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Good evening. This is a regular City
Commission meeting for the City of Largo.

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Today is Tuesday, August 4th, 2026.

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I'd like to call this meeting to order and
ask if you have a cell phone,

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please turn it to silent or off so that we
don't have any interruptions tonight.

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We're going to start today's meeting with
an invocation given by Pastor Oliver King

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from Restoration Ministries of Largo.

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And then if you could please remain
standing and I'll lead you in the Pledge

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standing and I'll lead you in the Pledge
of

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Allegiance. Good evening, everyone.

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Always grateful and thank you for the
opportunity to be able to come and pray

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opportunity to be able to come and pray
for

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the city. And also thank you, officials,

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for your help and your assistance with my
ministry and taking care of the homeless

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and families that are in need of food. So
let us pray.

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Lord God, we thank you for your grace.
God, we thank you for your mercy.

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God, we thank you for another day.

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God, we thank you for our life, health,
and strength.

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We thank you for allowing us to be here,
Father God, to travel here safely.

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Father, we ask now all the time for your
presence, God.

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We know more than ever we need you more
than ever.

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We ask now, God, for your many blessings
over the families that make up this

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community. Bless these officials, Father
God. Continue to lead and direct them.

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Father God, bless and take care of our
leaders, God, our president,

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our government officials.

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Father God, we give every situation, every
issue back to you.

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We ask, Father God, all the time for your
forgiveness.

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For moments taken for granted, Father God,

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protection that you provide every single
day.

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Again, God, we thank you for our schools.

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Father God, we thank you for our
government.

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God, we ask now again, well, always, God,

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that you continue to bless us and watch
over us.

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Be a part of this ministry, Father God.
Let us understand and hear from one

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Let us understand and hear from one
another.

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God, again, we give you thanks. We give
you praise.

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We ask, God, that you continue to bless
the homeless families,

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those that are in crisis, those that are
in need.

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Father, there is nothing too hard for you.
God, again, we thank you.

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We give you honor.

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We reverence you. In Jesus' name, amen.
Amen.

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I pledge allegiance to the flag of the
United States of America and to the

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United States of America and to the
republic

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for which it stands, one nation under God,
indivisible,

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with liberty and justice for all. Thank
you, Pastor.

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The first item on the agenda today is a
ceremonial item,

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one of my favorite ceremonial items of the
year,

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the recognition of our Citizen Campers.

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Good evening, everyone.

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My name is Brittany Shug,

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and I am the Children's Program Manager
for the City of Largo for the Child Care

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Division. I am pleased to be here tonight
to give the Citizen Camper Award to our

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City of Largo campers.

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This award highlights individuals who go
above and beyond,

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not just in participation but in
character.

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These campers consistently show respect,
kindness, responsibility,

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and genuine desire to make camp a better
place for everyone.

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They lend a hand before being asked, treat
others with care,

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and serve as a role model through their
everyday actions.

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Tonight, we honor the campers who make the
City of Largo a welcoming, safe,

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and positive environment.

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Their leadership shines through big
gestures alone,

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but through small meaningful choices they
make each day.

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To all of our nominees, thank you.

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Your character, your compassion,

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and your willingness to help set the tone
for our entire community.

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You inspire your peers and you make this
camp a place where everyone feels included

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and valued. So the first camper I would
like to introduce to you guys tonight is

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Stefan Petravo from the Cool Kids at
Highland.

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Um, Stefan was nominated by his counselor,
Miss Marcella.

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Stefan is always ready to listen and
consistently waits quietly for the next

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consistently waits quietly for the next
set of

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directions during transitions.

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He is kind, respectful, and supportive
towards all his fellow campers.

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Stefan takes initiative in keeping the
space clean,

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often tidying up after himself and others
without even being asked. Ms.

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Marcella never has to repeat instructions.

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He is proactive, he communicates,

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and he often informs her of potential
issues before they even occur.

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He consistently leads by example, showing
his peers what responsible,

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respectful behavior looks like.

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He follows all camp rules, is well-liked
by his friends,

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and comes to camp each day with a positive
attitude.

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Stefan embodies what a camper should be—
responsible, kind,

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and appreciates each and every day.

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Stefan, we are incredibly proud and
appreciate the positivity and leadership

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appreciate the positivity and leadership
you

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bring to camp every day.

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Congratulations, congratulations, Stefan,
on Citizen Camper for 2026.

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Up next, we have Emerson Singh from Cool
Kids at Highland.

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Emerson Singh was nominated by her
counselor, Miss Chasen.

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Emerson is a kind and thoughtful camper
who treats all of her friends with

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who treats all of her friends with
respect.

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respect. She is always eager to help
others and consistently uses her manners

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others and consistently uses her manners
when

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speaking with both her counselors and her
peers.

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Miss Chasen often chooses Emerson to
accompany friends when they need to grab

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accompany friends when they need to grab
water,

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use the restroom, or find a partner for
any camp activities because she knows

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Emerson will be kind, attentive, and
responsible. She never leaves anyone

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responsible. She never leaves anyone
behind.

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She was chosen because she is a true
leader, kind, empathetic,

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and respectful to everyone around her.

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She never misses an opportunity to say
thank you,

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and I've seen her welcome new campers as
they join the group each week.

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We are so proud of Emerson and grateful to
have her as a part of our camp family.

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Her positivity and leadership brightens
her group each and every day.

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Congratulations, Emerson, on Citizen
Camper for 2026.

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Up next, we have Olivia Chapman from Kid
City at Southwest.

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Olivia was chosen by her counselor, Miss
Sheridan.

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Olivia is kind to all of her friends at
camp,

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including those outside of her own group.

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She approaches campers who seem upset and
offer comfort without hesitation.

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Olivia has been especially helpful,

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helpful to a camper who recently broke
their arm,

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patiently supporting them throughout the
day.

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She is gentle and patient even with the
younger campers and frequently helps with

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lost and found items, often tracking down
their own owners.

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During transitions to new locations,

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Olivia points out left-behind water
bottles to make sure her friends are

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bottles to make sure her friends are
grabbing

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all of their belongings.

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She volunteers to be a buddy when someone
needs to leave the group.

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And never leaves their side.

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Olivia acts as an extra set of eyes for
safety, speaking up and alerting Ms.

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Sheridan whenever something doesn't seem
right.

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She is sweet, kind, and always
prioritizing the well-being of herself and

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prioritizing the well-being of herself and
those

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around her. She participates in all
activities and consistently encourages her

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activities and consistently encourages her
camp

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friends in a positive way.

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Olivia is a dedicated Kid City camper,

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and she is someone I am truly excited to
watch grow into an even stronger role

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watch grow into an even stronger role
model

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to the younger campers.

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We are incredibly proud of Olivia and
grateful for the kindness, leadership,

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and joy she brings to our camp each and
every day.

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Congratulations, Olivia, on Citizen Camper
for 2026.

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All right, and last but not least,

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we have Novelin Brewer from the Kid City
at Southwest.

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Novelyn was nominated by her camp
counselor, Mr. Cade.

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She is consistently respectful to all
staff and campers and is known as one of

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staff and campers and is known as one of
the

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friendliest campers at Southwest. Novelyn
is incredibly responsible.

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She always volunteers to help with tasks,
often without even being asked.

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If it is assisting her other camp friends
with activities,

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she is always there to help.

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Novelyn continues to demonstrate safety,

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and supports others to ensure things are
done the right way.

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No matter the task, she is eager to assist
and lend a hand.

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Her favorite thing is to ask, can I help
with that?

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She consistently shows kindness, respect,
and genuine willingness to help,

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making others feel welcomed and included.

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Her initiative and willingness to jump in
without direction is what truly sets her

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apart from other campers.

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Whether she is helping counselors,
supporting fellow campers,

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Or simply offering assistance where it's
needed.

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She does it all with a bright smile.

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She shows compassion towards other
campers,

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even in situations she isn't directly
involved with.

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Novelin is always using her manners and
making sure she is so polite to anyone she

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interacts with. Novelin embodies the
values and traits of a citizen camper.

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She puts others first, she shows respect,

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and maintains a positive attitude each and
every day.

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Her character and actions are truly why
she is so deserving of this award.

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Congratulations, Navlin, on Citizen Camper
for 2026.

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You guys want

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to come up too?

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Do you want all the campers or do you want
to do camp by camp? Yeah.

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You should sit in a chair. It's gonna hurt
its back. There you go.

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Ready?

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3, 2, 1.

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Let's do one more.

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Here, I'll take their forms. You want to
leave?

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I don't know how they're going to do this
one.

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Come this way. We can help you do it.

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We can't reach them. Yeah, we can come
around the wrong way.

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No, no, probably easier. You can't reach
them.

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Why not?

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Maybe. Go ahead.

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Good job. Great job.

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Great

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Congratulations.

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Congratulations. Congratulations. Didn't
think you'd reach us.

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The high five is better, easier than—

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Thank you everyone for having us tonight.

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Next item is team member of the quarter
recognition.

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Good evening, Mayor, Commissioners.

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Let's keep this positivity theme going,
shall we?

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First up is Mitchell Bowling, firefighter.
Come on up.

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During a medical call,

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Firefighter Bowling demonstrated exactly
what the fire service is all about.

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After completing patient care for a
patient who had fallen and was living in a

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disorganized home environment,

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he took it upon himself without being
asked to go above and beyond for her.

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He put away her groceries, restocked her
refrigerator, fed her dog,

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took out her trash, and ensured her home
was clear of obstacles so she could safely

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navigate with her walker.

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The patient was truly grateful,

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and I have no doubt that Firefighter
Bowling's compassion and initiative Made a

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meaningful difference in her day and her
safety.

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Thank you for providing superior services.
Congratulations.

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Next up is Tasha Wordy, library assistant.
Come on up, Tasha.

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Tasha actually had 3 write-ups all
surrounding this big event they had at the

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library, but I'm going to read one.

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Tasha Wordie consistently exceeds
expectations in her role developing

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expectations in her role developing
children's

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programming for the library.

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In addition to planning and presenting 3
to 6 children's programs each week while

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also serving patrons at the public service
desk,

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Tasha took the initiative to independently
conceptualize, organize,

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and execute an ambitious large-scale
literary event for adults called

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literary event for adults called
Romantically

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Ever After: A Library Lit Fest.

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Driven by her passion for reading and
community engagement,

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Tasha coordinated nearly 50 romance and
subgenre authors to participate in the

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event, creating meaningful opportunities
for readers to connect with authors and

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have books signed. This project extended
far beyond the scope of her regular

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responsibilities and demonstrated
exceptional creativity, leadership,

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and project management skills.

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Tasha also developed and executed a
sophisticated social media campaign that

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generated unprecedented excitement and
engagement for the library.

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Her rollout strategy built anticipation
through carefully timed announcements,

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personalized promotional graphics for each
participating author,

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and visually compelling content featuring
authors' headshots and book covers.

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She further amplified the event's
visibility by leveraging early author

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visibility by leveraging early author
access to

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engage social media influencers and expand
community outreach.

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The results were extraordinary.

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The campaign increased the library's
social media following by 916 followers

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social media following by 916 followers
across

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Facebook and Instagram,

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00:19:06,478 --> 00:19:11,483
representing a 190% increase on Facebook
and an impressive 509% increase on

233
00:19:11,483 --> 00:19:16,420
Instagram. Engagement surrounding the
event surpassed that of any previous

234
00:19:16,420 --> 00:19:16,887
event surpassed that of any previous
library

235
00:19:16,887 --> 00:19:21,825
program. Attendees came as far away as
South Carolina to attend the event.

236
00:19:21,825 --> 00:19:26,629
Community response to Romantically Ever
After far exceeded expectations.

237
00:19:26,629 --> 00:19:31,700
Although registration was optional, 1,374
individuals registered in advance,

238
00:19:31,700 --> 00:19:34,969
and final attendance exceeded 1,500
participants.

239
00:19:34,969 --> 00:19:38,839
In addition, from a post-event survey sent
to the authors,

240
00:19:38,839 --> 00:19:43,376
100% say they would absolutely attend the
event again in the future.

241
00:19:43,376 --> 00:19:45,178
Tasha's vision, dedication,

242
00:19:45,178 --> 00:19:49,648
and innovative approach not only created a
highly successful event,

243
00:19:49,648 --> 00:19:54,853
but also significantly elevated the
library's visibility and community impact.

244
00:19:54,853 --> 00:19:56,921
Tasha's initiative, creativity,

245
00:19:56,921 --> 00:20:02,192
and commitment to excellence make her
exceptionally deserving of recognition as

246
00:20:02,192 --> 00:20:02,459
exceptionally deserving of recognition as
Team

247
00:20:02,459 --> 00:20:05,061
Member of the Quarter. Congratulations.

248
00:20:05,061 --> 00:20:09,598
Next up is Jody White, Housing Finance
Specialist. Come on up, Jody.

249
00:20:09,598 --> 00:20:14,936
Jody White has routinely demonstrated
superior services and passion for her work

250
00:20:14,936 --> 00:20:17,538
with the housing programs for the city.

251
00:20:17,538 --> 00:20:19,006
In less than 2 months,

252
00:20:19,006 --> 00:20:23,677
Jody facilitated the issuance of
approximately $550,000 in new housing

253
00:20:23,677 --> 00:20:24,144
approximately $550,000 in new housing
program

254
00:20:24,144 --> 00:20:27,680
awards to clients with state and federal
grant funds.

255
00:20:27,680 --> 00:20:29,949
This is not just paperwork to her.

256
00:20:29,949 --> 00:20:35,420
She made trips to clients' homes to work
through application processes if they had

257
00:20:35,420 --> 00:20:38,356
limited computer access or limited
mobility,

258
00:20:38,356 --> 00:20:43,560
and she followed closely on cases with
down payment providers to ensure timely

259
00:20:43,560 --> 00:20:47,030
completion of cases so clients could
purchase homes.

260
00:20:47,030 --> 00:20:51,100
Jodi also oversees the city's housing
program loan portfolio,

261
00:20:51,100 --> 00:20:56,571
part of which necessitates getting loans
back into compliance if clients pass away

262
00:20:56,571 --> 00:21:01,175
or setting up payment plans when their
loan deferment periods expire.

263
00:21:01,175 --> 00:21:06,046
She recently had 6 cases she was able to
get back into compliance status.

264
00:21:06,046 --> 00:21:11,450
This process often entails working with
families who recently lost a loved one to

265
00:21:11,450 --> 00:21:11,584
families who recently lost a loved one to
go

266
00:21:11,584 --> 00:21:16,655
through next steps and working with
families that still live in homes to set

267
00:21:16,655 --> 00:21:16,788
families that still live in homes to set
up

268
00:21:16,788 --> 00:21:19,724
payment plans once deferment periods
expire.

269
00:21:19,724 --> 00:21:24,395
Not only is she efficient with these
cases, but she is also effective.

270
00:21:24,395 --> 00:21:27,464
Every case has a circumstance or nuance to
it.

271
00:21:27,464 --> 00:21:32,201
One such case involved working with a
young woman who had inherited her

272
00:21:32,201 --> 00:21:35,671
grandmother's home when her grandmother
passed away.

273
00:21:35,671 --> 00:21:40,742
Jody was able to help her navigate the
city's loan assumption process so the

274
00:21:40,742 --> 00:21:46,280
granddaughter could remain in the home and
not trigger immediate repayment of the 2

275
00:21:46,280 --> 00:21:48,882
deferred payment loans on the property.

276
00:21:48,882 --> 00:21:52,885
The granddaughter was facing many uphill
battles of her own,

277
00:21:52,885 --> 00:21:57,422
and not only did Jody have to work to gain
her trust in the process,

278
00:21:57,422 --> 00:22:00,959
but Jody always showed concern for the
granddaughter.

279
00:22:00,959 --> 00:22:03,828
If Jody had not heard from her for a
while,

280
00:22:03,828 --> 00:22:07,965
she would reach out to check on her to
make sure she was okay.

281
00:22:07,965 --> 00:22:13,569
She had many times where she would stay on
the phone with the granddaughter to offer

282
00:22:13,569 --> 00:22:17,906
support and connect her to other services
for additional support.

283
00:22:17,906 --> 00:22:20,842
Some of our clients do not have family
left,

284
00:22:20,842 --> 00:22:25,780
and it happens time and again that they
know they can trust Jody and call.

285
00:22:25,780 --> 00:22:28,515
In addition to juggling these activities,

286
00:22:28,515 --> 00:22:33,786
she serves as a backup person for the
city's homeless outreach specialist if he

287
00:22:33,786 --> 00:22:33,920
city's homeless outreach specialist if he
is

288
00:22:33,920 --> 00:22:38,991
out. She is always willing to jump right
in and help. Congratulations, Jody.

289
00:22:38,991 --> 00:22:42,927
Next up, Samantha Cabrich, Housing
Construction Specialist.

290
00:22:42,927 --> 00:22:47,731
Samantha continuously demonstrates
superior services to the community of

291
00:22:47,731 --> 00:22:48,132
superior services to the community of
Largo.

292
00:22:48,132 --> 00:22:52,936
She has been juggling a large caseload
with the city's housing programs,

293
00:22:52,936 --> 00:22:58,073
and her contributions exemplify her
knowledge, expertise, and passion for her

294
00:22:58,073 --> 00:22:58,407
knowledge, expertise, and passion for her
work.

295
00:22:58,407 --> 00:23:03,478
Samantha has been going above and beyond
in her role as housing construction

296
00:23:03,478 --> 00:23:08,616
specialist in the short time she has been
with the city for just over a year.

297
00:23:08,616 --> 00:23:13,486
Samantha oversees the construction phase
of the home improvement program,

298
00:23:13,486 --> 00:23:15,021
among other activities.

299
00:23:15,021 --> 00:23:19,825
She has raised the standard for
contractors participating in the program

300
00:23:19,825 --> 00:23:20,292
contractors participating in the program
and has

301
00:23:20,292 --> 00:23:24,429
been successful in recruiting more
contractors to participate.

302
00:23:24,429 --> 00:23:29,967
She diligently checks permit statuses each
day on open cases to see how contractors

303
00:23:29,967 --> 00:23:34,437
are progressing, helps guide the
contractors to navigate permit and

304
00:23:34,437 --> 00:23:35,105
contractors to navigate permit and
inspection

305
00:23:35,105 --> 00:23:39,909
processes, and is routinely at project
sites to check on workmanship and

306
00:23:39,909 --> 00:23:40,509
sites to check on workmanship and
progress.

307
00:23:40,509 --> 00:23:45,046
Several times recently, something has come
up at the end of the day,

308
00:23:45,046 --> 00:23:50,518
and she never hesitates to get out to the
site to make sure the issue is addressed

309
00:23:50,518 --> 00:23:55,989
expeditiously. Samantha has a wealth of
construction knowledge and uses that daily

310
00:23:55,989 --> 00:23:58,057
with developing scopes of work,

311
00:23:58,057 --> 00:24:03,262
for bidding home improvement program
projects and for review of workmanship on

312
00:24:03,262 --> 00:24:03,462
projects and for review of workmanship on
the

313
00:24:03,462 --> 00:24:05,397
projects during construction.

314
00:24:05,397 --> 00:24:10,534
Samantha has also proactively reached out
to work with community standards on

315
00:24:10,534 --> 00:24:15,605
home-related cases. One recent case was
using angel funds for yard and house

316
00:24:15,605 --> 00:24:16,072
using angel funds for yard and house
cleanup

317
00:24:16,072 --> 00:24:20,009
and then was going to home improvement
program for repairs.

318
00:24:20,009 --> 00:24:25,280
She provided routine check-ins with the
family to make sure they were following

319
00:24:25,280 --> 00:24:30,485
through with yard cleanup in a timely
manner before the housing division could

320
00:24:30,485 --> 00:24:33,287
proceed with the home improvement project.

321
00:24:33,287 --> 00:24:37,157
In addition to her work with the Home
Improvement Program,

322
00:24:37,157 --> 00:24:42,628
Samantha provided significant technical
assistance to nonprofit organizations that

323
00:24:42,628 --> 00:24:46,832
were receiving federal Community
Development Block Grant, CDBG,

324
00:24:46,832 --> 00:24:49,567
funding for public facility improvements.

325
00:24:49,567 --> 00:24:54,638
Often these nonprofits do not have the
construction background to understand

326
00:24:54,638 --> 00:24:54,972
construction background to understand
fully

327
00:24:54,972 --> 00:24:59,642
what needs to be included in a scope of
work for bidding the projects.

328
00:24:59,642 --> 00:25:04,914
She guided them through what items they
needed to consider and include in their

329
00:25:04,914 --> 00:25:05,180
needed to consider and include in their
bid.

330
00:25:05,180 --> 00:25:10,118
Helped them find additional places to
advertise and where to find lists of

331
00:25:10,118 --> 00:25:10,652
advertise and where to find lists of
eligible

332
00:25:10,652 --> 00:25:14,388
licensed contractors to get more bids on
their projects,

333
00:25:14,388 --> 00:25:19,392
and gave them suggestions for what they
needed to make sure were addressed.

334
00:25:19,392 --> 00:25:24,864
Samantha has also helped with the city's
CDBG-funded projects from several aspects

335
00:25:24,864 --> 00:25:27,066
during planning and construction.

336
00:25:27,066 --> 00:25:29,868
Her experience, attention to quality work,

337
00:25:29,868 --> 00:25:34,739
and passion for serving the community
shine through in all that she does.

338
00:25:34,739 --> 00:25:39,810
Congratulations. And next up, we have our
Manager of the Quarter, Norm Shaw,

339
00:25:39,810 --> 00:25:42,078
Construction Manager and Engineer.

340
00:25:42,078 --> 00:25:47,483
In just 4 years as the City of Largo's
Engineering Services Construction Manager,

341
00:25:47,483 --> 00:25:51,019
Norm Shaw has made a real impact on our
organization.

342
00:25:52,152 --> 00:25:52,752
Excuse me.

343
00:25:52,752 --> 00:25:57,657
On any given day, he manages more than a
dozen capital complex improvement projects

344
00:25:57,657 --> 00:26:02,504
and emergency repairs, including roadway,
stormwater, and wastewater construction.

345
00:26:02,504 --> 00:26:06,759
He has become a trusted resource for city
staff, residents, contractors,

346
00:26:06,759 --> 00:26:10,896
and partner agencies, consistently
demonstrating exceptional technical

347
00:26:10,896 --> 00:26:11,487
demonstrating exceptional technical
expertise,

348
00:26:11,487 --> 00:26:15,565
sound judgment, and a commitment to
delivering high-quality projects.

349
00:26:15,565 --> 00:26:20,470
His willingness to go above and beyond in
service to the community makes a positive

350
00:26:20,470 --> 00:26:21,711
difference every day.

351
00:26:21,711 --> 00:26:26,617
Most recently, Norm played a key role in
the success of the annual Bike and Roll to

352
00:26:26,617 --> 00:26:31,404
School Day event. This nationwide event
encourages students to safely walk, bike,

353
00:26:31,404 --> 00:26:34,714
or scooter to school while promoting
healthy lifestyles,

354
00:26:34,714 --> 00:26:38,792
reducing traffic congestion, lowering
emissions, and fostering safer,

355
00:26:38,792 --> 00:26:40,919
more connected communities. When St.

356
00:26:40,919 --> 00:26:45,706
Paul's School reached out with concerns
about an active city construction project

357
00:26:45,706 --> 00:26:49,607
along the planned 4.5-mile route from
Flagship Bank to the school,

358
00:26:49,607 --> 00:26:51,735
Norm immediately stepped in to help.

359
00:26:51,735 --> 00:26:56,226
He worked closely with the contractor, the
police, several city departments,

360
00:26:56,226 --> 00:27:00,363
and school staff to develop a safe route
around the construction area.

361
00:27:00,363 --> 00:27:04,914
He even attended the event to make sure
everything went smoothly and that the

362
00:27:04,914 --> 00:27:07,455
students and parents had a safe
experience.

363
00:27:07,455 --> 00:27:09,760
Thanks in large part to Norm's efforts,

364
00:27:09,760 --> 00:27:13,779
more than 60 students and their families
enjoyed a successful event.

365
00:27:13,779 --> 00:27:18,094
Norm's passion for serving the community,
his integrity, and his willing—

366
00:27:18,094 --> 00:27:22,408
willingness to step up whenever needed
make him an outstanding leader and

367
00:27:22,408 --> 00:27:22,940
make him an outstanding leader and
teammate.

368
00:27:22,940 --> 00:27:26,072
He leads by example, always puts the
community first,

369
00:27:26,072 --> 00:27:29,559
and consistently goes above and beyond to
get the job done.

370
00:27:29,559 --> 00:27:34,110
I cannot think of anyone more deserving of
being recognized as Manager of the

371
00:27:34,110 --> 00:27:51,883
Quarter. Congratulations, Ben.

372
00:28:15,547 --> 00:28:16,625
Oh, thank you very much.

373
00:28:18,890 --> 00:28:19,545
Congratulations.

374
00:28:19,971 --> 00:28:25,727
Congratulations. You're trying to make
everybody else feel bad.

375
00:28:25,727 --> 00:28:31,848
Once again, congratulations to all the
team members of the quarter.

376
00:28:31,848 --> 00:28:39,340
The next item on the agenda is a drawing
for ballot position for the November 3rd,

377
00:28:39,340 --> 00:28:41,899
2026 election. Good evening.

378
00:28:41,899 --> 00:28:49,299
Our city charter requires that the order
for candidates on our election ballot be

379
00:28:49,299 --> 00:28:56,608
drawn by lot, and tonight we're going to
draw for the one race we'll have on the

380
00:28:56,608 --> 00:29:03,461
November 3rd ballot for seat 2, and Pastor
King is going to do the drawing.

381
00:29:03,461 --> 00:29:09,948
This will be first position. Curtis
Holmes. Matthew Fastini. Thank you.

382
00:29:09,948 --> 00:29:16,343
That'll be our ballot order. Thank you.
Next up is citizens' comments.

383
00:29:16,343 --> 00:29:23,104
If you'd like to speak about something
that's on the agenda outside of the

384
00:29:23,104 --> 00:29:23,744
that's on the agenda outside of the
consent

385
00:29:23,744 --> 00:29:30,962
docket, please wait until the item comes
up. Do we have any cards this evening?

386
00:29:30,962 --> 00:29:35,073
We have several cards. First is Greg
Gardner.

387
00:29:35,073 --> 00:29:39,002
Is anyone displeased that I didn't
qualify?

388
00:29:39,002 --> 00:29:42,136
Nope.

389
00:29:42,136 --> 00:29:46,555
How do you like that? 7 to 0. All right.

390
00:29:46,715 --> 00:29:46,976
Thank you.

391
00:29:46,976 --> 00:29:52,162
Basically, this is— we got a group of
people here and they're from New Haven.

392
00:29:52,162 --> 00:29:57,280
And so this short speech is just about
this condominium complex that's very,

393
00:29:57,280 --> 00:30:01,591
very vulnerable. As far as maintenance
goes with our stormwater,

394
00:30:01,591 --> 00:30:05,093
which is our subject we had last
commission meeting,

395
00:30:05,093 --> 00:30:10,346
there is absolutely no maintenance. Are
they doing the grass and whatnot? Yes.

396
00:30:10,346 --> 00:30:15,801
But are they getting rid of the Hyacinth
weed? No, not at all. Are they dredging?

397
00:30:15,801 --> 00:30:20,313
No, not at all. It's really bad. It's— I
mean, it's really serious.

398
00:30:20,313 --> 00:30:25,230
Um, so we talked about increasing the, you
know, the rate for stormwater,

399
00:30:25,230 --> 00:30:30,820
and of course it was suggested at 15%, and
some of you said no, let's just do 7.5%.

400
00:30:30,820 --> 00:30:33,985
This is a department that's really
underfunded.

401
00:30:33,985 --> 00:30:38,834
This really needs attention, and these
elders are very, very vulnerable.

402
00:30:38,834 --> 00:30:43,077
So Willowbrook Condos, New Haven, and
Lincolnshire Mobile Home,

403
00:30:43,077 --> 00:30:47,320
it's the same across all these people.
Nothing is getting done.

404
00:30:47,320 --> 00:30:52,843
I mean, nothing's getting done. They're
cutting in the grass, but that's about it.

405
00:30:52,843 --> 00:30:55,739
So like DeBreezy, I'll give you an
example.

406
00:30:55,739 --> 00:30:58,769
So we're dealing— it's Channel 1, it's
Bayou,

407
00:30:58,769 --> 00:31:03,955
but anything north of Donegan Road Is
Channel 1 that I'm specifically talking

408
00:31:03,955 --> 00:31:04,359
Channel 1 that I'm specifically talking
about.

409
00:31:04,359 --> 00:31:09,882
And like where you live, that little ditch
on the other side of Belcher, you know,

410
00:31:09,882 --> 00:31:12,711
going toward west, that's, uh, Channel 10.

411
00:31:12,711 --> 00:31:16,684
And it goes to Pinecrest, and then it goes
on to Channel 1.

412
00:31:16,684 --> 00:31:18,974
And then there's one south of you,

413
00:31:18,974 --> 00:31:22,341
and it all gets backed up because of
Donegan Road.

414
00:31:22,341 --> 00:31:27,258
There's absolutely no cleaning, no
maintenance, no nothing. There's zero.

415
00:31:27,258 --> 00:31:29,413
And it's really, really serious.

416
00:31:29,413 --> 00:31:32,101
Thank you. Thank you.

417
00:31:32,101 --> 00:31:37,818
Here's something else to consider, that
the county literally has a FEMA rating of

418
00:31:37,818 --> 00:31:37,959
the county literally has a FEMA rating of
2.

419
00:31:37,959 --> 00:31:43,677
Why? We have a FEMA rating of 6. So in
this case, the lower, the absolute better.

420
00:31:43,677 --> 00:31:48,406
It's because they're actually doing the
work, and it's outstanding.

421
00:31:48,406 --> 00:31:53,205
And I've been looking at it. These guys
have got their act together.

422
00:31:53,205 --> 00:31:57,158
And so that's proof in the pudding. So
it's underfunded.

423
00:31:57,158 --> 00:32:02,170
I really want you to listen to these
people. Don't do this 7.5 and 7.5.

424
00:32:02,170 --> 00:32:06,334
Go— it should be like Johnson said, you
need— you're right,

425
00:32:06,334 --> 00:32:11,275
and you got it right this time. We need
the 15, but we really need 20.

426
00:32:11,275 --> 00:32:15,863
So, um, go— I'm making you a good guy
tonight. How you like that?

427
00:32:15,863 --> 00:32:19,815
Go with his suggestion because it is very,
very serious.

428
00:32:19,815 --> 00:32:24,615
Jay's going to get up here and talk on
behalf of, um, um, New Haven.

429
00:32:24,615 --> 00:32:24,968
Thank you.

430
00:32:25,202 --> 00:32:27,586
So thank you, and I'm going to miss you
guys.

431
00:32:28,584 --> 00:32:28,810
Bye.

432
00:32:28,810 --> 00:32:32,225
Thank you. Next speaker is John Enns.

433
00:32:32,225 --> 00:32:34,969
Good

434
00:32:34,969 --> 00:32:40,458
evening.

435
00:32:41,376 --> 00:32:44,247
My name is John Enns. I live on Arvest
Circle.

436
00:32:44,247 --> 00:32:47,555
You might have recognized me from a couple
years ago.

437
00:32:47,555 --> 00:32:52,235
We came in here complaining a little bit
about the extension or the plan of

438
00:32:52,235 --> 00:32:53,983
improvements to Rosary Road.

439
00:32:53,983 --> 00:32:58,726
But anyway, good to see that you're
starting on that particular project from

440
00:32:58,726 --> 00:32:59,038
starting on that particular project from
Keene

441
00:32:59,038 --> 00:33:00,349
to Arbor Circle West.

442
00:33:00,349 --> 00:33:05,529
But we're a little bit concerned because
the planned improvements include sidewalk,

443
00:33:05,529 --> 00:33:09,835
curb, ramp reconstruction for ADA
compliance, roadway reconstruction,

444
00:33:09,835 --> 00:33:14,391
drainage infrastructure upgrades, targeted
sanitary sewer rehabilitation,

445
00:33:14,391 --> 00:33:17,637
utility adjustments, new pavement
markings, signage,

446
00:33:17,637 --> 00:33:20,445
as well as driveway integrating
enhancements.

447
00:33:20,445 --> 00:33:21,278
Thank you. Yes.

448
00:33:21,278 --> 00:33:26,396
Everything there is going to be great,
tremendous improvement to the roadway,

449
00:33:26,396 --> 00:33:31,448
citizen safety, and drainage in the area
that is in long-term needed repair.

450
00:33:31,448 --> 00:33:37,031
However, as described in your newsletter,
it will only extend to Arvest Circle West.

451
00:33:37,031 --> 00:33:42,349
It leaves 110 yards from Arvest Circle
West to Damrosch unimproved, which to me,

452
00:33:42,349 --> 00:33:44,808
with Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

453
00:33:44,808 --> 00:33:50,192
Residents living along this section think
that all the work that you're doing for

454
00:33:50,192 --> 00:33:52,452
the other 900 yards is for naught.

455
00:33:52,452 --> 00:33:56,839
There's still going to be the potholes,
the drainage deficiencies,

456
00:33:56,839 --> 00:34:01,359
the safety concerns the improvement
project was intended to address.

457
00:34:01,359 --> 00:34:06,610
Residents living along this section and
areas that it serves are concerned that

458
00:34:06,610 --> 00:34:12,061
excluding 110 yards creates an unnecessary
gap between the otherwise comprehensive

459
00:34:12,061 --> 00:34:13,390
improvement project.

460
00:34:13,390 --> 00:34:18,442
Completing this remaining segment would
provide continuity with the Pinellas

461
00:34:18,442 --> 00:34:18,841
provide continuity with the Pinellas
County

462
00:34:18,841 --> 00:34:22,297
roadway improvements completed on Domrosh
last year,

463
00:34:22,297 --> 00:34:26,285
ensuring consistent roadway conditions,
safety improvements,

464
00:34:26,285 --> 00:34:30,207
improved drainage for motorists, cyclists,
and pedestrians.

465
00:34:30,207 --> 00:34:35,791
Largo residents affected by this omission
respectfully request that the city and the

466
00:34:35,791 --> 00:34:40,842
county extend the current project to
include the remaining section On Rosary

467
00:34:40,842 --> 00:34:41,175
include the remaining section On Rosary
Road,

468
00:34:41,175 --> 00:34:46,093
connecting the planned improvements this
year with the county improvements

469
00:34:46,093 --> 00:34:46,692
year with the county improvements
completed

470
00:34:46,692 --> 00:34:50,414
last year. Given the relatively short
distance involved,

471
00:34:50,414 --> 00:34:55,864
this addition would maximize the value of
the overall project and better serve the

472
00:34:55,864 --> 00:35:00,916
surrounding neighborhood by improving
safety, providing— preserving property

473
00:35:00,916 --> 00:35:01,381
safety, providing— preserving property
values,

474
00:35:01,381 --> 00:35:06,234
and providing a fully reconstructed
roadway. Safety is the biggest thing.

475
00:35:06,234 --> 00:35:08,294
You can't walk along that road,

476
00:35:08,294 --> 00:35:13,080
and leaving 110 yards of unfinished
roadway is not going to help at all.

477
00:35:13,080 --> 00:35:17,002
I've got 4 grandkids living on that street
and all my sons,

478
00:35:17,002 --> 00:35:22,053
and they're not going to be able to ride
their bike anywhere near that road.

479
00:35:22,053 --> 00:35:23,582
And I don't understand,

480
00:35:23,582 --> 00:35:27,969
as with many of the residents that I've
collected signatures from,

481
00:35:27,969 --> 00:35:31,891
we also don't understand why this is being
left unattended.

482
00:35:31,891 --> 00:35:37,275
We appreciate the city's commitment to
improving our roads and infrastructure and

483
00:35:37,275 --> 00:35:42,593
request that you will extend and complete
the Rosie Road project to include this

484
00:35:42,593 --> 00:35:44,919
important final segment. Thank you.

485
00:35:44,919 --> 00:35:45,260
Thank you.

486
00:35:45,260 --> 00:35:47,964
Next speaker is Robert Curls.

487
00:35:47,964 --> 00:35:50,667
I live on Aravis Circle West,

488
00:35:50,667 --> 00:35:56,261
and I received the letter stating just
what y'all are doing.

489
00:35:56,261 --> 00:35:59,804
You're going to be fixing Rosary Road.

490
00:35:59,804 --> 00:36:07,262
When I started reading it, and now I got
down to the end of the letter, it said,

491
00:36:07,262 --> 00:36:12,856
guess what? We're not going to be fixing
All of Rosary Road.

492
00:36:12,856 --> 00:36:18,636
And as John just said, that 110 yards
you're not going to fix.

493
00:36:18,636 --> 00:36:22,085
You fixed part of the road last year,

494
00:36:22,085 --> 00:36:27,679
and now you're going to start on fixing a
big section of it.

495
00:36:27,679 --> 00:36:32,527
But for whatever reason, and I don't know,
you know,

496
00:36:32,527 --> 00:36:36,536
you're not fixing a very short piece of
it.

497
00:36:36,536 --> 00:36:40,917
But to finish that project, the road is a
mess.

498
00:36:40,917 --> 00:36:47,257
I mean, you try to drive on it and it's
not going to get any better.

499
00:36:47,257 --> 00:36:52,944
And I don't know what process the City of
Largo went through,

500
00:36:52,944 --> 00:36:58,165
whether county owns half of it, you guys
own half of it,

501
00:36:58,165 --> 00:37:04,597
but maybe we can get together so we can
get the other 110 yards done.

502
00:37:04,597 --> 00:37:11,403
But, um, It's a mess and it's gotten
worse. I've lived in the home for 38

503
00:37:11,403 --> 00:37:11,963
worse. I've lived in the home for 38
years.

504
00:37:11,963 --> 00:37:19,794
I believe John's lived in that area for 40
years and it's just gotten worse over the

505
00:37:19,794 --> 00:37:26,879
years. And thank goodness we now have a
big section that's going to be done,

506
00:37:26,879 --> 00:37:32,473
but hopefully over the next, you know,
short period of time,

507
00:37:32,473 --> 00:37:34,710
or you can look into it.

508
00:37:34,710 --> 00:37:41,516
But John did a great job of telling you
exactly what I wish I could have.

509
00:37:41,516 --> 00:37:41,709
Thank you.

510
00:37:42,145 --> 00:37:45,596
But living in that area and driving on
Rosary Road,

511
00:37:45,596 --> 00:37:47,830
it's going to be nice and smooth.

512
00:37:47,830 --> 00:37:52,703
But as soon as you hit Harvest West and
you start walking and, you know,

513
00:37:52,703 --> 00:37:54,800
riding a bike or whatever else,

514
00:37:54,800 --> 00:37:58,387
you're going to get hurt on that little
last section.

515
00:37:58,387 --> 00:38:03,937
And I would do— I would really appreciate
if you could look into that or have your

516
00:38:03,937 --> 00:38:08,065
people look into it and see if we might be
able to— Yes, sir.

517
00:38:08,065 --> 00:38:13,073
Get the infrastructure fixed, the road
fixed, and then go from that point,

518
00:38:13,073 --> 00:38:15,374
and we can all be happy with that.

519
00:38:15,374 --> 00:38:20,585
And the other people that might be in our
group, um, I know our commissioner—

520
00:38:20,585 --> 00:38:22,345
I can't say her last name—

521
00:38:22,345 --> 00:38:27,894
would probably really love to be able to
walk all the way around the block staying

522
00:38:27,894 --> 00:38:33,376
on the sidewalk. But, you know, if you
have a dog that kind of walks out, uh, on—

523
00:38:33,376 --> 00:38:37,437
you have to go out into the road by chance
onto Rosary Road,

524
00:38:37,437 --> 00:38:42,512
you better be looking down because if
you're not, you're going to go into a

525
00:38:42,512 --> 00:38:43,054
you're not, you're going to go into a
pothole.

526
00:38:43,054 --> 00:38:47,250
And that pothole could be fixed with a
little bit extra money.

527
00:38:47,250 --> 00:38:51,378
So why don't we find that money and fix
the rest of the road?

528
00:38:51,940 --> 00:38:52,181
Thank you.

529
00:38:52,181 --> 00:39:00,430
Thank you. Next speaker is Jim Barbieri.

530
00:39:03,430 --> 00:39:03,783
Sure.

531
00:39:03,783 --> 00:39:09,473
So my name is Jim Barberi. I'm a Largo
resident, been a Largo resident for 30

532
00:39:09,473 --> 00:39:09,916
resident, been a Largo resident for 30
years.

533
00:39:09,916 --> 00:39:13,758
I'm here to speak about the Rosary Road
improvement,

534
00:39:13,758 --> 00:39:16,270
just like the previous 2 speakers.

535
00:39:16,270 --> 00:39:19,300
Um, uh, talking about walking that space,

536
00:39:19,300 --> 00:39:25,063
my wife walks our amazing dogs every night
and she avoids Rosary Road like the

537
00:39:25,063 --> 00:39:29,349
plague. It's, it's, it's been— well, we
know, we know why.

538
00:39:29,349 --> 00:39:35,482
We think the reason why it's been a mess
is because it's half owned by the city and

539
00:39:35,482 --> 00:39:37,329
half owned by the county.

540
00:39:37,329 --> 00:39:43,388
It's the only reason I can surmise why a
road that heavily trafficked has not been

541
00:39:43,388 --> 00:39:47,230
repaved. I too recently learned— well,
first of all,

542
00:39:47,230 --> 00:39:53,068
I was super excited to hear that the road
was going to be addressed a few years

543
00:39:53,068 --> 00:39:56,540
back. And it's something I've been waiting
for—

544
00:39:56,540 --> 00:40:01,048
that improvement I've been waiting for for
quite a few years,

545
00:40:01,048 --> 00:40:02,821
literally over a decade.

546
00:40:02,821 --> 00:40:06,959
But when I learned that it was only going
to Arvus West,

547
00:40:06,959 --> 00:40:09,619
and knowing that just before Helene,

548
00:40:09,619 --> 00:40:15,382
a massive project was started at the end
of Damrosch and Rosary to improve the

549
00:40:15,382 --> 00:40:21,294
drainage there, and to think that there's
1/10 of a mile that's going to be left

550
00:40:21,294 --> 00:40:21,737
alone.

551
00:40:21,737 --> 00:40:22,901
Right. Why?

552
00:40:23,273 --> 00:40:24,905
So my question is, why?

553
00:40:26,311 --> 00:40:29,528
Why was it chosen not to do the 1/10 of
the mile?

554
00:40:30,045 --> 00:40:32,786
Can anyone answer that?

555
00:40:32,786 --> 00:40:36,361
Certainly give it a shot after

556
00:40:36,361 --> 00:40:38,387
everybody speaks.

557
00:40:38,387 --> 00:40:39,641
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay.

558
00:40:39,978 --> 00:40:45,639
And then I thought it might be a good
question for the gentleman that was up

559
00:40:45,639 --> 00:40:46,011
question for the gentleman that was up
here.

560
00:40:46,011 --> 00:40:51,821
Was his name Shaw? Sounds like he knows a
little something about storm drains.

561
00:40:51,821 --> 00:40:57,780
But so, so those are my concerns. And I
just wanted to speak to that. Thank you.

562
00:40:57,780 --> 00:41:03,291
Okay, the next speaker is Jay Jewel, and
she's representing Carla Swanson,

563
00:41:03,291 --> 00:41:09,399
Mike Vico, Diane LaForge, Sandra Bates,
Christine Anderer, and Deborah Butterhoff.

564
00:41:09,399 --> 00:41:11,261
So she'll have 9 minutes.

565
00:41:11,261 --> 00:41:14,881
Good evening, Mr. Mayor. Good evening,
members of the commission.

566
00:41:14,881 --> 00:41:17,387
I'm sure you'll remember me from 2 weeks
ago.

567
00:41:17,387 --> 00:41:19,671
I've produced a folder this time for you,

568
00:41:19,671 --> 00:41:24,349
and I would like to go through that folder
little bit by little bit so I can explain

569
00:41:24,349 --> 00:41:26,744
to you how desperate this situation is
now.

570
00:41:26,744 --> 00:41:30,976
We can't wait until the end of the year or
next year. This is desperate now.

571
00:41:30,976 --> 00:41:33,315
So if you'd like to open your folders, um,

572
00:41:33,315 --> 00:41:36,546
the first part of the folder will show you
a letter I got.

573
00:41:36,546 --> 00:41:40,834
Actually, I got a phone call the day after
this meeting and then this letter.

574
00:41:40,834 --> 00:41:40,964
Yes.

575
00:41:42,017 --> 00:41:44,270
And it says, since February 25th,

576
00:41:44,270 --> 00:41:49,869
we have completed 11 work orders related
to vegetation and tree maintenance within

577
00:41:49,869 --> 00:41:53,147
the drainage easement northeast of the
property.

578
00:41:53,147 --> 00:41:56,014
That's where the property is in New Haven.

579
00:41:56,014 --> 00:42:00,179
That refers to the golf course, nothing to
do with New Haven.

580
00:42:00,179 --> 00:42:05,164
And then it says, records also show 2
steam bank restorations during this

581
00:42:05,164 --> 00:42:05,642
steam bank restorations during this
period,

582
00:42:05,642 --> 00:42:11,377
along with vegetation and sediment removal
in the southernmost portion of the canal.

583
00:42:11,377 --> 00:42:12,879
This has not happened.

584
00:42:12,879 --> 00:42:14,313
And then it says, um,

585
00:42:14,313 --> 00:42:19,844
the city also maintains a contract with
Lake Brothers LLC for monthly inspections

586
00:42:19,844 --> 00:42:22,097
and aquatic herbicide treatments.

587
00:42:22,097 --> 00:42:27,628
This agreement has been in place since
October 25th. They come when they want to.

588
00:42:27,628 --> 00:42:32,749
And the next bit is that they're
physically removing floating vegetation to

589
00:42:32,749 --> 00:42:33,227
physically removing floating vegetation to
improve

590
00:42:33,227 --> 00:42:38,075
the flow through the downstream culverts
within the next 8 to 10 weeks.

591
00:42:38,075 --> 00:42:43,674
Removing the top of this vegetation isn't
going to make any difference whatsoever.

592
00:42:43,674 --> 00:42:49,068
This vegetation has been growing for
nearly 3 years since the young man, or old

593
00:42:49,068 --> 00:42:49,341
nearly 3 years since the young man, or old
man,

594
00:42:49,341 --> 00:42:51,662
that did the dredging for us died.

595
00:42:51,662 --> 00:42:57,193
We haven't had anybody in there, so all
this vegetation has rotted, been sprayed,

596
00:42:57,193 --> 00:42:59,446
sunk, rotted, been sprayed, sunk.

597
00:42:59,446 --> 00:43:05,113
So it's now— there's only about a foot of
water floating on top of that vegetation.

598
00:43:05,113 --> 00:43:05,728
It needs—

599
00:43:05,728 --> 00:43:05,862
2 feet.

600
00:43:06,370 --> 00:43:09,472
dredging. There's no taking this top off.

601
00:43:09,472 --> 00:43:14,920
So the first piece of paper you have
should look like— after the letter—

602
00:43:14,920 --> 00:43:17,114
should look like this, right?

603
00:43:17,114 --> 00:43:23,318
That shows you on the bottom half how many
times Lake Brothers say they've been to

604
00:43:23,318 --> 00:43:25,966
our property and what they've done.

605
00:43:25,966 --> 00:43:30,960
Somebody needs to supervise this because
it hasn't been done ever.

606
00:43:30,960 --> 00:43:36,407
Oh, I beg your pardon. Yes, it did,
because the next picture you have Is

607
00:43:36,407 --> 00:43:36,861
because the next picture you have Is
where—

608
00:43:36,861 --> 00:43:37,389
Hello.

609
00:43:37,389 --> 00:43:40,712
The Lake brothers have sprayed the growth.

610
00:43:40,712 --> 00:43:46,566
You see that big, or little, it's 12-foot
square actually, patch of brown?

611
00:43:46,566 --> 00:43:52,578
They've stood on the side of the lake, got
their hose and hosed it and left.

612
00:43:52,578 --> 00:43:58,907
I was there. Then they went to the north
and sprayed around the top of the bank.

613
00:43:58,907 --> 00:44:04,840
That dies. There's nothing to keep the
bank in place, so the bank seeps in,

614
00:44:04,840 --> 00:44:10,457
causing more sediment. Next piece of paper
should look like this. Okay?

615
00:44:10,457 --> 00:44:16,311
And you'll note it's dated 2013, where— I
haven't got my magnifying glass.

616
00:44:16,311 --> 00:44:19,238
On the, on the top right-hand corner,

617
00:44:19,238 --> 00:44:24,380
it says that all this work is going to be
done at New Haven. Yes.

618
00:44:24,380 --> 00:44:26,041
Can somebody read it?

619
00:44:26,041 --> 00:44:32,291
Because I haven't got my magnifying glass,
and this is what I had to print off.

620
00:44:32,291 --> 00:44:37,670
It says all this work is going to be done.
That was 2013. It's 2026.

621
00:44:37,670 --> 00:44:40,597
The pages that I'm going to show you—

622
00:44:40,597 --> 00:44:47,163
the next page is where I'm going to show
you where there is nothing that Largo City

623
00:44:47,163 --> 00:44:51,989
are going to do until 2031. There is no
money for stormwater.

624
00:44:51,989 --> 00:44:56,973
No money for stormwater in '28, no money
for stormwater in '29,

625
00:44:56,973 --> 00:45:01,324
no money for stormwater in '30, and £2
million in 2031.

626
00:45:01,324 --> 00:45:07,494
We will have had— our properties won't
exist if you leave it that long because

627
00:45:07,494 --> 00:45:07,890
exist if you leave it that long because
we've

628
00:45:07,890 --> 00:45:12,162
already been flooded once, and like I told
you before,

629
00:45:12,162 --> 00:45:17,620
it cost £22.4 million plus to get us back
in our homes after 2 years.

630
00:45:17,620 --> 00:45:23,553
I represent over 1,000 people. We have
between Phase 1 and Phase 2 over 230

631
00:45:23,553 --> 00:45:24,107
between Phase 1 and Phase 2 over 230
condos.

632
00:45:24,107 --> 00:45:30,119
The Lincolnshire mobile home park, which
was also devastated, has 400 homes.

633
00:45:30,119 --> 00:45:35,420
That's over 1,000 people that this— what
I'm doing is representing.

634
00:45:35,420 --> 00:45:41,432
And then we've got the project background
for Largo Starkey Road Basin Flood

635
00:45:41,432 --> 00:45:48,077
Mitigation Project. And it was authorized
by the state that they would give you $3.8

636
00:45:48,077 --> 00:45:53,378
million and the local people would match
it at 30% at $1.6 million.

637
00:45:53,378 --> 00:45:56,700
That's $5.4 million for us to flood again.

638
00:45:56,700 --> 00:46:01,921
Pinellas County is rated at 2 with FEMA
for flooding. 2. We are 6.

639
00:46:01,921 --> 00:46:07,538
Our insurance costs have tripled this
year, tripled for us to get flood

640
00:46:07,538 --> 00:46:08,329
year, tripled for us to get flood
insurance.

641
00:46:08,329 --> 00:46:13,550
This is one of the reasons. You see this?
This is Pinellas County.

642
00:46:13,550 --> 00:46:19,642
They have a barrier there to stop all
those weeds going into their waterways.

643
00:46:19,642 --> 00:46:25,971
That's their— I took this in the rain.
These are their waterways. They're clear.

644
00:46:25,971 --> 00:46:32,378
There's not a weed in them because they've
stopped it in New Haven, in the basin,

645
00:46:32,378 --> 00:46:38,470
like I told you, like a retention pond.
This is Olmerton Bridge, south of us.

646
00:46:38,470 --> 00:46:44,798
Totally clear, not a weed in sight. I'm
going to read you— I've got enough time.

647
00:46:44,798 --> 00:46:50,732
I'm going to read you what Hydrilla does.
This is the weed that's on there.

648
00:46:50,732 --> 00:46:56,348
Hydrilla spreads rapidly and can
completely clog waterways and restrict

649
00:46:56,348 --> 00:46:57,219
completely clog waterways and restrict
water flow,

650
00:46:57,219 --> 00:47:03,231
posing significant threats to aquatic
ecosystems and recreational resources.

651
00:47:03,231 --> 00:47:09,560
This aggressive invasive aquatic plant
grows rapidly, up to 1 inch a day, a day,

652
00:47:09,560 --> 00:47:15,809
and forms massive dense underwater mats,
which it's done in our piece of water.

653
00:47:15,809 --> 00:47:18,815
We call it our water. It clogs canals.

654
00:47:18,815 --> 00:47:24,274
The plant completely blocks drainage
systems and irrigation channels,

655
00:47:24,274 --> 00:47:27,438
reduces irrigation flow rates up to 90%,

656
00:47:27,438 --> 00:47:32,027
impedes movement in moving water like
streams and ditches.

657
00:47:32,027 --> 00:47:37,960
It gets stagnant, heavily weeded water
experiences— it drops and dissolves,

658
00:47:37,960 --> 00:47:43,656
and it drops in dissolved oxygen
frequently leading to killing the fish.

659
00:47:43,656 --> 00:47:49,193
Its dense vegetation entangles boat
propellers, well, not in our case,

660
00:47:49,193 --> 00:47:49,905
propellers, well, not in our case,
swimming,

661
00:47:49,905 --> 00:47:52,753
and makes fishing nearly impossible.

662
00:47:52,753 --> 00:47:57,025
Thick mats clog water intake pipes,
filters, and dams.

663
00:47:57,025 --> 00:48:03,512
Our bridge is collapsing because it's been
crushed by these weeds under the water,

664
00:48:03,512 --> 00:48:07,626
literally crushed. It's giving way, so
people can't—

665
00:48:07,626 --> 00:48:10,711
soon won't be able to cross the bridge.

666
00:48:10,759 --> 00:48:11,513
We'll have to close the brush—

667
00:48:11,801 --> 00:48:17,036
this bridge down. When hydrilla chokes
waterways and slows the water down,

668
00:48:17,036 --> 00:48:20,927
it triggers severe environmental and
structural issues.

669
00:48:20,927 --> 00:48:25,738
Restricted flow in drainage canals
prevents proper water management,

670
00:48:25,738 --> 00:48:29,205
causing upstream flooding. which is what
we have.

671
00:48:29,205 --> 00:48:34,723
Slower water circulation creates stagnant
pools which turn into ideal mosquito

672
00:48:34,723 --> 00:48:39,534
breeding. Dominique de Glorias, who is in
the Lago water management,

673
00:48:39,534 --> 00:48:44,486
in his own words, he said he has 38 miles
of open ditches to maintain.

674
00:48:44,486 --> 00:48:48,024
Work will maybe get done in an 8 to 10
week cycle.

675
00:48:48,024 --> 00:48:52,976
We know that's not correct because when
you look at these photographs,

676
00:48:52,976 --> 00:48:58,494
the next lot of photographs you have I
would like somebody to point me out the

677
00:48:58,494 --> 00:49:03,234
water. Can somebody tell me where the
water is in that whole bayou?

678
00:49:03,234 --> 00:49:08,682
You can't see it because it's covered from
side to side, from north to south.

679
00:49:08,682 --> 00:49:10,380
You can't see the water.

680
00:49:10,380 --> 00:49:13,299
This one.

681
00:49:13,299 --> 00:49:17,464
That's south of the bridge that's
collapsing, by the way.

682
00:49:17,464 --> 00:49:21,847
No, sorry, north of the bridge. This is
south of the bridge.

683
00:49:21,847 --> 00:49:26,158
You can see a little bit of water there,
just a little bit,

684
00:49:26,158 --> 00:49:29,081
because then that leads to— where is it?

685
00:49:29,081 --> 00:49:34,779
Oh, it leads to the, uh, section— sorry—
where it blocks, it clogs because of—

686
00:49:34,779 --> 00:49:40,771
actually, I showed you the picture where
the yellow tape is that Penella's got up.

687
00:49:40,771 --> 00:49:42,378
That's where it stops.

688
00:49:42,378 --> 00:49:42,635
Okay.

689
00:49:43,506 --> 00:49:46,833
So all of it is encompassed around New
Haven.

690
00:49:46,833 --> 00:49:52,968
Phase 1 and Phase 2, when that water comes
up, it's— you can see from the pictures,

691
00:49:52,968 --> 00:49:57,773
it's 9 inches with this rain from cresting
and flooding us again.

692
00:49:57,773 --> 00:50:01,100
$2.4 million to get us back in after 2
years.

693
00:50:01,100 --> 00:50:07,235
And we'll— our people are 60, 70, 80, 90
years old looking out every day wondering,

694
00:50:07,235 --> 00:50:11,671
is this going to be the day we're going to
be flooded again?

695
00:50:11,671 --> 00:50:17,141
We don't need it in 2031. We don't even
need it next year. We need it now.

696
00:50:17,141 --> 00:50:23,129
Dredge this piece of water now, please.
Thank you for your time. I appreciate it.

697
00:50:23,129 --> 00:50:23,868
Thank you.

698
00:50:23,868 --> 00:50:32,026
Next speaker is Matt Faustini.

699
00:50:35,026 --> 00:50:35,490
Good evening, all.

700
00:50:35,699 --> 00:50:38,643
Matt Faustini, 1015 Lake Palms Drive,
Largo.

701
00:50:38,643 --> 00:50:42,724
I'm not going to make myself any friends
here by saying this,

702
00:50:42,724 --> 00:50:47,942
but I know a number of people have come
out just recently to talk about Rosary

703
00:50:47,942 --> 00:50:48,277
out just recently to talk about Rosary
Road.

704
00:50:48,277 --> 00:50:50,886
That road does end at Arvis Drive West.

705
00:50:51,047 --> 00:50:53,341
It is no longer a City of Largo road,

706
00:50:53,341 --> 00:50:57,620
and the vast majority of the properties
south of it are not in Largo.

707
00:50:57,620 --> 00:50:59,790
They are unincorporated properties.

708
00:50:59,790 --> 00:51:04,813
We are in a situation where we're looking
at cutting $1.1 million from our budget

709
00:51:04,813 --> 00:51:05,433
this year.

710
00:51:07,248 --> 00:51:10,145
So I understand their concerns,

711
00:51:10,145 --> 00:51:16,780
but we need the county to come to the
table to really address that full

712
00:51:16,780 --> 00:51:22,387
problem. Tonight I want to talk in general
about the budget.

713
00:51:22,387 --> 00:51:29,210
I want to reiterate and stand in full
agreement with Commissioner DeBrisi

714
00:51:29,210 --> 00:51:35,938
about looking at our budgets from actuals
and not from budget to budget.

715
00:51:35,938 --> 00:51:42,667
The proposed budget by the city manager
Right now, author is at $994.77.

716
00:51:42,667 --> 00:51:49,489
In 2016, we were at $882.27 with a
population of about 4,000 people less.

717
00:51:49,489 --> 00:51:52,947
And what's even more wild about this,

718
00:51:52,947 --> 00:51:59,208
so we've added 112 positions to the
payroll over a decade where our

719
00:51:59,208 --> 00:52:03,507
population has grown from 48,650 to around
40—

720
00:52:03,700 --> 00:52:05,209
or 83,000 today.

721
00:52:05,209 --> 00:52:07,287
And to make it even worse,

722
00:52:07,287 --> 00:52:13,281
this budget says there's 43 immediately
unfilled positions that are urgent.

723
00:52:13,281 --> 00:52:19,834
Then it says there's another 108 long-term
positions that are needed in the future

724
00:52:19,834 --> 00:52:26,148
and are unfunded. That's 151 additional
unfunded personnel needs in the budget.

725
00:52:26,148 --> 00:52:31,183
I don't know what our headcount was before
the Great Recession,

726
00:52:31,183 --> 00:52:36,857
but I don't believe we've ever had a
headcount over 1,000 in this city.

727
00:52:36,857 --> 00:52:38,216
I could be wrong.

728
00:52:38,216 --> 00:52:43,949
These artificial high baselines makes it
easy for city administration to

729
00:52:43,949 --> 00:52:49,283
come here and ask you to make cuts instead
of looking at our actual

730
00:52:49,283 --> 00:52:50,000
spending.

731
00:52:50,986 --> 00:52:55,779
How many of these paid positions Are there
vacant positions?

732
00:52:55,779 --> 00:53:00,811
How long have they been vacant? Do we
really need to fill that?

733
00:53:00,811 --> 00:53:06,003
Do we know that position's going to stay
vacant for another year?

734
00:53:06,003 --> 00:53:08,879
These are all monies we can look at.

735
00:53:08,879 --> 00:53:15,429
And when you look at the budget, what's
crazy again is library's taking a 12% cut,

736
00:53:15,429 --> 00:53:17,985
public works is taking a 9% cut.

737
00:53:17,985 --> 00:53:22,778
Meanwhile, we're increasing spending
elsewhere and renaming.

738
00:53:22,778 --> 00:53:26,533
My favorite is, and I'll talk about this
later,

739
00:53:26,533 --> 00:53:32,683
in performance and budget where the
sustainability and resilience manager was

740
00:53:32,683 --> 00:53:37,716
reclassified to the performance strategy
program administrator.

741
00:53:37,716 --> 00:53:43,627
Very interesting how we can protect some
employees but not all. Thank you.

742
00:53:43,627 --> 00:53:46,503
Next speaker is Craig Murtha. Hello.

743
00:53:46,503 --> 00:53:52,573
First, I'd like to congratulate all of the
commissioners who were reelected.

744
00:53:52,573 --> 00:53:58,884
It was a hard, competitive race, but I
knew that you all would come out on top.

745
00:53:58,884 --> 00:54:00,164
Thank you.

746
00:54:00,164 --> 00:54:06,098
But anyhow, the lady said that we were a 6
and Pinellas County was a 2 as far as our

747
00:54:06,098 --> 00:54:09,700
stormwater rating. And of course, 2 is
much better.

748
00:54:09,700 --> 00:54:12,526
The lower the number, the better we are.

749
00:54:12,526 --> 00:54:16,623
And that really surprised me, 'cause
Pinellas Park is a 5.

750
00:54:16,623 --> 00:54:19,095
They've got a lower number than us.

751
00:54:19,095 --> 00:54:21,355
And I remember back in the '70s,

752
00:54:21,355 --> 00:54:25,876
that place flooded all the time until they
dug all these canals,

753
00:54:25,876 --> 00:54:29,055
and they were like really right on top of
it.

754
00:54:29,055 --> 00:54:34,989
I was just wondering why we are not on top
of it. It's just puzzling. It's puzzling.

755
00:54:34,989 --> 00:54:38,874
It really is. Anyhow, I'm going to just
bite my tongue.

756
00:54:38,874 --> 00:54:43,889
But I think part of the reason why we have
a lot of flooding in cities,

757
00:54:43,889 --> 00:54:47,562
I think is obvious, is so much asphalt and
concrete.

758
00:54:47,562 --> 00:54:52,931
And a lot of that comes from these
low-rise apartment buildings we're doing.

759
00:54:52,931 --> 00:54:58,087
Because we build these low-rise apartment
buildings. And they're not bad.

760
00:54:58,087 --> 00:55:03,597
Before I said they have no amenities. I
was riding my bike past one last week.

761
00:55:03,597 --> 00:55:03,855
Yeah.

762
00:55:04,059 --> 00:55:06,769
It was pretty decent, had a swimming pool,

763
00:55:06,769 --> 00:55:11,545
but almost the rest of the property was
asphalt. Because that's the thing.

764
00:55:11,545 --> 00:55:13,739
I mean, the more units you put in,

765
00:55:13,739 --> 00:55:18,902
the more asphalt you're going to have
because you're going to have more parking.

766
00:55:18,902 --> 00:55:20,257
And that, one by one,

767
00:55:20,257 --> 00:55:24,388
these asphalt parking lots are adding up
to flooding for people.

768
00:55:24,388 --> 00:55:28,647
Because I don't think— I'm wrong, but you
correct me if I'm wrong.

769
00:55:28,647 --> 00:55:33,616
But my guess is that these parking lots
are not engineered for 24 inches. No.

770
00:55:33,616 --> 00:55:37,359
Of rain, which we have seen and we will
see in the future.

771
00:55:37,359 --> 00:55:42,715
And that's what they need to be engineered
for. But please correct me if I'm wrong.

772
00:55:42,715 --> 00:55:44,458
But because if they're not,

773
00:55:44,458 --> 00:55:49,685
we're just saying we can deal with the
flooding for all the people who live along

774
00:55:49,685 --> 00:55:51,686
these creeks. Another thing is,

775
00:55:51,686 --> 00:55:56,784
why do we have this attitude that all
these high and dry areas should just feed

776
00:55:56,784 --> 00:56:01,818
their water through these pipes off into
the creeks so we can flood the people

777
00:56:01,818 --> 00:56:02,140
the creeks so we can flood the people
along

778
00:56:02,140 --> 00:56:04,657
the creeks? That makes no sense at all.

779
00:56:04,657 --> 00:56:09,756
We should engineer every property to hold
water completely in the worst storms.

780
00:56:09,756 --> 00:56:13,757
The whole idea of piping water to creeks
makes no sense to me.

781
00:56:13,757 --> 00:56:18,597
I think it's unconscionable because we
have a lot of people living in these

782
00:56:18,597 --> 00:56:22,985
low-lying areas and we're building more.
More at just the City Hall.

783
00:56:22,985 --> 00:56:27,890
That place is not high and dry. And we're
going to go ahead and build there.

784
00:56:27,890 --> 00:56:32,988
And by the way, that City Hall property
could be a property that could help the

785
00:56:32,988 --> 00:56:35,376
people in Lincolnshire and New Haven.

786
00:56:35,376 --> 00:56:38,603
And because, I mean, we could make
capacity there.

787
00:56:38,603 --> 00:56:43,766
We could also make a tremendous amount of
capacity over in the 88 acres that was

788
00:56:43,766 --> 00:56:47,315
gonna be sold off and paved over with a
lot of asphalt.

789
00:56:47,315 --> 00:56:50,219
So yeah, we need to really work a lot
harder.

790
00:56:50,219 --> 00:56:52,833
Thank you.

791
00:56:55,833 --> 00:56:57,547
The next speaker is Amy Enns.

792
00:56:57,547 --> 00:57:02,106
Hello, Amy Enns, Harvest Circle East,
another one.

793
00:57:02,106 --> 00:57:07,850
I just had a few more things to add to
what everyone else said,

794
00:57:07,850 --> 00:57:10,220
total agreement with them.

795
00:57:10,220 --> 00:57:16,055
I wanted someone to ask us how we fell off
of a paving schedule.

796
00:57:16,055 --> 00:57:21,617
So it's been over 30 years that that road
has not been paved.

797
00:57:21,617 --> 00:57:28,090
Has anyone been down Rosary Road, the
section that we're talking about,

798
00:57:28,090 --> 00:57:30,734
other than Commissioner Hulk?

799
00:57:30,734 --> 00:57:31,883
My dad lives there.

800
00:57:31,883 --> 00:57:34,306
Okay. It looks like, um, Beirut,

801
00:57:34,306 --> 00:57:39,378
like it was bombed and filled in with
pothole fillers for 30 years.

802
00:57:39,378 --> 00:57:45,131
You can imagine not being paved for that
long. So it is a tremendous hazard.

803
00:57:45,131 --> 00:57:47,554
It is a hazard for our children.

804
00:57:47,554 --> 00:57:52,777
But can someone figure this out, how we
fell off the paving schedule,

805
00:57:52,777 --> 00:57:58,682
or how we could not talk to the county in
over 30 years of coming together and

806
00:57:58,682 --> 00:58:04,739
paving this road? I mean, what was— what's
the problem? No one understands that.

807
00:58:04,739 --> 00:58:06,783
But we are Largo residents.

808
00:58:06,783 --> 00:58:08,751
We pay our taxes to Largo,

809
00:58:08,751 --> 00:58:13,823
and we expect Largo to have those
conversations because we're Largo

810
00:58:13,823 --> 00:58:14,807
conversations because we're Largo
residents and

811
00:58:14,807 --> 00:58:16,852
Arvus Circle is 100% Largo.

812
00:58:16,852 --> 00:58:19,425
Since the development in the '70s,

813
00:58:19,425 --> 00:58:24,952
we've always been Largo even though we
have a Clearwater mailing address.

814
00:58:24,952 --> 00:58:28,964
So I think that's where the confusion is
coming from.

815
00:58:28,964 --> 00:58:34,188
And, um, we would like to know how we are
not on the paving schedule,

816
00:58:34,188 --> 00:58:39,260
even Arvus Circle. So We have been there
in that home for 40 years.

817
00:58:39,260 --> 00:58:44,257
So if someone could just get us some
answers, that would be great.

818
00:58:44,257 --> 00:58:46,301
And then also on the creek,

819
00:58:46,301 --> 00:58:52,433
because we are on the water and we do have
boat access just like Venetian and Del

820
00:58:52,433 --> 00:58:57,883
Oro, I heard that Del Oro did not flood
because they had a lift station.

821
00:58:57,883 --> 00:59:01,971
A lift station there. So could somebody
check on that?

822
00:59:01,971 --> 00:59:05,454
Because that would be a great idea for us
too.

823
00:59:05,454 --> 00:59:09,542
But anyways, these are just all questions
that we had,

824
00:59:09,542 --> 00:59:13,100
and I just wanted to add that little bit.
Okay.

825
00:59:13,100 --> 00:59:15,923
Thank you. That's all the cards. Thank
you.

826
00:59:15,923 --> 00:59:20,979
I would ask if the city manager, if we
have any information on, first of all,

827
00:59:20,979 --> 00:59:23,475
the plan for Canal 1 behind New Haven.

828
00:59:23,475 --> 00:59:26,626
And I know that, as has been talked about
today,

829
00:59:26,626 --> 00:59:31,879
they experienced significant flooding
during Milton. where we got a lot of rain.

830
00:59:31,879 --> 00:59:37,329
And I've seen pictures more recently when
there was a significant amount of rain in

831
00:59:37,329 --> 00:59:42,057
a day when the water was very high there.
Saw a bunch of pictures today.

832
00:59:42,057 --> 00:59:44,421
I know that, as was described today,

833
00:59:44,421 --> 00:59:47,901
the water flows generally south into
Pinellas County.

834
00:59:47,901 --> 00:59:52,563
What are our efforts to make sure that the
water can flow through that?

835
00:59:52,563 --> 00:59:57,159
What are the challenges? What are the
roadblocks? What has to be done?

836
00:59:57,159 --> 01:00:00,968
Essentially, it's just moving the water
downstream, right?

837
01:00:00,968 --> 01:00:05,892
And how can we do that better, and what's
our plan? Sure. Thank you, Mayor.

838
01:00:05,892 --> 01:00:10,751
And I do want to thank everyone for
providing some of their information in

839
01:00:10,751 --> 01:00:11,277
providing some of their information in
advance.

840
01:00:11,277 --> 01:00:15,676
So we do have our team here prepared and
ready to answer questions.

841
01:00:15,676 --> 01:00:20,010
So thank you to all the citizens for that,
for both neighborhoods.

842
01:00:20,010 --> 01:00:25,197
And first, Mayor, I do want to address the
CRS rating because that did come up.

843
01:00:25,197 --> 01:00:26,576
We are currently a 6.

844
01:00:26,576 --> 01:00:29,662
We were audited last year following the
storms,

845
01:00:29,662 --> 01:00:34,061
part of the regular cycle for review. We
are awaiting our 5 rating.

846
01:00:34,061 --> 01:00:35,703
We would have a 5 rating,

847
01:00:35,703 --> 01:00:40,431
unfortunately not for this insurance
season because it's been held up in

848
01:00:40,431 --> 01:00:41,087
season because it's been held up in
Washington

849
01:00:41,087 --> 01:00:42,466
due to, first of all,

850
01:00:42,466 --> 01:00:47,391
the shutdown delayed review and now just
whatever situation is happening in

851
01:00:47,391 --> 01:00:52,118
Washington now has delayed the review of
that CRS rating. So we are a 5.

852
01:00:52,118 --> 01:00:57,174
We should be acknowledged for that 5 as
soon as it's processed in Washington.

853
01:00:57,174 --> 01:01:02,493
As part of— I think the one employee that
we did add last year was our floodplain

854
01:01:02,493 --> 01:01:04,923
manager. And that was done, you know,

855
01:01:04,923 --> 01:01:09,913
with the representation that that would
help us improve our flood management

856
01:01:09,913 --> 01:01:10,373
help us improve our flood management
program

857
01:01:10,373 --> 01:01:12,605
as well as improve our CRS rating.

858
01:01:12,605 --> 01:01:17,989
The Commission will have on its October
work session I believe a presentation from

859
01:01:17,989 --> 01:01:22,980
our floodplain manager to discuss our
future floodplain mitigation strategy,

860
01:01:22,980 --> 01:01:28,430
which will help us improve our rating and
obviously provide better flood management

861
01:01:28,430 --> 01:01:31,319
for the community. So that's the CRS
rating.

862
01:01:31,319 --> 01:01:35,784
I think Bill Ingram is here, our assistant
director in public works,

863
01:01:35,784 --> 01:01:41,168
to talk about the stormwater program and
address specifically the New Haven issue.

864
01:01:41,168 --> 01:01:43,598
Good afternoon, Commission and Mayor.

865
01:01:43,598 --> 01:01:47,209
I'm Billy Ingram with the, uh, Public
Works Department.

866
01:01:47,209 --> 01:01:49,573
I'm Assistant Public Works Director.

867
01:01:49,573 --> 01:01:53,972
I have with me our Streets and Stormwater
Manager Dominic DeGloria.

868
01:01:53,972 --> 01:01:57,452
And, uh, to, to answer your question, we
do have, uh,

869
01:01:57,452 --> 01:02:02,574
levels of service there that we are
providing and we have provided and that we

870
01:02:02,574 --> 01:02:02,837
providing and we have provided and that we
will

871
01:02:02,837 --> 01:02:07,696
continue to provide. Um, we do have the
contract in place that is sprayed.

872
01:02:07,696 --> 01:02:10,191
If there's more that needs to be done,

873
01:02:10,191 --> 01:02:14,984
then we We have the ability to call those
teams in for an extra spraying.

874
01:02:14,984 --> 01:02:18,070
We have not done that this year that I
know of,

875
01:02:18,070 --> 01:02:23,520
but we do have a plan in place to continue
to provide the level of services that we

876
01:02:23,520 --> 01:02:25,490
have provided there for years.

877
01:02:25,490 --> 01:02:27,788
In the 6 years that I've been here,

878
01:02:27,788 --> 01:02:33,238
we have never placed anything in the canal
to dredge that because of certain issues

879
01:02:33,238 --> 01:02:38,425
that we are discussing with our team to
determine where the ownership piece is.

880
01:02:38,425 --> 01:02:43,744
We do own a piece on the south of that
that we have dredged multiple times in the

881
01:02:43,744 --> 01:02:43,810
that we have dredged multiple times in the
3

882
01:02:43,810 --> 01:02:47,552
years that I've been— in the 6 years that
I've been here.

883
01:02:47,552 --> 01:02:50,310
So as far as what our maintenance plan is,

884
01:02:50,310 --> 01:02:54,775
our Streets and Stormwater Manager has a
better idea, a better plan.

885
01:02:54,775 --> 01:02:59,437
He's written the plan, so we'll let him
talk a little bit more on that.

886
01:02:59,437 --> 01:03:02,655
Thank you, everyone. My name is Dominic
DeGloria.

887
01:03:02,655 --> 01:03:07,842
I'm the Streets and Stormwater Manager
with the Public Works Department here in

888
01:03:07,842 --> 01:03:08,039
with the Public Works Department here in
the

889
01:03:08,039 --> 01:03:13,423
city of Largo. So our, like, as Billy was
alluding to, our plan is ongoing, right?

890
01:03:13,423 --> 01:03:18,348
We have continued maintenance operations,
not just on the New Haven parcel.

891
01:03:18,396 --> 01:03:21,105
There's actually a combination of parcels
out there,

892
01:03:21,105 --> 01:03:22,876
multiple owners and multiple HOAs.

893
01:03:23,663 --> 01:03:27,244
So it's not targeted at any one location
or any one resident.

894
01:03:27,244 --> 01:03:29,768
It's actually the entirety of the
property.

895
01:03:29,768 --> 01:03:34,229
What we have out there that's a little
unique is that There is that multiple

896
01:03:34,229 --> 01:03:35,990
ownership component out there.

897
01:03:36,199 --> 01:03:40,472
So making sure that we have everything
covered on our end to be able to perform,

898
01:03:40,472 --> 01:03:44,799
you know, the duties that we are currently
undertaking and those that we're being

899
01:03:44,799 --> 01:03:45,867
requested to handle.

900
01:03:45,916 --> 01:03:49,308
So, like, we're just reiterating what
we're saying,

901
01:03:49,308 --> 01:03:52,167
that we do a monthly spray cycle out
there.

902
01:03:52,167 --> 01:03:57,088
We control the vegetation on the southeast
parcel, which is city property,

903
01:03:57,088 --> 01:04:00,347
and then also mowing activities on the
northeast.

904
01:04:00,347 --> 01:04:00,635
Thank you.

905
01:04:01,523 --> 01:04:03,361
reiterating much of what Ms.

906
01:04:03,361 --> 01:04:08,286
Sewell said, uh, you know, we're committed
to carrying on those duties, um,

907
01:04:08,286 --> 01:04:09,927
as we've been doing them.

908
01:04:09,927 --> 01:04:14,260
And it's, it's important for us to, to, to
put this out there too.

909
01:04:14,260 --> 01:04:18,462
This is a multi-department and
multi-agency situation out there.

910
01:04:18,462 --> 01:04:23,715
We have certain pieces that all fall into
our perspective as far as maintenance.

911
01:04:23,715 --> 01:04:27,129
Public Works is a maintenance-oriented
organization.

912
01:04:27,129 --> 01:04:32,119
Engineering has pieces that they are
working with the county on to help with

913
01:04:32,119 --> 01:04:32,578
working with the county on to help with
some of

914
01:04:32,578 --> 01:04:36,714
the, uh, with the, with the bridge
replacements that are there.

915
01:04:36,714 --> 01:04:40,588
And those things, we have been in contact
with engineering.

916
01:04:40,588 --> 01:04:44,265
We are talking with them and trying to get
better dates,

917
01:04:44,265 --> 01:04:48,007
trying to push the county on when they're
going to start.

918
01:04:48,007 --> 01:04:52,669
So, um, there's several pieces in play,
and they're constantly in play,

919
01:04:52,669 --> 01:04:58,118
that we are working to ensure that that we
provide the appropriate level of service

920
01:04:58,118 --> 01:05:01,007
in that neighborhood. May I ask a
follow-up?

921
01:05:01,007 --> 01:05:01,621
Please.

922
01:05:01,621 --> 01:05:03,640
Thank you. Thank you, sir.

923
01:05:03,640 --> 01:05:07,677
So you mentioned that that area has
multiple owners,

924
01:05:07,677 --> 01:05:10,627
and I'm assuming some of it's private?

925
01:05:10,627 --> 01:05:11,776
Yes, sir.

926
01:05:11,776 --> 01:05:17,198
So we go out and we take— you're saying
we're dredging the part that's city-owned?

927
01:05:17,198 --> 01:05:22,158
And I'm sure that the city staff are
seeing other areas that are backed up,

928
01:05:22,158 --> 01:05:25,266
that have overgrowth and those kinds of
things.

929
01:05:25,266 --> 01:05:29,895
Are we coordinating with— I'm sure we're
coordinating with the county,

930
01:05:29,895 --> 01:05:33,796
but what about the HOA that may own the
private part of it?

931
01:05:33,796 --> 01:05:35,648
Do we communicate with them?

932
01:05:35,760 --> 01:05:36,112
Do we—

933
01:05:36,721 --> 01:05:41,698
and if we— do we have any enforcement
action to be able to say you're not taking

934
01:05:41,698 --> 01:05:46,861
care of your part of it if that's the case
and that's causing downstream issues for

935
01:05:46,861 --> 01:05:51,030
for other residents in the city. How does
that— how does that work?

936
01:05:51,030 --> 01:05:55,509
I, I will— I will say this. We have
mechanisms in place to approach that

937
01:05:55,509 --> 01:05:56,131
mechanisms in place to approach that
situation.

938
01:05:56,131 --> 01:05:58,060
Have we done that in this area?

939
01:05:58,060 --> 01:06:02,103
No, sir, not that I'm aware of, um,
because we have been able to—

940
01:06:02,103 --> 01:06:07,267
our property being on the south end and in
the flow where the Channel 1 and Channel

941
01:06:07,267 --> 01:06:11,684
10 come in, we tend to get the vast
majority of the debris and the vast

942
01:06:11,684 --> 01:06:12,368
majority of the debris and the vast
majority of

943
01:06:12,368 --> 01:06:14,172
the vegetation that comes in.

944
01:06:14,172 --> 01:06:18,465
So when it gets there, we know we're
treating a large majority of it.

945
01:06:18,465 --> 01:06:22,447
But, but no, not, not to this point that
I'm aware that we have,

946
01:06:22,447 --> 01:06:24,873
we have approached it from that matter.

947
01:06:24,873 --> 01:06:29,476
But we do have mechanisms, mechanisms in
place if we so choose to do that.

948
01:06:29,476 --> 01:06:33,520
Thank you. You know, as if it's a
multi-jurisdictional, you know,

949
01:06:33,520 --> 01:06:38,062
pond or creek and its own, and including a
private part of it, Obviously,

950
01:06:38,062 --> 01:06:42,043
coordination is the key. And, you know, I
know that's difficult.

951
01:06:42,043 --> 01:06:46,958
And you may not necessarily be able to
force anybody to do anything, including,

952
01:06:46,958 --> 01:06:49,322
you know, the county and anybody else.

953
01:06:49,322 --> 01:06:52,868
But, you know, I think that's part of the
work, you know,

954
01:06:52,868 --> 01:06:57,347
that your staff and others in the
department have to be able to do to be

955
01:06:57,347 --> 01:06:57,969
department have to be able to do to be
able to at

956
01:06:57,969 --> 01:07:02,884
least, you know, address the residents'
concerns. So thank you. Thank you, sir.

957
01:07:02,884 --> 01:07:07,239
That's one of the things that Mr. DeGloria
and I have been discussing.

958
01:07:07,239 --> 01:07:09,727
We've discussed it in the last few days.

959
01:07:09,727 --> 01:07:14,269
how that looks and how we sit down with
all the people that are involved,

960
01:07:14,269 --> 01:07:18,499
including the HOA and property owners, and
just work that piece out.

961
01:07:18,499 --> 01:07:19,743
It's quite detailed.

962
01:07:19,743 --> 01:07:24,098
So if I may, Mayor, just so the community
is aware, about 3 years ago,

963
01:07:24,098 --> 01:07:29,137
we did sit down with the county and go
ditch by ditch by ditch to be sure that we

964
01:07:29,137 --> 01:07:33,119
had clear response— who had clear
responsibility for the public—

965
01:07:33,119 --> 01:07:36,292
the management of the public portions of
the ditch.

966
01:07:36,292 --> 01:07:39,962
So I'm very confident that between the
city and the county,

967
01:07:39,962 --> 01:07:43,633
we understand where our lines of
maintenance begin and end.

968
01:07:43,633 --> 01:07:48,361
Many large parts of the stormwater system
belong to private property owners.

969
01:07:48,361 --> 01:07:51,036
And so, you know, we are— we will sit
down.

970
01:07:51,036 --> 01:07:56,075
We're more than happy to sit down with the
New Haven HOA and work with them to be

971
01:07:56,075 --> 01:08:01,114
sure that everyone understands where their
maintenance responsibilities begin and

972
01:08:01,114 --> 01:08:05,718
where they end so that everyone
understands what is their part and what is

973
01:08:05,718 --> 01:08:06,278
understands what is their part and what is
our part.

974
01:08:06,278 --> 01:08:11,317
It is simply not financially feasible for
the city to take on private maintenance

975
01:08:11,317 --> 01:08:16,418
responsibilities. We simply don't have the
resources to take on all those portions

976
01:08:16,418 --> 01:08:21,084
that belong to private property owners
where they have not maintained their

977
01:08:21,084 --> 01:08:21,519
where they have not maintained their
portion

978
01:08:21,519 --> 01:08:23,075
of the stormwater system.

979
01:08:23,075 --> 01:08:28,114
But we're more than happy to work with our
HOAs and private property owners to be

980
01:08:28,114 --> 01:08:32,407
sure we understand where those
responsibilities, where the lines are,

981
01:08:32,407 --> 01:08:37,321
and then provide whatever knowledge and
information we have to help them obtain

982
01:08:37,321 --> 01:08:37,508
information we have to help them obtain
the

983
01:08:37,508 --> 01:08:41,987
resources to maintain their portion. Thank
you. I think that might help.

984
01:08:41,987 --> 01:08:44,724
It may not solve the problem, but, you
know,

985
01:08:44,724 --> 01:08:49,141
the communication line will be open at
least. Another question, though.

986
01:08:49,141 --> 01:08:51,817
In those ponds, then, there's 3
ownerships.

987
01:08:51,817 --> 01:08:55,736
Part of it's ours, part of it's county's,
part of it's private?

988
01:08:55,736 --> 01:08:57,789
None of it's owned by the county.

989
01:08:57,789 --> 01:09:01,522
The county owns easements, but they do not
own the property.

990
01:09:01,522 --> 01:09:06,312
So it's just between the homeowners
association and us then, or is it all us?

991
01:09:06,312 --> 01:09:11,475
And, and there's, there's, um, the golf—
there's a golf estate that's the owner of,

992
01:09:11,475 --> 01:09:13,715
of part of the, uh, the channel too.

993
01:09:13,715 --> 01:09:14,475
Wow.

994
01:09:16,261 --> 01:09:19,785
Yeah, there's multiple owners. Rosary
Road's the same way.

995
01:09:19,785 --> 01:09:24,645
You know, you got to a certain point on
the thing. Well, DMZ right there, forget

996
01:09:24,645 --> 01:09:24,827
the thing. Well, DMZ right there, forget
it.

997
01:09:24,827 --> 01:09:26,225
It's county after that.

998
01:09:26,225 --> 01:09:31,146
I mean, why the hell don't they just make
a deal with the county from the get-go?

999
01:09:31,146 --> 01:09:34,062
Right. Give us a damn check and we'll
finish it.

1000
01:09:34,062 --> 01:09:38,861
Well, the easement that the county has or
that we have over things allows us to

1001
01:09:38,861 --> 01:09:40,988
determine our maintenance in there.

1002
01:09:40,988 --> 01:09:43,661
It doesn't require us to do the
maintenance,

1003
01:09:43,661 --> 01:09:46,577
but it does allow us in there to do
maintenance.

1004
01:09:46,577 --> 01:09:50,405
And that's from discussions I've had with
people in the county.

1005
01:09:50,405 --> 01:09:53,321
That's, that's why they have the easement
there,

1006
01:09:53,321 --> 01:09:57,695
is so they have the ability to go in and
provide maintenance if need be.

1007
01:09:57,695 --> 01:10:02,252
We've worked on that maintenance and
provided a level of service for years.

1008
01:10:02,252 --> 01:10:07,233
We just have to determine what that level
of service is, and if we go beyond that,

1009
01:10:07,233 --> 01:10:09,724
then we establish a new level of service.

1010
01:10:09,724 --> 01:10:11,365
If we don't go beyond that,

1011
01:10:11,365 --> 01:10:16,164
then that's where the conversations need
to have on who as the owners or who is

1012
01:10:16,164 --> 01:10:18,291
responsible to take that next step.

1013
01:10:18,291 --> 01:10:21,632
So I remember the problem with that lake
goes way back.

1014
01:10:21,632 --> 01:10:25,460
I mean, I've been— I've heard this before,
and the question is,

1015
01:10:25,460 --> 01:10:28,133
what is the ultimate solution to this
thing?

1016
01:10:28,133 --> 01:10:32,932
There has to be a solution somewhere that
if we do this, it's done. What is it?

1017
01:10:32,932 --> 01:10:37,671
I'm not prepared to give you that answer
tonight. Perhaps we can work on that.

1018
01:10:37,671 --> 01:10:42,471
That's— I mean, I think Commissioner
DeBriesi is sending us in a good direction

1019
01:10:42,471 --> 01:10:42,592
DeBriesi is sending us in a good direction
as

1020
01:10:42,592 --> 01:10:47,392
far as, you know, sitting down with all
the parties that are involved and let's

1021
01:10:47,392 --> 01:10:47,635
the parties that are involved and let's
work

1022
01:10:47,635 --> 01:10:49,822
through this and find out, you know,

1023
01:10:49,822 --> 01:10:54,561
what pieces can be taken and what pieces
are ours and what pieces that we can,

1024
01:10:54,561 --> 01:10:56,201
you know, we can help with.

1025
01:10:56,201 --> 01:11:01,244
So just be careful what you get from him
because he had Spectrum and the plumber at

1026
01:11:01,244 --> 01:11:02,884
his house at the same time.

1027
01:11:04,247 --> 01:11:04,809
Mr. Louser.

1028
01:11:04,809 --> 01:11:09,410
Yeah, so, so I, I mean, Commissioner
DiBrizzi took, took part of my question,

1029
01:11:09,410 --> 01:11:14,249
but the other question was that, you know,
we do have the contract with the, the,

1030
01:11:14,249 --> 01:11:16,221
you know, the herbicide sprayers.

1031
01:11:16,221 --> 01:11:19,029
Um, clearly from the pictures, if we're
paying,

1032
01:11:19,029 --> 01:11:22,614
if we're paying somebody to spray them and
it's not working,

1033
01:11:22,614 --> 01:11:27,453
maybe we should stop paying them or make
sure that we're paying them and actually

1034
01:11:27,453 --> 01:11:32,054
getting the product that we're— We have
been out multiple times this weekend,

1035
01:11:32,054 --> 01:11:32,412
been out multiple times this weekend,
today,

1036
01:11:32,412 --> 01:11:35,579
to take a look at the vegetation that is
in the lake.

1037
01:11:35,579 --> 01:11:39,940
And we, we are aware of what our
contractor is doing in that area for us.

1038
01:11:39,940 --> 01:11:40,119
contractor is doing in that area for us.
So.

1039
01:11:40,119 --> 01:11:42,031
Thank you. Commissioner Johnson.

1040
01:11:42,031 --> 01:11:45,556
Yeah, I kind of just jump on what
Commissioner Louser said.

1041
01:11:45,556 --> 01:11:50,336
You know, I think it's really important
that we, we are auditing because, again,

1042
01:11:50,336 --> 01:11:52,845
frankly, if you pay for a monthly service,

1043
01:11:52,845 --> 01:11:57,745
if no one calls to say my lawn needs to be
mown, or I have green algae in my pool,

1044
01:11:57,745 --> 01:12:01,927
or what— especially something no one's
really looking at that closely.

1045
01:12:01,927 --> 01:12:02,552
Yes.

1046
01:12:02,552 --> 01:12:07,139
Things could not get done totally. They
could use less chemicals than necessary.

1047
01:12:07,139 --> 01:12:10,407
We need to do— have a way of auditing a
good performance.

1048
01:12:10,407 --> 01:12:14,879
It sounds like maybe that's an area of
improvement we can start on right away.

1049
01:12:14,879 --> 01:12:17,001
The other thing I'd say is, you know,

1050
01:12:17,001 --> 01:12:20,269
people have stormwater on every one of
their water bills.

1051
01:12:20,269 --> 01:12:24,053
They think they're paying for the
stormwater to get taken care of.

1052
01:12:24,053 --> 01:12:28,640
And if we don't have a good communication
campaign with our citizens that are on

1053
01:12:28,640 --> 01:12:31,392
these bodies of water or these drainage
ditches.

1054
01:12:31,392 --> 01:12:35,004
You know, we probably should have
something where we, you know,

1055
01:12:35,004 --> 01:12:39,075
we're communicating regularly to remind
them of their responsibilities,

1056
01:12:39,075 --> 01:12:42,343
of their ownership of that property on a
drainage system.

1057
01:12:42,343 --> 01:12:46,873
And I don't think we've— I know we've done
that at times when we've had issues,

1058
01:12:46,873 --> 01:12:51,517
but I don't know if we have a system of
regularly communicating in our city about

1059
01:12:51,517 --> 01:12:56,219
that. And again, it's important to realize
that, you know, we're— you know, we're—

1060
01:12:56,219 --> 01:13:00,519
the stormwater is to get— you know, we got
a— we got all the citizens, all,

1061
01:13:00,519 --> 01:13:03,501
you know, 84,000 citizens, all the people
that live,

1062
01:13:03,501 --> 01:13:06,195
live and work here that we got to take
care of.

1063
01:13:06,195 --> 01:13:10,553
And, you know, and so people on ditches
may have different responsibilities.

1064
01:13:10,553 --> 01:13:12,961
And, uh, so we, we just have to, you know,

1065
01:13:12,961 --> 01:13:16,803
really clearly communicate that to our
citizens, I think. Yes, sir.

1066
01:13:16,803 --> 01:13:19,727
And, and I would, I would say that I feel
that, uh,

1067
01:13:19,727 --> 01:13:23,912
Manager DeGloria is bringing something to
table that's helping with that.

1068
01:13:23,912 --> 01:13:28,671
I mean, just this week he reached out to
community engagement to send a specialized

1069
01:13:28,671 --> 01:13:32,169
message out for the 101st area down near
the new Chick-fil-A,

1070
01:13:32,169 --> 01:13:34,978
because we do have issues down there that
we are,

1071
01:13:34,978 --> 01:13:37,558
are working on and working with the state
on.

1072
01:13:37,558 --> 01:13:39,852
But, but he, you know, he took the fore—

1073
01:13:39,852 --> 01:13:42,604
he had the foresight to reach out to the
county,

1074
01:13:42,604 --> 01:13:47,306
reach out to community engagement to get
something out in that neighborhood to let

1075
01:13:47,306 --> 01:13:51,319
people know, hey, we're getting your calls
and we are working on this.

1076
01:13:51,319 --> 01:13:55,333
So I agree with you. So thank you. We need
to work better at that too.

1077
01:13:55,333 --> 01:13:59,920
So, uh, does the City of Largo have an
easement through that from north to south

1078
01:13:59,920 --> 01:14:04,564
through that whole area? No, sir. We work
off the county's easement in that area.

1079
01:14:04,564 --> 01:14:09,323
We do have— Easement goes from essentially
Largo Central Park over to Donegan Road.

1080
01:14:09,323 --> 01:14:10,871
That's all county easement?

1081
01:14:10,871 --> 01:14:15,286
Uh, yes, sir, until it gets to that south
end piece down there near the park.

1082
01:14:15,286 --> 01:14:17,350
That, that is our own parcel. Right.

1083
01:14:17,350 --> 01:14:20,331
And so, and so, um, With ownership of that
easement,

1084
01:14:20,331 --> 01:14:22,854
what responsibility is there for water
flow?

1085
01:14:22,854 --> 01:14:27,670
Like, do we— are we required to preserve a
certain amount of water flow so the water

1086
01:14:27,670 --> 01:14:29,907
can flow down to the bayou? We are not.

1087
01:14:29,907 --> 01:14:32,487
That easement does not require us to do
that.

1088
01:14:32,487 --> 01:14:36,959
The easement just gives us the ability to
determine whether we should do that.

1089
01:14:37,532 --> 01:14:37,663
And I—

1090
01:14:37,859 --> 01:14:39,948
and we should, we should do that.

1091
01:14:39,948 --> 01:14:42,226
Right, from right and from the past,

1092
01:14:42,226 --> 01:14:46,404
from from what we've provided as a level
of service for that area,

1093
01:14:46,404 --> 01:14:51,657
we have claimed claimed some maintenance
ownership to ensure that that's happening.

1094
01:14:51,657 --> 01:14:54,569
But that level of service has a certain
level.

1095
01:14:54,569 --> 01:14:58,303
I mean, we from from for the six years
that I've been here,

1096
01:14:58,303 --> 01:15:02,480
we have not dredged the middle of that
canal. We have not dredged.

1097
01:15:02,480 --> 01:15:05,139
Anything in that Pinellas County easement.

1098
01:15:05,139 --> 01:15:09,822
So I— we have to determine if we've done
that, if we have records of that,

1099
01:15:09,822 --> 01:15:12,417
and if that becomes our level of service.

1100
01:15:12,417 --> 01:15:17,481
That's something that we would need to
decide internally as a team if we want to

1101
01:15:17,481 --> 01:15:17,607
decide internally as a team if we want to
go

1102
01:15:17,607 --> 01:15:19,190
to that level of service.

1103
01:15:19,190 --> 01:15:22,228
If we decide not to, we're not required
to, but,

1104
01:15:22,228 --> 01:15:27,165
but it's something that we could determine
based on that easement being there.

1105
01:15:27,165 --> 01:15:31,912
And if the water level is the same as it
is after Now, after you dredge it,

1106
01:15:31,912 --> 01:15:34,507
it doesn't add any capacity to dredge it.

1107
01:15:34,507 --> 01:15:38,431
What I'm concerned about is things that
are slowing down flow.

1108
01:15:38,431 --> 01:15:39,351
It slows it down.

1109
01:15:39,351 --> 01:15:44,336
I've talked about, in the past, I've
talked about putting a drone up in the

1110
01:15:44,336 --> 01:15:44,602
talked about putting a drone up in the
sky,

1111
01:15:44,602 --> 01:15:49,853
like a day like yesterday, when we got a
bunch, like 4 inches of rain in a day,

1112
01:15:49,853 --> 01:15:53,110
and run down Channel 1 and look at where
there's,

1113
01:15:53,110 --> 01:15:58,361
if there's high water on one side of a
bridge where it's flowing out quickly on

1114
01:15:58,361 --> 01:15:58,561
bridge where it's flowing out quickly on
the

1115
01:15:58,561 --> 01:16:02,615
other, but the water's lower. Right?
That's a stopping point.

1116
01:16:02,615 --> 01:16:08,199
And I think that it's incumbent on us for
our residents to determine what is keeping

1117
01:16:08,199 --> 01:16:12,719
the water from flowing out of that basin
and try to take care of it,

1118
01:16:12,719 --> 01:16:17,903
whether it's a county project that has to
take care of it or a city project or

1119
01:16:17,903 --> 01:16:19,831
engaging the local residents.

1120
01:16:19,831 --> 01:16:23,753
I think that we need the local property
owners or whatever.

1121
01:16:23,753 --> 01:16:29,336
There's something that's keeping the water
from flowing, and it's not just Hydrilla.

1122
01:16:29,336 --> 01:16:31,929
It's not just, uh, lack of maintenance.

1123
01:16:31,929 --> 01:16:36,183
It's, it's something that I think can be
corrected, um, and, uh,

1124
01:16:36,183 --> 01:16:38,509
I think we need to figure that out.

1125
01:16:38,509 --> 01:16:40,735
Yes, sir. Commissioner Holmes.

1126
01:16:40,735 --> 01:16:45,312
Once upon a time, I was on the board of
directors of Roadhaven Boys Ranch up in

1127
01:16:45,312 --> 01:16:49,309
Palatka, and there was a tributary that
fed into the St. Johns River.

1128
01:16:49,309 --> 01:16:53,770
And once a year, when the, when the Plant
life in the tributary got so thick,

1129
01:16:53,770 --> 01:16:58,289
we used to bring the cattle down there
because they thought that was chocolate

1130
01:16:58,289 --> 01:16:58,578
because they thought that was chocolate
cake.

1131
01:16:58,578 --> 01:17:02,518
And I mean, they would just eat it and
then they'd get sick from it,

1132
01:17:02,518 --> 01:17:06,921
but it was a good sickness. So, but
that's— get some cattle, bring them down

1133
01:17:06,921 --> 01:17:07,269
that's— get some cattle, bring them down
there.

1134
01:17:07,269 --> 01:17:11,208
They're kind of— they won't care about it.
Just let the cows eat it.

1135
01:17:11,208 --> 01:17:15,437
Make sure they can swim. In East
Tennessee, they use the goats to work on

1136
01:17:15,437 --> 01:17:16,016
Tennessee, they use the goats to work on
the kudzu.

1137
01:17:16,016 --> 01:17:17,291
So, and that'll do it.

1138
01:17:17,437 --> 01:17:17,663
We need—

1139
01:17:17,696 --> 01:17:22,453
that's what we need some more. We need
cattle in town. That's it. Solve the

1140
01:17:22,453 --> 01:17:22,960
cattle in town. That's it. Solve the
problem.

1141
01:17:22,960 --> 01:17:24,926
Thank you. Thank you very much.

1142
01:17:24,926 --> 01:17:29,112
And before we move on, in a spirit of
cooperating with the county,

1143
01:17:29,112 --> 01:17:33,742
can we talk a little bit about the Harvest
West to Damraj? Is that right?

1144
01:17:33,742 --> 01:17:35,203
Damraj.

1145
01:17:35,203 --> 01:17:39,724
On Rosary. I'm familiar with the road. I
know that, you know, it's a split.

1146
01:17:39,724 --> 01:17:43,943
I know that's in the past. This is before,
Mr. Manager, you were here.

1147
01:17:43,943 --> 01:17:47,740
But we've completed some sidewalks on 14th
outside of the city.

1148
01:17:47,740 --> 01:17:51,839
And we had to cooperate We didn't have to
cooperate with the county,

1149
01:17:51,839 --> 01:17:53,647
but it just made sense, right?

1150
01:17:53,647 --> 01:17:58,047
We were there doing a big project, and
there was another 50 yards before—

1151
01:17:58,047 --> 01:18:02,025
I can't even think of the name of the
road. What's the road there?

1152
01:18:02,025 --> 01:18:05,641
Anyway, so there was about 50 yards to
complete that system.

1153
01:18:05,641 --> 01:18:09,740
And I think it just makes— sometimes we
have to do what makes sense,

1154
01:18:09,740 --> 01:18:13,959
even if it takes a little bit longer to
coordinate it with the county.

1155
01:18:13,959 --> 01:18:14,088
Yes.

1156
01:18:15,502 --> 01:18:21,128
I don't— there was a question about how
roads get off of the list.

1157
01:18:21,128 --> 01:18:27,947
I know how they get on because I don't
know that we had a list before about 6 or

1158
01:18:27,947 --> 01:18:28,032
know that we had a list before about 6 or
7

1159
01:18:28,032 --> 01:18:34,851
years ago. And now the reason that roads
are on the list is due to their grading

1160
01:18:34,851 --> 01:18:41,073
scale and how much they need to be on the
list. Sir? Good evening, Mayor.

1161
01:18:41,073 --> 01:18:43,460
Good evening, Commissioners.

1162
01:18:43,460 --> 01:18:48,574
I'm Jerry Woloszynski, the Director of
Engineering Services.

1163
01:18:48,574 --> 01:18:54,967
Thank you for letting me come up tonight
to talk about our East Rosary Road

1164
01:18:54,967 --> 01:18:55,649
to talk about our East Rosary Road
project.

1165
01:18:55,649 --> 01:19:01,359
And as a precursor to that discussion, let
me define what it isn't.

1166
01:19:01,359 --> 01:19:06,985
We have 2 Rosary Road projects going on
and overlapping right now.

1167
01:19:06,985 --> 01:19:11,673
So I am not going to speak about Rosary
Road Phase Yes.

1168
01:19:11,673 --> 01:19:15,935
For the citizens that are here from Arvest
Circle.

1169
01:19:15,935 --> 01:19:22,839
So Rosary Road Phase 2 is the roadway work
we're doing between Missouri and Eagle

1170
01:19:22,839 --> 01:19:24,800
Lake Park along Rosary.

1171
01:19:24,800 --> 01:19:31,363
So any of the viewing public or other
citizens attending tonight that live in

1172
01:19:31,363 --> 01:19:31,704
citizens attending tonight that live in
that

1173
01:19:31,704 --> 01:19:36,648
corridor, these comments aren't directed
for that project.

1174
01:19:36,648 --> 01:19:43,381
So I just wanted to make sure we were
clear on that because it's really easy to

1175
01:19:43,381 --> 01:19:49,689
confuse 2 major roadway corridor projects
that have the same similar name.

1176
01:19:49,689 --> 01:19:56,508
So as one of our citizens pointed out, our
city project for East Rosary Road is—

1177
01:19:56,508 --> 01:20:01,452
and then the citizens' comments tonight
have been spot on.

1178
01:20:01,452 --> 01:20:08,185
I'm not here to try to make anything I say
could come across as making excuses.

1179
01:20:08,185 --> 01:20:10,742
I do not want to make excuses.

1180
01:20:10,742 --> 01:20:13,044
I can talk about the facts,

1181
01:20:13,044 --> 01:20:20,204
and I can talk about some efforts that we
can do as a group of citizens and our, uh,

1182
01:20:20,204 --> 01:20:25,318
the City of Largo, um, to work on some of
these issues that,

1183
01:20:25,318 --> 01:20:31,114
that are real and a lived experience for
our residents in that area.

1184
01:20:31,114 --> 01:20:38,018
So the, um, yes, the one citizen pointed
out Our city right-of-way in this paving

1185
01:20:38,018 --> 01:20:44,496
project and roadway restoration and
utilities and stormwater goes from Keene

1186
01:20:44,496 --> 01:20:45,093
utilities and stormwater goes from Keene
Road to

1187
01:20:45,093 --> 01:20:48,161
Arvest Circle West. Yep, 100% right.

1188
01:20:48,161 --> 01:20:55,066
And another citizen pointed out Arvest
Circle West eastward to Damrosch is county

1189
01:20:55,066 --> 01:20:57,878
right-of-way. Completely factual.

1190
01:20:57,878 --> 01:21:01,288
So we saw this dilemma years in advance,

1191
01:21:01,288 --> 01:21:08,022
and I'll address one question that came
later on: Why was this project delayed?

1192
01:21:08,022 --> 01:21:14,244
So three years ago, city team members had
to make a tough recommendation.

1193
01:21:14,244 --> 01:21:19,443
to the City Commission about some
competing roadway projects.

1194
01:21:19,443 --> 01:21:26,347
And we had to make some tough decisions
and recommend the priority order of them.

1195
01:21:26,347 --> 01:21:31,206
So Rosary Road East, the one we're talking
about tonight,

1196
01:21:31,206 --> 01:21:35,468
was being considered for this project 3
years ago.

1197
01:21:35,468 --> 01:21:42,116
Myself and other team members recommended
to the Commission there was a higher

1198
01:21:42,116 --> 01:21:48,083
priority that involved delaying this
project and another city project.

1199
01:21:48,083 --> 01:21:54,817
So that was a very tough decision to make
knowing the condition of the roadway,

1200
01:21:54,817 --> 01:21:59,078
not taken lightly by city staff or the
commission.

1201
01:21:59,078 --> 01:22:03,426
What I can say is that regrettably, I mean
notably,

1202
01:22:03,426 --> 01:22:06,324
we are here now today fixing that.

1203
01:22:06,324 --> 01:22:12,972
So we made a promise that Rosary Road
East, even though it was delayed 3 years

1204
01:22:12,972 --> 01:22:13,313
East, even though it was delayed 3 years
ago,

1205
01:22:13,313 --> 01:22:20,217
was always going to be at the top of that
list. And it— and we've delivered that.

1206
01:22:20,217 --> 01:22:26,269
Again, sounds like an excuse to our
citizens, and I apologize for that.

1207
01:22:26,269 --> 01:22:32,832
So what we did accomplish, and again, And
this will come across as an excuse.

1208
01:22:32,832 --> 01:22:39,651
City staff and city administration worked
very hard over the last year to try to

1209
01:22:39,651 --> 01:22:44,425
coordinate the full renewal of that county
right-of-way.

1210
01:22:44,425 --> 01:22:47,067
We were successful on one side.

1211
01:22:47,067 --> 01:22:53,545
So Pinellas County has 2 different
departments that have an ownership in the

1212
01:22:53,545 --> 01:22:57,636
right-of-way. There's Pinellas County
Utilities.

1213
01:22:57,636 --> 01:23:03,859
Which is stuff that's under the road,
primarily the potable water system.

1214
01:23:03,859 --> 01:23:10,166
And then there's the county public works
department that does road paving.

1215
01:23:10,166 --> 01:23:16,729
So what we were doing, you know, we
acknowledged, we knew this gap was there.

1216
01:23:16,729 --> 01:23:18,434
We knew it would be,

1217
01:23:18,434 --> 01:23:24,656
it would look very incomplete for us not
to do that last section of road.

1218
01:23:24,656 --> 01:23:27,128
And we worked extremely hard.

1219
01:23:27,128 --> 01:23:32,328
And again, this I don't think that comes
across as an excuse.

1220
01:23:32,328 --> 01:23:38,720
We were successful in working with
Pinellas County Utilities to get them to

1221
01:23:38,720 --> 01:23:39,147
Pinellas County Utilities to get them to
bring

1222
01:23:39,147 --> 01:23:42,556
the budget on to replace the water main,

1223
01:23:42,556 --> 01:23:49,460
not only under our portion of the project
but also the rest of East Roseview Road

1224
01:23:49,460 --> 01:23:56,024
east of Harvest Circle West. And I know
that's a lot of confusing directions.

1225
01:23:56,024 --> 01:24:01,138
And we're also replacing the potable water
line on Gershwin,

1226
01:24:01,138 --> 01:24:03,524
which is also a county road.

1227
01:24:03,524 --> 01:24:10,429
We were able to partner with them in the
utilities department where they provided

1228
01:24:10,429 --> 01:24:10,599
utilities department where they provided
us

1229
01:24:10,599 --> 01:24:16,225
the money to replace the utilities and our
contractors doing that.

1230
01:24:16,225 --> 01:24:22,958
We were not successful in doing that same
thing with the Pinellas County Public

1231
01:24:22,958 --> 01:24:26,624
Works Department to do the roadway
surface.

1232
01:24:26,624 --> 01:24:31,738
What I would offer to our citizens would
be a couple things.

1233
01:24:31,738 --> 01:24:35,318
Would be make sure we talk with the clerk,

1234
01:24:35,318 --> 01:24:40,432
or after the meeting come back and talk
with me and my team.

1235
01:24:40,432 --> 01:24:46,910
I want to know your names, your contact
numbers, and you know contact stuff.

1236
01:24:46,910 --> 01:24:52,280
I'll be here way after the meeting as long
as anybody wants to.

1237
01:24:52,280 --> 01:24:55,945
Collaborate in caucus on this last
section.

1238
01:24:55,945 --> 01:25:02,082
What I believe we should focus on,
citizens, Largo, and Pinellas County,

1239
01:25:02,082 --> 01:25:06,088
is how do we, how do we carve out enough
money,

1240
01:25:06,088 --> 01:25:12,822
not in this year's budget but in a future
budget, to address that last section?

1241
01:25:12,822 --> 01:25:16,828
And it'll take the City of Largo, our
citizens,

1242
01:25:16,828 --> 01:25:21,516
And Pinellas County Public Works to solve
that problem.

1243
01:25:21,516 --> 01:25:23,647
Jerry, if you could just—

1244
01:25:23,647 --> 01:25:30,210
what is the estimated cost for the road
resurfacing to get to the end of that

1245
01:25:30,210 --> 01:25:35,495
stretch? Because I know we've talked about
it with the county,

1246
01:25:35,495 --> 01:25:37,967
and it's part of our request.

1247
01:25:37,967 --> 01:25:44,615
And one of the things that we have to
bring to the table, because as you know—

1248
01:25:44,615 --> 01:25:50,241
good question, City Manager— is that when
we do a roadway project,

1249
01:25:50,241 --> 01:25:56,378
we make sure that the, the, the public
utilities under that roadway are,

1250
01:25:56,378 --> 01:26:03,197
are replaced so we don't have to come back
and tear that road up if that utility

1251
01:26:03,197 --> 01:26:10,186
fails. One of the things we have to do for
that last segment is make sure we bring

1252
01:26:10,186 --> 01:26:12,317
sewer money to the table.

1253
01:26:12,317 --> 01:26:14,193
And, uh, it— in total,

1254
01:26:14,193 --> 01:26:21,267
I believe the number we had was somewhere
in the $900,000 range for the roadway and

1255
01:26:21,267 --> 01:26:25,614
the sewer. So what my commit would, would
be is we,

1256
01:26:25,614 --> 01:26:31,837
we carve out a small segment to tackle
just that county right-of-way as a

1257
01:26:31,837 --> 01:26:38,059
coordinating effort and say, when can the
county bring their money to it?

1258
01:26:38,059 --> 01:26:45,048
When can I program sanitary sewer funds at
the same time to tackle that section of

1259
01:26:45,048 --> 01:26:51,612
road? And to the citizens that are here, I
can stay as late as you have time,

1260
01:26:51,612 --> 01:26:58,431
and then— and the other team members in
the engineering department that are with

1261
01:26:58,431 --> 01:26:58,601
the engineering department that are with
me

1262
01:26:58,601 --> 01:27:04,909
tonight, we can stay and brainstorm
anything and anything that you want to

1263
01:27:04,909 --> 01:27:05,250
anything and anything that you want to
talk

1264
01:27:05,250 --> 01:27:11,557
about. Um, I'm very sympathetic to this
situation, and, um, unfortunately,

1265
01:27:11,557 --> 01:27:18,206
I did not create these boundaries. Thank
you. That that are challenging to us.

1266
01:27:18,206 --> 01:27:20,422
They they are a challenge.

1267
01:27:20,422 --> 01:27:27,155
One of the citizens mentioned why the
Arvis circles east and west weren't being

1268
01:27:27,155 --> 01:27:30,139
paved. That's a very simple answer.

1269
01:27:30,139 --> 01:27:36,446
Arvis West and Arvis East have an
incredibly good pavement condition index

1270
01:27:36,446 --> 01:27:36,958
incredibly good pavement condition index
in the

1271
01:27:36,958 --> 01:27:40,623
70s. Um, we do not repave roads in the
70s.

1272
01:27:40,623 --> 01:27:46,419
East Rosary Road, on the other hand, has a
pavement condition of 20.

1273
01:27:46,419 --> 01:27:51,022
You all drive on it every day. You can
attest to that.

1274
01:27:51,022 --> 01:27:54,857
It is one of the worst roads in, in the
city.

1275
01:27:54,857 --> 01:28:00,483
There's other ones, but I won't make
excuses for those other ones.

1276
01:28:00,483 --> 01:28:03,040
Um, so we are correcting that.

1277
01:28:03,040 --> 01:28:09,774
So that's why we're not touching Aravis
Circle pavement or utilities, you know,

1278
01:28:09,774 --> 01:28:16,081
overall, because the roadway for the
Aravis Circle east and west is in our

1279
01:28:16,081 --> 01:28:16,763
Aravis Circle east and west is in our
pavement

1280
01:28:16,763 --> 01:28:23,582
plan, and that pavement plan addresses
those in the mid-2033-35 area. All right.

1281
01:28:23,582 --> 01:28:25,287
Thank you very much.

1282
01:28:25,859 --> 01:28:26,982
I have a question.

1283
01:28:26,982 --> 01:28:28,399
Please, Commissioner Holk.

1284
01:28:28,399 --> 01:28:30,275
So, um, facing Arvis—

1285
01:28:30,275 --> 01:28:36,080
or facing Rosary between Arvis Circle East
and Arvis Circle West,

1286
01:28:36,080 --> 01:28:40,009
there's 2 homes that are both City of
Largo,

1287
01:28:40,009 --> 01:28:45,279
different zip code because they have a
Rosary Road address.

1288
01:28:45,279 --> 01:28:51,620
So that's where I— one of the things that
I have a hard time with Okay,

1289
01:28:51,620 --> 01:28:58,140
so that's a county road in front of them,
but yet they are City of Largo,

1290
01:28:58,140 --> 01:29:00,283
pay City of Largo taxes.

1291
01:29:01,196 --> 01:29:01,308
There—

1292
01:29:01,741 --> 01:29:05,281
and there's only 2 homes between those 2
streets.

1293
01:29:05,281 --> 01:29:08,171
So how do— so where's the actual divide?

1294
01:29:08,171 --> 01:29:11,133
So is it the, the north side of the road,

1295
01:29:11,133 --> 01:29:16,768
or is it the north and the south side of
Rosary in that spot that are Largo or

1296
01:29:16,768 --> 01:29:22,331
County? Because I, I couldn't get a
straight answer out of the county either.

1297
01:29:22,331 --> 01:29:27,171
I went to the county, I talked to several
commissioners and begged.

1298
01:29:27,171 --> 01:29:32,806
I'm like, we're doing this, we're out
here, the roads are going to be torn up.

1299
01:29:32,806 --> 01:29:37,719
Why, why can the county not help us with
this 110 yards of, of road?

1300
01:29:37,719 --> 01:29:43,209
We have, we have patched, and you know,
one of our friends lives in that end

1301
01:29:43,209 --> 01:29:43,643
one of our friends lives in that end
house,

1302
01:29:43,643 --> 01:29:49,711
and we've joked around because she gets a
hole in front of her mailbox every time it

1303
01:29:49,711 --> 01:29:52,167
rains because that piece pops out.

1304
01:29:52,167 --> 01:29:58,236
We've put plants in it, we've put rocks in
it, we've, you know, made jokes about it.

1305
01:29:58,236 --> 01:30:04,088
It's really not a joke because one day I
think she almost broke her ankle getting

1306
01:30:04,088 --> 01:30:09,795
her mail. But it's just so hard to— and
now we're watching Keene Road be paved.

1307
01:30:09,795 --> 01:30:10,069
Yeah.

1308
01:30:10,672 --> 01:30:14,901
Which they did in like weeks, like 2
weeks, that entire road.

1309
01:30:14,901 --> 01:30:20,031
I was like, oh my gosh, this one side's
paved, oh, the other side's paved.

1310
01:30:20,031 --> 01:30:23,358
They did the entryways to all the streets
along.

1311
01:30:23,358 --> 01:30:26,409
So it's hard to— and even as a
commissioner,

1312
01:30:26,409 --> 01:30:31,885
I try and figure out how this all works
because a lot of it does not make sense

1313
01:30:31,885 --> 01:30:37,501
because I know that it's, it's politics
and it's this, that, and the other thing,

1314
01:30:37,501 --> 01:30:42,908
but But when you live in neighborhoods for
as long as— and I will say, I, yes,

1315
01:30:42,908 --> 01:30:46,721
I am part of that neighborhood. These are
my neighbors.

1316
01:30:46,721 --> 01:30:51,643
But this has been something that we've
talked about even before I was a

1317
01:30:51,643 --> 01:30:56,288
commissioner. So it's been on our radar
for a long time, that road.

1318
01:30:56,288 --> 01:31:02,111
Um, Jim failed to mention that he stopped
riding his bike to Eagle Lake Park because

1319
01:31:02,111 --> 01:31:05,092
it was— the road was impossible to ride
on.

1320
01:31:05,092 --> 01:31:06,280
I couldn't agree more.

1321
01:31:06,280 --> 01:31:11,046
So he was putting his bike in his car and
driving to Eagle Lake Park.

1322
01:31:11,046 --> 01:31:15,260
Kind of like defeats the purpose of
somebody who's a cyclist.

1323
01:31:15,260 --> 01:31:20,648
But, you know, and, and we do appreciate
that the section that we are doing is

1324
01:31:20,648 --> 01:31:23,203
greatly appreciated by, by all of us.

1325
01:31:23,203 --> 01:31:27,762
But, and, um, so I just want to ask you
too, do, do you recommend—

1326
01:31:27,762 --> 01:31:30,456
would this Would it help, do you think,

1327
01:31:30,456 --> 01:31:35,775
for this group to go to a county meeting
and present the same thing that they

1328
01:31:35,775 --> 01:31:37,433
presented to us tonight?

1329
01:31:37,433 --> 01:31:43,162
I can't speak for anybody personally. It
certainly wouldn't hurt. Okay.

1330
01:31:43,162 --> 01:31:47,116
It certainly wouldn't hurt to go directly
to the,

1331
01:31:47,116 --> 01:31:51,070
the source of the ownership of that
right-of-way.

1332
01:31:51,070 --> 01:31:55,266
And, and, and, and with that, again, as I
mentioned,

1333
01:31:55,266 --> 01:32:01,641
I'm happy to help facilitate that at the
at the city team member level with the

1334
01:32:01,641 --> 01:32:03,658
county team member level.

1335
01:32:03,658 --> 01:32:09,145
So their voices are heard at team member
level to team member level.

1336
01:32:09,145 --> 01:32:11,808
And just like they're doing here,

1337
01:32:11,808 --> 01:32:18,183
it would probably be a recommended good
idea for them, if they choose to do it,

1338
01:32:18,183 --> 01:32:22,298
to take those same discussion points to
the county.

1339
01:32:22,806 --> 01:32:26,514
Okay, I appreciate you, I appreciate you
offering that,

1340
01:32:26,514 --> 01:32:31,031
and I hope that they can stay and speak
with you after the meeting.

1341
01:32:31,031 --> 01:32:32,177
Thank you, Terry.

1342
01:32:32,177 --> 01:32:37,496
And, and I'll just reiterate, leave, leave
your names, numbers, emails with us.

1343
01:32:37,496 --> 01:32:41,198
We want to make sure this dialogue doesn't
end tonight.

1344
01:32:41,198 --> 01:32:45,170
And, and again, stay after if you have the
time to do that.

1345
01:32:45,170 --> 01:32:47,392
I have their contact information.

1346
01:32:47,392 --> 01:32:48,246
Okay, perfect.

1347
01:32:50,248 --> 01:32:51,814
Thank you. Appreciate the help,

1348
01:32:51,814 --> 01:32:54,794
as well as help from Public Works as well
on earlier stuff.

1349
01:32:54,794 --> 01:32:57,521
Um, now we'll move on to approval of
tonight's agenda.

1350
01:32:57,521 --> 01:33:00,685
Move approval. Second.

1351
01:33:00,685 --> 01:33:03,206
I have a motion and a second. All in favor
say aye.

1352
01:33:03,206 --> 01:33:03,816
Aye.

1353
01:33:03,816 --> 01:33:05,923
Any opposed? Motion passes 7-0.

1354
01:33:05,923 --> 01:33:11,427
Next is consideration of the minutes from
the regular meeting of July 21st, 2026.

1355
01:33:11,427 --> 01:33:11,924
Move approval.

1356
01:33:11,924 --> 01:33:14,926
Second. Any corrections, changes? All in
favor say aye.

1357
01:33:15,199 --> 01:33:15,280
Aye.

1358
01:33:15,857 --> 01:33:20,841
Any opposed? Motion passes 7-0. Could I
hear the consent docket, please?

1359
01:33:20,841 --> 01:33:25,756
Item 6, authorization for additional
spending under the annual purchase

1360
01:33:25,756 --> 01:33:26,379
spending under the annual purchase
agreement

1361
01:33:26,379 --> 01:33:31,364
bid number 24-B-806, trenchless sanitary
and storm sewer rehabilitation,

1362
01:33:31,364 --> 01:33:33,856
in the estimated amount of $510,000.

1363
01:33:33,856 --> 01:33:39,048
Item 7, approval of an interlocal
agreement with Ford Pinellas for planning

1364
01:33:39,048 --> 01:33:39,255
agreement with Ford Pinellas for planning
and

1365
01:33:39,255 --> 01:33:42,440
mapping services and/or special projects
work.

1366
01:33:42,440 --> 01:33:45,001
Item 8, award of bid number 26-P-863,

1367
01:33:45,001 --> 01:33:50,539
Largo Golf Clubhouse roof replacement to
First Class Roofing Incorporated in the

1368
01:33:50,539 --> 01:33:52,477
estimated amount of $73,835.

1369
01:33:52,477 --> 01:33:57,738
Item 9, authorization for the Police
Department to purchase an Oculus 5 mini

1370
01:33:57,738 --> 01:33:58,154
Department to purchase an Oculus 5 mini
camera

1371
01:33:58,154 --> 01:34:03,830
system from Ganz and Pugh Associates for
the Special Operations Unit in the amount

1372
01:34:03,830 --> 01:34:06,807
of $20,924 from federal forfeiture Item
10,

1373
01:34:06,807 --> 01:34:12,553
approval to purchase 24 rifle suppressors
for the SWAT team from Dana Safety Supply

1374
01:34:12,553 --> 01:34:17,814
in the approximate amount of $19,500 using
law enforcement forfeiture funds.

1375
01:34:17,814 --> 01:34:20,791
Item 11, award of contract number
26-B-855,

1376
01:34:20,791 --> 01:34:25,360
1st Street and 1st Avenue Northwest
restoration to MTM Contractors

1377
01:34:25,360 --> 01:34:26,398
restoration to MTM Contractors
Incorporated in

1378
01:34:26,398 --> 01:34:31,590
the amount of $581,541 And an owner
contingency of $57,459 for an estimated

1379
01:34:31,590 --> 01:34:32,144
contingency of $57,459 for an estimated
total of

1380
01:34:32,144 --> 01:34:37,820
$639,000. Item 12, appointment of Judith
Aiken as a member of the Code Enforcement

1381
01:34:37,820 --> 01:34:43,220
Board. Item 13, approval of the settlement
of the lawsuit styled Joshua Lyles,

1382
01:34:43,220 --> 01:34:47,027
parent and natural guardian of Jeremiah
Lyles, a minor,

1383
01:34:47,027 --> 01:34:51,665
and Joshua Lyles individually versus City
of Largo and Nathaniel J.

1384
01:34:51,665 --> 01:34:54,573
Hansman in the amount of Totaling $75,000.

1385
01:34:54,573 --> 01:34:59,972
Item 14, authorization for the mayor to
sign a time extension amendment to the

1386
01:34:59,972 --> 01:35:00,249
sign a time extension amendment to the
East

1387
01:35:00,249 --> 01:35:05,856
Bay Drive protected bike lanes locally
funded agreement between the City of Largo

1388
01:35:05,856 --> 01:35:08,972
and the Florida Department of
Transportation.

1389
01:35:08,972 --> 01:35:14,579
For the consent docket, could you poll the
board, please? Oh, was there a motion?

1390
01:35:14,579 --> 01:35:20,048
Not yet. I move to approve the consent
docket without commission discussion and

1391
01:35:20,048 --> 01:35:25,655
including staff background provided in the
commission packets. Now you can do it.

1392
01:35:25,655 --> 01:35:26,296
Second.

1393
01:35:26,296 --> 01:35:28,509
All right, now we could poll the board,
please.

1394
01:35:28,509 --> 01:35:30,193
Commissioner Smith? Yes.

1395
01:35:30,193 --> 01:35:33,288
Commissioner Holmes? I have to go yes. I
made the motion.

1396
01:35:33,288 --> 01:35:37,265
Commissioner DiBrizzi? Yes. Mayor Brown?
Yes. Commissioner Lauser? Yes.

1397
01:35:37,265 --> 01:35:38,147
Commissioner Holk?

1398
01:35:38,147 --> 01:35:38,532
Yes.

1399
01:35:38,532 --> 01:35:39,654
Vice Mayor Johnson?

1400
01:35:39,654 --> 01:35:40,103
Yes.

1401
01:35:40,103 --> 01:35:41,903
Motion carries 7 to 0. Thank you.

1402
01:35:41,903 --> 01:35:44,794
I would like to point out, I know Judy
Aiken is here.

1403
01:35:44,794 --> 01:35:48,394
Thank you for volunteering to serve on the
Code Enforcement Board.

1404
01:35:48,394 --> 01:35:52,757
They probably told you that this would be
5 minutes into the meeting. Apologies.

1405
01:35:52,757 --> 01:35:55,593
your eyes that it was a little bit longer
than that.

1406
01:35:55,593 --> 01:35:58,866
Thank you for being here, and thank you
for your dedication.

1407
01:35:58,866 --> 01:36:00,666
Next is Ordinance Number 2026-15.

1408
01:36:00,666 --> 01:36:03,523
All right, good evening, Mayor and City
Commission.

1409
01:36:03,523 --> 01:36:06,829
I'm Whitney Clark, a Planner II with the
Planning Division,

1410
01:36:06,829 --> 01:36:11,311
and with me at the presentation desk is
Jared Austin, Planning Division Manager.

1411
01:36:11,311 --> 01:36:15,458
The item before you is a proposed
comprehensive development code amendment

1412
01:36:15,458 --> 01:36:15,850
comprehensive development code amendment
seeking

1413
01:36:15,850 --> 01:36:17,138
to establish Thank you.

1414
01:36:17,138 --> 01:36:21,789
This ordinance would update the procedures
for the review and approval of certified

1415
01:36:21,789 --> 01:36:26,215
recovery residences in accordance with
recently updated Florida state statutes.

1416
01:36:26,215 --> 01:36:28,344
Since first reading on June 2nd, 2026,

1417
01:36:28,344 --> 01:36:32,602
staff have updated the numbering of
various definitions in the Comprehensive

1418
01:36:32,602 --> 01:36:37,309
Development Code Chapter 20 and corrected
a footnote reference in Table 6-1 to align

1419
01:36:37,309 --> 01:36:40,334
with changes made through other recent CDC
amendments.

1420
01:36:40,334 --> 01:36:44,760
Ultimately, staff recommend approval of
the ordinance and are available for any

1421
01:36:44,760 --> 01:36:45,937
questions. Thank you.

1422
01:36:45,937 --> 01:36:51,533
Ordinance Number 2026-15, an ordinance of
the City of Largo, Florida,

1423
01:36:51,533 --> 01:36:58,022
amending the City of Largo Comprehensive
Development Code to comply with Section

1424
01:36:58,022 --> 01:37:03,861
397.487 Florida Statutes by amending
subsections 15.2.1, 15.2.2, 15.2.3,

1425
01:37:03,861 --> 01:37:04,429
subsections 15.2.1, 15.2.2, 15.2.3,
15.2.4,

1426
01:37:04,429 --> 01:37:07,592
and 15.2.5, creating subsection 15.2.6.

1427
01:37:07,592 --> 01:37:09,539
6, amending Section 6.2,

1428
01:37:09,539 --> 01:37:15,216
and amending Section 20.1 to revise
definitions in accordance with the

1429
01:37:15,216 --> 01:37:15,865
definitions in accordance with the
proposed

1430
01:37:15,865 --> 01:37:20,326
amendments, providing for an effective
date. Thank you.

1431
01:37:20,326 --> 01:37:26,976
Do we have any cards on this? We have no
cards. Any questions from the commission?

1432
01:37:26,976 --> 01:37:32,005
I move to adopt Ordinance 2026-15 on
second and final reading.

1433
01:37:32,005 --> 01:37:32,667
Second.

1434
01:37:32,667 --> 01:37:35,072
Could you poll the board, please?

1435
01:37:35,072 --> 01:37:36,282
Commissioner Holmes?

1436
01:37:36,282 --> 01:37:36,911
Yes, ma'am.

1437
01:37:36,911 --> 01:37:41,135
Commissioner DeBreezy? Yes. Mayor Brown?
Yes. Commissioner Lauser? Yes.

1438
01:37:41,135 --> 01:37:42,165
Commissioner Holk?

1439
01:37:42,165 --> 01:37:42,583
Yes.

1440
01:37:42,583 --> 01:37:43,966
Vice Mayor Johnson?

1441
01:37:43,966 --> 01:37:44,223
Yes.

1442
01:37:44,223 --> 01:37:45,349
Commissioner Smith?

1443
01:37:45,349 --> 01:37:45,799
Yes.

1444
01:37:45,799 --> 01:38:01,799
Motion carries 7 to 0. Thank you. Next is
item number 16, ordinance number 2026-20.

1445
01:38:04,799 --> 01:38:08,435
Good evening. This is second reading of
Ordinance Number 2026-20,

1446
01:38:08,435 --> 01:38:12,855
amending Section 3 of Appendix B of the
Largo City Code to add certain services

1447
01:38:12,855 --> 01:38:13,023
Largo City Code to add certain services
and

1448
01:38:13,023 --> 01:38:17,107
fees charged by the administration
department specifically related to the

1449
01:38:17,107 --> 01:38:17,498
department specifically related to the
rentals

1450
01:38:17,498 --> 01:38:21,806
here at Horizon. And there have not been
any changes since the first reading.

1451
01:38:21,806 --> 01:38:25,865
Ordinance Number 2026-20, an ordinance of
the City of Largo, Florida,

1452
01:38:25,865 --> 01:38:30,512
amending Section 3 of Appendix B of the
Largo City Code To add certain services

1453
01:38:30,512 --> 01:38:30,688
Largo City Code To add certain services
and

1454
01:38:30,688 --> 01:38:35,041
fees charged by the Administration
Department, providing for severability,

1455
01:38:35,041 --> 01:38:36,688
providing an effective date.

1456
01:38:36,688 --> 01:38:37,369
Thank you.

1457
01:38:37,417 --> 01:38:38,277
Do we have any cards on this?

1458
01:38:38,277 --> 01:38:38,747
We have no cards.

1459
01:38:38,747 --> 01:38:40,961
Any questions from the commission?

1460
01:38:40,961 --> 01:38:45,454
I move to adopt Ordinance Number 2026-20
on second and final reading.

1461
01:38:45,454 --> 01:38:46,099
Second.

1462
01:38:46,099 --> 01:38:48,763
I have a motion and a second. Could you
poll the board, please?

1463
01:38:48,763 --> 01:38:50,573
Commissioner DiBrizzi? Yes.

1464
01:38:50,573 --> 01:38:51,430
Mayor Brown?

1465
01:38:51,430 --> 01:38:51,737
Yes.

1466
01:38:51,737 --> 01:38:52,918
Commissioner Lauser?

1467
01:38:52,918 --> 01:38:53,128
Yes.

1468
01:38:53,128 --> 01:38:54,292
Commissioner Holk?

1469
01:38:54,292 --> 01:38:54,567
Yes.

1470
01:38:54,567 --> 01:38:55,908
Vice Mayor Johnson?

1471
01:38:55,908 --> 01:38:57,157
Yes. Commissioner Smith?

1472
01:38:57,157 --> 01:38:57,400
Yes.

1473
01:38:57,400 --> 01:38:59,114
Commissioner Holmes? Yes.

1474
01:38:59,114 --> 01:39:05,448
Motion carries 7 to 0. Thank you. Next is
item number 17, resolution number 2469.

1475
01:39:05,448 --> 01:39:09,045
All right. Good evening, Mayor and
Commission.

1476
01:39:09,045 --> 01:39:12,408
Before you this evening is resolution
2469,

1477
01:39:12,408 --> 01:39:17,960
which amends legislative policy 7-1
governing the city's procedures for

1478
01:39:17,960 --> 01:39:18,585
governing the city's procedures for
official

1479
01:39:18,585 --> 01:39:23,668
community recognition through
proclamations, commemorative flags,

1480
01:39:23,668 --> 01:39:26,249
and public information campaigns.

1481
01:39:26,249 --> 01:39:31,019
The purpose of these amendments is to
establish a consistent,

1482
01:39:31,019 --> 01:39:37,040
legally compliant framework for official
city recognition while ensuring city

1483
01:39:37,040 --> 01:39:42,827
resources are used for legitimate
governmental purposes in accordance with

1484
01:39:42,827 --> 01:39:45,408
applicable federal and state law.

1485
01:39:45,408 --> 01:39:48,692
By way of background, on April 22nd, 2026,

1486
01:39:48,692 --> 01:39:54,479
Governor Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill
1134 into law as Chapter 2026-43,

1487
01:39:54,479 --> 01:39:59,874
Laws of Florida. The legislation becomes
effective January 1st, 2027,

1488
01:39:59,874 --> 01:40:04,879
and creates a new section of Florida
statutes under Chapter 166,

1489
01:40:04,879 --> 01:40:11,370
which establishes restrictions on official
municipal actions relating to diversity,

1490
01:40:11,370 --> 01:40:13,090
equity, and inclusion.

1491
01:40:13,090 --> 01:40:17,782
Beginning January 1st, municipalities may
not fund, promote,

1492
01:40:17,782 --> 01:40:21,614
or take official action relating to these
themes,

1493
01:40:21,614 --> 01:40:24,663
expend public funds for those purposes,

1494
01:40:24,663 --> 01:40:28,808
or authorize the use of municipal
resources to do so,

1495
01:40:28,808 --> 01:40:32,249
except where expressly permitted by
statute.

1496
01:40:32,249 --> 01:40:35,767
The law includes several specific
exceptions,

1497
01:40:35,767 --> 01:40:40,538
including certain federal and state
holidays and observances,

1498
01:40:40,538 --> 01:40:44,526
patriotic observances recognized under
federal law,

1499
01:40:44,526 --> 01:40:50,078
and other exceptions identified in Section
166.04971, Florida Statutes.

1500
01:40:50,078 --> 01:40:53,519
In preparation for the law's effective
date,

1501
01:40:53,519 --> 01:40:59,774
the city's City Attorney's Office reviewed
Legislative Policy 7-1 and determined

1502
01:40:59,774 --> 01:41:05,327
that subsections were inconsistent with
the new statutory requirements.

1503
01:41:05,327 --> 01:41:11,582
Accordingly, this resolution revises the
policy by removing language that could,

1504
01:41:11,582 --> 01:41:14,476
could be incompatible with state law,

1505
01:41:14,476 --> 01:41:19,872
replacing it with a neutral objective
framework for evaluating future

1506
01:41:19,872 --> 01:41:20,732
framework for evaluating future
recognition

1507
01:41:20,732 --> 01:41:27,222
requests. Among the noted policy changes
are removal of existing language directing

1508
01:41:27,222 --> 01:41:33,243
recognition efforts to incorporate themes
of of diversity, equity, inclusion,

1509
01:41:33,243 --> 01:41:36,919
social justice, and demographic
representation.

1510
01:41:36,919 --> 01:41:42,080
It also adds a compliance section
identifying applicable statutory

1511
01:41:42,080 --> 01:41:42,940
identifying applicable statutory
exceptions,

1512
01:41:42,940 --> 01:41:48,179
establishes a case-by-case review process
for recognition requests,

1513
01:41:48,179 --> 01:41:52,402
outlines evaluation criteria for proposed
recognition,

1514
01:41:52,402 --> 01:41:58,189
and updates the list of events and
observances eligible for continued city

1515
01:41:58,189 --> 01:42:00,144
recognition. Importantly,

1516
01:42:00,144 --> 01:42:05,461
these amendments preserve the city's
ability to recognize events and

1517
01:42:05,461 --> 01:42:06,321
ability to recognize events and
observances

1518
01:42:06,321 --> 01:42:11,483
authorized by law while ensuring
compliance with the new statutory

1519
01:42:11,483 --> 01:42:12,734
compliance with the new statutory
requirements and

1520
01:42:12,734 --> 01:42:18,833
reducing the city's potential legal
exposure once the law becomes effective on

1521
01:42:18,833 --> 01:42:24,229
January 1, 2027. Staff recommends approval
of Resolution Number 2465.

1522
01:42:24,229 --> 01:42:29,937
And happy to answer any questions as it
relates to the policy amendments.

1523
01:42:29,937 --> 01:42:35,802
And I'll defer to City Attorney Allen on
any questions concerning the legal

1524
01:42:35,802 --> 01:42:39,947
requirements or of the new statute or its
exceptions.

1525
01:42:39,947 --> 01:42:46,281
Resolution number 2469, a resolution of
the City Commission of the City of Largo,

1526
01:42:46,281 --> 01:42:50,504
Florida, amending Legislative Policy 7-1,
parentheses,

1527
01:42:50,504 --> 01:42:53,319
Inclusion and Community Recognition,

1528
01:42:53,319 --> 01:42:59,418
to conform with Section 166 6.04971
Florida Statutes as created by Senate Bill

1529
01:42:59,418 --> 01:42:59,809
Florida Statutes as created by Senate Bill
1134,

1530
01:42:59,809 --> 01:43:03,406
parentheses, Chapter 2026-43, Laws of
Florida,

1531
01:43:03,406 --> 01:43:08,959
amending the standing schedule of
recognized observances and any policy

1532
01:43:08,959 --> 01:43:09,584
recognized observances and any policy
language

1533
01:43:09,584 --> 01:43:11,930
inconsistent with Florida law,

1534
01:43:11,930 --> 01:43:18,342
establishing a compliance review procedure
for proclamations, commemorative flags,

1535
01:43:18,342 --> 01:43:22,878
and public information campaigns,
providing for conflicts,

1536
01:43:22,878 --> 01:43:27,961
providing for severability, and providing
an effective Thank you.

1537
01:43:27,961 --> 01:43:34,295
Do we have any cards on this? We have one
card. Matt Faustini. Good evening, all.

1538
01:43:34,295 --> 01:43:37,736
Matt Faustini, 1015 Lake Palms Drive,
Largo.

1539
01:43:37,736 --> 01:43:43,992
Um, I wish we would have had this item
before we decided not to follow our Pride

1540
01:43:43,992 --> 01:43:48,918
legislative policy this year. That would
have been nice to see.

1541
01:43:48,918 --> 01:43:53,532
I'm here to speak tonight strongly against
this resolution.

1542
01:43:53,532 --> 01:43:56,503
Time and time again, you guys give up,

1543
01:43:56,503 --> 01:44:00,179
give in to the state taking power away
from us.

1544
01:44:00,179 --> 01:44:04,010
I know you're going to have to do certain
things,

1545
01:44:04,010 --> 01:44:10,266
but you don't have to roll over and just
give in because you want $300,000 or $1

1546
01:44:10,266 --> 01:44:14,489
million from Bernie Joch and your
Tallahassee friends.

1547
01:44:15,388 --> 01:44:17,155
And that's what this is. Thank you.

1548
01:44:19,170 --> 01:44:24,485
Um, what's even worse is this doesn't even
go into effect, as staff said,

1549
01:44:24,485 --> 01:44:28,854
until January 1st, 2027. So we claim to be
home rule heroes.

1550
01:44:28,854 --> 01:44:34,534
We have commissioners and mayors up here
who are supposedly home rule leaders,

1551
01:44:34,534 --> 01:44:40,286
yet are taking away our home rule ability
5 months earlier than was required by

1552
01:44:40,286 --> 01:44:41,014
state law.

1553
01:44:41,804 --> 01:44:45,951
Help me make sense of that. Because that's
not home rule to me.

1554
01:44:45,951 --> 01:44:50,032
That's giving in because you want your
money for your project.

1555
01:44:50,032 --> 01:44:52,797
And we just have to look to our neighbors.

1556
01:44:54,442 --> 01:44:58,849
The St. Pete Commission has condemned
these DEI initiatives.

1557
01:44:58,849 --> 01:45:04,357
I haven't heard a single commissioner
other than Commissioner Smith condemn

1558
01:45:04,357 --> 01:45:04,725
other than Commissioner Smith condemn
this.

1559
01:45:04,725 --> 01:45:09,499
And when faced with the state going after
their Office of Equity,

1560
01:45:09,499 --> 01:45:11,996
They didn't delete the department.

1561
01:45:12,787 --> 01:45:16,002
They renamed it and found an
administrative workaround.

1562
01:45:17,150 --> 01:45:20,230
They applied creativity to protect their
local values.

1563
01:45:20,230 --> 01:45:23,197
Largo, on the other hand, like so many
other things,

1564
01:45:23,197 --> 01:45:27,589
are just throwing in the towel like we did
with our Duke franchise agreement.

1565
01:45:28,152 --> 01:45:29,891
30 years, just throw it in.

1566
01:45:30,004 --> 01:45:30,535
Who cares?

1567
01:45:30,535 --> 01:45:35,494
And what makes this so frustrating is the
blatant hypocrisy.

1568
01:45:35,542 --> 01:45:38,813
And I want to say this staff member I'm
referring to is an amazing staff member.

1569
01:45:38,813 --> 01:45:40,408
I am not talking personally about them.

1570
01:45:41,393 --> 01:45:43,167
And I am glad we are keeping them.

1571
01:45:43,893 --> 01:45:49,675
But when the administration wants to
protect a position that is banned by law,

1572
01:45:49,675 --> 01:45:51,455
it finds a way to do it.

1573
01:45:51,455 --> 01:45:56,422
So our sustainability and resiliency
administrator was conveniently

1574
01:45:56,422 --> 01:45:57,534
administrator was conveniently
reclassified to

1575
01:45:57,534 --> 01:46:02,871
a performance and strategy program
administrator to shield that person's

1576
01:46:02,871 --> 01:46:03,390
administrator to shield that person's
climate

1577
01:46:03,390 --> 01:46:04,280
change role.

1578
01:46:06,738 --> 01:46:07,886
Let me be clear again.

1579
01:46:07,935 --> 01:46:11,119
I'm glad we're keeping that staff member.

1580
01:46:11,119 --> 01:46:14,924
But if city management can apply that
creativity,

1581
01:46:14,924 --> 01:46:20,747
why can we not find creativity for
diversity initiatives, for commemorative

1582
01:46:20,747 --> 01:46:21,213
diversity initiatives, for commemorative
flags?

1583
01:46:21,213 --> 01:46:23,776
Take the 5 months we have. Think.

1584
01:46:23,776 --> 01:46:30,143
Use your home rule ability while you still
have it instead of giving up your power

1585
01:46:30,143 --> 01:46:31,308
to Tallahassee.

1586
01:46:31,779 --> 01:46:33,357
Thank you. Thank you.

1587
01:46:34,219 --> 01:46:37,648
Commissioner Smith. So, Mr. Faustini, I
totally agree.

1588
01:46:37,648 --> 01:46:42,537
I feel like we talk about home rule up
here many times, and we're throwing in

1589
01:46:42,537 --> 01:46:42,791
here many times, and we're throwing in
the,

1590
01:46:42,791 --> 01:46:46,982
the towel, um, with, uh, a legislature
that keeps rolling over us,

1591
01:46:46,982 --> 01:46:50,856
and we just keep saying, okay, um, let's
change our policies.

1592
01:46:50,856 --> 01:46:54,094
We're not being creative enough to get
around this.

1593
01:46:54,094 --> 01:46:57,968
New ideas that we should be thinking
outside the box of them.

1594
01:46:57,968 --> 01:46:59,238
Uh, we keep getting—

1595
01:46:59,238 --> 01:47:03,683
having to We're having to lose
grandfathering because we're not at the

1596
01:47:03,683 --> 01:47:04,064
grandfathering because we're not at the
par of

1597
01:47:04,064 --> 01:47:07,175
something. We're having to find ways
around that.

1598
01:47:07,175 --> 01:47:10,160
Citizens, prime example, as short-term
rentals,

1599
01:47:10,160 --> 01:47:14,795
we're now having to deal with because of
Tallahassee that we can't touch.

1600
01:47:14,795 --> 01:47:16,256
Here's another one now.

1601
01:47:16,256 --> 01:47:19,494
We're going to throw a whole class of our
citizens,

1602
01:47:19,494 --> 01:47:24,193
basically recognizing them just as
citizens of our city, and not even DEI,

1603
01:47:24,193 --> 01:47:28,511
just plainly being nice to people and
recognize them, under the bus.

1604
01:47:28,511 --> 01:47:28,655
Thank you.

1605
01:47:28,720 --> 01:47:34,282
Because Tallahassee again says screw you
to the cities and Tallahassee's rule.

1606
01:47:34,282 --> 01:47:39,702
I'm voting against this because I ran to
represent my city, not Tallahassee,

1607
01:47:39,702 --> 01:47:45,193
and everybody. I find this deplorable that
we're having to do this right now,

1608
01:47:45,193 --> 01:47:50,970
and it's not just because I happen to be
one of these individuals. It's shameful.

1609
01:47:50,970 --> 01:47:54,892
In these times, we should be lifting each
other up and,

1610
01:47:54,892 --> 01:47:57,816
and talking about the grace of everybody.

1611
01:47:57,816 --> 01:48:00,882
And, and this again is word salad to—
well,

1612
01:48:00,882 --> 01:48:04,234
sometimes some individuals say I do word
salad,

1613
01:48:04,234 --> 01:48:10,224
but this is just word salad that they put
out there and scared us with DEI when it's

1614
01:48:10,224 --> 01:48:13,362
not. It's not. I mean, it really is
idiotic.

1615
01:48:13,362 --> 01:48:18,996
Um, what, what— are there any cities at
the moment or organizations challenging

1616
01:48:18,996 --> 01:48:19,281
the moment or organizations challenging
this

1617
01:48:19,281 --> 01:48:22,062
law in the court Not that I'm aware of.

1618
01:48:22,659 --> 01:48:25,279
And just so it's clear, this resolution—

1619
01:48:25,279 --> 01:48:28,684
the policy doesn't go into effect until
January 1st.

1620
01:48:28,684 --> 01:48:31,915
Yeah, but we're still throwing in the
towel now.

1621
01:48:31,915 --> 01:48:34,474
I mean, the policy— I mean, I'm sorry,

1622
01:48:34,474 --> 01:48:37,301
the law doesn't go into effect. Ours will.

1623
01:48:37,301 --> 01:48:39,722
The resolution goes into effect January
1st.

1624
01:48:39,722 --> 01:48:41,584
Okay. Nothing goes into effect.

1625
01:48:41,584 --> 01:48:46,628
But still, we're— I feel like this is just
rolling over and writing language that we

1626
01:48:46,628 --> 01:48:50,291
shouldn't even have to We should be
thinking outside the box.

1627
01:48:50,291 --> 01:48:54,014
I do like that the very bottom that we
talked about, you know,

1628
01:48:54,014 --> 01:48:57,497
and I hope citizens that are of— and I'll
flat out say it—

1629
01:48:57,497 --> 01:49:02,061
the Pride individuals come and stand here
every June at that podium and do a

1630
01:49:02,061 --> 01:49:06,865
citizens' proclamation. I think what we
did this past June was deplorable again.

1631
01:49:06,865 --> 01:49:11,729
And I'm appreciative of my citizens that
came here, organizations that came here,

1632
01:49:11,729 --> 01:49:15,632
stood there. called us out for what it was
and did it themselves.

1633
01:49:15,632 --> 01:49:19,055
And I hope every June they come here and
recognize Pride.

1634
01:49:19,055 --> 01:49:23,559
And, um, I'll be voting against this
because I think it's deplorable. Thank

1635
01:49:23,559 --> 01:49:23,799
because I think it's deplorable. Thank
you.

1636
01:49:23,799 --> 01:49:26,381
Thank you. Commissioner DeBrisi. Thank
you.

1637
01:49:26,381 --> 01:49:30,945
Um, I came tonight intending to vote no on
this, and I want to explain that.

1638
01:49:30,945 --> 01:49:33,587
But also, I had wanted to keep an open
mind,

1639
01:49:33,587 --> 01:49:36,650
listen to City Attorney and others about,
you know,

1640
01:49:36,650 --> 01:49:40,553
what are What are some of the
ramifications if this doesn't pass?

1641
01:49:40,553 --> 01:49:41,814
So I don't— you know,

1642
01:49:41,814 --> 01:49:46,318
my intent on voting no is not because I
want to advocate for the city doing

1643
01:49:46,318 --> 01:49:46,799
want to advocate for the city doing
whatever

1644
01:49:46,799 --> 01:49:50,642
it may be. I, you know, I believe in
limited role of government,

1645
01:49:50,642 --> 01:49:55,206
and I think the government— there's areas
the government should stay out of.

1646
01:49:55,206 --> 01:49:59,649
You know, being kind to people is
something we should all be doing anyway.

1647
01:49:59,649 --> 01:50:03,372
But I, you know, my issue is, of course,
is, is, is, you know,

1648
01:50:03,372 --> 01:50:07,336
home rule in Tallahassee and, and, and,
you know, being, you know,

1649
01:50:07,336 --> 01:50:11,479
being legislated on what to do and how the
city should manage itself,

1650
01:50:11,479 --> 01:50:15,142
both from a policy and budget and
everything else that we do.

1651
01:50:15,142 --> 01:50:18,565
And we— and you mentioned the short-term
vacation rental,

1652
01:50:18,565 --> 01:50:22,769
which is going to become prominent in our
lives in the next few weeks.

1653
01:50:22,769 --> 01:50:26,552
This is just— we're setting resolution and
policy for the city.

1654
01:50:26,552 --> 01:50:30,155
action is what matters, right? So what if
this doesn't pass?

1655
01:50:30,155 --> 01:50:33,278
Do we have to have something on the books
like this?

1656
01:50:33,278 --> 01:50:36,520
Because at the end of the day, if we, you
know, if we—

1657
01:50:36,520 --> 01:50:40,904
I understand if we have something in the
books, we're obligated to do it.

1658
01:50:40,904 --> 01:50:43,546
But what if this doesn't pass? What
happens?

1659
01:50:43,546 --> 01:50:46,729
What does it put the city in, in an
awkward position?

1660
01:50:46,729 --> 01:50:48,092
It does.

1661
01:50:48,092 --> 01:50:49,793
Yeah, it's a legal position too.

1662
01:50:49,793 --> 01:50:52,291
Yes, it does. So not passing,

1663
01:50:52,291 --> 01:50:59,355
it does put us in a precarious position
because then we are in direct violation of

1664
01:50:59,355 --> 01:51:06,333
the statute. What we did when we reviewed
this is— I'm just trying to pull it up.

1665
01:51:06,333 --> 01:51:08,401
So there are exceptions.

1666
01:51:08,401 --> 01:51:12,967
And so some of the holidays that initially
it seemed,

1667
01:51:12,967 --> 01:51:19,772
or recognition that weren't permitted
under the legislation, they actually are.

1668
01:51:19,772 --> 01:51:26,147
There's some lesser-known federal acts
that have recognized some of these.

1669
01:51:26,147 --> 01:51:27,956
commemorative months.

1670
01:51:27,956 --> 01:51:34,590
There's also some provisions in the
Florida statute that's referenced in here

1671
01:51:34,590 --> 01:51:34,934
Florida statute that's referenced in here
that

1672
01:51:34,934 --> 01:51:40,103
reference certain cultural figures,
historical significance.

1673
01:51:40,103 --> 01:51:47,253
And so there are some ways that they may
be able to still have some recognition and

1674
01:51:47,253 --> 01:51:49,321
comply with the statute.

1675
01:51:49,321 --> 01:51:49,565
Okay.

1676
01:51:50,710 --> 01:51:53,007
So, we did reference that in there.

1677
01:51:53,007 --> 01:51:58,192
That's why we have that case-by-case
review request. And so, that's the intent.

1678
01:51:58,192 --> 01:52:00,292
You know, we'll work with staff,

1679
01:52:00,292 --> 01:52:05,477
but some of the ones that we know that
immediately we were able to identify the

1680
01:52:05,477 --> 01:52:10,071
exceptions, we included in there. And so,
that's more what's intended.

1681
01:52:10,071 --> 01:52:14,469
We wanted to ensure we have a policy that
on its face is compliant,

1682
01:52:14,469 --> 01:52:17,094
and we will work with staff that allows—

1683
01:52:17,094 --> 01:52:17,529
I'm sorry.

1684
01:52:17,620 --> 01:52:22,787
to see if we can identify some more
creative methods to acknowledge those

1685
01:52:22,787 --> 01:52:23,495
creative methods to acknowledge those
events and

1686
01:52:23,495 --> 01:52:29,228
those individuals that it may seem like
based on the initial language wouldn't be

1687
01:52:29,228 --> 01:52:33,263
compliant, but there are some exceptions
written in here.

1688
01:52:33,263 --> 01:52:37,302
I appreciate that. The exceptions are what
are prescribed by the state.

1689
01:52:37,302 --> 01:52:40,487
So, you know, we don't get to create our
own exceptions.

1690
01:52:40,487 --> 01:52:45,152
They've listed out a number of holidays,
recognition, people, and everything else.

1691
01:52:45,152 --> 01:52:46,858
Again, it's prescribed by the—

1692
01:52:46,858 --> 01:52:47,879
But there's catchalls.

1693
01:52:48,219 --> 01:52:48,332
Okay.

1694
01:52:48,786 --> 01:52:50,886
So that's what I'm referencing.

1695
01:52:50,886 --> 01:52:56,171
So some of the catchalls are, if there's,
for example, in the city of Dunedin,

1696
01:52:56,171 --> 01:52:58,068
they have a Scottish museum.

1697
01:52:58,068 --> 01:53:02,540
And so while that's not permitted, they
are able to identify that.

1698
01:53:02,540 --> 01:53:07,012
And so other cities have other, you know,
either historical sites,

1699
01:53:07,012 --> 01:53:10,535
or they may have a statue commemorating
individuals.

1700
01:53:10,583 --> 01:53:11,097
So there are—

1701
01:53:12,029 --> 01:53:15,228
and so those are some of the catchalls
where it says if, you know,

1702
01:53:15,228 --> 01:53:18,717
you're working in that towards some of
those cultural centers and stuff.

1703
01:53:18,717 --> 01:53:20,656
So there are some things we can look at.

1704
01:53:23,099 --> 01:53:25,891
Okay, thank you. Thank you. Commissioner
Holmes.

1705
01:53:25,891 --> 01:53:29,730
I think you got to take a little, little
broader perspective here.

1706
01:53:29,730 --> 01:53:32,057
This is not aiming at a group of people.

1707
01:53:32,057 --> 01:53:35,780
This is a law— this is the state of
Florida has already enacted.

1708
01:53:35,780 --> 01:53:37,525
What are you going to do when—

1709
01:53:37,525 --> 01:53:41,655
it wasn't all that long ago that the
Knights of Columbus approached us,

1710
01:53:41,655 --> 01:53:46,309
that they wanted to put up their flag and
they wanted to have their celebration,

1711
01:53:46,309 --> 01:53:50,381
and they were turned down. What are you
going to do when BLM shows up?

1712
01:53:50,381 --> 01:53:54,860
BLM was going to come here, just— they
were going to make a show of this with

1713
01:53:54,860 --> 01:53:55,209
were going to make a show of this with
Largo,

1714
01:53:55,209 --> 01:54:00,037
that they wanted to put their flag up in
front of City Hall and they wanted to have

1715
01:54:00,037 --> 01:54:02,364
a ceremony going. They were turned down.

1716
01:54:02,364 --> 01:54:05,098
They could have sued us for that, and they
did.

1717
01:54:05,098 --> 01:54:09,286
There's all kinds of organizations who
would just love to step up to get

1718
01:54:09,286 --> 01:54:09,809
would just love to step up to get
something

1719
01:54:09,809 --> 01:54:13,067
done. And this is not just aimed at one
group of people.

1720
01:54:13,067 --> 01:54:17,313
I mean, it's already a state law. The
state's going to take this thing in

1721
01:54:17,313 --> 01:54:17,779
state's going to take this thing in
January.

1722
01:54:17,779 --> 01:54:21,967
Whether we adopt something or not is
irrelevant. It's going to happen in

1723
01:54:21,967 --> 01:54:22,432
irrelevant. It's going to happen in
January.

1724
01:54:22,432 --> 01:54:27,028
It's a done deal. All you can do is go
back to Tallahassee And try to amend it.

1725
01:54:27,028 --> 01:54:30,925
All these things can be amended. This none
of this stuff is gospel.

1726
01:54:30,925 --> 01:54:33,310
You know, if you don't like it, amend it.

1727
01:54:33,310 --> 01:54:34,473
But in the meantime,

1728
01:54:34,473 --> 01:54:38,196
don't sit there and fight with it with
Tallahassee on the thing.

1729
01:54:38,196 --> 01:54:42,966
But the state you got to set up some type
of protection for the city for the times

1730
01:54:42,966 --> 01:54:47,096
when BLM comes in and they say, "Well, we
want to have something here."

1731
01:54:47,096 --> 01:54:51,808
What do you think the citizens of Largo
would do if all of a sudden we go, "Okay,

1732
01:54:51,808 --> 01:54:55,356
we're gonna we're gonna cave into BLM"?
Think that'd be good?

1733
01:54:55,356 --> 01:54:57,683
I don't think that would be good at all.

1734
01:54:57,683 --> 01:55:01,464
I mean, there's just— I, I don't even want
to get into, you know,

1735
01:55:01,464 --> 01:55:05,245
there's religious groups that I think we
would really frown upon,

1736
01:55:05,245 --> 01:55:07,048
but not going to get into that.

1737
01:55:07,048 --> 01:55:08,968
But I'm just saying, this is— it,

1738
01:55:08,968 --> 01:55:11,935
it almost doesn't matter whether we pass
it or not.

1739
01:55:11,935 --> 01:55:13,912
The state's got it as a done deal.

1740
01:55:13,912 --> 01:55:17,577
If you don't like that, take it up with
Tallahassee. Thank you.

1741
01:55:17,577 --> 01:55:20,078
Commissioner Johnson. Thank you, Mr.
Mayor.

1742
01:55:20,078 --> 01:55:22,521
You know, this is a tough issue, and I do—

1743
01:55:22,521 --> 01:55:27,175
I appreciate the work the city's done to
make this as as broad as it can legally

1744
01:55:27,175 --> 01:55:31,654
and, and allow us to celebrate our
citizens, you know, the way, the way that,

1745
01:55:31,654 --> 01:55:33,225
that's allowable right now.

1746
01:55:33,225 --> 01:55:36,308
Um, I, and I have asked this question, but
just what,

1747
01:55:36,308 --> 01:55:39,042
what is the consequence of us not passing
this?

1748
01:55:39,042 --> 01:55:40,380
There is a consequence,

1749
01:55:40,380 --> 01:55:44,742
and it's potential removal of our city
manager and/or commission from their

1750
01:55:44,742 --> 01:55:45,091
manager and/or commission from their
seats.

1751
01:55:45,091 --> 01:55:46,022
Is that correct?

1752
01:55:46,022 --> 01:55:50,215
Potentially. I think that is more than
just having the policy.

1753
01:55:50,215 --> 01:55:52,717
I think we would have to be actively—

1754
01:55:52,717 --> 01:55:53,247
Actively—

1755
01:55:53,247 --> 01:55:57,824
Misusing funds. It's a, you know, these
are prohibited actions.

1756
01:55:57,824 --> 01:56:00,586
So I think it'd be more than a policy,

1757
01:56:00,586 --> 01:56:04,436
it would have to be active events and use
of funding.

1758
01:56:04,436 --> 01:56:06,616
But it's, you know, of course,

1759
01:56:06,616 --> 01:56:11,993
I'm not going to advise the city on its
face to be in violation of a state

1760
01:56:11,993 --> 01:56:12,574
face to be in violation of a state
statute.

1761
01:56:12,574 --> 01:56:15,480
But I understand The concern, so we can—

1762
01:56:15,480 --> 01:56:21,148
we'll be happy to review it and then
present options as it relates to specific

1763
01:56:21,148 --> 01:56:22,819
events and recognition.

1764
01:56:22,819 --> 01:56:27,121
Thank you. Thank you. I just want to make
a couple comments.

1765
01:56:27,121 --> 01:56:28,555
Uh, first, you know,

1766
01:56:28,555 --> 01:56:33,431
when I was in Tallahassee talking to our
legislators about this, um,

1767
01:56:33,431 --> 01:56:38,163
I asked them which they didn't like—
diversity, inclusion, equity.

1768
01:56:38,163 --> 01:56:40,314
I mean, which one's offensive?

1769
01:56:40,314 --> 01:56:44,186
I mean, I think all of those are pretty
good, I think.

1770
01:56:44,186 --> 01:56:47,269
Um, and I just don't understand, um,
again,

1771
01:56:47,269 --> 01:56:53,149
why the focus in Tallahassee is for things
like this when there's important things

1772
01:56:53,149 --> 01:56:55,802
that could be tackled in Tallahassee.

1773
01:56:55,802 --> 01:57:00,964
Um, that said, I continue to, you know,
like many of the people up here,

1774
01:57:00,964 --> 01:57:04,478
continue to go back up there year after
year and,

1775
01:57:04,478 --> 01:57:07,561
and try to maintain what home rule we
have.

1776
01:57:07,561 --> 01:57:13,010
Both counties and cities in this state
continue to lose— I wouldn't even say

1777
01:57:13,010 --> 01:57:13,441
continue to lose— I wouldn't even say
power,

1778
01:57:13,441 --> 01:57:16,596
but lose the individuality that cities
have.

1779
01:57:16,596 --> 01:57:21,113
And, and there's 412 cities, towns, and
villages in this state.

1780
01:57:21,113 --> 01:57:26,490
And I'll tell you, Largo is not like
Jacksonville nor is it like Reddington

1781
01:57:26,490 --> 01:57:26,992
Jacksonville nor is it like Reddington
Shores,

1782
01:57:26,992 --> 01:57:30,004
nor Apopka, right? So we're all different.

1783
01:57:30,004 --> 01:57:35,955
And the people that are sitting in these
seats throughout our cities and throughout

1784
01:57:35,955 --> 01:57:41,978
our counties are the ones that really are
in touch with the residents and really are

1785
01:57:41,978 --> 01:57:44,846
in touch with what those residents want.

1786
01:57:44,846 --> 01:57:50,295
I think this change doesn't change the
fact that we appreciate and celebrate

1787
01:57:50,295 --> 01:57:52,662
everybody that lives in our city.

1788
01:57:52,662 --> 01:57:57,537
Not the change statewide, but the change
that's being proposed here.

1789
01:57:57,537 --> 01:58:03,274
It just brings our policies in line with
the state law. I don't think it's good.

1790
01:58:03,274 --> 01:58:08,866
I do prefer to stay in line with the state
law, and just kind of a preference.

1791
01:58:08,866 --> 01:58:10,372
And it is what it is.

1792
01:58:10,372 --> 01:58:16,323
I think that we'll continue to celebrate
the folks that live here regardless of who

1793
01:58:16,323 --> 01:58:21,773
they are and what, you know, if they're
different than me or the same as me,

1794
01:58:21,773 --> 01:58:23,780
we'll celebrate those folks.

1795
01:58:23,780 --> 01:58:29,445
You know, when we talked about Pride
Month, um, when we celebrate those things,

1796
01:58:29,445 --> 01:58:34,034
the votes on this commission were 7-0 to
do those things, right?

1797
01:58:34,034 --> 01:58:39,913
We're not— our attitude towards people in
the city has not changed because of this

1798
01:58:39,913 --> 01:58:42,064
type of a policy. And frankly,

1799
01:58:42,064 --> 01:58:46,008
our attitude towards Tallahassee hasn't
changed either.

1800
01:58:46,008 --> 01:58:51,601
And so we'll continue to fight so that we
can manage our city the way that our

1801
01:58:51,601 --> 01:58:55,831
residents want our city managed. And it's
a growing battle.

1802
01:58:55,831 --> 01:58:59,273
I think that we'll see what happens in
November.

1803
01:58:59,273 --> 01:59:04,220
We know that we're going to have a
different governor after November.

1804
01:59:04,220 --> 01:59:09,813
And hopefully there's a little bit less of
an attitude of everything has to be

1805
01:59:09,813 --> 01:59:11,677
governed from Tallahassee.

1806
01:59:11,677 --> 01:59:17,629
I think that's a problem in in the state,
there's things that make sense statewide.

1807
01:59:17,629 --> 01:59:19,278
And there's many, many,

1808
01:59:19,278 --> 01:59:25,229
many things that make sense to allow the
cities and counties to dictate what is the

1809
01:59:25,229 --> 01:59:27,739
best for their cities and counties.

1810
01:59:27,739 --> 01:59:30,893
And I think that it's going to take a
while,

1811
01:59:30,893 --> 01:59:34,192
but soon Tallahassee will come around to
that.

1812
01:59:34,192 --> 01:59:38,709
We need to— I guess some of y'all need to
run for state office,

1813
01:59:38,709 --> 01:59:43,226
get some more local people up there or
something. I'm not sure.

1814
01:59:43,226 --> 01:59:47,600
I'm not pushing you away. I'm just saying.
Commissioner Holk.

1815
01:59:47,600 --> 01:59:54,491
Yes. So of course everything that our
illustrious mayor said is

1816
01:59:54,491 --> 02:00:01,382
always on target. I just wanted to add
that regardless of this,

1817
02:00:01,382 --> 02:00:06,742
that we are still, as you said, a
welcoming city.

1818
02:00:06,742 --> 02:00:13,305
So we may not be sponsoring the events
that different groups

1819
02:00:13,305 --> 02:00:16,696
would want to have here, right?

1820
02:00:16,696 --> 02:00:23,369
They— so we can still have things in the
city as long as they

1821
02:00:23,369 --> 02:00:27,963
are sponsored by an organization, correct?

1822
02:00:27,963 --> 02:00:28,332
Mm-hmm.

1823
02:00:28,332 --> 02:00:31,033
So that we're not spending— spending—

1824
02:00:31,033 --> 02:00:36,507
we can't spend city funds to sponsor an
event of an organization, but they,

1825
02:00:36,507 --> 02:00:41,398
they are welcome to to utilize our city to
have an event that they,

1826
02:00:41,398 --> 02:00:44,171
they sponsor or they pay for, correct?

1827
02:00:44,171 --> 02:00:48,624
So we're not like shutting everybody out,
but we're just not—

1828
02:00:48,929 --> 02:00:51,244
we're just not financing it.

1829
02:00:51,244 --> 02:00:55,958
We, we can't finance it. We also can't
take official action.

1830
02:00:55,958 --> 02:00:59,179
So official action is pretty broad. Okay.

1831
02:00:59,179 --> 02:01:01,301
Um, but because of how, um,

1832
02:01:01,301 --> 02:01:07,429
it's worded And there is a potential for
any member of the governing body that

1833
02:01:07,429 --> 02:01:12,222
violates it could be held malfeasance,
misfeasance in office.

1834
02:01:12,222 --> 02:01:15,365
But again, it's something we would just—

1835
02:01:15,365 --> 02:01:21,257
we would need to review on a case-by-case
basis, because we are— it is new.

1836
02:01:21,257 --> 02:01:27,386
And we are trying to be consistent with
what we've done in the past and ensure

1837
02:01:27,386 --> 02:01:27,700
what we've done in the past and ensure
that

1838
02:01:27,700 --> 02:01:33,278
we're compliant with as narrow an
interpretation as we can make of this

1839
02:01:33,278 --> 02:01:33,907
interpretation as we can make of this
statute.

1840
02:01:34,053 --> 02:01:35,163
So, okay, thank you.

1841
02:01:35,163 --> 02:01:39,713
And all our facilities will continue to be
available for everyone in our community

1842
02:01:39,713 --> 02:01:40,989
that wants to use them.

1843
02:01:40,989 --> 02:01:45,766
Okay. All right. So that was, that was
basically my,

1844
02:01:45,766 --> 02:01:50,359
my concern. You know, like, well, I don't
know if—

1845
02:01:50,359 --> 02:01:51,370
never mind.

1846
02:01:51,531 --> 02:01:53,046
Protests are a totally different thing.

1847
02:01:53,159 --> 02:01:57,562
So I won't go there right now. Never mind.
I'm done. Thank you. Thank you.

1848
02:01:57,626 --> 02:01:58,741
Commissioner Johnson.

1849
02:01:58,741 --> 02:02:03,041
Yeah, I just wanted to say, as somebody
who goes to Tallahassee sometimes and is,

1850
02:02:03,041 --> 02:02:07,022
um, you know, talking about making
statewide fire codes and building codes,

1851
02:02:07,022 --> 02:02:07,287
statewide fire codes and building codes,
that,

1852
02:02:07,287 --> 02:02:08,561
you know, those kind of—

1853
02:02:08,561 --> 02:02:12,277
there are things that I think the state
government has an opportunity,

1854
02:02:12,277 --> 02:02:14,560
that has a responsibility to maybe
preempt.

1855
02:02:14,560 --> 02:02:16,206
Um, you know, having, you know,

1856
02:02:16,206 --> 02:02:20,505
20 different ways you enforce the fire
code in Pinellas County makes it difficult

1857
02:02:20,505 --> 02:02:20,612
code in Pinellas County makes it difficult
to

1858
02:02:20,612 --> 02:02:24,540
do business here for sure. It makes it
more expensive to do business here.

1859
02:02:24,540 --> 02:02:28,680
That being said, there are things that
make every community different and give

1860
02:02:28,680 --> 02:02:28,946
make every community different and give
every

1861
02:02:28,946 --> 02:02:33,299
community a flavor. And this preemption,
you know, whenever you have a preemption,

1862
02:02:33,299 --> 02:02:35,900
you can almost always— it's in the
building code—

1863
02:02:35,900 --> 02:02:38,981
you can almost name it for a building
official or a fire marshal.

1864
02:02:38,981 --> 02:02:41,777
You could name the reason for that bill on
that one person.

1865
02:02:42,323 --> 02:02:43,489
That's how bad it is,

1866
02:02:43,489 --> 02:02:47,708
because you get one story to somebody in
leadership and that's what happens.

1867
02:02:47,708 --> 02:02:51,038
And, you know, this is something else that
I think You know,

1868
02:02:51,038 --> 02:02:55,257
there may be a community somewhere that
has been irresponsible with funding,

1869
02:02:55,257 --> 02:02:59,420
doing whatever they're doing. I don't
know. But, uh, you know, I don't like

1870
02:02:59,420 --> 02:02:59,698
know. But, uh, you know, I don't like
this.

1871
02:02:59,698 --> 02:03:02,085
This seems like a flavor for our
community.

1872
02:03:02,085 --> 02:03:06,193
This is our flavor of our community, is
that we are welcoming to everyone.

1873
02:03:06,193 --> 02:03:09,579
Um, and I don't like that we're, you know,
having to do this.

1874
02:03:09,579 --> 02:03:13,742
Um, and Commissioner Smith, you know, I
love you, and I'm sorry about that.

1875
02:03:13,742 --> 02:03:16,504
This That's all.

1876
02:03:16,504 --> 02:03:18,683
Thank you. Commissioner Lauser.

1877
02:03:18,683 --> 02:03:23,602
Yeah, so, um, while I don't agree with,
uh, you know, preemption, and,

1878
02:03:23,602 --> 02:03:27,397
and we should be able to do whatever we
want to do, I,

1879
02:03:27,397 --> 02:03:32,036
I personally think that as a government or
as a government entity,

1880
02:03:32,036 --> 02:03:33,793
anytime you fly any flag,

1881
02:03:33,793 --> 02:03:39,063
you're showing a preference to that
community and not including the rest of

1882
02:03:39,063 --> 02:03:39,274
community and not including the rest of
the

1883
02:03:39,274 --> 02:03:44,686
communities. So unless we're going to do
it for everybody you don't do it for

1884
02:03:44,686 --> 02:03:50,238
anybody. I think the only flags that
should be flown on any government facility

1885
02:03:50,238 --> 02:03:50,378
should be flown on any government facility
is

1886
02:03:50,378 --> 02:03:53,049
that state flag and the American flag.

1887
02:03:53,049 --> 02:03:56,282
So that's— I, I, I, I am an ally to
everybody.

1888
02:03:56,282 --> 02:04:01,623
I am inclusive, and sometimes I feel
unincluded when things like that happen

1889
02:04:01,623 --> 02:04:01,834
unincluded when things like that happen
for

1890
02:04:01,834 --> 02:04:04,926
anything. So I don't support the
preemption,

1891
02:04:04,926 --> 02:04:10,689
but I do support the fact that we keep our
government as even-keeled and inclusive

1892
02:04:10,689 --> 02:04:13,219
to everybody as possible. Thank you.

1893
02:04:13,268 --> 02:04:13,917
Commissioner Holmes?

1894
02:04:13,917 --> 02:04:18,603
Well, we already dance and prance with
various people when they want to use city

1895
02:04:18,603 --> 02:04:22,996
facilities. There's a whole list of things
you cannot have in Central Park.

1896
02:04:22,996 --> 02:04:24,167
We've had companies,

1897
02:04:24,167 --> 02:04:27,974
they wanted to come in and they wanted to
have a political rally,

1898
02:04:27,974 --> 02:04:32,074
they wanted to have some church picnic or
a religious affair in there,

1899
02:04:32,074 --> 02:04:35,120
and we've turned them down. That's already
happened.

1900
02:04:35,120 --> 02:04:37,053
That happened a couple years ago.

1901
02:04:37,053 --> 02:04:39,630
My whole point with this thing here, I
mean,

1902
02:04:39,630 --> 02:04:44,433
I'm going to make the motion to approve it
because if you don't approve this thing

1903
02:04:44,433 --> 02:04:47,596
and you go outside of the state or
resolution on this,

1904
02:04:47,596 --> 02:04:51,520
you are then opening yourself to being
sued by one group of people.

1905
02:04:51,520 --> 02:04:55,561
Or if you turn around, you're going to get
sued on this thing anyway.

1906
02:04:55,561 --> 02:04:56,791
It's going to happen.

1907
02:04:56,791 --> 02:05:01,243
So you're going to get sued one way or
you're going to get sued another way.

1908
02:05:01,243 --> 02:05:05,636
It's going to happen, but I don't, I don't
feel comfortable just, you know,

1909
02:05:05,636 --> 02:05:08,916
going to the state of Florida and saying,
nah, nah, nah,

1910
02:05:08,916 --> 02:05:12,723
we're not going to pass this thing,
because the state's going to—

1911
02:05:12,723 --> 02:05:16,647
it's going to be state law. You can't get
away from it. It's there.

1912
02:05:16,647 --> 02:05:21,157
So what we do as, you know, the little
peons in the woodpile, fine and dandy.

1913
02:05:21,157 --> 02:05:25,023
So I am not in a position right now that I
want to just, you know,

1914
02:05:25,023 --> 02:05:28,361
stick my tongue out to the governor of the
state and say,

1915
02:05:28,361 --> 02:05:32,520
now we're not going to pass this thing,
because, well, this is already—

1916
02:05:32,520 --> 02:05:35,976
this is a law already. It just goes into
effect in January.

1917
02:05:35,976 --> 02:05:38,377
I move to approve Resolution Number 2469.

1918
02:05:38,377 --> 02:05:40,574
Second.

1919
02:05:40,574 --> 02:05:44,464
I have a motion and second. Commissioner
DeBriesi has something as well.

1920
02:05:44,464 --> 02:05:47,814
Yep, thank you. Um, it's kind of
anticlimactic, but listening,

1921
02:05:47,814 --> 02:05:51,704
listening to the conversation here, you
know, I don't like— like I said,

1922
02:05:51,704 --> 02:05:55,324
I don't like what's happening, and I don't
like what, um, you know,

1923
02:05:55,324 --> 02:05:58,511
I'd like to say I think a limited role for
government, and,

1924
02:05:58,511 --> 02:06:01,375
and I don't agree with some of the things
that we do.

1925
02:06:01,375 --> 02:06:03,320
It's not a— that's not a comment on,

1926
02:06:03,320 --> 02:06:06,777
on what we do and who the people are or
anything else like that.

1927
02:06:06,777 --> 02:06:09,641
I just think that, uh, it's necessarily
not our role.

1928
02:06:09,641 --> 02:06:13,801
But I'm also reminded, looking at the, at
the resolution again, uh, reminded,

1929
02:06:13,801 --> 02:06:16,016
you know, what I did in November of 2024.

1930
02:06:16,016 --> 02:06:20,554
I stood there and raised my right hand to
abide the state laws of Florida as well as

1931
02:06:20,554 --> 02:06:23,796
other things. And I think that, um, you
know, voting no, um,

1932
02:06:23,796 --> 02:06:28,118
while it may send one message, it sends a
message that we're ignoring state law,

1933
02:06:28,118 --> 02:06:29,793
which I'm not comfortable with.

1934
02:06:29,793 --> 02:06:33,899
So, uh, I am gonna— I am gonna vote yes
after listening to the conversation.

1935
02:06:33,899 --> 02:06:38,384
But, um, I also trust this commission and
the direction we give to city staff to be

1936
02:06:38,384 --> 02:06:40,977
flexible, to be welcoming, and to
recognize and,

1937
02:06:40,977 --> 02:06:43,138
and celebrate the residents of our city.

1938
02:06:43,738 --> 02:06:43,948
Thank you.

1939
02:06:43,948 --> 02:06:48,015
Thank you. I do have a motion and a
second. Could you poll the board, please?

1940
02:06:48,015 --> 02:06:49,917
One last question before we do this.

1941
02:06:49,917 --> 02:06:50,661
Oh, please.

1942
02:06:50,661 --> 02:06:54,268
To the lawyer, would I be considered
breaking the law by voting no?

1943
02:06:54,268 --> 02:06:55,743
No.

1944
02:06:55,743 --> 02:07:00,864
No. Okay, that's all I need. We could have
you in jail, though.

1945
02:07:00,864 --> 02:07:03,384
I would, I would listen to, uh,

1946
02:07:03,384 --> 02:07:07,368
the attorney and not Commissioner Holmes
on that.

1947
02:07:07,368 --> 02:07:12,977
They both said no, but yeah. Ready? Could
you poll the board, please?

1948
02:07:12,977 --> 02:07:14,821
Mayor Brown? Yes.

1949
02:07:14,821 --> 02:07:16,099
Commissioner Lowser?

1950
02:07:16,099 --> 02:07:16,439
Yes.

1951
02:07:16,439 --> 02:07:17,539
Commissioner Hulk?

1952
02:07:17,539 --> 02:07:17,927
Yes.

1953
02:07:17,927 --> 02:07:19,124
Vice Mayor Johnson?

1954
02:07:19,124 --> 02:07:20,419
Yes. Commissioner Smith?

1955
02:07:20,419 --> 02:07:20,629
No.

1956
02:07:20,629 --> 02:07:21,825
Commissioner Holmes?

1957
02:07:21,825 --> 02:07:22,181
Yes.

1958
02:07:22,181 --> 02:07:23,797
Commissioner DiBrizzi? Yes.

1959
02:07:23,797 --> 02:07:27,259
Motion carries 6 to 1. Thank you very
much.

1960
02:07:27,259 --> 02:07:32,654
City Attorney Allen, anything this
evening? You got one more to go.

1961
02:07:32,654 --> 02:07:37,082
It's been a while. Next up is ordinance
number 2026-26.

1962
02:07:37,082 --> 02:07:39,900
Good evening, Mayor and Commission.

1963
02:07:39,900 --> 02:07:45,214
Throughout the course of the year,
necessary operational, capital,

1964
02:07:45,214 --> 02:07:51,333
and personnel adjustments arise that
warrant amending the originally adopted

1965
02:07:51,333 --> 02:07:51,896
warrant amending the originally adopted
budget.

1966
02:07:51,896 --> 02:07:58,177
This is a quarterly budget amendment to
the adopted fiscal year 2026 budget to

1967
02:07:58,177 --> 02:08:00,914
account for the following changes:

1968
02:08:00,914 --> 02:08:07,114
allocating $6,200 in the police donations
fund for emergency response voltage

1969
02:08:07,114 --> 02:08:09,851
readers reimbursed by Duke Energy,

1970
02:08:09,851 --> 02:08:16,131
allocating $630,000 in the home fund for
additional down payment assistance to

1971
02:08:16,131 --> 02:08:16,534
additional down payment assistance to
cover

1972
02:08:16,534 --> 02:08:22,411
costs Based on estimated program
utilization through the remainder of the

1973
02:08:22,411 --> 02:08:22,895
utilization through the remainder of the
fiscal

1974
02:08:22,895 --> 02:08:29,255
year. Allocating $27,000 in the general
fund for Bonner Park Boardwalk repairs.

1975
02:08:29,255 --> 02:08:35,374
This project was funded in fiscal year
2023 and spanned over multiple fiscal

1976
02:08:35,374 --> 02:08:35,857
2023 and spanned over multiple fiscal
years.

1977
02:08:35,857 --> 02:08:40,527
The $27,000 allocation covers the
remaining project costs.

1978
02:08:40,527 --> 02:08:46,566
Allocating $150,000 Uh, in the general
fund for legal counsel through Taft,

1979
02:08:46,566 --> 02:08:51,880
Statinius, and Hollister, LLP to request
compensation of $690,000—

1980
02:08:51,880 --> 02:08:56,630
$690,142 in construction delay costs at
440 West Bay Drive.

1981
02:08:56,630 --> 02:09:02,588
Allocating $25,000 in the general fund for
additional costs related to the

1982
02:09:02,588 --> 02:09:09,271
completion of a comprehensive operational
evaluation of the Largo Police Department

1983
02:09:09,271 --> 02:09:12,008
performed by PFM Group Consulting,

1984
02:09:12,008 --> 02:09:18,288
and allocating $60,000 in the general fund
to sever utility connections at 201

1985
02:09:18,288 --> 02:09:21,911
Highland Avenue prior to building
demolition.

1986
02:09:21,911 --> 02:09:27,789
All revenue and expenditure adjustments
are detailed in Appendix A of the

1987
02:09:27,789 --> 02:09:28,594
are detailed in Appendix A of the
ordinance,

1988
02:09:28,594 --> 02:09:33,183
and staff are available for any questions
you might have.

1989
02:09:33,183 --> 02:09:38,739
Ordinance number 2026-26, an ordinance of
the City of Largo, Florida,

1990
02:09:38,739 --> 02:09:44,617
amending the fiscal year 2026 budget
adopted by Resolution number 2445 by

1991
02:09:44,617 --> 02:09:45,341
adopted by Resolution number 2445 by
budgeting

1992
02:09:45,341 --> 02:09:51,380
$898,200 to fund a voltage reader for
emergency response reimbursed by Duke

1993
02:09:51,380 --> 02:09:51,943
emergency response reimbursed by Duke
Energy,

1994
02:09:51,943 --> 02:09:54,359
Bonner Park Boardwalk repairs,

1995
02:09:54,359 --> 02:09:59,431
down payment assistance based on estimated
program utilization,

1996
02:09:59,431 --> 02:10:05,470
legal retainer costs associated with
delays in construction at 440 West Bay

1997
02:10:05,470 --> 02:10:05,953
delays in construction at 440 West Bay
Drive,

1998
02:10:05,953 --> 02:10:11,589
additional funding for police operational
evaluation consultant study,

1999
02:10:11,589 --> 02:10:17,225
and demolition of existing utility
connections at 201 Highland Avenue,

2000
02:10:17,225 --> 02:10:21,573
all as shown in Appendix A attached to
this ordinance,

2001
02:10:21,573 --> 02:10:26,645
providing for severability and providing
for an effective date.

2002
02:10:26,645 --> 02:10:27,223
Thank you.

2003
02:10:27,271 --> 02:10:31,821
Do we have any cards on this? One card.
Greg Gardner.

2004
02:10:31,821 --> 02:10:38,431
I'm only going to speak about the money
for the lawyer pertaining to Biltmore

2005
02:10:38,431 --> 02:10:44,955
Construction. Um, I'm basically just
repeating myself from before, guys, um,

2006
02:10:44,955 --> 02:10:49,934
in hopes you don't like put your foot in
your mouth again.

2007
02:10:49,934 --> 02:10:53,969
There was no blackmail, there was no
extortion.

2008
02:10:53,969 --> 02:11:00,664
But I will point out that John Kerpa is
lying to you, and I mean right to your

2009
02:11:00,664 --> 02:11:01,094
lying to you, and I mean right to your
face.

2010
02:11:01,094 --> 02:11:08,133
I'm just going to go through the basics.
Take it or leave it. I really don't care.

2011
02:11:08,133 --> 02:11:14,829
It's 750 change orders. 750. Shouldn't
have 75. Whose fault? Everyone's fault.

2012
02:11:14,829 --> 02:11:21,782
COVID. Engineering. Everyone. Everyone was
at fault. AST Sky gave us shoddy work.

2013
02:11:21,927 --> 02:11:22,024
Why?

2014
02:11:22,508 --> 02:11:24,768
COVID. It was a nightmare.

2015
02:11:25,559 --> 02:11:28,652
So delay is Yes.

2016
02:11:28,652 --> 02:11:34,249
The 750 change orders. You're $12 million
over budget. You're not being told that.

2017
02:11:34,249 --> 02:11:39,096
That's hidden. But you're $12 million
over. I went through this before.

2018
02:11:39,096 --> 02:11:43,738
$4 million just in accoutrements, $8
million in engineering changes,

2019
02:11:43,738 --> 02:11:49,062
all over the board. And by the way, the
750 change orders, I mean, I have them

2020
02:11:49,062 --> 02:11:49,335
750 change orders, I mean, I have them
all.

2021
02:11:49,335 --> 02:11:54,659
It's like that thick. That's how tall it
is. And some of those are like silly.

2022
02:11:54,659 --> 02:11:58,004
Some were necessary. Really, most were
necessary.

2023
02:11:58,004 --> 02:12:02,851
Um, right now Biltmore is not owed
$690,000, they're owed $1.5 million.

2024
02:12:02,851 --> 02:12:06,810
It just keeps going and it keeps going and
it keeps going.

2025
02:12:06,810 --> 02:12:12,270
Uh, Robert Hatton really delivered this
city chaos in so many different avenues.

2026
02:12:12,270 --> 02:12:15,001
Now he was terminated. It was a problem.

2027
02:12:15,001 --> 02:12:20,120
Um, he preferenced contractors 4 big
contractors were never getting awarded

2028
02:12:20,120 --> 02:12:24,830
contracts. Um, it's kind of indicative of
getting your palms greased,

2029
02:12:24,830 --> 02:12:29,745
but I'm not going to accuse intentional
red tagging to generate revenue,

2030
02:12:29,745 --> 02:12:33,773
almost hostile to the community. It's good
to see him gone.

2031
02:12:33,773 --> 02:12:37,800
I hope, uh, Matt Butler can do a good job.
I think he will.

2032
02:12:37,800 --> 02:12:42,988
But you're being lied to. You're being— I
was here. I was here for 2 months.

2033
02:12:42,988 --> 02:12:47,629
Twice a month. Twice a month, 22 months. I
spent a lot of time here.

2034
02:12:47,629 --> 02:12:52,339
Um, you're being lied to. There's no
blackmail, there's no extortion.

2035
02:12:52,339 --> 02:12:57,459
Really what's happening— I was asked if I
can mention some things, I can't—

2036
02:12:57,459 --> 02:13:00,462
but right now the city is extorting
Gilmore.

2037
02:13:00,462 --> 02:13:04,831
They're making him do things that's really
cutting below ethics.

2038
02:13:04,831 --> 02:13:07,562
It's, it's it's getting really ugly now.

2039
02:13:07,562 --> 02:13:12,818
This will go to a lawsuit, and this will
all come out in the interrogatories.

2040
02:13:12,818 --> 02:13:18,210
Everything will show its face, but I'm
just giving you the heads up. That's it.

2041
02:13:18,210 --> 02:13:23,671
Thank you. Thank you. That was the only
card. Thank you. Uh, Vice Mayor Johnson.

2042
02:13:23,671 --> 02:13:26,538
Uh, I just wanted to say that, um, uh, Mr.

2043
02:13:26,538 --> 02:13:31,180
Mayor, I'm in a contractual relationship
with Biltmore Construction.

2044
02:13:31,180 --> 02:13:34,661
Um, prior to my being elected, uh, City
Commission—

2045
02:13:34,693 --> 02:13:39,012
to the City Commission, um, we were
awarded the Fire sprinkler work, uh,

2046
02:13:39,012 --> 02:13:40,571
for this building, so, uh,

2047
02:13:40,571 --> 02:13:45,070
I will not be participating in the
discussion or the vote. Thank you. Thank

2048
02:13:45,070 --> 02:13:45,310
discussion or the vote. Thank you. Thank
you.

2049
02:13:45,359 --> 02:13:51,577
Commissioner Holmes. Um, Mr. City Manager,
this $150,000, that's a legal fee.

2050
02:13:51,577 --> 02:13:55,372
Are we suing Biltmore, or are we the
defendant?

2051
02:13:55,372 --> 02:14:01,348
Commissioner, we're not engaged in any
litigation at the moment, so there,

2052
02:14:01,348 --> 02:14:07,485
there are not parties Okay. What's the
$150,000 for then? To have it sitting

2053
02:14:07,485 --> 02:14:07,970
$150,000 for then? To have it sitting
there?

2054
02:14:07,970 --> 02:14:14,430
It is an estimate of costs for advice
related to resolving construction matters.

2055
02:14:14,430 --> 02:14:17,799
Okay.

2056
02:14:18,637 --> 02:14:20,130
What's the $690,000?

2057
02:14:20,130 --> 02:14:24,981
Is that what we're saying that Biltmore
owes us, is the $690,000?

2058
02:14:24,981 --> 02:14:29,833
If you recall from the original
conversation a couple months ago,

2059
02:14:29,833 --> 02:14:36,103
that was the amount in the demand that was
made to the city by Biltmore Construction

2060
02:14:36,103 --> 02:14:40,880
to cover additional costs. Did we do
anything about that or not?

2061
02:14:40,880 --> 02:14:46,403
It's, it's being handled in accordance
with the contract, the construction

2062
02:14:46,403 --> 02:14:47,075
with the contract, the construction
contract.

2063
02:14:47,075 --> 02:14:52,897
Okay. For now— all right. For now, I'll go
along with it. Any other questions?

2064
02:14:52,897 --> 02:14:59,092
I move to approve Ordinance Number 2026-26
on first reading and schedule the second

2065
02:14:59,092 --> 02:15:02,824
reading and public hearing on September
1st, 2026.

2066
02:15:02,824 --> 02:15:03,344
Second.

2067
02:15:03,344 --> 02:15:08,000
I have a motion and a second. Could you
poll the board, please? Commissioner

2068
02:15:08,000 --> 02:15:08,429
poll the board, please? Commissioner
Lauser?

2069
02:15:08,429 --> 02:15:09,108
Yes.

2070
02:15:09,108 --> 02:15:10,222
Commissioner Holk?

2071
02:15:10,222 --> 02:15:10,691
Yes.

2072
02:15:10,691 --> 02:15:11,854
Vice Mayor Johnson?

2073
02:15:11,854 --> 02:15:12,613
I abstain.

2074
02:15:12,613 --> 02:15:15,814
Oh, I'm sorry. Um, Commissioner Smith?

2075
02:15:15,814 --> 02:15:21,098
Yes. Commissioner Holmes? Yep.
Commissioner DiBrizzi? Yes. Mayor Brown?

2076
02:15:21,098 --> 02:15:21,396
Commissioner DiBrizzi? Yes. Mayor Brown?
Yes.

2077
02:15:21,396 --> 02:15:28,086
Motion carries 6 to 0. Thank you. City
Attorney Allen, anything this evening?

2078
02:15:28,518 --> 02:15:29,066
No, thank you.

2079
02:15:29,066 --> 02:15:31,178
Thank you. Commissioner Lowser.

2080
02:15:31,178 --> 02:15:36,561
So congratulations to our citizen campers
and of course our team members of the

2081
02:15:36,561 --> 02:15:40,989
quarter. And so while congratulations to
them, I think it's also—

2082
02:15:40,989 --> 02:15:45,554
we'd be remiss to say congratulations or
thank you to John, Maggie,

2083
02:15:45,554 --> 02:15:47,939
and Meredy and the rest of the ELT.

2084
02:15:47,939 --> 02:15:53,390
I think the stories that we heard from
their write-ups are an attestation to the

2085
02:15:53,390 --> 02:15:55,774
culture that you guys have created.

2086
02:15:55,774 --> 02:16:00,543
Um, so I'm proud of the people that work
here, and it seems like they,

2087
02:16:00,543 --> 02:16:02,860
they are proud to be working here.

2088
02:16:03,132 --> 02:16:03,373
Thank you.

2089
02:16:03,373 --> 02:16:06,340
Thank you. Well said. Commissioner Holk.

2090
02:16:06,340 --> 02:16:08,553
Ditto on that, all the way.

2091
02:16:08,553 --> 02:16:14,373
Um, also thank you to all the citizens
that came out and spoke tonight.

2092
02:16:14,373 --> 02:16:18,062
Um, hopefully you know that we are
listening,

2093
02:16:18,062 --> 02:16:24,292
trying to do our best at answering
questions and And getting things done, I,

2094
02:16:24,292 --> 02:16:24,620
questions and And getting things done, I,
I'm,

2095
02:16:24,620 --> 02:16:31,424
um, I, I'm really frustrated with the, the
Lincolnshire, um, the Donegan Road area.

2096
02:16:31,424 --> 02:16:36,097
You know, when seeing these pictures, to
me is like, wow.

2097
02:16:36,097 --> 02:16:40,851
You know, I looked at this one and it's
like, oh, there's,

2098
02:16:40,851 --> 02:16:43,802
there's water under there, you know.

2099
02:16:43,802 --> 02:16:50,360
So I, I really hope that we do, um, pursue
this quicker than— sooner than later.

2100
02:16:50,360 --> 02:16:56,344
This is something that, you know, I, I was
a victim of the flood as well.

2101
02:16:56,344 --> 02:16:59,869
I know what these people have gone
through.

2102
02:17:00,159 --> 02:17:03,581
It, it— to put it bluntly, it sucks.

2103
02:17:04,433 --> 02:17:07,469
It's, uh, stressful. It's painful.

2104
02:17:07,469 --> 02:17:12,737
So since they are rebuilt and they are
back in their homes,

2105
02:17:12,737 --> 02:17:19,076
I would really hate to see this, um, see
them to go through that again.

2106
02:17:19,076 --> 02:17:26,219
It would be awful. So you just need to
step it up a little bit there. Thank you.

2107
02:17:26,219 --> 02:17:28,096
Thank you. Vice Mayor Johnson.

2108
02:17:28,096 --> 02:17:32,664
I'm not going to try to improve upon
Commissioner Lowser's wonderful, um,

2109
02:17:32,664 --> 02:17:35,980
words of accolade— elation to our staff
and our team.

2110
02:17:35,980 --> 02:17:37,294
I do want to say, um,

2111
02:17:37,294 --> 02:17:42,112
just how much I appreciate the City
Commission and the discussions we have up

2112
02:17:42,112 --> 02:17:42,425
Commission and the discussions we have up
here.

2113
02:17:42,425 --> 02:17:47,243
I particularly was happy that we brought
our staff in to address some citizen

2114
02:17:47,243 --> 02:17:47,619
our staff in to address some citizen
issues

2115
02:17:47,619 --> 02:17:49,371
we knew were coming forward.

2116
02:17:49,371 --> 02:17:50,998
That was a wonderful move,

2117
02:17:50,998 --> 02:17:55,753
and I appreciate the thoughtfulness that
that took to react to that quickly,

2118
02:17:55,753 --> 02:17:59,445
gather the information, be ready to
address those comments.

2119
02:17:59,510 --> 02:18:03,051
So thank you for the team, you know,
everyone involved with that.

2120
02:18:03,149 --> 02:18:06,958
Thank you. That was really one of the best
things I've seen up here.

2121
02:18:07,089 --> 02:18:10,614
It was fantastic. Fantastic. Well done.
Thank you.

2122
02:18:10,663 --> 02:18:15,679
Commissioner Smith. I thank the residents
for coming out and speaking about, uh,

2123
02:18:15,679 --> 02:18:18,876
Rosary. Um, I hope Jerry can answer
questions, and,

2124
02:18:18,876 --> 02:18:22,952
and I will be meeting with them to ask
more about these projects.

2125
02:18:22,952 --> 02:18:26,086
I hope you reach out to your county
commissioners.

2126
02:18:26,086 --> 02:18:30,663
Any way I could help with you getting a
hold of them, um, I would deeply—

2127
02:18:30,663 --> 02:18:34,237
would love to help out where we can all
work on one page.

2128
02:18:34,237 --> 02:18:39,253
Um, unfortunately, government in that the
thing that government gets tangled in.

2129
02:18:39,253 --> 02:18:43,015
Um, people don't give a damn about who's
where jurisdiction.

2130
02:18:43,015 --> 02:18:46,275
They just know it's my property and I want
it taken.

2131
02:18:46,275 --> 02:18:48,344
You know, I'm there, I pay taxes.

2132
02:18:48,344 --> 02:18:53,171
Um, so I, I, I hope our staff can and I
can work with you to get this solved.

2133
02:18:53,171 --> 02:18:56,306
Uh, also to the New Haven, um, a couple
other, uh,

2134
02:18:56,306 --> 02:19:00,319
since we were on stormwaters tonight a
little bit, I've kind of—

2135
02:19:00,319 --> 02:19:02,451
and it was addressed a little bit—

2136
02:19:02,451 --> 02:19:05,899
I got some residents that reached out to
me to the, uh,

2137
02:19:05,899 --> 02:19:08,532
101st Street Southeast by the Whataburger.

2138
02:19:08,532 --> 02:19:11,416
It's flooding schools next— I think next
week.

2139
02:19:11,416 --> 02:19:15,617
That whole area is— It always does that.
It does, but it shouldn't.

2140
02:19:15,617 --> 02:19:18,062
And if it is, we need to figure it out.

2141
02:19:18,062 --> 02:19:21,448
Like I said, the citizens don't care about
government.

2142
02:19:21,448 --> 02:19:26,150
They want to know why this is flooding all
of a sudden. They want it fixed.

2143
02:19:26,150 --> 02:19:31,228
I mean, to not be able to get your kids
back there to school or get into your own

2144
02:19:31,228 --> 02:19:36,307
neighborhood should be something we should
be putting on a priority to get fixed.

2145
02:19:36,307 --> 02:19:38,062
So I said I'd bring that up.

2146
02:19:38,062 --> 02:19:43,203
A couple citizens wanted to come speak,
but they couldn't make it for our meeting.

2147
02:19:43,203 --> 02:19:46,652
And then the other one is I was tagged in
a post about—

2148
02:19:46,652 --> 02:19:49,034
and I know I don't drive in this lane,

2149
02:19:49,034 --> 02:19:53,736
so unfortunately I had to go there last
night— on Seminole Boulevard at 8th

2150
02:19:53,736 --> 02:19:54,175
night— on Seminole Boulevard at 8th
Avenue.

2151
02:19:54,175 --> 02:19:57,874
When you get to 8th Avenue to turn left by
the post office,

2152
02:19:57,874 --> 02:20:02,012
there is a huge dip in that road, almost
You catch it in your car,

2153
02:20:02,012 --> 02:20:03,329
almost falls into it.

2154
02:20:03,329 --> 02:20:05,649
That road has been fixed in the past,

2155
02:20:05,649 --> 02:20:10,790
and I would like to just put it on staff's
radar to see if we can get either us or

2156
02:20:10,790 --> 02:20:15,430
the—and I know that's a county state
road—if we can get that looked at and

2157
02:20:15,430 --> 02:20:19,693
addressed, even if it's just really
quickly getting cones out there,

2158
02:20:19,693 --> 02:20:24,144
just or some way to address you know
someone's car not falling into it.

2159
02:20:24,144 --> 02:20:26,652
So oh that that again lively discussion.

2160
02:20:26,652 --> 02:20:30,163
I think my commission, like I say, y'all
have been very.

2161
02:20:30,163 --> 02:20:32,671
supportive of, of, of things I've asked.

2162
02:20:32,671 --> 02:20:36,684
Um, you know, maybe one day I'll run for
Tallahassee, who knows.

2163
02:20:36,684 --> 02:20:38,377
Um, but, um, run for mayor.

2164
02:20:38,377 --> 02:20:42,389
Um, so I, I appreciate this commission
being very, uh, thankful.

2165
02:20:42,389 --> 02:20:46,966
And, um, like I say, home rule is
something we all cherish and And I say,

2166
02:20:46,966 --> 02:20:51,355
and I like what y'all said, you know, we
are a mixture of a community.

2167
02:20:51,355 --> 02:20:55,242
And, um, I, I love, you know, that we
could agree to disagree.

2168
02:20:55,242 --> 02:20:57,562
I, I've sat through cities that will—

2169
02:20:57,562 --> 02:21:01,700
I've watched cities who bicker and fight
till 12 o'clock at night,

2170
02:21:01,700 --> 02:21:05,399
and they're calling each other names and
hating each other.

2171
02:21:05,399 --> 02:21:10,227
And, and, um, I, I think we work really
well together, and I appreciate that.

2172
02:21:10,227 --> 02:21:13,926
Um, we disagree, and, and I'll keep
championing where I am.

2173
02:21:13,926 --> 02:21:15,869
And, uh, We'll see where it is.

2174
02:21:15,869 --> 02:21:19,004
So I thank this Commission, and moving
forward, I,

2175
02:21:19,004 --> 02:21:24,020
I look forward to working for another 4
years to move that needle the other way.

2176
02:21:24,020 --> 02:21:26,841
So thank you. Thank you. Commissioner
Holmes.

2177
02:21:26,841 --> 02:21:30,603
Someday you're going to learn that I'm
right and you're not.

2178
02:21:30,603 --> 02:21:30,892
Never.

2179
02:21:30,892 --> 02:21:32,579
Piece of cake. Uh, you know,

2180
02:21:32,579 --> 02:21:37,399
there was a theme tonight that it just
seems every time we get into these little

2181
02:21:37,399 --> 02:21:40,532
problems, it's always, well, multiple
jurisdictions.

2182
02:21:40,532 --> 02:21:42,821
The county's got this, we've got that.

2183
02:21:42,821 --> 02:21:47,159
We got to come up with some magic beans
where when these things come up,

2184
02:21:47,159 --> 02:21:50,955
when we're looking at— as we're looking at
Rosary, for example,

2185
02:21:50,955 --> 02:21:55,172
and we already knew that at the end of the
street that was the county,

2186
02:21:55,172 --> 02:21:58,425
somewhere that should have been addressed
at the time.

2187
02:21:58,425 --> 02:22:02,763
But I mean, I'm not finding fault with
anybody, I'm not blaming anybody,

2188
02:22:02,763 --> 02:22:04,631
but New Haven's the same thing.

2189
02:22:04,631 --> 02:22:09,149
New Haven, that lake there at New Haven,
That's been a problem for decades.

2190
02:22:09,149 --> 02:22:14,090
I mean, I remember probably 15 years ago
where somehow or other there was a sewage

2191
02:22:14,090 --> 02:22:16,379
spill there and they came to the city.

2192
02:22:16,379 --> 02:22:20,295
There used to be a sewage spill there
every time it rained. Yeah.

2193
02:22:20,295 --> 02:22:23,247
And I mean, that's the whole point is it's
there.

2194
02:22:23,247 --> 02:22:26,079
There has to be a way of mitigating that
thing.

2195
02:22:26,079 --> 02:22:29,694
And I don't care what it— if we make a
deal with the county,

2196
02:22:29,694 --> 02:22:33,309
get the county's checkbook, which would
make it really good,

2197
02:22:33,309 --> 02:22:38,309
and just solve these problems. But it just
seems to be a recurring theme, you know.

2198
02:22:38,309 --> 02:22:41,081
I mean, there's a problem buying my own
house,

2199
02:22:41,081 --> 02:22:45,599
and that's another problem I found out
today. Well, it's because that's the

2200
02:22:45,599 --> 02:22:46,021
today. Well, it's because that's the
county.

2201
02:22:46,021 --> 02:22:50,419
Well, I said I knew it's the county
because I'm the one that called it in

2202
02:22:50,419 --> 02:22:50,901
because I'm the one that called it in
ahead of

2203
02:22:50,901 --> 02:22:53,492
time. But it's just— it's a constant
thing.

2204
02:22:53,492 --> 02:22:58,071
I mean, I'm meeting with the county
commissioner tomorrow, and I'll tell you

2205
02:22:58,071 --> 02:22:58,372
commissioner tomorrow, and I'll tell you
what,

2206
02:22:58,372 --> 02:23:02,770
I think I'm just going to beat him up.
Please. That'll fix it. That's it.

2207
02:23:03,118 --> 02:23:03,506
I'm done.

2208
02:23:03,506 --> 02:23:06,735
Thank you. Commissioner DeBrisi. I believe
in violence.

2209
02:23:06,735 --> 02:23:10,024
Oh my gosh, problems are going last. Um,
second to last.

2210
02:23:10,024 --> 02:23:13,723
Uh, you know, not to pile on to what
everyone said who said up—

2211
02:23:13,723 --> 02:23:17,069
who already said what I wanted to say,
but, um, you know,

2212
02:23:17,069 --> 02:23:21,121
this is one of my favorite meetings. Um,
aim higher, set the bar low.

2213
02:23:21,121 --> 02:23:25,759
But, um, you know, for— we hear all the
time about, you know, no one, you know,

2214
02:23:25,759 --> 02:23:29,752
they don't listen, you know, we come and
talk and they don't listen.

2215
02:23:29,752 --> 02:23:34,273
Well, you know, tonight was a living
example that that's not always the case.

2216
02:23:34,273 --> 02:23:39,147
Um, you know, we went off agenda and spent
an hour talking about an important issue

2217
02:23:39,147 --> 02:23:41,789
to residents because they came and showed
up.

2218
02:23:41,789 --> 02:23:45,547
And so, you know, for the dozens that are
watching, I would say—

2219
02:23:45,547 --> 02:23:50,068
I would encourage you to do the same. You
know, you have an issue, come here.

2220
02:23:50,068 --> 02:23:54,237
We do listen, and we try to do everything
we can to, uh, to address it.

2221
02:23:54,237 --> 02:23:55,646
So thank you. Thank you.

2222
02:23:55,646 --> 02:24:00,402
I wanted to thank the Citizens Campers and
congratulate them And hope they have a

2223
02:24:00,402 --> 02:24:04,395
good time at school starting next week.
Please drive safe next week.

2224
02:24:04,395 --> 02:24:06,920
There's going to be kids walking to
school.

2225
02:24:06,920 --> 02:24:11,382
Congratulations to our team members who
are the team members of the quarter.

2226
02:24:11,382 --> 02:24:15,786
Great job. I was going to mention the
Eighth Avenue and Seminole Boulevard.

2227
02:24:15,786 --> 02:24:20,542
There's actually in that dip there's fresh
asphalt like it was put in in the last

2228
02:24:20,542 --> 02:24:23,125
month or so, and so so I don't know if
it's.

2229
02:24:23,125 --> 02:24:27,646
I don't know if it was the state or the
county that put the asphalt in there,

2230
02:24:27,646 --> 02:24:31,874
but we need to figure out, you know,
somebody's going to fall into that.

2231
02:24:31,874 --> 02:24:32,521
More weight.

2232
02:24:32,521 --> 02:24:38,025
Thank you to the folks from New Haven and
Rosary East for coming out and for the

2233
02:24:38,025 --> 02:24:42,566
conversation. And I wrote down something
on the back that I heard.

2234
02:24:42,566 --> 02:24:46,143
I saw— I think I saw it on a
revitalization website,

2235
02:24:46,143 --> 02:24:51,579
and I think it It speaks to a lot of the
conversations that we're having today.

2236
02:24:51,579 --> 02:24:57,014
We have no control over the challenges we
inherit, only a duty to improve them.

2237
02:24:57,014 --> 02:24:59,766
And so it's kind of where we are, right?

2238
02:24:59,766 --> 02:25:01,279
And in a lot of cases,

2239
02:25:01,279 --> 02:25:06,233
we're dealing with flooding issues that
predate any of us on this board.

2240
02:25:06,233 --> 02:25:08,435
And as Commissioner Holmes said,

2241
02:25:08,435 --> 02:25:13,801
there used to be a sanitary sewer issue
that caused overflows We haven't had a

2242
02:25:13,801 --> 02:25:17,241
rain-caused sanitary sewer issue in
several years.

2243
02:25:17,241 --> 02:25:20,819
We used to have them almost every day in
the summer.

2244
02:25:20,819 --> 02:25:25,153
So there's a lot of things that we need to
continue to work on.

2245
02:25:25,153 --> 02:25:30,451
I know that Jerry and his team are very
dedicated to repairing the roads on a

2246
02:25:30,451 --> 02:25:33,546
need-based analysis that didn't exist
before.

2247
02:25:33,546 --> 02:25:37,193
And a lot of this work has been done in
recent years,

2248
02:25:37,193 --> 02:25:41,114
and I think that we're really moving in a
good direction.

2249
02:25:41,114 --> 02:25:46,481
I think there is a lot of opportunity to
work better with the county and those

2250
02:25:46,481 --> 02:25:51,916
cross-jurisdictional stuff and looking at
it from a holistic standpoint because

2251
02:25:51,916 --> 02:25:54,530
there are residents that are affected.

2252
02:25:54,530 --> 02:26:00,172
And whether the canal behind their house
suddenly becomes county 50 yards down the

2253
02:26:00,172 --> 02:26:04,713
ditch, it doesn't really matter to them if
the water keeps rising.

2254
02:26:04,713 --> 02:26:09,666
So I know that we've improved
relationships with the county and with the

2255
02:26:09,666 --> 02:26:10,079
relationships with the county and with the
school

2256
02:26:10,079 --> 02:26:11,593
board in recent years,

2257
02:26:11,593 --> 02:26:16,959
but I think we just need to continue to
kind of work on that and have a better

2258
02:26:16,959 --> 02:26:20,743
avenue. In fact, like was just stated
early on in this,

2259
02:26:20,743 --> 02:26:25,422
if the county doesn't seem to want to do
that 100 yards of pavement,

2260
02:26:25,422 --> 02:26:30,788
maybe get some of us to talk to our
colleagues on the county side to say, hey,

2261
02:26:30,788 --> 02:26:34,572
can we just, you know, throw a bone here
and, and, and,

2262
02:26:34,572 --> 02:26:39,388
and do something that makes sense? I mean,
it just makes sense, right?

2263
02:26:39,388 --> 02:26:44,823
So, so, um, I just wanted to read that
quote. I elaborated afterwards. But, um,

2264
02:26:44,823 --> 02:26:45,030
quote. I elaborated afterwards. But, um,
Mr.

2265
02:26:45,030 --> 02:26:48,607
Kerb, anything this evening? Sure. Thank
you, Mayor.

2266
02:26:48,607 --> 02:26:53,423
In regards to the Almorton Road, 103rd
Street, um, the infrastructure,

2267
02:26:53,423 --> 02:26:58,514
stormwater infrastructure there is state
highways maintained by the state.

2268
02:26:58,514 --> 02:27:03,537
We've already— we will be reaching out
with them to coordinate, um, some—

2269
02:27:03,537 --> 02:27:05,050
a solution, hopefully.

2270
02:27:05,050 --> 02:27:10,554
Um, but I do want residents to know that
we're aware of the situation and we're,

2271
02:27:10,554 --> 02:27:12,206
we're taking care of it.

2272
02:27:12,206 --> 02:27:17,090
Um, Commissioner Holmes' comment, um, the
magic beans are called coins.

2273
02:27:17,090 --> 02:27:20,393
They're usually round and silver. Um, gold
ones?

2274
02:27:20,393 --> 02:27:23,970
And need— yes, well, sometimes they need
to be gold.

2275
02:27:23,970 --> 02:27:25,553
But gold, um, you know,

2276
02:27:25,553 --> 02:27:30,850
I've been speaking here for several years
on the need for regional stormwater

2277
02:27:30,850 --> 02:27:33,877
management because there— again, our
creeks—

2278
02:27:33,877 --> 02:27:36,836
the rain doesn't know political
boundaries.

2279
02:27:36,836 --> 02:27:42,409
And our streams and creeks and stormwater
ditches don't know political boundaries

2280
02:27:42,409 --> 02:27:45,642
either. They cross through multiple
boundaries.

2281
02:27:45,642 --> 02:27:50,596
So to me, the true answer is regional
approach to stormwater management.

2282
02:27:50,596 --> 02:27:56,169
And that's a big heavy lift in getting all
the communities in Pinellas County and

2283
02:27:56,169 --> 02:27:59,609
the stormwater basin to come together and
do that.

2284
02:27:59,609 --> 02:28:05,113
But we continue to advance that topic in
conversation with our colleagues across

2285
02:28:05,113 --> 02:28:05,319
conversation with our colleagues across
the

2286
02:28:05,319 --> 02:28:08,621
county. Other than that, I have nothing
further.

2287
02:28:08,621 --> 02:28:14,194
Maybe we should give them Barry's home
phone number. Thank you. Any action items?

2288
02:28:14,194 --> 02:28:19,010
What I had was Commissioner Smith's
request to contact Pinellas County

2289
02:28:19,010 --> 02:28:19,905
request to contact Pinellas County
regarding the

2290
02:28:19,905 --> 02:28:23,207
large dip in Seminole Boulevard at Yeah, I
mean,

2291
02:28:23,207 --> 02:28:28,986
that's Pinellas County and/or FDOT because
it's right in the middle of both of those

2292
02:28:28,986 --> 02:28:33,527
roads. Thank you. Meeting is adjourned.
Y'all have a nice evening.