[1. CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:06]
I'D LIKE TO CALL PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING SCHEDULED FOR MAY THE 12TH, 2026.
PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS,ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
NUMBER FOUR.CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
NUMBER FIVE, PUBLIC COMMENTS REGARDING ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA.
[6.1 Parade Rules Pertaining To Our Special Event Guidelines (Review Specific Parade Rules)]
NUMBER SIX, PARADE RULES PERMITTING, PERTAINING TO OUR SPECIAL EVENTS GUIDELINES.OKAY, SO WE WERE ASKED BY THE COMMISSION TO REVIEW OUR PARADE RULES.
WE DON'T REALLY HAVE MANY, SO WE HAVE COME UP WITH A FEW UNSPOKEN RULES THAT WE FOLLOW NOW TO THEN PUT INTO OUR SPECIAL EVENT GUIDELINES FOR THE FUTURE.
AS IT STANDS NOW OUR SPECIAL EVENT GUIDELINES ARE ON HOLD UNTIL THE LEGISLATOR PASSES THEIR NEW BILL WHICH SHOULD BE BY JULY.
ONCE THAT GETS PASSED THEN WE'LL KNOW WHERE WE HAVE TO MAKE SOME EDITS BEFORE WE GO BACK TO COMMISSION FOR FINAL APPROVAL.
SO SOME OF THE WE HAVE TEN RULES HERE AND ALL THESE ARE LOOSELY BEING FOLLOWED NOW THERE ARE SOME NEW ONES IN HERE SO I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH THEM AND THEN IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
SO THE FIRST ONE IS LIMITING PARTICIPANTS IN THE PARADE TO 100 REGISTERED ENTRIES OR GROUPS.
SO THAT'S LIKE 100 SLOTS IN THE PARADE PER SESSION.
YOU DON'T WANT THIS TO BE A THOUSAND PEOPLE OF COURSE YEAH SO WE HAVE HAD UM PARADE OR APPLICANTS WHO HAVE HAD PARADES BEFORE GO PAST 100 AND THEY DECIDED THAT THEY WOULDN'T TAKE ANY MORE THAN 100 SO OUR BIGGEST PARADE IS SHRIMP FESTIVAL THEY STAND AT 100 SO WE JUST USE THAT AS A MEASURE UM THROUGH THEIR GUIDANCE AND THEIR EXPERIENCE UM THE NEXT WOULD BE AND THE SHRIMP FESTIVAL JUST THIS IS MANDATED WALKERS OR SPOTTERS WHICH EACH ENTRY OR GROUP I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYONE NOTICED THE SHRIMP FESTIVAL.
THEY HAD PEOPLE IN YELLOW VESTS WITH EVERY GROUP THAT PASSED THROUGH.
THAT'S FOR CROWD CONTROL AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PARADE, THE PEOPLE IN THE PARADE ARE FOLLOWING THE RULES.
NO THROWING ITEMS. THIS HAS BEEN A LONG STANDING RULE WHERE WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE THROWING CANDY AND THEN KIDS RUNNING OUT INTO THE STREET TO GRAB IT OFF THE STREET.
USING ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY MATERIALS, NOTHING THAT'S NOT BIODEGRADABLE.
THE SHRIMP FESTIVAL PARADE HAD CLOSED PARKING ON CERTAIN STREETS BECAUSE IT WAS HARD FOR THE PROCESSION TO TURN, AND IT WAS CAUSING ISSUES WITH THE PUBLIC, SO WE PUT THAT ON THERE.
CAN I JUST TELL YOU THAT WORKED EXTREMELY WELL TO GIVE, BECAUSE IT WAS JUST GOLF COURSE.
CARTS I THINK ALLOWED ON SECOND STREET AND THERE WERE SO MANY GOLF CARTS ALLOWED TO GET IN THERE THAT I THINK THAT FREED UP A LOT OF PARKING FOR CARS ON CENTER STREET SO I THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS VERY WELL DONE I WOULD SAY THE THING THAT WAS KIND OF WONKY ABOUT THAT IS BECAUSE UM ON THE PAJAMA DAVE SIDE OF THE ROAD THE PARKING IS AT AN ANGLE BUT ACROSS THE WAY IT'S PARALLEL PARKING SO PEOPLE IN ORDER TO SEE THE PARADE YOU NEEDED TO BE PARKED A CERTAIN WAY BUT I WAS CONFUSED BECAUSE I WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE PULLING UP ON A PARALLEL SPOT SO THAT BUT WHEN YOU FIGURED OUT HOW TO SO THERE MAY BE JUST LIKE BETTER GUIDANCE THERE OR A LAYOUT OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE I THINK WOULD BE HELPFUL BUT I THOUGHT THAT WAS EXTREMELY WELL DONE AND ALL
[00:05:01]
OF THESE ARE DRAFTS.I MEAN, THIS IS A DRAFT SO WE THANK YOU.
WE CAN CHANGE THEM AS IT GOES AND THESE ARE ALSO THINGS THAT WE HAVE BEEN WE'VE TAKEN FROM PARADES SO IT'S HELPFUL.
THE NEXT IS AGE REQUIREMENTS FOR CHILDREN PASSING OUT CANDY SO ANYONE CAN JOIN AND WALK IN THE PARADE BUT ANYONE 12 TO 14 OR UNDER CANNOT PASS CANDY OUT.
THE SHRIMP FESTIVAL DID LIMIT IT TO 12 YEARS YOU TO BE 12 YEARS OR OLDER TO PASS CANDY OUT.
WE TALKED ABOUT NO EXPLOSIVES OR BLANK FIRING OR LAUNCHING OF OBJECTS.
CAN WE GO BACK TO THIS? BECAUSE THERE WAS AN INCIDENT.
THAT IS WHY WE WERE ASKED TO DO THIS.
AND SO THIS IS JUST NOT BEING ADDED? WELL, WE DON'T HAVE GUIDELINES OR RULES, SO THIS WOULD BE WHAT WE WOULD ADD.
DOES THAT INCLUDE THE CANNON ON THAT? IT WOULD.
SO THE CANNON FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, UM, USES GUNPOWDER, WHICH IS AN EXPLOSIVE.
SO THAT WOULD PROHIBIT THAT FROM BEING USED.
UM, SCOTT MICHELSON, PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR.
SO JUST A REMINDER, THESE ARE JUST OUR THOUGHTS, INITIAL THOUGHTS ABOUT THIS STUFF.
WE WANT THIS TO BE A DISCUSSION.
THAT WAS AND THIS DID GET BROUGHT UP AT ONE OF THE PREVIOUS COMMISSION MEETINGS AND THAT'S WHY KATIE AND I REVIEWED THIS IS LIKE SO WE HAVE THESE PARADES BUT THE PARADE GROUPS ARE THE ONES MAKING UP THE MAJORITY OF WHAT THEIR RULES SHOULD BE SO WITHIN THE SPECIAL EVENT GUIDELINES AND THOSE BEING UPDATED I'M LIKE WELL THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD ADD SO THIS IS JUST AN INITIAL DISCUSSION ITEM.
AND I THINK IT WILL HELP US COME TO A CONCLUSION ON WHAT WE WANT TO PRESENT TO THE CITY COMMISSION.
WELL, AND THIS IS SPECIFICALLY FOR THE PARADE, BUT I KNOW THERE WAS I'M GLAD THIS IS BEING BROUGHT UP BECAUSE IT SOUNDED LIKE THE INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED WAS PRETTY SERIOUS.
AND I WAS CONCERNED EVEN WHEN IT WAS TALKED ABOUT PRIOR TO SHRIMP FESTIVAL WITH YOU KNOW, YOU'RE SEEING ALL ONLINE ABOUT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND BURN BANS, AND THEN WE'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT HAVING FIREWORKS, WHICH I KNOW IS PART, YOU KNOW, OUR FIRE CHIEF MAKES THOSE DETERMINATIONS IN CONJUNCTION WITH PERMITTING.
BUT ALL OF THESE EVENTS ARE KIND OF TIED TOGETHER, AND SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EVEN THE EVENT ITSELF, LIKE THE CANNONS WERE FIRED IN THE YOU THAT NIGHT BEFORE THE DRONE SHOW WERE FIRED PROBABLY 20 TIMES.
I KNOW BECAUSE I SAT POORLY RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE THING, AND IT WAS A LOT.
SO I'M JUST WONDERING, I WANT TO BE CAREFUL THAT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THESE AND TRYING TO ADDRESS THEM IN ONE PLACE, SOMETIMES THEY'RE IN MULTIPLE PLACES AND THAT WE SHOULD CONSIDER HOW THAT IS IMPACTED ALL AROUND.
YEAH, LIKE I THINK WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT IT'S NOT ONLY IN PARADES, BUT IT MIGHT BE IN OTHER JUST GENERAL SPECIAL EVENTS.
AND THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A VERY TOUCHY SUBJECT.
OBVIOUSLY, THE SHRIMP FEST PARADE HAS BEEN AROUND FOR MANY YEARS.
SO I THINK AS WE WORK THROUGH THIS, I THINK IT WILL BE DISCUSSED, I'M SURE, EVEN AT THE COMMISSION LEVEL.
BUT OUR GOAL WAS TO BRING THIS TO YOU FOR, YOU KNOW, HERE'S OUR THOUGHTS.
YOU KNOW, AS WE BRING IT UP THE CHAIN OF COMMAND, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF PRAC AND WHAT THEIR CONCERNS MIGHT BE, EITHER FOR OR AGAINST CERTAIN ITEMS. BUT YOU DO, I'M SORRY, BUT YOU DO BRING UP A GOOD POINT.
IT'S MAYBE NOT SPECIFICALLY JUST WITHIN THE PARADE THAT SOME OF THESE, IT MIGHT BE SOMEONE'S HAVING A SPECIAL EVENT AT CENTRAL PARK WHERE THERE MIGHT BE.
OR NOW THAT WE HAVE THE WATERFRONT PARK, PEOPLE COULD DO, YOU KNOW, THEY DO SHOWS AND LIKE LIGHTING AND PYROTECHNICS, YOU KNOW, FOR CONCERTS.
I MADE A NOTE TO PUT THAT ON THERE.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE BEING CONSISTENT IN ALL THE PLACES THAT THAT MIGHT BE AN OCCURRENCE SO WE DON'T HAVE TO KEEP GOING BACK 10 TIMES.
YEAH, I MEAN, NOT THAT IT HAS HAPPENED SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, BUT IF A SPECIAL EVENT WERE TO BRING SOMETHING IN THAT DID HAVE SOME SORT OF ELEMENT OF EXPLOSIVE OR FIRE.
JASON HIGGINBOTHAM WOULD BE THE ONE WHO WOULD REVIEW IT AND APPROVE IT.
HE IS OUR FIRE MARSHAL, SO HE IS THE ONE WHO SIGNS OFF OF ANYTHING FIRE RELATED FOR US.
[00:10:01]
IN REAL TIME.OKAY, THE NEXT ONE IS, I DON'T REMEMBER WHERE I LEFT OFF.
SO RIDERS ON VEHICLES, MAKING SURE THAT NO ONE IS HANGING OFF OF VEHICLES AND THAT EVERYONE'S SECURE ON IT.
BUT AREN'T THERE FLOATS WHERE PEOPLE STAND AND WAVE? THERE ARE, AND THIS IS JUST SUGGESTIONS.
THESE ARE JUST, I LOOKED UP OTHER.
CITIES IN FLORIDA THAT ARE NEAR BEACH TOWNS AND THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT CAME UP.
BUT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT LIKE ON THE FLOAT LIKE YOU'RE ON A TRAILER YOU'RE NOT YOU'RE TALKING YOU'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT JUST BEING ON IT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT LIKE HANGING OFF THE SIDE OF IT.
YEAH WE DID HAVE AN INCIDENT WHERE SOMEONE FELL OFF OF A FLOAT LAST YEAR SO IT'S JUST MAKING SURE THAT WHAT WHATEVER WAY YOU WANT TO SECURE THEM THEY'RE SECURE ENOUGH WHERE THEY COULD NOT FALL OFF AND GET HURT.
AND WE ARE TALKING A LOT ABOUT TRIM FESTIVAL, BUT THIS WOULD BE FOR ANY PARADE THAT HAPPENS FROM FESTIVAL HAPPENS TO BE ONE OF OUR BIGGER ONES SO IT'S EASY TO USE SOME OF THE THINGS THEY DO AND THEN FINALLY JUST KEEPING ANIMALS ON LEASHES IF THEY'RE IN THE PARADE AND CLEAN UP AFTER THEM THOSE ARE OUR RULES.
DOES ANYONE DO YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING? QUESTION YEAH, THURSDAY NIGHT OF THE PARADE IF YOU GO AROUND AND YOU LOOK, THERE IS A LOT OF DOGS THAT ARE NOT ON LEASHES AT ALL.
AND THEY SHOULD BE ON LEASHES.
THERE'S SO MANY KIDS AND SO MANY PEOPLE AROUND THAT THESE DOGS ARE JUST RUNNING BACK AND FORTH.
EVEN THOUGH EVERYBODY THINKS, YOU KNOW, CAN BE FRIENDLY AND EVERYTHING.
BUT IT'S DEFINITELY A PROBLEM.
WITH SPECTATORS, ARE YOU TALKING? YEAH.
THAT'S HARD FOR US TO CONTROL, BUT WE CAN ASK THE PARADE TO ADVERTISE THAT THEY WOULD LIKE SPECTATORS TO PUT THEIR DOGS ON LEASHES.
I'M NOT SURE IF WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT.
CHAIR KAMARA, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT AT CENTRAL PARK IN THE STAGING AREA? IN THE STAGING AREA? AND ALONG THE PARADE ROUTE? ALONG THE PARADE ROUTE, THERE'S DOGS THAT WERE LOOSE.
AND IT'S NOT LIKE THERE WAS A TON OF DOGS.
BUT IN THE STAGING AREA, THERE HAD TO BE AT LEAST SIX OR SEVEN.
BECAUSE WHEN WE TRIED TO PARK THE RVS, WE HAD DOGS AROUND THERE.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE LOSE A DOG BECAUSE OF A VEHICLE HITTING IT.
BUT WHILE WE'RE ON THE SUBJECT OF ANIMALS, I REALLY BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT CENTRAL PARK, ESPECIALLY THE ATHLETIC FIELDS.
THE DOGS ARE RUNNING ON THERE EVERY MORNING WITHOUT LEASHES.
IF YOU DON'T MIND, IF YOU COULD BRING THAT UP DURING BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS, AND THEN IF...
IF YOU DON'T MIND, LET'S BRING THAT UP DURING BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS.
AND THEN I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT MAYBE I SHOULD PUT AS A DISCUSSION ITEM BECAUSE WE OBVIOUSLY DO HAVE A NEW COMMISSION.
BUT THE COMMISSION HAD PUT IT IN PLACE WHERE THE FIELDS, THE TENNIS COURTS, THOSE ITEMS WERE LEFT OPEN AT ALL TIMES.
SO I THINK WE COULD HAVE A DISCUSSION.
AND I THINK THERE ARE SOME FIXES TO THAT IF THERE IS A PROBLEM AND WE COULD WORK WITH, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S WITH, FOR EXAMPLE, WE COULD WORK WITH BABE RUTH WHERE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE YOU GUYS ARE LOCKING AT NIGHT.
BUT THEN IN THE MORNING WHEN OUR PARKS DIVISION COMES IN, THEY COULD OPEN THE FIELDS.
SO THEN AT NIGHT THEY'RE AT LEAST SECURED.
WHEN WE SEE AN ANIMAL THAT WOULD BE ON OUR SPORTS FIELDS, WE HAVE TO GET OUT THERE QUICKLY AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LETTING THE COMMUNITY AND REMINDING THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED ON THOSE FIELDS.
BECAUSE I PERSONALLY HAVE SEEN IT AS WELL, AND I DO THINK IT IS BECOMING A LITTLE BIT OF A PROBLEM.
I'D LIKE TO BRING IT UP AND SEE WHAT THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS THINK.
THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT OF VEHICLES IN THE PARADE.
IN MY CONCERN, I'M NOT GOING TO NAME THE GROUP, BUT WHEN VEHICLES WOULD TEND TO
[00:15:02]
RACE AND THEN BREAK.I THINK IT TEMPORARILY GOING MUCH FASTER THAN A PERSON COULD WALK OR EVEN RUN AND THAT JUST THAT JUST SCREAMED LIKE A SAFETY PROBLEM TO ME IF THAT DRIVER JUST AND A LOT OF THEM ARE OLD LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE IT WOULD BE IN THE IT WOULD BE IN THE BYSTANDERS QUITE QUICKLY I DID SEE UM IN ONE OF THE BEACH TOWNS, THEY DID HAVE LIKE A SPEED LIMIT REGULATION WHERE THEY LIMITED THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE.
WE COULD PUT SOMETHING IN THERE.
I MEAN, WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE REASON? I MEAN, I KNOW WITH AIRPLANES AND CONFINED AREAS, IT'S NOT EVEN ALWAYS PRACTICAL.
THEY SAY IT SHOULDN'T GO FASTER THAN A PERSON CAN WALK.
AND MAYBE YOU THINK THAT'S TOO SLOW.
SCREAM LIKE A POTENTIAL PROBLEM.
IN ALL THE YEARS, IF IT'S NEVER HAPPENED, THEN MAYBE IT STILL ISN'T A PROBLEM.
NO, I DEFINITELY THINK IT'S WORTH ADDRESSING IT, AND THERE'S, I MEAN, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY HARM IN PUTTING A MAXIMUM SPEED LIMIT ON THE VEHICLES ONCE THEY, EVEN GETTING INTO THE PARADE ROUTE, BECAUSE.
BUT YEAH, I THINK IT'S VERY REASONABLE FOR THE CITY COMMISSION TO IMPOSE A MAXIMUM.
BECAUSE IT WASN'T A MATTER OF CATCHING UP.
WHETHER IT'S FIVE, I DON'T KNOW.
IT WAS LIKE, I THINK 12 MILES PER HOUR WAS WHAT THEY WERE RECOMMENDING.
10 SOUNDS REASONABLE TO ME, BUT YOU KNOW.
I WAS GOING TO SAY, HAVING DRIVEN IN SEVERAL OF THEM, I FIND IT HARD TO...
I HAVE A HARD TIME KEEPING THE CAR RUNNING, EVEN.
I FEEL LIKE IT WENT SO SLOW, AND THEN THE MORE PEOPLE AND THE SLOWER WALKERS, THEN IT DOES KIND OF GET THAT, BUT I'M NOT SURE WHO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT EXACTLY, AND I WAS TRYING TO RECALL IF I NOTICED SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT I THINK WE'VE SEEN THIS HAPPEN IN LARGER CITIES WHERE PEOPLE WHETHER ACCIDENTALLY OR ON PURPOSE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN A CROWD.
THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME RISK WITH ALL OF THE THINGS, BUT I THINK IT'S PRUDENT TO TRY TO MITIGATE THEM AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
ON NUMBER, THE MANDATORY WALKERS AND SPOTTERS, CAN WE GO TO? YEP.
SO YOU'RE SAYING EVERY ENTRY NEEDS TO HAVE SPOTTERS.
MY ONLY CONCERN, AND I THINK WHAT MIGHT COME UP AS A CONCERN, IS THE ADDED MANPOWER OR VOLUNTEER NUMBERS THAT WOULD BE NEEDED TO SUPPORT EVERY ENTRY.
WHAT THE SHRIMP FESTIVAL DID IS THEY ACTUALLY ASKED MEMBERS OF THAT GROUP TO BE SPOTTERS.
SO IF YOUR GROUP IS A PART OF THE PARADE, YOU HAVE TWO SPOTTERS OR FOUR SPOTTERS, DEPENDING ON HOW LARGE YOU ARE.
I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW THEY...
CALCULATED IT BUT THEY THEY HAD AT LEAST TWO UM PER GROUP AND I THINK THAT WORKED OUT REALLY WELL YEAH I THINK THAT'S A GOOD PRACTICE TOO BECAUSE THEN YOU CAN TRAIN PEOPLE IT'S DIFFERENT WHEN YOU JUST HAVE RANDOM PEOPLE PULL UP ON A FLOAT AND YOU'RE LIKE OH YEAH AND DON'T FORGET THIS AND DO THAT YEAH WHATEVER THAT'S A LOT TO MANAGE SO IF WE PUT THAT RESPONSIBILITY ON THE PEOPLE WHO ARE TAKING OUT THE INSURANCE POLICY AND YOU KNOW RESPONSIBLE FOR ORGANIZING THE EVENTS I THINK THAT'S THE BETTER THING FOR SURE OKAY.
OKAY, DO WE KNOW WHO'S ENFORCING THESE RULES? SO THIS WOULD BE PARKS AND RECREATION WOULD BE ENFORCING THEM, AND THEN WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS, LIKE WE DO WITH ANY OTHER EVENT, WE WOULD PUT IT ON THE ORGANIZER AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE DOING IT.
SO MOST PARADES HAVE SOMEONE WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THE WHOLE PARADE AND THE PROCESSION, LIKE LORRAINE IS IN CHARGE OF THE CHRISTMAS PARADE.
SO THEY WOULD BE THE ONES WE WOULD HOLD ACCOUNTABLE FOR MAKING SURE THEY'RE FOLLOWING THE RULES.
IS THE SHRIMP FEST THE LARGEST ONE THAT WE HAVE, PARADE WISE? I WOULD SAY THAT AND THE CHRISTMAS PARADE ARE OUR TWO LARGEST ONES.
DEFINITELY SPECTATOR WISE, THE SHRIMP FESTIVAL IS THE LARGEST.
SO ALMOST ALL OF THE PARADES FALL UNDER THE CATEGORY, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE HAPPENING AT DAYTIME HOURS.
DO WE NEED TO LOOK AT ANYTHING SPECIFIC THAT MIGHT PERTAIN TO THE NIGHTTIME? HOURS LIKE FROM A SAFETY STANDPOINT.
YEAH, UM THE CHRISTMAS PARADE DOES HAPPEN AT NIGHT WE COULD ADD SOMETHING IN THERE WHERE YOUR PROCESSION HAS TO BE WELL LIT.
UM, OKAY I THINK EVERYBODY DOES A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF THAT.
BUT I HAVE SEEN A COUPLE OF THINGS WHERE IT WAS NOT AS YEAH, LIKE PEOPLE ARE WEARING
[00:20:01]
LIKE LIGHT UP THINGS OR WHATEVER BUT LIKE MAYBE YOU DON'T SEE THAT THEY'RE ON A SCOOTER OR YEAH, WE COULD JUST BE MINDFUL OF THAT.I JUST WANTED TO ADD SOMETHING REALLY QUICKLY.
I GREATLY APPRECIATE THESE COMMENTS.
I TOOK SOME NOTES THAT I THINK WE'LL REVIEW AS WE DEVELOP THIS.
AND I REMEMBER, GUNN, WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT ENFORCEMENT IS I THINK OUR ULTIMATE GOAL TO DEVELOP THESE GUIDELINES.
AND TO HELP EDUCATE THE ORGANIZER WHO IS HAVING THESE PARADES, THE ULTIMATE GOAL IN ALL OF THIS IS JUST SAFETY.
SO, AND I THINK THAT THE MAJORITY OF THESE INDIVIDUAL GROUPS THAT ARE HAVING THESE PARADES, THEY WANT THE SAME THING TOO.
THEY DON'T WANT ANYTHING TO HAPPEN.
SO IF WE HAVE THESE GUIDELINES, I THINK ULTIMATELY THE GROUPS WILL WANT TO ABIDE BY THESE GUIDELINES.
SO OUR GOAL INITIALLY WILL BE JUST...
EDUCATION AND MAKING SURE LIKE HEY THESE ARE RULES THESE ARE THE RULES THAT ARE IN PLACE FOR SAFETY SO NOBODY GETS HURT SO I DO LIKE YOU BRINGING THAT UP AND ULTIMATELY IT WILL BE OUR JOB TO PASS THAT ALONG TO THE ORGANIZERS THAT ARE HAVING THE THE PARADES AND LIKE I SAID THE GOAL IT WOULD BE NO NO NO SAFETY ISSUES SO UM I TOOK SOME GOOD NOTES SO I THINK WE HAVE SOME INFORMATION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THANK YOU OKAY.
[6.2 Parks & Recreation Master Plan (Reviewing Specific Items PRAC Would Like In The Master Plan)]
6.2 PARKS AND RECREATION MASTER PLAN.OKAY, I WANTED TO PUT THIS BACK ON THE AGENDA FOR A DISCUSSION AND GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE ME THEIR THOUGHTS MOVING FORWARD.
MARCH 3RD, I THINK YOU ALL ARE AWARE THAT WE HAD PRESENTED TO THE COMMISSION.
FOR AN APPROVAL OF A SCOPE OF WORK FOR OUR MASTER PLAN.
WITH THAT, I GOT A RESPONSE OF, LET'S LOOK AT THE SCOPE OF WORK AND MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO THAT, AND THEN I WOULD BRING BACK THAT SCOPE OF WORK TO THE COMMISSION FOR THEIR REVIEW AND ULTIMATELY THEIR APPROVAL.
RE-ENGAGED WITH KIMLEY HORN, HAD A TEAM'S MEETING WITH THEM LAST WEEK.
JEREMIAH HAS BEEN OUT OF THE OFFICE A COUPLE DAYS, SO I HAVE ANOTHER TEAM'S MEETING SCHEDULED WITH THEM NEXT WEEK.
I WANTED HIM TO SIT IN ON ONE MORE WITH ME, BUT I WANTED TO GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY WITHIN THE MASTER PLAN, IS THERE ANYTHING ON YOUR MINDS? THAT YOU SEE AS THE NUMBER ONE GOAL, THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY THAT YOU WANT TO SEE COME OUT OF THE MASTER PLAN.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT A MASTER PLAN, IT'S A LARGE SCALE LIFT, BUT IT CAN BE BROKEN UP AND CAN BE ADDED TO IN THE FUTURE.
BUT WITH THAT, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE ME YOUR THOUGHTS.
SO I WOULD MAKE SURE I COULD LOOK AT INCORPORATING THOSE SERVICES THAT YOU FELT WERE A PRIORITY WITHIN THIS FIRST PHASE OF IT.
WHAT'S THE TIME FRAME OF THE MASTER PLAN? FIVE YEARS, 10 YEARS, 15 YEARS? WHAT'S THE...
YEAH, SO ON AVERAGE, YOU'RE LOOKING AT 10 TO...
ONCE IT'S ADOPTED, YOU WOULD BE LOOKING AT ABOUT 10 YEARS, 10 TO 12 YEARS OF...
ACTUALLY TAKING THAT DOCUMENT, USING THE ACTION PLAN, AND DEVELOPING WHAT IS ON THAT ACTION PLAN.
SO THEN AFTER A DECADE OR 12 YEARS, YOU MIGHT HAVE TO UPDATE IT.
I WOULD PERSONALLY, BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE FINITE IN HOW MUCH LAND WE HAVE OR THINGS THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY DEVELOP OUT.
I MEAN, SOMETIMES WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT MIGHT COME AVAILABLE.
WHO KNOWS? BUT I FEEL LIKE WE'RE KIND OF FINITE IN THE THINGS THAT WE CAN FULLY DEVELOP TO HAVE NEW THINGS.
I WOULD REALLY BE INTERESTED IN SEEING A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF THE ASSETS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, HOW THEY NEED TO BE MAINTAINED AND OR REPLACED.
LIKE LOOKING TOWARDS THE NEXT 10 OR 15 YEARS TO THINK, OKAY, THIS FACILITY IS REACHING THE END OF ITS LIFE.
[00:25:02]
PREPARE TO IMPROVE THAT TO REPLACE IT WITH SOMETHING THAT'S YOU KNOW, NEWER AND BETTER, OR, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE THE THINGS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.I'VE SAID IT OFTEN THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS FROM PATONK OR LACROSSE OR ROLLERBLADING AND BASKETBALL.
WE HAVE ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT WE'RE OFFERING, BUT HOW CAN WE CONTINUE TO OFFER THEM IN A WAY THAT'S ONGOING? I LIKE THE DIRECTION THAT WE'RE GOING WITH THE CEMETERY.
THE LIGHTHOUSE SEEMS TO BE BEING...
THAT SEEMS TO HAVE A GOOD PLAN FOR THE FUTURE, BUT WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH OUR OTHER FACILITIES? THERE'S A COUPLE THAT WE'RE BUILDING OUT NOW, BUT WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE EVERYWHERE ELSE? SO THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS.
WHEN THE COMMISSION HAD BROUGHT THIS UP AT THE MEETING, I HAD RESPONDED THAT TO ME WE HAVE, AND I CAN'T THINK OF THE WORD THAT I USED, BUT I'LL JUST CALL THEM TOUCH POINTS RIGHT NOW.
THAT WE'VE HAD FOR A LONG TIME.
AND ONE IS ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF MOVING UP.
THERE'S, YOU KNOW, OUR BEACH ACCESSES.
AND WE ALL LOVE OUR BEACH ACCESSES.
BUT I THINK IT KIND OF GOES TO WHAT YOU WERE SAYING IS, YOU KNOW, WITHIN A FIVE-MILE AREA, WE PROBABLY HAVE 34 WALKOVERS.
THEY'RE NOT GETTING ANY YOUNGER.
THERE'S A, YOU KNOW, IT TAKES A LOT TO MAINTAIN THEM.
AND NOR WOULD I EVER BE SUGGESTING SHUTTING THEM DOWN OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
BUT LIKE EVEN THE REC CENTERS OR THE TWO POOLS THAT WE HAVE, CAN YOU GET A BUY-IN FROM THE COMMUNITY WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ONE OLYMPIC-SIZED POOL? SO SOME OF THOSE ARE SOME PRESSURE POINTS THAT WE DEAL WITH AND HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH.
SO IT KIND OF GOES BACK TO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS, WHAT ARE THE ASSETS? ARE THEY REACHING THE END OF THEIR LIFE? AND DO WE CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THEM? OR DO WE COME UP WITH A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF, OF, YOU KNOW, WHERE, WHERE IS OUR POOL GOING TO BE? WHERE IS OUR REC CENTER GOING TO BE? SO THAT'S KIND OF HOW, MAYBE I'M, I DON'T WANT TO PUT WORDS IN YOUR MOUTH.
COMMUNITY BUY-IN PLANNING IS WHAT'S NECESSARY AND HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THEM LONG BEFORE THEY BECOME A REALITY.
BECAUSE AS WE KNOW, REMEMBER WHEN THE MASTER PLAN THAT HAD A LAKE IN THE MIDDLE OF CENTRAL PARK AND PEOPLE LOST THEIR MINDS? BECAUSE THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT LIKE 15 YEARS AGO AND THEN IT'S COMING FORWARD AND THAT WAS JUST AN IDEA.
BUT PEOPLE THEN HEAR THAT THAT'S HAPPENING AND THEY'RE UPSET.
SO I THINK IF WE HAVE A PLAN THAT IS CONSISTENTLY SHARED, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE COULD BE LOOKING AT FOR THE FUTURE, THEN PEOPLE DON'T GET BLINDSIDED BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE I FEEL LIKE WE GET A LOT OF THE RESISTANCE, EVEN WHEN IT'S A GOOD IDEA BECAUSE PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY'VE JUST HEARD ABOUT IT.
SO I FEEL LIKE IF WE HAD A PLAN ABOUT, YOU KNOW, FOR EACH BEACH WALKOVER, IF WE HAD A 15-YEAR PLAN FOR THOSE 34 BEACH WALKOVERS, THE NEWEST ONES OBVIOUSLY WOULD BE FURTHER DOWN THE LIST, FURTHER AWAY.
WHAT ARE THE ONES THAT NEED IMMEDIATE ATTENTION? AND START ADDRESSING THOSE AND PLANNING FOR THOSE FROM A FINANCIAL STANDPOINT SO THAT WE KNOW, HEY, THIS YEAR WE'RE GOING TO HAVE FIVE BEACH WALKOVERS.
NEXT YEAR WE'RE GOING TO HAVE FIVE BEACH WALKOVERS AND SO ON.
BUT THEN WE TALK ABOUT THE END OF LIFE AT ATLANTIC REC CENTER, BUT WE'VE SPENT PROBABLY IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS PROBABLY CLOSE TO A MILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS ON VARIOUS REPAIRS.
SO AT SOME POINT, IT GETS CHEAPER TO PUT SOMETHING NEW THAT DOESN'T NEED ALL THOSE REPAIRS AND PROVIDE BETTER SERVICES FOR PEOPLE.
SO WHEN ARE WE MAKING THOSE DECISIONS? AND I DON'T THINK THAT WE HAVE ANYTHING THAT IS A PLAN LIKE THAT.
IS THAT FAIR? YEAH, I THINK THAT'S FAIR TO SAY YES.
AND THAT WOULD BE THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF THIS MASTER PLAN.
AND I THINK ONE OF THE KEY ELEMENTS OF THE MASTER PLAN IS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
AND HAVING, AND I WROTE THIS DOWN EARLIER, INTERVIEWS, VIRTUAL FOCUS GROUPS, COMMUNITY MEETINGS, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT WEBSITE, AS MUCH PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT THAT WE COULD GET TO LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY, I THINK THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.
OTHERWISE, BECAUSE WE, PARKS AND RECREATION, NEED A MASTER PLAN THAT THE COMMUNITY BACKS.
BUT THEY NEED THE GUIDANCE FIRST.
MOST PEOPLE, THE AVERAGE PERSON, IF THEY USE THE REC CENTER, THEY KNOW ABOUT THE REC CENTER,
[00:30:01]
BUT THEY MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT THE GOLF COURSE OR THEY MAY NOT KNOW.ABOUT THE BALL FIELDS OR YOU KNOW PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THEY USE SO HOW DO WE WE THERE NEEDS TO BE A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF EDUCATION AND ASKING FOR INPUT AND THEN NOT A COMPROMISE BUT A COLLABORATION OF THOSE THINGS BUT I THINK THAT WE NEED TO START WITH GUIDANCE FROM PARKS AND REC ABOUT HEY HERE'S WHAT WE'VE GOT HERE'S A TOTAL LIST OF ALL OF OUR ASSETS THIS IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS IS WHAT WE SEE WHAT DO YOU SEE HOW DO YOU WANT TO SEE THIS SO THAT THEN IT'S LIKE A MULTI-PHASED YEAH SO YOU'RE RIGHT ON IS I THINK THAT THAT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE THE COMMUNITY'S RESPONSIBILITY I THINK IT WOULD BE THE UM THE COMPANY THAT WE USE I THINK IT'S IT'S ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER TO GET WHAT WE WANT OUT OF IT.
SO YEAH, WE HELP THEM, WE HELP THEM.
AND, AND OBVIOUSLY, OH, THIS IS ALL THE STUFF WE HAVE.
AND WE'RE KIND OF LEADING THE SHOW AS THEY'RE WORKING WITH THEM.
SCOTT, DOES THE MASTER PLAN HAVE AN OVERALL OBJECTIVE THAT THINGS WOULD LIKE KIND OF FLOW UP TO? LIKE IF IT'S KEEP FERNANDINA AT FERNANDINA.
SO LIKE BEACH WALK, WALKS WE WANT TO FIX, THE REC CENTER WE WANT TO FIX, OR IF IT'S LIKE EXPAND AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN AND GROW THIS AND THIS AND THIS.
AND SO YOU WOULD FOCUS ON THAT? YEAH, I THINK SO.
THERE'S TWO WAYS TO LOOK AT THE MASTER PLAN IS YOUR COMMUNITY BRAND NEW AND YOU'RE LAYING OUT WHERE REC CENTERS ARE GOING TO BE AS YOU'RE BUILDING THE COMMUNITY OR THERE'S COMMUNITIES LIKE OURS THAT ARE THAT ARE BUILT OUT AND HERE'S THE ITEMS THAT WE HAVE, ULTIMATELY ARE THEY WORKING TO THE BEST VALUE? AND IF NOT, DO WE NEED TO MAKE ANY CHANGES ON THAT? AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I ASKED THESE IS, HAVE YOU EVER WORKED WITH A CITY WHERE YOU GO INTO IT THINKING YOU MIGHT BE GOING IN ONE DIRECTION, BUT FROM ALL THE COMMUNITY INPUT, YOU MIGHT HAVE LEARNED THAT, WELL, MAYBE WE WANT TO INVEST A LITTLE BIT MORE MONEY INTO THIS CENTER.
SO THEN WE GET MORE PEOPLE TO GO TO THAT CENTER AND WE CAN RUN DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THERE.
IT MIGHT YOU MIGHT GO INTO THAT AND YOU MIGHT GO IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION BASED ON AS YOU WORK THROUGH IT AND GET COMMUNITY INPUT.
SO THEN ONCE WE GET THOSE ANSWERS AND WE DEVELOP THE MASTER PLAN, THAT IS GOING TO GIVE KATIE, MYSELF AND OUR TEAM A, YOU KNOW.
A FOOTPATH TO THE FUTURE OF THIS IS ULTIMATELY WHAT OUR GOALS ARE.
ANYBODY ELSE? IS THERE LIKE A MASTER PLAN WE COULD GO OVER NEXT TIME, EVEN JUST US, LIKE MAYBE SUBJECT BY SUBJECT AND LIKE VOTE ON IT OR LIKE GIVE OUR OPINIONS ON IT? WELL, HOW ABOUT THIS? I HAVE SOME OF THE ITEMS FROM WHAT WAS SUBMITTED FROM THE COMPANY THAT THE IDEAS AND HOW THEY WANTED TO LAY THAT OUT.
I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO SEND THAT TO YOU TO LOOK SO YOU COULD LOOK AT THEIR SCOPE OF WORK TO GET SOME IDEAS ON HOW IT REALLY WORKS.
AND THEN MAYBE THEN WE CAN EITHER PUT THIS BACK ON ANOTHER DISCUSSION ITEM.
MY GOAL IS TO GET THIS TO THE COMMISSION EITHER BACK ON MAYBE THE END OF JULY BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO WAIT UNTIL OCTOBER. SO I WANT TO GET SOMETHING STARTED SO WE CAN GET THE BALL ROLLING.
THEN I'LL BE ABLE TO ROLL IT OVER INTO THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
SO I WOULDN'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH BRINGING IT BACK TO YOU.
SO YOU COULD GET SOME ITEMS THAT ARE ON THAT EXISTING SCOPE.
WITH THAT, COULD YOU MAYBE GIVE US WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE AS FAR AS JUST A HIGH-LEVEL PROCESS OF, OKAY, WE'RE TALKING WITH, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER, IS IT KIMLEY HORN? KIMLEY HORN, YEAH.
SO WE'RE TALKING WITH KENLEY HORN AND THEN WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING, WHAT YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO ADD, AT WHAT POINT WE WOULD ENGAGE, AT WHAT POINT YOU'RE THINKING THERE WOULD BE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
WHAT THAT PROCESS, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST SEE A HIGH LEVEL OF WHAT THAT PROCESS LOOKS LIKE, PLEASE.
CHAIR KAMARA, YOU GOT A LATE REQUEST TO SPEAK.
[00:35:01]
DO YOU WANT TO DO THAT? GO AHEAD, WALLY.I LIVE AT 31 SOUTH 5TH STREET HERE IN FERNANDINA BEACH, HOME OF OLYMPIAN POE PINSON.
IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK IN FRONT OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND I WISH YOU ALL THE LUCK.
I PUT ON EVENTS AND WE CLOSED DOWN STREETS AND I JUST WANTED TO BRING UP AN UNFAIR STREET CLOSURE, I FEEL, THAT NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT UP.
WE CLOSED 3RD STREET FOR THE HISPANIC HERITAGE MUSIC AND FOOD FESTIVAL.
WE DO SKATE COMPETITIONS AT THE SKATE PARK, AND SOUTH TROUT STREET WENT FROM 100 TO 01,000.
THAT'S A 900% INCREASE FOR A SMALL ROAD.
AND SO ALL THE EVENTS THAT WE PUT AT THE SKATE PARK, WE ARE NOW NOT CLOSING THAT STREET BECAUSE OF THE FINANCIAL BURDEN THAT'S PLACED UPON OUR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION.
WE OPERATE IN THE HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS WHERE SHRIMP FEST AND ALL THESE OTHER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS OPERATE ON THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
WE WERE TOLD THAT WE HAD TO CLOSE THAT STREET BY THE.
THE CAPTAIN OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT YEARS AGO, BECAUSE THERE WAS A COMPLAINT OF THE KIDS PRACTICING IN THE PARKING LOTS.
HE SAID FROM HERE ON OUT, IF YOU'RE PUTTING ON A SKATE COMPETITION, YOU HAVE TO CLOSE THE STREET.
THAT'S BACK WHEN WE WOULD HAVE A ZOOM CALL BETWEEN THE GROUPS THAT ARE PUTTING ON EVENTS.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, POLICE DEPARTMENT, EVERYTHING LIKE THAT.
I JUST WANTED TO BRING IT UP TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT THAT STREET CLOSURE, JUST THAT ONE STREET, WENT UP 900 PERCENT FROM, AGAIN, $100 TO $1,000, AND WE WERE FORCED INTO THAT.
BUT I ASKED IF WE CAN TAKE THAT OFF, AND KATIE AND WHOEVER IN PARKS AND RECREATION SPOKE WITH THE POLICE.
CHIEF OR WHOEVER THEY SPOKE TO AND THEY WERE ABLE TO UNDO THAT.
I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF WE CAN BRING DOWN THAT PRICE OF THAT SMALL STREET.
HOPE YOU GUYS HAVE A GOOD DAY.
I THINK THAT'S IF I JUST HAD TO GUESS I WOULD THINK THAT THAT'S PROBABLY JUST AN UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE OF AN OVERALL PRACTICE.
SAYING THAT, I'M WONDERING TO MYSELF, WHY IS THAT EVEN A ROAD? I'M SURE THERE'S SOME HISTORICAL THING, BUT IT WOULD JUST MAKE SENSE.
I WOULD THINK, ESPECIALLY AS WE'RE LOOKING AT THE TDC PROJECT AND THE EXPANSION OF THE SKATE PARK IN THE FUTURE WITH THE MAIN BEACH RENOVATIONS THAT ARE GOING ON UP THERE.
I MEAN, COULD WE JUST PUT BOLLARDS THERE AT THE FRONT AND END OF THAT? I MEAN, WHY DOES THAT NEED TO BE A CUT THROUGH TO RIGHT THERE ANYWAY? AND LIKE THAT COULD JUST BE CONSIDERED PART OF THE PARK.
COULD THE PARK, COULD PARKS AND REC EVER ANNEX THAT? WHY DO WE NEED THAT? WE COULD INCLUDE IT IN THE SPECIAL EVENT APPLICATION.
SO WHEN SOMEONE IS CLOSING THE PARKING LOT THAT THEN GETS CLOSED WITH IT, IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN EXPLORE.
I MEAN, I'M JUST THINKING, IT'S SUCH A SMALL SPACE.
THE KIDS THAT ARE ROLLERBLADING OUT THERE, THERE'S NOT ANY REALLY PLACE FOR THE ROLLERBLADER HOCKEY, I'M GLAD YOU GUYS ARE HERE, JOE.
THE ROLLERBLADER HOCKEY PEOPLE, I MEAN, THERE'S NOT REALLY ANYWHERE TO SIT OR GEAR UP, REALLY, OVER THERE.
IS THAT SOMETHING WE COULD JUST POTENTIALLY TALK ABOUT AS A MAYBE? KATIE, IF YOU DON'T MIND, CAN YOU PULL THAT UP ON GOOGLE MAPS JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BOARD IS AWARE OF THE EXACT ROAD THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT? THIS IS THE ROAD THAT CUTS BETWEEN THE SKATE PARK AND WHAT WE CALL THE MULTI-PURPOSE COURT.
AND AS WALLY WAS SAYING, WHEN THEY HAVE A SKATE COMPETITION, WHICH IS A GREAT PLACE FOR THEM TO WARM UP AND CUT ACROSS ON THE MULTI-PURPOSE,
[00:40:03]
THERE'S A LOT OF TRAFFIC THROUGH THERE, A LOT OF WALKING TRAFFIC, A LOT OF KIDS MAYBE ON BIKES OR IN GENERAL.SO, KATIE, AND CAN YOU CONFIRM, IF YOU DON'T MIND, THE CLOSING OF THAT STREET FELL WITHIN THE SAME PRICE? CLOSING A JUST A GENERAL SIDE STREET.
OKAY, SO GOING BACK TO WHAT YOU WERE.
YEAH, SO THAT'S THE ROAD HERE, I MEAN HONESTLY LIKE IT'S A MAIN IT IS LIKE SO IT THERE IS A LOT OF TRAFFIC THERE SO I ONLY BECAUSE IT CAN BE IS IT THAT WHOLE PART OF THE ROAD? THE MAIN PART THAT MR. BURROW IS TALKING ABOUT.
YES IS FROM TARPON DOWN TO THAT CROSSWALK RIGHT THERE AM I CORRECT SIR IT IS RIGHT THERE IS ANOTHER STREET ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MULTI-POINT PEOPLE USE WHEN THAT THING IS CLOSED YEAH SEE WHY DO YOU NEED BOTH OF THOSE YOU COULD ACTUALLY IF YOU HAD BOLLARDS THERE THAT JUST CLOSED THAT OFF AND MADE THAT PART OF THE SKATE PARK OR PARKING I DON'T KNOW I'M JUST THINKING THAT IS TRUE WHO SETS THE PRICING? SO THE COMMISSION ULTIMATELY SETS THE PRICING BUT WE PARKS AND RECREATION SUBMIT PRICING OUR FEE SCHEDULE JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER DEPARTMENT AND THE COMMISSION DOES APPROVE THAT.
DOES IT TAKE AN ADDITIONAL POLICE OFFICER OR ANYTHING TO HAVE THE STREETS CLOSED? YEAH SO ANYTHING THAT REQUIRES A STREET CLOSURE REQUIRES A POLICE OFFICER UM THIS WAS WHEN THE CITY COMMISSION CHANGED THE FEES THEY CHANGED ALL SIDE STREETS TO 500 OR TO A THOUSAND DOLLARS I'M SORRY IT WAS 500 AND THEN TO UM A THOUSAND SO THIS WAS ONE OF THE STREETS THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THAT BIG CHANGE I DO THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE COULD WORK INTO OUR FEE SCHEDULE NEXT YEAR TO EITHER MAKE IT A SMALLER AMOUNT OR INCLUDED IN THE PARKING LOT SOME WAY SO NOT ONLY WOULD IT CHANGE OUR SPECIAL EVENT GUIDELINES, SO IF YOU'RE RENTING THE SKATE PARK, THAT IS AUTOMATICALLY A PART OF IT, OR IT'S JUST A SMALLER FEE FOR THAT SMALL ROAD.
SO IT IS SOMETHING WE CAN FIGURE OUT.
AND I THINK THE ONE THING THAT I DO WANT TO BE CAREFUL WITH IS I DON'T WANT TO ARBITRARILY PICK A ROAD THROUGHOUT THE CITY, DIFFERENT ROADS, AND SAY, WELL, THIS IS THE VALUE OF THIS ROAD.
THIS IS THE VALUE OF THIS ROAD.
BUT I ALSO DO UNDERSTAND WHAT MOLLY SAID.
YEAH, AND I GET HOW IT GOT SWEPT UP INTO THE BUT MOST OF THE ROAD CLOSURES ARE DOWNTOWN OR FOR BIKE RACES.
IT'S KIND OF A DIFFERENT SITUATION.
AND I WOULD ALSO ADD, AGAIN, THINKING THROUGH THE LONG-TERM PLANNING OF THIS, I WOULD REALLY BE INTERESTED, AND I'M HAPPY TO ASK THE QUESTION OF JEREMIAH OR I'M SORRY, WCITY MANAGER GLISSON.
TO MAYBE ASK THE QUESTION OF WHAT IS IT THERE ARE A LOT OF CUT-INS IN AND OUT OF THAT PARKING LOT AND I WOULD SUGGEST THAT MAYBE WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE THE TDC THE HARMONIZATION THAT'S HAPPENING THERE MAYBE WE LOOK AT SOMETHING LIKE THAT BECAUSE THAT COULD POTENTIALLY I MEAN THERE'S FOUR OR FIVE EGRESS IN AND OUT OF THERE SO DO WE REALLY NEED THAT LIKE MAYBE THAT COULD BE PART OF THE PARKS, BECAUSE YOU GUYS OWN THE BASKETBALL COURT AND YOU OWN THE SKATE PARK.
SO HOW HARD WOULD IT BE? AND AGAIN, YOU COULD HAVE THE BOLLARDS THAT ARE LIKE DOWN AT THE FLEX SPACE, DOWN AT THE NEW WATERFRONT PARK THAT GO IN AND OUT THAT COULD BE ADDED AND REMOVED FOR DIFFERENT EVENTS.
BUT WHY CAN'T WE ANNEX THAT IN LIKE WE DID THE OTHER TIP OF THAT PROPERTY? BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A LOT MORE DIFFICULT SHUTTING DOWN A ROAD.
I DO THINK THAT I CAN HAVE, I CAN AT LEAST, I DON'T KNOW PERSONALLY, BUT I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
BUT I'M JUST WONDERING, I MEAN, YOU ALL HAVE EVENTS OUT THERE A LOT.
IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EXPANDING THAT IN THE LONG TERM, I MEAN, MAYBE IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE DO NOW AND WE JUST FIX THE PRICING IN THE SHORT TERM.
BUT MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING WE COULD ADD TO THAT PROJECT IN THE FUTURE.
I'D BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING THAT ANSWER.
THAT IS A THROUGH STREET, THOUGH, FROM TARPON ALL THE WAY THROUGH TO NORTH FLETCHER THERE AT THE FAR END OF THE PARK.
NO, IT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WHERE THE ARROW IS, THAT'S A THROUGH STREET RUNNING FROM TARPON ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
IT'S RUNNING FROM SALT LIFE AND
[00:45:03]
THAT PARKING LOT RIGHT THERE.THAT GOES ALL THE WAY THROUGH FROM TARPON TO THE SALT LIFE ALONG THERE.
YEAH, BUT IT'S REALLY, IT'S NOT EVEN A STRAIGHT STREET.
IT KIND OF JOGS, DOESN'T IT? NOT REALLY.
STREET THAT GOES FROM TARPON ALL THE WAY DOWN TO HERE.
IT'S KIND OF ONLY THE ONLY SECONDARY.
TARPON CAN GET QUITE JAMMED UP.
I'VE SEEN IT WHERE IT'S BACKED UP ALL THE WAY PAST THE PARK, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL BLOCKS.
BUT YOU ALSO HAVE THE ROAD TO THE LEFT OF SALT LAKE VALLEY.
THIS IS THE GAS STATION THAT SITS RIGHT HERE.
SO THERE'S A STREET OUT TO ATLANTA.
YOU CAN GET THERE BEHIND THAT HOTEL IS A STREET.
YEAH, SO YOU HAVE IT GOING THROUGH ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BASKETBALL COURT.
DO YOU NEED THAT IS WHAT I'M SAYING.
I MEAN, I WOULD AGREE WITH SHEILA.
I THINK IT'S WORTH ASKING THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER AS PART OF THAT ARMONIZATION PROJECT.
I MEAN, IS IT EVEN FEASIBLE TO LIMIT THAT ACCESS THERE? AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU COULD DO IS YOU COULD MAKE THAT PARKING GOING IN ONE WAY, COMING OUT.
THERE'S A LOT OF TRAFFIC CONTROL, I THINK.
I'M NOT AN EXPERT IN THAT BY ANY STRETCH, BUT I'M JUST LOOKING AT THAT THINKING, BOY, THERE'S A WAY TO CONTROL THAT FROM GETTING OUT OF HAND AND GOING IN BOTH DIRECTIONS.
YOU CAN HAVE TRAFFIC IN ONE DIRECTION.
YOU'RE STARTING TO LOOK AT THE MASTER PLAN ALSO AND THAT THE SKATE PARK IS GOING TO HAVE AN EXPANSION.
I MEAN, IS THAT POTENTIALLY A PIECE OF WHAT WOULD BE IN THE FUTURE MASTER PLAN? I DON'T KNOW.
I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS.
WALLY, LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION.
ARE YOU USING ANY OF THOSE SPACES FOR PARKING? SO LOCKED IN? IF YOU DON'T MIND, CAN YOU? WE HAD THE EVENTS AND WE HAD TO PAY, JUST LIKE YOU SAID, WHEN YOU CLOSE THE STREET, YOU GOT TO PAY FOR A POLICEMAN.
AND THAT'S ANOTHER COST THAT WE'VE HAD TO PAY.
BUT THAT PARTICULAR AREA WE WOULD USE FOR THE FOOD TRUCKS.
IF WE KNEW WE WERE CLOSING THAT STREET, THE KIDS WOULD, BECAUSE YOU HAVE ONE CHILD WHO'S DOING THEIR 45-SECOND RUN IN THE SKATE PARK WHILE THE AUDIENCE IS WATCHING, THE OTHER KIDS NEED TO WARM UP AND THEY'RE DOING IT IN THE...
BASKETBALL OR THE MULTI-PURPOSE COURT BUT WHEN WE CLOSED IT WE HAD WE HAD TO PAY FOR BARRICADES AS WELL.
HOW MANY FOOD TRUCKS FIT IN THERE WALLY? WE FIT THREE FACING THE SKATE PARK AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE A WE'D HAVE A BLOOD BANK AS WELL AND THEY WOULD BE PARKED AT THE MULTI-PURPOSE ON THE MULTI ON THIS SIDE OF THE ROAD YEAH FACING YEAH SO THREE FOOD TRUCKS FIT THERE PERFECTLY, BUT IT WAS MORE ABOUT THE COST.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT WAS $100.
IT WAS NEVER $500 FOR US TO PAY FOR THAT STREET CLOSURE.
AND AT ONE POINT, WE'RE AT OUR 10TH ANNUAL TERRY KELLY SKATE COMPETITION IN AUGUST.
THE FIRST FOUR TERRY KELLY SKATE COMPETITIONS, THERE WAS NEVER A FEE TO EVEN RENT THE SKATE PARK.
WE WOULD PUT THE EVENT ON, AND SOMEHOW, SOMEWAY, IT GOT A CHARGE.
ALL OF A SUDDEN, WE HAD TO START PAYING.
WE HAD TO START PAYING FOR POLICE.
WE HAD TO START PAYING FOR STREET CLOSURE.
SO AT ONE POINT, SOMEBODY MADE THE DECISION THAT THERE MIGHT BE MONEY INVOLVED IN THIS.
BUT ALL OUR COMPETITIONS ARE FREE.
LIKE THIS EVENT THAT WE JUST HAD THIS WEEKEND WAS A WASHOUT.
WE HAD TO PAY $550 OR SOMETHING.
$250 OF THAT WE DO GET BACK AS A DEPOSIT.
BUT $95 FOR ELECTRICITY, WHERE WE BARELY USED MAYBE $5 WORTH OF ELECTRICITY IN A FOUR-HOUR PERIOD.
BUT I JUST ARGUE MORE ABOUT THE AMOUNT IT WENT, 900% FROM $100 TO $1,000.
[7. STAFF COMMENTS]
7.1 THE GOLF COURSE JEFFREY DIGGERS GOLF COURSE GENERAL MANAGER FOR THE NEW BEACH GOLF CLUB.HOPE EVERYBODY'S DOING WELL TONIGHT I'M GONNA GO THROUGH THE GOLF AND OUR UPDATE.
I WILL START OFF WITH OUR APRIL NUMBERS WHICH WERE UP 23
[00:50:02]
PERCENT FROM APRIL 2025.WE DID 4,479 ROUNDS OF GOLF, WHICH WAS DOWN JUST A BIT FROM APRIL OF 25.
WE HAVE HAD GREAT WEATHER, BUT WE HAD A STRETCH THROUGH THE FIRST WEEK OF APRIL.
30-40 PLAYERS A DAY WHEN IT WAS A LITTLE COLD OR WE DIDN'T GET MUCH RAIN OUT OF IT, BUT IT WAS COLD AND WINDY.
WITH THAT SAID, THOSE ROUNDS WERE DOWN TO $149 A DAY WHERE WE WERE AT $156 THE PREVIOUS APRIL, BUT OVERALL GOLF COURSE REVENUE WAS UP AGAIN, WHICH IS THE CONTINUING TREND THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DEVELOP AT THE GOLF COURSE.
PRO SHOP SALES WERE UP AT $16,325.
SCOTT WOMMEL HAS DONE GREAT WITH HIS GOLF LESSONS, ALMOST $3,300 FOR THE MONTH, AND THE DRIVING RANGE HAS BEEN GETTING USED EXTENSIVELY.
OUR NUMBERS UP ON THE RANGE ARE INCREASING EVERY MONTH.
WHEN YOU TAKE THAT, THE GOLF COURSE, GREENS FEE, CART FEE COMBINED, WE WERE AVERAGING JUST UNDER $36 FOR THAT TOTAL PER ROUND, WHICH WAS UP ALMOST $4.50 COMPARED TO APRIL OF 2025.
SO FROM THE GOLF SIDE, CONTINUING THAT TREND INTO THIS MONTH, IT'S BEEN GOOD.
WE DIDN'T DO A LOT OF PLAYERS TODAY WITH THE RAIN, BUT WE NEED THAT RAIN.
SO WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE, AND ESPECIALLY WITH US BEING IN THE MIDDLE OF AIRIFICATION.
JEFFREY, WHEN YOU SAID THAT, I HAD WRITTEN ACTUALLY A QUESTION.
BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN, I KNOW, LIKE IN A SEVERE DROUGHT AND THERE'S WATERING RESTRICTIONS.
HOW DOES THAT APPLY TO THE GOLF COURSE? AS FAR AS WATER RESTRICTIONS? WELL, LIKE WHEN WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE ALL CAN ONLY DO IT LIKE ONE DAY A WEEK OR WHATEVER.
WE ARE, I DON'T THINK THE RESTRICTIONS ARE AS ADVANCED AS IS FOR HOMEOWNERS AND LAWNS, BUT WE DO CUT BACK TO WHERE WE'RE JUST DOING GREENS AND FAIRWAYS AND TEE BOXES.
SO WE'RE NOT DOING AS MUCH WATERING AS WE DO DURING THE NORMAL TIMES.
I WAS GOING TO SAY, ARE YOU EXPERIENCING ANY ISSUES FROM THAT? NO, BECAUSE IT'S JUST SO DRY.
THIS RAIN IS WHAT'S GOING TO HELP.
I MEAN, THAT'S REALLY WHAT IT IS.
I MEAN, YEAH, WE HAVE TO DO THE GREENS.
BUT THE REST OF THE GOLF COURSE, YEAH, IT'S DRY.
YOU CAN PLAY GOLF IN A DROUGHT, LIKE I ALWAYS LIKE TO SAY, BUT YEAH.
AND THIS LITTLE BIT OF RAIN, I MEAN, IT'S ALREADY TURNED THE GOLF COURSE GREEN THE LAST COUPLE DAYS.
LEADING INTO FOOD AND BEVERAGE, THOSE NUMBERS, CHRISTY AND HER TEAM HAD A GREAT MONTH.
UP 39% FROM THE PREVIOUS APRIL, WHICH AS A LIST BELOW THE 22 PLUS EVENTS THAT WE'VE HAD.
I WANTED TO MAKE NOTE THAT I THINK A COUPLE THINGS WHEN IT COMES TO THOSE FOOD AND BEVERAGE NUMBERS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT THE BAR THAT'S BEEN OPEN NOW.
WE HAVE A COUPLE NIGHTS WITH OUR HAPPY HOURS THAT HAVE HELPED INCREASE, BUT I THINK SOME OF THE BIGGEST NUMBERS IS IS THE GOLFERS COMING IN USING THE FACILITY A COUPLE OF OUR OUTSIDE EVENTS THAT WE'VE HAD, EITHER BETWEEN GOLF TOURNAMENTS OR BIRTHDAY PARTIES, AND THEN THE CLUB POP PROGRAM THAT WE GOT IN LAST YEAR.
THEY ESTIMATED MAYBE AROUND 19% WE WERE GOING TO SAVE ON OUR FOOD COSTS.
SOME WERE A LITTLE HIGHER, BUT ACROSS THE BOARD, THAT WAS IT.
AND I LOOKED AT SOME OF OUR NUMBERS, AND JUST BASED OFF OF OUR COST OF FOOD SOLD, WE WERE AT ABOUT 33%.
IT'S FOOD AND BEVERAGE, EVERYTHING.
AND THOSE NUMBERS NOW ARE ABOUT 28%.
WE'VE HAD MORE SALES, OBVIOUSLY, THIS YEAR THROUGH APRIL THAN WE HAD LAST YEAR, BUT WE'VE SPENT LESS MONEY ON OUR FOOD AND BEVERAGE.
SO THOSE NUMBERS ARE GETTING BETTER.
SO I WANTED TO ELABORATE ON THAT.
CHRISTY AND THE TEAM HAVE DONE GREAT.
SO AS WE GO DOWN THROUGH SOME OF THOSE EVENTS, WE STARTED SPARK GOLF AGAIN IN APRIL.
WE'RE HOPING TO GET THAT UP TO 20 AS THE WEATHER GETS BETTER.
A COUPLE OF THE OTHER ONES, OUR BARBECUE GENERAL WAS WELL ATTENDED ON THE 17TH OF APRIL.
WE HAD THE NORTH FLORIDA AMATEUR OVER THAT LAST WEEK IN APRIL.
IT WAS A LITTLE DISAPPOINTING THERE.
THEY WERE LOOKING TO HAVE 60 TO 70 PLAYERS.
THEY DID USE THE FACILITIES TO EAT WHEN THEY WERE FINISHED PLAYING.
ON THAT END, US AS A GOLF STAFF, WE HAVE TO ADJUST THOSE TEE SHEETS ACCORDINGLY SO THAT WE GET THOSE OPEN BACK UP AS SOON AS WE FIND OUT WHERE THEIR NUMBERS ARE.
SO THAT MIGHT HAVE HURT A LITTLE BIT OF THE ROUNDS FOR THAT WEEKEND, BUT OVERALL THE REVENUES WERE GOOD THAT CAME OUT OF THAT.
HEY JEFFREY, JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY, THE BARBECUE NIGHT AND THE PRIME RIB NIGHT AND THOSE KINDS OF MEALS, DO YOU GUYS KNOW IF IT'S THE SAME PEOPLE COMING? WE HAVE A LOT OF REGULARS.
[00:55:01]
BUT WE HAVE, I THINK EVERY EVENT WE KIND OF HAVE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE A HANDFUL, A TABLE OR TWO THAT'S DIFFERENT.BUT I THINK IT REALLY HAS A LOT TO DO WITH WHAT WE'RE SERVING, YOU KNOW.
AND THAT'S WHY, AS I GET INTO THIS REPORT, WE'RE GOING TO DO PRIMARY, RIGHT? PRIMARY OF THE NIGHT AGAIN SO THIS UPCOMING MONTH SO WE'RE TRYING TO WE'RE THINKING MAYBE WE TRY TO DO THAT QUARTERLY BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING TWICE AS MANY PEOPLE THAT WANT TO COME TO THAT SO LIKE I SAID I THINK A COUPLE MONTHS AGO WE TRIED TO DO A PIZZA NIGHT HAD 12 SIGNUPS I THINK IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE CUSTOMER WANTS I DON'T THINK WE CAN DO IT EVERY MONTH BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY TRY TO DO IT MAYBE QUARTERLY IF WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO GET 60 PLUS PEOPLE FOR THAT MEAL SO AS I MOVE ON TO THE GOLF COURSE MAINTENANCE UM I HAVE IMAGES THERE OF OUR NEW EQUIPMENT AND OUR OLD EQUIPMENT.
SO OUR IRRIGATION CONTROL SYSTEM IS IN.
TURFTRONICS HAS INSTALLED EVERYTHING ON THEIR END.
IT'S GOING TO HELP THE SUPERINTENDENT AND HIS STAFF BE ABLE TO CONTROL WATER ON THE GOLF COURSE AND OTHER AREAS A LOT MORE EFFICIENTLY.
IF YOU LOOK AT THAT SYSTEM, THAT COMPUTER SYSTEM THERE ON THE LEFT, THE COMPUTER SYSTEM WAS LIKE 2016, BUT THE ACTUAL COMPONENTS ON THE GOLF COURSE, THEY WERE PUT IN WITH THAT IRRIGATION SYSTEM IN 2006.
SO ALL OF THIS HAS BEEN UPGRADED, AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT IT.
WHICH LEADS ME BACK IN, I MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT AERIFICATION.
THEY'RE WRAPPING THAT UP THIS WEEK.
SO FAR, EVERYTHING'S GONE VERY WELL, AND WHEN WE GET THESE RAINS, IT REALLY WILL HELP.
THEY WILL CONTINUE TO TOP DRESS.
AND DRAG THE GREENS EACH WEEK UNTIL WE GET THROUGH THESE THREE WEEKS.
BUT WE SHOULD HAVE ALL 27 HOLES BACK OPEN NEXT MONDAY.
JEFFREY, IF YOU ONLY HAD 18 HOLES ON THE COURSE, HOW WOULD YOU OPERATE? WELL, I'VE SEEN IT DIFFERENT WAYS BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW WITH 27 IS VERY BENEFICIAL FOR US BECAUSE WE CONTINUE TO HAVE 18 HOLES OPEN.
A LOT OF CLUBS WILL CLOSE THE WHOLE GOLF COURSE FOR A WEEK.
AND SO YOU WON'T HAVE ANY ROUNDS OF GOLF, ANY REVENUE FROM THE GOLF STANDPOINT.
I HAVE WORKED AT FACILITIES WAY BACK THAT WOULD DO NINE HOLES ONE WEEK, NINE HOLES THE NEXT WEEK.
SO YOU'RE PLAYING, IF YOU MADE TEE TIMES, YOU'D HAVE TO JUST PLAY THAT NINE TWICE IF YOU WERE PLAYING 18 HOLES.
SO HAVING 27 HOLES IS VERY BENEFICIAL WHEN IT COMES TO WHEN WE AIR A FILE LIKE THIS.
AND WE DO THIS TWICE A YEAR CUZ WE'LL BE DOING THIS AGAIN IN AUGUST.
AND I JUST WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR, I THINK I DON'T KNOW ALL THE PAST.
BUT I DO KNOW SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE IN THE YEAR PRIOR, I MEAN, WE'RE PULLING A PLUG.
I DON'T THINK WE DID A LOT OF THAT MAYBE IN THE NEAR PAST.
I THINK WE WERE JUST PUNCHING A HOLE, YOU KNOW, NOT PUTTING IN WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO MAKE THE GREENS HEALTHY.
AND I THINK THE GREENS, THEY SHOW THAT NOW.
SO, YES, HAVING 27 AND BEING ABLE TO DO THAT AND KEEP 18 HOLES, IT DOES HELP.
I JUST HAVE TO BIG SHOUT OUT TO FRIENDS OF FERNANDINA BEACH GOLF CLUB.
I MEAN, WHAT THEY'VE DONE THERE, THAT PICTURE JUST SHOWS IT ALL.
WINDOWS, DOORS, THEY PAINTED, GOT US SOME NEW CLOCK SIGNS, AND THAT VERBIAGE IS ON THAT IMAGE.
WELCOME TO FERNANDINA BEACH GOLF CLUB.
THAT WAS THEIR IDEA, AND I THINK IT'S GREAT.
I MEAN, THAT'S THE FIRST THING YOU SEE WHEN YOU WALK OUTSIDE TO GO GREET THE STARTER.
GET YOUR KEY TO THE CART AND GET LOADED UP.
REALLY APPRECIATE THEIR PASSION FOR THE CLUB AND WHAT THEY DO.
YEAH, JEFFREY, DO WE EVER RECOGNIZE THEM? LIKE THROW THEM A DINNER OR JUST HAPPY HOUR OF DRINKS? IT'S AMAZING.
THEY LOVE THIS STUFF, AND IT LOOKS SO GOOD.
THEY'VE DONE, SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, BIRDHOUSES, THIS, THE BATHROOM, WHAT THEY DID.
OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE TREE TRIMMING EVERY YEAR.
I MEAN, WHAT WE DO WITH THAT, AND THAT'S NOT ONLY JUST THEM.
AND IT'S USUALLY WEEK 10 DAYS.
AS FAR AS OTHER EVENTS GO, I PUT IN THERE ABOUT THE 100TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION.
I THOUGHT THIS WAS REALLY NEAT.
WE HAD AN 85-YEAR-OLD BIRTHDAY PARTY TWO WEEKS PRIOR.
MS. LILLIAN FREEMAN, IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE IMAGES THERE, SHE'S JUST AS SHARP AS CAN BE.
YOU KNOW JUST TURNED 100 AND WHAT I DIDN'T REALIZE I GOT TO MEET HER AND TALK TO HER WITH CHRISTY SHE USED TO WORK AT THE GOLF WAY BACK SO CHRISTY I THINK ACTUALLY WORKED WITH OR FOR HER UH IN SOME CAPACITY MAYBE FULL TIME AT THE BEGINNING AND THEN SOME PART TIME SO UH IT WAS REALLY SHE REALLY LOVED THE RENOVATIONS TO THE BAR AREA SHE DID SAY THAT SO THAT WAS A GREAT EVENING THEY HAD OVER 100 AND SOME PEOPLE FOR THAT AND UM AND THAT WAS EARLY MAY
[01:00:02]
MAY 2ND WE HAD OUR NEIL HAMPTON MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT, THIS IS THE SECOND YEAR WE HAD THEM.I WANT TO THANK THE CITY AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
A LOT OF TIMES THEY USE CARTS FOR THE SHRIMP FEST, AND BECAUSE OF THE SIZE OF THIS EVENT, WE NEEDED TO HAVE ALL OUR GOLF CARTS AND ALLOWED IT.
THEY HAD 128 PLAYERS LAST YEAR, AND WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE A FULL 144 THIS YEAR.
THAT TAKES UP ALL OUR GOLF CARTS.
AND IT WAS KIND OF A STEAL OF A DAY BECAUSE IT RAINED THAT DAY.
IF YOU WENT DOWNTOWN FOR SHRIMP FEST, YOU GOT BOMBED ON.
WE GOT BOMBED ON AT THE GOLF COURSE.
BUT IT WAS A GOOD, ALMOST A $9,000, $10,000 DAY.
THEY DO BRING IN OUTSIDE CATERING BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN HAVING THIS EVENT.
I THINK THIS WAS THEIR 20TH ANNIVERSARY.
BUT EVEN WITH THAT SAID, WITH WHAT WE GOT FOR GOLF AND THE ROOM RENTAL, IT WAS A DAY THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE HAD THAT.
WE MIGHT HAVE DONE 20 OR 30 PLAYERS THAT DAY BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER.
GOING ON TO OUR MEMBERSHIP SALES, WE'RE ALMOST AT WHAT WE BUDGETED DOLLAR-WISE FOR THE YEAR.
FISCAL YEAR WHICH IS GREAT WE HAVE 181 TOTAL MEMBERSHIP SOLD SINCE THE 1ST OF OCTOBER AND THE GOAL IS TO KEEP SELLING BECAUSE THEY GO YEAR-ROUND YOU BOMB THEY GO ALL THE WAY FROM THE TIME YOU BOUGHT THEM TILL THEY TO THAT TIME THAT DATE NEXT YEAR FROM A MARKETING PERSPECTIVE IS THE SAME TYPE OF STUFF WE DO EACH MONTH I HAVE JUST GOTTEN UP WITH AMELIA NOW AND KIND OF TWEAKED THAT'S OUR NEW ADVERTISEMENT IN THERE.
ALL OUR ADVERTISEMENTS IN THE MAGAZINES ARE SMALLER OVER IN THE CORNER, BUT WE ALWAYS HAVE SOMETHING WITH FERNANDINA BEACH GOLF CLUB IN THOSE MAGAZINES.
AND RIGHT NOW I'M WORKING WITH CHRISTY AND AMELIA ISLANDER TO TRY TO GET SOMETHING IN THEIR WEDDING EDITION.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HOPEFULLY BE IN THAT THIS YEAR AS WELL.
WITH THAT SAID, UPCOMING MAY EVENTS, JUST TO KIND OF GO THROUGH SOME OF THOSE WITH YOU GUYS.
YOU KNOW, I MENTIONED NEIL HAMPTON, MS. FREEMAN'S 100TH BIRTHDAY PARTY.
AS WE GET INTO THE SUMMER, WE STILL HAVE EVENTS IN THE BUILDING.
WE DON'T HAVE AS MANY GOLF TOURNAMENTS.
WE GET INTO THE HOT DAYS OF SUMMER, A LOT OF PEOPLE, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF PLAY UP TO ABOUT 11 O'CLOCK.
AND THEN IT'LL DIE OFF AND THEN IN THE AFTERNOON PEOPLE WILL COME OUT.
BUT WE'RE HOPING TO CONTINUE THOSE ROUNDS IN THAT SAME DIRECTION AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THE TOURISTS COMING IN AND PLAYING THE GOLF COURSE THIS YEAR.
SO WITH THAT SAID, ON THOSE MAY EVENTS, I GUESS THE COUPLE THAT I REALLY WANTED TO POINT OUT WAS WE ARE HAVING PRIMARY DINNER AGAIN.
SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THAT, SIGN UP BY THE 18TH.
AND WE HAVE THE NORTH FLORIDA JUNIOR TOUR COMING OUT AND THEY'RE HOPING TO HAVE AROUND 60 PLAYERS ON SUNDAY.
24TH AND I THINK OUR OUR CITY'S FINANCE DEPARTMENT IS HOSTING THE FLORIDA GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL OFFICERS ASSOCIATION AT THE CLUB AT THE END OF MAY SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT'S GOING ON THE GOLF COURSE YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING I GOT ONE YES SIR BUDDY DURING WE JUST HEARD ABOUT THE 5 AND 10 YEAR PLAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF RECREATION, HAVE WE PUT TOGETHER ONE FOR THE GOLF COURSE? WE DON'T HAVE A MASTER PLAN, BUT WE DO HAVE IDEAS.
SCOTT AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT A NUMBER OF THINGS IN OUR CAPITAL THAT WE NEED TO HAVE DONE.
FOR INSTANCE, NEXT YEAR WE'VE GOT TO DO SOME WORK ON A WELL.
I HAVE STUFF IN THAT CAPITAL PLAN FOR POSSIBLE RENOVATIONS OF THE GOLF COURSE, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE IRRIGATION, GREENS, BUNKERS.
BUT THOSE ARE VERY HIGH-END, EXPENSIVE ITEMS. AND RIGHT NOW, I THINK OUR FOCUS IS TRYING TO JUST GET DAY-TO-DAY AND CONTINUE TO GET BETTER COURSE CONDITIONS WITH WHAT WE HAVE.
BECAUSE TO RENOVATE A GOLF COURSE IS VERY EXPENSIVE.
WELL, THE QUESTION I'M GOING TO ASK YOU IS THIS.
WE ALL KNOW IT'S I CAN'T REMEMBER THE NUMBER PER BUNKER.
BUT IF WE DON'T PLAN IT OUT YOU KNOW LIKE FIVE BUNKERS EVERY YEAR OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE THAT WE CAN AFFORD TO DO AND I HAVE THAT WE DO UM BUNKERS T-BOXES SOME OF THAT IS COMING IN THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS WITH CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS BUT THEN YOU CAN TAKE THE WHOLE SCOPE OF EVERYTHING A LOT OF TIMES IF YOU'RE GOING TO REPAIR CERTAIN THINGS LIKE THAT IN MY MIND YOU'RE GOING TO CLOSE PART OF THE GOLF COURSE FOR A WHILE IF WE COULD AFFORD IT DO EVERYTHING AT ONCE BUT THAT MIGHT NOT BE THE CASE.
SO IF WE HAVE TO DO BUNKERS ON THIS COURSE THIS YEAR, DO TEE BOXES, THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD DO.
AND IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A PRIORITY OF WHICH ONE YOU THINK YOU WOULD WANT TO DO FIRST, WHAT IS IT? WHICH GOLF COURSE? I THINK IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE
[01:05:02]
COURSE CONDITIONS ARE AT THE TIME THAT WE NEED TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.I MEAN, RIGHT NOW I SEE ALL THREE OF OUR NINES IN FAIRLY DECENT SHAPE.
BUT IF I HAD TO SAY RIGHT NOW, PROBABLY OUR NORTH COURSE JUST BECAUSE IT HAS MORE TREE COVERAGE THAT'S CAUSING ISSUES THAN THE OTHER TWO RIGHT NOW.
I THINK TO TOM'S POINT, I MEAN, AND YOU AND I HAVE HAD THIS CONVERSATION SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT, LIKE, TRYING TO GET IT GOOD NOW.
AND OBVIOUSLY THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE DOING ARE IMPROVING THE NUMBERS.
I THINK THAT THE PROGNOSIS LOOKS GOOD FOR THE GOLF COURSE.
THE CITY ASSET IN THE NEAR FUTURE SHOULD BE IN THE BLACK, YOU KNOW, AND NOT NEEDING TO COME.
YES, AND SO THAT'S A GOOD THING.
I THINK IT'S SOMEWHERE, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE NOT SEEN IN A LONG TIME BECAUSE IT'S GETTING THE CARE AND ATTENTION.
AND I THINK, TOO, PROBABLY WHAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR THE PLANNING PURPOSES IS THAT AS THE COMMISSIONS CHANGE, AS THIS BOARD CHANGES, AND, YOU KNOW, GOD FORBID YOU HIT THE LOTTERY AND WANT TO LEAVE US, AND WE DON'T HAVE YOUR LEADERSHIP, THAT WE WOULD HAVE A PLAN.
THE CITY WOULD HAVE AT LEAST KIND OF A GUIDELINE OF WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WORST-CASE SCENARIOS, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE IF THE GOLF COURSE IS IMPROVING AT THE RATE THAT YOU THINK IT SHOULD, AND WHERE IT IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S WHERE YOU WANT IT IN THREE YEARS, FIVE YEARS, TEN YEARS, IT'S WHERE YOU WANT IT.
HERE'S WHAT IT IS IF WE DON'T DO THESE THINGS AND THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT ARE COMING UP.
SO I WOULDN'T SAY LIKE A WHOLE HUGE SCOPE OF LIKE A MASTER PLAN, BUT I THINK MAYBE EVEN AT A HIGHER LEVEL, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? FIVE YEARS, 10 YEARS, WHAT EXPENSES WOULD COME? WHAT IS IT YOU WOULD WANT TO SEE? I MEAN, I THINK THAT ALL OF THESE THINGS, IT'S ALL VARIABLE, RIGHT? BUT YOU CAN HAVE AN IDEA OF WHERE TO MOVE, BUT IT ALL DEPENDS ON, OKAY, WHAT IS IT? COMMISSION GONNA EITHER FUND OR NOT FUND OR PRIORITIZE AND SO BUT IF WE HAVE NO GUIDELINE I THINK IT'D BE GOOD TO HAVE THAT I AGREE BUT I THINK FROM JEFFREY'S STANDPOINT YOU KNOW IN THE 18 MONTHS THAT WE'VE BEEN UNDER THIS NEW REGIME IT HAS DEFINITELY CHANGED COMPLETELY, AND IT'S THE QUICKEST I'VE EVER SEEN ANYTHING TURN AROUND IN A VERY POSITIVE WAY.
AND I WOULD EVEN SAY IN THE LAST TWO, MAYBE TWO AND A HALF YEARS.
THE CITY SUPPORT AND WHAT WE'VE STARTED DOING THERE.
AND RIGHT NOW I CONSIDER US KIND OF, AND I'VE TALKED TO SCOTT ABOUT IT, WE'RE KIND OF IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS FIVE-YEAR PLAN OF GETTING THIS GOLF COURSE BACK TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE.
I THINK HAVING THE NEW EQUIPMENT AND THAT HAS PLAYED IT.
A REAL IMPORTANT ROLE WE DIDN'T HAVE THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT AND WE STILL WE'RE STILL LOOKING TO CONTINUE THAT EXACTLY SO WE STILL HAVE PIECES THAT YEAH BUT THEN WHAT IS THAT ROTATION I THINK THAT THAT SHOULD PHYSICALLY EXIST SOMEWHERE WE HAVE SOMEBODY KNOWS OKAY YEAH AND I CAN GET THAT TO YOU IF YOU'D LIKE YEAH AND I THINK MAYBE THAT'S KIND OF WHAT SHE WAS GETTING THAT TOO YOU JUST SAID THE FIVE-YEAR PLAN IN YOUR HEAD, WHICH I'M SURE YOU HAVE ON PAPER SOMEWHERE.
IS IT A DOCUMENT OR SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD SHARE WITH THIS BOARD? SURE.
SO THAT WE'VE GOT KIND OF A GENERAL IDEA OF WHAT YOUR PRIORITIES FOR DOLLARS FOR SPENDING OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
THE PAST TWO YEARS, IF YOU STARTED THEN THINKING ABOUT FIVE YEARS, WELL, NOW FIVE YEARS IS TWO AND A HALF YEARS PAST THAT.
TWO THINGS HAVE TO HAPPEN AT THE SAME TIME.
FOCUSING ON THE HERE AND NOW AND WHAT YOU CAN GET DONE AND DOING THAT THE BEST YOU CAN AND THEN PLANNING FOR WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU CONTINUE TO IMPROVE AND HOPEFULLY THESE NUMBERS GO UP AND HOPEFULLY YOU'VE GOT MORE MONEY TO DO THOSE THINGS THAT ARE NOT THEN JUST A DREAM.
THEY CAN BE A REALITY WOULD BE THE BEST SCENARIO, I THINK.
BUT FROM THE GENERAL OVERVIEW OF THE GOLF COURSE, IT IS SO MUCH BETTER.
IT IS A HUNDRED TIMES BETTER THAN...
AND A LOT OF US DIDN'T EVEN THINK IT'D GET THIS FAST, THIS QUICKLY, AND THIS GOOD.
I'LL PASS THAT ALONG TO EVERYBODY.
IT'S A STAFFING QUESTION, SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S APPROPRIATE, BUT LIKE YOU'RE ASSISTANT PRO POSITION, IS THAT INDIVIDUAL HIRED TO PROVIDE LESSONS OR IS THE CITY GOING TO CONTINUE ITS CONTRACT WITH SCOTT OR START SPLITTING SOME OF THAT REVENUE?
[01:10:01]
THERE'S SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT THE POSITION.THAT POSITION WOULD BE ABLE TO TEACH WHEN THEY'RE NOT ON THE CLOCK IN THAT PART-TIME POSITION.
RIGHT NOW, THE MAJORITY OF THE LESSONS ARE GOING THROUGH SCOTT, AND I REALLY AM IMPRESSED WITH WHAT HE'S DOING DOWN THERE.
AND IF HE'S COMFORTABLE WITH CONTINUING TO DO IT, I'M COMFORTABLE WITH HIM CONTINUING TO DO WHAT HE IS.
BUT THAT WOULDN'T, YOU KNOW, I COULD GIVE LESSONS.
IT'S JUST A MATTER OF I KNEW THE TIME-WISE AND WHAT WE HAD, ESPECIALLY IN A PART-TIME ASSISTANCE POSITION, BECAUSE I'M LOOKING TO SEE THAT ROLE AS WE'VE GOTTEN BIGGER, MAYBE BECOME A FULL-TIME LIKE IT WAS PRIOR.
SO IN THAT POSITION WOULD AGAIN.
I BELIEVE BE ABLE TO TEACH WOULDN'T BE WHEN THEY WERE ON THE CLOCK BEHIND THE COUNTER, BUT YES.
IT JUST SEEMS LIKE A REVENUE SOURCE THAT WE'RE POSSIBLY NOT GETTING AS MUCH OUT OF AS WE COULD.
AND THAT'S OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING YOU UNDERSTAND FROM THE ACCOUNTING SIDE.
YEAH, YEAH, I MEAN, BECAUSE IF WE GIVE LESSONS, THE PERCENTAGE OF THAT DOES GO TO THE CITY.
AND SCOTT HAS REALLY, IN THE LAST YEAR, HE'S REALLY INCREASED.
WHAT HE'S DONE AND I'VE DISCUSSED I'VE ACTUALLY TALKED TO HIM AND SAID WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU CAN DO NEXT YEAR? AND THAT'S WHAT I'VE INCORPORATED INTO THIS THIS PRELIMINARY BUDGET.
WE'VE WE'VE PUT TOGETHER SO ANYBODY ELSE THANKS.
THANK YOU ALL RIGHT QUICK UPDATE FROM PARKS AND RACK AND BEFORE I GET STARTED I JUST WANTED TO PERSONALLY ECHO SOME OF THOSE COMMENTS THAT YOU MADE.
I DO THINK MR. BIGGERS AND HIS STAFF ARE DOING A WONDERFUL JOB.
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO PUSH AND PUSH HARD TO MAKE THE GOLF COURSE SUCCESSFUL.
OUR NUMBERS ARE LOOKING GOOD MOVING INTO THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
WITH MONEY THAT WE MAY BE ASKING FOR THE GENERAL FUND, IT'S GETTING LESS AND LESS AND LESS.
AND I ALSO JUST WANTED TO REITERATE IS...
YOU KNOW, OUR INITIAL GOAL WITH THE GOLF COURSE WAS TO, YOU KNOW, WE WERE BORROWING A LOT OF MONEY FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
AND THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO GET TO A POINT WHERE WE CAN SHOW THEM THAT WE CAN BE PROFITABLE.
WE CAN, EVEN WITH SOME CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, BREAK EVEN.
AND US WORKING CLOSELY TOGETHER ON A EQUIPMENT ROTATION PLAN, LAYING OUT THE NEXT FIVE TO EVEN 10 YEARS OF THE GOLF COURSE.
AND BEING REALISTIC ABOUT THOSE EXPECTATIONS.
WE DO HAVE THOSE THOUGHTS, AND I'M GLAD THAT YOU GUYS ASKED FOR THAT.
AND I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT TO DO A LITTLE PRESENTATION TO YOU GUYS TO SHOW OUR VISION ON HOW WE SEE THIS MOVING FORWARD AND HOW QUICKLY WE THINK WE CAN GET THERE.
SO I APPRECIATE THOSE COMMENTS THAT YOU GUYS BROUGHT UP TONIGHT.
ON THE PARKS AND RECREATION SIDE, JUST GOING OVER A QUICK FEW PROJECT UPDATES.
THE GRAND OPENING, THAT IS COMPLETE.
WE HAVE A FEW ITEMS THAT WE HAVE TO FINISH UP, BUT HOW AMAZING IS THE WATERFRONT PARK? I THINK SUCH A BEAUTIFUL ASSET TO OUR GREAT CITY.
PARKS AND RECREATION TEAM IS EXTREMELY EXCITED ON WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THAT AND THE PAVILION AND MUSIC.
AND I BELIEVE KATIE'S WHEELS ARE ALREADY WORKING AND BRINGING UP SOMETHING WITH THAT THROUGH THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
BUT WE ARE EXTREMELY EXCITED ABOUT THAT UM BEFORE WE MET PREVI UH I THINK OUR MEETING UH WE HAD OUR MEETING AND THEN THE COMMISSION APPROVED BUT THEY DID UH DESIGN APPROVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION ON APRIL 7TH WE HAD OUR INITIAL KICKOFF UM BEFORE WE MOVE ON ON APRIL 28TH YES I'M SORRY SORRY BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO MLK THE WATERFRONT PARK UM I HAD TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS UM AND I DON'T KNOW WHEN THIS WILL COME UP, BUT I HAD TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS OF THE CITY BECAUSE IT WAS BEING RUMORED ON FACEBOOK THAT WE WERE NOW GOING TO PUT $700,000 WORTH OF SWING SETS AT THE WATERFRONT PARK, WHICH IS NOT TRUE.
THEY MADE IT SOUND LIKE CHILDREN'S PLAY EQUIPMENT OF SWING SETS.
BUT CAN YOU TOUCH A LITTLE BIT ON, I THINK THERE'S LIKE A PRELIMINARY DESIGN THAT WAS SUCH.
SHARED WITH THE WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD FOR THE SPACE AT ATLANTIC SEAFOOD AND THE POTENTIAL OF WHAT WOULD BE SWINGS LIKE AT ST.
YEAH, SO IT'S JUST A CONCEPTUAL DESIGN.
SO THIS IS THE AREA RIGHT WHERE ATLANTIC SEAFOOD WAS, WHICH WOULD BE TO THE NORTH, THE NORTH OF THE EXISTING PARKS.
OBVIOUSLY ATLANTIC SEAFOOD WAS TORN DOWN.
SO IT WOULD BE THE SECOND PHASE OF THE WATERFRONT PARK AND EXPANDING THAT TO THE NORTH.
[01:15:01]
THERE IS NO PLAYGROUND FEATURES THAT WOULD BE INCORPORATED INTO THAT.IT'S LARGELY JUST ADDITIONAL LANDSCAPING, BUT HAVING A MAIN ENTRY TO THERE.
AND THEN ALSO, I BELIEVE CLOSE TO THE RIVER, THERE WOULD BE LIKE A NICE SWING OF SORTS, LIKE A WOODEN SWING, BUT NOT LIKE A PLAYGROUND.
IS IT JUST ONE SWING OR A SERIES OF SWINGS? HONESTLY, I'M NOT 100% SURE.
AND THE REASON WHY I WAS ASKING ABOUT THAT IS BECAUSE I THOUGHT IF WE WERE DOING THOSE LIKE COMPOSITE KIND OF SWINGS, KIND OF LIKE THE BENCHES, THAT IT WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE LIKE MEMORIAL SWINGS THAT PEOPLE COULD AGAIN PURCHASE THAT MIGHT OFFSET SOME OF THOSE.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? YES, I DO.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT SUGGESTION.
YOU SAID IT WAS THE WATERFRONT ADVISORY? WHAT'S THE GUY'S NAME? JACOB SAID HIS NAME IN ENGINEERING? YES.
I THINK THAT I WAS TOLD THAT HE SHARED IT WITH THE WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD.
WHICH I JUST WANTED TO GIVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO HAVE SOME CLARIFYING INFORMATION THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT...
IT'S MAINLY LANDSCAPING AND SOME ADDITIONAL SWINGS IN SOME VIEWING AREAS THAT WOULD BE OVERLOOKING THE WATER TOWARDS WHERE THE BOAT LANDING IS.
AND IS THAT PROJECT STILL BEING FUNDED OUT OF THE IMPACT FEES? THAT WOULD BE PARKS AND RECREATION IMPACT FEES.
THANK YOU FOR, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT BECAUSE IT'S GETTING CORRECT INFORMATION OUT THERE.
DID YOU FIND THAT ON THERE WHERE YOU COULD PULL IT UP? IT WAS NOT POSTED IN THE AGENDA.
NO, I THINK HE MUST HAVE JUST BROUGHT IT OUT.
WE CAN LOOK INTO IT THOUGH AND BRING IT BACK.
ALL RIGHT, SO YEAH, THAT WOULD BE PHASE TWO OF THE WATERFRONT PARK.
AND THEN THE MLK FIELDS, WE DID HAVE OUR INITIAL KICKOFF.
SO WE ARE WORKING WITH THAT DESIGNER BASED ON A TWO-FIELD LAYOUT THAT WOULD BE AT THE EXISTING MLK FIELDS.
THE COLUMBARIUM, REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT, THAT WE HAD MENTIONED THAT PREVIOUSLY.
THE NEXT PHASE IN THE COLUMBARIUM IS THE CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS.
I DO HAVE MONEY BUDGETED IN FISCAL YEAR 27.
FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF PHASE TWO OR I'M SORRY OF PHASE ONE OF THAT OF THAT PROJECT SO WE WILL HAVE THE CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS DONE AND READY FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR I WILL WORK WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE ON THE POSSIBILITY OF DOING PRE-SALES FOR THAT PROJECT WE DO HAVE THE THIRD PHASE OF THE WINDOW REPLACEMENTS AT ARC THAT IS BEING SCHEDULED HERE SHORTLY BEFORE THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
BEACH ACCESS 9 IS, I DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE DOING THAT DURING THE SUMMER SEASON.
SO I AM GOING TO, THAT'S THE ULTIMATE GOAL.
WITH ANYTHING THAT WE DO WITH THE BEACH ACCESSES, WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO GO THROUGH FDEP, DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.
SO I AM GOING TO PUSH THAT TO FISCAL YEAR 27.
SO I WILL BE PREPARED TO GET THAT GOING IMMEDIATELY ONCE WE GET INTO THAT FISCAL YEAR AND HAVE IT DONE AND READY FOR THE SPRING BREAK, WHICH WOULD BE CALENDAR YEAR 2027.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THAT TOO? I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS A JEREMIAH QUESTION.
SO I HAVE SEEN IN ACTION THE NEW CROSSWALK THING.
HAD TO DRIVE TWO MILES OUT OF MY WAY BECAUSE I MISSED THE STREET BECAUSE THERE IS NO LONGER A CAUTION LIGHT THERE.
I DON'T THINK THERE WILL BE A CAUTION LIGHT THERE.
I'M LIKE, MY GOD, WHERE'S THE ROAD? AND I HAD DRIVEN PAST, I WAS AT MAIN BEACH AND I WAS LIKE, WELL, OKAY.
I THINK IT JUST, YOU KNOW, FOR 25 YEARS I'VE...
WE DID GET APPROVAL THROUGH HDC REGARDING THE FENCE AT THE LIGHTHOUSE AND THE PAPER PROJECT THAT WE WANT TO COMPLETE.
THIS IS GOING TO LEAD US IN, I THINK, A GREAT DIRECTION UP AT OUR LIGHTHOUSE, A MUCH BETTER VISITOR EXPERIENCE.
[01:20:03]
SCOTT? YES, SIR.WOULD YOU CONSIDER HAVING, IF STAFF HAS ANY OPEN HOURS, THE MAINTENANCE STAFF DOING ANY MINOR TREE OR BUSH TRIMMING IN THERE AS FAR AS OPENING THE VIEW TOWARD THE EAST? TO THE EAST.
SO WE, I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THAT.
I THINK WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY TO THE EAST IS, IT LITERALLY GOES STRAIGHT DOWN TO THE MARSH.
SO I THINK WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ON HOW WE DO THAT AND WHAT WE ULTIMATELY REMOVE.
I DON'T WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN REMOVING ANY TREES.
I THINK WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS LIKE THE UNDERBRUSH.
OR TREE PRUNING THAT WOULD, YOU KNOW, FROM SAY CHEST LEVEL UP TO ABOVE HEAD LEVEL.
OR JUST SOME MINOR TRIMMING TO SEE IF THERE IS A VIEW STANDING ON THE GROUND THERE.
YEAH, SO I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THAT.
I MEAN, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO MEET YOU UP THERE TO KIND OF SEE WHAT YOUR VISION IS OR WHAT YOU'RE THINKING OF.
YEAH, I THINK ALSO ANOTHER THING THAT PEOPLE HAVE BROUGHT UP IN THE PAST IS EVEN DOING SOME UNDERBRUSHING OF, YOU KNOW, TO THE NORTH, THE SOUTH, THE EAST, AND THE WEST.
BUT THE NEIGHBORS ARE, THEY LIKE THAT.
YEAH, SO WE'RE VERY CAREFUL WITH THAT.
BUT THE DIRECTION THAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT IS, YOU KNOW, IT GOES OUT LIKE 5, 10 FEET AND THEN GOES STRAIGHT DOWN.
SO THERE, YOU KNOW, THERE IS NO, THERE ARE NO HOMEOWNERS THERE.
IF YOU DON'T MIND I WOULD LIKE TO BE EITHER OKAY YEAH YEAH UM AND THEN IBOR ALVAREZ YOU YOU ARE ALL AWARE OF THAT UM WHAT'S THE WHAT'S THE TIME FRAME OF THAT SCOTT LIKE IBOR I KNOW YOU CAN'T SO A COUPLE THINGS YEAH SO A COUPLE THINGS WITH IBOR IS UM THE FIRST THING IS IS UH I ACTUALLY UH SCOTT LOMAN THE PRESIDENT OF AIYS IS I NEED TO, I BELIEVE, I HAVE TO REACH OUT TO HIM AND WE'RE GOING TO SET UP A MEETING HERE VERY SHORTLY.
IT'S THE BEGINNING OF OUR GROWING SEASON.
I MEAN, WE'RE RIGHT AT WHERE IT'S TAKEN OFF.
THE FIRST THING IS, IS WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME.
SO GOING TO WORK WITH THE SOCCER ASSOCIATION ON GETTING THE FIELDS INTO THE BEST CONDITION THAT WE CAN IN THE SHORT PERIOD OF TIME RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE SOME DIRECTION THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT KEEPING THE EXISTING SOCCER FIELD WHERE IT IS WITHIN THIS PROCESS.
IF YOU REMEMBER CORRECTLY, WE WERE GOING TO TAKE THE SOCCER FIELDS, MOVE THEM OVER TO THE SOFTBALL FIELD SIDE, AND THE AIRPORT HANGERS WERE GOING TO GO WHERE THE SOCCER FIELDS WERE.
A LOT LESS EXPENSIVE TO KEEP SOCCER WHERE IT IS.
SO WE HAVE HAD ONE MEETING WITH THE FAA.
AND HAD INITIAL CONVERSATIONS.
THE FIRST CONVERSATION IS LIKE, HEY, LISTEN, DO YOU HAVE ANY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT NOW.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH THAT? BASICALLY, WHEN I SAY ISSUES WITH THAT, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, AERONAUTICAL ISSUES.
DOES THIS WORK WITHIN THE OUTLAY OF THE AIRPORT? IF THEY WERE TO COME BACK AND SAY, LIKE, THIS ISN'T GOING TO WORK, I THINK IT WOULD SHUT DOWN THAT PLANT.
SO YOU WE'RE WORKING ON COMING UP WITH A DESIGN, CONCEPTUAL DESIGN ON HOW ALL THAT WOULD LAY OUT.
IF WE ULTIMATELY DO AND THEY WANT US TO MOVE, IF THEY ALLOW US OR SAY, YEAH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD WORK WITH, THEN I THINK IT TAKES US TO THE NEXT STEPS.
HOW MUCH DOES THIS LAND COST TO PURCHASE? SO FEASIBLY, THEY WERE CONCERNED THAT THEY WERE GOING TO LOSE THEIR FALL SEASON.
THAT THEY WERE GOING TO BE IMPACTED.
SO NOW WE'RE SAYING THAT IS NOT A PROBLEM BECAUSE THEN WE'LL STILL BE MOVING.
THEY'RE NOT LOSING THEIR FALL SEASON.
IF THE FAA SAYS YES, YOU CAN STAY WHERE YOU'RE AT.
WE'LL PUT HANGERS SOMEWHERE ELSE.
WHAT KIND OF, BECAUSE THEY PLAY ALL YEAR ROUND, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT HOW DOES THAT WORK BECAUSE THERE'S NEVER ANY TIME TO BUILD THEM NEW FIELDS BECAUSE THEY'RE ALWAYS PLAYING SOCCER.
SO IN THE OTHER PLAN, THE NEW FIELDS COULD BE BUILT AND THEN THEY MOVE OUT OF THE OLD FIELDS.
BUT NOW, HOW DOES THAT WORK THEN IF WE STAY WHERE THEY'RE AT? AND I'M JUST, I GUESS I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND FROM THEIR STANDPOINT, WHEN DO THEY START LOOKING AT IMPACTED SEASONS? IT'S OBVIOUSLY NOT THIS FALL, SO WE'RE OUT OF THOSE WOODS,
[01:25:01]
RIGHT? YEAH, I THINK THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT HAS TO WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH AMELIA ISLE AND USE SOCCER, AND WE HAVE TO.BASICALLY TELL THEM WHAT THE EXPECTATION IS.
THE FIRST STEP IN ALL OF THIS IS THE DECISION TO ARE WE GOING TO BUY THE LAND OR NOT.
THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST DECISION.
AND IF THE DECISION IS THAT WE ARE GOING TO BUY IT, THEN THAT PURCHASE IS MADE AND THEN WE HAVE TO THEN LONG TERM COME UP WITH A PLAN ON HOW ARE WE GOING TO IMPROVE THESE FIELDS.
AND THE DOLLAR COST ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
ARE WE BRINGING IN DIRT TO RAISE THEM? AND I THINK I WILL PERSONALLY HAVE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH, YOU KNOW, MAYBE ANDRE AND HIS TEAM OR OTHER CONTRACTORS.
AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET THAT WATER TO DRAIN OFF OF THOSE FIELDS? SO I THINK ULTIMATELY THE FIRST STEP IS THE DECISION ON PURCHASING IT.
AND THEN COMING UP WITH A LONG RANGE, WHEN I SAY LONG RANGE, A PLAN TO.
WHAT IS THE EXPECTATION OF THAT FIELD? DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA OF HOW LONG THE FAA HAS TO RESPOND? BECAUSE, AGAIN, WE GOT A NEW APPRAISAL FOR THAT PROPERTY, AND THAT'S ONLY GOOD FOR X AMOUNT OF DAYS OR MONTHS.
I FORGET, IS IT SIX WEEKS, SIX MONTHS? YEAH, SO I THINK WE'LL ULTIMATELY HAVE TO GET, I THINK IT'S SIX MONTHS.
AFTER ALL'S SAID AND DONE, I BELIEVE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET TWO NEW APPRAISALS.
BECAUSE IT'S OUTSIDE OF THAT TIME FRAME.
SO AS WE MOVE THROUGH THIS PROCESS, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TIMELINE ALL ADDS UP SO WE ARE ABLE TO GIVE THE APPROPRIATE APPRAISALS AND THEY FALL WITHIN THAT TIMELINE SO THE CITY COMMISSION CAN MAKE THE DECISION ON PURCHASING OR NOT.
SO WE'RE NOT IN THIS, WELL, WE NEED TO GET ANOTHER APPRAISAL.
WELL, I KNOW IT'S NOT ANYBODY'S FAULT NECESSARILY, BUT IT JUST SEEMS WE KEEP THIS WHOLE, THIS IS THE SECOND OR THIRD APPRAISAL THAT WE'VE HAD FOR THAT PROPERTY.
AND IT'S NOT GOING TO BE ENOUGH.
AND THEN HOW LONG, BECAUSE LIKE THREE YEARS, THE SOCCER'S BEEN SUFFERING THROUGH THIS, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE AMBIGUITY OF WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
I'M JUST TRYING TO, IN MY MIND, HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IS THIS TIME FRAME, BECAUSE IT SOUNDS NOW LIKE FURTHER AND FURTHER.
YEAH, I THINK WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS.
I THINK WHAT I CAN DO IS I CAN GET SOME UPDATES.
I DO KNOW THAT THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO COME UP WITH A PLAN THAT FAA IS EITHER GOING TO SAY YAY OR NAY TO.
AND THEN, ULTIMATELY, IT'S THE DECISION OF PURCHASING IT OR NOT PURCHASING IT.
AND THEN FOLLOWING UP ON THAT IS IF WE DO PURCHASE IT, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO PUT INTO THE FIELD TO BRING IT UP TO OUR EXPECTATIONS? THAT'S KIND OF THE TIMELINE.
I THINK ULTIMATELY WHAT YOU'RE ASKING IS WHAT ARE THE MONTHS AND DATES OF THAT TIMELINE? WELL, AND TWO, IF I HEARD YOU CORRECTLY, WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT WE'LL BE DOING IN THE SHORT TERM TO SPEND MONEY TO GET IT UP TO WHAT THEY NEED IN THE SHORT TERM.
EVEN BEFORE WE BUY THE PROPERTY.
SO AGAIN, I'M JUST SEEING US SPENDING MONEY THAT, I MEAN, IT NEEDS TO, IT OBVIOUSLY NEEDS TO BE DONE, BUT YOU DON'T JUST KEEP PUTTING BAND-AIDS ON.
AND WHEN I SAY SPENDING MONEY IN THE SHORT TERM, WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS WEED CONTROL.
I'M TALKING ABOUT JUST WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW.
AND I APPRECIATE SOCCER'S WILLINGNESS TO WORK WITH US.
IS THEY PAID TO OVERSEED IF IT'S BRINGING IN TOP DRESSING IF IT'S PAYING A LITTLE BIT MORE ON WEED CONTROL TO GET IT SO WE GET THOSE WEEDS OUT SO THE BERMUDA CAN GROW IN BUT THEN IF THE DECISION IS TO PURCHASE IT ULTIMATELY THEN THE HIGHER DOLLAR ITEMS OF OF DRAINAGE OF FILL DIRT THAT WOULD BE MORE LAID OUT OF WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT LONGER TERM MOST IMMEDIATE DO YOU EXPECT TO HAVE AN FAA DECISION.
IN THE NEXT THREE TO SIX MONTHS? IS THAT 12 MONTHS? YES, I DO BELIEVE THAT, YES.
IS THERE A REALISTIC TIMELINE, SIX MONTHS, 12 MONTHS? I THINK IN THE NEXT THREE, I WOULD SAY IN THE NEXT THREE MONTHS, THE FAA WOULD BE ABLE TO SAY, YES, THIS IS FEASIBLE, THAT
[01:30:03]
THESE SOCCER FIELDS COULD STAY IN THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION.AND THEN ULTIMATELY, IT'S TIMING ALL OF THAT TO...
GET THE APPRAISALS AND THEN FOR DECISIONS TO BE MADE.
YES, SCOTT WHAT IS THE FAA'S ATTITUDE TOWARDS US IN THIS WHOLE THING? ARE THEY HELPFUL? DO THEY WANT TO WORK WITH THIS OR IS IT MORE COMBAT? YEAH, I THINK THE FAA IS IS HELPFUL.
I THINK THEY WANT THIS ISSUE RESOLVED.
THEY DO WANT THIS ISSUE RESOLVED WE EITHER HAVE TO...
WE HAVE TO PAY MARKET VALUE FOR THE LAND.
THEY WANT THIS ISSUE RESOLVED.
BUT IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THEY CARE WHICH PARCEL.
AS LONG AS IT WORKS FOR THEM, THEY'RE HAPPY TO SELL EITHER ONE.
BUT ALSO JUST THINK ABOUT, TOO, I MEAN, THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO CONSIDER, THEY'RE ALSO VARIABLES BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING AN ELECTION IN A FEW MONTHS.
YOU KNOW, WE CAN HAVE PEOPLE WHO MAY OR MAY NOT WANT TO SPEND THAT MONEY.
SO, AGAIN, THOSE ARE ALWAYS THINGS YOU'VE GOT TO, LIKE THE TIMING MATTERS.
LIKE RIGHT NOW, I THINK WE HAVE A WILL THAT, OKAY, WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE TO BUY THIS.
HOW ARE WE GOING TO PAY FOR IT? THAT COULD CHANGE.
SO HAVING A PLAN AND THEN HAVING CONTINGENCIES FOR THINGS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF THAT CONTROL, I THINK, IS ALWAYS NECESSARY.
A BETTER TIMELINE FOR YOU AND SEND AN UPDATED EMAIL ON AFTER HAVING SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH NATE IN THE AIRPORT AS WELL, MR. AKRAMOV AS WELL, AND TRY TO NARROW THAT TIMELINE SO YOU GUYS HAVE THAT.
AND THEN WE OBVIOUSLY HAD OUR CONVERSATION ABOUT THE MASTER PLAN SO THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS TODAY.
AS ALWAYS, WE CONNECT THE COMMUNITY CONNECTION TO THIS AGENDA, AND THOSE ARE ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS. SURPRISINGLY, A LOT AS YOU GO THROUGH THAT.
AND THEN KATIE IS GOING TO TOUCH ON THE UPCOMING SPECIAL EVENTS WITH ONE MAJOR ONE, AND THAT IS THE OPENING OF THE BEACHES.
THIS COMING WEEKEND SO KATIE IF YOU COULD PLEASE TAKE IT AWAY THANK YOU SIR ABSOLUTELY GLENNA KROMOFF DEPUTY CITY MANAGER.
I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT TONIGHT MAIN STREET GAVE IT US AN AWARD FOR OUR PARK SO YOU'RE THE FIRST TO KNOW PUBLICLY THAT THAT PARK IS NOW AN AWARD-WINNING PARK SO I WANTED EVERYONE HERE TO KNOW BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW AND I DON'T THINK IT'S OUR LAST ONE.
YEAH ANYWAY, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU GUYS KNEW THANK YOU CONGRATULATIONS.
YEAH, AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, THANK YOU, MR. KRAM OFF GREATLY APPRECIATE IT.
THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THAT WATERFRONT PARK THE PREVIOUS COMMISSION THIS COMMISSION, MR KRAM OFF HIMSELF BRINGING THAT ACROSS THE FINISH LINE AS I SAID BEFORE PARKS AND RECREATION IS EXTREMELY EXCITED FOR IT.
SO KATIE? SO THIS WEEKEND WE HAVE OPENING OF THE BEACHES.
LOOPED INTO THAT IS THE LAST SANDCASTLE EVENT WHICH THEY TAKE OVER THE VOLLEYBALL COURTS AND BUILD LIKE AWARD-WINNING SANDCASTLES ARTWORK THERE.
SO THAT'LL BE THERE FROM THE 13TH TO THE 16TH.
CONCERTS FOR CONSERVATION IS MAY 17TH. THAT'S GOING TO BE ON THE ATLANTIC REC CENTER LAWN.
THEY KIND OF FELL UPON THAT LOCATION BY ACCIDENT.
EAKINS CREEK WAS WHERE THEY WERE ORIGINALLY HAVING IT, BUT THEY PREFER THE REC CENTER LAWN, SO THAT'S WHERE THEY'RE HAVING IT.
WHICH LAWN AT THE REC CENTER? THE GRASSY AREA RIGHT OUTSIDE.
LIKE ON THE STREET? NO, THERE'S A TON OF...
THE GRASS AREA, THEN THE ROAD.
I THINK IT IS RIGHT NEXT TO THE ROAD.
CHURCH IN THE PARK WILL BE MAY 24TH. THAT WILL BE HOSTED BY JOURNEY CHURCH, AND THAT'S AT CENTRAL PARK.
THE NATIONAL EUCHARIST PROCESSION WILL BE MAY 27TH.
THEY WILL BE PROCESSIONING FROM ST.
MICHAEL'S DOWN TO THE WATERFRONT, PARKING LOT A, AND THEN BACK UP.
[01:35:01]
MEMORIAL DAY SERVICE WILL BE DOWNTOWN IN PARKING LOT A ON MAY 25TH.THE FISHING RODEO WILL BE AT THE MARINA FROM MAY 29TH TO THE 30TH.
THAT'S ALSO IN THE WATERFRONT PARK.
THEN WE HAVE LEVEL-UP SUMMER KICKOFF.
THAT'S MAY 30TH. THAT'LL BE AT MAIN BEACH.
AND THEN ON JUNE 5TH, WE HAVE SOUNDS ON CENTER AND THE GUMBALL 3000 RALLY.
THE GUMBALL 3000 RALLY IS A PARADE IN ESSENCE.
THEY'RE JUST GONNA GO DOWN CENTER STREET AND THEN TURN RIGHT BEFORE SOUNDS ON CENTER ON 4TH STREET.
AS OF RIGHT NOW, SOUNDS ON CENTER IS GOING TO HAPPEN SIMULTANEOUSLY.
AND THEN LASTLY PRIDE, PARADE AND FESTIVAL WILL BE JUNE 6TH.
[8. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS]
THANK YOU.AT THIS TIME DO WE HAVE, I'D LIKE TO ASK ANY BOARD MEMBERS IF THEY HAVE ANY DISCUSSION STARTING RIGHT HERE MR. PELICAN? NO SIR.
I DID HAVE ONE IDEA WHILE WE WERE SITTING HERE WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE DOGS.
I DON'T KNOW IF THIS HAS BEEN ADDRESSED BEFORE OR NOT BUT WITH AS DOG FRIENDLY AS THIS CITY IS, LIKE I DON'T KNOW IF WE COULD POTENTIALLY PUT A SMALL FENCED IN AREA FOR DOGS TO RUN OFF LEASH.
I KNOW THERE'S THE DOG PARK BY THE AIRPORT, BUT MAYBE SOMETHING CLOSER TO DOWNTOWN FREE FOR PEOPLE TO TAKE THEIR DOG.
MIGHT ELIMINATE THE ISSUES YOU'RE HAVING.
I HAVE NEVER BEEN DISCUSSED, BUT MY FIRST...
THE QUESTION WOULD BE, LIKE, WHAT IS THE LIABILITY FOR THAT? THAT IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE REASONS WHY IT DOESN'T EXIST ALREADY, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT FOR SURE.
WE CAN HAVE DEANNA SOWERS, OUR PARKS AND RECREATION MANAGER, WHO USED TO BE THE DIRECTOR OF THE HUMANE SOCIETY, COME AND SPEAK JUST WITH HER EXPERTISE AS TO WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T DO.
SHE WAS HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THAT.
AND TO YOUR POINT, LIKE WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THINGS LIKE A MASTER PLAN, LIKE MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING WE SAY, OH, THAT'S SOMETHING WE WANT TO BE LOOKING FOR IF PROPERTY EVER BECOMES AVAILABLE OR, YOU KNOW, STRANGER THINGS HAVE HAPPENED.
WE HAVE THAT WEIRD LOT ON 8TH STREET THAT WE OWN THAT YOU CAN'T REALLY FIGURE OUT ANYTHING TO DO WITH.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT'S A GOOD PLACE FOR A DOG PARK BECAUSE IT'S RIGHT NEXT TO THE ROAD AND VERY SMALL.
BUT YOU KNOW THE FUTURE COULD HOLD THAT SOMEBODY LIKE WILLS US PROPERTY OR DONATES PROPERTY OR WHATEVER THAT COULD HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT SO MAYBE MAYBE A DOG PARK IS SOMETHING WE WANT TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN THE PLANNING SHAUNA NOTHING THANK YOU UM I JUST HAVE TWO SHOUT OUTS THIS IS NOT FOR PARKS AND REC BUT I HAPPEN TO BE DROPPING MY DOGS OFF TODAY TO GET GROOMED AND CITY GUYS WERE LIKE DIGGING IN A PERSON'S YARD.
THEY HAD IT ALL DUG UP, ALL KINDS OF EQUIPMENT.
AND WHEN I WENT BACK TO PICK UP MY DOGS, I MEAN, BECAUSE IT WAS RAINING TODAY, YOU COULD SEE TRACKS IN THE, YOU KNOW, WHERE IT WAS JUST DUG UP.
BUT THERE WAS NOT A PIECE OF DIRT IN THE STREET.
THERE WAS NOT ANY SIGN THAT THEY HAD BEEN THERE.
AND I WOULD NOT HAVE KNOWN THEY HAD BEEN THERE IF I HADN'T SEEN THEM.
MY FRIEND RAY OWNS AMELIA ISLAND COFFEE NEXT TO THE POCKET PARK AND HE TEXTED ME ONE DAY AND SHOWED ME THE PICTURE OF THE GRASS, THE LITTLE GRASS PATCH THERE WAS ALL DEAD AND WRECKED FROM ALL THE COLD TERRIBLE WEATHER WE HAD.
AND SO I TEXTED SCOTT AND I JUST GOT A TEXT MESSAGE FROM RAY THIS WEEK SAYING THANK YOU FOR REPLACING ALL OF THAT GRASS. IT LOOKS BEAUTIFUL OVER THERE. THEY WERE SUPER EXCITED. PEOPLE OUT THERE ENJOYING THEIR COFFEE AND HOW RESPONSIVE PARKS AND REC WAS.
SO THANK YOU TO THE STAFF FOR TAKING CARE OF THOSE THINGS. AND THAT'S IT.
THANK YOU. A COUPLE OF THINGS. WE WERE SUPPOSED, BABE RUTH WAS SUPPOSED TO END TONIGHT, BUT DUE TO RAIN, WE'VE POSTPONED IT UNTIL TOMORROW NIGHT IS THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME FOR THE 8U CLASSIFICATION.
THIS YEAR, WE HAD 337 KIDS PLAYING BASEBALL AT BABE RUTH. AVERAGE NIGHT, WE KEPT A RECORD OF IT, WAS 185 PEOPLE PER NIGHT AVERAGE.
THAT IS PRETTY IMPRESSIVE FOR EVERY NIGHT AT THE BALLPARK. SO, AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER BIG SHOUT OUT.
THE FIELDS HAD NEVER LOOKED SO GOOD BECAUSE OF THE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT.
AND THAT, I MEAN, I WILL TELL YOU, WE HAD A... 171 GAMES THIS YEAR PLAYED ON THOSE FIELDS.
THAT'S QUITE A BIT OF BASEBALL. SO IF YOU LOOK
[01:40:03]
AT MAJOR LEAGUE, THEY PLAY 162. WE PLAYED 171 OUT THERE.AND THAT'S A LOT OF MAINTENANCE. SECOND OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT. STAFF FOR THEIR QUICK, WE RAN INTO SOME PROBLEMS OUT AT THE CENTRAL PARK AREA AND THEY WERE ON IT LIKE THE NEXT DAY AND DID NOT BREAK UP ANY OF THE THINGS THAT WERE GOING ON IN THE PARK. WE HAVE SUCH A GOOD DEPARTMENT OF MAINTENANCE, IT'S UNREAL.
SO LAST BUT NOT LEAST I'D LIKE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE DOG INCIDENT THAT WE ARE OCCURRING AT THE BALL FIELDS. THERE IS A SIGN OUT THERE THAT STATES NO DOGS ON THE ATHLETIC FIELDS, OKAY, THE PLAYING FIELDS. SO WHEN PEOPLE GO BY THERE IN THE MORNING, OR IF I GO BY THERE IN THE MORNING, THERE'S DOGS OUT ON THE FIELD. GUYS, KIDS ARE THROWING OR ADULTS ARE THROWING THEIR TOYS AND THEY'RE RUNNING THE DOGS ON THE FIELDS.
AT ONE POINT, WE WERE PICKING UP A LOT OF DOG MANURE ON THE FIELD.
AND WE HAVE KIDS PLAYING THAT NIGHT AND THEY STEPPED IN IT, SOME OF THEM. SO WHATEVER YOU CAN COME UP WITH, SCOTT, I WOULD. APPRECIATE IT, KATIE.
I'D LIKE TO HEAR IT. IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE...
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.