[CALL TO ORDER:]
[00:00:02]
IT IS NOW 1800 HOURS. I'M GOING TO CALL THIS SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING 2026-26 TO ORDER.
THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE WILL BE LED BY COUNCILMAN KENNY JOHNSON.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[ROLL CALL:]
MADAM JONES, ROLL CALL, PLEASE. MAYOR MEDINA PRESENT.MAYOR JAFFEY HERE. COUNCILMAN JOHNSON PRESENT.
COUNCILMAN HAMMER. PRESENT. COUNCILMAN LANGEVIN.
PRESENT. MR. MORTON. PRESENT. MISS SMITH. PRESENT WELL.
ALL PRESENT AND ACCOUNTED FOR. PUBLIC HEARING.
[PUBLIC HEARING:]
NUMBER ONE. I'M GOING TO OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING AND DEFER TO MR. MORTON. THANK YOU, HONORABLE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY OF PALM BAY, FLORIDA, HAS TENTATIVELY ADOPTED AN IN OPERATING MILLAGE RATE OF 6.6015 FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2026 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2026.THE CITY OF PALM BAY, FLORIDA, HAS ALSO TENTATIVELY ADOPTED A DEBT MILLAGE RATE OF 0.9385 FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2026 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2027. THE TENTATIVE DEBT MILLAGE RATE SHALL GENERATE ESTIMATED REVENUES TOTALING $10,012,336, BASED ON THE GROSS TAXABLE VALUE CERTIFIED BY THE PROPERTY APPRAISER'S OFFICE.
ASSUMING AN ESTIMATED 96% COLLECTION RATE, THESE REVENUES ARE RESTRICTED AND ARE DESIGNATED FOR PAYMENTS OF THE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS SERIES 2019 DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS TOTALING $528,500. THE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS SERIES 2021 DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS TOTALING $3,445,400, AND THE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS SERIES 2023 DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS TOTALING $3,039,075, ALL DUE IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 BUDGET.
ALL CONCERNED CITIZENS HAVE BEEN INVITED TO ATTEND TONIGHT'S PUBLIC HEARING STARTING AT 6 P.M.
AT THE CITY OF PALM BAY CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, LOCATED AT 120 MALABAR ROAD, SOUTHEAST PALM BAY, FLORIDA, 32907. A FINAL DECISION ON THE PROPOSED TAX INCREASE AND THE BUDGET WILL BE MADE AT THIS HEARING.
THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 PROPOSED BUDGET REFLECTS THE DIRECTION, PARAMETERS AND RECOMMENDATIONS DEVELOPED THROUGH FOUR BUDGET WORKSHOPS HELD ON JANUARY 20TH, MAY 13TH, JULY 7TH AND AUGUST 4TH, 2026.
ACHIEVING THAT BALANCE, HOWEVER, REQUIRED SOME DIFFICULT DECISIONS AND MEANINGFUL TRADE OFFS, BUT IT DOES ALLOW THE CITY TO MAINTAIN A FOCUS ON FISCAL SUSTAINABILITY WHILE CONTINUING TO FUND MOST OF OUR HIGHEST PRIORITIES.
AMONG THESE DIFFICULT DECISIONS, OF COURSE, ARE THE PARTIAL CLOSURE OF THE PALM BAY AQUATIC CENTER AND FUNDING APPROXIMATELY 28 POSITIONS IN THE GENERAL FUND AND ELIMINATING AN ADDITIONAL 4 TO 5. SUCH DECISIONS ARE NECESSARY FOR BALANCING THE BUDGET AND ENSURING THAT OUR RECURRING REVENUES STAY ALIGNED WITH OUR RECURRING EXPENDITURES.
THIS INCLUDES APPROXIMATELY $15.3 MILLION FOR PUBLIC SAFETY PENSIONS, FIRE CAPTAIN CONTINGENCY FUNDING AS REQUIRED BY THE LAST BARGAINING AGREEMENT, AND PROCUREMENT CONSULTING ONGOING SERVICES AS WE REBUILD THE PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT.
THE BUDGET ALSO PROVIDES INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE, CORE SERVICES.
THIS INCLUDES FUNDING THE ROAD MAINTENANCE FUND TO 3.25 MILLION AND AN ADDITIONAL 1.765 MILLION IN LOCAL GAS TAX FUNDING FOR ROAD MAINTENANCE, ALONG WITH PUTTING AN ADDITIONAL 6000 $600,000 FOR THE EMERGENCY FLEET REPLACEMENT FUND OR FLEET SINKING FUND, AS WE CALL IT. WE HAVE ALSO INCLUDED FUNDING FOR A WORK ORDER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR CITY DEPARTMENTS.
IT PROVIDES US WITH DATA DRIVEN INFORMATION REGARDING LEVELS OF SERVICE AND RESOURCE NEEDS, HELPS US MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT RESOURCE ALLOCATION AND FUTURE BUDGET CYCLES, AND WILL HELP FURTHER CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT AND REPORTING.
THE PROPOSED BUDGET FURTHER ADDRESSES CRITICAL OPERATING AND CAPITAL OUTLAY NEEDS, AS WELL AS CONTINUING CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, SPECIFICALLY IN UTILITIES AND STORMWATER UTILITY.
[00:05:04]
THE EXACT NUMBER. THOSE FUNDS, INSTEAD, BY COUNCIL DIRECTION, HAVE BEEN REALLOCATED TO A CONTINGENCY TO SUPPORT ONGOING OPERATIONS OR PARTIAL REOPENING OF THE PALM BAY AQUATIC CENTER, AND ALSO POTENTIALLY TO ADDRESS CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS WITH BREVARD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS RELATED TO THE PALM BAY AQUATIC CENTER.THE FUNDING SHOULD COVER APPROXIMATELY TWO MONTHS OF OPEN OPERATIONS AT THE AQUATIC CENTER, AS WELL AS DAILY MAINTENANCE NEEDS UNTIL MARCH, WHEN IT'S ANTICIPATED. AFTER THE NOVEMBER CLOSURE, THE POOL WILL REOPEN.
THE 2027 PROPOSED BUDGET REFLECTS A BALANCE BETWEEN FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.
THE BULK OF CORE SERVICES WE PROVIDE TO OUR COMMUNITY AGAIN REPRESENTS A BALANCED BUDGET, WITH NO RELIANCE ON FUND BALANCE FOR RECURRING OPERATIONS, WHILE DOING OUR BEST TO ADDRESS PUBLIC SAFETY, INFRASTRUCTURE, UTILITIES, STORMWATER AND OTHER CRITICAL PRIORITIES. AGAIN, I DO ANTICIPATE COMING BACK PROBABLY WITHIN Q1 OR Q2, TO ADDRESS FUNDING FOR OVERTIME FOR FIRE DEPARTMENT SQUADS, WHICH HANDLE THE BULK OF OUR MEDICAL AND EMS CALLS.
THAT NEED STILL NEEDS TO BE RECONCILED BEFORE THE YEAR IS OUT.
LASTLY THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND A LOT OF INFORMATION CIRCLING.
WE'VE RECEIVED A LOT OF QUESTIONS IN RESPECT TO THE UTILITY DEPARTMENT BUDGET. GABRIEL, IF YOU WANT TO MAKE YOUR WAY UP HERE TO THE TO THE TO THE QUESTION, WE WILL SAY THAT THE CURRENT BUDGET, AT LEAST MAINTENANCE OPERATION AND SOME CAPITAL WAS BASED OFF THE CURRENT RATES.
OBVIOUSLY, THE NO RATE INCREASES GOING INTO THIS FISCAL YEAR.
OUR CAPITAL NEEDS ARE DRIVEN BY GROWTH. THEY'RE DRIVEN BY AGING INFRASTRUCTURE, ANTIQUATED TECHNOLOGY OR NOT BEST PRACTICE TECHNOLOGY, AND OF COURSE, NEW REGULATORY PRESSURES. IN FACT, I HAD THIS CONVERSATION AGAIN WHEN I WAS IN DC AND SENATOR SCOTT'S OFFICE.
AND DESPITE ARGUABLY THE UNITED STATES HAVING THE CLEANEST WATER AND WASTEWATER IN THE WORLD, EVERY YEAR, WE CONTINUALLY GET NEW MANDATES FROM STATE AND FEDERAL, WHICH ALWAYS DRIVE ADDITIONAL COST PRESSURE.
SO WE WERE REFLECTING AS STAFF ON OUR COMMUNICATION AROUND UTILITIES IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS TO YEAR.
WE DID NOT DO A GREAT JOB. AND SO TONIGHT WE JUST WANT TO SHARE BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF CONFUSION ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS TO THE UTILITY BUDGET WITHOUT ANY RATE INCREASES TO SHOW YOU WHAT WE ARE DOING, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TACKLE THIS YEAR, WHY WE HAVE TO TACKLE SERVICE DELIVERY, QUALITY, SECURITY AND FUTURE INFRASTRUCTURE, AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO PIVOT TO ACCOMPLISH THOSE THREE TASKS GIVEN THE CONSTRAINTS THAT WE HAVE. SO GABRIEL HAS A HIGH LEVEL PRESENTATION JUST TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS AND CONNECT THOSE DOTS FOR ANYONE WHO'S CURIOUS HOW WE'RE PROCEEDING. THANK YOU MATT.
SO TONIGHT WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THOSE CIP ADJUSTMENTS BEFORE WE GET TO THOSE CYP ADJUSTMENTS, THERE ARE A FEW PRESSURES ON THE UTILITY THAT WE'VE COMMUNICATED IN THE PAST, BUT WE WANT TO KIND OF REFRESH YOUR MEMORY ON THOSE AND KIND OF DIG INTO THE DATA. WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT CUSTOMER GROWTH, THE PRESSURES THAT PLACES ON THE UTILITY COMPLIANCE AND CAPACITY, THE DEMAND ON OUR SUPPLY. SO FIRST LET'S LOOK AT CUSTOMER GROWTH.
WE'RE ON TRACK FOR THAT BY WITHIN AROUND 1000.
ALSO, WE WANT TO KIND OF TALK ABOUT CUSTOMER GROWTH AS IT RELATES TO INFILL.
REALLY IN MY TWO YEARS PLUS WITH THE CITY REALLY STARTING TO UNDERSTAND NOT JUST THE DEVELOPMENT THAT WE HAVE COMING IN FROM NEW DEVELOPMENT, BUT ALSO INFILL. THE IMAGE ON THE LEFT IS BLUE DOTS REPRESENTING ALL OF THE VACANT PARCELS ON INFILL PROPERTIES THAT HAVE WATER MAINS ADJACENT TO THEM.
SO MAYBE NOT ALL OF THESE PARCELS ARE BUILDABLE, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF PARCELS.
THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEM LIKELY ARE BUILDABLE.
ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE IS WANK WATER AVAILABLE NOT CONNECTED PREMISES.
IT'S ABOUT 1900 HOMES THAT CURRENTLY HAVE RESIDENTS.
THEY ARE USING A WELL, BUT THEIR HOME IS IN FRONT OF A WATER MAIN.
SO AT ANY TIME THEY COULD CONNECT. IN ALL, WE HAVE ABOUT 7000 PARCELS THAT COULD CONNECT POTENTIALLY CONNECT TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE AT ANY TIME. SO AS WE LOOK AT GOING BACK TO 2021, THE INFILL SHARE OF OUR CUSTOMER INCREASE HAS RANGED FROM ABOUT 34% TO 60%. CURRENTLY, YEAR TO DATE, WE'RE PROJECTING TO BE AT THE END OF THIS YEAR AT ABOUT 500.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT ABOUT 344 INFILL LOTS. THAT REPRESENTS ABOUT 34%.
[00:10:01]
AND IF WE STAY AT THAT 500, DEPENDING ON THE DEVELOPMENT THAT COMES IN, WE HAVE A WIDE RANGE DEPENDING ON HOW QUICKLY DEVELOPMENT MIGHT COME IN OF WHAT THAT NUMBER MIGHT BE. AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT HERE IN A SECOND.SO DEVELOPMENTS, WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE CITY IN THE NORTHWEST.
A POTENTIAL OF 8000 IN THE SOUTHEAST. THIS AREA HERE, WE'VE GOT A POTENTIAL OF 8700.
FORGIVE THE TERM, BUT THE SOUTHEAST EAST. ANOTHER 7400 IN THE SOUTH.
SOUTHEAST. THE FAR SOUTH. 8500 IN THE SOUTHWEST AREA.
ABOUT 8400 AND IN THE PHOENIX PARK AREA, ABOUT 7000.
IN ALL, ABOUT 48,280. NEW DEVELOPMENTS FROM DEVELOPERS REQUIRING ABOUT 10.8 MILLION GALLONS A DAY.
IF ALL BUILT SO IN ALL, ABOUT 7000 INFILL. 4800.
280 DEVELOPMENT FOR FIVE 55,280. IF ALL BUILD AND THAT REPRESENTS 12,438,000 GALLONS A DAY. SO THAT'S CUSTOMER GROWTH.
NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT THE PRESSURES ON THE UTILITY RELATED TO COMPLIANCE.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THOSE. PFAS REGULATIONS AND CHLORIDE LIMITS.
IN 2024, THE EPA ISSUED NEW RULES ON PFAS. THINK FOREVER CHEMICALS.
THIS IS INFORMATION I'VE SHARED BEFORE, BUT IT'S GOOD TO REVIEW AND FAMILIARIZE OURSELVES WITH THE BOTTOM LINE ON THIS IS THE UTILITIES HAVE TO BE COMPLIANT BY 2029. THERE IS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT GIVING SOME EXTENSIONS ON THAT POTENTIALLY TO 2031 TO BE COMPLIANT WITH THAT.
SO WHAT DOES COMPLIANT MEAN? PFAS CHEMICALS, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF COMPOUNDS.
THE MAJOR ONES ARE PFOA AND PFOS. BEING IN COMPLIANT MEANS YOUR ENTRY POINT HAS FOUR PARTS PER TRILLION OR LESS FOR EACH OF THOSE. SO HOW DO WE LOOK? OUR ENTRY POINT PFOA IS 7.6 AND PFOS IS 5.8 FOR A TOTAL SCORE OF 13.4, SIGNIFICANTLY ABOVE THE FOUR PARTS.
NOW THE ENTRY POINT IS A RESULT OF OUR WELLS.
SO HOW DO OUR WELLS LOOK? WE'VE SAMPLED FIVE WELLS.
WE HAVE WELL OVER 30. BOB AND HIS TEAM ARE WORKING ON SAMPLING THE REMAINDER OF THOSE SO THAT WE KNOW HOW WE CAN BLEND TO ACHIEVE COMPLIANCE OR GET AS CLOSE TO COMPLIANCE AS POSSIBLE. BUT THE FIVE WELLS WE HAVE SAMPLED THREE OF THE FIVE WELLS ARE SIGNIFICANTLY ABOVE THE LIMITS.
WELL, 13, 16 AND 18 HAVE COMBINED SCORES OF 1220 AND 48, 59 AND 68 ARE AROUND TWO PARTS PER TRILLION. AND AGAIN, THAT SOUNDS LIKE A BIG NUMBER TWO PARTS PER TRILLION, BUT IT'S A VERY SMALL AMOUNT IN A VERY LARGE AMOUNT OF WATER.
SO THE SECOND THING WE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IS CHLORIDES.
THERE'S A LOT OF DATA. SO FOR WELLS THREE THROUGH 12, THE BLACK LINE IS THE LIMIT.
AND OTHERS YOU CAN SEE IN 22 THROUGH 25 THEY'RE STARTING TO TREND HIGHER.
FOR WELLS 13 THROUGH 23. AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE THE SAME WITH SPORADIC.
WE'VE GOT SOME THAT ARE NICE AROUND 150 TO 200.
BUT THEY STILL BOUNCE UP ABOVE 200 AND OTHERS THAT ARE FLIRTING WITH THAT 300.
MARK WELLS 24 THROUGH 51. AGAIN, SAME THING. YOU CAN SEE THE TREND FROM 21 TO 25.
THOSE LEVELS ARE INCREASING. AND FINALLY WELLS 52 THROUGH 68.
THIS BUNCH IS UNDERNEATH THE 300. BUT AGAIN THEY ARE TRENDING UP.
THERE ARE NO GREEN DOTS. THE RED DOTS ARE PRETTY HIGH AND THE BLACK DOTS HAVE BEEN TAKEN OUT OF SERVICE AND THE ORANGE DOTS ARE BETWEEN 100 AND 200 AND ARE MONITORED CLOSELY.
[00:15:08]
ALL RIGHT. SO CUSTOMER GROWTH IS A PRESSURE. COMPLIANCE IS A PRESSURE.AND THEN ALSO KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT CAPACITY WISE THE AMOUNT OF OUR SUPPLY THAT WE HAVE FOR THE DEMAND I'VE SHARED IN THE PAST, THIS BENCHMARK FROM A W W AYE IN THE 75TH PERCENTILE, A COMMUNITY WOULD ONLY BE USING 36% OF THEIR CAPACITY.
IN A MEDIAN, IT'D BE 52% AND THE 25TH PERCENTILE, 68% OF THEIR CAPACITY IS USED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
EVERYTHING'S NOT AN EMERGENCY. FOR THE TWO AND A HALF YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN WITH THE CITY.
IT FEELS LIKE EVERY TIME WE HAVE AN ISSUE AT THE PLANT, IT'S AN EMERGENCY BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE THE MARGIN IN OUR PRODUCTION CAPACITY IN 2023. THE UTILITY WAS 89%. WE WERE WHITE KNUCKLING IT DURING THIS TIME.
SO IN 2024, THIS IS A SLIDE I HAD SHARED AS I WAS GETTING TO KNOW THE UTILITY ABOUT OUR CIP PLAN.
THE DIFFERENT EXPANSIONS AT THE SOUTH ROW AND THEN THE NORTH ROW PLANT.
AND IN 2025, I SHARED THAT WE WERE GOING TO TRY AND BE A LITTLE BIT MORE AGGRESSIVE ON THE NORTH ROW PLANT BECAUSE OF PFAS AND OTHER OTHER REGULATORY COMPLIANCES. SO WE WERE GOING TO GO INSTEAD OF 2031, JUST DOING TWO MGD, TRY AND DO 6.7 MGD SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY TAKE THE NORTH LIME PLANT OFFLINE. SO THOSE WERE THE DRIVERS OF WHY TO BE MORE AGGRESSIVE ON THAT CIP PLAN.
OUR CAPACITY PROJECTIONS ON THAT CIP PLAN WOULD HAVE HAD US BY 2035 AT 68%, RIGHT WHERE WE WOULD LIKE TO BE WITH GROWTH PROJECTIONS AT 1800, GROWTH COULD BE HIGHER, GROWTH COULD BE LESS.
BUT THAT WAS KIND OF GETTING US WHERE WE NEEDED TO BE.
AND THAT WOULD TAKE OFF THE NORTH LIME PLANT IN 2033.
IN THE MEANTIME, WE'D BE ABLE TO BLEND SOME TO TRY AND GET US TO THAT FOUR PARTS PER TRILLION.
BUT AGAIN, WE'RE WE HAVE NOT ONLY THE THE PFAS, BUT ALSO THE CHLORIDES THAT ARE INCREASING.
AND I DO WANT TO POINT OUT, WHILE WE DO HAVE THE THE NORTH LIME PLANT CONTRIBUTING 4.5 MILLION GALLONS A DAY TO OUR PLANT CAPACITY WE'RE NOT ABLE TO DO THAT FOR A SUSTAINED AMOUNT OF TIME.
A FIRM CAPACITY FOR THE NORTH LINN PLANT IS MORE LIKE 3.5.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT CIP ADJUSTMENTS. I WANT TO BRING THIS UP THAT STANTEC HAD SHARED.
THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION ON THIS. WE FOCUSED ON JUST REALLY ONE THING HERE AND THE RATE PLAN.
AND I HAVE TO BE HONEST, WHEN STANTEC FIRST SHARED WITH US WHAT THE RATE INCREASE THEY PROJECTED SHOULD BE, WE TOLD THEM TO, GET OUT OF TOWN. YOU'RE CRAZY.
CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE. WHEN WE SHARED IT WITH THEM, THEY SAID, GET OUT OF TOWN. YOU'RE CRAZY. AND WE HAD SEVERAL WORKING SESSIONS TO KIND OF WORK THROUGH THAT. AND YOUR GUYS'S RESPONSE WERE NO DIFFERENT THAN OURS.
SO ON THIS SCREEN, I ALSO KIND OF JUST WANT TO POINT OUT OUR OPERATING FUND, THE CIP SPENDING, AND THEN THE BORROWING. AND ALSO WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE O AND M.
MATT DID MENTION THAT WE HAVE TRADITIONALLY BUDGETED OUR O AND M ON LAST YEAR'S RATES SINCE AS WE'RE GOING INTO THE RAINY SEASON, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO, WHAT THE RATE INCREASE WILL BE.
SO IT'S BASED ON LAST YEAR'S, SO WE'RE STILL ABLE TO DO EVERYTHING IN O AND M.
THIS PLAN DID CALL FOR SPENDING DOWN THE OPERATING FUND BEFORE WE DID BORROWING IN 2028.
SO IN THE MEANTIME, WE'RE GOING TO BE DEVELOPING A LESS AGGRESSIVE CAPITAL PLAN, HAVING WORKSHOPS WITH YOU TO HEAR FROM YOU ON WHAT YOUR RISK LEVEL IS FOR DIFFERENT CAPITAL PLANS. ONE OF THOSE THAT WE COULD LOOK AT, ONE SCENARIO TO PROCEED WITH IS THE NORTH ROW, PHASE ONE AND KEEPING THE NORTH LINE PLANT ONLINE AND PUTTING OFF THE ROW PHASE TWO.
[00:20:08]
NOW, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF RISKS THAT WE, WE FACE WHEN GOING TO THIS SCENARIO THAT WE JUST HAVE TO ADDRESS.SECOND, WE HAVE ADDED RISK WHEN IT COMES TO WATER QUALITY AND OUR SUPPLY BECAUSE OF THE PFAS IMPACTS, WE'LL KNOW MORE AS WE GET THE RESULTS BACK FROM THAT.
AND BOB'S TEAM AND THEN THE CHLORIDES. IF WE HAVE A DRY SUMMER WE COULD SEE AN IMPACT TO OUR SUPPLY.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT DOING IS POTENTIALLY REROUTING THE NORTH WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT THAT MAY PROVIDE A LOWER COST ALTERNATIVE TO THE SOUTH REGIONAL EXPANSION THAT GOES BEYOND 3MG. SO THE 3 TO 6 THAT WE'RE DEFERRING, POTENTIALLY WE COULD REWRITE THE NORTH WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THAT. THAT IS RELIANT ON THE NORTH ROW PLANT'S DEEP INJECTION.
ALL RIGHT. SO WHAT ARE THE LIMITED CIP ACTIVITIES THAT WE NEED TO DO THAT WOULD DRAW DOWN THE FUND FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION THE SOUTH ROW EXPANSION TO TAKE US TO TEN MGD. THIS IS NOT A FIRM ESTIMATE.
THE SOUTH REGIONAL WHARF EXPANSION TO TWO MGD.
WE ARE WAITING ON A GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE FROM WHARTON SMITH.
WE HAVE PULLED A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THAT EXPANSION OUT.
DEWATERING, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN POTENTIALLY $40 MILLION ON ITS OWN AND DEFER THAT INTO THE FUTURE.
BUT IN ORDER TO KEEP THE UTILITY IN HEALTH, DOING THAT EXPANSION WOULD BE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
IT WOULD ALSO BE REQUIRED FOR US TO, TO, TO BE ABLE TO DO SOME OF THE OTHER EXPANSIONS FOR GROWTH.
AND I'LL SAY THAT IN A MINUTE. ANOTHER THING WE NEED TO DO IS THE SCADA MODERNIZATION AND THE NORTH ROW WELLS THAT HAVE BEEN AWARDED. THOSE ARE SOME KEY THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO.
DOING THE NORTH ROW WELLS, DEPENDING ON WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO MOVING FORWARD, WE NEED THE DATA FROM THAT FOR THE WATER QUALITY, SO THAT THE PLANS CAN GO FROM 90% TO 100. SO THAT NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THE WATER QUALITY DATA.
AND THEN AGAIN, DOING THAT SOUTH RF EXPANSION WOULD HELP US TO BE ABLE TO TO DO THE FLORIDA JOB GROWTH GRANT AND THE MATCHING FUNDS FOR THAT, WHICH IS $1 MILLION. SO ADDITIONAL MEASURES THAT WE'RE TAKING TO TRY AND KEEP THE, THE UTILITY HEALTHY IS TIGHTENING UP ON OUR WASTEWATER SYSTEM, REDUCING INI TARGETING NON-REVENUE WATER.
TOMMY AND HIS GROUP HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB OF DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO DRIVE DOWN HOW MUCH WATER WE WASTE FLUSHING MAINS, AND THEN ALSO FOCUSING ON NORTH WELLFIELD REHABS AND THEN POTENTIALLY ADDITIONAL SOUTH PLANT ROW RERATING.
TARGETING FLUSHING THAT I TALKED ABOUT, TOMMY, HIS GROUP IS DOING LOOKING AT OUR LOOPING AND VALVING, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE OPERABLE VALVES TO BE ABLE TO REROUTE WATER TO KEEP IT FRESH AND REALLY DOING A GOOD JOB OF MAINTAINING RESIDUALS, RESIDUALS. ONCE THEY START TO DEGRADE, THEY DEGRADE QUICKLY.
SO WE HAVE TO KEEP THEM UP. AND TOMMY AND HIS GROUP DO A GOOD JOB AT DOING THAT FOR US.
ANOTHER THING THAT COULD HELP US WITH NON-REVENUE WATER MAY SOUND ODD IS METER REPLACEMENT PROGRAM.
AS SOON AS THEY GET ONE DONE, WE'RE ON TO THE NEXT.
WE'RE REALLY PUSHING THEM TO CLEAN AS MANY WELLS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
WE JUST NEED TO NOW GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF PROCUREMENT TO THEN RELOCATE THREE WELLS.
[00:25:01]
WE HAVE LOCATIONS FOR THOSE THREE WELLS. WE'RE NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT THE WATER WOULD BE.IT'S KIND OF A GAMBLE. IT MIGHT BE HIGH IN CHLORIDES, MIGHT BE HIGH IN PFAS AND MAY BE UNUSABLE.
BUT WE ARE DOING WHAT WE CAN TO TRY AND EXPAND THAT NORTH WELL FIELD.
AND THEN FINALLY THE SOUTH PLANT ROW RERATING.
THIS YEAR WE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN RERATING THE PLANT AND ADDING 300,000 GALLONS A DAY TO OUR PERMIT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO I HAD A QUESTION REGARDING PFAS AND THE TREATMENT THEREOF.
RIGHT. YOU MENTIONED THAT OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE TO GO INTO WE'RE BEING REGULATED REGARDING THAT. SO WHAT WOULD THE COST BE TO GET UP TO PAR WITH TREATING PFAS.
THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO TREAT PFAS. ONE IS AN RO SYSTEM WHICH IS OUR GAME PLAN.
SO WHEN WE BRING ON THE RO PLANT IT TAKES CARE OF OUR PFAS PROBLEM.
THE OTHER IS GRANULATED ACTIVATED CARBON. AND THAT WOULD BE A TOTALLY DIFFERENT TREATMENT AND IT IS A WOOD MIGHT BE MORE OPERATIONALLY EXPENSIVE FOR US TO ADD THAT TO OUR LIME PLANT, WE WOULD HAVE TO ADD CYLINDERS OUTSIDE OF THE CURRENT FILTERS THAT WOULD STRIP THE PFAS. THAT WOULD REQUIRE REGENERATION DISPOSAL.
IT WOULD BE A BIG HEADACHE REALLY. PURSUING THE R0 OPTION IS REALLY THE SINCE WE ALREADY HAVE R0, PLANTS IS REALLY A GREAT OPTION FOR US. SO TO ULTIMATELY DEAL WITH THE PFAS, WE MIGHT, WE MIGHT BE SUCCESSFUL WITH THE FIRST PHASE OF THE NORTH R0 PLANT TO BE ABLE TO BLEND TO GET US TO. FOUR.
SO HOW WOULD WE GET THERE? SO THE FIRST PHASE WOULD BE 110 MILLION.
AND WELL, HOW DO WE GET THERE IS, IS TO, TO BUILD IT.
WE HAVE TO HAVE SUFFICIENT FUNDS TO BE ABLE TO DO BONDING AND LOANS TO BE ABLE TO PAY FOR THAT.
IT'S SUCH AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT. WE CAN'T DO THAT BY CASH BY JUST WHAT WE BRING IN ON RATES.
WE REALLY NEED TO DO BONDING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO GET GRANTS.
WE'VE APPLIED FOR GRANTS AND HAVE YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL WITH THE FLORIDA JOBS ACT.
WE GOT THAT GRANT. WE'VE GOTTEN SOME GRANTS ON FROM SORREL FOR ZONE A TO TAKE 99 HOMES OFF OF SEPTIC TANKS AND PUT ON CENTRALIZED SEWER.
THOSE ARE PARTIAL. AND THERE'S NOT BEEN MANY GRANTS THAT HAVE BEEN $100 MILLION GRANTS.
TEN, $15 MILLION. WE MIGHT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET SOME OF THOSE GRANTS.
SO AT THE CURRENT RATE STRUCTURE, DO YOU SEE US GOING DOWN THAT RANGE? NO, SIR. WE WOULD NEED TO REVISIT THE RATE STRUCTURE AT SOME POINT.
IT WILL GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE MARGIN. SO TO GO AWAY FROM THAT 80 LEVEL WOULD BE COMING DOWN IN THE 70S. AND THAT WON'T ALLOW US TO TAKE THE NORTH LINE PLANT OFF TO ADDRESS THE PFAS AND CHLORIDES, BUT IT DOES GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE CAPACITY.
YEAH. THAT IS A CONCERN IS THE PFAS ISSUE. AND US BEING IN COMPLIANCE.
RIGHT. MY, MY NEXT HOW, HOW DO WE GET TO GREEN WELLS? YOU SAID YOU HAVE SOME BLACK WELLS THAT ARE ALREADY OUT OF SERVICE.
BUT HOW CAN WE GET TO THAT GREEN LEVEL? SO I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO THAT MAP.
THIS MAP HERE. YES. YES, SIR. I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S A PATH FORWARD TO GET TO THE GREEN TO GET TO THE LOWER CHLORIDE, SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE SALT WATER INTRUSION THAT WE HAVE.
POTENTIALLY IF WE WERE FARTHER INLAND, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET SOME, SOME WELLS THAT WOULD BE GREEN.
BUT STILL, YOU KNOW, 200 CHLORIDES IS IN COMPLIANCE.
WE JUST HAVE TO AVOID THE 300MG/L. THAT'S REALLY KIND OF WHERE THE ISSUE IS.
[00:30:02]
YEAH. ON THIS STRETCH RIGHT HERE. YEAH. WE'VE GOT THREE LOCATIONS IDENTIFIED.WHAT STRIKES ME IS IT NOT SHOWING UP ON THE MAP OR THE TV THERE? YEAH, I SEE, I'M SEEING NOW. YOU SEE IT ON 5507 THAT AREA.
JUST UNDER BECKMAN STREET. OKAY. RIGHT THERE.
WELL, LOCATIONS. AND YOU THINK THEY'RE YELLOW? YOU'RE GUESSTIMATING. I'M HOPING. I'M HOPING THEY'RE YELLOW.
OH, IT'S A HOPE. IT'S A HOPE. OKAY. WHAT OTHER ALTERNATIVES DO WE HAVE? HOW DO WE GET TO THAT 68 PERCENTILE? WELL, THE R O PLANT WILL TAKE CARE OF BOTH PFAS AND CHLORIDE, CORRECT? ABSOLUTELY. RIGHT. SO IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THE WELL HAS HIGH CHLORIDE.
IF IT'S AN AUTO PLANT, IT'LL TAKE CARE. IT TAKES CARE OF IT. IT'S JUST GETTING TO THAT PLANT.
THESE WELLS WOULD NOT BE USED ON THE R O PLANT.
WE HAVE THOSE OTHER WELLS THAT ARE COMING IN THAT WOULD BE ON THE FLORIDIAN.
SO WE'RE TALKING REVERSE OSMOSIS. YES, SIR. OKAY.
SO BUT TO GET THERE, YOU DON'T SEE US DOING IT WITHOUT RATE INCREASES.
IS THAT CORRECT? NO, SIR. NO, SIR. WHAT? NO, I DO NOT BELIEVE WE COULD GET THERE WITHOUT RATE INCREASES UNLESS WE GET SOME MASSIVE GRANTS. COPY THAT. AND HAVE YOU SEEN THOSE MASSIVE GRANTS? NO, SIR. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THAT COUNCILMAN HAMER HAS A QUESTION.
DID I DID I HEAR YOU SAY OUR INTENTION IS TO TAKE THE NORTH PLANT OFFLINE? YES. ONCE WE WOULD GET, IF WE WERE TO GET THE NORTH PLANT TO TEN MGD TO TAKE THE NORTH LINE PLANT OFFLINE, THE CHLORIDES CONTINUE TO GROW AND THE PFAS LEVEL WILL KNOW.
SO MY QUESTION IS WE HAVE SOMETHING RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO THERE CALLED HARRIS.
THAT'S ANNUAL REVENUE OF $24 BILLION. HAVE WE HAD A DISCUSSION WITH THEM AND EXCHANGING OUR LAND FOR THE UPGRADES THAT WE NEED, BECAUSE THEY'RE BITING AT THE BIT FOR EVEN PARKING.
SO I WOULD BE WILLING TO BET SOMEBODY WITH THE ANNUAL REVENUE OF $24 BILLION WOULD PROBABLY LIKE OUR LAND THAT'S RIGHT NEXT DOOR THAT THEY CAN BUILD IN EXCHANGE FOR MAYBE A NICE PLANT THAT MEETS ALL THESE REQUIREMENTS OUT OF NO POCKET FROM THE PEOPLE, THE LAND WHERE OUR PLANT IS RIGHT NOW. SO WE HAVE THREE PLANTS AT THAT LOCATION, TWO WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS, WHICH WE HAVEN'T CONSIDERED TAKING THOSE OUT OF SERVICE, AND THE NORTH LINE PLANT AND THE NORTH LINE PLANT, WE WILL ACTUALLY BUILD THE R O PLANT ON THAT SITE.
SO WE DO NOT HAVE EXTRA SPACE TO GET RID OF AT THAT LOCATION.
WELL, I MEAN, EVEN IF WE BUILD IT AT A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT LOCATION FOR LIKE, TELL THEM YOU BUILD US A NICE PLANT, YOU CAN HAVE THIS LAND AND THERE'S NO COST TO ANYBODY OTHER THAN THEM.
AND THEY GET THE LAND THAT WE NEED OR THEY NEED, AND THEN WE GET THE WATER WE NEED.
I WOULD DIRECT THAT TO MR. MORTON. MR. MORTON? YEAH. I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF. I THINK THAT'S THE POINT OF TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION.
I APPRECIATE THE IDEA. TONIGHT WE'RE JUST TRYING TO NOT LOOK FOR ADDITIONAL DIRECTION.
WE'RE NOT LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING. THAT'S AN AWESOME IDEA THAT I DON'T THINK ANYONE'S EVER THOUGHT OF. AT LEAST I KNOW I HAVEN'T. I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF SHARE WITH YOU OUR 12 MONTH PLAN, WHERE WE'RE HEADED, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO ACCOMPLISH, WHAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO WORRY ABOUT ACCOMPLISHING, OR AT LEAST PRIORITIZE TO ACCOMPLISH.
AND SO, AS GABRIEL MENTIONED, WE'RE DEFINITELY GONNA BE COMING BACK. I THINK WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB THAT'S ON US AS STAFF NOT COMMUNICATING WELL. I DON'T THINK THROUGH THE COURSE OF THIS YEAR ON THE UTILITY SIDE. SO WE'RE NOT HERE TRYING TO MAKE A PITCH TONIGHT OR, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SAYING, HEY, THIS IS HOW WE'RE PIVOTING THIS. WE'RE GOING TO USE THE RESOURCES WE GOT THIS YEAR, SOME OF THE ONGOING FUTURE CHALLENGES. HERE'S HOW WE'RE LOOKING TO MEET THEM. AND YOU KNOW, IDEAS LIKE THAT OR ADDITIONAL IDEAS THAT YOU'RE THE COMMUNITY HAVE.
SO WE'LL DEFINITELY PUT THAT ON THE ON THE PLAYBOOK AND, AND START LOOKING AT, AT ALTERNATIVES AND WHAT THOSE TRUE COSTS AND TIMING AND THINGS WOULD BE. AND ALSO JUST FOR ME TO HAVE IN MY HEAD.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? JUST, JUST A GUESSTIMATE. WOULD A NEW WELL COST A FLORIDIAN? WELL DON'T HAVE TO GUESS. THEY'RE. WELL, FIVE IS GOING IN RIGHT NOW AT A COST OF ABOUT $1.1 MILLION.
AND AT THE NORTH, WE HAVE FOUR WELLS GOING IN FOR $3.1 MILLION, WHICH IS A FANTASTIC PRICE.
[00:35:06]
IT WAS $1 MILLION LOWER THAN THE OTHER TWO BIDDERS.AND IT'S ONE OF THE STATE'S BEST DRILLERS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE FOR THAT. THEY ARE NEARBY.
AND I THINK THEY WANTED TO KEEP THEIR GUYS BUSY. SO ABOUT $1 MILLION FOR A FLORIDIAN.
WELL, OKAY. SO THE NORTH PLANT GIVES THE WATER TO ALL OF THE NEW WATER THAT'S COMING IN FOR SAINT JOHN'S HERITAGE WEST. RIGHT. TOMMY WOULD KNOW THE HYDRAULICS BETTER THAN I DO.
AND WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF LARGE MAINS THAT ARE GOING UP TO THE NORTHWEST.
OKAY. SO WITH US RECEIVING THE IMPACT FEES UP FRONT FOR UTILITIES OUT IN THAT AREA.
WOULD WOULD IT BE BENEFICIAL TO MAKE WELLS OUT THERE, OR WOULD IT BE TOO FAR TO HAVE IT GO ALL THE WAY TO PORT MALABAR? THE. OR OR MAKING SOME SORT OF A SMALLER WELL SUPPLY OUT WEST, WHERE WE ARE FARTHER FROM THE SALT WATER, WE HAVE A LARGE FUND OF IMPACT FEES COMING UP LIKE THEY'RE PAYING THEM UP FRONT.
SO WE GET TO UTILIZE THOSE IMMEDIATELY, HAVE IT READY FOR THE NEW HOMES THAT ARE COMING IN.
IF THEY SUPPLY THAT, THAT'S PART OF THAT GROWTH.
WE HAVE NOT LOOKED, EXCUSE ME A LOT THERE BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT THERE'S 7000 UP THERE.
BUT DOWN IN THE SOUTH EAST THERE'S 3000. SO IT WOULD BE A BETTER LOCATION.
YEAH. BECAUSE IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE UTILIZING THE WATER IN THE WEST, THEN YOUR IMPACT FEES WOULD BE ABLE TO USE BE USED ON THAT WATER PLANT BECAUSE THEY'RE UTILIZING THE WATER FROM THERE. SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN ALSO ADDRESS BECAUSE IT IS NEW WELLS.
AND THIS IS ALL ABOUT GROWTH. AND IT'S NOT A STRONG I MEAN IT'S NOT A QUALITY GROWTH.
SO IF THERE WAS A WELL, THERE'S A, JUST A WELL IN THE NORTHWEST AND TRANSPORTING IT SOMEPLACE ELSE.
THAT MAY NOT BE THE MOST THREE THING, $300 A FOOT FOR THAT TRANSMISSION MAIN FOR THE RAW WATER.
GREAT QUESTION. THE NORTH ROW PLANT PHASE ONE IS 90% DONE IN DESIGN.
AS SOON AS WE GET THAT TO 100%. WARREN SMITH CAN HAVE THE PLANT BUILT IN 48, 12 MONTHS, 24 MONTHS, TWO YEARS, TWO YEARS, TWO YEARS, AND AT THE COST OF 110 TO 115.
WE DO NOT HAVE A GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE FOR THEM YET.
AND THEN WARDEN SMITH CAN GIVE US A GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE WAY TO GO TO AVOID THE PFAS BECAUSE.
AND THE CHLORINE, THE CHLORINE IN THE WATER IN THE WELL.
OKAY. COUNCILMAN LANDRY THANK YOU. MAYOR. I JUST HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE WHERE DID THE FEDERAL REGULATION COME FROM EXACTLY? WAS IT JUST A LIKE ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION FROM THE EPA OR WAS IT SOMETHING THAT WAS PASSED SPECIFICALLY THROUGH A CONGRESSIONAL BILL FOR PFAS? YEAH. THERE'S INFORMATION ON EPA.GOV SYSTEMS, FILES, DOCUMENTS THAT KIND OF GO INTO THAT. I WOULD HAVE TO REFER TO THAT WEBSITE TO BE ABLE TO EXACTLY SEE.
BUT I DO BELIEVE CONGRESS HAD VOTED ON THAT JUST LIKE THEY DID ON LEAD AND COPPER REVISIONS.
IT WAS NOT A ADMINISTRATIVE RULE. OKAY. I'D LIKE I'LL GO LOOK AND FIND OUT.
[00:40:03]
BUT IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL OPINION, IS OUR WATER DRINKABLE WITHOUT THIS CONGRESSIONAL REGULATION? WELL, OR FEDERAL REGULATION, SOME OF THE BEST WATER IN THE WORLD.AND WE FIND NEW WAYS TO MAKE IT MORE EXPENSIVE.
YES, I BELIEVE IT'S IT'S PERFECTLY SAFE. OKAY.
I'M NOT A SCIENTIST. HOWEVER, WE'VE GOT REALLY GOOD WATER.
WELL, I THINK, YOU KNOW, AND YOU GUYS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB, AND I, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE PUTTING A HARD PLACE BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HERE, BUT I THINK WE'RE AS A COUNCIL JUST REALLY LOOKING AT THIS FROM A SOFT APPROACH AND JUST BENDING OVER AND TAKING IT.
THAT'S WHAT I JUST HEARD. SO, I MEAN, I THINK WE SHOULD, AS A COUNCIL COME TOGETHER AND SAY, HEY, THIS IS RIDICULOUS. LET'S SEND A LETTER TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND SAY, OUR WATER IS INCREDIBLY DRINKABLE.
THE REASON I VOTED NO LAST WEEK OR TWO WEEKS AGO, IS BECAUSE WE ASKED FOR REDUCTIONS IN PROPERTY TAXES TO OUR PEOPLE, AND I DIDN'T EVEN GET REALLY WHAT I WANTED IN REDUCTIONS TO PROPERTY TAXES.
THIS WOULD ALMOST OFFSET THE REDUCTIONS TO THE RESIDENTS.
SO I FEEL FOR YOU AND WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO.
BUT IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT. IT'S NOT OUR FAULT. IT'S THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S FAULT. SO I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD JUST BE SITTING HERE LIKE, OH, HOW ARE WE GOING TO FIGURE THIS OUT? LET'S SEND A LETTER TO THEM AND SAY, RESPECTFULLY, YOU FIGURED OUT IF YOU'RE GOING TO CAUSE US TO PAY $200 MILLION, YOU CAN SEND THE $200 MILLION, CHECK WITH IT, OR WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO IT. OUR WATER IS DRINKABLE.
COME, COME HAVE A SIP. THAT'S WHERE I'M AT. COUNCIL.
DEPUTY MAYOR. YEAH. QUESTION ABOUT THE DESIGN WITH TETRA TECH.
WHAT? WHAT ARE THEY? WHAT ARE THEY LOOKING FOR, EXACTLY? THE SAMPLES OF THE WELLS, YOU SAID.
TO MAKE SOME REFINEMENTS TO THE DESIGN FOR FINAL DESIGN SO THAT IF THERE'S ANY ADDITIONAL CHEMICAL THAT MIGHT BE NEEDED TO TREAT THAT WATER, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE WATER TO BE ABLE TO, TO RUN THOSE ANALYSIS ON THEM.
AND THEN SO THE, THE, THE PLANT GETS DESIGNED BASED ON THE TESTS OF THE WELL TODAY AS THE WELL DETERIORATES, HOW OFTEN IS THAT THAT WATER TESTED? AND ARE THERE PLANT UPGRADES THAT HAPPEN ALONG THE WAY THEN? OR IS THERE A WAY JUST TO DESIGN THE SYSTEM AS A WORST CASE SCENARIO? IT'S A GREAT QUESTION. AND I'VE PUSHED BACK ON TETRA TECH SAYING, DO YOU REALLY NEED THAT WATER? I MEAN, CAN YOU NOT JUST GET IT WITHIN THIS MUCH? WE JUST MAKE ADJUSTMENTS IN THE FUTURE. BUT THEY REALLY WANT TO HAVE THAT WATER TO TEST.
AND I DO NOT BELIEVE THE FLORIDIAN WATER WILL BE AS IMPACTED BY EVENTS AS THE SHALLOW WELLS THAT WE HAVE NOW, BECAUSE IT'S MUCH OLDER WATER AND IT'S DEEPER AND IT'S PROTECTED.
I WOULD NOT EXPECT WILD SWINGS IN THE WATER QUALITY.
THANK YOU. OKAY. THAT CONCLUDES THE QUESTIONS.
SO AT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO ASK ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE IF THEY WISH TO SPEAK REGARDING OUR RATE, MILLAGE RATE AND FINAL BUDGET BY SHOW OF HANDS.
ANYONE WISH TO SPEAK? OKAY. SEEING NONE, I'M CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ASKING.
I DON'T NEED A MOTION RIGHT NOW. ALL RIGHT, WE'RE IN BUSINESS NUMBER ONE, MADAM SMITH.
[BUSINESS:]
OH, YEAH, MR. MORTON. YES. SO I'M GOING TO REQUEST WE WITHDRAW ITEM NUMBER ONE TONIGHT.WE WERE PLANNING ON REDESIGNING AND REHABBING A FIRE INSPECTION SYSTEM THAT ISN'T WORKING.
WELL, IT'S NOT IN PERFORMING TO THE INTENDED STANDARD.
SO THERE'S NO POINT BRINGING A RATE FORWARD THAT WE DON'T KNOW MEETS THE NEEDS OVER. THE NEED UNDER THE NEED MAY RESULT IN A REDUCTION IN SOME OF THE FEES. SO WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND ASK TO WITHDRAW THAT. WE'LL REVISIT THAT ONCE WE HAVE SOME PROPOSALS TO SHARE WITH COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY. ANYTHING ELSE YOU WITHDRAWING SIR? I'D LIKE TO WITHDRAW NUMBER TWO FOR THE RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
SAME KIND OF RATIONALE. WE NEED TO GET THROUGH A COUPLE HURDLES, ESPECIALLY NOW. THE POOL. I'D JUST BE THROWING A DART AT A BOARD AT THIS POINT. SOME OF THE OTHER RECREATION FACILITIES. AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, PENDING THE OUTCOME OF THE NEXT ELECTION, WE'LL KNOW WHAT DIRECTION WE REALLY NEED TO GO IN TERMS OF RATES FOR ONGOING RECREATION AMENITIES.
AND THEN NUMBER FIVE WE HAD HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH COUNCIL ABOUT ASIDE FROM CITIZEN APPLICATIONS, SO CITIZEN APPLICATIONS STAYING THE SAME, BUT GROWTH RATES CHANGING TO ACHIEVE MARKET RATE IN THE DEVELOPMENT FOR GROWTH PERMITS.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY RIGHT NOW DEVELOPERS CAN GO USE PRIVATE PROVIDER AND PAY THAT MARKET RATE. WE JUST WANT TO BE A COST RECOVERY SYSTEM, AND WE NEED TO SPEND A LITTLE MORE TIME WORKING THAT. AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT SOCIALIZING THAT WITH OUR DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY AND THE PUBLIC.
SO ASKING TO WITHDRAW THAT ITEM FOR NOW. SO ONE, TWO AND FIVE.
[00:45:04]
OKAY, SO WE ARE NOW ON ONE, TWO, ONE, TWO AND FIVE, TWO AND FIVE.WE'RE NOW ON ITEM NUMBER BUSINESS ITEM NUMBER THREE, MADAM SMITH, RESOLUTION 2026-16A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF PALM BAY, BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA ADOPTING RATES, CHARGES, AND FEES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026 THROUGH 2027, PURSUANT TO THE CITY OF PALM BAY CODE OF ORDINANCES, TITLE NINE, GENERAL REGULATIONS, CHAPTER 96 FLORIDA BUILDING CODE RESCINDING RESOLUTIONS OR PARTS OF RESOLUTIONS IN CONFLICT, HEREWITH PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WISH TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, I'M CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ASKING FOR A MOTION.
MR.. I MEAN, DEPUTY MAYOR JAFFEE, BECAUSE OF HIS EXPERIENCE.
BUT REGARDING WE'VE GOTTEN EMAILS, WE'VE HAD PEOPLE COME TO COUNCIL MEETINGS.
WE HAVE ONE WOMAN, I THINK A YEAR AGO COMPLAINED ABOUT HOW SOMETHING ALMOST FELL ON HER SON.
DO YOU REMEMBER THAT, DEPUTY MAYOR JAFFEE? SO WHERE DOES THAT FALL IN LINE WITH? I'M LOOKING AT INSPECTIONS, IS THAT I'M JUST TRYING TO SEE HOW WE CAN STRENGTHEN IN THAT AREA.
MOST OF THE COMPLAINTS THAT I'VE SEEN COME ACROSS MY DESK ARE IN RELATION TO PRIVATE PROVIDER, WHICH ARE PRIVATE INSPECTION SERVICES THAT WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER WAS MANDATED BY THE STATE OF FLORIDA. AND I THINK THAT CONSTITUTES ALL THE COMPLAINTS I'VE SEEN COME ACROSS MY DESK.
AND WE HAVE NO OPERATIONAL OR FINANCIAL CONTROL OVER PRIVATE PROVIDER.
OKAY. LAST QUESTION IN REGARDS TO BUILDING. DO WE HAVE ANYTHING ON THE BOOKS IN REGARDS TO HALF BUILT HOUSES THAT SIT FOR A SPECIFIC AMOUNT OF TIME? A LOT OF PEOPLE WANT TREES. AND I FEEL IF YOU CAN'T BUILD A HOUSE FROM, YOU KNOW, FROM THE START TO THE FINISH, THEN THERE SHOULD BE SOMETHING ON THE BOOKS. BUT JUST A QUESTION OF THAT, BECAUSE I'VE SEEN HOUSES HALF BUILT FOR AT LEAST ON MY STREET.
ONE WAS FOR FIVE YEARS WITHOUT IT, AND IT'S STILL NOT BUILT YET.
SO YEAH, WE DO, WE DO HAVE ITEMS ON THE BOOKS.
IN FACT, WE STARTED TACKLING SOME OF THOSE PROBLEMS. SOME OF THEM ARE COMPLICATED, WHETHER YOU'VE GOT PEOPLE WHO INVESTED THEIR LIFE SAVINGS AND WILL KEEP IT PERMIT ACTIVE BUT CAN'T FINISH THEIR HOUSE, WHETHER THEIR CONTRACTOR BAILED ON THEM. I KNOW WE HAVE SOME THAT ARE IN VARIOUS STATES OF PROBATE OR DIFFERENT COURT ACTIONS WE CAN'T TAKE ACTION ON.
I THINK IF MR. STAFFORD IS HERE, I'M NOT SURE IF I SEE HIM TONIGHT.
HE'S NOT HERE. HE COULD ANSWER MORE DIRECTLY.
CURRENTLY, WE HAD A PROGRAM TO REMOVE HOMES THAT WERE PARTIALLY BUILT.
REMOVAL OF STRUCTURE THAT WAS PARTIALLY BUILT.
SO WE'RE JUST IN A PAUSE STATE AT THIS, THIS MOMENT IN TIME, BUT WE WILL BRING IT BACK.
ALL RIGHT. ESTIMATE WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR OR WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR FOR SURE.
ALL IN FAVOR? SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. WE'RE NOW ON ITEM NUMBER FOUR, MADAM SMITH, RESOLUTION 2026-17, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF PALM BAY, BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA ADOPTING RATES, CHARGES AND FEES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026 THROUGH 2027 THROUGH 2027 THROUGH 2028, PURSUANT TO THE CITY OF PALM BAY CODE OF ORDINANCES TITLE TEN IMPACT FEES CHAPTER 103 IMPACT FEES SUBCHAPTERS PARKS, POLICE AND FIRE IMPACT FEES AND TRANSPORTATION FACILITY IMPACT FEES RESCINDING RESOLUTIONS OR PARTS OF RESOLUTIONS AND CONFLICT HEREWITH PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
THANK YOU MA'AM. MR. MORTON, THANK YOU AGAIN.
SO WE JUST REPUBLISHED THE SCHEDULE THIS YEAR FOR THE CURRENT RATES.
ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WISH TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, I'M ASKING FOR A MOTION. SO MOVED.
SECOND. GOT A MOTION BY DEPUTY MAYOR JAFFE. SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN HAMMER.
COUNCILMAN LANGEVIN. THANK YOU. MAYOR. MR. MORTON, FOR THE IMPACT FEES.
ARE WE ONLY ABLE TO RAISE THEM A CERTAIN AMOUNT EACH YEAR?
[00:50:03]
CORRECT. THERE'S CYCLES OF RAISING THEM. THERE'S STUDIES THAT ARE REQUIRED.AND SO OUR NEXT RATE ADOPTION OR RATE SCHEDULE WON'T HAPPEN UNTIL FISCAL YEAR 29, ALTHOUGH WE PROBABLY WILL COMMENCE A STUDY IN THE YEAR PRIOR TO EVALUATE EFFICACY, IMPACT FEES AND WHETHER ADJUSTMENTS UP OR DOWN NEED TO BE CREATED.
OKAY. THANK YOU. MR. MORTON GOT A MOTION BY DEPUTY MAYOR JAFFE, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN HAMMER.
ALL IN FAVOR? SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. WE ARE NOW ON ITEM NUMBER SIX, MADAM SMITH.
RESOLUTION 2026-19, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF PALM BAY, BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA.
FOR CHAPTERS AND SECTIONS OF THE CODE AS SPECIFIED HEREIN.
MR. MORTON. THANK YOU. I HAVE THREE ITEMS ON THIS ONE TO ADDRESS ON PAGE AYE THREE, THERE WAS A PUBLISHING ERROR IN THE 26 RATE. THE ACTUAL. EACH ADDITIONAL CART SERVICE P MONTH LINE ITEM IN FISCAL YEAR 26 IS READING AS 1102.
THAT'S INACCURATE. IT ACTUALLY WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED AND BILLED AT 1135.
SO THOSE FOUR CHARGES, THE 95 GALLON CART FEE, THE 64 GALLON CART FEE, THE $35 OR 35 GALLON CART FEE, EXCUSE ME. AND THE EACH ADDITIONAL CART FEE ARE FOLLOWING THE STANDARD CONTRACTUAL RATE INCREASE. WHAT YOU WILL SEE DIFFERENT THAN THE STANDARD CONTRACTUAL 3% IS THE FIRST LINE ITEM. SECTION ONE 553 RATES RESIDENTIAL SERVICE PER MONTH PROPOSED TO MOVE FROM 29 TO 3101.
THAT IS THE LAST TRUE UP YEAR. ONE WE ERASED ABOUT A 1.3 TO $1.5 MILLION DEFICIT, AS YOU WILL RECALL, OF GENERAL FUND SUBSIDIZING THE GARBAGE ENTERPRISE.
IN YEAR TWO, WE MOVED THE LAST REMAINING GARBAGE SPECIFIC FOCUSED EMPLOYEES OUT OF OTHER FUNDS LIKE STORMWATER OR GENERAL, WHERE THEY WERE BEING ERRONEOUSLY CHARGED. SO THAT WAS THE SECOND HALF OF THAT TO ACCOUNT.
SO NO GARBAGE IS FULLY A STANDALONE ENTERPRISE, JUST PASSING THROUGH ESSENTIALLY THE COST OF SERVICES MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION FOR THE ENTERPRISE. AND THAT'S ALL IT'S THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN JOHNSON.
WE MAY THINK WE HAVE FOUR YEARS UNTIL THE NEXT CONTRACT, BUT ACTUALLY, IF WE WERE TO DO AN RFP, IT'LL BE A YEAR OUT, A YEAR OUT FROM WHEN THE CONTRACT WOULD WOULD BE UP.
SO ESSENTIALLY THAT'LL BE OCTOBER 2029 IF WE'RE GOING TO DO AN RFP.
BEING THAT WE'VE DONE IT BEFORE AND IT WASN'T AS FAVORABLE AS WE WOULD HAVE WON IT OTHER THAN REPUBLIC SERVICES WINNING THE BID, IT WAS ONLY TWO BIDDERS. I THINK OUR BEST BET, NOT NECESSARILY THIS YEAR, BUT WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO OF, YOU KNOW, GIVING OUR CITY MANAGER DIRECTION TO START NEGOTIATIONS, AT LEAST FROM A A TEN 000 VIEW IN REGARDS TO NEGOTIATIONS TO MAKE SURE WE CAN GET THE BEST CONTRACT FOR 2030 MOVING FORWARD. SO THAT'S MY ONLY COMMENT ON THIS BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE A 3% INCREASE.
LAST TIME WE HAD AN RFP, IT WAS ONLY WASTE, NO WASTE MANAGEMENT.
SO THAT'S THAT'S ALL MAYOR. AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
COUNCILMAN. JOHNSON. BECAUSE YOU WERE HERE WHEN THAT OCCURRED AND, AND COINCIDENTALLY, I JUST HAD A CONVERSATION EARLIER TODAY WITH, WITH AND YOU WOULDN'T KNOW THAT, RIGHT? WITH OUR CITY MANAGER.
AND HE'S ALREADY LOOKING DOWN RANGE ABOUT THAT ON HOW, HOW TO SPEAK TO OTHER POTENTIAL COMPANIES THAT ARE QUALIFIED TO HANDLE THIS TYPE OF VOLUME. GOT IT. SO YOU'RE RIGHT ON.
YOU'RE RIGHT ON POINT WITH THAT, SIR. I LIKE THAT IDEA AS WELL, BECAUSE IF IF YOU DO BRING IN A COMPANY FROM, SAY, EVEN OUT OF STATE, IT GIVES THEM A YEAR TO COME IN, GET THEIR RESOURCES HERE, BUILD THEIR FACILITIES AND GO THROUGH THAT.
I REALLY LIKE THAT IDEA, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE WHEN WE'RE DOING A CONTRACT, IT'S SO LONG, YOU KNOW, IF IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, OUR LAST WASTE MANAGEMENT CONTRACT WAS LIKE TEN YEARS.
SO IT WAS EVERGREEN. YEAH. SO THAT'S A, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD IDEA.
AND I'M GOING TO, I'M GOING TO BE IN FAVOR OF THAT.
IF, IF, IF WE ARE ASKING FOR A THUMBS UP. MR. MORTON. YES. ANY COMMENTS ON THIS? NO. WHAT YOU DISCUSSED EARLIER.
OH, NO. MESSAGE RECEIVED. WE'RE ALREADY THINKING THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION, AND PART OF IT JUST ISN'T INFORMING BIDDERS THAT IT'S COMING, BUT IT'S UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE BIDDING CLIMATE IS DEMANDING, WHETHER IT'S FUEL TYPE, DELIVERY TYPE, PICKUP TYPE, SERVICE ROUTES, RIGHT? THERE'S A LOT
[00:55:06]
OF THINGS THAT WE NEED TO START MAKING SO THAT WE CAN BE THE MOST COMPETITIVE ON THE BIDDING SIDE, RIGHT? BIDDING IS A TWO WAY STREET AND MOST BIG FAILED CONTRACTS I'VE SEEN, BECAUSE WE DON'T UNDERSTAND THE BIDDING REQUIREMENTS OF THE MARKETPLACE OR THE CURRENT INDUSTRY TRENDS. SO WE DEFINITELY NEED TO BE AWARE OF THAT. ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. THANK YOU. HE WAS TRACKING THAT. THANK YOU. YES, SIR. OKAY. ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WISH TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THIS ITEM? I NEED A MOTION. SO MOVED. SECOND. GOT A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN JOHNSON, SECONDED BY DEPUTY MAYOR JAFFEE.ALL IN FAVOR? SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. MADAM SMITH, WE ARE ON ITEM SEVEN.
RESOLUTION 2026-20. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF PALM BAY, BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA.
THANK YOU, MA'AM, MR. MORTON. THANK YOU AGAIN.
I DON'T SEE ANY QUESTIONS, GENTLEMEN. ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WISH TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE. I NEED A MOTION. SO MOVED. SECOND.
GOT A MOTION BY DEPUTY MAYOR JAFFEE. SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN JOHNSON.
ANY COMMENTS, GENTLEMEN? ALL IN FAVOR? SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
AYE. ANY OPPOSED? PASSES FIVE ZERO. WE'RE NOW ON ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, MADAM SMITH.
RESOLUTION 2026-21, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF PALM BAY, BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA.
ADOPTING A FIVE YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2026 THROUGH 2027 THROUGH 2030 THROUGH 31 FOR THE CITY OF PALM BAY, FLORIDA. PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
AND AGAIN, WE DO HAVE STAFF HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
YOU WILL NOTICE A LOT OF UNFUNDED OR NOT BUDGETED CAPITAL REQUESTS AS WE INDICATED IN THE BUDGET.
THANK YOU. ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WISH TO SPEAK? STEP FORWARD. BILL BATTEN, 586 OCEAN SPRAY STREET, SOUTHWEST. I DON'T REMEMBER THE LINE ITEM.
I THINK IT'S NUMBER 26, I THINK, BUT IT'S FOR THE SEPTIC TO SEWER CONVERSION.
IT'S A $7 MILLION TOTAL PROJECT. I PERSONALLY HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF COMPLAINT WITH THIS BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BENEFIT 99 RESIDENTS OR 99 HOMES. THAT'S ALL IT'S GOING TO BENEFIT.
AND THAT'S A $7 MILLION INVESTMENT. WHAT DOES THAT COME OUT PER HOUSEHOLD? JUST I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S POSSIBLE, BUT WHAT I'D PREFER TO SEE INSTEAD OF HELPING SOME OF THESE HOMES, BECAUSE ALL OF THEM THAT YOU'RE DOING THE CONVERSION ON HAVE ALREADY HAD WATER AND SEWER AVAILABLE ALL THESE YEARS.
IT'S IN THE TURKEY CREEK AREA, WHICH IS YOUR HARRIS CORPORATION AREA IS ALL ENGINEERING AREA.
THEY HAD THE ABILITY TO HOOK UP TO CITY WATER AND CITY SEWER WHEN IT WAS AVAILABLE TO THEM.
THEY'VE HAD IT ALL ALONG. THEY FAILED TO DO IT.
NOW, THE CITY MANDATED THAT IF IT'S AVAILABLE, YOU HAVE TO HOOK UP.
AND NOW WE'RE GETTING READY TO PAY THEM FOR THEIR HOOK UP.
YET THERE'S 55,000 OTHER HOMES IN THE CITY OF PALM BAY THAT WILL NOT BENEFIT FROM THAT.
MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD HAVE BEEN INSTEAD OF HELPING THE PEOPLE THAT HAD IT AVAILABLE ALL ALONG AND DIDN'T USE IT, IS THAT YOU USE THAT SAME FUNDING OF $7 MILLION TO BENEFIT THE INCREASE ON YOUR SUPPLY SUPPLY LINES GOING INTO OTHER RESIDENTS, SO YOU'LL HAVE MORE PEOPLE THAT HAVE TO PAY, COME IN AND PAY INTO IT, INSTEAD OF HELPING THE PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T WANT TO PAY WHEN THEIR NEIGHBORS HAD TO. SO I'D PREFER THAT YOU USE THAT $7 MILLION, EXPAND THE WATER AND SEWER LINED.
INSTEAD OF JUST SPENDING $7 MILLION TO HELP 99 HOME RESIDENTS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I CALL IT PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT.
ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THIS ITEM? THANK YOU. SEEING NONE. I NEED A MOTION. SO MOVED.
GOT A MOTION BY SECOND DEPUTY MAYOR JAFFEE. SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN JOHNSON.
[01:00:09]
CONVERSION? THIS THIS IS A FUNDED MANDATE FOR ONCE.AND THE MONEY'S COMING FROM SORREL AND FDEP AND THEIR INITIATIVE TO DISCONNECT SEPTICS TO REDUCE NITROGEN PHOSPHATES, ORGANICS INTO THE WATER SUPPLY AND REROUTE THEM THROUGH SANITARY SEWER TREATMENT.
SO THIS IS A STATE PRIORITY THAT'S BASICALLY PASSED THROUGH FUNDING FOR THOSE 99 HOMES.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, GENTLEMEN? ALL IN FAVOR? SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? PASSES FIVE ZERO.
MADAM SMITH, WE'RE NOW ON ITEM NUMBER NINE NINE.
RESOLUTION 2026-2022. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF PALM BAY, BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA, LEVYING THE AVALON PROPERTY TAX MILLAGE RATE FOR MUNICIPAL PURPOSES AND THE VOTED DEBT MILLAGE RATE FOR ROAD IMPROVEMENTS ON ALL TAXABLE PROPERTY WITHIN THE CITY OF PALM BAY.
IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF STATE LAW FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2026 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2027, PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. THANK YOU MA'AM.
MR. MORTON, I HAVE A QUICK CLARIFYING QUESTION FOR OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WISH TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, I NEED A MOTION. MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION.
THE VALOREM PROPERTY TAX OPERATING MILLAGE RATE AT 6.6015, AND THE VOTED DEBT MILLAGE RATE FOR ROAD IMPROVEMENT PURPOSES AT 0.9385 MILLS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026 TO 2027. SECOND GOT A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN JOHNSON, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN HAMMER.
ALL IN FAVOR? SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? PASSES FIVE ZERO. WE'RE NOW ON ITEM NUMBER TEN, MADAM OR MR. MORTON. THANK YOU AGAIN, HONORABLE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL.
THANK YOU. HONORABLE AGAIN. THIS IS A CONSIDERATION OF DEPARTMENTAL TRAVEL AND TRAINING AS REQUIRED.
AND WE OFTEN SEE AMENDMENTS. WE TRY TO PREDICT NOT JUST THE TOTAL AMOUNTS, WHICH ARE FAIRLY STATIC, BUT ALSO ALL THE INDIVIDUAL TRAININGS AS THERE ARE ATTACHED.
I HAVE NO NEW INFORMATION, BUT WE CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
ANY QUESTIONS, GENTLEMEN? SEEING NONE. SORRY, I JUST PRESSED THE BUTTON.
COUNCILMAN. JOHNSON. THANK YOU. MAYOR. WE'VE GONE BACK AND FORTH IN REGARDS TO THE TRAVELING BUDGET.
BY WE, I MEAN LIKE SPECIFICALLY PREVIOUS COUNCIL, AT ONE POINT IT WAS.
THE REASON WHY I'M BRINGING IT UP, I DID THE TOTAL AMOUNT.
IT'S $750,000. WHICH IS A, A LOT. IT'S A LOT.
I KNOW WE HAVE TRAINING, I KNOW WE HAVE TRAVEL, BUT MY QUESTION IS, I, I SPOKE TO MISS HENCHMAN, SHE GOT ME BACK THE NUMBERS AND WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH I APPRECIATE THE WHERE SHE AT.
SO MY QUESTION IS, WOULD, WOULD IT MAKE MORE SENSE JUST TO DO IT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR? LIKE WE'VE BEEN DOING IT? BEING THAT A LOT OF THESE ITEMS HAVE BEEN SWITCHED, LIKE I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBER OF HOW MANY ITEMS ARE SWITCHED, BUT I FEEL LIKE EVERY OTHER COUNCIL MEETING WE'RE HAVING TO TRAVEL OR A TRAINING ITEM COME UP WHEN WE'VE ALREADY APPROVED A LIST LIKE THIS WITH ALL THESE ITEMS. SO I'M JUST LOOKING TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION. SO I'M NOT SPEAKING AT EVERY CONSENT AGENDA ITEM ON TRAVEL AND TRAINING.
SO JUST WANTED TO SEE WHERE COUNCIL WAS. WELL, FIRST AND FOREMOST MR. MORTON YOU'VE LOOKED AT THE BUDGET REGARDING TRAINING.
I THINK WHERE COUNCIL'S LOOKING FOR WHAT COUNCIL COUNCILMAN JOHNSON IS LOOKING TO DO IS TO, INSTEAD OF SWAPPING OUT IF TRAINING IS NOT NECESSARY.
AM I READING TRACKING YOU CORRECTLY? PERHAPS THEY DON'T NEED TO GO.
WHAT WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT OR, YOU KNOW, REIGNING IN THAT TRAINING.
I KNOW TRAINING IS A, IT'S A NECESSITY IN, IN KEEPING UP PROFESSIONAL YOU KNOW, CREDENTIALS.
SO WHAT, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS? MR. MORTON, I THINK WE'VE GOT A COUPLE ISSUES.
WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO FOCUS IN TO YOUR POINT ON WHAT THOSE ESSENTIAL PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS REQUIRED, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, PARKS GOES TO REQUIRE TRAINING SO WE CAN MAINTAIN OUR PARK STANDARDS OR WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT REQUIRED PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS TRAINING OR BEST AVAILABLE INFORMATION TRAINING, COMPLIANCE TRAINING. YOU KNOW, WE SEND A BUNCH OF TEXTS NOT THAT LONG AGO OVER TO TAMPA TO DO SOME TRAINING, RIGHT? SO THERE'S ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT COME UP. PART OF THE CHALLENGE TOO, IS WE'RE ASKED TO PREDICT THE TRAINING CYCLE FOR THE YEAR, WHICH IS VERY DIFFICULT.
[01:05:08]
BECAUSE WE DON'T ALWAYS KNOW IF THINGS WILL STILL BE VALID, RELEVANT OR OFFERED, OR IF WE SEE A BETTER OPPORTUNITY COME UP. A LOT OF TIMES WE'LL PIVOT TO A BETTER TRAINING THAT MAY WE SEE PROVIDE VALUE FOR A MORE CURRENT ISSUE.ALL FULLY PAID. RIGHT. BUT FIVE DAYS FOR COMPUTER FORENSIC TRAINING AND COMPUTER FORENSIC LAB MAINTENANCE AND MANAGEMENT, WHICH IS OUTSTANDING. GREAT THINGS THAT WE NEED TO KEEP PROFESSIONALIZING IN. AND I CAN'T TELL YOU THOSE ARE GOING TO COME, YOU KNOW, 30 DAYS IN ADVANCE.
SO WE CAN DEFINITELY HAVE THE CONVERSATION. I THINK THE PAST VISION, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND WAS DO YOUR BEST, GIVE US THE FULL BUDGET. THAT WAS THE BIG IMPORTANT NUMBER TO COUNCIL. WHAT ARE YOU PROPOSING TO SPEND ANNUALLY BY DEPARTMENT, BY DEPARTMENT FOR TRAINING, AND THEN TO KEEP ACCOUNTABILITY THERE? ANY MODIFICATIONS, WHETHER THEY'RE POSITIVE MODIFICATIONS, YOU KNOW, REMOVALS, WHATEVER, BRING IT BACK. AND COUNCIL WANTED TO AT LEAST BE IN THE REALM OF KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHY.
THAT COULD DEFINITELY WORK. OKAY. I'M GOING TO TEE IT OFF TO COUNCILMAN HAMER, BUT COUNCILMAN JOHNSON, JUST TO, FOR YOUR EDIFICATION, I, I WOULD, AND I THINK WHAT YOU'RE GOING AT IS LET'S TAKE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, RIGHT? BECAUSE I THEY, THEY, THEY BUDGETED X AMOUNT IN TRAINING AND THEY'LL SQUEEZE IN THAT LAST TRAINING DAY BEFORE SEPTEMBER.
I THINK GIVEN THAT TYPE OF DIRECTION WOULD SUFFICE AND WITH, WITH THE CITY MANAGER IN THAT REGARD.
BUT TO GO AHEAD AND DO THE ITEM THE WAY WE WERE DOING IT BEFORE.
I THINK THAT'S TAKING A STEP BACKWARDS. I LIKE THAT HE, IN MY OPINION, THAT HE'S GOT A HANDLE ON IT.
AND HE'S BEING FRUGAL UP TO THIS POINT. SO, BUT I, I'M, I'M RIGHT ALONG WITH YOU.
I'VE SEEN THAT THAT OTHER SIDE OF THINGS. YES, SIR.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO, TO THROW IN THERE IS, IS HAVE WE LOOKED AT OPTIONS ON HOSTING THE TRAININGS OURSELVES BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME GREAT FACILITIES, WE HAVE SOME GREAT PEOPLE HERE THAT ARE CERTIFIED IN THOSE FIELDS.
I DO KNOW WE ARE THE LARGEST CITY IN THE COUNTY.
AND IF, IF AT SOME POINT WE HAVE A GREAT FACILITY, IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN HOST SOME OF THESE TRAINING FACILITIES, ESPECIALLY THROUGH ICE AND THROUGH THROUGH APWA, THERE'S A, THERE'S A FEW OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE THERE THAT WE HAVE STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH THESE, WITH THESE INSTITUTIONS TO WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY HOUSE IT HERE AND START LOOKING AT IT AS ROI. SO THAT'S EXCELLENT. AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE TRANSITIONAL INITIATIVES WE'RE WORKING ON THIS YEAR BEFORE WE COMPLETELY EVISCERATE TRAVEL AND TRAINING IS HOW DO WE GET SMARTER.
SO A GREAT EXAMPLE IS CODE. CODE JUST SWITCHED THEIR ACCREDITATION TRAINING AGENCY.
AND I THINK IT REDUCES THE COST PER EMPLOYEE BY 75%.
WHEN WE HAD THE REQUIREMENT COME UP JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO TO DO THE CHILD TRAFFICKING, HUMAN TRAFFICKING TRAINING, WE CHOSE TO DO THAT IN HOUSE. AND AGAIN, VERY SMARTLY, HR HAD IT RECORDED, SO WE COULD SIMPLY JUST REPLAY THAT TRAINING OVER AND OVER AGAIN TO MAKE SURE WE CATCH ALL THE EMPLOYEES WITHOUT INCURRING THOSE ONGOING EXPENSES.
YEAH, WE'RE ABLE TO USE THE BRAND NEW CONFERENCE ROOM IN BUILDING E, WHICH WAS FANTASTIC.
AND THEN SEVERAL STAFF HAVE SAID THE SAME THING, HEY, SINCE WE'RE REDUCING RESTRICTING, WE DEFINITELY WANT TO BE SMARTER WITH TRAVEL AND TRAVEL AND TRAINING. TRAINING DOESN'T ALWAYS NECESSARILY MEAN TRAVEL, RIGHT? AND SO WE HAVE SEEN OUR OWN KNOWLEDGE KNOWLEDGE, GOV OR KNOWLEDGE TO BE TRAININGS. HR HAS BEEN WORKING THOSE VERY WELL.
IT JUST ROLLED OUT SOME TRAINING. SAME THING. DID THEM DIGITALLY IN HOUSE WHERE THE FACILITATOR.
RIGHT IN THE PROMULGATOR. SO THAT IS SOMETHING YOU'LL SEE. AND WE'LL DO A BETTER JOB REPORTING THIS YEAR AS WE MAKE THOSE TRANSITIONS TO GET SMARTER WITH HOW WE TRAVEL AND TRAIN AND EDUCATE OUR WORKFORCE. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU.
WHEN IT COMES TO TRAINING, YOU SHOULD ALWAYS BE TRAINING.
YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I GOTTA SAY.
ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WISH TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, I NEED A MOTION. SO MOVED. SECOND.
GOT A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN HAMMER, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN JOHNSON.
ALL IN FAVOR? SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? PASSES FIVE ZERO. WE'RE NOW ON PUBLIC HEARING.
[PUBLIC HEARING:]
[01:10:02]
NUMBER ONE, MADAM SMITH, ORDINANCE SIX SACHSE 38.AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PALM BAY, BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA, ADOPTING THE FINAL BUDGET AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2026 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2027, PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
THANK YOU MA'AM. I'M GOING TO OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND, MR. MORTON, THANK YOU AGAIN. I HAVE NOTHING NEW TO ADD OR TO READ.
SO I HAVE NOTHING NEW TO PRESENT. COUNCIL. ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF AT THIS MOMENT? YES, SIR. NOT OF STAFF, BUT I DO BELIEVE DURING PUBLIC HEARING COUNCILMAN LANGEVIN WAS LOOKING FOR A CONSENSUS REGARDING UTILITIES.
OKAY. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. SHE SAID COUNCIL REPORTS.
ALL RIGHT. OKAY. THAT'S ALL. ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WISH TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THIS ITEM.
GOOD EVENING. KRISTIN JOHNSON, RESIDENT OF NORTHWEST PALM BAY.
I HOPE THIS IS THE PROPER TIME TO SPEAK ON THIS.
I WANTED TO SPEAK BRIEFLY ABOUT THE PALM BAY AQUATIC CENTER, SPECIFICALLY THE REPAIR NUMBERS THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED FOR THE REASON AS TO THE FACILITY'S FINANCIAL CHALLENGES. MULTIPLE RESIDENTS HAVE ASKED FOR A DETAILED BREAKDOWN ON THE INSINUATED REPAIRS, WHICH HAVE BEEN REPORTED AT 1 MILLION, THEN 1.5 MILLION, AND NOW 2 MILLION.
I HAVE PERSONALLY SUBMITTED A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST FOR THE UNDERLYING ASSESSMENT, COST ESTIMATES AND DOCUMENTATION SUPPORTING THAT FIGURE. I'M NOT STANDING HERE TONIGHT TO CLAIM THAT THIS NUMBER IS WRONG, BUT I AM ASKING FOR TRANSPARENCY ABOUT WHAT THAT NUMBER ACTUALLY REPRESENTS.
IS IT ALL IMMEDIATE REPAIRS NECESSARY FOR THE FACILITY TO CONTINUALLY OPERATING SAFELY? DOES IT INCLUDE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE, LONG TERM CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS OR RECOMMENDED UPGRADES, AND ARE THE PROJECTS THAT WOULD IMPROVE CONVENIENCE OR EXPAND THE FACILITY BEING INCLUDED ALONGSIDE REPAIRS THAT ARE ACTUALLY NECESSARY FOR SAFE OPERATION.
FOR EXAMPLE, I UNDERSTAND THERE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT IMPROVEMENTS AND ADDITIONAL PROJECTS BEYOND SIMPLY MAINTAINING THE POOL. AND WHILE THOSE MAY BE WORTHWHILE INVESTMENTS, I BELIEVE RESIDENTS DESERVE TO SEE THEM SEPARATELY AND CLEARLY FROM THE REPAIRS THAT ARE ACTUALLY REQUIRED TO KEEP THE FACILITY OPERATING SAFELY.
SO I'M ASKING IF THE CITY CAN PROVIDE THE PUBLIC WITH AN ITEMIZED LIST SEPARATING THE REPAIRS REQUIRED FOR SAFE OPERATIONS FROM THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, EXPANSIONS AND OTHER DISCRETIONARY PROJECTS. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS DOCUMENTATION AND BREAKDOWN BEHIND THE NUMBER BEFORE WE TREAT THAT ONE LARGE FIGURE AS THE ACTUAL COST OF KEEPING THE AQUATIC CENTER OPEN. THE FACILITY HAS SERVED GENERATIONS OF PALM BAY RESIDENTS.
OUR COMMUNITY DEPENDS ON ACCESS TO BASIC WATER SAFETY, EDUCATION AND RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES.
ALL THREE OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS NEED THE POOL FOR PRACTICE AND COMPETITION.
OUR SPECIAL NEEDS COMMUNITY NEEDS THE AQUATIC CENTER FOR ACCESS IN SOUTH BREVARD.
OUR RECREATIONAL AND HOME SCHOOL TEAMS NEED LANES TO DEVELOP THEIR SKILLS.
OUR VETERANS AND SENIORS NEED THE POOL FOR THERAPY AND EXERCISE, AND I BELIEVE THE PUBLIC DESERVES A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT WOULD ACTUALLY TAKE TO KEEP IT OPERATING SAFELY. SO SHOW US THE FACTS.
LET THE DATA SPEAK FOR ITSELF, AND LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY WHO IS CALLING UPON US TO SAVE THE POOL.
ONE THE ONLY ONE, THE ONLY RECREATION OPPORTUNITY LEFT IN SOUTH BREVARD FOR THE NEXT GENERATION.
DURING THE PREVIOUS DISCUSSION, COUNCIL SUGGESTED RESIDENTS BRING OUR CONCERNS TO THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE COUNTY. WE HAVE DONE THAT AND THEY ECHO OUR DESIRE TO KEEP THE FACILITY OPEN. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ALL FOUR ORGANIZATIONS THAT WERE ORIGINALLY INVOLVED IN BUILDING THE FACILITY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. MORTON. SO WE DID JUST GET A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST YESTERDAY.
WE HAVE RELEASED THAT INFORMATION NUMEROUS TIMES, AND WE'LL FULFILL YOUR PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST IN A LITTLE MORE THAN 24 HOURS, IT LOOKS LIKE. SO WE DIDN'T INVENT THE CAPITAL NUMBER.
IT'S ACTUALLY AN ENGINEERING REPORT AGAIN, THAT WE'VE RELEASED. AND SO WE'LL PROVIDE THAT TO YOU WITH THE OTHER NUMBERS. WE'VE BEEN TRANSPARENT. WE'VE SAT DOWN WITH ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS. BE HAPPY TO DO IT AGAIN. AND I THINK, BRIAN, YOU CAN CONFIRM THIS TO THE THE PROPOSAL TODAY TO GATHER, PROVIDE INFORMATION AND GATHER RESPONSES THAT GO OUT TODAY.
WAS THAT SCHEDULED TO GO OUT THE PRE THE PRE PROPOSAL ON THE POOL THAT WENT OUT YESTERDAY.
AND THEN WE HAVE SOME, SOME SUPPLEMENTAL DOCUMENTS THAT WILL BE PROVIDED TO A WEB PORTAL.
[01:15:01]
THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE WISH TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THIS ITEM? COUNCILMAN. JOHNSON. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU MAYOR.THIS MAY BE FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY, BUT BASED OFF THE AMENDED AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PARTIES DO WE HAVE ANY LEGAL STANDING TO STAND ON IN REGARDS TO THE AQUATIC CENTER? WE DON'T OWN THE PROPERTY, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, BUT EVERYBODY WANTS TO USE IT.
BREVARD PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND WE'RE HONORING THAT UP TO NOVEMBER.
BUT DO WE HAVE ANYTHING TO STAND ON? WELL WE DID, WE ARE IN AGREEMENT THAT WHERE WE STEPPED IN THE SHOES OF THE COUNTY, AS FAR AS THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE, THERE IS A TASK FORCE WE ARE CONSIDERING ALL OPTIONS, INCLUDING MAYBE MAKING SOME REVISIONS TO THAT AGREEMENT, BUT WE'RE STILL TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN AT THIS POINT TO MOVE FORWARD.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T UNILATERALLY CHANGE THE AGREEMENT.
BUT THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT AREN'T CLEAR. THERE ARE SOME REVISIONS THAT MAY BE AMENDMENTS THAT MAY BE BENEFICIAL FOR ALL PARTIES, BUT WE'RE STILL IN THE EARLY STAGES OF THAT RIGHT NOW.
OKAY. I JUST I THINK COUNCIL IS IN AGREEMENT.
BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN COMING TO THE TABLE, YOU KNOW, KINDLY MULTIPLE TIMES, BUT I FEEL WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT EVERY STRATEGY AND I'M VERY CONFIDENT IN OUR CITY MANAGEMENT, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GIVING THAT DIRECT YOU KNOW, GREEN LIGHT ON DOING SO BECAUSE I DON'T, I DON'T FEEL IT'S FAIR, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT, BUT PEOPLE AREN'T ABIDING TO IT. AND IN THE PAST, WORKING WITH OTHER GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES, WE'VE BEEN MADE TO LOOK LIKE THE BAD GUYS OR MADE TO LOOK INSIGNIFICANT IN AREAS WHEN WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN WITH WHAT WE HAVE.
SO THAT'S MY $0.02 MAYOR. BUT YEAH. ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU. ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WISH TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, I'M CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ASKING FOR A MOTION.
SO MOVED. SECOND. GOT A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN JOHNSON, SECONDED BY DEPUTY MAYOR JAFFEE.
ARE YOU WISHING TO SPEAK AGAIN, SIR? I PRESSED THE WRONG BUTTON. OKAY,
SO I GOT A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN JOHNSON, SECONDED BY DEPUTY MAYOR JAFFEE. ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? GENTLEMEN, I'M CALLING THE QUESTION. ALL IN FAVOR? SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? PASSES FIVE ZERO,
AND THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.