[1. CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:05]
I LIKE TO CALL THE PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE SCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER 8, 2026. PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO 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]
ITEM NUMBER FOUR, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE AUGUST REGULAR MEETING.I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS SUBMITTED.
NUMBER FIVE. PUBLIC COMMENTS REGARDING ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA. IS THERE ANYBODY HERE WISH TO SPEAK? DISCUSSION ITEMS AMENDMENT 3 IMPACT.
[6.1 Amendment Three Impacts (Discussion Of Impacts Related To Amendment Three)]
GOOD EVENING. SCOTT MICHAELSON, PARKS, AND RECREATION DIRECTOR. TONIGHT, WE HAVE CITY MANAGER MS. CAMPBELL HERE WITH US. SHE DID A PRESENTATION TO THE CITY COMMISSION LAST WEEK. WE'RE GOING TO BE GOING THROUGH SOME OF THE BOARDS AND GOING THROUGH THE SAME SIMILAR PRESENTATION ABOUT AMENDMENT 3. SO, I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME MS. CAMPBELL HERE AND THANK HER FOR HER TIME TONIGHT.GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, SARAH CAMPBELL. I HAVE NOT MET ALL OF YOU, BUT IT'S A PLEASURE TO TALK WITH YOU TONIGHT.
SCOTT SAID, I DID GO THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION IN DETAIL WITH THE CITY COMMISSION LAST WEEK, SO I WILL TRY TO SKIM SOME OF THE MORE BORING PARTS THAT DON'T APPLY TO PARKS AND REC, BUT DO WANT TO GIVE YOU SORT OF A BROAD LEVEL OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT AMENDMENT THREE. GO AHEAD, KATIE. SO, I'LL COVER THE BALLOT ITEM, WHICH OF THE CITY FUNDS ARE AFFECTED, HOW IT AFFECTS CITY REVENUES, AND THEN LOOK AT CITY EXPENDITURES AS WELL.
THIS IS FOR ELECTION DAY ON NOVEMBER 3, 2026. THAT'S WHEN THIS WILL BE ON THE BALLOT FOR OUR VOTERS. HERE'S WHAT AMENDMENT 3 DOES. FIRST OF ALL, THIS IS A LEGISLATIVE REFERRED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT, MEANING IT DIDN'T COME FROM THE VOTERS. IT WASN'T A CITY CITIZENS INITIATIVE FOR A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
IT CAME FROM THE LEGISLATURE ITSELF.
IF YOU VOTE YES ON IT, IT DOES FOUR THINGS. IT INCREASES THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS.
IT INCREASES IT FROM 50,000 TO 150,000 IN THE FIRST YEAR TO 250,000 IN THE SECOND YEAR, AND THEN BY THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX AFTER THAT. IT ALSO GIVES THE LEGISLATURE THE ABILITY TO WAIVE OR SET A PROCESS TO ELIMINATE PROPERTY TAXES COMPLETELY IN THE FUTURE. NEW RESIDENTS WILL GET A SIMILAR EXEMPTION ONCE THEY'VE LIVED IN THE STATE FOR FIVE YEARS.
IT ALSO DECREASES HOW MUCH THE VALUE OF NON HOMESTEADED PROPERTIES CAN GO UP. SO RIGHT NOW, A RENTAL PROPERTY OR COMMERCIAL PROPERTY COULD GO UP BY 10% IN VALUE EVERY YEAR.
AND THIS CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT WOULD LOWER THAT TO 4,5% OF GROWTH IN VALUE EACH YEAR FOR THOSE TYPES OF PROPERTIES. AND THEN IT ALSO SETS FORTH A LIST OF THINGS THAT CITIES AND COUNTIES CAN SPEND THE MONEY ON. I'LL TOUCH ON THAT IN A MINUTE. A NO VOTE DOES THE OPPOSITE. IT DOESN'T IMPLEMENT ANY OF THESE THINGS. AND THE CONSTITUTION REMAINS UNTOUCHED.
THAT IS A TYPO. IT SHOULD SAY 60% VOTER APPROVAL TO PASS, NOT 61. BUT BECAUSE IT IS A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT, 60% APPROVAL IS NEEDED FOR IT TO BECOME LAW. SO, IT LISTS ALL THE WAYS IN WHICH A CITY OR COUNTY CAN SPEND PROPERTY TAX DOLLARS. IT'S PRETTY BROAD.
PUBLIC SAFETY, LAW ENFORCEMENT, THOSE ARE ALLOWABLE FINANCING OR REFINANCING MAJOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, ISSUING BONDS, PAYING FOR RETIREMENT BENEFITS IN THE CITY'S PENSION PLANS.
THOSE ARE ALL SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE ALLOWED.
BUT THEN THE LEGISLATURE ADDED THIS BOTTOM ONE, WHICH MAKES IT PRETTY BROAD.
BASICALLY, FUND THE OPERATIONS AND ADMINISTRATION OF A MUNICIPALITY SO LONG AS THE GOVERNING BODY APPROVES THOSE EXPENDITURES IF THEY'RE NOT
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PROHIBITED BY LAW. SO THAT BASICALLY MEANS IF THE CITY COMMISSION APPROVES IT AS AN ALLOWABLE USE OF PROPERTY TAX DOLLARS, THEN IT'S GOING TO BE OKAY.SO, THE FIRST SEVERAL WERE SOMEWHAT LIMITING, AND THEN THEY ADDED THIS ONE THAT REALLY EXPANDED. YEAH, IF THE CITY COMMISSION APPROVES IT, YOU CAN, YOU CAN SPEND PROPERTY TAX DOLLARS ON THAT. SO, THESE ARE THE 30 DIFFERENT FUNDS OF THE CITY. WHEN I PRESENT THE CITY BUDGET TO THE COMMISSION, THESE ARE THE 30 DIFFERENT FUNDS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE BALANCED. BUT PROPERTY TAX IS NOT COLLECTED OR USED IN MOST OF THESE FUNDS. NEXT SLIDE, KATIE. THOSE ARE ALL THE FUNDS THAT ARE NOT AFFECTED. SO, IT'S GOOD NEWS FOR A LOT OF AREAS IN THE CITY THAT DON'T RELY ON PROPERTY TAXES.
NEXT SLIDE. THE GENERAL FUND, THE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AREA AND THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND ALL RELY ON PROPERTY TAXES TO GET THINGS DONE. SO THOSE THREE AREAS ARE IMPACTED.
FOR THE GENERAL FUND, ABOUT 47% OF THE REVENUE COMES FROM PROPERTY TAXES. THAT FUNDS THE JUST SORT OF GENERAL GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS OF THE CITY. THE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AREA IS A PORTION OF OUR WATERFRONT AND HISTORIC DOWNTOWN. IT'S A SPECIAL TYPE OF FUNDING CALLED TAX INCREMENT FINANCING. WE GET SOME COUNTY MONEY, WE GET SOME CITY MONEY, WE POOL IT TOGETHER, AND IT CAN ONLY BE SPENT IN THAT DISTRICT. THAT COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AREA IS 98% FUNDED BY PROPERTY TAX DOLLARS. THE 2% COMES FROM INTEREST EARNINGS ON THE MONEY IN THE BANK AND THEN OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND. THIS YEAR WE'RE SPENDING ABOUT $16 MILLION ON CAPITAL PROJECTS. AND 33, 32% OF THAT COMES FROM THE GENERAL FUND, ABOUT 5.2 MILLION THIS YEAR. SO THOSE ARE THE THREE AREAS WHERE WE RELY ON A LOT OF PROPERTY TAX. THIS INFORMATION CAME FROM THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE. THEY DO SOMETHING CALLED A REVENUE ESTIMATING CONFERENCE EACH YEAR WHERE THEY PREDICT WHAT THE STATE'S REVENUES ARE GOING TO LOOK LIKE. AND THEY TOOK AMENDMENT THREE AND THEY APPLIED THAT TO EVERY CITY AND EVERY COUNTY IN THE STATE. THERE'S A HUGE SPREADSHEET, YOU CAN PULL IT UP ON THE STATE'S WEBSITE.
BUT THIS IS WHAT THEY ESTIMATED FOR THE CITY OF FERNANDINA BEACH OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. SO, THEY ESTIMATED CURRENT YEAR PROPERTY TAX COLLECTION AT $22 MILLION. AND AT THE END OF THE FIVE YEARS, THEY THINK WE WOULD BE DOWN TO $15 MILLION OF PROPERTY TAX MONEY COMING IN. SO, AN OVERALL REDUCTION OF 31% IN PROPERTY TAX DECLINES. AND YOU CAN SEE YEAR OVER YEAR, 11% THE FIRST YEAR, 12% THE SECOND YEAR WHEN THOSE BIG HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS HIT, AND THEN SMALLER INCREMENTAL ADJUSTMENTS IN THE FOLLOWING YEARS WITH THE CPI OR THOSE CAPS ON NON HOMESTEADED PROPERTIES.
THE LAST TIME THE CITY'S MILLAGE COLLECTIONS, PROPERTY TAX COLLECTIONS WAS 15 MILLION WAS BACK IN 2122.
THIS PAGE COMES FROM OUR BUDGET BOOK. WE ALWAYS SHOW THE HISTORY OF PROPERTY TAX COLLECTIONS.
AND SO THIS IS KIND OF WHERE WE WOULD, WE WOULD LOOK BACK TO 2122 TO SORT OF THAT ANTICIPATED LEVEL OF FUNDING. THESE ARE THE BROAD CATEGORIES OF GENERAL FUND REVENUES THAT THE CITY RECEIVES. AGAIN, PROPERTY TAX THERE IS AT THE TOP, IT'S OUR SINGLE LARGEST, BUT IT MAKES UP ABOUT 47%. THE OTHER AREAS, YOU KNOW, THEY COME FROM A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT PLACES. WE GET SALES AND FUEL TAX, WE HAVE SOME COUNTY GRANTS, WE HAVE REVENUE SHARING. WE CHARGE FOR SOME OF THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE. WE CHARGE FOR RECREATIONAL USE AND ACTIVITY. SO, WE DO GET A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY IN A VARIETY OF WAYS. AND THE ONES THAT I PUT THE RED ARROWS BY ARE THE ONES THAT I THINK WE HAVE SOME DIRECT CONTROL OVER.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE SET WHAT THE FRANCHISE FEE COLLECTION IS GOING TO BE WITH SOME OF OUR SERVICE PROVIDERS. WE COULD INCREASE THE FRANCHISE FEE. WE SET WHAT OUR RECREATIONAL FEES AND CHARGES FOR SERVICES ARE. WE COULD INCREASE THOSE OR LOWER THOSE.
SO, WE HAVE DIRECT CONTROL OVER THOSE ONES WITH, WITH RED ARROWS ON THEM. SO, WHEN THE CITY WANTS TO CONSIDER WHERE THEY COULD FIND ADDITIONAL REVENUE, THEY COULD INCREASE THE MILLAGE RATE, THEY COULD INCREASE FRANCHISE FEES.
LIKE I MENTIONED, WE CHARGE THOSE ON THINGS LIKE SITE, SOLID WASTE, ELECTRICITY, SALES OF NATURAL GAS. WE COULD ADOPT SOMETHING CALLED A FIRE ASSESSMENT FEE. UNDER FLORIDA LAW, YOU'RE ALLOWED TO CHARGE FOR FIRE SERVICES. AND WE WOULD PEEL THAT OUT AND STOP PAYING FOR IT FROM PROPERTY TAX AND START PAYING FOR IT.
[00:10:01]
UNDER A FIRE ASSESSMENT FEE, YOU CAN LEVY OTHER SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS. FOR INSTANCE, IF YOU HAVE A DIRT ROAD AND SOMEBODY WANTS THEIR ROAD PAVED, WE CAN DO A SPECIAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WAS GETTING THEIR ROAD PAVED. WE CAN INCREASE OUR CHARGES FOR SERVICES. WE CAN CONTINUE TO SHOP OUR BANKING AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING THE BEST INTEREST RATES ON THE CITY'S FUNDS. WE COULD ALSO INCREASE OUR TRANSFERS AND REIMBURSEMENTS FROM OUR ENTERPRISE FUNDS. WE CHARGE GOLF, MARINA, AIRPORT BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THEIR OWN LEGAL DEPARTMENT, THEY DON'T HAVE THEIR OWN HR DEPARTMENT, THEY DON'T HAVE THEIR OWN IT DEPARTMENT.THEY'RE USING THE SAME CITY'S SERVICES FOR THAT. SO, WE COULD INCREASE WHAT WE CHARGE THEM FOR THOSE SERVICES. WE CAN ALSO DECREASE EXPENDITURES. SO, LOOKING AT THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES, PROPERTY TAX WOULD BE DOWN 33% IN THAT FIVE YEAR PERIOD.
BUT THE IMPACT TO THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE AS A WHOLE GETS DILUTED BECAUSE WE HAVE THOSE OTHER REVENUE SOURCES COMING IN. SO ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, WE WOULD NEED TO REDUCE ABOUT 14% OVER THE FIVE YEAR PERIOD. SO WE WOULD GO FROM WE WOULD NEED TO CUT 2.4 MILLION THE FIRST YEAR, WE WOULD NEED TO CUT 2.3 MILLION THE SECOND YEAR, AND THEN A LITTLE UNDER 700,000 BETWEEN 7 AND 800,000 IN THOSE THIRD, FOURTH AND FIFTH YEARS. SO RIGHT NOW THE GENERAL FUND IS ABOUT 49.7 MILLION.
AFTER FIVE YEARS, WE WOULD NEED TO BE DOWN IN THE 42.8 MILLION RANGE. AND THIS IS WHERE WE SPEND THE MONEY IN THE GENERAL FUND.
THESE ARE CATEGORIES AGAIN, I DIDN'T BREAK THEM OUT INTO ALL THE INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENTS, BUT THE BULK OF OUR SPENDING IS ON PUBLIC SAFETY, POLICE, FIRE, OCEAN RESCUE, EMS, CODE ENFORCEMENT. THOSE ARE ALL CONSIDERED PUBLIC SAFETY FUNCTIONS. AND THEY MAKE UP ABOUT 37% OF THE CITY'S BUDGET. OUR GENERAL GOVERNMENT IS 16%.
THAT'S GOING TO BE FOR OUR ADMINISTRATIVE TYPE DEPARTMENTS, HUMAN RESOURCES, IT FINANCE, LEGAL, ADMINISTRATION. IT ALSO INCLUDES THE FACILITIES DEPARTMENT THAT TAKES CARE OF ALL OF OUR BUILDINGS. WE HAVE RESERVES, 10%. JUST ALMOST 11% OF THE BUDGET IS ON PARKS AND RECREATION. 5.2 MILLION FOR PARKS AND RECREATION. SO, ALL OF THOSE ADDED UP MAKE UP THE $49 MILLION IN THE GENERAL FUND. AND JUST THIS SAME INFORMATION JUST PRESENTED IN A PIE CHART FOR THOSE OF US THAT LIKE TO LEARN VISUALLY THE BIGGEST CHUNK OF THAT PIE AGAIN IS SPENT ON PUBLIC SAFETY AT 37%. AND YOU CAN SEE PARKS AND RECREATION THERE IN THE DARK BLUE AT NOT QUITE 11%. THESE ARE THE CATEGORIES OF SPENDING. EACH DEPARTMENT IS MADE UP OF PERSONNEL COSTS, OPERATING COSTS, AND CAPITAL COSTS. AND YOU CAN SEE THERE THAT PERSONNEL COSTS MAKE UP 50% OF THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND BUDGET.
WE ARE NOT IN A MANUFACTURING BUSINESS.
WE'RE NOT PRODUCING MANUFACTURING WIDGETS. WE ARE A SERVICE INDUSTRY. AND SO IT MAKES SENSE THAT THE BULK OF OUR COSTS ARE, ARE IN OUR PEOPLE COSTS. AND THEN 33% ARE GOING TO BE IN OUR OPERATING COSTS, WHICH IS GAS AND FUEL AND UNIFORMS AND TRAINING AND TOOLS AND SHOVELS AND ANYTHING YOU WOULD NEED TO OPERATE YOUR DEPARTMENT CAPITAL. THESE ARE THE OPERATING CAPITAL PURCHASES THAT ARE MADE IN THE DEPARTMENT LEVEL. THESE ARE NOT THE BIG CAPITAL PROJECTS, BUT IT'S USUALLY THINGS LIKE MOWERS OR TRAILERS, SO SMALLER PIECES OF EQUIPMENT THAT ARE PURCHASED AT THE DEPARTMENT LEVEL. THE CITY DOES HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF DEBT. WE DO SOME TRANSFERS AND THAT WE HAVE A 1% CONTINGENCY. IF WE WERE TO TAKE ALL OF THESE CATEGORIES AND REDUCE THEM BY THAT 13.9% OVER FIVE YEARS, THIS IS WHERE THEY WOULD NEED TO END UP. WHAT I SAID TO THE CITY COMMISSION IS THIS IS NOT A STRATEGIC PLAN BY ANY MEANS. IT'S JUST AN EQUITABLE. IF WE HAD TO CUT ALL AREAS BY 13.9%, THIS IS WHERE THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO. SO, PERSONNEL WOULD HAVE TO GO DOWN FROM 24 MILLION TO 21 MILLION. OPERATING WOULD GO DOWN FROM 16 MILLION TO 14 MILLION AND SO ON. THE ONLY ONE THAT DOESN'T CHANGE IS DEBT.
THE DEBT IS THE DEBT IT HAS TO BE PAID NO MATTER WHAT THE OTHER BUDGET IS. AS FAR AS HEADCOUNT, THERE ARE 168 FULL TIME POSITIONS IN THE GENERAL FUND. AND IF WE WERE TO REDUCE THAT BY 13.9%, WE WOULD NEED TO BE DOWN 23 TO 24 POSITIONS. SO DOWN TO 144 POSITIONS IN THE GENERAL FUND. THIS MAKES EMPLOYEES VERY NERVOUS TO HAVE THESE TYPES OF CONVERSATIONS, WHICH IS WHY
[00:15:04]
I'M NOT GETTING SPECIFIC AND SAYING THIS DEPARTMENT OR THAT DEPARTMENT. I'M JUST TRYING TO SPEAK BROADLY ABOUT WHAT THE IMPACT TO THE GENERAL FUND WOULD BE.BUT ONE THING THAT I THINK IS PROMISING WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR TURNOVER IN CITY POSITIONS, WHICH IS A HEALTHY NORMAL TURNOVER OF ABOUT 10 TO 13%. THAT'S 18 TO 22 POSITIONS A YEAR JUST IN NATURAL RETIREMENTS OR RESIGNATIONS. AND SO, I THINK IF WE PLAN CAREFULLY OVER THAT FIVE YEAR PERIOD, WE COULD DO THIS WITHOUT LAYOFFS. OR FURLOUGHS OR THINGS LIKE THAT. I THINK WE COULD GET TO IT THROUGH NATURAL ATTRITION.
BUT AGAIN, WE WOULD HAVE TO IDENTIFY ABOUT 24 POSITIONS TO DOWNSIZE. THESE ARE THE DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND. WHEN YOU GET REAL SPECIFIC AND YOU BREAK PUBLIC SAFETY OUT, THOSE ARE THE FOUR DIVISIONS IN PUBLIC SAFETY. THESE ARE THE SIX AREAS IN PARKS AND RECREATION THAT WOULD BE AFFECTED. THE PLANNING AND BUILDING AREAS, STREETS DEPARTMENT, THE DOWNTOWN DIVISION, THAT TOP RIGHT COLUMN, FINANCE THROUGH NON DEPARTMENTAL.
THOSE ARE ALL OUR ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENTS. WE HAVE A SMALL AMOUNT, LESS THAN 1%, CHARITABLE AND LIBRARY.
AND THEN WE HAVE TRANSFERS, CONTINGENCY RESERVES, AND THE CAPITAL AND THE CRA.
SO THOSE ARE ALL OF THE AREAS THAT WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT FOR EITHER IMPROVING REVENUES OR REDUCING EXPENDITURES TO TRY AND MAKE A BALANCE. AND I DO WANT US TO KEEP IN MIND THAT SOME OF THESE DEPARTMENTS DO GENERATE REVENUE, SPECIFICALLY PARKS AND REC, GENERATING ABOUT $878,000 A YEAR, OR 16% OF THEIR OPERATING BUDGET.
SO, IF WE'RE LOOKING AT CUTS, WE WANT TO BE CAREFUL THAT WE'RE NOT CUTTING SOMETHING THAT GENERATES MONEY OR THAT, YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AT IT WITH A MORE CRITICAL EYE. IS SOMETHING GENERATING ENOUGH MONEY? DO WE THINK YOUTH PROGRAMS, FOR INSTANCE, SHOULD PAY FOR ITSELF OR SHOULD THIS BE A TAXPAYER SUBSIDIZED PROGRAM? THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF QUESTIONS WE'LL START TO EXAMINE AS WE MOVE FORWARD AFTER NOVEMBER. THIS DOES NOT APPLY TO THIS COMMITTEE SO MUCH, BUT, BUT WE ARE LIMITED A LITTLE BIT UNDER FLORIDA LAW WHEN IT COMES TO REDUCTIONS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT. IN 2021, THE LEGISLATURE ADOPTED SOME LANGUAGE THAT SAYS WE CANNOT REDUCE POLICE BUDGETS BY MORE THAN 5% YEAR OVER YEAR WITHOUT BEING SUBJECT TO AN ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW BY THE STATE. THIS WAS IN THE ERA OF DEFUND THE POLICE AND MAJOR PUBLIC DEMONSTRATIONS, AND THERE WERE CRIES FOR DEFUNDING THE POLICE. AND SO, FLORIDA LAW PUT SOME PROTECTIONS IN PLACE SO THAT POLICE DEPARTMENTS COULDN'T BE DEFUNDED. SO, WHEN WE, WHEN WE LOOK AT REDUCTIONS, WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY AND NOT TO EXCEED THAT 5% THRESHOLD THERE.
AND OF COURSE, THE CITY COMMISSION CAN DO A COMBINATION OF THESE. THEY COULD INCREASE SOME EXPENDITURE, INCREASE SOME REVENUES, AND DECREASE SOME EXPENDITURES.
ANY MIX AND MATCH, ANY WAY THEY CHOOSE TO BALANCE THIS PUZZLE THAT WE'LL BE FACED WITH. THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU, BUT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO PARTICIPATE AND VOTE YOUR VOTE YOUR CONSCIENCE IN NOVEMBER.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I HAVE A QUESTION.
THANKS FOR DOING THIS, BY THE WAY.
SO IS THE, IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS. DOES THE CITY THINK IT'S GOING, THAT THE BILL IS GOING TO GO THROUGH AND WE'RE JUST GETTING PREPARED BECAUSE. CUT TAXES.
EVERYONE'S GOING TO CUT TAXES.
YEAH, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO PREDICT RIGHT NOW. POLLS I HAVE SEEN ANYWHERE AS LOW AS 53% APPROVAL RATING TO 73% APPROVAL RATING WITH A LOT OF UNDECIDEDS. SO, I CAN'T SAY WITH ANY CONFIDENCE WHETHER IT'S GOING TO PASS OR NOT. BUT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE CERTAINLY PREPARING BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT AFFECT US REALLY UNTIL 27, 28 FISCAL YEAR. WE DID NOT TAKE VERY DRASTIC MEASURES IN THE 26, 27 PROPOSED BUDGETS, BUT A LOT OF CITIES HAVE. A LOT OF CITIES HAVE ALREADY IMPLEMENTED HIRING FREEZES OR OTHER REDUCTIONS IN ORDER TO PREPARE FOR THE WHAT IF. LIKE, WHY TAKE ON NEW LIABILITIES NOW THAT WE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO PAY FOR IN A YEAR? SO EACH JURISDICTION IS HANDLING IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY.
BUT I THINK IT'S. IT'S SERIOUS ENOUGH THAT WE NEED TO AT LEAST BE PREPARED.
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AND DOES THE STATE HELP AT ALL WITH THAT? DO THEY GIVE ANY KIND OF GUIDANCE? NO, SIR.WE DO HAVE HOME RULE. WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO GOVERN OURSELVES AND RUN THE TYPE OF CITY THAT WE WANT TO RUN.
THERE'S 411 CITIES IN FLORIDA, AND I WOULD SAY NO TWO OF THEM ARE EXACTLY THE SAME.
IT REALLY IS ABOUT LOCAL CONTROL AND DESIGNING A CITY THAT WE WANT TO LIVE IN AND PROVIDING THE BENEFITS AND SERVICES THAT WE WANT TO HAVE RIGHT HERE.
YEAH, I HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS. THIS CONCERNS ME JUST GREATLY THINKING ABOUT ALL OF THIS, JUST THE SUSTAINABILITY OF WHAT THIS IS. AND ANYTIME, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT CUT THIS, CUT THAT, AND AT SOME POINT YOU START TO CUT THINGS SO MUCH YEAR OVER YEAR THAT YOU'RE. AT SOME POINT YOU'RE NOT JUST MAKING.
MAKING LIKE SLIM CUTS, YOUR CUTTING SERVICES AND THEN HOW PEOPLE GET IMPACTED. THINKING BACK TO 21 AND 22, WHICH IS WHERE WE WOULD END UP IN FIVE YEARS, THAT WOULD THEN PUT US ABOUT 10 YEARS FROM 2021. AND IF MY GROCERIES COST WHAT THEY COST IN 2021, WHAT THEY DO TODAY, THAT'S A HUGE DISPARITY. SO AGAIN, I PERSONALLY JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THIS IS SUSTAINABLE WITHOUT STARTING TO SERIOUSLY ERODE COMMUNITIES.
AND THE OTHER THING I THINK THAT WE REALLY NEED TO CONSIDER IS THAT WHEN WE DO GET ASSISTANCE AND MONEY FROM THE COUNTY, THEY TOO ARE GOING TO BE IMPACTED IN THE SAME WAYS THAT WE ARE AND PROBABLY EVEN AT A LARGER SCALE.
DEFINITELY THE OTHER JURISDICTIONS IN NASSAU COUNTY HAVE A MUCH LARGER SHARE OF THE BUDGET COMING FROM HOMESTEADED PROPERTIES.
FERNANDINA IS FAIRLY DIVERSE IN THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES, INDUSTRIAL AND SECOND HOMES OR RENTAL PROPERTIES THAT ARE NOT CAUGHT IN THAT HOMESTEAD BUBBLE. SO, A 14% REDUCTION IS KIND OF ON THE LOWER END COMPARED TO 30 TO 50% THAT SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORS ARE GOING TO EXPERIENCE.
AND I THINK TOO, YOU KNOW, FOR THOSE WHO'VE BEEN ON THIS BOARD FOR A WHILE, I CAN'T REMEMBER IF IT WAS LAST YEAR OR MAYBE THE YEAR BEFORE, BUT I ASKED FOR AN IN DEPTH LOOK AT WHAT THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE, ESPECIALLY IN PARKS AND REC.
WHAT DOES IT COST TO PROVIDE THAT? RELATIVELY SIMPLE CALCULATIONS AT A HIGH LEVEL TO FIGURE OUT HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO PROVIDE SWIMMING POOL FOR A CITIZEN OR WHAT DOES THAT COST? SO THAT WE CAN LOOK AT, ESPECIALLY IN THE WAY THAT PAID PARKING WAS WORKING, WAS TO TARGET NOT THE CITIZENS WHO ARE ALREADY PAYING TAXES, BUT TRYING TO RECOVER SOME OF THOSE. AND IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE WHAT IS REALLY GOING TO HAPPEN IF THIS PASSES IS THAT WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO PAY FOR THESE THINGS. JUST WHO AND HOW WE PAY FOR THEM ARE GOING TO BE DIFFERENT. RIGHT NOW WE HAVE PROPERTY TAX LAWS THAT ARE CAPPED AND THEN THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS THAT GO WITH THOSE. AND IT CAN ONLY GO UP SO MUCH EACH YEAR.
BUT THE COSTS TO OPERATE THESE THINGS DO NOT STOP. THEY DON'T GO ANYWHERE. AND WHEN WE DO THIS TO PAVE A MILE OF ROAD, THOSE ROADS STILL HAVE TO GET PAVED. IT JUST COSTS MORE AND MORE. SO WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING LESS AND LESS ROADS AND. AND THEN THE MAINTENANCE BECOMES MORE AND MORE AND THEN WE'RE IN THIS VICIOUS CYCLE OF WHAT WE HAVE. AND AT PARKS AND REC, WE HAVE A LOT OF VERY EXPENSIVE. BEACH WALKOVERS ARE EXPENSIVE, REC CENTERS ARE EXPENSIVE TO MAINTAIN THE PARKS THAT WE HAVE AND THE GREEN SPACE THAT WE HAVE IS EXPENSIVE. SO, I JUST, I AM EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS WITHOUT REALLY STARTING TO ERODE WHAT OUR COMMUNITY LOOKS LIKE, THE THINGS THAT MAKE US SPECIAL AND THE THINGS THAT KEEP OUR PROPERTY VALUES HIGH.
AND AGAIN, MAYBE WE COULD CONSIDER LOOKING AT REAL COSTS FOR ALL OF THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE SO THAT WE CAN ASSOCIATE A DOLLAR AMOUNT WITH THEM.
WELL, ALONG THE SAME LINES, SARAH, THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION. I WANT TO BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND THE FINANCE PART OF THIS. AT ONE POINT IN THE BRIEF, I THINK WE SAID WE'RE ABOUT 11% OF THE TOTAL BUDGET IN PARKS AND REC, RIGHT? YES.
AND WE SAID WE GENERATE ABOUT 878 IN REVENUE.
[00:25:01]
YES.AND I THINK ONE. ONE WAY THAT I WOULD LIKE TO FURTHER BREAK THIS DOWN AND SEPARATE PARKS FROM RECREATION, BECAUSE TO ME, PARKS ARE NEVER GOING TO GENERATE REVENUE, BUT RECREATION DOES. AND SO, LOOKING A LITTLE BIT CLOSER AT RECREATION ALONE, BECAUSE MY GUESS IS THAT ALL OF THAT 878,000 IS BEING GENERATED TOWARDS REC PROGRAMS, NOT TOWARDS PARKS.
BUT WE COULD DIG A LITTLE DEEPER IN THAT.
AND CAN YOU ADD ONE MORE THING THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT AT THE CITY COMMISSION MEETING WAS ABOUT THE. ABOUT THE SALES TAX AND HOW THAT WORKS AND HOW IT IS LIKELY TO STAY FLAT HERE BECAUSE OF THE POPULATION? YEAH. KATIE, CAN YOU GO BACK TO ONE OF THE EARLY SLIDES THAT SHOWED SALES TAX REVENUES? NOT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THE SALES TAX MECHANISM. THE 7% THAT WE ALL PAY WHEN WE GO SHOPPING HERE IN FERNANDINA DOES NOT COME TO THE CITY OF FERNANDINA. SALES TAX IS COLLECTED BY THE STATE, AND THEN IT'S DIVVIED OUT BASED ON POPULATION. AND SO, WE ARE COMPARED TO NASSAU COUNTY'S POPULATION AS A WHOLE.
AND SO, IF WE ARE 13% OF NASSAU COUNTY'S POPULATION, WE WILL GET 13% OF THE TOTAL COLLECTION OF SALES TAX IN NASSAU COUNTY. SO, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU SPENT YOUR DOLLAR.
IT DEPENDS ON HOW MANY PEOPLE WE HAVE COMPARED TO THE WHOLE. AND SO, YEAH, THAT'S FINE. THE SALES TAX THERE, SALES AND FUEL TAX, 3.2 MILLION THERE AT THE TOP. EVEN THOUGH PEOPLE MIGHT BE SPENDING MORE MONEY IN NASSAU COUNTY, NASSAU COUNTY IS GROWING AT A MUCH BIGGER RATE THAN THE CITY OF FERNANDINA BEACH. IN FACT, OUR POPULATION IS SHRINKING AS FAR AS A PERCENTAGE OF THE WHOLE. SO WE WENT FROM LIKE 15% OF THE POPULATION AND NOW WE'RE 13% OF THE POPULATION BECAUSE THEY KEEP GETTING BIGGER. SO, THERE IS A LITTLE BIT MORE SPEND HAPPENING WITH ALL OF THE SHOPS OUT IN YULEE AND WILDLIFE. SO, OUR COLLECTIONS HAVE BEEN SOMEWHAT FLAT. BUT THE CITY COMMISSION CAN'T INCREASE SALES TAX IN THE CITY LIMITS OR, YOU KNOW, TRY TO RECAPTURE WHAT IS SPENT HERE. THAT'S GOVERNED AT THE STATE LEVEL, AND WE DON'T HAVE CONTROL OVER THAT.
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH, SARAH, FOR BEING HERE. SHE COULD DEFINITELY GO THROUGH THAT A LOT BETTER THAN.
AND HAS A LOT MORE KNOWLEDGE ON THAT THAN I DO. SO. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I'M CONFIDENT THAT THE PARKS AND RECREATION TEAM, ALONG WITH THE GOLF COURSE TEAM, WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AS WE WORK THROUGH THAT AMENDMENT. I APOLOGIZE. I SHOULD HAVE STARTED THE MEETING OFF WITH THIS. AS WE ALL KNOW, MEMBER MOUNTJOY HAD HAD RESIGNED FROM OUR BOARD DUE TO A PREGNANCY. AND MS. CURRY, WHEN. WHEN IS HER DUE DATE? SHE WILL BE HAVING THEM EARLY BECAUSE IT'S TWINS.
SO, IN ABOUT SOMETIME NEXT MONTH.
SO YEAH, IT GOES QUICK BUT PLEASE CONTINUE TO THINK ABOUT HER BUT STORY ON THEIR HOUSE.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, I, I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME AND.
AND PLEASE, I APOLOGIZE. I KNOW I'M GONNA BUTCHER THE LAST NAME, BUT MEMBERS.
KASISKI. OKAY. SO, THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF OUR TEAM. WE APPRECIATE IT. LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU. SO, THANK YOU, SIR. WE APPRECIATE IT.
YEAH. AND ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT JUST GOT BROUGHT UP THAT SARAH HAD MENTIONED ALSO WAS. YEAH, THE PARKS DIVISION, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY PART OF OUR DEPARTMENT, IS ONE OF THE HIGHER OR IS THE HIGHEST BUDGET AND THAT RUNS ABOUT 1.6. SO A LOT OF THOSE EXPENSES OUT JUST OVER THAT 5 MILLION, YOU KNOW, MINUS 1.7 MILLION. RECOVERING SOME OF THOSE COSTS IS OBVIOUSLY WE'RE NOT GOING TO UNLESS WE'RE SITTING AT EACH PARK AND START CHARGING FOR PARKS. SO, A LARGE PART OF THAT OVERALL BUDGET DOES
[00:30:02]
COME FROM PARKS. AND THEN JUST ANOTHER COMMENT ALONG WITH THE RECREATION SIDE IS ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WILL HAVE TO WORK THROUGH ALSO IS WHEN WE DO CHARGE IS WE ARE LOCATED AT MULTIPLE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS[7. STAFF COMMENTS]
THROUGHOUT AND HOW WE WOULD COLLECT FEES AT CERTAIN LOCATIONS, IF IT'S A FEE FOR TENNIS OR IF IT'S A FEE FOR, LET'S JUST SAY, PICKLEBALL, HOW ARE WE GOING TO WORK THROUGH THAT? BECAUSE IF WE DO HAVE A PERSON THERE THAT OBVIOUSLY IS GOING TO OFFSET AND WE'LL HAVE A COST OF HAVING SOMEONE THERE. SO, WE WILL WORK THROUGH THAT PROCESS.WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MR. BIGGERS TO GO THROUGH THE GOLF COURSE REVIEW FOR THE LAST MONTH. THANK YOU, GUYS. AND I ALSO FORGOT TO MENTION, MR. LELAND HONAKER IS HERE TONIGHT, OUR PARK SUPERINTENDENT. SO, I JUST WANTED TO RECOGNIZE MR. HONAKER FOR BEING. BEING HERE.
HE IS PART OF THAT PARKS DIVISION AND HANDLES OBVIOUSLY A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR OVERALL DEPARTMENT. WE HIT MORE PEOPLE THROUGHOUT OUR PARK SYSTEM THAN ANY OTHER DIVISION. SO, THANK YOU, MR. HONAKER, FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.
GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY. JEFFREY BIGGERS GENERAL MANAGER, FERNANDINA BEACH GOLF CLUB SO I'M GOING TO SWITCH GEARS AND KIND OF GO THROUGH OUR GOLF UPDATE FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST AS WE START OFF WITH THE GOLF SHOP.
GOLF REVENUES FOR AUGUST WERE DOWN ABOUT 4%. AND LIKE I'VE SAID BEFORE, JUNE, JULY, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER TYPICALLY ARE SLOWER MONTHS OF THE YEAR ROUNDS WERE DOWN FROM 113 A DAY TO ABOUT 105. I WILL SAY THIS, THEY WERE UP FROM 78 IN 2024. SO, OUR NUMBERS ARE BETTER THAN THEY'RE. THEY'RE TRENDING BETTER. IT JUST WASN'T WHAT IT WAS LAST SUMMER. AGAIN, 19 DAYS WITH 100 PLUS HEAT INDEX. I THINK MY GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENT TOLD ME WE HAD 3.25 INCHES OF RAIN AT THE GOLF COURSE IN AUGUST.
SO, THERE WAS RAIN AROUND. IT JUST WASN'T ALWAYS HITTING US.
SO THAT AFFECTS A LOT. AS FAR AS TOTAL GOLF COURSE REVENUE FOR THE MONTH, WE DID $132,821, WHICH WAS SLIGHTLY DOWN FROM LAST AUGUST. BUT OUR GREEN FEE CART FEE PER ROUND WAS UP TO $32.03 COMPARED TO 31.66. SO OVERALL TRENDING KIND OF IN THE SAME DIRECTION.
SEPTEMBER ALREADY THIS MONTH A LITTLE BETTER THAN LAST MONTH FOR SEPTEMBER. SO THAT'S GOOD.
GOING INTO FOOD AND BEVERAGE, THOSE NUMBERS DON'T LOOK GREAT.
25% DOWN DOESN'T SOUND WONDERFUL.
BUT AGAIN, THOSE NUMBERS ARE 23% UP FROM AUGUST OF 2024. A COUPLE OF THE BIG THINGS FOR THAT MONTH IN 25, WE HAD TWO EVENTS OVER TWO DAYS WITH A FISHER INVESTMENTS LUNCHEON AND WE ALSO HAD A BIG REHEARSAL DINNER AT THE END OF AUGUST. AND THOSE TWO ADDED TOGETHER WAS ABOUT FIVE OR SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS. SO, THERE'S YOUR DIFFERENCE. I MEAN, WE CONSTANTLY ARE ATTEMPTING TO BOOK DIFFERENT GROUPS, VENUES TO USE OUR VENUE. SO, IT JUST REALLY FLUCTUATES FROM MONTH TO MONTH. AND AGAIN, AS I SAID, SEPTEMBER IS TRENDING IN A BETTER DIRECTION. WE'RE READY TO GET INTO THE FALL AND MORE GOLF SEASON. I DID LIST SOME OF THE EVENTS. AS YOU CAN SEE, THEY'RE NOT AS MANY. I GUESS THE BIGGEST ONE WE HAD IN AUGUST WAS OUR PARENT JUNIOR, WHICH WE HAD 24 PLAYERS PLAYING. THAT WAS A REALLY WELL ATTENDED EVENT AND WE LOOK TO EXPAND ON SOME OF THOSE AS WELL. AND AS WE GET INTO AUGUST, SEPTEMBER, AND EARLY OCTOBER, WE'LL BE HAVING A NUMBER OF HIGH SCHOOL MATCHES. SOME OF THOSE GENERATE REVENUES WITH SPECTATOR CARDS.
WITH THAT SAID, GOING TO THE NEXT SLIDE WE HAD COMPLETED.
CITY MAINTENANCE STAFF, JOHN, CRAIG, DAVID, THEY ALL DID A GREAT JOB OF PUTTING, PUTTING IN OUR NEW FOOT RAILING AND QUARTER ROUND THROUGHOUT THE BAR AND THE ENTRY LEVEL. THERE SOMETHING YOU MAY NOT NOTICE BECAUSE IT'S ON THE FLOORING, BUT IT'S A BIG DEAL. SO FINISHING THAT UP KIND OF COMPLETED ALL OUR RENOVATIONS FOR THE RESTAURANT AREA GOING INTO GOLF COURSE MAINTENANCE.
SO, WE HAVE COMPLETED ALL OF OUR VERIFICATION FOR THE YEAR TO AN EXTENT. AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE IMAGES THERE, THAT'S ONE OF OUR GREENS ON OUR NORTH COURSE THAT WAS COMPLETED ABOUT MID AUGUST. AGAIN, WE DO ONE WEEK AT A TIME AS WE DO EACH NINE HOLES. WE'VE ALSO PUT OUT WALL TO WALL FERTILIZER FOR THE LATE SUMMER, EARLY FALL. I MEAN, THAT'S ALL THE WAY FROM OUT TO THE WOOD LINE, ALL THE WAY FROM THE TEE BOXES TO THE GREEN, AND THOSE AREN'T CHEAP AND GETTING MORE EXPENSIVE EVERY DAY. NEXT SLIDE, ROOT ROT. I WANTED TO DISCUSS SOME OF THIS. SO, WE HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE THE LAST TWO YEARS SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE
[00:35:01]
AND PROBABLY PRIOR TO THAT.SOME OF IT'S THE AGE OF THE GREEN, SOME OF IT'S THE WEATHER. WE ARE CONSTANTLY SPRAYING APPLICATIONS TO CONTROL THIS.
AND WITH OUR NEW SUPERINTENDENT, HE'S LEARNING THE LAY OF THE LAND. SO HE'S IN HIS FIRST YEAR, FULL YEAR WHEN WE HIT OCTOBER.
BUT I THINK SOME OF THE WEATHER AND THE HEAT REALLY GOT TO US, ESPECIALLY ON OUR NORTH COURSE WHEN WE BEGAN AERIFICATION. AND THAT'S WHERE THIS CAME UP LATE. SO AS YOU LOOK AT THOSE IMAGES, EVEN WITH THAT SAID THE 17TH OF AUGUST COMPARED TO THE 31ST, IT'S COMING BACK. SO, THIS, THIS IS WHAT THEY CALL A PYTHIUM ROOT ROT. THERE'S A COUPLE OTHER FUNGICIDES IN THERE TOO THAT WHEN WE DID A SOIL SAMPLE, WE FOUND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST GOING TO BE SOME TYPE OF RECURRING PROBLEM. WE HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO CONTROL IT. SO THREE OR FOUR OF THE GREENS, OLD NORTH WERE RATHER ROUGH.
WE KIND OF CONTAINED THAT BY LIMITING PLAY OVER THERE.
AND WE HAVE NOW OPEN BACK PLAY UP ON THE NORTH COURSE JUST FOR NINE HOLES AND WE'LL PROBABLY CONTAIN THAT THROUGH SEPTEMBER. I WENT OUT AND LOOKED AT IT TODAY AND THEY ARE COMING BACK, WHICH IS GREAT. THAT LEADS ME INTO A COUPLE OF THE AREAS WE HAD ON THE SOUTH COURSE WITH THE OTHER IMAGES. WE ACTUALLY PUT SOME SOD OUT IN SOME AREAS. WE JUST DIDN'T FEEL LIKE SOME OF THAT GRASS WAS GOING TO COME BACK, WHICH WAS ON NUMBER ONE AND NUMBER FIVE SOUTH. AND AS OF TOMORROW WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING SOME OF THE PUTTING. SO WE'VE ALREADY USED A SOD CUTTER AND TAKEN SOME OF THAT GRASS OR WOOD, WHATEVER IT WAS THERE LEFT.
AND WE'RE GOING TO BE ADDING SOD TO THAT. SO, WE'RE HOPING THAT'S GOING TO KIND OF HOLD US OVER UNTIL WE GET TO NEXT YEAR BECAUSE WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO DO SOME TYPE OF RENOVATION TO OUR PRACTICE AREA IN A PUTTING GROUP. ANY QUESTIONS ON KIND OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE GREENS GOLF COURSE, THEY'RE GETTING BETTER. ALL RIGHT, GOING FORWARD AGAIN, I WANTED SOME IMAGES TO SHOW YOU GUYS WITH THE PARENT JUNIOR. I DO APPRECIATE MEMBER GUNN PLAYING IN THAT.
WE ALSO HAD OUR MGA TWO PERSON SHAMBLE ON THE 22ND.
CONGRATULATIONS MEMBER PELICAN, FOR WINNING THAT.
GOING INTO ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP SALES WITH US CHANGING HOW WE'RE TAKING OUR MEMBERSHIPS. WE'VE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE THIS SUMMER JOIN, WHICH HAS BEEN A GOOD THING.
SO, THE GOAL IS WE HOPE THIS CONTINUES INTO NEXT YEAR AND THEY JOIN AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN. SO, WE'RE NOT AS FRONT LOADED WITH ALL OF OUR MEMBERS THAT JOIN IN OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER. SO, WITH THAT SAID, WE'RE AT 203 TOTAL MEMBERSHIPS SOLD THROUGH AUGUST, WHICH PUTS US AT ABOUT 113% OF WHAT WE BUDGETED EARLIER.
I SAID HOW OUR NUMBERS WERE DOWN 4% WITH GOLF, 25% WITH FOOD AND BEVERAGE.
BUT WE WHEN YOU TAKE ALL OF THAT TOGETHER AND THEN YOU PUT IN THE MEMBERSHIPS BASICALLY FOR THE MONTH, WE WERE SLIGHTLY AHEAD. SO, IT WAS A REALLY KIND OF BREAK EVEN MONTH COMPARED TO THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS.
GOING INTO MARKETING OUR NORMAL AREAS THAT WE PUT OUT EACH MONTH. BUT WHAT WE'VE BEEN CONCENTRATING ON MOSTLY IS GOLF. NOW WITH MY NEW GOLF PROFESSIONAL, DOUG BALLINGER, HE'S WORKING WITH OUR REP TO TRY TO RUN DIFFERENT SPECIALS.
THESE ARE THE MONTHS TO DO IT. JUNE, JULY, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER. WHEN WE'RE SLIGHTLY, OUR ROUNDS ARE DOWN, IT'S A LITTLE BIT SLOWER.
WE'RE DOING ANOTHER $59.99 TWO AND FOUR PERSON DEAL. WE'RE GOING TO EXPERIMENT WITH A LITTLE BIT OF DYNAMIC PRICING ON THURSDAYS AND SUNDAYS TO SEE WHERE THAT GOES. WE HAVE A BASEMENT PRICE THAT IT'S GOING TO SET AT. SO AS WE FILL UP TEE TIMES, THAT PRICE MAY GO UP. IF IT DOESN'T, IT WILL GO DOWN. BASED OFF OUR REGULAR RATE WITH THAT BASEMENT BEING AS I'VE LISTED THERE, AROUND $60 BEFORE 11, WE'LL ADJUST THAT TO ABOUT 45, WHICH IS OUR TWILIGHT RATE UNTIL 3 AND OUR TWILIGHT RATE UNTIL TIME CHANGES OR EXCUSE ME, UNTIL OCTOBER 1ST WILL BE 3 O'CLOCK.
SO, ANYTHING FROM 3 TO 6, WE'VE ADJUSTED THAT ONE DOWN TO HOPEFULLY TO STIMULATE A LITTLE BIT MORE PLAY, ESPECIALLY ON THOSE SLOWER DAYS OF THURSDAYS AND SUNDAYS. AND FINALLY, JUST GOING INTO THE LAST COUPLE PAGES, AS YOU CAN SEE, COMPARED TO THE FIRST PAGE, WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE GOING ON IN SEPTEMBER. A COUPLE OF THE AREAS I WANTED TO TOUCH ON WERE ON JAGS FOOTBALL SUNDAYS. WE'RE TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO COME OUT FOR ONE O' CLOCK GAMES. THAT'S WHEN OUR RESTAURANTS OPEN.
WE'RE GOING TO RUN SOME SPECIALS, KIND OF A TOUCHDOWN SPECIAL, EACH 1PM GAME, AS WELL AS $3 DRAFTS. WHAT I DON'T HAVE ON THIS LIST IS WHEN WE GET INTO OCTOBER, IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW, THEY PLAY BACK TO BACK GAMES IN LONDON. SO THAT GAME'S TELEVISED AT 9:30.
AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS WE'RE GOING TO DO A BREAKFAST, KIND
[00:40:01]
OF A TRADITIONAL ENGLISH BREAKFAST AT9:30.ENDLESS MIMOSAS OR BOTTOMLESS MIMOSAS. THAT BREAKFAST WILL BE SUNNY SIDE UP, EGGS, BACON, LINK SAUSAGE, BAKED BEANS, COOKED HOWEVER THEY DO IN ENGLAND, GRILLED TOMATOES, GRILLED MUSHROOMS, AND TOAST.SO, FOOTBALL, NFL, FERNANDINA BEACH GOLF CLUB, EAST 9 BAR AND GRILL. AND THEN TO ROUND OUT MY LAST PAGE, WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE OUR FRIDAY NIGHT DINNERS. THE ONE IN SEPTEMBER IS GOING TO BE A FISH FRY. AND WHEN WE DO OCTOBER, WE'LL HAVE AN OKTOBERFEST AND IT'LL BE ON THE LIST FOR NEXT MONTH.
SO, WITH THAT SAID, IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE GOLF REPORT OR WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE GOLF COURSE, ANY QUESTIONS, FEEL FREE TO ASK.
HAVE YOU COME UP WITH WHEN WILL YOU FINALIZE YOUR PROPOSED FEE INCREASES? SO THOSE HAVE ALREADY BEEN SENT THROUGH AND I BELIEVE IS IT TUESDAY NIGHT? SECOND READING WILL BE THE 15TH. SO AS SOON AS WE GET THOSE AND THEY GO THROUGH THE COMMISSION, I'LL BE POSTING THOSE. I'LL SEND OUT AN EMAIL WITH WHAT THOSE RATES ARE. AND THEN STARTING OCTOBER 1ST, ANYTIME AFTER OCTOBER 1ST, YOU CAN REJOIN. BUT WITH IT RUNNING A YEAR ROUND, IF YOU REJOINED, IF YOU SIGNED UP ON THE 10TH OF OCTOBER, THEN YOUR MEMBERSHIP'S STILL GOOD THROUGH THE 10TH. YOU'D NEED TO SIGN UP ON THAT DAY INSTEAD OF ON THE 1ST OF OCTOBER LIKE WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST.
CAN YOU SHARE THOSE PROPOSED RATES WITH US? WHAT THE CHANGE IS TO CURRENT YOU'RE LOOKING AT? I BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO BE A DOLLAR MORE FOR CART FEES, ANYWHERE FROM TWO OR THREE DOLLARS FOR GREEN FEES, DEPENDING ON THE TIME OF DAY. AND AS FAR AS ANNUAL MEMBERSHIPS, THOSE RATES ARE ANYWHERE FROM 5 TO 8% INCREASE SOMEWHERE IN THAT RANGE.
SO, TO BE CLEAR, YOU COULD NOT RENEW A MEMBERSHIP UNTIL YOUR MEMBERSHIP A COUPLE DAYS EARLY BEFORE THE NEW RATES INCREASED.
YOU COULDN'T BECAUSE YOUR MEMBERSHIPS, YOU'RE STILL A MEMBER. YOU CAN'T RENEW A MEMBERSHIP. YOU COULD COME IN AND PAY THE NEW RATE, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE POSTED TILL AFTER OCTOBER 1ST.
AND IF YOU WERE A FEW DAYS EARLY, IT'S JUST GOING TO BE RETROACTIVE. SO, SAY YOU JOINED ON THE 10TH AND YOU CAME INTO PLAY, SAY IN THE BLITZ ON THE SECOND, YOU COULD PAY THAT RATE THEN, BUT IT'S GOING TO GO TO THE 11TH OF OCTOBER AND TAKE YOU ALL THE WAY TO THE 11TH.
BECAUSE YOUR MEMBERSHIP, WHEN YOU SIGN UP FOR A MEMBERSHIP, THE DAY YOU SIGN UP IS 365 DAYS FROM THAT.
I HAVE A SUGGESTION. MAYBE I PLAYED A COUPLE WEEKS AGO. I THINK IT WAS A FRIDAY NIGHT AT 5 OR 6 AT NIGHT, AND THERE WERE FOUR KIDS ON E BIKES ON THE GREEN TEARING IT UP.
AND SO LIKE ANY GOOD FATHER, I YELLED AT THEM AND THEY YELLED BACK AT ME. AND AS I'M SITTING THERE FIGURING OUT SHOULD I THROW THE CLUB AT THEM OR NOT, I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHAT TO DO. SO I JUST WONDER IF, LIKE, THE PEOPLE AT THEIR FRONT DESK SHOULD ADVISE.
WE ARE AWARE AND WE KNOW OF THIS ONGOING PROBLEM. WE'VE HAD THE CITY POLICE OUT TWICE. STAFF IS. IS AWARE.
IF WE HEAR OF IT OR SEE THEM, IF WE CAN GET A GLIMPSE OR EVEN CUSTOMERS OUT THAT THEY CALL AND GET, YOU KNOW, A SHIRT COLOR, IF THEY'RE WEARING A HELMET.
AND THEN WE'RE CALLING, WE'RE CALLING THE CITY POLICE.
SO, THEY MAY GET OUT THERE THAT WAY. IF THEY'RE.
MAYBE THEY'VE LEFT THE GOLF COURSE, BUT IF THEY'VE GONE THROUGH THE COMMUNITY A DIRECTION, WE CAN SEND THE POLICE IN THAT DIRECTION. OR IF THEY'RE COMING IN AND I THINK ONE OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE NEAR NORTH, THEY'VE CONTACTED US A COUPLE WEEKS AGO ABOUT THIS BECAUSE THEY SAW THEM GO THROUGH THEIR YARDS AND THEY'VE SENT SOMETHING OUT THROUGH THEIR COMMUNITY THROUGH THEIR, LIKE EITHER HOMEOWNERS EMAIL.
WE'VE GOT PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEEN KIDS GOING THROUGH THE YARDS. IF YOU SEE THEM ON THE GOLF COURSE, THE CITY POLICE IS AWARE. SO THAT'S KIND OF HOW WE'RE HANDLING. I HAVEN'T YET BEEN OUT THERE WHEN I'VE CAUGHT THEM OR SEEN THEM, BUT YES, WE'VE HAD SOME OF THEM.
YEAH, I MEAN, THEY'RE IN AND OUT AND THEY'RE GONE.
THEY GO FAST. THERE'S NO TAGS.
THERE'S NO WAY TO IDENTIFY THEM. OR.
WE'RE JUST TELLING CUSTOMERS AND STAFF, HEY, GIVE ME A COUPLE SHIRT COLORS.
IF THEY'RE WILLING TO HELL THEM UP, THE COLOR OF THE BIKE AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT DIRECTION THEY WENT WHEN WE'RE CALLING THE POLICE.
YEAH, I WAS GONNA SAY THAT THE PEOPLE AT THE FRONT DESK, WHEN YOU CHECK IN AT NIGHT, MAYBE JUST SAY, IF YOU SEE THEM, TRY TO GET THEIR PICTURE. BECAUSE I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHAT TO DO. AND I THOUGHT, MAN, I COULD HAVE JUST SNAPPED IT ON THE VIDEO. WE TOOK PICTURES.
[00:45:01]
BUT SOMETIMES, IF YOU CAN GET A GOOD ENOUGH PICTURE, LIKE THE SRO OFFICERS AT THE SCHOOL HAVE BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY SOME KIDS, YOU KNOW, JUST BECAUSE THEY. THEY KNOW WHO THEY ARE BECAUSE THEY'RE RIDING THOSE BIKES TO SCHOOL. SO.OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE? THEY HAVE ONE FEE. I THINK THE EVENT THAT TOOK PLACE ON FRIDAY NIGHT, THE BARBECUE AND NINE HOLE, THREE PAR, WAS AN OUTSTANDING EVENT. AND I RECOMMEND HIGHLY THAT WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT EVENT AT SOME LEVEL.
THANK YOU FOR PLAYING. AND WE ARE WORKING ON TRYING TO EXPAND MORE OF OUR OUTSIDE EVENTS. AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, WITH MY GOLF PROFESSIONALS, WE GO INTO NEXT YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO DO MORE. YOU KNOW, I THINK MEMBER SNYDER EVEN SAID SOMETHING TO ME BEFORE THE MEETING ABOUT MAYBE WE SHOULD PLAY 18 HOLES, YOU KNOW, SO WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT ALL THOSE ASPECTS. WE'RE TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO GET MORE PEOPLE TO PLAY IN MORE THINGS. SO, YES, I'M GLAD YOU HAD A GOOD TIME AND I APPRECIATE YOU PLAYING.
YES, SIR. WITH REGARD TO THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE, DO YOU THINK THERE'S ANY WIGGLE ROOM IN THERE WHERE YOU. WE CAN INCREASE REVENUE FROM, FROM THAT OR ARE WE MAXED OUT? I MEAN, THE SURF IS GOING TO GO AWAY AND WE. I GUESS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I SEE IS LIVING HERE, THERE'S A LOT OF COMPETITION BETWEEN A LOT OF OTHER RESTAURANTS. I HAVE A LOT OF OPTIONS THAT I COULD GO TO, BUT DO WE COORDINATE? DO WE SORT OF DECONFLICT, LET'S SAY, WITH LEGION OR MACOMB OR THINGS LIKE THAT SO THAT WE CAN MAYBE FOCUS MORE ON MAYBE ACTIVITIES THAT WE CAN.
WELL, WE ARE TRYING TO LOOK FOR OTHER OPPORTUNITIES. THIS PAST WEEKEND WE HAD A WEDDING, SO WE'RE TRYING TO EXPAND ON THAT. WE DO. WE WERE INVOLVED WITH A NUMBER OF SERVICE GROUPS. A LOT OF WORD OF MOUTH IS WHAT USES US. I MEAN, OUR CORE. OUR CORE CUSTOMER IS OUR GOLFERS. WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING AT EXPANDING, BUT OUR STAFF IS SMALL, SO.
BUT YES, THERE IS A LOT OF COMPETITION. AND TO SPEAK OF THAT, WE HAD, YOU KNOW, THE MACOMA BEER COMPANY WAS OUT AND PARTNERED A LITTLE BIT WITH US FOR THE TOURNAMENT WE HAD THE OTHER NIGHT. SO, YES, WE ARE EXPANDING ON THOSE.
PERSONALLY, I THINK OUR FOOD AND DAIRY HAS IMPROVED A LOT OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, AND I THINK A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO IN THIS PAST YEAR WITH, WITH, WITH WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE BAR. BECAUSE I MEAN, OUR CUSTOMERS, OUR CORE CUSTOMERS ARE NOW HANGING OUT A LITTLE LONGER AND SITTING AT THE BAR BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT ATMOSPHERE PRIOR.
I GOT ONE MORE COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS.
WILL GUEST PASSES BE OFFERED AGAIN WHEN YOU SIGN UP? WE ARE GOING TO OFFER UP TO THREE 10 ROUND PASSES FOR THE SAME PERSON PRICE, $400.
AND THEN SO THAT'S ABOUT $10 CHEAPER THAN A GUEST RATE.
LIKE IF I WERE TO JUST BRING A GUEST IN.
IT'S MORE LIKE 50, 55 RIGHT NOW BEING A GUEST OF A MEMBER.
NEXT YEAR IT WILL PROBABLY BE 57.
BUT OUR NORMAL RATE, IF YOU WEREN'T PLAYING WITH THE MEMBERS, WILL BE 70, 75 NOW, PROBABLY BE 76 NEXT YEAR. SO YES, IT IS SUBSTANTIALLY LESS.
AND DO THEY NEED. THEY HAVE TO BUY THOSE GUEST PASSES WHEN THEY WHEN THEY JOIN? WHEN THEY JOIN. OKAY, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, JEFFREY.
ALL RIGHT, JUST A FEW QUICK UPDATES ON THE, ON THE PARKS AND REC SIDE. I'M GONNA. I THINK KATIE HAS THAT UP THERE. YEAH, I'M ACTUALLY GONNA JUMP TO NUMBER SIX TO START OUT, IF YOU DON'T MIND THE PARKS AND RECREATION MASTER PLAN. SO THIS IS HIGH ON KATIE AND OUR LIST OF PRIORITIES. I JUST WANTED TO FILL YOU IN AND MAKE SURE YOU'RE AWARE OF THIS. I REALLY WANT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS. KATIE, CAN YOU GO THROUGH THAT THE DATE WITH THEM AGAIN? YEAH. SO, WE DON'T HAVE EXACT DATES YET. WE'RE SHOOTING TO HAVE IN PERSON FOCUS GROUP MEETINGS ON OCTOBER 9TH. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SHOOTING FOR. WE'LL HAVE THE ANSWERS THAT CLOSER TO THE END OF THE WEEK, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE FOUR FOCUS GROUPS, TWO IN PERSON AND TWO VIRTUAL.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE SPLIT BETWEEN FOUR CATEGORIES. SO IT'S YOUTH, SPORTS, BEACH, WATERFRONT, RESILIENCY FACILITIES, AND THEN PROGRAMMING EVENTS IN PARTNERSHIP. I'LL SEND AN OFFICIAL INVITATION OUT TO EVERYONE AND WE'RE HOPING THAT YOU CAN ATTEND ONE OF THE FOUR, IF NOT ALL FOUR
[00:50:01]
OF THE FOUR. I'M NOT SURE OF THE TIME OF DAY YET, BUT WE'RE SHOOTING FOR OCTOBER 9TH. AND THEN IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF HOLDING INTERVIEWS WITH CITY COMMISSIONERS RIGHT NOW WITH KIMLEY HORN. AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A FEW MORE INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEWS WITH STAKEHOLDERS.AND THEN FINALLY WE WILL HAVE A COMMUNITY WIDE MEETING TOWARDS THE END OF OCTOBER, EARLY NOVEMBER WHERE WE'LL INVITE THE WHOLE COMMUNITY TO COME OUT.
SO, I'LL SEND YOU THAT AS WELL BECAUSE I THINK IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR YOU GUYS TO BE THERE.
YOU COULD MAKE IT A HALLOWEEN EVENT AND PROBABLY GET A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT TO DRESS UP.
SO, I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT IT'S IMPORTANT.
WE REALLY WANT YOU TO BE AT THOSE SO YOU CAN HEAR WHAT THESE FOCUS GROUPS, WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY. SO, IT'S NOT JUST ALWAYS COMING FROM KATIE AND I. IT'S IMPORTANT TO US THAT YOU'RE PART OF THAT. SO, AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT AND WE REALLY JUMP INTO IT, WE WILL MAKE SURE WE GET YOU THOSE DATES AND THOSE LOCATIONS OF THEM. SOME OF THEM WILL BE TEAMS CALLS OR ZOOM CALLS. SO, WE WOULD LIKE TO GET YOU THOSE LINKS TOO SO YOU CAN JUST SIT IN AND LISTEN TO IT.
WE'RE TRYING TO CAPTURE THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMUNITY. THE GOAL OF THIS IS TO GET EVERYONE TO GET THEIR OPINIONS OUT NOW. SO, AS WE DEVELOP THIS, WE HAVE WHAT WE CAN USE INTO THE FUTURE. FUTURE. IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT GOAL OF MINE. SO WE WILL KEEP YOU POSTED ON THAT AND WE WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE YOU BEING PART OF THAT PROCESS. IT'S IMPORTANT TO US. OKAY. AS YOU ARE AWARE, WE ARE WORKING. I'M GOING TO JUMP BACK UP TO NUMBER ONE RIGHT NOW. SORRY ABOUT THAT, SCOTT.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION ON THAT? ABSOLUTELY.
SO LIKE, ARE THERE THINGS WE SHOULD ASK PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT? LIKE THE MASTER PLAN IS SO LARGE THAT IF YOU WANT OPINIONS, HOW, HOW SHOULD WE GO ABOUT APPROACHING PEOPLE? YEAH, GREAT QUESTION.
MEMBER GUN. SO THIS MASTER PLAN IN PARTICULAR IS NOT A FULL ON FULL BLOWN MASTER PLAN. IF YOU REMEMBER, WE DID GO TO THE COMMISSION THAT IT WAS, IT WAS GOING TO BE BASED OVER A TWO YEAR PLAN. I THINK IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, AFTER THE TWO YEARS OF HUNTER $285,000, IT'S BEEN PULLED BACK A LITTLE BIT. SO, AT THIS PARTICULAR ONE, WE'RE LOOKING AT BOTH OF OUR RECREATION CENTERS.
WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR ATHLETIC FIELDS AND WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT OUR BEACH ACCESSES AND THEN THE PROGRAMMING THAT GOES ALONG WITH THAT. SO, I THINK PART OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS ARE, IS, YOU KNOW, LIKE KATIE SAID WITH THE FOCUS GROUPS, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S. WE'RE PULLING IN ALL OF OUR YOUTH SPORT ORGANIZATION. WE'RE PULLING IN THE PEOPLE THAT USE BOTH REC CENTERS. WHAT PARTS OF THE REC CENTERS DO YOU USE IT? DO YOU USE IT TO GO SWIMMING? DO YOU USE IT TO RESERVE AN AUDITORIUM? DO YOU USE IT AS A NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION WHERE YOU BRING IN PEOPLE TO RESERVE AND THEN RUN, YOU KNOW, RUN AN EVENT TO RAISE MONEY FOR YOUR NONPROFIT. THE BEACH ACCESSES THAT RUN ALONG, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A SIX MILE STRETCH. WE HAVE OVER 50 SOME BEACH ACCESSES. WE HAVE OVER 30 SOME STRUCTURES OF BEACH ACCESSES.
SO, YOU KNOW, HOW ARE THOSE IMPORTANT TO YOU? DO WE NEED, YOU KNOW, GOING FORWARD, SHOULD THEY ALL HAVE BOARDWALKS OVER THEM? CAN, CAN WE AFFORD THAT? WHICH ONES ARE THE MOST STRATEGIC BASED ON POCKETS OF, OF DIFFERENT SUBDIVISIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. THAT'S ALL GOING TO BE PART OF IT. OKAY, SO DOES THAT HELP ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YEAH. AND, AND THEN ANOTHER THING, I MEAN MS. CAMPBELL BROUGHT THIS UP IS COST RECOVERY. I HAVE BEEN WITH, WITH THE DEPARTMENT FOR COMING UP ON 26 YEARS. WE NEVER REALLY HAD A TRUE COST RECOVERY. AND SO MAYBE THAT'S GOING TO BE PART OF IT AS WELL. YOU KNOW, OUR ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET IS JUST OVER 5 MILLION AND THE REVENUES ARE NEAR A MILLION. AND I BELIEVE AS WE GO THROUGH THIS, THERE'LL BE DATA THAT SHOWS WHAT AVERAGE COST RECOVERIES ARE. ARE WE EVER GOING TO RECOVER ALL OF OUR, ALL OF IT? NO.
BUT I THINK PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT TOO.
CAN I THINK IT'S SO PARAMOUNT AND I THINK A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE FOLLOWING ON SOCIAL MEDIA AT ANY LEVEL, IT'S EASY TO SEE THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT OUR BUDGETS, MAKING CUTS. YOU CAN DO AWAY WITH THIS, YOU CAN DO AWAY WITH THAT. AND I THINK IT'S A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE ALL OF THE SERVICES THAT WE DO OFFER. AND I WOULD
[00:55:01]
REALLY SUGGEST THAT WHEN YOU ARE PUTTING THIS PROGRAM TOGETHER AND PRESENTING IT IN A WAY THAT YOU ARE VERY THOROUGH IN PROJECTING ALL OF THE THINGS THAT PARKS AND REC PROVIDE AND THE SERVICES AND THINGS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A CHILD IN AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM, YOU MAY NOT KNOW. THE CITY EVEN OFFERS THAT IF YOU DON'T SWIM AT THE POOL, YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT THE SWIM LESSONS FOR KIDS. SO, THEY DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, SO THEY DON'T DROWN. THOSE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE DO, TO ME AS A CITIZEN ARE VERY HIGH VALUE. AND I THINK THAT WE, ANYTIME WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE IN FRONT OF SOMEBODY IN THIS COMMUNITY, WE SHOULD BE SHARING THAT WHOLLY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT IT COSTS TO BUILD A WALKOVER.AND THOSE WILL BE PART OF THOSE, THOSE FOCUS GROUPS THAT, WHERE WE DO HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BRINGING IN THE RIGHT PEOPLE. PEOPLE THAT ALSO WHEN WE HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM, THEY'RE ALSO TALKING TO THE COMMUNITY AS WELL. THE MORE PEOPLE THAT WE BRING IN NOW IN THE FOUR IN THE FRONT OF THIS IS THE ANSWERS WE CAN GET MOVING FORWARD. SO.
SOUND GOOD. SO, WE WILL MAKE SURE WE HAVE THOSE DATES. WE WILL MAKE SURE YOU ARE AWARE OF THE DATES AND TIMES OF THE FOCUS GROUPS AND ALSO WE'LL KEEP YOU INFORMED ON THE, THE STAKEHOLDERS TOO AS WE GO FORWARD. I THINK WE'VE HAD TWO MEETINGS RIGHT NOW WITH ZOOM CALLS WITH THE COMMISSIONERS AND WE'RE WORKING ON THE OTHER ONES. AND ALSO WE ARE GOING TO AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN IN PERSON WITH MR. ENGLISH AS HE'S GOING TO BE MOVE IN THE COMMISSION AS WE MOVE FORWARD TOO. SO WE'RE BRINGING HIM INVOLVED IN AS WELL.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE MASTER PLAN? ALL RIGHT.
YOU GUYS ARE AWARE THE MLK FIELDS WE ARE MOVING FORWARD. I AM GOING TO MAKE A PRESENTATION AT THE SEPTEMBER 15TH CITY COMMISSION MEETING. THIS MONEY IS IN THE BUDGET ALREADY.
BUT WE ARE GOING TO GO BACK JUST TO JUST FOR SUPPORT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS. AS YOU REMEMBER, WE HAVE DISCUSSED, WE HAVE COME UP WITH A CONCEPTUAL DESIGN THAT THE COMMUNITY FEELS CONFIDENT IN.
BUT WE ARE GOING TO GO BACK TO THE COMMISSION JUST FOR SUPPORT AGAIN TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THOSE CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS AS IT'S A, AS IT'S A LARGE EXPENSE. IT ALREADY IS MONEY THAT'S ENCUMBERED THROUGH A PURCHASE ORDER.
BUT, BUT JUST GIVING THEM AN UPDATE AND THEN MOVING ON THAT. THE COLUMBARIUM MONEY IS IN THE BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR. WE'RE STILL IN THE CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS.
ONCE THOSE ARE COMPLETE, I WILL PRESENT THOSE TO YOU AS WELL AS HDC FOR FINAL APPROVAL. WE DID GO TO HDC PRIOR. WE ARE GOING TO GO BACK ONCE WE DO HAVE THOSE CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS. JUST A QUICK UPDATE ON THE WINDOW PROJECT THAT IS REALLY OUR LAST CAPITAL PROJECT THAT I AM WORKING WITH FACILITIES THAT IS PLANNED TO BE DONE. WE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO ROLL THAT BUT BOTH OF THOSE PROJECTS ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE COMPLETE. SO KATHY SABATINI AND HER TEAM HAVE HELPED OUT A LOT WITH THAT.
ONCE THAT'S COMPLETE, ALL OF OUR PROJECTS WILL BE WRAPPED UP FOR THE YEAR. OBVIOUSLY THE JUST AS YOU ALL ARE AWARE, SEPTEMBER 30TH IS THE LAST OF OUR. IS THE LAST OF THE FISCAL YEAR. OCTOBER 1ST STARTS THE NEW ONE BEACH ACCESS NINE. SO, THIS IS A, THIS IS AS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT BEACH ACCESSES. WE ARE AT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO SEE IF WE CAN SAVE A LITTLE MONEY HERE. WE'RE GOING TO WORK WITH THE SEASIDE PARK PROJECT, THE BEACH HARMONIZATION AND WE'RE GOING TO BID THOSE TOGETHER BECAUSE PART OF THAT SEASIDE PARK JOB IS THE BEACH OR IS THE BEACH BOARDWALK. SO WE'RE GOING TO INCORPORATE SEASIDE. TOTAL DIFFERENT SCOPE AND OBVIOUSLY ENGINEERING. ONCE WE GET THE APPROVAL THROUGH FDEP, WE'RE GOING TO BID THAT JOB, OBVIOUSLY TWO DIFFERENT FUNDS, BUT WE'RE GOING TO SEE WE MIGHT HAVE SOME COST SAVINGS BECAUSE THAT THEY'LL ALREADY BE HERE WORKING ON THAT ACCESS.
SO ARE YOU SAYING THAT THE GOAL IS TO HAVE JASMINE COMPLETED BY APRIL OR. SEASIDE PARK IS GOING TO BE DONE BY.
OKAY. WHEN IS THE SEASIDE PARK SLATED TO BE FINISHED? IT'S NOT THAT QUICK.
NO, IT'S NOT. IT'S NOT THAT QUICK. BUT I ACTUALLY, I THINK. YEAH, IT'S. IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE FOR. BE BEFORE THE BEACH SEASON NEXT YEAR.
AM I RIGHT? I MEAN, I'M READY TO GO TO THE BEACH IN MARCH.
YEAH, I THINK THAT'S THE PLAN.
[01:00:01]
I CAN. I'LL MAKE SURE. I GET. I MAKE SURE.I'LL MAKE SURE THAT'S COMING THAT FAST.
HE MEANS NOT. SO, THE WHOLE HARMONIZATION PROJECT WON'T BE DONE BY APRIL, JUST THE SEASIDE PORTION. SO THAT'S THE GOAL IS TO BE COMPLETED BEFORE THE BEACH SEASON.
WHEN YOU SAY THE WHOLE HARMONIZATION, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MAIN BEACH.
WELL, I THINK WHAT SHE'S REFERRING TO IS OBVIOUSLY SEASIDE PARK, MAIN BEACH.
OKAY. AND THEN NORTH BEACH PARK IS PART. AS PART OF THAT, BUT SEASIDE IS THE MAIN.
BUT THERE'S DIFFERENT PARTS OF SEASIDE. REMEMBER, THERE'S THE. THE STREET SIDE AND WHAT THE COUNTY'S DOING WITH THAT AREA. AND THEN WHAT WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT IS THE PARK, IT ITSELF.
I JUST DIDN'T THINK IT WAS COMING THAT QUICK.
YEAH. SO THOSE TWO JOBS WILL BE WORKING TOGETHER. AND THEN I DON'T HAVE A HUGE UPDATE FOR YOU ON THIS. THIS IS COMING DOWN. I'LL MAKE SURE I. ONCE I KNOW. I'LL MAKE SURE I GET THIS INFORMATION TO YOU. THE PLAN WILL BE TO PRESENT TO THE COMMISSION A PACKAGE OF NOT EVALUATIONS, BUT AN APPRAISAL. WE HAVE TO, I THINK, GET THREE APPRAISALS FOR YBOR ALVAREZ AND THEN AN APPROVAL THREE THROUGH THE FAA. SO, WE WILL BE PRESENTING THAT TO THE CITY COMMISSION. AND THAT WILL BE COMING IN OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER. TIME FRAME IS MY.
BUT WHEN THAT COMES, I'LL MAKE SURE I GIVE YOU A HEADS UP.
AND THAT IS ON THE PURCHASING OF THE PROPERTY AT YBOR ALVAREZ. THE SOCCER, THE EXISTING SOCCER SIDE OF THAT.
SO, THE INTENT IS TO PURCHASE.
BUT ARE WE. IF I THINK THERE WERE. CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
THERE WERE BUDGET ITEMS IN THERE TO RENT IF WE NEEDED TO. AND THE. THE ROUNDABOUT WAY OF ASKING IS THERE ANY PORTION OF THEIR SOCCER SEASONS THAT ARE GOING TO BE IMPACTED BY THE. THE PROCESS OF HOW THIS IS GOING DOWN? WELL, THEY'RE IN THEIR FALL.
THEY'RE YOU KNOW INITIATED THEIR FALL SEASON.
SO THIS DECISION WILL HAPPEN. I THINK THEIR FALL SEASON WOULD.
WE WOULD COMPLETE THEIR FALL SEASON ONCE THAT DECISION IS.
IS MADE IS IF. IF THE COMPLEX IS GOING AWAY FROM A RECREATIONAL STANDPOINT THEN THEIR SPRING SEASON WOULD THEN BE AFFECTED.
ABSOLUTELY. I THINK A DECISION WILL HAVE TO BE MADE IS WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH HICKORY STREET PARK. THAT IS A LARGE AREA WHERE PEOPLE PRACTICE. SO, WE CAN LOOK AT THAT. THERE WILL BE A RIPPLE EFFECT OF SOME SORTS WITH IT IF. IF THERE IS TO, IF WE ARE GOING TO PROCEED WITH.
WE WILL WORK THROUGH THAT. WE CAN LOOK AT THE PROPERTY IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL BOARD.
IT DOESN'T HAVE GREAT TURF BUT WE WOULD LOOK AT DIFFERENT AREAS.
AND WHERE YOU KNOW FROM A RECREATIONAL STANDPOINT AND WHAT AGE GROUPS CAN WE BEST SERVICE AT THAT POINT. WE DID COMPLETE A FEW JOBS VERY RECENTLY HERE AT THE.
AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR. THERE WAS RETAIN AND JUST. THESE ARE JUST REALLY QUICK UPDATES.
BUT IT'S RETAINING WALL AT BEACH ACCESS 39. WE USED OUR EXISTING CONTRACTOR TO DO THAT. THERE WAS A PAVILION AT THE PECK FIELD THAT NEEDED SOME REPAIR AND THEN WE HAD SOME FENCING REPAIR MAIN BEACH. IF YOU NOTICED OR HAD HEARD THAT DID GET HIT. SO, WE WERE REPLACING THAT. WE DID SOME FENCING AT THE LIGHTHOUSE. AS YOU REMEMBER. WE HAD A PROPOSAL AND WE WERE GOING TO DO SOME DIFFERENT FENCING.
WE ARE STICKING TO OUR BASIS RIGHT NOW AND JUST REPAIRED SOME OF THE FENCING THAT WAS DAMAGED UP THERE. AND THEN JOE VELARDE FIELD FENCE WAS DAMAGED BY A TREE COMPANY.
SO, THE MAIN BEACH AND THE JOVOLARI FENCE IS THAT IS BEING PAID FOR BY THE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAD DAMAGED IT. AND THEN NEXT YEAR. WELL NEXT YEAR OCTOBER 1ST. JUST GETTING A HEAD START. WE HAVE LIGHTING AT JOE VELARDE FIELD THAT'S IN OUR BUDGET. SO, I'M GETTING GOING JUMPED ON THAT. AND THEN SHADE STRUCTURE REPLACEMENT AT MAIN BEACH. SO, WE HAVE SOME PROJECTS COMING FORWARD. KIND OF GOT A HEAD START ON SOME OF THOSE THAT I KNOW THAT WE'RE.
I'M PLANNING ON HAVING IN THE BUDGET AND THAT ARE A PRIORITY.
WHAT'S THE TIMING OF THE LIGHTING AT JOE VELARDE? IS THAT A PROJECT THAT TAKES DAYS OR WEEKS OR WHAT? SO RIGHT NOW. SO, WE USE MUSCO LIGHTING. THEY'RE PUTTING AN ENGINEERING PACKAGE TOGETHER. IT TAKES A WHILE.
YEAH. I DON'T HAVE AN EXACT DATE ON IT, BUT I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF THEY'LL MAKE THE.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHEN THE TIME CHANGES, BUT WHEN IT STARTS GETTING DARK, I'M TRYING
[01:05:01]
TO ALSO TIME THAT TOO. IS, I MEAN, FOR COST SAVING PURPOSES. IS, YOU KNOW, IF. IF WE DON'T MOVE FORWARD WITH YBOR ALVAREZ, CAN SOME OF THE LIGHTING BE USED IN OTHER LOCATIONS? THE LIGHT ON THE, ON THE SOCCER SIDE OF THE COMPLEX IS RELATIVELY NEW.IT'S LED LIGHTING. SO I'M. I'M TAKING ALL THAT INTO CONSIDERATION TOO, AS WE MOVE. THERE COULD BE A HUGE COST SAVINGS THERE AS WELL, DEPENDING ON HOW THAT ALL FALLS.
MS. RIVERA, IF YOU DON'T MIND, COULD YOU, COULD YOU RUN THROUGH THE SPECIAL EVENTS, PLEASE? YEAH.
SO, WE ARE HEADING INTO OUR SPECIAL EVENT SEASON.
IT'S THE BUSIEST SEASON OF THE YEAR. THIS WEEKEND WE HAVE THE AMELIA ISLAND DANCE FESTIVAL, SEPTEMBER 10TH THROUGH 13TH. THAT'S SPREAD OUT THROUGHOUT THE CITY, BUT THEIR MAIN EVENT WITH US IS AT CENTRAL PARK. WE HAVE THE SENIOR EXPO ON SEPTEMBER 11TH. THAT'S AT ARC. THE ENDLESS SUMMER WATERMELON RIDE IS SEPTEMBER 12TH AND 13TH. THEIR HOME BASE IS AT ARC, BUT THEY'LL BE RIDING ALL OVER.
WE HAVE FERNANDINA BEACH HIGH SCHOOL HOMECOMING ON SEPTEMBER 18TH. THAT'S A PARADE. WE HAVE THE NASSAU COUNTY SMALL BUSINESS EXPO ON SEPTEMBER 19TH AT THE REC CENTER. ON OCTOBER 26TH, WE DO HAVE OKTOBERFEST, WHICH WILL BE SHUTTING DOWN THE STREET RIGHT IN FRONT OF PJ DAVES AND THEN A PORTION OF CENTER STREET. MORE IMPORTANTLY, THOUGH, ON SEPTEMBER 26TH, WE ARE HOSTING, WHICH SCOTT FORGOT, OUR FALL FESTIVAL AT THE REC CENTER.
THIS YEAR WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A SENSORY HOUR FROM 12 TO 1 WHERE THERE'LL BE DIM LIGHTING, NOT A LOT OF LOUD SOUNDS. AND THEN FROM ONE TO FOUR, WE WILL HAVE OUR FULL FLEDGED FALL FESTIVAL THAT WILL HAVE PUMPKIN PICKING IN OUR POOL, A HAYRIDE, LOTS OF GAMES. AND IF YOU WANT TO PICK A PUMPKIN, YOU NEED TO GO ON OUR WEBSITE AND REGISTER FOR THAT BECAUSE THEY GO QUICKLY.
THEN AFTER THAT, WE HAVE SOUNDS ON CENTER. OUR LAST ONE OF THE SEASON ON OCTOBER 2ND. ISLAND HOP ON OCTOBER 3RD AT CENTRAL PARK.
THE GRAVESITE CHRONICLES ON OCTOBER 10TH AT BASBELLO CEMETERY. FIRE PREVENTION WEEK ON OCTOBER 10TH DOWN AT THE WATERFRONT PARK. AMELIA ISLAND HALF MARATHON ON OCTOBER 10TH AND 11TH, AND THEN HISPANIC HERITAGE FESTIVAL ON OCTOBER 10TH. AND THAT IS DOWNTOWN. CAN'T WAIT.
AND THE ONE THING I JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON REALLY QUICKLY IS OBVIOUSLY, I APPRECIATE MS. CAMPBELL BEING HERE AND GOING THROUGH, THROUGH THE IMPACTS POSSIBLY OF AMENDMENT 3 AND SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE ASKED ABOUT THE GOLF COURSE.
SO I JUST WANT YOU ALL TO BE AWARE OF THAT. I MEAN, OUR DOORS ARE ALWAYS OPEN.
THERE ALWAYS IS WAYS, I THINK, TO LOOK AT AND WHO WE'RE AFFECTING AND THE COST RECOVERY OF THAT STUFF. SO JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU OUR DOORS ARE ALWAYS OPEN AND WE'RE WILLING TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
YOU KNOW, WE JUST HAD OUR FIRST WEDDING AND HOW MANY PRIOR TO ME BEING HERE.
SO AT LEAST TWO, TWO AND A HALF.
SO IT IS, IT'S. IT'S HAPPENING.
AND I KNOW THERE'S ANOTHER WEDDING SCHEDULED JANUARY, IN JANUARY. SO THOSE ITEMS ARE GOING TO HELP.
ALSO, US WORKING ON BRINGING A SIGNATURE EVENT TO THE GOLF COURSE TO HELP OFFSET SOME OF THOSE OPERATING. OPERATING EXPENSES, I THINK IS IMPORTANT. YOU KNOW, JUST, JUST THROWN OUT THERE.
YOU KNOW, AMELIA RIVER, THEY HAVE THE PORSCHE, THE PORSCHE CARS.
AT THE SAME TIME, THE RITZ HAS, YOU KNOW, THEIR CAR SHOW. SO WHAT IS THE SIGNATURE EVENT AT THE FERNANDINA BEACH GOLF COURSE TO HELP OFFSET THOSE OPERATING EXPENSES? SO ONCE AGAIN, OUR DOORS ARE ALWAYS
[8. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS]
OPEN AND WE APPRECIATE THOSE CONVERSATIONS. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.NOTHING ELSE? I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY. DO I NEED TO. I JUST WANTED TO TALK FOR A MINUTE ABOUT BEACH HARMONIZATION AND PLANTINGS.
AND AS THAT GOES FORWARD, I WANT TO BRING TO EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION THAT, THAT THE BEACHES IS. WELL, FROM THE VEGETATED PORTION OUT, WE HAVE THE MARITIME FOREST, WHICH IS A HIGHLY DEVELOPED, RESILIENT SYSTEM THAT'S ACCUSTOMED TO BEING NEAR THE BEACH, SURVIVING THE SALT SPRAY. IF YOU GO OUT ON THE BEACH ON A WINDY DAY, YOUR SUNGLASSES COME BACK COVERED IN SALT.
SO, WHATEVER WE PLANT, WE PROBABLY WON'T BE PLANTING A LOT ON THE BEACH IN DUNE BECAUSE THERE ARE PROTECTION.
[01:10:03]
BUT ANY PLANTINGS WILL BE IN THAT MARITIME FOREST HABITAT.AND ANY PLANTING SHOULD BE NATIVE. THEY SHOULD BE NATIVE TO OUR AREA. THEY SHOULD BE PURCHASED FROM NURSERIES THAT GROW THEM IN OUR AREA. IF YOU BRING THEM FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE STATE OR SOUTH END OF THE STATE, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO SURVIVE.
AND SO YOU WANT TO THINK CAREFULLY ABOUT WHAT YOU PUT IN SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO GO BACK AND REPLACE THE TREES THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, SCORCHED BY THE SALT WIND OR WHATEVER.
JUST LOOKING AT MAGNOLIAS, THERE ARE A LOT OF MAGNOLIAS.
THERE ARE CULTIVARS, THERE ARE HYBRIDS, THERE ARE SPECIES FROM CHINA. WE WANT OUR MAGNOLIA GRANDIFLORA BECAUSE IT KNOWS HOW TO BEHAVE IN THE SALT WIND. SO I'M PUTTING THAT OUT THERE BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT TO START THINKING ABOUT IT NOW. AND AS I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO CALL IT, MY SPECIAL TASK WITH PRAC IS THE PARKS. AND SO I'M OFFERING TO HELP. I'VE TALKED TO SCOTT ABOUT IT, AND ANY WAY I CAN HELP AND BRING ATTENTION TO THAT AND MAKE ANY PLANTINGS ON OUR BEACH HARMONIZATION AND OUR BEACHES SUCCESSFUL AND REFLECTIVE OF THE SENSE OF PLACE WE HAVE HERE.
YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO ADD WITH THAT. IS MEMBER PEARLSTEIN HAD REACHED OUT TO ME REGARDING THE BEACH HARMONIZATION AND THE LIST OF PLANTS SHE HAS REVIEWED THAT I HAVE A. A TEAMS. A TEAMS CALL SET UP THAT MS. PEARLSTEIN WILL BE ON TO REVIEW SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONABLE ONES THAT ARE.
THAT ARE WITHIN THE BEACH HARMONIZATION PLAN. SO SHE WILL JUMP ON THAT CALL WITH ME AS WE GO FORWARD JUST TO MAKE SURE WE GET IT RIGHT HERE, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE GOING DOWN MAIN, YOU KNOW, MAIN BEACH AND NORTH BEACH AS WELL. SO. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME ON THAT.
I REALIZE IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I TALKED ABOUT HOW I GOT ON THIS BOARD. MY POSITION IS NOMINATED BY THE MEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION, AND I'VE BARELY MENTIONED IT OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS. I WANTED TO DO A QUICK REVIEW.
THIS PAST YEAR, WE'VE HAD 99 MEMBERS. YOU CAN JOIN OUR GROUP FOR $65 PER YEAR. STARTS IN THE FISCAL YEAR OCTOBER 1ST.
MGA RUNS TWO BLITZES AND ONE MIXER EACH WEEK, AND ON MOST MONTHS, A MONTHLY TOURNAMENT LATER ON IN THIS FALL. THE OTHER THING THEY ALSO SPONSOR IS A SCHOLARSHIP TRUST WHERE WE AWARDED TWO $2,000 SCHOLARSHIPS FOR THE COMING SCHOOL YEAR, THE TWO DESERVING STUDENTS.
AND WE WILL PROBABLY BE HAVING A FUNDRAISER TOURNAMENT AND I SUPPOSE OCTOBER. AND IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT JOINING, PLEASE CONTACT PRO SHOP OR MYSELF OR ANYBODY ELSE. THANK YOU.
OKAY, I HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS. I ALWAYS SAY THIS AT THE MEETING, BUT I'M GLAD THAT LELAND'S HERE. HIS ABILITY TO KEEP UP THESE PARKS TO THESE, I CONSIDER 120 DAYS OF HEAT THAT WE'VE HAD HAS BEEN REMARKABLE. AND HE SHOULD BE COMMENDED WITH HIS CREW. THEY HAVE REALLY KEPT UP WITH THE PARKS AND THE MAINTENANCE OF THESE PARKS. IT'S NOT JUST CUTTING GRASS. IT'S DOING EVERYTHING ELSE IN.
IN BETWEEN. BETWEEN THE BEACHES AND SERVICING THE BEACHES AND EVERYTHING. LELAND, THANK YOU.
I WILL SAY LELAND ONCE ME TOLD ME HOW MANY ACRES OF GRASS HE HAS TO MOW EVERY WEEK.
EVEN JUST THAT IS A HUGE AMOUNT.
SECOND OF ALL, YOUTH SPORTS IS IMPORTANT.
WE'RE GROWING. WE DO HAVE AN IMPACT FROM NASSAU COUNTY.
SO, I DON'T WANT TO SEE BUDGETS CUT FOR YOUTH SPORTS. I HAVE A SPECIAL INTEREST IN IT.
BUT I'LL TELL YOU, AT THE RATE WE'RE GOING, A LOT OF THE PROGRAMS ARE MAXED OUT.
SOME HAVE FALTERED AT THE WAYSIDE, AND WE'RE GOING TO NEED SPACE. AND WE GOT TO THINK ABOUT THAT FOR THE FUTURE BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE.
IF WE DO NOT GET EBOR, WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH SOME KIND
[01:15:11]
OF A PROGRAM FOR THESE KIDS.SO, KEEP THAT IN THE BACK OF YOUR HEAD. IF YOU WANT TO TALK TO PEOPLE, TALK TO THEM. FIND OUT WHAT THEIR THOUGHTS ARE.
BRING THOSE THOUGHTS TO THE MEETING. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE FIND OUT EVERYTHING WE POSSIBLY CAN TO PREPARE FOR WHATEVER COMES DOWN THE PIKE. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I WILL NOT BE HERE THE NEXT MEETING. I WILL BE IN PARIS. SORRY, GUYS, BUT THANK YOU. AND EVERYBODY HERE. THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.