Jun 04, 2026 City Council

[Call to Order]

[00:00:02]

GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.

AND IF YOU CAN RISE, IF YOU'RE ABLE TO JOIN IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.

ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL? MAYOR MIDDLETON HERE.

VICE MAYOR KEMP HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER TINSLEY HERE.

COUNCIL MEMBER AMAROSO HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER LITT HERE.

ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONS, DELETIONS OR MODIFICATIONS THIS MORNING?

[III. ADDITIONS, DELETIONS, MODIFICATIONS]

I PROVIDED YOU WITH AN ADM SHEET. OKAY. SO IF I CAN PROPOSE TO ADD A LEGISLATIVE UPDATE FROM MATT FORREST FROM BALLARD PARTNERS, PLEASE. IF I CAN MAKE A MOTION.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO MOVE TO THE AGENDA. SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. I'VE HAD A REQUEST FROM MARIA

[V. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC (PART 1 of 2)]

SO I'M GOING TO MAKE A SPECIAL CONSIDERATION AND ASK HER TO PLEASE SPEAK.

SO WELCOME, COMMISSIONER MARIA MARINO. THANK YOU ALL.

AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. MARIA MARINO, THREE CARRICK ROAD.

IT'S PUBLIC INFORMATION. SO THERE YOU GO. COUNTY COMMISSIONER, DISTRICT ONE.

PREVIOUS MAYOR OF THE COUNTY. PREVIOUS MAYOR OF THE CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS.

AND I'M HERE TODAY TO REFERENCE AN ITEM ON YOUR AGENDA, WHICH IS THE REVIEW OF RON FERRIS.

TEN YEARS AGO WHEN I BECAME AN ELECTED OFFICIAL FOR THE FIRST TIME, DID MY HOMEWORK, DID THE RESEARCH OF THE CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS AND PALM BEACH GARDENS WHEN IT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1959, ITS VISION WAS TO BE 5000 PEOPLE IN EIGHT YEARS.

FAST FORWARD TO TODAY AND WE'RE ROUGHLY OVER 60,000.

SO WHAT HAS HAPPENED HERE IS SMART GROWTH. AND HOW HAS THAT HAPPENED UNDER RON FERRIS? WHEN RON FERRIS TOOK OVER AS CITY MANAGER, WE WERE ONE BAD DECISION AWAY FROM BEING BANKRUPT.

THAT'S HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAD IN RESERVES. VERY LITTLE.

FAST FORWARD TO TODAY. WE'RE A TRIPLE A RATED CITY.

I DON'T HAVE TO TELL YOU THIS BECAUSE YOU ALL KNOW THIS. YOU'VE ESTABLISHED THIS UNDER THE TUTELAGE OF RON FERRIS AND HIS STAFF.

AND WHEN THEY MAKE THE BUDGET. RON FERRIS IS A RESIDENT OF THE CITY.

MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE DEPARTMENTS ARE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY.

THEY'RE NOT SPENDING JUST THEIR MONEY. I'M SORRY.

THEY'RE NOT SPENDING THEIR MONEY. THEY'RE SPENDING THEIR MONEY.

RON HAS BEEN A THOUGHTFUL LEADER. GROWTH HAS BEEN CONTROLLED AND MANAGED.

I AM THE LEGISLATOR. I AM BECAUSE OF THE MENTORSHIP OF RON FERRIS, WHO LAST YEAR I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF ACCOMPANYING HIM WHEN HE WAS AWARDED THE. CITY MANAGER OF THE YEAR. THANK YOU, RON, FOR YOUR SERVICE, I LOVE THAT, BUT THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED THAT TO ME ARE REALLY IMPORTANT. AND I'M FINALLY SEEING A GOOD RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY AND THAT THAT IS PATIENCE. RON HAS BEEN MEETING WITH JOE ABRUZZO OVER AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.

WE'RE WORKING OUT KINKS WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND WE'RE WORKING OUT KINKS IN OTHER DIVISIONS, INCLUDING ROADWAY NETWORKS AND WHATNOT. BUT MY WHOLE PURPOSE OF BEING HERE TODAY AND TAKING MY THREE MINUTES IS TO SAY THAT RON FERRIS HAS PUT TOGETHER A TEAM OF PEOPLE THAT LEAD BY EXAMPLE. WHEN WE HAD A SPARE BUILDING THAT WAS GOING TO BE TORN DOWN, IT WAS RON WHO SAID TO EVERYBODY HERE, GIVE US A REASON FOR THAT BUILDING TO STAY, AND THAT'S NOW YOUR LOGISTIC CENTER.

AND IT WAS BECAUSE OF HIS INPUT WITH STAFF AND STAFF'S RESPONSE TO THAT, THAT WE ACTUALLY DIDN'T SELL THE PROPERTY AND WE KEPT IT IN THE GARDENS AND WE'VE USED IT.

BUT IT'S THOSE THINGS THAT THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX AND TAKING THE LEAD FROM HIS STAFF THAT HAS MADE HIM THE CITY MANAGER THAT HE IS TODAY, AND MY MENTOR AND I THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.

I HAVE TO GO CHAIR A MEETING IN IN MARTIN COUNTY FOR THE PALMAR WATER CONTROL DISTRICT.

AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, RON, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL YOU DO FOR THE CITY, FOR YOUR TUTELAGE AND THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STEER A SHIP IN SUCH A GRACEFUL MANNER MANAGING GROWTH AS WELL AS YOU, AS YOU HAVE HAVING THE STAFF THAT YOU DO THAT HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME.

THIS ISN'T, YOU KNOW, WE AT THE CITY WITH THE COUNTY ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR STAFF.

YEAH, THEY COME AND GO. AND SO I DO APPRECIATE THAT YOU DO A LOT TO MAKE YOUR STAFFERS REALIZE

[00:05:04]

SO THANK YOU. HAVE A GREAT DAY. THANK YOU. SO OUR FIRST PRESENTATION THIS

[IV. ANNOUNCEMENTS / PRESENTATIONS]

GOOD MORNING GINA. GOOD MORNING. MOST ETHICS ISSUES WE SEE DON'T START WITH BAD INTENT.

THEY START WITH UNCERTAINTY. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS GINA LEVESQUE, AND I SERVE AS THE INTAKE AND COMPLIANCE MANAGER FOR THE PALM BEACH COUNTY COMMISSION ON ETHICS. AND AS YOUR LIAISON WITH OUR OFFICE TODAY, I'D LIKE TO BRIEFLY FOCUS ON HOW ETHICS SHOWS UP IN YOUR EVERYDAY WORK, AND HOW WE CAN SUPPORT YOU WHEN QUESTIONS ARISE.

THE COMMISSION ON ETHICS WAS ESTABLISHED TO PROMOTE INTEGRITY AND PUBLIC SERVICE, BUILD PUBLIC TRUST AND ENSURE THAT PRIVATE INTERESTS DO NOT INTERFERE WITH PUBLIC DUTIES. WE PROVIDE OVERSIGHT FOR MORE THAN 12,000 PUBLIC OFFICIALS, EMPLOYEES AND ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS, AND CERTAIN VENDORS AND LOBBYISTS THROUGHOUT PALM BEACH COUNTY, INCLUDING ALL 39 MUNICIPALITIES.

WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE IS THAT MOST ETHICS ISSUES ARE NOT INTENTIONAL.

THEY TYPICALLY ARISE IN SITUATIONS INVOLVING RELATIONSHIPS, OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT, VENDOR INTERACTIONS, OR DECISIONS WHERE THERE MAY BE A PERCEIVED CONFLICT.

THESE ARE NOT ALWAYS CLEAR, AND THAT'S WHERE WE COME IN.

OUR ROLE IS NOT JUST ENFORCEMENT, ITS GUIDANCE.

WE ARE HERE AS A RESOURCE TO HELP YOU NAVIGATE THOSE GRAY AREAS BEFORE THEY BECOME ISSUES.

WHETHER IT'S A QUICK QUESTION OR FORMAL ADVISORY OPINION, REACHING OUT AHEAD OF TIME CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE.

ADVISORY OPINIONS IN PARTICULAR, PROVIDE GUIDANCE BASED ON YOUR SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES AND WHEN RELIED UPON IN GOOD FAITH, THEY OFFER PROTECTION MOVING FORWARD. IF THERE'S ONE TAKEAWAY I'D LIKE TO LEAVE YOU WITH, IT'S THIS IF SOMETHING CAUSES YOU TO CAUSE EVEN BRIEFLY, THAT'S THE TIME TO REACH OUT. YOU DON'T NEED TO BE CERTAIN THERE'S AN ISSUE.

YOU JUST NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE MAY BE A QUESTION.

YOU CAN FIND RESOURCES OR CONTACT US AT PALM BEACH COUNTY ETHICS.COM, OR BY CALLING (561) 355-1915.

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SERVICE BECAUSE ETHICS ISN'T A MOMENT, IT'S A MINDSET. AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING. THANK YOU.

I SHORTEN IT EVERY YEAR JUST A LITTLE BIT. HAVE A GOOD DAY.

THE NEXT PRESENTATION IS THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT.

AND I'D LIKE TO WELCOME DEPUTY FINANCE ADMINISTRATOR CHARMAINE KEYS TO HERE TO PRESENT.

SO GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS CHARMAINE KEYS.

I'M THE DEPUTY FINANCE ADMINISTRATOR. TODAY WE HAVE A PRESENTATION OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE TAMMY GOLDSMITH, WHO IS WITH OUR AUDITING FIRM, KB CPAS.

SHE WILL BE PROVIDING THE PRESENTATION ON OUR RESULTS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS TAMMY GOLDSTEIN FROM CBIZ CPAS.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THE RESULTS OF THE CITY'S AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2025. I WILL BRIEFLY WALK THROUGH OUR OPINION ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, A FEW KEY FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE YEAR, AND THE REQUIRED COMMUNICATIONS WE SHARED WITH THOSE CHARGED WITH GOVERNANCE.

OVERALL, THE RESULTS WERE POSITIVE AND THE CITY DEMONSTRATES STRONG FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND SOUND REPORTING PRACTICES.

OUR AUDIT COVERED THE CITY'S GOVERNMENTAL ACTIVITIES, THE GENERAL FUND AS A MAJOR FUND, AND THE AGGREGATE REMAINING FUND ACTIVITIES.

THE POLICE OFFICERS PENSION FUND AND FIREFIGHTERS PENSION FUNDS WERE INCLUDED IN THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS BUT ARE AUDITED BY OTHER AUDITORS, AND WE RELIED ON THOSE BALANCES. OUR WORK WAS PERFORMED IN ACCORDANCE WITH GENERALLY ACCEPTED AUDITING STANDARDS, GOVERNMENT AUDITING STANDARDS AND APPLICABLE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS UNDER UNIFORM GUIDANCE.

MANAGEMENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PREPARING THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND MAINTAINING INTERNAL CONTROL.

OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS THE AUDITORS IS TO EXPRESS AN OPINION ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS BASED ON THE AUDIT PROCEDURES WE PERFORMED.

I'M PLEASED TO REPORT THAT WE ISSUED AN UNMODIFIED OPINION ON THE CITY'S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.

THAT'S THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF ASSURANCE WE PROVIDE AND IS OFTEN REFERRED TO AS A CLEAN OPINION.

[00:10:07]

FROM AN OVERALL STANDPOINT, IT WAS A VERY CLEAN AUDIT.

WE ENCOUNTERED NO DIFFICULTIES WITH MANAGEMENT, NO DISAGREEMENTS WITH MANAGEMENT, AND WE IDENTIFIED NO SIGNIFICANT, UNUSUAL OR CONCERNING TRANSACTIONS. NO MATTERS CAME TO OUR ATTENTION THAT WE BELIEVE NEED TO BE ELEVATED TO COUNCIL AS A CONCERN.

AS PART OF OUR AUDIT PROCEDURES, WE ALSO REVIEWED THE SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION ACCOMPANYING THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, WHICH INCLUDES THE COMBINING AN INDIVIDUAL FUND, FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SCHEDULES, AS WELL AS THE SCHEDULE OF EXPENDITURES AND FEDERAL AWARDS, AND CONFIRMED THAT THAT INFORMATION WAS PRESENTED CONSISTENT WITH THE UNDERLYING RECORDS AS IT RELATES TO ACCOUNTING POLICIES.

THERE WAS NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN THE YEAR OTHER THAN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TWO NEW ACCOUNTING STANDARDS.

GATSBY 101 AND 102. GATSBY 101 RELATES TO THE COMPENSATED ABSENCES AND HOW THE CITY RECORDS UNUSED EMPLOYEE LEAVE BALANCES, SUCH AS VACATION AND SICK TIME. AND GATSBY 102 RELATES TO RISK DISCLOSURES BY REQUIRING ADDITIONAL TRANSPARENCY AROUND CERTAIN RISKS.

IF THOSE RISKS MEET THE REPORTING CRITERIA. AS IT RELATES TO KEY ESTIMATES, WE APPLIED PROCEDURES TO THE CITY'S ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES, INCLUDING PENSION OPEB AND SELF-INSURANCE CLAIMS, AND BASED ON THE PROCEDURES WE PERFORMED, WE CONCLUDED THAT THE ESTIMATES AND RELATED ASSUMPTIONS WERE REASONABLE IN RELATION TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AS A WHOLE TO TURN TO THE CITY'S FINANCIAL RESULTS.

THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 WAS A STRONG YEAR. FINANCIALLY, THE NET POSITION INCREASED TO APPROXIMATELY 239 MILLION, WHICH IS AN INCREASE OF OF ABOUT 18 MILLION FROM THE PRIOR YEAR.

THE GOVERNMENTAL FUND YEAR END, WITH A COMBINED FUND BALANCE OF APPROXIMATELY 140 MILLION AND GOVERNMENTAL DEBT, DECREASED BY APPROXIMATELY 5.8 OR 10% FROM THE PRIOR YEAR.

IN ADDITION TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT AUDIT, WE ALSO ISSUED REPORTS UNDER GOVERNMENT AUDITING STANDARDS AND UNIFORM GUIDANCE.

WE REPORTED NO MATERIAL WEAKNESSES IN INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING.

WE REPORTED NO INSTANCES OF MATERIAL NONCOMPLIANCE WITH LAWS, REGULATIONS, CONTRACTS, OR GRANTS.

AND FOR THE FEDERAL AWARDS, THE CITY RECEIVED AN UNMODIFIED OPINION ON ITS MAJOR FEDERAL PROGRAM, AND THERE WERE NO FINDINGS OR QUESTIONED COSTS.

THESE RESULTS REINFORCE THE OVERALL CONCLUSION THAT THE CITY'S FINANCIAL REPORTING, COMPLIANCE AND RELATED CONTROL PROCESSES ARE OPERATING EFFECTIVELY.

TO SUMMARIZE, THE CITY RECEIVED A CLEAN AUDIT OPINION.

NO SIGNIFICANT ISSUES WERE IDENTIFIED, AND THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS WERE PRESENTED FAIRLY AND TRANSPARENTLY, TRANSPARENTLY, AND THE OVERALL COMPLIANCE RESULTS WERE POSITIVE.

ON A FINAL NOTE, WE'D JUST LIKE TO THANK THE FINANCE TEAM FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE DURING THE ENGAGEMENT.

THEIR COOPERATION AND RESPONSE RESPONSIVENESS THROUGHOUT THE ENGAGEMENT REALLY HELPS THE SUCCESS OF THE PROCESS.

THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION AND I'M AVAILABLE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I JUST HAVE SOME COMMENTS. OKAY. YES, PLEASE.

THANK YOU. OKAY. LET ME GO AHEAD AND GO. FIRST. LET ME THANK THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT. YOU GUYS.

YEAR AFTER YEAR, THE AWARDS WE RECEIVE IT'S BEEN A CARRYOVER OF YEAR.

IT'S KIND OF WE TAKE IT FOR GRANTED, BUT IT'S A SERIOUS MATTER FOR US FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR THE CITY AND WILL REPORT TO THE RESIDENTS.

TAMMY, THANK YOU TO YOUR TEAM AS WELL AND FOR WHAT YOU DO AND KIND OF CHECKING CHECKS AND BALANCES.

BUT AS I READ THROUGH THE REPORT, YOU CAN GET KIND OF STYMIED BY ALL THE NUMBERS THAT ARE IN THERE. IT'S IMPRESSIVE.

AND I'LL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE NUMBERS LATER DURING THE CITY MANAGER'S ANNUAL REVIEW.

BUT THREE THINGS THAT STAND OUT TO ME THAT PEOPLE SHOULD RECOGNIZE IS, FIRST OF ALL, NO CORRECTIVE ACTIONS WERE NEEDED TO ADDRESS FINDINGS IN THE PRIOR AUDIT BECAUSE THERE WERE NONE. WE LIKE TO SEE THAT.

WE DON'T WANT TO FIND ANY PRIOR AUDIT, YOU KNOW, REPORTING OR ISSUES GOING FORWARD OR IN THE PAST, NO RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT.

THAT'S BIG FOR US AS WELL. AND NO FINDINGS OF FRAUD, WASTE OR ABUSE THAT WOULD WARRANT THE ACTION OF THOSE CHARGED WITH THE GOVERNANCE OF OUR CITY. THOSE ARE ALL REQUIRED BY THE RULES OF THE AUDITOR GENERAL, AND WE APPRECIATE THOSE FINDINGS IN THIS REPORT.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE LOOK TO SEE EVERY YEAR GOING FORWARD. SO THANK YOU FOR NOTING THAT AND BEING IN LINE WITH WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE CITY.

WE APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

I'D LIKE TO CALL MATT FORREST FOR THE LEGISLATIVE UPDATE FROM BALLARD PARTNERS.

HI, MATT. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. I WILL BEG YOUR INDULGENCE WITH MY COFFEE NEXT TO ME.

IT HAS BEEN A SOME LONG DAYS IN TALLAHASSEE. ONE SECOND.

[00:15:09]

I THINK WE REPRESENTED YOU GUYS NOW FOR 15 YEARS.

WHEN I STARTED REPRESENTING THE CITY THE HAIR WAS ON THE TOP OF MY HEAD, NOT ON THE FRONT OF MY FACE.

I LITERALLY THINK AS I LOOK IN THE MIRROR REPRESENTING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN TALLAHASSEE IS DRAINING THE LIFE OUT OF ME.

SO IT'S A PLEASURE TO REPRESENT YOU. OVER THOSE 15 YEARS, THE BALLARD PARTNERS FIRM HAS CONTINUED TO GROW.

I ALWAYS LIKE TO JUST REMIND YOU, I HEAR ALL THE TIME, YOU KNOW, MATT REPRESENTS US.

MATT REPRESENTS US. BUT YOU REALLY HAVE THE ENTIRE FIRM.

BALLARD PARTNERS HAS NOW BECOME OBVIOUSLY A HUGE POWERHOUSE IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

AND OF COURSE, IN WASHINGTON, D.C., WE'RE THE NUMBER ONE LOBBY SHOP IN WASHINGTON, AND WE CONTINUE TO EXPAND THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. BUT YOU GUYS ARE DEFINITELY A LEGACY CLIENT. IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE TO REPRESENT THE CITY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. YOU HAVE NOT JUST ME, BUT OF COURSE, EVERYBODY IN THE FIRM, INCLUDING BRIAN BALLARD, REPRESENTING YOUR INTERESTS IN TALLAHASSEE.

WITH THAT SAID IT'S NICE TO BE BACK HERE FRESH OFF THE PRESSES AND FRESH OFF OF OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN TALLAHASSEE.

I'LL QUICKLY REVIEW NOT ONLY WHAT HAS HAPPENED DURING THE REGULAR SESSION, BUT OF COURSE, WHAT JUST HAPPENED IN THE MOST RECENT SPECIAL SESSION.

WE OBVIOUSLY DEALT WITH SIGNIFICANT LEGISLATION THROUGH THE REGULAR SESSION, WHICH STARTED IN JANUARY.

AND OF COURSE, WE'RE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THE APPROPRIATION PROCESS.

AND OF COURSE, MOST RECENTLY, LEGISLATION RELATED TO PROPERTY TAXES.

FOR STARTERS, LET ME FIRST COVER THE APPROPRIATION PROCESS.

THIS I THINK IS ALWAYS IMPORTANT. WE'RE UP THERE ADVOCATING CONSTANTLY FOR THE CITY.

AND WHAT ISSUES ARE YOUR SUPPORTIVE OF OR WHAT YOU OPPOSE, BUT ALSO WORKING WITH YOUR DELEGATION MEMBERS TO HOPEFULLY DRAW DOWN SOME DOLLARS AND DRAW DOWN SOME PROJECTS FOR THE, FOR THE CITY. AND I ALWAYS LOOK AT IT, IF WE CAN DRAW DOWN ANY AMOUNT OF MONEY, THAT HELPS OFFSET THE COST OF HAVING OBVIOUSLY, THE EXPENSES AND THE, THE TIME TO SPEND IN TALLAHASSEE.

IT KIND OF IS A IS A NEUTRAL GAME THAT WAY. SO WE WORKED WITH YOUR STAFF TO FILE SIX REQUESTS IN THE APPROPRIATION PROCESS.

LET ME PAUSE THERE AS WELL TO ALSO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO, TO JOHN AND TO RON AND THE WHOLE TEAM.

THE DAYS OF SIMPLY, YOU KNOW, REQUESTING MONEY IN TALLAHASSEE.

WHEN I STARTED, I USED TO JOKE IT WAS LIKE A POST-IT NOTE.

YOU KNOW, YOU JUST LIKE, HEY, I NEED MONEY FOR THIS.

THAT HAS CHANGED. NOW THERE'S EXTENSIVE WORK THAT GOES INTO JUST FILING A REQUEST FORMS TO FILL OUT AND DETAILS.

AND THEN OF COURSE, WHAT THEY WON'T TELL YOU IS THE THE COLLATERAL THAT YOU WANT TO GIVE TO SUPPORT YOUR PROJECT THAT ISN'T NECESSARILY REQUIRED.

THE JOKE I USE NOW IS I DON'T NEED A POST-IT NOTE, BUT I ALSO DON'T NEED A THESIS.

I NEED A REAL SUCCINCT, GOOD ONE PAGER THAT GIVES ME THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT AND WHY A PROJECT IS NEEDED.

AND NOBODY PROBABLY DOES IT BETTER THAN THE CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS THROUGH RON AND JOHN.

I GET REALLY NICE NOT ONLY APPLICATIONS OF WHAT WE NEED, BUT A REALLY CLEAN, CRISP WHITE PAPER.

SO WHEN I GO SEE YOUR DELEGATION MEMBERS, IT'S REALLY CLEAR EXACTLY WHAT THE CITY NEEDS.

WITH THAT SAID, WE FILED SIX PROJECTS THIS YEAR AND I'M HAPPY TO SAY WE'RE WE'RE BATTING 500.

THREE OF THOSE SIX LANDED IN THE BUDGET. THERE IS MONEY IN THE BUDGET FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, AERIAL DRONE SUPPORT.

50% FUNDED. THERE'S MONEY FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INFRASTRUCTURE FULLY FUNDED AT 300,000.

AND THERE'S MONEY FOR THE THOMPSON RIVER DREDGING PROJECT.

REQUESTED 500. WE HAVE 250 IN THE BUDGET. SO THREE PROJECTS IN THE BUDGET THAT WILL EVENTUALLY GO TO THE GOVERNOR'S DESK.

WHERE WE HOPEFULLY WILL SURVIVE THE VETO PEN.

I'M A SPORTS FAN. I PROBABLY STARTED THAT WAY PUSHING FOR SPRING TRAINING FOR YOU GUYS YEARS AGO.

SO I ALWAYS USE BATTING REFERENCES WHEN IT COMES TO APPROPRIATIONS.

WE'RE GOING INTO THE ALL STAR BREAK AT 500. WE'RE NOT GOING TO COME OUT AT 500.

I'LL TELL YOU NOW, PROBABLY THE CHANCES OF SURVIVING ALL THREE PROJECTS, THE VETO PEN ARE ALWAYS TOUGH.

I ALWAYS JOKE WITH THE VETO PEN. IT'S NOT A MATTER OF HOW YOU GOT ON THE LIST.

IT'S ARE YOU ABLE TO GET OFF THE LIST? SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING NOW ADVOCATING FOR THOSE PROJECTS. AND WE'LL KEEP YOU POSTED AS THEY GO FORWARD FROM THERE. OBVIOUSLY, THE MOST RELEVANT THING THAT YOU GUYS ARE HERE TO LISTEN TO TODAY, OBVIOUSLY IS WHAT JUST HAPPENED THIS WEEK.

WE JUST CONCLUDED SPECIAL SESSION F. SO FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T FOLLOW ALONG, THAT'S THE SIXTH SPECIAL SESSION IN ROUGHLY THE LAST YEAR.

SO ONCE WE CONCLUDED THE LAST 2025 SESSION, THERE HAVE NOW BEEN SIX SPECIAL SESSIONS.

THIS MOST RECENT ONE OBVIOUSLY WAS VERY QUICK.

IT ONLY ACTUALLY LASTED MONDAY AND TUESDAY, BUT IT WAS OVER A TOPIC THAT WE'VE ALL BEEN HEARING ABOUT FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

PROPERTY TAXES IN 2025, THE GOVERNOR STARTED MAKING STATEMENTS IN THE PRESS AND AT PRESS AVAILABILITIES AND PUBLICLY THAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT WAYS TO ELIMINATE OR SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE PROPERTY TAXES.

THOSE WERE ALL BASICALLY JUST, AGAIN, LIVING IN THE IN THE PUBLIC COMMENT ERA OF THINGS, THERE HAS BEEN LIMITED, IF NOT, IF NOT ZERO LEGISLATION OR ACTUAL BILLS.

MOVING ON THE TOPIC OF PROPERTY TAXES, DURING THE REGULAR SESSION, THE HOUSE DID MOVE A BILL AND PASS IT, WHICH WENT NOWHERE IN THE SENATE. THE SENATE DIDN'T HAVE ANY COMMITTEE MEETINGS ON THIS TOPIC. SO FOR ALL THAT SAID,

[00:20:01]

THIS PODIUM, AND OBVIOUSLY THE START OF THIS MEETING, IS A HORRIBLE SETTING TO DIVE INTO THE MEATS OF THE ENTIRE BILL.

WE WOULD BE HERE ALL DAY. SO WITH THAT SAID, I DID CRANK OUT A REAL QUICK UPDATE AND SEND IT TO TO RON LITERALLY AS THE FINAL GAVEL WAS GOING DOWN ON TUESDAY. YOU CAN REFER TO THAT.

AND OF COURSE, I ALWAYS RELY ON YOUR CITY ATTORNEY, AS MAXWELL ALWAYS TELL ME, I DON'T CARE WHAT THE INTENT IS.

IT'S THE WORDS ON THE PAGE THAT MATTER. MATT.

SO DIVE INTO THE BILL. REALLY LOOK AT ALL THE WORDS THAT ARE ON THERE.

WITH THAT SAID, I WILL GIVE YOU A QUICK SUMMATION THOUGH, OF COURSE THE INITIAL PROPOSAL THAT THE GOVERNOR LAID OUT AND THAT WAS THEN FILED IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE IMPACTED PROPERTY TAXES, AD VALOREM TAXES FOR ALL LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, ALL SCHOOLS AND ALL SPECIAL DISTRICTS.

SO NOTHING WAS REMOVED OR CARVED OUT. I HIGHLIGHT THAT BECAUSE AGAIN, THE LIMITED LEGISLATION THAT WAS MOVED IN THE HOUSE DURING THE SESSION, CARVED OUT SCHOOLS. OKAY, THAT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL.

THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL ALSO RESTRICTED THE USE OF AD VALOREM TAX REVENUE, ANY EXISTING AD VALOREM TAX REVENUE TO GENERAL CATEGORIES.

IT SAID IT REQUIRES LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO USE REMAINING PROPERTY TAXES SOLELY FOR CORE PUBLIC NEEDS, INCLUDING PUBLIC SAFETY, EDUCATION AND SCHOOLS, INFRASTRUCTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES.

THAT WAS THE EXTENT OF THE ORIGINAL BILL THAT WAS FILED.

OBVIOUSLY VERY BROAD CATEGORIES, BUT OBVIOUSLY LACKING IN SPECIFICITY.

SO LIKE, WHERE DO PARKS FALL INTO THAT? YOU KNOW, WHERE DOES YOUR LITTLE LEAGUE PROGRAM FALL INTO THAT? WHERE DO THE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFERS FALL INTO THAT? ALSO, MOST IMPORTANTLY, HERE'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS I KEEP GETTING QUESTIONS OF IN THE LAST 4 TO 8 HOURS.

THE PROPOSAL, AS FILED AT THE START OF THE SPECIAL SESSION ON MONDAY, DID NOT INCLUDE ANY RESTRICTIONS OR SAFEGUARDING OF PUBLIC SAFETY FUNDS. ORIGINALLY THE HOUSE. DURING THE REGULAR SESSION, THE BILLS THAT WERE MOVING KIND OF FROZE EXISTING LEVELS OF PUBLIC SAFETY FUNDING FOR POLICE AND FIRE. THE PROPOSAL FILED ON MONDAY DID NOT DO ANY OF THAT.

THERE IS NO RESTRICTION, NO NO SPECIAL CATEGORY FOR PUBLIC SAFETY FUNDS.

SO THAT IS WHERE IT WAS. AS IT WAS FILED ON MONDAY, THE BILLS CHANGED THROUGH THE VERY LIMITED LEGISLATIVE PROCESS THAT WAS UP THERE.

AND THEY HAD A COMMITTEE MEETING ON MONDAY WHERE IT WAS DEBATED AND AMENDED FOR MULTIPLE HOURS AND THEN EVENTUALLY VOTED ON TUESDAY.

HERE'S WHAT CHANGED. SO AGAIN, I ALWAYS LIKE TO STRESS WHERE WE ARE BECAUSE YOU HEAR THE NEWS WHEN IT CAME OUT ON MONDAY.

HERE'S WHAT CHANGED ON TUESDAY. BY TUESDAY. SCHOOLS WERE CUT OUT.

SO THE PROPERTY TAX CHANGES THAT WERE PROPOSED WILL NOT IMPACT SCHOOLS.

THE SCOPE OF HOW THE FUNDS CAN BE USED WAS ESSENTIALLY RESTORED BACK TO WHAT IS WHAT IS CURRENT LAW.

SO THE LANGUAGE THAT SAYS TAXES CAN SOLELY BE USED FOR PUBLIC NEEDS CORE GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS.

STILL REMAINS, HOWEVER, A KEY LINE WAS ADDED THAT SAYS.

AND THE EXPENDITURES APPROVED BY SUCH COUNTY OFFICERS OR COUNTY OR MUNICIPAL GOVERNING BODIES, EXCEPT THOSE EXPENDITURES PROHIBITED BY GENERAL LAW.

SO ESSENTIALLY, UNLESS TALLAHASSEE SAYS YOU CAN'T USE FUNDS FOR CERTAIN THINGS LIKE THIS, FOR EXAMPLE, THE DEI INITIATIVES THAT PASSED DURING THE REGULAR SESSION.

EVERYTHING ELSE IS FINE. SO UNLESS TALLAHASSEE OUTLAWS LITTLE LEAGUE PROGRAMS, YOU CAN STILL USE YOUR FUNDS FOR FOR THOSE TYPES OF ACTIVITIES.

SO THOSE WERE THE BIG CHANGES THAT WERE MADE TO THE BILL ON MONDAY.

SO HERE IT IS AS PASSED. THIS IS WHAT PASSED ON TUESDAY AND WHAT WILL GO TO THE BALLOT.

THIS IS THE THING I ALSO WANT TO STRESS NONE OF THIS IS IN PLACE YET.

THIS IS SIMPLY A BALLOT INITIATIVE. NOW, AS PASSED, THE QUESTION WILL GO ON THE BALLOT.

IT WILL NEED TO PASS AT 60%. THIS IS A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.

IT WILL PHASE IN AN EXEMPTION FOR THE FIRST $250,000 OF HOMESTEAD PROPERTIES.

SO OBVIOUSLY, AS YOU KNOW RIGHT NOW, THE CURRENT EXEMPTION IS UP TO 5000.

IT WOULD INCREASE THAT TO $250,000. WOULD EXEMPT SCHOOLS OF COURSE DOES NOT IMPACT SCHOOLS.

IT ALSO PHASES IT IN THE ENACTING LANGUAGE WILL PHASE IT IN 2027.

THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION WOULD BE 150 000 2028.

IT WOULD BE 250 000. IT ALSO BUILDS IN CONTINUAL INCREASES MATCHING IT TO THE CPI.

SO AS CPI GOES UP THIS EXEMPTION WOULD GO UP.

IT ALSO BUILDS IN THE ABILITY FOR THE LEGISLATURE TO FURTHER INCREASE IT IN 2009, 2030 AND SO ON.

IT EXEMPTS ALL PROPERTIES, ALL HOMESTEAD PROPERTIES THAT AREN'T IN EXISTENCE PRIOR TO JANUARY 21ST,

[00:25:02]

YOU HOMESTEAD ON JANUARY 2ND, 2027. YOU HAVE TO WAIT FIVE YEARS BEFORE THAT BENEFIT COMES IN.

I GIVE YOU THESE DETAILS BECAUSE I KNOW YOUR FIRST QUESTION IS GOING TO BE TO RON AND THE REST OF THE TEAM, HOW DOES THIS IMPACT US? AND I GUARANTEE YOU IT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO CALCULATE IT RIGHT NOW.

YOU KNOW, ONE, YOU GOT TO FIGURE OUT HOW MANY HOMESTEADED PROPERTIES YOU HAVE. TWO, WHAT THE VALUE OF ALL OF THEM ARE.

THREE HOW MANY HAVE BEEN HERE FOR LONGER? HOW MANY ARE QUALIFIED FOR THE 2020 OR THE FIVE YEAR MORATORIUM AND GO FROM THERE? SO OBVIOUSLY BIG CHANGES. THE OTHER BIG CHANGE THAT WENT IN WITH THIS BILL IS THE RESTRICTION THAT IT WILL PUT ON YOU FOR NON HOMESTEADED PROPERTY CURRENTLY, AS I'M SURE YOU ALL KNOW AS WELL, YOU CAN ONLY INCREASE NON HOMESTEADED PROPERTY TAXES BY 10% UP TO 10% PER YEAR.

THAT CHANGES IN JANUARY 1ST, 2027. IF PASSED.

IF PASSED JANUARY 1ST, 2027, IT WOULD DECREASE THAT TO 5%.

SO YOU'D ONLY BE ABLE TO INCREASE IT UP TO 5%.

SO THAT IS THE QUESTION THAT IS GOING ON THE BALLOT.

INCREASED PROPERTY TAXES OR INCREASE THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.

DECREASE YOUR ABILITY TO GO UP MORE THAN 10%.

THAT'S THE BIG ONE. NO SCHOOLS. AND THE BIGGEST THING, I JUST WANT TO STRESS, IT DOES NOT SAFEGUARD PUBLIC SAFETY FUNDS.

A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE STILL THOUGHT THAT I WAS I RAN INTO RESIDENTS.

I GOT HOME LAST NIGHT AND THEY WENT, WELL, YEAH, BUT IT LOCKS IN PUBLIC SAFETY FUNDING.

IT DOES NOT. ESSENTIALLY, EVERY LOCAL GOVERNMENT WILL BE DEALING WITH LESS MONEY.

IT VARIES ACROSS THE BOARD HOW MUCH THEY'LL BE DEALING WITH.

SOME LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE A LOT OF HOMESTEADED PROPERTIES.

SOME HAVE VERY LITTLE. SO THERE WILL BE A REDUCTION.

IT WILL BE YOUR DISCRETION. HOW YOU HOW YOU DEAL WITH THOSE THOSE CUTS.

YOU KNOW, WHETHER YOU MAKE CUTS TO ANY OTHER PART OF THE PROGRAM WHERE YOU MAKE THEM ACROSS THE BOARD.

IT GIVES YOU THAT DISCRETION STILL. IT ALSO DOES NOT CHANGE YOUR ABILITY TO LEVY FEES, SURCHARGES, THINGS LIKE THAT. ANY TOOL YOU CURRENTLY HAVE IN YOUR TOOLBOX.

AND AGAIN, RON AND MAX AND JOHN KNOW BEST ALL THOSE DIFFERENT TOOLS THAT YOU HAVE.

THOSE ARE STILL IN PLACE. THE OTHER THING I'D LIKE TO ADD IS I DON'T SEE THIS AS A FINAL PERIOD ON THIS DISCUSSION OR DEBATE. ONE, WE KNOW WE GOES TO THE BALLOT. SO THAT'S THE BIGGEST WHO KNOWS WHICH WAY THIS GOES.

60% IS A VERY HIGH THRESHOLD TO PASS. NUMEROUS PROJECTS, NUMEROUS INITIATIVES IN THE LAST FEW YEARS YOU HAVE SEEN NOT REACHED THE 60% MARK.

SO THAT WILL BE A HIGH MARK EVEN IF IT DOESN'T PASS.

I DON'T SEE THIS GOING AWAY. THE DISCUSSION AND, AND TENOR OR THE TONE ON PROPERTY TAXES IS VERY LOUD STATEWIDE.

AND NEXT YEAR IS THE IT JUST COINCIDENTALLY, IS THE YEAR FOR THE FLORIDA TAXATION AND BUDGET REFORM COMMISSION.

SO THE TBC, AS WE ALL CALL IT, IN TALLY, COMES AROUND LIKE A COMET EVERY 20 YEARS.

AND IT JUST HAPPENS TO BE NEXT YEAR. IN FACT, IT WAS HEAVILY DEBATED BY THE FOLKS THAT OPPOSED THIS LEGISLATION IN TALLAHASSEE THAT WE SHOULD WAIT. THEY SHOULD WAIT IN TALLAHASSEE TO SEE WHAT THE TR THE TBC HAS AND DISCUSSES AND PROPOSES WITH IT.

SO I BRING THAT UP ONLY TO SAY, LOOK, IF THIS DOESN'T PASS IN NOVEMBER, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO GET IMPACTED, YOU KNOW, AT THAT COMMISSION. AND THEN ALSO, THIS IS ALSO VERY MUCH THE END OF A CURRENT CYCLE IN TALLAHASSEE AND THE START OF A NEW ONE NEXT YEAR. THERE IS AN OPEN GOVERNOR'S RACE IN NOVEMBER.

NUMEROUS CANDIDATES ACROSS THE BOARD RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR HAVE ALL TALKED ABOUT PROPERTY TAXES.

SO I BRING IT UP ONLY TO SAY, WHICH IS, AGAIN, ONE THING I'VE LOVED ABOUT REPRESENTING THE CITY. YOU GOT TO THINK LONG TERM AND JUST REALIZE THAT EVEN DEALING WITH THE CURRENT BALLOT INITIATIVE AND HOW IT MAY IMPACT YOU JUST KNOW THERE ARE CHANGES COMING TO PROPERTY TAXES.

IF IT'S NOT THIS, THERE ARE PROBABLY GOING TO BE MORE DOWN THE ROAD.

SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE END WITH THE PROPERTY TAX STUFF.

I JUST WANT TO TOUCH ON A COUPLE LITTLE THINGS FROM THE GENERAL SESSION THAT I'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE, AND THEN OF COURSE, TURN YOU BACK OVER TO YOUR REGULAR MEETING WITHOUT DERAILING YOU LONGER AS WE END ANOTHER LONG SEASON IN TALLAHASSEE.

I DO WANT TO RAVE A MINUTE ABOUT THE CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS.

YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN A PLEASURE TO REPRESENT FOR THESE MANY, MANY YEARS.

I DO REPRESENT A FEW OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

I HOPE THEY'RE NOT WATCHING, BUT I ALWAYS USE THE CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS AS A, AS A SHINING EXAMPLE OF, OF, OF HOW THINGS SHOULD OPERATE, NOT ONLY FROM THE STAFF LEVEL, BUT EVEN FROM THE MAYOR TO THE COUNCIL AND ALL THE NUMEROUS ONES I'VE WORKED WITH OVER THE YEARS. THE FACT THAT YOU GUYS OPERATE AS A TEAM HAS BEEN DEFINITELY AN ASSET TO ME TO HAVE YOU GUYS AS A CLIENT.

FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN ISSUES COME UP, MY MEETINGS ARE REALLY SHORT.

IF I JUST WALK IN AND SAY, THE CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS HATES THIS, OR WE DON'T LIKE IT,

[00:30:04]

GIVE ME GIVE ME THE POINTS OF WHAT WE CAN CHANGE AND MODIFY IN THESE BILLS IN ORDER TO MAKE THEM OPERATE.

A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THAT HAPPENED JUST THIS SESSION.

IF YOU'D ASKED ME SIX MONTHS AGO WHAT I'D BE HERE TALKING TO YOU ABOUT, IT WOULD NOT BE PROPERTY TAXES.

IT WOULD BE A LOCAL BILL THAT WAS FILED THAT WOULD HAVE IMPACTED EVERY MUNICIPALITY'S ABILITY TO ANNEX PROPERTY IN THE ENTIRE COUNTY.

NUMEROUS CITIES LITT THEIR HAIR ON FIRE AND WANTED TO MARCH IN TALLAHASSEE TO VOTE NO.

AND WE'RE GOING TO KILL THIS THING. IT WAS PALM BEACH GARDENS WHO LED THE.

LET'S SIT DOWN AND WORK THIS THROUGH AND FIND A LANGUAGE AND LEGISLATION THAT EVERYBODY CAN AGREE WITH THE CITIES AND THE COUNTY.

EVENTUALLY, THAT DID WORK OUT AND TO THE POINT WHERE THE BILL PASSED WITHOUT ANY FANFARE, QUIETLY IN TALLAHASSEE.

TALLAHASSEE DOESN'T KNOW THAT EVERYBODY DOWN HERE WAS LOSING THEIR MINDS OVER IT. AS I JUST SAT THROUGH TWO DAYS OF MEETINGS IN TALLAHASSEE, HEARING HOW LOCAL DELEGATION MEMBERS DIDN'T LIKE WHAT WAS GOING ON AT THEIR CITIES AND COUNTIES.

I WAS REMINDED THAT IF OTHER PLACES COULD DO WHAT PALM BEACH GARDENS DOES IN PALM BEACH COUNTY, WE PROBABLY HAVE LESS ISSUES IN TALLAHASSEE. TO BE BLUNT, THE FACT THAT YOU GUYS DON'T JUST OPPOSE STUFF, YOU WORK THE ISSUES THAT MAX DIVES INTO BILLS AND RIGHTS LANGUAGE FOR ME, OTHER THAN JUST GO VOTE NO IS A HUGE, HUGE RELIEF. AND IT GIVES ME A TOOL IN MY TOOLBOX THAT MOST CITIES DO NOT GIVE ME.

SO WITH THAT SAID, WE WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE NEXT MONTH FOR ALL THE BUDGET ISSUES IN THAT ARE GOING TO THE GOVERNOR'S DESK.

FINGERS CROSSED. I'LL HAVE A GOOD REPORT FOR YOU AT THE END OF THE MONTH. ALSO, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, THIS IS DEFINITELY THE END OF HOPEFULLY A LONG CYCLE IN TALLAHASSEE IN TERMS OF SPECIAL SESSIONS.

I THINK AFTER THEY GET THROUGH THE BUDGET, THINGS ARE QUIET BETWEEN JULY AND NOVEMBER FOR OBVIOUS REASONS.

EVERYBODY. MOST PEOPLE ARE RUNNING. THOSE ARE PRIMARY IN AUGUST AND A BIG ELECTION IN NOVEMBER, STARTING IN NOVEMBER. IT'S A FRESH CYCLE. THERE'LL BE A NEW SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, A NEW SENATE PRESIDENT, ALL NEW COMMITTEE CHAIRS, ALL NEW APPROPRIATIONS CHAIRS AND A NEW GOVERNOR.

SO VERY MUCH THE START OF A BRAND NEW CYCLE IN TALLAHASSEE.

THE ELECTION IS IN NOVEMBER. THERE'LL BE ORGANIZATIONS IN DECEMBER.

THE NEXT SESSION IS IN MARCH OF 2027. SO AS ALWAYS, I'M AVAILABLE.

I WILL HOPEFULLY NOT BE IN TALLAHASSEE OR D.C.

FOR THE NEXT FUTURE. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WOULD LIKE TO, TO MEET WITH ME INDIVIDUALLY, ALWAYS AVAILABLE, I THINK MOST OF YOU HAVE MY NUMBER. AND WITH THAT, I'LL PAUSE AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.

MATT. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR MATT? YEAH, I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION THE GOVERNOR KEEPS TALKING ABOUT.

IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO PROTECT PUBLIC SAFETY FUNDING.

HE KEEPS TALKING ABOUT ANOTHER FUNDING SOURCE FROM TALLAHASSEE THAT COULD SUPPLEMENT COUNTIES TO COVER ANY SHORTFALLS.

I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT MONEY WOULD COME FROM OR WHERE THAT FUNDING IS ALL ABOUT. DO YOU HAVE YOU HEARD THAT? DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT'S ABOUT? YES. AGAIN, THAT WAS PART OF THE I SHOULD HAVE I COULD HAVE INCLUDED THAT AS WELL IN THE GOVERNOR'S INITIAL PROPOSAL AS WELL.

HE REFERENCED BUILT IN REFERENCE TO A THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A TRUST FUND.

SO TRUST FUNDS ARE USED IN THE TALLAHASSEE BUDGET PROCESS TO SET ASIDE FUNDS FOR CERTAIN CERTAIN ASSIGNED FUNCTIONS.

FOR EXAMPLE, AS WE ALL KNOW, THERE WAS A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT FOR A DOC STAMPS, AND A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF THAT GOES TO WATER PROJECTS AND EVERGLADES AND STUFF LIKE THAT. SAME THING WITH SADOWSKI FUNDS, THINGS LIKE THIS.

THE LEGISLATURE REMOVED ANY REFERENCE TO THE TRUST FUND IN THEIR PROPOSALS BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS A REFERENCE TO ESTABLISH A TRUST FUND, THERE WAS NOTHING THAT SPECIFIED WHERE THE FUNDS TO FUND THE TRUST FUND WOULD COME FROM.

SO ESSENTIALLY IT WAS SET UP A BANK ACCOUNT, BUT PUT NOTHING IN THE BANK ACCOUNT.

SO THERE IS WIDE DISCUSSION THAT, YES, TALLAHASSEE WILL BE THERE TO HELP FUND THE GAPS THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS MAY FACE.

HOWEVER, YOU'LL HAVE TO GO UP TO TALLAHASSEE AND FIGHT JUST FOR THOSE SIX PROJECTS LIKE WE DID THIS YEAR FOR ANY OF THOSE GAPS.

OKAY. THANK YOU, MATT, I APPRECIATE IT. I DO HAVE A QUESTION AS WELL.

SURE. SO TO TOUCH ON THAT, I ALSO READ IN THE NUMEROUS REITERATIONS UP UNTIL EVEN LAST NIGHT OR THE NIGHT BEFORE TUESDAY'S ABOUT GRANTS. AND THEN WE TALK ABOUT HOMESTEAD CAPS, THE 10 TO 5%.

WHAT ABOUT THE COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES? WHAT ABOUT OUR BUSINESSES? IS THERE A CAP ON THAT AS WELL? I WILL ALSO TELL YOU, I AM YOUR LOBBYIST.

I'M OFTEN THE DUMBEST GUY IN A ROOM JUST MAKING TALKING, TALKING POINTS.

DEFINITELY DEFER TO YOUR PROPERTY APPRAISER. DEFINITELY DEFER TO YOUR FINANCE DIRECTOR.

[00:35:05]

THE WAY THOUGH, IS EXPLAINED TO ME THAT CAP APPLIES TO ALL NON HOMESTEADED PROPERTIES.

SO THERE'S NO DESIGNATION BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL AND NON HOMESTEADED.

IT'S ANY COMMERCIAL PROPERTY. THE SAME THING.

SO I THINK ANOTHER THING YOU NEED TO LOOK AT IS SOME CITY SOME LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE BEEN INCREASING ALL THE WAY UP TO THAT 10%.

YOU KNOW THEY'RE AT NINE 9.9% EVERY YEAR. SOME PEOPLE HAVE NOT RAISED THEIRS, MAYBE MORE THAN 3%, 4%. SO TO SOME, IT WILL IMPACT OTHERS DIFFERENTLY.

FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVEN'T, I MEAN, I THINK YOU CAN LOOK AT THE PAPER AND GO, WE SHOULD MAX OUT RIGHT NOW.

AND AND ALSO, I HATE TO SAY IT, I WOULD IMAGINE MOST PEOPLE WILL PLAN ON A 5% INCREASE EVERY SINGLE YEAR TO HELP COVER THOSE OFFSETS FROM THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.

AND YOU'RE 100% RIGHT. THE DEVIL'S IN THE DETAILS.

SO READING THOSE DETAILS IS KEY IN UNDERSTANDING THEM.

SO WHAT ABOUT MST AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS? WAS THAT DISCUSSED OR MENTIONED OR STILL IN PLACE SOURCES.

YEAH. NO, NO, NO ADDITIONAL FUNDING SOURCES WERE WERE ESTABLISHED OR CHANGED THROUGH THIS.

SIMPLY ALL THAT PASSED WAS A BALLOT QUESTION THAT WOULD INCREASE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS.

SO ESSENTIALLY ALL THE TOOLS YOU HAVE IN YOUR TOOLBOX ARE STILL THERE.

YOU'RE JUST, YOU KNOW, ARGUABLY GOING TO HAVE LESS FUNDS TO DEAL WITH.

AND SO IT WILL BE, IT WILL BE YOUR DECISION WHETHER YOU WANT TO MAINTAIN THE EXISTING FUNDING AND EXISTING SERVICES AT POLICE AND FIRE OR PARKS AND REC OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE.

THANK YOU. JOHN. YEAH. YOU WERE MENTIONING THE FIVE YEARS YOU HAVE TO LIVE IN YOUR HOME FOR FIVE YEARS TO APPLY FOR THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION. IS THAT FOR NEW RESIDENTS MOVING IN FROM OUT OF STATE, OR IF YOU'VE LIVED IN PALM BEACH GARDENS YOUR WHOLE LIFE.

THEN BUY A HOME IN PALM BEACH GARDENS. DO YOU GET A CREDIT FOR LIVING HERE EVEN THOUGH YOU HADN'T BOUGHT A HOUSE YET? AGAIN, I WILL DEFER TO YOUR CITY ATTORNEY ALL THESE OTHER PEOPLE.

SO I ALWAYS HATE TO SAY MAN AT THE PODIUM SAID THIS AND THEREFORE THAT'S WHAT IT WAS.

THE WAY IT WAS EXPLAINED TO ME, IF YOU WERE A RESIDENT AS OF JANUARY 1ST, A FULL TIME DECLARED RESIDENT OF FLORIDA, JANUARY BY JANUARY 1ST, 2027, THEN YOU THEN YOU'RE THEN YOU'RE IN.

AND WHETHER YOU BUY THE HOUSE RIGHT AWAY OR NOT, YOU HAVE THAT FIVE YEARS.

BUT I THINK ONCE YOU DECLARE THAT HOMESTEAD, THEN IT'S, YOU KNOW IF YOU MOVED HERE, THE WHOLE IDEA IS TO NOT CREATE A WINDFALL FOR EVERYBODY TO MOVE TO FLORIDA RIGHT AWAY, NOT LIKE THEY ALREADY ARE, AND THEN BUY PROPERTY TAX FREE.

IT'S TO TRY TO TAKE CARE OF THE THE CURRENT FLORIDIANS.

AND WAS THERE ANYTHING IN THERE MENTIONED ABOUT THE PORTABILITY? DOES THE PORTABILITY STAY THE SAME OR IS THAT. NO, THAT WAS ASKED. AND I DO THINK THERE IS PORTABILITY BUILT IN. AGAIN, ONCE YOU HAVE THAT HOMESTEAD, YOU'RE YOU'RE YOU'RE COVERED. OKAY, UP TO $250,000. AND YOU SAID IT'S ONLY FOR HOMESTEADED.

SO IT DOESN'T AFFECT THINGS LIKE SEEDS OR IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS, WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS.

ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. THAT'S ALL I HAD. I THANK YOU FOR BABYSITTING US WHEN WE WERE UP THERE THIS YEAR.

AND I MADE A COUPLE TRIPS UP AND EVEN ONE OF THE TRIPS I CAME UP ONE OF YOUR TEAM MEMBERS CAME OVER AND JUST SAT AND GAVE ME A BRIEFING THE LAST WEEK OF SESSION.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT. RACHELLE. YEAH. I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION THAT I'M GOING TO ASK MAX FOR CLARIFICATION ON.

IS IT AS FAR AS YOU UNDERSTAND IT, IF YOU HAVE FLORIDA RESIDENCY OR YOU HAVE TO BE HOMESTEADED BY JANUARY 1ST OF 2027? I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, I AM STILL GOING THROUGH THIS RESOLUTION.

I'VE READ IT SEVERAL TIMES YESTERDAY. AND I THINK THAT THAT WELL, HONESTLY, I DON'T WANT TO GIVE I REALLY CAN'T ANSWER IT BECAUSE I'D BE KIND OF GUESSING RIGHT NOW. I HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT AND LOOK AT IT AGAIN. IT IS A BIT CONVOLUTED.

THERE IS ONE WAY TO READ IT THAT SAYS YOU HAVE TO BE HOMESTEADED BY JANUARY 2027.

THERE'S ANOTHER WAY TO READ IT, TO SAY THAT YOU WOULD JUST HAVE TO BE A RESIDENT BY JANUARY 2027.

MY INITIAL READING WAS THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO BE HOMESTEADED BY 27 TO AND BUT I WANT TO GO BACK AND I'VE BEEN TALKING TO RON EVER SINCE WE GOT THIS THING.

I'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH IT AND I PLAN TO DRAFT A MEMO ON IT FOR COUNCIL AND STAFF AND, AND GIVE MY LEGAL ANALYSIS OF THIS RESOLUTION AND WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO PUT BEFORE THE VOTERS BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S IT'S GOING TO HAVE SOME REALLY NEGATIVE IMPACTS.

THANK YOU. IF YOU IF YOU WANT THE CLIFF NOTES VERSION WE'RE I DID GIVE A, LIKE I SAID, A REAL QUICK SUMMARY TO, TO RON ON TUESDAY. I DID PULL OUT THAT SECTION AND SO YOU CAN SKIM THROUGH IT REAL QUICK.

IT'S SECTION SIX HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS. EVERYTHING IN GREEN IS THE NEW LANGUAGE.

IF YOU HAVE THAT UPDATE, IT'S IS PROBABLY ON, YOU KNOW, IN THERE. IT'S RELATIVELY SHORT, 3 OR 4 PAGES.

THANK YOU AGAIN, MATT. APPRECIATE IT. SO THANK YOU.

AND YOU'RE ALWAYS A GRACIOUS HOST WHEN WE'RE UP IN TALLAHASSEE.

AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE IN WORKING WITH US SO CLOSELY.

[00:40:03]

HAVE A GREAT DAY. THANK YOU. OKAY, NEXT WE HAVE COMMENTS BY THE PUBLIC.

[V. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC (PART 2 of 2)]

THIS MEETING IS IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US AND WILL BE CONDUCTED WITH DECORUM.

TO DO SO, WE POLITELY REQUEST THAT SPEAKERS BE COURTEOUS AND RESPECTFUL, ALLOWING OTHERS TO COMPLETE THEIR COMMENTS WITHOUT INTERRUPTION NOISES, CLAPPING OR COMMENTS OR GESTURES. IF YOU PLAN TO COMMENT PUBLICLY, PLEASE APPROACH THE PUBLIC, THE PODIUM. WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED AND STATE YOUR FULL NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.

MAKE YOUR COMMENTS WITHIN THE ALLOTTED TIME, WHICH IS THREE MINUTES.

AND IF YOUR POINT HAS BEEN MADE BY PREVIOUS SPEAKERS, YOU CAN SIMPLY STATE YOUR AGREEMENT WITH PREVIOUS COMMENTS AND YOUR POSITION WILL BE NOTED. PLEASE UTILIZE COMMON COURTESY, ANY ACTIONS THAT DISRUPT THE ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THE MEETING, OR OR CONFLICT WITH THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF DECORUM MAY BE RULED OUT OF ORDER, WHICH MAY RESULT IN DISRUPTIVE PERSON OR PERSONS BEING REMOVED FROM THE MEETING.

OKAY, I DO HAVE SEVERAL QUITE A FEW COMMENT CARDS ACTUALLY.

AND IF YOU CAN, WHEN YOU'RE CALLED, IF YOU CAN PLEASE COME UP TO THE PODIUM AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.

AND WE'RE GOING TO START WITH JENNIFER YING, PLEASE.

GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU ALL FOR THE MAYOR AND OF THE COUNCIL AND OF THE STAFF.

MY ENGLISH IS NOT VERY WELL, BUT I REALLY WANT TO TRY MY BEST.

CAN YOU STATE YOUR NAME? AND. MY NAME IS JENNIFER JEAN.

AND YOU'RE ONE, 2225 WATERSTONE CIRCLE GARDEN GROVE GARDEN PALM BEACH GARDENS.

I'M A RETIRED ORIENTAL MEDICINE DOCTOR. I PICK A PALM BEACH GARDEN BECAUSE THIS IS A VERY SAFE PLACE, BUT I PAY A A TWO YEARS AGO I BOUGHT A HOUSE IN AVENIR.

I WANT TO BUILD A POOL. I GIVE THEM $10,600 GOOD FAITH DEPOSIT.

FIVE MONTHS AFTER, NO POOL DOESN'T EVEN DIG A HOLE.

SO I CANCELED THE CONTRACT MUTUALLY. BECAUSE THERE'S A NATURAL DISASTER.

DAMAGE OUR COMMUNITY VERY BADLY. AFTER THE CANCELLATION, THE POOR SALESPERSON TRIED TO WRITE A CASH ON THE CHECK TO STEALING MY MONEY FROM ME. AND THEN MY CHECK WAS PAYCHECK.

I WAS ALONE, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE JOHN TRYING TO HELP ME.

BUT RIGHT NOW I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE I CONTACTED THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.

THEY TOLD ME THESE PEOPLE, THEY VIOLATE THE STATE LAW.

489126. AND THEN THEY ALSO VIOLATE THE HOUSE BILL 7125.

WHOEVER VIOLATES THE LAW IS A CRIMINAL. THE POLICE OFFICER TRIED TO HELP ME, BUT THEY HAVE A LIMITED KNOWLEDGE AND THE SAME THING.

LIKE JOHN, THEY CANNOT ENFORCE THE LAW BECAUSE I WANTED THE CITY COUNCIL TO PARTNER THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO EDUCATE THE LAW.

ALREADY RATIFIED BY 2019, JULY 1ST. SO IT'S THE POOR COUNTRY THAT DOES THAT DOES VIOLATE THE STATE LAW.

SO I WONDER THE CITY COUNCIL SUPPORT THEM TO ENFORCE THE LAW.

THIS IS MY PURPOSE TO COME HERE BECAUSE I FEEL I BE DISCRIMINATED.

I BE BULLIED BY THIS POOR CONTRACTOR. THEY ALREADY VIOLATE THE LAW.

THEY TAKE 10,600. THAT'S THE THIRD OR FOURTH FORMERLY.

BUT NOBODY CAN ENFORCE THE LAW. SO I REALLY WANT THE CITY COUNCIL TO BE A PARTNER FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO EDUCATE.

AND THEN THEY TOLD ME THEY DOESN'T KNOW THE LAW.

BUT THAT'S NOT AN EXCUSE. I WANT THEM TO ENFORCE THE LAW TO TRY TO PROTECT ME AND MY RIGHT IN THE CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDEN.

THANK YOU FOR YOU GUYS. HEARD MY VOICE. AND I HAVE A A FAKE INVOICE PROVIDED BY THE POOR COMPANY.

CAN I PROVIDE TO YOU TO PROVE IP FRAUD? YEAH.

CAN YOU GIVE THAT TO THE CLERK? THANK YOU. YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT.

REBECCA, PLEASE.

GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR. AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. MY NAME IS REBECCA MARCIE 4599 HOLLY DRIVE.

I'M SPEAKING TO THIS MORNING ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND A GROWING, DEEPLY, DEEPLY FRUSTRATED COALITION OF PALM BEACH GARDENS RESIDENTS.

TODAY, YOU SIT DOWN TO PERFORM THE ANNUAL EVALUATION OF OUR CITY MANAGER, RON FERRIS.

YEAR AFTER YEAR, THIS COUNCIL DELIVERS GLOWING, UNCRITICAL REVIEWS, OFTEN APPROVING A MASSIVE NEW RAISE AND TREATS MR.

[00:45:04]

BUT YOU ARE NOT EVALUATING YOUR BOSS. YOU'RE EVALUATING A PUBLIC SERVANT WHO ANSWERS TO YOU AND BY EXTENSION, TO US, THE RESIDENTS. MR. FERRIS IS OFTEN JUDGED STRICTLY BY OUR CITY'S FISCAL WELL-BEING.

BUT A CITY IS NOT JUST A CORPORATE BALANCE SHEET.

IT'S A COMMUNITY OF HUMAN BEINGS. AND THE TRUTH IS, THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATIVE CULTURE AT CITY HALL IS PROFOUNDLY BROKEN.

UNDER MR. FERRIS 25 YEAR TENURE. RESIDENTS WHO DARE TO VOICE CONCERNS ARE NO LONGER TREATED AS CONSTITUENTS.

WE ARE TREATED AS PUBLIC NUISANCES. WE HAVE WATCHED FROM THESE VERY SEATS AS MR. FERRIS ROLLS HIS EYES, TUNES OUT OUR CONCERNS, AND USES HIS MICROPHONE ON THE DAIS TO DISMISS, DISRESPECT AND AGGRESSIVELY ATTACK EVERYDAY CITIZENS.

WHEN WE CRIED OUT OVER THE DESTRUCTION OF OUR CITY'S OLDEST PARK, WE WERE IGNORED.

WHEN WE QUESTIONED THE LACK OF PERMITS REGARDING THE GOPHER TORTOISE HABITATS, HE MOCKED OUR CONCERNS.

WHEN OUR COMMUNITY RAISED TRANSPARENT, HEARTFELT QUESTIONS REGARDING THE REMOVAL OF THE CITY HALL MENORAH, HE DIDN'T LISTEN. HE USED LEGAL EXCUSES TO SHUT DOWN THE DIALOG ENTIRELY.

THIS DISMISSIVE, I KNOW BEST ATTITUDE FILTERS DOWN FROM HIS DESK INTO THE VERY FABRIC OF OUR CITY GOVERNANCE.

IT CREATES AN INTIMIDATING, COMBATIVE ROOM WHERE RESIDENTS FEEL ACTIVELY IGNORED.

COUNCIL. YOUR PRIMARY JOB HERE IS TO REPRESENT THE TAXPAYERS WHO PUT YOU IN THOSE SEATS, NOT TO PROTECT A SINGLE ADMINISTRATOR.

WE NEED THIS COUNCIL TO START EXERCISING REAL, INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT AND SHOW THE PUBLIC THAT YOU ARE LISTENING.

AND THAT SHOULD START TODAY BY DITCHING THE SUGAR COATED PLATITUDES IN FAVOR OF AN OPEN, HONEST, AND FEARLESS REVIEW OF MR. FERRIS ROLE IN THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY.

WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR DECISION THIS MORNING, DO NOT JUST BLINDLY RUBBERSTAMP ANOTHER TERM OF UNCHECKED AUTHORITY.

DEMAND A MANAGER WHO TREATS HIS COMMUNITY WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT.

REMIND HIM AND FUTURE CITY ADMINISTRATORS WHO THEY ACTUALLY WORK FOR.

IF MR. FERRIS CANNOT OR WILL NOT CHANGE HIS HOSTILE DEMEANOR TOWARD THE PUBLIC, THEN IT IS TIME FOR THIS COUNCIL TO FIND A LEADER WHO WILL.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT IS DAVID LEVY, PLEASE.

DAVID J. LEVY. FOUR. SEVEN. EIGHT. EIGHT HOLLY DRIVE.

I DON'T WANT THIS TO BE A THREE MINUTE GRIPE SESSION ABOUT THE CITY.

THIS IS A GREAT CITY. IT'S WELL RUN. THE TAXES ARE LOW AND IT'S A YOU KNOW, OUR SERVICES ARE RELATIVELY HIGH.

BUT I DON'T CARE HOW GREAT WE ARE, WE CAN ALWAYS BE BETTER.

AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT I WROTE TWO LETTERS LAST YEAR TO THIS CITY AND I GOT ABSOLUTELY NO RESPONSES.

THESE WEREN'T NASTY LETTERS OR MEAN LETTERS. ONE LETTER WAS ABOUT THE ICE RINK.

I ASKED FOR THREE CONDITIONS TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THE DEVELOPMENT ORDER.

NUMBER ONE WAS THAT THE ICE RINK NOT BE OPEN DURING A DROP OFF AND PICKUP OF PALM BEACH GARDENS HIGH SCHOOL.

I ALSO ASKED THAT MONEY BE SET ASIDE TO REPURPOSE THE BUILDING IN CASE IT FAILED.

AND THE LAST ONE, WHICH IT DIDN'T MATTER, ITS CONDITION OR NOT, WAS THAT FEDERAL LAWS BE BE APPLIED SHOULD BECAUSE IT'S A TIER TWO NOTIFIER FOR AMMONIA. THE SECOND LETTER WAS ABOUT THE MENORAH I WROTE, AND I GOT NO RESPONSE.

I HAD THAT LETTER REVIEWED BY MULTIPLE LAWYERS, MULTIPLE PEOPLE.

THEY ALL SAID IT WAS FINE. I EXPECTED TO HAVE A RESPONSE.

WHETHER YOU AGREE WITH ME OR NOT, I DESERVE THE COURTESY OF A RESPONSE.

LAST THING I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS THE PICKLEBALL COURTS.

THEY'RE GOOD COURTS, BUT THEY COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER. MORE PUBLIC INPUT WOULD HAVE PROVIDED BETTER PICKLEBALL COURTS.

AND, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S FUNDING TO RAISE THE FENCES, INCREASE WIND SPEED SCREENS AND THAT TYPE OF THING THAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE IF THERE WAS MORE PUBLIC INPUT. WHEN PICKLEBALL COURTS WERE BEING DESIGNED, THERE WAS ALMOST NO PUBLIC INPUT.

SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I'D LIKE TO SEE IS THAT THIS COUNCIL, WHEN THERE ARE MAJOR PROJECTS THAT THEY GET MORE PUBLIC INPUT.

WHEN I WAS ON THIS COUNCIL, WE GOT LOTS OF PUBLIC INPUT BEFORE THE PROJECT WAS BUILT.

WE GOT LOTS OF PUBLIC INPUT, AND ESPECIALLY ON THE OLD BIGGER PROPERTY, WHICH IS NOW ALTON, WE GOT SIX MONTHS OF PUBLIC INPUT. THE OTHER THING, AND I NOTICED THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF POLICE OFFICERS HERE.

THEY BROUGHT UP SOME LEGITIMATE PROBLEMS. WE'RE LOSING POLICE OFFICERS BECAUSE OUR OF OUR PENSION PLAN.

[00:50:01]

BUT IF WE WENT TOO FAR, ONE COUNCIL MEMBER AT THE END OF THE MEETING BROUGHT UP AND SAID, WE SHOULD HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS PENSION PLAN. NONE OF THE REST OF YOU HAD A HEALTHY, GOOD DEBATE ON WHAT WE SHOULD DO WITH THAT PENSION PLAN TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS THAT WERE LEAVING. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AT THE END OF THIS MEETING, WHEN A COUNCIL MEMBER BRINGS SOMETHING UP THAT YOU HAVE A GOOD, HEALTHY DEBATE ON THE ISSUE. THAT'S HOW WE MAKE OUR CITY BETTER.

THE OTHER THING IS, AT THE END OF YOUR REVIEW OF RON FERRIS, I WANT YOU EACH TO TELL THE CITY MANAGER HOW WE CAN MAKE THIS CITY BETTER.

WE CAN BE BETTER. THANK YOU. NEXT, I HAVE ERIC JABLON, PLEASE.

THANK YOU. FOR THE RECORD. ERIC JABLON 184 THORNTON DRIVE, PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLORIDA. FOR MORE THAN 25 YEARS, I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SITTING WHERE YOU ARE AND PARTICIPATING IN THE DISCUSSION YOU'RE HAVING RIGHT NOW.

WHEN I REALIZED WHAT I HAD DONE FOR ALL THOSE YEARS, I MUST HAVE BEEN APPRECIATED BY A LOT OF THE VOTERS OR THEY WOULDN'T HAVE REELECTED ME EIGHT TIMES. I MADE THE DECISION TO RETIRE BECAUSE I FELT THAT I NO LONGER COULD GIVE MY CONSTITUENTS 100% OF THE EFFORT THAT THEY DESERVED. AND THERE IS SOMETHING TO BE SAID FOR LEAVING WHEN YOU'RE ON TOP.

ONE OF THE DECISIONS I MADE 26 YEARS AGO WAS TO HIRE RON FERRIS AS CITY MANAGER.

HE DID A FANTASTIC JOB AND I'M GLAD I HIRED HIM BACK IN 2000.

HE'S DONE A WONDERFUL JOB FOR THE CITY AND HE DESERVES ALL OF OUR PRAISE AND GRATITUDE.

BUT YOU KNOW, A FEW MONTHS AGO, I CELEBRATED MY 84TH BIRTHDAY.

AND AS MUCH AS I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT I COULD HAVE SERVED THIS CITY INTO MY 80S, I WOULD HAVE DONE THE CITY A DISSERVICE IF I TRIED.

THIS IS NOT AN EASY JOB, AND IT SHOULD BE DONE BY PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE TOP OF THEIR GAME.

RON WILL TURN 80 IN A FEW MONTHS, AND I BELIEVE THAT THOUGH RON MAY FEEL THAT HE CAN DO THIS JOB FOREVER, I BELIEVE HE OWES IT TO THIS CITY TO AT LEAST HAVE A PLAN TO HAND OVER THE REINS OF THIS CITY ADMINISTRATION TO SOMEONE ELSE ONE DAY WHEN HE RETIRES. I'M NOT HERE TO CRITICIZE RON'S SKILLS AS MANAGER, BUT WE ALL HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THE INEVITABLE.

THE RESPONSIBILITY OF A GOOD LEADER IS TO PLAN FOR THE FUTURE, AND PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE INCLUDES PLANNING FOR A SMOOTH TRANSITION OF THAT LEADERSHIP.

I'M HERE TO RAISE THE CONCERN THAT TIME DOES NOT STAND STILL.

AND I SAY TO YOU, THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PERSON YOU CHOOSE TO MANAGE THIS CITY, WHOEVER THAT MAY BE, SHOULD BE PREPARED TO MAKE THAT TRANSITION ONE DAY.

PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.

YOU OWE IT TO THE PEOPLE WHO ELECTED YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS A SUCCESSION PLAN IN PLACE FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF THIS CITY WHEN RON RETIRES.

AS SOMEONE WHO SPENT THE LAST 26 YEARS OF HIS LIFE IN SERVICE TO THIS CITY, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SERVICE, AND I HOPE YOU WILL TAKE WHAT I HAVE TO SAY TO HEART.

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. THANK YOU. NEXT IS SUZANNE KLEIN, PLEASE.

HI. GOOD MORNING. I'M SUZANNE KLEIN. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL.

I LIVE AT 10040 TIMBER CREEK WAY, PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLORIDA 33412.

AGAIN, MY NAME IS SUZANNE KLEIN. I'M A DISABLED RESIDENT IT AND I AM A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT TAXPAYER.

I BOUGHT MY HOUSE IN 2025 AND I'M A RESIDENT OF REGENCY AT AVENIR.

AND I'M STANDING BEFORE YOU THIS MORNING BECAUSE THE CURRENT DESIGN I FEEL AT THE GARDEN'S NATURE PASSIVE PARK WOULD BUILD A PUBLIC FACILITY THAT I CANNOT USE.

I HAVE RESPECTFULLY BEEN AT ALL THE MEETINGS AND I FELT DISRESPECTED AT THE MEETINGS.

I HAVE WRITTEN LETTERS TO MR. FERRIS. I REED I REED.

I SENT THEM TO CHARLOTTE PROSINSKI AND SEVERAL OTHERS, AND NONE OF MY LETTERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED.

AT THE LAST MEETING, I WAS BASICALLY TOLD THAT I SHOULD NOT BE SO ANGRY, WHICH I DON'T FEEL.

[00:55:06]

THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE FOR ME, NOT A MATTER OF CONVENIENCE.

IT'S. IT'S AN ISSUE THAT I DEAL WITH EVERY DAY.

AND ON A PERSONAL NOTE, YOU KNOW, I MAY LOOK FINE RIGHT NOW, BUT I DEAL WITH ANEURYSMS. I CANNOT CARRY A PICNIC BASKET DOWN A HALF A MILE A TRAIL AND GET TO THE PUBLIC AMENITIES AS THEY'RE PLANNED.

I HAVE A DISABLED GRANDCHILD. THE APPROVED. THIS IS NOT AN OVERSTATEMENT FOR ME.

IT'S A FACT. THE APPROVED DESIGN PLACES THE PARK'S RESTROOMS, PICNIC AREAS, AND EDUCATIONAL PAVILIONS A HALF A MILE FROM THE PARKING AREA.

AND. AND THERE'S NO PUBLIC ROAD ACCESS DOWN THERE EITHER.

I KNOW THAT I LIVE ON TIMBER CREEK. THERE'S A TERMINUS THERE.

IT ENDS. AND I KNOW SECTION 18. THAT WAS A PROBLEM FOR CITY COUNCIL AND FOR THE CITY BEFORE.

AND THAT WAS OVERTURNED BECAUSE OF SAFETY, BECAUSE THERE'S A DEAD END ROAD.

THERE'S NO ASSESSABLE ROUTE. THERE'S THERE'S NO DROP OFF ZONE TO THOSE FACILITIES THAT A DISABLED RESIDENT, A SENIOR WITH LIMITED MOBILITY, A PARENT WITH A STROLLER CAN REASONABLY TRAVEL, ESPECIALLY TO GO TO A PICNIC AREA.

I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THE RESTROOMS WOULD BE LOCKED DOWN THERE.

WELL, WHY HAVE THEM IF THEY'RE LOCKED? AND THE OTHER ANSWER TO THAT WAS, WELL, GO TO THE NEST AND YOU CAN USE THE NEST RESTROOM.

THAT'S ANOTHER HALF A MILE FROM DOWN THERE. SO THAT WOULD BE OVER A MILE TO GET TO THE NEST.

WHY IS THAT A PUBLIC FUNDED PARK? RESPECTFULLY FUNDED BY SEED ASSESSMENTS, STATE GRANTS, AND FEDERAL DOLLARS, HAS A LEGAL AND MORAL OBLIGATION TO BE ACCESSIBLE TO EVERY MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY.

IT SERVES NOT JUST THE ABLE BODIED PEOPLE. DESIGNING PRIMARY FACILITIES BEYOND THE PRACTICAL REACH OF DISABLED RESIDENTS IS NOT A MINOR OVERSIGHT.

IT'S AN EXCLUSION, AND IT SHOULD NOT BE BUILT INTO THE FOUNDATION OF THIS PROJECT.

THIS IS CORRECTABLE, AND THIS MORNING I AM FORMALLY SUBMITTING OUR COMMUNITY'S PETITION WITH MANY MORE SIGNATURES TO COME AND ASK THIS COUNCIL FOR THREE THINGS.

POSTPONE CONSTRUCTION AUTHORIZATION. DIRECT THE CITY STAFF AND PLANNERS TO REVISE THE DESIGN SO THAT EVERY RESIDENT CAN ACTUALLY USE THIS PARK AND LOVE IT.

AND ENTER THE PETITION INTO THE OFFICIAL PUBLIC RECORD TODAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WHERE DO I GIVE THE PETITION, PLEASE? YOU CAN GIVE IT TO THE CLERK OVER THERE, PLEASE. CYNTHIA LYNN, PLEASE.

GOOD MORNING. I HAVE SPASMODIC DYSPHONIA, SO I WON'T LAST LONG.

I SUBMITTED IT FOR THE RECORD. CAN YOU GIVE ME YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE? CYNTHIA LINTON, 9994 TIMBER CREEK WAY. THANK YOU.

I BELIEVE THIS PLAN IS UNSAFE FOR REGENCY RESIDENTS AND DANGEROUS FOR PARK VISITORS.

I REQUEST THAT IT BE TABLED AND ASSESSED UNTIL DECEMBER BACK IN 2019, WHEN THE GARDENS NATURE PARK TRAIL WAS CREATED AND THE DEALS WERE MADE. THIS PART OF PALM BEACH COUNTY WAS FILLED WITH ANIMALS.

THERE WASN'T A GOLF COURSE. THERE WEREN'T ANY AVENUE DEVELOPMENTS.

5000 ACRES OF NATURE PRESERVE WERE SWAPPED FOR DEVELOPMENTS, AND ALL THE WHILE, THE ANIMALS THROUGHOUT THIS PART OF FLORIDA ARE NOW PACKED INTO A SMALLER HABITAT. EXACTLY WHERE THIS PARK IS SITED.

YOU PROVIDE NO FENCE BETWEEN WILD ANIMALS WHO EAT TO LIVE AND YOUR PARK VISITORS.

THAT CONTIGUOUS 24 ACRE PRESERVE IS A DENSELY POPULATED HABITAT FOR ALLIGATORS, SNAKES, BLACK BEARS, PANTHERS, WILD BOARS, COYOTES, BALD EAGLES, WOOD STORKS AND RACCOONS IN LARGE NUMBERS.

PLEASE PICTURE PICNICKING CHILDREN WITH FOOD IN THEIR HANDS, HANGING OUT WITH HUNGRY ANIMALS.

PLEASE THINK ABOUT YOUR CIVIL LIABILITY WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS ON YOUR WATCH THAT UNSUSPECTING PARK VISITORS DIDN'T KNOW.

THINK OR READ ABOUT. THE CONDITIONS ARE DIFFERENT NOW THAN THEY WERE TEN YEARS AGO.

MY SUGGESTION. FENCE THE PERIMETER OF THE PARK ON THE NORTH AND EAST SIDES, OR DELETE A, B, C, Q AND G AND H AND Q FROM THE PLAN AND LET THE PASSIVE PARK BE PASSIVE, WHICH WAS THE INTENT.

I ALSO SEEK THAT YOU ENFORCE NATIONAL PARK GUIDELINES REGARDING FOOD AND DISALLOW PICNIC FACILITIES,

[01:00:03]

WE HAVE A PARENT THAT'S BEEN LIVING THERE FOR TWO YEARS.

IT ALSO IS IN VIOLATION OF THE REGULATIONS OF THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE.

AND THE CLINCHER IS THAT ANY LAND DEVELOPED WITH LWCF FUNDS MUST REMAIN OPEN FOR PUBLIC OUTDOOR RECREATION IN PERPETUITY. FOREVER'S A LONG TIME TO BE STUCK DEALING WITH A BAD DEVELOPMENT PROJECT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT, CAN I PLEASE CALL HOWARD GOODMAN? GOOD MORNING. HOWARD GOODMAN LIVE AT 10060 TIMBER CREEK WAY IN REGENCY AND AVENIR.

I'LL BE DISCUSSING THE SIMILAR ISSUE THAT THE LAST TWO SPEAKERS HAVE TALKED ABOUT.

MANY OF US MOVED OUT THERE TO LIVE CLOSER TO NATURE AND TO BE IN A SAFE AND SECURE ENVIRONMENT.

MANY OF THE RESIDENTS IN THAT AREA WERE MOVED.

THERE WERE NOT TOLD THAT THE AREA WOULD EVER BE DEVELOPED.

SOME WERE TOLD THEY'D JUST BE WALKING TRAILS OUT THERE, AND MANY WERE BLINDSIDED BY THE CURRENT PLAN.

I PERSONALLY DON'T BELIEVE IT'S APPROPRIATE TO HAVE THAT FACILITY ADJACENT TO A VULNERABLE 55 PLUS COMMUNITY.

OUR RESIDENTS HAVE MULTIPLE CONCERNS CONCERNED WITH SAFETY AND SECURITY.

WE AWAIT THE SEPTEMBER REPORT, WHICH MANDATES THAT CONSIDERATION BE GIVEN TO THE ADJACENT PROPERTIES.

I UNDERSTAND THAT THE SETUP WAS DEVELOPED IN 2019, BUT EVERYTHING'S CHANGED NOW.

WE HAVE OVER 55 COMMUNITY NEXT DOOR. WE DON'T WANT STRANGERS WALKING ALONG OUR BACKYARDS OR HAVING ACCESS TO OUR BACKYARDS AT THE SAME TIME.

WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE THE VIEWS THAT WE GET OF THE PRESERVE AND THAT BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL AREA BEHIND OUR HOUSES.

WE'RE CONCERNED THAT THERE ARE PICNIC AREAS IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE PRESERVE, AND THE PLAN TO HAVE BUSLOADS OF CHILDREN COME IN WITH EATING, ENJOYING THE AREA, ETC. BUT IT'S GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT TO CLEAN UP THOSE AREAS.

AND WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT ANIMALS, RODENTS FORAGING INTO THAT AREA AND THEORETICALLY INTO OUR BACKYARDS.

I WAS TOLD THAT THE SEWER SYSTEM FOR THE PLANNED BATHROOM WAS GOING TO CONNECT TO THE SEWER SYSTEM, ESSENTIALLY IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE ON TIMBER CREEK.

AND I JUST WONDER, WERE PLANS MADE WHEN THAT SEWER SYSTEM WAS SET UP TO ACCOMMODATE THE INCREASED CAPACITY OF A PARK NEXT DOOR? THE LAST THING WE WANT IS BACKUP OF SEWERS INTO OUR HOUSES.

WE'D ALL LOVE TO HAVE NATURE TRAILS IN THAT AREA SIMILAR TO GRASSY WATERS.

WE ALL LOVE IT. IT'S JUST WONDERFUL. SO CYNTHIA TALKED ABOUT THE ANIMALS, THE BIRDS, ETC.

OUT THERE. IF ADA COMPLIANT BATHROOMS ARE REQUIRED, THERE SHOULD BE AT THE FRONT OF THE PARK AT THE MAIN ENTRANCE.

NOT ALL THE WAY IN THE BACK WHERE PEOPLE CAN'T GET TO.

I'VE BEEN A CANCER SURGEON IN PALM BEACH GARDENS AND PALM BEACH COUNTY FOR OVER THREE DECADES.

MY GUIDING PRINCIPLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN, YOU KNOW, PLAN FOR THE WORST, HOPE FOR THE BEST.

AND IN THIS KIND OF SITUATION, IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE DOING THE OPPOSITE.

WE'RE JUST BEING TOLD THAT ALL OUR CONCERNS, ALL THE ISSUES SHOULD WORK OUT.

EVERYTHING SHOULD BE FINE. BUT IF THERE'S A PROBLEM, IT'S GOING TO BE OUR PROBLEM AND NOT SPECIFICALLY THE CITY'S.

AND AGAIN, I JUST DON'T FEEL IT'S APPROPRIATE THAT THAT KIND OF PARK BEHIND OUR KIND OF NEIGHBORHOOD.

I APPRECIATE WHAT THIS COUNCIL DOES. WE LIVE IN A GREAT CITY.

EVERYONE INVOLVED HERE HAS DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB, BUT HIS PLANS PROCEED.

I APPEAL TO THE COUNCIL TO RESPECT THE THE CONCERNS AND ISSUES OF THE ABUTTING NEIGHBORHOOD.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CAN I CALL LISA HEITZMAN, PLEASE? GOOD MORNING. LISA HEITZMAN 10078 TIMBER CREEK WAY.

I I'M ALSO SPEAKING ABOUT THE PALM BEACH GARDENS PASSIVE NATURE PARK AND TRAIL.

I LIVE RIGHT ON TIMBER CREEK WHERE THE TERMINUS IS AND THE PARK PAVILIONS WILL BE CLOSE BY.

MY CONCERNS ARE ABOUT SECURITY AND SAFETY. I HAVE BEEN AT TWO OF THE THREE MEETINGS.

EXCUSE ME, THAT WERE HELD IN AVENIR TO ADDRESS COMMUNITY CONCERNS.

THEY WEREN'T ADDRESSED. WE WERE BASICALLY TOLD.

YEP. OKAY. WE'VE GOT YOUR INFORMATION. I BROUGHT UP MY SECURITY CONCERNS TWICE.

[01:05:03]

IT'S A HALF A MILE DOWN A TRAIL TO WHERE THEY'RE PUTTING THE RESTROOMS AND PICNIC PAVILIONS.

THAT'S ALL THE WAY IN THE BACK OF THE PRESERVE, WHERE ALL THE ANIMALS LIVE.

AND THE ROAD CLOSURE AT DUSK IS GOING TO BE ALL THE WAY UP AT THE PARKING LOT.

MY CONCERN, AND I BROUGHT IT UP TO THE PEOPLE THAT CAME TO REGENCY, WAS, WHO'S GOING TO MONITOR THIS FACILITY AT DUSK WHEN THAT GATE IS CLOSED? THAT'S WHEN ALL YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD TEENAGERS ARE GOING TO COME DOWN.

THERE'LL BE ILLICIT ACTIVITY. THE COPS CAN'T SEE IT.

IT'S A HALF A MILE AWAY. GATE'S GOING TO BE CLOSED.

WE WERE TOLD MORE THAN ONCE. SEE SOMETHING? SAY SOMETHING.

CALL 911. IT'S NOT THE JOB OF THE SENIOR CITIZENS THAT LIVE NEXT TO THIS PARK TO BE YOUR SECURITY FOR THIS AREA.

IT'S THE JOB OF OF OUR PAID POLICE OFFICERS TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS SECURE.

AND EVERYONE KNOWS THAT'S GOING TO BE. YOU'VE GOT COVERED PAVILIONS AND RESTROOMS AND ALL THE THINGS DOWN THERE.

THAT'S GOING TO BE THE LOCAL HANGOUT FOR THE KIDS WHEN THAT PARK IS CLOSED TO DO WHATEVER KIDS DO, BLAST THEIR MUSIC, HANG OUT, CAUSE TROUBLE, WHATEVER THEY MAY WANT TO DO TILL ALL HOURS OF THE DAY OR NIGHT FOR US TO HAVE TO CALL 911 A MILLION TIMES A WEEK, OR HOWEVER THAT MAY MAY BE, IS INAPPROPRIATE.

AND WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO THE NEIGHBORS THAT LIVE RIGHT ON THAT TRAIL? WHEN WE DO START TO DO THAT, THE KIDS ARE GOING TO START TO TAKE RETRIBUTION AGAINST THE NEIGHBORS BECAUSE THEY'RE CONSTANTLY GETTING HARASSED BY THE POLICE.

THOSE FACILITIES BELONG UP WHERE THE PARKING LOT IS FOR NUMEROUS REASONS, BUT SECURITY AND SAFETY ARE ARE THE TOP CONCERNS HERE. NOT A HALF A MILE AWAY WHERE THE POLICE CAN'T EVEN SEE THEM.

I APPRECIATE YOU LISTENING TO OUR CONCERNS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

NEXT. SHERRY. FRITZ. I'M SORRY IF I DIDN'T PRONOUNCE YOUR LAST NAME CORRECTLY.

THANK YOU. SHERRY. HI. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALLOWING US TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY.

SHERRY FRUCHTERMAN 10036 TIMBER CREEK WAY. I AGREE WITH MY FELLOW NEIGHBORS WHO HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU ABOUT THIS GARDENS PARK.

IT REALLY IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. IT'S JUST I DON'T KNOW WHO DESIGNED THIS AND WHY THEY CAME UP WITH THIS, BUT WHEN IT WAS DONE, THERE WERE NO HOMES HERE.

THERE WAS NO GOLF COURSE, NOTHING. THIS IS A 24 ACRE SKINNY PIECE, AND HALF OF IT IS COMPRISED OF THE LAKE.

WHICH LEAVES YOU WITH 12 ACRES TO PUT WHAT THEY WANT ON IT.

SO THEY PUT EVERYTHING THAT NATURE PAVILION, TWO PICNIC TABLES, THE BATHROOM ALL DOWN IN THE DARK AREA, AWAY FROM WHERE THE POLICE CAN CONTROL IT, AWAY FROM THE PARKING.

SO THE A D A COMPLIANCE DOESN'T CONCUR HERE. AND, YOU KNOW, WE BOUGHT PROPERTIES HERE.

THESE WERE PUSHED AS PREMIUM PROPERTIES BECAUSE THEY WERE ON A NATURE PRESERVE.

IT IS A NATURE PRESERVE RIGHT NOW. AND WE PAID PREMIUMS FOR THEM.

WHATEVER. THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WHAT WE WERE TOLD AND TOLD THAT NOTHING COULD BE BUILT ON IT.

AND WE LIVE IN A VERY COPACETIC ENVIRONMENT WITH THE ANIMALS.

AND THERE ARE WILD BOAR, AS YOU HEARD, PANTHERS AND COYOTES, THEY DON'T COME OUT.

THEY COME OUT AT NIGHT. I MEAN, WE'VE LIVED THERE FOR, YOU KNOW, A NUMBER OF MONTHS NOW, MY HUSBAND AND I, AND IT'S BEEN SO PEACEFUL AND SO BEAUTIFUL. AND THEN WE WERE HIT WITH THIS PARK.

WE DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT. BUT WHAT I'M SAYING TO YOU IS THE LIABILITY TO THE TOWN IS ENORMOUS.

THIS IS A GREAT HANGOUT FOR TEENAGERS. DO YOU SEE THAT? THERE WAS A TEEN GROUP THAT WAS GOING TO STORM THE WELLINGTON MALL? THAT'S WHAT THEY DO NOW. THEY GO ON SOCIAL MEDIA. THEY SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO MEET HERE AND THERE. THIS IS A PERFECT PLACE FOR THIS.

IT'S SO FRIGHTENING FOR US. YOU'RE TAKING AWAY THE PEACE OF THE RESIDENCE BY PUTTING IN A PUBLIC FACILITY.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE DESIGN, IT GOES RIGHT UP TO OUR PROPERTIES WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.

THEY DIDN'T EVEN PUT BUFFERING IN FOR US, WHICH WE'VE NOW BEEN ASKING FOR.

BUT I AGREE WITH THE PEOPLE THAT SPOKE BEFORE US.

I'VE BEEN IN EVERY MEETING I'VE SPOKEN AT EVERY MEETING I'VE WRITTEN LETTERS.

I WROTE A LETTER TO OUR CONGRESSMAN. WE'VE GOT NOTHING BACK.

AND I GUESS I'M IMPLORING YOU GUYS THAT IF YOU COULD LOOK AT THIS PLAN AND SEE THAT IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.

THEY WANT THE PURPOSE OF IT WAS TO TAKE THE WALKING TRAILS THAT WE WERE TOLD MIGHT COME AND CONNECTED TO THE CONSERVATION AREA.

[01:10:06]

THEY COULD STILL DO THAT. BUT THESE WALKING TRAILS IN AND MAKE IT A NATURE.

IT'S NOT A TRAIL, IT'S A PATH. AND THE REASON WHY IT'S NOT A TRAIL IS BECAUSE THIS IS NOT THROUGH WILDERNESS.

THIS IS A LAWN. IT'S A BIG LAWN. THEY WANT TO PUT PATHS THROUGH HERE AND CONNECT IT TO THE CONSERVATION AREA.

GREAT. AND GIVE US A BUFFER SO THAT THESE PEOPLE DON'T GET OFF OF THEIR SIT IN FRONT OF OUR YARD AND PICNIC.

THANK YOU. SO I APPRECIATE THE TIME. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. NEXT, I WOULD LIKE TO CALL HEATHER DYKEMAN.

GOOD MORNING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL. HEATHER DIKEMAN 3111 GARDENS EAST DRIVE, PALM BEACH GARDENS.

AN ANNUAL CITY MANAGER EVALUATION IS SUPPOSED TO BE A RIGOROUS TEST OF OUR COUNCIL'S OVERSIGHT.

AND AS YOU CONDUCT THAT EVALUATION LATER TONIGHT, I ASK YOU TO FOCUS ON TWO CORE AREAS OPERATIONS AND CULTURE.

WE HAVE A PATTERN OF UNFULFILLED COUNCIL DIRECTION NEARLY TEN MONTHS AGO AND EIGHT MONTHS AGO, RESPECTIVELY, TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS REQUESTED A PUBLIC UPDATE ON A PROJECT LOCATED ON CITY OWNED PROPERTY.

THE PUBLIC IS STILL WAITING. IN JANUARY, COUNCIL DIRECTED STAFF TO BRING FORWARD A MENORAH POLICY BEFORE COUNCIL TURNOVER IN APRIL.

WE ARE NOW IN JUNE. IT IS NOT AN AGENDA ITEM.

AT THIS RATE, I FEAR THE HALLMARK CHANNEL WILL PUBLISH THEIR ENTIRE CHRISTMAS MOVIE LIST BEFORE THE POLICY ENDS UP IN FRONT OF THIS COUNCIL.

THESE ARE NOT MINOR ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS. THEY ARE DIRECT COUNCIL REQUESTS.

IF COUNCIL SETS PRIORITIES AND THE CITY MANAGER CAN SIMPLY DELAY THEM INDEFINITELY, THEN WHO IS STEERING OUR CITY.

IT IS THE COUNCIL'S RESPONSIBILITY TO ESTABLISH GOALS AND ENSURE THEY ARE CARRIED OUT. THE CITY MANAGER SHOULD BE EVALUATED NOT ON PRESENTATIONS, AWARDS OR ENDORSEMENTS, BUT ON WHETHER COUNCIL DIRECTION IS IMPLEMENTED IN A TIMELY AND ACCOUNTABLE MANNER.

BEYOND OPERATIONS, A SUCCESSFUL CITY MANAGER SHOULD FOSTER A CULTURE WHERE PEOPLE FEEL SAFE SPEAKING HONESTLY.

UNFORTUNATELY, DURING MY CAMPAIGN AND IN THE MONTHS SINCE, I'VE HEARD FROM RESIDENTS, CURRENT AND FORMER EMPLOYEES, BUSINESS OWNERS, NONPROFIT LEADERS AND STAKEHOLDERS FROM EVERY CORNER OF THIS CITY WHO SHARE THE SAME CONCERN.

THEY ARE AFRAID TO SPEAK PUBLICLY FOR FEAR OF RETALIATION.

RESIDENTS INVOLVED IN SPORTS PROGRAMS DESCRIBE FEELING DISMISSED WHEN RAISING CONCERNS ABOUT PRICING OR SCHEDULING OR ACCESS.

BUSINESS OWNERS AND NONPROFITS HAVE REPORTED AGGRESSIVE CODE ENFORCEMENT, HEAVY FINES, LIMITED REVIEW PERIODS, AND INSUFFICIENT TIME TO CORRECT ALLEGED VIOLATIONS.

MANY BELIEVE THAT SPEAKING UP ONLY INVITED ADDITIONAL SCRUTINY AND FURTHER VIOLATIONS AND FEES.

FORMER AND CURRENT EMPLOYEES REPORTED THREATS OF JOB LOSS, LACK OF UPWARD MOBILITY OR BEING PUSHED OUT IF THEY DID NOT ALIGN WITH THE CITY MANAGER.

WHETHER EVERY INDIVIDUAL CONCERN IS ULTIMATELY JUSTIFIED OR NOT IS NOT THE POINT.

THE POINT IS THAT PEOPLE ACROSS THE CITY BELIEVE RETALIATION IS POSSIBLE WHEN CITIZENS BECOME AFRAID TO QUESTION THEIR GOVERNMENT.

PUBLIC TRUST HAS ALREADY BEEN DAMAGED. LEADERSHIP IS NOT TESTED WHEN EVERYONE AGREES, IT IS TESTED WHEN QUESTIONS ARE ASKED, CRITIQUE IS OFFERED AND CONCERNS ARE RAISED. A HEALTHY ORGANIZATION AND CITY RESPONDS WITH TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY.

IT DOES NOT CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE PEOPLE FEAR SPEAKING AT ALL.

BASED ON WHAT RESIDENTS, EMPLOYEES AND STAKEHOLDERS CONTINUE TO REPORT TO ME, THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT GAP BETWEEN THE STANDARDS WE SHOULD BE PRACTICING AND CURRENT PRACTICE AS YOU CONDUCT AN EVALUATION LATER TODAY.

I URGE YOU TO CONSIDER ACCOUNTABILITY, FOLLOW THROUGH IN THE CULTURE THAT HAS BEEN CREATED UNDER THIS ADMINISTRATION.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CAN I CALL KAREN HUNT, PLEASE? GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS KAREN HUNT AND I LIVE AT 3111 GARDENS EAST DRIVE.

I LIVED IN PALM BEACH GARDENS MY ENTIRE LIFE FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS.

I HAVE WATCHED OUR CITY GROW AND CHANGE, AND I HAVE ALWAYS APPRECIATED THE MATURE OAK CANOPY THAT HELPS DEFINE OUR CIVIC CENTER.

LIKE MANY RESIDENTS, I WAS SADDENED TO SEE THE LARGE OAKS NEAR CITY HALL.

SOME OF THEM REMOVED. THOSE TREES PROVIDED SHADE, BEAUTY, WILDLIFE, HABITAT AND A WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT AROUND CITY HALL AND THE GREEN MARKET. BUT MY CONCERN TONIGHT OR THIS MORNING IS NOT ABOUT IS IS ABOUT MORE THAN TREES.

IT'S ABOUT THE TRANSPARENCY AND DECISION MAKING WITH THE EXPERTISE AVAILABLE WITH OUR STAFF, ADVISORY BOARDS AND COMMUNITY. IT IS DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS NO ALTERNATIVE THAT COULD HAVE BALANCED SAFETY, FUNCTIONALITY AND PRESERVATION. I ALSO STRUGGLE WITH THE INCONSISTENCY THROUGHOUT OUR CITY.

HOMEOWNERS, BUSINESSES AND HOA'S ARE HELD TO STRICT STANDARDS FOR TREE PRESERVATION AND REPLACEMENT BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE THE VALUE OF AN ESTABLISHED CANOPY. IF THOSE STANDARDS ARE IMPORTANT FOR THE RESIDENTS, SHOULDN'T THE CITY HOLD ITSELF IN THE SAME STANDARD?

[01:15:04]

THE CITY CONTINUES TO CELEBRATE THAT LEGACY AND PROUDLY PROMOTES ITS TREE CITY USA DESIGNATION.

THAT IS WHY THE REMOVAL OF THESE MATURE SHADE TREES IS SO TROUBLING.

THIS IS NOT SIMPLY ABOUT A FEW TREES BEING CUT DOWN.

IT RAISES A LARGER QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER OUR ACTIONS REFLECT THE VALUES WE PUBLICLY PROMOTE.

RESIDENTS SHOULD SHOULD BE ABLE TO EXPECT THE SAME COMMITMENT TO PRESERVATION, TRANSPARENCY AND THOUGHTFUL PLANNING FROM THEIR CITY GOVERNMENT THAT IS EXPECTED OF THEM. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. SAVE THE TREES.

THANK YOU. CAN I PLEASE CALL JOAN ATWATER TO THE PODIUM? MORNING, MAYOR. CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU, JOAN ATWATER.

9180 CYPRESS HOLLOW DRIVE, PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLORIDA.

I'VE BEEN A LONG TIME RESIDENT HERE. WE MOVED HERE IN 86.

I'VE SEEN LOTS OF CHANGES IN THE CITY COUNCIL OVER THE YEARS AND CITY MANAGERS AS WELL.

I WOULD CONCUR WITH SOME OF THE REMARKS ABOUT GREAT THINGS THAT RON FERRIS HAS HELPED BRING UP IN THIS CITY.

THANKS TO CITY COUNCIL INPUT AND APPROVAL AND THANKS TO THE CHARRETTES, I THINK THAT WAS A GOOD POINT THAT I BELIEVE IN TIMES PAST, WE HAVE MANY MORE CHARRETTES AND PUBLIC HEARINGS TO GET PUBLIC INPUT ABOUT ANTICIPATED PROJECTS AND WHAT THE BENEFIT WOULD BE TO ALL OF THE RESIDENTS. SO I WOULD CONCUR WITH THAT. ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS I'D LIKE TO HAVE CONSIDERED DURING THE CITY MANAGER'S EVALUATION, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO DIAL BACK THE AUTHORIZATION LEVELS THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN.

AS I UNDERSTAND IT, IN SPEAKING WITH SOME OF THE CITY COUNCIL PEOPLE PAST AND PRESENT THERE WAS A INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT THE CITY MANAGER WAS ALLOWED TO APPROVE BASED ON COVID BECAUSE SUPPLY CHAIN WAS SHORT, YOU HAD TO DEAL WITH RELIABLE SUPPLY CHAIN COMPANIES. BUT IT'S A LOT OF POWER. IT'S A LOT OF MONEY, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF WHAT WE ARE FACING BUDGETARY WISE, SHOULD THE PROPERTY TAX REFORM GO THROUGH AS IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING TO.

SO THEREFORE, I WOULD ASK THAT CITY COUNCIL, AS PART OF JUST GENERAL JOB DESCRIPTION FOR THE CITY MANAGER, RECONSIDER. SERIOUSLY THE UPPER LIMIT OF WHAT THE CITY MANAGER CAN APPROVE.

AND THEN WHAT LEADS UP TO THAT APPROVAL. AND THE MAXIMUM, A LOT OF CITIES ARE LIKE ANYWHERE BETWEEN 200 AND 500,000. I THINK PALM BEACH, THE TOWN OF PALM BEACH JUST RECENTLY UP THERE.

TOWN MANAGER'S LEVEL. BUT THERE SHOULD BE LIMITS.

LIKE WE ALL HAVE LIMITS ON OUR BUDGET AND THERE SHOULD BE SERIOUS INPUT FROM CITY COUNCIL AS TO WHAT THAT SHOULD BE AND WHAT THE PROJECTS ARE ANTICIPATED, WHAT THE CONTRACTS ARE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

NEXT, I'D LIKE TO CALL JOHN CHANNING, PLEASE.

GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU. AND I HAVEN'T BEEN HERE IN A LONG TIME, BUT I FEEL LIKE I'M HOME.

I SPENT 6.5 HOURS DRIVING IN BUSSES WITH COUNTY COMMISSIONERS YESTERDAY, LOOKING AT THE AG RESERVE AND LOTS OF SECURITY AND LOTS OF POLICE.

AND DEALING WITH THE COUNTY IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT BALL GAME THAN COMING HERE.

SO SORRY. MR. CHANNING, CAN YOU PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD? I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY. JOHN CHANNING 5100 PGA BOULEVARD, PALM BEACH.

I APOLOGIZE, I'M SORRY. MAYOR MIDDLETON AND VICE MAYOR KEMP AND FELLOW CITY COMMISSIONERS.

I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT RON'S EVALUATION, AND I HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE OF DEVELOPING MANY PROJECTS, AS YOU GUYS KNOW, IN THE CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS FOR OVER 40 YEARS WITH MY LATE BROTHER, JOEL CHANNING. WE ALSO DEVELOPED PROJECTS IN OTHER CITIES, OTHER COUNTIES IN FLORIDA, AND ALSO AROUND THE COUNTRY. BUT WE HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED A MORE PROFESSIONAL AND TALENTED STAFF THAN WHAT YOU HAVE HERE IN PALM BEACH GARDENS. THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST RUN CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES.

I WISH I HAD MORE PROJECTS HERE TO DEVELOP, BUT THERE'S NOT A LOT OF LAND LEFT.

[01:20:06]

THE CITY IS FINANCIALLY STRONGER THAN MOST OTHERS, AND THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF HERE HAS LITTLE TURNOVER.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE EXPERIENCED WITH THE COUNTY IS THERE'S LOTS OF TURNOVER AND THERE'S NOT A LOT OF STAFF.

AND IT'S BEEN A VERY FRUSTRATING SITUATION FOR ME TO DEAL WITH THAT.

BUT COMING HERE, THINGS GET DONE QUICKLY. I GET ANSWERS QUICKLY.

AND IT'S, IT'S, IT'S JUST, IT'S REALLY, I ALWAYS SAY THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST PLACES TO DO BUSINESS.

SO I THANK RON FOR ALL HIS SERVICE AND HIS HARD WORK AND HIS DEDICATION.

AND I HOPE THAT YOU ALL GIVE HIM A VERY GOOD EVALUATION BECAUSE HE DESERVES IT.

THANK YOU. NEXT, I'D LIKE TO CALL DON KOZLOWSKI, PLEASE.

GOOD MORNING, MAYOR. COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY. I AM DON KOZLOWSKI OF FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHT COMPANY 4300 KYOTO GARDENS DRIVE, PALM BEACH GARDENS, 33410. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON THE MATTER OF YOUR CITY ADMINISTRATOR'S ANNUAL REVIEW.

I AM HERE ALSO TODAY AS CHAIR OF THE PGA CORRIDOR ASSOCIATION REPRESENTING THE BUSINESSES AND PROPERTY OWNERS WHO PROUDLY CALL THIS COMMUNITY HOME.

OUR ORGANIZATION WAS FOUNDED TO PRESERVE, ENHANCE AND PROMOTE THE PGA CORRIDOR AS THE PREMIER BUSINESS LOCATION IN FLORIDA AND TO SERVE AS A VOICE ON ISSUES THAT SHAPE THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY.

SIMPLY PUT, THE SUCCESS OF PALM BEACH GARDENS AND THE STRENGTH OF THE CORRIDOR ARE INSEPARABLE.

THAT'S WHY LEADERSHIP AT THE CITY LEVEL MATTERS SO VERY MUCH.

OVER MANY YEARS, RON FERRIS HAS PROVIDED EXACTLY WHAT THE COMMUNITY LIKE.

PALM BEACH GARDENS NEEDS STEADY LEADERSHIP, STRONG MANAGEMENT, AND CLEAR COMMITMENT TO QUALITY GROWTH.

FROM A BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE. CONSISTENCY AND PROFESSIONALISM IN A CITY MANAGEMENT ARE CRITICAL.

THEY INFLUENCE WHETHER. INVESTMENT DECISIONS.

REDEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND THE OVERALL CONFIDENCE OF PEOPLE HAVE IN THIS COMMUNITY.

RON HAS HELPED CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE BUSINESS BUSINESSES WANT TO INVEST.

RESIDENTS ARE PROUD TO LIVE, AND THE CITY CONTINUES TO EVOLVE THOUGHTFULLY WHILE MAINTAINING THE HIGH STANDARDS THAT DEFINE PALM BEACH GARDENS.

AS THE CORRIDOR ASSOCIATION, YOU KNOW, WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THE CITY TO PROMOTE AND PROVIDE INPUT ON DEVELOPMENT, PLANNING AND LONG TERM VISION. THAT PARTNERSHIP ONLY WORKS WHEN THERE IS TRUST, TRANSPARENCY AND EXPERIENCED LEADERSHIP AT THE HELM.

RON HAS BEEN A KEY PART OF THAT. ON BEHALF OF OUR BOARD AND MEMBERSHIP, I WANT TO EXPRESS OUR APPRECIATION FOR HIS SERVICE AND YOUR SUPPORT FOR HIS CONTINUED LEADERSHIP. WE VALUE LEADERSHIP THAT KEEPS PALM BEACH GARDENS MOVING FORWARD, AND RON FERRIS HAS DONE EXACTLY THAT.

AND JUST AS A FINAL NOTE FROM THE FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHT PERSPECTIVE, WE'VE WORKED CLOSELY WITH RON AND HIS TEAM ON THE CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF OUR JAMES EL ROBO CAMPUS ON KYOTO. AND WE FOUND THAT WE HAVE FOUND THE APPROACH TO BE EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT FROM A PARTNER, FIRM BUT FAIR AND FOCUSED IN GETTING IT RIGHT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO CALL STEVE MATHESON, PLEASE.

GOOD MORNING. AND I'D LIKE TO SECOND EVERYTHING THAT DON JUST SAID ON BEHALF OF THE CORRIDOR.

CAN I HAVE YOUR ADDRESS, PLEASE? YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. FOR THE RECORD, I'M STEVE MATHISON.

MATHISON. 5606 PGA BOULEVARD. AS YOU ALL KNOW, MATHISON WITTELS WAS HONORED TO SPONSOR THIS LAST MONTH'S STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS A FANTASTIC PROGRAM.

I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL OF YOU, COUNCILMAN. I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL OF THE STAFF WHO ATTENDED, AND I PARTICULARLY LIKE TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO MAYOR DANA MIDDLETON FOR THE GREAT PRESENTATION IN WHICH SHE SHOWCASED THE ONGOING, INCREDIBLE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN OUR CITY.

AND IT MAKES ME SO PROUD JUST TO WATCH IT. AS I SAID IN THAT PRESENTATION FOR MATHISON WITTELS,

[01:25:06]

I MEAN THAT. WE WORK ALL OVER THE STATE AND NO ONE COMPARES.

WE ALSO HAVE THE VERY BEST CITY ADMINISTRATION.

CITY MANAGER, CITY ATTORNEY AND STAFF WHO DO WORK TOGETHER VERY COHESIVELY.

I WORK ON PRETTY MUCH EVERY LEVEL AT THIS CITY, IN EVERY DEPARTMENT, WHETHER IT'S THIS CAMPUS OR ELSEWHERE, SUCH AS WHERE DAVID LIVES. I FIND A CULTURE OF COOPERATION, A CULTURE OF MUTUAL RESPECT, AND I FIND IT A FEELING OF FAMILY, WHICH IS SUCH A VERY SPECIAL THING TO HAVE IN A CITY.

I DID MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THIS CITY IS TOUGH, AND I THINK THAT ITS TOUGHNESS HAS BORNE OUT A LOT OF BEAUTIFUL RESULTS.

YOUR STAFF, YOUR CITY MANAGER, YOUR CITY ATTORNEY ARE FIERCELY PROTECTIVE OF THIS CITY'S QUALITY, BUT THEY'RE ALSO OPEN MINDED WHEN IT COMES TO NEW IDEAS.

AND THUS WE HAVE INCREDIBLE DEVELOPMENTS SUCH AS WHAT DON AND FPL ARE BRINGING TO OUR CORRIDOR ALL THE WAY OUT TO AVENIR AS WELL.

THESE THINGS DO NOT HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT. THEY HAPPEN BECAUSE OF GOOD STEWARDSHIP.

THEY HAPPEN BECAUSE OF FORWARD THINKING LEADERSHIP.

AND I MUST SAY, I HAVE NEVER SEEN A BETTER AND MORE THOROUGHLY THOUGHTFUL CITY ADMINISTRATION THAN WHAT WE HAVE NOW.

NOW, VERY BRIEFLY, I WOULD SAY THIS. I'VE BEEN WORKING AT THIS CITY FOR 40 YEARS.

I'M SOMETHING. SOMETHING LIKE ERIC. I GUESS MY INPUT RELATIVE TO THE CITY MANAGER'S REVIEW TODAY IS YOU ARE BLESSED. WE ARE BLESSED. AND WE NEED TO WE NEED THEM HERE.

AS LONG AS HE'S WILLING TO STAY HERE AND WORK HARD FOR THE CITY.

I THINK THAT THE PROFESSIONALISM, THE LEADERSHIP AND THE STEWARDSHIP THAT RON HAS SHOWN IS UNPARALLELED.

AND I URGE A VERY FAVORABLE REVIEW TODAY. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO CALL ON MR. DAN CATALFAMO, PLEASE.

GOOD MORNING. DAN CATALFAMO 4001 DESIGN CENTER.

GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT RON FERRIS.

ALSO, STEVE JUST TOLD MY WHOLE MY WHOLE SPEECH.

THIS CITY IS PART OF THE MOST INCREDIBLE CITY EVER.

I'VE DEVELOPED AN OVER 40 CITIES. THERE IS NO CITY LIKE THIS.

WE HAVE SPENT THE LAST 40 YEARS SPENDING ALMOST $2 BILLION THAT WE'VE BEEN DEVELOPING AND BUILDING IN PALM BEACH GARDENS ONLY BECAUSE OF STEWARDSHIP, LEADERSHIP BY THE CITY COUNCIL AND RON FERRIS AND HIS STAFF.

HE IS TOUGH. HE IS HARD, BUT HE'S ALWAYS GIVEN US THE BEST.

IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, WE NOW HAVE 1000 APARTMENTS AT OUR AT OUR PROJECT BECAUSE OF RON FERRIS.

THAT'S AFFORDABLE AND COMING UP OUT OF THE GROUND.

RON FERRIS HELPED BRING THE RITZ CARLTON OF PALM BEACH GARDENS TO PALM BEACH GARDENS.

IT WAS IN THE COUNTY. RON REACHED OUT AND SAID, WE NEED THE RITZ, THE NUMBER ONE BRAND IN THE WORLD.

HE DOES THINGS WITH HIS HEART, HIS SOUL. HIS STAFF IS INCREDIBLE.

I STARTED TO TYPE UP MY LIST, BUT ON PAGE 17 I SAID, I JUST GOT TO COME UP HERE AND SPEAK FROM MY HEART.

AND 40 YEARS OF BEING HERE WHEN PGA BOULEVARD WAS ALMOST NOTHING, WHEN WE BOUGHT ALL THE ALL THE GRASS, BASICALLY WITH THE COWS ON IT. THE LEADERSHIP OF RON FERRIS AND HIS STAFF HAS DEVELOPED THE MOST INCREDIBLE CITY OUT OF ALL CITIES THAT I'VE DEVELOPED THROUGHOUT SOUTH FLORIDA. RON, CONGRATULATIONS.

I HOPE HE STAYS FOR TEN MORE YEARS BECAUSE I'M 71 AND I'M NOT RETIRING UNTIL LIKE MY FATHER DID AT 94.

SO, RON, I'LL SEE YOU WHEN YOU'RE 94. STILL HERE, I HOPE.

THANK YOU. IT WAS MY HONOR TO BE HERE. AND RON.

OUTSTANDING. THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO CALL ROSA SCHECHTER, PLEASE.

GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. I'M ROSA SCHECHTER, AND I LIVE A LITTLE FAR AWAY.

MY ADDRESS IS 550 BILTMORE WAY, CORAL GABLES, FLORIDA, 33134.

LIKE THE SPEAKERS BEFORE ME, I WANT TO SAY THAT RON IS JUST AN OUTSTANDING LEADER, AND I'LL ILLUSTRATE IT WITH A STORY.

ON OCTOBER 9TH, 2024, RON FERRIS CALLED US. HE WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO CALL US TO SAY, YOU JUST HAD A TORNADO DESTROY A STORE

[01:30:06]

AND YOUR CITY HELPED US PUT THAT BACK TOGETHER.

AND IT'S BECAUSE OF HIM THAT OUR PUBLIX OPENED A WEEK AGO.

I DON'T THINK ANYBODY ELSE COULD HAVE DONE IT.

I DON'T THINK ANY OTHER CITY WOULD HAVE EXPEDITED WHAT WE NEEDED THE WAY HE DID.

AND IT IS REALLY EMBLEMATIC OF HOW THIS CITY HAS WORKED WITH US FOR THE PAST.

I DON'T KNOW, SINCE 2012 WHEN WE ACQUIRED THIS PROPERTY.

IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, WE STARTED MAJOR DEVELOPMENT.

I MEAN, I THINK OUR ENTRY FEATURE IS SOMETHING LIKE 20/20, IN SIX YEARS, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ALMOST COMPLETE ALL OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT PLAN AND BEGIN CONSTRUCTION OF CLUBHOUSES, SHOPPING CENTERS, YOU KNOW, SELL TO OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO CREATE MEDICAL CENTERS.

WE DEVELOP PROPERTY ALL OVER THE PLACE. THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN IN OTHER CITIES.

IT TAKES MUCH LONGER. AND HE'S NOT EASY. I MEAN, I'VE BEEN IN I'VE LEARNED A LOT FROM RON FERRIS, AND I USE HIS STRATEGY WHEN I NEGOTIATE WITH OTHER PEOPLE.

HE'S TOUGH, BUT HE DOES THE BEST FOR THIS CITY AND WE ARE VERY, VERY LUCKY TO HAVE HIM.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENTS.

WE'VE GOTTEN THROUGH THEM ALL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE WHO HAS PROVIDED PUBLIC COMMENTS TODAY.

DO WE HAVE A CITY MANAGER REPORT? YES. I DO HAVE ONE REPORT AND THERE'S SO MANY THINGS I COULD SAY,

[VI. CITY MANAGER REPORT]

AND AS I'VE TOLD EACH OF YOU, WE DID MEET WITH THE PBA EXECUTIVE BOARD LAST FRIDAY, AND IT WAS A VERY CORDIAL MEETING AND SURPRISINGLY SO WE BOTH HAD JUST ABOUT THE SAME ISSUES TO DISCUSS AND SEE WHAT WE COULD DO TO HELP WITH THE, THE PENSION ISSUE. AND SO WE HAVE BEEN DEVELOPING OUR POSITION AND WHAT WE WILL BE COMMUNICATING TO THE PBA BOARD. MOST LIKELY IT'LL GO OUT TOMORROW.

IN ADDITION TO THAT AND TRYING TO HELP WITH THE PENSION ISSUE, THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES, AS YOU RECALL, ON WE, I ASSIGNED STEVE STEPP AS AN INTERIM POLICE CHIEF, AND HIS, HIS CHARGE WAS TO GET INTO THE ORGANIZATION AND FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON, IDENTIFY ISSUES, AND LET US KNOW WHAT THOSE ISSUES ARE SO THAT WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT SOME SOLUTIONS. AND I KNOW STEVE HAS BEEN MEETING WITH DIFFERENT GROUPS OF THE OFFICERS TO TRY TO GET INTO THE ROOT OF WHATEVER ISSUES MAY BE.

SO AS A RESULT OF THAT, STEVE AND THE COMMAND STAFF HAVE MADE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE'RE LOOKING INTO A POLICY CHANGES IN THE DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE EMPLOYEES TO GROW AND ADVANCE IN THE RANKS VERTICALLY AND PERHAPS EVEN HORIZONTALLY.

SO WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING ON INTERNAL POLICY CHANGES OURSELVES TO TRY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE LEARNED.

WE ARE WORKING COOPERATIVELY WITH THE PGAPBA EXECUTIVE BOARD.

AND I THINK WE'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK. AND I THINK THAT WORKING TOGETHER IS A GREAT THING. I APPRECIATE THE PJAPBA BOARD FOR THEIR COOPERATIVES.

AND I THINK WE CAN MAKE SOME GREAT STRIDES IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE.

SO THAT WAS MY CHARGE FROM THE LAST MEETING WE DID MEET.

AND I THINK IT WAS A GREAT MEETING. AND I THINK GOOD THINGS WILL COME OUT OF IT.

THANK YOU FOR THAT UPDATE. ANYTHING ELSE, MR. FERRIS? NO. ANYTHING ELSE? NO. OKAY. LET'S MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.

[VII. CONSENT AGENDA]

[VIII.a. ORDINANCE 12, 2026 – (2ND READING AND ADOPTION) CITY-INITIATED SMALL-SCALE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT TO ASSIGN A CONSERVATION (CONS) LAND USE FOLLOWING ANNEXATION. AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLORIDA, ADOPTING A SMALL-SCALE AMENDMENT TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FUTURE LAND USE MAP IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MANDATES SET FORTH IN CHAPTER 163, FLORIDA STATUTES, PURSUANT TO APPLICATION NO. CPSS-25-11-0004, IN ORDER TO ASSIGN THE LAND-USE DESIGNATION OF PALM BEACH GARDENS CONSERVATION (CONS) TO APPROXIMATELY 23.25 ACRES OF RECENTLY ANNEXED PROPERTY, MORE OR LESS, 12.11 ACRES OF WHICH IS CURRENTLY DESIGNATED PALM BEACH COUNTY RURAL RESIDENTIAL, 1 UNIT PER 10 ACRES (RR-10), AND 11.14 ACRES OF WHICH IS CURRENTLY DESIGNATED PALM BEACH COUNTY RURAL RESIDENTIAL, 1 UNIT PER 20 ACRES (RR 20), GENERALLY LOCATED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF NORTHLAKE BOULEVARD APPROXIMATELY 0.2 MILES EAST OF COCONUT BOULEVARD; PROVIDING FOR COMPLIANCE WITH ALL REQUIREMENTS OF CHAPTER 163, FLORIDA STATUTES; PROVIDING FOR TRANSMITTAL TO THE STATE LAND PLANNING AGENCY; PROVIDING THAT THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP SHALL BE AMENDED ACCORDINGLY; PROVIDING A CONFLICTS CLAUSE, A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE, AND AUTHORITY TO CODIFY; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. ]

[01:35:02]

CITY INITIATED REZONING REQUESTS TO ALIGN A CONSERVATIVE ZONING DESIGNATION FOLLOWING ANNEXATION RESOLUTION FIVE.

2026. AVENIR POD 19 SITE PLAN FOR 149 LOT SINGLE FAMILY HOME RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION.

RESOLUTION 17, 2026 AVENIR. POD 17 SITE PLAN FOR A ONE FOUR FOR A ONE STORY, 144 LOT SINGLE FAMILY HOME RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION. AND THIS MEANS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL IS REQUIRED BY LAW TO BASE ITS DECISION ON THE EVIDENCE CONTAINED IN THE RECORD OF THIS PROCEEDING, WHICH CONSISTS OF THE TESTIMONY AT THE AT THE HEARING AND THE MATERIALS WHICH ARE IN THE OFFICIAL CITY FILE OF THIS APPLICATION AND ANY DOCUMENTS PRESENTED DURING THIS HEARING. THE COUNCIL IS ALSO REQUIRED BY LAW TO ALLOW CROSS-EXAMINATION OF ANY WITNESSES WHO TESTIFIED TODAY.

CROSS-EXAMINATION MAY OCCUR AFTER THE STAFF, THE APPLICANT AND THE 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 ON TESTIFYING TODAY OR WISH TO OFFER WRITTEN COMMENTS, PLEASE FILL OUT A COMMENT CARD AND GIVE IT TO THE CITY CLERK.

AND THE CITY CLERK WILL NOW SWEAR IN ALL PERSONS WHO ATTEND TO OFFER TESTIMONY TODAY 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? OKAY.

SO ORDINANCE 12, 2026. AN ORDINANCE 13 2026 WILL BE COMBINED PRESENTATION WITH SEPARATE VOTES TAKEN ON EACH ITEM.

IS THERE EX PARTE COMMUNICATION TO DECLARE BEFORE THE COMBINED PRESENTATION? I'LL START WITH NONE. RACHELLE MARCIE JOHN. NONE.

AND I HAVE NONE. CAN I PLEASE HAVE THE CLERK READ THE TITLE? ORDINANCE 12 2026. AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLORIDA, ADOPTING A SMALL SCALE AMENDMENT TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FUTURE LAND USE MAP.

IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MANDATES SET FORTH IN CHAPTER 163 FLORIDA STATUTES PURSUANT TO APPLICATION NUMBER C, P SS DASH 25-11-0004. IN ORDER TO ASSIGN THE LAND USE DESIGNATION OF PALM BEACH GARDENS CONSERVATION CONS TO APPROXIMATELY 23.25 ACRES OF RECENTLY ANNEXED PROPERTY, MORE OR LESS 12.11 ACRES OF WHICH IS CURRENTLY DESIGNATED PALM BEACH COUNTY RURAL RESIDENTIAL, ONE UNIT PER TEN ACRES, OR 10 IN 11 .14 ACRES, OF WHICH IS CURRENTLY DESIGNATED PALM BEACH COUNTY RURAL RESIDENTIAL, ONE UNIT PER 20 ACRES. RR 20.

GENERALLY LOCATED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF NORTH LAKE BOULEVARD, APPROXIMATELY 0.2 MILES EAST OF COCONUT BOULEVARD, PROVIDING FOR COMPLIANCE WITH ALL REQUIREMENTS OF CHAPTER 163 FLORIDA STATUTES PROVIDING FOR TRANSMITTAL TO THE STATE LAND PLANNING AGENCY, PROVIDING THAT THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP SHALL BE AMENDED ACCORDINGLY, PROVIDING A CONFLICTS CLAUSE, A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND AUTHORITY TO CODIFY PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE FOR THE PURPOSES.

OKAY, I'D LIKE TO OPEN THE HEARING. HAS ANYTHING CHANGED SINCE THE FIRST READING? THERE HAVE BEEN NO CHANGES. OKAY. THANK YOU. DOES ANYONE NEED AN ADDITIONAL PRESENTATION OR HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY, I DON'T. AND I DO NOT HAVE ANY COMMENT CARDS.

AND I'M GOING TO CLOSE THE HEARING. AND CAN I GET A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ORDINANCE 12 2026 ON SECOND READING AND ADOPTION.

I'LL MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE 12, 2026 SECOND.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE.

MOTION PASSES FIVE ZERO. CAN THE CLERK PLEASE READ THE

[VIII.b. *ORDINANCE 13, 2026 – (2ND READING AND ADOPTION) CITY-INITIATED REZONING REQUEST TO ASSIGN A CONSERVATION (CONS) ZONING DESIGNATION FOLLOWING ANNEXATION. AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLORIDA, ASSIGNING THE ZONING DESIGNATION OF PALM BEACH GARDENS CONSERVATION (CONS) DISTRICT TO APPROXIMATELY 23.25 ACRES OF RECENTLY ANNEXED PROPERTY, CURRENTLY ZONED PALM BEACH COUNTY AGRICULTURAL RESIDENTIAL (AR) DISTRICT, GENERALLY LOCATED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF NORTHLAKE BOULEVARD APPROXIMATELY 0.2 MILES EAST OF COCONUT BOULEVARD; PROVIDING THAT THE ZONING MAP SHALL BE AMENDED ACCORDINGLY; PROVIDING A CONFLICTS CLAUSE, A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE, AND AUTHORITY TO CODIFY; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. ]

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLORIDA, ASSIGNING THE ZONING DESIGNATION OF PALM BEACH GARDENS CONSERVATION.

CONS DISTRICT. APPROXIMATELY 23.25 ACRES OF RECENTLY ANNEXED PROPERTY CURRENTLY ZONED PALM BEACH COUNTY AGRICULTURAL RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT, GENERALLY LOCATED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF NORTH LAKE BOULEVARD, APPROXIMATELY 0.2 MILES EAST OF COCONUT BOULEVARD, PROVIDING THAT THE ZONING MAP SHALL BE AMENDED ACCORDINGLY, PROVIDING A CONFLICT CLAUSE, A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND AUTHORITY TO CODIFY PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE FOR THE PURPOSES. OKAY, I'M GOING TO OPEN THE HEARING.

EX PARTE COMMUNICATION HAS ALREADY BEEN DECLARED, AND THIS IS A COMBINED PRESENTATION ALREADY DONE WITH ORDINANCE 12 2026.

I DO NOT HAVE ANY COMMENT CARDS, AND I'M GOING TO CLOSE THE HEARING.

AND CAN I GET A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ORDINANCE 13 2026 ON SECOND READING AND ADOPTION MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE 13, 2026. I'LL SECOND. OKAY. ANY OTHER FURTHER DISCUSSION? NO. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. MOTION PASSES FIVE ZERO.

[01:40:05]

[VIII.c. ORDINANCE 17, 2026 – (1ST READING) GOLF CARTS. AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLORIDA, AMENDING CHAPTER 62 – STREETS, SIDEWALKS AND CERTAIN OTHER PUBLIC PLACES AT ARTICLE II. – STREETS BY ADOPTING NEW DIVISION 3. TO BE ENTITLED “GOLF CART AND LOW-SPEED VEHICLE REGULATIONS” IN ORDER TO REGULATE OPERATION OF SAME WITHIN CERTAIN RIGHTS OF WAY WITHIN THE CITY; PROVIDING THAT EACH AND EVERY OTHER SECTION AND SUBSECTION OF CHAPTER 62 SHALL REMAIN IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT AS PREVIOUSLY ADOPTED; PROVIDING A CONFLICTS CLAUSE, A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE, AND AUTHORITY TO CODIFY; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. ]

MAX, I THINK WE ALL HAVE SOME QUESTIONS AND EXPLANATIONS AND COMMENTS, ETC.

I AM SURE. AS YOU MAY BE AWARE, I MEAN THIS THIS ORDINANCE WAS BROUGHT FORWARD BECAUSE THERE WERE I WAS ASKED TO DRAFT IT BECAUSE OF THE WELL, IT CAME TO FIND OUT THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE OPERATING GOLF CARTS IN THE CITY ON THE STREETS, AND THERE WERE BECOMING ENFORCEMENT ISSUES. AND PEOPLE THOUGHT THEY COULD AND DIDN'T KNOW THEY COULDN'T. AND OUR POLICE OFFICERS WERE OUT THERE DOING THEIR JOBS, ENFORCING OUR TRAFFIC REGULATIONS AND GIVING PEOPLE A LOT OF WARNINGS.

AND SO IT CAME TO THROUGH SOME OF YOU TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND THAT I WAS ASKED TO DRAFT THIS ORDINANCE.

AND SO I TRIED TO PUT THIS TOGETHER AS THOUGHTFULLY, AS QUICKLY AND AS THOUGHTFULLY AS I COULD.

I THINK IT'S PRETTY SOLID. I DON'T THINK IT'S PERFECT. I THINK I'VE HEARD FROM SOME OF YOU AND OFFERING A MYRIAD OF SUGGESTIONS WHICH AGAIN ARE LEGISLATIVE PREROGATIVE AS WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, WHAT REGULATIONS YOU WANT IN THE CITY RIGHT NOW AS IT'S WRITTEN, IT ONLY ALLOWS THE GOLF CARTS TO BE OPERATED IN AVENIR AND IN OLTEN.

IT CAN ALLOW IT CITY WIDE ON STREETS THAT ARE UNDER OUR JURISDICTION, WHERE THE SPEED LIMIT IS UNDER 25 MILES AN HOUR.

SO THE LIST OF STREETS YOU WILL SEE IN THE ORDINANCE, THERE IS A LIST OF STREETS THAT ARE PROHIBITED THAT I THINK WOULD PROBABLY SEEM SELF-EVIDENT TO MOST PEOPLE. YOU KNOW, U.S. HIGHWAY ONE, PGA BOULEVARD, NORTH LAKE, JOG ROAD, MILITARY TRAIL, BEELINE HIGHWAY, CENTRAL BOULEVARD, PROSPERITY FARMS. ALTERNATE A ONE A HOOD ROAD. THOSE ARE JUST SOME ROADS THAT WERE SPECIFICALLY CALLED OUT TO MAKE IT ABSOLUTELY CLEAR TO PEOPLE THAT, HEY, YEAH, PLEASE DON'T PUT A GOLF CART ON THOSE ROADS BECAUSE THEY ALL EXCEED 25 MILE AN HOUR SPEED LIMIT.

SOME OF THEM ARE 45, SOME OF THEM ARE 55. BUT IT WOULD ALLOW YOU COULD, YOU CAN CHANGE THE ORDINANCE.

IF THAT'S THE DESIRE OF THE COUNCIL TO ALLOW THE OPERATION OF GOLF CARTS ON ALL THE STREETS IN THE CITY'S JURISDICTION WHERE THE SPEED LIMIT IS UNDER 25 MILES AN HOUR.

I PUT IN GUIDELINES BASICALLY RIGHT OUT OF STATE LAW, DEFINING WHAT A GOLF CART IS AND WHAT A LOW SPEED VEHICLE IS.

THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT. PEOPLE HAVE SAID, WELL, IT SAYS GOLF CARTS, A VEHICLE THAT IS NOT CAPABLE OF EXCEEDING A SPEED OF 20 MILES AN HOUR. THAT'S CORRECT. THAT'S A STATE LAW STATUTE.

AND SOMEBODY SAID, WELL, WHAT IF THE GOLF CART DOES 21 OR 22 MILES AN HOUR? WELL, TECHNICALLY UNDER THE LAW, IT WOULDN'T QUALIFY AS GOLF CART. SO I WOULD SAY MAKE SURE YOU KEEP IT UNDER 20 MILES AN HOUR. SAME THING FOR LOW SPEED VEHICLE.

IT SAYS IT CAN'T BE MORE THAN IT CAN'T BE GREATER THAN, THAN 25 MILES AN HOUR.

AND THEY SAID, WELL, WHAT IF IT GOES FASTER THAN THAT? I SAID, WELL THEN IT'S TECHNICALLY NOT A LOW SPEED VEHICLE. SO YOU MIGHT WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU DON'T DO THAT. THERE'S ALSO WAYS TO GOVERN GOLF CARTS AND LOW SPEED VEHICLES SO THAT THEY DON'T YOU CAN VARY VARIOUS CONTROL MECHANISMS TO BE ABLE TO LOCK THE SPEED OUT TO SLOW IT DOWN. THERE'S ALSO REQUIREMENTS IN HERE THAT IF YOU'RE GOING TO OPERATE THE GOLF CART BETWEEN SUNSET AND SUNRISE OR THE LOW SPEED VEHICLE BETWEEN SUNSET AND SUNRISE, IT SUNRISE. IT REQUIRES HEADLIGHTS, TAIL LIGHTS, BRAKE LIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS, A WINDSHIELD, AND YES, THE WINDSHIELD IS ACCEPTABLE FOR OBVIOUS REASONS.

YOU DON'T WANT A GOLF CART DRIVING AROUND ON THE STREETS AT NIGHT WITHOUT HEADLIGHTS OR TAIL LIGHTS OR BRAKE LIGHTS, SO THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE INTERMINGLED WITH OTHER OTHER MOTOR VEHICLES.

AND YOU DON'T WANT THEM TO NOT BE ABLE TO BE SEEN.

AND THEN WE IMPOSED A SPEED LIMIT. SO THAT IF THEY'RE OPERATING ON MULTI MODE, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ALLOWED AS IT'S WRITTEN, THEY WOULDN'T BE ALLOWED TO BE OPERATED ON SIDEWALKS.

UNLESS THEY QUALIFY AS A MULTI MODAL PATHWAY.

AND RIGHT NOW WE'VE ONLY IDENTIFIED THE MULTI MODAL PATHWAYS WITHIN AVANIR.

AND THEY HAVE TO BE EIGHT FEET OR WIDER. AND AGAIN WE'VE LIMITED IT TO AVANIR AND ALTON BECAUSE BOTH OF THOSE COMMUNITIES WERE DESIGNED WITH MULTI MODAL PATHWAYS.

AND MOST OF OUR OTHER COMMUNITIES HAVE NOT IN THIS AND EVEN SOME OF OUR MEANDERING SIDEWALKS DON'T THAT ARE IN THE PARKWAY BUFFERS DON'T MEET THE MINIMUM WIDTH REQUIREMENT FOR FOR GOLF CARTS. SOME OF THEM ARE EIGHT FEET WIDE.

AND THEN WE LIMITED THE SPEED TO 15 MILES AN HOUR ON THE, ON THOSE MULTIMODAL PATHWAYS.

AND I THINK THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO MOST OF YOU.

I MEAN, YOU, YOU'VE GOT A VEHICLE THAT'S MOVING 15 MILES AN HOUR, WEIGHS 1,000 POUNDS, AND IT'S INTERMINGLED WITH BICYCLISTS AND SKATEBOARDERS AND PEOPLE ON

[01:45:07]

BUT SO WHATEVER YOU GUYS, WHATEVER THE INPUT IS OF THE DESIRE OF THE COUNCIL, I'M HAPPY TO, TO, TO HEAR YOU AND AND THEN YOU GUYS AS A GROUP, TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT.

OKAY. WHO WOULD LIKE TO START? RACHELLE. I JUST HAVE ONE VERY BASIC QUESTION FOR RIGHT NOW.

WHAT TYPE OF A CART IS A LOW SPEED VEHICLE? WHAT TYPICALLY WOULD THAT BE A CONSTRUCTION TYPE OF THING? SOMETHING FOR A GOLF COURSE. WHAT REALLY TYPICALLY LIKE A LOW SPEED VEHICLES, WHICH WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS IF YOU'VE DRIVEN AROUND DOWNTOWN WEST PALM BEACH AND YOU SEE THE CIRCUIT CAR, THE CARS, THE CIRCUIT CARS, THE LITTLE, THEY LOOK LIKE KIND OF GOLF CARTS, BUT THEY'RE ENCLOSED. THAT'S, THAT QUALIFIES AS AN LSV THE GEM CAR.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE EVER SEEN THOSE. THEY'RE TYPICALLY FOUR PERSON VEHICLES AND THERE THEY ARE A LOT MORE NOT REALLY BUILT SPECIFICALLY FOR GOLF.

I MEAN, THEY'RE REALLY JUST THEY HAVE A LITTLE TRUNK ON THE BACK AND EVERYTHING. AND THEY REALLY, YOU CAN ADOPT, ADAPT THEM, BUT THEY'RE REALLY DESIGNED TO BE DRIVEN ON THE ROADWAY.

AND THOSE HAVE TO BE BECAUSE OF THEIR DESIGN, THOSE HAVE TO BE LICENSED.

AND THAT'S UNDER FLORIDA LAW. OKAY. BERT. YEAH.

NO, I TALKED TO MAX YESTERDAY ABOUT A FEW THINGS.

YOU KNOW, I LIVE IN THE OLDER NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE THERE'S NO GATED COMMUNITY, SO THERE'S A LOT OF GOLF CARTS IN THOSE COMMUNITIES. AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE ACCESS TO CONTINUE TO DO WHAT THEY'RE DOING, BUT THEY'VE GOT TO BE STREET LEGAL HEADLIGHTS, BRAKE LIGHTS. I UNDERSTAND ALL THAT WINDSHIELD.

GOT TO BE A 16 YEAR OLD LICENSED DRIVER OR A 15 YEAR OLD WITH A PERMIT, WITH AN ADULT IN THE SEAT WITH THEM AS WELL.

I DON'T WANT TO SEE 12 YEAR OLD KIDS RIDING AROUND MY NEIGHBORHOOD ANYMORE IN GOLF CARTS AT NIGHT.

THAT SCARES THE HELL OUT OF ME. ALSO IN TERMS OF IF YOU'RE GETTING FROM ONE NEIGHBORHOOD TO ANOTHER.

SO LET'S SAY YOU'RE GOING FROM SAINT IGNATIUS ON HOLLY DRIVE ACROSS THE STREET, YOU HAVE TO CROSS MILITARY TO GET TO THE OTHER SIDE OF HOLLY.

I WANT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU WRITE THAT IN THERE, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY CAN GO ACROSS THE STREET.

THAT'S ONE OF THOSE PATHWAYS THAT YOU IDENTIFIED IN THE ORDINANCE, BUT NOT STAY ON THAT STREET, OBVIOUSLY, AND CONTINUE NORTH OR SOUTH OR WHICHEVER WAY THEY'RE GOING.

BUT THEY HAVE TO HAVE ACCESS, CROSS ACCESS TO GET ACROSS SOME OF THOSE MAIN ROADS.

WE GOT AN EMAIL FROM PGA NATIONAL ABOUT SOME QUESTIONS THEY MAYBE HAD WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS A SEMI-PRIVATE COMMUNITY WITH JOG ROAD AND ALLOWING GOLF CARTS ON THAT TO GET TO THEIR GOLF COURSE.

SO WE'VE GOT SOME QUESTIONS, YOU KNOW, WE GOT TO WORK THROUGH BEFORE SECOND READING.

BUT I THINK SOME OF THOSE TWEAKS NEED TO BE LOOKED AT AND THEN READDRESSED AND BROUGHT BACK TO US. AND I'D APPRECIATE IF YOU DO THAT. YES, SIR. I ACTUALLY WHEN I GOT THE I WAS STARTED TINKERING WITH THE ORDINANCE AFTER I SAW THE, BASED UPON SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT I HAD, I PUT THEM IN AND, AND I HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW FOR MYSELF BASED ON THE COMMENTS THAT I'VE RECEIVED FROM SOME OF YOU. SO I'VE GOT THAT IN THERE. AND THEN IF YOU GUYS TELL ME THAT YOU WANT TO DO IT, I CAN PUT THEM IN.

BUT I TRIED TO ADDRESS THE CONCERN FROM PGA NATIONAL SO THAT IT WOULD EXCLUDE THAT PORTION OF RYDER CUP BOULEVARD THAT'S INSIDE THE, THAT, THAT PORTION OF JOG ROAD THAT'S DESIGNATED AS RYDER CUP BOULEVARD AND IS INSIDE THE GATES OF PGA NATIONAL.

OKAY. SUPER. BECAUSE I SEE A LOT OF GOLF CARTS ON HOLLY DRIVE IN THE MORNING GOING TO SCHOOL.

WHETHER IT'S THE HIGH SCHOOL, THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

DEFINITELY GET THEM OFF THE SIDEWALKS. 100%. LET'S GET THEM ON THE MAIN ROAD, SAFETY WISE AND THE PARENTS DRIVING THE KIDS TO SCHOOL.

SO I APPRECIATE PUTTING THAT IN THERE OR LOOKING AT THAT AS WELL, GETTING THEM OFF THE SIDEWALKS.

WE DON'T NEED ANY COLLISIONS WITH THAT OR THOSE GOLF CARTS TURNING A SHARP TURN OFF A SIDEWALK AND TURNING OVER.

I COULD JUST I COULD SEE THAT HAPPENING. AND AGAIN, GETTING THESE KIDS OUT OF THAT STEERING APPARATUS AND MAKING SURE THERE'S ADULT IN THERE DRIVING THOSE CARTS. THANK YOU. MARCIE. RACHELLE.

I DIDN'T I DIDN'T WANT TO SKIP HER. OKAY. SURE, SURE.

SO FIRST, I LIKE THE IDEA AND INTENT OF THIS ORDINANCE.

I DID HAVE ORIGINALLY REVIEWING IT. MY FIRST QUESTION WAS, WAS THIS DISTRIBUTED TO LIKE THE H O THE NC, NC FOR SOME INPUT, BECAUSE TO ME, THIS IS PROBABLY A GOOD ORDINANCE TO POSSIBLY BOUNCE AROUND OR WORKSHOP WITH THOSE THAT ARE AFFECTED. LIKE BERT HAD MENTIONED, HIS COMMUNITY, I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE PLATTED AREAS WHERE THEY DO USE GOLF CARTS.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO PROHIBIT THAT, BUT WE DEFINITELY WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S SAFE.

SAFETY IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. SO THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.

[01:50:07]

SO I DO LIKE THE IDEA OF MAKING SURE IT'S SAFELY DONE.

AND WE DO HAVE, I THOUGHT WE HAD EIGHT FOOT OR WIDER, BUT I THINK EIGHT FOOT PATHWAYS ALONG OUR BUFFERS AND RIGHTS OF WAY IN SOME PARTS. I KNOW WE WERE TRYING TO EXPAND UPON SOME OF THE SMALLER ONES AND MAKE THEM LARGER, AND I'M NOT SURE WHICH EXACT PATHWAYS IN OUR PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY ARE EIGHT FEET OR WIDER, WHERE THE A GOLF CART WOULD BE ON A SIDEWALK, SO TO SPEAK, OR A MULTI-PURPOSE PATH.

BUT IT DOES CONCERN ME WHERE YOU HAVE PEDESTRIANS, BICYCLISTS WHO DON'T WANT TO BE ON THE ROAD, AND GOLF CARTS NOW ON THOSE EIGHT FOOT PATHWAYS.

SO WE HAVE TO CONSIDER THAT BECAUSE THAT IS A CONCERN OF MINE.

AND I ALSO PUT IN HERE, YOU KNOW, AND I THANK YOU, MAX, FOR CLARIFYING.

I DID HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH HIM IN REGARDS TO THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE GOVERNED AND OWNED WHERE OUR STREETS ARE OWNED BY NORTHERN IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT. SO THEY'RE NOT PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY, SO TO SPEAK.

BUT THE PARKING TRACKS AND STREETS ARE OWNED BY NORTHERN AND THEY DON'T HAVE ENFORCEMENT POWERS.

SO THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT THAT THEY ARE THE HOA STILL CAN ENFORCE IN PRIVATE AND PUBLIC, AND WE WOULD BE ENFORCING IN THE PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY.

SO THAT'S UNDERSTOOD NOW. BUT THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF CONFUSION IN REGARDS TO ENFORCEMENT.

AND I DON'T WANT TO PUT AN UNDUE BURDEN ON THOSE COMMUNITIES OR HOAS THAT ARE SMALLER.

EVERGREEN IS ONE OF THEM THAT HAS A LOT OF GOLF CART USE IN WITHIN OUR HOA.

SO THAT'S WHY FOR THE SAME REASONS THAT THE COUNCIL JUST POINTED OUT, I LIKE HAVING A LICENSE.

16 YOU KNOW, HAVING AN ACTUAL DRIVER'S LICENSE MAKES TOTAL SENSE.

AND I APPRECIATE THAT INPUT IN THIS ORDINANCE.

BUT I DON'T WANT TO PUT AN UNDUE BURDEN ON OUR HOA.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE DON'T HAVE THE MEANS OR IF THERE'S AN ISSUE AND WE ASK THE POLICE TO COME IN AND HELP US ENFORCE IT AS AN HOA.

I'M SPEAKING. THERE'S A FEE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.

SO THE CITY WOULD THEN HAVE AN AGREEMENT. AND YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG WITH OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.

OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT WOULD COME INTO THE COMMUNITY AND HELP THEM ENFORCE.

BUT THERE'S A FEE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, AND I UNDERSTAND COVERING THE COST, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT FEE IS A FAIR FEE.

I'M GUESSING I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FEE IS, BUT I KNOW WHEN EVERGREEN WAS ASKED TO ASK THE POLICE TO COME IN AND HELP ENFORCE SPECIFIC THINGS LIKE TICKETS, ETC., THEY DID HAVE A FEE.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS. FOR SOME REASON, $75 AN HOUR OR SOMETHING RINGS A BELL.

SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AS WELL.

AND ESSENTIALLY THOSE WERE MY CONCERNS. SO I'M DEFINITELY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS.

I DO THINK WE NEED TO MASSAGE IT A LITTLE BIT AND GET SOME ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY INPUT.

OH, AND I ALSO WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THIS IN THE FUTURE INCLUDE E-BIKES, SCOOTERS, ELECTRIC SCOOTERS BECAUSE THAT IS A BIG ISSUE AMONGST A LOT OF HOA'S. THAT IS THE LAST YEAR I HAD SO MANY COMMENTS IN REGARDS TO E-BIKE SAFETY AND SCOOTERS AS WELL.

ELECTRIC SCOOTERS. JOHN. YEAH. I'M GOING TO ECHO WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER SAID.

I LIKE THE IDEA OF A CITY WIDE ON 25 MILES AN HOUR OR LOWER.

EVERY TIME I DRIVE THROUGH THE OLD PLATS, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF GOLF CARTS IN THERE RIDING AROUND. AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE MADE AN INVESTMENT, AND IT'S NEVER BEEN A PROBLEM IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD THAT I KNOW OF. SO I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT SAID, IT NEEDS A LITTLE BIT OF WORK, I THINK, ON THIS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HE MENTIONED, I ALSO THOUGHT ABOUT WHEN HE WAS TALKING ABOUT CROSSING MILITARY ON HOLLY, BUT ALSO AREAS OUT BY BAY HILL AND AVENIR. I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE CROSS THAT LIGHT THERE.

AND I LOOKED UP THE STATE LAW, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAD SEEN IT OR WANT TO ADD IT IN, BUT IT'S THERE'S REASONS GOLF CARTS ARE ALLOWED TO CROSS COUNTY ROADS, AND IT'S CROSSING FROM GOLF COURSE TO GOLF COURSE OR MOBILE HOME PARKS, BUT THEY'RE ALLOWED TO CROSS COUNTY ROADS AT A COUNTY OR SOMETHING WITH A SIGNALING DEVICE. SO IF WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S IN THERE, I DIDN'T SEE THAT IN THERE. ONE OF THE OTHER QUESTIONS I HAD WAS WHEN THEY'RE ON THERE, DO WE NEED TO PUT IN THIS LEGISLATION? WHO HAS THE RIGHT OF WAY? IF YOU'RE ON A MULTI MODAL PATH AND THERE'S A GOLF CART, A BIKE AND A PEDESTRIAN, DOES THE GOLF CART HAVE TO PULL OVER? DO THEY HAVE TO GET TO THE SIDE? DOES THAT NEED TO GO INTO THIS?

[01:55:05]

BUT YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. COUNCIL MEMBER KEMP THERE IS, THEY ARE PERMITTED TO CROSS AT A AT A DESIGNATED CROSSING AREA.

YOU CAN CROSS THESE, THOSE ROADWAYS. SO THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM.

WE'LL ADDRESS THAT. AS FAR AS WHO HAS THE RIGHT OF WAY? YEAH, I MEAN, I HONESTLY THERE'S NO, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THERE'S NO STATUTORY RULE WHEN YOU'RE ON A MULTIMODAL PATHWAY OF WHO HAS THE RIGHT OF WAY. I WOULD BE SHOCKED BEYOND BELIEF THAT THE STATE WAS ACTUALLY FORWARD THINKING ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY ADOPT A REGULATION LIKE THAT, SINCE THEY JUST HAVE FINALLY WRAPPED THEIR HANDS AROUND MOBILITY.

YOU COULD, WE COULD DO IT. THERE'S, HOW DO YOU, THERE'S AN ENFORCEMENT ISSUE, I SUPPOSE, BUT I MEAN, WE COULD CERTAINLY DO THAT. YOU COULD, YOU COULD SPECIFY WHO HAS THE RIGHT OF WAY TYPICALLY EVEN IN THE ROADWAY, PEDESTRIANS HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY OVER VEHICLES.

YOU KNOW, BICYCLES HAVE TO FOLLOW THE SAME RULES AS MOTOR VEHICLES.

THEY DON'T HAVE ANY SPECIAL RIGHT OF WAY PRIVILEGES. MOTORCYCLES AND E-BIKES DON'T HAVE ANY SPECIAL RIGHT OF WAY PRIVILEGES. AND GOLF CARTS CERTAINLY WOULDN'T. YOU KNOW, AND THERE'S A QUESTION WHETHER OR NOT PEDESTRIANS SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY.

BUT. BUT IN ANY EVENT, I KNOW THAT IS THE CASE, BUT I MEAN, WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK AT THAT.

I JUST DON'T KNOW. WITH OUR POLICE OFFICERS, I'LL WORK WITH OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND GET THEIR INPUT. I'M SURE OUR TRAFFIC PATROL OFFICERS WILL HAVE. THEY CAN OFFER ALL KINDS OF ADVICE OR GUIDANCE ON HOW TO BEST DEAL WITH THAT.

THE ONLY REASON I BROUGHT THAT UP IS, SAY, DOWN THE ROAD, A GOLF CART HITS SOMEBODY ON A BIKE WITH THEIR HEADPHONES ON.

DOES THE CITY HAVE ANY LIABILITY IF IT'S NOT IN THERE BECAUSE THE BICYCLIST SUES THE GOLF CART PERSON, OR VICE VERSA? AND IT'S IT'S NOT CLARIFIED. WELL, SOME THERE'S LIABILITY IS ALWAYS QUESTIONABLE.

SOMEBODY CAN ALWAYS SUE. ANYBODY CAN SUE ANYONE FOR ANYTHING.

WHETHER OR NOT YOU ACTUALLY HAVE LIABILITY, IT BECOMES A QUESTION FOR THE COURTS. BUT TYPICALLY YOU HAVE TWO INDEPENDENT ACTORS JUST BECAUSE A REGULATION HAS, HASN'T BEEN PUT IN PLACE TO KEEP THEM FROM BEHAVING IN A IDIOTIC OR IRRESPONSIBLE MANNER DOESN'T THEN FALL BACK TO THE GOVERNMENT TO TELL PEOPLE HOW TO DO EVERY SINGLE THING THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.

SO YOU HAVE THIS. IT'S TYPICALLY IT COMES DOWN TO A NEGLIGENCE ISSUE WHO IS BEHAVING IN A NEGLIGENT MANNER.

AND THAT IS THE PERSON THAT ENDS UP BEING THE TORTFEASOR.

AND THEN THEY'RE HAVING TO DEFEND THEMSELVES AGAINST THAT LIABILITY.

IT'S DIFFERENT IF WE HAVE A KNOWN HAZARD THAT WE CAN PREVENT BECAUSE REGULATIONS DON'T PREVENT IT.

THAT'S FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S A SPEED LIMIT. AT LEAST I HEAR THERE IS.

AND SO PEOPLE EXCEED THE SPEED LIMIT. AND IF THEY GET IN A CRASH EXCEEDING, EXCEEDING THE SPEED LIMIT AND THE CRASH CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO THEIR SPEED.

WELL, THE SPEED LIMIT DIDN'T KEEP THEM FROM SPEEDING, BUT THEN IT, IT REALLY STARTS MAKING IT PRETTY CLEAR WHO HAS LIABILITY FOR THE ACCIDENT.

BECAUSE IF THEY WEREN'T DRIVING SO FAST, MAYBE IT WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED, YOU KNOW, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND JUST LIKE THE RED LIGHT, WE HAVE LAWS AGAINST RED LIGHT RUNNING AND PEOPLE RUN THE RED LIGHT AND THEN THEY HIT PEOPLE. THE LIABILITY IS, I MEAN, PRETTY OBVIOUS, RIGHT? I MEAN, BUT IT DOESN'T PREVENT IT.

SO BUT SO WE HAVE TO I CAN LOOK AT THAT AND THEN BRING SOMETHING BACK TO YOU GUYS FOR CONSIDERATION.

AND THEN THINGS LIKE YOU'RE SAYING COUNTY ROAD, SO NORTH LAKE MILITARY, THINGS LIKE THAT.

IF SOMEBODY WERE TO GET ON MILITARY TRAIL HEAD SOUTH, IT'S A COUNTY ROAD.

DOES A SIDEWALK PART OF THAT COUNTY JURISDICTION OF THAT ROAD.

SO IF YOU WIDEN NORTH LAKE TO EIGHT FEET OR MILITARY TRAIL, SIDEWALK TO EIGHT FEET ARE NOW, ARE THEY NOW ALLOWED TO RIDE THEIR GOLF CARTS ON THE SIDEWALK ALONGSIDE THOSE COUNTY ROADS? OR BECAUSE IT'S A COUNTY ROAD, THEY'RE STILL NOT ALLOWED TO RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THIS IS STILL COUNTY ROAD.

IT'S THE SIDEWALK IS IN THE RIGHT OF WAY. AND AND WE DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO ALLOW THEM TO OPERATE GOLF CARTS IN THE COUNTY, IN THE COUNTY RIGHT OF WAY WITHOUT GETTING THE COUNTY SAY SO.

AND THE OTHER THING ABOUT THE OTHER REASON THAT THAT'S NOT A GOOD IDEA PARTICULARLY IS THAT AGAIN, IT'S LIKE, LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER WAS SAYING, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE HE WANTS TO GET THESE PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS OFF THE SIDEWALKS SO THAT THEY DON'T TRY TO LEAVE THE SIDEWALK AND FLIP A GOLF CART.

I MEAN, YOU GET A SITUATION WHERE SOMEBODY'S RIDING DOWN ONE OF THESE SIDEWALKS, LIKE ON NORTH LAKE BOULEVARD AND OR MILITARY TRAIL.

ACTUALLY, IT'S LIKE AND THEN THEY DROP A WHEEL OFF THE SIDEWALK AND END UP IN A TRAVEL LANE AND GET HIT BY A TRUCK.

SO, BUT I MEAN, WE CAN AGAIN, TO DO THAT, WE'D HAVE TO WE'D HAVE TO LOOK AT TALKING TO THE COUNTY ABOUT THAT TO GET PERMISSION, WE HAVE TO WORK WITH THEM TO, TO BE ABLE TO AUTHORIZE THAT ON COUNTY ROADS UNDER STATE LAW.

AND THEN LAST QUESTION, THIS I DON'T THINK IS NECESSARILY TO GO INTO THE ORDINANCE, BUT WHO ENFORCES THIS? LIKE, SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, IF I KNOW THAT OUR OFFICERS PATROL MILITARY TRAIL, BUT SAY A COUNTY SHERIFF WAS DRIVING BY AND SEEING SOMEBODY

[02:00:07]

CAN THEY GIVE THEM A TICKET ALSO OR NO. DOES IT HAVE TO BE OUR OFFICERS TO ENFORCE IT? WELL, OUR OFFICERS WILL BE ENFORCING THIS. THE TRAFFIC.

THEY ENFORCE THE LAWS IN OUR JURISDICTION. SO EVEN THOUGH IF WE DON'T OWN THE ROAD, OUR OFFICERS HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO ENFORCE TRAFFIC REGULATIONS WITHIN THE CITY ON ANY ROAD. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER IT'S STATE OR COUNTY OR WE OWN IT OR WHETHER OR, OR WHETHER NORTHERN OWNS IT, IF IT IS A PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY AND IT'S IN OUR JURISDICTION, THEN WE HAVE ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY ON THAT ROAD.

CONSEQUENTLY, YES, THE COUNTY SHERIFF WOULD ALSO HAVE ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY AND SO WOULD FHP.

COULD THEY, COULD THEY POTENTIALLY ISSUE THEM A TICKET? YES, I SUPPOSE THEY COULD. AND THEN THE PERSON WOULD BE ABLE TO DEFEND THEMSELVES AGAINST THAT TICKET BY SAYING, HERE'S THE CITY ORDINANCE. I'M ALLOWED TO DO THAT HERE. I DON'T I'D HAVE TO TALK TO OUR OUR CHIEF AND OUR ASSISTANT CHIEF ABOUT HOW OFTEN WE ACTUALLY GET TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT BY THE COUNTY IN THE CITY OR FHP.

I THINK THANKFULLY WE DON'T SEE A LOT OF IT. BECAUSE OUR OFFICERS ARE BETTER AT IT THAN THEY ARE.

BUT THEY WOULD THAT THAT IS A POTENTIALITY. THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

I DIDN'T THINK I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT THAT. THAT IS POSSIBLE. THEY COULD DO IT, BUT IT WOULD BE A DEFENSE TO THE TICKET. OKAY.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE. RACHELLE. SO COUNCIL MEMBER KEMP JUST BROUGHT UP THE ISSUE OF ENFORCEMENT, AND THAT WAS WHERE I WAS GOING TO COME COME BACK TO FOR CLARITY ON WHEN IT WAS JUST AVANIR AND ALTON, THE IN THE GATED COMMUNITIES WHERE IT WOULD BE APPROVED, WOULD INITIAL ENFORCEMENT BE THROUGH THEIR SECURITY OR THROUGH OUR OFFICERS? AND WHEN NOW THAT WE'RE ADDING IN SOME OF THE UNGATED AREAS, WHERE DOES THAT FALL? DO WE HAVE THE CAPABILITIES, GIVEN WHAT'S GONE ON WITH THE E-BIKES AND ALL THE EXTRA ENFORCEMENT THAT OUR OFFICERS ARE ALREADY DOING, OUR TRAFFIC OFFICERS, DO WE HAVE THE CAPABILITY? IS IT SOMETHING LIKE WITH OUR SEPTET PRINCIPLES, WHERE WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR OFFICERS TO DETERMINE WHAT THEY THINK MIGHT HELP OR IF THEY ARE ABLE TO DO THAT. WELL, JUST LET ME LET ME CLARIFY BECAUSE THAT QUESTION HAS BEEN ASKED A COUPLE OF TIMES AND I PROBABLY DIDN'T DO A VERY GOOD JOB OF EXPLAINING IT.

WE HAVE ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY OVER THIS ORDINANCE.

IF YOU SAY YOU GO CITY WIDE ON STREETS THAT ARE UNDER 25 MILES AN HOUR, WHETHER AND LET ME BACK UP, EVEN IF IT WAS JUST AN ALTON OR IT WAS JUST AN AVENIR IN THE AREAS THAT ARE PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE THAT ARE NOT GATED, THIS WOULD BE ALLOWED AND WOULD BE ENFORCED BY OUR POLICE OFFICERS LIKE ANY OTHER TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT.

AGAIN, SOME OF THIS WAS BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE FACT THAT OUR OFFICERS WERE ENGAGED IN ENFORCEMENT IN AVENIR AND TRYING TO DEAL WITH PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY WERE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THEY COULD RIDE, THEY COULD DRIVE THEIR GOLF CARTS THERE. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE CBD WAS EVEN TELLING PEOPLE, HEY, YOU CAN OPERATE YOUR GOLF CARTS HERE. IT'S LIKE, YEAH, NO, YOU CAN'T, BECAUSE THEY DON'T OWN THE ROADS.

THE CITY OWNS THE ROADS OUTSIDE THE GATED AREAS.

INSIDE THE GATED AREAS, THEY CAN ENTER INTO A COMMUNITY ENFORCEMENT AGREEMENT WITH US.

WE HAVE THEM ALREADY WITH MULTIPLE ALLEYS. AND I'LL HAVE I VERIFY THE CITY MANAGER, BUT WE'LL DOUBLE CHECK.

BUT WE DON'T CHARGE FOR THAT. AND WHAT THAT DOES IS BECAUSE THOSE ARE PRIVATE ROADS.

SO THEN THE HOA HAS TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY, AND THEN OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND OUR POLICE OFFICERS THEN HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO GO INSIDE THE GATES AND THEY CAN ENFORCE TRAFFIC REGULATIONS UNDER CHAPTER 316 UNDER, THEY CAN ENFORCE TRAFFIC TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS UNDER 316318 IN THAT COMMUNITY, THEY JUST LIKE IT WAS OUT JUST LIKE AS IF IT WAS PUBLIC.

AND THAT, AND THEN IF A COMMUNITY WANTS THAT, THEN THEY WOULD HAVE TO ABIDE BY THIS ORDINANCE.

NOW, SOME GATED COMMUNITIES DON'T. THEY HAVE THEIR OWN INTERNAL REGULATIONS ON HOW THEIR RESIDENTS OPERATE GOLF CARTS.

SO IF THEY WANT THE CITY TO ENFORCE THIS ORDINANCE AND THEY ENTER THAT AGREEMENT, THEIR INTERNAL REGULATIONS REALLY WON'T MATTER ANYMORE UNLESS THEY'RE MORE STRINGENT BECAUSE AND THE CITY WON'T BE ENFORCING THE MORE STRINGENT ASPECT OF THEIR REGULATIONS.

IT WILL ONLY BE ENFORCING THIS. AND IF THEY'RE MORE LAX, IF THEY HAVE MORE LAX REGULATIONS, THEY WOULD NOW HAVE TO MEET THIS. SO THAT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING FOR EACH ONE OF THOSE GATED COMMUNITIES TO DECIDE THROUGH THEIR HOA IF THEY WANT THAT, BECAUSE SOME OF THEM MAY NOT HAVE AGE LIMITATIONS ON WHO'S OPERATING THEIR GOLF CARTS AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE LICENSED OR HAVE A LEARNER'S PERMIT WHERE WE WILL SO THAT YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT AT LEAST THEY'VE PASSED SOME KIND OF TRAINING ON OPERATING A MOTOR VEHICLE.

THERE ARE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I LOOKED AT WHILE WE WERE DOING THIS IS THERE ARE MECHANICAL STANDARDS, MINIMUM MECHANICAL STANDARDS FOR THE GOLF CART AND STATE LAW. AND I'VE ANNOTATED THAT TO ADD IT,

[02:05:02]

YOU KNOW, IT HAS TO HAVE PROPER REFLECTORS ON IT SO THAT THEY'RE NOT DRIVING THIS RAMSHACKLE 1,000 POUND DEATHTRAP DOWN THE SIDEWALK OR DOWN THE ROAD AND INJURE SOMEONE.

BUT THE ENFORCEMENT IS THE CITY HAS THE RIGHT TO ENFORCE IT ANYWHERE.

THE STREETS ARE PUBLIC. AND THEN INSIDE THE GATED COMMUNITIES, THEY CAN STAY TO THEMSELVES AND JUST ALLOW OR DISALLOW GOLF CARTS ON THEIR OWN, OR THEY CAN SIGN A COMMUNITY ENFORCEMENT AGREEMENT WITH US.

AND THEN WE WOULD ENFORCE THIS REGULATION JUST AS WE DO ANY OTHER TRAFFIC REGULATIONS WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITY.

IF THE CITY IS DOING THE ENFORCEMENT, ARE THERE SET CITATION AMOUNTS THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO GOLF CARTS VERSUS MOTOR VEHICLES IN TERMS OF SPEED OR NUMBER OF WARNINGS VERSUS A PAID CITATION? TO MY KNOWLEDGE, NO, THIS WILL BE UNIFORM TRAFFIC CITATION ENFORCEMENT.

SO YOU'D BE SUBJECT TO THE SAME PENALTIES. THIS IS A MOTOR VEHICLE UNDER STATE LAW, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A GOLF CART.

AND WE ALL KIND OF THINK, OH, THEIR GOLF CARTS, WE PLAY THEM, THEY'RE KIND OF CUTE. NOW IT'S CONSIDERED A MOTOR VEHICLE UNDER STATE LAW.

AND SO ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WAS ASKED TO ME, THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT I RECOMMENDED THAT WE REQUIRE A DRIVER'S LICENSE.

STATE LAW HAS THAT IN IT LEARNER'S PERMIT OR DRIVER'S LICENSE AS BECAUSE THAT WILL MAKE IT MUCH EASIER.

FOR OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS. IF THEY PULL SOMEBODY OVER ON A GOLF CART, BECAUSE THEN THEY WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A DRIVER'S LICENSE. AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE A DRIVER'S LICENSE AND YOU DON'T HAVE IT WITH YOU, THEN YOU'RE OPERATING A MOTOR VEHICLE WITHOUT A LICENSE, JUST LIKE IF YOU GOT PULLED OVER OPERATING YOUR CAR. AND SOMEBODY SAID, WELL, WHAT IF THERE'S A 12 YEAR OLD? AND I'M LIKE, WELL, I SAID, THAT'S AN OPERATIONAL LEVEL DECISION HOW OUR OFFICERS CHOOSE TO DEAL WITH THAT. JUST LIKE ANYTHING ELSE, THEY CAN PULL YOU OVER AND THEY CAN CHOOSE TO GIVE YOU A SPEEDING TICKET, OR THEY CAN GIVE YOU A WARNING, A VERBAL WARNING OR WRITTEN WARNING OR WHAT HAVE YOU. SAME THING IF THEY CATCH A KID THAT'S 12 YEARS OLD, ZIPPING DOWN THE STREET IN A GOLF CART, IT'S GOING TO BE THEIR DISCRETION WHAT THEY WANT TO DO. BUT IF YOU OPERATE A MOTOR VEHICLE WITHOUT A DRIVER'S LICENSE, IT'S LIKE, YEAH, THAT'S THAT'S AN ARRESTABLE OFFENSE.

SO YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE DOING FOLLOWING THE LAW.

AND I KNOW THAT MAY SOUND EXTREME TO SOME PEOPLE, BUT I MEAN, AGAIN, IT'S A MOTOR VEHICLE.

IT'S NO DIFFERENT IF A 13 YEAR OLD GOT IN THE CAR.

THE CAR IS FASTER, BUT SOME GOLF CARTS CAN GO VERY, VERY FAST.

AND SO IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS. BUT YEAH, THE ENFORCEMENT IS, IS BASICALLY BY THE UNIFORM TRAFFIC CITATION METHOD.

ONE FINAL THING, I GUESS THIS MIGHT BE FOR, FOR RON.

IF WE DO OR WHEN WE GET THIS FINALIZED, WILL WE BE ABLE TO DO A COMMUNITY EDUCATION CAMPAIGN OF SOME SORT TO GET THE WORD OUT, WHETHER IT'S IN SIGNATURE CITY MAGAZINE OR WHAT OR, YOU KNOW, NOTICE ON THE WEBSITE.

ABSOLUTELY. ONCE WE HAVE IT FINALIZED OR BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND READING, WE'LL PROBABLY PUT SOMETHING OUT.

WE WILL PUT SOMETHING OUT BETWEEN NOW AND JULY ABOUT WHAT THIS TENTATIVELY IS.

ONCE IT'S DONE, THEN WE'LL START A EDUCATION PROGRAM.

THANK YOU. AND JUST SO YOU ALL KNOW TOO, I JUST WANT TO ASSURE YOU, I MEAN, IF WE COME BACK HERE IN JULY, I'M GOING TO TAKE ALL THIS INPUT. AND UNLESS YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT YOU IF YOU'RE ALL IN AGREEMENT WITH THE SUGGESTIONS AS EACH OTHER MADE, I WILL INTEGRATE THAT INTO THIS ORDINANCE TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY.

AND THEN AND THEN ONCE I GET IT, I CAN SEND IT OUT TO YOU AND THEN I'LL BRING IT BACK TO YOU.

AND EVEN IF WE GET BACK HERE IN JULY, IF, UNLESS THERE WE, THERE COULD BE MINOR TWEAKS MADE AT SECOND READING.

AND IF THERE'S SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT THAT YOU WANT TO CHANGE AT SECOND READING AND YOU DON'T FEEL CONFIDENT MOVING FORWARD, THEN YOU CAN ALWAYS POSTPONE IT TO A TIME CERTAIN. AND WE COULD HAVE EVEN ANOTHER HEARING ON IT IF IT'S NECESSARY. I MEAN, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THAT YOUR LEGISLATIVE WILL GETS PROPERLY CODIFIED. AND SO THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO.

BUT IF YOU'RE ALL IN AGREEMENT OR BY CONSENSUS, I WILL TAKE YOUR COMMENTS THAT YOU PUT AND I WILL INTEGRATE THOSE INTO THIS FOR SECOND READING. WOULD IT BE WOULD IT BE EASIER FOR YOU IF WE TABLED IT NOW TO GET THE COMMENTS AND DRAFTED, OR EASIER TO MOVE IT FORWARD IN IF WE'RE ALL IN AGREEMENT WITH EACH OTHER'S COMMENTS? IS IT EASIER FOR YOU TO. IT WOULD BE. IT WOULD BE, I THINK, BETTER FOR ME AND MORE EFFICIENT IF WE MOVED IT FORWARD WITH YOUR COMMENTS.

AND THEN AND THEN LIKE I SAID, I'LL INTEGRATE THESE COMMENTS AND THEN I'LL PROMULGATE THE ORDINANCE OUT TO EACH OF YOU SO YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK AT IT.

IT'S NOT GOING TO TAKE ME VERY LONG TO GET. WOULD YOU RECOMMEND PUTTING THE E-BIKE INFORMATION SEPARATE TO THIS? I DON'T REALLY WANT TO DO THE E-BIKE WITH THIS, BECAUSE THE E-BIKE STUFF IS GOING TO TAKE ME MORE TIME TO RESEARCH.

I'VE GOT TO LOOK AT WHAT THE STATE, WHAT WHAT THEY DID IN TALLAHASSEE THIS YEAR ON E-BIKES AND E-BIKES IS A LITTLE BIT STICKIER JUST BECAUSE THERE'S THREE DIFFERENT CLASSES OF E-BIKES UNDER STATE LAW. AND THEN THERE'S E MOTORCYCLES AND I'VE GOT TO TRY AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO BEST COME UP WITH SOMETHING AND THEN BRING IT TO YOU. IT CAN LOOK VERY SIMILAR. BUT I WOULD PUT IT IN A SEPARATE SECTION TO.

[02:10:06]

I AGREE WITH THAT BECAUSE THE LEGISLATURE STILL HAS WORK TO DO ON THAT.

MAYBE AT THE END OF THE YEAR OR THE BEGINNING OF NEXT YEAR ON E-BIKES.

SO I THINK WE WANT TO SEE WHAT THEY COME UP WITH FIRST BEFORE WE TRY TO LEGISLATE AND PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER ON OUR OWN.

SO I THINK WE NEED TO WAIT ON THAT. BUT DEFINITELY LET'S GET THE GOLF CART THING ROLLING. I AGREE WITH THE E-BIKE COMMENT.

I DON'T KNOW HOW THE ELECTRIC SCOOTERS ARE CLASSIFIED.

IF THEY'RE MORE LIKE AN E-BIKE OR IF THEY'RE MORE LIKE A GOLF CART, HONESTLY, THAT THE OTHER DAY, I DON'T EITHER. IT'S BECAUSE THOSE ARE BIG ISSUES AS WELL AMONGST SO MANY COMMUNITIES.

SO JOHN, YOU HAD SOMETHING ELSE. YEAH. THE ONLY LAST THING I, I JUST THOUGHT OF WHEN WE WERE TALKING IS AND I HAD MENTIONED LIABILITY IS INSURANCE.

SO I KNOW THE COUNTY HAS SOME AREAS WHERE PEOPLE LIKE TO RIDE THEIR GOLF CARTS ALSO.

AND I KNOW THAT THEIR ENFORCEMENT HAS ALWAYS BEEN.

THERE'S A STATE LAW THAT SAYS ANY MOTOR VEHICLE ON A PUBLIC ROADWAY HAS TO HAVE INSURANCE.

SO IN A LOT OF CAMPGROUNDS, WHEN YOU TAKE YOUR CAMPER AND I'M NOT TALKING LIKE INSURANCE, LIKE FOR A VEHICLE, IT'S LIKE $60 A YEAR FOR $100,000 INSURANCE FOR A GOLF CART.

I KNOW LSVS WHEN THEY GET REGISTERED ALREADY HAVE INSURANCE, BUT WHAT ABOUT THOSE GOLF CARTS? BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO BE ON CITY STREETS. SHOULD WE ADD INSURANCE INTO THIS IN CASE THEY DAMAGE CITY PROPERTY, CITY ROAD SIGNS, ANYTHING LIKE THAT? OR, YOU KNOW, DOES THAT NEED TO BE ADDED IN FOR US? IT'S A GOOD COMMENT. IT'S I WILL LOOK INTO IT.

RIGHT NOW, STATE LAW DOES NOT REQUIRE INSURANCE ON A MOTOR VEHICLE THAT QUALIFIES AS A GOLF CART, EVEN IF IT'S OPERATED ON THE ROADWAY. IT DOES REQUIRE, LIKE YOU SAID, FOR LSVS, BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO BE REGISTERED.

NOW YOU CAN REGISTER A GOLF CART. THEY CAN DO IT THROUGH VIN NUMBER AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND YOU CAN GET INSURANCE FOR THEM. YOU'RE RIGHT.

I HAVE INSURANCE ON MY GOLF CART. IT'S 75 BUCKS A YEAR.

YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT THAT BIG A DEAL TO GET. IT'S.

I JUST HAVE TO LOOK AT IT AND LOOK AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY LIMITATIONS UNDER STATE LAW.

BUT I'LL LOOK AT THE INSURANCE ISSUE AS WELL. ANYBODY ELSE.

SO MAX, DO YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE MOVING FORWARD WITH COMMENTS.

AND I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH INCLUDING THE CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS, NOT JUST AVENIR AND ALTON. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING.

AND THEN I'VE GOT THE COMMENTS ABOUT I'LL LOOK INTO THE PEDESTRIAN PATHWAYS, OTHER PLACES THAT COUNCIL MEMBER TINSLEY BROUGHT UP AND AND I'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE CLARIFY THAT THEY CAN CROSS THESE RIGHTS OF WAY, YOU KNOW, AS LONG AS IT'S AT A, YOU KNOW, MARKED CROSS, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY A SIGNAL OR A, OR A CROSSWALK OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, I'LL LOOK AT IT AND MAKE SURE THAT IT COMPLIES WITH STATE LAW. AND I'LL LOOK AT THE INSURANCE ISSUE AND LET'S SEE.

I THINK THAT'S I THINK THAT'S EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW.

DID I MISS ANYTHING? I THINK THOSE ARE THE MAJOR THINGS, BUT WE CAN ALSO MASSAGE IT NEXT TIME IF WE NEED TO.

SURE, SURE. OKAY. SO I'M GOING TO ANYBODY ELSE? NO. OKAY. I'M GOING TO CLOSE THE HEARING. AND CAN I GET A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ORDINANCE 17 2026 ON FIRST READING WITH THE AMENDMENTS THAT WE SPOKE ABOUT.

MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE 17 2026 WITH AMENDMENTS.

SECOND. OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. OKAY. MOTION PASSES FIVE ZERO.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INPUT, I APPRECIATE IT. OKAY.

THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. I THINK IT WAS GOOD.

SO CLERK, CAN WE PLEASE THE PLEASE READ THE TITLE FOR RESOLUTION FIVE, 2026.

[VIII.d. *RESOLUTION 5, 2026 – AVENIR POD 19 – SITE PLAN FOR A 149-LOT SINGLE-FAMILY HOME RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLORIDA, APPROVING A SITE PLAN FOR A 149-LOT SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION ON APPROXIMATELY 57 ACRES, MORE OR LESS, KNOWN AS POD 19 WITHIN THE RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT (PARCEL A) OF THE AVENIR PLANNED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT (PCD), THE SUBJECT SITE BEING GENERALLY LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF PANTHER NATIONAL BOULEVARD, APPROXIMATELY 0.30 MILES NORTH OF NORTHLAKE BOULEVARD, AS MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED HEREIN; PROVIDING CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.]

PARCEL A OF THE AVENIR PLAN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PKD.

THE SUBJECT SITE BEING GENERALLY LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF PANTHER NATIONAL BOULEVARD, APPROXIMATELY 0.30 MILES NORTH OF NORTHLAKE BOULEVARD, AS MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED HEREIN, PROVIDING CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL, PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

OKAY, I'M GOING TO OPEN THE HEARING AND WE'RE GOING TO DECLARE EX PARTE.

LET ME START. AM I RIGHT, BERT? RACHELLE NONE.

MARCIE. NONE. I HAVE NONE, AND JOHN NONE. NONE.

OKAY. AND I'M GOING TO CALL MARTIN TO THE STAND WHO'S DOING A STAFF PRESENTATION.

THE THE PRESENTATION WILL BE DONE BY WENDY TUMA.

OKAY, GREAT. GOOD MORNING WENDY. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

SO I'D LIKE TO CALL WENDY TUMA TO THE PODIUM.

IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU, WENDY. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

WENDY TUMOR WITH URBAN DESIGN STUDIO, 610 CLEMATIS, WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA.

[02:15:07]

AND THE FIRST ONE I'M GOING TO PRESENT IS POD 19.

OUR REQUEST IS FOR A SITE PLAN APPROVAL FOR 149 SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL LOTS.

GENERALLY, POD 19 IS LOCATED IN THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF AVENIR.

IT IS AT THE NORTH EAST CORNER OF COCONUT OR PANTHER NATIONAL BOULEVARD AND NORTH LAKE.

IT CONSISTS OF 149 SINGLE FAMILY LOTS ON 57 ACRES.

THERE IS A MIX OF 101 55 FOOT WIDE LOTS AND 4865 FOOT WIDE LOTS.

THE DENSITY IS 2.6 UNITS PER ACRE, CONSISTENT WITH THE REST OF AVENIR.

WE EXCEED THE REQUIRED OPEN SPACE, AND WE'RE PROVIDING APPROXIMATELY 45% LIKE THE REST OF AVENIR.

THIS IS A GATED COMMUNITY. WE'RE PROVIDING ON STREET GUEST PARKING, NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS, LAKES, AND AMENITIZED OPEN SPACES. WHAT MAKES THIS POD AND POD 17 UNIQUE IS THAT EACH OF THEM ARE SURROUNDED BY THE CONSERVATION AREA. APPROXIMATELY 40% OF THE LOTS ACTUALLY ABUT THE CONSERVATION AREA.

THE MAIN ENTRANCE TO THE SITE IS ON PANTHER NATIONAL BOULEVARD.

WE'RE PROVIDING RIGHT AND LEFT TURN TURN LANES INTO THE SITE AS WELL AS VEHICULAR STACKING.

THERE IS A SECONDARY ACCESS PROVIDING EMERGENCY VEHICLE ACCESS AND RESIDENT ONLY ACCESS.

OTHER UNIQUE FEATURES IS NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS, WALKING PATHS, AND A CONNECTION TO POD 21.

THE TWO PARKS. THE PARK NUMBER ONE IS AT THE ENTRANCE.

IT'S A MORE PASSIVE PARK WITH SIDEWALKS, BENCHES, TRELLIS SWING AND PET WASTE STATIONS.

WHEREAS PARK TWO CONTAINS THE MAIL KIOSK, A TOT LOT WITH SWINGS IN A SHADE CANOPY, SIDEWALKS, A TRELLIS SWING, AND A BOARDWALK THAT CUTS THROUGH THE CONSERVATION AREA.

HERE IS A VIEW OF THE CONNECTION TO POD 21. LIKE I MENTIONED, MOST 40% OF THE LOTS ABUT THE CONSERVATION AREA. WE WILL BE PROVIDING A TEN FOOT FIRE BREAK, AS WELL AS A 25 FOOT CONSERVATION BUFFER.

THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE OTHER PROJECTS IN AVANIR.

ALONG PANTHER NATIONAL. WE'RE PROVIDING THE 15 FOOT LANDSCAPE BUFFER WITH THE SIX FOOT HIGH WALL.

WE EXCEED THE LANDSCAPE POINTS, AND WE'RE PROVIDING TREES AND PALMS SIMILAR TO THE REST OF AVANIR.

TO SUMMARIZE, WE'RE REQUESTING YOUR APPROVAL FOR A SITE PLAN FOR 149 SINGLE FAMILY LOTS.

AND WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IS THERE A STAFF PRESENTATION TODAY? MADAM MAYOR? NO ADDITIONAL STAFF PRESENTATION WOULD JUST ALSO LIKE TO NOTE THIS IS FOR THE SITE PLAN ONLY.

A SEPARATE SITE PLAN AMENDMENT WILL COME BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL FOR THE ARCHITECTURE.

ONCE A HOME BUILDER PURCHASES THIS PROPERTY. OH, AND PLANNING AND ZONING RECOMMENDED APPROVAL AND STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL AS WELL.

OKAY. SUPER. THANK YOU. OKAY, I'D LIKE TO I DO NOT HAVE ANY COMMENT CARDS ON THIS ON THIS TOPIC.

AND SO I'M GOING TO CLOSE THE HEARING AND CAN I GET A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE RESOLUTION FIVE 2026.

SO MOVED. SECOND. OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR WENDY? RACHELLE. I DO, SINCE IT WAS BROUGHT UP EARLIER ON THE OTHER PORTION OF THE CAN YOU PUT THAT LAST SLIDE BACK UP OF THE CONSERVATION AREA? THAT PARTICULAR PART OF THE CONSERVATION AREA THAT BACKS UP TO THIS.

WHAT TYPE OF WILDLIFE IS IN THERE? WHAT IS THAT? I KNOW THERE'S A FENCE SUPPOSED TO GO ALL AROUND THE DEVELOPMENT BEHIND BEHIND THE HOMES, AND THEN WE'VE GOT THE FIREBREAK AND THEN WE'VE GOT THE BUFFER, BUT JUST VERY, VERY FRIENDLY WILDLIFE.

NO. IT WOULD BE SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU WOULD SEE AT OTHER PARTS OF AVENUE.

OBVIOUSLY THE ANIMALS MOVE AND YOU CAN'T REALLY KEEP THEM IN ONE PARTICULAR PLACE, BUT HOPEFULLY MAINLY JUST BIRDS AND BEAUTIFUL WILDLIFE FOR THE RESIDENTS

[02:20:03]

LOOKS GREAT. AND IT ALMOST KIND OF LENDS ITSELF TO WHAT I SEE HERE.

I DO LIKE THE PEDESTRIAN CONNECTION TO THE PRESERVE AREAS AND ALSO TO THE OTHER POD.

THAT WAS PRETTY CLEVER. I'M NOT CRAZY ABOUT THE TRELLIS SWING, ALTHOUGH THE PASSIVE PARK THAT GOES BETWEEN LOTS 79 AND 81, I UNDERSTAND IT. AND IT ALSO ADDS FOR THAT BRIDGE IN THE WALKWAY THROUGH THE CONSERVATION AREA, WHICH I LIKE THE THE CONNECTIONS. IT'S JUST THE STOPPING AND RECREATING BEHIND HOMES THAT CONCERNS ME, BECAUSE I KNOW IN A LOT OF OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS WHEN THIS OCCURS, THAT'S THE OPPORTUNITY WHERE PEOPLE.

AND WE HEARD IT DURING PUBLIC COMMENT WHERE IF THERE'S A TRELLIS SWING, THAT'S WHERE THE KIDS ARE GOING TO HANG OUT.

THAT'S WHERE THE AND THIS IS A FAMILY COMMUNITY, RIGHT? NOT A 55 AND OLDER COMMUNITY. RIGHT. SO THAT'S WHERE THEY HANG OUT.

THAT'S WHERE TROUBLE OCCURS. AND IT'S BEHIND HOMES, WHICH I'M SURE THOSE HOMES WOULD BE PUTTING UP THEIR OWN BUFFERS, ETC.. SO WHILE GOING BACK AND FORTH AND TRAVERSING BACK AND FORTH IS GREAT, HAVING A PATHWAYS WALKWAYS CONNECTIVITY IS GREAT. BUT THE ACTUAL STOPPING AND HANGING OUT OPPORTUNITIES IS WHAT'S CONCERNING.

SO I'D LOOK AT THAT AND IF THERE'S A POSSIBILITY OF REMOVING THAT TRELLIS SWING AND MOVING IT TO SOMEWHERE ELSE, I'D BE TOTALLY IN FAVOR OF DOING THAT JUST FOR THOSE REASONS, BECAUSE IT BECOMES AN ISSUE WITH THE HOA ENFORCEMENT.

SOME HAVE GREAT ENFORCEMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND SOME DON'T HAVE SECURITY OR ROVERS YOU KNOW, 24 OVER SEVEN. SO THAT'S THE CONCERN FOR THOSE.

AND THEN THOSE LOTS, THOUGH IN HINDSIGHT, THEY CHOOSE TO BUY THOSE LOTS ACCORDINGLY.

SO BUT SOMETIMES BUYERS ARE NOT AWARE OF THESE AMENITIES WHEN THEY PURCHASE OR PICK THEIR LOTS.

I THINK THAT'S REALLY THE ONLY, I THINK THAT THAT'S A GREAT COMMENT. AND IF IT'S YOUR PREFERENCE, WE COULD RELOCATE IT. THERE'S OTHER OPEN SPACES AGAINST THE CONSERVATION AREA WHERE WE COULD STILL PROVIDE THAT OPPORTUNITY, BUT IT'S UP TO THE COUNCIL. I'LL LEAVE IT UP TO THE COUNCIL. I THINK SOME PEOPLE SOMETIMES DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE BUYING, AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT TOO LATE WHEN IT ALL HAPPENS. SO IF MOVING THAT TO ANOTHER AREA JUST CAUSES LESS OF A GATHERING SPACE, BUT STILL HAS THE CONSERVATION SIDE THERE, THAT'S FINE WITH ME.

I'M OKAY WITH THAT. STAFF WILL WORK WITH THE APPLICANT ON LOOKING AT OTHER LOCATIONS TO POTENTIALLY RELOCATE THE JEALOUS WING.

THANK YOU FOR THE COMMENT, JOHN. DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? NOTHING. NOTHING. I THINK IT LOOKS GREAT. AS YOU KNOW, I'VE LIVED IN AVENIR FOR OVER THREE YEARS.

I LOVE TO SEE THESE COMMUNITIES COME TOGETHER.

I'VE LOVED THE COMMENTS THAT COUNCIL MEMBER TINSLEY MADE AND YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE COMMUNITY CONTINUING, EVOLVING AND OTHER AMENITIES OPENING THERE. SO THANKS FOR BRINGING US THIS HERE TODAY AND APPRECIATE ALL THE FEEDBACK AND INPUT.

SO JUST BEFORE WE VOTE SO IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR COUNCIL MEMBER LITT MADE THE MOTION.

SO WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO AMEND YOUR MOTION TO INCLUDE THE RELOCATION OF THE.

WAS IT THE SWING? YES. SO MOVED. AND YOU SECOND.

I WILL SECOND THAT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO THAT'S INCLUDED. THANK YOU. OKAY.

SO WITH THOSE AMENDMENTS, CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE A VOTE TO APPROVE? OKAY. MOTION PASSES FIVE ZERO. OKAY. CAN THE CLERK PLEASE READ THE TITLE FOR RESOLUTION 17, 2026.

[VIII.e. *RESOLUTION 17, 2026 – AVENIR POD 17 – SITE PLAN FOR A 144-LOT SINGLE-FAMILY HOME RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLORIDA, APPROVING A SITE PLAN FOR A 144-LOT SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION ON APPROXIMATELY 53 ACRES, MORE OR LESS, KNOWN AS POD 17 WITHIN THE RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT (PARCEL A) OF THE AVENIR PLANNED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT (PCD), THE SUBJECT SITE BEING GENERALLY LOCATED SOUTHWEST OF THE INTERSECTION OF PANTHER NATIONAL BOULEVARD AND AVENIR DRIVE, AS MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED HEREIN; PROVIDING CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.]

THE CITY OF PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLORIDA, APPROVING A SITE PLAN FOR A 144 LOT SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION ON APPROXIMATELY 53 ACRES, MORE OR LESS KNOWN AS POD 17 WITHIN THE RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT.

PARCEL A OF THE AVENIR PLAN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT P, C D THE SUBJECT SITE BEING GENERALLY LOCATED SOUTHWEST OF THE INTERSECTION OF PANTHER NATIONAL BOULEVARD AND AVENIR DRIVE, IS MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED HEREIN, PROVIDING CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL, PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. OKAY, I'M GOING TO OPEN THE HEARING AND LET'S DECLARE EX PARTE AGAIN.

LET'S START WITH NONE. NONE. NONE. NONE FOR ME.

NONE. OKAY. AND HI AGAIN. WENDY TUMA FROM URBAN DESIGN STUDIO.

AND CAN MAKE A PRESENTATION FOR US TODAY. THANK YOU.

GOOD MORNING. THIS IS GOING TO FEEL A LITTLE BIT LIKE DEJA VU.

ONCE AGAIN, WENDY TUMOR WITH URBAN DESIGN STUDIO.

610 CLEMATIS, WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA. THIS IS WE ARE REQUESTING SITE PLAN APPROVAL FOR POD 17 144 LOT

[02:25:10]

THE SITE IS ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF AVENIR DRIVE, JUST WEST OF PANTHER NATIONAL, AND AGAIN IT ABUTS CONSERVATION AREA ALONG THE SOUTH.

WE'RE REQUESTING APPROVAL FOR 144 SINGLE FAMILY LOTS, RANGING BETWEEN 50 AND 60 FOOT IN WIDTH.

THE DENSITY IS CONSISTENT WITH 2.7 DOES PER ACRE, AND WE'RE PROVIDING APPROXIMATELY 45% OPEN SPACE, WHICH EXCEEDS YOUR CODE REQUIREMENT. ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS A GATED COMMUNITY.

WE'RE PROVIDING 70 ON STREET GUEST PARKING SPACES, TWO NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS, TWO LAKES, AMENITY OPEN SPACE, AND ABOUT 40% OF THE LOTS HAVE VIEWS OF THE CONSERVATION AREA.

THE MAIN ACCESS TO THE PROJECT IS FROM AVENIR DRIVE.

THIS IS A FULL ACCESS WITH RIGHT AND LEFT TURN LANES INTO IT.

WE ARE PROVIDING A RESIDENT INGRESS AND EGRESS AND EMERGENCY ONLY ACCESS ON PANTHER NATIONAL AS WELL.

THIS WOULD NOT BE FOR GUESTS. GUESTS WOULD USE THE AVENIR DRIVE ENTRANCE, BUT THE RESIDENTS OF THE COMMUNITY COULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS ACCESS POINT.

WE MEET ALL OF THE CITY'S REQUIREMENTS FOR STACKING.

HERE'S A BLOW UP OF BOTH ENTRANCES. AS FAR AS THE COMMUNITY AMENITIES, WE HAVE TWO NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS, TWO LAKES AND ADDITIONAL AMENITIES, OPEN SPACES TAKING ADVANTAGE OF VIEWS OF THE CONSERVATION AREA.

PARK NUMBER ONE IS LOCATED AT THE ENTRANCE. THIS CONSISTS OF THE MAIL KIOSK WITH CONVENIENT PARKING FOR THE RESIDENTS, A LARGE PLAY STRUCTURE WITH A SHADE CANOPY AND SWINGS, BENCHES, TRELLIS SWING AND VIEWS OF THE CONSERVATION AREA.

PARK NUMBER TWO WEAVES IS A MORE OF A PASSIVE PARK, WEAVING BETWEEN TWO SETS OF RESIDENTIAL LOTS.

THIS CONSISTS OF SIDEWALKS WITH BENCHES, A TRELLIS SWING AND PET WASTE STATIONS.

IN ADDITION, WE HAVE AMENITIZED THE LAKE EDGE OR THE LAKE MEETS UP WITH THE INTERSECTION.

WE PROVIDED TRELLIS SWINGS WITH VIEWS OF THIS LAKE ON STREET PARKING, WIDER SIDEWALKS AND BENCHES FOR THE RESIDENTS.

WE ALSO TOOK ADVANTAGE OF SOME OF THE OPEN SPACES ALONG THE CONSERVATION AREAS WITH SIDEWALKS, BENCHES, TRELLIS SWINGS, AND ADDITIONAL OPEN SPACE VIEWS OF THE CONSERVATION AREA.

OUR BUFFERS ALONG PANTHER NATIONAL AND AVENIR DRIVE INCLUDE A 15 FOOT WIDE LANDSCAPE BUFFER WITH A SIX FOOT CONCRETE WALL.

THIS WOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH WHAT YOU'VE SEEN THROUGHOUT AVENIR ALONG THE CONSERVATION AREA.

WE'RE ONCE AGAIN PROVIDING THE TEN FOOT FIREBREAK AND ADJACENT TO THE EXISTING FPL SUBSTATION, WE ARE PROVIDING AN ADDITIONAL TEN FEET OF LANDSCAPE BUFFER ADJACENT TO THE ALREADY EXISTING 25 FOOT LANDSCAPE BUFFER THAT EXISTS. THIS IS A VIEW OF HOW THAT BUFFER WOULD APPEAR ONCE THE ADDITIONAL LANDSCAPE PLANT MATERIAL WAS ADDED.

WE WORKED WITH STAFF TO ASSURE THAT THIS WOULD BE AN OPAQUE BUFFER AND SCREEN THE VIEW OF THE SUBSTATION.

WE EXCEED THE POINTS BY ABOUT 40%. ONCE AGAIN, WE'RE USING SIMILAR PALMS AND TREES TO THE REST OF AVENIR AND IN CLOSING, RESPECTFULLY REQUEST SITE PLAN APPROVAL FOR 144 SINGLE FAMILY LOTS ON POD 17 OF AVENIR.

HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.

DOES STAFF HAVE A PRESENTATION TODAY? MADAM MAYOR, NO ADDITIONAL STAFF PRESENTATION SIMILAR TO POD 19, A CONDITION OF APPROVAL IS INCLUDED FOR THE ARCHITECTURE TO COME BACK BEFORE CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.

IT HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED APPROVAL BY PLANNING AND ZONING AT THEIR MAY MEETING.

STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL AND. IT'S A LITTLE BITTERSWEET FOR ME AS IS THIS IS THE THE LAST RESIDENTIAL SINGLE FAMILY HOME SITE PLAN.

I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE, BUT YOU KNOW, OVER THE LAST SEVEN AND A HALF YEARS.

SEEING. SEEING. THESE NEIGHBORHOODS COME THROUGH AND WORKING WITH YOU ALL IT'S BEEN A GREAT JOY AND LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO SEE YOU GROW UP.

THANK YOU. OKAY. I DO NOT HAVE ANY COMMENT CARDS ON THIS, AND I'M GOING TO CLOSE THE HEARING.

AND CAN I GET A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 17, 2026.

SO MOVED. SECOND. OKAY. AND LET'S HAVE A DISCUSSION.

SO HOW DO WE FEEL ABOUT THIS LAST. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT.

I'M SO SAD WE DIDN'T NAME ONE OF THE ROADS AFTER BRETT.

[02:30:02]

I FEEL BAD. CAN YOU PUT UP THE LAST THE LAST SCREEN? I JUST WITH THE MAP OF EVERYTHING. I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT.

SO PARK, I SEE PART ONE AND PART TWO OVER ON THE FAR RIGHT SIDE THERE LOOK LIKE TWO LITTLE OPEN PARCELS. IS THAT JUST OPEN AREA? YES. I HAVE A BLOW UP OF THOSE AREAS.

THOSE ARE YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THEM ON THIS SLIDE.

THEY'RE JUST OPEN SPACES WITH VIEWS OF THE CONSERVATION AREA, JUST ADDITIONAL PARKS THAT PROBABLY DIDN'T THAT DON'T MEET THE QUARTER OR THREE QUARTERS OF AN ACRE SIZE. SO THEY'RE JUST, IS THERE, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT SEPARATES THEM FROM THE HOUSES THAT THEY BUTT UP AGAINST? IS IT OPEN FOR ANYBODY TO GO UP TO, OR JUST THE FENCE THAT JUST THE FENCE THAT THEY WOULD HAVE? OKAY. FENCE AND LANDSCAPING. SO ANYONE WHO BUYS THOSE HOMES KNOWS WE'LL KNOW.

I MEAN, THE MAP IS HERE THAT THERE WILL BE PEOPLE WALKING THERE.

IT'S NOT JUST FOR THEM. ARE YOU ASKING IF IT HAS CONNECTION? COUNCIL MEMBER. IT HAS CONNECTION TO THE STREET, RIGHT? I MEAN TO THE CONSERVATION AREA. NOT TO THE WELL, NOT TO THE CONSERVATION AREA.

BUT PEOPLE FROM THE STREET COULD BE WANDERING AROUND RIGHT THERE NEXT TO THOSE HOUSES.

SO IF IT MAY HELP, THEY WOULD BE CONSTRUCTED PRIOR TO THE FIRST CO.

SO THEY'RE GOING TO BE THERE. IT'S NOT LIKE THE HOMES WOULD PEOPLE WOULD BE LIVING THERE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THIS GETS CONSTRUCTED IF THAT HELPS.

AND JUST TO COMMENT, TO ECHO, BRET, AND WHAT ROSA SAID EARLIER, OVER SIX YEARS, I MEAN, I WAS PRIVILEGED TO APPROVE THE FIRST SITE PLAN ON MY LAST FIRST TERMS ON COUNCIL AND TO BE ABLE TO APPROVE THE LAST ONE IS, IS AN HONOR TO SEE THIS DEVELOPMENT COME TO FRUITION AND PROVIDE WHAT IT DOES FOR OUR WESTERN COMMUNITY AND THE CHOICES THAT WE HAVE.

SO CONGRATULATIONS. GREAT. THANK YOU. MARCIE.

I'M SURE. SO I GUESS THAT JUST TO KIND OF ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT TOWARDS ROCHELLE'S COMMENTS, IS THERE ANY CONNECTION FROM THIS POD TO THE CONSERVATION AREA IN ANY OF THE ONES THAT TOUCH THE CONSERVATION AREA, WHATEVER NUMBER THEY ARE? I CAN'T READ IT ON THE SCREEN LIKE A BOARDWALK OR SOMETHING, OR JUST A CONNECTION THAT BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S A BUFFER SEPARATING THE ACTUAL PASSIVE PARK TO THE CONSERVATION AREA, IS THERE ANY ACCESS FROM THIS POD TO THE CONSERVATION AREA, OR A GATE OF SOME SORT TO ALLOW THOSE RESIDENTS THAT ARE WALKING TO WALK ON ANY TYPE OF PATH WITHIN IT? THERE'S NO THERE'S NO PROPOSED CONNECTION TO THIS PORTION OF THE CONSERVATION AREA.

A MAJORITY OF IT IS WETLANDS. OKAY. SO THERE WOULDN'T BE REALLY WALKING TRAILS OR ANYTHING IN THAT AREA.

GOT IT. GOT IT. YES. MAKES SENSE. UNDERSTANDABLE.

AND THEN I DO WANT TO THANK YOU. IT LOOKS GREAT.

AND ALSO THANK YOU, BRETT. AND TO ALL OF THE STAFF MEMBERS THAT HAVE WORKED ON AVANIR SITE PLANS THROUGHOUT THIS, THE MANY YEARS YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB LOOKING AT ALL THE DETAIL AND IT'S, IT'S AMAZING THAT A 20 YEAR PLAN HAS AT LEAST FOR THE RESIDENTIAL COMPONENT HAS COMPLETED IN SUCH A QUICK, WHAT SEEMS LIKE A QUICK TURNAROUND, BUT YOU GUYS DID A FABULOUS JOB REVIEWING AND ALL THE APPLICATIONS COMING IN.

WE APPRECIATE ALL OF IT. THANK YOU. JOHN, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? NO. I'D JUST LIKE TO ECHO THEIR COMMENTS ALSO.

I LIVE OUT THERE. IT'S BEAUTIFUL. I LOVE DRIVING THROUGH THERE. YOU GUYS HAVE DONE AMAZING WORK.

AND YOU KNOW, I SAW IT COME UP FROM A CATTLE RANCH TO SAND TO WHAT IT IS NOW AND SAID IT'S I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS THE LAST POD BEING APPROVED A WEEK AFTER PUBLIX JUST IN TIME.

AND SO IT'S GREAT. LOVE IT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

AND CONGRATULATIONS. SO LET'S HAVE A VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE, AYE. MOTION PASSES FIVE ZERO.

OKAY. NEXT IS ITEMS FOR COUNCIL ACTION AND DISCUSSION AND ITEMS OF INTEREST.

[X. ITEMS FOR COUNCIL ACTION/DISCUSSION AND ITEMS OF INTEREST]

SO. I AM GOING TO ASK FOR COUNCIL MEMBER TINSLEY.

WHY DON'T YOU BEGIN FOR US. SO. ACTUALLY OKAY.

I'LL START. SO TO START, I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYBODY THAT TOOK THE TIME TO PROVIDE COMMENTS.

[02:35:06]

ALL OF THOSE VIEWPOINTS ARE VALUABLE, AND I APPRECIATE EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED IN THAT.

MANY PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM ACTUALLY HAVE PLAYED A ROLE IN SHAPING OUR CITY INTO WHAT IT IS TODAY.

AND WE SHOULD ALL BE VERY PROUD OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT WE'VE ACHIEVED TOGETHER.

THE PURPOSE OF ANY EVALUATION IS TO RECOGNIZE STRENGTHS WHILE ALSO IDENTIFYING OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT.

AND WE OWE IT TO OUR RESIDENTS BUSINESSES AND EMPLOYEES TO DO BOTH.

AND IN MOST ORGANIZATIONS EVALUATIONS ARE CONDUCTED USING A STANDARDIZED REVIEW PROCESS TO ENSURE CONSISTENCY FAIRNESS AND THOROUGHNESS. AND WITH THAT IN MIND, I KIND OF DEVELOPED A DRAFT EVALUATION FORM.

AND I DON'T KNOW WHY I DIDN'T DO THIS BEFORE, BUT THAT I CAN PROVIDE TO OUR CITY MANAGER.

AND ALSO IF HE WOULD LIKE TO DISTRIBUTE THAT, IF THE COUNCIL WOULD LIKE HIM TO DISTRIBUTE THAT, PERHAPS IN FUTURE YEARS, WE CAN UTILIZE A COMMON EVALUATION FORMAT THAT BECOMES PART OF THE OFFICIAL RECORD.

AND IN FACT, I DIDN'T REALIZE THIS, BUT WE HAD DONE THAT IN THE PAST YEARS AGO.

I'M NOT SURE WHY IT CHANGED, BUT THERE ARE MANY AREAS IN WHICH THE CITY MANAGER HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL.

AND WE HEARD MANY OF THOSE TONIGHT. AND I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH THE POSITIVE FEEDBACK.

THE CITY HAS BENEFITED GREATLY FROM SOUND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT REGULATORY COMPLIANCE AND EFFECTIVE OVERSIGHT OF OUR MUNICIPAL SERVICES. AND THERE ARE IMPORTANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

THESE THOSE ARE IMPORTANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. AND THEY SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED FOR SURE.

AND AT THE SAME TIME, THERE'S ALWAYS AREAS FOR AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT.

FIRST, THE COUNCIL I FEEL SHOULD BE KEPT MORE INFORMED ON SIGNIFICANT MATTERS BEFORE LEARNING ABOUT THEM THROUGH THE MEDIA.

FOR EXAMPLE, COUNCIL MEMBERS FIRST LEARNED ABOUT THE COUNTY MEDIATION PROCESS THROUGH NEWS REPORTS IN A SETTLEMENT OFFER WAS DISCUSSED WITHOUT COUNCIL INPUT. SECOND, THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE RESPONSIVENESS TO COMMUNITY CONCERNS.

WE HEARD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT TODAY IN PUBLIC COMMENT.

AND RECENTLY OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT PROCESS APPEARED TO HAVE SHIFTED FROM A COMPLIANCE FOCUSED APPROACH TO ONE CHARACTERIZED BY SUBSTANTIAL FINES AND SHORTENED COMPLIANCE DEADLINES. AND DURING RECENT HEARINGS, ALL REQUESTS FOR ADDITIONAL TIME OR REDUCTIONS IN FINES WERE DENIED EVEN WHEN REASONABLE CIRCUMSTANCES EXISTED. MANY JURISDICTIONS WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES TO ACHIEVE COMPLIANCE, AND I BELIEVE A MORE BALANCED APPROACH WOULD BETTER SERVE OUR COMMUNITY WHILE STILL ACHIEVING THE CITY'S GOALS.

AND SUCH AN APPROACH ACTUALLY PROMOTES COMPLIANCE, FAIRNESS AND PUBLIC TRUST, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WE HEARD TODAY IN PUBLIC COMMENT.

WE ALSO HEARD TESTIMONY FROM PBA INDICATING THAT EMPLOYEE MORALE IS AT AN ALL TIME LOW.

PUBLIC SAFETY IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY, AND CONCERNS REGARDING MORALE WITHIN A POLICE DEPARTMENT SHOULD BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY BY ALL OF US. MAINTAINING A MOTIVATED AND SUPPORTED WORKFORCE IS ESSENTIAL TO DELIVERING A HIGH LEVEL OF SERVICE TO OUR RESIDENTS AND ACTUALLY OUR OUR BUSINESSES, AND WE SHOULD EXPECT THAT.

AND I'M GLAD TO HEAR FROM OUR CITY MANAGER THAT HE'S TRYING TO WORK OUT A RESOLUTION THAT'S POSITIVE NEWS, AND I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT. AND IN CLOSING, OUR CITY MANAGER, OUR CITY HAS BENEFITED GREATLY FROM THE MANAGER'S YEARS OF DEDICATION, INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

AND AT THE SAME TIME, EVERY ORGANIZATION EVENTUALLY REACHES A POINT WHERE LEADERSHIP TRANSITION BECOME HEALTHY AND NECESSARY.

AND WE ALL KNOW THAT OUR CITY MANAGER HAS REACHED A POINT IN HIS CAREER WHERE SUCCESSION PLANNING IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT.

AND AS THE PGA CORRIDOR ASSOCIATION SAID, THANK YOU FOR CHATTING WITH US TODAY.

WE NEED TO BE FORWARD THINKING, AND AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, IT'S OUR FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY TO BE PROACTIVE RATHER THAN REACTIVE.

[02:40:03]

AND THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS UNTIL I HEAR OTHERS.

OKAY. DID YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY.

WHAT I'D LIKE TO HEAR WHAT EVERYONE ELSE HAS TO SAY. COUNCIL MEMBER. SO.

I BASICALLY HAVE TWO ISSUES I WANT TO DISCUSS.

FIRST OF ALL IS THE FINANCIALS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, I LOVE.

THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I HAVE TO TALK ABOUT. AND WE KNOW THOSE ARE ALL POSITIVE. AND WE HAVE TO GIVE THE CITY MANAGER 100% CREDIT FOR THAT.

SO WE BOOSTED UP OUR RESERVES LAST YEAR BY $2 MILLION.

WE MAINTAIN A LEVEL THAT EXCEEDS OUR MINIMUM GUIDELINES.

PROPERTY TAXES COMPRISE ONLY 51% OF TOTAL REVENUES IN THIS CITY, WHICH KIND OF SURPRISED ME BECAUSE USUALLY MOST CITIES, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE 60, 70% OF WHERE CITIES GET THEIR TAX BASE FROM.

WE'RE ONLY AT 51%. OUR STRONG DEBT RATINGS THAT WAS MENTIONED BEFORE, OUR DEBT EXPENDITURES CANNOT EXCEED 20% OF TOTAL REVENUES.

THESE ARE ALL TARGETS THAT WE PUT IN PLACE AND THAT WE'VE MAINTAINED OVER THE PAST FEW DECADES.

WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO WHAT'S GOING TO WHERE WE'RE GOING TO GO IN THE FUTURE WHEN THIS PROPERTY TAX POTENTIAL DECREASE PASSES.

TOTAL OUTSTANDING DEBT IS LIMITED TO 10% OF THE CITY PROPERTY TAX BASE.

AGAIN, PUTTING THESE THINGS IN PLACE TO WHERE CITIES CAN OVER LEVERAGE THEIR ASSETS OR THEIR REVENUES TO DEBT.

WE'VE, WE'VE MET ALL THOSE. WE'RE WAY UNDER, WE'VE DONE A GREAT JOB.

AND YOU CAN GIVE THE CITY MANAGER ALL THE CREDIT FOR THAT BECAUSE WE'RE BASICALLY PAYING AS WE GO.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO AS A CITY. WE CAN'T LEVERAGE OURSELVES WITH EXCESS DEBT BECAUSE NOW IF WE LOSE REVENUE, WHICH COULD HAPPEN IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GOING TO PASS OR NOT.

60% IS A BIG HURDLE, BUT I JUST FEEL LIKE INSURANCE WOULD HAVE BEEN A BETTER ISSUE TO DISCUSS FOR OUR RESIDENTS HERE IN FLORIDA.

BUT WE'VE TAKEN A DIFFERENT APPROACH WITH PROPERTY TAXES, AND THAT'S GOING TO HURT EVERYBODY.

I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU SAY ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY.

WE'RE GOING TO PROTECT YOU AS MUCH AS WE CAN BECAUSE THAT'S NUMBER ONE PRIORITY FOR OUR RESIDENTS. BUT EVERYBODY'S GOING TO FEEL A PINCH.

IT'S JUST GOING TO HAPPEN. IF WE DON'T HAVE A TRUST FUND IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, LIKE OUR LOBBYIST SAID, TO SUBSIDIZE SOME OF THESE LARGER CITIES LIKE US TO COVER PUBLIC SAFETY IN OTHER AREAS EVERYBODY'S GOING TO FEEL IT.

AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WAYS TO DO THAT. AND I KNOW OUR CITY MANAGER AND STAFF ARE LOOKING AT THAT. AND ALL OF OUR CITY DEBT NOW IS SECURED BY SPECIFIC DEBT OR, EXCUSE ME, REVENUE SOURCES. SO WHAT WE BORROW FOR WE CAN PAY FOR WE'RE NOT GOING OFF OF FUTURE HEY, THIS IS GOING TO COME IN IN A COUPLE OF YEARS AND WE'LL GUARANTEE WE'LL GET THE DEBT REPAID. WE JUST DON'T BORROW THAT WAY. WE DON'T DO THAT WAY.

SO THAT'S ALL GOOD MANAGEMENT BY THE CITY MANAGER AND OUR FINANCE TEAM.

SO I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT AND PROUD TO REPRESENT THAT.

EVERY YEAR AS I READ THE BUDGET, WE'RE IN A GREAT POSITION.

NEXT IS COMMUNICATION. AND THEN MARCY TOUCHED ON THIS A LITTLE BIT. AND I KNOW SOME OF OUR RESIDENTS ARE FRUSTRATED BY THAT, AND THIS COUNCIL PROBABLY NEEDS TO DO A BETTER JOB WITH GETTING INFORMATION OUT TO YOU GUYS.

BUT OVER THE NEXT 2 TO 3 YEARS, YOU COULD LOOK AT FOUR MEMBERS UP HERE THAT ARE MIGHT BE GONE, MAYBE FIVE IF COUNCILWOMAN LITT DECIDES SHE'S HAD ENOUGH AFTER THREE YEARS.

SO YOU CAN HAVE A COMPLETE TURNOVER OF THIS COUNCIL.

YOU NEVER, NEVER. OKAY, SO WE COULD HAVE A COMPLETE TURNOVER OF THIS COUNCIL.

AND I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS WE NEED TO HAVE MORE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.

AND THAT WAS MENTIONED A FEW TIMES BY RESIDENTS ALSO IS WE NEED TO HAVE MORE WORKSHOPS.

LET'S JUST LET'S JUST SHOW THE PEOPLE WHAT'S UNDER THE HOOD OF THIS CADILLAC.

WE SHOULD BE PROUD OF THAT. WE REALLY SHOULD.

SO WE HAVE BUDGET DISCUSSIONS IN THE COMING MONTHS.

LET'S HAVE A WORKSHOP. LET'S TALK ABOUT HOW GREAT THESE DEPARTMENTS ARE AND HOW WELL THEY MANAGE THEIR STAFF AND WHAT THEY DO FOR OUR CITY.

LET'S TALK TO THE FINANCE ADMINISTRATOR ABOUT HOW POTENTIALLY WE HAVE INCREASES IN EXEMPTIONS, AND WE HAVE LOWER TAXES IN THE COMING YEARS. WHAT'S THE CITY DOING? HOW ARE WE PREPARING FOR THAT? WE DO FIVE AND TEN YEAR PROJECTIONS AND WE STICK TO THOSE PROJECTIONS.

WELL, NOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MODIFY THOSE. IF WE LOSE POTENTIALLY 20 OR 25 MILLION IN REVENUE, WHICH IS WHAT THE PALM BEACH POST SAID. I'M NOT SURE I AGREE WITH THE NUMBER, BUT IF IT IS A NUMBER, ANYTHING, ANY NUMBER, ANY LOSS AT ALL IS GOING TO BE DETRIMENTAL TO WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE HOW WE WORK RIGHT NOW.

SO LET'S, LET'S GET SOME THINGS ON THE AGENDA.

AND IT'S UP TO THIS COUNCIL REALLY TO ASK THE CITY MANAGER TO PUT STUFF ON THE AGENDA.

SO LET'S DO IT. LET'S GET THE PEOPLE MORE INVOLVED.

AND GETTING BACK TO THIS COUNCIL, AS WE TURN OVER THE NEXT 2 TO 3 YEARS, WE NEED PEOPLE TO FILL THESE SEATS WHO HAVE A GREAT INTEREST IN THIS CITY, WHO HAVE THE PASSION THAT WE DO AND WHO HAVE LOVE IT.

AND THE ONLY WAY THEY'RE GOING TO LEARN IS IF WE DO WORKSHOPS, COME TO COUNCIL MEETINGS, LEARN ABOUT HOW THE SYSTEM,

[02:45:05]

BUT YOU GOT TO GET TO KNOW THEM, AND WORKSHOPS ARE GOING TO HELP YOU GET TO KNOW THEM AND THEIR DEPARTMENTS AND HOW THEY OPERATE.

SO I ASKED FOR THAT. I, I IMPLORE THAT THIS COUNCIL ASK FOR THAT AND CITY MANAGER WORK WITH US TO HAVE THOSE MEETINGS AND TALK TO THE PEOPLE AND TELL US WHAT'S GOING ON. AND THAT'S ABOUT IT FOR ME. I MEAN, I KNOW WE TALK ABOUT SUCCESSION PLANNING.

I'VE MENTIONED IT BEFORE, AND I THINK I'VE GOT LAUGHED AT EVERY TIME. BUT IF THIS IS THE TIME TO TALK ABOUT SUCCESSION PLANNING, THEN LET'S PUT SOMETHING IN PLACE. IF WE HAVE A TIME FRAME TO WHERE THE CITY MANAGER POTENTIALLY IN 2 OR 3 YEARS, WANTS TO GO, THEN LET'S SET UP A PLAN.

LET'S START TALKING ABOUT IT. BECAUSE AGAIN, THIS IS ALL GOING TO TURN OVER POTENTIALLY AT LEAST FOUR OUT OF FIVE IN THE NEXT 2 TO 3 YEARS. AND IF THE CITY MANAGER IS GOING TO GO OUT ON THAT WITH US AND WE HAVE A WHOLE TURNOVER.

WE NEED TO HAVE SUCCESSION PLANNING NOW TO PUT PEOPLE IN PLACE THAT ARE READY TO STEP IN, KEEP THE CITY MOVING FORWARD AND DO WHAT WE DO BEST.

AND THAT'S SHINE. THANK YOU. OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER LITT, PLEASE.

THANK YOU. SO I SPENT A LOT OF TIME THINKING ABOUT HOW I WANTED TO APPROACH MY INITIAL MEETING WITH RON AND MY PERSONAL EVALUATION, AND THEN WHAT TO SAY TO EVERYBODY HERE ON THE DAIS TODAY.

AND AS I PREPARED FOR IT, I REFLECTED FIRST ON MY OWN EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH THE CITY MANAGER OVER A CONSIDERABLE PERIOD OF TIME DURING MY SIX YEARS PREVIOUSLY SERVING ON THIS COUNCIL.

THROUGH THE THREE YEARS, I REMAINED ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN CITY AFFAIRS.

WHEN MY TERM ENDED AND DURING MY FIRST TWO MONTHS SINCE RETURNING TO OFFICE.

SO I'M NOT NEW TO THIS. I'M NOT NEW TO THE CITY AND HOW THINGS WORK.

THROUGHOUT THAT TIME, I FOUND MY PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH MR. FERRIS TO BE ONE OF MUTUAL RESPECT AND A SHARED UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT OUR RESPECTIVE ROLES ARE.

HIS DOOR HAS ALWAYS BEEN OPEN TO ME. MY QUESTIONS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ANSWERED AND MY CONCERNS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN TAKEN SERIOUSLY.

THAT PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, HOWEVER, IS ONLY ONE PIECE OF AN EVALUATION.

AND WHILE MY INTERACTIONS WITH THE CITY MANAGER HAVE BEEN CONSISTENTLY POSITIVE, I RECOGNIZE THAT RESIDENTS, EMPLOYEES, BUSINESS OWNERS, AND ELECTED OFFICIALS MAY VIEW CITY LEADERSHIP THROUGH THEIR OWN AND DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES AND PERSPECTIVES.

BUT AS CITY LEADERS, I BELIEVE WE SHOULD ALL CONTINUOUSLY STRIVE TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION, TRANSPARENCY, ACCESSIBILITY, AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.

THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES BELONG TO ALL OF US. AND AS COUNCIL MEMBER, PALMER ALSO SAID, IT'S UP TO US TO ASK FOR WHAT WE NEED.

WITH THAT IN MIND, I BELIEVE THE EVALUATION SHOULD ULTIMATELY BE BASED ON DEMONSTRATED PERFORMANCE, MEASURABLE OUTCOMES, AND VERIFIABLE FACTS. PALM BEACH GARDENS IS CONSISTENTLY RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE MOST DESIRABLE COMMUNITIES IN FLORIDA. AND YOU HEARD THAT FROM MANY PEOPLE HERE TODAY.

THAT SUCCESS DID NOT HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT. IT REFLECTS YEARS OF WORK BY OUR CITY MANAGER, DEDICATED EMPLOYEES AND DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS, MOST OF WHOM HAVE SERVED THE CITY FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES.

AND OUR CITY COUNCIL WORKING TOGETHER TOWARD A COMMON GOAL.

WE'RE NOW A CITY OF APPROXIMATELY 65,000 RESIDENTS, AND EACH YEAR OUR GOVERNMENT INTERACTS WITH THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, PROCESSES COUNTLESS REQUESTS, RESOLVES DISPUTES, APPROVES PROJECTS, RESPONDS TO EMERGENCIES, AND DELIVER SERVICES THAT TOUCH VIRTUALLY EVERY ASPECT OF COMMUNITY LIFE.

YOU'VE HEARD FROM OUR AUDITORS AND LOBBYISTS JUST HOW DIFFICULT AND EXTENSIVE THAT JOB CAN BE.

SO WHILE MANY FACTORS CAN BE CONSIDERED IN AN EVALUATION, I BELIEVE THE OVERALL PERFORMANCE OF THE ORGANIZATION AND ITS ABILITY TO CONSISTENTLY DELIVER THE HIGHEST SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS UNDER MR. FERRIS LEADERSHIP AND IN COLLABORATION WITH CITY COUNCIL.

PALM BEACH GARDENS HAS MAINTAINED STRONG FINANCIAL RESERVES.

A TRIPLE A BOND RATING CONTINUED TO INVEST IN PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT, EXPANDED OUR PARKS AND RECREATIONAL AMENITIES.

ADVANCED TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY IMPROVEMENTS AND RESPONSIBLY MANAGED OUR GROWTH AND REDEVELOPMENT.

THAT'S NOT A SMALL FEAT. BUT THEY'RE NOT ISOLATED ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

[02:50:01]

THOSE ACCOMPLISHMENTS DO NOT MEAN THAT EVERY DECISION HAS BEEN UNIVERSALLY SUPPORTED, OR EVERY CONCERN HAS BEEN RESOLVED TO EVERYONE'S SATISFACTION, NOR DO THEY MEAN THAT WE STOP STRIVING TO IMPROVE.

IN FACT, THEY REINFORCE THE IMPORTANCE OF CONTINUING TO HOLD MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTABLE AND LOOKING FOR WAYS TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION, TRANSPARENCY AND ENGAGING THE PUBLIC TO WORK TOGETHER TO ADDRESS CONCERNS WHEN THEY ARISE.

SO AS PART OF THE EVALUATION PROCESS, I SHARED WITH THE CITY MANAGER TWO AREAS WHERE I BELIEVE WE CAN CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN TRANSPARENCY AND PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING. AND THIS GOES ALONG WITH SOME OF THE THINGS THAT COUNCIL MEMBER PRIMROSE MENTIONED.

ALSO, FOR MAJOR ISSUES THAT SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT THE CITY AS A WHOLE OR PARTICULAR COMMUNITIES WITHIN THE CITY.

I ASKED FOR A PROACTIVE APPROACH TO RESIDENT INFORMATION SESSIONS SIMILAR TO THE THREE THAT WERE HELD IN AVANIR LAST MONTH ON THE NEW NATURE PARK. AND I WOULD LIKE TO ASK FOR A COUNCIL PRESENTATION NEXT MONTH TO ADDRESS THE NATURE PARK AS WELL.

SO WE CAN SEE WHERE EVERYTHING STANDS AND AND WHAT THE ISSUES ARE.

THESE SESSIONS ALLOW RESIDENTS TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT A PROJECT THAT THE CITY IS WORKING ON, AND GIVE FEEDBACK BEFORE FINAL DECISIONS ARE MADE ON THESE PROJECTS.

OF COURSE, THIS WOULD ONLY APPLY WHERE STATE LAW ALLOWS THAT TYPE OF DISCLOSURE.

IN THE CASE OF £0.03 THREE OR PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS AND SOME OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.

THERE ARE STRICT STATE GUIDELINES ON DISCLOSURE, SO NOT EVERYTHING CAN BE DONE THIS WAY.

I ALSO BELIEVE THERE'S VALUE IN PUBLIC COUNSEL STAFF WORKSHOPS IN ADDITION TO CITY COUNCIL MEETING PRESENTATIONS ON BIGGER ISSUES, AND THAT WOULD ALLOW COUNSEL TO WRESTLE WITH AN ISSUE TOGETHER AND GIVE RESIDENTS ANOTHER FORUM TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE.

HERE, STAFF'S ANALYSIS AND SEE HOW COUNSEL IS ADDRESSING THE NUANCES AND ADDRESSING APPROACHING A MATTER BEFORE DECISIONS ARE MADE.

AND THE ONE THAT I HAD ASKED FOR. NOW, FIRST OF ALL, WORKSHOPS ARE FOR COUNCIL STAFF INPUT ONLY.

THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS FROM RESIDENTS. IT'S A DIFFERENT TYPE.

IT'S MORE LIKE A COUNCIL MEETING. AN AUXILIARY COUNCIL MEETING WHERE WE GET TO DISCUSS WITH STAFF THE ISSUE.

BUT THE PUBLIC IS THERE TO SEE, AND I APPRECIATE THAT MR. FERRIS WAS RECEPTIVE TO MY SUGGESTIONS. THE OTHER RECOMMENDATION THAT I HAVE ALREADY MADE IS TO HOLD ONE OF THOSE WORKSHOPS IN AUGUST, PRIOR TO THE TWO FORMAL BUDGET HEARINGS, TO DISCUSS THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF THE PROPOSED PROPERTY STATE PROPERTY TAX CHANGES, SHOULD THEY ULTIMATELY BE APPROVED BY THE PUBLIC.

AND ALONG WITH THAT, THE RESULTS OF THE RESIDENT SURVEY TO HIGHLIGHT THE OPTIONS THAT COUNCIL CAN CONSIDER BEFORE THE BUDGETS ACTUALLY COME TO US IN SEPTEMBER. MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS THROUGHOUT FLORIDA ARE ENTERING A PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANT UNCERTAINTY.

POTENTIAL CHANGES TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT REVENUES COULD HAVE FAR REACHING CONSEQUENCES FOR CITY SERVICES, INFRASTRUCTURE, PUBLIC SAFETY AND LONG TERM FINANCIAL PLANNING.

AND WE NEED TO BE PREPARED. A WORKSHOP ON THIS WILL PROVIDE COUNCIL AND RESIDENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM STAFF AND THE CITY MANAGER ABOUT WHAT THOSE CHANGES COULD MEAN FROM PALM BEACH GARDENS.

CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF GOOD GOVERNMENT.

AND IN ANY EVALUATION, CONCERNS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED THOUGHTFULLY AND WEIGHED ALONGSIDE THE OVERALL PERFORMANCE OF THE ORGANIZATION AND ITS ABILITY TO CONSISTENTLY DELIVER THE HIGHEST QUALITY OF SERVICES BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT IS AVAILABLE TO ME TODAY.

MY OWN EXPERIENCE OVER THE MANY YEARS WORKING WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND THE OVERALL PERFORMANCE OF THE ORGANIZATION THAT HE LEADS.

I REMAIN SUPPORTIVE OF THE CITY MANAGER AND HIS ABILITY TO CONTINUE TO LEAD OUR CITY FORWARD IN THE YEARS AHEAD ARE GOING TO BRING SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES. IN MY JUDGMENT, PALM BEACH GARDENS IS WELL SERVED BY OUR CITY MANAGER AND THE EXPERIENCED TEAM OF PROFESSIONALS HE LEADS,

[02:55:05]

AND I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER TEAM RIGHT NOW TO HELP GUIDE OUR CITY THROUGH WHATEVER CHALLENGES LIE AHEAD.

THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR KEMP. I SAID IT LAST YEAR.

I MEAN, MY OPINION ON PUBLIC REVIEWS. I REALLY DON'T LIKE THEM BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S STRENGTHS THAT NEED TO BE MENTIONED IN.

A LOT OF THEM ARE STRENGTHS. BUT I THINK WITH CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK, I THINK IT'S SOMETIMES CAN BE TAKEN AS AN ATTACK.

AND I LIKE TO USE CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK TO TO BUILD AND MOVE FORWARD.

AND KIND OF LIKE WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE IN THE NEXT YEAR.

AND IT SAID MOST OF THE TIMES WE'VE HEARD THINGS TONIGHT THAT IN PUBLIC COMMENT AND YOU KNOW, THAT WE DON'T SPEAK OR THAT WE DON'T GIVE YOU DIRECTION.

AND I MEET WITH RON WEEKLY AND HIS DOOR IS ALWAYS OPEN TO ME AND I EXPRESS MY CONCERNS.

AND MOST OF THE TIME YOU ADDRESS THEM AND YOU ADDRESS THEM PRETTY QUICKLY.

YOU KNOW, IT'S AND EVERY PUBLIC REVIEW I DO THINK SHOULD COME WITH ITS STRENGTHS AND SOME, YOU KNOW, CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK. SO I BROKE HOW I WAS GOING TO REVIEW IT DOWN INTO A FEW DIFFERENT WAYS, BECAUSE THERE'S NO REAL MODEL FOR THAT RIGHT NOW.

AND IT WAS, YOU KNOW, OUR COUNCIL INTERACTIONS AND PERSONAL INTERACTIONS.

NUMBER TWO, CITY STAFF, RESIDENTS, BUSINESS HOW THEY'RE PERCEIVED IN THE CITY AND THE OVERALL STATE OF THE CITY.

AS FOR, I THINK OUR COUNCIL INTERACTIONS, IT'S BEEN MENTIONED ALREADY.

AND I SAID IT BEFORE WE MEET WEEKLY SINCE MY FIRST DAY ON COUNCIL.

YOU'VE ALWAYS MADE YOURSELF TOTALLY OPEN TO ME.

ANY QUESTIONS I'VE HAD. USUALLY YOU HAVE THE ANSWER BEFORE I EVEN ASK THE QUESTION.

SO YOU'RE PRETTY GOOD AT READING WHAT WE WHAT WE'RE FEELING, WHAT WE'RE THINKING, AND YOU BRING IT TO US.

YOU'RE ALWAYS GIVEN INFORMATION WHENEVER I HAVE QUESTIONS ON RESIDENT EMAILS OR THINGS THAT STAFF HAS ASKED OR DIRECTED OR ANY BUSINESSES THAT THEY SEND THROUGH PHONE CALLS. YOU ALWAYS GET ME FAX, YOU GET ME THE STAFF THAT NEEDS TO GIVE ME THE ANSWERS.

AND YOU HAVE THOSE FACTS FOR ME TO GIVE AN ANSWER BACK TO WHATEVER THOSE QUESTIONS ARE.

AND I TRY TO DO IT FOR THE CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK.

YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S JUST ECHOING WHAT'S BEEN SAID IS YOU KNOW, COUNCIL CAN ONLY REALLY GIVE DIRECTION ONCE, ONCE A MONTH BECAUSE WE ONLY GET TO SEE EACH OTHER AND TALK IN PUBLIC ONCE A MONTH.

AND IT WAS ALREADY MENTIONED TONIGHT. AND IT HAPPENS RARELY.

AND I DON'T THINK A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT SAY THIS DON'T SEE HOW MUCH IS GOING ON IN THE CITY BEHIND THE SCENES, BUT SOMETIMES COUNCIL DIRECTION DOES GET LOST.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS WAS THE MENORAH. AND WHEN I WAS GOING THROUGH THIS REVIEW, I KIND OF WENT BACK AND WATCHED SOME OF OUR OLD MEETINGS. AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAD MENTIONED BACK IN JANUARY, WITH A CONSENSUS AMONGST THE COUNCIL THAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE THAT DONE.

AND OUR CURRENT MAYOR WAS THE ONE WHO ASKED FOR THAT.

AND BURT ASKED FOR IT TO BE DONE WITHIN 30 TO 60 DAYS SO THAT CHELSEA COULD BE PART OF THAT, BECAUSE SHE WENT THROUGH THAT MEETING WITH US.

AND, YOU KNOW, I KNOW A LOT WAS GOING ON IN THE CITY AND THAT THAT WASN'T DONE, BUT I'D JUST LIKE TO SEE SOME OF THE COUNCIL DIRECTION, YOU KNOW, KIND OF FOLLOWED THROUGH CONSISTENTLY OR TOLD IF THERE'S OTHER THINGS GOING ON IN THE CITY OF WHAT WE HAVEN'T GOT TO THAT YET.

THE SECOND PART OF THAT YOUR REVIEW THAT I SECTION WAS CITY STAFF.

I CONSIDER, YOU KNOW, CUSTOMER SERVICE TO BE A BIG PART OF WHAT WE DO.

IT'S EVERYTHING WE DO AND WE HAVE INTERNAL CUSTOMERS AND EXTERNAL CUSTOMERS, EXTERNAL CUSTOMERS BEING THE RESIDENTS AND THE INTERNAL CUSTOMERS BEING OUR CITY STAFF OVERALL, WHENEVER I TALK TO ANYBODY IN CITY STAFF, THEY, THEY RAVE ABOUT THEIR JOB.

WE HAVE A LOT OF RETENTION AMONGST OUR STAFF, WHICH I MEAN, EVEN LAST YEAR WE HAD A WORLD SPORTS OR WORLD CLASS SPORTS CLUB COME WITH REAL MADRID AND SAT WITH THEIR MANAGER AND ALL HE COULD TALK ABOUT WAS WHAT WAS ECHOED BY THE PGA CORRIDOR TODAY WAS THEY'VE NEVER SEEN STAFF SO RESPONSIVE GET ANYTHING THEY NEEDED DONE.

AND JUST THEY JUST WERE IMPRESSED BY HOW GREAT OUR STAFF WAS.

AND THAT COMES FROM A LOT OF THE LEADERSHIP THAT'S BEING GIVEN TO THEM.

SO YOU KNOW, THAT WAS A LOT OF THE POSITIVE FEEDBACK.

I KNOW YOU GIVE STAFF EVERYTHING YOU CAN AND YOU STILL HAVE A, IT'S KIND OF LIKE A DEVIL'S ADVOCATE POSITION BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO GIVE EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO THE STAFF, BUT YOU STILL HAVE TO WEIGH THE LONG TERM EFFECTS OF WHAT IT'S GOING TO DO TO THE CITY.

SO YOU CAN'T GIVE THEM EVERYTHING. AND I DO RECOGNIZE THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I LOVE ABOUT OUR CITY IS THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.

AND THAT BROUGHT UP A BIG EXAMPLE, WHICH I LOVE TO SEE, ESPECIALLY IN MY PROFESSION AND OWNING MY OWN BUSINESS.

IT'S HOW TO TEACH SOMEBODY TO DO YOUR JOB BELOW YOU AND HOW TO ENCOURAGE INDEPENDENCE.

AND THAT WAS ONE OF THOSE PROGRAMS THAT I KNOW WAS BROUGHT TO YOU, AND YOU KIND OF SAID, WELL, BRING ME SOMETHING BACK, AND YOU SENT SOMEBODY ON THERE. SO THAT INDEPENDENCE ALSO LEADS TO YOUR EXAMPLE OF HOW YOU'RE PROVIDING STAFF WITH THE RESOURCES

[03:00:05]

AND I LIKE HOW THE INTERNAL CUSTOMERS ARE BEING TREATED.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS BROUGHT UP LAST MEETING WAS THE POLICE OFFICER CONCERNS AND RETENTION WHICH THIS IS JUST IN THE CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK.

I THINK THAT WAS BROUGHT UP A COUPLE TIMES. WE MIGHT HAVE BEEN A LITTLE SLOW OF GETTING TO AN ANSWER TO THAT, BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE ANYTHING, WHEN WE BROUGHT IT TO YOUR ATTENTION, I KNOW I WENT IN AND MET WITH YOU A COUPLE DAYS AFTER THAT, AND WHEN I WALKED IN, YOU HAD STAFF THERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS I HAD.

AND I LIKE TO SEE THAT YOU'RE WORKING TOWARDS GETTING THAT SOMETHING DONE TO, TO IMPROVE THE RETENTION ON THAT SIDE, BECAUSE MOST OF THE CITY STAFF, WE HAVE A LONG TERM RETENTION.

SO IF THERE'S A PROBLEM THERE, I LIKE THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING THAT AND THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD TO A RESOLUTION FOR THAT FOR THE RESIDENTS.

WE HAVE 65,000 RESIDENTS I THINK NOW. RIGHT. IT'S, IT'S ABOUT THAT I THINK A LITTLE OVER THAT.

WE HIT 65,000 EARLIER THIS YEAR. YOU KNOW, YOU LISTEN TO THE CONCERNS OF THE RESIDENTS.

I KNOW A LOT OF THE RESIDENTS SOMETIMES THINK THEY'RE NOT HEARD, BUT WHEN PEOPLE SAY THINGS IN HERE, I USUALLY TAKE SOME NOTES. I'LL CALL HIM THE NEXT DAY AND TRY AND GET THOSE ANSWERS OR IN MY NEXT MEETING WITH HIM.

AND HE USUALLY ALWAYS HAS STATISTICS OF WHY WE DID WHAT WE DID OR OPTIONS THAT WE CAN DO TO IMPROVE.

EVEN WE'LL USE THE ICE RINK OR THE ICE RINK AREA IN THE SKATE PARK.

AND WE GAVE HIM DIRECTION LAST YEAR TO KIND OF PUT THE SKATE PARK IN THERE.

IF THAT WAS IN NEED OF THE, THE THE RESIDENTS OR IF THEY WANTED THAT.

AND THAT WAS IN THIS YEAR'S SURVEY A YEAR LATER, IT WAS REMEMBERED TO BE PUT IN THERE.

SO I DO SEE THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO GET THE ANSWERS FROM THE RESIDENTS.

AND A GOOD ANOTHER EXAMPLE THAT I'LL USE WAS TONIGHT WE HAD PEOPLE HERE THAT WERE TALKING ABOUT THE NATURE PARK COMING AND AN EXAMPLE OF HOW YOU'RE TRYING TO GET FEEDBACK. NOW, EVEN THOUGH WE CAN ALWAYS DO BETTER ON THAT WAS NOT ONLY DID YOU HAVE TWO MEETINGS OUT AROUND THAT PARK, BUT YOU ACTUALLY WENT TO AN HOA AND SAT WITH THE HOA.

THAT'S DIRECTLY AFFECTED ABOUT THAT. AND A LOT OF TIMES WHEN WE SEE YOU, WE GET ANSWERS FROM THEM.

AND I LIKE THE IDEA OF HAVING A MEETING LIKE A COUNCIL MEMBER LITT HAD MENTIONED TO HEAR WHAT WE'RE DOING ABOUT THAT.

BUT YOU SEE, A LOT OF THOSE THINGS DON'T AREN'T PUBLICLY SAID, WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE THIS. BUT YOU SEE THE PLAN CHANGE A LITTLE BIT, AND USUALLY THOSE THINGS ARE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.

SO THOSE ARE JUST THE POSITIVES ON RESIDENTS.

CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK IS IN SOME OF THE RESIDENTS SAID IT TONIGHT AND I'LL AGREE WITH THEM.

I'VE NOTICED IT. SOMETIMES WHEN THEY'RE SPEAKING THEY DO GET A DIFFERENT TONE OR A LOOK PUSH THEIR WAY.

AND I UNDERSTAND FROM I, I'M ALSO IN A PROFESSION WHERE YOU TRY TO TELL PEOPLE SOMETHING AND YOU GET PASSIONATE ABOUT IT.

AND I THINK A LOT OF THAT COMES FROM, YOU KNOW, AND I BELIEVE YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING EVERYTHING RIGHT FOR THE CITY AND IT COMES FROM A PASSION OF YOU JUST WANT TO TELL THEM LIKE, HEY, I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING. LIKE PUT SOME FAITH IN ME.

SO IF I CAN GIVE YOU SOME CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK FOR THE NEXT YEAR, IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT I DO IS I JUST PRACTICE THE PAUSE WHEN I'M AT WORK, FAMILIES MIGHT BE SCREAMING OR THINGS MIGHT BE GETTING DONE. LIKE, JUST PUT YOUR FAITH IN ME. SOMETIMES I.

I WANT TO SAY SOMETHING TO THEM AND I. IT'S 90% OF THE TIME I PRACTICE WHAT I CALL THE PAUSE.

I SIT THERE, TAKE A 32ND BREAK BEFORE I RESPOND.

AND USUALLY MY FIRST ANSWER ISN'T THE ANSWER I GIVE TO THEM NEXT.

SO JUST FOR CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK, WHEN WE'RE DOING PUBLIC COMMENT, THAT'D BE SOMETHING I'D LIKE TO SEE.

THE OVERALL CITY. AND WE'RE GOING TO PUT IN THE BUSINESSES HERE.

WE SAW A PGA CORRIDOR ASSOCIATION COME IN. WE'VE SEEN DIFFERENT DEVELOPERS TALKING ABOUT JUST HOW THIS IS THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE.

AND I AGREE THIS IS THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE. WE'RE ON THE WORLDWIDE MAP FOR, FOR SPORTS.

WE'VE GOT ENGLAND AND PORTUGAL HERE. AND THEY'RE JUST A AMAZING REVIEWS COMING OUT OF EVERYBODY WHO COMES HERE FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY, NOT TO MENTION PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING IN TO SEE THE TEAMS OR POSSIBLY CATCH THEM OUT.

IT BRINGS IN A LOT OF OUR ECONOMY FORWARD THINKING.

WHEN I LOOK BACK AT THE CITY WITH THE TOD DISTRICT, THE MARINA DISTRICT, GREEN SPACE ABUNDANCE WITH AVENIR BEING DEVELOPED.

AND JUST, YOU KNOW, HALF OF IT IS A GREEN SPACE WITH CONSERVATION AREAS.

AND I LOVE THE FACT THAT WE HAVE THAT BUILT INTO OUR CITY.

AND THAT'S USUALLY PUT INTO EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING.

CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK, I THINK COMES FOR ALL OF US, NOT JUST THE CITY MANAGER WHEN IT COMES TO THE OVERALL CITY, BUT IT'S HOW DO WE DEAL WITH MOVING FORWARD WITH THE RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT? YOU KNOW, IT WAS SAID TONIGHT THERE WAS 30,000 IN 2000 OR 30,000 RESIDENTS IN 2000, AND WE'RE UP TO 65,000 NOW.

BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH MORE WORKFORCE HOUSING TRAFFIC SITUATIONS.

AND I THINK A BIG PART OF GETTING THAT DONE IS MAKING SURE WE HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH NOT ONLY AMONGST US,

[03:05:04]

AND I'VE TALKED WITH A COUPLE OF THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS JUST THROUGH DIFFERENT THINGS. AND THEY'VE SAID THEY'VE KIND OF NOTICED A DIFFERENCE. SO I DO WANT TO SAY THAT I'M LIKING THAT IMPROVEMENT ON RELATIONSHIP MOVING FORWARD AS WE DEAL WITH. A LOT OF.

THESE SOLUTIONS ARE GOING TO TAKE MORE THAN A MUNICIPAL SOLUTION WITH THE COUNTY AS THE GOLF CART THING.

WE HAVE NORTHLAKE. WE HAVE MILITARY THAT MIGHT NEED EXPANDED IN THE FUTURE.

IN CLOSING I SAID IT LAST YEAR AND I'M GOING TO SAY IT AGAIN.

I WOULD LOVE TO EVENTUALLY SEE YOU RETIRE AND GO ENJOY SOME LIFE.

YOU'VE BUILT A GREAT CITY. YOU KNOW, SO YOU'VE EARNED A RETIREMENT THAT, THAT YOU'VE DEFINITELY ENJOYED THE LAST FEW YEARS OF YOUR LIFE. I HOPE LIKE WE MENTIONED TODAY, CATTLE SAID IT 94 YEARS OLD.

I HOPE YOU LIVE TO 94 OR OLDER, BUT YOU NEED TO ENJOY SOME OF THOSE YEARS TOO.

SO A SUCCESSION PLAN DOES NEED TO BE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT, AS BURT HAD MENTIONED.

IN CASE YOU EVER, EVER DO LEAVE GOING THROUGH FROM WHEN YOU'VE BEEN HERE, I KIND OF LOOKED AT A FEW THINGS, YOU KNOW, YOU DEALT WITH THE HURRICANE YEARS OR CRISISES OF 2004 AND IN 2005.

AND THOSE WERE CRISISES THAT NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE HANDLED WELL, BUT THE CITY DID WELL THROUGH THAT.

I WORKED FOR FIRE RESCUE AT THE TIME. CITY DID WELL.

STARTED A DEPLOYMENT TEAMS, WHICH I'VE BEEN DEPLOYED WITH THEM ON DIFFERENT HURRICANES AND THEY'RE SECOND TO NONE.

YOU DEALT WITH DEALING WITH THE CITY, GOING THROUGH COVID, WITH BUSINESSES BEING CLOSED DOWN, WHICH AFFECTED THE TAXES WITHIN THE CITY. YOU'VE DONE TORNADOES.

YOU HAD TWO YEARS IN A ROW WITH TORNADOS. ONE HIT THE EAST SIDE OF THE CITY, ONE HIT OUT BY MY SIDE AND PEOPLE FORGET THAT.

AND RIGHT NOW COMING INTO AS I WRAP THIS UP IS WE'RE COMING INTO A SITUATION WITH, YOU KNOW, PROPERTY TAXES AND WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT'S GOING TO TAKE US. AND I WATCHED THE COUNTY COMMISSION MEETING TODAY, AND IT WAS, I THINK IN 2027 THE PROPERTY TAX APPRAISER THINKS IT'S GOING TO HIT OUR CITY AROUND 15 MILLION.

AND THEN THE NEXT YEAR IT'LL BE ABOUT 25 MILLION.

AND WITH ALL OF THE EXPERIENCE OF ALL THESE THINGS YOU'VE DRIVEN THE CITY THROUGH, AND TO DEAL WITH KEEPING OUR STAFF, KEEPING OUR FIRST RESPONDERS PROTECTED AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

I FEEL COMFORTABLE MOVING THROUGH THESE NEXT FEW YEARS AFTER YOU'VE SOMEHOW GOTTEN THE CITY THROUGH ALL OF THESE.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS SITUATION IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE, BUT I FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH. YOU'RE GOING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET IT DONE. SO THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT. OKAY. LET ME CIRCLE BACK BECAUSE I WANT EVERYONE TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK AGAIN BEFORE I SPEAK, IF THAT'S OKAY. SO. I HAVE ONE OTHER COMMENT, BUT IT'S NOT RELATED TO THE CITY MANAGER.

SO WE'LL GET THROUGH ALL THIS. AND THEN I HAVE ONE OTHER TOPIC TO DISCUSS.

THAT'S ALL. YEP. LET'S LET'S CONTINUE THE CITY MANAGER REPORT.

EVALUATION. SOMEHOW I MISSED IT WITH ALL MY NOTES TOO.

BUT I ALSO DID MENTION TO THE CITY MANAGER THAT I HAD COMPLETE CONFIDENCE THAT THE ISSUES WITH THE PBA THAT WE WOULD REACH A CONCLUSION THAT WAS BENEFICIAL TO EVERYONE WHO IS CONCERNED ABOUT PROVIDING THE BEST SAFETY FOR US.

SO THAT WAS DISCUSSED WHEN I WAS IN WITH MY EVALUATION WITH HIM AS WELL.

COUNCIL MEMBER. I DO HAVE ALSO ANOTHER ITEM TO DISCUSS NOT RELATED TO THE REVIEW, BUT I GUESS THE CONSENSUS AND I DO AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUES THAT BUDGET WORKSHOP AND, AND I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER LITT MENTIONED AUGUST, WHATEVER THE TIME IS CONVENIENT, BUT PRIOR TO OUR BUDGET MEETINGS, I THINK IT'S BECAUSE OF THE TAX ISSUE THAT WE JUST HEARD ABOUT FROM MATT FORREST.

AND I KNOW OUR CITY MANAGER HAD MENTIONED, AND ACTUALLY OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT HAD MENTIONED THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S GOING TO BE, THEY'RE DIGESTING IT NOW AND THERE'S GOING TO BE POSSIBLY MANY OPTIONS TO DEAL WITH.

AND THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF DIFFERENT FORKS IN THE ROAD THAT WE CAN POTENTIALLY TAKE.

SO WE HAVE A VERY DIVERSE COUNCIL WITH VERY DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS, BUSINESS OWNERS AND BANKERS AND PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT WITH DIFFERENT QUESTIONS.

SO I WOULD LOVE A BUDGET WORKSHOP BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE IT WOULD GIVE US A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR EACH OTHER'S QUESTIONS FROM THOSE DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND ALSO GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO DIGEST IT ALL AND POTENTIALLY ASK MORE QUESTIONS AS THIS WHOLE FLUID TAX ISSUE COMES ABOUT. SO I APPRECIATE THOSE COMMENTS AND CONCUR.

SO THAT I THINK IS A CONSENSUS AND THE, THE CONSERVATION PARK THAT WAS MENTIONED IN THE PUBLIC COMMENT AND

[03:10:03]

I KNOW I ATTENDED ONE OF THE PUBLIC WORKSHOPS.

THERE WERE SOME GREAT QUESTIONS. OUR STAFF DID A GREAT JOB OF LAYING OUT ALL OF THE AMENITIES AND THEN ALSO MADE A COMMENT SAYING THAT THEY WERE DIGESTING ALL OF THE COMMENTS. THEY WERE GOING TO MODIFY THE PLAN IF POSSIBLE AFTER THEY HEARD EVERYBODY'S COMMENTS.

AND THEN WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP FOR THAT IS WHAT I DON'T KNOW.

SO I WAS CURIOUS, IS IT GOING TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL, WHICH IS WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, SO WE CAN HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO HAVE INPUT ON, ON THAT AND, OR IS IT WAS IT NOT PLANNED FOR THAT? AND I JUST DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE PROCESS WAS FOR THAT CONSERVATION.

SO I'D LIKE TO HAVE THAT QUESTION ANSWERED THE HANUKKAH MENORAH.

I, I DO FEEL THAT THAT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD LOOK AT IN THE NEAR FUTURE BEFORE HOLIDAYS.

AND THEN THE THE, I AGREE WITH THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE UP HERE.

OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE IT. I FEEL LIKE YEARLY IS NOT FAIR TO MR. FERRIS, BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS SO MUCH INFORMATION WE LIKE TO SHARE, AND WE ALL HAVE COMMON GOALS AND THAT ARE OUR PASSION AND YOU KNOW, SUCCESS AND SAFETY AND SECURITY OF OUR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND AS A WHOLE, COLLECTIVELY IS WHAT WE WANT. WE ARE VERY DIVERSE IN OUR COUNCIL AND WE LIVE HERE, WE WORK HERE AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE, AND WE ARE THE CONTINUE TO BE THE BEST OF THE BEST.

I PREPARED A LOT OF THE SAME NOTES AS MY COLLEAGUES DID STARTING WITH, YOU KNOW, THINKING ABOUT THE PUBLIC COMMENTS AND MAKING SURE WE MAKE SURE EVERY RESIDENT IS HEARD. AND AS I REFLECT ON THE LAST YEAR WHAT EVERYONE ELSE SHARED WITH.

I AGREE WITH MOSTLY WHAT EVERYBODY SAID, AND I LOOK AT THE GROWTH OF OUR CITY.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE 64,000. WE HAVE ABOUT 1200 PEOPLE A YEAR JOINING OUR CITY.

WE'VE HAD OVER 600 NEW BUSINESSES THAT ARE HERE AND A TON OF PERMITS.

7000 PERMITS AND 1300 COMMERCIAL PERMITS WERE ISSUED.

YOU KNOW, I CAN GO ON AND ON ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE THOUGHTFULLY CARE ABOUT AVENIR AND THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF AVENIR, AND MAKING SURE WE WE TRY AND GET RESIDENTS OFF THE ROAD WITH THE PROJECTS THAT ARE OUT THERE.

SO THE HOMEOWNERS DON'T HAVE TO BE ON NORTH LAKE.

WE ALL DEAL WITH NORTH LAKE ON A REGULAR BASIS.

I SPEAK TO STAFF REGULARLY. THEY ARE FULLY COMMITTED TO OUR CITY AND OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY.

THEY LOVE TO WORK IN OUR CITY AND WANT TO EXCEL AND AND ARE AVAILABLE WHENEVER THEY NEED TO BE FOR NOT ONLY MR. FERRIS, BUT FOR ALL OF US, WHICH YOU KNOW, WE ARE, WE ARE GRATEFUL OF.

AND THAT IS A TRUE TESTAMENT TO HIS LEADERSHIP WITHIN OUR CITY.

I DO SPEAK TO OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS AND LEADERS IN OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, AND THEY RECOGNIZE HOW FORTUNATE PALM BEACH GARDENS IS TO HAVE A STAFF THAT'S DEDICATED AND COMMITTED, TRUSTWORTHY AND GARDENS IS, IS VERY WELL, WELL REGARDED MR. FERRIS IS TRUSTED AND KNOWLEDGEABLE AND HE'S HIS, HIS COMMITTED STAFF IS A TESTAMENT TO HIS LEADERSHIP.

AND IN MANY CASES, A LOT OF THEM ARE AVAILABLE 24 OVER SEVEN.

PARTICULARLY OUR POLICE AND FIRE AND RECREATION.

THERE'S A LOT GOING ON. WE HAVE ASSISTED OTHER MUNICIPALITIES.

AN EXAMPLE OF THAT WAS THE JUPITER FIRE RESCUE THIS PAST WEEK.

THEY JUST SWORE IN 92 FIRE RESCUE EMPLOYEES. AND WE HELPED THEM WITH THEIR TRAINING AND THEIR OPERATIONS AND THEIR TRUCKS.

AND THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE'RE, A GREAT NEIGHBOR TO THE COMMUNITY.

I WAS ALSO APPROACHED RECENTLY AT THE END OF APRIL BY MARK MILLER, WHO IS YOU KNOW, THE, THE NEW CEO OF THE ALAN B MILLER MEDICAL CENTER. AND HE PULLED ME ASIDE AND HE SAID, YOU KNOW, DANA, MAYOR MIDDLETON, I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW HOW WONDERFUL OF A CITY THAT YOU ACTUALLY ARE.

HE SAID, WHEN I FIRST MET STAFF AND WENT OVER PLANNING AND ZONING REQUIREMENTS AND ART IN PUBLIC PLACES, HE SAID, I WAS NOT HAPPY BECAUSE NOBODY TELLS ME WHAT TO DO.

HE DIDN'T WANT TO BE TOLD WHAT TO DO, AND HE SAID AT THE END OF THE DAY, GARDENS WAS INCREDIBLY CORRECT.

I LOVED THIS CITY. I'VE WORKED NATIONALLY WITH OPENING OTHER HOSPITALS, AND PALM BEACH GARDENS IS TRULY AN EXTRAORDINARY PLACE AND A VERY, VERY, VERY SPECIAL PLACE. I KNOW WE HAVE A HEAVY LIFT THIS YEAR AND WE WILL WORK COLLECTIVELY TOGETHER ON THE PROPERTY TAX SITUATION, AND IT'S TOO SOON TO HAVE ANY OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS.

[03:15:05]

AND, YOU KNOW, WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB SHARING INFORMATION.

I FEEL LIKE I HAVE AN INCREDIBLE, GREAT WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH MR. FERRIS. I MEET WITH HIM SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK.

I SPEAK TO HIM MANY TIMES DURING THE DAY AND THE COMMUNICATION IS GREAT.

AND THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT CAN, AND THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT CAN'T BE SHARED WITH THE PUBLIC FOR SAFETY AND SECURITY PURPOSES.

SO I KNOW, AND I WOULD HOPE EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THAT, BUT WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB WITH MAYBE WORKSHOPS AND THINGS COMING DOWN THE PIPELINE.

AND WHAT LET'S SEE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY TAKING ANY ACTION TODAY, BUT IF WE CAN WORK TOGETHER ON SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE DISCUSSED TODAY WITH WORKSHOPS, PUBLIC MEETINGS, THINGS THAT ARE COMING UP WITH THE PROPERTY TAX SITUATION AND SEE WHO WE CAN GET INVOLVED AND MAYBE THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE WITH SOME OF THESE THINGS AS WELL, AND HELP THEM HELP US TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS TO INCLUDE THE RESIDENTS IN CERTAIN THINGS AS WELL. SO THE SUGGESTIONS WE CAN TAKE THESE AND WE CAN START TO IMPLEMENT SOME OF THEM IS MY RECOMMENDATION. AGAIN, I APPRECIATE EVERYONE WHO SPOKE TODAY AND ALL THE POSITIVE WORDS AND THE EFFORT THAT'S COMING OF COMING TO SPEAK TODAY.

I APPRECIATE THE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES. AND, AND YOU KNOW, WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS THE REALITY AND POSITIVE GROWTH AND GENUINELY HAPPY RESIDENTS. I MEAN, EVERYONE IS HAPPY TO LIVE HERE.

THEY'RE COMING HERE AND WE HAVE SOMETHING WE CAN BUILD UPON AND EVERYTHING CAN BE IMPROVED.

NO, WE'RE NOT PERFECT. OF COURSE WE'RE NOT. AND OUR CITY STAFF AND OUR CITY MANAGER, I KNOW THEY DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO BE THERE AND MAKE CORRECTIONS AND DO THE RIGHT THING FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS COMMUNITY. SO I'M NOT GOING TO GO INTO THE WEEDS WITH WHAT WE, WE HAD TALKED ABOUT WITH THE POLICE. YOU KNOW, WE, WE LOVE OUR POLICE.

WE WANT TO WORK TOGETHER. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CONTINUING TO TALK AND COMMUNICATE AND, AND WORK TOGETHER. SO IT'S SO IMPORTANT. WE LOVE YOU GUYS AND WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DO THE RIGHT THING.

SO WITH THAT, I I THINK WE HAVE SOME THINGS THAT WE, YOU KNOW, ON BEHALF OF THE COUNCIL AND THE RESIDENTS OF PALM BEACH GARDENS, I WANT TO THANK RON FOR HIS DEDICATION AND HIS PROFESSIONALISM AND HIS UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE.

AND WE ALL LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING WORKING TOGETHER SO WE CAN BUILD UPON THE SUCCESS OF THIS REMARKABLE COMMUNITY.

SO AND THANK YOU. I KNOW IT'S VERY HARD TO DO THIS JUST IN ONCE A YEAR IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY.

AND WE, WE, YOU KNOW, WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, WE DO THE RIGHT THING.

SO THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE THAT. SO WITH THAT, I WILL CONCLUDE OUR CITY MANAGER EVALUATION AND REVIEW FOR THE YEAR.

SO NOW LET'S MOVE ON. AND IF WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE ON THE AGENDA.

SO I MEAN COUNCIL DISCUSSIONS. THANK YOU. SO IT'S BEEN OVER THREE HOURS.

YOU CAN GO FIRST. I JUST I JUST HAVE A QUESTION AND MAX YOU CAN JUST SHAKE YOUR HEAD YES OR NO.

WITH REGARDS TO THE RESOLUTION WE PASSED LAST MONTH OR TWO MONTHS AGO FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY SYSTEMS MODERNIZATION, THE OAK TREES THAT WERE ELIMINATED OUT IN FRONT OF CITY HALL.

WAS THAT PART OF THAT PLAN? I THINK RON CAN ANSWER THAT.

I MEAN, I IT WAS PART OF THE SECURITY PLAN THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER BY OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND STAFF.

THE CONCERN THERE WAS THAT THERE'S NO ILLUMINATION OF THE PARKING LOT BECAUSE OF THE TREES AT NIGHT. AT NIGHT, YOU CAN'T SEE ANYTHING.

ALSO, THE TREES WERE BLOCKING THE CAMERAS FOR SECURITY PURPOSES.

SO THIS IS PART OF AN OVERALL PROJECT. IN ALL OF OUR PARKS, PLAYGROUNDS, OUR BUILDINGS, PARKING LOTS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE SECURITY NECESSARY IN THESE PARKING LOTS, WHICH HAS BEEN A CONCERN FOR A LONG TIME.

ALSO A CONCERN FOR THE LONG TIME, THE ROUTES WERE TEARING UP THE ASPHALT, AS IT DOES IN A LOT OF OTHER AREAS.

THE ROUTES WERE ENTANGLING IRRIGATION, NOT JUST THE SMALL LINES, BUT THE MAIN LINES.

SO THERE WAS A MAINTENANCE ISSUE IN ADDITION TO THAT.

IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO SURVEY THE PARKING LOT AT NIGHT IN PARTICULAR WITH THE CAMERAS IS NECESSARY TO REMOVE SOME TREES. NOT ALL OF THEM WILL BE REMOVED, BUT THEY'LL BE A LOT LEFT OVER IN THE THE GREEN MARKET AREA.

[03:20:09]

IT'LL STILL BE GREEN, BUT OUT HERE, SOME OF THE TREES, A MAJORITY OF THE TREES WILL HAVE TO BE REMOVED AND REPLACED BECAUSE OF SECURITY.

NOW WE'RE DOING SECURITY ALSO IN ALL OF OUR BUILDINGS.

WE'RE CHANGING THE LOCKS. WE'RE PUTTING IN THE MIRRORS IN THE CORNERS.

WE'RE ADDRESSING AN ALARM SYSTEM THAT CAN BE PUNCHED AND GOES TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SO THAT IF WE HAVE A SECURITY ISSUE, A THREAT, WE CAN GET RESPONSE.

SO THIS WAS PART OF THAT $6.9 MILLION BUDGET AMENDMENT THAT YOU ALL SAW AND THE PRESENTATION YOU ALL GOT.

THIS IS ALL PART OF THAT. AND IT'S ALL ABOUT SECURITY.

OUR RESIDENTS HAVE GOT TO BE AS SAFE AS WE CAN MAKE THEM IN OUR OUTDOOR AND INDOOR FACILITIES, AND OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE TO BE AS SAFE AS WE CAN MAKE THEM, AS WELL AS A LOT OF PEOPLE LEAVING HERE AT NIGHT.

AND A LOT OF EMPLOYEES HAVE EXPRESSED TO ME THAT THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT HOW SAFE IT IS.

SO THIS IS ALL PART OF A PLAN THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER SECURITY DONE BY POLICE DEPARTMENT.

AND THERE'S A LOT MORE TO IT THAN THAT. THE 6.9.

NO, NO, NO, I TRUST ME, YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY ANY MORE. I JUST I WE WE APPROVED IT FIVE ZERO.

AND I KNOW IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A 10 MILLION. IT'S A TEN YEAR PROJECT.

12 MILLION. I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF THAT'S GOING TO BE DONE WITH THIS MODERNIZATION.

WE WANT TO PROTECT THE BUILDINGS, OBVIOUSLY THE EMPLOYEES, RESIDENTS.

SO I GET IT. IT'S JUST THE TREES COMING DOWN.

I KNOW THE CITY FORESTER HERE. I DON'T KNOW IF HE GOT.

BUT HE'S NOT. HE WENT INTO SHOCK OR SOMETHING WHEN THAT HE WAS CONSULTED.

AND I KNOW MORE THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AS WE HARDEN THESE BUILDINGS TO PROTECT EVERYBODY.

SO TOTALLY ON BOARD. BUT JUST WANTED PEOPLE TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. AND THEN ALSO FOR OUR STAFF, YOU KNOW, I DROVE AROUND THE CITY THINKING, THIS IS WHY WE CUT THE TREES DOWN, BECAUSE WE LINE OF SIGHT DIVISION TO THE BUILDINGS, CAMERAS AND ALL THAT STUFF. SO AS WE DRIVE AROUND THE CITY, SOME OF OUR BUSINESSES ARE GOING TO HAVE MAYBE THAT SAME ISSUE.

SO I THINK AS REQUESTS MAY COME TO US, THAT FOR THEM TO CHANGE LANDSCAPING AND DO OTHER DIFFERENT PLANS FOR THEIR BUILDING FOR PROTECTION, LET'S JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND THAT WE NEED TO HELP THEM AS WELL, BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME OLDER BUILDINGS AROUND ON MILITARY TRAIL PGA.

YOU CAN'T EVEN SEE THE FRONT DOORS. I KNOW THE BANK I USED TO WORK AT DOWN BY THE MALL.

IT'S HARD TO KIND OF SEE WHAT'S GOING INTO THAT BUILDING.

SO JUST BE COGNIZANT THAT THERE MIGHT BE CHANGES REQUESTED FROM BUSINESS OWNERS AND LET'S PROTECT THEM TOO, BECAUSE WE'RE DOING WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, AND I THINK WE NEED TO HELP THEM AS WELL.

THAT'S ALL. THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING. I HEAR YOU AND WE HAVE DONE THAT IN A COUPLE INSTANCES, AND WE'RE READY TO DO THE SAME THING. YEAH, I APPRECIATE THAT.

SECURITY AND SAFETY 100% BECAUSE IT'S A DIFFERENT WORLD WE LIVE IN TODAY.

IT IS CHANGING EVERY DAY. SO LET'S BE ON THE SAFE SIDE AND MAKE SURE WE CAN LINE OF SIGHT, PROTECT EVERYBODY THAT'S OUT THERE IN AND OUT OF BUILDINGS. SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL. COUNCIL MEMBER. LITT. I'M GLAD YOU FOLLOWED UP ON ON THAT THAT ISSUE.

SO LAST MONTH I WAS INDUCTED IN THE PALM BEACH COUNTY LEAGUE OF CITIES ON THEIR BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

AND ONE REASON WHY THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT IS THEY WILL BE ONE OF THE ORGANIZATIONS TAKING THE LEAD ON THIS PROPERTY TAX SITUATION.

ON EDUCATING THE PUBLIC. A LETTER WENT OUT FROM THE PALM BEACH COUNTY LEAGUE TO THE LEGISLATORS BEFORE THE VOTE, STRESSING THE IMPORTANCE OF PRESERVING THE RESOURCES THAT CITIES NEED TO PROVIDE ESSENTIAL SERVICES AND MAINTAINING LOCAL DECISION MAKING AUTHORITY. THE LEAGUE IS THE BIGGEST PROPONENT WE HAVE FOR LOCAL DECISION MAKING AUTHORITY AND HOME RULE, WHICH KEEPS WHAT WE DO HERE IN GARDENS FOR OUR RESIDENTS, IN THE RESIDENTS IN THE FOREFRONT.

SO IT'S IMPORTANT AND I WILL BE GIVING LEAGUE UPDATES AS WE MOVE FORWARD THROUGH THE PROCESS TIED INTO THAT SOMETHING ELSE REAL QUICK. THE HOMELESS COALITION OF PALM BEACH COUNTY HAS THEIR MAYOR'S BALL.

ON AUGUST 29TH. THE MAYOR'S BALL CELEBRATES ALL OF THE COUNTY MAYORS.

IT'S USUALLY CHAIRED BY THE MAYOR, VICE MAYOR OF THE COUNTY, BUT IT IS FOR ALL THE MAYORS, AND IT PROVIDES THE FUNDING FOR ALL OF THE HOMELESS SERVICES AND PARTNERSHIPS FOR THE COUNTY.

LAST YEAR, WE WERE ASKED FOR THE FIRST TIME FOR THE CITIES TO HAVE A BASKET CHALLENGE AND PROVIDE A GIFT BASKET TO BE RAFFLED OFF.

PATTI MADE A BEAUTIFUL ONE AND SO I'M MAKING THE ASK OF CITY MANAGER AGAIN TODAY.

[03:25:01]

SHOWCASE YOUR CITY THROUGH A CREATIVE SILENT AUCTION BASKET FOR THE MAYOR'S BALL.

SO. AND WHERE'S THE BALL THIS YEAR? IS IT A PGA? THE BALL IS AT PGA NATIONAL SO IT'S GOOD FOR US RIGHT HERE.

AND TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE. SO CAN WE MAKE THAT HAPPEN A BASKET.

SO WOULD THAT BE OKAY. YES. IF THAT'S COUNCIL'S WISH WE CAN CERTAINLY HAVE OUR MAGICIAN OVER HERE.

THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER BATCH. AND I HAVE AN AMAZING TEAM.

LITTLE FIXER UPPERS OF BASKETS. IT'S JUST AMAZING.

THAT'S GREAT. SO THE THEME OF THE BASKET IS YOUR CHOICE.

IT COULD BE CITY RELATED OR YOU CAN PICK YOUR OWN.

I LOVE THAT AND RACHELLE, OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE GOING.

I'VE ALREADY SECURED MY TICKET. AND IF ANYBODY ELSE WANTS TO SECURE THEIR TICKETS, YOU KNOW.

SO MAKE SURE WE CAN ALL BE THERE, YOU KNOW, IF WE WANT TO.

SO THAT'S GREAT. COUNCIL MEMBER. TINSLEY. YOU HAVE ANYTHING? YEAH, SURE. SO I GUESS I'LL START WITH WHAT YOU LEFT OFF WITH, WHICH WAS THE SECURITY PLAN.

I AGREE 100% WITH THE SECURITY PLAN. WE ALL THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA.

AND TO MR. FERRIS POINT, IT IS DARK. OR TO THE EMPLOYEE'S POINT, IT IS DARK WHEN YOU WALK OUT.

I KNOW EVEN AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER IT IS DARK SOMETIMES BECAUSE OF THE VEGETATION BLOCKING THE LIGHTING.

SO I UNDERSTAND WHY THERE WAS SOME MODIFICATIONS AND WE DO AGREE WITH THAT.

I THINK IT WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A SURPRISE TO SEE ALL THE VEGETATION REMOVED, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T, I GUESS, NECESSARILY REALIZE THAT THAT WAS PART OF THE SECURITY PLAN.

AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND IT. SO THAT'S NOT A BIG DEAL.

BUT GOING FORWARD, IS THERE A PLAN THAT MAYBE CAN BE SHARED IF THERE'S OTHER IN OTHER PROPERTIES, IF THERE'S IF THERE'S OTHER VEGETATION? WE PRESENTED THAT PLAN AT THE MEETINGS.

WE HAD TO EXPLAIN THAT AS FAR AS THIS IS CONCERNED.

YES. YEAH. NO, I'M SAYING GOING FORWARD WITH YOU HAD MENTIONED OTHER PROPERTIES.

IS THERE IF THERE'S ANY KIND OF AN IMPACT. BUT THIS IS THE ONLY IMPACT.

OKAY. GOT IT, GOT IT. THIS WILL BE THE BIG ONE.

AND THAT'S IT. YEAH. ON THE PLAN I SAW THE SECURITY AND I DIDN'T.

AND WE ALSO RECEIVED AN EMAIL SAYING THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE VEGETATION REMOVED PRIOR TO YOU DOING THAT.

I THINK IT WAS LIKE RIGHT BEFORE THAT. AND AGAIN THAT MAKES TOTAL SENSE.

THE I HAD ASKED A QUESTION IN REGARDS TO THE CONSERVATION AREA PARK.

IS THAT PLAN GOING TO BE COMING BACK TO COUNCIL WHEN IT'S FINALIZED? I'LL GET WITH STAFF AND GET YOU THAT INFORMATION.

OKAY, PERFECT. AND THEN I KNOW THE MAYOR AND I WERE BOTH INVITED TO A MEETING IN REGARDS TO THE DONALD ROSS BRIDGE AND THE PGA BRIDGE.

AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT NOW STAFF IS GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THAT MEETING.

YEAH. AND THAT'S GOING TO MOVE AGAIN. SO IT'S KIND OF A LITTLE BIT OF A MOVING TARGET. SO WE'VE TAKEN.

YEAH, YEAH, WE'RE DEFINITELY INVOLVED. YEAH. I'M GLAD THAT YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I KNOW THE PGA BRIDGE BACKS UP ALL THE WAY TO LOST TREE GOING EAST AND ALL THE WAY TO THE MALL GOING WEST, AND THEN ALSO THE DONALD ROSS BRIDGE BECAUSE IT'S HIGHER DOESN'T BACK UP TO THAT EXTENT, BUT IT DOES BACK UP A LOT TO FRENCHMAN'S CREEK AND ALL THE WAY TO US ONE SO WE UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN AND I'M GLAD YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING INTO IT.

VICE MAYOR, THE THE THE FIRE STATION OPENING YESTERDAY BECAUSE I SAT FOR A HALF AN HOUR ON THE INDIAN TOWN BRIDGE WHEN THEY COULDN'T GET IT TO WORK.

YEAH. OH YEAH. THAT'S RIGHT. SO VICE MAYOR YEAH, I I THINK COMING UP IN THE NEAR FUTURE, WE NEED TO KIND OF START, I GUESS, LOOKING AT WAYS TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON THIS, YOU KNOW, TAX BALLOT THAT'S GOING TO COME UP.

I WAS WATCHING SOME OF THE NUMBERS COMING OUT OF THE TAX COLLECTOR'S OFFICE.

IT'S DEFINITELY GOING TO AFFECT THE CITY. I DON'T KNOW IF MAYBE ONE OF THE THINGS WE CAN DO IS KIND OF SHOW WHAT OUR SERVICES WILL BE CUT OR WHAT THE BUDGET WILL LOOK LIKE IN 2028, WHEN THE $250,000 HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE WHAT SERVICES MIGHT HAVE TO BE CUT AS OPPOSED TO WHAT THEY ARE NOW, SO THE RESIDENTS CAN ACTUALLY SEE WHAT THEY'RE VOTING FOR BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, OUR CITY IS GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE SOME CUTS.

BUT I LOOKED AT SOME OF THE OTHER BUDGETS OF OTHER CITIES IN THE COUNTY, AND IT'S IT'S SCARY FOR THEM.

I MEAN, IT'S THIS LOOKS LIKE A WAY THAT CITIES ARE JUST GOING TO DISSOLVE AND DIVERT TO THE COUNTY OR CITY.

SO IT'S, THEY DEFINITELY NEED TO BE EDUCATED ON WHAT THEY'RE VOTING ON.

I DON'T KNOW WHY THIS THIS WAS THE WAY OF MAKING THINGS AFFORDABLE FOR RESIDENTS WHEN INSURANCE IS OFF THE CHAIN.

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, FOR THIS, YOU PAY YOUR TAXES AND WE HAVE A PRETTY LOW MILLAGE RATE.

[03:30:04]

SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF A I THINK EVERYBODY NEEDS TO BE EDUCATED ON THAT.

I THINK THE CITY NEEDS TO DO PUT SOME EFFORT INTO EDUCATING THEM SO WE CAN KEEP OUR SERVICES THE BEST WE CAN.

THAT'S ALL I GOT. ABSOLUTELY. SO. OKAY, GREAT.

WELL THANK YOU. MAX, DO YOU HAVE A CITY ATTORNEY REPORT TODAY?

[XI. CITY ATTORNEY REPORT]

BY THE TIME THAT CHELSEA WAS LEAVING OFFICE, I WAS WORKING THROUGH THE ISSUES WITH THE LIBERTY COUNCIL AND I BELIEVE I SHARED WITH YOU GUYS. PROBABLY NOT THE LAST MEETING, THE MEETING BEFORE LAST THAT I'D HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH THE ATTORNEY FROM LIBERTY COUNCIL.

AND I HAVE FIGURED OUT A WAY TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE MENORAH AND THE CRECHE GO BACK ON THE PIANO AND IN A DEFENSIBLE MANNER WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH THEIR ATTORNEY AND CAME UP WITH SOME I THINK SOME VERY GOOD IDEAS. AND I'M JUST WHAT I'M TRYING TO WORK THROUGH WITH HIM IS THEY AGREED TO DEFEND US.

WHICH I WOULDN'T PASS THAT UP AS THE CITY. IT'S FREE.

IT'S CHEAPER THAN HAVING ME DO IT BECAUSE IT'S FREE.

SO. AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE VERY COMPETENT. LIBERTY COUNSEL'S ATTORNEYS ARE VERY COMPETENT AND VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS TYPE OF LITIGATION, SINCE THEY'RE WILLING TO SIGN AN AGREEMENT TO DEFEND THE CITY FOR FREE. IF WE WERE TO GET SUED BY IT OVER IT, THEN I THINK THAT BRING THAT BACK TO YOU FOR YOUR APPROVAL.

I'M TRYING TO GET THAT WORKED OUT WITH THEM TO HOPEFULLY BRING IT IN JULY SO WE CAN GET THAT AGREEMENT DONE. AND THEN THAT WILL JUST HAVE A, YOU KNOW, THEN YOU'LL HAVE A, BASICALLY A FEE AGREEMENT WITH THEM THAT IF WE GET SUED OVER THE PLACEMENT OF THE, OR THE DISPLAY OF THE MENORAH OR THE CRECHE AS LONG AS WE STAY WITHIN THE DISPLAY GUIDELINES THAT HE AND I HAVE ALREADY WORKED OUT, WHICH ARE BASICALLY NO DIFFERENT THAN WHAT, HOW WE, THAN WHAT WE'VE DISPLAYED, WHAT WE HAVE DISPLAYED.

NOW IT WILL JUST BE ADDING THEM BACK ONTO THE PIANO.

AND THEY WOULD HAVE AN AGREEMENT TO DO IT. AND I'LL REMIND YOU AGAIN, EVEN WHEN WE SIGN THE AGREEMENT IT'S JUST THE ONLY THING IS THEY WOULD DEFEND FOR FREE, BUT IF FOR SOME REASON THEY LOST AND THERE WAS A JUDGMENT THAT WOULD BE ON THE CITY.

BUT I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT BASED UPON WHAT HE AND I DISCUSSED AND AND THEIR DEFENSE AGREEMENT AND THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH IT, I THINK WILL BE FINE. GREAT. THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE? NO. OKAY. IF THERE'S NO OTHER BUSINESS, MEETING IS ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.