[4:03] - This call to order.
[4:04] (Mayor hits gavel)
[4:05] As a courtesy to others,
[4:06] please silence all electronic
devices during this meeting.
[4:10] Citizens desiring to speak
under here the audience
[4:12] shall submit a request form
[4:14] to the city clerk prior to the meeting.
[4:17] Forms are available at the
door or from the city clerk.
[4:21] At this time, we'll
have a moment of silence
[4:23] on the Pledge of Allegiance
led by Commissioner Alvarez.
[4:39] - Will you please join me
in the Pledge of Allegiance
[4:41] to the flag of the
United States of America.
[4:44] - I pledge allegiance to the flag
[4:47] of the United States of America
[4:49] and to republic for which it stands,
[4:51] one nation under God,
indivisible with liberty
[4:55] and justice for all.
[5:01] - Thank you, commissioner.
[5:02] We now continue with proclamations
[5:04] and special presentations.
[5:07] Item 3A, proclamations
to the Juneteenth Day.
[5:10] Mike.
[5:11] - Thank you, Madam Mayor.
[5:12] Commissioners, if you
would join Ms. Nina Hill
[5:15] from the NAACP on the
floor of the chambers.
[5:19] Ms. Hill, if you would
approach the commission.
[5:27] Okay.
[5:28] Okay. Oh, you guys are coming in, please.
[5:30] Okay.
[5:34] Oh my gosh.
[5:36] I know you.
[5:49] All right, this is a proclamation in honor
[5:51] of Juneteenth Day.
[5:53] Whereas Juneteenth or
Juneteenth Independence Day
[5:56] commemorates the traditional observance
[5:57] of the end of slavery in the United States
[5:59] and is observed annually on June 19th,
[6:02] and whereas President
Abraham Lincoln declared
[6:05] that in giving freedom to
the slave, we assured freedom
[6:08] to the free, honorable
alike in what we give
[6:11] and what we preserve, we shall
nobly save or meanly lose
[6:14] the last best hope of Earth.
[6:17] And whereas on January 1st, 1863,
[6:19] President Lincoln issued the
Emancipation Proclamation
[6:22] declaring that all persons held
the slaves within any state
[6:25] or designated part of the State,
[6:27] the people whereof shall be in rebellion
[6:29] against the United States,
[6:30] shall be then fenced
forward and forever free.
[6:33] And whereas President Lincoln
correctly believes slavery
[6:36] to be in violation of the principles
[6:37] of the Declaration of Independence,
and that its abolishment
[6:40] represented a new birth of
freedom for the United States,
[6:43] and whereas more than two years would pass
[6:45] before the news reached African
Americans living in Texas,
[6:48] when on June 19th, 1865, Union
Major General Gordon Granger
[6:52] and his regiment arrived in Galveston
[6:54] and spread the word that
slavery had been abolished.
[6:57] And whereas the following year,
[6:58] the first official Juneteenth
celebrations took place
[7:00] in Texas and have continued
[7:02] across the United States
throughout the years.
[7:05] And whereas emancipation
in Florida was proclaimed
[7:07] in Tallahassee on May 20th, 1865,
[7:10] and for this reason, Floridians
traditionally celebrate
[7:13] Emancipation Day on May 20.
[7:15] Now, therefore, Juneteenth
[7:17] is the oldest national
celebrated commemoration
[7:21] of ending of slavery and is
important opportunity to honor
[7:24] the principles, declaration
of the independence
[7:27] and celebration of the achievements
[7:29] and contributions Africans
Americans have made
[7:31] and continue to make in
Florida across our nation.
[7:34] Hereby declared by the City
Commission on this day,
[7:37] the 17th day of June, 2025.
[7:41] (participants clap)
[7:55] - Okay, on behalf of the
NAACP of Osceola County,
[7:59] we wanna thank you
[8:00] or being here to witness
this with us today.
[8:03] It is a special time for us.
[8:05] It is about community
and us growing together
[8:07] and staying positive
and being united as one.
[8:11] And so we wanna thank
everyone here, our officials,
[8:16] the city for always being there for us.
[8:19] On behalf of the NAACP
of Osceola, we thank you.
[8:23] (participants clap)
[9:08] - Thank you, commissioners.
[9:15] We now move on to swearing in ceremony
[9:16] for Assistant Chief of Police
and four new police officers.
[9:21] Chief Broadway.
[9:24] - Well, good evening,
Madam Mayor, Commissioners.
[9:26] It is my honor to swear in
[9:28] our newest Assistant Chief
of Police, Kevin McGinley,
[9:31] if you can come forward with your family.
[9:34] (participants clap)
[9:44] Our new assistant chief
brings extensive amount
[9:47] of law enforcement experience,
leadership experience, worked
[9:50] for several years at Osceola
County Sheriff's Office
[9:53] for Sheriff Hansel, as well
as former Sheriff Gibson,
[9:56] and also spent several years
[9:59] at the Florida Department
of Law Enforcement
[10:01] within the Public Integrity Unit.
[10:02] It is my honor to swear him.
[10:04] He's going to be a great
addition to this leadership team,
[10:07] to this agency, and to this community.
[10:09] And he is the consummate professional.
[10:12] Again, it is my honor
to swear I'm in today.
[10:16] (participants clap)
[10:22] Repeat after me.
[10:24] I, state your name.
[10:25] - I Kevin McGinley.
[10:25] - Do solemnly swear or affirm.
[10:27] - Do solemnly swear affirm.
[10:28] - I will support, protect, and defend.
[10:30] - I will support, protect and defend.
[10:32] - The constitution and government.
[10:34] - The constitution and government.
[10:35] - Of the United States.
[10:36] - Of the United States.
[10:37] - And the State of Florida.
[10:38] - And the State of Florida.
[10:39] - I'm duly qualified.
[10:40] - I'm duly qualified.
[10:41] - To hold office.
[10:42] - To hold office.
[10:43] - Under the Constitution.
[10:44] - Under the Constitution.
[10:45] - And I will well.
[10:46] - And I will well.
[10:47] - And faithfully perform.
[10:48] - And faithfully perform.
[10:48] - My duties.
[10:49] - My duties.
[10:50] - Of Assistant chief of Police.
[10:51] - Of Assistant Chief of Police.
[10:53] - For the Kissimmee Police Department.
[10:54] - For the Kissimmee Police Department.
[10:55] - So help me God.
[10:56] - So help me God.
[10:57] - Congratulations.
[10:58] (participants clap)
[11:48] - Three, two.
[12:01] (participants clap)
[12:09] - It is now my honor and privilege
[12:10] to swear in our new police
officers who are ready to go
[12:15] through their training and
work in our community to serve
[12:19] and protect our residents.
[12:20] If you all can come
forward with your families.
[12:29] I also want to recognize
our recruiting division.
[12:32] They proactively do a really
good job in recruiting
[12:36] the top candidates and
the best of the best
[12:38] to represent this city and this community.
[12:40] So a special thanks to
our recruiting division.
[12:42] Thank you guys.
[12:43] (participants clap)
[12:55] Raise your right hand and repeat after me.
[12:57] Hand on the Bible.
[12:58] I, state your name.
[12:59] - I (indistinct) Perez.
[13:00] - I, Luis Las Lugo.
[13:02] - Justin (indistinct)
[13:04] - Do solemnly swear or affirm.
[13:06] - Do solemnly swear or affirm.
[13:07] - I will support, protect and defend.
[13:09] - I'll support, protect and defend.
[13:11] - The constitution and government.
[13:12] - The constitution and government.
[13:14] - Of the United States.
[13:15] Of the United States.
[13:16] - And the State of Florida.
[13:17] - And the State of Florida.
[13:18] - I'm duly qualified.
[13:19] - I'm duly qualified.
[13:20] - To hold office.
[13:21] - To hold office.
[13:21] - Under the Constitution.
[13:22] - Under the constitution.
[13:23] - And I will well.
[13:25] - And I will well.
[13:25] - And faithfully perform.
[13:26] - And faithfully perform.
[13:27] - My duties.
[13:28] - My duties.
[13:29] - Of police officer.
[13:30] - Of police officer.
[13:31] - For the Kissimmee Police Department.
[13:32] - For the Kissimmee Police Department.
[13:33] - So help me God.
[13:34] - So help me God.
[13:35] - Congratulations.
[13:36] (participants clap)
[14:11] Awesome.
[14:12] Three, two.
[14:16] One more.
[14:19] We go three, two.
[14:22] Thank you.
[14:23] Thank you so much.
[14:37] (participants clap)
[14:52] - We now move on to item 3C,
[14:54] promotion ceremony of police sergeants.
[14:57] Chief Broadway.
[14:58] - Thank you, Madam Mayor.
[15:00] At this time, we can call up
Sergeant Brandon (indistinct)
[15:03] and Jerry Garrett as
they're being promoted
[15:05] to sergeant this evening.
[15:08] As you know, our sergeants,
[15:09] (participants clap)
[15:18] are the first line supervisors
[15:19] and play a critical role in shaping
[15:21] the day-to-day operations
and the functioning
[15:23] of the department.
[15:24] And it's my honor to swear
in, to promote both of you.
[15:32] Raise your right hand and repeat after me.
[15:33] I, state your name.
[15:35] - I, Jerry Garrett.
[15:36] - I, Brandon (indistinct)
[15:36] - Do solemnly swear or affirm.
[15:38] - Do solemnly swear or affirm.
[15:39] - I'll support, protect and defend.
[15:41] I'll support, protect and defend.
[15:43] - Constitution and government.
[15:44] - Constitution and government.
[15:46] - Of the United States.
[15:47] - Of the United States.
[15:48] - And the State of Florida.
[15:49] - And the State of Florida.
[15:50] - I'm duly qualified.
[15:51] - I'm duly qualified.
[15:52] - To hold office.
[15:52] - To hold office.
[15:53] - Under the constitution.
[15:54] - Under the constitution.
[15:55] - And I will well.
[15:56] - And I will well.
[15:57] - And faithfully perform.
[15:58] - And faithfully perform.
[15:59] - My duties.
[16:00] - My duties.
[16:01] - Of police sergeant.
[16:01] - Of police sergeant.
[16:02] - For which I'm about to enter.
[16:03] - For which I'm about to enter.
[16:04] - So help me God.
[16:05] - So help me God.
[16:06] - Congratulations.
[16:07] (participants clap)
[17:03] - Congratulations.
[17:05] - Congratulations.
[17:06] - Congratulations.
[17:09] - Congratulations.
[17:10] - Congratulations.
[17:15] - What a great day for our city?
[17:18] This fills my heart.
[17:19] Thank you all for all you
do at our KPD Department.
[17:22] We are very proud of all of you.
[17:25] Now we move on to employee
of the month for June.
[17:27] City Manager.
[17:30] - Thank you, Madam Mayor.
[17:31] Commissioners, ladies and gentlemen,
[17:32] keeping with today's theme
of the police department,
[17:35] I'd like to introduce to you
today our employee the month
[17:38] for June from the police
department, Cameron Turner.
[17:42] Cameron.
[17:42] (participants clap)
[18:00] - Just kidding.
[18:01] (participants laugh)
[18:04] - So Cameron has been
with us, three years?
[18:06] - Just about, yeah.
[18:07] - Just about three years.
[18:09] She is a tele-communicator
with the police department,
[18:12] and often, you know,
during emergencies, our men
[18:15] and women in blue are the
ones that we think of.
[18:18] But it's the tele-communicators
[18:20] and our operators at
the communication center
[18:23] that are often the first
line of communication
[18:27] with anybody in an emergency situation.
[18:29] And Cameron has a reputation
of being polite, courteous,
[18:33] efficient, she's well
respected by her coworkers.
[18:37] She has a positive attitude
[18:39] that's infectious within the division
[18:41] and you know, really exemplifies
the type of individual
[18:46] that represents the term employee
the month Very, very well.
[18:49] So on behalf of the employees
of the City of Kissimmee,
[18:53] I'd like to thank you and congratulate you
[18:55] for everything that you do.
[18:56] Congratulate you for winning
[18:58] our Employee of the Month for June.
[19:00] And I wanna remind our audience here
[19:04] that the employee of the
month is not chosen by me
[19:07] or the leadership of the
department or the commissioners,
[19:09] but our employee of the
month are, they're nominated
[19:11] by fellow coworkers
[19:14] and then those coworkers' applications
[19:16] for the with the nominations are reviewed
[19:18] by committee representing
the 12 different departments
[19:21] of the city and over almost 900 employees.
[19:23] So again, there's no better honor
[19:26] than to be recognized by your peers.
[19:27] So thank you so much for
everything that you do, Cameron,
[19:30] and we're gonna.
[19:32] - Yeah.
[19:34] Oh, okay, yeah, perfect.
[19:36] (participants clap)
[19:43] - A backpack.
[19:49] - Thank you for service.
[19:50] - Thank you.
[19:51] Thank you.
[19:58] - You'd like to say a few words?
[20:00] - Yeah.
[20:02] Just wanna say thank you
guys for the recognition.
[20:04] I appreciate it.
[20:06] Also give a shout out to
the Communications Center.
[20:08] Definitely not a solo job by any means.
[20:10] A whole team working together.
[20:11] And then shout out to the officers.
[20:14] You guys make our job easier as well.
[20:16] So thank you.
[20:17] (participants clap)
[20:30] - We now move on to item 3E,
[20:32] presentation of Retrolight System solution
[20:34] for high priority pedestrian zones.
[20:37] City manager.
[20:39] - Thank you, Madam Mayor.
[20:40] Mr. Jorge Figueroa, the
CEO of Sky Novva Solutions
[20:43] has requested to make
presentation to the commission
[20:45] regarding a product
[20:47] that they would like to
showcase to the commission
[20:49] regarding pedestrian safety.
[20:51] So with that, I'll turn
it over to Mr. Figueroa.
[20:55] - Your name and address for the record.
[20:56] And please just note
you have five minutes.
[20:59] - Yes, Jorge Figueroa,
[21:01] 2918 Sera Bella Way, Kissimmee, 34744.
[21:07] Excellent.
[21:08] Good afternoon,
commissioners and city staff.
[21:11] Thank you for the opportunity
to speak with you today.
[21:14] As we continue building a more connected,
[21:16] safe and forward-thinking Kissimmee,
[21:19] I'd like to introduce a solution
[21:21] that directly supports your
vision, the Retrolight system,
[21:24] a smart award-winning pedestrian
safety platform designed
[21:28] to reduce accidents and
modernize intersections.
[21:32] Let's begin with the reality.
[21:34] Central Florida remains one
[21:35] of the most dangerous regions
[21:37] in the country for pedestrians.
[21:39] According to Smart Growth
America's Dangerous
[21:41] by Design Report, the Orlando
Kissimmee Sanford metro area
[21:45] consistently ranks amongst
the top five most deadly areas
[21:48] for pedestrians in the United States.
[21:51] In recent years, we've
seen rising fatalities,
[21:54] many involved in vulnerable populations,
[21:56] near high speed corridors
or poorly marked crosses.
[22:00] This is a pressing
public safety issue tied
[22:03] to the fast growing urban
areas and legacy road designs.
[22:07] The Retrolight system
isn't just a concept,
[22:10] it is internationally
recognized being implemented
[22:13] in six countries and
over 70 intersections.
[22:16] Retrolight is an
award-winning smart crosswalk
[22:20] and signaling platform that
received the third price
[22:23] for best innovation in road safety
[22:25] at the Global Ministerial Conference.
[22:27] The Retrolight System is a
proven innovative solution
[22:31] designed to modernize intersections
[22:33] and dramatically reduce pedestrians
injuries and fatalities.
[22:37] So what is the Retrolight system?
[22:39] Retrolight is a modular,
smart crosswalk system
[22:42] that illuminates crosswalks
and signage within ground
[22:46] within ground LED panels,
activates only when a pedestrian
[22:50] is present, reducing
unnecessary energy usage,
[22:55] uses intelligence sensors
to provide real time alerts
[22:58] to approaching vehicles
[22:59] and collects traffic and safety data.
[23:02] Moreover, its integration
with solar panels
[23:05] and IoT platforms supports
both our resilience
[23:09] and sustainability goals,
[23:11] key pillars of our comprehensive plan.
[23:14] It adapts to environmental
conditions like rain,
[23:17] low visibility, snow,
[23:19] supports data-driven planning
for future infrastructure
[23:22] and mobility decisions
[23:23] and can be integrated with
city management platforms
[23:27] and security cameras.
[23:29] It is powered by solar energy
[23:32] and uses low consumption LEDs.
[23:35] It is manufactured
[23:36] with recyclable materials
[23:38] including repurposed wind turbine blades,
[23:41] a practical fit in
Kissimmee's sustainability
[23:45] and resilience objectives.
[23:47] In studies by the University of Rome
[23:49] and the European Union's
EIT Urban Mobility Program,
[23:53] the system reduced pedestrians
accidents by up to 69%
[23:58] and vehicle speeds by nearly 20%
[24:01] while increasing pedestrian
use by over 190%.
[24:06] With the Connect Kissimmee
Road Project aiming
[24:09] to improve multimodal access
[24:11] and pedestrian infrastructure,
[24:12] Retrolight complements this
vision by enhancing visibility
[24:17] and workability without
compromising the design's integrity,
[24:21] providing a scalable solution
[24:23] that can be implemented incrementally.
[24:26] Integrate...
[24:28] I'm sorry, recent changes
[24:29] on the Broadway Street design
created right conditions
[24:33] to integrate retro lighting
[24:35] into newly transformed
pedestrian corridors,
[24:37] helping to future proof the area.
[24:41] It can be installed crosswalks,
bike lanes, school zones,
[24:45] shared use paths, tunnels and train hubs.
[24:50] Ideal for high speed intersections, areas
[24:52] with vulnerable users
[24:54] and tourists-heavy locations
like Downtown Kissimmee.
[24:58] The Retrolight system helps
Kissimmee take a bold step
[25:01] towards becoming a forward-thinking
leader in urban safety
[25:05] and smart infrastructure
in central Florida.
[25:09] This aligns with the
commission's ongoing efforts
[25:12] to position Kissimmee as a
model city for innovation,
[25:15] mobility and resilience.
[25:17] The Retrolight System has
a track record of results,
[25:21] recognition and real world performance.
[25:24] Retrolight system is backed
[25:25] by the highest industry certifications
[25:27] and comply with the most
demanding technical requirements.
[25:31] We guarantee long-term performance
[25:33] even under the most extremes
temperature conditions.
[25:37] It's been tested 55 degrees below zero
[25:41] up to 212 degrees Fahrenheit
[25:44] and heavy vehicle traffic
over 132,000 pounds.
[25:48] The Retrolight Systems modular
installation, low maintenance
[25:52] and measurable safety
outcomes make it an effective
[25:55] and potential cost-neutral addition,
[25:57] especially when factored into current
[26:00] and future roadway redesigns
and grant opportunities.
[26:11] We would like to set up a demonstration
[26:14] with the developers for this
system if given the chance.
[26:19] - Thank you.
[26:20] - Thank you very much.
- Thank you for your time
[26:21] and for the presentation
[26:22] and if we have any further
comments, we'll contact you.
[26:26] Thank you, Mr. Figueroa.
[26:27] Appreciate it.
[26:31] We move on to public hearings.
[26:33] 4A, first reading, proposed
ordinance number 25-06,
[26:38] establishment of Civilian
Police Oversight Board.
[26:42] - In ordinance amending
the code of ordinances
[26:44] of the City of Kissimmee, Florida,
[26:46] Chapter two, administration, article three
[26:47] boards and commissions establishing
[26:50] a civilian police oversight board
[26:52] amending section 2-3-3, city
attorney as legal counsel,
[26:55] repealing all ordinances and conflict here
[26:57] with and providing an effective date.
[26:59] - And commissioners, this is a
first reading of an ordinance
[27:01] that would establish a
civilian police oversight board
[27:03] in accordance with chapter
166.0486 of the Florida Statutes.
[27:08] This ordinance sets up
the size of the board,
[27:12] which will be between
five and seven members.
[27:15] In accordance with the statutes,
[27:17] those members will be appointed
by the chief of police.
[27:20] They would be set up for
two-year terms with a maximum
[27:23] of three two-year terms
that could be served
[27:25] by any board member.
[27:28] Each board member can either live, work
[27:31] or own property within the city limits.
[27:32] So it's not limited to
just city residents.
[27:35] And then one
[27:36] of the members per the statutes
[27:38] must be retired law enforcement officers.
[27:40] And there's also prohibitions for members
[27:43] either to be in elected office
[27:45] or to be a qualified
candidate for elected office.
[27:48] So after holding the public hearing,
[27:50] staff recommends approval
of this first reading.
[27:53] - Thank you, City Manager.
[27:54] This is a public hearing.
[27:55] Do any of the members of the public wish
[27:58] to speak on this specific item?
[28:02] Ma'am, are you asking to
speak on this specific item?
[28:06] - Yes.
[28:07] (inaudible)
[28:10] - Thank you then.
[28:12] Absolutely.
[28:13] Please walk up to the
microphone, and your name
[28:15] and address for the record, please.
[28:20] - Okay then, no problem.
[28:23] Give me a minute.
[28:24] (Claudia laughs)
[28:26] Whoo!
[28:27] 10D Andres, I'm sorry.
[28:29] (Claudia laughs)
[28:30] - Name and address, please.
- My name is Claudia Zuko.
[28:31] I live at 1342 Stallone Court.
[28:33] And for those who are doing
the closed captioning, it's Z.
[28:38] Z-O.
[28:39] Thank you.
[28:41] Stallone Court, Kissimmee, Florida 34744.
[28:45] For those of you who
don't know me, I really,
[28:48] really strongly encourage this board
[28:50] to be created in the
first place by, you know,
[28:52] hounding the crap.
[28:55] None are those people right back there.
[28:56] - [Mayor] Ma'am, can you direct yourself
[28:58] to the commission, please?
- Oh, my apologies.
[29:00] - Thank you.
[29:02] - And it galls me
[29:04] that we're engaging in
this farce, this pretense,
[29:08] that this board is
going to have any power.
[29:10] If you really want police
oversight, it's you
[29:15] who are tasked with that, not us.
[29:17] It is your responsibility to govern him
[29:22] so that he can govern them.
[29:24] Isn't that the way this of--
- I'm gonna ask you...
[29:26] Ma'am, I'm gonna ask you
not to direct yourself
[29:29] to anyone in specific.
[29:30] You speak to us as a body
[29:32] and we are more than
happy to listen to you.
[29:34] Thank you.
[29:35] - Hmm.
[29:36] So you want transparency.
[29:42] What does that really mean?
[29:45] It means something that can
let the light shine through,
[29:48] but you're not being
transparent in any way, shape,
[29:51] or form, that I'm referring
to the commission as a whole,
[29:54] not an individual.
[29:56] - [Mayor] Thank you.
[29:57] - Because we all know
[29:58] that you have over 6,000
pieces of damaged evidence.
[30:01] We all know, well, I know,
[30:04] that you have over 1,000
pieces of evidence missing.
[30:07] We now know collectively as a community
[30:09] that you did not report 26
officers as required by law.
[30:15] How will this board
accomplish anything in regards
[30:20] to any of those items?
[30:22] I see nothing that will change.
[30:25] We had a previous board who
could have affected change
[30:29] and instead they remained
stagnant and silent.
[30:34] I don't see a way forward by
taking several steps backwards.
[30:40] And what you're asking people to believe
[30:42] is that you're going to
change anything when it comes
[30:46] to that environment, and it
would seem that your actions
[30:50] speak louder than your words.
[30:52] So I would recommend the commission
[30:55] and that the community demand
[30:57] of the commission real transparency.
[31:00] Let's talk about the evidence
vault floods (chuckles)
[31:03] now that we know you
literally had to go back in
[31:07] and knock holes in exterior
walls when we spent $70,000
[31:11] trying to repair the issue.
[31:15] So thank you for your time.
[31:19] I'll adjourn and come back
for a later commentary.
[31:21] Thank you.
- Thank you.
[31:24] Any other person wants to
speak on this specific item?
[31:29] Mr. Fetzer?
[31:30] - Jeremy Fetzer, 3532
Bay Court, St. Cloud,
[31:33] but I own a business
in downtown Kissimmee.
[31:36] First off, I applaud this
board for taking this action,
[31:40] and based upon what the last speaker said,
[31:43] your hands are tied because of the state,
[31:45] not what this local board is doing.
[31:48] And I think this is one
step forward just to try
[31:51] and rebuild that trust.
[31:53] And I think hiring the
new police chief, I think
[31:56] with this new commission,
I think the commission
[32:00] along with the new police
chief and the administration
[32:02] are doing a wonderful job.
[32:04] I think, again, the
state is tying the hands
[32:07] of this commission when
it comes to transparency
[32:10] in that aspect of this
board and what they can do.
[32:13] So it's really not up to you guys.
[32:14] The governor and the
legislature created obstacles.
[32:19] But based upon what happened
with the state attorney
[32:22] and the whole investigation, the hiring
[32:24] of the new police chief,
[32:26] we now just sworn in the
new assistant deputy chief
[32:29] and the action that the administration
[32:32] and this commission has taken.
[32:33] I actually applaud you guys.
[32:34] And then taking one step further
[32:36] with this Citizens Board is
just another step forward
[32:39] to engage the community,
to be a part of the process
[32:42] where they're allowed to.
[32:43] Again, if you have an
issue with this, I would go
[32:45] to Tallahassee and lobby
your state legislatures,
[32:49] both the state senator
[32:50] and the state representatives
and the governor
[32:52] because they're the ones
responsible for the issues at hand
[32:56] that you see with this board.
[32:57] But again, I appreciate
everything you guys are doing,
[32:59] KPD is doing and city managers doing.
[33:01] Thank you.
[33:03] - Thank you, Mr. Fetzer.
[33:04] Any other comments on this specific item?
[33:09] Hearing none, do I have a motion?
[33:11] - Motion to approve.
[33:12] - Second.
[33:13] Motion by Vice Mayor Eady,
second by Commissioner Alvarez.
[33:18] Any discussion?
[33:20] Hearing none, all in favor?
[33:22] - Aye.
[33:23] - Motion carries.
[33:24] Thank you.
[33:26] (Mayor clears throat)
[33:27] 4B, first reading, proposed
ordinance number 25-08.
[33:31] Updated building fee ordinance.
[33:33] - Madam Mayor, commissioners,
at this time, staff
[33:36] would request that this item
be pulled from tonight's agenda
[33:38] and we'll re advertise at a later date.
[33:42] - Thank you, City Manager.
[33:44] We'll move right along
to 5A, public hearing.
[33:48] Kissimmee Gateway Airport
Commerce Park mixed use
[33:52] planned unit development.
[33:55] - Good Evening, Commission.
[33:56] Douglas Etheridge, Development
Services Assistant Director.
[33:59] Tonight we have a putt amendment
[34:01] before you is the (clears
throat) excuse me.
[34:04] It's the Airport Gateway,
[34:05] Gateway airport Commerce Park Pod.
[34:08] It was established back in 2010,
[34:12] basically north of MLK
[34:15] and the southwest corner
of MLK and Thacker.
[34:19] It was established
multiple office types uses,
[34:22] and it was time to update the pod to allow
[34:25] for other uses, particularly like a hotel
[34:29] that it could be
associated with the airport
[34:31] or dormitories for the airport services.
[34:34] Staff recommends approval
of this request is find
[34:37] and compliant and plaintiff
Advisory Board also recommends
[34:39] approval of this request.
[34:43] - Thank you.
[34:44] - Thank you.
[34:45] - This is a public hearing.
[34:46] Do any members of the public wish
[34:47] to speak on this specific item?
[34:51] Hearing none, do I have a motion?
[34:53] - Motion to approve.
[34:55] - Second.
[34:56] - Motion by Vice Mayor Eady.
[34:57] Second by Commissioner Martinez.
[35:00] Any discussion?
[35:03] All in favor?
[35:04] - Aye.
[35:05] - Motion carries.
[35:06] We're gonna now move on
to hear the audience.
[35:08] Do any the members wish to speak?
[35:11] Please be sure to sign in with our clerk.
[35:15] We are going to start now
[35:17] with Ray Parsons.
[35:21] Mr. Parsons.
[35:26] - Thank you.
[35:27] Ray Parsons, 117B Broadway.
[35:30] Just came tonight just to tell y'all
[35:32] that I've met, recently
had the opportunity to meet
[35:35] with several your department heads
[35:39] and met with the new police chief
[35:42] and he was very welcoming.
[35:44] I think he made a great hire with him.
[35:48] Had the opportunity
[35:49] to meet with your new public Works direct.
[35:51] I guess he's not new,
he is been here a while,
[35:52] but he is kind of new to me.
[35:54] Ashley with Public Works.
[35:56] He was extremely helpful.
[35:57] Police chief, I met
with him a couple times.
[36:01] Really nice guy.
[36:02] Extremely helpful.
[36:03] And I think y'all have made
some really fantastic hires.
[36:07] And just from a citizen's point of view
[36:10] and somebody that works
with the staff a lot,
[36:12] it's refreshing to see
(clears throat) that kind
[36:16] of approach and attitude from the staff.
[36:22] I'm just so excited about our
opportunities for downtown.
[36:26] Y'all are doing a great job
getting downtown under control.
[36:31] The sound ordinance.
[36:33] Some of the things are
a little out of control.
[36:36] There's a lot of businesses
downtown that want
[36:39] to get involved and want
to do the right thing.
[36:43] And just appreciate
[36:47] your efforts and look
forward to opportunities
[36:50] for downtown working with your staff.
[36:53] Thank you.
[36:54] - Thank you, Mr. Parsons.
[36:56] I also have Diana Marrero Pinto.
[37:01] - Thank you.
[37:08] - Madam Mayor, my comments are
in reference to item eight.
[37:11] Would you like me to hold off
[37:12] till they do their presentation?
[37:14] - [Mayor] Pardon me, I can't--
[37:15] - The city's incentives.
[37:16] - [Mayor] Okay.
[37:17] - Would you like me to hold off?
[37:18] - So yeah,
[37:19] we'll hold off on that.
- Okay.
[37:20] - Thank you, I'm sorry.
[37:23] All right.
[37:24] Any other person wants
to speak at this moment?
[37:28] Ms. Zuko, please.
[37:43] - Thank you.
[37:46] Today I'm gonna talk about--
I'm sorry.
[37:47] I need your name and address again
[37:48] for the record.
- Oh, again, my apologies.
[37:51] Claudia Zuko.
[37:52] Thank you again for getting that right,
[37:55] at 1342 for now, still on
Court Kissimmee 434744.
[38:01] My topic is transparency,
[38:05] and it begins with telling
you what happened on the date
[38:07] of August 22nd, 2014
[38:11] when police ignored a protective order
[38:15] that had been legally issued
[38:17] to me by the Ninth Judicial
Circuit to prevent harm.
[38:27] Instead,
[38:33] my stalker
[38:37] and the little angry
mob that she had formed
[38:42] called police who arrived,
ignored that order,
[38:50] ignored the cameras, the microphones
[38:55] with which they were well
aware and familiar with.
[39:00] Drug me from my home
[39:03] after breaking my door,
[39:06] placed me in a squad car,
and based on her testimony,
[39:12] they corrected me.
[39:22] For a decade, I have been abused,
[39:28] scoffed, harangued
[39:30] and harassed with verbiage so appalling.
[39:37] It has to stop.
[39:43] So we need to be transparent, don't we?
[39:48] And it starts by saying,
[39:50] where's the talk about aliens?
[39:52] Where's the death threat?
[39:54] Where's the human barricade?
[39:56] They're nowhere to be found.
[40:00] We know that you withheld
evidence on both sides,
[40:05] police and prosecutors,
[40:10] to protect a lie.
[40:14] And we know it's a lie because
it got yanked off of WFTV
[40:17] and off of the website
for Kat and Phillips,
[40:21] and got booted out of court.
[40:24] Over and over
[40:25] they were declared
unreliable and untruthful.
[40:33] And the evidence was withheld
[40:36] because the culture of coverup, ladies
[40:40] and gentlemen, of the
commission and audience,
[40:44] and it sickens me.
[40:47] That's me being transparent.
[40:51] Good enough.
[40:52] - Thank you, Ms. Zuko.
[40:56] Consent agenda, item number
seven, to I have a motion
[40:59] to approve the consent agenda
with the exception of 7Q.
[41:03] - Motion to approve.
[41:04] - Second.
[41:06] - All in favor?
[41:07] - Aye.
[41:10] - Motion carries.
[41:12] Discussion items.
[41:13] We'll move right on.
[41:14] I'm sorry.
[41:14] - Madam Mayor, can we hear 7Q now?
[41:17] - I'm sorry, did I?
[41:19] Oh (clears throat) 7Q I'm sorry.
[41:21] We're gonna pull 7Q so
we talk about that--
[41:22] - Thank you, yes, yes.
[41:24] So, Madam Mayor, commissioners,
7Q is a resolution
[41:27] authorizing the city manager
to execute documents related
[41:30] to applications for hazard
mitigation grant programs.
[41:35] And the intent behind this
resolution was to allow us
[41:38] to submit these applications in time
[41:40] for what sometimes are
very tight timelines
[41:43] that we don't have time to go
[41:45] to commission to get approval for
[41:46] in advance of submitting the grant.
[41:48] We are in the process
[41:50] of applying for a COPS grant to help pay
[41:53] for new police officers with
the upcoming budget as well
[41:56] as a safer grant for new
firefighters in the upcoming
[41:59] or in a future budget.
[42:00] And so what we'd like to do
[42:03] and before you think
each of you have a copy
[42:06] of a revised resolution
[42:07] that would add those two grant
programs to this resolution.
[42:11] So staff is requesting
approval for, to add this
[42:14] or to approve this new resolution.
[42:16] - Perfect.
[42:17] So.
[42:19] - Make a motion to approve
[42:21] the adamant to resolution to 7Q.
[42:26] - I second it.
[42:29] All righty, motion by
Commissioner Alvarez,
[42:31] second by Commissioner Martinez.
[42:32] All in favor?
[42:34] - Aye.
[42:34] - Motion carries.
[42:36] All right.
[42:40] Now we'll move on to discussion items.
[42:44] City Commission will recess
[42:46] and convenes as the Community
Redevelopment Agency Board?
[42:51] - David, do we need to do that for 8A?
[42:55] Not for 8A but for 8B.
[42:57] - 8B, okay.
- Yes, my apologies.
[42:59] So we just proceed with 8A.
[43:00] - So we can remain
[43:01] as the City Commission for 8A.
- So we reconvene
[43:03] at this point and we'll
recess at the next one.
[43:07] So we'll go into 8A,
[43:09] Downtown Kissimmee Activation Incentive.
[43:13] Mr. Rodriguez.
[43:14] - Good evening.
[43:15] David Rodriguez, Economic
Development Director.
[43:18] The item before you for consideration
[43:20] is the Downtown Business
Activation Initiative.
[43:23] The objective of this
initiative is attracting
[43:26] new quality tenants to vacant
[43:28] or underutilized storefronts
in the downtown core,
[43:31] focusing on types
[43:33] of businesses not currently
present in downtown,
[43:35] or that residents
[43:36] and visitors want to see more of,
[43:39] like experiential businesses,
[43:41] entertainment innovative
astronomy, et cetera.
[43:44] The goal is activating
downtown to add vibrancy
[43:48] and increase food traffic.
[43:50] Just like our tool bag
[43:52] of incentives to attract target industries
[43:54] to the city at large, this
is a tool in our tool bag
[43:58] to recruit businesses
specifically to downtown.
[44:01] Now, under this initiative,
[44:03] the city would offer reimburse 25%
[44:06] of the cost incurred in
interior tenant improvements,
[44:09] build out or renovations up to 50,000,
[44:13] waive development fees up
to 5,000, reimburse the cost
[44:18] of the BTR and reimburse 50% of rent costs
[44:22] for the first six months up to 10,000.
[44:25] Again, this incentive is part
of a recruitment initiative
[44:29] aimed to make downtown a more
competitive retail destination
[44:34] and have a more robust
downtown to residents
[44:37] and visitors to enjoy.
[44:39] Now, happy to answer any
questions you may have.
[44:44] - Thank you.
[44:48] Commissioners, are you okay with this?
[44:51] Any questions?
[44:52] Are you okay?
[44:53] Yeah.
[44:54] Good.
[44:55] All right.
[44:56] So do I have a motion?
[44:57] - Motion to approve.
[44:58] - Second.
[44:59] - Motion by Commissioner Martinez,
[45:01] second by Vice Mayor Eady.
[45:03] All in favor?
[45:04] - Aye.
[45:05] - Motion carries.
[45:06] Thank you.
[45:07] Thank you, Mr. Rodriguez, for that.
[45:08] Now we will recess and convene
[45:12] as a Community Redevelopment Agency Board
[45:15] for item 8B, amendments
[45:19] to Community Redevelopment
Agency Incentives Policy.
[45:23] Mr. Rodriguez.
[45:25] - The item before you are changes
[45:26] to the CRA Incentive Programs.
[45:29] These programs, as you know,
[45:31] are directed towards
developing new projects,
[45:33] redeveloping blighted properties
[45:35] and repurposing vacant
structures within the CRA.
[45:39] In addition to incorporating
some definitions
[45:41] to add clarity, the changes in front
[45:44] of you include the following,
[45:46] adjusting the Pioneer grant amount to 10%
[45:50] of the tangible project costs,
[45:52] costs that add value to the property,
[45:55] up to 1.5 million program
maximum, whichever is lower.
[46:00] By doing this,
[46:01] this ensures a 10 to one
ratio on all projects.
[46:05] That means $10 of private
capital for each dollar
[46:09] of CRA funds.
[46:11] Also, in order to be fiscally
prudent in dispersing,
[46:14] the funds staff recommends
to adjust the payout schedule
[46:19] up to five years, depending
on the amount of the grant.
[46:22] The larger the grant,
the longer the payout.
[46:25] So funds are dispersed slowly.
[46:28] These are really adjustments
to the mechanics,
[46:30] internal mechanics within the program,
[46:32] but the goals and the grant
maximums are the same as today.
[46:36] Happy to answer any
questions you may have.
[46:40] - Thank you.
[46:43] This just applies to the Pioneer Project.
[46:45] Am I correct, Grant?
[46:46] Just that one?
[46:47] - Yes.
[46:48] - No, just Pioneer or is it also--
[46:50] - Yes, just Pioneer.
[46:51] - Okay.
[46:52] - Okay.
[46:53] Just to be clear on that.
[46:55] Okay.
[46:56] So any questions, Commission?
[47:00] If not, do I have a motion?
[47:02] - Motion to approve.
[47:04] - Second.
[47:07] - Motion by Vice Mayor Eady.
[47:09] Second by Commissioner Martinez.
[47:11] All in favor?
[47:12] - Aye.
[47:13] - Motion carries.
[47:15] - Thank you.
[47:15] - The Community Redevelopment
Agency Board now adjourns
[47:18] and Reconvenes as the City Commission.
[47:21] Move right on.
[47:25] All right.
[47:26] 8C, 2025 Policy Agenda Review,
[47:28] Building and Fire Prevention
Division Operations.
[47:37] Mr. Holland to present.
[47:39] Thank you.
[47:40] - Sorry.
[47:41] - No, it's okay.
[47:42] (commissioners laugh)
[47:44] It's all good.
[47:45] - Being a cookie monster.
[47:48] Proof of technology.
[48:07] Good evening, commissioners.
[48:08] Craig Holland, Development
Services Director.
[48:11] So a few weeks ago we
did the same exact type
[48:13] presentation for code enforcement.
[48:15] Tonight it's gonna be
about the building division
[48:18] and then in probably in a few weeks
[48:21] or a month, we'll be doing
the planning division.
[48:23] So you'll hit all three.
[48:25] So the City Commission,
can I get the first slide?
[48:30] Oh, I'm sorry.
[48:32] - You're good.
[48:32] - So the City Commission
and their policy agenda
[48:34] for 2025 made a high
priority of permitting
[48:38] and licensing process, streamlining
with goals, objectives,
[48:41] performance audits, reports with findings
[48:44] and recommendations,
directions and implementation.
[48:46] So this discussion,
[48:48] again is divided up into two
parts, development review,
[48:52] which will be in about a month,
and building review tonight.
[48:55] So what we're gonna do is Samantha Bridle,
[48:57] our Building Manager, is gonna get up
[48:59] and go over details about
the building division, a lot
[49:03] of things about the process, things
[49:05] that we've done since you heard
from us about two years ago
[49:09] when we gave the same presentation
[49:11] to the previous commission.
[49:12] We have two new commissioners on board
[49:13] that weren't here before.
[49:15] And then I'll come back at the end
[49:17] and we can have a discussion
on what you all are hearing
[49:20] or feel are the issues
[49:23] and how you would like to
see us address these issues
[49:29] much like we did with Code Enforcement.
[49:31] So I'm gonna introduce Samantha
Bridle, the Building Manager
[49:35] for the Building Division.
[49:52] - Good evening, Madam
Mayor, commissioners,
[49:53] City Manager Steigerwald and city staff.
[49:56] My name is Samantha Bridle,
[49:57] and I serve as the
Building Division Manager
[49:59] for the City of Kissimmee.
[50:00] Today I'll be providing a brief overview
[50:02] of the city's permitting
and licensing processes.
[50:10] Thank you.
[50:15] Technical difficulties.
[50:17] (Samantha laughs)
[50:19] Okay.
[50:21] We'll begin with our
building division's staffing
[50:23] and certifications to highlight
the professional expertise
[50:26] behind our work.
[50:28] We'll give a high level
look at our workflow to show
[50:31] how applications move through the system.
[50:33] We'll review overall permitting
and licensing statistics
[50:36] and compare both our performance
[50:37] and processes with
neighboring jurisdictions
[50:39] to provide regional context.
[50:42] And I'll also outline
the steps we're taking
[50:44] to streamline operations
and boost efficiency
[50:47] and highlight recent
improvements aimed at delivering
[50:49] a clearer, more timely
[50:50] and customer friendly
experience for our applicants.
[50:56] Now I'd like to give you a quick overview
[50:58] of what our team does
on a day-to-day basis.
[51:00] We manage and oversee
the entire permitting
[51:02] and licensing process
from start to finish.
[51:05] Throughout the process,
we guide applicants step
[51:07] by step from the initial
submission all the way
[51:10] through to final inspection,
[51:11] helping them navigate
requirements and timelines.
[51:14] That includes reviewing
and issuing permits
[51:16] for construction projects across the city.
[51:19] Once permits are issued,
we conduct inspections
[51:21] to ensure everything
complies with building codes,
[51:24] fire codes, and general safety standards.
[51:27] We also handle contractor registrations
[51:29] and business tax receipts,
making sure that businesses
[51:32] and contractors are properly
vetted and licensed.
[51:35] However, it's important to note
[51:36] that the building division
does not handle the enforcement
[51:39] of business tax receipts issues.
[51:41] The responsibility lies
with a different department.
[51:45] And when buildings become unsafe
[51:46] or hazardous, we process unsafe abatements
[51:49] to protect public safety
[51:50] and get those properties
addressed quickly.
[51:53] Our goal is to ensure development
in our community is safe
[51:55] and efficient while making the permitting
[51:57] and licensing process
straightforward, timely
[52:00] and centered on the needs
of all of our applicants.
[52:07] In fiscal year 2024,
the building division,
[52:10] which also includes fire
prevention, had 24 personnel.
[52:14] For the current fiscal year,
[52:15] we have increased to 29 positions
[52:17] with 27 currently filled,
[52:19] and we do have two vacancies
[52:21] we are actively working to fill.
[52:24] Importantly, to accommodate
our diverse community,
[52:26] 13 of these 29 positions,
which is nearly 45%
[52:29] of our staff, are bilingual
with proficiency in Spanish,
[52:33] Portuguese, German and French.
[52:36] This significantly enhances
our ability to provide clear
[52:39] and effective communication
with our residents,
[52:41] business owners and our customers.
[52:47] The building division takes
great pride in maintaining
[52:50] and continually expanding
the number of licenses
[52:52] and certifications held by our staff.
[52:55] Among the 27 employees currently
in the building division,
[52:58] we collectively hold 116 unique
licenses and certifications.
[53:03] These credentials come from
four key regulatory bodies,
[53:06] the Department of Business
and Professional Regulation,
[53:09] the International Code Council,
[53:11] the division of the State Fire Marshal
[53:13] within the Florida Department
of Financial Services,
[53:15] and then also the Florida Association
[53:17] of Business Tax Officials.
[53:20] A notable achievement within our team
[53:22] is that our deputy building
official has earned
[53:24] the Master code
professional certification,
[53:26] which is the highest level
[53:27] of certification offered by
the International Code Council.
[53:31] This certification reflects
an exceptional level
[53:33] of expertise, commitment, and
leadership in building safety
[53:37] and code compliance.
[53:39] Fewer than 1% of code
professionals worldwide
[53:41] hold this certification
[53:43] with just over 1,000 individuals globally.
[53:46] Since 2021, only 26 new
master code professionals
[53:49] have been certified in
the State of Florida.
[53:52] A highly certified team keeps
our staff current with codes,
[53:55] safety standards and
best practices resulting
[53:58] in thorough reviews,
[53:59] fewer errors and enhanced public safety.
[54:03] The variety of
certifications also allow us
[54:05] to handle diverse projects efficiently,
[54:08] streamlining the permitting process,
[54:10] and then delivering better service.
[54:12] In the end, it helps us
build safer structures
[54:15] and stronger trust with our community.
[54:20] When we look at the staffing
[54:21] and operating costs per 1,000 residents,
[54:24] the City of Kissimmee sits
right in the mid-range position
[54:27] compared to neighboring jurisdictions.
[54:29] In fiscal year 2024,
[54:31] our building division operated at a cost
[54:33] of approximately $4.49 million
[54:36] or about $52,700 per 1,000 residents,
[54:42] with a staff of 24, which equates
[54:44] to about 0.28 employees
per 1,000 citizens.
[54:49] By comparison, City of St.
Cloud had a similar total cost,
[54:52] but a higher per capita
cost of nearly 67,800
[54:56] with slightly fewer
residents and 23 staff,
[54:59] and Osceola County operated
at a higher total cost
[55:02] of $12.7 million,
[55:03] but a lower per capita
cost of around 42,300
[55:08] and about 55 employees.
[55:11] So while we're not the highest
[55:14] or lowest in terms of staffing
[55:15] or operational costs,
[55:17] Kissimmee demonstrates a balanced approach
[55:19] to both budget management
and resource allocation.
[55:22] Our strength lies in managing
costs effectively relative
[55:26] to our population size,
which supports our ability
[55:29] to deliver consistent
customer-focused service
[55:32] to our community.
[55:36] So now we're gonna take a quick look
[55:37] at some key statistics
for the building division.
[55:41] In fiscal year 2023, we
processed 13,312 applications.
[55:46] That number increased slightly
[55:48] to 13,489 in fiscal year '24,
[55:52] and we project approximately 13,400
[55:55] or so in fiscal year 2025.
[55:58] These figures do include
permits, contractor registrations
[56:01] and business tax receipts,
[56:03] and reflect a stable consistent
workload over the year.
[56:08] When it comes to customer interactions,
[56:10] which includes phone calls, emails
[56:12] and walk-ins, we do see a steady decline
[56:16] from nearly 80,000 contacts
in fiscal year 2023 down
[56:20] to about 63,000 in 2024,
[56:23] and an estimated 57,450
[56:27] and about in fiscal year 2025.
[56:30] We believe that this projected reduction
[56:33] is primarily due to the continued adoption
[56:35] and increased comfort with
our self-service portal,
[56:38] allowing more users
[56:39] to complete their tasks
independently online.
[56:42] We've also introduced a
range of helpful resources,
[56:45] which are including video tutorials, lunch
[56:47] and learn sessions,
[56:49] and downloadable how-to guides,
[56:51] all aimed at making
the application process
[56:53] a bit more user-friendly and
accessible for our customers
[56:56] at all times.
[56:58] This shift not only enhances
convenience for our customers,
[57:01] but also allows our staff
to dedicate more time
[57:03] to processing and reviewing applications
[57:06] and improving our overall efficiency.
[57:12] So to provide clarity on how
our permitting system operates,
[57:15] I'd like to walk you through
the key steps involved
[57:17] from application to final approval.
[57:20] The permitting process begins
when an applicant submits
[57:23] a permit application.
[57:25] At that point, the application undergoes
[57:27] a sufficiency review to ensure
all required information
[57:30] is included, and any
applicable fees must be paid.
[57:34] It is important to note
[57:35] that the formal permit
review process only commences
[57:38] after payment has been received.
[57:41] Following this, the application enters
[57:43] the plan review phase,
which involves coordination
[57:46] among multiple departments,
[57:48] which includes the building division,
[57:49] fire Prevention, planning,
Engineering Department,
[57:52] Sanitation Division, and
also Toho Water Authority.
[57:57] Should any department
disapprove the submitted plans,
[58:00] the applicant is required to
make the necessary revisions
[58:03] and resubmit before moving forward.
[58:07] Once the plans received the
approval and all the documents
[58:09] and fees are waived, are
verified, the permit is issued.
[58:14] Should the scope of
work change at any point
[58:16] during that project, the
applicant must submit a revision
[58:18] for additional review.
[58:21] Post-issuance inspections are conducted
[58:23] by the relevant departments
based on the project scope.
[58:27] Any disapproved inspections
must be corrected
[58:29] and reinspected until
all requirements are met.
[58:33] Finally, after all the inspections
[58:34] are successfully completed
[58:36] and departmental clearance obtained,
[58:38] the permit is finalized.
[58:40] If applicable, a certificate of occupancy
[58:42] or certificate of completion is issued
[58:45] to confirm the project's
compliance with all regulations.
[58:48] While this overview covers
the standard process,
[58:51] more complex projects may
require additional steps.
[58:58] So I'd like to provide a quick breakdown
[59:00] of our building permits and
contractor registrations
[59:03] for fiscal year 2024.
[59:05] We process 6,025 Building
permit applications,
[59:09] completed 12,812 reviews
and issued 5,786 permits.
[59:16] Our inspectors conducted a
total of 17,974 inspections,
[59:21] which led to the issuance of
343 certificates of occupancy.
[59:27] In addition, we issued 2,735
contractor registrations.
[59:32] It's important to note
[59:33] that an active contractor
registration is required
[59:36] to obtain a permit, ensuring
qualified professionals handle
[59:40] construction projects in our city.
[59:42] Looking ahead based on the
current fiscal year data,
[59:45] we anticipate maintaining
similar activity levels
[59:48] with slight decreases in reviews completed
[59:50] and inspections conducted
primarily due to the growing use
[59:54] of private provider
services that are permitted
[59:56] by state law.
[1:00:01] For fiscal year 2024,
[1:00:03] when comparing the number of
permit applications submitted
[1:00:05] and issued per 1,000 citizens,
[1:00:08] the City of Kissimmee ranks the lowest
[1:00:09] among the three jurisdictions compared.
[1:00:12] On average, Kissimmee is showing
[1:00:13] a 96.03% issuance percentage
when comparing number
[1:00:19] of applications submitted
to number of permits issued,
[1:00:23] while the City of St. Cloud
is showing a percentage
[1:00:25] of about 87.73%
[1:00:28] and Osceola County is showing
a percentage of about 85.96%.
[1:00:34] While this chart reflects a lower volume
[1:00:36] of permit-related activity
relative to the population size,
[1:00:39] it also highlights a key benefit.
[1:00:42] Our staff can provide
more focused attention
[1:00:44] and responsive service to each applicant.
[1:00:47] This ensures that our citizens
receive a more efficient
[1:00:50] and accessible permitting process,
[1:00:52] ultimately enhancing the
experience for everyone involved.
[1:01:00] Let me now highlight the timeframes
[1:01:02] for permit review in the City of Kissimmee
[1:01:04] and compare these with
neighboring jurisdictions focusing
[1:01:07] on our key areas.
[1:01:09] For the city of Kissimmee,
[1:01:10] the sufficiency review takes
about one business day.
[1:01:13] After that, residential
reviews take between one
[1:01:16] to three business days
depending on the permit site,
[1:01:18] while commercial reviews
range anywhere from one
[1:01:21] to 10 business days, resulting
in a total review time
[1:01:25] of anywhere from three
to 11 business days.
[1:01:28] In the city of St. Cloud,
[1:01:29] the sufficiency review
takes two business days
[1:01:32] with residential reviews
taking around 10 business days
[1:01:35] and commercial reviews also
taking about 10 business days.
[1:01:39] This brings their total review
time to 12 business days.
[1:01:43] For Osceola County,
[1:01:44] the sufficiency review also
takes one business day.
[1:01:48] The residential reviews
range anywhere from five
[1:01:50] to seven business days,
[1:01:52] and commercial reviews
can take anywhere from 10
[1:01:54] to 15 business days resulting
in a total review time
[1:01:58] between six to about 23 days.
[1:02:01] It's important to note
that all these timeframes
[1:02:03] are measured in business days
[1:02:05] and the timeframes listed are self-imposed
[1:02:07] by each jurisdiction
based on their resources
[1:02:10] and their processes.
[1:02:12] Each timeframe reflects one
review cycle per permit.
[1:02:17] All review timeframes are
within maximum limits set
[1:02:20] by the Florida State Statute
[1:02:21] and by the Florida Building Code.
[1:02:24] A crucial aspect of our review process
[1:02:26] is that permit review cannot
begin until fees are paid
[1:02:29] after the sufficiency review.
[1:02:31] This payment delay can sometimes push
[1:02:33] the overall review process
back by several days, weeks
[1:02:36] or even months depending on
the applicant's response time.
[1:02:41] Additionally, the timeframe
for reviews not only apply
[1:02:43] to our internal
development services staff,
[1:02:46] which includes Building,
Planning and Fire Prevention,
[1:02:50] but also extends to external departments
[1:02:52] and agencies like Toho Water Authority,
[1:02:54] the Engineering Department,
which includes Floodplain Review
[1:02:57] and the Sanitation Division.
[1:02:59] While we request that all parties adhere
[1:03:01] to the established timeframes,
it's important to acknowledge
[1:03:04] that reviews completed
by external departments
[1:03:07] are not directly under
our enforcement authority.
[1:03:10] As facilitators of the overall process,
[1:03:14] we depend on their timely
responses to keep things on track
[1:03:16] and of course meet project deadlines.
[1:03:19] We strive to maintain an efficient
[1:03:20] and responsive review
process, but the speed
[1:03:23] and efficiency of these
processes also depend
[1:03:25] on timely inputs from
all involved parties,
[1:03:28] both internal and external.
[1:03:33] There are several common reasons
[1:03:35] that can slow down the
building permit process.
[1:03:38] One of the primary causes
is when work begins
[1:03:40] before obtaining the necessary permits.
[1:03:43] This can result in stop work
orders, additional inspections,
[1:03:46] and in some cases, penalties
[1:03:48] that can significantly delay a project.
[1:03:51] Another frequent issue is when
contractors are unfamiliar
[1:03:54] with our local codes or
our permitting procedures.
[1:03:57] This can lead to errors
[1:03:58] or missing documentation,
requiring revisions,
[1:04:00] and also slowing down the process.
[1:04:04] We strongly encourage the use
[1:04:05] of our self-service portal.
[1:04:06] When these tools are not used,
[1:04:08] applications are often incomplete
or missing key information
[1:04:11] resulting in delays.
[1:04:15] Incomplete or inaccurate
applications remain
[1:04:17] a leading contributor to slower timelines.
[1:04:20] Our staff must pause the review process
[1:04:23] to request corrections
before moving forward.
[1:04:26] It's also important to note
that reviews cannot begin
[1:04:28] until all applicable fees are paid,
[1:04:30] so delays in payment can stall a permit
[1:04:32] for extended periods of time.
[1:04:35] Plan quality of course matters as well.
[1:04:37] If submitted plans are unclear
[1:04:38] or lack sufficient detail, they
are returned for revisions,
[1:04:42] adding time to the overall process.
[1:04:45] Attempts to bypass permitting requirements
[1:04:47] not only cause delays
[1:04:49] but can result in corrective
enforcement actions.
[1:04:52] Expedited review requests,
while well intentioned,
[1:04:55] they can slow down other reviews
[1:04:57] due to limited staff resources.
[1:05:00] Clear and timely
communication is critical.
[1:05:03] Delays frequently occur when applicants
[1:05:05] don't respond promptly to staff inquiries
[1:05:07] or requests for additional information.
[1:05:10] While our staff strive for accuracy
[1:05:12] and efficiency, we do acknowledge
[1:05:13] that occasional technical issues
[1:05:15] or internal errors can occur.
[1:05:18] We are committed to identifying
those, resolving those
[1:05:20] as quickly as possible
[1:05:21] and learning from them to, of course,
[1:05:22] strengthen our process.
[1:05:25] It's also important to recognize
[1:05:26] that some delays originate
[1:05:28] from outside agencies
involved in the review process
[1:05:30] such as Toho Water Authority,
[1:05:32] the City of Kissimmee
Engineering Department,
[1:05:35] Osceola County 911 addressing
[1:05:37] and Kissimmee Utility Authority.
[1:05:39] We depend on their input
[1:05:40] and coordination to move permits forward.
[1:05:43] Lastly, failure to schedule
[1:05:45] or pass required inspections
[1:05:46] can prevent finalizing the permit
[1:05:48] and they may also significantly
extend project timelines.
[1:05:54] So I'd now like to walk you
[1:05:56] through the business tax receipt workflow.
[1:05:58] The process begins with the submission
[1:06:01] of the BTR application,
[1:06:02] which first undergoes
the sufficiency review
[1:06:04] to ensure all required
information is provided.
[1:06:08] Following this, the applicant
must complete payment
[1:06:10] of the applicable fees before
the BTR review can commence.
[1:06:14] It's important to emphasize
[1:06:15] that the review process does not start
[1:06:17] until all fees are paid
[1:06:19] and all required documents
are submitted and approved.
[1:06:23] The BTR review involves coordination
[1:06:24] between the Planning Division
[1:06:26] and the Building Division
to ensure compliance
[1:06:28] with all relevant regulations.
[1:06:30] Inspections also play a
critical role in this process
[1:06:33] and are conducted by our
fire prevention inspectors
[1:06:35] within the Building Division.
[1:06:38] For certain business
types such as nail salons,
[1:06:41] additional inspections
including ventilation checks
[1:06:43] by a building inspector
are required to confirm
[1:06:46] that safety standards are met.
[1:06:49] Once all inspections are
successfully completed
[1:06:51] and approved, the business tax
receipt is issued authorizing
[1:06:54] the business to legally
operate within the city.
[1:07:00] So I'm gonna provide a quick overview
[1:07:02] of the Building Division's
business tax receipt activities
[1:07:04] for fiscal year 2024.
[1:07:06] We process 3049 BTR applications
[1:07:10] including both new
submissions and renewals.
[1:07:13] Of those 1,680 reviews were completed
[1:07:17] and we successfully issued
3,970 BTRs that year.
[1:07:22] It's important to highlight
[1:07:23] that unlike many other
jurisdictions where BTRs are managed
[1:07:26] by separate departments such
as the Zoning Department
[1:07:29] in St. Cloud or the Tax Collector's Office
[1:07:32] in Osceola County, the City
of Kissimmee Building Division
[1:07:35] handles both new and renewed BTRs.
[1:07:38] This expanded responsibility
highlights our commitment
[1:07:40] to supporting local businesses
through streamlined processes
[1:07:43] and coordinated services.
[1:07:49] I'd like to provide an overview
[1:07:50] of the business tax
receipt review timeframes
[1:07:53] across the City of Kissimmee,
[1:07:54] City of St. Cloud and Osceola County.
[1:07:57] In Kissimmee, the sufficiency
review typically takes one
[1:07:59] to two business days,
followed by a BTR review
[1:08:02] that lasts one to three business days,
[1:08:05] which results in a total review
time of approximately two
[1:08:07] to five business days.
[1:08:09] By comparison, St. Cloud
sufficiency review ranges from one
[1:08:13] to seven business days
with a BTR review period
[1:08:16] of seven business days
totaling anywhere from eight
[1:08:18] to 14 business days.
[1:08:21] Osceola County sufficiency
review takes between one
[1:08:23] to three business days while
their BTR review can range
[1:08:27] from seven to 21 business days
if they do have to send it
[1:08:29] to their zoning department,
which can lead to a total
[1:08:32] of eight to 24 business days.
[1:08:35] It's important to note
that these timeframes
[1:08:37] are measured in business days
[1:08:38] and are self-imposed by each jurisdiction,
[1:08:41] meaning actual times may vary depending
[1:08:43] on resources and processes.
[1:08:45] Additionally, after sufficiency review,
[1:08:47] applicants cannot proceed to full review
[1:08:50] until all required documents are submitted
[1:08:52] and the applicable fees are paid.
[1:08:55] This step can add days, weeks
[1:08:56] or even months to the
overall process depending
[1:08:58] on the applicant's responsiveness.
[1:09:01] A key distinction to highlight
is that both St. Cloud
[1:09:04] and Osceola County require landlord
[1:09:06] and property management
business tax receipts.
[1:09:09] The City of Kissimmee currently does not.
[1:09:12] Also, those jurisdictions require
[1:09:14] more extensive documentation
at the time of submittal.
[1:09:17] In contrast, Kissimmee has
streamlined the process
[1:09:20] by reducing minimum
documentation requirements
[1:09:22] to only what is necessary to
comply with state statutes
[1:09:25] and land development code regulations.
[1:09:29] Please keep in mind that
the stated timeframes
[1:09:31] do not include scheduling
and completing inspections,
[1:09:33] which are coordinated separately
between fire prevention
[1:09:36] and the business owner.
[1:09:38] After planning and building
reviews are approved,
[1:09:42] and automated email
prompts the business owner
[1:09:44] to contact fire prevention
[1:09:45] to schedule those necessary inspections.
[1:09:48] Failure to schedule these
inspections in a timely manner
[1:09:51] can cause significant delays,
[1:09:52] potentially extending the process
[1:09:55] by days, weeks, or months,
[1:09:56] and may ultimately prevent
the issuance of their BTR.
[1:10:00] These differences in timelines
[1:10:02] and procedural requirements
reflect the unique ways
[1:10:04] of each jurisdiction and how
they manage their BTR process.
[1:10:11] Just like permits, there's
several different reasons
[1:10:14] that can slow down a BTR process.
[1:10:16] One of the primary causes is incomplete
[1:10:18] or inaccurate applications.
[1:10:20] So when key information is missing
[1:10:21] or incorrect, staff must pause the review
[1:10:24] to request clarification,
which would extend
[1:10:26] that processing time.
[1:10:28] It's also important to note
[1:10:30] that the review process cannot begin
[1:10:32] until all required fees are paid in full.
[1:10:35] Another frequent issue is
missing or invalid documentation.
[1:10:39] Without proper supporting materials,
[1:10:40] the application cannot
advance to that next stage.
[1:10:44] We also see delays when
applicants do not communicate
[1:10:47] or fail to seek assistance
early in the process.
[1:10:50] A lack of clarity or misunderstanding
[1:10:52] could be resolved quickly
with a phone call, an email,
[1:10:55] or an office visit,
[1:10:56] but instead they may result
in unnecessary delays.
[1:11:00] We strongly encourage the use
[1:11:01] of our self-service portal.
[1:11:03] When these tools are not used,
[1:11:04] applications are often incomplete
[1:11:06] or missing key information,
[1:11:07] which could also result
in possible delays.
[1:11:10] Also, delayed responses
[1:11:12] and staff requests,
clarification documents
[1:11:14] or additional information
further add time to that process.
[1:11:18] In some cases, there are zoning address
[1:11:20] or land use issues that must be resolved
[1:11:23] before a BTR can be issued.
[1:11:25] These typically require a coordination
[1:11:27] with other departments or agencies,
[1:11:29] and that can lengthen the timeline.
[1:11:31] Pending inspections such as those required
[1:11:33] by fire prevention or building also impact
[1:11:36] the overall processing time.
[1:11:38] If inspections are not scheduled
[1:11:40] or completed promptly, final approval
[1:11:41] is delayed for their issuance.
[1:11:44] Occasionally, applicants
working with consultants
[1:11:47] or representatives who are unfamiliar
[1:11:49] with local requirements
can lead to missteps
[1:11:51] and also added time.
[1:11:53] In some instances,
[1:11:54] we've also seen attempts
to bypass necessary steps,
[1:11:56] which unfortunately do cause more delays
[1:11:58] and frustrations with the applicants.
[1:12:03] And while it is rare, we do
acknowledge that technical
[1:12:05] or internal errors can occur.
[1:12:07] When that happens, we work quickly to try
[1:12:09] to resolve those issues
[1:12:10] and use it as an opportunity to improve
[1:12:12] that process moving forward.
[1:12:15] In summary, these are
the most common factors
[1:12:17] that can impact the
timelines of the BTR process.
[1:12:21] We continue to encourage all
applicants to be proactive,
[1:12:23] take full advantage of
all the available tools,
[1:12:26] and maintain open
communication with our team.
[1:12:29] These steps help ensure
a smooth transition
[1:12:31] and efficient review process
for everyone involved.
[1:12:38] Over the past two years,
[1:12:39] we've made significant
strides in enhancing
[1:12:42] both our permitting and our BTR processes.
[1:12:45] These improvements are
rooted in our commitment
[1:12:47] to providing more efficient, transparent,
[1:12:49] and user-friendly
services to our residents
[1:12:51] and business community.
[1:12:53] First, we increased our staffing
[1:12:55] to expand our service
capacity, which has led
[1:12:57] to quicker response times and
more streamlined processing.
[1:13:01] Recognizing the importance
of accessibility,
[1:13:03] we launched the
Development Services Center
[1:13:05] with extended hours
beginning at 7:30 a.m. now,
[1:13:08] which offer earlier walk-in access
[1:13:10] and phone support.
[1:13:12] To further assist our community,
[1:13:14] we introduced our
monthly lunch and learns.
[1:13:17] These educational events
have been very well received.
[1:13:19] Our first session drew
nearly 40 attendees,
[1:13:22] and our next session is
scheduled for next week,
[1:13:24] which has currently filled up.
[1:13:26] We record and post these
sessions on our website
[1:13:28] to make sure that there's broad
accessibility to everybody.
[1:13:32] We've also enhanced the clarity
of the business tax receipts
[1:13:35] by including maximum
occupancy information,
[1:13:38] giving business owners
a clear understanding
[1:13:40] of how to utilize their
space safe and legally.
[1:13:42] Whenever they print their BTR
[1:13:44] from this point forward, they will have
[1:13:45] that maximum occupancy
written on that BTR for them.
[1:13:50] One of our key streamlining
efforts involved integrating
[1:13:53] the emergency contact form
[1:13:54] into both new BTR
applications and renewals.
[1:13:58] This integration eliminates redundancy
[1:14:00] and allows real-time data sharing
[1:14:02] with our communication team,
[1:14:03] which is crucial in emergency situations.
[1:14:07] Our self-service portal has
been upgraded significantly.
[1:14:10] We offer step-by-step video tutorials,
[1:14:13] downloadable PDF guidelines
[1:14:16] and have installed two self-service kiosks
[1:14:18] in the Development Services Center lobby,
[1:14:20] which offer a more independent
[1:14:21] and accessible experience
when they do come visit.
[1:14:24] And finally, we've prioritized
quick turnaround permits
[1:14:26] for routine projects.
[1:14:28] Thanks to the addition
[1:14:29] of a dedicated quick
turnaround plan reviewer,
[1:14:31] most of these permit types
such as like for like window
[1:14:34] and door replacements,
mechanical change outs,
[1:14:37] reroofs, water heater
installations in addition
[1:14:40] to many other ones are
completed in less than two days.
[1:14:44] These improvements reflect
our ongoing efforts
[1:14:46] to increase efficiency,
enhance customer service,
[1:14:50] and streamline the permitting process
[1:14:52] for our residents and our businesses.
[1:14:56] Looking ahead, we have a strong lineup
[1:14:58] of upcoming initiatives designed
[1:15:00] to further improve our service
delivery, ensure fairness
[1:15:04] and strengthen our community safety.
[1:15:07] First, we'll be completing
a comprehensive fee study.
[1:15:10] This will help us ensure
our pricing is both fair
[1:15:12] and sustainable as the city continues
[1:15:15] to grow while supporting
long-term service delivery.
[1:15:19] We're also focused on
improving our ISO rating,
[1:15:21] which evaluates our risk
management practices,
[1:15:24] especially related to fire
safety and natural disasters.
[1:15:28] For reference, the city
currently holds an ISO rating
[1:15:30] of three for commercial properties
and four for residential,
[1:15:34] and improving those ratings
can help reduce insurance costs
[1:15:37] and promote safer development.
[1:15:40] Another long-term goal under consideration
[1:15:42] is the IAS accreditation,
[1:15:44] which would strengthen our
alignment with national standards
[1:15:47] and reinforce the integrity
of our operations.
[1:15:51] To meet the needs of
our growing community,
[1:15:53] we plan to fill critical
staffing positions
[1:15:55] and invest in our team
to increase capacity
[1:15:58] and reduce response times.
[1:16:01] On the technology front,
[1:16:02] we're implementing something
called a Decision Engine,
[1:16:04] which is to help streamline
workflows across permitting
[1:16:07] and business tax receipt processing,
[1:16:09] and we hope that improves the speed
[1:16:11] and consistency of decision
making for our customers.
[1:16:15] We'll also launch a new
phone queuing system designed
[1:16:17] to ensure every customer call is answered
[1:16:20] or returned within the same business day.
[1:16:22] Features like real-time call routing
[1:16:24] and potential callback options
will enhance communications
[1:16:28] and possibly eliminate voicemail delays.
[1:16:32] We're enhancing our
electronic plan review system
[1:16:34] to a new program that we feel
[1:16:35] will make it more user-friendly.
[1:16:38] Applicants will be able
to more easily view
[1:16:40] and respond to comments,
improving that overall experience.
[1:16:44] We're also expanding
automated notifications
[1:16:46] to keep our applicants informed
[1:16:47] throughout the entire
permitting and building process,
[1:16:50] which will reduce the need
[1:16:51] for follow-up calls and
improve our transparency.
[1:16:55] To further support customers,
we're creating new resources,
[1:16:58] including an owner builder brochure,
[1:17:00] the Business Startup Guide in
collaboration with Planning
[1:17:03] and detailed application
checklist to reduce errors
[1:17:06] and confusion at the time of
the applicants' submission.
[1:17:10] We'll continue our monthly
lunch and learn sessions,
[1:17:12] which have been a huge success
[1:17:14] with some upcoming topics
relating specifically
[1:17:16] to learning our permit
process, inspections,
[1:17:19] BTR process and many more.
[1:17:22] Staff training always
remains a top priority,
[1:17:24] ensuring our team continues
to deliver accurate
[1:17:27] and high quality service.
[1:17:30] We're also strengthening collaboration
[1:17:31] with other jurisdictions.
[1:17:33] Even though we are separate entities,
[1:17:35] we feel it is important to work together
[1:17:37] with both the City of St.
Cloud and Osceola County,
[1:17:39] including 911 addressing,
[1:17:41] especially when secondary
addresses are needed
[1:17:44] to streamline processes for our customers.
[1:17:47] Altogether, we feel that
these efforts reflect
[1:17:49] our commitment to continuous
improvement, customer service
[1:17:53] and building a safe, efficient,
[1:17:54] and business friendly environment for all.
[1:18:00] I'd like to briefly share
some feedback gathered
[1:18:02] over the past few years
from our regular customers
[1:18:05] and representatives from our
neighboring jurisdictions.
[1:18:10] It's clear that Kissimmee's
permitting process
[1:18:12] and review times have shown
noticeable improvement,
[1:18:14] and we're proud of the
progress we have made.
[1:18:17] While permitting software
can often be seen
[1:18:19] as a, quote, necessary
evil in all jurisdictions,
[1:18:23] what truly stands out is the feedback
[1:18:24] we consistently receive about our staff.
[1:18:27] Whether interacting in
person or over the phone,
[1:18:30] our team is regularly
praised as the most helpful
[1:18:32] and pleasant to work with.
[1:18:34] Of course, every jurisdiction
has its own strengths
[1:18:37] and challenges when it comes
[1:18:38] to permit review and inspections.
[1:18:41] We've had discussion with peers
[1:18:42] from neighboring jurisdictions
[1:18:44] and they've showed similar feedback.
[1:18:46] Their customers often
tell them that, quote,
[1:18:48] other jurisdictions do it better.
[1:18:51] And I'll be honest, we hear this as well.
[1:18:54] That being said, we're committed
to continuing our efforts
[1:18:56] to improve, grow and adapt to provide
[1:18:59] the best possible service to
our citizens and businesses.
[1:19:05] So commissioners, I do wanna thank you
[1:19:07] for your continued support
of the Building Division
[1:19:09] and the services we do
provide to our community.
[1:19:12] One meaningful way you
can contribute to help
[1:19:15] is by connecting
residents, business owners,
[1:19:17] or other community members
who reach out to you
[1:19:19] with the right staff
contacts in our department.
[1:19:22] We're fortunate to have
a strong leadership team,
[1:19:25] including our Development
Services Director, Craig Holland,
[1:19:28] our Assistant Development
Services Director, Doug Etheridge,
[1:19:31] our Building Official Juan F. Hernandez,
[1:19:33] our Deputy Building Official,
Albert Rocco and myself.
[1:19:38] When making a referral,
[1:19:39] having just a few key
details like a person's name,
[1:19:42] contact information, the permit
[1:19:44] or the BTR number if applicable,
the address of the project
[1:19:48] and a short summary of
the concern helps us
[1:19:50] respond more efficiently and accurately.
[1:19:53] We truly do appreciate your support
[1:19:54] and helping us serve
our community as well.
[1:19:57] With that, I'll hand it back over
[1:19:59] to Development Services
Director Craig Holland
[1:20:01] to continue the discussion
[1:20:02] and then address any questions
that you guys may have.
[1:20:05] - Thank you.
[1:20:10] - Thank you, Samantha.
[1:20:12] So just to wrap this up for discussion,
[1:20:16] this will be a lot very similar
[1:20:17] to the code enforcement discussion,
[1:20:20] and also if we do have questions,
[1:20:22] almost the entire Building
Division supervisory staff
[1:20:24] is here to answer any questions
that I'm unable to answer.
[1:20:27] But we're looking for the commission
[1:20:29] to give us your expectations
of the building process.
[1:20:33] Now that you have a better understanding
[1:20:34] of what that process is,
[1:20:36] the City Commission
should define an issue,
[1:20:39] define what the problems and issues are
[1:20:41] with the building process.
[1:20:42] I hear a lot of times I meet
[1:20:44] with all the commissioners
when they first get on,
[1:20:46] sometimes I meet with you as candidates,
[1:20:48] and I hear, it's hard to get a permit,
[1:20:50] but when I say, what about it is hard?
[1:20:53] Nobody knows because
that's all they've heard,
[1:20:56] and nobody thinks to ask,
[1:20:57] well, what's your experience like?
[1:20:59] Because make, when I go out
[1:21:01] and say, what do you need from us?
[1:21:03] They're like, oh, you guys are great.
[1:21:04] So anything you, any
details that you could share
[1:21:08] with us about what you feel the problems
[1:21:10] and issues are would be very helpful.
[1:21:12] Next steps, possible next
steps are define enhancements
[1:21:16] desired by the City Commission.
[1:21:18] The City Commission provide
direction to our staff
[1:21:20] on where you would like to
see us go with the process
[1:21:23] and solutions based on
commission expectations, problems
[1:21:28] and issues will be then determined
[1:21:30] and we'll proceed with those solutions.
[1:21:34] So if you have any questions
[1:21:35] or any comments, be happy to take those.
[1:21:42] - Well, thank you.
[1:21:43] - You're welcome.
[1:21:46] - Yeah.
[1:21:47] Commissioners, do you have
any comments or questions?
[1:21:51] - Well, so far, I experienced myself,
[1:21:57] I want to congratulate your department
[1:21:58] because as a commissioner, you
know I have some constituent
[1:22:02] with issues with problem
[1:22:05] who been for many years already
[1:22:07] and we have good results.
[1:22:09] Thank you.
[1:22:10] - Thank you.
[1:22:12] - So with all the technology
[1:22:17] that we just invested in
in your department, I think
[1:22:21] that your process should flow
almost to perfection now.
[1:22:29] I know you're not perfect,
I'm not saying that,
[1:22:31] but I mean, I don't see
the turnaround decreasing
[1:22:37] with all the technology that you have.
[1:22:39] You have the adequate
staffing that you need.
[1:22:42] So everything is there.
[1:22:45] It just needs to be basically implemented.
[1:22:48] Am I right?
[1:22:50] - I would actually argue
that our turnaround time,
[1:22:54] it's, based on what you've seen,
[1:22:56] it's better than the
other two jurisdictions
[1:22:58] in the county.
[1:22:58] - So what I'm saying,
it could only be better.
[1:23:00] - It could, yes.
[1:23:02] - Yeah, it could only get better
[1:23:02] because of the resources that is available
[1:23:06] to you right now.
- Right.
[1:23:07] - That's all I'm saying.
- And there's a flip side
[1:23:08] to that, that the applicants
need to do better also.
[1:23:12] - Absolutely, it's a
two-way street, I agree.
[1:23:14] - I often joke that a lot of plans come in
[1:23:16] that are basically crayons on napkins.
[1:23:18] I am not kidding.
[1:23:20] I am serious.
[1:23:21] They come in and they're a mess.
[1:23:22] And there's something
called review by design,
[1:23:25] or design by review, where
they'll turn in absolute minimums
[1:23:29] and then we basically design
the project with our comments.
[1:23:32] So it's a two-sided thing.
[1:23:34] - Yes, absolutely, I agree.
- We will always strive
[1:23:37] to improve, but there's
only so much we can do
[1:23:40] if the permit applicants don't want
[1:23:43] to improve also.
- Right.
[1:23:44] I'm a true believer
that knowledge is power,
[1:23:48] and the more you know,
the better you'll be.
[1:23:51] - Yes.
[1:23:52] - And with that being
said, with those lunch
[1:23:55] and learnings that you're doing,
[1:23:56] those initiatives, that's perfect.
[1:24:00] Perfect, perfect.
- It was super well received.
[1:24:03] The second month is
sold out already again.
[1:24:06] Not sold out, but filled up.
[1:24:08] We're not selling tickets.
[1:24:09] (participants laugh)
[1:24:10] It's actually free,
and we give free lunch,
[1:24:11] so there's no selling out.
- I was gonna say,
[1:24:12] you must be got a concert
going on up in there.
[1:24:15] But I think you're doing a wonderful job.
[1:24:18] I'm not trying to put you
down, I'm just saying--
[1:24:20] - Oh, I get it.
- It's only gonna get better
[1:24:22] because of the resources that
has been provided to you.
[1:24:26] - Yes.
- That's what I'm saying.
[1:24:27] - Oh, okay.
- So thank you.
[1:24:29] - Thank you.
- Yeah, no, no,
[1:24:29] you're doing great.
[1:24:30] You're doing great.
- Thank you.
[1:24:31] - I just want to repeat,
like for my short time
[1:24:35] as a commissioner, I have
a very good experience
[1:24:38] with your department, and
we resolve a lot of problems
[1:24:42] because sometimes people, they don't know
[1:24:46] how it is the process.
[1:24:47] Sometimes it's lack of education.
[1:24:50] - Absolutely.
[1:24:52] - And we have to guide
them to the right process.
[1:24:54] But myself, since I
start as a commissioner,
[1:25:00] I have to say they've being very active
[1:25:04] with the issues and we resolve
a lot of issues already.
[1:25:07] Yes, I repeat again, thank you.
[1:25:09] - Thank you.
[1:25:12] - Thank you.
[1:25:13] Commissioner Alvarez.
[1:25:15] - I have no, I have no remarks.
[1:25:17] They pretty much checked
off all the boxes.
[1:25:19] Every question I was gonna
bring about, your presentation
[1:25:22] pretty much clarified all that,
[1:25:24] but thank you so much for your work.
[1:25:26] - Thank you.
[1:25:27] That was all Samantha.
- Good job.
[1:25:28] - Thank you.
[1:25:29] Commissioner Martinez.
[1:25:30] - I have a question, but my question
[1:25:31] would basically be more referred
to Kissimmee Main Street
[1:25:34] since they do the participation
with the businesses.
[1:25:38] I get a lot of people that reach out to me
[1:25:40] and say, the fire inspectors came out
[1:25:44] and they didn't tell me
about the fire extinguisher
[1:25:47] and I gotta wait for
them to come back again.
[1:25:50] And the whole situation,
[1:25:51] like Craig was saying about
the turnaround on the time,
[1:25:54] 'cause sometimes it's
the lack of education,
[1:25:56] that they don't know how
to deal with the portal.
[1:25:58] They don't know where
to find the comments.
[1:26:00] Like there's several tabs
that they have to click on.
[1:26:02] So from your perspective,
[1:26:04] what feedback have you gotten
[1:26:05] from the businesses in the area?
[1:26:09] - Please.
[1:26:11] And I'm sorry I skipped you over
[1:26:13] after we closed out that CRM,
but I was gonna come back
[1:26:16] after this and have you come.
- I could email it.
[1:26:17] It was just in favor of the item eight.
[1:26:20] - Thank you.
[1:26:21] - So I think a lot of what
Craig says that we see also.
[1:26:24] So sometimes as we're
going through the process
[1:26:27] and working with them, we realize
[1:26:29] that sometimes it's something
that they've neglected.
[1:26:31] But I will say that not as of late,
[1:26:34] but in the past, we've
had many, many complaints,
[1:26:39] tears, frustration in reference
to the time that it took.
[1:26:43] We, and again, I'm not in the trenches
[1:26:46] to see this file, so I can only tell you
[1:26:47] what you've asked me.
[1:26:49] We had one individual
that came to us in tears
[1:26:53] that if it didn't open, she'd
been doing this for a year,
[1:26:55] and if she didn't get opened
by this month, then her whole,
[1:26:58] you know, dream of being a
home, of being a business owner,
[1:27:00] you know, she'd have to give it up.
[1:27:02] So we've seen that a couple times,
[1:27:04] but then again, we talked to Craig
[1:27:06] and we find out, well they,
you know, they were supposed
[1:27:08] to call back and tell
us that this was done
[1:27:11] so that we can go to the next step.
[1:27:12] So, you know, again,
this isn't as of late.
[1:27:15] This was, you know, in previous businesses
[1:27:17] that start up.
[1:27:18] I think first of all, the trainings
[1:27:21] that they're doing are incredible.
[1:27:23] I went to the first one, I'm scheduled
[1:27:24] to go to the one tomorrow.
[1:27:26] It helps us be able to help them.
[1:27:29] If I could give any advice
[1:27:32] or, you know, a way to make
it better, I don't know
[1:27:36] how Main Street can help
more by being in the process.
[1:27:40] That's where kind of like we lose it
[1:27:41] because we have to go by what they said.
[1:27:43] We're not able to read the
actual notes or what's going on.
[1:27:46] So it makes it difficult for
us to be able to truly help.
[1:27:49] And sometimes that
requires us to call Craig
[1:27:51] or to call somebody at the city to kind
[1:27:53] of bogle them down more by
needing more information.
[1:27:57] So that's what we see.
[1:28:00] - All right.
[1:28:01] So you've seen a decline
[1:28:02] in all the issues versus what
we have right now in place
[1:28:08] with all the technology,
the update of the website,
[1:28:11] the videos, the luncheons and all that?
[1:28:13] - How much of that is, you
know, the actual decrease
[1:28:16] in that work and the fact
that we're full downtown too?
[1:28:19] You know, we don't have as
many businesses coming in.
[1:28:20] I think the majority
of the problems happen
[1:28:23] with the restaurants though.
[1:28:24] You know, the hood suppression, you know,
[1:28:26] the fire suppression
system, all of these things
[1:28:27] that come into play that
they're not aware of.
[1:28:29] One of the things that we
discussed at Main Street
[1:28:33] that we thought would be wonderful
[1:28:34] is if there was an inspection prior
[1:28:36] to, almost like when you purchase a home
[1:28:38] and there's a home inspection,
something like that.
[1:28:41] When there's a business that's purchased
[1:28:43] because a lot of times, the previous owner
[1:28:45] of that business does not tell you
[1:28:47] that they've unplugged the exit signs
[1:28:49] or that they're no longer using, you know,
[1:28:51] the oven the way to its full capacity.
[1:28:53] So these people buy these
businesses without having any
[1:28:56] of that information.
[1:28:57] So, and then, you know, I realized,
[1:29:00] caveat entered, buyer
beware, yes, of course.
[1:29:03] But if there was some type
of inspection in place,
[1:29:06] and I don't know if that's possible,
[1:29:08] but I think that that would
make a huge difference
[1:29:10] in some of the individuals
who try to open a business
[1:29:13] and then it takes them a year
or two just to get it ready.
[1:29:18] - I think one of the issues,
[1:29:19] and part of me is that we have to define
[1:29:21] where does the responsibility lie?
[1:29:24] Right?
[1:29:24] Sometimes we think it's
the Permitting Department,
[1:29:28] but it really, where does
the new business owner...
[1:29:33] I mean, as much as I'd love to say
[1:29:35] that it's always the Building Department,
[1:29:37] it's not always that.
[1:29:38] And sometimes our new business
owners don't understand,
[1:29:43] especially if they're brand new.
[1:29:45] And we've seen that today.
[1:29:46] We actually had a conversation about that,
[1:29:47] so, it's 50-50, right?
[1:29:50] And--
[1:29:51] - Sometimes when they
come from other countries,
[1:29:52] that's an added, you know, obstacle
[1:29:54] because the way they do, right.
[1:29:56] The way they did it somewhere else,
[1:29:58] they're trying to do it here.
[1:29:59] Right, right.
[1:29:59] So I think
[1:30:01] it's the hamster wheel.
[1:30:04] This is gonna happen
over and over and over
[1:30:06] and we would just hope to get better.
[1:30:09] So yeah, that's kind of
a challenge, I guess.
[1:30:13] I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cut you off.
[1:30:14] Do you have any other
questions or comments?
[1:30:15] - I just wanted to get
an outside perspective
[1:30:17] because I've seen the great
work that they're doing,
[1:30:21] the videos that are being
uploaded and being shared
[1:30:23] and are having the community being able
[1:30:25] to participate in it.
[1:30:26] So I just wanted to see
if there was something
[1:30:28] that I wasn't seeing from
a different perspective.
[1:30:30] So thank you Diana, appreciate.
[1:30:32] - Yeah, no, I don't think so.
[1:30:33] And I really think that
with time we're gonna see
[1:30:35] the positive impact that
these changes have made, so.
[1:30:38] - And anytime there's an issue,
you know, they always help
[1:30:41] and they make sure that everybody gets
[1:30:42] their concerns addressed, so.
[1:30:45] All right, thank you.
[1:30:46] - I understand you're
having a sign code meeting
[1:30:50] coming up June 25th.
[1:30:53] - At what meeting?
[1:30:54] - Sign Code.
[1:30:55] - Sign code meeting.
- Oh, sign code, yes.
[1:30:56] - So that--
- On the fifth.
[1:30:57] So can you elaborate a little bit on that?
[1:30:59] - So we are redoing our
sign code, which is part
[1:31:03] of the City Code of Ordinance.
[1:31:04] And we're modernizing it,
kind of streamlining it.
[1:31:09] And there's certain things
that we're not going
[1:31:13] to permit anymore.
[1:31:14] It's just gonna be kind of
like, like window signage.
[1:31:18] Window signage is the main
[1:31:20] of everybody's existence
and development services
[1:31:23] because you pay a company to slap up,
[1:31:26] cling wrap on your window
[1:31:28] and then you go, well, you're in violation
[1:31:30] of the sign code.
[1:31:31] They go back to the sign company
[1:31:33] and it's like, well that's
your responsibility.
[1:31:34] We just sold you the stuff and put it up.
[1:31:36] So we're actually going to
recommend to the commission
[1:31:39] that you no longer
regulate window signage,
[1:31:43] and except for downtown
where it's important
[1:31:46] to have open windows and things like that.
[1:31:48] So that's one of the bigger things.
[1:31:51] But it's a lot of just
streamlining it, make it very easy
[1:31:55] for somebody to pick it up
and use for a sign company
[1:31:59] for it to pick it up and use.
[1:32:01] And that meeting is really
just to have business owners,
[1:32:05] sign code people, everything come in.
[1:32:07] There's also some antiquated
parts of the sign code.
[1:32:11] The references to political
signs will all be removed
[1:32:14] because of the Supreme Court decision.
[1:32:17] It'll be changed up
[1:32:18] so that we meet Supreme court
decisions, things like that.
[1:32:22] First amendment rights.
- That also pertains also
[1:32:23] to awnings as well?
[1:32:26] Awnings, the littering size?
[1:32:28] - Right, that's considered
[1:32:29] a sign.
- That's pretty much
[1:32:30] what you're gonna--
[1:32:31] - Right.
[1:32:32] - All right, so I just
recommend folks to go out there
[1:32:33] and do, make this meeting,
you know, voice your opinions
[1:32:36] and you know, be part of the community
[1:32:38] and you know, we look for your inputs.
[1:32:40] So June 25th at 5:00--
[1:32:43] - Yes.
[1:32:44] - Do come out.
[1:32:45] All right.
[1:32:46] Thank you.
[1:32:47] - Thank you.
[1:32:48] Craig--
- Good job.
[1:32:49] - This presentation that you just put up,
[1:32:50] is this on your website?
[1:32:52] I feel like we went over
the entire website on here.
[1:32:54] (commissioners laugh)
[1:32:55] - We don't have it on the website.
[1:32:57] We can put it on the website.
[1:32:58] - It's probably everything that
we shouldn't do is on there.
[1:33:01] It's probably a good tool.
[1:33:02] I mean we, you know,
thank you for the detail.
[1:33:05] It was very, very detailed.
[1:33:07] My direction would be
never to do that again,
[1:33:09] but that's just maybe.
[1:33:11] (commissioners laugh)
[1:33:12] - I've already got a couple text messages.
[1:33:13] - Because like put it on the website.
[1:33:14] We'll have to read it.
[1:33:15] - Yeah.
[1:33:16] (Mayor laughs)
[1:33:17] And translate it in
Spanish, everyone's happy.
[1:33:18] - Yeah, I think--
- Because reality
[1:33:19] is it's a lot to process.
[1:33:20] - Right.
[1:33:21] - Even for us up here and you know,
[1:33:23] it's, but it's a great
presentation, don't get me wrong.
[1:33:26] I just think that sometimes
it's so much information,
[1:33:30] it's TMI, and then at
some point you lose me,
[1:33:33] and if people have it, it's
almost a reference point.
[1:33:35] I like the ones that, for instance,
[1:33:38] what can delay a building permit?
[1:33:40] What can delay?
[1:33:41] Those are key.
[1:33:42] So even if you don't put
the whole presentation,
[1:33:44] it's almost like, that's almost a Q&A.
[1:33:47] Put it on the website
[1:33:48] and make sure everybody can refer to it
[1:33:50] and I think it's just gonna simplify it
[1:33:52] because if someone asked me
right now what could delay it,
[1:33:56] I wouldn't have a clue.
[1:33:57] I would have to say hold
up, let me go to page 122,
[1:34:00] and then, well, I'm sorry.
[1:34:02] (Mayor laughs)
[1:34:03] I'm sorry.
[1:34:04] But I appreciate you.
[1:34:05] I want you to know, I
appreciate you, it's just--
[1:34:06] - I do apologize for the
length and the detail,
[1:34:08] but I, well, first I thought
I was going to a workshop
[1:34:11] so I'd have a whole hour.
[1:34:12] - Okay, yeah.
- And I think
[1:34:13] we probably took a whole hour, but--
[1:34:15] - Yes (laughs)
[1:34:16] It felt like a workshop,
[1:34:17] so thank you.
- And again, I was having
[1:34:18] a hard time
[1:34:20] with the policy
[1:34:24] that you all had in 2025 to figure out
[1:34:26] what the issue really was.
[1:34:28] And again, all I hear is
it's hard to get a permit
[1:34:31] and it takes too long when
all the data I have says
[1:34:35] we're quicker than everybody else.
[1:34:36] - [Mayor] Yeah.
[1:34:37] - So this, I just wanted
[1:34:39] to make sure you all had
all the information to make
[1:34:41] the best decisions
[1:34:42] and recommendations possible.
- I like that we're quicker
[1:34:44] than anybody else.
[1:34:45] That was probably my
favorite page on there.
[1:34:47] And, but I am gonna ask you,
[1:34:53] I don't ever want us to
lose the human touch, right?
[1:34:55] So I think that's part of the challenge,
[1:34:57] as I know we have all this computer stuff
[1:34:58] and not everyone
understands the computers.
[1:35:00] And some people come to us
and say, we don't get it.
[1:35:03] So I think sometimes a simple
phone call fixes things,
[1:35:08] but by the time we get a decline
[1:35:10] and then we try to figure
out who do we need to call
[1:35:12] and you know, it's just so much.
[1:35:14] I think sometimes we
just are so automated,
[1:35:17] and there's nothing wrong
with that sometimes.
[1:35:20] You know, and I think
that simple phone call,
[1:35:22] and it shouldn't just
be from the applicant.
[1:35:24] It could also be,
[1:35:25] and and I'm not saying that
you don't do it all the time.
[1:35:27] I'm just saying
[1:35:28] that sometimes, you know.
- No, I mean, I agree with you
[1:35:31] and we will walk somebody
through and handle.
[1:35:35] - I know you.
- That's what we do.
[1:35:36] So if somebody doesn't want to go online,
[1:35:38] they could come in, we'll
take them in the back.
[1:35:41] We'll, that sounds bad,
[1:35:42] but yeah, we'll take them
[1:35:43] to a computer in the back
(commissioners laugh)
[1:35:44] and help them go through the process.
[1:35:46] - For the record, that was a good thing.
[1:35:48] (Mayor laughs)
- And one of the big things
[1:35:48] that we're doing is
because we keep saying,
[1:35:50] nobody picks up the phone.
[1:35:52] Well, that's because 7:30, the calls start
[1:35:55] and don't stop till 4:00.
[1:35:56] And if you leave a voicemail,
[1:35:59] and you'd be surprised people
don't leave voicemails,
[1:36:02] and then they wonder they can't get
[1:36:04] anybody to answer the phone.
[1:36:05] So this will be--
[1:36:07] - And you would think they're
trying to open a business
[1:36:08] and they'd answer their phone.
[1:36:09] - Right.
[1:36:10] - That doesn't always happen.
[1:36:11] - You'll be able to call
[1:36:12] and then they'll say, we'll call you back
[1:36:15] when it's your turn in line,
[1:36:16] so you can hang up and go about your day
[1:36:18] and then we'll call you back.
[1:36:20] - [Mayor] Sure.
[1:36:21] - So that's gonna be a real plus.
[1:36:22] You don't have to leave a voicemail,
[1:36:23] and you know, I think that'll help a lot,
[1:36:27] 'cause it shocks me that people
will not leave voicemails.
[1:36:32] And we return all
voicemails within 24 hours.
[1:36:35] Most of the time it's
by the end of the day,
[1:36:36] but within 24 hours.
[1:36:39] - Well, thank you.
[1:36:39] We thank you all.
[1:36:41] - And also I would like to recommend
[1:36:42] that you create a bridge with
Osceola Board of Realtors
[1:36:48] because some of this headache is created
[1:36:51] because when people they buy
[1:36:52] and they sell, especially they deal
[1:36:55] with a real estate agent.
[1:36:56] I received a lot of phone
call from real estate agent,
[1:36:59] mortgage loan officer where
they have some issues.
[1:37:02] I believe this large land, they
should be extended to them.
[1:37:06] The same way they get involved
[1:37:07] in other issues with the city,
[1:37:09] this is something very important.
[1:37:12] - Okay.
[1:37:13] - Thank you.
[1:37:14] All right.
[1:37:15] - Madam Mayor, before you close
this out, I just wanna say
[1:37:18] that I've sent already like about six
[1:37:20] or seven people that have been
literally held by their hand.
[1:37:24] - Oh yeah.
[1:37:24] - From the beginning of the
process to understand how,
[1:37:27] because I've tried to
help them, staff's tried
[1:37:30] to help them and they just didn't get it.
[1:37:31] So when they went into
the Building Department,
[1:37:33] they took them in and took them
to the back and helped them.
[1:37:37] (commissioners laugh)
[1:37:37] I like that, so thank you for that.
[1:37:39] I just wanted to acknowledge
you guys on that.
[1:37:40] - Thank you.
[1:37:41] Thank you for all you're doing.
[1:37:43] All right, so city managers,
[1:37:46] is that all you need on that one?
[1:37:47] Direction to staff?
[1:37:48] That's pretty much it on that.
[1:37:49] Do you need anything?
[1:37:50] - One more presentation we
have, no, I'm just kidding.
[1:37:52] (commissioners laugh)
[1:37:54] - Is that 123 pages?
[1:37:55] Sorry.
[1:37:58] - No, ma'am, I think we've
got a good direction.
[1:38:00] - Thank you.
[1:38:01] So if you heard my stomach
growling, it's your fault,
[1:38:02] Craig, thank you very much.
[1:38:04] (participants laugh)
[1:38:05] It's all good.
[1:38:07] We should have eaten those cookies.
[1:38:08] That's right.
[1:38:09] All right, so we're gonna move on
[1:38:11] to 8D Advisory Board vacancy,
Board of Adjustments.
[1:38:14] City Manager.
[1:38:16] - Madam Mayor, Commissioner Martinez
[1:38:19] has this appointment.
[1:38:20] If she does not make
the appointment tonight,
[1:38:22] we'll have to do an extension.
[1:38:25] - Hi, Madam Mayor.
[1:38:27] For the Advisory Board, I'd like
[1:38:29] to appoint Raymond Sanchez.
[1:38:33] - I second motion.
[1:38:35] I second that.
[1:38:38] - Motion by Commissioner Martinez,
[1:38:41] second by Commissioner Alvarez.
[1:38:43] All in favor?
[1:38:44] - Aye.
[1:38:45] - Motion carries.
[1:38:47] All right.
[1:38:49] I think we've reached the
end of our journey here.
[1:38:50] So now we're gonna hear
from city officials.
[1:38:52] City Manager.
[1:38:54] - Thank you, Madam Mayor, commissioners,
[1:38:55] I have nothing tonight.
[1:38:56] Thank you.
[1:38:58] - You don't.
[1:38:59] (commissioners laugh)
[1:39:00] Thank you.
[1:39:02] City Attorney.
[1:39:03] - Wanna get further?
- I'll make this quick
[1:39:05] since it's late, but I just
wanted to give y'all an update
[1:39:08] that I will be advertising
the noise, alcohol
[1:39:11] and lien ordinances for
first reading for July 1st.
[1:39:15] I will have a draft
circulated to you individually
[1:39:19] so that you can study
it before the meeting.
[1:39:21] And then the second reading
[1:39:23] would be at the following meeting,
[1:39:26] which is July 15th.
[1:39:30] So first and second readings of those.
[1:39:32] - Oh, Madam Mayor, I
had something else too.
[1:39:34] - Sure.
[1:39:35] - She just prompted me.
[1:39:36] (commissioners laugh)
[1:39:37] - He just remembered.
[1:39:38] - No presentation, no.
[1:39:40] So July 1st, we'll also have the proposals
[1:39:44] that were resubmitted from
the four hotel developments.
[1:39:48] We'll be scheduling it
for that date as well.
[1:39:50] - So I understand it's
gonna be a busy July 1st.
[1:39:52] Everyone here, please come
[1:39:54] and join the party, it's important.
[1:39:56] (commissioners laugh)
[1:39:56] - And we also have a workshop at 3:00
[1:39:57] before that meeting on
the CRA Master Plan for--
[1:40:00] - So when getting July 4th started.
[1:40:02] - That's right.
[1:40:03] That's the month
[1:40:04] of July fireworks.
- Fireworks.
[1:40:05] - Please make sure to invite everyone.
[1:40:08] (commissioners laugh)
[1:40:09] Sorry, as we should.
[1:40:11] City Commission, let's see
if you have any comments
[1:40:14] at this point.
[1:40:15] We'll start with Commissioner Martinez.
[1:40:19] - It's been a long night.
[1:40:20] Thank you guys for
showing up and being here.
[1:40:22] (Martinez laughing)
[1:40:25] - That's it?
[1:40:26] - Yes ma'am.
[1:40:27] - Okay.
[1:40:28] Commissioner Alvarez.
[1:40:28] - I have no comment.
[1:40:30] - Thank you.
- I have no comment.
[1:40:31] - Commissioner Ortiz.
[1:40:33] - I just want to remind (indistinct)
[1:40:36] to extend my deepest condolence
to the Indian community
[1:40:39] in Kissimmee for all of them who lost
[1:40:41] in the tragic accident last
week, families and members,
[1:40:45] so my deep condolence for that.
[1:40:48] - Thank you.
[1:40:48] Thank you, that's accurate.
[1:40:50] Vice Mayor Eady.
[1:40:51] - Sure, I do have a comment.
[1:40:53] Actually, I have a slide
I want you guys to see.
[1:40:55] - Are you for real?
- Not a presentation.
[1:40:56] - Not Angela, are you for real?
[1:40:58] (commissioners laughing)
[1:40:59] - I seen this online yesterday.
[1:41:03] And what the City of Tampa is
doing is they're implementing
[1:41:07] a program where they're
putting in drinking fountains
[1:41:11] in the areas where the homeless population
[1:41:14] are congregating at.
[1:41:15] And I think that it would be a
good idea if we would partner
[1:41:19] with Toho to try to do
some of the same thing,
[1:41:23] considering it is so hot right now,
[1:41:27] and they're just out there.
[1:41:31] What do you guys think?
[1:41:34] - City Manager.
[1:41:36] - Commissioners, if you
guys are interested,
[1:41:38] it's something I could reach
out to Toho Water Authority,
[1:41:40] see if they have a
desire to assist perhaps
[1:41:44] and that may be something we can look at
[1:41:46] through our CDBG Program as well.
[1:41:48] - Thank you.
[1:41:49] Thank you for bringing that.
[1:41:50] That's actually very innovative.
[1:41:53] I think that's, especially at our parks,
[1:41:56] not just for the homeless,
[1:41:57] but for the kids
[1:41:58] and everyone out there.
- Exactly.
[1:41:59] - That's a great...
[1:42:00] That's a great opportunity to research.
[1:42:03] Thank you.
[1:42:04] That's it?
[1:42:05] - Yes, and that's it.
[1:42:07] - Okay.
[1:42:10] I wanna say, happy birthday, Mr. Tom Kapp.
[1:42:12] You're here with us today,
[1:42:13] so I wanna wish you a happy birthday.
[1:42:15] You spent your whole evening with us here.
[1:42:16] Thank you.
[1:42:17] (participants laughing)
[1:42:19] That's a warrior right there.
[1:42:21] So I wanted to congratulate you publicly.
[1:42:26] Juneteenth was a great success.
[1:42:27] I thank everyone that came out
[1:42:29] and absolutely enjoyed that celebration.
[1:42:32] I had a great time.
[1:42:33] And as usual, we danced a lot.
[1:42:35] We had a good time
[1:42:37] and we fellowshiped with many
residents in our community.
[1:42:41] Same was with Pride Fest,
[1:42:43] and I was excited to
go out to those events.
[1:42:46] I just ask everyone to
share those events online
[1:42:50] so that we can continue
to create community.
[1:42:53] I think it's very important
[1:42:54] that we continue doing that.
[1:42:57] Tomorrow, City Manager and Vice Mayor,
[1:43:00] we're going to Tampa to...
[1:43:02] I'm sorry, I keep saying tomorrow.
[1:43:04] I think I'm ahead of myself.
[1:43:05] Thursday.
[1:43:06] Thursday.
[1:43:07] We're gonna go and
connect with other mayors
[1:43:10] and other elected officials.
[1:43:11] And we won't be staying
there that evening,
[1:43:13] but we are very excited to go out there
[1:43:16] and represent Kissimmee, City of Kissimmee
[1:43:18] as best as we can.
[1:43:20] So it'll be a fun time.
[1:43:24] And I also wanna ask everyone,
[1:43:28] if you would share every time you know
[1:43:30] that we have a commission meeting
[1:43:32] and encourage your fellow
neighbors to come up and speak.
[1:43:36] We wanna allow grandstanding,
[1:43:38] but we certainly wanna hear you speak.
[1:43:41] We wanna hear your concerns.
[1:43:44] One suggestion I'm always
gonna make is please bring
[1:43:46] your suggestions also, how can we fix it?
[1:43:50] And that is the point
[1:43:51] that I wanna talk about really quickly.
[1:43:54] KPD is doing an amazing job
keeping us updated every weekend
[1:43:58] with the incidents that
happen in our local town
[1:44:01] and our local city area.
[1:44:03] And once again, City Manager,
[1:44:06] we did have, and we stopped two trucks.
[1:44:09] And I bring this up
[1:44:10] because I know there's concerns
[1:44:12] and I just want you to kind
of, and he's looking it up.
[1:44:14] I know he always looks it up.
[1:44:15] He should have been ready for me.
[1:44:17] You know that's coming.
[1:44:18] But we are stopping people
for noise ordinance,
[1:44:21] not just on the businesses,
but cars, and Chief Broadway,
[1:44:25] thank you for your leadership on that.
[1:44:27] I think it's important we're
starting to see a change.
[1:44:29] Some people are starting...
[1:44:30] You see, once you do it once
[1:44:31] or twice and people get stopped
[1:44:33] and they get cited, it starts spreading.
[1:44:35] So make sure we are the
advocates for our city
[1:44:39] and we tell people, if you ride downtown
[1:44:41] with that music blaring, most
likely you'll get a ticket.
[1:44:44] And if we start putting
that message out there,
[1:44:46] I think people will start hearing it.
[1:44:48] It's gonna take a minute,
[1:44:50] but it's definitely, it needs to be said.
[1:44:52] So City Manager, do you have a report?
[1:44:54] I, we should report everything every time
[1:44:56] we do one of these things.
[1:44:57] - Yeah, we pulled nine people over
[1:44:59] in the downtown area this weekend.
[1:45:02] 18, two 18 wheelers driving downtown.
[1:45:05] Four with loud music, one
with headlights out, one
[1:45:07] with red headlights
[1:45:09] and one with bright lights
like the brights on.
[1:45:12] So they're definitely,
[1:45:14] I mean, the amount is decreasing
that they're catching,
[1:45:17] but they are definitely making it
[1:45:18] a point to be present down there.
[1:45:20] - So it's important that
we also note those things
[1:45:23] because you have to understand every time
[1:45:24] the cops pull someone over,
[1:45:26] you never know who's on the other side.
[1:45:27] So that is also a risk.
[1:45:30] And so we all have to
be cognizant of that.
[1:45:32] And I just wanna thank KPD.
[1:45:33] Every time I can possibly have
an opportunity to thank them
[1:45:37] because these are the little things
[1:45:38] that change that environment.
[1:45:40] But Mr. Kapp, I want
you to keep calling me
[1:45:42] and letting me know when they're not doing
[1:45:43] because it's important
that we know (laughs)
[1:45:46] including waste management
and everyone else.
[1:45:47] I know, I brought that up to City Manager
[1:45:50] and he was gonna look into this, the--
[1:45:51] - We're looking it up
[1:45:52] 'cause if it was, if it was
[1:45:53] like the county waste management trucks,
[1:45:55] then they probably shouldn't
be going through downtown.
[1:45:57] But if it's like a dumpster truck,
[1:45:58] then that would be an exception
that would be allowed.
[1:46:01] - But we love that you get
involved and you tell us.
[1:46:03] That's how we start creating
[1:46:04] a different vibe in our community.
[1:46:06] And some of you know
[1:46:08] that some businesses have
violated certain things
[1:46:11] and we are not gonna call
them out here publicly
[1:46:14] 'cause we know what the issues are.
[1:46:15] But we will continue calling
businesses out as we should.
[1:46:18] And so just, if you wanna...
[1:46:22] We get so many emails
[1:46:23] of things of that shouldn't be happening
[1:46:25] and we appreciate it
because it's the only way
[1:46:28] that we can keep an eye out
[1:46:30] and, you know, food trucks
shouldn't be selling on the side
[1:46:33] of the road without, I mean,
just these little things.
[1:46:36] And we get emails and
pictures all the time.
[1:46:38] So, you know, I think it's a great thing.
[1:46:40] So I wanna thank the
community for doing that.
[1:46:42] Don't stop.
[1:46:43] Say so, what is it?
[1:46:44] See something, say something.
[1:46:45] It doesn't matter what it is.
[1:46:47] Commissioners, thank you.
[1:46:48] I was trying to get to right at 8:00,
[1:46:49] but you know, we're a little
early, so thank you all.
[1:46:52] I think (laughs) this
meeting is adjourned.
[1:46:54] (Mayor hits gavel)