[1. CALL TO ORDER / ROLL CALL / DETERMINATION OF QUORUM] [00:00:05] FERNANDINA BEACH, SEPTEMBER THE 16TH, 2020, BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT IS NOW CONVENED. MS. SILVIE WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL PLEASE. >> MEMBER MOCK, HERE, MEMBER PAPKE, MEMBER HERTSLET? HERE. MEMBER MILLER, HERE. MEMBER GLEASON IS NOT HERE. >> WE'RE GOING DO HAVE AN ABBREVIATED MEETING, NOT GOING TO SEAT ANYBODY. MS. BACH YOU DON'T NEED TO SAY ANYTHING DO YOU? >> NO, SIR. >> WE'RE NOT GOING TO ADMINISTER THE OATH. THE MINUTES, LET'S LOOK AT THE . BARRY -- [3.1 Approval of Minutes for the August 19, 2020 Regular Meeting] >> WHAT ABOUT THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? >> I JUST STRUCK OVER THAT BUT IF YOU WANT -- >> THAT'S OKAY. >> OKAY. DID YOU LOOK DID HE MINUTES? YOU OR STEPHEN? >> YES I DID. AND WE HAVE GIVEN A PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE LAST WEEK WHICH I DIDN'T REMEMBER. OR LAST MONTH. >> NO, YOU ARE RIGHT. >> BUT I'VE ALREADY TALKED TO DAPHNE ABOUT THAT, SHE'S THE GOT IT UNDER CONTROL. >> ALL RIGHT. NOW SILVIE, ARE YOU GOING TO LET US VOTE ON THESE MINUTES OR UNTIL WE HAVE A QUORUM GLM NO , SO WEHAVE A YOWRM. >> AS LONG AS EVERYONE VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ON THAT. CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE OUR MINUTES FROM LAST MONTH? >> I'LL MAKE A MOTION. >> I GOT A MOTION AND SECOND. >> SECOND. >> SILVIE, WOULD YOU CALL THE VOTE PLEASE. >>THE CLERK: CAN MEMBER HERTSLET, YES, ME PAPKE, YES, MEMBER MOCK, YES. CHAIR MILLER. YES. AND THAT HAS PASSED. AND THEN OUR APPLICANT TONIGHT IS NOT PRESENT. HOWEVER, THEY HAVE COMD WITH COD WITH CITY STAFF THAT FOR VARIOUS REASONS, TYPICALLY BOARD STAFFING AND THE PANDEMIC SITUATION, THAT WE HAVE GOING ON DUE TO OUR VOTING, WE HAVE SUCH LIMITED MEMBERS RIGHT NOW THAT THE VOTING WOULD HAVE TO GO 100% IN THEIR FAVOR, THAT THEY WOULD RATHER POSTPONE THAT. SO WE'RE GOING TO POSTPONE THAT DAPHNE TO NEXT MONTH, IS THAT YOUR UNDERSTANDING WITH THEM? >> CORRECT, YES. >> OKAY, SO THAT'S A DEFINITE DATE AND TIME-CERTAIN SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO READVERTISE ANYTHING WOULD THAT BE CORRECT? >> CORRECT >> AND THE SIGNS WILL REMAIN UP. >> THAT'S CORRECT. >> MS. BACH DID YOU WANT THE BOARD TO VOTE ON THAT? >> NO, YOU DON'T HAVE TO VOTE TO CONTINUE BECAUSE IT WAS IF APPLICANT WITHDRAWING. >> AND IT'S THEIR RIGHT. >> YES, SIR. >> OKAY, ALL RIGHT, SO THAT TAKES CARE OF THAT. IS THERE ANY NEW OR OLD BUSINESS FROM ANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS? WE'VE GOT ONE OTHER ITEM BUT I WOULD JUST LIKE TO GIVE ANYBODY THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY ANYTHING IF YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING ON YOUR MIND. >> WHY IS THE BOARD TALKING ABOUT THE APPLICANT? I DON'T REMEMBER US DOING THAT BEFORE. >> YOU KNOW, AND I CERTAINLY WILL DEFER TO THAT, BUT IT'S JUST -- WE'RE STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW. AND THERE'S NOTHING THAT'S REALLY ETCHED IN STONE. BUT IT WOULD CERTAINLY SEEM THRANLSEEMREASONABLE THAT THEY T TO CONTINUE THE CASE. >> A LOT OF TIMES IF YOU WILL REMEMBER WE'LL HAVE THEM HERE IN THE CHAMBERS AND WE DON'T KNOW UNTIL RIGHT BEFORE THE MEETING STARTS THAT WE'LL ONLY HAVE FOUR VOTING MEMBERS. AND SO WE ALWAYS GIVE THEM THE OPTION TO MOVE IT TO -- SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A UNANIMOUS VOTE. >> DID THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? >> YES. >> SO IN THIS CASE THEY'RE NOT HERE BECAUSE THEY DECIDED TO PULL IT BEFORE. BUT -- AND REALLY IF WE DIDN'T HAVE A MEETING AT ALL AND DAPHNE JUST SET DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE NEXT MEETING, WE USUALLY WOULD HAVE EITHER A NOTICE POSTED AT THE FRONT DOOR THAT IT'S BEEN CANCELLED, OR A STAFF MEMBER THAT STAYS HERE AT LEAST UNTIL 5:15 OR A LITTLE AFTER TO SAY IN CASE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SHOW UP. >> SO I'M ASK FROM THE PUBLIC IC SIDE, THE E-MAIL THAT DAPHNE SAID THAT HAS THE OPPOSITION, [00:05:05] THOSE CARRY WITH THE CONTINUANCE? >> THERE WAS SOME CREDIT CONCERN, THAT STATED THAT THE E-MAILS COULD BE CONSIDERED, THIS WAS ALL PRIOR TO ANY CLARIFICATION THAT WE RECEIVED ON HOW THESE HYBRID MEETINGS WERE GOING TO GO. SO I FORWARDED THOSE E-MAILS BECAUSE THEY RECEIVED THE OLD LETTER WITH THE OLD LANGUAGE. HOWEVER, IN THE FUTURE, MY UNDERSTANDING AND TAMMY YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF THIS IS WRONG. THE E-MAILS WILL NOT BE FORWARD HE AND ALL COMMENTS MUST BE PRESENTED IN PERSON. >> CORRECT. >> OKAY. >> AND THAT COMES RIGHT OUT OF OUR LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE. IT SPECIFICALLY SAYS IN QUASIJUDICIAL HEARINGS THAT THE BOARD CANNOT ACCEPT WRITTEN COMMENTS. OR PHONED-IN, EXCEPT DURING THE PANDEMIC, THAT BASICALLY THE PERSON WHO WRITES THE COMMENT, THE OPINION OR WHATEVER, HAS TO BE HERE AND AVAILABLE FOR CROSS EXAMINATION. >> AND THAT MAKES PERFECT SENSE. >> YES. >> STEPHEN, ANYTHING ELSE? >> NO, SIR. >> OKAY. SO THE LAST THING THAT WE'VE GOT ON OUR AGENDA TONIGHT IS A NEW BOARD MEMBER APPLICANT, [6.1 Board Member Application - Matthew Lanius] MR. MATTHEW LARIUS. DID I PRONOUNCE THAT RIGHT? >> I BELIEVE SO. >> I DO NOT KNOW HIM BUT I WANT TO THANK HIM FOR STEPPING UP TO BE PART OF THE BOARD. WE CERTAINLY NEED A FEW MORE PEOPLE HERE. IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THE BOARD'S POSITION IN THE PAST, AND I'M HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT THIS IF ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS SEES IT DIFFERENTLY, THAT WE DON'T MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON BOARD MEMBERS. AND I THINK THAT'S HOW IT SHOULD BE. THE BOARD, IN MY VIEW, SHOULD REMAIN AS POLITICALLY INDEPENDENT AS WE CAN. ALTHOUGH ALL OF US ARE APPOINTED BY THE CITY COMMISSION AT SOME TIME. AND THEREBY, THE VOTERS ARE REALLY CONTROLLING THE BOARD. BUT I WOULD JUST SAY THAT WE WOULD CONTINUE WITH THIS, AND NOT TAKE AN ISSUE ON THAT. WE WOULD JUST KICK IT UP TO THE CITY COMMISSION. IS THAT -- ANYBODY GOT ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT? >> IS THE CITY COMMISSION APPROVED HIM YET? >> IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE APPLICANT WOULD COME TO CITY STAFF FIRST, THEN COME TO US, AND THEN WE DON'T RECOMMEND OR DENY BUT WE KICK IT UP TO THE CITY AND THEN THEY DISCUSS WHO KNOWS HIM AND WHATEVER ELSE AT THAT POINT. WOULD THAT BE TRUE? >> THAT'S RIGHT. THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE STATES THAT THE BOARD MAY MAKE A RECOMMENDATION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THAT PERSON SHOULD BE APPOINTED BY THE COMMISSION. AND THIS BOARD HAS TRADITIONALLY DECIDED THAT IT WISHES NOT TO MAKE RECOMMENDATION AT ALL AND JUST LET THE COMMISSION DECIDE. >> WHAT DO THE OTHER BOARDS DO? IF THAT DOESN'T PUT YOU ON THE SPOT TO ASK. >> I DON'T MIND AT ALL. THEY'RE ALL PUBLIC, RIGHT? >> YES, THAT'S TRUE. >> I WANT TO SAY THE OTHER BOARDS DO GO AHEAD AND MAKE MOTIONS. THE PLANNING ADVISORY BOARD, IF I RECALL HAS HAD SEVERAL APPLICATIONS BEFORE AND REALLY JUST DIDN'T WANT TO CHOOSE. SO THEY JUST SENT IT UP THAT WAY. SO IF YOU MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, YOU KNOW, AT ONE MEETING DOESN'T MEAN THE NEXT TIME A MEMBER COMES UP, YOU HAVE TO. >> WELL, I'M HAPPY TO DISCUSS THAT WITH THE BOARD. IT JUST SEEMS -- IT SEEMS REASONABLE THAT BECAUSE THE CITY COMMISSION IS ELECTED AND THEY ARE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF OUR CITIZENS, THAT THEY WOULD BE THE ONES THAT WOULD STEER THAT SHIP. WHAT DO YOU THINK BARRY? >> I THINK ARE IF ONE OF THE MEMBERS HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THIS MEMBER, WE SHOULD MAKE A RECOMMENDATION BUT IF WE DON'T KNOW AND HE'S GOING STRAIGHT TO THE COMMISSION, THEN FINE. >> HOW DID HE HAPPEN TO APPLY? DO WE KNOW OR JUST -- WAS IT IN THE PAPERS? >> MAYBE BETTER TO ASK, WHAT WE SHOULD HEAR IN CHAMBERS. >> STEPHEN I COULDN'T QUITE HEAR YOU. >> I'M SORRY. I WAS ASKING, MAYBE IT'S BEST TO ASK TAMMY WHAT WE CAN SHARE IN CHAMBERS ON RECORD. >> WHAT WE CAN SHARE? >> ABOUT THE INDIVIDUAL. >> OH, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SHARE? >> APPARENTLY. >> WELL, I WANTED TO KNOW WHETHER OR NOT I CAN SHARE IT AND ON RECORD. I HAVEN'T GOT ANY -- ALL I'M SAYING IS THAT I DID SOME HOMEWORK ON WHO HE WAS THROUGH LINKEDIN BUT THAT'S IT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE CAN SHARE ON RECORD THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING. >> SO WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT YOU CAN SHARE ANYTHING THAT YOU BELIEVE TO BE TRUE. >> ALL RIGHT. [00:10:06] THIS INDIVIDUAL IS A MIDDLE AGED GUY, HE LOOKS YOUNG. AND HE LOOKS TO WORK FOR REINEER, FOR ADVANCED MATERIALS OUT OF THE FERNANDO PLANT. BASED ON WHAT I CAN FIND ONLINE AND LOOKS LIKE HE'S A QUALIFIED CANDIDATE. IS. >> AND THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH WHAT IS ON HIS MILKS. I'M NOT SURE IF YOU CAN SEE THAT STEPHEN OR IF YOU CAN CLICK ON THAT BUT YES, THAT IS WHAT HE SUBMITTED. AND THEN ALSO, THAT WOULD IS BECAUSE OF HIS EMPLOYMENT THAT WOULD KIND OF PUT HIS NEUTRAL IN A LOT OF THE DECISIONS WE WOULD MAKE. HE'S NOT A BUILDER OR DEVELOPER ON SOMEBODY THAT MAY HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF ISSUE WITH THAT. ANYTHING ELSE STEVEN? >> NO, SIR, I JUST WASN'T SURE WHAT I WAS ALLOWED TO SHARE. I DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE APPLICATION. >> SURE AND I WAS JUST LOOKING OVER THIS. IT SAYS BASICALLY THE SAME THING THAT YOU JUST SAID. HE LIVES OVER IN NATURE'S GATE. HE SO I DON'T SEE WHY THAT WE WOULD TAKE ANY ACTION ON THIS. >> LIKE I SAID, I THINK HE'S FULLY QUCHED. >> QUALIFIED. >> WE'RE NOT GOING TO STAY ANY ACTION JUST KICK THAT UP TO THE CITY COMMISSION, BARRY, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING IN MIND? >> THE ONLY THING, I DON'T KNOW HOW THESE PEOPLE JUST COME OUT OF NOWHERE, WE DON'T ADVERTISE IT IN THE PAPER. >> THEY DON'T COME FROM NOWHERE. WE DO ADVERTISE OPEN POSITIONS ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE. >> OKAY. >> SO ANYBODY THAT IS LOOKING AT THE CITY'S WEBSITE THERE IS ALSO WORD OF MOUTH. I MINE IN THIS TOWN THAT CAN BEE POWERFUL. HE WORKS FOR RANIER. BRADLEY B BEAN WORKS FOR RANIER. DID YOU HAVE OPEN POSITIONS CHECK THE CITY'S WEBSITE. IT IS NOT APRIL AN OPEN SECRET, NOT SOMETHING YOU WOULD HAVE TO CALL ATHE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE TO FIND OUT, IT'S RIGHT OUT THERE ON THE WEBSITE WHAT POSITIONS ON BOARDS ARE AVAILABLE. >> I WAS JUST THINKING, MAYBE THERE SHOULD BE SOMETHING IN THIS APPLICATION THAT SESSION RECOMMENDED BY, DPLO OR YES, WHATEVER, THAT WAY YOU KNOW IF SOMEONE WAS TO RECOMMEND HIM WE CAN TALK TO THEM AND FIND OUT. >> OH GOTCHA. >> CAN WE -- SHOULD WE DO THAT, WE PUT THAT ON IN? >> I DON'T KNOW. YOU CAN ASK TO HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT ON THE APPLICATION. WHEN YOU SAY RECOMMENDED BY YOU, YOU'RE SAYING APPLICANTS WOULD HAVE BASICALLY A RECOMMENDATION FROM EITHER SOMEBODY IN THE COMMUNITY OR -- >> YES, RIGHT. >> SOMETHING LIKE THAT. YOU COULD. THE ONLY THING I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT, THOUGH, IS ALTHOUGH IN THE LAST LET'S SAY THREE YEARS, WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY PROBLEM FILLING ANY EMPTY SEATS ON ANY OF OUR BOARDS. WE HAVE IN THE PAST. AND I KNOW MARCI, YOU KNOW THIS, WE HAVE IN THE PAST HAD A TERRIBLE TIME. I MEAN I KNOW THE CODE ENFORCEMENT BOARD, AT TIMES THIS BOARD COULDN'T GET A QUORUM AND WE COULDN'T FILL EMPTY SEATS, BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A LOT OF INTEREST. THERE IS A LOT OF INTEREST NOW BUT THAT MAY WANE, AND IF THEY DON'T HAVE A RECOMMENDATION THEY FEEL LIKE THEY SHOULDN'T EVEN APPLY. THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW -- >> AND THE OTHER THING IS, HE LIVES IN NATURE'S GATE. SO HE PUTS ON HIS APPLICATION, SO-AND-SO RECOMMENDED -- RECOMMENDED ME TO SERVE ON THIS BOARD. WHO'S MY NEIGHBOR IN NATURE'S GATE. WELL, I CAN THINK OF MAYBE EVERYBODY MIGHT NOT APPROVE OF WHO APPROVED -- RECOMMENDED HIM. >> THAT COULD BE A SLIPPERY SLOPE. >> WHO RECOMMENDED HIM REALLY. IT WOULD BE NICE TO KNOW WHERE IT CAME FROM, THAT'S ALL. >> HE LOOKED ON THE WEBSITE LIKE A SMART CANDIDATE WOULD. >> WORD OF MOUTH, OPEN POSITIONS, HE WAS VOICING HIS INTEREST IN THE CITY. AND, YOU KNOW, AND THEN THE OTHER THING, TOO, IS BIG EMPLOYERS LIKE WESTROP AND RANIER THEY MAY FROM THE TOP ASK THEIR EMPLOYEES TO GET INVOLVED. >> THAT'S WHERE I WAS COMING FROM REALLY. BECAUSE IF THE GUYS WAS FROM WESTROCK AND IT WAS LIKE SIX [00:15:04] MONTHS AGO, YOU MIGHT WONDER, YOU KNOW. >> I MEAN CAN I TELL YOU THIS, THAT THE MILLS HAVE TAKEN MUCH MORE INTEREST AND ARE PLUGGED IN TO EVERYTHING GOING ON IN THE CITY. 20 YEARS AGO THAT WAS 92ND THE CASE. >> REGARDLESS THOUGH THEY WOULD HAVE TO ABSTAIN IF ANY CASE CAME UP RELATIVE TO RANIER. THEY CAN'T HAVE -- >> ABSOLUTELY, YES. >> IF THAT IS -- IF HE IS APPROVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION WOULD THAT STILL LEAVE US ONE SHORT? >> ONE SHORT, CORRECT. >> WE STILL NEED ONE. >> GET THE WORD OUT, MAKE A RECOMMENDATION. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> ANYTHING * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.