Jun 24, 2021 City Council Workshop

AND WE'RE GOING TO I'M GOING TO CALL THIS WORKSHOP TO ORDER OF THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

[CALL TO ORDER:]

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AND, YOU KNOW, AS FLORIDIANS.

AS AS WE COME TOGETHER AND WE'RE HAVING A MEETING AND WE'RE GATHERING, I WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE HOW WE NEED TO STICK TOGETHER WHEN OTHER FLORIDIANS ARE HURTING. SO WE HAVE OUR FELLOW FLORIDIANS DOWN IN MIAMI THAT HAVE REACHED DEVASTATION UP TO THE SOUTH THAN WE HAVE UP NORTH OF DAYTONA BEACH.

WE HAD A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL THAT WAS SHOT IN THE HEAD.

AND SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE NEED, A RALLYING CRY.

AND I KNOW IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA, BUT IT'S IN MY HEART COUNCIL.

SO I'D LIKE TO GO AFTER THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

I'D LIKE TO JUST PROVIDE A MOMENT OF PRAYER, AN IMPROMPTU MOMENT OF PRAYER.

SO PLEASE RISE.

I HAVE SEEN A LOT OF.

SO AT THIS TIME, AS WE STAND, AS WE STAND, WE'RE GOING TO BOLDLY COME TOGETHER TO THE THRONE ROOM OF GRACE FOR THE CREATOR OF OUR HEAVENS AND EARTH, WE GIVE YOU THANKS SOME PRAISE. WE GLORIFY YOUR NAME, FATHER GOD.

WE THANK YOU FOR THE PEACE THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US, UNDERSTANDING FATHER GOD, THAT YOU PROVIDED THAT ALL ENCOMPASSING PEACE.

ALTHOUGH RIGHT NOW WE SEND FOR ANGELS TO EACH AND EVERY FAMILY MEMBER DURING THIS DEVASTATION DOWN IN SOUTH FLORIDA.

FATHER GOD, I THANK YOU FOR A QUICK THING.

THE FAMILIES AND EQUIPPING OUR FIRST RESPONDERS IN THE SEARCH FOR OTHERS.

FATHER GOD. AND AS WE'RE ASKING AND LIFTING UP FATHER GOD, THE FAMILIES OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS IN DAYTONA BEACH, ALL THE GOD SOMEONE'S BEEN STRUCK, FATHER, BIND ALL EVIL THAT COMES AGAINST US, I DECLARE.

SO IN JESUS NAME AND THE PEOPLE THAT GOD SAID HE MEANT.

THANK YOU. CALL MISS JONES, MEDINA PRESIDENT, DEPUTY MAYOR JOHNSON HERE, COUNCILMAN BAILEY COUNCILMAN FOSTER COUNCILMAN FELIX HERE.

SHERMAN HERE. SMITH IF SO, THE FIRST ITEM EXCUSE ME, THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS A

[1. Staff update regarding the City's operational audit performed by the Joint Legislative Audit Committee (JLAC).]

THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO THE FIRST ITEM IS AN UPDATE FOR COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC ON THE STATUS OF OUR OPERATIONAL AUDIT.

YOU WILL RECALL THAT THE LAST TIME THAT WE DID AN UPDATE FOR YOU ALL WAS OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR. SO WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IN THIS IS KIND OF GO THROUGH SOME SOME QUICK INTRODUCTORY COMMENTS AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO RUN THROUGH EACH OF THE THIRTY AUDIT COMMENTS.

BUT FOR A NUMBER OF THE ITEMS THAT WERE ALREADY COMPLETED WHEN WE REPORTED BACK IN OCTOBER, I'M JUST GOING TO DO A VERY QUICK HIGH LEVEL COMMENT AND THEN MOVE FORWARD JUST TO KIND OF YOU CONSIDER EVERYONE'S TIME FOR PURPOSES OF WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY AND WHERE WE HOW WE GOT HERE. I GUESS THE TIMELINE IS ON THE SCREEN JUST FOR THE PURPOSE OF THOSE IN THE PUBLIC WHO MAY OR MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH THIS.

THE STATE AUDITOR GENERAL DID CONDUCT AN OPERATIONAL AUDIT FOR AN 18 MONTH PERIOD OR THE CITY OCTOBER TWENTY SIXTEEN THROUGH FEBRUARY TWENTY EIGHTEEN.

AS A RESULT OF THAT, IN TWENTY NINETEEN, THE AUDITOR GENERAL GAVE THE CITY THIRTY ONE AUDIT FINDINGS THAT WE WERE TASKED WITH WORKING THROUGH AND FINDING SOLUTIONS.

THE RESULT OF THAT WAS THAT WE HAD A PERIOD OF TIME TO WORK ON FIXING THEM AND THAT THE AUDITOR GENERAL WOULD THEN COME BACK AND CHECK ON STATUS.

AND SO IN ADDITION TO THE REPORT THAT I GAVE TO COUNCIL BACK IN OCTOBER OF 20/20, I'VE MOST RECENTLY TALKED TO THE AUDITORS BECAUSE THEY HAD IT WAS TIME FOR THEM TO REQUEST THEIR UPDATES. AND I BELIEVE I SENT THAT TO COUNSEL YESTERDAY, JUST THE COPY OF THE LETTER AND THE INFORMATION I PROVIDED TO THEM, WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY WHAT WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH TONIGHT. SO WE ARE IN ACTIVE CONVERSATION WITH THE OTTER TEAM.

THEY'VE ALREADY TOLD US, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE PREPARING TO COME.

SO WE'RE, YOU KNOW, SETTING UP ALL THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO BE READY FOR THAT.

I DON'T HAVE A TIME YET WHEN THEY WILL BE ON SITE.

BUT OBVIOUSLY ALL THE COUNCIL KNOW WHEN WE KNOW THEY'LL BE HERE.

AND I DON'T YET KNOW HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE, BUT WE'RE READY FOR THE PROCESS WHEN THE TIME COMES. SO. ALL RIGHT, SO TO MOVE QUICKLY INTO THIS, THE 31 ONE AUDIT FINDINGS WERE IDENTIFIED INTO CATEGORIES, AS YOU CAN SEE ON YOUR SCREEN.

SO THAT'S HOW THEY'RE BROKEN UP IN THIS PRESENTATION.

THE WIDE RANGE OF TOPICS.

YOU ALSO SEE THAT ON EACH SLIDE THERE IS A REFERENCE TO AN ITEM BEING COMPLETE OR IN PROCESS OF THE THIRTY ONE, THERE ARE THREE FINDINGS THAT ARE STILL IN PROCESS ITEMS ONE

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AND I'LL EXPLAIN WHAT WHAT THAT MEANS WHEN I GET TO EACH OF THOSE.

ALL RIGHT. SO FIRST, THIS CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION FINDING NO ONE IS ONE OF THE THREE AND PROCESS ITEMS. THIS IS THE ITEM THAT RELATED TO THE ST.

JOHN'S HERITAGE PARKWAY PROJECT AND THE BULK OF THE CONCERN WHEN YOU BOIL IT ALL DOWN, THE AUDITORS RECOMMENDED AND SAID THAT FUTURE PROJECTS SUCH AS THE TRANSPORTATION PROJECT FOR THE PARKWAY, THAT THOSE PROJECTS SHOULD INCLUDE APPROPRIATE CONTRIBUTIONS BY DEVELOPERS AND THE CITY COUNCIL SHOULD RECEIVE COMPLETE AND ACCURATE INFORMATION FROM STAFF. THAT WAS BASICALLY THE RECOMMENDATION.

SO IT'S IN PROCESS FOR ONE REASON AND THAT ONE REASON IS THAT THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE PRIOR CITY MANAGER WAS TO DO A FORENSIC AUDIT ON THE PROJECT.

SO, AS YOU ALL KNOW, LAST YEAR COUNCIL APPROPRIATED FUNDS FOR THAT AND STAFF HAS A DRAFT SCOPE FOR THIS REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS READY TO GO AND TO ISSUE THAT THIS SUMMER.

BUT TO THE CORE CONCERN HERE, THE REALLY THE FOCUS ON THIS IS THAT FOR ANY FUTURE DEVELOPMENT TYPE PROJECTS WHERE THERE ARE MAJOR TRANSPORTATION ROADWAYS INCLUDED, THE CORE OF THIS IS THAT STAFF AND COUNCIL TOGETHER HAVE TO FOLLOW THE ORDINANCES SO THAT IF THERE ARE ANY. ANY PROJECTS THAT WILL HAVE A PUBLIC BENEFITS, THE CALCULATION OF THAT BENEFIT AND WHAT THE CITY WOULD CONTRIBUTE OR WHAT A DEVELOPER WOULD CONTRIBUTE HAS TO BE CALCULATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH ORDINANCES.

AND I SAY THAT TO SHARE THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF IF A DEVELOPER IS PUTTING IN A PROJECT, THEY'RE GOING TO PAY TRANSPORTATION IMPACT FEES.

IF THEY'RE ALSO BUILDING A ROAD THAT SERVES A PURPOSE MORE THAN JUST FOR THEIR DEVELOPMENT, THERE IS A PROPORTIONATE, FAIR SHARE THAT IS CALCULATED.

THERE IS A WAY TO LOOK AT IT, TO SAY, OK, PART OF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE DEVELOPER DOESN'T NEED, LIKE THEY'RE BUILDING FOUR LANES INSTEAD OF TWO LANES, FOR EXAMPLE, AND IT'S GOING TO CONNECT PARTS OF THE CITY SO IT ADDS MORE VALUE TO THE CITY AS A WHOLE.

THERE ARE WAYS TO CALCULATE THAT.

BUT STAFF'S COMMITMENT IS TO FOLLOW THE ORDINANCES WE ACTUALLY OUR TEAM RIGHT NOW, THE WAY WE'VE CONSTRUCTED IT IS WE HAVE A CORE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW TEAM FOR ANYTHING THAT WILL BE BIG LIKE THIS AND AGREEMENTS THAT MIGHT COME FORTH.

IT INCLUDES THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.

WE WON'T HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS OR MEETINGS WITHOUT THEM.

I INCLUDE SEVERAL DEPARTMENT HEADS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL WORKING TOGETHER, AS WELL AS REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, WHETHER IT'S JOAN OR MYSELF.

AND THE POINT OF ALL THAT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT MANY VOICES AND MANY PARTICIPANTS AT THE TABLE AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN THESE ITEMS COME TO COUNCILMAN THE FUTURE, THAT ALL THE INFORMATION IS THERE AND THAT IT'S BEEN PROPERLY CALCULATED AND CHECKED INTO. AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT COUNSEL CAN HAVE CONFIDENCE IN WHEN THEY SEE IT IN THE FUTURE. SO THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE CAN SEE IN THE RECORD OF THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT IS THAT STAFF WAS WORKING ON DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS RELATED TO THE PARKWAY AND THE DEVELOP THOSE DRAFTS TO INDICATE THAT FOR THE PARKWAY, THE DEVELOPERS HAD COMMITTED IN AGREEMENT DRAFTS TO PAY FOR THE PARKWAY, TO BUILD IT THEMSELVES AND TO GET CREDIT FOR THAT IMPACT FEE CREDIT.

AND THEN SOMETIME IN 20, 2015, IS WHEN THAT CHANGED.

BICKERSTAFF TOOK A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL WANT ME TO PAUSE AT EACH ITEM, BUT I WAS JUST GOING TO GIVE A MOMENT TO THIS ONE THAT'S STILL IN PROCESS.

THE QUESTION IS THUS FAR, COUNCILMAN.

I'LL GO WITH YOU FLOWN.

ALL RIGHT. WELL, I DID HAVE A QUESTION, AND ACTUALLY I MEANT THAT MENTIONED THE BEGINNING WAS THE DEFINITELY LEAST WE CAN STOP BY SECTION BY SECTION BECAUSE IT BECOMES VERY TEDIOUS TRYING TO KEEP UP OVER THE WHOLE SET OF THINGS.

BUT. WHAT IS IT EXACTLY THAT WE ARE THAT KNOW, WHETHER IT'S A STATE I MEAN, YOUR CONVERSATIONS WITH THE STATE AND I KNOW IT'S KIND OF A QUESTION THAT'S FLOWED AROUND NO CITY HALL IN GENERAL.

WHAT EXACTLY IS IT THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR THAT WE THINK IT'S GOING TO BE FOUND THAT COULD BE FOUND? WELL, FROM MY STANDPOINT, A FORENSIC AUDIT HAPPENING ON THE CITY INTERNAL TO THE CITY. I'M NOT SURE WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO FIND BECAUSE WE PROVIDED ALL THE RECORDS THAT WE HAD TO THE STATE AUDITORS WHEN THEY WERE HERE.

SO. WHAT WHAT THE WHAT A FORENSIC AUDITOR COULD DO BEYOND WHAT THE GAO LIKE AUDITORS HAVE ALREADY DONE, I'M I'M NOT SURE.

I REALLY DON'T KNOW.

AND PART OF THIS IS, YOU KNOW, AS I MENTIONED FOR CITY MANAGER WHO RECOMMENDED THIS AS A SOLUTION TO TO THE GAO LIKE TEAM, THEY DID NOT TELL US TO DO THIS.

THIS WAS NOT THEIR RECOMMENDED RECOMMENDATION TO SOLVE IT.

THEY WERE SIMPLY TELLING US THEY WERE CONCERNED THAT THEY FOUND A SITUATION WHERE THERE PROBABLY NOT PROBABLY THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE DEVELOPERS IN AN AGREEMENT. IT NEVER WAS DRAFTED BUT NEVER CAME TO FRUITION.

AND THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN. BETTER INFORMATION GIVEN TO COUNSEL TO MAKE A CLEAR DECISION LIKE THAT, WHAT I'M SAYING TO YOU, I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT WAS EVER SAID TO COUNCIL

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BUT ALL THAT'S ALREADY BEEN LOOKED AT AND REVIEWED.

I THINK YEAH, I MEAN, I JUST DEFINITELY FEEL LIKE KIND OF A DEAD HORSE AT THIS POINT.

I MEAN, WE'VE THERE'S NO NO ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS I THINK ARE GOING TO POP UP.

WE'VE HAD NUMEROUS CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS.

WITH THAT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MR. BAD AND SPEAK ABOUT IT SEVERAL TIMES.

I THINK WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENED, AT LEAST AS FAR AS PUBLIC RECORD, AS FAR AS WHAT WAS NOW IN PUBLIC. IT'S JUST NOW THE OTHER THINGS THAT I'D BE CURIOUS ABOUT, I JUST DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO GET THE ANSWERS TO THOSE.

I MEAN, I'M JUST GOING TO BE UNSATISFIED.

NO ADVENTURE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON'T GO DOWN THAT PATH.

THERE JOHNSON, I KNOW, BECAUSE ALL THE DOCUMENTS HAVE BEEN REVIEWED BY THE STATE AND CITY AND FDLE AND OTHER STAFF.

THERE'S BEEN THERE IS NOT LIKE THERE'S BEEN LIKE ONE SET OF EYES ON IT, IT'S BEEN A WHOLE STATE, ALMOST SEEMS LIKE IT.

OH, IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU VOTED ON THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL AND I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE EXECUTED. AND LET ME BE CLEAR, MAYOR, I WAS VERY CLEAR.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE MINUTES I VOTED, THAT WE JUST SET MONEY ASIDE.

WE'RE STILL GOING TO LOOK AND SEE WHAT THE DETAILS ARE.

BUT THE QUESTION IS, WHAT'S THE PUBLIC PURPOSE THAT WE'RE SEEKING? AND IF THE STATE'S NOT THE ONE THAT TOLD US TO DO IT AND OBVIOUSLY, LIKE, HAD ACCESS TO IT, THEN I THINK WE SHOULD.

I THINK IT'S RIGHT. THAT WAS.

JOHNSON, I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN BAILEY ON THIS, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING OUR CONVERSATION ON TUESDAY. ON.

YEAH, BECAUSE I SPOKE TO MS. SUZANNE, I REMEMBER WHEN IT HAPPENED IN COUNCILMAN BAILEY, CORRECT.

THIS WAS KIND OF LIKE A QUICK LIKE A INITIAL OR SOMETHING.

JUST LET'S DO SOMETHING IN FORENSIC ORDER WAS THE FIRST THING THAT THE PREVIOUS CITY MANAGER THOUGHT OF. AND IN LOOKING AT EVERYTHING FDLE DID, THEIR INVESTIGATION LIKE DID AN MR. BET WILL AGREE WITH ME.

THE SWITCH WAS A LOT OF THESE CONVERSATIONS WEREN'T ON.

THEY WEREN'T DOCUMENTED. IT WAS IN PERSON.

AND THERE'S NO WAY YOU CAN YOU CAN'T TRACK THAT.

AND WE KNOW A LOT OF THE NAMES, A LOT OF THE INDIVIDUALS THERE.

THERE ARE A LOT OF THE AFFIDAVITS, BUT THEY'RE NOT BEING TOUCHED BY THE FEDS.

THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE TOUCHED. BUT, YOU KNOW, EVEN YOU CAN'T EVEN SUBPOENA THEM.

SO THAT IN ITSELF IS AN ISSUE.

BUT IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF THESE WERE HANDSHAKE DEALS AND THIS AUDIT'S NOT GOING TO FIND THAT. I JUST DON'T SEE, YOU KNOW, TO THAT TO THAT VERY SAME POINT OR DEPUTY.

LISTEN, THIS THIS AUDIT, THIS GAO LIKE AUDIT IT IT OCCURRED.

AND WE THOUGHT WE WERE DOING THE RIGHT THING AND, YOU KNOW, TO THAT SAME ARGUMENT, IF YOU GO DOWN, ONE OF THE ISSUES ARE WE THOUGHT WE WERE DOING THE RIGHT THING.

WHEN WE INCLUDE THE MILEAGE IN THE SALARIES, WE YOU KNOW, AND I DON'T WANT TO MIX EVERYTHING UP, BUT IF YOU LOOK DOWN RANGE TO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS, THAT IN IT OF ITSELF WAS.

NO ONE KNEW THAT IT WAS IT WAS WRONG OR, YOU KNOW, WE JUST WE WERE DOING THE WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS PERCEIVED THE RIGHT THING, RIGHT.

SO IN THAT SAME EFFORT, THE WAY WE DISCOVERED IT WAS BECAUSE OF THIS AUDIT.

AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO SAY TWO DAYS AGO, IS WE SHOULD BE SETTING MONEY ASIDE SO THAT WE COULD RUN THROUGH THESE DRILLS SO THAT WE COULD PREPARE OURSELVES AND EQUIP THE HOUSE, CLEAN THE HOUSE THAT WE WE ARE OVERSEEING FOR THE PEOPLE TO BE BETTER SUITED, BETTER PREPARED TO TO PRACTICE THOSE CHECKS AND BALANCES.

BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'VE GONE OVER AND YOU'RE RIGHT, THE MAJORITY ARE COMPLETE THAT YOU MAY HAVE JOHNSON THEY ARE COMPLETE.

AND I UNDERSTAND YOUR EXCUSE ME, YOUR ARGUMENT AS WELL.

WELL, WHERE I SIT, WHERE I STAND IS WHAT'S IT GOING TO HURT TO DIG DEEPER AND WHAT CAN WE UNCOVER TO DO AND PRACTICE AND AND PROVIDE BETTER PRACTICES, BEST PRACTICES.

SO THOSE ARE I I FEEL THAT THIS JUST SUBSTANTIATES EXACTLY WHAT I WAS SAYING A FEW DAYS AGO, BUT. ANYONE ELSE WISH TO WEIGH IN ON THIS NEW ITEM NUMBER ONE? YEAH. YES, YES, ME, I WOULD LIKE TO WEIGH IN A LITTLE BRIONY'S.

THERE WAS A LOT OF MISTAKES THAT MADE.

AND DOING THIS THIS PROJECT.

AND I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE STATUS, MAYBE THE CITY MANAGER CAN HELP ME OUT.

THE STATUS IS STILL IN PROCESS.

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SO IF YOU TAKE THAT THAT OUT AND THIS WILL BE COMPLETE, RIGHT? CORRECT. FROM FROM STAFF STANDPOINT, UNLESS COUNSEL GIVES ME SOME OTHER DIRECTION.

YES. OK, BUT SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE MET WITH JAIL AT. AND THIS ITEM NUMBER ONE, WE ALREADY MET WITH THE.

THE ACCESS TO DO AS FAR AS WE KNOW, WE HAVE NOW ON ALL OF THESE ITEMS, WE HAVEN'T HAD A FULL SIT DOWN WITH THE AUDITORS TO GO THROUGH.

YOU KNOW, I'M SAYING WE'VE COMPLETED BASICALLY ALL THE ITEMS WITH A COUPLE OF EXCEPTIONS, AND WE FEEL CONFIDENT THAT WE'VE COMPLETED THEM THAT WILL BE SATISFACTORY TO THE AUDITORS. BUT UNTIL THEY COME IN AND ACTUALLY SIT DOWN, LOOK AT OUR ADMIN CODES AND OTHER THINGS, I WON'T KNOW THAT OFFICIALLY MET THE STANDARD THAT THEY MAY HAVE SET BECAUSE THEY REALLY ARE ALL THESE ITEMS. THEY NEVER TOLD US TRULY WHAT TO FIX OR THEY DIDN'T TELL US HOW TO FIX IT.

THEY JUST TOLD US CONCEPTUALLY WHAT THE PROBLEMS WERE.

THEY OBSERVED THAT THEY DIDN'T WANT TO SEE REPEATED.

OH, SO THE MISTAKE WAS THE COUNCIL WASN'T KEPT INFORMED.

OR WITH STAFF DOING THIS PROJECT, I WAS THE MISTAKE OR A STAFF THING AND KEEP THE COUNCILWOMAN ON. WELL, FROM FROM THE RECORDS I'VE REVIEWED, IT APPEARS THAT COUNSEL WAS NOT GIVEN THE BEST INFORMATION, AT LEAST IN A PUBLIC MEETING, TO KNOW THAT THEY SHOULDN'T SIGN OFF ON AN AGREEMENT TO TAKE ON DEBT TO BUILD A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR ROAD WHEN THE ORDINANCE IS CLEARLY WOULD HAVE SUPPORTED HOLDING THE CHEATING THE DEVELOPERS, IT WAS STANDARD TO HAVE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE ROAD BECAUSE THE ROAD IS GOING TO BENEFIT THEM.

SO THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN.

SHOULD HAVE BEEN. YOU KNOW, THERE'S AN EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT OR AN AWARENESS COMPONENT BETWEEN THE MANAGER'S OFFICE, BETWEEN CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND ALL OF US SHARING WITH YOU. THIS IS IMPORTANT THINGS FOR, YOU KNOW, GOOD GUIDANCE.

OUR OFFICES, IF WE DON'T GIVE YOU GOOD ADVICE AND WE'RE NOT DOING OUR JOBS THE WAY WE SHOULD. YEAH, I MEAN, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY PART OF IT.

BUT THE RECORD CLEARLY SHOWS THAT.

AND I YOU KNOW, THAT STAFF WAS ACTUALLY WORKING ON AN AGREEMENT WHERE THE DEVELOPERS WOULD CONTRIBUTE BECAUSE THE DRAFT AGREEMENTS WE'VE SEEN FROM AN OUTSIDE ATTORNEY THAT WAS HIRED TO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE CLEARLY SHOWED THAT THERE WERE DRAFTS WITH TWO DIFFERENT PROPERTY OWNERS, THE SAME TWO THAT STILL OWN THE PROPERTY TODAY.

AND THERE WERE CLEARLY AGREEMENTS THAT WERE FOCUSED ON THE DEVELOPERS.

THE PROPERTY OWNERS WERE GOING TO BUILD THE ROAD.

AND THEY WERE GOING TO GET SOME TRANSPORTATION IMPACTS, YOUR CREDIT OR A PROPORTIONATE SHARE OF THE ROAD, THAT WAS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY, BUT.

THOSE HAVE THOSE DID NOT MOVE FORWARD, SO THAT WAS SOMETHING TO HAPPEN AT A STAFF, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN CITY MANAGER, CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.

I DON'T I DON'T KNOW OFFICIALLY HOW THAT HAPPENED, BUT THAT BROKE DOWN SOMEWHERE.

AND THEN THAT INFORMATION DIDN'T GO TO COUNCIL IN TERMS OF APPROPRIATE LEVELS OF EDUCATION TO TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, AND ADVISE YOU.

ORDINANCE SAYS THIS.

THIS IS WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING.

IT JUST CAME AS A POLICE TAKE ON DEBT FOR THIS ROAD KIND OF AGENDA ITEM.

SO. SO THE COUNCIL LAST COUNCIL RECOMMEND A FINANCIAL AUDIT.

I MEAN, NOT A FINANCIAL FORENSIC.

YEAH, FORENSIC AUDIT, RIGHT? IT WAS, YEAH, WAS APPROVED BY COUNCIL IN MARCH OF TWENTY TWENTY.

I'M. I'M KIND OF IN THE SAME BOAT AS THE MAYOR.

WHAT HE'S WHAT HE'S SAYING.

THERE'S SOME SERIOUS MISTAKES HAVE BEEN MADE.

AND WE DON'T NEED TO REPEAT THE MISTAKES.

ESPECIALLY IN THIS COUNCILWOMAN IS COUNCILMAN, I WANT TO REPEAT THAT I THINK I SPEAK.

YOU CAN FOR EVERYBODY ELSE ON HIS COUNCILWOMAN, I SAID THEY DON'T WANT TO REPEAT THE MISTAKES OF THE LAST COUNCIL AND I DON'T WANT THIS STAFF TO REPEAT MISTAKES OF THE PREVIOUS STAFF. OH, I'M IN FAVOR OF.

I MEAN, COUNCILWOMAN FELIX MS. SHERMAN, YOU UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, YOU MENTIONED THAT THE ORDINANCE IN PLACE AT THE TIME WAS PRETTY CLEAR.

AND DOCUMENT HAS BEEN DRAFTED.

OR ALL PARTIES RECOGNIZING EXACTLY WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO TAKE PLACE, THAT MAKES ORDINANCE THAT COVERS, YOU KNOW, IMPACT FEES AND PROPORTIONATE FAIR SHARE THAT'S BEEN IN PLACE FOR SOME YEARS, I CAN TELL YOU OFFICIALLY WHEN PATRICIA KNOWS, BUT THAT'S BEEN IN PLACE FOR YEARS. SO IT WAS IN PLACE AT THE TIME THAT THESE EARLIER NEGOTIATIONS WERE HAPPENING.

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THEY WILL LOOK AT ALL THE RECORDS THAT CITY HAS AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE BECAUSE WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE ABILITY AS A CITY TO COMPEL ANYBODY ON THE OUTSIDE.

RIGHT. ANY ADDITIONAL, YOU KNOW, DOCUMENTATION IS NOT ALREADY IN THE PUBLIC RECORD.

I DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.

THERE WOULD BE ANYTHING NEW THAT THEY COULD COME ACROSS.

ADAM SMITH, YOU WANT TO WEIGH IN? I THINK AND CERTAINLY A CERTAIN COUNCIL MAY CONSIDER IS.

THERE MAY BE VALUE TO AN AUDIT, BUT I THINK.

FORENSIC AUDIT WAS THROWN OUT THERE AND IT RAN LIKE WILDFIRE BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT A FORENSIC AUDIT IS.

ITS FORENSIC IS BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE USED IN COURT.

ESSENTIALLY, THIS IS THE EXPERT WITNESS, OR IF WE HAD THE STATE ATTORNEY WANT TO BRING THE CRIMINAL CHARGE, IF THE CITY WERE GOING FORTH IN A CIVIL ACTION.

THAT PERSON, THIS AUDIT IS THAT LEVEL, WHAT IT CAN BE INTRODUCED IN COURT.

AND ACTUALLY, AS FAR AS THE DEFINITION, IT'S MORE SUITABLE TO COURTS OF JURISDICTION OR TO PUBLIC DISCUSSION AND DEBATE, BUT IS PRIMARILY A USE.

WHEN YOU'RE ANTICIPATING A CIVIL OR A CRIMINAL PROCEDURE.

AND I HEAR A LOT OF WHAT WE NEED TO DO AN AUDIT, JUST LET'S LOOK AND SEE WHAT HAPPENED, WHAT PROCEDURES MAY BE SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN PLACE, WHAT PROCEDURES WEREN'T FOLLOWED.

AND THAT'S NOT THE REAL AIM OF A FORENSIC AUDIT.

IT MAY BE THAT WHAT WE SHOULD DO IS REALLY DISCUSS WHAT IS IT THAT WE WANT TO ACHIEVE.

AND PUT THAT OUT THERE AND HAVE AUDITORS TELL US WHAT AUDIT THAT IS, BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE LOOKING AT WHAT A FORENSIC AUDIT IS, IS THAT IS WHAT IT AIMS FOR, IS REALLY WHAT YOU ALL ARE SEEKING. I DON'T KNOW THAT ANYONE IS SAYING, WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT? I REALLY BELIEVE SOMEBODY COMMITTED A CRIME HERE AND I WANT TO BE ABLE TO FIND EVIDENCE OF THAT CRIME, OR I REALLY BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, SOME TYPE OF BRIBERY, SOME TYPE OF EXTORTION, OR THAT THERE WAS SOME CONFLICTS OF INTEREST THAT WE BELIEVE THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY TAKE BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE THESE EMPLOYEES HERE WHO ACTUALLY TALK OR THAT THERE IS SOME DOUBT, BECAUSE IF THERE'S DOCUMENTATION THAT COULD BE UNDERCOVER IN AN AUDIT. SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE MAY BE IS LESS.

FIGURE OUT WHAT EXACTLY WE WANT.

HAVE THAT LIST AND TWO OF OUR NEW PHARMACISTS, WHAT TYPE OF AUDIT WOULD WE NEED TO HAVE TO UNCOVER THAT? I DON'T KNOW THAT FORENSIC AUDIT IS WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.

SO AT THIS POINT, COUNCILMAN FELIX, I'M GOING TO WEIGH IN AND THIS IS WHAT IF I MAY JUST FINISH MY THOUGHT THERE, ADD TO THAT POINT, I THINK IT'S PRETTY GOOD ADVICE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, MRS. SMITH. AND IT'S PRETTY CLEAR, I WOULD AGREE.

A FORENSIC. OH, THAT THAT'S WHAT WE NEED.

IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S MORE OF A ENFORCING ORDINANCE.

IT'S MORE PROCEDURAL.

AND TO ME, I WOULD NOT SUPPORT I THINK WE WOULD JUST STUFF I WOULDN'T SAY A WASTE OF TIME, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD PROCEED WITH A FORENSIC AUDIT.

OK, SO I'M GOING IN NOW, THE FIRST THING IS.

COUNSEL PRIOR TO US WEIGHED IN AND MADE A DECISION THAT THEY SAID A FORENSIC AUDIT, NOT ON EVERY DEPARTMENT, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT IT, A FORENSIC AUDIT ON THE INTERCHANGE.

RIGHT. THAT'S WHAT THEY VOTED ON.

THAT'S THE FIRST ISSUE. NOW, EVERYONE ON THIS COUNCILMAN, IN PARTICULAR THE NEW MEMBERS, WE'VE ACHIEVED A HUGE, HUGE.

SUCCESS OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS IN RESTORING THE PUBLIC TRUST.

IN OUR COMMUNITY REGARDING THIS LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

AND AND MY COMMENTS ARE THAT WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD IN THIS IN THIS REGARD, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE IT'S ALREADY BEEN SET ASIDE.

IT'S ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSED.

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AND ALL IT'S GOING TO DO IS PUT US IN A BETTER LIGHT WHERE PEOPLE WILL START RECOGNIZING THAT THIS NEW COUNCIL IS MOVING FORWARD AND IN ATTEMPTING TO RESTORE THAT PUBLIC TRUST.

NOW, IT MAY BE.

YOU ARE SAYING ACTUALLY EVERYTHING THAT IS RIGHT, IT SHOULD BE AN ORDER, NOT A FORENSIC AUDIT, AND LET'S JUST PUT THAT TO THE SIDE RIGHT THERE.

HOWEVER. WE ALL KNOW.

THAT PERCEPTION IS EVERYTHING IN OUR LINE OF WORK.

AND IN THAT PERCEPTION, WE WANT TO DEMONSTRATE, WE WANT TO BE THE BETTER EXAMPLE OF.

RINGING THAT TRUSTEE BACK TO OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT FROM THE PUBLIC, SO IN MY EYES, IF WE WERE GOING DOWN THIS PATH, WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO GO DOWN THIS PATH AND CONTINUE WITH THAT FINDING OF NO ONE.

IF ANYTHING, IT'S GOING TO SHOW AND WE'RE GOING TO BE PERCEIVED AS EXECUTING SOMETHING TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR COMMUNITY, ENHANCE THE BEST PRACTICES, EVEN THOUGH THERE MAY NOT BE ANY CRIMINAL IMPLICATIONS WITH THE PERSPECTIVE, THE THE PERCEPTION IS GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW WHAT? THEY'RE MOVING FORWARD.

THEY'RE BRINGING IN A HIGHER LEVEL OF ETHICS ON THIS BOARD.

EVERYTHING ELSE WE'VE DONE WITH MOVING INTO THE FRAUD PREVENTION, MOVING INTO THE WHISTLEBLOWER, EVERYTHING ELSE THAT THAT THIS COUNCIL IS DONE IS TOLD THAT THAT EFFORT.

AND SO MY COMMENTS ARE WE SHOULD CONTINUE DOWN THIS PATH OF ENHANCING AND RESTORING THE PUBLIC TRUST. NOW, COUNCILMAN BAILEY, THEY WEIGHED ME DOWN FIRST COUNCILMAN FOSTER.

AND THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND I APPRECIATE THE ATTEMPT.

I UNDERSTAND NOW THE IDEA OF TRYING TO CHANGE PERCEPTION.

YOU KNOW, I I DO AGREE THAT THERE ARE SOME THINGS WITH THE PERCEPTION THAT THEY'RE PROBABLY OFF. BUT IN THE END, I ALWAYS TRY.

YOU KNOW, I'M WANT TO MAKE MY DECISIONS BASED ON REALITY BECAUSE RATHER PERCEPTION CAN BE REALITY FOR OUTSIDE FOLKS.

IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE REALITY OF OUR ACTUAL OPERATIONS.

AND SO, NO, FOR ME, WHEN I LOOK AT THIS, I THINK THE STATES ALREADY PAID, THE TAXPAYERS ARE ALREADY PAID THE STATE TO DO WORK ON THIS.

WE'VE ALREADY PAID NO NUMEROUS OF HOURS OF OUR CITY STAFF'S TIME.

WE'VE HAD SOME I THINK SOME OUTSIDE HELP ON THIS ALONG THE WAY.

SO THERE'S BEEN A SORT OF INSIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MATAK THAN, WHAT, 18 MONTHS, I THINK, FOR THE STATE AUDITORS ARE GOING THROUGH THIS.

THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT TAXPAYER DOLLARS PUT IN TO THE STATE WORKERS FEDERAL.

NO, THERE'S BEEN OTHER FOLKS WHO HAVE WHO HAVE LOOKED AT THIS, I THINK, AS WELL AS FAR AS THE POLICE COMMUNITY AND INTERNALLY.

SO I LOOK AT THAT THERE IS A COST.

AND WHAT I SEE IS A HUGE COST.

AND IT'S GOING TO BE LOOKING BACK, I THINK IF THERE'S ANYTHING THERE THAT WAS ACTUALLY THAT'S GOING TO BE CRIMINALLY OR CIVILLY ACTIONABLE, MY EXPECTATION WOULD BE THAT THIS RIGHT HERE WOULD BE MORE DETAILED.

AND OUR CITY ATTORNEY WOULD BE SAYING, HERE'S WHERE I WANT YOU GUYS NOW.

HERE'S WHAT I RECOMMEND, OR EITHER SHOULD BE TAKEN SECOND SESSION AS APPROPRIATE.

BUT THAT HASN'T THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED.

I DID WANT TO CLARIFY ONE THING FROM FROM EARLIER, MR. MAYOR. MR. FOSTER ASKED ABOUT WAS THIS COUNCIL'S RECOMMENDATION.

FOR CLARIFICATION PURPOSES, THIS WAS FORMER CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDATION, WHICH COUNSEL JUST. NO, SO WE'RE FINE PUTTING THE MONEY, IF THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO.

LOOK, I WAS THERE. I UNDERSTOOD THE FEELING OF THE COUNCIL FROM AT LEAST FROM MY PERSPECTIVE FROM THIS SEAT, THAT IF THAT'S WHAT THE CITY MANAGER SAYS WE NEED TO DO TO WRAP UP THIS ITEM AND THEN WE'RE WILLING TO TAKE A STEP IN THAT DIRECTION.

RIGHT. AND SO HERE WE ARE, THOUGH, AS WE REVIEW.

IT WASN'T LIKE TO ME I WASN'T COUNCIL'S IDEA WASN'T A MEMBER OF COUNCILMAN.

BUT IT WAS STAFF.

AND, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER I LOOK AT IT, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT SHORT SIGHTED.

IT WAS AT THE VERY BEGINNING.

I MEAN, IT WAS HELMSMEN.

WHEN WAS IT THAT SHE PRESENTED THAT WENT TO COUNCIL? YEAH. GOT THIS IN DECEMBER 19, I RECALL IT BEING LIKE AN EMERGENCY TYPE OF ACTION COMING TO COUNCIL, MAYBE TWENTY SEVEN.

I DON'T HAVE. NO, I MEANT THE TWENTY NINETEEN, I CAN'T ANYHOW, I GOT IN TWENTY NINETEEN AND SO SOMETHING SOMETIME WAS SOMETIME LAST YEAR BUT WHENEVER I'M SORRY WHEN WHEN MS. MORALE HAD RECOMMENDED US DO THE FIRST.

GOT IT. IT WOULD BE TWENTY NINETEEN.

YOU AND I REMEMBER EXACT DATE ON.

I THINK IT WAS VERY EARLY AND I THINK IT WAS ONE OF THOSE ITEMS. I CAN TELL YOU I HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH STAFF AT THAT TIME WAS THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. LIKE WE GOT THE DOCUMENTS, WE KNOW THAT THERE WERE THINGS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN

[00:30:01]

LOOK, I MEAN, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE ITEMS FOR ME, MAYOR, THAT WAS LIKE THE NORTH SHORE.

IT WASN'T ONE OF THEM THAT I WOULDN'T LET GO OF BECAUSE ONCE I UNDERSTOOD IT, I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, AT THE FIRST YEAR OR SO, I DIDN'T MEAN ONLY THING I WAS BEING TOLD ESSENTIALLY BY STAFF WAS.

YOU CAREFULLY DON'T WANT TO LOSE INTERCHANGE, IT'S A HUGE ECONOMIC JOB AND NO, DON'T MAKE IT. NO, BASICALLY DON'T MAKE ANY.

RUFFELS WAS KIND OF THE IDEA, EVEN THOUGH I HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS BEHIND THE SCENES.

NO, NO TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IT.

ONCE I UNDERSTOOD THAT WE ACTUALLY HAD A DEVELOPER EVEN ALL THE WAY UP TO THE VERY LAST SECOND WHEN WE AWARDED THE CONTRACT, I SAID, NO, GO BACK TO THE TO THE TABLE WITH THE DEVELOPERS AND RIGHT OUT OF THE CONTRACT THEY SAID NO.

BOTH SIDES ARE CLAIMING THAT THE OTHER ONE WASN'T PLAYING BALL AT THE PUBLIC MEETING.

I SAID, OK. BOTH SIDES ARE SAYING THE SAME THING.

GO BACK AND DO IT. STAFF AND COUNCIL DIDN'T WANT TO DO THAT.

I MEAN, THE MAJORITY OF COUNCIL, WHEN YOU FAST FORWARD TO WE HAD A BIT THE BIG CONTEST OF IT FROM THIS J.R.

DAVIS, WHO WAS THE NUMBER TWO AWARDEE.

I'M SORRY, REALLY. THEY SHOULD HAVE THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE AWARDEE, BUT THEY END UP, IN MY OPINION, BUT THEY ENDED UP BEING THE NUMBER TWO AND THEY CONTESTED IT.

I THINK THEY WERE RIGHT CONTESTING IT.

I THINK THERE WERE SOME SERIOUS ISSUES BECAUSE A THREE TWO DECISION BY COUNCIL TO GO AND MOVE FORWARD WITH IT. LET ME BE CLEAR.

THOSE SAME COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE THE ONES WHO VOTED FOR THE AUDIT.

SO, I MEAN, IF YOU DON'T TRUST THEIR OPINION HERE AND HERE, I MEAN, I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT POINT THAT THAT'S NOT REALLY A MOVING POINT FOR ME.

MY MY QUESTION IS THE FACTS THAT WE HAVE TODAY, WHAT MAKES SENSE? YOU KNOW, AND IF COUNCIL WERE TO CHANGE YOUR MIND, WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.

THAT'S FINE. AND I REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY ISSUE WITH ACTUALLY HAVING THE AUDIT ISSUES, PAYING FOR THE AUDIT. AND AS YOU KNOW, MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND STAFF KNOWS, I DON'T LIKE PAYING FOR THINGS THAT I DON'T HAVE TO.

REINFORCER. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

YOU KNOW, WE SEE HERE ON THIS DAYS WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE TAXPAYERS MONEY.

WE HAVE A THAT'S ONE OF OUR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY.

WE SIGNS THE PAYCHECK, WE AUTHORIZE FUNDING.

AND. THERE WAS A LOT OF MISTAKES THAT MADE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE AN EXCHANGE, YES.

IS BEING DEVELOPED. I APPRECIATE THAT.

BUT THERE WERE SOME SERIOUS MISTAKES I WAS MADE.

AND IF WE DON'T LEARN FROM THE MISTAKES, WE BOUND TO REPEAT IT.

AND A FORENSIC AUDIT.

I KNEW WHAT A FORENSIC ARTIST.

IT'S GOING TO LOOK FOR CRIMINAL OR CIVIL LIABILITY.

AND AND I'M NOT LOOKING TO LOCK ANYBODY UP IN JAIL, I HAVE ANYBODY PROSECUTED, BUT IF THE CITY'S OLD MONEY SHOULDN'T HAVE PAID THAT MONEY, WE SHOULD GET THAT MONEY BACK.

AND I DON'T MIND GOING TO COURT TO GET IT BACK.

IF THAT'S WHAT THE CITY HAS TO DO TO GET THEIR MONEY BACK OR WE SPENT MONEY THAT WE SHOULDN'T HAVE SPENT.

AND, YOU KNOW, YES, THE INTERCHANGE IS BUILT, BUT IF WE COULD CORRECT THE WRONGS, WE SHOULD. AND TO SPEND MONEY TO GET MONEY, I'M WILLING TO DO THAT, I'M WILLING TO SPEND MONEY TO EDUCATE THIS COUNCIL AND STAFF, NOT TO REPEAT THE SAME MISTAKES AGAIN.

SO I'M I'M IN LINE WITH YOU, MR. MAYOR. I THINK WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD.

THE MONEY WAS SET ASIDE TO DO IT ON THE LAST COUNCIL OUT.

THAT DECISION. GO TO HAVE A MONEY SET ASIDE FOR A FORENSIC AUDIT.

I DID SIT IN THE AUDIENCE.

AND. YOU KNOW, I SAID AND WENT THROUGH A LOT OF COUNCILMAN, AND IT WAS A LOT OF MISTAKES WAS MADE. AND I DON'T WANT TO REPEAT THE MISTAKES AND I WANT THE CITY OF THE CITY OWED MONEY. WE NEED TO GET IT BACK.

SOMEBODY MADE A MISTAKE.

WE NEED TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR IT, SO.

I'M FOR A FORENSIC AUDIT.

THE PREMIER JOHNSON MS. SMITH, THROUGH A FORENSIC AUDIT OF WRONGDOING, CRIMINAL OR CIVIL, FOUND, CAN WE COLLECT ANY FUNDS OR ANY.

TO COUNCILMAN FOSTER POINT.

ISSUE WITH THE COLLECTION OF FUNDS, THE ISSUE OF THE QUESTION OF FUND USUALLY COMES WITH THE DEVELOPER SHOULD HAVE PAID THE DEVELOPER DIDN'T END UP PAY, NOT PAYING BECAUSE THERE WAS A CRIME OR THERE WAS SOME UNDERLYING WRONGDOING IN THE SENSE THERE WERE CONTRACTS, THERE WERE NEGOTIATIONS AT SOME POINT IN TIME.

A FORMER CITY MANAGER.

[00:35:01]

WHATEVER REASON THAT COUNCIL, UPON THE ADVICE OF THIS CITY MANAGER, DECIDED WE'RE GOING TO GO THAT ROUTE. SO WE WENT THAT ROUTE AND WE GOT THE BOMB AND MORE LIKELY THAN NOT.

WE PROBABLY WON'T END UP SPENDING ANY MONEY IN THE LONG RUN, BUT INITIALLY, YES, WE DID GET THE FUNDS, BUT THAT WAS IT, BECAUSE SOMEBODY COMMITTED A CRIME.

THAT MAY BE A DECISION THAT SOME MAY SAY IS NOT WAS NOT IN THE BEST INTERESTS.

SO MAY SAY MAYBE COUNCIL DIDN'T HAVE SUFFICIENT INFORMATION.

SOME MAY ARGUE THAT MAYBE THE CITY MANAGER SHOULD HAVE MADE THAT DECISION.

BUT ALL OF THOSE ARE A SERIES OF POLICY DECISIONS THAT ARE NOT GOING TO RISE TO THE LEVEL OF SOMEBODY WHO COMMITTED A CRIME OR SOMEBODY BREACHED A CONTRACT.

THEY'RE GOING TO BE OPERATIONAL FLAWS WHERE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE COULD HAVE HAD BETTER POLICIES, BUT THEY'RE NOT LIKELY TO EAT ANYTHING, WHEREAS SOMEBODY IS GOING TO.

GO TO PRISON OR WRITE US A CHECK, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY WE DECIDED NOT TO ENTER INTO CONTRACT. THANK YOU.

AND TO ADD TO THAT ITEM NUMBER ONE, WE'RE PROVIDED WITH THE PROBLEM AND THE SOLUTION, OUR CITY MANAGER ALREADY TOLD US WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AND HOW SHE'S ADDRESSING IT.

ON TOP OF THAT, IT'S ACTUALLY IRONIC BECAUSE.

THE PREVIOUS PREVIOUS COUNCIL WAS, YOU KNOW, GIVEN NOT ALL THE TRUE INFORMATION IN REGARDS TO THE PARKWAY AND THEN HERE WE ARE WITH ITEM ONE SHORTLY AFTER, LIKE COUNCILMAN BAILEY, SAID ROOSEGAARDE, IT WAS JUST THROWN AT US AS THE ONLY SOLUTION AT THAT TIME.

SO WE'RE LEANING ON THE ADVICE OF OUR CITY MANAGER TRUSTING IN HER.

AND WE WERE LIKE, OK, LET'S SET FUNDS ASIDE, BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY OPTION WE HAVE AS OF NOW. SO I FIND IT IRONIC THAT BOTH IS JUST YOU'RE RELYING ON SOMEBODY TO PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, VALUABLE INFORMATION.

SO, AH, YOU KNOW, I SEE OUR CITY MANAGER NOW, SHE'S PROVIDING SOLUTIONS.

AND LIKE I SAID, I DON'T SEE.

AND HE FINDS, BASED ON WHAT OUR CITY ATTORNEY SAYING, SO WE WERE TALKING ABOUT RETURN ON INVESTMENT ON TUESDAY, THERE'S NO RETURN REGARDING FISCALLY AND I SEE US JUST MORE LOSING DOLLARS WHEN WE ALREADY HAD THE GAO LIKE DO THE WORKFORCE AS WELL AS FDLE.

SO IF THERE'S SOMETHING IF WE COULD PUT IT TOWARDS A BETTER AUDIT OR SOMETHING THAT'S MORE APPROPRIATE, THEN I THINK THAT WILL BE THE BETTER ROUTE.

AND MY COMMENTS ARE THERE IS A HUGE RETURN ON INVESTMENT.

THERE ARE INTANGIBLES THAT SOMETIMES YOU CAN'T MEASURE.

AS WE ALL KNOW, I STILL STAND FAST.

I BELIEVE THAT THAT AUDIT IS WARRANTED.

I BELIEVE THAT WE REALLY AREN'T CONSIDERING THE BENEFIT OF THAT AUDIT.

WE'RE SAYING IT'S GOING TO COME BACK THE SAME WAY.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE PREJUDGING THAT.

AND EVEN IF IT DID TO YOUR ARGUMENT, IF IT DID COME BACK THE SAME WAY, WE HAVE SO MUCH MORE TO GAIN JUST BY OUR REPUTATION OVER IT.

BUT AT THIS POINT, I'M NOT SURE.

MA'AM, DO YOU NEED A MOTION AND AND KNOW MAYBE THIS IS A WORKSHOP.

SO THERE'S ACTUALLY NO ACTION THAT'S JUST INFORMATIONAL AT ALL.

THE INFORMATION YOU TAKE FROM THIS IS THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO PROCEED OR YOU'RE GOING TO STILL BRING BACK THE SCOPE OF SERVICES DISCUSSED OR THAT THAT WOULD REALLY BE FOR COUNSEL TO TELL ME, BECAUSE I'M STILL OPERATING UNDER THE DIRECTION OF PRIOR COUNSEL.

AND THAT VOTE THAT OCCURRED, IF YOU ALL WANT TO TAKE A DIFFERENT ACTION STEP AND YOU WANT THAT TO BE ON A FUTURE AGENDA TO REVISIT THIS, THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT PUBLICLY.

MAKE THAT STATEMENT ON AN AGENDA ITEM, I WOULD THINK.

SO IS THAT THE DIRECTION THEN, OR WHAT DO YOU.

IS IS THAT NECESSARY, BECAUSE IT SOUNDS TO ME THERE'S SOME LEVEL OF CONSENSUS RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE THREE COUNCIL MEMBER THAT IS GOING IN ONE DIRECTION.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S NECESSARILY I MEAN, CERTAINLY MS. SMITH CAN DIRECT US IF THAT'S ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY, BUT IT SEEMS TO BE PRETTY CLEAR DIRECTION FROM THREE MEMBER OF COUNCIL IS TO LET'S LOOK AT AN ALTERNATIVE AUDIT, BUT NOT NECESSARILY SOMETHING THAT MAY NOT PRODUCE WORTH SPENDING OVER THAT MUCH MONEY.

THE YOU KNOW, THE VERY TAXPAYERS MONEY WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR.

LET'S NOT SPEND MORE OF IT IN TRYING TO BRING SOMETHING THAT MAY NOT PRODUCE ANY RESULT.

[00:40:07]

THAT WOULD BE AN AGENDA ITEM, CERTAINLY THERE'S DIRECTION.

I THINK SOME SENSE IS THAT MAYBE A FORENSIC THERE'S QUESTION WHETHER AN AUDIT SHOULD BE DONE, BUT MAYBE A FORENSIC AUDIT ISN'T THE WAY TO GO, CERTAINLY BETWEEN THE CITY MANAGER AND I. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION COULD BE BROUGHT FORTH.

BUT THAT TOPIC ITSELF IN ORDER TO CHANGE AS IT WOULD HAVE TO BE VOTED UPON UPON COUNCILMAN, BECAUSE COUNCILMAN CAN GIVE GENERAL DIRECTION, BUT IT'S ALREADY TO CHANGE WHAT A PRIOR COUNCIL HAS ALREADY ENACTED.

YOU ALL WOULD HAVE TO DO THAT AT A PUBLIC MEETING.

SO IT'D BE A TOPIC FOR DISCUSSION IF YOU ALL WANTED TO CHANGE OR EVEN IF YOU JUST WANTED TO HAVE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

AS FAR AS REALLY, YOU KNOW, WE HEARD FORENSIC AUDIT.

IS THAT TYPE OF AUDIT AND WHAT EXACTLY ARE WE GETTING? BUT THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE BROUGHT BACK AT A PUBLIC MEETING.

WE'RE BRINGING THAT THAT ON THE AGENDA, PERHAPS YOU ALREADY HAD A SCOPE OF SERVICES, MAYBE THAT COULD BE PART OF THE DISCUSSION WITH COUNSEL TO LOOK AT, OK, MAYBE THIS WE CAN CONCENTRATE ON ONE AVENUE AND WITHHOLD FROM THE OTHER IF THAT'S WHAT COUNCILS DESIRE IS.

I DO AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN FELIX IT APPEARS THERE'S A CONSENSUS THAT'S THREE TO TWO IN FAVOR OF NOT HAVING A FORENSIC AUDIT.

I STILL STAND FAST WITH WITH WHAT PREVIOUS COUNSEL HAD HAD REQUESTED AND ALL BECAUSE I BELIEVE IT. IT'S WORTH IT WITH THE.

YOU KNOW, THE WAY WE PERCEIVE THEM PERCEIVED, SO IS THAT ENOUGH FOR ITEM NUMBER ONE? OK, SO LET'S GO TO.

ENDING NUMBER TWO IS SOUL, A LITTLE QUICKLY ON SOME OF THESE TO FINDING, TOO.

LET ME JUST LET ME INTERRUPT, BECAUSE I'M THINKING, MA'AM, SINCE WE'RE GOING TO BREAK ON EACH ITEM, SHOULD WE HAVE THE PUBLIC? WILLING TO SPEAK FOR EACH ITEM OR DO WE DO IT ALL AT THE END? SMITH WELL, YOU ALL ARE ULTIMATELY MAKING ANY DECISIONS, SO YOU COULD DO IT IN BETWEEN, ARE YOU GOING TO PROBABLY BE EASIER TO DO THAT IN? BECAUSE ESSENTIALLY YOU HAVE THEN THE PUBLIC HAS A RIGHT TO SPEAK BEFORE YOU MAKE ANY DECISION. THERE CAN'T BE ANY DECISIONS THAT ARE ULTIMATELY MADE TODAY.

SO YOU'RE GIVING DIRECTION.

YOU'LL BE ABLE TO HEAR WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY IT.

CONSIDER THAT AS FAR AS ANY ADDITIONAL DIRECTION YOU WANT TO GIVE TO CHARTER OFFICERS OR, YOU KNOW, STAFF. BUT IT'S PROBABLY OR AS FAR AS A MOVE BECAUSE OTHERWISE YOU'D HAVE THEM COMING UP MULTIPLE TIMES, PROBABLY MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE GENEROUS IN THEIR TIME RESTRICTIONS BECAUSE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THIRTY ONE ITEMS. BUT I THINK IT MAY BE EASIER JUST TO HAVE ONE PERSON BE ABLE TO COME UP AND JUST SAY EVERYTHING THEY HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE ITEMS AT ONCE.

I'LL BE THAT MAN. POINT TAKEN YOUNG.

MHM. NUMBER TWO.

THANK YOU MAYOR. SO ESSENTIALLY THERE WERE A NUMBER OF PROCUREMENT RELATED PROCESS RELATED ITEMS THAT THE AUDITORS FOUND.

ALL OF THESE HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED BY IN WHOLE BY CHANGES THAT WERE MADE TO BOTH THE PROCUREMENT ORDINANCE AND THE PROCUREMENT MANUAL.

AND THOSE WERE ALL ADOPTED, CHANGED THROUGH COUNCIL PROCESS LAST YEAR.

AND YOU CAN SEE THE DATES ON YOUR SCREEN AND THE CHANGES THAT WEREN'T IN EFFECT IMMEDIATELY. ALL HAVE BEEN PLACED IN EFFECT AS OF JANUARY OF THIS YEAR.

SO ALL OF THAT IS DONE THE NEXT SLIDE.

SO KIND OF GO THROUGH SOME OF THE BREAKDOWN OF FINDING TO DO SO.

JUST REALLY QUICKLY TO GO THROUGH A COUPLE OF THINGS, THERE WAS CONCERN ABOUT HOW COMPETITIVE WE WERE IN OUR SELECTION OF DESIGN CRITERIA.

PROFESSIONALS, SOME OF THESE ARE COMMENTS IN HERE ARE RELATED TO THE PARKWAY PROJECT AS WELL. AND AND THE QUESTION WAS, ARE ARE WE FOLLOWING STATE LAW APPROPRIATELY? SO THOSE CHANGES UPDATES HAVE BEEN MADE IN, YOU KNOW, ORDINANCES, YOU KNOW, AND I GUESS FURTHER CLARIFICATION, MAKE SURE WE'RE FOLLOWING STATE STATUTE.

ALSO, THERE WERE SOME ADDITIONAL CONCERNS ABOUT THE ACTUAL TYPE OF PROCUREMENT THAT WAS USED, DESIGN, BUILD AND HAVING SET RFP TEMPLATES.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WILL DO IN THE FUTURE, IF WE EVER HAVE A NEED FOR DESIGN BUILD TYPE OF PROJECT, WHICH BERNSTORFF STAFF DOESN'T HAVE ANY EXPECTATION OF DOING THAT.

BUT IF THERE WAS EVER NEED IN THE FUTURE, WE WOULD HAVE TO FOLLOW THE CREATE A TEMPLATE.

AND BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENED WAS THE DESIGN BUILD TEMPLATE THAT THEY CREATED, AS IT WERE, WAS A MISHMASH OF THINGS AND IT BECAME A VERY WEAK DOCUMENT.

SO ALL OF THAT'S BEEN UPDATED AGAIN IN THE PROCUREMENT MANUAL AND ORDINANCE.

THE NEXT PAGE JUST TALKS THROUGH MAINTAINING ADEQUATE RECORDS FOR EMERGENCY PROCUREMENT

[00:45:03]

ALSO, ITEMS OVER ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ARE BROUGHT TO CITY COUNCIL.

SO THAT'S ALL BEEN ADOPTED.

THERE WERE CONCERNS ABOUT DISCLOSURE OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST FOR PEOPLE WHO WERE SERVING ON THE EVALUATION TEAM, EVALUATING PROCUREMENT ITEMS, SO THAT HAS BEEN FURTHER STRENGTHENED. THERE IS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST FORM THAT PEOPLE HAD TO SIGN PREVIOUSLY, BUT IT WAS A LOT OF EXTRA DETAIL WAS ADDED TO IT.

IT ALSO HAS INFORMATION ABOUT POTENTIAL OR PERCEIVED CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.

SO GOES BEYOND, YOU KNOW, LITERAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, I GUESS, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WAY TO SAY. IT ALSO REQUIRES DISCLOSURE OF ANY FINANCIAL OR PERSONAL BENEFIT THAT COULD COME FROM SOMEONE BEING INVOLVED IN A EVALUATION COMMITTEE.

AND THERE'S A NUMBER OF OTHER THINGS, BUT THEY ALL FOLLOW FLORIDA STATUTES AS WELL.

AND YOU CAN SEE THOSE REFERENCES THERE TO THE STATUTES AS WELL AS ORDINANCES.

ALSO FURTHER ON PROCUREMENT, THERE WERE CONCERNS ABOUT NEEDING TO STRENGTHEN THE EVALUATION PROCEDURES GENERALLY RELATED TO HOW EXCUSE ME, THE GUIDANCE THAT WE CALL HIM ET MEMBERS, THE GUIDANCE THAT THOSE MEMBERS WERE GIVEN FOR HOW TO SCORE AND RATE PROPOSALS, YOU KNOW, SO THAT THEY WOULD BE MAKING THE BEST DECISIONS AND UNDERSTAND HOW TO DO THEIR JOB FULLY.

AND SO YOU CAN SEE THERE'S SOME INFORMATION IN THERE, BUT THERE'S TRAINING THAT ALL THE TEAM MEMBERS GO THROUGH.

SOME OF THIS WAS ALREADY IN PLACE, BUT IT WAS JUST FURTHER STRENGTHENED.

THERE'S ALSO EMPHASIS FOR ANYONE WHO'S ON AN E TEAM THAT THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE SOME NOTES AND COMMENTS THAT ENHANCES THE TRANSPARENCY.

SO, YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WENT INTO THEIR THOUGHTS.

IT'S NOT JUST A NUMBER ON A PIECE OF PAPER, BUT THERE'S MORE TO IT.

ALL THE RECORDS ARE RECORDED AND KEPT AND THEN ALSO DISCUSSIONS.

THERE'S SOME CONCERN ABOUT FRACTIONAL SCORING THAT WASN'T PART OF HOW YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN SCORING. SO IN OTHER WORDS, INSTEAD OF GIVING THEM OUT FIVE POINTS, YOU KNOW, GIVING THEM FIVE, SOMEONE MIGHT GIVE A FOUR POINT FIVE THAT BECAME A PROBLEM.

SO THAT'S BEEN ELIMINATED AS WELL.

MOVING INTO FINDING THREE, SO LEAVING THOSE SPECIFIC PROCUREMENT ISSUES, THEY'RE ONE OF THE CONCERNS WITH, AGAIN, THE ST.

JOHN'S CHURCH PARKWAY PROJECT WAS THE OTTER'S QUESTIONS.

WAS THERE A COMPETITIVE PROCESS FOR SUBCONTRACTORS IN TERMS OF SELECTION? AND DID WE VERIFY LICENSES FOR THE SUBCONTRACTORS, THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO WHEN THIS CAME UP AS AN ITEM, STAFF IN 2019 DID GET ALL THE INFORMATION FROM THE SUBCONTRACTORS FOR THE PROJECT BECAUSE IT WAS STILL GOING ON AT THE TIME.

SO WE GOT A SUBCONTRACTOR LICENSES.

WE'VE ALSO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE MORE DETAIL AND STRENGTHEN OUR COMPETITIVE SELECTION PROCESS. AND WE ALSO HAVE MORE DETAILS ON IF THEIR SUBCONTRACTOR CHANGES HOW THE CITY IS TO BE NOTIFIED.

AND INFORMATION IS PROVIDED TO VERIFY THOSE FOLKS ARE LICENSED AND APPROPRIATE FOR THE JOB. AND SO ALL THAT HAS BEEN UPDATED.

AND YOU CAN SEE APRIL THIS YEAR, SOME REQUIREMENTS IN THE CONTRACT WHERE WE'RE ALSO UPDATED TO REFLECT THOSE REQUIREMENTS FOR SUBS.

SOME ADDITIONAL THINGS NOT SPECIFIC TO THE PARKWAY PROJECT, AND I MEAN, I'M REALLY SORRY, WORK ON. BUT SHE WAS WRAPPING UP.

NO, I'M ACTUALLY DONE I WAS GOING TO MOVE TO FOURTH OR NINE, SO YEAH, YEAH, I DO HAVE ONE. QUITE A FOLLOW UP ON NUMBER TWO.

I GUESS JUST A QUICK BACKGROUND, ME, SOME OF THE FOLKS IN THE ROOM ARE PROBABLY AWARE SPECIFICALLY THE INDIVIDUALS WERE, BUT AND WE HAD WHEN WE HAD THE SELECTION PROCESS, WE HAD THREE THREE MEMBERS OF STAFF THERE ON THE REVIEW TEAM FOR PROCUREMENT.

ONE OF THEM HAD A VERY SMALL I THINK IT WAS A NEIGHBORHOOD OF ONE PERCENT STAKEHOLDER SHIP AND A SUBCONTRACTOR THAT WAS WITH ONE OF THE ROAD BUILDERS.

OK, AND.

WOW, THAT WAS NOT A WE WERE NO, IT WAS BROUGHT UP BY A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC SOMEWHERE WHENEVER IT WAS COMING TO COUNCIL BEFORE THE BEFORE THE AGENDA.

EXCUSE ME ON THE AGENDA, AND OUR ATTORNEY AT THE TIME EXPLAIN BASICALLY THAT IT WASN'T A CONFLICT PER STATUTE, IT WAS WAS HIS LEGAL OPINION.

SO THEREFORE, THERE WAS NO BASIS TO SAY THAT WAS A CONFLICT.

BUT I JUST HEARD YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME CHANGES AND THAT'S PERCEIVED, I PRESUME. NOW, GRANTED, AT THAT TIME, MICROSURGEON WAS FOR THE MANAGEMENT, FOR IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S EVEN IF IT'S ALLOWABLE, WASN'T THE BEST IDEA.

SO MY QUESTION IS NOW, IF SOMEBODY HAD EVEN A MINOR, BECAUSE I THINK THE THRESHOLD FOR THE STATE WAS FIVE PERCENT, YOU HAD TO HAVE FIVE PERCENT STAKEHOLDER SHIP IN A COMPANY THAT'S DOING THAT. THAT'S APPLYING FOR WHEN THESE APPLICATIONS FOR.

OUR POLICY NOW IS SOMEBODY HAD TWO PERCENT, ONE PERCENT OR ANY TYPE OF PERCENT, WOULD WE SAY, HEY, LOOK, LET'S JUST FOR PERCEPTION PURPOSES, NOT PUT THIS PERSON ON THERE? IS THAT CLEARLY DEFINED? I'LL ACTUALLY LET JULIETTE MOSCONE ARE ACTING PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, CHIEF PROCUREMENT OFFICER ADDRESS THAT.

HOW MANY SLASHES WOULDN'T YOU HAPPY THAT?

[00:50:04]

SO AND IT'S NOT JUST AND I THINK EVEN A BIGGER ISSUE THERE IS THE STATUTE REFERS TO CONFLICTS WITH YOUR CONTRACT OR OUR FORM NOW REQUIRES CONFLICTS WITH NOT JUST THE CONTRACTOR, BUT SUB CONSULTANTS.

AND IT'S ALSO FOR ANYTHING THAT'S EVEN PERCEIVED.

AND WE'VE HAD SEVERAL TIMES PEOPLE COME TO US AND SAY, HERE'S THE SITUATION THAT WE'RE FACING. WE DOCUMENT IT FOR THE RECORD OR WE REMOVE THEM FROM THE COMMITTEE.

AND WHO MAKES THAT DECISION IS THAT CITY MANAGER OR PROCUREMENT OFFICER? OK, SO THAT MEANS THAT THAT HAD TO HAVE WENT THROUGH THE PROCUREMENT OFFICER AT THAT TIME. THAT'S ACTUALLY QUITE SURPRISING.

AND I'M SORRY, I I'M JUST THINKING OUT LOUD.

I APOLOGIZE. IT DID GO THROUGH THE PREVIOUS CHIEF PROCUREMENT OFFICER, YOU KNOW, IF IT WAS OVERRIDDEN. IF SHE MADE ANY TYPE DECISIONS THAT MIGHT NOT CHANGE, I DON'T KNOW YOU DON'T KNOW THAT ANYHOW AND AND I KNOW.

AND JUST THE OTHER THING FOR THE RECORD, MAYOR, I WANT TO MAKE SURE I POINT OUT THAT INDIVIDUAL, ALTHOUGH I VOTED AGAINST THE ITEM THAT NIGHT, IT WAS MORE ALONG THE LINES, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, THAT I JUST DON'T THINK WE SHOULD AWARD IT AT ALL.

WASN'T NO. AND IF WE WERE GOING TO DO IT, J.R.

DAVIS WAS A MILLION DOLLARS LESS FOR THE SAME SCOPE OF WORK.

BUT I DIDN'T I THINK THAT NIGHT AND I'LL DRESS AGAIN TONIGHT, THAT THAT PERSON WHO HAD THAT AT LEAST A PERCEPTION OF CONFLICT AT THE VERY LEAST, ACTUALLY RANKED IT RANKED J.R.

HIGHER. HE WAS ACTUALLY NOT THE ONE WHO GAVE THE CONTRACT TO RANK, ARE NOT.

BUT WAS IT HCA? IT CAN BE ASPHALT HEAT.

SO IT WASN'T HIS HE DID NOT END UP SWAYING IN THAT IN THAT DIRECTION.

SO I WILL MAKE THAT CLEAR. THAT'S WHY AT THAT NIGHT I DIDN'T I WANTED THAT TO BE CLEAR TO FOLKS THAT ALTHOUGH THERE IS A PERCEIVED ONE THERE, IT DID NOT WORK OUT IN ANY TYPE OF WAY THAT THAT WAS THE ISSUE.

I THINK THAT THERE WAS THERE'S OTHER ISSUES, BUT THAT WASN'T IT.

BUT WE SHOULD WHAT WE'RE GOING TO PREVENT THAT FROM THE FUTURE.

YES. THANK YOU, MA'AM, AND THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING THAT PERCEPTION IS CRITICAL IN TRUSTEE ISSUES.

I BELIEVE WERE WE CLEAR FOR.

SO MOVING INTO SOME ADDITIONAL PROCUREMENT ITEMS, GOING TO FIND THE NUMBER FOR THE AUDITORS, WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE THRESHOLD WE WERE USING AT THE TIME.

ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR AWARDING PROCUREMENT PROCURED EXCUSE ME, AWARDING ON CONTRACTS, ITEMS THAT WERE BEING THAT WENT TO A PROCUREMENT PROCESS BELOW HUNDRED A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT THEY FELT THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT HIGH.

SO THIS ALSO IS SOMETHING THAT WAS GONE THROUGH LAST LATE LAST YEAR.

WE HAD A WORKSHOP WITH COUNSEL, TALKED ABOUT IT, PRESENT A LOT OF DATA HOUSEHOLD, AND THEY DECIDED THAT THEY WERE COMFORTABLE WITH ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLAR THRESHOLD.

AND SO THAT HAS REMAINED AND BEEN AND REMAINS INCLUDED IN OUR ORDINANCE AND PROCUREMENT MANUAL. FINDING FOR WAS RELATED TO MAKING SURE THAT THE RECORDS EXPLAINED THE RECORDS WERE WERE SUFFICIENT TO EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED IN TERMS OF PROCUREMENT DECISIONS, ESPECIALLY IF THEY DEVIATED FROM AN EVALUATION COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION.

SO, YOU KNOW, THE COMMITTEE SAYS PICK COMPANY A AND THEN A DECISION IS MADE AT COUNCIL LEVEL OR WHATEVER TO CHANGE IT TO BE.

SO ANYWAY, THE END RESULT OF THIS IS THAT WE KEEP ALL THE SOLICITATION RECORDS.

WE ALSO KEEP THEM. ONE OF THE CONCERNS WAS ABOUT HOW LONG WE KEEP THEM.

WE'VE CORRECTED THAT SO THAT IT'S PROPERLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH RECORDS, RETENTION REQUIREMENTS. AND WE ALSO HAVE NOT ONE OF THE ISSUES IN THIS SITUATION WAS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL WAS PART OF THE EVALUATION TEAM.

SO WE HAVE NOT DONE THAT AND DO NOT HAVE ANY INTENTION CURRENTLY TO DO THAT, TO HAVE COUNCIL SERVE IN A CAPACITY AS AN EVALUATION TEAM, BECAUSE IT JUST BECOMES A LITTLE BIT AWKWARD AND CHALLENGING.

SO ANYWAY, BUT IF THAT DID HAPPEN, WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A LOT OF DETAILED RECORDS RETAINED TO SHOW WHY THE DECISION WAS WAS MADE, IF THERE WAS A CHANGE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. FINDING SIX, THIS WAS JUST RELATED TO THE GROUP HEALTH INSURANCE FOR THE CITY AT THE TIME HAD NOT BEEN BID OUT FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

SO THE RESULT IS THAT IN TWENTY WE DID BID IT OUT.

COUNCIL AWARDED THAT IN AUGUST OF TWENTY TWENTY.

AND THAT WAS ALSO AN ITEM THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY EXEMPTED FROM HAVING TO GO THROUGH A BID PROCESS IN OUR PROCUREMENT MANUAL AND ORDINANCE.

AND THAT'S BEEN CHANGED. SO IT'S NO LONGER EXEMPTED.

HAS TO GO OUT FOR BID WHEN THE CONTRACT IS DUE FOR RENEWAL.

FINDING SEVEN SIMILAR TOPIC, AND THAT WAS THAT THE CITY HAD NOT COMPETITIVELY SELECTED THE FINANCIAL CITY'S FINANCIAL ADVISER OR BOND COUNCIL BASED ON A COUPLE OF DATES THERE.

SO THE END RESULT IS FOR THE FINANCIAL ADVISER.

[00:55:03]

WE HAVE A NEW CONTRACT WENT THROUGH THAT PROCESS.

AGAIN, THAT WOULD HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE WHEN THAT CONTRACT ENDS.

A BOND COUNCIL THAT ACTUALLY LEGAL SERVICES IS EXEMPT FROM THE SELECTION PROCESS.

BUT THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND SHE CAN SPEAK TO THIS.

YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, BUT THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE CERTAINLY GOES THROUGH A QUALIFICATION BASED SELECTION PROCESS AND REVIEWS CONTRACTS AS NEEDED.

FINDING EIGHT WAS A LOT OF THIS AND SOME OF THE SLIDES AND EXER ABOUT HOW WE CONTROL OUR PICTURES OF PURCHASING CARDS, EXPENDITURE LEVELS AND WHO HAS ACCESS TO THEM AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO ONE THING THAT WAS SORT OF THE CORE STEP IN THIS WAS DOING A FULL AUDIT OF ALL THE CARDS THAT ARE OUT THERE, ALL THE FORMS, BECAUSE THERE'S MULTIPLE FORMS THAT HAVE TO BE SIGNED AND A LOT OF REVIEW OF LIMITS FOR DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

SO ALL CARDHOLDERS WERE AUDITED BASED ON THEIR FINDINGS OF THE GAO LIKE AUDIT.

WE'VE ALSO TAKEN ALL OF THE FORMS, SOME OF WHICH WERE JUST PAPER AND FILES.

THEY'VE ALL BEEN SCANS, ALL THAT IS NOW RETAINED ELECTRONICALLY AS WELL.

SO WE HAVE THAT BACKUP. AND THAT WAS FULLY IN PLACE AND OF 20, 20.

THE NEXT ITEM ALSO CONTINUES THE DISCUSSION ABOUT LOOKING AT PICARD USE AND LIMITS.

DOES SOMEONE HAVE THE CARD AND THEY NOT DO NOT USE IT? DO THEY REALLY NEED IT? IS IT APPROPRIATE FOR WHAT THEY'RE DOING? SO BASICALLY, ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS HAVE REVIEWED, ALL CARDHOLDERS LOOKED AT WHO'S APPROVING AND SIGNING OFF, LOOKING AT WHAT THE LEVELS WERE.

THIS WHOLE AUDIT THAT WE DID AND THAT'S BEEN COMPLETED.

AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THAT AND EVALUATE AS POSITIONS CHANGE, NEW PEOPLE COME INTO INTO THEIR POSITIONS.

AND THE DEPARTMENT NOW HAS A STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE ALL ABOUT HOW TO HANDLE OUR PURCHASING CARDS. AND ALL OF THIS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS IS IN THERE AS PART OF OUR REQUIRED PROCESS.

AND THEN THE OTHER ITEM HERE IS ABOUT CANCELATION OF PICARDS AND SOME OF THE CONCERNS WERE PICARDS WERE STILL OPEN AND ACTIVE AFTER SOMEONE HAD LEFT EMPLOYMENT.

SO THERE'S A VERY CLEAR PROCESS NOW, ALSO PART OF A SWAP THAT EXPLAINS HOW THAT'S HANDLED WHEN IT'S HANDLED. THERE WAS A PERIOD OF TIME, A LITTLE PERIOD OF TIME WHERE YOU KEEP THE CARD OPEN WHILE FINAL CHARGES ROLL THROUGH.

BUT THAT'S THAT'S A MONITORED PROCESS.

AND ALSO HUMAN RESOURCES IS NOW INVOLVED IN THAT, AS WELL AS A CHECKLIST ITEM TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE TWO DEPARTMENTS WATCHING OR REALLY THREE, COUNT THE DEPARTMENT WHERE THE EMPLOYEE COMES FROM.

SO THREE DEPARTMENTS THAT WOULD WATCH THAT PROCESS.

FINDING NINE SHIFTING GEARS, THIS IS ABOUT USE OF WIRELESS DEVICES, SO CITY CELL PHONES, AND IT WAS ALL ABOUT HOW WE MONITOR WHAT WHAT EQUIPMENT WE HAVE IN PLAY, WHO'S USING THEM, HOW ARE THEY USING THEM.

SO CHECKING PHONE BILLS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO IT HAS A MASTER LIST OF CELL PHONES THEY IMPLEMENTED IN ADMINISTRATIVE CODE THAT ACTUALLY COVERS ALL OF THIS.

BUT ESSENTIALLY, EVERY DEPARTMENT HAS TO REVIEW CELL PHONE BILLS.

NO MONTHLY HAVE AN ELECTRONIC SYSTEM.

WE USED TO GO THROUGH THAT REVIEW PROCESS.

DIRECTORS AND SUPERVISORS ARE ASSIGNED TO REVIEW AND MAKE SURE THERE'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, ANSTEEL NAMES ON THERE FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE LEFT AND SHOULDN'T HAVE AN ACTIVE PHONE.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S THAT'S BEING CLOSED OUT.

AND SO IT TAKES A BILLING CYCLER TO FOR THAT TO DROP OFF.

BUT ALL OF THAT, AGAIN, IS IS IN PLACE.

WE ALSO HAVE A. JUSTIFICATION REQUIREMENT TO BE DOCUMENTED IF THERE'S A REQUEST FOR IN A NEW PIECE OF EQUIPMENT, THAT HAS TO BE ACTUALLY DOCUMENTED TO EXPLAIN WHAT'S THE PURPOSE, WHY DOES THIS PERSON NEED IT? AND WE IT ACTUALLY DOES A CELL PHONE PLAN REVIEW AS WELL.

THEY'VE DONE IT MULTIPLE TIMES AND THEY CONTINUE TO DO THIS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING THE BEST VALUE PLAN AS WELL.

SO, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE YOUR PERSONAL CELL PHONE BILLS, YOU KNOW, THE PLANS CAN CHANGE AND YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE BEST DEAL FOR THE CITY.

WE DO THAT AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR.

MOVING INTO THE NEXT GROUP, THESE ARE PAYROLL AND PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION ITEMS. IT'S THE SECOND ANY QUESTION FROM FOUR THROUGH NINE KELSALL EVERY ON ME.

ALL RIGHT, SO FINDING TIN IS THE A CONCERN THAT OCCURRED WHERE THE CITY PAID EXTRA COMPENSATION TO A DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY SOME YEARS BACK.

SO. WE HAVE MADE IT CLEAR THAT AND THIS IS IN OUR UPDATED H.R.

ADMIN CODE, THAT WE DON'T PAY OUT EXTRA COMPENSATION.

WE FOLLOW CONTRACTS THAT ARE IN PLACE THAT CITY COUNCIL WOULD HAVE APPROVED FOR CONTRACT EMPLOYEES. AND WE ALSO FOLLOW THE FLORIDA STATUTES, ALSO DIRECTS HOW YOU CAN PAY OUT EMPLOYEES AND OF COURSE, OUR AUDIENCES EXCUSE ME, OUR OUR PERSONNEL POLICY COVERS WHAT'S PAID OUT IN TERMS OF THE RULES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO THAT THAT IS COMPLETE.

WE HAVE UPDATED OUR POLICIES TO REFLECT THAT AND THE.

ONE OF THE QUESTIONS, I THINK, FROM THE AUDITOR WAS WHETHER THERE COULD BE RECOVERY IN THE CITY ATTORNEY PROVIDED ANALYSIS THAT'S THERE.

[01:00:03]

OH, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE NEW COUNSEL, THE ANALYSIS ACTUALLY CAME FROM OUR OUTSIDE LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT LAWYER. I ACTUALLY AT HER REVIEW THE ISSUES.

AND IT WAS THIS IS AN EXCERPT, BUT SHE PROVIDED A MEMORANDUM WHICH I ACTUALLY CIRCULATED TO COUNSEL BECAUSE, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THIS PREDECEASE RECOVERY FOR THIS AND THERE'S ALSO ANOTHER ONE WHERE THEY SAY, HEY, WE SHOULD SEE RECOVERY FUND, HOW LIKELY ARE WE TO SEE? SO, OF COURSE, LIKE ANY TIME I'M GOING TO FILE A LAWSUIT, I WANT COUNSEL TO KNOW THE LIKELIHOOD OF SUCCESS AND GET A COWSILLS AUTHORIZATION.

AFTER REVIEWING THE ANALYSIS BY THE ATTORNEY, YOU KNOW, COUNSEL DECIDED THAT TO GO ALONG TO ACCEPT HER OPINION BECAUSE IT'S MORE LIKELY THAN NOT, ESPECIALLY SINCE OR EIGHTEEN THOUSAND AND THERE WAS NOT LIKELY TO RECOVER.

THE COST OF THE OUTSIDE COUNSEL WOULD PROBABLY BE GREATER THAN THAT.

AND THEN WE STILL PROBABLY WOULD NOT RECOVER THE MONEY.

BUT. THANK YOU, MA'AM, BUT WE, THE OUTSIDE LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT LAWYER, AS WELL AS MYSELF AND H.R., WE WENT THROUGH THE COMPLETE ADMINISTRATIVE CODE.

WE WORKED WITH THE PRIOR CITY MANAGER AND THIS IS THE CURRENT CITY MANAGER TO UPDATE THAT PROVISION AS WELL AS OTHER PROVISIONS IN.

THE CITY MANAGER JUST RELEASED RECENTLY THE ENTIRE THING, AND WE WENT LINE BY LINE THROUGH THE ENTIRE ADMINISTRATIVE CODE, MAKING SURE THAT EVERYTHING WAS UP TO DATE AND THAT WE HAD AS MANY CHECKS AND BALANCES AS POSSIBLE.

MEAN. AREON.

FINDING THE FINDING 11 WAS ALSO RELATED TO PAYOUTS FOR EMPLOYEE SO SPECIFIC TO SEVERANCE PAY. I KIND OF TALKED ABOUT A LITTLE BIT.

THEY ALSO HAD A CONCERN ABOUT THE TERNI EMERITUS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT, WHICH HAS ACTUALLY ALREADY BEEN ADDRESSED VIA CITY COUNCIL ACTION ON THAT ONE.

SO THAT'S BEEN CLOSE OUT, THAT CONTRACT WAS TERMINATED AND IT WAS ALL HANDLED AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE LAW IN TERMS OF PAYOUTS.

FINDING 12 WAS RELATED TO EMPLOYEE TIME WORKED AND HOW IT WAS DOCUMENTED, THE HORROR, THE ISSUE WAS CONCERN ABOUT SUPERVISORS IN LARGE PART NOT ALWAYS SIGNING OFF ON EMPLOYEES TIME CARDS OR THERE WAS DELAY AND SOME OF THAT.

SO NOW WE HAVE A PROCESS WHERE PAYROLL WILL RUN LISTS OF TIME CARDS THAT ARE UNAPPROVED.

SOMETIMES THERE'S MAYBE ONE ITEM ON A TIME CARD THAT CAME IN AFTER THAT WASN'T APPROVED AT THE FIRST GO ROUND. SO THAT'S BEEN REDONE.

EVERYTHING SIGNED OFF.

ESSENTIALLY, WE HAVE A PROCESS NOW AND THIS IS ALSO PART OF THE UPDATED H.R.

ADMIN CODE. AND REPORTS ARE DONE EVERY TWO WEEKS AND WE FIND OUT WHO HASN'T SIGNED OFF AND WE MAKE SURE THAT GETS DONE.

SO IT KEEPS THAT RUSSIAN UP TO DATE.

THIS IS SIMILAR FINDING 13 ALSO RELATED TO JUST MAKING SURE EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS ARE DONE TIMELY.

SO THE ADMIN CODE WAS UPDATED TO REFLECT NOT NOT NOT JUST SPECIFIC TIMES FOR WHEN THEY SHOULD BE COMPLETED, BUT ALSO THAT THERE IS A PROCESS FOR IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE THIS, WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? ALL THAT IS ALSO IN THE NEW ADMIN CODE.

1914 WAS ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT PAY INCREASES ARE PROPERLY SUPPORTED.

SO WHAT HAD HAPPENED BEFORE WAS SOMEONE WOULD GET A PAY INCREASE, BUT THERE WAS NO SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION OF A MEMO THAT WROTE THE JUSTIFICATION, THE REASONS WHY AND HOW THAT TIED TO THE ADMIN CODE OR PERSONNEL POLICY.

SO THAT HAS BEEN ALSO UPDATED IN OUR ADMINISTRATIVE CODE WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO HAVE A FORMAL MEMO EXPLAINING WHY AND WHAT THE PURPOSES.

FINDING 15 WAS RELATED TO TRANSFERS FROM THE STORM WATER UTILITY FUND TO REIMBURSE SALARY COSTS AND OTHER FUNDS, AND IT WAS THE CORE OF THE CONCERN WAS TRANSFERS THAT DIDN'T HAVE GOOD SUBSTANTIATING BACKUP.

SO NO COVERING STAFF COSTS IN ONE FUND.

AND YOU DIDN'T JUSTIFY THAT THEY HAD SPENT HOURS AND HOURS DOING THINGS APPROPRIATE FOR THAT FUND'S EXPENDITURES.

ESSENTIALLY. THEY'RE.

BACK TO JUST WANT TO GO BACK REAL QUICK.

YOU TALK AS FAR AS IT WAS AT 14, IS THERE IS THERE NORMAL OR SCHEDULE PAY PERFORMANCE EVALUATION? THERE ARE PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE PAY TIED TO THEM THAT THERE WOULD BE LIKE A MERIT'S KIND OF SYSTEM OR SOMETHING.

WE DON'T HAVE THAT. WE USED TO HAVE IT YEARS AGO IN THE CITY.

SO IF YOU GET AN EVALUATION DONE, THERE'S NO PAY DIRECTLY ATTACHED TO IT FOR ALL

[01:05:03]

SO ANNUALIZE PART OF THE BUDGET, IF COUNCIL APPROVES AN INCREASE FOR PAY, THAT'S WHEN THAT WOULD HAPPEN FOR EMPLOYEES LIKE A TWO PERCENT OR THREE PERCENT.

OH, I SEE THE ONCE A YEAR REVIEW OR HOW DOES THAT SO.

WELL, SPECIFIC TO THIS QUESTION.

LET ME BACK UP SPECIFIC TO THIS QUESTION.

THIS IS ABOUT AN INDIVIDUAL PERSON.

MAYBE THEY GOT A PROMOTION, MAYBE THEY'RE CHANGING JOBS OR MAYBE THEY'RE JUST IN THEIR CURRENT JOB GETTING A PAY INCREASE.

WHAT WAS HAPPENING WAS THERE WAS THAT'S ALLOWED IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE CODE THERE.

THERE ARE CLEAR STEPS AS TO HOW THAT GETS DONE.

THE H.R. DIRECTOR HAS AN AUTHORIZATION TO APPROVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

THE CITY MANAGER DOES AS WELL.

AND THERE ARE THERE ARE CLEAR DISCUSSIONS ABOUT REASONS WHY YOU MIGHT GIVE SOMEONE A PAY INCREASE. ALL THAT'S DOCUMENTED IN THE ADMIN CODE, AND IT WAS BEFORE, BUT IT'S BEEN IMPROVED UPON. THERE ARE EXCEPTION ISSUES THAT HAPPEN FOR PAY INCREASES AND THOSE CAN HAPPEN ANY TIME DURING THE YEAR.

BUT ACROSS THE BOARD, PAY INCREASES ONLY HAPPEN IF COUNCIL APPROVES IT IN A BUDGET.

YOU KNOW, IF YOU ALL APPROVE THE BUDGET, AS IT WAS TALKED ABOUT ON TUESDAY, THAT CURRENTLY INCLUDES A THREE PERCENT INCREASE FOR ALL OF STAFF.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.

YES, I'M I'M TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, THINK A PRIVATE SECTOR, HOW THINGS ARE CONDUCTED IN THAT REGARD. SO BUT I WILL ASK FOR MORE UNDERSTANDING.

I'LL I'LL SCHEDULE A ONE ON ONE WITH H.R.

DIRECTOR OR BETTER UNDERSTAND.

THANK YOU. IT COUNCILMAN FELIX, I THINK I KNOW WHERE YOU WERE GOING WITH THAT, I THINK IT'S JUST NOT THIS IS JUST ADDRESSING THE AUDIT.

AND SO BUT I SEE WHERE YOU'RE GOING FOR, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU WHEN YOU DO AN OUTSTANDING JOB GETTING REWARDED.

I THINK THAT'S WHERE YOU WOULD GOING IN IN THE PRIVATE.

GARY OLDMAN. SO JUST GOING BACK TO 15 BRIEFLY, ESSENTIALLY IN TWENTY NINETEEN, WE STOPPED DOING THOSE TRANSFERS IN THE BUDGET TO CLOSE THE LOOP ON THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE, WE DO NOT DO SALARY TRANSFERS BETWEEN STORMWATER AND GENERAL FUND AND WE DON'T DO STORMWATER EXCUSE ME, SALARY TRANSFERS.

WE DON'T DO SALARY TRANSFERS BETWEEN ANY FUNDS AT THIS POINT.

SO WE WILL IF THERE IS A SPECIFIC PROJECT THAT SOMEONE'S WORKING ON, WE COULD DO A CHARGEBACK FORM WHICH REQUIRES A LOT OF DETAIL.

AND ONE THING THAT COUNCIL WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE IS, FOR EXAMPLE, ALL OF THE HOUSING THAT THEY'RE ALL NOW FULLY FUNDED IN THE GENERAL FUND, BUT THEY WORK ON ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS, SHIPS, GDG, ET CETERA.

THOSE HOURS ULTIMATELY COULD BE COVERED OUT OF GENERAL FUND BY HOUSING PROGRAM.

THERE'S JUST NO THEY WERE JUST DOING BULK TRANSFERS, YOU KNOW, LIKE 20 PERCENT OF YOUR SALARY OR 30 PERCENT OF YOUR SALARY.

THAT DOESN'T HELP ANYMORE.

THERE HAS BEEN DETAILED TO BACK UP THE REASON FOR THE.

YEAH. THE SHIFT BETWEEN THE FUNDS.

RIGHT. ITEM 16, COUNCILWOMAN, BAILEY AND MS. SHERMAN. I KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT SOME OF THESE THINGS LATER, BUT I DID I GUESS ONE WAY TO MAKE SURE.

IS THERE ANY EXAMPLE WHERE YOU SAID YOU SAID, AMIGO, THERE HAVE BEEN NO CHARGEBACKS OR SO WE HAVE NOT IMPLEMENTED THAT OTHER THAN THE GRANT FUNDS? IS THAT CORRECT? WE ARE DOING I MEAN, LOOK AT ME.

ARE WE HANDLING THE HOUSING FOR THIS YEAR? THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR THAT WE HAVE PUT THE HOUSING FOLKS COMPLETELY INTO GENERAL FUND.

SO I HAVE TO ASK THE TEAM ABOUT THE ACTUAL MECHANICS OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING OR IF THAT'S DONE. YES, PLEASE. COME ON.

HOW THEY'RE ACTUALLY DOING THAT IF YOU EVEN STARTED IT YET.

GOOD EVENING, JOHN BROWN, THE CITY MANAGER.

YES, WE ARE BUDGETING STAFF IN GENERAL FUND CURRENTLY.

WE STARTED WITH FISCAL YEAR TWENTY TWENTY ONE AND STAFF HOUSING STAFF HAS TIMECARDS THAT THEY HAVE TO A LOT FOR THEIR TIME SPENT IN THE INDIVIDUAL GRANTS.

AND THOSE TIMECARDS ARE SUBMITTED BIWEEKLY, JUST LIKE THE OTHER TIME CARDS THAT THE CITY, THE STAFF HAS TO SUBMIT TO THE CITY.

AND THEY'RE RECONCILED THROUGH FINANCE TO REIMBURSE THE GENERAL FUND WITH THE GRANT PROGRAMS AS WELL AS ALLOTED IN THE TIMECARDS.

AND I GUESS THE REASON I DO KNOW THAT WE'RE AWARE OF AT LEAST ONE SITUATION CONTINUING APPEARS TO BE IN STORM WATER.

NOW PEOPLE ARE FUNDING FROM STORM WATER THAT ARE ALSO DRAWING ON OR GENERAL FUND WORK.

RIGHT. AND THAT CAME FROM NOW PARTIALLY IT CAME TO ATTENTION.

I MEAN, YOU GUYS KNOW, I'VE BEEN TO A LOT OF SITE VISITS AS BAILEY INFORMATION GAIN IN PART OF US, ALSO FROM NO CONSTITUENT INQUIRIES CONCERNED ABOUT THE BOND AND KNOW WHETHER THE BOND WAS BEING SPENT CORRECTLY.

BUT I THINK INADVERTENTLY, WHAT WE FIND FINE IS THAT WE HAVE CALL CENTERS ALLOCATE TO

[01:10:01]

NOW WE ARE SUBSIDIZING THE GENERAL FUND THROUGH ANOTHER FEE, WHICH IS A TAX IN ANOTHER NAME. A LOT OF PEOPLE, BAILEY LEAST.

AND SO THAT'S THAT'S SOME ISSUE.

I DON'T THINK IN THE END IN THE END, IT'S PROBABLY A WASH.

IN THE END, THERE'S PROBABLY A LOT OF PAPERWORK HERE.

AND BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S GENERAL FUND WORKING ON STORMARE, TOO, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS CLEAR.

NOW, I GUESS THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE ON THAT.

AND THEN THAT THE AND THEN I GUESS THE GENERAL QUESTION IS, HAVE YOU FOUND ANYTHING MORE THAT'S LIKE THAT? NO, IT'S WHY I'M HERE AT THIS POINT.

YES. SO THE ONES THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT, WE DID A TWO MONTH AUDIT JUST RECENTLY IN THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, AND JULIET MAY BE ABLE TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE TO THAT.

BUT ESSENTIALLY, WHEN WE STARTED, WE LEARNED ABOUT THIS AND BECAME AWARE OF THE CONCERN.

WE JUST TOOK A SAMPLE OF TWO MONTHS AND WENT TO LOOK BACK.

WE WERE LOOKING SPECIFICALLY AT POSITIONS THAT ARE INSPECTOR POSITIONS, NOT AT THE WHOLE PUBLIC WORKS TEAM, JUST BECAUSE OF THE TIME IT TOOK TO DO JUST A TWO MONTH SPREADSHEET.

BUT THE END RESULT IS WHAT YOU SAID, WHICH IS CAUSING US TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AND TO FIGURE OUT A STRATEGY TO FIX IT.

THERE ARE CERTAINLY PEOPLE PAID OUT OF GENERAL FUND WHO ARE DOING ROADMAN WORK, NOT BEING PAID OUT OF RHODE ISLAND AND DOING STORMWATER WORK, NOT BEING PAID OUT OF STORMWATER.

BUT THE COUNCILMAN BAILEY POINT, THE FIX THAT WE NEED TO DO IS THE SITUATIONS THAT ARE OCCURRING THE OTHER WAY.

AND I MEAN, I CAN'T TELL YOU OFFHAND IF IT WAS A 50 50, BUT JULIA PROBABLY CAN REMEMBER THAT MORE CLEARLY THAN I CAN.

BUT THERE ARE DEFINITELY POSITIONS WHO ARE WE DON'T HAVE ANY POSITIONS FUNDED IN THE ROAD BOND, JUST TO BE CLEAR.

BUT THERE ARE POSITIONS FUNDED IN STORMWATER THAT HAVE BEEN TASKED WITH SOME OF THE TIME, MAYBE ALL THE TIME FOR THOSE TWO MONTHS WORKING ON ROAD BOND PROJECT, FOR EXAMPLE.

OR WORKING ON GENERAL FUND TYPE TASKS, AND SO THOSE ARE THE ONES WE HAVE TO CORRECT.

AND THANK YOU, I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER AS A BROUGHT TO YOUR ATTENTION TO START GETTING WORK AND EVERYBODY TO EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION, PEOPLE ARE WORKING ON IT AND CHANGES ARE BEING MADE TO FIX THAT.

ONE THING I DID WANT TO COMMENT NOW, JUST I GUESS JUST FOR THE PUBLIC'S BENEFIT IN COUNCILMAN IS THAT, LIKE YOU SAID, THERE'S NOTHING COMING OUT OF THE ROAD BOND FOR THEIR SERVICES. WHAT ABOUT ENGINEERING? THERE'S THERE'S NO POSITIONS FUNDED OUT OF EVEN ENGINEERING, ALTHOUGH THAT WAS THE ARGUMENT THE BEGINNING IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO SAVE ROWBY MONEY BY NOT PAYING FOR AN OUTSIDE SET OF ENGINEERS AND SO FORTH TO AND INSPECTORS.

WE'RE GOING TO DO IT IN-HOUSE.

BUT THEN WE'RE PAYING FOR OUR GENERAL FUND, WHICH IS THEN WE'RE SAYING WE NEED MORE TAX DOLLARS, GENERAL FUND WHILE WE'RE STILL GETTING ALL THE ROBOT MONEY OR SO, WHICH IS ALSO, YOU KNOW, A TAX THAT'S ON THERE.

SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE I DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THINGS PUT BACK IN THEIR APPROPRIATE COST CENTERS, JUST EVEN IF EVEN IF WE COULD PAY GENERAL FUND AND WE CAN USE THAT, WE CAN USE GENERAL GENERAL FUND TO DO THE STORMWATER USE, GENERAL FUND TO DO THE ROBOT.

BUT BECAUSE THEY HAVE SPECIFIC FEES AND ATTACKS, THEY'RE ASSOCIATED WITH THEM.

I THINK IT'D BE NICE TO PUT THEM IN THERE.

THAT WAY PEOPLE SEE THE TRUE COSTS, HOW THEY LINE UP.

WHENEVER YOU START MOVING EVERYTHING AROUND, IT BECOMES THAT THE BALL UNDERNEATH THE CUP, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON ANYMORE.

YEAH. CARRY ON THE.

SO ITEM 16 RELATES TO THE COSPONSORSHIP OF EVENTS, SPECIAL EVENTS THAT WE ACTUALLY TALKED ABOUT AT A RECENT COUNCIL MEETING, SO THAT POLICY HAS BEEN ADOPTED AND ALSO INCLUDES CLARITY THAT NO DIRECT FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO CITY FUNDS WILL BE PERMITTED ONLY IN KIND SUPPORT AND THAT THOSE HAVE TO GO THROUGH A FULL REVIEW PROCESS.

17 RELATED TO SOME REVIEW THE AUDITORS DID FOR DONATIONS TO EXTERNAL ORGANIZATIONS AND CONFIRMING THAT THERE WAS A PUBLIC PURPOSE, THERE WERE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT GROUPS OF ARE EXAMPLES OF TYPES OF DONATIONS.

SOME WERE JUST STRAIGHT DONATIONS TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT DIDN'T HAVE LIKE A CLEAR YOU KNOW, THEY DIDN'T GO TO COUNCIL.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE A CLEAR PUBLIC PURPOSE STATED.

SO THOSE ARE NOT HAPPENING.

WE DO NOT DO ANY DIRECT DONATIONS TO ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THAT ANY FURTHER.

BUT THE OTHER PART OF THEIR COMMENT WAS THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT SOME EVENTS WE DO ANNUALLY, LIKE THE REINDEER RUN WHERE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME DONATIONS THAT ARE BROUGHT IN. THERE COULD BE THE USE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT TRUST FUND DOLLARS TO SUPPORT SOME OF THOSE EVENTS. AND THOSE ARE WHERE WE, YOU KNOW, GATHER WITH STUDENTS FROM SCHOOLS AND, YOU KNOW, LET THEM GO SHOPPING AT WAL-MART OR WHATEVER TO GET THINGS.

SO THERE'S BEEN A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN STRENGTHENED IN THIS PARTICULAR PROCESS. ONE IS WE'VE WHILE WE'VE ALWAYS FOLLOWED THE RULES BECAUSE THEY'RE STATE RULES FOR THAT, WE HAVE STRENGTHENED OUR INTERNAL PROCEDURES.

SO THERE'S AN S.O.P FOR THAT.

THERE ARE FORMS THAT HAVE TO BE COMPLETED BY ANYONE THAT'S USING THE ETF FUNDS.

AND THERE'S ALSO ONE OF THE CONCERNS FROM THE AUDITOR WAS HOW WERE THE CHILDREN SELECTED? SO THAT CRITERIA DOESN'T COME FROM US.

BUT THERE'S A PROCESS IN PLACE NOW FOR THE SCHOOLS TO HANDLE THAT, TO MAKE SURE IT'S SOME IT'S A CLEAN PROCESS TO.

[01:15:06]

THERE ARE MUCH CLEAR PROCEDURES.

WE HAVE A LOT OF DETAILS ABOUT WHEN THINGS COME TO COUNCIL AND COUNCIL HAS TO DECLARE PROPERTY B SURPLUS.

AND THERE'S DETAILS ABOUT HOW THE ENTIRE PROCESS WORKS OUT.

THIS IS TURNED OUT TO BE A LITTLE BIT OF A LIVING, BREATHING DOCUMENT BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE ACTUALLY RECENTLY ON ADDITIONAL STEPS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE BECAUSE OF JUST THE NEED TO HAVE CLEAR TITLE WHEN YOU'RE SELLING PROPERTIES AND STEPS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE THAT WEREN'T BEING TAKEN BEFORE, WHERE COUNCIL ACTUALLY HAS TO BUY RESOLUTION.

APPROVE THE SALE, TENTATIVE SALE OF A PROPERTY AND SPECIFICALLY NAMED THE BUYER, THAT'S APPARENTLY PART OF WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.

I BELIEVE THAT IT WASN'T INCLUDED IN HER MANUAL, BUT THAT'S BEEN DONE ALSO HAS BEEN APPROVED IN MY RESOLUTION, THE SALES FORCE SOMETIME, I THINK, SINCE TWENTY NINETEEN.

WE JUST DIDN'T INCLUDE THAT STEP, YOU KNOW, IN THE POLICY.

BUT IT'S BEEN ACTUALLY OCCURRING.

OUR OFFICE, WE'VE BEEN PREPARING THE RESOLUTIONS.

COUNCIL'S BEEN APPROVING THEM.

THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT. SO I GUESS I SAY THAT BETTER.

RIGHT. IT WASN'T IN OUR ADMIN CODE BUT WE'VE DISCOVERED THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE THERE.

SO THAT PROCESS WILL BE STRENGTHENED INTERNALLY AS WELL.

ITEM 19 WAS THE NEED TO HAVE A STRONGER PROCESS AND POLICY FOR TANGIBLE PERSONAL PROPERTY RECORDS, AND WE HAD TO UPDATE OUR INTERNAL PROCEDURES FOR THAT.

SO ESSENTIALLY WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS WE'VE CREATED THIS NEW POLICY AND WE USE A STANDARDIZED INVENTORY FORM FOR ANY CAPITAL ASSETS.

FIVE THOUSAND ABOVE.

AND YOU SEE THERE NONCAPITAL A THOUSAND TO FOUR THOUSAND NINE NINETY NINE AND ATTRACTIVE ITEMS, WHICH ARE THINGS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE SOME VALUE TO SOMEONE LIKE A CELL PHONE OR SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE NOT WORTH A WHOLE LOT, BUT IT COULD WALK AWAY.

SO THERE ARE FORMS TO DO THE INVENTORY TO TRACK AND MAKE SURE THAT'S ALL IN PLACE.

AND WE'VE STRENGTHENED OUR POLICY.

AND WE WE'RE ALSO DOING A FULL RECONCILIATION OF ALL THE HISTORICAL INVENTORY DATA.

THAT'S AN ONGOING PROCESS.

AND IT WILL BE FOR SOME TIME SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF YEARS OF WORK WE'RE CATCHING UP ON. BUT THAT'S THAT'S ALL STILL GOING FORWARD.

THE NEXT MAN BEFORE YOU GO TO ITEMS 22, 23, I'D LIKE TO TAKE A THREE MINUTE RECESS.

OK, MA'AM, I THINK WE'RE READY, WE'LL START AGAIN.

FINDINGS 20 THROUGH 23.

SO THE SERIES RELATES TO DIFFERENT THINGS FOR VEHICLE USAGE, FINDING 20 WAS SPECIFIC TO THE TIME THE MAYOR HAVING A TAKE HOME VEHICLE.

AND SO AS A RESULT, THIS HAS ALL BEEN HANDLED.

BUT COUNCIL HAS ADDED LANGUAGE TO THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TO ADDRESS PUBLIC VEHICLE USE. BASICALLY, THERE IS CLEAR LANGUAGE IN THERE THAT SAYS BOTH IN THE COUNCIL POLICY PROCEDURE AS WELL AS ADMIN CODE, YOU KNOW, VEHICLES CAN'T BE OBVIOUSLY USED FOR PERSONAL USE OR IS A TAKE HOME VEHICLE IN THE CASE OF MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.

THERE'S A LOT OF TRACKING THAT'S INVOLVED IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, NAME A PERSON CHECKING OUT A VEHICLE, MILEAGE, ET CETERA.

AND THE OTHER PART OF THIS AUDIT FINDING WAS A CONCERN ABOUT A PURCHASE OF A VEHICLE, THAT WAS THE VEHICLE THAT WAS USED PREVIOUSLY IN THIS SCENARIO, PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE THAT DID NOT COME TO CITY COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION AUTHORIZATION, USE OF FUNDS FOR SOMETHING THAT WASN'T BUDGETED SO THAT THAT IS NOW NOT SOMETHING THAT COULD HAPPEN AGAIN BASED ON OUR FOLLOWING OUR PROCEDURES.

SO. FINDING 21 WAS RELATED TO AUTOMOBILE ALLOWANCES, AND SO THIS IS ONE OF THE THREE THAT IS STILL IN PROCESS AND I KNOW I'VE SPOKEN TO ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ABOUT THIS.

SO ESSENTIALLY THE ISSUE THAT THE AUDITORS RAISED WITH THE AUTOMOBILE ALLOWANCES, WHICH ARE PROVIDED TO HISTORICALLY PROVIDED TO CHARTER OFFICERS SOME ALL OF THE GROUP.

ONE, DO YOU WANT EMPLOYEES, WHICH ARE ALL OF THE DIRECTORS ALSO INCLUDES ASSISTANT ATTORNEYS, DEPUTY ATTORNEYS AND DEPUTY CITY CLERK.

I MEAN, ALL THOSE POSITIONS FOR MANY, MANY YEARS HAVE HAD ACCESS TO AN AUTO ALLOWANCE UNLESS THEY HAVE A TAKE HOME VEHICLE IN THE CASE OF LIKE A POLICE CHIEF FIRE CHIEF.

[01:20:01]

SO FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, WHAT I HAVE INFORMED STAFF WE WILL BE LOOKING AT IS REMOVING THE AUTO ALLOWANCE AS IT STANDS TODAY FROM BEING AN AUTO ALLOWANCE.

RIGHT, SO THAT WE CAN'T JUSTIFY IT.

SO THAT'S STEP ONE OF THE PROBLEM.

BUT WHAT I HAVE MENTIONED TO COUNCIL AND WE'LL REQUEST IS THAT WE CONSIDER ROLLING THOSE COSTS OF SALARY, THOSE NUMBERS INTO THE SALARY OF THE DIRECTORS.

AND THE REASON I BRING THAT UP IS THE DIRECTORS AS PART OF THEIR BENEFIT PACKAGE.

AND I JUST SPEAK FOR MY SIDE OF THE HOUSE.

PATRICIAN TERESE CAN SPEAK OTHERWISE.

BUT THE DIRECTORS AND MY SIDE OF THE HOUSE HAVE BEEN HIRED AND PART OF THEIR BENEFIT PACKAGE PART THE DETERMINATION THAT THEY MADE IN COMING HERE WAS RELATED TO I HAVE SALARY, BUT I ALSO HAVE AN AUTO ALLOWANCE AND I ALSO HAVE A CERTAIN TYPE OF RETIREMENT.

AND I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH MULTIPLE DIRECTORS AND.

BECAUSE THE AUTO ALLOWANCE, IT'S NOT TREATED ANY DIFFERENTLY FROM A TAX STANDPOINT, IT HAS BEEN TREATED AS A SALARY ITEM, AND WHEN THEY GET THEIR W-2 AT THE END OF THE YEAR, IT'S ROLLED UP IN THERE JUST WITH THEIR SALARY.

BUT SURE, THAT TO SAY THERE'S BEEN CONVERSATION ABOUT THE REASONS PEOPLE CAME HERE AND THE NEGOTIATION THEY MAY HAVE DONE FOR THEIR SALARIES FOR PEOPLE IN THOSE POSITIONS, THAT THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT DISCUSSIONS HAD THEY NOT HAD WHAT AMOUNTS TO ALMOST A FIVE THOUSAND DOLLAR AUTO ALLOWANCE SALARY THAT THEY THEY THEY WERE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THAT AT THE BEGINNING. SO THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT DISCUSSION, IS MY POINT IN THE HIRING PROCESS. SO MY RECOMMENDATION REMAINS TO CONSIDER ROLLING THAT FOR THE NEW FISCAL YEAR BUDGET, WHICH IS WHEN I'VE INDICATED TO THE TEAM THAT THE AUTO ALLOWANCES STANDS TODAY WILL GO AWAY. MY RECOMMENDATION IS TO ROLL THAT INTO THE BASE SALARY OF THE EMPLOYEES WHO CURRENTLY RECEIVE IT, AND THAT IS WHY THAT ONE IS IN PROCESS.

WHEN WHEN YOU TOUCHED ON RETIREMENT, WHAT WERE YOU REFERRING TO WHEN IT THERE? THERE ARE SOME EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE COME OUT OF FLORIDA RETIREMENT SYSTEM RETIREMENT PLANS AND. FOR THOSE, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN IN FOR US FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME, THEY SAY THEY'VE EXPRESSED AS THEY HAD TO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT CONTENT, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'VE COME TO THIS CITY AND THESE WILL BE LIKE HIGHER YEARS FOR THEM. THEY'VE EXPRESSED CONCERNS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT EXACTLY THE SAME BENEFIT LEVEL THEY WOULD HAVE RECEIVED IF THEY WERE STILL WITH AN EVER US AGENCY, BECAUSE WE HAVE JUST A WHEN A WE DO MATCH THE FORNI A WELL, BUT BUT THAT'S A CONCERN THAT'S BEEN EXPRESSED TO ME. I DON'T KNOW A LOT OF THE INS AND OUTS OF THAT.

WE'RE ACTUALLY CURRENTLY EVALUATING IT FOR US BECAUSE IT'S COME UP RECENTLY.

IN FACT, IN OUR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR INTERVIEWS SOMEONE WHO SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THAT FOR US BECAUSE THAT'S KIND OF A BIG DEAL, I GUESS, TO THAT PERSON.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THE MECHANICS OF THAT AND WHETHER WE COULD OFFER MAYBE A FOUR WAY AND IT FOR US TWO OR SOMETHING, BUT WE'RE EARLY ON IN THE PHASES OF LOOKING AT THAT.

SO NOT TO GET OFF TRACK, BUT.

THAT'S WHY THAT CAME UP. ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANTED TO CONTINUE ON WITH? 21. I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK YOU BACK FROM CITY TO THE.

OK, SO ARE YOU ARE YOU DONE? OK, SO BEFORE YOU DO THAT, DID YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO COUNCILMAN OR ARE YOU ON? I WAS JUST GOING TO BE BACK FOR YOU ALL OR DECIDE IS YOUR CONTRACT WAS ON WELL BEFORE YOU SEPARATE. SO, YES.

OR, YOU KNOW, OUR CONTRACTS WERE NEGOTIATED PRIOR TO JULY OF THIS.

THERE'S ONLY ONE OF THE THREE OFFICERS, CHARTER OFFICERS THAT NEGOTIATED A CONTRACT AFTER THIS. IF WE REMOVED THE.

VEHICLE ALLOWANCES FROM OUR GROUP, ONE THE WAY IN WHICH OUR CONTRACTS ARE WRITTEN, IT WOULD REMOVE THE VEHICLE ALLOWS FROM BOTH THE CITY ATTORNEY AND THE.

A CITY CLERK, WHICH IN ESSENCE MEANS COUNCIL WILL REDUCE THE PAY THAT WE RECEIVE.

AND SO CERTAINLY I KNOW THE MAYOR MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG, THERE'S NOTHING ILLEGAL ABOUT PROVIDING A CAR ALLOWANCE.

AND ESSENTIALLY, IF YOU LOOK AT OUR.

THE MECHANISM BY WHICH WE DESCRIBE THE CAR ALLOWANCE, IT REALLY IS NO DIFFERENT THAN MELBOURNE WHO WENT THROUGH THE SAME JAIL, I THOUGHT IT WAS MAKES OURS DIFFERENT IS REALLY THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE, BECAUSE I THINK WITH SOME OF MY ATTORNEYS HAVE LOOKED AS FAR AS

[01:25:01]

WHY CERTAIN PEOPLE GET IT AND HOW THEY COME UP WITH IT, IT'S JUST LIKE YOU LOOK AT A CITY LIKE JACKSONVILLE. I THINK THEY HAVE MAYBE 16 PEOPLE THAT HAD A CAR ALLOWS JACKSONVILLE SIGNIFICANTLY LARGER THAN US.

WE HAD 17. SO IT'S JUST THE SHEER NUMBER.

A LOT OF PLACES HAVE THESE, BUT A LOT OF PLACES CAR ALLOWS IS GIVEN TO THE APPOINTED MEMBERS, THE CHARTER OFFICERS AND THE ELECTED OFFICIALS.

A LOT OF THEM ARE JUST THAT NARROW.

SOME GO A LITTLE BIT BEYOND.

BUT I COULDN'T FIND ANY, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY WE LOOKED, INCLUDING JACKSONVILLE, THAT PROVIDED AS MANY PARALLELS AS WE DID.

AND I THINK THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT KIND OF MADE IT SEEM UNUSUAL.

SO IT'S LIKE, OK, IF YOU'RE PROVIDING THIS MONEY, WHY ARE YOU PROVIDING THIS MONEY? AND CERTAINLY OUR RESPONSE WAS, WELL, WE WANT EMPLOYEES.

WHY? BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE DO.

OK, SO HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY? I KNOW THEY SAID, HEY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE.

THERE IS LOTS OF CITIES THAT ACTUALLY PROVIDE MORE.

IT'S NOT THAT THE CAR ALLOWS IN AND OF ITSELF IS NOT LEGAL, IS JUST.

WHEN SOMEONE ASKS YOU WHY YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING, WHY ARE YOU GIVING IT TO SO MANY PEOPLE AND WHY DID YOU COME UP THIS MOUNT? AND IT'S LIKE, OH, THAT'S JUST WHAT WE DO, THAT'S GOING TO DROP A FLAG.

AND IT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL WE HAD.

WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY BACKING BUT THE.

WAITING, WHICH HOURS IN THIS WORD REALLY ISN'T ANY DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER, IS REALLY JUST THE SCOPE. AND AS FAR AS THE SOLUTION.

ANOTHER ISSUE THAT'S UNIQUE FOR THE U.S.

ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, AS THE CITY MANAGER PROPOSED, WHILE WE SHOULD JUST INCREASE THE SALARY OF THE HEAD OF MY DEPARTMENT WHILE THE CITY MANAGER HAS THAT AUTHORITY AND SO DOES A CITY CLERK. I'M THE ONLY CHARTER OFFICER THAT CANNOT DO THAT UNDER THEIR CHARTER, I HAVE I DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO INCREASE THE SALARY OF ANY OF THE ATTORNEYS.

SO IF COUNCIL WERE LOOKING TO FLY THAT AS A SOLUTION, COUNCIL WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE TO AUTHORIZE THE INCREASE.

OR ME, BECAUSE I'M UNDER CONTRACT OR FOR ANY OF MY ATTORNEYS, I DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY OR THE CHARTER TO SET THE SALARY THAT WERE IN FOR ANY OTHER ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEYS IS SET BY COUNSEL. SO MINE IS A LITTLE BIT UNIQUE.

AND THEY CERTAINLY WANTED TO MAKE COUNCIL AWARE THAT.

AND I APPRECIATE THAT, MA'AM, BUT JUST TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT, MY ANALOGY TOWARDS THIS ONE ITEM WHEN I DISCUSSED IT WAS NOT THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF IT, BUT THE FACT THAT IT CAME OUT AS AN ISSUE AS PART OF THE AUDIT.

AND SO WE AS YOU SAID, WE DIDN'T THINK THAT WE WERE DOING ANYTHING WRONG, BUT IT CAME OUT IN THE AUDIT THAT THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.

SO THAT WAS MY ANALOGY.

THAT WAS WHAT I WAS TRYING TO COMMUNICATE.

NOT THAT YOU PURPOSELY DID ANYTHING WRONG OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT IS JUST OVERALL, THIS IS PART OF THE CHECKS AND BALANCES THAT I WANT TO BRING FOR THE FUTURE WHEN IT COMES TO IN THE FUTURE, DOING AUDITS AND SETTING MONEY ASIDE FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE SO THAT WE'RE CHECKING, WE'RE CONSTANTLY GAUGING SO THAT WE IMPROVE AND THAT THAT'S WHAT I WAS REFERRING TO. SO COUNCILMAN WHAT I'M HEARING IS MADAM SHERMAN IN ADDRESSING.

IS JONES CAN ADDRESS THIS WITH HER STAFF, BUT THE ATTORNEY DOESN'T HAVE THAT LUXURY.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO COME UP WITH GIVING HER THAT AUTHORITY OR INDIVIDUALLY HOWEVER THIS COUNCIL SEES FIT OR WHAT? WHAT WOULD YOUR RECOMMENDATION BE? MS. SMITH. IF COUNCIL IS INCLINED TO GO ALONG WITH WHAT THE CITY MANAGER IS AUTHORIZING, I WOULD CERTAINLY WOULD ASK THAT COUNCIL BE CONSISTENT IF ALL THE OTHER GROUP OF EMPLOYEES ARE GOING TO SEE THAT THEIR SALARY IS INCREASED BY THE CAR ALLOWANCE.

I WOULD SEE NO REASON WHY THE DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY SHOULD BE TREATED DIFFERENTLY.

AND ON A LIGHTER NOTE, I SEE NO DIFFERENT REASON WHY I SHOULD BE TREATED ANY DIFFERENTLY.

AND I WOULD CERTAINLY WOULD WANT COUNCIL TO AMEND MY CONTRACT TO EITHER CONTINUE MY CAR ALLOWANCE OR TO DO THE SAME AND INCREASE MY SALARY.

I WOULD SEE NO REASON WHY, AS A GROUP ONE EMPLOYEE, THAT I SHOULD BE TREATED ANY DIFFERENTLY FROM ANY OTHER GROUP OF EMPLOYEES.

HOW MANY GROUP OF EMPLOYEES DO YOU HAVE? IT IS THE THREE DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEYS AND MYSELF.

[01:30:02]

I ACTUALLY I'M MS. SHERMAN SET UP PERFECTLY, I WOULD GO ALONG WITH THE MAJORITY OF WHAT EVERYBODY WANTS TO DO, I HAVE TO MYSELF AS WELL AS MY DEPUTIES THAT ARE AFFECTED BY THIS.

SO I'VE ALREADY SPOKEN WITH TERRI AND WE ARE OK WITH THE SALARY INCREASE.

THANK YOU. I THINK EVEN BAILEY THANK YOU, MAYOR.

LET ME REAL QUICK, I WANT TO STYLISH GOLD PIECES OF FACTS FOR THE RECORD, MS. SHERMAN, WHAT'S THE CURRENT RATE FOR THE CAR ALLOWANCE? IT IS A FOUR OR FIVE DOLLARS A MONTH.

AND WHEN DID THAT START? YOU KNOW, YOU REMEMBER, CHARLENA, WAS IT WHEN DID THE.

THANK YOU. 2017 WOULD BE WHEN THEY CHANGED THE NUMBER, RIGHT, BECAUSE THE AUTO ALLOWANCE HAD BEEN IN PLACE FOR MANY YEARS BEFORE THAT, AS FAR AS I KNOW.

SO THEN WHAT WAS THE PREVIOUS RATE? TWO HUNDRED SEVENTY FIVE PER MONTH AND.

WHAT I GUESS I GUESS WHAT I WANT TO REPRESENT TO COUNCILMAN IS THERE'S THERE'S MULTIPLE LAYERS OF CONSIDERATION HERE.

THERE ARE CURRENTLY 21 GROUP ONE EMPLOYEES AND 16 OF THEM ARE RECEIVING THE CAR ALLOWANCE, I BELIEVE MS., SHERMAN THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE THAT IN YOUR HOUSE, CORRECT? I THINK YOU'RE ONE. I LEFT IT OUT OF THE CONTRACT SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE ISSUES WITH THE ITEM FROM JAIL, BECAUSE WE YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE WERE AWARE OF, WE WERE AWARE OF AND AT LEAST AT THE VERY LATEST DECEMBER 2013.

BUT REALITY STAFF AND NO INTERNALLY, BECAUSE WE KNEW WHAT QUESTIONS WERE COMING FROM FROM THE OTHERS INTERNALLY, WE KNEW BEFORE THEN REALITY.

THAT'S WHENEVER IT GOT FORMALIZED AND PUT INTO A DOCUMENT TO THE PUBLIC FROM JAIL WAS IN THE SUMMER 2013.

WE ACTUALLY ACTUALLY EVEN SOONER THAN THAT WE HAD AND I THINK IN OCTOBER, A PRELIMINARY ONE, WHICH ALSO HIGHLIGHTED IT FOR THE PUBLIC, BUT STAFF ACTUALLY WOULD HAVE KNOWN IT BEFORE THEN. SO WE HAVE THIS PERIOD OF TIME WHERE WE WENT FROM TWO SEVENTY FIVE TO FOUR OR FIVE. AND AS THE JAIL ORDERS CAME UP WITH WHY? I MEAN, WHY I MEAN, IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT OUR POLICY, WHAT THIS IS FOR SHOULD BE FOR DEFERRING ACTUAL BUSINESS COST OF DOING BUSINESS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, IT I UNDERSTAND THAT EMPLOYEES WOULD PERCEIVE IT BECAUSE IT'S COMING HOME ON THEIR PAYCHECK AND THEY'RE GETTING INTO ESSENTIALS. MUST BE, YOU KNOW, A KIND OF REIMBURSEMENT FOR THEM, BUT COME HOME IN THEIR PAYCHECK. AND IF THEY DON'T SPEND FOUR HUNDRED FIVE DOLLARS, THAT'S MONEY IN THE BANK ACCOUNT. RIGHT.

SO I UNDERSTAND HOW AS AN EMPLOYEE, THIS IS COMPENSATION.

BUT IN THE BIG PICTURE REASON WE DO THIS, THE ONLY REASON THAT REALLY SHOULD BE DOING IT, I KNOW IN MY OPINION, IS IF SOMEHOW IT'S GOING TO SAVE US MONEY FROM USING CITY VEHICLES OR USING USING A FLEET VEHICLE.

AND THAT'S WHENEVER IT MAKES SENSE.

IT SHOULD BE. I THINK THAT THERE'S CERTAIN CITY EMPLOYEES LIKE OUR CHIEFS.

I THINK THERE'S FOLKS LIKE AND I'VE AND I WILL SAY THIS PROBABLY I MEAN, I'VE SAID IT TO MS. SHERMAN. I THINK PEOPLE LIKE PARKS AND REC.

I THINK NO PARKS AND FACILITIES NOW, REC, MAYBE UTILITIES KNOW ANYBODY WHO'S REGULARLY GETTING OUT IN THE FIELD WHEN I WOULD PREFER TO HAVE THEM IN A CITY VEHICLE MARKED WITH THE CITY LOGO. I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE WAY TO KNOW AND THEY SHOULD HAVE THAT AND I SHOULD TAKE IT AWAY AND SOME FOLKS WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT EITHER WAY.

THOSE THERE ARE YOU KNOW, DO YOU HAVE THE CHIEFS WHO HAVE ESSENTIALLY THEY HAVE TO HAVE A TAKE HOME CAR, RIGHT? I MEAN, THERE YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S NO IT'S ONE OF THOSE CRUCIAL THINGS FOR THEM TO HAVE IT TO BE ABLE TO REPORT TO A SERIOUS INCIDENT.

NO, THEY'RE NOT BENEFITING FROM THIS EXTRA COMPENSATION, FROM THIS EXTRA SALARY, BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS LIKE IT'S SALARY, LIKE IT'S DIRECT COMPENSATION.

IT'S NOT IS A FRINGE BENEFIT.

THE FRINGE BENEFIT AND SO TO ME, ALTHOUGH IT'S REDUCING A TAKE-HOME PAY, BECAUSE WHEN YOU CHANGE BENEFITS, IF WE WERE TO INCREASE OR DECREASE OUR HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS, THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE YOUR BOTTOM LINE AND YOUR CHECK.

SO, AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE FROM THE POLICE SIDE, BUT I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF AN ISSUE OF SAYING. I SAID, WHERE ARE YOU GUYS DOING? WHY ARE YOU DOING IT? WE'RE SAYING NOW WE'RE DOING IT BECAUSE WE CAN WE'RE DOING WE'RE DOING THIS MUCH BECAUSE WE CAN'T.

AND I GO TO THE REASONS, ONLY REASONS THAT I'VE EVER BEEN ABLE TO COME UP WITH THIS RECENTLY OR IN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

MS. FIRST CAME OUT BECAUSE I WAS FIGHTING AGAINST THIS WITH TWO TO THREE MANAGERS AGO WHERE WHAT ARE WE DOING THIS? WHAT'S GOING ON? AND I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE IT.

THEY INCREASED IT FROM.

275 TO FOUR OR FIVE AT THAT POINT IN TIME UNTIL THE AUDIT CAME OUT.

I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE THAT POINT BECAUSE I WOULD HAVE BEEN UP HERE SCREAMING ABOUT IT.

PROBABLY THOSE ARE THE QUESTIONS WHY? AND THE ONLY EXPLANATION IS POSSIE PUT OUT THERE.

WE HAD A FORMER DIRECTOR.

I JUST HAPPENED TO BE HIS WIFE'S CAR ALLOWANCE.

[01:35:01]

IT'S FRUSTRATING, AND IF WE JUST SIMPLY MOVE THAT OVER FROM FRINGE BENEFIT, THAT'S NOT REALLY BEING USED FOR ACTUAL CITY BUSINESS, IT'S JUST BEING USED FOR SALARY AND JUST MOVE OVER SALARY. WHAT HAS THE TAXPAYER GAINED? I DON'T KNOW, I'M STUCK IN THIS IN BETWEEN BECAUSE NO LONG TERM EMPLOYEES LIKE OUR CITY CLERK AND CITY ATTORNEY.

YOU MEAN THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THEY OVERSEE THE BIG THEY RECEIVE A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE FROM 2005 TO FOUR OR FIVE FOR MANY YEARS WITHOUT ANY JUST CAUSE? RIGHT. SO THAT PORTION OF IT TO ME, I THINK IN OTHER WORDS, I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE PULLED BACK AND LAYERS. MY MY OPINION FOR A LONG PERIOD TIME HAS BEEN GIVE THE PEOPLE WHO NEED VEHICLES, A VEHICLE, THOSE WHO NEED IT ON A BASED ON THE TIME TO TIME BASIS.

WE HAVE FLEET VEHICLES FOR THAT PURPOSE, PULL VEHICLES.

AND WHENEVER THOSE ARE NOT AVAILABLE, WE HAVE MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT.

ONE, TWO, THREE. REALLY SIMPLE.

JUST TO ME, THAT'S THE WAY IT SHOULD HAVE ALWAYS BEEN.

GIVEN THE SITUATION AND UNDERSTANDING THE POSITION OF THE POLICE, MAYBE THEY'RE CERTAIN EMPLOYEES WHO WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN AWARE, COULDN'T HAVE BEEN AWARE BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF NEW DIRECTORS, ALMOST NO.

SINCE I STARTED. I DON'T THINK ANY OF THESE GUYS HERE WHEN TO START IN THE LONGEST PRICE, RIGHT? PROBABLY PROBABLY FREDS BY THE LONGEST ONE DAY I CAN THINK OF RIGHT NOW I APOLOGIZE, BUT I MUST RECOGNIZE THAT ANYWHERE.

AND SO BUT THOSE PEOPLE WERE KIND OF CAUGHT IN THE CHANGE PERIODS, LIKE, OK, SO YOU HAD A BIG BENEFIT. WE'RE NOT PAYING THAT BACK TO THE TAXPAYER.

SO NOW WHENEVER WE'RE CORRECTING WHAT WAS I SHOULD'VE NEVER BEEN DONE TO BEGIN WITH.

I THINK THERE HAS TO BE SOME BALANCE.

THAT'S THAT'S MY POINT. MY, MY MY POINT IS THAT MAYBE IF WE'RE GOING TO ADD COMPENSATION, MAYBE IT SHOULD BE THE 275.

I MEAN, WHETHER WHAT WERE THE REAL EXPECTATIONS? AND THEN AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, MY POLICY WOULD BE IF YOU NEED TO GIVE THEM A PERMANENT VEHICLE, WE HAVE FLEET PULL VEHICLES, WE HAVE REIMBURSEMENT.

SO THAT'S THAT'S KIND OF WHERE I STAND.

AND I KNOW IT GOT VERY COMPLICATED THE WAY THAT IT'S ROLLED UP.

AND I FEEL BAD FOR THE EMPLOYEES IF THEY DID.

THAT'S WHY I'M EVEN LEAVING THE DOOR OPEN, IS THE FACT IF SOMEBODY CAME IN AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE TOTAL COMPENSATION, I UNDERSTAND THAT.

AND NOW IF WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO MAKE THEM RIGHT, I WANT TO DO THE RIGHT THING FOR THE EMPLOYEE, TOO, SO THAT THAT'S WHERE I'M CAUGHT BETWEEN THOSE TWO.

SO SUZANNE JUST TO THE I I'M WRAPPING MY HEAD AROUND.

WE BUDGETED FOR THIS.

IS IT IN THE BUDGET TODAY, IT WILL BE IN THE BUDGET IF YOU ALL AUTHORIZE IT.

SO THE WAY WE'VE BUILT THE BUDGET RIGHT NOW IS I BELIEVE ANGELAKOS ACTUALLY LEFT THE CAR ALLOWANCES IN THERE. I'M NOT SURE IF I TOLD YOU TO TAKE IT OUT IN TIME.

BUT THAT WOULD BE THE INTENTION, BECAUSE IT'S A BUDGET ITEM TODAY, YOU KNOW, IN THE CURRENT YEAR BUDGET. SO IT WOULD ROLL INTO THE SALARY LINE ITEMS. AND WHEN WE'RE COUNCILMAN, BAILEY IS TALKING ABOUT 275.

THAT'S THE NUMBER YOU THREW OUT THERE? YEAH, THAT WAS THE TWENTY SEVENTEEN NUMBER.

YEAH. EITHER WAY, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE YOUR SALARY.

IT'S NOT THAT MILEAGE ALLOWANCE.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE RECTIFYING.

IS THAT CORRECT? I THINK THE CHALLENGE I FACE WITH THE TWO SEVENTY FIVE IS THE SAME AS I FACED WITH THE 405, WHICH IS I DON'T HAVE THE HISTORICAL BACKUP FOR HOW THAT WAS CREATED, WHICH WAS THE GILARDI THE MILEAGE.

RIGHT, THAT I GOT DEPUTY MAYOR JOHNSON AND THEN COUNCILMAN FELIX.

DID YOU WAVE AT ME OR WAS THIS JUST JUST A SMALL QUESTION, GIVEN HOW HIGH GAS PRICES ARE? I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN DO IT SOON, BUT LOOKING AT THIS AND I WISH I WOULD'VE CAUGHT IT SOONER. THE PROBLEM IS, WITHOUT DETERMINING COST EFFECTIVENESS, WHAT WE NOW LOOK AT DOING A COST ANALYSIS ON AUTOMOBILE ALLOWANCES, BECAUSE IF ANYTHING, IT'LL YEAH, IT WILL PROBABLY COME BACK NOT TO GO BACK TO 275 BECAUSE, YEAH, ANYBODY WILL PUMP THEIR GAS TODAY. THEY SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.

OR A FEW YEARS AGO.

SEVERAL YEARS AGO OR YOU MEAN IT'S GOING TO BE HIGHER OR LOWER.

IT MIGHT BE THE SAME.

IT MIGHT BE HIGHER. I DOUBT IT.

OH I BET IF WE DID A COST ANALYSIS AND I CHALLENGE OUR FORMER CITY MANAGER ON THIS AND MS. HIM AS WELL. YOU ANALYSIS BECAUSE THE SAME THING I TOLD MR. LINK BACK IN THE DAY, I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO JUSTIFY NOBODY.

VERY FEW OF OUR DIRECTORS ARE ACTUALLY USING THAT MUCH OF GAS OR THEIR VEHICLE, EVEN EVEN USING FEDERAL STANDARDS.

I DON'T THINK THAT ANALYSIS WOULD COME BACK FAVORABLE FOR THE FOR THE THE EMPLOYEES.

AND EVEN WHEN IT WAS 275, THAT WAS PROBABLY AN INFLATED NUMBER.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE OVERALL PURPOSE OF IT IS, BECAUSE THAT'S WHY I LIKE PRETTY I MEAN I MEAN, I DO LIKE THE FACT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TOTAL COMPENSATION, JUST LIKE I SAY, WITH THE POLICE OFFICERS AND OTHER POSITIONS, BECAUSE SOMETIMES YOU START MOVING MONEY AROUND, IT'S HARD TO REALLY JUDGE AN APPLES TO APPLES.

BUT OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. BUT.

AND THAT'S THE THING LIKE JUST LOOKING AT FINDING 21, I SEE THE PROBLEM IS WITHOUT DETERMINING AND HOW ELSE CAN YOU DETERMINE? SO THAT'S JUST YEAH, I THINK THE FEDERAL MILEAGE IS OVER 50 CENTS A MILE REIMBURSEMENT.

[01:40:08]

THANK YOU, MAYOR. YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS.

QUITE A BIT AFTER I MET WITH THE CITY MANAGER.

I I. AND IN AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY THAT IT'S OK TO HAVE A.

A VEHICLE.

IT'S CALL THE VEHICLE PAYMENT, MILEAGE PAYMENT.

I HAVE A PROBLEM THAT YOU PUT IT IN A SALARY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AS A SALARY INCREASE WITH THAT MILEAGE RATE INCREASE ALSO OF.

OH. BASED ON MY MY EXPERIENCE BEING A FEDERAL EMPLOYEE.

ESPECIALLY WHEN I WAS WITH HOMELAND SECURITY, AT ONE POINT EVERY DAY I CAME TO WORK, I GOT MILAGE. I GOT THE PODIUM, THE FEDERAL PODIUM MILEAGE.

EVERY DAY. FOR THREE YEARS, MY TIME IN HOMELAND SECURITY, AND THAT WAS IN TAX.

I USE MY OWN CAR, I WASN'T I DIDN'T HAVE A FEDERAL CAR.

AND THAT WAS THE STANDARD, AND WHEN YOU GO ON A TRIP AND TRIP, YOU GOT MILEAGE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU USE THAT YOUR PERSONAL VEHICLE.

SO I THINK YOU COULD JUSTIFY THAT.

OR SO THEN IT'S GIVING SOMEBODY A STRAIGHT OUT.

HAMIT, BUT.

I JUST DON'T SEE THE NEED TO PUT IT IN A SALARY, I THINK WE SHOULD BASICALLY I REALLY THINK WE JUST SHOULD KEEP IT LIKE IT IS AND JUST GIVE THEM JUST KEEP IT AS IT IS AND JUSTIFY IT OR MAKING A POLICY, A CITY POLICY.

AND CONTINUE ON JUST PUTTING IN A SALARY, I THINK THAT'S GOING TO COST THE CITY MORE MONEY IN THE LONG TERM BECAUSE AS THE SALARY INCREASE, THE MILEAGE IS GOING TO HAVE TO INCREASE. IT MIGHT JUMP FROM FOUR OR FIVE TO 500.

SO I'M NOT FOR PUTTING IN A SALARY, I'M FOR KEEPING IT AS IT IS OR GIVING THE INDIVIDUAL CHOICE TO RECEIVE PER DIEM MILEAGE AT THE FEDERAL STANDARD OR A.

A FLEET VEHICLE.

BUT WE HAVE THAT TODAY, JOYCE.

IF THEY WANT TO USE A FLEET VEHICLE OR THEY WANT TO GET MILEAGE, WHAT A WHAT A PERSONAL VEHICLE TO COME BACK AND FORTH AND THEY HAVE TO KEEP A RECORD OF THAT MILEAGE OR JUST KEEP IT LIKE IT IS, I THINK THAT'S THE OPTION WE SHOULD GO WITH OR.

AND FURTHERMORE, IF WE CAN'T COME TO A CONSENSUS, WE SHOULD HAVE A WORKSHOP ON THIS.

I SAID. JUST SO THAT MAN.

IS THAT AN OPTION OR ARE WE NEED TO TAKE ACTION ON THIS? WE CAN'T HAVE IT REMAIN THE SAME.

THIS HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED, IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK THE THE QUESTION IS HOW HIS COUNCIL WANTS TO RESPOND TO THE GLAC.

QUESTION, WHICH IS FOUR OR FIVE HAS NO BASIS, THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH HAVING AN AUTO ALLOWANCE, BUT WE DON'T HAVE BACKUP FOR IT.

SO IT'S REALLY, HOWEVER, COUNCIL WANTS TO RECOMMEND THAT WE HANDLE IT.

AND, YOU KNOW, NOT TO BELABOR THE POINT, THE.

I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN FOSTER.

AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE INCREASED COSTS OVER TIME IF WE ROLL THIS INTO SALARY.

BUT TO BE CLEAR, THE WAY I LOOK AT THIS AND THE REASON I BROUGHT IT THIS WAY IS THIS IS AN INHERITED PROBLEM.

IT IS SOMETHING THAT THROUGH NO FAULT OF ANY OF THE PEOPLE IN THE ROOM WHO ARE PEOPLE WE HIRED ON AND SAID WE'RE GOING TO PAY YOU FOUR OR FIVE A MONTH AND YOUR SALARY IS GOING TO BE X AND WHATEVER, IT'S NOT THEIR FAULT.

AND I'M NOT TRYING TO MAKE THIS A BLEEDING HEART ISSUE, BUT IT'S NOT THEIR FAULT THAT.

THIS WAS GIVEN TO THEM AS AN ALLOWANCE CALLED AN AUTO ALLOWANCE, BUT NEVER TREATED AS SUCH BECAUSE WE NEVER HAD ANYBODY TRACK ANYTHING.

WE NEVER HAD ANYBODY PROVE THAT YOU IT'S BEEN FOUR HUNDRED FIVE DOLLARS AND MILEAGE GAS, WHATEVER. WE DIDN'T DO THAT ANALYSIS.

THAT WASN'T PART OF THE PROCESS HISTORICALLY.

SO WHAT I'M SIMPLY TRYING TO DO IS TO.

LIKE, MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE, LET'S JUST NOT HAVE AN AUTO ALLOWANCE.

I THINK THAT WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK AT VEHICLES.

WE CAN LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, HANDLING MILEAGE AS NEEDED, PER DIEM, WHATEVER, BASED ON

[01:45:05]

I I COMPLETELY AGREE.

THERE ARE CERTAINLY SOME POSITIONS THAT RECEIVE AN AUTO ALLOWANCE THAT DON'T HAVE A NEED TO DRIVE VERY MUCH COMPARED TO LIKE OUR UTILITY STRUCTURES GOING BACK AND FORTH ALL DAY LONG. SO I'M I'M SIMPLY TRYING TO MAKE MY RECOMMENDATIONS TO TREAT THE EMPLOYEES IN A WAY THAT IS RESPECTFUL OF THEIR POSITION BECAUSE IT'S NOT THEIR FAULT THAT THEY WERE GIVEN AN ALLOWANCE, REALLY WASN'T AN AUTO ALLOWANCE.

LET'S GO DOWN THAT, YOU KNOW, RIGHT ALONG THAT SAME VEIN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE ALREADY BUDGETED FOR YEARS, THAT'S INCOME THAT THEY'RE RECEIVING AND THAT HAVE LITERALLY MADE DECISIONS BASED ON THAT, SOMETHING THAT THAT YOU MENTIONED ABOUT THE RETIREMENT BENEFIT.

AND AND I KIND OF HERE, WHERE ARE YOU GOING WITH THAT? BECAUSE CERTAIN PEOPLE HAVE FRSC AND THEN TO COME TO A PLACE THAT DOESN'T HAVE THAT, AS YOU KNOW, THAT'S DEFINITELY PART OF THE DISCUSSION.

AND THOSE ARE ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE VESTED.

RIGHT. SO THOSE ARE ALL CRITICAL COMPONENTS.

I REALLY. YOU KNOW, I'M A FAMILY PERSON, AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO, IN MY OPINION, HOW WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THIS AS WELL OF.

OUR EMPLOYEES MADE A DECISION, THEY'VE BEEN FAITHFUL, AND SO WE DO OWE IT TO THEM TO RECTIFY THIS, I'M NOT IN AGREEMENT OF REDUCING THEIR SALARY BY ANY MEANS.

THAT'S MY STANCE ON THIS COUNCIL.

I WOULD WANT US TO LOOK AT WAYS THAT WE INCLUDE THAT ONGOING.

I THINK COUNCILMAN, FOSTER AND COUNCILMAN, BAILEY BAILEY HAS SOME ISSUES THERE WHERE I REMEMBER I WORK FOR THE STATE.

I HAD I HAD A VEHICLE.

IT WAS A NON-CASH FRINGE BENEFIT AND THAT'S HOW IT APPEARED ON MY W-2 FORM.

JUST IS THAT A NON-CASH FRINGE BENEFIT? AND THEY EQUATE IT AN AMOUNT.

SO THAT WHEN I FILLED OUT MY TAXES THAT WAY, SO I DO GET THAT.

HOWEVER, I ALSO AM COMPASSIONATE, HAVE EMPATHY TOWARDS INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE SIGNED CONTRACTS LIKE OUR CITY ATTORNEY AND OR CITY CLERK AND I GUESS OUR JIWON EMPLOYEES.

I WOULD I WOULD PREFER FOR THEM TO MAINTAIN THEIR SALARY AND THEN WE COULD WORK OUT HOW WELL THEY MOVE FORWARD WITH FINDING VEHICLES OR, YOU KNOW, GIVEN THE MILEAGE HERE IN THE FUTURE. BUT THAT THAT'S MY STANCE ON THIS.

ANYONE ELSE WISH TO WEIGH IN? I COUNCILWOMAN FOSTER, THANK YOU.

I THINK WE SHOULD.

I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

I DON'T WANT TO REDUCE NOBODY'S SALARY, BUT BY TAKING A VEHICLE ALLOWANCE FOR NOT TRYING TO DO THAT, I REALLY WANT THEM TO KEEP THE ALLOWANCE.

IN SOME FORM OR FASHION, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE A WORKSHOP.

I THINK WE SHOULD WITHIN THE NEXT WEEKS ON THIS AND GET INPUT FROM THE DIRECTORS ALONG WITH THE CITY MANAGER.

I THINK WE SHOULDN'T MAKE A DECISION RIGHT NOW.

WE SHOULD HAVE A WORKSHOP WITHIN A COUPLE OF DAYS.

ALTHOUGH I THINK COUNCILMAN FELIX HAD SOMETHING.

I COMPLETED AN AGREEMENT WITH COUNCILMAN FOSTER AS FAR AS THAT, I STRUGGLE WITH THAT A BIT AS WELL, I WOULD HATE TO SEE ANYBODY LOSE THEIR PORTION OF THEIR SALARY, BUT ALSO TO COUNCILMAN BAILEY POINT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE SYSTEM IS JUST NOT RIGHT.

YOU HAVE DIRECTORS THAT DRAW VERY LITTLE.

MOST KNOWN, AND YOU HAVE THOSE THAT HAVE A NEED FOR THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE, AS CITY ATTORNEY JUST MENTIONED, THE LARGEST CITY IN THE STATE, I WOULD IMAGINE THEIR STAFFS PROBABLY DOUBLE. I MEAN, THEY THEY HAVE WAY LESS.

AUTO LOANS, AND WE ARE SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING WE ALL PROCESS, THINGS WERE CERTAINLY NOT NOTHING TO DO WITH CURRENT STAFF, BUT SOMETHING DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND ADDRESS ACCORDINGLY.

WELL, I WOULD DEFINITELY AGREE WITH LET'S THAT'S, YOU KNOW, MADE ON THAT AND THIS ITEM AND FURTHER DISCUSS IT. I WANT TO GO ON THE RECORD AS SAYING I HAVEN'T TAKEN A VACATION IN SEVERAL YEARS AND I FIND THE NEED TO DO THAT.

AND SO AS LONG AS THIS THIS WORKSHOP DOESN'T OCCUR THROUGH THE 17 THROUGH THE 26 OF JULY,

[01:50:05]

I'VE JUST HAD A DIRECTION WHEN TO SCHEDULE IT, JUST COUNCILMAN, BAILEY, YEAH, I'M JUST CURIOUS. ONE THING I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR AGAIN, MAYBE I'VE BEEN STUCK TO LANGUAGE.

NOBODY AND NOBODY ACROSS THE BOARD WHEN JACK IS SUGGESTING A SALARY DECREASE IS NOT SALARY, IT'S A FRINGE BENEFIT.

AND SO ALTHOUGH IT CAN BE FELT THE SAME WAY BY EMPLOYEES IN THIS CASE, THE SAME THING WITH HEALTH INSURANCE, WHENEVER A HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN, PREMIUMS GO UP.

SHALL WE GO NOW? YOUR TAKE-HOME PAY GOES DOWN BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT TO PAY THAT FIRST WHEN IT GOES THE OTHER WAY. IT'S THE SAME THING IN THIS CASE.

IT'S A REIMBURSEMENT ON WHAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE BUSINESS TRAVEL.

SO IT'S A FRINGE BENEFIT.

AND ALSO, KEEP IN MIND AND AND MS. MR. JONES KNOW THIS LOOK, THEY HAD THEIR CONTRACTS SIGNED BEFORE IT WENT UP TO FOUR OR FIVE BEFORE JULY, BUT BEFORE IT WENT UP TO FOUR OR FIVE, IT WAS AT 275.

SO MAYBE NOT.

MISS SMITH, I'M SORRY. AM I WRONG? YOU'RE RIGHT. I'M WRONG. YOUR DATES, SHE'S SHE'S DOWN THERE.

GIVE ME LOOK AT. WHAT WAS YOUR DAY? I APOLOGIZE. IT WAS IT WAS A 17.

BEING THE CITY ATTORNEY, WHEN I BECAME THE CITY ATTORNEY WITH THE CAR ALLOWANCE, IT WAS ALREADY AT THE 405 BECAUSE IT WAS FOUR OR FIVE UNDER MR., LANA.

I MEAN, IT MAY HAVE CERTAINLY INCREASED WHILE I WAS DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY, BUT IT WAS AT ITS CURRENT STATE. WHEN I WHEN I BECAME CITY ATTORNEY.

OK, THERE YOU GO. OK, SO THAT'S ACTUALLY I FORGOT ABOUT THE EARLIER EVEN WHEN YOU WERE DEPUTY ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY, IT WOULD HAVE, OF COURSE, BEEN THE SAME DIFFERENCE.

RIGHT. BUT THE POINT IS THAT IT'S KIND OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU GET THE WINDFALLS AT TIMES, LIKE RIGHT NOW, STOCKS, SOMETIMES YOU WIN, SOMETIMES IT GOES DOWN.

BUT NOW IN THE END, A LOT OF THINGS WASH OUT.

SO THAT'S WHERE I SAY, LIKE, YOU KNOW, I'VE I DO HAVE FEELINGS FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO SIGNED THE CONTRACT UNDER CERTAIN STIPULATIONS.

BUT FOR OTHER EMPLOYEES WHO KNOW WE'RE PREVIOUS AND THEY WENT UP AND NOW IT'S GOING DOWN OR NOW IT'S BEING ADJUSTED IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

THAT'S WHERE I'M LIKE, OK, MAYBE WE NEED TO LOOK AT THOSE ONES A LITTLE BIT CLOSER.

BUT THE OTHER QUESTION I WAS GOING TO ASK FOR MS. SHERMAN JUST TO WRAP THIS UP IS WE'VE HAD THE CITY HAS HAD 18, MORE THAN 18 OR ALMOST REALLY PRIOR TWO YEARS REALLY, BUT MORE THAN 18 MONTHS TO TO DO A STUDY WHICH PEOPLE COUNCIL MEMBER HAVE TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT.

WHY HAVEN'T WE DONE THE STUDY? WHY DON'T WE KNOW HOW MUCH HOW MANY MILES OUR DIRECTORS ARE DRIVING ON CITY BUSINESS AT THIS TIME? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

I DON'T THINK WE FROM MY STANDPOINT, IN CONVERSATIONS, PREVIOUS CITY MANAGER, AND THEN SINCE THAT TIME, I WASN'T LOOKING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF WHAT SHOULD THE AUTO ALLOWANCE BE. OR WHAT SHOULD PEOPLE INDIVIDUALLY BE RECEIVING IN TERMS OF SHOULD ONE DEPARTMENT HEAD HAVE A VEHICLE VERSUS ANOTHER ONE? JUST DO IT ON A PER DIEM BASIS OR WHATEVER? WE WERE SIMPLY TALKING ABOUT SOLVING A PROBLEM THAT, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, WAS BOILING DOWN TO IT'S PART OF THEIR PAY.

YOU CAN'T STAY AS PART OF THEIR PAY BEING CALLED AN AUTO ALLOWANCE, EVEN THOUGH IT'S TREATED JUST LIKE PAY IS.

AND SO I WAS LOOKING AT IT FROM A STANDPOINT OF THIS IS REALLY A BENEFIT.

I'M REPEATING MYSELF.

RIGHT. THE BENEFIT THAT THESE FOLKS WERE HIRED IN PART OF THEIR PACKAGE OF SALARY, ESSENTIALLY CALL IT AN AUTO ALLOWANCE.

CALL IT WHATEVER YOU WANT, BUT IT'S SALARY.

AND BASICALLY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TAKING IT AWAY.

SO I WASN'T TRYING TO REPLACE IT WITH SOMETHING NEW, BECAUSE FROM MY STANDPOINT, THEY HAVE COME IN AND THEY HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB AND EARNED THE EVERY BIT OF THAT AND THEN SOME. SO I WAS LOOKING AT MORE OF A, YOU KNOW, HOW AM I TREATING MY CORE TEAM MEMBERS THAT I'M COUNTING ON TO LEAD THE CITY? SO THAT'S HOW I WAS LOOKING AT IT.

AND SO WE'VE HAD OPPORTUNITY, AS WE SAID, JAY, LIKE THAT.

WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE JUSTIFICATION TO GET JUSTIFICATION.

AND, YOU KNOW, TO ME, THE FOREGONE CONCLUSION IS THAT THE JUSTIFICATION WOULD NOT BE THERE. FOR MOST EMPLOYERS, THERE MIGHT BE ONE OR TWO EMPLOYEES, BECAUSE I'VE HAD THAT ARGUMENT. A COUPLE OF CITY MANAGERS GO IN AND THE ARGUMENT WAS IT'S GOING TO COST US MORE TO GIVE THEM A CITY VEHICLE.

IT'S GOING TO COST MORE FOR FLEET.

AND I KNOW I SAID THEN THE SAME THING THAT JAY LENO TOLD THE CITY, PROVE IT TO ME.

NOW WE'RE SAYING WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS.

WE'RE JUST GOING TO MOVE IT OVER SALARY.

SO THAT'S WHERE THAT PART OF IT, BECAUSE THERE'S TWO SIDES TO IT.

THAT'S THE PART THAT GETS ME LIKE SOMETHING'S NOT RIGHT ABOUT THAT.

I APPRECIATE YOU COMING FROM.

I WILL ALSO SAY THAT BASED ON JUST SORT OF TALKING TO DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS, KNOWING WHERE THEY'RE ALL AT THERE, PROBABLY THREE THAT I WOULD SAY WITH ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY THEY DRIVE SO MUCH THAT IT WOULD PROBABLY BE IN THE FOUR OR FIVE OR EVEN MORE RANGE, POTENTIALLY SERIOUSLY. BUT THERE ARE OTHERS THAT WE HAVE POOL VEHICLES.

THEY WOULD JUST SHARE YOUR VEHICLE HERE IN THE PARKING LOT.

SO IT WOULDN'T BE AN ISSUE LIKE I WOULDN'T HAVE TO CREATE A CAR ALLOWANCE FOR THEM PER DIEM. MAYBE IF THERE WAS AN AUTO ALLOWANCE OR EXCUSE ME, A CAR AVAILABLE FOR THAT PARTICULAR DAY OR SOMETHING.

BUT THERE ARE A NUMBER THAT WOULD JUST SHARE AND IT WOULD BE OK AND WE WOULDN'T NEED VEHICLES FOR THEM OR ANYTHING, SO.

AGAIN, YOU KNOW, JUST TALKING ABOUT IT FROM A SALARY STANDPOINT, SO.

[01:55:03]

SO WHAT WHAT DIRECTION COUNCIL? WE'RE LOOKING AT A WORKSHOP.

I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE. THAT AM I READING YOU CORRECTLY, ONE.

DEPUTY MAYOR JOHNSON.

WORKSHOP FOR THIS JUST NOT DECEMBER 17 OR 16 THROUGH THE TWENTY SIXTH OR JULY OR JULY TWENTY FIFTH TO AUGUST 2ND.

AT. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.

MOVING ON, YES, MA'AM, MOVE ON, PLEASE.

ALL RIGHT, FINDING 22 WAS RELATED TO TAKE HOME VEHICLE ASSIGNMENTS AND THE FACT THAT WHEN THE ORDERS CAME THROUGH, THEY COULDN'T FIND ALL THE APPROPRIATE PAPERWORK HAD BEEN SIGNED FOR ALL OF THE TAKE HOME VEHICLES THAT WERE OUT THERE.

SO A FULL AUDIT WAS DONE BY ALL THE DIRECTORS BACK IN TWENTY NINETEEN THAT WAS CORRECTED.

AND YOU DID NOT HAVE THE FORMS COMPLETED.

THOSE HAVE BEEN COMPLETED SINCE THAT TIME.

AND WE ARE REVIEWING THAT ON AN ONGOING BASIS WITH NEW EMPLOYEES, MAKING SURE THAT'S PART OF THE PAPERWORK. AND WE INTEND TO REVIEW THAT ON A SEMIANNUAL BASIS TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING'S STILL IN ORDER PAPERWORK WISE.

VERY EARLY. FINDING 23 OF THE CITY'S NOT ALWAYS INCLUDE THE VALUE OF PERSONAL USE OF CITY VEHICLES IN THE GROSS INCOME REPORT TO THE IRS.

SO IN TWENTY NINETEEN, THIS GOES BACK TO SOME OF WHAT WE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT.

THE DIRECTORS WERE REQUIRED TO LOOK AT ALL THE VEHICLES THAT WERE SIGNED FOR TAKE HOME USE AND PAYROLL, THEN CONFIRMS THAT ALL OF THOSE THE PAPERWORK WAS IN ORDER JUST FOR HAVING THE TAKE HOME VEHICLE AND PAYROLL NOW HAS A PROCESS TO CHECK IN WITH THOSE EMPLOYEES, MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S A QUARTERLY REVIEW OF ALL THE VEHICLE, MILES, THAT ARE DRIVEN FOR PERSONAL USE.

AND THAT'S ALSO BEEN UPDATING THE ADMINISTRATIVE CODE AS WELL.

AND THEN THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, TAXED APPROPRIATELY.

ALL RIGHT, THE NEXT COUPLE ARE ABOUT PUBLIC RECORDS.

THIS FIRST ONE, FINDING 24, IS ALL ABOUT TEXT MESSAGING THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY NOT ARCHIVED, WE DO ARCHIVE ALL TEXT MESSAGES NOW THAT WAS EFFECTIVE IN MARCH 2020, AND WE PREVIOUSLY WERE ARCHIVING ALL OF THE CITY EMAILS.

SO THAT WAS ALREADY IN PLACE.

AND THAT IS ALSO A BLESS YOU AND SPELLED OUT IN THE UPDATED ITS ADMINISTRATIVE CODE AS WELL. FINDING 25 WAS SIMPLY A COMMENT FROM THE AUDITORS ABOUT DELAYS IN MINUTES BEING AVAILABLE FROM PRIOR COUNCIL MEETINGS.

CITY CLERK HAS DONE A GREAT JOB KEEPING UP ON THAT.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT, BUT I KNOW THERE'S A REQUEST FOR STAFF MEMBER TO HELP WITH THAT AS WELL, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY DO TAKE A LOT OF TIME TO DO AND. YOU COULD HAVE HELPED, SO WE'RE KEEPING UP ON THAT.

SO ADAM JONES.

NOTHING TO ADD, I'VE I'VE PUT IN A REQUEST FOR AN ADDITIONAL MEMBER OF MY STAFF FOR, UM, SO THE MATTER OF WHETHER I WILL USE THE POSITION FOR ME.

YEAH. THANK YOU. FINDING 26, THIS ONE IS A MORE RECENT CONVERSATION, COWSILLS VERY MUCH AWARE OF WHERE THERE WAS NEED TO ESTABLISH POLICIES AND PROCEDURES RELATED TO FRAUD, WHISTLEBLOWER TYPE ACTIVITIES.

SO THE HISTORY IS HERE, BUT ESSENTIALLY WE'VE MADE CHANGES IN 2020.

WE CREATED THE WHISTLEBLOWER ORDINANCE UPDATE'S.

ALSO MORE RECENTLY MADE SOME ADDITIONAL CHANGES TO THE FRAUD INVESTIGATION COMMITTEE.

SO ALL OF THAT HAS BEEN PUT IN PLACE AND FOR PURPOSES OF THE PUBLIC WHO MAY BE LISTENING.

SO ESSENTIALLY, WE HAVE A WHISTLEBLOWER ORDINANCE THAT IS STRENGTHENED IN TERMS OF PROCESS AND PROCEDURES.

WE ALSO HAVE IN BROAD INVESTIGATION COMMITTEE THAT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED THAT IS UNDER THE PURVIEW OF THE CITY CLERK AND INCLUDES SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE DIRECTOR LEADERSHIP TEAM TO REVIEW COMPLAINTS THAT MAY COME IN.

AND THERE ARE PROCESSES, PROCEDURES, OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO RELAY CONCERNS ABOUT FRAUD OR MISUSE OR ABUSE OF CITY PROPERTY OR FUNDS, ET CETERA.

AND SOME OF THOSE OPTIONS INCLUDE THE ABILITY TO REPORT ANONYMOUSLY.

YOU CAN MAKE A PHONE CALL, LEAVE A MESSAGE, YOU CAN USE A FORM ON THE WEBSITE, AND YOU HAVE TO PROVIDE FOR YOUR NAME OR INFORMATION SO THAT IT STARTS THE PROCESS OF A REVIEW.

I DON'T KNOW. CITY ATTORNEY HAS ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD TO THAT, BUT THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT ON THAT ONE. SO THAT IS COMPLETED.

I THINK THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO THANK DEPUTY MAYOR JOHNSON AND COUNCILMAN BAILEY FOR ALL THEIR EFFORTS.

SO THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN.

MARION. SO FINDING 27 WAS ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THERE WERE BETTER CONTROLS OVER THE

[02:00:01]

AND SO THIS IS ACTUALLY TIED TO SOME CONCERNS THAT THE AUDITORS BROUGHT UP AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR AND EXPENSES THAT WERE COMING IN THAT WERE, YOU KNOW, NOT MATCHING UP WITH THE BUDGET IN THE LINE ITEMS. SO ESSENTIALLY WHAT'S HAPPENED IS THAT FINANCE STAFF NOW HAS A PROCESS IN PLACE WHERE CERTAIN EXPENDITURE REQUESTS HAVE TO BE FUNDED PRIOR TO APPROVAL IF THEY'RE GOING TO EXCEED THE AMOUNT THAT'S AVAILABLE ON THE LINE ITEM.

ALSO, ANOTHER PART OF THE CONCERN WAS THE TRANSPARENCY OF WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE BUDGET. SO THERE ARE MONTHLY REVIEWS THAT WERE ALREADY TAKING PLACE, BUT NOW WE DO QUARTERLY ACTUALLY BUDGET REPORTS TO COUNCIL TO CLOSE THE LOOP ON SOME OF THAT TRANSPARENCY. AND SO THAT STARTED EARLIER THIS YEAR IN 2021, AND THAT WILL BE ONGOING.

NINETEEN TWENTY EIGHT, IS THAT THE.

CITY COUNCIL IS NOT GETTING A SUFFICIENTLY DETAILED MONTHLY REPORTS OF, YOU KNOW, REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES, AND SO STARTING IN JANUARY 2019, THOSE MONTHLY REPORTS ARE INCLUDED ON ALL COUNCIL AGENDAS AND WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

WE'VE ALSO EXPANDED THE DETAILS THAT ARE IN THERE.

SO NOW WE INCLUDE NOT JUST THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH WAS THE ORIGINAL VERSION OF THE REPORT. WE HAVE BOTH MAJOR AND MINOR FUNDS INCLUDED FOR REVENUE EXPENDITURE DETAILS.

FINDING TWENTY NINE WAS SIMPLY ABOUT A CHARTER INTERACTION BETWEEN COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY EMPLOYEES AND NOT FOLLOWING THE CHARTER IN TERMS OF GOING THROUGH THE CITY MANAGER FOR FOUR DIFFERENT THINGS, GIVING DIRECTION, ETC.

AND SO THAT THAT SIMPLY IS SOMETHING THAT WE ALL WORK TOGETHER ON.

THERE'S NOTHING TO UPDATE UPDATES IN THE CHARTER VERY CLEARLY.

SO IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE'RE ALL COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE WE DO IT RIGHT IN THE FUTURE. ALL RIGHT, THE LAST TWO WOULD BE UNDER INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY.

THE FIRST IS JUST RELATED TO IT, USER ACCESS PRIVILEGES AND MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'VE MOVED BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS OR POSITIONS IN THE CITY, THAT THE LEVEL OF ACCESS THEY HAVE, THE DIFFERENT THINGS, DIFFERENT SYSTEMS IS STILL APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR JOBS. SO THERE IS NOW AN ANNUAL REVIEW PROCESS, SEVERAL DIRECTORS ARE INVOLVED IN PERFORMING THIS REVIEW TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE THE LEAST AMOUNT OF ACCESS OR THE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF ACCESS AND TO DO THEIR JOBS AND NOTHING MORE.

WE DID A FULL REVIEW BACK IN TWENTY NINETEEN TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS PEOPLE WERE WHERE THEY NEEDED TO. AND WE DID FIND SOME THINGS THAT NEED TO BE CHANGED AND SO WE DID TO CORRECT THOSE. THIS AND SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS HAVE ALSO HIGHLIGHTED THE ANTIQUATED NATURE OF OUR SUNGARD SYSTEM, WHICH IS ONE OF THE THINGS WE'LL TALK ABOUT IN THE RESCUE PLAN PRESENTATION HERE SHORTLY.

BUT IT DOES NOT HAVE A LOT OF.

USER FRIENDLY WAYS TO CHECK AND MAKE SURE THAT I GUESS THERE'S NO FLAGS IN THE SYSTEM, LIKE IT'S VERY MANUAL AND TEDIOUS.

YOU GIVE SOMEONE ACCESS HERE, YOU HAVE TO GO IN AND MANUALLY CHECK TO MAKE SURE THAT AND BRIAN CAN DO THIS BETTER THAN I CAN GO IN MANUALLY AND CHECK AND MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE COULDN'T GET SOMEWHERE THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE GONE TO.

AND THE ABILITY TO CONTROL ACCESS AND THE SYSTEMS IS VERY, VERY LIMITED, ACTUALLY.

SO I'LL LEAVE THAT FOR BRIAN FOR LATER.

BUT THE POINT OF THIS IS WE NOW HAVE TO MANUALLY CHECK A LOT OF THINGS TO MAKE SURE IT'S OK. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THIS IS THE LAST ONE THAT IS ALSO IN PROCESS.

BUT THIS IS ABOUT HAVING AN ESTABLISHED DISASTER RECOVERY SITE.

AND SO COUNT BECAUSE COUNCIL AUTHORIZED SIGNIFICANT EXPENDITURES TOWARD THE DISASTER RECOVERY SITE LAST SUMMER.

THIS IS WELL UNDERWAY AND OUR EXPECTATION IS THAT THAT SITE WILL BE FULLY OPERATIONAL BY THE END OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR.

AND THAT IS WHY THAT'S STILL IN PROCESS, JUST BECAUSE IT'S NOT FULLY UP AND OPERATIONAL JUST YET, BUT IT'S WELL UNDERWAY.

SO THAT WILL ACTUALLY CONCLUDE THE REPORTING ON THE FINDINGS.

AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, ADDITIONAL YOU ALL MIGHT HAVE.

THE ADDITIONAL QUESTION.

BUT SOME IN FOSTER.

REFERENCED FINDING NUMBER 31, THAT DISASTER, THE RECOVERY SOLUTION.

HOW WOULD THAT PLAY IF WE HAD A CYBER ATTACK WHEN I WOULD THAT? HARDWARE OR SOFTWARE, WOULD THAT EFFECT THAT? LET OUR IT DIRECTOR, BRIAN ROBINSON, COME UP AND SPEAK TO THAT.

BRIAN ROBINSON, ISD DIRECTOR.

IT'S A GREAT QUESTION. SO WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS IF OUR MAIN CORE SITE OR OPERATIONAL SITE ACTUALLY HAS AN ISSUE OF THAT GOES DOWN FOR ANY REASON IS A COMPLETE CUTOVER THAT HAPPENS TO THE DISASTER RECOVERY SITE SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN OPERATION, ISOLATE THE ISSUE

[02:05:03]

IT WOULD BE A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT.

THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT THE DATA IS MIGRATED FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER.

PART OF THE STRATEGY THAT WE ALSO HAVE IS TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE OUR SECURITY POSTURE BY EXPANDING OUR SECURITY SOLUTION AT THE MOMENT.

YOU'LL SEE THAT COMING UP IN THE AARP CONVERSATION LATER.

BUT A PART OF THAT WOULD ACTUALLY INCLUDE AN INCREASE IN SECURITY.

AND I DON'T WANT TO ACTUALLY SAY TOO MUCH ABOUT THAT, BUT I UNDERSTAND.

THANK YOU. YES, NO PROBLEM.

THANKS. COUNCIL MEMBER, ARE YOU DONE, COUNCILMAN? YES, COUNCILMAN BAILEY.

AND ACTUALLY, I'M GOING TO JUMP BACK JUST A LITTLE BIT, THERE IS ONE IT WAS SOME OF A TANGENT ON NUMBER EIGHT, WHICH IS REGARDING THE PICARDS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT CAME TO MY MIND WHENEVER I INITIALLY HAD REVIEWED THIS ONE.

NOW, OBVIOUSLY, WE WANT ACCOUNTABILITY, THAT PEOPLE ARE BEING INSIDE.

WE WANT TO CLOSE THEM OUT. WHEN SOMEBODY LEAVES, THERE IS H.R.

PROCESSES INVOLVED THAT ACTUALLY IT LEAST AND THERE'S TWO QUESTIONS, ACTUALLY.

BUT THE BUT THE THING WITH PICARDS, WHAT I'M CURIOUS ABOUT IS THAT IF YOU DON'T HAVE A CARD AND IT'S AND I AND IT'S GIVEN TO A SUPERVISOR, LIKE WE WE START REDUCING THAT OR REDUCE EXPOSURE.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING WHAT WE CAN TO MAKE SURE WE ARE ALSO WORKING EFFICIENTLY. I THINK IT'S MORE OF A MANAGEMENT ISSUE, BUT IT'S WHAT I'M SAYING IS, HAS THIS BEEN CONSIDERED AS THIS BEING CONSIDERED? MAYBE EVEN I KNOW JULIETS OVER AND AH, YOU KNOW, CHIEF SECURITY OFFICER IS IS IN OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TEMPORARILY NOW, FOR INSTANCE.

NOW IF SOMEBODY NEEDS FILTERS, OK, AND I CAN'T GO GET A FILTER BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE PICCARD AND MY BOSS TELLS ME I NEED TO GO GET A P.O..

WELL, I KNOW THAT ALL THE FOLKS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE PLACES TO HAVE PURCHASER'S FOR US OPEN.

THEY ARE GOING TO COST TWICE AS MUCH AS IF I WENT DOWN TO THE LOCAL SHOP AND GOT IT FOR WITH PICKAR FOR HALF OFF.

SO, YES, WE WANT TO REDUCE EXPOSURE OF INAPPROPRIATE SPENDING.

HOW WHAT ARE WE DOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE? YOU KNOW, REALLY SHOPPING AROUND, MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING THE BEST PRICE ON THINGS LIKE THAT. I WILL ASK JULIETTE TO COME UP.

IT WAS SOME OF HER THOUGHTS ON THAT TOPIC.

THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN JULIET MOSCONI, CHIEF PROCUREMENT OFFICER.

EVERY YEAR, THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS ARE REQUIRED TO REVIEW WHO HAS A CARD AND DETERMINE WHETHER THE EFFICIENCY OF THEIR OPERATION COULD BE BENEFITED BY ADDING AN ADDITIONAL PICARD TO THEIR OPERATION.

IN ADDITION, AT ANY POINT AND ANY TIME THEY CAN REQUEST A PICARD REQUEST THROUGH OUR OFFICE AND JUST HAVE TO PROVIDE A JUSTIFICATION OF WHY THAT EMPLOYEE NEEDS A CARD, THEY CAN CHANGE THEIR LIMITS WITHIN THE LIMITS WE'VE ESTABLISHED IN OUR POLICY, THEY CAN CHANGE THE CATEGORIES.

FOR EXAMPLE, TRAVEL IS A RESTRICTED CATEGORY.

THEY MAY DETERMINE THAT SOMEBODY NEEDS TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO BOOK TRAVEL FOR THE DEPARTMENT. THEY CAN MAKE THOSE MODIFICATIONS.

WE CAN MAKE MODIFICATIONS TEMPORARILY, INSTANTANEOUSLY FROM OUR DESKS.

ANY OF THE THREE PROCUREMENT EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE ACCESS TO ADMINISTRATOR RIGHTS AND BANK OF AMERICA CAN DO THAT INSTANTLY.

AND WE CAN ALSO SET IT FOR A FINITE TIME AS LITTLE AS ONE DAY, TO YOUR POINT.

THEY'RE. THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS TO CONSIDER IN REGARD TO EFFICIENCY'S.

AND UTILIZING OUR CONTRACTS, SO ONE OF THE THINGS I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE A COMMON QUESTION, WE GET IN OUR INTERNAL TRAINING, AS YOU KNOW, WE DO A ROBUST TRAINING PROGRAM WITH OUR INTERNAL STAFF. WELL, I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT I CAN GET THIS WIDGET AT X, Y, Z VENDOR RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD, CHEAPER THAN WE HAVE UNDER OUR CONTRACT.

BUT WE NEED TO PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF OUR VENDOR COMMUNITY WHO TOOK THE TIME TO RESPOND TO OUR BID TO ENGAGE IN DOING BUSINESS WITH THE CITY.

IN ADDITION, THEIR BID PRICING BECOMES PUBLIC AND IS POSTED ON OUR WEB SITE FOR ANYONE TO SEE. SO IT'S VERY EASY FOR THEIR COMPETITORS TO BEAT OUR PRICING AT ANY GIVEN TIME.

THAT'S A CONSIDERATION FOR VENDORS THAT WE HAVE CONTRACTS WITH AND WE MIGHT HAVE PURCHASERS PURCHASE ORDERS.

WITH THAT SAID, THE PICART AUTHORITY IS A DELEGATED AUTHORITY FROM THE CHIEF PROCUREMENT OFFICER TO THE CITY EMPLOYEES THROUGH THEIR DEPARTMENT HEADS.

THAT BASICALLY IS GIVING THEM THE ABILITY TO MAKE PURCHASES AS THEY SEE FIT FOR THE EFFICIENCY OF THEIR OPERATIONS.

IT'S A IT'S A TRUSTEE PUSH DOWN THROUGH THEM, BECAUSE THOSE INDIVIDUAL CHARGES ARE NOT REVIEWED BY PROCUREMENT DAILY, WE CAN RUN REPORTS, WE DO AUDITS, BUT WE DON'T LOOK AT EVERY CHARGE THAT COMES THROUGH ON THE PICARDS.

[02:10:03]

AND WE MIGHT BE OVERPAYING THE VENDOR.

IT'S PUBLIC, BUT IT'S ALSO TWO, THREE TIMES THE PRICE FOR THAT.

FOR THE ITEM. IT'S NOT LIKE A IT'S NOT LIKE LOWE'S OR SOME OTHER LOCAL VENDOR SAID, OH, WE SEE CITY OF PALM BAY IS CHARGING THIS.

THEY'RE BEING CHARGED AS MUCH.

WE'RE GOING TO SAY, HEY, THEY'RE CALLING US UP.

IT'S JUST THAT WHAT I'M THINKING ABOUT IS A SITUATION WHERE YOU JUST KNOW IT'S IT'S SIGNIFICANTLY CHEAPER. WE'RE BUYING.

NO, MAYBE NOT. BULK IS IN LIKE FOR LIKE A WHOLE YEAR SUPPLY, BUT WE'RE BUYING YOU KNOW, WE'RE BUYING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, MAYBE HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS.

SO IT BECOMES, YOU KNOW, QUITE KNOW ONE MIGHT BE LEGAL.

WHEN MIGHT BE PERMISSIBLE, WHEN MIGHT BE EASY.

WHAT IS IT LIKE? I GUESS THERE'S NO REQUIREMENT.

WE LOOK FOR THEM FOR THE BEST PRICE THOUGH, IN THAT REGARD.

I KNOW THAT THERE'S TIMES WHERE WE DO LOOK FOR BEST PRICE, BUT IN THIS CASE, THERE'S NO REQUIREMENT. SAY, SHOP AROUND, SEE WHAT YOU GET WITH THE CARD, TOO.

I TRUST THAT I AND I KNOW FROM THE CONVERSATIONS THAT I'VE HAD WITH OUR DIRECTORS, I TRUST THEM EXPLICITLY THAT THEY ARE ENCOURAGING THEIR EMPLOYEES WHENEVER POSSIBLE TO ACQUIRE GOODS FOR THE CITY AT THE BEST PRICE.

I KNOW FOR A FACT. GREAT EXAMPLES.

OFFICE SUPPLIES. WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH OFFICE DEPOT.

WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH STAPLES.

WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH AMAZON BUSINESS.

NONE OF THOSE ARE EXCLUSIVE CONTRACTS.

THERE'S NO REQUIREMENT THAT OUR EMPLOYEES UTILIZE THEM.

THEY'RE ALL JUST CONVENIENCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE AT THEIR DISPOSAL.

THEY CAN USE A PURCHASE ORDER OR A POSTCARD FOR ANY OF THOSE TRANSACTIONS.

AND I KNOW FOR A FACT FROM TALKING TO, YOU KNOW, THE PERSON WHO'S IN CHARGE OF GOODS IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, FOR EXAMPLE, SHE SHOPS THOSE CONTRACTS BEFORE SHE MAKES HER PURCHASES. SO AND THAT'S PART OF THE TRAINING WE PROVIDE AS WELL.

I'M PICARDS. OK, WELL, I GUESS MY MY LAST THOUGHTS ARE JUST ENCOURAGEMENT FOR OUR DIRECTORS TO MAKE SURE THEY HEAR THAT AND THEN MAKE SURE THAT THE EMPLOYEES ARE EMPOWERED TO SAY, HEY, I KNOW WE'VE WE'VE REBUYING THESE THINGS.

I KNOW THAT THIS RIGHT HERE WOULD BE GOOD FOR THE CITY IF WE WENT THIS ROUTE.

MAKE SURE THAT OUR OUR MAIN LINE SUPERVISORS ARE ARE OPEN TO HEARING THAT.

AND DON'T JUST SAY, WELL, WE'VE ALREADY GOT A CONTRACT OPEN.

WE'VE GOT OPEN OVER HERE.

IT'S JUST EASY. LET'S JUST DO THAT AND NOT REALLY THINK MUCH ABOUT IT.

SO MENOM JULIET.

WHAT'S THE TURNAROUND TIME FOR PICARD IF YOU GET THAT APPLICATION, A QUESTION THAT TAKES ABOUT FIVE TO SEVEN BUSINESS DAYS FOR IT TO ARRIVE FROM BANK OF AMERICA, AND THEN WE DO REQUIRE THAT THEY COME AND GET TRAINED WITH US.

WE HAVE THE PICARD.

IF YOU'VE NEVER HAD ONE BEFORE, YOU HAVE TO SIT THROUGH TRAINING.

YOUR PREVIOUS MAIRS HAD PICARD.

THEY HAD TO SIT THROUGH TRAINING WITH US AS WELL.

THEY HAVE TO SIGN AN UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY KNOW THE PICARD POLICIES AND AGREE TO ADHERE TO THEM. SO THAT'S ALL PART OF THE PROCESS.

THEY DO HAVE TO COME IN AND HAVE TRAINING BEFORE THEIR ISSUE TO PICARD.

HOW LONG IS THAT TRAINING? ABOUT 30 MINUTES. THANK YOU, MA'AM.

THANK YOU. SHERMAN.

I MEAN, REALLY, THAT WAS THE ONLY OTHER QUESTION IS OUR PROCEDURES FOR I THINK AND I THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT, YOU'RE MENTIONING ABOUT LIKE CLOSING OUT A COUNCIL MEMBER EMPLOYEE LEAVES. I MEAN, THERE'S OTHER ISSUES.

FOR INSTANCE. I MEAN, I KNOW I KNOW ANOTHER ONE PERSON WHO LEFT A DIRECTOR WHO LEFT THE CITY PREVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, CAME TO THEIR OFFICE AFTER HOURS AFTER FIVE O'CLOCK WHEN THE BUILDING WAS CLOSED. I MEAN, THE VIDEO'S OUT THERE.

IT CAME WITH A COUNCIL MEMBER AND ANOTHER NOW FORMER EMPLOYEE TO COLLECT THEIR STUFF.

IT WASN'T THEIR SUPERVISOR.

IT WASN'T THE H.R.

DIRECTOR OR SOMEBODY ASSIGNED BY THOSE FOLKS.

IT WAS. STRANGE BECAUSE HOW DO WE PROTECT EVERYTHING ON THE WAY OUT? SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WE DO HAVE SAFEGUARDS FIRST JUST IN GENERAL WITH OUR EXIT INTERVIEWS AND THAT PROCESS FOR I CAN'T ESSENTIALLY GET RID OF IT, NOT GET RID OF IT AND LEAVE. APPRECIATE THAT.

YEAH, AND CERTAINLY WE I THINK WE DO A LOT BETTER NOW THAN WE HAWKLEY WITH, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF REALLY IMPROVE COMMUNICATION IN A DEPARTMENT THAT MAY BE COOPERATING FULLY WITH I.T., WITH H.R., WITH FACILITIES, YOU KNOW, SHUTTING OFF ACCESS.

ALL DAIRY IS IT TYPE ACCESS IS ALL THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS A VERY SEAMLESS PROCESS.

A LOT OF THAT EARLY TO END ON FROM MY STANDPOINT, THE LAST THING I WANT TO DO IS JUST TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALL THE STAFF MEMBERS WHO WORK VERY, VERY, VERY HARD ON GETTING US TO THIS PLACE. AND I SPECIFICALLY WILL CALL OUT THREE DIRECTORS WHO HAD, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY OR WHATEVER THE BULK OF THE PROBLEMS TO SOLVE.

SO THAT WOULD BE BRIAN ROBINSON OR ITS DIRECTOR, CHARLENA COX OR H.R.

DIRECTOR, AND JULIA MOSCONE, OUR PROCUREMENT OFFICER, WHO YOU HEARD FROM, BECAUSE ALL THREE OF THEM HAD A HUGE LOAD TO HANDLE AND THEY DID A GREAT JOB.

AND I, OF COURSE, APPRECIATE CITY ATTORNEY, CITY CLERK SUPPORT AND WORKING THROUGH A LOT OF THAT, TOO. SO I.

HUDA. SO I'D LIKE TO OPEN THIS UP FOR THE PUBLIC AT THIS TIME, DOES ANYONE WISH TO

[02:15:10]

HEY, CNN, LET'S GO TO OUR NEXT.

[2. Review of criteria and project priorities for the City's American Rescue Plan funding.]

YOU SHE'S DONE A GREAT JOB.

AND I JUST WANT TO LET HER HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN TO WHERE WE'RE AT ON ON THIS ITEM. THANK YOU.

CITY MANAGER COULD EVEN BE MAYOR, DEPUTY MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, CRITICALNESS SPECIAL PROJECTS MANAGER. I AM HERE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THE WORK THE STAFF HAS DONE.

DEVELOP AN OVERVIEW OF THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDING AND ALSO POTENTIAL FUNDING UTILIZATION. YES, THANK YOU.

DON'T BOTHER WITH THAT. SO IT IS NOW FAMOUSLY KNOWN ARPA IS THE CORONAVIRUSES, STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS, THEY TARGET URGENT COVID-19 RESPONSE.

THEY REPLACE LOST PUBLIC SECTOR REVENUE, VITAL SUPPORT SERVICES, AND THEY HELP COMMUNITIES RETAIN JOBS.

THEY SUPPORT IMMEDIATE ECONOMIC STABILIZATION FOR HOUSEHOLDS AND BUSINESSES.

AND THEY DO ADDRESS SYSTEMIC PUBLIC HEALTH AND ECONOMIC CHALLENGES.

RBA FUNDING PROVISIONS THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY BILLION DOLLARS DIRECTED TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN AID FOR THE CITY OF PALM BAY, THAT MEANS 18 MILLION NINE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED AND SIXTY FIVE DOLLARS THAT WAS APPROPRIATED.

THE DISBURSEMENT IS SCHEDULED TO COME IN TO EQUAL ANNUAL TRANCHES.

THAT FUNDING MUST BE ALLOCATED AND EARMARKED TO BE EXPENDED BY DECEMBER 31ST OF TWENTY TWENTY FOUR AND IT MUST BE FULLY EXPENDED BY DECEMBER 21ST OF EXCUSE ME, 31ST OF 2026.

STAFF IS CLOSELY FOLLOWED OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, TREASURY GUIDANCE HAS COME DOWN REGARDING THIS LAW SINCE IT WAS SIGNED ON MARCH 11TH OF THIS YEAR.

HERE YOU GO. AND THE GENERAL FUNDING CATEGORIES PROVIDED BY THE TREASURY GUIDANCE FALL INTO TWO STRONGLY RECOMMENDED COLUMNS, THE COMMUNITY NEEDS SECTION DEALS WITH SUPPORT FOR SMALL BUSINESSES, HOUSEHOLDS IMPACTED INDUSTRIES AND ESSENTIAL WORKERS AND THE GOVERNMENTAL NEEDS OUR WATER, SEWER, BROADBAND, CAPITAL PROJECTS, CYBERSECURITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE. AND THE TREASURY WAS VERY SPECIFIC WITH WHERE THEY WOULD DIRECT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO EXPAND THIS FUNDING.

OUR PREFUNDING IS FURTHER DIVIDED INTO TWO CATEGORIES OF ELIGIBILITY, AND THE FIRST IS WHAT'S KNOWN AS DIRECT ARPA FUNDING PROJECTS THAT WOULD BE ELIGIBLE UNDER DIRECT ARPA FUNDING INCLUDE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER QUALITY, INVESTMENT IN WATER AND SEWER THAT ALIGN WITH THE ELIGIBLE PROJECTS UNDER THE EPA'S WATER STATE.

REVOLVING FUNDS, CYBERSECURITY BROADBAND PROJECTS.

AND ARPA MAY ALSO BE USED FOR PROJECTS THAT WERE PLANNED OR STARTED PRIOR TO MARCH 3RD, WHICH IS RECOGNIZED AS THE OFFICIAL START OF THE PANDEMIC IMPACTS, PROVIDED THE COSTS WERE INCURRED AFTER MARCH 3RD.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE HAD A PROJECT ON THE BOOKS, WE HADN'T QUITE COMMENCED WITH WORK OR TASK ORDER, THAT KIND OF THING.

IF THERE ARE SUBSEQUENT PROJECT COSTS AFTER MARCH THIRTY, FIRST EXCUSE YOU MARCH 30 TO TWENTY TWENTY ONE THAT THE CITY INCURRED, ARPA FUNDING COULD BE USED IF THEY WERE ELIGIBLE PROJECTS.

FUNDS MAY ALSO COVER A PORTION OF PAYROLL AND BENEFITS FOR EMPLOYEES WHO ARE DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN RESPONSE TO COVID.

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ELIGIBLE FUNDING FOR ARPA IS WHAT'S CALLED REVENUE LOSS, AND FOR THE MOST PART, EVERY LOCAL GOVERNMENT HAS ENCOUNTERED SOME DEGREE OF REVENUE LOSS.

AND THE CITY OF PALM BAY IS CALCULATED TO BE FOUR MILLION, EIGHT HUNDRED AND FORTY FIVE THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY FOUR DOLLARS.

THE FUNDING PROJECTS ALLOW ELIGIBILITY FOR THE REVENUE LOSS SIDE IS A LITTLE A LITTLE MORE THERE'S A LITTLE MORE LATITUDE THERE AND SOME ELIGIBLE PRODUCTS COULD BE BUILDING OF NEW INFRASTRUCTURE. MODERNIZATION OF CYBERSECURITY, MAINTENANCE OF INFRASTRUCTURE SPENDING, INCLUDING ROADS AND PROVISION OF POLICE, FIRE AND PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES.

[02:20:11]

AND SO THE FIRST FALLS UNDER COMMUNITY SERVICES AND THAT IS THE TREASURY'S RECOMMENDATION TO ASSIST BUSINESS AND RESIDENTS.

AND WE WOULD LOOK AT A MILLION DOLLAR ESTIMATE OF THE 80 MILLION DOLLAR FUNDING TO MEET THAT NEED. THE SECOND CATEGORY WOULD BE WATER QUALITY PROJECTS, AND THAT WOULD BE PUBLIC WORKS, STORMWATER SUCH AS OUR BALLOT BOXES OR BOX CULVERTS AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.

WITH A FOUR MILLION DOLLAR ESTIMATE.

THE REVENUE LOST FUNDING, AGAIN, THAT'S THE FUNDING THAT IS CALCULATED BASED ON THE LOSS THE CITY INCURRED BECAUSE OF COVID.

HAS A LITTLE BROADER PROJECT SCOPE, THE CITY COULD POTENTIALLY USE IT FOR PUBLIC SAFETY PROVISION OF FIRE AND POLICE, PARTICULARLY VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT.

A HUNDRED AND FORTY FIVE THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY FOUR DOLLARS.

FROM REVENUE TO OUR SOCIETY COULD ALSO ELECT TO SPEND FUNDING ON BUILDING E HERE IN CITY HALL. TWO MILLION DOLLARS.

CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE IN OUR CITY WIDE FINANCIAL SYSTEM, ANOTHER TO MEET OUR ESTIMATED PROJECT AND THE LAST CATEGORY UNDER ARPC OF FUNDING IS WATER, SEWER AND BROADBAND PROJECTS. THE FIRST IS UTILITIES CYBERSECURITY ENHANCEMENT FOR THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. AND THAT WOULD BE AN IT UTILITIES PROJECT WHERE WE'D BE LOOKING AT SOME ENHANCEMENTS. AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE HEARD SOME OF THE STORIES ABOUT CERTAIN UTILITIES COMING UNDER FIRE THAT WOULD PROTECT OUR UTILITIES OPERATIONS FROM AN I.T.

PERSPECTIVE. UTILITIES DISASTER RECOVERY SITE, CLOUT, SOFTWARE, VERY SIMILAR TARGET, TWO HUNDRED SEVENTY FIVE THOUSAND AND THE LAST, WE ARE LOOKING AT SEWER AVAILABILITY, EXPANSION'S LIFT STATIONS, OTHER WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS HERE THROUGHOUT THE CITY. AS AN ONGOING NEED AND CURRENTLY WE'RE LOOKING AT AN ESTIMATED EXPENDITURE POTENTIAL OF SEVEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED EIGHTY NINE THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND ONE DOLLARS. THAT'S A BRIEF OVERVIEW, THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION AND DETAIL THAT WENT INTO THE INTERIM FINAL RULE, WHICH WAS ISSUED BY THE TREASURY, IT WAS ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY SOME PAGE DOCUMENT THAT STAFF SPENT TIME EVALUATING AND GOING THROUGH WITH A FINE TOOTH COMB TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTOOD CLEARLY WHAT THE TREASURY DIRECTOR, LOCAL GOMPERTZ TO DO WITH THIS MONEY.

AND WE TRIED VERY DILIGENTLY TO TO DO OUR HOMEWORK SO WE COULD PROVIDE YOU WITH THE MOST ACCURATE INFORMATION TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO MAKE WITH REGARD TO THIS UNPRECEDENTED AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO SPEND ON BEHALF OF THE CITY. SO STAFF IS HERE FOR QUESTIONS, DEPARTMENT HEADS ON INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS MYSELF.

I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO KNOW.

FIRST THING I WOULD LIKE TO SAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DECIPHERING THE TREASURY CODES AND VERBIAGE. NAVIGATING THE FEDERAL AGENCY I KNOW COULD BE QUITE TAXING.

THANK YOU. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT, MA'AM.

I REALLY I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

NOW, THESE ESTIMATES AND I KNOW COUNCIL'S GOT SEVERAL QUESTIONS, BUT THESE ESTIMATES ARE BASED ON THESE PROJECTS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE, KIND OF LIKE TURNKEY WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING.

WE'VE ALREADY BUDGET THAT IS AN ESTIMATE OR THE PROCESS INTERNALLY WAS THAT THAT LEADERSHIP BROUGHT TOGETHER ALL OF THE DEPARTMENT HEADS.

AND THE GUIDANCE FROM THE TREASURY IS AND WAS AND IS TO LOOK AT THIS FUNDING FROM THE PERSPECTIVE THINGS THAT YOU WOULDN'T OTHERWISE BE ABLE TO PAY FOR, THAT IT WOULD BE A LONG TIME BEFORE YOU COULD PAY FOR THEM AS ONE POINT, ONE SPENDING PRIORITY.

SO AS SOMEONE WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR GRANTS WITH THE CITY, THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING AND IMPORTANT FOR ME TO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, WHERE WHERE OUR GAPS ARE, WHERE OUR FUNDING SHORTFALLS ARE, WHERE DO WE REALLY NEED TO HAVE SOME SOME INJECTION OF FUNDS TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH PROJECTS? AND THEN DEPARTMENT HEADS BROUGHT AND FORTUNATELY, THEY'VE BEEN IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING THE CITY.

SO WE HAD A LOT OF INFORMATIVE DATA AVAILABLE ABOUT NEEDE PROJECTS HERE IN THE CITY AND OVER MULTIPLE MEETINGS AND A LOT OF DISCUSSION PROJECTS WERE BROUGHT FORTH TO LEADERSHIP TO EVALUATE AS THOSE WHICH ARE MOST IN NEED AND WOULD BE MOST APPLICABLE TO THE DIFFERENT

[02:25:04]

THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION HERE.

YES. WELL, I WAS LOOKING AT CAN ARE THEY LIKE.

AND WE LIKE SUBSTITUTE OR ADD AN AMOUNT TO A CERTAIN ONE.

THESE ARE JUST PROPOSALS, RIGHT? THESE ARE PROPOSED. YES.

I MEAN, THERE ARE SOME PROVISIONS THAT THE TREASURY, THE STIPULATIONS OF THE TREASURY HAS IN THEIR INTERIM FINAL RULE THAT THAT DETERMINE AND DICTATE WHAT WE CAN AND CANNOT SPEND CERTAIN THINGS ON. AND STAFF HAS SPENT TIME RESEARCHING AND STUDYING AND BECOMING VERY FAMILIAR WITH THAT. SO IF COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING HAPPEN, WE CERTAINLY ARE PREPARED TO EVALUATE THAT FOR YOU.

THANK YOU, MA'AM. THROUGH MY PERIPHERAL VISION, WHICH IS GETTING BETTER AS I AGE, I GUESS DEPUTY MAYOR JOHNSON WAS THE FIRST ONE TO THE GESTURE AND COUNCILMAN FOSTER IMMEDIATELY AFTER. APPRECIATE IT, MAYOR.

AND I'LL GET TO WHERE I THINK YOU WERE GOING LAST, FILLING YOUR ENERGY ON THAT.

BUT I JUST START FROM THE TOP WITH COMMUNITY SERVICES ASSISTANCE TO BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS. ARE WE LOOKING AT LIKE LIKE SMALL BUSINESS GRANTS, OPPORTUNITIES OR LIKE WHAT IF I MAY BE MAYOR? I'D LIKE TO INVITE NANCY ONCE OUR NEW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, BECAUSE SHE HAS ALSO BEEN A PART OF THIS PROCESS OF STUDYING AND PERHAPS SHE COULD OFFER A LITTLE INFORMATION MORE IN TERMS OF HER DEPARTMENT.

BY THE WAY, YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB.

I THINK THIS IS ONE OF YOUR FIRST TIMES.

REALLY? IT IS. YEAH.

YOU DID A GREAT JOB. I'M NOT LEAVING THEM.

OK, GOOD.

INSIDE THE INDIAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR.

SO YOU ALL WOULDN'T HAVE TO ENDURE READING IT YOURSELF.

I CREATED A ONE PAGE VERY SHORT.

SYNOPSIS, THERE'S THERE'S SEVERAL THINGS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE UNDER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OR JOB TRAINING, FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS, BUSINESS START UP BUSINESSES HELPING THOSE GET BETTER EMPLOYED, GET MORE JOB TRAINING SO THEY CAN ACTUALLY GET HIGHER SKILLS, SKILL LEVELS, TECHNOLOGY, THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO THAT LIST SOME OF THE POSSIBLE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THE CITY COULD PROVIDE, NOT ONLY TO START NEW BUSINESSES, TO ACTUALLY HELP SOME OF THOSE BUSINESSES THAT WERE HURT DURING COVID BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME ASSISTANCE TO THEM, LIKE IN RENT MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE.

IT ALSO ALLOWS US TO EXPAND MAYBE THEIR OUTDOOR IF THEY NEEDED AN OUTDOOR PATIO AREA, THAT COULD BE SOMETHING AS WELL THAT THE CITY COULD ASSIST WITH LOOKING AT THEIR HOW THEY'RE SET UP NOW AND POSSIBLY TRYING TO ENHANCE IT SO THAT THERE'S MORE SOCIAL DISTANCING POSSIBLE IN THEIR KITCHEN IN THAT WITHIN THE OR WITHIN THE BUILDING, PROVIDING SOME MORE SOCIAL DISTANCING.

SO THAT ALSO IS ELIGIBLE AS WELL, LIKE A LOCAL RESTAURANT EXPANDING AN OUTDOOR FACILITY THAT, YES, THAT WOULD QUALIFY AS WELL.

SO WE COULD SET UP SOME PARAMETERS AS FAR AS SOME OF THE THINGS THAT COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO SEE, WHETHER IT BE THAT OR JOB TRAINING.

WE COULD ALSO MAKE SOME IMPROVEMENTS WITHIN A BUILDING TO KEEP THAT SOCIAL DISTANCING IF THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME MODIFICATION, MAYBE SOME GLASS PARTITIONS IF THEY HAVEN'T ALREADY DONE THAT. SO AND THEN IN HOUSING, SOME OF THIS RECOMMENDATIONS FROM STAFF WAS SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, DEVELOPMENT, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND HOME REPAIRS AND THEN WEATHERIZATION.

WE CURRENTLY HAVE ABOUT EIGHT RAMP FUNDS, SO WE'RE DOING DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE, NEW CONSTRUCTION AND DIFFERENT VARIOUS HOUSING PROGRAMS. SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE DON'T DO IS WEATHERIZATION.

AND THEN TYPICALLY WE GO THROUGH THE ACCOUNTING FOR THE SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR HOMELESSNESS. BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE CITY COULD TAKE ON AS WELL IF THAT WAS COUNCIL'S DESIRE. I WAS ALL THINKING.

COUNCILMAN FOSTER. KNOW SHE COULD ANSWER THIS QUESTION BECAUSE IT'S NOT ABOUT COMMUNITY SERVICE.

I WAS MORE CONCERNED ABOUT.

WELL, LET ME GET TO MY FIRST QUESTION.

LOST. MAYBE THE CITY MANAGER CAN ANSWER THIS FOR ME AND COVID.

IT WAS A CALCULATION, THERE WAS A REALLY COMPLICATED FORMULA THAT THEY GAVE US TO TO WORK OFF OF. SO THE FINANCE TEAM DID THAT CALCULATION, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE MORE YOU CAN SHARE ON IT.

IN THE INTERIM FINAL RULE, THE TREASURY ISSUED ITS A MULTI-YEAR FORMULA THAT'S APPLIED TO

[02:30:05]

AND SO YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK AT HOW IT WAS CALCULATED.

BUT YES, FINANCE TOOK A LOOK AT THAT AND CALCULATED WHAT WHAT SHOULD BE THE LOSS.

AND YES, IT IS FOUR MILLION POINT EIGHT HUNDRED AND FORTY FIVE THOUSAND, OK.

BUT WHEN I LOOK AT THE PROPOSAL PROJECTION, WHERE'S THAT FALL IN THESE PROPOSAL OF FOUR POINT EIGHT? I CLEAR THE CATEGORY THAT'S CALLED REVENUE LOSS FUNDING.

THEY'RE KIND OF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SCREEN.

THOSE THREE ITEMS MAKE UP THAT FOUR POINT EIGHT.

OK. SO.

HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE FIGURE FOR THE POLICE AND FIRE? THE THE CITY TOOK A LOOK AT WHAT SOME OF THE FUNDING REQUESTS AND AND FUNDING SHORTFALLS ARE HERE THAT THAT WE ARE FACING AND ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WE ALWAYS HAVE AND EVERY MUNICIPALITY HAS WITH PUBLIC SAFETY IS VEHICLES IN OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.

OUR OUR PUBLIC SAFETY TEAM IS IN DESPERATE NEED OF FLEET.

AND THIS IS VERY MUCH AN ALLOWABLE EXPENSE IN THIS FUNDING.

AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT MIGHT OTHERWISE GO UNFUNDED OR FAR LESS FUNDED IF WE DIDN'T TAKE A SERIOUS LOOK AT THAT TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE.

I WAS ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE FIRE TRUCK.

WE HAVE OUR FIRE CHIEF HERE, IF YOU LIKE.

I KNOW WE WE CURRENTLY HAVE A GRANT APPLICATION OUT FOR THAT.

MM HMM. OK, WE DO, SIR.

OK, THANK YOU.

AND SIR, WE HAVE ONE FULLY OPERATIONAL LADDER TRUCK IN SERVICE AS WE SPEAK, AND THERE'S ONE THAT HAS BEEN BEING BUILT FOR A WHILE NOW.

WE'RE GOING TO GET IT LATER THIS YEAR.

SO WE'LL HAVE TO GRANT WE'RE GOING TO GET IT.

THAT ONE WAS NOT GRANT FUNDED.

WE BOUGHT THAT ONE. YEAH.

SO WE BOUGHT THE LADDER TRUCK OUTRIGHT.

SO BUT THAT'S NOT IT, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO GET REIMBURSED TO THIS.

I CAN RESCUE PLAN AND IF I MAY, THE OTHER PROVISION OF THIS FEDERAL FUNDING IS THAT IT CANNOT BE USED FOR FEDERAL REIMBURSEMENT OF FEDERAL MATCH.

SO IF WE HAVE ANOTHER FEMA GRANT SOMEWHERE THAT REQUIRES A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF MATCH, THE ARPA FUNDING WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE.

OK, THANK YOU. THAT'S A GREAT POINT TO BRING UP.

COUNCILMAN FELIX, RIGHT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE FOR THE PRESENTATION.

A COUPLE OF AREAS, THE COMMUNITY SERVICE APPROPRIATION, A MILLION DOLLARS.

I KNOW YOU WENT DOWN A LIST OF NANCY WENT DOWN A LIST OF DIFFERENT INITIATIVE THINGS THAT WE CAN OR SURE WE WILL DO.

I WAS REALLY HOPING THAT CATEGORY IS A LITTLE HIGHER DUE TO THE CURRENT CHALLENGES AND HOMELESSNESS. I THINK IT'S ONE THAT A LONG TIME, NOT JUST FOR PALM BAY, BUT FOR THE WHOLE COUNTY. IN MY OPINION, THE COUNTY HASN'T DONE A GOOD JOB, GOOD ENOUGH JOB WITH SOME OF THE AGENCY. I'M GOING TO SAY IT.

I THINK THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT PALM BAY THE GREATEST CITY IN THE FACE OF THE EARTH, BUT THE LARGEST CITY. THAT'S WHAT I MEANT TO SAY, IS YOU WERE RIGHT.

YOU WERE RIGHT. OH, I WAS HOPING FOR THIS ONE.

BUT I THINK THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO PROBABLY TAKE A LEAD, TAKE THE LEAD ON THAT. WE'LL SEE SOMETHING TOGETHER THAT CAN SERVE THIS THIS COMMUNITY.

AND AS WE ALL ABOUT REALLY IMPROVING OUR COMMUNITY, IMPROVING THE LIFESTYLE AND IMPROVING AS ALL THIS IS, THIS IS A COMMUNITY WE CAN'T YOU KNOW, WE WE CANNOT LIVE OUT.

THAT'S ONE AREA I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN REALLY AND POTENTIALLY PARTNER WITH ALL A NEIGHBORING CITY SUCH AS WEST MELBOURNE AND MELBOURNE, DO MORE OF A METRO SUBURBAN METRO TYPE OF GRID FACILITY THAT CAN SERVE THIS IN THIS IN THIS SECTION.

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEEN WHAT THE ORDINANCE, YOU KNOW, ONE CAN QUESTION IT THAT OUR NEXT DOOR CITY HAS DONE.

AND WHAT I'VE NOTICED ON ABOUT YOU ALL I'VE SEEN, SOME OF THESE FOLKS ARE COMING ALL THE WAY AND NOT SO MUCH OUR WAY, BUT MORE WEST MELBOURNE.

MAYBE A BIT FRIENDLIER, BUT I THINK THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR US TO DO SOMETHING AND I'D LOVE TO SEE MAYBE SEEK FULL PARTNERSHIP, PRIVATE NON FOR PROFIT, BUT US

[02:35:06]

AND I JUST WANT TO MENTION, THIS IS JUST THE ARPA FUNDS.

REMEMBER THAT YOU HAVE ABOUT EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS.

WE ALSO GOT CRF FUNDS, CHEBEAGUE, CHEBEAGUE, CV, CV, THREE ARM AND CHIP FUNDS.

SO WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT ADDRESSING HOUSING NEEDS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE YOU USE YOUR S.W.

CV ONE AND THREE FOR SOME ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THEN YOU HAVE A ROMANEE, ABOUT SEVEN MILLION FOR HOUSING.

SO THIS IS JUST ON TOP OF THE EIGHT MILLION THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE AND OTHER FUNDING SOURCES. THAT'S GREAT.

THAT'S EVEN BETTER. ONE OF THE OTHER AREA, I'M NOT QUITE SURE HOW THE BUILDING IS.

YOU KNOW, THE APPROPRIATION, THE TWO MILLION DOLLARS OF BUILDING IT ALL INTO THIS CATEGORY AND WELL-KNOWN COUNCILMAN, FELIX BEFORE YOU GO THERE.

I WANTED TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS.

I WANT TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON HOW WHAT YOU ENVISION WITH PARTNERING WITH THAT HOMELESSNESS. I KNOW THAT YOU'VE GOT A VISION, AND I'D LIKE TO BRING THAT OUT TO SEE WHETHER WHAT YOU SEE THERE.

WHAT I HONESTLY HONESTLY WHAT I'M THINKING ABOUT, MAYOR, IS, IS TO POTENTIALLY WE HAVE THE MEANS, LET'S BUILD A FACILITY.

IT'S BUILD A FACILITY AND AGAIN, NOT JUST US CARRYING THE LOAD OF OURSELVES, POTENTIALLY REACH OUT TO WEST MELBOURNE AND MELBOURNE, I CAN SEE IN TERMS OF PROXIMITY, I THINK WE'RE CLOSE ENOUGH WHERE WE CAN REALLY ADDRESS OUR CLOSE TO, YOU KNOW, MINISTRIES LIKE TROUVILLE THAT TOOK THE LEAD ON THAT.

THESE ARE SOME OF THE PARTNERS.

WE CAN BUILD IT.

WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY GOING TO NECESSARILY RUN IT WHERE WE CAN ADD, YOU KNOW, BE BE A GOOD STEWARD FOR TAXPAYERS MONEY.

WE CAN PARTNER.

THAT'S WHEN THE NON FOR PROFIT CAN COME IN SOME OF THE CHURCHES, PRIVATE SECTOR, AS WELL AS MORE THAN WELCOME.

SOME OF THE GOOD BUSINESSES WE HAVE CAN SEE THIS AS A NEED.

AND SOME OF THEM, A LOT OF THEM ARE IMPACTED BY THIS VERY ISSUE.

SO I SEE THIS AS A WIN WIN WHERE EVERYBODY CAN COME TOGETHER AND REALLY WE TAKE THE BULK AND BUILD IT HOPEFULLY WITH WITH ALL PARTNERING CITY AND BUILD SOMETHING, A GREAT FACILITY THAT CAN ADDRESS THIS ISSUE NOT JUST IN TERMS OF PROVIDING PROVIDING SHELTER, BUT PROVIDING SERVICES AS WELL AS VETERANS.

AND THAT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO TO DO SOMETHING THERE.

AND, YOU KNOW, PARTNERING WITH OUR NONPROFIT, MAYBE THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE CAN HAVE A COUPLE OF NONPROFIT O1 THAT.

SO CHOOSE TO HELP US PARTNERING WITH US TO RUN IT ON A DAILY BASIS.

FOR EXAMPLE, ALL SENIOR CENTER.

WE DON'T WE PROVIDE A FACILITY, WE ACCEPT WE DO CERTAIN THINGS, BUT WE HAVE A GROUP THAT WANTED THE DAILY OPERATION AND SO ON, SOMETHING LET IN THAT IN EFFECT, YOU KNOW, COUNCILMAN, FELIX, YOU MAY HAVE SOMETHING HERE BECAUSE THE MUNICIPALITIES THAT HE MENTIONED, THEY'RE ALSO GETTING OUR FUNDS.

CORRECT. SO THIS MAY BE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY THAT WE COULD FORM A COALITION OF SORTS OR BUT I KNOW THAT IN THE PAST, WHEN I WHEN I WORKED FOR THE STATE IN THE COUNTY, DIFFERENT GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES CAN MEET AND HAVE A WORKSHOP TOGETHER AND FACILITATE THAT TYPE OF DISCUSSION. I DIDN'T WANT TO MOVE ON TO BUILDING NEED BECAUSE I THINK YOU MIGHT HAVE HIT ON SOMETHING THERE THAT IT COULD BE THE APPROPRIATE TIME TO COLLECTIVELY REACH AN AGREEMENT AND MOVE FORWARD IN THAT REGARD.

SO, MADAM SHERMAN, I WANTED TO SEE IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT PERHAPS WE COULD ALL FACILITATE WITH, SAY, THE CITY OF MELBOURNE TO INITIATE THAT AND HAVE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CITY OF WEST MELBOURNE.

I KNOW THAT YOU SIT ON THE SPACE COAST LEAGUE OF CITIES, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK. COUNCILMAN FELIX BAUDOT THAT I THINK IT WARRANTS US COLLECTIVELY WORKING TOGETHER FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT GO. DEPUTY MAYOR JOHNSON I DON'T MEAN TO CUT YOU OFF.

THAT'S FINE. I'M I'M GOING.

WELL, GO AHEAD. WELL, I MEAN, I GUESS JOHNSON WAS THE WAY THE SAME TOPIC.

I WAS JUST GOING TO JUST WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE WITH BOTH OF YOU, ESPECIALLY WITH THE HOMELESSNESS, BECAUSE YOU SEE AND WE'VE HAD WE'VE HAD WORKSHOPS AND WE'VE SEEN OTHER AREAS WHERE, YOU KNOW, HOMELESS CAMPS ARE EITHER GOING FROM WEST MELBOURNE TO MELBOURNE

[02:40:01]

WE'RE JUST WE'RE JUST PASSING THE BUCK INSTEAD OF ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM AT THE ROOT.

AND PARTIALLY, THE CITY CAN TAKE SOME PART IN THAT.

BUT ALSO THAT'S WHERE THE NON-PROFITS THERE'S NON-PROFITS OUT THERE THAT PROVIDE JOB TRAINING, THAT PROVIDE PUBLIC JOBS PROGRAM.

I JUST MET WITH A GENTLEMAN, TONY, FROM THE SOURCE, AND I INTRODUCED THEM ALL IN.

THEY HAVE A BUS THAT THEY DRIVE AROUND AND PICK UP HOMELESS PEOPLE SO THEY DON'T SLEEP OUT IN THE STREETS AND THEY DON'T.

YEAH, AND HE'S HE'S BASED OUT OF VERO BEACH, BUT HE LIVES HERE IN PALM BAY.

SO THERE ARE NON-PROFITS OUT THERE THAT ARE DOING THEIR JOB.

SO WE OWE COUNCILMAN, FELIX YOU HIT ON THE HEAD.

I MEAN, YOU GOT EXCITED WITH THIS.

SAME WITH MAYOR MEDINA. YOU GOT ME ABOUT TO SAY HURRAH.

SO BUT YEAH.

YOU KNOW, I THINK.

IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE JUST LESS GOVERNMENT, BUT IN THIS SENSE, WE CAN HELP WITH STARTING UP AND THEN KIND OF JUST MAKE SURE THEY'RE GOOD TO GO.

SO THAT WAY, PD DOESN'T HAVE TO CONSTANTLY CHECK ON MAKING SURE SOMEBODY'S NOT AT A BUS SHELTER ON MITTON OR THEY HAVE A RESOURCE.

YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.

SO THAT WEIGH IN. AND A LOT OF THESE NONPROFITS THAT ADDRESS THE MENTAL HEALTH ASPECT OF IT, THAT'S ANOTHER KEY PART, TOO.

YEAH. YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU AND MAYOR PASS THROUGH YOU WHAT YOU WANT TO TEACH THEM HOW TO FISH. THAT'S WHAT IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO.

SO I THINK WE CAN WORK COLLECTIVELY ON THIS COUNCILMAN, FELIX AND MS. MEDINA, SO I'M WITH IT.

I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE GO, IF WE COULD FACILITATE A WORKSHOP WITH DIFFERENT GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES AND THIS WOULD BE THE TOPIC OF THE POTENTIAL TOPIC, I DON'T KNOW HOW HOW THAT WOULD WORK. I KNOW IT'S BEEN DONE BEFORE WITH THE COUNTY AND THE SCHOOL BOARD.

THAT WAS A. TOPIC, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS AT ONE POINT WHERE THEY JOINTLY GOT TOGETHER, THIS WAS EARLY, TELLS ME I EVEN THOUGHT OF A NAME, THE SUBURB METRO.

THE SUBURBAN METRO HOMELESSNESS INITIATIVE, YOU SOMETHING LIKE THAT, I THINK, OH, THAT'S GOOD, CAN TAKE IT SOMEWHERE.

MAYBE WE CAN LET THE OTHER CITIES WEIGH IN ON THAT, BUT I DON'T WANT TO I DON'T WANT IT TO BE PAROCHIAL.

SO ARE YOU HITTING SOMETHING THAT IS A DIRE NEED, BUT NOT JUST FOR THE CITY OF PALM BAY, BUT FOR OUR COMMUNITY HERE IN THE SOUTHERN PART? SO I COMMEND YOU FOR THAT.

I REALLY THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.

AND AND IDEALLY, OTHERS COMMUNITIES FEEL THE SAME WAY WE DO AND IN WANTING TO PARTNER.

SO WHERE DO WE GO? AND I DON'T WANT TO TAKE AWAY FROM.

WHERE DO WE GO, CAN HOW DO WE REACH OUT TO THESE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES SO THAT WE COULD HAVE A DISCUSSION IN A WORKSHOP IN THE SUNSHINE? FIRST, I THINK, YOU KNOW, YOU WOULD HAVE THE CITY MANAGER OR TEAM REACH OUT TO THE OTHER CITIES, START AT THE STAFF LEVEL AND HAVE THOSE STAFF OF THE RESPECTIVE CITIES REACH OUT TO THEIR COUNCILS TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY ARE ON BOARD OR IF THEY WANT MORE STAFF TO DO MORE BEHIND THE SCENES, THEN THE COUNCILS THEMSELVES CAN DECIDE AT WHAT POINT THEY FEEL LIKE WE'RE READY TO MEET OR WE NEED TO DO MORE TALKING OR IF THEY'RE ON BOARD AND THEY JUST WANT TO AUTHORIZE THEIR RESPECTIVE STAFF, MEET STAFF TO START WORKING ON DOCUMENTS TO CIRCULATE AMONG THE COUNCIL.

BUT I THINK ITS FIRST STARTS WITH STAFF.

SO, MA'AM, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'M GOING TO ALLOW COUNCILMAN FELIX TO CONTINUE ON.

BUT YOU HAVE.

YEAH, ACTUALLY, I HAVE A MEETING TOMORROW WITH ALL OF THE LOCAL MANAGERS, I BELIEVE THE WEST MELBOURNE CITY MANAGER IS NOT GOING TO BE THERE, BUT HIS ASSISTANT WILL BE THERE.

I'LL START WITH THE CONVERSATION WITH BOTH MELBOURNE AND WEST MELBOURNE AND FIND OUT WHERE THEY'RE AT IN THE PROCESS OF ALLOCATING ARPEY FUNDS.

FOR ONE THING, BECAUSE I KNOW SOME CITIES HAVE MOVED FORWARD ALREADY AND ALREADY MADE PLANS, BUT I WILL ASK THEM WHERE THEY'RE AT AND SEE IF THEY CAN GET A SENSE FROM THEIR COUNCIL MEMBERS IF THERE MIGHT BE A WILLINGNESS TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

AND WE'LL KIND OF GO FROM THERE.

YOU CARRY ON COUNCILMAN FELIX.

OH, I JUST WANTED A CHANCE TO COMMENT AS WELL.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A POINT OF EMPHASIS FOR ME, THOUGH, BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO PURSUE DOWN THIS TRACK, I THINK THAT A MORE CENTRAL LOCATION, PROBABLY THE WEST MOMENT OF MELVERN. SO I'D LIKE TO SEE IT UP THERE.

WHERE IF I COULD IF I COULD ADD DOWN HERE.

OH, KARIONG, MADAM JONES, JUST SO COUNCIL IS AWARE IN YOUR POLICIES, YOU ARE UNABLE TO MEET OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS TO HAVE A PUBLIC MEETING.

THEY HAVE I'M NOT SURE WHAT THEIR POLICIES ARE.

YOU AT THE LINE. OR YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR POLICY.

YEAH, BECAUSE I THINK HOW OLD IS THAT?

[02:45:03]

LIKE WE COULD MEET COLLECTIVELY AND ANOTHER COUNCIL OPPOSITION TO YOUR POLICIES IN A IN A NEUTRAL SITE. NOT OUTSIDE THE CITY, SOMEBODY WOULD THINK THE ISSUE IS HAVING SUZANNE ACCESS TO MEETINGS, WE DON'T WANT TO BE MEETING IN VERO BEACH MAKING DECISIONS FOR PALM BAY WITHOUT A RESIDENTS THERE.

SO I THINK IF WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE A POLICY, WE SHOULD BE WE THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE LIKE A SPECIFIC REASON, SPECIFIC PLACE VOTING AT THE COUNCIL MEETING.

THEN WE'LL GO THAT WAY. THE PUBLIC KNOWS WE'RE NOT GOING ACROSS FLORIDA TO CAMP OUT, MAKE DECISIONS BEHIND IT. RIGHT.

RIGHT. BECAUSE YOU CAN'T JUST GO OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTY, THE CITY, BECAUSE YOU HAVE SOMETHING MAY BE UNPOPULAR IN PALM BAY.

SO YOU MOVE OUT THE CITY.

BUT IN RESPECT OF SOMETHING WHERE YOU'RE ACTUALLY WORKING WITH MULTIPLE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, IT IS IN ONE OF THAT.

CERTAINLY YOU WILL WANT SOMETHING WITHIN THE COUNTY.

IF YOU'RE WORKING WITH OTHER CITIES AND IS IN ONE OF THE MUNICIPALITIES, THAT MAY BE SOMETHING INAPPROPRIATE AND MAYBE SOMETHING YOU WOULD REVISE YOUR POLICIES FOR.

IT WOULDN'T BE PROBLEMATIC SO LONG AS CERTAINLY WE DON'T WANT TO RETURN TO PORT ST.

LUCIE. AND IT'S AN ISSUE THAT DEALING WITH PALM BAY THAT WOULDN'T MAKE ANY SENSE AND WE WOULD VIOLATE ALL SORTS OF LAWS.

COPY THAT. THANK YOU, MA'AM.

SO WE'LL HAVE TO WORK ON THAT.

BUT I THINK THE DIRECTION IS LET'S LET'S HAVE THAT DISCUSSION AND THEN WE'LL SEE WHERE IT GOES FROM THERE. GENTLEMEN, COUNCILWOMAN FELIX CARRYL.

THAT'S MY NEXT AREA WOULD BE THE REVENUE LOSS OF FUNDING.

WHICH I GET WHY THAT MUCH MONEY IS APPROPRIATED TO IT, BUT WHAT THE BUILDING.

WHY IS THAT NO.

ONE? IN, YOU KNOW, PLACE IN THERE, CAN WE FIND OTHER PROJECTS OR THE THINGS THAT THAT CAN BE A TRIBUTE TO SECOND? I KNOW WE HAVE MORE MONEY IN BUILDING A RESERVE FUND THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH.

SO IN THAT IN THAT SENSE, I'M JUST TRYING TO HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING.

AND THE FUND, IS THERE ALREADY AVAILABLE OR BUILDING A OH, I'LL TAKE THAT ONE.

WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO WITH BUILDING IS BUILT ENOUGH SPACE.

SO TO DO IT TO THE FULLEST EXTENT.

RIGHT. THE FIRST TIME. AND SO TO DO THAT, WE ACTUALLY WOULD BE LOOKING TO ACCOMMODATE NOT JUST UTILITIES, STAFF MEMBERS, NOT JUST BUILDING STAFF MEMBERS, AND THEY WOULD PAY FOR THEIR RESPECTIVE PORTION OF THE BUILDING.

WE'D ALSO LIKE TO BUILD EITHER THREE OR FOUR STORY BUILDING TO THEN ALSO ACCOMMODATE A GENERAL FUND SPACE NEEDS THAT ARE CURRENTLY WE'RE CHALLENGED TO FIX.

SO THE REASON WE'VE INCLUDED THIS IN HERE AS A TWO MILLION DOLLAR CONTRIBUTION FROM SHE WE'LL CALL IT THE GENERAL FUND SIDE THROUGH THE RPA FUNDING, IS BECAUSE THE BUILDING FUND AND THE UTILITIES FUND CANNOT PAY FOR THE GENERAL FUND PORTION OF THE BUILDING.

AND WE CANNOT TAKE A LOAN FROM ONE FUND TO THE OTHER FUND THAT'S BEEN CLEARLY ESTABLISHED, SO SO WE HAVE TO STAND ON OUR OWN TWO FEET TO PAY FOR THE GENERAL FUND CONTRIBUTION TO THE ART OF IT.

BUT IF WE CAN'T FUND IT OUT OF GENERAL FUND OR IN THIS CASE, VIA R.P.M..

WE'RE GOING TO BE FACED WITH A DECISION TO BUILD A SMALLER BUILDING ON THE FOOTPRINT THAT AND THE IDEA WOULD BE MAXIMIZING THE CAPACITY.

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PLANS THAT WE'VE ALREADY MADE IF WE CAN FUND THAT BUILDING WHERE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY OUT OF SPACE.

THE DISPATCH CENTER IS ONE THING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT ACTUALLY CREATING A NEWER, LARGER SPACE AND PUTTING IT IN A BUILDING THAT WOULD BE A.

OBVIOUSLY, HURRICANE RITA BUILDING, WE ALSO I'M CONSTANTLY CONCERNED ABOUT OUR IT DEPARTMENT TUCKED AWAY IN THE OLDER BUILDING BACK HERE, THERE ARE A LOT OF ISSUES WITH THAT BUILDING IN TERMS OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, WATER PENETRATIONS IN PLACES WHERE THEY DON'T BELONG AND CONSTANTLY TRYING TO FIX THE ROOF AND ALL THESE THINGS.

AND THEY'RE KIND OF OUT OF SPACE, TOO.

SO THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT THERE ARE GENERAL FUNNY'S AND THOSE ARE JUST SMALL, NOT SMALL, BUT A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES AND THERE ARE MANY MORE BEYOND THAT.

SO THAT'S WHY WE PUT THIS IN HERE IS ONE OF OUR RECOMMENDED PRIORITIES.

I KNOW, OK, THAT MAKES SENSE.

CAN WE POTENTIALLY LOOK INTO.

I HAVE A PLAN WHERE A RENEWABLE ENERGY PLAN WHERE ALL FACILITIES, AT LEAST SOME OF THEM, WE CAN CONVERT FROM ELECTRIC TO SOLAR.

ABSOLUTELY, I MEAN, WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT FOUR BUILDING E LOOKING AT SOLAR FOR THAT BUILDING ANYWAY, BUT FOR FOR THE NEW BUILDING, FOR EXISTING, WE WOULD HAVE TO FUND THAT AS ONE OF OUR CAPITAL ITEMS. WE COULD CERTAINLY PUT DOWN ON OUR LIST OF THINGS TO LOOK AT AND TRY TO FUND IT AND COME TO COUNCIL FOR PRIORITIZATION.

I DON'T DISAGREE. IT'S A GOOD IDEA.

[02:50:07]

WHAT YOU MEAN BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE YOU'RE WELL PREPARED WITH YOUR WORK.

AND I APPRECIATE THAT THE I DEFINITELY LIKE TO SEE THE CALCULATION FOR THE REVENUE LOSS.

I WANT US TO LOOK, I MIGHT BE A SKEPTIC OF THESE THINGS, BUT IF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GAVE OUT CERTAIN THINGS AND THAT'S THE RULES THAT WE'RE ALL PLAYING BY, I MIGHT NOT LIKE IT, BUT THE RULES ARE PLAYING BY.

SO I STILL WANT TO REVIEW BECAUSE I'M CURIOUS HOW IT CAME TO BE.

HERE'S WHAT MY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S PUTTING OUT THERE IN THE TRILLIONS THAT, YOU KNOW, I FEEL A WASTING, IN MY OPINION.

I ALSO HAD A QUESTION ABOUT WHY BUILDING NEED THAT'S BEEN ANSWERED.

I WILL OFFER, I GUESS, A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT ME TO ME, THE MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE COMMUNITY SERVICE IS PROBABLY TOO MUCH.

BUT WHATEVER WE DO PUT OUT THERE, I MEAN, I HAVE CONCERNS FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF NEW PROGRAMS AND THE CAPACITY IN-HOUSE AND HOW MUCH THAT'S GOING TO COST US OR HOW MUCH OF IT'S GOING TO BE PUT UP IN ORDER TO DO THAT AND HAVING TO TOO MANY DIFFERENT PROGRAMS RUNNING AT ONCE. I DON'T WANT THAT.

I DON'T WANT STAFF TO HAVE THAT HEADACHE.

IT'S GOING BE A LONG RUN HEADACHE, I THINK, TO IF WE START DOING THINGS FOR NOW, FOR BUSINESSES AND SO FORTH, AND IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE COVID RELATED, EVERYTHING'S COVID RELATED TODAY. NOW YOU'RE TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO MAKE YOURSELF FIT INTO THAT.

HOW DO WE NOT KNOW THAT THEY'VE ALREADY RECEIVED FUNDS FROM THE PREVIOUS PLANS? I KNOW FOLKS, THEY PREVIOUSLY IT WAS SO LOOSE AND THE WAY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PUT IT OUT THERE, YOU HAD TO LOSE IN ONE QUARTER.

YOU COULD HAVE GAINS FOR THE WHOLE YEAR.

YOU HAVE THREE GOOD QUARTERS AND ONE BAD QUARTER.

BOOM, YOU GET ALL THIS EXTRA MONEY, I KNOW PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, I PERSONALLY KNOW BUSINESS OWNERS AND I'VE SEEN LIKE A 500 THOUSAND DOLLAR HALF A MILLION DOLLARS WINDFALL FROM IT UNDER COVID. AND THEN HOW ARE WE GOING TO DIFFERENTIATE THOSE FOLKS WHO HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED THIS AND SOMETIMES EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS THAT THEY'RE GETTING, YOU KNOW, SOME SOME MORE FROM THIS POT OR THEY'RE GETTING IT FROM THE COUNTY? THE COUNTIES HAD HUGE POTS OF MONEY THIS WHOLE TIME, EVEN EVEN BEYOND OUR CAPACITY.

SO I GUESS THAT'S WHERE TO ME IT'S AT THE POINT THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE PEOPLE IN NEED. BUT I CANNOT CLAIM THAT EVERY PERSON THAT'S IN NEED TODAY IS KOVIK RELATED AND THEY HAVE NOT HAD ACCESS TO THE TRILLION DOLLAR.

TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS HAVE BEEN PUT OUT THERE.

I DON'T KNOW SPECIFICALLY HOW MANY BILLIONS TO PUT SPECIFICALLY FOR THESE PURPOSES.

SO YOU CAN ANSWER MY QUESTION, HOW DO WE HOW ARE WE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT DOUBLE, TRIPLE, QUADRUPLE DOUBLES? ITS POINT WELL TAKEN, SIR.

ONE OF THE ONE OF THE CONCEPTS HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP TRULY WERE DEALS WITH COMMUNITY NEED.

AND TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT WHAT OUR COMMUNITIES NEEDS THROUGH A SURVEY, THROUGH GATHERING SOME INFORMATION AND SOME DATA AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE SPENDING IT WISELY.

THERE ARE MANY ORGANIZATIONS WHO RECEIVED CONSIDERABLE FUNDING AS A RESULT OF WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING OVER THE PAST YEARS.

A LOT OF THOSE FOLKS ARE NONPROFITS.

AND SO ON BEHALF OF OUR TAXPAYERS AND OUR COMMUNITY GROUPS, STAFF HAS THOUGHT ABOUT IMPLEMENTING A SURVEY DEPENDING ON WHAT IT IS THAT THAT THAT COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO TARGET TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SPENDING IT IN THE WISEST AND THE NEEDIEST WAY POSSIBLE.

WE'RE GOING TO BE ARE WE GOING TO HAVE A FORCE AND SAY WHETHER THEY'VE BEEN RECEIVING OTHER BENEFITS? I MEAN, I KNOW WE CAN WE COULD PROBABLY PUT SOMETHING ON THERE AND SAYING NO ONE OF OUR FARMS IS THAT YOU CERTIFY THAT YOU THAT YOU HAVE NOT APPLIED FOR OTHER ASSISTANCE AND THEREFORE THE SAME LOSS THAT YOU'RE SORRY.

BUT WHAT'S OUR WHAT'S OUR REAL ENFORCEMENT GOING TO BE ENFORCE THEN? HOW DO YOU HOW DO YOU.

THAT'S MY QUESTION FOR STAFF.

IF WE'RE GOING TO GO, WE'RE GOING TO GO DO THESE PROGRAMS. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT JUST BLOWING THE TAXPAYER DOLLARS, REGARDLESS OF IT, CAME FROM A FEDERAL REGARDLESS OF HOW THEY PUT IT TOGETHER.

THEY GAVE US FLEXIBILITY.

WE SURELY DON'T HAVE TO PUT A MILLION.

I KNOW WE COULD PUT TEN.

WE COULD PUT MAYBE 100, BUT 100000.

BUT, YOU KNOW, EITHER WAY, I GUESS THAT'S WHY I'M LOOKING TO HAVE YOU GUYS THOUGHT ABOUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO KNOW YOU GUYS, YOU PROCESS THIS FOR OTHER PROGRAMS. WHERE ARE WE GOING TO DO I MEAN, WHAT WHAT ASSURANCES COULD YOU GIVE ME AS A COUNCIL MEMBER THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE REDUNDANT? I KNOW STAFF WILL TAKE A LOOK AT THE ENFORCEMENT SIDE OF THINGS, PARTICULARLY IN THE DESIGN OF ANY PROGRAM THAT IS DEVELOPED.

AND WE CERTAINLY WILL REPORT TO COUNCIL WHAT OUR RECOMMENDATIONS ARE WITH REGARD TO VERIFICATION, THE HONOR SYSTEM, WHICH, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND, BUT WE'LL WORK DILIGENTLY TO TO SHORE UP THAT SIDE OF IT SO THAT COUNCIL HAS CONFIDENCE THAT THE MONEY IS BEING SPENT WISELY. AND SO THAT'LL BE ONE PART OF THE PROCESS.

BUT I KNOW THAT THAT'S LIKE I SAID TO ME, THE MILLIONS PROBABLY TOO MUCH.

BUT I LIKE THE I DO LIKE THE EMPHASIS ON A LOT OF OTHER THINGS THAT WE HAVE UP THERE AND.

GOOD. OK, SO ANYHOW, I DO LIKE THE FACT THAT THERE'S A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE THINGS UP THERE. ONE THING I DON'T NOTICE, AND I THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS GOING TO BE PART OF THIS, AND NOW I'M PREVIOUSLY TALKING TO A CITY ENGINEER AND AND PERHAPS MS.

[02:55:01]

FOR SOME REASON. WE WE TOOK, FIRST OF ALL, THE TREASURY GUIDANCE TALKS ABOUT SOME VERY SPECIFIC TARGETS, WATER QUALITY, THE STORMWATER, CERTAINLY ONE OF THEM, THE TREASURE GARDENS, WAS NOT TALKING ABOUT BRIDGES AND ROADS UNLESS IT CAME UNDER REVENUE LOSS.

AND THERE WE WOULD BE ELIGIBLE TO USE UP FUNDING FOR A BRIDGE OR ROAD OR REHAB OR WHAT HAVE YOU. BUT AGAIN, THAT THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT IS TIED TO REVENUE LOSS, THE CITY EXPERIENCE AS A RESULT OF COVID AND THE TREASURY GUIDANCES, ESSENTIALLY, THEY VIEW THAT AS THE MONEY, THE REVENUE THAT YOU WOULD HAVE LOST AND YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO DETERMINE HOW YOU WANT TO SPEND IT. SO THEY'VE THEY'VE GIVEN A LITTLE MORE LATITUDE TO THAT SPENDING. SO IN ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION, YES, WE COULD WE COULD DO ROAD WORK WITH THE REVENUE LOSS FUNDING, BUT WE COULD NOT DO ROAD WORK WITH THE OTHER PROVISIONS IN THE RPA ELIGIBLE FUNDS. OK, AND DO YOU ANTICIPATE THERE BEING ANY OTHER I MEAN, I HAVEN'T REALLY BEEN I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, I WASN'T PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION TO, I GUESS, THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL OR WHATEVER.

I KNOW IT'S I KNOW WHERE THEY'RE AT ON IT, BUT IT COUNCILMAN FELIX SAYING THAT PASSED.

WHAT WAS HOW'S THAT GOING TO HELP US IN THOSE REGARDS? I MEAN, IS THERE ANY TYPE OF LIKE IN OTHER WORDS, AS WE'RE MANAGING TWO THINGS AT ONCE, IS THERE ANY ZOOME ADDITIONAL THINGS THAT MAYBE I LIKE AS FAR AS INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT? YES, I THINK YOU'LL BE VERY PLEASED WHEN YOU REALIZE THE MAGNITUDE OF FUNDING THAT IS COMING NOT ONLY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BUT THROUGH THE STATE.

WE THIS MONEY IS NOT JUST WHAT'S BEING PAID TO US DIRECTLY, IT'S WHAT IT'S BEING PAID TO FDA, TO DEP, TO OTHER STATE ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE THEN PASSING IT DOWN TO US.

THE GOVERNOR BEGINS TO INSTITUTE A PROGRAM THIS YEAR CALLED RESILIENT FLORIDA THAT DEALS WITH COASTAL VULNERABILITY.

SOME OF OUR FLOODING ISSUES THERE CERTAINLY MANY PROJECTS THERE THAT THE CITY COULD UNDERTAKE. SO I THINK THE PROBLEM THAT OUR STATE AGENCIES HAVE NOW IS IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE ONE THAT WE HAVE IS HOW TO MANAGE ALL THIS FUNDING.

BUT IT IS DEFINITELY COMING.

AND STAFF LOOKS FORWARD TO BRINGING MORE PROJECTS TO YOU FOR CONSIDERATION.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. DEPUTY MAYOR JOHNSON, YES.

OK. ALL RIGHT, I JUST, UH, QUICKLY FOLLOW UP ON ONE OF THE ITEMS I BELIEVE ALSO ALLOWED IN THIS FUNDING. CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.

WE CAN FUND POSITIONS FOR THIS SUPPORT ON THE COMMUNITY SERVICES ITEM, I BELIEVE.

SO TO THAT QUESTION ABOUT STAFFING, WE'D HAVE TO ADD STAFFING PROBABLY THROUGH THIS FUNDING, SUPPORT THE PROGRAMS. THANK YOU SO.

OINGO. ON THIS SEWER AVAILABILITY EXPANSION.

SO I KNOW THAT IN JULY THERE WILL BE LAW STATES, STATE LAW, THAT THERE WILL BE SOME TYPE OF LOAN REDUCED LOAN INTEREST RATES FOR THOSE THAT WANTED TO HOOK UP TO.

TO WORK, I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE GOVERNOR JUST SIGNED.

DO WE KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT? ARE UTILITIES DIRECTORS SAYING NOT AT THE PRESENT TIME? WE CAN CERTAINLY RESEARCH THAT, THOUGH.

YEAH, BECAUSE I WANTED TO SEE HOW THAT WOULD WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH THAT, IT JUST HAPPENED. YOU SAID JUST YESTERDAY IN TERMS OF THE FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED MILLION THAT WAS PUT INTO THE BUDGET.

I KNOW THERE'S SOMETHING IN ONE OF THE REPORTS THAT THE GOVERNOR WAS INCLUDING FIVE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS IN FUNDING TOWARD IT APPEAR TO BE LIKE WASTEWATER TYPE PROJECTS.

BUT WE WERE GOING TO LOOK INTO THAT BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN GOING IN THE REVOLVING LOAN FUND IS THAT FUND HAS BEEN ACTIVELY USED OF LATE.

SO WE HAVEN'T.

I JUST WAS WONDERING IF THAT COULD BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE FUNDING STREAM I BELIEVE YOU MIGHT BE REFERENCING IS CALLED PROTECT FLORIDA.

THAT INCLUDES SOME NEW WATER QUALITY AND WASTEWATER PROJECTS THAT JUST WAS JUST PASSED BY THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE. WE WERE JUST STARTING TO SEE NOTIFICATIONS COMING IN AND STAFF IS JUST STARTING TO EVALUATE THAT FUNDING FOR PROJECTS.

YES, SIR. THANK YOU, MA'AM.

DEPUTY MAYOR JOHNSON. THE FIRST ONE.

MADAM SHERMAN ANSWER IN REGARDS TO STAFF, BECAUSE I REMEMBER WHEN WITH THE COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM DURING COVID, Y'ALL KILLED IT, Y'ALL KILLED IT IN YOUR UNDERSTAFF. SO WITH THIS EXTRA MONEY, I WAS LIKE, OK, WHY ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO STAFF ANOTHER PERSON OR TWO PEOPLE, WHATEVER IT TAKES? SO YOU ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

THANK YOU. NEXT QUESTION.

WE TALK ABOUT VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT, EQUIPMENT, MEANING IT COULD POSSIBLY BE BODY CAMS, MAYBE. NO.

YES, OK.

YES, SIR. YEAH, THAT'S EQUIPMENT.

IT'S ON THE LIST. ALL RIGHT.

AND THEN ALSO WITH VEHICLES ON.

[03:00:05]

FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE YOU'LL SOON BE LEARNING A LITTLE MORE ABOUT OUR SUSTAINABILITY WERE COMING FORWARD. THAT WORD HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.

HOWEVER, THEY HAD SOME KHORRAM ISSUES WHICH HAVE BEEN RESOLVED AND THEY'RE STARTING TO MAKE SOME HEADWAY ON SUSTAINABILITY PLAN, WHICH INCLUDES TAKING A LOOK AT EVS CHARGING STATIONS, TASKING STAFF WITH REACHING OUT TO THE EV COMMUNITY AND SEEING WHAT WE CAN DO TO START TO BEGIN TO IMPLEMENT THAT.

THE CITY OF ORLANDO HAS A TREMENDOUS PROGRAM AND ONE THAT WE'RE STARTING TO TAKE A LOOK AT IN THE STUDY, WHERE THEY'VE CONVERTED SEVENTY FIVE PERCENT OF THEIR FLEET TO ELECTRIC AND IT'S TREMENDOUS. SO STAFF IS ABSOLUTELY WORKING TO RESEARCH THAT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND SEE HOW THAT MIGHT BE FEASIBLE.

ANY AREAS I KNOW COKO? YES, THEY HAVE ONE OR APL'S DEPLOYED A COLLECTION OF CHARGING STATIONS UP AND DOWN THE COUNTY. WELL, UP AND DOWN STATE FLORIDA.

WE WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO BE A PART OF THAT PLAN AND WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS CONVERSATIONS TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

THE GREAT QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY JOHNSON, COUNCILMAN, FOSTER, PLEASE.

NOW, THEY TOOK ALL MY QUESTIONS, SO I DON'T HAVE TIME, BUT I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HEAVY VEHICLES.

I THINK I HAD THAT CONVERSATION WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND CHIEF, BUT I WOULD LOVE FOR THE CITY TO GO TO THAT.

NOT SO MUCH POLICE VEHICLES, BUT PUBLIC WORKS VEHICLES, UTILITY.

PARKS AND REC VEHICLES AND THINGS LIKE THAT TO BE ELECTRIC AND ALSO SOLAR ON OUR BUILDINGS. I THINK WE'RE GOING TO SAY A HUGE SAVINGS WITH THIS GAS ROLLERCOASTER, GAS PRICES ROLLER COASTER WE'VE BEEN ON.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALMOST THREE DOLLARS A GALLON AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO STAY THERE.

I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK NOW.

BUT THANK YOU FOR LOOKING TO THAT.

THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN FOSTER COUNCILMAN BAILEY AND YOU YOU'RE NOT GOING TO. WERE YOU GOING TO SAY SOMETHING? THE COUNCILMAN BAILEY OK, COUNCILWOMAN BAILEY.

THANK YOU MAYOR. APOLOGIZE.

I MEAN I WAS JUST GIVING YOU A HEADS UP THAT BE MORE THE ONE MORE QUESTION AND ACTUALLY THE MAYOR KIND OF STOLE. LET ME ASK IT MORE SPECIFICALLY.

MY QUESTION WAS IN THE 800 45000 WHERE PUBLIC SAFETY IS AT, INCLUDING THE BODY AT THIS TIME, IS THAT INCLUDING A 845? SO THAT, AGAIN, I APOLOGIZE, THE EIGHT HUNDRED AND FORTY FIVE IN PUBLIC SAFETY PROVISION OF POLICE AND FIRE VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT THAT INCLUDE BODY CAMS. I BELIEVE THE BODY CAMS HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED, I DON'T KNOW, I WOULD HAVE TO ASK THE CITY MANAGER HOW WE WERE GOING TO.

WELL, IF IT'S NOT, IT CAN BE.

WELL, THAT'S THAT'S THAT'S A QUESTION THAT AMERICANS CAN'T AFFORD TO ELIGIBLE.

I THOUGHT THAT WHAT MY QUESTION IS THAT ACTUALLY IN THERE AND SO IT'S NOT SO THAT I WOULD BE IN SUPPORT OF GETTING THAT.

NOW, OBVIOUSLY, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT PREVIOUSLY, OF GETTING THAT IN THERE AND DOING IT THROUGH THIS THIS MANNER AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

MY MY OTHER QUESTION I'M JUST CURIOUS, OFF THE TOP OF YOUR MIND, YOU SAID THAT THERE'S A GREAT PROGRAM IN ORLANDO.

ARE THEY SAVING MONEY OFF? I MEAN, IT'S GREAT THAT YOU'RE GETTING A BIT.

ARE THEY SAVING MONEY? YOU KNOW, THAT'S MY QUESTION.

THAT THAT'S THE DRIVING QUESTION.

I CERTAINLY CAN REACH THERE.

WE'RE JUST STARTING TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.

AND I JUST REALLY STARTED TO COMPREHEND THE MAGNITUDE OF HOW THEY'VE CONVERTED THEIR FLEET AND I MEAN, FIRE TRUCKS AND PUBLIC SERVICE VEHICLES.

AND, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE VERY, VERY SPECIFIC GOALS ABOUT WHEN THEY WANT TO ACHIEVE 100 PERCENT RELIANCE ON RENEWABLE RECHARGEABLE.

SO I WILL BE HAPPY TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION AS AS WE ACQUIRE IT.

OK, AND THEN AS FAR AS LIKE EV CHARGING STATIONS, MY UNDERSTANDING THOSE ESSENTIALLY CAN BE PUT IN, YOU KNOW, ESSENTIALLY FREE OF CHARGE, WHICH IS GOING TO BE THE PAYMENT FOR THE SERVICE. IF WE HAD EV STATIONS HERE, THEY WOULD BE PAID BY THE PERSON USING IT.

THEY STILL HAVE THE SYSTEM SET WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO PAY FOR THAT.

THERE ARE A FEW DIFFERENT MODELS.

WE CERTAINLY WOULD BRING THOSE OPTIONS TO COUNCIL AND HAVE YOU DECIDE WHAT YOU FELT WOULD BE BEST FOR THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.

I'M JUST BECAUSE TO ME, IF THERE'S THOSE INTANGIBLE, THERE'S SOMETHING INTANGIBLE.

THERE'S THERE ARE WAYS OF GETTING SYNERGY WHERE WE'RE ALLOWING THOSE FOLKS WHO HAVE CONVERGED EV. OK, NOW THEY CAN STOP AT A CITY FACILITY BECAUSE WE HAVE NOW WE'RE ADDING ACCESS POINTS AND WE DO IT FOR NO COST FOR US.

WE'RE JUST ALLOWING THEM TO USE OUR PAVEMENT.

I MEAN, TO ME THAT'S THAT'S A NO BRAINER.

RIGHT. OR IF WE HAVE SOMETHING LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF THE SOLAR PANELS ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO SAVE US MONEY, I KNOW THAT THERE'S NO LIKE WHEN IT COMES TO A HOME, THEY CAN SAY, OK, KNOW IT'S OVER A LIFETIME.

YOU GOT, YOU KNOW, DEPRECIATED OVER ITS USEFUL LIFE AS OPPOSED TO TODAY.

[03:05:06]

BUT IN THE END, THAT'S TO ME.

NO, TO ME, THAT'S THAT'S GOING TO BE MY DRIVING QUESTION IS, IS IT AS MONEY? AND IF NOT, THEN MAYBE IT'S NOT THE TIME.

YES, SIR. THANK YOU. IF I MAY, I JUST WANTED TO ADD I MEAN, THE QUESTION, IS THAT GOING TO SAVE US MONEY IN TERMS OF THAT INVESTMENT, ORLANDO, THAT I CAN TELL YOU, HAVING EXPERIENCE A HYBRID, ALMOST SIX CYLINDER TO A HYBRID I WAS GETTING I MEAN, JUST YOU DO THE MATH I CALL PAID SOMETHING WITHIN LESS THAN A YEAR.

I WAS DRIVING. I WAS COMMUTE A HUNDRED MILES A DAY TO WORK, SWITCHING FROM A SIX CYLINDER TO A HONDA CIVIC HYBRID, GETTING 44 MILES TO A GALLON.

I MEAN, JUST YOU DO THE MATH, 2006, JULY SUMMER OF 2006, NEVER FORGET GLAU.

THAT WAS WHEN THE PRICE, THE GAS PRICE, WHICH REACH FOR WELL OVER FOUR DOLLARS.

YOU DO THE MATH. THE CALL PAID.

SO WE DIDN'T JUST TO A YOU JUST DISSAVING ALONE.

I MEAN, THERE'S NO DOUBT.

YES, IT IS A BIG INVESTMENT UP FRONT, WITHOUT A DOUBT.

I'LL TAKE CARE OF ITSELF IN A CASE LIKE THAT.

AND I TRULY BELIEVE IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, IF WE CAN AFFORD IT, DEPENDS ON WHERE WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN. I WOULD STRONGLY, STRONGLY ENCOURAGED ONE OF THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO ASK IN REGARDS AND I'LL BE THE LAST QUESTION IS THEIR OPPORTUNITY TO HIRE MORE POLICE OFFICERS IN.

THERE IS THE QUESTION IS, NOT ONLY IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HIRE, I MEAN, THERE'S THERE IS GRANT FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.

BUT THE PROBLEM IS.

THE QUESTION IS SUSTAINABILITY.

IF WE'RE GOING TO HIRE FOLKS, ARE WE GOING TO OFFER THEM A CAREER OR ARE WE GOING TO OFFER THEM 10 YEARS OF EMPLOYMENT? CAN CAN WE GUARANTEE THAT AFTER THAT GRANT PERIOD OR THIS FUNDING PERIOD ENDS, THAT THEY WOULD BE RETAINED AND THAT WE HAVE THE BUDGET TO DO SO? THERE IS A PROGRAM CALLED SAFER THAT THAT OFFERS FUNDING FOR FIRE DEPARTMENT STAFF.

BUT AGAIN, THE QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, DO WE HAVE THE VIABILITY TO PUT THEM TO WORK IMMEDIATELY AND CAN WE RETAIN THEM AFTER THAT GRANT PERIOD IS UP? WELL, WE HAVE THE FUNDING IN OUR IN OUR FIRE OR GENERAL FUND, DEPENDING ON WHERE IT IS TO TO BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN THAT EMPLOYMENT FOR THEM.

BUT ABSOLUTELY, I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LOOK AT, SIR.

SHERMAN BAILEY, AND I JUST WANT TO KNOW I HAVEN'T I HAVE MORE TIME WE NEED MORE TIME PROCESS AND ASK MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BUILDING RECOMMENDATION.

I CAN TELL YOU THAT MY INITIAL REACTION, YOU KNOW, FOR NOW FROM MS. SHERMAN STAFF THAT I WOULD TAKE THAT TWO MILLION USED OUT FOR ALL THOSE THINGS THAT THE DIRECTORS ARE COMING FORTH AND SAYING THEY NEEDED THE BUDGET RIGHT NOW, ALL THIS PRIORITY ONE THINGS, I'D SPEND IT ON THAT BEFORE I SPEND IT ON BUILDING THE LEAST.

THAT'S MY INITIAL. BUT OBVIOUSLY, I WANT TO CONSIDER WHAT YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS KNOW EVERYBODY BROUGHT FOR FOR A REASON.

BUT I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE I HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS.

FOR INSTANCE, NOW, WHAT IF THE BUILDING WAS SO YOU'RE TRYING TO MAXIMIZE BUILD IT ONCE, YOU'RE TRYING TO MAXIMIZE YOUR USABLE SPACE AND IN OUR SITE, RIGHT OUTSIDE THE STORE, ACTUALLY. AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO DO THAT.

WHAT HAPPENED? I MEAN, HOW DO YOU KNOW HOW DO YOU JUSTIFY EXACTLY HOW MUCH IS NEEDED FOR UTILITIES AND FOR THE BUILDING PROGRAM? I MEAN, IF YOU JUST BUILD THE MAXYGEN PUT THERE AND YOU DON'T FILL IT UP IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS, I CAN'T THE GENERAL FUND JUST BUY OFF SOME OF THAT LATER? I MEAN, COULD WE BUY THAT SPACE OR RENT THAT SPACE FOR THE GENERAL FUND WHEN WE NEED TO? BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE MIGHT NEED TO BE MAJOR BUILDING REPAIRS, WHICH WOULD BE A CONCERN IF THERE ARE FOR THE REGIONAL CITY HALL.

SO HAVING SOMEWHERE TO TAKE THEM WOULD BE GOOD ISD BETTER TO DO IT IN-HOUSE RATHER THAN HAVE TO GO TO A COMMERCIAL LIKE WE ARE NOW FOR BUILDING.

AND SO I DON'T WANT TO BE SHORTSIGHTED.

AND THAT IN THAT REGARD, AS I KNOW THERE SOME IS THERE ARE OTHER WAYS OF MANAGING THIS THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO USE THIS, AT LEAST FOR THE TIME BEING, FOR THINGS WE KNOW WE NEED RIGHT THIS SECOND. WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO NEED MORE SPACE IN THE FUTURE, BUT WE ALSO WE KNOW WE NEED THINGS RIGHT NOW.

SO MY PREFERENCE WOULD'VE BEEN TO SPEND MORE THAN THINGS NOW, LIKE THE BODY CAMS, FOR INSTANCE. SO THAT'S KIND OF MY QUESTION.

I KNOW THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOME LEGALITIES THERE AND TECHNICALITIES, BUT I DEFINITELY AT LEAST WANT TO PUT ON THE RECORD. I WANT TO DISCUSS THAT MORE.

AND I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE REST OF COUNCILMAN.

IT'S KIND OF WE ASKED ABOUT IT.

WE DON'T REALLY SAY MUCH ABOUT IT AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.

I'M GOOD WITH BUILDING IT.

I THINK WE WE REALLY NEED TO EXPAND, EXPAND.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COUNCILMAN.

OUTSTANDING JOB, MA'AM, I'M TELLING YOU, DECIPHERING THE FEDERAL AGENCY, IN PARTICULAR THE UNITED STATES TREASURY, YOU ARE TO BE COMMENDED.

[03:10:02]

BUT AT THIS TIME, IS THERE ANYONE IN THE PUBLIC THAT WISHES TO SPEAK? JUST RAISE YOUR HAND. NO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, THIS MEETING HERE IS ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.