR WEBSITE, THEIR APPLICATION IS THREE YEARS OLD. IT SAYS 2023 FOR THEIR CHRISTMAS PARADE. YOU SIGN UP, YOU DO THE PARADE. IS IT SOMEBODY ELSE SHOULD DO THAT? MAYBE THAT'S A WORK AROUND. BUT LIKE THE AMERICAN LEGION PAID $700 THIS YEAR TO DO THE PARADE. THEY DIDN'T EVEN THINK -- YOU KNOW, THEY DIDN'T EVEN THINK TO ASK, HEY, CAN WE GET A WAIVER TO NOT HAVE TO PAY THAT. ANOTHER THING, MERCHANTS DOWNTOWN, STREET CLOSURES FROM SHRIMP FESTIVAL STANDPOINT, I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW THE FOOD, THE RESTAURANTS LOVE SHRIMP FESTIVAL, AND THE LITTLE SMALL SHOPS HATE SHRIMP FESTIVAL, NOT REALLY HATE IT, BUT THEY SAY THEY DON'T MAKE ANY MONEY. AND THEY SAY -- YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD IT WHERE THE BOOTHS ON CENTRE STREET ARE COMPLETELY FULL, AND THEY'RE, LIKE, CAN YOU JUST HAVE THE BOOTHS MOVE AWAY SO PEOPLE CAN COME TO MY SHOP. YOU KNOW, AND WE'VE MADE GREAT STRIDES TO MAKE SURE THE SIDEWALKS ARE CLEAR. AND WE ACTUALLY POLICE THE ARTISTS AND SAY, HEY, YOU GOTTA MOVE YOUR STUFF OFF THE SIDEWALK BECAUSE YOU'RE IMPEDING THE MERCHANTS. WE DO -- WITH SHRIMP FESTIVAL, WE DEFINITELY TRY TO HELP WHO WE CAN WITH THE MERCHANTS.
OBVIOUSLY IF YOU COMPLAIN, YOU GET MORE HELP THAN IF YOU DON'T COMPLAIN. AND THE OTHER ONE IS, YOU KNOW, WAIVING OF FEES, LIKE EVEN -- LIKE WASTE MANAGEMENT, LIKE WASTE MANAGEMENT, FOR INSTANCE, THE CITY HAS THE CONTRACT WITH WASTE MANAGEMENT, OKAY? SO IF I'M THE SHRIMP FESTIVAL, AND I -- AND YOU WANT
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-- LET'S SAY YOU WANT ME TO PAY FOR WASTE -- FOR THE WASTE, OKAY? SO I HAVE TO GO TO WASTE MANAGEMENT. I AM NOT ALLOWED TO GO ANYWHERE ELSE, EVEN THOUGH I CAN GO OUT TO CALLAHAN AND TALK TO BUBBA RAY, AND HE'LL SAY, YEAH, WE'LL DO IT, AND WE'LL DO IT FOR $20,000, BUT I CAN'T DO IT BECAUSE OF THE CONTRACT YOU HAVE WITH WASTE MANAGEMENT. THANK YOU.>> THANK YOU, MR. ENGLIS. >> AND THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR OUR WORKSHOP. WE'LL ADJOURN FOR JUST A BRIEF FIVE MINUTES, AND I'LL TAKE YOUR PRESENTA
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.