[00:00:02] THE TIME IS NOW 6:00. I WILL CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER. [CALL TO ORDER] WE WILL OPEN WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND FOLLOW THAT UP WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU. ROLL CALL. DOUG. HOOK. PRESIDENT REBECCA ZIEGLER. PRESENT. PRESENT. JANE. HIGGINS. PRESENT. EILEEN. SEP. PRESENT. WE HAVE QUORUM. THANK YOU. WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS PUBLIC COMMENTS. [PUBLIC COMMENTS] I DON'T HAVE ANY SPEAKER CARDS SPECIFICALLY FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION. DO WE HAVE AUDIENCE? YES, MR.. BILL BENTON. BILL BATTEN, 586 OCEAN SPRAY STREET, SOUTHWEST. FIRST, I'D LIKE TO THANK DOUG. I ENJOY WHEN YOU COME TO CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS AND YOU ADDRESS THEM AT THE UNDER THE MEETINGS SECTION. IT SHOWS ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT WITHIN SUSTAINABILITY BOARD AND DOESN'T GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO SAY, WELL, WE DON'T HEAR FROM YOU. SO I LIKE THAT YOU'RE IN YOUR YOU'RE IN THEIR FACE DIRECTLY. AND I LIKE THAT BECAUSE THAT'S MY APPROACH ALSO. SECOND ITEM IS, AFTER YOUR COMMENTS AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR SUSAN CONNELLY'S IN YOUR GARDEN. I'M PRESENTING MY CONTRIBUTION TO YOU. NOW, HOW YOU DECIDE TO SPEND THAT OR USE THAT ON HER GARDEN OR ON THE GARDEN. I'M GOING TO LEAVE THAT UP TO YOU. I DON'T KNOW WHO THE TREASURER IS SO CLOSE TO YOU. THANK YOU SIR. I WILL MAKE SURE THAT THIS GETS APPROPRIATED CORRECTLY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS TONIGHT? OKAY. THAT WILL CONCLUDE THE PUBLIC COMMENTS SECTION OF THE AGENDA. WE WILL MOVE ON TO NEW BUSINESS ITEM NUMBER ONE WHICH IS THE NATIVE GARDEN UPDATE. [NEW BUSINESS] OKAY. SO I DUG OUT THE HISTORY ON THIS BECAUSE I REALIZED THAT PROBABLY NOT EVERYBODY KNOWS THE HISTORY ON IT. AND I MADE SOME COPIES HERE, SO LET ME JUST MAKE SURE I KEEP ONE FOR MYSELF. BUT THERE'S ENOUGH FOR YOU GUYS. IS THAT THREE? YOU NEED THREE, AND THEN THERE'S SOME EXTRA ONES HERE IF ANYONE ELSE IS INTERESTED. AND SEEING THE HISTORY. THANK YOU. SO BASICALLY, BACK IN 2023 NATIVE BUTTERFLY FLOWERS PUT TOGETHER AN ESTIMATE FOR A NATIVE GARDEN. AND THAT'S THIS PICTURE THAT'S IN THE, THE ON THAT PAGE. AND SO IT WAS MEANT TO BE OVER BY THE POLICE STATION, THAT SIDEWALK THAT COMES UP THE BY THE POLICE STATION. WE WROTE SEVERAL GRANTS WITH THE CITY. AND THERE WAS A YOUNG WOMAN ON THE TEAM AT THAT TIME THAT ACTUALLY MEASURED THE VOLUME OF PEOPLE, VOLUME OF TRAFFIC THAT WOULD SEE THE NATIVE GARDEN, AND IT WAS GOING TO BE SOMETHING LIKE 10,000 PEOPLE A YEAR. COME, COME UP THAT SIDEWALK TO FROM EITHER THE POLICE STATION OR TO CITY HALL ITSELF. I WROTE A COUPLE GRANTS AND WE ENDED UP GETTING, AS YOU SEE AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS BUNCH OF NUMBERS PAGE. WE ENDED UP GETTING ONE FOR 2500 FROM FPL WHICH CONRADINA IS HOLDING THE FUNDS FOR THAT? AND WE CONRADINA ALSO DEDICATED $2,000 TO THAT NATIVE GARDEN. SO WE HAD 4500. AND THEN AT THAT TIME, THE CITY HAD COMMITTED 5288 .18 ON THAT DOWN AT THE BOTTOM OF THAT SHEET. THEY ALSO PAID FOR THE NATIVE BUTTERFLY DRAWING. [00:05:03] AND THIS DRAWING DOES HAVE A KEY WITH ALL THE PLANTS IDENTIFIED ON IT. WE PRESENTED THAT SEVERAL TIMES TO THE CITY SO THAT THEY WOULD UNDERSTAND IT. YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE CONCEPT. AND WE HAD ACTUALLY, I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING NEAR AND DEAR TO LYDIA'S HEART THAT THE THE BIG BEECH BENCH OUT IN FRONT OF CITY HALL, A PRIOR CITY MANAGER HAD SAID THAT WOULD BE MOVED OVER TO THE NATIVE GARDEN AS WELL. SO I GOT THE NOTE FROM NAGDCA THAT BASICALLY WITH US MOVING AROUND BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS AND BUILDING STARTING UP. IT'S BEEN A COUPLE OF YEARS. FPL WAS OKAY TO WAIT FOR A BUILDING E TO FINISH UP BECAUSE I'VE CONTACTED THEM A COUPLE OF TIMES AND JUST SAID, ARE ARE YOU OKAY? WE COULD REFUND THE MONEY IF YOU'RE NOT. THEY'RE LIKE, NO, NO, WE'RE FINE. WE'RE HAPPY TO WAIT. SO IT SOUNDS LIKE AND THE SUSTAINABILITY BOARD MOVING DEPARTMENTS, SOMEHOW THE FUNDS DIDN'T MOVE TO THE DEPARTMENT WHERE REPORTING TO AND THEY WERE LET GO. IS THAT A FAIR WAY OF SAYING IT? NAGDCA I DON'T WE GOT AUTHORIZATION FROM PREVIOUS MANAGEMENT TO CLOSE THE PO FOR THE FLOWERS THAT THE CITY WAS PUTTING TOWARDS THE THE GARDEN. RIGHT. AND WE WERE NEVER NOTIFIED OF THAT ON THE SUSTAINABILITY BOARD, WHICH I WOULD HAVE OBVIOUSLY ARGUED AGAINST THAT AND SAID, KEEP THE PO OPEN. WE DID HAVE A FALSE START WHERE WE WENT AHEAD AND TIM AND ANA FROM NATIVE BUTTERFLY FLOWERS PUT THE THE SOLARIZATION DOWN. AND THEN THEY WERE TOLD, NO, YOU HAVE TO REMOVE IT BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE ALL THE FIBER OPTICS IS, IS GOING TO BE RUN FOR THE NEW BUILDING. RIGHT. SO THE CITY DID PAY FOR IT BEING LAID DOWN AND REMOVED AND KNOWING THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT AGAIN WHEN IT WAS APPROPRIATE TIME. I GUESS THERE WAS A MISCOMMUNICATION ABOUT THAT PIECE OF LAND BEING AVAILABLE AT THAT TIME WITH THE NEW BUILDING GOING UP. SO WHAT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IS THIS WOULD BE MY LITTLE DREAM IN THE WORLD, IS THAT WE COULD SOMEHOW COBBLE TOGETHER THE FUNDS FOR THIS WITH THE CITY AND DEDICATE THIS PARTICULAR NATIVE GARDEN TO SUSAN. I KNOW AT THE CITY COUNCIL, THEY TALKED ABOUT THE FRONT OF BUILDING E A LITTLE PLOT OF LAND THERE. SO OBVIOUSLY THERE WOULD BE SOME MONEY THAT THAT WOULD REQUIRE. I GET THAT THAT'S A LITTLE VISIBLE, YOU KNOW, TO. BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT BUILDING E ISN'T GOING TO BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC SO MUCH THAT IT IS SOMEWHAT OF A CLOSED BUILDING. SO THERE WOULDN'T BE AS MUCH TRAFFIC IN AND OUT OF THE FRONT OF THAT. SO I COULD BE WRONG ABOUT THAT, BUT I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE CASE. SO THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO ADVOCATE MAKING THIS VERY VISIBLE SPACE. AND IT'S A MUCH BIGGER SPACE THAN THE FRONT SECTION OF BUILDING E, I THINK THAT WAS BEING DISCUSSED. SO THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO GET BACK TO THIS PLAN THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DRAWN. IF IF WE WANTED TO, I MEAN, I'D BE WILLING TO TAKE THIS BACK TO TIM AND ANNA AND SAY WE PROBABLY NEED TO UPDATE THE NUMBERS, YOU KNOW. THEY PROBABLY CHANGED A LITTLE BIT SINCE THEN. AND WE COULD, YOU KNOW, GO FROM THERE. THAT'S MY THOUGHT. EXCELLENT. THANK YOU. BEFORE I OPEN UP TO DISCUSSION FOR THE REST OF THE BOARD ON THIS I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT WE DO HAVE ONE PUBLIC COMMENT CARD ON THIS AGENDA ITEM. SO I WOULD LIKE TO CALL FORWARD RICHARD BLACKFORD. HELLO. I'M RICHARD BLACKFORD FOR 86 NOGALES AVENUE, NORTHEAST PALM BAY. AND I JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS THE GARDEN AS WELL. AND I HOPE THAT WE DO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT. AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO JUST ASK THAT ALL OF THE PLANTING AROUND THE CITY HALL BE NATIVES. THERE'S REALLY NO REASON WHY IT SHOULDN'T. WE HAVE PLENTY OF GOOD PALM BAY CONTRACTORS. WE HAVE A BIG, STRONG ORGANIZATION HERE OF NATIVE PLANTS, AND FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT THERE'S NOTHING BETTER. SO PLEASE PASS THAT RECOMMENDATION ON TO THE TO THE CITY COUNCIL THAT WE SHOULD BE BUYING LOCAL AND PLANTING NATIVE. [00:10:03] THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I DON'T HAVE ANY FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT CARDS JUST YET. DO WE WILL OPEN IT UP TO THE AUDIENCE IF WE HAVE ANY MORE PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS. YES. LYDIA BARBER 1638 FORK TERRACE SOUTHEAST. THE OTHER THING ABOUT THIS GARDEN IS THAT IT IS TO BE AN EDUCATIONAL GARDEN. AND WE TALKED ABOUT SIGNAGE THAT WOULD HELP THE PUBLIC UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF NATIVE PLANTS, AS RICHARD ALLUDED TO. SO I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT. EXCELLENT. THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY OTHER FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS AGENDA ITEM? OKAY. WITH THAT IN NOTE, I WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR THIS AND OPEN IT UP FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION. DO WE HAVE ANYONE ON THE BOARD WHO WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE COMMENT ON THE CURRENT STATE OF THE PROJECT? EVERYTHING WAS ASSIGNED TO ME AND I KNOW IT. SO EVERYTHING LOOKS FINE. I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE IT. IT'S BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR A LONG TIME, AND WE NEED TO RESPECT THAT. YOU KNOW, AS AS FAR AS DEDICATING IT, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA, TOO. BUT THAT'S UP TO CITY COUNCIL, I GUESS. YEAH. WE WE THIS THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN LONG, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE ONE OF THE CHALLENGES OF DEALING WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IS THAT SITUATIONS CHANGE. AND WHEN YOU DON'T DO THINGS AT A AT A CERTAIN PACE, THEY GET LEFT BEHIND IN THE SHUFFLE. I KNOW THE CITY IS FACING BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS, BUT I THINK THAT IF WE. PURSUE THIS, WE CAN AT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE EXPENSES OF FREE LABOR. I WOULD VOLUNTEER MY TIME. IF THERE'S STILL PLANTS THAT NEED TO BE PAID FOR, I'M SURE THAT SOME PEOPLE WOULD BE WILLING TO FOSTER PLANTS TO GET THEM TO A BIG ENOUGH SIZE TO BE PLANTABLE WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, I'D START SOME FROM SEED IF THAT WERE A CONSIDERATION TO BRING THE PRICE DOWN. SO IT IS SOMETHING I THINK WE SHOULD PURSUE AND TRY TO WORK WITH THE CITY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN AND SEE WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE IT WORKABLE. WHETHER IT'S A A DIFFERENT LOCATION. I LIKE THE LOCATION THAT WE INITIALLY HAD IT, BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO BE COMPROMISING, I WOULD RATHER COMPROMISE AND MOVE THE LOCATION THAN LOSE THE GARDEN. SO THAT'S MY THOUGHTS ON THE MATTER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YEAH. SO I'VE KIND OF BEEN LEADING THE CHARGE FOLLOWING THE NOTABLE ABSENCE OF THE PERSON TO THE LEFT OF ME ON HOW TO PROVIDE SOME WAY TO HAVE A SOLID PRESENCE FOR SUSAN CONNOLLY AT THAT CITY HALL. BASICALLY, SINCE THE MOMENT I HEARD THINGS WERE GOING WRONG FOR HER. ANYBODY WHO WAS AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON THURSDAY HEARD ME SPEAK ABOUT IT. HEARD COUNCILMAN HAMER SPEAK ON IT. THE CITY COUNCIL DID GIVE UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A PROJECT TO HONOR HER. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY DID TALK ABOUT ALONG THE WAY WERE TO INCLUDE JUST A GENERAL REMEMBRANCE GARDEN THAT COULD HAVE CERTAIN ASPECTS DEDICATED TO OTHER INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN A PRESENCE WITHIN PALM BAY. THAT WAY, IT WOULDN'T NECESSARILY BE FOCUSED SPECIFICALLY FOR SUSAN, BUT SUSAN WOULD HAVE A PRESENCE. OTHER INDIVIDUALS WOULD HAVE PRESENCE AND WHATNOT. THE SPACE THAT WE HAD BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT IN FRONT OF BUILDING E KIND OF LIKE WAS TALKED ABOUT THAT WAS KIND OF A THIS SPACE IS AVAILABLE. WHAT CAN WE DO KIND OF SITUATION. I'M 100% ON BOARD WITH SHIFTING THAT FOCUS IF WE CAN AND IF THE COUNCIL IS OKAY WITH MOVING THAT FOCUS, BECAUSE, AGAIN, WHAT WAS PRESENTED AT THAT TIME WAS TO HAVE THAT SPACE IN FRONT OF BUILDING E BE WHAT WE ARE TARGETING. TO NOTE KIND OF LIKE I SAID AS I JUMPED HEAD FIRST INTO THIS PROJECT, FOLLOWING JUST I NEEDED TO TAKE ACTION. THAT WAS THE FIRST AND FOREMOST THOUGHT IN MY MIND WAS TO REACH OUT AND TRY TO FIND WHAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY FIND OUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO GET THIS PROJECT OFF THE GROUND AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, WITH NEXT TO NO RESOURCES FROM THE CITY COUNCIL. I HAVE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN OPEN WITH PROVIDING PLANTS. I'VE HAD INDIVIDUALS WHO'VE BEEN OPEN WITH PROVIDING FUNDING. [00:15:03] I HAVE COME UP WITH IDEAS FOR OTHER POSSIBLE SOURCES TO RECEIVE FUNDING WHICH I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK INTO A LITTLE BIT FURTHER, OPEN UP DONATIONS TO THE LARGER COMMUNITY, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT IF WE ARE GOING TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO GET COMMUNITY FUNDING FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS. SO IT'S JUST A MATTER OF HOW DO WE PROPERLY GO THROUGH THOSE CHANNELS? AND THAT MAY BE SOMETHING WHERE THE FLORIDA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY, THE CONRADINA CHAPTER, MAY BE OPEN TO DOING THAT. WE WOULD BE ABLE TO FUNNEL DONATIONS THROUGH THEM AND THEN HAVE A DEDICATED SOURCE OF FUNDS THROUGH THE CONRADINA CHAPTER IN THAT THAT ASPECT. I'VE ALSO REACHED OUT TO BREVARD CUSTOM AQUATICS, JUST ASKING THEM IF THEY HAD ANY INTEREST IN BEING INVOLVED IN THIS PRODUCT. OUR PROJECT. THEIR RESPONSE WAS OVERWHELMINGLY POSITIVE AND HELPFUL. THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO DONATE TIME AND MATERIALS, LABOR AND MATERIALS TO BASICALLY WHERE WE WOULD HAVE A SUSTAINABLE WATER FEATURE INVOLVED IN A PROJECT LIKE THIS AT NO COST. BREVARD CUSTOM AQUATICS WOULD JUST PROVIDE THAT FOR US. THAT WAS AGAIN WHEN I WAS KIND OF FOCUSING ON THAT. 32 BY 16 FOOT SPACE OVER BY BUILDING E. AS WE MOVED TO THIS PROJECT, I DO SEE, OBVIOUSLY THIS LAYOUT IS PRETTY WELL DESIGNED. BUT I DO SEE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A COUPLE OF SPACES WHERE SOMETHING LIKE THAT COULD POTENTIALLY WORK INTO THAT. SO IT'S A MATTER OF REACHING OUT TO THEM AND FINDING OUT IF THEY'RE WILLING TO ALSO SHIFT FOCUS AND BRING IT ONTO THIS PROJECT. BUT I DO THINK THERE IS MERIT IN HAVING BOTH SPACES. KIND OF LIKE MR. BLACKFORD SAID NATIVE GARDENING SHOULD BE THROUGHOUT CITY HALL. IT SHOULDN'T JUST BE IN ONE SPACE. AND WE DO HAVE A LOT OF NATIVE PLANTS GOING IN OUTSIDE OF BUILDING E. BUT IF THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH JUST ONE PROJECT, OBVIOUSLY THAT'S EASIER. WE CAN DRIVE ALL OF OUR FOCUS TOWARDS THAT. AND THIS PROJECT HERE THAT HAS BEEN ON THE BOOKS AND IN THE WORKS FOR YEARS WOULD BE A VALID METHOD TO GO FORWARD WITH. I JUST WANT TO ADD A COUPLE COMMENTS. THERE, THE WATER FEATURE THING WOULD BE SUPER EXCITING, AND IT'S PROBABLY NOT OBVIOUS IN THIS DIAGRAM, BUT THERE IS A BIOSWALE HERE. SO WHEN IT WAS ORIGINALLY DESIGNED, IT WAS DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN THE GROWTH DEPARTMENT TOO, BUT THEY WERE VERY INTERESTED IN THAT BIOSWALE WATER COMPONENT OF THIS DESIGN. SO WE COULD PROBABLY RESURRECT THAT DISCUSSION NOW WITH THE NEW FOLKS OVER THERE. AND JUST TO ADDRESS REBECCA'S QUESTIONS REAL QUICK MOST OF THE COST YOU CAN SEE IS NOT IN THE PLANTS. IT'S IN ALL THE HARDSCAPING, THE MULCH AND WHATNOT. THE REASON THE PLANTS. WE CERTAINLY COULD DO SOME DONATIONS OF PLANTS. RICHARD HAS A BAZILLION PLANTS FOR CONRADINA. THE THE PLANTS, THOUGH, THAT A LOT OF THE PLANTS TIM AND ANNA WERE PUTTING IN WERE MATURE PLANTS. SO IT'S LIKE A EIGHT FOOT GUMBO LIMBO. SO WE'RE NOT WAITING, YOU KNOW, FOR A LONG TIME FOR GUMBO LIMBO TO GROW UP. SO WE'D HAVE TO PROBABLY TALK TO THEM SOME MORE ABOUT WHICH ONES ARE MORE MATURE THAN WHAT WE COULD COME UP WITH, AND WE GO WITH THEIRS. AND THEN WHERE ARE THERE, LIKE, MAYBE GROUND COVERS WE COULD SUPPLY TO THE LIST SITUATION, THAT KIND OF SITUATION. SO WE PROBABLY COULD GET THE NUMBER DOWN A LITTLE BIT, BUT YOU'LL SEE THAT WE ALREADY HAD TAKEN ALMOST ALL THE LABOR COST OUT, ASSUMING THAT VOLUNTEERS WOULD BE PLANTING DOING THE PLANTING. SO SO SO WE'VE TAKEN OUT QUITE A BIT JUST ON THAT. I MEAN, I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THE BUILDING E AREA. I JUST WANT THERE TO BE THE MOST VISIBILITY. AND WHEN WE'RE INVESTING IN SIGNAGE, I MEAN, WE COULD DO THAT EITHER PLACE AS WELL, BUT TO MAKE SURE IT'S VERY VISIBLE FOR THE EDUCATION COMPONENT OF IT. SO. EXCELLENT. SO WHAT I CAN DO FOLLOWING THE MEETING IS DEPENDING ON WHAT THE BOARD WANTS TO CHOOSE TO VOTE ON IF THERE'S A MOTION, I CAN START REACHING OUT TO THE PEOPLE THAT I'VE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH AND TALK ABOUT MOVING THE FOCUS OVER, BECAUSE I AGREE WITH YOU. THE MOST VISIBILITY, THE BETTER. THAT SPACE IN FRONT OF BUILDING E, LIKE YOU SAID, MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE THE MOST APPROPRIATE IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A HIGH FOOT TRAFFIC VERSUS OVER BY CITY HALL. SO I CAN REACH OUT AND SEE WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE THINKS ON THAT ONE, AND START WORKING ON THE PROCESS OF GETTING COUNCIL APPROVAL ON THAT SPACE AS WELL. YEAH. AND NAGDCA THE THE CHALLENGE WE RAN INTO BEFORE AND I DON'T EVEN I DON'T THINK THESE PEOPLE ARE EVEN HERE ANYMORE. SO IT DOESN'T MATTER THAT I CAN'T REMEMBER THEIR NAMES, BUT WAS THAT THE WHOLE PALM BAY? IT'S ON PALM BAY PROPERTY. SO PALM BAY HAS TO HAVE SOME SKIN IN THE GAME HERE ON FUNDING IT. [00:20:04] AND WE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THE MONEY AND WHO, YOU KNOW. SO WE MIGHT HAVE TO START THAT PART OF THE DISCUSSION OVER AGAIN. I MEAN, I CAN GET SOME INFORMATION FOR YOU WHEN I GO BACK INTO THE OFFICE OF THE PREVIOUS WORKERS THAT USED TO BE ON THE PROJECT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED. BUT I KNOW WE HAD I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE TOTALLY IN CONTROL. WE DIDN'T HAVE THE CARDINIA FUND, BUT WE HAD THE ONES FOR THE CITY TIED UP IN IN POLES. AND THINGS CHANGE WHEN LEADERSHIP CHANGE AND THE WHOLE FINANCE SYSTEM CHANGE AS WELL, WHERE WE COULDN'T ROLL THE P0 ANYMORE, SO WE HAD TO CLOSE IT. SO I BELIEVE PREVIOUS CITY MANAGER WAS THE ONE WHO APPROVED THE FUNDING. SO MAYBE THAT'S ANOTHER TALK AGAIN TO SEE HOW THE CITY WILL CONTRIBUTE. YES. I WOULD BE CURIOUS HOW INTERESTED THE CITY MANAGER IS IN THIS TYPE OF. HE MIGHT NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT'S BEEN TWO CITY MANAGERS AGO THAT WE WORKED ON THIS. SO WE COULD PROBABLY FIND A WAY TO BRIEF HIM AT SOME POINT AS WELL. I MEAN, WE ARE WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WILLING TO HELP, YOU KNOW, VOLUNTEER OUR TIME TO PLANT THE GARDEN AS WELL. YEAH. I THINK THAT ONE OF THE ISSUES WE HAD WAS IF, FOR INSTANCE, YOU'RE COLLECTING FUNDS AND I'M HAPPY TO RUN IT THROUGH CONRADINA ON THE TREASURER, SO, YOU KNOW, WE CAN DO THAT. BUT THE CITY STILL WANTED A PO, WANTED TO HAVE A PO AND WANTED TO. THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT PROBABLY INSURANCE OR LIABILITY OR SOMETHING WITH THE CITY HAS TO HAVE A PO. I NEVER REALLY UNDERSTOOD THAT. OKAY, SO BUT THAT'S WHAT I JUST DON'T WANT US TO GET HUNG UP ON AGAIN. SO I CAN GET THAT INFORMATION AND I'LL HAVE IT TO YOU. SEND IT TO YOU GUYS IN AN EMAIL. OKAY. SO ALL RIGHT. EXCELLENT. SO DO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THIS AGENDA ITEM? CAN I MAKE THE MOTION SINCE I TALKED ABOUT IT OKAY. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE RELOOK AT THE NATIVE GARDEN PROJECT AS PROPOSED IN 2023 AND UPDATE THAT AND GO FORWARD WITH IMPLEMENTATION, ASSUMING EVERYTHING COMES TOGETHER. EXCELLENT. SO I HAVE A MOTION TO REVITALIZE THE 2023 PROPOSAL FOR THE NATIVE PLANT GARDEN AND UPDATE IT AS NEEDED. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? I HAVE A SECOND. SO WE WILL MOVE TO A VOTE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? I BELIEVE THE MOTION PASSES 4 TO 0. I THINK WE CAN DISCUSS HOW WE DEDICATE IT, YOU KNOW, AND MAYBE A LITTLE FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD. YES. YEAH. EXCELLENT. SO THAT CONCLUDES NEW OUR NEW BUSINESS, ITEM NUMBER ONE. WE WILL MOVE ON TO NEW BUSINESS ITEM NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS THE MONOLITH UPDATE. OKAY. SORRY. OKAY. ALSO, I PUT TOGETHER THE PROPOSALS THAT BOARD MEMBERS DOUG AND EILEEN PROVIDED. HERE'S THE CONSOLIDATION. I'M NOT PASSING ANY JUDGMENT ABOUT IT. HERE'S SOME EXTRA ONES IF ANYBODY'S INTERESTED. BUT JUST KIND OF GOING DOWN THE LIST AND REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE ERIC GETS ONE OF THESE. SO SINCE IT'S HIS PROJECT AND JUST IGNORE THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PAPER, I WAS REUSING PAPER. OKAY, SO TRYING TO BE SUSTAINABLE. BUT BASICALLY JUST TOOK ALL THE SUGGESTIONS, AND I'M GUESSING ERIC PROBABLY HAS IDEAS, TOO OF WHAT TO PUT IN THERE. THESE ARE ALL THE ONES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AT THE LAST SUSTAINABILITY BOARD MEETING THAT WE THOUGHT MIGHT WORK WELL THERE. AND I, AGAIN, NOT PASSING ANY JUDGMENT, JUST KIND OF SAYING, IS IT NATIVE, IS IT LOW MAINTENANCE? IS IT GREEN ALL YEAR OR IS IT INVASIVE? AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT. I, I WILL TELL YOU, EILEEN, THE THE TWO VERY BEAUTIFUL TREES THAT YOU RECOMMENDED. ONE OF THEM, THE GOLDEN TRUMPET TREE. ONCE I LOOKED THAT UP, I REALIZED I HAVE THAT IN MY YARD. IT'S NOT GOLDEN, IT'S PINK. BUT THAT I'M ABOUT READY TO TAKE THAT THING OUT BECAUSE THE SQUIRRELS ARE JUST PLANTING THOSE SEEDS ALL OVER THE PLACE, AND I AM SO SICK OF PULLING UP THOSE THINGS. SO IT'S PROBABLY COMING DOWN SOMETIME SOON. AND THE GOLDEN SHOWER TREE. WHEN I LOOKED THESE ALL UP ON THE IFAS WEBSITE THAT HAS POISONOUS SEEDS. [00:25:03] SO THAT JUST KIND OF SEEMED LIKE A POTENTIAL LIABILITY ISSUE WITH THE CITY. CREEPING MYRTLE IS ON THE INVASIVE LIST, THE THE FLORIDA INVASIVE SPECIES LIST. SO ANYWAY, I'M HOPING IT'S USEFUL TO ERIC. AND IF YOU ONCE. ERIC, IF YOU WANT TO LET US KNOW ANY NEXT STEPS? ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO HELP? I KNOW YOU DON'T WANT US TO GO OUT THERE AND PLANT ANYTHING. BUT WHENEVER YOU'RE READY FOR US TO HELP, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO HELP. OKAY. THANK YOU. BEFORE I MOVE ON TO DISCUSSION WE DO NOT HAVE ANY COMMENT CARDS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM. DO WE HAVE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE MONOLITH UPDATE? ALL RIGHT. SEEING NONE, I WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENTS AND OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSION. DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THE MONOLITH UPDATE? YES. I'D LIKE TO DEFEND MY CHOICES. THE ONE I PREFER IS THE GOLDEN TRUMPET TREE. YES. NO. THE GOLDEN SHOWER TREE. I'M SORRY. THAT ONE PULLS OUT A LOT OF TOXINS FROM THE AIR, WHICH IS RARE. IT'S ALSO EXTREMELY VISIBLE. AND I THINK THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF PUTTING PLANTS AROUND THAT MONOLITH IS TO DRAW ATTENTION TO IT, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, YOU CAN BARELY YOU PASS BY IT AND YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW YOU WERE THERE. YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE NICE BECAUSE THAT'S LIKE THE INTRODUCTION TO PALM BAY FROM DIXIE HIGHWAY, AND IT WOULD BE NICE IF PEOPLE WOULD TURN HEADS AND SAY, OH, LOOK AT THAT. AS FAR AS THE CREEPING MYRTLE GOES, I KNOW IT IT IT GROWS. BUT YOU WANT IT TO CASCADE. YOU WANT THAT COLOR THERE? AND I THINK THE CONTRAST, WHETHER YOU GO WITH PINK OR PURPLE IS, IS FINE. BUT AGAIN, THE GOLDEN SHOWER TREE IS IT DOES. IT'S ONE OF THE FEW PLANTS THAT GIVES A LOT OF BENEFIT TO TOXINS THAT ARE IN THE AIR, INCLUDING PFAS, WHICH IS VERY HARD TO FIND ANYTHING THAT DEALS WITH THAT. THE OTHER, IT'S THE PYGMY DWARF PALM THAT'S ON OUR SYMBOL FOR PALM BAY. AND IF THAT WENT ON THE FRONT, WE COULD PUT SAW PALMETTO OR SOMETHING ON THE SIDES, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING. BUT THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME REALLY BOLD COLOR. I FEEL TO MAKE THAT NOTICEABLE NATIVE PLANTS. I JUST DON'T FEEL THAT ALL OF THEM ARE, ARE GOING TO BE MANAGEABLE BECAUSE IT'S IT'S IN A LIMITED POT, AND THE TREES ARE TAPROOTS, SO THE ROOTS DON'T GO ANY WIDER THAN THE TRUNK. THEY JUST GO DEEP. WHICH ALSO WILL HELP IT TO STAND FOR A LONG TIME. ORIGINALLY I LOOKED AT PUTTING PALM TREES IN THERE, BUT WE HAVE, WHAT, 6 OR 8 PALM TREES IN FRONT OF IT? SO I THINK THAT'S ENOUGH. BUT THIS WILL GROW FAST AND WE DON'T EVEN HAVE TO BUY IT IN FULL BLOOM. IT WILL GROW FAST. AND IT ALSO WILL CREATE LIKE A SORT OF A CASCADE OVER THE ROADS ON BOTH SIDES. BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S UP TO YOU GUYS. YEAH. I THINK OUR JOB WAS TO PROVIDE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS. AND THEN IT'S REALLY ERIC'S DECISION TO ASSESS WHAT FITS BEST THERE. SO I DIDN'T WANT TO PUT RECOMMENDATION. I JUST WANTED TO PUT. HERE ARE SOME OPTIONS. AND IT LOOKS LIKE HE'S ALREADY LOOKING UP PLANTS OVER THERE SO HE CAN TAKE IT FROM HERE. WELL, THERE ARE MEDICINAL VALUES TO THE TREES THAT I SUGGESTED. SOME PEOPLE SAY THEY'RE POISONOUS. A LOT OF MEDICINE IS POISONOUS IF YOU TAKE TOO MUCH OF IT. BUT I CAN'T IMAGINE A LOT OF PEOPLE YOU KNOW, PICKING UP THE SEEDS THERE, THEY CAN. YOU CAN GROW MORE AND PLANT THEM IN THE PARKS IF YOU WANT. THEY ARE REALLY PRETTY. AT LEAST THE GOLDEN SHOWER TREE IS I LIKE THAT ONE BETTER. [00:30:05] SO I, I THINK THAT COLOR IS NICE, BUT IT'S NICE TO HAVE A CONTRAST IN SHAPES AND TEXTURES. AND I THINK SOME TREES. I DON'T WANT SOMETHING SO BIG AT THAT SITE THAT IT OVERPOWERS THE MONOLITH ITSELF, WHICH TO ME IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE MAIN FOCAL POINT, AND EVERYTHING'S SUPPOSED TO KIND OF COMPLEMENT THAT. SO I DON'T WANT IT TO BE HIDDEN. IF WE GO FOR SOMETHING BIG AND SHOWY, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE. GREAT, BECAUSE I JUST LOVE THE SHAPE OF THE LEAVES AND THE COLOR OF THE LEAVES, THE VEINING ON IT. IT IT'S REALLY A LOVELY PIECE. AND IT DOES PROVIDE COVER FOR BIRDS AND FRUIT AND HABITAT FOR A VARIETY OF LITTLE ANIMALS. SO THAT'S MY PLUG FOR THAT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ONE THING I WILL BRING UP IS HE CAN CORRECT ME IF I AM OFF BASE ON THIS. BUT I SPOKE WITH ERIC A LITTLE BIT AFTER OUR LAST MEETING WHEN WE DISCUSSED THIS. HE SAID THAT THE LOWER PLANTER ON THE BACKSIDE OF IT ACTUALLY HAS SOME HARDWARE THAT IS INSTALLED IN THERE BY FPL AND WHATNOT. SO THERE IS LIMITED SPACE UNDER THERE. SO ANYTHING WITH ROOTS WOULD KIND OF HAVE TO BE A MAJOR CONSIDERATION. BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO BE DAMAGING THE ELECTRICAL BOXES THAT ARE APPARENTLY UNDER THE DIRT IN THAT PLANTER. HE'S OVER THERE NODDING HIS HEAD. SO I THINK I, I THINK I GOT THAT CORRECT ON THERE. SO THAT'S JUST ONE CONSIDERATION TO TAKE INTO ADVICE. I DO LIKE THE IDEA OF A SEAGRAPE. THEY, THEY GROW VERY QUICKLY. AND THOSE LEAVES ARE KIND OF COOL TO SEE BLOWING AROUND, EVEN IF THEY CAN BE KIND OF BIG. BUT EVERYBODY LIKES TO PICK THEM UP AND PLAY WITH THEM. I KNOW MY SIX YEAR OLD LIKES TO PLAY WITH THE SEA GRAPE LEAVES EVERY NOW AND THEN, SO THAT'S A GOOD IDEA. I DON'T THINK IT WAS ON THE LIST, BUT IF ERIC WOULD LIKE TO WRITE THAT ONE DOWN ON THE LIST. THERE YOU GO. SEA GRAPE. ALL RIGHT. DO WE HAVE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ONE? I DO NOT BELIEVE WE NEED A MOTION BECAUSE WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE TAKING ACTION UNLESS IS THERE A MOTION THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE DISCUSSION ON THIS? OR THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I BELIEVE ERIC WAS GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH. YES. CORRECT. AS LONG AS THE BOARD'S NOT TAKING ACTION, YOU WON'T NEED A MOTION OR A VOTE. OKAY. EXCELLENT. DO WE NEED TO EXTEND THIS DISCUSSION FURTHER TO ANOTHER MEETING? THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY QUESTION I WOULD GUESS MIGHT POSE ANOTHER MOTION AT THIS POINT. I GUESS IF IF THE CITY HAS PREFERENCES, IF WE COULD AT LEAST WEIGH IN ON THAT. THAT'S ALL IS. ERIC, ARE YOU HAPPY WITH THIS? ARE WE. CAN WE CLOSE IT OUT, OR WOULD YOU LIKE US TO KEEP TALKING ABOUT IT? SORRY WE DRAGGED YOU UP HERE. IT'S ALL GOOD. ERIC BLOUNT, OPERATIONS SUPERINTENDENT FOR PUBLIC WORKS. ACTUALLY LIKE TO LIST A LOT OF THE PLANTS HAVE A LOT OF COLOR AND STUFF IN THEM. I WAS ACTUALLY LOOKING THEM UP AND WRITING THEM DOWN ON ON YOUR SHEET. SORRY, I WAS WRITING ON IT. BUT ME AND DEREK WILL WORK ON IT IN THE BACKGROUND. WE'LL START GETTING PRICES AND STUFF AND SEE WHERE IT FITS IN OUR BUDGET, AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM COMING BACK AND UPDATING YOU. OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE WEEK OF HOLIDAYS, LOTS OF PEOPLE ARE GOING OUT ON VACATION AND STUFF. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, NEXT WEEK WE'LL PROBABLY START WORKING ON GETTING SOME PRICES AND STUFF AND WE'LL LET YOU GUYS KNOW WHAT WHAT HAPPENS. GOOD. EXCELLENT. THANK YOU. SO I BELIEVE THAT LEAVES US WHERE WE DON'T NEED A MOTION RIGHT NOW. SO IF THERE IS NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, THEN WE CAN MOVE ON. THAT WOULD BRING US TO OTHER BUSINESS ITEM NUMBER ONE, WHICH IS BOARD REPORTS. [OTHER BUSINESS] I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN THAT UP. WE WILL START WITH MISS EILEEN. I BELIEVE SHE HAD A BIG PRESENTATION THAT SHE WOULD LIKE TO DO FOR HER BOARD REPORT TONIGHT. ME. YES. MY MY MY FOCUS ON SUSTAINABILITY IS NUMBER ONE. IS IT AFFORDABLE? IS IT SELF MAINTAINING AND IS IT GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT. BECAUSE PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING I LOOK AT I'M LOOKING AT HOW IT AFFECTS THE AIR WE BREATHE, THE WATER WE DRINK AND THE SOIL WE GROW THINGS IN. SO I CAME ACROSS BEING ABLE TO DO THESE THINGS MEANS IT HAS TO BE AFFORDABLE. SO I LEARNED THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS VERY ANXIOUS TO HAVE GRAPHENE. GRAPHENE IS A PURE CARBON. IT'S TWO DIMENSIONAL, AND IT'S ARRANGED IN A HEXAGONAL, HEXAGONAL, [00:35:06] HEXAGONAL LATTICE, TASTES LIKE IT'S VERY FLAT. THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE OR WAR IS LOOKING AT IT FOR USING IT IN THEIR DEFENSE. WHATEVER. GRAPHENE, LIKE A DIAMOND, WHICH IS ALSO ALL CARBON IS VERY SOLID. IT DOESN'T ERODE. SO WHEREVER YOU PUT IT, IT'S GOING TO LAST. AND THE REASON I BRING IT UP HERE IS IT'S MADE FROM BIOMASS. IT'S NOT THE SAME AS CHARCOAL, WHICH HAS PHOSPHORUS IN IT. THAT'S WHY WHEN YOU HAVE A BARBECUE, IT BURNS. THIS WILL NOT BURN IF WE PRODUCE ENOUGH BIOMASS FOR GRAPHENE, IT STILL HAS TO BE PROCESSED INTO INTO GRAPHENE. BUT I BELIEVE IT WOULD BE A BIG ADVANTAGE FOR THIS CITY TO BE ABLE TO PRODUCE IT, BECAUSE THERE'S A HUGE SHORTAGE IN IT. AND WITH THE NEED FOR RARE EARTH MINERALS, I UNDERSTAND THAT ELON MUSK IS GOING TO BE ANNOUNCING THE END OF JANUARY USING THE MINERALS THAT WE HAVE HERE, RATHER THAN LOOKING FOR RARE EARTH MINERALS, WHICH RIGHT NOW THE LARGEST SUPPLIERS ARE RUSSIA, CHINA USUALLY SOME OF THE ISLANDS WHERE THEY HAVE VOLCANOES. BUT. I THINK IT'S IT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY IF THE CITY CAN DEVELOP A DEPARTMENT WHERE THEY CREATE THIS, AND THIS MIGHT HELP REDUCE SOME OF OUR TAXES. AND THE OTHER THING IS, WHATEVER WE HAVE, IT'S THERE'S EQUIPMENT THAT WE CAN GET PAID FOR BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. AND I HAVE A WHOLE LIST OF, OF AGENCIES, THE USDA, THE EPA THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, ACTUALLY, THAT'S USDA AND A FEW OTHERS. THEY'RE VERY INTERESTED IN THIS, AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GET IT. IT'S IT'S NOT CHARCOAL AND IT'S THERE'S ANOTHER WORD FOR IT WHICH I CAN'T THINK OF AT THE MOMENT. COAL ASH. IT'S NOT COAL ASH. IF WE SUCCEED IN DOING THIS. WE WOULD ALSO HAVE AVAILABLE TO OUR RESIDENTS A PRODUCT THAT WE CAN MIX WITH OUR SOIL. IT WILL MITIGATE ANY INVASIVE BUGS. IF YOU HAVE A FARM. I SPOKE TO A SOIL SPECIALIST FROM WASHINGTON, JIM R, WHO COMPLETED AN ENTOMOLOGY STUDY ON THE EFFECTS OF OF BIOCHAR IN THE SOIL. AND IT IT WIPED OUT THE PRIONS THAT CAUSE MAD COW DISEASE. IF WE USE IT IN WATER, WE HAVE A LOT OF CANALS. AND WE WE ARE REALLY FACING SOME SERIOUS PROBLEMS. WE DO NOT HAVE DRINKABLE WATER IN THIS CITY. THERE'S SO MANY CHEMICALS IN IT. AND DOING THIS, WE WOULD NOT NEED CHEMICALS. IF WE PUT IT IN THE BASE OF THE THE HOLDING PONDS THAT WOULD HELP, YOU KNOW, PUT SAND OVER IT, OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE OTHERWISE IT'LL FLY. BUT IF IT, IF IT GOES IN THE HOLDING PONDS, THAT WILL HELP REPLENISH THE AQUIFER. IF IT GOES IN THE CANALS WITH THE FLORIDA RECOMMENDATIONS OF THREE, THREE LAYERS, TWO, TWO, TWO LAYERS OF GRAVEL AND SAND TO HELP REPLENISH THE AQUIFER WITH CLEAN WATER THAT'S NOT FULL OF GARBAGE AND WASTE. THERE'S ALSO A BENEFIT IF WHEN THEY DO RIGHT NOW, WE DO OR THE COUNTY DOES THE CONTROLLED BURNS, AS FAR AS I UNDERSTAND, THAT'S THEIR BAILIWICK. [00:40:07] BUT THERE'S A WAY TO DO IT. YOU CAN THIN OUT THE FOREST AND MAKE THEM FIREPROOF BY PUTTING A NON-FLAMMABLE BIOCHAR IN THE SURROUNDING GROUND. SO WE WILL NOT GET THOSE EMBERS. WHEN THEY DO THE CONTROLLED BURNS, WE GET EMBERS THAT FLY IN THE AIR FOR AN AVERAGE OF FOUR DAYS. YOU'RE BREATHING IT IN AND YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW IT. AND THAT IS A CARCINOGENIC CARCINOGENIC. SOMETHING THAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT BECAUSE I'VE BEEN BATTLING FOR CANCERS IN THE LAST 48 YEARS. AND YOU KNOW, I'M AFRAID TO DRINK THE WATER. I DON'T WANT IT IN THE AIR. I WANT US TO BE ABLE TO FIX THIS, AND WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE AN INDUSTRY HERE THAT WILL BENEFIT THE THE CITY, THE STATE AND THE COUNTRY. IF WE CAN PRODUCE ENOUGH OF IT, WE HAVE PLENTY OF YARD WASTE. THE EQUIPMENT THAT JUDY AND I LOOKED AT IS AIR BURNERS. THEY DO A DOUBLE BURN. SO IT DOESN'T FLY ANYWHERE. THERE'S NO ODOR. IT DOESN'T INVADE THE SURROUNDING AREA, AND IT BURNS VERY FAST. IT BURNS A TON AN HOUR. I THINK WE JUST. HOW MUCH OF OUR OF OUR CITY IS UNDEVELOPED? MOSTLY TREES. IS IT 60 OR 40, I FORGET. ANYBODY KNOW? I THINK THE LAST TIME I CHECKED, IT WAS SOMEWHERE OVER 2000FT² OF OR 2000. YEAH, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. NO. IT'S GOT. IT'S LIKE 40%. YEAH. AND WE'RE STILL DOING CONTROL BURN SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR. SO INSTEAD OF THAT, IF WE DO THIS, WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE MONEY, PROVIDE JOBS, AND MAKE THIS THE CLEANEST, HEALTHIEST PLACE IN THE WORLD. BUT THAT'S ME EXPLAINING WHY I THINK GRAPHENE IS A GOOD WAY TO GO. I'M GOING TO JUST READ OFF THIS TWO PAGE THING THAT EXPLAINS SOME OF THE THINGS THAT IT ACCOMPLISHES. OKAY. IT'S CONSIDERED A MIRACLE MATERIAL. OH, AND I STARTED TALKING ABOUT ELON MUSK. HIS HIS PROJECT IS GOING TO NEED A LOT OF GRAPHENE BECAUSE HE'S IT'S USED IN BATTERIES AND THEY'RE FINDING THAT IT LASTS DECADES. WHEN THEY USE THIS MATERIAL ON THOSE BATTERIES. BUT ANYWAY, GRAPHENE IS A SINGLE LAYER OF CARBON ATOMS ARRANGED IN A HEXAGONAL LATTICE, DISCOVERED IN 2004. IT HAS RAPIDLY MOVED FROM LABORATORY CURIOSITY TO A CORNERSTONE OF INNOVATION IN ENERGY, ELECTRONICS, CONSTRUCTION AND HEALTHCARE. AND SPEAKING OF CONSTRUCTION, I KNOW COUNCILMAN JAFFE TALKED ABOUT HAVING AN ASPHALT PRODUCTION IN PLACE IN PALM BAY. WHEN YOU COMBINE BIOCHAR OR GRAPHENE WITH THE ASPHALT, THOSE ROADS WILL LAST DECADES LONGER. IT DOES NOT ERODE. I THINK EVEN WITH YOUR NATIVE PLANT PLANTINGS, THAT'S WHAT SHOULD BE THERE. WE SHOULD NEVER BE USING FERTILIZERS. THIS WORKS. AND IT'S VERY GOOD FOR THE SOIL, AND IT'S GOOD FOR THE GROUNDWATER THAT PASSES THROUGH IT, BECAUSE IT'S NOT SO SOLID THAT IT BLOCKS THAT FLOW. IT WORKS LIKE A FILTER. WHY? BIOMASS MATTERS FOR GRAPHENE PRODUCTION. BIOMASS. ORGANIC MATERIAL FROM PLANTS AND WASTE CAN BE CONVERTED INTO GRAPHENE, OFFERING A RENEWABLE LOW CARBON FEEDSTOCK. USING BIOMASS FOR GRAPHENE PRODUCTION REDUCES RELIANCE ON FOSSIL BASED GRAPHITE. SUPPORTS CIRCULAR ECONOMY PRINCIPLES BY TURNING LOCAL WASTE INTO HIGH VALUE MATERIALS. LOWERS THE ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT OF MANUFACTURING. RIGHT NOW, MOST OF OUR WASTE GETS BAGGED UP AND PUT IN A LANDFILL. THAT'S NOT GOOD FOR THE WATER SUPPLY. IT'S NOT GOOD FOR ANYTHING. AND RIGHT NOW, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY PLACE TO PUT IT. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH ALL THOSE THAT STUFF WE'RE COLLECTING IN BAFFLE BOXES. [00:45:05] BUT THERE, THERE IS A COMPANY THAT CAN TAKE WASTE AND BREAK IT DOWN TO ELEMENTS AND SELL IT, AND THEY USUALLY WORK BY GETTING AN UPFRONT PAYMENT FROM THE MUNICIPALITY OR THROUGH A GRANT. AND ONCE THEY PRODUCE GET THE BYPRODUCTS OF THE WASTE, IT COMES BACK TO THE CITY. IF IT WAS A GRANT OR NOT, IT COMES BACK TO YOU. SO IT DOESN'T GO BACK TO THE GRANT. AND WHATEVER SURPLUS THEY MANAGE TO GET FROM SELLING IT, THAT'S WHAT THEY KEEP. SO THAT'S HANDLING WASTE. THE VALUE PROPOSITION FOR PALM BAY, THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS. LOCAL JOB CREATION. ESTABLISHING BIOMASS TO GRAPHENE FACILITIES CREATES SKILLED JOBS IN MANUFACTURING, R&D, AND SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT. BUSINESS GROWTH ATTRACTS STARTUPS AND ESTABLISHED COMPANIES FOCUSED ON ADVANCED MATERIALS, BOOSTING PALM BAY'S INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT. CARBON REDUCTION. INTEGRATING GRAPHENE INTO CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS CAN REDUCE CO2 EMISSIONS BY UP TO 30%, ESPECIALLY IN CEMENT PRODUCTION. IT CAN BE MIXED WITH CEMENT WASTE VALORIZATION. PALM BAY'S ORGANIC WASTE STREAMS BECOME VALUABLE RESOURCES, REDUCING LANDFILL AND SUPPORTING SUSTAINABLE GOALS. SOCIAL BENEFITS. AFFORDABLE HIGH PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS EVEN SMALL AMOUNTS OF GRAPHENE LESS THAN 1% CAN DRAMATICALLY IMPROVE PRODUCT QUALITY AND EFFICIENCY, MAKING ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES ACCESSIBLE TO CITIZENS. HEALTH INNOVATION GRAPHENE BASED SENSORS AND MEDICAL DEVICES CAN ENABLE BETTER DIAGNOSTICS AND THERAPIES FOR RESIDENTS. SO IF WE WANT TO ATTRACT BUSINESSES TO PALM BAY THAT NEED THESE PRODUCTS THAT'S THAT'S ONE BIG ADVANTAGE. I DO WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THERE ARE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS REALLY PUSHING BIOCHAR. THEY'RE PAYING FOR IT. THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY AVAILABLE FOR IT. AND MOSTLY BECAUSE THEY WANT GRAPHENE. BUT. IT'S JUST IT'S IT'S ALL NATURAL. AND WE IT'S MORE OF THE CIRCLE OF LIFE WHERE YOU'RE JUST DEALING WITH WHATEVER YOU NEED AND NOT HAVING TO RESORT TO CHEMICALS AND STUFF THAT POISONS US. BUT THE PATHWAY TO IMPLEMENTATION WOULD BE EITHER PARTNERSHIPS, COLLABORATE WITH UNIVERSITIES, RESEARCH CENTERS AND INDUSTRY LEADERS TO DEVELOP SCALABLE BIOMASS TO GRAPHENE PROCESSES OR PILOT PROJECTS. LAUNCH DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS USING LOCAL BIOMASS TO PRODUCE GRAPHENE ENHANCED MATERIALS FOR CITY INFRASTRUCTURE. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EDUCATE CITIZENS ABOUT THE BENEFITS AND OPPORTUNITIES OF GRAPHENE. FOSTERING SUPPORT AND PARTICIPATION. WE CAN EVEN USE SCHOOLS, YOU KNOW, LET THEM DO PROJECTS SO THEY THEY UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PRODUCT. AND IN CONCLUSION, A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR PALM BAY. BY HARNESSING LOCAL BIOMASS TO PRODUCE GRAPHENE, PALM BAY CAN LEAD IN SUSTAINABLE INNOVATION, CREATE JOBS, REDUCE EMISSIONS AND IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ITS CITIZENS. THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO ADVANCE MATERIALS WILL POSITION IT AS A MODEL FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES NATIONWIDE. AND I DO THINK IF THERE'S ANY LEFTOVER OR OVER PRODUCTION OF IT, IT CAN BE MADE AVAILABLE TO CITIZENS AT NO COST, YOU KNOW, TO THROW ON THEIR LAWN OR MIX IT IN WITH THE SOIL. I THINK IT'S IT'S WORTH CONSIDERING AND LOOKING AT SERIOUSLY. AND SINCE THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY AVAILABLE, I HAVE A LOT OF PAGES OF GRANT STUFF IN HERE FOR YOU TO CONSIDER, AND I WILL GIVE THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT THE INFORMATION ON THE AIR BURNERS. OKAY. AND THAT'S THAT'S BASICALLY IT. YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS GO SOMEPLACE. [00:50:06] I'VE BEEN READING EVERYTHING I CAN ABOUT IT, AND WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING. WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING THAT HELPS REDUCE OUR COST OF LIVING, REDUCE OUR COSTS OF MAINTENANCE, REDUCE OUR NEED FOR FLOODING OUR WATERS WITH SEWAGE THAT HAS TO STOP. AND I THINK THESE ARE THE BEGINNINGS OF A SOLUTION. I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION, THOUGH. THE LAST SESSION I, I MENTIONED THE TURKEY CREEK SPILLAGE AND I ASKED THAT THEY LOOK AT EITHER MUCK MADE OR BIOBOOST, WHICH IS BILLIONS OF BACTERIA THAT WILL EAT THE WASTE AND THEY'LL EAT IT UNTIL THERE'S NOTHING LEFT. IT PRODUCES NO GASSES, AND THEY DIE WHEN THEY'RE DONE EATING. IT WOULD CERTAINLY WORK THERE, AND IT WILL WORK A LOT FASTER THAN TRYING TO FIND MONEY TO DO A CLEANUP, WHICH WILL AFFECT THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE. BECAUSE WHEN YOU DREDGE THAT STUFF UP, IT SMELLS REALLY BAD. IT'S ONLY IT'S 80 TO $100 FOR A 4 TO 5 GALLON TUB, AND YOU CAN DUMP IT IN THERE. IT COVERS ONE AND A HALF TO TWO ACRES, AND YOU REPEATED EVERY TWO WEEKS OR WHATEVER. YOU THINK IF YOU PUT ONE IN THERE, I WOULD PUT ONE AT EACH END AND, YOU KNOW, TRY TO SEE HOW IT WORKS. BUT I WE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE HAD THAT WHOLE MESS CLEANED UP BY NOW IF WE HAD DONE THIS FROM THE BEGINNING. SO IT'S SOMETHING TO CONSIDER, AND IT'S NOT A LOT OF MONEY TO EVEN JUST TEST IT ON. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I HAVE A FOLLOW UP QUESTION FOR YOU. WITH YOUR GRAPHENE IDEA. IS THAT SOMETHING? DO YOU KNOW THAT THE MUCK THAT DOES GET DREDGED UP THROUGHOUT VARIOUS PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON, NORTH OF US, SOUTH OF US, AND BETWEEN US. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT COULD BE CONVERTED TO GRAPHENE? BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY. BECAUSE I KNOW A LOT OF THAT MUCK DOESN'T GET USED. IT GETS TRUCKED OFF SOMEWHERE ELSE, WHICH HAS ITS OWN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT. SO IF THAT MUCK TO GRAPHENE KIND OF TRANSITION MIGHT BE SOMETHING TO EXPLORE. ANY BIOMASS CAN BE CONVERTED TO GRAPHENE. OKAY. IF IT'S WET, IT TAKES LONGER. THE EQUIPMENT THAT I'M LOOKING AT, THE AIR BURNERS. YOU DON'T HAVE TO DRY IT OUT. LIKE, USUALLY WHEN YOU'RE BURNING FOR BIOCHAR OR ANY KIND OF COAL ASH, YOU HAVE TO DRY IT OUT FIRST AND YOU HAVE TO REMOVE THE LEAVES. YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT WITH THIS EQUIPMENT. AND IT'S PORTABLE. AND THERE'S ALSO ONE PIECE THAT FPL WILL PAY FOR. IT'S LIKE 1.2 MILLION. BUT FPL HAS SAID THEY WILL PAY THE MUNICIPALITIES TO BUY IT. THAT PROVIDES ENERGY. IT CONVERTS THE BIOMASS TO ENERGY. SO THE BURNERS ARE PORTABLE. YOU CAN BRING THEM TO THE SITE IF YOU, YOU HAVE THE THE ELECTRICITY, YOU CAN WORK ON YOUR COMPUTER, TRACK EVERYTHING, DO WHATEVER. BUT YES, YOU CAN. BUT I STILL THINK THAT USING THE BACTERIA IS A BETTER CHOICE. THE BACTERIA WORKS IN BRACKISH AS WELL AS FRESHWATER. WATER. BUT I PERSONALLY WOULD PREFER THAT BECAUSE I DON'T THINK ANYBODY'S SWIMMING IN THAT RIGHT NOW. YEAH. I THINK THE ONLY CONCERN FROM THE CITY'S PERSPECTIVE THAT I'VE BEEN TOLD ABOUT IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE WATER RIGHTS. SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT THE CITY OF PALM BAY WOULD EVER ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO DO. WITHIN TURKEY CREEK, THAT'S NOT THE CITY'S PURVIEW. WE WOULD HAVE TO FIND PERMITS AND GET OUTSIDE PERMISSION AND WHATNOT TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT NOT NOT TO PUT IN MUCK. IT'S JUST DUMP IT IN. OKAY. IT DOESN'T REQUIRE ANY SKILL. I MEAN, UNLESS I'M WRONG. EILEEN, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO SHARE A SOFT COPY OF YOUR DOCUMENTS THAT WE COULD LEARN MORE ABOUT THAT AS WELL? I HAVE EVERYTHING, AND I PLAN TO GIVE IT TO THE CITY TO LOOK AT. I HAVE MY SUMMARIES. I HAVE SEVERAL PAGES OF GRANT PROGRAMS, AND ONE OF THEM WITH BEING IN THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR. OUR FORMER ONE OF OUR FORMER CHAIRS IS WORKING FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR, SO WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET A LITTLE SWAY WITH THAT. THE ON ON FOREST FORESTRY. THE DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY, US FOREST SERVICE THEY HAVE ONE [00:55:05] GRANT FOR ON WOOD PRODUCTS. IT'S $1 MILLION. AND THE FUNDING POOL IS $23.3 MILLION. THAT ONE IS MAYBE CLOSING, BUT I'M NOT SURE. BUT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO BEND THAT A LITTLE BIT. BUT, YOU KNOW, I HAVE A LOT. THERE'S A HALF MILLION DOLLAR ONE. THERE'S, I DON'T KNOW, THERE'S A WHOLE LIST OF THEM. AND THERE'S ALSO MR. ARCHULETA, WHO'S THE SOIL SPECIALIST THAT I SPOKE TO FROM WASHINGTON. HE HE'S DONE A LOT OF THESE GRANTS, SO HE WOULD BE WILLING TO WRITE THE GRANTS SO THAT WE GET THEM. AND I PUT THE HIS CONTACT INFORMATION IN HERE. BUT WE'RE A GROWING CITY, AND WE REALLY NEED TO BE LOOKING AHEAD AND BEING PREPARED FOR WHATEVER HAPPENS, WHETHER IT BE A DROUGHT OR A HURRICANE. OUR AQUIFER HAS BEEN MASSACRED FOR A DECADE. OVER A DECADE. AND FOR THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WE HAVE, I THINK. ARE WE STILL RUNNING ON ONE ONE? WELL, FOR THE WHOLE CITY, ONE 70 FOOT. WELL, I KNOW THEY WERE PLANNING ANOTHER ONE, BUT AS FAR AS I KNOW, IT'S NOT DONE YET. WE HAVE THREE WELLS. THREE I THINK WE HAVE. ARE THEY FINISHED? ONE DEEP WELL AND WE HAVE ONE 70 FOOT. ANYBODY KNOW INFORMATION? ANYWAY, WHATEVER IT IS, IT'S NOT ENOUGH. WE NEED TO GET CLEAN WATER INTO THE GROUND. NOT. NOT WATER. THAT'S GOT ARSENIC AND GOD KNOWS WHAT. BECAUSE OF THE COMBINATION OF DRUGS I KNOW FROM PUBLIC WORKS PEOPLE WHO I HAVE APPROACHED AND THEY TOLD ME, YOU KNOW, WE JUST DUMPED A WHOLE LOAD. I'M GOING TO BE NICE OF CHEMICALS INTO THE WATER. AND IT'S DISTURBING. I CAN I CAN SMELL IT, I CAN SEE IT. AND MY NEIGHBORS KNOW THAT I WATCH THESE THINGS SO THEY THEY LIKE, WHY DOES THE WATER SMELL LIKE AN OUTHOUSE? AND IT'S COMING OUT OF MY FAUCET. AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST ONE. SO IT'S NOT JUST ONE HOUSE THAT HAS A WATER PIPES THAT HAVEN'T BEEN USED IN A WHILE. WE HAVE TO TAKE THESE THINGS SERIOUSLY BECAUSE THEY'RE AFFECTING OUR LIVES. THERE'S WAY TOO MANY CASES OF CANCER HERE. I MEAN, I GO TO THESE EVENTS WITH OTHER WOMEN, AND ON A TABLE OF TEN, AT LEAST 3 OR 4 HAVE HAD BREAST CANCER. THAT'S WAY ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. AND MORE AND MORE CANCER IS BEING DIAGNOSED AS ENVIRONMENTAL AND DERIVED FROM PARASITES. SO THIS WILL HELP US GET RID OF THOSE PROBLEMS OR MITIGATE THEM SOMEWHAT. IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THE PARK AND YOU DON'T WANT ANTS CRAWLING ALL OVER YOU. IF YOU MIX, MIX BIOCHAR IN WITH IT. THEY'RE NOT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE THERE. ONE OTHER THING I'D LIKE TO BRING UP REAL QUICK REGARDING THAT IS HAVE YOU SPOKEN TO CITY MANAGER MORTON ABOUT POTENTIALLY GETTING FIU INVOLVED? I KNOW THAT FIU HAS APPROACHED HIM A COUPLE OF TIMES ABOUT PROJECTS THAT THE SUSTAINABILITY BOARD OR THE CITY COULD PRESENT TO HIM. I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THAT PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL UNIVERSITIES MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN. SEEMS LIKE WE ALREADY HAVE SOMEBODY THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTED ALREADY IN LOOKING INTO SOMETHING LIKE THIS, IF WE PRESENT IT TO THEM. I KNOW FLORIDA TECH HAS IN THE PAST AND MRC, I USED TO VOLUNTEER THERE. I DID A WHOLE STUDY FOR THEM. I DID A 30 YEAR LOOK BACK A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO ON HOW THEY'RE THE TREATMENT OPTIONS AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING. BUT I TEND TO NOT TRUST THEM THAT MUCH. I'M NOT SAYING THEY DON'T DO ANYTHING GOOD. SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT WORK THERE ARE SINCERE, BUT IT'S BEEN A BIG MONEY MAKER FOR THEM. THEY DO A VERY LIMITED PAPER, AND THAT'S WHERE IT ENDS. THEY GET THE MONEY. A LOT OF TIMES THE MONEY IS FUNNELED THROUGH THEM RATHER THAN DIRECTLY THROUGH US. AND IT'S SHUFFLING PAPER. IT'S NOT GETTING ANYTHING DONE. SO I THINK WE HAVE TO BE VERY PARTICULAR BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE HAVE MADE A LUCRATIVE CAREER OUT OF JUST BEING THE CHAMPION AND THEN RUNNING AWAY WHEN THEY GET THEIR PAYCHECK. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ALL OF THIS BE CONTROLLED BY THE CITY WHERE IT'S ACCOUNTABLE WHERE THE MONEY GOES. [01:00:03] AND YOU KNOW, SHOW RESULTS. EXCELLENT. THANK YOU. I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTION COMMENTS. COMMENTS, REALLY? I THINK THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS MIGHT BE BETTER DONE ON A COUNTY LEVEL WHERE THERE IS ALREADY LAND SET ASIDE FOR COLLECTING YARD WASTE IN PARTICULAR. MY SENSE IS THIS KIND OF BIOCHAR. IT ISN'T A MIXED, IT'S A MIXED BAG. WHAT WE GET, WHAT CAN BE COLLECTED IN PALM BAY. BUT FOR BIOCHAR, I THINK THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS YOU WOULD NOT WANT IN IT THAT ARE IS BEING COLLECTED. I DON'T KNOW HOW THE COLLECTION PROCESS WOULD WORK, FOR INSTANCE, BUT WE ALREADY HAVE A COUNTY WIDE COLLECTION PROCESS SET UP. AND I ALSO THINK THAT IT IS SOMETHING SO LARGE IN SCOPE, THERE WOULD PROBABLY BE COUNTY AND POSSIBLY EVEN STATE RAMIFICATIONS FOR HOW IT'S MANAGED. IT'S IT'S IT SOUNDS SIMPLE ENOUGH, A LITTLE HARMLESS BIOCHAR, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS YOU NEED YOU NEED MANAGERS AND OVERSIGHT AND LAND DEDICATION, AND IT'S IT'S NOT IT'S NOT LIKE. IT'S NOT LIKE A GARDEN. IT'S NOT LIKE A GARDEN. I AGREE, EVERYONE'S WORRIED ABOUT THE AIR AND WATER, BUT I THINK WE WERE TO HAVE A PRESENTATION ON THIS. BUT IF WE'VE BYPASSED THAT IN FAVOR OF, YOU KNOW, YOUR EXPERIENCE AND RESEARCH THAT CERTAINLY IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN TALK ABOUT WITH THE CITY, BUT IT'S NOT REALLY SOMETHING THAT WE CAN MAKE ANY TAKE ANY ACTION ON. SO THAT'S JUST MY UNDERSTANDING. YES. I MEAN, I, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT IT WOULD BE AN INITIATIVE. WE ARE THE LARGEST CITY IN THE COUNTY WITH THE LARGEST POPULATION, AND WE'VE GROWN WAY FASTER THAN WE CAN MANAGE. BUT THIS WILL HELP US MITIGATE SOME OF THOSE ISSUES. I FULLY RECOGNIZE THAT THE COUNTY HAS TO BE APPROACHED, AND IT'S MY INTENTION TO LET THEM KNOW. BUT MY EXPERIENCE THERE IS AGAIN, THINGS GET SHUFFLED AROUND AND NOTHING HAPPENS. I THINK AS ONE CITY, WE CAN SET AN EXAMPLE. WE WE CAN GET SOME OF THE, THE BIOMASS FROM THEIR FACILITIES IF THEY WANT AND CERTAINLY WORK IT OUT. BUT WE'RE FAILING IN GETTING OUR AIR CLEAN, OUR WATER CLEAN, AND AND THE SOIL. IT'S JUST SOMEBODY HAS TO DO SOMETHING. IT HAS TO START SOMEWHERE. AND WHY NOT PALM BAY? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. MISS REBECCA, DO YOU HAVE A BOARD REPORT TO PRESENT? I'M GOING TO PASS ON MY BOARD REPORT UNTIL NEXT MONTH. OKAY. THANK YOU, MISS JANE. I HAD 2 OR 3 ITEMS THAT WERE VERY NEAR AND DEAR TO SUSAN TO FOLLOW UP ON. AND THEY'RE MOSTLY RELATED TO BUILDING E. SO, DEREK, DID YOU GET THE EMAILS THAT I SENT YOU THAT BUT SO ONE OF THEM WAS GETTING SOME KIND OF A BROADER REPORT OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF NATIVE PLANTS THAT HAVE GONE IN WITH THE NEW LANDSCAPING. YOU KNOW, I WAS VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE NEW PARKING LOT USING NATIVE PLANTS OVER THERE. AND THEN I'VE SEEN SOME PODOCARPUS, SO, SO BUT I WAS HOPING WE AT SOME POINT. NOT TONIGHT. WOULD BE ABLE TO GET KIND OF A TOTAL REPORT OF THE AMOUNT, THE PERCENTAGE OF LANDSCAPING THAT HAS GONE TO NATIVE PLANTS BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF DESIGNATIONS THE CITY OF PALM BAY COULD APPLY FOR. YOU KNOW, TO BE A TREE CITY, TO BE A NATIVE PLANT. I MEAN, I'M SURE THERE'S BUNCHES OF THOSE. AND USUALLY FUNDING GOES WITH THOSE. SO THAT'S WHY I'M KIND OF PUSHING FOR LET'S LET'S MAKE SURE BEFORE THE LANDSCAPERS DISAPPEAR THAT WE GET SOME KIND OF A REPORT OUT OF THEM. I DID SEE SOME EMAILS COME ACROSS THAT I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO ACT ON. I BELIEVE THAT WAS THE ONE WHERE YOU SAID YOU WERE TRYING TO SPEAK TO MIKE AND. RIGHT, RIGHT. COULDN'T GET ANYTHING. LET'S CONVENE AFTER THIS. [01:05:01] AND I WANT TO TAKE DOWN EVERYTHING SPECIFICALLY THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR. AND I'LL FOLLOW UP BY BY DECEMBER OR EVEN BEFORE THEN. I'LL HAVE THAT FOR YOU. THANKS. TRY TO HAVE IT FOR YOU. YEAH. THE OTHER. AND YOU KNOW, I KNOW ALL THESE CITY EMPLOYEES. YOU DON'T KNOW ME. SO I SEND THEM AN EMAIL AND THEY'RE LIKE, YEAH, RIGHT. BUT THE OTHER ONE LIKE THAT WAS FOLLOWING UP WITH THE ARCHITECTS FOR BUILDING E. YES. AND THAT PRESENTATION THAT WE HAD AND I DID TRACK THAT GUY DOWN THAT CAME AND SENT HIM AN EMAIL I FORWARDED TO YOU BECAUSE SUSAN WAS VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THEM DISPLAYING THE GREAT THINGS THEY'VE DONE IN BUILDING E FOR SUSTAINABILITY, MAYBE MAKING SOME POSTER BOARDS OR SOMETHING FOR THE OPEN HOUSE. DO WE KNOW WHEN THE OPEN HOUSE IS GOING TO BE? I'M JUST WORRIED. I DON'T WANT TO MISS IT. I DON'T HAVE AN EXACT DATE. OKAY. THAT'S KIND OF GOOD SHOOTING. SHOOTING, I BELIEVE. DECEMBER. JUST DON'T HAVE DON'T HAVE AN EXACT DATE. WELL, THE GUY THAT PRESENTED TO US WHEN I WENT ON THEIR WEBSITE, TURNS OUT HE'S THE RETIRED FOUNDER. SO HE MIGHT NOT EVEN BE THAT THE RIGHT GUY TO BE TALKING TO. RIGHT. SO YOU ALL MIGHT HAVE A FAR BETTER CONTACT THAN HIM FOR THAT. OKAY. BUT IT'S JUST A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH THE PUBLIC. YEAH. WHAT IS IN BUILDING E? BECAUSE WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT UNTIL HE PRESENTED AND WE'RE LIKE, OH, THAT'S AWESOME. SO IT'S AGAIN, SOMETHING FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW. AND THEN DOUG, WE, YOU KNOW, YOU BROUGHT UP ABOUT FIT PROJECTS WITH THE CITY MANAGER. ARE WE GOING TO TALK ABOUT SOME OPTIONS FOR THAT AT SOME POINT? LIKE I HAVE A COUPLE IDEAS, BUT I DON'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW, RUN THE PROJECT. SO. NO, I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA. LIKE I SAID, THAT'S KIND OF IT WAS BROUGHT UP TO SUSAN NUMEROUS TIMES, HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP TO ME A COUPLE OF TIMES. CLEARLY FIT IS INTERESTED IN HELPING IN SOME WAY, SHAPE OR FORM. I THINK MAYBE IT MIGHT BE WORTHWHILE TO PUT A NEW BUSINESS ITEM ON THE AGENDA FOR NEXT MONTH. AND THEN WE CAN OPEN IT UP AND GIVES US SOME TIME TO COLLECT IDEAS AND COLLECT OUR THOUGHTS AND COME UP WITH PROJECTS THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO PRESENT AN IDEA. SHE AND I TALKED ABOUT QUITE A BIT. WAS HAVING THE FIT STUDENTS DO A COMPARISON OF LOW IMPACT DEVELOPMENT PRACTICES, AND IN PARTICULAR, HOW THEY'RE BEING ENFORCED IS THE WRONG WORD. BUT HOW MUCH OF IT IS VOLUNTARY VERSUS MANDATED? YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU CAN HAVE A GREAT PLAN. BUT IF NOBODY DOES IT, IT DOESN'T REALLY DO ANY GOOD. SO THAT SEEMS LIKE AN IDEAL STUDENT PROJECT. DEREK, I THINK YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP WITH THIS. WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING THAT SHE COULD MAKE A MOTION FOR NOW TO HAVE ADDED TO THE AGENDA FOR NEXT MONTH? YEAH, IF THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT IT. LIKE I SAID, ANYTHING THAT REQUIRES AN ACTION FROM THE BOARD THAT YOU CAN MAKE THE MOTION TO HAVE IT ADDED TO THE AGENDA. IF YOU'D LIKE TO, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE DISCUSS FIT PROJECTS AT THE NEXT MEETING. EXCELLENT. I HAVE A MOTION TO DISCUSS FIT PROJECTS AT THE NEXT SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD MEETING. DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. I HAVE A SECOND, SO I WILL PUT IT TO A VOTE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? I BELIEVE THAT MEANS IT PASSES 4 TO 0. SO WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT THAT GETS ADDED AS AN AGENDA ITEM FOR NEXT MONTH. THAT'S IT FOR ME. EXCELLENT. ALL RIGHT, SO I GUESS THAT LEAVES ME LOOKS LIKE I'VE GOT ABOUT 50 MINUTES. I'LL TRY NOT TO USE ALL OF IT. BECAUSE I PROBABLY COULD IF I REALLY WANTED TO. ALL THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN PRESENT TO CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS HAVE REALIZED THAT I HAVE BECOME A REGULAR PRESENCE AT CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS MYSELF. PART OF THE REASON WHY I'M DOING THAT IS OBVIOUSLY TO HELP THE SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD HAVE A MORE VISIBLE PRESENCE. THE OTHER PART OF THAT IS THAT I WANT TO COLLABORATE WITH THE CITY COUNCIL AND FIND OUT WHAT THEY ARE INTERESTED IN. I DON'T WANT US TO JUST BE DOING THINGS THAT THE SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD WANTS TO DO. I WANT IT TO BE A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BETWEEN THE SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD AND THE CITY COUNCIL ITSELF. AS SUCH, I'VE REACHED OUT TO ALL THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. I'VE GOTTEN SOME IDEAS FROM SOME I'VE ALSO BEEN LISTENING TO WHAT THE CITY COUNCIL SAYS DURING THEIR MEETINGS. ANYTIME SOMETHING LIKE THAT COMES UP, I MAKE SURE THAT I WRITE IT DOWN AND TRY TO BRING IT BACK TO THE SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD. THAT WAY WE CAN DISCUSS IT. TO THAT END AT THE MOST RECENT MEETING COUNCILMAN JOHNSON BROUGHT UP GRASS CUTTINGS BEING BLOWN INTO TURKEY CREEK FROM INDIVIDUALS, HOMEOWNERS THAT LIVE ALONGSIDE TURKEY CREEK AND THE IMPACT THAT THOSE GRASS CUTTINGS ARE HAVING. [01:10:02] HE WOULD LIKE THE SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD OR REALLY ANY CITY ENTITY TO TRY TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL WAYS TO MITIGATE THOSE IMPACTS. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD HAVE A DISCUSSION ON AS WELL. KIND OF LIKE THE FIT PROJECTS. I THINK THERE ARE WAYS THAT WE COULD PROBABLY ENGAGE THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AROUND TURKEY CREEK, POTENTIALLY HOLD A SUSTAINABILITY EVENT AT TURKEY CREEK, WHERE WE CAN TRY TO FIND A WAY TO INVITE AS MANY HOMEOWNERS ALONGSIDE TURKEY CREEK AS POSSIBLE AND EDUCATE THEM, BECAUSE, AGAIN, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW. AS TO WHAT ALL THE PRACTICES ARE, WHAT THE IMPACTS ARE OF GRASS CUTTINGS GOING INTO TURKEY CREEK. AND SEE IF WE CAN'T ENCOURAGE THINGS LIKE BUFFER BIOSWALES ON HOMEOWNER PROPERTIES. THAT WOULD CATCH SOME OF THAT NUTRIENT RUNOFF BEFORE IT REACHES TURKEY CREEK. TALK ABOUT IF THEY DO HAVE MOW AND BLOW CONTRACTORS COMING IN, TRY TO EXPRESS TO THOSE CONTRACTORS THAT THEY'RE USING THAT, HEY, I WANT MY GRASS CUTTINGS BLOWN INTO MY YARD, NOT INTO THE WATER STUFF LIKE THAT. I THINK THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING. SO I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADD AN ITEM TO NEXT MONTH'S AGENDA DISCUSSING GRASS CUTTINGS BEING BLOWN INTO TURKEY CREEK. IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT. OKAY. THANK YOU. I HAVE A SECOND, SO I WILL BRING IT TO A VOTE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A PASSING VOTE, 4 TO 0, TO BRING A DISCUSSION ON WHAT THE PALM BAY SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD CAN DO REGARDING GRASS CUTTINGS INTO TURKEY CREEK. MY NEXT ITEM THAT I HAD BEEN PRESENTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN ONGOING AND SOMETHING THAT COUNCILMAN HAMER HAS BEEN INTERESTED IN. IT'S BEEN NEMO GARDENS. I KNOW THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS THAT JUST PERKED THEIR HEADS UP IN THE AUDIENCE WHEN THEY HEAR NEMO GARDENS. THAT'S A PROJECT THAT I KIND OF WANT TO GET INVOLVED WITH MYSELF, BECAUSE I THINK THAT IS A GREAT WAY TO PROVIDE A BLUEPRINT FOR OTHER COMMUNITY GARDENS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF PALM BAY, ON CITY OWNED SPACES. I KNOW NEMO GARDENS HAS KIND OF STALLED OUT IN VARIOUS PHASES. IT'S KIND OF A PASSION PROJECT FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THAT AREA. I WOULD LIKE TO DRAW SOME ATTENTION TO THAT. I DON'T KNOW HOW EXACTLY RIGHT NOW AT THIS POINT. BUT I WOULD CERTAINLY LIKE TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ON AT SOME POINT. IT MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE DECEMBER'S MEETING, BECAUSE WE'RE STARTING TO LOAD UP DECEMBER'S MEETING PRETTY QUICKLY. DISCUSSION ON HOW THE SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD CAN DRAW SOME ATTENTION TO NEMO GARDENS, ASSIST WITH NEMO GARDENS AND KIND OF DEVELOP THAT BLUEPRINT MOVING FORWARD TO WHERE OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS, IF THEY HAVE CITY OWNED SPACE, CAN IDENTIFY, HEY, THAT'S A SPACE WHERE COMMUNITY GARDENS AT. WE WANT TO TAKE ACTION ON IT. WE WANT TO IMPROVE THAT CITY OWNED SPACE. HOW CAN WE DO THAT? AND I THINK WITH NEMO GARDENS, THAT WOULD BE A GREAT STARTING POINT AND A GREAT BLUEPRINT FOR THAT KIND OF A DAY. WE HAVE A CONTACT AT NEMO GARDEN. MARK. THAT HAS A WHOLE FACEBOOK GROUP THAT WHEN WE GET THIS ON THE AGENDA, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE GET WE GET INVITED. YEAH, YEAH. EXCELLENT. YEAH. THANK YOU. AND LASTLY THE ONE THAT I GOT BROUGHT UP MOST RECENTLY WAS COUNCILMAN LANGEVIN. WHEN I APPROACHED HIM AND ASKED HIM WHAT HE MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN, THE SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD COULD LOOK INTO HIS PROJECT WAS BRAZILIAN PEPPER BUSTING. OBVIOUSLY, BRAZILIAN PEPPER TREES ARE A MASSIVE PROBLEM IN NOT ONLY BREVARD COUNTY AND PALM BAY, BUT THROUGHOUT FLORIDA AND GOING FURTHER NORTH. I'M ACTUALLY TAKING INVASIVE SPECIES CLASSES FROM MY MASTER NATURALIST CLASSES, AND THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT BRAZILIAN PEPPERS MAKING ITS WAY UP TOWARDS TALLAHASSEE WHICH IT HAS NEVER GONE THAT FAR NORTH BEFORE. SO ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO LOOK INTO WAS POTENTIALLY, HOW CAN WE EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR OWN BRAZILIAN PEPPER PROJECTS? ONE OF THE THINGS, ACTUALLY, THAT WAS BROUGHT UP IN MY MOST RECENT INVASIVE SPECIES CLASS WAS THERE ARE ABOUT 80% OF LAND IS PRIVATELY OWNED IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, SO IT'S OBVIOUSLY GOING TO BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR A MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT TO TACKLE THIS PROJECT IN WHOLE. SO A LOT OF IT DOES COME DOWN TO HOW DO WE EDUCATE THE PUBLIC AND WHATNOT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ACTUALLY WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO DO, THANKS TO THE LANDSCAPE TOUR WE HAD ONE OF THE VISITORS OF THE LANDSCAPE TOUR THAT I WAS GIVING A TOUR TO. SHE TALKED ABOUT HOW SHE HAD BRAZILIAN PEPPER, AND SHE GAVE ME THE CONTACT INFORMATION FOR SOMEBODY AT UF. IFAS THAT ACTUALLY COULD PROVIDE BRAZILIAN PEPPER THRIPS, WHICH IS ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT THE UF IFAS EXTENSION HAS BEEN WORKING ON DOING, WHICH IS INTRODUCING THESE THRIPS THAT ARE NATIVE TO BRAZIL. AND THEY EAT NOT THEY DON'T NECESSARILY KILL THE BRAZILIAN PEPPER, BUT THEY EAT NEW SHOOTS OFF OF IT. AND THAT CAN PREVENT FLOWERING AND FRUITING WHICH IS A METHOD TO POTENTIALLY CONTROL THE SPREAD OF BRAZILIAN PEPPER AND THEN ALLOW MORE TIME TO GET IT UNDER CONTROL FROM WHAT WE [01:15:07] HAVE. SO I HAVE NOT REACHED OUT SPECIFICALLY ON THAT JUST YET, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS ON MY LIST OF THINGS TO DO, AND I'D LIKE TO KEEP THAT IN MIND IN THE FUTURE. IF ANYBODY WANTS TO BRAINSTORM IDEAS FOR BRAZILIAN PEPPER, THAT IS A POINT OF PRIDE AND SOMETHING THAT COUNCILMAN LANGEVIN REALLY KIND OF WANTED US TO TO POTENTIALLY ADDRESS. ALL RIGHT, LIKE I SAID, I COULD TALK FOREVER. ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WAS BROUGHT UP AT THURSDAY'S CITY COUNCIL MEETING WAS AN AWARD THAT WAS GOING TO BE TENTATIVELY CALLED THE CONNOLLY AWARD NAMED AFTER SUSAN CONNOLLY, OBVIOUSLY. THEY WANTED TO BRING ATTENTION TO INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE IMPACTED BREVARD COUNTY IN A SUSTAINABLE WAY FOCUSED ON THE THINGS THAT MISS CONNOLLY WAS MOST DRIVEN TOWARDS. AND THERE WAS A COUPLE OF IDEAS THROWN ABOUT. AND I THINK IT'S THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD SHOULD PROBABLY TAKE ACTION ON AND TAKE THE LEAD ON. IT IS SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY WAS BROUGHT UP BY COUNCIL THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD POTENTIALLY TAKE THE LEAD ON THIS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY ALSO WANTED TO ADDRESS WAS THAT THERE BE A PROCESS IN PLACE TO WHERE IF THE SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD, FOR WHATEVER REASON, DOES NOT CONTINUE TO EXIST, THE BOARD WOULD CONTINUE TO BE EXIST. SO BASICALLY, KIND OF WHAT I WOULD LIKE US TO CONSIDER AND I'D LIKE TO AGAIN MAKE A MOTION. I'LL DO IT IN HERE IN A SECOND. TO BRING FORTH WOULD BE TO COME UP WITH A CRITERIA AS TO WHAT WE WOULD WANT TO RECOGNIZE AND WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO, HOW WE WOULD PRESENT IT AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT. THE WAY THAT I KIND OF LOOKED AT IT, JUST BROADLY SPEAKING, WAS THAT IT WOULD BE PRESENTED ANNUALLY TO A PALM BAY CITIZEN, BUSINESS OWNER OR DEVELOPER WHO EXEMPLIFIES SUSTAINABLE ACTIONS OR PRACTICES. WE COULD ALSO TIE IN PUBLIC SERVICE AND SHOWING UP TO REGULAR EVENTS AND WHATNOT AGAIN. THINGS THAT SUSAN EXEMPLIFIED WOULD BE PRIMARILY WHAT WE ARE TARGETING WITH THE SUSAN CONNOLLY AWARD. ANOTHER IDEA THAT WAS PRESENTED WAS THAT IT WOULD BE AWARDED ANNUALLY IN JULY IN HONOR OF SUSAN'S BIRTHDAY. THAT WAY, WE ARE NOT NECESSARILY FOCUSED ON HER PASSING AND IT BEING PRESENTED IN NOVEMBER WHEN SHE PASSED. BUT AS OPPOSED TO THAT, A CELEBRATION OF HER LIFE AND WHAT SHE STOOD FOR BRINGING UP IN JULY. SO I WOULD LIKE TO OBVIOUSLY START TO DEVELOP A BIT OF A PROCESS. BUT WE DO HAVE A BIT OF TIME TO DO THAT. SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY TIME CRITICAL ON THAT. SO I MIGHT ACTUALLY PUSH THAT OFF TO JANUARY TO WHERE WE BRING THAT DISCUSSION IN JANUARY. BUT IF Y'ALL WOULD LIKE TO BRAINSTORM BETWEEN NOW AND JANUARY'S MEETING ABOUT WHAT THE SUSAN CONNOLLY AWARD WOULD MEAN WHAT KIND OF CRITERIA WE WOULD COME UP, HOW WOULD WE COME UP WITH A PROCESS? WHAT EXACTLY WOULD IT BE PRESENTED? HOW WOULD WE PRESENT IT AND STUFF LIKE THAT? ALL RIGHT. WHAT ELSE WAS THERE ON MY LIST? WE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT ONE OF THE THINGS WHICH WAS THE REMEMBRANCE GARDEN. WE KIND OF BROUGHT THAT UP IN THE NATIVE PLANT DISCUSSION. SO I WON'T COMPLETELY REITERATE EVERYTHING THAT I HAD HEARD AND THOUGHT ABOUT ON THAT KIND OF WHAT WAS MENTIONED WAS THAT IT WOULD NOT NECESSARILY BE A GARDEN DEDICATED SPECIFICALLY TO SUSAN CONNOLLY, BUT INSTEAD IT MIGHT BE THE PALM BAY REMEMBRANCE GARDEN. AND AS A PART OF THE PALM BAY REMEMBRANCE GARDEN, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO AGAIN CREATE CRITERIA OR EVEN JUST SOLICIT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR OTHER INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY BE HONORED AND PRESENTED WITHIN THAT REMEMBRANCE GARDEN. SO THAT'S SOMETHING, AGAIN TO FOR US TO CONSIDER AND THINK ABOUT AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE NATIVE PLANT GARDEN ON THERE. KIND OF LIKE I SAID, WE I'VE GOT TO REVISIT SOME ITEMS WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE WORKING ON THAT PROJECT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN. EVERYTHING'S GOOD TO GO BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO NECESSARILY TOSS OUT WHAT WORK HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE IF WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT. SO, YEAH, AND I DON'T THINK THAT THE NATIVE GARDEN WAS EVER PRESENTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL. OKAY. I DON'T THINK THEY MADE IT THAT FAR. YEAH. OKAY. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT ONCE THAT THE NATIVE GARDEN GETS A LITTLE BIT FURTHER ALONG THE ROAD AND REVIVED THEN WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO PRESENT THAT TO THE, TO THE CITY COUNCIL, BUT I CAN TRY TO REACH OUT TENTATIVELY TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S ANY HESITANCY FOR MOVING THE REMEMBRANCE GARDEN FROM THAT 32 BY 16 SPACE NEXT TO BUILDING E TO THIS PROJECT HERE NEXT TO CITY HALL. BECAUSE, AGAIN, IF IT'S ABOUT REMEMBRANCE, IT'S ABOUT VISIBILITY, AND IT'S ABOUT HAVING A SPACE WHERE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SEE IT AND PARTICIPATE. [01:20:05] SO THAT WOULD BE OBVIOUSLY A HIGHER TRAFFIC AREA WITHIN THERE. ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT FURTHER OUT DOWN THE ROAD ON A BRIGHTER SIDE, I GUESS A LIGHTER SIDE, NOT NECESSARILY A BRIGHTER SIDE WOULD BE ANOTHER AWARD THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE. IT'S IN OUR CHARTER AS A SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD THAT WE FIND WAYS TO PROMOTE AND RECOGNIZE INDIVIDUALS WHO PARTICIPATE IN SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE KIND OF BEEN JUST TOSSING AROUND, BRAINSTORMING IS WHAT I TENTATIVELY AM CALLING THE GRO PALM BAY AWARD GARDENING RESPONSIBLY FOR OUR WILDLIFE ACRONYM FUN ACRONYMS. AND THE GRO AWARD THAT I AM KIND OF ENVISIONING. IT WOULD HAVE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT TIERS TO IT. ONE WOULD BE VERY EASY FOR EVERYBODY TO ACHIEVE. I KIND OF ENVISION THAT TO BE THE GREEN TIER. YOU PLANT ONE NATIVE PLANT OR 5% NATIVE PLANTS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. YOU QUALIFY FOR THE GREEN AWARD. WE CAN RECOGNIZE YOU. YOU CAN HAVE SOME KIND OF RECOGNITION WITHIN YOUR YARD. THEN FROM THERE, WE COULD GO TO SOMETHING LIKE THE GOLD, WHERE YOU HAVE HALF YOUR YARD BEING NATIVE PLANTS, AND THEN PLATINUM WOULD BE AN OVERACHIEVING STATUS WHERE 70 TO 75%, 80% WHATEVER OF YOUR YARD IS NATIVE PLANTS, THERE'S NO INVASIVE SPECIES VISIBLE OR PRESENT IN THE YARD. THINGS LIKE THAT KIND OF CREATE A TIERED AWARD SYSTEM WITHIN THE CITY OF PALM BAY THAT PROVIDES US A FRAMEWORK TO ACKNOWLEDGE THOSE INDIVIDUALS IN THE CITY OF PALM BAY WHO WOULD LIKE TO. OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO FORCE IT UPON ANYBODY. BUT IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN A PROJECT LIKE THAT I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD. AGAIN, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S IMMEDIATE, BUT SOMETHING THAT, AGAIN, WE CAN ALL BRAINSTORM, KIND OF KEEP IN THE BACK OF OUR MIND AS TO SOMETHING WE MIGHT WANT TO DO IN THE FUTURE. THE WAY I SEE IT WORKING IS POTENTIALLY HAVING A SUBMISSION PAGE ON THE PALM BAY WEBSITE. THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO PUT THAT THAT INFORMATION WOULD THEN COME TO THE SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD. WE COULD REVIEW THINGS. THEN WE COULD GET IN TOUCH WITH THAT INDIVIDUAL, HAVE THEM COME TO ONE OF THE SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY MEETINGS, PRESENT THEM WITH THEIR AWARD, OR GIVE THEM THE RECOGNITION THAT THEY WOULD LIKE. AND IF POSSIBLE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THOUGHT WAS CLEVER BECAUSE I MANY PEOPLE HAVEN'T BEEN TO MY YARD, BUT I HAVE A JOKINGLY HAVE MY SIGN GARDEN IN MY YARD WHERE BASICALLY ANYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH NATIVE PLANTS. I HAVE FOUND AND IDENTIFIED EVERY SINGLE SIGN KNOWN TO MANKIND AND PUT IT IN MY YARD. BECAUSE THE WAY I SEE IT IS, IF YOU SEE A SIGN THAT SAYS, HEY, THE HUMANE SOCIETY LIKES NATIVES, HEY, THE AUDUBON SOCIETY LIKES NATIVES, MAYBE I SHOULD PLANT NATIVES. LIKE, WHATEVER YOUR ITCH IS WILL FIND A WAY IN. BUT TO THAT, THERE WAS A THE OCEAN FRIENDLY GARDENS THROUGH THE SURFRIDER FOUNDATION. HAD A SITUATION TO WHERE THEY HAD DESIGNED THE SIGN THEMSELVES IN A PDF FILE, AND THE HOMEOWNER COULD GO FORWARD AND THEN ORDER THE SIGN THEMSELVES. SO AS OPPOSED TO IT COSTING THE CITY ANY RESOURCES TO PRESENT A SIGN FOR THEIR GARDEN THE CITY COULD DEVELOP A PDF FORMAT FOR THE DIFFERENT TIERS, AND WHENEVER THE AWARD IS PRESENTED TO THAT INDIVIDUAL, WE COULD THEN PROVIDE THEM RECOMMENDATIONS AS TO WHERE THEY COULD ORDER THAT SIGN. THEY COULD GET THAT SIGN PRINTED. AND THEN IF THEY WANTED TO PUT THAT SIGN IN THEIR YARD, AND AGAIN, IT WOULD BE SOMETHING WHERE NO CITY RESOURCES ARE NECESSARILY HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THEIR WHICH, AGAIN, IS A BIG THING FOR WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IN THE SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD IS KIND OF TRYING TO TACKLE STUFF THAT IN THAT KIND OF A MANNER. AND THEN LASTLY I JUST WANTED TO RECAP A COUPLE OTHER THINGS JUST SO THEY'RE STILL IN OUR MINDS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DID ACTUALLY HAVE A QUESTION FOR DEREK ABOUT WE HAD ORCA WOULD LIKE TO DO A PRESENTATION TO THE PALM BAY SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD. I BELIEVE SHE TRIED TO GET IN TOUCH WITH MAKING A PRESENTATION DURING THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER, BUT SHE WAS OUT OF TOWN AND WOULD HAVE HAD TO DO IT REMOTELY. SO I IMAGINE THAT HAD TO DO WITH A BIT OF THE CONSIDERATION ON THERE. BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE WOULD POTENTIALLY LIKE TO SEE IN THE FUTURE IF SHE'S ABLE TO WORK THAT OUT. YES. SO THE CONVERSATION THAT I HAD WITH HER, WE DECIDED TO SHOOT FOR DECEMBER BECAUSE DECEMBER SUSTAINABILITY BOARD MEETING FALLS ON A HOLIDAY AS WELL. WE NEED TO COME UP WITH AN ALTERNATE DATE FOR THAT MEETING. AND THEN ONCE WE HAVE THAT DATE SET BY YOU TONIGHT, I'LL TOUCH BASE WITH HER AGAIN AND SAY, HERE'S THE DATE THAT THEY DECIDED, ARE YOU FREE? AND JUST KIND OF GO FROM THERE. BUT YEAH, WE TALKED ABOUT IT. SHE'S ON BOARD. WE'RE ON BOARD. WE JUST GOT TO FIGURE OUT THE TIMING. EXCELLENT. YEP. THAT TIES ME UP INTO THE NEXT POINT, WHICH IS WE NEED TO CHOOSE A DECEMBER MEETING DATE BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE WE WANT TO HAVE THAT MEETING ON CHRISTMAS EVE. I DON'T BELIEVE CITY STAFF WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IT ON CHRISTMAS EVE. SO WE WOULD LIKE TO BE MINDFUL AND RESPECTFUL OF WHAT THE CITY STAFF HAS TO SAY. AND BE MINDFUL OF THEIR TIME. I BELIEVE THERE WERE SOME DATES THAT WERE RESEARCHED AS BEING AVAILABLE. WE DO HAVE SOME DATES. DO YOU GUYS HAVE PENS? YES. SO WE HAVE MONDAY, DECEMBER 1ST. WE HAVE MONDAY, DECEMBER 8TH. [01:25:09] TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9TH. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10TH. WE HAVE FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11TH. I MEAN, I'M SORRY, DECEMBER 12TH. MONDAY, DECEMBER 15TH. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16TH. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19TH. I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THE WEEK OF CHRISTMAS, BUT WE HAVE TWO DAYS. MONDAY, DECEMBER 22ND. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 23RD. AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THE FOLLOWING WEEK BECAUSE THAT'S NEW YEAR'S WEEK. BUT WE HAVE MONDAY, DECEMBER MONDAY, DECEMBER 29TH, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 30TH, AND WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31ST IF I MAY. YES. ON THE POINT OF FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12TH, THERE IS A COMMUNITY DAY THAT BRIAN ROBINSON IS ORCHESTRATING. IT IS FROM FIVE TO 5 TO 8. IT'S KIND OF LIKE THE NATIONAL NIGHT OUT EVENT THAT WE HAD. THAT WAS AN INVITATION I WAS GOING TO EXTEND TO THE BOARD. SO JUST KEEP IN MIND IF THERE WILL BE A COMMUNITY EVENT ON THAT DAY FROM THOSE HOURS. SO IT MIGHT INTERFERE WITH THE THE MEETING. OKAY. EXCELLENT. I THINK WE CAN PROBABLY GO AHEAD AND SAFELY CROSS THAT ONE OFF THE LIST. THAT WAY WE CAN MAKE THE THE EVENT. IF ANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO CHOOSE. ARE THERE ANY OTHER CONFLICTS OF SCHEDULING FOR ANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS? I KNOW THAT TUESDAYS ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE GREATEST. THE WEEK OF THE 15TH IS BEST FOR ME. WE'LL BE OUT OF TOWN FROM THE 22ND TO THE FIRST, AND I THINK THE WEEK BEFORE THE WEEK, THE FIRST WEEK AND PART OF THE SECOND WEEK. WELL, THE SECOND WEEK THERE'LL BE A LOT OF REHEARSALS BECAUSE THE CONCERT'S THE WEEKEND OF THE 14TH. 15TH. IS ANYONE OPPOSED TO DOING IT ON FRIDAY THE 19TH? YEAH, I KNOW, IT'S A FRIDAY AND EVERYBODY WOULD LIKE TO START THEIR WEEKEND, BUT I HAVE TUESDAYS OUT. MONDAY COULD BE A POTENTIAL DATE, BUT I THINK I THINK THE TUESDAY THE 16TH IS FINE FOR ME. TUESDAY THE 16TH WOULD BE OKAY FOR YOU. YEAH. I THINK THE CONCERT. YES. YEAH. I THINK THE CONCERT'S EITHER THE 13TH OR THE 14TH. OKAY. I JUST KNOW THAT WEEK WE HAVE, I HAVE LIKE THREE REHEARSALS THAT WEEK, SO. AND THEN WE'RE OUT OF TOWN, SO I'M FINE. TUESDAY THE 16TH. IS THAT. YES. THAT'S DOABLE. ALL RIGHT, SO I BELIEVE WE WOULD NEED A MOTION I MOVE THAT WE. CHANGE OUR SCHEDULE FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER, FROM THE WEDNESDAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS TO THE PRIOR WEEK TO THE TUESDAY THE 16TH OF DECEMBER. OKAY. I HAVE A MOTION TO RESCHEDULE THE DECEMBER PALM BAY SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD MEETING TO DECEMBER 16TH. DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT. OKAY. I HAVE A SECOND, SO WE WILL PUT IT TO A VOTE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT. WE'LL PASS THIS 4 TO 0. SO WE WILL BE RESCHEDULING THE SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD MEETING FOR DECEMBER TO THE 16TH. TUESDAY THE 16TH. THANK YOU. AND WHAT WAS THE LAST THING THAT I WAS GOING TO POINT OUT? I KNOW THAT I WANTED TO BRING ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT OBVIOUSLY ONE OF OUR SEATS IS EMPTY NOW. WE DO HAVE ANOTHER SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD OPENING ON THE BOARD THAT HAS OPENED UP THAT IS OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. THAT IS A VOTED ON APPOINTMENT BY THE CITY COUNCIL. IF ANYBODY IS INTERESTED IN JOINING US ON THE SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD, YOU CAN GO TO THE CITY'S WEBSITE AND LOOK FOR BOARD OPENINGS. THERE'S AN APPLICATION THAT YOU COULD FILL OUT AND YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS. AND HOPEFULLY JOIN US UP HERE ON THE SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD. AND WITH THAT I BELIEVE THERE IS NOTHING ELSE THAT I WAS GOING TO TALK ABOUT. DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY LAST FINAL COMMENTS? JUST UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS. DECEMBER 8TH IS THE CONRADINA ANNUAL WREATH MAKING OPEN TO THE PUBLIC REALLY COOL EVENT AT THE NAZARENE CHURCH ON BABCOCK AT 6:00 SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO BRING ANYTHING. JUST COME. AND YOU'LL END UP LEAVING WITH A AWESOME WREATH. SO AND THEN THE OTHER THING COMING UP IN JANUARY IS THE SPACE COAST BIRDING FESTIVAL, JANUARY 21ST TO 25TH. [01:30:05] THAT'S A PRETTY GREAT EVENT TO TO ATTEND ANYTIME. I GUESS WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE UPCOMING MEETINGS EVENTS. NO, THAT'S ALL RIGHT. SO WE ARE MOVING ON AT THIS POINT TO OTHER BUSINESS, UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS. WE ALREADY HAD OUR FIRST ONE. DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER EVENTS THAT THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT? NOPE. I DO HAVE ONE. ACTUALLY THE CITY OF PALM BAY DID A PRESENTATION AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR A CITIZEN ADVISORY OR LEARNING ACADEMY THAT IS UPCOMING THROUGH JANUARY. IT'S A 14 MONTH PROGRAM THAT IS GOING TO BE TAKING PLACE ONE DAY A MONTH AT 5 P.M. HERE AT THE CITY COUNCIL OR THE CITY HALL SECTION. THEY SAID THAT THERE ARE SPOTS AVAILABLE IF ANYBODY IS INTERESTED IN GOING TO THAT AND PARTICIPATING IN THAT, THERE ARE INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON THE CITY WEBSITE. BOARD MEMBERS ARE INVITED. I DID SIGN UP FOR IT MYSELF. THAT WAY I CAN LEARN EVERYTHING. CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL BE INVOLVED. SO IT'S A GREAT WAY TO LEARN CITY GOVERNMENT. AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT MISS SUSAN CONNOLLY WAS VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT. THERE IS GOING TO BE A SECTION IN THE CLASS NEAR THE END CALLED THE OUR LOW DEVELOPMENT, LOW IMPACT DEVELOPMENT CLASS. AND THAT CLASS ACTUALLY HAS BEEN REQUESTED TO BE DEDICATED TO SUSAN CONNOLLY AS WELL. SO AGAIN, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT THOSE OPENINGS ARE AVAILABLE. THAT INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE. ALL RIGHT. AND I BELIEVE THAT WILL CONCLUDE OUR MEETING FOR TONIGHT. SO I WILL ADJOURN THE MEETING AT THIS TIME. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.