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Okay, so I'm going to go ahead and call the special meeting of Monday, July 27th to order. It is now 6.19 p.m. Mr. Spord, you want to read what you need to read? Thank you, Mayor. Good evening, and a lot of the recent record spikes in the number of COVID-19 cases in Pemelles County and the public health emergency presented by COVID-19. This regular meeting of the city commission is being conducted via communications media technology.

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I'm sorry, the special meeting of the city commission is being conducted to be a communications

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media technology pursuant to the governor's executive order number 2069 as extended most

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recently by executive order 2150 and city resolution of our 2020 15.

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Notice that this meeting will be held by communication media technology and out of physical locations

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posts on the city's website was advertised on social media outlets.

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The notice included all information that the city has included in the past several months

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we conduct the virtual meetings during COVID-19. As city manager, I will continue to serve as a

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technology moderator for this virtual meeting and Mayor A. U. will handle zoom public comments.

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The city is using zoom meeting technology. The zoom meeting ID and information on how to download

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and access is available on the city's website, www.cityofsakeyharbour.com. The commissioners are only

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able to communicate with one another on Zoom via video competency. No other chat functions are utilized

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for the city commissioners to communicate with one another. The visuals to be displayed for the

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Zoom meeting platform are also being broadcast on the city's website and there is a live stream

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being broadcast at City Hall subject to social distancing requirements and screen for COVID-19 symptoms.

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Again, we have three participants joining us this evening at City Hall. The methods for receiving

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public comment will be the same as the past several months of conducting virtual meetings during COVID-19.

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option one US mail or email prior to this meeting submitted written comments prior to this meeting by US mail or email

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Comments of 500 words or less would be read during the meeting during the appropriate time for public comment

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This is because 500 words can be read roughly three minutes as it heads up commissioners. I have right now 25 emails that have come in

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To read at some point this evening option number during this special meeting option number two email during this meeting

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The public may submit comments via e-mail to p-comment at cityassadegarber.com, e-mails

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of 500 words or less we read aloud during this meeting during the appropriate time for

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public comment.

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The read aloud e-mails less we received before audits we heard has concluded or for comments

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on agenda items before public comment on the agenda item is closed.

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E-mails that exceed 500 words will only be provided to the mayor and commissioners and writers.

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All written comments whether submitted via a US mail or mail will be included as part of

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the public record for this virtual meeting.

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Option number three telephone. Those of you attending this meeting via our toll free telephone access line 1-877-8535257, if you wish to speak with the mayor calls for public comment, please press star 9 and your telephone touch pad to raise your hand.

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The mayor will be notified that you wish to comment you will be called on at the appropriate time and will be given three minutes to address the city commission.

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We'll be patient pressing star 9 again will only lower your hand and may not be called on.

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option number four, zoom meeting. For those of you attending this meeting via zoom

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meeting, if you wish to speak with AmeriCorps for public comment, please press the

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raise and icon on the zoom meeting platform. Just as with telephone users, the

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mayor will be notified that you wish to comment. You'll be called on at the

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appropriate time and you will be given three minutes to address the city

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permission. Again, please be patient, continue to press the raise and icon will

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lower your hand and you may not be called on. A few additional matters for those

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providing live public comment via phone or zoom meeting. Please minimize any background noise

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and please be reminded to state your name and address in the beginning of your comments.

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Please speak slowly and clearly so that everyone can hear your comments however please do not

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shout. At the end of your comments or maximum time your line will be placed on you by the host please

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do not raise your hand again or attempt to unmute yourself during the same agenda item. Please be patient

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while we do our best to make sure everyone has had the opportunity to participate in the meeting

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and we have a clear record for our minutes.

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If at any time we have technical difficulties,

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we will recess the meeting briefly

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to try to resolve the technical issues.

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At the issues are resolved,

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we will conclude the recess and proceed with the meeting.

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At the issues are not resolved,

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we will adjourn the meeting.

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That's all I have there.

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Okay, thank you for that.

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So I see we already have 103 attendees.

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You said you had how many 25 emails?

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I have more now.

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I have 27 now.

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Okay, so in the past we let public comment go to three minutes. I think on this one we're

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going to have to do two minutes just to make sure everybody has a fair chance to speak given the amount of people we have.

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So with that said, but I'll get more to that before we open it up to public comments.

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Okay, so I call this meeting as a continuation of the last meeting we had.

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We had an issue on there that we got a lot of citizen input from so I want to continue that discussion but before I did I had a couple things I want to talk about with regards to just kind of the length of the last meeting and meeting flows going forward and based on the flow of the meetings.

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I mean, we're going in a few months before the election, based on the meetings, how they

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were going before the last election and how things went at the last meeting, I've done

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a little thinking and realized that these meetings can be run better, so I'm going to be

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making some changes and asking the other commissioners and staff to help me out with that.

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So during the audience to be hurt portion of the meeting, in the run up at the last election,

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I started noticing this portion of the meetings was getting just a little bit out of control.

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the level of negativity was getting to unacceptable levels by city of safety

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harbor standards and on several occasions people have been acting disrespect

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with others in the room and saying quite frankly unacceptable things to elected

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officials and others. So going forward I'm going to do a better job to make sure

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this does not happen anymore. In addition this portion or the audience to be

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her portion of the meetings has been prolonged in the past by organized efforts

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to push for certain courses of action while pushing scheduled agenda items to later in the night.

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And I don't think this is fair to the people who come out for scheduled items. So when it appears,

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this is happening. What I'm going to do is I'm going to make that topic an agenda item

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and just move it to another night just so we can have everybody that's come out for that

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meeting to give everybody an opportunity to be heard. With regards to Zoom meetings, I'm also going

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exercise greater control over these meetings by managing who's on mute and who's not on mute.

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Now, with regards to the length of meetings, I want to say that last week's meeting, I think,

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went unnecessarily long into the night. So given this, I'm asking both commissioners and staff

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to just be a little more aware of how much is on the agenda into act accordingly.

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In the past, I've oftentimes asked questions that I already know the answer to and I think

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several of us do that also, kind of just for the benefit of those watching, but when we

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have a packed agenda, I just ask everybody to just be a little more cognizant of our

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time restraints.

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So, again, we're being fair to the people and the audience that came out for other items.

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I also ask everyone to be more concise with your comments and, quite frankly, to be more

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prepared.

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the last week we spent way more time that was necessary on a consent agenda item for which we

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already received numerous emails, background information, and we already had several in-depth

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discussions on that issue. So what I'm going to propose is that we limit the length of the meetings

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to end at 10 o'clock instead of the current 11 o'clock with the ability to extend for another hour

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until 11 o'clock. I don't think holding a meeting at last five hours until midnight. I don't think

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that's fair to anybody waiting on agenda items. And quite frankly, I don't think it's within the

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spirit of holding meetings in the sunshine. I'm also proposing an idea to have a petition review

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process before we take any action on any petitions. And I've spoken to Matt, staff can research this,

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But before I move on to the next topic, which has to do with the signs on city property, I just want to open this up to the city commission and see if we can put the agenda, put the discussion on the agenda regarding the length of the meetings and a petition review process in place.

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And I'm just asking that we put it on the agenda. We're not going on anything right now.

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commissioners, you may have to unmute yourself.

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I'll start.

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Yeah.

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You know, I agree with everything you said.

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I think that the last week's meeting, I think it boarded a little bit chaotic.

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It seemed like everybody wanted an audience to be heard item.

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We were addressing it and putting it on the agenda, which is that's not what the audience

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to be heard.

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it. And this has become a precedence here under this commission for a while. And we keep

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addressing people audience to be heard. And the thing is, is that people in the audience

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to be heard, people are there to voice their opinions on something. And I think that any

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commissioner at any time, you know, you have your commission, you have the commission notes

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at the end, where if they like something an idea that somebody came up with, bring it up there,

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during the commission notes at the end, and we could all look at it, listen to it, and then have

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a vote, and possibly put it on, you know, put it as an agenda in the future. I don't think it's fair

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for us to be holding meetings on complex items that haven't been advertised to the commissioners

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and also to the public. Some of these things, a lot of people would want to have their

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our voice heard, and obviously, and as far as, you know, the commissioners, you know,

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we, particularly myself, I would like to be prepared, you know, on looking at the

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different items, looking at the different ways and stuff like that, you know, it's so,

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I think it has to do with a little bit of courtesy, not only to the citizens that put us in

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this position, but also to our peers that are sitting at the, on the dias, and also, you

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you know, to the city manager and to the city attorney, you know, for everybody to be prepared. So we can have a more thorough and orderly conversation on things.

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Mayor.

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Can I just add one more thing? Sorry, Nancy. Is that okay?

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I am a little bit concerned, I am a little bit concerned, you know, you know, let the public know, let the whole commission up, I'm a little bit concerned about the way our meetings have been run, you know, specifically now with these Zoom meetings.

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We pretty much had some pretty easy meetings as we went virtual, except for the last meeting

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which was actually packed and of course it went to stray.

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But I think that we need to start putting in better protocols, parameters, and discipline

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on these Zoom meetings as things start to, you know, we deal with more complex matters

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And also with the election coming up here in five or six months, you know, I'm sure there's going to be a little bit of a tally here.

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I'm, you know, on items being put and stuff like that. So I think I think we need a little bit more discipline and order to the meetings or we just we just can't do it virtually that.

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Thank you.

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I have two things mayor, if you can hear me, okay to go ahead.

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Okay, first thing I want to be very, very sure that we don't wash the commissioner's ability to pull a consent agenda item and ask for more information.

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So I'm a little cautious, very cautious mayor about what you said about the consent agenda

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item and that we should be more prepared because sometimes when the commissioner pulls

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an item and asks it to be set aside instead of just saying, I, I, the commissioner wants

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more information.

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So I just want to be sure that we're clear that no one should ever hesitate to call for

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clarification or for more information, even if that makes the meeting more lengthy.

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And then the second thing really is a point of clarification to you, Mr. Mayor.

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I don't know how I heard this or where I heard this, but I believe Mr. Pawns

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might have approached and asked you to be on the agenda.

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And I thought you made the decision to have him speak an audience to be heard.

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Am I incorrect?

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I do not remember we had a lunch.

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I don't remember if he asked to be on that night's agenda or a future agenda, I'm just trying to jog my memory.

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I may have, if he did, asked to be on agenda. I think I may have suggested if he wanted to, if he wanted to be on agenda,

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we'd do it at later night and there was a little bit of urgency to speak sooner, so it was done during audience to be heard as far as I can remember.

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Okay, because I'm in total agreement with you that that would have been much smoother had we had it as a separate agenda item and people would have felt that we had been more inclusive. So thank you.

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Okay,

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are we going to make one comment, too?

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I want to make sure the commission understands this issue.

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We don't want to quash citizens' input.

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Again, that is...

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Commissioner of the source said the consent agenda items are particularly important for me. Consent agenda item is a type of item that typically is so insignificant or is not not a big issue that they can put it on a special part of the agenda called the consent agenda. It's just approved. It's almost an automatic. And my concern, and I'm totally in favor of using consent agenda items, but there are certain things that get popped into there that I

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I want there to be more public knowledge of,

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I don't think anybody would disagree with that.

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You wanna have government to sunshine.

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So the idea that you're not gonna pull a consent agenda item

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because it was unexpected

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or that the commissioners already should have had conversations

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with the city manager about it.

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That's not really a good excuse.

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You wanna pull a consent agenda item for one questions

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and two to make sure that the residents

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and the citizens understand what's going on

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in that public hearing. It's still a public hearing and consent agenda. It's just handled

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it slightly differently because it's put on this special agenda where it's almost

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like an automatic. So we got to make sure that we don't, you know, cause the commissioner

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is not to pull something because of a policy that avoid a longer meeting. I mean, the reality

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as the meetings are fluid, they change. Subjects can come up. Certainly certain things are required

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to be advertised and noticed. That's very clear, bright line rule of what needs to be noticed

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beforehand and put in a newspaper and published, but certain things don't need to be published.

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At certain activities within the city, like putting up a sign or even a stop sign,

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what you're sort of arguing about mayor is if a group of people come in for a

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petition that want to put up a stop sign on 2nd May, you're suggesting that we

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can't do that at that hearing. And I would totally disagree with that. I think

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that's something that's totally appropriate to be heard at any particular

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hearing or at commission meeting. So I'm not sure if I'm really

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comfortable with coming up with standards that say, oh, a petition has to go to the next hearing

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or a commissioner can't pull something. This is all about government and sunshine. That's why

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we're doing that. And I'm frustrated by the Zoom meetings too, but what we have to do right now,

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it's the right thing to do and we have to live with it. So, but I want to continue to have this

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commission, Operable Sunshine. Okay, so let me just be clear, I was not suggesting that we not

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pull consent agenda items. I'm perfectly fine with this point, consent agenda items.

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My point for the last meeting was is we pulled the consent agenda item that we have spoken

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about ad nauseam in the past. We've all had the opportunity to discuss and be prepared and talk

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to the chiefs to fund stick about the implications of priority dispatch.

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And I think we ended up having something like a 45 minute discussion on it after we'd already had a long presentation after we have an audience to be heard.

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So I'm not suggesting we do that. I'm just suggesting that when there's something that we've already that we should be a little more prepared for, we're just cogniz that there's always an expensive something.

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So we've been at all the sunshine in the world, but if people can't speak until close to midnight, that's kind of having the adverse effect also.

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When I talked about, you know, if there's a group of, I didn't say push petitions to another

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meeting.

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I think what I was trying to crystallize was, if there's a group of people, and they're

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all want to talk about the same subject, and it's, you know, it's a potentially hot

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button issue, or it's something that I think other people of the public that are going to

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be interested in, I think I have the, I don't think, I know I have the right as the mayor

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to just take it make an agenda item, advertise it and give everybody in the city or the public the opportunity to also have their voice heard on that.

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So that's what I'm going to be doing with with regards to that portion of audience that you heard.

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But I was asking the commission for is if we're all open to just creating an agenda item when we talk about the length of the meetings and a petition review process before we take any action on petitions.

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They are just one point for the petition review process you mentioned.

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There already is a citizens initiative process described in the charter.

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So I think that may be one item that may be able to be worked out through the current

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charter provisions and the agenda process that you all have.

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I think your decision of how you all as commissioners want to add things to the agenda is

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is separate from that citizen's initiative process,

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but I did want to point that out

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that the charter does already provide

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for parameters on the citizen's initiative process.

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So we couldn't provide for anything

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that conflicted with the charter.

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Just to the point on the question

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for the two items that you wish to discuss in the future.

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And we can just dust that off in a future meeting

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and just get more acquainted with what's going on with that.

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I want to add my two cents.

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We meet twice a month to me limiting the meetings less than what we currently have.

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If we have a rare occurrence where we end up having to go to the time period,

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where we have to ask an additional hour.

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To me,

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I wouldn't want to reduce it because people have the opportunity.

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And I think people have the right to be able to have a discussion when it's necessary.

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So these Zoom meetings, I get it, they are different.

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It's taken a little bit to get used to, and there needs to be, perhaps, this is going

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to be the norm for a while, I have to figure out ways to keep things, you know, moving in

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control.

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But limiting the total amount of time that we can speak, where people can speak, that's

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right now, I would vote no for that. And the discussion that Commissioner Diaz mentioned

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about bringing things up, I can support that. I also, as long as we're talking about that kind

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of stuff, it doesn't have very often, but once a while, even with the Commission's reports,

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all of a sudden, something pops up during that time that ends up getting voted on or

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And to me, I also like the ability to read up on stuff as much as possible and be able

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to be prepared, and when that happens, even at a commissioner's report, even though it

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makes sense that he might have gotten that input, as he might have gotten that input from

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the discussions of the meeting, I think we should try to restrict from making votes without having

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sufficient time for staff to be able to pull in information, to give us information on it.

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And so that happens once in a while, it doesn't happen very often, but sometimes it catches

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you by surprise, and you may or may not know all the details that you might have been able

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to find out if you had the ample amount of time. So I just wanted to add that as well.

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Okay. Anyone else before we move on?

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Okay,

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I heard one against discussion about limiting the time moving the change in the

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length of the meetings from ending at 11, ending at 10. I'm not sure where everyone

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else stands on it. I can still add it as an agenda item.

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All right, I think maybe we're all

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just being a little quiet, but why don't we just add that as an agenda item to discuss that

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more at length at another meeting.

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Okay.

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Okay, so moving on to the topic that has I think most

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people out here tonight, I just want to say a few words and I'll just say at our last meeting

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the commission consented to allow signs stating in part that Black Lives Matter. Since the decision,

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I'm sure we're all aware that we've received enormous feedback from the community. The two big takeaways

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for me are that we allowed signs of a political or let me another way of saying that is a non-governmental

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or segmented nature to be placed on taxpayer-funded property and that we did not give other members

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of the public an opportunity to weigh on an issue before we took action on such an item that was

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such interest to the community. We are living in a very polarizing period of time in our nation's

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right now. And a spotlight is being

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shined on the issues of systemic

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racism and social injustices. I should

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say injustices. Given this our city

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commission started the important work

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of putting together a diversity board

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to address how we as a community can

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do a better job of addressing these

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issues. My goal when we decided to

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move forward with this board remains

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the same, which is to make everyone in

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the city feel like they are an equal

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an important part of this community into explore ways to improve upon this. But I've never had any

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illusions that to make real change that it would require a sustained effort of engagement in our

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community. A wise person I recently spoke with described this as a thousand mile journey beginning

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with one step. I believe the first step of this journey is with our diversity board.

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Well, the intentions of those to put up signs in front of City Hall proclaiming by five matter was good.

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I think they're distracting us from our goals in the efforts of our diversity board.

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And it is time to reassess how we achieve this goal, which is why I'm proposing we not have our signs of non-governmental or non-segmented nature on city property.

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I propose that we replace the signs that are up on city property now with signs that

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have non-segmented unifying language, such as safety harbor stains united with the image

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on the program of the unity rally organized by Louis Ponds.

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Based on the feedback from the city attorney, I suggest that if we want to allow signs of

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non-governmental or non-segmented nature than we would be best advised without the policy to

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consider those signs in the future. I also propose we pass a resolution similar to the one

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that they need in past condemning racism in all of its forms to send a very clear message to the

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community on where this elected body stands on this topic. I believe this course of action will

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the United Community rather than divide it and get us closer to our goal of more inclusion

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in the city. To quote the great Dr. Martin Luther King, we have before us the glorious

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opportunity to inject a new dimension of love into the veins of our civilization. I think

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we have a great opportunity before us. At the end of the day, any action we take should serve

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to meet our goal of more diversity and awareness into the United Community, into heal any

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racial wounds that exist. With that said, I'm going to turn this over to I'm going to open this

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up to Carmen Lundy, who has been pivotable. I'm sorry, pivot home and establishing the diversity

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board and then go from there. So let me see what I have here.

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All right, Ms. Lundy, you're on.

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Am I clear?

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You're my clear?

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Yep.

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Okay.

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Carmen, I'm just 660.

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Elm Street.

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You know, I believe that it's not that everything is face can be changed, Mayor.

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You know, but nothing can be changed until it's faced.

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And we know that.

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I don't live with a medical disability blindness.

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I'm not wheelchair bound.

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I don't have any speech and pyramids.

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It's a kind of disabilities that were in the meat from a physical function.

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I'm not a part of a LGBTQ challenges, never had to get help from any imposed abuse,

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such as child abuse, spousal abuse, no mental health concerns, nor have I personally had

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to deal with anyone that encounter human trafficking sufferings, these type of things.

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But being an African American born in the late 50s, you know, having no choice about what

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color skin I've been born in but yet I am proud of who I am. I have experienced the affliction

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of racism starting right here in this wonderful city of safety harbor and the effects it really

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has had on me personally. I have children especially a black son who is personally encounter

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unnecessary force and what I call unfair justice and you know it's easy to say you know why don't

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matter to some people until you as a person who's had to deal with any of these struggles

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or any of those things that I've mentioned up above.

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Thank God for those who stand like women burning their bras, you know for what was right

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and for those who got beat, spit, water holes, dolls, what was right.

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And all these adversities mentioned, we all have some kind of a heartfelt concern of course,

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or strong emotions about some, some more than others.

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We're more concerned about.

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But the bottom line is one is no greater than the other.

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Not that I'm trying to warden his down

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of any importance or urgency of the need

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for our remedy for these issues,

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but again, I say nothing could be changed until it's faced.

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Now, with all his being said,

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I wanna deal with the one day,

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we all as men kinda guess I'm gonna put this out here.

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It's gonna read for every last one of us.

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A date born, then it's going to dash, and then it's going to say, a date we left this

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world, our lives ended.

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But the thing I'm concerned about is that little dash in the middle of those days, which

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to me is a definition of accountability for life lived.

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You know, accountability to what positive impact did we contribute, accountability to that

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But I treat a lot of people who don't know what I'm talking about, but I treat a lot of people who don't know what I'm talking about.

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I expect to be treated. And all these little things that these dash were consistent, the actions that we've had in our lives. Self-examination, hopefully not self-exterminating. And I can only give an account for myself, not for nobody else. This is not a black people, white people. It's about a right, and it's about a wrong. If I came and I lifted a sign and raised it because I want to make the awareness,

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and I put a sign that said, Manatee's lives matter,

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I don't even think we'll be here tonight,

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even though all special animals lives matter.

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But I know how we care about animals.

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So, Mayor, I respect your recommendation

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and this resolution that you've put before us

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and I'm going to tell you what I'm going to do.

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I don't know nobody else.

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I'm going to put on my big girl pants

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and I'm going to take the high roll

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and understanding that this issue we're addressing tonight is definitely bigger than a sign which is unfortunately brought out about this division.

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You know, yes, I agree with what you're coming from and this is why and hopes that replacing the sign if needed is the first step as you've mentioned and allowing this community to take that thousand mile journey to the sake of unity.

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So be it, because even when the sign has been changed, the purpose of healing should still

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remain our primary focus.

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You know, I pray what we do here in this community, pick our battles, and don't pick battles

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that is going to distract us from a community that we really supposed to be striving to achieve

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what we all should want is liberty and justice for all, not some but all.

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So with this being said, for I'm praying, I'm welcoming the spirit of unity and if that's what

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taking the sign down and putting a new sign up, then so be it unity. Yes, I pray for. Thank you.

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Well, thank you very much, Ms. Lindy. I'm going to turn this over to Lewis Pond right now and this

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here what he has to say. Louis, are you with us?

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Can you hear me?

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00:32:23,710 --> 00:32:24,350
Yeah, we hear you.

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All right. God bless you, Carmen London.

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Appreciate those words, 100% mayor, commission.

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You know, we have over 400 years of undoing something wrong.

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And I believe the civil rights act was just signed

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in either 63 or 64.

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So we're barely 50 years into 50 plus.

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Amen. Do you hear Louis right now?

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I don't know if he's going to

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call.

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Wait, Lewis.

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Are we as he ought to work?

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Can you hear me?

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Can you hear me?

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Yes, I can hear you, guys.

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You're back.

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You said 400.

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All right.

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I was over 400 years on doing.

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Like I said, the civil rights

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actually just signed 63 64.

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And we're only 50 plus years into

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undoing this thing, but it's

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the late great Dick Gregory said who's next? So I guess it's Carmen, it's me and you. I need more

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active citizens willing to do more. Dick Gregory also said, and I quote this, every door of racial

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prejudice I can kick down is one less door that my child will have to kick down. I'm saddened by all the

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who plot of this design, I'm upset about the division.

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Anybody who knows me has always been about unity

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and I tried the same thing Carmen said.

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It's always been about unity.

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The greatest thing that this sign has created is dialogue.

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So now you guys all upset about this sign,

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but that same energy, I need you guys to take it

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and help me fix the problem.

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and the problem is just as simple as it says black lives matter we have to make

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black lives matter. That sign isn't going to make black lives matter. Hopefully the

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diversity advisory board starts bringing some of that traction in progress.

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Hopefully our mayor and commission board start implementing some things that we

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We can start doing locally, organically, to start pushing this.

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So I say, I say this to all of my residents of safety harbor.

403
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No name calling tonight.

404
00:34:55,340 --> 00:34:55,780
You know what?

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All you guys can say what you need to say and speak your mind and do it with dignity and

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respect.

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Everybody should be heard.

408
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and if taking this sign down and putting up a new one is the answer, which I 100%

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doubt, we have to accept that. But at the same time, speak with dignity tonight

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and respect all yours, ma'am. Thank you, Lewis, appreciate it. Anybody on the

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commission want to be heard? Do we want to open it up to the rest of the public?

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I have a I have a something to say I wrote a couple lines down because I'm not sure I can get through it otherwise so if I'm reading it, please understand obviously there's there's been a lot of discussion and emails since Monday and I want to just go through a few things that I'd like to bring up for discussion and and I'd also like, you know, the thoughts of those from the.

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of the black community as well.

414
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Although everyone seems in favor of this establishment

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of a diversity of committee that we put together,

416
00:36:07,620 --> 00:36:09,860
varying opinions have been expressed regarding

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this Black Lives Matter song.

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With the discussion primarily centered on the difference

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between Black Lives Matter, the idea,

420
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and Black Lives Matter, the LLC basically the organization.

421
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Yes, yes, Mr. Mars, Mr. Mars, okay, and so and and and what various people believe each stands for, okay, most of the emails that I read support what I think is irrefutable basic premise and phrase that black lives matter.

422
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Okay, but not the organization of the same name because some of the basic tenants of the founding members.

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and other things that have occurred obviously some of the recent protests unrest and things associated with it.

424
00:36:59,440 --> 00:37:01,560
So there's two camps there.

425
00:37:02,560 --> 00:37:10,920
And the issue at hand is that when you create an organization with this irrefutable basic premise, such as Black Lives Matter,

426
00:37:10,920 --> 00:37:19,380
or justice for all, as its name, it's really hard to disagree with the group without people

427
00:37:19,380 --> 00:37:24,480
thinking that you don't support the underlining idea, and that's very difficult.

428
00:37:25,120 --> 00:37:31,000
It's a tough and potentially divisive place to be in, and the only way to get past it,

429
00:37:31,180 --> 00:37:38,100
I think, is through education, through discussion, through dissemination, and ultimately the building

430
00:37:38,100 --> 00:37:44,660
of trust that comes from it. That seems to me something that the diversity committee should be

431
00:37:44,660 --> 00:37:52,240
tasked to do, in my opinion. However, if things get too divisive prior to that, then we risk the

432
00:37:52,240 --> 00:37:58,440
limiting the ability of the diversity committee to make the significant impact in our community

433
00:37:58,440 --> 00:38:06,420
that I believe it can, by limiting its participation or attractiveness for dedicated people to step up

434
00:38:06,420 --> 00:38:10,100
and join in what can be very complicated decisions,

435
00:38:10,120 --> 00:38:12,940
obviously, as what we've seen over this last week.

436
00:38:14,020 --> 00:38:16,360
So this week's discussion has been occurring

437
00:38:16,360 --> 00:38:20,300
and evolving citywide, and perhaps the city hall sign

438
00:38:20,300 --> 00:38:23,940
that we've been discussing should evolve as well

439
00:38:23,940 --> 00:38:25,720
to reflect some of these comments.

440
00:38:26,840 --> 00:38:27,960
And here's my question.

441
00:38:28,720 --> 00:38:32,580
And if I'm off base, and if I'm not insensitive enough

442
00:38:32,580 --> 00:38:36,100
for a missing the words, that's part of the diversity deal

443
00:38:36,100 --> 00:38:45,100
that we got to talk about, but would design have sufficient meaning if the word

444
00:38:45,100 --> 00:38:51,360
black was just replaced by African American, where it said African American

445
00:38:51,360 --> 00:38:58,060
lives matter and then perhaps underneath it says something like all lives matter

446
00:38:58,060 --> 00:39:05,240
or something like that. African American is a synonym for black depending

447
00:39:05,240 --> 00:39:12,120
anyone, how you read, maybe it is, maybe it isn't, I need to be educated. However, that potentially

448
00:39:12,120 --> 00:39:22,780
takes the sign that is basically, I think, important in stating to people and reaching out to people

449
00:39:22,780 --> 00:39:29,060
who feel disenfranchised and unwanted, that they are unwanted, that they are incorporated and included.

450
00:39:29,060 --> 00:39:39,400
But it potentially separates the African American lives matter from the black lives matter diversity and discussion, which is ongoing.

451
00:39:40,020 --> 00:39:50,600
I don't think that's good for the community, but I don't necessarily think it's good to stop and remove the whole sign or the issue because of it because obviously it's spurred on some discussions.

452
00:39:51,940 --> 00:40:07,960
I think positive steps forward are necessary, sometimes they're small and sometimes they're big, but I don't know if they have something that is offensive, if that is something which would be something that we would want to discuss.

453
00:40:09,060 --> 00:40:17,280
But when I read all the emails and I've talked to people, to me that sounds like something at least we should put on the table for discussion.

454
00:40:17,960 --> 00:40:27,120
All right, let me, I'm going to address, thank you Vice Mayor, let me address that you just said in your suggestion about all African American Lives Matter signs.

455
00:40:27,260 --> 00:40:36,680
So I spoke to our attorney before the meeting and was asking about legal ramifications that having different types of signs up on the property.

456
00:40:36,680 --> 00:40:42,900
And Nikki, please jump in any second if I go astray, but my takeaway from that discussion

457
00:40:42,900 --> 00:40:49,760
was if we allow a sign, and I originally referred to it as a political sign, but I'm going

458
00:40:49,760 --> 00:40:55,520
to remove the word political for just to keep things in the, using the language of Nikki,

459
00:40:55,860 --> 00:41:02,960
if we allow any sign that's of a segmented nature or of a non-governmental nature on city

460
00:41:02,960 --> 00:41:09,500
property, we opened the city property up as a public forum, and we would have to allow

461
00:41:10,160 --> 00:41:17,400
other segmented type signs on the property, and if we didn't, we would have a good risk

462
00:41:17,400 --> 00:41:25,980
of being sued for not having done that. The reason why I suggested a sign that says safety

463
00:41:25,980 --> 00:41:30,940
harbor united was it was important to put the word safety harbor in there. That indicates

464
00:41:30,940 --> 00:41:39,940
that it's a government sign. It's not a non-segmented sign. And it's a, it's sending a message of

465
00:41:39,940 --> 00:41:46,120
unity to the community. So if we wanted to go down the path, Nikki, jump in after I'm done. If we

466
00:41:46,120 --> 00:41:51,440
want to go down the path of allowing segmented signs on city property, might take away from the

467
00:41:51,440 --> 00:41:57,780
discussion with the city attorney was, we should have the policy in place that were, you know, it's

468
00:41:57,780 --> 00:41:59,520
about different categories of types of signs.

469
00:41:59,660 --> 00:42:02,120
Without that, we may get requests,

470
00:42:02,340 --> 00:42:03,980
and we've actually been already gotten requests

471
00:42:04,660 --> 00:42:06,820
for other segmented type signs.

472
00:42:08,280 --> 00:42:09,640
I mean, we can end up with a request

473
00:42:09,640 --> 00:42:11,920
for a Scientology sign on city property,

474
00:42:13,280 --> 00:42:16,100
and we would have a strong,

475
00:42:17,260 --> 00:42:19,420
there'd be a strong case to be made for allowing it,

476
00:42:19,520 --> 00:42:21,520
and if we didn't for getting sued.

477
00:42:22,260 --> 00:42:24,840
So Nikki, jump in if I said anything I shouldn't have said.

478
00:42:25,900 --> 00:42:32,040
I think it, well, this is, I would be happy to answer any questions that the commissioners

479
00:42:32,040 --> 00:42:40,380
have. After your last discussion, and I was maybe the one that was least informed on,

480
00:42:40,980 --> 00:42:47,240
you know, the mayor's lunch or where the prompt came from, I heard it as a request from

481
00:42:47,240 --> 00:42:53,820
the mayor with the consensus of the commission to put up a, you know, what I considered

482
00:42:53,820 --> 00:43:04,020
After the first discussion you all had to be government speech about the community recognition decision that you all made at your last meeting.

483
00:43:04,800 --> 00:43:19,460
Now in like commissioner mers said hearing about some of the other requests that have come in and the issue is if you are going to put up any kind of expressive signs upon request.

484
00:43:19,460 --> 00:43:36,360
then as the mayor indicated, then you may be creating an open forum where you need to be very careful about the policies that you employ to consider what can be displayed at the forum.

485
00:43:36,360 --> 00:43:44,860
and so as the mayor indicated if you put up a sign at the request of one group then you may

486
00:43:44,860 --> 00:43:52,680
need to put up a sign for anyone who requests it. That being said there are a number of different

487
00:43:52,680 --> 00:43:58,860
ways that policies regarding community recognition decisions have been developed and are really

488
00:43:58,860 --> 00:44:05,940
interesting especially with the commission's creation of the diversity advisory board that you created

489
00:44:05,940 --> 00:44:11,420
at your last meeting as part of the resolution you adopted, so there are a lot of different

490
00:44:11,420 --> 00:44:18,180
ways to go about developing those community recognition decisions in a way that is primarily

491
00:44:18,180 --> 00:44:28,600
focused on the goals and missions of the city as a whole, the benefit there to the general public,

492
00:44:28,600 --> 00:44:38,620
but mostly what you all want to advance as the official policies for inclusion and for

493
00:44:38,620 --> 00:44:45,340
a quality of the city can be importantly captured in those types of community recognition decision

494
00:44:45,340 --> 00:44:52,040
policies. So that's to take it kind of one step further Joe that is that that's kind of explains

495
00:44:52,040 --> 00:44:58,300
where our discussion based on the different types of forum that can be created.

496
00:44:58,540 --> 00:44:59,840
And traditionally you have not

497
00:45:00,000 --> 00:45:29,940
I put many signs outside of City Hall, and that is also why I interpreted your last direction to be that type of city-led community recognition decision. I did not take it to be geared at any political group. I think that was very clear from the discussion that that was not the commission's intent. But going back to what the mayor said, if the commission does not want to create this as an open forum, then absolutely I recommend you consider

498
00:45:29,940 --> 00:45:32,800
that are a written policy for that decision.

499
00:45:33,520 --> 00:45:36,200
I do not think that the mayor suggestion

500
00:45:36,200 --> 00:45:39,020
to have a sign about safety harbor United

501
00:45:39,460 --> 00:45:42,600
that equally sounds like it would be government speech

502
00:45:42,600 --> 00:45:44,820
geared toward that community recognition.

503
00:45:45,180 --> 00:45:49,280
So I didn't have an issue with that being displayed

504
00:45:49,280 --> 00:45:56,080
while you consider developing your written policy

505
00:45:56,080 --> 00:46:00,240
on how you may want to use that property moving forward.

506
00:46:00,940 --> 00:46:03,500
I hope that helps the commission's discussion this evening.

507
00:46:04,760 --> 00:46:05,680
Let me ask you this.

508
00:46:06,120 --> 00:46:07,580
Okay, right now there's a sign out there.

509
00:46:08,240 --> 00:46:11,140
Let's say you go through the Diversity Committee.

510
00:46:11,560 --> 00:46:13,840
And the Diversity Committee comes up and says,

511
00:46:13,840 --> 00:46:14,800
you know, we need a sign.

512
00:46:16,320 --> 00:46:20,280
Okay, and a sign is every month we put a sign out to represent

513
00:46:20,280 --> 00:46:22,940
some group just to show uniformity.

514
00:46:22,940 --> 00:46:35,640
And is there a difference between from a legal standpoint of putting the sign out there right now then having the sign that comes out from a committee recommendation and the same sign shows up and it's sitting there.

515
00:46:37,220 --> 00:46:51,640
Well, there is one major difference, which didn't exist at the beginning of your meeting yesterday, which does exist now, which is that the city now has an internal advisory body that it is created.

516
00:46:51,640 --> 00:47:01,660
to help it to make decisions as a city commission on what to do on these specific areas.

517
00:47:02,160 --> 00:47:09,100
So whether the recommendation that would come out of that committee is this action or

518
00:47:09,100 --> 00:47:14,940
another and then how the commission would consider that action is kind of, I can't say whether

519
00:47:15,320 --> 00:47:18,900
that would be the ultimate thing that the commission would do.

520
00:47:18,900 --> 00:47:30,960
But the difference is if it's a request or a initiative that starts from within the city and its own diversity advisory board as opposed to outside requests.

521
00:47:31,720 --> 00:47:43,300
For example, many community recognition decisions require that there are sorry many community recognition decision policies will not allow for any outside requests.

522
00:47:43,300 --> 00:47:49,600
So that's one important consideration that the commission would have to make.

523
00:47:50,700 --> 00:47:52,840
But it's really a better part.

524
00:47:53,240 --> 00:47:56,900
I think the mayor and various commissioners have discussed.

525
00:47:57,520 --> 00:48:12,700
Of a scheduled planned agenda item where you can have a memorandum on all these different items in front of you, you can explore how if you want to consider any third party request, how you might consider them.

526
00:48:12,700 --> 00:48:32,380
If you don't want to consider third party requests, if you only want to consider requests that stem from within the city or within the diversity advisory board, there's so many different ways that you can look at structuring this policy that I would suggest that you do that as part of a more thorough discussion.

527
00:48:32,380 --> 00:48:33,660
And I

528
00:48:35,840 --> 00:48:46,120
can see the differentiation, but I appreciate the discussion as the nuances of coming

529
00:48:46,120 --> 00:48:51,840
from a recommended internal city committee and coming from an outside.

530
00:48:52,860 --> 00:48:56,000
If that's what you, if that's the point that you're mentioning.

531
00:48:56,660 --> 00:48:57,340
Yes.

532
00:48:59,980 --> 00:49:01,360
Okay, that's it for me for now.

533
00:49:02,800 --> 00:49:04,660
Anyone else before I open it up?

534
00:49:05,880 --> 00:49:11,920
I guess Mrs. Day, I have a question about like the city of Dunedin.

535
00:49:12,020 --> 00:49:16,140
They have a, and I've always wanted something like this for the city's safety harbor, but

536
00:49:16,140 --> 00:49:20,220
they have a banner supporting the military right on Main Street.

537
00:49:20,460 --> 00:49:26,680
How, are you familiar with the city of Dunedin and the process of how they were able to come

538
00:49:26,680 --> 00:49:27,500
up with that banner?

539
00:49:28,900 --> 00:49:34,320
I mean, this is something that recognition thing, is that something that's required?

540
00:49:37,460 --> 00:49:57,340
I'm not familiar with the city of Dunedin's decision to place a military banner. I am familiar with the city of Largos inclusion and community recognition policy and I'd be happy to forward that to the city commission if you'd like.

541
00:49:57,340 --> 00:49:58,020
I'd

542
00:50:00,300 --> 00:50:01,180
be curious to see that.

543
00:50:02,060 --> 00:50:10,160
And that, for example, is how they go, how they went about the decision to raise the

544
00:50:10,160 --> 00:50:13,620
flag pride in June and certain other various decisions.

545
00:50:14,100 --> 00:50:16,180
I'd be happy to forward that to the commission.

546
00:50:22,800 --> 00:50:30,200
Well, Nikki, so in your opinion, you think this is this Black Lives Matter sign that we have

547
00:50:30,200 --> 00:50:31,460
at City Hall and the Library.

548
00:50:31,460 --> 00:50:37,900
or is it a political sign or is it a community recognition sign?

549
00:50:38,760 --> 00:50:40,060
I don't want to put you on a spot.

550
00:50:40,320 --> 00:50:41,260
You don't have to answer it if you're wrong.

551
00:50:41,620 --> 00:50:46,260
My understanding from the discussion was that the commission made it very clear

552
00:50:46,260 --> 00:50:51,920
it was not an intent to endorse any political organization.

553
00:50:52,560 --> 00:50:58,780
I think there have been some other authorities which have recognized that there is both a

554
00:51:00,380 --> 00:51:22,640
organization affiliated with that name, but a larger issue that it is intended to be commenting on. And I think that was very, very clear from the lengthy discussion that the commission gave that there was no intent to be to be endorsing any political organization or engaging in political speech.

555
00:51:26,000 --> 00:51:26,320
Thank you.

556
00:51:26,320 --> 00:51:27,480
Well, am I still on mute?

557
00:51:28,620 --> 00:51:29,620
And Carmen, we hear you.

558
00:51:30,620 --> 00:51:32,120
I just want to write quickly.

559
00:51:33,120 --> 00:51:37,020
I stand probably more than anybody of these 150 people

560
00:51:37,020 --> 00:51:40,680
you have on this line for the Black Lives Matter movement,

561
00:51:41,100 --> 00:51:44,240
sign purpose, all the above of what it stands for.

562
00:51:44,780 --> 00:51:46,860
But I do recognize an all wisdom.

563
00:51:47,000 --> 00:51:49,820
If you open it up for one, you open it up for all.

564
00:51:50,400 --> 00:51:52,760
And if you guys allow the Black Lives

565
00:51:52,760 --> 00:51:58,520
sign to stay there. Praise God. But then you turn around and you let clue club can. You let

566
00:51:59,400 --> 00:52:03,720
supremac. You let all these other people start putting their signs. You're opening up a

567
00:52:03,720 --> 00:52:09,660
candle worms. And I'm standing in front of everybody. Yes, I do believe in the black lives matter sign.

568
00:52:10,160 --> 00:52:15,860
But now this is going to become so political that we've been to go down that route and open it up

569
00:52:15,860 --> 00:52:21,940
for one. You open it for all. Then the next sign go up. If I don't like it, then you'll be hearing my

570
00:52:21,940 --> 00:52:22,540
I'm all for it.

571
00:52:22,720 --> 00:52:24,800
So you might want to think, what is fear?

572
00:52:25,900 --> 00:52:26,560
Thank you.

573
00:52:27,380 --> 00:52:28,180
Thank you.

574
00:52:35,010 --> 00:52:35,530
All right.

575
00:52:36,070 --> 00:52:39,350
Anyone else before we go to some more hands raised?

576
00:52:45,290 --> 00:52:50,190
Matt, how many, how many emails you have again, 27 now?

577
00:52:53,200 --> 00:52:54,460
Sorry, I was muted.

578
00:52:54,980 --> 00:52:56,420
I have 28 now.

579
00:52:57,020 --> 00:53:00,000
I, it's up to you mayor, but I would almost suggest

580
00:53:00,000 --> 00:53:04,160
you go to the hands raised only because I see

581
00:53:04,160 --> 00:53:11,160
some similar names and so if they speak then I will just forward you their email and I have to read

582
00:53:11,160 --> 00:53:16,000
their email. That makes sense rather than me read all these and then we have to tell people you

583
00:53:16,000 --> 00:53:21,860
can't talk because he just read an email from you. So yeah. You know I think it has some good

584
00:53:21,860 --> 00:53:29,200
discussion from the commission from Miss Miss Day, Carmen and Lewis and maybe that's changed some

585
00:53:29,200 --> 00:53:33,320
people's minds whether they want their email story. But let's do this we have a lot of let me see how

586
00:53:33,320 --> 00:53:34,000
many hands we have.

587
00:53:38,310 --> 00:54:00,370
Mayor, I did have one lady email me that she does not want her email read now because her her questions have been answered. So the other thing is you have 21 hands up some of those names of people that also send in an email. So I would then not read their emails and it will also give people time if they're listening to email me if they don't want me to read their email.

588
00:54:00,930 --> 00:54:11,950
Okay. What I'm going to do is given the amount of people and potential letters that we're going to ask, we're going to open it up. I'm going to ask everybody that wants to be heard to number one, please state your name and address for the record.

589
00:54:12,610 --> 00:54:20,890
And then two, we're going to limit everybody to two minutes given the amount of people that want to be heard in the possibility that other hands are raised.

590
00:54:21,370 --> 00:54:30,750
And I will very politely when there's, you know, 10 seconds left, I'm just going to raise my finger like this, which is your cue to wrap it up so we can move on to the next person.

591
00:54:33,290 --> 00:54:39,830
So, and again, I ask everyone to remember what Lewis said earlier that please be kind, please be civil to one another.

592
00:54:40,970 --> 00:54:43,710
And, you know, we'll go from there.

593
00:54:43,950 --> 00:54:47,710
So, all right. Melissa, you're on. You have two minutes.

594
00:54:49,680 --> 00:54:56,300
Hi, this is Melissa, I'm a 26-fistory south. I had an email so you don't have to read it now.

595
00:54:57,320 --> 00:55:02,100
What I was just trying to say is I believe that Black Lives Matter as a movement is a valid

596
00:55:02,100 --> 00:55:07,800
concern and we do need to certainly address it, but I do not support the organization Black Lives

597
00:55:07,800 --> 00:55:13,600
Inc. Our Black Lives Matter Inc. So I feel that with the current language that you guys have on the

598
00:55:13,600 --> 00:55:18,100
sign, I agree with Ms. Day, you're opening up yourself to a can of worms where if I want to put

599
00:55:18,100 --> 00:55:22,680
up a sign that says, blue lives matter, then that would have to be put up following your

600
00:55:22,680 --> 00:55:28,520
logic with allowing a black lives matter sign. So, I agree in support. May I use position

601
00:55:28,520 --> 00:55:34,880
to put up a safety harbor united? Sign that presents a standing together as a community.

602
00:55:35,500 --> 00:55:40,400
We've had a lot of divisiveness and name calling, bullying, and just nastiness that's been going

603
00:55:40,400 --> 00:55:46,480
on. And if we can put that aside, follow the golden rule, respect everyone, find common ground,

604
00:55:46,480 --> 00:55:52,080
and come together as a city and as a country, we can get this overcome and get everybody

605
00:55:52,080 --> 00:55:56,320
what they need so we're all equal. So that's all I want to say. I'm against the current

606
00:55:56,320 --> 00:56:01,320
sign language and I support what Mayor IU is suggesting and I also don't want to think

607
00:56:01,320 --> 00:56:06,200
I don't think that the government needs to put in itself into a position where it's going

608
00:56:06,200 --> 00:56:11,160
to open itself up to a lawsuit and your ultimate responsibility is our representatives is to

609
00:56:11,160 --> 00:56:17,640
remain neutral. So that's all and I hope we can find common ground and unity together. Thank you.

610
00:56:17,880 --> 00:56:22,500
Thank you, Melissa. Okay, let's go to

611
00:56:24,060 --> 00:56:30,620
seven number. Um, whoever's number is in 2823. You are now on.

612
00:56:33,130 --> 00:56:34,150
Are you there?

613
00:56:35,590 --> 00:56:37,610
Hello? Yes, we hear you.

614
00:56:40,150 --> 00:56:44,310
Uh yeah, my name is Michael Habit. I'm at 884th Street,

615
00:56:44,310 --> 00:56:51,330
itself and I'm calling to state my vehement opposition for the Black Lives Matter sign.

616
00:56:53,050 --> 00:56:59,310
I think the sign, like it's been mentioned before, the sign and the message, well, I'm

617
00:56:59,310 --> 00:57:06,310
necessary. It's certainly a political message, you know, the national organization. My

618
00:57:06,310 --> 00:57:12,410
opposition is due to the fact that I oppose the Marxist rhetoric that the national

619
00:57:12,410 --> 00:57:18,750
organization as spouses, people who have a short memory, they forget the five police officers

620
00:57:18,750 --> 00:57:24,710
that were murdered in Dallas with a chance of picking a blanket to pry him like bacon

621
00:57:24,710 --> 00:57:27,070
or what do we want dead cops when we want him now.

622
00:57:27,770 --> 00:57:33,850
So I think it's dangerous to support one segment of the society while we maybe alienate another.

623
00:57:34,390 --> 00:57:40,810
So I want to acknowledge the Miss Lundy I believe her name is and Mr. Ponds' decisions.

624
00:57:40,810 --> 00:57:46,710
We have to listen to our Black residents, and if they feel alienated, we have to, as the

625
00:57:46,710 --> 00:57:53,010
community, get their back, if you will, but we can't do it in alienated others.

626
00:57:53,890 --> 00:57:57,370
So my thought is, strap the Black Lives Matter sign.

627
00:57:57,590 --> 00:58:02,730
I really supported the sign that showed the Black and White class cans in the sign of racial

628
00:58:02,730 --> 00:58:03,670
unity and harmony.

629
00:58:04,090 --> 00:58:10,690
I supported that, and I would also support another sign that is more generic and kind of

630
00:58:10,690 --> 00:58:12,530
a safety hub or strong state card united,

631
00:58:12,730 --> 00:58:13,830
something that we've heard echoed.

632
00:58:14,690 --> 00:58:16,450
I just don't see something that pays

633
00:58:16,450 --> 00:58:20,330
a certain segment of society a nod while,

634
00:58:20,530 --> 00:58:21,710
like I said, alienate another,

635
00:58:21,950 --> 00:58:23,630
and I do not support any sort of

636
00:58:23,630 --> 00:58:25,430
radicalized political agenda

637
00:58:25,430 --> 00:58:28,610
and this slogan is now directly tied to that.

638
00:58:28,950 --> 00:58:31,410
So that's the only reason why I oppose the sign

639
00:58:31,410 --> 00:58:34,800
and has nothing to do with the underlying expression

640
00:58:35,290 --> 00:58:36,470
and intent of the sign,

641
00:58:36,850 --> 00:58:38,090
and I certainly want to work.

642
00:58:38,570 --> 00:58:44,390
I've been living the harbor since 1990, I'd point to school here since 1986.

643
00:58:45,790 --> 00:58:45,990
Michael?

644
00:58:46,730 --> 00:58:47,130
Sorry.

645
00:58:47,370 --> 00:58:47,650
We got it.

646
00:58:48,170 --> 00:58:48,830
We got it.

647
00:58:48,850 --> 00:58:49,130
Thank you.

648
00:58:49,190 --> 00:58:50,630
We got to move it on here.

649
00:58:51,410 --> 00:58:51,770
Thanks again.

650
00:58:51,770 --> 00:58:52,470
I appreciate it.

651
00:58:52,490 --> 00:58:52,850
Thank you again.

652
00:59:01,320 --> 00:59:01,540
Okay.

653
00:59:01,680 --> 00:59:03,780
Laura McCullough, please say your name and address to the record.

654
00:59:06,110 --> 00:59:07,390
My name is Laura McCullough.

655
00:59:07,530 --> 00:59:10,330
My address is 1858 Lake Cypress Drive Safety Harbor.

656
00:59:11,190 --> 00:59:15,230
And I would just like to say it was heartbreaking to listen to Lewis Ponds

657
00:59:15,230 --> 00:59:19,250
at the last meeting asked for, asked to be treated equally.

658
00:59:19,430 --> 00:59:22,910
Should he really, should any African-American person have to ask

659
00:59:22,910 --> 00:59:23,790
to be treated equally?

660
00:59:24,330 --> 00:59:27,310
Right now we have John Lewis lying in state at our Capitol

661
00:59:27,310 --> 00:59:32,310
and we are arguing over whether it is fair to put a Black Lives Matter sign

662
00:59:32,310 --> 00:59:34,050
that breaks my heart.

663
00:59:34,810 --> 00:59:38,990
The obvious safety harbor is obviously not a teeny-weeny little bit

664
00:59:38,990 --> 00:59:42,850
at all united in anything if you've seen the Facebook posts

665
00:59:42,850 --> 00:59:53,890
that are frightening, and you know you want to take a journey of a thousand steps, we have to take the first one, and you already want to go backwards. Let's not go backwards. Let's move forward.

666
00:59:54,290 --> 00:59:59,950
We have to have awkward difficult conversations. I don't know the answers to this. I don't know how to...

667
01:00:07,260 --> 01:00:16,440
I would like to encourage you to have a diversity board in place within 30 days and not drag it out.

668
01:00:17,280 --> 01:00:29,560
And the inspector general of the United States, which is federal, has said that black lives matter is not a political sign and he said all federal employees are allowed to wear any black lives matter.

669
01:00:29,560 --> 01:00:32,000
or T-shirts, or hats, or signs, or whatever they want to do.

670
01:00:33,680 --> 01:00:36,380
I would have no problem if you put up a KKK sign.

671
01:00:36,560 --> 01:00:38,220
I don't believe in the KKK, certainly.

672
01:00:38,680 --> 01:00:39,840
But if you want to put it on City Hall,

673
01:00:39,960 --> 01:00:42,540
I can walk right past it and not be bothered by it.

674
01:00:43,040 --> 01:00:44,860
Because, you know, this is ridiculous.

675
01:00:45,200 --> 01:00:47,540
And from what I understand, Attorney Nikki Day

676
01:00:47,540 --> 01:00:52,460
said that it's okay to, the commission decides who puts it up.

677
01:00:52,700 --> 01:00:54,920
It's okay if they want to decide to put up all the signs.

678
01:00:56,020 --> 01:00:56,900
This is heartbreaking.

679
01:00:56,900 --> 01:01:00,420
I don't want my grandchildren growing up in this mess.

680
01:01:00,660 --> 01:01:02,620
We need to do something positive, thank you.

681
01:01:05,550 --> 01:01:09,710
Okay, next up we have Carol McNamey.

682
01:01:09,750 --> 01:01:10,650
That's a meter.

683
01:01:14,510 --> 01:01:14,730
Carol?

684
01:01:15,290 --> 01:01:16,450
Yes, can you hear me?

685
01:01:17,110 --> 01:01:18,450
Yeah, can you say your name and address?

686
01:01:18,950 --> 01:01:19,430
And...

687
01:01:19,430 --> 01:01:19,870
Yes.

688
01:01:20,450 --> 01:01:21,990
My name is Carol McNamey.

689
01:01:22,150 --> 01:01:24,470
I live at 222 12th Avenue, South.

690
01:01:25,870 --> 01:01:29,090
And I would refer everybody to an op-eds

691
01:01:29,090 --> 01:01:34,730
that I wrote in the safety harbor sun in which I said some of the things that Larger said

692
01:01:35,290 --> 01:01:42,010
specifically, I was pointing out the fact that this is not a political issue. If it were,

693
01:01:42,350 --> 01:01:49,630
it would not be the case that the inspector general of the US said it is not. The other issue

694
01:01:49,630 --> 01:01:55,190
I want to speak to is the organization Black Lives Matter. There's so much misunderstanding

695
01:01:55,190 --> 01:01:57,930
and so much wrong information.

696
01:01:58,910 --> 01:02:04,830
Yes, the founders were educated in Marxism.

697
01:02:04,950 --> 01:02:06,950
I have an undergraduate degree in philosophy,

698
01:02:07,170 --> 01:02:08,410
and I studied Marxism.

699
01:02:08,870 --> 01:02:09,650
What does that mean?

700
01:02:09,830 --> 01:02:11,750
Does that have something to do with the price of AIDS?

701
01:02:12,050 --> 01:02:12,670
I doubt it.

702
01:02:13,130 --> 01:02:16,630
The issue is if you look all over this world,

703
01:02:17,150 --> 01:02:20,310
you will see hundreds of thousands of people marching.

704
01:02:21,430 --> 01:02:22,590
And why are they marching?

705
01:02:22,590 --> 01:02:30,570
This is grown beyond those founders and I've sent you articles about that, even the Tampa Bay Times has said,

706
01:02:31,070 --> 01:02:32,710
address this Marxist issue.

707
01:02:33,130 --> 01:02:40,030
The fact of the matter is, there is oppression of people, including poor white people around the world,

708
01:02:40,230 --> 01:02:42,630
and people are tired of being oppressed.

709
01:02:43,270 --> 01:02:44,490
And that's why they're marching.

710
01:02:45,010 --> 01:02:51,310
And Black Lives Matter just happened to be the one used because it was a Black man, George Floyd,

711
01:02:51,310 --> 01:02:58,850
who was who was who has become the symbol for all that is wrong and but I am one

712
01:02:58,850 --> 01:03:05,410
of the people who helped put the signs up there. I whatever Mr. Ponds and

713
01:03:05,410 --> 01:03:12,750
this Monday what to say I will go with it. Despite the fact that I I agree with

714
01:03:12,750 --> 01:03:14,830
the sign? That's my thing.

715
01:03:17,260 --> 01:03:18,460
Thank you very much.

716
01:03:21,640 --> 01:03:23,820
Mary Paul, can you sit your name and address

717
01:03:23,820 --> 01:03:29,660
and you have three minutes? Thank you. My name is Mary Paul and I live at eight Harbor Point

718
01:03:29,660 --> 01:03:35,580
Play Safety Harbor, Florida. I'm a 73-year-old woman who's lived here for 25 years. I'm a mother,

719
01:03:35,740 --> 01:03:41,140
a grandmother, and a college professor of communication at USF. And it breaks my heart that in the year

720
01:03:41,140 --> 01:03:45,340
2020 we're having this discussion and it breaks my heart that I hear people like

721
01:03:45,340 --> 01:03:50,480
Common Mundi and Lewis Ponds have to say oh well concede we'll be the ones to

722
01:03:50,480 --> 01:03:56,220
give. Why do they have to be the ones to give in? This city like cities around

723
01:03:56,220 --> 01:04:00,620
the country and around the world can put out a sign that says Black Lives Matter

724
01:04:00,620 --> 01:04:04,940
and they can keep it up because it's the right thing to do. It's the right moment in

725
01:04:04,940 --> 01:04:09,340
time to do it. This sign simply says that in a world where Black Lives haven't

726
01:04:09,340 --> 01:04:16,040
always mattered and still today often don't that we infirm in our city safety harbor the black lives

727
01:04:16,040 --> 01:04:21,700
matter. Our mayor wants to backtrack due to pressure from some of his contributors and supporters.

728
01:04:22,240 --> 01:04:27,960
He says the sign is divisive and then it's just a sign and it doesn't solve the issue of systemic

729
01:04:27,960 --> 01:04:34,260
and institutionalized racism. My answer to that is it's not the sign that's divisive, it's the racism

730
01:04:34,260 --> 01:04:40,440
on the device. Why does anybody have a problem saying black lives matter? And interesting how

731
01:04:40,440 --> 01:04:44,960
signs don't mean anything now, but they meant something when I grew up as a child in Atlanta

732
01:04:44,960 --> 01:04:50,100
and it said, for whites only, and no color to allow, those signs meant something didn't I.

733
01:04:50,580 --> 01:04:55,500
And they clearly meant something in the mayoral election when Joe IU and others had their signs

734
01:04:55,500 --> 01:05:02,140
all over town. As a professor of communication, language starts, change starts with communication,

735
01:05:02,140 --> 01:05:12,580
and idea goes to words, sign says the word. Black lives matter is a statement that in a world where black lives have it mattered, that we recognize that they do matter.

736
01:05:13,480 --> 01:05:23,360
Mayor Yudh says it makes people uncomfortable. What people? Race? Let them be uncomfortable. Let the white privilege of our community feel the discomfort of their racism.

737
01:05:23,360 --> 01:05:27,920
of the black folks of our community have thought of for a long time and they felt more than

738
01:05:27,920 --> 01:05:28,420
discomfort.

739
01:05:28,880 --> 01:05:34,480
They felt exclusion, they thought about economic deprotation, do the right thing, stand strong

740
01:05:34,480 --> 01:05:35,520
and keep the signs up.

741
01:05:38,620 --> 01:05:39,000
Okay.

742
01:05:39,260 --> 01:05:40,940
We're going to move on to the next person.

743
01:05:43,660 --> 01:05:50,420
I don't have a name, but it's a phone number ending with 0285, can you hear us?

744
01:05:51,660 --> 01:05:51,960
I can.

745
01:05:51,960 --> 01:05:53,760
My name is Brad Rutherford, the eight-villacore.

746
01:05:56,200 --> 01:06:01,660
Just listening to some of this, you guys have covered a lot of the points that I wanted

747
01:06:01,660 --> 01:06:02,040
to make.

748
01:06:02,620 --> 01:06:05,560
Obviously, none of us have a problem with the statement.

749
01:06:06,020 --> 01:06:06,640
Black Lives Matter.

750
01:06:06,800 --> 01:06:08,060
Nobody disagrees with that.

751
01:06:08,500 --> 01:06:14,500
It's the organization, the hatred that they have, not every person that follows Black Lives

752
01:06:14,500 --> 01:06:17,020
Matter, supports BLM, feels that way.

753
01:06:17,020 --> 01:06:23,400
But they all, but the organization itself might ask it, some of the states, some of their

754
01:06:23,400 --> 01:06:30,520
chance that they do during marches, the violence that's ensued from it. I can't stand for that.

755
01:06:31,900 --> 01:06:36,460
That's not who we are as a city. It's not who we are as a country. We're not Marxist.

756
01:06:37,320 --> 01:06:43,220
You know, that's insanity. And do we call the racist because I don't agree with an organization's

757
01:06:43,220 --> 01:06:49,200
ideology. I mean, that's insanity too. I mean, I should have the ability to voice my opinion

758
01:06:49,200 --> 01:06:56,980
without being shouted down as a racist in my own city. You know, I'm all for the class

759
01:06:56,980 --> 01:07:04,000
pans design. I would even encourage the city to make that permanent monument to our city

760
01:07:04,000 --> 01:07:09,940
and the progress we've made. There's still work to be done, sure, but you know, I think we've

761
01:07:09,940 --> 01:07:11,460
come a long way as a country and as a city,

762
01:07:11,580 --> 01:07:14,220
our community's pretty nice for people.

763
01:07:14,560 --> 01:07:17,780
So there's no need for political statements though.

764
01:07:18,400 --> 01:07:20,400
And for those that say that this is not a political move,

765
01:07:20,520 --> 01:07:23,640
political organization, 100% of their donations

766
01:07:23,640 --> 01:07:25,840
go to act blue and to Democrat candidates.

767
01:07:26,480 --> 01:07:28,080
So that kind of shoots that down.

768
01:07:28,140 --> 01:07:29,540
So that's all I have to say.

769
01:07:29,820 --> 01:07:30,040
Thank you.

770
01:07:30,680 --> 01:07:32,160
Thank you very much.

771
01:07:35,100 --> 01:07:37,600
Next up, we have Tony Vidavik.

772
01:07:37,680 --> 01:07:39,300
Please say your name and address you have two minutes.

773
01:07:44,840 --> 01:07:48,480
First of all, I just want to say that I stand with everything that Mary Poole says.

774
01:07:48,660 --> 01:07:54,120
She's amazing. Also, hiding this meeting between an audit and a budgetary meeting is shameful.

775
01:07:54,900 --> 01:07:58,580
The mayor is asking commission to take down the Black Lives Matter signs,

776
01:07:58,780 --> 01:08:03,000
saying that they are political nature. Black Lives Matter is not a political organization.

777
01:08:03,660 --> 01:08:06,240
It is been determined to be a human rights group.

778
01:08:06,240 --> 01:08:12,040
saying that it is political is weak and accurate distraction and it is cowardly.

779
01:08:12,680 --> 01:08:18,120
It is lacking the convictions to stand for values that we all believe in, equality.

780
01:08:18,800 --> 01:08:25,760
We are all upset about the division. Now is a time for conversation, learning, and self-reflection.

781
01:08:26,580 --> 01:08:31,500
We deserve leadership was willing to do the right thing even at the cost of a few votes here.

782
01:08:31,500 --> 01:08:33,320
That is what we elect you for.

783
01:08:33,840 --> 01:08:36,420
There are racial injustices happening in our town,

784
01:08:36,640 --> 01:08:38,820
and we cannot deny or ignore it.

785
01:08:39,300 --> 01:08:42,080
We have to stand together as one united voice.

786
01:08:42,480 --> 01:08:44,320
If we ignore it, we are part of the problem,

787
01:08:44,520 --> 01:08:45,540
not the solution.

788
01:08:46,060 --> 01:08:47,880
Here in Safety Harbor, Black Lives Matter.

789
01:08:48,480 --> 01:08:49,640
We, the residents of Safety Harbor,

790
01:08:49,640 --> 01:08:51,400
support all members of the community

791
01:08:51,400 --> 01:08:53,900
and want to show support and justice for all.

792
01:08:54,740 --> 01:08:57,760
I created a petition on Change.org asking to stay

793
01:08:57,760 --> 01:09:00,400
with the Black community and asking the city commissioners

794
01:09:00,400 --> 01:09:02,160
to keep up the Black Lives Matter signs,

795
01:09:02,160 --> 01:09:04,860
and it has over 300 signatures so far.

796
01:09:05,760 --> 01:09:08,500
The city is defaulted to Clearwater on the petition,

797
01:09:08,780 --> 01:09:11,020
so we corrected some of the addresses,

798
01:09:11,060 --> 01:09:11,860
just letting you know.

799
01:09:12,300 --> 01:09:14,720
I emailed you all a copy of the petition.

800
01:09:16,140 --> 01:09:17,400
I, as a resident safety harbor,

801
01:09:17,560 --> 01:09:19,100
would like to see our city as a small,

802
01:09:19,260 --> 01:09:22,180
but important first step, not the only step,

803
01:09:22,420 --> 01:09:24,440
display two Black Lives Matter signs.

804
01:09:24,760 --> 01:09:29,380
Justice for all, as a symbol of solidarity against racism.

805
01:09:30,400 --> 01:09:37,220
The last commission meeting in the city unanimously decided to display these signs for 60 days outside the city hall.

806
01:09:38,560 --> 01:09:44,460
Well, and also I want to say that the diversity board is needed right away and it should be made up of all people of color and also.

807
01:09:46,400 --> 01:09:48,260
We need also an LVT.

808
01:09:49,140 --> 01:09:50,500
All right, thank you.

809
01:09:50,600 --> 01:09:52,340
We're going to move on to Liz Conkel.

810
01:09:54,810 --> 01:09:57,430
Liz, are you there? If you sit your name and address, you have two minutes.

811
01:09:58,330 --> 01:10:00,430
Good evening, City Commission.

812
01:10:00,730 --> 01:10:02,430
Listen, we're conical, thirty-ten,

813
01:10:02,610 --> 01:10:04,070
Incher, Terrace Safety Harbor.

814
01:10:04,870 --> 01:10:08,290
I spent the afternoon watching John Lewis

815
01:10:08,290 --> 01:10:14,690
and his coffin being brought to Washington, D.C.,

816
01:10:14,690 --> 01:10:15,830
and listened to the speeches,

817
01:10:16,330 --> 01:10:18,930
and listened to the music that was outstanding.

818
01:10:19,610 --> 01:10:21,750
And the one thing that I took away from it was

819
01:10:22,170 --> 01:10:24,590
John Lewis's quote, when you see something

820
01:10:24,590 --> 01:10:26,970
that's not right, not fair, not just.

821
01:10:26,970 --> 01:10:30,950
You have to speak up. You have to say something and you have to do something.

822
01:10:31,590 --> 01:10:35,090
I applaud the city for starting this conversation.

823
01:10:35,770 --> 01:10:42,030
I did come away from the last meeting, not believing a black lives matter sign was going to go in front of the city hall,

824
01:10:42,370 --> 01:10:48,210
but that the safety harbor stands united or something to that effect was going to be the language.

825
01:10:48,890 --> 01:10:54,270
Everybody right now, liberals, conservatives, black, white, male, female.

826
01:10:54,270 --> 01:10:59,850
Well, everybody is so focused on the words Black Lives Matter and that organization that

827
01:10:59,850 --> 01:11:03,390
we're missing the whole point of the conversation, all right?

828
01:11:03,750 --> 01:11:09,970
The diversity council is going to be fantastic once we get up and running, but we can't stop

829
01:11:09,970 --> 01:11:16,330
ourselves because of the words Black Lives Matter if it's going to cause such an issue

830
01:11:16,330 --> 01:11:17,270
in this town.

831
01:11:17,270 --> 01:11:33,650
So I would say that I would agree with the signage that the safety harbor stands united that Carmen talked about that Lewis talked about and justice for all, you know, and then after the 60 days is up, what do we do?

832
01:11:33,890 --> 01:11:41,450
What are the next steps and we in our family are right behind this diversity council and we'll do anything that we can to help.

833
01:11:41,450 --> 01:11:48,530
Okay, but I really, really believe that we can't get caught up in something that is so divisive. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

834
01:11:49,350 --> 01:11:50,950
Thank you. I appreciate that.

835
01:11:52,210 --> 01:11:59,610
Okay, next we're going to go to Sarah Robinson. Sarah, are you there?

836
01:12:03,120 --> 01:12:07,200
Yes, Sarah Robinson 38 Harbor Oak Circle.

837
01:12:07,820 --> 01:12:11,760
And these words are in memory and in honor of the late great Congressman John Lewis.

838
01:12:11,760 --> 01:12:17,500
us. First I want to begin by thanking the four commissioners who voted to take a small

839
01:12:17,500 --> 01:12:25,520
but significant symbolic act to express the recognition that black lives matter. You are

840
01:12:25,520 --> 01:12:32,200
on the right side of history. It's an ugly truth that the city of safety harbor has a

841
01:12:32,200 --> 01:12:38,900
history of racism as do many places especially in the south. I have lived in Northern Pinellas

842
01:12:38,900 --> 01:12:45,320
county for 40 years, 26 of them in safety harbor. I remember hearing about the Ku

843
01:12:45,320 --> 01:12:49,680
Clarks clan having a local presence, and then of course there's the ubiquitous

844
01:12:49,680 --> 01:12:55,640
Confederate battle flags. While we cannot write the wrongs of the past, we can resolve

845
01:12:55,640 --> 01:13:00,440
to move forward with acknowledgment that changes need to be made. So when I heard

846
01:13:00,440 --> 01:13:05,580
that all but one of you have your hearts in the right place, I felt good about

847
01:13:05,580 --> 01:13:11,960
the city for the first time in a while given the recent division. It's one thing to disagree on

848
01:13:11,960 --> 01:13:21,220
issues like building codes, development, tree ordinances. But this, this is a matter of the heart,

849
01:13:21,560 --> 01:13:28,680
of integrity, of love. To those of you white people who somehow are bothered by the city displaying

850
01:13:28,680 --> 01:13:36,120
the sign, I ask you to walk a mile in the shoes of our black brothers and sisters. I ask you

851
01:13:36,120 --> 01:13:42,880
to look into your hearts and ask yourself what lies within them. I ask you to study history.

852
01:13:43,840 --> 01:13:50,460
I ask you what kind of a city do you really want to live in? We have a majority white town which is

853
01:13:50,460 --> 01:13:56,960
all the more reason we should display this and we are also a tourist destination and we have a

854
01:13:56,960 --> 01:14:03,320
culturally and ethnically diverse group of visitors. If you vote to remove, what kind of message

855
01:14:03,320 --> 01:14:10,480
is that going to send to the world? Do you want to be Hicksville? Or do you want to be an opening,

856
01:14:10,780 --> 01:14:16,600
welcoming, enlightened, and loving community? Thank you. And Black Lives Matter.

857
01:14:21,120 --> 01:14:23,360
Wayne, are you there? Sit your name and address it. You got two minutes.

858
01:14:53,620 --> 01:14:59,420
I moved here to safety harbor about four years ago, and I wasn't sure if that was the correct

859
01:15:00,000 --> 01:15:29,740
I'm going to move, but since then I've become a member of this law, exercise in the morning, walk, on light of the COVID thing. And what's nice about safety harbor and I've fallen in love with his back is I can walk down the street, deeply from all over the world as the speaker before just talked about. You can walk by and say, hello, and they respond with a hello that applies to people with color that applies to people from all over the world. So if there's a problem here in safety harbor,

860
01:15:29,740 --> 01:15:36,800
I have not seen it. I see people at the coffee shop of color and wave to them. They wave to me. They say hello

861
01:15:37,320 --> 01:15:40,980
That's all on an amical basis to say that this is a political

862
01:15:40,980 --> 01:15:45,300
Or devices. I think it's totally wrong. You can sell by the

863
01:15:45,300 --> 01:15:47,520
Different comment from the people that we've heard

864
01:15:49,820 --> 01:15:54,860
What Nikki day had to say about the problems with having to raise other signs

865
01:15:55,660 --> 01:15:57,060
Do present a problem?

866
01:15:57,600 --> 01:16:05,880
You could change it around to say all arrives matter or other situations, but I don't think we want to get into a political situation.

867
01:16:06,380 --> 01:16:08,900
What the strike effect that people are saying is not clear.

868
01:16:09,100 --> 01:16:09,900
Yes, just listening.

869
01:16:11,140 --> 01:16:12,020
Thank you.

870
01:16:15,240 --> 01:16:15,840
All right, thank you.

871
01:16:15,960 --> 01:16:18,140
We get somebody in the audience that we can hear.

872
01:16:19,020 --> 01:16:20,720
Or maybe you wanted to panelist.

873
01:16:21,840 --> 01:16:23,680
Just everybody just maybe check your phone.

874
01:16:24,680 --> 01:16:30,080
that was all the last caller. I was checking and everyone was muted except for you and him. Okay.

875
01:16:34,460 --> 01:16:36,380
Okay. Heather, are you there?

876
01:16:43,210 --> 01:16:44,970
Right. Name an address. You got two minutes.

877
01:16:45,850 --> 01:16:57,830
So, my name is Heather Heldic. I live at 333 Bailey Street. I have been writing speeches since this happened. It has just made me absolutely crazy. And I'm not reading a single one of them.

878
01:16:58,410 --> 01:17:03,490
The first couple of speeches made me so proud to be a safe year of a resident and that's

879
01:17:03,490 --> 01:17:04,750
what I live every day.

880
01:17:05,270 --> 01:17:12,490
I run in the bay with my dog, I go all over town and then a couple of speeches came in

881
01:17:12,490 --> 01:17:13,550
and just broke my heart.

882
01:17:13,850 --> 01:17:20,350
History has passed and it was awful but we learned from it and we moved on.

883
01:17:20,570 --> 01:17:24,230
This organization is political, plain and simple.

884
01:17:24,230 --> 01:17:32,070
It has no place on our private property, private property, place whatever sign you want.

885
01:17:32,250 --> 01:17:35,310
By all means, it what makes safety harbor wonderful.

886
01:17:35,950 --> 01:17:38,370
Oh my goodness, we all are artsy creative.

887
01:17:38,730 --> 01:17:40,510
Do whatever you want on your property.

888
01:17:40,990 --> 01:17:43,390
But the city hall just needs to be the city hall.

889
01:17:43,650 --> 01:17:44,910
Welcome the safety harbor.

890
01:17:45,390 --> 01:17:48,750
And my heart broke when people said that they weren't welcomed.

891
01:17:49,090 --> 01:17:51,070
I used to have a restaurant in town.

892
01:17:51,070 --> 01:17:58,150
and oh my goodness did I not welcome everybody and I would love to do that again and if anybody does

893
01:17:58,150 --> 01:18:04,010
not feel welcome please contact me and I would love to be on the diversity board. I'm a positive

894
01:18:04,010 --> 01:18:08,530
thinker. I think everybody goes into something with good intentions. I don't think we do stuff with

895
01:18:08,530 --> 01:18:13,790
that intention. So I want to think that the people that put up these signs had the most wonderful

896
01:18:13,790 --> 01:18:19,090
intentions of welcoming the black community to downtown, but I think a sign honestly is virtue

897
01:18:19,090 --> 01:18:25,510
signaling, and we can do more than that. We're safety harbor. So let's come up with our own movement.

898
01:18:26,030 --> 01:18:30,770
Let's come up with our own cause. Let's work together. Let's just stop being mean. You guys are

899
01:18:30,770 --> 01:18:37,230
nasty on social media, man. Just stop. Please, please, please. So thank you guys for listening,

900
01:18:37,790 --> 01:18:43,750
and again, I appreciate you commissioners as well, and I appreciate everyone for trying. So let's just

901
01:18:43,750 --> 01:18:45,670
and that's not a good night, good night, cheers.

902
01:18:46,490 --> 01:18:46,830
Thank you.

903
01:18:48,490 --> 01:18:52,310
Next we have Johnston, are you there?

904
01:18:54,090 --> 01:18:55,090
We are here.

905
01:18:56,590 --> 01:18:58,070
I'm sorry, Dan and Paula.

906
01:18:58,650 --> 01:19:01,830
Dan and Paula, Johnston, 10, 15, Konant Avenue.

907
01:19:02,890 --> 01:19:05,030
We've been here about four years

908
01:19:05,030 --> 01:19:09,470
and racism is alive and well in safety harbor.

909
01:19:10,110 --> 01:19:12,630
The first real reaction we had to that

910
01:19:12,630 --> 01:19:18,150
But when we were looking for a house here four years ago, we found a house on MLS that

911
01:19:18,150 --> 01:19:23,390
our Realtor hadn't told us about, and I called him up and said, hey, this house looks like

912
01:19:23,390 --> 01:19:27,690
exactly what we're looking for, and his common was you don't want to live there.

913
01:19:28,770 --> 01:19:31,550
So that was our introduction to the south.

914
01:19:32,770 --> 01:19:40,330
We strongly support the signs, but having listened to the previous speakers, Carmen, we'd like

915
01:19:40,330 --> 01:19:47,190
to take you out for a beer sometime, but we are, if, if Carmen, if you and your group feel that

916
01:19:47,190 --> 01:19:54,210
we need to kind of back off on this, we're with you, but there is just a heck of a lot of racism

917
01:19:54,210 --> 01:20:00,110
in this town and I, I asked the people who are listening in on this call, if you're really, really,

918
01:20:00,110 --> 01:20:06,950
really having a heartburn over this sign, look into your heart because something's not right.

919
01:20:06,950 --> 01:20:10,610
and that's the end. Thank you. I love everybody. Bye-bye.

920
01:20:11,250 --> 01:20:11,830
Let me see.

921
01:20:14,310 --> 01:20:17,150
Next we have Megan Poole-Van.

922
01:20:18,890 --> 01:20:20,650
Something. Megan, are you there?

923
01:20:21,190 --> 01:20:23,390
It's Poole-Van Swal. Yes, I'm here.

924
01:20:23,570 --> 01:20:25,450
And I'm at eight Harbor Point Place.

925
01:20:26,070 --> 01:20:26,650
I just want to say,

926
01:20:27,290 --> 01:20:29,730
everyone wants to talk about the message this and that.

927
01:20:29,990 --> 01:20:34,830
And the bottom line, we live in an area that was one of the last

928
01:20:34,830 --> 01:20:36,750
to be desegregated in the cell.

929
01:20:37,310 --> 01:20:39,890
Our educational system was not fully desegregated

930
01:20:39,890 --> 01:20:41,430
until 1972.

931
01:20:43,350 --> 01:20:47,290
And now, because some people got all excited,

932
01:20:48,230 --> 01:20:49,270
we're gonna back up.

933
01:20:49,390 --> 01:20:51,970
So what is it gonna say when we as a community

934
01:20:51,970 --> 01:20:53,570
take out these signs?

935
01:20:54,390 --> 01:20:57,650
When we say, you know what, this isn't worth it to us.

936
01:20:58,750 --> 01:21:00,830
What does that say about your character?

937
01:21:02,170 --> 01:21:10,970
When just this one very simple thing, one tiny gesture to say you know what I'm going

938
01:21:10,970 --> 01:21:16,590
to look outside my own privilege and see that because I'll tell you I'm disabled.

939
01:21:17,450 --> 01:21:23,790
And the moment I saw a model with a mobility aid and target, I cried because I felt

940
01:21:23,790 --> 01:21:33,310
scene. And I'm queer. And the moment I saw a pride flag, I felt seen. And there's so many people

941
01:21:33,310 --> 01:21:39,510
that have to hide. And right now, the only thing you're letting go is you're letting the racist.

942
01:21:39,790 --> 01:21:47,030
And yes, if you have a problem with the Black Lives Matter sign, you have a problem with racism.

943
01:21:47,030 --> 01:22:05,980
look inside your heart and really investigate your own bias. Because this, this is not, this is not, this is not just something simple. When you take away that sign, what are you saying when we take it away?

944
01:22:06,720 --> 01:22:07,720
Think about that.

945
01:22:09,790 --> 01:22:10,630
And thank you.

946
01:22:11,210 --> 01:22:17,890
Thank you. Just a reminder, everyone, please be civil, and let's refrain from name calling,

947
01:22:19,110 --> 01:22:21,530
moving over to Robin Harris.

948
01:22:25,810 --> 01:22:26,450
Robin, are you there?

949
01:22:31,450 --> 01:22:32,970
Oh, no, we're going to go to James Shaw,

950
01:22:33,170 --> 01:22:39,170
actually. James, are you there? I am, Mayor. Thank you so much. James Shaw, 23-20, messenger circle.

951
01:22:39,470 --> 01:22:45,750
You know, I just think being on the right side of history requires some courage. It requires

952
01:22:45,750 --> 01:22:50,650
leadership and requires you to do the right thing even when it might seem unpopular.

953
01:22:51,790 --> 01:22:56,570
The Black Lives Matter science should stay because I think we need to tell people the Black Lives

954
01:22:56,570 --> 01:23:01,850
Matter and Safety Harbor for more than a week. And what is the message that you send by choosing to

955
01:23:01,850 --> 01:23:08,210
take it down? And so with that said, I'd like to offer this and that's to remember that our perception

956
01:23:08,210 --> 01:23:13,630
of Black Lives Matter lives in our reality and our reality is based on our perspective and we all have

957
01:23:13,630 --> 01:23:19,030
our own perspective. We have our own ideas. We have our own accumulation of thoughts and beliefs,

958
01:23:19,630 --> 01:23:25,270
and attitudes, and experiences, and we put all those things together. It creates our reality.

959
01:23:26,270 --> 01:23:31,470
And yet if we change our beliefs, if we change our attitudes, if we change our perceptions,

960
01:23:32,410 --> 01:23:36,310
we can change our reality. And I'm asking some of you to be willing to do that today.

961
01:23:37,070 --> 01:23:42,090
I recognize that we don't all think the same. That's totally fine. And that your reality is based

962
01:23:42,090 --> 01:23:49,030
under experiences in the past, just as this for mine, and yet it's time for us to remove judgment,

963
01:23:49,570 --> 01:23:56,870
get out of a fixed mindset, and instead be curious. Be curious about other people's experiences,

964
01:23:57,190 --> 01:24:02,610
be curious about what's happening in others' lives, and when you do that, you open yourself up to

965
01:24:02,610 --> 01:24:08,250
learn and grow and get better. Mayor and commission, I'd ask that you leave the sign up to show this

966
01:24:08,250 --> 01:24:11,930
community that we do believe that Black Lives Matter. Thank you so much.

967
01:24:13,310 --> 01:24:17,520
Okay. Okay, we're going to go to Robin Harris.

968
01:24:21,320 --> 01:24:22,220
Robin, are you there?

969
01:24:24,080 --> 01:24:29,060
Yes, I'm sorry I was muted. Are you good? Hello, can you hear me? Yeah, we hear you.

970
01:24:29,980 --> 01:24:35,780
Yeah, 3604 Springland Drive. I visited safety harbor.

971
01:24:36,880 --> 01:24:40,660
Some years ago because my cousin had married a professional baseball player.

972
01:24:40,660 --> 01:24:45,040
I thought that safety harbor was one of the most beautiful places in Florida.

973
01:24:46,340 --> 01:24:51,520
However, tonight I am disheartened at the hypocrisy that I'm hearing on the phone,

974
01:24:52,180 --> 01:24:56,220
that 2020, there's an issue with a sign.

975
01:24:56,880 --> 01:25:03,500
And I just want to clarify even more about Black Lives Matter was simply a hashtag in response

976
01:25:03,500 --> 01:25:09,240
that a black woman wrote on social media in reference to the acquittal of

977
01:25:09,240 --> 01:25:13,900
George Zimmerman after Trayvon Martin was murdered and then it became

978
01:25:13,900 --> 01:25:17,660
organization. Everyone that says Black Lives Matter is not part of the

979
01:25:17,660 --> 01:25:23,820
organization so please stop using that as an excuse to advance the moment to

980
01:25:23,820 --> 01:25:29,120
advance the principle. That's it's a principle and what I see on this phone tonight

981
01:25:29,120 --> 01:25:34,000
is that Black Lives, the reason why Black Lives Matter isn't

982
01:25:34,000 --> 01:25:37,340
mattering in safety harbours because the black, the black of

983
01:25:37,340 --> 01:25:40,780
black power. Black power was an issue back in the 60s of

984
01:25:40,780 --> 01:25:43,620
Hell when people chanted that. But I see an all-white

985
01:25:43,620 --> 01:25:47,280
commission, and you guys are consulting with each other about a

986
01:25:47,280 --> 01:25:51,520
black struggle that you cannot interpret. I feel my heart goes

987
01:25:51,520 --> 01:25:56,160
out to Mr. Ponds and Ms. Carmen because they are outnumbered and

988
01:25:56,160 --> 01:25:58,760
and you cannot properly interpret a struggle

989
01:25:58,760 --> 01:26:01,780
that you've never had the pleasure

990
01:26:02,300 --> 01:26:04,340
or the words to walk in.

991
01:26:04,620 --> 01:26:05,880
You haven't walked in our shoes.

992
01:26:06,560 --> 01:26:08,060
Black Lives Matter is a principle.

993
01:26:08,760 --> 01:26:10,620
And we're like about what approximately three months

994
01:26:10,620 --> 01:26:12,180
after the death of George Floyd,

995
01:26:12,880 --> 01:26:14,300
nationwide, global wide,

996
01:26:14,680 --> 01:26:16,940
we see Black Lives Matter all over the world.

997
01:26:17,440 --> 01:26:19,200
And you mean to tell me that safety harbor

998
01:26:19,200 --> 01:26:21,980
is gonna divide itself because of a sign,

999
01:26:22,320 --> 01:26:25,220
because of a statement, because of a principle,

1000
01:26:25,220 --> 01:26:34,400
So the overreach and the words that are being used tonight is just so you want you want us to say things that make white people feel comfortable.

1001
01:26:34,900 --> 01:26:40,720
You want to sign that will make you not feel so guilty or not make you feel so racist and we can't do that.

1002
01:26:40,860 --> 01:26:43,560
If you plan to advance, you're going to have to face it.

1003
01:26:44,640 --> 01:26:46,280
Please contact me, Mr. Ponds.

1004
01:26:47,260 --> 01:26:47,700
Over.

1005
01:26:48,340 --> 01:26:49,560
Thank you very much.

1006
01:26:50,980 --> 01:26:51,420
Okay.

1007
01:26:51,800 --> 01:26:55,480
On to the next person, phone numbering in 5093.

1008
01:26:59,690 --> 01:27:00,970
I'm not sure your name, but are you there?

1009
01:27:02,830 --> 01:27:05,130
Yes, that's my husband's number.

1010
01:27:06,090 --> 01:27:07,430
I was on also.

1011
01:27:09,110 --> 01:27:10,250
Just your name and address.

1012
01:27:10,250 --> 01:27:15,110
And I, my name is Rosaliboutin at 1016 Main Street.

1013
01:27:16,510 --> 01:27:20,630
We feel that the name Black Lives Matter

1014
01:27:20,630 --> 01:27:23,030
does represent a political group.

1015
01:27:24,170 --> 01:27:27,170
Our nephew will be released from the hospital tomorrow

1016
01:27:27,170 --> 01:27:29,090
after being beaten with a pipe.

1017
01:27:30,310 --> 01:27:31,910
Through his police vest,

1018
01:27:32,350 --> 01:27:34,690
it would have killed him if he'd not had that vest on.

1019
01:27:35,530 --> 01:27:40,230
So for us, this is a very strong statement

1020
01:27:40,250 --> 01:27:44,470
given by this city that we pay taxes to and that we haven't

1021
01:27:44,470 --> 01:27:52,650
enjoyed. For us, it is a slap in a face of a young officer that all he

1022
01:27:52,650 --> 01:27:57,850
wanted to do was to protect this community. And I do think the

1023
01:27:57,850 --> 01:28:03,830
sign is divisive. And I do support Black rights in this country

1024
01:28:03,830 --> 01:28:09,630
and always hands. But I cannot support this group. And I hope that

1025
01:28:09,630 --> 01:28:17,970
you will take it down. And if not, I would like to be able to add other signs to the area down there

1026
01:28:17,970 --> 01:28:24,390
and I would appreciate information on how to do that. I thank you for your consideration.

1027
01:28:25,470 --> 01:28:31,510
I have thought some of the speakers were wonderful. I would like to speak to Carmen. I think that was

1028
01:28:31,510 --> 01:28:37,390
her name, the first speaker. I think she and I just come to agreement on this. It is very painful

1029
01:28:37,390 --> 01:28:41,110
for those who have been damaged by this organization.

1030
01:28:42,310 --> 01:28:43,490
Thank you very much.

1031
01:28:44,110 --> 01:28:45,310
Thank you very much.

1032
01:28:48,030 --> 01:28:50,010
All right, so we're going to Brigh.

1033
01:28:51,570 --> 01:28:52,410
Brigh, are you there?

1034
01:29:02,220 --> 01:29:03,800
Brigh, you may have your phone muted.

1035
01:29:14,390 --> 01:29:15,970
We're going to try to come back to Brigh.

1036
01:29:16,050 --> 01:29:17,690
We're going to Katie Turner.

1037
01:29:18,250 --> 01:29:19,130
Katie, are you there?

1038
01:29:23,710 --> 01:29:24,810
Can you hear me now, Mayor?

1039
01:29:25,630 --> 01:29:26,410
Yeah, we hear you.

1040
01:29:27,230 --> 01:29:28,370
Hi, my name is Katie.

1041
01:29:28,370 --> 01:29:37,770
Hardgrave Turner. I reside at 2542 Loweberg Court in Safety Harbor. Thank you Mayor and Council

1042
01:29:37,770 --> 01:29:43,910
for letting me speak this evening. My family moved to Safety Harbor about 50 years ago,

1043
01:29:44,310 --> 01:29:49,750
and I grew up on an 11 acre farm on 7th Street North, which is now the Greek side subdivision.

1044
01:29:50,310 --> 01:29:54,590
My childhood friends at both Safety Harbor were actually at Safety Harbor Elementary,

1045
01:29:54,590 --> 01:29:56,490
safety harbor middle school and

1046
01:29:56,490 --> 01:29:58,890
country side were a wide array of

1047
01:29:58,890 --> 01:29:59,390
religious

1048
01:30:00,000 --> 01:30:25,580
Let's see how economic and racial backgrounds. Over the past 50 years, safety harbor has prospered in its diversity. As a former assistant state attorney, I take great exceptions to the posting of the political Black Lives Matter sign on City Hall property. On May 30, 2020, the Black Lives Matter movement made the hashtag, defund the police part of their national platform.

1049
01:30:25,580 --> 01:30:29,960
Throughout my career, I have been honored to work alongside amazing,

1050
01:30:30,280 --> 01:30:36,640
courageously brave public servants. To this day, I am blessed to call many in law enforcement,

1051
01:30:36,700 --> 01:30:42,960
my friends, and in some instances, even my family. For the past few months, I have witnessed

1052
01:30:42,960 --> 01:30:48,980
a horrific shift of personal and physical attacks on our country's law enforcement, spurred by

1053
01:30:48,980 --> 01:30:54,620
the Black Lives Matter political movement. If individuals wish to support any political

1054
01:30:54,620 --> 01:31:00,860
organization, they have the blessed freedom to do so, but without the specific backing of our

1055
01:31:00,860 --> 01:31:07,380
wonderful city. By placing that political slogan on city hall grounds, the city is giving

1056
01:31:07,380 --> 01:31:14,180
credence to a specific political movement, one that is not unifying. Law in order is

1057
01:31:14,180 --> 01:31:20,300
tantamount to the success of our beloved safety harbor, and my heart broke for that previous speaker.

1058
01:31:21,560 --> 01:31:27,660
I've read that the basic premise for this petition and this sign was to make people of color feel welcome in our community.

1059
01:31:28,300 --> 01:31:31,940
Therefore, why does the posting of just a simple move?

1060
01:31:32,620 --> 01:31:32,740
Yes.

1061
01:31:33,100 --> 01:31:35,360
Sorry, yeah, we're over two minutes.

1062
01:31:35,900 --> 01:31:36,320
Okay, okay.

1063
01:31:36,840 --> 01:31:37,460
Thank you.

1064
01:31:37,540 --> 01:31:49,420
I just wanted just the opportunity to just to finally say I would respectfully ask that the city of safety harbor remove the political signs of the city hall grounds and allow safety harbor to be welcoming to all people in safety harbor.

1065
01:31:50,180 --> 01:31:55,640
Okay. We're moving on. We're going to try Amy Brands. Amy, are you there?

1066
01:32:03,160 --> 01:32:03,640
Do you hear

1067
01:32:03,640 --> 01:32:10,100
me now? We hear you. Okay. Hi. This is Amy Brand, 380 North Bay Shore Boulevard. As you

1068
01:32:10,100 --> 01:32:16,000
well know, that's a mile south of you, but my life is spent in safety harbor. My whole

1069
01:32:16,000 --> 01:32:22,580
life is spent there. I would like to speak in favor of keeping the signs up. City

1070
01:32:22,580 --> 01:32:27,860
Many resolutions are not made in the arena of Facebook grants, but by the rational, clear

1071
01:32:27,860 --> 01:32:31,260
thinking, decision-making protocols of the City Commission.

1072
01:32:32,060 --> 01:32:38,340
The main issue at hand appears to be a misunderstanding as to the concept of Black Lives Matter.

1073
01:32:38,820 --> 01:32:43,740
It is not a political concept, but a moral, social justice matter.

1074
01:32:44,480 --> 01:32:51,060
Any rhetoric to the contrary dilutes the history and present moment manifestation of systemic

1075
01:32:51,060 --> 01:32:56,980
racism. Rather than backtrack and remove the signs, I invite you to look upon

1076
01:32:56,980 --> 01:33:02,420
this as a teaching moment to educate people as to the true meaning of the

1077
01:33:02,420 --> 01:33:07,860
concept of Black Lives Matter and its impact on the citizens of safety harbor.

1078
01:33:08,560 --> 01:33:09,480
Thank you for listening.

1079
01:33:13,300 --> 01:33:19,270
Okay, thank you very much. We're gonna try, we're gonna try to break again.

1080
01:33:19,750 --> 01:33:20,730
Greg, are you there?

1081
01:33:25,220 --> 01:33:25,960
Greg, are you there?

1082
01:33:30,230 --> 01:33:31,930
Greg, it's showing you're active.

1083
01:33:32,250 --> 01:33:32,570
I'm sorry.

1084
01:33:40,800 --> 01:33:43,460
Greg, you need to unmute your phone if you can hear me.

1085
01:33:45,920 --> 01:33:46,980
Okay, we're going to move on.

1086
01:33:49,200 --> 01:33:50,700
Barbara, think we'll see you're right there.

1087
01:33:54,200 --> 01:33:56,020
Mayor, if I could jump in real quick.

1088
01:33:56,560 --> 01:33:59,880
We've gotten a couple of emails of people that have called in.

1089
01:34:00,240 --> 01:34:02,680
If you've called in and you'd like to raise your hand,

1090
01:34:02,900 --> 01:34:04,340
please press star nine.

1091
01:34:04,800 --> 01:34:08,180
So if you called in and liked to raise your hand, please press star 9.

1092
01:34:09,780 --> 01:34:14,420
If we get to it in a minute, I do have one person that I see his phone number who was

1093
01:34:14,420 --> 01:34:18,380
emailed to ask to speak so we'll get to that when we're done with these hands.

1094
01:34:22,500 --> 01:34:23,160
Barbara, are you there?

1095
01:34:23,620 --> 01:34:24,580
Yes, I'm here.

1096
01:34:25,220 --> 01:34:26,520
I'm Barbara Finkelstein.

1097
01:34:26,920 --> 01:34:30,840
I live at 408 Marshall Street in safety, Barbara.

1098
01:34:31,380 --> 01:34:33,220
Thank you for the listening tonight.

1099
01:34:33,220 --> 01:34:40,860
My friend Amy Bryant truly speaks my mind, but I feel like I need to add a little more.

1100
01:34:41,320 --> 01:34:47,740
I want you to count me in on the hard conversations about racism in ourselves and in our town.

1101
01:34:48,160 --> 01:34:49,660
We have a long way to go.

1102
01:34:50,220 --> 01:34:56,320
I am so impressed with the commissioner's decision last Monday night to take this first step.

1103
01:34:57,020 --> 01:35:03,100
Just in case there's not a written record about this sign, I want to describe it.

1104
01:35:03,420 --> 01:35:11,000
We're talking about a rectangular white plastic sign on thin metal supports that are pressed into the ground.

1105
01:35:11,560 --> 01:35:22,220
There's a border of children's faces, all colors and shades of skin, all kinds of hairstyles and colors and smiles, lots and lots of smiles.

1106
01:35:22,220 --> 01:35:35,800
The words across the top says black lives matter in the middle and the center are the words from our pledge of allegiance with justice for all justice is printed in big purple letters.

1107
01:35:36,620 --> 01:35:41,760
Yesterday I took a photo of it with that green lawn and city hall.

1108
01:35:41,760 --> 01:35:48,880
show up in the background. I wish I could send this photograph around the world so that

1109
01:35:48,880 --> 01:35:58,120
for at least one week and hopefully more this spirit will be displayed and honored. It matters

1110
01:35:58,120 --> 01:36:02,320
so much. Thank you. Okay,

1111
01:36:05,200 --> 01:36:11,480
we're going to somebody with a galaxy S9. Do you know who you are?

1112
01:36:11,480 --> 01:36:12,460
All right, just unmuted you.

1113
01:36:17,780 --> 01:36:20,660
If you're calling in from a Galaxy S9,

1114
01:36:21,600 --> 01:36:22,840
you need to unmute your phone.

1115
01:36:22,960 --> 01:36:23,900
Your phone is on mute.

1116
01:36:26,760 --> 01:36:27,240
Hello.

1117
01:36:28,020 --> 01:36:28,560
We hear you.

1118
01:36:28,980 --> 01:36:29,760
Name it as this.

1119
01:36:30,980 --> 01:36:34,240
Nick Allen, I'd like to leave my address on an ounce.

1120
01:36:34,360 --> 01:36:34,740
Thank you.

1121
01:36:37,600 --> 01:36:40,820
Nobody can say that three words, black lives matter.

1122
01:36:40,980 --> 01:36:45,020
Nobody can say that black lives or African-American lives

1123
01:36:45,020 --> 01:36:45,960
don't matter.

1124
01:36:45,960 --> 01:36:50,740
From my standpoint, you know, I love everybody and I'll shake anybody's hand, I don't,

1125
01:36:50,740 --> 01:36:51,700
it doesn't matter to me.

1126
01:36:52,320 --> 01:36:59,620
The problem is with everybody, I would assume maybe mutually, is that the organization

1127
01:36:59,620 --> 01:37:07,660
has gotten a bad rep from my opinion and my standpoint because of Antifa, this anti-fascist

1128
01:37:07,660 --> 01:37:15,580
group that has intervened has disgraced and taken away from the movement of Black Lives

1129
01:37:15,580 --> 01:37:21,500
matter and has given them a bad wrap to where people have this taste for the organization

1130
01:37:21,500 --> 01:37:26,660
that is that they don't want anything affiliation with them.

1131
01:37:26,660 --> 01:37:31,480
There's been tons of media coverage that, you know, every time there's a black lives

1132
01:37:31,480 --> 01:37:40,500
matter protest that may be peaceful, you have these antifa people getting involved and just

1133
01:37:40,500 --> 01:37:41,180
ruining it.

1134
01:37:41,180 --> 01:37:46,440
So, keep the sign, don't keep the sign, whatever you want.

1135
01:37:47,160 --> 01:37:55,220
Maybe we can find a resolution to where safety harbor can stand united and acceptable for anybody.

1136
01:37:55,780 --> 01:38:01,120
Black, white, Asian, Irish, British, Australian, Canadian.

1137
01:38:01,800 --> 01:38:03,520
I don't care where you come from or what you do.

1138
01:38:04,260 --> 01:38:05,760
As long as you're a good person.

1139
01:38:07,100 --> 01:38:13,320
something. Yes, there has to be a resolution of something. I can go on and on. I know I

1140
01:38:13,320 --> 01:38:19,540
got two minutes. I just feel that the Black Lives Matter organization, good or bad. However

1141
01:38:19,540 --> 01:38:28,200
you want to view them has gotten a bad rat from this antifa issue. So you guys are up to

1142
01:38:28,200 --> 01:38:29,920
make the decision. Thank you.

1143
01:38:30,040 --> 01:38:30,600
Yeah.

1144
01:38:32,480 --> 01:38:33,800
Okay, we're going to go to

1145
01:38:34,960 --> 01:38:36,720
Kerry Kent. Terry, are you there?

1146
01:38:40,040 --> 01:38:40,480
I'm here.

1147
01:38:41,820 --> 01:38:43,240
My name is Kerry Kent.

1148
01:38:43,560 --> 01:38:46,860
I'm at 3498 Enterprise Road East.

1149
01:38:47,440 --> 01:38:49,440
And I zoomed in to express my support

1150
01:38:49,440 --> 01:38:51,560
for displaying the Black Lives Matter

1151
01:38:51,560 --> 01:38:54,320
and justice for all sign in front of City Hall.

1152
01:38:55,020 --> 01:38:57,260
I'm a mom to three sons,

1153
01:38:57,700 --> 01:38:59,780
minor boys who walk around with privilege

1154
01:38:59,780 --> 01:39:05,640
that they have done nothing to earn. Most recently, they had to learn the names,

1155
01:39:05,840 --> 01:39:12,340
Briona Taylor, George Floyd, Elijah McLean, and Ahmad Aubrey. In learning their stories,

1156
01:39:12,680 --> 01:39:20,140
they've grown to understand how so many of our systems and institutions allow racism to not

1157
01:39:20,140 --> 01:39:27,200
only exist but thrive. They're making the connections to the small piece of the world they live in here

1158
01:39:27,200 --> 01:39:33,700
safety harbor and the global Black Lives Matter movement. The flurs they hear at school,

1159
01:39:34,160 --> 01:39:40,800
the in-birds crawled on bathroom stalls, the comparative lack of diversity seen in advanced

1160
01:39:40,800 --> 01:39:47,360
and gifted classes. The proud boys' t-shirt worn in a local restaurant and the lack of

1161
01:39:47,360 --> 01:39:54,980
black teachers in their own schools made just to name a few. The racism that is part of our everyday

1162
01:39:54,980 --> 01:40:03,780
lives exposes the urgency to be anti-racist and to proudly and peacefully claim Black Lives Matter.

1163
01:40:04,220 --> 01:40:09,280
I want to be able to point to a Black Lives Matter sign in front of our city hall and say,

1164
01:40:09,280 --> 01:40:15,940
look boys, we're heading in the right direction. I fear that the only explanation I'll be able to

1165
01:40:15,940 --> 01:40:21,860
provide for reversing the decision to display the Black Lives Matter sign is its ad one.

1166
01:40:21,860 --> 01:40:29,580
that anti-racism is too complicated and too hard and it makes too many white people uncomfortable.

1167
01:40:30,380 --> 01:40:31,660
Thank you.

1168
01:40:31,960 --> 01:40:32,960
Thank you.

1169
01:40:35,830 --> 01:40:40,990
We're going to go to Tammy Conrad, Tammy there.

1170
01:40:44,200 --> 01:40:47,800
My name is Tammy Conrad, eight or seven North Bay Shore Drive.

1171
01:40:48,120 --> 01:40:51,040
I've lived in and around safety harbor for 61 years.

1172
01:40:51,300 --> 01:40:55,600
I have sibling, parents, children, cousins, grandkids, and friends that have moved

1173
01:40:55,600 --> 01:41:01,400
to and lived in safety harbor. In all these years I have never seen or felt anything but good old

1174
01:41:01,400 --> 01:41:07,940
fashion small town charm and southern hospitality until now. If this town is as bad as it is described

1175
01:41:07,940 --> 01:41:13,260
then I find it ironic that this is the town everyone also wants to move to. I certainly wouldn't

1176
01:41:13,260 --> 01:41:19,680
raise my family and live in a divisive town. I don't understand why a few people feel the need to

1177
01:41:19,680 --> 01:41:25,100
force their agenda political views etc. on other people. If you want to fly a flag or put a poster up

1178
01:41:25,100 --> 01:41:30,180
your property you have every right to. We have an American flag. Don't tread on me. Buccaneers and

1179
01:41:30,180 --> 01:41:35,380
a God says all lights matter flag on our property. As for flying a black lives matter flag under

1180
01:41:35,380 --> 01:41:40,840
our American flag, I find it unbelievably sad. It's for the sign in front of City Hall. I do not

1181
01:41:40,840 --> 01:41:46,360
understand how it is not in violation of Article 12 of the municipal code. As a former business owner

1182
01:41:46,360 --> 01:41:52,040
in town, I remember how extremely difficult it was with signage for our restaurant having to

1183
01:41:52,040 --> 01:41:53,900
remove the painted name of the restaurant

1184
01:41:53,900 --> 01:41:55,660
from the fence surrounding the restaurant.

1185
01:41:56,380 --> 01:41:58,360
Many people think the Black Lives Matter

1186
01:41:58,360 --> 01:42:01,240
is a slogan, ideal, or grassroots movement.

1187
01:42:01,720 --> 01:42:03,520
The Black Lives Matter organization

1188
01:42:03,520 --> 01:42:05,540
has trademarked those three words.

1189
01:42:05,840 --> 01:42:08,540
And unfortunately, the founders of that organization

1190
01:42:08,540 --> 01:42:10,900
have made it very political, divisive,

1191
01:42:11,160 --> 01:42:13,500
anti-police, and overall unpatriotic.

1192
01:42:14,120 --> 01:42:15,700
My wish is to go with the sign.

1193
01:42:15,860 --> 01:42:16,880
JoAU has presented.

1194
01:42:17,200 --> 01:42:19,540
It would be much more unifying for this town.

1195
01:42:20,160 --> 01:42:20,920
Thank you very much.

1196
01:42:22,270 --> 01:42:24,190
Do we

1197
01:42:33,660 --> 01:42:35,660
have a flag that's flying to?

1198
01:42:38,100 --> 01:42:38,700
No.

1199
01:42:39,740 --> 01:42:39,900
Okay.

1200
01:42:40,460 --> 01:42:40,800
Thanks.

1201
01:42:53,300 --> 01:42:54,840
Mayor, you're on mute.

1202
01:42:56,380 --> 01:42:57,280
Tara, are you there?

1203
01:42:58,020 --> 01:42:58,920
Oh, yes, I am.

1204
01:43:00,100 --> 01:43:04,220
I'm part of Pearson 516-3rd Street South in the safety hardware.

1205
01:43:05,060 --> 01:43:05,780
Two things.

1206
01:43:06,260 --> 01:43:12,400
I've heard several people say, oh, it's history in the past, you know,

1207
01:43:12,400 --> 01:43:18,780
past that now. I just want to say the paraphrase is really a visual that those who do not remember

1208
01:43:18,780 --> 01:43:24,900
the past are condemned to repeat it. And racism is not passed. I mean, maybe we don't have

1209
01:43:24,900 --> 01:43:32,900
sway options out on the square and in safety harbor anymore, but what we do have is a situation

1210
01:43:32,900 --> 01:43:40,860
where a man named Ahmad Agari who was dragging in a residential neighborhood shot by white supremacists

1211
01:43:40,860 --> 01:43:44,420
because he was a black man in a white neighborhood.

1212
01:43:44,980 --> 01:43:45,680
That's racism.

1213
01:43:46,620 --> 01:43:48,200
And I think we all need to remember

1214
01:43:48,200 --> 01:43:50,100
that this is happening daily

1215
01:43:50,100 --> 01:43:52,140
in different places in our country.

1216
01:43:52,780 --> 01:43:54,920
I'm disturbed that anyone can object

1217
01:43:54,920 --> 01:43:57,240
to the Black Lives Matter time

1218
01:43:57,240 --> 01:43:59,560
that is out in front of the hall.

1219
01:44:00,060 --> 01:44:01,800
After hearing numerous times,

1220
01:44:02,120 --> 01:44:05,480
that it is a socially-based justice-based message,

1221
01:44:05,840 --> 01:44:08,820
which simply asks that everyone's support

1222
01:44:08,820 --> 01:44:15,800
our African American brethren, and that they have the same life opportunities as we do. I encourage

1223
01:44:15,800 --> 01:44:22,080
the City Council to continue having these signs out front of City Hall. Thank you.

1224
01:44:22,900 --> 01:44:24,040
Thank you, Tara.

1225
01:44:28,480 --> 01:44:30,640
Okay, we are going to

1226
01:44:33,840 --> 01:44:39,380
Shoney. Shoney, are you there? I am. Can you hear me?

1227
01:44:41,440 --> 01:44:45,400
My name is Shawnee Talk, 24 or 15 Madrid Avenue.

1228
01:44:46,060 --> 01:44:47,920
It was real quick on the Dunedin thing.

1229
01:44:48,380 --> 01:44:52,360
Dunedin was honored as the first purple heart city of Florida.

1230
01:44:53,040 --> 01:44:54,080
They have a park to that.

1231
01:44:54,440 --> 01:44:58,820
Maybe also why they have that banner up that you were talking about.

1232
01:44:58,820 --> 01:44:59,600
Bye.

1233
01:45:00,000 --> 01:45:29,500
So as a, you know, the figure is a lot of people on here. I'm a gay woman with a disabled wife. We have a five-racial child married to a black man. So, yeah, we've got it all going on here. They're both in the Army. Shout out, think, and both of their service. I've lived here for 15 years. Most people, you know, know me. I was a significant part of the little league. The service is a board member.

1234
01:45:29,500 --> 01:45:40,040
president like I've never ever been the subject of you know any any issues at

1235
01:45:40,040 --> 01:45:47,820
all I mean really the thing is you can put the sign up you can have a sign but

1236
01:45:47,820 --> 01:45:52,040
then what are you going to do after that well how what are you going to do in

1237
01:45:52,040 --> 01:45:56,320
the city how are you going to stand up and say okay this is what we're going to do

1238
01:45:56,320 --> 01:46:01,080
What is it that you're going to do? You put a sign up, but that doesn't make everything go away.

1239
01:46:01,940 --> 01:46:08,680
So we really need to figure out how are we going to help these people if that needs help.

1240
01:46:09,360 --> 01:46:14,640
What is it that you're going to do? And my fear is, if this divisiveness continues,

1241
01:46:15,000 --> 01:46:21,660
it's just going to set us back that much further. And we really don't need that. I mean,

1242
01:46:21,660 --> 01:46:28,800
if you go down you go downtown I mean I think it's wonderful down there but I

1243
01:46:28,800 --> 01:46:33,360
mean I don't I don't claim to have all the answers I just know as the person

1244
01:46:33,360 --> 01:46:40,340
with you know like I said being a gay woman I have a wife, a biracial daughter, a

1245
01:46:40,340 --> 01:46:47,220
black son-in-law I really don't know what the answer is so but thank you guys

1246
01:46:47,220 --> 01:46:49,280
have a good night. Thanks, Sean.

1247
01:46:56,910 --> 01:46:58,490
Okay, Sherry, are you there?

1248
01:47:02,730 --> 01:47:04,650
Hello, can you hear me? We hear you.

1249
01:47:05,510 --> 01:47:14,970
Hi, Shari Moskardini, 1403 North Bay Shore Drive. What really hit me when Lewis Ponds held

1250
01:47:14,970 --> 01:47:22,350
that visual is when he said to the black members who were attending that he thought it was the first time

1251
01:47:22,350 --> 01:47:28,170
they had ever seen this beautiful part of safety harbor, the waterfront part. Why? Because

1252
01:47:29,310 --> 01:47:35,370
they never came downtown. And I thought about that. It kind of shocked me. And I thought about it.

1253
01:47:35,410 --> 01:47:41,650
I worked at the Maddie Williams neighborhood family for some five years with many members of the Black

1254
01:47:41,650 --> 01:47:49,270
community and other families. And I realized that I never ever saw any of those people downtown.

1255
01:47:50,110 --> 01:47:57,910
and that made me realize that oh my gosh we are still basically a segregated town black communities

1256
01:47:57,910 --> 01:48:06,230
back there behind the railroad tracks and they don't come downtown and everybody I've heard

1257
01:48:06,230 --> 01:48:12,950
tonight says how lovely safety harbor is well they're running around the white community where you

1258
01:48:12,950 --> 01:48:20,590
know where the spa is and North Bay Shore Drive in downtown. So we've got, we have a problem here,

1259
01:48:20,670 --> 01:48:27,790
guys. And you took a symbolic step. You took a step that said we're going to try and do something

1260
01:48:27,790 --> 01:48:34,510
about it. And I think that step meant a lot to members of the black community, that symbolic step

1261
01:48:34,510 --> 01:48:41,230
that we want you downtown. And I just wish you would stick to that. And I really wish you would

1262
01:48:41,230 --> 01:48:46,230
read politic fact because a lot of the things that have been said about the Black Lives Matter

1263
01:48:46,230 --> 01:48:56,030
Movement today tonight is then debunked by politic fact and other fact checkers. So I really

1264
01:48:56,030 --> 01:48:59,930
wish you would check that out and do I have two minutes?

1265
01:49:03,710 --> 01:49:08,070
I would like you all to check that out

1266
01:49:08,070 --> 01:49:13,090
and to stand strong in what you've done. I think that you made the decision on

1267
01:49:13,090 --> 01:49:18,410
the date and you should stick to it. Okay, we're going to move on to Justin.

1268
01:49:22,210 --> 01:49:23,130
Justin, are you there?

1269
01:49:30,050 --> 01:49:30,850
Justin, are you there?

1270
01:49:32,030 --> 01:49:32,310
Hello?

1271
01:49:32,890 --> 01:49:33,710
Yep, we hear you.

1272
01:49:34,590 --> 01:49:37,710
Hi, my name is Justin Brazier, 48 Crane Drive.

1273
01:49:39,150 --> 01:49:42,890
I've been sitting here watching this meeting from the Gecko,

1274
01:49:42,890 --> 01:49:51,830
And it really bothers me that a lot of people are throwing around the word racist because

1275
01:49:51,830 --> 01:49:57,530
we don't, you know, certain people don't believe in this sign.

1276
01:49:58,640 --> 01:50:09,930
I think most people believe that black lives really do matter but it's because of a national

1277
01:50:09,930 --> 01:50:18,790
organization. Their leaders have stated that if they don't get what they want, they'll

1278
01:50:18,790 --> 01:50:24,810
burn the whole system down. Is that really something that safety Harbour wants to get

1279
01:50:24,810 --> 01:50:27,810
behind? I would hope not.

1280
01:50:32,600 --> 01:50:38,300
I do, I'm beginning, I did not want any sort of a sign, but I do support

1281
01:50:38,300 --> 01:50:49,860
the idea of safety harbor strong I think that is a more rewarding sign than

1282
01:50:49,860 --> 01:51:00,760
the current sign that's my opinion thank you we're gonna go to Rick McCormick

1283
01:51:00,760 --> 01:51:08,820
Rick are you there yes I'm here can you hear me we hear you okay thank

1284
01:51:08,820 --> 01:51:15,940
Thank you, Mr. Mayor. My name is Rick McCormick. I live at 3432 State Route 580. I believe

1285
01:51:15,940 --> 01:51:22,700
this entire discussion should not be about our personal feelings, about race or diversity.

1286
01:51:23,380 --> 01:51:28,720
What events have happened in the past or what race was responsible for bringing us to where

1287
01:51:28,720 --> 01:51:34,320
we are today. I believe the main reason for this meeting is to determine whether or not the

1288
01:51:34,320 --> 01:51:41,440
city of safety arbor should pose signs on city property that appear to support a specific group

1289
01:51:41,440 --> 01:51:48,860
at the exclusion of any and all other groups. I strongly feel that the city should refrain

1290
01:51:48,860 --> 01:51:57,700
from placing any signs of a special interest group on public property. I don't begrudge anyone

1291
01:51:57,700 --> 01:52:04,540
from expressing their cares and concerns about race or diversity, how their lives have

1292
01:52:04,540 --> 01:52:09,120
been impacted, are their thoughts on how they believe people should respond to their

1293
01:52:09,120 --> 01:52:15,840
situation. That's our basic rights. I too support an atmosphere of unity and respect

1294
01:52:15,840 --> 01:52:22,580
for all people. I just feel that placing any signs of these type on public property is likely

1295
01:52:22,580 --> 01:52:29,220
to cause more problems down the road. Just take the signs down and establish a policy

1296
01:52:29,220 --> 01:52:35,700
that no similar signs will be allowed on public property. Move ahead with your diversity committee

1297
01:52:35,700 --> 01:52:45,140
and let's get beyond this issue. Thank you. Thank you, Rick. All right. Let's see. We're going to

1298
01:52:45,140 --> 01:52:51,860
have Carmen Lundy a chance to say a couple things again. Thank you, sir. And I just want to piggyback

1299
01:52:51,860 --> 01:52:56,360
of Mr. McCormick because it's my thoughts exactly.

1300
01:52:56,880 --> 01:52:58,280
And let me say something for the record.

1301
01:52:59,080 --> 01:53:01,500
I mean being an African-American black woman,

1302
01:53:01,960 --> 01:53:03,280
don't mean I'm a victim

1303
01:53:03,280 --> 01:53:06,920
for all those who talk as though the compassion is sympathy.

1304
01:53:07,380 --> 01:53:08,600
And I thank you for it

1305
01:53:08,600 --> 01:53:11,520
because I'm not a victim, I'm really a victor.

1306
01:53:11,900 --> 01:53:14,580
I have victory because I've overcome

1307
01:53:14,580 --> 01:53:17,300
and we as a black community have overcome

1308
01:53:17,720 --> 01:53:19,200
quite a bit in where we are.

1309
01:53:19,200 --> 01:53:23,420
know we might not be where we want to be but we're showing the heck any way we

1310
01:53:23,420 --> 01:53:29,260
used to be and we know every movement is a movement forward so those of who

1311
01:53:29,260 --> 01:53:35,580
talking about taking down that sign is a movement going backwards there's no

1312
01:53:35,580 --> 01:53:39,600
going backwards whether that sign stay there don't stay there because the sign has

1313
01:53:39,600 --> 01:53:45,240
nothing to do with purpose and I want to say like Mr. McCormick was saying it's

1314
01:53:45,240 --> 01:53:53,260
not about, you know, are we, and for the other record for someone, you know, no, I have

1315
01:53:53,260 --> 01:53:58,160
heard any black residents in the city of safety harbor because of like my matter,

1316
01:53:58,420 --> 01:54:04,980
live matter, we're going to come and burn down the city. So okay, so it has nothing to

1317
01:54:04,980 --> 01:54:09,580
do with what the national, what those other folks doing. We're talking about the city of

1318
01:54:09,580 --> 01:54:14,500
safety harbor. So don't even take us down that lane or put us in that category. We're talking

1319
01:54:14,500 --> 01:54:19,880
about setting a preface, a preface, whatever that word is. I want me to spell it for you,

1320
01:54:19,920 --> 01:54:26,000
PR, E-C-E, D-E-N-C-E. Okay, and it's not even about the science they are don't say,

1321
01:54:26,280 --> 01:54:32,680
it's about unity. And the thing of the president is that if the science stays, and I'm black,

1322
01:54:32,840 --> 01:54:38,260
I'm proud. I'm not a victim. I'm good with going forward. You know, going backwards,

1323
01:54:38,260 --> 01:54:40,020
whether that's fine, stay there or not.

1324
01:54:40,680 --> 01:54:44,420
But in going forward, meaning if we allow

1325
01:54:44,420 --> 01:54:46,440
the black matter signed to go up

1326
01:54:46,440 --> 01:54:48,820
and I'm not against it so you can't say that,

1327
01:54:49,520 --> 01:54:51,900
then does that mean that I pose this

1328
01:54:51,900 --> 01:54:52,900
to all our commissioner?

1329
01:54:53,440 --> 01:54:55,720
Does that allow any sign to go up?

1330
01:54:56,040 --> 01:54:58,580
Because if it does and a sign go up

1331
01:54:58,580 --> 01:55:00,940
that us as black residents don't like,

1332
01:55:01,260 --> 01:55:03,460
we're gonna have this discussion all over again.

1333
01:55:03,920 --> 01:55:05,460
And there's gonna be a constant battle

1334
01:55:05,460 --> 01:55:07,560
back and forth about why that sign?

1335
01:55:07,560 --> 01:55:16,440
Why that sign? Why that sign? And with that, we're in due unity come in because we're going to be too busy fighting battles about this sign.

1336
01:55:16,700 --> 01:55:25,800
It is not a setback unless we allow it to be a setback. I say, okay, I understand the concerns, the passion that everybody have for the cause.

1337
01:55:26,380 --> 01:55:36,880
But the bottom line is, how do we come to unity? How we get away from this separation and taking down a sign is not a setback. That's my opinion.

1338
01:55:36,880 --> 01:55:48,760
Okay, it is city property. It's for any who said we is because we all pay taxes up there, but the bottom line is where did you set the president's to where enough we can't let everybody.

1339
01:55:49,180 --> 01:55:56,040
You let black lives matter sign stay up. If you don't set your resolution in and then you have other folks go up and put sign.

1340
01:55:56,040 --> 01:56:00,540
other ladies say, well, I'll just walk past a cool club playing a side. Well, I won't.

1341
01:56:00,720 --> 01:56:05,760
And none of the other residents in the city of safety are will. So maybe you want to think into

1342
01:56:06,340 --> 01:56:12,980
going forward and everybody want to look at as a kickback. No, going forward. How do we go forward

1343
01:56:12,980 --> 01:56:18,580
that we don't come to this place again over this? Thank you.

1344
01:56:19,360 --> 01:56:27,380
Thank you again. Okay, we are going to go to somebody as a phone number that ends in 9024.

1345
01:56:29,900 --> 01:56:35,060
Can you hear us? Yes, this is Rob Subversky. Can you hear me? Yeah, we hear you.

1346
01:56:35,800 --> 01:56:40,400
Okay, again, my name is Rob Subversky and my address is 531 Home Freeze Road.

1347
01:56:41,020 --> 01:56:48,420
I strongly urge the commission to stand by the decision to place the Black Lives Matter signs in front of City Hall and in front of the library.

1348
01:56:48,420 --> 01:56:52,340
I continue to assert that the signs are not political.

1349
01:56:53,100 --> 01:56:57,540
The signs serve as a call for unity and a commitment to justice for all.

1350
01:56:58,280 --> 01:57:03,580
And as the background of the sign illustrates, I.e., the children, the sign is inclusive

1351
01:57:03,580 --> 01:57:09,840
of blacks, whites, Hispanics, Asians, Middle Easterners, etc., as well as for those of all

1352
01:57:09,840 --> 01:57:12,220
nationalities and not solely blacks.

1353
01:57:13,240 --> 01:57:18,240
My understanding is that the signs were not designed to be, nor were there any intention

1354
01:57:18,240 --> 01:57:23,700
of the signs being associated with what we've come to know is the larger Black Lives Matter movement.

1355
01:57:24,800 --> 01:57:29,420
On June 20th at Waterfront Park, I witnessed Mr. Louis Ponds do a courageous thing.

1356
01:57:30,040 --> 01:57:34,740
I organized and leading the community vigil. Mr. Ponds' quote got in the arena,

1357
01:57:34,920 --> 01:57:39,480
unquote, whereas it could be also said he got in the ring. That's a gut.

1358
01:57:40,300 --> 01:57:46,300
Noting up front that the community, you know the front that the community vigil was not being held

1359
01:57:46,300 --> 01:57:53,460
as a black lives matter rally. Mr. Ponds clearly and unequivocally called for unity, for understanding,

1360
01:57:53,960 --> 01:58:00,100
and for compassion in our community. Mr. Ponds made no calls for marches, no calls for violence,

1361
01:58:00,680 --> 01:58:06,840
there was no fiery rhetoric nor did he call for defunding the police. It was not political.

1362
01:58:07,760 --> 01:58:12,680
Nevertheless, he knew that the potential for misrepresentation of what he was doing was high,

1363
01:58:12,680 --> 01:58:19,020
well he went ahead anyway. One could say the Mr. Ponds was tested. By stepping up on that

1364
01:58:19,020 --> 01:58:24,340
portable platform and speaking he took it upon himself to be tested and he passed with flying

1365
01:58:24,340 --> 01:58:29,760
colors. With a special meeting the members of the Safety Harbor City Commission are being tested.

1366
01:58:30,620 --> 01:58:36,080
You are in the ring so to speak. You're being asked to make a call and it won't be an easy call.

1367
01:58:36,700 --> 01:58:50,220
pressure is being applied by those misinterpreting and representing signs. I ask you not to yield to the pressure to affirm your decision of Delight 20th to keep the signs and with that your head held high passing the test.

1368
01:58:50,480 --> 01:58:54,360
And by the way, I'm a retired career law enforcement officer and I have no problem with the signs.

1369
01:58:54,360 --> 01:58:54,920
Thank you.

1370
01:58:56,060 --> 01:58:56,740
Okay.

1371
01:58:59,700 --> 01:59:00,660
Karen, no.

1372
01:59:00,820 --> 01:59:01,700
And Karen, are you there?

1373
01:59:03,760 --> 01:59:04,820
Yeah, I'm here.

1374
01:59:05,180 --> 01:59:12,000
Yeah, I just want to thank the commission for the vote that was held last Monday night.

1375
01:59:12,460 --> 01:59:26,360
I support the replacement of the small, very cheerful, supportive, unifying sign that says Black Lives Matter and Justice for all in front of the city hall.

1376
01:59:26,360 --> 01:59:31,900
and in front of the library I think it's a great idea, don't think it's divisive. I think it's great

1377
01:59:31,900 --> 01:59:37,060
that you are going to create the diversity, the neighborhood diversity committee. I'd like to

1378
01:59:37,060 --> 01:59:42,860
see some progress on that and I want to thank all of you on the commission for your vote last week

1379
01:59:42,860 --> 01:59:49,340
and I strongly support the continued placement of the science. I think it's a great idea to unifying

1380
01:59:49,340 --> 01:59:55,460
and I think it's time for us to change things here in safety harbor with a more positive

1381
01:59:55,460 --> 01:59:58,200
for all people regardless of their color.

1382
01:59:58,700 --> 01:59:59,820
Thank you so much.

1383
02:00:00,690 --> 02:00:01,690
Thank you, Kevin.

1384
02:00:08,900 --> 02:00:34,060
Jim Barger, are you there? Yes, sir. Can you hear me? We hear you. All right. This is Jim Barger's 815 North Bay Shore. First, a big hello to Lewis Ponds. We've coached basketball at the community center together. I do want to point out, I think my win loss record against him is probably more wins and losses, although he would probably argue the counterpoint to that. Lewis is a great father, very involved in his son's life and just want to say hi. I haven't seen you in a while.

1385
02:00:35,680 --> 02:00:41,100
As Commissioner Meyers mentioned, there is a Black Lives movement, a BLM group, proper

1386
02:00:41,100 --> 02:00:46,740
noun, capital B, capital L, capital M, and then there's the BLM ideal.

1387
02:00:47,300 --> 02:00:49,060
And then of course, a silent city property.

1388
02:00:49,860 --> 02:00:56,080
First as far as the Black Lives Matter organization goes, the group's website and their own manifesto

1389
02:00:56,080 --> 02:00:58,880
makes claims for decarceration and repatriations.

1390
02:00:58,880 --> 02:01:02,660
So, I'd strongly encourage Sherry, Master Dini, Carol,

1391
02:01:02,760 --> 02:01:08,400
Mackney, Tonya, Vidavik and Mary Poole, all who said they support the organization to

1392
02:01:08,400 --> 02:01:11,340
give away their homes and saving accounts to the BLM organization.

1393
02:01:11,880 --> 02:01:16,040
You can politely put your money where your mouth is if that's really your belief.

1394
02:01:16,680 --> 02:01:21,260
On the topic of the sign, my message isn't prosign or anti-sign.

1395
02:01:21,520 --> 02:01:24,320
It's more of a, how do we come together as a community?

1396
02:01:25,000 --> 02:01:28,100
In this environment, everybody seems to feel you have to pick a side.

1397
02:01:28,100 --> 02:01:31,020
that if your Black Lives Matters, your anti-police,

1398
02:01:31,460 --> 02:01:33,860
or if your blue Lives Matter, your anti-minority,

1399
02:01:34,100 --> 02:01:36,040
the reality is neither of that is true.

1400
02:01:36,680 --> 02:01:38,340
I have many Black friends and colleagues,

1401
02:01:38,720 --> 02:01:40,940
none of whom are writing or burning down buildings.

1402
02:01:41,440 --> 02:01:43,620
I also have several friends that are in law enforcement,

1403
02:01:44,080 --> 02:01:46,440
none of whom go to work every day to kill minorities,

1404
02:01:46,980 --> 02:01:48,760
but go to work every day to serve and protect

1405
02:01:48,760 --> 02:01:51,080
and put themselves at great risk to do so.

1406
02:01:51,580 --> 02:01:53,620
We live in the United States of America,

1407
02:01:53,920 --> 02:01:55,080
the keyword being united.

1408
02:01:55,080 --> 02:02:02,120
yet we act like it's red versus blue, conservative versus liberal or way too politicized, way too polarized.

1409
02:02:02,800 --> 02:02:09,260
General Mattis recently said, instructions given by the military departments to our troops before the Normandy invasion,

1410
02:02:09,720 --> 02:02:14,780
reminded the soldiers that the Nazi slogan for destroying us was divide and conquer.

1411
02:02:15,380 --> 02:02:18,940
Our American answer is in union, there is strength.

1412
02:02:18,940 --> 02:02:25,240
We must summon that unity regardless of the commission's decision to keep or remove the sign

1413
02:02:25,240 --> 02:02:28,620
Which is going to be a binary decision? It's going to be a yes or no

1414
02:02:29,260 --> 02:02:32,660
And it will be liked or disliked by half of the residents on this call

1415
02:02:32,660 --> 02:02:38,580
Let's all accept that decision and move on in a unified manner and by the way, I'm also 100

1416
02:02:39,260 --> 02:02:42,580
Fundy, I don't want to see a KKK case on any city property

1417
02:02:43,380 --> 02:02:44,540
Thank you, Jim

1418
02:02:46,660 --> 02:02:51,240
Okay, so we're going to move now, Matt, you want to read the emails on?

1419
02:02:54,000 --> 02:02:59,680
Yes, we have, I believe 25, some did email that we no longer have to read their emails.

1420
02:02:59,940 --> 02:03:00,900
So I'll just start reading.

1421
02:03:02,060 --> 02:03:03,620
The first one is from Sally Bishop.

1422
02:03:03,940 --> 02:03:07,920
I have to say that I don't know anyone who doesn't agree that what happened to George Ford

1423
02:03:07,920 --> 02:03:09,880
was a crime and not justice for all.

1424
02:03:10,520 --> 02:03:12,560
That we so do believe in.

1425
02:03:12,560 --> 02:03:18,180
But I also have to speak up and say that Black Lives Matter is an avowed Marxist group who

1426
02:03:18,180 --> 02:03:20,100
supports the destruction of the nuclear family.

1427
02:03:20,360 --> 02:03:24,360
I don't believe anyone in taking Harvard believes that so the science should not create

1428
02:03:24,360 --> 02:03:26,800
further divide, but the unity we all believe in.

1429
02:03:27,360 --> 02:03:32,720
I believe in the science said, I believe if the science said all African-American Lives

1430
02:03:32,720 --> 02:03:37,540
Matter just as for all, you could avoid some of the issues that would be so strainerously

1431
02:03:37,540 --> 02:03:43,560
voice as I do about BLM. As leaders, you need to not be supporting a

1432
02:03:43,560 --> 02:03:47,400
Marxist group. I implore you to read about what BLM stands for. And once the

1433
02:03:47,400 --> 02:03:50,380
fact that they believe in destroying the family units so that government can

1434
02:03:50,380 --> 02:03:53,820
be in charge of everything means if you use it, you are supporting it. Are you

1435
02:03:53,820 --> 02:03:57,660
really supporting that? And if you hear an uproar about it, you will understand

1436
02:03:57,660 --> 02:04:00,900
why because you are supporting something that abounds to destroy our way of

1437
02:04:00,900 --> 02:04:06,520
life, family units, self-decision, and justice for all works always. Please, please,

1438
02:04:06,520 --> 02:04:09,900
please distinguish yourself from a march to screw up and pick something else. This decision

1439
02:04:09,900 --> 02:04:12,640
matters and calls for your best leadership, Sally Bishop.

1440
02:04:14,120 --> 02:04:19,180
To city commissioners of safety harbor from Brent Russell, as resident homeowners, taxpayers

1441
02:04:19,180 --> 02:04:23,060
and voters of safety harbor, we are appalled and horrified to learn in the placement of

1442
02:04:23,060 --> 02:04:27,740
Black Lives Matter signage outside of city hall. How can you think of reclaiming public community

1443
02:04:27,740 --> 02:04:32,740
support for an organization that has founded and the objective of hating the United States

1444
02:04:32,740 --> 02:04:35,160
and overthrowing our Constitution and government.

1445
02:04:35,660 --> 02:04:37,420
As a sentence, we have no quarrel

1446
02:04:37,420 --> 02:04:40,140
with the statement Black Lives Matter, all lives matter,

1447
02:04:40,320 --> 02:04:41,900
and with that organization, sadly,

1448
02:04:42,020 --> 02:04:44,040
objecting to our brave members of law enforcement,

1449
02:04:44,260 --> 02:04:46,000
most importantly, blue lives matter.

1450
02:04:46,340 --> 02:04:48,880
As an organization, Black Lives Matter represents total

1451
02:04:48,880 --> 02:04:50,000
andarchy and terrorism.

1452
02:04:50,520 --> 02:04:52,300
Please read the actual proclamations

1453
02:04:52,300 --> 02:04:55,280
and foundation of the leaders in the mission statement

1454
02:04:55,280 --> 02:04:57,120
of Black Lives Matter, and hopefully,

1455
02:04:57,280 --> 02:04:58,860
you will rethink and resend your plan.

1456
02:04:59,040 --> 02:05:00,320
Thank you for your consideration.

1457
02:05:00,980 --> 02:05:04,720
upset in angry safety harbor residents Brent and Carol Russell.

1458
02:05:05,400 --> 02:05:10,340
This is from Designia Daily to whom it may concern I'm requesting the removal of the Black Lives Matter

1459
02:05:10,340 --> 02:05:14,260
Science from city property. I don't believe any signage outside of city notices.

1460
02:05:15,640 --> 02:05:19,420
Outside of city notices should be posted to enter or installed on city property.

1461
02:05:19,940 --> 02:05:24,620
The Black Lives Matter Science is controversial at best and has caused a vision not only in safety harbor

1462
02:05:24,620 --> 02:05:29,180
but nationwide. The group is political period. Thank you for listening Designia Daily.

1463
02:05:30,700 --> 02:05:46,040
I'm opposed to the BLM sign being on city property even worse in front of city hall saying the lives of black citizens are important is a good and honorable message saying black lives matters promoting a radical political movement is no different than placing a mega 2020 sign or pro life banner at city hall.

1464
02:05:46,240 --> 02:05:49,640
I strongly recommend a sign you're moved immediately before more damage.

1465
02:05:49,640 --> 02:05:52,260
individual is suffered by our community,

1466
02:05:52,960 --> 02:05:54,460
sincerely, make Elliott.

1467
02:05:56,530 --> 02:05:57,710
Patty Bell, to the mayor.

1468
02:05:58,070 --> 02:05:59,350
I feel the sign in front of City Hall

1469
02:05:59,350 --> 02:06:00,770
is inappropriate and should be removed.

1470
02:06:01,030 --> 02:06:03,050
The work Black Lives Matter kind of take

1471
02:06:03,050 --> 02:06:04,130
divisiveness and discrimination.

1472
02:06:04,590 --> 02:06:06,690
I believe the intention is to promote inclusion and unity.

1473
02:06:07,130 --> 02:06:08,710
And in my mind, does exactly the opposite.

1474
02:06:08,870 --> 02:06:11,610
I find the sign offensive and racist and ashamed

1475
02:06:11,610 --> 02:06:15,630
that this commission has bowed to a mob mentality.

1476
02:06:16,510 --> 02:06:18,290
That was Patty Bell.

1477
02:06:18,550 --> 02:06:18,890
All

1478
02:06:21,290 --> 02:06:22,170
right, this one's a little longer.

1479
02:06:22,170 --> 02:06:27,790
peak shields. It is my opinion President Obama has divided this country and has

1480
02:06:27,790 --> 02:06:30,990
infuriated the black community against law enforcement officers and the law

1481
02:06:30,990 --> 02:06:35,350
itself and the eyes of Christ all eyes matter. There are several successful black

1482
02:06:35,350 --> 02:06:38,490
leaders and professional people who are contributing to the success of our

1483
02:06:38,490 --> 02:06:43,110
country. I have never disrespected a black person in this serving my country in

1484
02:06:43,110 --> 02:06:47,330
the US Army or as a civilian, hijacking the Black Lives Matter mantra for the

1485
02:06:47,330 --> 02:06:53,810
old for the own agenda is creating lawlessness, looting, and destroying property. By you continuing

1486
02:06:53,810 --> 02:06:58,390
to promote Black Lives Matter, you are encouraging more attention between law-abiding citizens,

1487
02:06:58,670 --> 02:07:02,570
police and minorities. This movement now has created an atmosphere that is so dangerous for

1488
02:07:02,570 --> 02:07:06,630
law enforcement officers that now they have to defend themselves while engaging their work and

1489
02:07:06,630 --> 02:07:11,530
protecting us. There is now more attention paid to police behavior than to gangs or crime.

1490
02:07:12,090 --> 02:07:15,950
This scrutiny has triggered more violence against the police. There are more Black people committing

1491
02:07:15,950 --> 02:07:21,650
crimes against other black people than police violence towards blacks. Respect is the real answer

1492
02:07:21,650 --> 02:07:26,390
to the problem and it has to start in the home and in our schools. If a person of any color starts

1493
02:07:26,390 --> 02:07:32,110
respecting the laws and the police, the police will respect them. Stop handing out relief money to

1494
02:07:32,110 --> 02:07:36,710
those who can work. If you want money from the government, then the government should give you a job

1495
02:07:36,710 --> 02:07:41,950
to earn it. Idol minds only creates trouble. The trouble with this country is not the police,

1496
02:07:42,070 --> 02:07:45,870
but the lawbreakers. This is a country of laws and when someone breaks the law, they should

1497
02:07:45,870 --> 02:07:50,930
go to jail or is her citizenship and be deported to another country, it takes guts to solve

1498
02:07:50,930 --> 02:07:55,750
the problem, not lawless, infuriated movements, respectfully peat shields.

1499
02:07:58,330 --> 02:08:00,490
All right, Rick McCormick,

1500
02:08:00,570 --> 02:08:06,590
I know he spoke earlier, so hold on. I don't want to read that one. John Turner, the front

1501
02:08:06,590 --> 02:08:10,110
yard of City Hall is the wrong place for a Black Lives Matter sign. The Commission

1502
02:08:10,110 --> 02:08:15,750
reports to be a nonpartisan by allowing signage with a distinct political agenda you are opening

1503
02:08:15,750 --> 02:08:19,570
the door for each of us to exert our first amendment rights and request the opportunity

1504
02:08:19,570 --> 02:08:25,490
to proclaim our opinions and legitimate and legitimately you could not deny this privilege.

1505
02:08:25,750 --> 02:08:30,210
Safety Harbor City Hall should not become the battleground for strongly held opposing views.

1506
02:08:31,190 --> 02:08:42,620
One second, make sure I don't read one twice. Okay Janet Hooper, we hold these truths to be self-evident

1507
02:08:42,620 --> 02:08:46,720
that all men are created equal that they are endowed by their creator with certain

1508
02:08:46,720 --> 02:08:51,140
unalienable rights that among these are life's liberty and the pursuit of happiness

1509
02:08:51,780 --> 02:08:57,300
ramble to the declaration of independence but all did not but capital all did not mean all it meant

1510
02:08:57,300 --> 02:09:02,620
white men only in 1918 the 19th amendment gave women the rights to vote so all then meant white

1511
02:09:02,620 --> 02:09:08,580
men and women in 1964 the Civil Rights Act outlaw discrimination based on race so all should have

1512
02:09:08,580 --> 02:09:09,940
I meant everyone, but it did not.

1513
02:09:10,160 --> 02:09:12,540
Safety Harbor has a history that no one should be proud of.

1514
02:09:12,700 --> 02:09:16,220
None of us who's skin is white ever fear being lynched or killed for

1515
02:09:16,220 --> 02:09:18,300
looking at some more the wrong way.

1516
02:09:18,560 --> 02:09:23,100
It is time that our city declared that black lives matter because for too long they did not.

1517
02:09:23,700 --> 02:09:26,360
The Maddy Williams neighborhood family center supports Lewis Ponds and

1518
02:09:26,360 --> 02:09:29,540
the African American community in place of the black lives matter sign in front of city hall.

1519
02:09:29,920 --> 02:09:32,300
As do I, Janet Cooper, a former city commissioner.

1520
02:09:32,660 --> 02:09:37,720
The very fact that you are brought, you have brought this forward to reconsider as a dangerous precedent for

1521
02:09:37,720 --> 02:09:42,160
all commission decisions going forward, a very sad day for our community, Janet Cooper.

1522
02:09:43,480 --> 02:09:46,960
Tammy Verena, let me start off by saying that I support the Black Lives Matter movement

1523
02:09:46,960 --> 02:09:50,620
and believe that safety harbor should act to vote quality in our community.

1524
02:09:51,180 --> 02:09:54,520
That said, I am troubled by the decision of the last commission meeting to entertain a lengthy

1525
02:09:54,520 --> 02:09:59,780
off agenda discussion on Black Lives Matter without public notice by allowing this spontaneous and

1526
02:09:59,780 --> 02:10:05,240
robust discussion myself and the vast majority of harbor rights were denied access to this very

1527
02:10:05,240 --> 02:10:09,600
important and sadly controversial topic. I am most disappointed that the City Commission

1528
02:10:09,600 --> 02:10:14,060
discussed in very concrete ways our community will elevate the Black Lives Matter movement

1529
02:10:14,060 --> 02:10:18,900
when the Commission is on the cusp of establishing a diversity council whose aim I assume is

1530
02:10:18,900 --> 02:10:24,220
to take up and lead on issues and actions of this very nature. Why arrest this significant

1531
02:10:24,220 --> 02:10:28,860
process away from the diversity council? I can't think of a better first ever biodiversity

1532
02:10:28,860 --> 02:10:33,420
council than brainstorming and developing their recommendations on what symbolism would

1533
02:10:33,420 --> 02:10:38,920
best promote diversity and equity in safety harbor. In conclusion, I ask that in the future,

1534
02:10:39,060 --> 02:10:43,260
the Commission provide public notice for important discussions like this so that all voices have

1535
02:10:43,260 --> 02:10:47,140
the opportunity to be heard. Thank you for your thoughtful leadership in this moment of crisis,

1536
02:10:47,500 --> 02:10:48,120
Tammy Veranna.

1537
02:10:50,310 --> 02:10:54,870
Sonya Haas. The city should not be allowed to post any signage promoting a Marxist,

1538
02:10:55,210 --> 02:10:59,530
terrorist groups such as BLM. Do your research. Putting up such signs will only divide the

1539
02:10:59,530 --> 02:11:03,550
community more, the L.M. movement is not what you think. Thank you, Sonya Haas.

1540
02:11:04,870 --> 02:11:08,950
Phyllis Shanks, please do not reverse your decision to support the Black Lives Matter

1541
02:11:08,950 --> 02:11:13,210
and Justice for all signs. The Commission agreed in majority to support the sign. It was

1542
02:11:13,210 --> 02:11:17,110
not political. To remove it now would make it political and send a wrong message to the

1543
02:11:17,110 --> 02:11:22,250
residents of safety harbor community. The sign does not say Black Lives Matter.com, nor is

1544
02:11:22,250 --> 02:11:26,570
an endorsement of any group. It simply says Black Lives Matter. This does not mean more than

1545
02:11:26,570 --> 02:11:28,250
in any other lives, just that they matter.

1546
02:11:29,330 --> 02:11:31,790
The, and justice for all, in quotes,

1547
02:11:32,570 --> 02:11:33,830
in addition, supports this.

1548
02:11:34,290 --> 02:11:36,690
This country is so divided on so many things.

1549
02:11:36,690 --> 02:11:38,270
This is not the time to backtrack.

1550
02:11:38,710 --> 02:11:40,510
It is time for safety, Harvard, to come together

1551
02:11:40,510 --> 02:11:43,490
and support equality and justice for all, to the shanks.

1552
02:11:44,810 --> 02:11:45,810
Give me another minute.

1553
02:11:46,030 --> 02:11:48,430
We actually have emails coming in as I'm reading.

1554
02:11:52,750 --> 02:11:55,290
Hold on one sec, I'm being told I don't have to read a couple.

1555
02:11:55,510 --> 02:11:56,690
So let me look at those real quick.

1556
02:11:58,490 --> 02:11:58,930
Okay.

1557
02:11:58,930 --> 02:12:01,450
Okay, we have about 16 more.

1558
02:12:02,170 --> 02:12:06,710
The Black Lives Matter sign in front of City Hall is the smallest anti-racist message we

1559
02:12:06,710 --> 02:12:08,810
can possibly deliver, and even this is controversial.

1560
02:12:09,370 --> 02:12:12,610
Given safety harbors racist roots, we should be doing so much, much more.

1561
02:12:13,170 --> 02:12:17,030
To expand diversity and inclusion in the heart of this city, please let this tiny sign stand

1562
02:12:17,030 --> 02:12:20,370
for those of us who are seeking hope for a better future, Devon Murray.

1563
02:12:22,430 --> 02:12:23,310
Diane Vidavik.

1564
02:12:23,870 --> 02:12:28,490
I urge you to please keep the Black Lives Matter sign up in front of City Hall, rewarding it so

1565
02:12:28,490 --> 02:12:33,830
that white people feel more comfortably only waters down the issue. Racism still today reduces

1566
02:12:34,490 --> 02:12:40,910
freedoms and rights of black lives makes their lives seen less than mine. It may seem simply symbolic

1567
02:12:40,910 --> 02:12:45,750
and empty words, black lives matter without action behind it, but finally white people all over

1568
02:12:45,750 --> 02:12:50,410
the nation are getting what white privilege means. White people all over the nation are standing up to

1569
02:12:50,410 --> 02:12:55,770
make necessary changes to equalize opportunities and rights, liberties for all. I stand with them and

1570
02:12:55,770 --> 02:12:59,610
want to live in a community that works hard to include everyone. The Black Lives Matter

1571
02:12:59,610 --> 02:13:04,970
Science speaks to where we need to grow now. It hurts to hear Peter Allen Burke say in a

1572
02:13:04,970 --> 02:13:10,090
safety hover Facebook post I read earlier today. So my guess is that our voice freedom rights doesn't

1573
02:13:10,090 --> 02:13:14,270
mean anything to anyone that says Harvard just as long as we stay in our place and eyes and head down.

1574
02:13:14,530 --> 02:13:20,390
Huh? We know better. We have to do better. Keep to sign up and follow up with action. Diane Bidevik.

1575
02:13:22,390 --> 02:13:47,030
Certainly, I'm going to say surely be because I'll, I'll butcher the last name. Surely be. Thank you to all city officials who realize the agenda of Black Lives Matter is far different than their slogan to allow this type of political messaging, gives approval to not only potentially further racial division and political harassment, but also the opportunity to incite demonstrations, disturbing the peace, defacing buildings and destruction of private property, for which BLM is well known for.

1576
02:13:47,030 --> 02:13:52,770
It is a documented fact by their own admission that the founder and co-founders of the LM are train

1577
02:13:52,770 --> 02:13:58,970
buses having been students of Eric Mann, former agitator of the weather, underground, domestic,

1578
02:13:59,230 --> 02:14:07,630
terror organization. Is this really the message safety harbor wants to embrace and support? I think not

1579
02:14:07,630 --> 02:14:15,810
surely be. Elena, adding, I am a resident homeowner, safety harbor. I love this community and certainly

1580
02:14:15,810 --> 02:14:21,030
welcome individuals of all races to safety harbor. This is not what this is about. The issue that many have with the sign

1581
02:14:21,550 --> 02:14:26,830
with others are not understanding is that Black Lives Matter is a political organization which

1582
02:14:26,830 --> 02:14:32,170
donates to a particular political party while I and certainly most, if not all residents of safety harbor

1583
02:14:32,170 --> 02:14:36,590
agree that Black Lives Matter this sign is advertising for Black Lives Matter the political organization.

1584
02:14:37,370 --> 02:14:41,650
If we are opening up city hall property to signs and support political organizations, I would like

1585
02:14:41,650 --> 02:14:43,290
to add a sign for national rights to life,

1586
02:14:43,490 --> 02:14:44,390
baby's lives matter,

1587
02:14:44,870 --> 02:14:45,630
blue lives matter,

1588
02:14:45,750 --> 02:14:48,470
and while we are at it, perhaps even a Trump 2020 sign.

1589
02:14:48,890 --> 02:14:50,790
This sign has only cost for the division

1590
02:14:50,790 --> 02:14:52,550
as well as any sign of political nature,

1591
02:14:52,730 --> 02:14:55,310
kind regards Elena Adenk.

1592
02:14:56,410 --> 02:14:57,290
Jared Vitamick.

1593
02:14:58,110 --> 02:15:00,010
I commend you for making a unanimous-

1594
02:15:05,800 --> 02:15:14,000
I believe it was an important but small step to state our intention. Despite our past, we hope to be a more inclusive, aware and just city moving forward.

1595
02:15:14,580 --> 02:15:27,940
I must admit, I was surprised at the level backlash residents exhibited in response to the unanimous agreement to display a message that represents quality, justice and an acknowledgement that we have worked to address racial injustice and communities across America.

1596
02:15:27,940 --> 02:15:34,120
In the face of this backlash, our mayor decided to re-discuss whether these are values we hold

1597
02:15:34,120 --> 02:15:39,100
in what to display. Yet, these values, equality, justice are not controversial and are the

1598
02:15:39,100 --> 02:15:44,240
basis for the support cities like Tampa, St. Pete, and Orlando have shown Black Lives Matter.

1599
02:15:44,820 --> 02:15:50,540
Similarly, Major League Baseball, the NHL, the NFL, and NBA have offered support for Black Lives Matter.

1600
02:15:50,760 --> 02:15:55,260
When you ask Alexa if Black Lives Matter she agrees and explains that Black Lives Matter is about

1601
02:15:55,260 --> 02:15:59,140
equality and justice. Therefore, I would ask that our elected leaders instead of

1602
02:15:59,140 --> 02:16:02,660
wavering in the face of criticism, create and facilitate dialogue and lead

1603
02:16:02,660 --> 02:16:06,460
the way next 20 to our community, why Black Lives Matter. Let's stand

1604
02:16:06,460 --> 02:16:13,060
together for equality and justice rather than allowing safe harbor for, rather than

1605
02:16:13,060 --> 02:16:17,880
allowing safe harbor for racism. Thank you, Jared Vitavek.

1606
02:16:18,020 --> 02:16:22,480
Paula Peterson. Black Lives Matter is a political organization founded by three

1607
02:16:24,020 --> 02:16:32,320
I believe we better serve our community through dialogue, not divisive, political, work to

1608
02:16:32,320 --> 02:16:33,080
signalling.

1609
02:16:33,640 --> 02:16:37,460
I have been verbally demeaned and called racist by our fellow state network resident because

1610
02:16:37,460 --> 02:16:39,520
I disagree with this political sign of public property.

1611
02:16:40,080 --> 02:16:43,860
I taught over 40 years working with four kids, most who are black or Latino.

1612
02:16:44,460 --> 02:16:47,380
I work in schools, hospitals, jails, juvenile detention centers.

1613
02:16:47,580 --> 02:16:52,320
I'm a trainer for framework for understanding poverty and reading specialists in the work

1614
02:16:52,320 --> 02:16:55,400
and Black communities to help bring literacy.

1615
02:16:56,180 --> 02:16:58,040
I do not believe this sign helps.

1616
02:16:58,180 --> 02:16:58,860
I believe it divides.

1617
02:16:59,140 --> 02:17:01,520
It does not mean to help the very community

1618
02:17:01,520 --> 02:17:02,460
that you want to help.

1619
02:17:03,200 --> 02:17:04,180
Talk with representatives

1620
02:17:04,180 --> 02:17:05,460
and safety-hearted Black community.

1621
02:17:05,920 --> 02:17:07,220
Find out what really matters to them.

1622
02:17:07,540 --> 02:17:08,720
Then you can support and help.

1623
02:17:09,100 --> 02:17:10,940
If you choose to keep this sign of public property

1624
02:17:10,940 --> 02:17:13,060
then all residents should have their voices heard.

1625
02:17:13,500 --> 02:17:14,600
I believe all lives matter

1626
02:17:14,600 --> 02:17:16,440
and like to see a pro-life sign displayed.

1627
02:17:16,940 --> 02:17:19,040
Planned parenthood has killed millions of lives.

1628
02:17:19,500 --> 02:17:21,180
A disproportionate number where Black lives

1629
02:17:21,180 --> 02:17:22,540
Please represent all voices,

1630
02:17:23,000 --> 02:17:24,820
sincerely, all of Peterson.

1631
02:17:25,360 --> 02:17:26,400
Make it quick, great.

1632
02:17:30,930 --> 02:17:31,610
Hey, man, I'm all right.

1633
02:17:31,950 --> 02:17:34,450
We have 11 more.

1634
02:17:35,410 --> 02:17:36,450
Good job, we're doing good.

1635
02:17:37,150 --> 02:17:40,930
All right, Wendy Vernon, please reconsider the political,

1636
02:17:41,250 --> 02:17:43,210
the politically mode, and I apologize,

1637
02:17:43,330 --> 02:17:44,790
this is the first time I'm reading most of these,

1638
02:17:44,890 --> 02:17:46,490
so that's why I pause some time.

1639
02:17:47,530 --> 02:17:50,190
Please reconsider the politically motivated signage

1640
02:17:50,190 --> 02:17:52,510
in front of City Hall or any city government property,

1641
02:17:52,770 --> 02:17:54,270
now and in the future.

1642
02:17:54,270 --> 02:18:00,810
If one political movement is allowed, it opens the door to debate other political movements such as pro-life or other controversial topics.

1643
02:18:01,210 --> 02:18:08,990
Focus on the development of the diversity, volunteer board, so we can get direct input from those that may feel underrepresented.

1644
02:18:09,930 --> 02:18:16,450
Black Lives Matter, as an organization, does not have a good reputation, and I believe that is why our community is opposed to the side.

1645
02:18:16,950 --> 02:18:23,130
A select group of white individuals in this town are causing our city to be painted as racist because of this controversy.

1646
02:18:23,130 --> 02:18:27,630
It's because of the aforementioned group and the political group Black Lives Matter causing

1647
02:18:27,630 --> 02:18:28,010
to divide.

1648
02:18:28,350 --> 02:18:32,090
I wholeheartedly believe that the concept of the lives of all of our Black community members

1649
02:18:32,090 --> 02:18:35,630
and their value in it, equality, is important to all of our community.

1650
02:18:36,210 --> 02:18:40,010
Ashton speak louder than words, let's hear from our diverse population on how we can ensure

1651
02:18:40,010 --> 02:18:44,710
everyone feels value, equal and welcome to our community, promote the diversity board, not

1652
02:18:44,710 --> 02:18:45,730
a controversial sign.

1653
02:18:45,890 --> 02:18:46,950
Thank you, Wendy Burnett.

1654
02:18:48,190 --> 02:18:48,970
James Rooney.

1655
02:18:48,970 --> 02:18:52,950
The City of Safety Harbour should not provide official signage for a group which is completely

1656
02:18:52,950 --> 02:18:57,350
political in nature, the BLM group is a group which is planning radical changes to the

1657
02:18:57,350 --> 02:18:57,970
United States.

1658
02:18:58,510 --> 02:19:02,930
If there is signage for an extreme socialist group, then there would also be room for extreme

1659
02:19:02,930 --> 02:19:04,550
politically conservative groups.

1660
02:19:04,950 --> 02:19:08,550
I am certain that the City of Safety Harbour would not allow such a sign, James Rodin.

1661
02:19:10,650 --> 02:19:11,530
Stephanie Dobson.

1662
02:19:11,710 --> 02:19:12,970
My name is Stephanie Dobson.

1663
02:19:13,990 --> 02:19:17,350
I am in full support of the Black Lives Matter signs on Main Street.

1664
02:19:17,350 --> 02:19:20,510
I believe there is some misunderstanding about the phrase Black Lives Matter.

1665
02:19:20,930 --> 02:19:26,030
Hashtag Black Lives Matter is a social movement that is for basic human rights and racial equality

1666
02:19:26,030 --> 02:19:27,050
and against racism.

1667
02:19:27,510 --> 02:19:27,990
That's all.

1668
02:19:28,610 --> 02:19:32,750
It does not mean that one supports the organization which happens to share the same name.

1669
02:19:32,990 --> 02:19:37,110
It does mean that you want racial equality for all, including Black people.

1670
02:19:37,350 --> 02:19:38,810
Thank you, Stephanie Dopsie.

1671
02:19:40,250 --> 02:19:43,710
This is from Paul Ebokker.

1672
02:19:44,150 --> 02:19:44,750
Sorry Paul.

1673
02:19:44,750 --> 02:19:51,850
I understand that there have been some citizens expressing negative opinions regarding the black lives matter sign place in front of city hall

1674
02:19:51,850 --> 02:19:57,350
I would like to express my support for keeping that sign all lives do not matter until black lives also matter

1675
02:19:57,350 --> 02:20:04,890
There are many areas where racial inequality still exists including the equal treatment of all citizens by various police agencies across the country

1676
02:20:04,890 --> 02:20:13,030
My vote is that the sign is appropriate and should be kept in front of city hall hall and boxer EBA C-H-E-R

1677
02:20:13,730 --> 02:20:27,210
We have Jessica Lewis sent in a letter from the Sierra Club. I write in support of Black Lives Matter Movement. Racism is real and our communities must boldly face this fact as it relates to our past, present, and future.

1678
02:20:27,650 --> 02:20:32,970
If there were ever a time to do so, this is it, demonstrating leadership and courage in this historic moment isn't easy.

1679
02:20:32,970 --> 02:20:37,270
But it is indeed necessary. Please stand on the right side of history and support racial and

1680
02:20:37,850 --> 02:20:46,390
Racial support racial justice in our community. We stand with you respectfully James Scott executive executive community chair Sunco Steera Club

1681
02:20:48,070 --> 02:20:49,710
Only a few more mayor

1682
02:20:55,400 --> 02:21:00,240
American cook Carter. She may be listening. She sent five or more emails

1683
02:21:00,240 --> 02:21:05,460
She sent one to you today, which is over 500 words. I will not be reading that you have a copy of that

1684
02:21:05,460 --> 02:21:07,760
that, I will read the first one chronologically

1685
02:21:07,760 --> 02:21:09,000
that she sent to you this evening.

1686
02:21:09,720 --> 02:21:10,740
We must take sides.

1687
02:21:10,980 --> 02:21:13,400
Nutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim.

1688
02:21:13,620 --> 02:21:16,040
Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.

1689
02:21:16,440 --> 02:21:17,800
Sometimes we must interfere.

1690
02:21:18,240 --> 02:21:19,380
When human lives are endangered,

1691
02:21:19,580 --> 02:21:21,060
when human dignity is in jeopardy,

1692
02:21:21,260 --> 02:21:23,540
national borders and sensitivities become irrelevant.

1693
02:21:24,260 --> 02:21:26,120
Wherever men and women are persecuted

1694
02:21:26,120 --> 02:21:28,220
because of their race, religion, or political views,

1695
02:21:28,420 --> 02:21:30,320
that place must at that moment become

1696
02:21:30,320 --> 02:21:31,220
the center of the universe.

1697
02:21:31,800 --> 02:21:33,580
Ily Weissel Holocaust survivor.

1698
02:21:34,280 --> 02:21:39,780
And again, there's more and I, we have all this for public documents, but that's the first one that she sent in tonight.

1699
02:21:41,780 --> 02:21:46,240
Okay. Diane Wallman. Diane Wallman. I, I'm sorry, city commission.

1700
02:21:46,660 --> 02:21:50,900
I would like to speak in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and sign. I moved to safety harbor four years ago.

1701
02:21:51,120 --> 02:21:54,180
I am a professor of anthropology at the University of South Florida.

1702
02:21:54,720 --> 02:21:58,100
First, I want to commend the commission and city for establishing the board of our diversity.

1703
02:21:58,100 --> 02:22:03,120
I want to thank the many others tonight for so eloquently speaking and support the commission's decision

1704
02:22:03,120 --> 02:22:07,420
I just want to note that for many of our society's most vulnerable history has not passed

1705
02:22:07,420 --> 02:22:15,160
Systemic and structural racism exists and apparently also does overt races in our town as disappointedly shown on social media

1706
02:22:15,840 --> 02:22:18,720
As white people we don't see this because we don't live it

1707
02:22:18,720 --> 02:22:27,260
We must as a community and society recognize the institutional and systemic violence against black people and other historically oppressed and marginalized groups

1708
02:22:27,260 --> 02:22:33,240
This is a moral issue not political as others have said we need to be on the right side of history keep this sign up

1709
02:22:33,240 --> 02:22:37,240
And please continue the work on diversity and equality. I'm sorry

1710
02:22:38,200 --> 02:22:43,260
Please continue to continue the work on diversity and equity in our city. Thank you, Diane Walman

1711
02:22:46,320 --> 02:22:50,500
Okay, well, I just got an email. I said I don't have to read an email. So I probably already read that email

1712
02:22:51,980 --> 02:22:52,700
Hold on

1713
02:22:58,020 --> 02:22:58,820
Michael Moskardini

1714
02:22:59,500 --> 02:23:04,140
This Monday Eve you will be asked to reconsider your decision to place on city property two small

1715
02:23:04,140 --> 02:23:09,580
signs reading Black Lives Matter Justice for all. How sad that such a simple message can provoke so

1716
02:23:09,580 --> 02:23:17,320
much what? Darison, anger, hatred but there it is and now you must face up to it. I favor the signs but

1717
02:23:17,320 --> 02:23:22,240
you will not read here any further argument why they are appropriate for this time and for this place.

1718
02:23:22,820 --> 02:23:27,320
I think we're beyond that. Rather I ask only that you be true to the heartfelt sympathies you express

1719
02:23:27,320 --> 02:23:32,060
publicly last week. More simply, I ask that you be true to yourselves. Aim at the inevitable

1720
02:23:32,660 --> 02:23:38,440
tumult and shouting that may not be easy, so for its worth, I ask you to recall your high school

1721
02:23:38,440 --> 02:23:43,600
history. Writing at a time when the American Revolution seemed near collapse, Thomas Payne wrote,

1722
02:23:44,000 --> 02:23:48,160
these are the times that try men's souls, the summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will,

1723
02:23:48,620 --> 02:23:53,660
and this crisis shrank from the service of his country, but he that stands it now deserves

1724
02:23:53,660 --> 02:23:55,500
serves the love and thanks of man and woman.

1725
02:23:56,040 --> 02:23:58,460
Of course, the stakes in safety are not so dire,

1726
02:23:58,820 --> 02:24:00,180
and yet in a very real sense,

1727
02:24:00,180 --> 02:24:01,900
the cause of freedom remains in peril.

1728
02:24:02,540 --> 02:24:04,980
Reversing your votes, Monday means enlisting

1729
02:24:04,980 --> 02:24:07,600
in an army of summer soldiers and sunshine patriots.

1730
02:24:07,920 --> 02:24:10,620
I pray you stand your ground knowing that as pain wrote,

1731
02:24:11,120 --> 02:24:13,640
tyranny like hell is not easily conquered,

1732
02:24:13,980 --> 02:24:16,660
yet we have this consolation with us

1733
02:24:17,100 --> 02:24:20,060
that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumphs,

1734
02:24:20,080 --> 02:24:21,520
and certainly Michael Mustardini.

1735
02:24:23,500 --> 02:24:40,540
Lin and Hutchins. I unconditionally feel that all of African-American lives matter, the radical sign in front of the City of Safety Harbor City Hall needs to be removed because it is a marshallist organization, it is horror that there has been police brutality across all colors but with that being Lin and Hutchins.

1736
02:24:41,440 --> 02:24:43,260
And the last one, Aaron.

1737
02:24:44,280 --> 02:24:51,760
a vote against BLM sizes, a vote against what this community claims to stand for, any vote against it is someone who will no longer have my support.

1738
02:24:52,560 --> 02:24:55,460
Mayor commission, those are all the public comments we have.

1739
02:24:57,760 --> 02:25:00,680
All right. Thank you. You deserve an award for reading all that.

1740
02:25:01,780 --> 02:25:03,840
So thank you for that. All right.

1741
02:25:04,820 --> 02:25:10,040
Back up to the commission just to keep things moving along. Anybody want to weigh in on this?

1742
02:25:12,370 --> 02:25:17,170
Let me just start off by saying, I just want to say I want to thank everybody for joining this meeting.

1743
02:25:17,930 --> 02:25:30,310
This is obviously a sensitive topic one way or another and I know we're meeting on Zoom, we're virtually meeting, but, you know, it's just good to engage the community and be able to talk about this in an honest, frank manner.

1744
02:25:30,910 --> 02:25:38,270
So I appreciate everybody's feedback and participation in this matter and I'm confident that the city commission is going to come up with a way forward.

1745
02:25:38,790 --> 02:25:42,050
that's going to unite the city and continue the dialogue.

1746
02:25:42,270 --> 02:25:44,450
But I'd like to open it up now and see he wants to weigh in.

1747
02:25:47,590 --> 02:25:48,110
Yes, Mayor.

1748
02:25:48,490 --> 02:25:48,870
I'll start.

1749
02:25:49,610 --> 02:25:51,450
You want to go, Commissioner Diaz?

1750
02:25:51,770 --> 02:25:51,930
Right.

1751
02:25:52,310 --> 02:25:53,490
I've got a lot to say.

1752
02:25:53,610 --> 02:25:56,770
I don't know how long you're going to be if you want to go ahead.

1753
02:25:57,830 --> 02:25:58,890
I'm going to be brief.

1754
02:25:59,590 --> 02:26:00,170
I really am.

1755
02:26:01,090 --> 02:26:07,110
The only thing that I really want to say is this was a good discussion tonight.

1756
02:26:07,110 --> 02:26:13,370
At first I was hesitant about having this, but this is sort of the purpose of these signs

1757
02:26:13,370 --> 02:26:16,250
to get the people to talk, and that's what we have.

1758
02:26:16,390 --> 02:26:21,110
We got to get dialogue tonight, and people will hear what their neighbors think, and it's

1759
02:26:21,110 --> 02:26:22,090
an interesting discussion.

1760
02:26:22,450 --> 02:26:28,450
So I commend everyone who came out and spoke, it's actually an interesting process for me.

1761
02:26:29,110 --> 02:26:33,930
What I do want to mention is just two really quick things I want to mention, but the public,

1762
02:26:33,930 --> 02:26:39,090
I think it's important to recognize this didn't pop up out of anywhere, just nowhere.

1763
02:26:39,970 --> 02:26:45,870
The commission has been having some discussions about social justice and trying to get the

1764
02:26:45,870 --> 02:26:51,190
African-American community to come down to the city main street and get more involved

1765
02:26:51,190 --> 02:26:56,130
hence the diversity group.

1766
02:26:57,550 --> 02:27:02,350
So, and I'm proud of the city commission, everybody's sitting up there, the mayor and all the

1767
02:27:02,350 --> 02:27:06,250
commissioners. I'm proud that we've had that discussion. I think that's a good thing.

1768
02:27:07,590 --> 02:27:15,150
It really has become a city initiative to try to address social issues in the city.

1769
02:27:16,050 --> 02:27:25,110
Now what I believe I heard the city attorney say is that the city can display signs that

1770
02:27:25,110 --> 02:27:30,610
address city initiatives that talk about, and nobody really talked about that

1771
02:27:30,610 --> 02:27:36,610
tonight, that to me it's sort of a test of what signs we can put up, what signs we can put up.

1772
02:27:36,970 --> 02:27:45,130
The sign was part of the commission's process of engaging the African-American

1773
02:27:45,130 --> 02:27:51,870
community and trying to get people to come downtown. This is a process that we've been talking about

1774
02:27:51,870 --> 02:27:57,110
for some time. I don't think anybody on the commission would disagree that that's a city initiative.

1775
02:27:57,890 --> 02:28:06,350
In my opinion, that is, that means that the city can put these signs up because it supports

1776
02:28:06,350 --> 02:28:13,230
that initiative, but it wouldn't allow a KKK sign. That would not support any city initiative,

1777
02:28:13,550 --> 02:28:19,310
and a majority of the commissioners could say no. And obviously a majority of the commissioners,

1778
02:28:19,310 --> 02:28:23,070
I think maybe could say yes, but I don't think that would happen.

1779
02:28:23,830 --> 02:28:30,290
I think the city could say no to a certain sign because it doesn't support a city initiative.

1780
02:28:31,070 --> 02:28:35,510
And therefore, that whole argument about, oh, suddenly we're going to get swamped with

1781
02:28:35,950 --> 02:28:39,850
all these different signs, it takes that argument away.

1782
02:28:40,270 --> 02:28:42,590
So I'm not really concerned about that.

1783
02:28:42,590 --> 02:28:55,430
I would like the city to further explore the issue of coming up with a policy. I'm cool with that. I think that's an appropriate thing. The city should be looking at and doing.

1784
02:28:56,970 --> 02:29:03,770
But I spoke before at the last meeting about my personal beliefs, where I stand on this issue.

1785
02:29:04,410 --> 02:29:09,070
and based on what I said before and based on the fact that I don't I'm not too

1786
02:29:09,070 --> 02:29:14,770
worried about a slippery slope of signs popping up on City Hall because I

1787
02:29:14,770 --> 02:29:19,290
wouldn't support those signs. I'm not going to change my position on the

1788
02:29:19,290 --> 02:29:24,410
sign. I just I don't think it's to put everybody agrees to put the sign out and

1789
02:29:24,410 --> 02:29:28,390
then a week later we all somehow agree to take it down. I'm just taking my

1790
02:29:28,390 --> 02:29:29,390
position. Thank you.

1791
02:29:32,860 --> 02:29:39,220
Yeah. Thank you, Commissioner Zordor. Yeah, so from this whole meeting,

1792
02:29:39,740 --> 02:29:45,620
you know, obviously, you know, to meet Black Lives Matter represents a social movement.

1793
02:29:45,940 --> 02:29:52,340
It's basically equality for all and particularly trying to help out the African-American community

1794
02:29:52,340 --> 02:29:59,720
in establishing themselves in the mainstream of American society. That's what it means to me.

1795
02:30:00,580 --> 02:30:29,920
Obviously, you know, and to me, this is being on the right side. Eventually, you know, maybe hopefully it happens soon, but eventually it's going to happen where black Americans and Latinos and white Americans are all going to sit around and talk to each other kind of like kids do. Kids don't really recognize color. You know, they look at each other, they just look at each other to play. You know, if you want to play with me, if you want to talk to me, it's fine. They engage freely.

1796
02:30:29,920 --> 02:30:39,840
it's a colorless relationship. What I found here is that, you know, it's people are freaking out

1797
02:30:41,100 --> 02:30:51,040
over two signs, right? One sign is City Hall and one sign at the library. If people who've seen

1798
02:30:51,040 --> 02:30:58,080
these signs, if you look at them, I mean, basically you have Black Lives Matter on it, and I'm not even

1799
02:30:58,080 --> 02:31:01,820
going to explain it because to me it's kind of ridiculous that people are

1800
02:31:01,820 --> 02:31:06,460
freaking out and so insecure about their status in society that they're really

1801
02:31:06,460 --> 02:31:12,740
scared about these two signs because the signs are basically, you know, it's

1802
02:31:13,480 --> 02:31:20,920
Black Lives Matter and Justice for all and it has no really attachment to the

1803
02:31:20,920 --> 02:31:27,180
fist pumping Black Lives Matter organization that you see is somewhere else but

1804
02:31:27,180 --> 02:31:35,260
But so you had you had that part of it and obviously people are talking about the political

1805
02:31:35,260 --> 02:31:35,940
side of it.

1806
02:31:36,060 --> 02:31:37,460
Well, people are making it political.

1807
02:31:38,020 --> 02:31:40,640
People make it and people are making it political here in safety harbor.

1808
02:31:41,360 --> 02:31:43,120
Yeah, people that are calling in a Marxist group.

1809
02:31:43,420 --> 02:31:48,120
People that are calling it, you know, anti, you know, the majority, the majority of the

1810
02:31:48,120 --> 02:31:54,540
people are Americans, they're just all they want is equality for each other and, and hard

1811
02:31:54,540 --> 02:31:56,480
working, hard working Americans.

1812
02:31:56,480 --> 02:32:00,880
And then you have the other side, you know, let's be fair now, there's another side that

1813
02:32:00,880 --> 02:32:04,780
are calling the other side races, you know, so it becomes a political movement.

1814
02:32:05,060 --> 02:32:10,040
And somewhere in the middle, right, somewhere in the middle is the true cause, the true

1815
02:32:10,040 --> 02:32:16,360
people, the African Americans and the minorities that stand to benefit from this.

1816
02:32:16,880 --> 02:32:23,560
You have one side claiming Marxism, another side claiming racism, and then you have in the

1817
02:32:23,560 --> 02:32:26,700
middle, this one side that all they want is equality.

1818
02:32:29,180 --> 02:32:31,000
I have no problem with the signs,

1819
02:32:32,760 --> 02:32:39,120
but hand store in these meetings, you know, with Carmen Lundy and Louis Ponds, coming up

1820
02:32:39,120 --> 02:32:45,740
and saying that, you know, to them the signs don't have any kind of relevance to them. To

1821
02:32:45,740 --> 02:32:53,300
To me, it just puts the signs in a hands of political, you know, local politics, you know.

1822
02:32:54,400 --> 02:32:58,040
And, you know, to me, it means equality, to me, it means fairness.

1823
02:32:58,780 --> 02:33:03,320
And without the backing of the African-American community, and to me, I look at Carmen London

1824
02:33:03,320 --> 02:33:07,260
and Louis Ponds as the backing to this, to these signs.

1825
02:33:08,340 --> 02:33:14,500
So, I mean, that's one of the things that to me is what I took out of this meeting.

1826
02:33:15,740 --> 02:33:24,440
So, I will, I will relinquish and give it up and listen again and then I'll cast my vote.

1827
02:33:33,730 --> 02:33:35,410
Nancy, you'll have to unmute yourself.

1828
02:33:36,450 --> 02:33:36,830
There you go.

1829
02:33:36,830 --> 02:33:39,970
If I speak next,

1830
02:33:45,120 --> 02:33:49,310
let's say I'm on YouTube.

1831
02:33:49,930 --> 02:33:50,810
No, you're good. You're good.

1832
02:33:50,890 --> 02:33:51,530
You go ahead.

1833
02:33:53,010 --> 02:33:54,110
Thank you so much.

1834
02:33:54,690 --> 02:33:59,130
I want to say that I was listening to everybody.

1835
02:33:59,510 --> 02:34:03,750
And I came at this tonight thinking I want to listen to Ms.

1836
02:34:03,850 --> 02:34:05,930
Lundy. And I want to listen to Mr. Ponds.

1837
02:34:06,190 --> 02:34:08,970
And I want to see what they think of being in the thick.

1838
02:34:09,270 --> 02:34:12,690
Because they really are up close and personal in the thick of this.

1839
02:34:12,690 --> 02:34:18,970
because they made the request. But as I read all the emails and as I listen to everybody's

1840
02:34:18,970 --> 02:34:26,870
impassioned arguments, I am also feeling responsible for my own conscience. And the mayor and I

1841
02:34:26,870 --> 02:34:33,550
and probably all the other commissioners were invited to St. Paul AME Church 2018. We were invited

1842
02:34:33,550 --> 02:34:41,250
to red-weight blue week or day and I went mayor you were there also. They welcomed us, they fed us,

1843
02:34:41,250 --> 02:34:45,470
they sign with us, they encourage communication.

1844
02:34:45,790 --> 02:34:48,850
So to Commissioner Zodger's point, this isn't new.

1845
02:34:49,190 --> 02:34:51,370
This is something the African American community

1846
02:34:51,370 --> 02:34:55,050
also reached out personally to us, to engage us.

1847
02:34:55,590 --> 02:34:57,990
So that was point one, I got a picnic basket

1848
02:34:57,990 --> 02:34:59,910
and a proclamation about my leadership.

1849
02:35:00,290 --> 02:35:05,490
Those are in my conscience with Mr. Lundy and Ms. Lundy

1850
02:35:05,490 --> 02:35:06,270
and Mr. Ponds.

1851
02:35:06,270 --> 02:35:13,390
A second point is my friend Melvin Fort passed away in 2018 and I went to his visitation.

1852
02:35:13,550 --> 02:35:17,070
I don't believe I could go to the funeral, but I heard reports.

1853
02:35:17,250 --> 02:35:20,350
I saw hundreds of people in line to greet the family.

1854
02:35:20,890 --> 02:35:27,790
Melvin was an African-American native of safety harbor and he started activities with AA, I believe.

1855
02:35:28,350 --> 02:35:30,730
And there were black and white people in hundreds.

1856
02:35:31,090 --> 02:35:32,810
I heard also at the funeral.

1857
02:35:32,810 --> 02:35:39,890
So I also have those folks in my conscience, not just black people, but white people who stood up for Melbourne.

1858
02:35:40,470 --> 02:35:43,750
So I'm thinking if I go back on these signs, I might go back on Melbourne.

1859
02:35:44,270 --> 02:35:52,850
And I'm also thinking of Curtis Curtis from our board and Curtis from our neighborhood family center.

1860
02:35:53,330 --> 02:35:57,090
And how that lecture to welcome us who were able to go to the funeral.

1861
02:35:57,090 --> 02:36:08,610
and they want to engage with us and I'm just curious what message that would give if I said, okay, everybody's really making it very unpleasant for Mr. Ponds and Ms. Lundy.

1862
02:36:09,090 --> 02:36:18,630
I want to support them so I'm going to back off on the sign. My conscience isn't there. My conscience is sticking with our initial decision and thank you very much.

1863
02:36:22,860 --> 02:36:30,620
I started this by saying through on an idea of changing the word black to African American,

1864
02:36:31,440 --> 02:36:37,140
and listen to 50 people, everyone is stuck with their focus point.

1865
02:36:38,320 --> 02:36:43,520
I don't see any compromise. I see it all as just a focus of either,

1866
02:36:43,900 --> 02:36:47,560
we feel that this has to change one way or we feel this has to change the other.

1867
02:36:47,560 --> 02:36:54,640
And the concern is for the black community in between how they're going to react to this

1868
02:36:54,640 --> 02:36:56,580
or be treated because of this.

1869
02:36:57,140 --> 02:37:02,860
I appreciate Louis Ponds and Carmen Lundy's comments.

1870
02:37:03,640 --> 02:37:13,100
And I certainly hope that they participate or wish to participate in the diversity committee.

1871
02:37:13,100 --> 02:37:24,620
they speak very strongly. Louis Ponds, as was mentioned, he works at the community

1872
02:37:24,620 --> 02:37:30,880
center as a coach. He was my son's coach last summer in basketball. He's a man of

1873
02:37:30,880 --> 02:37:40,300
integrity. Carmen, very strong points. There's part of me that says why are they

1874
02:37:40,300 --> 02:37:46,120
saying that and saying that just to get past this because there's diversity and there's issues,

1875
02:37:46,120 --> 02:37:47,940
it will make it harder for them.

1876
02:37:50,660 --> 02:37:54,120
But then there's also the point of as I brought up that there's

1877
02:37:54,120 --> 02:38:04,740
the difference between the idea and the political organization and what we talked about initially was

1878
02:38:04,740 --> 02:38:12,560
the idea and the idea still stands that there is no that black lives do matter all lives matter.

1879
02:38:13,400 --> 02:38:19,140
And I mentioned that about change in the name just to kind of get the focus off and it didn't go

1880
02:38:19,140 --> 02:38:26,040
anywhere. And adding extra all lives matter on the sign didn't go anywhere either. So I think the

1881
02:38:26,040 --> 02:38:32,500
focus is is that people are pretty much set in their views. There's going to be a lot of discussion

1882
02:38:32,500 --> 02:38:37,380
that needs to get done. There's a lot of education that needs to be done. There's a lot of forward

1883
02:38:37,380 --> 02:38:43,780
process that needs to be done. And stepping backwards, I don't think is the way to get it done.

1884
02:38:57,800 --> 02:39:04,940
Mayor, you're muted. Yeah, Mayor, you're muted. Okay. So just vice mayor, what is when you say stepping back,

1885
02:39:04,940 --> 02:39:09,380
what is stepping backwards me? Well, if I think we're moving the signs. Okay.

1886
02:39:11,610 --> 02:39:13,230
I mean, I like the idea of

1887
02:39:13,230 --> 02:39:22,690
the center sign. I mean anything that supports unity. I don't know whether or

1888
02:39:22,690 --> 02:39:29,130
not you remove the black life sign but then you put unity saying look how

1889
02:39:29,130 --> 02:39:32,670
unified we are but we all know what just went on so it's not really that

1890
02:39:32,670 --> 02:39:39,950
unified. You know we need to I think continue this conversation. I mean there's

1891
02:39:39,950 --> 02:39:53,870
There's lots of little, there's steps and there's necessary ways to discuss and to move ahead and you know.

1892
02:39:55,110 --> 02:40:00,170
I mean, the idea was to put it up for 60 days, I don't know if you want to put it for 60, want to leave it at 30.

1893
02:40:00,770 --> 02:40:03,930
I mean, those kind of things are fine, but I think it's important to.

1894
02:40:03,930 --> 02:40:06,750
But to keep.

1895
02:40:08,690 --> 02:40:08,890
Right.

1896
02:40:10,390 --> 02:40:11,530
Let me just say this.

1897
02:40:11,710 --> 02:40:13,350
I think all of our hearts are in the right place.

1898
02:40:13,490 --> 02:40:15,050
I'm not questioning anybody's motives.

1899
02:40:15,050 --> 02:40:16,250
There were anybody's heart is.

1900
02:40:16,250 --> 02:40:17,870
I think we're all booking.

1901
02:40:18,490 --> 02:40:20,390
I think we all share the same goal,

1902
02:40:20,650 --> 02:40:22,330
which is racial awareness,

1903
02:40:22,690 --> 02:40:23,830
which is more diversity,

1904
02:40:24,070 --> 02:40:25,570
which is more inclusion in the city.

1905
02:40:27,230 --> 02:40:28,950
And, you know, I think that's a good thing.

1906
02:40:29,050 --> 02:40:29,950
That we all want the same thing.

1907
02:40:30,030 --> 02:40:33,330
I think where we diverge a little bit is when we get down

1908
02:40:33,330 --> 02:40:34,770
to the strategy and the tactics.

1909
02:40:36,630 --> 02:40:42,910
I call this meeting because I think by any objective measure, well one I call it because

1910
02:40:42,910 --> 02:40:46,450
a lot of people never had the right or never had the option or opportunity to weigh in

1911
02:40:46,450 --> 02:40:51,070
on this subject and they wanted to weigh in and I thought it was only fair to give everybody

1912
02:40:51,070 --> 02:40:54,930
a chance to be heard before we continue a course of action.

1913
02:40:56,790 --> 02:41:01,910
But I also call the meeting because I think if we're focused on the goal and I just said

1914
02:41:01,910 --> 02:41:09,170
with the goals where, you know, racial awareness, inclusion, diversity, we, I think we can

1915
02:41:09,170 --> 02:41:14,170
object, we need to, at this point, objectively ask ourselves, are we, is the course of action

1916
02:41:14,770 --> 02:41:21,770
that is the path that we're on achieving that goal? Or is the path that we're on taking

1917
02:41:21,770 --> 02:41:22,910
us away from that goal?

1918
02:41:25,570 --> 02:41:29,570
And I think, by most objective means, even though, to Commissioner

1919
02:41:29,570 --> 02:41:37,230
address point, it got the conversation started. It's also a headline-grabbing move that,

1920
02:41:37,830 --> 02:41:43,430
and yet it got the conversation started, but to the vice mayor's point, people are stuck in

1921
02:41:43,430 --> 02:41:51,570
their positions. I don't see anybody changing their views from the audience I've heard.

1922
02:41:51,650 --> 02:41:57,910
Actually, the only people that have heard that have been open to changing strategy and tactics to

1923
02:41:57,910 --> 02:42:00,670
meet the goal are Lewis Ponds and Carmen Lundy.

1924
02:42:02,030 --> 02:42:06,790
So I ask ourselves if they're recognizing the path we're not, the path that we're on

1925
02:42:06,790 --> 02:42:13,490
right now is not working, then I really need to beg the question to the rest of the commission

1926
02:42:13,490 --> 02:42:17,470
and say, you know, we have this important work ahead of us on the diversity board.

1927
02:42:18,030 --> 02:42:21,290
This, what's going on now is a distraction.

1928
02:42:21,930 --> 02:42:26,250
It's grabbing headlines, it's grabbing quick attention, it's getting people writing emails.

1929
02:42:26,850 --> 02:42:34,290
But the work towards progress, the thousand-mile journey, as Carmen Lundy said, is going to include

1930
02:42:34,290 --> 02:42:38,450
it's going to be a long path of constant engagement.

1931
02:42:39,230 --> 02:42:45,150
And as long as we're getting distracted in talking about the meaning of Black Lives Matter,

1932
02:42:45,270 --> 02:42:47,630
what's the difference between the organization and the movement?

1933
02:42:48,750 --> 02:42:51,950
We're sucking all the energy and all the oxygen out of the room,

1934
02:42:51,950 --> 02:43:03,370
And we're not allowing people to come together and focus and have real meaningful dialogue and engage with one another and get past three words on a yard sign.

1935
02:43:03,830 --> 02:43:11,390
That's what this is right now. It's three words on a yard sign and people are staking their flag in the ground, adding it about three words.

1936
02:43:11,930 --> 02:43:16,930
I think we really need if we're serious about making progress on this issue.

1937
02:43:16,930 --> 02:43:20,770
If we're serious about addressing it, we're willing to do the work when nobody's looking.

1938
02:43:22,010 --> 02:43:26,670
When we're not getting media attention or the Tampa Bay Times isn't writing a story about it,

1939
02:43:27,150 --> 02:43:32,870
when things are quiet and we don't have a hundred people on a meeting to see what we're going to do,

1940
02:43:33,190 --> 02:43:36,910
it's when we engage the people and get them to go to the diversity board,

1941
02:43:37,310 --> 02:43:41,970
instead of meetings and engage over a course of months or years if that's what it takes

1942
02:43:42,370 --> 02:43:45,010
to understand each other, to communicate with each other.

1943
02:43:45,010 --> 02:43:47,510
I think that's what really needs to be done.

1944
02:43:48,330 --> 02:43:56,900
And to be honest, I don't know if the word is, I'll say it, I'm disappointed that we

1945
02:43:56,900 --> 02:44:04,280
are focused on a sign in three words and I really think this has taken attention away from

1946
02:44:04,280 --> 02:44:08,560
a really worthy course of action because nothing was done overnight.

1947
02:44:08,840 --> 02:44:10,860
The civil rights movement didn't happen overnight.

1948
02:44:11,380 --> 02:44:17,980
You know, other important progress on, you know, diversity in addressing racial

1949
02:44:17,980 --> 02:44:22,620
issues. Nothing happened overnight. So after 60 days, we need to ask ourselves,

1950
02:44:22,620 --> 02:44:28,820
where are we going to be? Are people going to be more open to engaging after that

1951
02:44:28,820 --> 02:44:34,960
60 days? Is this the way to win hearts and minds? I mean, maybe there's racism in the

1952
02:44:34,960 --> 02:44:39,880
city. From what I heard, there's, there is racism in the city. Is this how we win

1953
02:44:39,880 --> 02:44:45,480
those people over? Isn't that the goal to win people's hearts and minds over? Or is it to make a

1954
02:44:45,480 --> 02:44:52,920
statement? And I submit to everybody, the goal should not be to make a statement that's going to,

1955
02:44:52,920 --> 02:44:58,340
you know, just grab headlines. The goal should be, let's make progress on this issue.

1956
02:45:02,630 --> 02:45:19,310
I think everybody is a look inside and ask ourselves, what's more important making a statement or making progress? And to me, that's what this boils down. So I stand by my proposal to put a sign up there that talks about unity.

1957
02:45:20,070 --> 02:45:22,510
I would take the, I submit that the commissioners,

1958
02:45:22,510 --> 02:45:27,970
I would not completely represent what our city attorney,

1959
02:45:27,970 --> 02:45:31,490
Nikki Deicent, that I think this will open the door to request

1960
02:45:31,490 --> 02:45:35,070
in potential litigation if we turn down other signs,

1961
02:45:36,030 --> 02:45:40,110
but that's how I feel, and I'll turn it back over

1962
02:45:40,110 --> 02:45:41,150
to whoever wants to jump in.

1963
02:45:42,710 --> 02:45:47,730
Does anyone feel that the change of the name to change the focus

1964
02:45:47,730 --> 02:45:56,390
to African-American versus Black as any issue here in trying to separate and distance

1965
02:45:56,390 --> 02:46:02,130
from the difference between the topic and the organization.

1966
02:46:02,950 --> 02:46:03,150
Right.

1967
02:46:03,290 --> 02:46:08,230
And to that, I would just say after speaking with Nikki Day in Alan Zimmer earlier, they

1968
02:46:08,230 --> 02:46:15,330
talked about non-governmental messages, and they use the words segmented messages.

1969
02:46:15,330 --> 02:46:18,090
And when you segment it to a particular race,

1970
02:46:18,890 --> 02:46:21,410
then you open it up to other segments,

1971
02:46:21,410 --> 02:46:23,450
whether it be, I mean, pick your,

1972
02:46:23,530 --> 02:46:24,930
I mean, pick your, but we've heard other people

1973
02:46:24,930 --> 02:46:27,110
during the course of this meeting suggest other signs.

1974
02:46:28,410 --> 02:46:29,930
I think you're quite frankly, Vice Mayor,

1975
02:46:29,970 --> 02:46:32,310
I think you're just trying to, you know,

1976
02:46:32,410 --> 02:46:36,050
just, you know, split the difference.

1977
02:46:36,330 --> 02:46:38,610
And I think we really need to just figure out,

1978
02:46:39,190 --> 02:46:40,490
you know, what's best for the city

1979
02:46:40,490 --> 02:46:42,250
and what's best to move this issue forward.

1980
02:46:42,250 --> 02:46:48,470
I just want to maybe clarify a few points that may be helpful.

1981
02:46:49,050 --> 02:46:54,170
First, I think Commissioner Zadro, your points about government speech and speech that's

1982
02:46:54,170 --> 02:46:59,770
exclusively of the city, is one part of what I was talking about before and is an important

1983
02:46:59,770 --> 02:47:00,070
part.

1984
02:47:00,190 --> 02:47:05,750
I think that's much better established by a written policy which going into the July 20

1985
02:47:05,750 --> 02:47:09,010
meeting and going into tonight, we don't have.

1986
02:47:09,010 --> 02:47:16,890
So my recommendation would be to develop that policy so that it's clear that the message is exclusively from the city.

1987
02:47:17,330 --> 02:47:27,230
It is not a public information channel that is being used as a forum for free expression, which is one of the larger concerns mayor.

1988
02:47:27,230 --> 02:47:36,670
not just of obviously certain community recognitions that we have will highlight different members

1989
02:47:36,670 --> 02:47:44,750
of our community, particularly if it's minority members of the community. We have African-American

1990
02:47:44,750 --> 02:47:50,510
history month in February. We have National Women's History Month in March. We have Asian-Pacific

1991
02:47:50,510 --> 02:47:56,230
American Heritage Month at different points in the year. So we do have community recognitions

1992
02:47:56,230 --> 02:48:03,650
that will focus on education and promotion and different public information with regard to specific

1993
02:48:03,650 --> 02:48:14,010
segments of your population. So I don't want to report that if you have a block history month,

1994
02:48:14,130 --> 02:48:19,690
and that means you're required now to establish months for every different segment of community.

1995
02:48:19,690 --> 02:48:49,070
But the importance is how those decisions are made and developed, certainly after the discussion on Monday and after this discussion, the commission could decide we want to keep this exclusively a voice and a channel that's used by the city and to promote our city initiatives and the city could determine that

1996
02:48:49,070 --> 02:48:54,550
as commissioner Zadro and the mayor and others have pointed out that this has been a long

1997
02:48:56,050 --> 02:49:01,750
long discussed city initiative it was not something that even just came up on on Monday night

1998
02:49:01,750 --> 02:49:06,550
but has been something that's been discussed for a long period of time which was why when I started out

1999
02:49:06,550 --> 02:49:12,250
my comments at the beginning of the meeting I referenced that I viewed the discussion in line with

2000
02:49:12,250 --> 02:49:22,370
that government speech, but in light of the various different interpretations of the

2001
02:49:22,370 --> 02:49:29,850
message that the city sought to display. And in light of the fact that we don't have

2002
02:49:29,850 --> 02:49:38,250
a policy right now, the better course would be to adopt a policy establishing how you're

2003
02:49:38,250 --> 02:49:43,010
going to go about making those decisions and what you want to put out as city initiatives.

2004
02:49:43,310 --> 02:49:50,090
And if you even want to use temporary signage for that message as opposed to flag polls

2005
02:49:50,090 --> 02:49:59,830
and other official announcements and information channels. So that is part of a much larger discussion,

2006
02:49:59,890 --> 02:50:06,810
but I guess I wanted to lay that out again to say if the commission did want to discuss

2007
02:50:07,530 --> 02:50:35,970
the specific exclusive message coming only from the city that they wanted to display and I think the mayor mentioned some options at the beginning of the meeting about a totally different sign developed by all of you as you sit here of what exactly you wanted to say and I've heard a lot of similar messages expressed by each of you about equality and about inclusion and fairness and the city's diversity.

2008
02:50:35,970 --> 02:50:40,570
the initiative overall for social and racial inclusion

2009
02:50:40,570 --> 02:50:42,290
specifically into downtown.

2010
02:50:44,810 --> 02:50:46,810
I think you can do that,

2011
02:50:46,930 --> 02:50:48,970
but I would suggest that we also have

2012
02:50:48,970 --> 02:50:53,670
a agenda item for an upcoming meeting

2013
02:50:53,670 --> 02:50:56,430
where you discuss developing a written policy

2014
02:50:56,430 --> 02:50:58,990
on how you're going to make those decisions.

2015
02:50:59,550 --> 02:51:03,090
That is a little bit different than the scenario

2016
02:51:03,090 --> 02:51:11,210
you sit in today because it seems like the current pending request is a result of a specific

2017
02:51:11,210 --> 02:51:16,770
request from a third party. So to keep that internal to the city, you all should first

2018
02:51:16,770 --> 02:51:24,610
decide what you want it to say, and then secondly decide how you're going to make those

2019
02:51:24,610 --> 02:51:27,250
types of determinations. Does that make sense?

2020
02:51:28,370 --> 02:51:33,290
What would be your professional opinion then in that particular case?

2021
02:51:33,530 --> 02:51:41,350
It sounds like the idea would be to remove the signs temporarily until we set that in place

2022
02:51:41,660 --> 02:51:49,470
and then re-address it and if the similar idea comes out to then put the signs back out

2023
02:51:49,470 --> 02:51:57,370
or some similar sign that in that case you have this in place and you're not setting a precedent

2024
02:51:57,370 --> 02:52:01,490
prior. Is that what you said?

2025
02:52:05,320 --> 02:52:10,340
I'm not suggesting that you I think what I said is if the intent is

2026
02:52:10,340 --> 02:52:17,020
the sign as currently designed and word it is meant to be exclusively from the city not the request

2027
02:52:17,020 --> 02:52:21,720
of any third party or community member requests,

2028
02:52:22,040 --> 02:52:25,400
then the

2029
02:52:27,510 --> 02:52:36,220
city commission could determine to keep that sign.

2030
02:52:36,400 --> 02:52:41,560
Or I think that the mayor also suggested some other ideas

2031
02:52:41,560 --> 02:52:47,900
that he had for language of a city initiative sign.

2032
02:52:47,900 --> 02:53:06,200
So my opinion would be to make it an exclusively a city decision, and that doesn't necessarily,

2033
02:53:09,460 --> 02:53:17,420
does that make sense? I'm not necessarily saying that your exclusive city decision means you have to take the sign down, but then you should sort of

2034
02:53:17,420 --> 02:53:26,580
take it to make sure it's an accurate expression of what the city initiative that you have sought to achieve.

2035
02:53:28,560 --> 02:53:33,920
Will you say we need to be the conceptual design of the sign?

2036
02:53:34,680 --> 02:53:34,980
Correct.

2037
02:53:34,980 --> 02:53:36,120
Okay.

2038
02:53:36,120 --> 02:53:36,560
Okay.

2039
02:53:39,670 --> 02:53:40,030
Mayor.

2040
02:53:41,170 --> 02:53:41,310
Yes.

2041
02:53:42,130 --> 02:53:43,250
Can you hear me?

2042
02:53:43,690 --> 02:53:51,690
I with the legal ease, no offense to mistake, but my passion in rebuttal to your former

2043
02:53:51,690 --> 02:53:57,270
statement about our making a statement has been a little dulled and perhaps that's a good

2044
02:53:57,270 --> 02:53:57,630
thing.

2045
02:53:58,110 --> 02:54:03,810
But when I want to put out there and what I want to say about that word statement is that there's

2046
02:54:03,810 --> 02:54:09,630
movement in Pinellas County called FAST. I believe it's faith and strength

2047
02:54:09,630 --> 02:54:14,890
together or faith are stronger together and they have these meetings that's

2048
02:54:14,890 --> 02:54:19,890
an ecumenical organizations all different faiths and they meet and they get

2049
02:54:19,890 --> 02:54:24,770
politicians to make a statement to make a stand and when I first heard about this

2050
02:54:24,770 --> 02:54:31,050
probably 10 or 15 years ago I remember thinking that's just superficial that's

2051
02:54:31,050 --> 02:54:34,990
just there's just putting the politicians on spot,

2052
02:54:35,190 --> 02:54:36,710
like you said in the media

2053
02:54:36,710 --> 02:54:38,670
and making them stand up for something.

2054
02:54:38,810 --> 02:54:41,490
And it's superficial and it's wrong and wrong.

2055
02:54:41,950 --> 02:54:45,850
But my attitude changed because they affected change.

2056
02:54:46,130 --> 02:54:48,870
They got together and they got politicians to make a stand,

2057
02:54:49,410 --> 02:54:51,170
whether it's education, whether it's reading,

2058
02:54:51,470 --> 02:54:52,210
whether it's housing.

2059
02:54:52,790 --> 02:54:55,290
So when all of them got together in unity

2060
02:54:55,290 --> 02:54:57,470
and made a stand, it was good.

2061
02:54:57,810 --> 02:55:00,270
So I just wanted to say to you in my defense,

2062
02:55:00,270 --> 02:55:05,610
I'm not just simply making a statement by saying my conscience says stick with my decision.

2063
02:55:05,950 --> 02:55:12,450
It's a reason I've listened to all of the people speaking and I've listened to their arguments

2064
02:55:12,850 --> 02:55:17,570
and I've looked at my own conscience and I've decided this time should stay so thank you

2065
02:55:17,570 --> 02:55:18,090
for listening.

2066
02:55:20,160 --> 02:55:23,960
Yeah, let me add something else that I wish I would have said beforehand.

2067
02:55:23,960 --> 02:55:28,300
And obviously these signs need the backing

2068
02:55:28,300 --> 02:55:31,140
of our African-American leaders,

2069
02:55:31,820 --> 02:55:33,280
Carmen Lundey and Louis Ponds.

2070
02:55:34,200 --> 02:55:41,800
And without that backing, I think they have a little bit

2071
02:55:41,800 --> 02:55:42,380
more knowledge.

2072
02:55:43,660 --> 02:55:45,860
And I think that it comes back to like,

2073
02:55:46,380 --> 02:55:48,380
they are in the middle of this battle.

2074
02:55:48,960 --> 02:55:49,820
They've been in it.

2075
02:55:50,200 --> 02:55:52,940
They know what unintended consequences

2076
02:55:52,940 --> 02:56:02,740
can happen. For some reason, it doesn't have to be shared, but I trust their thoughts and opinions.

2077
02:56:04,360 --> 02:56:11,440
The more I think about it, the more I'm going to lean. I'm here to support the African-American community.

2078
02:56:12,060 --> 02:56:22,580
If they want the signs on, I will support them 100%. If they feel there's going to be unintended consequences, let's not put it up.

2079
02:56:22,580 --> 02:56:29,360
let's back up a little bit. We got the diversity council that we're

2080
02:56:29,360 --> 02:56:34,240
formulating and then we will do everything in our power as a commission to

2081
02:56:34,240 --> 02:56:40,660
help them advance in some other way but they are on the right side of history and

2082
02:56:40,660 --> 02:56:45,620
so are we you know and I think that sometimes sometimes you have to take a step

2083
02:56:45,620 --> 02:56:56,020
back, you know, in order to advance even further. And that's my soul. And that's the only

2084
02:56:56,020 --> 02:57:02,860
reason I'm making this decision is because I want their support. And I respect them for

2085
02:57:02,860 --> 02:57:09,260
their decision. They're taking the high road unlike a lot of other people, you know, in

2086
02:57:09,260 --> 02:57:10,540
Now

2087
02:57:17,610 --> 02:57:24,610
I would just reiterate, I mean, the goal is to engage the community and get people involved.

2088
02:57:24,610 --> 02:57:31,790
And if we have Carmen Mundi and Louis Pond suggesting a unity sign rather than the Black Lives Matter Center,

2089
02:57:32,190 --> 02:57:37,510
they like the idea of us passing a resolution, condemning racism in all of its forms.

2090
02:57:38,710 --> 02:57:42,130
So they can say the City Commission passes a resolution.

2091
02:57:42,130 --> 02:57:45,890
and we are adamantly against any kind of racism in this city.

2092
02:57:46,550 --> 02:57:50,330
And then we put our efforts towards the diversity board.

2093
02:57:51,110 --> 02:57:54,570
And let's, I mean, if we want to do signs, fine.

2094
02:57:54,910 --> 02:57:59,310
Let's do signs, but let's do it in the context of a policy.

2095
02:58:00,330 --> 02:58:02,690
And we can ask the diversity board and

2096
02:58:02,690 --> 02:58:06,630
we can charge the diversity board with leading the effort on that policy.

2097
02:58:07,830 --> 02:58:14,710
And if through that process, they come up with a, you know, they decide they want to go down that road.

2098
02:58:15,170 --> 02:58:21,870
I think it gives us a little more context to keep things in perspective and to make a decision going forward.

2099
02:58:23,090 --> 02:58:29,410
But I agree with what Commissioner Diaz is saying is I think we also need to listen to the African American community on this one.

2100
02:58:30,750 --> 02:58:39,010
If they're telling us signs are not the answer, even though the message, I mean, I will

2101
02:58:39,010 --> 02:58:40,670
be clear, they were very clear.

2102
02:58:40,750 --> 02:58:46,690
They stand behind the Black Lives Matter message in the movement, but they're just saying

2103
02:58:46,690 --> 02:58:54,790
the tactics are not exactly what's helping achieve that goal and that goal and I'm paraphrasing.

2104
02:58:55,390 --> 02:58:57,010
Isn't it upon us to listen to them?

2105
02:58:57,650 --> 02:59:00,310
Is it about time we start listening to them?

2106
02:59:02,870 --> 02:59:03,750
Yes, let's call.

2107
02:59:04,310 --> 02:59:05,110
There's the open in the room.

2108
02:59:05,190 --> 02:59:06,350
I mean, should we be listening to them?

2109
02:59:07,350 --> 02:59:08,230
Or I mean.

2110
02:59:09,470 --> 02:59:10,550
What am I missing here?

2111
02:59:10,710 --> 02:59:11,650
So I don't know.

2112
02:59:13,250 --> 02:59:14,190
Alternate advice mayor.

2113
02:59:14,230 --> 02:59:16,650
I think I'm going to turn over to you because I think we have two that are.

2114
02:59:17,150 --> 02:59:19,230
Want to keep them to that are looking to.

2115
02:59:19,910 --> 02:59:21,230
Focus on the diversity board.

2116
02:59:21,830 --> 02:59:24,990
And you know, look at a policy in the context of the diversity board.

2117
02:59:26,590 --> 02:59:35,610
so well I was free. I think that what Carlos just was saying and you

2118
02:59:37,720 --> 02:59:38,320
know what let me

2119
02:59:38,320 --> 02:59:43,840
connect with you in one second what's that you was ponds his hand up again so why don't

2120
02:59:43,840 --> 02:59:48,540
we let him we're gonna let viewers weigh in because I just saw his hand.

2121
02:59:51,630 --> 02:59:52,630
Lewis are you there?

2122
02:59:53,450 --> 02:59:59,530
Yes, I'm here. Can you guys hear me here yet? Thank you. You're still listening in here

2123
03:00:00,000 --> 03:00:29,100
Yeah, just want to make one thing clear. Yeah, I did send, I do, or I do stand by the sign that I did request it. Okay, get that, that, that part straight. But for the most part, this has been overwhelming. Not moving with the traction that I want. What I do like now is that my cedar, my city leaders are listening. My city leaders are listening to me and Carmen's pride, which is the greatest thing.

2124
03:00:29,100 --> 03:00:37,060
what I do hate is that I shouldn't say that I hate. I hate the arguments of that you guys

2125
03:00:38,600 --> 03:00:46,280
think we're taking a step back. Definitely not a step back. What I do hate is that just

2126
03:00:46,660 --> 03:00:55,920
due to appease the mob and move forward with progress, we're conceding to and we're open

2127
03:00:55,920 --> 03:00:58,780
and I shouldn't say conceiting, we're open to change.

2128
03:00:59,140 --> 03:01:02,800
That's the only thing, but yeah, I do stand behind my side,

2129
03:01:03,080 --> 03:01:05,480
but the main thing is I am open to change

2130
03:01:05,480 --> 03:01:07,980
and the main thing is you guys are listening.

2131
03:01:08,740 --> 03:01:10,760
And let's take this the same energy

2132
03:01:10,760 --> 03:01:14,680
and put it towards action in Unite City.

2133
03:01:15,240 --> 03:01:17,620
And that's what I wanted to reiterate

2134
03:01:18,220 --> 03:01:21,260
as I've been listening to these last couple of hours.

2135
03:01:23,040 --> 03:01:24,860
The way this meeting's been broadcasted.

2136
03:01:24,860 --> 03:01:26,300
So, thank you.

2137
03:01:28,410 --> 03:01:28,710
Thank you.

2138
03:01:30,210 --> 03:01:33,910
Well, what I was going to say is, you know,

2139
03:01:33,970 --> 03:01:37,310
the point is you've got five white commissioners

2140
03:01:38,110 --> 03:01:41,190
telling what the right direction forward is.

2141
03:01:42,410 --> 03:01:44,370
And, you know, even though,

2142
03:01:44,870 --> 03:01:49,450
and everyone's heavy of heart of what's been done in the past

2143
03:01:49,450 --> 03:01:52,790
and trying to figure what's the right answer to go forward.

2144
03:01:52,790 --> 03:02:07,370
And there is something to be said for asking the people that potentially could be most impacted by the decision, what they think, and the best approach.

2145
03:02:07,930 --> 03:02:17,380
And obviously you feel you don't want to step backwards because it's not the right thing, but we have the diversity committee.

2146
03:02:17,380 --> 03:02:28,540
We have, I like that the idea of the resolution, something that promotes equality through and we need a way to advance the equality.

2147
03:02:29,620 --> 03:02:40,100
And if they're hope for that, maybe the discussion needs to go to the diversity committee and they come out with some kind of a crafted sign.

2148
03:02:41,780 --> 03:02:47,000
I feel bad for what Carmen was saying if there's some issue that something comes up and

2149
03:02:47,000 --> 03:02:50,780
that's against the black community and then they're coming and arguing and they can't

2150
03:02:50,780 --> 03:02:57,060
do it because of a precedent that we set, and that doesn't help, that that just makes

2151
03:02:57,060 --> 03:02:57,540
it worse.

2152
03:03:01,140 --> 03:03:01,680
Well, you know what?

2153
03:03:02,420 --> 03:03:06,680
Speaking of Carmen Lundy, she has her hand up against her, what, see what she has to say.

2154
03:03:09,540 --> 03:03:09,880
Carmen?

2155
03:03:09,880 --> 03:03:18,460
I just make it short and brief and I understand where all this is about and if we look over the

2156
03:03:18,460 --> 03:03:26,460
time of history it is a point of picking a battle and I guess we and some people may say as a black

2157
03:03:26,460 --> 03:03:34,700
you know generation in time we've rolled over and just accepted things but even Martin Luther King his

2158
03:03:34,700 --> 03:03:42,620
whole concept was to pursue peace. And I do believe peace wins. It's not all about choosing a battle

2159
03:03:43,260 --> 03:03:51,740
of power as much as sometimes giving in is a point of overcoming just to get to the next point.

2160
03:03:52,120 --> 03:03:58,740
And if we stay on this battlefield back and forth, which I felt were open up of the doors, which Andy

2161
03:03:58,740 --> 03:04:06,340
and Ms. Nikki both, you know, addressed, my thing is being proactive. Not down the road,

2162
03:04:06,860 --> 03:04:12,580
we're going to be visiting something of this nature all over again. And that was my whole biggest

2163
03:04:12,580 --> 03:04:20,220
given to, you know, if it takes, let's squash this right now, you know, so that we don't encounter

2164
03:04:20,220 --> 03:04:28,460
these unnecessary battles coming forth that may hinder us at another point. This, I can squash now for

2165
03:04:28,460 --> 03:04:34,400
a bigger cause. And that's what I mean by taking a high road. Not that I don't, I'm grateful

2166
03:04:34,400 --> 03:04:41,480
to all those, you know, folks that came in and standing for the cause, standing for

2167
03:04:41,480 --> 03:04:47,420
the purpose, I get that. But if that is going to be a part that become a hindrance,

2168
03:04:47,880 --> 03:04:52,940
from us going to the point of unity. And that's what needs to be established from going to the point

2169
03:04:52,940 --> 03:04:58,540
of getting this advisory board, diversity board, making those decisions that's really

2170
03:04:58,540 --> 03:05:01,960
going to be about the change, I just want to get there.

2171
03:05:02,880 --> 03:05:08,640
And if saying, hey, take the high roll on this, y'all, we get it, okay, it's a sign, but

2172
03:05:08,640 --> 03:05:10,940
that's not where our battle ends.

2173
03:05:11,360 --> 03:05:16,420
We have a greater cause, and sometimes you have to give up something for the greater cause.

2174
03:05:17,180 --> 03:05:21,600
And I would just like to see this as Martin Luther King, if he was here himself is, let's

2175
03:05:21,600 --> 03:05:25,220
just pursue peace, because peace is what's going to make us

2176
03:05:25,220 --> 03:05:29,680
win this, because as long as we stay divided, we cannot win.

2177
03:05:31,060 --> 03:05:31,760
Thank you.

2178
03:05:34,960 --> 03:05:38,300
All right, Vice Mayor, keep interrupting you, but we had

2179
03:05:38,960 --> 03:05:41,760
important people to hear from. So I'll flip it back to you again.

2180
03:05:46,980 --> 03:05:51,460
I think the show of signs are important. I also think the

2181
03:05:51,460 --> 03:05:56,360
support of those who the signs are supposed to support is

2182
03:05:56,360 --> 03:06:00,220
important. It's a funny edge to be sitting on.

2183
03:06:02,340 --> 03:06:08,080
I think I think I would like to go with the idea

2184
03:06:08,080 --> 03:06:15,560
that if the community supports it, I'll support it, and if not, I think it's best. What she said

2185
03:06:15,560 --> 03:06:17,200
was just it's

2186
03:06:19,470 --> 03:06:27,790
an excellent position of compromise, a very difficult one from her perspective.

2187
03:06:31,490 --> 03:06:31,650
It's

2188
03:06:31,650 --> 03:06:35,750
to understand that she's looking for the next

2189
03:06:35,750 --> 03:06:36,870
and the bigger win.

2190
03:06:37,970 --> 03:06:40,110
And all I can say is if we pull those signs,

2191
03:06:40,550 --> 03:06:41,950
we've been a damn sure get those

2192
03:06:41,950 --> 03:06:45,390
that committee set up quick and move in that direction.

2193
03:06:46,030 --> 03:06:48,450
So we can at least begin those discussions

2194
03:06:48,450 --> 03:06:52,310
because otherwise the battle would be for nothing.

2195
03:06:55,820 --> 03:06:58,580
Do I like to see the committee set up?

2196
03:07:00,040 --> 03:07:03,780
I mean, we already passed it, but I mean, to get people

2197
03:07:03,780 --> 03:07:07,320
will lined up and get that moving along in the discussion on this.

2198
03:07:08,040 --> 03:07:13,520
And in that case, I think I agree with what Carlos was saying.

2199
03:07:13,680 --> 03:07:21,060
And I think what's the mayor was saying that we listen to the black community on this one.

2200
03:07:21,080 --> 03:07:26,160
Or at least the representatives that have expressed an opinion on it and go with what they think.

2201
03:07:28,230 --> 03:07:30,870
Okay, so I'm going to make a motion.

2202
03:07:30,870 --> 03:07:35,150
And I think we kind of figured out where everyone stands on this one.

2203
03:07:35,250 --> 03:07:41,970
I'm going to make a motion that we replace the signs that are at on city property right

2204
03:07:41,970 --> 03:07:49,550
now with signs that say safety harbor stands united.

2205
03:07:51,310 --> 03:08:00,130
If possible, I would like to see if we can use the graphic that was on the event that we

2206
03:08:00,130 --> 03:08:06,010
on the program that Louis Ponce put together with the different colored hands

2207
03:08:06,010 --> 03:08:09,510
class together making a heart assuming there's no patent infringement on that.

2208
03:08:10,690 --> 03:08:18,130
If we're not allowed to use that image, I would just say for the timing we just

2209
03:08:18,130 --> 03:08:21,110
put a sign up that says safety harbor stands united.

2210
03:08:23,930 --> 03:08:26,870
I would also I would

2211
03:08:26,870 --> 03:08:32,650
It also suggests that we do not replace the sign until the unity sign is ready.

2212
03:08:33,110 --> 03:08:35,330
I don't want it's signed to come down with nothing there.

2213
03:08:35,430 --> 03:08:38,710
I'd like it to be, you know, a replacement.

2214
03:08:39,570 --> 03:08:48,330
I'd also include this notion that we direct the city manager to draft a resolution that

2215
03:08:48,330 --> 03:08:55,050
is similar to that of the one that Deneet and did that talked about, you know, condemning

2216
03:08:55,050 --> 03:09:03,990
racism and all of its forms in safety harbor and then we focus our attention on the diversity

2217
03:09:03,990 --> 03:09:08,010
board and we see we open up to them if they want to move forward with a policy to allow

2218
03:09:08,630 --> 03:09:17,590
signs of different segmented groups within city on city property so that's my motion.

2219
03:09:17,990 --> 03:09:22,910
What about including the words just as for all or something like that on that sign?

2220
03:09:22,910 --> 03:09:23,610
Are

2221
03:09:26,840 --> 03:09:34,820
we doing another sign without looking at it or talking it over or putting it on an agenda and inviting people to comment on it?

2222
03:09:37,450 --> 03:09:37,810
Question.

2223
03:09:41,090 --> 03:09:44,270
Well, go ahead. I think I don't know who the question was for.

2224
03:09:45,590 --> 03:09:48,430
Technically, we don't have a second to discuss the motion.

2225
03:09:49,670 --> 03:09:53,110
So someone wants to second it for purposes of discussion.

2226
03:10:01,030 --> 03:10:01,790
Motion fails.

2227
03:10:05,240 --> 03:10:17,600
Commissioner Diaz. So there's, I mean, I think the mayor's to make a motion is still. I mean, we've had now to three, three and a half hours of public comment on this item.

2228
03:10:17,900 --> 03:10:31,700
It's been noticed as a special meeting in more than more than the amount of time called for by the charter more than the amount of time recommended for a sunshine law for the sunshine law purposes.

2229
03:10:31,700 --> 03:10:41,400
So I wouldn't have an issue with the commission developing or moving forward with an alternative

2230
03:10:41,400 --> 03:10:46,940
message if that's what it would like to display in the meantime.

2231
03:10:47,400 --> 03:10:52,380
One thing I wanted to mention about Ms. Lundy's comment because I think it was another good

2232
03:10:52,380 --> 03:10:57,700
one and kind of spoke about something commissioner Zadra brought up and something the mayor brought

2233
03:10:57,700 --> 03:11:05,400
which was about if the commission received, for example, an additional request tomorrow from the

2234
03:11:05,400 --> 03:11:11,640
Ku Klux Klan to put a sign up, that would be something that she and others in the city would

2235
03:11:11,640 --> 03:11:21,640
want taken down. And without the policy developed, it would be a much more difficult action to defend,

2236
03:11:21,640 --> 03:11:27,600
to deny others the right to make other similar requests so that the concept of developing the

2237
03:11:27,600 --> 03:11:34,600
sign yourself is a good approach and as well then developing the policy so that you'll have that

2238
03:11:35,240 --> 03:11:44,240
support to keep your city initiatives city led. You'll have the resource of your newly created

2239
03:11:44,240 --> 03:11:50,760
and hopefully energetic and energized diversity advisory board. So you'll have the ability to

2240
03:11:50,760 --> 03:12:04,860
keep those as city as as official city initiatives and not you know some of the the back of Fort and Fort that we've now gone through in the six or so hours of public comment on this item.

2241
03:12:05,040 --> 03:12:11,200
So I just wanted to point out those comments to the commissioners is I think that might be helpful.

2242
03:12:11,200 --> 03:12:14,740
and the mayor, I'm sorry to take over for a minute.

2243
03:12:15,260 --> 03:12:20,040
You're welcome to make another motion or the commission

2244
03:12:20,040 --> 03:12:22,260
really just needs consensus here,

2245
03:12:22,280 --> 03:12:24,200
although you can only do, you know, consensus

2246
03:12:24,200 --> 03:12:25,320
if it's unanimous.

2247
03:12:25,520 --> 03:12:26,340
So in

2248
03:12:29,740 --> 03:12:31,300
your statement,

2249
03:12:31,540 --> 03:12:34,980
Ms. Day, who would make the sign?

2250
03:12:37,380 --> 03:12:39,700
I mean, it started with the mayor

2251
03:12:39,700 --> 03:12:41,720
throwing a couple of ideas out.

2252
03:12:41,780 --> 03:12:43,160
And of course, Carlos then asked,

2253
03:12:43,400 --> 03:12:44,740
are we making the sign here?

2254
03:12:44,740 --> 03:12:57,800
I mean, if we go through that process, I mean, is it the committee or, you know, the committee hasn't been set up yet, and that could be, you know, a few weeks a month before that would get done.

2255
03:12:59,020 --> 03:13:13,100
Who would be the group? Would we be doing it here on the commission in an open meeting like this kind of a thing, or would we be able to have staff put some ideas together and then come back and review it?

2256
03:13:15,940 --> 03:13:30,720
I don't want to speak for the capabilities of Mr. Spor's staff, but I imagine if the city had an in-house person that could take the commission's idea and develop it into a sign that could be one option.

2257
03:13:33,800 --> 03:13:41,060
There's not the requirement that it come to the commission for a vote.

2258
03:13:41,340 --> 03:13:47,820
Again, this is kind of one of the reasons why I really recommend having a policy that we're following.

2259
03:13:48,240 --> 03:13:55,520
So I think that with what the mayor just described,

2260
03:13:55,520 --> 03:14:11,200
I think it was sufficient to say the language that you wanted to see and the visual and the important thing there is, it's been entirely developed by the mayor and the city.

2261
03:14:12,980 --> 03:14:22,140
So that was why I was comfortable if that's the direction the commission wants to move forward in in the interim to place.

2262
03:14:23,440 --> 03:14:31,000
a sign there at your direction at the, um, with the language that the commission wants to see,

2263
03:14:31,840 --> 03:14:40,040
and any visuals that the commission wants to see, but that it moved forward toward a discussion

2264
03:14:40,040 --> 03:14:46,280
on a written policy. That's what I understood the mayor's proposal to be, and I think that's

2265
03:14:46,280 --> 03:14:49,620
consistent with what he discussed at the beginning of the meeting as well.

2266
03:14:50,820 --> 03:14:54,080
I'm going to ask Carmen wanted to chime back in.

2267
03:14:54,700 --> 03:14:55,500
Carmen, are you there?

2268
03:14:56,960 --> 03:14:59,960
I just want to ask Mayor, didn't Louis have an original-

2269
03:15:00,000 --> 03:15:29,460
No sign, he has submitted before this sign. I thought there was two signs in the beginning. Would that other sign be optional or something to consider? Are you talking about the moment the fists in the air? I thought it was a circle like when he used on the unity program he used for the event. It was like all the hands, I wanted to like. It had the hands class they were making a heart and the only the only thing I kind of qualified my emotion.

2270
03:15:29,460 --> 03:15:34,020
for was because when I'm speaking in Matt about it, he just want to make sure that there's no copyright

2271
03:15:35,580 --> 03:15:42,020
issues preventing us from using that image. So, I mean, yeah, I think that's the first choice of

2272
03:15:42,020 --> 03:15:48,420
to make the motion would be use that image if we can if there's no copyright issues. But if there is

2273
03:15:48,420 --> 03:15:52,720
a copyright issue, then I would, I mean, I don't want to sit here all night with the five of us designing

2274
03:15:52,720 --> 03:15:58,060
a sign, but I would just ask city staff to take the spirit of this conversation,

2275
03:15:58,060 --> 03:16:01,060
and take the words that we're telling them

2276
03:16:01,060 --> 03:16:03,720
and just come up with something.

2277
03:16:04,060 --> 03:16:08,280
And if the image can't be came up with when the next,

2278
03:16:09,300 --> 03:16:10,700
you know, isn't ready by tomorrow,

2279
03:16:10,820 --> 03:16:12,300
then we just put up a temporary sign

2280
03:16:12,300 --> 03:16:16,000
and so we come up with a couple of images

2281
03:16:16,000 --> 03:16:17,260
to vote on on our next meeting.

2282
03:16:17,880 --> 03:16:20,320
And then we could vote on an image in our next meeting.

2283
03:16:20,420 --> 03:16:21,800
So that's kind of where my head is on that.

2284
03:16:42,540 --> 03:16:43,320
Are you still there?

2285
03:16:46,220 --> 03:16:47,480
Let me see the hand up any more.

2286
03:16:48,800 --> 03:16:49,180
All right.

2287
03:16:49,180 --> 03:16:50,300
So could

2288
03:16:59,870 --> 03:17:03,450
I make a request mayor?

2289
03:17:03,910 --> 03:17:04,070
Yeah.

2290
03:17:05,250 --> 03:17:17,050
Would you please separate the idea of the resolution similar to Dunedin's from the sign issue. Could that be two separate consensus or votes please?

2291
03:17:17,470 --> 03:17:18,150
Absolutely.

2292
03:17:18,770 --> 03:17:20,450
Thank you.

2293
03:17:22,510 --> 03:17:29,430
Let me toss an easy one out, I'll make a motion to have the city manager draft a resolution

2294
03:17:30,410 --> 03:17:34,890
condemning racism in all of its forms to be monitored off the one done in Dunedin.

2295
03:17:36,590 --> 03:17:37,070
Second.

2296
03:17:38,250 --> 03:17:40,490
Okay, all those in favor say I in raise your hand.

2297
03:17:41,090 --> 03:17:41,270
I.

2298
03:17:41,590 --> 03:17:42,030
I.

2299
03:17:42,590 --> 03:17:43,950
All those opposed say nay.

2300
03:17:44,890 --> 03:17:46,310
Motion passes five zero.

2301
03:17:47,830 --> 03:17:52,450
back to the sign issue. I feel like we have three of us on the same page. I'm not sure what's.

2302
03:17:54,030 --> 03:17:58,750
If I need to reward the motion or if I need is anybody need more clarity that I'm leaving out.

2303
03:18:00,170 --> 03:18:01,710
Yeah, could you restate it?

2304
03:18:02,330 --> 03:18:12,790
Yeah, so it'd be a motion to replace segmented signs that are on city property right now with a non-segmented sign.

2305
03:18:12,790 --> 03:18:29,910
reading safety harbor stands united and using the image that Louis Ponds used on his program for the unity rally in June of the hands with different colors of shaded skin, clasped in the heart.

2306
03:18:31,590 --> 03:18:36,810
And if that image is for whatever reason copyrighted and we can't use it to just.

2307
03:18:36,810 --> 03:18:53,650
Just come up with a blank sign with those words safety harbor stands united and asked staff to then come up with some ideas of images that we can use that we can vote on as a commission at the next city commission meeting.

2308
03:19:06,930 --> 03:19:08,750
Well, seconded.

2309
03:19:10,120 --> 03:19:10,400
Okay.

2310
03:19:11,180 --> 03:19:13,600
Thank you.

2311
03:19:14,280 --> 03:19:15,860
Ms. Simmons, you haven't spoken.

2312
03:19:16,280 --> 03:19:19,240
Can we discuss this before we have the vote?

2313
03:19:19,940 --> 03:19:20,020
Sure.

2314
03:19:21,760 --> 03:19:24,000
All right. My only thoughts are,

2315
03:19:24,860 --> 03:19:28,060
Lewis, he had mentioned that he still supported the sign.

2316
03:19:29,360 --> 03:19:32,060
And I'll go on record saying that I would,

2317
03:19:32,240 --> 03:19:34,900
I would change the signs.

2318
03:19:35,060 --> 03:19:36,700
I would support changing the signs.

2319
03:19:36,700 --> 03:19:41,380
if I heard that there was a significant number of the African-American community that

2320
03:19:41,380 --> 03:19:45,500
affirmatively did not want that current sign that we have up right now.

2321
03:19:46,180 --> 03:19:52,180
I'm okay changing it if people came in and said they specifically don't want that sign.

2322
03:19:52,840 --> 03:19:58,680
But I haven't heard that and my fear is, my fear is we're going to get day-loosed with a bunch

2323
03:19:58,680 --> 03:20:04,000
of emails again and this is going to come back again and the city will look silly.

2324
03:20:04,000 --> 03:20:09,900
we're going to have these decisions going back and forth, so I'm just putting everybody on notice

2325
03:20:09,900 --> 03:20:16,080
that I think there's going to be a bunch more emails and, you know, we can ignore them and move on

2326
03:20:16,080 --> 03:20:22,800
with our lives, but I just wanted to throw that out there because I didn't hear anybody in the African

2327
03:20:22,800 --> 03:20:29,260
American communities say they affirmatively object to that sign, I'm going to say I'm going to

2328
03:20:29,260 --> 03:20:30,300
position. That's all.

2329
03:20:32,040 --> 03:20:39,520
And Mayor, I'd like to jump on that. I too am really torn. Mr. Ponds sounds conflicted.

2330
03:20:39,660 --> 03:20:45,500
It sounds like he stands by his sign, but he wants to unitate. And I would be appreciative

2331
03:20:45,500 --> 03:20:54,760
too of hearing from a lot more of our community, of our African American black community. Thank

2332
03:20:54,760 --> 03:20:57,500
you. I'm going to stand by my decision until I do so.

2333
03:21:00,260 --> 03:21:03,600
Again, anyone else before I ask Ms. Seymour to call the roll?

2334
03:21:06,480 --> 03:21:14,300
Yeah, I don't mean, listen, if Mr. Ponds and Ms. Long Day, if they supported it, I would support it also.

2335
03:21:15,140 --> 03:21:15,980
I'm going to say it one more time.

2336
03:21:16,520 --> 03:21:28,780
And I hope the reason why they're not going to support it is because they think that there's a lot bigger fish to fry than this.

2337
03:21:28,780 --> 03:21:43,360
which I agree, it's two little signs. It's not a big deal, you know. But, you know, KKK is not going to come in, you know, and, you know, I can tell you that much. I mean, that's, that's not going to happen here.

2338
03:21:43,360 --> 03:21:50,840
you know that I mean there's no way the residents of safety harbor would

2339
03:21:50,840 --> 03:21:58,660
support the KKK or or you know fascist type groups or anything like that.

2340
03:22:01,540 --> 03:22:01,800
I

2341
03:22:01,800 --> 03:22:02,520
just want to say that.

2342
03:22:06,000 --> 03:22:10,360
Okay, so let's Ms. Simmons, do you call the role? We have

2343
03:22:10,360 --> 03:22:11,380
a motion we have a second.

2344
03:22:17,110 --> 03:22:20,610
I'm muted everyone, so let me get her on muted. Oh Karen

2345
03:22:20,610 --> 03:22:24,410
you're unmuted now. Thank you. Mayor A. U.

2346
03:22:24,910 --> 03:22:31,040
Vice Mayor Murrers. Commissioner Zadro.

2347
03:22:36,780 --> 03:22:37,520
Commissioner Vassore.

2348
03:22:38,640 --> 03:22:39,240
May.

2349
03:22:41,970 --> 03:22:42,790
Commissioner D. S.

2350
03:22:43,410 --> 03:22:51,750
Hi. Okay. Motion passes three to two. I just want to say thank you everybody for

2351
03:22:51,750 --> 03:22:57,070
participating again. It was good to have the discussion. I think everybody's heart is in the right

2352
03:22:57,070 --> 03:23:02,950
place and as long as we stay focused on the goal I am confident we're going to move these

2353
03:23:02,950 --> 03:23:08,310
issues forward and I just want to thank especially thank Carmen Lundy and Louis Ponds for everything

2354
03:23:08,310 --> 03:23:13,750
that they've done for sick and they're next out for being knee deep in in this discussion

2355
03:23:13,750 --> 03:23:17,190
so thank you to all of you thank you to everyone on the commission and the residents for joining

2356
03:23:17,190 --> 03:23:23,110
this. Let's take a it's him in a break Matt and then we will do our budget workshop.