[0:13] >> a rule.

[0:14] >> Welcome to the city of St.

[0:16] Petersburg City Council meeting

[0:19] and your elected officials our

[0:22] mayor Ken Welch district one

[0:25] hopefully Curtis. District 2

[0:29] Wendy gabbard district 3 Mike

[0:30] Harding district 4

[0:33] and Council chair Lisette can

[0:36] away. District 5. Deborah big

[0:40] Sanders. Gina Driscoll.

[0:45] Were you given Stu year.

[0:48] And and Council vice chair

[0:51] reaching Floyd.

[0:58] >> City Council meeting clerk

[1:01] if we can have a roll call

[1:02] please Lloyd for this year

[1:04] gabbard air partying here and

[1:08] what's your fix and this school

[1:11] year a given year.

[1:16] >> Our invocation given by 7

[1:16] days and Ari of the high.

[1:17] Faith St. Petersburg center if

[1:18] you can stand and then please

[1:21] remain standing for the pledge

[1:24] of allegiance good afternoon.

[1:30] >> Dow kind Lord. These are

[1:34] guys servants who have

[1:34] gathered in this meeting have

[1:35] turned on to thy Kingdom and

[1:37] are in need of Davis still will

[1:41] on blessing.

[1:44] Dow gone manifest

[1:45] and make evident this signs of

[1:46] day one MS. Beach have been

[1:49] deposited in all the realities

[1:52] of life.

[1:54] Reveal a non for hold the

[1:55] virtues of each town has made

[1:59] late and I'm concealed indy's

[2:02] human realities.

[2:07] The are as plants and I

[2:08] I bow and he is as the rain.

[2:11] Reef ration on cars these

[2:13] plants to grow 3 still.

[2:14] We are the ice or Vince free

[2:18] ice from the fitters of

[2:21] material existence.

[2:25] The are ignorant make us twice.

[2:27] We are did make has a long

[2:30] life. We are in material and

[2:33] Dow lost its spirit.

[2:36] We are

[2:36] deprived MAY cause the in 2

[2:38] minutes of fame histories.

[2:39] We are in needy in the rich and

[2:42] bless us from die boundless

[2:45] Treasury.

[2:48] Resuscitate on us

[2:49] give us site

[2:52] give us hearing. Family your

[2:54] eyes on us with the mysteries

[2:56] of life. So that the secrets of

[2:58] taking down MAY become reveal

[3:02] to oss in this world of

[3:05] existence. And confess

[3:05] thy oneness

[3:08] everybody's still in an eights

[3:11] from the every benediction is

[3:15] dying. Dow It.

[3:15] Now are powerful. Now are the

[3:21] giver and out or to ever bounty

[3:34] the United States on the air.

[3:37] It hits them. One nation.

[3:43] I.

[3:44] >> Indivisible with liberty and

[3:44] justice for all.

[3:45] And they'll be seeded thank you

[3:47] so much for that view full

[3:48] implications.

[3:49] Council members we have and the

[3:50] agenda before us with the

[3:52] addition of I want to continue

[3:54] discussion of ballot order for

[3:54] municipal referendum. And with

[3:57] that additional and the emotion

[3:59] for them approval.

[3:59] Second have a motion a second

[4:00] clerk if you can open the

[4:00] machine for voting council

[4:03] members please enter your

[4:06] votes.

[4:10] In present council members,

[4:12] including Clark please tell

[4:12] announce the vote.

[4:13] MADAM Chair, the motion to

[4:13] approve the agenda passes

[4:14] unanimously.

[4:14] Thank you we have a consent

[4:16] agenda before us, but we have

[4:19] any cards we do not matter.

[4:22] Ok and council member driskell.

[4:23] >> Thank you I didn't want to

[4:26] pull this I just wanted to make

[4:29] a

[4:31] a couple of comments on.

[4:32] Items cb 7, 8, Both of these

[4:33] items are regarding ad

[4:34] accession of 2 pieces of

[4:37] artwork from the cities, public

[4:41] art collection. And.

[4:46] It was interesting to to read

[4:49] through this. And to get a

[4:52] refresher on on the cities.

[4:56] Procedure regarding the

[4:59] accession of of art.

[5:06] But I don't have any objections

[5:10] to what we're doing with these

[5:13] but if you look at

[5:15] what if you look

[5:16] at the process. And you know it

[5:19] starts with the public arts

[5:22] Commission or staff and

[5:22] you know just discussing in

[5:25] public arts Commission meeting

[5:27] the potential to start that

[5:29] process for Dick session which

[5:32] includes and evaluation of

[5:33] course

[5:36] and in looking at the criteria

[5:39] for de accession evaluation.

[5:41] Some of the items include the

[5:44] condition or security of the

[5:45] artwork. It cannot be

[5:47] reasonably guarantee the

[5:51] artwork has been damaged or has

[5:52] deteriorated and

[5:53] repair is impractical or

[5:55] infeasible the artwork has made

[5:56] a difference and designer

[5:57] workmanship and he's outside

[6:00] the warranty period. Endangers

[6:03] public safety. The list goes on

[6:05] and I can't help you

[6:08] I couldn't help but think about

[6:11] and Janet at Bowman's bending

[6:13] arc sculpture and the

[6:15] challenges that we have with

[6:18] coming to a solution with the

[6:19] various parties too. You know

[6:20] move forward with the repair

[6:23] and reinstallation of that

[6:26] sculpture.

[6:29] I certainly hope

[6:31] the things don't

[6:33] go down Hill to the point where

[6:36] something like the accession

[6:37] has to be considered for that

[6:39] project and I want to encourage

[6:43] all of the the parties involved

[6:45] to work harder

[6:48] towards a solution sooner.

[6:49] The last update

[6:49] I got was not a great

[6:52] situation. And and I know that

[6:55] this is something the jinan

[6:56] Ackerman was proud of

[6:57] I noticed something that the

[6:58] city was proud of I know that

[6:59] many residents want to see you

[7:03] back in place and I hope that

[7:05] and there will be some

[7:06] inspiration to guide those

[7:06] conversations forward in a

[7:09] positive way. Thank you MADAM

[7:11] Chair.

[7:13] Thank you.

[7:14] And before we go into the

[7:14] consent agenda. Councilmembers

[7:17] right I'm cb 16 there's a

[7:20] scrivener's error one of the

[7:21] commissioners names and will

[7:22] be corrected by legal

[7:23] corresponding resolution so

[7:24] they want to make sure that you

[7:24] all were where that's where

[7:27] there's air before the motion.

[7:32] And the motion a second on the

[7:35] consent agenda clerk of the

[7:36] open meeting

[7:37] for boating council members

[7:37] please enter your votes.

[7:40] I mean that all present council

[7:41] members

[7:41] appealed a court please tell me

[7:44] >> MADAM Chair, the motion to

[7:47] approve the consent

[7:50] agenda passes unanimously.

[7:51] Thank you. Next up the move to

[7:51] open forum for there any

[7:52] speakers form the movie the

[7:54] form it get your speakers can

[7:54] you

[7:55] read the rules, thank you.

[7:56] If you wish to address City

[7:58] Council and subjects other than

[8:01] public hearing because I did

[8:01] issue items listen the agenda

[8:03] please sign up with the clerk.

[8:04] Only the individual wishing to

[8:07] speak. We signed the open sheet

[8:09] only city residents, owners of

[8:12] property business owners in the

[8:15] city or their employees MAY

[8:16] speak. All issues discussed

[8:19] under open form must be limited

[8:19] to issues related to

[8:20] the city as the peace River

[8:23] government. If you're speaking

[8:24] to an item on the

[8:24] agenda you MAY only speak once

[8:27] during the open form when the

[8:28] item

[8:29] comes up on the agenda.

[8:32] Applause is not permitted

[8:33] except in connection

[8:34] with awards and presentations

[8:36] in order to provide an

[8:37] opportunity for all citizens to

[8:39] address Council each individual

[8:41] be given 3 minutes to speak and

[8:42] after which the microphone

[8:43] would be needed. If you wish to

[8:46] address City Council through

[8:47] the zoom meeting.

[8:50] You MISS You see raise hand

[8:53] feature button app interest are

[8:54] 9 on your phone at the

[8:55] time the agenda item is

[8:58] addressed. When it is your turn

[8:58] to speak you will

[8:59] be unmuted and asked to state

[9:00] your name and address at the

[9:01] conclusion of your comments

[9:04] when you have reached a 3

[9:07] minute time limit you will be

[9:07] needed. Andres hands will

[9:10] be lowered after each agenda

[9:11] item regardless of the method

[9:14] participation use normal rules

[9:15] apply, including the 3 minute

[9:16] time limit on comments. The

[9:19] requirement that any

[9:20] presentation materials

[9:21] must be submitted in advance at

[9:24] the meeting in the rules of

[9:25] decorum to fly public comment

[9:26] is disrupted. My violation of

[9:28] the rules of decorum that

[9:30] shares authorized to accept

[9:32] public comments. I'll turn it

[9:33] loose a clean by email only and

[9:34] MADAM Chair we do have some

[9:37] speakers and the teaching and

[9:40] speaker.

[9:48] >> When I call your name please

[9:50] go to an open podium state your

[9:53] name across Street for the

[9:55] record you'll have

[9:55] 3 minutes to address City

[9:58] Council. Goliath Davis and

[10:02] Deborah deacon and Carl gone.

[10:10] >> Why Davis

[10:11] 1800 63th terrace South.

[10:13] I come today. 2 requests

[10:16] recognition for one Henry l

[10:19] ashwood on JUNE 29th 2

[10:22] 2026. The city

[10:25] held a piney a ceremony for

[10:26] this like firefight

[10:27] is integrated St. Petersburg

[10:28] Fire Department. They were

[10:31] recruited by this ash wood and

[10:35] they have been the the legacy 6

[10:36] families occupy a

[10:37] special place in St. Petersburg

[10:38] history. The city is to be

[10:41] commended for this special

[10:43] recognition. I have a history

[10:47] and the store is not complete.

[10:47] It is recommended that a photo

[10:50] missing him to help and cash

[10:52] would be displayed in proximity

[10:55] to the commemorative plate

[10:58] honing in on a Lego the 6 a

[10:59] pioneers MISTER Ashwood

[11:02] served as a firefight in the

[11:02] United States Air Force retired

[11:06] as a sergeant. He joined the

[11:09] city of Saint Pete

[11:09] is as a person in a corn ada

[11:11] and he led the drive to

[11:13] integrate the Fire Department

[11:13] he recruited mentor and fought

[11:15] the forces that tried to

[11:18] separate the 5 recruits

[11:19] unemployment.

[11:21] He was this support system and

[11:22] integral part of the movement

[11:25] to transform Saint Pete fire

[11:27] and rescue Photo and his.

[11:28] A brief description of his

[11:31] contribution is requested to be

[11:34] home in proximity to theirs.

[11:35] This request was originally

[11:36] submitted on JULY 12. Mares up

[11:39] office responded indicating

[11:42] that the chief.

[11:44] For I would reply. And on JULY

[11:47] 17. The request was denied by

[11:50] chief Watts I got no

[11:53] a response from Council, even

[11:54] though it was submitted to the

[11:55] mayor Council and the fire

[11:57] chief. I stand today to

[12:00] requests and ask you to support

[12:04] this recognition. We're not

[12:05] asking for a handout,

[12:06] especially consideration.

[12:09] Rather we asked that the story

[12:11] be completed

[12:14] by hanging. The photo and by

[12:16] the story up on this issue it

[12:17] only would he deserves

[12:20] recognition for integrating the

[12:22] Saint Pete fire rescue. And we

[12:23] ask that his photo be hung in

[12:26] proximity to the recruits that

[12:27] he brought in to do that.

[12:30] Thank you in advance for your

[12:31] consideration. And

[12:34] I come along because we want

[12:35] this

[12:38] to be a requests not have a

[12:40] stereo and I think it's a

[12:41] homeless requests and we expect

[12:45] that at some point you guys

[12:45] will grant that request.

[12:46] As any questions if you have

[12:49] any is this is public comment.

[12:56] My name is Carl gun.

[12:59] This is Debbie shrewdly

[13:01] deacon.

[13:02] And I'll be speaking on.

[13:03] The flock cameras. And de Pere

[13:05] is going to speak for me

[13:08] because I have a why disability

[13:11] and that area.

[13:18] >> 4561 cobia drive Southeast.

[13:19] Saint Pete,

[13:22] the 3 through 75 and minds the

[13:25] same.

[13:29] Liberty freedom and justice are

[13:30] not just

[13:31] words written in our

[13:31] Constitution. They are

[13:33] principles that define what it

[13:36] means to live in a free

[13:37] country.

[13:38] We want our communities to be

[13:40] safe. And we want law

[13:43] enforcement to have the tools

[13:44] necessary to protect us.

[13:45] The question is how much of our

[13:48] freedom are we willing to give

[13:50] up

[13:51] for safety. That question

[13:53] becomes especially important

[13:54] with the growing

[13:57] use of flock cameras in St.

[13:58] Petersburg these cameras have

[14:01] sparked growing concerns about

[14:01] privacy

[14:02] and government surveillance.

[14:05] The 4th Amendment protects

[14:07] Americans from

[14:07] unreasonable search and

[14:08] seizure. One officer seeing

[14:12] your car driving down a public

[14:13] Street is very different

[14:17] from a system that can record

[14:20] millions of vehicle, us that

[14:23] and have them stored. The

[14:24] government cannot necessarily

[14:25] avoid the 4th Amendment because

[14:28] information is collected by a

[14:31] 3rd party. The court

[14:33] has emphasized that detailed

[14:36] long-term records of a person's

[14:37] movements can

[14:40] reveal the private sees of life

[14:43] as was recognized by the

[14:43] Supreme Court in

[14:46] Carpenter versus United States.

[14:46] The 5th Amendment also

[14:49] represents an important

[14:50] principle. Yet it's me the

[14:53] government cannot deprive a

[14:56] person of life. Liberty or

[14:57] property

[15:00] without due process of law.

[15:00] The use of flock cameras raise

[15:02] an important question about do

[15:05] process and accountability who

[15:07] can access this information

[15:10] why are they searching it and

[15:11] how long can it be kept.

[15:14] We were told that they were

[15:17] going to be deleted. After 30

[15:20] days. Now the ceo of flock

[15:23] safety has changed it to 7

[15:25] days. However just a leading

[15:26] these records will not

[15:28] permanently remove them.

[15:30] They have

[15:30] to be incinerated justice

[15:34] requires us to recognize both

[15:37] sites. Campers.

[15:40] Cameras can help solve crimes,

[15:42] however, the Constitution was

[15:44] not written to protect us.

[15:46] Only when the government has

[15:47] good intentions. It was written

[15:51] to protect us from excessive

[15:52] government power.

[15:55] So this isn't necessarily a

[15:59] question of pro police.

[16:05] >> Next 2 speakers or Philip

[16:06] Hoffman DR. Perry, g Washington

[16:06] please go to an open state your

[16:10] name address or cross Street

[16:13] for the record you'll have

[16:15] 3 minutes to address City

[16:16] Council. After that.

[16:17] My name is Phil Hoffman my

[16:17] cross streets are past due to

[16:20] Avenue and First Avenue North.

[16:24] Look I'm a former attorney I

[16:26] work for the da's office in a

[16:29] different just district.

[16:31] The jurisdiction and I still

[16:33] maintain my attorney standing.

[16:36] I just want to read from chart

[16:38] reverses United States.

[16:38] It's pretty clear. It was law

[16:41] enforcement conducts a 4th

[16:42] Amendment search when it uses

[16:43] front warrant to obtain

[16:47] detailed cell phone location

[16:47] history from third-party

[16:48] Tech company here Google

[16:49] location history. Individuals

[16:50] this is actually the opinion of

[16:52] the judge individuals have a

[16:53] reasonable expectation of

[16:55] privacy in touch records.

[16:58] Even if the data covers only a

[16:59] limited time period

[16:59] and is held by a private

[17:02] company. The court emphasized

[17:02] that people have a

[17:03] constitutionally protected

[17:06] privacy interest in records of

[17:09] their movements generated

[17:10] everyday cell phone use now.

[17:11] This is not directly on point

[17:14] with flawed because this is not

[17:16] cell phone use.

[17:16] But certainly it will be

[17:19] applied by the Supreme Court

[17:20] when the case does reach the

[17:20] Supreme Court and it will

[17:23] inevitably in the next year or

[17:24] 2.

[17:28] And you can check with your

[17:30] city attorney. I believe that

[17:34] when this does get found to be

[17:37] a violation of the 4th.

[17:39] All the evidence gathered by

[17:39] this to use for prosecutions

[17:42] well most likely be thrown out.

[17:45] So every case to prosecute

[17:46] utilizing. This technology.

[17:49] That part of the evidence that

[17:53] was utilized proven by the good

[17:54] defense attorney will

[17:57] most likely be able to mitigate

[17:58] all of those prosecutions so

[17:59] I do believe this violate.

[18:03] It's pretty clear in the

[18:05] court's latest ruling.

[18:06] And I do state a little bit

[18:09] about how this was done.

[18:11] This was done back in 2022.

[18:15] By I guess a very simple vote.

[18:18] From you guys a camper, the

[18:20] name of the vote. But

[18:21] it was no discussion, no public

[18:25] input it was most likely I

[18:27] don't have the data and video

[18:28] most like to presented by the

[18:29] sheriff. This is a good idea

[18:31] for the safety of our

[18:34] residents. You guys just passed

[18:37] the

[18:38] $730,000 budget to utilize

[18:39] these after that I guess flock

[18:41] of your free trial for 25 the

[18:43] new increase to 50 passed it on

[18:47] to very simple vote. And I

[18:49] think that.

[18:51] The improper way to have done

[18:54] that kind of budget for my

[18:54] $11,000 in property tax.

[18:57] But I pay every year. You know

[18:57] I think I have a vested

[18:59] interest in where that money

[19:00] goes the should have been some

[19:03] kind of public ability to

[19:06] comment before this was put in

[19:07] place. I do believe these

[19:08] should be removed. And I think

[19:08] there's a lot of legal

[19:11] implications that you guys are

[19:14] going to face if they're not.

[20:22] You fix it you want The next

[20:25] person and unit. Commendation

[20:28] we do. The next person. Yeah

[20:33] and then.

[20:35] Well that comes in is Mary that

[20:39] in. The state Union address

[20:41] last month.

[20:42] We for the record the joy of 3

[20:43] minutes.

[20:43] Good afternoon. My name is Mary

[20:45] Pittston I live on mayor Lake

[20:48] drive. In Saint Pete. I wanted

[20:48] to

[20:51] speak about the flock cameras.

[20:55] I feel this is an enormous

[20:55] violation of privacy.

[20:59] I don't believe that America is

[20:59] a place

[21:00] for this kind of surveillance

[21:01] and I think the amount of money

[21:04] being spent on this is

[21:06] horrendous. I'm

[21:07] I believe we could hire more

[21:09] police officers and that would

[21:12] be a much better use of these

[21:13] funds.

[21:16] That's really all I have to say

[21:19] appreciate your

[21:50] listening thank you.

[21:53] We believe we're ready for the

[21:53] if you're ready.

[21:56] >> My name down to Prairie g

[22:00] wants you to. I'm working right

[22:03] now want to defend.

[22:06] St. Petersburg.

[22:12] Thank you today.

[22:19] To dedicate this award.

[22:31] We outdid building.

[22:35] I don't know why.

[22:44] >> I bid you know my And

[22:45] because you would not. 4

[22:49] election. I don't mean you

[22:52] safe.

[22:58] You gotta go.

[23:01] You've got to go.

[23:07] Jag as

[23:08] last year.

[23:12] When they arrested me and now.

[23:36] I'm doing a heavy is.

[23:58] I bet you look at me not.

[24:22] And we told you he was an

[24:25] instant and Jean.

[24:50] I'm not ready. You got.

[24:54] I'm not guy you got to go out.

[24:57] Thank you. DR. Washington

[25:00] you've got it all. You have got

[25:03] really out.

[25:06] I said right.

[25:27] Taking the negative.

[25:36] >> Next speakers, Amy Pearson.

[25:39] >> And your name and address

[25:40] please.

[25:42] Yes, my name is Amy Parsons

[25:43] I've been a resident

[25:46] of the city for 36 years.

[25:47] i appreciate you

[25:49] having this conversation today,

[25:49] especially one 66 21th Avenue

[25:52] Southeast St. Petersburg

[25:55] Florida.

[25:58] Thank you I'm sorry I didn't I

[26:01] MISS The

[26:02] intro.

[26:03] >> And if I could have a

[26:03] little.

[26:04] A bit of extra time, I'm a bit

[26:07] nervous. After the last

[26:10] presentation.

[26:11] As we can come back to you.

[26:12] You want us to do that instead

[26:13] and go to the next speaker and

[26:16] then we can come back yeah.

[26:17] Thank you.

[26:20] There's one zip Laker will take

[26:24] a zoom speaker. Thank you.

[26:26] >> Hey Jason s I'm going to

[26:29] bring you into the meeting

[26:31] space. Please

[26:32] state your name and address for

[26:32] the record please unmute

[26:33] yourself also when you'll have

[26:37] 3 minutes to address City

[26:40] Council.

[26:41] Jason can you hear us.

[26:42] Can hear you. Good afternoon

[26:46] Jason Scott, 4636 redfish Lane.

[26:47] I just want to thank Council.

[26:51] Today for all your diligent

[26:51] work in having

[26:52] important conversations on the

[26:53] issues. I wanted to highlight

[26:56] something that's going on at

[26:59] the Public Service Commission

[27:02] on the state level. Right now

[27:03] you can and she is pushing a

[27:04] petition on large load.

[27:06] Customers which is the

[27:07] dissenters which would not

[27:10] protect. Residents and

[27:12] customers from paying too

[27:15] build the infrastructure for

[27:19] those data centers.

[27:22] Also want to mention.

[27:23] From the

[27:24] other speakers talking about

[27:27] flock. I do find it concerning

[27:29] that we are paying.

[27:32] What was it $700,000. For these

[27:33] flock cameras.

[27:36] Meanwhile we had a lot of

[27:39] pushback over

[27:41] the study for the feasibility

[27:44] so at the feasibility study for

[27:47] 600 and $30,000. So I'd advise

[27:50] you. 2.

[27:54] But Cameron agreement.

[28:05] >> Meet Parsons. Please go

[28:06] through an open putting up

[28:07] state your name address across

[28:09] Street you'll have 3 minutes to

[28:12] address City Council.

[28:14] >> Thank you my name is Amy

[28:14] Parsons I love that one 66 21th

[28:16] Avenue Southeast in St.

[28:19] Petersburg here great state of

[28:21] Florida.

[28:25] I'd like to address the flock

[28:26] cameras and I appreciate that

[28:28] court ever brought that up

[28:29] thank you. Allowed us to speak

[28:33] about today and went to that to

[28:36] the.

[28:41] Engage with the other At the

[28:42] library

[28:45] I and and all that so what I'd

[28:45] like to remind everyone you

[28:46] probably already know but it's

[28:47] a good reminder that all these

[28:50] things are connected. The flock

[28:53] cameras.

[28:56] For me.

[28:56] Erin here if you can turn off

[28:57] your phones please and put it

[28:57] on silent.

[29:00] The flock cameras are you know

[29:03] data and data centers love that

[29:08] that that flock camera Dan a.

[29:09] It can be used for so much

[29:09] information and and Stuart

[29:10] forever, you know, I mean let's

[29:13] be real this information isn't

[29:14] going to be debated ever.

[29:17] The once they get it they love

[29:19] it and

[29:19] you know big money buys it so.

[29:21] Things changed things have a

[29:22] way of changing later on so

[29:26] we're not voting for what's on

[29:26] the necessarily on the table

[29:27] right now we're voting for what

[29:30] we have to the understand is

[29:31] our future of privacy and

[29:33] there's plenty of cameras all

[29:36] over the city, you know private

[29:37] and commercial cameras are all

[29:40] over. We don't necessarily need

[29:43] more.

[29:45] You know I I recently

[29:48] had my health insurance changed

[29:49] and I asked my health insurance

[29:52] company could they delete all

[29:53] my data because I I

[29:56] really don't think it needs to

[29:56] be with the old Goethe new

[29:59] company and I just like to

[30:00] delete it all. They what

[30:03] that doesn't work that way

[30:06] ma'am it doesn't work that way

[30:07] you know o well so

[30:08] I said I want to talk to

[30:08] somebody else and you know I to

[30:11] I talked to somebody else in

[30:13] and they just said we can't do

[30:16] that so. That's interesting

[30:17] that when you try to actually

[30:17] literally delete the

[30:20] information it just doesn't

[30:23] happen.

[30:29] I'm not for funding a data

[30:31] center within the city or the

[30:32] county. So really the bigger

[30:33] picture. It are these data

[30:36] centers that are going to eat

[30:37] up a ton of energy. So you know

[30:40] the waters another question but

[30:41] the energy itself is

[30:44] fascinating. And if you look at

[30:45] there's

[30:48] plenty of information online to

[30:51] see data centers that are so

[30:51] annoying within any area I mean

[30:52] small or large.

[30:53] They're very loud they're like

[30:56] mom, you know who wants that in

[30:57] their

[30:58] neighborhood all the time I

[30:59] mean give me a break.

[30:59] Who wants the the the

[31:00] disruption from the building of

[31:03] it you know it disrupts the

[31:05] water. We're already have

[31:08] plenty of issues that we need

[31:09] to address if the structure and

[31:10] I very much appreciate that the

[31:12] amount of time and effort that

[31:12] the city is putting into our

[31:15] our water because it's

[31:16] something that you don't

[31:16] necessarily see take for

[31:17] granted. And I very much

[31:19] appreciate the job in doing

[31:22] Thank you MS.

[31:30] >> It no more speakers we close

[31:33] up and form and we go to the

[31:34] next item on our agenda is I

[31:34] won. MADAM Chair, if you could

[31:37] take a report and come back to

[31:40] I one.

[31:50] I chair members of Council.

[31:52] I am here to resume our

[31:55] discussion of the ballot design

[31:56] for the 2026.

[31:58] Municipal general election.

[32:01] On Tue. Afternoon I had a

[32:04] conversation with the

[32:05] supervisor of election and

[32:07] supervisors general counsel and

[32:08] has discussed in the memo that

[32:10] I provided yesterday the

[32:11] majority of the ballot design

[32:13] is set the city's 5 referendum

[32:15] questions will be at the

[32:15] conclusion of the ballot

[32:18] following the candidate races

[32:19] and the 3 state constitutional

[32:20] amendments. As I understand it.

[32:23] The first city question will be

[32:24] the last question on the first

[32:27] card and the remaining 4

[32:28] questions will be on the front

[32:29] of the second card.

[32:30] Additionally the supervisor and

[32:31] for me that because the

[32:34] division has not yet issued an

[32:35] opinion to

[32:37] resolve the difference of

[32:38] interpretation between the

[32:40] supervisor in the city as to

[32:41] the ballot order for the

[32:44] municipal questions. The

[32:44] supervisor is open to

[32:45] using the city's original

[32:48] order. The copy of the e-mail

[32:49] from the general counsel was

[32:50] attached to your packet with

[32:51] that in mind I prepared a

[32:52] resolution that would revert

[32:54] back to the original order

[32:55] adopted by City Council on JULY

[32:57] 23th, if you would like to take

[32:59] that action you can adopt a new

[33:00] resolution or if you'd like to

[33:01] stick with the alternate order

[33:05] adopted on Aug. 6 no action is

[33:10] needed with that I'm happy to

[33:11] answer any questions.

[33:12] Thank you so your update

[33:12] basically is we have them back

[33:13] to the default we wanted in the

[33:13] first place.

[33:14] At the supervisor has agreed

[33:16] that in the absence of a

[33:19] opinion from the

[33:23] division she is willing to use

[33:24] that water.

[33:24] Councilmember guard us thank

[33:25] you MADAM Chair. Brett thank

[33:26] you for the update and that

[33:27] being said we had a discussion

[33:27] about this and I think so he is

[33:28] willing to go with the original

[33:30] proposal that certainly the one

[33:31] I'd rather see I'd rather see

[33:32] the go bond up there at the

[33:34] beginning so I I all move

[33:37] approval on the proposed

[33:39] resolution presented 7.

[33:40] The motion a second.

[33:40] That's the other any other

[33:43] requests to speak, we're

[33:44] keeping an open meeting

[33:44] for boating council members

[33:45] please enter your votes.

[33:48] In that out for the council

[33:50] members

[33:51] voted Cook these telling us the

[33:51] vote.

[33:53] MADAM Chair, the motion to

[33:55] approve

[33:55] agenda item I passes

[33:56] unanimously.

[33:56] Thank you thank you. Brooke.

[33:57] Thank you Brett for your work

[33:58] and for local here on vacation,

[34:00] we don't see here on vacation,

[34:03] welcome. Thank

[34:07] you for coming and for that.

[34:08] Next up we have f 3 it's a

[34:09] report I pulled this real quick

[34:10] for a good news. We've had a

[34:14] couple of residents that have

[34:15] issues getting tax blocks

[34:16] and I the reason I wanted to

[34:18] just pull it real quickly is

[34:18] because it affects certain

[34:19] residents and I want to make

[34:22] sure we did put it out there as

[34:25] to

[34:27] what we're doing for the hacks

[34:27] blocks.

[34:28] So Marshall Hamptons from our

[34:29] payment traffic operations

[34:29] director. So we are putting in

[34:33] an order for 5,000 square feet

[34:34] or 5,005 square feet of hex

[34:35] bar hexagon block favors.

[34:38] Comes a little bit over $18,000

[34:39] and for us

[34:41] to sell back to people who need

[34:44] it. It's not really only have a

[34:44] few 100 and stock right now

[34:46] which is the original ones,

[34:47] we're buying different pavers

[34:50] and having people pay for that

[34:51] with a mark of a 25%

[34:52] which is kind of administrative

[34:53] costs for us to handle it

[34:55] bringing in costs for paver bp

[34:57] between

[34:58] 5 to $10. And that's really

[35:00] because it we will count as

[35:00] when they come in we expect a

[35:03] little bit of a loss because we

[35:04] have some brutal come in we

[35:07] expect some loss but per the

[35:08] bloc's we

[35:09] get in the divided up by the

[35:10] money to put into.

[35:10] Appreciate the work that you

[35:11] all have done on this because I

[35:12] know it's very difficult for

[35:13] people to get their papers on

[35:14] their own searches. You know a

[35:18] small amount and this will take

[35:18] care of that issue. For

[35:21] Councilmember Curtis, thank you

[35:22] MADAM Chair, marshal. Thanks

[35:24] for the quick presentation

[35:27] chair thanks for pulling this.

[35:29] I do think you know,

[35:30] listen it's one of these things

[35:30] we talked about this in a

[35:31] committee or committee of the

[35:32] whole I think and you know is a

[35:35] pretty robust discussion and so

[35:37] you know appreciate the

[35:38] quick move to try to help

[35:39] residents. I will just repeat

[35:40] what I said in that committee

[35:43] meeting that I that I hope we

[35:43] get to a place

[35:44] where we're transitioning away

[35:45] from these and not to them I

[35:48] want to I want to make sure

[35:50] that the residents

[35:50] that have it it's it's there

[35:52] and it's safe. Just but just

[35:53] from a 88 perspective, I mean

[35:55] we've had this conversation I

[35:56] just wanted to say it out loud

[35:57] but I really think we should be

[35:57] moving.

[35:59] From the us, but I think this

[36:00] is a fix and I

[36:01] appreciate you go in and do it

[36:02] quickly and and I know the team

[36:03] was ready to do it this morning

[36:06] when I saw him so very

[36:08] appreciative move approval.

[36:08] Second.

[36:09] Motion second clerk and you can

[36:12] open the machine for voting

[36:12] council members

[36:15] please enter your votes being

[36:19] present council members

[36:20] voted clerk please telling us

[36:20] vote.

[36:21] MADAM Chair, the motion to

[36:22] approve agenda item f 3 passes

[36:23] unanimously with councilmember

[36:24] Floyd being absent thank u next

[36:25] up we have f one this is a St.

[36:26] Petersburg Police Department

[36:27] quarterly report and we have

[36:28] chief Holloway.

[36:31] We're here good afternoon

[36:32] chief.

[36:35] Good afternoon chair council

[36:38] members.

[36:43] >> And representing the second

[36:46] quarterly report for the year

[36:46] of it. Both going to cover

[36:49] the month of APRIL MAY and JUNE

[36:50] overall crime in his city is

[36:53] down by 3%. The five-year trend

[36:57] crime is down by 15%.

[36:58] Side and a pickup

[36:59] also always say one is too

[37:03] many. But like to make sure to

[37:03] Council everybody out there

[37:05] is where of the past 3 years.

[37:08] Our Police Department has

[37:09] closed not every homicide case

[37:09] with the arrests are an

[37:11] exception. I can put it up

[37:13] against any city in the nation

[37:14] to see that we every homicide

[37:15] we have brought closure to a

[37:17] family. So I just want to say

[37:20] that mess do too the leadership

[37:21] of chief of also and is

[37:22] detective Annette Bureau.

[37:23] So during this period, we have

[37:26] 5 homicide little as 5

[37:27] homicide.

[37:28] One was a domestic to argue it

[37:31] was a robbery was a robbery and

[37:35] drug-related.

[37:36] Our homicides for this

[37:37] quarter is equal to last year.

[37:41] But again we are down 5 year

[37:44] trend were down by 36%.

[37:47] Thanks to our alcohol

[37:50] tobacco far we have that Nabil

[37:50] wishing that we talked about.

[37:53] Do you see that number 88 does

[37:54] mean we hit 80 shootings in

[37:57] our city that means we were

[37:58] able to connect showcasing to

[37:58] other crime to come in 2 or 3

[37:59] years ago, but thanks to having

[38:03] his machine in our city now

[38:03] we're not waiting 3 or

[38:04] 4 months down the road we're

[38:05] getting within sometime within

[38:06] a week sometimes in 2 were able

[38:09] to say this gun was used at

[38:12] this shooting or

[38:12] the showcase the really to this

[38:15] shooting so being able to link

[38:18] these case together but with

[38:18] quicker

[38:19] then in the past and we could

[38:20] see a trend that's out there.

[38:20] So again without our

[38:21] partnership with atf, we would

[38:24] not be able to add this

[38:27] information. This quickly.

[38:27] As COUNCILMAN Governor would

[38:30] make sure we keep track that is

[38:32] we're doing better.

[38:35] This quarter were down of 35

[38:38] does from vehicle, but it's

[38:39] still too many.

[38:41] We want to remind everybody to

[38:44] please be responsible gun

[38:44] owners take your guns out of

[38:45] your car or not so you can have

[38:46] a weapon but take it out of

[38:48] your car please you see is

[38:50] still through city lot.

[38:51] Office which you're going to

[38:54] see for this quarter you're

[38:55] going to see a

[38:56] slightly uptick in some

[38:57] categories but we normally see

[38:59] that trend this time of year

[39:02] kids are out of school. So we

[39:04] have to deal with that. So you

[39:07] sit up tick there. But now over

[39:10] our trends.

[39:10] So for robberies. Last court

[39:13] last 4 reported was up by 18%.

[39:17] Now it's down to 7%. Our 5 year

[39:20] trend. Robberies are down by

[39:21] 12%. Burgers

[39:24] were equal to last quarter.

[39:25] In a 5 year

[39:26] trend down by 24%. Don't the

[39:28] continued to a great job of

[39:29] people are locking their cars

[39:32] and taking the key fobs out of

[39:34] car down by 7% 5 year

[39:38] trend down by 41%. Now with

[39:41] that uptick in

[39:41] kron you're

[39:42] also going to see an uptick in

[39:43] arrests because the men and

[39:44] women are out there making

[39:45] arrests of these cases due to

[39:48] the technology that we have and

[39:52] people working with us.

[39:57] Traffic stops you see equal to

[39:57] last quarter just about we're

[39:58] accounts be made aware of it we

[40:00] started this quarter would be

[40:03] back inforcement we're doing

[40:03] education and we're also doing

[40:05] enforcement throughout the city

[40:06] we're letting people be made

[40:08] aware of about you, but we've

[40:09] gone to school we want to

[40:10] different places throughout the

[40:11] city just to educate people let

[40:15] them know these bikes are very

[40:16] dangerous.

[40:19] Our home team as you can see is

[40:23] a trend with down discourse

[40:24] we're very happy about that

[40:24] that means or kids are coming

[40:27] off of the program. Our Patty

[40:28] continue to do a great

[40:30] job vacancies are still making

[40:30] contact with several of our

[40:32] unhoused individuals in our

[40:34] city in giving them the

[40:37] assistance that they need.

[40:37] And again.

[40:38] It has moved want to show.

[40:40] We're always contact the being

[40:41] taken place and as you can see

[40:43] they're taking place throughout

[40:46] the city not just in downtown.

[40:47] But

[40:48] these a path to mow says will

[40:49] go out and make contact we're

[40:49] the unhoused individual are and

[40:52] try to get them the help that

[40:56] they need. Park walk

[40:57] and talk the streaming up with

[40:58] which we like to see also years

[41:00] for people out of work that

[41:01] means is when our weak we

[41:03] expect also to got a card and

[41:04] meet the people in the

[41:06] community not looking for an

[41:06] arrest. But you do some soul to

[41:09] the community so they know they

[41:11] also that are patrolling their

[41:14] neighborhoods. Our legal our

[41:15] program it went up by

[41:15] 14 per soon doesn't get a lot

[41:16] of people that were You have a

[41:18] ring cameras or any type of

[41:19] cameras at their homes or

[41:22] businesses. So if something

[41:24] happens in that area, we know

[41:25] we get a starting point we'll

[41:27] knock on that door say can we

[41:28] look at that video. The video

[41:29] at your home or your business

[41:29] captured the incident before it

[41:32] happened in doing Amen to that.

[41:36] Use of force as you can

[41:38] see what slightly up this

[41:42] quarter, but again also related

[41:42] to arrests. I like to

[41:44] think of councilmember the fix

[41:46] we talk show and people were

[41:49] amazed that we report this to

[41:50] City Council about our use of

[41:51] force as it every quarter City

[41:52] Council made aware of it they

[41:53] can ask questions about the use

[41:56] of force that we used

[41:58] throughout the city are

[42:00] complaints. None of them are

[42:01] related to use of force.

[42:01] The one you see from the

[42:04] citizen a contact with an

[42:07] officer that professional

[42:07] so we looked into that we did

[42:10] have one use of force this

[42:11] quarter.

[42:14] But that was the do a sergeant

[42:15] here, he

[42:16] looked at the video he saw we

[42:18] thought they also used too much

[42:19] force I went through the

[42:20] command staff we had a command

[42:22] staff hearing yesterday it was

[42:24] unfounded we also do use the

[42:25] right amount of force. But it

[42:27] just shows you the check and

[42:28] balances to get sort of looked

[42:30] at it and went to chain of

[42:31] command. They went to also

[42:31] professional standards for

[42:32] myself and the 3 assistant

[42:33] chief to look at to make sure

[42:36] that we're in compliance with

[42:37] the use of force.

[42:40] Our call program is still I

[42:43] will suit best in the world.

[42:44] We do

[42:44] have a season are called us and

[42:47] asked us about this. During

[42:47] this period of

[42:48] time again over a 1000 contact

[42:50] while to bring attention to in

[42:54] one of the long for contact us,

[42:54] 96% of these calls are without

[42:57] law enforcement. The tree

[42:58] audits done by the 911 operator

[42:58] want to give him credit for

[43:00] that look at it to figure out

[43:01] we don't need to send also

[43:04] uniform that we need to so one

[43:07] of our liaison there they go

[43:07] there in the assist these

[43:08] people are going through a

[43:09] mental crisis and that last

[43:09] line of the most important line

[43:13] again want to thank the City

[43:15] Council 0 incidents,

[43:18] 0 our liaison are making right

[43:19] contacting

[43:20] in these people right to make

[43:20] sure that they need. For

[43:23] together is probably what got

[43:24] us started on the mayor was

[43:27] voted on by the community and

[43:28] we're still moving forward this

[43:28] or first with the Suncoast

[43:29] those are the kids that are in

[43:31] foster care with kind of forget

[43:31] about those kids we still give

[43:34] those kids a connection that

[43:36] they need is working well.

[43:37] Gulf Coast, Jewish family

[43:38] services. This is a program

[43:41] again that we took it to the

[43:43] next level when a kid Kim

[43:45] is a non violent felony.

[43:47] He or she didn't get a coach

[43:50] they call it. Coach will walk

[43:53] them through it. If you look at

[43:53] that number 60 almost 64% of

[43:56] the kids to go through this

[43:56] program are not re offending

[43:58] that's what we want. We want to

[43:58] get these kids to draw so this

[44:01] program is working is helping.

[44:07] Are cooler for you.

[44:08] Some of the cooler for you

[44:10] still do see of why is a great

[44:11] program and what it is a lot of

[44:14] peers Keita for things that are

[44:15] out there

[44:15] so what's the of why does you

[44:19] need helmets, big helmets for

[44:19] the kids, whatever

[44:20] equipment they need to give it

[44:20] to him and then the next

[44:24] program, not every kid was to

[44:24] be an athlete so we have

[44:25] the arts program. So we cover

[44:28] that too. So this program

[44:28] really covers

[44:29] anything and everything that

[44:32] the kids out there he also

[44:32] thank the Council for voting

[44:34] on what this Police Department

[44:35] get this money. And the last

[44:36] thing Paoli gust of you know we

[44:39] see police out the Lenox we

[44:39] kind of

[44:40] like change that now is please

[44:41] academic because we do a lot

[44:44] there we want these kids to

[44:47] want a lot.

[44:48] And the last thing that would

[44:51] be very proud of before me

[44:52] before I came back in 1985.

[44:54] St. Petersburg Police

[44:57] Department started the National

[44:58] accreditation. We are the

[45:01] credit municipal agency in the

[45:02] world. We have

[45:06] so that means every cycle we go

[45:06] through and

[45:07] people coming from the outside

[45:09] to make sure we fall we fall

[45:11] the policy and procedures that

[45:12] are set for we also dual

[45:15] certify what that means is

[45:16] we're not only national

[45:16] certified were also state

[45:20] certified. And that says a lot

[45:20] about our men and women at

[45:21] work force and it says a lot

[45:24] about what we do. With that

[45:25] open it for any questions.

[45:26] Thank you too.

[45:28] Councilmember Gavin, thank you

[45:28] MADAM Chair and thank you chief

[45:31] for a while for such as thank

[45:32] you

[45:33] period.

[45:36] And that's really most of my

[45:37] comments today so I first of

[45:38] all want to thank you chief

[45:41] kubasik I don't know if he's

[45:42] here I can't see over

[45:46] on that side areas for the

[45:49] swift action last Fri. With

[45:50] the threat at Northeast high.

[45:51] And as council member

[45:54] representing residents who send

[45:55] their kids there, but also as a

[45:58] parent to see the swift action

[46:00] to see the follow-up other

[46:01] responsiveness very very

[46:02] grateful. And so I just wanted

[46:05] to say that publicly on behalf

[46:05] of parents

[46:07] from Northeast high. Very

[46:08] important to know that our kids

[46:12] are safe and how seriously you

[46:12] took

[46:13] that threat so thank you for

[46:15] that. Also want to thank you

[46:18] for the e-bike safety campaign

[46:21] so can you talk just a

[46:22] little bit more about like.

[46:23] Will we continue to do I know

[46:26] that there was inforcement

[46:27] again

[46:27] Northeast high. I saw you all

[46:30] out there will you continue to

[46:32] do these enforcement around

[46:33] the schools because I think

[46:36] what we see a lot his kids

[46:36] using their bikes

[46:39] to get to school but with so

[46:40] much congestion around the

[46:40] schools and their you know

[46:41] zipping in and out and things

[46:42] like that it is very dangerous

[46:46] so can you talk a little bit

[46:48] about what

[46:48] that you bike safety campaign

[46:49] look like going forward.

[46:50] So thanks to our traffic team

[46:50] they are going to do that work

[46:53] and what s Rosen will be

[46:54] picking a school pie once a

[46:56] month and going to a good just

[46:58] educating kids and let them

[46:58] know and let the parents know

[46:59] one love thanks us that she

[47:00] told her son not to take the

[47:04] bike to school and Utica school

[47:05] in.

[47:06] And yes. So we're going

[47:07] continue to do that but not

[47:07] only just schools but

[47:09] throughout the communities

[47:10] because we want to continue to

[47:13] educate our prayers and our

[47:15] kids that

[47:16] this is not a toy.

[47:17] Well I can tell you is the mom

[47:18] of a teenager, the word is on

[47:19] street that you are out there

[47:22] and we all know it so I

[47:23] appreciate that

[47:25] so thank you and then the last

[47:29] thing just a shout out to major

[47:29] Patterson

[47:32] I called on a Sat. Night past

[47:33] you

[47:34] know needing some resources for

[47:37] someone and jumped right on it

[47:37] it was late at night on a Sat.

[47:40] and I just cannot say enough

[47:41] about the responsiveness of

[47:43] your team. The way that you all

[47:44] handle things the

[47:45] way that you work together.

[47:48] To make sure that we are

[47:49] delivering services to our

[47:50] residents wherever they MAY

[47:50] need them.

[47:52] And to keep our community safe.

[47:53] I just really appreciate you so

[47:54] thank you and thank you to the

[47:55] entire team. Thank you ma'am,

[47:58] thank you, MADAM Chair, thank

[48:01] you

[48:03] council member driskell.

[48:04] Thank you and thank you chief

[48:04] or the report is always great

[48:05] to see. And the progress that

[48:06] you're making in some areas and

[48:07] they continued excellence and

[48:11] others and you really do make

[48:13] us proud.

[48:16] They come in regarding and I

[48:19] was wondering if you've

[48:20] noticed any differences or

[48:21] if the police officers had

[48:24] noticed any differences over at

[48:27] Saint Vincent de Paul and in

[48:29] the last few weeks

[48:32] Spoke very clearly and

[48:33] passionately about the need

[48:35] for some changes over there.

[48:36] You are maybe chief divisive

[48:38] wants to talk about it if

[48:40] there's been a difference in

[48:44] the cooperation with it

[48:46] conditions in

[48:47] surrounding the facility.

[48:48] The conditions are getting

[48:50] better. MS. Foster team have

[48:53] done a great job of cleaning up

[48:54] the area we have a does

[48:55] some operations and their foot

[48:56] what people can been complain

[48:56] about you're going to continue

[48:57] so you can continue to see our

[49:00] downtown people patrol that

[49:01] area and he also that night.

[49:05] We don't see as many people on

[49:05] the sidewalks anymore so

[49:06] we are making that connection.

[49:07] But I just going to be a

[49:09] day-to-day thing that each day

[49:10] we're going to get better at it

[49:13] when we see some issues that

[49:13] will be able to work with other

[49:14] divisions of departments as you

[49:15] know we can continue to make

[49:18] that area much better what it

[49:21] is.

[49:24] >> And I know that

[49:24] administrator Foster and her

[49:27] team have been talking with the

[49:28] folks

[49:30] and there you are in leadership

[49:31] there. And I was I was

[49:31] wondering if pd has been

[49:34] talking to them as well because

[49:40] then and there are some issues

[49:43] clear communication.

[49:43] Major Bush is in charge of the

[49:44] team she is in communication

[49:44] with them. This artist

[49:45] uncharted path team there's

[49:46] always ongoing communication

[49:49] they stop by their new. We want

[49:52] to make sure we

[49:55] work together we are working

[49:56] together.

[49:56] And that's good and speaking of

[49:57] major base. I can't say enough

[49:58] about her leadership. She takes

[49:59] on a lot as a major for

[50:02] downtown for past and for so

[50:03] much more and she's

[50:06] just an incredible asset to our

[50:07] city and so I'm I'm grateful

[50:08] for her and grateful to you for

[50:11] putting her in that leadership

[50:14] position. Thank you ma'am

[50:15] all right, thank you, thank

[50:16] you, thank you, MADAM Chair.

[50:17] Thank you councilmember Kevin's

[50:17] thank you very much, MADAM

[50:18] Chair, thank you so much chief

[50:19] for being here today I don't

[50:22] think you all get enough credit

[50:23] for the hard work that you put

[50:25] in so on behalf of district 7 i

[50:28] just want to say thank you to

[50:31] all of our men and women in

[50:32] uniform, we we see what

[50:33] you do and your labors not in

[50:34] vain. We appreciate it want to

[50:37] add on to what COUNCILMAN Ever

[50:38] said I want to thank you for

[50:39] your quick response a good

[50:40] time. Last week we know there

[50:43] was a situation that occurred

[50:44] over there so

[50:45] likewise cp police responded

[50:48] quickly. The swiftly and safely

[50:49] so thank you so much for

[50:50] keeping our kids safe and

[50:52] speaking of kids safety.

[50:53] I saw the social media campaign

[50:55] with the bike safety. I love

[50:57] it. You all are listening and I

[50:59] appreciate that thank you so

[51:01] much can you talk a little bit

[51:04] chief about e-bike enforcement

[51:05] specifically

[51:07] along the Pinellas County

[51:08] trail. I don't know if your

[51:09] traffic officers are out there

[51:12] enforcing that right now if so

[51:12] what does that look like how

[51:15] has the response look.

[51:17] And are

[51:17] we educating those bikers out

[51:18] there.

[51:19] I can see you have the traffic

[51:20] enforcement in the community

[51:21] service officers, they're doing

[51:22] the same thing they're going to

[51:23] the spots that they're hearing

[51:26] about that are going out there

[51:27] doing education first and then

[51:29] we fall would inforcement so

[51:30] whether it's on a troll is

[51:31] throughout the city is where

[51:33] these problems are and what are

[51:34] we what resources do we need to

[51:35] bring toward that so I would

[51:38] tell you they are out there on

[51:39] the trail if you need

[51:39] some numbers icann finals

[51:42] numbers for you but I know

[51:43] they've had a plan in place

[51:46] we're going like that we we've

[51:47] done the

[51:48] school that's what our kids we

[51:49] want to take our as council

[51:50] members always to take our baby

[51:53] so we would go out to them for

[51:54] student Worthen go throughout

[51:57] the city and continue to

[51:58] address the educate these kids

[51:58] and apparently they're not

[52:00] aware of how fast a motorbike

[52:03] or side hustle can go. I agree.

[52:07] Their problem scenes.

[52:10] You see them there causing real

[52:10] crashes real injuries and real

[52:11] lives are being lost so I'm

[52:14] happy to hear that we are being

[52:15] proactive there so I would love

[52:16] to see those numbers

[52:18] specifically asking because I

[52:20] don't know there could

[52:20] be correct me if I'm wrong but

[52:21] I don't believe there is is

[52:24] there signage along the trail

[52:26] enforcing speed

[52:27] limits for things like the

[52:27] bikes.

[52:28] I don't know that social media

[52:31] check would do this. Yes, those

[52:32] are new service

[52:33] also are trafficked people now

[52:34] get an answer before the end of

[52:34] the week, thank you I

[52:35] appreciate that the models talk

[52:37] teaching protect this the best

[52:40] way to

[52:43] do this appreciate you all.

[52:45] We

[52:46] Safety and the creative

[52:47] solutions that Police

[52:49] Department has implemented over

[52:50] the years to respond to some of

[52:50] the changing needs of our

[52:53] community everything from call

[52:56] to path. We brought up

[52:58] in the 4 in the past.

[52:59] How we can respond to

[53:02] specifically the dream

[53:02] defenders

[53:03] request for those community

[53:04] navigators and I brought this

[53:07] up you before chief finding out

[53:11] how we can

[53:12] sort of tap into.

[53:12] >> The.

[53:13] The young adult population,

[53:13] specifically and utilize them

[53:16] when it comes to addressing to

[53:18] these nonviolent crimes that

[53:20] are occurring using them to

[53:21] target specific demographics

[53:24] specifically their peers have

[53:25] we had any

[53:25] further conversation about

[53:27] restructuring the department to

[53:31] include more community

[53:32] Navigator specifically.

[53:33] Our young people.

[53:35] And again I think the contract

[53:36] recall is coming up where you

[53:37] already voted on it so it

[53:38] doesn't a conversation we would

[53:39] have to have with that group we

[53:42] want to make sure we bring on

[53:44] people that

[53:47] no what they're doing because

[53:48] that's what you about police

[53:49] also we do a lot of those were

[53:50] things that kellock outside our

[53:51] scope so we brought in experts

[53:53] to handle that. So we'll

[53:53] continue to have that

[53:54] conversation to see how we can

[53:56] bring in more navigated that

[53:57] they can train that they can

[54:00] talk to you. So it continues to

[54:03] young adults up

[54:04] how do we continue to make them

[54:04] better.

[54:05] Well that is encouraging and

[54:05] I'm hopeful that we can

[54:07] continue this dialogue. Thank

[54:10] you so much, thank you chair.

[54:12] Thank you as a member fixing.

[54:13] Thank you.

[54:16] Well chief you Rhonda but I

[54:17] want to again

[54:17] thank you for the report.

[54:20] But more importantly I want to

[54:23] thank you for

[54:24] always being accessible between

[54:27] you and assistant chief of ice

[54:27] Ivins.

[54:30] I mean you have always been

[54:31] there to answer the calls to

[54:34] follow up into the tank, so I

[54:37] concur with my colleagues in

[54:38] complementing in commending

[54:41] you I so that my colleagues.

[54:43] No way I'm going we had a

[54:43] conversation called the police

[54:46] and the people and I picked up

[54:47] the phone and I contacted chief

[54:48] Holloway can you be there.

[54:51] And when I tell you that was

[54:53] one of the most fulfilling

[54:54] community conversations that

[54:57] we've participated for very

[54:58] long time.

[54:59] But what I walked away with

[55:01] from that conversation is that

[55:04] the city of St. Petersburg has

[55:05] been a game changer. Long

[55:06] before we knew we were a game

[55:07] changer. I mean the

[55:10] opportunities that we provide

[55:11] the programs

[55:13] that we have the services from

[55:14] Cole. They talked about

[55:17] civilian police review board

[55:21] we've been doing that for 20

[55:21] 30 use. They talked about

[55:24] getting a monies from some of

[55:25] the the drug bust in but we've

[55:28] been given for for 2 grants

[55:28] putting money back in the

[55:32] community for how many years.

[55:33] So

[55:35] that that conversation alone

[55:36] was to Testament has to have

[55:40] the city of St. Petersburg

[55:43] takes its public safety.

[55:43] Commitment

[55:46] very highly in so again, thank

[55:49] you for being there was myself

[55:51] the interim police

[55:52] chief Owens from Tampa I

[55:53] believe end of an attorney and

[55:56] a couple other organizations

[55:59] that would there

[56:00] but if nothing else that

[56:02] conversation showcased what we

[56:04] have here in the city of St.

[56:04] Petersburg so I thank you for

[56:08] that I thank you again for your

[56:11] leadership and your officers

[56:14] who I always on call I mean if

[56:15] if if they allow me to can

[56:17] only and is you know one of the

[56:18] 7 other. Council doing when

[56:21] they pick up those calls.

[56:22] But I just want to publicly

[56:24] thank you for that and also

[56:25] your offer to continue those

[56:28] conversations too. Our other

[56:29] districts here in the city

[56:30] of Saint Petersburg's that we

[56:33] can have that conversation

[56:33] moving beyond conversation to

[56:34] commitment to getting things

[56:37] done so again thank you chief,

[56:39] I appreciate you so much

[56:40] for offering that and also

[56:40] being available and to all the

[56:41] officers that are listening

[56:43] thank you so much for your

[56:47] service.

[56:49] Thank you chair.

[56:49] You councilmember Curtis, thank

[56:50] you very much, MADAM Chair.

[56:51] Councilor fix centers, you're

[56:51] the only one that bugs

[56:53] leadership of the labor unrest,

[56:57] the rest of us are perfect to

[57:00] Chief thank you so much for.

[57:00] Always coming in and sharing

[57:02] the day with us. I don't really

[57:03] have anything other than to

[57:06] say. I was glad you brought up

[57:09] the e-bike.

[57:12] >> Social media campaign that.

[57:16] Your apartment has been doing.

[57:18] >> I just wanted to offer.

[57:18] A suggestion I guess Johns

[57:19] Hopkins all children's has been

[57:23] doing their own e-bike campaign

[57:26] and it would be interesting if

[57:27] there was

[57:28] some crossover with both both

[57:31] on the education from a here's

[57:33] what you should do before

[57:34] getting hurt and if you do get

[57:36] hurt. You know helmets and

[57:37] things like

[57:38] that their yard has done some

[57:39] really good. Social media

[57:42] campaigns about the type of

[57:42] helmet you

[57:43] should be wearing things like

[57:45] that and so I just thought it

[57:47] could be good crossover because

[57:48] you're both attacking it

[57:49] frankly right And so I just

[57:50] thought I'd bring it up but

[57:53] otherwise thank you so much for

[57:54] the update. Thank you. Thank

[57:55] you to the team and everybody

[57:58] back of the department just

[58:01] very thankful for all of you.

[58:01] Thanks MADAM Chair.

[58:02] And so I can tell you this

[58:03] Fernandez in the audience

[58:03] behind me and we are working

[58:04] with them we're trying to

[58:06] figure out like say show the

[58:06] kids what happens.

[58:10] It is serious when they get

[58:12] that thank you

[58:13] thank you councilmember

[58:13] capping.

[58:15] Well that actually just brought

[58:18] up something I meant to ask

[58:20] earlier and forgot so

[58:20] the helmets, I mean none of

[58:22] these kids wear helmets.

[58:23] I think like in our area, you

[58:23] know north-northeast there's

[58:26] really one kid out of all of

[58:27] these kids wearing helmets,

[58:30] it's a cultural thing right

[58:30] like the

[58:32] kids are too little too cool to

[58:33] wear helmets. Is it an actual

[58:36] so like if you get them for

[58:36] speeding is there another

[58:39] infraction for not wearing a

[58:40] helmet or like is that just

[58:43] a safety issue that you know we

[58:46] can't

[58:46] really police our way out of.

[58:47] i think he's probably going to

[58:48] be the Legislature. We have is

[58:51] yeah is it was raided it I

[58:53] think its 25th can remember.

[58:54] There is a motorcycle didn't

[58:54] work. Then you know you have to

[58:55] try to figure it out but right

[58:59] now there's no requirement for

[59:02] I have a helmet on okay so

[59:02] all right that's something.

[59:04] To kind of think about that you

[59:05] know as as lair we start to

[59:06] talk about you know priorities

[59:09] and working with our

[59:09] legislature on you know

[59:12] potentially putting bills

[59:13] forward. Maybe

[59:14] there's something that can be

[59:15] done there because I mean it is

[59:18] you know that's one of the

[59:20] things like I publicly say

[59:21] I won't buy my teenager and

[59:21] e-bike.

[59:22] Because I know even if I bought

[59:24] him one and a helmet as soon as

[59:26] he takes

[59:27] office and put the helmet on

[59:27] right. That's just unfortunate.

[59:28] But if there was a way that

[59:30] there was some sort of

[59:32] enforcement around it.

[59:33] >> Easier because regardless of

[59:37] what speed they're going they

[59:39] should be wearing one so

[59:39] okay all right, thank you.

[59:40] And thank you and believe there

[59:41] was a bill that would be told

[59:43] well you keep any vice of

[59:46] course

[59:48] this session. Councilmember

[59:49] Curtis, it's funny men to Saint

[59:52] Anthony's I think you could

[59:53] probably

[59:54] add the dentists on that list

[59:56] of people that pi think people

[59:56] should

[59:58] be protecting that the 3 had

[59:58] their faith 15 Min everything

[1:00:01] because everybody I've talked

[1:00:02] to

[1:00:03] the injuries are severe like

[1:00:06] when when they fall off whether

[1:00:06] it's

[1:00:07] the bikes or scooters or

[1:00:10] whatever it's really severe so

[1:00:10] to all the council member

[1:00:13] comments on the campaign for

[1:00:15] e-bike on e-bikes

[1:00:16] great work. I was just at a

[1:00:16] neighborhood meeting and the

[1:00:17] community service officer was

[1:00:20] there with other officers that

[1:00:21] were talking about the

[1:00:22] campaign provided to

[1:00:22] literature.

[1:00:24] And going out there is a really

[1:00:27] pervasive problem you seek you

[1:00:30] just see the more and more

[1:00:32] everywhere.

[1:00:32] And I think a lot of people

[1:00:35] think it is convenient for a

[1:00:36] lot of people to get their

[1:00:37] kid maybe to school on any

[1:00:39] fight except that it is

[1:00:40] extremely dangerous and I think

[1:00:41] the danger is that the e-bikes

[1:00:41] I think need to be covered more

[1:00:44] broadly.

[1:00:47] This meant that

[1:00:48] so thank you very much and

[1:00:49] I seen other requests to speak.

[1:00:52] We will move on to the next

[1:00:55] item. Thank you chief.

[1:01:07] >> Is that John are quad is

[1:01:09] coming to present this item.

[1:01:10] Yes, thank you, I'm gonna ask

[1:01:10] atomic you to join me. Yet none

[1:01:13] of my side over there with them

[1:01:17] even not to run from Claude.

[1:01:19] So.

[1:01:20] So John normally would be here

[1:01:21] unfortunately he and his

[1:01:21] mother-in-law passed away

[1:01:24] suddenly home Arco so you know

[1:01:25] keep him

[1:01:27] this family in your prayers, so

[1:01:28] I don't know as much about this

[1:01:32] as John did or as much as Tom

[1:01:33] does times really the one

[1:01:34] who is really put this program

[1:01:34] together.

[1:01:35] So he has the information that

[1:01:37] he'll share with you we believe

[1:01:40] this is a good news item.

[1:01:41] Which is why

[1:01:43] you know we like it on report.

[1:01:45] And we believe this checks the

[1:01:45] box and a lot of year is in

[1:01:48] terms of security of our

[1:01:49] utilities resilience of our

[1:01:51] utilities. This is definitely a

[1:01:52] spa related islet live Tom

[1:01:55] explain what we're doing.

[1:01:57] Thank you Tom

[1:01:58] ft com.

[1:02:01] Yeah, thank top my name's Tom

[1:02:02] make him a senior manager

[1:02:04] with water resources department

[1:02:05] and one of the divisions within

[1:02:08] that department is your skate a

[1:02:09] department which

[1:02:11] kind of I'm I'm I manage myself

[1:02:13] I'm here to kind of give you

[1:02:14] the background it for this

[1:02:17] report agenda were seeking

[1:02:17] approval to enter a 20 year

[1:02:18] lease agreement between the

[1:02:22] city of St. Petersburg and

[1:02:25] unity fiber incorporated.

[1:02:28] >> Shortly after approval is

[1:02:28] this agreement the city will

[1:02:31] have fixed in an exclusive on

[1:02:32] managed access to a fiber optic

[1:02:34] communication loop. That

[1:02:37] connects 9 critical water

[1:02:39] resources facilities. I'll

[1:02:42] explain to you here what having

[1:02:45] exclusive unmanaged access.

[1:02:46] Contains right so the purpose

[1:02:50] of this fiber loop is so that

[1:02:50] we can run on

[1:02:54] skate and network on these

[1:02:54] fibers.

[1:02:56] I'm not sure if some of the of

[1:02:57] not heard about skated before

[1:03:00] it stands for supervisory

[1:03:01] control and

[1:03:02] data acquisition which is the

[1:03:05] system that our department uses

[1:03:07] to monitor control automate

[1:03:07] water wastewater and pumping

[1:03:10] operations throughout the

[1:03:13] entire city.

[1:03:14] In practice Kate is a

[1:03:15] technology lets the operator

[1:03:16] see what's happening at Lis

[1:03:18] station Street between plants

[1:03:21] pump stations and other remote

[1:03:25] facilities in real time.

[1:03:28] And take action if needed.

[1:03:29] This is especially

[1:03:32] important for our sparge

[1:03:35] actives because as as

[1:03:36] part of our spar objectives.

[1:03:37] There's a plan in place to run

[1:03:40] our treatment plants as long as

[1:03:42] possible during storm a bench.

[1:03:45] And to accomplish this we MAY

[1:03:46] need to evacuate these plants

[1:03:49] were all all our personnel

[1:03:51] would have to leave the site

[1:03:55] and we have the ability to

[1:03:55] operate these

[1:03:56] plants until the storm surges

[1:03:57] reach a certain level where we

[1:03:59] MAY have to have the decision

[1:04:03] to.

[1:04:04] Cut the

[1:04:06] electricity to the plans to say

[1:04:09] from sable quitman for o storm

[1:04:13] operations.

[1:04:13] So we. We built in

[1:04:15] the ability in this new system

[1:04:18] to shut down these electricity

[1:04:22] said and also monitor

[1:04:23] these plant

[1:04:26] operations through cctv

[1:04:28] coverage and we have moisture

[1:04:28] sensors intellectual buildings

[1:04:29] in place that all of the

[1:04:32] signals get transmitted to this

[1:04:35] do to skate in that work to

[1:04:38] him. 2 are building it water

[1:04:41] water resources.

[1:04:42] This further

[1:04:44] further benefit Reich is long

[1:04:45] gone. This lease agreement to

[1:04:48] provide long-term network

[1:04:51] reliability and stability.

[1:04:54] By looping this network if any

[1:04:55] stretch of the network actually

[1:04:56] gets breached because this

[1:04:58] system is looped Communications

[1:04:59] can reversed direction and we

[1:05:02] can still communicate with a

[1:05:05] lot of our facilities.

[1:05:07] This is an improve cyber

[1:05:10] security benefit in which is a

[1:05:13] that which is

[1:05:14] a hot topic today we've

[1:05:15] just received reports that

[1:05:18] there are bad actors that are

[1:05:19] actually trying to target these

[1:05:20] industrial networks and I

[1:05:23] having our own managed.

[1:05:26] Network.

[1:05:27] It's almost

[1:05:28] it's very difficult to tap into

[1:05:31] this these fiber optic show I

[1:05:34] mean it's kind of.

[1:05:38] It's much beneficial to to

[1:05:40] actually have control over on

[1:05:43] our.

[1:05:46] We had access to high bandwidth

[1:05:48] least this lease agreement.

[1:05:51] We'll give us interference free

[1:05:55] communication.

[1:05:56] And then I

[1:05:59] think a touch base on that as

[1:06:03] well as what we say one thing

[1:06:04] by

[1:06:07] having control of our own

[1:06:08] network. We can control the

[1:06:08] speed of communications that

[1:06:12] then we can transmit through

[1:06:14] there and that limitation is.

[1:06:16] Just in the equipment, you know

[1:06:19] that we have but in the future

[1:06:22] these Whitman technology will

[1:06:23] just get better and we'll have

[1:06:24] the ability to do accommodate

[1:06:26] any additional bandwidth

[1:06:28] requirements.

[1:06:30] But the most important one I

[1:06:31] think one of the most important

[1:06:32] things is is this lease will

[1:06:34] lock us into a 20 year

[1:06:34] agreement with the rate that

[1:06:38] stay stable for the end tire 20

[1:06:41] year term.

[1:06:46] This we also have provisions in

[1:06:47] the contract that if we make

[1:06:48] this decision and after a few

[1:06:50] years we want to go with a

[1:06:53] different technology or as some

[1:06:55] sort we will be able to to come

[1:06:56] terminate this agreement with

[1:06:56] unity under certain with with

[1:06:59] certain provisions that are in.

[1:07:05] Other than that

[1:07:10] I Well 1 one more item the you

[1:07:13] know the maintenance

[1:07:14] responsibilities would be

[1:07:15] clearly on the community fiber

[1:07:17] and they I and then if we

[1:07:18] actually lose his

[1:07:18] communications still be out

[1:07:22] there repairing the son of an

[1:07:22] assortment of time so.

[1:07:25] Thank you for your

[1:07:28] consideration and with the

[1:07:30] information that

[1:07:31] I just presented here. I feel

[1:07:33] that entering this long-term

[1:07:34] agreement is in the best

[1:07:34] interest for the city will

[1:07:35] thank you Sir have

[1:07:38] councilmember Curtis. Thank you

[1:07:41] MADAM Chair. So.

[1:07:42] >> I know just enough about

[1:07:44] this to probably make me a

[1:07:44] little bit dangerous but not

[1:07:47] that much so don't get too

[1:07:48] word.

[1:07:50] So there are essentially

[1:07:53] building the backbone between

[1:07:55] the sites and we're leasing the

[1:07:57] backbone back from them.

[1:07:58] So we have the loop system.

[1:08:02] Throughout the sites and his

[1:08:04] career

[1:08:08] our servers on premise.

[1:08:08] We have servers on on on our

[1:08:09] yeah.

[1:08:11] And then we have ridden that we

[1:08:13] have redundancy off permits.

[1:08:13] >> I'm not.

[1:08:16] Gather with their questions so

[1:08:17] of like power goes down

[1:08:17] to where our server is we have

[1:08:20] redundancy to add to a separate

[1:08:23] server that's off premise.

[1:08:25] Well if we have power there

[1:08:25] than our network switches will

[1:08:26] go down and we wouldn't be able

[1:08:29] to get checked out

[1:08:31] aforementioned, okay,

[1:08:31] do have backup.

[1:08:32] We have we have redundant

[1:08:33] backup power at all of our at

[1:08:36] all sites. Ok alright that was

[1:08:38] my next question okay and so

[1:08:39] got it and so what at the end

[1:08:42] of the 20 year lease do we have

[1:08:45] the option to buy the backbone.

[1:08:49] >> That has not been ok I am I

[1:08:51] we have unity here

[1:08:53] >> my guess is they don't want

[1:08:53] to us, but it's not in the

[1:08:56] agreement as I got it written

[1:08:59] right now, yes, Sir.

[1:09:05] I love that

[1:09:08] it's a loop system and.

[1:09:08] There's a lot of really good

[1:09:09] things about this I'll just

[1:09:10] leave it there before getting I

[1:09:11] don't want people think I'm a

[1:09:14] nerd. Move approval.

[1:09:14] Coming in.

[1:09:15] We have a motion a second see

[1:09:18] no other request. The clerk if

[1:09:19] you can open making

[1:09:19] for boating council members

[1:09:22] please enter your votes.

[1:09:23] And in for the

[1:09:23] council members of footage

[1:09:24] Berkeley's telling us about

[1:09:25] chair the motion to approve

[1:09:28] agenda item passes unanimously.

[1:09:31] Thank you and thank you Sir.

[1:09:34] We move

[1:09:36] on to new business or not is

[1:09:37] one and that is by surfline.

[1:09:37] Thank respectfully requesting a

[1:09:40] referral to the public services

[1:09:41] and infrastructure

[1:09:42] Committee or other relevant

[1:09:43] Committee for discussion on the

[1:09:46] city's contract with flock

[1:09:47] safety

[1:09:48] in the use of flock cameras in

[1:09:48] the city. You know we haven't

[1:09:49] had a discussion about it in

[1:09:50] the past I think it's a good

[1:09:52] thing for us to do in

[1:09:54] committee.

[1:09:57] That's the basis of this all

[1:10:00] move approval,

[1:10:03] second.

[1:10:03] We have a motion in the 2nd

[1:10:04] quarter you can open the

[1:10:06] machine for voting. Members

[1:10:10] please. Ended up raising

[1:10:11] council members voted clerk

[1:10:11] please tell announce the vote.

[1:10:14] MADAM Chair, the motion to

[1:10:16] approve

[1:10:17] agenda item g one passes

[1:10:17] unanimously.

[1:10:18] Next up we have to be to

[1:10:18] referral to a kill ut

[1:10:19] councilmember Givens thank you

[1:10:20] chair respectfully requesting

[1:10:20] referral to the housing land

[1:10:21] use and Transportation

[1:10:21] Committee or other relevant

[1:10:24] Committee for discussion on

[1:10:24] regulating autonomous vehicle

[1:10:25] standards and safety oversight.

[1:10:28] >> This discussion should focus

[1:10:29] on comprehensive review and

[1:10:30] discussion regarding regulatory

[1:10:31] frameworks road compatibility

[1:10:34] and safety standards for

[1:10:35] automated driving systems.

[1:10:36] The discussion should also

[1:10:38] include measures law

[1:10:39] enforcement can implement to

[1:10:40] address specific concerns about

[1:10:43] autonomous vehicles with that I

[1:10:46] move approval,

[1:10:48] second.

[1:10:49] And motion a second clerk and

[1:10:50] you can open the machine for

[1:10:50] voting council members please

[1:10:52] enter your votes. And it

[1:10:55] appears and council

[1:10:57] members voted quickly telling

[1:10:57] us about.

[1:11:00] MADAM Chair, the motion to

[1:11:00] approve the agenda item g 2

[1:11:01] passes unanimously.

[1:11:01] Thank u next up is the 3 that's

[1:11:02] my respectfully requests are

[1:11:03] for all to budget finance and

[1:11:04] taxation Committee for an

[1:11:04] update on federal emergency.

[1:11:05] The agency reimbursements

[1:11:08] insurance proceeds grants in

[1:11:11] all

[1:11:13] of the revenues receiving

[1:11:13] connection.

[1:11:14] With insurance with hurricane

[1:11:14] related expenses move approval

[1:11:15] back in in the motion a second

[1:11:18] clerk if you can open the

[1:11:21] machine for voting.

[1:11:23] All Councilmember Curtis.

[1:11:26] I just quickly with SEPTEMBER's

[1:11:28] be fnt open is do you think

[1:11:29] administration could come is

[1:11:29] that I'm not funny.

[1:11:30] That's actually was mentioned

[1:11:31] when we were talking about at

[1:11:31] the committee of the whole so

[1:11:35] they MAY be able to do it on

[1:11:38] SEPTEMBER if

[1:11:42] it's off it's fine with you.

[1:11:43] Hopefully we're probably

[1:11:44] fine with whatever I didn't

[1:11:44] want to I didn't want to

[1:11:45] surprise.

[1:11:45] Anybody know I appreciate I we

[1:11:46] have the information I think we

[1:11:47] can you ok so we'll go ahead

[1:11:48] and add that the next month bf

[1:11:51] and teacher okay sounds good.

[1:11:53] >> We have a motion second

[1:11:53] clerk to begin over the machine

[1:11:54] for voting council members

[1:11:56] please enter your votes present

[1:11:59] council members to quickly

[1:11:59] selling out the vote.

[1:12:00] MADAM Chair, the motion to

[1:12:02] approve agenda item g 3 passes

[1:12:03] unanimously

[1:12:07] next step we have h one.

[1:12:10] That's by hear Floyd

[1:12:14] it's tell you t action item.

[1:12:15] Requests fully respect we do

[1:12:15] this.

[1:12:16] Is it for you to say I all the

[1:12:19] time like I go home and I say I

[1:12:20] again

[1:12:21] said request fully respect the

[1:12:24] Respectfully requesting City

[1:12:26] Council approval of

[1:12:26] the motion to move the referral

[1:12:29] item regarding potential

[1:12:30] changes to the city

[1:12:31] code related historic

[1:12:32] preservation and designation

[1:12:33] from the housing land use and

[1:12:35] transportation are many refer a

[1:12:35] list of the committee of the

[1:12:36] whole referral us to move

[1:12:37] approval second election second

[1:12:39] clerk if you can open admission

[1:12:45] for boating council members

[1:12:47] present.

[1:12:47] Being that all present

[1:12:48] councilmembers a good clerk

[1:12:48] please telling us that.

[1:12:51] MADAM CHAIRMAN to approve

[1:12:51] tonight a page passes

[1:12:52] unanimously.

[1:12:52] Thank u next up we have a

[1:12:53] public hearing item k one that

[1:12:55] can be heard actually before 5

[1:12:58] o one, correct. It's great

[1:13:01] that's correct.

[1:13:02] Okay.

[1:13:02] This isn't an ordinance

[1:13:05] amending an ally vacation

[1:13:07] ordinace

[1:13:11] located at 18 34st Avenue South

[1:13:14] in 1850 Central Avenue

[1:13:16] to replace condition number 5

[1:13:16] work.

[1:13:17] The pows or Dec. 11 79 dash v

[1:13:20] in Ford's amending ordinance

[1:13:22] 1172 dash v which approved the

[1:13:25] vacation of the Western 120

[1:13:28] feet of the 20 foot alley

[1:13:30] abutting lots 5 through 8.

[1:13:33] In blocked 16 Fuller

[1:13:35] subdivision located in 18 34st

[1:13:38] Avenue South in 1850 Central

[1:13:38] Avenue.

[1:13:40] We place in condition number 5.

[1:13:41] In section 3 in providing for

[1:13:44] an effective date. We do not

[1:13:47] have any cards.

[1:13:48] >> Is anybody think the public

[1:13:48] approval seconded the motion a

[1:13:51] second clerk if you can open

[1:13:55] the machine for voting.

[1:14:00] Council members pleaded to a

[1:14:03] vote in that office and

[1:14:08] council members to quickly

[1:14:09] selling out to vote.

[1:14:09] MADAM Chair, the motion to

[1:14:10] approve agenda item j one

[1:14:10] passes unanimously.

[1:14:11] Well we have gotten to the part

[1:14:13] of our agenda out where the

[1:14:15] remaining

[1:14:16] items have to be at 5 oh one.

[1:14:19] Before we adjourn I just want

[1:14:19] to let everyone know that

[1:14:20] councilmember greatness and

[1:14:23] notify me and MR. Bill Edwards

[1:14:26] has passed away.

[1:14:29] For those

[1:14:33] who know MR. Edwards on.

[1:14:34] It's a huge loss for city.

[1:14:34] Councilmember driskell thank

[1:14:37] you if we I was actually going

[1:14:38] to talk about it at the

[1:14:39] end of our meeting tonight that

[1:14:41] if we can and if any I'm going

[1:14:42] to say a few words at the end

[1:14:43] of the meeting and perhaps we

[1:14:43] could have a moment of silence

[1:14:46] at that time as well. Thank

[1:14:49] you.

[1:19:18] >> Being said we're in right.

[1:26:19] >> In

[1:42:40] >> a

[1:50:17] >> It. It.

[2:11:03] >> One.

[2:18:07] >> In

[2:34:28] >> a

[2:34:40] Food.

[3:09:55] >> In

[3:26:30] >> Food.

[3:31:42] >> Evening

[3:31:42] >> everyone we're back in

[3:31:43] session.

[3:31:43] We are starting the public

[3:31:44] hearing and was a good issue of

[3:31:47] proceedings. And the first item

[3:31:48] ha 2 this is the f why 2027

[3:31:48] utility rates and charges.

[3:31:52] Clerk if you can go ahead and

[3:31:54] read the

[3:31:55] ordinances.

[3:31:56] Proposed ordinance number 6.44

[3:31:59] dash age in orange relating to

[3:32:01] sanitation rates and charges

[3:32:04] the main chapter 27 section 27

[3:32:05] dashed 5 57 of the St.

[3:32:08] Petersburg city code. The many

[3:32:08] rates and charges for

[3:32:11] sanitation services, providing

[3:32:11] for

[3:32:14] severability provisions

[3:32:15] providing an explanation in

[3:32:15] words struck through and

[3:32:18] underlined establishing a day

[3:32:19] to begin calculating you rates

[3:32:22] for the purposes and provided

[3:32:25] for an effective date.

[3:32:32] Which is not we're public

[3:32:32] comment. We're reading are all

[3:32:33] the ordinances. The next pope

[3:32:34] where does this proposed

[3:32:37] ordinance number 6.46 dash ph

[3:32:38] an orange relating to utility

[3:32:41] rates. Any section 27 dash 4,

[3:32:44] 0, 5, subsections

[3:32:47] b one and b 2. This up the

[3:32:49] brick city code amending the

[3:32:51] stormwater utility fee amending

[3:32:51] the 2 rate structure fees for

[3:32:54] single-family residential

[3:32:55] parcels providing for

[3:32:58] severability provisions

[3:32:59] providing an explanation in

[3:33:00] words struck through and

[3:33:00] underlined establishing a date

[3:33:02] to begin calculating you reach

[3:33:02] for billing purposes and

[3:33:05] providing for an effective

[3:33:07] date.

[3:33:09] The next one is the proposed

[3:33:12] ordinance number 6.45 dash ph

[3:33:16] and orange really.

[3:33:19] And charges men chapter

[3:33:22] 27 section 27 dash 4 27 dash

[3:33:26] one o 9 b 27 dash one o 9 d

[3:33:29] 27 dash one 13 b

[3:33:32] 27 dash one 41 a 27 dash one 41

[3:33:35] be 27 dash one

[3:33:38] 27 dash one 43,

[3:33:41] 27 dash one 44 27 dash one 46

[3:33:44] be 27 dash one 46 d

[3:33:47] 27 dash one 77 a

[3:33:50] 27 dash one 77 d

[3:33:52] 27 dash

[3:33:56] 2 5827 des to 83 a 27 dash

[3:33:57] 2.84, a

[3:34:01] 27 dash 2.84 d 27 dash 3.35 g

[3:34:04] and 27 dash 3.37.

[3:34:07] Petersburg city code

[3:34:08] any liability for charges and

[3:34:11] many charges for potable water

[3:34:12] connection and many water

[3:34:14] relocation charge them any

[3:34:14] charges commending meter

[3:34:17] relocation charges many meteor

[3:34:20] part.

[3:34:20] Relocation charge any

[3:34:23] charges for possible meters

[3:34:24] amending based

[3:34:25] in volume charges for water

[3:34:26] service and many various

[3:34:27] service charges and many

[3:34:30] coastal water service charges

[3:34:33] for the city of Qom port

[3:34:37] removing references to common

[3:34:37] combination.

[3:34:38] Fire service and many fire

[3:34:41] service charges. Any rates and

[3:34:43] charges for irrigation only any

[3:34:44] recent charge for commercial

[3:34:46] water only accounts in recent

[3:34:49] charges for reclaim water

[3:34:52] service. Any circuit past the

[3:34:53] fee. And many retail and

[3:34:56] wholesale wastewater service

[3:34:58] charges removing grease

[3:34:59] discharge permit fee. Any

[3:35:01] increased management program

[3:35:04] fees, providing for

[3:35:05] severability provisions

[3:35:05] providing an explanation of

[3:35:06] what struck through an

[3:35:07] underlying establishing a day

[3:35:08] to be in calculating new

[3:35:09] charges for billing purposes in

[3:35:10] providing for an effective date

[3:35:13] and we do have speakers and

[3:35:17] chair okay, thank you.

[3:35:25] Thank the speaker.

[3:35:26] I'm gonna call 2 at a time when

[3:35:26] I call your name please go to

[3:35:27] an open podium. State your name

[3:35:28] address or cross Street for the

[3:35:31] record you have 3 minutes to

[3:35:32] address City Council, the first

[3:35:36] 2 speakers are and the unknown

[3:35:39] and Jim Johnson.

[3:35:46] >> My name is Linda. Anello I

[3:35:49] live in Harbour Isle what to

[3:35:50] know one

[3:35:50] 74 circle Northeast St.

[3:35:53] Petersburg Florida. And I'm

[3:35:54] here today to ask you as

[3:35:55] my representative and a

[3:35:57] representative government to

[3:36:01] please vote no on the proposed

[3:36:01] increase,

[3:36:03] I'd like to also ask you what

[3:36:06] steps has the city taken to

[3:36:07] reduce expenses before asking

[3:36:10] residents to pay higher utility

[3:36:13] rates. We're a lot of us here

[3:36:15] look like we're on a fixed

[3:36:16] income and these rates are

[3:36:19] hurting us and I know you don't

[3:36:20] represent

[3:36:22] to hurt people. I also would

[3:36:22] like to ask why are the

[3:36:25] residents being asked to absorb

[3:36:29] increases in several different

[3:36:33] utilities at the same time.

[3:36:34] What is the projected total

[3:36:37] increase to the average

[3:36:39] homeowner's bill over the next

[3:36:42] 5 years. I know this increase

[3:36:42] doesn't sound like much.

[3:36:46] But over a five-year period.

[3:36:47] Well with

[3:36:47] that increase be for your

[3:36:49] constituents and also are there

[3:36:51] any expenses and the utility

[3:36:53] budgets that could be postponed

[3:36:56] or eliminated to reduce the

[3:37:00] increase and how

[3:37:00] as I said will these

[3:37:02] increases affect seniors and

[3:37:03] residents on a fixed income and

[3:37:07] I thank you for hearing and

[3:37:10] listening. Thank you.

[3:37:13] >> Good afternoon Jim Johnson,

[3:37:17] one oh 2, 1, 92, 39th Street

[3:37:20] North. 2, 3, 7, 1, 3,

[3:37:23] is that all you need.

[3:37:24] This it could. Good afternoon

[3:37:24] and.

[3:37:26] I know I'm a little late to

[3:37:27] have an impact on these

[3:37:30] proposed increases in water and

[3:37:30] sewer rates

[3:37:31] into decisions must be made

[3:37:33] today. But I will provide a

[3:37:35] short

[3:37:36] history of the past increases

[3:37:37] will be addressing the bond

[3:37:40] request on the NOVEMBER ballot

[3:37:40] because

[3:37:43] they are intertwined for this

[3:37:44] conversation. First item being

[3:37:46] utility rates second item being

[3:37:49] references on the NOVEMBER

[3:37:50] ballot. Utility rates of water

[3:37:53] and sewer. Our services provide

[3:37:57] every household the city.

[3:37:57] The information I would provide

[3:38:00] Ng is a quick summary. But

[3:38:01] there is also a great deal more

[3:38:01] information else trey ships

[3:38:05] about the history on today's

[3:38:07] agenda.

[3:38:10] The evaluation period for 6

[3:38:11] years and

[3:38:15] 2021 to 2026. Announces from

[3:38:18] JANUARY or Feb. 20 21. The

[3:38:21] water rate back in 2021 usage

[3:38:24] was to 28 per 1000 gallons.

[3:38:27] The t b w was to 48 for

[3:38:28] 2010 thousand gallons one

[3:38:31] touchdown. Skews me for a total

[3:38:33] of $4.76 per 1000 down.

[3:38:36] The sewage rate was $8 per 1000

[3:38:39] pounds.

[3:38:45] FEBRUARY of 2026. The water

[3:38:48] usage rate is 4.19. The tv w's

[3:38:52] to 64. 4 total of 6.83.

[3:38:54] Sewage rates $11.

[3:38:57] This illustrates a 43% increase

[3:38:59] and water sewage.

[3:39:02] Those trading an average annual

[3:39:06] increase of 8.6%.

[3:39:08] And a 38% increase and you are

[3:39:11] should an average increase of

[3:39:14] 7.4%. This is in just 6 years.

[3:39:16] Now for the year 27. There will

[3:39:19] be an increased an average of

[3:39:22] 7% to add to these rates.

[3:39:25] They will continue to be rate

[3:39:26] increases each year.

[3:39:28] And possibly more than one in a

[3:39:29] year. This cannot continue to

[3:39:32] rate increases are far beyond

[3:39:35] inflationary adjustments.

[3:39:38] The annual budgets for these

[3:39:39] services include money for

[3:39:41] capital improvement improvement

[3:39:42] projects. This will be relevant

[3:39:44] to much discussion on the bond

[3:39:45] issue. I have a trouble except

[3:39:48] in the cost of these services

[3:39:51] have increased at this rate

[3:39:54] over a short period of time.

[3:39:55] They are excessive and

[3:39:56] illustrate a failure of

[3:39:58] controlling cost containment

[3:39:58] for wages insurance

[3:40:01] maintenance. Etc these issues

[3:40:02] should be addressed within the

[3:40:04] respective departments, current

[3:40:05] utility rates are out of

[3:40:08] control and cannot be continued

[3:40:11] at this pace.

[3:40:15] General referendum.

[3:40:17] >> Thank you Sir, sorry, most

[3:40:18] by quickly.

[3:40:21] Next 2 speakers are Matthew

[3:40:21] Freeman and

[3:40:22] Holly no please go to an open

[3:40:23] podium. State your name address

[3:40:23] or cross Street for the record

[3:40:26] you have 3 minutes to address

[3:40:29] the City Council.

[3:40:36] >> My name is Matt frame and I

[3:40:36] live at 1650 Robinson drive

[3:40:37] North. Thank you City Council

[3:40:38] members for this opportunity to

[3:40:41] speak on the propose utility

[3:40:43] rates and

[3:40:43] agenda item j to see. I

[3:40:47] recognize additional revenue is

[3:40:47] needed to update and

[3:40:49] modernize infrastructure.

[3:40:52] I would discourage increasing

[3:40:53] the potable water and water

[3:40:54] wastewater base rates for

[3:40:56] residents. It's a constantly

[3:41:00] references affordable housing.

[3:41:01] But there's more to that than

[3:41:02] just rent or mortgage,

[3:41:03] increasing base rates adds to

[3:41:06] the monthly costs are

[3:41:09] unavoidable by residents.

[3:41:11] High fixed charge hits a low

[3:41:13] use and the low income

[3:41:15] customers regardless of how

[3:41:19] carefully they can serve.

[3:41:20] Speaking from my monthly bill

[3:41:21] I pay over a $100 a month with

[3:41:24] 0 water usage which is over

[3:41:26] $1200 a year.

[3:41:28] The say is already considering

[3:41:31] a proposed 7 and a half percent

[3:41:32] increase to

[3:41:35] the variable water block great.

[3:41:36] And propose 6 and a half

[3:41:36] percent increase at the

[3:41:38] wastewater variable rate so I

[3:41:39] would recommend shifting the

[3:41:42] proposed increase the base rate

[3:41:43] to that.

[3:41:44] I would further suggests that

[3:41:47] the proposed increase to the

[3:41:48] variable water block great be

[3:41:51] reconsidered so the difference

[3:41:53] is not 7 a half percent

[3:41:54] across each of the 4 blocks

[3:41:55] then increasing or progressive

[3:41:59] percentage for each block of

[3:41:59] water usage.

[3:42:01] This is the mayor redesigning

[3:42:04] held the seat proposes to

[3:42:07] collect the additional revenue

[3:42:09] in doing so the city will

[3:42:11] collect revenue where the costs

[3:42:15] primarily curse from water

[3:42:16] consumption. Not

[3:42:19] merely from having a water

[3:42:20] connection. And further if it

[3:42:22] encourages water conservation

[3:42:23] that will only serve to extend

[3:42:26] the lifespan of infrastructure

[3:42:29] that the city is looking

[3:42:30] to update our ice to summarize

[3:42:31] I would ask that the sea

[3:42:32] consider and alternative rate

[3:42:34] schedule than the one currently

[3:42:35] proposed for water and

[3:42:38] wastewater. Thank you thank

[3:42:41] you. Go ahead.

[3:42:45] >> My name is

[3:42:45] Holly Noah 8, 1, one Placido a

[3:42:48] Northeast I'm here to urge you

[3:42:49] to vote no on the

[3:42:50] proposed utility rate increases

[3:42:54] in fiscal year 2025 Saint Pete

[3:42:55] earned million from

[3:42:57] water resources, 41 million

[3:43:01] from storm water and 65 million

[3:43:01] from sanitation. $324 million

[3:43:04] in revenue total. And that was

[3:43:06] before rates went up

[3:43:08] for the 5th year in a row after

[3:43:09] expenses, including

[3:43:10] depreciation those 3 utility

[3:43:14] still generated more than $72

[3:43:14] million in operating income.

[3:43:18] So why pray tell does the city

[3:43:19] need

[3:43:22] to raise rates again. The Aug.

[3:43:23] 13th budget and finance packet

[3:43:27] cites rising costs for labor

[3:43:27] material infrastructure,

[3:43:29] regulatory compliance. But the

[3:43:31] city doesn't show us how those

[3:43:34] increased costs justified.

[3:43:35] The increased rates. In fact

[3:43:37] the same packet shows proposed

[3:43:39] operating expenses, declining

[3:43:42] 0.4 in water resources and

[3:43:45] nearly 2% in storm water.

[3:43:46] So why does the city need to

[3:43:49] raise rates again. My utility

[3:43:52] bill has increased nearly 24%

[3:43:54] since 2022. And that includes

[3:43:57] a 35% increase in reclaimed,

[3:43:58] and nearly 60% increase in

[3:44:00] storm water. The city's

[3:44:03] projections call for increases

[3:44:05] every year through 2031.

[3:44:07] 7% water resources, 8 and a

[3:44:10] half percent stormwater 6%

[3:44:11] sanitation

[3:44:14] and nearly 10%. In reclaimed

[3:44:18] and that does not include the

[3:44:21] 10% city imposed tax

[3:44:23] on water and reclaimed water.

[3:44:25] By 2031 my utility bill we'll

[3:44:28] increase another 45% to nearly

[3:44:31] $250 a month

[3:44:33] nearly $3,000 a year, 900 of

[3:44:35] which 4 reclaimed water.

[3:44:36] Importantly the city doesn't

[3:44:37] publish reclaimed water

[3:44:38] financials I asked my

[3:44:39] councilmember for them his

[3:44:41] office had to request them from

[3:44:42] staff and I still don't have

[3:44:43] them. Yet the city says

[3:44:46] reclaimed rates cover only 80%

[3:44:48] of cost and proposes nearly 10%

[3:44:51] annual increases for 5 years to

[3:44:53] maintain that level really

[3:44:54] I'm sorry prove it. The city

[3:44:56] has benefited from significant

[3:44:56] increases in property tax

[3:44:59] revenues and utility rate hikes

[3:45:01] yet according to

[3:45:02] fiscal 25 financials more

[3:45:05] than $26 million was

[3:45:06] transferred out of water storm

[3:45:08] water and sanitation to the

[3:45:09] general fund through payment in

[3:45:12] lieu of taxes. And now the city

[3:45:12] comes back to residents with

[3:45:14] an open hand asking for more.

[3:45:14] You need more money from the

[3:45:17] people the people who cannot

[3:45:17] live without water prove it

[3:45:18] prove that what you're already

[3:45:19] collecting is not enough and if

[3:45:23] if and until you can prove it.

[3:45:26] You must vote no.

[3:45:33] >> Thank u next 2 speakers.

[3:45:33] >> Next 2 speakers rfe alter

[3:45:34] arrow in Patty's adults.

[3:45:35] Please go to an open podium

[3:45:35] state your name address or

[3:45:36] cross Street for the record

[3:45:39] you'll have 3 minutes to

[3:45:42] address City Council.

[3:45:48] >> Good evening my name

[3:45:52] is Raphael Guerreiro I live at

[3:45:53] 6210. Second Avenue North

[3:45:57] Petersburg 3, 3, 7, 1, 0, My

[3:45:59] phone number is 7 a 6,

[3:46:00] 3, 7, 4, 6, 9, to 4. My email

[3:46:03] is art rare 41. You know just

[3:46:07] in case. 41.

[3:46:08] And yeah that come.

[3:46:09] I say in a name and email this

[3:46:12] morning to all of you I don't

[3:46:14] know if any of you read that

[3:46:17] and I see some heads nodding

[3:46:19] which is good.

[3:46:21] I do I've been utility business

[3:46:25] for 55 years. I have never

[3:46:27] seen. It continues rate.

[3:46:31] Increase like this one here.

[3:46:32] I move here.

[3:46:33] I said retired guy and I can I

[3:46:35] see how people who survived

[3:46:38] this increase. Now you're

[3:46:41] proposing is crazy. What you

[3:46:45] have to do what MISTER Given

[3:46:47] was saying is 2 to 3%

[3:46:49] go back to the consultant Rome,

[3:46:52] the numbers again it will take

[3:46:53] 20 minutes to run it.

[3:46:55] No more than that again with

[3:46:57] your staff and said you have to

[3:46:57] cut these projects and get the

[3:47:00] discount and that's the way you

[3:47:03] do. Rate cases you just don't

[3:47:06] goal. And I don't know what

[3:47:09] your numbers came from is not

[3:47:12] really

[3:47:13] clear where that came from if

[3:47:15] you give the consultant and

[3:47:17] number he's going to come up

[3:47:19] with a rate. So go back to your

[3:47:22] staff tell him to look at the

[3:47:23] projects

[3:47:24] really look at the project what

[3:47:27] ifs in that wish list and what

[3:47:30] do you really need. And go from

[3:47:31] there.

[3:47:32] Thank you have a nice evening.

[3:47:33] And if you have any question

[3:47:36] you got my phone and my email.

[3:47:42] Everybody else has to.

[3:47:44] >> Hi there my name is

[3:47:48] Patty so dot and I am saying

[3:47:48] que resident living at

[3:47:49] 1619 Pennsylvania Avenue

[3:47:52] Northeast, e p and cross wrote

[3:47:54] is I guess 62th Avenue.

[3:47:56] Good okay. Resident Saint Pete

[3:47:59] and I thought my home in 36

[3:48:00] since that time my water bill

[3:48:04] has increased. 180% over the

[3:48:07] past 20 years from 20

[3:48:08] from

[3:48:09] 2006 to 2026. We have all so we

[3:48:12] all need water and we can't

[3:48:13] live without it,

[3:48:16] that's why we need to be good

[3:48:16] stewards of this

[3:48:19] essential resource and service.

[3:48:20] The reason I'm here is

[3:48:22] to ask for transparency.

[3:48:23] How safe housing Pete is

[3:48:27] calculating the water resource

[3:48:28] rate increase in 20. 27,

[3:48:30] there are 2 por important

[3:48:32] questions what is planned for

[3:48:34] 2027 the city's recent annual

[3:48:35] utility rate. Financial study

[3:48:38] projected to 7% increase in the

[3:48:41] retail water rate

[3:48:43] for 2027. That same study

[3:48:44] projects of course we all know

[3:48:48] the water increasing 7% waste

[3:48:50] water to 7%.

[3:48:53] Plus reclaim water plus 9.7 5.

[3:48:54] The storm water, 15%.

[3:48:57] These increases are scheduled

[3:48:59] to take

[3:49:00] place obviously in Oct. 1st.

[3:49:02] Why is the city increasing the

[3:49:03] rates the rates get the

[3:49:04] increase aren't simply because

[3:49:07] the city expects to use more

[3:49:08] water.

[3:49:11] Utility system needs additional

[3:49:15] revenue to cover

[3:49:16] aging water and wastewater

[3:49:19] infrastructure. Capital

[3:49:21] improvement projects debt

[3:49:24] service, operating costs such

[3:49:25] as the labor service services

[3:49:28] and materials maintenance

[3:49:31] adequate. Just months

[3:49:33] reserves.

[3:49:33] >> My.

[3:49:35] Distinct question then is why

[3:49:37] can't the city in new Marie

[3:49:40] rising costs for 2027 water

[3:49:41] rate

[3:49:43] increased by providing a clean

[3:49:46] line by line accounting of what

[3:49:47] is driving the increase.

[3:49:50] The Saint Pete water reserves,

[3:49:54] operating fund experience a

[3:49:56] projected or projected to go

[3:49:58] down is projected to

[3:50:01] go down 4%. So why are we going

[3:50:03] up why are rates increasing.

[3:50:06] The city needs to go back to

[3:50:07] the finance department.

[3:50:10] And asked them to show you how

[3:50:13] to explain to its residents

[3:50:16] line by line. The map

[3:50:17] on why the city is

[3:50:18] proposing an increase in the

[3:50:21] water rates I vote of course no

[3:50:25] for an increase in the rate.

[3:50:28] >> Next 2 speakers

[3:50:29] are Bruce Nevins and Carla camp

[3:50:30] please go to an open podium

[3:50:31] state your name address or

[3:50:31] cross Street for the record

[3:50:34] you'll have 3 minutes to

[3:50:37] address City Council.

[3:50:48] You can go ahead Sir.

[3:50:51] Hello my name is Bruce Nevins I

[3:50:52] never 5136 28th Avenue North.

[3:50:56] The cross Street is York.

[3:50:59] And I'm here as a.

[3:51:02] Family home.

[3:51:02] Renter

[3:51:05] my rent is going up every year

[3:51:06] for the last 6 years that I've

[3:51:09] been renting before that on the

[3:51:10] House and got covid states for

[3:51:13] 20 years. And of course costs

[3:51:15] were going up quite crazy over

[3:51:17] there. But I'm not quite sure

[3:51:20] why every year we continue to

[3:51:22] have utility rate increases

[3:51:23] when I don't see any different

[3:51:26] service or better service is it

[3:51:28] just a labor costs

[3:51:29] is it. As has been mentioned

[3:51:32] infrastructure replacement.

[3:51:34] Again, everybody's saying be

[3:51:35] clear about this and be

[3:51:36] transparent about it. None of

[3:51:39] that seemed to happen. You have

[3:51:42] a you haven't way of doing this

[3:51:45] where you have a

[3:51:46] reading of the ordinance

[3:51:47] supposedly and then you have a

[3:51:50] public hearing and then

[3:51:50] immediately after we talked to

[3:51:52] you you're going to vote on

[3:51:55] this that doesn't make any

[3:51:56] sense how can you understand

[3:51:57] what we should ask you about

[3:52:00] how can you do anything about

[3:52:03] what we've asked you about why

[3:52:04] can't you be. At least

[3:52:04] respectful of the citizens in

[3:52:05] dealing with them in a very

[3:52:08] transparent manner. Thank you.

[3:52:11] Thank you.

[3:52:18] My name is Carla count.

[3:52:19] My address is 1419 42nd Avenue

[3:52:20] North St. Petersburg Florida,

[3:52:21] 3, 3, 7, 1, 4, Sadly I am a

[3:52:21] block and a half outside the

[3:52:24] city limits so everything that

[3:52:24] you're talking about you

[3:52:25] can add an extra 25% to me.

[3:52:28] The chief Lloyd would be my guy

[3:52:29] I do have seen Pete water.

[3:52:32] So I am here to talk about

[3:52:33] that. I'm also a candidate

[3:52:34] for Senate here. What I'm

[3:52:37] hearing is people coming to you

[3:52:38] with numbers which I'm very

[3:52:38] impressed with that they've

[3:52:40] done the research and I'm

[3:52:41] wondering why that hasn't been

[3:52:43] done internally what I would

[3:52:44] like to say as someone who had

[3:52:46] their entire road. Throughout

[3:52:49] the city ripped up in the city

[3:52:52] County event together where

[3:52:53] they replace the water

[3:52:54] twice. Ever since we've had

[3:52:57] problems with water meters

[3:52:58] there are thousands of

[3:53:00] complaints about the water

[3:53:01] meters not being right about

[3:53:02] people getting charged

[3:53:03] thousands of dollars for water

[3:53:06] they've never consumed and

[3:53:07] houses that are empty.

[3:53:08] There are just as many

[3:53:10] complaints and save the mayor's

[3:53:11] office has been talked to

[3:53:12] repeatedly you guys haven't

[3:53:15] talked repeatedly, and no one

[3:53:19] isn't anything. My next door

[3:53:19] neighbor said to me. 2 months

[3:53:20] ago hated your water bill the

[3:53:21] weird. There is out of the blue

[3:53:23] with 0 leaks they did have it

[3:53:25] professionally tact was over

[3:53:28] $200. That's outrageous.

[3:53:29] I had this multiple times this

[3:53:31] year alone. This is the second

[3:53:32] time I've come here this year

[3:53:35] alone with the same issues and

[3:53:37] never gotten help.

[3:53:40] I for one would appreciate you

[3:53:41] guys not making this go up

[3:53:44] until we have it under control.

[3:53:45] We need to figure out if this

[3:53:48] is a software issue. If people

[3:53:48] have bad meters

[3:53:49] whether its new leaders that

[3:53:52] are bad. I don't know these

[3:53:52] other facilities, but the

[3:53:53] person who was at my house

[3:53:56] today flat out told me I have

[3:53:56] an old meter despite the fact

[3:53:59] that they replaced it twice

[3:54:00] just 2 years ago. So someone's

[3:54:01] not doing records, right,

[3:54:02] someone doesn't know to

[3:54:04] calculate things right

[3:54:07] something to some effect.

[3:54:08] Highly inaccurate.

[3:54:08] So I don't understand why you

[3:54:12] guys where you're getting the

[3:54:12] basis for to even raise the

[3:54:15] funding when you don't know

[3:54:16] what's really

[3:54:17] happening with their water

[3:54:18] system here. These guys had

[3:54:19] very impressive numbers clearly

[3:54:22] there's a discrepancy United

[3:54:23] study accounting slim Italia

[3:54:25] that's a huge discrepancy I

[3:54:27] have to take that forward with

[3:54:29] me but I would like I would

[3:54:31] encourage you to dig in further

[3:54:33] and get some actual numbers and

[3:54:34] have people actually figure out

[3:54:36] what's going on in their water

[3:54:38] system. Before you start

[3:54:39] charging people more money.

[3:54:41] When it's already to point that

[3:54:43] people can't afford to live.

[3:54:44] That is most certainly as

[3:54:45] someone else said and

[3:54:48] affordability issue. Thank you.

[3:54:53] Thank you.

[3:54:54] Final 2 speakers are ging

[3:54:55] coffin and Nathan Yang please

[3:54:56] go to an open podium state your

[3:54:56] name address across Street for

[3:54:57] the record you'll have 3

[3:55:00] minutes to address City

[3:55:03] Council.

[3:55:06] >> Hi my name is Jamie kah fun.

[3:55:09] My dad, 28 24th Avenue

[3:55:13] North St. Petersburg Florida.

[3:55:16] I didn't even know about this

[3:55:17] because I've been living in

[3:55:18] citrus County because in citrus

[3:55:22] County I have spring well water

[3:55:24] and so I do not have a water

[3:55:26] bill. But by has been has a

[3:55:29] small business owner here so he

[3:55:30] still lives in our house.

[3:55:31] So it's just him I come home on

[3:55:32] the weekends are unless I have

[3:55:35] a doctor's appointment because

[3:55:38] I am in. Have some

[3:55:41] critical health problems.

[3:55:42] But I am we got

[3:55:45] our water bill 3 months ago and

[3:55:49] it was

[3:55:51] $2,352.91 and that's just him

[3:55:54] and maybe me 3 times a month.

[3:55:54] And so I said

[3:55:55] well that's a mistake all just

[3:55:56] go down there. You know that

[3:55:59] there should be no problem he

[3:56:02] was like oh.

[3:56:03] I went down there and

[3:56:04] I couldn't even talk to anybody

[3:56:07] and they told me you have to

[3:56:09] have you have to hire a company

[3:56:11] to make sure you're not a leak

[3:56:14] has this large amount it's

[3:56:17] something major going on.

[3:56:17] So I hired a company and they

[3:56:18] came out and they did a leak.

[3:56:21] Thank and they said there's no

[3:56:24] leak here. So my son. He is

[3:56:27] very on.

[3:56:29] Handyman type and so he took

[3:56:31] videos of with the time and the

[3:56:34] date of a video with the meter

[3:56:40] and it wasn't it wasn't running

[3:56:42] so. Anyway, I

[3:56:43] took all this stuff back.

[3:56:44] And they said oh well we'll

[3:56:46] give it to the Super.

[3:56:49] Supervisor will.

[3:56:50] Re correct it so today

[3:56:51] I went down there because it

[3:56:54] came back that I still owe this

[3:56:58] money. And so she wouldn't let

[3:57:01] me talk to a supervisor

[3:57:02] and I am

[3:57:03] was kinda you know, oh wow

[3:57:04] that's how it is I said well

[3:57:07] you tell me I to do this and I

[3:57:09] did that. Oh wow

[3:57:12] so she says if you want you can

[3:57:14] write out something and they

[3:57:16] will see. Take it back to the

[3:57:17] supervisors so I wrote that but

[3:57:19] I noticed that the address that

[3:57:20] that was going to be sent to

[3:57:23] was here and I had no idea this

[3:57:26] was City Hall.

[3:57:27] So I've Google had to get to

[3:57:28] this place and it happened to

[3:57:31] be you all were in the meeting

[3:57:33] this morning down there and I

[3:57:34] said oh GOD is putting me here

[3:57:38] for a reason and I am in the

[3:57:39] middle of having it.

[3:57:43] And attack and so I really

[3:57:44] should even be here. But I felt

[3:57:47] that I need to comments and say

[3:57:50] that this is not right

[3:57:54] and the budgets, I'm noticing I

[3:57:56] was a single mom and I own my

[3:57:57] own small business and I had to

[3:57:58] budget everything and I feel

[3:57:59] like maybe the budgeting is it

[3:58:02] right here because of the hike.

[3:58:04] Hi

[3:58:05] price that you want to add and

[3:58:06] I think that the computer

[3:58:09] system is wrong. I mean some

[3:58:12] thank you.

[3:58:17] >> Someone MISTER Schulte

[3:58:18] talking about your it's you.

[3:58:19] >> my name's Nathan Yang I love

[3:58:22] it to answer 9 been you know a

[3:58:25] self it states.

[3:58:28] So I called a couple things I

[3:58:31] think are hopeful of that

[3:58:34] situation, I've also been a.

[3:58:35] Water here later something like

[3:58:38] $100 bill and I'm like oh my

[3:58:40] gosh

[3:58:42] it's from and paid the price

[3:58:45] but I did see a recent Nielsen

[3:58:46] says Analytics to do

[3:58:46] automated metering of show you

[3:58:47] which it brings a lot of hope

[3:58:48] to the situation in terms of

[3:58:52] visibility and usage and future

[3:58:55] I've read studies that have

[3:58:58] been suggested. Also notice

[3:58:59] there is like a $40 million a

[3:59:00] contract with nasa management

[3:59:01] company which should bring a

[3:59:01] lot of visibility into the

[3:59:04] capital budget Capex

[3:59:05] expenditures.

[3:59:08] Coming up, especially when used

[3:59:09] and that is used just for its I

[3:59:10] think there's some good things

[3:59:13] come in that have been moved

[3:59:16] on. And I'd also like to.

[3:59:19] You know given all the input

[3:59:21] today advise maybe contacting

[3:59:24] the Florida, rural water

[3:59:26] Association.

[3:59:26] St. Petersburg not necessarily

[3:59:27] a rural community. They do have

[3:59:28] asked management team that this

[3:59:30] fiscal sustainability studies.

[3:59:33] The requirements of.

[3:59:37] Meaning the state revolving

[3:59:40] fund choir months.

[3:59:43] Adopted

[3:59:44] by councils like yourself

[3:59:46] across the state. Support in

[3:59:48] the requests from the community

[3:59:51] so its free resource on folks

[3:59:53] are great.

[3:59:57] I think it would bring some

[3:59:58] additional support in addition

[3:59:58] to the consultants forgetting a

[3:59:59] third-party of has years of

[4:00:02] experience in Italy. Doing that

[4:00:05] and in helping the situation.

[4:00:08] Thank you. Thank you. Sir.

[4:00:11] More speakers years a case.

[4:00:13] >> I could have to get good

[4:00:14] evening. Lance. Well good

[4:00:15] evening Council CHAIRMAN Of

[4:00:17] education. I do have a

[4:00:20] presentation m okay.

[4:00:24] Good evening Council chair

[4:00:27] members of Council when

[4:00:29] Stanford

[4:00:30] public works services manager,

[4:00:30] I'd like to thank you for the

[4:00:31] opportunity to bring for the fy

[4:00:33] 27 utility rates study program.

[4:00:37] Throughout the program. The

[4:00:40] mayor's vision and the

[4:00:40] principles for

[4:00:41] accountable and responsible

[4:00:44] government where our guiding

[4:00:47] principles throughout

[4:00:49] this whole process. The rate

[4:00:49] study program and objectives

[4:00:53] throughout this process we want

[4:00:54] to look at bouncing

[4:00:54] affordability with long-term

[4:00:57] sustainability ensuring revenue

[4:00:58] sufficiency and financial

[4:00:59] stability while funding the

[4:01:02] infrastructure replacement and

[4:01:02] resiliency improvements

[4:01:05] systemwide maintaining strong

[4:01:06] pay as you go funding strategy

[4:01:08] and evaluate programs and

[4:01:09] consider proportional

[4:01:12] inequitable cost recovery.

[4:01:15] You'll see in our rate studies

[4:01:16] schedule. We started back in

[4:01:20] JANUARY with a City Council one

[4:01:21] on ones went through rate

[4:01:23] study workshops Council budget

[4:01:24] workshops and you're meeting

[4:01:27] the the onus the culmination of

[4:01:28] the rate study program that the

[4:01:30] public hearings throughout that

[4:01:31] process we've worked with

[4:01:34] marketing and administration

[4:01:35] has worked on the

[4:01:38] communications campaign to

[4:01:39] include bill billing

[4:01:41] inserts social media posts

[4:01:44] website updates advertisements

[4:01:45] for the first

[4:01:45] reading and public hearing

[4:01:48] throughout the process to try

[4:01:49] to help pass for the win.

[4:01:51] They hold great study program

[4:01:54] and the reasons behind the rate

[4:01:57] study increases.

[4:01:59] Various rate studying various

[4:02:02] various different utility rates

[4:02:04] would like to highlight

[4:02:04] some program I tell any

[4:02:08] highlights this here we'd like

[4:02:08] to for the sanitation

[4:02:09] utility program highlight.

[4:02:16] The the continued investment in

[4:02:17] the truck, the fleet for you

[4:02:20] the sanitation still utility

[4:02:21] program. And also highlight

[4:02:24] a ever-increasing expense which

[4:02:26] is the 8% annual rate increase

[4:02:27] for the county tipping costs

[4:02:31] which significantly impact the

[4:02:34] sanitation utility budget.

[4:02:36] The stormwater utility program

[4:02:37] highlights, operationally

[4:02:38] they've increased the number of

[4:02:42] miles of stormwater pipes

[4:02:43] culverts inspected

[4:02:44] and maintain at to the fdp

[4:02:46] reporting cycle to the ability

[4:02:49] to hire more people and procure

[4:02:50] more equipment since OCTOBER of

[4:02:51] 2025, we've replaced hundreds

[4:02:54] of feet of stormwater pipes at

[4:02:55] the end of

[4:02:58] their life service life with

[4:02:59] longer lasting material types

[4:03:01] and the capital program would

[4:03:02] like to highlight and

[4:03:04] stormwater backflow prevention

[4:03:04] program. The Bartlett Lake

[4:03:07] restoration project. The

[4:03:08] citywide stormwater can Vance

[4:03:09] restoration program and major

[4:03:12] storm water pump station

[4:03:15] initiatives. And the

[4:03:16] water resources utility would

[4:03:19] like to highlight. The

[4:03:19] Northwest water reclamation

[4:03:20] improvements project which

[4:03:22] included included new of

[4:03:23] influence pump station and

[4:03:26] reclaim storage tanks. The

[4:03:27] flood protection projects that

[4:03:29] lift station 85, Northeast

[4:03:30] water reclamation facility

[4:03:33] Southwest, raw water

[4:03:34] reclamation

[4:03:35] facility, another lift

[4:03:36] stations. We broke down we

[4:03:37] broke ground on the new

[4:03:38] category 5 hurricane resistant

[4:03:41] operations and maintenance

[4:03:42] building at the Southwest

[4:03:44] reclamation facility. And

[4:03:45] providing much-needed repairs

[4:03:48] at Cannes the cost of MAY.

[4:03:52] Watery treatment plant.

[4:03:54] Next few slides

[4:03:57] here highlight some of the

[4:03:59] proposed fy 27 utility rate

[4:04:00] adjustments and potential

[4:04:03] impacts on typical usage and

[4:04:06] lower usage and high usage

[4:04:07] builds on this slide here

[4:04:07] you'll see that the proposed

[4:04:10] utility rate adjustments for

[4:04:14] potable water the 7.5%.

[4:04:16] Wastewater 6.5%

[4:04:19] stormwater 8.5% and sanitation

[4:04:22] with recycling at 6.0%

[4:04:26] with reclaim water at 9.7 5%.

[4:04:29] The typical you know look low

[4:04:31] usage monthly utility bill

[4:04:31] with a tier one stormwater

[4:04:34] charge. We'll see approximately

[4:04:37] 6.7 4% increase.

[4:04:38] Without reclaimed water and

[4:04:41] about a 7.5% increase with

[4:04:44] reclaimed water.

[4:04:48] The next typical usage

[4:04:48] example here we

[4:04:49] have was a tier 2 stormwater

[4:04:52] charge where the typical bill

[4:04:53] would see a

[4:04:56] 6.8 8% increase. Without

[4:04:58] reclaimed water or a 7.4 8%

[4:05:01] increase with reclaimed water.

[4:05:03] This year's rates you'll see

[4:05:06] are slightly lower than the

[4:05:09] last year's projections of the

[4:05:10] storm water and

[4:05:11] water resources and sanitation

[4:05:12] rates where last year the total

[4:05:15] bill excluding the Klan water

[4:05:15] was about 8.1 5%.

[4:05:17] And the total including

[4:05:20] reclaimed water was about 8.4

[4:05:23] 8%.

[4:05:24] On the high usage monthly bill

[4:05:25] with a tier 3 stormwater charge

[4:05:29] the typical bill will see a 7%

[4:05:31] increase for fiscal year 27

[4:05:32] without reclaimed water and

[4:05:35] with reclaimed water, the

[4:05:37] typical below sea, a 7.4 7%

[4:05:38] increase as compared to the

[4:05:39] rate study last year where the

[4:05:42] typical bill would have seen an

[4:05:44] 8.4 2% increase

[4:05:45] without reclaimed water and

[4:05:48] then 8.6 5% increase with

[4:05:52] reclaimed water.

[4:05:53] Finally the higher usage

[4:05:54] bill and it here for stormwater

[4:05:55] charge, the typical bill

[4:05:59] excluding reclaimed water will

[4:06:00] see a

[4:06:03] 7.1 0% increase and with

[4:06:04] reclaimed water a

[4:06:06] 7.4 8% increase as compared to

[4:06:09] the prior year's projection at

[4:06:12] 8.7 2% increase and an

[4:06:15] 8.8 7% increase. With that I'd

[4:06:16] like to hand it off to

[4:06:17] Andy Burnham partner with

[4:06:17] stantec consulting to dive a

[4:06:21] little bit more into the

[4:06:24] details for you.

[4:06:27] Thank you. Evening and thank

[4:06:28] you it's good evening, MADAM

[4:06:28] Chair members of Council.

[4:06:30] Happy to fill in some of the

[4:06:30] details that I think might be

[4:06:33] again refresher for many of you

[4:06:34] that have that participated in

[4:06:35] the process that leads to

[4:06:35] scribe throughout but needed

[4:06:36] beneficial for the public to

[4:06:37] help understand some of the

[4:06:40] context of why we're looking at

[4:06:43] utility rate adjustments for

[4:06:44] the various systems. So for

[4:06:44] starting with the sanitation

[4:06:45] system. The city's annual

[4:06:46] practices to look at their

[4:06:47] financial futures part of the

[4:06:50] budget process for these

[4:06:50] utilities to measure the

[4:06:51] adequacy of revenues to meet

[4:06:54] expenses as part of that we're

[4:06:54] able to reconcile

[4:06:55] what's changed from one year to

[4:06:57] the next these processes that

[4:06:58] allow us to not only evaluate

[4:07:00] the rates for the current year,

[4:07:01] but about forecast for future

[4:07:02] years and so I'll touch on some

[4:07:03] of the variances in relation to

[4:07:05] last year's forecast of

[4:07:07] expenses that we're seeing in

[4:07:09] this current year and in this

[4:07:10] raid evaluation. Overall for

[4:07:12] sanitation operational spending

[4:07:13] we're seeing some of the

[4:07:15] benefits and the investment of

[4:07:16] the new facility that we

[4:07:17] recently financed with that we

[4:07:18] actually have some savings on

[4:07:20] our operating expenses relative

[4:07:21] to demolition of structures

[4:07:24] engineering and facility

[4:07:25] repairs and

[4:07:26] renovations we're seeing a

[4:07:27] return on that investment.

[4:07:28] However us Lance mentioned with

[4:07:30] sanitation we do have to take

[4:07:33] our solid waste to the county

[4:07:33] landfill for disposal for

[4:07:35] proper disposal. That's not

[4:07:36] something that we have control

[4:07:39] over in terms of the costs that

[4:07:40] we're charge from Pinellas

[4:07:40] County for that disposal rate.

[4:07:42] They have approved increases of

[4:07:43] 8% per year for the next couple

[4:07:45] of years in of giving guidance

[4:07:48] to expect similar levels of

[4:07:49] increases going forward for

[4:07:50] disposal costs. This is a

[4:07:51] pretty significant part of our

[4:07:54] expenses for these disposal

[4:07:55] costs for these tipping fees

[4:07:57] that's really not within our

[4:07:57] control. The other major cost

[4:07:58] consideration that we have for

[4:08:00] sanitation is relative to

[4:08:02] capital expenses and for

[4:08:05] sanitation that really means

[4:08:06] replacement of containers for

[4:08:06] residents is in for businesses

[4:08:09] the dumpsters. But then also

[4:08:10] vehicle replacements that's the

[4:08:12] fleet that goes out and collect

[4:08:13] all of the the garbage and

[4:08:14] recycling within the community.

[4:08:15] Those expenses are comparable

[4:08:18] to what we're looking at last

[4:08:19] year on an annualized basis in

[4:08:20] total. But they're still a very

[4:08:22] significant component of what

[4:08:25] we have to plan for for the

[4:08:25] utility going forward. And

[4:08:28] specifically on the fleet.

[4:08:29] It's probably one of the most

[4:08:29] important assumptions and

[4:08:30] replacement considerations that

[4:08:33] we have to make for sanitation

[4:08:36] is to make sure we have

[4:08:37] adequate funding to replace our

[4:08:39] extensive fleet of vehicles, a

[4:08:41] 123 trucks. Each of which has

[4:08:42] different useful lives based

[4:08:43] upon their purpose and there's

[4:08:46] good industry guidance about

[4:08:46] when those types of

[4:08:48] infrastructures can and should

[4:08:49] be replaced. However that has

[4:08:49] to be customized to reflect our

[4:08:52] environment and kudos to the

[4:08:54] sanitation team for really

[4:08:54] adapting a proactive approach

[4:08:57] to try to stay on life cycles

[4:08:57] for this equipment in an urban

[4:09:01] environment for these vehicles

[4:09:01] take on a lot more wear and

[4:09:02] tear particularly the front and

[4:09:05] side load or so we have a more

[4:09:05] frequent replacement scheduled

[4:09:06] and you MAY see across the

[4:09:07] national average. But we are in

[4:09:09] an urban environment and that's

[4:09:11] to be expected. But us about

[4:09:14] million of investment in our

[4:09:15] fleet that we need to do

[4:09:15] to make sure that we can

[4:09:16] collect the garbage and

[4:09:17] recycling within the community

[4:09:20] for residents and businesses

[4:09:22] alike. So the

[4:09:22] financial plan that we look at

[4:09:23] as I mentioned prior year study

[4:09:27] last year the forecast was 7% a

[4:09:29] year for 3 years followed by

[4:09:31] 4.7 5% per year. However with

[4:09:32] some of our recent positive

[4:09:33] performance, it creates an

[4:09:34] opportunity to smooth those

[4:09:37] increases of that level lies

[4:09:38] the rate plan to 6% per year.

[4:09:39] I think this is part of the

[4:09:42] conversation in context that's

[4:09:42] beneficial for all to

[4:09:43] appreciate is that the city has

[4:09:46] long taken an approach of

[4:09:46] trying to do

[4:09:47] smaller more frequent rate

[4:09:48] adjustments as opposed to going

[4:09:50] multiple years without rate

[4:09:53] increases and then doing very

[4:09:53] large adjustments. That's been

[4:09:56] a recent practice that's tried

[4:09:57] to follow that principle of us

[4:09:59] you know smaller and slow and

[4:09:59] steady wins the race to be

[4:10:00] consistent with our planning

[4:10:03] process process for investments

[4:10:04] in our infrastructure. So

[4:10:05] the plan now is a little bit

[4:10:06] more modest than what it was

[4:10:08] looking at last year for this

[4:10:08] year as well as for the next

[4:10:11] couple of years as things are

[4:10:12] tracking pretty well we're

[4:10:13] seeing slightly better

[4:10:13] performance. What this means on

[4:10:16] a typical bill for the garbage

[4:10:18] component is about $2 a little

[4:10:18] less than that and for the

[4:10:21] recycling components built

[4:10:22] about $0.25 a typical

[4:10:23] residential bill. However the

[4:10:24] practice that I mentioned has

[4:10:25] not always been in place for

[4:10:26] the sanitation system. So if

[4:10:29] you look back through history

[4:10:30] and there's been some history

[4:10:31] referenced here today. There

[4:10:33] are extended periods of times

[4:10:36] from 1988 to 2005 where there

[4:10:37] are no adjustments and rates

[4:10:38] actually there was a small

[4:10:40] decrease and then again from 30

[4:10:41] to 38 where there are no

[4:10:44] adjustments and sanitation If

[4:10:46] you look at this

[4:10:46] approximately 36 year history,

[4:10:47] a 30 year history for 27 years

[4:10:50] for sanitation rates want to

[4:10:51] just and so keeping that in

[4:10:52] mind. You know we're trying to

[4:10:53] follow approach consistent with

[4:10:56] the recent years where we stay

[4:10:57] on top of our expenses cover

[4:11:00] inflation which has hit the

[4:11:00] vehicle, stay current with

[4:11:01] tipping 3 increases that are

[4:11:02] coming from the county we're

[4:11:02] really trying to make sure that

[4:11:03] we're having revenues match

[4:11:07] expenses each year for the

[4:11:09] system no more no less.

[4:11:10] Relative to the stormwater

[4:11:11] program. Some of the changes in

[4:11:13] key drivers that we're seeing

[4:11:14] this year operations and

[4:11:16] maintenance spending is is very

[4:11:17] much in line

[4:11:18] with past projections in fact,

[4:11:20] just on a $100,000 larger than

[4:11:21] last year so it's well within

[4:11:22] projections. But the capital

[4:11:25] program continues to be the

[4:11:27] topic of conversation for storm

[4:11:28] water so this fund historically

[4:11:30] only funded about a million to

[4:11:32] million a year of capital and

[4:11:33] with the recent master plan

[4:11:34] that was completed. It

[4:11:34] indicated, we should be

[4:11:37] spending more along the lines

[4:11:40] of about million a year on

[4:11:41] capital so we're on track to

[4:11:42] hit that goal by 2031 presently

[4:11:44] we're in that approximately

[4:11:45] million range of spending so

[4:11:47] we've made good progress.

[4:11:48] But this is part of the reason

[4:11:49] why we're talking about a

[4:11:51] program of continued

[4:11:52] adjustments for storm waters to

[4:11:52] really address proper

[4:11:56] investment needs for the

[4:11:56] infrastructure

[4:11:57] that we have for the stormwater

[4:12:01] system. So as we take a look at

[4:12:01] the forecast this

[4:12:02] is where with those needs in

[4:12:03] mind considerations were given

[4:12:06] to how we finance those

[4:12:07] projects and how we fund them

[4:12:08] and so considering that the

[4:12:10] prior rate study the forecast

[4:12:13] was a 15% followed by 4%

[4:12:14] increases. This

[4:12:15] year given affordability

[4:12:16] considerations and alternative

[4:12:16] approach to funding

[4:12:19] infrastructure was looked at

[4:12:20] for a period of time or we

[4:12:21] would fund more with debt.

[4:12:22] That means we will pay more

[4:12:24] interest in the long run about

[4:12:26] million more of interest as the

[4:12:27] approximation of that based on

[4:12:28] the current capital plan but

[4:12:32] funding more with that now

[4:12:32] allows us to have a more stable

[4:12:33] and smooth that rate plan than

[4:12:36] it otherwise would if we didn't

[4:12:37] we would have to have the

[4:12:40] higher rate shown previously

[4:12:41] with a 15%

[4:12:42] increase as shown for 27, so

[4:12:43] this is an approach that was a

[4:12:44] value added and recommended and

[4:12:47] considered really how do we pay

[4:12:49] for infrastructure. They're

[4:12:52] contemplating recognize that

[4:12:52] some of the even extend beyond

[4:12:55] the term of what we can finance

[4:12:56] it so taking on a little bit

[4:12:57] more debt for storm water feels

[4:12:58] a little bit more comfortable

[4:13:01] with knowing that in mind that

[4:13:02] we're not outpacing our assets

[4:13:04] with debt financing and it's a

[4:13:05] way to also address

[4:13:06] affordability and to moderate

[4:13:06] the rate increases to an extent

[4:13:07] without compromising the needed

[4:13:10] investment in the system that

[4:13:11] we have to have.

[4:13:15] The storm water history has a

[4:13:15] bit of a checkered past

[4:13:16] to similar to sanitation to a

[4:13:19] degree. I think when he was

[4:13:21] first adopted and circa 1990.

[4:13:22] It was an adjusted for the

[4:13:24] first 10 or 11 years. And then

[4:13:27] there was also a period from 30

[4:13:28] to 36 which it was also again

[4:13:30] not adjusted. However with the

[4:13:31] storms and things that

[4:13:32] happened in the 37 time period.

[4:13:33] It's been on a plan of trying

[4:13:34] to address that capital needs

[4:13:37] and really move it from funding

[4:13:38] again a very nominal amount of

[4:13:40] capital to more along the lines

[4:13:43] of what's the needed

[4:13:43] reinvestment rates for them to

[4:13:44] to to storm water

[4:13:45] infrastructure that we have and

[4:13:46] so we're making good progress

[4:13:47] on that journey but there's

[4:13:48] still more steps to be done.

[4:13:49] It hasn't been done all at once

[4:13:50] it's been trying to be phased

[4:13:51] in over a reasonable manner

[4:13:54] balancing affordability

[4:13:56] considerations.

[4:13:59] And lastly relative to water

[4:14:01] resources. This particular fund

[4:14:03] that the key drivers. We did

[4:14:04] see increases and personnel

[4:14:06] services costs and salaries and

[4:14:07] wages, but they're within

[4:14:08] expectations from last year.

[4:14:08] We did see flat operations and

[4:14:11] maintenance expenses which is

[4:14:12] actually very helpful in this

[4:14:16] context. Similarly the capital

[4:14:17] spending water

[4:14:18] and sewer systems by nature

[4:14:20] credibly infrastructure,

[4:14:21] intensive said the 5 year

[4:14:24] capital plan for this fund is

[4:14:25] on the order of magnitude of on

[4:14:28] the $700 million so we're at 66

[4:14:28] last year now

[4:14:29] it's 6.96. It's very

[4:14:31] comparable. We are seeing a

[4:14:32] little bit of a dip in rate

[4:14:34] revenues compared to last

[4:14:34] year's forecast that will be

[4:14:36] something to look into this

[4:14:37] next year to make sure that we

[4:14:38] have a lot of the issues that

[4:14:40] you might be hearing about now

[4:14:41] fully addressed and that we

[4:14:42] have good billing procedures in

[4:14:45] place. And capture that and

[4:14:47] future forecasts.

[4:14:47] But within the water financial

[4:14:48] plan there were a number of

[4:14:50] things that were looked at and

[4:14:51] I think that speaks to some of

[4:14:52] the questions too about what

[4:14:54] did you look at as part of the

[4:14:56] process that you can do to

[4:14:57] try to optimize the system so

[4:14:58] one of the things that staff

[4:15:01] was famously successful for was

[4:15:04] securing a state revolving fund

[4:15:07] loan program that included a

[4:15:07] 50% principal forgiveness.

[4:15:08] So that means it's basically a

[4:15:09] grant for half of that $40.7

[4:15:13] million. And the remaining 50%.

[4:15:13] We received the

[4:15:16] financing of 0% interest rate.

[4:15:18] So it's basically

[4:15:19] one of the most advantageous

[4:15:21] programs you could possibly

[4:15:23] find and we secure that for $40

[4:15:26] million of infrastructure which

[4:15:27] is fantastic. We haven't

[4:15:28] factored into any of these

[4:15:30] financial plans. Any of the

[4:15:31] Saint Pete at our resilience

[4:15:32] program costs that's a decision

[4:15:33] that's you know to be made at

[4:15:34] the ballots coming here in

[4:15:35] NOVEMBER. But we did look at

[4:15:38] other various programs as part

[4:15:38] of this to try to find

[4:15:40] ways to make the system more

[4:15:41] efficient such as with fat oils

[4:15:42] and grease programs to look at

[4:15:45] how we could deploy or

[4:15:45] inspectors to actually enhance

[4:15:47] service to customers as opposed

[4:15:48] to having procedures that were

[4:15:50] challenging and and trying to

[4:15:51] chase down fees that were hard

[4:15:53] to collect and allowing the

[4:15:56] program to actually spread to a

[4:15:57] wider benefit for the benefit

[4:15:58] of all customers. We also

[4:16:00] looked at things like dedicated

[4:16:01] fire service lines for

[4:16:01] properties that have dedicated

[4:16:04] sprinkler systems to make sure

[4:16:05] that those standby rates were

[4:16:07] set fairly for that additional

[4:16:08] capacity that some businesses

[4:16:10] and multi-family structures

[4:16:11] require. We also looked at

[4:16:13] updating. The wastewater

[4:16:14] capacity fee this is the fee

[4:16:15] that's applied to new

[4:16:16] development to make sure that

[4:16:19] it was fully reflecting the

[4:16:20] unit cost of capacity to serve

[4:16:21] new development. So that

[4:16:22] doesn't affect all customers,

[4:16:25] this is for when we have growth

[4:16:26] the redevelopment that requires

[4:16:28] additional demands. They pay a

[4:16:30] higher fee because that

[4:16:30] capacity has a cost and so

[4:16:32] they're contributing their fair

[4:16:34] share through this type of a

[4:16:35] process. So we looked at a

[4:16:36] number of mechanisms included

[4:16:39] the continued use of penny for

[4:16:40] Pinellas funding for part of

[4:16:42] the infrastructure. This is all

[4:16:43] part of a multifaceted approach

[4:16:44] and financial plan that's

[4:16:45] trying to really make sure we

[4:16:47] from the infrastructure needs

[4:16:48] that have been defined for the

[4:16:49] system but do so in the fairest

[4:16:50] way possible and leverages all

[4:16:53] possible funding sources that

[4:16:55] we can we know we have them.

[4:16:56] So as we look at the water

[4:16:58] system financial plan this is

[4:17:01] very comparable to the prior

[4:17:01] year forecast from last year in

[4:17:03] terms of the overall increase.

[4:17:04] Each year as we go through the

[4:17:05] process it's in that to make

[4:17:06] sure that we fairly apportion

[4:17:08] the increase for water

[4:17:08] resources between water sewer

[4:17:12] and reclaimed, so while this

[4:17:12] year

[4:17:13] the distribution of increases

[4:17:16] reflects the different increase

[4:17:18] for reclaimed a 9.7 5%

[4:17:18] future years these assumptions

[4:17:22] are applied across the board to

[4:17:22] all 3 services

[4:17:23] for water sewer and reclaimed.

[4:17:27] But again you can see that the

[4:17:27] general impact on the utility

[4:17:28] bill here and Lance Winthrop

[4:17:29] more specifically with some

[4:17:33] different usage types and Bill

[4:17:34] examples so try to

[4:17:35] I try to make it evaluated from

[4:17:39] a lot in the pocket perspective

[4:17:39] in terms of what is

[4:17:40] this dollar impact really on a

[4:17:41] monthly basis. Just want to

[4:17:43] touch on to these points a

[4:17:44] little bit further with the

[4:17:46] waste water capacity fee.

[4:17:47] Just as a reminder. This is a

[4:17:48] fee that's applied to new

[4:17:50] development and redevelopment

[4:17:51] only not existing customers.

[4:17:54] And this had a history of being

[4:17:55] looked at in 24 for

[4:17:56] the first time in a number of

[4:17:58] years and it had a phase in

[4:17:59] plan was developed and that's

[4:17:59] been revisited to kind of

[4:18:01] accelerate the implementation

[4:18:04] of this feat a full cost

[4:18:06] recovery and consistent with

[4:18:07] conversations last year we

[4:18:07] re-evaluated that this year to

[4:18:10] make sure it's reflecting our

[4:18:11] current cost of capital which

[4:18:12] continues to rise. And so the

[4:18:13] recommendation this year is to

[4:18:16] move the feet from the $1000 to

[4:18:17] the 1700 to be based on the

[4:18:17] current cost of capacity is

[4:18:20] that we've calculated that this

[4:18:20] year.

[4:18:24] And the other one I touched on

[4:18:25] earlier was the fire service

[4:18:28] protection charges. These are

[4:18:29] again fees that are to about

[4:18:29] 1200 different commercial

[4:18:32] multifamily customers that have

[4:18:33] these onsite fire suppression

[4:18:36] systems and have these

[4:18:36] dedicated lines that provide

[4:18:37] water when it's needed for

[4:18:39] those systems. And so we've

[4:18:40] updated the fee schedule to be

[4:18:43] consistent with others in terms

[4:18:43] of how it's generally applied

[4:18:44] usually you'll see these fees

[4:18:47] for 4 inch lines and smaller 6

[4:18:48] inch lines and smaller and then

[4:18:49] scale up from there. So you

[4:18:51] updated the unit cost and

[4:18:52] recommended that modification

[4:18:55] to the approach to these

[4:18:55] monthly charges just included

[4:18:57] some comparison information so

[4:18:57] you can see the updated charges

[4:18:58] are very comparable to what

[4:19:01] other local agencies have for

[4:19:04] the same service.

[4:19:04] The other item that we've we've

[4:19:07] touched on and the analysis and

[4:19:08] some of the comments

[4:19:09] address it is relative to

[4:19:10] affordability we had an

[4:19:12] extensive conversation on this

[4:19:13] through the budget finance and

[4:19:15] taxation committee meeting

[4:19:16] process that was highlighted

[4:19:17] earlier by Lance. We've looked

[4:19:20] at a number of measures whether

[4:19:23] they come from regulatory

[4:19:24] agencies for compliance

[4:19:24] considerations with regulatory

[4:19:26] standards whether they come

[4:19:27] from academia and ways to try

[4:19:30] to look at the measure

[4:19:32] household affordability through

[4:19:32] different means such as hours

[4:19:34] of minimum wage work required

[4:19:36] to pay a bill. We also looked

[4:19:37] at from the regulatory

[4:19:40] exceeding the rating agency

[4:19:41] lenses how they evaluate

[4:19:41] affordability is part of

[4:19:43] evaluating overall financial

[4:19:46] health and credit worthiness of

[4:19:47] communities that issue debt.

[4:19:48] And many of the indicators were

[4:19:50] in the medium burden or low

[4:19:51] burden ranging of kind of put

[4:19:54] up your descriptions of how the

[4:19:55] Environmental Protection Agency

[4:19:57] defines medium and low burden.

[4:19:58] And some of our low Vernon

[4:19:59] indicators are low, but they're

[4:19:59] getting close to medium burden.

[4:20:00] So I think that medium burden

[4:20:03] description is pretty true and

[4:20:03] I

[4:20:06] think you're hearing today.

[4:20:07] There are concerns about

[4:20:10] affordability throughout the

[4:20:12] service area. We do have

[4:20:13] infrastructure intensive

[4:20:13] systems that we have to

[4:20:15] maintaining replace in an

[4:20:16] inflationary environment with

[4:20:17] increasing regulatory

[4:20:19] requirements meaning we MAY not

[4:20:20] see some of these differences

[4:20:20] that are homes to maintain the

[4:20:23] systems because costs are

[4:20:24] rising or because our

[4:20:25] regulations are changing.

[4:20:26] But regulations that we're

[4:20:28] changing but the state federal

[4:20:31] agencies are imposing on us in

[4:20:32] terms of how we provide clean

[4:20:32] drinking water safe, drinking

[4:20:35] water and and obviously

[4:20:36] properly dispose of the waste

[4:20:37] water, so you know all this is

[4:20:38] to say that this is an

[4:20:38] important part of the process

[4:20:41] and there's a lot of analysis

[4:20:43] that goes into affordability

[4:20:44] to try to consider it and to

[4:20:47] try to understand it as part of

[4:20:48] this process he 2 years so I

[4:20:48] know all of you are familiar

[4:20:49] with that but I also just want

[4:20:50] to make sure for those that are

[4:20:51] here and those that are

[4:20:53] watching it's it's a very front

[4:20:55] and center consideration as we

[4:20:55] go through the rate setting

[4:20:56] process with you each year.

[4:20:57] And it's very much considered

[4:21:00] when recommendations are being

[4:21:01] developed so

[4:21:03] but there are opportunities in

[4:21:03] the future as well that we can

[4:21:04] maybe mitigate some of these

[4:21:06] future increases and so I want

[4:21:08] to turn it over to Lansing just

[4:21:08] talk about additional measures

[4:21:09] staff is taking to try to

[4:21:10] contain the cost and find ways

[4:21:12] to pay for some of these

[4:21:15] things.

[4:21:19] >> Thank you Andy appreciate

[4:21:22] taken a little bit of a deeper

[4:21:23] dive into the

[4:21:26] methodology and the metrics

[4:21:27] behind what's driving the fy 27

[4:21:29] rate study program as Andy said

[4:21:30] there are

[4:21:31] opportunities in which

[4:21:32] administration with close

[4:21:33] collaboration with on Council

[4:21:35] are looking at to help mitigate

[4:21:36] the risks are the mitigate the

[4:21:39] impact of the rate payers

[4:21:40] throughout this process.

[4:21:43] Currently we can point to the

[4:21:44] state revolving fund loans

[4:21:46] that we were able to secure and

[4:21:48] we're currently working with

[4:21:48] the state at going going

[4:21:51] through the application process

[4:21:54] for these for these programs.

[4:21:56] We have been we have been

[4:21:57] awarded and going through the

[4:21:57] preliminary process for the

[4:22:00] hazard mitigation grant program

[4:22:04] for Debby Helene and Milton

[4:22:05] and we're looking at potential

[4:22:08] hearing back from the state and

[4:22:09] the

[4:22:10] federal government and the in

[4:22:11] the fall for the for the

[4:22:14] programs and the projects in

[4:22:17] which we applied for under the

[4:22:18] age of gp program. Also

[4:22:20] we have community and the

[4:22:21] community development block

[4:22:21] grant disaster recovery.

[4:22:24] And the 25 million that was

[4:22:25] awarded to the stormwater

[4:22:26] utility program. That is also

[4:22:29] going to be utilized to help

[4:22:32] mitigate the impact of the rate

[4:22:33] payers. Looking

[4:22:34] forward for some other

[4:22:36] potential revenues that the

[4:22:38] utilities could take advantage

[4:22:40] of and the future there's the

[4:22:40] resilient Florida program this

[4:22:44] is a competitive grant program

[4:22:46] administered by the fda p

[4:22:48] and the city is diligently

[4:22:49] looking at the opportunities

[4:22:52] throw for the funding through

[4:22:54] resilient, Florida for various

[4:22:55] different projects. And the

[4:22:58] water resources department

[4:22:59] future congressional community

[4:23:01] project funding opportunities.

[4:23:03] State appropriations requests

[4:23:06] and the brick opportunities as

[4:23:07] well which

[4:23:07] is I was just ran by the

[4:23:08] federal government and that

[4:23:11] close collaboration czar close

[4:23:13] alignment with like the gp

[4:23:14] program but the the bric

[4:23:17] program is kind of pre-disaster

[4:23:18] friction versus agent up which

[4:23:19] is post disaster. And with that

[4:23:23] it would bring the end of the

[4:23:24] presentation

[4:23:26] and I'm we'd like to thank you

[4:23:26] for your time your

[4:23:27] consideration and look forward

[4:23:30] to that the following

[4:23:33] discussion. Thank you.

[4:23:35] I the maybe that's that I want

[4:23:38] to kind of cover a little bit

[4:23:39] because I know their concerns

[4:23:42] that this decision. The

[4:23:43] decision

[4:23:44] on rates for just made in this

[4:23:46] meeting if we can cover number

[4:23:47] one the process because its

[4:23:49] genesis ends it starts again

[4:23:50] every year with budget every

[4:23:51] year with everything we do it

[4:23:54] literally never ends right in

[4:23:57] terms of a process

[4:23:58] of examining where costs are.

[4:23:59] Yeah, it's very much a

[4:24:00] continuous as we conclude this

[4:24:03] process we started finding

[4:24:04] where the initiatives that we

[4:24:05] want to look at next calendar

[4:24:08] year. So we start identifying

[4:24:09] programs such as MAY be

[4:24:09] updating certain fees are

[4:24:12] looking at evaluating the rate

[4:24:13] structure we tee up with those

[4:24:15] initiatives are to develop

[4:24:16] ultimately in frame the

[4:24:16] conversations that then start

[4:24:19] in JANUARY where we started

[4:24:20] then also solicit input from

[4:24:23] each of you a relative to key

[4:24:24] issues considerations reminders

[4:24:25] of where we left off last year

[4:24:26] talking about the things that

[4:24:28] we're looking to endeavor upon

[4:24:28] this year in terms of new

[4:24:29] initiatives and then from that

[4:24:32] process we then fall in line

[4:24:33] with your processees relative

[4:24:36] to you establishing and setting

[4:24:39] operating budgets and capital

[4:24:40] budgets. And so those

[4:24:41] become input into the process

[4:24:42] so that we can make sure that

[4:24:43] as you're making decisions

[4:24:44] relative to operations and

[4:24:47] capital were pulling those into

[4:24:49] the raid evaluation process and

[4:24:50] then measure the adequacy of

[4:24:52] your rates and revenues to meet

[4:24:53] those budgetary requirements

[4:24:56] and that's where we get into

[4:24:57] scenario analysis during

[4:24:58] the summer months where we look

[4:24:59] at options consider about

[4:25:00] alternatives to paying for the

[4:25:01] infrastructure different rate

[4:25:04] scenarios work through that

[4:25:05] over the summer months that

[4:25:07] ultimately culminate in a final

[4:25:10] recommendation for utility

[4:25:11] rates that are appropriate to

[4:25:12] meet the needs of the system

[4:25:14] that reflect all the different

[4:25:15] considerations going into it

[4:25:16] not just the immediate term but

[4:25:18] future considerations we don't

[4:25:20] set ourselves up for future

[4:25:21] rate spikes near-term

[4:25:23] affordability concerns based

[4:25:24] upon those we MAY exercise

[4:25:26] different scenarios such as

[4:25:27] this year we exercise different

[4:25:29] approaches relative to how we

[4:25:29] pay for capital to try to

[4:25:30] mitigate some of the impacts

[4:25:34] but that's kind of how the

[4:25:36] process ultimately unfolds

[4:25:36] and then we get to this point

[4:25:37] have these conversations and

[4:25:40] then it again we'll carry

[4:25:43] forward

[4:25:46] in terms of when.

[4:25:46] These studies happen if you

[4:25:47] look at other municipalities

[4:25:48] and what they're looking at

[4:25:49] what your needs are I know they

[4:25:50] are a lot of times people are

[4:25:50] comparing with this is

[4:25:51] happening here and this is what

[4:25:53] degree is in this County are in

[4:25:57] this city or wherever they're

[4:25:58] looking at if you can

[4:26:00] talk a little bit about what

[4:26:01] happens in terms of race in

[4:26:02] different areas based on what

[4:26:05] plans are where they are in the

[4:26:07] process so on and so

[4:26:08] forth and how much they're

[4:26:08] investing in the system.

[4:26:09] Yeah, I think every every

[4:26:09] utility system is that a little

[4:26:10] bit different status relative

[4:26:13] to where they are in their

[4:26:13] capital

[4:26:14] planning and investment

[4:26:15] strategies. But generally each

[4:26:18] year utilities in communities

[4:26:18] have to have the same

[4:26:19] conversations so we have the

[4:26:21] opportunity to work with over a

[4:26:24] 100 communities in Florida.

[4:26:25] Having these conversations and

[4:26:26] a few 100 across North America

[4:26:28] and so if you think locally

[4:26:28] what we're seeing is a lot of

[4:26:31] challenging conversations about

[4:26:32] how we pay for infrastructure

[4:26:34] for water resources and for

[4:26:36] storm water and then on the

[4:26:38] sanitation side. Everyone in

[4:26:38] Pinellas County all the

[4:26:39] municipalities are struggling

[4:26:41] with the same challenge on the

[4:26:43] disposal Gulf ports looking at

[4:26:43] an 8% increase next year.

[4:26:46] Clearwater is looking Think

[4:26:48] about a 4 and a half percent

[4:26:49] increase. If you look at storm

[4:26:50] water systems that we're seeing

[4:26:53] a lot of great pressure right

[4:26:53] now don't even looking at a

[4:26:54] 19% increase in storm water

[4:26:57] rates next year. And on top of

[4:26:59] that a 15% increase in water

[4:27:00] and sewer rates clear waters

[4:27:01] looking percent increases on

[4:27:02] water and sewer and stormwater

[4:27:03] for the next couple of years, I

[4:27:05] mean it's just we're seeing a

[4:27:06] lot of similar challenges

[4:27:09] going through a process that's

[4:27:10] similar maybe not exactly the

[4:27:13] same as what we do here but a

[4:27:14] similar process of evaluating

[4:27:17] or utility rates to fund our

[4:27:18] needs do we have enough in the

[4:27:21] needs were seeing similar

[4:27:21] common drivers of regulatory

[4:27:22] requirements, increases in

[4:27:23] capital cost and inflation.

[4:27:26] That's driving a lot of similar

[4:27:27] levels of increases in areas

[4:27:30] and communities here in the

[4:27:33] area and generally will vary

[4:27:35] throughout different parts of

[4:27:35] the country.

[4:27:36] We're looking at the systems we

[4:27:38] talk about storm water. We talk

[4:27:39] about our potable water and use

[4:27:40] different systems. We do a

[4:27:43] study and we do planning

[4:27:44] documents not just for 5 years.

[4:27:47] I mean we do long-term studies

[4:27:47] and I'm just I

[4:27:48] just want to get a little bit

[4:27:49] of a pine. What we're looking

[4:27:50] at in terms of looking at the

[4:27:51] systems and the needs of the

[4:27:54] systems and how back kind of

[4:27:56] changes be sometime in

[4:27:56] the age of a system.

[4:27:57] Yeah, it's a good point so for

[4:28:00] each of the different utility

[4:28:01] systems, there's capital plans

[4:28:02] and programs that go out.

[4:28:05] You know 10 to 20 years and so

[4:28:06] we're including

[4:28:06] that in the financial

[4:28:08] forecasting model and with that

[4:28:09] information in mind it does

[4:28:10] influence current decisions if

[4:28:12] we know for instance with storm

[4:28:15] water that we need to ramp up

[4:28:16] our capital spending from

[4:28:17] 30 million to 50 million a

[4:28:17] year. You know we want to start

[4:28:19] considering that now and

[4:28:21] figuring out how can we do that

[4:28:24] in a way that's reasonable and

[4:28:25] doesn't necessarily require

[4:28:26] significant rate increases

[4:28:29] overnight to do that so that

[4:28:29] future planning for

[4:28:30] infrastructure is layered into

[4:28:31] this process. So that we can

[4:28:33] not only just focus on what's

[4:28:34] in front of us for next year

[4:28:35] for fiscal 27. A little bit of

[4:28:39] advance planning for what's

[4:28:40] coming in the future

[4:28:40] years based upon those

[4:28:41] infrastructure plans.

[4:28:42] So you look at the studies

[4:28:44] whether it's storm water

[4:28:45] portable

[4:28:46] water figuring out to reits you

[4:28:49] what you come up with ease a

[4:28:50] great

[4:28:50] study feasibility Henry study

[4:28:51] report right and part of that

[4:28:52] report covers operational costs

[4:28:55] in the system with the cost is

[4:28:58] and the other part of that is

[4:28:59] based on the capital system

[4:29:01] right what you need. Capital

[4:29:02] improvement which is based on

[4:29:04] these plans so there's flooding

[4:29:06] in whatever neighborhood people

[4:29:07] there's flooding here you need

[4:29:09] to fix it. That goes into that

[4:29:13] plan the engineers and everyone

[4:29:13] does it write their analysis

[4:29:15] and they come up with a plan in

[4:29:17] terms of addressing all these

[4:29:18] different issues that our storm

[4:29:19] water related throughout the

[4:29:22] city that leads to flooding in

[4:29:24] different areas, whatever

[4:29:24] neighboring Iran.

[4:29:25] I think conceptually that's a

[4:29:26] fair description obviously I

[4:29:26] know that there's a lot of

[4:29:28] folks has been a lot of there's

[4:29:30] a lot more that

[4:29:30] goes into that this is very

[4:29:31] rough.

[4:29:31] Yes, actually yes that that's

[4:29:32] how you build your project list

[4:29:34] is based upon some of that

[4:29:34] input

[4:29:36] data observations about system

[4:29:36] failures and where you have to

[4:29:39] continue to occur, there's a

[4:29:40] lot

[4:29:41] of input into that process.

[4:29:42] So that's that's the storm

[4:29:43] water system and then when it

[4:29:44] comes to the potable water

[4:29:45] system if you look at our

[4:29:46] system the water doesn't come

[4:29:47] from below the ground comes all

[4:29:48] the way from up north and then

[4:29:52] you have all the pipes in our

[4:29:53] system right and then that

[4:29:54] gets inputted into our capital

[4:29:57] improvements and we figure out

[4:29:58] which are the pipes that mean

[4:29:59] you know x amount of pipes in

[4:30:02] downtown, I'll tell your over

[4:30:02] 7700 years are going to be

[4:30:05] replacement by next year.

[4:30:07] You know some of them are 52

[4:30:08] whatever years and we know that

[4:30:08] they're in critical condition

[4:30:09] and they have to be replaced

[4:30:10] and then you figure out what

[4:30:12] those costs are and then you

[4:30:13] try to come

[4:30:14] up with a system to pay for

[4:30:14] this.

[4:30:15] You try, but then it's

[4:30:18] challenging because there's

[4:30:18] only so many things that

[4:30:19] we can really tackle at once

[4:30:20] when you consider some of the

[4:30:21] limiting conditions like

[4:30:24] affordability so for instance,

[4:30:25] the water distribution system

[4:30:25] is one that because of the

[4:30:26] storms the consent orders we

[4:30:28] focused a lot right on

[4:30:29] wastewater in

[4:30:30] storm water we need to shift

[4:30:33] our focus to the water system

[4:30:33] to

[4:30:34] really get that underground

[4:30:35] infrastructure. Back on a good

[4:30:37] replacement schedule and cycle.

[4:30:40] So that's kind of ramping up

[4:30:41] over our cip while

[4:30:41] other components or maybe held

[4:30:42] flat now so there's there's

[4:30:44] some things that have to shift

[4:30:45] from a prioritization

[4:30:48] standpoint because we just it's

[4:30:51] I think

[4:30:53] it's a new challenge to do it

[4:30:53] all at once and for all.

[4:30:54] Part of the process is to weigh

[4:30:55] those competing priorities.

[4:30:55] You mention consent orders.

[4:30:56] Could you explain to the public

[4:30:57] because that's not something

[4:30:59] you normally hear what happened

[4:31:01] here in the city back

[4:31:02] then what have what we have to

[4:31:02] you.

[4:31:04] Well, generally speaking you

[4:31:05] have a consent order situation

[4:31:08] when you've had a an event that

[4:31:09] your wastewater plants

[4:31:10] for instance, where you've had

[4:31:12] to discharge partially or even

[4:31:14] not fully

[4:31:15] treated wastewater and so we

[4:31:15] have that circumstance occur if

[4:31:18] it occurs frequent enough or

[4:31:19] too significant

[4:31:20] degree the Environmental

[4:31:20] Protection Agency and state

[4:31:22] agencies will become involved

[4:31:22] and say okay we need you to

[4:31:24] become in compliance because we

[4:31:26] have standards that really

[4:31:27] guard against doing that unless

[4:31:29] it's extreme situations and

[4:31:32] even then there still MAY be

[4:31:32] limitations. So then once the

[4:31:33] epa and state leaders have

[4:31:34] gotten work with you to say

[4:31:37] years all the things that you

[4:31:37] are

[4:31:38] not in compliance with. Let's

[4:31:40] develop a schedule of all the

[4:31:41] things you need to do to become

[4:31:42] in compliance and you have to

[4:31:44] fund those things and you have

[4:31:44] to do it by a certain time

[4:31:47] otherwise there's going to be

[4:31:48] penalties involved so

[4:31:52] that's a process that all

[4:31:52] utilities face in terms of

[4:31:53] having to comply with

[4:31:54] regulations and that compliance

[4:31:55] really means we have to

[4:31:56] maintain our systems and to get

[4:31:57] us in a good state of repair in

[4:32:00] working condition. That

[4:32:02] requires the 2 things you

[4:32:03] mention, good operations and

[4:32:04] maintenance for repairs and

[4:32:07] then good capital replacement

[4:32:08] cycles so

[4:32:09] that the infrastructure is less

[4:32:10] likely to fail.

[4:32:13] If you don't invest and just to

[4:32:14] be

[4:32:15] clear the money that comes

[4:32:15] right back.

[4:32:17] In terms of the system itself

[4:32:18] right it's an enterprise system

[4:32:18] it's a utility system might you

[4:32:21] have only so many sources you

[4:32:24] get money from all right so its

[4:32:27] from the utility fees.

[4:32:27] Some of that comes from penny

[4:32:31] funds. And then we have some

[4:32:33] that come from

[4:32:34] I missing anything.

[4:32:35] Those are the primary sources.

[4:32:38] We have miscellaneous fees that

[4:32:38] we try to maximize like the

[4:32:39] wastewater capacity fee and

[4:32:41] other various fees and charges

[4:32:42] so we try to optimize fees for

[4:32:43] specific services where we can

[4:32:46] to offset how much has to come

[4:32:49] from rates.

[4:32:52] So when we use.

[4:32:53] Grant monies, another, you

[4:32:54] know, but the state monies that

[4:32:54] are available or let's say

[4:32:55] federal monies that are

[4:32:56] available and sometimes

[4:32:56] depending on the environment

[4:32:58] you have less federal and state

[4:33:01] monies available but on

[4:33:02] average.

[4:33:03] What are we looking in terms of

[4:33:04] how that impacts a system or

[4:33:06] how much does that contribute

[4:33:10] for says that say you're

[4:33:13] your utility fees.

[4:33:13] Well how give stormwater as an

[4:33:16] example for this once that's

[4:33:16] probably the the easiest if

[4:33:19] your father is a a a couple

[4:33:19] years ago we were looking at

[4:33:20] about a 15% increase in storm

[4:33:23] water. We've has received a

[4:33:23] major

[4:33:24] Grant were able to lower that

[4:33:25] to you now person. In the

[4:33:26] forecast for now for storm

[4:33:29] water we only have about one to

[4:33:30] million a year grants built

[4:33:31] into it because of the

[4:33:32] conditions you mentioned like

[4:33:34] these things fluctuate their

[4:33:35] competitive in some instances

[4:33:37] and slants pointed out what we

[4:33:37] do is as soon as we get those

[4:33:39] they become factored into the

[4:33:40] process and once we know

[4:33:43] they've been awarded we then

[4:33:44] factor them in so we've been

[4:33:47] intentionally conservative.

[4:33:47] Right now Serena. There's not

[4:33:48] reliance grants built into

[4:33:49] these forecast. But there's

[4:33:52] every intent in effort being

[4:33:52] made to secure as many grants

[4:33:54] as we possibly can so that they

[4:33:57] can come in as a funding source

[4:33:58] like it did a couple years

[4:33:59] ago to lower rate increases.

[4:34:01] They try to go for the maximum

[4:34:01] obviously Grant opportunities

[4:34:04] are available. But there's

[4:34:05] never reset

[4:34:06] out that you're going to

[4:34:08] collect it could be 4% it could

[4:34:09] be 15% whatever it is based on

[4:34:12] what's available. That's right

[4:34:15] and

[4:34:18] that's going to affect what we

[4:34:18] have.

[4:34:21] Yeah we have a very minimal

[4:34:22] assumption just for kind of

[4:34:22] their bones grants that we feel

[4:34:23] comfortable with.

[4:34:24] In terms of storm water and

[4:34:24] because it says since it was

[4:34:25] mentioned here. What we spend

[4:34:26] on the stormwater system and

[4:34:26] what we need and I don't think

[4:34:27] it's been covered in this

[4:34:30] meeting but we've covered in

[4:34:33] other

[4:34:38] meetings or stormwater master

[4:34:38] plan.

[4:34:39] And I don't know if you're in

[4:34:39] the top of our stormwater

[4:34:40] master plan or someone else is

[4:34:41] going to happen. The stormwater

[4:34:41] master plan when we talk about

[4:34:44] the needs of million a year on

[4:34:45] average I think work

[4:34:46] that number is coming from our

[4:34:47] storm water master plan.

[4:34:47] It is not be happy to invite

[4:34:48] MR. Tankersley to tell every

[4:34:51] life figure in the capital plan

[4:34:52] so okay so

[4:34:53] Clyde.

[4:34:55] Why don't we talk a little bit

[4:34:55] because that has seen a huge

[4:34:58] increase in terms of the rates.

[4:35:01] It was a long time that

[4:35:02] there was no investment in

[4:35:04] storm water. We know for a fact

[4:35:04] that with hurricanes with

[4:35:05] different rain event that we've

[4:35:06] had in the city in the last 5

[4:35:07] years that we all can remember

[4:35:08] in terms of flooding in

[4:35:11] different neighborhoods.

[4:35:14] Places you name it can you put

[4:35:16] the pieces together of a where

[4:35:18] are we in terms of foot funding

[4:35:22] the stormwater projects.

[4:35:23] You know. I think it

[4:35:26] was 39 or 2020, versus now what

[4:35:27] is needed through

[4:35:28] the plan work what are these

[4:35:30] plans covering and cuts to put

[4:35:34] a little bit of context of why

[4:35:37] some of these increases

[4:35:39] have happened in terms of storm

[4:35:40] water.

[4:35:40] So 10 years ago in 36 our

[4:35:41] capital improvement for for

[4:35:42] storm water was roughly one and

[4:35:43] a half million for the whole

[4:35:46] city

[4:35:51] for the whole city.

[4:35:51] So one and a half million

[4:35:52] dollars for the whole city and

[4:35:53] what is stormwater.

[4:35:53] For the average person out

[4:35:55] there who doesn't know what its

[4:35:55] water system in storm water

[4:35:58] when it when it rains and and

[4:35:58] some of the waters of Jordan to

[4:35:59] the ground great. Any war

[4:36:02] that's not absorbed into the

[4:36:02] ground

[4:36:03] goes into becomes what we call

[4:36:04] runoff that's what we call

[4:36:07] storm water and then that's

[4:36:08] usually

[4:36:08] directed through our roads and

[4:36:09] streets into a collection

[4:36:10] system that will eventually

[4:36:12] take it out to water bodies

[4:36:16] like canals and bays okay

[4:36:19] we invested a million dollars

[4:36:21] a year in 20 with

[4:36:22] 36, yes 10 What has our

[4:36:22] stormwater master plan show

[4:36:25] that we need to invest in the

[4:36:28] system in terms of projects for

[4:36:30] the needs of our city

[4:36:30] it's over a billion dollars and

[4:36:31] over a billion over a billion

[4:36:33] dollars from the stormwater

[4:36:34] master plan in addition the

[4:36:35] stormwater master plan we've

[4:36:35] done some separate studies like

[4:36:36] the Basin see study we've

[4:36:40] talked a lot about that we're

[4:36:41] doing some

[4:36:42] projects on right now.

[4:36:45] And so we're talking so you

[4:36:46] know at least a billion if not

[4:36:47] closer to $2 billion over the

[4:36:50] next 25 years that we need to

[4:36:53] do.

[4:36:57] Our storm water system.

[4:36:57] And what are we currently

[4:36:58] investing close to about 30

[4:36:58] million.

[4:36:59] We're now up to 37 million with

[4:37:03] what we're proposing for fiscal

[4:37:04] year 27 to 37 million.

[4:37:06] Which is not where we need to

[4:37:07] be we need to be at roughly 50

[4:37:08] million a year, but it is a

[4:37:10] significant increase in the

[4:37:13] last 10 years and nobody thing

[4:37:14] that you're going crease that

[4:37:16] immediately but right it's to

[4:37:16] just give context to what.

[4:37:18] Is being paid for and what the

[4:37:21] reality of the needs of the

[4:37:22] system is because

[4:37:23] it's not clear sometimes and

[4:37:24] I've had a large learning curve

[4:37:27] for some of this in terms of

[4:37:28] figuring out

[4:37:29] what the needs are for the

[4:37:30] city. What were actually paying

[4:37:31] and what's not getting done and

[4:37:33] so that gives a little context

[4:37:35] we're paying for how about half

[4:37:36] of what is really necessary for

[4:37:39] storm water system based on the

[4:37:40] rate right now correct

[4:37:41] okay in terms of our portable

[4:37:45] water which is the water that

[4:37:47] we drink.

[4:37:51] Right we just we talked about

[4:37:52] the the city the

[4:37:53] city's water plan and all that

[4:37:55] what are our needs for our

[4:37:56] water system that means you

[4:37:56] know, I'm thinking pipes

[4:37:59] obviously and all that that you

[4:38:02] need to make

[4:38:03] sure that people have safe

[4:38:04] drinking water.

[4:38:05] So we have approximately 1500

[4:38:05] miles of of pipes underground

[4:38:08] for a water system our drinking

[4:38:09] water system. A lot of these

[4:38:12] pipes were put in. Decades ago

[4:38:13] some

[4:38:16] of them 7500 years ago. And

[4:38:17] many

[4:38:18] of them of reached the end of

[4:38:19] their useful life. And so over

[4:38:20] time we need to go ahead and

[4:38:24] try to find a way to replace

[4:38:26] them. The challenge

[4:38:27] with drinking water versus

[4:38:28] wastewater or stormwater is

[4:38:30] that with both wastewater and

[4:38:31] stormwater pipes tend to be

[4:38:32] bigger that can be much larger

[4:38:35] in diameter and which allows us

[4:38:36] the opportunity to do

[4:38:37] what we call lining the pipe

[4:38:39] surrounding him dig it up and

[4:38:40] replace the entire pipe we can

[4:38:42] put a new liner in the pipe and

[4:38:44] it gives us more life into that

[4:38:45] pipe. The drinking water pipes

[4:38:48] are pressurized and so

[4:38:49] therefore they're smaller and

[4:38:50] your 6, 8, inches in diameter

[4:38:52] and their pressurized and so we

[4:38:53] don't really have a good

[4:38:55] opportunity to do a lot of

[4:38:55] aligning for those smaller

[4:38:56] diameter pipes because then you

[4:38:59] start losing a lot of the

[4:39:02] internal

[4:39:03] area and so for those pipes

[4:39:04] usually we end up having to

[4:39:07] actually putin new pipes to

[4:39:08] replace the old ones and with

[4:39:10] 1500 miles of pipes that need

[4:39:11] to be replaced. Many of them

[4:39:12] much older than me. They they

[4:39:15] are at their into their useful

[4:39:18] life.

[4:39:20] >> So we just had a meeting was

[4:39:23] maybe the whole not that long

[4:39:23] ago map of the

[4:39:24] city and you saw all the

[4:39:26] yellow. He sought green yellow

[4:39:27] and red throughout the city of

[4:39:28] a pipe system you can even see

[4:39:29] the city you see the colors

[4:39:30] could there that many pipes in

[4:39:34] the city. Right yes, you had to

[4:39:35] go and you had read right

[4:39:36] talk a little bit about

[4:39:39] condition in pipes in terms of

[4:39:40] when you

[4:39:41] see that and wrist.

[4:39:44] And so we we had a consultant

[4:39:44] come in and do it condition

[4:39:46] analysis of all of our pipes

[4:39:47] that basically to give all the

[4:39:51] pipes a score. So that we can

[4:39:51] know which pipes are more

[4:39:52] critical or at risk than

[4:39:53] others. And that's how we came

[4:39:56] up with that map you saw there

[4:39:57] are pipes that were shown in

[4:39:58] red with the most critical

[4:40:00] we're going to be putting our

[4:40:02] efforts and you know in the

[4:40:02] beginning the pipes that are

[4:40:05] yellow can maybe last a little

[4:40:06] longer

[4:40:10] pipes or green or are ok for

[4:40:10] now. And what we did

[4:40:11] in then do is prioritize that

[4:40:12] the replacement those pipes,

[4:40:14] there's several things that

[4:40:14] would make a pipe necessary for

[4:40:18] priority for replacement one

[4:40:19] would be the age obviously

[4:40:20] one would be the material is

[4:40:22] made out of lot of the older

[4:40:26] pipes were made out of what we

[4:40:26] call cast iron. Cast

[4:40:27] iron is is very brittle.

[4:40:30] It gets old quickly it's it's

[4:40:33] very corrosive both on the

[4:40:34] inside and the outside. Also

[4:40:36] where the pipe is located if a

[4:40:37] pipe is located in an area

[4:40:38] where it's constantly

[4:40:40] underground water, particularly

[4:40:41] if it's constantly under salty

[4:40:41] groundwater like it is along

[4:40:44] our coastal communities like

[4:40:46] Riviera Bay, shore

[4:40:47] acres cookie mckee those pipes

[4:40:49] actually don't last as long as

[4:40:51] the pipes that are in the

[4:40:51] interior part of the city

[4:40:54] because they're constantly

[4:40:54] exposed to this corrosive salt

[4:40:55] water environment and so by

[4:40:58] having the consultants to do

[4:40:58] this

[4:40:59] analysis for us and give us a a

[4:41:00] score for our pipes allows us

[4:41:03] to know where to prioritize

[4:41:05] them.

[4:41:05] >> Thank you for that and I

[4:41:07] asked a lot of questions but is

[4:41:08] a lot of information every time

[4:41:11] we're going through this I

[4:41:12] think it is important

[4:41:13] because I'm always learning

[4:41:14] about our system and our storm

[4:41:14] water and everything and giving

[4:41:17] it contacts is important to be

[4:41:20] from these conversations

[4:41:21] because it is critical

[4:41:21] for a city for everyone to

[4:41:24] understand what we're investing

[4:41:25] in why we're investing and what

[4:41:25] you're paying for and so this

[4:41:26] is part of the conversation

[4:41:29] we're having because there are

[4:41:29] lots of good questions or ask

[4:41:30] your today by residents and so

[4:41:33] I think that gives at least a

[4:41:34] little bit more context and now

[4:41:36] it's members want to speak

[4:41:39] after I've spoken. So with that

[4:41:40] I'll pass it over council

[4:41:41] member driskell is not here

[4:41:44] right now so I'll pass it over

[4:41:48] to vice chair Floyd.

[4:41:48] I don't know what and people

[4:41:52] started moving around and I can

[4:41:55] go right now.

[4:41:59] >> Thank you for all of that

[4:42:02] information.

[4:42:07] >> Really just put myself on

[4:42:07] here to say a couple of things

[4:42:08] first. As has been demonstrated

[4:42:10] by sure Hannah what's that

[4:42:14] there's a lot

[4:42:14] of investment needed in the

[4:42:17] system.

[4:42:18] That's And on for a while and

[4:42:18] also want to.

[4:42:19] Point out that used to be I

[4:42:22] believe I don't know 4050 years

[4:42:22] ago, there was a lot more

[4:42:23] investment in the system from

[4:42:27] other sources like federal

[4:42:30] government and whatnot I

[4:42:32] think it's swat from something

[4:42:34] like. After the Clean Water Act

[4:42:35] passed 90% of investment from

[4:42:37] the feds and now it's swaps to

[4:42:40] only 10% investment so that's

[4:42:41] frustrating that we get put in

[4:42:41] that position. So I definitely

[4:42:44] see the need for us to invest.

[4:42:49] But my point is that I'd

[4:42:50] made specifically around our

[4:42:51] water system have been about

[4:42:54] how we do that investment and

[4:42:56] how it eases the burden.

[4:42:58] So today really just wanted to

[4:43:01] say like that I look forward to

[4:43:02] over the next year having

[4:43:05] discussions about the kind of

[4:43:05] things that I think a couple of

[4:43:07] speakers touched on so the base

[4:43:09] rates are treated lower in the

[4:43:13] past and I was very grateful

[4:43:13] for but I you know I want

[4:43:14] to have further discussions

[4:43:16] about you know seeing if we put

[4:43:17] them at the right level or we

[4:43:20] can lower the more and then the

[4:43:21] potential of transferring the

[4:43:23] payment in lieu of taxes and

[4:43:27] the payment of fees back into

[4:43:30] the fund I recognize that has a

[4:43:33] impact on the city's budget.

[4:43:34] So maybe it's something that we

[4:43:36] face in over years, but those

[4:43:37] are the things that I am going

[4:43:41] to continue to advocate for

[4:43:42] ands

[4:43:43] I think you know got bumped up

[4:43:45] on the list so I didn't have

[4:43:46] the rest of my thoughts

[4:43:49] gathered quite yet, but that's

[4:43:50] all I wanted to indicate an

[4:43:51] and so that I think that we can

[4:43:54] do a better job of stuff, how

[4:43:54] we pay

[4:43:55] for these things in the future

[4:43:58] because I think that there are

[4:44:02] ways to lessen the impact

[4:44:03] and that's what I'll continue

[4:44:04] to push for.

[4:44:04] But a record for me if I

[4:44:06] thought I could add a comment

[4:44:07] to that Sir thank you vice

[4:44:07] chair. Thank you for for

[4:44:10] bringing up the federal grants.

[4:44:14] When I started my career back

[4:44:14] in the 1980's, it was still

[4:44:17] relatively soon after the Clean

[4:44:18] water acts

[4:44:19] came out the 1970's and the

[4:44:20] federal government was pouring

[4:44:23] billions of dollars into into

[4:44:24] infrastructure water, drinking

[4:44:25] water and sewer infrastructure.

[4:44:27] Remember in the beginning of my

[4:44:27] career I worked with

[4:44:30] communities that we're getting

[4:44:33] 5061 community 90%.

[4:44:35] 90% of their infrastructure

[4:44:36] work was being funded through

[4:44:39] federal grants because of the

[4:44:40] clean and drinking

[4:44:42] water acts back in the 1980's

[4:44:42] 70's. That is not the case

[4:44:44] anymore as you said that is not

[4:44:46] the case anymore now we're

[4:44:47] really lucky, we're really

[4:44:49] grateful if we get anywhere

[4:44:52] from 5 to 10% in one year or

[4:44:53] between

[4:44:54] one 5% over a 10 year period.

[4:44:55] So its really flipped the

[4:44:56] script us flips significantly

[4:44:57] and that's another one of the

[4:45:00] reasons why we're seeing these

[4:45:05] these costs now.

[4:45:06] I appreciate that yeah and I I

[4:45:07] brought that up because I don't

[4:45:08] want to discredit like the pain

[4:45:10] that people feel like I feel it

[4:45:12] as well when I have to for my

[4:45:15] household. But you know we

[4:45:18] acknowledge why things like

[4:45:20] this go on but I definitely

[4:45:21] still like think that we can

[4:45:21] come together over the next few

[4:45:22] years and figure out a more

[4:45:26] equitable way to do this.

[4:45:27] But I when I

[4:45:28] do that advocacy I want also

[4:45:29] make clear that I understand

[4:45:30] the need for the investment and

[4:45:33] that's why I brought the 2

[4:45:37] together at the same time.

[4:45:42] >> I keep moving around on the

[4:45:43] board sound I got all of you,

[4:45:44] but you are you yeah, I know I

[4:45:51] did. Yeah I'm very sorry about

[4:45:54] >> Thank you and thank you for

[4:45:56] the presentations and and for

[4:45:58] all the work he did starting a

[4:46:01] year ago to get us to the point

[4:46:04] a lot has changed.

[4:46:07] Over the last year.

[4:46:09] And I'm not in the

[4:46:12] same place where I was a year

[4:46:16] ago with our utility rates.

[4:46:16] Vice chair Floyd I really

[4:46:18] appreciate the advocacy and the

[4:46:21] points that have been brought

[4:46:22] up about making changes and

[4:46:23] working together to make this

[4:46:26] more equitable make things more

[4:46:26] affordable.

[4:46:30] Put the money in its proper

[4:46:32] place.

[4:46:35] You can only say let's start

[4:46:39] next year. So many times.

[4:46:42] We know how much people are

[4:46:45] being squeezed.

[4:46:46] The this city

[4:46:49] is having to tighten its belt.

[4:46:54] Unfortunately a lot of our

[4:46:54] residents to see where that's

[4:46:58] happening. And so you see a

[4:47:00] higher bill.

[4:47:03] Aaron the see no potential for

[4:47:06] the rates to increase and

[4:47:09] and they don't see any sign

[4:47:10] that the administration is

[4:47:12] trying to cut expenses were

[4:47:14] scaled back on what can be

[4:47:14] scaled back on before

[4:47:15] increasing rates, it's just

[4:47:17] going straight to the increase.

[4:47:18] And I think people are tired of

[4:47:21] it. I think that's what we're

[4:47:24] hearing. Right now.

[4:47:28] You know our costs go up.

[4:47:29] Everyone understands that but

[4:47:31] the costs are going up for

[4:47:32] residents to and I think

[4:47:35] they're at a breaking point

[4:47:36] now.

[4:47:39] Another thing I'm thinking

[4:47:40] about is. That we're working on

[4:47:43] hitting residents from 3 sides.

[4:47:50] So we've got utility rates.

[4:47:54] No reduction of the millage

[4:47:55] rate.

[4:47:59] Which means everyone's going to

[4:48:00] be paying all that and more

[4:48:01] on their taxes. And then in

[4:48:04] NOVEMBER. We're going to ask

[4:48:05] them for permission to borrow

[4:48:08] hundreds of millions of

[4:48:10] dollars. 4.

[4:48:13] Improvements such as the ones

[4:48:16] that are. In the presentation.

[4:48:19] I'm not saying that these

[4:48:23] things aren't needed. It's just

[4:48:26] that.

[4:48:29] When you're getting

[4:48:32] charge more you're having too

[4:48:36] right a bigger check

[4:48:37] to the local government.

[4:48:40] Potentially in 3 different

[4:48:43] ways.

[4:48:49] Its it's no surprise.

[4:48:49] And there is some opposition to

[4:48:50] that.

[4:48:53] And if we had a more modest

[4:48:54] increase this year just

[4:48:56] to give people a little bit of

[4:48:56] a break. If we were reducing

[4:48:57] the millage rate just a little

[4:49:00] bit to give people a little bit

[4:49:03] of a break. I would feel much

[4:49:06] better about this.

[4:49:08] But as it stands right now.

[4:49:11] I think it looks too much like

[4:49:13] we're asking for more.

[4:49:14] That we're not showing. The

[4:49:17] extent to which we can be more

[4:49:20] responsible with money that we

[4:49:21] do receive.

[4:49:22] From our residents. And you

[4:49:24] guys refer to them or us rate

[4:49:26] pairs, but these are people and

[4:49:27] I want to make sure that we

[4:49:30] remember that and their people

[4:49:33] who and could

[4:49:36] be on a fixed income. You just

[4:49:37] welcomed a new baby into the

[4:49:40] House trying to figure that out

[4:49:42] kids going to college.

[4:49:45] These regular people problems

[4:49:46] are everybody's problems.

[4:49:50] And there's not enough money to

[4:49:53] go around.

[4:49:56] I think it would be.

[4:50:00] Tough for us. But fair and

[4:50:03] helpful if we could just skip

[4:50:06] one year.

[4:50:09] We've also Kite amendment 3 on

[4:50:10] the ballot. We don't know what

[4:50:10] that's going to look like we

[4:50:11] don't know if these rates are

[4:50:14] going to look like next year

[4:50:14] because of that. But gosh we

[4:50:17] got to give people a break

[4:50:20] somewhere.

[4:50:23] I'm the timing is just terrible

[4:50:25] right now with these all of

[4:50:29] these different elements

[4:50:30] happening at once. So.

[4:50:34] So today, I'm going to I'm

[4:50:37] going to vote no on this.

[4:50:39] And I might be the only one.

[4:50:41] But I want to make sure that

[4:50:44] people know that they've been

[4:50:45] heard that I hear them and that

[4:50:47] I really I understand as a

[4:50:50] resident myself how difficult

[4:50:51] this is when you're looking at

[4:50:54] bigger bills coming from the

[4:50:55] government and not a whole lot

[4:50:57] to show for it. So that's where

[4:50:58] I stand on this. Thank you

[4:51:02] MADAM Chair. Thank you

[4:51:03] councilmember Curtis picture.

[4:51:05] Thank you for the presentation

[4:51:09] and thanks for everybody coming

[4:51:12] out this evening. So I want

[4:51:20] to piggyback a little bit on.

[4:51:20] Chair's comments and so.

[4:51:23] And this might be for Claude or

[4:51:24] it I

[4:51:25] think anybody could probably

[4:51:28] answer this question is that a

[4:51:29] is that a fair statement that

[4:51:29] operationally and the

[4:51:31] operations budget over the last

[4:51:32] we'll just use the last 3

[4:51:34] because it's the quickest ones

[4:51:36] I could look up the operation

[4:51:37] budget has stayed relatively

[4:51:39] flat inside of water resources

[4:51:41] and storm water over the last 3

[4:51:42] years and maybe even decreased

[4:51:45] a little bit I think in store.

[4:51:51] >> I think it's generally true

[4:51:54] without having the numbers we

[4:51:55] got to be council member but

[4:51:56] I think it's a fair statement

[4:51:56] so.

[4:51:57] I only have the numbers in

[4:51:58] front of me from the last year

[4:52:01] and this year, but also from

[4:52:04] the presentation that we had we

[4:52:06] did show that

[4:52:08] for for the labor, a portion of

[4:52:11] the budgets we went I think for

[4:52:12] water resources for them

[4:52:15] from 47 million to just around

[4:52:16] 49 million right to relatively

[4:52:19] flat. It is a 6% increase, but

[4:52:22] it's a relatively flat

[4:52:25] overall operation we all

[4:52:26] operate like a 3%.

[4:52:26] Yeah and we were not adding

[4:52:28] staff and this this is just the

[4:52:32] cost of of doing the

[4:52:34] business with the staff we have

[4:52:34] okay.

[4:52:35] And so it again fair to say

[4:52:36] that the increases that were

[4:52:39] absorbing in the ute in the

[4:52:41] proposed utility rate is

[4:52:42] because of investments in

[4:52:43] capital expenditures and not

[4:52:45] operation is the heavy portion

[4:52:48] of it.

[4:52:50] For water resources and storm

[4:52:50] water they're very largely

[4:52:51] capital driven. The only caveat

[4:52:52] with sanitation is the tipping

[4:52:55] fee increased threat. Yeah.

[4:52:58] Yeah.

[4:53:04] >> 2027, we're proposing a $111

[4:53:07] million in capital expenditure.

[4:53:08] Inside of water resources

[4:53:12] and $44 million inside of.

[4:53:13] Storm water correct.

[4:53:16] And so based on the plan that

[4:53:17] we were just talking about

[4:53:20] during chair's comments a few

[4:53:21] water plan how much

[4:53:23] should we be spending to keep

[4:53:23] our level of service

[4:53:24] essentially the same on annual

[4:53:28] basis for water resources and

[4:53:29] storm water.

[4:53:30] >> Well based on what I've got

[4:53:32] in front of him and say it's

[4:53:35] about around numbers, a 150

[4:53:38] million a year for water

[4:53:39] resources and about 15 million

[4:53:39] year for storm.

[4:53:41] So we're 5th Mott what's caught

[4:53:42] 40 to 45% underneath the water

[4:53:45] resources number and

[4:53:48] approximately.

[4:53:51] 11% short on the storm water.

[4:53:52] Just call it 10.

[4:53:53] Well I think that's fair from

[4:53:57] the target from the target.

[4:54:00] And so you know, listen.

[4:54:01] I said this earlier today.

[4:54:02] Nobody wants to raise rates.

[4:54:05] I don't want to do it I don't

[4:54:05] want to do it to people I

[4:54:08] selfishly I don't want to do it

[4:54:11] to me. It's not fun. This is

[4:54:13] not a fun thing. But when you

[4:54:16] see stats of 27 years of no

[4:54:16] increases 18 years of no

[4:54:17] increases unfortunately, we're

[4:54:19] the ones that signed up to make

[4:54:21] the hard decisions of what you

[4:54:21] do do you let the system

[4:54:23] continue to get worse or you

[4:54:26] try to move the needle to try

[4:54:27] to make it better.

[4:54:29] >> And that and I don't I don't

[4:54:30] like upsetting people that I

[4:54:32] don't go home happy about this.

[4:54:33] But I think at the end of the

[4:54:36] day. What I'm not going to be

[4:54:37] happy about is if we continue

[4:54:39] to drag because what I don't

[4:54:42] want to happen is 2016 again

[4:54:45] what I don't want to happen.

[4:54:47] Is our water system fails

[4:54:48] that that's the worst case

[4:54:51] scenario that I'm just not

[4:54:52] willing by sure Floyd

[4:54:55] I'm looking forward to having

[4:54:55] those conversations to try to

[4:54:56] figure that out and and I think

[4:54:57] your comments were right on but

[4:55:00] at the same time you see the

[4:55:02] need

[4:55:05] right and so that's where on at

[4:55:08] this point and and you know.

[4:55:14] I also just.

[4:55:14] The only thing that we haven't

[4:55:15] really talked about at this

[4:55:15] point is.

[4:55:16] I think all of us appreciate

[4:55:18] everybody that shows up in the

[4:55:19] e-mails we get yes if you

[4:55:21] still here we have your e-mail

[4:55:24] your phone number we have we

[4:55:27] got all about today. And so.

[4:55:30] You know.

[4:55:33] But at the end of the day.

[4:55:33] We have to make sure

[4:55:35] that it continues to work and

[4:55:38] if we continue to underfunded

[4:55:39] it there will be a point where

[4:55:40] it will stop working. And that

[4:55:43] is the worst case scenario and

[4:55:46] so you know again. I.

[4:55:47] I'll say it's not it's

[4:55:50] not fun. But at the end of the

[4:55:51] day

[4:55:53] we have had. How many committee

[4:55:57] of the whole how many different

[4:55:57] he's 3.

[4:55:58] And 2 committee as the holes.

[4:55:59] So 3, 3 committee meetings

[4:56:02] inside a budget finance and

[4:56:05] taxation to committee of the

[4:56:06] holes and now and I think we

[4:56:06] got an Council and a first

[4:56:09] reading and now a second

[4:56:12] reading.

[4:56:13] To chairs point

[4:56:16] this is a conversation we're

[4:56:19] having

[4:56:20] pretty much at all times.

[4:56:23] It's it standing takes up 3

[4:56:24] months and be a fun t

[4:56:27] out of the 12 months and so

[4:56:28] it's not a conversation that

[4:56:29] just appears either and I and I

[4:56:30] say that and committees are

[4:56:31] tough because there is no

[4:56:32] public input other than emails

[4:56:35] or phone calls or neighborhood

[4:56:38] meetings that we're at so I

[4:56:39] understand that part

[4:56:40] but I also just wanted to be

[4:56:43] said that. We are continuously

[4:56:46] talking about and it takes a

[4:56:47] year for us to get here and

[4:56:47] frankly it takes more than that

[4:56:48] because we're looking at up.

[4:56:50] But this year we looked at a

[4:56:51] five-year range of of what the

[4:56:54] future rates are right to work.

[4:56:56] We're already looking at 31.

[4:56:56] Right now it's not like we're

[4:57:00] just looking at 2728. So

[4:57:03] anyway. It's not fun, but

[4:57:05] if if we don't do it it's not

[4:57:06] going to get done and then we

[4:57:08] put it at risk of failing.

[4:57:09] Thank you chair. Thank you

[4:57:12] councilmember Hardin thank you

[4:57:15] Sir.

[4:57:17] >> I greatly appreciate the

[4:57:20] of my colleagues. I will echo

[4:57:23] after him trying to build on.

[4:57:26] The echo before what what

[4:57:28] councilmember Curtis said I

[4:57:30] have no interest in raising

[4:57:32] rates. And that starts of the

[4:57:32] conversation that had this

[4:57:35] morning with my wife over

[4:57:38] coffee about what we're talking

[4:57:38] about today.

[4:57:41] In addition to them, the folks

[4:57:43] that we hear from the community

[4:57:46] and and my daughter who is now

[4:57:47] school

[4:57:48] teacher can afford average

[4:57:50] trees I I my point is I I echo

[4:57:53] what everyone appears that had

[4:57:57] no interest in raising rates.

[4:58:00] But this is in pain of the

[4:58:00] financial picture and and I

[4:58:03] would like to give it

[4:58:07] three-dimensional texture.

[4:58:09] From what I understand

[4:58:10] that the very direct questions

[4:58:14] that councilmember Greece asked

[4:58:17] most answered himself. That

[4:58:17] the the money that

[4:58:20] we collect because the 2

[4:58:21] different because because the 2

[4:58:21] different buckets, one is

[4:58:23] operations and one is cip when

[4:58:26] is it is we have to rebuild the

[4:58:27] system.

[4:58:28] 1, 1, What is my rent and one

[4:58:32] is the fact that I stopped to

[4:58:32] pick my

[4:58:34] house and and fix it and put

[4:58:36] any refund and from what I

[4:58:36] understand cip air operations

[4:58:39] part we how we help cost pretty

[4:58:40] flat.

[4:58:41] But it's the cip part which is

[4:58:44] which unfortunately comes from

[4:58:46] several of areas, one is we

[4:58:47] didn't fund it properly over

[4:58:51] the past 20 years, one is that

[4:58:51] the increased cost of

[4:58:55] and there's one other than us

[4:58:58] thinking of recall on talking

[4:58:59] and and so my my point is

[4:59:00] this and everything that that

[4:59:03] that you all talked about that

[4:59:06] the

[4:59:06] the trekkers strikers is the

[4:59:07] lowest neighborhood in in Saint

[4:59:10] Pete. Immediately very very Bay

[4:59:13] unlike other them in the same

[4:59:14] issues rear of a when we talk

[4:59:14] about your regionals of and

[4:59:17] solar. As we were putting pump

[4:59:20] stations of a

[4:59:21] >> so we're so so we're

[4:59:24] building the first major pump

[4:59:24] station in shore acres and if I

[4:59:27] remember a cloud. The total

[4:59:29] cost

[4:59:29] that projects about $33

[4:59:30] million.

[4:59:30] And essentially what it does is

[4:59:33] it gets rid of this this this

[4:59:34] way that Mother

[4:59:35] Nature has change which she

[4:59:35] wants to do and we now have

[4:59:38] this this issue that we're for

[4:59:41] Tue. Time flooding in to ensure

[4:59:44] acres and so and so we put

[4:59:45] people at risk we have

[4:59:46] water in the roads in the

[4:59:48] middle of the day.

[4:59:51] That we we the greater own our

[4:59:52] own infrastructure we

[4:59:53] deplete that the real shelf

[4:59:53] life of the roadways.

[4:59:55] And nothing is good about it

[4:59:56] and we hear about it all the

[4:59:59] time and put real context to

[5:00:00] that I was on the text chain

[5:00:00] for my kids elementary school

[5:00:01] because they change their hours

[5:00:04] of operation of the school

[5:00:06] based on the tides. And a King

[5:00:07] tide escorted 3 but when

[5:00:10] contenders there we we picked

[5:00:12] up our kids at

[5:00:13] 1230 because you wouldn't get

[5:00:16] impeded.

[5:00:16] So my point is this.

[5:00:20] We addressed that $33 million.

[5:00:21] >> And that's in addition to

[5:00:22] fixing the system this is

[5:00:23] additional to it in talking

[5:00:25] with the with with Clyde from

[5:00:28] what I understand you would

[5:00:30] like to see possibly more

[5:00:31] pump stations throughout the

[5:00:32] city to alleviate the rest of

[5:00:33] the state time flooding.

[5:00:35] Yes to more a kers which I

[5:00:38] assume come second and 3rd, but

[5:00:41] 2 is that correct.

[5:00:42] Yes Sir, the so Kate

[5:00:43] now now we're at a quarter of a

[5:00:44] billion dollars in just pump

[5:00:47] stations that that is that is

[5:00:50] additional to the system

[5:00:50] that that those are projects

[5:00:51] that alleviate that alleviate

[5:00:54] real problems that happened

[5:00:57] today when it didn't rain

[5:00:58] and so back to the

[5:01:01] point that the council member

[5:01:01] guard us made

[5:01:02] very succinctly about the money

[5:01:03] part of this. The money part of

[5:01:06] this comes to the quality of

[5:01:08] life of the people. Because I

[5:01:10] can't live in a flooded

[5:01:11] neighborhood. All the time and

[5:01:14] no interest in raising rates,

[5:01:17] none 0.

[5:01:17] I would venture to say that I

[5:01:21] am I am maybe a little bit

[5:01:24] further than council members.

[5:01:26] Back to the point of of have

[5:01:30] this there are things that are

[5:01:32] just.

[5:01:35] 2 critical not to address.

[5:01:35] I intend to to to vote for this

[5:01:38] it's not where I want to do.

[5:01:39] But I think it's

[5:01:40] what the city needs to do.

[5:01:41] And I appreciate the fact that

[5:01:44] the 3 of you with a huge team

[5:01:51] behind you we're able to

[5:01:53] Create this this picture.

[5:01:53] And give us a chance to

[5:01:57] visualize what it is because

[5:02:00] this decision socks. But

[5:02:02] but with without without the

[5:02:03] the without that without the

[5:02:05] way that you are able to

[5:02:06] present to us. What a good now

[5:02:09] I want to do this. But when

[5:02:09] you're able to

[5:02:12] contextualize it this way my

[5:02:12] point is thank you very much

[5:02:13] for giving me at least the

[5:02:16] opportunity and that to see

[5:02:17] this problem for exactly

[5:02:18] what it is in pedestrian terms.

[5:02:19] I am sorry for the way that of

[5:02:22] that I am that this is going to

[5:02:24] go for me.

[5:02:24] But I appreciate the effort

[5:02:27] that you all put into thank you

[5:02:28] very much Sir. The eu I hear

[5:02:31] from thanks I just have one

[5:02:34] thing I did

[5:02:35] mentioned before.

[5:02:38] >> Just want to say thank you

[5:02:40] to staff

[5:02:42] and everyone all my colleagues

[5:02:42] for.

[5:02:43] Just getting too full cost

[5:02:44] recovery of the stormwater

[5:02:46] capacity fee. You know

[5:02:49] residents are.

[5:02:52] How have a 7% increase put

[5:02:54] forward, but developers

[5:02:55] connecting to the Senate system

[5:02:57] have a 70% increase being put

[5:03:00] forward and I think that's much

[5:03:01] more equitable and I we have to

[5:03:02] acknowledge that some grateful

[5:03:05] and I just want to say thank

[5:03:08] you. You

[5:03:11] councilmember Givens.

[5:03:12] Thank you chair, thanks to each

[5:03:13] of you for all your hard work

[5:03:14] as chairs mentioned this isn't

[5:03:14] just something we do today

[5:03:16] didn't happen overnights not

[5:03:19] microwave politics. This is an

[5:03:20] ongoing

[5:03:21] conversation. That takes months

[5:03:24] of effort and I really

[5:03:25] appreciate

[5:03:26] you all on this is a delicate

[5:03:29] matter. It's a delicate matter

[5:03:30] in a delicate

[5:03:31] balance balance because you

[5:03:34] have to consider the financial

[5:03:35] strain that

[5:03:37] has been imposed on residents.

[5:03:40] Primarily due to things beyond

[5:03:43] their control. 2 Hurricanes if

[5:03:44] not 4.

[5:03:47] The rising costs of inflation.

[5:03:48] And various other factors

[5:03:50] beyond their control. So with

[5:03:51] all that we have to consider.

[5:03:53] I think the primary thing on

[5:03:54] the table today which is

[5:03:55] affordability and I think we

[5:03:59] all struggle with

[5:04:01] affordability. It's a

[5:04:03] struggle on the city's part

[5:04:06] trying to find a comfortable

[5:04:07] number that would not impose

[5:04:09] too much burden on the rate

[5:04:12] payers as you put it over our

[5:04:15] residents.

[5:04:16] But it's also tough because we

[5:04:17] have been kicking the can down

[5:04:19] the road for so long we're

[5:04:22] talking almost 30 years here.

[5:04:26] An I don't think it's fair.

[5:04:29] We impose such a burden

[5:04:30] on just one generation. This is

[5:04:34] something that I think we

[5:04:34] should

[5:04:36] look at spreading the costs

[5:04:37] over time. I certainly think

[5:04:40] it's fair to have conversations

[5:04:43] about a minimal increase.

[5:04:47] However, 67% doesn't seem like

[5:04:48] we're being good

[5:04:51] financial stewards of taxpayer

[5:04:53] funds. I understand that they

[5:04:53] are needs I get that those

[5:04:56] needs don't change over time,

[5:04:57] however

[5:04:59] our need to do. Just because

[5:05:00] the city has the fix its

[5:05:01] crumbling infrastructure

[5:05:04] doesn't mean that my family

[5:05:06] stops eating.

[5:05:07] Doesn't mean that the lights

[5:05:08] stay on we still have to find

[5:05:12] ways like you said to comply

[5:05:13] regulations, but we also got to

[5:05:16] find ways to stay alive.

[5:05:17] You can only squeeze so

[5:05:21] much to side of the same.

[5:05:22] And I I really think we have

[5:05:23] squeeze this lemon one too many

[5:05:25] times. And I get it it's we're

[5:05:28] playing catch up, but we have

[5:05:29] to be able to explain where

[5:05:30] this increase is going in.

[5:05:31] No following one person but I

[5:05:34] don't think we've done a

[5:05:36] justified.

[5:05:38] We've provided any justify

[5:05:40] decisions on this we haven't

[5:05:43] been able to clearly explain

[5:05:46] why we've come to this number

[5:05:46] and and I get it there are

[5:05:50] needs operational expenses have

[5:05:51] increased however I have to

[5:05:53] wonder you know. I get an 8%

[5:05:54] tipping fee increase we cannot

[5:05:57] control but is it necessary for

[5:05:59] us to purchase a

[5:06:01] 123 trucks right now. You know

[5:06:01] I just I just have to wonder in

[5:06:04] and then also have to look at.

[5:06:11] We're taxing our ratepayers you

[5:06:14] know is it fair to make them

[5:06:15] bear so much of a

[5:06:16] burden when developers can be

[5:06:19] doing more. I want to ask this

[5:06:22] question

[5:06:24] because I brought it up last

[5:06:25] year.

[5:06:25] It's alright there's no

[5:06:26] clapping. In the meeting its

[5:06:28] its part it's fine at some of

[5:06:29] you weren't here in the

[5:06:29] original part of the meeting so

[5:06:30] I understand people feel

[5:06:33] passionate about it, but we

[5:06:35] just keep the corpsman

[5:06:36] the meeting so I appreciate

[5:06:36] that thank you thank you chair.

[5:06:37] Broad at last year I think it

[5:06:41] was mentioned by you and the

[5:06:41] optimizing some of

[5:06:43] these miscellaneous I mentioned

[5:06:44] that illegal brought it up to

[5:06:46] administration the conversation

[5:06:48] about imposing some additional

[5:06:50] impact fees. We mentioned what

[5:06:50] other municipalities are doing

[5:06:51] well the municipalities of

[5:06:53] dealing with the same issues we

[5:06:55] are as a coastal community,

[5:06:55] however they have found other

[5:06:58] solutions beyond just raising

[5:07:00] rates

[5:07:02] on consumers. And so what I

[5:07:03] want to know is legally what

[5:07:05] options has administration

[5:07:06] explored when it comes to

[5:07:07] alternative impact fees whether

[5:07:10] the sewer sanitation

[5:07:12] transportation.

[5:07:15] It I don't know who who would

[5:07:16] answer this question. But I

[5:07:16] certainly want to know where we

[5:07:18] stand with. Impact these I'm

[5:07:19] I'm I'm happy that we have

[5:07:21] impact excuse me increase this

[5:07:25] water capacity fifa by $700 but

[5:07:28] that's not enough.

[5:07:31] >> My to get get the

[5:07:32] conversation started a bit and

[5:07:32] others will probably want to

[5:07:33] chime in, but you know to the

[5:07:34] extent that you know you can

[5:07:35] just a fee that's in place

[5:07:37] today that's you know kind of

[5:07:38] what's in front of us today.

[5:07:39] But I think there MAY be some

[5:07:40] potential things to work

[5:07:41] through relative the

[5:07:43] implementation of new fees

[5:07:45] around some existing state

[5:07:46] legislation that you know MAY

[5:07:46] provide challenges and doing

[5:07:49] that until sometime next year.

[5:07:53] So I think you know the team

[5:07:54] stands ready to evaluate

[5:07:55] those fees and in America

[5:07:57] accumulations but I think

[5:07:58] there's some timing

[5:07:59] considerations from a legal

[5:08:02] perspective that we're going to

[5:08:05] have to reflect on

[5:08:07] because of the state bills that

[5:08:08] have passed.

[5:08:08] I appreciate I understand big

[5:08:09] brother hinders little little

[5:08:10] brother lot. But this is

[5:08:11] something that I think is just

[5:08:14] too important and I really

[5:08:15] would like to look at legally

[5:08:18] what are what is permissible.

[5:08:20] What can we explore imposing at

[5:08:21] this point I know we have to

[5:08:24] justify through study what is

[5:08:24] that

[5:08:25] next a look like how do we get

[5:08:26] to that study. I don't want to

[5:08:26] just again keep delaying

[5:08:27] delaying delaying and then we

[5:08:30] hope that we can pass that

[5:08:31] burden down

[5:08:34] 2 are. Residents it's again

[5:08:35] just me I think it's

[5:08:36] it's backwards map and the math

[5:08:38] doesn't map up to me. I want to

[5:08:41] talk for a moment about this to

[5:08:43] stand Tech for a moment about

[5:08:45] just some some lack of

[5:08:49] transparency here I want some

[5:08:50] clarity on

[5:08:51] these erratically inflated

[5:08:53] bills have we resolve that

[5:08:54] problem because as we heard

[5:08:55] today, there's still some

[5:08:56] people were still having issues

[5:08:59] I have we where we stand with

[5:09:01] swapping out these old meters

[5:09:02] and replacing them. You know if

[5:09:03] Tyler still malfunctioning

[5:09:06] again maybe this isn't the

[5:09:09] right

[5:09:11] time for us to be having this

[5:09:12] conversation.

[5:09:12] Well expect councilmember I

[5:09:13] think that's probably a staff

[5:09:15] questions too. Sure thank you.

[5:09:18] Good evening Council, Tom green

[5:09:21] and councilmember forgive me,

[5:09:21] but you had a lot of questions

[5:09:22] in there so maybe I'll start

[5:09:25] with and kind of chip all a

[5:09:28] chip away at some of those.

[5:09:32] So absolutely we we have

[5:09:35] normalized

[5:09:37] over time. The

[5:09:37] number of bills they come.

[5:09:40] The we're hearing about that

[5:09:43] have been inflated.

[5:09:46] You might recall that or I

[5:09:47] should say on a monthly basis.

[5:09:51] We have bills that are 2 times

[5:09:53] maybe even 4 times.

[5:09:55] The previous 3 months average

[5:09:59] that happens every day we work

[5:10:00] through those with

[5:10:01] customers on a daily basis.

[5:10:03] But we are not seeing the same

[5:10:04] level of like right after the

[5:10:07] storms we had a big Spike it

[5:10:10] has normalized over time.

[5:10:13] Or are we going to and then yes

[5:10:16] about Tyler we're still in the

[5:10:18] process of implementing that

[5:10:21] software we anticipate or early

[5:10:23] 2027 for it to go live.

[5:10:26] >> So you're saying these these

[5:10:27] peak bills have

[5:10:30] normalized it sounds again like

[5:10:31] they're they're made still be

[5:10:31] some folks who are kind of

[5:10:32] stuck in and this revolving

[5:10:35] door in and I'm just wondering

[5:10:37] again.

[5:10:39] You know is this a situation

[5:10:40] that we really have address

[5:10:41] these over bills seem to still

[5:10:44] be a kind we're talking 2 years

[5:10:46] post storm.

[5:10:47] >> So it is it is challenging

[5:10:47] to answer that question

[5:10:49] directly because there's so

[5:10:50] many different variables with

[5:10:52] each individual customer's

[5:10:53] bill. You know there could be a

[5:10:57] leak there could be a leak on

[5:10:57] the on the private property

[5:10:58] side there could be a leak on

[5:11:00] the city side. So they each of

[5:11:00] them have to be treated

[5:11:03] individually and addressed

[5:11:04] individually it's hard

[5:11:05] to make a blanket statement

[5:11:05] about.

[5:11:09] Any specific bill or nothing

[5:11:09] and I get it it's an individual

[5:11:10] triage matter and it's just I

[5:11:13] don't think it's fair to keep

[5:11:14] using the

[5:11:15] excuse that it's a leak you

[5:11:15] know, I'm not saying it's a

[5:11:18] city but whoever is is saying

[5:11:19] that is the

[5:11:20] issue it's not always the fact

[5:11:21] so I just again I want to make

[5:11:24] sure that we're exerting our

[5:11:24] efforts on trying

[5:11:25] to come to a solution on to the

[5:11:28] problem and I just don't

[5:11:31] believe right now raising rates

[5:11:32] is that solution. There are

[5:11:33] some bigger issues we've got

[5:11:36] bigger fish to fry and I really

[5:11:36] feel like we've got

[5:11:39] to get down to the bottom of it

[5:11:40] can we talk a little bit the

[5:11:44] utility rate increase versus

[5:11:45] the Geo bond.

[5:11:46] Amendment to the deal bond

[5:11:47] initiative that is on the

[5:11:49] ballot as well as the amendment

[5:11:50] those are like 3 different

[5:11:50] issues, but they all impact

[5:11:53] each other can we hit on that

[5:11:55] briefly.

[5:11:58] Absolute difference between the

[5:12:01] 2 I think is

[5:12:02] important it's important to

[5:12:03] mimic to mention that.

[5:12:03] And just today are in Iran are

[5:12:06] intertwined but 3 separate

[5:12:07] issues. You know the the

[5:12:08] rates were discussing this

[5:12:11] evening are for kind of ongoing

[5:12:14] operating of the utilities and

[5:12:17] to support our ongoing capital

[5:12:17] needs. So that's kind of the

[5:12:19] discussion this evening.

[5:12:20] What we're asking the voters to

[5:12:23] address in NOVEMBER would be do

[5:12:25] we want to.

[5:12:26] Accelerate some of those water

[5:12:29] and storm water improvements

[5:12:29] that we know we need to do from

[5:12:30] their master planning. Do we

[5:12:32] want to accelerate those

[5:12:35] through a different revenue

[5:12:38] source. In the form of an ad

[5:12:40] valorem tax. So there

[5:12:40] are those who are kind of

[5:12:43] separate and then are in a car

[5:12:44] connected but separate

[5:12:45] discussions and separate

[5:12:48] decisions that voters will make

[5:12:49] one decision and Council

[5:12:52] make the decision on on the

[5:12:55] rates and then the 3rd part was

[5:12:56] what the homestead exemption

[5:12:57] discussion and decision you

[5:12:58] know that is clearly going to

[5:13:01] be up to the voters in Florida

[5:13:02] weather

[5:13:03] are not that passes. But that

[5:13:04] really doesn't impact the

[5:13:06] discussion today with respect

[5:13:10] to the utility and the Giovanni

[5:13:11] appreciate that clarity thank

[5:13:12] you Tom.

[5:13:13] And then my last point here

[5:13:17] again I I really feel like what

[5:13:17] we should be doing is

[5:13:19] redesigning how we collect

[5:13:21] revenue for for these bills I

[5:13:24] think right now it doesn't

[5:13:27] really encourage conservation

[5:13:29] and I think that's what we

[5:13:32] should be doing educating.

[5:13:33] Folks and motivating them

[5:13:35] to conserve their water and

[5:13:36] lets incentivize it for those

[5:13:39] who do by lowering their rates

[5:13:42] and those who wastewater raise

[5:13:43] their rates. It's possible it's

[5:13:43] called penalty rates and I

[5:13:44] definitely think that that is

[5:13:47] something that we should

[5:13:48] explore

[5:13:48] also think we should consider

[5:13:50] lifeline rates for those

[5:13:53] residents who are

[5:13:55] income-qualified there

[5:13:56] is opportunities for them to

[5:13:57] have Sir.

[5:13:59] I again I just think again this

[5:14:02] conversation today about a 67%

[5:14:03] increase. It's just not the

[5:14:04] right time when struck when

[5:14:06] folks are already struggling

[5:14:10] and hurting. Thank you chair.

[5:14:11] Thank you.

[5:14:11] So personally I think everyone

[5:14:12] that's here it's almost 7

[5:14:13] o'clock at night so obviously

[5:14:15] you here because you care about

[5:14:16] your city you care about what

[5:14:17] you're paying your racing care

[5:14:18] enough to actually show up so

[5:14:22] that doesn't go unnoticed and

[5:14:23] it's important.

[5:14:26] Also want to thank everyone

[5:14:27] here that you see in the

[5:14:28] room that has talked about

[5:14:31] this. When we're in other is an

[5:14:32] expert in their field and

[5:14:33] so they do spend a lot of time

[5:14:36] going through doing the work

[5:14:36] trying

[5:14:37] to give us the information and

[5:14:39] so we can make decisions based

[5:14:40] on the information that they

[5:14:43] provide us whether it's the

[5:14:43] engineers that are working and

[5:14:44] a different storm water

[5:14:45] projects or portable water

[5:14:46] projects or whatever other

[5:14:49] projects throughout the city

[5:14:52] that residents.

[5:14:55] Because they do. Versus you

[5:14:56] know all the other needs that

[5:14:57] we have in this city so I just

[5:14:58] want to make sure that I thank

[5:15:01] you all because I know that it

[5:15:03] is tough work.

[5:15:03] And frankly, it's it's

[5:15:06] sometimes the work that you do

[5:15:08] get think for because it is

[5:15:09] you know when people have

[5:15:10] flooding in their neighborhood

[5:15:13] guess what they're never happy

[5:15:14] and your screening.

[5:15:16] But these folks here whether

[5:15:17] it's the flooding in the

[5:15:18] neighborhood whether it's the

[5:15:21] storm water drain that's clog

[5:15:23] whether it's the pothole

[5:15:26] weather whatever it is. The one

[5:15:27] expectation is

[5:15:29] you just have to get it fixed.

[5:15:30] And I will tell you I

[5:15:32] constantly and I'm not the only

[5:15:35] City Council person that's

[5:15:36] getting

[5:15:36] requests from citizens are for

[5:15:37] residents. But I am constantly

[5:15:38] getting emails about issues in

[5:15:42] the neighborhood that people

[5:15:45] expect us to fix. Period.

[5:15:47] The problem is it costs

[5:15:51] money. And sometimes those 2

[5:15:53] things just don't match up.

[5:15:55] I mean that's the reality we

[5:15:56] have for all I mean whether

[5:15:59] it's you're planning your son

[5:16:00] your your home budget

[5:16:01] or any other budget.

[5:16:02] The realities even the city as

[5:16:04] much as you see the big budget

[5:16:08] guess what the needs in our

[5:16:09] city are much bigger.

[5:16:12] Then our budget allows and so

[5:16:12] that is a challenge that we

[5:16:13] have to deal with all the time

[5:16:14] and yes you'll hear about

[5:16:16] government waste and all the

[5:16:19] things and finding people can

[5:16:22] disagree on what is necessary

[5:16:22] versus what is

[5:16:23] not necessary that's all fair

[5:16:24] game. But when we're talking

[5:16:27] about a utility system which is

[5:16:28] what our water system

[5:16:30] is a storm water and all that

[5:16:31] that's very different the money

[5:16:34] in those systems go towards

[5:16:37] those systems.

[5:16:38] Your water rates go to take

[5:16:38] care that your storm water

[5:16:39] rates go to take care that your

[5:16:42] sewage rates go to take care of

[5:16:43] that

[5:16:45] it it cost to operate the

[5:16:46] system what's the cost of that

[5:16:47] their capital improvement needs

[5:16:49] water cost of that and then you

[5:16:53] determine how you pay for it.

[5:16:54] That's pretty much

[5:16:55] in in the simplest way of

[5:16:55] putting it. You MAY find some

[5:16:57] money from federal grants

[5:17:00] somewhere here there but the

[5:17:01] reality is the majority

[5:17:02] of the money is coming you know

[5:17:03] from who not just from you from

[5:17:03] all of us from everybody that

[5:17:07] lives in the city because we

[5:17:09] all pay theme rates. So this

[5:17:12] challenge we have every year.

[5:17:15] The lack of investment and

[5:17:16] the system. Frankly we are

[5:17:19] absorbing some of it, but it

[5:17:22] won't just be us.

[5:17:26] It's people 5 years from now

[5:17:27] it's people 10 years from now

[5:17:29] 1520 2530 because these plans

[5:17:30] are not five-year plans, you're

[5:17:31] not one your plans. You're not

[5:17:34] absorbing the whole cost you're

[5:17:35] not.

[5:17:36] It will be impossible. It's a

[5:17:38] 30 year plan and we're not

[5:17:39] investing in the 30 year plan

[5:17:43] enough which means everybody in

[5:17:43] that system.

[5:17:44] When I'm long gone, we're still

[5:17:45] paying for it and guess what

[5:17:49] we're probably not going to be

[5:17:49] investing enough in it,

[5:17:50] that's just the reality.

[5:17:53] And that's what we have to deal

[5:17:54] with so it is

[5:17:58] nothing like some other council

[5:17:58] members have expressed.

[5:17:59] I don't like it. I don't like

[5:18:00] any of this I wish I could tell

[5:18:01] people I'm giving you my back

[5:18:04] here is your refund check.

[5:18:07] It be great.

[5:18:10] I I it would be a deal world

[5:18:11] were we wouldn't have to pay

[5:18:12] any taxes and we get all the

[5:18:12] services for free. Once this

[5:18:14] whatever happens on the ballot

[5:18:15] box at the state of Florida and

[5:18:17] people get rid of property

[5:18:18] taxes, how we'll see how that

[5:18:19] turns out and then we'll figure

[5:18:20] out ok do you get services do

[5:18:22] not get services how it turns

[5:18:26] out and we'll deal with it

[5:18:27] because that it will

[5:18:29] be a reality. But as we look at

[5:18:29] a budget and we look at how we

[5:18:31] use our real estate property

[5:18:32] taxes, the majority of that

[5:18:32] money goes to public service to

[5:18:36] talk to our to our police and

[5:18:39] fire.

[5:18:40] That's the reality

[5:18:42] of what we're looking at and so

[5:18:43] if people expect those services

[5:18:45] and you're cutting money from

[5:18:48] going into that that we have to

[5:18:49] take from somewhere else.

[5:18:49] And that is always the

[5:18:50] challenge where the money's

[5:18:53] coming from for those services.

[5:18:59] Service like utilities and all

[5:19:00] that

[5:19:01] you have that money and maybe.

[5:19:02] >> We can find another way of

[5:19:03] taking out moneys of not to get

[5:19:06] moneys and then they don't go

[5:19:06] into

[5:19:07] general fund and we'll have

[5:19:08] that conversation but that will

[5:19:08] affect something else if you

[5:19:11] don't have the payment in lieu.

[5:19:13] Pat says.

[5:19:14] It will affect some hail, which

[5:19:16] means money will go for

[5:19:18] something else and we'll have

[5:19:20] that conversation. But it's not

[5:19:21] like the money sitting there to

[5:19:22] pay for everything and there's

[5:19:26] always a given Kate that we're

[5:19:28] dealing with.

[5:19:29] You don't raise rates guess

[5:19:32] what happens deferred

[5:19:35] maintenance.

[5:19:35] It's paid for it MAY not

[5:19:39] be with dollars. But it MAY be

[5:19:43] with deferred maintenance in a

[5:19:44] bean. More flooding in an area

[5:19:44] in MAY being other things that

[5:19:46] are getting done. And so those

[5:19:48] are the tough decisions that we

[5:19:49] deal with. I don't live in

[5:19:51] shore acres that from my

[5:19:52] district. Neither is Riviera

[5:19:53] Bay. But I understand they have

[5:19:54] flooding there, but guess what

[5:19:56] I have flooding in my district.

[5:20:00] Higher ground.

[5:20:05] Why from rainfall in different

[5:20:05] areas and so their

[5:20:06] projects in the storm water

[5:20:08] plan that actually go to areas

[5:20:09] in the city that are not shore

[5:20:10] acres that are not Riviera Bay

[5:20:12] because I know you sometimes we

[5:20:15] hear that we think will assist

[5:20:16] in the area.

[5:20:16] That flooding and they bought

[5:20:17] in that area and why should we

[5:20:20] be paying for that I hear that

[5:20:24] from people in my district.

[5:20:24] And the reality is when

[5:20:25] you look at our storm water

[5:20:26] master plan. There's areas that

[5:20:27] flood throughout the city that

[5:20:30] we're trying to address its not

[5:20:34] one neighborhood here.

[5:20:34] The downtown water main we did

[5:20:38] a study of our Don count pipes

[5:20:38] that I reviewed.

[5:20:42] And you can all look up you can

[5:20:43] absolutely look up

[5:20:46] the plan for the downtown water

[5:20:47] mains and Clyde because

[5:20:48] I don't know the numbers off

[5:20:50] the top of my head. But from

[5:20:51] what I recall been downtown

[5:20:53] that this this serves

[5:20:54] hospitals. It serves some of

[5:20:56] our most critical facilities

[5:20:56] and you can find it and report

[5:20:59] if any of you would want to

[5:21:02] reach out to be all be happy to

[5:21:03] send you the report and

[5:21:04] this is just one part of our

[5:21:06] city. How in that plan that we

[5:21:07] have we put x amount of money

[5:21:11] into capital improvements and

[5:21:13] from what I recall were

[5:21:14] only covering about 20.

[5:21:15] Something and the actual need

[5:21:16] of the water. Pipes in downtown

[5:21:19] is that correct that's correct.

[5:21:22] Okay and so

[5:21:26] when you look at that map.

[5:21:29] Found to be critical.

[5:21:32] Not in the yellow

[5:21:35] in the red.

[5:21:39] And that is the reality

[5:21:41] that we have to deal with.

[5:21:42] And that is one part. And those

[5:21:44] are critical facilities that

[5:21:46] are served and we're not even

[5:21:50] Abel to pay all the cost of

[5:21:53] that.

[5:21:56] >> It would be great if I had

[5:21:57] an answer for

[5:22:00] everyone in terms of how we pay

[5:22:01] for this and if someone has a

[5:22:02] solution but at the end of the

[5:22:03] day. It's going to cost money

[5:22:06] one way or the other or things

[5:22:09] don't get done and then we're

[5:22:09] Blaine forcing which bill are

[5:22:12] worth waiting for the pipes or

[5:22:14] you not getting water that's

[5:22:15] safe. And that's the challenge

[5:22:18] that I have I wish I could say.

[5:22:27] We try to balance the needs and

[5:22:27] try to look at the rates and

[5:22:29] raise them enough to where we

[5:22:32] can get some of these projects

[5:22:34] done but not to the point where

[5:22:35] it's too much and that's what

[5:22:38] we're trying to do here if it's

[5:22:40] 8% were not

[5:22:41] we're always looking at how can

[5:22:42] we do it so you can get these

[5:22:43] projects helping you save money

[5:22:44] on these projects helping you

[5:22:47] make these projects more cost

[5:22:48] effective

[5:22:49] if you're digging a hole here

[5:22:50] and you have to fix this can be

[5:22:53] fixed for 3 things at the same

[5:22:54] time so that capital

[5:22:57] improvement project doesn't

[5:22:58] cost us more. That's what

[5:22:59] the engineers are doing

[5:23:00] constantly because we

[5:23:01] understand the challenge we

[5:23:04] feel it we hear it from you all

[5:23:05] we feel it ourselves

[5:23:08] and it's because everyone here

[5:23:11] that's sitting here cares about

[5:23:11] our city. We wouldn't be here

[5:23:12] if we didn't care about our

[5:23:13] city. We do not take money from

[5:23:13] people that we don't need to

[5:23:16] fix projects that we don't need

[5:23:19] that would be.

[5:23:19] But the challenge I have and I

[5:23:20] have these tough conversations

[5:23:23] that neighborhood associations.

[5:23:27] You want these

[5:23:28] projects that and how do we pay

[5:23:31] for them and how do we how do

[5:23:34] we do it responsibly as

[5:23:37] as boards and not why the

[5:23:38] people about the actual needs

[5:23:40] because we actually have actual

[5:23:41] needs. And

[5:23:42] I can pretend they don't exist.

[5:23:45] And it does scare me when I

[5:23:46] look at a report and I see so

[5:23:47] many pipes that are in critical

[5:23:50] need that are fixed that does

[5:23:53] scare me. It really does.

[5:23:56] I have to vote for some of

[5:23:57] these and I know it doesn't

[5:23:59] cover everything and I'm always

[5:24:00] happy to have a conversation

[5:24:03] with anyone of our

[5:24:04] infrastructure needs

[5:24:05] and what we're doing all we can

[5:24:06] it's very easy sometimes to say

[5:24:08] you know what we're going to

[5:24:09] get rid of x y and z and and

[5:24:11] people what people don't know

[5:24:12] is what the actual costs isn't

[5:24:16] it's not a dollars and cents a

[5:24:16] lot of times

[5:24:18] it's the for maintenance.

[5:24:19] It's not really knowing what

[5:24:22] the true cost is we don't even

[5:24:23] have a plan for seawalls yet

[5:24:24] and what that cost is going to

[5:24:26] be that's going to be in the

[5:24:29] building.

[5:24:30] That's not factored into to

[5:24:33] what we can pay. Those are our

[5:24:36] sea walls. A separate

[5:24:37] discussion

[5:24:38] about see what I can tell you

[5:24:39] if I would go through all the

[5:24:40] different things that we need

[5:24:41] in the city it would blow your

[5:24:44] mind. So are we doing

[5:24:48] everything, no we're not.

[5:24:49] But we're trying our

[5:24:50] best with what we can and

[5:24:51] trying to maintain rates to a

[5:24:53] point where we can do some of

[5:24:54] these projects, especially

[5:24:56] after the Hurricanes,

[5:24:56] especially after all the issues

[5:24:58] that happened after the storms

[5:25:02] we had pipe breaks throughout

[5:25:05] the city. After the storm.

[5:25:11] People without water.

[5:25:15] That's what you're talking

[5:25:16] about and if administration or

[5:25:17] someone else that's an expert

[5:25:19] if I've said anything that's

[5:25:22] incorrect please correct me

[5:25:26] please.

[5:25:27] I want to make sure what I am

[5:25:30] telling the public. It's true I

[5:25:30] would take offense to it, but I

[5:25:33] want to make sure I'm being

[5:25:37] accurate. What I'm saying.

[5:25:39] >> The biggest challenge we

[5:25:40] have is the age of our system.

[5:25:43] That is the biggest challenge

[5:25:45] we have right.

[5:25:48] We I feel that we've done a

[5:25:49] good job of getting as much

[5:25:49] life out of our system as we

[5:25:52] can we're talking about pipes

[5:25:54] that are a

[5:25:55] 100 years old 75 years old.

[5:25:56] I'm 61 years old and I'm

[5:25:59] feeling my age talking a magic

[5:26:02] want to 75 year-old pipe that's

[5:26:03] been buried underground in

[5:26:05] corrosive conditions might feel

[5:26:06] like. And so we have to really

[5:26:09] get to the point where we are

[5:26:09] replacing these are going to

[5:26:13] see a lot more failures more

[5:26:15] often moving into the future.

[5:26:18] >> That's this worthwhile.

[5:26:21] And I love the fact

[5:26:22] that everyone

[5:26:22] right now wants to look in our

[5:26:25] utility and figure it out.

[5:26:26] I think that's great

[5:26:29] because I think the more people

[5:26:29] know the poor the more people

[5:26:30] understand the needs of our

[5:26:31] system and what we're paying

[5:26:31] for and what we can and we

[5:26:34] can't do I think it's

[5:26:37] absolutely better.

[5:26:40] I love the conversations

[5:26:42] of having. Ok how do we do this

[5:26:44] how do we fix this what do you

[5:26:45] what do you expect in service

[5:26:48] when it's a level of service

[5:26:49] you expect.

[5:26:50] And what are the needs in our

[5:26:50] city.

[5:26:51] And those are great

[5:26:53] conversations and citizens

[5:26:53] should be engaged. Citizens

[5:26:56] should be engaged if they bring

[5:26:57] out if we get rid

[5:26:58] of the property taxes what's

[5:26:59] going to happen. I think that's

[5:26:59] great don't keep what don't

[5:27:03] take my word for it don't take

[5:27:03] other politicians word for it

[5:27:04] do the research do the research

[5:27:05] and figure it out because I do

[5:27:07] think it's important and these

[5:27:10] are absolutely critical issues.

[5:27:10] But with that being said

[5:27:14] I just don't find based on the

[5:27:15] information I

[5:27:16] have that we can right now cut

[5:27:18] rates the rate we've tried to

[5:27:21] work as much as we can we've

[5:27:22] increased the water fee.

[5:27:23] Any new development in terms of

[5:27:24] what the impact is in their

[5:27:25] system we do what we legally

[5:27:26] can because they are legal

[5:27:29] restrictions into how much we

[5:27:29] can charge for you

[5:27:32] for new additions into a system

[5:27:35] and we try to do that and we're

[5:27:37] trying to find ways to minimize

[5:27:38] the cost. And so if anyone here

[5:27:39] in this room, I don't care if

[5:27:42] you're my district or not wants

[5:27:44] to have those conversations.

[5:27:45] Called my my legislative aide

[5:27:46] and we can sit down and we can

[5:27:49] talk about all the things I

[5:27:52] welcome you to.

[5:27:53] And I will make sure that

[5:27:55] anyone that we have we have

[5:27:55] someone from our water

[5:27:58] Department or someone to be

[5:27:59] there to

[5:28:00] answer anything to make sure

[5:28:01] that you get the information

[5:28:03] that you need and if there are

[5:28:04] questions that you have asked

[5:28:05] here today that are not

[5:28:06] answered. We can have those

[5:28:09] conversations and I'll be happy

[5:28:12] to do that.

[5:28:14] So with that being said

[5:28:16] approval j to l a. We have a

[5:28:17] motion and the second clerk if

[5:28:18] you can open the machine for

[5:28:20] voting. Council members please

[5:28:23] enter your votes.

[5:28:27] You got j to a.

[5:28:39] >> MADAM Chair, the motion to

[5:28:40] approve agenda item j to a

[5:28:43] passes 62 with councilmembers

[5:28:44] fix. Sanders Floyd

[5:28:47] gabbard Curtis Hanna which at

[5:28:50] Harding voting. Yes.

[5:28:51] Council members to school in

[5:28:52] Givens voting no.

[5:28:53] Okay move approval j to be.

[5:28:53] I can have a motion a second a

[5:28:56] j to be clerk if you can open

[5:28:57] the machine for voting.

[5:28:58] Council members please enter

[5:29:01] your votes. Seeing present

[5:29:04] council members a vote a

[5:29:07] clerk please tally announce the

[5:29:07] vote.

[5:29:08] MADAM Chair, the motion to

[5:29:09] approve agenda item j to be

[5:29:11] passes 62 with councilmembers

[5:29:11] fix. Sanders Floyd

[5:29:12] gabbard Curtis Hannah what's

[5:29:12] and hearty voting, yes, and

[5:29:15] council members just school in

[5:29:18] Givens voting no.

[5:29:20] >> Move approval j to see.

[5:29:21] We have a motion a second on g

[5:29:24] to seek work if you can open

[5:29:25] machine for voting.

[5:29:28] Council members please and your

[5:29:29] votes seeing present

[5:29:30] council members voted clerk

[5:29:31] please Kelly announce the vote.

[5:29:33] MADAM Chair, the motion to

[5:29:34] approve agenda item

[5:29:38] j to see passes 5 to 3 with

[5:29:39] councilmembers fix Sanders

[5:29:40] gabbard Curtis Hannah with some

[5:29:40] Harding voting. Yes and

[5:29:43] councilmembers Driscoll Floyd

[5:29:46] in Givens voting no.

[5:29:51] >> ok thank you thank you

[5:29:53] everyone for being here on this

[5:29:53] item we actually have got into

[5:29:56] 7 o'clock. We'll gonna have to

[5:29:57] take a 10 minute recess.

[5:29:58] But I really appreciate

[5:29:59] everyone that's here today and

[5:30:02] for now at this point we'll

[5:30:05] take a recess. Thank you.

[5:31:18] >> Staff.

[5:31:21] It.

[5:38:16] >> One.

[5:41:52] >> And

[5:41:53] back in session. We're going to

[5:41:56] take up day 3 which has to do

[5:41:57] with the

[5:41:58] arts funding development bonus.

[5:42:00] Council member driskell this

[5:42:04] was your item originally

[5:42:05] so if you want to start us off

[5:42:05] on it.

[5:42:06] Thank you. And thanks to

[5:42:08] everyone who from city staff

[5:42:11] worked on it from dairy to you.

[5:42:12] Heather judge to Swiss Davis

[5:42:13] everyone who has been involved

[5:42:16] with making this happen is you

[5:42:20] just greatly appreciated,

[5:42:22] this is something that

[5:42:22] you know was brought to me

[5:42:25] originally as it has an idea

[5:42:26] for the

[5:42:26] warehouse arts district folks,

[5:42:30] n they have an idea to create

[5:42:32] this fund and then

[5:42:33] some folks from the arts

[5:42:34] alliance came forward in

[5:42:37] presented me with an option for

[5:42:40] funding mechanism. N we started

[5:42:41] putting everything together and

[5:42:42] now here we are today. So there

[5:42:45] were a lot of people involved

[5:42:48] in this.

[5:42:50] I do hope that today is

[5:42:53] not the end but just simply the

[5:42:57] first big step towards

[5:42:59] creating a new opportunity for

[5:42:59] local artists. After today if

[5:43:02] this should pass today. Then

[5:43:05] the next step would be to have

[5:43:06] that actual grant program

[5:43:07] established and start getting

[5:43:11] the money out to the artists as

[5:43:12] it comes in so.

[5:43:15] I just really appreciate all of

[5:43:16] the attention that has been

[5:43:19] given to this and I'm looking

[5:43:22] forward to seeing where we go

[5:43:24] from here with that.

[5:43:26] Derek I left free to introduce

[5:43:26] them MADAM Chair. He has read

[5:43:29] the title yet. Thank you, I'm

[5:43:32] sorry.

[5:43:37] Pause or DECEMBER 6.43 dash

[5:43:37] age.

[5:43:38] And on some ending the St.

[5:43:41] Petersburg city code section,

[5:43:45] 20016.1 to 6.2

[5:43:48] 20016.1 3 0.5

[5:43:51] 0.2 and

[5:43:54] 20016.1 5 5.2 regulating

[5:43:55] Fort bliss is by

[5:43:56] replacing the far Bo this

[5:43:59] table. It thereby adding in

[5:43:59] arts

[5:44:03] funding development bonus and

[5:44:03] in the Senate

[5:44:05] heading for each exist existing

[5:44:09] bonus and we are organizing the

[5:44:11] table in alphabetical order

[5:44:14] amending section 16.30 0, 6 3.1

[5:44:17] point

[5:44:20] deep 0.1 and 30016.0 5 5.1

[5:44:22] regulating for bonuses. I and

[5:44:23] ii and arts funding development

[5:44:26] bonus, providing for

[5:44:29] severability in Peru.

[5:44:39] >> Paul Carter please go to

[5:44:40] either podium and open podium

[5:44:42] state your name address across

[5:44:43] Street for the record you

[5:44:44] have 3 minutes to address City

[5:44:44] Council.

[5:44:47] Thank you Paula Carter live it

[5:44:49] 3, 4,

[5:44:49] one 5th Street South in

[5:44:52] downtown Saint Pete.

[5:44:56] And I guess I'm the public

[5:44:56] I'm here to support

[5:44:57] the arts density bonus

[5:45:00] proposal.

[5:45:03] Probably not a surprise too.

[5:45:06] Many of you. You know the Holy

[5:45:06] Grail for

[5:45:08] the Arts community in Saint

[5:45:10] Pete has been to find a

[5:45:12] sustainable funding source to

[5:45:14] support the arts. And I think

[5:45:17] with this initiative we're

[5:45:21] taking in

[5:45:21] I hope you take a giant step

[5:45:25] forward towards accomplishing

[5:45:26] that 2 other

[5:45:29] quick Number one I hope that as

[5:45:32] the implementation plans

[5:45:34] develop that the arts advisory

[5:45:35] committee and the Saint Pete

[5:45:38] arts alliance. Our active and

[5:45:42] substantial member years

[5:45:42] of whatever group

[5:45:45] is a determined to administer.

[5:45:47] What I hope the

[5:45:50] substantial grants over the

[5:45:52] years and then the 3rd point.

[5:45:55] This is I've been involved with

[5:45:59] this for

[5:45:59] pretty close to the beginning

[5:46:00] and as council member driskell

[5:46:02] said there's been a ton of

[5:46:04] folks here but I want to

[5:46:05] particularly point to the

[5:46:08] council and the staff and Derek

[5:46:12] and his group. This was not an

[5:46:15] easy thing to figure out

[5:46:18] and the persistence

[5:46:19] and the I guess I'm

[5:46:23] sure late hours going into

[5:46:23] this.

[5:46:26] The final result, and this

[5:46:28] conclusion. As a resident and

[5:46:32] as a taxpayer. I really do

[5:46:33] appreciate the work that you

[5:46:34] guys and the staff did on this.

[5:46:36] It will ultimately be of great

[5:46:37] benefit to the tenor community

[5:46:40] certainly to the arts

[5:46:41] community.

[5:46:44] And I hope I don't have to urge

[5:46:46] you to vote, yes, I hope that

[5:46:47] happens. But I will urge you in

[5:46:50] any of that too vote yes on

[5:46:53] this. Thank you. Thank you.

[5:47:00] Good evening. Thank you.

[5:47:01] I heard in the introduction in

[5:47:02] reference to the arts alliance

[5:47:05] and know that they had a

[5:47:09] representative here earlier.

[5:47:10] That I don't see in the room

[5:47:11] now what I do want to do is

[5:47:13] just maybe walk through quickly

[5:47:13] instead of getting the full

[5:47:15] presentation just highlight

[5:47:19] some of the things that have

[5:47:20] changed in response to what

[5:47:21] we heard before. So just going

[5:47:22] back on the calendar you can

[5:47:23] see here these were the earlier

[5:47:26] meetings where we walk through

[5:47:27] some of the different

[5:47:29] issues related to this

[5:47:32] proposal. Specifically these

[5:47:36] were the areas that we needed

[5:47:36] to work through with

[5:47:37] the council and the committee.

[5:47:39] One of the things that we spent

[5:47:41] a lot of time on with the help

[5:47:44] of the City Attorney's Office

[5:47:45] identifying and Nexis to the

[5:47:48] land development impact that

[5:47:48] was a critical

[5:47:51] threshold for us to get

[5:47:52] through. And then us working

[5:47:54] specifically from our position

[5:47:55] on any proposed land

[5:47:58] development regulations which

[5:48:01] is the bonus itself.

[5:48:03] In a this

[5:48:03] particular official process.

[5:48:04] The one thing that happens with

[5:48:07] every text amendment is it goes

[5:48:08] to the city's development

[5:48:09] review Commission. They have to

[5:48:12] make a finding of consistency

[5:48:13] with the city's comprehensive

[5:48:15] plan and then recommend to the

[5:48:18] City Council which with which

[5:48:21] they did.

[5:48:22] In JULY with a

[5:48:25] unanimous 7, 0, vote. Now the

[5:48:26] last time that we presented

[5:48:29] this in committee. One of the

[5:48:30] things that came

[5:48:33] up was a request for us to

[5:48:34] consider. Other areas not

[5:48:36] downtown center. So when we

[5:48:38] prepared the application to

[5:48:40] bring to the development review

[5:48:43] Commission. We added in in

[5:48:45] addition to the downtown

[5:48:48] center. The employment center

[5:48:49] to category which is one of

[5:48:50] the categories where we have a

[5:48:53] bonus system. This is

[5:48:54] essentially the hospital

[5:48:57] college campus south of

[5:48:59] downtown. Also rc 3

[5:49:01] which is carillon town center.

[5:49:03] There is a bonus system there

[5:49:04] and adding the arts funding

[5:49:07] bonus also worked in that

[5:49:10] table. And

[5:49:11] then in addition to these 2.

[5:49:12] What's not included in the

[5:49:14] presentation but is included in

[5:49:18] the ordinance itself is adding

[5:49:21] the same bonus to the

[5:49:21] sunrun or

[5:49:23] brt overlay which recently

[5:49:26] adopted and also the 22th

[5:49:28] Street target employment center

[5:49:31] local overlay which is very

[5:49:32] obviously arts oriented

[5:49:33] along with employment and

[5:49:36] industrial. So we can pull the

[5:49:39] slide back up if you need to

[5:49:40] see the language. But otherwise

[5:49:41] staff of course is recommending

[5:49:44] approval of this proposed text

[5:49:45] amendment along with the drc

[5:49:46] finding of consistency with the

[5:49:49] comp plan make you feel like I

[5:49:51] can we have a motion a

[5:49:52] second council member driskell.

[5:49:55] >> Thanks just before we vote.

[5:49:58] I was one of maybe robbed this

[5:49:59] is. I would be more for you and

[5:49:59] the ticket and up update for us

[5:50:02] on the actual grant program I

[5:50:05] know that.

[5:50:08] You know Celeste office that's

[5:50:11] like in

[5:50:15] their hands. So I was when and

[5:50:16] where we're at with that.

[5:50:16] It's less is here to see she is

[5:50:19] hi sorry can see over there.

[5:50:19] The plan is to reach

[5:50:22] out and to meet with. Those in

[5:50:23] the arts community that were

[5:50:24] impacted by the nexus to figure

[5:50:26] out what would be the best

[5:50:29] outcome should Council approve.

[5:50:33] So it is it does have to have

[5:50:34] that connection

[5:50:35] and I wanted to reach out to

[5:50:37] Saint Pete arts alliance, which

[5:50:38] I've done already Leslie

[5:50:42] current who was very impactful

[5:50:43] on the history and research

[5:50:46] and the art advisory committee.

[5:50:47] Excellent thank you.

[5:50:51] And hopefully you can provide

[5:50:54] an update.

[5:50:54] Down the road just a

[5:50:55] little bit as you're putting

[5:50:56] this together in the economic

[5:50:59] and workforce development

[5:51:00] committee.

[5:51:01] >> And you know, I'm eating so

[5:51:02] I'll be in touch to see when

[5:51:05] you think that might be a good

[5:51:08] idea to put that on the agenda.

[5:51:09] >> We'll do I just wanted to

[5:51:10] get the impact from our

[5:51:12] information from those entities

[5:51:13] that are

[5:51:14] really directly impact to yes

[5:51:16] all right, thank you so much

[5:51:19] all right, thank you

[5:51:20] chair, thank you councilmember

[5:51:20] Givens.

[5:51:21] Thank you very much I

[5:51:21] appreciate you COUNCILMAN

[5:51:22] Driscoll for bringing this

[5:51:23] forward I really think this

[5:51:26] kind of lays the groundwork for

[5:51:29] future bonuses that could come

[5:51:32] whether it be

[5:51:32] for educators first responders

[5:51:33] you name it health care

[5:51:34] workers. So thank you for that

[5:51:34] and just since one sunshine

[5:51:36] want to let you and other

[5:51:37] council members know this is

[5:51:40] such a timely come percent

[5:51:41] conversation how apropos

[5:51:42] because next week on Sept.

[5:51:45] Second I'll be having a

[5:51:46] conversation with some

[5:51:47] of the artists and gallery

[5:51:50] owners and studios specifically

[5:51:51] around this topic so I'm so

[5:51:54] happy to see this come forward

[5:51:55] and I'm sure hope it passes

[5:51:56] because I think it's a timely

[5:51:58] matter in a timely conversation

[5:52:01] so thank you so

[5:52:01] much, thank you, thank you

[5:52:02] chair.

[5:52:02] Thank you. Thank you

[5:52:05] councilmember dressel great job

[5:52:07] on I will say I'm part of

[5:52:08] the arts advisory committee

[5:52:09] right now I know that that

[5:52:12] committee is interested to

[5:52:13] learn more

[5:52:14] about this and Paul sirs with

[5:52:17] me site hope that at some point

[5:52:19] maybe Derek you

[5:52:19] can come to the committee and

[5:52:20] kind of share this and then I

[5:52:23] know so lets will keep us

[5:52:24] updated on and see how

[5:52:25] kind of you develop the fund

[5:52:25] and all that because I think

[5:52:26] you're part of that is still

[5:52:27] haven't been figured out and

[5:52:28] how that's going to be

[5:52:31] administered.

[5:52:34] We have a motion a second clerk

[5:52:35] if you can

[5:52:36] open the machine for voting

[5:52:37] council members please enter

[5:52:39] your votes seeing that a prison

[5:52:41] council members

[5:52:42] voted clerk please Tele

[5:52:42] announce the vote.

[5:52:43] And chair of the motion to

[5:52:45] approve agenda item j 3 passes

[5:52:49] unanimously. Okay great.

[5:52:49] Thank you.

[5:52:50] >> Next up we have Jay for.

[5:52:50] He could quickly can read the

[5:52:53] ordinance proposed or is number

[5:52:55] 6.36 dash h

[5:52:57] once of the city of St.

[5:52:58] Petersburg Florida and many of

[5:53:01] its comprehensive plan. In

[5:53:03] chapter 3 future

[5:53:06] future land use element issue

[5:53:07] nach natural

[5:53:09] resources and objective.

[5:53:10] All you 6 and policy value, 6.1

[5:53:13] to remove Marina development

[5:53:16] restrictions in the North the

[5:53:17] North yacht

[5:53:18] Basin providing for

[5:53:19] severability and providing for

[5:53:21] an effective date and we do not

[5:53:22] have any cards and the frugal

[5:53:24] back in the motion a second her

[5:53:25] mother Heather, I believe you

[5:53:27] actually want to say something

[5:53:30] first yes just for clarity sake

[5:53:34] if we could end section one

[5:53:37] the injury introductory.

[5:53:38] >> Sanctions to read chapter 3

[5:53:42] future land use element of the

[5:53:42] comprehensive plan is hereby

[5:53:44] amended to remove the following

[5:53:47] issues objectives and policies.

[5:53:50] I would appreciate it. We have

[5:53:53] an amended motion.

[5:54:00] And the second as amended.

[5:54:00] For

[5:54:03] clerk, if you can open the

[5:54:04] machine for voting.

[5:54:05] Council members please enter

[5:54:07] your votes seeing that all

[5:54:09] present

[5:54:10] council members to click police

[5:54:10] telling enough to vote.

[5:54:11] MADAM Chair, the motion to

[5:54:12] approve agenda item j 4 as

[5:54:13] amended passes unanimously.

[5:54:17] Thank you.

[5:54:22] >> We have j 5 this is

[5:54:24] quasi-judicial so

[5:54:26] I am going to be reading from a

[5:54:27] script. Ok so let me do my my

[5:54:28] talking points as I'm supposed

[5:54:30] to so I don't get in trouble

[5:54:31] will now move on to item j 5

[5:54:34] which contains 2 ordinances

[5:54:35] amending the

[5:54:37] zoning and future land use map

[5:54:41] for 3.8 9 acre parcel located

[5:54:41] at 40 50th Avenue South this

[5:54:43] item is quasi-judicial anyone

[5:54:45] wishing to speak on this item

[5:54:46] must fill out a yellow card and

[5:54:49] provided to the city clerk.

[5:54:49] And all speakers must be sworn

[5:54:51] in before presenting testimony.

[5:54:52] The procedure trick was a

[5:54:54] judicial proceedings can be

[5:54:55] found on the yellow sheet

[5:54:56] attached to the printed agendas

[5:54:57] or if you Inc digital leap

[5:55:00] ages, 13 14 of the council

[5:55:01] agenda.

[5:55:02] Clerk please swear in all

[5:55:05] parties and speakers, including

[5:55:08] city staff.

[5:55:16] Work if you can read the

[5:55:19] ordinance titles both of them

[5:55:22] please.

[5:55:22] It's in.

[5:55:26] The proposed ordinance number

[5:55:26] 7.65 dash pow

[5:55:27] an ordinance amending the

[5:55:29] future land use map. The

[5:55:30] comprehensive plan for the city

[5:55:31] of St. Petersburg Florida by

[5:55:33] changing the future land use

[5:55:36] that designation free

[5:55:37] 3.8.

[5:55:41] Acre parcel located at 3, 0, 1,

[5:55:44] 0, 58th Avenue South

[5:55:46] from residential urban. Are

[5:55:48] you to residential medium r m

[5:55:49] providing for repeal of

[5:55:49] conflicting ordinances and

[5:55:50] provisions thereof and

[5:55:52] providing for an effective

[5:55:55] date.

[5:55:57] The post or Dec.

[5:55:59] 800 dash zz and orange amending

[5:56:00] the official zoning map of the

[5:56:03] city of St. Petersburg Florida.

[5:56:06] I change in the zoning of a 3.8

[5:56:09] 9 acre parcel located at 3, 0,

[5:56:13] 1, 0, 58th Avenue South

[5:56:14] neighborhood suburban

[5:56:16] dash one in is dash one.

[5:56:19] 2 neighborhood super suburban

[5:56:21] multifamily dash one n s and s

[5:56:23] one providing for repeal of

[5:56:23] conflicting ordinances

[5:56:24] provisions thereof and

[5:56:27] providing for an effective date

[5:56:28] we did not have any cards.

[5:56:29] Thank you we'll now move on to

[5:56:30] presentations each party will

[5:56:30] have 10 minutes for their

[5:56:33] presentation and we will begin

[5:56:36] with the city staff's

[5:56:36] presentation.

[5:56:37] Good evening, MADAM Chair

[5:56:38] fellow councilmembers Britain

[5:56:39] Wilson city planner presenting

[5:56:41] an amendment to the future land

[5:56:44] use map with a concurrent

[5:56:45] rezoning initiated by the

[5:56:48] property owners of maximum

[5:56:49] apartments, which sits on a

[5:56:51] 3.8 9 acre site and the purpose

[5:56:53] of the proposed amendments is

[5:56:54] to bring the existing

[5:56:55] development into conformance

[5:56:56] with the assigned land use and

[5:56:59] zoning designations as they're

[5:57:02] currently nonconforming.

[5:57:03] Maximum apartments is a 20 unit

[5:57:06] single Storey development built

[5:57:09] out at 5 units per acre

[5:57:11] that was constructed in 1985

[5:57:14] and sits on the southeast

[5:57:15] corner of

[5:57:16] 58th Avenue South and 31th

[5:57:17] Street South. And the

[5:57:20] surrounding uses and starting

[5:57:21] at the top right is the Arbor

[5:57:24] Grove condos which is built out

[5:57:25] at about 9.8 units per acre.

[5:57:26] There is a carve out on the

[5:57:29] north side of maxim apartments

[5:57:32] which sits a single-family

[5:57:33] home. Directly South and east

[5:57:34] or single-family homes and to

[5:57:35] the West across from 34th

[5:57:38] Street South this church

[5:57:38] property and then more

[5:57:42] apartments followed by a

[5:57:45] medical facility.

[5:57:46] This is a future land use map

[5:57:49] showing the subject site is

[5:57:50] designated

[5:57:52] residential urban or are you

[5:57:53] where residential medium or is

[5:57:54] being proposed to be consistent

[5:57:57] with the property to the north

[5:57:59] and Northwest.

[5:58:02] This is the land use map again

[5:58:03] but with the

[5:58:04] coastal high hazard area.

[5:58:05] Rca jj boundary. Shannon Hatch

[5:58:08] that is completely covering the

[5:58:11] subject site.

[5:58:12] This is a zoning map showing

[5:58:14] the subject site is designated

[5:58:17] neighborhoods suburban one ns

[5:58:18] one.

[5:58:19] Which is a single-family

[5:58:21] district where the proposed

[5:58:22] change is to neighborhood

[5:58:24] suburban multifamily or someone

[5:58:27] so as to be in conformance with

[5:58:28] the existing apartments and

[5:58:29] with the zoning. Also Matt and

[5:58:33] be consistent with the property

[5:58:35] to the north and Northwest.

[5:58:37] This slide addresses the change

[5:58:38] and development potential that

[5:58:40] would result from the map

[5:58:41] amendments and the Associated

[5:58:42] restrictive covenant that has

[5:58:43] been proffered due to the

[5:58:45] site's location and the c a t

[5:58:48] j.

[5:58:51] The existing density under the

[5:58:51] ru land use

[5:58:53] is 7 and a half drawing units

[5:58:56] per acre. The propose are in

[5:58:57] land use would allow for 15

[5:58:58] dwelling units per acre.

[5:58:59] But the restrictive covenant

[5:59:00] will lock in the existing

[5:59:03] density of 7 and a half to all

[5:59:06] units per acre.

[5:59:08] So the permitted use unit

[5:59:08] density does not change find

[5:59:09] allowed building form of the

[5:59:10] units changes from

[5:59:13] single-family to multi-family.

[5:59:15] And this

[5:59:16] slide demonstrates that

[5:59:20] currently has built the site

[5:59:20] has 20 existing

[5:59:22] units an additional 9 units

[5:59:23] could be constructed for a

[5:59:26] total of 29, throwing units on

[5:59:28] site.

[5:59:29] As noted in the staff report

[5:59:33] the proposed amendments are

[5:59:33] consistent with many

[5:59:34] policies of a comprehensive

[5:59:35] plan and to highlight these

[5:59:37] few. The proposal furthers

[5:59:39] these policies as it meets ach

[5:59:39] tha requirements of not

[5:59:41] increasing density or intensity

[5:59:42] through the restrictive

[5:59:45] covenant and the proposed

[5:59:46] amendments are consistent with

[5:59:48] the existing site development

[5:59:49] and the surrounding area that

[5:59:49] has multifamily to the north

[5:59:52] and is located on a major

[5:59:54] roadway.

[5:59:56] And with that staff recommends

[5:59:57] a finding of consistency with

[5:59:58] the comprehensive plan and

[6:00:00] approval of the proposed land

[6:00:01] use amendment rezoning with

[6:00:04] restrictive covenant as it

[6:00:05] meets the sea a jj

[6:00:06] policies and is consistent with

[6:00:07] the surrounding neighborhood.

[6:00:07] That concludes my presentation

[6:00:10] an applicant has representation

[6:00:12] as well.

[6:00:13] Thank you. After that you have

[6:00:17] your presentation. Good evening

[6:00:20] good evening.

[6:00:20] But rescue.

[6:00:21] 3.60 Central Avenue s p 500

[6:00:22] have been sworn for the

[6:00:24] applicant. Make it real quick.

[6:00:27] Did a great job and stuff

[6:00:28] reports I think we already have

[6:00:31] enough in the record to

[6:00:33] support. Approval.

[6:00:34] But just to tell kind of the a

[6:00:37] little bit more detail. The

[6:00:38] story. They came to me

[6:00:41] because they every time they go

[6:00:42] to reinvest this property to to

[6:00:43] get some financing. The

[6:00:44] nonconforming use flags it gets

[6:00:47] flagged so when it's going

[6:00:49] through underwriting it affects

[6:00:52] its core. So we're actually

[6:00:54] here in

[6:00:54] in DECEMBER.

[6:00:55] Last year to vacate that little

[6:00:57] vestige of a right away so that

[6:00:59] was kind of the first step in

[6:01:01] all this and this is the

[6:01:02] rezoning following it that's

[6:01:03] that little vested right where

[6:01:06] that we. The kid Dec., 20, 25.

[6:01:10] This is a survey of the

[6:01:13] property shown the 20 units.

[6:01:15] This is the 95 plat the condo

[6:01:17] place you can see the East side

[6:01:20] of the property. They never

[6:01:21] finished it. There were 7 units

[6:01:22] that were in the condo

[6:01:23] declaration presumably site

[6:01:26] plan and just never

[6:01:27] constructed.

[6:01:28] This exist this rezoning to

[6:01:32] open up the allowable use will

[6:01:33] allow them

[6:01:33] to add 9 units to this property

[6:01:35] either they could build out the

[6:01:38] way it was they could redevelop

[6:01:39] it. But the wind. The main

[6:01:41] thing here was just to clean up

[6:01:44] the nonconforming use and we

[6:01:45] are

[6:01:46] because it's in the c a t j we

[6:01:47] are including a development

[6:01:48] agreement with the restriction

[6:01:51] on density intensity so that

[6:01:54] doesn't change. And you've

[6:01:55] already seen these maps.

[6:01:59] And the traffic consideration

[6:02:00] from the the

[6:02:01] staff report showing that

[6:02:03] minimal additional trips for

[6:02:06] those 9 additional dwelling

[6:02:09] units so

[6:02:12] it's a thanks. Thank you.

[6:02:13] Is there registered opponent.

[6:02:15] I don't see any. That

[6:02:16] registered opponent okay.

[6:02:17] Is there any public comment.

[6:02:20] No public comes you have no

[6:02:22] public comment.

[6:02:22] This concludes our public

[6:02:25] comment section of the evening

[6:02:28] on this item.

[6:02:28] Now we'll move on to

[6:02:30] cross-examination each party

[6:02:31] will have 5 minutes for cross

[6:02:32] examination staff would you

[6:02:34] like to cross examine. Athletes

[6:02:38] think you.

[6:02:41] Now we move on to closing

[6:02:42] arguments or rebuttal. You have

[6:02:43] each 5 minutes to provide a

[6:02:47] closing argument, a rebuttal.

[6:02:50] Staff. Stephens, it lives,

[6:02:52] okay. Well thank you very much

[6:02:54] this quasi judicial proceeding

[6:02:57] is now closed and we will move

[6:02:58] on into executive session to

[6:03:01] approve a 5 to have a motion

[6:03:03] and the second clerk if you

[6:03:03] can open the machine for

[6:03:03] voting.

[6:03:04] For day and beer just yet for

[6:03:06] I'm sorry day 5 a and b doing

[6:03:10] together. Yes, we can. For j 5

[6:03:13] and the second.

[6:03:25] In that upper think members a

[6:03:27] vote a clerk

[6:03:28] please know we announce the

[6:03:28] vote.

[6:03:29] MADAM Chair, the motion to

[6:03:31] approve agenda items j 5 a and

[6:03:34] j 5 be passes unanimously.

[6:03:42] >> Thank you for waiting so

[6:03:46] >> Next up we have open

[6:03:47] clerk do we have any speakers

[6:03:50] for open forum and share with

[6:03:51] you now. And we

[6:03:53] then we close open forum we go

[6:03:53] to announcements and now it's

[6:03:57] months council member driskell

[6:04:02] thank you.

[6:04:03] As you had shared with everyone

[6:04:03] earlier MADAM Chair. We

[6:04:04] unfortunately learned of the

[6:04:07] passing a bill that of Edwards.

[6:04:09] Earlier today and

[6:04:11] I known bill for a long time I

[6:04:14] was I was heartbroken by this

[6:04:17] news. Over the years I.

[6:04:18] Watch an id and mired a great

[6:04:22] businessman and a great lover

[6:04:25] of our city has he

[6:04:27] did everything from

[6:04:30] pay a beautiful markers up to

[6:04:31] welcome

[6:04:32] people to St. Petersburg to

[6:04:32] buying the rowdies and I'll

[6:04:35] never forget these are the

[6:04:36] first time ever saw

[6:04:37] soccer game was when he owned

[6:04:38] the team. That's the kind of

[6:04:42] person he was he remade sundial

[6:04:45] and and really helped us

[6:04:48] help the city.

[6:04:50] 2 I raise the

[6:04:51] standards at the Mahaffey at a

[6:04:53] time when it really needed it.

[6:04:55] I certainly didn't agree with

[6:04:56] Bill on everything and we did

[6:04:58] you have occasion to lock

[6:05:00] horns. But I always respected

[6:05:02] him and my prayers today are

[6:05:05] with his family and his loved

[6:05:08] ones and as they

[6:05:11] mourn and you know reflect

[6:05:14] and I hope we all do. Some

[6:05:15] reflection on someone who was

[6:05:18] passionate passionate about St.

[6:05:21] Petersburg.

[6:05:24] And.

[6:05:25] I would love for us to just

[6:05:28] have a moment of silence to

[6:05:31] remember him.

[6:05:44] That's member Curtis.

[6:05:44] Thank you MADAM Chair

[6:05:45] councilmember driskell thank

[6:05:47] you for your very nice words.

[6:05:50] I was certainly saddened to

[6:05:53] hear of the loss of bills so.

[6:05:53] >> Just quickly I want to just

[6:05:54] publicly thank I got to spend a

[6:05:56] little bit of time early this

[6:05:59] morning as they were mustering

[6:06:01] the storm water. Pavement

[6:06:05] knocks crew. That just go out

[6:06:05] on a daily basis and just

[6:06:07] bus their chops and specially

[6:06:09] you know days of a 109 he and

[6:06:11] then 4 hours late later, it's 4

[6:06:14] inches of rain and so and I you

[6:06:17] know I was in this room and

[6:06:18] you know it's probably a 100

[6:06:21] people or so and you know

[6:06:23] they're all

[6:06:23] wearing their bright green You

[6:06:26] know protective gear, but also

[6:06:29] that's kind of the colors and

[6:06:30] you realize that they are

[6:06:32] probably some of the most seen

[6:06:36] people across the city because

[6:06:36] frankly they're

[6:06:37] just bright and that they're

[6:06:40] hard to MISS And so I just the

[6:06:41] work that they do I'm just so

[6:06:41] thankful and I just wanted to

[6:06:42] say out loud one more time just

[6:06:45] thankful for all that we're all

[6:06:46] of our employees but

[6:06:47] I got to spend a little bit of

[6:06:47] time with them and it was very

[6:06:48] nice and very appreciative for

[6:06:51] everything they do on a daily

[6:06:52] basis.

[6:06:53] Last a lot last but not least

[6:06:56] we have a couple of birthdays

[6:06:57] it was the mayor's birthday

[6:07:00] last week. It was read his

[6:07:03] birthday last week I

[6:07:03] believe and that's Rob's

[6:07:04] birthday next week. So you

[6:07:06] don't get out of it Rob and so

[6:07:09] will sing happy birthday to the

[6:07:12] mayor Rita and Rob.

[6:07:14] Have you heard.

[6:07:19] To you have you heard to you.

[6:07:20] Birthday mayor Reed arraf I

[6:07:23] heard Kate to thank you very

[6:07:24] much,

[6:07:25] MADAM Chair, thank you.

[6:07:27] And thank you for letting us

[6:07:30] know about Bill Edwards earlier

[6:07:32] as council member driskell

[6:07:32] mention.

[6:07:33] First of all bill was bigger

[6:07:37] than life and be we all dealt

[6:07:40] with Bill

[6:07:42] one way or the other whether we

[6:07:42] like it or not.

[6:07:43] And locking horns is probably

[6:07:45] putting it mildly sometimes.

[6:07:46] But he was

[6:07:47] a sponsor Porter of the city.

[6:07:49] And of the arson of our

[6:07:52] community and he gave

[6:07:55] everything he had.

[6:07:57] >> For the love of the city if

[6:07:57] he couldn't. I think no matter.

[6:07:58] Whether we agreed or disagreed

[6:07:59] I don't think anyone here

[6:08:01] question how much he loved this

[6:08:02] city.

[6:08:05] >> And he would make some of

[6:08:05] the you know some of the

[6:08:06] decisions in and negotiations

[6:08:09] difficult for whoever was in

[6:08:12] the room,

[6:08:15] And I'm sure and I'm I'm sure

[6:08:17] the attorneys can

[6:08:17] appreciate that but.

[6:08:18] But you know that was how bill

[6:08:21] was and he you know he fought

[6:08:23] tooth and nail for

[6:08:24] what he believed then and that

[6:08:25] was does his personality so he

[6:08:25] will be greatly missed and our

[6:08:28] condolences go to his family in

[6:08:30] France.

[6:08:31] So thank you all for the good

[6:08:33] work today, it's been a very

[6:08:34] long day there's very tired

[6:08:35] faces in this room, so I am

City Council

Agenda

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