[Call to Order by Chair] [00:00:09] >>> GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO THIS REGULAR MEETING OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. ONCE YOU FIND THE MEETING AGENDA, CLICK ON THE ITEM TO ACCESS ALL OF THE SUPPORTING MATERIALS. THE PUBLIC WILL BE ABLE TO COMMENT ON ANY AGENDA ITEM DURING PUBLIC COMMENT. IT'S LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES. SHOULD THE PRESENTER HAVE EXHIBITS OR PHOTOGRAPHS, PROVIDE THOSE TO THE CLERK OF COURT FOR THE INCLUSION INTO THE RECORD. LET'S GET TO WORK AND LET'S HAVE ROLL CALL BY THE CLERK OF COURT. WE WILL HAVE PASTOR BOBBY CRUMB TO SAY OUR INVOCATION. >> GOOD MORNING. LET US PRAY TOGETHER. HEAVENLY FATHER, IN THIS LAST MONTH OF THE YEAR WE COME BEFORE YOU, THE CITIZENS AND LEADERS OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY, ASKING FOR YOUR WISDOM. WE THANK YOU FOR OUR COMMISSIONERS AND THE PUBLIC SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP THEY PROVIDE. FOR ALL THE AGENCIES AND STAFF, WE HAVE HEARTS OF GRATITUDE. THIS MEETING TODAY, MAY WE BE MINDFUL OF THE GOLDEN RULE, TO DO TO OTHERS AS WE WOULD HAVE THEM DO TO US. TO SPEAK TO OTHERS AS WE WOULD HAVE THEM SPEAK TO US. TO TREAT PEOPLE THE WAY WE WOULD WANT TO BE TREATED. IN THIS HOLIDAY SEASON, MAY YOUR GRACE AND PEACE BE WITH US ALL. WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE THE NIGHTS, BUT LET US BE THE LIGHT. IN YOUR HOLY NAME WE PRAY, AMEN. >> I'M HAPPY TO ASK HENRY KNOKOM TO SAY THE PLEDGE. >> GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU. 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. [SJC 101 Citizens Academy Graduation] >> GOOD MORNING. I'M SO EXCITED TO TALK ABOUT THE GRADUATES FROM THE 101 CITIZENS CLASS. I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE JOY ANDREWS TELL US HOW SUCCESSFUL THE PROGRAM IS. I JUST LOVE IT. HERE YOU GO. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. TODAY I WANTED TO WELCOME ALL OF OUR GRADUATES FROM THE FALL ACADEMY AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SPENDING THE MOST VALUABLE ASSET THAT YOU HAVE, WHICH IS TIME. YOU SPENT A SEMESTER WITH US. YOU FINISHED IT. YOU GAVE US ALL THESE MEANINGFUL FEEDBACK. I WANT TO TELL YOU HOW IMPORTANT FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION IN ALL OF THIS. THIS IS OUR THIRD CLASS. WE HAVE INCREASED OUR PARTICIPATION BY SO MUCH. WE HAVE 150 PEOPLE WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO BE ON THE WAIT LIST. THIS IS YET TO BE THE BIGGEST CLASS WE HAVE. WE HAVE 29 MORE STUDENTS GRADUATED FROM OUR ACADEMY. SO THANK YOU. WHAT YOU ARE DOING IS TO REALLY ENCOURAGE OUR COMMUNITY TO BE PART OF THIS CONVERSATION THAT IS SO VITAL FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT. YOU ARE LEARNING ABOUT YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT'S OPERATION. YOU ARE LEARNING ABOUT OUR PRIORITIES, OUR CHALLENGES. SO NOW YOU ARE VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE TO GIVE US FEEDBACK MOVING FORWARD. I'M ALSO VERY EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE ARE WORKING ON AN ALUMNI ALLIANCE. THIS IS COMING UP SOON. WE HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT PROVIDING A PLATFORM FOR ALL OF OUR ALUMNI TO BE ABLE TO STAY CONNECTED, CONNECTED WITH EACH OTHER, CONNECTED WITH OUR DEPARTMENTS, WITH OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT, OUR COMMISSIONERS SO THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE REALLY YOUR MEANINGFUL KNOWLEDGE BACK TO THIS COMMUNITY TO SHAPE THE FUTURE OF OUR COUNTY. CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU. I CANNOT THANK ENOUGH OUR PUBLIC AFFAIRS TEAM, DEPARTMENT HEADS, CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICES. THEY ARE -- WE HAVE A VERY DIVERSIFIED REPRESENTATION NOT ONLY FROM OUR STUDENTS BUT ALSO OUR TEACHERS. SO ALL AROUND, CONGRATULATIONS. THIS IS A GOOD PATH MOVING FORWARD WITH THE BUILDING OF COMMUNITY TRUST THAT WE ARE SO MUCH IN NEED OF. THANK YOU. [00:06:34] >> THANK YOU GUYS. >> I LIKE YOUR HAT. IT'S AWESOME. [ Deletions to Consent Agenda] ALL RIGHT. SEE IF THERE'S DELETIONS TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. COMMISSIONER ARNOLD. >> I HAVE NONE. >> COMMISSIONER MURPHY? >> I HAVE NONE. [Public Comment] >> SSIONER TAYLOR? >> I HAVE NONE. >> AND I HAVE NONE. LET'S HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT. >> AT THIS TIME THE BOARD WILL HEAR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT ON MATTERS NOT SCHEDULED FOR ACTION ON TODAY'S AGENDA. WHEN ADDRESSING THE BOARD, PLEASE COME TO ONE OF THE THREE PODIUMS AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS. EACH PERSON -- >> THROUGH THE CHAIR TO THE VICE CHAIR, THIS WOULD BE TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS ONLY. WE WILL DO GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT LATER IN THE AGENDA. THIS IS ON CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. >> ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS REGARDING CONSENT AGENDA? SEEING NONE -- OH. THIS IS CONSENT AGENDA AT THIS TIME. OKAY. >> DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT AS IS? >> I WILL MAKE THAT MOTION. >> SECOND. >> ALL IN FAVOR JUST SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ALL RIGHT. NOW ANY CHANGES, ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS TO THE REGULAR AGENDA? >> COMMISSIONER MURPHY? >> I HAVE NONE. >> COMMISSIONER TAYLOR? >> I HAVE NONE. >> I HAVE NONE. NOW WE WILL HAVE HAVE -- WE VOTE ON THAT, RIGHT? A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS IT IS SET. >> MOTION. >> SECOND. >> ALL IN FAVOR VOICE. >> AYE. >> ALL RIGHT. NOW WE WILL MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMENT. >> AT THIS TIME THE BOARD WILL HEAR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT ON MATTERS NOT SCHEDULED FOR ACTION ON TODAY'S AGENDA. WHEN ADDRESSING THE BOARD, COME TO ONE OF THE THREE PODIUMS, STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS. EACH PERSON WILL BE PROVIDED THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK. WE ASK YOU SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE. SPEAKERS WILL COMPLY WITH THE BOARD'S RULES OF CIVILITY AND DECORUM. SPEAKERS MAY NOT DEMAND AN IMMEDIATE RESPONSE FROM THE BOARD. MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE WILL REFRAIN FROM ANY DISRUPTIVE DEMONSTRATION OF APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL. ANY SPEAKER THAT WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT MATERIALS, PLEASE UTILIZE THE CENTER PODIUM. PAPER MATERIALS CAN BE PLACED ON THE X FOR OUR OVERHEAD CAMERA TO DISPLAY. A LAPTOP WILL BE SET UP FOR ANY USB PRESENTATIONS. PLEASE PROVIDE THE MATERIALS TO THE CLERK THE COURT TO BE ENTERED INTO PUBLIC RECORD. THANK YOU. WE HAVE NO -- PLEASE COME UP. >> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS NEIL WHITE. I LIVE IN THE NORTHWEST PART OF THE COUNTY. I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET AHOLD OF COMMISSIONER WHITEHURST. I'M CONFUSED. [00:10:01] Y'ALL WORK FOR US, RIGHT? I HAVE CONCERNS UP THERE. THE TRAFFIC SITUATION IN NORTHWEST ST. JOHNS COUNTY, ROBERTS ROAD AND 13, THAT'S CRIMINAL. WE HAVE SEMIS THROUGH RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS. IT'S BOTTLENECKING. I'M CONCERNED FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. I'M A RETIRED FIREFIGHTER. MINUTES MATTER. IT'S OUT OF CONTROL. I KNOW YOU HEAR IT ALL THE TIME. YOU PROBABLY DO WHAT YOU CAN. BUT IT'S REALLY BAD. IT'S GETTING WORSE BY THE DAY. IT'S A SAFETY CONCERN AS FAR AS APPLICATION SAFETY. I GET CAUGHT IN GRIDLOCK ON A REGULAR BASIS. MINUTES MATTER IF YOU ARE NOT BREATHING. THEY CAN'T MOVE NORTH OR SOUTH. THERE'S NO PLACE FOR THEM TO GO. I USED TO DRIVE FIRE TRUCKS. THERE'S NO PLACE TO GO OFF IN THE DITCH. YOU CAN'T GET AROUND IT. THAT'S A CONCERN THAT I DON'T HAVE AN EASY ANSWER FOR THE TRAFFIC LIGHT. BUT IT'S MESSED UP. IT'S REALLY MESSED UP. SOMETIMES IT TAKES THREE OR FOUR LIGHT CHANGES TO GET THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT MINUTES SITTING THERE BECAUSE OF THE OVERGROWTH. THE OTHER SITUATION OUT THERE, THERE'S A SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT. IT'S IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY. MOST OF THE TIME WHEN YOU DRIVE DOWN 13, WHICH IS A NICE AREA, OLD AREA OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY. IT SMELLS LIKE YOU GOT YOUR HEAD IN SOMEBODY'S TOILET. IT AGGRAVATES ME. I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE. OTHER PEOPLE SAY THE SAME THING. SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER IS. THEY ARE IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY AND YOU ARE MY REPRESENTATIVE. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE RESOLVE THERE OF SOMETHING. I DON'T CARE. IT'S NOT MY PROBLEM TO FIX. IT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. THE OTHER THING IS IN THE AREA OF THE SUBDIVISION THEY TALKED ABOUT DOING A DRAINAGE PROJECT. THE SURVEYORS WERE OUT THERE AND SURVEYED. I ASKED THEM ABOUT IT. NOTHING HAPPEN DONE ON THE DRAINAGE. NOTHING. I CAN'T EVEN GET A CALL BACK FROM ANYBODY. I LEFT MULTIPLE CALLS WITHIN THE COUNTY WITH NO RESOLVE. I LIVED THERE MY WHOLE LIFE. IT BOTHERS ME THAT I CAN'T GET A CALLBACK. I'M ABOUT TO COME TO THE CONCLUSION, WE WANT TO BE LIKE ORLANDO OR WE CONNECT JACKSONVILLE AND ORLANDO TOGETHER AND ALL THE TURMOIL. I CAME DOWN 16. IT'S CRAZY. I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER. IN MY OPINION, HAVE TO MOVE IN A PORTABLE CLASSROOM TO A NEW SCHOOL, SOMEBODY SAY STOP ISSUING PERMITS. WE'RE NOT READY. SAME WITH PUBLIC SAFETY AND FIRE DEPARTMENT. THANK GOD WE HAVE A NEW STATION. >> THANK YOU, SIR. >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS. >> THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY OTHER GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME? IF EVERYBODY COULD WALK UP AND YOU CAN START TWO LINE S. THEN WE CAN GO QUICKLY. GREAT. YES. GO AHEAD, MA'AM. >> KAREN GABRIEL. I WANT TO THANK THE COMMISSIONERS AND WAYNE LEARN ALL ABOUT YOUR COUNTY. >> THANK YOU. NEXT. >> GOOD MORNING. ED SLAVEN. CANDIDATE FOR MOSQUITO CONTROL. CALLING YOUR ATTENTION TO THE OCTOBER 2025 CHARGE BROUGHT BY THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AGAINST A MAN WHO THREATENED ONLINE TWO OF OUR COMMISSIONERS. DETECTIVES INVESTIGATED. THE STATE'S ATTORNEY BROUGHT TWO CRIMINAL CHARGES AFTER INTERNET THREATS WERE MADE WITH GRAPHIC, BLOODY IMAGES. MAKING REFERENCE TO CRITICISM OF COUNTY ATTORNEY RICHARD CHRISTIAN KAMANDO. COUNSEL FOR THE DEFENDANT FILED NO MOTION TO DISMISS, NO DEPOSITIONS WERE TAKEN, NO DISCOVERY WAS EXCHANGED. THE STATE'S ATTORNEY WON'T EXPLAIN ANY LEGAL REASON FOR HIS DROPPING ONE OF THE TWO CHARGES IN STATE VERSUS KEYS. WHY? WE HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW. AFTER A 2008 ROAD RAGE EVENT, NATHAN JAMES KEYS WAS CONVICTED OF SHOOTING A GUN INTO AN OCCUPIED VEHICLE, RISKING THE LIFE OF A 7-YEAR- OLD GIRL AND HER FATHER IN THE CAR. WAS KEYS GIVEN LENIENT TREATMENT AFTER HE MET WITH THEN SHERIFF DAVID SHORE? WITH TWO THEN [00:15:04] COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND WITH ONE FUTURE COMMISSIONER NOW DECEASED. YOU TELL ME. DESPITE MY REQUEST REPEATED OVER YEARS, THE OFFICE HAS NOT EVER SHARED OR SUPPORTED THE NATIONAL DISTRICT ATTORNEYS ASSOCIATION STANDARDS. HE HAS 82 PROSECUTORS IN FOUR COUNTIES. WE THE PEOPLE NEED TO EMPOWER THEM. PLEASE ASK THE FBI TO INVESTIGATE THE DEFENDANT'S ALLEGED INTIMIDATION AND THREATS DIRECTED AGAINST COMMISSIONERS JOSEPH AND TAYLOR AND SEVERAL OTHER CITIZENS IN RETALIATION FOR FIRST AMENDMENT PROTECTED ACTIVITY IN RESPONSE TO CONCERNS ABOUT DEFORESTATION, CLEARCUTTING AND OVERDEVELOPMENT. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? WILL COMMISSION HOLD A HEARINGHEARING AND VOTE TO INVITE THE FBI TO DO ITS JOB AND MAKE A PRESENTATION? HAVE THE SHERIFF MAKE A PRESENTATION. HAVE THE STATE'S ATTORNEY MAKE A PRESENTATION. WILL HE DISCUSS HIS ACTIONS PUBLICLY AND ANSWER QUESTIONS IN A TOWN HALL MEETING? WILL COMMISSIONERS SPEAK OUT TO PRESERVE, PROTECT AND DEFEND OUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO KNOW UNDER ARTICLE 1, SECTION 24 OF OUR FLORIDA CONSTITUTIONS? THANK YOU, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. >> THANK YOU. NEXT. STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS. >> THANK YOU. MY NAME IS DAVID WILLIAMS. I LIVE AT 1040 TERPIN AVENUE. THE REASON WHY I'M SPEAKING TODAY IS THAT WE ARE AT A PRECIPICE WHERE WE ARE GENERATING A LOT OF TIF FUNDS. RIGHT NOW IT'S $937,000 IS WHAT COFFERS. 500,000 THIS YEAR. ANOTHER 437 IN RESERVE. WE NEED TO IMPROVE OUR ROADS. THAT'S ONE OF OUR MAIN FUNCTIONS IN TERMS OF SUPPORTING THE ROAD AND WATER DISTRICT TO PROVIDE FUNDING TO AT LEAST IMPROVE OUR DIRT ROADS. WE ARE WORKING WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD WITH REGARD TO TRY TO IMPROVE SOME OF OUR AREA OUT IN FLAGLER COUNTY SIDE SO THAT IT WILL BE SAFER FOR TRANSPORTING CHILDREN. THIS IS THE SEASON RIGHT NOW. ROUTE 1 IS BEING REDONE. WE WOULD LIKE TO BUY SOME MILLINGS. CAN'T. WE HAVE NO PROCEDURE, NO DEFINITE PROCEDURE AS TO HOW TOTO ABOUT IT. IT SEEMS REASONABLY SIMPLE IN THAT WE KNOW WHAT WE NEED. WE KNOW WHERE IT IS. WE HAVE A PRICE. BUT WE HAVE NO ACTION WITH REGARD TO HOW TO DO IT. I WOULD ASK YOU TO EXPEDITE THAT PROCESS IN SOME WAY SO THAT WE COULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE MATERIAL THAT WE NEED TO CREATE A ROAD BASE FOR OUR ROADS. BECAUSE WE START WITH DIRT AND WE DO MILLINGS OR AN AGGREGATE MATERIAL. THEN WE BLACKTOP. WE ARE VERY LIMITED AS TO WHAT WE CAN DO OUT OF THE CRA BUDGET OR THE ROAD AND WATER DISTRICT BUDGET AS SUCH. SO THE CRA HAS VOTED TO ADD SOME OF THAT -- ADD MONEY TO THAT TO HELP WITH THAT PROCESS. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT. >> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. I'M VICKY TUPER. I'M REPRESENTING MYSELF AND COMMUNITY ADVOCATES FOR RACIAL ADVOCACY. WE IDENTIFY RESOURCES, INCLUDING FUNDING SOURCES AND LINKING THEM WITH COMMUNITY NEEDS AS IDENTIFIED BY COMMUNITY LEADERS. YOU MAY REMEMBER THAT AT YOUR OCTOBER 7TH MEETING, WE SPOKE ABOUT OUR EXTREME DISAPPOINTMENT. ALTHOUGH WE WERE NOT SURPRISED. THE STATE REJECTED OUR UPDATED COMPREHENSIVE PLAN BASED ON SB-180. WE SPENT SO MUCH TIME AND ENERGY AS A COMMUNITY WORKING ON THE PLAN. WE CAME UP WITH A PLAN THAT FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE STILL [00:20:01] NEEDS WORK WILL MOVE US FORWARD. THE IMPORTANT THING IS, IT'S OUR PLAN. WE WORKED ON IT TOGETHER HARD FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS. WE ALSO ADVOCATED AT THAT TIME AN APPROACH THAT WOULD INVOLVE RE-SUBMITTING OUR PLAN, NOT AS THE REJECTED PLAN BUT AS A NEW PLAN THAT HAPPENS TO LOOK A LOT LIKE THE OLD PLAN BUT THAT WOULD CONTAIN A PROVISION THAT WOULD EFFECTIVELY INOCULATE US AGAINST THE SB- 180 OBJECTIONS. WE WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU TODAY TO RE- VISIT THAT, BECAUSE IN ASKING AROUND, WE HAVE LEARNED THAT THERE ARE OTHER COUNTIES IN THE STATE THAT ARE EMPLOYING A SIMILAR WORKAROUND APPROACH. THE ADVANTAGE THAT THIS APPROACH HAS IS IT WOULD SAVE ALL OF OUR GOOD WORK. WE THINK IT IS A REAL MISTAKE TO WATER DOWN THE PLAN WE WORKED SO HARD ON THAT WILL MOVE US FORWARD SIMPLY IN AN ATTEMPT TO ADDRESS THE STATE'S OBJECTIONS, WHICH, BY THE WAY, THEY REALLY GAVE US VERY LITTLE CLUE AS TO WHAT EXACTLY THE PROBLEM WAS AND WHAT THEY WERE OBJECTING TO. WE WOULD ASK YOU AGAIN, PLEASE CONSIDER THE APPROACH THAT WE ADVOCATED BACK ON OCTOBER 7TH. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT. >> DENVER COOK. TALKED TO YOU BEFORE ABOUT POLITICAL TONE. I DON'T THINK IT'S GOTTEN BETTER. TWO SOLDIERS STANDING AT A BUS STOP THAT MY NIECE GETS OFF TO GO TO WORK, SHOT, ONE KILLED. SHE DIED THANKSGIVING. ANDREW IS FIGHTING FOR HIS LIFE RIGHT NOW. SOMETHING HAS TO CHANGE. WE THE PEOPLE, WE DEMAND A GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS FOR US. I DON'T THINK OUR GOVERNMENT WORKS FOR US ANYWHERE. NOT HERE IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY. NOT IN TALLAHASSEE. NOT IN DC. THAT'S MY PERSONAL OPINION. WE SEE FAILURES EVERY SINGLE DAY. WE SEE PEOPLE ARRESTED FOR THREATENING PEOPLE'S LIVES. WE SEE PEOPLE DYING BECAUSE SOMEBODY DOESN'T LIKE WHAT THEY HAPPEN TO BE DOING AT ANY ONE MOMENT. IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE UNLESS OUR LEADERS STEP UP AND DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. WHAT MATTERS MOST TO ME IS ST. JOHNS COUNTY. THAT'S WHERE I FOCUS MY ENERGY. THAT'S WHERE MY FAMILY IS BASED OUT OF AND LIVES. IT'S WHERE I PLANTED MY ROOTS. AS ANYONE WHO HAS KNOWN ME SINCE I MOVED HERE WELL OVER 12 YEARS AGO, I CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THE PEOPLE AROUND ME. IT'S BECOMING HARDER AND HARDER EVERY DAY TO FORGIVE AT NIGHT WHEN I GO TO BED, WHICH IS WHAT I DO. I WAKE UP WITH LOVE IN MY HEART EVERY DAY. GO TO BED WITH FORGIVENESS. PEOPLE NEED TO START DOING THAT. THAT'S NOT WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR COMMUNITY. THAT'S NOT WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR STATE. OR IN D.C. SEEMS LIKE SOCIAL MEDIA NEED TO ARE THE THING THAT WE - DO IN ORDER TO BE HEARD OR BE SEEN. NONE OF IT HAS LED TO ANYTHING POSITIVE. NONE OF IT. IT NEEDS TO STOP. BECAUSE OF DISTRACTIONS ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND ATTACKS, WE HAVE NOT SOLVED ANYTHING. WE PASSED YEAR ON YEAR AND YOU HAVE HEARD ME TALK ABOUT CONTINUING RESOLUTIONS IN OUR COUNTY GOVERNMENT TO KEEP GROWING. IT HAS CAUSED WE THE PEOPLE FROM 2015 TO 2019 BY NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO BUDGETS AND NOT DOING ROLLBACKS, THIS GOVERNMENT HAS COLLECTED AN EXTRA $1. 2 BILLION IN REVENUE OVER THE 2015 NUMBERS THEY BROUGHT IN. $1. 2 BILLION IN TEN YEARS. WE WONDER WHY PEOPLE CAN'T HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSES AND WHY PRICES ARE GROWING UP. WHEN BUSINESSES, TAXES IN THE LAST TEN YEARS HAVE GONE 104% FOR THEIR LOCAL TAX. FORGET ABOUT INFLATION AND THE PRICE OF EGGS. TAXATION IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY IS COMPOUNDING THE PROBLEM OF INFLATION AND MAKING OUR COMMUNITIES HARDER TO LIVE IN. WE THE PEOPLE DEMAND SOMETHING DIFFERENT. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ARE THERE ANY OTHER GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS? >> GOOD MORNING, Y'ALL. WILLIAM HENNESSEY IS MY NAME. ONCE AGAIN, IT'S ABOUT THE BOAT RAMPS. EVERY TIME I GO TO THE BOAT RAMP I GET HARASSED BY THE HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATION PEOPLE. IT'S CONSTANT. [00:25:01] THEY ARE SCARED TO DEATH OF ME BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO BLOW THEIR BUBBLE. THEY ARE TRYING TO TAKE COUNTY PROPERTY AWAY FROM ALL OF US. WE ARE PAYING TAXES FOR THAT RIGHT-OF-WAY TO LAUNCH OUR BOAT. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR TEN YEARS. YOU HAVEN'T DONE A DAMN THING ABOUT IT. IT'S GETTING WORSE AND WORSE AND WORSE. THEM PEOPLE KEEP TRYING TO PULL LAYERS OF SKIN OFF ME. THEY'RE GOING TO FIND OUT, THEY ARE MAKING A BIG MISTAKE. A HUGE MISTAKE. I'M TOUGHER THAN I LOOK. THEY COME OUT IN THAT ROAD AND HARASS ME. IT'S GOING TO BE BAD NEWS. THEN I WANT TO GO TO THE OTHER BOAT RAMP. BUTLER WEST. THAT'S WHERE I GOT ASSAULTED. YOU KNOW THAT. IT HAPPENED SO QUICK THAT NONE OF THE DOCTORS COULD FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO. I WENT TO THREE PHYSICIANS THAT I NEVER HAD. I NEVER HAD A PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN UNTIL I GOT ASSAULTED. THEY SAID I WAS ABNORMALLY HEALTHY. ONE OF THE DOCTORS, HE WAS AN ARMY DOCTOR, THE THIRD ONE, SAID WHY DON'T YOU GO TO THE STATE ATTORNEY AND GET THE DEPOSITIONS AND WE FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED? I COULDN'T TELL HIM. ALL I KNEW IS I TURNED AROUND AND I GOT SLUGGED. NOT SLUGGED ONCE. GOT KNOCKED TO THE GROUND, KICKED AND SPIT ON. DEPOSITION SAID I TRIED TO GET UP IN A DEFENSIVE STANCE. THEY KNOCKED ME DOWN AGAIN, SPIT, KICKED. THE THIRD TIME THEY PICKED ME UP BY MY LEFT SHOULDER, SPUN ME AROUND THREW ME DOWN ON HAND PAN. IT'S AS HARD AS CONCRETE. THIS DOCTOR SAYS, YOU ARE LUCKY YOU ARE ALIVE. IT'S LIKE YOU HAVE BEEN IN THREE CAR ACCIDENTS IN 30 SECONDS. MY EQUILIBRIUM IS STILL -- I CAN'T EVEN SAY THE WORD. I CAN'T PLAY GOLF. CAN'T RIDE A BICYCLE. SOLD MY EXCAVATION EQUIPMENT, WHICH WAS A JOB I LOVED. I THOUGHT BOATS WOULD GET CHICKS. YOU GOT A NICE LOOKING BOBCAT AND YOU SHOW UP, THEY WANT TO RIDE IN IT. I LOST THAT, TOO. I LOST A LOT OF THINGS, MAN. NOTHING IS GETTING DONE. >> THANK YOU, SIR. >> EXCEPT MUNICIPAL CORRUPTION. Y'ALL ARE GOOD AT THAT. >> GOOD MORNING. SHERRY BADGER. ONCE AGAIN WE FIND OURSELVES HERE. IT'S Y'ALL'S JOB TO OPERATE YOUR STAFF. YOUR STAFFS AREN'T DOING THEIR JOB. IF THEY ARE, IT'S MORE FOR THE LAWYER AND THE DEVELOPERS OF THESE PLANS. ONCE AGAIN, THEY SHOULD NOT BE BLOCKING THE COUNTY EASEMENT. THAT IS WE THE PEOPLE'S. NONE OF Y'ALL -- THIS MAN HAS BEEN COMING IN HERE FOR FOUR YEARS. WHY HAVEN'T YOU HELD YOUR EMPLOYEES ACCOUNTABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THIS? HAVE ANY OF Y'ALL TRIED TO FIGURE OUT IF HE IS RIGHT OR IF HE IS WRONG? ARE YOU JUST SAYING, HANDLE IT AND IT DOESN'T GET HANDLED? THIS IS JUST EXACTLY WHAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT. WE ARE SICK OF IT. YOU ARE HERE FOR WE THE PEOPLE. YOUR STAFF IS HERE FOR WE THE PEOPLE. NOT A CHOSEN DEVELOPER OR A LAWYER FOR A CHOSEN DEVELOPER. THAT COMES UP HERE, SETS PRECEDENCE AND COMES BACK AGAIN. Y'ALL NEED TO WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE. YOU GOT A NEW CLEAN START AFTER THE LAST MEETING. LET'S GET THINGS DONE. GOD BLESS. HAVE A GREAT DAY. >> OKAY. ANY OTHER GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS ON MATTERS THAT ARE NOT ON THE SCHEDULED AGENDA FOR TODAY? ONE MORE. >> OUR TAXPAYERS IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY, MEMBERS OF CONGRESS RECEIVE A SALARY OF $170,000 COMPARED TO THE ST. JOHNS COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR WHO IS PAID $300,000. THREE JUVENILES CHOSE TO COMMIT CRIMES ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23RD BY KICKING FRONT DOORS OF [00:30:01] HOMES. LET ME THANK MR. ROBERTS' FAMILY WHO REPORTED THIS TO THE SHERIFF. THEIR NAMES WILL ONLY BE PUBLISHED IF THEIR CRIMES ARE CONSIDERED A SIGNIFICANT THREAT. MUG SHOTS, NOT A STERN WARNING FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT OR PAYING A FINE COULD HELP WITH MEANINGFUL CONSEQUENCES. FOR NINE YEARS, TWO INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE SHOT IN THEIR VEHICLES WAS SET ON FIRE HAVE NOT RECEIVED JUSTICE SINCE NO ONE HAS BEEN ARRESTED FOR THIS CRIME. THAT'S NINE YEARS. THREE JUVENILES WERE THOSE WHO SHOOT AND BURN INDIVIDUALS NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE WITH EFFECTIVE CONSEQUENCES. WE HEAR MANY THINGS AND NOTHING GETS DONE. DING DONG. WE HAVE 41 DAYS OF NIGHTS OF LIGHTS ENDS. 41 MORE DAYS UNTIL JANUARY. I THINK WHEN PEOPLE COME UP HERE AND WE TALK AND NOTHING HAPPENS, WE KEEP COMING. THEN PEOPLE GET TOGETHER AND CONVINCE YOU TO WRITE A CERTAIN ORDINANCE ABOUT SOMETHING. IT SEEMS TO BE CLICKISH. I THINK THAT'S THE PROBLEM. WHAT HAPPENED AT THE LAST MEETING WAS DISGRACEFUL. SITTING IN THIS ROOM AND WATCHING WHAT HAPPENED WAS VERY, VERY DISTURBING. I THANK A LOT OF PEOPLE -- PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT. I THINK THERE'S SOME APOLOGIES THAT SHOULD BE SAID INSTEAD OF IGNORING THINGS. WE ALL HAVE TO REMEMBER THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, LIKE THE PASTOR SAID, TREAT OTHERS THE WAY YOU WANT TO BE TREATED. REMEMBER, PRIDE GOES BEFORE A FALL. THANK YOU. THERE WILL BE ONE MORE SPEAKER. >> THANK YOU. >> GOOD MORNING. TOM REYNOLDS, FIRST OF ALL, LAST WEEK THE PICKING OF THE OFFICES, I THOUGHT IT WAS AWESOME. TODAY I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS -- THEY TALK ABOUT THE STATE ATTORNEY. WOMEN ARE IN TROUBLE. THE STATE ATTORNEY'S LONG REPUTATION DOESN'T PROTECT WOMEN. EVERYBODY KNOWS IT IS RJ, THE STATE ATTORNEY IS ONLY LUCKY BECAUSE HE IS IN TWO TV MARKETS. HE IS THE MOST DERELICT INDIVIDUAL I HAVE COME ACROSS HOLDING A STATE ATTORNEY'S POSITION. HE IS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, WHICH IS REALLY THE DEPARTMENT OF COVERUP. READ THE "MIAMI HERALD" STORY. I WANT TO ADDRESS DENVER COOK. DENVER COOK SAYS STUFF ABOUT THINGS GOING ON. I THINK ST. JOHNS COUNTY IS THE MOST WONDERFUL PLACE. I NEVER SEE ANYTHING BAD HAPPENING HERE. SOMETIMES I WISH WE WOULD HAVE A FEW BAD THINGS HAPPEN HERE TO SHOW WE ARE REAL. I FIND IT SAFE. I FIND IT CLEAN. I FIND WE HAVE AWESOME WORKERS. I FIND WE HAVE GOOD BUDGET PEOPLE. I DON'T KNOW, SOMETIMES I GET MIXED UP WHEN I HEAR THESE PEOPLE TALKING. TODAY I WOULD LIKE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT LAST NIGHT IN THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE THEY CHANGED THE GUARDS. WE GOT A NEW MAYOR OVER THERE. MAYOR SWEENEY, LADY, AND VICE- MAYOR MORGAN. A COUPLE OF NICE LADIES. THEY ARE VERY SMART. BUT THEY LACK COMMUNICATION SKILLS. THEY DON'T HAVE PHONE NUMBERS. THE RESIDENTS CAN'T CONTACT THEM. IF YOU NEED ANYTHING, DYLAN IS AT 904-584-5161. THE MAN IS AWESOME. DONALD SAMORA, 904-460-4404. THOSE TWO GENTLEMEN ARE VERY SHARP AND EXCELLENT COMMUNICATORS. CAN HELP YOU. THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH IS IN FINANCIAL TROUBLE. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS TAKING THEM DOWN. THEY ARE TAKING THEM DOWN HARD. IF I TOLD YOU WHAT PERCENTAGE OF PAID VACATION TIME WAS OUT OF THE BUDGET, YOU WOULD CALL ME A LIAR. ME AND MY TWO BEST FRIENDS, PERPLEXITY AND CHATGPT, WE FIGURED IT OUT. THREE YEARS, IF THEY CHANGE THINGS, THEY WILL [00:35:05] BE BANKRUPT. THEY NEED TO GET THE LAZY COPS OFF THREE 12- HOUR AND ON FOUR TENS. GET THE LAZY SUPERVISORS ON FIVE EIGHTS. IT'S THE LAZIEST POLICE DEPARTMENT I HAVE EVER COME ACROSS. THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER WHITEHURST DID YOU -- GO AHEAD. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THROUGH THE CHAIR, TO THE COUNTY ATTORNEY, I JUST HAD A QUESTION. WE HAVE HEARD A LOT OF PUBLIC COMMENT, SOME VERY SPIRITED, SOME OF THE COMMENTS WERE VERY PASSIONATE. DO WE VET PUBLIC COMMENT TO MAKE SURE WHAT'S BEING SET IS TRUTHFUL AND ACCURATE? >> NO, SIR, WE DO NOT. >> IS THERE ANY MECHANISM FOR US TO VET THE TRUTHFUL AND ACCURACY OF WHAT'S BEING SAID DURING PUBLIC COMMENT? >> NO. HONESTLY, WE DON'T WANT TO INFRINGE ON SOMEONE'S RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH. >> OKAY. JUST WANTED TO DOUBLE-CHECK. >> ARE THERE ANY OTHER GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME? SEEING NONE, WE WILL CLOSE [1. Public Hearing * WH 2025-01 Sebastian Oaks. Request to amend the conditions of REZ 2023-16 (Ordinance 2024-09) to eliminate the requirement to construct a roundabout at the southern intersection of Old Lewis Speedway and Lewis Speedway and replace it with a condition that the developer shall adhere to St. Johns County's standard requirement for proportionate fair share transportation mitigation, as outlined within Part 11.09.00 of the Land Development Code. The Planning and Zoning Agency (PZA) heard this request at their regularly scheduled public hearing on November 6, 2025. The Agency made a motion to recommend approval, which failed with a vote of 3-3. Support of the approval motion was made by members Spiegel, Matovina, and Perkins. Dissenting votes were made by members Olson, Hilsenbeck, and Labanowski. Member Green was absent. Discussion from the Agency members and the public was centered on the history of the project and the proposed roundabout that was included with the approval of REZ 2023-16 on 3/5/2024.] PUBLIC COMMENT. >> WE ARE BACK TO THE BOARD FOR AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE. I ONLY HAVE IT FOR THREE. ITEM ONE IS REZONING. I'M NOT UP TO DATE HERE. COMMISSIONER ARNOLD. >> THANK YOU. I HAD A HANDFUL OF EMAILS. I HAD A MEETING WITH JAMES WHITEHOUSE, AND STAFF. I HAD A MEETING YESTERDAY IN THE OFFICE WITH JOE AND W. JAMES IN OPPOSITION TO THE PROJECT. >> COMMISSIONER MURPHY. >> I HAVE SEVEN PLUS EMAILS. I MET WITH JAMES AND SCOTT AND WITH JOE AND DEBBIE WHO WERE OPPOSED TO THIS. >> COMMISSIONER WHITEHURST. >> I ALSO HAD OVER FOUR EMAILS. MET WITH MR. WHITEHOUSE YESTERDAY IN THE OFFICE. WE DISCUSSED THE SITE LOCATION, HISTORY OF THE APPROVAL OF THE PROPERTY AND THE TRAFFIC MY MITIGATION. MET WITH JOE AND DEBBIE, WHO ARE OPPOSED TO TODAY'S APPLICATION. >> COMMISSIONER TAYLOR. >> I ALSO RECEIVED SEVERAL EMAILS, TEN PLUS. I HAD A MEETING WITH MR. WHITEHOUSE. MEETING WITH JOE, DEBBIE, WHO OPPOSED IT AND STAFF. >> I HAD FIVE PLUS EMAILS MEETING WITH JAMES WHITEHOUSE, WITH JOE, DEBBIE, JOHN OPPOSED AND STAFF AS WELL AS I HAD A PHONE CALL WITH ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE AREA. YOU ARE ON. >> THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN. DOUG BURNETT, ST. JOHNS LAW GROUP. JAMES WHITEHOUSE IS A LAWYER WITH ME. APPRECIATE YOU GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY THROUGH MR. WHITEHOUSE TO TALK TO YOU AND GIVE YOU THE HISTORY ON THIS. INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, WHEN THIS WENT THROUGH IN A PIECE OF INFORMATION YOU MAY NOT HAVE GOTTEN IN THE SHUFFLE, WHEN THIS ORIGINALLY WENT THROUGH FOR ITS REZONING APPLICATION, THERE WAS NO CONDITION RELATED TO A ROUNDABOUT. IT HAD GONE THROUGH PZA. IT WAS HEADED TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IN. A SUGGESTION WAS MADE RELATED TO THE ROUNDABOUT. WE LOOKED AT IT. IT WAS SOMETHING THAT A PRIOR PROJECT HAD PRELIMINARILY DRAWN. IN CONCEPT, IT SEEMED FINE. KB HOLM WAS WILLING TO ADD IT. THE WINDOW FOR YOUR STAFF TO REVIEW THAT ROUNDABOUT CONCEPT WAS I THINK LESS THAN 30 DAYS WHEN YOU GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE TIMING OF PZA, WHEN THE ROUNDABOUT WAS PROPOSED AND THEN ULTIMATELY THE -- GOT THE APPROVAL OF THE BCC. THE ADDED INTERESTING THING ABOUT THAT WAS I THINK MY CLIENT HAD ASSUMED THERE WAS REAL DUE DILIGENCE PUT INTO THAT ROUNDABOUT CONCEPT IN THE PREVIOU APPLICATION UNRELATED TO MY CLIENT AT ALL, UNRELATED TO THIS PROPERTY. IT WAS ANOTHER PROPERTY. THAT ACTUALLY PROVED TO NOT BE THE CASE. THE ADDED PIECE OF THAT IS, YOUR STAFF, BECAUSE OF THE SHORT WINDOW, I DON'T THINK THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW IT AS WELL AS THEY WOULD HAVE LIKED TO. NOW FAST FORWARD TO TODAY. YOUR STAFF IS BOUND TO FOLLOW THE DIRECTION THAT'S IN YOUR ORDINANCE. WE COME THROUGH TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PROJECT AND YOUR STAFF IS CONFRONTED WITH SOMETHING THAT THEY NOW KNOW IS [00:40:01] PROBABLY NOT WHAT IT APPEARED TO BE PREVIOUSLY, MEANING, THEY DON'T LIKE THE CONFIGURATION. THEY DON'T LIKE THE WAY IT LAYS OUT. THERE'S TECHNICAL CONCERNS ABOUT THE ROUNDABOUT AND THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE ROUNDABOUT. BY THE WAY, THERE'S A BETTER USE FOR THESE FUNDS FOR A NEARBY ROADWAY IMPROVEMENT. THAT IS HOW WE WIND UP HERE ASKING YOU, COUNTY COMMISSION AND BRINGING THERE TO YOUR ATTENTION TO SAY WE WOULD LIKE TO AMEND THE ORDINANCE TO REMOVE THE ROUNDABOUT BUT STILL PAY OUR FAIR SHARE. THOSE FUNDS WOULD GO TO THE SAME TRAFFIC IMPACT AREA TO HELP FUND ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS ON WOODLAWN. THAT'S MY PRESENTATION AT THIS POINT IN TIME. IT'S ONE THAT I DON'T KNOW THAT EVERYONE ANTICIPATED THAT WE WOULD BE HERE. I DON'T THINK THAT ANYONE ANTICIPATED THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS PROBLEMATIC. IT SOUNDED GOOD, LOOKED GOOD. IT DIDN'T GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE WELL VETTED PREVIOUSLY. THAT'S WHY WE ARE HERE. I THINK THAT IT'S PROBABLY -- WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE COUNTY IN WHOLE, IT'S IN THE OVERALL COUNTY'S BEST INTEREST TO MAKE THIS CHANGE. OF COURSE, YOU FIVE ARE THE ONES TO DECIDE THAT FACTOR. WITH THAT, I WILL BE QUIET. I THINK THERE'S PUBLIC COMMENT. THANK YOU. >> OKAY. AT THIS TIME, WE WILL HEAR PUBLIC COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE. >> THREE THE CHAIR, TO THE VICE CHAIR, YOU DO HAVE A DESIGNATED SPEAKER ON THIS ITEM. MR. JOE MAKANERNY. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR MEETING WITH DEBBIE JAMES AND MYSELF YESTERDAY. THE QUESTION IS, WHY ARE WE HERE? I ASK THIS QUESTION BECAUSE ON MARCH 5, 2024, COMMISSIONER HENRY DEAN MOVED TO APPROVE THE 110 UNIT WITH A ROUNDABOUT. THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AT THAT TIME VOTED THEIR APPROVAL, THE MAJORITY. FOR AN ANSWER, MAYBE WE SHOULD LOOK AT THE PROJECT HISTORY. DID COME BEFORE THIS PZA AND COMMISSIONERS IN 2022 AS 92 MARKET RATE UNITS. WAS DENIED BOTH TIMES. SAT OUT FOR A YEAR. CAME BACK A YEAR LATE WE ARE 110 UNITS. 33 OF WHICH WOULD BE WORKFORCE HOUSING WITH NO ROUNDABOUT. THE PZA DENIED THAT AGAIN. THERE WAS A REQUEST FOR A CONTINUANCE BY THE APPLICANT TO A TIMETIME LATER SET FOR MARCH 5TH. IN THAT PERIOD OF TIME KB HOLM DID STUDY CONDITIONS. WE LOOKED ED ED AT THE TRANSCRIPT. IT FIT AND IT FUNCTIONED. THAT'S WHAT A PROFESSIONAL TRAFFIC ENGINEER HAD TO SAY. THE ROUNDABOUT WAS ADDED TO THE APPLICATION. SUBMITTED FOR STAFF REVIEW. STAFF REVIEWED IT. WE WERE TOLD AT THE LAST PZA THAT IT WASN'T WARNED. LEWIS IS SAFE. CONSTRUCTION DETOURS WOULD HAPPEN. IT'S GOING TO SLOW DOWN FIRST RESPONDERS. EMBANKMENTS WERE AN ISSUE AND THE MONEY WOULD BE BETTER SPENT. COMMISSIONERS WERE BRIEFED ABOUT THAT BEFORE MARCH 5, 2024. I WANT TO DO SOMETHING HERE. >> YOU LOOK AT THE -- I THINK THE COMMITMENTS MADE BY THIS PARTICULAR DEVELOPER TO DEAL WITH TRAFFIC. I WOULD SAY THAT I'VE HAD SOME EXPERIENCE IN ANALYZING THE ROUNDABOUT GOING BACK TO THE DISCUSSIONS. I DON'T THINK ANY OF YOU WERE HERE -- MAYBE, CHRISTIAN, DURING THE TWO PORTER PROPERTY ITEMS WHICH ULTIMATELY ENDED UP AS DENIALS. IT WASN'T BECAUSE OF THE ROUNDABOUT. I SUPPORTED THE ROUNDABOUT. I LOOKED AT IT AND I CONCLUDED THAT WHEN CARS ARE COMING AROUND LEWIS SPEEDWAY, DOING 50 OR 60, IF THEY HIT A ROUNDABOUT, THEY'RE GOING TO SLOW DOWN. WHEN THEY SLOW DOWN, IT'S GOING TO PROVIDE SAFETY FOR THOSE PEOPLE COMING OFF OLD LEWIS SPEEDWAY. >> THERE WE HEARD IT, SAFETY FOR THE PEOPLE. THE MAJORITY OF COMMISSIONERS, ALL WHO HEARD STAFF OBJECTIONS BEFORE THIS VOTE, VOTED TO SUPPORT HENRY DEAN'S MOTION. I CHARACTERIZE THIS AS HENRY DEAN'S VISION. IT'S WITH THE SAME STAFF CONCERNS TODAY THAT WE ARE HERE. BECAUSE OF THAT, TYLER -- NOT SURE WHAT HAPPENED. SHOULDN'T WE VOTE TO PRESERVE HENRY DEAN'S VISION FOR SAFETY? IT WAS A VISION ALSO OF THEN [00:45:03] COMMISSION. WE HAD GOOD MEETINGS YESTERDAY. TYLER, I'M GOING TO SWITCH AND DO SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT HERE IF I CAN GO TO THE FRONT BOARD HERE. REAL QUICKLY HERE, AGAIN, WHY ARE WE HERE? I THINK THERE ARE TWO ADDITIONAL SCENARIOS. ONE IS THE APPLICANT PROPOSED A ROUNDABOUT TO GET APPROVE AND SEEKS THIS CHANGE. THE APPLICANT SEEKS TO OBTAIN A PERMIT BUT COUNTY STAFF ADVISES THE APPLICANT TO SEEK CHANGE. SCENARIO ONE IS PLAUSIBLE BASED ON THE HISTORY. WE LOOKED AT THE HISTORY OF DENIALS AND SUDDENLY APPROVAL WITH A ROUNDABOUT. BEST SCENARIO ONE IS PLAUSIBLE BECAUSE ROUNDABOUT WAS ESTIMATED AT A MILLION FOUR, MAYBE IT'S MORE TODAY THAN TWO YEARS AGO. THE PROPORTIONAL FAIR SHARE THAT'S BEING PROPOSED IS MUCH, MUCH, MUCH LESS. WE HEARD YESTERDAY THAT THE APPLICANT IS GOING TO SPEND THE MONEY ON ADDITIONAL WORK WHETHER THERE'S A ROUNDABOUT OR NOT. SCENARIO IS NOT PLAUSIBLE BASED ON ACTUAL EVENTS. MY GOSH, THE -- WHERE THE APPLICANT SEEKS TO OBTAIN A PERMIT BUT THE COUNTY STAFF BLOCKS. HOW DO WE KNOW THAT HAPPENED? WE KNOW THAT HAPPENED BECAUSE OF THE STAFF'S OWN ADMISSION. YOU HAVE ONLY TO LOOK IN YOUR STAFF REPORT HERE AND TO SEE THAT THOSE SAME ITEMS THAT ITEMIZED EARLIER ARE THE SAME THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT TODAY. STAFF SAYS BASED ON THESE FACTORS, STAFF RECOMMENDED THE APPLICANT SUBMIT TO REMOVE THE ROUNDABOUT CONDITION. WE ARE HERE BECAUSE STAFF WANTED US TO BE HERE. I'M JUST GOING TO JUMP TO SAY IT AND SAY WITH THE SAME REASONS AS GIVEN TWO YEARS AGO, A YEAR AGO, THAT IS NOT ENOUGH TO PROVIDE BETTER SAFETY TODAY. >> THANK YOU. >> SHERRY BADGER. THREE OF Y'ALL -- WELL, ONE OF Y'ALL WERE. I THINK YOU VOTED AGAINST IT, KRISTA. THIS DEVELOPER LAWYER HAS COME IN. HE CHANGED IT. I WASN'T EVEN SUPPOSED TO COME BACK FOR A FULL YEAR. SLID THE ROUNDABOUT IN AND CAME BACK IN FOUR MONTHS. THERE'S LOTS GOING ON BEHIND THE SCENES HERE. Y'ALL NEED TO DENY THIS BECAUSE HE IS A SHAPE SHIFTER. THANK YOU. >> I THINK WE ALL NEED TO TAKE A BREATH AFTER THIS MEETING. I'M DEBBY JAMES, 557 NORTH HORSESHOE ROAD. I LIVE ON THAT DANGEROUS CURVE. REASONS FOR DENIAL TO ALLOW WITHDRAWAL FROM PROMISED ROUNDABOUT. APPROVED BY THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, ONE REASON, SAFETY ON LEWIS SPEEDWAY AND A BLIND CURVE. THE PORTER, THE MILLS, THE SEBASTIAN OAKS PROJECTS WERE DENIES. REASON, SAFETY ON LEWIS SPEEDWAY. AND A BLIND CURVE. I HAVE PICTURES OF ACCIDENTS. OF COURSE, THEY TELL US NOW THAT THERE ARE NO ACCIDENTS ON LEWIS SPEEDWAY. IT'S SAFE. IT DOESN'T NEED IMPROVEMENT. NOT TRUE. THE APPROVAL ON MARCH 5TH WAS GIVEN BY THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ON A CONTINGENTCONTINGENT A ROUNDABOUT. THE DEVELOPER PAYING FOR IT. MAKING LEWIS SPEEDWAY SAFER. HE WANTED IT SAFER THAN WHEN HE PROPOSED A ROUNDABOUT THAT APPROVED BY THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. ANYWAY, THE DEVELOPER IS BACKING OUT NOW FROM THE SAFETY ISSUE. WANTS ONLY TO PAY HIS FAIR SHARE. ALL OF A SUDDEN, LEWIS SPEEDWAY IS SAFE. NEEDS NO IMPROVEMENT. THE FAIR SHARE MONEY INSTEAD WILL GO TO A ROAD -- WOODLAWN ROAD WHICH IS SAFE AND DOES NOT NEED REPAIR. QUESTION? WITH 200 TO 500 CARS COMING OUT ON THIS PROJECT, MILLS PROJECT, HOW DOES THIS MAKE IT SAFER FOR LEWISSPEEDWAY AND THE RESIDENTS? SO WHAT IS THE SOLUTION? THE MILLS PROJECT COULD GO BACK TO DO WHAT IT IS ALLOWED TO DO. ONE HOME PER ACRE. OR REZ B, TWO UNITS PER ACRE AND WORKFORCE HOUSING. WOULDN'T THAT WORK? WHY DON'T THEY DO THAT? [00:50:02] GOOD QUESTION. OUR NEIGHBORHOODS WILL BE THE SAME. THERE WOULD BE LESS TRAFFIC. THAT'S A GOOD SOLUTION. SO THEN QUESTION? IF THE DEVELOPERS GO BACK TO WHAT THEY CAN DO AND BUILD WHAT THE COUNTY IS ALLOWING, WOULDN'T THIS MAKE IT SAFER FOR THE FAMILIES OF LEWIS SPEEDWAY AND FOR THE TRAVELLERS WHO USE IT EVERY DAY, SEVERAL TIMES A DAY? THE RESIDENTS WHO LIVE HERE HAVE NO OPTIONS BUT THAT IS AN OPTION. I ASK -- >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> ANY OTHER COMMENTS? >> GOOD MORNING. I'M CARLA MAXWELL KORDO. MULTIPLE REQUESTS FOR REZONING, PORTER AND MILLS PROPERTIES, HAVE BEEN DENIED BY PZA AND BOCC. THE TWO MAIN ISSUES WERE INCOMPATIBILITY AND TRAFFIC SAFETY FOR RESIDENTS ACCESSING LEWIS SPEEDWAY. REQUESTS FOR PORTER PROJECT ALTHOUGH INCOMPATIBLE WITH SURROUNDING RURAL AREAS WERE AT LEAST IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MAP. THEY WERE STILL DENIED BY ST. JOHNS COUNTY BOCC DUE TO TRAFFIC SAFETY ISSUES. THE COUNTY MADE IT CLEAR THAT PROJECTS IN THIS AREA SHOULD REMAIN LOW DENSITY WITH SOME SORT OF ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS FOR SAFETY. HOWEVER, AFTER MILLS SEBASTIAN OAKS MULTIPLE DENIALS TO UP ZONE ZONE , THEY GAINED ED GAINED APPROVAL DUE TO THEIR COMMITMENT TO BUILDING A ROUNDABOUT FOR THE TRAFFIC AND SAFETY ISSUES ON LEWIS SPEEDWAY. I HAVE SPOKEN AGAINST A ROUNDABOUT IN THIS LOCATION WITH SOME OF THE SAME ISSUES STAFF EVEN PRESENTED THESE ISSUES ONE ON ONE MEETINGS WITH COMMISSIONERS. I TOLD THEM THAT MOST OF THE LOCAL RESIDENTS WERE NOT IN FAVOR OF A ROUNDABOUT AS WELL. THE COMMISSIONERS APPROVED THE ROUNDABOUT ANYWAY. THE ORDINANCE, 2409, STATES THAT THE ZONING CLASSIFICATION OF THE LANDS DESCRIBED WITHIN THE ATTACHED LEGAL DESCRIPTION IS HEREBY CHANGED TO WORKFORCE HOUSING WITH CONDITIONS. THEY SHALL BE SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS. NUMBER FOUR, THE DEVELOPER SHALL CONSTRUCT OR CAUSE TO BE CONSTRUCTED AT THE DEVELOPER'S EXPENSE A ROUNDABOUT IN LEWIS SPEEDWAY AT THE SOUTHERN CONNECTION WITH OLD LEWIS SPEEDWAY TO IMPROVE SAFETY IN THE CURVE. THIS IS A CONDITION SET BY ST. JOHNS COUNTY TO GET APPROVAL. I'M NOT THRILLED I'M HAVING TO FIGHT FOR SOMETHING THAT WE RESIDENTS DIDN'T WANT FROM THE BEGINNING. BUT IT WAS THE ONLY SOLUTION THE APPLICANT OFFERED TO SAFELY GET TRAFFIC ON AND OFF OF LEWIS SPEEDWAY AND THAT BLIND CURVE. FAIR PROP SHARE DOLLARS DO NOTHING FOR US, FOR TRAFFIC AND SAFETY ON LEWIS SPEEDWAY. PLEASE VOTE TO DENY THIS REQUEST AND HOLD THE APPLICANT TO THEIR COMMITMENT. OR ENCOURAGE THEM TO START ALL OVER AGAIN WITH A DIFFERENT, MORE COMPATIBLE, SAFE PROJECT FOR THIS AREA. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. NEXT. >> I'M MR. HUNT STILL. I'M CHARLIE HUNT. IT IS TOO PRACTICAL OF A SENSE OF HOLDING OUT AND TRYING TOTO THE ROUNDABOUT SWITCHED OUT. SOMETHING ELSE WOULD HELP PASS THIS WAS WHEN THEY WAS DOING THE WORKFORCE HOUSING, IN THEIR PLANS THEY SAID, WE WILL TAKE IT FROM A TWO- YEAR OWNERSHIP TO A FIVE- YEAR OWNERSHIP IF YOU APPROVAL FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING. THAT WAS A BIG DEAL. YOU DON'T SEE THAT TOO OFTEN. THAT WAS THE HELP TO GET THIS ACROSS THE FINISH LINE AND THROW THAT ROUNDABOUT IN THERE. IT WAS TOO GOOD OF A DEVELOPMENT WHEN IT CAME OUT LIKE THAT. SAYING FIVE YEARS AND WE WILL PUT IN 1. 5ISH MILLION TO BUILD THIS ROUNDABOUT. WHEN HOLMES BROUGHT UP SOME REGIONAL MANAGER. HE HAD A LONG TITLE. IT'S TO HOLD THEM TO ACCOUNTABILITY OF WHAT THIS IS FOR. THEY HAVEN'T EVEN BROKE GROUND. THEY ARE HOLDING OUT. IT'S NOT LIKE THEY WAS BREAKING [00:55:02] GROUND AFTER IT GOT APPROVED. IT'S TO HOLD OUT, HOLD OUT AND TRY TO GET THIS PUSHED TO THE SIDE, SAYING IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE. FROM HOLMES, A NATIONAL HOME DEVELOPER, IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE. THIS IS JUST TOO PRACTICAL. JUST TO COVER IT UP AND TRY TO GET IT PUSHED OUT OF THE WAY. LIKE I SAID, THAT WAS ONE OF THE BIG KEYS OF THEM ALSO TO HELP GET THIS IS TO SAY YES, THIS WORKFORCE HOUSING , WE WILL PUT IT AT FIVE YEARS, IF APPROVAL, HAVE AT FIVE YEARS OWNERSHIP INSTEAD OF TWO. I THINK THAT WAS A BIG FACTOR ALSO. NOT JUST THE ROUNDABOUT. THAT WAS ALSO ADDED IN THERE TO GET IT MOVED UP TO FIVE YEARS. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE? >> GOOD MORNING. ED SLAVEN. I AGREE WITH JOE ANDALL THE OTHER SPEAKERS. THERE WAS NO EXPERT WITNESS PRESENTED BY KB HOLMES. THERE WAS NO EXPERT TESTIMONY PRESENTED BY KB HOLMES. THE ATTORNEY TESTIFIED. THAT'S INADMISSIBLE. ATTORNEYS DON'T GET TO TESTIFY. I GATHER THAT KB HOLMES WANTS TO SAVE MONEY. THEY WANT TO WELSH ON THEIR DEAL. JFK'S FAVORITE CONSERVATIVE BRITISH POLITICIAN WAS LORD FAUK LAND WHO SAID, WHEN IT'S NOT NECESSARY TO CHANGE, IT'S NECESSARY NOT TO CHANGE. THIS ORDINANCE IS THE LAW OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY. YET, YOUR STAFF, THAT MAN AND THE PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY SO- CALLED GROWTH MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT ARE UNDERMINING AND SUBMARINING, AS YOU HAVE HEARD TESTIMONY TODAY, UNDERMINING AND SUBMARINING EXISTING COUNTY ORDINANCES. PLEASE DON'T ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN AGAIN. THIS PROPERTY WAS ORIGINALLY OWNED BY MY LATE FRIEND DIANE MILLS AND HER HUSBAND JERRY MILLS. SHE WAS A PASSIONATE SPEAKER AT COUNTY COMMISSION MEETINGS. WHEN WE MOVED HERE IN 1999, I TURNED ON THE TV, AND SAW HER SPEAK ABOUT DEVELOPERS IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY. DIANE MILLS AND JERRY MILLS WOULD NOT HAVE SUPPORTED THIS PROJECT. THE PROPERTY IS NOW APPARENTLY OWNED BY KB COMBS.HOLMES. THE SAFETY ISSUE IS PARAMOUNT. THE LAW IS IN THE ORDINANCE NOW. YOU DID NOT HEAR ANYANY -- YOU DID NOT HEAR ANY EXPERT. YOU HEARD AN ATTORNEY SAY, WE DON'T WANT A ROUNDABOUT. I DON'T CARE. A CORPORATE LAW FIRM COMES IN HERE AND OBVIOUSLY THE CORPORATE LAWYER WHO IS THE COUNTY ATTORNEY DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY. THE CORPORATE INFLUENCED COUNTY ADMINISTRATION DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY. THEY SAT ON THEIR HANDS. THIS IS WRONG. THIS IS THE LAW OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY RIGHT NOW. IF YOU ARE GOING TO CHANGE THAT ORDINANCE, YOU NEED WITNESSES. ACTUAL SWORN WITNESSES. HORN AND THE DEVELOPER HAD NOTHING TO SAY HERE. THIS IS JUST WRONG. IT'S LIKE HOWARD BAKER SAID DURING WATERGATE, THERE ARE ANIMALS CRASHING AROUND IN THE FOREST. I CAN HEAR THEM BUT I CAN'T SEE THEM. WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? HOW IS IT THAT THE DEVELOPER COMES IN HERE AND, WHAT, BECAUSE OF CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS THEY THINK, WE WILL HAVE THE ROUNDABOUT DELETED. IT WILL BE OUR CHRISTMAS PRESENT. NO. PLEASE VOTE NO. PLEASE VOTE NO. AND PLEASE ASK QUESTIONS OF YOUR STAFF. YOU NEED TO DO A MORE RIGOROUS JOB OF VETTING THESE THINGS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. IF YOU LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY AND THIS ROAD, I THINK THEY CALL IT LEWIS SPEEDWAY FOR A REASON. BECAUSE OF THE PERSISTENT SPEEDING THERE. WHICH IS UNSAFE AT ANY SPEED. I THINK YOU NEED TO RESTORE THE ROUNDABOUT OR KEEP THE ROUNDABOUT AND DENY THIS PROJECT AS YOU HAVE DENIED IT SO MANY TIMES. THANK YOU, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. >> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS -- >> TOM REYNOLDS. I DON'T HAVE AN OPINION EITHER WAY ON THE VOTE. I WAS JUST WONDERING FOR TEN YEARS I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET AN ANSWER. WORKFORCE HOUSING, 33 UNITS WORKFORCE HOUSING. IF I HAVE GOOD CREDIT AND I'M ON SOCIAL SECURITY AND I DON'T WORK, WILL I BE DISCRIMINATE AND NOT BE ABLE TO GET INTO LOW INCOME WORKFORCE HOUSING? THAT'S ALL I GOT, FOLKS. I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE AN ANSWER. TEN YEARS, NOBODY HAS BEEN ABLE TO ANSWER. >> OKAY. THANK YOU. NEXT. >> BJ CLAY. WHEN THIS IS WRITTEN UP, THE AGENDA, I WANT TO REMIND PEOPLE [01:00:01] THAT IT WAS A 3- 3 VOTE. IT IMPLIED IT WAS -- IT WAS RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL. HOWEVER, THREE PEOPLE ON YOUR PZA VOTED TO DENY THIS. THAT'S WHY THEY ARE HERE. REMEMBER THAT. WE HAVE, YOU HAVE GIVEN AUTHORITY TO THE PZA. THEY HAVE TO STRUGGLE WITH A LOT OF THINGS. WHENEVER YOU'VE GOT THESE MANY PEOPLE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT COME IN HERE AND SPEAK, THIS NEEDS TO BE REMEMBERED AND VOTED ON TO DENY. THREE SAID NO. THREE SAID NO. THREE SAID NO. WRITING THIS UP, IMPLYING THAT THE ONES THAT VOTED YES WAS THE ONES YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO, THEY'RE NOT. THE ONES THAT WROTE IN NO. ALL OF THESE PEOPLE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AND PEOPLE THAT CAME TO HELP THEM OUT TO MAKE THE PRESENTATION TO YOU, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY HOURS YOU SPENT WITH THE LAWYER. HE DIDN'T SHOW UP TODAY. EVEN THOUGH THE LAW FIRM IS HERE. IF ANYONE STARTS SAYING THE WORDS CLAMOR OF THE CROWD, JUST IGNORE THAT. A QUESTION BROUGHT UP ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE THIS MORNING, IT ALWAYS AMAZES ME ABOUT THE JUSTICE SYSTEM. THE WAY IT'S HANDLED WITH LAWYERS THAT COME UP HERE. IT'S IMPLIED THAT THEY DON'T LIE. AND THEY DON'T GET SWORN IN SOMETIMES LIKE THE GENERAL PUBLIC DOES. I HAVE ALWAYS WONDERED ABOUT THAT. WHO DECIDED THAT YEARS AND YEARS AGO? WHY IS THAT TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION? BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT WOULD SEEM MAYBE YOU IMPLY THAT WE THE PUBLIC LIE OR WE'RE THE CLAMOR OF THE CROWD. THERE'S NO CLAMOR OF THE CROWD. THE PEOPLE THAT CARE ABOUT THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD ARE IN HERE SPEAKING UP FOR AND HOPING YOU PEOPLE WILL VOTE FOR THEM, NOT FOR A DEVELOPER TO MAKE MORE MONEY. TO USE, I BELIEVE A LOT OF TIMES IT'S USING, QUOTE, WORKFORCE HOUSING. I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY HERE. I DON'T THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE ANY HERE. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT HAPPEN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE? SEEING NONE, WE WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT. >> FOR REBUTTAL AND QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD OR COMMENTS. >> I HAVE A COUPLE -- >> DO YOU WANT THE QUESTION FIRST OR REBUTTAL? >> I HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS. WE HEARD A NUMBER OF COMMENTS NOW. I HAVE A QUESTION FOR LEGAL. THERE'S A LOT OF CONFUSION REGARDING THIS PROJECT IN GENERAL. CAN YOU PLEASE CONFIRM THAT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN SAY YES OR NO AND IT'S BEEN APPROVED? THEY WANT US TO -- REGARDING -- THEY WANT US TO REJECT THIS. CAN YOU PLEASE ADDRESS THAT? >> THROUGH THE CHAIR TO THE VICE CHAIR. THE PROJECT IS APPROVED WITH REGARD TO THE DENSITY AND EVERYTHNG. THIS IS A MODIFICATION TO THE PROJECT, LIMITED TO THE ROUNDABOUT ISSUE. >> THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION. ALSO, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM STAFF REGARDING THIS. FROM STAFF, THEIR PERSPECTIVE, WHAT CHANGED WHAT THEY SUPPORT. WE HEARD A NUMBER OF THINGS REGARDING SAFETY. I KNOW THAT THERE'S MENTION OF WOODLAWN, IS IT SAFE, HOW DOES THAT AFFECT THINGS? WE NEED CLARIFICATION ON HOW WE GOT TO THIS POINT. >> ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR GROWTH MANAGEMENT. TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION THERE ARE TWO ISSUES AT HAND HERE. ONE IS THE PROPORTION SHARE AND MITIGATION, THE PROFFER OF THE ROUNDABOUT. THE OUR ASPECT IS SAFETY. THIS ROUNDABOUT IS NOT AT A LOCATION -- IT'S JUST ON THE ROAD. IT'S NOT NECESSARILY ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACCESS POINT FOR THE COMMUNITY UNDER QUESTION, WHICH IS FURTHER SOUTH. SAFETY AND PROP SHARE ARE TWO SEPARAT THINGS. IN TERMS OF SAFETY, STAFF LOOKED AT THE ACCIDENT HISTORY AND WHAT WE TERM TRAFFIC SIGNAL WARRANTS. INTERSECTION CONTROL, WHICH A ROUNDABOUT IS, WOULD NEED TO MEET CERTAIN WARRANTS, A STANDARD ENGINEERING PRACTICE WE UTILIZE. WE LOOK AT THE TYPICAL WARRANTS, WHICH DELUDE DELAYS, HOW LONG SOMEONE IS WAITING TO MAKE A TURN AT THAT INTERSECTION. WE LOOK AT CRASH HISTORY. STAFF DID BOTH OF THOSE THINGS. THERE'S NOT ENOUGH TRAFFIC ON [01:05:02] EITHER THE MAIN LINE LEWIS SPEEDWAY. THERE'S NO DRIVER MAKING LIFE -- LEFT TURNS IN OR OUT. DELAYS ARE NOT EXISTING THERE. THE NEXT THING IS CRASH HISTORY. STAFF PULLED ALL THE CRASH DATA WE COULD FIND WITHIN THE REASONABLE TIME PERIOD. STAFF HAS ACCESS TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE REPORTS FOR THOSE THINGS. OF THOSE ACCIDENTS, NONE OF THEM WERE CORRECTIBLE ACCIDENTS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN SOLVED SHOULD WE HAVE INCLUDED A ROUNDABOUT IN THERE. MOST OF THOSE ACCIDENTS WERE EITHER MISLOCATED AND THEY WOULD HAVE OCCURRED AT A DIFFERENT INTERSECTION OR THEY WERE REAR ENDS, WHICH ARE NOT CORRECTIBLE BY PUTTING A STOP IN BECAUSE AS YOU WOULD EXPECT, ORCING SOMEONE TO STOP IS JUST GOING TO INCREASE THOSE REAR- END ACCIDENTS. SAFETY WAS SOMETHING WE FOUND NOT LACKING. A MAJORITY OF THE ACCIDENTS IS FROM DRIVER ERROR FROM INATTENTIVE DRIVERS. REAR- END ACCIDENTS, NOTHING DEEMED CORRECTIBLE FROM AN INTERSECTION CONTROL. THE SAFETY ISSUE, WE DO NOT FIND THERE WAS A LACK OF SAFETY AT THAT EXACT LOCATION. IF ANYTHING, THERE IS LIMITED VISIBILITY BECAUSE THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT CANOPY WITHIN THE COUNTY'S RIGHT-OF-WAY. THOSE TREES COULD BE CUT DOWN TO INCREASE THAT LINE OF SIGHT. THAT WOULD THEN BE AT THE LOSS OF A TREE COVER THAT PEOPLE ARE CERTAINLY AND PROBABLY UTILIZING AS BUFFERING FOR THEIR HOME FROM THE ROADWAY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> WHAT IS THE TRAFFIC COUNT? >> I CAN GO BACK AND PULL IT. IT'S JUST UNDER 1,500 DURING THE PEAK HOUR. WE MEASURE -- >> HOW DO YOU INCLUDE ALL THE AMAZON, DELIVERIES, ALL THE THINGS THAT NOW EVERYONE IS GETTING. THAT'S A NEW THING. >> ABSOLUTELY. WE TAKE COUNT ANNUALLY. WE DON'T INCLUDE WEEKENDS BECAUSE WE ARE CONCERNED WITH THE PEAK. WE CAPTURE ALL OF THE TRIPS ON THE ROAD ANNUALLY IN THE TRAFFIC PROCESS. >> IF WE DIDN'T APPROVE THE ROUNDABOUT, THEN THEY WOULD LOSE THEIR ZONING? >> I WOULD DEFER TO LEGAL. >> THAT'S KIND OF WHAT IT SAYS RIGHT HERE. >> NO. THEY WOULD NOT LOSE THE ZONING. THE ROUNDABOUT WOULD BE REMOVED AS AN ASPECT OF THE PROJECT. THE PROJECT WOULD STILL MOVE FORWARD. >> EXCEPT THAT WAS PART AGREEMENT THAT THEY WOULD DO THAT. >> THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE HERE TO MODIFY. >> DON'T YOU THINK THEY SHOULD GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL ZONING? >> NO. >> I MEAN, IF IT'S -- WE HAVE ALL THAT TRAFFIC, HOW ABOUT A STOPLIGHT? CAN THEY PAY FOR A SPOTLIGHT THERE? I DROVE BY IT THIS MORNING TO SEE HOW FAR IT WAS FROM THE NEXT STOPLIGHT. IT DIDN'T SEEM THAT FAR. >> AGAIN, A STOPLIGHT IS AN INTERSECTION CONTROL. IT NEEDS TO MEET THOSE WARRANTS. THOSE SAME WARRANTS THAT WOULD BE LOOKED AT FOR A ROUNDABOUT WOULD APPLY FOR ANY SORT OF OTHER CONTROL LIKE A STOPLIGHT. AGAIN, IT WOULD NOT MEET THOSE REQUIREMENTS THAT YOUR STAFF WOULD BE LOOKING FOR. >> 1,500 TRAFFIC COUNTS DOESN'T MEET THAT REQUIREMENT? I DO SEE A LIGHT EVEN WHERE STOKES LANDING, EVEN THERE'S A MEDIAN FOR THE FREEWAY, THEY HAVE TROUBLE COMING OUT OF THERE. I KNOW THEY HAVE A HIGH TRAFFIC COUNT. I SEE -- ALSO BY THERE OVER THE RAILROAD TRACK THEY HAVE A LIGHT TO GET ON U S1. THIS WOULD HELP THEM GET OUT SAFELY. SLOWS THE TRAFFIC DOWN GOING INTO THE CURVE. THEY WILL SPENT MONEY, SPEND IT THERE. I FEEL LIKE THEY AGREED TO THIS. I THINK A LIGHT IS BETTER THAN A ROUNDABOUT. >> I'M HERE TO ANSWER SPECIFIC ENGINEERING QUESTIONS. A LIGHT WOULD NOT BE WARRANTED AT THAT LOCATION BASED OFF OF YOUR ENGINEERING STANDARDS WITH WHICH WE WORK UNDER. >> I DON'T GET HOW THAT'S NOT WARRANTED BUT A ROUNDABOUT WAS RAR WARRANTED AND APPROVED. CAN WE NOT APPROVE A LIGHT IF WE WANT TO? >> THE STAFF WAS NOT THE ONE THAT MADE THAT DECISION ON THE ROUNDABOUT BEING INCLUDED WHEN STAFF WAS PRESENTED THAT ON THAT SHORT TURNAROUND, WE WERE LOOKING AT IT FROM A HIGH LEVEL, DOES A ROUNDABOUT FIT WITHIN THE CONSTRAINTS OF THE RIGHT-OF-WAY. WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO GO AHEAD AND SAY, IT'S NOT WARRANTED. WE CERTAINLY DID VOICE OUR DESIRE TO NOT SEE IT INCLUDED THROUGHOUT THAT PROCESS. I SPOKE WITH ALL OF THE CITY COMMISSIONERS INDIVIDUALLY ON THAT. WE DID NOT FEEL THAT WAS A NECESSARY IMPROVEMENT WITHIN THAT ROAD. THAT WAS A BOARD DECISION THAT THE STAFF DID NOT SAY IT WAS WARRANTED. >> WE PAY A LOT OF MONEY TO [01:10:01] HORN. AREN'T THEY A GOOD FIRM TO SAY THAT IT WAS WARRANTED? I'M CURIOUS. >> AGAIN, WE DID NOT SEE ANYTHING THAT SAID THIS IMPROVEMENT WAS WARRANTED. >> ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER MURPHY. >> THANK YOU. A COUPLE QUESTIONS. YOU ANSWERED ONE OF THEM. WHY IS IT A BLIND CURVE? THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE TREE CANOPY. WE BALANCED THAT OUT. 35 MILE AN HOUR SPEED ZONE? >> YES, SIR. >> IN MY EXPERIENCE WITH TRAFFIC AND TRAFFIC ENGINEERING , TRAFFIC LIGHTS ARE NOT NECESSARILY SAFER. THEY DO TEND TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO RUN INTO THE BACK OF EACH OTHER A LOT AND TURN LEFT IN FRONT OF EACH OTHER. IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS. I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERN ABOUT NOT WARRANTING. THERE'S SO MANY OTHER PLACES THAT WOULD NEED A TRAFFIC LIGHT BEFORE WE WOULD PUT ONE IN A CURVE LIKE THAT. MY NUMBER ONE QUESTION I THINK IS, WHY NOT JUST MOVE THE ROUNDABOUT TO THE ENTRANCE TO THE PROJECT INSTEAD OF IN A BLIND CURVE? >> THE PROJECT CERTAINLY IS REQUIRED TO DO SITE ACCESS IMPROVEMENTS. AT THIS POINT THEY HAVE APPROVAL FOR A RIGHT TURN LANE INTO IT, A LEFT TURN INTO IT. THEN THROUGH THE PROCESS OF REVIEW, THERE WAS AN EXTENSION OF A CENTER LANE TO ALLOW FOR LEFT TURNS INTO HORSESHOE AS WELL AS A CHURCH ON THE WEST SIDE JUST FURTHER SOUTH. THEY HAVE EXTENDED THIS. IT'S CALLED A TAPER. THE ENGINEERING TERM, WE EXTENDED IT SOUTH TO ALLOW FOR ADDITIONAL TURNING MOVEMENT IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY AS WELL. >> THEY HAVE TO DO THAT ANYWAY. >> YES. THOSE ARE REQUIRED SITE ACCIDENT IMPROVEMENTS. >> IF YOU MOVE THE ROUNDABOUT THERE INSTEAD OF DOING THAT, I WOULD THINK THAT MAKES MORE SENSE. BECAUSE THERE'S NOT ANY TRAFFIC COMING OUT OF THIS ROAD THAT WOULD WARRANT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. I THINK PUTTING -- I'M NOT OPPOSED TO VOTING IN FAVOR OF ALLOWING WHOEVER IS -- KB HOLMES TO PUT A ROUNDABOUT WHERE THEY SAID. THEY SAID THEY GOT THE APPROVAL BECAUSE OF THE ROUNDABOUT. TO ME, IT MAKES MORE SENSE TO MOVE IT. >> FROM AN ENGINEERING PERSPECTIVE, STAFF CAN EVALUATE ROUNDABOUT AT THAT LOCATION. IT WOULD NOT BE A CREDITABLE ONE SUCH AS THE ONE IN QUESTION WITH TODAY'S HEARING. IT WOULD BE A SITE ACCESS IMPROVEMENT. THAT'S THE CONDITION THAT HAS BEEN PLACED ON THIS APPLICATION. >> IT WOULD BE HARD FOR ME TO VOTE TO ALLOW THE ROUNDABOUT TO GO AWAY. WITHOUT SOMETHING IN ITS PLACE. THANK YOU. >> GREAT IDEA. COMMISSIONER TAYLOR. >> I HAD ANOTHER QUESTION. CAN YOU PLEASE GO OVER THE PROPORTION SHARE AND WHAT IT WAS BEFORE. IT LOOKS LIKE THAT NUMBER CHANGED. HOW DID THAT INCREASE AS MUCH AS IT DID? >> YES, MA'AM. WHEN THE PROJECT ORIGINALLY CAME FORWARD BEFORE THE BOARD, THERE WAS NO FAIR SHARE APPLICATION THAT WAS MADE. THAT WAS A STAFF GENERATED PRELIMINARY ESTIMATION OF WHAT THE PROP SHARE WOULD BE. AT THAT POINT THIS TIME, WITH THE COUNTS THAT EXISTED WHEN WE PERFORMED THAT CALCULATION, IT WAS ROUGHLY $200,000. AFTER THE FACT, THEY HAVE MADE APPLICATION FOR FAIR SHARE, INCLUDING ALL OF THE TRIPS, THE DISTRIBUTION. SOMEONE WENT IN AND ACTUALLY MODELLED THIS WITHIN THE TRAFFIC MODEL ACCEPTABLE THROUGH THE COUNTY. THEY HAVE SHOWN THAT THERE ARE ADDITIONAL TRIPS AND IMPACTS MADE. THE SHARE AS IT SITS TODAY IS JUST SHY OF $1 MILLION. >> COMMISSIONER WHITEHURST. >> THANK YOU. I WANT TO MAKE SURE MR. BURNETT HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND. >> MR. BURNETT, REBUTTAL. OR MAKE A DEAL . >> INTERESTING MORNING. I GUESS IF I COULD, I WILL RETURN TO COMMISSIONER MURPHY'S COMMENT IN A MINUTE, HIS SUGGESTION. LET ME PUT A COUPLE THINGS ON THE RECORD. ORIGINALLY WHEN THIS WENT THROUGH AT PZA TO GIVE YOU SOME FLAVOR, I WILL POINT TO ONE PZA MEMBER IN PARTICULAR. JUDY SPIEGEL VOTED AGAINST THE PROJECT. WHEN WE CAME THROUGH FOR THIS AMENDMENT OF THE CONDITIONS, SHE VOTED FOR IT. I WILL TELL YOU OUR PZA [01:15:01] VOTE WAS 3-3. I KNOW THAT'S A TECHNICAL DENIAL. PZA MEMBER HENRY GREEN WAS ABSENT THAT DAY. IT'S A CHALLENGE FROM TIME TO TIME WHEN WE HAVE THESE SITUATIONS WHEN A PZA MEMBER IS ABSENT OR TWO IS ABSENT. IT THROWS THINGS OFF SO YOU DON'T GET A REAL GLIMPSE OF WHAT THE OVERALL PZA IS LOOKING AT. A COUPLE OF BIG POINTS I THINK WHERE COMMISSIONER JOSEPH STARTED WAS ASKING, WHAT HAPPENS TODAY IF THIS GETS DENIED. EITHER WAY THERE'S A PROJECT. IT'S A SHAME THATTHAT ACTIVISTS IN COMMUNITY GET THE WORD OUT THAT YOU CAN DENY THIS PROJECT HERE TODAY IF EVERYBODY SHOWS UP IN OPPOSITION. SOMETIMES THAT HAPPENS. I'M NOT SAYING EVERYONE HERE IS MISINFORMED. THAT MESSAGE I THINK GETS OUT THERE THAT THIS COULD BE DENIED. YOU ARE NOT VOTING FOR RESIDENTIAL DENSITY TODAY. THAT'S NOT THE ISSUE. I KNOW GET THAT, BUT I WANT IT ON THE RECORD SO IT'S CLEAR. AT THE END OF THE DAY, DENIAL HERE, IT'S STILL 110 UNIT PROJECT. IT IS WHAT IT IS. KB HOLMES HAS PURCHASED THE LAND. THEY ARE GOING TO DEVELOP THE LAND. I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING THAT STAFF BLOCKED THE APPLICANT. THIS WAS AN ISSUE WHERE WHEN WE CAME THROUGH THE PROCESS, STAFF HAD GOTTEN A BETTER CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT WHEN THEY ORIGINALLY WENT THROUGH, THEY HAD LESS THAN 30 DAYS TO LOOK AT IT. THE ANALYSIS WASN'T AS FULLY VETTED. ISSUES SUCH AS RESPONSE TIME FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE OR THE FIRE STATION TO GET THROUGH THE AREA OF THE ROUNDABOUT WHILE IT'S UNDERGOING CONSTRUCTION, MAYBE 18- MONTH TIME PERIOD, HOW THAT IMPACTS OPERATIONS. THOSE KINDS OF THINGS THEY DIDN'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT. REGARDLESS, WE HAVE SITE RELATED IMPROVEMENTS THAT WOULD STILL BE CONTEMPLATED. THIS ISSUE OF -- YOU ARE GOING TO PAY LESS UNDER FAIR SHARE IF YOU DON'T BUILD THE ROUNDABOUT, IT'S NOT A WINDFALL TO MY CLIENT. AT THE END OF THE DAY, HOLMES GETS IMPACT FEE CREDITS. FOR THE PROP SHARE AMOUNT, FOR THE ROUNDABOUT. IT IS IMPACT FEE CREDITS. WITH STATE LAW BEING WHAT IT IS, THEY CAN TRANSFER IT TO OTHER PROJECTS THAT KB HAS OR EVEN SELL IT TO OTHER DEVELOPERS. OBVIOUSLY, KB HAS OTHER PROJECTS. OTHER PROJECTS IN THIS AREA. THAT KIND OF IS WHAT IT IS. IF YOU SAW ME TEXTING, I WAS TEXTING TO SEE WHAT THE OPINION WOULD BE OF MY CLIENT. I DON'T HAVE SOMEONE HERE TODAY, UNFORTUNATELY. THAT COULD BE HERE WITH DECISION MAKING AUTHORITY. I GUESS IF THE OPTION IS TO -- THIS WOULD BE DENY AND BUILD THE ROUNDABOUT, I GUESS MAYBE CONDITION SIX COULD BE AMENDED TO SAY, BUILD IT AT THE ORIGINAL LOCATION OR AT THE PROJECT ENTRANCE. IF THAT'S WHAT THE WILL OF THE BOARD IS TO MOVE FORWARD. I CAN'T COMMIT TO BUILD THE ROUNDABOUT AT THE PROJECT ENTRANCE BECAUSE I HAVE NO IDEA OF ANY OF THE RIGHT-OF- WAY WIDTH ISSUES OR ANY OF THOSE ISSUES. IN CONCEPT IT SOUNDS GOOD BECAUSE THE SITE RELATED IMPROVEMENTS GET REDUCED. THE CENTER TURN LANE FOR THE CHURCH AND THOSE THINGS MAYBE DON'T GET BUILT AS A SITE RELATED IMPROVEMENT BECAUSE IT WOULD CONFLICT WITH THE APPROACH TO THE ROUNDABOUT. THEY HAVE TO HAVE THAT SPLIT CLEARLY IDENTIFIED GOING INTO IT SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO GO AROUND IT AND GO AROUND. YOU CAN'T HAVE VEHICLES WITH ING PATHS IN THERE. WITHOUT ANALYZING IT, I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THE ISSUE. THE LEFT TURN, IT'S NOT JUST THE CHURCH, IT'S THE LEFT TURN THAT'S BEEN DRUG IN THAT SITE RELATED IMPROVEMENT DRAWING THAT WOULD ALLOW THE LEFT. CARS CAN GET AROUND. IT KEEPS THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC. A RED LIGHT ISSUE, NOT ONLY IS IT NOT WARRANTED, IT DECREASES FLOW. THAT'S ONE THING, IT LOWERS THE TRAFFIC FLOW IN THE AREA. THAT'S REALLY ABOUT ALL I CAN COMMENT ON. I'M GETTING A COUPLE OF TEXTS. ONE THING THAT WAS BEING POINTED OUT IS THE OBVIOUS, WHICH IS THEY DON'T KNOW THE IMPACT OF MOVING IT. IF THAT'S THE WILL OF THE BOARD AND IT'S NOT JUST TO APPROVE THE ZONING AS IT IS BEING PROPOSED TODAY THIS CHANGE, THEN IN THE SUGGESTION IS TO EITHER BUILD THE ROUNDABOUT OR AT THE PROJECT ENTRANCE, THAT'S THE WILL OF THE BOARD, I GUESS. >> COMMISSIONER TAYLOR. >> I DO HAVE A QUESTION. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF SOMEBODY COULD SHOW US A MAP OF WHERE [01:20:02] THE ROUNDABOUT IS PROPOSED NOW AND WHERE THE NEW LOCATION WOULD BE AT THE ENTRANCE. I'M A -- I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT ON A MAP WHERE IT WOULD MOVE TO IF IT WERE TO BE MOVED, IF POSSIBLE. >> I THINK I CAN PULL UP A DRAWING. >> THIS IS ITS CURRENT LOCATION. AND ROUGHLY RIGHT HERE I THINK IS THE PROJECT ENTRANCE, ROUGHLY. >> THANK YOU. >> DICK, WOULD YOU STAY? >> COMMISSIONER WHITEHURST AND THEN COMMISSIONER MURPHY. >> THANK YOU. MR. BURNETT, I THINK THERE'S A SENSE THAT THE BUILDER, THE APPLICANT IS SOMEHOW TRYING TO GET OUT OF THEIR OBLIGATION TO MAKE A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT ON LEWIS SPEEDWAY. HOW MUCH WOULD YOU BE PAYING IF THIS WERE APPROVED TODAY? >> OVER $900,000, CLOSE TO A MILLION. THE COST OF BUILDING THE ROUNDABOUT WOULD BE? >> THE COST ESTIMATE FROM PREVIOUS WAS SHOWN UP THERE DURING ACTUALLY THE PRESENTATION, I THINK IS AROUND A MILLION FOUR. I WAS THINKING YOU MIGHT BE ASKING THAT QUESTION. I HAVE THE STAFF REPORT FROM THE BCC'S APPROVAL OF THE PROJECT PREVIOUSLY. IT WAS A MILLION FOUR. >> HAS THERE BEEN DISCUSSION OR CONSIDERATION ABOUT PAYING THE COST ESTIMATE? YOU MENTIONED IMPACT FEE CREDITS. THE COST SAVINGS IS NOT A WINDFALL TO THE DEVELOPER OR THE BUILDER. HAS THERE BEEN ANY DISCUSSION OR CONTRIBUTION ABOUT JUST PAYING THAT COST ESTIMATE OVER AND ABOVE YOUR PROPORTION SHARE TO HELP WITH TRAFFIC MITIGATION? >> NO. I CAN TELL YOU IT'S NOT ON YOUR AGENDA. IT'S NOT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. THERE'S TIME TO RESOLVE THAT ISSUE. I CAN DISCUSS WITH MY CLIENT ABOUT IT. >> I THINK THAT MIGHT BE WISE. I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU. JUST TO BE CLEAR, I VOTED AGAINST THE PROJECT BACK IN MARCH OF 2024. I THOUGHT IT WAS TOO DENSE FOR THE AREA. I WAS A DISSENTING VOTE. OBVIOUSLY, THREE COMMISSION ERS VOTED YES. I WAS NOT MOVED BY THE ROUNDABOUT AS A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT BECAUSE OF THE CONVERSATION I HAD IN MARCH OF 2024 LEADING INTO THAT HEARING. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE CONCERNS YOU HAVE WITH THE PLACEMENT OF THIS ROUNDABOUT? WILL YOU DISCUSS WHETHER YOU BELIEVE IT WILL IMPROVE THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC? >> ABSOLUTELY. GOING BACK TO THE IDEA OF TRAFFIC WARRANTS, A ROUNDABOUT IS AN IMPROVEMENT FOR AN INTERSECTION. YOU WOULD HAVE SIDE STREETS THAT ARE ADDING TRAFFIC INTO THAT MAINLINE ROADWAY, THAT DOESN'T REALLY EXIST. WHAT WE'RE DOING IS ESSENTIALLY DROPPING A SLOW DOWN IN A MAINLINE COLLECTOR ROADWAY, WHICH SHOULD BE FUNCTIONING TO MOVE TRAFFIC AS EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE. THIS JUST DROPS AN INEFFICIENCY INTO THAT ROADWAY WHERE THERE'S NO REAL DRIVER FOR IT BECAUSE THOSE SIDE STREETS ARE NOT REALLY EXPERIENCING DELAYS, NOR ARE THEY ADDING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TRIPS INTO THAT MAINLINE. FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, YOU ARE ARTIFICIALLY JUST STOPPING TRAFFIC ON A MAIN LINE ROADWAY ESSENTIALLY TO SERVE NO PURPOSE OTHER THAN TO SLOW IT DOWN. AS WE LOOKED AT THE CRASH HISTORY, EVERYTHING THAT'S OCCURRING THERE ARE REAR-ENDS. THE LIKELIHOOD YOU WILL SEE AN INCREASE IN THAT IS THERE SHOULD YOU PUT IN SOME SORT OF ARTIFICIAL SLOWING DOWN OF TRAFFIC THERE. THERE ARE OTHER GEOMETRY CONSIDERATIONS HERE. LEWIS SPEEDWAY JUST BEYOND THAT TO THE EAST IS THE WATERWAY. YOU HAVE SIGNIFICANT DEEP ROADSIDE DITCHES THERE. THIS IS -- IT'S ON A CURVE AND IT IS WHAT WE TERM SUPER ELEVATED. THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S EXTRA TALL. IT MEANS THE ROAD DOES NOT HAVE A CROWN SECTION. YOU HAVE TO OVERCOME THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE A SLOPED ROADWAY SURFACE COMING THROUGH A CURVE. YOU ARE TRYING TO [01:25:01] PUT IN A FLAT ROUNDABOUT. YOU DO HAVE ELEVATION OMETRY TO OVERCOME AS WELL. IT MAKES S -- IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. THERE'S REALLY -- FROM THE ENGINEERING SIDE, THERE'S NO GOOD REASONING TO PUT ONE IN AT THIS LOCATION. LOOKING AT INTERSECTION CONTROL, IT DOESN'T NEED CONTROL. >> YOUR POSITION ABOUT THAT HASN'T CHANGED FROM THE FIRST HEARING TO THIS HEARING? >> NO, SIR. THAT'S BEEN CONSISTENT. >> YOU HAD THAT MEETING WITH ALL FIVE COMMISSIONERS BEFORE WE VOTED ON THIS IN MARCH OF 2024? YOU EXPRESSED THOSE CONCERNS? >> YES, SIR. >> THAT'S MY RECOLLECTION OF IT. IF WE WERE TO ABLE TO TAKE THIS SHARE, WHETHER IT'S JUST OVER $900,000 OR WHETHER THE APPLICANT IS WILLING TO PAY MORE OVER AND ABOVE THE REQUIRED AMOUNT, THERE IS CIP PROJECT ON PAGE 9 OF OUR STAFF REPORT THAT COST $8 MILLION, $1. 5 MILLION DEFICIT TO BUILD THAT PROJECT. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE SAFETY NEED OF THE $8 MILLION CIP PROJECT? >> YES, SIR. THAT IS A PROJECT TO IMPROVEMENT WOODLAWN. IF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THAT, IT'S A NARROW RIGHT-OF-WAY. THAT ROAD CROSS- SECTION DOES NOT MEET THE STANDARDS FOR A COLLECTOR ROADWAY. NORTH OF THERE, AS YOU GET TO THE REALIGNED CURVE PORTION, THAT ROAD DOES START TO MEET THE STANDARD T. STANDARD. IT HAS SIDEWALKS. IT WOULD IMPROVE TO MEET OUR CURRENT STANDARDS, INCLUDING NON-VEHICULAR ACCESS . IT WOULD CONTINUE FROM 16 TO WHERE IT WOULD MEET THE STANDARD. >> THIS IS ANECDOTAL, BUT DRIVING TO THE OFFICE THIS MORNING, I PASSED A MAN ON A BIKE WHO HAD NOWHERE TO GO. PEOPLE WERE SLOWING DOWN AND DODGING HIM. I WORRY ABOUT NON- DAYLIGHT HOURS WHAT IT'S LIKE FOR SOMEBODY TO WALK OR TRY TO RIDE A BIKE DOWN THAT STREET. IT'S DANGEROUS FOR THOSE ON BIKES AND THOSE WHO ARE PEDESTRIANS. I DON'T THINK THIS IS A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT. SIGNAL NOT WARRANTED. A ROUNDABOUT IS NOT WARRANTED. I NEVER WANTED THIS TO BE BUILT HERE. I THOUGHT IT WAS TOO DENSE FOR THE AREA. BECAUSE THEY HAVE ENTITLEMENTS, I THINK IT WOULD BE IN OUR BEST INTEREST TO LIST TONIGHT EN TO THE TRAFFIC ENGINEERS. I'M INCLINED TO VOTE YES TO ELIMINATE THE ROUNDABOUT. I DO REMEMBER OTHERS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY WERE OPPOSED TO THE ROUNDABOUT IN MARCH OF 2024, TOO. I THINK EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THIS ROUNDABOUT IS NOT A SILVER BULLET THAT WILL SOLVE THE PROBLEMS. TRAFFIC ON LEWIS SPEEDWAY. THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS. >> COMMISSIONER MURPHY, DID YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING? >> I WAS WONDERING -- MAYBE IT'S A QUESTION FOR STAFF OR LEGAL. HOW DO WE GET TO THE RIGHT ANSWER FOR THIS IF THE ROUNDABOUT IN THAT CURVE IS NOT THE RIGHT ANSWER? WHAT IS THE RIGHT ANSWER? WHERE DO WE GO WITH IT? I STILL THINK ROUNDABOUTS SERVE THEIR PURPOSE. THEY DON'T NECESSARILY REDUCE THE NUMBER OF CRASHES. THEY REDUCE CRASH SEVERITY. YOU GO FROM T- BONE OR REAR- ENDER TO A MINOR FENDER SWIPE, WHICH REDUCES INJURIES AND SAVES LIVES. I THINK THE ROUNDABOUT CONCEPT IS A GOOD ONE. IS THIS THE PROPER PLACE TO DISCUSS IT IS MY QUESTION? MOVING IT TO THE ENTRANCE INSTEAD OF WHERE IT IS OBVIOUSLY NOT WANTED. THAT WAS MY QUESTION. >> MY COMMENT IS, I THINK COMMISSIONER MURPHY'S IDEA IS A GREAT IDEA. EVERYONE IS FORGETTING ABOUT THE TRAFFIC THAT'S GOING TO BE THERE. HERE IS A DEVELOPER WHO PAYS FOR THE ROAD AHEAD OF TIME BECAUSE OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IS SO FAR BEHIND. THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN WE SAY, NO, WE DON'T WANT IT ANYMORE. I DON'T THINK THAT'S RIGHT. I'M VOTING AGAINST THIS, UNLESS HE WANTS TO DO A MOVEMENT OF THE ROUNDABOUT TO THE FRONT. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER TAYLOR. >> THANK YOU. I THINK IT WAS JUST EXPLAINED THAT TO HAVE A ROUNDABOUT, YOU HAVE TO HAVE OTHER FEEDER ROADS. THERE AREN'T ANY. IF YOU LOOK AT THE MAP, TO JUST PUT A ROUNDABOUT IN FRONT OF THAT PROJECT, THAT DOESN'T -- THERE'S NO FEEDER ROAD. THAT'S NOT THE PROPER LOCATION FOR WHAT A ROUNDABOUT SHOULD BE USED FOR. YOU CAN SEE RIGHT THERE, THERE'S NO FEEDER ROADS WHERE THE ENTRANCE TO THE PROJECT WOULD BE. >> IT STILL SLOWS THE TRAFFIC DOWN. [01:30:04] >> THAT'S NOT WHAT A ROUNDABOUT IS FOR. THAT'S NOT WHAT A ROUNDABOUT IS FOR. >> I HAVE SOME INFORMATION THAT I'M BEING TOLD THERE MAY NOT BE THE RIGHT-OF- WAY FOR THE ROUNDABOUT TO GO IN FRONT OF THE PROJECT. WE DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT. THERE'S ADDITIONAL RIGHT-OF- WAY THE COUNTY HAS BECAUSE OF OLD LEWIS SPEEDWAY CONNECTING TO LEWIS SPEEDWAY IN THAT AREA. THERE'S ACTUALLY SOME OF THOSE -- THAT NORTH -- A PORTION OF THAT NORTHWEST APPROACH WHERE THE LAND IS SHOWING IN BETWEEN OLD SPEEDWAY AND SPEEDWAY IS OWNED BY THE COUNTY. ADDITIONALLY, THE CHANCES OF REAR-END COLLISIONS MAY ESCALATE WITH THE ROUNDABOUT. IT DOESN'T CURE THE ISSUE OF PEOPLE TRYING TO TURN LEFT ON TO HORSESHOE. AS DISCUSSED IN THE ORIGINAL HEARING IT ALSO ALLOWS PEOPLE LEAVING HORSESHOE TO TURN INTO THAT CENTER TURN LANE. IT'S A DUAL -- IT'S ONE THAT WOULD BE MARKED ON THE GROUND, ON THE PAVEMENT WITH DUAL ARROWS. SO YOU CAN TURN LEFT OR RIGHT OFF OF THAT CENTER TURN LANE. IT WOULD ALLOW PEOPLE TO PULL OUT INTO THAT LEFT CENTER TURN LANE WHEN THEY MAKE A LEFT MOTION OUT OF HORSESHOE OR USE THE LEFT CENTER TURN LANE INTO THERE WHEN GOING TO HORSESHOE OR THE CHURCH ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE STREET. THE OTHER THING IS, ON THETHE ISSUE OF FAIR SHARE AGREEMENT, I DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO GET A RESPONSE ON DOLLAR AMOUNT THERE. IF YOU WANT TO SET IT FOR THE REGULAR AGENDA INSTEAD OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, THEN OBVIOUSLY WE WILL KNOW WE HAVE SOME WORK TO ACCOMPLISH. >> I'M SORRY. I WAS GOING TO RESPOND TO THE COMMENT THERE'S NOT ENOUGH RIGHT-OF-WAY. THERE'S PLENTY OF RIGHT-OF-WAY TO THE WEST OF THE ROAD. SEVERAL ACRES. OF LAND OWNED BY THE DEVELOPER THAT COULD BE GIVEN TO THE COUNTY FOR A RIGHT-OF-WAY TO PUT SOMETHING THERE. JUST A THOUGHT. >> ANY MORE? DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING MORE TO SAY? >> NO. I'M TRYING TO GET COMMUNICATION BACK TO ME. I THINK EVERYTHING SAID IS ACCURATE. WHAT'S IN YOUR STAFF REPORT IS ACCURATE RELATED TO THE HISTORY OF WHAT WENT ON, WHEN IT WENT ON AND MR. -- COMMISSIONER WHITEHURST GAVE US HAVE OF THE BACKGROUND FOR THE FLAVOR OF WHAT WENT ON WHEN HE WAS REVIEWING PREVIOUSLY. >> ALL RIGHT. A MOTION OR COMMENTS OR -- YOU DON'T HAVE TO, BUT YOU CAN, IF YOU WANT. ANYONE ELSE FOR A MOTION? >> LET ME ASK YOU THIS, COULD WE POSTPONE UNTIL YOU ARE ABLE TO HEAR BACK, IF THAT AMOUNT COULD BE CHANGED? >> IT'S A GOOD IDEA BECAUSE WE WOULD KNOW THE MONEY PART AND WE WOULD KNOW ABOUT THE ROUNDABOUT PART OF IT. >> UNDERSTAND. >> I GUESS THAT -- >> MAKES SENSE. >> WOULD THAT BE -- >> THROUGH CHAIR TO THE VICE CHAIR, YOU WOULD DO A MOTION TO DEFER THIS ITEM UNTIL THE DECEMBER 17TH MEETING. >> GREAT. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO DEFER THIS ITEM UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING ON DECEMBER 17TH. >> SECOND. >> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. PLEASE VOTE. THAT PASSES 4-1. >> THANK YOU. WE WILL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO GET ANSWERS FOR YOU BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING. [2. Public Hearing * Second Reading - Amendment to Impact Fee Ordinance. This is the second and final public hearing to implement an updated Impact Fee Schedule and changes to the County Impact Fee Ordinance. The proposed ordinance is based upon an Impact Fee Update Study prepared by consultant, Benesch, originally presented to the Board of County Commissioners on January 21, 2025. Subsequent meetings included discussions that led to board direction on changes.] >> SECOND AGENDA ITEM. IS THAT WITH -- GOOD. HI. >> GOOD MORNING. YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU THE SECOND [01:35:04] READING OF THE IMPACT FEE ORDINANCE. THE DIRECTION YOU GAVE US WAS CLEAR. IT WAS YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE A CONSERVATION IMPACT FEE. YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT PHASED IN IN INCREMENTS. I THINK IT WAS FIVE. WE WILL SEE HERE. YEAR ONE, 50%. YEAR TWO, 62. 5 AND SO ON TO YEAR FIVE. NOT UNLIKE THE REGULAR IMPACT FEES THAT WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED PHASED AS REQUIRED BY STATE STATUTE. IT FALLS IN LINE WITH THAT. THAT WAS THE DIRECTION GIVEN AT THE LAST MEETING AGAIN SUMMARIZING THE CHANGES YOU HAVE. THIS IS AN IMPACT FEE UPDATE AS REQUIRED BY THE ORDINANCE. WE LOOKED AT THE IMPACT FEES. UP TO 50%, MAXIMUM INCREASE AS PER STATUTE, PHASED IN IN FOUR YEARS. THE FIRST SHOULD IT BE APPROVED IT WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED WITHIN 90 DAYS WOULD BE THAT FIRST INCREMENT. YOU ALSO DECIDED ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING WAIVER FOR THOSE WITH 50% ANNUAL MEDIAN INCOME OR BELOW, A FULL WAIVER. THOSE IN BETWEEN 80 AND 50, YOU GAVE A 50% WAIVER. THAT'S THE FIRST TIME THAT'S BEEN DONE IN COUNTY. IF I'M MISSING ANYTHING ELSE AS A SUMMARY, I THINK I COVERED IT ALL. WE UPDATED THE IMPACT FEE ORDER IN GENERAL TO ELIMINATE ANY OUTDATED INFORMATION. WITH THAT, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME OR YOU HAVE ANY DISCUSSIONS, PLEASE. >> AT THIS TIME, THE BOARD WILL HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT. ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 2. >> A YEAR AND A DAY. >> STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. >> I'M SORRY. >> NAME AND ADDRESS. >> DAVID WILLIAMS. >> SPEAK INTO THE MIC SO WE CAN HEAR YOU. THANK YOU. >> OKAY. A YEAR AGO, ALMOST TO THE DAY -- THAT'S AS GOOD AS IT GETS. OKAY? I'M TRYING A DIFFERENT VOICE. YOU HEARD THE OTHER ONE. THE IMPACT FEE, WE HAVE HAD SOME MEETINGS. I SAY SOME. I KNOW THERE WAS A PERSONAL MEETING WITH A COUPLE OF YOUR ADMINISTRATORS THAT IN ESSENCE SAID FLAGLER ESTATE DOESN'T GET IMPACT FEES WHEN IT COMES TO ROADS BECAUSE WE OWN OUR OWN ROADS. WE CAN'T WAIVER OR CHANGE OR DO ANYTHING ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THE BIG BOYS HAVE TO PAY THEIR IMPACT FEES FOR ALL THEIR DEVELOPMENTS AND EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO, AT LEAST INITIALLY. WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE SHELL GAME THAT GOES ON FROM YEAR TO YEAR IS RATHER INTERESTING TO WATCH. BUT FLAGLER ESTATES IS IN A QUANDARY IN THAT OUR TIF, WHICH I TOLD YOU ABOUT EARLIER, CAN HELP SIGNIFICANTLY FOR THE NEXT 6 1/2 YEARS. AFTER THAT, IT'S GONE. WHICH MEANS THAT ONLY THE ASSESSMENT THAT WE RECEIVED, WHICH CURRENTLY IS $300 AN ACRE, WILL BE THE ONLY INCOME SOURCE THAT THE PEOPLE HAVE IN ORDER TO IMPROVE ANY ROADS. RIGHT NOW, THAT'S TWO MILES A YEAR. WE HAVE GOT MANY MILES OF ROADS. I'VE HEARD 100. THERE ARE SO MANY ROADS. I HAVE NO IDEA EXACTLY HOW MANY. I GUESS I JUST FORGET. THE PROBLEM IS THAT REVENUE STREAMS WILL STOP. WE HAVE ASKED, WHAT CAN YOU DO BECAUSE WE'RE GENERATING THE IMPACT FEES RIGHT NOW. WE'RE BUILDING GANGBUSTERS. BUT GUESS WHAT? NO ROADS. [01:40:06] NONE EXCEPT ESTIMATES BOULEVARD. DID I BLOW THAT FAST? >> THANK YOU. >> WE NEED HELP. WE NEED AN ANSWER. WE GOT SIX YEARS. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MR. WILLIAMS. >> THANK YOU. >> GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS VICKY PEPPER. I'M HERE TODAY REPRESENTING MYSELF AND K.C.A.R.E. OUR COLLEAGUE APPLAUDED YOU. HE AND KENNY WENT ON TO EXPLAIN WHY YOU SHOULD ADD TOTAL WAIVER OF IMPACT FEES FOR HOUSING AFFORDABLE TO HOUSEHOLDS WHOSE INCOME IS 50% OF OUR AMI OR BELOW. AT YOUR MEETING ON OCTOBER 21, OUR COLLEAGUE REITERATED AND FURTHER EXPLAINED WHY THE OPTION OF A TOTAL WAIVER FOR HOUSING AFFORDABLE TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WHOSE HOUSEHOLD INCOME ARE VERY LOW AND EXTREMELY LOW WAS IMPORTANT, BECAUSE IT WILL PROVIDE A MORE EFFECTIVE TOOL TO INCENTIVIZE BUILDERS TO DRIVE DOWN THEIR SALES AND RENTAL PRICES BELOW THE 80% AMI LEVEL. SHE PROVIDED SUGGESTED LANGUAGE FOR UPDATED IMPACT FEE ORDINANCE THAT WOULD ACCOMPLISH THE WAIVER. WE APPRECIATE AT YOUR MEETING ON THE FIRST READING FOR THE REVISED ORDINANCE, YOU LISTENED AND AGREED TO . THIS CHANGE IS GOOD FOR OUR COMMUNITY. AS CHALLENGING AS IT MAY BE TO PROVIDE HOUSING ATTAINABLE TO RESIDENTS WHOSE HOUSEHOLD INCOMES ARE 50% AMI OR BELOW, EVEN IF THE NUMBERS OF UNITS IN EACH DEVELOPMENT ARE MODEST AT THIS LEVEL, THIS NEW TOOL IS LIKELY TO LEAD TO SOME ADDITIONAL HOUSING STOCK ATTAINABLE AT VERY LOW AND EXTREMELY LOW INCOME LEVELS. BECAUSE OF ANOTHER CHANGE TO THE IMPACT FEE ORDINANCE RELATING TO CONSERVATION LANDS, WHICH WE SUPPORT PROVIDED CONSERVATION LANDS ARE EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, THE SECOND READING ON THE IMPACT FEE ORDINANCE HAD TO BE RESCHEDULED. AS WE CAN SEE, IT'S BEEN RE-SCHEDULED FOR TODAY'S MEETING. AGAIN, WE APPRECIATE YOU LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY. WE URGE YOU TO TAKE THE FINAL STEP TODAY AND ADOPT THE REVISED IMPACT FEE SCHEDULE ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE REDUCTION OF IMPACT FEES FOR HOUSING ATTAINABLE TO HOUSEHOLDS AT LOW INCOME LEVELS AND FOR THE WAIVER OF IMPACT FEES FOR HOUSING AFFORDABLE HOUSEHOLDS AT VERY LOW OR EXTREMELY LOW INCOME LEVELS. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING. I JUST WANTED TO BRIEFLY EXPRESS OUR SUPPORT FOR THIS PROPOSAL AND OUR GRATITUDE TO THIS BOARD FOR COMING UP WITH A WORKABLE SOLUTION. LAND CONSERVATION IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST PRIORITIES FOR RESIDENTS. FINDING A WAY TO ADOPT THE IMPACT FEE RATE FOR THE CONSERVATION IMPACT FEE AT 100% AND PHASING IT OVER YEARS WAS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THIS BOARD WORKING TOGETHER TO BEST SERVE THE COMMUNITY. I JUST WANTED TO BRIEFLY ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CURRENT IMPACT FEE ORDINANCE AS DRAFTED. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING. I JUST WANTED TO AGREE. JUST SAY, TWO OF THE TOP THINGS, WE DID DO ALL OF THAT WORK FOR THE COMP PLAN FOR CONSERVATION AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING. EACH THOUGH IT IS BEING KICKED AROUND WITH QUESTIONS, YOU ALL ARE ACTUALLY DOING SOMETHING WONDERFUL AND IMPACTFUL. I THINK THIS IS GREAT. I URGE YOU TO SUPPORT THIS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> HERE I AM GETTING ALL CONFUSED AGAIN. AFFORDABLE HOUSING. IS THAT THE SAME AS WORKFORCE HOUSING? AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WORKFORCE HOUSING, YOU KNOW I'M JUST REALLY A LOW EDUCATED ELDERLY PERSON. I NEVER GET ANY ANSWERS TO ANYTHING I EVER ASK. I'M ALL FOR THIS IMPACT FEE THING. I DO WANT TO POINT OUT TO YOU FOLKS THAT IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE A LONG TIME AGO. FOR YEARS IMPACT FEES WERE BROUGHT UP HERE. IT REALLY IS RELIEVING TO [01:45:05] KNOW THAT FINALLY, FINALLY THINGS ARE CHANGING. I GOTTA TELL YOU THIS ONEONE MORE CHANGE THAT I WOULD REALLY, REALLY LOVE TO SEE. THE IMPACT FEE PAID UP FRONT. ALL THAT PLANNING THAT GOES INTO PLACES, THEY DON'T WAIT UNTIL THE IMPACT FEES TO PAY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, TO PAY THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO PATROL THIS? THEY'RE HAVING TO USE OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY. THEN AT THE END, THEY GET TO WRITE THEIR IMPACT CHECK WHEN THEY TURN ON THE LIGHTS. JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT TO YOU. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ARE THERE ANY OTHER -- HERE WE GO. GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING. I'M HERE TODAY TO THANK YOU FOR MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS LAND CONSERVATION IMPACT FEE. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE NEEDED FOR A WHILE. WE NEED TO KEEP OUR LAMP PROGRAM LIT AND GOING AS WE SAID BEFORE. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO HAVE OUR CONSERVATION LAND. THIS IS A ONE-TIME FEE. IT WILL BE TAKEN OVER BY THE DEVELOPERS. THE COST IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE PASSED ON. AS WE CAN SEE, THE COST FOR THIS ONE- TIME FEE ON THE SCHEDULE IS NOT AS COSTLY AS EVERYBODY SEEMS TO MAKE IT SOUND. MY OTHER QUESTION IS, HOW DID WE GET HERE? WE HAD MANY, MANY, MANY. THE COUNTY HAS DONE MANY, MANY MEETINGS AND SURVEYS AND AS IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT THE CITIZENS, NUMBER ONE THING IS CONSERVATION AND THE SECOND THING IS LET'S MAKE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR PEOPLE. WE ARE LUCKY WE ARE DOING IT AND YOU HAVE LISTENED. OF COURSE, THAT'S WHAT IT WAS CALLED. IT WAS CALLED YOUR VOICE, YOUR COUNTY, YOUR FUTURE. WE ARE HERE TODAY WORKING ON THAT. I APPRECIATE THAT GREATLY. I THINK THE CITIZENS OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY DOES, OUR COMMUNITIES THAT PURCHASE AND CONSERVE LAND FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS GAIN SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENT ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL BENEFITS. DEVELOPERS BENEFIT AS WELL AS WE CAN SEE. BY THE INCREASED PROPERTY VALUES THAT ARE CONSERVATION LANDS WILL BRING, MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES THEY CAN SHARE WITH THE PEOPLE THAT ARE PURCHASING THEIR HOMES, ECONOMIC STABILITY AND STREAMLINED DEVELOPMENT. BECAUSE WE KNOW ST. JOHNS COUNTY HAS SOME OF THE BEST SCHOOLS, BEACHES, OR IN MY OPINION THE BEST BEACHES. WE HAVE WATERWAYS THAT ARE BEAUTIFUL. THE WAY TO KEEP OUR COUNTY THE WAY THAT IT HAS BEEN AND WE NEED TO KEEP IT FOR HISTORICAL REASONS, CONSERVATION REASONS. AS WE ALL SIT HERE TODAY, WHETHER WE HAVE CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN, IT'S FOR THE FUTURE. I GREW UP HERE. I LOVE ST. JOHNS COUNTY. I'M PROUD OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY. THE STAFF MEMBERS I MET ARE JUST AS PROUD AND HARD WORKING AS THE CITIZENS HERE. I THANK YOU. I'M GLAD YOU ARE GOING TO BRING THIS TO LIGHT. KEEP LAMP LIT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 2? SEEING NONE, WE WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT. >> BACK TO THE BOARD FOR A MOTION OR QUESTIONS. COMMISSIONER WHITEHURST. >> HAPPY TO MOVE IT IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS. >> COMMISSIONER ARNOLD. >> I WAS GOING TO SECOND. >> GO FOR IT. >> MOTION TO ENACT ORDINANCE, ADOPTING UPDATED IMPACT FEES IN THE CATEGORIES OF ROAD, PUBLIC BUILDINGS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIRE AND RESCUE, PARKS AND RECREATION, SCHOOLS AND CONSERVATION AND OPEN SPACE BASED ON THE MOST RECENT AND LOCALIZED DATA. >> SECOND. >> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. PLEASE VOTE. THAT WAS UNANIMOUS 5-0. GOOD BOARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER WHITEHURST TO GET US THERE. AGENDA ITEM 3. >> CAN I APPRECIATE STAFF THAT WORKED ON THAT. >> PLEASE. >> JESSE DUNN, LISA BROWN, AMY RING AND OUR CONSULTANT. OF COURSE, CONGRATULATIONS FOR PASSING THIS. >> CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU. THANK YOU. [3. Public Hearing * Second Reading of Ordinance amending the St. Johns County Park Ordinance, adding definitions; adding prohibition of smoking and vaping in St. Johns County beaches and parks; amending to include cigarette butts and vaping paraphernalia as defined litter. Article VIII, Section 2 of the Florida Constitution, and Chapter 166, Florida Statutes, provide Counties the authority to exercise any power for municipal purposes, except if prohibited by law, and to adopt ordinances in furtherance of such authority. As of July 1, 2022, the Florida Legislature enacted Ch. 2022-13, Laws of Florida, which permits municipalities and counties to restrict smoking on their local beaches and in local parks. The Board has adopted Ordinance 2005-114, pertaining to public conduct in county parks (the "St. Johns County Parks Ordinance"). the Board has adopted Ordinance 2007-19, which was amended by Ordinance 2007-50, Ordinance 2009-60, 2013-25 and Ordinance 2024-5, pertaining to public conduct in county beaches (the "St. Johns County Beach Code"). At the St. Johns County Board meeting of August 20, 2025, appeared Charli Clay, a 7th grade student at Washington Classical Christian School, Izzy Howell, an 8th grade student; and Anila Lahiri, a history teacher at Washington Classical Christian School and the Civic Engagement Liaison at Anchor Faith Church who advocated for prohibiting smoking and vaping on St. Johns County beaches. This is the Second Hearing.] MR. TAYLOR. >> HELLO. GOOD MORNING. I'M LEX TAYLOR. WE ARE BRINGING BACK FOR SECOND READING YOUR PARK AND BEACH ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS THAT WILL PROHIBIT SMOKING AND VAPING ON OUR BEACHES AND PARKS. IT WILL ADD THE DEFINITION OF CIGARETTE BUTTS AND VAPING PARAPHERNALIA TO OUR [01:50:01] DEFINITION OF LITTER TO ENFORCE THOSE THINGS. I WANT TO THANK AGAIN CHARLIE CLAY AND THEIR TEACHER WHO BROUGHT THIS TO OUR ATTENTION. SOMETHING GOING AROUND THE STATE. A LOT OF COUNTIES ARE MOVING IN THIS DIRECTION. THE STATE OF FLORIDA ITSELF MAY BE MOVING IN THIS DIRECTION. WE HAVE TWO ORDINANCES WHICH -- WHERE WE WOULD CONTROL THESE THINGS. ONE IS PARKS AND ONE IS BEACH. WE ARE INTENDING TO AMEND BOTH. THIS IS THE PARKS ORDINANCE. THIS IS THE DEFINITIONS THAT WE ARE ADDING FOR SMOKING, VAPING AND VAPING PARAPHERNALIA. THIS IS THE SECTION THAT WILL BE DEFINING. THIS WILL TREAT IT LIKE WE TREAT ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION IN OUR PARKS AND BEACHES. IT'S ENFORCED IN THE SAME WAY. THIS IS THE ADDITION OF CIGARETTE BUTTS AND VAPING PARAPHERNALIA TO THE DEFINITION OF TRASH. THIS IS THE CHANGE THAT WE WILL MAKE TO OUR BEACH CODES IF ACCEPTED. SAME DEFINITION WE USE IN THE PARKS CODE. THIS IS THE AMENDMENT THAT WILL PROHIBIT SMOKING AND AWING. THIS IS THE ADDITION OF THE DEFINITION OF LITTER IN THE BEACH CODE. UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME, THIS HAS BEEN REVIEWED BY BOTH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND THE BEACHES POLICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THEY ENFORCE THE BEACHES AND THEN ALSO OUR PARKS AND RECS HAVE NO ISSUES OR S AT THIS TIME. THIS IS THE MOTION. >> COMMISSIONER MURPHY. >> THANK YOU. THIS IS FOR LEGAL. IN THE SUGGESTED MOTION AND RECOMMENDATIONS, IT DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT PARKS. IT JUST SAYS BEACHES. IS THAT SOMETHING WE CAN FIX ON THE -- WHEN SOMEONE MAKES A MOTION, WE CAN ADD PARKS TO IT? >> THE PROPOSED MOTION THAT'S ON THE BOARD HERE DOES HAVE PARKS AND BEACHES. THAT LANGUAGE WILL WORK. >> I DIDN'T HAVE THAT. >> WE HAD SEVERAL VERSIONS. ONE VERSION THAT WAS ONLY GOING TO BE ON BEACHES. WE HAVE UPDATED IT TO INCLUDE BOTH PARKS. >> PUBLIC COMMENT? >> YES. >> I THINK WE WILL SEE THE GIRLS COME UP, HOPEFULLY. >> AT THIS TIME, WE WILL TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE. >> HERE SHE COMES. >> GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING. >> I'M CHARLOTTE CLAY. AGAIN WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE COUNTY ATTORNEYS FOR THE QUICK AND PROFESSIONAL DRAFTING OF THE ORDINANCE AND WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IN FOR BEING SO WELCOMING. WE WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT WITH A VOTE YES TODAY. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> ANY OTHER COMMENTS? GREAT. GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING. I'M A STUDENT AT WASHINGTON CLASSICAL CHRISTIAN SCHOOL. I'M A SENIOR. I'M JOINED BY MY PEERS RANGING FROM GRADES SIX TO 12. WE STAND HERE TODAY IN SUPPORT OF THIS COUNTY ORDINANCE. AS YOU KNOW, ST. JOHNS COUNTY IS COMPRISED OF 42 MILES OF BEAUTIFUL BEACHES AND BEAUTIFUL PUBLIC PARKS. WE WOULD LIKE TO KEEP THESE AREAS AS CLEAN AS POSSIBLE BY REDUCING NICOTINE WASTE. ALSO, FOR THOSE LISTENING IN THE AUDIENCE, IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT THIS ORDINANCE IS COMPRISED OF, LIST TONIGHT AUGUST MEETING WHERE CHARLIE AND IZZI GO OVER THIS. WE WOULD LIKE TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM LITTERING AND LEAVING CIGARETTE AND VAPE WASTE. IT PREVENTS MINORS FROM ACCESSING AND USING IMPROPERLY DISCARDED SMOKING AND VAPING MATERIALS. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >> GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. IT'S WONDERFUL TO SEE ALL OF YOU HERE TODAY. ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE? GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING. I'M REPRESENTING FSDP, THE SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF AND BLIND. TODAY MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM ST. JOHNS COUNTY HAVE COME HERE TO GIVE YOU PUBLIC COMMENT TO SUPPORT THIS ORDINANCE. ALSO, I WAS RAISED HERE MYSELF. I BELIEVE THAT PASSING THIS ORDINANCE WILL BENEFIT US AND OUR COMMUNITY. NOT ONLY BECAUSE -- NOT ONLY OUR COUNTY AND BEACHES BUT ALSO HELPING US TO BECOME MORE DRUG AND NICOTINE FREE AND BE ABLE TO PREVENT LITTER AND BEING ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF OUR BEACHES ANDAND [01:55:02] BEING ABLE TO HARM YOUNG PEOPLE IN HAVING THAT IMPROPERLY DISPOSED OF, JUST AS MENTIONED IN AUGUST. MYSELF AND THE YOUTH OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY RESPECTFULLY ASK YOU VOTE QUESTION AND PASS THIS ORDINANCE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE? >> YES. TOM REYNOLDS, I'M MIXED ON THIS. YOU FOLKS LET ME DOWN. I SENT YOU THE COUNTY ORDINANCE ON THE VAPE HAZMAT. THREE TO 4,000 EMPTY VAPES A DAY IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY ARE GOIG TO THE TRASH. PLUS, TO TOP IT ALL OFF, I DON'T LIKE VAPES. I DON'T LIKE CIGARETTES. I THINK IT'S A LITTLE EVASIVE IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE POLICE, YOU ARE VAPING. I WANT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING. I FIND IT VERY STRANGE THAT WE EVEN HAVE VAPE AFTER THAT BIG TOBACCO SETTLEMENT AND EVERYTHING. HOW THAT EVER BECAME ABOUT IN AMERICA IS BIZARRE. I WAS THINKING, WHY DON'T WE DO AN AMENDMENT TODAY? AMEND THE COUNTY ORDINANCE THAT I SENT YOU THAT AI AND PERPLEXITY CAME UP WITH. IT'S WRITTEN PERFECTLY. THE VAPE STORES CAN COLLECT $10 FOR EVERY VAPE. THEY CAN GIVE THOSE PEOPLE THAT BACK. WE CAN GET THOSE DISPOSED OF PROPERLY. THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED ON THE AIRLINES. THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED IN LUGGAGE. THEY ARE CAUSING FIRES. PLUS ANOTHER THING TOO IS, THIS MIGHT CAUSE THE BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT TO HAVE TO GET OUT OF THEIR AIR CONDITIONED VEHICLES. THEY MIGHT HAVE TO ACTUALLY WORK. I DON'T KNOW. THIS IS GOING TO BE A TOUGH ONE DOWN THERE. YOU KNOW HOW HOMELAND SECURITY HAS I.C.E.? DOWN AT THE BEACH, WE CALL THEM LICE. THEY HAVE A BUNCH OF DIRTY COPS WITH BEARDS, TATTOOS, NOT WELL DRESSED. ANYWAY, I DON'T KNOW. IF YOU ADD MY ORDINANCE FOR HAZMAT, I'M FOR THIS. IF YOU DON'T ADD IT, NO. >> GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING. I HAVE THREE QUESTIONS ON THIS THING. IS THE BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT THE ONLY ONE THAT'S GOING TO BE ENFORCING THIS? IS THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE GOING TO ENFORCE? WHO IS HANDLING ENFORCEMENT OF THIS? WHAT IS THE PENALTY FOR VAPING ON THE BEACHES? IS THAT WRITTEN IN THERE? I HADN'T A CHANCE TO GO THROUGH ALL THE PAGES. JUST QUESTIONS FOR THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND, TOO. I DON'T SMOKE OR DRINK SO IT DOESN'T AFFECT ME. I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU ENFORCE THIS. MAYBE THESE STUDENTS CAN GO OUT THERE AND HELP PICK UP THE TRASH. I DON'T KNOW, SOME OTHER PLACES, TOO, NOT JUST ON THE BEACH. THE OTHER QUESTION IS, I HEARD ON THE RADIO THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS BEING HEARD TODAY. I KNOW THERE'S NEWS PEOPLE HERE. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY HAVE LEFT. ARE CIGARS GOING TO BE ALLOWED? I THOUGHT I HEARD CIGARS CAN BE SMOKED. I DIDN'T GET THE SECOND THING. CAN MR. LEX CLARIFY THAT FOR THE PUBLIC? IN THE WRITING, THE RED LETTER STUFF, I DID LOOK AT A LITTLE BIT OF THAT, CIGARS ARE LISTED. ARE THEY CONSIDERED -- I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE SECOND THING WAS THAT ARE EXEMPT. ARE THERE ANY SMOKE PUTTING INTO THE AIR EXEMPT FROM THIS ORDINANCE WHEN IT'S PASSED? THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ARE THERE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE? SEEING NONE, WE WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT. >> COMMISSIONER MURPHY. >> I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION, IF I MAY, TO APPROVE ORDINANCE 25-46 PROHIBITING VAPING AND ADDING IT AS LITTER. >> SECOND. >> SECOND. >> I NOTICE COMMISSIONER WHITEHURST HAD SOMETHING TO SAY. NOW IS THE TIME TO DO THAT. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. I WANT TO CLARIFY CIGARS ARE [02:00:01] PERMITTED. I KNOW SOMEBODY IS GOING TO SEE SOMEBODY SMOKING A CIGAR. THEY WILL CALL THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY TO MAKE AN ARREST. THAT'S UNENFORCEABLE. THERE'S A STATE PREEMPTION FROM US CREATING A LOCAL ORDINANCE THAT WOULD PREVENT SOMEBODY FROM SMOKING A CIGAR ON THE BEACH. IS THAT NOT CORRECT? >> CORRECT. THE STATE OF FLORIDA HAS SEPARATED OUT CIGARS FROM EVERYTHING ELSE. WE ARE PRE-EMPTED. >> DON'T CALL THE POLICE IF YOU SEE A CIGAR. THAT'S SOMEHOW DIFFERENT THAN THE ORDINANCE THAT WE PASS TODAY. >> ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE. PLEASE VOTE. THAT'S UNANIMOUS. GOOD JOB TEAM OVER THERE. THANK YOU. [4. LDCA 2025-08 Land Development Code Revisions. On November 4, 2025, the Board of County Commissioners requested amendments to Land Development Code regulations for outdoor archery and development order application procedures. This is the first hearing of the proposed changes.] HI, JACOB. >> JACOB SMITH WITH GROWTH MANAGEMENT HERE TO PRESENT ITEM FOUR, A LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AMENDMENT SPECIFICALLY TO CHANGE OR TO ADD OUTDOOR ARCHERY AS A SPECIAL USE AND AMEND OUR DEVELOPMENT PROCESSES FOR APPLICATIONS. JUST AS A VERY QUICK SUMMARY, FOR OUTDOOR ARCHERY, ADD AS A USE AND AMEND SOME LONG REGARDING SHOOTING RANGES. FOR OUR DEVELOPMENT PROCEDURES, WE ARE GOING TO ALLOW FOR WITHDRAWAL OF DEVELOPMENT ORDER APPLICATIONS AT ANY TIME AND CHANGE SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR TIME LIMIT WAIVERS. I'M HAPPY TO HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD. THIS ITEM IS SCHEDULED BEFORE THE PZA AT OUR UPCOMING THURSDAY MEETING THIS WEEK AND TO COME BACK TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IN ON DECEMBER 16TH. >> THROUGH THE CHAIR, TO THE BOARD, SO YOU ARE AWARE, THERE'S A STATUTORY REQUIREMNT WHEN YOU CHANGE ANY USES WITHIN A ZONING CATEGORY THAT ONE OF THE TWO HEARINGS THOOS S HAS TO BE CONDUCTED AT 5:00 P.M. IT'S JUST THE ARCHERY. THE STATUTE DOES GIVE YOU ABILITY TO WAIVE THAT ANDHEARING. WE WILL HAVE THAT AT THE 9:00 A.M. DECEMBER 16TH MEETING AS OPPOSED TO A 5:00 P.M. MEETING. >> THANK YOU. >> IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER. >> JUST ONE COMMENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE HARD WORK FOR THIS. THIS FITS A PIECE INTO THE PUZZLE THAT WAS MISSING. I APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK. >> ABSOLUTELY. YES, SIR. >> OKAY. I HEARD YOU IN THERE. >> I THINK WE'RE ALL DONE UNLESS THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE. >> ANYTHING ELSE? THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. [5. St. Johns County, Florida Water and Sewer Refunding and Improvement Revenue Bonds, Series 2026. On May 7, 2024, the Board passed Resolution 2024- 206 to allow for the reimbursement of certain costs related to the acquisition of North Beach Utilities and other capital improvements to the County's water and sewer utility system in an amount not to exceed $21,000,000. On June 3, 2025, the Board directed staff to assemble a finance team to facilitate utility bonds not to exceed $21,000,000. On August 29, 2025, PFM Financial Advisors LLC, notified the County of an upcoming opportunity to refinance the County's outstanding Water and Sewer Revenue and Refunding Bonds, Series 2016 (the "2016 Bonds") to achieve debt service savings. The 2016 Bonds are outstanding in the principal amount of $32,355,000 and have an initial call date of June 1, 2026. PFM Financial Advisors LLC further recommended for the County to move forward with this refinancing in conjunction with the proposed $21,000,000 new money financing previously approved by the Board. The December 2, 2025 agenda item provides consideration of a resolution of the Board of County Commissioners, authorizing the issuance of St. Johns County, Florida Water and Sewer Refunding and Improvement Revenue Bonds, Series 2026, in an amount not to exceed $55,000,000 for the principal purposes of financing and reimbursing costs of the acquisition, constructing and equipping of various capital improvements to the Utility System and refunding the 2016 Bonds in order to achieve debt service savings. The resolution authorizes the issuance of the 2026 Bonds, and pledges water and sewer net revenues to secure payment of the debt service. The Resolution provides for a competitive sale of the Bonds and approves the forms of various financing documents including the Preliminary Official Statement, the Official Notice of Sale, the Continuing Disclosure Certificate, the Registrar and Paying Agent Agreement and Escrow Deposit Agreement, all of which are incorporated as exhibits to this item.] >> AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE. MR. SCHROEDER. >> GOOD MORNING. DIRECTOR FOR THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET. THIS ITEM BEFORE YOU IS A REQUEST FOR THE ISSUANCE OF WATER AND SEWER REFUNDING AND IMPROVEMENT BONDS FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $55 MILLION, OR NOT TO EXCEED $55 MILLION. I WILL TURN IT OVER TO JEREMY WITH PFM FINANCIAL ADVISORS, THE COUNTY'S FINANCIAL ADVISORS, TO GO INTO MORE DETAIL ON THE FINANCING ITSELF. THERE'S REALLY TWO XOE COMPONENTS. THE FIRST IS NEW FINANCING. IN MAY OF 2024, THE BOARD IN CONSIDERATION OF THE ACQUISITION OF THE NORTH BEACH UTILITIES, PASSED A REIMBURSEMENT RESOLUTION WHICH ALLOWS THE COUNTY TO REIMBURSE ITSELF THROUGH FINANCING. THAT WAS UP TO $21 MILLION. THAT INCLUDED THE ACQUISITION OF THE NORTH BEACH UTILITIES AND OTHER CERTAIN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS OF THE WATER AND UTILITY SYSTEM. THEN IN JUNE OF 2025 OF THIS YEAR, THE BOARD DIRECTED STAFF TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A FINANCING TEAM FOR THAT $21 MILLION IN FINANCING. THAT'S KIND OF THE NEW FINANCING PART OF IT. $21 MILLION, IT'S A 20- YEAR FINANCING. THE DEBT SERVICE WOULD BE ABOUT $1. 6 MILLION. THAT WOULD BE PAID BY THE UTILITY FUND AS THESE ARE WATER AND SEWER BONDS. AS WE WERE MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT FINANCING, PFM [02:05:01] FINANCIAL ADVISORS NOTIFIED US OF AN UPCOMING REFUNDING OPPORTUNITY OF THE 2016 WATER AND SEWER UTILITY BONDS. THE TIMING KIND OF WORKED OUT. THEY COULD BE COMBINED TOGETHER AND SAVE ON SOME ISSUANCE COST. THAT REFUNDING THE OUTSTANDING PRINCIPLE AMOUNT OF THE 2016 BONDS IS $32,355,000. THE SAVINGS ACHIEVED WOULD BE ABOUT $300,000 ANNUALLY FOR THE REMAINING TEN YEARS OF THOSE BONDS. THAT SAVINGS WOULD BE WITHIN THE UTILITIES FUNDS. THEY ARE WATER AND SEWER BONDS AS WELL. BETWEEN THE TWO PIECES, NEW FINANCING AND THE REFUNDING IS THAT TOTAL OF ABOUT $55 MILLION. WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO JEREMY OF PFMPFM FINANCIAL SERVICES FOR MORE DETAILS. >> THANK YOU. HE GAVE A FANTASTIC OVERVIEW. STOLE MY PUFRM PUNCH LINE. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, FEEL FREE TO STOP ME. THIS IS THE OVERVIEW OF THE PROCESS THAT GOT US HERE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AS DESCRIBED JUST RECENTLY. THE OVERVIEW OF THE 2016 FINANCING THAT IS GOING TO BE CULLABLE IN THE NEXT FIVE MONTHS. THEN THIS IS THE ESTIMATE FOR THE NEW MONEY COMPONENT. THE NEW MONEY COMPONENT ISSUED ALONG WITH THE REFINANCING, IF RATES HOLD, WOULD BE AN EFFICIENT WAY TO ENTER THE MARKET WITH THE SAVINGS THAT WAS PROVIDED BY THE DRETHER. THIS IS A SCHEDULE THAT JUST SHOWS THE PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE. RATES HAVE IMPROVED. SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS. RATES ARE LOWER NOW THAN THEY WERE A YEAR AGO. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY WILL CONTINUE TO TREND IN THAT DIRECTION. WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE UPDATES AS TO WHAT THE MARKET LOOKS LIKE AS WE MOVE CLOSER TO THE FINANCING. WE ANTICIPATE THE FINANCING TO OCCUR EARLY FEBRUARY. THAT WOULD CLOSE THEN IN EARLY MARCH, WHICH IS AS SOON AS YOU COULD CALL THE 2016 BONDS. AS YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY'S RATINGS ARE VERY HIGH, AAA RATING AND A AA 2 WITH S&P AND MOODY'S. THAT'S BASED ON SOME VERY GOOD FINANCIAL METRICS AS WELL AS SOUND MANAGEMENT AND GOOD PRACTICE WITH YOUR DEBT MANAGEMENT POLICY. THE REFINANCING IS JUST PART OF THE PROCESS THAT YOU ALL WOULD GO THROUGH. SIMILAR TO REFINANCING A MORTGAGE OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT TO SAVE MONEY. THOSE ARE THINGS THAT THEY LOOK AT ALONG WITH THE MANAGEMENT CRITERIA WHEN THEY PROVIDE RATINGS WITH YOUR FINANCIAL METRICS. THE REQUESTED ACTION, THIS MORNING IS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE RESOLUTION THAT WOULD APPROVE THE ISSUANCE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A NOT TO EXCEED OF 55 MILLION FOR THE NEW MONEY AND REFINANCING. NOT TO EXCEED FINAL MATURITY OF JUNE 1, 2046. THAT WOULD BE FOR THE NEW MONEY COMPONENT. THE REFINANCING COMPONENT WOULD NOT BE AN EXTENSION OF THE CURRENT MATURITY, WHICH IS 2037. THAT WOULD STAY THE SAME. MINIMUM DEBT SERVICE SAVINGS PER POLICY AND PER GFOA, 3%. CURRENTLY, WE PROJECT ABOUT THREE TIMES THAT, CLOSER TO 10% SAVINGS. IF IT GETS CLOSE TO THAT 3%, WE WOULD CLEARLY COMMUNICATE THAT THROUGH TO STAFF. IF APPROVED AS MENTIONED, WE WOULD LIKE TO PRICE THESE COMPETITIVELY IN THE PUBLIC MARKET THE FIRST WEEK OF FEBRUARY. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. >> I HAVE TWO. ONE IS, IS THIS GOING TO COST THE TAXPAYER ANYTHING? >> THE TAXPAYERS THAT ARE PAYERS WOULD BE IMPACTED BY THAT NEW MONEY COMPONENT. THERE IS A PORTION OF NEW MONEY APPROVED IN 2024 FOR THE PURCHASE OF THAT ADDITIONAL UTILITY. WHETHER THAT'S A RATE IMPACT OR JUST AN ABSORPTION, I'M NOT FAMILIAR. THE SAVINGS COMPONENT, WE ESTIMATE SAVINGS OF $300,000 A YEAR. >> AS FAR AS TAXPAYER AS IN PROMPT TAXES, NO IMPACT ON PROPERTY TAXES. AGAIN, THE NEW DEBT SERVICE AND THE SAVINGS WOULD BE WITHIN [02:10:02] THAT UTILITY FUND ITSELF. NOT ANY OF THE MILLAGE FUNDS OR GENERAL FUND. >> WHAT HAPPENS IF THE MARKET IS TERRIBLE IN FEBRUARY? DO WE NOT DO IT? >> THERE'S ULTIMATE FLEXIBILITY WITH THIS. THE COUNTY HAS THE ABILITY TO MOVE INTO THE CALL WINDOW TO DO THE REFINANCING. THE NEW MONEY PORTION IS BOUND BY THAT ALL- IN TRUE INTEREST COST MAX OF 5%. TIMING FOR THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING WE MONITOR OVER THE COMING MONTHS. CLEARLY IF THERE'S A LARGE EVENT OF 9/11, A RECESSION, A PANDEMIC TYPE EVENT, WE DO HAVE RANGE TO EXTEND THAT PRICING SO WE'RE NOT PRICING INTO A BAD MARKET. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WILL MONITOR AND PROVIDE WEEKLY UPDATES TO THE WORKING GROUP ON. >> COMMISSIONER WHITEHURST. >> I WANT YOU TO STATE IT AGAIN. IT WAS BRIEFLY MENTIONED. WE WILL SAVE $300,000 PER YEAR? THAT'S THE PROJECTION? >> YES, SIR. OVER THE NEXT 11 YEARS. IT'S APPROXIMATELY $300,000 PER YEAR ON AFRM. TOTAL SAVINGS IS 3 BEEN $3.5 MILLION. >> THAT'S A GREAT COST SAVINGS FOR OUR UTILITY FUND. THIS MAY BE A QUESTION FOR MR. SCHROEDER. WE CAN'T USE THAT COST SAVINGS FOR ANY OTHER MILLAGE FUNDED DEPARTMENT, CAN WE? >> CORRECT. THOSE SAVINGS WOULD BE RECOVERED INTO THE UTILITY FUND TO GO THEN TOWARDS OTHER UTILITY OPERATIONS OR FUTURE CAPITAL PROJECTS. >> BECAUSE IT'S IN THAT ENTERPRISE FUND? >> YES. >> THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER TAYLOR. PUBLIC COMMENT? >> AT THIS TIME, WE WILL HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE. SEEING NONE, WE WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT. I'M PREPARED TO MAKE A MOTION. >> THEN WE WILL WAIT FOR COMMISSIONER MURPHY. >> I WILL READ IT. IT'S A LONG ONE. MOTION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 2025-482 AUNL IEGZ THE ISSUANCE OF THE ST. JOHNS COUNTY WATER AND SEWER REFUNDING AND IMPROVEMENT REVENUE BONDS. SERIES 2026 IN AN AGGREGATE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $55 MILLION FOR THE PURPOSE OF FINANCING AND REIMBURSING COSTS OF THE ACQUISITION, CONSTRUCION AND EQUIPPING OF VARIOUS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS TO THE WATER AND SEWER UTILITY SYSTEM AND REFUNDING THE OUTSTANDING WATER AND SEWER REVENUE AND REFUNDING BONDS. SERIES 2016 TO ACHIEVE DEBT SERVICE SAVINGS AND AUTHORIZING ALL NECESSARY BUDGET APPROPRIATIONS TO REFLECT THE ISSUANCE. >> SECOND. >> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. PLEASE VOTE. THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY, 5-0. [6. Purchasing Policy Updates - 1st Reading of Ordinance amending ORD2022-22. Based upon operational changes related to the implementation of Workday, the County's new ERP Solution, and the inclusion of the procurement/contracting modules within Workday, changes to the Purchasing Policy are necessary to incorporate terms, definitions, and requirements which were previously not applicable. During the review for updates related to the ERP, some additional changes were made in order to address inconsistencies and/or clarify the parameter of the policy.] WE'RE ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SIX. GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING. PURCHASING DIRECTOR FOR ST. JOHNS COUNTY. TODAY IS THE FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE 2022-22. THERE'S NO ACTION TODAY BUT TO GO THROUGH AND SUMMARIZE THE RECOMMENDED CHANGES TO THE ORDINANCE. THERE ARE CHANGES TO THE DEFINITIONS. WE HAVE INCORPORATED DEFINITIONS RELATED TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR ERP SOLUTION, WHICH IS INCLUDING A COMPONENT OF E-PROCUREMENT. THE ADDED DEFINITIONS ARE SURROUNDING THE TRANSITION TO THAT ELECTRONIC PROCESSING OF OUR SOLICITATIONS AND CONTRACTS. THOSE DEFINITIONS ARE SHOWN ON THE LEFT- HAND SIDE. THEN AS WE WERE GOING THROUGH THE DEFINITIONS, WE MADE MODIFICATIONS TO EXISTING TERMS TO ACCOMMODATE AND/OR CLARIFY THE INCLUSION OF E- PROCUREMENT AS OUR PROCESSES. OUR ADVERTISEMENT IS SHIFTED, FORMAL SOLICITATIONS LARGELY RELATED TO THE XOE COMPONENT OF RECEIVING HARD COPY. WE CLEANED IT UP AND ALIGNED IT WITH OUR PROCESSES. THE DEFINITIONS WERE OUT OF ALIGNMENT. TO CLEAN THAT UP. PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP WAS ADJUSTED TO GIVE A MORE GENERAL TERM AND DEFINITION AND INCORPORATE PROCESSES ADOPTED FOR THOSE TYPES OF ENGAGEMENTS. THE REST OF THE PROCESSES, REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, QUALIFICATIONS, SINGLE SOURCES, THOSE WERE ADJUSTED TO INCORPORATE MOVING TOWARDS ELECTRONIC PROCUREMENT. [02:15:03] AFTER THAT, THERE WERE ADJUSTMENTS TO SECTION 6 OF THE POLICY FOR SOURCING. THERE WAS GENERAL VERBIAGE ADDED FOR THE CONTEMPLATION OF E- PRO E-PROCUREMENT. WE MADE ADJUSTMENTS TO FORMAL SOLICITATION, REMOVING THE REFERENCES TO PACKAGES AND SOURCING STRATEGIES. ADDING COOPERATIVE PURCHASING, RFQ. PROVIDING FOR A MULTI- STAGE SOLICITATION WHERE PRICE CAN BE CONSIDERED AT A LATER DATE. THAT ADJUSTMENT TO INCORPORATE OUR ADOPTED PROCEDURES FOR THOSE. IN UNDERSOURCING, THE ADVERTISING WAS CHANGED. WE DO NOT HAVE TO ADVERTISE IN A NEWSPAPER OR OTHER SOURCE UNLESS MANDATED BY FUNDING OR GRANTING AGENCY. CANCELLATION OF SOLICITATION TO ALLOW FOR THE ADMINISTRATOR TO BE A DECIDING FACTOR IN THAT DECISION. THEN LASTLY, THE ADJUSTMENT TO CONTRACT EXECUTION. CURRENTLY, THE CLERK OF COURT ATTESTS ALL OF OUR CONTRACTS. IT'S AN ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTION THAT REDUCES OUR EFFICIENCY AND ABILITY TO GET THINGS DONE QUICKLY. WE ARE REMOVING THAT REQUIREMENT AS OUR POLICY WAS THE ONLY PLACE THAT THAT REQUIREMENT LIVED. THE CLERK OF COURT AGREED TO THAT REMOVAL. CONTRACT EXECUTION HAS BEEN CHANGED TO REMOVE THAT REQUIREMENT AND ALSO TO CAPTURE THAT ANY EXECUTION OF A CONTRACT THAT COMES TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTION OF THE BOARD'S APPROVAL. IT'S THE BOARD'S AUTHORITY THAT GRANTS AND AWARDS THAT. IT'S AN ADMINISRATIVE FUNCTION TO SIGN IT. THAT ENCAPSULATES THE CHANGES TODAY. UNLESS THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS OR DIRECTIONS FOR ADDITIONAL CHANGES FROM THE BOARD, THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU. >> I HAVE ONE QUESTION. WHY ARE WE DOING THIS? >> THE CHANGES TO THE POLICY? >> YEAH. WHAT HAVE YOU FOUND THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT WE HAVE TO DO THESE CHANGES? >> THERE'S NOT AN ISSUE. WE ARE MOVING TOWARDS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR ERP SYSTEM. THE ERP SYSTEM WHICH WE HAVE ADOPTED AND HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTING FOR THE LAST YEAR INCLUDES A SOURCING COMPONENT THAT ALLOWS US TO MOVE INTO ELECTRONIC PROCUREMENT. CURRENTLY, WE ARE DOING OLD SCHOOL PROCUREMENT WHERE WE GET PACKAGES OF BIDS OR PROPOSALS. THIS WILL ELIMINATE THAT. EVERYTHING WILL BE DONE THROUGH AN ELECTRONIC PUBLIC FACING PLATFORM. IT ALLOWS THE SUBMITTAL TO BE DONE THROUGH THE SYSTEM. THE EVALUATION DONE IN THE SYSTEM. IT ALLOWS FOR ELECTRONIC REVIEW AND NEGOTIATION AND MARKUP OF CONTRACTS. WHENEVER THERE ARE CHANGES THAT CAPTURES THAT PROCESS THROUGH THIS SAME SYSTEM. IT ELIMINATES OUR SEGREGATED SYSTEMS. RIGHT NOW WE ARE IN A PROCUREMENT PLATFORM, A CONTRACT PLATFORM, WE ARE IN OUTSIDE NON- SYSTEMIC PLATFORM BY EMAILS AND/OR MEETINGS. THIS ELIMINATES THAT. ALL IS DONE THROUGH THIS ONE SYSTEM THROUGH WORKDAY STRATEGIC SOURCING. >> WHERE DO YOU ADVERTISE? IT SAYS ABOUT ADVERTISING. >> CURRENTLY, WE BROADCAST THROUGH DEMAND STAR, AVAILABLE PUBLICLY. IT'S LINKED THROUGH OUR WEB PAGE. WE BROADCAST AND ADVERTISE OUR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH FLORIDA STATUTE. FLORIDA STATUTE ALLOWS FOR IF WE PROVIDE ELECTRONIC PROCUREMENT AND WE PUBLIC THROUGH OUR WEB PAGE, THAT WE NO LONGER HAVE TO ADVERTISE IN THE NEWSPAPER. ESSENTIALLY, IF WE DO 80 CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS IN A YEAR, THAT'S 80 ADVERTISEMENTS WHICH COSTS MONEY EVERY TIME WE PUT IT IN THE NEWSPAPER. LITTLE TO NO RESPONSES OR INTEREST THAT WE GET FOR OUR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS ARE DONE THROUGH NEWSPAPER ADVERTISEMENTS. IT REALLY CREATES AN EFFICIENCY AND DRIVES ALL OF THE TRAFFIC OF OUR PROJECTS TO THE WEBSITE AND TO OUR PLATFORM. >> HOW DO YOU GIVE THE LITTLE GUYS -- I FEEL LIKE YOU ARE GOING TO BE WITH THE ELECTRONIC BIG COMPANIES AND THE LITTLE GUYS ARE THEY ABLE TO DO THIS? >> YEAH. WE OBTAINED RECOMMENDATIONS OF SUPPLIERS FROM OUR USER DEPARTMENTS. WE ALSO DO A LEVEL OF RESEARCH ON SUPPLIERS AND CONTRACTORS THAT ALSO PERFORM THE WORK OR SERVICES THAT WE ARE PROCURING. WE INCLUDE THOSE IN OUR ADVERTISEMENTS EITHER THROUGH ADDING THEM TO THE SOLICITATION PLATFORM SO THEY GET NOTIFIED THERE OR WE SEND THEM EMAILS OR REACH OUT DIRECTLY TO SAY, HEY, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY OUT THERE. WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED IN RECEIVING THE K -- DOCUMENTS. >> CAN THEY BRING THE DOCUMENTS? >> THERE WILL BE TRAINING TO ACCLIMATE TO THE NEW PROCESS. IT'S A DIFFICULT HYBRID, TO DO [02:20:02] SOME ELECTRONIC AND SOME HARD COPY. THE MOVE TO THIS WOULD BE ALL ELECTRONIC. WE WOULD FACILITATE THAT AND PROVIDE DEMOS AND INSTRUCTIONS AND GUIDANCE AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO THOSE PROVIDERS SO THEY GET FAMILIAR WITH USING THE PLATFORM FOR THIS. THE INTENT WOULD NOT BE TO DO IT AS HYBRID SOLICITATIONS. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER TAYLOR. >> WE WILL TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SIX. >> GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER TAYLOR, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS. I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT GOVERNMENT PURCHASING AT CAMDEN COUNTY COLLEGE IN BLACKWOOD, NEW JERSEY. WHEN I WAS 10, THIS IS AN INVOICE. SHE EXPLAINED TO ME WHAT DE FACTO PROCUREMENT WAS AND HOW SPECIFICATIONS ARE WRITTEN AROUND SOMEBODY VENDORS THAT SOMEBODY WANTS TO GIVE A CONTRACT TO. AFTER I WENT TO COLLEGE, SHE WAS THE ONLY SECRETARY IN CAMDEN COUNTY COLLEGE TO REQUEST A DEMOTION. MEANT LESS STRESS AND LESS EXPOSURE TO CORRUPTION. SHE BASICALLY HAD SUMMERS OFF BECAUSE SHE WAS A FACULTY SECRETARY. IT WAS A $600 A YEAR PAY CUT. SHE'S GLAD SHE DID IT. SHE COULDN'T STAND THE CORRUPTION. I THINK THIS PROPOSAL IS WRONG. IT WAS NOT EVEN VETTED OR SPOKEN TO BY ANY OF THE ATTORNEYS. THE PERSON WHO DOES THE PURCHASING SPOKE TO THIS ISSUE AND NO ONE ELSE FROM THE COUNTY STAFF. WE NEED TO HAVE A COMMITTEE OR SUBCOMMITTEE OF THIS COMMISSION TO LOCK AT PURCHASING. WE NEED TO REFORM PURCHASING ACTION WE KNOW IT. FOR INSTANCE, TAKE A LOOK AT THE ANASTASIA MOSQUITO CONTROL COMMISSION OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY. $1.8 MILLION ON A NO BID HELICOPTER. I CALLED MY MOM. MOM, WOULD YOU BUY A HELICOPTER WITHOUT COMPETITIVE BIDDING? NO, SON, ABSOLUTELY NOT. GOD REST HER SOUL. SHE TAUGHT ME SO MUCH ABOUT PURCHASING. GOVERNMENT PURCHASING FROM THE PENTAGON TO THE SMALLEST INDEPENDENT TAX DISTRICT HERE IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY IS SMEARED WITH CORRUPTION AND WASTE AND FRAUD. THIS GOES IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. SHE'S NOT A SCHOLAR. SHE'S NOT A PURCHASING EXPERT. SHE'S NOT A LAWYER. BASICALLY, HER ENTIRE PRESENTATION WAS, WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS COMPUTER SYSTEM SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO ADVERTISE IN THE NEWSPAPER ANYMORE. THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE TRANSPARENCY. I REMEMBER WE HAD A GUY IN GARY HEART'S OFFICE WHO WAS A RETIRED COLONEL. HE WOULD READ COMMERCE BUSINESS DAILY, A PRINT PUBLICATION. HE WOULD LOOK AT THE THINGS THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS BUYING AND PUTTING OUT BID SPECS FOR. THIS REDUCES TRANSPARENCY. IT REDUCES OPPORTUNITIES TO REDUCE WASTE, FRAUD AND ABUSE. IT'S EXACTLY IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. COULDN'T WE COOPERATE WITH OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY? COULDN'T WE KIND OF MAKE MOSQUITO CONTROL TALK TO US? TALK ABOUT THEIR PURCHASING. WE STOPPED AND WE GOT A FULL REFUND. WE GOT A FULL REFUND OF OUR DEPOSIT. THIS IS WRONG. I WILL BE SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION TO THIS ON SECOND READING. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING PUBLIC COMMENT. THANK YOU FOR INVESTIGATING THIS MATTER. THANK YOU, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. >> THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SIX? SEEING NONE WESHGS , WE WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT. >> THERE WAS A QUESTION THAT SAID ANY BOARD DIRECTED CHANGES. IS THERE ANY WAY THAT WE CAN SAY HOW LONG THE TRANSITION GOES SO THAT IT HAS ENOUGH TIME TO TRANSITION FROM THE WAY THEY DO IT NOW TO ALL ELECTRONIC? >> WE'RE STARTING OUR CORRESPONDENCE WITH EXISTING SUPPLIERS AND INTERESTED SUPPLIERS TO PROVIDE TRAINING AND GUIDANCE AND REGISTRATION WITH OUR NEW SYSTEM. THEY WILL BE GIVEN DEMONSTRATIONS. THEY WILL BE GIVEN OPPORTUNITIES TO ASK QUESTIONS. WE'REGO OG BE FACILITATING ADDITIONAL BROADCAST THROUGH OUR EXISTING PLATFORM WHERE 99% OF OUR SUPPLIERS AND CONTRACTORS ACCESS OUR INFORMATION. THERE IS LITTLE TO NO MISS OF SOMEONE NOT SEEING OR BEING FAMILIAR WITH THIS TRANSITION. IMPLEMENTATION FOR US IS JANUARY 5TH. WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE BROADCASTING THINGS ON JANUARY 5TH. WE WILL START RECEIVING REQUESTS FROM USER DEPARTMENTS FOR BROADCAST THROUGH THIS SYSTEM ON JANUARY 5TH. IT'S NOT A DAY ONE WE'RE GOING TO TURN ON THE SWITCH AND TELL THEM GOOD LUCK. THERE'S A PROCESS. THERE'S COMMUNICATION, [02:25:01] TRAINING, ONGOING REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION OF, IS THIS THE BEST THING FOR US? DOES IT PROVIDE THE BEST ROUTE FOR OUR SUPPLIERS IN OUR MARKET? E-PROCUREMENT IS DONE EVERYWHERE. THERE ARE FEW AGENCIES THAT DO HARD COPY PACKAGE BIDDING ANYMORE. WE ARE ONE OF THE LATER ONES TO THE TABLE ON THAT. THIS ISN'T AN UNHEARD OF TRANSITION. MOST CONTRACTORS THAT DEAL WITH AGENCIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, THEY INTERACT WITH THEM IN THIS METHOD. >> THAT'S FINE. I WANTED TO KNOW HOW MUCH TIME ARE THEY GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THE HARD COPY? THREE MONTHS OR SIX MONTHS? >> WE WILL HAVE SOLICITATIONS THAT GO OUT TO THE STREET THIS MONTH. THOSE WILL BE DONE IN THE WAY THAT WE'RE DOING THEM NOW, WE WILL BE RECEIVING HARD COPIES. ANYTHING THAT IS POSTED THROUGH THE NEW SYSTEM WILL BE DONE THROUGH THE E-BIDDING. IF WE POST ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF THE NEW PLATFORM, IT WILL BE DONE IN THE METHOD THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY. THERE MAY BE A MONTH OR SO. IT'S NOT THE INTENT TO CONTINUE THE CURRENT PROCESS FOR A NUMBER OF MONTHS BEYOND GO LIVE, BECAUSE THAT -- IT MUDDIES THE WATERS TOO MUCH. YOU ARE MANAGING TWO DIFFERENT PROCESSES. >> EVEN FOR TWO MONTHS? >> IF WE HAVE THING GOES OUT IN DECEMBER, THOSE PROPOSALS WILL BE COMING IN IN JANUARY, UNLESS THEY ARE DEFERRED FOR WHATEVER REASON. IF WE EXTEND THOSE, THAT MAY BE. BUT THE INTENT WOULD BE TO CAPTURE THE ONES THAT ARE BROADCAST IN DECEMBER AND STARTING JANUARY WITH THE NEW PROCESS. >> ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU. A MOTION OR -- >> THE PLAN IS TO COME BACK ON DECEMBER 16TH WITH THE SECOND READING. >> THANK YOU. >> IF THERE'S ANYBODY WANTING TO MAKE ANY CHANGES, NOW IS THE TIME ON THAT. NO ONE? [7. Consider appointments to the Recreation Advisory Board. Currently there is one (1) vacancy on the Recreation Advisory Board (RAB) for an At Large member. This vacancy is due to an expired term. A vacancy ad was placed and ran for almost (60) days. Please see for your review and consideration a letter of recommendation from the RAB and (22) applications; Monica Bermudez, Dist. 1, Anthony Harp, Dist. 1, Kyle Jacobs, Dist. 1, Valerie Morrison, Dist. 1, Kim Harrison, Dist. 2, Susan Hartley, Dist. 2, Sara Self, Dist. 2, Ashley Sumners, Dist. 2, Laura Taylor, Dist. 2, Seth Wingate, Dist. 2, Whitney Graves, Dist. 3, Heather Harley-Davidson, Dist. 3, Tom McGarry, Dist. 3, Nicole Walford, Dist. 3, Jeff Lacher, Dist. 4, Tony Mazullo, Dist. 4, Diane Solomon, Dist. 4, Susan Ankudavich, Dist. 5, Bunyamin Cankirli, Dist. 5, Rebecca Gallardo, Dist. 5, Andy Stevenson, Dist. 5. Anna Straughan, Dist. 5.] OKAY. LET'S MOVE ON. AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SEVEN. >> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. SHELBY ROMERO. THE AD WAS FOR ALMOST 60 DAYS. PLEASE SEE THE ATTACHED APPLICATION AND THE LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION. THANK YOU. >> PUBLIC COMMENT? >> AT THIS TIME, WE WILL HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SEVEN. >> GOOD MORNING. I AM THE RECREATION AND ADVISORY BOARD RECOMMENDATION FOR THE SEAT. I HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH EACH OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY THROUGH BOARDS OR COMMITTEES. I'M A LONGTIME RESIDENT IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY FOR THE LAST 35 YEARS. I WILL BE 36 IN MARCH. YOU CAN DO THE MATH. I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO ASSISTING THIS BOARD AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR ACTIVE AND PASSIVE PARKS IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY RECEIVE THE FUNDING AND THE NOTORIETY THAT ST. JOHNS COUNTY DESERVES. I'M FORTUNATE, I'M FROM THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE COUNTY. I BUILT MY HOUSE ON THE PROPERTY THAT MY GRANDFATHER PURCHASED. MY ENTIRE HOMESTEAD IS ALL FAMILY. OUR PARKS AND RECREATION SERVICES AS A FAMILY THAT HAS YOUNG CHILDREN ARE SOMETHING THAT'S VITAL AND IMPORTANT TO ME. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TODAY. LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU IN THE FUTURE. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE ONE MORE -- TWO MORE PUBLIC COMMENTS. >> I THINK IT'S AMAZING. 22 PEOPLE WANTED THIS POSITION. 22 PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTY WANTED THIS POSITION. IF THAT'S HAPPENED BEFORE ON OTHER POSITIONS, I MISSED THAT. THAT JUMPED OUT AT ME. ALL THESE PEOPLE, MAYBE THEY WANT SOMETHING ELSE IF THEY DON'T GET THIS ONE. THIS IS A GOOD BEGINNING. THIS IS A VERY GOOD BEGINNING. I DON'T KNOW, I'M GOING TO ASK THIS QUESTION, TOO. WHEN EVERYBODY APPLIES FOR ANY OF THESE BOARD POSITIONS OR WHATEVER, DO YOU WRITE THEM A LITTLE NOTE AFTERWARDS WHEN THEY DON'T GET IT AND SAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH, VERY GOOD? >> THAT'S BECAUSE OF SHELBY. >> YOUR HEAD IS GOING LIKE THIS. THIS IS VERY GOOD FOR THE PUBLIC WATCHING YOU ON TV OR THAT WILL. THAT'S VERY GOOD. I DIDN'T REALIZE YOU DID IT. THAT'S VERY NICE THAT YOU DO THAT. WHOEVER DOES IT, ALL YOU CAN JUST PUT YOUR INITIAL AT THE BOTTOM OR YOUR WHOLE NAME, MAYBE THEY DON'T KNOW YOUR INITIALS, OR PUT THAT ON THERE, [02:30:01] TOO, SO FROM EVERYBODY -- EVERYBODY, NOT JUST THE STAFF, BUT EVERYBODY APPRECIATED THIS. I TRULY DO. DO YOU REMEMBER 22 ON ANY OTHER -- IF YOU DO, TELL EVERYBODY. WE WILL PAY ATTENTION. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. NEXT. >> ED SLAVEN. I SUPPORT WHITNEY. I WAS IMPRESSED WITH HER TESTIMONY. WE NEED TO DO THIS RIGHT ON EVERY BOARD AND COMMISSION. WHEN THE LAMP BOARD MEMBERS WERE SELECTED RECENTLY, IT WAS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. I WAS THE ONLY PERSON TO OBJECT. I SENT YOU AN EMAIL. NOBODY DISCUSSED THE VIOLATION OF THE REASONABLE EXPECTATIONS OF PROBATIVE BY THE STAFF SAYING, WE'RE GOING TO PUT APPOINTMENTS TO THE LAMP BOARD. THE LAND ACQUISITION MANAGEMENT PLAN BOARD, WHICH SPENDS OUR MONEY AND DECIDES WHAT PROPERTIES TO BUY, THAT WAS DONE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. THANK YOU FOR GETTING THIS RIGHT. LET'S MAKE SURE NEVER AGAIN DO WE HAVE A BOARD OR COMMISSION APPOINTMENT BEING MADE BY CONSENT AGENDA. THE COUNTY ATTORNEY SHOULD NEVER HAVE LET THAT GO. OR ALLOWED THAT TO BE PLACED ON THE AGENDA. THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, I GUESS REMAINED -- RELIED UPON HER RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT IN DOING THAT. IT'S OUR MONEY. IT'S OUR GOVERNMENT. LET'S DO THIS IN THE SUNSHINE EVERY DAY, EVERY TIME. THANK YOU, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. >> THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SEVEN? SEEING NONE, WE WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT. >> COMMISSIONER WHITEHURT, HURST, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? >> I WOULD LOVE TO. MOTION TO APPOINT LAUREN AN AT LARGE MEMBER TO THE DISTRICT 5 REPRESENTATIVE SEAT SET TO EXPIRE APRIL 1, 2029. >> SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. PLEASE VOTE. SHE PASSES 5-0. >> SHE'S FANTASTIC. MOTION TO APPOINT WHITNEY TO THE RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD FOR A FULL FOUR- YEAR TERM SCHEDULED TO EXPIRE DECEMBER 2, 2029. >> SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. PLEASE VOTE. THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. [8. Confirm appointment of Mario Caycedo to Land Acquisition Management Program (LAMP) Conservation Board and approval of dual service. Board consideration of the appointment of Mario Caycedo as the District 2 Representative to the LAMP Conservation Board for a first four-year term, scheduled to expire November 18, 2029, and approval of his dual service on both the LAMP Conservation Board and the Value Adjustment Board (VAB) pursuant to Rule 2.203 F of the Board of County Commissioners’ Rules and Policies. The LAMP Conservation Board was established by Ordinance 2021-38 and serves as an advisory board to the Board of County Commissioners (“BOCC”) on issues involving the acquisition, conservation, and management of Environmentally Sensitive Lands, Archaeological Sites, recreational lands, and Aquifer Recharge Areas. Rule 2.203 F. of the BOCC Rules provides that no one may serve on more than one Board/Committee at the same time, unless at the specific direction of the Board of County Commissioners. Upon appointment of a current member to a second committee for dual service, the County Commission shall have a specific, stated reason for this action clearly stated in all pertinent motions. An applicant seeking dual status must be in good standing, as attested to by the County Commission liaison of the affected Board/Committee. Mr. Caycedo currently serves on the County Value Adjustment Board (VAB). Appointment to the LAMP Conservation Board would result in dual service on two County boards/committees. Staff recommends that the BOCC, pursuant to Rule 2.203 F, authorize dual service based on the following specific, stated reasons: Mr. Caycedo’s experience and familiarity with property-related issues and County processes through his VAB service will enhance the quality of advice and recommendations provided by the LAMP Conservation Board on land acquisition, conservation, and management matters; and the LAMP Board is advisory in nature, and Mr. Caycedo’s concurrent service on the VAB will not create a conflict of duties or impair either board’s function.] CONGRATULATIONS. 5-0. WE WILL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM EIGHT, WHICH IS THE LAMP BOARD. >> THIS IS AGENDA ITEM NUMBER EIGHT. THIS IS A DISTRICT 2 REPRESENTATIVE TO THE LAMP BOARD. THIS WAS ON YOUR CONSENT AGENDA BECAUSE REPRESENTATIVES GET TO SELECT EACH OF THEIR PERSON TO BE ON THE BOARD. HOWEVER, WE MISSED THE FACT THAT HE WAS ON THE VALUE ADJUSTMENT BOARD. THIS IS NOT A DUAL OFFICE HOLDING SITUATION. THAT'S PROHIBITED IN FLORIDA LAW. YOU DO HAVE A RULE THAT DOES NOT ALLOW DUAL SERVICE. THIS WOULD BE DUAL SERVICE. HOWEVER, YOU CAN MAKE CERTAIN FINDINGS THAT ALLOW A WAIVER OF THAT. THAT'S WHAT'S BEFORE YOU TODAY. >> WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME ON UP? MR. CAYCEDO. I THINK I PRONOUNCED HIS NAME WRONG. I SERVE WITH YOU ON THE VAB. >> GREAT TO SEE YOU. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ON THE LAMP BOARD. IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE WORKING WITH YOU THE LAST THREE, FOUR YEARS. THERE'S NO CONFLICT THAT CAN BE SEEN BETWEEN SERVING ON BOTH BOARDS. MY EXPERIENCE WITH VAB AND COUNTY TAX RELATED ISSUES AS WELL AS MY PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND IN CONSERVATION, ESPECIALLY HERE IN FLORIDA, WILL BE OF VALUE TO THE COUNTY. THIS IS MY HOME. I LOVE SERVING THE COUNTY. I CONSIDER MYSELF A LEADER. I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR VOTE OF CONFIDENCE. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I WILL BE BACK HERE. >> THANK YOU, SIR. >> UNLESS YOU HAVE SOMETHING FOR ME NOW. >> ANY QUESTIONS? PUBLIC COMMENT. THANK YOU. >> AT THIS TIME, WE WILL HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER EIGHT. SEEING NONE, WE WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT. >> A MOTION, PLEASE. >> MOTION TO APPOINT MARIO CAYCEDO AS THE DISTRICT 2 REPRESENTATIVE FOR A FIRST FOUR- YEAR TERM SCHEDULED TO EXPIRE 2029 TO AUTHORIZE HIS SERVICE ON THE PURSUANT TO 2021-38, HIS EXPERIENCE AND SERVICE ON THE VALUE ADJUSTMENT BOARD WILL ENHANCE AND INFORM THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE LAMP CONSERVATION BOARD REGARDING ENVIRONMENTALLY [02:35:01] SENSITIVE LANDS, ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES, RECREATIONAL LANDS, WITHOUT CREATING CONFLICTING DUTIES OR OVERLAPPING DECISION MAKING AUTHORITY. >> SECOND. >> WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND. PLEASE VOTE. THAT PASSES 5-0. [Commissioners’ Reports (Part 1 of 2)] THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. COMMISSIONER ARNOLD FOR COMMENTS. >> NOTHING TO REPORT TODAY. >> COMMISSIONER MURPHY? >> YES. THANK YOU. I NEED TO RESPOND TO THE UNWARRANTED AND UNPROVABLE ACCUSATIONS THAT CALLED MY CHARACTER INTO QUESTION. I WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO THOSE WHO SUPPORTED ME IN THIS SEAT. SINCE THE TOOK THE ONLY TO SERVE MY COMMUNITY, I HAVE CONDUCTED MYSELF ABOVE AND BEYOND THE ETHICAL STANDARDS REQUIRED FOR SERVING IN THIS SERVICE. FOLLOWING THE COMPLETING, I CONSULTED THE COUNTY ATTORNEY AND SOUGHT PRIVATE ATTORNEY. IT HAS BEEN VERIFIED I AM COMPLIANT WITH ALL ETHICS REQUIREMENTS. THE ACCUSATIONS MADE TOWARD ME BY COMMISSIONER JOSEPH DURING THE DEBATE ARE FALSE. ALSO I WANT TO ADD I WAS NOT AND WILLING TO SELL MY SUPPORT OR VOTE FOR ANYONE OR THING SIMPLY FOR THE CHANCE THAT THEY WILL SUPPORT ME FOR CHAIR. I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY I WAS UNPREPARED FOR THE NASTY ATTACK, THE QUID PRO QUO PRESCHOOL REACTION BY THE CHAIR. I'VE HAD MY HEAD DOWN WORKING FOR THE PEOPLE OF MY DISTRICT AND THIS COUNTY FOR THE PAST YEAR. I NEVER IMAGINED I WOULD FACE ATTACK FROM MY COLLEAGUE. CHEAP, PETTY, GOT YOU ARROWS FROM A CHAIR THAT DIDN'T GET THE ANSWER SHE WANTED. I WAS UNPREPARED. I LEARNED A LESSON. IT'S NOT ABOUT WHAT YOU DO AND ACCOMPLISH FOR YOUR CONSTITUENTS BUT HOW WELL YOU PLAY THE POLITICAL GAME. I'M A VERY POOR POLITICIAN. POOR BECAUSE I CARE NOT ONE BIT ABOUT THAT. I HAVE NO DESIRE TO HOLD POWER THAT RESTS ONLY IN THE MINDS OF SOME PEOPLE. I HAVE HAD THE LAST TWO WEEKS TO PRAY AND THINK ABOUT THAT MEETING. OVER THAT TIME, I HAVE BEEN FLOODED WITH CALLS OF SUPPORT FROM PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY AND THE DEPTHS OF THE STRESS AND ANXIETY COUNTY WORKERS WERE LIVING UNDER IS THE BIGGEST REGRET I CARRY WITH ME FOR MY NO VOTE. I WANT TO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY. THAT'S MEANT ME WORKING 14- HOUR DAYS SEVEN DAYS A WEEK ON THE RARE OCCASION I HAVE TAKEN A VACATION, I KEPT UP WITH EMAILS AND CALLS TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY. WORKING TO TAKE THE FINANCIAL PRESSURE OFF THE BACKS OF OUR TAXPAYERS OF THE COUNTY BY TRYING TO SUPPLEMENT OUR NEEDED CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS WITH STATE AND FEDERAL DOLLARS. FOFTERING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THOSE IN TALLAHASSEE AND D.C. TO HELP US GET OUR MANDATES FUNDED TO THE TUNE OF MILLIONS -- HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. ON THE LOCAL LEVEL, ING EMAILS AND PHONE CALLS FROM PEOPLE WHO FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE BEEN FORGOTTEN. TO VISITS TO PEOPLE')S HOMES AND BUSINESSES WHO WANT TO BE HEARD. I KNOW THAT THERE IS SOMEONE AND -- TO KNOW THERE IS SOMEONE ON THEIR SIDE TO LISTEN. DOING WHAT I CAN FOR THEM. AS TO MY LAST MEETING AND THE TRADITION OF VICE CHAIR TO CHAIR, MY DEEPEST REGRET WAS FOR THE EMPLOYEES OF THIS COUNTY WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING AND LIVING UNDER STRESS CAUSED BY LACK OF TRUE LEADERSHIP. GOOD LEADER SHRP SHINES A LIGHT ON OTHERS. LEADERSHIP ISN'T ABOUT BEING THE LOUDEST VOICE IN THE ROOM OR TAKING CREDIT OR HAVING TO ANSWER FOR EVERYTHING. INSTEAD, IT'S ABOUT AMPLIFYING THE QUIET VOICES. CELEBRATING YOUR TEAM'S WINS. CREATING SPACE FOR THEIR GROWTH TO INVEST IN YOUR PEOPLE DAILY AND SEE THEIR POTENTIAL BEFORE THEY DO. TO GIVE THEM THE FREEDOM TO PUSH YOU WHEN YOU NEED TO BE PUSHED AND TO SUPPORT YOU WHEN YOU NEED TO BE SUPPORTED. IT'S WHAT I THOUGHT I WAS DOING WHEN I SUPPORTED KRISTA FOR THE CHAIR. WHEN THE MISTAKES CAME AS THEY WILL DO, I PROTECTED HER. ALLOWING HER TO SHOW WHAT KIND OF LEADER I HOPED SHE WOULD BECOME EVEN WHEN THE CALLS TO REMOVE HER CAME. SHE DESERVED THAT CHANCE. NOW WITH THE CHAOS IN THE NATION, WITH THE STRESS OF A STATE AND SEEMS THAT PRESENT US WITH NEW LAWS EACH YEAR THAT ERODE OUR HOME RULE, THE UNFUNDED MANDATES AND CHALLENGES THOSE BRING, THE POSSIBILITY OF THE ELIMINATION OF PROPERTY TAX AND HOW THE COUNTY WILL FUNCTION, WE NEED REAL LEADERSHIP. ALMOST EVERY SERMON I HEARD OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS HAS TALKED ABOUT FORGIVENESS. THAT HIT ME HARD BECAUSE I FELT I WAS JUSTIFIABLY ANGRY. BUT I HAD TIME FOR HOLY SPIRIT TO WORK ON ME. FORGIVENESS IS WHAT I'M COMMANDED TO DO THROUGH SCRIPTURES. ALLOW ME TO ASK FOR FORGIVENESS AS I OFFER IT IF RETURN. THAT DOESN'T CHANGE THE [Additional Item] FACT THAT WE NEED A CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP. [02:40:01] I MAKE A MOTION TO REMOVE STA AS CHAIR AND NOMINATE ME. >> I WILL SECOND THAT MOTION. >> WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE. PUBLIC COMMENT? >> AT THIS TIME, WE WILL HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT. >> BJ, ONE BLOWUP AND WE GOT A SECOND BLOWUP. WAS THE APOLOGY TOWARDS MISS TAYLOR OR WAS IT JUST A GENERAL APOLOGY? I DIDN'T QUITE UNDERSTAND THAT. LET'S SEE HOW THE GAME IS GOING TO BE PLAYED. ONE, TWO, THREE AND THEN TWO WILL KEEP HER. ARNOLD AND MURPHY AND WHITEHURST WILL GET RID OF MISS JOSEPH. MISS JOSEPH AND MISS TAYLOR WILL VOTE TO KEEP THEMSELVES. WAS THIS DISCUSSED WITH ANYBODY? IS THIS A SURPRISE TO THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE OR THE ADMINISTRATOR'S OFFICE? UNBELIEVABLE. IF YOU WANTED TO DO THIS, WHY DIDN'T YOU DO IT IN THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING? YOU DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY SEE AND SIT AND WATCH WHAT'S GOING ON? THIS IS A GAME THAT WE AS TAXPAYERS ARE TRULY FED UP WITH. YOU DISCRIMINATE. YOU DECIDE. YOU DECIDE WHAT WE VOTED FOR? UNBELIEVABLE. TOO BAD THE STUDENTS, ALL OF THEM SHOULD BE HERE WATCHING THIS. THIS IS A GAME AND THIS IS WHAT'S BEEN PLAYED. IT STILL IS BEING PLAYED. WE WILL SEE HOW IT VOTES AND HOW IT COMES. BECAUSE YOU PEOPLE THINK YOU GOT POWER OVER US. YOU DO NOT. WE ALL WILL REAP WHAT WE SOW. THE PRAYER, DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WANT THEM TO DO TO YOU. JUST TAKE A DRINK, BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED IN WHAT WE THE PUBLIC HAS TO SAY. ONLY THE PEOPLE PUBLIC THAT YOU HAVE CHOSEN YOURSELVES TO REPRESENT AND IGNORE THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT COME IN HERE AND WANT SOME HELP. BECAUSE WE VOTED. WE WILL GET TO VOTE AGAIN. REMEMBER THAT. WE WILL GET TO VOTE AGAIN. >> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS? >> CHARLIE HUNT. NO SLANDEROUS REMARKS. THAT'S WHAT WE CAN'T SAY. COMPARING COMMISSIONER TAYLOR TO BEING UNSEASONED FROM SOMEONE WHO OWNS A BARBECUE RESTAURANT IS PURELY, PURELY A SLANDEROUS REMARK. I'M EXPRESSES MY FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS JUST LIKE WHEN CHRISTOPHER JOSEPH WAS BEING BANNED ON HER FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS AND THEN HAD TO SUE THE COUNTY FOR HER FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS. THE COUNTY IS LIKE, WELL IT'S NOT OUR FAULT ANYMORE. WELL, THERE WAS FOUR OF THEM WHO CAME IN HERE TO TRY TO ERADICATE HER, TO TRY TO QUIET THE PEOPLE DOWN. BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT THEM TO DO. THIS IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO DO. THIS IS A PART OF THE AGENDA, YES, IT HAPPENS HERE. JUST LOOK WHAT HAPPENED WITH THIS WHOLE IS IT THE STAFF'S FAULT FOR NOT PUTTING OUT THE PERMIT? IS IT STAFF'S FAULT FOR HOLDING UP. IT'S SOMEBODY'S FAULT. LET'S ADJOURN AND COME BACK IN A COUPLE WEEKS TO FIGURE OUT SOMETHING TO GET PAST THIS ROUNDABOUT. THAT'S THE PATHETIC ATTITUDE HOW THIS COUNCIL IS WORKING. THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS. THAT'S HOW THAT WORKS. LOOK AT THE RULES OF WHO MAKES SURE THAT THE STAFF WORKS UNDER THEIR PROPER JOBS, THAT THEY DO IT IN A TIMEFUL MANNER. WHERE IS BOSS AT? IS THAT BOSS GOING TO GET THIR CONTRACT [02:45:01] CUT OUT? REALLY AND TRULY, IF YOU SAY THAT YOU ARE DEDICATING YOUR -- SO MUCH TIME AND EFFORT AND LOSING YOUR FAMILY TIME AND NOT SEEING YOUR FRIENDS BECAUSE -- ANSWER ME THIS, DID YOU VOLUNTEER TO GET VOTED FOR TO TAKE THIS POSITION IF YOU WON? YOU VOLUNTEERED TO DO IT. SO DO IT. DON'T BE EXPRESSING YOURSELVES OF HOW MUCH FAMILY TIME AM I GIVING UP. DON'T. I TELL YOU WHAT. OVER TWO DECADES I LIVED IN A WORLD THAT I'M STILL TRYING TO UNDERSTAND OUTSIDE OF IT. WE DON'T SIT THERE AND TELL EACH OTHER, YEAH, I HAD TO -- I'M LOSING TIME BECAUSE I GOT IN HERE TO SERVE THE MILITARY FOR THIS GREAT NATION. BUT TO COME INTO HERE AND HEAR SOMEBODY WHO VOTED -- WHO THE PUBLIC VOTED FOR THAT MEMBER TO COME IN AND SAY HOW MUCH TIME AND EFFORT YOU ARE GIVING UP, GET OUT OF THE JOB. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. NEXT. >> ED SLAVIN. CANDIDATE FOR MOSQUITO CONTROL. LET ME SAY TO COMMISSIONER MURPHY WHAT HE SAID TO THE COMMISSION. WHEN HE WAS A CANDIDATE. I FORGIVE YOU. I FORGIVE YOU. I FORGIVE YOU. THIS VIOLATES BASIC SUNSHINE LAW PRINCIPLES. IT VIOLATES OUR MORAL CODE. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUT ON THE AGENDA. I WOULD ASK THAT ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS MAKE A MOTION AND THERE BE A SECOND TO PLACE THIS ON THE NEXT AGENDA. NOT DO PEARL HARBOR-STYLE SNEAK ATTACKS. JFK'S AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N. WAS ONCE IN DALLAS, TEXAS, BACK IN OCTOBER OF 1963. THE MONTH BEFORE JFK WAS ASSASSINATED. JFK WAS BESET UPON BY A MOB OF ANGRY, UNRULY SEGREGATIONISTS. SHE WAS A YOU KNOW WHAT HE SAID? HE SAID, I BELIEVE IN THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. HE WAS SPAT UPON AND BEING ROUGHED UP IN DALLAS. HE SAID, I BELIEVE IN THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS AND REDEMPTION OF IGNORANCE. I WISH YOU WOULD TAKE A STEP BACK AND PUT THIS ON A FUTURE AGENDA. NOT DO IT TONIGHT. IT WOULD BE A BLACK EYE FOR ST. JOHNS COUNTY. IMAGINE WHAT THE HEADLINE WOULD BE. WHAT THE VIDEO COVERAGE ON FIRST COAST NEWS WOULD BE. WHAT "THE NEW YORK TIMES" WOULD HAVE TO SAY ABOUT IT. I KNOW WHAT JFK SAID. HE ONCE SAID THAT POLITICS IS A BUSINESS OF KNIVES. THIS IS -- THIS SHOULD NOT BE A KNIFE FIGHT. LET'S LISTEN TO EACH OTHER AND I HAVE ENCOURAGED YOU TO DO FOR A LONG TIME. NOT VOTE ON THIS NOW. LET'S PUT IT ON THE AGENDA. LET'S HAVE A PROPER OPINION FROM THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL. WE HEARD NOTHING FROM OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY, THE CORPORATE LAWYER. WE HEARD NOTHING FROM THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. I THINK THIS IS IMPROPER. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S LEGALLY IMPROPER, BUT IT AIN'T RIGHT. IT'S JUST WRONG. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUT ON THE AGENDA WITH A BRIEFING PACKET, WITH A STATE ATTORNEY OPINION. HAS ANYBODY EVEN BOTHERED TO GOOGLE OR LOOK AT THE STATE TORN GENERAL'S OPINIONS AND THE SUNSHINE MANUAL? 500 PAGES, IT'S ON THE WEBSITE OF THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL. I DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO DO THAT RIGHT NOW. I DIDN'T EVEN SEE THIS COMING. IT'S UNACCEPTABLE. WE CAN DO BETTER. IN THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTIAN CHARITY, IN THE HOLIDAY SEASON, DON'T DO THIS. LET'S DELAY THIS UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING OR THE MEETING AFTER THAT. LET'S GET SOME LEGAL COUNSEL FOR A CHANGE. THANK YOU, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. >> THANK YOU, SIR. >> HAPPY HOLIDAYS. >> THERE'S A NUMBER OF BOARD MEMBERS UP THERE, COMMISSIONERS THAT I CONSIDER MY FRIENDS. IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT MY FRIENDS ARE FIGHTING AMONGST EACH OTHER. IT'S TIME TO BURY THE HATCHET AND DO THE JOB THAT WE HAVE ASKED YOU TO DO. WE CAN SPEND HOURS UPON HOURS FIGHTING. PLEASE, ENOUGH OF THE FIGHTING. YOU WANT A TITLE? I WILL GIVE YOU A TITLE. NO PROBLEM. DO THE JOB THAT WE HAVE ASKED YOU TO DO. [02:50:04] DO THE JOB THAT YOU HAVE VOLUNTEERED TO DO. I'M TALKING ON BEHALF OF MYSELF. A NUMBER OF HATS I WEAR. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. I LOVE YOU ALL. DEARLY AS FRIENDS. PLEASE, STOP. >> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME? SEEING NONE, WE WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT. >> I DO HAVE COMMENT. WHAT'S INTERESTING IS THAT I FEEL LIKE SOMEONE HAD A TEMPER TANTRUM AND DIDN'T -- SPEND A CRUISE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HE WAS GOING TO WRITE. I DON'T HAVE A SECOND TO WRITE ABOUT ALL THE THINGS I DO FOR THIS COUNTY LIKE HE DID. BECAUSE HE KNEW WHAT HE WAS GOING TO DO TODAY. MAYBE COMMISSIONER WHITEHURST KNEW WHAT HE WAS GOING TO DO TODAY, TOO. WHAT I DO WANT TO SAY IS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU CALL WHEN YOU ARE A CHAIR OF A COUNTY FOR $1. 9 BILLION BUDGET AND YOU GO TO AN ETHICS MEETING THAT YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE AT AND I'M WITH COMMISSIONER TAYLOR AND COMMISSIONER MURPHY IS THERE AND WE SAY, ARE WE GOING TO SIT TOGETHER? HE GOES, NO, HE HAD A COAT ON AND HIS WIFE WAS MANY THE HOTEL ROOM. HE SAID, I'M GOING TO CHECK IN AND I GOTTA GO TO MEETINGS AND I WILL BE BACK. ANN AND I SAID, THIS IS MANDATORY. SO WE WENT TO THE MEETING. WE KEPT LOOKING FOR HIM, LOOKING FOR HIM. HE NEVER SHOWED UP. NEVER SHOWED UP. THEY DID THE CODE AT THE END. HE SHOWED UP LATE. ASKED FOR THE CODE FROM FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES WITH A COUPLE OTHER PEOPLE THAT DID THE SAME THING. THEN WALKED WITH US OUT AND SAID, WELL, THAT -- I TOOK CARE OF THAT. I LOOKED AT HIM. I SAID -- ANN CAN TESTIFY TO THIS -- YOU ARE GOING TO GO TO JAIL. HE THOUGHT I WAS KIDDING. I TAKE MY JOB SERIOUSLY. I TAKE THE ETHICS COMMISSION SERIOUSLY. I THINK IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE CHAIR, YOU SHOULD TAKE YOUR JOB SERIOUSLY. I DID. THERE'S OTHER INSTANCE S I KNOW ABOUT CLAY MURPHY CONSIDERING A WHITE ENVELOPE ON A DEVELOPER'S DESK THAT I HAVE NOT MADE PUBLIC. BUT I HAVE TURNED THIS IN TO THE FBI. WITH THAT, IF YOU DON'T WANT ME TO BE CHAIR, I'M FINE. I'M WORKING HARD FOR YOU. I LOVE MY JOB. I WILL DO IT IF I HAVE TO DO IT. I'M AN HONEST PERSON. COMMISSIONER WHITEHURST. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I WANT TO STATE MY REASONS -- I'M JUST AS SURPRISED TODAY ABOUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED AS I WAS TWO WEEKS AGO WHEN WE HAD THE REORGANIZATION MEETING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED. I ALWAYS THOUGHT -- MY VOTE THE FIRST TIME WAS FOR COMMISSIONER MURPHY TO ASCEND TO THE CHAIRMANSHIP. IT'S NOT AGAINST YOU. IT'S NOT SO OW DIVISION AND STRIFE. I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR HIM TO RESPOND. THAT'S NOT THE REASON I'M VOTING THIS WAY. I'M GOING TO VOTE TO INSTALL COMMISSIONER MURPHY AS A CHAIR NOT BECAUSE OF ANYTHING YOU HAVE DONE WRONG, JUST BECAUSE I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER MURPHY SHOULD HAVE ASCENDED TO THE CHAIRMANSHIP. THAT'S HOW I VOTED THE FIRST TIME. IT SEEMED AS IF YOU WERE NOT WANTING TO BE THE CHAIR. I THINK IT'S COMMISSIONER MURPHY'S TURN. I THINK HE WILL DO A GREAT JOB. THAT'S HOW I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR THOSE REASONS I WANTED TO STATE MY REASONS. >> I GET THAT. THAT'S WHY I STOOD UP FOR ANN. SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE VICE CHAIR. I WAS SKIPPED OVER BEFORE. I KNOW HOW THAT FEELS. >> YES, MA'AM. I WANT TO SAY THAT YOU WERE INTERESTED IN AND YOU STATED AS SUCH THAT YOU THOUGHT COMMISSIONER TAYLOR SHOULD BE THE VICE CHAIR. I WILL NOT MAKE ANY MOVE TO REMOVE COMMISSIONER TAYLOR AS VICE CHAIR. SHE IS WHERE SHE NEEDS TO BE. I THINK COMMISSIONER MURPHY SHOULD BE IN THE CHAIRMANSHIP. THAT'S HOW I INTEND TO VOTE TODAY. >> COMMISSIONER MURPHY? >> THANK YOU. IT'S FUNNY THAT THE PLOY THAT I'M BEING ACCUSED OF IS AWFUL THIS WEEK, BUT IT WA PERFECTLY FINE TWO WEEKS AGO. WHEN YOU DID THAT TO ME. YOU HUNG ON TO IT FOR SIX MONTHS WAITING FOR AN OPPORTUNITY. THEN POLLED ME TO SEE WHAT MY VOTE WAS GOING TO BE BEFORE THE VOTE IN THIS CHAMBER AND IN MY OFFICE. YET I'M THE ONE THAT IS BEING ACCUSED OF ETHICS VIOLATIONS. I'M PERFECTLY WILLING TO STAND BY ANYTHING THAT I HAVE DONE AS LONG AS YOU UNDERSTAND THAT YOU NEED TO BE WILLING TO STAND BY EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE, TOO. THIS DIDN'T HAVE TO GO THIS WAY. IT DIDN'T HAVE TO HAPPEN THIS WAY. IT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED IN THE ORDERLY WAY IT DOES. BECAUSE OF POSSIBLE SUNSHINE [02:55:04] LAW VIOLATIONS, IT GOT TURNED INTO A GIANT MESS. THIS IS AN ATTEMPT TO RIGHT THE WRONG DONE TWO WEEKS AGO AND SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED TWO WEEKS'S AGO, NOT BECAUSE I'M THE MOST WORTHILY, BUT BECAUSE THAT'S HOW THE TRADITIONS HAVE GONE. DOING AWAY WITH TRADITIONS IS -- SEEMS TO BE PRETTY COMMON NOWADAYS. >> A DEGREE. THAT'S WHY ANN TAYLOR SHOULD HAVE BEEN VICE CHAIR. WHEN I ASKED YOU WHY YOU DIDN'T PUT HER THERE, THAT'S WHERE THIS WENT. I PRAYED FOR YOU THE NIGHT BEFORE, HOPING YOU WOULD DO THE RIGHT THING. >> THE RIGHT THING TO YOU AND THE RIGHT THING TO ME MIGHT NOT BE THE SAME THING. I HAPPEN TO LIKE COMMISSIONER TAYLOR. I THINK SHE'S A VERY NICE PERSON. I HAVE ENJOYED THE TIME WE SPENT TOGETHER WHEN WE HAVE BEEN IN OPPORTUNITIES WITH MY WIFE TO GET AWAY. SHE WILL BE AN AMAZING LEADER.BE BUT MY REASONS WERE MY REASONS. THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH PERSONALITIES. IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH WE HAVE A JOB TO DO AND WE HAVE TO GET TO TALLAHASSEE AND D.C. WE HAVE GOT TO GET THE SUPPORT WE NEED SO THAT WE TAKE THAT WEIGHT, THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT DOLLARS WEIGHT OFF OUR TAXPAYERS, GIVE THEM A BREAK, WORK ON THE BUDGETING SYSTEM, FIND A WAY TO REDUCE OUR TAXES AND THERE ARE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE THAT ARE NOT BEING DONE. I THINK IT'S TIME FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD THAT FIGHT. >> WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE. PLEASE VOTE. THAT PASSES 3-2. YOU ARE ALWAYS RIGHT, BJ. [Commissioners' Reports (Part 2 of 2)] >> DO WE NEED TO TAKE A RECESS? >> NO. COMMISSIONER WHITEHURST. >> I HAVE NO REPORT. >> I DON'T KNOW -- OKAY. COMPLIG COMMISSIONER TAYLOR. >> I HAVE NO COMMENTS. I'M STILL IN SHOCK. >> EXCUSE ME? YOU KNOW HOW I FEEL? >> SHE SAYS SHE HAS NO COMMENT. SHE'S IN SHOCK. I SAID, I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL. >> IT'S 4-1. I'VE BEEN HERE TWO YEARS. I DON'T HAVE -- IT ROLLS OFF MY BACK FROM THIS POINT. I JUST WANT TO TALK MARSH LANDING ASSOCIATION. THEIR BOARD OF DIRECTORS GAVE US MARSH LANDING PROCLAMATION BECAUSE OF -- ERIC BROWN WITH UTILITY GOT TOGETHER WITH NEIL AND SHE THEY SAVED THE DAY. I THOUGHT THAT WAS COOL THAT SOMEONE GAVE US A PROCLAMATION. I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE OF THE PALM VALLEY BOAT PARADE ON SATURDAY. IT IS FUN OF THE LAST YEAR FAMILIES HAD A BALL OUT THERE. PLEASE GO OUT. IT STARTS AT EARLIER -- I THINK IT STARTS AT 6:00. GET THERE BY 5:30. THERE'S T-SHIRTS FOR SALE. [County Administrator’s Report] COMMISSIONER JOY ANDREWS. >> THANK YOU. I HAVE A COUPLE ITEMS. NUMBER ONE IS IN NOVEMBER I SENT ALL OF YOU A MEMO RELATED TO THE SEPTIC TANK CONVERSION. I THINK IT WAS COMMISSIONER MURPHY HAD ASKED US TO DO RESEARCH. NEIL HAD PROVIDED A MEMO TO ALL OF YOU RELATED TO THE PROS AND CONS AND THE POLICY CHANGES THAT IS REQUIRED TO MAKE THOSE CONVERSIONS FROM SEPTIC TANK USERS TO THE COUNTY'S SEWER SERVICES. I'M ASKING FOR DIRECTION TODAY FROM THE BOARD TO SEE IF YOU ARE INTERESTED TO BRING BACK A FIRST A HEARING OR AN ENDA ITEM FOR DISCUSSION. SOME OF THE CHANGES IS GOING TO REQUIRE ORDINANCE CHANGE. IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE TWO HEARINGS AT MINIMUM. WE ARE LOOKING FOR DIRECTION FROM YOU ALL. >> I WOULD SUPPORT IT BEING AN AGENDA ITEM. >> I WOULD SUPPORT IT. >> WE WILL DO A DISCUSSION ITEM. WE WILL FOLLOW THAT WITH ANY CHANGE OR AMENDMENT FROM YOU ALL TO GO TO THE FIRST HEARING. NUMBER TWO IS THAT WE APPRECIATEAPPRECIATE BOARD SUPPORTED A PAUSE IN THE DISCONNECTION OF UTILITY FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER BECAUSE OF THE SHUTDOWN AT THE TIME FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. WE ARE NOW APPROACHING -- WE PASSED THE DAY OF NOVEMBER FACING THE SECOND DAY OF DECEMBER. WE ARE LIKELY TO HAVE TO GO BACK TO DISCONNECT. WE ARE LOOKING AT POTENTIALLY [03:00:04] MAYBE THE BOARD WILL SUPPORT EXTENDING THIS PAUSE OF DISCONNECTION THROUGH NEW YEAR, SO WE DON'T HAVE TO BASICALLY NOTIFY PEOPLE'S DISCONNECTION END OF DECEMBER. IF THAT'S A DESIRE OF THE BOARD, WE WOULD PROCEED WITH THAT. THOUGHTS? THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. I HAVE TWO RECOGNITIONS TODAY. I WILL START WITH MIKE TEXTED, HE WANTED TO APOLOGIZE HE NAMED PEOPLE HE WAS THANKFUL FOR FOR THE IMPACT FEE UPDATE. HE MISSED KEYLEE WEST. SHE WORKED REALLY HARD ON ALL THE HEARINGS AND AMENDMENTS AND CHANGES. I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE JAIME LOCKLEAR. I'M GOING TO JUST GO DOWN THE LIST OF HER CERTIFICATION AND CREDENTIAL. SHE'S UNARGUABLY ONE OF THE BEST IN THE NATION AS A PROCUREMENT SPECIALIST. SHE'S A CERTIFIED PROCUREMENT PROFESSIONAL NATIONALLY. NATIONALLY CERTIFIED PUBLIC PROCUREMENT OFFICER. NATIONALLY CERTIFIED BUYER AND FLORIDA CERTIFIED CONTRACT MANAGER. I'M GRATEFUL FOR HER LEADERSHIP IN ING OUR PROCUREMENT PROCESS THAT'S WAY OVERDUE. THANK YOU. THAT CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.