Sep 05, 2019 City Council

[Items I - III]

[00:00:02]

PLEASE STAND FOR THE OF ALLEGIANCE.

THANK YOU.

MAY I HAVE THE ROLL CALL, PLEASE.

MAYOR MARCIANO. HERE. VICE MAYOR LITT.

HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER MARINO.

HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER WOODS. HERE.

COUNCIL MEMBER LANE. HERE.

ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONS, DELETIONS OR MODIFICATIONS TO THE AGENDA? NO, SIR. THANK YOU.

WELL, WE'RE GONNA START THE EVENING BY WELCOMING REPRESENTATIVE RICK ROTH TO THE PODIUM.

[Item IV]

THANK YOU.

IS THIS MIC ON? OK, VERY GOOD.

GOOD EVENING, FOLKS.

I THINK WE ALL FEEL A LITTLE BIT OF A SIGH OF RELIEF AFTER FIVE DAYS OF WATCHING ABOUT HURRICANE DORIAN AND THE FACT THAT IT NOT ONLY DID IT MISS PALM BEACH COUNTY, WHICH IT WAS SLATED LOOK LIKE, WAS GOING TO HIT FOR FOR LIKE A WEEK.

AND MATTER OF FACT IT DIDN'T HIT ANY OF FLORIDA AND DIDN'T HIT ANY OF GEORGIA.

IT'S JUST NOW STARTING TO COME [INAUDIBLE].

I THINK WE ALL I THINK WE ALL FEEL GRATEFUL AND GRATITUDE AND RELIEF AND EVEN A LITTLE BIT OF A BLESSING.

SOMEBODY ASKED ME THE OTHER DAY, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE BAHAMAS? I SAID, WELL. YOU KNOW, I'M THANKFUL THAT IT DIDN'T HIT FLORIDA BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO THE BAHAMAS AND WE'RE GOING TO HELP THEM.

SOMEBODY HAS GOT TO HELP THEM.

OKAY. LET ME CUT INTO MY REPORT HERE.

I KIND OF DIGRESS A LITTLE BIT.

I DO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO TO POSTPONE THIS REPORT.

FEELS A LITTLE BIT LIKE OLD NEWS, BUT IT'S REALLY A VERY EXCITING REPORT TO GIVE.

THE COMMON KNOWLEDGE IN TALLAHASSEE WAS SHORTLY AFTER SESSION THAT THIS MAY HAVE BEEN THE BEST LEGISLATIVE SESSION IN OVER 20 YEARS.

THEY'RE COMPARING IT TO 1999, THE FIRST YEAR THAT JEB BUSH WAS GOVERNOR.

THERE WAS VERY BOLD AND INNOVATIVE LEADERSHIP BY BY OUR GOVERNOR DESANTIS AND COURSE, SPEAKER OLIVA AND AND AND PRESIDENT GALVANO OF THE SENATE.

STRONG ECONOMIC NEWS IN UNITED STATES LATELY AND ALSO VERY STRONG, EVEN STRONGER ECONOMIC NEWS IN FLORIDA. AND THAT ALLOWED US TO DO A LOT OF REALLY GOOD THINGS.

SPENT ABOUT TWO AND A HALF PERCENT MORE MONEY THAN WE DID LAST YEAR AND STILL PUT 3.4 BILLION DOLLARS IN RESERVES.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE A FEW YEARS TO REALLY FIGURE OUT WHAT IS THE MAJOR THING THAT WE DID THIS YEAR, BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY GOOD THINGS THAT WE DID TO TRY TO REALLY HELP FLORIDA MOVE FORWARD AND BE THE LEADER, THE ECONOMIC LEADER IN THE UNITED STATES.

AND I SEE THE STATES AS BEING KIND OF A BALANCING ACT WITH WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOING SOMETIMES. SOMETIMES WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE ECONOMICALLY AND SOMETIMES WE'RE AT CROSS PURPOSES. BUT WE DID MAJOR HEALTH CARE LEGISLATION.

WE DID MAJOR TRANSPORTATION LEGISLATION, DID A MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION.

ALSO, WE PASSED MADE DECISIONS ON TWO CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS, MARIJUANA AND AND THE LEGALIZING OF OF I MEAN, VOTER RESTORATION, VOTER FELON VOTER RESTORATION RIGHTS RESTORATION.

SO THAT WAS A MAJOR ONE.

WE ALSO DID TORT REFORM FROM HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE AND WE CONTINUE TO EXPAND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR MOST VULNERABLE CHILDREN.

I GAVE YOU A REPORT IN WRITING WHICH I'M GOING TO TRY TO SHORTEN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, BUT IT IS REALLY GOOD TO KNOW THAT PALM BEACH COUNTY DID GET 16 MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF PROJECTS OUT OF 400 MILLION DOLLARS.

AND PALM BEACH GARDENS ALSO GOT 300 THOUSAND DOLLARS.

ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT WAS FOCUSED ON AGAIN THIS YEAR WAS, YOU KNOW, WATER PROJECTS, SEPTIC TO SEWER.

AND I'M REALLY THANKFUL THAT PALM BEACH GARDENS GAVE ME AN APPROPRIATION BILL TO RUN THAT WAS VERY WELL THOUGHT OUT.

MATCHING FUNDS.

EVERYBODY LIKED IT. AND IT WAS REALLY GOOD THAT WE WERE ABLE TO HELP WITH THAT.

EDUCATION BUDGET DID GO UP.

THE EDUCATION BUDGET WAS TO 22.5 BILLION DOLLARS AND THE INCREASE PER STUDENT WAS $242.60 AND $75.07 OF THAT INCREASE WAS BASE STUDENT ALLOCATION.

THE GOVERNOR RAN AS BEING AN ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNOR.

HE ASKED FOR 625 MILLION DOLLARS AND WE GAVE HIM 683 MILLION DOLLARS.

I GUESS THAT'S CALLED ONEUPMANSHIP, RIGHT? 367 MILLION DOLLARS FOR EVERGLADES RESTORATION TO NAME A COUPLE.

50 MILLION DOLLARS FOR BEACH BEACH NOURISHMENT.

[00:05:02]

ALSO, YOU DID DID A LOT OF OTHER THINGS.

2.9 MILLION DOLLARS FOR HURRICANE MICHAEL AND IRMA RECOVERY JUST TO NAME A FEW.

AGAIN, WE ALSO WERE ABLE TO LOWER YOUR TAXES A LITTLE BIT .

FLORIDA IS THE ONLY STATE THAT HAS A LEASE WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR LEASING PROPERTY, LIKE AN OFFICE LIKE I AM.

YOU PAY SALES TAX.

WE'RE THE ONLY STATE THAT DOES THAT.

AND WE'VE LOWERED THAT PERCENTAGE FROM 5.7 TO 5.5 THIS YEAR, HOPING TO SAVE ABOUT 64 MILLION DOLLARS.

AGAIN, ENVIRONMENT WAS A BIG ISSUE FOR THE GOVERNOR AND WE GOT RED TIDE MITIGATION AND TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION PUT IN THERE.

AND WHAT'S KEY ABOUT THAT IS THAT WE APPROPRIATED 3 MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR FOR THE NEXT 6 YEARS TO HELP FUND THIS MITIGATION TASK FORCE TO REALLY TRY TO FIND A SOLUTION.

WHAT'S WHAT IS IT? WHAT, IF ANYTHING, WE CAN DO TO REDUCE RED TIDE? RED TIDE IS A MAJOR PROBLEM, MOSTLY ON THE WEST COAST, BUT WE DID HAVE PROBLEMS THIS YEAR. I DO TELL REMIND PEOPLE THAT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT TOXIC ALGAE, YOU'RE 90 PERCENT OF THE TIME YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT RED TIDE.

RED TIDE IS TOXIC, BUT IT'S TOXIC IN AN AIRBORNE FORM.

SO IT'S GOOD THAT JUNO BEACH CLOSED SOME OF ITS BEACHES LAST SUMMER, A YEAR AGO, BECAUSE RED TIDE PRODUCES AN AIRBORNE TOXIN AND IF IT COMES, GETS PUSHED CLOSE TO SHORE LIKE IT DID LAST YEAR, THE RIGHT THING TO DO IS TO CLOSE THOSE BEACHES.

SO TOXIC IN AN AIRBORNE WAY IS DANGEROUS FOR PEOPLE.

AND THAT'S THAT'S WHY WE DO THAT.

THERE'S ALSO WANTED TO JUST HIGHLIGHT A LITTLE BIT.

WE ARE A COASTAL COUNTY.

PALM BEACH COUNTY REALLY, YOU KNOW, IS A BIG TOURIST DESTINATION.

AND OUR BEACHES ARE SO IMPORTANT.

AND WE DO HAVE A COASTAL MANAGEMENT BILL WHICH REALLY REVISES AND PROVIDES MORE DETAILS ON THE CRITERIA THAT DEP MUST CONSIDER WHEN RANKING BEACH MANAGEMENT PROJECTS.

SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE A THREE YEAR PLAN GOING FORWARD.

KIND OF LIKE YOU'VE HEARD OF THE FIVE YEAR PLAN OF DOT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A THREE YEAR PLAN FOR BEACHES. LET'S LET'S TRY TO FIGURE THIS OUT AHEAD OF TIME.

LET'S DO IT AND LET'S BE TRANSPARENT.

LET'S SHOW HOW WE'RE GETTING THESE THINGS SO THAT PEOPLE.

HEY, MAN, YOU'RE NOT TREATING PALM BEACH COUNTY FAIR.

THIS IS THE WAY WE DID IT.

I THINK THAT'S MORE TRANSPARENCY IS WHAT EVERYBODY WANTS.

TO FINISH UP ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL, GOVERNOR DESANTIS REALLY SPEARHEADED EXTRA MONEY BEING SPENT ON THE TAMIAMI TRAIL PROJECT, OVER 100 MILLION DOLLARS.

60 MILLION WAS FROM THE LET'S SEE NOW, 40 MILLION WAS WHAT WE PROVIDED AND THEN AN ADDITIONAL 60 MILLION FROM DOT.

AND WHAT WHAT THIS MEANS IS THERE WILL BE AN ADDITIONAL 75 TO 80 BILLION GALLONS OF WATER, MORE WATER GOING SOUTH UNDERNEATH THE TAMIAMI TRAIL ONCE THOSE BRIDGES GET ELEVATED. AND THIS IS GOOD FOR EVERYBODY BECAUSE IT GOES INTO THE EVERGLADES AND INTO FLORIDA BAY. BIG ISSUE FOR THE SPEAKER, SPEAKER OLIVA WAS HOSPITAL LICENSURE.

I PUT THE BILL NUMBER THERE.

IF YOU WANT TO GO ONLINE MYFLORIDAHOUSE.GOV.

ANYBODY WANT TO GO ONLINE.

MYFLORIDAHOUSE.GOV. YOU CAN PUT IN HB 21 AND THIS BILL WILL POP UP AND YOU CAN READ ALL THIS FOR YOURSELF. A CERTIFICATE OF NEED IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

THE CURRENT CURRENT LEGISLATION, CURRENT POLICY WAS CERTAIN HEALTH CARE FACILITIES, MUST OBTAIN AUTHORIZATION FROM AHCA IN ORDER TO CONSTRUCT NEW FACILITIES OR OFFER NEW OR EXPANDED SERVICES.

AND THAT INCLUDES HOSPITALS, NURSING HOMES AND HOSPICES.

THIS LAW WILL ACTUALLY ELIMINATE CERTIFICATE OF NEED.

WE BELIEVE THERE WILL BE SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS, INCLUDING INCREASED COMPETITION AND GREATER AVAILABILITY OF SERVICES AND ALSO DECREASE LITIGATION COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH CHALLENGES. ANOTHER BIG ONE, I WAS TALKING TO A GENTLEMAN FIREFIGHTER OVER HERE.

WE LOVE OUR FIREFIGHTERS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

WE WERE A BIG STATE.

WE REALLY BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD BE A STATE THAT'S A GOOD PLACE FOR VETERANS TO RETIRE.

GOOD PLACE FOR FIRST RESPONDERS TO RETIRE AND THIS YEAR AFTER 15 YEARS PAST CFO ATWATER HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH HELPING US AND HELPING CFO PATRONIS PASS THIS FIREFIGHTER CANCER BILL.

THIS BILL WAS STARTED IN 2004 BY REPRESENTATIVE ATWATER, WHO WAS SERVING YOU AND IS ACTUALLY MY SEAT ALSO NOW IN 2004.

AND EVERYBODY KNOWS BECAUSE HE LATER BECAME THE CFO.

[00:10:02]

SO IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE THAT THE CFO IS REALLY PUSHING THIS THING.

SO WE NOW HAVE 21 SPECIFIC CANCERS ARE NOW COVERED IN CANCER TREATMENT IN THE EMPLOYER HEALTH PLAN RATHER THAN TRYING TO GO THROUGH THE WORKMAN'S COMPENSATION ROUTE.

AND I GAVE YOU SOME MORE DETAILS HERE.

THE TRANSPORTATION BILL I LISTED HERE, AS WE PROBABLY MOST KNOW.

BUT I THINK WHAT'S INTERESTING IS THAT THERE WILL BE THREE REGIONAL TASK FORCE TO STUDY THIS MULTIPLE USE CORRIDORS OF REGIONAL ECONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE PROGRAM TO BUILD THREE NEW TOLL ROADS IN FLORIDA.

ONE OF THE MAJOR REASONS I THINK WE'RE BUILDING THESE ROADS IS BECAUSE CLOGGED ROADS AND PORT, MORE PEOPLE ARE MOVING TO FLORIDA.

BUT ALSO IT'S, YOU KNOW, ESCAPE OUTS.

WE'VE HAD MORE FORCED EVACUATIONS, MANDATORY EVACUATIONS THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS WITH HURRICANES. AND WOULDN'T BE NICE OF THOSE PEOPLE IN NAPLES COULD LEAVE THE STATE OF FLORIDA WITHOUT HAVING TO GET ON I-75 OR THE TURNPIKE BECAUSE I'M LEAVING ON THE TURNPIKE. THEY NEED TO GO ANOTHER WAY.

SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THREE MAJOR CORRIDORS.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS KEY THAT WAS SAID AND I'LL TRY TO MAKE THIS SHORT, IT NOT ONLY ENHANCES TRADE AND TOURISM, BUT ALSO MITIGATES CONGESTION, PROVIDES ADDITIONAL EVACUATION ROUTES.

AND FOR RESIDENTS IN RURAL AREAS OF OUR STATE, INVESTMENT IN BROADBAND, WATER AND SEWER SYSTEMS WILL IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND THE PRESERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES.

ONE OF THE THINGS THEY DID IN THIS LEGISLATION IS SAID WE WANT TO DO IT LIKE WE DID WITH STATE ROAD 429, WHICH IS CALLED THE WEKIVA PARKWAY WHICH WAS BUILT SPECIFICALLY NEXT TO THE WEKIVA RIVER.

AND THEY DID IT IN A WAY THAT WOULD PROTECT THE RESOURCE.

SO BUILDING ROADS AND PROTECTING THE NATURAL RESOURCES IS WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT.

AND I LISTED THOSE THOSE THREE CORRIDORS THERE FOR YOU.

ANOTHER ONE THAT'S IMPORTANT.

THIS ONE IS A LITTLE BIT OF A SAD NOTE.

SENATE BILL 70 30 IS LEGISLATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS PUBLIC SAFETY ACT COMMISSION.

WE ARE STILL DEALING WITH A LOT OF THOSE ISSUES.

OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE REALLY ON THE BEGINNING STAGES OF REALLY IMPLEMENTING SOME OF THE NECESSARY LEGISLATION THAT WAS PASSED.

WE ALL REMEMBER FEBRUARY 14TH, IRONICALLY, IT'S VALENTINE'S DAY, FEBRUARY 14TH, 2018, WHEN 17 STUDENTS WERE KILLED IN PARKLAND.

AND THIS TASK FORCE IS MADE UP OF A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE, INCLUDING RESIDENTS, PARENTS FROM PARKLAND, OF PEOPLE FROM ALL DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE.

AND THEY BASICALLY HAVE SAID ON THIS THAT THEY DECIDED THE SENATE DIDN'T WANT TO DO THIS LAST YEAR. SO THEY DIDN'T.

THEY THEY DID NOT WANT TO PUSH GUARDIANS.

THEY SAID WE'RE GOING TO GO MOSTLY WITH SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS.

THIS YEAR, THEY DECIDED NO, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE NEED TO PUSH THE GUARDIAN PROGRAM MORE.

AS YOU KNOW, THE GUARDIAN PROGRAM COULD COST YOU AS LITTLE AS A 1,000 TO 1,500 DOLLARS PER GUARDIAN EMPLOYEE PER SCHOOL, BECAUSE IT BECAUSE IT'S A PERSON THAT'S ALREADY AN EMPLOYEE OF THE SCHOOL WHERE THEY NOW RECEIVED A 144 HOURS OF TRAINING.

YOU GIVE THEM A WEAPON, YOU GIVE THEM ANNUAL TRAINING.

IT'S MUCH CHEAPER THAN 80,000 DOLLARS PER STUDENT.

I APPLAUD PALM BEACH GARDENS FOR YOU GUYS TAKING THE BULL BY THE HORNS AND PROVIDING PALM BEACH GARDENS OFFICERS FOR YOUR OWN SCHOOLS.

YOU SHOULD BE COMMENDED FOR THAT.

THAT'S A STEP UP TO DO, BUT IT'S A BIG BUDGETARY ITEM FOR YOU.

BUT THE SENATE DID SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'RE GOING TO REMOVE THE PROHIBITION FOR CLASSROOM TEACHERS BEING ABLE TO GO THROUGH THE GUARDIAN PROGRAM.

BUT IT DOES SAY THAT THEY MUST BE APPOINTED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT OR BY THE CHARTER SCHOOL PRINCIPAL.

AND IT ALSO IS SOMETHING THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS TO VOTE ON.

SO THIS IS NOT A PROGRAM THAT'S JUST GOING TO HAPPEN BECAUSE ONE TEACHER WANTS TO BE A GUARDIAN. IT'S A PROGRAM THAT HAS TO BE IMPLEMENTED BY THIS BY THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS TO BE IMPLEMENTED BY THE SHERIFF AND THEN THEY CAN DO IT.

I LISTED A BUNCH OF OTHER DETAILS OUT.

I'LL JUST GO ON DOWN TO THE END TO SAY ONE MORE THINGS.

IT DOES ALSO REQUIRE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO ASSIGN SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS OR SCHOOL SAFETY OFFICERS TO CHARTER SCHOOLS UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES.

THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF ISSUE GOING ON ABOUT THIS.

WE FEEL VERY STRONGLY IN THE LEGISLATURE THAT CHARTER SCHOOLS, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE OBVIOUSLY ARE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

THEY HAVE DIFFERENT CRITERION AND DIFFERENT SUPERVISION.

THAT'S WHAT MAKES THEM CHARTER SCHOOLS.

BUT THEY ALSO NEED TO HAVE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS.

SKIPPING A FEW OTHERS HERE TO TO SHORTEN THIS UP.

I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS.

[00:15:02]

SO WHEN WE WHEN WE SPENT A WEEK TRYING TO DO THE FELON VOTING RIGHTS RESTORATION BILL, WHICH WAS IMPLEMENTING THE AMENDMENT 4 FELON VOTING RIGHTS, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS.

BUT THIS IS THIS IS A PRETTY GOOD, GOOD WAY OF THINKING ABOUT THIS, IN MY OPINION.

WHAT I LEARNED WAS LISTENING TO A WEEK'S WORTH OF DEBATE ON THE FLOOR.

AND WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT IT IS IS THE WAY WE DO CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS ON THE BALLOT. I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THIS, THAT CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS ARE WRITTEN AS VAGUELY AS POSSIBLE TO GET THE JOB DONE AND TO GET PASSED.

GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.

THERE WAS ONLY LIKE 16 WORDS IN THE AMENDMENT FOR AMENDMENT 4, AND THEY DIDN'T MENTION THE ONE WORD THAT WOULD HAVE CLARIFIED A LOT OF THE CONTROVERSY WE'RE HAVING TODAY.

EVERYBODY KNOW WHAT THAT WORD IS? RESTITUTION.

WHY DID THEY NOT PUT RESTITUTION CLEARLY IN THE AMENDMENT? BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE THAT WERE AGAINST RESTITUTION MAYBE WOULD HAVE VOTED NO IF YOU SAID IT REQUIRED RESTITUTION.

SO THE POINT IS IT'S A NORMAL PRACTICE TO MAKE A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT AS VAGUE AS POSSIBLE TO GARNER AS MUCH VOTES.

SO IF THAT'S THE CASE, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THAT MEANS THAT SOMEBODY HAS TO IMPLEMENT THE BILL.

SOMEBODY HAS TO PUT SOME MORE SPECIFICITY.

IT CAN BE A STATE AGENCY OR IT CAN BE YOUR STATE LEGISLATURE.

WE DECIDED THAT IT WAS BETTER FOR THE ELECTED PEOPLE TO DO IT RATHER THAN SOMEBODY THAT'S UNELECTED. AND WE WILL TAKE THE HEAT FOR IT.

AND WHAT WE DID IS WE HAD TO DO SEVERAL THINGS.

WE HAD TO DEFINE MURDER IN THE STATE CONSTITUTION.

NO DEFINITION.

WE HAD TO DEFINE IT.

WE ALSO HAD TO DEFINE THE SEXUAL THE SEXUAL ACTIVITY, THE SEXUAL BATTERY AND ALL THAT.

WE HAD TO DEFINE ALL THAT TOO.

BUT THE MAIN POINT I REALLY WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND IS SOMEBODY HAS TO IMPLEMENT THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.

WHEN YOU RUN A BILL THROUGH THE HOUSE AND THEN THE SENATE, AND THEN IT HAS TO PASS AND BE EXACTLY THE SAME. AND THEN THE GOVERNOR STILL HAS TO SIGN IT.

YOU'VE GONE THROUGH A COMMITTEE PROCESS.

YOU'VE GONE THROUGH THE AMENDMENT PROCESS.

YOU MAY HAVE ADDED 10 WORDS.

YOU MAY HAVE TAKEN OUT 2 WORDS.

YOU HAVE DONE ALL THE SPECIFICITY THINGS BEFORE YOU VOTE ON IT.

THE PROBLEM WITH THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT IS IT IS PURPOSELY VAGUE.

AND THAT'S WHY I THINK SOMETIMES IT'S A TOUGH WAY TO GET THINGS DONE.

I JUST WANT TO MENTION, BECAUSE THIS WAS THREE YEARS IN THE MAKING.

WE DID ACTUALLY DO SOME TORT REFORM.

I TELL PEOPLE IT'S A LITTLE IT SHOULDN'T BE SURPRISING TO YOU SINCE TWO YEARS AGO, BOTH OF THE LEADERS OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE WERE LAWYERS.

I'M LOOKING AT MATT WHILE I'M SAYING THAT.

AND BUT THEY'RE NOT NOW.

SO WE WERE ABLE TO GET TORT REFORM AND IT'S CALLED, AS WE CALL IT, IN THE TRADE ASSIGNMENT OF BENEFITS.

THE BILL WAS CALLED INSURANCE ASSIGNMENT AGREEMENTS AT 70 65.

BUT WE DID FINALLY GET THAT DONE.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID, WE ACTUALLY SAID WE CAN YOU CAN ACTUALLY, AS AN INSURANCE COMPANY, WRITE A POLICY WHERE THE HOMEOWNER CAN NOT ASSIGN AWAY HIS BENEFITS.

AND MY RECOMMENDATION ANYBODY THAT'S LISTENING, IF YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT SIGNING AWAY YOUR RIGHTS TO SETTLE THE SUIT TO A BUILDING CONTRACTOR IN ORDER FOR HIM TO FIX YOUR PLUMBING, I WOULD RECOMMEND INSTEAD JUST CALL YOUR INSURANCE AGENT.

YOUR INSURANCE AGENT IS THE GUY YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE TALKING.

HE'S SUPPOSED TO BE CALLING YOU ONCE A YEAR ANYWAY, RIGHT? HEY, I'M STILL HERE. YOU'RE PAYING YOUR YOU'RE PAYING YOUR 4,000 DOLLARS A YEAR FOR HOMEOWNER'S INSURANCE. I HOPE YOU STILL LIKE ME, RIGHT? SO THAT'S WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AS PEOPLE WERE NOT TALKING TO THEIR INSURANCE AGENTS.

INSTEAD, THEY WERE SIGNING AWAY THEIR RIGHTS TO THE BUILDING CONTRACTOR OR WHATEVER.

THE LAST ONE I'LL MENTION IS EDUCATION, BECAUSE EVERYBODY ALWAYS WANTS TO TALK ABOUT EDUCATION. WE DID PASS ANOTHER EDUCATION BILL THIS YEAR AND IT DID EXPAND EDUCATION, CHOICE AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOW INCOME FAMILIES.

SUPPORTS PUBLIC SCHOOLS BY EXPANDING STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES.

BENEFITS TEACHER BY REMOVING YOU'VE HEARD THIS REMOVES TEACHER CERTIFICATION BARRIERS LIKE WHAT WAS YOUR S.A.T.

SCORE THIRTY FIVE YEARS AGO? JUST A LITTLE MINOR THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND ALSO WE HAD FAMILY EMPOWERMENT SCHOLARSHIPS WILL ALLOW SPECIFICALLY 18,000 PEOPLE THAT ARE ON WAITING LISTS FROM LOW INCOME FAMILIES TO ATTEND ELIGIBLE PRIVATE SCHOOLS.

AND THEN WE ALSO CHANGED THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST TEACHERS AND PRINCIPAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM BECAUSE WE REALIZED SCHOOL RETENTION OF THESE TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

AND WE THINK GIVING ANNUAL BONUSES TO TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS WILL HELP DO THAT.

[00:20:05]

OH, MY CLOCK DIDN'T WORK.

ANYBODY TIME ME? HOW FAR DID I GO? THAT'S OK.

WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO.

WELL, NO. ONE MORE THING I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT AGAIN.

IN CLOSING, I'M SORRY, VICE MAYOR RACHELLE LITT ASKED ME THIS QUESTION.

I SAID I WOULD ANSWER FROM THE PODIUM.

WE DID GET OUR COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO, ACTUALLY, LIKE LAST WEEK.

AND I DID.

I DID RETAIN MY VICE CHAIR OF AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES APPROPRIATIONS.

THAT'S THAT'S A COMMITTEE THAT'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO TO HOPEFULLY SPEND MORE DOLLARS ON SEPTIC TO SEWER AND OTHER WATER PROJECTS AND OTHER PROJECTS FOR LOCAL AND COUNTY.

AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING THAT.

HOPEFULLY, WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB OF THAT THIS YEAR.

THE GOVERNOR MAYBE WON'T TAKE SO MUCH OF THE MONEY FOR HIS PROJECTS AND WE CAN DO THAT.

I DID GET A NEW COMMITTEE AG AND NATURAL RESOURCES SUBCOMMITTEE, WHICH IS POLICY.

I AM A FARMER, SO THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.

I ALSO GOT A NEW VICE CHAIR, CHILDREN'S FAMILIES AND SENIORS, AND THAT'S VERY APPROPRIATE BECAUSE AT THIS POINT I'M PLANNING TO DO HOPEFULLY TWO ADOPTION BILLS.

ONE OF THE THINGS I DO FOCUS ON IN THE LEGISLATURE IS THINGS THAT REALLY CAN HELP THE CHILDREN.

I'M PRETTY MUCH BELIEVE KIND OF LIKE 4H.

4H IS AN AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVE EXTENSION PROGRAM STARTED OVER A HUNDRED YEARS AGO.

YOU KNOW WHY THEY STARTED 4H? BECAUSE PHD RESEARCH SCIENTISTS WOULD COULD NOT GET FARMERS A HUNDRED YEARS AGO WITH A SECOND GRADE EDUCATION TO IMPROVE THE NUTRITION OF THEIR CATTLE.

THEY WOULDN'T LISTEN. SO THEY STARTED A 4H PROGRAM TO TEACH THE CATTLEMAN'S CHILDREN AND THEY GROW UP AND BECOME CATTLE RANCHERS AND THEY WILL TAKE BETTER CARE OF THEIR COWS.

SO THE 4H PROGRAM WAS TARGETING THE FACT THAT IT'S EASIER IF WE CAN CHANGE THE KIDS AND WE CAN TEACH THE KIDS AT A YOUNG AGE TO DO A BETTER JOB OF TAKING CARE OF YOUR COWS, FEEDING THEM BETTER NUTRITION.

EVERYBODY WOULD BE BETTER OFF.

THAT'S WHAT I BELIEVE AS A REPRESENTATIVE, IF WE CAN FOCUS MORE OF OUR ATTENTION ON ON HELPING CHILDREN WHEN THEY'RE AT A YOUNG AGE WHERE THEY WERE IN FOSTER CARE, WHETHER THEY CAN BE ADOPTED OR WHATEVER THAT REALLY IS THE BIGGEST BANG FOR THE BUCK IS START EARLY AND SOLVE THE PROBLEMS EARLY.

AND WITH THAT, I'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR REPRESENTATIVE ROTH? VERY BRIEFLY, REPRESENTATIVE ROTH, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK, YOUR ATTENTION TO CONSTITUENT SERVICE AND COMMON SENSE SOLUTIONS TO FLORIDA'S PROBLEMS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

PLEASE, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HELPING AGAIN NEXT YEAR.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

JUST THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, REPRESENTATIVE ROTH.

I'LL STICK AROUND FOR A WHILE TO WATCH YOU GUYS.

WELL, WE DO HAVE ONE ORDINANCE 18 TONIGHT THAT IS IN REGARDS TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE.

SO YOU'RE WELCOME TO STAY.

AND THANK YOU FOR COMING AGAIN AND BEING HERE WITH US AND GIVING YOUR REPORT.

LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEMS OF RESIDENT INTEREST AND BOARD COMMITTEE REPORTS.

[Item V]

BY THE GRACE OF GOD, WE DID NOT GET HIT BY THIS ONE.

AND I'M SURE THE COMMUNITY WILL COME TOGETHER TO DO WHAT WE CAN FOR THE BAHAMAS AND THE CAROLINAS WHO ARE NOT OUT OF THIS THING YET.

I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT ROCCO'S TACOS LOCATIONS AND WE HAVE ONE RIGHT HERE ON PGA ARE ACCEPTING DONATIONS TO GO OVER TO THE BAHAMAS.

AND I WILL POST ON MY WEBSITE ANYTHING THAT COMES FORWARD WITH OTHER PLACES THAT PEOPLE CAN DONATE. THE TWO BIG THINGS THAT I DID THIS MONTH WERE THE STATE LEAGUE OF CITIES CONFERENCE IN ORLANDO.

FORMER MAYOR MARINO AND I WENT UP FOR FOUR DAYS AND IT WAS INTERESTING.

AGAIN, [INAUDIBLE] IS THE MAIN THING THAT WAS ON THE MINDS OF EVERYONE.

BUT WE DID HAVE A VIDEO VISIT FROM SENATOR RUBIO AND WE HAD AN ACTUAL IN-PERSON VISIT FROM THE GOVERNOR. AND IT'S A BIG DEAL BECAUSE THE LEAGUE OF CITIES HASN'T SEEN THE GOVERNOR IN QUITE A WHILE.

AND I'M GLAD REP.

ROTH TALKED ABOUT ALL THE WATER ISSUES, BECAUSE THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT THE GOVERNOR DISCUSSED. SO I DON'T HAVE TO GO INTO THAT.

BUT A LOT ABOUT THE EVERGLADES, LAKE OKEECHOBEE AND ENSURING THAT FLORIDA HAS THE WATER QUALITY THAT WE NEED GOING FORWARD.

WE ALSO AT OUR GOLD COAST BREAKFAST, WHICH IS MIAMI DADE, MONROE, PALM BEACH AND BROWARD COUNTIES. HAD DREW BARTLETT SPEAK TO US.

[00:25:03]

IT WAS MORE OF A LOCAL DISCUSSION ABOUT THE WATER ISSUES AND HOW WE FIT INTO THE STATE PICTURE. A LOT ABOUT LAKE OKEECHOBEE WATER LEVELS AND HOW THIS CHANGED TO THE TAMIAMI TRAIL THAT REPRESENTATIVE ROTH SPOKE ABOUT IS GOING TO DEFINITELY BE A GAME CHANGER FOR THE EVERGLADES. SO WE ALSO GOT TO SEE AND I'M SURE MARIA WILL AGREE HOW PALM BEACH GARDENS COMPARES TO A LOT OF THE OTHER CITIES OUT THERE.

AND WHEN WE THINK WE HAVE ISSUES AND WE'RE GOING THROUGH THINGS, AIN'T NOTHING COMPARED TO WHAT SOME OF THE OTHER CITIES ARE FACING IN THE STATE.

SO WE DO IT RIGHT HERE.

AND AGAIN, THAT'S THANKS TO TO STAFF AND MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS.

THE OTHER THING THAT WE DID ALSO INVOLVES LEGISLATIVE ISSUES.

PALM BEACH NORTH CHAMBER, THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE CALLED TOGETHER A ROUNDTABLE OF ALL LOCALS STAKEHOLDERS.

IT INCLUDED OUR COLLEGES, OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THE NORTH COUNTY AREA AND THE AIDES AND STATE LEGISLATORS.

AND WHAT WE DISCUSSED WAS HOW WE COULD WORK TOGETHER TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE THIS YEAR IN TALLAHASSEE.

SO WHEN OUR COLLEGES NEED BACKUP, WHEN THEY NEED FUNDING FOR A PROJECT THAT'S GOING TO AFFECT US RIGHT HERE AT HOME, HOW WE AS A COMMUNITY CAN HELP SUPPORT THEM TO GET WHAT THEY NEED AND HOW WE CAN SUPPORT EACH OTHER ON HOME RULE ISSUES.

SO THEY WERE THE TWO BIG THINGS THEY DID THIS MONTH.

MATTHEW. I'D ALSO LIKE TO FOLLOW UP WITH WHAT MICHELLE SAID.

THANK RON OUR STAFF FOR REALLY PREPARING OUR CITY WELL FOR THE HURRICANE.

WE FELT VERY SECURE IN MY HOUSE.

BRIEFLY, ITEMS OF REV IT RESIDENTS INTEREST.

I ATTENDED THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEETING AT THE PALM BEACH NORTH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. THE RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY FOR THE NEW STATE OF THE ART STEM SMART LAB AT ST.

MARK'S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL.

THE PALM BEACH GARDENS HEALTH EXPO.

AN UNFORGETTABLE BREAKFAST AT THE PALM BEACH NORTH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

GOOD GRIEF AND A PRESENTATION BY MAYOR KEITH JAMES AT THE ECONOMIC FORUM ON BEACHES AND MANY, MANY MEETINGS WITH CONSTITUENTS TO ADDRESS THEIR CONCERNS.

MARIA.

GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY. TO FOLLOW UP ON WAYS WE CAN HELP FOR THE HURRICANE.

SEVERAL YEARS AGO, AN ORGANIZATION CALLED PALM BEACH COUNTY CARES WAS STARTED WHEN WE HELPED THE VICTIMS OF PUERTO RICO AND HURRICANE MARIA.

IT HAS STARTED UP AGAIN.

THERE IS IT WILL BE ON MY WEB SITE.

THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE COLLECTING DONATIONS, COLLECTING MONEY.

THERE ARE SPECIFIC WAYS TO GET YOUR DONATIONS AND YOUR DOLLARS THERE.

WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL HOW YOU DO IT.

SO THERE IS A LIST OF SUPPLIES THAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR SPECIFICALLY.

THIS WAS NEMA APPROVED FOR DONATED FOOD AND SUPPLIES AND IT IS ACTUALLY BEING COLLECTED AT TROPICAL SHIPPING.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO GO WHERE IT'S SUPPOSED TO GO.

THESE ARE THE ONE THING THAT'S THE CAVEAT THAT WE LEARNED FROM HURRICANE MARIA WAS YOU REALLY HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT YOU'RE DONATING GOES WHERE IT NEEDS TO GO.

SO I WILL.

TROPICAL SHIPPING, CARGO RECEIVING IS COLLECTING MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, 8:00 A.M.

TO 4 P.M. IN RIVIERA BEACH.

THIS WILL BE ON MY WEB SITE.

RON, YOU CAN PUT THIS LIST ON THE WEB SITE ALSO.

THE NORMAL MEETINGS, PALM BEACH COUNTY LEAGUE OF CITIES BOARD MEETING AND LUNCHEON MEETING, TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AGENCY BOARD MEETING AND STRATEGIC PLANNING MEETING, ECONOMIC COMMITTEE MEETING.

FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE EVER SEEN ME DANCE, THERE WAS A DANCING WITH THE STARS BENEFIT FOR THE WOMEN'S CHAMBER FOUNDATION AND I DRESSED UP LIKE SANDY FROM GREECE AND DANCED MY LITTLE FEET OFF.

AND IT WAS A LOT OF FUN. AND THANK YOU FOR SEVERAL PEOPLE FROM WHO ARE IN THIS ROOM THAT CAME OUT TO SUPPORT ME.

I COULD CONTINUE WITH THAT.

GO RED FOR WOMEN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE KICK OFF MEETING THE.

I WAS ACTUALLY HONORED TO BE INVITED TO GIVE THE INVOCATION AT THE GOLD COAST BREAKFAST FOR THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES.

I HAVE MET WITH MEMBERS FROM BIG HEART BRIGADE, AS MATTHEW SAID, THE BREAKFAST WITH DR.

[INAUDIBLE], WHICH WAS THE PALM BEACH NORTH BREAKFAST BEFORE OURS JOINT LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WHICH REALLY WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US JUST TO GET YOUR LEGISLATORS IN A DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT THAN AND NOT BE A COMBATIVE ENVIRONMENT.

IT WAS JUST A AN EXCHANGE OF IDEAS AND QUESTIONS.

THE PALM BEACH ANNUAL PALM BEACH NORTH ANNUAL WOMEN'S TEA AND FASHION SHOW, HAWAIIAN LUAU TO BENEFIT THE QUANTUM HOUSE, WAXAHACHIE RIVER PRESERVATION INITIATIVE MEETING, FORUM CLUB MEETING.

AND I HAVE TO SAY THE FORUM CLUB FORUM CLUB BOARD MEETING AND OUR FORUM CLUB LUNCHEON,

[00:30:02]

AND I THINK EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM REALLY ENJOYED AND REALLY LEARNED FROM WHAT HE HAD TO SAY. I ALSO HAD, BEING A UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT ALUMNI, WAS INVITED TO TALK TO UTC CARRIER RECRUITMENT PRESENTATION BECAUSE MY FELLOW ALUMNI WHO ARE WORKING AT UTC IN CONNECTICUT, THEY'RE TRYING TO BRING THEM HERE.

SO IT WAS FUN TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK WITH THEM.

AND I WALKED IN THE ROOM WITH MY UCONN HAT ON AND THAT'S IT.

WELL, BESIDES ALL THE MISCELLANEOUS MEETINGS THAT WE DO GO TO SO WE CAN STAY INFORMED WITH, YOU KNOW, WITH WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND THE COMMUNITY IN THE STATE.

FOR SOME REASON, THE LAST FEW MONTHS HAVE BEEN MORE INGRAINED WITH THE CONTRACTORS ON DEVELOPMENTS THAT'S GONNA BE COMING UP PROBABLY OVER THE NEXT YEAR.

SO I'VE BEEN MEETING WITH CONTRACTORS A LOT THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS AND SOME PEOPLE IN SPECIFIC COMMUNITIES THAT ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES.

BUT, RICK, I WANT TO SAY THANKS FOR WORKING SO HARD.

I MEAN, IT'S OBVIOUS YOU'VE COME A LONG WAY IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.

AND, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE YOUR SO INGRAINED THERE.

SO I APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION AND KEEPING US INFORMED ON WHAT YOU HAVE GOING ON.

I DID ATTEND ONE OF THE EOC MEETINGS AND WE ALL BRAG ABOUT THE CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS. AND THIS WAS A BOMB.

WE WE WE MISSED A BOMB.

THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN OVER A CATEGORY SIX IF WE WOULD HAVE IT WOULD'VE BEEN A CATEGORY SIX OR WAS A CATEGORY SIX TECHNICALLY OVER THE BAHAMAS.

BUT IF IT WOULD HAVE CAME DUE EAST, THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO TO CONTROL THE DAMAGE THAT THAT WOULD THAT WE WOULD ALL SUSTAIN AND WE WOULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT.

BUT THE CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS AS BEING AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, WHICH I'M STILL JUST A CITIZEN ATTENDING THIS MEETING THERE.

EVERYTHING WAS JUST ON POINT AND STAFF WAS JUST CLICKING AND THE COMMUNICATION WAS THERE AND THE EQUIPMENT WAS BEING MOVED AND THEY COULDN'T HAVE BEEN BETTER PREPARED FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS CATASTROPHIC EVENT HAPPEN IN THE BAHAMAS.

SO, YOU KNOW, MY PRAYERS GO OUT TO THE BAHAMAS.

YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS EXPOSING ON WHAT WE CAN DO.

YOU KNOW, CHRIST FELLOWSHIP IS GONNA BE SENDING OVERALL, YOU KNOW, DOING WHAT THEY CAN DO, WHICH IS WHAT I'M INVOLVED WITH.

OTHER THAN THAT, I JUST YOU KNOW, I'M THANKFUL WE'RE ALL HERE TONIGHT SO WE CAN DO BUSINESS. I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE'RE ALL SAFE AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

THANK YOU.

THANKS. OK.

SOME NORMAL EVENTS. ST.

MARKS, THAT RIBBON CUTTING. MATTHEW AND I WERE THERE TOGETHER.

PALM BEACH NORTH CHAMBER BREAKFAST, ECONOMIC FORUM WITH KEITH JAMES, PALM BEACH NORTH GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS. ACTUALLY, IT WAS A VERY GOOD MEETING.

I THINK WE SHOULD DO THAT EVERY YEAR. AND I'M GLAD THE CHAMBER INITIATED THAT THAT ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION JUST SO WE ALL GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMALLY AND WE CAN PUT FACES TO NAMES.

[INAUDIBLE] HUNT CLUB GROUNDBREAKING.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE EOC MEETING, I GET A CHANCE TO SIT IN ONE OF THOSE.

DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE EVER WATCHES THE NEWS OR MSNBC.

APPARENTLY, I WAS ON TV TALKING ABOUT REALLY ABOUT WHAT THE CITY WAS DOING.

AND IT WAS IMPRESSIVE TO BE ABLE TO TALK TO THE MEDIA ABOUT WHAT OUR STAFF WAS DOING IN PREPARATION FOR THE STORM. I MEAN, WE ARE OUT IN FRONT OF IT, BUT ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE BACK THERE DID SUCH A WONDERFUL JOB GETTING THE CITY PREPARED FOR A STORM.

SO, AGAIN, YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD IT FROM ALL OF US, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS.

AND YOU'VE DONE THIS BEFORE.

I CAN TELL. SO YOU'RE YOUR RESIDENTS MAY NOT KNOW IT ARE THE WORK THAT WAS DONE BEHIND THE SCENES, BUT WELL DONE. AND THANK YOU.

AND THAT'S REALLY IT.

RON, CITY MANAGER, DO YOU HAVE A REPORT? JUST A COUPLE ITEMS AND I'LL CONTINUE ON WITH THE DISCUSSION REGARDING OUR LATEST DORIAN

[Item VII (Part 1 of 2)]

AND YEAH, CARL WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO COME BY AND SEE US WHEN WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR MEETING. IT WAS OUR SECOND MEETING AND WE WERE BATTENING DOWN ALL OF THE SMALL ISSUES THAT WE'D MISSED IN OUR FIRST MEETING, WHICH WERE BIG ISSUES, ACTUALLY.

SO I WAS VERY PROUD OF THE STAFF AND THE WAY THAT THEY RESPONDED.

WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A WHILE.

YOU KNOW, MOST OF OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS AND A LOT OF THE OTHER SUPERVISORS AND MANAGERS AND EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME.

WE HAVE A VERY GOOD RETENTION RECORD.

AND IT WAS I DON'T MEAN TO BELITTLE THIS, BUT IT WAS ALMOST ROUTINE FOR US.

EVERYONE JUST SPRANG INTO ACTION AND DIDN'T HAVE TO BE TOLD WHAT TO DO.

THEY KNEW WHAT TO DO. WE'D BEEN DOING IT FOR SO LONG.

AND UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF DAVID REYES, OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR, WHO MAKES IT A LOT EASIER FOR ALL OF US GIVING US GOOD MANAGEMENT AND ADVICE AND CONSULTING, WE CONSULTED ON MANY OCCASIONS ON WHICH WAY TO GO WITH THIS STORM, GIVEN ITS PARTICULAR

[00:35:01]

SO THE DECISIONS WERE CRITICAL, BUT THEY WERE WELL DONE.

THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER WAS UP AND RUNNING FLAWLESSLY.

ALL SIX STATIONS WERE MANNED READY AND EQUIPPED FLAWLESSLY.

WE WERE READY TO ROLL AND EVERYBODY KNEW THEIR JOB AND THEY DID IT WELL.

SO I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW PROUD I AM OF THEM AND OF THEM FOR THEIR QUICKNESS.

AND FRANKLY, THE FACILITIES WERE SECURED TWO DAYS IN ADVANCE OF OUR OWN SCHEDULE.

I DON'T KNOW HOW WE DID THAT, BUT SOMEHOW OR OTHER, THE EMPLOYEES OUT THERE DID IT.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE DID GET NOTIFIED FROM OUR SISTER CITY, CALLOWAY, WHO WE HELPED A LOT A GREAT DEAL FROM THEIR HURRICANE MICHAEL, WHO WAS STANDING BY TO RENDER WHATEVER ASSISTANCE THEY COULD GIVE US.

AND THEY WANTED US TO KNOW THAT THEY WERE PUTTING TOGETHER SUPPLIES AND THINGS TO COME AND TAKE CARE OF US LIKE WE TOOK CARE OF THEM.

GOD BLESS THEIR SOULS FOR WHAT THEY WENT THROUGH A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.

BUT THEY WERE READY TO COME AND HELP US.

AND THANK GOODNESS THE STORM WENT NORTH.

I MEAN, I DON'T WISH THAT ON ANYBODY, BUT THANK GOODNESS IT WASN'T HERE.

SO I AM I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW PROUD I AM OF ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES WHO SPRANG INTO ACTION THE WAY THEY DID. THEY KNOW THEIR JOBS, THEY'RE SEASONED.

THEY'RE VETERANS.

AND YOU JUST CAN'T BEAT THEM.

CAN'T BEAT THEM. WITH THAT, I HAVE ONE OTHER THING TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION ONCE AGAIN.

THE NATIONAL PROCUREMENT INSTITUTE HAS AWARDED THE CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS THE ACHIEVEMENT OF EXCELLENCE IN PROCUREMENT AWARD FOR PUBLIC PROCUREMENT BEST PRACTICES.

I KNOW. AND IT'S BASED ON.

ON INNOVATIVE PROFESSIONALISM, DEED PROCUREMENT, PRODUCTIVITY, LEADERSHIP AND GOOD PROCUREMENT FUNCTIONS.

AND WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE KM RA.

OUR STAFF OF ONE ALWAYS DOES A FANTASTIC JOB.

DEPARTMENT HEAD, DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL.

WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE A PROFESSIONAL THAT KM RA IS TO BRING US THE LEADERSHIP HE BRINGS US IN PROCUREMENT.

THERE'S NONE BETTER. WE APPRECIATE YOU, KM RA.

RIGHT? YES.

HE KEEPS THEM ALL STRAIGHT.

ALL RIGHT, WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND THAT'S MY REPORT.

THANK YOU. THANKS FOR REMINDING ME.

BUT THE E-MAIL FROM PAM HENDERSON FROM CALLAWAY, I FORGOT TO MENTION IT.

SO THANKS FOR MAKING THAT COMMENT BECAUSE IT WAS NICE TO GET AN E-MAIL FROM THEM JUST THAT THEY WERE THINKING ABOUT US.

I'M SORRY, I DID SKIP COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.

LET'S GO BACK AND DO THAT NOW.

TOM CARNES NAME ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.

[Item VI]

I WAS NERVOUS FOR A WHILE BECAUSE EVERY TIME I COME TO A COUNCIL MEETING, THE CITY IS ALWAYS GETTING AN AWARD FOR BEING THE BEST SOMETHING.

AND HE HELD IT OUT RIGHT TILL THE END THERE, RON.

I DIDN'T THINK THAT HE HAD AN AWARD FOR IT TONIGHT, BUT I'M VERY HAPPY.

AND CONGRATULATIONS.

GOOD EVENING. MAYOR.

COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY MANAGER.

I'M HERE TONIGHT REPRESENTING THE PGA CORRIDOR ASSOCIATION.

THE ORDER IS TO PRESERVE, ENHANCE AND PROMOTE THE PGA CORRIDOR AS THE PREMIER BUSINESS LOCATION IN PALM BEACH COUNTY.

AND THAT'S KINDA EASY TO DO WHEN YOU'RE IN THE PREMIER CITY IN THE STATE.

I'VE HEARD THAT FROM SEVERAL PEOPLE AT PALM BEACH GARDENS IS REALLY THE BEST CITY IN THE STATE. THE PGA CORRIDOR ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN PROVIDING A VOICE FOR THE BUSINESS AND PROPERTY OWNERS OF PALM BEACH GARDENS SINCE 2000.

THIS IS OUR 19TH YEAR THIS YEAR IS OUR 20TH ANNIVERSARY.

THEIR GUIDING PRINCIPLES ARE TO PROMOTE QUALITY BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, INFORM MEMBERS ON ISSUES IMPACTING THE PGA CORRIDOR AND TO TAKE POSITIONS ON PERTINENT ISSUES FACING OUR COMMUNITY. WE HAVE SOME UPCOMING EVENTS, ALWAYS ENJOYABLE.

THE NEXT ONE IS THE PGA CORRIDOR UPDATE IN NATALIE CRAWLEY IS GOING TO MAKE A PRESENTATION THERE.

AND THAT, WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THE WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE PGA CORRIDOR, THE MAJOR PROJECTS THAT ARE COMING UP.

THAT'S WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16TH.

IT'S 730 AND IT'S AT THE EMBASSY SUITES.

[00:40:04]

AND THAT'LL BE IT AT 530.

THAT'S AT MIRASOL. AND THEN AT THE START OF NEXT YEAR, WE HAVE THE ANNUAL ECONOMIC FORECAST WITH HANK FISHKIND.

THAT'S ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18TH.

AND THAT IS ALSO AT THE EMBASSY SUITES.

AND THAT'S ABOUT IT. WE'RE HERE TO HELP YOU.

FEEL FREE TO CALL. CALL ON ANY OF US, ANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS, IF YOU HAVE ANY ISSUES, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT US TO GET INVOLVED, INVOLVED WITH.

AND RON, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU DID.

I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU GOT THAT STORM TO TURN.

WE WERE ALL KIND OF SWEATING IT OUT THERE AT THE END.

THAT'S THE SECOND ONE, I'VE DONE.

YOU KNOW THAT. I KNOW AND WE'RE GETTING USED TO IT.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANKS, TOM. STEEN ERIKSSON.

AND NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.

STEEN ERIKSSON, 43 30 ELM AVENUE, PALM BEACH GARDENS.

GOOD EVENING. ON BEHALF OF THE FIRE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION OF PALM BEACH COUNTY, I'M HERE TO INVITE YOU TO THE 9/11 REMEMBRANCE CEREMONY IS GOING TO BE AT BOYNTON BEACH CHRIST FELLOWSHIP CHURCH CAMPUS ON THE 11TH AT 7:00 P.M..

MR. LANE WAS THERE LAST YEAR.

SO, YOU KNOW, PRETTY MUCH THE WHOLE ROUTINE.

IT'S A IT'S A MULTIAGENCY EVENT.

WE HAVE VIRTUALLY WE HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM VIRTUALLY EVERY POLICE AND FIRE AGENCY FROM IN PALM BEACH COUNTY, WHETHER THEY'RE THERE IN ATTENDANCE AS UNIFORMED PERSONNEL OR PART OF THE HONOR GUARD PIPES AND DRUMS OR WHATEVER.

SO IT'S A VERY NICE EVENT AND WE'RE DOING IT TO TRY TO ENGAGE THE YOUNGER GENERATION.

IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IT'S BEEN 18 YEARS.

SO WITHIN A YEAR'S TIME OR SO, WE ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE HAVING FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE OFFICERS WORKING WHO WERE NOT BORN ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2001.

THAT'S REALLY QUITE A WAY TO THINK ABOUT IT.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO ENGAGE, I GUESS, AT THE YOUNGER GENERATION.

I HAVE A POLICE EXPLORER THAT HAS A SPEAKING ROLE FROM PALM BEACH GARDENS, ACTUALLY A SPEAKING ROLE IN THE EVENT.

I HAVE A FIRE EXPLORER FROM CITY OF DELRAY BEACH, ALSO ENGAGED.

AS I SAID, IT'S NOT JUST FOR US.

IT'S NOT JUST FOR THOSE OF US WHO REMEMBER IT, ESPECIALLY IN THE AS FIRST RESPONDERS.

IT'S NOT ONLY FOR US.

WE MADE A COLLECTIVE PROMISE TO NEVER FORGET.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO CONVEY TO THE YOUNGER GENERATION, THE UPCOMING FIRST RESPONDERS, POLICE OFFICERS, FIREFIGHTERS, THE EMS PERSONNEL, THAT THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO LIVE UP TO, THAT PROMISE THAT WE DON'T FORGET THE SACRIFICES MADE.

THAT WAS THE SINGLE WORST LOSS OF LIFE FOR BOTH FIRE AND POLICE ON ANY GIVEN DAY OR ANY GIVEN EVENT. SO THAT'S IT.

I JUST WANT TO OFFER THAT INVITATION TO YOU.

YOU HAVE A FLYER UP THERE.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU, STEEN. AND DON'T FORGET TO THAT 11:30 HERE IN PALM BEACH GARDENS AT PALM BEACH STATE COLLEGE. THERE IS GOING TO BE A 9/11 EVENT HERE IN THE CITY AS WELL.

SO WELCOME AND INVITE ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO ATTEND AS WELL.

AND THEN WE'LL HEAD DOWN TO BOYNTON AFTER THAT.

SO IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE ALL REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, MY SON WAS BORN FIVE DAYS BEFORE 9/11 AND YOU REMEMBER BEING THERE.

BUT OF COURSE, THEY DON'T HAVE ANY CLUE ABOUT WHAT IT ALL MEANS.

SO IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE REMEMBER WHAT THAT DAY MEANS TO ALL OF US.

THANK YOU FOR THE REMINDER.

MR. MAYOR, MAY HAVE ONE SECOND.

I FORGOT SOMETHING I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE.

CHRIST FELLOWSHIP CHURCH, WHO IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY IN OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

[Item VII (Part 2 of 2)]

HE VOLUNTEERED, CAME RIGHT FORWARD WITHOUT A HESITANCY ON THE FIRST DAY.

AND IT'S THAT TYPE OF COOPERATION AND HELP WE GET FROM THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.

THAT HELPS US DO EVEN A BETTER JOB.

SO I APOLOGIZE FOR SKIPPING OVER THAT AND INTERRUPTING, BUT WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE RECOGNIZE THOSE PEOPLE.

THANK YOU. FEEL FREE TO INTERRUPT ANYTIME.

ONTO THE CONSENT AGENDA.

EVERYONE HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW IT.

YEAH, I'M GOING TO PULL E.

[Consent Agenda]

OK. CAN WE MAKE A MOTION A SECOND FOR THE CONTENT CONSENT AGENDA MINUS ITEM E? I'LL MAKE A MOTION. SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR. AYE.

MOTION CARRIES 5-0.

THIS IS A PURCHASE ORDER, SO DOES NOT NEED TO BE READ.

[Item VIII E]

[00:45:02]

ONLY THING LEFT IS TIME MAGAZINE.

GOOD EVENING CITY COUNCIL.

FOR THE RECORD, KM RA PURCHASING AND CONTRACTS DIRECTOR AND I HAVE A VERY SHORT PRESENTATION FOR THE PURCHASE OF GASOLINE AND DIESEL FUEL FOR THE CITY'S OFFICIAL VEHICLES. AS YOU KNOW, EACH YEAR WE PURCHASE BULK FUEL AND RELATED LUBRICANTS FOR USE IN THE CITY'S OFFICIAL FLEET.

WE STORE AND DISPENSE THESE FUELS WHEN THE CITY'S FLEET OPERATIONS AND THE MAIN FACILITIES ON BURNS ROAD.

AS A POINT OF REMINDING YOU OF WHAT HAPPENED WITH THAT FACILITY, WE'D PLANNED TO SELL THAT FACILITY. AND THEN WE HAD ISSUES WITH CLOSING BECAUSE OF THE CONTINGENCIES THAT SEVERAL BUYERS HAD ON THE PROPERTY AND DECISION WAS MADE AND CITY COUNCIL APPROVED IT TO KEEP THE PROPERTY SORT OF LIKE A CENTRAL LOGISTICS OPERATION.

SO THE FUEL OF THE FUEL FACILITIES THERE ARE STILL THERE.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE BUILDING A NEW FUEL FACILITY.

WE ALSO DELIVER FUEL TO THE STORAGE TANKS THAT THE CITY'S FIRE RESCUE STATIONS FOR USE IN THE FIRE ENGINES AND RELATED APPARATUS.

WE'RE GONNA BE CONTRACTING FOR THE PURCHASE OF GASOLINE AND DIESEL FUEL.

THIS IS A BULK DELIVERY BY ACCESSING THE STATE OF FLORIDA'S FUEL CONTRACT.

THE STATE OF FLORIDA HAS HUGE VOLUMES BECAUSE NOT ONLY FOR THEMSELVES, BUT FOR OTHER AGENCIES AND AS A MEANS THE PARTIES IN THE STATE TO ACCESS THAT CONTRACT.

AND SO THAT. AND SO THE FUEL SUPPLIERS ARE ABLE TO GIVE THEM VERY LOW COST FOR IT.

AND WE CAN WE CAN ACCESS THAT AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE VALUE OF THE VOLUME DISCOUNTED PRICING.

AND WE ALSO SAVE THE COST OF SOLICITING ON OUR OWN.

ALTHOUGH THE PRICE OF FUEL CAN BE VOLATILE, SOMETIMES CITY STAFF BUDGETS ADEQUATELY EACH YEAR TO MEET THE OPERATIONAL NEEDS.

AND THE CURRENT CONTRACT WE HAVE EXPIRES SEPTEMBER 30TH.

SO WE NEED TO HAVE A NEW CONTRACT IN PLACE TO MAINTAIN CONTINUITY OF SERVICES.

THEY AWARDED VENDOR FOR THE PALM BEACH COUNTY ZONE ON THE STATE CONTRACT, ITS PRO ENERGY FUEL FLEET, PRO ENERGY FLEET FUELING.

THEY'RE BASED IN SUNRISE.

WE MET WITH THEM. WE WE INTERVIEWED THEM, AND THEY HAVE THE RESOURCES AND CAPACITIES TO MEET THE CITY'S RESPONSE TIMES AND REQUIREMENTS.

THE VENDOR OFFERED THE LOWEST PRICE TO DO THE WORK.

SO THEY WERE THE ONES THAT THE STATE AWARDED FOR PALM BEACH COUNTY.

ANY ENTITY IN PALM BEACH COUNTY WHO ACTS THE STATE CONTRACT HAS TO PURCHASE FROM THEM BECAUSE THEY OFFER THE LOWEST PRICE.

IN ADDITION TO HAVING OPERATIONS IN SUNRISE, THEY ALSO HAVE STORAGE FACILITIES AT PORT EVERGLADES, WHICH IS THE MAIN FUEL DEPOT FOR THE FOR SOUTH FLORIDA, AND ARE ABLE TO SUPPLY THE INCREASED DEMAND FOR ALL THEIR CUSTOMERS DURING EMERGENCY EVENTS.

STAFF RECOMMEND THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVE AWARD OF AGREEMENT 8 2 0 1 9 2 0 1 FT FOR 3 YEARS FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 MILLION DOLLARS TO PRO ENERGY FLEET FUELING LLC.

AND THIS IS FUNDED EACH YEAR IN THE ANNUAL BUDGET.

ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, MATTHEW. ANY QUESTIONS? YES. KM RA FIRST, WELL, HOW MANY HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU WON THAT AWARD IN A ROW? WELL, THE CITY WINS THE AWARD.

IT'S ABOUT SIX YEARS IN A ROW.

SIX YEARS IN A ROW. I'M GOING TO START CONGRATULATING THAT GREAT WORK.

I'M GOING TO ASK MY FIVE QUESTIONS THAT I ALWAYS ASK.

WHAT VENDORS DID YOU CONSIDER? WHAT FACTORS DID YOU CONSIDER IN CHOOSING THIS VENDOR? WAS THIS THE LOWEST BIDDER? AND IF THEY WEREN'T THE LOWEST BIDDER, WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS BIDDER? WELL, THEY WERE THE LOWEST BIDDER AND AGAIN IT'S A STATE CONTRACT AND SEVERAL DOZEN SUPPLIES OF FUEL IN THE STATE.

AND THEY ALL APPLY TO THE STATE.

IT'S A BID. AND THEN THE STATE AWARDS IT TO THE LOWEST BIDDER FOR EACH CATEGORY, FOR EACH COUNTY AREAS, OR ALLOCATED BASED ON COUNTY.

AND PRO ENERGY FUEL WAS THE LOWEST BIDDER FOR THE STATE, FOR THE COUNTY OF PALM BEACH.

THANK YOU. AGAIN CONGRATULATIONS.

THANK YOU.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY COMMENTS ARE QUESTIONS.

THIS IS OBVIOUS JUST BECAUSE WE'RE NO LONGER USING THE FUEL CARDS, BUT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO.

WELL, WE STILL HAVE THE FUEL CARDS.

YOU KNOW, ANYTHING HAPPENS LIKE A HURRICANE OR WHATEVER.

WE NO LONGER HAVE TO GET AHEAD WITHOUT.

WE STILL HAVE A FEW BECAUSE WE HAVE PLANN A, B, C, D.

WE HAVE ALL OF THAT.

GREAT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

I GUESS WE NEED TO VOTE ON THIS.

I CAN MAKE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM E.

I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO WE WE ACCEPT PURCHASE ORDER ITEM E.

I'LL SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR. THANK YOU.

OK. SO TONIGHT WE'RE GOING TO HOLD SOME QUASI JUDICIAL.

YOU ALREADY DID.

WE DID IT MINUS E.

YEAH. SO NOW WE APPROVED ITEM E.

[00:50:04]

TONIGHT, WE'RE HOLDING QUASI JUDICIAL HEARINGS ON THE FOLLOWING CASES.

ORDINANCE 15-2019 SECOND READING AND ADOPTION BAY HILL ESTATES, RESOLUTION 49-2019 BAY

[Item IX A]

THE COUNCIL IS ALSO REQUIRED BY LAW TO ALLOW CROSS EXAMINATION OF ANY WITNESS WHO TESTIFIES TONIGHT. CROSS-EXAMINATION MAY OCCUR AFTER THE STAFF, THE APPLICANT AND OTHER PARTICIPANTS HAVE MADE THEIR PRESENTATIONS AND WILL BE PERMITTED IN THE ORDER OF THE WITNESSES APPEARANCE. IT IS NECESSARY THAT ANYONE WHO TESTIFIES AT THE HEARING REMAIN UNTIL THE CONCLUSION OF THE HEARING IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO ANY QUESTIONS.

IF YOU PLAN TO TESTIFY THIS EVENING OR WISH TO OFFER WRITTEN COMMENTS, PLEASE FILL OUT A CARD AND GIVE IT TO THE CITY CLERK, THE CITY CLERK AND ELSEWHERE AND ANY AND ALL PERSONS WHO INTEND TO OFFER TESTIMONY THIS EVENING ON ANY OF THESE CASES.

DO YOU SOLEMNLY SWEAR TO TELL THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH SO HELP YOU GOD? THANK YOU. WE'LL START WITH ORDINANCE 14 2019.

SECOND READING AND ADOPTION.

CLERK READ THE TITLE, PLEASE.

ORDINANCE 14 2019.

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLORIDA APPROVING ADOPTING A LARGE SCALE AMENDMENT TO ITS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FUTURE LAND USE MAP IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MANDATES SET FORTH IN CHAPTER 163 FLORIDA STATUTES SPECIFICALLY SECTION 163.3184 FLORIDA STATUTES PURSUANT TO APPLICATION NUMBER CPMA-19-02-000028. IN ORDER TO CHANGE THE LAND USE DESIGNATION ON 977.81 ACRES MORE OR LESS FROM PALM BEACH COUNTY RURAL RESIDENTIAL ONE UNIT PER 2.5 ACRES PBC RR 2.5 TO PALM BEACH GARDENS RESIDENTIAL LOW RL AND PALM BEACH GARDENS CONSERVATION CONS.

FOLLOWING ANNEXATION, THE SUBJECT PROPERTY LOCATED ON THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE INTERSECTION OF NORTH LAKE BOULEVARD IN BAY HILL DRIVE APPROXIMATELY 0.5 MILES EAST OF COCONUT BOULEVARD, PROVIDING FOR COMPLIANCE WITH ALL REQUIREMENTS OF CHAPTER 163 FLORIDA STATUTES PROVIDING FOR TRANSMITTAL TO THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY DEO AND OTHER REVIEWING AGENCIES, PROVIDING THAT THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP OF THE CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS BE AMENDED ACCORDINGLY, PROVIDING A CONFLICT CLAUSE, A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND AUTHORITY TO CODIFY, PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. NOTE TO THE PUBLIC THERE IS A SIGN IN SHEET AT THE FRONT TABLE FOR ANYONE WANTING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.

THANK YOU. HAS ANYTHING CHANGED SINCE FIRST READING? MR. MAYOR, THERE HAVE BEEN NO CHANGES.

THE SUBJECT PETITION. THE SUBJECT ORDINANCE WAS TRANSMITTED UP TO THE STATE LAW REVIEW.

DEO ISSUED ITS LETTER WITH NO COMMENTS, ALONG WITH CHURCH RECORDS, REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCIL. NOTHING HAS CHANGED FROM THE ORDINANCE AS FIRST PRESENTED AND STAFF IS RECOMMENDING APPROVAL.

DOES ANYBODY NEED AN ADDITIONAL PRESENTATION? THANK YOU. OK.

WELL, THERE'S NO COMMENT CARDS ON THIS.

SO WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE THE HEARING.

CAN I GET A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE? I'LL MAKE A MOTION. I'LL SECOND.

THANK YOU. SO BRING IT BACK FOR DISCUSSION.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION. HEARING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION.

ALL IN FAVOR. AYE.

ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES 5 0.

THANK YOU. ORDINANCE 15 2019 SECOND READING AND ADOPTION.

CAN THE CLERK READ THE TITLE, PLEASE.

ORDINANCE 15 2019.

AN ORDINANCE TO THE CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLORIDA REZONING

[Item IX B]

RESOLUTION 49-2019 IS A COMPANION ITEM TO ORDINANCE 15 2019 AND WILL REQUIRE COUNCIL ACTION. RESOLUTION 49 2019.

A RESOLUTION THE CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLORIDA APPROVING THE BAY HILL ESTATES PLAN UNIT DEVELOPMENT PUD CONSISTING OF 977.81 ACRES MORE OR LESS LOCATED ON THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE INTERSECTION OF NORTHLAKE BOULEVARD AND BAY HILL DRIVE APPROXIMATE 0.5 MILES EAST OF COCONUT BOULEVARD IS MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED HEREIN PROVIDING AN

[00:55:04]

THANK YOU. SINCE THIS IS A QUASI JUDICIAL, IS THERE ANY EX PARTES? NO. ANYTHING CHANGED? THANK YOU. AND NO ONE NEEDS A PRESENTATION, I ASSUME.

GOOD. ALL RIGHT.

WELL, LET'S CAN I GET A SECOND A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION ON ORDINANCE 15-2019.

LET'S BRING BACK FOR DISCUSSION, NO DISCUSSION, CAN I GET A MOTION? ALL IN FAVOR.

AYE. 5-0.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

WE'VE ALREADY READ RESOLUTION 49-2019.

ANY EX PARTES? THANK YOU. WE DON'T NEED ANOTHER PRESENTATION, I ASSUME.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

LET'S CLOSE THE HEARING AND GET A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO PROVIDE RESOLUTION 49.

CARL SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION.

WELCOME TO PALM BEACH GARDENS, BAY HILL.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. 5-0. THANK YOU.

MOTION CARRIES.

ALL RIGHT, SO ORDINANCE 16 2019, SECOND READING AND ADOPTION, YOU CAN INCORPORATE THE TITLE. ORDINANCE 16 2019, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY OF PALM BEACH

[Item IX C]

THANK YOU. ANYTHING CHANGED SINCE FIRST READING? GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR. NATALIE CROWLEY.

NOTHING HAS CHANGED FROM FIRST READING WITH.

HERE WITH ME THIS EVENING IS MR. JONATHAN PAUL WITH NEW URBAN CONCEPTS AND ANDREA TROUTMAN WITH PINDER TREATMENT CONSULTING. WE ARE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

THERE HAS BEEN THERE HAVE BEEN NO CHANGES SINCE FIRST READING.

DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? DOES ANYBODY WANT A BRIEF PRESENTATION OR YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH WHAT WE'RE GOING OVER IT PRETTY EARLY LAST YEAR? ACTUALLY, I WILL SAY ONE THING.

NATALIE, I HAD I WATCHED THIS FROM NEW YORK.

MY MOM WAS IN THE HOSPITAL. WE KNOW THAT YOU DID AN ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL JOB IN YOUR PRESENTATION. AND I WAS JUST VERY, VERY IMPRESSED WITH BOTH OF YOU, YOUR WORK, YOUR CONCISENESS AND JUST THE FACT THAT YOU ANSWERED EVERY SINGLE QUESTION.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I SECOND THAT.

WELL, LET'S CLOSE THE HEARING.

CAN I GET A MOTION? AND SECOND TO APPROVE.

I'LL MAKE THE MOTION. DISCUSSION.

I'M JUST HAPPY THAT THE CITY IS MOVING FORWARD AND WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS TO IMPROVE OUR REGION AND OUR AREA.

AND THIS IS JUST ANOTHER WAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND DO THAT.

SO WITH NO FURTHER DISCUSSION.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES 5 0.

THANK YOU. NICE JOB.

ORDINANCE 17 2019.

SECOND READING AND ADOPTION.

CAN YOU READ THE TITLE, PLEASE? ORDINANCE 17 2019.

AN ORDINANCE AT THE CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLORIDA AMENDING

[Item IX D]

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS AND THE POLICE BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION.

AMENDING SECTION 50-116 BY REVISING THE NORMAL RETIREMENT DATE AND BENEFIT PROVIDING A CONFLICTS CLAUSE, SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND AUTHORITY TO CODIFY PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE FOR THE PURPOSES.

THANK YOU. IS THERE ANY CHANGE IN FIRST READING, ALLAN? GOOD EVENING FOR THE RECORD, ALLAN OWENS AND NO SIR THERE HAVE BEEN NO CHANGES SINCE THE FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE 17.

DOES ANYBODY NEED A PRESENTATION TO REVIEW? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. WE'LL CLOSE THE HEARING.

CAN YOU GET A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE.

ADOPT ORDINANCE 17.

I'LL SIGN IT. ALL RIGHT.

ANY DISCUSSION? JUST BRIEFLY, I THINK YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.

AND BY PASSING THIS ORDINANCE, WE'RE ENSURING THAT OUR CITIZENS ARE WELL PROTECTED AND HAVE AN EXCEPTIONAL, DEDICATED POLICE FORCE.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. CAN I GET A VOTE ON FAVOR? AYE. PASSES 5 0.

THANK YOU.

ORDINANCE 18 2019 FIRST READING CITY INITIATED LAND DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE 18 2019.

AN ORDINANCE TO THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLORIDA AMENDING CHAPTER

[Item IX E]

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, MR. [INAUDIBLE]. AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS MARTIN FITZ WITH THE PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT.

AND THIS WILL BE A BRIEF PRESENTATION FOR ORDINANCE 18 2019.

THIS IS A CITY INITIATED REQUEST TO AMEND THE THE LANDSCAPING SECTION OF THE LAND

[01:00:01]

JUST A BRIEF BACKGROUND, THE GOVERNOR SIGNED THE HOUSE BILL 1159 IN JUNE, WHICH ACTUALLY BECAME EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST.

AND THIS BILL IS RELATED TO TREE TRIMMING, PRUNING AND REMOVAL ON RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY.

IN JUST A BRIEF NOTE, THIS BILL ACTUALLY RESULTED OR IS THE RESULT OF ONE PROPERTY OWNER THAT RECEIVED A FINE FOR TRIMMING HIS TREE OR CUTTING DOWN A TREE BEFORE A HURRICANE BECAUSE HE DIDN'T GET A PERMIT. AND SO THIS THAT'S WHERE THIS IS ALSO COMING.

NOW, THE BILL ITSELF IS VERY SIMPLE.

IT'S BASICALLY STATES THAT A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CANNOT REQUIRE NOTICE, PERMIT FEES OR MITIGATION FOR PRUNING, TRIMMING OR REMOVING A TREE ON RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY IF THE PROPERTY OWNER HAS RECEIVED DOCUMENTATION FROM A CERTIFIED ARBORIST OR A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT THAT CERTIFIES THAT THE TREE PRESENTS A DANGER TO PERSONS OR PROPERTY.

NOW, ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT THIS IS THAT THE LAW DOESN'T DEFINE WHAT RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY IS.

AND THERE IS IN TALKING WITH OTHER NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES, IT WAS THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THAT WAS INTENDED TO BE RESIDENTIAL ZONED PROPERTY OR OR RESIDENTIAL USES.

AND SO THE UNFORTUNATELY, THE THAT LACK OF A DEFINITION MEANT THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT SOME PEOPLE COULD THINK THAT THEY COULD CUT DOWN TREES AND COMMON PROPERTY OR LANDSCAPED BUFFERS AND HOAS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

SO THAT'S WHERE STAFF DECIDED TO BRING FORWARD THIS THIS AMENDMENT, WHICH BASICALLY DOES THREE THINGS, IT DEFINES RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY WITHIN THE CITY AS FEE SIMPLE, SINGLE FAMILY ATTACHED OR DETACHED OR DUPLEX LOTS.

THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE WAY THAT THE CITY STAFF HAS BEEN REGARDING RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY ALREADY REGARDING TREES AND TREE REMOVAL.

AND THIS IS JUST FURTHER CODIFYING IT WITH REGARDS TO SECTION 16345 OF THE FLORIDA STATUTES. SECOND, THE BILL WAS WASN'T IDENTIFIED AS BEING RETROACTIVE.

SO WE ESTABLISHED THAT ANY DEVELOPMENT ORDERS THAT WERE IN EXISTENCE PRIOR TO THE PASSAGE OF THIS BILL, WHICH WE HAVE QUITE A FEW THAT REFER TO TREE TRIMMING OR REMOVAL AND REQUIRING PERMITS WOULD REMAIN IN EFFECT AS FAR AS ANY CONFLICTS THEREIN.

AND ALSO, WE FURTHER ESTABLISHED AND CODIFIED THAT THE ANY PARCELS THAT ARE WITHIN THE COMMON AREA OR COMMON ELEMENTS PUDS.

MXDS ARE NOT DEFINED AS RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY WITH REGARDS TO STATE SECTION 163.

NOW, WHAT IMPACT WILL THAT HAVE ON THE CITY AND WHY ARE WE DOING THIS? THE PURPOSE IS TO CLARIFY THAT LANDSCAPE BUFFERS AND COMMON AREAS ARE NOT RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY WITH REFERENCE TO THE BILL, AND IT GIVES THE CITY A LITTLE BIT MORE CLARITY IN BEING ABLE TO PROTECT THE GREEN SPACE AND THE NATURAL LOOK OF THE CITY AND TO FURTHER MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ARE KEEPING THE WONDERFUL LOOK THAT WE ARE ALL USED TO.

AND IT ALSO REAFFIRMS THAT THE CURRENT SINGLE FAMILY AND DUPLEX HOMES THAT ARE THAT ARE ALREADY EXEMPT WILL CONTINUE TO BE EXEMPT FROM OUR TREE REMOVAL PERMIT REQUIREMENTS.

THIS TO GO BEFORE THE PLANNING ZONING APPEALS BOARD AT THE AUGUST MEETING.

THEY DID RECOMMEND APPROVAL BY A VOTE OF 7 TO 0 AND STAFF DOES RECOMMEND APPROVAL ON FIRST READING. STAFF'S AVAILABLE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU. I DON'T HAVE ANY CARDS ON THIS, SO I'LL CLOSE THE HEARING.

CAN I GET A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE? I'LL MAKE A MOTION. WE APPROVE.

CARL SECOND. LET'S BRING IT BACK FOR DISCUSSION.

WHO'S GOT QUESTIONS? MICHELLE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS? NONE. I'M PRETTY GOOD ON THIS.

WE HAD A PRETTY INTENSIVE DISCUSSION AT LEAGUE OF CITIES ON WHAT WENT ON WITH THIS AND WHERE IT CAME FROM. I THINK THE CITY'S DOING THE RIGHT THING, TAKING A PROACTIVE APPROACH AND ADDING THE DEFINITIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE STATE LAW.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? REPRESENTATIVE ROTH IS HERE.

SO IF ANYONE ASKS ASKED HIM AFTER THE MEETING, BEFORE A SECOND READING, I'M SURE HE'D BE ABLE TO DO SO. YOU KNOW, IT IS WHAT IT IS.

SO WE WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY WORKS AS BEST AS WE CAN.

SO WITH THAT, CAN YOU GET A VOTE ON FAVOR.

AYE. 5-0 PASSES.

ORDINANCE 19 2019.

FIRST READING CAN THE CLERK READ THE TITLE.

ORDINANCE 19 2019.

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY OF PALM BEACH FLORIDA AMENDING CHAPTER 78 LAND

[Item IX F]

[01:05:01]

DIVISION 4 CITY WIDE IMPACT FEES TO INCORPORATE THE CITY'S MOBILITY FEE SCHEDULE AND RELATED TEXT CHANGES CONSISTENT WITH THE CITY'S MOBILITY FEE TECHNICAL REPORT PROVIDING A CONFLICT CLAUSE A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND AUTHORITY TO CODIFY PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE FOR THE PURPOSES.

THANK YOU. NATALIE, YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION? YES, A VERY BRIEF PRESENTATION.

GOOD EVENING. NATALIE CROWLEY, DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND ZONING.

AS YOU'VE JUST APPROVED, ORDINANCE 16 2019, WHICH IS A MAGNIFICENT MILESTONE FOR MOBILITY. THE CITY IS ALREADY MOVING TOWARD IMPLEMENTING THE MOBILITY SCHEDULE.

SO AS YOU RECALL, ORDINANCE 16 APPROVED THE MOBILITY PLAN AND THE MOBILITY FEE SCHEDULE IN A CONCEPTUAL FORMAT.

SO THE ORDINANCE THAT YOU SEE BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING, WHICH IS ORDINANCE 19 ON FIRST READING, IS THE IMPLEMENTATION.

IT IS INCORPORATING SPECIFICALLY THE EXACT VERBATIM FEE SCHEDULE THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE MOBILE MOBILITY FEE TECHNICAL REPORT ACTUALLY INTO THE TEXT OF THE LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS. SO THERE ARE THERE ARE NO CHANGES IN THE NUMBERS.

WE ARE SIMPLY TAKING THE ACTUAL TEXT AND WE ARE INCLUDING IT AND THIS IS AN IMPACT FEE.

AND SO IT WILL BE TREATED AS SUCH.

SO AFTER THE MOBILITY FEE IS ADOPTED ON SECOND READING, IF IT IS ADOPTED, THERE WILL THEN BE A 90 DAY WAIT PERIOD.

AND WE ANTICIPATE THIS ORDINANCE TO COME INTO EFFECT JANUARY 1, 2020.

SO WITH THAT, I JUST HAVE A FEW SLIDES JUST TO REREAD ESSENTIALLY WHAT I JUST SAID.

THIS ORDINANCE 16 WAS APPROVED AND IT IS MOVING FORWARD FOR SECOND READING ON THE SEPTEMBER 19TH SCHEDULE.

THE 19TH COUNCIL MEETING.

AGAIN, THIS IS THE MOBILITY FEE ASSESSMENT AREA.

AND SO THE PINK AREA, AS YOU CAN SEE, IS THE STATUS QUO.

IT REMAINS THE SAME.

THE REVIEW OF CONCURRENCY, THE COLLECTION OF IMPACT FEES, THE REMITTANCE OF IMPACT FEES TO THE COUNTY WILL ALL REMAIN THE SAME.

THE BLUE AREA, BUT FOR ALTON WILL ALSO BE THEN SUBJECT TO WILL THEN BE SUBJECT TO THE MOBILITY IMPACT FEE SCHEDULE.

SO WE'VE CLEARLY GONE OVER THIS AT LENGTH AS PART OF THE ORDINANCE 16 PRESENTATION.

THIS IS THE MOBILITY FEE SCHEDULE ITSELF.

IT IS THE SAME SCHEDULE THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE MOBILITY FEE TECHNICAL REPORT.

IT HAS BEEN INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET.

IT ALSO WAS INCLUDED ON THE CITY'S WEB SITE, NOT ONLY IN THE LINK THAT WAS SENT OUT FOR THIS EVENING'S MEETING, BUT IT WAS ALSO IT HAS BEEN POSTED ON THE CITY'S MOBILITY WEB SITE. AND REALLY, LIKE I SAID, WE ARE MOVING FORWARD FOR SECOND READING OF THIS ORDINANCE ON ON THE SEPTEMBER 19TH CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND THEN THE 90 DAY WAIT PERIOD WILL OCCUR.

AND WE ANTICIPATE THIS TO BE IN EFFECT JANUARY 1, 2020.

THIS HAS BEEN DULY NOTICED IN THE PALM BEACH POST AND STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL AND WE ARE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

THERE'S NO CARDS ON THIS.

WE'RE GONNA CLOSE THE HEARING AND GET A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION. WE APPROVE.

ALL RIGHT. WE BRING IT BACK FOR DISCUSSION.

DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I'LL COMMENT.

IT'S A LOT OF WORK.

IT'S A LOT OF PAPERWORK. IT'S A LOT OF READING.

BUT WHEN YOU GO IN AND YOU READ THE FLORIDA STATUTE, YOU'LL SEE IN SEVERAL PLACES THAT AND I'M GOING TO READ THIS VERBATIM.

IF A LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTS TO REPEAL TRANSPORTATION CONCURRENCY, IT IS ENCOURAGED TO ADOPT AN ALTERNATIVE MOBILITY FUNDING SYSTEM THAT USES ONE OR MORE OF THE TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES IDENTIFIED.

AND I THINK WE ARE DOING A PHENOMENAL JOB OF DOING THAT, BECAUSE WHEN YOU UNDERSTAND THAT IMPACT FEES ARE ABOUT CAPACITY AND THERE'S NO MORE ROOM IN THE CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS TO DO THAT. HOW ELSE ARE WE GOING TO MOVE OUR CITIZENS AROUND SAFELY.

WHEN YOU CONTINUE ON ANOTHER STATUTE, IT SAYS A TRANSPORTATION ELEMENT ADDRESSING MOBILITY ISSUES IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE SIZE AND CHARACTER OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT, THE PURPOSE OF THE TRANSPORTATION ELEMENT SHALL BE TO PLAN FOR A MULTI-MODAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM THAT PLACES EMPHASIS ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS WHERE FEASIBLE.

THE ELEMENTS SHALL PROVIDE FOR A SAFE, CONVENIENT, MULTI-MODAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM COORDINATED WITH THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP OR MAP SERIES AND DESIGNED TO SUPPORT ALL ELEMENTS OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE TREASURE COAST REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCIL IN 2016.

SO I APPLAUD YOU ALL FOR DOING THIS.

I APPLAUD THE CITY FOR GOING FORWARD WITH THIS.

I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF THERE ARE A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS OUT THERE THAT ARE WATCHING WHAT WE DO. AND AS USUAL, WE LEAD BY EXAMPLE.

SO I THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS.

ANYBODY ELSE HAVE A COMMENT, QUESTION.

SHORT COMMENT.

WE'VE ALL DONE A LOT OF IMPORTANT STUFF THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

BUT I MEAN, BESIDES THE PENNY SALES TAX AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE ALLOCATED THAT TO BEST FIT OUR COMMUNITY'S NEEDS.

THIS IS COULD BE ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO, TAKE CONTROL OF OUR OWN COMMUNITY AND BE ABLE TO TO DO, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GOOD FOR OUR COMMUNITY INSTEAD OF

[01:10:07]

AND WE NEVER SEE A NICKEL OF IT.

SO BY US TAKING CHARGE AND THIS CITY HAS A TENDENCY TO DO THAT, WE'RE REALLY STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO LIVE HERE.

AND WE'RE ALL DOING OUR JOBS TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T GO ANYWHERE WITHOUT SOMEONE COMPLAINING ABOUT TRAFFIC AND.

YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I APPLAUD YOU GUYS AND CITY AND STAFF, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD FOR THIS CITY TO TAKE CONTROL SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY AND IT'S A GOOD THING.

SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE GET IT DONE RIGHT.

AND LET'S NOT FORGET THE PURPOSE OF THIS IS NOT JUST FOR THE CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS, BUT IT IS A REGIONAL IMPACT THAT IT'S GOING TO BENEFIT.

IT'S NOT JUST BECAUSE WE WANT TO PUT A LITTLE WALL AROUND OUR CITY AND DO WHAT WE DO AND NOT HELP OUR NEIGHBORS.

THIS IS REALLY A REGIONAL IMPACT WE HAVE AS I SAID BEFORE, THE LUXURY OF PAST, SEEING WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU WAIT FOR PROJECTS TO DEVELOP AND THEN YOU SAY, OH, HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET PEOPLE AROUND. AND WE ALSO HAVE THE LUXURY OF SEEING THE FUTURE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT OPPORTUNITIES MIGHT SHOW UP WHEN IT COMES TO DIFFERENT MODES OF TRANSPORTATION THAT EVERYBODY TALKS ABOUT.

I MEAN, EVERYONE TALKS ABOUT GETTING OUT OF YOUR CARS AND DOING DIFFERENT THINGS.

SO WE MAY NOT KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THOSE PROCESSES ARE GOING TO BE, BUT WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE COMING. SO IF WE CAN GET IN FRONT OF IT AND YOU KNOW, AND AGAIN, I SPOKE WITH THE CITY MANAGER ABOUT THIS WHEN I FIRST BECAME MAYOR, AND I SAID, I DON'T WANT TO SEE A PROJECT COME ONLINE WITHOUT HAVING A PLAN ON GETTING PEOPLE AROUND.

AND THIS MOBILITY PLAN AND MOBILITY FEE ADDRESSES ALL OF THOSE CONCERNS THAT NOT JUST I HAVE, BUT OUR RESIDENTS HAVE AS WELL.

SO I'M VERY HAPPY THAT WE CAN SUPPORT THIS.

AND I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO AN OPEN DISCUSSION WITH ANYBODY WHO HAS ANY QUESTIONS AND HOW WE MAKE SURE THAT OUR RESIDENTS AND NOT JUST PALM BEACH GARDENS, BUT ALL AROUND US BENEFIT FROM IT.

SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE HARD WORK.

IT'S AMAZING THE PROJECT THAT YOU HAVE.

YES. GO AHEAD, MARIA.

NATALIE, YOU SAID SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT.

TWO AREAS THAT ARE EXEMPT FROM THIS ARE AVENIR AND ALTON BECAUSE THEY ARE DRIS DEVELOPMENTS OF REGIONAL IMPACT.

THEY ARE STILL GOING TO STAY WITHIN THE IMPACT FEE STRUCTURE OF THE COUNTY.

AND THESE TWO DEVELOPMENTS REALLY ARE THE LARGEST PAYERS GOING FORWARD.

SO WHILE WHILE THE COUNTY IS GOING TO BE LOSING SOME FEES BECAUSE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH REDEVELOPMENT AND A LOT OF THE REDEVELOPMENT.

WHAT WAS THE NET INCREASE? WE TALKED ABOUT THE NET INCREASE WHERE IF YOU'RE YOU'RE REDEVELOPING A PARTICULAR PROPERTY. THEY'VE ALREADY PAID THEIR IMPACT FEES.

THE ONLY THE ONLY THING THAT THEY'LL BE PAYING IN THE FUTURE WILL BE IF THERE IS A NET INCREASE IN IMPACT AND THAT WILL BECOME A MOBILITY FEE.

CORRECT.

YES. YES, MA'AM. THE GOING BACK TO AVENIR.

AVENIR IS WITHIN THE THE PINK AREA.

SO IT'S NOT WITHIN THE MOBILITY BENEFIT DISTRICT ON THE MOBILITY ASSESSMENT AREA.

AND REALLY THE THE EXISTING PROP SHARE AGREEMENT THAT'S IN PLACE WITH THE COUNTY REALLY PUTS IT IN A UNIQUE PLACE, EVEN IN AND OF ITSELF.

BUT ALTON, IN HONORING THE PROPORTIONATE SHARE AGREEMENT THAT WAS SIGNED MANY YEARS AGO WITH PALM BEACH COUNTY, IS VERY CLEAR IN ORDINANCE 16 THAT WE ARE HONORING THAT EXISTING LEGAL AGREEMENT, ITS STRUCTURE.

AND BECAUSE OF THAT, THE IMPACT FEES THAT WILL BE COLLECTED FROM ALTON WILL STILL BE REMITTED TO THE COUNTY IN THE TRADITIONAL FORMAT.

GOING TO SORT OF YOUR SECOND POINT ON THE NET DIFFERENCE.

SO IF YOU IF YOU HAVE A BUILDING AND IT'S OCCUPIED BY, SAY, A FURNITURE STORE OR.

CARLOS PLAZA FOR EXAMPLE.

OR UTILIZED WHEN IT WAS OCCUPIED AS A CERTAIN USE.

AND THEN YOU HAVE A NEW USE THAT COMES INTO THE BUILDING.

THEN UNDER THE NEW MOBILITY FEE SCHEDULE, THEY WOULD PAY IT, THEY WOULD PAY THE NET INCREASE OF THAT.

AND SO THAT NET INCREASE APPROACH OCCURS TODAY IN ANY IN ANY BUILDING.

SO IF YOU HAVE A BUILDING THAT SWITCHES USES, THAT HAS A HIGHER IMPACT, YOU PAY THE DIFFERENCE. AND THAT'S JUST COMMON SENSE WHERE YOU HAVE A USE THAT GENERATES MORE TRAFFIC OR DRAWS ON A HIGHER LEVEL OF SERVICE FROM POLICE OR FIRE.

YOU ALWAYS PAY THAT. [INAUDIBLE] CALCULATES THAT DIFFERENCES IN THE DEVELOPER'S PAY IT AT THE AT THE BUILDING COUNTER.

SO REALLY THE MOBILITY FEE WILL BE THE EXACT SAME APPROACH.

SO IF THERE IS A NET FEE, THERE'S A NET INCREASE ON ANY OF THOSE NEW USES GOING FORWARD THAT WILL KICK IN. IT'LL JUST BE UNDER THE NEW MOBILITY FEE SCHEDULE.

GREAT.

AND REMEMBER, WE'RE THIS STARTING JANUARY 1ST, ASSUMING IT PASSES FIRST AND SECOND READING, AND THERE REALLY AREN'T NO PROJECTS AS OF YET THAT HAVE COME TO THE CITY IN THE ZONE OR THE AREA THAT MAY BE IMPACTED BY THIS FUTURE OF MOBILITY FEE.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST BEING PROACTIVE AND BEING READY TO TO ENGAGE.

[01:15:04]

SO SOMEBODY WHO MIGHT HAVE THOUGHT TWICE ABOUT WHETHER THIS WAS THE RIGHT TIME TO DO A PROJECT MAY SAY THIS IS ACTUALLY A VERY GOOD TIME TO DO A PROJECT AND IT'S GONNA COST ME LESS TO DO IT NOW.

ALL RIGHT. ANYTHING ELSE? SO, NATALIE, A GOVERNMENT BUILDING DOESN'T GET ANY SORT OF WAIVER IF THEY'RE GOING TO BUILD A BUILDING IN THE CITY LIKE THE TAX COLLECTORS OFFICE.

IMPACT FEES FOR A GOVERNMENT BUILDING.

I DO BELIEVE I ACTUALLY YEAH, THEY'RE THEY'RE EXEMPT BY FLORIDA STATUTE.

RIGHT. SO THE NEW TAX COLLECTORS OFFICE THAT'S COMING IN ON PGA BOULEVARD, THE NEW DRIVER'S LICENSE BUILDING.

THEY DON'T PAY ANYTHING.

EXEMPT. OK. AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.

ACTUALLY, I SECOND IT.

GONNA BE A GREAT BUILDING, BUT I KIND OF FIGURED THAT THEY WOULD GET WAIVED.

ALL RIGHT. LET'S FINISH THE CONVERSATION, IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. LET'S HAVE A VOTE.

ALL IN FAVOR. AYE.

OPPOSED? NO? 5-0. THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO TAKE A MOMENT OF PRIVILEGE AND RECOGNIZE DR.

ARTHUR ANDERSON. I'M SORRY.

I DIDN'T NOTICE THAT YOU WERE SITTING THERE.

DR. ARTHUR ANDERSON WAS FORMER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER AND SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS HERE FOR PALM BEACH GARDENS. THANK YOU FOR COMING.

WHAT DO WE OWE THE PLEASURE? JUST THANK YOU.

OK. ORDINANCE 20-2019.

WOULD HE CLERK READ THE TITLE, PLEASE.

ORDINANCE 20-2019.

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLORIDA ADOPTING THE

[Item IX G]

PROVIDING A CONFLICTS CLAUSE AND A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE.

PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE FOR THE PURPOSES.

THANK YOU. WE HAVE THE PRESENTATION, PLEASE.

YES. GOOD EVENING.

FOR THE RECORD, AGAIN, MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL. ALLEN OWENS, FINANCE ADMINISTRATOR, AND WE'RE VERY PLEASED TO BE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT TO PRESENT THE FIRST READING OF OUR PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019 AND 20. AND AGAIN, THIS IS THE FIRST OF TWO REQUIRED HEARINGS.

THIS HEARING HAS BEEN PUBLISHED IN THE NOTICE OF PROPOSED TAXES THAT WERE SENT OUT LAST MONTH. JUST TO KIND OF BACK UP AND GIVE EVERYBODY AN IDEA OF WHERE WE'RE AT IN THE BUDGET SCHEDULE. IN JULY, WE SET THE MAXIMUM OPERATING MILLAGE ON JULY 11TH AT 5.55.

WE ISSUED THE PROPOSED LINE ITEM BUDGET ON JULY 18TH.

THAT BUDGET HAS ALSO BEEN ON THE CITY'S WEB SITE FOR THE PUBLIC TO REVIEW, AS WELL AS DISTRIBUTED TO THE BUDGET COMMITTEE AND TO COUNCIL.

AS FAR AS THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, THEY ISSUED THEIR REPORT LAST WEEK, AUGUST 30TH. AND AGAIN, THAT HAS JUST BEEN POSTED TO OR SHOULD BE POSTED SOON TO THE WEB SITE.

IF IT HASN'T BEEN ALREADY AND DISTRIBUTED TO COUNCIL LAST WEEK AND THAT TAKES US TO WHERE WE ARE TONIGHT, THE FIRST OF THE TWO REQUIRED HEARINGS AGAIN TONIGHT.

THE NEXT ONE WITH THE SECOND FINAL WILL BE ON SEPTEMBER 19TH.

SO LET'S TALK FIRST ABOUT SOME OF THE KEY INITIATIVES.

AND AS YOU KNOW, WE DO CUSTOMER SURVEYS, RESIDENTS SURVEYS ON A REGULAR BASIS.

THE LAST ONE WAS 2017 AND THE RESULTS OF THAT SURVEY HAS ALWAYS BEEN VERY POSITIVE.

HOWEVER, THERE ARE ITEMS IN THESE SURVEYS THAT WE USE TO HELP GUIDE US IN DEVELOPING OUR INITIATIVES DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS.

AND WE'LL GO OVER SOME OF THOSE NEXT FEW SLIDES HERE.

ONE OF THE MAJOR ITEMS, OBVIOUSLY EVERY YEAR IT'S VERY IMPORTANT PUBLIC SAFETY, TRAFFIC, CRIME CONTROL IS VERY HIGH PRIORITY FOR THE RESIDENTS.

SO ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT YOU'LL FIND IN THE BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR IS THE FUNDING FOR THE NEW COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT THAT WAS RECENTLY ENACTED OR APPROVED BETWEEN THE PBA AND THE CITY. ANOTHER ITEM THAT'S CARRIED OVER FROM THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, MANY YEARS ACTUALLY, RESIDENTS ACTUALLY ARE MORE RESIDENTS, A PLURALITY, NOT A MAJORITY, PREFER TO HAVE THEIR SERVICES PAID FOR OUT OF AD VELOREM TAXES RATHER THAN ALL THESE OTHER DIFFERENT TYPES OF FEES AND CHARGES.

SO AGAIN, OUR BUDGET PROPOSAL NEXT YEAR CONTINUES TO NOT LEVY THESE FOLLOWING TYPES OF FEES, UTILITY TAXES ON ELECTRIC, OTHER TYPES OF SERVICES, COLLECTION FEES FOR RESIDENTIAL CURBSIDE, SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING.

THE CITY DOES NOT AGAIN HAVE ANY STORMWATER OR FIRE ASSESSMENTS.

AND AGAIN, WE'RE NOT PROPOSING ANY INCREASE IN THE COMMUNICATION SERVICE TAX RATE, WHICH IS ALMOST ALWAYS ALREADY A VERY LOW RATE IN THE COUNTY AT 3.25 PERCENT. MANY OTHER CITIES ARE AT THE MAXIMUM OF 5.22 PERCENT. ANOTHER ITEM THAT'S ALWAYS VERY HIGH ON THE PRIORITY LIST OF RESIDENTS, PARKS

[01:20:02]

THAT'S FUNDED IN THE GENERAL FUND.

WE ALSO HAVE THE.

AND WE'LL TALK MORE A LITTLE BIT LATER ABOUT THE FUNDING FOR THE ONGOING MAINTENANCE, REPAIR AND OPERATIONS PLAN FOR EXISTING PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITIES.

AND WE HAVE TWO ITEMS IN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND.

IN THE GENERAL FUND, WE HAVE THREE MILLION DOLLARS THAT'S ALLOCATED NEXT YEAR FOR THE BURNS ROAD RECREATION MAIN POOL DEMO AND REPLACEMENT AND THEN THE RECREATION IMPACT FUND WE HAVE 1.2 MILLION ALLOCATED FOR THE INITIAL RENOVATION EXPANSION PLANS, WHICH SHOULD BE A MULTI-YEAR PROJECT.

I'M SURE MANY OF YOU HAVE SEEN THAT AND SEVERAL PHASES OF THAT IN OUR FIVE YEAR CIP PROGRAM. AND AGAIN, THIS IS THE FIRST PROJECTED PHASE OF THAT AND THE RECREATION IMPACT FUND, 1.2 MILLION DOLLARS.

GREEN SPACE, AGAIN IS VERY IMPORTANT.

SO, AGAIN, IT'S JUST NOT REALLY A DOLLAR ITEM THAT IS THIS ALWAYS IN THE FOREFRONT OF STAFF AND ADMINISTRATION'S MIND.

I WILL CONTINUE EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES.

A GOOD EXAMPLE IS THE AS I MENTIONED, THE DISTRICT PARK, WHICH REALLY OVERLAPS WITH RECREATION. BUT IN KEEPING THAT 82 ACRE, 82 PARCEL GREEN AND USED AS A PARK FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE RESIDENTS.

AGAIN, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE STRIVE TO DO EVERY YEAR.

WHILE NOT A BIG DOLLAR AMOUNT AGAIN, RESIDENTS.

YEAH. LIKE THE SIGNATURE CITY MAGAZINE.

THEY PREFER GETTING THEIR COMMUNICATIONS BY DIRECT MAIL AS OPPOSED TO OTHER MEANS.

SO AGAIN, WE'VE CONTINUED THAT INITIATIVE TO FUND THE SIGNATURE CITY MAGAZINE, A QUARTERLY SIGNATURE CITY MAGAZINE NEXT YEAR.

ECONOMIC VITALITY.

WE CONTINUE TO ALLOCATE 2.3 MILLION FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES AND NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.

SO MOVING INTO SOME OF THE ACTUAL NUMBERS NEXT YEAR, OUR TOTAL PROPERTY VALUES, 12.6 BILLION THAT INCLUDES NEW CONSTRUCTION AND ANNEXATION SO 666 MILLION DOLLARS.

IT ALSO FACTORS IN EXISTING PROPERTY WENT UP AN AVERAGE OF 4.19 PERCENT FOR THE YEAR OVER YEAR.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT A TOTAL OF 9.9 PERCENT IS AN INCREASE FROM THE CURRENT YEAR TOTAL OF 11.5 BILLION DOLLARS.

OUR PROPOSED MILITARY NEXT YEAR WE'RE PROPOSING A AN OPERATING RATE OF 5.55.

AGAIN, THAT IS NO CHANGE IN THAT PROPOSED RATE.

THE DEBT MILLAGE RATE IS ELIMINATED NEXT YEAR TO ZERO DUE TO PAYING OFF ALL OF THE DEBT.

THE GENERAL OBLIGATION DEBT THAT WAS ON THE BOOKS THAT WAS PAID OFF THIS FISCAL YEAR THAT IS REDUCED FROM .0503 IN THE CURRENT YEAR. SO OUR TOTAL PROPOSED RATE IS 5.55 MILS AND THAT'S DOWN FROM THE CURRENT TOTAL 5.6003.

THE ROLLBACK RATE IS 5.3268.

AND SO OUR PROPOSED RATE IS 4.19 PERCENT ABOVE THE ROLLBACK RATE.

AND AGAIN, JUST AS A REMINDER, THE ROLLBACK RATE IS THE RATE THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO LEVY TO GENERATE THE SAME TAX REVENUE THAT WAS GENERATED IN THE PRIOR YEAR.

DISCOUNTING THE EFFECT OF NEW CONSTRUCTION AND ANNEXATIONS.

SO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT THAT PROPOSED RATE, THE EFFECT ON THREE TYPICAL HOMESTEADED PROPERTIES, AGAIN, THESE PROPERTIES FACTORING IN THE INCREASE OF 1.9 PERCENT, WHICH WAS THE CAP THIS YEAR PER THE SAVE OUR HOMES LEGISLATION, AS YOU KNOW, THAT THAT LEGISLATION CAPS, IT'S THE INCREASE IN THE CPI OR THE OR 3 PERCENT, WHICHEVER IS LESS. IN THIS CASE, IT'S A 1.9 PERCENT. SO YOU CAN SEE THEN THE MONTHLY OR MONTHLY INCREASES RANGING FROM DOLLAR 36 TO 182 TO 228.

THE ACTUAL AVERAGE ANNUAL INCREASES AVERAGE LESS THAN 1.45 PERCENT FOR EACH ONE OF THESE TYPICAL PROPERTIES.

AGAIN, CPI FOR LAST YEAR IS 1.9 PERCENT. AND IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THREE, THE SAME VALUES FOR NON HOME SET OF PROPERTIES, ASSUMING THAT THEY INCREASE BY THE CITYWIDE AVERAGE OF 4.19 PERCENT, YOU CAN SEE THE ANNUAL INCREASE IN THE MONTHLY INCREASES RANGING FROM 391 TO 783. SO ONE OF THE QUESTIONS PEOPLE ASK A LOT IS HOW MUCH OF THE TAX TAX DOLLARS THAT YOU PAY GOES TO THE CITY? WELL, ABOUT 72 CENTS ACTUALLY GOES TO OTHER AGENCIES, SUCH AS THE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND OTHER TAXING AGENCIES.

SO THAT LEAVES ABOUT 28 CENTS OF THE TOTAL DOLLARS THAT WE PAY AS RESIDENTS THAT ACTUALLY GOES TO THE CITY.

[01:25:02]

YOU CAN SEE THE VARIOUS COMPONENTS THAT MAKE UP THE REVENUE.

THE BIGGEST PART IS AD VELOREM TAXES AT 67.1 MILLION. OUR PROJECTED CARRYOVER FUND BALANCES FOR ALL FUNDS IS ABOUT 47.9 MILLION. AND THAT TOTAL IS BALANCED WITH THE EXPENDITURES AND USES FOR ALL FUNDS AGAIN OF 175.5 MILLION.

YOU CAN SEE THE BIGGEST PORTION OF THE TOTAL EXPENSES HERE 80.9 MILLION DOLLARS FOR PERSONNEL BEING A SERVICE ENTITY THAT WE ARE.

THAT'S VERY TYPICAL FOR ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE CITY.

YOU CAN SEE THE OTHER COMPONENTS OF EXPENSES AND USES.

AND THE OTHER BIGGEST PART HERE IS A PROJECTED END OF YEAR RESERVES FOR ALL FUNDS, WHICH IS ABOUT 46.7 MILLION DOLLARS. MOVING ON DOWN TO JUST TAKING A LOOK AT THE THE GENERAL FUND REVENUES AND SOURCES, THEY TOTAL 127.3 MILLION. AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE ALL THE VARIOUS REVENUES THAT COMPRISE THE TOTAL OF THE GENERAL FUND REVENUES. AGAIN, 67 MILLION FOR THE ANNUAL NORM.

THE PROJECTED CARRYOVER BALANCE FOR THE GENERAL FUND IS ABOUT 31 MILLION DOLLARS AND THAT TOTAL IS BALANCED FOR THE GENERAL FUND EXPENSES AND USES 127.3 MILLION. AGAIN, SAME STORY AS WITH ALL FUNDS CHART PERSONNEL ABOUT 65.7 MILLION. YOU SEE THE OTHER PIECES HERE.

THE OPERATING CAPITAL AND OUR PROJECTED RESERVE BALANCE IN THE GENERAL FUND AT THE END OF THE YEAR IS 29 MILLION DOLLARS.

SO ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU ASK, WHERE IS THIS ADDITIONAL AD VELOREM TAX REVENUE THAT'S BEING GENERATED GOING? WELL, WE HAVE PERSONNEL, AN OPERATING INCREASE TOTAL ABOUT 3.7 MILLION.

WE HAVE ADDITIONAL CAPITAL OF ABOUT 3.1 MILLION. SO THE ADDITIONAL ADVERTISING REVENUE GENERATED ABOUT 5.4 MILLION, YOU CAN SEE JUST DOESN'T BALANCE EVEN THOSE TWO EXPENDITURE ITEMS. SO WE HAVE TO BALANCE THAT BY TAKING OUT 1.4 MILLION FROM BUDGET STABILIZATION RESERVES.

AND AGAIN, IS WHAT DRIVES THE BUDGET EVERY YEAR? NO SURPRISE.

OPERATING AND PERSONNEL ARE THE MAIN BUDGET DRIVERS EVERY YEAR.

SO TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE THE FACTORS THAT REALLY ARE BEHIND SOME OF THE MAIN INCREASES IN PERSONNEL OPERATING.

AS FAR AS PERSONNEL COSTS, WHICH AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE THE VARIOUS COMPONENTS THAT MAKE UP TOTAL PERSONNEL COSTS.

THE TOTAL IS ABOUT 80.1 MILLION, FOR ALL FUNDS.

AND THAT'S UP ABOUT 3 MILLION OR JUST UNDER 4 PERCENT IN TOTAL.

OTHER THINGS AS FAR AS PERSONNEL SALARIES, SOME OF THE MAJOR DRIVERS WE HAVE, OF COURSE, THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS I MENTIONED THE PBA.

WE HAD THE FIRE AND WE HAVE THE CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS WITH THE SEIU.

WE ALSO HAVE PROPOSED MARKET ADJUSTMENTS FOR NON-UNION GENERAL EMPLOYEES TO TRY TO WORK TOWARDS GETTING THEM CLOSER TO THE GOAL 75TH PERCENTILE.

OTHER ITEMS AND PERSONNEL, A BIG ITEM, OBVIOUSLY, IS RETIREMENT.

WE HAVE THE FULL FUNDING FOR ALL OF THE PLANS THAT WE DEAL WITH THE POLICE AND FIRE PENSIONS AND ALSO THE FLORIDA RETIREMENT SYSTEM THAT TOTALS ABOUT 10.2 MILLION DOLLARS.

WE HAVE THREE NEW POSITIONS THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED FOR NEXT YEAR THAT WOULD RAISE OUR TOTAL TO 532 FULL TIME POSITIONS.

TAKING A LOOK AT THIS CHART THAT SHOWS WHAT DOES NEW POSITIONS ARE.

WE HAVE ONE PARK'S OPERATIONS MANAGER.

WE HAVE AN THE I.T. DEPARTMENT A SYSTEMS SPECIALIST AND WE HAVE ONE BUILDING INSPECTOR.

AND ALL THESE POSITIONS ARE REALLY TO KEEP PACE WITH EXPANDED SERVICES, INCREASED DEVELOPMENT AND INCREASED EMPLOYEES FROM PRIOR YEARS.

AT THE OPENING OF THE EXPANSION OF THE PARKS SYSTEM, IN PARTICULAR, THE NEW DISTRICT PARK. I MENTIONED THE MAINTENANCE, REPAIR AND OPERATIONS PLAN.

YOU CAN SEE THE TOTAL HERE FOR VARIOUS TYPES OF BUILDING REPAIR 713,000.

FOR PARKS ITEMS, YOU CAN THE SEE 361,600 DOLLARS.

MAINTENANCE, REPAIR, LANDSCAPING COSTS.

120 THOUSAND FOR TREE TRIMMING AND PLANT ROADWAY PLANT REPLACEMENT.

WE CONTINUE TO FUND OUR STORM WATER INFRASTRUCTURE REPAIR PROGRAM TO UNDER 50 THOUSAND NEXT YEAR ALLOCATED IN THE BUDGET.

AND AS REPRESENTATIVE ROTH MENTIONED EARLIER, WE DO HAVE A GRANT OF 300 THOUSAND THAT WE'LL BE RECEIVING. SO I GUESS GET US UP OVER.

WE'VE ACTUALLY HIT TARGETS 500 THOUSAND A YEAR.

SO BETWEEN THE GRANTS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET FROM THE STATE AND OUR ALLOCATION AND GENERAL FUND, AGAIN, WE'LL BE OVER THAT 500 THOUSAND DOLLAR GOAL FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR.

[01:30:03]

AGAIN, THAT'S A CONTINUATION OF AN EXISTING PROGRAM.

AND AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THE RESIDENTS PREFERENCES TO PAY FOR ITEMS. THE AD VELOREM TAXES AS OPPOSED TO OTHER FEES.

SO WE CONTINUE NOT TO CHARGE THESE TYPES OF FEES, THE RESIDENTIAL GARBAGE, TRASH, ELECTRIC WATER, NATURAL UTILITY SERVICE TAXES, CITY STORMWATER ASSESSMENTS, NOR CITY FIRE ASSESSMENTS. AND THAT'S IMPORTANT WHEN WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE EVERY YEAR WE DO A TOTAL COST COMPARISON WITH WITH OTHER CITIES GEOGRAPHICALLY CLOSE TO US, SOME CITIES THAT ARE IN THE CITY OR THE COUNTY FIRE RESCUE.

AND AS TO YOU AND A COUPLE OTHER CITIES THAT ARE FAIRLY SIMILAR IN SIZE AND USING THESE ASSUMPTIONS, YOU CAN SEE THE ASSESSED VALUE PROPERTY WE'RE LOOKING AT AND ASSUMPTIONS FOR ELECTRIC OR GAS CONSUMPTION, WATER CONSUMPTION AND COMMUNICATION SERVICE TAXES ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. SO USING THOSE ASSUMPTIONS AND USING THE PROPOSED MILLAGE RATES THAT WERE NOTICED IN THE JULY NOTICES THAT EVERYBODY ALL CITY SUBMITTED.

WE DID THE CALCULATIONS AND YOU CAN SEE PALM BEACH GARDENS ON USING THOSE ASSUMPTIONS WERE AT SIX 6,259.

BOCA IS AT 6,402.

AND THEN THERE'S A FEW CITIES I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT, BECAUSE IF YOU'LL NOTICE, THE CITY AD VELOREM PORTION IS VERY LOW, BUT IT'S OFFSET BY VERY HIGH OTHER AD VELOREM BECAUSE THESE CITIES ARE MEMBERS OF THE PALM BEACH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE MSTU.

SO BETWEEN THE ADDITIONAL MILLAGE THAT THE RESIDENTS THERE PAY FOR THE FIRE RESCUE AND THESE OTHER SERVICE CHARGES THAT WE DON'T ASSESS THE KIND OF PRETTY MUCH OFFSETS AND TO SOME DEGREE A GREAT EXTENT ON SOME OF THESE CITIES.

AND YOU CAN SEE THE OTHER CITIES THAT ROUND OUT THE COMPARISON GOING DOWN TO WEST PALM BEACH, 7,637.

SO MOVING ON SOME OF THE OTHER FUNDS, SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS, SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS.

WE HAVE A GAS TAX SPECIAL REVENUE FUND.

YOU CAN SEE THE PROJECTED REVENUE AGAINST PRETTY MUCH THE SAME TYPES OF PROGRAMS EVERY YEAR. THE STREET SIDEWALK REPAIR PROGRAM, STREET LIGHTING, STRIPING PROGRAM.

WE ALSO HAVE THE RECREATION SPECIAL REVENUE FUND.

YOU CAN SEE THE PROJECTED REVENUES, EXPENSES.

THE DIFFERENCE YOU'LL SEE YOU'LL NOTICE A DIFFERENCE THERE.

AND THAT'S BEING FUNDED WITH A TRANSFER OF THE SAME AS IN THIS YEAR.

WE HAVE A TRANSFER FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO TO BALANCE THAT FUND.

WE DO HAVE A PROJECTED RESERVE BALANCE AT THE END OF NEXT YEAR AND THAT FUND OF 613,000 DOLLARS. THE GOLF FUND IS VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS FUND THIS YEAR BECAUSE IT'S WE HAD A TRANSFER ACTUALLY BUDGETED THIS YEAR.

I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE IT THIS YEAR BECAUSE THE FUND HAS BEEN PERFORMING SO WELL.

AND JUST BECAUSE OF THAT REASON, WE ACTUALLY ELIMINATED THE TRANSFER THAT TO THAT FUND FOR NEXT YEAR. SO IT'S ACTUALLY MAKING MONEY THIS YEAR AND WE PROJECT THAT TO BE THE SAME NEXT YEAR. SO WE ACTUALLY PROJECT A RESERVE BALANCE IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET OF 513,000 DOLLARS IN THE GOLF FUND.

THAT'S ABOUT AS FAR AS I COULD HIT A GOLF BALL PROBABLY.

SO WE'RE MOVING ON TO INTERNAL SERVICE FUNDS.

WE HAVE A FLEET MAINTENANCE FUND.

YOU CAN SEE THE PROJECTED REVENUES ALMOST 3.6 MILLION EXPENDITURES 4 MILLION.

ONE THING I JUST WANT TO NOTE, THE HIGHLIGHT IS THE 1.5 MILLION FOR THE ONGOING CITYWIDE LEASING PROGRAM.

AND WE ACTUALLY PLAN TO REDUCE THE FUND HAD A PRETTY HEALTHY FUND BALANCE.

SO THAT'S WHY YOU'LL SEE THIS PARTICULAR YEAR EXPENDITURES EXCEEDING REVENUES.

IT WAS A PLANNED DRAW DOWN SLIGHTLY AND THE FUND BALANCE.

AND WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER INTERNAL SERVICE FUND OR SELF-INSURANCE FUND, 10.2 MILLION IN REVENUES AND THEN IN BALANCE WITH 10.2 AND EXPENSES RESERVE BALANCE IS ABOUT 6.6 MILLION. AND I WANT TO SPEND A COUPLE MINUTES ON THE SELF-INSURED FUND, BECAUSE DURING OUR BUDGET OVERSIGHT REVIEW BOARD MEETINGS, QUESTION CAME UP ABOUT WAS THIS FUNDS STILL IS IT STILL THE BEST APPROACH TO TAKE AS OPPOSED TO MAYBE A FULLY REGULAR TYPE OF INSURANCE PROGRAM? SO WE WENT BACK TO WHEN WE STARTED IT IN FISCAL YEAR 2008 AND THIS FIRST LINE PLOTS OUT THE NET EXPENSE OF THE FUND.

WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THE TOTAL EXPENSES MINUS EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS, RETIREE CONTRIBUTIONS AND OTHER REVENUES SUCH AS WE GET PHARMACY REBATES AND INTEREST INCOME TO COME UP WITH A NET COST TO THE TAXPAYERS, TO THE CITY.

AS YOU CAN SEE HOW THAT'S GROWN FROM IT WHEN WE BEGAN WHEN WE STARTED 4.7 MILLION ROUGHLY.

THEN WE COMPARE THAT TO IF WE HAD STAYED IN THE FULLY INSURED PROGRAM AND WHAT WERE

[01:35:07]

IF YOU TAKE THOSE PERCENTAGES AND MULTIPLY IT BY A PER EMPLOYEE BASIS AND THEN MULTIPLY BY THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES, YOU CAN EXTRAPOLATE IT OUT OVER THIS TIME PERIOD.

AND WE FIGURE THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY SAVED ABOUT 16.1 MILLION DOLLARS SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE PROGRAM.

AND THEN THE LAST ITEM OF NOTE IS THAT.

BECAUSE OF THIS PROGRAM, WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN ABLE TO ACCUMULATE RESERVES AND THE FUND TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT 6.6 MILLION DOLLARS IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.

SO IN TAKING THIS BACK TO THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT REVIEW BOARD AND EVERYBODY DISCUSSING IT AND IT'S IN THE REPORT THAT WENT TO THE COUNCIL, THEY AGREED THAT IT'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL. IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WILL KEEP MONITORING EVERY YEAR, OBVIOUSLY, BUT WE THINK IT'S BEEN A VERY SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM AND CAN LOOK FORWARD TO ITS CONTINUED GOOD FINANCIAL RESULTS.

SOME OF THE OTHER HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE FUNDS IMPACT FUNDS.

YOU CAN SEE THE PROJECTED REVENUES, ABOUT 4.9 MILLION. SOME OF THE MAJOR EXPENDITURES I MENTIONED THE 1.2 MILLION FOR THE BURNS ROAD EXPANSION PLANS TRANSFERRED TO THE GENERAL FUND FOR THE ROAD IMPACT DEBT DEBT SERVICE, FIRE STATION ONE RENOVATIONS AND 400 THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THE REPURPOSING OF THE PUBLIC WORK SITE ON BURNS ROAD TO ACCOMMODATE PUBLIC SAFETY APPARATUS EMS SUPPLY STORAGE.

MOVING ON TO EVER YOU WOULD DO A WELL, WE FOR LAST COUPLE OF YEARS NOW TEN YEAR, WE MOVED UP FROM FIVE YEARS TO A TEN YEAR FINANCIAL FORECAST.

SO WE WANT TO SPEND A FEW MINUTES GOING THROUGH THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS FORECAST.

AND AGAIN, BASICALLY IN OUR 10 YEAR PROJECTIONS, WE'RE KEEPING THE PROJECTING THE MILLAGE FLAT AT 5.55.

AGAIN, THE DEBT MILLAGE IS GONE.

SO THAT'S A VERY GOOD THING THROUGHOUT THIS 10 YEAR PERIOD.

AND WHAT YOU'LL SEE IN THE CHARTS REFLECTS A GRADUAL DRAW DOWN OF UNASSIGNED RESERVES.

BUT THEY DO INCREASE BACK TO WHERE WE HAVE THE NOW 23.1 MILLION AS NEW DEVELOPMENT IS PROJECTED TO COME ON THE TAX ROLLS AND THEN BUDGET STABILIZATION IS REDUCED.

BUT THEN TO AGAIN INCREASE BACK UP TO 9.4 MILLION ACTUALLY BY 2029.

SO HOW THAT LOOKS, IF YOU'VE PLOT IT OUT ON ON THE GRAPH HERE, WE HAVE ACTUALLY A COUPLE SCENARIOS TO SHOW YOU.

THE FIRST ONE IS OUR PROJECTION, 5.55 OPERATING RATE FLAT THROUGHOUT THE 10 YEAR PERIOD.

AND AGAIN, THE FIRST PART HERE YOU'LL SEE THE BUDGET STABILIZATION STARTS OUT AT 2.3 MILLION. IT ACTUALLY GETS REDUCED DOWN TO ZERO.

BUT AS NEW DEVELOPMENT COMES ONLINE, YOU CAN SEE IT PROJECTED TO GO BACK OR NOT BACK, BUT UP TO 9.4 MILLION UNASSIGNED RESERVES COME IN HERE AND YOU SEE THE GREEN THE GREEN BARS AGAIN AND THE 10 YEAR PROJECTION.

IT IS PROJECTED TO GO DOWN SLIGHTLY FROM THE 23.1 MILLION DOWN TO ABOUT 18.5 MILLION IN 2023.

BUT AGAIN, AS A NEW DEVELOPMENT COMES ONTO THE TAX ROLLS, WE PROJECT UNASSIGNED RESERVES TO BE BUILT BACK UP TO THE CURRENT 23.1 MILLION. THAT IS OUR RECOMMENDATION.

WE ALSO LOOKED AT A COUPLE OTHER SCENARIOS.

WE LOOKED AT WHAT IF WE WERE TO REDUCE IT FROM 555 TO 550.

SO LET'S TAKE A LOOK. AGAIN, THIS IS JUST KEEPING THE 5.55.

BUT AGAIN, I SAID IF WE REDUCE IT TO 5.50, WHAT EFFECT WOULD THAT HAVE? YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE BUDGET STABILIZATION.

IT GOES FROM 1.7 DOWN TO ZERO.

AND IT'S ONLY BACK UP TO ABOUT 500 ,000 IN 2029.

THEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE UNASSIGNED RESERVES ON THE GREEN BARS HERE.

YOU CAN SEE THAT IT GOES DOWN RATHER SUBSTANTIALLY FROM THE 23.1 MILLION DOWN TO 2023.

IT'S AT 15.8 MILLION. THAT'S ACTUALLY QUITE A BIT BELOW THE 17 PERCENT THRESHOLD THAT OUR POLICY SETS.

WE HAVE TO HAVE A MINIMUM OF 17 PERCENT.

THERE'S ACTUALLY FOUR YEARS AND THIS PROJECTION THAT ARE SUBSTANTIALLY QUITE A BIT BELOW THE 17 PERCENT. SO THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED SOMEHOW.

SOME TYPE OF ACTION WOULD HAVE TO BE TAKEN ANYWAY.

BUT THEN AGAIN, AS THE DEVELOPMENT COMES ON LINE, IT WOULD BE PROJECTED TO GO BACK UP TO 23.1 MILLION.

SO AGAIN, THAT'S AT THE SCENARIO, 5.50 OPERATING RATE. SO THE LAST SCENARIO YOU LOOKED AT IS WHAT IF WE REDUCED IT TO 5.50,

[01:40:02]

THEY GO DRAW DOWN AGAIN BECAUSE WE WOULD BE ADJUSTING THE RATE.

AND AS NEW DEVELOPMENT COMES ON LINE, IT WOULD GO UP TO ABOUT 9.6 MILLION, PRETTY CLOSE TO WHAT OUR OUR PROJECTION AND OUR PLAN.

AND THEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE UNASSIGNED RESERVES.

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN THERE? WELL, BECAUSE YOU'RE ADJUSTING THE RATE TO MAINTAIN THE RESERVES, THEY'RE FLAT THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE 10 YEAR PERIOD AT 23.1 MILLION. BUT THEN THE INTERESTING THING IS, WELL, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE TO DO TO THE RATE IF YOU'RE LOWER IT TO THE 5.50, THEN IN THESE FUTURE YEARS YOU HAVE TO RAISE IT TO ABOUT 5.70 FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS.

AND THEN YOU COULD IF THE NEW DEVELOPMENT COMES ON THAT PACE WE ARE PROJECTING AND WE HOPE IT WILL COME ON. THEN IT COULD ACTUALLY BE LOWERED TO ABOUT 5.45.

SO THOSE ARE JUST A COUPLE SCENARIOS WE WANTED TO TO SHOW COUNCIL THAT WE I'VE TAKEN A LOOK AT OUR PROJECTION, OUR RECOMMENDATION, A COUPLE OF OTHER OPTIONS.

AGAIN, THIS IS NOT OUR PROPOSAL, OUR RECOMMENDATION.

IT'S JUST A WHAT IF TYPE SCENARIO.

SO WE ALSO LOOKED AT NOT JUST LOOKING FORWARD, BUT LOOKING AT OUR 10 YEAR HISTORICAL TRACK RECORD FOR THE OPERATING MILLAGE RATES GOING BACK TO FISCAL YEAR 2011.

AND IF YOU CHART THAT FOR SEVERAL YEARS WE WERE AT 5.74 MILLS. WE DID GO DOWN TO 5.67 AND THEN DOWN TO 5.55.

SO WHAT I THINK THIS SHOWS IS THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY I THINK OUR APPROACH AS FAR AS CONSERVATIVE MEASURED APPROACH IS THE MOST PRUDENT WAY TO APPROACH IT AS OPPOSED TO LOOKING MAYBE YEAR TO YEAR INCREASES, DECREASES, DECREASES, INCREASES AS THIS AND EACH YEAR AS A SILO UNDER UNTO ITSELF AS OPPOSED TO A LONGER TERM, MORE CAUTIONARY APPROACH.

SO ANOTHER THING WE TOOK A LOOK AT IS THIS IS A QUESTION THAT CAME UP DURING THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT REVIEW BOARD MEETINGS.

ONE OF THE QUESTIONS POSED WAS, WELL, HOW DOES OUR CURRENT YEAR PROJECTION COMPARE TO WHERE WE THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA BE LAST YEAR? SO WE TOOK A LOOK AT WHAT I THINK ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF THE PROJECTION.

THAT WOULD BE THE UNASSIGNED RESERVES AND THE BUDGET STABILIZATION RESERVES.

AS FAR AS UNASSIGNED RESERVES, THE FIRST ROW HERE YOU CAN SEE UNASSIGNED PY, THAT'S WHERE PAST YEAR WHERE WE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO BE.

IF YOU LOOK AT A YEAR AGO AND THEN THE PROJECTIONS FOR 2020, WE THOUGHT WE WOULD HAVE UNASSIGNED RESERVES OF ABOUT 22.1 MILLION. AND YOU CAN SEE EACH YEAR THE DRAW DOWN THAT SAME SAME PATTERN THIS YEAR AGAIN, BUT BEING BUILT UP TO ABOUT 22.7.

AND YOU COMPARE THAT WITH OUR CURRENT YEAR, 10 YEAR PROJECTION IN 2020, WE'RE BETTER NOW.

WE'RE UP TO 23.1 MILLION. AGAIN, WE'RE STILL SEEING THAT DRAW DOWN IN THE SAME EXACT PATTERN THAT WE ANTICIPATED LAST YEAR, BUT IT STARTS TO RECOVER A LITTLE BIT QUICKER AND WE'RE BACK UP TO ITS 23.1 MILLION.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BUDGET STABILIZATION RESERVES, LOOKING BACK AT THE LAST YEAR FORECAST 2020, WE THOUGHT THAT WE WOULD HAVE ZERO FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND IT WOULD START TO RECOVER UNTIL 2026 TO ABOUT 770.

AND YOU CAN SEE, AGAIN, AS DEVELOPMENT COMES ONLINE, MAYBE UP TO ABOUT 7.4 MILLION IN 2028.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT OUR CURRENT YEAR PROJECTION, WE'RE A COUPLE MILLION DOLLARS BETTER.

AND NEXT YEAR WE'RE AT 2.3 MILLION. WE STILL THINK IT'S GOING TO BE REDUCED FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

BUT THEN AS PICK UP AGAIN A NEW DEVELOPMENT COMES ONLINE.

BUT IT IS VERY INTERESTING TO LOOK AT THESE 2028.

YOU SEE THAT THE NUMBERS ARE VERY CLOSE.

SO THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE SEEM TO BE SATISFIED WITH THIS AND THOUGHT IT WAS, AGAIN, A VERY USEFUL EXERCISE.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD DO ON A REGULAR BASIS JUST TO SEE HOW WE'RE DOING COMPARED TO WHERE WE THOUGHT WE WOULD BE.

MENTIONING THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT REVIEW BOARD REPORT WAS TRANSMITTED TO COUNCIL LAST WEEK AND JUST A COUPLE HIGHLIGHTS.

THEY HAVE REALLY TWO PARTS OF THEIR PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE COMMITTEE AND THAT IS THEY TAKE A LOOK AT OBVIOUSLY THE BUDGET THEY REVIEW THAT MAKE A RECOMMENDATION.

THEY ALSO TAKE A LOOK AT THE ONCE IN SALES SURTAX EXPENDITURES.

WITH REGARDS TO THEIR FINDINGS ON THE 2020 BUDGET.

JUST A COUPLE OF QUOTES.

THE BOARD IS PLEASED TO SEE NO INCREASE IN THE MILLAGE AND A STABLE TAX RATE.

AND THE BOARD'S REVIEW OF THE BUDGET CONFIRMS THAT THE CITY IS FINANCIALLY STRONG AND HAS POLICIES IN PLACE TO MAINTAIN THE CURRENT FINANCIAL STABILITY AND TO THE CITY STAFF HAVE BEEN TRANSPARENT THROUGHOUT THE BUDGETARY PROCESS WITH ITS RESIDENTS AND CITIZENS.

[01:45:05]

FURTHERMORE, THE STAFF HAS BEEN EFFICIENT AND THOROUGH WITH RESPECT TO INCURRING SUCH EXPENDITURES. AGAIN, THAT IS THE CURRENT FOR THE 2020 REPORT.

ANDREW COMITER IS THE CHAIR OF THAT BOARD, AND I'M NOT SURE IF THERE ARE ANY NUMBERS.

MARK FELDMESSER IS HERE.

MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE FOR FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

BUT AGAIN, A PLEASURE WORKING WITH THEM EVERY YEAR AND WE VALUE THEIR INPUT.

OKAY. JUST SO VERY QUICKLY, SUMMARY OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET.

I'M NOT GOING TO READ EVERYTHING HERE.

YOU CAN. YOU CAN READ IT.

I KNOW THE GAME'S KICKING OFF IF IT HASN'T ALREADY PRETTY SOON.

SO YOU CAN READ AGAIN, JUST THE THE THE THE MAIN AREAS HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET.

AS FAR AS THE WHAT'S NEXT IN THE BUDGET PROCESS, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF REQUIRED NOTICES THAT WE HAVE TO PUBLISH.

ON SEPTEMBER 14TH, WE HAVE TO DO A BUDGET SUMMARY, ADVERTISE RETIREMENT AND THEN PUBLISH THE DATE OF THE NEXT BUDGET HEARING.

AND THEN THAT FINAL PUBLIC HEARING AGAIN WILL BE SEPTEMBER 19TH AT 7 P.M.

IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS.

SO AS FAR AS THE REQUIRED ACTION FOR TONIGHT, THERE ARE TWO THINGS.

STAFF RECOMMENDS A MOTION THAT THE CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS ADOPT A PROPOSED OPERATING AND TOTAL MILITARY TO 5.55 MILLS, WHICH IS GREATER THAN THE ROLLBACK RATE OF 5.2368 BY 4.19 PERCENT.

AND THEN STAFF RECOMMENDS A MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE 20-2019 ON FIRST READING ADOPTING A BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019-20.

AND WITH THAT, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU. WE'LL CLOSE THE HEARING, I HAVE NO CARDS ON THIS.

CAN I GET A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE.

I'LL MAKE THE MOTION.

I'LL SECOND. OK.

WE'RE GOING TO BACKTRACK FOR A DISCUSSION.

I THINK WE HAVE THE MOTION, THE WHOLE THING.

READ THE MOTION, READ THE ENTIRE.

I MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE MILLAGE RATE FIRST AS PROPOSED ON THE SLIDE.

WE NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT AN OPERATING IN TOTAL MILLAGE RATE OF 5.550 MILLS, WHICH IS WHERE THE ROLLBACK RATE OF 5.2368 BY 4.19 PERCENT.

OKAY. SO I MAKE A MOTION THAT THE CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS ADOPT A PROPOSED OPERATING AND TOTAL MILLAGE RATE OF 5.55 MILLS, WHICH IS GREATER THAN THE ROLL BACK RATE OF 5.2368 BY 4.19 PERCENT. AND I SECOND.

ARE WE GOOD. WE'RE GOOD.

YES, WE NEED A VOTE ON IT.

SO I'M ACTUALLY GONNA TAKE THE LEAD ON THIS BECAUSE USUALLY I PASS IT AROUND EVERYONE ELSE.

BUT I REALLY WANT TO START THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE BUDGET.

AND THE REASON I WANT TO BRING IT UP IS I'VE BEEN ON THE BUDGET COMMITTEE AND I'VE BEEN A PART OF BUDGETS FOR EIGHT YEARS.

AND AND EVERY YEAR I I WATCH AND I OBSERVE THE BUDGET.

AND EVERY YEAR, I'M ALWAYS VERY IMPRESSED.

WELCOME BACK, MARY, BY THE WAY, IN THE AUDIENCE HERE.

HAVE ALWAYS BEEN VERY IMPRESSED WITH HOW THE BUDGET IS WRITTEN.

OBVIOUSLY, WE RECEIVE A LOT OF AWARDS FOR HOW THE BUDGET IS PRESENTED.

THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT REVIEW BOARD IS ALWAYS VERY DILIGENT ON MONITORING.

AND THE ONE PERSON WHO PROBABLY WATCHES THE LINE ITEMS THE MOST IS WITH US TONIGHT.

MARK FELDMESSER. SO I HAVE ALWAYS SAID THAT THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT REVIEW BOARD HAS BEEN VERY COGNIZANT OF OBSERVING AND MONITORING LINE ITEMS, AND WE REALLY SHOULDN'T BE WORRIED ABOUT WASTEFUL SPENDING OR WRONGFUL SPENDING.

SO THEY DO THEIR JOB VERY WELL AND THEY COME UP WITH THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS.

THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS THIS YEAR WAS TO NOT CHANGE THE MILLAGE.

THAT IS A RECOMMENDATION.

THAT ISN'T SOMETHING THAT IS WRITTEN IN STONE.

AND THE COUNCIL IN THE PAST HAS LOOKED AT THAT RECOMMENDATION AND COME UP WITH THEIR OWN SUGGESTIONS. SO I'M GOING TO MAKE A SUGGESTION HERE.

I'M GOING TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS HERE THAT I MIGHT MAKE MAKE SOME PEOPLE UNHAPPY.

BUT I WANT TO SAY IT ANYWAY, BECAUSE FOR THE PAST EIGHT YEARS, I'VE BEEN WATCHING THE MILLAGE. I'VE BEEN WATCHING THE BUDGET.

WHEN I FIRST CAME ON COUNCIL, ONE OF MY FIRST CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CITY MANAGER WAS HOW DO WE REDUCE THE MILLAGE TO 5.50? AND IN YEAR ONE OF MY TIME ON THE COUNCIL.

HE SAID, WELL, WE PROBABLY SHOULDN'T BECAUSE OF X, Y, Z.

I WAS NEW TO THE COUNCIL. I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHAT HOW WHAT I SHOULD DO.

SO OF COURSE, I TOOK THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE CITY STAFF UNHAPPILY PASSED THE BUDGET.

LAST YEAR, THERE WAS REALLY NO REASON TO DISCUSS LOWERING THE MILLAGE BECAUSE WE WERE ALL

[01:50:01]

BUT HERE I AM IN YEAR THREE OF MY TIME ON COUNCIL, YEAR EIGHT LOOKING AT BUDGETS AND I'VE SEEN SOME TRENDS AND THE TRENDS ARE ALWAYS VERY POSITIVE.

THE TRENDS CONTINUE TO SHOW THAT OUR BUDGET IS DEVELOPED.

AND I REALLY WANT TO FOCUS ON THE BUDGET STABILIZATION FUND BECAUSE EVERY YEAR THAT WHEN THE BUDGET STABILIZATION FUND WAS DEVELOPED MANY YEARS BACK, IT WASN'T RECOMMENDED THAT IT HOLD A BALANCE OF ROUGHLY 500 THOUSAND DOLLARS.

BUT YET EVERY YEAR THAT BUDGET STABILIZATION FUND SEEMS TO HAVE BETWEEN 2 AND 6 MILLION DOLLARS. YEARS AGO, THAT FUND WAS USED FOR ONE TIME EXPENDITURES, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, ALL OF WHICH WAS USED TO BENEFIT THE CITY.

IN ADDITION, IT WAS ALSO USED TO IMPROVE THE THE PENSION PLANS FOR THE FIRE AND POLICE, WHICH HAS ALLOWED THE CITY TO ENJOY STRONG PENSIONS AND SUPPORT THERE.

SO WHAT ARE WE USING THE DOLLARS FOR TODAY? WELL, WE CONTINUE.

UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE A 1 CENT SALES TAX.

IT'S BEEN USED TO FINE THE CITY FINE WHAT IT WANTED TO USE TO FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS AND HAVE DONE SO.

TODAY WE'RE USING THAT IN BUDGET STABILIZATION FUND FOR ONGOING PROJECTS AND THE PRODUCTS THAT WE USE THEM FOR ARE ALL VALID.

BUT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER, THIS IS GOVERNMENT.

THIS ISN'T A BUSINESS.

I'VE ALWAYS BEEN VERY IMPRESSED WITH HOW THE CITY RUNS THIS PLACE BECAUSE IT RUNS IT LIKE A BUSINESS. AND AS A BUSINESS OWNER, WHEN I DO BETTER THAN PROJECTED, I'D GO ON VACATION OR I GIVE MY STAFF THE EXTRA BENEFITS OR WHATEVER I WANT TO DO.

BUT IN A CITY, WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S ROLE IS TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO THE RESIDENTS AND ONLY PROVIDE SERVICES TO THE RESIDENTS TO MAKE SURE THE CITY IS DONE WELL. I UNDERSTAND THE PRESENTATION THAT ALLEN PUT TOGETHER, AND I'M NOT CHALLENGING THE PRESENTATION, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE REMEMBER THAT EVERY YEAR WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO FIND DOLLARS IN OUR BUDGET THIS YEAR INCLUDED.

AND THIS COUNCIL HAS APPROVED A NUMBER OF ONE TIME EXPENDITURES, INCLUDING CARD READER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS.

WE HAD THE STEEL TARIFF ISSUE THAT WE HAD TO DEAL WITH THAT CAME OUT OF OUR GENERAL FUND.

WE PROVIDED FUNDING FOR TENNIS FACILITY AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S TRAINING FACILITY.

BASEBALL BATTING CAGES, IT, PHONE SYSTEMS, ROOT ZONING MIX FOR GARDENS PARK.

AND DON'T FORGET, [INAUDIBLE] SETTLEMENT, ETC.

THIS DOESN'T INCLUDE WHAT I THINK ARE THE CRITICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CITY IN TERMS OF ROOF REPAIRS, FLEET REPAIRS AND UPGRADES, INFRASTRUCTURE, DRAINAGE, SEWER, CANAL, ROAD REPAIRS, ETC. THOSE ARE ALL REQUIRED AND CRITICAL AND IMPORTANT ITEMS. AND I'M NOT SUGGESTING ANY OF THE OTHER ITEMS AREN'T IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY ARE.

THAT'S WHAT MAKES OUR CITY SPECIAL.

BUT IN THE CASE OF A REAL CRITICAL CRISIS, WHICH I DON'T FORESEE COMING BECAUSE WE'VE HAD A WONDERFUL TRACK RECORD OF SHOWING DOLLARS SHOWING UP IN OUR BUDGET STABILIZATION FUND AS THE YEAR PROGRESSES.

BUT IF TRULY THAT WERE TO HAPPEN, WE HAVE ITEMS THAT AREN'T CRITICAL FOR THE USE OF THE CITY. NOW.

THERE'S A LOT OF REASONS THAT PEOPLE WOULD SAY, WELL, YOU'RE CRAZY, JUST LOOK AT WHAT ALLEN PRESENTED AND PERHAPS HE'S RIGHT.

BUT WE HAVE STABILITY IN OUR PENSIONS.

WE HAVE STABILITY IN OUR CONTRACTS WITH FIRE, POLICE, AND CIU.

WE HAVE A PLAN TO IMPROVE THE NON-UNION SALARIED PERSONNEL.

YOU KNOW, PALM BEACH GARDENS CAN'T ITS MILLAGE THEN WHEN WILL WE EVER KNOW WHO WILL EVER BE ABLE TO LOWER MILLAGE? WE ARE NOT A LANDLOCKED CITY THAT HAS BUILT OUT.

WE HAVE 20 YEARS OF STRONG PROJECTED GROWTH PLUS ANNEXATION THAT REWARDING INCLUDED IN OUR CITY. AND AS A RESULT.

I DON'T SEE HOW WE'RE GOING TO NOT CONTINUE TO HAVE PROPER BUDGETING PRACTICES THAT WILL EVENTUALLY BRING DOLLARS BACK TO THE CITY.

THERE ARE THINGS TO CONSIDER.

LESS THAN CRITICAL PROJECTS GETTING FUNDED IS ALWAYS AN ISSUE.

ECONOMIC DOWNTURN. WE'RE PROJECTING ONE.

IS IT GOING TO BE REAL OR IS IT GOING TO BE BIG? IS IT GOING TO BE SMALL? I DON'T KNOW.

AND OF COURSE, WE JUST WATCHED ONE OF THE LARGEST HURRICANES COMING CLOSE TO OUR SHORES, WHICH ALWAYS BRINGS A CONCERN TO ALL OF US.

BUT LET'S NOT FORGET, TWO YEARS AGO WHEN IRMA CAME BY, WE WERE ABLE TO ABSORB A 1.8 MILLION DOLLAR EXPENSE TO THE CITY.

AND NONE OF THAT CAME FROM OUR RESERVES.

SO OUR CITY HAS 23 MILLION DOLLARS IN UNASSIGNED RESERVES WHICH ARE THERE FOR MULTIPLE EMERGENCIES. THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY TO SPEND.

I'M NOT SUGGESTING WE GO INTO THAT AND I DON'T WANT TO TOUCH IT, BUT THAT'S WHAT THAT FUND IS FOR. SO TRYING TO BALANCE YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF OR OUR UNDERSTANDING OF CRITICAL EXPENSES AND USES VERSUS STOCKING UP ON RESERVES FOR THE UNINTENDED OR UNEXPECTED LOSS OF

[01:55:03]

BUT I THINK YOU ALL NEED TO KNOW THAT A REDUCTION FROM 555 TO 550 IS REALLY A DROP IN THE BUCKET. IT'S ABOUT 700-800,000 DOLLARS TO THE CITY'S BUDGET.

IT'S A FEW, 20, 30, 40 BUCKS PER HOUSEHOLD.

SO I KNOW IT'S NOT A BIG DOLLAR.

I KNOW WE CAN SAY THAT OUR CITY STAFF AND OUR CITY IS REDUCING ITS OVERALL MILLAGE BECAUSE THE DEBT SERVICE IS GOING TO BE GONE, WHICH IS A GOOD THING, TOO.

AND THE 20 OR 30 BUCKS PER HOUSEHOLD PROBABLY ISN'T IMPORTANT, BUT THIS CITY LEADS THE CITY DOES THINGS THAT OTHER CITIES DON'T DO.

AND THIS IS JUST ANOTHER WAY THAT WE CAN DO THAT.

I AM I'M GRATEFUL TO ALL OF YOU.

ALLEN, I CONSIDER YOU A FRIEND.

RON, I CONSIDER YOU A FRIEND.

AND I'M NOT TRYING TO STICK IT TO YOU.

BUT I JUST LOOK AT IT AS A RESIDENT AND I SAY TO MYSELF, I JUST CAN'T IN GOOD CONSCIENCE NOT BRING THESE ITEMS UP FOR DISCUSSION, BECAUSE IN MY THREE YEARS ON THE COUNCIL, I HAVEN'T BROUGHT THESE ITEMS UP FOR DISCUSSION.

WE'VE HAD THEM IN PRIVATE. AND I ALWAYS SAID I WOULD TALK TO YOU BEFORE I DO IT.

AND I DID HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH BOTH OF YOU THAT I WOULD BE DISCUSSING SOME ITEMS. SO I'M GOING TO ASK ALL OF YOU TO WEIGH IN ON WHATEVER YOU THINK.

AND I DON'T HOLD ANYBODY IN ANY POSITION OTHER THAN RESPECT.

BUT THAT'S MY QUESTION TO ALL OF YOU AND ASK THAT YOU THINK ABOUT IT.

SO, RACHELLE, YOU WANT TO BRING UP A POINT? SO THE FIRST THING I WANT TO ADD TO THAT WAS THAT WE ACTUALLY DO HAVE A SLIGHT DECREASE IN THE MILLAGE RATE BECAUSE THE DEBTS BEING RETIRED.

SO THE MILLAGE RATE IS NOT STAYING WHERE IT WAS.

THERE IS A SLIGHT DECREASE TO THE MILITARY RATE THIS YEAR.

THE SECOND POINT IS THAT MOST OF OUR ANNEXATION HAVE NOT COME ON BOARD YET.

AND WE ARE LOOKING TO NEW TAX ROLLS AND MORE AD VELOREM COMING IN THAN WE WILL HAVE TO EXPEND IN SERVICES TO SERVICE THOSE AREAS.

SO WE ARE GOING TO BE CHANGING IN TERMS OF GETTING MORE MONEY GOING FORWARD.

THE FIRST QUESTION I ASKED AT MY BUDGET REVIEW.

ON PAGE 28 OF THE THE BUDGET, IT SAYS THE CITIES IN SOUND FINANCIAL POSITION THE CITY'S SOUND FINANCIAL POSITION IS DUE TO A CURRENTLY STRONG ECONOMY AND REAL ESTATE MARKET AND EVERYTHING I'M HEARING ON THE OUTSIDE IS POINTING TO THE FACT THAT THAT MAY NOT HOLD FOR TOO MUCH LONGER. NOW, DO WE HAVE A CRYSTAL BALL? NO. BUT WHEN WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO DO WHAT WE DID IN 2008 AS FAR AS REDUCING OUR WORKFORCE TO KEEP THE CITY OPERATING, THAT'S GOTTEN ME CONCERNED.

A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, THAT PARTICULAR FACTOR WOULDN'T HAVE HAD ME CONCERNED.

TWO YEARS AGO, THE CITY HAD TO SPEND OVER TWO MILLION DOLLARS ON CLEANUP OVER MATTHEW.

DOING THE BUDGET DURING HURRICANE SEASON ADDS A DEFINITE PERSPECTIVE.

I MEAN, AS WE'RE SITTING THERE WAITING FOR THIS TO HIT GOING THROUGH THE NUMBERS AND SEEING HOW IF WE HAD GOTTEN THAT FIVE, THE DEVASTATION THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF IS SOBERING. AND I AM UNDER THE OPINION RIGHT NOW THAT STEADY AND STRAIGHT IS THE WAY BUSINESS WANTS TO BE ABLE TO DEPEND ON US AND LOOKING AT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE BUDGET STABILIZATION FUND, YET WE'RE HIGHER THAN IT WAS ORIGINALLY PLANNED FOR. BUT THE CITY IS GROWING FASTER THAN WE ORIGINALLY PLANNED FOR.

AND I THINK HAVING THAT MONEY SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO GO INTO THOSE RESERVES BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHEN A CATASTROPHE IS GOING TO HIT.

I MEAN, THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE MORE FREQUENT AND MORE DEVASTATING EVERY TIME ONE COMES THROUGH.

SO I'M KIND OF LEANING TOWARDS STAYING WITH THE 5.5, TAKING THE REDUCTION THAT WE'RE GETTING THIS YEAR AND THEN NEXT YEAR WHEN OUR ANNEXATIONS COME IN AND WE SEE THIS YEAR WE ENDED UP WITH HIGHER RESERVES THAN WE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE. IF THAT HAPPENS AGAIN NEXT YEAR, THEN I WOULD DEFINITELY BE MORE PRONE IN THE RIGHT ECONOMIC CLIMATE TO GO AHEAD WITH THE REDUCTION NEXT YEAR.

I THINK.

SURE. I BELIEVE WE NEED TO PROVIDE THE CITIZENS WITH THE LOWEST POSSIBLE TAX RATE.

BUT BEFORE I MADE ANY CHANGES IN THIS PROPOSED BUDGET, I'D WANT TO KNOW EXACTLY WHERE

[02:00:03]

SO IF WE REDUCED IT BY 10 PERCENT, I'D WANT TO SEE THE BUDGET AND SAY.

EXCUSE ME, CAN YOU PLEASE.

I WANT TO BE ABLE TO SAY THIS IS WHAT WE'RE WHERE WE'RE GETTING IT.

THIS IS WE'RE GETTING IT. THIS IS WHERE WE'RE GETTING IT.

AND THEN I HAVE A RATIONALE TO DEAL WITH IT.

SO ABSENT THAT, AND BASED UPON THE COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS THAT WAS PROVIDED BY ALLEN AND BY THE BUDGET COMMITTEE, I WOULD PROBABLY STICK WITH THEIR RECOMMENDATION.

ABSENT FINDING WHAT SERVICES WE REALLY DON'T NEED TO PROVIDE AND WHERE WE CAN GET THE FUNDS.

MARIA. OK. WELL, ONE THING THAT OUR BUSINESSES AND OUR RESIDENTS LIKE TO KNOW IS HOW ARE THEY GOING TO DO THEIR BUDGETS? AND I SAY THIS YEAR AFTER YEAR, OUR CITY MANAGER LIVES HERE.

OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR LIVES HERE, OUR PLANNING AND ZONING DIRECTOR LIVES HERE.

THEY'RE NOT JUST SPENDING OUR MONEY.

THEY'RE SPENDING THEIR MONEY TO AS RESIDENTS.

I WANT TO CORRECT MARK AND SOMETHING THAT HE SAID.

MY MOTHER SAYS NEVER CORRECT ANYBODY IN PUBLIC.

ALWAYS CORRECT THEM IN PRIVATE.

BUT WE ACTUALLY ARE A BUSINESS.

WE'RE A SERVICE BUSINESS.

AND IT GOES.

A FUNNY STORY.

NOT SO FUNNY, MAYBE. BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WERE DOING A RIBBON CUTTING AT EARTH FAIR AND THAT GENTLEMAN WENT DOWN AND HE WAS TRIAGED ON A GURNEY, TAKEN AWAY.

FIRE AND RESCUE DID ALL OF THAT WITHIN 10 MINUTES.

AND I WAS PROUD TO SAY AND VERBATIM WAS IF YOU'RE GOING TO GO DOWN, YOU MIGHT AS WELL GO DOWN IN THE CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS BECAUSE WE HAVE AN AWARD WINNING POLICE DEPARTMENT AND WE HAVE AN AWARD WINNING FIRE DEPARTMENT.

NOW, WHAT DID IT TAKE FOR US TO GET THAT? WELL. 3.3 MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS IS GOING TO GO TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

MORE SO THAN LAST YEAR, 2.8 MILLION FOR THREE YEARS FOR POLICE.

WE HAD TO INCREASE 6 PERCENT VERSUS 3 PERCENT FOR NON BARGAINING EMPLOYEES BECAUSE THEIR WAGES ARE IN THE FIFTIETH PERCENTILE.

WE ARE THE NUMBER ONE CITY IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

I THINK IT'S BECAUSE OF THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE.

AND MY CONCERN ABOUT LOWERING THAT BUDGET TO 5.5, WHICH DOESN'T PUTS 20 DOLLARS IN SOMEBODY'S POCKET FOR THE WHOLE YEAR, IS ONE OF THOSE NUMBERS THAT ALLEN GAVE US WAS 17 PERCENT OF OUR BUDGET AND MAYBE EVEN A LITTLE LESS THAN THAT WAS GONNA BE IN RESERVES.

WE JUST MISSED DORIAN.

WE JUST MISSED IRMA.

WE MISSED MATTHEW.

BUT IF WE HAVE LESS THAN 17 PERCENT OF OUR BUDGET, OUR OPERATING BUDGET AND RESERVES.

THAT'S NOT EVEN THREE MONTHS WORTH OF OPERATING BUDGET.

AND THAT SCARES, EXCUSE MY FRENCH.

THAT SCARES THE HELL OUT OF ME.

I DO NOT WANT TO BE IN A POSITION WHERE THE CITY CAN'T AFFORD TO OPEN ITS DOORS.

THREE MONTHS OF OPERATING EXPENSE BASICALLY BUYS US ENOUGH TIME BECAUSE WE ARE TRIPLE RATE A TRIPLE-A RATED.

TO BORROW THE MONEY THAT WE NEED, ANYTHING LESS THAN THAT, WE'RE WE'RE SUNK.

AND I KNOW WE TALK ABOUT OUR BUDGET STABILIZATION, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT THE FACT THAT, AS ROCHELLE SAID, WE DON'T HAVE A CRYSTAL BALL.

WE DON'T KNOW IF ALL OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS THAT WILL BECOME AVENIR SPECIFICALLY THAT WILL BE COMING ONLINE IN A FEW YEARS, WILL IT REALLY BE A BRISK SALE OR WILL IT BE JUST A VERY SLOW AND STEADY SALE? AND THESE ARE THINGS WE DON'T KNOW.

BUT IF WE CAN TELL OUR BUSINESSES FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS, WE'RE GOING TO STAY AT 5.55.

YOU GET TO FIX YOUR BUDGET AT THAT RATE.

HOMEOWNERS, FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, WE'RE GOING TO STAY AT 5.55.

YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT'S GOING TO BE.

I REMEMBER THE 5.55 IS JUST FOR THE CITY THAT THAT IT'S ONLY THAT 28 CENTS.

IT COMES BACK TO THE CITY OF YOUR TAXES.

THE REST GOES TO THE COUNTY.

SO THERE ARE OTHER.

I MEAN, I HAVE OTHER NOTES HERE OF WHY I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE CHANGING OUR MILLAGE RATE AT THIS TIME. AND I DO WANT TO SAY, I MEAN, THERE'S OTHER WAYS THAT THE CITY COULD COULD MAKE MONEY AND WE CHOOSE NOT TO.

I MEAN, WE COULD ACTUALLY CHARGE A UTILITY TAX.

BY STATE STATUTE, WE COULD IMPOSE OR LEVY UP TO A 10 PERCENT UTILITY TAX.

AND WE DO NOT DO THAT.

SO THE CITY HAS DONE A LOT TO KEEP THE MILLAGE DOWN AND TO KEEP OUT THE EXPENSES OF OUR HOMEOWNERS DOWN. SO THAT IS A LONG WINDED WAY OF SAYING I'M I'M STICKING WITH THE 5.55 PERCENT. CARL.

I DON'T HAVE TO SAY ANYTHING. YOU GOT THREE YESES RIGHT THERE.

SO. THERE ISN'T ONE PERSON THAT'S SITTING IN THIS ROOM THAT DIDN'T GO, UH-OH, LIKE SUNDAY OR MONDAY. AND THAT WOULD MAKE ME NERVOUS.

WE ALL FIVE AGREED TO PUT THE CITY ON A 10 YEAR VISION.

[02:05:01]

AND NO DISRESPECT TO YOU, MARK, BUT WE DON'T NEED TO LOOK GOOD BY LOWERING SOMEBODIES TAXES 20 DOLLARS A YEAR.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AT WHAT WE'VE DONE THE LAST THREE YEARS WITH THE PENNY SALES TAX, WHICH MAKES THE COMMUNITY FLOURISH.

KIDS OUT THERE RIGHT NOW FINALLY PRACTICING ON OUR SOCCER FIELDS.

THAT WAS PAINSTAKINGLY TOO LONG TO GET THE COUNTY TO GO ALONG WITH US TO GET THAT BUILT.

AND NOW WE'RE WORKING ON OUR BACKYARD FOR THE BASEBALL.

TO PLAY WITH THE MILLAGE A PENNY OR A NICKEL PUTS US IN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF GRAY AREA, YOU KNOW, IN A YEAR OR TWO BASED ON YOUR CALCULATIONS AND.

I DON'T WANT TO BE IN A WHAT IF SITUATION.

I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE TO KNOW THIS, BUT THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT VOTE THAT WE WILL MAKE ALL YEAR LONG PERIOD, END OF STORY.

AND WE FIVE HAVE TO COME TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WE'RE ALWAYS TOGETHER.

BUT THIS ONE IS THE BIGGEST WE WILL EVER HAVE IN ANY YEAR WE'RE UP HERE.

AND I THINK A CITY HAS TO SHOW STABILITY AND IT'S OK TO SAY THAT WE'RE AT 5.55 AND THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FOR ANOTHER EIGHT YEARS.

YOUR PROPERTY VALUE IS GOING TO GO UP A LOT MORE THAN 20 DOLLARS AND IT HAS AND WE SHOW THAT TOO. SO, YOU KNOW, I JUST I HAVE TO GO WITH, YOU KNOW, JUST MY INSTINCT IS STEADY AS SHE GOES. DON'T PLAY WITH THE NUMBERS.

WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, BE CALM.

LOOK, WE'RE NOT HIRING.

WE'RE HIRING THREE PEOPLE.

SO THIS IS A GOOD YEAR TO JUST BE.

AND, YOU KNOW, JUST LET THINGS DEVELOP.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

I MEAN, THIS HURRICANE TURNED IN FROM NOTHING INTO A TO A BEAST IN A MATTER OF A FEW DAYS. AND SO, YOU KNOW, THIS THIS THIS FITS OUR VISION.

WE'VE AGREED ON IT. AND I WANT TO STICK WITH WHAT WE'VE AGREED TO.

OK. WELL. THAT'S FINE.

LOOK. BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO DEFEND YOURSELF.

NOT TALKING. HEY, LISTEN, WE DON'T.

WE DON'T GET A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT THESE THINGS BECAUSE THERE'S SUNSHINE LAWS IN PLACE AT THIS MUNICIPAL LEVEL IS NOT IN TALLAHASSEE, OF COURSE.

SO WE NEVER HAVE HAD THIS CONVERSATION.

AND IF I WASN'T GONNA BRING UP THE CONVERSATION, WHEN WOULD WE BRING UP THE CONVERSATION? I SAT IN THIS ROOM MANY TIMES WITH MATTHEW EIGHT YEARS AGO LOOKING AT BUDGETS AND LISTENING TO THE COUNCIL.

AND THERE WAS THE ONE TIME WHEN AT THE TIME [INAUDIBLE] WAS SITTING HERE, I THINK BASICALLY SAID I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT THE BUDGET BECAUSE AND THERE WAS THE SAME ARGUMENTS AT THE TIME THAT WE SHOULD JUST STAY STEADY.

WE SHOULD JUST DO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO.

LET'S NOT ROCK THE BOAT.

AND YET THE MILLAGE WAS REDUCED AND THE CITY CONTINUED TO FLOURISH.

SO I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A CONCERN.

THE ONLY REASON WHY I WOULD SUPPORT A 555 OTHER THAN MY DEEP RESPECT FOR EVERYONE THAT WORKS ON THIS BUDGET IS BECAUSE OF THE REAL THREAT OF A HURRICANE.

AND CLIMATE CHANGE IS REAL AND IT'S HAPPENING AND IT'S AFFECTING THE STORMS AND THE SIZE OF THEM. THAT'S THE ONLY REASON WHY I WOULD CONSIDER IT.

BUT IF YOU ASK REALLY, IF YOU REALLY LOOK AT IT AND YOU REALLY ASK IF THIS CITY CANNOT FIND SEVEN TO EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN THEIR BUDGET, OPERATING BUDGET TO REDUCE IT'S, VIRTUALLY NOTHING.

AND YES, THIS IS NOT A BUSINESS.

WE TREAT IT LIKE A BUSINESS, BUT IT'S GOVERNMENT.

GOVERNMENT IS NOT A BUSINESS.

IF YOU'RE GOING TO TREAT GOVERNMENT LIKE A BUSINESS, THEN YOU'RE MAKING BASICALLY MAKING MONEY, YOU'RE LOOKING FOR PROFIT.

AND GOVERNMENT IS NOT DESIGNED TO MAKE A PROFIT.

GOVERNMENT IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO PEOPLE AND ULTIMATELY DO THAT THE MOST EFFICIENTLY AND WITH THE LEAST AMOUNT OF DOLLARS AS YOU CAN.

THAT'S MY PHILOSOPHICAL BELIEF ON GOVERNMENT AS A WHOLE.

I DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE TAKING AS MUCH MONEY AS WE CAN AND DOING AS MUCH AS WE CAN. GOVERNMENT IS DESIGNED TO TO PROVIDE ESSENTIAL SERVICES.

WE'VE DEFINED WHAT THOSE ARE.

WE KNOW WHAT THE CITY IS SUPPOSED TO DO.

AND AFTER THAT, IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY.

AND WE ARE THE POLITICIANS HERE, EVEN THOUGH I HATE I DON'T THINK ANY OF US ARE TRUE POLITICIANS, BUT WE ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE TO MAKE THAT DECISION.

THINKING LIKE A RESIDENT.

I MEAN, THERE'S NOBODY HERE THAT REALLY CARES.

SO MAYBE I'M JUST BLOWING SMOKE UP EVERYONE'S.

I DON'T KNOW. WE CARE.

BUT BUT THIS IS WHY WE HAVE TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS, BECAUSE IF WE DON'T HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS HERE, WE CAN'T DO IT WHILE WE WATCH THE FOOTBALL GAME.

SO WE HAVE TO DO IT NOW.

AND IF I DIDN'T BRING IT UP TODAY AFTER THREE YEARS ON COUNCIL, THEN WHAT AM I WASTING MY TIME FOR HERE? SO THAT'S WHY I BRING IT UP.

I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE CONVERSATION AND THE DISCUSSION, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE IT OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, I'M SURE, IN PRIVATE WITH WITH THE CITY STAFF AND OUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS AND RESIDENTS.

AND WE'LL TAKE IT FROM THERE. GO AHEAD, ROCHELLE.

[02:10:03]

28 CENTS OF EVERY DOLLAR GOES TO THE COUNTY.

28, THAT'S 28 PERCENT.

I MEAN, IT'S 28 STAYS HERE IN THE CITY, 28 PERCENT STAYS IN THE CITY.

THE REST GOES TO THE COUNTY AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE OTHER ENTITIES.

WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY RAISE WHAT THEY TAKE FROM US? THEN THE CITY WILL EVEN GET LESS GOING FORWARD.

WE CAN'T PROJECT FOR FOR WHAT THAT LARGER CHUNK OF THAT HUNDRED DOLLARS IS GOING TO DO.

SO WITH SOME OF THE SITUATIONS THAT THE COUNTY IS FACING RIGHT NOW.

AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, I MEAN, IT'S POSSIBLE WE'RE GOING TO EVEN HAVE A SMALLER PIECE OF THE PIE GOING FORWARD.

NO, BECAUSE THE COUNTY IS GOING TO TAX THE RESIDENT WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO COUNT AS WITH ALL THE TAXING DISTRICTS.

THE CITY IS AN INDEPENDENT TAXING DISTRICT AND WE'LL TAX THE RESIDENTS WHATEVER WE FEEL IS NECESSARY SO THEY CAN RAISE THEIR TAX RATE AS MUCH AS THEY WANT.

IT DOESN'T IMPACT WHAT THE CITY COLLECTS.

RIGHT.

YES. WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THEIR BUDGET.

AND THEY DON'T IMPACT OURS.

SO THEY CAN DO WHAT THEY WANT.

WE'RE WE'RE INDEPENDENT OF THEM AS A TAXING DISTRICT.

IT'S JUST A BIGGER CHECK.

BUT THE COUNTY DOESN'T HAVE ANY EFFECT ON WHAT OUR BUDGET IS.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'RE WE'RE ALREADY GOING TO IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS, WE'RE GOING TO BE COLLECTING FROM EVERYTHING WE'VE ANNEXED.

AND WE DID HAVE THIS DISCUSSION.

TWO YEARS AGO, WE DID HAVE THIS DISCUSSION.

THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET AND ALL OF US HERE ON THE COUNCIL. AND MARK IS GOING TO BRING IT UP NEXT YEAR.

WELL, JUST ONE MORE THING, TOO.

IF THERE IS A YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT GROWTH AND IF THERE IS A RECESSION, AGAIN, PROPERTY VALUES GO DOWN AGAIN.

SO. TAXES GO DOWN AGAIN BASED ON PROPERTY TAXES AND PROPERTY VALUES.

SO THEN WE ARE HIT AGAIN ON HOW DO WE MAKE UP THOSE FUNDS.

THAT WAS ONE OF MY KEY CONVERSATIONS WITH ALLEN IN A WHAT IF? BECAUSE IT'S BEING DISCUSSED.

YOU KNOW THAT WE COULD BE ON THE BRINK OF A RECESSION, BUT WE NEED TO BE STABLE.

AND THIS IS THE VOTE THAT COUNTS.

ALSO, WE HAVE A NEW CITY HALL UNDER CONSTRUCTION, NEW POLICE, NEW FIRE.

A LOT OF THESE NEW BUILDINGS ARE GOING TO AFFECT OUR OPERATING BUDGET.

AND WE DON'T KNOW HOW THAT'S GOING TO AFFECT OUR OPERATING BUDGET YET.

HOPEFULLY IT'S GOING TO REDUCE OUR OPERATING BUDGET BECAUSE WE ARE BEING SUSTAINABLE AND DOING THINGS THE WAY WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE WE NEED ANOTHER YEAR TO SEE HOW THAT ALL SHAKES OUT TOO.

DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS? LET'S MOVE ON. OK.

THAT'S. SO WHICH ONE IS THAT? WELL, THERE'S ONLY ONE MOTION ON THE FLOOR, AND IT'S TO ADOPT A MILLAGE RATE OF 5.55 MILS, WHICH GREATER THAN 5.2368 THE ROLLBACK RATE BY 4.19 PERCENT.

WE'VE HAD A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THAT? THAT'S CORRECT. SO WE JUST HAVE TO CALL FOR A VOTE.

YES. RIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? AYE. MOTION CARRIES 4-1.

DOES IT NEED TO BE READ OR.

THE TITLE HAS BEEN READ, MA'AM.

SO I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE BUDGET.

I SECOND THE MOTION.

ACTUALLY IT NEEDS TO BE JUST THE WAY IT IS ON THE SLIDE.

I MAKE I RECOMMEND I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE 20 2019 ON FIRST READING ADOPTING A BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019 2020.

I SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED.

AYE. 4-1.

THANK YOU. OK, CITY ATTORNEY REPORT NEXT.

ITEMS OF COUNCIL ACTION.

ANY DISCUSSION AMONGST THE COUNCIL? I THINK WE HAD A LIVELY DISCUSSION TONIGHT.

I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE FIRST.

WELL, WE'VE HAD A FEW LIVELY DISCUSSIONS.

BUT AS MAYOR. THIS IS MY FIRST LIVELY DISCUSSION.

LISTEN, I RESPECT ALL OF YOU.

THIS IS NOT A PERSONAL THING.

[Items XI & XIII]

SO WE WILL ALL WALK OUT ARM IN ARM AND WE'LL DO WHAT'S BEST FOR THE CITY.

WE MAY HAVE A SMALL DIFFERENCE OF OPINION.

IF I DIDN'T DO THIS TO MYSELF TODAY, I WOULD HAVE GONE A YEAR WONDERING WHY I DIDN'T BRING IT UP. IT'S BEEN EIGHT YEARS THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING IT THAT I'D BEEN TALKING ABOUT BUDGETS AND WATCHING THE COUNCIL.

AND THIS WAS MY OPPORTUNITY TO BRING IT TO YOU WHEN I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT BUDGET BECAUSE WE CAN'T DO IT ANYWHERE ELSE.

SO WITH THAT, IS THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS? FOOTBALL HAS BEEN ON FOR LIKE AN HOUR OR SO.

LET'S ADJOURN.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.