[00:00:02]
THE TIME IS NOW 6 P.M. I WILL CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
[CALL TO ORDER]
WE WILL START OFF BY DOING THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND THEN ROLL CALL.PLEASE STAND. 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.
COULD I HAVE ROLL CALL, PLEASE? JANE. HIGGINS PRESENT.
EILEEN. SEP. PRESENT. ANTHONY. ABBOTT. ABADI.
DOUGLAS. HUQ. PRESENT. O'BRIEN. PARCHMENT. REBECCA.
[ADOPTION OF MINUTES]
I JUST HAVE A QUICK PROCEDURAL QUESTION ON THAT.ARE WE ABLE TO ADOPT BOTH MINUTES AT THE SAME TIME, OR DO WE NEED A SEPARATE MOTION FOR EACH ONE OF THE MINUTES? THANK YOU. SO FOR OUR FIRST SET OF MINUTES, THE MEETING REGULAR MEETING 2020 509 SEPTEMBER 25TH. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE MINUTES? THANK YOU. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? WE HAVE A SECOND.
WE WILL CALL IT TO VOTE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ADOPTING, I.
AYE. I BELIEVE WE HAVE FIVE EYES ON THAT. SO WE WILL ADOPT THOSE MINUTES.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? MOVE TO ADOPT. THANK YOU.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. OKAY, I HAVE A SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ADOPTING THE MINUTES, I.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE A UNANIMOUS ADOPTION ON THAT FIVE ZERO AS WELL.
THANK YOU. WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION OF THE AGENDA.
[PUBLIC COMMENTS]
I DO NOT HAVE ANY SPEAKER CARDS, BUT I WILL OPEN IT UP TO THE AUDIENCE.DO I HAVE ANYBODY WHO WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE A COMMENT? THANK YOU. I HAVE THREE. DO YOU WANT ME TO DO THEM ALL AT THE SAME TIME OR ALTERNATE? YOU ARE WELCOME TO DO ALL THREE IF YOU'D LIKE. ALL RIGHT. OKAY.
THE FIRST ONE IS ABOUT BIOCHAR AND INSECTS. AT THE NOVEMBER SUSTAINABILITY BOARD MEETING, A DESCRIPTION WAS PROVIDED ENDORSING THE USE OF BIOCHAR FOR USE BY PALM BAY. AS PART OF THAT RECOMMENDATION, A STATE STATEMENT WAS MADE THAT WHENEVER IT IS USED, THERE WILL NOT BE ANTS. THAT PIQUED MY INTEREST, BECAUSE WE HAVE SEEN SUCH A TERRIBLE DECLINE IN INSECT POPULATIONS AS A RESULT OF DEVELOPMENT AND USE OF PESTICIDES. SO I DID A LITTLE RESEARCH, AND HERE'S WHAT I FOUND.
BIOCHAR IS VERY CONTROVERSIAL DUE TO CONCERNS ABOUT LOTS OF THINGS.
BUT ONE OF THEM THEY DIDN'T LIST, WHICH WAS IMPACT ON INSECT POPULATION.
AND THEN I FOUND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IN JUST SEARCHING THAT DESCRIBES HOW BIOCHAR AFFECTS INSECTS, INCLUDING PHYSICAL INTERACTIONS, MICROBIAL SHIFTS AND ABSORPTION, AND ANOTHER SOURCE WENT INTO THE SIGNIFICANT PHYSICAL IMPACT ON INSECT BODIES, PRIMARILY THROUGH ABRASION OF THE WAXY PROTECTIVE CUTICLE, LEADING TO DEHYDRATION AND PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT.
THE MAIN MECHANISMS ARE CUTICLE ABRASION, DEHYDRATION, SENSORY ORGAN DAMAGE, RESPIRATORY INTERFERENCE, IMPAIRED MOBILITY AND BEHAVIOR, AND DEVELOPMENTAL ABNORMALITIES.
AND IT GOES INTO A DESCRIPTION OF EACH OF THOSE.
BUT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE PHYSICAL IMPACTS IS OFTEN DEPENDENT ON THE PARTICLE SIZE OF THE BIOCHAR WITH SMALLER PARTICLES, I.E. IN THE MICROMETER RANGE GENERALLY BEING MORE EFFECTIVE AT ADHERING TO INSECTS AND CAUSING DAMAGE. MY CONCERN IS FOR ALL THE BENEFICIAL INSECTS THAT INHABIT OUR SOIL, ESPECIALLY MOST OF THE NATIVE BEES WHICH ARE GROUND DWELLING. MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT PALM BAY, AND ESPECIALLY THE SUSTAINABILITY BOARD,
[00:05:05]
NOT USE OR RECOMMEND BIOCHAR ON ANY PROJECTS.I FEAR THAT JUST LIKE DDT, ITS IMPACT ON THE FOOD NETWORK IS UNKNOWN.
WE MAY FIND THAT ITS USE IN AGRICULTURE WILL BACKFIRE IF IT ADVERSELY AFFECTS THE INSECTS THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR PLANTS TO FLOURISH IN THE LONG RUN. IT DOES NOT APPEAR TO ME TO BE SUSTAINABLE.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. OKAY. DO I GIVE SOMEBODY A COPY OF THIS? YES. I WILL ALLOW FOR A RESPONSE. MISS EILEEN WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A RESPONSE TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
THE THINGS THAT ARE MOST AFFECTED ARE VERY SMALL INSECTS LIKE PRIONS THAT CAUSE MAD COW DISEASE.
IF IF PRIONS ARE IN THE GRASSES THAT CATTLE EATS PEOPLE, IT IT THOSE BACTERIA, INSECTS, THEY WILL PENETRATE THE BLOOD BRAIN BARRIER.
THEY KILL PEOPLE. YOU DON'T WANT IT IN YOUR FOOD SOURCES.
YOU DON'T WANT IT IN THE PLANTS. AS FAR AS ANTS GO, PERSONALLY, I.
THEY'RE NOT MY FRIENDS. I'VE BEEN ATTACKED UNBELIEVABLY WITH THEM.
IT'S PAINFUL. AND IT MAKES YOU SICK. IT DOES NOT AFFECT BEES.
IT AFFECTS THINGS THAT ARE VERY SMALL. I'VE BEEN DOING RESEARCH ON THIS FOR TWO YEARS, AND I'VE TALKED TO SOIL SPECIALISTS AND A NUMBER OF OTHER PEOPLE. AND THE MAIN REASON THERE'S DIFFERENT TYPES OF BIOCHAR.
THE KIND YOU BUY IN THE STORE HAS PHOSPHORUS IN IT.
IT'S NOT DOUBLE BURNED. I WAS TALKING ABOUT A DOUBLE BURNED BIOCHAR, AND THE ADVANTAGE OF IT IS TO HELP US HAVE A CLEAN AQUIFER. BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, IF YOUR WATER SMELLS, IT'S BECAUSE OUR AQUIFER IS TOO LOW.
WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING IN THIS CITY OR COUNTY TO REPLENISH AN AQUIFER THAT HAS BEEN SO DEPRIVED.
AND THIS HAS BEEN I THIS DIDN'T I DIDN'T MAKE THIS STUFF UP.
I TALKED TO THE NUMBER ONE SOIL SPECIALIST IN THE COUNTRY, WHO HAS DONE STUDIES WITH INSECTS AND TO ELIMINATE PRIONS AND MITIGATE, NOT GET RID OF ANTS.
I THINK IF YOU'RE GOING TO A CONCERT, YOU DON'T WANT THEM JOINING YOU FOR LUNCH.
IT HELPS PLANT GROWTH BECAUSE IT CLEANS EVERYTHING.
EVERYTHING IS MORE PURE. YOU DON'T WANT PHOSPHORUS IN YOUR BIOCHAR.
BECAUSE THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S KILLING LIFE IN THE LAGOON AS IT DRAINS OUT THERE.
IT'S A LAYER OF THINGS. IT'S RECOMMENDED BY THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.
THEY WANT YOU TO USE IT THE ENTIRE COUNTRY. THE US DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE THE EPA COMMERCE IS INTERESTED IN IT. AND FORESTRY. OKAY. THE OTHER ADVANTAGE TO HAVING BIOCHAR ON THE GROUND IN PLACES WHERE WE'RE DOING CONTROLLED BURNS IS IT WILL MITIGATE AN ENTIRE FOREST FROM GOING CRAZY BECAUSE IT WON'T BURN AGAIN. IT'S ALREADY BEEN BURNED.
SO IF SOMEBODY DROPS A CIGARETTE, THE CHANCES OF THAT WOULD LEND GOING INTO FLAMES IS REDUCED BY 90%. OKAY. A LOT OF THE RESEARCH THAT'S OUT THERE IS NOT UP TO DATE. MY SOURCES WERE RECENT AND NOT YET PUBLISHED STUDIES.
RESOURCES THAT I QUOTED. OKAY. BUT THERE'S DIFFERENT OPINIONS AND DIFFERENT STUDIES.
AND THE STUDIES THAT I WENT TO JIM ARCHULETA, WHO IS THE MAIN PERSON WHO WORKS WITH FEDERAL AGENCIES AND HELPS IN GETTING GRANTS.
[00:10:04]
IT'S WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU. BUT TO ME, RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T HAVE CLEAN WATER.WE HAVE 880 TOXINS IN OUR WATER. THAT WAS THE LAST STUDY.
WE HAVE TO DO THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO CLEAN IT UP SO THE REST OF US DON'T GET SICK.
IT DOES NOT CHANGE MY RECOMMENDATION. THANK YOU.
AND YOUR DDT ALL OVER AGAIN. NO IT'S NOT. IT'S PURE CARBON.
IF YOU PUT DIAMONDS IN THERE, IT'D BE THE SAME. DOES SOMEBODY ELSE WANT TO SPEAK BEFORE I.
I THINK YOU CAN. GO AHEAD. OKAY. AT AN EARLIER MEETING, I TALKED ABOUT GLASS RECYCLING, AND AT THE LAST MEETING I PROVIDED THE INFORMATION THAT I HAD PROVIDED TO THE CITY MANAGER.
I WAS HOPING IT WOULD BE ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT, BUT IT'S NOT.
SO I'M RECOMMENDING THAT IT GET PUT ON THE AGENDA FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
WE WHEN I, WHEN I LAST TALKED WITH THE CITY MANAGER AT HIS NOVEMBER COFFEY, HE AGREED THAT THIS SHOULD BE HANDLED BY THE SUSTAINABILITY BOARD, WHICH IS WHY I'VE BROUGHT IT TO YOU.
AND I'VE GIVEN YOU THE LETTER THAT I WROTE TO HIM IN AUGUST AND THE THE RESEARCH THAT I DID IN 2020 AND UPDATED FOR THE LETTER THAT I, THAT I SENT HIM. I'VE MET WITH HIM TWICE ABOUT THIS NOW, AND HE'S FULLY IN SUPPORT OF IT AT THE LAST MEETING, I GAVE HIM SOME MISINFORMATION.
I TOLD HIM THAT A FRIEND OF MINE WHO LIVES IN SEBASTIAN TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE USING DUAL STREAM RECYCLING TO SEPARATE THE GLASS FROM THE REST OF THE RECYCLING. TALKED WITH HER AGAIN TODAY AND FOUND OUT THAT THEY WERE SEPARATING RECYCLING FROM TRASH.
SO THAT'S IF I'VE INCLUDED THAT ANYWHERE. IT NEEDS TO BE NEGATED.
BUT I'M HOPING THIS CAN GET ON THE ON THE MEETING, ON THE AGENDA FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
IF WE WOULD LIKE TO ADD HER TO OUR AGENDA FOR JANUARY.
WOULD WE NEED A MOTION OR WOULD SHE BE ABLE TO SUBMIT THAT? SPECIFICALLY TO THE AGENDA? I WOULD DO A MOTION JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY INVOLVED ON THE PANEL WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS IT FURTHER, AND THEN GO ABOUT IT THAT WAY. OKAY. IS THERE ANYBODY WHO IS INTERESTED IN PRESENTING A MOTION TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ON GLASS RECYCLING FOR THE CITY OF PALM BAY ON THE JANUARY AGENDA. I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION. OKAY. THANK YOU.
DO I HAVE I HAVE A SECOND? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
AYE. AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT. I BELIEVE THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
SO WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT THAT GETS ON OUR AGENDA FOR JANUARY.
GREAT. THANK YOU. AND THEN THE LAST THING I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WAS GRAPHENE.
THAT WAS ALSO DISCUSSED AT THE NOVEMBER MEETING, AND I'M SORRY.
AGAIN, I WAS INTRIGUED. SO I DID A LITTLE RESEARCH.
AND THERE IS AN ORGANIZATION CALLED THE GRAPHENE COUNCIL THAT ACKNOWLEDGES SEVERAL THINGS.
GRAPHENE WAS FIRST DISCOVERED IN 2004, AND IT WAS AWARDED A NOBEL PRIZE IN 2010.
AND MORE THAN 150,000 PATENTS CONCERNING GRAPHENE PRODUCTION AND THE USE HAVE BEEN FILED, AND THERE ARE MORE THAN 300 COMPANIES ACTIVE IN THE PRODUCTION OF GRAPHENE MATERIALS.
THE VAST MAJORITY OF THOSE COMPANIES ARE IN EUROPE AND CHINA.
THERE IS A MAJOR PRODUCER OF GRAPHENE IN THE US.
IT'S CALLED GENERAL GRAPHENE CORPORATION, AND THEY'RE LOCATED IN KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE.
IT WAS FOUNDED IN 2014. IT RAISED 25 MILLION IN CAPITAL TO GET GOING.
HAS 25 PLUS PATENTS AND PENDING PATENTS AND 16 EMPLOYEES.
THOSE EMPLOYEES ARE CROSS OF CROSS-FUNCTIONAL TEAM MADE UP OF LEADING SCIENTISTS AND EXPERIENCED ENGINEERS, WORKING TOGETHER TO FIND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR EACH CUSTOMER'S UNIQUE CHALLENGES, ALL UNDER THE SAME ROOF.
THEIR MILESTONES SINCE 2014. THEY THEY HAD A PROOF OF CONCEPT APPROVED IN 2017.
THEY PRODUCED A PROTOTYPE IN 2018, PILOT PRODUCTION IN 2021, AN IN-LINE POLYMER COATING SYSTEM IN 2022, AND A ROLL TO ROLL GRAPHENE TRANSFER IN 23 AND IN 24, THE ELECTRODE AND 3D GRAPHENE FOAM PRODUCTION.
[00:15:06]
DEPOSITION TECHNOLOGY THAT PREVENTS PROVIDES A PATH TOWARDS THE INDUSTRIAL SCALE MANUFACTURING OF LARGE AREA, HIGH QUALITY, REPRODUCIBLE AND AFFORDABLE GRAPHENE AND CARBON BASED MATERIALS IN MASS VOLUMES.OF ALL THE WORK THAT'S NEEDED TO DEVELOP THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT ITS GROWING POPULATION.
SO THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS BASED ON MY RESEARCH.
THANK YOU. CAN I RESPOND TO THAT? YES. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS LOOKING FOR GRAPHENE BECAUSE THEY'VE LEARNED THAT IT IS AN EXCELLENT MATERIAL FOR INCREASING THE EFFICACY OF ENERGY.
AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING TO USE IT FOR.
AS FAR AS HAVING IT HERE, IF WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, WE CERTAINLY HAVE.
WE DO THESE CONTROLLED BURNS. AND WHAT HAPPENS TO ALL OF THAT STUFF? NOTHING. WE CAN MAKE USE OF IT. AND THAT WAS WHY I FELT IT WAS SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO BRING UP.
FUNDING IS THERE IF WE DO IT. AND WE HAVE A LOT OF VACANT LAND IN PALM BAY, THAT IS.
NOTHING'S HAPPENING TO IT. JUST STUFF IS GROWING.
MY PURPOSE IS TO FIND WAYS THAT WE CAN MAKE THIS CITY SUSTAINABLE BY HAVING INDUSTRIES THAT USE THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE IT BETTER FOR ALL OF US, AND MORE AFFORDABLE.
THANK YOU. DO I HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT. SEEING NONE, WE WILL MOVE ON TO NEW BUSINESS ITEM NUMBER ONE, WHICH IS GOING TO BE WELCOMING OUR NEW MEMBERS.
[NEW BUSINESS]
WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE TWO NEW MEMBERS HERE ON OUR BOARD NOW, ONE OF WHICH WAS NOT ABLE TO MAKE THIS MEETING.THEY GOT APPOINTED ON THURSDAY. SO IT WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A SHORT NOTICE.
BUT WE DO HAVE ANOTHER ONE OF OUR NEW BOARD MEMBERS, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
HI. MY NAME IS TONY ABADI. EVERYBODY CALLS ME TONY.
I JUST MOVED TO PALM BAY IN MAY OF THIS YEAR ACTUALLY BOUGHT THE HOUSE IN MARCH.
I LIVED IN, BORN IN NEW YORK, RAISED AND LIVED MANY YEARS IN CONNECTICUT.
I COULD KICK MYSELF FOR NOT HAVING MAKE THE MOVE SOONER, BUT I'M HAPPY.
HAPPY TO BE HERE NOW. AND I AM CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER FOR A COMPANY CALLED ATMOSPHERE.
WE MAKE AIR PURIFICATION AND AIR MONITORING SYSTEMS, BUT RELEVANT TO SUSTAINABILITY.
I'M VERY INVOLVED WITH OUR INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION CALLED ASHRAE, AS WELL AS THE USGBC LEED.
AND ALSO I'M A PARTNER OF ANOTHER GROUP CALLED FITWEL, WHICH ALSO IS A GREEN BUILDING STANDARD.
SO I'VE KIND OF BEEN INVOLVED IN SUSTAINABILITY RELEVANT TO AIR QUALITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL.
BUT JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING A PART OF THIS BOARD AND HELPING OUT WHERE I CAN.
EXCELLENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEM OR NEW BUSINESS ITEM NUMBER ONE? ALL RIGHT. SEEING NONE, WE WILL MOVE ON TO NEW BUSINESS ITEM NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS GOING TO BE A PRESENTATION BY NATALIE STEPHENS FROM ORCA.
YEAH. WORKING ON IT. CAN I TURN THAT SCREEN UP A LITTLE BIT? YOU CAN. UNFORTUNATELY, I DON'T HAVE A PRODUCT KEY FOR POWERPOINT TO SHOW POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS AT THIS MOMENT.
IT'S NOT ALLOWING ME TO OPEN POWERPOINT BECAUSE I'M NOT SIGNED INTO POWERPOINT.
AND THAT'S AN IT FUNCTION SO AS TO NOT DELAY THE PROCEEDINGS.
MAY I GIVE YOU A COPY OF THIS? THEY HAVE. YOU HAVE COPIES AS WELL.
I DO APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. YEAH. AND THEN JUST GO OFF OF THAT FOR NOW.
YEAH I CAN. SO HOW INTERESTING. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
AND YOU GUYS SHOULD HAVE COPIES AS WELL. YES.
THE BOARD DOES HAVE PHYSICAL COPIES HERE AT THE DESK OR DAIS, WHATEVER THIS IS CALLED.
GO DOWN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
[00:20:05]
ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME AND MY COLLEAGUE TODAY.AS AN INTRODUCTION, MY NAME IS NATALIE STEVENS.
I'M JOINED TODAY BY RESEARCH SCIENTIST DOCTOR BETH FALLS.
AND SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION. SO WE ARE AN ENVIRONMENTAL NONPROFIT THAT IS DEDICATED TO THE PROTECTION AND RESTORATION OF AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS AND THE SPECIES THEY SUSTAIN THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES, SCIENCE BASED CONSERVATION ACTION, COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND OUTREACH. AND FOR 20 YEARS, ORCA HAS ADVANCED COASTAL CONSERVATION THROUGH A TECHNOLOGY DRIVEN SCIENCE FIRST APPROACH, AND WE INCORPORATE RIGOROUSLY TRAINED CITIZEN SCIENTISTS AS WELL AS COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES LEADING TO THE DEGRADATION OF THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON.
BUT FOR TODAY, I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE TACKLE OUR MISSION, WHICH IS THROUGH OUR HABITAT RESTORATION EFFORTS AND OUR LAND TO SEA MONITORING PROGRAM HAS TWO TIERS, THAT FIRST TIER BEING OUR LIVING SHORELINES MONITORING.
SO OUR WATER BASED RESTORATION TECHNIQUES AND THEN OUR LAND BASED RESTORATION TECHNIQUES BEING OUR BUFFER SHORELINES MONITORING, AND BOTH OF THESE TIERS ARE A PART OF A GROWING PROGRAM AIMED AT POLLUTION MITIGATION ALONG THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON.
SO WE'LL BE GOING TO THE NEXT SLIDE. AND SO WHAT IS A LIVING SHORELINE? WELL, BEFORE I TALK ABOUT LIVING SHORELINES, I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE PROBLEMS THAT THEY ARE PROVIDING SOLUTIONS TO.
AND THAT IS THE PROBLEMS THAT NATURAL SHORELINES ARE FACING.
AND IT'S AN ACCELERATED EROSION THAT IS DUE TO HEAVY STORM AS WELL AS WAVE ACTION FROM HURRICANES.
AND THESE ARE EXACERBATED NOT ONLY BY NORMAL EROSION BUT ALSO, AGAIN HUMAN ACTIVITY.
BUT THEY ARE LESS RESILIENT TO THESE CHANGES THAT WE'RE SEEING FROM THIS HEAVY STORM AND HURRICANE ACTION, AS WELL AS, AGAIN, FROM THOSE HUMAN EXACERBATIONS.
AND SO WHAT WE DO WITH OUR LIVING SHORELINES IS INCORPORATING SUSTAINABLE FEATURES LIKE NATIVE VEGETATION AS WELL AS GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE TO SLOW EROSION, STABILIZE OUR NATURAL SHORELINES, INCREASE BIODIVERSITY THROUGH THE RECRUITMENT OF FILTER FEEDING ORGANISMS LIKE BARNACLES AND OYSTERS, AS WELL AS THE ADDITION OF MARINE INVERTEBRATES.
SO INCREASING THAT SHORELINE AND WHAT IS UTILIZING THAT SHORELINE, AS WELL AS ENHANCING NUTRIENT RECYCLING AKA GETTING BACK TO THAT REDUCTION IN NUTRIENT POLLUTION, ENDING ENTERING INTO THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON FROM RUNOFF.
AND SO THERE CAN BE MANY DIFFERENT GOALS OR OBJECTIVES FOR INSTALLING THESE LIVING SHORELINES.
OKAY, COOL. GREAT. SO THIS BRINGS ME TO TO TALKING ABOUT OUR LIVING SHORELINES MONITORING, WHICH BEGAN IN 2018. AND WITH OVER 500 CITIZEN SCIENTISTS AND COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS, WE HAVE TRANSFORMED 11 SITES OR OVER 12,800FT² OF SHORELINE WITH THE COMBINATION OF NATIVE PLANTINGS OR GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, INCLUDING THINGS LIKE BREAKWATERS.
SO USING THAT LIVING STRUCTURE COMPONENT LIKE OYSTER REEF BALLS.
SO WE'RE ABLE TO TRACK THE TRENDS OF THIS SITE OVER TIME TO SEE WHAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS ARE.
AND WE HAVE ALSO SEEN REALLY AMAZING ECOLOGICAL BENEFITS THAT HAPPEN FROM THESE LIVING SHORELINE FROM OUR MONITORING TOOLBOX, INCLUDING INCREASED BIODIVERSITY OVER TIME. AGAIN, IN THAT SEAGRASS AS WELL AS FISH COMMUNITIES, WE'VE SEEN OYSTER RECRUITMENT AND GROWTH, AND WE'VE ALSO SEEN SHORELINE ACCRETION, WHICH I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT TODAY.
AND WHILE ALL OF OUR 11 LIVING SHORELINE SITES CURRENTLY ARE IN INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO EXPANDING THAT IN THIS SPRING TO GO TO MARTIN COUNTY AS WELL. AND SO NOW I'M GOING TO SHIFT GEARS A LITTLE BIT AND TALK ABOUT OUR BUFFER LINE MONITORING.
[00:25:06]
THAT'S RUNNING OFF FROM LAND DIRECTLY INTO THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON, AGAIN MITIGATING THAT POLLUTION THAT IS COMING FROM THE LAND.AND WHAT WE ARE DOING IS INSTALLING A PHYSICAL BARRIER COMPOSED OF NATIVE AND FLORIDA FRIENDLY VEGETATION TO AGAIN, SLOW THAT FLOW OF WATER, THOSE ROOTS IN THOSE NATIVE PLANTS ARE GOING TO ESTABLISH AND EXPAND OVER TIME, NOT ONLY SEQUESTERING NUTRIENTS FROM RUNOFF, BUT ALSO HELPING STABILIZE THE SHORELINES AND LEAD TO LESS EROSION, AS WELL AS, AGAIN, MINIMIZING ANY OF THAT POLLUTION THAT'S COMING OFF FROM OUR TURFGRASS LAWNS.
BECAUSE WHAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW IS WHAT YOU DO TO YOUR LAWN DOES HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON, WHETHER IT'S YOU'RE USING DIFFERENT HERBICIDES OR IF YOU'RE NOT BAGGING YOUR GRASS CLIPPINGS AND THOSE GRASS CLIPPINGS ARE ENTERING THE LAGOON.
SO WE SEE THE THINGS CREATION OF MUCK. WE SEEM HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS. SO AGAIN, REALLY GOING BACK TO WE'RE WANTING TO REMOVE TURFGRASS LAWNS, USE NATIVE PLANTINGS AND SUPPORT NOT ONLY OUR POLLUTION MITIGATION STRATEGIES, BUT ALSO INCREASE BIODIVERSITY AS A SECONDARY BENEFIT TO THESE.
AND SO WITH OUR BUFFERED SHORELINES MONITORING PROTOCOL.
WE HAVE SEEN OVER 200 CITIZEN SCIENTISTS AND COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS COMING TOGETHER AND HELPING US INSTALL OVER 13 BUFFERED SHORELINES, AND THESE BUFFER SHORELINES HAVE BEEN AT A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT PROPERTIES, INCLUDING CITY PARKS HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS AS WELL AS BUSINESSES AND THEN PRIVATE RESIDENTIAL HOMES AS WELL. AND WITH THAT, WE HAVE TRANSFORMED OVER 12,800FT² OF TURF INTO THESE VEGETATIVE BUFFERS.
AND AGAIN, WE INCORPORATE OUR CITIZEN SCIENTISTS TO HELP OUT WITH THE PRE AND POST MONITORING.
SO GETTING THAT BASELINE MONITORING OF THE AREA THAT IS BEING TRANSFORMED SO THAT TURFGRASS LAWN AND THEN SEEING OVER TIME HOW THERE'S A REDUCTION IN NUTRIENTS WHICH WE'VE SEEN THROUGH OUR BUFFERED SHORELINES DATA WHICH I'M GOING TO HIGHLIGHT A LITTLE BIT IN THE NEXT FEW SLIDES.
AND FOR OUR BUFFERED SHORELINES, WE'VE HAD THESE PROPERTY SITES ALL ACROSS THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON IN FOUR DIFFERENT COUNTIES, INCLUDING BREVARD, INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, SAINT LUCIE AND MARTIN COUNTY.
AND SO NOW I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THESE TECHNIQUES IN ACTION.
SO I WANT TO TALK ABOUT ORCAS FIRST EVER MULTI HABITAT RESTORATION PROJECT.
THIS WAS DONE AT RIVERVIEW PARK IN SEBASTIAN.
THIS WAS DONE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF SEBASTIAN, AS WELL AS FUNDED BY 11TH HOUR RACING AND THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON NATIONAL ESTUARY PROGRAM. AND REALLY THIS SITE WAS CHOSEN ON RESTORATION FOR RESTORATION BASED ON SHARED EVIDENCE BETWEEN ORCA AS WELL AS THE CITY OF SEBASTIAN, ABOUT THIS SHORELINE ERODING OVER TIME FROM CONTINUAL WAVE ACTION.
AND SO THIS PROJECT WAS DONE IN TWO DIFFERENT PHASES.
AND AGAIN, WITH ALL OF OUR PROJECTS, WE INVOLVE AN IMMENSE AMOUNT OF COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS AS WELL AS CITIZEN SCIENTISTS TO NOT ONLY HELP OUT WITH THE PREPARATION, INSTALLATION AND SCIENTIFIC MONITORING. WE DO THAT QUARTERLY WITH OUR VOLUNTEERS FOR BOTH THE LIVING AND BUFFERED SHORELINE.
SO HELPING WITH THAT POLLUTION MITIGATION AND THAT SHORELINE STABILIZATION.
SO THINGS LIKE OUR BIODIVERSITY STUDY, WHERE WE INCORPORATE EVEN STUDENTS.
SO VOLUNTEERS AND CITIZEN SCIENTISTS OF ALL AGE COME OUT AND HELP OUT WITH THESE PROJECTS.
AND SO, AGAIN, WHAT I TALKED ABOUT IS A CRITICAL PILLAR OF THIS PROJECT IS THE SCIENTIFIC MONITORING COMPONENT, WHICH AGAIN, WE DO, AT THE BASELINE AS WELL AS POST INSTALLATION.
AND SO AGAIN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT FOR THIS PROJECT IS THE DATA.
SO WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS SHORELINE ACCRETION AT RIVERVIEW PARK.
AND THIS IS IN JUST SIX MONTHS AT THIS LIVING SHORELINE SITE.
SO IN THIS PHOTO ON THE LEFT, YOU CAN SEE THE CREATION OF A TOMBOLO FORMATION.
THAT'S THAT SPIT CONNECTING THE SHORELINE TO THOSE BREAKWATERS AND THESE OYSTER REEF BALLS, WHICH WE USED AS THAT GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE WAS PLACED IN THE WATER, NOT ON THE SHORELINE.
SO AGAIN, THAT IS A DIRECT PHYSICAL EVIDENCE OF THE SHORELINE ACCRETING SAND.
AND THAT MIDDLE PHOTO, AGAIN, IS NOT THE BURIAL OR THE SINKAGE OF THESE OYSTER REEF BALLS,
[00:30:04]
BUT IT'S THE ACTUAL TRAP OF THE SEDIMENT OF THE SAND ALONG THESE BREAKWATERS.SO AGAIN, SHOWING THAT WE'RE SEEING THIS IMMENSE STABILIZATION.
SO EVERYTHING THAT WE SEE HERE IS NATURAL RECRUITMENT.
AND THESE PICTURES WERE ACTUALLY JUST TAKEN LAST WEEK WHEN WE WERE ASSESSING THAT GROWTH.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, A LOT OF THESE REEF BALLS ARE JUST TEEMING WITH OYSTER GROWTH AND LIFE.
AND I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THIS SITE REALLY HAD VERY LIMITED OYSTER RECRUITMENT LEADING UP TO THE ONE YEAR MARK, WHICH WAS THIS MONTH, WHICH REALLY JUST HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT LONG TERM MONITORING THAT WE DO.
SO THAT QUARTERLY MONITORING THAT WE KEEP UP WITH FOR 2 TO 3 YEARS POST LIVING SHORELINE INSTALLATION, AND THEN FOR THAT BUFFERED SHORELINE MONITORING PROTOCOL, AGAIN, I'M AGAIN, I'M NOT GOING TO GO TOO INTO DETAIL, BUT WHAT WE'RE DOING IS TRACKING THAT WATER, THAT RUNOFF WATER THAT IS BOTH ENTERING AND EXITING THE VEGETATIVE BUFFER BEFORE IT IS PLANTED, SO THAT TURFGRASS LAWN AND THEN AFTER IT IS PLANTED.
AND THEN WE BRING THOSE BACK TO THE LAB AND WE TEST FOR A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT ANALYTES.
AND THE PHOTO ON THE LEFT HERE IS OF THIS BUFFERED SHORELINE IN JUST SIX MONTHS AFTER ITS PLANTING.
SO YOU CAN REALLY SEE HERE THESE NATIVE PLANTS ARE EXPANDING WITHIN THE PROJECT FOOTPRINT.
SO THAT GROWTH AND EXPANSION IS ALSO SEEN IN OUR DATA.
SO ON THE RIGHT HERE WE CAN SEE THAT THE AVERAGE AMOUNT OF PHOSPHATES.
SO THE BLUE BARS ARE THE PRE MONITORING. AND THEN THAT RED BAR IS OUR ONE MONTH POST MONITORING.
AND THAT HAS BEEN SEEN ACROSS MULTIPLE ALMOST ALL OF OUR BUFFER SHORELINE SITES TO DATE.
AND SO AGAIN WE SEE THAT SIGNIFICANT DECREASE WHICH IS USED TO INFORM ANYONE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT NATIVE PLANTS, ONCE THEY BECOME ESTABLISHED, ONCE THEY BECOME ROOTS, ARE REALLY EFFECTIVE IN ABSORBING THOSE NUTRIENTS AND ULTIMATELY LEADING TO LESS GOING INTO THE LAGOON. AND THEN JUST TO WRAP THIS UP FOR LOOKING TO THE FUTURE WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR NEW PARTNERS AND NEW FUNDERS AND NEW WAYS THAT WE CAN GET OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND TALK ABOUT OUR LIVING AND BUFFERED SHORELINES MONITORING.
JUST TO HIGHLIGHT THAT PHOTO ON THE LEFT IS GOING TO BE A NEW LIVING SHORELINE, THE ONE IN MARTIN COUNTY NEXT YEAR, WHICH IS GOING TO BE BEHIND A HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, WHICH WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO.
AND THEN THE ONE ON THE RIGHT IS GOING TO BE A BUFFER.
SHAUN SITE THAT WE ARE PROPOSING AND IMPLEMENTING NEXT YEAR AS WELL IN THE CITY OF SEBASTIAN.
AND SO WITH THAT BOTH MY AND MY COLLEAGUE BETH'S EMAILS HERE TEAM ORCA HAS A LOT OF OUR DATA THAT I WASN'T ABLE TO HIGHLIGHT TODAY, AND I AM OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO I WANTED TO OPEN UP THE FOR THE BOARD.
DO THEY HAVE. YES. WE'LL DO PUBLIC QUESTIONS.
I HAVE A QUESTION. IF BLUE ORIGIN GETS THEIR WAY AND THEY CAN DUMP MORE OF THE CHEMICALS, HOW MUCH HARDER DOES IT MAKE IT FOR YOU TO PUT UP THESE BUFFERS. AND BECAUSE THAT'S A LIE AND BECAUSE WE'RE CLOSER.
HOW MUCH MORE WOULD WE NEED TO HELP THE LAGUNA? JUST HOLD ON REAL QUICK, JUST SO IT'S ON RECORD.
YOUR QUESTION WAS ABOUT BLUE ORIGIN'S WASTEWATER DUMP OFFS AND IF IT WAS TO BE APPROVED.
HOW MUCH WOULD THE EFFECT THAT WOULD THAT WOULD HAVE ON OUR AREA OF THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON? AND HOW FOR THEM TO TO PUT THE BUFFERS AND STUFF.
HOW HOW MUCH MORE WOULD WE NEED? BECAUSE A LITTLE BIT ISN'T GOING TO HELP.
YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. I DON'T THINK IT WILL MAKE IT ANY HARDER.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WHETHER ONE SMALL BUFFER VERSUS 210, 20, 30 CAN MAKE.
[00:35:11]
WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS IT'S NOT ABOUT THE QUANTITY.SO I THINK THAT THE DUMPING WILL DEFINITELY LEAD TO MORE EDUCATION BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE ASKING THESE QUESTIONS, WANTING TO KNOW HOW THEY CAN HELP. AND BY IMPLEMENTING THESE TARGETED COASTAL RESTORATION TECHNIQUES, I THINK WE CAN MAKE IMMENSE IMPROVEMENT TO WHAT WE MAY EXPECT FROM ALL THIS DUMPING.
YEAH. THANK YOU. YES. YEAH. OF COURSE.
BETH BLACKFORD, I'M 486 NOGALES AVENUE NORTHEAST IN PALM BAY.
AND I JUST WANTED TO ADD A LITTLE AMPLIFYING INFORMATION ABOUT THIS PROGRAM.
I KNOW MISS STEVENS FROM SOME OTHER THINGS, AND PARTICULARLY FOR MR. ABADI'S INFORMATION. IF YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT PROGRAMS AT THE MARINE RESOURCES COUNCIL, ORCA IS SIMILAR IN MANY WAYS TO MRC, EXCEPT THEY'RE BETTER FUNDED AND THEY'RE EXPANDING FROM FURTHER SOUTH INTO OUR AREA TO BUILD PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE ZOO AND WITH MRC. WE HAVE LOTS OF OPPORTUNITY THERE. AND ONE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE A TEST CASE. IT'S ALREADY IN THE PIPELINE.
WHEN MISS HIGGINS AND I ATTENDED A PRESENTATION PREVIOUSLY WITH MISS STEVENS, WE ASKED WHETHER THERE WERE CANDIDATES BEING ACCEPTED, AND SHE SAID YES. AND A FRIEND OF OURS, SUSAN CONNOLLY, LIVES.
LIVED AT THE CASTAWAY COVE CONDOS, WHICH IS A SITE JUST NORTH OF THE MOUTH OF PALM BAY.
PERFECT TEST SITE TO SEE HOW THIS TECHNIQUE OF BUFFERED SHORELINE MIGHT BE IMPLEMENTED EVEN AROUND THE COASTLINE OR THE SHORELINE OF THE PALM BAY COVE AND FURTHER UP TURKEY CREEK.
AT RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES WHERE WE CAN SEE WE WILL BE ABLE TO SEE VERY SOON AS THE GRANT STARTS ROLLING AND THEY START INSTALLING THEIR TEST EQUIPMENT, WHAT EFFECTS WE CAN SEE RIGHT HERE LOCALLY.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE RESULTS VERY SOON ON THAT.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU. AND TO CLARIFY AS WELL FOR THAT PROJECT CASTAWAY COVE CONDOMINIUMS, AS SHE HAD MENTIONED WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE HOA TO DEVELOP THAT AND WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED THE FUNDING QUITE YET, SO WE'RE STILL WAITING ON THAT. BUT AGAIN, A REALLY WONDERFUL PROJECT THAT WOULD BE RIGHT HERE IN YOUR BACKYARD THAT WOULD PROVIDE A LOT OF GREAT BENEFITS TO THE LAGOON.
SO AND THAT'S GOING TO BE ON CONDOMINIUM OWNED LAND, THE HOA.
AND QUITE OFTEN WE'VE SEEN THAT AS A KIND OF STOP SOMETIMES TO THESE TYPES OF RESTORATION PROJECTS.
BUT AGAIN, THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE. SO A LOT OF THEM ARE VERY ADVOCATES FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, AND THEY WANT TO DO BETTER AND LEARN MORE. SO THIS CAN BE AN EXAMPLE FOR THOSE OTHER HOAS.
EXCELLENT. I WILL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MISS STEVENS? YES, I HAVE A QUESTION. DOES ORCA HAVE ANY OPINION ON THE EFFICACY OF BAFFLE BOXES? BECAUSE WE DON'T WORK WITH THOSE. SO I WOULD SAY THAT WE DON'T HAVE AN OPINION.
AS FAR AS I'M AWARE, YEAH, WE HAVE PROVIDED DATA TO DIFFERENT CITIES AND COUNTIES OR PLACES THAT THEY HAVE INSTALLED BAFFLE BOXES, BUT WE'VE NEVER DONE LIKE A BEFORE AND AFTER STUDY.
YEAH, YEAH. BECAUSE EVERY YEAR WE SPEND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ADDING TO THEM.
AND BASICALLY THE CATCH BASINS FOR THE SEWAGE THAT GETS DUMPED EVERY TIME IT RAINS TOO HARD.
SO IT'S COUNTERPRODUCTIVE. BUT THAT'S THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IN THE PALM BAY MARINE RESOURCE COUNCIL.
I DID SOME VOLUNTEER WORK A FEW YEARS BACK. AND A LOOK BACK AT EVERYTHING THAT MRC HAS DONE.
AND I'M FINDING THAT THEY KEEP DOING THE SAME THINGS.
[00:40:02]
IT'S NOT WORKING. YEAH. AND YEAH, AGAIN, THAT IS A VERY I CAN GO UP TO.I TOOK A BOAT RIDE NORTH OF HERE. THEIR WATER IS MUCH CLEANER THAN OURS.
AND I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY HAVE BAFFLE BOXES, BUT SOMETIMES WHEN THINGS DON'T WORK, YOU NEED TO TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
AND, YOU KNOW, A PART OF OUR MISSION IS, AGAIN, USING INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES LIKE OUR KILROYS.
IN ADDITION TO OUR APPLIED SCIENCE RESEARCH. SO OUR ECOTOXICITY, OUR ONE HEALTH PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS OUR CITIZEN SCIENCE AND EDUCATION.
SO WE'RE ALWAYS CREATIVELY THINKING ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO IN ADDRESSING THOSE PROBLEMS AS THEY COME.
SO REALLY, BEING THOUGHTFUL AND NOT THAT ANYONE ELSE ISN'T, BUT JUST BEING VERY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING AND HOW WE CAN ADVANCE THE RESEARCH IN THE FUTURE. AND LOOKING AT OUR DATA AND REALLY GOING OFF OF WHAT OUR DATA IS TELLING US.
IS THERE ANY CHANCE THAT YOU'LL BE LOOKING INTO WHETHER THESE THINGS ARE HELPING OR NOT? I DEFINITELY AM OPEN TO LEARNING MORE ABOUT THEM, SO I DEFINITELY WOULD BE INTERESTED IN LEARNING A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THEM, AS I DON'T KNOW MUCH. SEVERAL MONTHS AGO AT CASTAWAY POINT PARK IN PALM BAY, JUST SOUTH OF THOSE CONDOMINIUMS, PEOPLE FROM THE ZOO WERE INSTALLING SOMETHING.
THEY WERE PREPPING FOR AN OYSTER BED, PLACING THE FOUNDATION FOR IT, THE ROCKS AND MOVE.
AND I VOLUNTEERED TO HELP MOVE THOSE INTO A LINE.
THERE WAS GOING TO BE A DOUBLE ROW OF THEM. AND THEY FOUND, ACTUALLY.
UP ON THE SHORE ON DIFFERENT THINGS IN THE SHALLOW WATER.
SO IT IS IT WAS INTERESTING TO SEE THAT, THAT NATURE IS SO RESILIENT THAT IT'S STILL TRYING.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT, IF HOW THE STATUS OF THAT WAS I DON'T I'VE HEARD A LITTLE BIT OF BRIEF ABOUT I KNOW THEY WERE TARGETING THAT SITE FOR RESTORATION. SO IT'S WONDERFUL TO HEAR THAT THEY'VE BEEN ACTUALLY BEEN ABLE TO IMPLEMENT IT.
AND AGAIN, IT IS WONDERFUL TO SEE THAT INITIAL RECRUITMENT WE'VE SEEN AT MULTIPLE OF OUR LIVING SHORELINES, YOU KNOW, AND AS LITTLE AS ONE MONTH THAT THESE INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO YEAH. IT'S WONDERFUL. HOW DO YOU IDENTIFY FUTURE PROJECTS AND HOW COULD THE CITY OF PALM BAY AND WE HELP YOU WITH THAT? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
SO AGAIN, WE REALLY KIND OF USE A MULTIFACETED APPROACH FOR IDENTIFYING NEW SITES.
SO THOSE REALLY HELP US TO UNDERSTAND, AGAIN, WHERE THOSE AREAS ARE CONTINUALLY GETTING BEAT UP AND WHERE WE'RE SEEING, YOU KNOW, THAT RAPID ACCUMULATION OF EROSION FOR BUFFER SHORELINES, AGAIN, LOOKING FOR PLACES THAT ARE RIGHT ON THE LAGOON AND ARE VERY SUSCEPTIBLE TO, YOU KNOW, DETERIORATING WATER QUALITY.
SO IF WE'RE SEEING THINGS LIKE A LOT OF MUCK BUILD UP, IF WE'RE SEEING HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS. THOSE CAN BE KIND OF SITE AREAS WHERE WE WOULD LIKE TO IMPROVE.
SO WE USE AS WELL OUR INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES, OUR KILROYS TO, YOU KNOW, AND OUR ECOTOXICITY WORK TO AGAIN COMPLEMENT WHERE WE MIGHT BE SEEING A REALLY BIG SOURCE OF THAT RUNOFF GOING INTO THE LAGOON AND HOW WE CAN COME IN AND REMEDIATE THAT.
SO IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, WORKING TOGETHER AGAIN, JUST FINDING THOSE SITES THAT WE'RE SEEING SIGNIFICANT RUNOFF, WE'RE SEEING A LARGE POLLUTION SOURCE AND BEING ABLE TO LOOK AND ASSESS WHETHER IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR HABITAT RESTORATION OR NOT.
SO SO DEREK, WHO IN THE CITY WOULD BE HAVE THAT DATA OF RAPID EROSION, AREAS OF MUCK BUILDUP AND ALGAE BLOOMS ALONG THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON? DO WE COLLECT THAT DATA SOMEWHERE OR. I DON'T I DON'T KNOW THAT WE SPECIFICALLY COLLECT IT? I KNOW FDP COLLECTS IT AND HOLDS IT ABOVE US TO SAY, HEY, YOU NEED TO MEET CERTAIN PARAMETERS TO TO FIX THIS.
IF THERE'S A PROBLEM THEY CAN ALSO RECOMMEND TO US HOW TO BE BETTER IN REDUCING THOSE ISSUES.
[00:45:05]
I JUST FOR THE SAKE OF THE ARGUMENT, I WOULD LIKE TO THINK MAYBE LAND DEVELOPMENT HAS A LITTLE BIT OF AN IDEA, BUT NOTHING TOO TOO IN-DEPTH. I DON'T BELIEVE USUALLY WE GET THAT INFORMATION FROM FDP.OKAY, YEAH. SO HOW COULD WE SUGGEST SOME LOCATIONS FOR ORCA TO STUDY FOR AS POTENTIAL SITES? LIKE, I GOTTA BELIEVE WE HAVE SOME OF THESE SITES WHERE THERE'S RAPID EROSION AREAS WITH BUILDUP AND ALGAE BLOOMS. WELL, AND ACTUALLY, NOW THAT I'M THINKING ABOUT IT, BECAUSE THE SAME PEOPLE THAT YOU COULD RECOMMEND OR RECOMMEND TO HAVE HAVE THEM TALKED WITH ORCA MIGHT BE PARKS OR FACILITY PARKING, YOU KNOW, PARKS, THEY SINCE THEY MANAGED THE PARKS LIKE CASTAWAY POINT PARK AND ALL THAT. THEY MIGHT KNOW WHAT'S WHAT'S ON THE EDGE OF THE LAGOON.
BETTER THAN THAN, LIKE PUBLIC WORKS OR LAND DEVELOPMENT.
SO THAT COULD BE A START. WE COULD INTERNALLY ASK THAT QUESTION AND SEE WHAT COMES UP FROM IT.
SEBASTIAN HAS A NATURAL RESOURCES DIVISION. THOSE DIVISIONS ARE CREATED FOR THOSE TYPES OF PURPOSES.
IT'S JUST THAT PALM BAY UNFORTUNATELY DOESN'T HAVE THAT DIVISION.
BUT THAT WOULD BE THE KIND OF AREA THAT WOULD TAKE IN THAT INFORMATION AND THEN FEED THAT OUT, YOU KNOW, COLLECT IT, FEED IT OUT TO THE PUBLIC AND WHAT HAVE YOU. SO, SO CAN CAN WE SUGGEST THAT PARKS AND REC LOOK AT THAT SO THAT WE COULD IDENTIFY SOME POTENTIAL PROJECTS FOR ORCA.
HERE COMES ERIC. BUT YEAH, WE CAN WE CAN REACH OUT TO THEM.
I CAN EVEN GET YOU CONTACT INFORMATION IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO REACH OUT DIRECTLY AND PROPOSE THAT, YOU KNOW, START THAT CONVERSATION. OKAY. THANK YOU.
YEAH. ERIC HAS INPUT. ERIC HAS SOME INPUT. ERIC, OPERATION SUPERINTENDENT, PUBLIC WORKS.
MY RECOMMENDATION IS TO BUILD A PRESENTATION, MAKE THE SUGGESTION TO COUNCIL AND GET DIRECTION FROM THEM AND LET THEM GUIDE YOU THROUGH IT. ORCA HAS ALREADY CONTACTED US AND WE HAVE ALREADY GOT THEM IN CONTACT WITH PARKS AND REC.
SO THEY ARE IN COMMUNICATION. SO BUT THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO TAKE CARE OF IT.
THANK YOU. EXCELLENT. MR. TONI, DID YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE PRESENTATION? NO, I DON'T. VERY ENLIGHTENING THOUGH. THANK YOU.
WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT YOUR PRESENTATION, THE MULTI HABITAT RESTORATION AT RIVERVIEW PARK I WAS WONDERING IF YOU HAD PRESENTED THAT ONE AS IT MIGHT BE A GOOD ANALOG FOR GOOD PARK, WHICH WAS WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT DOING A MULTI-PHASE PROJECT, SOME BUFFERED SHORELINE, SOME OR A LIVING SHORELINE.
I BELIEVE GOOD PARK KIND OF HAS A BIT OF A WONKY KIND OF SITUATION GOING ON WHERE THERE'S A SEAWALL HALFWAY DOWN THE SHORELINE, AND THEN THERE'S NO SEAWALL, BUT A LOT OF EROSION BEYOND THE SEAWALL.
HAVE YOU GOTTEN A CHANCE TO VISIT? GOOD PARK AT ALL.
SO I HAVEN'T HAD THE CHANCE TO VISIT GOOD PARK YET, BUT AGAIN, WITH MY CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU THAT IT DOES SEEM LIKE A REALLY WONDERFUL SPOT FOR BOTH OF THESE RESTORATION TECHNIQUES. SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, INTRODUCING THAT AND BEING SO THAT IT COULD BE APPLIED TO OTHER PROJECTS IN THE FUTURE IS KIND OF THE GOAL THAT WE HAD TODAY.
SO EXCELLENT. WITH THE SHORELINE RESTORATION PROJECT.
IF WE WERE TO DO SOMETHING ALONG THESE LINES, HOW MUCH SPACE DO YOU THINK IT WOULD TAKE UP ALONG THE SEAWALL? IS OBVIOUSLY THERE. HOW MUCH FURTHER BACK WOULD YOU.
WOULD THE SPACE BE NEEDED FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? JUST SO THE CITY IS AWARE OF WHAT KIND OF SPACE REQUIREMENTS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT? THAT REALLY IS SITE DEPENDENT. SO WHILE I CAN'T GIVE AN EXACT AMOUNT YOU KNOW, IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE SITE AND BEING OUT THERE TO ASSESS IT. WE'VE DONE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS THAT, YOU KNOW, LIVING SHORELINES ESPECIALLY, THAT CAN BE SMALLER IN SCALE SO THEY CAN BE LESS THAN 100FT.
AND THAT APPLIES FOR AN EXEMPTION. IF THEY'RE GREATER THAN THAT, THEY DO REQUIRE A LITTLE BIT MORE.
SO IN TERMS OF SPACE, IT WOULD REQUIRE US TO LOOK A LITTLE BIT MORE AT THE SITE.
THANK YOU. I HAVE A FOLLOW UP QUESTION FOR THAT.
THIS IS AN AREA OF TURKEY CREEK THAT HAS SEVERAL ISLANDS, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE EVER DONE SHORELINE PROJECTS ON ISLANDS LIKE THAT, BECAUSE THAT MIGHT BE AN ALTERNATE POSSIBILITY.
THE WATER LEVEL FLUCTUATES SOME SOMEWHAT THERE, BUT YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME PLACES WHERE IT'S FAIRLY SHALLOW BUT USUALLY STILL UNDER, YOU KNOW, STILL UNDER AT LEAST A FEW INCHES OF WATER.
[00:50:04]
SO HAS THAT EVER BEEN TRIED WORKING? NOT BY ORCA, BUT I'VE SEEN A FEW DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE DONE SHORELINE STABILIZATION PROJECTS LIKE THIS. ON, LIKE, SPOIL ISLANDS. THERE'S BEEN A, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A FEW DIFFERENT CONSIDERATIONS WITH THOSE DEPENDING ON IF THEY ARE ACTIVE ROOKERIES OR IF THEY'RE CLOSE TO THE NAVIGATIONAL CHANNEL.YEAH OKAY. THANK YOU. EXCELLENT. THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU GUYS. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. WITH THAT CONCLUDED, WE WILL MOVE ON TO NEW BUSINESS ITEM NUMBER THREE, WHICH IS FIT PROJECTS. DID ANYONE HAVE A CHANCE TO BRAINSTORM ANYTHING THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO TRY TO GET PRESENTED TO FIT IN THE NEAR FUTURE? WELL, THE ONE WE TALKED ABOUT LAST MONTH WAS THE COMPARISON OF LOW IMPACT DEVELOPMENT PLANS ACROSS THE MUNICIPALITIES. I STILL THINK THAT WOULD BE ONE ALONG WITH BEST PRACTICES.
BEST PRACTICES. I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT CANDIDATE.
EXCELLENT. WERE THERE ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THOUGHT UP ALONG THE WAY? ONE OF THE ONES THAT I HAD KIND OF THROWN BANDIED ABOUT FOR A LITTLE BIT JUST BECAUSE THE SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD IN ITS CURRENT FORM HAS CHANGED QUITE A BIT RECENTLY.
WE ONLY HAVE TWO MEMBERS THAT WERE HERE LIKE FIVE MONTHS AGO.
SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CHANGE IN STRATEGY AND DEVELOPMENT AND HOW THE BOARD WORKS AND WHATNOT.
ONE OF MY IDEAS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, AND IT COULD ACTUALLY TIE HAND IN HAND WITH THE LOW IMPACT DEVELOPMENT ONES WAS WHAT KIND OF SUSTAINABILITY PRACTICES ARE OUR NEIGHBORS IN OTHER MUNICIPALITIES INVOLVED IN? WHAT ARE THEIR SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARDS ABLE TO HAVE ACCOMPLISHED, AND WHAT KIND OF BRINGS THINGS HAVE THEY BROUGHT TO THE TABLE THAT HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL WITHIN THOSE AREAS? AND IF WE'RE ABLE TO IDENTIFY WHAT'S WORKED IN MELBOURNE, WHAT'S WORKED IN INDY ATLANTIC, WHAT'S WORKED IN SEBASTIAN, WHAT'S WORKED IN MELBOURNE BEACH? EXACTLY. STUFF LIKE THAT. IT MAY PROVIDE US A BIT OF A FOOTPRINT AND A BIT OF A GUIDELINE AS A SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD AS TO WHAT WE CAN PRESENT TO THE CITY COUNCIL IN THE FUTURE AND KIND OF FOCUS ON AND IN THOSE CASES.
DO YOU KNOW, I CAN. OBVIOUSLY, I HAVE A MEETING SET WITH MR. MORTON EVENTUALLY. JANUARY, EARLY JANUARY. SO I CAN TALK WITH HIM THEN IF I GET A CHANCE.
BUT DO YOU KNOW OF ANY OTHER WAYS TO GET IN CONTACT WITH FIT THAT IN, KIND OF SUGGEST SOME OF THESE PROJECTS FOR THEM? I UNFORTUNATELY DON'T I HAVEN'T HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING THE CONTACTS THAT THE CITY HAS AT FIT.
BUT OTHERWISE. YEAH, TALK TO MORTON AND GET THEM FROM HIM.
WE CAN THESE TWO SUGGESTIONS THAT WE HAVE THE LOW IMPACT DEVELOPMENT OF COMPARISON AMONGST THE MUNICIPALITIES AND SUSTAINABILITY BOARD FOCUSES AMONGST THE MUNICIPALITIES. WHEN I GET A CHANCE TO SPEAK WITH MR. MORTON, I WILL REACH OUT WITH HIM AND SEE IF HE CAN GET ME THE CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE FIT AND TRY TO GET THAT BALL ROLLING AT THAT TIME.
AND BE ABLE TO KIND OF MOVE FORWARD WITH IT AT THAT TIME.
ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS REGARDING FIT PROJECTS? OKAY. SEEING NONE, WE WILL CLOSE THAT ITEM AND MOVE ON TO NEW BUSINESS ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WHICH IS TURKEY CREEK AND GRASS CUTTINGS.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I BROUGHT UP. SO I GUESS I WILL KIND OF OPEN IT UP THE DISCUSSION ON IT.
WE ACTUALLY HAD ORCA TALK ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT ALONG THE WAYS OF THE NUMBER OF GRASS CLIPPINGS THAT GET BLOWN INTO TURKEY CREEK, THE NUTRIENT RUNOFF THAT GETS BROUGHT IN FROM HOMEOWNERS ALONG THE WAY AND THE KIND OF EFFECTS THAT THAT IS GOING TO HAVE ON TURKEY CREEK LONG TERM.
I KNOW THAT AFTER LAST MONTH'S MEETING ERIC CAME UP TO ME AND SAID THAT PUBLIC WORKS, I BELIEVE IT WAS WAS ACTUALLY PRESENTING A FLIER TO HOMEOWNERS IN THE AREA. AND THEY WERE STARTING TO WORK ON SOME THINGS ON THEIR OWN.
THERE ARE SOME CODE REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE ACTUALLY ALREADY IN PLACE WITH THE CITY.
[00:55:06]
DEREK, DID YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW ANY OF THOSE OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD, ANY OF THE CODES? YES. ANY OF THE CODES THAT ARE BASED ON THE LANDSCAPING AND RUNOFF AND THINGS TO THAT EFFECT? NO, I DON'T KNOW. OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I MEANT TO REACH OUT TO YOU TO AFTER LAST MEETING, AND THAT ONE SLIPPED MY MIND ON THERE. NO, I'LL LOOK THOSE UP FOR YOU.DURING MY BOARD REPORT POTENTIALLY HAVING A PUBLIC EVENT SOMEWHERE ALONG THE CITY.
OBVIOUSLY, TURKEY CREEK IS THE NUMBER ONE KIND OF SPACE FOR EDUCATIONAL EVENTS AND WHATNOT.
ESPECIALLY WITH THIS BEING DIRECTLY TIED TO TURKEY CREEK.
I WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT IF WE COULD WORK WITH PARKS AND REC.
SEE IF THERE'S A WAY TO REACH OUT TO HOMEOWNERS ALONG TURKEY CREEK, INVITE THEM TO THAT EVENT AND SEE WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN KIND OF START A, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT TO REDUCE GRASSROOTS GOING INTO TURKEY CREEK.
IS THERE ANY ERIC MIGHT BE ABLE TO CHIME IN ON THIS? IS THERE ANY CONTEXT THAT WE KNOW OF THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO LIKE KIND OF WHAT STEPS WOULD WE NEED TO TAKE IN ORDER TO GET GOING ON AN EDUCATIONAL EVENT LIKE THAT? AT TURKEY CREEK, I IMAGINE THERE'S RENTING OUT THE OR GETTING GETTING APPROVAL TO USE THE SPACE AND TURKEY CREEK SANCTUARY.
YES. SO I WOULD NEED TO DOUBLE CHECK ON THAT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT PARKS OR RECREATIONS, I KNOW THE TOUR GUIDE IS IS UNDERNEATH RECREATIONS. I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH OF A HAND RECREATION HAS IN THE OVERALL SANCTUARY, BUT I CAN DEFINITELY GET THAT INFORMATION.
OKAY. YEAH, I'M SURE THEY DO THINGS LIKE THAT ALL THE TIME.
I KNOW THEY EVEN HOST THEIR OWN EVENTS, SO THEY HAVE THE ABILITY AND THE CAPABILITIES TO DO SO.
BUT YEAH, I JUST HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THOSE ARE AND WE CAN GET BACK TO YOU.
IT'S JUST HOW DO WE WORK OUR WAY INTO THAT AND BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THOSE? AND I'M SURE WITH ANYTHING, IT'S LIKE IT'S JUST A PROCESS. JUST GOT TO FIND OUT WHAT THAT PROCESS IS. EXCELLENT. I DO KNOW THAT MR. MORTON AND MR. HAMMER HAD A TOWN HALL MEETING IN TURKEY CREEK AND INVITED TURKEY CREEK RESIDENTS.
SO I DO KNOW ONE OF THE TWO OF THEM YOU MIGHT WANT TO TALK TO.
THEY HAVE A WAY TO CONTACT THE HOA OR CONTACT AT THE HOA.
MAYBE YOU CAN START WITH THAT. OKAY. EXCELLENT.
I WILL OPEN THIS UP TO PUBLIC COMMENTS NOW THAT I AM DONE RAMBLING.
DOES ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE DRAFT? WELL, LOOKS LIKE WE'VE GOT ONE. BETH BLACKFORD AGAIN.
I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA. SORT OF A LAUNCHING A BUFFERED SHORELINES CAMPAIGN FOR ALL OF TURKEY CREEK. SPECIFICALLY LOOKING AT GRASS CLIPPINGS IS A GREAT IDEA.
I OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. I HAVE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF EXPERIENCE THERE, TOO, AND WOULD SUGGEST THERE ARE SPECIFIC AND DISTINCT NEIGHBORHOODS THAT BORDER TURKEY CREEK. SO EACH OF THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS MIGHT HAVE A MAYOR OR A POINT OF CONTACT, SORT OF AN INFORMALLY. ALSO, THERE ARE CHURCHES IN THE AREA, AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S A I'M GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK IT UP AGAIN. THE TURKEY CREEK SANCTUARY, OF COURSE.
AND CHAIRMAN, DID YOU HAVE A TIME FRAME IN MIND FOR THIS, LIKE EARTH DAY? MAYBE NOT SPECIFICALLY, BUT EARTH DAY WOULD BE A FANTASTIC TIME TO SUGGEST THAT.
THOUGHT I'D MENTION THAT. YEAH. NO, THAT'S A GREAT IDEA. THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN UP FOR ANY BOARD COMMENTS.
TOTALLY SUPPORT THE EFFORTS. EXCELLENT. YEP. I DO ALSO.
WE'VE. I'VE PADDLED UP TURKEY CREEK FROM THE PARK ALL THE WAY UP TO THE DAM, AND THERE ARE SO MANY, EVEN SOME OF THE SIDE CANALS. THERE'S VERY FEW HOMES THAT DON'T HAVE GRASS RIGHT UP TO THE WATER'S EDGE.
[01:00:05]
A NO GO ZONE. BUT THERE'S SOME THAT ARE ON LITTLE PENINSULAS ACTUALLY JUMP JUTTING OUT INTO THE CREEK.AND IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, HARD SURFACE RIGHT UP TO GRASS LIKE WATER, RIGHT UP TO.
YEAH. YEAH. EXCELLENT. ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH ORCA AND MARINE RESOURCE COUNCIL MAY BE ABLE TO BE UTILIZED TO KIND OF DRIVE SOME AWARENESS AS WELL.
IF WE'RE ABLE TO TIE IN WITH THOSE HOSE ALONG THERE, THAT WOULD BE A GREAT THING TO START TRYING TO PROMOTE BUFFERED SHORELINES AND WHATNOT ALONG THERE. SO I BELIEVE AT THIS POINT WE DON'T HAVE, AGAIN, ANYTHING ACTIONABLE ON THIS THAT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ON RIGHT NOW.
I DO LIKE THE SUGGESTION OF EARTH DAY BEING A POSSIBILITY FOR WHEN WE TRY TO REALLY DRIVE THIS HOME BECAUSE IT KIND OF GIVES US A FUTURE GOAL AND A TIME FRAME TO LOOK AT ON THERE. SO WE WILL LIKELY REVISIT THIS IN THE FUTURE.
BUT AT THIS TIME, I DON'T BELIEVE WE NEED TO HAVE ANY MOTIONS ON THAT.
[OTHER BUSINESS]
WHICH IS BOARD REPORTS. DO I HAVE ANYBODY WHO WOULD LIKE TO START OFF WITH BOARD REPORTS TONIGHT? YES, MISS EILEEN. OKAY. I MY.MY ISSUE OF THE WEEK, I GUESS, IS NO SEE UMS AND MIDGET MIDGETS, WHATEVER THEY CALL THEM. I AM IN NO WAY ADVOCATING SPRAYING, BUT SINCE THEY STOPPED, IT'S BEEN RIDICULOUS. I MEAN, I'VE BEEN CATCHING, LIKE IN A WEEK, HUNDREDS, JUST ON ONE LITTLE THING.
THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO MITIGATE IT.
AND I SEE THE BIGGEST PROBLEM BEING WE HAVE SO MANY HOLDING PONDS.
THOSE PONDS, IF THEY'RE NOT AERATED, THEY'RE FEEDING THESE INSECTS.
AND THEY'RE NOT HELPFUL. THEY'RE ATTRACTED TO WASTE AREAS.
THEY WILL GO UP YOUR NOSE AND LEAVE EGGS IN THERE.
OKAY. AND THEY'RE SO SMALL, THE CHANCES THAT THEY CAN PENETRATE SERIOUS, YOU KNOW, INTO YOUR BRAIN.
VERY CLOSE. I, I FOUND ONE ONE LISTING SAID THEY WERE ABOUT AN EIGHTH OF AN INCH.
NO THEY'RE NOT. THEY'RE ABOUT A 32ND OF AN INCH.
THEY'RE REALLY, REALLY SMALL. IF YOU IF YOU TOOK A BALLPOINT PEN AND JUST PUT A DOT ON THE PAPER, THAT'S ABOUT THE SIZE THEY ARE. THERE HAS BEEN SOME STUDENTS.
I GUESS I'LL READ THIS. THERE'S A FUNGUS. PESTALOTIA MICROSPORA WAS ISOLATED BY STUDENTS ON A FIELD COURSE AND DEMONSTRATED AN EXTRAORDINARY ABILITY TO BREAK.
I'M SORRY. I'M ON THE WRONG TOPIC. SORRY. THAT'S.
THAT'S FOR PLASTICS. WHICH IS ANOTHER THING THAT WILL GET RID OF THOSE.
THAT AND CHIA SEEDS IF YOU USE THEM AS FILTERS.
I'M SORRY. IMAGES. THE OTHER IS GAMBUSIA. HOLBROOKI AND GAMBUSIA.
AFFINIS. AFFINIS. AFFINIS. OKAY. IN VOLUSIA COUNTY, THEY'RE USING THE GAMBUSIA HOLBROOKI.
THESE FISH ARE MAYBE ABOUT TWO INCHES LONG. THEY EAT EVERYTHING THAT'S SMALLER THAN THEM.
AND ANY OF THE PONDS? THE STANDARD? WELL, PROBABLY MORE IN THE STANDING PONDS THAT NOTHING'S MOVING.
THE ONLY THING THEY NEED IS OVERHANGING FOLIAGE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THEY PARK THEIR EGGS.
THEY LIVE FOR APPROXIMATELY 18 MONTHS. BUT THEY EAT EVERYTHING THAT'S SMALLER THAN THEM.
ANY, ANY LARVAE, EGGS, WHATEVER. AND THEY EAT THEIR OWN EXCREMENT.
SO IT'S A VERY CLEAN PROCESS. VOLUSIA COUNTY IS USING IT VERY SUCCESSFULLY.
THEY HARVEST THESE FISH AND THEY GIVE THEM OUT TO THE COMMUNITY TO USE IN ANY STANDING WATER THEY MIGHT HAVE ON THEIR PROPERTY. HONESTLY, I COULD SEE PROBABLY USING THEM IN THE CANALS WHILE WE HAVE STANDING
[01:05:09]
WATER. MY HOPE IS THAT SOMEDAY WE'LL HAVE THAT WATER MOVING AND DOING A BETTER JOB OF MAKING IT SO THAT IT ACTUALLY FEEDS OUR AQUIFER. BUT YEAH. WE'RE NOT GOING TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.CHEMICAL SPRAYS ARE DANGEROUS, AND I BELIEVE THAT'S THE MAIN REASON WHY WE HAVE SUCH TOXIC WATER.
IT NOT ONLY MESSES UP THE AIR. MY NEIGHBOR HAS BASICALLY A FARM ALL OVER HIS PROPERTY.
AND AFTER ONE OF THOSE SPRAYS, EVERYTHING WAS BROWN.
IT KILLED EVERYTHING. WE HAVE TO BE REALLY CONSCIOUS OF THESE THINGS.
KIND OF DANGEROUS BUGS. OKAY. THEY'RE DANGEROUS TO HUMAN LIFE, AND I GUESS THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
BUT ON PFAS, I'D LIKE TO ACTUALLY PIGGYBACK ON WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT.
I KNOW BREVARD MOSQUITO CONTROL BECAUSE I HAVE UTILIZED THEM.
ACTUALLY DOES GIVE OUT FREE GAMBUSIA. THEY'RE ALSO COMMONLY KNOWN AS MOSQUITO FISH.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK WE SHOULD TRY TO DO, AND THIS IS ACTUALLY A GREAT FIRST START TO IT, IS TRY TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF THAT MOSQUITO CONTROL PROGRAM THAT IS FREE IN BREVARD FOR BREVARD RESIDENTS TO HOA'S AND WHATNOT.
I AGREE WITH YOU. I, THEY GAVE ME 20 MOSQUITO FISH FOR A LITTLE 50 GALLON POND THAT I HAD.
AND THOSE LITTLE SUCKERS ARE UNKILLABLE, AND THEY ARE EATING, LIKE YOU SAID, EVERYTHING THAT TOUCHES MY POND AND HAS REDUCED THE MOSQUITO QUALITY OR THE AMOUNT OF MOSQUITOES THAT I HAVE JUST IN MY VICINITY OF MY FRONT YARD DRASTICALLY.
SO I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE KIND OF TRIED TO WANT TO FOCUS ON LONG TERM.
AND IT'S KIND OF BEEN SUGGESTED HERE AND THERE IS TRYING TO WORK WITH DEVELOPERS TO INCREASE THEIR THE THOUGHT PROCESS GOING INTO THEIR STORMWATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS, THEIR DRAINAGE PONDS AND WHATNOT.
THINGS LIKE NATIVE PLANTS ON THE SIDELINES TO KIND OF ABSORB SOME OF THE LIVING SHORELINE EFFECT.
SO AS WE TRY TO CONTINUE TO BUILD AS A BOARD AND WORK ON OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE CITY IF WE'RE ABLE TO GET INTO KIND OF PLANNING AND ZONING MEETINGS WOULD BE A BIT OF A SPOT WHERE WE WOULD FIND A LOT OF THESE DEVELOPERS THAT ARE COMING IN AND DOING LARGE SCALE DEVELOPMENTS TRYING TO TALK WITH THEM AT CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS AND SEEING IF WE CAN GET A FEW OF THEM ON BOARD. I ACTUALLY HAVE THE CONTACT INFORMATION FOR ONE.
HIS THE NAME OF HIS DEVELOPMENT ALLUDES ME. BUT I KIND OF HAD WORKED WITH HIM A LITTLE BIT ON WHAT KIND OF NATIVE PLANTS THAT THEY MIGHT DO WITH THEIR STORMWATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AND WHATNOT. AND IF WE'RE ABLE TO GET A KIND OF PROOF OF CONCEPT GOING AND MAYBE SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ABLE TO SAY, HEY, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN BUILDING IN PALM BAY, HERE'S THE BEST PRACTICES AND BEST MANAGEMENTS WE CAN DO, AND WE CAN KIND OF TRY TO TIE IN WITH THE SUSTAINABILITY ASPECT WITH THE DEVELOPERS THEMSELVES AND KIND OF BUILD THAT PARTNERSHIP THAT WAY.
YEAH, THE ONLY CITY THAT I KNOW OF IN BREVARD THAT'S USING IT IS TITUSVILLE.
IF IT WAS AVAILABLE, THIS IS THE FIRST I'M HEARING OF THAT.
IT DOES. AND IT TAKES CARE OF ITSELF. BUT WE DEFINITELY HAVE TO DO SOMETHING.
I MEAN, PALM BAY WAS MOSQUITO VILLE BEFORE IT WAS PALM BAY, AND.
IT'S. THESE BUGS CARRY DISEASES. SO WE REALLY DO HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT'S OUT OF CONTROL. YOU DON'T MIND ONE OR, YOU KNOW, A FEW, BUT IT'S MASSIVE.
I HAPPEN TO LIVE ON A STREET THAT FLOODS FREQUENTLY, SO IT GETS REALLY BAD THERE.
BUT ANYWAY, JUST THE OTHER THING I DID WANT TO TALK ABOUT WAS PFAS, WHICH IS THE PLASTICS THAT ARE IN SO MANY OF OUR PRODUCTS, IT GETS INTO THE WATER, IT'S IN THE AIR, AND PFAS DOES PENETRATE THE BLOOD BRAIN BARRIER.
SO WE HAVE TO SERIOUSLY LOOK AT THINGS THAT WILL MITIGATE THAT.
AND WE CAN START WITH THE WATER, BECAUSE FROM WHERE I'M SITTING, I SEE
[01:10:08]
THAT'S THEIR HOME PLATE. SO WE WE HAVE TO CLEAN IT UP.CHIA SEEDS ARE VERY TINY, BUT THEY EXPAND AND THEY ABSORB ALL OF THE FFAS OUT OF THE WATER.
SO IF WE HAD SOME SORT OF FILTRATION IN BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE.
THEY'RE SENDING WATER OUT, MAYBE IF THERE WAS A FILTER TO PICK UP A LOT OF THIS STUFF.
BUT THERE'S ALSO THIS FUNGUS. I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY HOW IT WOULD WORK, BUT APPARENTLY IT THEY WERE AMAZED AT HOW WELL IT GOT RID OF IT. SO YEAH.
POLYURETHANE IS KNOWN FOR ITS RESISTANCE TO DECOMPOSITION.
THIS FUNGUS ACTUALLY EATS POLYURETHANE, WHICH IS IS ONE OF THE PFAS ELEMENTS.
SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR TODAY. SORRY. I'VE BEEN A LITTLE DISCONNECTED.
IT'S BEEN A ROUGH WEEK. IT'S OKAY. ACTUALLY, I WANTED TO.
WE HAVE AN AUDIENCE MEMBER. IF I COULD PUT HER ON THE SPOT REAL QUICK.
TALK ABOUT MOSQUITO DUNKS. I KNEW THERE WOULD BE SOME EXCITEMENT ABOUT THAT.
YEAH. BETH BLACKFORD FROM PALM BAY. I WAS BUSY TEXTING INSTRUCTIONS AND INFORMATION ABOUT THE MOSQUITO BUCKET CHALLENGE TO EILEEN DIRECTLY. THIS IS A PROGRAM NATIONWIDE PROGRAM INTRODUCED BY DOUG TALLAMY THROUGH NATIONAL HOMEGROWN FOREST PARKS. AND I BRING MY FIVE GALLON BUCKET WITH ME TO EVERY CONRADINA MEETING.
IT INVOLVES FILLING YOUR FIVE BUCKET, A FIVE GALLON BUCKET WITH A LITTLE WATER AND SOME LEAF LITTER.
SIMULATING A NATURAL STANDING POND INTO WHICH YOU YOU DROP A QUARTER OF A MOSQUITO DUNK.
THIS IS A LARVICIDE THAT DISSOLVES IN WATER AND IT WILL KILL THE HATCHED LARVAE OF MOSQUITOES.
DON'T RELEASE. AND IT'S BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE. I'VE USED IT AROUND MY OWN YARD.
A DUNK LOOKS LIKE A DONUT WITH A HOLE IN THE MIDDLE, AND YOU CAN QUARTER IT.
AND IT'S SORT OF A TIME RELEASE THING, SO IT'S VERY EFFECTIVE THAT WAY.
BUT THIS PRODUCT ALSO COMES IN GRANULAR FORM, WHICH IS PERFECT FOR KIND OF BROADCASTING INTO, SAY, BROMELIADS, WHICH ARE NOTORIOUS FOR HOLDING STANDING WATER AND ARE A COMMON BREEDING SPOT.
AND I'VE USED IT IN MY OWN YARD VERY EFFECTIVELY.
AND THE MOSQUITO DUNK AND CRUMBLES ARE AVAILABLE IN HARDWARE IN BIG BOX STORES EVERYWHERE.
ARE THEY EXPENSIVE? SAY AGAIN. ARE THEY EXPENSIVE? NO. VERY INEXPENSIVE. AND A VERY GOOD CONTROL.
I'M PRETTY SURE THAT IT'S WHAT BREVARD COUNTY USES.
IF YOU CALL THEIR MOSQUITO CONTROL NUMBER, THEY COME OUT.
SO I'LL SEND YOU THE LINKS ON THAT. AND IT WILL GIVE YOU SOME IMMEDIATE SATISFACTION.
SO THERE ARE TADPOLES AND BABIES, FROGS THAT ARE NATIVE SPECIES THAT ARE GOING TO GO DOWN INTO THE GULLET JUST AS WELL AS THE NOXIOUS INSECTS. THANK YOU.
IT'S ACTUALLY KIND OF WEIRD THAT WAY. BUT GAMBUSIA ARE THERE IS ONE SUBSPECIES OF GAMBUSIA, WHICH IS THE ONE THAT BREVARD MOSQUITO CONTROL USES THAT IS NATIVE TO FLORIDA.
SO IT WOULDN'T NECESSARILY BE INTRODUCING ANOTHER INVASIVE SPECIES THEN.
YES. IT'S LYDIA BARBOUR AGAIN. AND I JUST WANT TO SUPPORT WHAT BETH SAID ABOUT HAVING WATER, BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE TO USE AN UGLY ORANGE BUCKET.
YOU CAN JUST GET A PLANTER THAT DOESN'T HAVE HOLES IN THE BOTTOM, PUT WATER IN IT, PUT PLANTS IN IT, FERNS THAT WILL GROW IN THE WATER AND THEN ADD THAT WORKS WELL.
[01:15:03]
WORKS WELL. EXCELLENT. THANK YOU. CAN I JUST ADD ONE THING I FORGOT TO MENTION? IF YOU PUT A YELLOW LIGHT BY YOUR DOOR, MOSQUITOES WILL NOT GO IN YOUR HOUSE.IT'S THE TRUTH. BECAUSE I'VE DONE IT. AND I'VE TOLD MY NEIGHBORS.
I'M SORRY. I'VE DONE IT. MY NEIGHBORS HAVE ONE OF THEM PUT YELLOW LIGHTS ALL AROUND HIS POOL.
IT ACTUALLY WORKS. SO THERE'S THERE ARE SIMPLE SOLUTIONS THAT DON'T INVOLVE CHEMICALS AND POISONING.
ALL LIFE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. I ACTUALLY WANTED TO GIVE MR. TONY AN OPPORTUNITY. IS THERE FOR THE BOARD REPORT SECTION.
SINCE YOU'RE NEW, I'D LIKE TO EXPLAIN IT. THIS IS A SECTION WHERE US, AS BOARD MEMBERS, ARE ABLE TO PRESENT BASICALLY ANYTHING THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THROUGHOUT THE MONTH SINCE THE LAST MEETING AND ANYTHING WE MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN.
IF THERE'S ANYTHING LIKE THAT THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO BRING TO THE TABLE AND KIND OF PRESENT THIS AS KIND OF OUR OPEN DISCUSSION SESSION WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT MATTER TO US AND KIND OF WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD FOCUS ON IN THE FUTURE.
I MEAN, ONE OF THE IDEAS THAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR A LONG TIME IS INVOLVING AIR.
AND BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THE USAGE OF ENERGY IN THIS COUNTRY, IN THE WORLD, BASICALLY COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS ARE BY FAR THE BIGGEST USER OF ENERGY.
THEY'RE BRINGING IN TONS AND TONS OF OUTDOOR AIR.
IT HAS TO BE HEATED. IT HAS TO BE COOLED, HAS TO BE DIMINISHED. IT USES A LOT OF ENERGY, WHEREAS THERE ARE A LOT MORE INNOVATIVE WAYS USING TECHNOLOGY AND ALSO USING DIFFERENT STRATEGIES WHERE YOU CAN MINIMIZE THAT IMPACT AND WITH DEMONSTRATIVE SAVINGS.
SO YOU KNOW, MY INTEREST LEVEL LIES IN THAT IS HOW CAN WE BETTER MANAGE OUR BUILDINGS AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW CONDITIONING AND AIR TO REALLY HAVE AN IMPACT ON ENERGY AND ULTIMATELY SUSTAINABILITY.
EXCELLENT. THANK YOU. THERE'S ACTUALLY I'VE BEEN APPROACHED BY ONE OF THE, OUR DEPUTY MANAGERS OF THE CITY WHO IS LOOKING AT DOING A CODE REVIEW OVER BASICALLY WHAT ALL PALM BAY HAS AND WANTED SOME INPUT ON THE SUSTAINABLE FROM THE SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD AS TO WHAT CODES MAY NEED TO BE LOOKED AT FROM THE CITY MANAGER SIDE OF THINGS. SO IF YOU GET A CHANCE. I KNOW THAT READING CODE ISN'T THE MOST EXCITING THING IN THE WORLD.
BUT IF YOU GET A CHANCE TO KIND OF LOOK INTO WHAT KIND OF CODES AND STANDARDS THERE ARE CURRENTLY IN PALM BAY IF YOU CAN COME UP WITH SOME OF THOSE SUGGESTIONS AND PRESENT THOSE AT THE SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD, WE MAY BE ABLE TO BRING THOSE TO THE CITY MANAGER TEAM AND SEE WHETHER OR NOT THOSE KIND OF CODES CAN GET UPDATED AND CHANGED AND AFFECTS THAT WAY. YEAH, I'D BE GLAD TO. AND I, YOU KNOW, I'M VERY WELL VERSED IN THE LIKE THE ASHRAE SOCIETY DEVELOPING DIFFERENT STANDARDS, DIFFERENT CODES THAT ULTIMATELY MUNICIPALITIES WILL ADOPT.
AND SO THEY'RE CONSTANTLY CHANGING. SO THERE MAY BE THINGS THAT PALM BAY IS USING THAT MIGHT BE, YOU KNOW, A BIT ANTIQUATED OR MAYBE JUST HAVEN'T LOOKED AT IN A WHILE AND MAYBE COULD USE A REFRESH.
SO YEAH, I'M I'M ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT LIKES READING CODES AND WHATNOT.
SO, YOU KNOW, I AM THE LIFE OF THE PARTY, BY THE WAY.
AND WHAT DO WE HAVE LOTS OF HERE, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S VERY CLEAN.
APPARENTLY THAT'S PURE CLEAN ENERGY. SO I'M INTERESTED IN SEEING HOW THAT WORKS.
YEAH, THAT COULD BE A FUTURE BOARD REPORT IDEA FOR YOU, MISS REBECCA, DID YOU HAVE A REPORT TODAY? I DID SEND IN A LETTER TO THE CITY, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF I SENT IT DURING A TIME WHEN THE WHEN THEY WERE DOING SOME KIND OF CHANGEOVER.
IF IT ACTUALLY WENT THROUGH. I RESENT IT, BUT I ALSO WANTED TO REACH OUT TO FIND OUT IF I SHOULD BE TALKING TO ANYONE PARTICULAR ONE ON ONE. ABOUT WHAT? HOW TO GET THE MOST WHAT GETS THE FOOT TRAFFIC ON THE CITY WEBSITE? WOULD IT BE ON THE CITY SIDE? WOULD IT BE FACEBOOK, OR WOULD IT BE SOME OTHER OUTREACH? I MEAN, MY IDEA OF JUST PRINTING A PUBLICATION MIGHT NOT BE THE BEST WAY TO GET INFORMATION OUT, BUT I DID PUT SOMETHING OUT THERE ON I'M NOT SURE WHEN, BUT THERE WAS A WEEK I YEAH, I KNOW THE CITY WAS DOING UPGRADES, SO SOME OF THE THIS STUFF MIGHT NOT HAVE GOTTEN THROUGH.
THE PUBLICATION? YES, YES. BUT WE CAN. I DON'T WANT TO TAKE UP THE TIME TONIGHT.
[01:20:09]
SO CLOSE TO THE. SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT. YOU CAN REPLY TO MY.AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT BECAUSE I DID HAVE FOLLOW ON QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.
SO. OKAY, WE'LL TAKE A, WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND YEAH.
YEAH. TOMORROW, NEXT WEEK MAYBE NOT NEXT WEEK TO ADD IT TO JANUARY'S AGENDA.
YEAH THAT'S FINE. I BELIEVE WE WOULD NEED A MOTION FOR THAT.
YES. WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? MAKE A MOTION TO DISCUSS TO CONTINUE THIS TILL NEXT MONTH, TILL JANUARY MEETING. SO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE TO DISCUSS OUR POSSIBLE.
SO YEAH, BUT IF WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO TAKE AN ACTUAL ITEM, WE WOULD NEED TO BRING IT.
THEN YOU WOULD NEED THE MOTION IF YOU'RE JUST GOING TO CONTINUE.
YEAH. LET'S JUST CONTINUE REPORTS. YEAH. YEAH OKAY.
YEAH. SO WOULD YOU LIKE TO WITHDRAW YOUR MOTION? YES. THANK YOU. MISS JANE. OKAY. I HAD THREE THINGS.
ANY LUCK WITH THAT? UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE NOTHING NEW.
YEAH, YEAH, I'M JUST HOPING THAT WE CAN, BECAUSE I REALLY THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD PUBLICITY AND WOULD BE GOOD FOR US APPLYING FOR SOME CERTIFICATIONS AND WHATNOT. NO I AGREE. OKAY.
SO WE COULD KEEP THAT AS AN ONGOING ACTION ITEM.
HAS THE OPEN HOUSE DATE BEEN SET FOR BUILDING? THERE HASN'T BEEN ANYTHING COMING DOWN THE PIPELINE INTERNALLY OF OF A DATE.
RIGHT. I'D IMAGINE WE'RE GETTING CLOSER TO IT AFTER IT TOOK THE WEEK TO GET THE SERVERS IN THERE.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THEY'VE BEGUN MOVING THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS INTO THERE YET.
YEAH WELL, WE CAN KEEP ASKING AND SEE. SEE WHAT COMES OF IT.
I JUST I THINK IT'S UP IN THE AIR. YEAH. THE ACTION WAS REALLY TO GET THE, THE SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES DOCUMENTED SO THAT THEY'RE AVAILABLE FOR THE OPEN HOUSE AND ASKING THE ARCHITECT FOR THAT LIST.
YEAH, BECAUSE I ASKED THE GUY WHO PRESENTED TO US.
YEAH, HE'S RETIRED, SO HE MIGHT NOT BE DOING IT.
DID HE GIVE YOU ANY INFORMATION AS TO WHO WOULD HOLD THOSE RECORDS? NO. I MEAN, WHEN HE. I DUG OUT THE PRESENTATION HE MADE TO US, AND THEN I SENT HIM AN EMAIL.
DIDN'T HEAR BACK. SENT THAT EMAIL TO YOU. RIGHT.
BUT MAYBE WE HAVE ANOTHER CONTACT WITH THAT FIRM.
YEAH. LET ME CONTINUE TO LOOK INTO IT, BECAUSE I KNOW WE ASKED AROUND LOCALLY, LIKE WITHIN THE CITY, AND THERE WASN'T ANY, LIKE, THEY DIDN'T HAVE THOSE RECORDS EITHER.
RIGHT. SO LET ME. YEAH, LET ME KEEP WORKING ON THAT AND SEE WHAT I CAN FIND.
OKAY. YEP. AND THEN THE THIRD ITEM WAS I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE NATIVE GARDEN PROJECT AGAIN.
AND I KNOW, DOUG, YOU'VE GOT SOME INFO ON THAT, TOO.
AND THEY SAID THERE WOULD ONLY BE $700 INCREASE FROM THAT BUDGET THAT WE HANDED OUT LAST TIME.
SO I WAS HOPING I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO PROVIDE ANY INFO FROM YOUR UPDATES, BUT I'M HOPING WE CAN MOVE TOWARD DISCUSSING THAT WITH THE CITY MANAGER OR MOVING DO SOME MOVEMENT ON IT.
YEAH. SO JUST AS AN UPDATE AS TO WHAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON WITH THE REMEMBRANCE GARDEN, BECAUSE IT WAS KIND OF INITIALLY TARGETED AT BUILDING E AT THE OPEN SPACE BEFORE THERE. WHEN I HAD A MEETING WITH BREVARD AQUATICS THEY ACTUALLY CAME AND DID A SITE VISIT AND WE WERE LOOKING AT THE SPACE AT BUILDING E AND IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT THERE WAS A COUPLE OF THE CONSTRUCTION WORKERS AND ONE OF THE MANAGERS THAT WAS WORKING ON THE CONSTRUCTION THERE.
SO WE WERE ABLE TO DISCUSS WITH HIM KIND OF LIKE, DID HE KNOW WHAT WAS UNDERGROUND AT THAT SITE AND THAT SITE THAT WE HAD LOOKED AT FOR BUILDING E? THE REASON WHY ALL THAT GRASS IS THERE IS ALL OF THAT IS STORM DRAIN WATER.
[01:25:06]
A BARRIER, A LANDSCAPE FABRIC BARRIER THERE. AND THEN THERE'S ROCK INFILL ABOVE THAT, AND THEN THERE'S THE PIPE UNDERNEATH THERE.SO TO DO A GARDEN IN THAT SPACE DOESN'T SEEM ENTIRELY FEASIBLE ANYMORE.
SIX INCHES OF DIRT IS GOING TO SIGNIFICANTLY LIMIT WHAT WE ARE ABLE TO DO.
AND GOING TO LIMIT THE CAPABILITIES OF KEEPING IT UP TO DATE.
AND THOSE DO LIKE TO SPREAD. THEY'RE HARD TO MANAGE LONG TERM. WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING NICE AND LARGE, LIKE A TREE OR ANYTHING IN THAT SPACE, BECAUSE THE ROOTS JUST YOU GOT TO HAVE MORE THAN SIX INCHES OF DIRT TO WORK WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND I KIND OF WALKED AROUND AND ACTUALLY WENT OVER TO THAT SITE OVER BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND LUCKILY THE THE CONSTRUCTION GUYS WERE JUST AS NICE AS COULD BE AND KIND OF TRIED TO GIVE US A ROUGH OVERVIEW OF WHAT WAS UNDERGROUND IN THAT SPACE AND WHATNOT. ONE OF THE MAJOR CONCERNS THAT I KNOW HAD BEEN BROUGHT UP BEFORE WAS THAT THERE WAS FIBER OPTIC CABLES BEING LAID.
HE ACTUALLY KIND OF TRACED OUT AND YOU COULD SEE WHERE THE LINES IN THE GROUND HAD BEEN DUG.
BUT EVERYTHING THAT I WAS ABLE TO TELL AND WHAT THE CONSTRUCTION GUYS WERE ABLE TO SAY WAS THAT ALL THE FIBER OPTIC LINES ACTUALLY CONNECTED THROUGH THAT KIND OF ROUNDABOUT THERE IN FRONT OF CITY HALL AND CONNECTED TO THE BACK END OF THE POLICE STATION.
AND NONE OF THAT SEEMED TO BE IN OUR DESIGN. THAT HAD BEEN PRESENTED BY NATIVE BUTTERFLY FLOWERS.
THAT ALL SEEMED TO BE OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF WHAT THE GARDEN WAS INITIALLY DESIGNED TO BE.
SO I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THOSE ARE GOING TO BE A CONCERN THERE.
THEY ALSO TALKED ABOUT THERE BECAUSE THERE ARE KIND OF SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SITE.
THERE LOOKS TO BE SOME IRRIGATION CONTROL SYSTEMS RIGHT THERE.
BUT THEY SAID THAT AGAIN, WE WOULD WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PASS THIS THROUGH FACILITIES OR WHOEVER LAND MANAGEMENT, WHATEVER. BUT HE SAID THAT THE CONSTRUCTION GUY SAID THAT ALL THE IRRIGATION AROUND THIS AREA HAS BASICALLY BEEN DEAD AND THAT THERE IS ACTUALLY NO WATER RUNNING THROUGH THEM.
SO EFFECTIVELY, THERE ISN'T ANY CONCERNS WITH IRRIGATION PIPES THAT MIGHT BE BURIED IN THAT AREA.
DEREK'S KIND OF GIVING ME A WEIRD LOOK. NO. OKAY.
BUT THAT WAS ONE OF THE. OKAY, SO HE BASICALLY WHAT HE SAID WAS WHEN THEY RAN ACROSS AT LEAST FOR BUILDING E ANY THE IRRIGATION PIPES THAT THEY FOUND UNDERGROUND, THEY WERE ABLE TO JUST BREAK THEM AND PULL THEM OUT OF THE GROUND. AND THERE WAS NO CONCERNS ABOUT LEAKAGES OR ANYTHING. SO THAT WOULD REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF EFFORTS THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE WORKING IN THAT KIND OF A SITE.
BREVARD CUSTOM AQUATICS, WHEN THEY WERE LOOKING AROUND, REALLY LOVED THE SPACE RIGHT THERE NEXT TO THE POLICE HEADQUARTERS ENTRANCE KIND OF AT THE FRONT END OF OUR DESIGN. I THINK I HAD THE DESIGN HERE SOMEWHERE.
YEAH. SO LOOKING AT A DESIGN WHERE THAT LITTLE CIRCULAR SPACE IS THERE KIND OF AT THE FRONT THAT IS RIGHT AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, RIGHT NEXT TO THE ENTRANCE OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. THERE'S ACTUALLY, IF YOU LOOK AT THE DESIGN, THERE'S KIND OF AN EMPTY SPACE THERE THAT'S ACTUALLY WINDOWS THAT FACE DIRECTLY FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT INTO THAT SPACE.
SO BREVARD CUSTOM AQUATICS WAS VERY INTERESTED IN USING THAT SPACE.
SUSTAINABLE FEATURES. RUNS LOW. THEY WEREN'T SURE WHERE WATER WAS GOING TO RUN, BUT THEY FIGURED WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO TAP INTO SOME OF THE ELECTRICAL LIGHTING RIGHT THERE ACROSS THE SIDEWALK FOR ELECTRICITY TO RUN THE PUMP.
SO IT WAS A VERY GOOD SITE THAT BREVARD CUSTOM AQUATICS WAS VERY INTERESTED IN.
AND AGAIN JUST IN CASE IT SLIPPED ANYBODY BY.
THEY WERE HEAVILY INVOLVED WITH SUSTAINABILITY.
THEY WANT TO BEAUTIFY OUR CITY OWNED SPACES. AND THEY'RE FULLY ON BOARD WITH DONATING LABOR AND ANY OF THE MATERIALS NEEDED FOR IT. SO BRINGING THEM INTO THIS PROJECT IS EFFECTIVELY A NET POSITIVE BECAUSE THERE IS LITTLE TO NO EXPENSES INVOLVED IN IT.
REALLY. THE ONLY THING THE CITY WOULD HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO DO IS FIND A SOURCE OF WATER AND FIND A SOURCE OF ELECTRICAL AND ALLOW US TO TAP INTO THOSE AND BASICALLY UTILIZE THOSE EXISTING RESOURCES WITHIN THAT SPACE.
BUT BEYOND THAT, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH KIND OF THE RUNDOWN.
SO I KNOW I WAS KIND OF BACK AND FORTH ON WHICH SITE WE WOULD LIKE TO USE BECAUSE WE INITIALLY PRESENTED THE BUILDING SITE AND THE CITY COUNCIL WAS INTERESTED IN THE BUILDING SITE. BUT AFTER THE DISCUSSIONS AND EVERYTHING, I THINK WE NEED TO FULLY SHIFT OUR FOCUS OVER TOWARDS OVER BY THE POLICE HALL.
[01:30:01]
AND THAT DESIGN SPACE THAT WE HAVE OUR PARTNERS WITH BREVARD AQUATICS WERE INTERESTED IN THAT SPACE.OUR PARTNERS WITH THE FLORIDA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY CHAPTER IS HIGHLY INTERESTED IN THAT SPACE.
SO I THINK WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO BRING IN A LOT MORE COMMUNITY RESOURCES, GET A BETTER GARDEN OUT OF IT BE ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY HAVE WHAT WE WANT IN A MUCH BETTER WAY WITH A REMEMBRANCE GARDEN, IF WE FOCUS ON THAT SPOT AS OPPOSED TO THE BUILDING SPOT.
YEAH, I AGREE, I THINK AND THAT'S VERY GOOD HOMEWORK AND INFORMATION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO HOW DO WE GET GOING WITH PROCEEDING TO TALK TO THE CITY MANAGER ABOUT THE REST OF THE FUNDING? ERIC, I BELIEVE THIS WOULD PROBABLY FALL INTO WHAT YOU SAID EARLIER.
WE WOULD WANT TO BUILD A PRESENTATION AND PRESENT IT TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
AND THEN ONCE WE'RE ABLE TO PRESENT IT TO THE CITY COUNCIL, THEN THEY WILL BE ABLE TO KIND OF GIVE US THEIR TAKE ON EVERYTHING AND WHERE WE STAND ON THEIR I, LIKE I SAID, I HAVE A STANDING MEETING RIGHT NOW IN EARLY JANUARY BEFORE OUR NEXT SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD MEETING, I BELIEVE WITH THE CITY MANAGER. I HAVE AN HOUR OF HIS TIME TO KIND OF BEND HIS EAR AND TALK TO HIM AS BEST I CAN.
I KNOW THAT OUR CITY STAFF ASSISTANCE IS ALL VOLUNTARY, SO WE DON'T REALLY WANT TO BURDEN THEM TOO INCREDIBLY MUCH WITH BUILDING OUR OWN PRESENTATION FOR US TO THROW AT THE CITY COUNCIL.
SO IT MAY BE A SITUATION TO WHERE IF ONE OF US ON THE BOARD ARE ABLE TO TAKE CONTROL OF THAT AND KIND OF FIGURE OUT WHAT ALL WE WANT TO PRESENT, KIND OF PUT THE DOLLARS DOWN, FIND THE SPACE, KIND OF PUT EVERYTHING TOGETHER AND MAKE THAT PRESENTATION.
THAT WAY WE DON'T HAVE TO BURDEN OUR OUR CITY RESOURCES ALONG THERE.
SO I LIKE THAT 100%. YEAH. I THINK HAVING MR. MORTON KIND OF ADD HIS TAKE IN IT AND FIND OUT WHERE WE STAND AND WHAT ALL WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO PULL OFF WOULD BE A GREAT MOVE.
YEAH. OKAY. AWESOME. SO I WILL PUT THAT ON MY LIST OF THINGS TO DO FOR WHEN I RUN INTO MR. MORTON. YES. AND I DID MENTION IT TO TIM AND ANNA ABOUT CUSTOM AQUATICS, AND THEY WERE HAPPY TO WORK WITH THEM.
OKAY. YEAH. BREVARD CUSTOM AQUATICS KIND OF ON MY END.
SINCE I WAS TALKING WITH THEM, THEY SAID THE SAME THING. THEY'VE PARTNERED WITH TIM AND ANNETTE, NATIVE BUTTERFLY FLOWERS, MULTIPLE TIMES AND WOULD LOVE TO INCORPORATE AND WORK DIRECTLY WITH THEM ON DESIGNING IT. IS THAT ALL FOR YOUR REPORT? THAT'S IT FOR ME. EXCELLENT. SO, AS IS THE CASE WITH ME, I HAVE A LOT TO TALK ABOUT.
WE KIND OF ALREADY TOUCHED ON THE FIRST THING THAT I WAS GOING TO BRING UP DURING MY BOARD REPORT, WHICH WAS THE THE REMEMBRANCE GARDEN. SO I DON'T NEED TO RELITIGATE THAT SINCE I JUST LITERALLY WENT OVER IT. THE NEXT THING THAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT IS ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT JUST POPPED UP ON MY RADAR SATURDAY.
SO FOUR DAYS AGO I WAS TAKING MY INVASIVE SPECIES FLORIDA MASTER NATURALIST PROGRAM CLASS.
AND DURING IT, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES PLANTS SPECIFICALLY AND OTHER STUFF.
AND ONE OF THE STUDENTS IN THE CLASS BROUGHT UP, HEY, WHEN IS NATIONAL INVASIVE SPECIES WEEK? AND I WAS LIKE, WHAT IS NATIONAL INVASIVE SPECIES WEEK? SO ME BEING ME, I DOVE HEAD FIRST INTO IT. NATIONAL INVASIVE SPECIES AWARENESS WEEK IS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE OCCURRING ON FEBRUARY 23RD THROUGH THE 27TH.
SO WHAT I WANTED TO DO IS I JUST KIND OF REACHED OUT AND STARTED TRYING TO GATHER RESOURCES, FIND OUT WHO WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO WORK WITH ON WHAT.
AND I CONTACTED KEEP BREVARD BEAUTIFUL AND ASKED THEM IF THEY WERE INTERESTED IN DOING ANYTHING WITH OUR NATIONAL INVASIVE SPECIES AWARENESS WEEK, AND THEY SAID THAT THEY ARE 100% ON BOARD. ON GIVING A PRESENTATION ON HOW KEEP BREVARD BEAUTIFUL MANAGES INVASIVE SPECIES AT OUR SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD IN FEBRUARY.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET ON THE AGENDA.
I DON'T THINK WE YEAH, MOST, MOST TIMES THAN NOT, IF THEY JUST REACH OUT TO US AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS FURTHER AT AN AT A MEETING. THEY CAN REACH OUT TO US. WE'LL PUT THEM ON THE AGENDA.
YES. THERE IS A WONDERFUL WEBSITE THAT IS RUN BY THE FLORIDA INVASIVE SPECIES COUNCIL, AND THEY HAVE LISTS OF INVASIVE THINGS THERE, ALL DONE BY SCIENTIFIC NAME.
AND THE PLANTS ARE HARD FOR PEOPLE TO DEAL WITH BECAUSE THERE ARE 174 OF THEM ON THE LIST.
[01:35:04]
AND WHEN YOU TURN AND THEIR LIST IS BY SCIENTIFIC NAME, BUT WHEN YOU TURN THAT LIST AROUND AND YOU PUT IT BY COMMON NAME, IT'S WELL OVER 200. SO I HAVE WORKED WITH THEM AND I HAVE COPIED THEIR LIST INTO AN EXCEL SPREADSHEET AND SORTED IT BY COMMON NAME. SPREAD IT OUT SO THAT EVERY COMMON NAME IS LISTED, AND THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE USEFUL FOR THAT MEETING.I THINK DEREK MIGHT BE THE BEST CONTACT FOR HER TO SEND THAT TO.
ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S ON THE ON THE WEBSITE, ON THAT'S ON THE WEBSITE IS OLD NOW BECAUSE IT'S 2023.
THEY JUST UPDATED IT JUNE 25TH. SO I'M WORKING WITH THAT TO GET THAT ONE.
OKAY. SO WE CAN UPDATE THE WEBSITE TOO. OKAY, GREAT.
THANKS. AND SO TO KEEP ON TO MY WHAT CAN WE DO AS A SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD FOR FEBRUARY FOR NATIONAL INVASIVE SPECIES WEEK? THE ORGANIZATION, THE NORTH AMERICAN INVASIVE SPECIES AWARENESS COUNCIL, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I WAS HOPING THAT WE MIGHT, AS A SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD, ADAPT OR ADOPT THAT PROCLAMATION AND SEE WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN GET THE CITY OF PALM BAY AT A CITY COUNCIL MEETING TO ACKNOWLEDGE NATIONAL INVASIVE SPECIES AWARENESS WEEK IN FEBRUARY, AT HOPEFULLY THE PRECEDING COUNCIL MEETING. DEREK, DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW IF THERE IS A PROCESS IN PLACE? I IMAGINE THERE IS A PROCESS IN PLACE AS TO HOW PROCLAMATIONS GET SUBMITTED TO THE CITY AND REVIEWED.
BECAUSE I KNOW THE COUNCIL SEEMS TO HAVE A COUPLE OF THEM EVERY SINGLE MEETING.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I'M FAMILIAR WITH, BUT IF I HAD TO GUESS, I'D MAYBE SUBMIT TO THE CLERK, THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE AND AND GET THEIR INPUT.
YES, I'D GO THROUGH. I'D GO THROUGH THE CITY CLERK. OKAY.
YEAH. SO IF THE BOARD IS INTERESTED IN THAT I CAN TRY TO TAKE THE LEAD ON THAT.
I KNOW I HAVE A QUESTION. IS THE GOAL OF THIS TO ELIMINATE INVASIVE INVASIVE SPECIES OR TO CONTROL IT? I MEAN, IT'S CONTROL AND ELIMINATION IS THE ULTIMATE GOAL.
BUT RIGHT NOW, FOR THE NATIONAL INVASIVE SPECIES AWARENESS WEEK, IT'S ACTUALLY BUILT INTO THE NAME.
IT'S JUST KIND OF TRYING TO BUILD AWARENESS AND EDUCATION TO IT AND TRY TO GET THE PUBLIC INFORMATION OUT THERE THAT PEOPLE MAY NOT BE AWARE OF, THAT THEY'RE MEXICAN PETUNIAS AND THEY'RE NON-NATIVE LANTANAS AND BRAZILIAN PEPPER.
SO TRYING TO JUST BRING THAT AWARENESS TO THE PUBLIC TRYING TO GET THE CITY TO BECOME AWARE OF IT AND KIND OF PROMOTE THAT OUT, I THINK IS A GREAT FIRST STEP. ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT I WANTED TO POTENTIALLY DO, AND IT KIND OF TIES BACK INTO SOMETHING WE DISCUSSED EARLIER IS ANOTHER PUBLIC AWARENESS EVENT. IF AT TURKEY CREEK, IF WE ARE ABLE TO I KNOW THAT KEEP BREVARD BEAUTIFUL HAS ALSO BEEN INTERESTED IN THAT KIND OF WHEN I THREW THAT OUT THERE, JUST LIKE, WHAT ALL COULD WE DO? THEY WANTED TO GET INVOLVED IN A PUBLIC AWARENESS EVENT. I THINK THE SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD HAVING A PRESENCE AT AN EVENT LIKE THAT WOULD BE GREAT, BECAUSE WE ALL SHARE A LOT OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT INVASIVE SPECIES.
SO WE CAN ALSO KIND OF HELP COMMUNICATE WITH THAT.
ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF MY INVASIVE SPECIES CLASS IS ACTUALLY A PARK RANGER AT TURKEY CREEK.
AND HE WAS KIND OF THE ONE THAT FLOATED THE IDEA BEFORE I EVEN GOT A CHANCE DURING OUR CLASS OF, HEY, LET'S DO AN EVENT AT TURKEY CREEK TALKING ABOUT INVASIVE SPECIES.
SO THEY MIGHT BE INVOLVED IN IT. AND I'VE REACHED OUT TO UF, IFAS EXTENSION, THE BREVARD EXTENSION HERE TO SEE IF THEY'RE INTERESTED IN KIND OF PARTAKING IN SOMETHING LIKE THAT. AGAIN, JUST TRYING TO GATHER RESOURCES INITIALLY TO FIND OUT WHO ALL MIGHT BE INTERESTED. AND I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING BACK FROM UF IFAS, BUT WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS. I KNOW THEY HAVE A CHAPTER OF THE FLORIDA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
KIND OF SPEAKING WITH BETH ABOUT IT JUST A LITTLE BIT BEFOREHAND.
SHE HAS A PLANT, THIS NOT THAT PRESENTATION THAT SHE HAS ALREADY HAD RIP ROARING AND READY TO GO.
[01:40:07]
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ADDED.SO I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADD A FURTHER DISCUSSION ON WHAT WE CAN DO AS A SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD FOR NATIONAL INVASIVE SPECIES AWARENESS WEEK TO THE JANUARY AGENDA SINCE JANUARY IS EFFECTIVELY THE LAST TIME WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DISCUSS WHAT WE WANT TO DO FOR FEBRUARY BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANOTHER BOARD MEETING BETWEEN THEN. SO IF I COULD GET A SECOND, SECOND.
OKAY. WE HAVE A SECOND. SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ADDING DISCUSSION ABOUT NATIONAL INVASIVE SPECIES AWARENESS WEEK TO THE JANUARY AGENDA, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE AYE. OKAY. AND ANY OPPOSED? PASSES FIVE ZERO. SO WE WOULD HAVE THAT ADDED TO OUR JANUARY AGENDA TO DISCUSS THAT.
AGAIN. IF ANYBODY HAS ANY ADDITIONAL IDEAS OR THINGS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO THINK OF BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, AS TO HOW WE CAN DRIVE AWARENESS AND PARTICIPATE MORE FURTHER INTO THIS NATIONAL INVASIVE SPECIES AWARENESS WEEK? I KIND OF THINK THIS IS CUSTOM MADE FOR WHAT WE DO.
I THINK WE HAD ONE COMMENT THAT WANTED TO BE MADE.
DID YOU HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT STILL? I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT WHEN YOU GO INTO HOME DEPOT, THERE'S TONS OF INVASIVE PLANTS ON THE LIST THAT ARE HOME DEPOT, LOWE'S, STICK TO THE NATIVE GARDEN CENTERS.
YES. YEAH. SO JUST SO IT'S ON RECORD THAT MR. BLACKFORD WAS TALKING ABOUT HOW BIG BOX STORES HAVE ALL THESE INVASIVE SPECIES AND ARE OUT FOR SALE.
SO TRYING TO DRIVE THAT AWARENESS AND FOCUSING PRIMARILY ON NATIVE PLANTS.
AND WE HAVE A COUPLE OF NATIVE NURSERIES THAT ARE ACTUALLY LOCATED INSIDE THE CITY OF PALM BAY.
SO YOU CAN SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES BY ALSO AVOIDING INVASIVE SPECIES.
KIND OF TYING INTO MY NEXT ITEM WHEN I WAS AT THE FLORIDA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY'S MEETING ON DECEMBER I WAS ACTUALLY AT A TABLE WITH MISS DIANE BURRELL WHO USED TO BE A FORMER EMPLOYEE OF THE CITY OF PALM BAY AND ACTUALLY IS ONE OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO HELPED ESTABLISH TURKEY CREEK SANCTUARY.
AND SHE KIND OF BENT MY EAR BECAUSE I WAS TALKING TO HER.
SO I WANTED TO BRING THIS TO THE PUBLIC AWARENESS. JUST HER CONCERNS SOMETHING THAT WE MAY WANT TO KIND OF TRY TO GUIDE THE CITY ON AND SEE WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN WORK WITH THEM TO BRING AWARENESS TO IT. ONE OF HER MAIN CONCERNS, AND SHE REPEATED THIS MULTIPLE TIMES, IS THAT TURKEY CREEK SANCTUARY, AS IT IS PUT IN THE NAME, IS A SANCTUARY. IT IS NOT NECESSARILY MEANT TO BE A PUBLIC PARK.
SO THERE ARE A LOT OF THE BOARDWALKS AND EVERYTHING WERE BUILT AT TURKEY CREEK SANCTUARY TO SPECIFICALLY DRIVE FOOT TRAFFIC TO THERE THROUGH THOSE BOARDWALKS AND MINIMIZE THE IMPACT TO THE PLANTS AND THE COMMUNITIES AROUND THERE.
THE PLANT AND ANIMAL COMMUNITIES THROUGH THAT AREA.
SHE HAS BEEN CONCERNED WITH THE WAY THAT THE PARK HAS KIND OF EXPAND AND THE TRAILS HAVE ACTUALLY GONE OFF THE BOARDWALKS AND THROUGH THE PINE FORESTS AND EVERYTHING. AND AGAIN, THAT'S THE PART WHERE SHE WAS SAYING THAT IT IS A SANCTUARY.
IT IS MEANT TO BE A PINELAND SANCTUARY FOR THE PLANTS THEMSELVES.
SO A LOT OF THIS DISTURBANCE IS GOING THROUGH A LOT OF THE PINELANDS AREAS AND WHATNOT.
THERE IS MOWING GOING ON BECAUSE THIS DISTURBED AREA HAS STARTED TO GROW UP AND INTRODUCE, YOU'RE ACTUALLY STARTING TO SEE NON-NATIVE SPECIES LIKE GRASSES AND WHATNOT POP UP IN THOSE AREAS.
SO THAT HAS INTRODUCED MOWING, WHICH FURTHER EXACERBATES THE EFFECTS THAT ARE BEING PUT ONTO THE THE ROOT SYSTEMS OF THESE PLANTS WITHIN THE PALM BAY OR THE TURKEY CREEK SANCTUARY. SO SHE JUST WANTED TO KIND OF TRY TO BRING AWARENESS TO THIS AND THAT WIND PATTERNS COULD TOPPLE TREES AS THINGS KIND OF CHANGE.
BECAUSE, AGAIN, WE'RE HAVING SOME OPEN SPACES IN BETWEEN THE PINE STANDS.
SO SHE JUST KIND OF BIT MY EAR AND GAVE ME A DISCUSSION. I HAD TO TALK WITH ME FOR A LITTLE BIT, AND WAS KIND OF HIGHLY CONCERNED WITH HOW OUR TURKEY CREEK SANCTUARY HAS STARTED TO BECOME MORE VIEWED AS A RECREATIONAL PARK, AS OPPOSED TO AN ACTUAL NATIVE PLANT SANCTUARY.
LIKE ITS INITIAL DESIGNS WERE SO THAT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT WE KIND OF TRY TO WORK WITH AND BRING AWARENESS TO AGAIN AS WELL WITH THE CITY AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY IDEAS THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO BRING UP TO KIND OF BRING SOME MORE THOUGHT AND FOREFRONT TO THAT.
THIS IS PARTLY BECAUSE IT'S UNIQUE TO IN IN THIS REGION.
SO IT'S HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER. IF WE HAD MORE OF THEM, THERE WOULDN'T BE AS MUCH.
[01:45:08]
YEAH. SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S SINCE I'VE MOVED HERE IN 2018, THERE'S BEEN TIMES WHEN I'VE BEEN SURPRISED TO GET TO THE SIGN IN PLACE AND SEE THERE'S I'VE SEEN LIKE 20 PEOPLE ON MY WALK AND THERE'S LIKE TWO THAT ARE SIGNED IN.SO THEY'RE ALSO UNDERFUNDED FOR THE RELATIVE TO THEIR FOOT TRAFFIC.
IT'S A PROBLEM. SO YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
AND LASTLY I HAVE A HANDOUT. DO. SINCE MISS JANE TAUGHT ME I COULD DO THIS LAST MONTH.
BY DOING SO, SHE JUST PRINTED THINGS OUT. I MEAN, SHE DIDN'T ACTUALLY TEACH ME, BUT SHE PRINTED THINGS OUT, AND SO I WAS LIKE, I CAN PRINT THINGS OUT. I WAS GOING TO SHARE THIS. I WILL PASS SOME DOWN.
AND THIS KIND OF TIES BACK INTO THE NATIONAL INVASIVE SPECIES AWARENESS WEEK.
I KIND OF TOOK IT UPON MYSELF TO LOOK OVER, AND I'VE GOT A PILE FOR ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE AND CITY STAFF HERE TO JUST KIND OF GO THROUGH AND SAY, HEY, I MEAN, IF NATIONAL INVASIVE SPECIES AWARENESS WEEK HAPPENS.
BUT IF WE DO FIND OURSELVES LACKING FOR IDEAS ON THE SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD OR FIND OURSELVES WANING AND ACTIVITIES THAT WE CAN TAKE WE MAY WANT TO RELOOK AT THIS CALENDAR AND KIND OF TAKE SOME INSPIRATION FROM THAT AND SEE, BECAUSE, I MEAN, WE'VE GOT THINGS JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH, APRIL, BASICALLY ALL THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THERE'S DIFFERENT EVENTS GOING ON THAT RELATE TO SUSTAINABILITY THAT WE COULD FOCUS ON, TRY TO DRIVE EDUCATION, TO DRIVE AWARENESS, TO AND TRY TO EFFECTIVELY MAKE PALM BAY WE ARE THE LARGEST CITY IN BREVARD COUNTY.
SO IF WE CAN TAKE A FOREFRONT IN LEADING AWARENESS FOR THESE SUSTAINABILITY EVENTS AND WHATNOT.
I SELFISHLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE PALM BAY TAKE THE LEAD ON THAT.
WE'RE BIGGER THAN MELBOURNE. WE CAN BULLY THEM AROUND AND HAVE OURSELVES BE A BIGGER PRESENCE IN THE AREA WITH MELBOURNE AND KIND OF START SHOWING THEM, HEY, YOU GUYS CAN HAVE SOME SUSTAINABILITY EVENTS, LET US HAVE SOME SUSTAINABILITY EVENTS.
SO IF Y'ALL WANT TO LOOK AT THIS THIS IS AGAIN JUST PURELY INFORMATIONAL.
YES. I'D LIKE TO ADD ONE DATE. JANUARY 16TH IS FLORIDA'S ARBOR DAY.
EXCELLENT. SO FLORIDA'S ARBOR DAY IS JANUARY 16TH.
IF ANYBODY HAS ANY OTHER ADDITIONS THAT THEY KNOW ABOUT, MORE THAN HAPPY TO BRING THEM IN.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ACTUALLY MIGHT TIE TO YOU, MISS REBECCA, WOULD BE.
WE KIND OF HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON TRYING TO DRIVE SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE CITY'S WEBSITE AND WHATNOT.
IF THERE'S A WAY FOR US TO CREATE A SUSTAINABILITY CALENDAR ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
THAT WAY, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S EFFECTIVELY OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO ADD ALL OF THESE EVENTS ON HERE, JUST NOT NECESSARILY SOMETHING THE SUSTAINABILITY BOARD IS TAKING ACTION ON, BUT JUST TO HAVE THEM OUT THERE. SO THE, THE CITY RESIDENTS OF THE CITY WOULD KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND AS WE CONTINUE TO BUILD AND CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD WE MAY HAVE MORE AND MORE EVENTS.
KIND OF LIKE I SAID, WE MIGHT BECOME THE BIG BOYS WITH HOLDING EVENTS LIKE THAT.
SO JUST HAVING A CALENDAR ON THE CITY WEBSITE MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO EXPLORE. AND HAVING ALL OF THESE LITTLE THINGS ON THERE, OR EVEN JUST HIGHLIGHTING ONE THAT'S REGIONALLY APPROPRIATE YOU KNOW, EVERY OTHER MONTH OR SOMETHING.
YEAH. YES. JUST A WORD OF ADVICE. THEY DO HAVE A AREA WHERE IT'S A PUBLIC NOTICE WHERE YOU CAN POST.
SO THEY MAY BE ALSO SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN LOOK INTO.
SO THERE'S A PUBLIC NOTICE SECTION ONTO THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
SO YOU MAY WANT TO TRY TO REACH OUT. I FORGET WHAT IT'S UNDER BUT THERE'S A PUBLIC NOTICE SECTION.
OKAY. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I CAN TRY TO BRING UP WITH THE CITY MANAGER WHEN I HAVE A MEETING WITH HIM, FIND OUT WHAT KIND OF AVENUES AND WHATNOT WE HAVE TO TAKE TO BE ABLE TO GET ON THAT PUBLIC NOTICE SECTION.
I'M NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO MEET OR ATTEND THIS THURSDAY'S COUNCIL MEETING.
I KNOW I HAVE BECOME A REGULAR PRESENCE AT CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS.
[01:50:01]
AND IT'S I THINK IT'S GREATLY BENEFITED THE BOARD AS WELL.I'M JUST HOPING THAT IF SOMEBODY IS ABLE TO STEP IN AND FILL MY ROLE ON THURSDAY, NOT NECESSARILY HAVE TO SPEAK OR ANYTHING, BUT JUST BE A PRESENCE THERE. THAT WAY, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THE COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THAT RELATES TO SUSTAINABILITY OR MIGHT TIE INTO SUSTAINABILITY, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO GRAB THAT AND BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD MEETING.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY HAS ANY AVAILABILITY FOR THURSDAY, BUT UNFORTUNATELY IT'S MY CHILD'S BIRTHDAY, SO I WON'T BE THERE. I LOVE HIM, I LOVE THE CITY COUNCIL, AND I LOVE GOING TO THE COUNCIL MEETINGS SINCE I AM A WEIRDO.
BUT I LOVE MY CHILD A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN I LIKE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS.
THANK YOU. I'LL LOOK AT MY CALENDAR. EXCELLENT.
YEAH. I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY NOT A REQUIREMENT FOR ANY OF US BOARD MEMBERS TO BE THERE, BUT I JUST KIND OF LIKE TO CONTINUE WITH THE MOMENTUM THAT WE HAVE, AND IT WOULD BE NICE FOR THE COUNCIL TO BE ABLE TO SEE MULTIPLE FACES AS OPPOSED TO MY FACE EVERY MONTH OR EVERY COUNCIL MEETING.
SOMETIMES WE'RE AFTER THAT SECOND MEETING. BUT THEY THEY DON'T LIMIT YOU TO PUBLIC COMMENTS.
YOU COULD STILL TALK DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION.
AS I HAVE BECOME A FREQUENT VISITOR OF. BUT THE OFFICIAL BOARD REPORTS SECTION WHERE WE WOULD ACTUALLY GET ADDED TO THE END OF AGENDA, THAT IS ONLY ON THE SECOND MEETINGS ON THERE.
ALL RIGHT. AND WITH THAT, IF WE HAVE NO FURTHER COMMENTS OR REPORTS FROM THE BOARD.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY UPCOMING MEETINGS OR EVENTS OF INTEREST THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT? JUST THE UPCOMING MEETING IN JANUARY IS ON NATIVE BEES. PRESENTED BY A PALM BAY RESIDENT, LAURA ZORRO, WHICH WOULD BE AWESOME BECAUSE SHE SPEAKS STATEWIDE ON THIS AND SHE WRITES FOR MANY PROFESSIONAL BEE MAGAZINES.
SO SHE'S PRETTY WELL KNOWN IN THE BEE WORLD. AND THAT MEETING IS I'M TRYING TO FIND IT.
JANUARY 12TH JANUARY 12TH AT 6:00. EXCELLENT.
THE CONSERVATION WILD FLORIDA FIVE-K IS HAPPENING IN ORLANDO AROUND LAKE BALDWIN.
I KNOW IT'S NOT NECESSARILY IN PALM BAY SPECIFICALLY, BUT IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN RUNNING, YOU'RE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING AND STUFF LIKE THAT. I DON'T RUN, I'M LAZY, I WALK THEM.
THAT'S ENTIRELY ACCEPTABLE. YES. SO THAT ACTUALLY IS IN SUPPORT OF CONSERVATION FLORIDA, WHICH IS INTERESTED IN DOING LAND ACQUISITION FOR THE FLORIDA WILDLIFE CORRIDOR.
AGAIN, THAT IS GOING TO BE ON JANUARY 31ST AT LAKE BALDWIN.
AND I BELIEVE IF YOU GO TO THEIR WEBSITE, CONSERVATION FLORIDA'S WEBSITE AND THEIR SOCIAL
MEDIA PAGE, YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO FIND MORE INFORMATION ON HOW TO SIGN UP FOR THAT. ARE THERE ANY OTHER
EVENTS? ALL RIGHT. SEEING NONE, WE WILL ADJOURN THIS MEETING AT 754.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.