Mar 29, 2025 Council Meetings - Special

[00:00:02]

OKAY. IT IS NOW ZERO 830. I'M GOING TO CALL THIS SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING.

[CALL TO ORDER:]

AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

SO, MISS TERESE, ROLL CALL. MAYOR MEDINA. PRESIDENT.

DEPUTY MAYOR JAFFE. PRESENT. COUNCILMAN. JOHNSON PRESENT.

COUNCILMAN. HAMMER. PRESENT. COUNCILMAN. LANGEVIN.

LANGEVIN WILL BE LATE. MR. MORGAN. PRESENT, MISS SMITH.

PRESENT. OKAY. NUMBER ONE ITEM ON OUR AGENDA BUSINESS.

[BUSINESS:]

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR DILIGENCE COMING ON BOARD AND AND HELPING OUR CITY MOVE FORWARD.

SO THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU. MAYOR. MEMBER CITY COUNCIL.

TODAY'S AGENDA IS A SINGLE ITEM. IT IS TO HAVE THE CITY COUNCIL INTERVIEW SIX CANDIDATES FOR CITY MANAGER. WE ORIGINALLY RECEIVED 114 UNIQUE APPLICATIONS FOR THE POSITION.

THE APPLICATIONS PERIOD CLOSED FEBRUARY 28TH.

ALL OF THOSE APPLICATIONS WERE SENT TO THE CITY COUNCIL THAT SAME DAY.

AND THEN ON MARCH THE 20TH, THE COUNCIL VOTED TO INVITE EIGHT CANDIDATES FOR TODAY'S INTERVIEWS.

SINCE THAT TIME, TWO CANDIDATES HAVE WITHDRAWN THEIR APPLICATIONS, WHICH MEANS WE HAVE SIX CANDIDATES FOR THE COUNCIL TO INTERVIEW TODAY.

THOSE CANDIDATES ARE SONIA ALVES VIVEIROS, HOWARD BROWN, JASON DAVIS, WILLIAM LAWRENCE, GREG LINK, AND MATTHEW MORTON. ON THE DAIS, THERE'S THREE SHEETS OF PAPER I'VE PUT THERE FOR YOU.

ONE IS THE BATTING ORDER FOR THE CANDIDATES TO TO COME FOR THEIR 50 MINUTE CITY COUNCIL INTERVIEW. WHEN CANDIDATES ARE NOT HERE IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS, THEY ARE MEETING WITH FOUR DIFFERENT GROUPINGS OF DEPARTMENT HEADS SO THAT OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS CAN START TO GET TO KNOW THE ULTIMATE CITY MANAGER AFTER THE COUNCIL MAKES THAT SELECTION.

AND VICE VERSA. AND SO BECAUSE WE HAVE SIX CANDIDATES AND FIVE STATIONS, THERE'LL BE ONE PERIOD WHERE THE CANDIDATE HAS A 50 MINUTE BREAK. ALSO ON YOUR DESK ARE SOME POTENTIAL CITY MANAGER CANDIDATE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS. YOU CAN USE THESE.

YOU CAN USE OTHERS THAT YOU MAY HAVE THOUGHT OF.

MY SUGGESTION IS THAT EACH MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL GETS TO ASK A QUESTION AND THEN PERHAPS A FOLLOW UP QUESTION. AS MAY BE NEEDED. AND THEN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT COUNCIL MEMBER SO THAT ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE A CHANCE.

SO IF YOU SORT OF THOUGHT OF THREE OR 4 OR 5 QUESTIONS, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE 50 MINUTE INTERVIEWS IF YOU SORT OF AVERAGE A COUPLE MINUTES APIECE, WHICH IS TOUGH. YOU KNOW, YOU PROBABLY AREN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO ASK ASKED 25 QUESTIONS, BUT THE THE OPPORTUNITY IS THERE FOR THE COUNCIL TO ASK WHAT YOU THINK IS MOST VALUABLE TO YOU, AS YOU ASCERTAIN WHICH CANDIDATE MIGHT BE THE BEST CITY MANAGER FOR THIS COMMUNITY? AND THEN THE LAST ONE IS JUST A LITTLE BIT FROM THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES AND FCMA ON BASIC DO'S AND DON'TS OF THE INTERVIEW PROCESS TO KEEP US IN GOOD GRACES WITH FEDERAL AND STATE STATUTES.

AND UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR ME, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY, PATRICIA SMITH, FOR JUST A SOME REMINDERS IN THAT REGARD. OKAY.

SO BEFORE WE GET STARTED, CAN WE SHUT THAT THAT DOOR, PLEASE? YEAH. THANK YOU, MADAM SMITH. YES, MAYOR. I KNOW THAT WE'RE ALL RATHER EXCITED AND CERTAINLY WANT TO THANK MR. MORGAN, WHO'S DONE A REALLY GREAT JOB OF LEADING US TO THIS POINT BEING THAT BRIDGE.

AND OF COURSE, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE CANDIDATE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH.

[00:05:01]

AND I CERTAINLY WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT WE'RE NOT ABLE TO ASK ABOUT AGE, BIRTHPLACE OR CITIZENSHIP DISABILITY. CERTAINLY CONVICTIONS ARE APPROPRIATE.

WE WANT TO STAY AWAY FROM JUST MERELY A MERE ARREST FAMILY STATUS, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, MARITAL STATUS, NATIONAL ORIGIN, PREGNANCY, THOSE TYPE OF QUESTIONS.

RELIGION, CREED ARE INAPPROPRIATE AND ALSO NOT LEGAL.

SO THERE ARE LOTS OF QUESTIONS. WE'RE GOING TO YOU'RE GOING TO ASK THE CANDIDATES ABOUT THEIR BACKGROUND. AND I CERTAINLY IMPLORE COUNCIL TO FOCUS ON THOSE QUESTIONS AS FAR AS THAT, ARE GOING TO GIVE US ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT WHO IS GOING TO BE THE BEST PERSON TO MOVE US FORWARD, BUT NOT THOSE QUESTIONS THAT ARE. RELEVANT AND ILLEGAL.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU MA'AM. SO, MR. MORGAN. YES, SIR.

BACK TO YOU. YEAH. SO SO AGAIN, YOU HAVE SOME SUGGESTED SAMPLE QUESTIONS.

I GUESS IF I HAD A SINGLE RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE SORT OF THE FIRST ONE, WHICH IS KIND OF HOW ALL INTERVIEWS SORT OF START OUT ABOUT.

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF. AND, AND THEN THE LAST QUESTION WOULD BE ONE I WOULD THINK WE WOULD WANT TO CONCLUDE WITH BUT OTHER THAN THAT YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IF COUNCIL MEMBERS CAN SORT OF FOCUS IN ON WHAT YOU THINK WOULD BE THE THINGS THAT ARE MOST APPROPRIATE.

I KNOW SOME OF YOU HAVE PROBABLY PREPARED ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.

DIFFERENT QUESTIONS BASED UPON YOUR ASSESSMENT OF WHAT PALM BAY IS LOOKING FOR IN THE IDEAL CITY MANAGER.

AND SO IF YOU JUST HAD A MINUTE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT SEQUENCE YOU'RE GOING TO START IN, MAYOR, BUT I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT EACH COUNCIL MEMBER GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK A QUESTION, PERHAPS A FOLLOW UP QUESTION WITH RESPECT TO THAT QUESTION, AND THEN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SO THAT EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER GETS A CHANCE TO ASK QUESTIONS THAT THEY THINK ARE MOST IMPORTANT TO ASK OF THE APPLICANTS.

WELL THANK YOU. SO CALL UP THE FIRST CANDIDATE.

THE FIRST CANDIDATE IS A CANDIDATE, GREG LINCOLN.

STEP FORWARD, MR. LINK. SIR. AND I'LL I'LL START WITH YOU, DEPUTY MAYOR, FOR THE FIRST QUESTION. AND A FOLLOW UP.

OF COURSE YOU WANT TO RAISE THAT A LITTLE BIT.

IS THERE WOULD I NOT MAKE AN OPENING STATEMENT? WELL, THE FIRST QUESTION, MR. LAKE, JUST BRIEFLY TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF, YOUR CHARACTER PERSONALITY AND GIVE US SOME INSIGHT BY TELLING US 1 OR 2 THINGS YOU LIKE TO DO WHEN YOU'RE NOT WORKING. AND IF YOU WANT TO ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT ON YOUR STATEMENT, FEEL FREE. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR, DEPUTY MAYOR, COUNCIL AND CITY ATTORNEY AND CITY CLERK.

MY NAME IS GREG LAKE. MANY OF YOU KNOW ME. OR AT LEAST YOU THINK YOU DO.

I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TELL YOU SOME THINGS YOU PROBABLY DON'T KNOW. FOR FOUR YEARS, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING AS PALM BAY CITY MANAGER.

I CAME IN AT A TIME WHEN THE CITY HAD SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES AGING, NEGLECTED INFRASTRUCTURE, LIMITED COMMERCIAL INVESTMENT, A BEDROOM COMMUNITY'S TAX BASE, AND AN ONGOING FDLE INVESTIGATION.

I WAS READY FOR A CHALLENGE. I ASSEMBLED A TEAM AND PUT MY DECADES OF PRIVATE SECTOR LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE TO WORK.

AFTER REVIEWING THE STATE OF THE CITY, WE FORMULATED A PLAN OF ATTACK AND GOT TO WORK.

THE FDLE INVESTIGATION PROVED TO BE MORE OF A DISTRACTION THAN I HAD EXPECTED.

IT WAS NOT MY JOB TO DEFEND THE INDIVIDUALS OR THE ACCUSATIONS LOBBED AGAINST THEM, IN WHAT SEEMED LIKE A DAILY BARRAGE OF MEDIA ATTACKS.

IT WAS NOT MY JOB TO LEAD. IT WAS MY JOB TO LEAD THE CITY TOWARD FINANCIAL AND STRUCTURAL HEALTH.

I'M NOT A POLITICIAN, SO I KEPT MY HEAD DOWN AND DID THE WORK.

EVENTUALLY, I CAME TO LEARN THAT THREE OF MY BOSSES AND AT LEAST ONE EMPLOYEE WORE WIRES WHENEVER THEY WERE WITH ME AS PART OF THE ONGOING INVESTIGATION.

THE FDLE CALLED IN THE FBI TO JOIN THEIR INVESTIGATION.

AGAIN, THE MEDIA AND INFORMAL BLOGGERS HAD A FIELD DAY WITH THE REPORTS ALONG THE WAY, BUT SO I KEPT MY HEAD DOWN AND DID MY JOB.

MY RECORDED CONVERSATIONS WERE HEARD BY THOSE OVERSEEING THE INVESTIGATION.

[00:10:01]

IN FACT, NOT ONCE. DID FDLE OR THE FBI EVEN QUESTION ME ABOUT MY ACTIVITIES OR THOSE THAT WERE THE TARGET OF THEIR INVESTIGATION.

SO WHILE I FAILED IN THE AREA OF PUBLIC OPINION, I GOT A WHOLE LOT DONE FOR THIS GREAT CITY.

UNDER MY LEADERSHIP, WE WERE ABLE TO REFINANCE DEBT, SAVING THE PEOPLE OF PALM BAY OVER $5 MILLION OVER THE LIFE OF ONE BOND.

WE BLEW OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GOALS OUT OF THE WATER.

OUR GOAL WAS TO INCREASE THE COMMERCIAL TAX BASE BY $60 MILLION PER YEAR.

INSTEAD, WE INCREASED IT BY $108 MILLION PER YEAR.

WE HIRED SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS TO LEAD THE DEPARTMENTS.

ALLOWED THEM LEEWAY TO DO THEIR JOBS EFFICIENTLY.

BEGAN CONVERSION OF CITY HEALTHCARE TO SELF-FUNDED.

SAVING THE TAXPAYERS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. WE ADDRESSED COSTLY POLICIES THAT SAVED MILLIONS.

AS AN EXAMPLE, WE DECREASED THE AMOUNT OF SICK TIME ALLOWED ON THE BOOKS.

IT'S A TREMENDOUS LIABILITY. AT ONE POINT, POLICY ALLOWED FOLKS TO CARRY 1200 HOURS OF SICK TIME ON THE BOOKS.

THAT EQUATED TO ABOUT $70,000 FOR THE POSITION OF ONE DIRECTOR.

THE NEW POLICY REDUCED THAT HOURLY BACK TO 500 HOURS ON A BOOK.

SO THIS IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE. DURING MY TENURE, WE REDUCED THE MILLAGE RATE, WHICH WAS AT THE HIGHEST RATE EVER, JUST UNDER TEN MILL. EASING THE BURDEN ON PALM BAY TAXPAYERS.

WE WORKED WITH THE STATE OF FLORIDA TO SECURE BELOW MARKET LOANS TO FUND THE VAST EXPANSION OF THE CITY'S UTILITIES INFRASTRUCTURE.

IMPROVED CONSTITUENT SATISFACTION BY REDUCING THE PROCESSING TIME.

FOR BUILDING PERMITS FOR MONTHS TO JUST WEEKS.

I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE A SEVERAL FOLKS INVOLVED IN PALM BAY BACK IN THE DAY HAVE TURNED THEIR LIVES AROUND SINCE THEIR TIME AT THE CITY.

THEY REDEDICATED THEIR LIVES TO GOD AND TO PUBLICLY SHARED THEIR TESTIMONIES.

I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR COMING OUT TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT.

THEY WILL NEVER KNOW HOW MUCH IT MEANT TO ME.

PALM BAY IS MY HOME. THOSE THAT KNOW WHAT I ACCOMPLISHED HAVE ASKED ME TO COME BACK AND DO IT AGAIN.

I STAND BEFORE A KNOWN QUANTITY THAT IS READY TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING.

WITH THAT, I WILL WELCOME MORE QUESTIONS. FOLLOW UP.

THANK YOU, MR. LINK. MENTIONED FTL, MENTIONED WORKING WITH THE STATE.

IN 2019, WE HAD ORDERED A G-LOC AUDIT. ACTUALLY FOCUSED MAINLY ON THE TIME THAT YOU WERE REPRESENTING PALM BAY AS CITY MANAGER.

THERE WAS A COUPLE OF KEY FINDINGS IN THAT, INCLUDING A SEVERANCE PAYMENT TO THE FORMER DEPUTY CITY MANAGER WITHOUT POLICY BACKING, A TAKE HOME PAY FOR THE THE MAYOR, AND ALSO THE CONTROVERSIAL I-95 PROJECT THAT LEFT THE CITY RESIDENTS HOLDING.

I WANT TO SAY AROUND $16 MILLION. THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN PAID FOR BY THE DEVELOPER. CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THOSE FINDINGS MEAN IF THESE ARE ACCURATE OR WHAT'S YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON IT? TALKING ABOUT THE CITY OVERTAKING THE PROJECT.

THE COST OF THE PROJECT DOWN IN THE SOUTHEAST. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING? THE INTERCHANGE? YEAH.

WELL, WHEN? BEFORE I GOT HERE, THAT WAS CLEARLY WHAT DEVELOPERS ARE EXPECTED TO DO.

THE DEVELOPERS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTRIBUTE TO ANY ANY NEW DEVELOPMENT.

THERE WAS A PREVIOUS CITY MANAGER THAT ACTUALLY COMMITTED THE CITY TO BUILDING THE ROAD.

THAT'S NOT THE WAY IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE. A DEVELOPER WAS SUPPOSED TO BUILD THE INTERSECTION AND BUILD THE ROAD.

HOWEVER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION COMMITTED THE CITY TO FDOT TO BUILD THE ROAD.

SO I BELIEVE JUST JUST THE ROAD ALONE WAS A LITTLE BIT OVER $9.1 MILLION.

SO UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE OF THAT, THE COMMITMENT.

NOW, MIND YOU, IF YOU DON'T IF YOU DON'T ADHERE TO THAT COMMITMENT, YOU DON'T LIVE UP TO YOUR THE EXPECTATIONS.

FDOT WAS NOT GOING TO BUILD THAT INTERCHANGE.

SO THE CITY WAS COMMITTED BEFORE I GOT HERE AND THE CITY HAD TO DELIVER IT.

THERE WASN'T A CHOICE. I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.

YEAH, JUST THE TWO OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SEVERANCE PAY TO DEPUTY CITY MANAGER AND THE TAKE HOME VEHICLE FOR MAYOR CAPOTE AT THE TIME.

WHAT WERE THEIR POLICIES IN PLACE, OR WHY WERE THOSE PAYMENTS MADE? YOU KNOW, THERE IS A IT WAS IT WAS DISCUSSED AND WE FELT THAT IT WAS A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THAT WITH THE PERFORMER,

[00:15:03]

WE WANTED THEM TO HAVE A SOFT LANDING AND BE ABLE TO LAND ON THEIR FEET AND NOT BE TOO HARSH.

SO WE FELT THAT THAT WAS A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR MR. ZANARDI LEAVING AND AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION WAS, REMIND ME, PLEASE, THE THE THE TAKE HOME VEHICLE.

WELL, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A FINDING IN THE AUDIT.

IT SURE WAS. HOWEVER, YOU PUT IN A PRECARIOUS SITUATION.

THE FORMER MAYOR WAS ABSOLUTELY INFORMED OF THE POLICY.

NUMEROUS TIMES, NOT ONLY IN PERSON, BUT IN WRITING.

AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A CHALLENGE TO TELL ONE OF YOUR BOSSES.

NO, YOU WILL NOT HAVE THAT CAR AT YOUR USE. YOU WILL NOT HAVE THAT CAR AS A TAKE HOME VEHICLE.

HOWEVER, IN THE IN SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT WAS NOTED THAT MAYOR CAPOTE ACTUALLY DID COME HERE, HE SAID THAT HE WOULD COME HERE IN THE MORNING, SIGN OUT THE CAR, BRING IT BACK AT THE END OF THE DAY AND GO HOME.

THOSE WERE HIS WORDS, NOT MINE. SO IT EVENTUALLY CAME DOWN TO IT WAS AFTER I LEFT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN AWAY FROM THE MAYOR AND PUT IN THE MAYOR AND PUT IN THE CAR POOL.

I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION. WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR INTER GOVERNOR? INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS AND THINGS, THINGS THAT YOU COULD DO TO STRENGTHEN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH BREVARD COUNTY, MELBOURNE, TILLMAN CANAL, STATE AGENCIES AND FEDERAL PARTNERS? YEAH, WELL, ONE OF THE LUXURIES OF LIVING HERE IS I GET TO KNOW A BUNCH OF PEOPLE.

EVEN BACK IN THE DAY WHEN I WAS A CITY MANAGER FOR FOUR YEARS.

SO I HAVE EXTENSIVE RELATIONSHIPS LOCALLY AT THE COUNTY COMMISSION.

I KNOW FOLKS AT THE FLORIDA STATE HOUSE AND STATE SENATE, AND AS WELL WE HAVE RELATIONSHIPS UP AT IN WASHINGTON, DC. AND I THINK PALM BAY IS ON A PRECIPICE RIGHT HERE, READY TO DO SOME TREMENDOUS THINGS.

AND I'LL USE NASA AS AN EXAMPLE. YOU KNOW, WE'RE ONE OF THREE LOCATIONS RIGHT HERE TODAY THAT ARE BEING CONSIDERED TO BE THE FUTURE HOME OF NASA.

AND WE HAVE OVER 400 ACRES RIGHT HERE ON MINTON ROAD, WHICH WOULD BE AN IDEAL SPOT FOR SPACE AND FOR HOMES FOR FOLKS THAT ARE WORKING IN NASA. SO I THINK I'VE BEEN HERE FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

I DID WORK WITH MELVIN TILLMAN. I CERTAINLY I KNOW THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OVER HERE, MY MR. WEINBERG I'VE KNOWN HIM FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.

AND I'M A RELATIONSHIP GUY. IF YOU DON'T HAVE RELATIONSHIPS, YOU'RE NOT.

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET ANYTHING DONE. SO YOU GOT BETTER RELATIONSHIPS AND, AND AND THE RESPECT OF OF THE CRITICAL DECISION MAKERS.

I HAVE SO MANY THAT JUST TELL ME WHEN TO STOP, BUT.

WELL, LET ME LET ME SHARE THE TIME WITH THE REST OF COUNCIL.

DEPUTY MAYOR, I'LL START WITH COUNCILMAN LANGEVIN ON THE OTHER END.

THANK YOU MAYOR. SO I'M GOING TO START OFF WITH JUST TO GET TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT YOU.

WHO'S YOUR FAVORITE FOUNDING FATHER AND WHY? I THINK GREAT LIST TO CHOOSE FROM.

BUT IF I WERE TO PICK SOMEBODY RIGHT NOW, IT WOULD BE JOHN ADAMS. YOU KNOW, JOHN ADAMS DIDN'T REALLY WANT TO BE A CONTROVERSIAL FIGURE, BUT HE WAS.

HE DEFENDED BRITISH SOLDIERS THAT WERE ACCUSED OF COMMITTING MURDER.

AND LIVING IN THE IN THE THE COLONIES AT THE TIME, THAT WASN'T A GOOD POLITICAL MOVE FOR HIM OR A CAREER MOVE.

SO HE THOUGHT. BUT HE FELT THAT EVERY PERSON DESERVED A DEFENSE.

AND HE FELT IN HIS IN HIS INNER BEING THAT THIS WAS WHAT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO DO.

AND HE DID IT. BUT I ALSO GO ON WITH HIS WIFE, BECAUSE JOHN ADAMS WOULD HAVE NOT HAVE BEEN THE PERSON THAT HE WAS WITHOUT ABIGAIL. OUTSTANDING. IS THE PODIUM UP ALL THE WAY? I THINK YOU'RE KIND OF TALL, SO YOU MIGHT WANT TO RAISE THE PODIUM. YEAH. AND THEN I JUST.

I JUST WANT TO ASK ONE MORE QUESTION. WHAT IS YOUR PHILOSOPHY ON TAXATION AND GOVERNMENT SPENDING? AND THEN HOW DO YOU BALANCE THE TWO? WELL, WHO LIKES TAXES? SORT OF A NECESSARY EVIL, I KNOW. IT'S REVENUE THAT THE CITY NEEDS, AND OTHERWISE WE DON'T FUNCTION.

[00:20:05]

NUMBER TWO IS INFRASTRUCTURE. AND NUMBER THREE IS BUDGET.

BUT BUDGETING FOR PUBLIC SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE, THOSE THOSE ARE JUST CRITICAL.

SO YOU NEED MONEY. WE DON'T HAVE A PRINTING PRESS HERE AT CITY HALL, SO WE NEED MONEY.

SO IT COMES ALL THROUGH PROPERTY TAXES AND OTHER REVENUE STREAMS THROUGH GOVERNMENT AND SUCH.

I LIKE WHERE THE DISCUSSIONS ARE GOING TODAY, NOT ONLY IN STATE GOVERNMENT, BUT ALSO WITH FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LOOKING AT DIFFERENT WAYS TO FOR CITIES IN ANOTHER REVENUE STREAM. AND THEY ARE LOOKING TO GET, GET RID OF LOWER OR GET RID OF PROPERTY TAXES.

AND AND SOME OF THOSE IDEAS ARE, ARE VERY INTERESTING THAT THEY'RE, THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AND I'LL GIVE YOU ONE EXAMPLE IS ALMOST A CONSUMPTION TAX.

I'D BE INTERESTED IN TO SEE WHAT THAT IF THEY WERE TO DO A STUDY TO SAY, WELL, HOW MUCH MONEY WOULD THIS DO AS OPPOSED TO JUST PROPERTY TAX? SO WE CAN'T CONTINUE TO LAY THE BURDEN OF GOVERNMENT ON OUR RESIDENTS.

THERE HAVE TO BE HAS TO BE OTHER WAYS. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. MAYOR. I'M GOOD. NEXT ONE, COUNCILMAN HAM.

YEAH. I'M JUST GOING TO ADDRESS THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM.

ARE THERE ANY ANY MISTAKES THAT YOU FEEL THAT YOU'VE MADE THAT YOU WOULD CHANGE IF GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE BACK IN THAT SEAT AGAIN? ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD HAVE DONE IS I WOULD HAVE HANDLED THE MEDIA BETTER.

THAT WAS A THAT WAS A LESSON LEARNED. YOU KNOW, I WORKED IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR FOR THE MAJORITY OF MY CAREER.

AND MARKETING IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. I'VE BEEN ACCUSED OF BEING BRUTALLY HONEST.

I CAN'T SEE ME CHANGING THAT. SO IF YOU ASK ME A QUESTION, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU THE ANSWER. BUT I BELIEVE THAT I DON'T THINK THAT I DID A VERY GOOD JOB. I SHOULD HAVE PAID MORE ATTENTION TO GETTING THE WORD OUT BECAUSE WE WERE DOING SOME AMAZING THINGS.

AND THE ONE THING PEOPLE CANNOT ARGUE OR DISPUTE IS HIS RESULTS.

AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS HERE TO GET RESULTS. I HOPE THAT ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION.

IN THE FIRST 90 DAYS, IF YOU ARE SELECTED, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE KEY FOCUSES THAT ARE YOU THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE PUTTING TOWARDS OUR CITY GETTING BACK ON TRACK? GREAT QUESTION. I WOULD START ALMOST WITH A SIMILAR WAY THAT I STARTED WHEN I RECEIVED THE JOB THE FIRST TIME IN 2015. I THINK WE HAVE TO TAKE A GOOD HARD LOOK AT THE ORG CHARTS AND JUST SEE.

DO WE HAVE THE RIGHT MIX OF FOLKS? WHEN I CAME IN, I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.

THERE WAS ONE DEPARTMENT WHEN I GOT BACK HERE IN 2015 AND I LOOKED AT IT HAD LIKE 37 POSITIONS THAT WERE EITHER HAD MANAGER, SUPERVISOR, DEPUTY, 37 POSITIONS IN ONE DEPARTMENT, AND I JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS A LITTLE TOP HEAVY.

SO I WAS ALL ABOUT, AGAIN, IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, IT'S ALL ABOUT EFFICIENCIES BECAUSE WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IS BOTTOM LINE.

SO YOU HAVE TO RUN THIS LIKE A BUSINESS. IT'S THE WAY I LOOK AT IT.

AND YOU HAVE TO IDENTIFY EFFICIENCIES. PERSONNEL.

I MEAN, PERSONNEL IS YOUR GREATEST ASSET, BUT WE HAVE TO USE THEM IN A SMART, EFFICIENT WAY.

SO I THINK THAT'S THAT'S ONE PLACE TO START. I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME CHALLENGES AND SOME QUESTIONS I WOULD LIKE ANSWERED.

AND I'LL TELL YOU WHAT. ONE OF THEM TALK ABOUT THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ROAD BOND REFERENDUM? I WANT TO FIND OUT.

I WANT TO KNOW WHY ISN'T WHY AREN'T THE ROADS BEING DONE? WHERE? THE MONEY? WHERE IS IT? THERE'S GOT TO BE AN ANSWER TO THAT.

SO AND I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO START ALMOST IMMEDIATELY IS TO LOOK AT SMART GROWTH.

WE HAVE TO LOOK AT COMMERCIAL BASE. BUT LET'S BE SMART, AND WE HAVE TO USE DIFFERENT IDEAS.

AND LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE WE CAN USE WE CAN ASK.

TRAFFIC IS AN ISSUE. WE KNOW IT. WHAT WE CAN WHAT WE CAN DO IS DO THINGS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY.

BECAUSE PALM BAY, UNFORTUNATELY, IS NOT A VERY WEALTHY CITY.

BUT HOW ABOUT ASKING? YOU DRIVE DOWN BABCOCK OR MINTON AT RUSH HOUR? I KNOW I DO, AND I'M I'M STUCK FOR 40, 50 MINUTES.

BUT ARE THINGS THAT WE DO. HOW ABOUT THIS? HOW ABOUT WE ASK EMPLOYERS TO STAGGER THEIR START TIMES? WORK WITH US. OKAY, SO IT'S GOING TO BE A 10 TO 6 AS OPPOSED TO 9 TO 5.

THERE'S AN OPTION. HOW ABOUT USING AI TO PERHAPS IDENTIFY SITUATIONS THAT WE CAN BEST ADDRESS THE CONGESTION AND THE

[00:25:05]

THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN JOHNSON. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

AND YOU, YOU ALLUDED TO IT. I WANTED TO ELABORATE MORE ON IT.

OUR $150 MILLION ROAD BOND PROGRAM IS NOW FACING A $70 MILLION SHORTFALL.

HOW WOULD YOU ADDRESS THIS KIND OF FUNDING GAP WHILE CONTINUING CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS? AND YOU CAN GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF HOW YOU'VE DEALT WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS IN THE PAST AS WELL. YEAH.

I THINK THAT'S A REAL ISSUE. AND I'M A BIT SURPRISED THAT THAT IT HAS NOT RECEIVED MORE ATTENTION.

SO YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA OR THE NEWS? I DON'T KNOW WHY IT WASN'T COVERED. IT HAS TO BE ADDRESSED SOMEHOW.

FIRST OF ALL, YOU GOT TO FIND OUT. WHAT WHAT HAPPENED WHEN? WHEN I WAS A CITY MANAGER, WE ACTUALLY IDENTIFIED 800 MILES OF ROAD THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO GET PAVED OR THIN LIFT OR FULL DEPTH RECLAMATION. I'D HAVE TO LOOK AND SEE JUST WHERE THE SHORT WHERE THE SHORTFALL WAS AND WHAT MONEY IS NEEDED.

FOLKS ARE PAYING TAXES ON A ROAD BOND THAT MAY NOT GET THE ROADS PAVED.

WELL, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A PICKLE, ISN'T IT? SO I THINK THERE'S THERE'S THERE'S WAYS I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING MEETINGS WITH SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS AND TRY TO IDENTIFY OTHER AREAS OF OF REVENUE. I KNOW AT ONE POINT IN TIME WE PUT $3 MILLION TOWARD THE ROAD MAINTENANCE FUND WHICH IS A LINE ITEM IN OUR BUDGET, BUT $3 MILLION IS JUST A DROP IN THE BUCKET. I MEAN, TO COME UP TO 70 TO $80 MILLION, THAT'S THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER.

I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER RIGHT NOW. IF I WERE TO GIVE YOU AN ANSWER, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A TIME WHEN WE WERE DOING HEALTH CARE AND WE WOULD JUST PUT IT OUT TO BID, JUST LIKE ANYBODY ELSE WOULD.

INSURANCE COMPANIES WOULD GIVE BACK THEIR PROPOSALS AND AN RFP, AND THE COSTS BACK IN THE DAY WERE ASTRONOMICAL.

I THINK ONE YEAR OVER OVER YEAR TO YEAR COSTS CAME BACK $2 MILLION HIGHER FOR THE SAME LEVEL OF INSURANCE.

SO WHAT WE SAID, LET'S DO SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, A LITTLE BIT CREATIVE. WE IDENTIFY SOME THINGS THAT WE COULD DO THAT WE HAD CONTROL OVER WHEN WE STARTED THE MOVE TO GO FROM A REGULAR INSURANCE, AS MOST PEOPLE KNOW IT, TO A SELF-FUNDED INSURANCE ENTITY.

SO WE WENT ABOUT HALFWAY WHEN I WAS HERE AND WE WERE EXPECTING TO GO TO BE FULLY FUNDED HEALTHCARE, BUT THAT WAS A SITUATION THAT SAVED MILLIONS.

OKAY, ONE MORE QUESTION. YES, SIR. THANK YOU.

AND WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON CITIES AND PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, AS WELL AS PRIVATIZING DEPARTMENTS OR AREAS WITHIN THE CITY SO THEY CAN GET MORE EFFICIENCY AND SAVE TAXPAYER DOLLARS? I'M A BIG FAN OF PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, AND I DID IT WHEN I WAS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

THERE'S SEVERAL EXAMPLES THAT I COULD PROVIDE, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY.

NOW THERE'S DISCUSSIONS ABOUT DOING SOME SOME PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS IN THE COMPOUND.

I MEAN, WHERE ELSE CAN YOU THINK OF A BETTER SPOT TO GET SOMEBODY ELSE INVOLVED? BECAUSE IF THE CITY WERE TO TAKE THAT ON, IT'S AN ENORMOUS EXPENSE, NOT ONLY JUST TO FRONT UP, BUT RECURRING EXPENSES. SO THERE'S DISCUSSIONS GOING ON ABOUT THE COMPOUND RIGHT NOW AND ABOUT GETTING OTHER OTHER FOLKS INVOLVED WORKING WITH THE CITY AND IN A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP. AND WHERE TO GO TO THE DETAILS WOULD TAKE THE REST OF THE TIME.

BUT I WANT TO GIVE EVERYBODY ELSE AN OPPORTUNITY.

AND THE SECOND PART OF THE QUESTION, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND. PRIVATIZATION.

PRIVATIZATION. YOU KNOW, WE LOOKED AT DOING THINGS AND THERE'S OTHER CITIES THAT THAT, QUITE FRANKLY, THAT DO PRIVATIZE. SO THERE'S THINGS THAT YOU CAN LOOK AT PRIVATIZING.

YOU CAN LOOK AT FLEET. IS THAT A BETTER WAY TO MANAGE VEHICLES AS OPPOSED TO CARS? I MEAN, WHEN I WAS A CITY MANAGER BACK IN THE DAY, I'D GO TO PUBLIC WORKS.

I'D SEE 12, 15 COP CARS THERE. AND I SAID, WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? SO PERHAPS THERE'S SOMETHING WE COULD DO WITH FLEET.

I THINK SOME THINGS MAY TAKE. YOU WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT PERHAPS OFFLOADING SOME OF THE HUGE EXPENSES.

AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE RIGHT NOW, BUT CERTAINLY WOULD BE OPEN TO COUNCIL SUGGESTIONS AND DIRECTION TO SAY WHAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE. IS IT GOING TO SAVE THE CITY MONEY AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR RESIDENTS? SO ABSOLUTELY OPEN TO HAVING THAT DISCUSSION, SIR, AND I HOPE I ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION.

YES, SIR. ONE MORE. MAYOR, I KNOW YOU. OKAY. WE WE HEAR TALKS OF DOGE, YOU KNOW, DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY.

AND I THINK ALL OF US HAVE STAKEHOLDERS, THOSE IN THE AUDIENCE.

[00:30:02]

SO HOW WOULD YOU IMPROVE GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY AND TIMELINESS IN THE CITY OF PALM BAY? REMOVE BARRIERS. I WAS VERY OPEN AND FOLKS KNEW THAT THEY HAD ACCESS TO GREG LINK.

AND I CAN REMOVE BARRIERS. IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, YOU GET A LITTLE BIT MORE FREEDOM BECAUSE YOU CAN.

YOU KNOW, I WAS AN EAST COAST QUITE FRANKLY, I WAS A VP OF THE EAST COAST BUSINESS OPERATIONS AND AND AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT.

I HAD A LOT OF FREEDOM, A LOT OF LEEWAY. BUT WITH THAT CAME AN ENORMOUS RESPONSIBILITY.

BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T DO THE RIGHT THINGS OR DO IT THE RIGHT WAY, YOU PAY A SIGNIFICANT PRICE, YOU GET FIRED. SO I THINK THERE IS I'M A FAN OF DOGE, AND I WOULD CERTAINLY LOOK AT WHAT, LOOK FORWARD TO LOOKING AT THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS JUST TO SEE HOW CAN WE INCREASE THE EFFICIENCIES.

THERE HAS TO BE A WAY BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THINGS.

WELL, THAT'S BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY WE ALWAYS DID IT.

THAT DOESN'T HOLD ANYTHING WITH ME. WE'RE GOING TO DO IT BETTER.

WE'RE GOING TO DO IT EFFICIENTLY AND WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I'M UP NEXT. MR. LINK. FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR COMING UP.

IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE YOU DID SERVE AS CITY MANAGER, AS YOU ELOQUENTLY PUT IT.

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE SINCE THEN? AND HAVE YOU CONTINUED WITH CONTINUING EDUCATION REGARDING THE ICMA? WHAT HAVE I DONE? WELL, I'VE BEEN SEMI-RETIRED.

I'VE DONE SOME. I HAVE, AND I CAN CONTINUE TO DO SOME CONSULTING WORK WORKING ON SOME CAMPAIGNS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

WITH ICMA, THERE'S A THERE'S YOU CAN YOU CAN PAY.

IF YOU'RE RETIRED, YOU CAN PAY A FEE TO CONTINUE TO BE AN IC MANAGER.

THAT JUST DIDN'T SEEM TO MAKE SENSE TO ME AT THAT GIVEN AT THAT POINT IN TIME.

I THINK THE YOU KNOW, THE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY IS, YOU KNOW, YOUR SUCCESS IS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T DO WELL IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, AGAIN YOU'RE OUT. SO I THINK THAT'S THAT'S THE EDUCATION AND THE LEADERSHIP LESSONS.

I I'VE LEARNED FROM I HAVEN'T BEEN TO ANY ICMA CONVENTIONS.

I JUST I'VE BEEN I WAS THERE WHEN I WAS A CITY MANAGER, BUT BUT DIDN'T SEEM TO FEEL THAT IT WAS NECESSARY WHEN I WASN'T WORKING.

BUT I CONTINUE TO WORK. I GOLFED A FISH A LITTLE BIT AND AND ENJOY LIFE AND QUALITY OF LIFE AND JUST AND I'VE GOT ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN MY CHURCH.

I'M THE CHAIRMAN OF THE DEACON BOARD. AND THAT THAT I TRULY ENJOY THAT, AND THAT TAKES UP A GOOD CHUNK OF MY TIME AS WELL.

YES, SIR. AND I APPRECIATE THAT. I WAS LOOKING FOR ANY LEADERSHIP CLASSES WITHIN THAT TIME FRAME.

AND I THE RESPONSE IS YOU HAVEN'T. I HAVE NOT.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. SO THEN MY NEXT QUESTION IS I LIKE FOR YOU TO GO BACK IN TIME JUST A LITTLE BIT, IF YOU DON'T MIND. THINK OF A TIME. IT WAS DIFFICULT TO ADMIT THAT YOU WERE WRONG.

JUST THINK OF THAT TIME. AND THEN WHY WAS IT SO DIFFICULT? AND WHY WAS THAT SO HARD? THERE'S A BUNCH OF TIMES I COULD ADMIT I WAS WRONG, OR I PROBABLY COULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING.

I WOULD, I WOULD INCLUDE IN THAT CATEGORY. BEING WRONG IS PERHAPS DOING THINGS BETTER.

LET ME THINK OF. COULD BE A HIRING. DID I ALWAYS HIRE THE RIGHT PERSON? SIMPLE ANSWER IS NO. WOULD YOU GO WITH EXPERIENCE THEIR CREDENTIALS? WHAT HAVE THEY DONE? WHAT ARE THEIR. WHAT'S THEIR EDUCATION? AND YOU MAKE THE BEST DECISION AT THAT AT THAT POINT IN TIME.

NOW IT'S NOT GOING TO TAKE YOU A VERY LONG TIME TO REALIZE PERHAPS I SHOULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

SO I BELIEVE THAT GETTING MORE EYES ON AN INDIVIDUAL NOW, SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING NOW, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY UNIQUE. I'VE BEEN THROUGH OTHER INTERVIEW PROCESSES WITH HEADHUNTERS AND SUCH.

SO IT'S PRETTY UNIQUE WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING NOT ONLY AS COUNSEL BUT MEETING WITH DEPARTMENT HEADS.

AND I THINK THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE. AND I DID THAT MYSELF WHEN I WAS HIRING SOME FOLKS, I'D GET OTHER REGIONAL DIRECTORS INVOLVED AND SAY, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? BECAUSE, LISTEN, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT ME. IT'S ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION.

THANK YOU. AND SO NOW I WANT TO JUST BEFORE I TOSS IT BACK TO OUR DEPUTY MAYOR, YOU TOUCHED A LITTLE BIT ON OUR TRAFFIC CONDITIONS, AND YOU TOUCHED A LITTLE BIT ON THIS STAGGERING ASKING OUR COMMERCIAL BASE, OUR INDUSTRIAL FOLKS THAT PROVIDE THESE JOBS FOR

[00:35:10]

THAT OPPORTUNITY RIGHT WHEN THEY WORK, WHEN THEY'RE RELEASED FROM WORK, WHICH I THINK THAT'S BEEN PART OF THE DISCUSSION AS WELL.

BUT AS A WHOLE, YOU KNOW, TRAFFIC CONDITIONS, ROAD MAINTENANCE ARE A HUGE ISSUE HERE IN PALM BAY.

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE IN THE PAST TO IMPROVE TRAFFIC CAPACITY AND ROADWAY CONDITIONS WHEN YOU DID SERVE? NUMBER ONE THING I DID IS I HIRED THE PROBABLY THE SMARTEST MAN I'VE EVER KNOWN.

AS MY DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS. AND THE GUY HAS A FANTASTIC STORY TO TELL.

HE STARTED OUT PICKING COTTON. HE AND HIS YOUNGER BROTHER PICKED ON.

THEY WORKED THE FARM PICKING COTTON. HIS FATHER MANAGED ANOTHER FARM.

THIS GUY WAS ONE OF THE SMARTEST INDIVIDUALS.

AND I WON'T PUT HIS NAME OUT THERE. BUT HE GOT ACCEPTED TO MIT, AND HE GOT HIS BACHELOR'S AND HIS MASTER'S FROM MIT.

I CAN'T GET INTO MIT, AND I CONSIDER MYSELF A SEMI SMART.

HOWEVER, I HIRED AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAD TREMENDOUS ROAD EXPERIENCE BECAUSE HE WAS A DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS UP IN FULTON COUNTY, ATLANTA, WEST PALM BEACH AND I THINK IT WAS ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.

SO THE GUY HAD TREMENDOUS AMOUNTS OF EXPERIENCE.

I DON'T SAY THAT I KNOW THE ANSWERS, BUT I CAN TELL YOU WHAT I'LL GET.

I'LL GET THE ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS. BUT A VERY A RECIPE FOR SUCCESS FOR ME IS TO BUILD EXCELLENT TEAMS. I SURROUND MYSELF WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS IN THEIR FIELD, AND THEN I LET THEM DO THEIR JOBS.

DO I HAVE THE ANSWERS FOR CONGESTION TODAY? I TOSSED OUT A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES, BUT I WOULD EXPECT THAT THOSE THAT ARE EXPERIENCED AND KNOWLEDGEABLE COULD PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION AND INSIGHT TO COUNCIL. THANK YOU.

I APPRECIATE THAT, DEPUTY MAYOR. I'M TOSSING IT BACK TO YOU.

WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ON THE 3% CHARTER CAP? I BELIEVE IT HANDCUFFS COUNCIL. I BELIEVE COUNCIL IS ELECTED TO SET THE MILLAGE RATE.

AND TECHNICALLY, YOU GUYS CAN IF YOU GO FOR A SUPERMAJORITY.

SO YOU CAN STILL. HOWEVER MY THOUGHTS ARE YOU.

THE CITY IS LEAVING REVENUE ON THE TABLE. THERE'S MONEY THAT COULD BE USED THAT COULD GO INTO INTO THE FUND THAT'S BEING LEFT ON THE TABLE WITH A 3% CAP.

NOW, I'M NOT AGAINST CAPS. I THINK CAPS ARE OKAY, BUT CAPS SHOULD BE DRIVEN BY COST DRIVERS.

IF THE CITY NEEDS THIS MUCH MONEY, BUT WITH A 3% CAP, YOU'RE ONLY GETTING THIS.

YOU'RE OUT OF BALANCE ALREADY. WHEN I WAS HERE, THE POPULATION WAS ABOUT 120,000.

WE'RE AT 145,000 TODAY. SO WE NEED TO CAPTURE THE APPROPRIATE REVENUE SO THE CITY CAN PROVIDE EXCELLENT SERVICE. AND I DON'T THINK WE'RE WE'RE THERE TODAY.

A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS. HOW DO YOU APPROACH COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AND WHAT IS YOUR APPROACH TO MANAGING LARGE MUNICIPAL WORKFORCE? AND WE'D LOVE TO GET YOUR OPINION ON THE CURRENT SETUP OF SOME OF OUR DEPARTMENTS.

HOW LIKE PARKS AND REC WAS SPLIT, YOU KNOW, SHOULD FLEET BE ITS OWN OWN DEPARTMENT WITH ITS OWN DIRECTOR.

I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT PRIVATIZATION, BUT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING IS A NECESSARY EVIL.

YOU KNOW, IT PROTECTS THE EMPLOYEES. BUT THEY ALSO HAVE TO REALIZE WE HAVE A CAP AND WE HAVE ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE 1000 PLUS EMPLOYEES NOW THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF.

SO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, I MEAN, WE STILL HAVE TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR THE CITY.

I MEAN, BACK IN THE DAY, WHEN, I MEAN, A CONVERSATION WOULD START, YOU GUYS REALIZE WE GOT A 3% CAP.

SO WE HAVE TO BE REASONABLE HERE. BECAUSE WE HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF OTHER EXPENSES.

PUBLIC SAFETY HAS TO BE FUNDED WHEN PEOPLE COME IN.

WHEN I GO INTO A COMMUNITY, WHEN I BOUGHT MY HOMES IN NORTHEAST AND ALSO IN, IN NEW JERSEY.

YOU LOOK FOR THREE THINGS. YOU LOOK FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, YOU LOOK FOR CRIME STATS.

YOU WANT TO BE IN A SAFE SPOT. YOU LOOK FOR RECREATION AND YOU LOOK FOR GOOD SCHOOLS.

THOSE ARE THE THREE THINGS. SO WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THOSE AVAILABLE TO OUR TO OUR RESIDENTS.

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING HAS TO BE SOMEBODY HAS TO REPRESENT THE EMPLOYEES.

[00:40:02]

I ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT BECAUSE THEY'RE ON FROM ONBOARDING TO IF YOU END YOUR TIME WITH THE CITY OR NOT.

BUT HR HAS TO BE INVOLVED THROUGHOUT. MANAGEMENT STYLE.

YOU KNOW, I HIRE I HIRE EXCELLENT SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS.

WHEN I WAS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, I WAS UP AND DOWN THE EAST COAST, SO I HAD TO HIRE PEOPLE THAT I COULD RELY ON THAT HAD EXPERIENCE RUNNING THEIR OWN, EITHER BUSINESSES OR OPERATING WITH BUDGETS AND DEALING WITH PEOPLE.

SO YOU GOT TO HIRE. WELL, IF YOU DON'T HIRE WELL, YOU'LL FIND OUT SOON ENOUGH.

AND PERHAPS IT'S TIME TO GET SOMEBODY ELSE IN THERE. BUT THE UNFORTUNATE PIECE.

I HOPE THAT ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION. LET ME YOU'VE GOT TO LET ME PASS ON TO NOW COUNCILMAN LANGEVIN, AND THEN WE'LL START AGAIN. I'M GOOD. OKAY. COUNCILMAN HAMM? YES. I WOULD SAY ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS MOVING FORWARD IS GOING TO BE NOT WHAT YOU HAVE DONE AND WHAT YOU PLAN ON DOING. IT'S YOU ARE PART OF THE DARKEST TIME I THINK PALM BAY HAS EVER SEEN.

I MEAN, WE MADE INTERNATIONAL NEWS WITH SOMEBODY WITH HANDCUFFS BEING OUR CITY ADMINISTRATOR.

THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CLIMB OVER TO ADDRESS THAT.

BEFORE WE DO ANYTHING POSITIVE HERE IN PALM BAY, WHAT ARE THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE DONE TO EARN THE PUBLIC'S TRUST BACK? YOU KNOW, THINGS HAPPEN AND YOU CAN'T CONTROL SOMEBODY ELSE'S DECISION MAKING PROCESS.

YOU CAN'T DO IT. SO DID SOME FOLKS MAKE SOME BAD DECISIONS? YEAH, BUT THAT WAS SIX YEARS AGO. IF YOU WERE TO LOOK AT THE RESULTS, THE RESULTS FAR OUTWEIGH WHAT WHAT COULD HAVE OCCURRED BACK IN THE DAY? THERE'S STILL A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK THAT HAS TO BE DONE.

WISE MAN TOLD ME ONE TIME, HE GOES, DON'T LOOK IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR.

THAT'S ONLY THIS BIG LOOK OUT THE WINDSHIELD, BECAUSE THAT'S THIS BIG.

AND THAT'S WHERE OUR VISION IS. THE PAST IS EXACTLY THERE, AND IT'S THERE FOR A REASON, AND WE'LL LEAVE IT THERE.

THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE IN PALM BAY.

THERE'S TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY. SO IF I WERE TO TOUCH ON A COUPLE OF THINGS, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE TO ADDRESS INFRASTRUCTURE.

WE DID DO THAT WITH WITH STORMWATER AND TAKING CARE OF OUR CANALS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

IT CAN'T BE JUST ABOUT PUTTING UP HOUSES. IT HAS TO BE SMART GROWTH, BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T GET THAT, OUR ROADS ARE GOING TO THEY'RE JUST IMPOSSIBLE.

NOW. WE ALL DRIVE THEM AT RUSH HOUR. I THINK WE LOOK FOR OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE AND THAT'S HIRING THE RIGHT FOLKS AND THEN ALLOWING THEM TO DO THEIR JOBS. AND PART OF THE FUTURE IS I SHARED EARLIER IS NASA.

NASA WE ARE WE ARE ONE OF THREE FINALISTS FOR THE HOME OF SPACE FORCE.

NOW, HOW COOL IS THAT? AND I THINK THAT FALLS INTO MY BAILIWICK BECAUSE OF MY RELATIONSHIPS.

NOT ONLY LOCAL COUNTY LEVEL, STATE LEVEL, BUT ALSO THE FEDERAL LEVEL.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING STARTED.

ARE THERE ANY RELATIONSHIPS YOU'RE EXCITED ABOUT? BRINGING TO PALM BAY THAT MAKE YOU A BETTER CHOICE OVER OTHER CANDIDATES? I'D LIKE TO TRY TO RESCUE SOME OF THE RELATIONSHIPS.

I UNDERSTAND THAT BUCKY'S AT ONE POINT IN TIME WAS, YOU KNOW, WANTED TO BE DOWN AT THE INTERSECTION.

NOW, WHERE ARE WE WITH THAT? WHAT IF WE LOST THAT OPPORTUNITY? WHAT A WHAT A TERRIBLE LOSS. I DON'T I DON'T KNOW.

I THINK WITH THE RELATIONSHIPS, I GO BACK, I'LL TALK ABOUT EDC.

YOU KNOW, GOD REST HIS SOUL. YOU GUYS KNEW ANDY ANDERSON, AND HE WAS THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR FOR ME.

AND THEN WE BUILT THE DEPARTMENT. ANDY ANDERSON HAD A ROLODEX THAT WAS AS LONG AS YOUR DAIS.

HE JUST KNEW A LOT OF PEOPLE, AND WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE HIM AT THAT POINT IN TIME.

BUT ONCE AGAIN, IT COMES DOWN TO RELATIONSHIPS.

AND I'LL I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE WITH THE EDC AND LYNDA WEATHERMAN AND HER TEAM.

AND WE HAD WE ALL PART OF THE ADMINISTRATION, THE SELECT FEW.

WE SIGNED NON-DISCLOSURES. WE HAD RELATIONSHIPS WITH SITE SELECTORS.

I CAN'T SAY THAT YOU HAVE THAT HERE TODAY. THESE ARE NATIONAL PEOPLE THAT REPRESENT BIG BOX STORES AND THEY REMAIN ANONYMOUS.

AND, AND, AND EDC WORKS WITH THEM. AND IF THERE'S ONE THING PALM BAY HAS IS SPACE.

AND WE GOT A BRAND NEW SHINY INTERSECTION DOWN THERE.

[00:45:02]

SO A LOT OF A LOT OF WORK TO DO. BUT I THINK WORKING WITH IT'S ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS, NOT ONLY WITH GOVERNMENT, BUT ALSO PRIVATE SECTOR WITH LYNDA WEATHERMAN OR, AND EDC AND HER STAFF AS WELL.

SHE'S TREMENDOUS TO WORK WITH. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN JOHNSON.

THANK YOU MAYOR. SINCE ESPECIALLY SINCE COVID, WE FACED INFLATION, LABOR SHORTAGES AND MATERIAL COSTS HAVE IMPACTED A LOT OF OUR PROJECT OUR PROJECT BUDGETS. MY QUESTION FOR YOU, SIR.

I FEEL IT'S IT'S AN IMPENDING DOWNTURN TO THE MARKET THAT IS COMING TOWARDS US, WHETHER IT'S THIS YEAR OR NEXT YEAR.

SOMETHING SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'VE SEEN BACK IN THE THE HOUSING CRISIS.

HOW WOULD YOU NAVIGATE THAT WITH THE CITY OF PALM BAY? YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME TOUGH DECISIONS THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE MADE. I KNOW BACK IN THE DAY, IN THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION, THERE WAS THERE WAS LAYOFFS AND THERE WAS FURLOUGHS AND THERE WAS THINGS LIKE THAT.

THAT'S REALLY A LAST RESORT. BUT IF THERE'S NO IF THE CITY DOESN'T HAVE THE MONEY AND IT'S JUST IT'S JUST SIMPLE MATH AND IT'S SUBTRACTION, AND YOU JUST GOT TO HAVE TO COST SOME.

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, AX SOME ITEMS OUT.

YOU CAN'T. IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE MONEY, YOU JUST CAN'T DO IT.

SO YOU HAVE TO FIND AN APPROPRIATE WAY TO MOVE FORWARD.

YES, SIR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SO I THINK YOU MIGHT HAVE TOUCHED A LITTLE BIT ON THIS, MR. LINK, BUT I WANT YOU TO EXPOUND ON THIS. GIVE US AN EXAMPLE OF AN ETHICAL DILEMMA YOU WERE FACED WITH.

HOW YOU RESOLVED IT AND WHAT YOU LEARNED FROM THAT EXPERIENCE.

THERE WAS A TIME WHEN AN ACCUSATION WAS MADE AGAINST A STAFF PERSON OF SOLICITING CAMPAIGN FUNDS WHILE ON THE JOB, WHICH IS AGAINST RULES AND REGS IN THE LAW.

SO WORD GOT BACK TO ME. I HANDLED IT DIRECTLY.

I ACTUALLY CALLED THE PERSON IN THE OFFICE AND SPOKE TO HIM, AND I WANTED TO GET HIS SIDE OF THE STORY.

I ALSO SPOKE WITH THE OTHER INDIVIDUAL THAT MADE THE ACCUSATIONS.

AND IT CAME DOWN TO, QUITE FRANKLY, THIS AND ALSO WORKING WITH THE HR DEPARTMENT.

SO HERE'S WHAT IT CAME DOWN TO. IF IT DID HAPPEN, I SAID THEN I'M GOING TO PROCEED FORWARD WITH AN OUTSIDE PARTY DOING AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE SITUATION.

IF IT DIDN'T HAPPEN AND I TOLD THE INDIVIDUAL THAT MADE THE ACCUSATIONS, I SAID, THEN I NEED A LETTER BY 12:00 TOMORROW.

IF NOT, AND IT'S YOUR CALL. LISTEN, IF IF SOMETHING HAPPENED AND WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH IT, I'M GOING TO DO THE INVESTIGATION. WE'RE GOING TO GET THIS THING RIGHT.

BUT I SAID, IF IT IF IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, LET IT HAPPEN BEFORE 12:00 THE NEXT DAY.

AND I RECEIVED A LETTER THE NEXT DAY. AND AND IT DIDN'T HAPPEN JUST AS I EXPECTED.

SO I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION. THE NEXT QUESTION.

I KNOW WE ONLY HAVE NINE MINUTES LEFT, BUT I PERHAPS I DON'T KNOW IF I'LL HAVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO PASS FOR ANOTHER QUESTION, BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO BE FAIR WITH QUESTIONS ON THE DICE.

WHY WOULD YOU BE THE BEST FIT TO SERVE AS CITY MANAGER OF THE CITY OF PALM BAY? BEEN HERE, DONE IT. I LIVE IN PALM BAY AGAIN.

LET'S TALK ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS. I DON'T THINK ANY CANDIDATE CAN SAY THEY HAVE RELATIONSHIPS THAT I HAVE FROM NOT ONLY THE MUNICIPAL LEVEL, COUNTY, STATE AND FEDERAL THAT'S GOING TO GET THINGS DONE.

I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE CITY, STILL VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE STAFF.

WE'VE GOT FANTASTIC STAFF HERE. SO THERE'S A COUPLE OF REASONS WHY I'M THE BEST CANDIDATE.

I BELIEVE THAT IT'S MY CITY. AND, YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS FOR THE CITY THAT I LIVE IN.

AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE OPPORTUNITY. OKAY, WELL, YOU ANSWERED THAT PRETTY QUICK, SO I'LL TRY TO PASS THAT ON.

THERE WAS ANOTHER QUESTION, BUT I'LL. I'LL YIELD.

I HAVE ONE LAST THREE PART QUESTION AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU NEED A CLOSING STATEMENT OR IF ANYBODY ELSE UP HERE HAS QUESTIONS, BUT IF SELECTED, HOW LONG WOULD YOU ANTICIPATE SERVING AS CITY MANAGER? WHAT IS YOUR A LITTLE BIT OF AN ECHO? I'M SORRY, WHAT WAS IF SELECTED, HOW LONG WOULD YOU ANTICIPATE SERVING AS CITY MANAGER? WHAT IS YOUR SALARY REQUIREMENT AND WHEN CAN YOU START? SALARY. WELL, IT'S SALARY. I KNOW THAT THE PREVIOUS CITY MANAGER WAS MAKING 250 SOMETHING.

I KNOW WHAT THE GOING RATE IS. I KNOW MR. MORGAN IS MAKING.

I WAS LOOKING TO BE MAKING A SIMILAR SALARY. BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE MARKET CALLS FOR.

[00:50:01]

I CAN START THIS AFTERNOON. AND HOW LONG WOULD YOU ANTICIPATE SERVING IF IF SELECTED? WELL, I TELL YOU WHAT MY OLD CONTRACT READ WHAT? READ TWO WAYS I COULD LEAVE ON MY. ON MY OWN ACCORD.

OR I COULD ASK. I COULD BE SHOWN THE DOOR. WHEN COUNCIL SAYS 3 TO 2, YOU'RE OUT.

I'M HERE. I WANT TO. I WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE CITY THAT I LIVE IN AND I LOVE.

SO I. I WILL BE HERE FOR YEARS. YOU GUYS CAN'T GET RID OF ME THIS EASY THIS TIME.

SO WHAT? I GUESS I'LL WRAP THIS UP BECAUSE YOU'RE ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS PRETTY, PRETTY QUICKLY, SIR. NO WASTED TIME, SIR. WELL, I APPRECIATE THAT.

WHAT ONE ORGANIZATIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF? IT WAS PRIVATE SECTOR. I WORKED WITH PEOPLE ON PROBATION AND PAROLE AND REENTRY CENTERS.

AND AGAIN, IT COMES BACK TO HIRING. WE HAD EIGHT CENTERS IN NEW JERSEY, AND THAT'S WHERE I WAS LIVING AT THAT TIME.

SO PLEASE FORGIVE ME. BUT OUR CORPORATE OFFICE WAS OUT OF BOULDER, COLORADO, AND IT WAS AN INTERNATIONAL COMPANY.

WE WERE WE DID SUCH A GOOD JOB. AND THE TRAININGS THAT WE PROVIDED FOR OUR STAFF EVIDENCE BASED CURRICULUMS, BEHAVIORAL INTERVIEWS. AND I COMMEND YOU FOR THAT.

USING BEHAVIORAL INTERVIEWS TODAY, WE WERE SELECTED BY BOULDER, COLORADO, AGAIN, REMEMBER, INTERNATIONAL FIRM. WE WERE SELECTED TO IMPLEMENT THE NEW EVIDENCE BASED CURRICULUM AND EVIDENCE BASED PROCESS WORKING IN ANY REENTRY CENTERS. SO WE WERE THE ALPHA FOR IMPLEMENTING IMPLEMENTING THESE NEW RULES AND REGS AND POLICY PROCEDURES.

SO THE FIRST TIME WE DIDN'T DO IT QUITE WELL, BUT SO WE CAME BACK AND MET AGAIN IN THE SECOND TIME.

WE DID IT EXTREMELY WELL. AND THEY WERE ABLE TO PUT POLICY AND PROCEDURE TOGETHER, AND THEY ROLLED THAT OUT TO THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

AND THAT WAS JUST A FANTASTIC ACCOMPLISHMENT AND A GREAT WORK ETHIC.

SO I HOPE THAT ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION. YES, SIR.

SO NOW WE'LL TRY TO TAKE UP MORE TIME WHEN I ANSWER.

SO. YES, SIR. COPY THAT. SO, COUNCILMAN LANGEVIN, ANY LAST COUNCILMAN HAMBURG.

I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT AND APPLYING FOR THE POSITION AND LETTING US KNOW HOW YOU FEEL.

KIND OF. AARON, AARON, SOME OF THE THINGS OUT.

AND I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE YOU STEPPING UP AND APPLYING FOR THIS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN JOHNSON. TWO PART QUESTION.

FIRST ONE YOU SPOKE ABOUT WITH COUNCILMAN HAMMER AREA OF IMPROVEMENT, WHICH IS TRANSPARENCY.

HOW WOULD YOU HOW WOULD YOU, IF YOU WERE TO BE BLESSED WITH THIS JOB, HOW WOULD YOU MOVE FORWARD WITH IMPROVING TRANSPARENCY ON ALL FRONTS OF GOVERNMENT, THE MAYOR AND MYSELF PAST YEAR WERE PUSHING FOR AN INSPECTOR GENERAL.

AND THAT SLIPPED THROUGH THE CRACKS OF BEING ON THE BEING UP FOR A VOTE IN NOVEMBER, THIS PAST NOVEMBER.

BECAUSE THAT WAS THE WAY WE SAW THAT WE CAN IMPROVE TRANSPARENCY WITHIN THE CITY ITSELF.

I MYSELF, OVER THE PAST SIX YEARS HAVE BEEN BECOME CONTINUALLY FRUSTRATED.

IN MANY AREAS. I GET THE COMPLAINTS FROM CITIZENS, BUT THEN I WILL ALSO GET COMPLAINTS FROM EMPLOYEES OF THINGS THAT I, AS A COUNCIL MEMBER WITH A FULL TIME PAYING JOB, YOU KNOW, WITH MY OWN BUSINESS, WITH MY OWN FAMILY, SHOULDN'T BE TAKING ON THIS BURDEN. HOW WOULD YOU GO ABOUT IT? WE HAVE THE WE'VE PUT IN PLACE WHISTLEBLOWERS.

WE'VE PUT IN PLACE SEVERAL DIFFERENT THINGS TO MITIGATE THESE ISSUES.

WE HAVE PEOPLE LEAVING ANONYMOUS LETTERS AT MY HOME IN MY MAILBOX COMPLAINING ABOUT DEPARTMENTS LIKE I DON'T. I DON'T NEED THAT. THAT'S NOT MY JOB TO RECEIVE THAT.

BUT I SEE IT AS A CRY FOR HELP. SO UNDERSTANDING WHERE MY PERSPECTIVE IS, HOW WOULD YOU NAVIGATE THAT, SIR? YOU KNOW, I THINK FIRST OF ALL, PEOPLE HAVE, YOU KNOW, WORK IS A FOUR LETTER WORD, BUT BOY, CAN IT BE FUN AND WE CAN HAVE FUN DOING OUR JOBS.

SO I JUST I JOTTED DOWN A COUPLE OF THINGS HERE.

I THINK THE NUMBER ONE THING IS, IS CREATING A CULTURE.

AND THAT STARTS FROM THE TOP. AND IT REALLY STARTS WITH COUNCIL AND COUNCIL BEING SUPPORTIVE AND GIVING CLEAR DIRECTION FOR THE CITY.

AND THEN THAT DIRECTION FALLS UPON THE CITY MANAGER AND THE STAFF.

SO IT'S ABOUT CREATING A CULTURE. AND WHEN WE DID THAT IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR BECAUSE AND THEY WERE BIG ON IT.

[00:55:02]

AND I WANT TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. I HAD SOME OF THESE SIGNS IN MY OFFICE.

SO LEADERSHIP EXPECTED YOU TO LIVE AND WORK WITHIN THEIR ESTABLISHED NORMS. THERE IS A CULTURE THAT WAS THAT WAS CREATED, THAT WAS EMBRACED.

AND I WANT TO SHARE A COUPLE OF THOSE. NUMBER ONE, GOOD ENOUGH ISN'T YOU KNOW, THESE ARE WE ARE DEALING WITH TAXPAYER DOLLARS.

SO SAYING THAT'S OKAY, NOT COOL. WE'RE GOING TO DO EXCEPTIONAL WORK.

CHECK YOUR EGO AT THE DOOR. WE'RE ALL PART OF A TEAM.

YOU KNOW, IT'S I HAVE A VERY OPEN DOOR POLICY.

AND IF YOU THINK I'M THE SMARTEST GUY IN THE ROOM, THEN WE'RE ALL IN TROUBLE.

BUT I EXPECT PEOPLE IN MY SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION SO APPROPRIATE DECISIONS CAN BE MADE MOVING FORWARD.

AND THAT EMPOWERS. THAT EMPOWERS FOLKS. WE WANT TO EMPOWER FOLKS, EVEN NOT ONLY FROM THE DIRECTOR LEVEL, BUT BELOW. AND ANOTHER ONE. MY THREE FAVORITE WORDS COMMUNICATE.

COMMUNICATE. COMMUNICATE. YOU HAVE TO COMMUNICATE.

AND THE DIRECTORS. IT'S THEIR JOB TO LISTEN. YOU KNOW, THERE WAS NO COMPLAINTS OR LAWSUITS WHEN I WAS HERE.

PRIVATE SECTOR. ALL THOSE YEARS. NOT ONE LAWSUIT.

BECAUSE WE GET TO TALK ABOUT IT AS HR. HAVE TO GET INVOLVED AT TIMES.

SURE THEY DO. BUT WE NEED TO RESPECT EACH OTHER AND CREATE THAT CULTURE WHERE PEOPLE ARE ALLOWED TO DO THEIR JOBS AND GIVE THEM WHATEVER THEY NEED TO SUPPORT THEM TO DO AN EXCEPTIONAL JOB. I HOPE THAT ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION.

THANK YOU. SO YOU'VE GOT A MINUTE OR SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO SELL COUNSEL ON WHY YOU'RE THE BEST FIT FOR AS CITY MANAGER, MOVING OUR CITY FORWARD.

WELL, AS I SAID BEFORE, I'VE DONE THE JOB, BEEN THERE AND DONE IT.

SO I'M MORE OF A PLUG AND PLAY KIND OF GUY. THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE MUCH OF A LEARNING CURVE FROM ME.

BUT AGAIN, THINGS HAVE CHANGED OVER THE YEARS, AND I CERTAINLY WANT TO START PEELING BACK SOME LAYERS OF THE ONION AND SEE JUST HOW CAN WE IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCIES AND HOW CAN WE IMPROVE OUR DELIVERABLES.

THERE'S A LOT TO BE DONE. I LIVE IN PALM BAY.

CHOSE THE CITY AS A REASON. NOT GOING ANYWHERE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

AND THOSE RELATIONSHIPS THAT I'VE FORGED HAVE HAPPENED OVER A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME.

AND NOBODY ELSE CAN COME IN HERE AND SAY THAT THEY CAN DO THAT AND HAVE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS. SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY.

AND YOU GUYS HAVE HAVE A TOUGH DECISION TO MAKE HERE IN FRONT OF YOU.

SO I JUST I WISH THAT YOU KNOW, WHATEVER YOUR INNER SELF IS TELLING YOU THAT YOU DO THE RIGHT THING FOR THE CITY, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT I WILL. WELL. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU FOR REPLYING. WE'RE NOW ON A TEN MINUTE RECESS.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I'M GOING TO CALL THIS MEETING BACK TO ORDER.

MR. MORGAN, BEFORE YOU CALL THE NEXT CANDIDATE, I WANT TO JUST POLICE AN ITEM RIGHT NOW.

WE'RE WE'RE SCHEDULED TO BREAK FOR CHOW. YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALWAYS.

MARINES. ARE ALWAYS LOOKING AT CHOW. WHAT'S AHEAD OF US, RIGHT? SO WE'RE SCHEDULED TO MEET FOR CHOW. BREAK FOR CHOW, 30 MINUTES.

AND COUNCIL, I'M. I'M GOING TO ASK THAT WE ALL EAT CHOW ON THE DAIS TO AVOID ANY PERCEPTION THAT WE'RE ALL GOING TO THE BACK ROOM AND MAKING DISCUSSIONS. SO I'D LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION THAT WE WAIVE OUR.

NO EATING ON THE DAIS. NO FOOD ON THE DAIS. POLICY.

SO THAT WE COULD ALL ENJOY A MEAL HERE FOR 30 MINUTES IN THE IN THE IN THE EYE OF THE PUBLIC.

MAYOR, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION. AS LONG AS NO ONE MAKES FUN OF ME FOR HOW I CHEW.

WELL, THERE'S NO CONDITION. SIR, THERE'S NO CONDITIONS WITH THAT.

BUT I GOT A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN LANGEVIN, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN JOHNSON.

ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. SO, MR. MORGAN, WE'LL HAVE OUR CHOW RIGHT HERE ON THE DAIS.

CARRY ON. THANK YOU. SO THE NEXT SCHEDULED APPLICANT IS JASON DAVIS, AND HE SHOULD BE HERE IN NO MORE THAN TWO MINUTES.

OKAY, WE'RE SCHEDULED AT 940, AND YOU'RE RIGHT ON SCHEDULE.

SO I THINK THAT HE WILL BE HERE BECAUSE WE HAVE RUNNERS WITH THEM.

SO WE HAVE ESCORTS. WE HAVE WE HAVE PEOPLE TAKING THEM FROM THEIR PREVIOUS LOCATION, WHICH ENDED AT 930 WHEREVER HE WAS STATIONED TO TO HERE. SO EVERYBODY KNOWS THE CALENDAR.

[01:00:03]

HE WAS STATIONED AT ONE OR THE OTHER. I DON'T HAVE THE MASTER CALENDAR IN FRONT OF ME.

HE WAS MEETING WITH PROBABLY WITH ONE OF OUR DEPARTMENT HEAD GROUPINGS.

SO. UNDERSTOOD, SIR. BUT WE DO HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE TIMEKEEPERS IN EVERY PLACE AND VERY PLEASED.

OKAY. WE'VE GOT EXACTLY ON TIME. IT'S WALKING OVER HERE NOW WITH WITH ESCORT.

SO JASON DAVIS IS HIS NAME.

THE OFFICER SAID HE WAS WALKING. OH, I KNOW A LITTLE BIT OF A QUEUE OUT THERE IN FRONT OF HIM, SO.

ALL RIGHT, THIS IS MR. JASON DAVIS, AND HE IS PREPARED TO STEP TO THE PODIUM AND HAVE HIS INTERVIEW START.

WELCOME, MR. DAVIS. THANK YOU. AND WE'LL START AS WE STARTED WITH THE LAST CANDIDATE.

DEPUTY MAYOR. I HAVE GOOD MORNING, DEPUTY MAYOR MIKE JAFFEE.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I SEE A QUESTION. YOU CAN TURN IT INTO AN OPENING STATEMENT, IF YOU LIKE.

VERY BRIEFLY, PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF, YOUR CHARACTER, MAYBE YOUR PERSONALITY, AND GIVE US SOME INSIGHT BY TELLING US 1 OR 2 THINGS ABOUT YOURSELF. OKAY. MY NAME IS JASON DAVIS.

I HAVE LIVED IN FLORIDA SINCE 1984. I GREW UP IN WEST PALM WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL, WENT TO COLLEGE IN TALLAHASSEE, WENT TO FLORIDA STATE TO PLAY BASEBALL, AND GRADUATED WITH A DEGREE IN CRIMINOLOGY.

SO I MOVED BACK TO WEST PALM AFTER THAT WAS, WHAT, 96? AND MY BROTHER'S A DEPUTY. MY FATHER WORKS IN FIRE RESCUE, AND I JUST I DON'T HAVE THE CONSTITUTION TO DO THAT, YOU KNOW, GO OUT AND SEE INJURED KIDS OR THAT SORT OF THING.

SO I DIDN'T WANT TO GET IN THAT LINE OF WORK. I STARTED IN PRIVATE SECURITY AND CHASED AFTER SOME OF THE HIGHER CERTIFICATIONS YOU CAN GET IN THAT THAT FIELD AND SET UP SECURITY AND RISK AND LOSS PREVENTION PROGRAMS FOR FACILITIES OF MASS PUBLIC ASSEMBLY.

SO HOTELS, CASINOS, CRUISE SHIPS CONVENTION CENTERS, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.

SO I WOULD HIRE THE TEAM, WRITE RIGHT THERE. SOPS MOVE ON TO THE NEXT PLACE.

SO ON AND SO FORTH. AND THOUGHT I WAS KIND OF BUILDING A STRONG PORTFOLIO, SO TO SPEAK, BUT IT WAS REALLY THE SAME JOB OVER AND OVER.

SO EVACUATING A CRUISE SHIP AND A HOTEL A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, BUT CONCEPTUALLY THE SAME.

RIGHT. AND THE COUNTY, PALM BEACH COUNTY, WAS RECRUITING ME TO WORK IN THEIR SECURITY AND CARD ACCESS SECTION, BUT AT THE TIME IT WAS JUST A MASSIVE PAY CUT, AND I JUST DIDN'T SEE MYSELF BEING ABLE TO DO THAT.

AND EVENTUALLY, YOU KNOW, I HAD A FAMILY AND I HAD TO WORK IN THAT LINE OF WORK.

IT WAS I WAS GONE FOR CHRISTMAS. I WAS GONE FOR EVERY HOLIDAY, MISSED MY SON'S FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS. SO I TALKED TO MY WIFE, TOOK THE POSITION WITH PALM BEACH COUNTY, AND THAT STARTED MY GOVERNMENT CAREER.

AND I HAD A TOTAL DIFFERENT SHIFT IN MY WAY OF THOUGHT.

IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, I WAS JUST CHASING THE HIGHEST PAYCHECK.

BUT THEN WHEN I MOVED INTO GOVERNMENT, I GOT TO WORK IN THE THE COMMUNITY THAT I LIVED IN, AND I FELT LIKE I WAS ACTUALLY MAKING A CONTRIBUTION.

SO I REALLY LIKED THE WORK. AND PALM BEACH COUNTY.

I WAS SUPER FORTUNATE TO WORK IN THE FACILITIES DEPARTMENT, WHICH IT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ANIMAL.

I HAD 2000 FLEET VEHICLES. I HAD 20 PEOPLE IN THE REAL ESTATE DEPARTMENT, $10 BILLION UNDER.

BUDGET FOR DRAWING A BLANK HERE. NOT R&R, BUT CAPITAL.

SO IT WAS LIKE YOU JUST LEARN EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW, YOU LEARN AS YOU WANT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT TO JUST WORK IN YOUR POSITION, GREAT. BUT IF YOU WANT TO TAKE ON MORE, I MEAN, I GOT TO DO EVERYTHING.

WORKED WITH THE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS, WORKED WITH THE SHERIFF, YOU KNOW, LARGEST FACILITY PROJECT IN THE HISTORY OF THE COUNTY THOSE SORTS OF THINGS, CAPITAL PROJECTS. THEN I REALLY STARTED WANTING TO MOVE INTO ADMINISTRATION.

SO THE ONLY DEPARTMENT THAT I WASN'T FAMILIAR WITH DIDN'T HAVE A BACKGROUND IN WAS WATER UTILITIES. SO I TOOK A POSITION IN WATER UTILITIES, AND FOUR YEARS THERE LEARNED EVERYTHING I COULD AND JUST THE BEST WATER UTILITY MINES ON THE PLANET.

SO, YOU KNOW, I GOT TO HAVE A GREAT EXPERIENCE THERE.

AND THEN SAINT LUCIE COUNTY, THE OPPORTUNITY POPPED UP TO MOVE INTO ADMINISTRATION THERE. AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE I'M AT NOW. BEEN THERE JUST UNDER TWO YEARS.

[01:05:05]

AND YOU JUST LEARN NEW, NEW SKILLS AND GROW FROM THERE AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, CHARACTER.

I MEAN, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH. OLD COMPUTER PROGRAMING LANGUAGE, WYSIWYG, WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET.

THIS IS THIS IS JUST HOW I AM. THIS IS YOU SEE ME OUTSIDE, THIS IS HOW I AM.

AND I'M AN APPROACHABLE, EASY, YOU KNOW, BUT I HAVE A RELENTLESS PURSUIT OF PERFECTION.

YOU KNOW, I JUST HAVE TO KEEP GOING. IT'S JUST HOW I'M WIRED.

I DON'T HAVE ANY DOWNTIME. 1 OR 2 THINGS ABOUT ME, I.

I DO COACH BASEBALL. I HAVE SINCE 96 OR SO. SO I'VE TRAVELED THE COUNTRY DOING THAT WITH KIDS, TRYING TO HELP THEM FURTHER THEIR COLLEGE AND PROFESSIONAL CAREER, AND I HAD THREE KIDS OF MY OWN, SO I WAS KIND OF A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME. THANK YOU.

YOU YOU MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, PORT SAINT LUCIE, THAT WAS A PART OF YOUR RESUME THAT REALLY DREW MY EYE.

PALM BAY WERE A SCATTERED LOT. COMMUNITY GDC COMMUNITY, PORT SAINT LUCIE IS A GDC COMMUNITY.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE KNOWN AS A BEDROOM COMMUNITY.

AND PORT SAINT LUCIE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS HAS DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB OF COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.

YEAH. REALLY WELL PLANNED. MASTER COMMUNITIES, INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT, LARGE ECONOMIC GROWTH.

SO I'D LIKE TO TAP INTO YOUR EXPERIENCE IF YOU COULD TELL US WHAT INVOLVEMENT YOU HAD IN THAT.

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED THERE, AND WHAT CAN YOU BRING TO PALM BAY TO MIRROR THE SUCCESS THAT PORT SAINT LUCIE HAS HAD? SURE. THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. SO IF I SAY I IT'S MORE OF A I'M NOT COOL ENOUGH OR SMART ENOUGH TO DRIVE ALL THOSE BUSSES.

BUT I WAS HEAVILY INVOLVED IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES.

BUT IN THIS CURRENT ROLE IN SAINT LUCIE COUNTY, YOU KNOW, WE WORK DIRECTLY WITH OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL CHASING THOSE TARGET INDUSTRIES. SOME OF THE TARGET INDUSTRIES WE'RE CHASING, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A PORT, SO WE'RE CHASING SOME SOME SHIP MANUFACTURING, THAT SORT OF THING. IT DATA CENTERS ARE TRYING TO TAKE THE BURDEN OFF THE RESIDENTIAL TAXES.

RIGHT. WE'RE TRYING TO BRING THAT COMMERCIAL, BRINGING THE HIGH PAYING JOBS. I THINK SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE SEEN OUR KIDS ARE GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL, GOING TO COLLEGE, AND THEY'RE GOING TO GO FIND A $12 13 HOUR, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN'T FIND WORK. SO THEY'RE DRIVING OUT OF COUNTY FOR WORK AND CAN'T AFFORD TO GET A PLACE BECAUSE THE HOUSING IS IT'S SO EXPENSIVE.

SO THEY'RE STILL LIVING WITH MOM IN THE GARAGE, THAT SORT OF THING. SO TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, PARTNER WITH THE COLLEGES TO PUT THEM ON A PATH TO WORK IN THESE HIGH PAYING JOBS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO BRING INTO THE COUNTY IN TERMS OF MANAGING THAT, THAT DENSITY, YOU KNOW, CREDIT TO THE BOARD AND NOT CHASING, YOU YOU KNOW, 4 BILLION ROOFTOPS.

THE COMMENTS THAT I GET FROM THE PUBLIC EVERY TIME WE HAVE A NEW RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY THAT WANTS TO COME ONLINE IS WE DON'T WANT TO BE A BROWARD.

WE DON'T WANT TO BE A MIAMI. YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT WHO WE ARE. THEY ARE HISTORICALLY A AGRICULTURAL, YOU KNOW, CITRUS. CITRUS IS GONE. SO THERE'S HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF ACRES, AND THE DEVELOPERS WANT TO COME IN AND THEY'RE PUSHING THE ROOFTOPS. AND, YOU KNOW, CREDIT TO THE BOARD. YOU KNOW, ONE EXAMPLE I CAN GIVE YOU IS THE WAY THE CODE IS WRITTEN.

THE LAST ONE OF THE LARGER COMMUNITIES THAT COULD HAVE WENT IN WAS I WANT TO SAY, DON'T HOLD ME TO THESE NUMBERS.

BALLPARK, 30,000 ROOFTOPS. THE BOARD WAS ABLE TO PUSH BACK AND SAY, WE'LL APPROVE THIS.

AND I THINK THE FINAL BALLPARK NUMBER WAS 8500 ROOFTOPS.

BUT WE ALSO HAD THEM IMPROVE SOME ROADS AND BRING IN SOME GREEN SPACE AND BRING IN SOME PARKS.

AND IF YOU WANT TO BUILD THAT'S THAT'S OUR REQUIREMENT.

SO THEY'RE THEY'RE PUTTING IN THE PASSIVE PARKS WHERE YOU CAN WALK AROUND THE LAKE OR THAT SORT OF THING, OR A REALLY NICE PLAYGROUND FOR THE KIDS. AND SO YOU'RE NOT DRIVING ALL OVER THE COMMUNITY.

I'LL STEAL A PHRASE THAT ONE OF OUR COMMISSIONERS LIKES TO USE IS A DESTINATION AREA.

YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE THE THE PUBLIX OR, YOU KNOW, THE GROCERY STORE AND THE THE RESTAURANTS AND ALL IN KIND OF A DESTINATION WHERE YOU LIVE, RIGHT? SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO DRIVE ACROSS TOWN AND TEAR UP THE ROADS AND BEAT THE TRAFFIC TO DEATH AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.

SO THEY'VE DONE A GREAT JOB IN THE LAST FEW YEARS OF REALLY KIND OF COURSE, CORRECTING THEIR, IF YOU WILL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I'LL PASS. WELL, I JUST WANT TO I'M GOING TO PASS IT ON TO ANOTHER COUNCIL MEMBER.

BUT YOU SAID SOMETHING THAT WAS REALLY INTRIGUING TO ME ON THE GROWTH OF PORT SAINT LUCIE.

AND THAT IS I WANTED TO ASK, ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE PALM BAY CHARTER? AND AS OPPOSED TO THE PORT SAINT LUCIE CHARTER AND THE DIFFERENCES THEREIN, I DON'T KNOW NECESSARILY SPECIFICS, BUT I LOOKED AT THE CHARTER YESTERDAY DAY BEFORE THE PALM BAY CHARTER.

OKAY. AND IN THAT, DID YOU IDENTIFY THE DIFFERENCES THAT MIGHT PREVENT THE CITY OF PALM BAY FROM GOING DOWN THAT PATH OF THAT INFRASTRUCTURE THAT PORT SAINT LUCIE HAS, LIKE THAT CROSS PARKWAY? WAS THERE SOMETHING THERE THAT OUR CHARTER WOULD PREVENT US FROM,

[01:10:06]

I MEAN, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'D HAVE TO DIGEST SOME MORE. OKAY. THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE THAT. I'M GOING TO YIELD MY TIME.

I'LL COME BACK. VERY GOOD. TO COUNCILMAN LANGEVIN.

THANK YOU. MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.

MY FIRST QUESTION IS WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE FOUNDING FATHER AND WHY? FOUNDING FATHER, IN TERMS OF, LIKE, THE FOUNDING FATHERS OF THE COUNTRY, THE UNITED STATES? YES.

I NEVER REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT IT. I'M GOING TO GO WITH BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.

IN TERMS OF WHAT? THE INVENTIONS, YOU KNOW, CONSTITUTION, DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, SIGNATURES, TREATY OF PARIS OR SOMETHING. AGAIN, THAT'S GOING BACK TO HIGH SCHOOL.

SO I HAVEN'T REALLY THOUGHT A LOT ABOUT IT, BUT YEAH, IT WAS A BIG BEN FRANKLIN FAN. ALL RIGHT.

AND WHAT IS YOUR PHILOSOPHY ON TAXATION AND GOVERNMENT SPENDING AND HOW DO YOU BALANCE THE TWO? TAXATION. LET ME WRITE THAT DOWN. SO. SO MY PHILOSOPHY ON TAXATION AND GOVERNMENT SPENDING. I AM BEYOND FRUGAL WITH, YOU KNOW, TAXPAYER MONIES.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE. YOU KNOW, THE DOGE STUFF THAT YOU'RE HEARING OUT OF TALLAHASSEE NOW.

CUTTING THOSE FEDERAL FUNDINGS. I, I WANT TO BRING SOME CREDIT TO THAT SAINT LUCIE COUNTY TEAM.

WE ARE VERY LEAN. AND THAT'S JUST MY MINDSET WHEN I'M SPENDING SOMEBODY ELSE'S MONEY.

RIGHT? I DON'T WANT TO SPEND A DOLLAR MORE THAN IT TAKES.

SO I THINK WE'VE BEEN VERY CREATIVE. AND, YOU KNOW, I CAN GO BACK TO MY PALM BEACH COUNTY DAYS.

I HAD A TRIPLE A BOND, 400 MILLION IN THE BANK, BUT I WAS STILL I DON'T WANT TO SPEND A DOLLAR MORE THAN I HAD TO.

RIGHT. SOMETIMES I'LL TAKE A STEP BACK. I'M ALWAYS BIG ON PROCESS IMPROVEMENT, SO IT SOUNDS LIKE I'M WINNING AT EVERYTHING WHEN I HAVE 400 MILLION IN THE BANK, BUT I'M STILL CHASING GRANTS AND I WOULD I WOULD GET GRANTS.

AND IT WAS KIND OF FUNNY TO ME. LIKE, WHY WOULD I EVEN BE ELIGIBLE FOR A GRANT IF I HAVE 400 MILLION IN THE BANK? BUT WE WERE ELIGIBLE, WE APPLIED AND WE RECEIVED THE GRANT.

SO I DIDN'T HAVE TO SPEND THAT DIFFERENT SOMEBODY DIFFERENT TAX BASE.

RIGHT. BUT I DIDN'T HAVE TO SPEND MY AD VALOREM FUNDS ON WHAT WE WERE DOING IN THE COUNTY.

SO IT ALLOWED ME TO BE VERY AGGRESSIVE WITH OUR R&R BUDGET.

SO I WAS NEVER KICKING THE CAN ON BUILDING MAINTENANCE OR THAT SORT OF THING.

YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S IT'S A HORRIBLE DISCREDIT TO SOME, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE EXPERIENCES THAT I'VE SEEN IN COUNTY GOVERNMENT WHERE THEY WOULD RATHER LET'S LET'S DO IT NEXT YEAR, LET'S DO IT NEXT YEAR, LET'S DO IT NEXT YEAR.

AND IT JUST GETS MORE EXPENSIVE. YOU KNOW, GO BACK BEFORE COVID.

NOW IT'S IT'S $1 MILLION A MILE FOR PIPE AND $2 MILLION A MILE FOR FOR ROADS.

SO YOU HAVE TO INVEST IN THAT INFRASTRUCTURE.

I DON'T LIKE TAXES. YOU KNOW, NO MORE THAN THE NEXT PERSON. BUT IT'S IT'S WHAT WHAT FUNDS OUR ROLE.

RIGHT. BUT I'M STILL GOING TO BE AS CREATIVE AS POSSIBLE.

AND I'M REALLY FORTUNATE THAT I HAVE A TEAM THAT'S WAY SMARTER THAN ME. SO THEY'RE ALWAYS FINDING THESE, THESE COOL PATHS. SO, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS HALF OF YOUR QUESTION. MY PHILOSOPHY ON TAXATION AND GOVERNMENT SPENDING.

THAT BEING SAID YOU KNOW, WE DO. I MEET WITH OUR BOARD, I MEET WITH OUR OUR THE PEOPLE WE SERVE.

YOU KNOW, WHAT'S WHAT'S TAKE THAT DIRECTION FROM THE BOARD.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S WE SERVE AT THE WILL OF THE BOARD. YOU KNOW, WHAT'S WHAT'S THE POLICY? WHAT DO YOU WANT? YOU WANT NEW ROADS YOU WANT. WE HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE IN THE SENSE THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO CUT THE MILLAGE FIVE YEARS IN A ROW. I'M ALMOST WORRIED TO THE POINT NOW WHERE WE'VE CUT SO MUCH.

I'M IF WE CUT MORE, I HAVE TO EVALUATE IT TO SAY IF I NEED TO CLOSE A LIBRARY EARLY OR CLOSE A PARK EARLY, BECAUSE WE'VE GOT THAT THAT LEAN RIGHT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE EXTRA BODIES LAYING AROUND.

YOU KNOW, THE BIGGEST PART OF YOUR BUDGET IS USUALLY ALWAYS YOUR YOUR HUMAN CAPITAL.

SO OUR COUNTY WE HAVE 942 FTES. COUNTY TO THE NORTH, SUBSTANTIALLY LESS POPULATION.

WAY MORE FTES. SO WE'RE VERY LEAN AND VERY EFFICIENT WITH THAT.

AND WE'RE JUST CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR THAT PROCESS IMPROVEMENT. SO YOU FIND THE EFFICIENCIES.

YOU CAN BE PRETTY CREATIVE WITH YOUR WITH YOUR BUDGET. HERE'S MY QUESTIONS I YIELD.

THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN LANGEVIN COUNCILMAN HAMMER.

YES. WE HAVE A COUPLE PLACES WITHIN OUR CITY.

ONE BEING THE COMPOUND, ONE BEING THE BAYFRONT.

YOU CAN LOOK AT THEM AS LIABILITIES, OR YOU CAN LOOK AT THEM AS ASSETS.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE STRATEGIES THAT YOU THINK YOU WOULD BRING FORWARD TO BRING THESE AREAS TO MAXIMIZE THEIR POTENTIAL? AND WHAT WOULD YOU BE BRINGING TO US TO HELP ADVANCE THAT? SO, YOU KNOW, I SPOKE WITH ONE OF THE DEPUTY MAYOR MANAGERS IN THE ROOM BEFORE I CAME IN HERE, AND SHE SPOKE VERY HIGHLY OF THE TEAM. SO SHE SAID, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF TALENT HERE.

[01:15:05]

BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT I WANT TO I WANT TO BRING THE TEAM IN AND GET THEIR INPUT AND GET THE INPUT FROM THE CONSTITUENTS AND GET THE INPUT FROM THE BOARD. BUT THEN TAKE THAT CREATIVITY FROM GOING FROM PALM BEACH WITH, YOU KNOW, 1.6 MILLION RESIDENTS AND A $7 BILLION BUDGET, AND THEN GOING TO SAINT LUCIE COUNTY, WHICH IS NOT BUILT OUT AND BEING CREATIVE, BUT THAT ECONOMIC DRIVER, YOU KNOW, I WANT I WANT TO BRING IN THOSE TARGET INDUSTRIES.

I DON'T WANT TO RELY ON ROOFTOPS IF WE DON'T HAVE TO.

YOU KNOW, I SAW SOME SOME THOUGHTS ON POTENTIALLY ANNEXING SOME PROPERTIES, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.

BUT I THINK YOU HAVE PRETTY GOOD OPPORTUNITY THERE.

YOU KNOW, CALL IT A CHALLENGE OR YOU CAN CALL IT AN OPPORTUNITY HOWEVER YOU WANT TO LOOK AT IT TO, TO BRING IN THOSE DESTINATION PLACES. RIGHT. IF WE'RE GOING TO DO IT, YOU HAVE TIME TO TAKE THAT TACTICAL PAUSE, TAKE A STEP BACK. WHAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE? WHAT BRINGS THE MOST RETURN ON INVESTMENT? YOU KNOW, I AM I AM NOT A VIDEO GAME, DUDE. THE LAST TIME I PLAYED VIDEO GAMES WAS THE ORIGINAL NINTENDO, SO. AND IT'S KIND OF AN ODD SEGUE, BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS WORKING ON THAT DOCTORATE DEGREE, ONE OF THE COURSES I HAD TO TAKE WAS IT WAS GOVERNMENT MANAGEMENT OF THE PROPERTIES AND THE TAXES, AND THEY BREAK INTO THESE TEAMS. AND I WAS JUST I WAS REALLY PUT OUT. I WAS LIKE, I HAVE NO INTEREST IN PLAYING. IT WAS A SIM, RIGHT? SO I HAVE NO INTEREST IN THIS COURSE, BUT IT WAS A REQUIREMENT. SO I TAKE IT IT ENDED UP BEING MY FAVORITE CLASS. IT SHOWED YOU WHAT YOU COULD DO.

YOU TAKE SOME TAXPAYER DOLLARS AND PUT IT INTO A COMMUNITY OR AN OPPORTUNITY LIKE THAT, AND YOU CAN SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

AND IT WOULD RUN A SIM. SO THEY BROKE US UP INTO THESE TEAMS, AND I WAS HONESTLY THE ONLY ONE THAT WORKED IN GOVERNMENT.

THE REST OF THEM WERE OTHER SECTORS. SO I ALWAYS KNEW INFRASTRUCTURE WHERE YOU GOT TO PUT YOUR MONEY AND EACH TIME IT WOULD RUN, THAT SIM AND OUR LITTLE GROUP ALWAYS CAME OUT FIRST.

AND IT'S JUST SOMETHING I TOOK WITH ME. SO THAT'S WHERE IT'S AT.

YOU GOT TO GET AHEAD OF THAT. THAT GROWTH IS GOING TO COME. RIGHT. I MEAN SOUTH WAS BUILT OUT. IT'S COMING THIS WAY.

SO YOU GOT TO MANAGE THAT. BUT THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT IS GOING TO ALWAYS DRIVE THAT.

AS BEING A BASEBALL COACH. YES. DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE THE BEST PLAYERS ON THE TEAM, OR DO YOU FEEL YOU SHOULD DEVELOP YOUR PLAYERS INTO BEING THE BEST BALL PLAYERS? SO THAT'S THE MOST LOADED QUESTION YOU COULD POSSIBLY GIVE ME.

SO YOU TAKE YOU KNOW, IT'S THREE DIFFERENT ANIMALS, BUT IT'S ALL BASEBALL, RIGHT? SO YOU TAKE THE YOUTH SPORTS, YOU TAKE THE HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS AND THEN YOU TAKE THE SHOWCASE LEVEL.

IT'S ALL BASEBALL. THE YOUTH, YOU'RE JUST TEACHING HIGH SCHOOL.

YOU HAVE TO WIN COLLEGE. YOU HAVE TO WIN SHOWCASE.

YOU CAN LOSE EVERY GAME AS LONG AS YOU'RE PLACING GUYS WITH COLLEGES. SO THERE'S THERE'S A STRATEGY TO IT, RIGHT? THAT BEING SAID, COMING INTO GOVERNMENT, I, I PRIDE MYSELF ON I WAS GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY OUT OF COLLEGE.

I HAD NO EXPERIENCE. RIGHT. I WORKED AT I WENT TO I WENT TO PLAY BALL, I WORKED AT MIAMI SUBS.

SO THAT'S I GOT OUT OF GOT OUT OF COLLEGE. I HAD NO EXPERIENCE OUTSIDE OF THAT.

SO I WENT AND APPLIED. YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, I DIDN'T WANT TO WORK IN.

I WAS ACTUALLY HIRED BY THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, AND IF I HAD LIFE TO DO OVER, MAYBE I WOULD HAVE DONE IT. BUT I JUST, I DIDN'T IT WASN'T ME. SO I WENT AND I APPLIED AT TWO HOTELS AND THEY BOTH TOLD ME, NO, YOU HAVE NO EXPERIENCE.

THANKS FOR COMING. SEE YOU NEXT YEAR. AND THEN I WENT TO THE BREAKERS HOTEL AND THE GUY INTERVIEWED ME ON THE SPOT.

HE'S LIKE, LOOK, I'M LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY THAT I CAN TEACH.

THAT'S IT. AND HE GAVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY. SO THAT JUST KIND OF BECAME MY MINDSET.

I. AND THEN I TOOK THAT AND RAN WITH IT. SO NOT MY IDEA, BUT I CHAMPIONED IT, SO TO SPEAK.

SO I WOULD HIRE GUYS THAT HAD ZERO EXPERIENCE.

GIVE ME YOUR BEST FIVE YEARS. I'LL PUT YOU THROUGH SCHOOL, FIND A CAREER PATH AND I'LL HELP YOU GET THERE.

AND THAT'S BEEN A VERY SUCCESSFUL INGREDIENT FOR ME, SO TO SPEAK, IS, YOU KNOW, I CAN.

IT TOOK A GUY THAT HAD RIGHT OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL, PUT HIM THROUGH SCHOOL, AND NOW HE'S AN UNDERSHERIFF IN COLORADO.

I HAVE ANOTHER ONE THAT'S A BANK VICE PRESIDENT. I HAVE ANOTHER ONE THAT, YOU KNOW, CALLED ME FROM THE SUPER BOWL BECAUSE HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE PRESIDENT. AND THESE WERE ALL GUYS THAT JUST HAD ZERO EXPERIENCE. SO I LOVED THAT PART, TOO.

SO THAT BEING SAID, YOU HAVE A TALENTED TEAM HERE FROM WHAT I'M TOLD.

SO THAT'S FUN TOO, RIGHT? THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN JOHNSON, THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, SIR. I LOVE HEARING YOUR TAKE ON INFRASTRUCTURE.

AND WITH INFRASTRUCTURE, WE HAVE A HURDLE OURSELVES.

WE HAVE A $150 MILLION ROAD BOND WITH A $70 MILLION DEFICIT AT THIS POINT IN TIME.

HOW WOULD YOU WORK WITH THE TEAM OR WITH OUTSIDE RESOURCES TO ADDRESS THIS FUNDING GAP WHILE CONTINUING CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS? DID YOU SAY 70 OR 7 MILLION GAP. SEVEN ZERO. 770.

OH, THEY HAVE COUPONS. I KNOW RIGHT? THAT'S THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING YOU THIS QUESTION, SIR, BECAUSE IT'S HAPPENED OVER TIME. IT'S BEEN PORTION HAS BEEN CONTRIBUTED TO INFLATION.

A PORTION ALSO HAS BEEN CONTRIBUTED TO MISTAKES ON THE CITY'S PART AND ON SUBCONTRACTORS AS WELL.

[01:20:02]

AND WHEN YOU SEE 10 TO 12 CHANGE ORDERS ON THE SAME PROJECT.

WE'D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR TAKE ON THAT AS WELL. SO I GUESS IT'S A TWO PART QUESTION.

I'LL START WITH CHANGE ORDERS BECAUSE THAT'S, YOU KNOW, I HAVE A FACILITIES BACKGROUND. I'VE BUILT JAILS, COURTHOUSES, LIBRARIES, VERTICAL, EAST WEST, I MEAN MASSIVE EXPANSES.

JUST TAX COLLECTOR BUILDINGS, ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

SO CHANGE ORDERS ARE NOT ALLOWED UNDER THAT ENVIRONMENT.

IT'S JUST IF I HAD TO GO TO MY BOSS WITH A CHANGE ORDER, I HAD TO HAVE SUBSTANTIAL REASON WHY.

THAT BEING SAID, I WAS I HAD TREMENDOUS PROJECT MANAGERS.

THEY WERE REALLY GOOD AT WRITING CONTRACTS. THEY DID A LOT OF CM AT RISK, SO MAYBE THE PRICE WAS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER.

BUT I NEVER HAD THOSE CHANGE ORDERS. RIGHT. THE CHANGE ORDERS THAT I WAS OKAY WITH WAS UNKNOWN FIELD CONDITIONS.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, REMODELED THE JAIL. WE HAD BUILDING PLANS FROM 1970 OR WHATEVER, I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER.

AND THERE WAS A BEAM NOT SHOWN ON THE PLANS. WE TOOK A WALL DOWN AND THERE'S A BEAM.

THE BEAM HAD TO GO. IT WAS STRUCTURAL. SO THAT THAT WAS A CHANGE.

NOTHING. NOTHING WE COULD DO ABOUT THAT ONE, RIGHT? THAT ONE, THAT ONE WE HAD TO OWN. AND I DID BUILD A REALLY GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH. WE USED A LOT OF THE SAME CONTRACTORS OVER AND OVER.

SO THEY ALSO UNDERSTOOD THAT IF YOU'RE GOING TO CHANGE ORDER ME TO DEATH, THEN GOOD LUCK BIDDING ON A FUTURE PROJECT BECAUSE I HAD A LOT OF WORK FOR YOU.

I UNDERSTAND SOME CHANGE ORDERS, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO WORK WITH ME. SO WE HAD A GOOD GIVE AND TAKE THERE.

IN TERMS OF YOUR SEVEN $0 MILLION GAP THERE, THAT'S SUBSTANTIAL.

I MEAN, IF YOU RUSH INTO THAT, THAT'S GOING TO TURN INTO A90 MILLION GAP REAL QUICK.

SO I THINK A LITTLE BIT OF A TACTICAL PAUSE. AGAIN, STEALING MY BOSS'S PHRASE THERE AND EVALUATE SOME SOME OPPORTUNITIES.

SO LIKE I SAID, IT WAS PRETTY GOOD WITH GRANTS.

BUT I THINK YOU'LL FIND INFRASTRUCTURE GO ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY AND FIND ME A PLACE THAT'S NOT STRUGGLING WITH THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE BECAUSE OF THE PRICES THAT WENT UP DURING COVID. YOU KNOW, THAT SEEMS TO BE EVERY EVERY CONTRACTOR I WORK WITH.

THAT'S THAT'S THEIR THEIR THEIR KICKBACK. RIGHT.

YEAH. SO THAT'S WHY I STARTED DOING A LOT OF CM AT RISK IN TERMS OF ROADS.

YOU KNOW, I REALLY RELY ON OUR PUBLIC WORKS GUYS, THEIR SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS.

SO I LISTENED TO THEM. I PUT THEM IN A DIRECTION AND LISTENED TO THEM GET THEIR FEEDBACK. AND THEN WE HAVE A, I WOULD SAY, A JOINT MEETING ON HOW WE WANT TO GET ABOUT IT DONE.

YOU KNOW, THEY SAY, THIS IS THIS IS THE MISSION. HERE'S A COUPLE IDEAS I HAVE.

WHAT DO YOU HAVE? AND THEN WE'LL SIT DOWN. AND THEN SOMETIMES IT LEADS TO MORE CREATIVE THOUGHTS.

RIGHT. SO WITH WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH OUR ROADS, THE PREVIOUS TRAIN OF THOUGHT WAS ALL RIGHT, NOW IT'S AN A GRADE. LET'S UPGRADE IT TO AN A.

SO YOU BASICALLY RUN THAT ROAD TO FAILURE AND THEN SPEND A BUNCH OF MONEY GETTING IT BACK UP TO AN A GRADE.

SO NOW I THINK WE'VE TAKEN A LITTLE PARADIGM SHIFT TAKING A STEP BACK THAT TACTICAL PAUSE EVALUATE IT.

IT'S A C. IT'S GOING TO COST ME SUBSTANTIALLY LESS TO BRING IT BACK TO AN A.

SO WE'RE GETTING A LOT MORE FOR OUR MONEY, RIGHT. SO I MEAN IT'S JUST AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE A GOOD CONTEXT.

I'VE READ ENOUGH ONLINE, BUT NOT HAVING THAT DIRECT OVERSIGHT OF IT, I MAYBE I'M MISSING SOME SOME CONTEXT, BUT THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN PRETTY SUCCESSFUL WITH. OKAY.

NEXT QUESTION. I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION ON WHAT YOU'VE DONE WITH SAINT LUCIE COUNTY.

I DO KNOW THAT A MAJORITY OF WHAT HELPED WITH THE INFRASTRUCTURE WAS SWITCHING FROM SEPTIC TO SEWER, WHICH WE'VE DONE HERE AS WELL. BUT ON THE OTHER NOTE, HOW WOULD YOU SPUR THE THE NEED FOR COMMERCIAL GROWTH WITHIN OUR CITY? HOW WOULD YOU ATTACK THAT? HOW WOULD I ATTACK IT? I MEAN, COMMERCIAL GROWTH, BECAUSE WE HAVE A WHOLE DEPARTMENT OF THOSE WHO ARE WORKING TO GET THE BIG BOX COMPANIES AND OTHER COMPANIES OVER INTO PALM BAY BECAUSE WE HAVE SPACE AND WE'RE NOT WE ARE NOT LOOKING TO FILL THAT SPACE WITH JUST HOUSES, APARTMENTS, CONDOS, LIKE YOU SAID EARLIER. RIGHT.

I DON'T I DON'T WANT TO PUT ALL THE BURDEN ON THE TAXPAYER ON THE ON THE ON THE ROOFTOPS.

RIGHT. YES, SIR. SO THAT'S THAT'S EXACTLY THE MINDSET THAT WE'RE TAKING.

THAT THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, THEY ARE WIZARDS THEY WILL GO OUT AND MEET WITH.

SO THEY BRING ME THESE PROJECTS ALL THE TIME. THEY'RE FUNNY. THEY GIVE THEM THESE FAKE NAMES, YOU KNOW, PROJECT KNIGHT RIDER, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS. BUT WE'RE CHASING A LOT OF P-3S BECAUSE WE CAN BE CREATIVE WITH THE FUNDING THERE.

AND THAT PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP THEY GET, THEY GET, THEY GET SOMETHING TOO, RIGHT? WE WANT TO BE GOOD PARTNERS. BUT YOU GOT TO BE CAREFUL HOW YOU DRAFT THOSE CONTRACTS, BECAUSE THAT CAN COME BACK TO HAUNT YOU. BUT YOU CAN BE A LITTLE BIT MORE AGGRESSIVE BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE TO MOVE AT THE SPEED OF GOVERNMENT, SO TO SPEAK, WHICH, YOU KNOW, ME WORKING 12, 12 YEARS IN PRIVATE SECTOR, THEN SWITCHING TO GOVERNMENT, THAT DROVE ME NUTS. AND IT STILL DOES TO THIS DAY BECAUSE I THINK FAST, TALK FAST, AND I WANT TO GET STUFF DONE RIGHT. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I WANT TO TAKE THAT TACTICAL PAUSE AND MAKE SURE I'M DOING IT RIGHT AND GETTING THAT GOOD RETURN. SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, I REALLY RELY HEAVILY ON THAT, THAT THAT GROUP REACH OUT TO COUNTY PARTNERS AND MAYBE SOME OF THE

[01:25:06]

YOU KNOW, THOSE THOSE TYPES OF INDUSTRY HERE. THIS IS NOW'S THE TIME BECAUSE I THINK THE REAL ESTATE IS SUBSTANTIALLY CHEAPER HERE THAN IT IS WITH, YOU KNOW, AS YOU MOVE SOUTH. SO SOME OF THESE LARGER PLAYERS ARE GOING TO THEY'RE GOING TO EAT INTO THAT.

SO YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE THEM THAT TAX BREAK. AND AFTER TEN YEARS YOU'VE GOT JOB FORCE.

YOU KNOW YOU'VE GOT INCREASED JOB. I WANT TO BE CAREFUL WITH THAT BECAUSE SOMETIMES THAT ECONOMIC TEAM WILL BRING ME A A PACKAGE THAT BRINGS, YOU KNOW, NINE JOBS. IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NO, NOT NOT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO OR THE TAX BREAKS ARE SO IN FAVOR OF THE, THE PRIVATE INDUSTRY THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO THEIR TEN YEARS AND THEN BAIL.

RIGHT. SO NOW THE TAXPAYER'S GOT NOTHING OUT OF IT OUTSIDE OF A COUPLE JOBS.

SO THOSE THOSE ARE KIND OF THE PUSHBACKS THAT WE HAVE WITH THAT GROUP WHERE WE WANT THE RIGHT PARTNERSHIPS. SO AND THAT THAT COMES DOWN TO WHAT THE COUNCIL THINKS ARE THE RIGHT PART. WE'LL BRING SOME IDEAS. WE'LL SAY PROS AND CONS IF IT'S ONE WE JUST DON'T WANT AND WE PUNT ON IT, MAYBE. I MEAN, YOU JUST GOT TO BE CAREFUL WITH IT BECAUSE BROWARD YOU KNOW THEY THEY HAVE SOME REALLY BAD P-3 CONTRACTS RIGHT NOW LIKE A SOCCER STADIUM.

AND YOU CAN LOOK THAT UP ONLINE. IT'S A NIGHTMARE FOR THE FOR THE CITY. THEY'RE GOING TO LOSE A LOT OF THEIR SORRY FORT LAUDERDALE. SO THOSE ARE THE SORTS OF THINGS YOU GOT TO LEARN. LEARN FROM OTHERS MISTAKES. YOU KNOW YOU DON'T WANT TO REPEAT THEM.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME YOU GOT TO BE CREATIVE AND BRING IT HERE. AND I THINK THIS IS THE THE TIMING IS RIGHT.

YES, SIR. THANK YOU SIR. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU.

THREE P'S ARE, I THINK, NECESSARY IN THE CITY OF PALM BAY.

SO IT'S GOOD TO HEAR YOU SAY THAT. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU.

SO THANK YOU, MISTER DAVIS. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I'M GOING TO TAP INTO WHAT COUNCILMAN HAMMER INITIALLY ASKED.

HOWEVER, I'M GOING TO CHANGE THE THE QUESTION BECAUSE OF THE THE CONTEXT.

YOU WEREN'T GIVEN THAT CONTEXT. SO PORT SAINT LUCIE, YOU'RE PRIMARILY ONE OF THE FINALISTS BECAUSE OF YOUR ASSOCIATION WITH THE GROWTH IN PORT SAINT LUCIE. AND WE'RE SISTER CITIES. WE WERE DEVELOPED BY THE SAME GENERAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.

AND IN THAT, WHEN HE MENTIONED THE COMPOUND, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A LARGE LAND MASS WITH OVER 2000 DIFFERENT PROPERTY OWNERS WHERE THE CITY HAS EVEN LIGHT INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY THERE.

AND IN THAT CONTEXT, I WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OR HAVE YOU SPEAK ON THEIR ROADS, THEIR. BUT THAT'S IT. THERE'S NO FPL, THERE'S NO INFRASTRUCTURE WHEN IT COMES TO WATER AND SEWER.

SO THAT I WANTED TO EXPOUND ON WHAT THOUGHT PROCESS WAS THERE SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN PORT SAINT LUCIE AND HOW COULD THAT HOW CAN WE MIRROR THAT AS A CITY? I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE NECESSARILY WAS ANY.

SO WE HAVE A LOT OF INDIVIDUAL PARCELS THAT ARE OWNED BY LARGE LANDOWNERS.

RIGHT. SO THERE'S, THERE'S BUT THEY'RE BREAKING OFF.

AND SO THERE'S LIKE A BUCKY'S GAS STATION COMING THIS P1 MOTORSPORTS, NOT P3, IS THAT PORT SAINT LUCIE OR INDIO ROAD? THE BUC-EE'S. BUC-EE'S IS GOING ON INDRIO. OKAY.

IS THAT PORT SAINT LUCIE OR SAINT LUCIE COUNTY? THAT'S FORT PIERCE. FORT PIERCE? YES, SIR. CARRY ON.

SO I HAVE, YOU KNOW, THREE MUNICIPALITIES. I HAVE PORT SAINT LUCIE, FORT PIERCE AND SAINT LUCIE VILLAGE.

OKAY. JUST TRYING TO THINK THROUGH SOME OF THE COMMONALITIES THERE IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, THESE LANDOWNERS. YOU KNOW, I READ IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN, YOU HAVE A LOT OF LAND, INDIVIDUAL LANDOWNERS IN THERE.

AND I THINK THE COUNTY HAD 270 SOME ODD PARCELS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

I DON'T REMEMBER SPECIFICS, BUT IN TERMS OF NOT HAVING THE INFRASTRUCTURE THERE.

SO IF YOU WANT TO PARTNER WITH THOSE, YOU KNOW, GOING BACK TO THE P3, GOING BACK TO THE DESTINATIONS, PUT IT ON THEM TO BRING THAT INFRASTRUCTURE. I MEAN, I'M CURIOUS TO SEE IF YOUR CONSUMPTIVE USE PERMITS BUILT OUT TO BRING ON THAT KIND OF GROWTH. SO THOSE ARE SORTS OF THINGS YOU GOT TO LOOK FROM A UTILITY PERSPECTIVE. BUT AGAIN THE ROADS AND IT'S NOT SEXY.

RIGHT? IT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU CAN GO PLAY WITH. AND IT JUST AGGRAVATES PEOPLE BECAUSE THE ROADS ARE CHEWED UP AND NOW THE TRAFFIC'S WORSE. BUT IN TEN YEARS YOU'VE GOT IT BUILT OUT AND YOU'RE NOT PLAYING CATCH UP. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO PLAY CATCH UP. THE BUDGETS ARE JUST GOING TO KEEP GETTING WORSE, RIGHT? THE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO COME AND THEN IT'S JUST GRIDLOCK. THERE'S AREAS THAT I HAVE SOMETIMES I HAVE TO GO NORTH TO GO SOUTH BECAUSE THE INFRASTRUCTURE ISN'T WASN'T BUILT OUT BECAUSE THE GROWTH CAME SO FAST.

SO THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN HERE. SO YOU REALLY HAVE TO PLAN FOR THAT AND PUT IT BACK ON THOSE DEVELOPERS.

THE MONEY'S TO BE MADE. IT'S THERE. SO THEY UNDERSTAND THAT.

AND GOING BACK TO THE THE OAK RIDGE PROJECT, IT WENT FROM 30,000 TO 8500.

THEY STILL MADE THEIR MONEY. RIGHT. SO IT'S THERE IF YOU IF YOU'RE CREATIVE WITH IT, BUT PUT IT ON THEM.

I MEAN I WAS HONESTLY I WAS WHEN THAT PROJECT FIRST STARTED COMING ACROSS MY DESK, I WAS LIKE, NO WAY THE BUILDER IS GOING TO GO FOR THAT. THEY'RE GOING FROM 30 TO 8000. THEY GOT TO BUILD A PARK. THEY GOT TO BUILD A FIRE STATION. THEY GOT TO BUILD A SCHOOL OR AT LEAST DONATE LAND FOR A SCHOOL. THEY WENT FOR IT. SO THAT JUST TELLS YOU WHERE THAT MARKUP IS.

[01:30:02]

SO PERSPECTIVE, RIGHT? I WAS FORTUNATE TO DO MY FIRST 16 YEARS IN PALM BEACH COUNTY AND FORTUNATE TO WATCH FIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS GO TO PRISON BECAUSE THEY HAD ETHICAL ISSUES.

THEY HAD A PERSONAL AGENDA. SO IT WAS SOMETHING THAT I GOT TO LEARN EARLY ON, YOU KNOW, COMING FROM PRIVATE SECTOR.

MY MY FIRST PROJECT WAS HERE'S YOUR MONEY, HERE'S YOUR START DATE, HERE'S YOUR END DATE.

DON'T CARE HOW YOU GET IT DONE. IF YOU DON'T, WE'LL FIND SOMEONE ELSE. AND THAT WAS KIND OF MY INTRODUCTION TO PRIVATE SECTOR. RIGHT.

THEN I GET INTO GOVERNMENT AND EVERYTHING GOES SLOW. AND THERE'S YOU KNOW, NOW I HAVE AN INSPECTOR GENERAL BECAUSE OF IT.

YOU KNOW, YOU CHEAT AND THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO COME BACK TO HAUNT YOU. WE EACH MUNICIPALITY HAS TO CHIP IN ON THAT INSPECTOR GENERAL, AND THEY HATE IT. BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE A VICTIM OF YOUR OWN ETHICAL VIOLATIONS, RIGHT? SO JUST I BUILT OUT WHEN INSPECTOR GENERAL CAME, I HAD TO BUILD OUT A SPECIAL OFFICE.

THEY GOT CARTE ACCESS. NOBODY COULD HAVE ACCESS. LIKE, IF I SWIPED MY CARD, IT WOULD SEND A REPORT SAYING, HEY, WHAT'S THIS GUY DOING AT MY HOUSE? YOU KNOW, IT WAS VERY SUPER TOP SECRET, RIGHT? SO AFTER THAT FIRST YEAR, WE BUILT A EVIDENCE ROOM, AND YOU WALK IN THAT EVIDENCE ROOM, AND THERE WAS ONE ENVELOPE.

SO IT WAS HUGE AMONGST THE MUNICIPALITIES THAT WERE PAYING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. AND THEY HAVE ONE CASE, BUT NOW IT'S STILL GROWING BECAUSE PEOPLE WILL CALL AND SAY, HEY, YOU NEED TO CHECK ON THIS. THAT BEING SAID, NONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE GONE TO PRISON SINCE, RIGHT? SO IT'S WORKING. AND UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S KIND OF WHERE THE COUNTY HAD TO GO TO TO GET THERE.

A LITTLE DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE IN SAINT LUCIE COUNTY.

SO I HAVEN'T HAD THAT YET, BUT I HAD I DON'T LIKE TO SAY NO TO MY BOSS, BUT THERE'S TIMES WHERE YOU HAVE TO WRITE.

SO WHEN I DO HAVE TO SAY NO TO, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE BOARD, IT'S NO.

AND HERE'S WHY AND HERE'S WHAT WE CAN DO. SO SOMETIMES THEY ASK FOR THINGS THAT ARE I APPRECIATE THE CREATIVITY, BUT THAT'S A SUNSHINE VIOLATION. THAT'S YOU KNOW, THAT'S AN ETHICAL VIOLATION.

DON'T PUT ME THERE BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO PUT CHEETOS IN YOUR COMMISSARY AT THE JAIL. THOSE SORTS OF CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAVE.

SO DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT.

VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. DEPUTY MAYOR. INTERGOVERNMENTAL.

INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONSHIPS. ANYTHING? ANY GOOD RELATIONSHIPS AT THE STATE LEVEL? ANY. HOW WOULD YOU LIKE PLUG AND PLAY IN BREVARD COUNTY? MANY OF OUR ROADS IN CITY OF PALM BAY ARE ACTUALLY COUNTY ROADS.

AND THEN OUR LIKE OUR EMS IS, IS COUNTY. THERE'S A LOT OF MELBOURNE TILLMAN CANAL DRAINAGE SYSTEM THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

THAT'S ANOTHER AUTHORITY HAVING JURISDICTION. SO WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE? WHAT WAS THE APPROACH THAT YOU WOULD TAKE TO TO BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND AND AND THOSE PARTNERSHIPS.

YEAH. SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO CALL MYSELF KIND OF AN ODD DUDE.

I LIKE GETTING INVOLVED IN ALL KINDS OF STUFF.

SO I'M, I'M WORKING ON A CERTIFIED GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL MANAGER.

I'M A, YOU KNOW, I GOT THE PMP AND AND I HAVE A PRETTY STRONG IT BACKGROUND.

I HAVE A PRETTY STRONG HR BACKGROUND, BUT I THINK THE SOFT SKILLS ARE KIND OF MY MY BEST SKILL SET.

I CAN I CAN WORK WITH PRETTY MUCH ANYBODY. I FOR ME THE MORE DIFFICULT THE INDIVIDUAL IS.

THAT'S THAT'S FUN FOR ME. RIGHT? I'M, I'M GOING TO BUILD THAT THAT PARTNERSHIP. AND I THINK BACK TO MY, MY COUNTY DAYS. YOU KNOW, I WOULD THAT DOWNTOWN SECURITY ALLIANCE WAS SOMETHING THAT WE CREATED.

I WANTED TO SHARE WITH, YOU KNOW, WE HAD CITY PLACE AND WE HAD A HOTEL AND THE CONVENTION CENTER AND WEST PALM BEACH POLICE, AND I WANTED TO GET EVERYBODY INVOLVED. SO WE'RE ALL SHARING THE SAME INFORMATION.

WE'RE NOT WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER. RIGHT. CREATE THOSE SYNERGIES, THE, YOU KNOW, WORK WITH I.

I PRIDE MYSELF ON BEING ABLE TO WORK WITH THE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES THAT WE HAVE.

YOU KNOW, COMING FROM COUNTY, WORKING WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD, WORKING WITH, TRYING TO CREATE PARTNERSHIPS THERE.

WE GET THE KIDS INTO SOME OF OUR APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS RIGHT OUT OF THE HIGH SCHOOL, WORKING WITH THE COLLEGE AND A TRADE OFF THAT WE HAVE THE TRAINING OUR GUYS FOR FREE ON THE CDL LICENSES. BUT WE GIVE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOOD PARTNERS, SO THEY GET TO USE SOME OF OUR SPACE WHEN THEY NEED IT.

SO SAME CONCEPT. WE'RE GOING TO WORK TOGETHER AND SEE WHERE WE CAN FIGURE OUT MAYBE MAYBE WE CAN WORK TOGETHER ON A GRANT.

MAYBE WE CAN. YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO BE CAREFUL WITH THE ANNEXING BECAUSE I'M OF THE MINDSET THAT IF I TAKE THE ROOFTOPS, I NOW OWN THE ROADS AND THE THE WATER TO IF IT'S IN MY SERVICE BOUNDARY, YOU KNOW, URBAN SERVICE BOUNDARY.

SO. WORKING TOGETHER, CREATE THOSE SYNERGIES.

FIND THE FIND THE RIGHT PATH THAT THAT EVERYBODY WINS.

I DON'T HAVE TO BE THE GUY THAT WINS 117 TO 4 EVERY TIME, RIGHT? IF EVERYBODY GETS A LITTLE BIT OF. YOU KNOW, MAKES THEM STRONGER.

I THINK EVERYBODY WINS AT THAT ANGLE. AND WHAT INTERESTS YOU ABOUT SERVING AS PALM BAY CITY MANAGER?

[01:35:05]

IT WAS A SHARP STICK IN THE EYE. BUT CREDIT TO MY PERSON THAT I INTERVIEWED WITH.

SHE DID GREAT, AND I BUTCHERED IT, SO THAT'S COOL.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S A MINDSET, RIGHT? THERE'S NO PRESSURE.

I HAVE THE BEST BOSS, THE BEST TEAM. AND SO IF I BUTCHER THIS, I WAKE UP MONDAY AND I'M RIGHT BACK TO DOING AWESOME STUFF WITH MY TEAM.

SO I DIDN'T CATCH THE FIRST PART OF YOUR QUESTION. IT CUT OUT A LITTLE. LIKE WHAT? LIKE WHAT INTERESTS YOU ABOUT PALM BAY? OH, I JUST LOVE THE AREA. SO AGAIN, I'VE COACHING. I'VE BEEN UP HERE A LOT FOR BASEBALL. I ACTUALLY HAVEN'T BEEN HERE IN A WHILE.

SO MY WIFE AND I CAME UP LAST WEEK JUST TO CHECK IT OUT.

AND IT'S EVERY SO AGAIN, CONTEXT. I KEEP SEEING ALL THESE COMMENTS ABOUT OUR ROADWAYS ARE TERRIBLE AND THE TRAFFIC IS TERRIBLE.

AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, FROM WHERE I COME FROM, IT'S IT'S SUBSTANTIALLY BETTER.

BUT IF THAT'S THE CONTEXT THAT I HAVE TO UNDERSTAND.

SO I JUST WANTED TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE PICK UP ON IT.

BUT AGAIN, I'VE LIVED HERE SINCE 84, YOU KNOW, SOUTH FLORIDA, EAST COAST, I UNDERSTAND I'VE LIVED AT THE EOC FOR 31 DAYS ONE TIME.

SO I UNDERSTAND WHAT COMES WITH THE ROLE. BUT, YOU KNOW, I ENJOY THE WORK I.

GOOD IDEA OR BAD IDEA? I GIVE MY PERSONAL CELL PHONE TO THE PUBLIC, SO WHEN THEY HAVE SOMETHING, THEY CAN CALL ME AND WE'RE GOING TO SIT DOWN. MAYBE WE GO TO LUNCH, WE FIGURE OUT WHAT'S WRONG. IT'S JUST HOW I AM. I JUST HAVE TWO MORE QUESTIONS. IF SELECTED, WOULD YOU MOVE TO PALM BAY? OH, YEAH. ABSOLUTELY. SO IT'S ONLY 40 MINUTE DRIVE, BUT I HATE DRIVING.

AND THEN THE THE LAST QUESTION, IS THERE ANYTHING FROM A BACKGROUND CHECK THAT YOU WANT US TO BE MADE AWARE OF? NOTHING NECESSARILY ANY ANY CONVICTIONS. SO YES, IT'S ALL PUBLIC RECORD, RIGHT, SO I AM.

OH 910. THE DUI, BUT ALL THE DRIVING REGULATIONS HAVE BEEN FULLY RESTORED, SO.

YEAH, I DON'T PLAY WITH THAT ANYMORE. COOL. I YIELD MY TIME.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN LANDSMAN.

NO, MAYOR, I YIELD. COUNCILMAN HAMMER. I THINK ONE OF OUR LARGEST OBSTACLES WE HAVE HERE IN PALM BAY IS OUR CAPACITY.

OUR ROADS ARE EXTREMELY OVER CAPACITY, AND WE HAVE COUNTY ROADS THAT WE DO NOT HAVE THE FUNDING TO EXPAND TO MEET OUR CAPACITY.

WE HAVE A LOT OF GROWTH GOING IN OUR SOUTH SECTOR.

THAT IS GOING TO PUT AN INCREDIBLE BURDEN ON SOME OF OUR COUNTY ROADS.

WHAT ARE SOME COUNTY PROJECT ROADS THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE FUNDING FOR THAT YOU FOUND FUNDING FOR? IF THERE ARE ANY AND SOME OF THE WAYS THAT YOU DID IT THAT YOU COULD SEE MAYBE WOULD WORK HERE.

OF COURSE. I LEFT MY PHONE IN THE OTHER ROOM.

I ACTUALLY JUST GOT AN EMAIL YESTERDAY ON A PROJECT THAT DIDN'T GET FUNDING, BUT THEN RECEIVED FUNDING, AND I DON'T REMEMBER HOW OUR ROAD, OUR ROAD DIRECTOR DID IT, BUT HE WAS CREATIVE AGAIN.

I GOT TO GIVE THESE GUYS SO MUCH CREDIT BECAUSE THEY FIND A WAY.

SO I DON'T KNOW HOW HE DID IT. OF COURSE I READ IT YESTERDAY, AND BUT LET ME THINK OF OTHER PROJECTS THAT WE DID THAT ARE SIMILAR ALONG THOSE LINES.

THE ROADS, THE ROADS SEEM TO BE LIKE THE SUPER HOT TOPIC HERE. SO, I MEAN, I'VE LOOKED AT IT.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE SHIPPED SOME MONEY AROUND. HERE'S A GREAT EXAMPLE.

SO THERE'S A A CATHOLIC SCHOOL. THE INTERSECTION IS HORRIBLE.

I MEAN, IT'S DANGEROUS AT BEST, RIGHT? IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED.

I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG AGO. I'M NOT GOING TO THROW ROCKS AT WHAT THE LOGIC WAS ON NEGLECTING THIS AREA BECAUSE THE KIDS CROSSED.

I MEAN, WHEN YOU HIT IT, IT'S LIKE A SPEED BUMP GOING THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. IT'S CRAZY. SO THEY PREVIOUS BOARD, THEY HAD SENT A A LETTER SAYING, HEY, WE NEED THIS DONE.

THE BOARD RESPONDED SAYING, YES, IT'LL BE DONE BY THIS DATE. THAT ENTIRE BOARD'S GONE.

THE ENTIRE ADMINISTRATION'S GONE, SO NONE OF US HAD ANY PAPERWORK ON IT.

THIS LETTER CAME TO THE OFFICE SAYING, HEY, THIS.

YOU GUYS PROMISED THIS. AND SO I HAD TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND SAY, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THIS IS.

SO I GOT WITH THE ROAD DIRECTOR. I WAS LIKE, THAT'S NOT ON OUR RADAR IN ANY CAPACITY.

SO AGAIN, TAKE THAT TACTICAL PAUSE, TAKE A STEP BACK.

WHAT CAN WE DO TO TO MAKE IT RIGHT IN THIS AREA? BECAUSE THEY DO HAVE IT IN WRITING SAYING THE COUNTY'S GOING TO HAVE IT FIXED BY THIS DATE. SO WE'RE ABLE TO SHIFT SOME, SOME OF THAT MONEY FROM OTHER PROJECTS. AND THEN ON THE BACK END THEY GOT SOME GRANTS FOR THOSE.

MAYBE THAT'S WHAT THAT EMAIL WAS. YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL CLICKING.

BUT SO IT WAS A BIG DEAL TO THE SCHOOL BECAUSE IT WAS LIKE THEIR CENTENNIAL.

IT'S GOING TO BE A HUGE, HUGE DEAL. SO PARTNERING WITH THE CITY FORT PIERCE, THEY'RE GOING TO DO SOME COUNTY IS GOING TO DO SOME AND THEN IT'S GOING TO GET THAT THAT PART OF THE ROAD WHOLE ON SCHEDULE, ACTUALLY, WHICH WAS ODD BECAUSE WE HAD NO IDEA OF IT AS OF LAST YEAR.

SO IT'S ALMOST I THINK IT'S IN PROGRESS RIGHT NOW.

SO KIND OF A GENERIC RESPONSE. BUT YEAH, BEING, YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY WITH THE COUNTY, HAVE YOU GOT ANY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS WITH ANYBODY AT OUR COUNTY THAT YOU SEE COULD HELP YOU OUT WITH WITH ANY OF THOSE PROJECTS THAT WE NEED BREVARD COUNTY?

[01:40:09]

PERSONALLY, IF SOMEBODY HAS MOVED HERE AND IS WORKING HERE, I DON'T KNOW.

MY CORE IS SOUTH. AND, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, BROWARD COUNTY WOULD CALL ME ALL THE TIME, NEED RESOURCES.

SO I WAS I HAD A REAL GOOD PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM. YOU KNOW, THE FLOODS THAT THEY HAD LAST YEAR I SENT STAFF AND EQUIPMENT.

SO AGAIN, THAT'S JUST HAVING THAT WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR SISTER. YOU KNOW, COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES, THAT SORT OF THING. SO, I MEAN, IT'S JUST SOMETHING I WOULD HAVE TO START HERE, BUT I DON'T I DON'T PERSONALLY KNOW ANYBODY HERE. THANK YOU.

SO I GUESS I'LL WRAP UP SOME OF THE QUESTIONS HERE.

THE VERY FIRST QUESTION I HAVE SINCE YOU TOUCHED ON IT.

COUNCILMAN HAMMER WHO? YOU WORK FOR SAINT LUCIE COUNTY TODAY.

IS THAT CORRECT? YES. WHEN YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU WOULD WAKE UP AND GO BACK TO WORK WITH AN OUTSTANDING TEAM.

YEAH. YOU'RE TIED WITH BREVARD COUNTY. YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE WERE NONE.

WHO IS THE COUNTY MANAGER? WHO YOU REPORT TO? HIS NAME IS GEORGE LANDRY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. HE'S COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.

YES, SIR. HE'S THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. CORRECT. OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. SO I GUESS I'LL I'LL MOVE ON FROM THAT QUESTION, BECAUSE AT ONE POINT, I THOUGHT IT WAS HOWARD TIPTON WHO HAD THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATOR.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO THINK OF A TIME IT'S DIFFICULT FOR YOU TO ADMIT THAT YOU WERE WRONG.

I WANT YOU TO GO DOWN THAT ROAD. RIGHT. AND WHAT? WHAT WAS IT? RIGHT. AND WHY WAS IT SO HARD THAT TIME? THAT. YEAH. IT'S SO DIFFICULT TO ADMIT YOU WERE SO, YOU KNOW, YOU DO YOUR BEST TO KIND OF PREP FOR INTERVIEWS, AND YOU RUN THE GOOGLE CHECK ON WHAT QUESTIONS ARE YOU PROBABLY GOING TO GET ASKED.

AND I WAS DREADING THIS ONE. SO EARLY IN MY CAREER, AND IT WAS A GREAT LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR ME, BUT IT STILL I STILL HAVE NIGHTMARES. IT STILL HAUNTS ME.

SO RIGHT AFTER NINE OVER 11, THE PROPERTY THAT WE WERE MANAGING MADE A DECISION THAT, YOU KNOW, BILLIONAIRES COME TO THIS PROPERTY EVERY SINGLE DAY. WE HAD THE SULTAN OF DUBAI AND, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER. THAT'S THE THE CLIENTELE WE HAD.

SO WE WERE GOING TO STOP EVERY SINGLE PERSON COMING INTO THAT PROPERTY TO SEE WHAT THEY WERE DOING THERE.

IT WAS JUST HEIGHTENED SECURITY, RIGHT? EVERYTHING WAS GOING GREAT FOR MONTHS, NO PROBLEMS WHATSOEVER.

THE TEAM WAS VERY CUSTOMER SERVICE ORIENTED, YOU KNOW, SO IT WAS NOT MEANT TO LOOK LIKE A SECURITY CHECKPOINT, BUT THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT IT WAS. SO A PERSON COMES UP AND MY EMPLOYEE STOPS AND GOES THROUGH THE SPIEL THAT WE'VE SCRIPTED, AND THIS PERSON IS VERY PUT OUT, THAT HE'D BEEN STOPPED BECAUSE HE'S BEEN COMING TO THAT PROPERTY FOR GENERATIONS.

RIGHT? SO HE WANTS TO LODGE A COMPLAINT. CALL COMES TO MY OFFICE, SO I GO DOWN AND MEET THIS INDIVIDUAL, AND I EXPLAIN THIS. THIS IS WHY WE'RE DOING WHAT WE DO, RIGHT? IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT FUN FOR US EITHER, BUT IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DOING TO CREATE A SAFER ENVIRONMENT FOR EVERYONE.

AND HE SAID, OKAY, FINE. AS LONG AS THAT INDIVIDUAL THAT STOPPED ME APOLOGIZES, YOU'LL NEVER HEAR ANOTHER WORD OUT OF ME AND WE'RE COOL.

I SAID, ALL RIGHT, THAT'S THAT'S FAIR. YOU KNOW, NOT THINKING, YOU KNOW, I'M 20 AT THE TIME, STILL HAUNTS ME. SO I GO OUT AND I TALK TO. AND THIS INDIVIDUAL WAS A HIGH RANKING NAVAL INDIVIDUAL FROM THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. SO HE TRAINED WITH THE US NAVY, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER. ONE OF MY BEST EMPLOYEES I'VE EVER HAD ANYWHERE.

HE WAS JUST AWESOME. I LOVE THE GUY AND I TOLD HIM, YOU KNOW WHAT THIS IS? AND HE'S LIKE, I DON'T WANT TO APOLOGIZE BECAUSE I'M JUST DOING MY JOB.

BUT OUT OF RESPECT FOR YOU, I'LL DO IT. I SAID, ALL RIGHT, LET'S JUST GO TO MY OFFICE. WE'LL KNOCK THIS OUT. WE'LL BE BACK TO NORMAL. SO WE GO UP, CALL THE GUY, AND AS SOON AS HE SAID, SIR, YOU KNOW, I'M SORRY WE STOPPED YOU, AND HE JUST CUTS HIM OFF AND SAID, SEE, I TOLD YOU YOU'RE WRONG. YOU'RE ADMITTING GUILT. YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR MY ENTIRE STAY.

YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR MY FOOD. YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR MY EVERYTHING. I DIDN'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY AT THE TIME TO DO THAT.

I COULD COMP SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, A MEAL, BUT NOT THE ENTIRE THING.

SO I HAD TO CALL THE CEO. CEO LIVED ON THE PROPERTY, SO IT WAS NO BIG DEAL.

HE JUST WALKED OVER. HE SAID, I'LL BE RIGHT THERE. SO I WALK OVER AND EXPLAIN IT TO HIM.

AND, YOU KNOW, I FELT TERRIBLE BECAUSE I PUT MY GUY IN A BAD SPOT JUST DOING WHAT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO DO.

AND I IN MY HEAD I WAS LIKE, IT'LL GO AWAY, YOU KNOW? WE'LL GET BACK TO DOING WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING.

SO INSTEAD OF STANDING UP AND OWNING IT AND TELLING HIM, YOU KNOW, NO CEO COMES OVER.

AND IT WAS JUST THE BEST LEARNING EXPERIENCE ON HOW TO STAND UP FOR YOUR TEAM. HE CALLS THE GUY AND SAID, WE'RE NOT COPYING ANYTHING. YOU TALK TO MY STAFF LIKE THAT ONE MORE TIME, YOU'RE GOING TO LEAVE.

AND THAT WAS THE END OF THE CONVERSATION AND I WAS JUST LIKE, WOW, IF I IF I'D KNOWN I COULD DO THAT, I WOULDN'T SPEAK IN THAT TONE. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I DIDN'T KNOW I HAD THE AUTHORITY TO TELL SOMEBODY. NO, BECAUSE IT WAS ALL CUSTOMER SERVICE. RIGHT. SO IT WAS JUST A GREAT LEARNING EXPERIENCE, BUT IT KILLS ME STILL.

[01:45:01]

EVEN THOUGH YOU SAID THERE WERE, THERE WERE PRETTY GOOD COMPARED IN COMPARISON.

RIGHT. I WANT TO TOUCH A LITTLE BIT ON THAT. TRAFFIC CONDITIONS AND ROAD MAINTENANCE ARE CERTAINLY A HUGE ISSUE.

AS YOU KNOW, IN THE CITY OF PALM BAY. WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO IMPROVE THAT TRAFFIC CAPACITY AND ROADWAY CONDITIONS WHERE YOU CURRENTLY SERVE? WHAT IS IT THAT YOU THINK YOU COULD COME IN AND APPLY HERE? SO IT COMES DOWN TO THAT. THAT CAPITAL PLAN AND THEN NOT NOT SHIFTING THAT, NOT DEFERRING THAT MAINTENANCE.

AND AGAIN, BEING CREATIVE, GOING WAIT UNTIL IT BURNS OUT TO AN F OR GETTING CREATIVE AND, YOU KNOW, GETS THE SCENE. WE BRING IT BACK TO AN A FOR A LOT LESS MONEY. SO WE'RE GETTING MORE MILEAGE, RIGHT. AND THEN AGAIN, BEING GOOD STEWARDS WITH THAT MONEY, SOMETIMES IT MAKES SENSE TO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF GOING OFF A DIFFERENT TRACK HERE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO PARTNER WITH THE UTILITIES AND THE STATE. AND IF I'M GOING TO CHEW UP A ROAD, IS IT A GOOD TIME TO DO THE LINES FOR THE SEWER THAT WE'RE GOING SEPTIC TO SEWER? IF THE COUNTY IS GOING TO COME IN AND DO A ROAD? WHAT CAN WE WHAT MORE CAN WE GET? IF WE WORK WITH YOU? WE DO IT AT THE SAME TIME. MAYBE WE CAN GET MORE FOR OUR MONEY, RIGHT? SO THAT RETURN ON INVESTMENT, OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING I JUST LEARNED IN THOSE UTILITY DAYS.

WE WANTED TO DO A PIPE PROJECT SO WE'D GET THE STATE INVOLVED, GET THE CITY INVOLVED, GET THE COUNTY INVOLVED, AND SEE WHERE WE COULD MAYBE SAVE SOME MONEY.

AND THEN YOU DON'T AGGRAVATE YOUR, YOUR CONSTITUENTS BECAUSE YOU CHEWED UP THE ROAD ONCE, AND THEN SHOOT UP THE ROAD AGAIN AND SHOOT IT UP AGAIN, PUTTING IN SIDEWALKS SO THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.

BUT I ALSO, YOU KNOW, GOOD IDEA OR BAD IDEA THAT RETURN ON INVESTMENT.

WHAT CAN I BE REALLY FRUGAL WITH MY MONEY. SO IF IT'S NOT MY BUSINESS MODEL, MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING THAT I OUTSOURCE.

SO, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE TRAFFIC STUFF I WOULD OUTSOURCE THE BECAUSE IT'S NOT MY BUSINESS.

NOW, I DON'T HAVE TO KEEP A YARD FULL OF SIGNS AND CONES AND THAT SORT OF THING.

I CAN OUTSOURCE THE MO AND TRANSFER THAT RISK AND THOSE SORTS.

SO GETTING KIND OF GETTING OFF TARGET THERE. BUT YOU UNDERSTAND WHERE I'M GOING WITH IT. THANK YOU. SO I SKIPPED COUNCILMAN JOHNSON SINCE HE WAS IN THAT HIS CHAIR.

SO COUNCILMAN JOHNSON I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO YOU. DO YOU HAVE A LAST JUST THE LAST QUESTION.

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME, SIR. AND THIS JOB CAN BE VERY DEMANDING.

I KNOW FOR MYSELF AS AN OUTLET, I'LL RUN AND WORK OUT.

HOW DO YOU HOW DO YOU SEE YOURSELF MANAGING ALL THE DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES OF THIS COUNCIL AND OF DEPARTMENT HEADS? HOW WOULD YOU FIND IT WITHIN YOURSELF TO KIND OF JUST MANAGE THAT? BECAUSE IT'S A LOT. YEAH. NO IT IS. I MEAN, THIS IS NOT A LINE OF WORK FOR SOMEONE THAT'S, YOU KNOW, SOFT, SO TO SPEAK. YOU KNOW, YOU GOT TO HAVE THICK SKIN.

I AM NOT A ROCK THROWING KIND OF INDIVIDUAL. SO I AGAIN, SOFT SKILLS.

I LIKE WORKING WITH MY BOARD AND GETTING THEIR FEEDBACK AND AT A MINIMUM MEETING, BUT IF NOT EXCEEDING THEIR EXPECTATIONS.

SO I SIT DOWN WITH THEM EVERY SINGLE MONDAY RIGHT NOW FOR AN HOUR, AND WE GO OVER AGENDA ITEMS. WE GO OVER ANY SPICY TOPICS THEY WANT TO TALK ABOUT ANYTHING THAT I THINK MIGHT HIT THEIR RADAR.

SO WE'RE GOOD WITH THAT. BUT YOU KNOW, THERE'S GOING TO BE ELECTIONS.

YOU GOT NEW PEOPLE COMING. RIGHT? AND THIS IS IT'S A IT'S AN ODD PROFESSION.

A NEW BOARD CAN COME IN AND SAY, WE DON'T LIKE THAT DUDE. GET RID OF HIM. AND WHOEVER'S IN THIS ROLE, YOU KNOW, FAMILY. DON'T CARE. BRING A NEW DUDE IN.

SO YOU GOTTA YOU GOT TO REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW TO MANAGE PEOPLE, HOW TO MANAGE EXPECTATIONS, AND THEN JUST SET THAT SET THAT TONE RIGHT. I'M IN.

SO I TYPICALLY 630 TO 5 EVERY DAY. NORMAL DAY.

USUALLY JUST ME AND THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR JUST KIND OF TALK, YOU KNOW, GO OVER STUFF IN MY OFFICE BEFORE SEVEN. I'LL STAY TILL FIVE.

THAT WAY THE EARLY PEOPLE CAN COME SEE ME. SO I HAVE WHAT I WOULD CALL. IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE OPEN DOOR POLICY, I HAVE A NO DOOR POLICY.

SO IF IF FIRE CODE ALLOWED ME, I JUST TAKE THE DOOR OFF THE HINGES.

JUST COME SEE ME. LET'S TALK. LET'S LET'S LET'S LET'S SEE WHERE WE GOT TO BE. I DON'T WANT TO GET TO A POINT WHERE IT FESTERS AND YOU'RE AGGRAVATED. AND I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU IN A WEEK, AND NOW YOU'RE EVEN ANGRIER, RIGHT? SO MY MY TEAM, THEY CALL EMAIL, TEXT IF MY PHONE DOESN'T RING ON THE WEEKEND, I'M FREAKING OUT, LIKE, WHAT'S GOING ON? I'M GOING TO WALK INTO SOME KIND OF A STORM ON MONDAY. CALL ME. LET ME KNOW. I DON'T CARE IF IT'S 2:00 IN THE MORNING. IT'S NOT A 40 HOUR A WEEK JOB. RIGHT? SO IT'S JUST IT COMES WITH THE TERRITORY.

BUT BEING ABLE TO BE THAT BRIDGE BETWEEN THE TEAM AND THE BOARD.

UNDERSTANDING THAT THE BOARD IS GOING TO CHANGE, AND I MEAN, I'VE LITERALLY HAD A CONVERSATION, THEN TEN MINUTES LATER, THEY DID EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT I WAS TOLD.

AND SO YOU GOT TO KIND OF LIKE TAKE A STEP BACK, BUT YOU ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THE POLITICAL SIDE OF IT, RIGHT? IF YOU WANT TO RUN FOR OFFICE, THERE'S THINGS YOU GOT TO DO. AND I GET THAT. SO I MEAN, THAT'S JUST JUST KIND OF HOW I AM. I'M A VERY EASYGOING INDIVIDUAL.

I HAVE NO PROBLEM BEING THE THUMB WHEN I NEED TO BE, BUT OTHERWISE I HAVE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS.

I LET THEM DO THEIR THING. I STAY OUT OF THEIR WAY. AND WE'RE A PRETTY SUCCESSFUL TRACK RECORD WITH IT.

WELL. THANK YOU. YOU'VE GOT A MINUTE. AND 30S LEFT.

[01:50:02]

OH, I THINK ONCE YOU GET TO THIS LEVEL, I THINK BETWEEN THE SIX CANDIDATES, ANYBODY CAN CAN DO THE JOB, RIGHT? I MEAN, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE SELECTED THEM IF YOU DIDN'T THINK THEY COULD DO THE JOB. SO WHY YOU SHOULD SELECT ME? I MEAN, I GUESS THE HARD CHARGER MENTALITY. I'M NOT WORKING ON A SECOND CAREER.

I JUST, I'M ESTABLISHING MYSELF STILL. I MEAN, I'M ALMOST 50, RIGHT? BUT I'M STILL. I'M HUNGRY. I HAVE TO I HAVE TO WIN AT EVERYTHING.

IT'S JUST MY MINDSET. AND BUT WE HAVE FUN DOING IT.

SO WE CREATE THAT AGGRESSIVE ENVIRONMENT TO GET THINGS DONE AND BE FRUGAL.

BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF FUN DOING IT. SO I MEAN, I GUESS THAT'S MY PITCH AS TO WHO I AM.

AND AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET WHEN YOU SEE ME OUT OF HERE.

I GO TO THE GYM. I'M STILL THIS DUDE. I GO TO THE BASEBALL FIELD, I'M THIS IS WHO I AM.

SO IF IT'S A FIT, GREAT. YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF A TWO WAY STREET, RIGHT? YOU'RE INTERVIEWING ME? I'M INTERVIEWING THESE GUYS, SO TO SPEAK, AND WE'LL SEE HOW IT SHAKES OUT. DOES THAT CONCLUDE YOUR COMMENTS? THAT WORKS. I MEAN, I HAD SOME QUESTIONS, BUT I CAN SEE I'M DOWN ABOUT 20S AND IT'S PROBABLY STUFF THAT'S IRRELEVANT ANYWAY.

WELL, TELL US ABOUT THE SWEET SPOT. WHAT WOULD BE THE SWEET SPOT OF YOU GETTING THIS POSITION IN TERMS OF BEING CITY MANAGER FOR PALM BAY, LIKE IN 10S. SO YEAH, I MEAN, IDEALLY I RETIRE IN 20 YEARS AND YOU NAME A GOLF COURSE BATHROOM AFTER ME.

TOUCHE. THANK YOU, MR. DAVIS. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

WE ARE NOW ON A TEN MINUTE RECESS. VERY GOOD.

THANK YOU GUYS. I'M GOING TO CALL THIS MEETING BACK TO ORDER.

ATTENTION ON DECK. IT IS NOW 1040. FOUR. REMEMBER THAT.

WHO WE ARE. WHERE'S JACK? WHERE'S DEPUTY MAYOR? I'M GOING TO CALL THIS MEETING BACK TO ORDER AND YIELD TO MR. MORGAN. YES. OUR NEXT CANDIDATE IS MATTHEW MORTON.

WELCOME, MR. MORTON. COME ON UP. SO WE'RE GOING TO START THIS THE SAME WAY WE'VE SO FAR DONE EVERY CANDIDATE. I'M GOING TO YIELD TO OUR DEPUTY MAYOR TO BRING IN THE FIRST QUESTION.

EXCELLENT. GOOD MORNING, SIR. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

JUST VERY BRIEFLY TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF, YOUR CHARACTER, YOUR PERSONALITY, AND GIVE US AN INSIGHT BY TELLING US 1 OR 2 THINGS THAT YOU LIKE TO DO WHEN YOU'RE NOT WORKING. AND YOU TAKE SOME OF THIS TIME FOR AN OPENING STATEMENT AS WELL.

SURE. WELL, THE OPENING STATEMENT IS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

IT IS GREAT TO BE HERE. IT'S BEEN A LOVELY MEETING. A LOT OF YOUR STAFF MEMBERS AND GETTING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE IN PALM BAY.

THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNITY FOR SHOWING UP ON A SATURDAY. THAT'S ALWAYS A GOOD SIGN WHEN PEOPLE ARE ENGAGED IN THE PROCESS. SO I APPRECIATE EVERYONE THAT CAME OUT TODAY TO WATCH AND TO AND TO LEARN AND TO OFFER THEIR OPINIONS.

SO ABOUT MYSELF. I'VE BEEN INTERESTED IN PUBLIC SERVICE SINCE I CAN REMEMBER.

IT'S ONE OF THOSE FUNNY LINES, BUT IT'S ABSOLUTELY TRUE. WATCHING IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, THE CLASSIC MOVIE, WHEN GEORGE BAILEY SAYS, I'M GOING TO GO BUILD THINGS AND PLAN MODERN CITIES. AND I SAID, WHAT? YOU CAN DO THAT FOR A LIVING. AND I THINK I WAS 13 YEARS OLD AT THAT TIME AND SO WENT THROUGH SCHOOL WITH A KEEN INTEREST IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AT AN EARLY AGE AND IN SERVICE.

MY PARENTS WERE BOTH VERY POLITICALLY MINDED IN TERMS OF ALWAYS GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.

MY DAD USED TO DRAG US OUT TO THE NATIONAL PARKS, AND WE'D BE THE GUYS CARRYING BUCKETS OF WATER AND RAKING UP PINE NEEDLES, AND SO IT JUST GOT INSTILLED AT AN EARLY AGE.

I STARTED IN PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE MOST LOGICAL PLACE TO SERVE IN GOVERNMENT, BECAUSE I HAD AN INTEREST IN PEOPLE, I HAD AN INTEREST IN LANDSCAPES, I HAD AN INTEREST IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT.

SO IT WAS PLANNING. AND AFTER A FEW YEARS OF WORKING THROUGH DIFFERENT PLANNING CHANNELS AND WORKING UP THROUGH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, I REALIZED I WANTED TO LEAVE A LEGACY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

I WANTED TO HAVE AN IMPACT IN WHAT I WAS DOING BEYOND PROCESSING, AND I GOT THE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO GET APPOINTED TO A COMMISSION EARLY IN MY CAREER TO WORK ON THE HANFORD REACH 20 YEAR INTERIM ACTION PLAN, WHICH WAS THE RECLAMATION OF THE WORLD WAR TWO NUCLEAR FACILITY UNDER SECRETARY OF ENERGY BILL RICHARDSON IN THREE COUNTIES. I WAS THEIR REPRESENTATIVE, AND I REALIZED THAT WAS THE KIND OF ENVIRONMENT THAT I REALLY WANTED TO BE IN AND THRIVE AND WAS IN POLICY, WAS IN HELPING SEE CHANGE FROM OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, OUR LEADERS COME TO FRUITION, TO FOLLOW THOSE IDEALS AND THOSE GOALS. AND IT SORT OF LAUNCHED ME WHERE I'M AT.

I SORT OF TOOK ON EVERY OPPORTUNITY I COULD IN MY CAREER, WHETHER IT WAS MANAGING AIRPORTS, BEING AN INTERIM POLICE CHIEF SERVING ON 901 REGIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT BOARDS, ALL TO SORT OF FURTHER WHAT I CALL THE RETAIL PART OF THE SKILL SET, LEARNING HOW THE OPERATIONS ACTUALLY WORK FROM THE GROUND UP, WHICH I THINK HAS PUT ME HERE TODAY IN TERMS OF CHARACTER.

I THINK THAT'S THE ONLY THING WE HAVE. AND MY FAVORITE SAYING IS LET OUR YES BE YES AND OUR NO BE NO OUT OF THE BIBLE.

WE ONLY GET ONE REPUTATION AND THE GOOD NAME IS BETTER THAN GREAT RICHES. AND THAT'S A FUNDAMENTAL BELIEF I'VE ALWAYS HAD INTEGRITY, TRUST, TRUTH AND TRANSPARENCY. ONCE WE LOSE THAT, IN MY EXPERIENCE, YOU DON'T GET IT BACK.

[01:55:03]

I'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR A FEW YEARS, AND IT'S INTERESTING.

IT'S GREAT WORK. AND AS I WAS TELLING STAFF THIS MORNING, I COMPLETED A REALLY ROBUST PROJECT RECENTLY, ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO. GOT A VERY NICE PAYDAY FOR THAT.

AND I SAID, OKAY, NOW WHAT? AND THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE INTERSTITIAL PERIOD BETWEEN MY LAST CITY MANAGER ROLE AND HERE, I'VE BEEN ENGAGED IN CONSULTING IN THE MUNICIPAL SECTOR, LEADING RETREATS, COUNSELING WITH MY PEERS, WITH DIFFERENT MAYORS AROUND THE STATE, AROUND THE COUNTRY, AND THEN GIVING BACK THROUGH A 501 C3.

I HAVE CALLED FLAGLER VETERANS VILLAGE, HELPING YOUNG PEOPLE GROW ENTREPRENEURSHIP, HELPING HOUSE HOMELESS VETERANS, AND JUST HELPING THE COMMUNITY WHEREVER WE CAN. SO I ALWAYS COME BACK TO THIS PUBLIC SERVICE ELEMENT AND REALIZE THAT MY WIFE SAID, THAT'S JUST WHERE YOU BELONG. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET AWAY FROM IT. SO SO HERE I AM. COOL.

SOME OF THE THINGS THAT INTERESTED ME ABOUT YOUR YOUR RESUME WAS PALM COAST BEING A SCATTER LOT COMMUNITY WITH SIMILAR SIZE, A LITTLE BIT SMALLER THAN PALM BAY, ALSO AN AGING INFRASTRUCTURE, YOU KNOW, WATER, WATER TREATMENT ISSUES.

SO CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE THERE, HOW YOU NAVIGATED THOSE ISSUES AND WHY? WHY YOU WOULD BE A GOOD FIT FOR PALM BAY.

AND I THINK YOU'VE DONE A LOT OF HOMEWORK ON PALM BAY. I THINK I'VE SEEN YOU IN SOME OF OUR MEETINGS, SO I APPRECIATE YOU DOING THAT.

SO THANK YOU. SO INFRASTRUCTURE IS A CHALLENGE. IT'S DIFFICULT IN ANY ENVIRONMENT.

I'VE NOTICED IN PALM BAY, I THINK YOU'RE ABOUT $315 MILLION IN DEBT TO SOME INFRASTRUCTURE, WITH ABOUT AN $85 MILLION INTEREST COMING DUE OVER THE TERM FOR FOR ROADS AND SOME OTHER CAPITAL.

13 CAPITAL ISSUES AND TWO LEASES IS WHAT I UNDERSTAND.

INFRASTRUCTURE IS DIFFICULT. IT'S A GENERATIONAL ROOFTOP ISSUE.

A LOT OF FOLKS, WHEN THEY MOVE INTO A COMMUNITY, THEY'RE NOT PAYING THAT INITIAL CAPITAL COST FOR INFRASTRUCTURE. SO IT GETS SKIPPED A GENERATION. WITHOUT INFRASTRUCTURE, YOU DON'T GROW.

WITHOUT INFRASTRUCTURE, YOU CAN'T MEET THE DEMANDS OF REGULATION, WHETHER IT'S ENVIRONMENTAL OR LOCAL COMMUNITY PREFERENCE.

I'VE BUILT WATER AND SEWER PLANTS FROM THE GROUND UP, INCLUDING SITING, NEGOTIATION OF CONTRACT.

WE WORKED A LOT WITH VEOLIA WATER, IF YOU'VE EVER HEARD OF THEM IN NORTH AMERICAN WATER WORKING ON WATER AND WASTEWATER PLANTS.

THE BEST RUN CITY I EVER SAW HAD AN 80 YEAR CIP RECOGNIZING THAT EVERY CAPITAL FACILITY HAS A LIFE, AND THEY WERE FUNDING THAT CIP. SO I THINK I THINK BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE IS PART OF THE CONVERSATION YOU HAVE.

I THINK YOU SEE YOUR BUDGET EVERY YEAR AND YOU'VE GOT MONEY IN AND MONEY OUT AND IT BALANCES.

AND MAYBE THERE'S SOME MONEY FOR PRIORITIES. BUT TRULY ACCOUNTING ON THE UTILITY SIDE, INFRASTRUCTURE SIDE FOR THE TOTAL LIFE CYCLE ASSET COST, WHAT IS THAT TRUE COST TO THE COMMUNITY NOW AND IN THE FUTURE AS THAT DEBT AND THAT OBLIGATION TAKES AWAY OTHER OPPORTUNITY? AND THEN WHAT'S THE MAINTENANCE RENEWAL, REHABILITATION AND REPLACEMENT SCHEDULE? AND SO I HOPE I'M ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION, BUT I THINK IF YOU WERE NOT LOOKING AT INFRASTRUCTURE AS A LONG TERM CONTINUOUS OBLIGATION, BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE NOT BUILDING, YOU'RE MAINTAINING AND WHEN YOU'RE NOT MAINTAINING, YOU'RE MODERNIZING, AND WHEN YOU'RE NOT MODERNIZING, YOU'RE MEETING YOUR NEXT SET OF NPDES OR OTHER DISCHARGE OR WASTEWATER OR COLIFORM REQUIREMENTS.

AND SO IT'S IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT REQUIRES A LOT OF CONTINUAL ENERGY INVESTMENT AND FRANKLY, VERY GOOD PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND THAT GAME TO BE MANAGING IT AND MONITORING IT.

THANK YOU. I JUST HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION BEFORE I PASS. YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A DEVELOPER.

WAS THAT COMMERCIAL RESIDENTIAL AND THAT SKILL SET THAT YOU HAVE IN RELATIONSHIPS THAT YOU HAVE, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE AS FAR AS BRINGING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO PALM BAY INDUSTRIAL, COMMERCIAL JOBS? SO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STARTS WITH YOU. IT STARTS WITH THE COMMUNITY. IT'S FOCUSING ON, ON WHAT THOSE PRIORITIES ARE. I DON'T BELIEVE IN THE SHOTGUN APPROACH. I BELIEVE IN ENTREPRENEURIAL ECOSYSTEMS. AS YOUR FIRST ON RAMP TO GENERATING THAT ENTHUSIASM, THOSE CONNECTIONS, THAT ECONOMY, YOU KNOW, GRABBING THOSE ENTREPRENEURS.

IT'S ALSO FARMING THE CURRENT ECONOMIC CLIMATE YOU HAVE.

YOU GOT A LOT OF BUSINESSES HERE THAT SHOULD BE, YOU KNOW, GROWN AND HELPED AND CONTINUED AND THEN FOCUSING IN ON YOUR MAJOR EMPLOYERS AND WHAT ECOSYSTEM CAN YOU BUILD AROUND THERE? ONE OF MY BIG COUPS AT PALM COAST WAS WE BROUGHT THE BOSTON WHALER BIG BOAT DIVISION OUT OF EDGEWATER TO PALM COAST.

I'M ASSUMING EDGEWATER NEVER THOUGHT HALF OF BOSTON WHALER WOULD PACK UP AND LEAVE.

SO WHAT ARE OUR STRATEGIES AROUND RETAINING AND GROWING AND ENCOURAGING THOSE BUSINESSES TO CONTINUE TO INVEST? FROM THE DEVELOPMENT SIDE? I THINK IT WAS. I HAD TWO CHOICES YOU KNOW, COMING OUT OF MY SEMI-RETIREMENT THERE FOR A LITTLE BIT, IT WAS EITHER GOING TO BE GO BACK TO SCHOOL AND GET A PHD OR GO INTO THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

MY WIFE SAID THE SKILL SET IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, I THINK, WOULD BE A BETTER FIT FOR WHAT I WANTED TO DO LONG TERM.

SO WE'VE WORKED ON A FEW INDUSTRIAL PARKS. WE HAVE ONE IN IN MOTION RIGHT NOW, SO LEARNING THE DEVELOPMENT GAME FOR THOSE WHO KNOW IT, UNDERSTANDING WHAT A RAW DIRT COST, WHETHER IT'S FOR A LOT OR AN INDUSTRIAL PARK, WHAT WE LOSE IN THE ENTITLEMENT PHASE, THE PERMITTING PHASE. MORE IMPORTANTLY, ON THE COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL, WE'VE GONE OUT AHEAD OF THE ACTUAL GROUNDBREAKING WHILE WE'RE STILL IN DUE DILIGENCE.

AND THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PIECE, I THINK, FOR THE CITY, YOU'VE GOT TO TARGET AND RECRUIT THOSE TARGETED SPECIFIC INDUSTRIES, IN MY EXPERIENCE THAT YOU WANT TO SEE HERE, THERE'S A LOT OF COMPETITION IN THE MARKETPLACE, AS YOU KNOW. SO YOUR PLAN, YOUR FACE FORWARD, YOUR OPPORTUNITY COST, YOUR ATTRACTIVENESS IN THAT REGIONAL NETWORK.

[02:00:08]

NOW WE GO BUILD A FACILITY. THAT'S HOW WE DO IT IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

SO THEN WE KNOW WE'RE WE'RE CASH FLOW POSITIVE.

HOPEFULLY WHEN WE OPEN THE DOORS MAY NOT PAY DOWN ALL THE DEBT ON IT, BUT WE'RE AT LEAST GENERATING THE REVENUE TO MAKE IT SUSTAINABLE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO START AT THE OTHER END NOW.

COUNCILMAN LANGEVIN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, MR. MORTON. MY FIRST QUESTION FOR YOU IS, WHO'S YOUR FAVORITE FOUNDING FATHER OF THE UNITED STATES AND WHY? IT'S GOT TO BE GEORGE WASHINGTON. AND IT'S NOT AN EASY ONE.

I USED TO. I USED TO ADMIRE LINCOLN. I ADMIRE JEFFERSON FOR A WHILE.

I ADMIRED TDR FOR A WHILE. BUT I THINK BACK TO THE CHARACTER QUESTION.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE HAVE IS CHARACTER.

AND ONE OF MY MISSION STATEMENTS, PERSONAL MISSION STATEMENT HAS ALWAYS BEEN, WHAT'S THE POINT OF ANY OF US HAVING ANY KIND OF POWER OR AUTHORITY IF WE'RE NOT USING IT TO RELENTLESSLY EMPOWER OTHERS? AND I THINK PART OF THAT IS THE WILLINGNESS TO STEP AWAY FROM SAYING, I WANT THE CREDIT, I DID THIS, I'M SO GREAT. I ACCOMPLISHED BECAUSE I FOUND IN MY CAREER THE BEST THINGS I'VE EVER ACCOMPLISHED HAVE BEEN A TEAM EFFORT.

AND WHAT I ADMIRE ABOUT GEORGE WASHINGTON IS HIS HUMILITY TO STEP AWAY FROM HIS ROLE.

HE WALKED AWAY FROM THE PRESIDENCY WHEN HE HAD A WALK.

HE COULD HAVE BEEN THE PRESIDENT WHO KNOWS HOW LONG HE WOULD HAVE HAD A SECOND KING OF ENGLAND. AND SO THAT HUMILITY, THAT THE BEST WAY I CAN DESCRIBE THIS IS WHEN I WAS AT THE EXECUTIVE COURSE AT HARVARD, I HAD THE GREAT DISTINCTION OF MEETING A GENTLEMAN BY THE NAME OF DAN FINN, WHO WORKED WITH ELEANOR ROOSEVELT TO ESTABLISH HER WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL AND ALSO WAS ON JFK'S BOARD.

SO HE WAS AN ADVISOR TO JOHN F KENNEDY. HE SAID, JFK'S FIRST STATE DINNER.

THEY'RE DOWN. JFK'S REALLY NERVOUS. HE'S RUNNING AROUND. AND THIS IS THE MAN THAT WAS THERE TELLING ME THE STORY WAS INCREDIBLE. HE SAYS HE WALKED UP TO THE GUY PUTTING BUTTER OUT ON THE PLATES, AND HE SAID, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO PUT TWO PATS OF BUTTER ON THE PLATE. AND THE GUY LOOKED AT HIM AND SAID, NOPE. AND KEPT DOING WHAT HE'S DOING. AND HE SAID, DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM? AND HE SAID, YES, SIR, YOU'RE THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM? AND DAN SAID, JFK GOT THIS LOOK ON HIS FACE LIKE HE GOES, I'M THE MAN WHO DECIDES HOW MANY PATS OF BUTTER TO PUT ON THE PLATE.

HE SAID JFK WALKED AWAY FROM THAT. NOT ANGRY, NOT FRUSTRATED, NOT HUMILIATED.

RECOGNIZING THAT PART OF LEADERSHIP IS STEPPING BACK, LETTING THOSE PEOPLE YOU'VE EMPOWERED, THAT YOU'VE ASKED THAT YOU'VE REQUIRED TO DO THEIR JOB, LET THEM GO, DO THEIR JOB.

AND SO NO PHENOMENAL ANSWER. THANK YOU. QUESTION.

AND THEN AND THEN MY SECOND QUESTION IS WHAT IS YOUR PHILOSOPHY ON TAXATION AND GOVERNMENT SPENDING AND HOW DO YOU BALANCE THE TWO? WE'RE IN TROUBLE. LOCAL GOVERNMENT. IT'S ALREADY BEEN TOUGH.

WE'RE ALREADY IN A RESOURCE CONSTRAINED POSITION, I THINK.

I DON'T THINK WE'LL WHOLESALE ELIMINATE AD VALOREM TAX, BUT I THINK WE'LL SEE SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS, PROBABLY THROUGH AD VALOREM PROTECTIONS, HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION INCREASES. NOW WE'RE HEARING THE SALES TAX WILL BE REDUCED.

MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE DIRECT IMPACTS, BUT IT'S GOING TO HAVE INDIRECT IMPACTS. LOCAL GOVERNMENT OPTION TAX AND OTHER FUNDING SOURCES THAT THAT I THINK WE USUALLY SEE THE OUTFLOW OF SALES TAX. SO RESOURCES ARE MORE CHALLENGING THAN EVER THEY'RE GOING TO BE.

AND THIS COMMUNITY HAS A BIG WISH LIST AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, A BIG NEEDS LIST.

THE BEST WAY TO BALANCE THE BUDGET AND PRIORITIZE RESOURCES IS YOU FOLKS.

YOU'VE GOT TO YOU AND THE COMMUNITY HAVE GOT TO DECIDE WHAT YOUR MOST IMPORTANT PRIORITIES ARE AND GO AFTER THEM WHOLEHEARTEDLY.

AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I SEE HERE CONSISTENTLY IS GREAT IDEAS, GREAT PLANS THAT GET PUT ON A SHELF TO COLLECT DUST WITHOUT THE STRATEGIC ABILITY OR CAPABILITY OR FREEDOM TO GO SAY NO. THIS IS OUR MOST IMPORTANT GOAL.

WE'VE PRIORITIZED IT. WE'VE ALLOCATED STAFF. WE UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR METRICS ARE, WE UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR ACCOMPLISHMENT NEEDS TO BE, AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO STOP UNTIL WE ACCOMPLISH THAT. THAT'S WHAT WE DID WITH NEXUS AND PALM COAST AND HOW WE BROUGHT TOGETHER JU, UNF, ADVENT, HALIFAX, JOHNSON AND JOHNSON THROUGH MEDICAL LABORATORIES IS UNDERSTANDING YOUR MOST IMPORTANT GOALS AND FUNDING THOSE.

AND THAT'S GOING TO INCLUDE YOUR CAPITAL INFRASTRUCTURE. I DON'T THINK THE CITY OR ANY CITY IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA CAN CUT THEIR WAY OUT OF THE DEFICIT THAT THEY HAVE, AND I WOULD VENTURE TO GUESS THAT THE CITY IS PROBABLY $3 BILLION IN OVERDUE INFRASTRUCTURE OR AGING INFRASTRUCTURE, IF THAT'S THE REAL NUMBER. SO IT'S GOING TO BE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE PRIORITIES, BUILD THAT CONNECTION THAT THE COMMUNITY AGREES WITH THOSE PRIORITIES BEING STRATEGIC IN HOW WE EXECUTE, AND NEVER STOP BEING ENTREPRENEURIAL IN THE WAY WE TRY TO CUT.

SINCE WE CAN'T CUT OUR WAY OUT, HOW DO WE GROW? AND JUST A QUICK EXAMPLE. WHEN WE DID THE TENNIS CENTER AGAIN, I USED PALM COAST A LOT. WE WENT OUT, I SPENT A WEEK WITH THE USTA, I SPENT A WEEK IN LAKE NONA MEETING THE OLYMPIC COACHES, AND WE SAID, GREAT, WE'RE GOING TO BUILD THIS WONDERFUL COMMUNITY RECREATION FACILITY. WHAT CAN WE DO TO OFFSET THE ONGOING KNOW? FROM DAY ONE, WE GOT DOCTORS TO SIGN LETTERS OF INTENT FOR LEASES.

WE GOT MEDICAL PROVIDERS TO SIGN PHYSICAL THERAPY, LETTERS OF INTENT, THAT LITTLE BIT OF MONEY, THAT $200,000 A YEAR FREED UP FOR ANOTHER PARTY.

SO SOMETIMES IT'S INCREMENTAL, SOMETIMES IT'S SMALL, SOMETIMES WE HIT A HOME RUN. BUT I THINK IT'S GOT TO BE THAT PANOPLY OF SOLUTIONS IF WE WANT IT, IF WE WANT TO SUCCEED. AWESOME. GREAT ANSWERS.

[02:05:04]

IF GIVEN THE CHANCE, WHAT DO YOU SEE IN YOUR FIRST 90 DAYS? I JUST ANSWERED THIS FOR STAFF. IT'S. IT'S GOT TO BE UNDERSTANDING WHERE THE REAL PRIORITIES LIE.

I MEAN, I CAN DO ANYTHING. AND THERE'S AN ORGANIZATIONAL AXIOM. WHEN YOU HIRE A NEW EMPLOYEE AT A JUNIOR LEVEL, IT TAKES A YEAR. YOU TAKE MORE FROM THE ORGANIZATION THAN YOU GIVE AND A HIGHER LEVEL, HOPEFULLY AT SIX MONTHS. THE LEARNING, THE UNDERSTANDING, THE COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS, UNDERSTANDING THE WILLS OF COUNSEL, UNDERSTANDING WHERE THE SKELETONS IN THE CLOSET ARE AND THE TRUE DEFICITS AND SHORTCOMINGS. SO WITHOUT SPENDING THAT INITIAL GATE GAME TIME, TRYING TO DEVELOP THE RELATIONSHIP, BUILD TRUST AND TRANSPARENCY, WE CAN'T WORK TOGETHER UNTIL WE BEGIN TO TRUST EACH OTHER AND HAVE THAT LEVEL OF TRANSPARENCY AND ME BEING HONEST AND ACCOUNTING FOR WHAT I'M SEEING IN THE BOOKS AND IN THE OPERATION AND IN THE ORGANIZATIONS AND THE PLANS AT CITY HALL TO SAY THIS IS SORT OF THE TAKE STOCK PERIOD. A LOT OF TIMES IN THE PAST WHEN I'VE APPLIED FOR POSITIONS, I HAVE YOU DO A 90 DAY.

WHAT'S YOUR 90 DAY STRATEGY? WITHOUT A PLAN, YOU'RE DOING NOTHING.

SO MY 90 DAY STRATEGY IS REALLY GET THROUGH THE SURFACE, DO THE COVER OF THE BOOK AND UNDERSTAND WHERE THE COMMUNITY IS REALLY AT, AND BE ABLE TO REPORT THAT NOT JUST TO YOU, BUT COLLECTIVELY AS A STAFF TEAM TO SAY, NOW WE MORE FULLY AND OPENLY UNDERSTAND WHERE WE'RE AT.

HOW DO WE START ANALYZING AND ATTACKING PRIORITIES? HOW DO WE START ALIGNING FOR A SUCCESSFUL FUTURE? AND UNTIL UNTIL WE REALLY KNOW EVERYTHING, I'M JUST THROWING DARTS AT A WALL, WHICH ISN'T GOING TO BE HELPFUL FOR ANYBODY. I REALLY LIKE YOU'VE DONE YOUR HOMEWORK ON OUR CITY.

AND I LIKE YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE INDUSTRIAL PARK.

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU THINK YOU CAN BRING TO FRUITION HERE IN PALM BAY FOR OUR COMPOUND? BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO BE ONE OF THE BIG STEPS.

AND LIKE I SAID, I AM EXTREMELY THANKFUL THAT YOU'VE, YOU KNOW, DONE YOUR HOMEWORK AND YOU KIND OF KNOW SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE GOING THROUGH. AND I THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT TO US.

BUT THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S BIG FOR US RIGHT NOW.

AND IT'S NOT JUST IN THE MEDIA, IT'S IN OUR HEARTS, IT'S IN OUR COMMUNITY.

IT'S IN THE PEOPLE THAT COME IN HERE EVERY TIME.

I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS AS WELL AS OUR BAYFRONT.

I THINK WE'RE AN UNTAPPED RESOURCE THERE. WHAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU BRING IN JUST OUTSIDE LOOKING IN THAT YOU WOULD DO FOR THAT? SO, YOU KNOW, I'M A BIG BELIEVER IN HAVING A BLUEPRINT, HAVING A STRATEGY INSTEAD OF JUST, YOU KNOW, GOING OUT. AND I SPENT A LOT OF TIME TRYING TO LOOK AT YOUR EMPLOYEES. L3 HARRIS, THE COUNTY, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT FOLKS, YOU AS A BIG CITY EMPLOYER, A BIG EMPLOYER IN THE COUNTY, EXCUSE ME, INDUSTRIAL PARK IS A GREAT THING.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE OLD NUMBERS USED TO BE AND THEY'RE PROBABLY IN THE BALLPARK, ALTHOUGH THEY MIGHT HAVE THE NUMBERS WRONG. FOR EVERY DOLLAR A RESIDENCE GENERATES IN TAX, IT REQUIRES ABOUT A BUCK 47. IN SERVICES AND INDUSTRIALS, THE OPPOSITE COMMERCIAL IS THE OPPOSITE $0.40 IT REQUIRES FOR EVERY DOLLAR IT GENERATES.

I REALLY AM A BIG BELIEVER. I WENT TO THE NATIONAL MAYORS CONFERENCE YEARS BACK.

EWING MARION KAUFFMAN FOUNDATION INVITED ME OUT TO KANSAS CITY. IT WAS A GREAT WEEK, AND I REALLY BELIEVE IN THAT ENTREPRENEURIAL ECOSYSTEM.

SO US HAVING PLANS AS A CITY IS ONE THING, BUT UNDERSTANDING OUR ROLE IN FACILITATING DEVELOPMENT, I THINK IS MORE IMPORTANT. WHERE ARE WE AT TO MAKE THIS REAL? AND THEN MY EXPERIENCE FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND 25 YEARS IN GOVERNMENT WOULD SAY, WHO ARE WE TRYING TO ATTRACT TO AN INDUSTRIAL PARK? THAT'S PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION. WHAT BUSINESSES ARE WE LOOKING FOR? ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL INDUSTRIAL PROJECTS I EVER DID WAS HELPING A SMALL BUSINESS WITH MACHINE LATHES THAT ARE ABOUT AS BIG AS A VOLKSWAGEN BUS, AND HE TAUGHT ME THIS AND UNDERSTOOD, HE SAID. I HAVE THESE EQUIPMENTS. I'M CURRENTLY MANUFACTURING ACTUATORS FOR KOREAN AIRLINES. I SAID, GREAT. A YEAR LATER, FIND OUT HIS KOREAN AIRLINES CONTRACT IS GONE.

HE SAYS, NO PROBLEM. I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS. I'M GOING TO MANUFACTURE IN THE BOOKS GOLF CLUB HEADS FOR PING AND BICYCLE FORKS FOR SPECIALIZED MOUNTAIN BIKES.

MY WHOLE WORKFORCE. WE'RE PIVOTING. WE'RE READY.

SO WHAT INDUSTRIES ARE WE BRINGING THAT SUPPORT YOUR BIGGEST INDUSTRIES HERE? I'M GUESSING IT'S SPACE AEROSPACE, NATIONAL DEFENSE.

WHAT ECOSYSTEM DO THEY WANT TO SEE? AND MORE IMPORTANTLY IN MY MIND WOULD BE WHAT WHAT ECOSYSTEM CAN PIVOT, WHAT BUSINESSES CAN PIVOT AND HAVE THAT FLEXIBILITY.

SO YOU DON'T WAKE UP ONE DAY. AND YOUR BIGGEST EMPLOYER NO ONE THOUGHT BOEING WOULD EVER LEAVE SEATTLE.

THEY MOVED MORE THAN HALF OF THEIR OPERATIONS TO THE MIDWEST, LEFT A HUGE HOLE IN THE REGION.

WHAT ARE WE DOING TO BUILD THE SUPPORT NETWORK OF A THREE LEGGED STOOL IS WHAT I CALL IT THAT WHEN ONE LEG IS GONE, YOU'RE STILL STANDING ON TWO. AND SO I THINK YOU'VE GOT A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY AS BEST YOU CAN.

YEAH. TAKE SOME BUSINESSES, GET SOME ROI, GET SOME THINGS HAPPENING IN THE INDUSTRIAL ENVIRONMENT. BUT BUT SPEND ENERGY BECAUSE ONCE IT'S DEVELOPED AND BUILT IT'S DEVELOPED AND BUILT. WHAT CAN YOU DO FOR THE NEXT TEN YEARS, 20 YEARS THAT YOU KNOW, YOU'RE IT'S NOT INSTANT GRATIFICATION, ED, AS YOU GUYS KNOW, IT TAKES TIME. BUT THAT WOULD BE MY ADVICE.

AND IN MY ROLE, WHAT WE'VE DONE AND WHAT I'VE LEARNED IS WE'VE GONE AFTER THE BUSINESSES.

FIRST WE GO OUT. WE'VE MET WITH INDUSTRY, WE'VE MET WITH A COUPLE STEEL COMPANIES, DIFFERENT GROUPS, AND WE'VE SAID, WHAT'S IT GOING TO TAKE? WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? WHAT DO YOU NEED? IS IT PROXIMITY TO RAIL? DO YOU NEED A MILLION GALLONS OF WATER A DAY BECAUSE YOU'RE WASHING SOME COMPLEX PROCESS? DO YOU NEED POWER THAT I'VE GOT TO GO NEGOTIATE WITH FPL HOW TO GET YOU HERE, TO GET THE RESOURCES.

[02:10:03]

AND IT SITS VACANT AND IT NEVER GETS LIGHT. LIFE'S NEVER BREATHED INTO IT BECAUSE I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT THE END USER. THEY STARTED WITH AN IDEA, NOT WITH THE END GOAL WHERE YOU WANT TO BE IN MIND.

THANK YOU SIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN JOHNSON.

THANK YOU MAYOR. AND I APPRECIATE YOU DOING YOUR HOMEWORK AS WELL.

ESPECIALLY NOW I CAN GET EVEN MORE DETAILED ON SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS BECAUSE YOU HAVE A SENSE OF WHERE WE ARE AS A CITY TO START OFF AND I'LL BRANCH OFF WITH A FEW QUESTIONS, STARTING WITH THIS ONE. OUR $150 MILLION ROAD BOND PROGRAM.

WE'RE AT A DEFICIT OF $70 MILLION. HOW WOULD YOU ADDRESS THIS KIND OF FUNDING GAP? AND ALSO WITH, TO YOUR POINT, OF THE CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS WE SEE FORTH IN THE FUTURE I.E.

THE EXPANSION OF MALABAR, WIDENING SAINT JOHN'S HERITAGE PARKWAY? I'M ASSUMING, BUT YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.

YOU'RE LOOKING TO STAY IN THIS POSITION FOR A WHILE. I WOULD LOVE TO NEVER HAVE TO GO ANYWHERE AGAIN. I'M DONE BALANCING.

YES, SIR. SO WITH THAT, IF YOU WERE SELECTED, THESE WILL FALL UNDER YOUR REIGN.

SO IT'S ROAD FUNDS CHALLENGING. AND YOU'RE NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF A HUGE RENEWAL PROJECT, BUT NOW YOU'RE PAYING A DEBT SERVICE ON THAT, WHICH IS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART, BECAUSE INSTEAD OF HAVING ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO GO OUT AND TAKE OPPORTUNITY, YOU'RE PAYING DEBT SERVICE DOWN, WHICH I GET I MEAN, AT THAT POINT.

SO ROAD FUNDING IS VERY CHALLENGING EVERYWHERE.

IT'S NOT UNIQUE TO PALM BAY. AGAIN, SUCCESSFUL STRATEGIES WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST IS WAITING FOR WINDOWS OF OPPORTUNITY.

I'LL GIVE A BRIEF EXAMPLE. MAY OR MAY NOT BE RELEVANT IN THE SCHEME HERE, BUT JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF HOW I THINK AND I DO, I EARLY IN MY CAREER ALSO, I GOT TO MEET MIKE VANCE, WHO WAS THE GUY WHO INVENTED THE TERM THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX.

HE WORKED FOR WALT DISNEY AND TAUGHT ME SOME REALLY UNIQUE STRATEGIES ON HOW TO STORYBOARD CITY PROBLEMS TO FIND SOLUTIONS.

AND WE IMPLEMENTED THAT, AND WE HAD BEEN SAVING SOME ROAD MONEY, WAITING FOR THE RIGHT PROJECTS.

AND YOU GUYS MAY NOT KNOW OR REMEMBER, BUT THERE WAS A TIME 5 OR 6 YEARS AGO, ASPHALT HAD BEEN $128 A TON, WHICH IS ONE OF THE SIGNIFICANT MATERIAL COSTS. IT HAD FALLEN DOWN TO $48 A TON.

AND I SAID $3 FOR ONE. EVERY NICKEL WE CAN FIND THAT WE'VE SAVED, THAT WE SQUIRREL, THAT WE'VE STRATEGICALLY WAITED FOR, LET'S GO. AND WE WERE ABLE TO ESSENTIALLY, OUTSIDE OF MOBILIZATION AND SOME OTHER THINGS, WE WERE ABLE TO TRIPLE OUR OUR ACCOMPLISHMENT IN PAVEMENT LIFE.

AGAIN, YOU'RE HOPEFULLY GOING TO GET 20 YEARS OUT OF THAT ROADWAY.

SO THE ROAD YOU JUST DID, WE GOT TO CONTINUE TO PLAN.

SIMPLE STRATEGIES THAT I'VE USED TO IS IS DOING A PBS PAVEMENT CONDITION, MAKING SURE YOU UNDERSTAND YOUR CURRENT TRUE PAVEMENT CONDITION.

YOU'VE PROBABLY DONE THAT, MAKING SURE YOUR CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM IS UP TO DATE. A LOT OF YOUR ROADS, IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT FORM CHECKED OUT RIGHT, YOU WON'T BE ELIGIBLE FOR STATE OR FEDERAL OR OTHER OR OTHER GRANT OPPORTUNITIES.

THAT'S THE HIGH LEVEL. AND THEN, I MEAN, IT'S HARD, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S GOING TO GO BACK.

WE CAN GET CREATIVE AS WE WANT AND WE WILL. BUT IT GOES BACK TO WHAT ARE OUR PRIORITIES? IF THAT'S THE PRIORITY, WHERE ARE WE GOING TO FIND? HOW ARE WE GOING TO FUND THROUGH A MIXTURE OF REVENUE SAVINGS, NEW REVENUE OPPORTUNITIES, GRANT OPPORTUNITIES, GETTING THE WORK DONE? IT'S NOT CHEAP AND IT'S GOING TO BE CONTINUAL.

AND THAT'S WHAT I FOUND WITH ALL INFRASTRUCTURE, THE BEST CITY.

I THINK I MAY MENTIONED THIS ALREADY THAT I'VE SEEN HAD AN 80 YEAR CIP AND FUNDED IT, REALIZING THAT I'M GOING TO GO BUILD A SEWER PLANT AND YOU GOT A WRAF THAT'S BEHIND BUT SHOULD BE OPEN IN JULY. THAT'S GREAT. IT'S GOING TO BE FANTASTIC.

BUT HAVE WE DONE A TRUE LCAC COST TO SAY IN 50 YEARS WHEN IT'S DONE OR IT NEEDS COMPLETE REHABILITATION OR NEW TECHNOLOGY.

HAVE WE BEEN SAVING? ARE WE ARE WE EMPOWERING THE NEXT TWO GENERATIONS OF PALM BAY, OR ARE THEY GOING TO BE IN THE SAME BOAT AND IT'S GOING TO BE THEIR PROBLEM? I'D LIKE TO COME AT IT THAT WAY OF WE'VE GOT TO DO WHAT WE GOT TO DO TODAY AND DO THE BEST WE CAN.

BUT I'M ALSO A BELIEVER IN LET'S LET'S GET PEOPLE PREPARED FOR BETTER SUCCESS TOMORROW.

AND I WANT EVERYONE TO TAKE THIS THE RIGHT WAY.

FROM WHAT I'M FINDING, THERE'S A LOT OF MISSED OPPORTUNITIES OVER THE LAST DECADES THAT HAVE, IN SOME WAY PUT YOU GUYS IN THE POSITION YOU'RE IN NOW.

I'M NOT BLAMING ANYONE FOR ANYTHING WRONG. PEOPLE MAKE DECISIONS, BUT YOU'RE SUFFERING THAT FATE THAT A LOT OF COMMUNITIES ARE OF GETTING TO A POINT, REALIZING, WAIT A MINUTE, THE PAST 40 YEARS OF COUNCILS AND CITIZENS, WE DIDN'T PLAN FOR THIS INFRASTRUCTURE.

WE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE GROWTH PATTERN. WE DIDN'T KNOW.

AND IT DOESN'T MATTER. WE STILL HAVE TO TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY AND DEAL WITH IT.

DEAL WITH THOSE SITUATIONS. THANK YOU. LAST QUESTION FOR NOW AT LEAST.

OVER MY PAST SIX YEARS AND GOING INTO EVEN IN MY DOCTORATE PROGRAM, I TOOK A COURSE AND ONE OF THE CASE STUDIES SPOKE ABOUT HOW SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD SAY IT WAS COUNSEL, YOU KNOW, CHANGING THE INFORMATION.

BUT THEN IN OTHER CASES IT COMES TO FIND OUT IT WAS MORE SO STAFF WOULD PROVIDE PARTIAL INFORMATION, AND COUNSEL WAS SUPPOSED TO MAKE A FULL DECISION OFF OF PARTIAL INFORMATION.

[02:15:06]

SO I WANT TO ASK YOU BECAUSE YOU SPOKE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST 90 DAYS OF FIGURING THINGS OUT HERE FROM STAFF, HEARING FROM OTHER STAKEHOLDERS, BUT THE DISCERNMENT LEVEL OF THINGS BECAUSE EVEN WITH AGENDA ITEMS IN THE PAST, IT WILL BE WORDED IN SUCH WAYS OR CONSTRUED IN SUCH WAYS OF THIS IS A COST SAVINGS OR THIS ISN'T REALLY THIS OR CHANGE ORDERS FOR THAT SENSE LIKE IS IT'S MULTIFACETED. HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

I'VE SEEN IT ALL. OKAY. BURYING THE LEAD IN AN AGENDA.

AND WE'RE GOING TO WAIT TILL THE START UNTIL THE PUBLIC GOES HOME. BECAUSE THE CONTROVERSIAL ITEMS AT THE BOTTOM I'VE SEEN, NOT INTENTIONALLY AND INTENTIONALLY. OH, WE DON'T WANT TO TELL THE FULL STORY. AND THERE CAN'T BE INFORMATION ASYMMETRY.

THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST FAILURES OF ORGANIZATIONS. I ABHOR IT PERSONALLY. I LIKE TO TELL STAFF, AND I HAVE IN THE PAST, I'M NOT THE SMARTEST GUY IN THE ROOM. OFTENTIMES IT'S JUST BECAUSE I SIT AT THE TOP OF THE PYRAMID AND I GET TO SEE THE INFORMATION WE ALL NEED TO HAVE THAT SAME INFORMATION EXCHANGE, OR NONE OF US CAN SERVE THIS COMMUNITY PROPERLY.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, FINDING IN DISCERNING, UNDERSTANDING THE TRUTH.

YOU KNOW, I THINK A LOT OF TIMES, ESPECIALLY NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU GET TOLD, OH, WE HAVE WE HAD CASH COMING IN, HERE'S OUR, HERE'S OUR, HERE'S OUR 50 MILLION WE GOT AND HERE'S OUR EXPENDITURES, $49,000,999.

AND IN THE MIDDLE, WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH A COUPLE OF PRIORITIES. BUT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE BIGGER, THE BIGGER PROBLEM AND THE COSTS.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE CAN BUILD A SIDEWALK, WE'RE GOING TO KNOW THAT FRATERNITY.

I MEAN, UNTIL UNTIL IT'S NOT THERE. I MEAN, WE ARE.

AND THAT'S A COST EVERY YEAR. SO I DO APPRECIATE THAT.

AND AND THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS I BELIEVE TOO, IS RUNNING TOWARDS OUR PROBLEMS, NOT AWAY.

AND WHEN WE'RE TRANSPARENT, EVEN WHEN IT'S PAINFUL, THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT TIME. JUST SAY, HEY GUYS, COMMUNITY, WHOMEVER.

THIS IS WHAT I'M SEEING. WHAT ARE YOU SEEING? ARE YOU SEEING THE SAME THING? AND WHAT ARE WHAT ARE WE THINKING COLLECTIVELY ABOUT THAT? THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. SO I WANT TO TOUCH INTO THE THE ASPECT OF INDUSTRIAL PARK, YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A DEVELOPER AND AS A CITY MANAGER FOR A THRIVING CITY THAT'S THAT EXPERIENCED THE EXPONENTIAL GROWTH THAT, THAT WE HAVE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.

SO I MY QUESTION IS MORE GEARED TOWARDS, IN YOUR EXPERIENCE, HOW CAN WE BRING THAT TYPE OF INDUSTRY HERE ONCE COUNCIL DECIDES THAT THIS IS THE AVENUE WE WANT TO GO? BECAUSE I'M HEARING THAT THIS THIS PANEL WILL BE GIVING YOU THE DIRECTION AS CITY MANAGER.

THIS IS WHAT OUR PRIORITY IS. THIS IS WE WANT THIS JOB CREATION OPPORTUNITY.

SO WHAT CONTACTS, WHAT OPPORTUNITIES HAVE YOU SEEN THAT YOU'VE ALREADY BOUGHT INTO FROM YOUR PALM COAST EXPERIENCE AND AS A DEVELOPER FOR COMMERCIAL AS WELL? YEAH. SO EVERYTHING STARTS WITH RELATIONSHIP IN MY EXPERIENCE AND EVERY PROJECT WE'VE EVER DONE. I'LL GO BACK TO MED NEXUS. THAT WAS A HUGE. IT'S NOT ONLY THE STATE OF FLORIDA. IT WAS A HUGE PRIORITY FOR PALM COAST TO EMBRACE 21ST CENTURY MEDICAL CAREERS AND ALL THE INVESTMENT THAT CAME WITH IT.

DID YOU SAY HALIFAX, SIR? WE HAD. ADVENT WAS OUR PRIMARY PARTNER.

WE HAD DAYTONA STATE COLLEGE DOCTOR TOM LABOSO.

WE HAD SOME TERTIARY INVOLVEMENT WITH HALIFAX, BUT OUR TWO PRIMARY MEDICAL PARTNERS WERE DAYTONA STATE VIS A VIS MORI HOSSEINI AND UNIVERSITY OF NORTH FLORIDA BROUGHT ADVENT HEALTH. OUR LOCAL CFO AT THE TIME WAS WALLY AQUINO. EVERYONE SAID, HEY, THIS IS GREAT. SO IF I FORGET PART OF YOUR QUESTION, PLEASE DON'T. PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO TO POKE ON ME A LITTLE BIT.

BUT IT STARTS WITH RELATIONSHIP. LOCAL LEVEL, STATE LEVEL, COMMUNITY LEVEL, LEGISLATORS, LOBBYISTS, TARGETED INDUSTRIES. WITHOUT THAT RELATIONSHIP, EVERYBODY'S COMPETING FOR A LOT OF THE SAME BUSINESS.

YOU'RE UNIQUE. OPPORTUNITY, I THINK, IS BEING ON THE SPACE COAST. SO YOU HAVE THIS LITTLE EXTRA HIGH BAR THAT ONLY TEXAS RIGHT, HAS AND THE NEW ECONOMY OF TOMORROW. AND SO FIRST IS CREATING THAT RELATIONSHIP.

IT'S UNDERSTANDING THE NEEDS AND AND REQUIREMENTS AND ASSETS.

I THINK WE ALL MADE THE MISTAKE AS COMMUNITIES 25 YEARS AGO WHEN WALMART WOULD WANT TO COME TO TOWN AND EVERYONE WANTED THE WALMART SO BAD THAT THEY WOULD PUT IN A $200 MILLION INFRASTRUCTURE LINE AND ALL THESE THINGS, AND THE REVENUE NEVER COMES BACK. RIGHT. SO I THINK WE'VE ALL GROWN AND LEARNED A LITTLE BIT. I THINK TEN YEARS AGO IT WAS THE AMAZON WAREHOUSE. WE JUST NEED AN AMAZON WAREHOUSE. AND SO WE KEEP LOOKING FOR THESE PANACEAS AND THEY'RE NOT THERE GENERALLY TO OUR ILLS.

AND SO I WOULD SAY IN AN INDUSTRIAL PARK SITUATION, IT'S REALLY IDENTIFYING WHO THE INDUSTRIES OR SECTORS OF INDUSTRY THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, RECOGNIZING. THERE'S SOME BUSINESS INDUSTRIES WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO TAKE OR WANT REGARDLESS.

AGAIN, YOU GOT TO GET THINGS MOVING, CASH FLOW POSITIVE. LET'S NOT MAKE THAT MISTAKE. BUT TARGETING SPECIFIC INDUSTRIES, BUILDING THOSE CONNECTIONS, THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, WE'VE ALSO SIMULTANEOUSLY, YOU GOT TO BE MARKETING THE RATIONALE OF YOUR COMMUNITY AS TO WHY THESE EMPLOYEES, EMPLOYERS WANT TO WORK FOR US.

THEY WANT TO KNOW THEIR WORKFORCE IS STABLE. DO THEY HAVE WORK? DO YOU HAVE APPROPRIATE DIVERSITY, AGE OF HOUSING STOCK TO SUPPORT A DIVERSIFIED WORKFORCE? RIGHT. SO HOW DO YOU CONTINUE TO BUILD THOSE LITTLE PIECES TO GET TO THAT GOAL WHERE PEOPLE AREN'T JUST I THINK THE KEY IS TO BE MORE TRANSFORMATIONAL THAN TRANSACTIONAL.

I CAN GO TOMORROW. I KNOW A GENTLEMAN WE JUST DID.

[02:20:01]

IT'S UNDER AN NDA AND WE UNDERSTAND FROM THE DEVELOPMENT SIDE, I THINK MOST DEVELOPERS AND CITIES CAN COMMUNICATE WHAT'S REQUIRED.

BUT UNTIL WE BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, UNDERSTAND THE DIRECTION AND THE LONG TERM CAPACITY OF WHAT IT IS, AGAIN, WE NEED THAT BLUEPRINT. SO COULD I GO TOMORROW AND TALK TO PEOPLE? YES, I THINK WE COULD. ESPECIALLY WE SAID, HEY, WE GOT THIS TRACK TO LAND. I WAS ABLE TO BRING SOMEBODY DOWN INTO PALM COAST RECENTLY IN A WEEK, AND HE FLEW IN FROM THE NORTHEAST AND SAID, I LIKE WORKING INDUSTRIAL PROJECTS IN FLORIDA.

I HAVE TWO SUCCESSFUL ONES. I JUST DID ONE IN DAYTONA. LET'S WORK ON THIS CONNECTION.

BUT FOR THIS CITY, I THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT AS YOU HAVE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY.

AGAIN, YOUR BUILT ENVIRONMENT HAS OPPORTUNITY YET TO BE BUILT.

YOU KNOW WHAT'S ALREADY BUILT. AND THAT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE IN THE NEAR TERM. IT JUST CAN'T. AND PART OF YOUR DILEMMA THAT I SEE IN THE RESEARCH IS WE'VE GOT TO BE CAREFUL ON WHAT'S ATTRACTED, DOESN'T UNINTENTIONALLY CREATE A ZONE OF DISCARD IN YOUR CURRENT EXISTING COMMERCIAL SECTOR.

THE WORST THING YOU CAN ALSO DO IS MAKE SOMETHING SO ATTRACTIVE OR SO OPEN, THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE INVESTING IN PARTS OF TOWN THAT NEED SIDEWALK PLACEMAKING, BEAUTIFICATION, INFRASTRUCTURE SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? IT'S NOT WORTH INVESTING HERE ANYMORE. I'M GOING TO GO TO THE NEW SPOT. THAT'S A TRAGEDY WE'VE SEEN TOO MANY COMMUNITIES MAKE. SO WE'RE TRYING TO HAVE A VERY BIG CONVERSATION, 30,000 FOOT, AND I HOPE I'M RESPECTING YOU ENOUGH TO ANSWER IT PROPERLY.

GREAT PERSPECTIVE. YEAH, BUT THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT GO THROUGH MY MIND WHEN I THINK ABOUT, YES, THERE'S OPPORTUNITY, BUT UNDERSTAND THE OPPORTUNITY COST. UNDERSTAND THE RISK COST. AND IT'S GOING TO BE SOMEWHERE IN THAT ZONE WHERE WE SAY YES, WE WANT TO PROMOTE, ENHANCE, ENCOURAGE AND CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THE AREAS OF TOWN THAT ARE STRUGGLING. I SAW MORE ABANDONED BUILDINGS AROUND THAN I THOUGHT I WOULD IN THE TOWN A COUPLE WEEKS AGO WHEN I DROVE THROUGH, AND I THINK YOU HAVE SOME GREAT ADAPTIVE REUSE SITUATIONS, BUT NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF LITERALLY EXCLUDING.

I KEEP WHACKING THAT MUTUALLY EXCLUDING NEW GROWTH AND PRESERVING WHAT WE HAVE.

YEAH, THAT'S AN OUTSTANDING PERSPECTIVE. I'M GOING TO SWITCH A LITTLE BIT OF THE GEAR BECAUSE MY COLLEAGUE DID SPEAK ABOUT OUR TRAFFIC CONDITIONS.

AND YOU'RE. WELL. YES. ANSWERED THAT. AND I KNOW YOU COULD EXPOUND ON THAT MORE, BUT I WANT YOU TO GIVE US AN EXAMPLE OF AN ETHICAL DILEMMA THAT YOU WERE FACED WITH, HOW YOU RESOLVED IT, AND WHAT YOU LEARNED FROM THAT EXPERIENCE.

THE BEST ETHICAL DILEMMA EVER WAS IT. MAYBE THIS IS THE ONE I SHOULD USE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE WE WE WE WE STRUGGLED WITH HOW TO RESOLVE SORT OF A ECHOING OF, OF CONCERNS AND COMPLAINTS FROM THE COMMUNITY AROUND SPECIFIC ISSUES COMING OUT OF COVID.

VERY TUMULTUOUS, AS YOU RECALL. AND AGAIN, MY PHILOSOPHY, DON'T RUN AWAY, RUN TWO.

AND I JUST DETERMINED REALLY QUICKLY THE ONLY WAY WE GET THE PUBLIC ENGAGE AND GET OUR TRUST AND SHOW WE GOT NOTHING BEHIND THE CURTAIN, WAS WE BROUGHT IN OUTSIDE INVESTIGATOR TO INVESTIGATE A HUMAN RESOURCES ISSUE, AND I ADVISED THE COUNCIL, I ADVISE THE COMMUNITY. I SAID THIS IS THE MOST TRANSPARENT, FORWARD THINKING.

IT'S GOING TO COST US SOME MONEY. BUT I WANT EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY.

THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT DESERVES THE FULL. WE'RE ALREADY IN THE SUNSHINE. IT DESERVES THE FULL SUNSHINE. AND SO MY ETHICAL POSITION IS HOPEFULLY YOU DON'T GET YOURSELF IN AN ETHICAL DILEMMA. HOPEFULLY YOUR PERSONAL VALUES AND VISIONS.

YOU HAVE YOUR OWN PERSONAL MISSION STATEMENT. MATTERS OF STYLE.

BEND LIKE A REED. MATTERS OF SUBSTANCE. STAND FIRM AS A ROCK AND YOU'RE NOT PUTTING YOURSELF IN THOSE POSITIONS. BUT EVEN WHEN THEY'RE NOT THERE, AND IT'S THE SMOKE OF IT YOU KNOW, AND WE WANT TO DISINFECT IT, RUN TO IT, ADDRESS IT FULL HEARTEDLY, AND BE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION, BUT THAT'S THE BEST, YOU KNOW, RECENT ETHICAL DILEMMA THAT I'VE HAD.

WELL, THANK YOU. DEPUTY MAYOR, YOU SPENT SOME TIME IN THE CITY OF DUVAL.

YOU'RE HIRED THERE AS A CITY OR ADMIN WHEN THEY DIDN'T HAVE A CITY ADMINISTRATOR FOR 16 YEARS.

WHAT? WHAT DID THAT LOOK LIKE DURING YOUR TIME IN THAT CITY BEING SO SMALL, HOW DID YOU LAND THE POSITION AT PALM COAST? YEAH, THAT WAS REALLY FUN BEING IN DUVAL. AND WE WERE THE HIGH TECH ONE OF THE HIGH TECH EPICENTERS THERE.

WE HAD THREE GANGS IN TOWN APPLE, MICROSOFT AND GOOGLE.

IT WAS A VERY INTERESTING COMMUNITY AND I SAW THAT OPPORTUNITY.

I'VE ALWAYS BEEN ONE THAT LIKES TO CREATE AND TAKE ON, LIKE I SAID, THE HARD TASK.

IN THE PAST, I VOLUNTEER TO BE POLICE CHIEF. I VOLUNTEERED TO BE AIRPORT MANAGER ON AND ON, AND I SAW JUST SUCH A SPECTACULAR OPPORTUNITY TO COME IN TO A CITY THAT REALLY WAS STRUGGLING ADMINISTRATIVELY, FINANCIALLY. SENSE OF VISION, SENSE OF CONNECTION.

WHAT IS THERE? SAME AS YOU. WHAT IS THERE BIGGER PICTURE AND PURPOSE? HOW DO THEY SUSTAIN FOR THE FUTURE? AND AND BEING ABLE TO BUILD THOSE BLOCKS, WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY, WORK WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS, BUILD NEW RELATIONSHIPS FOR THEM, WORK WITH OUR STATE LEGISLATURE TO BE ABLE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT IN TERMS OF HOW THAT TRANSLATED INTO AN OPPORTUNITY IN, IN PALM COAST.

I WAS TOLD IT WAS JUST BECAUSE OF THE WHAT I CALLED, AGAIN, THE RETAIL, THE BREADTH OF EXPERIENCE THAT I'D HAD IN MY CAREER, ALWAYS LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL EDUCATION, LOOKING TO LEARN, LOOKING TO GROW AND JUST BUILDING A NETWORK.

WHEREVER I WAS. I HAD CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE WASHINGTON STATE LEGISLATURE.

I HAD CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH MEMBERS TRAVIS HUTSON AND PAUL RENNER. NOW WE WE LOSE SOME OF THEIR LEADERSHIP.

[02:25:04]

THE FAVOR OF GOD. I MEAN, I JUST WAS BLESSED.

I KNEW THAT WAS MY OPPORTUNITY WHEN I APPLIED. I PUT IT IN AND WE HAD ALREADY STARTED DOING HOMEWORK.

AND FUNNY ENOUGH, MY WIFE AND I SAID, OKAY, WE THINK WE WERE LED HERE.

WE GO TO THE LOCAL MALL IN WASHINGTON STATE AND GO UP THE ESCALATOR.

I WAS GOING TO BUY ME THIS TOMMY BAHAMA SHIRT I WANTED MY WHOLE LIFE, AND I NEVER HAD ONE. WE GET TO THE TOP OF THIS GATE. WE WERE JUST TALKING AND PRAYING. AND THE SIGN RIGHT THERE IN BELLEVUE, WASHINGTON, SAID, WELCOME TO THE PALM COAST COLLECTION. WE WERE LIKE, HERE WE ARE.

SO I DON'T HAVE MUCH MORE OF AN EXPLANATION. THANK YOU.

CAN YOU CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE MEDICAL NEXUS P3 IN PALM COAST AND ALSO THE CRM THAT IMPROVED CUSTOMER SERVICE AND METRICS.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THOSE TWO ITEMS? YEAH, THE MED NEXUS WAS AWESOME.

I MEAN, THAT WAS JUST A GREAT THAT WAS A THAT WAS A COUNCIL WHO KNEW WHAT THEIR MOST IMPORTANT THING THEY COULD DO FOR THE COMMUNITY, THEIR MOST WIDELY, MOST IMPORTANT GOAL, THEY COMMITTED FULLY TO SEEING THAT COME TO PASS.

AND IT WAS A LONG PROCESS OF, YOU KNOW PICKING UP THE PHONE, MEETING PEOPLE, REALIZING WE HAD OPPOSITION STRATEGICALLY ANALYZING WHO'S IN OUR CORNER, WHO DOESN'T WANT WANT TO SEE THIS, WHO WHAT ARE WHAT ARE OUR CHALLENGES, RIGHT.

HOW DO WE BRING THE RIGHT PLAYERS TO THE PARTY? HOW DO WE BRING BUSINESS AND CONVINCE THEM THIS IS A WONDERFUL IDEA? WHAT DO WE DO TO INCENTIVIZE? THAT WAS PART OF THAT HACKATHON WE DID TO SORT OF FIRST TIME IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. ANYONE DID A HACKATHON WAS LET'S USE ANOTHER MODEL THAT WE KNOW WORKS IN THE BUSINESS SECTOR AND ATTRACT YOUNG TALENT, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, ENGAGE PEOPLE, EXCITE PEOPLE.

UNF WAS EXCITED. ADVENT WAS EXCITED. AND SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IT WAS AN ENTIRE TEAM OF PEOPLE WITH A SOLE FOCUS ON SOMETHING THAT WAS SO INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO SEE ACCOMPLISHED. IN TERMS OF THE CRM, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS THAT WAS MORE DIRECTED THAT THAT WAS IN MOTION WHEN I ARRIVED.

WHEN I SAY MOTION, SOME OF THE CONTRACTS WERE ALREADY STARTING. THEY HAD DONE AN ANALYSIS WITH DELOITTE, WHICH TURNED OUT NOT TO BE HELPFUL FOR US AS A COMMUNITY.

WE SAID, HEY, WE GOT TO WE GOT TO TIME OUT AND REALLY UNDERSTAND THIS NEW PLATFORM.

I DON'T KNOW HOW DEEP YOU WANT ME TO GET INTO IT, BUT CHANGE MANAGEMENT IS DIFFICULT. EVEN WHEN IT'S GOOD CHANGE. IT WAS A BIG CHANGE TO CHANGE THE CRM OF THE CITY. BUT THE OUTWORKING WITH THAT WAS A PALM COAST CONNECT WHICH WE USED TO MANAGE HURRICANE.

I BELIEVE IT WAS DORIAN. IT'S THE FIRST TIME THAT A CRM HAD BEEN USED TO MANAGE HURRICANE RESPONSE.

AND WE USED IT INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY. AND THEN OF COURSE, THAT I THINK WAS THE MAIN ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WE WON THAT ICMA VOICE TO THE PEOPLE.

TRANS TRANSFORMATIONS AND FOUNDATIONS OF LIVABILITY WAS BEING MORE ACCESSIBLE.

AND SO TECHNOLOGY IS ONE THING, BUT IT'S THE HUMAN ELEMENT BEHIND THAT TECHNOLOGY.

I'VE SEEN TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVES. THEY PROMISE TO REDUCE COSTS AND THEY DON'T.

YOU SHIFT THE MONEY TO IT AND THE NEW TECHNOLOGY.

BUT IT WAS THE PEOPLE BEHIND THAT CRM THAT THAT PUT IT TOGETHER THAT WORKED TIRELESS HOURS TO SAY, WHAT IS IT OUR CUSTOMERS REALLY NEED AND WANT, AND HOW CREATIVE CAN WE GET WITH THE TECHNOLOGY, WHICH IS ALSO WHAT ENABLED US TO RUN A VIRTUAL CITY HALL FOR SIX MONTHS DURING COVID, WE WE DELIVERED 95% OF OUR SERVICES THROUGH OUR DIGITAL PLATFORMS. WITH. OF COURSE, AT THAT POINT NO ONE KNEW ANY BETTER.

MINIMAL HUMAN CONTACT. THANK YOU. I JUST HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.

UNLESS I DON'T WANT TO BE SELFISH WITH THE TIME.

OH, LET ME GO TO COUNCILMAN LANGEVIN. THANK YOU.

MAYOR. SO I HAVE A ONE MORE FOLLOW ON QUESTION, AND IT'S REALLY JUST AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FOR YOU TO EXPLAIN AND CLEAR THE AIR, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, FOR ALL THE CANDIDATES YOU KNOW, THE FIRST THING I DID WAS A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH, AND SO DID A LOT OF OUR RESIDENTS. AND SO I THINK WITH YOU, THE FIRST THING THAT THAT COMES UP IS I THINK THERE WAS SOME MAYBE SOME PERSONALITY DISPUTES WITH YOUR PREVIOUS COUNCIL. AND SO I JUST WANT TO ALLOW YOU TO EXPLAIN THAT.

AND AND BEFORE BEFORE YOU DO, I KNOW WE GO. I'VE MET COUNCILMAN FROM ALL OVER THE STATE, AND EVERY TIME I DO, I FEEL BLESSED WITH THE COUNCIL THAT WE HAVE HERE. AND SO I THINK IT'S PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, IT'LL BE OKAY, BUT I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO CLEAR THAT.

YEAH. I MEAN, THERE'S NOT IN MY MIND THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT TO CLEAR. WE DID A LOT OF TREMENDOUS WORK.

THE LAST SIX MONTHS WERE DIFFICULT. THEY VERY MUCH WERE.

YOU KNOW, WE LEFT ON GOOD TERMS. EVEN ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WE WERE, WE WERE WE WERE BUTTING HEADS A LITTLE BIT ON, ON ME HOLDING AN ETHICAL LINE EVEN AT THE EXPENSE OF MY JOB. I TAKE MY INTEGRITY SERIOUSLY.

THREE DAYS AFTER I RESIGNED, I MET HIM AT A LOCAL RESTAURANT AND SAT THERE WITH HIM FOR TWO HOURS AND GAVE HIM EVERY BIT OF INFORMATION THAT HE ASKED ME FOR IN MY MIND TO TRY TO HELP HIM SUCCEED. SO I WILL TAKE AN ETHICAL APPROACH AND I WON'T BE BULLIED BY ANY COUNCIL MEMBER.

IT'S THE FIRST TIME IT EVER HAPPENED TO ME, BUT I REALIZED RIGHT AWAY MY INTEGRITY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN MY JOB. I HAVE TO LIVE WITH MYSELF. AND SO LONG STORY SHORT IS THE RECORD WILL DEMONSTRATE NOTHING EVER CAME OF ANYTHING.

THERE WAS NEVER ANY ISSUES. I GOT A WONDERFUL APOLOGY LETTER FROM THE CITY ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO FROM THE CITY MAYOR.

I HAVE THAT I THINK I SUBMITTED ACTUALLY TO THE CITY HERE. AND SO IT'S A DIFFICULTY.

IT'S A IT'S A CHAPTER THAT HAPPENED AND I LEARNED A LOT.

I THINK ABOUT MYSELF AND, AND, AND MAYBE SOME IMPROVEMENT IN COMMUNICATION STYLES WHEN THINGS START TO GET THAT DIFFICULT,

[02:30:05]

AND THAT MAY HAVE BEEN THE WRONG CHOICE. MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE GOT A THIRD PARTY IF HE WAS WILLING TO COME IN AND US HAVE A, YOU KNOW, A MENTORSHIP SESSION OR CLEAR THE AIR SESSION OR SOMETHING. BUT THAT'S THAT'S UNFORTUNATELY GOOGLE'S GOOGLE.

YEAH. ALSO, I JUST WANTED YOU TO BE ABLE TO CLEAR THAT UP FOR ANYBODY THAT JUST GOOGLED YOU AND HAD PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS ON THAT. SO I APPRECIATE IT. I'M GOING TO YIELD. WELL THANK YOU. SO LET'S TAG A LITTLE BIT ON THAT.

BECAUSE SINCE HE ALLOWED YOU TO CLEAR THE AIR MR. MORTON AND I, I'M NOT. I'M GOING TO YIELD MY TIME.

BUT I WANTED TO JUST GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY.

HOW LONG AGO WAS THIS? THREE AND A HALF. FOUR YEARS.

OKAY. AND SO THREE AND A HALF. FOUR YEARS OF OF YOU HAVING AND I ADMIRE THAT.

YOU KNOW, I WHOLEHEARTEDLY BELIEVE THAT ETHICS IS CRITICAL.

SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT. SO RIGHT NOW THEY'VE HAD DO THEY HAVE A CITY MANAGER? NO. AND IS THE SAME CITY MANAGER THAT REPLACED YOU? IS HE STILL THERE? NO. OR. HE'S NOT THERE. THEY'VE GONE THROUGH AT LEAST ONE CITY ATTORNEY.

I THINK THREE CITY MANAGERS. AND THE COUNCIL HAS TURNED OVER, I THINK 3 OR 4 TIMES.

SCHOOL BOARD TURNED OVER, COUNTY TURNED OVER.

IT'S BEEN A VERY, VERY CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENT FOR SUCCESS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. MORTON. CARRY ON. COUNCILMAN.

HAMMER. ONE OF MY BIG THINGS THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, JUST ME PERSONALLY, I HAVE BROUGHT TO THE TABLE WAS MY EXPERIENCE IN OUR CITY AND THE DIRECT NEED FOR ACCOUNTABILITY.

WHAT'S YOUR TAKE ON ACCOUNTABILITY? DO YOU DO YOU THINK THINGS CAN BE WORKED THROUGH? DO YOU LIKE TO TRAIN PEOPLE FROM WITHIN, OR DO YOU LIKE TO HAVE THE BEST PEOPLE FOR THE JOB IN THE POSITION AT THAT TIME? SO ACCOUNTABILITY IS IS THE KEY. WHEN I TALK ABOUT THE LEADERSHIP CONTINUUM, IT'S IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S LEADING, IT'S SERVING AND MENTORING AND GROWING.

AND NONE OF IT WORKS WITHOUT ACCOUNTABILITY, WITHOUT ACCOUNTABILITY, WHETHER IT'S A PRACTICAL A QUALITATIVE ISSUE, WHETHER IT'S A QUANTITATIVE ISSUE. SO IF IT'S DATA DRIVEN OR HUMAN DRIVEN WITHOUT ACCOUNTABILITY, WE'RE NOT BEING HONEST WITH OURSELVES. AND I THINK FOR TOO LONG WE TREAT ACCOUNTABILITY AS A DIRTY WORD. THEN PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO BE ACCOUNTABLE. THEN WE GET INFORMATION ASYMMETRY AND IT'S A SPIRAL. SO I THINK PROTECTING ACTS OF LEADERSHIP, LETTING PEOPLE GROW AND LEARN FAILURES THE MOST AUTHENTIC WAY IN WHICH WE LEARN.

BUT WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO FAIL ONCE, FAIL QUICKLY, NEVER FAIL THAT WAY AGAIN, AND MOVE ON.

SO WE JUST CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT ACCOUNTABILITY.

ALL OF US HAVE TO BE ACCOUNTABLE. COLLECTIVELY, INDIVIDUALLY, CORPORATELY. AND I JUST TOTALLY LOST THE SECOND HALF OF YOUR QUESTION. I'M SORRY I HAD THE ANSWER AND I WAS GONE. WHETHER YOU LOST IT OR NOT, YOU ANSWERED IT.

OH, PERFECT. COUNCIL HIRING FROM WITHIN. LET ME ANSWER THAT PIECE.

I LOVE PROMOTING PASSIONATE, HARD WORKING PEOPLE WHO HAVE BUILT A REPUTATION ALREADY.

MY PHILOSOPHY HAS ALWAYS BEEN, AND IT BEARS OUT MY WHOLE WHOLE CAREER WHEN WE'RE DEEP IN BUREAUCRACY, WHEN WE HAVE THE BACKUP AND THE BACKUP, THAT IS YOUR GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY TO HIRE EXCLUSIVELY FOR CHARACTER AND A NEW SKILL SET, RATHER THAN WHAT IS THE ADAGE IF YOU WANT SOMETHING YOU NEVER HAVE, YOU GOT TO TRY SOMETHING YOU'VE NEVER DONE. AND SO IN SOME DEPARTMENTS, I DID IT WITH ASSISTANTS. I'VE DONE IT WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTORS.

IF THEY'VE GOT THIS ROBUST SKILL SET, THAT'S A COMPLETE WE'RE NOT GETTING THE RESULT.

WE'VE DONE THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER. THIS PERSON'S GOT AMAZING CHARACTER, AMAZING, YOU KNOW, CONTINUUM OR SPHERE OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION.

SOMETIMES I'VE GIVEN THAT A SHOT AND YET THANK GOD NOT BEEN DISAPPOINTED.

SO SO YES HIRE FROM WITHIN BUT ALSO NOT BE AFRAID TO BREAK THE MOLD SOMETIMES WHEN WE CAN.

THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN JOHNSON, THANK YOU. MAYOR.

LAST QUESTION. SO WE HAVE COUNCIL MEETINGS EVERY FIRST AND THIRD THURSDAYS.

TYPICALLY THE FIRST HOUR OR SECOND HOUR, I WOULD SAY, IS PUBLIC COMMENTS OF THE PUBLIC SHARING CONCERNS OR THINGS OR THAT HAVEN'T BEEN ADDRESSED. THEY VOICED IT TO US COUNCIL, BUT WE ALL HAVE FULL TIME, FULL TIME JOBS OUTSIDE OF THIS.

BUT THEY VOICE IT TO US BECAUSE THEY SEE A LACK OF MOVEMENT OR EFFICIENCY.

WHEN YOU SEE IN YOUR PAST OR MOVING FORWARD, IF YOU WERE TO HAVE THIS POSITION, HOW WOULD YOU ADDRESS EXTENSIVE PUBLIC COMMENTS, RECOGNIZING THAT SOME THINGS MAY HAVE BEEN MISSED OR MAY HAVE NOT BEEN FULLY ADDRESSED, WHICH BROUGHT THE PUBLIC OUT ON A THURSDAY EVENING TO SHARE THEIR CONCERNS. SO TO BE VERY CANDID AND NOT DISPARAGING ANYONE, BUT A COUPLE OF THINGS I SAW AT THE COUNCIL MEETINGS I CAME TO WERE, WERE SOME SELF-INFLICTED WOUNDS THAT WE SHOULDN'T HAVE INFLICTED ON OURSELVES AS A CITY. AND I SAW THAT I WON'T BRING UP THE EXAMPLES. AND I WAS LIKE, WOW, IF WE'D HAD AN OMBUDSMAN OR IF SOMEONE WAS FOLLOWING UP MORE DILIGENTLY, IT SHOULD NEVER COME TO COUNCIL AND GOTTEN THAT FAR. IN MY OPINION, PEOPLE SHOULD BE

[02:35:01]

DIRECT. HEY, IF WE CAN ANSWER THE QUESTION AND IT'S APPROPRIATE, GREAT.

IF NOT, WHAT I'VE ALWAYS ASKED PEOPLE IS PLEASE DON'T LEAVE THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS. IF YOU DO, YOU GOT MY NUMBER. LET'S.

I PROBABLY WON'T HAVE. I MAY NOT HAVE THE ANSWER, BUT LET'S FIND THE RIGHT ANSWER BEFORE YOU GO.

AND MY OTHER PHILOSOPHY THAT I'VE ALWAYS ASKED STAFF TO AGREE TO, REGARDLESS OF WHATEVER ELSE THEY GOT GOING ON, IS IF YOU GET A PHONE CALL, ANSWER IT THE SAME DAY. I'M SORRY. EVEN IF YOU JUST CALL AND SAY, I'M SORRY, I GOT YOUR MESSAGE.

IT'S 6:00, I'M BOOKED UP. I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER, BUT I'M GOING TO GET YOU THE ANSWER. YOU WILL HEAR FROM ME BY FRIDAY, RIGHT? LET'S NOT LEAVE PEOPLE LOST IN THE VOID. IT TAKES TIME AGAIN, BUILDING TRUST WITH THE COMMUNITY TO SAY, YEP, THEY'RE CONSISTENT. CONSISTENCY IS CLARITY IS THE KEY.

BUT BUT THAT'S HOW I. HOW I ENGAGE THAT WE'LL FIND THE ANSWER. IF WE DON'T HAVE IT, WE'LL POINT PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO THE ANSWER. BUT ANSWERING QUESTIONS AGAIN.

LET'S STOP THE SELF-INFLICTED WOUNDS AND LET'S HOPEFULLY DO A BETTER JOB AT ANSWERING ANSWERING QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

I'M GOING TO JUST THROW ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10, ONE BEING THE LOWEST, TEN BEING THE HIGHEST.

HOW WOULD OTHERS RATE YOUR TRUSTWORTHINESS? HOW DOES HOW WOULD OTHERS RATE YOUR TRUSTWORTHINESS? ONE BEING THE LOWEST, TEN BEING THE HIGHEST. WELL, THAT'S A THAT'S A GOOD SELF-REFLECTION.

I'M GOING TO SAY AN EIGHT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, EVEN WHEN YOU'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING AND YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING, DOESN'T MEAN EVERYONE'S GOING TO AGREE WITH YOU. AND THAT GETS TRANSLATED INTO, YOU'RE AN AWFUL PERSON. SOMETIMES YOU GOT TO SAY NO TO THINGS BECAUSE IT'S THE RIGHT THING, BECAUSE WE HAVE A MORE IMPORTANT THING TO SAY YES TO. THAT REFLECTS BACK TO JEFFERSON.

I DON'T BELIEVE IN COITY NECESSARILY, BUT I THINK THAT AUTHENTICITY TO HAVE THE COURAGE TO SAY NO, BUT TO ALSO SAY, WHAT CAN WE SAY YES TO? I MAY SAY NO TO YOU ON SOMETHING YOU WANT, BUT HOW DO WE BUILD THAT RELATIONSHIP? MORE SO, I THINK THE BEST ANSWER IS TO GO AHEAD AND QUERY THE DOZENS OF PEOPLE THAT I'VE EVER WORKED WITH SENIOR STAFF, JUNIOR STAFF, PEOPLE BELOW ME, PEOPLE ON THE PUBLIC WORKS LINE, OFFICERS THAT WERE, YOU KNOW, JUST NEW LINE OFFICERS THAT I VALUE TRUST, I VALUE TRUTH, AND I WON'T ASK ANYONE TO DO WHAT I WON'T MODEL MYSELF.

YES, SIR. IT'S ONE OF THOSE LEADERSHIP CLASSES, RIGHT FROM MAXWELL.

THE 21 PRINCIPLES OF LEADERSHIP. YOU HAVE OTHERS RATE YOURSELF.

OKAY, SO. YES, SIR. SO WHAT? WHAT? AND YOU'VE GOT JUST OVER FOUR MINUTES.

OKAY. WHY WOULD YOU BE THE BEST FIT AS CITY MANAGER FOR THE CITY OF PALM BAY? I KNEW THAT WAS GOING TO COME UP. AND I TRIED TO GOOGLE AND I EVERY ANSWER AND IT WAS NOT GOOD.

SO I SAID, I SAID LEAD WITH HUMILITY AND THEN LEAVE A SALES PITCH AT THE END.

AND YOU GUYS GOT A TOUGH JOB. AND YOU GUYS KNOW THE COMMUNITY MORE THAN ANYBODY. I'M HERE FOR AN OPPORTUNITY THAT I THINK IS A GREAT FIT.

I REALLY DID THINK IT WAS A GREAT FIT. I THINK THE ONLY THING I CAN SAY IS, YOU KNOW, HAVING DONE RETAIL MY WHOLE LIFE, YOU KNOW, WORKING FROM THE GROUND UP, LIKE A LOT OF COMPANIES, THEY ONLY PROMOTE FROM WITHIN THE GROUND UP. I'VE GIVEN ME A BROAD EXPERIENCE. LIFE HAS TAUGHT ME SOME GREAT LESSONS. TO GIVE YOU AN INSIGHT INTO MY CHARACTER IS THE BEST THING I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH AS THE BEST FIT. WHEN I WAS DYING OF CANCER IN THE HOSPITAL 12 YEARS AGO AFTER TWO YEARS OF CHEMOTHERAPY AND A STEM CELL TRANSPLANT, I WAS NAMED VIRGINIA MASON HOSPITAL'S PATIENT HERO OF THE YEAR.

I GOT TO DO TV ADS AND I WAS ON BUSSES. AND ONE DAY MY SON COMES RUNNING IN WITH HIS PHONE.

HE WAS ABOUT NINE. DAD, YOU'RE ON MY PHONE. YOU'RE ON AN APP. I WAS ON A COMMERCIAL. SO EVEN THROUGH THE MIDST OF MY DARKEST TRIAL.

RIGHT. THIS WAS MY BEST MOMENT. EVEN THROUGH THE MIDST OF THAT, I FOUND A WAY BECAUSE IT WAS ON MY HEART.

HOW DO I HELP THE HOSPITAL STAFF DO BETTER? WATCH THESE PEOPLE WATCHING PEOPLE DIE EVERY DAY AND SLAVING OVER ME LIKE I'M THE ONLY PERSON THEY DEAL WITH.

AND I KNOW THAT'S NOT TRUE. HOW DO I SIT WITH THE PATIENTS IN THE WAITING ROOM THAT ARE DYING? AND THEY ARE, AND IT LOOKS OF JUST FEAR AND DREAD ON THEIR FACE, KNOWING WHAT I HAVE IN MY LIFE.

RIGHT? GOD ALREADY TOLD ME WHERE I'M GOING. I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT IT. SO THAT MOMENT OF CHARACTER IS THE SAME CHARACTER.

THAT'S THE ONLY THING I CAN COMMIT. CAN I COMMIT? I'M GOING TO BRING AN AWESOME INDUSTRIAL PARK. NO, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE IT OUR BEST SHOT. CAN I SOLVE ALL YOUR PROBLEMS? PROBABLY NOT THE WHOLE STAFF. WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO START TACKLING THEM, BUT I WILL COMMIT TO YOU THAT I WILL BRING MY BEST CHARACTER AND CAPABILITY AND AUTHENTICITY TO YOU EVERY DAY, THAT THAT'S WHAT I CAN COMMIT TO. AND THAT'S WHY I THINK I'M GOOD.

BUT YOU GUYS WILL DECIDE WHO'S THE BEST. THANK YOU, DEPUTY MAYOR.

THANK YOU. THE LAST QUESTION I HAD, I HAD ASKED OR WANTED TO ASK.

COUNCILMAN LANGEVIN TOUCHED ON IT. THERE'S THREE MINUTES THAT ANYBODY HAS ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MAYBE JUST CLOSING STATEMENT. OH, CLOSING STATEMENT.

YEAH. YEAH. CLOSING. I DIDN'T PREPARE A CLOSING STATEMENT EITHER.

CLOSING ARGUMENTS, CLOSING ARGUMENTS. NO, I REALLY THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE. AND I MEAN THAT SINCERELY. IT WAS A LOT OF SOUL SEARCHING, PRIORITIZING MY FAMILY FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. AND DESPITE THE FINANCIAL SUCCESS THAT I HAVE ACHIEVED IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, REALIZING THAT'S NOT WHERE I WANT TO BE. IT'S ALWAYS BEEN.

I TOLD A GREAT STORY UPSTAIRS. I'LL TELL IT REAL QUICK. WE HAD A GUY IN OUR COMMUNITY YEARS AGO.

HIS NAME WAS STANLEY. DIDN'T HAVE TWO NICKELS TO RUB TOGETHER. HE TALKED YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS ABOUT THIS HAT THAT HE WANTED, THIS TOMMY BAHAMA SUN HAT. WE LIVED IN WASHINGTON STATE. HE WANTS HIS. I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK TO TOM BAHAMA. THIS IS THE TRUE STORY. I RESIGNED AFTER 11 YEARS BECAUSE I HAD JUST A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMETHING,

[02:40:05]

AND I WAS LIKE, THANKS, STANLEY. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. THAT'S GREAT. HE WALKED OUT THE DOOR AND I. AND I CHASED HIM DOWN.

I SAID, STANLEY, LIFT YOUR HEAD. HE GOES, THAT'S FOR YOU. I TAKE MY HAT OFF TO YOU. I STILL HAVE THAT HAT HANGING UP IN MY OFFICE. THAT IS WHAT PUBLIC SERVICE MEANS TO ME.

WHAT ARE WE DOING FOR OTHERS? ARE WE ESTEEMING OTHERS GREATER THAN OURSELVES? IF WE'RE NOT, WE'RE IN THE WRONG BUSINESS. IT ISN'T JUST A TAGLINE ON MY LINKEDIN PAGE THAT IF WE HAVE POWER, WE'RE NOT RELENTLESSLY EMPOWERING OTHERS. THEN GET OUT OF THE WAY.

IN FACT, I'LL CHALLENGE YOU IF YOU GUYS ARE REALLY SERIOUS ABOUT MOVING FORWARD, NOT CARING WHO GETS THE CREDIT, ELEVATING THIS ENTIRE COMMUNITY ABOVE OURSELVES, ABOVE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, ABOVE ELECTIONS, OF ELEVATING OURSELVES TO A GOOD POSITION TO DO SOMETHING FOR THE FUTURE.

I WANT TO BE HERE. AND I TOLD THIS TO SCOTT TWO MONTHS AGO, AND IF YOU DON'T, I DON'T WANT TO BE HERE.

SO I'D ASK YOU ALSO TO YOUR CLOSING ARGUMENTS TO CHECK YOURSELVES AND SAY, ARE WE REALLY READY TO GIVE IT ALL WE'VE GOT? AND I'LL DO THE BEST I CAN? I CAN'T PROMISE YOU ANYTHING OTHER THAN I WILL DO EVERYTHING I KNOW HOW TO DO, AND LEARN SOME NEW THINGS TO TRY TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

WELL. THANK YOU.

WITH A MINUTE TO SPARE, WE'LL GO ON A TEN MINUTE RECESS.

HAS HIM QUEUED UP? OUR NEXT CANDIDATE.

WE'RE ALL ALL RIGHT. WELL, IT'S 1140. AND SO THE NEXT CANDIDATE SHOULD BE IN CHAMBERS. YES, I THINK THEY'RE QUEUED UP PROBABLY BEHIND THE SECURITY JUMP ON.

ON SCHEDULE? OH, YES. IT'S OUR. IT'S OUR STRESS TEST.

YEAH. YEAH.

ALL RIGHT. MAYOR. MEMBER CITY COUNCIL. WE HAVE OUR NEXT CANDIDATE HERE BILL LAWRENCE.

WELCOME, MR. LAWRENCE. GOOD MORNING. WE'RE GOING TO START THIS THE WAY WE'VE BEGAN OR INTERVIEWED EACH CANDIDATE UP TO THIS POINT.

SO, DEPUTY MAYOR, YOU HAVE THE FIRST QUESTION.

GOOD MORNING, SIR. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. VERY BRIEFLY, PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF, YOUR CHARACTER PERSONALITY. GIVE US SOME INSIGHT BY TELLING US 1 OR 2 THINGS YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO WHEN YOU'RE NOT WORKING.

AND YOU CAN ALSO USE THIS TIME TO EXPAND ON THAT OPENING STATEMENT. OKAY.

THANK YOU. FIRST OF ALL, GOOD MORNING. AND MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE CHOSEN TO BE PICKED HERE TODAY.

ON A PERSONAL LEVEL. MARY. HER NAME IS CATHY.

DAUGHTER IN BANGOR, MAINE, WITH HER HUSBAND AND TWO TEENAGE GRANDSONS.

ALL MY RELATIVES, MOST OF MY RELATIVES ARE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA AND SOUTH FLORIDA.

PROFESSIONAL LEVEL, THE AGE OF TEN. I WITNESSED A HOMICIDE.

WITH MY NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR. HER NAME WAS MARIETTA ROSEBUSH.

SHE SHOT THREE TIMES. BY HER HUSBAND, TOMMY ROSEBUSH.

SO HIS TEN YEAR OLD WOULD DO. HE RAN INSIDE THE HOUSE AND TELL YOUR MOM I JUST SAW MARIETTA GET KILLED BY HER HUSBAND.

AND WHAT DOES ANY MOM DO? TELLS YOU TO GO TO BED.

UP TO YOUR BEDROOM AND LOCK THE DOOR. BUT SHE DIDN'T REALIZE THIS.

MY BEDROOM WINDOW OVERLOOKED THE CRIME SCENE, AND I WAS ABLE TO VIEW THE CRIME SCENE.

THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE DAY. AND IT WAS FASCINATED WHEN THE POLICE SHOWED UP AND WAS INVESTIGATING THAT CRIME SCENE.

AND THE REASON I SAY THAT IS THAT WAS AN IMPACT IN MY LIFE THAT I DECIDED LATER ON IN MY LIFE THAT I WAS GOING TO GO INTO LAW ENFORCEMENT OR THE NFL.

WELL, THE NFL DIDN'T WORK OUT VERY WELL. OKAY.

SO SO I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH AT A YOUNG AGE TO BE HIRED BY THE CITY OF BANGOR, MAINE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND WAS PROMOTED TO DETECTIVE AT THE AGE OF 24 AND WAS ABLE TO INVESTIGATE HOMICIDES AND SENT TO THE SOUTHERN POLICE INSTITUTE, UNIVERSITY OF

[02:45:10]

SO ANYWAYS, LATER ON, WITH SUCCESS AFTER VARIOUS ROLES IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, I WAS PUSHED.

YOU NOTICE, I'M GOING TO SAY PUSHED INTO BEING A TOWN MANAGER.

AND THE REASON I THINK I WAS PUSHED IS BECAUSE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS HAVING SO MUCH SUCCESS, BOTH WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND SOLVING CRIME, LINE THAT I WENT HOME.

THE FIRST ROW WAS INTERIM TOWN MANAGER. I WENT HOME ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON, SHOCKED THAT THIS WAS HAPPENING, AND TOLD MY WIFE. I SAYS, GUESS WHO THE INTERIM TOWN MANAGER IS GOING TO BE? AND SHE SAID, WELL, WHO WOULD THAT BE? I SAYS, THAT'D BE ME.

AND THEN I PROCEEDED TO GO TO THE BATHROOM AND GET SICK.

OKAY. BECAUSE THE AWESOME RESPONSIBILITY THAT COMES WITH THAT.

SO THAT BRINGS ME HERE. AFTER HAVING VARIOUS ROLES AS A TOWN MANAGER, AND MY CURRENT ROLE RIGHT NOW IS SOMEWHAT SIMILAR IN THE SMALLER SCALE OF WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH. WE'RE GOING THROUGH GROWTH THERE.

THE TOWN OF LADY LAKE IS WHERE THE VILLAGES STARTED.

IF YOU'VE HEARD OF THE VILLAGES. SO WE JUST FINISHED UP WITH A WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT TO HANDLE OUR NEEDS FOR THE NEXT 4 OR 5 YEARS ON OUR EXPANSION. WE JUST BUILT TWO WATER WELLS.

WE ALSO HAVE A LIBRARY EXPANSION PROGRAM GOING ON RIGHT NOW SHOULD BE COMPLETED IN OCTOBER.

THAT WILL HOUSE IT AND OUR GROWTH DEPARTMENT OVER THERE.

THAT WILL MAKE MORE ROOM IN OUR TOWN OFFICES SO WE CAN EXPAND THERE.

WE'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE FINANCIALLY, WE STILL HAVE NO DEBT, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE DOING ALL THIS GROWTH AND WE'RE AT THE STAGE.

WHEN I GOT THERE, WE WERE BEHIND OUR INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES.

THEY'RE VERY CONSERVATIVE, NOT SPENDING THE MONEY THAN WHEN I GOT THERE.

WE WENT FORWARD WITH THESE PROJECTS FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS, AND NOW WE'RE PLANNING AHEAD.

SO WE'RE BACKWARDS. WE CAUGHT UP TO SPEED, AND NOW WE'RE MOVING FORWARD, PLANNING AHEAD WITH OUR GROWTH.

SO THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH SO FAR.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SO WHAT INTERESTS YOU MOST ABOUT PALM BAY? AND HOW MUCH DO YOU REALLY KNOW ABOUT OUR CITY? WELL, I KNOW 1054 EMPLOYEES. LET'S SEE, I SEE.

HAVE A BUDGET OF $539.5 MILLION. I THINK YOUR GENERAL FUNDS WON 22.8 MILLION.

I KNOW YOU GOT 21 PARTS OF TURKEY KEY BEING ONE OF THEM, AS AMAZED THAT YOU HAD, I BELIEVE IT WAS 125 MILES OF BOARDWALK.

I KNOW YOU GOT $150 BOND IN 2018 FOR ROAD RESURFACING.

I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S BEEN COMPLETED YET. I KNOW YOU'RE GOING THROUGH GROWING PAINS.

YOU KNOW YOU'RE GROWING RAPIDLY, SO YOU KNOW YOU HAVE ISSUES WITH THE POLICE, NEEDS TO EXPAND.

THEY NEED TO HIRE MORE PEOPLE. THE FIRE STATION WANTS TO BUILD A NEW STATION.

SEVEN AND EIGHT. I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE STATUS OF SEVEN IS.

AND STAFFING AT THAT POINT IN TIME, RESPONSE TIME APPEARS TO BE A LITTLE BIT OF A CONCERN.

THERE'S ALSO A CONCERN REALLY, WITH ALL THE DEPARTMENTS OF, I DON'T WANT TO SAY DOING LITTLE WITH LESS, BUT WE'RE ALL GOING THROUGH GROWING PAINS HERE, WHERE WE'RE REALLY COUNTING ON STAFF TO TO DO A LOT RIGHT NOW AS YOU'RE GOING THROUGH THIS. SO LET'S SEE, THERE'S A TON OF THINGS I HAD ON MY MIND ABOUT THAT, BUT THAT'S BASICALLY IT.

YEAH. THAT'S GOOD. WHAT WOULD BE YOUR APPROACH TO MANAGING A LARGE MUNICIPAL WORKFORCE LIKE PALM BAY? I'VE SEEN SOME OF YOUR EXPERIENCE IN THE PAST YOU KNOW, CITIES, MUNICIPALITIES ARE A LITTLE BIT SMALLER THAN PALM BAY.

SO WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE COMING TO A LARGER CITY? YEAH, WELL, I WANT I WANT US ALL TOGETHER AS A TEAM.

OKAY. SO, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY I COME FROM A SMALLER TOWN AND LET ME TELL YOU, UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE OF THAT IS I WEAR MULTIPLE HATS.

I KNOW WATER AND WASTEWATER. I KNOW GROWTH MANAGEMENT.

OKAY. I OBVIOUSLY I KNOW POLICE I KNOW THESE DEPARTMENTS VERY WELL.

AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? BECAUSE I HAD TO BE HANDS ON IN DOING THAT.

I PUT THE BUDGET TOGETHER. I PRESENTED THE BUDGET.

I WAS ALSO ONE OF THE HATS I HAD WAS FINANCE DIRECTOR WHEN I WAS DOING THAT.

SO I KNOW THESE DEPARTMENTS. SO I'M HERE TO HELP SUPPORT THEM IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE.

AND SO I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH WHERE I'VE BEEN HANDS ON THAT I KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT EACH DEPARTMENT.

MY MANAGEMENT STYLE IS A LITTLE COMPLICATED. YOU KNOW, YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, I SAID DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP WAS WHAT I HAD.

BUT IT'S GOTTEN MORE COMPLICATED AS TIME HAS GONE ON, BECAUSE I'VE STUDIED GREAT COACHES AND LEADERS AND BUSINESS LEADERS AND

[02:50:06]

SO WHAT? THAT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? I LIKE TO GET TO KNOW THE PERSONALITIES OF EVERYBODY I'M DEALING WITH.

I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THEIR MOTIVATIONS ARE. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THEIR SKILL LEVEL IS, WHAT THEY'RE GOOD AT, WHAT THEIR WEAKNESSES ARE. I'M GOING TO COMPLIMENT THEM BY MAKING SURE THEY'RE AT THEIR STRENGTHS AND NOT THEIR WEAKNESSES.

BECAUSE AS A TEAM, ONCE I KNOW THAT WE ALL COMPLIMENT EACH OTHER BECAUSE SOMEBODY WILL COVER SOMEBODY ELSE'S WEAKNESSES.

OKAY, SO ONCE I UNDERSTAND THAT, I KNOW HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF THEM.

OKAY. AND TO MAKE SURE THROUGH COMMUNICATION, BEING TRANSPARENT WITH EVERYBODY THAT WE'RE HEADING IN THE SAME DIRECTION.

OKAY. BUT THE FIRST THING IS I HAVE TO LEARN THE PERSONALITIES AND NOT EVERYBODY'S TREATED THE SAME.

NOW, I SAY I'M NOT A MICROMANAGER, BUT I'VE LEARNED THERE'S TIMES YOU HAVE TO MICROMANAGE WHEN YOU HAVE A WEAK MANAGER.

I'M NOT SAYING YOU HAVE THAT IN PALM BAY, BUT LET'S SAY YOU DO.

I HAVE TO GET INTO THE WEEDS. OKAY. AND FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON AND TRY TO MAKE THE CHANGES THERE.

AND THAT'S WHAT I DO. AND TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT I'M DOING RIGHT NOW, OR WHAT I'VE DONE RIGHT NOW IN LADY LAKE, IS WE HAVE BAD POLICE CULTURE, AND IN THAT CULTURE, WE ARE KNOWN AS THE WORST POLICE DEPARTMENT IN LAKE COUNTY, AND NO ONE WANTED TO COME TO WORK THERE. THAT HAS NOW CHANGED OVER A TWO YEAR PERIOD WHERE I HAD TO MAKE A CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP.

WE WAS HAVING TROUBLE RECRUITING, BUT WE WAS ABLE TO DO A NATIONAL RECRUITING FIRM, BRING IN EXPERIENCED OFFICERS FROM PHILADELPHIA, NEW YORK PARTS OF MASSACHUSETTS AND COLORADO.

THAT COMPLETELY CHANGED THAT CULTURE. NOW IT'S KNOWN AS LAY LAKE IS KNOWN AS THE PLACE TO GO TO WORK IN LAKE COUNTY.

SO THAT JUST GIVES YOU AN EXAMPLE OF IF YOU HAVE A CULTURE ISSUE, HOW YOU CAN KIND OF MIX THAT AROUND AND CHANGE THAT OUT.

SO THANK YOU, MR. LAWRENCE. MAYOR. I'M GOOD FOR NOW.

THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN LANGEVIN. THANK YOU. MAYOR.

SO MY FIRST QUESTION IS WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE FOUNDING FATHER IN THE UNITED STATES AND WHY? GEORGE WASHINGTON. GEORGE WASHINGTON. YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, HE I MEAN, HE WENT THROUGH.

HE DIDN'T WANT TO BE LIKE ME. I DIDN'T EVEN WANT TO BE THE TOWN MANAGER.

HE DIDN'T WANT TO BE THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND LOOK AT WHAT HE GOT ACCOMPLISHED.

SO. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. AND WHAT IS YOUR PHILOSOPHY ON TAXATION AND GOVERNMENT SPENDING? AND THEN HOW DO YOU BALANCE THE TWO? WELL, NO ONE LIKES PAYING TAXES.

RIGHT. BUT YOU NEED YOU NEED THE REVENUE OR WE DON'T FUNCTION.

AND LET ME GO BACK TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WHERE IT HAPPENS.

I DEDICATE MY LIFE TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT. I'VE GONE COUNTY.

I COULD HAVE GONE STATE. I COULD HAVE GONE FEDERAL.

BUT LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS WHERE ONE PERSON CAN REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

SO WE DO NEED TAXATION, OKAY. BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO CONTROL OUR SPENDING.

AND WE DO THAT ALSO BY BEING TRANSPARENT. I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHERE YOU ARE WITH YOUR BUDGET.

I KNOW HOW MUCH YOUR BUDGET IS, BUT UNTIL YOU GET A CHANCE TO EVALUATE THE SYSTEM AND FIND OUT IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU CAN DO WITH THE LINE ITEMS. YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT FIND YOU'RE OVERFUNDED OR YOU'RE UNDERFUNDED.

YOU KNOW, THAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN. BUT I WANT TO TELL YOU, MY BUDGET PHILOSOPHY IS YOU BUDGET FOR THE YEAR.

OKAY. SO I EXPECT THE DEPARTMENT MANAGERS TO PLAN THEIR YEAR OUT, EVEN WITH THEIR CAPITAL BUDGETS, EVERYTHING THEY NEED FOR THE YEAR, OKAY, TO GET THEIR JOBS DONE.

ONCE THAT'S BEEN COMPLETED, THAT'S WHAT GETS PRESENTED.

BUDGET WORKSHOPS TO THE COMMISSIONERS VOTED ON AS A WHOLE.

I DON'T REALLY RECOMMEND COMING BACK TO YOU ALL THE TIME WITH BUDGET AMENDMENTS, UNLESS YOU HAVE AN UNANTICIPATED EXPENSE THAT CROPS UP AND THEN THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. SO THANK YOU. AND I YIELD, MAYOR. THANK YOU.

COUNCILMAN HAMMER. WHAT DO YOU SEE YOUR FIRST 90 DAYS LOOKING LIKE HERE IN PALM BAY? WELL, COMPLETE EVALUATION OF YOUR ENTIRE SYSTEM.

AND, YOU KNOW, YOU DO HAVE A LOT OF EMPLOYEES.

BUT I WANT TO MEET WITH THE DEPARTMENT MANAGERS TO DO JUST WHAT I JUST SAID. I WANTED TO LEARN THEIR PERSONALITIES AND MOTIVATIONS AND WHAT THEIR SKILL LEVELS AND WHAT THEY'RE GREAT AT AND WHAT MAYBE THEY'RE NOT SO GREAT AT, AND WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MOVE FORWARD.

AND I'D ALSO BE LOOKING AT THE FINANCES. I'M ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE STATUS OF PROJECTS.

YOU KNOW, IF ANYTHING'S DORMANT, WHAT CAN WE DO TO RISE THOSE UP AND BRING THOSE FORWARD? AND THOSE WOULD BE THE THINGS I'LL DO THE FIRST FEW DAYS HERE.

WHAT STRATEGIES DO YOU SEE MOVING FORWARD? BECAUSE WE HAVE WE ACTUALLY HAVE THREE DIRECTOR OPENINGS.

SO THERE ARE SOME THERE ARE SOME FEATS THAT NEED TO BE REACHED.

[02:55:01]

AND THAT'S ONE OF THE PLACES WHERE WE NEED GROWTH AT.

SURE. WHAT DO YOU SEE A STRATEGY IN MOVING FORWARD JUST IN THAT REALM ITSELF? YEAH. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, WE WANT TO PROMOTE PALM BAY IN A POSITIVE LIGHT.

OKAY. SO THE FIRST STRATEGY WOULD REALLY BE TO WHAT METHODS DO WE NEED TO GET TO A THRIVING, THRIVING COMMUNITY THAT WILL ATTRACT BUSINESSES HERE, THAT WILL ATTRACT INDUSTRY HERE.

SO WE GOT TO GET SURE WE NAIL THAT DOWN. HOW DO WE DO THAT? BY BEING ALL ON THE SAME PAGE. OKAY. AND LET ME GIVE YOU AN ANALOGY.

IF I CAN HERE, PICTURE US ALL ON A ROWBOAT. AND IN THAT ROWBOAT THERE'S MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.

THERE'S MEMBERS OF THE STAFF, THERE'S MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, THE STAKEHOLDERS IN THERE.

AND WITHOUT CLEAR COMMUNICATION AND DIRECTION AND VISION, WHERE TO GO? ARE WE GOING TO MAKE IT TO THE SHORE? ARE WE JUST GOING TO GO ROUND IN CIRCLES? WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS BE ABLE TO PUT OUR OARS IN THE WATER AT THE SAME TIME TOGETHER AND WORKING TOGETHER.

SO IN ORDER TO GET A LOT OF THIS ACCOMPLISHED, WE NEED TO BE ON THE SAME TEAM AND WE NEED TO DO THAT THROUGH COMMUNICATION, EDUCATION, USING THE RESOURCES WE HAVE TO GET EVERYBODY ON BOARD.

I SAYS ONCE WE DO THAT, WE'RE VIEWED IN A POSITIVE LIGHT.

IT SHOULD BE EASY TO ATTRACT INDUSTRY HERE. SO THANK YOU.

YOU'RE WELCOME. COUNCILMAN JOHNSON. THANK YOU MAYOR.

SO PALM BAY IS THE SECOND LARGEST CITY BY LAND MASS.

AND YOU'RE COMING FROM A MUCH SMALLER POPULATION IN BOWLING GREEN, FLORIDA.

BUT HAVE YOU DEVELOPED ANY LONG TERM STRATEGIC PLANS? IN YOUR, IN YOUR PREVIOUS OR CURRENT ENDEAVORS? YEAH, JUST WE JUST FINISHED ONE IN LADY LAKE.

IN FACT, IN YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN, WE HAVE SOMETHING SIMILAR, WHICH IS TWO WAY FIBER CONNECTING TOWN BUILDINGS. SO. AND I SEE THAT'S IN YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN.

THAT'S ONE OF THE ONES WE HAVE IN OURS. SO YES, I HAVE DONE THAT.

AWESOME. AND ADDITIONALLY, THE QUESTION I'VE ASKED ALL THE OTHER APPLICANTS, YOU MENTIONED THE $150 MILLION ROAD BOND, BUT A PORTION OF A PART OF THAT IS WE'RE HAVING WE HAVE A 70 MILLION DEFICIT WITH THAT ROAD BOND, AND WE STILL HAVE MANY ROADS THAT NEED TO BE REPAIRED TO THE POINT WHERE SOME ROADS HAVE BEEN PUSHED OFF, AS THEY MAY OR MAY NOT GET PAVED. WHEN, YOU KNOW, WE WERE UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT ALL OF THEM WOULD BE PAID WITH THE $150 MILLION BOND.

HOW WOULD YOU ADDRESS THAT KIND OF FUNDING GAP AND ADDITIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS THAT ARE CRITICAL TO THE CITY? SURE. FIRST OF ALL, I DON'T BELIEVE YOU HAVE THIS.

YOU SHOULD HAVE A ROAD MAINTENANCE PROGRAM. AND WHERE ROAD MAINTENANCE PROGRAM WOULD OUTLINE IS YOU RESURFACING YOUR WORST ROADS AND YOU RECYCLE THIS, LIKE IN A FIVE YEAR PERIOD. WE HAVE THIS IN LAY LAKE MAY BE SMALLER, BUT WE DO PLAN AHEAD.

OKAY. AND YOU DON'T HAVE THAT HERE. SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION IS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FIND OUT WHERE WE ARE FINANCIALLY AND FIND OUT WHERE WE CAN GET THE FUNDS TO DO THAT. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S GRANT OPPORTUNITIES OUT THERE NOW.

I KNOW SOMETIMES WITH THE STATE OF FLORIDA, THEY HAVE THE SCOTT GRANT THROUGH FDOT THAT WILL HELP FUND SOME OF THE ROAD RESURFACING.

BUT REALLY GOING FORWARD, THINKING AHEAD AND PLAYING CATCH UP, YOU REALLY NEED TO THINK ABOUT ROAD RESURFACING MAINTENANCE PROGRAM WHERE YOU'RE TURNING OVER YOUR PAVING EVERY SINGLE YEAR AFTER FIVE YEAR PERIOD, YOU'RE GOING BACK ON YOUR WORST ROADS AGAIN, SO YOUR ROADS STAY A B, AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE STATUS IS, BUT LIKE OUR ROADS ARE BASICALLY BE OKAY.

SO YOU NEED TO HAVE A PROGRAM LIKE THAT. YOU PROBABLY NEED TO HAVE A SIMILAR PROGRAM WITH ALL YOUR INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES.

SO YOU HAVE A MAINTENANCE PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY'RE COMING UP, WHAT YOU CAN ANTICIPATE FOR, AND YOU HAVE THE FUNDS AVAILABLE TO DO THAT. YES, SIR.

AND IF THE MAYOR WAS GOING TO AND THE MAYOR IS GOING TO SPEAK ON, I'LL SPEAK ON IT.

BUT WE THIS COUNCIL, I GUESS PREVIOUS COUNCIL.

TECHNICALLY. RIGHT. MAYOR. PREVIOUS COUNCIL. WE DID PUT TOGETHER A ROAD MAINTENANCE PROGRAM.

YEAH. SO WE HAVE ONE IN PLACE. BUT NOT TO SAY IT CAN'T BE PERFECTED.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT. BUT ONE, ONE ITEM I WANT TO TOUCH ON THAT.

I'M. I'M SURPRISED I HAVEN'T SPOKEN ON IT WITH THE OTHER CANDIDATES.

IS SUSTAINABILITY AND PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT.

YOU SPOKE ABOUT TURKEY CREEK, BUT WE ALSO HAVE THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON.

AND I FEEL THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE KIND OF DROPPED THE BALL AND SPEAK ON WITH OTHER CANDIDATES.

BUT I WANTED TO HEAR YOUR TAKE ON HOW YOU WOULD PROTECT AND RESTORE OUR WATERWAYS HERE IN PALM BAY.

WELL, OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE GOING TO WORK WITH THE STATE OF FLORIDA ON THAT.

[03:00:04]

WOULD IT BE JOHNSON? YEAH, I PROBABLY WOULD WANT TO WORK WITH THEM AND FIND OUT WHAT STRATEGIES THEY HAVE IN PLAY TO TO ENSURE, MAINTAIN THAT WE KEEP THE SAME PRACTICES GOING.

AND IF WE NEED TO MAKE IT BETTER AND CLEAN UP BETTER THAN WE WILL AND WE SHOULD.

SO IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING WITH SOME OF THE VISITING, WITH SOME OF THE MANAGERS AND AND MEETING THE PARKS DIRECTOR, HE FEELS THAT THEY'VE BEEN STAYING ON TOP OF THE PARKS PRETTY WELL.

SO THANK YOU. SO THE VERY FIRST QUESTION IS, WHAT IS DRIVING YOUR INTEREST TO SERVE THE CITY OF PALM BAY AS OUR NEXT CITY MANAGER? THE CHALLENGE, I MEAN, I'M ALWAYS LOOKING FOR CHALLENGES.

YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SIT BACK THERE AND LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF PALM BAY AND SAY, OH, MY.

WHY? OKAY, THERE'S OPPORTUNITY. HERE IS WHY. OKAY, SO I'M HERE FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING MY SKILL SET HERE OF WHAT I'VE LEARNED AND TO DEVELOP FUTURE LEADERS. YOU HAVE. MY TAKE WAS 1054 EMPLOYEES HERE.

PART OF MY RESPONSIBILITY IS TO DEVELOP FUTURE LEADERS, AND THEY'RE RIGHT HERE IN YOUR COMMUNITY.

AND SO I LOOK AT THAT AS A CHALLENGE. SO IT'S A BIGGER STAGE.

I CAN HAVE A BIGGER IMPACT HERE. AND IT'S NOT THAT I DON'T HAVE AN IMPACT, BUT LAKE HAD ISSUES.

OPPORTUNITIES IS WHERE THERE'S ISSUES AND NOW DEVELOP PEOPLE AND LAY LAKE THAT IF I LEAVE I'M NOT CONCERNED ABOUT LAY LAKE.

IF I COME HERE, IT'S A CHALLENGE. IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A BIGGER IMPACT IN THE COMMUNITY.

CAN YOU GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE OF A CHALLENGE THAT YOU FACED AS A TOWN MANAGER OR CITY MANAGER, AND, AND HOW YOU RESOLVED IT AND WHAT YOU LEARNED FROM IT? SURE. FAIRLY NEW TOWN MANAGER IN A TOWN OF LINCOLN, MAINE.

SMALL TOWN 5000 PEOPLE. THE LARGEST EMPLOYER WAS A PAPER MILL AND THE PAPER MILL WAS STRUGGLING FINANCIALLY.

LIKE MOST PAPER MILLS WERE IN MAINE. AND I WATCHED THESE PAPER MILLS IN THESE TOWNS GO UNDER AND POPULATIONS OF 10,000 OR MORE PEOPLE DWINDLED DOWN TO 2000 PEOPLE AND JUST COULDN'T SURVIVE IT.

SO WE HAD A MILL, A BOILER EXPLOSION, AND THAT JUST DID IT FOR THE MAIL.

NO. ONE EXPLOSION, A BOILER, A BOILER EXPLOSION.

AND NO ONE GOT HURT IN IT, BUT IT PUT THE MILL DOWN.

AND SO WHAT I HAD TO DO VERY QUICKLY IS I HAD TO USE FEDERAL RESOURCES, STATE RESOURCES, AND COUNTY RESOURCES TO COME TOGETHER.

AND THEY CAME TO THE TOWN OF LINCOLN, MAINE. THAT SMALL TOWN TO HELP OUT THE EMPLOYEES WITH BENEFITS AND RETRAINING.

OKAY. IN THE MEANTIME, I ALSO KNEW I HAD TO LOOK AT REBRANDING THE TOWN BECAUSE THE TOWN WAS KNOWN AS A MILL TOWN, BUT WE ALSO HAD 14 LAKES IN THAT TOWN, AND SO WE WERE GOING TO BE AN OUTDOOR DESTINATION FOR FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO CAMP, HUNT AND FISH AND SO FORTH. BUT THAT ENDED UP CREATING WAS AN ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FOR OUTFITTERS TO COME INTO OUR TOWN.

RESTAURANTS ARE COMING TO OUR TOWN AND WAS KNOWN NOW AS AN OUTDOOR DESTINATION.

IF YOU EVER CHECK THE LINCOLN MAIN WEBSITE, YOU'LL SEE THAT THAT'S STILL GOING ON TO THIS DAY UP THERE.

SO THAT'S HOW I PULLED MULTIPLE AGENCIES TOGETHER AND FACILITATED THAT AND GOT THAT JOB DONE.

WELL, I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED THAT BECAUSE I WANTED YOU TO EXPAND A LITTLE BIT ON ON YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH DIFFERENT GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES, DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS, AND HOW HOW YOU ESTABLISH THOSE RELATIONSHIPS TO MOVE THOSE PROJECTS FORWARD.

YEAH, WELL, THAT'S THE BIGGEST ONE. GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.

SO ONE OF YOUR KEYS TO SUCCESS IS IS DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIPS.

YOU KNOW, SO DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES.

SO USUALLY YOU HAVE A MANAGERS MEETING HERE WITH MANAGERS FROM OTHER CITIES AND SO FORTH.

I THINK YOU WOULD HEAR AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE INVOLVED IN THOSE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE ALL SHARE IDEAS AND FACTS.

SOMEBODY MIGHT FIND IT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY OR FUNDING OPPORTUNITY AND THEY'LL SHARE THAT WITH YOU.

USUALLY YOUR COUNTY GOVERNMENT, YOUR COUNTY MANAGER MAY BE INVOLVED IN THAT.

AND THERE'S TIMES TO DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS WITH THOSE INDIVIDUALS.

I THINK YOU NEED TO GET TO KNOW YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATORS, TOO, BECAUSE THERE'S LEGISLATIVE FUNDING UP THERE THAT'S AVAILABLE, AND WE SHOULD LOOK AT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THAT.

SO REALLY, PART OF THE JOB OF THE MANAGERS IS DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIPS WITH ALL THESE ENTITIES.

WELL, AND THAT'S YOU KNOW, ALL THESE QUESTIONS ARE WERE LEADING TO THIS.

RIGHT. OUR TRAFFIC CONDITIONS IN PALM BAY, IF YOU STUDY THIS IS A HUGE ISSUE FOR US.

AND I KNOW THAT. COUNCILMAN HAS RECENTLY DISCUSSED ABOUT THE CHALLENGES.

WE HAVE COUNTY ROADS, WE HAVE STATE ROADS AND CITY ROADS THAT ALL INTERSECT, AND THEY'RE ALL PART OF THAT PROBLEM.

[03:05:07]

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO IMPROVE TRAFFIC CAPACITY IN YOUR CURRENT SITUATION OR YOUR EXPERIENCE? AND THE CONDITION IN THE PLACES THAT YOU HAVE SERVED AND AND CURRENTLY SERVED? WELL, CURRENTLY, WHERE I AM RIGHT NOW IT'S IT'S ACTUALLY A US HIGHWAY AND, AND FDOT HAS THAT PROJECT, BUT WE WERE A TWO LANE HIGHWAY. WE'RE NOW FOUR LANES.

WE WIDEN THAT ROAD PROJECT AND THAT IS IT'S NOW COMPLETED.

AND THAT TOOK ABOUT FOUR YEARS BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT INVOLVED WITH THAT.

AND IT'S NOT EASY TO WORK WITH FDOT. I GOTTA BE HONEST WITH YOU.

SO I DON'T KNOW WHO OWNS YOUR ROADS WHERE YOUR MAJOR TRAFFIC IS, BUT THEY GET DONE.

WAS IN THE STATE OF MAINE. THERE AGAIN, WE HAD ANOTHER MAINE DOT ROAD, AND WE NEEDED THAT EXPANDED FOR THE TRAFFIC FLOW.

AND WHAT WE DID IS I MET WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF THE MAINE DOT AND WENT TO THE STATE HOUSES IN AUGUSTA, SAT DOWN AND SHARED THE PROBLEMS WITH THEM, AND WE CAME UP WITH AN AGREEMENT THAT THEY WOULD FUND SOME OF THAT.

BUT THE TOWN DID, TOO. SO IT WENT TO A REFERENDUM VOTE.

THAT PROJECT TO WIDEN THAT ROAD AT THAT TIME, WHICH WAS ABOUT 9 OR 10 YEARS AGO, WAS GOING TO BE ABOUT $3 MILLION.

AND DOT SAYS IF YOU COME UP WITH A THIRD OF THAT FUNDING, WE'LL GET THIS DONE FOR YOU.

SO WE PUT TO REFERENDUM VOTE TO THE COMMUNITY, AND THEY VOTED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT PROJECT AND TO FUND THAT OTHER MILLION DOLLARS.

AND THAT GOT DONE. IT GOT COMPLETED. I THINK ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS YOU DO NEED TO DO IS A TRAFFIC STUDY, YOU KNOW, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S BEEN DONE YET, SO YOU NEED TO HAVE A TRAFFIC ENGINEER AND TRAFFIC STUDY DONE ON YOUR ROADWAYS TO FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND MOVE FORWARD THAT WAY.

SO THAT MILLION DOLLARS THAT BUY IN YOU PARTNERED, WAS THAT THE US ONE QUARTER THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO KNOW, OR WAS THAT ANOTHER? THIS IS THIS IS UP IN MAINE.

IT'S CALLED ROUTE TWO. OKAY. AND IT WAS A STATE ROAD THAT RAN RIGHT THROUGH THE CENTER OF THE TOWN, OUR MAIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORRIDOR OF OF RETAIL SHOPS AND RESTAURANTS.

AND WE WERE GROWING BECAUSE I WAS PUSHING THE GROWTH BECAUSE OF THAT MILL SHUT DOWN.

AND THEN IT CREATED TRAFFIC ISSUES AS FAR AS ROAD OPENINGS AND SO FORTH.

SO THE THE TOWN OF LINCOLN IS IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE FINANCIALLY.

WE HAD THAT MONEY IN RESERVES, SO IT WAS A NON ISSUE, BUT WE HAD TO GET APPROVAL FROM THE COMMUNITY THROUGH A REFERENDUM TO DO THAT.

YEAH. BUT YOU MENTIONED THAT US ONE QUARTER TWO LANE AT THE FOUR LANES THAT THAT WAS ALL.

OH THAT WOULD BE IN OUR AREA. THAT ROAD, ROUTE 441, THAT GOES RIGHT THROUGH THE CENTER OF LADY LAKE.

YES. AND AND THE CITY DIDN'T PAY FOR ANY OF THAT.

WE HAD TO FUND A PORTION OF MOVING SOME OF THE UTILITIES, BUT IT WAS VERY MINOR.

BUT WE GOT REIMBURSED QUITE HANDSOMELY. I WAS JUST I WAS INTRIGUED.

SO YOUR ZERO COST. THANK YOU. DEPUTY MAYOR, YOUR EXPERIENCE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, HOW DO YOU APPROACH COLLECTIVE BARGAINING? AND AS LADY LAKE HAS ITS OWN FIRE DEPARTMENT? OH, YEAH, PBA. SO I HAVE EXPERIENCE IN UNION UNION NEGOTIATIONS.

I'VE BEEN ON BOTH SIDES OF THE TABLE. I'VE BEEN A SHOP STEWARD, A MEMBER OF THE UNION, THEN A MEMBER OF ADMINISTRATION.

SO I NEGOTIATED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE TABLE. AND I DO CURRENTLY.

AND AND I DO HAVE A STRATEGY. AND THE STRATEGY, FIRST OF ALL, IS MEETING WITH YOU TO FIND OUT WHAT PARAMETERS I'M GIVEN.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE YOUR ATTORNEY INVOLVED OR OUR LABOR ATTORNEY INVOLVED IN THOSE.

NEGOTIATIONS ARE NOT WHERE I AM IN LAY LAKE. WE DO.

BUT I'VE DONE THIS WITHOUT A LABOR ATTORNEY, SO I'D LIKE TO FIND THE PARAMETERS OUT.

AND THE REASON FOR THE PARAMETERS IS SO I KNOW IF I GOT ROOM TO MOVE IN NEGOTIATIONS, I DON'T MAKE A MOVE UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS.

OKAY, SO IN OTHER WORDS, I COME BACK AND REPORT TO YOU WHAT THE ISSUES ARE, WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR, AND WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO. AND CAN WE MEET, CAN WE COMPROMISE.

AND I REALLY FEEL THE ART OF A SUCCESSFUL NEGOTIATIONS IS TO LEARN TO COMPROMISE.

AND I'LL TELL YOU WHY. YOUR UNION MEMBERS, YOUR STAFF, YOUR EMPLOYEES, THEY STILL YOUR EMPLOYEES, THEY STILL COME TO WORK. DOES THAT MEAN THEY GET EVERYTHING THEY WANT? NO, BUT IT MEANS YOU NEGOTIATE RESPECTFULLY, OKAY.

AND YOU'RE RESPECTFUL IN THOSE NEGOTIATIONS AREAS, YOU CAN COMPROMISE.

I'D RECOMMEND COMPROMISE IN AREAS YOU CAN'T. YOU CAN'T.

THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE. SO THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO MOVE TO ANOTHER SUBJECT.

WHAT IS YOUR EXPERIENCE IN LAND USE PLANNING AND PROMOTING GROWTH AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT?

[03:10:06]

OKAY. BECAUSE IT WASN'T IN MY WHEELHOUSE. BUT I DID IT.

AND SO I HAD TO DO WAS APPROVE SITE PLANS AND SO FORTH.

AND AND DID THAT WITH AN ASSISTANT WHERE I AM RIGHT NOW WITH OUR GROWTH MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT, THEY DO A LOT OF THAT WORK. WE HAVE A 4000 UNIT PDU BEING APPROVED RIGHT NOW, AND IT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW IN LADY LAKE. SO MY EXPERIENCE IS REALLY WORKING WITH GROWTH MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT, AND I HAVE TO APPROVE AND SIGN OFF ON THOSE DEVELOPMENTS.

I'LL GO TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING MEETINGS AND LOOK AT THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE PROVIDED TO THE COMMISSION FOR THE COMMISSION TO DO FINAL APPROVAL.

AND WE HAVE NO PROBLEMS MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS AS FAR AS WHETHER WE FEEL THAT THIS SHOULD BE APPROVED OR NOT APPROVED.

ONE OF THE CONCERNS, YOU KNOW, I'LL PUT IT OUT THERE THAT I'VE HEARD AND LISTENED TO LATELY IS WHETHER YOU SHOULD PUT MORATORIUM OUT THERE OR NOT. AND THIS IS WHAT MY CONCERN IS, IS YOUR INFRASTRUCTURE IS NOT MATCHING UP WITH THE PROJECTS YOU'VE BEEN APPROVING.

I'M BEING TOLD THIS IS THE WAY IT IS. WHAT YOU GET IS WHAT YOU SEE HERE.

AND SO SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO SLOW DOWN A LITTLE BIT.

AND A MORATORIUM WILL DO THAT FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT? TO FIND OUT WHERE YOU WHERE YOU ARE, WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, WHAT IT'S GOING TO COST YOU SO YOU CAN PLAN MOVING FORWARD.

AND THEN ONCE THAT'S FIGURED OUT, YOU CAN LIFT THE MORATORIUM AND MOVE FORWARD.

WHAT MY CONCERN WOULD BE IS APPROVING PROJECTS AND NOT HAVING THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE FUNDS TO GET THIS ACCOMPLISHED.

SO THAT WOULD BE MY CONCERN. NOT SAYING THERE.

AGAIN, I APPLIED FOR THIS POSITION BECAUSE OF THE CHALLENGE AND THE OPPORTUNITY.

SO THESE ALL CAN BE FIXED. YOUR RECOMMENDATION IS A MORATORIUM ON REZONING AND LAND USE CHANGES, OR A MORATORIUM ON ALL NEW CONSTRUCTION, NO MATTER WHAT.

I WOULD RECOMMEND ALL NEW CONSTRUCTION FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME TO FIND OUT WHERE WE ARE WITH THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND WHAT FUNDING NEEDS TO BE DONE AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET THIS ACCOMPLISHED, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO SEE PROJECTS APPROVED AND WE JUST CAN'T KEEP UP WITH IT.

WE CAN'T WE CAN'T PERFORM. HOW WOULD YOU APPROACH THE BUDGET SHORTFALL NORMALLY LIKE RIGHT NOW? IMPACT FEES EQUATE TO ABOUT 8% OF OUR OF OUR BUDGET.

HOW WOULD YOU HOW WOULD WOULD THE MORATORIUM WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE MANAGING THAT GAP IN THE BUDGET AND WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE? POSSIBLY. WE'RE A BLUE COLLAR CITY. THE AMOUNT OF POTENTIAL UNEMPLOYMENT THAT COULD HAPPEN IN OUR CITY WITH THE MORATORIUM.

THAT'D BECOME AN ISSUE. AND THERE'S ONLY TWO THINGS YOU CAN DO. INCREASE YOUR REVENUE OR MAKE CUTS.

OKAY, IF THAT'S THE DILEMMA. SO I WON'T SAY HAVE AN IMPACT.

I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT YOU ALSO GOT TO REALIZE, YOU KNOW, AS YOU'RE BUILDING, I'M ALL FOR DON'T TELL.

I'M ALL FOR GROWTH. I'M ALL ABOUT GROWING AND GROWTH.

BUT YOU GOT TO MAKE SURE YOU GOT THE INFRASTRUCTURE THERE IN PLACE AND YOU GOT THE FUNDING FOR THAT SO IT CAN GET ACCOMPLISHED.

OR YOU CAN HAVE THESE PROJECTS THAT ARE SITTING THERE AND NOT GETTING DONE.

YOU DON'T WANT THAT EITHER. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU MAYOR.

THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN LANDRY. NO. I'M GOOD MAYOR.

COUNCILMAN HAMMOND. I THINK I'M GOOD. COUNCILMAN JOHNSON.

OKAY. WHAT IS YOUR EXPERIENCE IN LEADING AN ORGANIZATION DURING AN EMERGENCY? I'M GOING TO BE THERE. I'M RIGHT OUT IN THE FRONT, AND I'M GOING TO, FIRST OF ALL, LISTEN TO THEM.

YOU GOT TO LISTEN TO YOUR LEADERS AND FIND OUT THEY HAVE EVERYTHING THEY NEED.

SO I'M GOING TO BE OUT IN THE FOREFRONT DURING THE EMERGENCY.

AND I'VE DONE THIS THROUGH MY WHOLE CAREER, AND I THINK I EXCEL AT THAT BECAUSE OF MY CAREER.

AND SO YOU GOT TO BE AVAILABLE. YOU GOT TO BE OUT THERE.

YOU GOT TO LISTEN TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY HAS THE TOOLS AND THE MANPOWER AND EQUIPMENT THAT'S NEEDED.

YOU ALSO GOT TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE COMMUNICATING WITH THE MEDIA, WITH THE WITH THE COUNCIL HERE WITH YOU, MAYOR AND THE PUBLIC ON THE STATUS OF WHAT'S GOING ON DURING THAT EMERGENCY.

SO EVERYBODY NEEDS TO BE INFORMED OF WHAT'S GOING ON.

THE WORST THING YOU CAN DO IS NOT INFORM THEM AND SHOWING LACK OF TRANSPARENCY BECAUSE SOMEBODY WILL THINK SOMETHING'S GOING ON THAT'S WRONG, WHICH IS NOT THE CASE. SO THAT'S HOW I WOULD HANDLE THE EMERGENCIES.

CAN YOU SHARE ABOUT AN ORGANIZATIONAL PROCESS THAT YOU LED IN THE PAST AND IMPROVEMENT OF THAT? WELL, THE THE MOST MEMORABLE ONE THAT WAS REALLY IMPACTFUL WAS ONE I'VE ALREADY MENTIONED IN LINCOLN.

I THINK SINCE THEN AS AN ORGANIZATION WITH CURRENTLY WITH LADY LAKE, WHAT THEY WERE AGAIN,

[03:15:08]

THEY DIDN'T MAKE ANY SIGNIFICANT INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT FOR 20 YEARS.

AND WHEN THEY HIRED ME, I'M KNOWN FOR BEING FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE.

BUT WHEN THEY HIRED ME, I CAME IN ALL OF A SUDDEN SAW THE NEED.

WE NEED A NEW SEWER PLANT. WE NEED NEW WELLS.

SO I WAS ABLE TO WORK WITH THE COMMISSION, EDUCATE THE COMMISSION.

THEIR THEY'RE CALLED UP THERE AND BE ABLE TO GO FORWARD WITH THESE PROJECTS BECAUSE WE HAVE THE MONEY AND RESERVES.

WE WERE PRETTY DECENT FINANCIALLY, SO I LED THE INITIATIVE FOR THOSE PROJECTS TO START, AND THEY'RE NOW COMPLETED.

THE WASTEWATER PLANTS IN OPERATION. THE TWO WELLS ARE NOW IN OPERATION.

THE EXPANSION OF THE LIBRARY, THAT WAS A $5.3 MILLION EXPANSION THAT WOULD BE COMPLETED IN OCTOBER.

SO THOSE ARE ONES THAT WE STARTED SINCE MY TENURE THAT HAVE COMPLETED AND ARE ABOUT TO BE COMPLETED, AND WE'RE STILL DEBT FREE UP THERE. WHY WOULD YOU BE THE BEST FIT TO SERVE AS CITY MANAGER OF THE CITY OF PALM BAY? I'M THE GUY THAT KNOWS WHAT IT'S LIKE TO WORK SHIFT WORKS NIGHTS, WEEKENDS.

I STARTED OUT MY CAREER AT THE BOTTOM OF THE TOTEM POLE, SO TO SPEAK.

SO I UNDERSTAND WHAT IT'S LIKE TO TRY TO WORK SHIFT WORK NIGHTS, WEEKENDS AND HOLIDAYS AND SO FORTH.

SO I THINK THAT SETS ME APART FROM SOME MANAGERS THAT HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THAT.

I THINK MY WISDOM THAT I'VE GATHERED OVER THE YEARS, I'VE MADE SOME MISTAKES.

I MEAN, OVER THE YEARS. AND AS LONG AS YOU LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES AND MOVE FORWARD, THAT'S THE KEY.

AND I JUST NOTICED YOU'VE BEEN THERE, MAYOR. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

SO YOU KNOW WHY I'M THE BEST? BECAUSE I LOVE CHALLENGES AND I LOVE OPPORTUNITIES.

I HAVE A TRACK RECORD. IF YOU LOOK BACK ON ME, I HAVE A.

I'M JUST NOT SAYING THAT I HAVE A TRACK RECORD OF GETTING THAT COMPLETED.

THE WHOLE KEY THING HERE, THOUGH, IS COMMUNICATION, TRANSPARENCY AND LETTING EVERYBODY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND WORKING TOGETHER AS A TEAM.

AND I'VE HAD SUCCESS IN THE PAST DOING THAT. SO THANK YOU, DEPUTY MAYOR.

I HAVE NO QUESTIONS, MAYOR. I'LL START AGAIN.

COUNCILMAN. LANDSMAN. COUNCILMAN HAMMOND. I'M GOOD.

COUNCILMAN. JOHNSON. SO THERE AREN'T ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.

IF YOU'D LIKE TO WRAP UP AND LET US KNOW ANY.

YEAH. I HAVE TWO THINGS, IF YOU DON'T MIND. ONE IS, I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU.

AND IF ONE OR ALL OF YOU WANT TO CHIME IN, IF SELECTED, HOW WILL I BE JUDGED AT THE END OF THE YEAR? ABOUT WHAT SIMPLE THING OR WHAT THING THAT YOU WANT TO SEE ACCOMPLISHED IN THAT FIRST YEAR, SO I CAN DETERMINE WHETHER I'LL BE A SUCCESS OR NOT.

I'M GOING TO TELL YOU RIGHT HERE, IF I DON'T THINK I'M GOING TO DO IT, IT CAN DO IT.

I'M GOING TO LET YOU KNOW RIGHT NOW IF I THINK I CAN.

I'M GOING TO LET YOU KNOW THAT. SO WHAT SINGLE THING OR WHAT THING YOU'D LIKE TO SEE THE CITY MANAGER ACCOMPLISH IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS.

SOMEBODY DOESN'T MIND SHARING. THAT'S A THAT'S A FAIR QUESTION.

AND I'M GOING TO START WITH OUR COUNCILMAN LANGEVIN AT THAT END.

WELL NO GO AHEAD. COUNCIL. ALL RIGHT. WHAT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IS THE FIRST THING IS SOMETHING SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'RE SEEING AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL WITH DOGE DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY. SO I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO LOOK DEEPLY INTO THE ROOTS OF EACH DEPARTMENT, EVERY DEPARTMENT FROM AS HIGH UP TO, AS, YOU KNOW, ENTRY LEVEL, TO SEE HOW WE CAN BECOME MORE EFFICIENT, HOW WE AREN'T JUST LOOKING JUST TO CREATE NEW POSITIONS BECAUSE OF LACK OF EFFICIENCY.

BUT WE'RE UTILIZING THE MEN AND WOMEN WE ALREADY HAVE.

AND IF WE NEED TO DOWNSIZE, WE DOWNSIZE. IF WE NEED TO PRIVATIZE, WE PRIVATIZE.

BUT THE MAYOR AND MYSELF LAST YEAR WERE PUSHING FOR AN INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR THIS VERY REASON TO SEE HOW WE CAN IMPROVE AND HOW WE CAN BECOME MORE EFFICIENT AND MORE TIMELY. SO WE DON'T GO WITH THE THE MOTTO OF, YOU KNOW, GOVERNMENT MOVES SLOW, NO GOVERNMENT MOVES SLOW BECAUSE WE ALLOW IT TO MOVE SLOW. SO THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST THING ON MY TAKE, SIR.

SO THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND I APPRECIATE YOU ASKING THAT.

VERY GOOD. I'M STILL IN. SO I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE INDUSTRIAL LIGHT INDUSTRIAL GROWTH, MORE COMMERCIAL GROWTH ARE ARE DEDICATED EFFORT TOWARDS THAT ECONOMIC BASE OF CREATING JOBS. I'VE BEEN A LONG SUPPORTER OF THAT SINCE I GOT ON THIS DAIS, AND WE HAVE BEEN MOVING THE NEEDLE FORWARD IN THAT REGARD.

AND I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE OF THAT. THERE'S GOT TO BE A BIGGER BALANCE.

OUR INFRASTRUCTURE. I KNOW I'M SURPRISED COUNCILMAN JOHNSON DIDN'T DIDN'T ELABORATE ON THIS, BUT PART OF WHY HE FEELS AND I AS WELL IS OUR ROAD BOND PROGRAM THAT IG, I THINK WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR,

[03:20:08]

SO MY ISSUES ARE MORE HE CALLS IT DOGE. I CALL IT MORE OF AN IG OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR CITY TO BE MOVING FORWARD ON A CONTINUAL BASIS. NOTHING TO POINT FINGERS OR THROW ROCKS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE OF OUR JOB CREATION, A HUGE EFFORT IN THAT JOB CREATION.

I BELIEVE WE HAVE HUGE OPPORTUNITIES HERE WITH A COMPOUND.

I REALLY BELIEVE THAT WE COULD INCREASE THE OUR COMMERCIAL BASE WITHIN THE FINES CONFINES, EVEN IF IT TAKES OPPORTUNITIES WHERE WE COULD INVEST INTO OUR OWN PROPERTY.

AND I'VE SAID THAT PUBLICLY ON THE DAIS AS WELL.

SO THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS. I'D LIKE FOR THAT TO BE CONQUERED.

I'D LIKE FOR THAT INFRASTRUCTURE COMPONENT. WE'VE GOT A $70 MILLION SHORTFALL NOW.

PART OF THAT HAS BEEN OVER TIME. YOU KNOW, THERE HAVE BEEN SUPPLY CHAINS, CHALLENGES THAT HAVE BEEN INCREASING IN PETROLEUM, WHICH AFFECTS EVERYTHING WHEN IT COMES TO ROADS AND THAT THAT ASPECT.

SO THE CHALLENGES ARE REAL HERE IN THE CITY OF PALM BAY.

AND AND YES, I TRULY BELIEVE THAT THIS COUNCIL CAN SET THOSE GOALS AND PRIORITIES AND EXPECT THOSE OUTCOME MEASURES.

WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT I WANTED COUNCIL TO DO, IS GIVE OUR CITY MANAGER A GOAL AND LET'S SEE IF THE CITY MANAGER CAN MEET THOSE GOALS.

SO I'M I'M ALL ABOUT SETTING THOSE GOALS AND EXPECTATIONS RIGHT FROM THE FRONT.

SO I'LL YIELD MY, MY NEXT TIME TO I WOULD I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE DIRECTOR POSITIONS FILLED.

BUT WE'VE HAD A PUBLIC WORKS POSITION THAT'S HASN'T REALLY BEEN FILLED.

AND A NUMBER OF YEARS. I THINK WE NEED A VERY, VERY STRONG ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

DIRECTOR. I'D LIKE TO SEE THE THE EDC DEPARTMENT BE A VERY, VERY ROBUST DEPARTMENT WITHIN OUR CITY.

I'M NOT A FAN OF MORATORIUMS. I THINK THEY I GATHERED THAT YOU CAN FIGURE THAT OUT.

YEAH. AND, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO SEE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE PLANS FOR A PARK IN SOUTHEAST PALM BAY.

I'D LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING REALLY HAPPENED WITH THE THE MAJOR'S GOLF COURSE.

I MEAN, THERE'S THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS. IT'S A HEAVY LIFT FOR ANYBODY, FOR ANYBODY TO COME HERE.

WE HAVE SOME SPECTACULAR COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE TRYING TO TAKE PLACE IN THE CITY, AND WE CAN'T GET OUT OF OUR OWN WAY TO GET THESE PROJECTS OUT OF THE GROUND.

THERE'S A GENTLEMAN SITTING IN THIS ROOM THAT HAS A BEAUTIFUL PROJECT, AND IT'S BEEN TRYING FOR FOUR YEARS TO TO GET IT TO FRUITION.

AND PALM BAY CONTINUES TO BE THE ROADBLOCK TO TO THAT SUCCESS, HIS SUCCESS, OUR SUCCESS.

SO THOSE ARE SOME OF MY ASK. VICE MAYOR JEFFREY, I JUST WANT TO EXPLAIN SOMETHING.

YOU ASKED MY OPINION. I DO WORK FOR THE COUNCIL, AND I FOLLOW THE ORDERS FROM THE COUNCIL.

OKAY. BUT THAT'S JUST MY OPINION. SO IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'D LIKE TO LEAVE YOU WITH ONE THING.

I'M A STORYTELLER. I THINK I LEARNED FROM ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

GREAT COMMUNICATOR. HE'S A GREAT STORYTELLING.

SO I WANT TO LEAVE YOU WITH THIS. SO I HAVE MENTOR TELL ME.

HE SAYS WHEN YOU COMPETE, IF YOU WANT TO WIN, YOU BEAT 80% OF YOUR COMPETITION BY HAVING A HARD WORK ETHIC.

YOU CAN BEAT THEM JUST BY WORKING HARD. I SAID, WELL, I CAN DO THAT.

HE SAYS, YOU BEAT THE NEXT 10% BY BEING A GOOD PERSON.

I GO, OOH. HE SAID, I DIDN'T SAY PERFECT, I SAID, GOOD.

I SAID, WELL, I CAN DO THAT. SO HE SAYS, SO THAT PUTS YOU IN THE TOP TEN.

I SAYS, WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO THEN? HE SAYS, IT'S A DOG FIGHT.

HE SAYS, SO YOU HAVE TO FIGHT FOR IT. SO I APPRECIATE BEING INVITED TO THE FIGHT.

THANK YOU. I HAVE ONE OTHER THING. IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, I HAVE HERE AN ARTICLE I'VE WRITTEN AND A COPY OF THE MANAGER'S REPORT THAT I RECENTLY WRITE. IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, I CAN LEAVE THEM ON THE DESK.

YOU CAN PICK THEM UP AT YOUR LEISURE AND LOOK AT THEM.

YES, SIR. I THINK COUNCILMAN HAMMER HAD A FINAL.

YEAH. THERE IS ONE THING THAT I DO WANT TO SEE, AND WE ONLY HAVE EIGHT MINUTES, SO I'M GOING TO KIND OF BRIEF IT UP.

THERE IS A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE'VE ALL SAID THAT WE WANT TO SEE IN OUR CITY MANAGER.

ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO SEE US STABILITY, I WANT TO SEE GROWTH.

I WANT TO BE ABLE TO GO TO PUBLIX AND SEE PEOPLE HAPPY TO BE LIVING IN PALM BAY, CALLING PALM BAY THEIR HOME.

I WANT TO SEE CITY EMPLOYEES PROUD TO SAY THIS IS WHERE THEY WORK.

I WANT TO SEE STABILITY. I WANT TO SEE GROWTH, AND I WANT TO SEE MOVING FORWARD.

I WANT TO LEAVE THIS CITY FOR MY KIDS SOMEWHERE THEY'RE PROUD TO BE AT.

[03:25:02]

I DO WANT TO SEE GROWTH. I WANT TO SEE EVERYTHING THAT EVERYBODY SAID HERE.

I THINK WE HAVE WHERE WE HAVE A LOT OF OBSTACLES.

WE HAVE MORE POTENTIAL THAN ANYBODY. WE'RE 40% BUILT OUT, AND WE'RE THE ONLY EAST COAST CITY WITH THE POTENTIAL THAT WE HAVE. IT'S IT'S AMAZING THE THE IDEAS, THE PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT ARE WILLING TO STEP FORWARD. MY FAMILY'S BEEN HERE FOREVER, AND I HAVE NEVER SEEN A GROUP OF PEOPLE FIGHTING TO MAKE THIS PLACE SO GOOD. WE JUST NEED STABILITY IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

AND THAT'S WHAT I DO WANT TO SEE. THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT.

THANK YOU. ANY COUNCILMAN. NOTHING. OKAY. ANY ANY LAST COMMENTS, SIR? NO, I THINK I SHARED IT LAST. IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'LL JUST LEAVE THESE ARTICLES OVER HERE IF YOU'RE INTERESTED.

FINE. IF NOT, WELL, FINE. I HOPE I AT LEAST HAD A CHANCE TO EDUCATE A LITTLE BIT HERE TODAY, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. I'M HAVING FUN. IT'S A BLAST.

AND SCOTT, YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB WITH YOUR TEAM.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. WE WILL NOW BREAK FOR CHOW.

IT'S ALMOST 40. OH. I'M OKAY. IT IS NOW 1300 HOURS.

I'M GOING TO CALL OUR SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING.

BACK TO ORDER, MR. MORGAN. YES, MAYOR. CITY COUNCIL, I THINK OUR OUR 1:00 INTERVIEW CANDIDATE IS UNDOUBTEDLY ON HIS WAY OVER HERE. IT IS JUST NOW 1:00. AND SO WE'LL JUST WAIT A MINUTE OR TWO.

I KNOW THERE'S SOMETIMES BEEN A QUEUE BEHIND THE SCREENING AS OTHER PEOPLE COME IN, SO WE'LL JUST BE PATIENT AND WAIT A MOMENT.

OVER THERE. OKAY. YEAH. WE SHOULD I THINK I THINK OUR RUNNER IS I THINK OUR RUNNER IS JUST A LITTLE BIT BEHIND SCHEDULE, WITH OUR NEXT CANDIDATE ON OUR WAY FROM THE OTHER BUILDING.

YEAH. SO THEY SHOULD ALREADY BE IN THE QUEUE RIGHT BEFORE OUR COMMENCING TIME.

OKAY. LOOKS LIKE WE'RE WE'RE QUEUING UP NOW, SO.

OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. YEAH. YES.

ALL RIGHT. MAYOR. MEMBER. CITY COUNCIL. OUR NEXT CANDIDATE TO INTERVIEW IS MR. HOWARD BROWN. WELCOME, MR. BROWN. THE DEPUTY MAYOR WILL START WITH HIS FIRST QUESTION.

GOOD MORNING. OR GOOD AFTERNOON? ACTUALLY, SIR. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.

YEAH. VERY BRIEFLY, PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF, YOUR CHARACTER, AND YOUR PERSONALITY.

AND FEEL FREE TO GIVE US SOME INSIGHT BY TELLING US 1 OR 2 THINGS YOU LIKE TO DO WHEN YOU'RE NOT WORKING, AND FEEL FREE TO EXPAND AN OPENING STATEMENT BASED ON THAT QUESTION.

YES. GOOD AFTERNOON. YOU SEE MY RESUME? I'D LIKE TO JUST SAY THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTERVIEW BEFORE YOU THIS THIS AFTERNOON.

WHAT I DO ON MY FREE TIME IS I AM A A FISHERMAN.

SO I DO A LOT OF FISHING ON THE WEEKENDS WHEN I CAN.

RIGHT NOW I'M BUILDING A BUSINESS. I'M A MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT.

I WORK IN VARIOUS COMMUNITIES, SERVING AS AN INTERIM CITY MANAGER AND OR A PLANNING CONSULTANT IN VARIOUS COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT FLORIDA AND GEORGIA, AS WELL AS CALIFORNIA, OKLAHOMA, KANSAS. AND SO SO I'M ALL OVER THE PLACE RIGHT NOW.

IN TERMS OF WHAT I DO, YOU KNOW, I JUST ENJOY BEING HOME WITH MY FAMILY.

[03:30:03]

AS YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE BUILDING A BUSINESS, YOU'RE ALWAYS WORKING.

SO I TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT I HAVE THAT WORK LIFE BALANCE AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF WHAT I DO.

SO BEING A MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT, BUILDING THE BUSINESS, WORKING AS A A CITY MANAGER AND WORKING AS A PLANNING CONSULTANT, YOU KNOW, I HAVE A VERY UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE BECAUSE I HAVE WORKED AS A CITY MANAGER FULL TIME IN FOUR DIFFERENT STATES.

SO I'VE WORKED AS A CITY MANAGER IN FLORIDA, GEORGIA, CALIFORNIA AND OKLAHOMA.

AND AND I BEFORE I BECAME A CITY MANAGER, I WORKED AS A PLANNING DIRECTOR IN A NUMBER OF COMMUNITIES IN GEORGIA AND FLORIDA, PRIMARILY. SO OBVIOUSLY, I WENT TO COLLEGE. I WENT TO FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY.

I KNOW WE PROBABLY HAVE SOME GATORS UP THERE, BUT THERE ARE THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT THAT I'VE DONE, EDUCATIONALLY SPEAKING. AND MOST RECENTLY, I WROTE A BOOK ABOUT MY TRAVELS OF WHAT I'VE DONE IN CITY MANAGEMENT ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

AND SO THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHERE I'VE SPENT MY TIME. AND AND KIND OF WHAT I'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON HERE IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.

THE BUSINESS PART OF IT HAS REALLY BEEN FRUITFUL BECAUSE I'VE BEEN ABLE TO HONE SKILLS THAT I ALWAYS KNEW I HAD, BUT DIDN'T KNOW THAT IF I HAD TO REALLY PUT FORTH THE EFFORT, HOW SUCCESSFUL IT COULD BECOME.

AND SO I'M PROUD OF THAT. YOU KNOW, MOST CITY MANAGERS WOULD JUST GO TO ANOTHER CITY SOMEWHERE ELSE.

AND I DECIDED THAT, YOU KNOW, I WANTED TO STAY AT HOME AND WANTED TO BE AROUND MY FAMILY.

AND SO BUILDING THIS BUSINESS AFFORDED ME THE FLEXIBILITY TO HAVE A GOOD WORK LIFE BALANCE.

SO THANK YOU. SO IF SELECTED AS PALM BAY CITY MANAGER, WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH YOUR BUSINESS? WELL, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, YOU YOU HAVE TO DIVEST OR YOURSELF OF THOSE BUSINESS INTERESTS.

AND I WOULD NOT BE WORKING IN THAT COMPANY IF I STARTED A FULL TIME CITY MANAGER JOB.

AND I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT TOWN OF CENTURY.

MAYBE YOU CAN ELABORATE MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT TOWN LOOKED LIKE.

AND PLEASE TELL US, WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT PALM BAY? OKAY. SO THE TOWN OF CENTURY IS ONE OF MY CLIENTS.

I CURRENTLY HAVE A PERSON THAT ACTUALLY MANAGES THAT CITY.

IT'S A SMALL TOWN. JUST IN ESCAMBIA COUNTY. PENSACOLA, FLORIDA.

IT'S LOCATED IN THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE. I'M RUNNING A NUMBER OF ISSUES OUT OF THAT.

RUNNING A NUMBER OF OPERATIONS OUT OF THAT CITY SPECIFICALLY GETTING THEIR WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY TOGETHER, AS WELL AS DOING ROAD IMPROVEMENTS AND PURSUING GRANT FUNDING AND HANDLING SOME OF THEIR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.

THE IN TERMS OF I DON'T KNOW IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION ABOUT ABOUT CENTURY.

HERE'S WHAT I KNOW ABOUT PALM BAY. I KNOW VERY LITTLE ABOUT PALM BAY, BUT WHAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO GATHER THROUGH PEOPLE THAT I KNOW THAT HAVE LIVED HERE OR LIVE HERE CURRENTLY. THAT PALM BAY IS A CITY THAT IS LOCATED ON INTERSTATE 95.

IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO SPACE COAST. IT HAS 100 PLUS THOUSAND PEOPLE HERE.

IT HAS A NUMBER OF AREAS THAT CAN BE POSITIONED TO MAKE IT WHERE YOU WANT IT TO BE.

AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY HERE.

AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT I SEE. AND I THINK PALM BAY IS NO DIFFERENT THAN OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT I'VE ACTUALLY MANAGED OR WORKED IN AS A CONSULTANT ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

THE DIFFERENCE IS, IS THAT PALM BAY HAS INTERSTATE 95, ONE OF THE BUSIEST INTERSTATES IN THE COUNTRY.

IT'S RIGHT HERE IN FLORIDA. SO LOOKING AT LOOKING AT WHERE WHERE PALM BAY IS, HOW IT CAN BE POTENTIAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DRIVER.

I THINK THAT YOU'RE POISED TO DO SOME REALLY GOOD THINGS.

WHEN I LOOK AT THE PLANS THAT YOU HAVE AND I HAVEN'T LOOKED AT ALL OF THEM, I'VE LOOKED AT A COUPLE OF THEM.

OKAY. I THINK THAT GIVEN THE RIGHT MIX, I BELIEVE THAT YOU GUYS SHOULD PURSUE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AS A PRIORITY.

AND IF YOU HAVE AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN, YOU SHOULD LOOK AT THAT PLAN AND SYNTHESIZE IT, UPDATE IT, AND FOCUS ON ONE SPECIFIC STRATEGY.

AND THAT IS TO INCREASE YOUR ECONOMIC TAX BASE, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW YOU ARE A MAJORITY RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY.

THE TAX, THE RESIDENTIAL TAXPAYERS ARE PAYING THE BILLS HERE.

AND SO IN ORDER IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, YOU HAVE TO DIVERSIFY YOUR ECONOMIC TAX BASE.

WHAT I SEE HOW THAT HAPPENING. I SEE THAT HAPPENING A COUPLE OF WAYS.

I SEE BUSINESS ATTRACTION, RETAIL ATTRACTION.

YOU HAVE THE NUMBERS TO SUPPORT MOST RETAIL. I SEE IT NOW BECAUSE I'VE WORKED IN COMMUNITIES THAT WERE SCREAMING FOR RETAIL.

WHEN WE DID THE GAP ANALYSIS OR OR THE MARKET ANALYSIS, IT POINTED TOWARD SUCCESS.

IT WAS EASY TO CONNECT THE DEVELOPER WITH A WILLING PROPERTY OWNER TO GET THESE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS OFF THE GROUND.

[03:35:03]

SO RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, THAT DIVERSIFICATION THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT REALLY HELPS WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

BUT I THINK HAVING A SPECIFIC STRATEGY, SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN CREATE A QUICK ACTION PLAN ON BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO.

YOU ALREADY HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE. YOU DON'T WANT TO RECREATE THE WHEEL IF YOU ALREADY HAVE IT.

SO I THINK PAYING ATTENTION TO A VERY SPECIFIC STRATEGY ON HOW YOU GET THERE IF IF ALL PARTIES COULD FOCUS AND CIRCLE AROUND THAT AND GALVANIZE AROUND THAT STRATEGY, I THINK YOU GUYS COULD MAKE A TURN.

BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, WHAT I SEE, IT IS NOT SUSTAINABLE TO HAVE RESIDENTIAL TAXPAYERS PAY FOR YOUR SERVICES.

YOU HAVE TO DIVERSIFY THAT THAT INCOME OR LOOK FOR ALTERNATIVE REVENUE STREAMS. AND OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN STATE LEGISLATURE RIGHT NOW WITH HOUSE BILL 991 AND SOME OTHER THINGS.

SO YOU REALLY NEED TO BE LOOKING AT DIVERSIFICATION TAX BASE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN LANGEVIN.

HEY, THANKS. THANKS FOR COMING FIRST OFF. AND THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO MY FIRST QUESTION IS, WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE FOUNDING FATHER OF THE UNITED STATES AND WHY? GODFATHER, WOULD YOU SAY IT AGAIN? OF ALL THE FOUNDING FATHERS OF THE UNITED STATES, WHO'S YOUR FAVORITE AND WHY? YOU KNOW I WOULD SAY PROBABLY THOMAS JEFFERSON BECAUSE HE WAS HE WAS A WRITER OF THE CONSTITUTION AND A LOT OF THINGS THAT HE SAID, IF YOU GO TO THE JEFFERSON MEMORIAL, YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THE WRITINGS SUBSCRIBED ON THE WALL.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HE SAID WAS THAT OUR CONSTITUTION IS EVER CHANGING.

SO IT'S NOT A DOCUMENT THAT IS STATIC. IT ACTUALLY CHANGES AS TIME GOES ON AND SO IT EVOLVES WITH TIME.

AND THAT'S WHAT I REMEMBER WHEN I WENT TO JEFF'S MEMORIAL. I THINK IN HIGH SCHOOL. SO. SO HE WOULD BE MY.

IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE FOUNDING FATHERS, HE WOULD BE ONE.

THANK YOU. AND I HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION. WHAT IS YOUR PHILOSOPHY ON TAXATION AND GOVERNMENT SPENDING AND HOW DO YOU BALANCE THE TWO? WELL, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING. THAT'S WHAT I WAS ALLUDING TO EARLIER THAT THAT IN ORDER FIRST OF ALL, THE WORD CITY MEANS THAT YOU'RE A TAX ENTITY, MEANING THAT YOU TAX PEOPLE.

AND SO WE HAVE TO BE COGNIZANT THAT WHEN WE TAX PEOPLE, THERE ARE PEOPLE, REAL PEOPLE THAT PAY THESE BILLS.

AND SO WE'RE BEHOLDEN TO THEM. SO WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT WHEN WE'RE COLLECTING TAXES THAT WE PAY THEM.

I MEAN, THAT WE WE, WE SPEND THAT MONEY IN THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY POSSIBLE, MAKING SURE THAT WE GET THE MOST BANG FOR OUR BUCK.

BOOK AND TAXES IS IT'S JUST AN AMERICAN WAY AND IT IS HAPPENING.

AND I'VE ONLY WORKED FOR WELL, I'VE ONLY WORKED FOR TAX SUPPORTED INSTITUTIONS, EITHER INDIRECTLY OR DIRECTLY, BECAUSE TAX IS A BIG PART OF EVERYTHING THAT WE DO IN THIS COUNTRY.

AND YOU KNOW, AS A, AS A MANAGER, I'M VERY CONSERVATIVE IN TERMS OF HOW OUR SPENDING PLAN LOOKS.

I'M ALWAYS EVALUATING HOW WE CAN DO THINGS IN THE MOST ECONOMIC WAY AND MOST IN THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY, SO THAT WE GET ECONOMIES OF SCALE. I BELIEVE IN PROCURING SERVICES AND GOODS IN THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE WAY WITHOUT WITHOUT HURTING SERVICES. AND SO I LIKE TO TRY TO KEEP A HIGH LEVEL OF SERVICE, BUT LOOK AT WHAT WE PAY FOR GOODS AND SERVICES THAT WILL HELP WITH EXPENSES.

SO KEEP THE EXPENSE SIDE DOWN, BUT MAKE SURE THE QUALITY IS THERE AND SOMETIMES YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.

SO SOMETIMES WE MIGHT HAVE TO PAY MORE, BUT WE NEED TO BE IN AGREEMENT THAT THIS IS WHAT WE WANT TO SPEND SPEND THE MONEY ON.

IF WE GET AGREEMENT IN THOSE AREAS, THAT'S GREAT. BUT AS A MANAGER, I'M A FISCAL CONSERVATIVE BECAUSE THAT'S HOW YOU RUN A MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT, A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR OPERATION. YOU'RE DEALING WITH TAXES, AND YOU DEFINITELY CAN'T BE IN A POSITION WHERE YOU'RE A BIG SPENDER.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, I YIELD, MAYOR. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN HAMMOND.

I LIKE HEARING YOU SAY THAT YOU WANT TO DIVERSIFY THE TAX BASE, BECAUSE THAT MEANS PEOPLE'S TAXES GO DOWN.

WE WE LACK THE THE COMMERCIAL OR INDUSTRIAL FORTITUDE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT AS OF RIGHT NOW, TAKING THOSE INTO ACCOUNT, WHAT DO YOU SEE YOUR FIRST 90 DAYS HERE IN PALM BAY TO TAKE A STEP FORWARD AND WHAT YOU'RE EXPLAINING? YEAH. SO THE FIRST 90 DAYS WOULD BE FACT FINDING.

IT WOULD ALSO INCLUDE TALKING TO THE TAX COLLECTOR, THE PROPERTY APPRAISER, AND ALL THOSE FOLKS THAT THAT ARE AROUND TAXES.

BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, AS YOU KNOW, YOUR RESIDENTIAL TAX BASE IS REALLY WHAT'S PAYING THE BILLS.

SO YOU HAVE TO FOCUS ON HOW DO YOU LOOK AT THAT IN OTHER COMMUNITIES?

[03:40:02]

YOU HAVE ALL THESE OTHER REVENUE STREAMS THAT ARE THAT COME IN.

YOU DON'T HAVE THAT LUXURY HERE. SO WHEN MY FIRST 90 DAYS WOULD BE GETTING A HANDLE ON THE MILLAGE RATE, YOU KNOW, LOOKING TO SEE WHAT THE ROLLBACK RATE WAS AND LOOKING TO SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT DID YOU SPEND THE PREVIOUS YEARS AND TRY TO LOOK AT.

HOW DO WE REDUCE THAT DOWN TO WHAT WE ACTUALLY SPENT THE PREVIOUS YEAR AND KEEP MAINTAINING THE LEVEL OF SERVICE? AND SO THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST THING. AND THOSE WERE EASY WINS, BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WE DON'T SPEND 100% OF OUR OPERATING BUDGET.

RIGHT. SO BUT WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY ONE TIME EXPENSES THAT OCCUR.

AND IF WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT THOSE ONE TIME EXPENSES, WE CAN CREATE A MISSION FAILURE.

AND A MISSION FAILURE MEANS YOU HAVE TO COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL, ASK FOR A BUDGET AMENDMENT, AND ASK FOR AN INCREASE IN SPENDING. AND THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IN THIS BUSINESS. SO WE HAVE TO BE VERY AWARE OF THAT.

SO THE FIRST 90 DAYS WOULD BE COMING IN LOOKING AT YOUR BALANCE SHEET, TALKING WITH YOUR FINANCE DIRECTOR, TALKING WITH YOUR AUDITOR. BECAUSE IT'S BECAUSE IT'S MORE THAN JUST, YOU KNOW, OPERATIONS SPEAKING, TALKING TO THE FINANCE DIRECTOR, THE FINANCE FOLKS, THE ACCOUNTS PAYABLE, PEOPLE RECEIVABLES, YOU REALLY NEED TO GET A HANDLE ON WHAT THE AUDITOR IS SAYING ABOUT WHAT THEY SEE.

AND THEN OBVIOUSLY, LOOKING IN THE PAST TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY FORENSIC AUDITS DONE IN SPECIFIC AREAS TO SEE IF THERE'S AREAS THAT NEED TO BE IMPROVED, THAT NEVER GOT IMPROVED. AND SO THAT WOULD BE MY MY THING.

AND THEN CONSULTING. I HAVE FRIENDS THAT ARE CIAS OR CERTIFIED INTERNAL AUDITORS THAT THAT THAT I COULD JUST TALK TO AND TELL ME KIND OF WHAT TO LOOK FOR.

THOSE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE CPAS THAT ARE SPECIALIZED IN DETERMINING GROSS WASTE AND ABUSE AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

WHEN I SAY CIA, HAVE YOU GOT AN EXAMPLE OF YOU USING THIS DYNAMIC IN THE PAST THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH US WHERE IT ACTUALLY WORKED? AND I SURE CAN. SO WHEN I WAS CITY MANAGER IN OKLAHOMA, IN OKLAHOMA, THEY DON'T HAVE PROPERTY TAX.

SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW. SO IN OKLAHOMA THEY DON'T THEY DON'T.

CITIES DON'T USE PROPERTY TAX. THEY ARE A STRAIGHT SALES TAX REVENUE OPERATION.

OKAY. SO THERE ARE MODELS THAT WE'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW BEING DISCUSSED IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE THAT LINE UP WITH WHAT I'VE ALREADY DEALT WITH IN OKLAHOMA.

JUST LOOK IT UP AND GOOGLE IT. YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE IS A THERE IS A SENSE THAT REMOVING PROPERTY TAX ALTOGETHER AND RELYING ON SALES TAX RUNS MUNICIPALITY. BUT IF YOU ONLY HAVE RESIDENTIAL VALUE, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T REALLY LOOK AT THAT UNTIL YOU HAVE LIKE A DIVERSIFIED INDUSTRIAL BASE, A COMMERCIAL BASE.

YOU GOT TO HAVE ALL THOSE OTHER THINGS. BUT IN OKLAHOMA, AND I USE OKLAHOMA BECAUSE AT THE VERY BASIC LEVEL, YOU CAN LOOK AT, YOU CAN LOOK AT I DIDN'T KNOW THAT IT WOULD WORK.

BUT IN OKLAHOMA IT'S ALL SALES TAX DRIVEN. AND ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAD THERE WAS WHAT WE CALL THE FAIR MARKETPLACE.

PEOPLE, PEOPLE IN OKLAHOMA ARE PAYING FOR GOODS WITHOUT PAYING TAXES TO THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA.

AND SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE CHALLENGES, TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE PAYING TAXES IN THEIR JURISDICTION.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DID WAS I HIRED A CONSULTANT TO HELP ME LOOK AT TAXES, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TAXES THAT WE WERE, WE WERE GENERATING IN OKLAHOMA WAS ACTUALLY COMING TO OKLAHOMANS, AND SPECIFICALLY IN MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA. SO WHAT WE FOUND OUT WAS THAT THERE WAS LEAKAGE OR MIS MISINTERPRETATIONS OR MISCATEGORIZATION MISCATEGORIZING OF THE THE REVENUE. AND SO WE HAD WE HAD TO LOOK AT STATE SALES TAX EVERY MONTH THERE.

AND SO WE WERE HIRED A CONSULTANT, THEY'D GET A PIECE OF WHATEVER THEY FOUND AND YOU'D BE SURPRISED.

THERE'S HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, YOU KNOW, MONTH THAT WE WERE RECEIVING THE REVENUE BECAUSE OF JUST SOMEBODY MISCATEGORIZING WHERE IT WENT, WENT TO ANOTHER CITY, SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN MUSKOGEE, WENT TO TULSA.

SO THAT'S THAT'S AN AREA THAT WE CAN IMPROVE ON.

THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DID WHILE I WAS THERE. COUNCILMAN JOHNSON, THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, MR. BROWN. SO THE FIRST QUESTION, WE HAVE $150 MILLION ROAD BOND THAT WAS ISSUED BACK IN 2018.

THE VOTERS APPROVED IT. WE STARTED WORKING ON IT IN 2019.

SINCE THEN AND SINCE COVID AND OTHER PITFALLS, WE'RE DOWN TO US.

WE'RE UP TO $70 MILLION SHORTFALL WITH THIS ROAD BOND.

HOW WOULD YOU ADDRESS THIS KIND OF FUNDING GAP WHILE CONTINUING TO ADDRESS CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS? AND BEING THAT YOU HAVE PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE, DO YOU HAVE AN EXAMPLE YOU CAN SHARE OF HOW YOU NAVIGATED A SIMILAR CHALLENGE? WELL, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE PROJECTS THAT I WORKED ON WERE BEFORE COVID, OKAY.

SO WE HAD MONEY, YOU KNOW, WE USED DESIGN, BUILD PROJECTS TO DESIGN, BUILD PROJECTS.

CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT THE FUNDS THAT WE HAD AVAILABLE, WE COULD SPEND IT AND WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT CHANGE ORDERS AND THOSE KINDS OF

[03:45:07]

IT'S BETTER FOR YOU TO MOVE THAT ROUTE BECAUSE YOU'RE ABLE TO PHYSICALLY CONSTRAIN THE BUDGET TO THE PROJECT.

A LOT OF THINGS HAPPEN DURING COVID UNFORTUNATE THINGS.

SO WHEN YOU'RE WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A PRIVATE PLACEMENT OR GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND FINANCING, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF THAT. BUT WHAT WE DO KNOW IS WHEN WE HAVE VOTER APPROVED DEBT, SUCH AS THE GO BONDS, THAT THE VOTERS IN THIS COMMUNITY VOTED IN FAVOR OF IT, YOU MUST ENSURE THAT EVERY DOLLAR IS SPENT, BUT YOU ALSO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU DON'T OVERSPEND.

THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND AND YOUR OVERSPENDING THAT THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN BECAUSE YOU'RE ONLY GOING TO DRAW WHAT YOU ACTUALLY HAVE ALREADY.

SHOVEL READY. SO YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GO OUT THERE AND DRAW MORE DOLLARS THAN WHAT'S NEEDED, AND YOU ARE GOING TO GET INTO A CONTRACT WITH A CONTRACTOR.

WHEN YOU GET TO THAT POINT, YOU GOT DEVELOPER, BUT THE CONTRACTOR, WHEN YOU GET INTO THAT CONTRACT, YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A DESIGN BUILD. CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK, GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE PROJECT GMP IS WHAT WE CALL IT.

SO THOSE ARE THE PROTECTIONS YOU PUT IN PLACE.

IT MIGHT COST A LITTLE MORE, BUT YOU ENSURE THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GO OVER.

AND IF YOU DO, THEN GUESS WHAT? THAT'S A DISCUSSION WITH LIQUIDATED DAMAGES.

YOU GET INTO THE WITH THE CONTRACTOR AND YOU SEE WHERE THAT GOES, YOU KNOW, BUT YOU HAVE TO PROTECT THE CITY.

AND THE WAY TO DO THAT IS THROUGH I LIKE DEBT FINANCING BECAUSE YOU GET LOWER INTEREST RATES ON IT, RIGHT? AND YOU'RE ABLE TO ACTUALLY MOVE FASTER ON PROJECTS WHEN YOU CAN AMASS THE MONEY NEEDED UPFRONT.

BUT YOU GOT TO BE SHOVEL READY, MEANING YOU GOT TO HAVE THE PLANS IN PLACE, THE PERMITS, ALL THAT STUFF IN PLACE BEFORE YOU GO DOWN THE ROAD OF OF DRAWING DOWN MONEY.

SO AND, AND I'VE DONE GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND REFINANCING.

I PUT TOGETHER A FINANCIAL ADVISOR, A BOND COUNSEL, THE UNDERWRITER. I'VE DONE THAT IN THREE DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS. I JUST I JUST FINISHED ONE FOR A CLIENT IN EAST POINT, GEORGIA, WHERE WE DID $150 MILLION BOND ISSUANCE.

SO I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH WITH GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND IN FLORIDA.

IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT BECAUSE I THINK WE CONSIDER EVERYTHING BONDS, LOANS FOR EXAMPLE DEP, SRF LOAN.

WE CONSIDER THAT A BOND. SO THERE ARE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE DO.

BUT I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE PROCESSES. PERFECT.

THANK YOU. SECOND QUESTION. PALM BAY PALM BAY IS THE SECOND LARGEST CITY BY LAND MASS.

WE WE STILL HAVE SOMEWHAT OF A BLANK CANVAS IN PORTIONS OF THE CITY.

AND I KNOW YOU COME FROM OTHER CITIES, BUT IN YOUR MIND'S EYE, WHERE DO YOU SEE LONG TERM, STRATEGICALLY, HOW YOU WOULD GO ABOUT DEVELOPING SMART GROWTH IN THE CITY OF PALM BAY? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. THE FIRST THING I'D DO, I'D LOOK TO SEE WHAT YOUR CURRENT REGULATIONS STATE OR WHAT YOUR CURRENT PLAN IS.

SO LIKE YOU MIGHT HAVE A PLAN RIGHT NOW IN YOUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT SAYS YOU HAVE AN URBAN GROWTH BOUNDARY, THAT YOU CAN ONLY DEVELOP TO THIS POINT BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO DEVELOP MORE THAN WHAT THE INFRASTRUCTURE CAN HANDLE.

SO IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY OR THE THE THE UTILITIES AVAILABLE, YOU SHOULD YOU SHOULD NOT ALLOW DEVELOPMENT TO GO PAST THAT.

NOW, I KNOW THAT'S A SENSITIVE ISSUE, BUT FOR WHAT I SEE IS MORE RESIDENTIAL HERE.

AND IF YOU'RE TRYING TO BUILD COMMERCIAL, THEN YOU SHOULD LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, A UTILITIES PLAN OR A FACILITIES PLAN THAT KIND OF INFORMS DEVELOPMENT FOR COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT, SO YOU CAN START GETTING THAT DIVERSIFICATION THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.

TO THAT POINT, DO YOU HAVE EXAMPLES OF WHERE YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO SPUR COMMERCIAL GROWTH IN OTHER PREVIOUS CITIES THAT YOU'VE BEEN IN? YEAH. IN ANY TOWN, FLORIDA, IN ANY TOWN, FLORIDA, THERE ARE THREE HDRIS THERE.

THERE ARE LIKE 4000 UNITS APIECE. WHAT THAT THOSE ARE THOSE ARE FULLY ENTITLED DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS THAT ARE SITTING ON THE SHELF THAT ARE WAITING TO BE DEVELOPED.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MAYBE 30,000 PEOPLE OR MORE.

WILL, WILL, WILL, WILL LIVE IN ANY TOWN IN FLORIDA OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DID THERE WAS I CONVINCED THE THE TOWN, THE VILLAGE COUNCIL TO BUY THE INVESTOR OWNED UTILITY.

SO WE BOUGHT A WATER AND SEWER PLANT. WE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE A CITY HALL THEN.

I CAME FROM CALIFORNIA. I WAS THERE TO START A BRAND NEW CITY FROM SCRATCH.

THIS HAD NEVER BEEN DONE IN 40 YEARS IN FLORIDA.

AND I HAD NOT KNOWN ANYONE THAT HAS EVER STARTED A NEW CITY.

SO THIS FOR ME WAS NOT ONLY A CHALLENGE, BUT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT I WANTED TO DO.

AND SO WE BOUGHT THE WATER AND SEWER PLANT. WE WERE ABLE TO POSITION IT TO BE REVENUE POSITIVE WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR.

WE BOUGHT IT BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO GET A DEP SRF LOAN FUND.

WE PURCHASED THIS WATER AND SEWER PLANT FOR $8.5 MILLION.

WE WERE ABLE TO GET 80% LOAN FORGIVENESS AT 0% INTEREST WITH A 30 YEAR TERM.

NOW, WE NEEDED THAT PLANT BECAUSE AT THE SAME TIME, THERE WERE OTHER THINGS GOING ON IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND THE DEVELOPER THAT WE HAD

[03:50:01]

WE WERE ABLE TO GET A CHARTER SCHOOL BUILT IN UNIONTOWN.

IN EXCHANGE FOR THAT, WE WERE ABLE TO GET A STATE APPROPRIATIONS TO PUT IN $25 MILLION WORTH OF WATER AND SEWER IMPROVEMENTS, WHICH NOT ONLY PROVIDED WATER AND SEWER TO THE CHARTER SCHOOL, BUT IT HAD OTHER EFFECTS FOR OUR RESIDENTS THAT WERE TO BENEFIT FROM THE CAPACITY AND ALL THOSE THINGS THAT CAME ALONG WITH THE WATER PLANT.

I'M GOOD MAYOR. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. SO I WANTED TO TOUCH A LITTLE BIT ON YOUR EXPERIENCE THAT YOU SPOKE WITH REGARDING COUNCILMAN HAMMER'S QUESTION IN REGARDS TO THAT TAX BASE THAT YOU ELOQUENTLY DESCRIBED AND YOUR PERSPECTIVE OF THAT.

RIGHT. IN THAT CITY SITUATION WITHIN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, WERE YOU EXPERIENCING A 3% CAP? OKAY. IN THIS CITY, WE HAVE A 3%. NO, NO, I READ YOUR CHARTER, AND I KNOW THAT SECTION OF THE CHARTER THAT TALKS ABOUT 3%.

IT'S KIND OF. YEAH. BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED THE ROLLBACK. SO I'M TRYING TO. YEAH. WELL, LET ME JUST RESPOND THIS WAY.

YES, SIR. AND THEN YOU CAN KIND OF GUIDE ME OR REDIRECT ME.

OKAY. IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE 3% HOME VALUE, SAVE OUR HOMES.

IT'S IN THE FLORIDA CONSTITUTION ABOUT NOT GOING UP IN ANY GIVEN YEAR 3% OR AS FAR AS THE MILLAGE RATE.

YEAH, I READ THAT PROVISION IN YOUR CHARTER. I DIDN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND IT, BUT WHAT IT TOLD ME WAS THAT THIS IS WHAT THE TOWN WANTED.

THIS IS WHAT THE CITY WANTED. AND SO MY RESPONSE TO THAT.

BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS YOU COULDN'T GO UP MORE THAN 3% UNLESS YOU HAD 4/5 VOTE.

OF THE OF THE CITY COUNCIL. SO IF YOU HAVE A DEVELOPMENT PROJECT THAT THAT WARRANTS IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE VARIANCES. IF YOU WANT A COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT, A HALF $1 BILLION WORTH OF COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT, YOU'LL GIVE THEM ALL THE VARIANCES IN THE WORLD. GET THEM HERE. I THINK YOU WOULD, YOU KNOW, OR YOU THINK IT HAS TO DO WITH EMERGENCIES.

BUT I'LL MOVE ON TO MY NEXT QUESTION. OKAY. GIVE US AN EXAMPLE OF AN ETHICAL DILEMMA YOU WERE FACED WITH AND HOW YOU RESOLVED IT, AND WHAT YOU LEARNED FROM THAT EXPERIENCE. WELL, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, I I HAVE WORKED FOR A NUMBER OF CITY COUNCILS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. AND I THINK EVERYTHING THAT WE DEAL WITH, WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS CAN COME UP TO THE EDGE OF BEING AN ETHICAL ISSUE.

OKAY. AND SO FOR ME, YOU KNOW, I BUILD A RELATIONSHIP WITH EACH INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBER, AND I LET THEM KNOW UP FRONT THAT, YOU KNOW, I'LL DO WHAT'S LEGAL THAT'S ETHICAL AND MORAL, BUT IF IT'S IMMORAL OR UNETHICAL OR ILLEGAL, I JUST WON'T DO.

AND, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THIS IS A PUBLIC MEETING, BUT I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT INDIVIDUAL EXAMPLES OF WHAT HAVE OCCURRED IN OTHER CITIES, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR TO THAT CITY. BUT THERE'S BEEN A NUMBER OF THINGS.

AS A CITY MANAGER, YOU'RE DEALING WITH THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND SO THEY THEY CONFIDE IN YOU ABOUT THINGS THEY WANT TO GET DONE.

AND THERE HAS BEEN TIMES WHERE, YOU KNOW, I HAD I HAD INVOLVEMENT, LIKE CITY COUNCIL INVOLVEMENT WITH AN EMPLOYEE, AN EMPLOYEE MADE A COMPLAINT, A HARASSMENT COMPLAINT AGAINST AN EMPLOYEE.

AND YOU KNOW NONE OF THIS. THE EMPLOYEE MADE A COMPLAINT.

AND OBVIOUSLY, AS THE MANAGER, YOU'RE INVOLVED.

YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT. OKAY. SO NOW YOU HAVE YOUR BOSS THAT'S THE TARGET OF THIS COMPLAINT.

YOU HAVE AN EMPLOYEE THAT WORKS FOR YOU, MAYBE INDIRECTLY, BUT IT'S STILL YOUR EMPLOYEE.

AND YOU ARE TRYING TO SEE IF THIS IS FACT OR FICTION.

DID THIS REALLY HAPPEN OR NOT? AND SO IT'S HARD TO DIRECT HR TO DO IT BECAUSE IF YOU DIRECT HR WHO WORKS FOR YOU, THEY KNOW THAT IT INVOLVES A COUNCIL MEMBER. IT'S JUST A DIFFICULT SITUATION.

SO WHENEVER WE'RE DEALING WITH SITUATIONS LIKE THAT, WE TRY TO MAKE WE WE GO ABOVE AND BEYOND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PRESERVE THE RIGHTS OF NOT ONLY JUST THE EMPLOYEE, BUT THE COUNCIL MEMBER TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN.

AND WHAT? WHO SHOT JOHN AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO THINGS PROPERLY. AND SO THERE'S BEEN A COUPLE OF THINGS.

I MEAN, NOW NOW ETHICAL DILEMMA. HAVE I BEEN AN BEEN? ETHICAL DILEMMA. YES. AS A MANAGER, YOU'RE ALWAYS BEING ASKED TO GO OUT TO LUNCH OR GO TO A BUSINESS MEETING WITH A DEVELOPER AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. AND, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY I'M PRO-DEVELOPMENT.

I'M A PRO-DEVELOPMENT CITY MANAGER. AND SO I ACTUALLY PRIDE MYSELF ON THAT BECAUSE I'VE DONE EXTENSIVE BUSINESS DEALS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

AND SO I DO MEET WITH DEVELOPERS, BUT I TRY TO MEET WITH THEM IN MY OFFICE WITH OTHER STAFF MEMBERS THERE, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THEM COMING TO THE CITY BEFORE THEY EVEN GO THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, BEFORE THEY EVEN DO ANY OF THAT. AND SO I'M OPEN TO IT.

BUT BUT THOSE ARE KIND OF THE ETHICAL ISSUES THAT I SEE, YOU KNOW, HERE BECAUSE YOU ARE IN A YOU HAVE GROWTH POTENTIAL HERE AT THE CITY.

[03:55:07]

YOU KNOW, I'M A CONSULTANT IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY AND OTHER PLACES.

AND I SEE SO MANY THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE BECAUSE OF YOUR CLOSE PROXIMITY TO INTERSTATE 95 AND THE SPACE COAST.

AND SO I'D LOVE TO TALK ABOUT HOW YOU WOULD INCENTIVIZE THE DEVELOPER OR PROPERTY OWNER TO DO A DEVELOPMENT PROJECT THAT WOULD YIELD TAXES FOR YOU, DO A FISCAL IMPACT ANALYSIS. YOU CAN LOOK AT EVERY PROJECT YOU LOOK AT.

YOU DO A FISCAL IMPACT ANALYSIS TO SEE WHAT IT WOULD YIELD SO THAT YOU COULD SEE WHAT THE DOLLARS AND CENTS ARE BEHIND ANY OF YOUR DECISIONS.

NOW, I KNOW THAT WHEN YOU DO THESE ZONING APPROVALS OR YOU APPROVE A PROJECT THAT THAT'S NOT A CONSIDERATION, BUT IT'S GOOD TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION I JUST TALKED ABOUT SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT WOULD BE FOR ANY DEVELOPMENT THAT WOULD COME ON BOARD.

SO, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY IT'S A IT'S A SLIPPERY SLOPE YOU'RE ON BECAUSE THERE WILL THERE WILL BE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WILL ASK YOU TO MEET WITH THE DEVELOPER.

AND YOU, YOU SHOULD I MEAN, YOU MEET WITH THEM JUST LIKE YOU MEET WITH ANY CITIZEN OR ANYONE ELSE THAT DOES BUSINESS WITH THE CITY.

THANK YOU, MR. BROWN. I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO THINK OF A TIME IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR YOU TO ADMIT YOU WERE WRONG.

AND WHAT WAS THAT? AND WHY WAS THAT SO DIFFICULT? WHY WAS IT SO HARD? YOU KNOW YOU KNOW, THE LAST THE LAST CITY THAT I MANAGED WAS IN ANYTOWN, FLORIDA.

I HAD A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.

THE RELATIONSHIP WAS SO GOOD THAT, YOU KNOW, I, I TALKED TO THEM LIKE THEY WERE MY FRIENDS, MY FRIEND. AND OVER TIME, OBVIOUSLY, I BUILT A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM.

I KNEW THEIR FAMILIES. I KNEW EVERYTHING ABOUT THEM.

THEY KNEW EVERYTHING ABOUT ME. AND AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS A GOOD THING.

BUT WHAT I LEARNED WAS THAT SOMETIMES I GOT TOO PERSONAL AND I TOOK THINGS TO HEART.

ESPECIALLY ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS VOTED NO IN SOMETHING THAT I RECOMMENDED, YOU KNOW, AND I TOOK IT PERSONALLY. AND SO NOW I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO STAY AWAY FROM IT.

SOMETIMES YOU GOT TO YOU GOT TO, YOU KNOW, ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE LOOKING AT THINGS TOTALLY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT.

AND SO THAT WAS WHERE MY PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER INTERFERED WITH THEIR THEIR DECISION AND WHAT THEY WANTED TO DO.

SO I KIND OF I KIND OF I'M AWARE OF THAT THESE DAYS NOW MORE SO THAN I WAS BACK THEN.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CANDOR, DEPUTY MAYOR. YEAH.

CAN YOU ELABORATE ON YOUR EXPERIENCE IN LAND PLANNING AND PROMOTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND AND HOW LONG DO YOU THINK THE PROCESS SHOULD LOOK LIKE FOR THE DAY THE DEVELOPER MEETS THE CITY BY THE DAY IT'S STAMPED FOR CONSTRUCTION.

HOW LONG DO YOU THINK THAT PROCESS SHOULD TAKE? YEAH.

SO SO THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. AND SO THERE'S BEEN SOME SOME STATE LAW CHANGES OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS RIGHT NOW.

MY FIRM CONSULTS WITH CITY OF NORTH MIAMI, MIAMI GARDENS AND OTHER CITIES, AND THE STATE REQUIRES YOU TO GO THROUGH A PERMITTING PROCESS THAT YOU HAVE TO GET THROUGH THAT WITHIN A CERTAIN TIME, OR THE PERMIT IS DEEMED APPROVED.

OKAY. SO SO I'VE BEEN A I'VE BEEN A PLANNING DIRECTOR IN, IN THREE DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS IN TWO DIFFERENT STATES.

AND SO IN FLORIDA AND I'M SPEAKING FROM FLORIDA BECAUSE IN FLORIDA IT'S EASIER TO DEVELOP THAN LIKE CALIFORNIA AND SOMETIMES GEORGIA.

BUT THE PROCESS SHOULD NOT TAKE LONG TO GET THROUGH.

IF YOU HAVE GUIDANCE, IF YOU HAVE CHECKLIST, IF YOU HAVE ALL THE THINGS THAT THE DEVELOPER OR THE PROPERTY OWNER OR A RESIDENT THAT WANT TO COME IN AND PUT A PUT A BACK PORCH ON, IT SHOULD BE VERY VANILLA.

WHAT THEY ARE TO DO. AND SO IF WE MAKE IT AS SIMPLE FOR NOT JUST THE DEVELOPER, BUT THE RESIDENT TO COME IN AND GET A BUILDING PERMIT BECAUSE WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO ONLINE PERMITTING RIGHT NOW. THAT SHOULD BE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.

AND IN TERMS OF A TIMELINE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S WHAT THE TIMELINE SHOULD BE, BUT I KNOW THAT IF WE DON'T HAVE STAFFING ISSUES AND OTHER THINGS, IT SHOULD YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET THROUGH THE PROCESS RELATIVELY EASY.

AND AND IF TECHNOLOGY IS INCORPORATED IN WHAT WE'RE DOING, IT SHOULD BE MUCH MORE EASIER DEPENDING ON WHAT THE PERMIT IS.

RIGHT NOW I'M, I, I REVIEW BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS AND PLANNING COMMISSIONS AND SITE PLANS, ADMINISTRATIVE SITE PLANS AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. IT MIGHT TAKE ME A DAY OR LESS TO GO THROUGH A A 21 STORY HIGH RISE DEVELOPMENT.

BECAUSE WE HAVE LIVE LOCAL NOW. SO I HAVE TO LOOK AT EVERYTHING THAT'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITHIN A MILE OF THAT DEVELOPMENT PROJECT.

SO THE KIND OF PROJECTS I'M LOOKING AT, WE I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE THEM HERE IN PALM BAY, BUT I'M USED TO LOOKING AT THESE KIND OF PROJECTS.

[04:00:04]

SO I WOULD SAY THAT HERE IN PALM BAY, WHICH YOU GUYS HAVE TO FOLLOW, FLORIDA STATUTE 163 LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.

I BELIEVE THAT IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE PROJECT IS.

HOW BIG IT IS DEPENDS ON HOW LONG IT TAKES TO GET THROUGH THE PROCESS.

IF YOU HAVE AN ENGINEER THAT'S GOOD, THAT'S BEEN WORKING WITH THE CITY OR THE COUNTY, AND YOUR REGULATIONS ARE SIMILAR TO THE COUNTY'S, THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET IN AND GET OUT QUICKLY. IF THERE'S A YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO PUT A DATE BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, IT USED TO BE 21 DAYS, RIGHT. AND THEN THINGS WOULD HAPPEN WHERE 21 DAYS WOULD TURN INTO 30.

AND IT'S BECAUSE SOMEBODY WENT ON VACATION. THE PERSON ACTUALLY DOES THAT, WENT ON VACATION.

THERE'S ALL KINDS OF FACTORS IN THERE. YOU COULD PUT A TIMETABLE ON IT, BUT I THINK THE LAW HAS CHANGED.

SO WE'RE REQUIRED TO APPROVE IT NOW WITHIN A CERTAIN TIME FRAME.

AND SPEAKING OF OTHER LIKE OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, WHAT APPROACH WOULD YOU TAKE TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN YOUR RELATIONSHIPS IN TALLAHASSEE? AND A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN PALM BAY REQUIRE OUR COUNTY.

A LOT OF OUR ROADS ARE COUNTY ROADS. WHAT? WHAT APPROACH WOULD YOU TAKE TO TO ENHANCE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS? WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU YOU GOT TO HAVE THE COUNTY.

I MEAN, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE IN A CHARTER COUNTY. I'M USED TO WORKING IN COUNTIES THAT ARE CHARTER COUNTIES. AND SO WORKING IN CHARTER COUNTIES, UNLIKE WORKING IN PENSACOLA, WHICH IS ESCAMBIA COUNTY, WHICH IS A A, NOT A CHARTER COUNTY.

IT'S EASIER TO DO THINGS IN PENSACOLA THAN IT IS THAN IT IS IN MIAMI-DADE OR BROWARD COUNTY, PERIOD. THAT'S BECAUSE WE HAVE ANOTHER LAYER OF GOVERNMENT.

AND SO ALL THIS ACCESS TO LAB FUNDING AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, THERE'S A PROCESS TO GET TO THOSE THAT TYPE OF MONEY SO THAT YOU COULD DO LOCAL STREET, LOCAL AND ROAD STREET REPAIRS. SO IT'S NOT IT'S NOT CUT AND DRY.

BUT I WOULD FIRST MEET WITH WITH ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS.

SO I WOULD BUILD, I CALL IT A POWER WHEEL. RIGHT.

AND SAY THAT LET'S SAY THAT ROADS AND BRIDGE RESURFACING PROJECTS ARE IMPORTANT.

THEN I WOULD LOOK AT EVERYONE ON THAT SPOKE TO SEE WHO I SHOULD TALK TO.

AND THEN WHEN I GET TO THAT PERSON, I'D SAY, WHO ELSE SHOULD I, SHOULD I, SHOULD I TALK TO AND TO JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT I KNOW WHAT YOU DO HERE IN BREVARD COUNTY AND THAT WE DON'T SPEND A LOT OF TIME LEARNING HOW TO MAKE AN APPLICATION TO THE STATE OR TO THE COUNTY FOR LAB FUNDING, OR TO GO TO THE LOCAL MPO AND SEE IF WE CAN GET OUR PROJECT PRIORITIZED TO GET IT NUMBER ONE OR NUMBER TWO, OR GET INTO THE UPWP OR UNIFIED PLANNING WORK PLAN.

SO, I MEAN, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT I WOULD DO INITIALLY COMING IN AND HAVING BEEN A PLANNING DIRECTOR UP IN FLORIDA IN TWO DIFFERENT STATES, I UNDERSTAND THOSE PROCESSES QUITE WELL. DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE AREA OF PALM BAY CALLED THE COMPOUND? NO, BUT I GOT A NOTE HERE ABOUT THE COMPOUND ON THIS ON THIS THING HERE.

YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE MY GLASSES ON, BUT I DID READ ABOUT.

IT'S AN AREA OF DEVELOPMENT. NOW, YOU CALLING ME OUT? I DID SOME RESEARCH ON YOU GUYS. SO DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE COMPOUND BECAUSE IT CAME UP. WELL, ANYWAY, WE CAN TALK MORE ABOUT.

YEAH, AND THAT'S OKAY IF YOU DON'T. DON'T WANT TO BURN. YEAH. PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES AND SAFETY CONCERNS THAT ARE HAPPENING OVER IN THE COMPOUND AND THAT AND THAT THERE'S BEEN WE HAD THE SAME ISSUE IN, IN BELL, CALIFORNIA.

NOW BELL, CALIFORNIA IS IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

BELL CALIFORNIA IS ABOUT 50, 60,000 PEOPLE. IT'S IN 50,000 PEOPLE IN 1.2MI².

IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY, IT'S 13 MILLION PEOPLE JUST IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE ORANGE COUNTY. SO THIS IS VERY URBANIZED AREA. IN BELL.

WE HAD AN AREA LIKE THE COMPOUND WHERE THE TEENAGERS AT NIGHT, THEY WOULD DO THESE DONUTS, RIGHT. MATTER OF FACT, IT'S IT'S A CHALLENGE BECAUSE EVEN ONE NIGHT ON ON YOUTUBE, I SAW BELL, CALIFORNIA WHERE THIS KID GOT RAN OVER WHERE THEY WERE DOING DONUTS IN THE VACANT AREAS THERE.

SO I SEE I SEE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF OFF ROADING GOING ON OVER THERE.

THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING AND OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT ISSUES THAT ARE OCCURRING OVER THERE.

AND SO WHAT I WOULD DO IS WORK TO ENHANCE RELATIONS, COMMUNITY RELATIONS, OBVIOUSLY, WITH THE FOLKS OVER THERE AND PROMOTE THE USE OF PUBLIC SPACES AND IMPLEMENT SOME SORT OF PLAN OF ACTION THAT COULD REALLY ACHIEVE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO.

BUT IT WAS JUST VERY LIMITED RESEARCH. ONLINE RESEARCH I DID ABOUT.

THAT'S FINE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MAYOR. ALL RIGHT.

I'LL GO BACK TO COUNCILMAN I YIELD. MAYOR. COUNCILMAN HAMMOND.

I LIKE YOUR IDEAS, AND I WANT TO. I KIND OF WANT TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ON THE COMPOUND SO YOU CAN GO INTO IT FURTHER, BECAUSE I DO WANT TO TOUCH ON THAT. THE COMPOUND IS BASICALLY 2000 ACRES, AND IT WAS BUILT FOR A COMMUNITY AND THE COMMUNITY NEVER GOT BUILT.

EACH ONE OF THE PROPERTIES, I WOULD SAY THERE'S OVER 1000 DIFFERENT OWNERS OUT THERE OF PROPERTIES,

[04:05:05]

SO WHAT WHAT ARE HOW ARE COUNCIL IS COMING TO A CONCLUSION THROUGH DISCUSSIONS WE'VE HAD ON THE DAIS IS WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE AN INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX, SOME KIND OF TECH INDUSTRY BEING OUT THERE.

BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF ISSUES WITH DIFFERENT OWNERS, UTILITIES AND EVEN INFRASTRUCTURE FOR ANYTHING OUT THERE.

WHAT DO YOU SEE WITH THAT? YOU KNOW, I SEE I SEE SOME THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN QUICKLY.

I KNOW THAT THERE'S A FEAR OF A NUMBER OF THINGS, AND THERE ARE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS THAT I COULD MAKE.

I'D RATHER MAKE THEM TO YOU PRIVATELY ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN DO TO RESOLVE THE PROPERTY OWNER ISSUES.

BECAUSE IF YOU ARE REALLY, TRULY INVESTED IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND YOU HAVE A PLAN, AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN IN PLACE, AND IT INCLUDES THE COMPOUND, THERE ARE THINGS THAT THERE ARE ACTIONS THAT YOU CAN TAKE AGAINST THE COMPOUND TO GET IT TO THE POINT WHERE YOU NEED TO GET IT TO NOW.

THAT'S ONE RECOMMENDATION. BUT I COULD GIVE YOU 9995 OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS AS WELL.

BUT IF IT'S A PROBLEM FOR YOU, YOU YOU ARE OBLIGATED TO DO THAT UNDER YOUR CHARTER.

YOUR CHARTER OUTLINES THAT YOU ARE THERE FOR NOT JUST HEALTH.

YOU'RE THERE FOR HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE. AND THAT'S BROAD.

BUT THAT'S WHAT YOUR JOB IS AS A CITY COUNCIL.

THAT'S WHAT YOUR JOB IS AS MANAGER TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO YOU.

AND WHAT I SEE WITH THE COMPOUND IS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU CAN ENGAGE THE PROPERTY OWNERS WHO ARE WILLING TO TALK TO YOU BECAUSE THE TOWN, THE CITY DOESN'T OWN THE PROPERTY. RIGHT. INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY OWNERS.

SO THE FIRST THING WE DO IS WE GET WE ENGAGE THE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT ARE WILLING TO COME FORWARD AND TALK TO US.

ALTERNATIVES ON HOW DO WE ADDRESS ALL THE OTHER ISSUES.

I THINK THAT INDUSTRIAL, TO YOUR POINT, WORKS HERE, BUT SOMETIMES THAT CAN BE A DIRTY WORD TO RESIDENTS.

OKAY. AND SO THERE'S A BALANCE OF HOW WE HAVE A TRANSITIONAL AREA WHEN WE HAVE OUR, OUR INDUSTRIAL AREA AND A TRANSITIONAL AREA.

SO THAT WAY OUR RESIDENTIAL AREA AREAS ARE BUFFERED FROM INDUSTRIAL AREA BECAUSE ONCE YOU SAY THIS AREA IS INDUSTRIAL, IT COULD BE HIGH TECH PAYING JOBS. WE COULD HAVE AGGLOMERATED EFFECTS FROM, FROM THE SPACE COAST, BUT WE CAN RECRUIT, ATTRACT THAT SORT OF THOSE SORT OF BUSINESSES TO THAT PLACE.

BUT WE NEED WILLING PROPERTY OWNER AND DEVELOPER THAT ARE WILLING TO MAKE THAT IS WILLING TO MAKE THE INVESTMENT.

AND I THINK I THINK YOU HAVE THAT HERE. ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD SAY TO YOU IS IF YOU REALLY WANT TO MAKE THE CHANGE, YOU KNOW, LOOK INSIDE FIRST. BUT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DEVELOPERS THAT DEAL WITH HARD TO DEVELOP PROPERTIES.

THEY'RE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. YOU KNOW, ONE IN PARTICULAR.

AND THEY'RE HUGE. THEY'RE THEY'RE ALL OVER SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. THERE THERE ARE ONES THAT I KNOW RIGHT NOW IN, IN MIAMI THAT ACTUALLY DEAL WITH HARD TO DEVELOP PROPERTIES.

AND THEY DEAL WITH THESE KIND OF THINGS ALL THE TIME. SO THERE ARE A NUMBER.

THIS IS NOT A NEW PROBLEM BUT NEW ISSUE. THIS IS A NEW ISSUE.

BUT I LIKE THE FACT THAT IT'S 2000 ACRES RIGHT.

AND THERE'S THERE'S YOU CAN DO ANYTHING WITH THAT WITH YOUR DEMOGRAPHICS AND YOUR POPULATION.

I WAS GOING TO LOOK AND DO LIKE A CHEAP MARKET ANALYSIS BEFORE I GOT HERE, BUT I DIDN'T DO THAT.

BUT I THERE ARE A NUMBER THERE. THERE ARE FIVE THINGS RIGHT NOW THAT CAN BE DONE IN YOUR COMMUNITY NEXT WEEK.

AND SO YOU KNOW, HAVING HAVING TO DEVELOP AND GIVE RECOMMENDATIONS TO LIKE PLACES IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY AND LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA. I THINK THAT I COULD REALLY HELP YOU IN THIS RESPECT.

THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN JOHNSON. YES, MAYOR. ONLY ONE QUESTION, SIR.

AND I'VE BEEN THROUGH MY SHARE OF CITY MANAGERS SINCE BEING ON COUNCIL SINCE MY FIRST DAY IN OFFICE.

SO I UNDERSTAND BUILDING THE RAPPORT WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS.

I'VE BUILT RAPPORT WITH EACH OF THE CITY MANAGERS I HAD AND THEN SOMETIMES THINGS HAPPEN.

COULD YOU SPEAK TO. I WANT TO HEAR YOUR TAKE ON THE ABRUPT LEAVING OR RESIGNING FROM INDIAN TOWN BECAUSE EVERYBODY ELSE HAS THEIR PERSPECTIVE.

YEAH. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR YOURS. YEAH. IT'S CALLED ELECTIONS, SO.

SO I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO BE THERE FOR. UNTIL I RETIRED.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE MINDSET I WENT THERE. I LOVE THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.

I BECAME FRIENDS WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, EACH ONE OF THEM.

AND SO IT WAS A NEW COMMUNITY. THEY HAD NEVER HAD A COUNCIL MEETING BEFORE.

REMEMBER, IT WAS A IT WAS A RECENTLY INCORPORATED COMMUNITY.

THEY NONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAD ACTUALLY SERVED ON THE COUNCIL BEFORE. SO NOT ONLY WAS I THERE TO BUILD A CITY WITH THEM, BUT I WAS THERE TRAINING THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO BE COUNCIL MEMBERS.

SO OBVIOUSLY I'D RECOMMEND THAT THEY GO TO THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES AND GET THAT TRAINING AND AND BUILD THEIR OWN NETWORK,

[04:10:03]

BUT I KNEW THAT I WASN'T. I KNEW THAT I WAS, I JUST RECOMMENDED TO THE COUNCIL BECAUSE THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE THE DECISION MAKERS.

AND SO I THINK IN JUNE WE HAD AN ELECTION, JUNE OF 22, WE HAD AN ELECTION.

TWO OF MY COUNCIL MEMBERS, TWO OF MY COUNCIL MEMBERS LOST THEIR ELECTION, MY SUPPORTERS.

AND SO THE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT CAME IN, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, THEY STARTED SAYING STUFF LIKE, WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVEN'T SET THIS PLACE UP FOR SUCCESS AND ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS.

AND SO. SO I SAID, INSTEAD OF COME TO A COUNCIL MEETING AND GET, YOU KNOW, MY REPUTATION TARNISHED OVER SOMETHING THAT WASN'T REAL, I DECIDED TO PART WAYS WITH THE THE VILLAGE OF UNIONTOWN, AND I NEGOTIATED MY DEPARTURE.

AND SO I THINK THAT'S THE WAY YOU DO DO IT BECAUSE YOU SERVE AT THE PLEASURE OF THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND YOU ARE NOT YOU'RE PART OF THE COMMUNITY, BUT YOU'RE NOT THE COMMUNITY.

THEY WERE YOU GUYS WERE ELECTED. AND SO I THINK MOST CITY MANAGERS RECOGNIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WANT IT TO BE PERMANENT, BUT IT COULD BE TEMPORARY.

AND SO IT WASN'T ABRUPT. IT WAS LIKE, I THINK THEY CALL IT THE WRITING WAS ON THE WALL.

AND SO I DECIDED TO HAVE A MUTUAL SEPARATION.

THANK YOU SIR. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. SO, MR. BROWN, WHY WOULD YOU BE THE BEST FIT TO BE OUR NEXT CITY MANAGER? I THINK THAT I WOULD BE THE BEST FIT BECAUSE I THINK I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUR ISSUES ARE, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE NOT BEEN HERE ABOUT 15 MINUTES, I BELIEVE THAT I COULD SOLVE SOME OF YOUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES IN PRETTY SHORT ORDER, PROVIDED THAT THERE'S A COOPERATIVE COUNCIL IN PLACE THAT WOULD BE WILLING TO ACCEPT RECOMMENDATIONS FROM MYSELF AND THE STAFF OR PROFESSIONALS THAT WE MIGHT HAVE TO RETAIN TO HELP US DO ANALYZES AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

I UNDERSTAND THAT THE COUNCIL, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN BACKGROUND ON HOW THEY DO THINGS.

AND AND OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE GOING TO THAT'S GOING TO BE INSERTED INTO WHATEVER WE DECIDE.

AND SO BUT I WOULD SAY THAT IF, IF I WAS GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY, GIVE ME, PUT ME ON A PLAN, TELL ME, HEY, THIS IS WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE.

AND I CAN TELL YOU IF I CAN DO IT. AND I WOULD EXPLAIN TO YOU HOW IT COULD GET DONE AND REALLY ARTICULATE THOSE THINGS.

EVERY COMMUNITY I'VE BEEN IN, NOT ONLY JUST NOT ONLY ANY TOWN, I BUILT A COMMUNITY FROM SCRATCH.

BUT I WAS ALSO CITY MANAGER IN MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA, WHERE I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR A HALF $1 BILLION WORTH OF COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT THAT OCCURRED IN THEIR MAJOR CORRIDOR THERE. IT INVOLVED A VERY COMPLEX LAND SWAP, WHICH HAD NOT BEEN DONE EVER IN THAT TOWN, THAT WASN'T BURIED, THAT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT ANYONE KNEW ABOUT.

SO WHAT? SO THERE ARE THINGS THAT I WAS DOING THERE THAT HAD NOT BEEN DONE BEFORE.

I WENT TO LOS ANGELES ON THE. THE BUSIEST INTERSECTION IN LA COUNTY IS ON FLORENCE AND ATLANTIC AVENUE.

THAT IS IN THE HEART OF BELL, CALIFORNIA. THERE ON THE CORNER, THE CITY OWNED A OLD WESTERN AUTO, AN OLD WESTERN AUTO. IT WAS PLAGUED WITH ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION, AND SO I WAS ABLE TO GET WITH DEP THE EQUIVALENT OF DTSC, WHICH WAS THE EQUIVALENT OF DEP HERE, AND I WAS ABLE TO GET THEM TO HELP US REMEDIATE THAT SITE SO WE CAN DO A DEVELOPMENT PROJECT THERE.

NOW WHAT'S THERE? THE LARGEST RETAILER IN THE WORLD? WELL, I'M SORRY, THE EIGHTH LARGEST RETAILER IN THE WORLD IS THERE.

OKAY. AND OTHER COMMERCIAL RETAIL DEVELOPMENT IS THERE AS WELL.

SO I THINK I CAN HELP YOU. YOU KNOW, THE IF GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY, I THINK I CAN REALLY, REALLY DO SOME THINGS IN VERY SHORT ORDER. I KNOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN WAITING ON THIS A LONG TIME.

I CAN SENSE. I WATCHED A COUPLE OF THE VIDEOS.

I SAW SOME OF THE SOME OF THE CONCERN ABOUT THINGS NOT GETTING DONE PROPERLY.

BUT THERE'S NOTHING THAT YOU CAN'T DO. IF YOU GOT A COOPERATIVE COUNCIL AND YOU GET THE STAFF ON BOARD.

THERE ARE THINGS THAT YOU COULD DO WELL HERE.

AND AS LONG AS WE FOCUS ON WHAT THAT IS AND WE AGREE THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS ARE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OR INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS OR WHATEVER IT IS.

THANK YOU, DEPUTY MAYOR. NO QUESTIONS MAYOR. ALL RIGHT SIR.

YOU'VE GOT THE NEXT FOUR MINUTES TO SELL YOURSELF EVEN MORE.

OH, GREAT. YOU CAN CLOSE. YOU CAN CLOSE OUT. WHATEVER YOU.

I'LL CONTINUE TO TALK. SO. WELL, WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME HERE AND INTERVIEW BEFORE YOU.

I AM DEFINITELY INTERESTED IN THE JOB. I DO WANT THIS JOB.

I WOULD LIKE TO BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE YOUR NEXT CITY MANAGER. AND I WOULD SAY THAT WHAT I SEE, YOU HAVE ALL THE ASSETS YOU NEED TO DO, WHAT YOU NEED TO HAVE DONE.

I THINK THAT IF GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY, I COULD COME IN QUICKLY.

I COULD WORK WELL WITH YOUR STAFF, GET TO KNOW YOUR STAFF AND REALLY BE ABLE TO GET THINGS MOVING AGAIN.

[04:15:04]

RIGHT NOW, THAT'S GOING TO BE YOUR BIGGEST ISSUE.

AND AND IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LONG TIME TO REALLY GET IN THERE AND, AND AND HAVE A DO OVER.

OKAY. AND THEN I THINK, YOU KNOW, YOUR NEXT ISSUE WOULD BE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THIS IS GOING TO TAKE, YOU KNOW, A MONTH OR TWO MONTHS.

YOU KNOW, THIS COULD TAKE ONE WEEK, IT COULD TAKE ONE YEAR.

BUT WHAT I CAN DO, I CAN INFORM YOU AND ALL THE OTHERS ON THE COUNCIL EXACTLY WHAT I'M DOING, SO THAT YOU HAVE AWARENESS OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO PROCEED GOING FORWARD.

SO I WOULD SAY THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. WELL, THANK YOU, MR. BROWN, AND THANK YOU FOR APPLYING. WE'RE WE'RE NOW ON A TEN MINUTE RECESS.

THIS MEETING IS BACK TO ORDER. WELCOME, MA'AM.

THANK YOU. SO WE'RE GOING TO START THE WAY WE STARTED EVERY EVERY INTERVIEW.

I'M GOING TO YIELD TO THE DEPUTY MAYOR TO MAKE THAT FIRST QUESTION.

HAVE THAT FIRST QUESTION, MA'AM. GOOD TO MEET YOU.

AND THANKS FOR HANGING OUT WITH US ALL DAY. WELCOME TO THIS MEETING.

VERY BRIEFLY, CAN YOU PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF, YOUR CHARACTER AND YOUR PERSONALITY? GIVE US SOME INSIGHT BY TELLING US 1 OR 2 THINGS YOU LIKE TO DO WHEN YOU'RE NOT WORKING.

AND FEEL FREE TO EXPAND ON AN OPENING STATEMENT.

SURE. SO, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MYSELF. SONIA, THE PERSON.

I AM A MOTHER OF TWO GIRLS, NINE AND 11. I HAPPEN TO BE ACTUALLY HERE ALREADY WITH MY FAMILY FOR SPRING BREAK.

IT WAS AN UNPLANNED, COINCIDENTAL CHAIN OF EVENTS, BUT NONETHELESS, GOOD ONES, I WOULD SAY COMING BEFORE THIS COUNCIL.

I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN IN GOVERNMENT IN PUBLIC. IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT, THAT IS.

I STARTED OFF MY CAREER IN THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE AND JUST BUILDING MY WAY THROUGH THERE BOTH WITH EDUCATION, HAVING A MASTER'S IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION. AND THEN I CURRENTLY ALSO TEACH AT RUTGERS UNIVERSITY AS A PUBLIC PROCUREMENT AGENT.

AND I FIND THAT HAVING THE KNOWLEDGE OF BUILDING MYSELF THROUGH THEN A LEADERSHIP TO GET TO A LEADERSHIP ROLE HAS BEEN REALLY INVALUABLE. TO ME, I THINK IT SAYS A LOT ABOUT MY CHARACTER.

I FIND THAT WITH THIS JOB AND THIS POSITION. INTEGRITY IS KEY.

DEPENDABILITY. LOYALTY. WHEN I'M ALSO INTERVIEWING FOLKS, I ASK THEM, WHAT IS WHAT ARE THOSE THINGS MEAN TO YOU IN A LEADERSHIP ROLE, EVEN AS SOMEONE COMING IN FOR THE FIRST TIME AS AN OFFICER? I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT. AND IT SAYS TO SOMEONE'S CHARACTER AND LEADERSHIP, ESPECIALLY SERVING IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING I REALLY, TRULY PRIDE ABOUT MYSELF BEING A PUBLIC SERVANT.

THANK YOU. WHAT INTERESTS YOU MOST ABOUT SERVING AS PALM BAY CITY MANAGER? AND I BELIEVE YOU'RE SHORT LISTED ALSO FOR PALM COAST.

SO WHAT WOULD THAT DECISION MAKING PROCESS LOOK LIKE IF YOU WERE OFFERED A JOB FROM CITY OF PALM BAY TODAY? SO WITH REGARD TO, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT WE WANT TO MOVE TO FLORIDA.

MY FAMILY COMING FROM NEW JERSEY. SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I IT'S NO SECRET YOU HAVE YOUR PUBLIC MEETINGS, SO EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT THERE'S OPEN APPLICATIONS AND OPEN FORUMS FOR IT.

SO BUT THAT SAID THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MYSELF AND COUNCIL NEEDS TO BE MUTUAL.

IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. AND SO GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND SERVING A COMMUNITY LIKE PALM BAY OR A LARGER COMMUNITY SIMILAR, I WOULD SAY, IN SIZE TO WHERE I'M CURRENTLY AT IN EDISON, WHICH IS 107,000 RESIDENTS.

WE ARE THE SIXTH LARGEST TOWN TO A MAJOR INDUSTRIAL PARKS, ONE BEING PROBABLY THE SECOND LARGEST IN THE NORTHEASTERN PART OF THE COUNTRY.

IT ALIGNS VERY WELL WITH MY PROFESSIONAL AND QUITE FRANKLY, MY PERSONAL JUST MY PERSONAL VIEW ON I LIKE TO BE SOMEWHERE WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY AND GROWTH, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE HERE.

AND SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING ABLE TO BRING MY THOUGHTS NOT JUST BEING SOMEONE FROM THE OUTSIDE, BUT HAVING COME TO THIS COUNTRY AS A LITTLE GIRL, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO ADAPT TO WHEREVER I AM.

AND GOING THROUGH, GOING THROUGH JUST DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES AND HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SERVE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES.

I ALWAYS FIND THAT AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN. SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING IN A LARGER COMMUNITY THAT HAS PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY.

AND THE GROWTH, I FIND THAT A GOOD CHALLENGE.

NOT NECESSARILY A NEGATIVE CHALLENGE, BUT I THINK THAT AS LONG AS WE ALL WORK TOGETHER AND ARE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT DOES THE CITY OF PALM BAY LOOK LIKE IN

[04:20:03]

I'LL PASS. MAYOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YIELDING.

COUNCILMAN LANGEVIN. YES. THANK YOU. MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.

SO MY FIRST QUESTION IS, WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE AMERICAN FOUNDING FATHER AND WHY? ABRAHAM LINCOLN. ALL RIGHT. AND WHAT IS YOUR PHILOSOPHY ON TAXES AND SPENDING AND HOW DO YOU BALANCE THE TWO? WELL, FIRST AND FOREMOST, I HAVE TO BALANCE THE TAXES FOR THE RESIDENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT LIVING IN THEIR COMMUNITY IS ATTAINABLE. AND I MEAN THAT FOR WORKING FAMILIES AND OUR SENIOR POPULATION, THAT IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST CHALLENGING THINGS TO DO.

AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR EVEN OUR SENIOR POPULATION CAN STAY AND REMAIN WHAT THEY'VE ALWAYS CALLED HOME FOR, YOU KNOW, 40 PLUS YEARS. SO THAT'S WHAT I VISION FOR THAT.

THANK YOU. AND I YIELD, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN HAMMER, WHAT INFORMATION DO YOU KNOW ABOUT PALM BAY SO FAR? YOUR INFRASTRUCTURE. OBVIOUSLY, WE NEED A LOT OF ADDRESSING TO DO WITH YOUR INFRASTRUCTURE.

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR INTERNALLY AS WELL? AND WHAT I KNOW, OR.

I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT QUESTIONS I CAN ASK YOU ABOUT WHAT YOUR FIRST SAY, 90 DAYS HERE WOULD BE LIKE, WHAT? WHAT RESEARCH HAVE YOU DONE ON ON PALM BAY ITSELF TO KNOW KIND OF A BASIS ON WHAT YOUR FOCAL POINT IS GOING TO BE TO EVEN SIT IN THAT SEAT? WELL, MY FIRST 30, I'M GOING TO TAKE YOU TO MY ENTIRE YEAR.

MY FIRST 30 DAYS WOULD BE TO MEET WITH LOCAL LEADERS.

JUST LOCAL CONSTITUENTS THAT HAVE, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST THE ONES THAT, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF DEVELOPMENT, NOT DEVELOPERS. I'M TALKING ABOUT LOCAL LEADERS.

YOU KNOW, NONPROFITS THAT ARE HAVE THAT DO HAVE SOME WEIGHT IN THE GAME HERE AND THAT ARE CURRENT.

THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE CITY OF PALM BAY.

AND I WOULD MEET WITH THOSE FOLKS FIRST 30, 60 DAYS.

WITHIN THAT TIME, I WOULD ALSO MEET WITH OUR STAFF TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON.

WHAT ARE THEY LOOKING IN TERMS OF LEADERSHIP, HOW I CAN BEST SERVE THEM AS WELL.

I WOULD REPORT THAT EVERY 30 DAYS TO YOU AS A COUNCIL, AS A BODY.

I FIND THAT REALLY IMPORTANT. SO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M DOING OUTSIDE IN HERE IN THESE COUNCIL CHAMBERS AND WITH STAFF? MY FIRST SIX MONTHS, I'D PROBABLY DO A PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT AS TO WHERE WE GO FROM HERE.

BOTH FROM AN INFRASTRUCTURE, YOU KNOW, OPERATIONS.

WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? AND THEN I WOULD TAKE THAT NEXT SIX MONTHS TO DEVELOP SOME SORT OF PLAN WITH MY DEPARTMENTS, AND THEN, OF COURSE, WITH YOU AS WELL, HAVING SOME COMMUNITY.

MEETINGS FROM TIME TO TIME, ESPECIALLY IN MY FIRST YEAR, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

LIKE I STARTED THIS OUT TO GET TO KNOW, TO GET THE FACE.

OF THE PERSON THAT'S LEADING YOUR TOWN AND HAVING SOME LOCAL BUY IN FROM RESIDENTS.

AND I MEAN THAT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, TRAFFIC AFFECTS EVERYBODY, YOUR INFRASTRUCTURE, THE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S COMING IN YOUR CITY SERVICES.

YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU COME TO TOWN HALL, HOW ARE YOU BEING GREETED? THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. SO THAT FIRST FULL YEAR, I WOULD SET MY SET BENCHMARKS FOR MYSELF AND FOR CITY STAFF SO THAT THAT FIRST YEAR IS REALLY JUST A MATTER OF UNDERSTANDING AND DEVELOPING A PLAN SO THAT I COULD COME TO THIS COUNCIL A YEAR FROM NOW, WHEN YOU'RE ESSENTIALLY EVALUATING ME AND SAYING, HEY, WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING? AND WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? OKAY. WELL I DO UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE TWO LARGE INDUSTRIAL AREAS IN YOUR CITY, SO YOU PROBABLY HAVE THE CAPACITY TO MOVE, YOU KNOW, THINGS IN AND OUT OF YOUR CITY.

WE ARE OVER CAPACITY HERE. SO WITHIN THAT FIRST YEAR, WOULD YOU BE DOING OR WHAT ARE YOUR IDEAS FOR SERVING THAT CAPACITY WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR? BECAUSE WE ARE AT CAPACITY AND WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY.

SURE. WELL, THE FIRST THING I WOULD DO IS WHAT YOU MAY CALL A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

WE CALL IT A MASTER PLAN. I WOULD LOOK AT YOUR MASTER PLAN TO SEE EXACTLY WHERE YOU ARE IN TERMS OF YOUR ZONING AND PLANNING, AND HOW THAT ACTUALLY FITS THE CHARACTER OF THE OF OF THE CITY.

AND SO I WOULD LOOK AT IT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE SO THAT THERE'S PROPER PLANNING.

IF THE FEELING AND THE SENTIMENT IS THAT YOU'RE OVER, YOU'VE OVEREXTENDED YOURSELVES.

WELL, THEN IS THERE ANY POSSIBILITY AND IF THERE'S NONE, THAT'S FINE.

BUT I THINK THAT YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO COMPROMISE WITH ONE ANOTHER TO UNDERSTAND THAT IF THERE'S A POSSIBILITY TO LESSEN THE BURDEN OF

[04:25:01]

I WOULD PROBABLY WANT TO UNDERSTAND FROM A MASTER PLAN AND CAPACITY, YOUR ENGINEERING STUDIES, WHAT YOU ARE PHYSICALLY ABLE TO DO AND WHAT YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO DO.

THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN JOHNSON. THANK YOU, MA'AM, FOR BEING HERE.

HAVING BEEN BEEN A CITY MANAGER IN THE PAST. HOW HAVE YOU PREVIOUSLY, IF YOU HAD TO OR HOW WOULD YOU NAVIGATE UNIQUE AND DEMANDING PERSONALITIES FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS? WELL, I SAID BEFORE ALL OF YOU, AND ONE THING THAT I HAVE TO CHALLENGE YOU ALL WITH IS THAT YOU'RE HERE AS ONE BODY. AND WHILE YOU ALL HAVE INDIVIDUAL MINDS AND IDEAS.

MY APPROACH TO YOU ALL IS TO GET INTO THE SENTIMENT OF, MUCH LIKE A MARRIAGE OR RELATIONSHIP, THERE'S A LEVEL OF COMPROMISE. NOW, THAT LEVEL OF COMPROMISE DOESN'T NECESSARILY COMPROMISE YOUR IDEAS AS INDIVIDUALS, AS WHAT YOUR CONSTITUENTS ELECTED YOU INTO OFFICE.

HOWEVER, WE DO NEED TO COME AND BUILD CONSENSUS.

AND SO MY JOB IS TO MEET WITH YOU INDIVIDUALLY.

OBVIOUSLY, YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW, BREAK ANY SUNSHINE LAWS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT I WOULD MEET WITH YOU INDIVIDUALLY.

YOU KNOW, DURING AT THE BEGINNING OF THAT FISCAL YEAR TO UNDERSTAND WHAT SOME OF YOUR GOALS ARE.

LET'S SAY DURING YOUR TERM RATHER NOT JUST BY YEAR, BUT DURING YOUR TERM TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN COME AS A COLLECTIVE BODY.

AND THERE'S SOME NEGOTIATION THAT WE'LL HAVE TO GET THROUGH, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF COMPROMISE, REALISTIC COMPROMISE. AND I MEAN THAT BECAUSE FROM A, FROM A POINT OF CAN IT BE DONE? CAN WE CAN BASED ON THIS ENGINEERING REPORT OR BASED ON THIS LEVEL OF OPERATION YOU WANT TO ATTAIN FOR THE CITY? CAN IT BE DONE? SO THERE'S A LOT OF RESEARCH.

THERE'S A LOT OF MEETING WITH INDIVIDUALS. AND I'VE SPOKEN TO SOME OF YOUR DEPARTMENT HEADS AND I SAID, NEVER COME TO THIS BODY WITH A PROBLEM, COME WITH THE SOLUTION.

AND SO THAT'S MY JOB, IS TO TAKE THAT SAME APPROACH WITH YOU AS INDIVIDUALS AND AS A BODY.

BUT I DO NEED A LEVEL OF WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU, ALL THAT THERE IS A LEVEL, AN UNDERSTANDING THAT WE'LL HAVE TO COMPROMISE ON THINGS.

THANK YOU. AND TO ADD TO THAT, A QUESTION I'VE ASKED EVERYONE ELSE.

WE HAVE $150 MILLION ROAD BOND. THAT WAS VOTER APPROVED IN 2018.

WE GOT STARTED WITH WORK IN 2019. BUT HERE WE ARE TODAY AT A $70 MILLION SHORTFALL.

HOW WOULD YOU ADDRESS THIS TYPE OF FUNDING GAP WHILE CONTINUING WITH CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS? AND HAVE YOU DEALT WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS IN YOUR PAST? I'VE DEALT WITH IT TIME AND TIME AGAIN. I THINK THAT'S JUST THE CHALLENGE OF BEING IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS DOING YOU KNOW, HAVING LITTLE AND HAVING TO DO MORE. AND SO I THINK THAT WHAT I NEED TO DO IS LOOK AT ALL AVENUES OF FUNDING WHETHER IT'S FROM DEVELOPMENTS THAT MAY OR MAY MAY BE UNDERWAY OR WHETHER IT'S THROUGH SOME SORT OF INFRASTRUCTURE BANK, ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE DEALING WITH INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES.

BUT PARTICULARLY WITH ROADWAY, THERE MAY BE SOME POSSIBILITIES OF GRANT FUNDING.

STATE, COUNTY, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO MY JOB IS TO COME WITH, AGAIN, THE SOLUTION OF FIGURING OUT WHERE WE CAN GET THE FUNDING WITH THE LEAST IMPACT TO YOUR MUNICIPAL BUDGET. I'M GOOD FOR NOW. MAYOR.

THANK YOU. WELL, THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE THAT. MA'AM, I JUST WANTED TO TOUCH BASE A LITTLE BIT ON ON YOUR EXPERIENCES.

COUNCILMAN. JOHNSON. JUST RECENTLY DISCOVERED OR SHARED YOUR CITY MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE AND MOREOVER, YOUR YOUR OVERSIGHT AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS SUCH AS STORMWATER AS AN EXAMPLE.

SO WHAT HAVE YOU FOUND TO BE THE BEST WAYS TO DELIVER THESE TIMELY, IMPORTANT INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS? YOU DO HAVE TO BUILD OUT A CAPITAL FIVE YEAR PLAN, IF YOU WILL.

HOWEVER, FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, YOU'RE LOOKING AT MORE OF THAN JUST A FIVE YEAR PLAN.

YOU'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT INCREMENTAL FIVE YEARS, BUT 20 YEARS BEING THAT A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND WE'VE DEALT WITH IT UP NORTH AND ARE CURRENTLY DEALING WITH WITH IT IS 100 YEAR OLD UNDERGROUND INFRASTRUCTURE THAT JUST REALLY JUST HAS NOT BEEN PAID ATTENTION TO.

AND SO THAT IS OUR STORMWATER, THAT IS OUR UTILITIES.

THAT IS MUCH OF THAT. SO WITH THAT I NEED TO COME WITH YOU WITH THE PLAN.

AND MY PLAN IS TO SAY, OKAY, WE ARE GOING TO DIVVY UP, PARCEL OUT PRIORITIZE THE WORST TO THE WHAT COULD WE DEAL WITH IN TEN YEARS FROM NOW? SO HAVING A VERY DILIGENT PLAN AND I THINK YOUR DEPARTMENT SPEAKING TO YOUR DEPARTMENTS, THAT WAS STARTED IN 2019. AND I WOULD JUST BUILD FROM THAT, BUT PROBABLY DO A LARGER, BROADER CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN SO THAT THERE'S A REALISTIC

[04:30:10]

AND AGAIN, IT GOES TO THAT WORD OF CONSENSUS, UNDERSTANDING THAT IF THOSE ISSUES ARE NOT DEALT WITH AND I'VE BEEN PUT IN THAT POSITION, THERE'S CONSENT ORDERS. AND I KNOW YOU'VE GOT A CONSENT ORDER IN LINE, BUT AND I DO AS WELL.

AND WALKING INTO A UTILITY. SO WE DON'T NECESSARILY WANT TO HAVE THE STATE COME DOWN AND TELL US HOW TO DO OUR JOBS.

WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO KNOW HOW TO DO OUR JOBS.

AND I NEED TO COMMUNICATE THAT TO EACH OF YOU.

THANK YOU MA'AM. CAN YOU GIVE US AN EXAMPLE OF AN ETHICAL DILEMMA YOU WERE FACED WITH, HOW YOU RESOLVED IT AND WHAT YOU LEARNED FROM THAT EXPERIENCE? SURE. DEALING WITH PROCUREMENT THAT SOMETIMES COMES WITH THE TERRITORY.

I DEALT WITH AN ISSUE IN TERMS OF ETHICAL, NOT ILLEGAL.

AND I WILL SAY THAT IN FRONT OF THE YOUR COUNCILOR HERE IS, YOU KNOW, DOING A PROJECT SPECIFIC TO I DON'T NECESSARILY WANT TO OUT OUT OUR TOWN OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT DOING A PROJECT THAT WENT THROUGH A COMPETITIVE PROCESS.

SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS IT'S NOT JUST THE LOWEST BID, IT'S THE QUALIFICATIONS OF TECHNICAL COST AND MANAGEMENT OF THE PROJECT.

I THOUGHT THAT THE PRICE WAS JUST UNREASONABLE.

THERE WAS NO REASON TO GO WITH THAT VENDOR. THERE WERE OTHER QUALIFIED VENDORS, IN MY OPINION.

AND JUST FROM A PROCUREMENT STANDPOINT, BASED ON OUR SPECIFICATIONS, THEY WERE QUALIFIED ENOUGH TO DO IT, AND WE DIDN'T HAVE TO SPEND DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY.

ETHICALLY, I DID NOT FEEL THAT THAT WAS THE PROPER CHOICE THAT GETS OVERRIDDEN.

AND I RESPECT THE ELECTED OFFICIALS FOR, YOU KNOW, MAKING THAT DECISION.

WAS IT LEGAL? NO, IT WAS NOT ILLEGAL. HOWEVER, I DID NOT FEEL LIKE IT WAS THE RIGHT CHOICE BECAUSE FROM MY MY ABILITY TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE NEEDED TO BE ECHOED TO THE DECISION MAKERS AND THE POLICY MAKERS.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR THAT EXAMPLE. AND I WANT TO TOUCH A LITTLE BIT ON BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING CHANGE ORDERS IN PARTICULAR AND HOW PROCUREMENT CAN PLAY A PIVOTAL ROLE IN, IN LESS CHANGEOVERS OR ELIMINATING THAT OPPORTUNITY.

WITH YOUR PROCUREMENT EXPERIENCE, WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED? THAT WE COULD IMPLEMENT SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO CHANGE ORDERS.

AND I SAY THIS BEFORE MY COUNCIL. AT EVERY COUNCIL, EVERYBODY HATES CHANGE ORDERS.

THERE'S THIS NEGATIVE CONNOTATION ABOUT IT. NOW, THERE'S A LEVEL OF REALITY THAT THERE MAY BE SOME CHANGE ORDERS, ESPECIALLY DEPENDING ON A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT, FOR INSTANCE.

RIGHT. YOU START DOING A LITTLE MORE DIGGING OUTSIDE OF WHAT YOU SHOULD HAVE DONE IN TERMS OF YOUR DUE DILIGENCE.

YOU DO A LITTLE MORE DIGGING AND THEN YOU FIND SOMETHING. IT COULD BE WHATEVER.

IT COULD BE SOME TESTING THAT HAPPENED. AND YOU FIND SOME TANKER IN THERE.

IT COULD BE LITERALLY ANYTHING. OR IT COULD BE THE SIZE OF A ROOF.

WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH AN ISSUE WITH ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNS THAT WERE JUST NOT ON PAR WITH THE BUILDING, AND THEN THE ROOF JUST WASN'T THE RIGHT ROOF FOR THAT SIZE OF THE BUILDING.

AND AND SO PART OF THAT IS TO EXPLAIN TO MY GOVERNING BODY IS THAT THERE MAY BE A LIMITATION.

THERE'S ALWAYS A LIMITATION IN TERMS OF CHANGE ORDERS.

SO WE CAN'T GO MORE THAN 20% IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.

SO I NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUR LEVEL OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOUR CEILING THAT THERE ARE FOR CHANGE ORDERS.

HOWEVER THAT'S NOT SOMETHING I'VE WANT TO GET INTO.

THE HABIT IS OF CHANGE ORDERS. SO IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT BEFORE WE EMBARK ON ANY PROJECT SPECIFICATION THAT THERE IS A DEEP DIVE AND DUE DILIGENCE FOR FROM THE PROFESSIONALS. AND THAT WE HOLD OUR PROFESSIONALS ACCOUNTABLE.

IT'S ONE OF THE ISSUES I'VE HAD WITH OUR ROOFING.

CHANGE ORDER THAT NEARLY CAUSED ALMOST $1 MILLION IN CHANGE ORDERS.

GRANTED, IT'S 8% OF THE ENTIRE PROJECT. IT'S A BIG NUMBER FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO TO.

SWALLOW UP. WE'VE NOW HELD THAT ARCHITECT ACCOUNTABLE.

AND. WILL WOULD BE GOING THROUGH A PROCESS OF TRYING TO RECOVER SOME FUNDING.

I'M VERY SO THAT'S THE UNFORTUNATE PART ABOUT.

ABOUT THAT. BUT THE PART THAT WAS MISSED WAS MAKING SURE THERE WAS A LEVEL OF DUE DILIGENCE, AND THERE WAS A KNOWLEDGE BASED MUNICIPAL ARCHITECT THAT UNDERSTOOD WHAT KIND OF ROOFING NEEDED TO GO INTO A SPORTS BUILDING.

THANK YOU, DEPUTY MAYOR. THANK YOU. CAN YOU WALK WALK US THROUGH YOUR EXPERIENCE AS FAR AS BUDGETING AND WHAT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.

[04:35:02]

SO I CAME ON SPRING BREAK AND I GOT MY BUDGET INTRODUCED.

THAT WAS MY FIRST THING, BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO DEAL WITH IT AFTER I CAME BACK. AND IT HAPPENS TO BE ACTUALLY THE THE EARLIEST WE'VE EVER INTRODUCED A BUDGET IN PROBABLY TEN YEARS. I SAY THAT NOT TO JUST JUST TO SAY THAT, BUT I DO PRIDE MYSELF ON BEING TASK ORIENTED WHEN IT COMES TO LOOKING AT MY MY RESPONSIBILITY AS A FISCAL MANAGER, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I AM AS WELL.

OUR BUDGET PROCESS, THE WAY IT LOOKS LIKE. SO WE'RE ON A CALENDAR YEAR.

SO I'M TALKING CALENDAR YEAR, BUT THEN TRANSITIONING INTO A FISCAL YEAR.

SO JUST PUT YOUR HAT ON ON HERE WITH ME. I WOULD START THE BUDGET PROCESS THREE MONTHS BEFORE YOUR FISCAL YEAR BEGINS. AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IS I HAVE ALL OF MY DEPARTMENT HEADS PUT ON THE BASIS OF THREE DIFFERENT KINDS OF REQUESTS, ONE BEING YOUR OPERATING ACCOUNT AND WHAT YOUR OPERATIONS IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE FOR THE PROSPECTIVE YEAR.

CAPITAL REQUESTS, WHAT THOSE LOOK LIKE FOR THE YEAR.

AND THEN PERSONNEL REQUESTS. I ALWAYS TELL MY DEPARTMENT HEADS, PERSONNEL REQUESTS ARE THAT ONE TIME A YEAR THING OUTSIDE OF CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS, OF COURSE, BUT IT IS A ONE TIME A YEAR. WE ARE NOT DOING MID-YEAR THINGS THAT JUST FEELS GOOD.

RATHER, THESE NEED TO BE DONE ON A VERY RESPONSIBLE FISCAL IN A RESPONSIBLE FISCAL MANNER.

SO THOSE FIRST THREE MONTHS, I MEET WITH THE DEPARTMENT HEADS.

I HAVE ONE ON ONE CONVERSATIONS WITH THOSE DEPARTMENT HEADS.

I DEVELOP A BUDGET THAT THEN I DELIVER TO WHO? OUR MAYOR. I MEET WITH OUR MAYOR. WE GO THROUGH IT.

WE PROBABLY TACKLE ON SOME MORE THINGS THAT WE PROBABLY DROP DOWN, MORE THINGS THAT WE WE DON'T WANT TO DO.

BUT I HAVE REALLY GREAT DEPARTMENT HEADS WHO'VE JUST BEEN TO TASK AND JUST.

DO THEY JUST MAKE IT WORK. SO OUR, OUR LEVEL OF OUR BUDGET OPERATIONS JUST NEVER REALLY INCREASES SUBSTANTIALLY.

SO WE GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS. I THEN GIVE THE COUNCIL AN IN DEPTH TWO REAMS WORTH OF A BINDER OF ALL OF THOSE DOCUMENTS, ALL OF OUR EXPENDITURE EXPENDITURE REPORTS, OUR WORKSHEETS THAT GO THROUGH A FIVE YEAR FOR, YOU KNOW, WELL, FIVE YEAR LOOK BACK RATHER. I PUT TOGETHER ALL OF OUR CAPITAL PLANNING WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, OUR FIVE YEAR CAPITAL PLANNING, OUR REVENUE STREAMS. SO WITHIN THAT BINDER, THEY HAVE EVERYTHING THEY CAN POSSIBLY LOOK THROUGH.

THAT IS THE MOST TRANSPARENT AS I CAN BE TO THE GOVERNING BODY, SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION AND FEEL GOOD ABOUT MAKING A VOTE TO INTRODUCE OR ADOPT A BUDGET. I THEN INTRODUCED THE BUDGET, WHICH I JUST RECENTLY DID.

SO NOW FROM IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, WE HAVE TO HAVE A 30 DAY WAITING PERIOD REVIEW BEFORE YOU ADOPT THE BUDGET.

SO OUR EARLIEST WE CAN ADOPT IS THE FIRST OUR FIRST MEETING IN MAY.

SO THE NEXT SIX, SEVEN WEEKS, I WILL HAVE ONE ON ONES WITH THE ELECTED OFFICIALS BECAUSE WE CAN'T HAVE A QUORUM.

OBVIOUSLY, I WILL HAVE THOSE ONE ON ONES WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS, WITH THE DEPARTMENT HEADS TO GO LINE BY LINE AGAIN WITH THOSE REQUESTS, WHAT THEY ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE. AND AND THEY WILL THEN HAVE A FULL BASE KNOWLEDGE AND A AND ESSENTIALLY FEEL GOOD ABOUT ADOPTING A VERY RESPONSIBLE BUDGET. SO GOOD THAT I THINK THAT THERE WOULD BE LITTLE TO NO QUESTIONS.

WE HAVE A LESS THAN A 1% INCREASE OVERALL FOR THE BUDGET YEAR.

SO BUT THEN AGAIN, I, I LEAVE THAT TO THE DEPARTMENT HEADS WHO'VE JUST BEEN TO TASK AND THEY WENT AND THEY'VE DEVELOPED A VERY RESPONSIBLE BUDGET.

SO IT TAKES ABOUT, I WOULD SAY, SIX MONTHS FOR ME TO DEVELOP THAT TIMELINE.

AND WE JUST KEEP WITH THE DATES AND THE MEETINGS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THERE'S GOOD BUY IN FROM OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AT THE SAME TIME.

THANK YOU. CAN YOU SPEAK TO YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS AS FAR AS THE REORGANIZATION AND RESTRUCTURING OF DEPARTMENTS? WHERE WHERE DID THIS TAKE PLACE? HOW DID YOU IDENTIFY THE ISSUES AND WHAT WERE THE STEPS THAT YOU TOOK THAT THAT CREATED THAT RESTRUCTURING? SURE. SO WHEN ONE OF THE I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, ONE OF THE RESTRUCTURING WAS DONE WHEN I WAS IN MAPLEWOOD AND MAPLEWOOD TOWNSHIP AND COMING IN AS A NEW BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR KNEW THAT THERE WERE SOME AREAS THAT NEEDED IMPROVEMENTS AS FAR AS SERVICES THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND THIS WAS THROUGH THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE OVERALL GOAL,

[04:40:01]

AND HOW DO WE KIND OF BRING THAT IN? AND THEN WITH, WITH COMMUNITY EVENTS CAME A MORE CULTURALLY ASPIRING COMMUNITY.

SO HOW DO WE DIVE INTO THE CULTURAL ARTS? AND SO I RESTRUCTURED THAT DEPARTMENT SO THAT IT LOOKED A LOT MORE COHESIVE AND THAT THERE WAS RATHER THAN JUST HAVING A CULTURAL ARTS DIVISION, IT FELL UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF THE COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT, WHICH MADE SENSE. AND, YOU KNOW, AND AS MUCH AS IT'S GREAT THAT YOU AS ELECTED OFFICIALS LOVE TO DO YOUR OWN EVENTS, WE FELT THAT, HEY, YOU'RE ELECTED YOUR POLICYMAKERS.

WE WANT TO TAKE THAT OFF YOUR PLATE. AND WE COLLABORATED WITH THOSE ELECTED OFFICIALS TO ESSENTIALLY BE THE HUB.

AND SO I WANTED TO KIND OF CENTRALIZE ALL OF THOSE COMMUNITY ORIENTED EVENTS INTO THAT.

ONE DEPARTMENT CREATED A DIVISION OF COMMUNITY SERVICES, RATHER JUST RECREATION, SO THAT THERE WAS A THAT WAS THAT HIGH LEVEL THINKING OF WE'RE SERVING THE COMMUNITY, NOT JUST RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES, WHICH STILL FELL UNDER AND AS WELL AS THE CULTURAL ARTS.

SO TALK TO OUR DEPARTMENT HEAD, TALK TO ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND PUT TOGETHER A PRETTY EXTENSIVE REPORT ON WHAT MY THOUGHTS WERE SOME OF THE PERSONNEL CHANGES THAT I WOULD BE MAKING.

NO ONE WAS LOSING THEIR POSITION OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

I JUST WAS TRYING TO FIND THE STRENGTHS OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND, YOU KNOW, IDENTIFYING SOME OF THE WEAKNESSES AND WHERE TO PUT THOSE FOLKS SO THAT WE COULD ADDRESS MORE OF THE COMMUNITY SERVICES ASPECT FOR THAT DEPARTMENT.

THANK YOU. AND JUST LAST QUESTION. AND TOWNSHIP OF EDISON.

THERE'S TEN BARGAINING UNIT CONTRACTS. HOW DO YOU APPROACH THAT? HOW DO YOU APPROACH COLLECTIVE BARGAINING? FRIENDLY.

THEY'RE CHALLENGING OF THEMSELVES, BUT I FIND THEM TO BE PARTNERS.

BECAUSE IN TIMES OF NEED. AND I MEAN, WHEN I'M TRYING TO CORRAL AN EMPLOYEE, THAT'S JUST.

WE KNOW IT'S TROUBLE. WE KNOW WE HAVE TO KIND OF PULL THEM THROUGH.

YOU KNOW, THAT WHOLE. AND I FIND THEM TO BE PARTNERS IN EMPLOYEE MORALE.

AND JUST IN TERMS OF THE OPERATIONS, I'M NOT THERE TO FIGHT WITH THEM.

I'M THERE TO WORK WITH THEM. AND SO GIVEN THAT THERE ARE THERE THAT AS MANY AS TEN DOESN'T NECESSARILY CHANGE THE DYNAMIC WHETHER I HAD TWO OR 3 OR 04, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF THE WAY I APPROACH THE NEGOTIATION TABLE WITH THEM IS WE'RE HERE TO WORK TOGETHER, NOT AGAINST EACH OTHER. AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN I GUESS WE'LL JUST TAKE THIS TO ARBITRATION. NOBODY EVER WANTS TO DO THAT. IT'S COSTLY. IT'S TIMELY. AND SO I DO SAY THAT I HAVE A VERY GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH ALL OF OUR UNION LEADERS.

THANK YOU. MAYOR. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN LANGEVIN.

I YIELD. COUNCILMAN HAMMER, HOW BIG IS ACCOUNTABILITY IN YOUR DAY TO DAY PROCESS? TO BE ABLE TO HOLD YOUR YOUR LEADERS UNDER YOU ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR POSITIONS? THE LEVEL OF. CAN YOU REPEAT THAT QUESTION? HOW BIG ON YOUR LIST IS ACCOUNTABILITY? OH, IT'S IT'S TOUGH. IT'S TOP ACCOUNTABILITY IS INCLUDING MYSELF TO ALL OF THE GOVERNING BODY.

IT'S HIGH. AND IS THERE A EXAMPLE THAT YOU HAVE TO WHERE YOU HAVE HAVE BROUGHT A LARGE AMOUNT OF, I WOULD SAY NOT NEW BUSINESS, BUT A NEW.

A NEW NEIGHBORHOOD, A NEW STRUCTURE TO YOUR CITY WHERE IF YOUR CITY IS FUNCTIONING ONE WAY TO WHERE YOU CAME IN AND YOU HAVE A WHOLE NEW DYNAMIC THAT YOU HAD TO COME UP WITH. AND HOW DID YOU MOVE FORWARD WITH IT? SO I'VE SAT ON THE BOARD FOR SPECIAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.

ONE OF THE LITTLE NUANCES OF WHEN I WAS IN MAPLEWOOD TOWNSHIP IS THAT IT'S A THEY CALL IT BROOKLYN WEST.

SO WE HAVE A LOT OF NEW YORKERS THAT COMMUTE TO BACK AND FORTH.

THERE'S A STATION. AND WHEN I SAT ON THERE'S TWO SPECIAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS, AND SO ONE IS CALLED MAPLEWOOD VILLAGE IS KIND OF LIKE IN THE SUBURB OF THE AREA.

IT'S VERY QUAINT, YOU KNOW, KEPT, IF YOU WILL, HISTORIC.

AND THE OTHER ONE IS SPRINGFIELD AVENUE PARTNERSHIP, WHICH I SAT ON THAT BOARD.

AND THE REASON I BRING THAT UP IS BECAUSE IT'S A MAJOR CORRIDOR BETWEEN MY HOMETOWN, WHERE I GREW UP IN NEWARK, NEW JERSEY AND IRVINGTON AND MILLBURN. SO THERE'S ABOUT 4 OR 5 TOWNS THAT IT GOES THROUGH.

AND SO THE THERE WAS A CHALLENGE THERE ON HOW TO REVIVE THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, BECAUSE THERE WAS A LOT OF EMPTY STORES.

AND SO THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY OF SOME DEVELOPMENT THERE.

AND HOW HOW WOULD THAT EITHER NEGATIVELY OR HOW WHAT WAS THE ACTUAL IMPACT OF REBUILDING THAT NEIGHBORHOOD? IT REALLY DID NEED TO ADDRESS. AND HAVING THE EXPERIENCE OF OF BEING ON THE OR THE KNOWLEDGE BASE OF BEING ON THE BOARD AND

[04:45:06]

WE NEED SOMETHING. AND SO THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ADDRESS THAT PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND RATHER JUST JUST BUILD AND HAVE MORE PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE, WHICH IS WONDERFUL.

HOWEVER, HOW DO WE INTEGRATE THEM IN THE COMMUNITY AND OTHERS THAT ARE ALREADY IN THAT COMMUNITY.

BEING THAT THAT PART OF TOWN WAS THEIR NEEDS WERE A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN, YOU KNOW, THE MORE QUIET SUBURBAN HOMES.

YEAH. I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A BETTER WAY OR A BETTER EXAMPLE.

THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WANT TO SEE A DOWNTOWN IN PALM BAY, AND WE DON'T HAVE ONE. WE'RE A BEDROOM COMMUNITY THAT HAS IDENTIFIED AS A BEDROOM COMMUNITY, BUT WE'VE GROWN OUT OF BEING A BEDROOM COMMUNITY.

SO WE NEED TO PROVIDE NOT ONLY JOBS COMMERCIAL, WE NEED TO PROVIDE ENTERTAINMENT FOR PEOPLE.

AND WE DO NOT HAVE THOSE THINGS HERE. I'M I'M LOOKING FOR A PROPER GROWTH STRATEGY OR SOMETHING IN TERMS OF WE DON'T HAVE A DOWNTOWN. WHAT WOULD YOUR INSIGHT TO THAT BE AND WHAT WOULD SOME OF YOUR STEPS BE IN BRINGING THAT HERE? SO WE DON'T HAVE A DOWNTOWN EITHER. AND THAT'S ACTUALLY ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT I DEAL WITH MY GOVERNING BODY ALL THE TIME.

AND RESIDENTS THAT COME AND SAY, WELL, I WANT IT TO BE A DOWNTOWN.

WE'VE IDENTIFIED ONE AREA THAT POTENTIALLY COULD BE A DOWNTOWN.

AND THE WAY I WOULD APPROACH THAT IS AND I'VE DONE THAT IN OTHER IN OTHER TOWNS, IS I GET THE STATE TO COME DOWN THE WHAT WE CALL THE COMMUNITY AFFAIRS DIVISION AT THE STATE LEVEL, TO GIVE US A PROPER ASSESSMENT SO THAT WE CAN HAVE SOME BUY IN FROM THE STATE COUNTY TO SEE HOW WE COULD HOW THAT WOULD AFFECT SOME OF THE MOBILITY ISSUES IF THERE WERE ANY TRAFFIC, THINGS LIKE THAT.

I THINK YOU HAVE TO KIND OF SIT DOWN AND LOOK AT YOUR MASTER PLAN, SEEING WHAT SOME OF THE ZONING LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT YOU WOULD WANT TO TO DO TO MULTI-STEP THING THAT IF THERE'S A GENERAL CONSENSUS THAT THERE YOU WANT THERE TO BE A DOWNTOWN.

WHICH I DON'T THINK THAT'S A NEGATIVE THING, I REALLY DON'T.

I THINK THAT YOU JUST HAVE TO BE REALISTIC IN TERMS OF WHERE DO YOU PUT IT HOW IS IT GOING TO AFFECT THE NEIGHBORHOOD? I THINK YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH SEVERAL STUDIES IN ORDER TO IDENTIFY IT.

BUT IN IN ORDER TO DO THAT, YOU NEED FUNDING. AND SO I WOULD ACTUALLY GO TO YOUR YOUR STATE LEGISLATURE FOLKS AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW CAN YOU HELP ME TO MAKE MY TOWN A DESIRABLE TOWN TO VISIT, NOT JUST PERHAPS, WHAT'S BEEN SEEN AS A BEDROOM TOWN, WHICH I'M DEAL WITH THAT, I GET IT. AND IF ANYBODY KNOWS EDISON IN THE MIDDLE OF EDISON IS OUR DONUT HOLE.

MCCUTCHEON TOWNSHIP, WHICH IS A BEAUTIFUL TOWN WITH A DOWNTOWN.

SO WE ALWAYS GET KIND OF CRITICIZED FOR THAT.

AND I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT. I THINK NOT HAVING ONE, THOUGH, WE DO NEED TO, TO GO THROUGH A PROCESS OF UNDERSTANDING YOUR ZONING AND YOUR MASTER PLAN AND WHAT YOUR VISION LOOKS LIKE FOR YOUR TOWN.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN JOHNSON. THANK YOU.

MAYOR. I GUESS HOW WILL YOU OR HOW HAVE YOU NAVIGATED DISGRUNTLED EMPLOYEES OVER THE PAST SIX YEARS OF BEING ON COUNCIL? WHETHER IT'S BEEN JUST DOING A RECORD SEARCH AND LOOKING AT THE EXIT INTERVIEWS OF EMPLOYEES OR EARLY RETIREES OR TIMES WHERE I'VE RECOMMENDED THEM TO SPEAK TO STAFF OR FOLLOW WHISTLEBLOWER ACT. A LOT OF IT FELT UNHEARD TO THEIR POINT.

HOW WOULD YOU HOW WILL YOU OR HOW HOW HAVE YOU NAVIGATED WATERS LIKE THAT? SO THE FIRST THING IS EDUCATION. AND SO ONE OF THE RESOUNDING MESSAGES I'VE HEARD IS MAKING SURE THAT YOUR MORALE IS CONTINUING TO BE UPLIFTED, WHICH I FELT THAT IT WAS.

AND SO IN ORDER TO DO THAT, THOUGH, IS YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOME FORM OF EDUCATION GIVEN TO THEM SO THAT THEY FEEL THEY THEY FEEL EMPOWERED, IF YOU WILL. OKAY. NO MATTER AT WHAT LEVEL.

ONE OF THE THINGS I DO AND WHEN I TEACH MY CLASSES, ALTHOUGH IT'S PROCUREMENT I TEACH THEM THAT PROCUREMENT MEANS THAT YOU'RE STILL AT A LEVEL OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND LEADERSHIP BECAUSE YOU'RE ESSENTIALLY CENTRALIZING YOUR, YOUR, YOUR FISCAL WATCHDOG, IF YOU WILL, FOR YOUR TOWN. AND SO I SEE THAT BECAUSE OF THEIR INTEREST IN WANTING TO BE EDUCATED ABOUT MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT, WHETHER IT'S PROCUREMENT OR WHETHER IT'S JUST FINANCE OR WHETHER IT'S CITY CLERK OR A TAX ASSESSOR, THEY FEEL EMPOWERED THAT AND IT'S THAT ONE THING THAT YOUR HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELOR ALWAYS SAYS TO YOU, YOU CAN'T TAKE MY EDUCATION AWAY. AND SO IF YOU ALLOW EMPLOYEES TO BE EDUCATED, GET CERTIFIED WHETHER IT'S THROUGH SOME KIND OF MPA

[04:50:04]

AND SO THAT'S WHERE THAT THING COMES BACK. OR LIKE, OKAY, WELL THEN THAT'S A GOOD PLACE TO WORK SO THAT MORALE IS RIGHT UP THERE AND YOU'RE GOING TO KEEP PEOPLE. EDUCATION MEANS RETENTION AND MEANS A LESS OF A REVOLVING DOOR.

IT MEANS EMPOWERMENT. AND SO THAT YOU HAVE MORE OF A CONTROL AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE OPERATIONS HERE.

YOU AS A LOCAL BODY NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT. ONE MORE QUESTION, MAYOR.

IF YOU DRIVE AROUND THE CITY OF PALM BAY, YOU'LL SEE SOME DILAPIDATED BUILDINGS AREAS THAT HAD A BUSINESS THERE THAT NO LONGER HAVE A BUSINESS THERE.

I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'VE DEALT WITH ANYTHING LIKE THAT IN NEW JERSEY. HOW HAVE YOU, IF YOU HAVE ADDRESSED ISSUES LIKE DILAPIDATED BUILDINGS OR BROUGHT BACK GROWTH OR BROUGHT BACK SOMETHING OF AN ASSET INSTEAD OF A LIABILITY WITH STRUCTURES LIKE THESE? THE FIRST THING YOU DO IS YOU GO AFTER THOSE OWNERS.

AND HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE. WE'RE NOT TRYING NECESSARILY TO TO ATTACK PEOPLE, BUT WE DO NEED TO HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE.

SO IF YOU'RE A BUSINESS OWNER, IF YOU'RE SOMEONE WHO OWNS A HOME THAT'S PROBABLY ABANDONED OR JUST HAS PILES OF, YOU KNOW, A CAR THAT'S KIND OF THERE'S A HEALTH ISSUE.

OUR FOLKS HERE THAT WORK HERE NEED TO GO OUT AND THEY NEED TO POLICE THESE ITEMS. AND SO HOLDING THOSE PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE IS GOING TO BE THE FIRST STEP TO OVERCOME.

AND THEN HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH POTENTIAL DEVELOPERS SAYING, OKAY, THIS IS THIS IS THIS PLACE.

I NEED TO ADDRESS IT. WE'VE, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE FIRST INITIATIVES WHEN I CAME INTO WITH OUR ADMINISTRATION IS WE HAD A LOT OF WHAT WE CALL MASSAGE PARLORS.

AND WITHIN, I WANT TO SAY, THE FIRST 12 MONTHS OF THIS MAYOR'S ADMINISTRATION, OUR STAFF WAS ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, COLLECTIVELY THROUGH POLICE AND ZONING AND SO FORTH AND HEALTH WE'RE ABLE TO CLOSE NINE MASSAGE PARLORS, AND SO AND, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THROUGH A MAJOR CORRIDOR, YOU KNOW, ALTHOUGH IT MAY HAVE BEEN A COUNTY ROAD, IT'S STILL OUR PLACE. IT'S THE ZIP CODE IS EDISON, NEW JERSEY.

YOU CAN'T WE CAN'T HAVE THAT LEVEL OF VISIBILITY OF WHAT IS THAT GOING ON.

AND SO THAT'S THE FIRST THING YOU DO IS HOLD THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS ACCOUNTABLE.

ONE MORE QUESTION, MAYOR. WHEN IT COMES TO THE WATERWAYS IN EDISON, HOW DID YOU WAIT? WORK TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE SAFE. THEY WERE EFFICIENT, AND THEY WERE THRIVING.

WE HERE IN PALM BAY, FLORIDA, HAVE THE TURKEY CREEK, AND WE HAVE THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON, WHICH PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE HOW MUCH OF AN ECONOMIC DRIVER IT IS WHEN IT COMES TO THE THE HEALTH OF OUR ENVIRONMENT.

SO I'M NOT SURE IF YOU HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE WITH DEALING WITH SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE IN EDISON, BUT I JUST WANTED TO ASK I DO WE HAVE A RIVER, RARITAN RIVER, WHICH IS ABOUT SIX MILES.

SIX MILES OF IT IS WITHIN EDISON TOWNSHIP. AND SO PART OF THE CHALLENGE IS TRYING TO.

AND THEN THERE'S A LANDFILL NOT THAT FAR AWAY.

SO THE CHALLENGE IS TRYING TO KIND OF REBUILD THAT ENTIRE AREA.

SO ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE DID AS AN ADMINISTRATION WAS PROCURE A PIECE OF LAND THAT WAS THERE, ABOUT NINE ACRES, TO TRY TO HOLD THAT, TO REVIVE THAT SPECIFIC WATERWAY.

AND IT ACTUALLY LEADS INTO A GOOD PORTION OF OUR, OUR, OUR JERSEY SHORE, IF YOU WILL.

AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE LARGER PROJECTS WE'RE HOPING TO EMBARK ON AT ONE POINT.

BUT WE AS A TOWN, COMMITTED TO PROCURING THAT LAND SO THAT THERE'S GOOD DEVELOPMENT, THERE'S RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT, AND WE'RE ABLE TO HOLD ANY, ANY POTENTIAL DEVELOPER IF THAT HAPPENS.

BUT AT THE VERY LEAST, KEEP THAT WITHIN OUR TOWN MEANS WHETHER WE DO IT FOR RECREATION.

OKAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. SO YOU SPOKE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR BUDGET, BUT I WANT TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW YOU EVALUATE POLICE AND FIRE SERVICE NEEDS IN RELATIONSHIPS TO YOUR BUDGET.

CURRENTLY IN THE TOWN OF FEATHERSTON. SURE. SO I DO IT IN THE SAME MANNER THAT I EVALUATE EVERY DEPARTMENT.

HOWEVER, PUBLIC SAFETY OF COURSE. WE THE PRIORITY IS WE WE DO NEED THAT LEVEL OF INFRASTRUCTURE.

AND I MEAN BY, YOU KNOW, OUR BUILDINGS, OUR TRAININGS FOR, FOR THOSE FOLKS AND OUR VEHICLES.

SO THEIR NEEDS USUALLY ARE AT THE TOP. PUBLIC SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT.

AND SO I USUALLY HOLD THAT A LITTLE, A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY IN TERMS OF HAVING THAT MORE AS A PRIORITY LIST WHEN IT COMES TO BUDGETARY DISCUSSIONS

[04:55:08]

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE, I KNOW YOU HAVE SOME EMT COMBINATION OF FIREFIGHTER WHICH WE WE DO TO.

AND SO MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE PROPER INFRASTRUCTURE IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO, TO ADDRESS CALLS.

ARE THERE SYSTEMS IN PLACE. SO I DO USUALLY PUT PUBLIC SAFETY AT MORE OF A PRIORITY TOP.

AND I NOT TO SAY THAT THE OTHERS ARE NOT. I DO TRY TO KIND OF LIKE PLAY MOM IN THAT AND SAYING, OKAY, WELL WHAT IS EVERYBODY'S NEEDS LOOKS LIKE, BUT THERE IS A LEVEL OF PRIORITY.

I MEAN, PUBLIC SAFETY IS PUBLIC SAFETY. WE CAN'T ARGUE AGAINST THAT.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MA'AM. PROVIDE US WITH AN EXAMPLE OF A SUCCESSFUL LOCAL GOVERNMENT PARTNERSHIP YOU DEVELOPED WITH A BUSINESS OR NOT FOR PROFIT. A BUSINESS OR NOT FOR PROFIT OR NONPROFIT? YEAH. ANY ANY PARTNERSHIPS? SUCCESSFUL LOCAL, YOU KNOW, LOCAL PARTNERSHIP THAT YOU HAD A PROJECT THAT YOU HAD KIND OF PRIVATE PUBLIC BUSINESS. THERE'S PLENTY OF OF THOSE.

ONE OF THE ONES, ONE OF THE POLICIES, ACTUALLY, THAT WE JUST EMBARKED ON WAS A PUBLIC SPACE ADOPTING ADOPT A SPOT, WE CALL IT. AND THAT'S NOW GOING TO BE A AND I'VE HAD THAT IN OTHER COMMUNITIES, AND THAT'S A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.

AND THE REASON WE DID THAT WAS TO BEAUTIFY SOME OF THESE, SOME OF THESE AREAS THAT ARE HARD FOR OUR STAFF TO GET TO MANPOWER WISE.

AND SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO THERE, IN THAT, IN THAT PROGRAM IS TO GET SOME PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS.

SO LOCAL, WHETHER IT'S LOCAL CONSTRUCTION COMPANY OR LANDSCAPE OR WHATEVER LOCAL BUSINESS.

AND SO I'VE DONE A LOT OF THAT PARTNERING, IF YOU WILL.

THE SAME THING WITH NON-PROFITS. AGAIN, GOING BACK TO MAPLEWOOD, BEING A CULTURALLY DIFFERENT COMMUNITY.

WE HAD A NONPROFIT CALLED COALITION ON RACE. JUST KIND OF BRING SOME OF THE INEQUITIES OF THE TOWN TO SEE HOW WE CAN FORM GOOD PROGRAMING FOR THOSE THROUGH OUR CULTURAL ARTS DIVISION. SO THERE'S JUST BEEN DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT PLACES, DIFFERENT NONPROFITS AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT, MA'AM. I'M TRYING TO GET TO A PLACE WHERE, AS YOU MENTIONED, EDISON IS MORE OF A BEDROOM COMMUNITY THAT YOU'RE EXPERIENCING.

I'M TRYING TO GET TO A PLACE WHERE WAS THERE A PROJECT OR IS THERE A VISION OF YOU INCREASING THAT COMMERCIAL TAX BASE WITHIN EDISON OR INCREASING. I KNOW YOU YOU MENTIONED ABOUT A DOWNTOWN, BUT WHAT EFFORTS OR WHAT EXPERIENCE HAVE YOU SEEN THAT HAVE BEEN PROVEN SUCCESSFUL TO INCREASE THAT COMMERCIAL OR WHATEVER? LIGHT INDUSTRIAL BASE.

SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE ACTUALLY DEALING WITH TRYING TO ADDRESS OUR LIGHT INDUSTRIAL ZONE, BECAUSE, AGAIN, WE'VE GOT SOME MIXED HOMES AND WE'VE GOT SOME LONG STANDING BUSINESSES THERE.

SO THE WAY WE'VE LOOKED AT IT IS WE'VE PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER BETWEEN OUR PLANNING, OUR ZONING, OUR ENGINEERING, AND WE TRIED TO LOOK TO SEE HOW WE CAN WORK WITH THOSE LOCAL BUSINESSES YET MAINTAIN THAT GOOD RAPPORT WITH THE COMMUNITY.

SO THAT'S BEEN MY EXPERIENCE, IS DOING THE DUE DILIGENCE PART OF WHAT THE PROFESSIONALS AND THEN HAVING COMMUNITY MEETINGS WITH THE RESIDENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD EVEN CONSIDER OR WELCOME INTO THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.

THANK YOU, DEPUTY MAYOR. THANK YOU. IF YOU WERE TO BE EXTENDED AN OFFER FOR EMPLOYMENT, WHAT WOULD YOUR VISION LOOK LIKE? AS FAR AS HOW LONG WOULD YOU LIKE TO STAY IN PALM BAY? WHAT WOULD THAT DECISION LOOK LIKE IN COMPARISON TO PALM COAST? AND WHEN COULD YOU START? SO MY INTERVIEW WITH PALM COAST IS UNTIL LATER AND ABOUT THREE WEEKS OR SO, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO OBVIOUSLY THIS THIS IS HERE AND I'M HERE.

SO IF YOU'RE ASKING ME IF THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE.

IF YOU WERE OFFERED A JOB WOULD YOU MAKE A DECISION QUICKLY, OR WOULD YOU HAVE TO WAIT FOR YOUR OTHER INTERVIEW WITH PALM COAST? SO I THINK I WOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE A DECISION QUICKLY.

I WOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE ENOUGH TO BE MAKING A DECISION.

AND SO THAT WOULD BE MY ANSWER THEN. WHEN? WHEN COULD YOU START? SO WITH WITH RESPECTFULLY TO MY EMPLOYER, I USUALLY GIVE THEM 60 DAYS, ESPECIALLY BEING IN THIS POSITION.

I ALWAYS WANT TO KEEP A GOOD I HAVE A GREAT MAYOR AND A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP THAT UNDERSTANDS SORT OF THE PROCESS I'M GOING THROUGH.

SO I WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL. I DON'T EVER WANT TO BURN A BRIDGE WITH ANY ONE OF MY PREVIOUS EMPLOYERS, AND THAT'S THAT'S REALLY IT. I'D GIVE THEM THAT OPPORTUNITY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MAYOR. OKAY. ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?

[05:00:05]

FOR LOCAL LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, YOUR YOUR STAFF, I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO TO BUILD UP.

AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHOEVER YOU CHOOSE IS UNDERSTANDS THAT.

CERTAINLY IF I'M CHOSEN, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO IMPLEMENT.

I'M ALSO THE FOR OUR NEW JERSEY MANAGERS ASSOCIATION, OUR VICE PRESIDENT.

AND THAT'S A POSITION THAT I'VE BASICALLY WORKED THROUGH THE LAST HANDFUL OF YEARS.

OUR INDUSTRY NEEDS GOOD LEADERS. AND SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I COMING TO FLORIDA, THAT I AM ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THAT NOT ONLY HERE IN PALM BAY, BUT IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, SO THAT OUR INDUSTRY, OUR INDUSTRY IS, IS LOOKED AT AS A PROFESSION AND THAT I'M HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR STAFF FEELS FEELS GOOD ABOUT COMING TO WORK EVERY DAY.

AND THAT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT I WANTED TO SHARE ABOUT SOME OF THE SIDE THINGS THAT I DO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE FOLKS COMING.

EVEN OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A CAREER PATH IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THAT THERE'S A GOOD RETENTION THAT COMES WITH THAT.

SO. WELL, THANK YOU, MA'AM. WE APPRECIATE YOU APPLYING AND COMING AND SPENDING A SATURDAY WITH US.

SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SO AT THIS TIME WE'RE GOING TO BREAK AND MISTER MORGAN, I SEE YOU HAD, LIKE, 30 MINUTES.

SO SHOULD WE RECONVENE AT 315 OR OR 1516 OR. THAT'S FINE.

AND SO WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL ASK THE ALL THE APPLICANTS WHO YOU HAVE INTERVIEWED TODAY, THEIR WAITING AREA IS OVER ACROSS IN BUILDING A WILL DISMISS THEM AND BRING THEM BACK INTO THIS ROOM.

I KNOW THERE WERE SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WANTED TO START TO MEET THEM AND MAYBE ASK THEM SOME QUESTIONS AND MINGLE A LITTLE BIT, AND SO THAT HALF HOUR TIME, IT WILL BE TIME TO GO AND TALK TO THE DEPARTMENT HEADS WHO HAVE BEEN CANDIDATES WHEN THEY HAVEN'T BEEN HERE, HAVE BEEN MEETING WITH DEPARTMENT HEADS, GET SOME SENSE OF WHAT THEIR FEELINGS WERE ABOUT THE DIFFERENT CANDIDATES, AND I CAN BRING YOU THAT INFORMATION. SO DURING THAT TIME WHEN THE COUNCIL IS NOT MEETING IN SESSION, THERE'D BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CANDIDATES TO HAVE A LITTLE INFORMAL TIME WITH SOME OF OUR RESIDENTS THAT ARE VERY INTERESTED IN THIS, AND, AND THEY GET TO KNOW THE CANDIDATES. AND THEN WHEN WE FIRST COME BACK, WE'LL HAVE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.

SO THAT WAY SOME OF THE CANDIDATES AND THE INTERACTION WITH ANY OF THE PUBLIC, IT WILL BE FRESH ON THEIR MIND AND COULD INCORPORATE THAT DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD BEFORE YOU START YOUR DELIBERATION. OKAY. SO JUST SO THAT EVERYONE'S TRACKING WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE CANDIDATES COME IN HERE MINGLE WITH OUR CONSTITUENCY. AND IN THE IN THAT TIME, THEN WE'LL START.

AFTERWARDS, WE'LL COME BACK AND DO YOU'LL, YOU'LL BE DISCUSSING IT WITH YOUR DEPARTMENT HEADS.

YES, SIR. RIGHT. AND THEN WHEN WE COME BACK, WE'LL HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE COUNCIL DISCUSSION.

YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT, SO LET'S SET THE CLOCK FOR 1520.

WE'LL RECONVENE AT 1520. MEANING 3:20 P.M. IN THE AFTERNOON.

THANK YOU. IT IS NOW 1520 OR 320. BEFORE WE GET STARTED, I'D LIKE TO JUST SHARE WITH EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF THIS PROCESS.

EACH AND EVERY CANDIDATE DEVOTED THEIR WHOLE DAY DURING FOR THIS INTERVIEW PROCESS.

SO THANK YOU FOR WANTING TO BE A PART OF WHAT I CONSIDER THE GREATEST CITY ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH.

SO I'M GOING TO YIELD TO YOU NOW MR. MORGAN. YES MAYOR, MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL NOW IS THE TIME UNDER FLORIDA LAW THAT WE WILL HEAR FROM PUBLIC COMMENTS BEFORE YOU WOULD GO ANY FURTHER.

AND THEN AT THE CONCLUSION OF THAT, I HAD A CHANCE TO MEET WITH THE DEPARTMENT HEAD TEAM AND GET SOME THOUGHTS FROM THEM THAT I COULD SHARE WITH YOU, BUT AT THIS POINT, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU OPEN UP THE TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.

OKAY. DULY NOTED. SO AT THIS TIME, I WILL ENTERTAIN WHOEVER WANTS TO PUBLICLY SPEAK, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

WELL, SINCE YOU'RE ALREADY STANDING UP, SIR. COME ON UP.

STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS. AND THEN I'D LIKE TO SEE WHO'S NEXT.

[05:05:03]

MR. MILLER, YOUR SECOND. THIRD, MR. TIMMONS, FOURTH.

SERGEANT MAJOR AND FIFTH. RUTH. YES, SIR. CARRY ON.

GOOD AFTERNOON. MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS. DEPUTY MAYOR.

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. IT'S NOT OFTEN THAT YOU GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY BEFORE THE COMMISSION. AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING ALL OF THESE GREAT CANDIDATES IN.

NOT ONE OF THEM WAS A BAD CANDIDATE. THERE MAY BE SOME THAT ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS, BUT THEY'RE ALL QUALIFIED TO DO THE JOB.

I HAVE FOUR POINTS THAT I'D LIKE TO MAKE. FIRST OF ALL, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT A CITY, WE TALK ABOUT A VISION.

AND AS THIS COUNCIL IS PUT TOGETHER. IT'S GOT TO BE A COLLECTIVE VISION OF WHO YOU WANT THIS CITY TO BE.

SO FIRST OF ALL, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT, I ALWAYS LOOK AT THE BIBLE.

I'M A PREACHER. PROVERBS 29 AND EIGHT SAYS, WHERE THERE IS NO VISION, THE PEOPLE PERISH.

AND SO WE COLLECTIVELY HAVE TO HAVE A VISION.

AND WE NEED A CITY MANAGER THAT'S CAPABLE OF CREATING A VISION, THAT'S COLLECTIVE OF YOUR VISION AND THE CONSTITUENTS VISION, THE PEOPLE THAT PAY THE TAXES.

AND SO WE NEED SOMEONE WHO HAS THE SKILLS TO BRING EVERYBODY COLLECTIVELY AT THE TABLE TO DELIVER AND ESTABLISH A STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WILL BE UTILIZED TO DIRECT THE RESOURCES OF THE CITY.

SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CANDIDATES THAT ARE IN THIS ROOM, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT IT THROUGH THE LENS OF SOMEBODY THAT CAN PRODUCE THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S THE FAILURE, I THINK, OF THIS CITY OVER THE LAST 14 TO 15 YEARS, WE HAVEN'T HAD A STRATEGIC PLAN, AND WE HAVEN'T HAD A CITY MANAGER TO DEVELOP A STRATEGIC PLAN AND ONE THAT DOES NOT JUST SIT ON THE COFFEE TABLE, BUT ONE THAT'S ACTIVELY USED TO GUIDE THE CITY.

NUMBER TWO, AND I GOT 54 SECONDS. WE NEED SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT CAN HELP TO GROW THE CITY'S COMMERCIAL FOOTPRINT AND TAX BASE.

AS YOU HEARD FROM ALL OF THE CANDIDATES, THIS IS A BEDROOM COMMUNITY THAT'S BASICALLY RESIDENTIAL IN NATURE.

IF YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE THE PRESSURE OFF OF THE RESIDENTS, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT, AND YOU'RE GOING TO NEED SOMEBODY THAT HAS THE CAPACITY TO BRING DEVELOPERS IN AND TO MAKE INVESTMENT IN OUR CITY.

OKAY. NUMBER THREE AND I GOT 18 SECONDS. LET ME JUST HASTEN TO MY LAST POINT.

I'M OPPOSED TO BRINGING BACK A CANDIDATE WHO LED THIS ORGANIZATION WHEN HIS DIRECT REPORT WAS ACCUSED OF RACKETEERING AND BRIBERY AND LATER CONVICTED OF THESE CRIMES. WE NEED TO START NEW.

THANK YOU. AND WE NEED TO HAVE SOMEBODY WHO HAS THE SKILLS AND CAN BRING THAT TO BEAR.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. SECOND PERSON WAS MR. MILLER. COME ON UP. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND.

MARK MILLER, 890 NELSON AVENUE. PALM BAY. FIRST OF ALL, I DID LISTEN TO IT IN ITS ENTIRETY ON MY WAY BACK FROM FORT MYERS THROUGH AVON PARK. SO I DID GET TO HEAR 100% OF ALL THE INTERVIEWS JUST TO CLEAR.

CLEAR THAT UP. OVERALL, REALLY, REALLY GREAT JOB WITH THE WITH THE QUESTIONS AND CONSISTENCY BETWEEN BETWEEN THE GROUPS.

I'VE HIRED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN AEROSPACE, AND YOU GUYS DID A REALLY NICE JOB.

CERTAINLY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT EXPERIENCE ON DEVELOPING CULTURE AND TEAMWORK AND SUCCESSION PLANNING.

I DIDN'T HEAR A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT. WITH THE IMPORTANCE OF THE POSITION, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE WHAT THE MANDATE IS, IS HERE WITH YOU GUYS TODAY. BUT BECAUSE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE POSITION, YOU KNOW, I KNOW I'VE FOUND IN SENIOR LEADERSHIP ROLES, IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO MAYBE NARROW YOUR FIELD DOWN TO YOUR TOP TWO, MAYBE EVEN TOP THREE, AND BRING THEM BACK FOR A SECOND ROUND AND DIVE DEEPER AND PENETRATE DEEPER INTO QUESTIONS. SO I WOULD THROW THAT OUT AS A RECOMMENDATION.

YOU KNOW, AS I, AS I DID MY OWN RATING, I KIND OF HAD A TOP ONE, TWO, THREE CANDIDATES.

[05:10:02]

I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT WHATEVER HAPPENED IN THE PAST, AND I INTENTIONALLY DIDN'T RESEARCH ANY OF THAT BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO BIAS MY MY VIEWPOINT ON THE ON THE INTERVIEWS AT ALL.

BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS ACTUALLY A GOOD IDEA TO BRING HIM BACK FOR AN INTERVIEW, TO GIVE HIM AN OPPORTUNITY TO TO SHARE, RIGHT, AND TO SHARE HIS HEART AND WHAT HE WOULD DO AND WHAT HE WOULD DO DIFFERENTLY.

SO I THOUGHT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, THAT WAS A THAT WAS A GOOD THING TO DO FOR A MAN WHO'S BEEN IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR A LONG TIME.

YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE OF THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR ME, WITH A MINUTE LEFT, YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT MATT MORTON KNOCKED IT OUT OF THE PARK.

I THOUGHT JASON DAVIS AND SONIA BOTH DID A DID A VERY ADMIRABLE JOB AS WELL.

AND SO IF I WAS SITTING IN YOUR SEAT, I'D PROBABLY LOOK AT BRINGING THOSE THREE GUYS BACK OR OR TWO GUYS AND A LADY.

EXCUSE ME. YOU KNOW, AND I'M GOING TO LEAVE IT AT THAT.

YOU GUYS DID A AN OUTSTANDING JOB. THANK YOU.

AS THE GENTLEMAN SAID BEFORE ME, THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS PUBLIC.

THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING THE THE PUBLIC TO COME AND HAVE COMMENTS AND TO PROVIDE SOME INPUT, AND I WILL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. THE THIRD SPEAKER WAS MR. TIMMONS.

THE FOURTH SPEAKER'S MASTER CHIEF. AND THE FIFTH SPEAKER IS RUTH KOFOED.

SO START MAKING YOUR WAY DOWN. MIKE TIMMONS. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE BEEN IN FRONT OF THIS COUNCIL.

SO CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEW MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.

I AM AS AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, SIGNIFICANT OWNER IN THE BAYFRONT AREA AND HAVE BEEN TRYING FOR YEARS TO GET SOMETHING MOVING AND ACCOMPLISHED IN THAT AREA.

IT HAS BEEN A STRUGGLE FOR ME, AND I DON'T AND AS I LOOKED AT THE CANDIDATES SELFISHLY, I LOOK AT, WELL, WHAT WHAT DO I THINK IS GOING TO DRIVE NOT JUST OUR AREA, BUT THE CITY FORWARD.

AND FOR ME, IT COMES DOWN TO ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA? DO YOU KNOW THE AREA WELL ENOUGH TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS WITHOUT HAVING A RUNWAY OF ONE YEAR TO GET GOING ON THAT? AND THEN MOST IMPORTANTLY, I THINK WHAT I'VE COME TO FIND OUT IS HOW POLITICAL EVERYTHING IS IN THIS COUNTY AND HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO GET THINGS DONE IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT LEADERSHIP AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE RIGHT CONNECTIONS.

MISS SMITH AND I WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, BREVARD COUNTY AND THE COMMISSION.

SO AS I LOOK AT ALL THE CANDIDATES, I THOUGHT YOU GUYS DID AN AMAZING JOB BRINGING THE CANDIDATES IN.

I WILL TELL YOU, I PERSONALLY I MET MONIQUE MILLER WHEN SHE CAME TO WE HAD AN EVENT WHERE WE BROUGHT THE SOME, SOME PEOPLE IN TO DO A COMMUNITY MEETING FOR REZONING THAT WE HAD.

AND I MET GREG LINK AT THAT, AND I STAYED IN TOUCH WITH THEM OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS AS THEY'VE TRIED TO HELP ME MANAGE THROUGH A PROCESS WITH SOME OF THE WITH SOME OF THE CONSTITUENTS IN NOT ONLY THE LOCAL LEVEL, BUT ALSO THE YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY AND STATE LEVEL.

AND, AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT I BELIEVE PUTTING HIM IN THIS POSITION WILL DRIVE THE CITY FORWARD FASTER THAN ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE COULD DO.

AND AND I BELIEVE IN AND WHAT I'VE MET OF GREG HE IS A CHARACTER.

I KNOW THERE'S THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN THE PAST, I GET THAT.

THERE ALWAYS IS. YOU KNOW, I GREW UP IN, IN, IN MY BUSINESS WAS THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

AND WE ALWAYS SAID, IF YOU'RE NOT PISSING ANYBODY OFF, YOU'RE NOT BEING INNOVATIVE.

SO I THINK THIS COUNCIL NEEDS TO BE INNOVATIVE, AND I THINK THE CITY NEEDS TO TAKE A LOOK AT CERTAIN AREAS WHICH YOU'VE ALL ADDRESSED HERE, AND ONE BEING THE COMPOUND. CERTAINLY IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND ONE SEEING IF WE CAN'T CREATE SOMETHING UNIQUE AND DIFFERENT, THAT REALLY DOES ONE THING FOR PALM BAY MAINLY IN THE WATERFRONT IS THAT BRING A BRAND, YOU KNOW, BRING AN IDENTITY, BRING SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE SAY, WE KNOW WHAT PALM BAY IS BECAUSE THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE DESTINATION THAT HAS THIS.

AND SO I YIELD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND APPRECIATE EVERYONE.

THANK YOU, MASTER CHIEF. BILL BATTEN 586 OCEAN SPRAY STREET, SOUTHWEST.

FIRST OFF, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE APPLICANTS FOR APPLYING TO BECOME TO BE A WORK FOR THIS CITY.

ALSO, I'D LIKE TO THANK STAFF BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT AN INCONVENIENCE HAS BEEN FOR THEM TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS.

BUT AFTER WATCHING IT, I HAD MORE QUESTIONS THAN I DID ANSWERS FROM WATCHING THE INTERVIEWS, RIGHT? SO IT BASICALLY BOILED BACK DOWN TO WHOEVER YOU PUT IN THAT POSITION RIGHT THERE.

[05:15:07]

THAT BEING SAID, I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER THAT YOU PUT US IN THIS POSITION.

SO, AS ALWAYS, I WILL HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE OUTCOME.

THAT'S THE WAY IT IS. YOU MADE THE CHOICE FOR THIS TO BE IN THIS POSITION.

IT'S ON YOU TO MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE NOW, SO CHOOSE WISELY AND GOOD LUCK TO YOU GUYS.

I DO LOVE THIS CITY THOUGH. IT IS A GOOD ONE.

LET'S KEEP IT GOING. OKAY. NEXT SPEAKER. RUTH CAULFIELD, 935 DOUGLAS STREET SOUTHEAST. I'VE BEEN HERE ALL DAY.

SAW ALL THE CANDIDATES. THANK YOU. COUNCIL AND STAFF.

MR. MORGAN AND AND STAFF HERE. THIS HAS BEEN A GOOD THING FOR THE CITY.

I WISH MORE PEOPLE WOULD HAVE BEEN HERE. MORE CITIZENS.

I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN CITIZEN ADVOCACY FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS HERE.

AND I CAN SAY THAT THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE EASIEST COUNCILS TO DEAL WITH.

AND THE DEALINGS THAT I DO WITH THE THE ADVOCACY THAT I AM INVOLVED WITH, I GO TO A LOT OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO I'M EXCITED TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROCESS AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY PROVIDED TO THE CITIZENS TO SHARE IN THE SELECTION OF THEIR CITY MANAGER.

I DON'T FEEL THAT STEPPING BACKWARDS WITH THE PERSON WHO HAS SERVED AT CITY MANAGER PREVIOUSLY IS A GOOD IDEA, ESPECIALLY SINCE I'VE NOT SEEN HIM INVOLVED IN THE COUNCIL MEETINGS, COMMITTEES OR THE CITIZENS GROUP.

I SEE MR. WEINBERG HERE A LOT, AND HE HAS SERVED AND STILL SERVING IN SEVERAL LEVELS, BUT I'VE NEVER SEEN MR. LINK BEFORE TODAY. SO OF THE SIX CANDIDATES THAT WERE LEFT THAT PRESENTED HERE TODAY, MY TOP THREE WOULD BE THOMAS MORTON, MATTHEW THOMAS MORTON, JASON BRYAN DAVIS, AND WILLIAM LAWRENCE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT GROUP OF SPEAKERS BY SHOW OF HANDS, WOULD YOU PLEASE.

SO YOU'RE NEXT, SIR. AFTER HIM. YOU AND THEN YOURSELF.

AND THEN FILL YOUR ROUND THAT UP AFTER THE YOUNG LADY.

OKAY, SIR. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAMES AND ADDRESS.

YEAH. COME ON OVER. GOOD AFTERNOON, JARED ELKINS.

ALETHEIA HOLDINGS. GLAD TO SEE YOU ALL BACK. FIRST, I'D LIKE TO START BY SAYING CONGRATULATIONS ON AN OUTSTANDING PROCESS.

VERY WELL DONE. YOU ALL SHOULD TAKE A MINUTE AND REALLY CONGRATULATE YOURSELVES ON THE UTMOST OF DECORUM, PROFESSIONALISM AND EFFICIENCY TODAY. YOU GOT THROUGH A LOT OF WORK, AND HONESTLY, I COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE PROUD TO BE A PART OF THIS PROCESS TODAY.

THAT BEING SAID, I'D LIKE TO FORMALLY DISCLOSE.

GREG LINK HAS BEEN AN ADVISOR TO ALETHEIA HOLDINGS FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS IN A PROFESSIONAL ADVISORY CAPACITY.

HE'S BEEN UNDER NDA. HE HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO APPEAR.

HE HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO SPEAK TO WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON, THE COMPOUND PROJECT.

MY INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROJECT IS A DIRECT RESULT OF ALL OF THE GUIDANCE, THE ADVISORY BOARD WORK HE'S DONE, THE LEADERSHIP HE'S SHOWN WITHIN MY ORGANIZATION THAT HAS LED US, WITH HIS HELP TO RAISE $426 MILLION WORTH OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITMENT OVER AN EIGHT YEAR PERIOD STARTING EFFECTIVE. WHAT DID YOU SAY YOU COULD START THIS AFTERNOON.

I THINK YOU SAID THIS MORNING WE'RE READY TO GO.

WE HAVE A COMMITMENT LETTER FROM FLOURISH FARMS TO RELOCATE THEIR HEADQUARTERS OUT OF NEVADA TO PALM BAY, FLORIDA, TO SPRINGBOARD PHASE ZERO WITH A 600 ZERO ZERO ZERO SQUARE FOOT GREENHOUSE HOUSING 21.5 MILLION PLANTS.

AS PART OF THE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP, WE BEGAN TO CONTEMPLATE UNDER SUZANNE SHERMAN, THAT WHOLE THING FELL APART.

I DON'T EVEN WANT TO GET INTO THAT AND RELITIGATE ALL OF THAT PROCESS.

WE'RE NOW BACK. WE'RE HERE. MR. LINK IS NOT ONLY INTIMATELY INVOLVED IN WHAT I'M DOING, BUT HE HAS A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE, HAVING BEEN A RESIDENT AS LONG AS HE HAS, HAVING BEEN INVOLVED WITH EVERYTHING HE'S BEEN INVOLVED IN AND HIS FORMER CAPACITY AS A CITY MANAGER, HE CAN, IN FACT, LITERALLY HIT THE GROUND RUNNING ON DAY ONE WITH EVERYTHING WE'VE DONE FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.

AND WE CAN REALLY START TO MAKE A CHANGE. AS FAR AS A VISION FOR A CITY, I COULD NOT AGREE MORE WITH THE GENTLEMAN.

THE VISION IS TO PARTNER. I CAME BEFORE YOU A YEAR AND A HALF AGO SAYING I WAS LOOKING FOR A PARTNER.

I ELECTED PALM BAY OVER RENO BECAUSE IT'S MORE TRANSFORMATIVE.

[05:20:01]

I FELT THERE WAS MORE OPPORTUNITY. I FELT THERE WAS MORE SYNERGY PHILOSOPHICALLY AND IN MORE DISCLOSURE.

I'VE KNOWN KENNY SINCE HE WAS 17 YEARS OLD. I'VE WATCHED THIS MAN BECOME THE MAN YOU KNOW, TODAY FROM I WOULD, I WOULD SAY A SECOND SON PERSPECTIVE.

AND IT'S TRULY GOOD WORK. FANTASTIC JOB, YOUNG MAN.

I COULD NOT BE MORE PROUD OF YOU THAN I AM TODAY.

THAT BEING SAID I HONESTLY WANT TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING.

I WANT TO START AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND WE ARE READY TO MOVE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. WELL, HOW DO YOU FOLLOW THAT? MICHAEL BRYANT 742. CORNELIA AVENUE. BLESS YOU.

I CAN ONLY GIVE YOU MY OPINION FROM THIS PERSPECTIVE.

IF YOU'RE A FIGHTER, YOU WANT TO KNOW YOUR OPPONENT THAT YOU'RE FIGHTING.

WHO BETTER TO KNOW THE OPPONENT? HE'S BEEN THERE.

HE'S FOUGHT HIS OPPONENT. HE'S BEAT HIS OPPONENT.

HE'S GOT GOOD RESULTS. AND TO REPEAT SOMETHING THAT SOMETHING ELSE THAT WAS SAID.

WE DON'T NEED TO GIVE A RUNWAY. WE NEED SOMEONE THAT'S GOING TO BE ON THE JOB FROM DAY ONE AND WORKING.

THERE'S NO LEARNING CURVES IN THIS JOB. THEY DON'T KNOW THE OPPONENT HERE.

THIS MAN DOES. AND I TRIED GETTING YOU TO STAY, SCOTT, BUT YOU SAID NO.

AND I UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE MY WIFE WOULD PROBABLY BEAT ME UP, TOO.

THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER.

PHIL SHORT. JUDY THORNBURY, 1870 1859, PLANTATION CIRCLE, SOUTHEAST.

I'VE SEEN I'VE BEEN HERE A RESIDENT HERE FOR OVER 35 YEARS.

I'VE SEEN WHAT GOES ON IN THIS TOWN. I'VE SEEN FIRSTHAND.

AND I'D LIKE TO SEE US MOVE FORWARD. IT'S THE FIRST TIME I'VE ADDRESSED IN THIS COUNCIL.

I WENT TO EVERY MEETING FROM 2015 TO 2020. I SAT IN THESE CHAIRS.

I DIDN'T COME BACK AFTER 2020, 2020 BECAUSE THE CORRUPTION STOPPED, NOT STOPPED, BUT WAS LEVELED OUT.

I SHOULD SAY IT CAME TO THE ATTENTION. I'VE SEEN FDLE IN THE DEPARTMENTS HERE.

I'VE SEEN THE GROWTH MANAGEMENT FDLE. AND BEFORE 2020.

AND I'M TIRED. I'M VERY TIRED. I WANT TO SEE US MOVE FORWARD.

AND IN MY OPINION, WHAT I SAW SAT HERE ALL DAY, IN MY OPINION, IS TIM MORTON, I WANT TO SAY TIM MORTON. TIM MORTON AND AND DAVIS WERE WERE THE TWO TOP IN MY MIND MY FROM SITTING HERE LISTENING TO THEM.

AND I HOPE YOU REALLY WILL GO WITH ONE OF THOSE CANDIDATES.

JUST PLEASE. I WANT TO MOVE FORWARD. I'M TIRED OF MOVING BACKWARDS.

I'VE SEEN THE CORRUPTION FIRSTHAND, AND I'M TIRED OF IT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. BY SHOW OF HANDS.

PHIL, YOU'RE NEXT. AFTER PHIL ANYONE. YOU'RE NEXT.

SIR. PHIL WEINBERG, FOUR SIX, SIX SCANLON ROAD.

AS I'M SURE YOU PROBABLY ALL KNOW, GREG LINK IS A FRIEND OF MINE.

BUT HAVING SAID THAT, I THINK GREG GREG HAS BEEN, UNFORTUNATELY, TARRED WITH A BRUSH.

GUILT BY ASSOCIATION. AND ALSO IN SOCIAL MEDIA, YOU KNOW, LOOK, I THINK THERE WAS WRONGDOING ON THE PART OF SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS.

MORE SO. GREG WAS INVESTIGATED. THEY DID ALL SORTS OF STUFF.

THEY FOUND HIM GUILTY OF NOTHING. GREG, CAN YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT AND, YOU KNOW, TO GIVE HIM CREDIT, HE DIDN'T EVEN ADDRESS ANY OF THAT WHEN HE SPOKE TO YOU.

BUT WHAT HE DID TALK ABOUT IS HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS WHEN HE WAS CITY MANAGER, HE'S THE ONLY PERSON THAT COULD STEP IN AND MOVE THE CITY FORWARD IN THE DIRECTION THAT WE ALL NEEDED TO GO. HAVING SAID THAT, I HAVE TO GIVE CREDIT TO MR. MORTON. MATTHEW MORTON GAVE A TERRIFIC INTERVIEW, BUT LIKE I SAID, GREG IS THE ONE PERSON WHO CAN STEP IN AND DO THE JOB IMMEDIATELY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER.

[05:25:07]

I'VE BEEN AT THIS PODIUM QUITE OFTEN OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS.

SO I CAME IN TODAY PROBABLY DETRIMENTAL TO THE PROCESS.

I CAME IN WITH A CLOSED MIND AND I WAS ANTI ONE CANDIDATE.

BUT I'VE SAT HERE AND I'VE LISTENED AND I'VE SPENT, I GUESS WHAT, 7 OR 8 HOURS TOGETHER WITH YOU ALL. AND I REALIZED IT WOULD BE VERY HYPOCRITICAL OF ME TO COME IN HERE CLOSE MINDED AGAINST ONE CANDIDATE.

WHAT? I'M ASKING YOU ALL TO BE TRANSPARENT AND OPEN ABOUT.

OPEN MINDED ABOUT THE OTHER CANDIDATES. SO FOR ME TO SIT HERE AND SHUT ONE CANDIDATE DOWN IT WOULD BE HYPOCRITICAL TO ME.

SO YOU GUYS GOT MY EMAIL YESTERDAY DISCUSSING MY CONCERNS WITH THE PROCESS, BUT I MOVED ON FROM THAT.

SO I SIT HERE TODAY, AND I'LL BE HONEST, I BROKE THESE DOWN INTO THREE CATEGORIES AS WELL.

AND AND WHAT YOU GUYS, I GUESS WHAT YOU HAVE TO DECIDE IS YOU HAVE YOU HAVE TWO, TWO AVENUES HERE.

YOU HAVE CITY. YOU HAVE THE COMMUNITY THAT WANTS TO MOVE FORWARD.

AND I THINK YOU'VE HEARD THE TWO CONSISTENT NAMES, MISTER MORTON AND MISTER DAVIS.

MISTER MORTON, YOU KNOW, HE GOT AN APPLAUSE WHEN HE WAS DONE.

IF THERE WAS A MIC, HE SHOULD HAVE DROPPED IT AND WALKED OUT. THE MAN ANSWERED YOUR ACCOUNTABILITY AND YOU KNOW THAT I'M ALL ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY.

THAT'S ALL I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR SINCE APRIL 15TH IS ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY.

HE BROUGHT IN AN OUTSIDE AN OUTSIDE AGENCY TO INVESTIGATE HR.

THAT'S HUGE. AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. YOU KNOW, HE HE RESEARCHED PALM BAY.

THE MAN ANSWERED EVERY QUESTION YOU GUYS DIDN'T HAVE TO GO INTO.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT PALM BAY? HE RESEARCHED IT.

HE WANTED THIS JOB. MR. DAVIS DID THE SAME JOB AS WELL, BUT IT JUST SEEMED LIKE HE WAS MORE FOCUSED ON THE FORT LAUDERDALE.

HE DIDN'T HAVE THE SAME RESEARCH THAT MR. MORTON HAD.

AND SO I THINK THAT HE TALKED ABOUT EMPOWERING PEOPLE.

MR. MORTON TALKED ABOUT EMPOWERING PEOPLE. WE KNOW THAT'S A STRUGGLE WITH THIS CITY.

WE'RE NOT EMPOWERING OUR FOLKS. WE'RE TOO HEAVILY RELIANT.

AND SO HE AND HE TALKED ABOUT TRUST AND TRANSPARENCY, WHICH I BELIEVE IS IMPORTANT.

AND THAT'S WHY I CAME UP HERE TO TO RESPECT THE PROCESS TODAY AND NOT GO AND NOT GO BACKWARDS.

SO I'LL SPEND MY LAST MINUTE TALKING. AND I THINK I'M GOING TO SPEAK FOR A MAJORITY OF THE COMMUNITY.

WE DON'T WANT TO GO BACKWARDS. WE DON'T WANT TO BE HELD HOSTAGE BY INVESTORS.

WE DON'T WANT YOU. WE DON'T WANT A CANDIDATE THAT'S PAID FOR AND BOUGHT.

I DON'T NEED TO HEAR ABOUT $462 MILLION IF YOU SELECT MY GUY.

I BELIEVE IF YOU START THIS CITY MANAGER PROCESS WITH THAT ON YOUR TABLE, YOU'RE ALREADY BOUGHT AND PAID FOR.

THAT'S JUST MY PERSONAL OPINION, AND I DON'T THINK THAT THIS CITY WANTS THAT.

I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS TODAY. I'VE BEEN ABLE TO CLEAR MY CONSCIENCE. I'VE HAD MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS.

BUT I BELIEVE BECAUSE I'VE WATCHED EVERY COUNCIL MEETING FOR THE LAST FOUR ONES, I WATCHED THEM ALL SINCE MONDAY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THIS SPEECH THAT I STILL HAVEN'T WRITTEN. I WALKED UP HERE TODAY WITH NOTHING.

THIS CITY DOES NOT WANT TO GO BACKWARDS. THEY DON'T WANT TO BE OWNED.

IF YOU MAKE A DECISION TO GO WITH MR. LINK, YOU ARE OWNED.

YOU? OH, YOU'RE OWNED BY $462 MILLION. IT'S BEEN SAID OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

I DON'T THINK THAT'S HOW WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD. MR. MORTON HAS THE ABILITY TO COME TODAY. I LISTENED TO THE MAN SPEAK.

HE'S SMART. HE USES WORDS THAT ARE MUCH BIGGER THAN ANY OF US KNOW.

HE COULD COME IN TOMORROW AND TAKE THIS JOB AND MOVE FORWARD.

BUT I DO APPRECIATE YOUR PROCESS. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THE PROCESS.

THANK YOU SIR. YES. THANK YOU. OKAY. NEXT GROUP OF SPEAKERS BY SHOW OF HANDS.

ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK? JUDY. YOU'RE NEXT.

AFTER JUDY. ANYONE ELSE IN THE PUBLIC GOING TO SPEAK? POINT OF ORDER, MR. DIRECTOR. SIR. SIR, WE'RE WE'RE IN PUBLIC COMMENTS RIGHT NOW.

CARRY ON. OKAY. I'M JUDY. 751 PEBBLE BEACH AVENUE, PALM BAY.

AND I DID SPEND A LOT OF TIME PRIOR TO TODAY ON LOOKING AT THE RESUMES.

AND AT THE LAST MEETING, I HAD STATED THAT THE FIRST THREE THAT WERE ON THE BOARD OVER THERE WERE EXACTLY MY THREE. I'VE LISTENED TO EVERYTHING TODAY.

AND I BELIEVE I'VE COME UP WITH THE SAME THREE CHOICES.

HOWEVER, NOT IN THAT ORDER, I BELIEVE. WELL, ONE OF THEM WASN'T HERE.

I'M SORRY. SO THERE WAS TWO CHOICES. I BELIEVE THAT OUR CITY CAN GO FORWARD WITH MR. MORTON. HE HAS THE ENTHUSIASM. HE HAS DONE HIS HOMEWORK, AND HE'S VERY AMIABLE. I THINK HE CAN SHOW THAT PALM BAY IS A GREAT PLACE TO WORK. I LOVE HIS ENTHUSIASM.

MR. DAVIS, I BELIEVE, CAN DO THE SAME. I FIRMLY ON HIS SIDE AS WELL.

[05:30:08]

SO I DON'T WANT TO GO BACKWARDS. I THINK WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR CITY FROM 2015 TO 2020 WAS A HORRIBLE. AND THERE HAS BEEN NO APOLOGY. THERE HAS NO THERE'S BEEN NO ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF WRONGDOING.

ANYONE THAT WAS IN THAT ENVIRONMENT THAT DID NOT SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON AROUND THEM, HAD TO BE BLIND OR AN IDIOT. SO I'M DEAD SET AGAINST GOING BACKWARDS.

I'M HOPING THAT YOU MAKE A WISE CHOICE. THINK OF THE FUTURE OF PALM BAY.

THINK OF THE RESIDENTS OF PALM BAY AND THE TRUST THAT MUST BE PUT IN YOU AND YOUR DECISION.

AND THE CITY MANAGER. THAT'S ALL I GOT TO SAY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MA'AM. ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST ANYTHING BEFORE? SIR, YOU ALREADY SPOKE. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WISHES TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL? I'M MAKING THIS FINAL CALL. THAT CONCLUDES THE PUBLIC COMMENTS.

AND NOW THIS IS GOING TO GO BACK TO COUNCIL, BUT BEFORE IT DOES, I WANT TO HAVE OUR CITY MANAGER.

MR. MORGAN, THE VERY FIRST THING I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU IS THANK YOU FOR BRINGING US TO THIS POINT.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY OF HAVING SUCH A GREAT OUTCOME IN INTERVIEWS.

WITH WITH MINIMAL COST. WE WERE PROVIDED WITH OUTSTANDING QUALITY CANDIDATES.

THE INTERVIEW PROCESS WAS PERFECT. I WANT TO THANK MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR ACTUALLY WORKING WITH ME IN THIS TIME CHALLENGED DAY TO GIVE UP YOUR SATURDAYS AND DO THE RIGHT THING FOR THE CITY.

AND QUITE FRANKLY, I'M EXCITED WE GET TO CHOOSE OUR FUTURE LEADER HERE.

THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFETIME, AND I BELIEVE IN MOVING FORWARD AND MOVING THE CITY FORWARD.

THIS IS SUCH A HUGE BLESSING FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US TO BE PART OF THIS PROCESS.

AND I THANK EACH AND EVERY CANDIDATE. I'M EXCITED THAT YOU CHOSE PALM BAY TO BE A PART OF, AND FOR THAT I'M FOREVER GRATEFUL TO OUR CITIZENS.

MY HATS OFF TO YOU. OUTSTANDING JOB BEING PART OF THE PROCESS ALL DAY.

I'M ENCOURAGED BY YOU ALLOWING ME TO SERVE AS MAYOR, BUT WHEN I SEE GOVERNMENT IN ACTION, LIKE TODAY, I'M ENCOURAGED. I'M MOTIVATED. I FEEL LIKE GOING OUT AND PARTYING FOR A MILE.

I DIGRESS. IT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR ME, AS A PALM BAY OF OVER 37 YEARS TO SEE YOUR ENGAGEMENT, TO SEE YOUR LOVE FOR OUR COMMUNITY, AND I THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU'VE BESTOWED ON EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US.

MR. MORGAN, I TRULY APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS HERE TODAY.

YOUR EFFORTS. WHEN THE CITY NEEDED YOU, THE CITY OF PALM BAY NEEDED YOU.

YOU CAME FORWARD AND BROUGHT US TO THIS BRINK OF US, ABOUT TO MAKE A DECISION THAT WOULD AFFECT THE REST OF OUR LIVES FOR YEARS TO COME.

IN MY, IN MY OPINION. CARRY ON, MR. MORGAN. YES, MAYOR.

JUST AS A REMINDER FOR FOR THOSE MOST OF THE PEOPLE HERE WERE HERE THIS MORNING WHILE THE CANDIDATES WERE NOT INTERVIEWING IN FRONT OF THE CITY COUNCIL, WE HAD A GROUP OF FOUR GROUPS OF DEPARTMENT HEAD TEAMS, AND SO THE CANDIDATES COULD GET TO KNOW OUR TEAM, AND THAT OUR TEAM COULD START TO GET TO KNOW THE CANDIDATES, ONE OF WHICH WOULD BE THE NEXT CITY MANAGER.

AND SO DURING THIS TIME THAT ENDED AT 320, I HAD A CHANCE TO GO VISIT WITH THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND SEE WHAT THEIR HOW THEY VIEWED THE CANDIDATES THAT THEY, THEY MET TODAY.

AND THE CANDIDATE THAT IMPRESSED THE DEPARTMENT HEAD TEAM THE MOST OVERWHELMINGLY WAS MATT MORTON.

THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT. THANK YOU. MR. MORGAN, SO OUR STAFF WAS QUITE IMPRESSED WITH ONE OF THOSE CANDIDATES.

AND THE CANDIDATE IS MATTHEW THOMAS MORGAN. JUST TO REHASH THAT.

AND I'LL START TO SPEAK TO EACH COUNCIL MEMBER.

DEPUTY MAYOR. WHAT, MAYOR? POINT OF ORDER. THERE SHOULD BE A MOTION.

[05:35:03]

YOUR COMMENTS. DO YOU WANT TO MAKE A MOTION FIRST? WELL, I JUST WANT TO GET THE DIRECTION. WELL, IT'S ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER.

WHEN IT COMES BACK TO US, WE'RE TECHNICALLY SUPPOSED TO HAVE A MOTION. SO WITH THAT, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO SELECT GREG LINK WITH A 90 DAY PROBATIONARY PERIOD FOR CITY MANAGER AND MAYOR. I'LL SECOND IT. ALL RIGHT.

DEPUTY MAYOR. I WON'T BE SUPPORTING THAT MOTION TODAY.

I GUESS THE FLOOR GOES TO ME. WELL, YEAH. YOU MADE THE MOTION.

YES, SIR. NO. THANK YOU. AND THIS IS EASY TO TALK ABOUT.

WE TALK ABOUT FULL TRANSPARENCY. I HAVE TIME.

I'VE BEEN HERE ALL DAY. I'LL BE HERE ALL DAY TO ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, BUT LET'S REWIND BACK.

MR. LINK SIGNED UP WITH TOP NOTCH TRAINING, MY BUSINESS BECAUSE HE HAD HURT HIMSELF FROM GOLFING AND SIGNED UP WITH MY BUSINESS PARTNER, ERIC SEITZ. UPON WORKING WITH ERIC SEITZ, I MADE SURE TO MAKE SURE I WASN'T GETTING INVOLVED IN CITY BUSINESS OR ANYTHING WITH HIM ON THAT NATURE. BUT WHILE WORKING WITH HIM, HE HAD SEEN ME ONE DAY, AND I WAS I WAS DOWN AND OUT.

I HAD RECEIVED NEWS REGARDING A FAMILY MEMBER OF AN ILLNESS THAT WAS WITHIN THEIR BODY.

AND HE HAD SAW ME AND HE HAD PRAYED FOR ME. NOT ONLY DID HE PRAY FOR ME, HE ASKED WHAT IT WAS HE CAN DO TO HELP ME, AND I DISCLOSED, WHICH I WON'T DISCLOSE NOW. I DISCLOSED WHAT THE AILMENT WAS, AND NOT ONLY DID HE GO OUT OF HIS WAY TO PRAY FOR ME, BUT HE ALSO TOOK TIME ASIDE TO GET SOME INFORMATION OF WHAT HAD KILLED HIS WIFE TO MAKE SURE HE COULD SAVE MY FAMILY MEMBER.

SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CHARACTER, I FIRED THIS GENTLEMAN SIX YEARS AGO.

I WAS THE DECIDING VOTE TO FIRE THIS GENTLEMAN ON MY FIRST DAY ON COUNCIL.

WITH PARTIAL INFORMATION, WITH OPINIONS, WITH PEOPLE CALLING MY PHONE, TELLING ME TO DO THIS OR TELLING ME TO DO THAT.

THIS GENTLEMAN, HE HAD NO REASON TO GO OUT OF HIS WAY FOR MY FAMILY MEMBER TO GO OUT OF HIS WAY FOR MY LOVED ONE, AND IN DOING SO, I WAS LIKE, WOW! I WAS BLOWN AWAY BECAUSE I CAN'T SPEAK TO THE CHARACTER OF ANYBODY ELSE IN THIS ROOM, BUT I CAN SPEAK TO MY OWN PERSPECTIVE AND MY OWN INTERACTION WITH THOSE HERE AND WITH MY INTERACTION WITH MR. LINK. HE'S JUST SHOWN HIS FAITH AND HIS GRACE, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW TOO MANY PEOPLE IN HERE WHO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SHOW THE SAME GRACE TO SOMEBODY ELSE. SO I CAN ONLY SPEAK TO THAT AND SPEAK TO MY EXPERIENCE.

ASIDE FROM THAT, SPEAKING TO MR. TIMMONS AND SPEAKING TO OTHERS IN REGARDS TO THEIR.

THEIR TIME DELAYS ON PROJECTS AND GETTING THINGS MOVING.

THAT'S A WHOLE NOTHER AVENUE, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I SPOKE ON THE CHARACTER ASPECT OF MY EXPERIENCE WITH MR. LINK. I DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO REALLY HAVE AN EXPERIENCE WITH HIM PRIOR, BECAUSE ON MY FIRST DAY OF BEING SWORN INTO OFFICE WAS THE SAME DAY THAT WE FIRED HIM A32 VOTE. SO WITH THAT, ON TOP OF WHAT I KNOW HE CAN DO FOR THE CITY ON HITTING THE GROUND FORWARD.

THAT'S WHY I HAD NO PROBLEM MAKING THE MOTION.

THE TWO APPLICANTS, THE TWO OTHER APPLICANTS THAT I SELECTED, SOHONI HE WITHDREW.

SO HE WASN'T HERE. AND THE OTHER ONE DIDN'T MAKE THE CUT. WHICH IS WHY I KNOCKED MY LIST DOWN TO THREE INSTEAD OF FIVE. BECAUSE I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD BE BRINGING SO MANY PEOPLE HERE. HIGHLY IMPRESSIVE, MR. MORTON. BUT THAT'S ALSO WHY I PUT A 90 DAY PROBATIONARY PERIOD IN PLACE.

BECAUSE IF WE'RE NOT SATISFIED WITH WHAT WE SEE IN 90 DAYS, YOU GOT TO GO.

THAT'S ALL. MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN BENJAMIN, YOU SECONDED THE MOTION.

YEAH. THANK YOU. MAYOR. I MEAN, I DON'T THINK MY SECOND WAS ANY SURPRISE.

I'VE BEEN BEHIND GREG SINCE DAY ONE. ONE OF MY FAVORITE CONGRESSMEN IN THE PAST SAID I FEAR NOTHING ON THE EARTH, ABOVE THE EARTH OR UNDER THE EARTH, EXCEPT TO DO WRONG.

AND THIS MAN HAS BEEN WRONG FROM DAY ONE. HE'S A PHENOMENAL MAN.

I KNOW GREG LINK. I KNOW HIS HEART. HE'S GOT ONE OF THE BIGGEST HEARTS THAT I KNOW.

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, HE'S THE ONLY CANDIDATE IN THIS ROOM THAT KNOWS THE CITY THAT CAN START ON DAY ONE, THAT HAS THE RELATIONSHIPS AT EVERY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT AND IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY THAT'S NEEDED.

WE'RE ALREADY SIX MONTHS BEHIND SINCE THE LAST ELECTION AND EVEN OUR BEST CANDIDATES, AFTER GREG LINK HAS SAID IT WILL TAKE AT LEAST SIX MONTHS FOR THEM TO GET SPUN UP TO DO WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO. YOU KNOW, AND I KEEP HEARING WE'RE GOING TO GO FORWARD.

WE'RE NOT GOING BACK. THAT WAS LITERALLY KAMALA HARRIS'S CAMPAIGN SLOGAN.

I'M PRETTY GLAD WE WENT BACK ON JANUARY 5TH, QUITE FRANKLY.

AND I THINK WE CAN DO SOMETHING POSITIVE HERE IN THE CITY OF PALM BAY.

THIS WHOLE WE'RE MOVING FORWARD AND WE'RE NOT GOING BACK. I THINK THAT'S A RIDICULOUS CONCEPT.

GREG LINK IS HIGHLY QUALIFIED. HE KNOWS THE CITY.

WE'VE DONE IT AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL. AND THEY TRIED EVERYTHING AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL TO HIT TRUMP WITH LAWFARE AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

[05:40:03]

HE'S THE MOST VETTED CANDIDATE IN THE ROOM. HE HAD THREE GUYS WEAR A WIRE ON HIM WITH THE FDLE AND THE FBI, AND NOBODY COULD. THEY DIDN'T EVEN BOTHER INTERVIEWING HIM.

WHY? BECAUSE HE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG. SO I THINK THIS IS RIDICULOUS THAT WE'RE EVEN HAVING THIS CONVERSATION.

I'M BEHIND GREG LINK. I'LL CONTINUE TO BE. AND WITH THAT, I YIELD.

THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN HAMMER. OH. I HAVE TO GO INTO THIS WITH NOT JUST USING MY HEART, BECAUSE WHEN I GOT INTO HERE, ONE OF MY FIRST DECISIONS UP HERE WAS TO FIRE SOMEBODY I CONSIDERED ONE OF MY FRIENDS.

I CAN SIT HERE AND SAY, GREG LINK WAS ONE OF MY BEST BOSSES I'VE EVER HAD.

HE I PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE EVEN BEEN IN POLITICS IF HE WOULDN'T HAVE LET ME GOT INVOLVED WITH OR GET INVOLVED WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

SOMETHING THAT GAVE ME THIS PASSION TO BE HERE RIGHT NOW.

AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WEIGHS ON MY HEART A LOT.

DO I THINK THAT GREG LINK CAN DO A GOOD JOB? I DO.

BUT WHAT TROUBLES ME IS WHAT FOLLOWS IT. THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT EVERY SINGLE THING THAT WE DO IS GOING TO BE UNDER A MICROSCOPE.

AND I WOULD I WOULD LOVE TO SIT HERE. AND IF EVERYBODY COULD REALIZE WHAT KIND OF A GOOD MAN THAT I'VE KNOWN GREG LINK TO BE. TO ME, THAT WOULD BE A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT STORY.

I'M NOT HERE FOR ME. I'M NOT HERE FOR HOW I FEEL BECAUSE I FEEL GREG LINK CAN DO A GREAT JOB.

I THINK HE CAN COME IN. I THINK HE CAN HIT THE GROUND RUNNING.

BUT I AM HERE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT VOTED FOR ME AND I'M HERE FOR THE PEOPLE.

I MEAN, I'VE GOTTEN 50 TO 60 EMAILS, TEXT MESSAGES.

EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS IS WHAT I VOTED FOR YOU FOR.

THIS IS. WE DO HAVE A VERY, VERY, VERY TALENTED PERSON IN MR. MORTON. AND WE HAVE A VERY TALENTED PERSON IN GREG, AND I'M EXTREMELY TORN.

I DO THINK WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD, AND I DO NOT WANT TO HAVE DISTRACTIONS.

I LOVE GREG TO DEATH, BUT I'M GOING TO BE BACKING MR. MARTIN. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN HAMMER. MUCH HAS BEEN SAID ABOUT THE COMMENTS ABOUT MOVING FORWARD.

AND LET ME JUST ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT ON THAT, BECAUSE MOST, MOST OF THE CITIZENS THAT HAVE ELECTED ME FROM 2020, IT WAS ON A CAMPAIGN THAT THE CITY NEEDED TO MOVE FORWARD.

THAT BEING SAID, IN 2024, IT WAS THE SAME MESSAGE.

WE NEED TO MOVE THIS CITY FORWARD ON COMMERCIAL, ON DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES AND DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES.

SO THAT CAMPAIGN SLOGAN WAS ALWAYS ABOUT MOVING FORWARD AND FORGETTING WHAT HAPPENED IN OUR DARK PAST.

I WILL NOT BE SUPPORTING THIS MOTION, AND I AM IN AGREEMENT THAT I BELIEVE THE CANDIDATE THAT PROVED TO BE HEAD AND SHOULDERS ABOVE EVERYONE ELSE IS MR. MATTHEW THOMAS MORTON. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'M GOING TO CALL THE QUESTION.

ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. AYE.

ALL OPPOSED? SIGNIFY BY SAYING NAY. NAY. NAY.

I LIKE A ROLL CALL, PLEASE. EXCUSE ME, DEPUTY MAYOR JAFFE.

NAY. COUNCILMAN. JOHNSON. AYE. COUNCILMAN. HAMMER.

NAY. COUNCILMAN. LANGEVIN. AYE. MAYOR. MEDINA.

NAY. I'LL ENTERTAIN ANOTHER MOTION AT THIS TIME.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE OFFER THE CITY MANAGER POSITION TO MATTHEW THOMAS MORTON.

I'LL SECOND THAT. MR.. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO STAFF AS WELL FOR FOR BEING HERE TODAY.

AND JUST AN INCREDIBLE JOB THAT YOU GUYS ALL DO.

AND THANK YOU FOR BEING A PART OF THE PROCESS.

IT WAS A CHALLENGING DECISION FOR ME TO MAKE TODAY.

YOU KNOW, I SHORTLISTED GREG ON MY LIST ORIGINALLY MR. LINK. BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, I COULD HAVE COUNTED THE VOTES EARLY ON.

AND I THINK HAVING A32 OR A23 VOTE ON WHO OUR NEXT CITY MANAGER IS NOT IDEAL.

I PREFER IF WE CAN COME TO A CONSENSUS OF AT LEAST FOUR 1 OR 5 ZERO WOULD BE THE BEST FOR OUR CITY MOVING FORWARD.

AND AND I THINK MR. MORTON HAD AN INCREDIBLE RESUME.

I THINK THE FACT THAT HE SPENT THE TIME WAY IN ADVANCE TO LEARN OUR CITY SHOWS THAT HE'S HE'S INTERESTED.

[05:45:04]

SUPPORTING MR. MORTON FOR THIS POSITION. THANK YOU, DEPUTY MAYOR.

AND I ALSO AGREE. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A BAD CONNOTATION, AND MAYBE IT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR US WHERE WE WE CHOOSE THE RIGHT CANDIDATE. I TRULY BELIEVE THIS INTERVIEW PROCESS.

WE HAD SOME OUTSTANDING CANDIDATES, AS I SAID BEFORE.

AND MR. MORGAN WAS LIKE HEAD AND SHOULDERS IN MY OPINION, OF ABOVE EVERYONE ELSE.

HIS TALENTS WITH DEVELOPMENT, COMMERCIAL, LIGHT, INDUSTRIAL, BEING IN CITY GOVERNMENT I THINK WILL BRING A VALUE TO OUR CITY, A MUCH NEEDED VALUE AND MUCH MORE NEEDED VISION.

THE VISION I CAN SEE HIM BRINGING AND WORKING WITH EACH AND EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER.

COUNCILMAN LANGEVIN, WHEN WHEN YOU ASK. AND I LOVED HOW YOU WERE CONSISTENT WITH EVERY SINGLE CANDIDATE WHO WAS YOUR FOUNDING FATHER AND AND AND WHY? I THINK OUT OF ALL THE CANDIDATES, HE NAILED IT THE MOST.

AND SO I WAS ENCOURAGED BY EACH AND EVERY ONE OF HIS ANSWERS.

WITH THAT BEING SAID, THAT'S WHY I SECONDED THE MOTION.

THIS IS NO REFLECTION ON MR. GREG LINK. THIS MY MOTION NOT TO SUPPORT HIM AS OUR CITY MANAGER IS NO REFLECTION ON MR. GREG LANE BECAUSE HE HAS BEEN A PALM BAY. HE HAS PROVEN TO BE A GOOD, A GOOD MAN, A GOOD CITIZEN AND MOREOVER A GREAT MAN OF FAITH IN HIS PLACE OF WORSHIP, WHICH I DO CONSIDER AND ADD VALUE TO THAT.

SO I COMMEND MR. LINK FOR BEING PART OF THIS PROCESS.

I COMMEND THEM FOR HAVING THE COURAGE TO COME IN HERE.

AT THE SAME TIME, I BELIEVE THAT THE CANDIDATE THAT WE HAVE SELECTED MR. MORGAN, IS TRULY THE BEST CANDIDATE THAT WE CAN HAVE AND AND POSE OUR CITY FOR GREATNESS.

WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'M GOING TO CALL THE QUESTION.

ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION. SIGNIFY BY SAYING I.

I. ALL OPPOSED. SIGNIFY BY SAYING NAY. NAY. SO ROLL CALL PLEASE.

COUNCILMAN. JOHNSON. THEM. NAY COUNCILMAN HAMMER, A COUNCILMAN.

LANGEVIN, A MAYOR. MEDINA A DEPUTY MAYOR. JAFFE A MOTION PASSES FOR ONE.

CITY MANAGER. I GUESS THE INSTRUCTION NOW IS FOR YOU AND THE CITY ATTORNEY TO NEGOTIATE A CONTRACT FOR OUR FUTURE CITY MANAGEMENT, CITY MANAGER TO COME FORWARD. YES. WE CAN BRING THAT TO YOU AT A FUTURE REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING.

AGAIN, BEFORE WE ADJOURN, I WANT TO THANK EACH AND EVERY CANDIDATE FOR CHOOSING PALM BAY.

I WANT TO THANK EACH AND EVERY CITIZEN THAT VOICE YOUR OPINION, YOUR VALUED OPINION.

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF THIS PROCESS.

THE CITY OF PALM BAY IS MOVING FORWARD WITH A NEW CITY MANAGER, AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT THINGS TO COME.

MAY GOD BLESS YOU. MAY GOD KEEP YOU, AND MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS OUR GREAT CITY, PALM BAY.

HOO RAH! THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.