Name: Largo City Commission Meeting
Start: 2026-08-18
Location: Largo, FL

[7:03] Okay.

[7:04] Sorry, I tried to arrive a little earlier.

[7:05] I understand, but we're

[7:11] going to start in a minute.

[7:18] It's got some substance to

[7:25] it.

[7:26] It's really yummy.

[7:42] Good afternoon. Good afternoon.

[7:44] This is a regular City Commission meeting for the City of Largo.

[7:48] Today is Tuesday, August 18th, 2026.

[7:50] I'd like to call this meeting to order and ask that if you have a cell phone,

[7:55] please turn it to silent or off so that we don't have any interruptions tonight.

[8:00] We're going to start tonight's meeting with an invocation and Pledge of

[8:04] with an invocation and Pledge of Allegiance

[8:05] led by— well, the invocation is given by Vice Mayor Chris Johnson,

[8:09] and then he'll also lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

[8:13] Gracious Heavenly Father,

[8:14] we thank you for the opportunity to gather this evening in service to our community.

[8:20] We ask for your wisdom in the decisions before us.

[8:23] patience in our discussions, and humility to listen carefully to one another.

[8:28] Help us remember that behind every issue we consider are people, families,

[8:32] businesses, and neighborhoods that we have been entrusted to serve.

[8:36] Give our commission, our staff,

[8:38] and all those participating tonight clarity of thought,

[8:42] respect for differing viewpoints,

[8:44] and the courage to make decisions based not on what is easiest,

[8:48] but on what we believe is the right and best our community.

[8:52] We are grateful for the men and women who serve our city each day,

[8:56] and we ask for your protection over our first responders, our employees,

[9:00] and all who work to make our community a safe and welcoming place to call home.

[9:05] May we conduct tonight's business with integrity, kindness, and a spirit of

[9:10] integrity, kindness, and a spirit of service.

[9:10] In your name we pray.

[9:12] Amen. Amen.

[9:13] I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

[9:18] America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible,

[9:23] with liberty and justice for all. Thank you, Vice Mayor. Thank you.

[9:28] We have one ceremonial item.

[9:29] Our friends from the Juvenile Welfare Board are here to tell us about their 80th

[9:35] anniversary. Whereas, in the early 19th 1940s,

[9:38] few alternatives existed for troubled and dependent children in Pinellas County

[9:43] beyond adult jail, a need recognized and championed by juvenile court judge Lincoln

[9:48] Bogue, and whereas attorney Leonard Cooperman drafted legislation supported by

[9:54] Cooperman drafted legislation supported by the

[9:54] Pinellas County legislative delegation establishing an independent special taxing

[9:59] district governed by an autonomous,

[10:01] autonomous board dedicated to protecting the rights and needs of children,

[10:06] And whereas Senate Bill 618 passed both legislative chambers in May 1945,

[10:11] and on November 5th, 1946,

[10:13] Pinellas County voters ratified the Juvenile Welfare Board Act,

[10:17] creating the nation's first independent board dedicated to improving the lives and

[10:22] futures of children.

[10:24] And whereas in 1947, JWB adopted its first budget,

[10:27] funding 3 agencies serving approximately 1,500 children.

[10:31] Today, JWB funds 87 quality programs across 49 agencies providing prevention

[10:36] across 49 agencies providing prevention and

[10:36] early intervention services that have reached more than 83,000 children last

[10:41] reached more than 83,000 children last year,

[10:41] and whereas JWB brings together community partners and leads initiatives supporting

[10:47] early childhood development, school readiness and success, children's mental

[10:52] readiness and success, children's mental health,

[10:52] child abuse and neglect prevention, childhood hunger, and family stability,

[10:57] And whereas JWB has made a meaningful impact in the City of Largo and

[11:02] impact in the City of Largo and Mid-Pinellas

[11:03] through investments in programs serving local families, community partnerships,

[11:08] and youth engagement, helping create safe, healthy,

[11:11] and supportive environments where children can thrive.

[11:15] Now therefore, I, Woody Brown, Mayor of the City of Largo, Florida,

[11:19] and on behalf of the City Commission,

[11:22] do hereby recognize the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County's 80th

[11:26] Board of Pinellas County's 80th anniversary

[11:27] and commend its 8 decades of putting children first and its continued

[11:32] children first and its continued dedication to

[11:32] the children, families, and communities of Pinellas County.

[11:36] Good evening, city leadership and Largo community.

[11:40] I'm very happy to be here tonight to recognize the important work of our

[11:45] recognize the important work of our community

[11:45] partner, the Juvenile Welfare Board.

[11:48] As the city's community engagement administrator and a Largo representative

[11:53] administrator and a Largo representative on JWB's

[11:54] Mid-County Community Council for the past 6 years,

[11:57] I've had the opportunity to see firsthand the impact that JWB and its local partners

[12:03] have across our community.

[12:05] Through partnerships with our library, recreation, fire rescue, police,

[12:10] and community outreach teams, JWB helps bring valuable programs, events,

[12:15] bring valuable programs, events, trainings,

[12:16] and information directly to residents.

[12:18] That includes efforts around safe infant sleep, drowning prevention, early

[12:23] sleep, drowning prevention, early learning,

[12:24] free books, online safety, youth mental health, and so much more.

[12:28] Our city team members consistently describe JWB as a valued partner that

[12:34] describe JWB as a valued partner that brings

[12:34] high-quality resources to the community while strengthening connections among

[12:39] families, caregivers, and organizations.

[12:42] One city team member captured it well by saying, their collaborative,

[12:47] collaborative approach makes it easy for our team to participate, contribute,

[12:52] and feel part of something truly impactful.

[12:55] That spirit of partnership is something we're proud to have here in Largo,

[13:00] and we're grateful for JWB's continued investment in our community.

[13:05] It's now my pleasure to introduce the interim CEO of the Juvenile Welfare Board

[13:11] interim CEO of the Juvenile Welfare Board to

[13:11] share more about JWB's 80 years of impact and service in our community.

[13:16] Please join me in welcoming Karen Bogus.

[13:18] Good evening, Mayor Brown, Largo City Commissioners, City Manager Kerb,

[13:23] Vice Mayor Johnson, community leaders, and residents.

[13:27] It is my honor to be before you today as we celebrate a remarkable milestone in the

[13:33] history of Pinellas County, the Juvenile Welfare Board's 80th anniversary.

[13:38] My name is Karen Bogus, and I am the interim CEO for JWB.

[13:42] With me this evening are Mid-County Community Council members and professional

[13:47] Community Council members and professional staff

[13:48] from JWB. For 80 years, JWB has been guided by a simple belief:

[13:52] when we invest in children, we invest in the future of our community.

[13:57] We are a special taxing district established by a special act of the

[14:02] established by a special act of the Florida

[14:02] legislature and solely funded by property tax.

[14:05] Our annual impact budget is $128 million,

[14:08] and last year we had the privilege to serve over 83,000 children and families

[14:14] countywide. Every investment we make is informed by community needs, guided by

[14:19] informed by community needs, guided by data,

[14:19] and focused on creating lasting impact for children and families.

[14:24] From a child's first days of life through adolescence and into adulthood,

[14:29] our goal remains the same: helping every child reach their fullest potential.

[14:34] And that is one reason being here in Largo is especially meaningful.

[14:39] Your city leaders embrace our mission and partner with us to strengthen

[14:44] opportunities for children and families.

[14:47] Mayor Brown and other city leaders regularly support our programs and

[14:52] regularly support our programs and initiatives.

[14:52] As you can see on the slide,

[14:54] they help kids pick out books aboard our summer book bus,

[14:58] serve as storytime readers during Racetrack Read-Along events,

[15:03] partner with us on back-to-school events, and support our first-year safety fairs.

[15:08] Which provide life-saving education to protect babies and prevent sleep-related

[15:14] suffocation deaths. Your library also serves as a vital hub for families.

[15:19] It is a dynamic pit stop for our Turbo Babies campaign,

[15:23] educating supporting parents as their child's first and best teachers.

[15:28] And your library is also an important partner in our Early Leaders,

[15:32] Future Leaders grade-level reading campaign.

[15:35] And thanks to the collective work with partners like you,

[15:39] 70% of Pinellas County 3rd graders are now reading proficient,

[15:44] outperforming the state average.

[15:46] Like the leaders and citizens of Largo,

[15:49] we understand that investing in children early and often is not just the right

[15:54] early and often is not just the right thing

[15:54] to do. It is one of the smartest investments any community can make.

[15:59] And today, an estimated 17% of all households with children in Largo benefit

[16:04] directly from JWB-funded programs.

[16:07] And across your great city,

[16:09] 27 program sites featuring 28 programs are funded by JWB to help children learn,

[16:14] grow, and thrive. And this includes quality early learning centers and child

[16:19] quality early learning centers and child care

[16:20] for working parents of little ones,

[16:22] mental health and behavioral health services for children and their families,

[16:28] out-of-school time programming to support students' academics and working parents,

[16:33] Early childhood home visiting and maternal health supports, leadership development,

[16:39] mentoring, and employment programs for youth, neighborhood family centers,

[16:44] out-of-school time and family support services,

[16:47] and other much-needed services to include school-based healthcare, literacy,

[16:53] kinship, family stability, and more.

[16:55] We are proud of our 80-year history of putting children first,

[17:00] a milestone made possible by your partnership.

[17:03] Thank you for sharing our commitment to children and families who call Largo home.

[17:08] In your packets, you will find information about our investments in this community

[17:14] and the outcomes we are achieving together and the resources available to support

[17:20] children throughout every stage of life.

[17:23] And you will also find in your packets a map of the City of Largo and the program

[17:28] sites that are within there.

[17:30] And you will all be able to keep this map for your city.

[17:34] As we look ahead to the next 80 years,

[17:37] we see tremendous opportunity to deepen our partnership with City of Largo.

[17:42] Together, we can continue identifying needs, expanding opportunities,

[17:47] and ensuring that more children and families have access to the support they

[17:52] families have access to the support they need to

[17:52] succeed. Because the greatest legacy any community can leave is not the buildings

[17:58] community can leave is not the buildings it

[17:58] constructs, or the road it paves. It is the future it creates for its children.

[18:04] For 80 years, JWB has stood alongside communities that share that belief,

[18:09] and we are proud to stand with Largo to celebrate the impact we are making today

[18:14] celebrate the impact we are making today and

[18:15] work together to build an even brighter future for generations to come.

[18:20] Thank you for your partnership.

[18:22] Thank you for your leadership and your unwavering commitment to the children and

[18:27] families of Largo. Thank you very much.

[18:30] Yeah, I think he's going to get— we'll be there.

[18:34] Yeah, I'll move that.

[18:36] Mayor, do you want us to all stand in the back

[18:40] here with them? That's good.

[18:43] Perfect. Oh, I was Scoot you out.

[18:45] Well, you can stand.

[18:48] You might have to make 2 rows.

[18:51] I'll follow your lead.

[18:53] I mean,

[18:56] I can fit everybody.

[19:02] All righty.

[19:07] 1, 2, 3. 1, 2, 3. 1, 2, 3.

[19:13] It's like a hula hoop.

[19:18] Stand by.

[19:20] 2, 1. Let's do one more.

[19:35] Whose pen is this?

[19:40] Mine.

[19:41] I got it. Next, we'll have citizens' comment.

[19:46] If you'd like to speak about something on the agenda outside of the

[19:54] consent docket, Please wait until the item comes up.

[20:00] Do we have any cards this evening?

[20:04] I have several cards.

[20:06] First is Norm Bild. 3 minutes. 3-minute time. I understand. I will comply.

[20:12] Good evening. I'm Norm Bild, proud Largo resident and veteran,

[20:17] advocating for all veterans as a private citizen.

[20:21] Largo residents had a breakfast with Mayor Brown in the spirit of friendship and

[20:28] cooperation. There was one issue I briefly explained to the mayor privately that has

[20:35] already reached Tallahassee and the Veterans Administration,

[20:40] but I am confident the issue can be resolved amicably with the city attorney

[20:46] resolved amicably with the city attorney if all

[20:47] parties— excuse me— cooperate.

[20:49] The Church of Scientology recently held a banquet honoring local veterans and Red

[20:56] Star families that had veterans die by suicide.

[21:00] Nonpartisan cooperation while reconciling between the City of Clearwater and the

[21:06] Church of Scientology is proceeding.

[21:09] September is a busy month,

[21:12] beginning with the American Legion National Convention 9/11 is the 25th

[21:18] National Convention 9/11 is the 25th anniversary.

[21:18] It's self-explanatory. The St.

[21:21] Pete 9/11 annual event, which I was heavily invested in,

[21:26] succumbed to the COVID pandemic.

[21:28] However, the Steinbrenner family has requested Tampa veterans to observe 9/11

[21:35] requested Tampa veterans to observe 9/11 at

[21:35] their stadium in Tampa and put aside the Yankees,

[21:39] And first place raise aside for one day in national solidarity.

[21:44] The Steinbrenner family has steadfastly supported the Special Operations Warrior

[21:51] Foundation Scholarship Program, funded after our special operators were killed

[21:57] after our special operators were killed at—

[21:57] excuse me— Desert One on April 25th, 1980,

[22:01] in a desperate attempt to rescue are hostage,

[22:05] held at the American Embassy in Tehran.

[22:08] Don't look far to see Special Operations Warrior Foundation scholarship recipients

[22:15] and their success. Courtney Robinson, Channel 10 anchor,

[22:19] is a Gold Star daughter recipient after her father died serving as a special

[22:26] operator. Don't be surprised to see media coverage September 15th when the Baldemaro

[22:33] Lopez statue is unveiled on the Tampa Riverwalk.

[22:37] Afterward, I will present a picture to the City of Tampa of Lieutenant Lopez,

[22:43] Hillsborough High alumni, going over the seawall in Inchon, Korea,

[22:48] 76 years to the day he gave his life to protect his Marine platoon and

[22:54] protect his Marine platoon and subsequently

[22:55] was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously.

[22:59] That night, Honor Flight should be arriving from Washington to St. Pete

[23:05] arriving from Washington to St. Pete Airport.

[23:05] All are welcome to attend and celebrate.

[23:09] Thank you.

[23:10] What was the date on that one?

[23:13] Is that September 10th? Mr.

[23:16] Bill, what was the date on that, uh, the honor flight?

[23:20] Yeah, the honor— it should be, uh, 15th September, Your Honor.

[23:25] Thank you.

[23:25] That could change for a lot of reasons— weather, this, that.

[23:29] I was on one flight where There was damage to the airplane.

[23:33] We had to stay overnight.

[23:35] Long story, but theoretically, we're hoping for September 15th. Appreciate it.

[23:40] Keep us updated. Yes, sir.

[23:42] I will.

[23:42] And you have my email.

[23:43] Yep.

[23:43] Okay. Next speaker is Greg Gardner,

[23:48] and he's representing Carol Hood, Fran Baker,

[23:55] John Morgan, Bob Mitchell, Patricia Wiest,

[24:01] Susan Ackerman, and Christine Anderer.

[24:07] Let's give it a try. Testing. Oh wow, this is great.

[24:14] Hello everyone, um, my name is Greg Gardner and this is

[24:22] a big day. So I'm going to introduce you to 3 groups of

[24:30] people. We have, uh, the New Haven people,

[24:36] New Haven condominium, raise your hand.

[24:42] Okay, that's a lot of people.

[24:46] Lincolnshire people.

[24:49] It's a mobile home park. This is off Donegan Road.

[24:52] Yay!

[24:53] And what about Willowbrook people? Where are they? Yay!

[24:57] Okay, um, I'm sorry guys, I only have one map. This is kind of expensive.

[25:03] But, um, this map here, this is just real quick, this, uh, is talking about the, um,

[25:09] Starkey Road Basin, the flooding we had, um, Ingram,

[25:13] and we had the Gloria represent the floodwater team for the City of Largo 2

[25:19] floodwater team for the City of Largo 2 weeks

[25:20] ago, the last commission meeting. And so this is a follow-up.

[25:24] And so what we have here is the Lincolnshire people over here.

[25:29] All this blue represents flood zone AE. And over here we have the New Haven

[25:35] And over here we have the New Haven people.

[25:35] And this here is Channel 1, the main channel.

[25:39] And What we're addressing to the commission is a complete lack of

[25:44] commission is a complete lack of maintenance.

[25:45] And so we're going to look at this a little closely and we're kind of,

[25:50] kind of dissect what, uh, both Ingram and DeGloria had spoke about.

[25:55] And the first thing that he spoke about was the shared ownership,

[26:00] and they're absolutely right. Um, New Haven actually owns this.

[26:05] It's actually deeded to them.

[26:07] And then when you get past New Haven, you— actually, it's golf course up here.

[26:13] The canal is deeded to them.

[26:16] And then as you go up, there's a small section that's Duke Energy. They own it.

[26:22] And then everything north is deeded to the City of Largo.

[26:26] However, the choke point, the biggie, is the culvert right at Donegan Road.

[26:32] So everything has to flow through.

[26:34] And it's, uh, restricted, I would say 50%, and it puts everyone here in peril.

[26:40] And there's no maintenance.

[26:42] So what's really interesting about this map is this little section down here where

[26:49] the choke point is, where everything has to come out.

[26:53] This includes Channel 10 and Channel 9 down here.

[26:57] Um, Channel 10 is the Dahlia section. You know, Dad, we all know that floods.

[27:03] That's really bad. But down here is all owned by Largo. And this is the worst

[27:08] owned by Largo. And this is the worst part.

[27:09] And then all the way up. There has been no maintenance. I say 4 years.

[27:14] A lot of people say 3 years.

[27:18] All right.

[27:18] Let's move along. That's shared ownership.

[27:21] I'll say jurisdiction, though, is all Largo.

[27:25] So according to Swift Mud, Largo is in control of this and should manage this.

[27:31] Okay, so egress, they brought that up. No problem with egress.

[27:35] I've traversed everything. So they mentioned they had an egress problem.

[27:41] There is no egress problem whatsoever. Um, and then we scroll down here.

[27:46] So the solution here is an intervener. Um, an intervener is the floodplain manager.

[27:52] So this would be Noah Taylor.

[27:55] So his job should be to respond to our phone calls, to come out to visit us,

[28:00] to collaborate with the county, to collaborate with New Haven,

[28:05] to collaborate with all the ownerships all the way up. That would be his job.

[28:11] Um, Noah's not doing his job,

[28:13] and I say that because I've been working with the county So I'm going to set the

[28:19] county as the bar. Now, the county has 2 floodplain managers,

[28:24] and they are excellent. They respond to emails. They respond to phone calls.

[28:30] I have an invitation to go in.

[28:32] You can't get better than the collaboration with the county.

[28:37] We got to raise our bar up to their standards.

[28:40] The county does not want to work with Largo because.

[28:44] Largo doesn't want to collaborate. We have a disconnect that needs to get fixed.

[28:50] Um, but I, I can't say enough about the county.

[28:54] Also, when it comes to the county and you look at public records and you look at

[29:00] what they do do as far as maintenance, it's off the chart. They do inspections.

[29:06] They're— everything south of this Donegan Road is clear.

[29:10] And the inspection reports are every 6 months with photos, and they rate it,

[29:16] you know, and they— and they're on it. We're not on anything.

[29:20] I mean, we're like— so on a scale of 1 to 10, county's 10, Largo's 1. We need help.

[29:27] Okay.

[29:28] Um, Mr.

[29:30] Kirk, you mentioned a FEMA rating, possibly, or risk rating going from 6 to

[29:36] possibly, or risk rating going from 6 to 5.

[29:36] Nothing supports that. I've called, I've asked, I've looked. That's not true.

[29:42] Um, nothing supports your, your claim.

[29:45] The solution here, the solution here is multifold.

[29:49] Um, DeCicco put in a request for funding from the state. It was denied.

[29:55] Anna Paulina put in a request for $4 million from the feds.

[30:00] I would assume that that would, um, go through. Um, that's my opinion.

[30:05] I think it will. But we can't wait. It's like we need the money.

[30:10] Um, the other solution here— okay, I'm going to point you out here, Mr.

[30:16] Smith— is how important, from what he said about, um,

[30:20] stormwater increasing to 15% We, we have a problem.

[30:24] We haven't— we're grossly underfunded. If you compare— so county does a great job.

[30:31] They are well-funded. We are not well-funded. I mean, really underfunded.

[30:37] We have to do what Johnson said. It is these lives right here.

[30:42] All of them are in peril. It's devastating.

[30:45] And I know you don't like to raise money. No one does that. I mean, you take a poll.

[30:52] No one wants to do this. I'm not raising money.

[30:56] I get it.

[30:57] We all get it. Too bad for them. Too bad. So sad, you know.

[31:02] But as a, as a community, we have to do what the staff recommended— increase—

[31:08] I hate to say this, but 15% for the next 3 years. Johnson's right.

[31:13] By the way, Donna here was the one that got it right 2 weeks at the last

[31:18] got it right 2 weeks at the last commission

[31:19] meeting. She flooded, and she knows what this is like.

[31:23] She can relate to you very, very well. It was hell, right?

[31:27] It was.

[31:28] The other solution is when I get done with this,

[31:32] I'll submit a report to 11 agencies and 100 people because what I— this is for

[31:39] 100 people because what I— this is for you,

[31:39] Mrs. Attorney Sarah— I really strongly feel that Largo shows wanton neglect,

[31:46] and Largo shows reckless endangerment.

[31:49] All you have to do is look at the last commission,

[31:53] listen to Ingram and DeGloria speak.

[31:56] These guys are just men, you know, they go to work, they do their best,

[32:02] and it's not their fault. The onus is not on them at all. They're good people.

[32:09] In a bureaucracy that's underfunded and mismanaged.

[32:13] And so they were— I felt, my personally, they were set up.

[32:18] They were set up to sit over here and blab a bunch of roundabouts and nothingness

[32:25] and really not find solutions. No one really wanted it.

[32:30] Um, but it looked pretty bad.

[32:32] You know, if it ever goes to court, it's pretty much, eh,

[32:37] we're just going to point the finger.

[32:40] We can't point the finger at these people right here. It is their lives.

[32:46] And we've never had a flooding problem, um, up until, of course, Milton.

[32:52] And we know it was severe. I mean, you know, 1 to 10, it's your 10.

[32:58] It can actually get worse and go to 11.

[33:01] But we spend too much money on vanity projects,

[33:05] and we don't take health and safety seriously.

[33:09] Johnson, thank you for calling out for what it really was. We cannot say no.

[33:16] We'd like to, to 15% increase.

[33:18] So I hope you guys really consider this,

[33:22] and I hope you listen to the rest of these good folks. These are all seniors.

[33:28] They're, they're top priority. Thank you very much. Thank you.

[33:33] Um, do you want this here, guys? No, we like it there. I'll take it down.

[33:39] Put it over there next to the door so we can—

[33:45] Yeah, good idea. That way you can see.

[33:49] Okay, the next speaker is Jane Paspa, and she is representing Susan Ackerman.

[33:56] Susan Ackerman already listed or gave— signed away her time to Mr.

[34:02] Gardner, so you'll have 3 minutes. That's okay. Good evening.

[34:07] Um, I'm a resident of Lincolnshire Mobile Home Park, and I apologize, I apologize,

[34:15] um, I'm not an educated speaker.

[34:18] I'm a person who lost our home during Milton We had 3 feet of water in our home,

[34:25] and fortunately we had a little bit of flood insurance, but it's really,

[34:32] really expensive because of the zone that we're in now. We couldn't leave our area.

[34:40] We wanted to move out of Florida.

[34:43] We couldn't leave because it took 6 months for us to get a substantial damage letter

[34:50] and the permits needed to take our home down.

[34:54] During that time, we were paying $1,000 a month for an uninhabitable home that Largo

[35:02] had actually condemned.

[35:04] I realize I'm one unimportant person to you guys, but our park—

[35:10] we all need help with the condition of these problems now with the canal.

[35:17] Thank you.

[35:18] And the new Caspia Apartments, that area is also overflowing.

[35:26] It's just a matter of when, not if, that it hits us again.

[35:32] I'm 65 years old, retired from the Postal Service,

[35:38] and I was homeless, and I'm A person who has a terminal

[35:44] incurable illness who was giving myself infusions in a parked

[35:52] car. So I'm begging, please listen.

[35:56] This is important to all of us. We are all, all in danger.

[36:02] I'm so sorry. So please listen. Thank you.

[36:07] Thank you.

[36:15] Next speaker is Patricia— is it Magby? Maggie. Maggie.

[36:22] Okay, I will. Good evening, all.

[36:24] I am Patricia McGee and I live at Lincolnshire Estates across from the

[36:30] Lincolnshire Estates across from the Caspian

[36:31] Apartments. I'm very concerned about the drainage issue.

[36:35] There is a major problem with the retention pond. It is not working

[36:41] retention pond. It is not working properly.

[36:41] The water now is so high that all the trees are growing in water instead of

[36:47] trees are growing in water instead of dirt.

[36:48] They are drowning and they will die soon.

[36:51] The pond is not deep enough,

[36:53] and with the last couple of heavy downpours on the low side of the pond,

[36:59] the water ran into the street, causing some to fishtail making the turn.

[37:05] The culvert between the sidewalk and the street Stay full of water.

[37:10] The drain that is supposed to take the water from 8th—

[37:15] under 8th Street is not draining at all. Maybe it's clogged.

[37:20] If not fixed, our mobile home park will have major flooding if we get a tropical

[37:26] storm or hurricane. I took pictures and videos this morning of the area and would

[37:33] videos this morning of the area and would be

[37:33] more than happy to send them to anyone if I'm given an email to send them to.

[37:39] What can be done to help us? Thank you for your time. Thank you.

[37:48] Next speaker is Leora Romer. No?

[37:54] Okay. Next speaker is Joanne

[37:59] Marino.

[38:09] Good evening, everyone. As you may or may not know, my name is Joanne Marino.

[38:15] Oh, sorry, sorry. Good evening, everyone.

[38:18] As you may or may not know, my name is Joanne Marino, and I am, um,

[38:24] a Willowbrook resident and owner,

[38:26] and I manage several condominiums at Willowbrook right off of East Bay Drive.

[38:33] For several years now, I've tried to communicate with Public Works,

[38:38] with the City of Largo, with the County of Pinellas,

[38:42] to try to get answers regarding the dredging of our creek.

[38:47] Our creek is owned by the City of Largo.

[38:50] In 1989, it was quitclaimed by Willowbrook to the City of Largo.

[38:55] However, Every month we're paying—

[38:58] 110 families are paying to have our portion of the creek dredged and cleaned

[39:04] portion of the creek dredged and cleaned out

[39:04] every month. We shouldn't have to pay that.

[39:08] How more so on each side— and I don't like to say things without bringing receipts,

[39:14] so I too have taken pictures, several pictures,

[39:18] just before I came to this meeting tonight, and it is so backed up.

[39:24] And so it's like a jungle out there, to be honest.

[39:28] And if I can have an email to send these pictures,

[39:32] I would love to show you what I'm talking about.

[39:35] But the problem is that everybody keeps pointing the fingers.

[39:40] I recently spoke to someone— if I may, hold on. Let me see.

[39:45] I believe her name was Brooke.

[39:47] Yes. Let's see.

[39:52] Yes, I spoke to Brooke.

[39:53] Driscoll, who confirmed in writing that Engineering and Public Works received the

[39:59] service request and would inspect the conveyance.

[40:03] Um, which is another thing I'd like to raise.

[40:06] Um, several times I went on the City of Largo website to put in a quote-unquote

[40:12] Largo website to put in a quote-unquote work

[40:13] order. However, the site does not work properly.

[40:16] It keeps rebuffering and rebuffering.

[40:19] So I actually had to call the city clerk and try to go through channels just to get

[40:25] some answers. As I said, I've been doing this for 3 years. I'm tired.

[40:30] I just— you know what? Stop pointing fingers.

[40:34] Just whoever is responsibility, please just get it done. It's not that hard.

[40:40] All right?

[40:40] I appreciate you. Thank you.

[40:42] Thank you. Next speaker is Steve

[40:50] Carpenter. Hello, my name is

[40:57] Steve Carpenter and I live in

[41:04] New Haven Condos. I am a

[41:10] fisherman.

[41:14] And I can walk out my back door and fish from the nature preserve down to Donnican

[41:21] Road.

[41:23] As a fisherman, I have a pretty good idea of how deep the water is in

[41:30] that area. Back before Hurricane Milton,

[41:35] this was confirmed one day while I was fishing.

[41:40] I saw 2 teenager boys in kayaks Come out from the New Haven Drive sewage

[41:48] pipes, horsing around.

[41:50] One boy tipped over the other boy,

[41:54] who then stood up to upright his kayak, and the water was waist deep.

[42:01] The boy was about my height, and it came up to his waist.

[42:08] Approximately 3 feet deep.

[42:11] I also have a canoe,

[42:13] and I could put in on the south side of Donegan Road.

[42:19] I could take a 6-foot-long fishing pole and stick it in the water,

[42:26] and it will not touch the bottom. in that area.

[42:31] Because it is only 3 feet deep in our New Haven area,

[42:37] maybe this is why we are, are more apt to flood.

[42:42] This is why we're asking for the canal to be dredged.

[42:48] Thank you. Thank you.

[42:59] Next speaker

[43:03] is Laura

[43:06] Royal.

[43:08] Can I just turn the map around to them?

[43:11] Yeah, sure.

[43:12] I just want to show you Is this

[43:20] okay? Can I approach the map?

[43:27] Sure.

[43:28] You can take it right back down. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[43:35] Thank you. My name is Laura Royal. I live in New Haven Condos.

[43:42] My parents owned there for 25 years,

[43:46] and I inherited their place. So New Haven. New Haven.

[43:52] And I live basically here. And here's where the blockage is.

[43:59] There's vegetation that grows every year right in here.

[44:05] Aquatic lettuce. So I just wanted you to know,

[44:10] all the people that are here, all the people that are here, Um,

[44:17] from New Haven, we have approximately 250 people that live in

[44:24] New Haven. Uh, Waterview, 100? Right across from us.

[44:30] Lincolnshire, 500?

[44:32] 600.

[44:33] 600. In this one small area, in this one small area, Out of our 177 in Phase 1,

[44:40] 150 lost their homes. We couldn't, we couldn't stay there.

[44:45] Our furniture was dumped out in the roads and we could not live there.

[44:51] Drywall, everything.

[44:53] Just to give you some history, in July of 2022,

[44:57] I contacted Billy Ingram and sent him pictures of the aquatic growth that they

[45:04] pictures of the aquatic growth that they used

[45:04] to send a boat out and spray the spray So all the vegetation sunk to the bottom.

[45:11] 2022, I said, we need help. 2022, they did dredge. They hired a harvester.

[45:18] It's this little boat that went out and dredged it.

[45:22] Then they, in 2024— so this is since 2022 I was working on it— I got Andre Frazier,

[45:30] the supervisor, involved. They were going to be out. Like the next week to dredge.

[45:37] I've contacted Billy Ingram, Tracy Miller, Michael Weaver, Andre Faison, Frazier.

[45:44] So when it was destroyed, it took us over 6 months to get permits.

[45:50] People had to pay rent. They had to pay homeowners fees at the same time.

[45:56] Most of us are retired. Some people had to go back to work.

[46:01] How many of you have ever driven down Donegan Road?

[46:06] And we've got the new apartments, over 200 apartments now built up.

[46:12] Where's that water going to go? Lincolnshire and us. We've lost cars,

[46:18] Lincolnshire and us. We've lost cars, furniture.

[46:19] Many of us evacuated, so we came home to a mess. in our homes.

[46:24] And I'm looking in your faces. How many of you were out from the flood?

[46:30] How many of you evacuated? How many lost everything on this board?

[46:36] But we have this beautiful building, and all we're asking is to dredge.

[46:42] That can't cost that much money. This was—

[46:46] this was— Thank you. Next speaker is Sandra Moore.

[47:01] I hope you can hear me.

[47:02] Yep, yep, thank you.

[47:03] No?

[47:04] Yes, you're fine.

[47:05] I have it right now. Huh?

[47:07] We can hear you. You're good.

[47:09] Okay, you know what, I never thought I'd be coming here.

[47:14] I've talked to Mayor Brown and, and, and for different things,

[47:19] and he's been Very welcoming.

[47:22] But what I'm upset about is I'm going to be 84 very soon.

[47:27] I have been out of this state 2 times.

[47:30] I've taken airline flights that had 2 different destinations.

[47:35] One was Denver, then Cleveland.

[47:38] I have been told by everybody that works for Clyde Johnson that I was wrong.

[47:44] I should just sit there and not be home for 19 months.

[47:49] 19 months I've been on the road.

[47:52] From that very mud experience, I have gotten to the point where I shake.

[47:58] I have no idea what's gonna happen. I can't do another flood. I can't take

[48:05] can't do another flood. I can't take 50/50.

[48:05] It's not enough money to survive. I love my home. My home is beautiful.

[48:11] Not being smart, but it is gorgeous. I fixed it. It's fixed up. It's beautiful.

[48:18] Most homes in our area are beautiful inside.

[48:22] And you people do not want to hear the truth. The truth is we're people.

[48:28] We're human. We are people that give to the community.

[48:33] We march for the goodness of our heart.

[48:36] Thank you.

[48:37] All we get is pain.

[48:40] Don't do this anymore.

[48:41] At least try to drudge it. Give us some kind of like you're working for us.

[48:47] New Haven is a, is a community that I think scares me because it's such a

[48:53] think scares me because it's such a secluded

[48:54] bedroom area that maybe somebody would like to build something very expensive on

[49:00] like to build something very expensive on it.

[49:00] And I'm beginning to see that there's some kind of problem here.

[49:05] I'm beginning to see that both of you,

[49:09] all of you should look up and touch your hearts and use your minds.

[49:14] Because those places are not just looking like little dull people live there.

[49:20] We put our heart and souls into our homes.

[49:23] I have, for example, I have 3 stressless chairs. I have over $10,000 in chairs.

[49:30] More like 11 or 12. So all I can say is just open up your minds and open up your

[49:36] hearts. We're a small community, you think, but if you had to do it,

[49:42] you'd have a different opinion.

[49:44] Thank you. Okay, the next speaker is Jay Sewell,

[49:51] and she's representing Jerry Dare Taz— oh,

[49:56] Tammy Harvey, Carlinda Mickelson,

[50:01] Mary Lee Lewis-Palmer, Nina Carpenter,

[50:06] Christina Belden, and Eileen Livingston.

[50:11] Good evening, Mr. Mayor and members of the commission.

[50:17] I'm going to use this because I want to be turning papers over,

[50:23] um, and I've forgotten my glasses. My name is on there.

[50:28] Jay, you forgot too.

[50:30] I know. That's all right. She has— she had 10 minutes.

[50:32] Sorry about that. Um, Diane, I believe, has given you folders again.

[50:36] Yeah, thank you.

[50:37] With pictures and photographs and stuff in.

[50:41] Um, when I can find my stupid glasses. I'm going, I'm going. Hang on. Wait.

[50:47] Right. I'm gonna— I'm gonna start with, um, Mr. Ingram and Mr.

[50:52] DeGloria, same as Greg did,

[50:55] and they told us that the service provided and it continues to be provided is

[51:01] spraying, extra spraying.

[51:03] Could you start the clock? Oh, thank you.

[51:05] I'm sorry.

[51:05] You start— you have 10 minutes from now. You're good.

[51:08] Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

[51:09] Um, where did I get— oh yeah,

[51:11] the service provided and it continues to be provided is spraying,

[51:15] and they do extra if This service has been provided for the last 6 years according

[51:21] to Mr Ingram. It hasn't, and it hasn't done much.

[51:24] What they have done for the hydrilla, as you know,

[51:28] you had pictures of the hydrilla completely overtaking our waterway,

[51:32] and that is now 6 years of spraying an invasive plant,

[51:36] sinking it to the bottom layer after layer after layer.

[51:40] This has been like putting dirt into a glass of water.

[51:43] Thank you.

[51:44] Then add more until the dirt fills the glass,

[51:48] which then pushes all the water over the top and then overflows.

[51:52] That's what's happening to our Canal Number 1.

[51:56] You keep filling it up with spraying these weeds and sinking the weeds,

[52:01] and you're just pushing our water levels up and up and up. Like Mr.

[52:06] Gardner said, 3 feet of water instead of 6,

[52:09] that means there's 3 feet of hydrilla underneath there that needs taking out so

[52:15] underneath there that needs taking out so our

[52:15] water can flow. The question was raised 2 weeks ago about ownership of parcels.

[52:21] This brings me to saying,

[52:23] how do you know which part of the bowl of water belongs to each parcel?

[52:28] They may own the edge of the water, the banks, but you can't own a piece of water.

[52:35] It's Largo's water. It comes from East Bay all the way through to Seminole Basin.

[52:41] On that first photo— no, it's map number 2, actually.

[52:45] If you go to map number 2, you'll see that Long Bayou leads into Allison.

[52:50] That's the— I think it's on that map. It's the smaller piece of water that comes in.

[52:56] That's called Long Bayou. Then it goes into Lake Allison.

[53:00] What happens when it goes into Lake Allison?

[53:04] You'll see from the next map, map number 3.

[53:07] that there are some white lines going across the bottom and then there is a gold

[53:13] box. That's a pump. So the water comes all the way through and it gets to 8th Avenue

[53:19] and it gets pumped into Lake Allison.

[53:22] Then Lake Allison flows north, northeast, and then south.

[53:26] And guess where that ends up? In the bayou. In the bayou behind New Haven.

[53:32] So all of that water that's coming down to 8th from the north is going into the

[53:38] bayou at New Haven. And then if you go— I got into the GIS system here,

[53:43] the geographic information system.

[53:45] The white lines, this is map 3, they're storm waterways.

[53:50] You see all those water lines, those white lines going through?

[53:54] Yes.

[53:55] You see where they all end up? In Long Bayou.

[53:58] And that's from 7th Street Southeast, 5th and 6th Avenue Southeast,

[54:03] and the dead end at 5th Street Southeast. They all run into the Long Bayou.

[54:09] It's the stormwater drain that's being pushed into our canal, Canal Number 1.

[54:14] When it— like I said, it comes down Lake Bayou, goes into Lake— what's it called?

[54:20] Cane.

[54:21] the Lake Allison, and then the pump pushes it up.

[54:24] Lake Allison comes around, comes down into Long Bayou, into our bayou.

[54:29] So all— half of Largo south of East Bay comes into our bayou.

[54:34] Why should we be the ones making it cleaned up? The owners, the residents?

[54:39] Largo needs to do it.

[54:41] It's Largo water from all over Largo that's going into that bayou.

[54:46] Which is, you know— I've talked about this last time.

[54:50] Included in the stormwater flow is west of Lincolnshire now, right? That's Caspia.

[54:56] When the developer applied for Caspia, he applied for 9 buildings.

[55:00] You turned him down, turned him down flat,

[55:03] but you gave him half of the property to build 5, right?

[55:08] And they had to have a retention pond.

[55:10] Somebody told you earlier that retention pond doesn't work.

[55:15] It comes over the road and flows into Donegan. And then it flows into

[55:20] Donegan. And then it flows into Lincolnshire.

[55:21] Okay? Now, I was up there day before yesterday.

[55:24] The water from 3 weeks ago is still sitting in the ditches because it doesn't

[55:30] sitting in the ditches because it doesn't drain.

[55:30] Right? So we've got the water coming from the bayou, Allison Lake,

[55:35] and now we have the water, the stormwater that is,

[55:39] coming down 8th Avenue to the corner of Donegan and 8th with the water overflow

[55:45] Donegan and 8th with the water overflow from

[55:45] Caspia threatening all of us, not just Lincolnshire, but all of us.

[55:50] Now, I mean, insult to injury,

[55:52] you're now going to build those 4 units north of Caspia, or a plat—

[55:57] they've applied for planning, and I understand it's 90% of the way there.

[56:02] What are you doing to us? This is deplorable.

[56:06] It's 9— it's 9 feet elevation higher than Donegan Road. 9 feet.

[56:10] Where do you think when you filled it all with concrete,

[56:14] or allowed it to be filled with concrete,

[56:17] and you've allowed it to be filled with asphalt so the rain can't come down and

[56:23] asphalt so the rain can't come down and sink

[56:23] in the grass, it's going to run down to Caspia.

[56:27] Caspia is going to run down to the Donegan Road. It's not going to. Into us.

[56:32] You are going to flood us. Largo City are going to flood us.

[56:37] Are your taxes for a few condos worth losing thousands,

[56:41] hundreds of thousands of taxes from homes that are going to be obliterated because

[56:47] you won't dredge a piece of water? I'm asking you.

[56:50] I mean, I don't know what you're thinking allowing this new complex to be built.

[56:56] There's nowhere for that water to go except downhill to us.

[57:01] Thank you.

[57:02] That's threatening people's lives and livelihoods.

[57:06] It's disgusting what you're allowing to be built in this little corner of Largo.

[57:12] It's disgusting. And then it's like spray and sink the weeds,

[57:16] spray and sink the weeds.

[57:18] On many occasions I've spoken to people here, stop spraying them,

[57:22] clear them out so they no longer grow anymore like they used to 5 years ago.

[57:28] And it's these— I just can't get over these pavements at the moment.

[57:33] There isn't going to be any room for water to go anywhere once Caspian's— well,

[57:38] Caspian's finished and they haven't done very well with their water.

[57:43] And now we've got Station project with nowhere for their water to go except for

[57:49] downwards to us. It's disgusting, absolutely disgusting.

[57:53] Thank you.

[57:54] They've got— how many apartments is that?

[57:57] Okay, affordable rent, affordable housing for Caspia.

[58:00] $1,600 for a 1-bedroom, 768 square feet.

[58:03] $2,585 for a 2-bedroom for 1,200 square feet.

[58:05] I don't call that affordable, but it was allowed to be built,

[58:09] and now you're going to build more.

[58:11] That first building has hardly, what, 40 residents, I think, so far.

[58:16] The other 4 buildings are empty because people can't afford to live in them.

[58:20] That's right.

[58:22] And then you're going to think of 168 more condos north of that.

[58:26] So I don't know what your thinking is when you destroy a community,

[58:30] because that's what will happen to us. We will be totally destroyed.

[58:34] We've got the extra traffic on the road from these 2 complexes.

[58:38] That's an extra 600 cars every morning and an extra 600 cars every night.

[58:43] I've spoken to the sergeant in traffic. He can't believe it's been allowed either.

[58:48] Thank you.

[58:48] Because the traffic is horrendous. It's a 30-mile-an-hour limit.

[58:52] I've been driven off the road several times myself.

[58:55] It's got a double yellow and it's 2 lanes, one going one way, one going the other.

[58:59] And you're going to put another 600 cars on there at school time?

[59:03] The school is just up the street. At work time?

[59:05] People aren't going to be able to get in and out of where we live.

[59:09] We're going to be stranded.

[59:10] It's going to be like a little island that you can't move from.

[59:14] Thank you.

[59:15] The cars— 600 cars on average from these 2 apartment buildings.

[59:20] I mean, do we get drowned? Do we get flooded? Do we get run over?

[59:24] Do we get driven off the street?

[59:26] Leave our corner alone and get it dredged and let us live in peace.

[59:31] It's disgusting what you're contemplating.

[59:34] Another block of apartments where there's nowhere for the water to go except to

[59:40] drown us, to flood us.

[59:41] I mean, I produced a map, which is the last piece of paper in your file,

[59:46] of how you can control the traffic flow for zero, next to zero.

[59:51] 4-way stops all the way at strategic places so that they can't speed up to more

[59:56] places so that they can't speed up to more than

[59:57] 30 miles an hour before they get to the next stop sign.

[1:00:00] Then they go to 30 miles an hour to the next stop sign.

[1:00:04] That'll at least maybe alleviate most of the traffic that comes through us that's

[1:00:10] cutting off Olmerton and Missouri. They cut through our road to get to East Bay.

[1:00:16] Maybe if they can really do 30 miles an hour, which is the speed limit,

[1:00:21] they won't bother to come down there anymore.

[1:00:24] You know, so I mean,

[1:00:25] you're putting this area that we love into jeopardy by not dredging, number one,

[1:00:31] Because we're going to be flooded, there's no doubt about it.

[1:00:35] The next big rainstorm, we are going to flood again.

[1:00:39] And we don't need a dredge next year, we need a dredge now.

[1:00:43] I told you this last time I was here.

[1:00:46] Now.

[1:00:46] Thank you for your time, all of you.

[1:00:48] And please take the folders home and have a look at them and really look at some of

[1:00:53] the things I didn't get to cover.

[1:00:55] And I'm sure you wouldn't want your parents staring out of their window every

[1:00:59] parents staring out of their window every day

[1:00:59] wondering if it was— this was going to date.

[1:01:02] that their house is going to be trashed again in 2 years?

[1:01:05] I'm sure you want that— you don't want that for your parents.

[1:01:08] We don't want it for ours. We don't want it for our residents.

[1:01:12] Thank you.

[1:01:13] Next speaker is Diane LaForge.

[1:01:18] Next speaker is Craig Murtha.

[1:01:22] There's some great people here tonight, pretty spunky.

[1:01:30] And they should know that in 2 years,

[1:01:35] 3 more of these seats come available if anybody wants

[1:01:43] to run.

[1:01:44] Yeah!

[1:01:46] You would probably have a lot of votes already and you could go to the other

[1:01:50] already and you could go to the other creek

[1:01:50] communities, Allen's Creek and McKay Creek, and pick up a lot of votes.

[1:01:54] And I'll knock on doors for you,

[1:01:56] 'cause we need to get some people with some brains on the commission.

[1:02:01] Anyhow—

[1:02:02] The big problem is that we set up this county, or they set up this county, 50,

[1:02:06] 75 years ago, so everything would drain through the creeks.

[1:02:09] But since then, a lot of stuff has been built, and we keep building more and more.

[1:02:13] And we seem to have this attitude that we can build an apartment complex with very

[1:02:17] little drainage, And, uh, because some of them,

[1:02:20] I can't find drainage in some of these.

[1:02:22] If, if there is some, it's so small I don't even consider drainage.

[1:02:25] It's ridiculous because— so we're just sending all of this stuff through,

[1:02:29] and we're spending a lot of money sending this stuff off to the creeks to flood

[1:02:33] more, to flood people year after year. And it's only going to get worse.

[1:02:37] I mean, climate change is real. I mean, you can see that.

[1:02:40] We never had a 24-inch storm in history, I think, and we had one 2 years ago.

[1:02:44] We're going to get a lot more coming soon.

[1:02:46] So We have to plan for it,

[1:02:47] and we have to create creeks and ponds and stormwater retention all along the way.

[1:02:52] Obviously, we're going to keep draining through the creeks,

[1:02:55] but we have to have a hybrid system, and we have to lean more on that.

[1:02:58] And it's really less expensive in a lot of ways,

[1:03:01] because these culverts cost a lot of money.

[1:03:03] Putting a culvert like the culvert—

[1:03:05] you go over to City Hall and get out in the street,

[1:03:08] and you look right there where Willowbrook is,

[1:03:10] there's 2 giant pipes that go under East Bay.

[1:03:12] If we keep putting more and more water through those giant pipes,

[1:03:16] they're gonna wear down sooner.

[1:03:17] And just think what it's gonna cost to replace those pipes that go under East

[1:03:21] replace those pipes that go under East Bay.

[1:03:21] And that water, by the way,

[1:03:23] goes right past the preserve and right down here to flood all these people.

[1:03:27] It's coming from the City Hall area, north of the City Hall area.

[1:03:30] So the City Hall area is a perfect place to start that hybrid system.

[1:03:34] We shouldn't be selling that off,

[1:03:35] especially since you'd be knocking down a police station that's gonna cost probably

[1:03:40] $30 million to replace. And I don't care what anybody says.

[1:03:43] It's not.

[1:03:43] It's going to cost to replace,

[1:03:45] because this building was supposed to be $25 million in the newspaper back in 2019.

[1:03:50] And lo and behold, it's what, close to $90 million or something?

[1:03:53] So whatever they say this police station is going to cost,

[1:03:56] let's triple it or quadruple it.

[1:03:58] So yeah, it's foolish to knock down a police station with a $30 million

[1:04:02] police station with a $30 million replacement

[1:04:03] cost to get whatever little bit you're going to get for that land and miss an

[1:04:07] opportunity to start a hybrid system Because it's less expensive.

[1:04:10] Plus, when you create ponds, you're creating green space, trees, fresh air,

[1:04:15] parkland. You're increasing the tax base all in every single neighborhood that you

[1:04:19] bring in a park. You're increasing the tax base because more people want to live

[1:04:24] there. You're increasing the quality of life.

[1:04:26] And as I said, protecting the culverts along the way.

[1:04:29] More pressure through these culverts year after year is going to destroy the

[1:04:33] culverts. So unless you want to keep on spending tens of millions on culverts—

[1:04:37] Thank you.

[1:04:45] That's all the cards. Thank you.

[1:04:47] I, I, um, I'm going to ask the state manager a couple things.

[1:04:51] It's been a couple weeks, so, uh,

[1:04:53] hopefully we'll get some answers as far as the progress.

[1:04:57] Um, but, but I do want to mention that we denied, um,

[1:05:01] the development where Caspia is, and, and then the state,

[1:05:05] the state government gave us the Live Local Act.

[1:05:08] Which removed any— there was no—

[1:05:10] at no point did what is built there come in front of this commission, period.

[1:05:15] We didn't— the, the additional units doesn't require any oversight,

[1:05:20] and it's simply because that property is industrial limited,

[1:05:24] which as a commission we would like to hold on to our industrial land because it

[1:05:29] means jobs for our residents.

[1:05:31] And the state decided that they wanted to Allow for affordable housing without

[1:05:37] oversight on industrial limited because their opinion was it wasn't as valuable as

[1:05:42] the affordable housing. We had a different opinion, and and we still do.

[1:05:47] I think for the most part, if not unanimously, we still do.

[1:05:51] We didn't plan for, as you all know, we didn't plan for 500 units on that corner.

[1:05:57] We didn't have. the infrastructure, and now we're playing catch-up, frankly.

[1:06:02] So the other thing is, I think the $25 million number— I could be mistaken,

[1:06:07] but I think that was the number to retrofit the existing City Hall.

[1:06:11] It certainly wasn't the first number for building this building.

[1:06:16] I'm almost certain on that. Mr.

[1:06:18] Kerb, could you give us an update on what has happened in the last couple weeks as

[1:06:24] far as looking at that dredging, as far as looking at the maintenance schedule,

[1:06:29] looking at the spray schedule and how—

[1:06:31] we saw some pictures a couple weeks ago where it looked like, you know,

[1:06:36] 10% might have been sprayed and the rest was still living pretty healthily,

[1:06:41] the lettuce on top of the water. So what's been going on?

[1:06:45] What's our plan at this point? I know that it's probably not complete.

[1:06:50] But as has been pointed out, this is important. It's important to Largo.

[1:06:55] It's important to our residents. Sure. Thank you, Mayor.

[1:06:59] I know that following that meeting, we did actually—

[1:07:02] we sent crews out to spray there.

[1:07:04] They— and the, uh, so the water has been sprayed,

[1:07:08] and I think we already have photos of the, the effect of that.

[1:07:12] So we know that work was done immediately in response to 2 weeks ago.

[1:07:17] The city— the city attorney is looking at the maintenance responsibilities on the

[1:07:22] area around that creek. Again, our policy has been consistent.

[1:07:26] We will— I can't hear.

[1:07:28] Sure.

[1:07:28] Thank you. Our policy has been consistent.

[1:07:32] Where the city has clear responsibility,

[1:07:35] we have easements and covenants to maintain the creeks.

[1:07:40] We will maintain them and maintain the canals.

[1:07:43] We will partner with the private ownership that's responsible for maintaining other

[1:07:50] portions of that. We're still in the course of determining where exactly those

[1:07:57] boundaries lie along that area. So we'll continue— Please, please don't speak out.

[1:08:04] So we'll continue to do that.

[1:08:06] I know we will continue to be in contact and follow up with the residents as we get

[1:08:13] more information. All right,

[1:08:15] and could we also get a report on The culverts that are kind of downstream,

[1:08:22] the culvert at Donegan. I think there's culverts.

[1:08:26] I'm not sure if they're box culverts or not underneath New Haven Drive.

[1:08:32] And then south of that,

[1:08:34] I know that there was flooding farther down outside of the city limits of Largo

[1:08:40] along that waterway. But I'd like to see a report on those culverts.

[1:08:46] It's seemingly whether they're being blocked by plant debris or just that they

[1:08:52] blocked by plant debris or just that they need

[1:08:53] to be bigger culverts, I'm not sure.

[1:08:56] But seemingly, that might be a problem on that drainage.

[1:09:00] Sure, we'll look into those items,

[1:09:03] and I encourage people to continue to submit complaints,

[1:09:08] either phone call or the online system,

[1:09:11] and we'll certainly look into the issues that people had accessing via the online

[1:09:18] request system. And I'll just add that that hasn't always been the case.

[1:09:24] So I think that the cooperation with the county on this and many other things is

[1:09:30] county on this and many other things is way

[1:09:31] improved. So I appreciate all the input today.

[1:09:35] And I give you my word, I know the commission stands behind me on this,

[1:09:40] we'll continue to work on it.

[1:09:43] We don't want people flooding in Lauderdale, whether it's here or anywhere

[1:09:49] Lauderdale, whether it's here or anywhere else.

[1:09:49] And we'll do what we can.

[1:09:52] Thank you.

[1:09:53] We've got Pinecrest Place, which is a— and it's not on your—

[1:09:57] the river that's near you guys, but it's very similar to what Mr.

[1:10:01] Murtha was talking about,

[1:10:02] where it's going to be adding capacity to the stormwater system.

[1:10:06] And we're looking at other places that we can do that, too,

[1:10:10] including a small park on the northwest side that is a stormwater park.

[1:10:14] Those are 2 in the last 5 years that are planned and/or coming on board now.

[1:10:19] So we continue to work on it, and it's a long process.

[1:10:22] I wish— I know that y'all want it to be fixed last year, right? And I do.

[1:10:27] We do too, you know. And we'll continue to work on it.

[1:10:30] But please continue to give us input. I certainly appreciate it.

[1:10:34] Commissioner Holmes. John, are we looking into dredging there or just weed control?

[1:10:40] So thank you, Commissioner.

[1:10:41] Yeah, we'll, we'll look into where our maintenance responsibilities lie.

[1:10:46] My understanding is we haven't— we have not dredged that canal,

[1:10:50] and it's not been part of our regular maintenance program.

[1:10:53] So we continue to look and we continue to focus on maintaining the flow through the

[1:10:59] canal. So we'll examine that,

[1:11:00] and if the canal that's relevant to our portion of the maintenance needs dredging,

[1:11:05] we'll dredge it. Yeah, I mean, if you— if we were going to make some peat,

[1:11:10] we'd have it made. But you really got to get the junk out of there.

[1:11:14] Uh, lastly, people, I want you to understand there's a bunch of us that when

[1:11:19] understand there's a bunch of us that when they're

[1:11:19] building those apartments back there, we were against it.

[1:11:23] Thank you. And matter of fact, every time we get a high density coming up,

[1:11:27] these people tell you—

[1:11:28] I start talking about the traffic. Where are we going to put all this traffic?

[1:11:33] You got water problems, you got traffic problems.

[1:11:36] But those 2 apartment complexes going in, like the mayor said, we had no say on it.

[1:11:40] None whatsoever, which to me, that's a travesty.

[1:11:43] But it didn't get a single vote in favor. They didn't get any from us. Thank you.

[1:11:48] One more question. I did drive down Donegan this morning and noticed that the

[1:11:53] Donegan this morning and noticed that the pond

[1:11:53] that you're talking about looks like it's a full swimming pool.

[1:11:57] So, and it hasn't— I was gone over the weekend,

[1:11:59] but I don't think it's rained in a few days.

[1:12:02] Nope.

[1:12:04] Could you look into that as well?

[1:12:06] It seems as if— I mean, for a while it was holding a relatively low level,

[1:12:10] and I don't know if something's blocked.

[1:12:13] I'm sure that we could take a look and see what the heck's going on with that lake

[1:12:17] and why it's sitting at such a high level and not draining out like I expect it

[1:12:22] should be. Or maybe that's the height it's supposed to be at. I don't really know.

[1:12:26] We'll take a look at it. Great. Thank you. Next up on the agenda— thank you all.

[1:12:31] Next up on the agenda, uh, is approval of tonight's agenda.

[1:12:34] Move approval. Second.

[1:12:36] I have a motion and a second. All in favor say aye. Aye.

[1:12:39] Aye.

[1:12:39] Any opposed? Motion passes unanimously.

[1:12:42] Next is consideration of the minutes from the meeting of

[1:12:46] August 4th, 2026.

[1:12:48] Move approval. Second.

[1:12:50] Any changes or corrections? All in favor say aye.

[1:12:52] Aye.

[1:12:53] Any opposed? Motion passes 7-0.

[1:12:56] Must be something we said.

[1:12:58] Could I, uh, could I hear the consent docket, please?

[1:13:03] Thank you.

[1:13:04] Item 4, reappointments of Robert J. Healy Jr.

[1:13:07] and Paul Wallace as members of the Police Officers and Firefighters Retirement Plan

[1:13:13] Board of Trustees for 2-year terms expiring September 30th, 2028.

[1:13:18] Item 5, approval of change order number 4,

[1:13:20] Nelson Construction RFQ number 22-Q-765 Rosary Road Phase 2 Reconstruction Project

[1:13:26] in the estimated amount of $1,062,198.

[1:13:29] Item 7, approval of the scope and fee for Task Order Number 2026-02 for a biosolids

[1:13:35] master plan study with Brown and Caldwell in accordance with professional services

[1:13:41] agreement RFQ Number 24-Q-798 in the estimated amount of $328,410.

[1:13:45] Item 8, authorization for the mayor to sign a mutual aid agreement between the

[1:13:51] sign a mutual aid agreement between the City

[1:13:51] of Largo and the Florida Gaming Control Commission.

[1:13:55] Item 9, approval of second amendment to contract number 23-P-782 between the City

[1:14:00] contract number 23-P-782 between the City of

[1:14:00] Largo and Homeless Emergency Project Incorporated.

[1:14:04] Item 10, approval of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program's third amended and restated

[1:14:10] interlocal agreement.

[1:14:12] Item 11—

[1:14:16] Sorry, I do not have the entire title there.

[1:14:19] Item 11 is authorization to purchase vehicle upfitting from Enforcement One

[1:14:24] Incorporated in the estimated amount of $83,761 in accordance with FSA

[1:14:29] $83,761 in accordance with FSA Hillsborough

[1:14:30] County contract number 25300639.

[1:14:32] Item 12, authorization to spend an additional $35,000 for the purchase of

[1:14:37] additional $35,000 for the purchase of sodium

[1:14:38] bisulfite From Odyssey Manufacturing Company in accordance with New Smyrna

[1:14:43] Company in accordance with New Smyrna Beach bid

[1:14:43] number 27-24. Item 13,

[1:14:45] authorization to purchase material and installation services from Nuvo

[1:14:50] installation services from Nuvo Construction

[1:14:51] LLC for the construction of Shelter Number 8 in Largo Central Park in the estimated

[1:14:57] amount of $55,000 in accordance with ITB number 26-B-866.

[1:15:01] Item 14, authorization to accept A settlement and general release between the

[1:15:06] settlement and general release between the City

[1:15:06] of Largo and United Utility Services, LLC, Star Indemnity and Liability Company,

[1:15:12] and Gallagher Bassett in the amount of $105,784.65 for damage caused to a city

[1:15:18] sanitary sewer line. Thank you. You've heard the consent docket.

[1:15:22] I'll entertain a motion.

[1:15:24] I move to approve the consent docket without commission discussion,

[1:15:29] including staff background provided in the commission Second.

[1:15:33] I have a motion and a second. All in favor say aye.

[1:15:37] Aye.

[1:15:37] Any opposed? Motion passes 7-0.

[1:15:40] Next is ordinance number 2026-22 on second

[1:15:45] reading.

[1:15:45] Good evening. Mayor,

[1:15:50] Commissioners, I'm Rebecca

[1:15:55] Spooler, the Finance

[1:16:00] Director.

[1:16:02] Good evening, Gary Stewart, System Public Works Director.

[1:16:04] So we are here to talk about the second reading of the proposed solid waste

[1:16:10] increase. The previous actions at the July 21st meeting,

[1:16:13] the City Commission did approve this on first reading and we have not made

[1:16:18] first reading and we have not made changes.

[1:16:19] Just to recap, this increase is a 2% increase 62 cents per residential customer

[1:16:24] increase 62 cents per residential customer per

[1:16:24] month. There's also some changes to the commercial and industrial container

[1:16:29] services, adding the $10 per recycling cart.

[1:16:32] We've— at the first reading,

[1:16:34] there were some additional questions by the City Commission,

[1:16:38] so we've brought additional information to you tonight with regards to the cost and

[1:16:44] budget for vehicles, recurring increases in the tipping fees as we discussed.

[1:16:49] That's about 25% of the solid waste budget entirely,

[1:16:53] and those have been going up at about 8% per year.

[1:16:56] Increases in operating expenses,

[1:16:58] where the recycling has been a cost for the last 5 years,

[1:17:02] and I know at the last meeting we talked about promotions of recycling and how do

[1:17:08] about promotions of recycling and how do we

[1:17:08] encourage that. The information that was shown based on recycling revenue did

[1:17:13] include our sale of scrap materials, not just actual recycled trash.

[1:17:18] But also, the promotion that we do at Starkey Road and have individual, you

[1:17:23] Starkey Road and have individual, you know,

[1:17:23] cardboard containers, because that's something that's actually worth money.

[1:17:28] A lot of the businesses that have, you know, retail, grocery stores,

[1:17:33] those types of things that produce a lot of cardboard,

[1:17:36] they actually have independent contracts to sell their own recycling.

[1:17:41] So we will pursue additional contracts as possible, but those—

[1:17:45] They typically already have their own.

[1:17:48] I'll talk a little bit about the annual personnel salary increases and the cost

[1:17:53] increases from that.

[1:17:54] And then something that's pretty near and dear to my heart is the debris removal and

[1:18:00] our FEMA claim and how this affects the solid waste fund.

[1:18:04] So just a little bit of a history.

[1:18:06] You know, we talked about future years of vehicle costs,

[1:18:10] and as we cannot completely predict what those costs will be,

[1:18:14] we can show what they have been.

[1:18:16] So this is a chart just showing the cost that we've seen on solid waste vehicles

[1:18:22] since the year of 2020.

[1:18:23] So make it a little bit easier to see the total increase in the different types of

[1:18:29] vehicles, you know, pretty significant.

[1:18:31] I looked earlier, we have 56 vehicles with a historical purchase value of about

[1:18:37] $14.1 million, and about a third of those were purchased prior prior to 2021.

[1:18:42] So they're going to be on the replacement schedule coming up in future years.

[1:18:47] We are going through a fleet study currently to talk about the useful life

[1:18:52] currently to talk about the useful life and the

[1:18:53] debate between keeping it for maintenance or replacing a vehicle.

[1:18:57] So those things are in the works currently.

[1:19:00] We talked a little bit about why do we do our budget versus last year's budget.

[1:19:05] We're not doing a 2027 budget versus actuals.

[1:19:08] This is just some information with regards to staffing.

[1:19:12] In 2026, so far, we were only at about a 90%, um, FTE filled.

[1:19:16] So there's a lot of vacancies.

[1:19:18] So if we were to use fiscal year 2026 estimated numbers,

[1:19:22] they're going to be low purposely because we've had open positions.

[1:19:26] So that's why we're using our estimated— we budget for full staff.

[1:19:31] You know, this is unfortunate that we've had some openings.

[1:19:35] But looking at prior years,

[1:19:37] we were able to maintain full staffing in those departments.

[1:19:41] But that's why we look at 2026 budget when we're looking at 2027 budget amounts.

[1:19:46] As I mentioned, 2024 hurricane season,

[1:19:49] this is specific to the solid waste fund itself.

[1:19:52] So, you know, within that 6-month period between September and April,

[1:19:57] we had $3.5 million in cash go out. To pay for debris removal costs.

[1:20:01] Not all of this is 100% reimbursable by FEMA. It's depending on their project

[1:20:06] FEMA. It's depending on their project terms.

[1:20:07] So we did file in advance for an estimated amount that we thought the project,

[1:20:12] the debris removal would cost back in November.

[1:20:15] We did receive some advance funding, the partial funding paid in June of 2025.

[1:20:21] But as of that date, we had already spent that $3.5 million.

[1:20:25] We received additional pieces of funding in March 2026 and June,

[1:20:29] and there's about $350,000 of this particular claim just for the debris side

[1:20:34] particular claim just for the debris side still

[1:20:34] outstanding today.

[1:20:36] Mm-hmm.

[1:20:37] So I do want to draw as well, when I talked about the debris reserve, um,

[1:20:42] back in 2024, you can see the bottom, uh, yellow number,

[1:20:46] we had a reserve of $1.375 million, um, based on—

[1:20:50] we used some of that in our fund balance And we're currently at $500,000.

[1:20:55] So one of the goals, you know, in future years is to increase,

[1:21:00] knowing what we do know based on experience for what, what does debris

[1:21:05] experience for what, what does debris removal cost.

[1:21:06] We're looking at potentially restoring some of that reserve.

[1:21:10] But really, the, the focus of tonight's 2% increase is for 2027.

[1:21:15] We do prepare the 5-year plan. You know, we look at—

[1:21:18] I'm sorry.

[1:21:19] What do we anticipate it being?

[1:21:21] However, our City Commission has expressed that we like to do annual increases.

[1:21:27] We don't pass multi-year increases.

[1:21:30] So every year we will return to you and do this evaluation again and say,

[1:21:35] how does it look now?

[1:21:36] So with the 2% that's proposed,

[1:21:39] that leaves us at the very bottom 22% total fund balance.

[1:21:43] However, that includes our, our minimal debris reserve of $875,000.

[1:21:47] So the operating is more like an 18%.

[1:21:50] But again, $5,015,000 compared to the $3.5 million that the debris did cost us in a

[1:21:56] 6-month period is not that much more.

[1:21:59] So if we don't do the 2%,

[1:22:01] that highlighted 18% number looks more like 16% at the end of 2027.

[1:22:05] So this is the same slide as from the previous reading where there—

[1:22:10] it's an average of a 3.3% increase over 22 years.

[1:22:14] We did have a long period of time, 11 years between 2007 and 2018,

[1:22:18] where we did not have any increases.

[1:22:21] And then to make up for vehicles that needed replaced and other things that had

[1:22:27] happened, you know, Hurricane Irma hit us in 2017. We didn't have the funds.

[1:22:32] So that's where the increases started to grow.

[1:22:35] So this 2% annually is really trying to prevent us from having to do these larger

[1:22:41] increases. So this is also the same slide,

[1:22:44] just showing you the comparison again of where we sit versus our,

[1:22:49] our neighboring municipalities.

[1:22:51] Commercially, we are still near the bottom of the cost with the 2%.

[1:22:56] And then as a reminder,

[1:22:58] the utility rate impact for the items that were approved on first reading,

[1:23:03] this is a 62-cent increase on the solid waste fund.

[1:23:07] We are available for any questions.

[1:23:09] Thank you. Vice Mayor Johnson.

[1:23:11] Uh, thank you for answering our questions on the fund balance and why we're

[1:23:16] increasing it, and I appreciate that explanation. I understand it and makes

[1:23:21] explanation. I understand it and makes sense.

[1:23:22] Um, one thing I'd like to know is, do we, do we do a study on what a commercial,

[1:23:27] a commercial roll-off would be?

[1:23:29] If, again, I by no way citizens of Largo am I thinking that we should privatize our

[1:23:34] garbage service, but I'd like to know, like, have that as a comparison,

[1:23:39] comparator to what, like, we're charging people for garbage service,

[1:23:44] just to understand that if— are we creating— are we providing a value?

[1:23:48] Now, I know we're going twice a week to people's homes and their commercial

[1:23:53] people's homes and their commercial service

[1:23:54] isn't, but I'd just love to have that as part of the evaluation we do.

[1:23:59] for us to consider, at least going forward, or for me anyway.

[1:24:03] Yes, we could definitely look into that. Okay, thank you. Thank you.

[1:24:07] Commissioner DeBrisi. Thank you.

[1:24:09] Um, first, as a clarification,

[1:24:11] in the last meeting I didn't say that we should budget off of actuals.

[1:24:16] I think that the budgeting job that was done is fantastic, and going—

[1:24:20] the work that was done is, is, was spot on.

[1:24:23] But you can't do it necessarily in a vacuum without looking at what was spent.

[1:24:29] Um, so when I look at this, we in the current year, we budgeted, um, a rate,

[1:24:34] and we had a discussion last year. We set the rate, we collected that money.

[1:24:39] We, as part of that rate setting last year, we put—

[1:24:42] we budgeted for a $600,000 put aside to the fund,

[1:24:45] to the reserve fund for solid waste. That was good, that was very good going.

[1:24:50] But so we got that $600,000, we're projected to get that $600,000.

[1:24:55] In addition to the $600,000, in addition to that,

[1:24:58] we also are going to collect another $400,000.

[1:25:01] And that's because of money that was— that's the understaffing and everything

[1:25:06] that's the understaffing and everything else,

[1:25:07] which is totally understandable.

[1:25:09] So we got everything that we asked for and then an additional $400,000.

[1:25:13] We come back this year and ask for an increase,

[1:25:17] which is also going to increase the reserve an additional amount of the

[1:25:21] reserve an additional amount of the reserve

[1:25:22] because it's not a zeroed-out request.

[1:25:24] At the end of the day, if everything goes right, we're going to have a—

[1:25:29] I forget what the amount is,

[1:25:31] but it's several hundred thousand dollars that's going to be contributed again to

[1:25:36] the reserve fund. All of that is sound and the right thing to do.

[1:25:41] I agree with it 100%. And we should budget for full staffing.

[1:25:45] But we know we're not going to have full staffing.

[1:25:48] So my comments last time, and they continue to be today, here's an

[1:25:52] continue to be today, here's an opportunity to—

[1:25:53] because we are going to increase other fees, you know,

[1:25:57] I don't know what's going to happen with the millage vote, but, you know,

[1:26:02] it might stay the same, which is While it's not an increase in millage,

[1:26:07] it is an increase in taxes to our residents.

[1:26:10] Here's an opportunity to give a little bit back.

[1:26:13] We collected— we asked for the residents to pay us money.

[1:26:17] They did.

[1:26:17] And they paid us an additional amount on top of that.

[1:26:20] Some of the discussion that was talked about today was stuff that is, you know,

[1:26:24] I think came in afterwards because we're talking about not doing this.

[1:26:28] And, you know, this is just a perfect opportunity to say back to our residents,

[1:26:32] thank you. We collected the fund— we collected the money from you.

[1:26:35] As you know, again, my favorite, you know, Reagan saying is, for every,

[1:26:39] every dollar we give somebody else,

[1:26:41] we're taking it from the residents or the citizens.

[1:26:43] We, we took it, they paid us, we set a good rate, we collected more.

[1:26:47] Here's an opportunity to give it back, and the fund is going to be healthy.

[1:26:51] We're probably going to collect all of the amount that we collected for the—

[1:26:55] for '27 and then some. So we're going to have an additional amount.

[1:26:58] Again, it's just a good opportunity.

[1:27:00] Thank you.

[1:27:00] to be able to get back to the resident. That's my main point.

[1:27:03] Um, so I understand, like I said, I don't want to—

[1:27:05] I don't want to make it look like you all did not do your job well.

[1:27:08] You did your job perfect.

[1:27:09] Um, but it's your job to recommend, it's our job to decide.

[1:27:12] Um, and, um, I think, like I said,

[1:27:14] this is the perfect opportunity to be able to help our residents, um,

[1:27:17] when we're not able to help them in other areas. Thank you.

[1:27:20] Thank you.

[1:27:21] I should have asked, are there any cards on this? I have 2 cards.

[1:27:25] First is Matt Faustini.

[1:27:32] Good evening all.

[1:27:32] Matt Faustini, 1015 Lake Palms Drive, Largo.

[1:27:38] Um, we have increased rates by 50% in the stormwater fund over the

[1:27:44] last 5 years. 49.8%, I believe, is the exact total.

[1:27:49] I, I understand where staff is coming from,

[1:27:54] but A 36% fund balance when the city manager is telling you you can

[1:28:00] pass a 5-year budget that has your fund balance going below 13% in

[1:28:07] the general fund in the 5-year period? So tell me, which is it?

[1:28:13] Do we need to have massive reserves or no reserves?

[1:28:19] Because the way we're budgeting makes no sense.

[1:28:26] And it's not a staff issue. Commissioner DeBrisi is right.

[1:28:29] It's a leadership issue from the people up here.

[1:28:32] Because no one can get correct direction.

[1:28:36] And there's never any tough conversations that you guys have about tough calls.

[1:28:43] Commissioner Holmes, you used to be One of the greatest at it.

[1:28:47] I don't know where that man went. I wish he would come back.

[1:28:55] Largo continues— our median income, $62,096.

[1:28:58] That's a 2.7% increase over the previous year.

[1:29:02] Our residents cannot continue to absorb these 6 to 8% personnel costs within all

[1:29:09] of these funds. Um, meanwhile, because what it does is it raises up housing

[1:29:16] what it does is it raises up housing costs.

[1:29:16] When we raise taxes, when we raise fees, when we do all that stuff,

[1:29:22] who does that get passed on to? The homeowner or the renter.

[1:29:27] And thus we exacerbate the very problem we say we're trying to solve with

[1:29:34] affordable housing. Thank you.

[1:29:36] Thank you.

[1:29:37] Thank you. Next speaker is Craig Murtha.

[1:29:39] I have a couple of things to say about garbage that might be helpful.

[1:29:43] I just wanted to say that, Mayor,

[1:29:45] I just sent you the article from 2019 that was in the Tampa, uh,

[1:29:49] paper that said that, uh, we were going to spend $25 million to move the City Hall.

[1:29:54] Now, that was an initial estimate.

[1:29:56] In 2022, I think they voted for something like $54 million,

[1:29:59] then it went to $85 million. So But that was the original.

[1:30:02] And that's what I'm talking about.

[1:30:04] So the original number that ever comes out about this police station,

[1:30:08] I'm not going to believe. But anyhow, it's in your Messenger. You can check it out.

[1:30:13] And I got other stuff I can rebut.

[1:30:15] And I'll rebut that next time that you said about the flooding.

[1:30:18] But I'll rebut that in the public comments in 2 weeks.

[1:30:21] All right.

[1:30:22] But about this, about the garbage, I notice I had a lid. It used to open like

[1:30:27] notice I had a lid. It used to open like that.

[1:30:27] And then, but what would happen if it opened like that,

[1:30:30] if I left it open and the garbage man went to pick it up, he might break the lid,

[1:30:35] right? So I called, so, and that's what happened. It broke.

[1:30:38] And I called the garbage man. I called the sanitation department.

[1:30:42] They said, well, just leave it out. We'll be there tomorrow.

[1:30:45] But no sooner did I hang up the phone, they were. I mean, it was unbelievable.

[1:30:50] Like 30 minutes, they were there fixing my lid. So that was very impressive.

[1:30:54] But they made it so that it flips all the way over.

[1:30:57] And I thought, well, that's great,

[1:30:59] because now you're not going to have that stress on the can,

[1:31:02] and it's not going to break the can. But then I noticed me being absent-minded.

[1:31:07] Sometimes I work in the yard, and I leave the can open, right?

[1:31:10] So like 2 or 3 times already, I left the can open,

[1:31:13] and it got like a couple inches of water in it.

[1:31:16] I'm thinking, well, so what's worse, breaking the lids or getting the water?

[1:31:20] Well, hauling a lot of water to the dump, and that's very expensive, right?

[1:31:25] So I don't know. I don't know what the answer is. You guys gotta figure that out.

[1:31:29] And another thing, when the garbage man comes by and he sees a broken lid,

[1:31:34] maybe he should, maybe, I don't know,

[1:31:36] get out of the truck and put a little tag on it that says, leave the can out,

[1:31:40] I'm sending this to the sanitation department so they'll come and fix it.

[1:31:44] 'Cause some people don't know.

[1:31:46] I've seen neighbors that have the broken lid for a year straight,

[1:31:50] and they're fixing it.

[1:31:51] They don't know that it's free to get that thing fixed,

[1:31:54] and it's important to fix it because broken lids attract rats and obviously the

[1:31:59] water problem that I've run into.

[1:32:00] By the way, every time this happened to me, I dumped my trash out.

[1:32:04] But not everybody's going to do that because not everybody knows that that's a

[1:32:09] because not everybody knows that that's a lot

[1:32:09] of weight, and we don't want to send water to the incinerator because that makes the

[1:32:14] incineration process less efficient. So it's something.

[1:32:17] And also, and I don't blame you for forgetting about that $25 million, Mayor,

[1:32:21] because you're You've got a lot on your plate.

[1:32:24] Being the mayor, your business, your kids. You're under a lot of stress.

[1:32:28] So I forgive you.

[1:32:29] Thank you.

[1:32:31] That's all the cards. Thank you very much. I got your message.

[1:32:35] I just don't read them up here. I got it on my watch.

[1:32:38] I'm like, I'll read that in a little while. Appreciate it. I had a couple

[1:32:43] while. Appreciate it. I had a couple questions.

[1:32:43] Thank you. And apologies for skipping that at the beginning.

[1:32:47] Um, the, the— it seemed like approximately $3 million was reimbursed from, uh,

[1:32:52] debris pickup. Is that, is that about right?

[1:32:55] So the total amount of the claim is $3.5 million that we spent.

[1:32:59] So not all of that is 100%. There's a city share to a certain element.

[1:33:04] Anything after the first 120 days, there's a, uh, 12.5% city share.

[1:33:09] Okay, so, so, um, I guess my question is,

[1:33:11] if It was over $2 million, I would assume,

[1:33:14] if we're still waiting on about $300,000?

[1:33:17] The total claim was the $3.5 million, and then they decide, you know,

[1:33:21] which amounts are reimbursable.

[1:33:23] Where does that money go when it comes back to us? Does it go in—

[1:33:26] Right back to the solid waste fund.

[1:33:27] Into this fund. Okay. Thank you.

[1:33:29] And the other questions may not be for you, but you mentioned the fleet study.

[1:33:34] I'm curious if with the rising cost of the cost of these trucks,

[1:33:38] Have we looked at renting them?

[1:33:40] I know that some vehicles, the golf carts for example,

[1:33:43] it's much different than a solid waste truck.

[1:33:46] But we found that it's the most economical thing to do is to actually rent those for

[1:33:51] a few years and then return them.

[1:33:53] I know there's organizations that rent solid waste trucks.

[1:33:57] Have we looked at that at all?

[1:33:58] Not as totally across the fleet, but we will look into it. Okay.

[1:34:02] I mean, it might make sense for some— I mean,

[1:34:05] we have different categories of vehicles as well,

[1:34:08] and it might make sense for those that take more maintenance, for example.

[1:34:13] Maybe it would be more cost-effective to rent them.

[1:34:16] I think it's worth looking at all the options. Commissioner Lowser. Yeah,

[1:34:21] options. Commissioner Lowser. Yeah, thanks.

[1:34:21] So I'd like to thank Commissioner DeBriesi. I appreciate your perspective.

[1:34:26] And, you know, coming from your background,

[1:34:28] I don't know how to look at budgets and things like that quite as as well as you

[1:34:33] things like that quite as as well as you do.

[1:34:34] So appreciate your perspective and, uh, and your, your discussion up here tonight.

[1:34:39] So definitely weighed on my, my decision. Thank you. Vice Mayor Johnson.

[1:34:43] I'm, I'm curious, I, I kind of looking at this, um, solid waste financial plan,

[1:34:48] where does, where does the reimbursement hit?

[1:34:51] Which line item does it hit when we get that money back?

[1:34:54] Uh, so it would go into intergovernmental revenues,

[1:34:57] and we've worked with the budget team on recognizing what we actually received in

[1:35:02] 2025-26 And then what we are still waiting on is listed in 2027.

[1:35:05] And how come we didn't flow that reimbursement directly back into reserve

[1:35:10] reimbursement directly back into reserve balance?

[1:35:11] Well, the fund itself at the end of 2025—

[1:35:15] Was tight, right? We would have been in the

[1:35:21] red.

[1:35:21] Okay.

[1:35:21] We do, by accounting standards,

[1:35:24] have to report it through the intergovernmental revenue,

[1:35:28] and then if the commission chooses to Record more as a reserve, we can do that.

[1:35:34] Okay, thank you.

[1:35:36] Thank you. Any other questions?

[1:35:38] I will make a comment just about fund balances on percentages.

[1:35:42] You know, this— a large portion of the money that's here is for big stuff,

[1:35:47] big garbage trucks and stuff that's very expensive.

[1:35:51] And we, in years that we don't buy several garbage trucks,

[1:35:55] we see a fund balance grow.

[1:35:56] It's not like the general fund where it's almost entirely employees,

[1:36:01] where that's a much more stable—

[1:36:03] the stormwater fund has a really healthy fund balance right now because we're

[1:36:08] waiting or we're about to do several big projects that are paid for entirely out of

[1:36:14] the— well, almost entirely out of the stormwater fund.

[1:36:17] And I mean, I certainly get the point, but I think that The different—

[1:36:22] we expect hopefully if the golf course does well,

[1:36:25] it will establish a big fund balance because that's an enterprise fund.

[1:36:30] And if we redo the golf course at some point in the future,

[1:36:34] we hope to pay for it out of that enterprise fund.

[1:36:37] And that's all— it's a little different because it's all fees, you know, there.

[1:36:42] But many of these enterprise funds develop different fund balances and they're kind

[1:36:48] of cyclical. they go with projects, you know, or, or, you know,

[1:36:52] large fleet purchases. Mr. Kerr. Yeah, thank you, Mayor.

[1:36:56] I just want to reemphasize that the fund balance, especially in this fund,

[1:37:01] serves the purpose obviously of providing a cushion for infrastructure that we have

[1:37:06] to purchase— trucks, equipment. It's also our emergency fund for storm cleanup.

[1:37:11] So it's— we can't really raise millions of dollars when a storm is on the way.

[1:37:17] We have to you know, build this fund over time. And we have done that.

[1:37:21] And, you know, the 2% is a slow rebuild of the fund that was depleted during the 2

[1:37:27] hurricanes that we saw a couple years ago.

[1:37:30] So it's important to maintain, you know, and when we—

[1:37:33] to maintain the integrity and the fund balance such that we're, you know,

[1:37:38] we have this in preparation for future events. Thank you. Commissioner DiBrizzi.

[1:37:43] Thank you.

[1:37:46] Not to challenge you, Mr. Kerr, but I want to just try to get some more information.

[1:37:52] So, um, knowing that what you just said, right, about being able to build up for,

[1:37:57] for debris cleanup and those kinds of things,

[1:38:00] why didn't we do that in a rate for the current year that we're in and,

[1:38:05] and in previous years?

[1:38:07] Because my, my, my point is,

[1:38:09] is that we set a rate and we got all of everything we had planned for and then

[1:38:14] everything we had planned for and then some.

[1:38:14] And, you know, being sitting here now and saying, well,

[1:38:18] we need that additional money for for debris cleanup.

[1:38:22] We knew that.

[1:38:23] We know what those we know what those situations are.

[1:38:26] But we don't know when the storms are coming. I agree with you.

[1:38:29] But I mean, we know that you know what's happening in those funds and stuff like

[1:38:34] that. So I mean, help me under.

[1:38:35] I just want to be able to try to and for everybody watching and listening in here.

[1:38:40] You know, I start with ground zero. We asked for this.

[1:38:43] We got You know, we got all of it.

[1:38:45] We got a, a, a contribution to the reserve fund,

[1:38:47] and then we got an additional contribution to the reserve fund.

[1:38:51] But we're here talking about wanting or needing more when, you know, we're not

[1:38:55] needing more when, you know, we're not even—

[1:38:55] we're, you know, 9 months into the year.

[1:38:57] So I just— that's the part that, that gets me a little bit.

[1:39:01] I mean, a little more information from you might be helpful,

[1:39:04] but hearing that now when we set the rate last year,

[1:39:07] why didn't we have that conversation when we set the rate last year to be able to

[1:39:11] build up that fund? Well, first of all, let me emphasize we do budget for full

[1:39:15] let me emphasize we do budget for full hire.

[1:39:16] And so— You should. You absolutely should.

[1:39:18] So, you know, our target is to fill those FTs every year.

[1:39:21] And we must budget for that.

[1:39:23] We are trying to avoid creating shocks to the residents by having large rate

[1:39:27] increases, large jumps from any given year to year.

[1:39:30] by providing a constant or consistent lower rate of increase,

[1:39:33] we can obviously keep up with tipping fees and things like that that we know are

[1:39:37] costs that exceed 2% annually.

[1:39:39] And at the same time, you know,

[1:39:41] slowly rebuild that fund balance because we do know on experience that we don't get

[1:39:45] a storm every single year.

[1:39:47] And we have other sources of revenue that we could call on in an extreme emergency,

[1:39:51] but it's responsible for us to build up the solid waste fund separately so that we

[1:39:56] don't suffer the risk on multiple fronts should we hit the big one.

[1:39:59] I understand that. I understand not wanting the shock of it, but also, you

[1:40:03] wanting the shock of it, but also, you know,

[1:40:04] I understand the idea of, you know, giving a break, and I know you do too.

[1:40:08] And I know, to Mr. Faustini's comment, you know,

[1:40:10] I don't think it's a leadership issue up here.

[1:40:13] I think everybody here is trying to do the best— what they believe is best is what,

[1:40:17] you know, what we should be doing. This is just where I am.

[1:40:21] So, you know, I think there's value in what you said about not wanting to shock

[1:40:25] what you said about not wanting to shock and

[1:40:25] have to come back with a 5% increase one year or a 10% increase another year.

[1:40:29] But I don't, you know, I don't necessarily know that we're there.

[1:40:33] But, you know, it's about— I think we do have to look at this from year to year,

[1:40:37] particularly in these types of funds.

[1:40:39] And it's an opportunity to be able to save our residents, you know,

[1:40:43] a little bit of money. And next year we may be able to do it again. You never

[1:40:47] may be able to do it again. You never know.

[1:40:47] But, you know, or we may need to increase because of whatever it may be.

[1:40:51] But I just think we have that opportunity now. Thank you. Thank you.

[1:40:55] Commissioner Holk.

[1:40:56] I'm sure we all see both sides of all of this.

[1:41:01] So, Rebecca, you had said we have 56 vehicles totaling right now

[1:41:07] approximately $14.1 million. When are those up For replacement.

[1:41:14] And I'm pretty sure we, we do what, 5? We replace like 5 each time?

[1:41:21] Are they on like a 5?

[1:41:23] It's based on years of the replacement cycle.

[1:41:25] So if, let's say, a front loader is— if it's replaced every 5 years,

[1:41:29] so when it comes around on the 5th year, then it's up for replacement.

[1:41:33] So a new, new truck is ordered and, um, and outfitted.

[1:41:36] Okay, so my perspective of the 2% increase was for having those funds to be able to

[1:41:42] replace these vehicles or large items that— so that's why I was like, okay, 2%.

[1:41:49] It's— I know that any increase, and,

[1:41:52] and I totally understand where Commissioner DeBries is coming from.

[1:41:57] Yes, you know, we, we want to give back,

[1:42:01] but we also don't want to come next year and say we need 5%.

[1:42:05] We need 10% because now we have to replace, you know, large-ticket items.

[1:42:11] I feel like building the fund each year in small increments is much better than

[1:42:18] coming out and saying, okay, now we need 5% from you or 10% from you.

[1:42:24] You know, I like reserves. I like savings.

[1:42:27] I like the money to be there instead of springing something on, you know,

[1:42:33] our citizens. and all of a sudden needing a huge increase in order to replace things

[1:42:40] that we, you know, need immediately. So—

[1:42:43] Thank you. Commissioner DeBriesi.

[1:42:48] Thank you again.

[1:42:49] Appreciate that, Mayor. Follow-up question.

[1:42:51] We know the replacement cycle of the vehicles and we've already budgeted for

[1:42:55] vehicles and we've already budgeted for those

[1:42:55] replacements in years.

[1:42:56] That's why we've been building up and that's why down the road the fund balance

[1:43:00] that's why down the road the fund balance is

[1:43:00] where it's at. So, I mean,

[1:43:02] we're not budgeting for those when it's time to replace them.

[1:43:05] We're budgeting for those trucks long before their replacement, correct?

[1:43:08] Yes, that's the goal. Yep. Yeah, absolutely.

[1:43:11] Um, I'm sorry, but is the budget including this 2% towards

[1:43:16] that, that 36% that it's at, the balance is at, at one time?

[1:43:22] I imagine it would be, but we also, like I said,

[1:43:25] we also collected more than what we budgeted.

[1:43:27] So that's, that's where, that's where I'm coming from.

[1:43:30] Um, Mayor, I mean, I'm gonna,

[1:43:31] I'm gonna ask the city attorney because this has multiple pieces to it.

[1:43:35] Um, would the motion be to approve, um, to approve this with—

[1:43:38] because that with the 0% increase, and then that way it doesn't affect—

[1:43:41] I know there's other fee increases that are in here, which I'm okay with.

[1:43:45] I don't want to— we're not going to say no to the whole thing.

[1:43:48] So what would be the right way to go about this?

[1:43:51] You need to articulate the changes from what's in front of you so it's clear

[1:43:55] what's in front of you so it's clear what's

[1:43:56] being approved.

[1:43:57] I'll wait and see if there's any more discussion. All right, thank you.

[1:44:01] Vice Mayor Johnson, how do we know approximately how much of that 2% increase

[1:44:06] approximately how much of that 2% increase is

[1:44:06] eaten up in the tipping fee increase from the county?

[1:44:09] Like, is that most of it, all of it?

[1:44:11] Pretty much, because it's 25% of our total, and it's going up at 8%,

[1:44:16] so So we're going to go negative as a result of not having this 2% in there?

[1:44:20] We'll go lower than it is predicted to be at the end of this year.

[1:44:23] Depends on what we experience.

[1:44:24] I mean, if we're still understaffed, if we have full employment.

[1:44:27] Yes. Right.

[1:44:27] Okay, I get it. All right, thank you. I'll do it.

[1:44:32] Um, I move to adopt Ordinance Number 2026-2022 with a change

[1:44:39] from a 2% increase to a 0% increase on second final reading.

[1:44:45] That work? Um, could you clarify if it's—

[1:44:49] because I think there's a couple.

[1:44:52] Yeah, I know.

[1:44:53] That's what I'm trying to get some help with.

[1:44:55] Yeah, because the 2% was already approved.

[1:44:56] Commissioner DeBrisi, I think you would be— you would be—

[1:44:59] your motion would be to deny the ordinance.

[1:45:01] Yeah, you have to deny it.

[1:45:02] Okay.

[1:45:03] Yeah. So if it's a zero—

[1:45:04] if it's a 0%, then there's— there wouldn't be a change.

[1:45:08] Okay. But there's other fee increases in the— in the ordinance.

[1:45:13] That's, you know, there's There's other— there's cans and stuff like that,

[1:45:18] so I didn't want to kill the whole thing.

[1:45:22] So did you want to make—

[1:45:24] do you want to just consider not establishing a 2% residential increase?

[1:45:29] establishing a 2% residential increase? Correct.

[1:45:30] Or— well, I got to go back and look at the entire schedule again of things.

[1:45:36] A lot of numbers. Let me pull it up again.

[1:45:39] Why don't you make a motion to postpone it until you can get all the facts and

[1:45:45] figures down? You can do that.

[1:45:48] I know, but, um, I will need a reminder of what the increase is for commercial.

[1:45:54] $10.

[1:45:55] It's 10 bucks.

[1:45:58] So there's— to the actual commercial is also a 2% increase there,

[1:46:01] but there was one item called out, which was the $10 recycling.

[1:46:05] Yeah, I just, you know, so my goal would be to do— to zero out the increase,

[1:46:09] the 2% increase, and leave the other fees.

[1:46:12] So the 2% increase of the residential and commercial,

[1:46:15] but leave the other costs that are in there. So leave the recycling $10. Yes.

[1:46:19] Well, that's correct. That's the only other fee, correct?

[1:46:22] I am too, but I— so I want to work this right, so a little help there.

[1:46:31] I just need to make sure.

[1:46:34] So the 2% that he's referencing,

[1:46:38] and I'll ask staff to confirm, would that be reflected—

[1:46:45] the changes reflected in Section 20-32, um, A1, 2, and—

[1:46:51] And, and not to include Which is the $10 a month fee for recycling.

[1:46:58] Commercial or industrial.

[1:47:01] Well, that's, that's only for commercial or

[1:47:05] industrial, correct?

[1:47:08] Yeah.

[1:47:08] So, right. So I'm saying we would not accept—

[1:47:13] so it would be not accepting the changes in 20-32A1 and 2 and

[1:47:20] I don't know if we're—

[1:47:22] the changes for the dumpster service you're okay with?

[1:47:28] Yep.

[1:47:28] Okay. So I think it would just be the changes in A1 and 2.

[1:47:34] I just need confirmation that it would just be those 2 changes that we

[1:47:40] would not be accepting.

[1:47:42] Because there's fees for— there's an increase for Uh, roll-offs?

[1:47:47] Yeah, I— the only change is that—

[1:47:50] is that everything else was fine.

[1:47:53] It's just the, the 2% increase in commercial residential rate.

[1:48:00] Everything else—

[1:48:00] Commercial and residential or just residential? Commercial and residential.

[1:48:03] Everything else is fine.

[1:48:04] What did he say? Just residential?

[1:48:08] And so commercial and residential.

[1:48:09] Okay, so the front load recycling dumpster, that's 2.

[1:48:12] So So we were okay with 2%.

[1:48:13] I thought he said 1%.

[1:48:16] Motion school here.

[1:48:17] So is the appropriate motion then to adopt the ordinance at a 0%

[1:48:22] increase, and that would adopt everything else that's in there but deny

[1:48:27] the 2%?

[1:48:27] That's what I was hoping.

[1:48:28] I see what you're going with now.

[1:48:30] Yeah, well, there— so there's other increases though that I think he's okay

[1:48:34] increases though that I think he's okay with,

[1:48:34] right? And so if they're 2%, then that wouldn't do it.

[1:48:38] I think there's only one increase that's not percentage-based. Am I correct?

[1:48:41] Yes.

[1:48:42] Yeah. And so just the, the $10 per month for roll-off or for rollout,

[1:48:47] like for bin recycling at a commercial place that has curbside, which has got to

[1:48:53] place that has curbside, which has got to be—

[1:48:53] that's probably like, you know, $150 a month. I mean, there's not many of those.

[1:48:59] Yeah, like I said, I mean, you know, I'm only looking at the dollar increase fees,

[1:49:05] and I'm trying to think of the best way to say this, but, you know,

[1:49:10] to me it's pretty simple, but I know we want to get it right.

[1:49:15] So, you know, all the fee charges are— I'm okay with.

[1:49:19] It's the percentage increase to the service,

[1:49:22] the 2% that are for commercial and residential.

[1:49:26] So, but it sounds like we need to word this a certain way, so.

[1:49:30] Commissioner, would you support a friendly amendment to just decrease,

[1:49:36] go to zero with unresidential fees?

[1:49:38] I would.

[1:49:39] Yeah, I would like to propose that as a friendly amendment.

[1:49:44] An easier amendment.

[1:49:45] If that was your suggestion for a friendly amendment, it was his first one.

[1:49:51] There was an agreement and I'd take a second on that. Yeah, I need a second.

[1:49:57] So, I mean, is that, is that a good enough motion? I'll second it.

[1:50:03] Yeah, so, so the, um, the motion then is, um, amending ordinance, etc., for, um,

[1:50:09] to increase collection fees for commercial and industrial container solid waste

[1:50:16] service to 2%. So, so, um,

[1:50:18] you basically remove the reference to residential solid waste curbside services?

[1:50:24] Yes.

[1:50:25] Okay.

[1:50:28] I'll do that.

[1:50:28] So moved.

[1:50:29] And that would— that would increase all the commercial roll-off,

[1:50:35] that type of stuff. Just residential curbside would stay the same.

[1:50:41] Yes.

[1:50:42] So the new— amending Chapter 20, Article 2, Section 20-30,

[1:50:46] To increase collection fees for— by amending—

[1:50:50] I'm sorry, 20-32.

[1:50:53] So we would actually remove the 20-30.

[1:50:55] All right.

[1:50:57] Um, so we would just be by amending Section 20-32 to increase

[1:51:00] collection fees for commercial and industrial container solid waste

[1:51:04] services.

[1:51:05] And is that a 2% increase, or is that— those are dollar figure increases, right?

[1:51:10] No, it's a 2% for—

[1:51:11] they're listed. with the new dollar figure, but it reflects the 2% in the

[1:51:15] figure, but it reflects the 2% in the ordinance.

[1:51:16] So they're rounded.

[1:51:18] Are they rounded?

[1:51:18] They are rounded in the dumpster stuff.

[1:51:21] Yeah. You would have the non-underlined number would be with

[1:51:27] the 2%, and then the residential would stay at the $30.76.

[1:51:32] Okay. Okay.

[1:51:36] So no cost to the residential. Increases only for commercial.

[1:51:40] Yeah, for like a buck for a— okay,

[1:51:44] yeah, 2%. No, that's a lot of

[1:51:47] 20-dashes.

[1:51:48] Um, so there would be no changes in 20-30.

[1:51:52] Okay, so would it be the ordinance be to adopt ordinance

[1:51:58] with no changes to 20 or This is so specific to me, but—

[1:52:05] Yes, so it would be an ordinance of the city.

[1:52:08] We would be amending the ordinance to provide that an ordinance of the City of

[1:52:13] Largo, Florida, amending this City of Largo Code of Ordinances by amending

[1:52:18] Largo Code of Ordinances by amending Section

[1:52:18] 20-32 to increase collection fees for commercial and industrial solid waste

[1:52:23] services, providing for severability, providing for an effective date.

[1:52:28] And so we would be adopting this ordinance,

[1:52:31] excluding the changes proposed in Section 1 and accepting all the changes in Section

[1:52:37] 2.

[1:52:37] And the ordinance doesn't even mention 2%, so—

[1:52:41] I know.

[1:52:41] So we can leave that out.

[1:52:43] Yeah.

[1:52:44] So we're not— so we're—

[1:52:46] We're not accept— we're not accepting the changes that are included in Section 1 of

[1:52:51] the ordinance.

[1:52:52] Okay.

[1:52:52] But all other changes.

[1:52:53] Okay.

[1:52:53] All right.

[1:52:55] I move to adopt ordinance number 2026-22, um,

[1:53:00] but not accepting the changes in Section 1.

[1:53:05] Section 2.

[1:53:07] Section 2. No, not—

[1:53:09] I'm sorry, not at— you're correct.

[1:53:10] Okay, Section 1, um, on second final reading.

[1:53:16] Does that work? Yeah.

[1:53:17] Second. Very good. I have a motion and a second.

[1:53:20] I think you're doing it backward though.

[1:53:23] I think you have to have a motion first to adopt the change and then do the

[1:53:28] motion to adopt the, the changed memo, period. You're doing it backward.

[1:53:33] You can, you can make a motion to accept the ordinance without that provision.

[1:53:38] You can do it that your way as well.

[1:53:40] But I think because we had friendly amendments,

[1:53:43] it got more muddled than it already was.

[1:53:46] So, so you're saying he's friendly? No, he's friendly. Oh, he's friendly.

[1:53:49] So the, the motion on the floor is To adopt the ordinance on second reading,

[1:53:54] excluding the changes in Section 1.

[1:53:56] Is that your motion?

[1:53:59] Yes.

[1:54:01] Did you get a second? We did, John. We did.

[1:54:03] I'm just looking at— make sure we're right. I appreciate everybody's patience.

[1:54:08] Throw out 2 of those pens. I know.

[1:54:10] None of them are— they're both running out of—

[1:54:13] all 3 of them ran out of ink except the one we used for the order.

[1:54:17] Yeah, that's good. Yeah, this is one I brought from home.

[1:54:20] Um, I do have a motion and a second. If everybody understands, all in favor say

[1:54:25] everybody understands, all in favor say aye.

[1:54:25] Aye.

[1:54:26] Commissioner Smith?

[1:54:29] Uh, yes.

[1:54:31] Commissioner Holmes?

[1:54:32] Yes.

[1:54:32] Commissioner DeVries?

[1:54:34] Yes. Mayor Brown? Yes.

[1:54:36] Commissioner Lauser?

[1:54:37] Yes.

[1:54:37] Commissioner Holk?

[1:54:38] Yes. Vice Mayor Johnson?

[1:54:40] Yes. Motion carries 7 to 0. Very good. Thank you very much.

[1:54:44] Good job, Commissioner DeBriesi. Thank you.

[1:54:47] Next up is Ordinance Number 2026-24 on second reading.

[1:54:51] All right, um, this is me again.

[1:54:53] So, um, this is the second reading on, you know, the first reading, uh, this was—

[1:54:59] the commission did amend it to a 7.5% increase.

[1:55:03] This is talking about the stormwater rate increase for fiscal year 2027.

[1:55:08] So the original 15% that was proposed would have been a $2.66 per month increase

[1:55:13] would have been a $2.66 per month increase for

[1:55:14] per equivalent residential unit.

[1:55:16] So that's how a residential customer would see it,

[1:55:19] and that would also be per 3,000 square feet for commercial properties.

[1:55:24] The revised amount would turn to $1.33 per month increase.

[1:55:29] And that would generate about $1 million in additional revenue for the fund.

[1:55:34] So leaving the original as well as the amended, our rate history is showing here.

[1:55:40] And actually, since 1989,

[1:55:42] it's about a 7% average from year over year in the 37 years that we've had a

[1:55:47] stormwater fee. So looking at our stormwater rate comparison,

[1:55:51] If we were to raise it the 7.5% or the 15%,

[1:55:54] we would still sit in the same spot on our comparison to surrounding municipalities,

[1:56:00] as well as commercial.

[1:56:02] So that doesn't shove us further down if we went to 15% or move us further up with

[1:56:08] 7.5%. So this is the projections with that 15% increase.

[1:56:12] And as we talked about at the first reading, the tier plan,

[1:56:16] the stormwater maintenance plan, is something that has had a backlog.

[1:56:21] And so this, this planned increase is something we've been working towards, um,

[1:56:27] since 2022. Looking at what the commission had approved on first reading was 7.5%.

[1:56:32] So this is what it looks like if we were to split it.

[1:56:36] We— the conversation was had to splitting it into 2 different increases,

[1:56:41] and that's where the ordinance was passed at 7.5% on first reading.

[1:56:46] And just for informational purposes,

[1:56:49] I'm showing if If we did nothing and left it at, um,

[1:56:52] the current rate where we're at right now, uh, showing the 5-year plan.

[1:56:57] And again, this is a very maintenance, uh, and capital-heavy,

[1:57:02] infrastructure-heavy fund.

[1:57:04] So gearing up for the stormwater projects, uh, coming in the next few years, uh,

[1:57:09] if we don't do an increase, we will be down at 3% by 2031.

[1:57:13] Um, so this is showing with the 15% what the impact to to the residential customer

[1:57:19] would be. Again, after the previous item,

[1:57:22] that 62 cents would not be there for the solid waste.

[1:57:26] And then as the commission passed on first reading, the impact is, as I mentioned,

[1:57:32] $1.33 for stormwater.

[1:57:33] So at the first reading and then at the commission budgetary work session and

[1:57:39] commission budgetary work session and prior

[1:57:39] to that during CIP, The City Commission had asked the Finance Advisory Board to

[1:57:45] had asked the Finance Advisory Board to take

[1:57:45] a look at stormwater rates and make their recommendation.

[1:57:49] And at that time, at the commission work session on May 12th,

[1:57:54] the Finance Advisory Board had recommended 15%.

[1:57:57] At the additional meeting that they just had on— we had it on August 11th,

[1:58:02] the Finance Advisory Board came again and talked about their recommendation,

[1:58:08] which remained at 15% after conversations.

[1:58:11] So as we talked about,

[1:58:12] we are currently underway with a stormwater and wastewater rate study.

[1:58:17] It's going to be completed later this calendar year,

[1:58:21] and that will look at some different options for rates,

[1:58:25] but it is not going to determine what projects the city decides to move ahead

[1:58:30] projects the city decides to move ahead with

[1:58:31] or how much money we do need for the fund.

[1:58:34] So I've provided 2 different options in the city commission packet.

[1:58:38] Second reading of the 7.5%, which is what what was formally passed,

[1:58:43] or first reading with the 15%, which was the original proposed.

[1:58:48] And if we are passing that on first reading,

[1:58:51] we will come back on September 3rd for a public hearing.

[1:58:55] I'm available for any questions.

[1:58:57] Ordinance Number 2026-24, an ordinance of the City of Largo, Florida,

[1:59:01] amending the City of Largo Code of Ordinances by amending Chapter Article 3,

[1:59:06] Stormwater Utility, by amending Section 23-155, Rates and Charges,

[1:59:11] to increase the rate charged per equivalent residential unit, parentheses

[1:59:15] equivalent residential unit, parentheses ERU,

[1:59:16] for calculating stormwater utility fees, providing for severability,

[1:59:20] and providing for an effective date.

[1:59:22] Thank you.

[1:59:23] Do we have any cards on this? We have 2 cards. First is Greg Gardner.

[1:59:29] Let's, uh, this is— I think—

[1:59:31] I don't think you really fully understand the severity of these elders.

[1:59:37] Well, let's take a look at what you had to say, John.

[1:59:41] You said your policy is consistent. That's a complete lie.

[1:59:46] It is not consistent at all. You said you've been out there to weed spray.

[1:59:52] These people are hawks. I asked them to be hawks and to be vigilant.

[1:59:58] Yes, we've had scouts That's about it. No interaction, no nothing.

[2:00:03] And it's been that way for almost 4 years now.

[2:00:07] Actually, really got bad when you became a manager.

[2:00:11] Um, you say you work with the county. No, you don't at all. Zero. Zero.

[2:00:17] They hate you. There is an underlying tone You can't work with Largo,

[2:00:22] and it's not these two gentlemen, DeBrisi and DeGloria.

[2:00:27] And I'm also going to let you know that I—we set you up.

[2:00:31] We knew that you would, as managers—that's not just you;

[2:00:36] that's those two—bring them in there, obfuscate, deflect.

[2:00:40] These guys were not good at it at all because that's not what they do.

[2:00:46] But you set them up and you use them.

[2:00:49] The problem is you with this stormwater issue, and it's not them, it's you,

[2:00:55] issue, and it's not them, it's you, period.

[2:00:56] And, and Maggie plays a key role here. Uh, you said it's going to be a long process.

[2:01:03] No, it's not. It's a short process.

[2:01:06] No, you've ignored this because you're robbing Peter to pay Paul in this city.

[2:01:12] Well, I'll get to that in the next ordinance reading.

[2:01:19] No.

[2:01:19] There is a pernicious, sinister, malevolent undertone in the city of Largo.

[2:01:24] It hinges around Woody Brown.

[2:01:26] If it wasn't for me, um, it wasn't for Attorney Ben Hillard,

[2:01:30] if it wasn't for State Attorney, if it wasn't for, um,

[2:01:34] intervention with the sheriffs, you'd still be raping, robbing,

[2:01:38] and extorting elders. Do you want them to flood? These people ask me, yes, you do.

[2:01:44] FEMA doesn't pay twice. Get the hell out. Would you do that? Yes.

[2:01:48] After what I've seen with the 54 people, and I'm the 55th,

[2:01:52] and that was a big mistake because now we're going to get into the heroin network

[2:01:58] here. Points to him. It's a threat management situation.

[2:02:02] And when you get to threat management, that's where I come in.

[2:02:06] That's, that's where I plug in.

[2:02:08] You're a threat to these people and to this community, and I mean that seriously.

[2:02:14] Not these people, because you'll lie and deceive them just like you did them.

[2:02:19] It's not funny. We're going to petition your house.

[2:02:22] I'm going to get 100 people,

[2:02:24] and I'm giving out your personal cell phone and your personal email and

[2:02:29] phone and your personal email and everything

[2:02:30] else that goes with it because you're a threat to them.

[2:02:34] You have to fund this, guys, please. Thank you.

[2:02:37] Thank you.

[2:02:38] Next speaker is Matt Faustini.

[2:02:40] Good evening, Matt Faustini, 1015 Lake Palm Drive, Largo.

[2:02:45] Seems like the epitome of stupidity to give people more money if

[2:02:51] they're not spending it correctly already, um,

[2:02:55] and that's the problem we have.

[2:03:00] We are— we have increased our rates in stormwater since 2019 by over

[2:03:07] 110%. 110%. And I get everyone's serious concerns about flooding,

[2:03:13] but please explain to me why. And maybe this is why we don't get product.

[2:03:19] I don't—

[2:03:20] I, I never hear annexations really anymore.

[2:03:23] I remember back about 10 years ago there'd be at least one or two annexations on

[2:03:28] every agenda item.

[2:03:30] Where are they?

[2:03:31] You ever wondered? You want to know how much you pay in unincorporated Pinellas

[2:03:37] County for your stormwater service per capita?

[2:03:40] So this is taking their revenue that they spend on their stormwater and dividing it

[2:03:46] by their 280,000 residents.

[2:03:48] They're spending $104.19 per resident and have a Class 2 CRS rating.

[2:03:52] Thank you.

[2:03:54] We are spending $186.80, and we have a Class 6 rating.

[2:03:59] Now, I believe there was some mention about a Class 5,

[2:04:03] and I believe that is based off— we have a study,

[2:04:08] and that study just has to get reviewed.

[2:04:11] And once those points are reviewed,

[2:04:14] it will be updated and we will move to a Class 5.

[2:04:18] So if I remember, that is the situation with that.

[2:04:23] Um, And pretty much what this puts us at is a situation where we are—

[2:04:29] get this to move over. Thank you. All right.

[2:04:32] So our annual fee is— average residential fee is $244.56 at the 2038.

[2:04:38] I was told about, oh, we got to look at inland communities.

[2:04:43] Well, Clearwater, They're only spending $195 a resident. St.

[2:04:49] Petersburg, they do spend—

[2:04:51] they're spending $280, a lot more, but a lot more land than us.

[2:04:56] And the county is by the MSTU,

[2:04:59] so it's a little different to judge it by that.

[2:05:03] But they have a Class 2 rating. And the city of St.

[2:05:08] Petersburg has a Class 5 rating.

[2:05:10] What I'm saying is It— we do need the rate study.

[2:05:12] The rate study is going to show us to do what Pinellas County is doing and tier our

[2:05:17] system. So you saw there was 20 on Tier 3, $25 for stormwater.

[2:05:21] Look at the very difference compared to Tier 1 for Pinellas County.

[2:05:25] So we should expand out these rates.

[2:05:27] I'm not saying we need the rate increases,

[2:05:30] but we need the rate study so that we can do the rate increases on the right

[2:05:34] populations, the populations that have the concrete,

[2:05:38] that have the impervious surface, that causing the stormwater,

[2:05:41] not your mobile home resident.

[2:05:43] Because right now we have a system where the mobile home resident pays as much as

[2:05:48] someone with a 10,000-square-foot home, which isn't fair.

[2:05:51] That's all the cards.

[2:05:56] Next, um, let me see, Commissioner Johnson.

[2:05:59] Yeah, I, I just wanted to say, um, you know, I, I, I still think we,

[2:06:05] we are missing the boat if we don't go 15% on this right now.

[2:06:10] Um, we have, you know, we, we, we've We had a crazy year, you know, 2 years ago.

[2:06:16] And I don't want to—

[2:06:18] I just don't like kicking the can down the road for people that need us to do our—

[2:06:24] to make these— this is one of those tough decisions that we talk about.

[2:06:30] And I do— I just think that, you know,

[2:06:33] we owe it to the people that have been flooded to take this task seriously.

[2:06:39] And not that we shouldn't be responsible and not that we We shouldn't overspend.

[2:06:46] We need to be fiscally responsible with the funds we get.

[2:06:50] But we have some big projects that are on the books,

[2:06:55] and we're going to be kicking stuff down the road if we—

[2:06:59] projects will come off the books and move later if we don't pass this.

[2:07:05] Because we really will need more rate increases. We have zero right now.

[2:07:11] I think we all understand there's going to be more rate increases in order to catch

[2:07:17] up to where we need to be. And so we— this is not the end.

[2:07:22] And by pushing it out,

[2:07:24] I think we're just delaying pain and we're taking projects off the board, right,

[2:07:30] that we need to get done. So that's my 2 cents. Thank you. Thank you.

[2:07:36] Commissioner Lauser. Yep.

[2:07:38] So, so last meeting, I think, uh, that this was heard,

[2:07:42] I was probably one of the ones that brought up the 7.5 split.

[2:07:47] And, and the reason I did that was Hopefully, when we do have the new rate

[2:07:53] Hopefully, when we do have the new rate study,

[2:07:54] we can we can more fairly address the the rates to to other people.

[2:07:59] But given given a majority of the discussion since that has happened, I

[2:08:05] discussion since that has happened, I mean,

[2:08:06] there's a lot of people concerned about stormwater, and I don't know.

[2:08:11] It feels it feels irresponsible to to kick some projects off the off the list.

[2:08:18] So I'm I'm kind of back. Back up in the air. Sorry. Thanks.

[2:08:22] Thank you. Commissioner Smith.

[2:08:24] I've listened to everything Vice Mayor Johnson said, and I agree.

[2:08:28] I've met with staff and talked this over, and this is one that I do—

[2:08:32] I was for the 7.5 splitting up due to the fact of the rate study,

[2:08:37] but I've kind of learned a little bit.

[2:08:39] It would still cost us possibly more at that time.

[2:08:42] So to me, this is a very important one,

[2:08:45] and these residents here are just the tip of the iceberg of people that had

[2:08:50] situations in their homes that— and, and must be dealt with.

[2:08:54] I just want to be correct, and, and I'm,

[2:08:57] I'm comfortable after talking with staff supporting the 15, 15% increase,

[2:09:01] and I'm a very frugal person when it comes to budgets, um, at this time.

[2:09:06] But if there is any kind of wiggle room when it comes to the rate study we do see,

[2:09:12] I want to make sure that that's addressed to our residents further down the road.

[2:09:17] I also want to make sure it's clear to the residents that—

[2:09:21] from New Haven and Lincolnshire that came here and spoke today— that this project,

[2:09:26] even if we were at the same point,

[2:09:29] is not going to be solved tomorrow with this rate increase.

[2:09:32] Right.

[2:09:33] I want to make sure they're just not being told that— This needs to be improved.

[2:09:38] This will be there, and tomorrow your project will be done because the city will

[2:09:43] fund you after this.

[2:09:44] There are a lot of projects in this city with stormwater issues, and like I said,

[2:09:49] a lot of residents whose homes flood.

[2:09:52] And I helped many friends and residents who had to put their lives out the curb.

[2:09:57] And trust me, it does eat me to know that I don't want—

[2:10:00] I wouldn't want that to be my mother. or a friend.

[2:10:04] So I am comfortable after meeting with staff,

[2:10:06] and I was one of the ones trying to divide it.

[2:10:09] And thank you, Commissioner Lowser, for dividing that baby in half kind of deal.

[2:10:15] But I am at this moment comfortable with what the FAB went with support and what

[2:10:20] staff said at the 15% increase. Thank you. Thank you. Commissioner DeBriesi.

[2:10:25] Thank you. Not to avoid some repetitiveness, I am I asked a lot of

[2:10:29] repetitiveness, I am I asked a lot of questions about,

[2:10:30] you know, what was going to happen and appreciate all the information I received.

[2:10:35] One question I didn't ask is with the rate study,

[2:10:38] it's possible some folks' rates will go up, right?

[2:10:41] Depending on what the recommendations are.

[2:10:45] Is it— could it be possible that some might go down? No.

[2:10:48] That's also possible.

[2:10:49] You know, I said this last time. You know, this is the work you want us to do.

[2:10:55] Um, you know, this is life and property.

[2:10:57] And, um, you know, I was,

[2:10:59] I was okay with the 7.5 because we were waiting for the rate study.

[2:11:03] But, um, you know, knowing there's going to be an adjustment later on and we're

[2:11:09] probably going to have to increase next year, that zero I don't think is, is, is,

[2:11:14] is the real situation.

[2:11:16] Um, you know, hearing the conversation today and the staff and the conversations

[2:11:21] I've had with staff, I'm okay going back to 15. Thank you. Commissioner Holmes.

[2:11:27] Geez, we're going to call John Solomon now? Cut that baby in half? Anyway, um,

[2:11:32] now? Cut that baby in half? Anyway, um, Mr.

[2:11:32] City Manager, how many other projects do we have in the city of Largo that are

[2:11:37] pending that's similar to, to New Haven? Do you have any idea?

[2:11:42] Well, I'm not aware that New Haven— I'm not aware there's a project for New Haven,

[2:11:47] so we don't have— How many projects do we have Stormwater? Stormwater.

[2:11:52] I mean, the CIP, I don't know the exact number of projects we have in the CIP,

[2:11:57] but there's— we've gone over the chart.

[2:12:00] I know, I recall there's probably at least a dozen projects that we have in the

[2:12:05] queue. There's at least 10 that are funded, I think.

[2:12:09] All of them are emergencies too, I would imagine.

[2:12:12] Now, I don't— if this was a tax, I'd be up in arms, but this isn't a tax,

[2:12:17] it's a fee. And it's a fee we're going to have to pay one way—

[2:12:21] you'd pick it one way or another, so I'd go along with the 15%. Get her done.

[2:12:27] Thank you, Commissioner Holmes. I'll just say me too. I'll entertain a motion.

[2:12:32] I move to approve Ordinance Number 2026-24 at the rate— the rate—

[2:12:36] the 15% increase of—

[2:12:38] on first reading and schedule a second reading and public hearing on September

[2:12:43] reading and public hearing on September 3rd,

[2:12:43] 2026.

[2:12:44] Second.

[2:12:44] I have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? All in favor say aye.

[2:12:49] Aye.

[2:12:50] Roll call, please. Uh, Commissioner Holmes?

[2:12:54] Yep.

[2:12:54] Commissioner DeBrisi?

[2:12:55] Yes. Mayor Brown?

[2:12:56] Yes.

[2:12:57] Commissioner Lauser?

[2:12:58] Yes.

[2:12:59] Commissioner Holk? Yes.

[2:13:00] Vice Mayor Johnson?

[2:13:02] Yes. Commissioner Smith?

[2:13:03] Yes. Motion carries 7 to 0. Thank you. Next up is item number 17.

[2:13:09] All right, that's me as well, so get to listen a little bit longer.

[2:13:13] Well, staying there, aren't you?

[2:13:14] So this item is, um, just— so basically the history of this is with borrowing the,

[2:13:21] the bond money back in 2022, um, we borrowed $58 million at non-taxable,

[2:13:26] so we borrowed about 4 point 0.035 at taxable, so meaning that, um,

[2:13:32] the rates were lower on that $58 million.

[2:13:35] Uh, there are some federal rules— I'm just waiting for my presentation to come up—

[2:13:41] um, with regards to arbitrage and rebate. That's what it's called. Um, this is—

[2:13:48] here it is.

[2:13:48] So the focus of this is really to talk about the interest that we earned on that

[2:13:53] bond money since we've had it invested, um,

[2:13:56] and then also what we have to remit back to the U.S. Treasury.

[2:14:00] The reason that it's on as a legislative item is because it's going to be

[2:14:05] forthcoming as a budget amendment. It was not budgeted in this fiscal year.

[2:14:10] So again, as I mentioned, we issued $58 million in nontaxable bonds.

[2:14:14] We invested those funds in treasuries, agencies,

[2:14:17] and a local government investment pool.

[2:14:20] As expenditures came in, we withdrew monthly for project expenditures.

[2:14:24] So we had it in its own investment pool versus the city normal operating cash.

[2:14:29] So the allowable expenditures for those bond proceeds included equipping of

[2:14:34] bond proceeds included equipping of various

[2:14:35] capital projects, including without limitation our City Hall project,

[2:14:39] as well as demolition, acquisition, design.

[2:14:42] So during the course of the projects, you know, we— there were construction delays.

[2:14:48] We were able to allocate some additional infrastructure projects to the bond money

[2:14:53] to show that it was spent down faster.

[2:14:55] It was other eligible projects that the city spent general funds,

[2:15:00] lost funds on that we could have used that bond money to try to reduce the amount of

[2:15:05] the arbitrage rebate that we would owe.

[2:15:08] So there are several different regulations from the Treasury regarding nontaxable

[2:15:13] debt. The exception that we were trying to reach would have been the spending

[2:15:18] exception. They say there's a 2-year spending exception.

[2:15:22] You have to spend the entire $58 million, including estimated interest,

[2:15:26] within certain time periods.

[2:15:28] So we would have had to meet 10% spent at 6 months, 45% at 12 months, 75% at 18,

[2:15:33] and then 100% at 24 months,

[2:15:35] which meaning the bond money would have needed to be completely spent by January

[2:15:40] needed to be completely spent by January of

[2:15:40] 2024 in order for us to not owe arbitrage back at all.

[2:15:44] So the positive thing is the interest earnings on that nontaxable piece on the

[2:15:49] earnings on that nontaxable piece on the $58

[2:15:49] million amounted to $3.2 million over the course of the time that we had it.

[2:15:54] And we worked with an independent arbitrage calculation group to do this

[2:15:59] arbitrage calculation group to do this calculation

[2:16:00] annually. We had spent the money fully from this piece of debt within fiscal year

[2:16:05] 2025. So we earned $3.2 million.

[2:16:07] The amount that we received last year is the amount due was $1.392 million.

[2:16:12] It did increase slightly because of the time value of money.

[2:16:16] We have not paid it yet.

[2:16:17] However, in the same timeframe, we've made about $46,000 more in interest.

[2:16:22] So the increase from last year to this year has paid for itself.

[2:16:26] So the remaining amount of that $1.8 million was maintained by the city within

[2:16:31] million was maintained by the city within our

[2:16:32] capital project fund and eligible for capital project uses.

[2:16:36] So we do have, as I mentioned, the additional borrowings.

[2:16:39] We borrowed that $4 million taxable piece back in 2022.

[2:16:43] We also issued a bank loan in October of 2024, and with our spending,

[2:16:47] we met the spending exceptions for the bank loan,

[2:16:51] and there are no spending requirements on taxable debt.

[2:16:54] You don't have to spend it within a certain time frame.

[2:16:58] So as I mentioned, the reason I'm here presenting this is the approval to pay it

[2:17:03] presenting this is the approval to pay it now

[2:17:03] is requested because of the forthcoming budget amendment.

[2:17:07] And this year we've only earned about $220,000, $230,000 in interest,

[2:17:11] so we can't pay it out of our interest earnings.

[2:17:15] We are going to pay it out of an expenditure account.

[2:17:18] It's going to show up in our, our budgeted expenses.

[2:17:21] So I am available for any questions.

[2:17:26] Thank you. Do we have any cards on this? We have no cards.

[2:17:30] So that money currently lives in the, in the capital fund, right?

[2:17:34] The capital project fund. Okay. Commissioner— Vice Mayor Johnson.

[2:17:38] Uh, yeah, just, I, I like this rule.

[2:17:41] I think it's great that the federal government has this rule.

[2:17:45] We got to spend it or not use it.

[2:17:47] Looks like we tried to spend it and we didn't get it all spent, but, you know,

[2:17:52] I love that we had that in it.

[2:17:54] do it in an interest-bearing account, a safe one, so that, you know,

[2:17:59] we are responsible with the government's money, the federal government's money.

[2:18:04] So I think that is wonderful. I just congratulate you and the staff. That is

[2:18:09] congratulate you and the staff. That is great.

[2:18:09] Thank you. Any other questions? Commissioner DeBriesi. Just a quick one.

[2:18:14] Because I'm familiar a little bit, they require us to invest the money, right?

[2:18:19] Yes.

[2:18:20] When we get it and then want the money back.

[2:18:22] So I always thought that, you know, I always loved that rule.

[2:18:24] But, you know, they make us hold on to the money and then they want every bit of

[2:18:28] interest we earn on their money.

[2:18:29] So that's really the genesis of what's causing this, right?

[2:18:32] And because of the timing that we issued,

[2:18:34] our average interest rate on the bonds is 2.62%,

[2:18:37] and our average yield on that money particularly was 3%.

[2:18:40] So we were earning more than what we were paying So in a normal environment, it—

[2:18:44] that's not how that happens,

[2:18:46] but I think anybody that borrowed in that time period is experiencing the same

[2:18:50] thing.

[2:18:50] Okay, thank you. I move to approve authorization to remit arbitrage rebate

[2:18:54] authorization to remit arbitrage rebate funds to

[2:18:55] the United States Treasury Internal Revenue Center in the amount of

[2:18:59] Revenue Center in the amount of $1,410,718.57.

[2:19:00] Second.

[2:19:04] I have a motion and a second. Could you poll the board, please?

[2:19:08] Commissioner DiBrizzi? Yes. Mayor Brown?

[2:19:10] Yes.

[2:19:11] Commissioner Louser?

[2:19:12] Yes. Commissioner Holk?

[2:19:13] Yes. Vice Mayor Johnson? Yes. Commissioner Smith?

[2:19:16] Yes. Commissioner Holmes?

[2:19:18] Yep.

[2:19:18] Motion carries 7 to 0. Thank you.

[2:19:20] Next is item number 18, resolution number— You're not going to do the next one too?

[2:19:24] That one's not me.

[2:19:25] Thank you very much.

[2:19:36] All right, good evening, Mayor and Commission.

[2:19:39] I'm Shelby Bochman, the Utilities Director, and I'm joined by Bill Brown,

[2:19:44] our Assistant Environmental Services Director.

[2:19:47] We are here because the Environmental Services Department was proudly led by

[2:19:52] Director Irvin Keddie from 2007 until his retirement in 2020. Thank you.

[2:19:56] During his tenure, he led more than $100 million in major infrastructure

[2:20:01] reconstruction projects,

[2:20:03] helping create a stronger and more resilient future for Largo. Mr.

[2:20:07] Keddie was also a teacher at heart,

[2:20:09] inspiring many team members to pursue higher education and professional growth.

[2:20:14] His leadership and commitment left a lasting impact on both the department and

[2:20:19] lasting impact on both the department and the

[2:20:20] people he served. We still tell stories about him. stories about him frequently.

[2:20:25] Our deep injection well is a fitting tribute to Mr.

[2:20:28] Keddie, honoring his background in geology and his commitment to the future of Largo

[2:20:34] Environmental Services. Yesterday would have been Mr.

[2:20:37] Keddie's 79th birthday,

[2:20:39] making this recognition especially meaningful as we celebrate his life,

[2:20:43] meaningful as we celebrate his life, leadership,

[2:20:44] and lasting legacy. The department is requesting approval from the City

[2:20:49] requesting approval from the City Commission

[2:20:49] to name the future deep injection well number 1 in honor of his years of

[2:20:54] number 1 in honor of his years of dedicated

[2:20:55] service to the city.

[2:20:56] Resolution number 2470, a resolution of the City of Largo, Florida,

[2:21:00] designating the City of Largo Deep Injection Well Number 1 as the Irvin

[2:21:05] Injection Well Number 1 as the Irvin Keddie Deep

[2:21:06] Injection Well Number 1 in honorary recognition of former Environmental

[2:21:10] recognition of former Environmental Services

[2:21:11] Department Director Irvin Keddie, providing for an effective date. Thank

[2:21:15] providing for an effective date. Thank you.

[2:21:16] Do we have any cards on this? We have no cards. Commissioner Smith.

[2:21:20] So Director Keddie and I served on committee a couple times on Florida League

[2:21:25] committee a couple times on Florida League of

[2:21:25] Cities. He was a very smart man,

[2:21:27] and I enjoyed way-over-my-head conversations with him many times.

[2:21:31] And I always loved when we went to the Florida League and we would be sitting

[2:21:36] Florida League and we would be sitting there

[2:21:37] and people would— he would lean in and say, we're already—

[2:21:41] Largo's already doing that.

[2:21:42] So he was a very good—

[2:21:44] My question and concern that kind of popped in my head a little bit Is, um,

[2:21:49] I never had a conversation on deep well injectors with him, um,

[2:21:53] and I'm kind of not a fan of deep well injection injectors.

[2:21:57] Did we ask his family if this was okay?

[2:21:59] I did not personally ask if it was okay, no.

[2:22:04] Would we not think it would be best to ask his family if it was okay?

[2:22:07] We didn't do that.

[2:22:08] Okay. I just want to make sure because that's the one I'm—

[2:22:11] I don't want to be putting I would not want my name on the side of something like

[2:22:15] want my name on the side of something like a

[2:22:15] trash can if, you know, I didn't care about that.

[2:22:17] We could do that, though.

[2:22:19] It's the only thing that kind of popped in my head a little bit.

[2:22:21] Well, I will say he was very much in support of them.

[2:22:25] Of the depositors?

[2:22:27] Yes, yes. This was his— if he could have stayed this long to see it out,

[2:22:32] he would have. But we will absolutely get in touch with him.

[2:22:37] with his family and ask.

[2:22:38] Okay. As long as you— I'm a little bit more reassured there. Okay. All right.

[2:22:44] Thank you. Thank you.

[2:22:45] I'm just going to add, I did have conversations about, you know,

[2:22:49] like Commissioner Smith, I wasn't a huge fan of deep well injections,

[2:22:54] especially the way that it was early on explained to me.

[2:22:58] And I probably spent 2 hours with Irv Keddie talking about what exactly they are

[2:23:03] Keddie talking about what exactly they are and

[2:23:03] how they function, and then learned even more since then.

[2:23:07] So he was a great leader over there, and I think this is great.

[2:23:12] It's great to— it's fine.

[2:23:13] I mean, it's a good idea to check with the family to say, hey,

[2:23:18] we're looking to honor Mr.

[2:23:19] Keddie in this way and want to make sure it's okay with you.

[2:23:23] So great idea, Commissioner Holmes.

[2:23:26] Well, I'll tell you what, I've had many conversations with Mr. Keddie.

[2:23:31] And the problem with Mr.

[2:23:32] Keddie is he was so smart and he knew his subject matter so well,

[2:23:37] when he was having a conversation with you, you just sat there and stared.

[2:23:42] Uh, okay, no problem. He was a very good guy though.

[2:23:45] I move to approve Resolution Number 2470.

[2:23:48] Second.

[2:23:49] I have a motion and a second. Could you poll the board, please?

[2:23:52] Mayor Brumm? Yes.

[2:23:55] Commissioner Louser?

[2:23:56] Yes.

[2:23:56] Commissioner Holk?

[2:23:57] Yes.

[2:23:58] Vice Mayor Johnson?

[2:23:59] Yes. Commissioner Smith?

[2:24:00] Yes.

[2:24:01] Commissioner Holmes?

[2:24:02] Of course.

[2:24:02] Commissioner DiBrizzi?

[2:24:03] Yep.

[2:24:04] Yes.

[2:24:04] Motion carries 7 to 0.

[2:24:06] Thank you.

[2:24:07] I missed it now. No longer a commissioner. Next is item number 19.

[2:24:20] Good evening, Mayor and City Commissioners. My name is Ara Woodard.

[2:24:24] I'm the housing manager for the City of Largo.

[2:24:27] I'm involved in this project because the housing division oversees the federal

[2:24:32] community development block grant funding that is planned to be used for this,

[2:24:37] this project. I also have Officer Keith Bowling with Largo Police Department here

[2:24:42] with me today. He was instrumental in bringing the issues on this project site

[2:24:47] bringing the issues on this project site to

[2:24:47] the forefront. And was a big part of the project team along the way as well.

[2:24:52] So the project site is a triangular parcel just south of Rosary Road,

[2:24:56] north of 8th Avenue Northwest.

[2:24:58] The CSX rail line runs along the east portion,

[2:25:00] and Lake Placid Mobile Home Park is to the west.

[2:25:03] This site is in the Clearwater-Larga Road Community Redevelopment District within

[2:25:08] also the city's Community Development Block Grant, or CDBG, target area.

[2:25:13] There is currently a narrow path along the way that is heavily used by pedestrians

[2:25:18] and cyclists to connect the neighborhood to Rosary Road and then offshoot to

[2:25:23] Clearwater-Largo Road shopping and transit, as well as Missouri Avenue.

[2:25:27] And I'm going to turn it over to Officer Bowling to talk about some of the issues

[2:25:32] that have been occurring on this site for the last several years.

[2:25:36] All right, good evening. Keith Bowling with the Largo Police Department.

[2:25:40] This space has been a problem for law enforcement for several years now.

[2:25:44] It has been something that because the grass ends up growing up very high,

[2:25:49] people go in there, they hide, and then illegal activities take place.

[2:25:53] Not only illegal activities,

[2:25:55] but also there's there's items that are discarded by people,

[2:25:58] trash left on the property,

[2:26:00] and then that creates more problems in the future for mowing and maintaining.

[2:26:04] The grass right now, I just out there today, is.

[2:26:07] In some places waist-high,

[2:26:09] and in some places on the south side where it's the most difficult to get in,

[2:26:13] where there's a lot of debris that's left on the ground, is almost as tall as I am.

[2:26:18] I'm 6'4. And so the grass is extremely high.

[2:26:21] It makes it difficult for officers to drive into the area.

[2:26:24] It also makes it difficult for grass cutting to be done because you can't

[2:26:28] cutting to be done because you can't really

[2:26:29] see. We don't want to run over someone.

[2:26:31] We don't want to cause more problems that way.

[2:26:34] There are some sick trees that are dropping branches,

[2:26:37] making it difficult to cut the grass around the branches,

[2:26:40] which causes that grass to grow up even higher.

[2:26:43] The overgrown grass creates hiding spots for people to camp in,

[2:26:47] to attract abnormal users.

[2:26:48] Illegal camping, alcohol use, drugs, prostitution,

[2:26:51] and disturbances have all been police calls on this property.

[2:26:55] We've had a campfire that spread to a nearby storage yard business,

[2:26:59] setting a customer's utility trailer on fire.

[2:27:01] Noise complaints, complaints from Teakwood West and Lake Placid.

[2:27:05] Also in the same area as the sidewalk,

[2:27:07] the sidewalk conditions are broken and the roots are pushing up the sidewalk,

[2:27:12] which is creating a little bit of a walking hazard for individuals.

[2:27:16] This is a heavily traveled area. People use it, as Ms.

[2:27:19] Woodard said, for shopping, business to the Missouri area, and connecting through.

[2:27:24] We have learned that there are some citizens that live in the area that

[2:27:28] citizens that live in the area that actually cut

[2:27:29] the grass along the sidewalk to make it safer and better for individuals to use

[2:27:33] safer and better for individuals to use the

[2:27:33] sidewalk. We've also had shopping carts discarded on the space,

[2:27:37] especially at the south end, which tells us a couple of things.

[2:27:41] Number one, people are using this as a corridor to go shopping,

[2:27:45] but the shopping carts get left.

[2:27:46] We as the police department have removed shopping carts 4 or 5 times.

[2:27:51] The shopping carts, if they're left there,

[2:27:53] collects trash and collects more problems.

[2:27:55] We've compared the calls for service with and for our trespass warnings.

[2:28:00] Our trespass warnings are when we find people that are inappropriately using the

[2:28:04] property, we'll trespass them from the property.

[2:28:07] We compared them to Woodrow Park about two years ago.

[2:28:10] Woodrow Park underwent a lot of upgrades, and it's a beautiful place.

[2:28:14] We see a lot of individuals playing basketball,

[2:28:17] and we're seeing more normal users in the space. We have in the past year.

[2:28:22] Trespassed approximately 14 individuals from the prospective space that we're

[2:28:26] speaking about now. In that same time,

[2:28:28] we've trespassed 2 individuals from Woodrow Park.

[2:28:31] We feel like turning this space into a good space will help eliminate some of the

[2:28:36] calls for service for the Police Department and will help make it a better

[2:28:40] Department and will help make it a better space for

[2:28:41] our community.

[2:28:42] And just to add on that,

[2:28:44] there was 122 calls for service overall in addition to the trespasses during that So

[2:28:50] CPTED is a way to improve the site, to reduce some of the problems.

[2:28:56] For those that are familiar, I love CPTED. I think it helps us out quite a bit.

[2:29:01] For those that are not familiar, natural surveillance—

[2:29:04] if we have good citizens in that space,

[2:29:06] they help keep the abnormal users from coming in and abusing the space.

[2:29:10] And they also are a force multiplier for the police department because when they

[2:29:15] the police department because when they see

[2:29:15] something, they're going to call us.

[2:29:17] We don't have to go in there every day and check it out.

[2:29:20] Also, natural access control. We have paths that are welcoming to our citizens.

[2:29:25] So, again, that brings our citizens in there to help with the natural

[2:29:29] there to help with the natural surveillance.

[2:29:30] Territorial reinforcement tells the community this is a space that is valuable

[2:29:34] community this is a space that is valuable to

[2:29:34] us. It clearly defines the use of the space,

[2:29:37] and it makes abnormal users feel unwelcome in the space.

[2:29:40] And then the maintenance and management of the space.

[2:29:43] Spaces that are left unmaintained usually attract more problems,

[2:29:47] and that's what we've seen with this space.

[2:29:49] We expect that regular maintenance and the attraction of our good citizens into the

[2:29:54] space will reduce the likelihood that that area is being used for crime, reduce—

[2:29:59] it will reduce the negative impact it has on our citizens,

[2:30:02] and it will reduce the policing needs for the same space.

[2:30:06] And I I want to hand it to Commissioner— or Commissioner—

[2:30:09] Officer Bowling for bringing this to our department's attention to really look for

[2:30:15] ways we could use SEPTA to solve these issues instead of having repeat police

[2:30:19] issues instead of having repeat police calls

[2:30:20] out to that site. So we got a team of staff together from many different

[2:30:24] departments. We had Housing, Economic Development, Engineering, Recreation,

[2:30:29] Parks and Arts, and the Police Department on the project team for this project.

[2:30:34] We held an input session at Lake Placid Mobile Home Park with the residents.

[2:30:39] We also had another input session, as you can see in the photos.

[2:30:43] This was about 2 years ago. It's been a while in the making for this project.

[2:30:48] We had a great turnout.

[2:30:50] They provided input on how they currently use it, how they liked—

[2:30:54] what they'd like to see out there, and the improvements they'd like to see happen.

[2:30:59] And we also did a survey to the broader neighborhood in that area as well.

[2:31:04] Some of the big items mentioned were having a better walking path, lighting,

[2:31:09] and also some active uses toward that.

[2:31:11] We did definitely take into consideration things that would be lower maintenance as

[2:31:17] far as active uses and in the design phase as well.

[2:31:20] So the design that has been approved through the city small-scale site plan

[2:31:25] through the city small-scale site plan approval

[2:31:25] process does replace the current narrow path with a broader multi-use path that

[2:31:30] path with a broader multi-use path that runs

[2:31:30] through the property.

[2:31:32] There would be some exercise outdoor exercise stations similar to what we have

[2:31:37] exercise stations similar to what we have at

[2:31:37] Woodrow Park that would go along the path as well.

[2:31:40] This is a small area for a dog park.

[2:31:42] I realized after it looks like it's a small dog park,

[2:31:46] but it's for all all size dogs.

[2:31:48] Just a small area on that south side that serves as that active use for the

[2:31:53] residents in the area.

[2:31:54] There has been a need requested from multiple residents in different

[2:31:58] multiple residents in different neighborhoods

[2:31:59] in that in that area for a dog park. park.

[2:32:02] So that kind of fills the need for the broader neighborhood as well.

[2:32:06] It also includes adding solar lights to make sure that the pathways are well lit,

[2:32:12] and there would be fencing along the CSX line on that east side,

[2:32:16] as well as resetting some of the boundary up where the property narrows to the north

[2:32:21] end with some new fencing.

[2:32:23] So this project is proposed for funding from our federal community development

[2:32:28] from our federal community development block

[2:32:28] grant funding. It was included in our prior action plan for this project.

[2:32:33] We did receive 6 bids for the project,

[2:32:35] and we have selected or recommended Sega Construction for the project.

[2:32:40] You will note in the commission memo there were a couple alternate items that we had

[2:32:45] listed. Some of them were like the dog park walking path that was budget

[2:32:50] park walking path that was budget contingent

[2:32:50] if we had the funding for it.

[2:32:52] We did not see that that was a necessary necessary item.

[2:32:56] This is not the main path through the park.

[2:32:58] This was another ancillary path within the dog park,

[2:33:02] so that was removed from the scope.

[2:33:04] The other one for the crimson stone base was an alternate.

[2:33:08] We'd either do concrete base under the exercise equipment or the crimson stone.

[2:33:13] We're opting for the, the concrete base,

[2:33:15] which is more ADA-friendly as well for that area, and so removing the crimson

[2:33:20] that area, and so removing the crimson stone.

[2:33:21] This total cost does include contingency cost as well,

[2:33:24] so it may end up coming in less than that depending on how much contingency is

[2:33:29] needed for it. I did want to touch on too,

[2:33:32] just for providing all the information on this project,

[2:33:35] we did evaluate the estimated operating cost changes for this project.

[2:33:40] Some of the assumptions that we used was estimating based on the the call volume

[2:33:45] that we had of the 122 calls or 22 hours of measured police service, um,

[2:33:50] estimating a 50% reduction in the number of calls through this.

[2:33:54] We've seen a bigger reduction at some of the other parks that have had improvements

[2:33:59] already, and this cost also doesn't include vehicle costs and so forth.

[2:34:04] Um, so this is, we hope,

[2:34:05] on a conservative estimate for the reduction in police service calls cost.

[2:34:10] Um, the current mowing by Public Works Yes.

[2:34:13] The current cost for the mowing is 3 times a year,

[2:34:16] but it really is only doing the north end of the property because there's so much

[2:34:21] debris and trees and so forth,

[2:34:23] they're not even able to access safely on that south end.

[2:34:27] So that's based on the current 1-year cost for that 3 times a year mowing.

[2:34:31] The plan is to move the mowing maintenance responsibilities from Public Works over

[2:34:37] to the Parks Division.

[2:34:38] And so the Parks Division used their level of service analysis to identify that they

[2:34:43] would maintain it at a level of service D,

[2:34:46] which is once a week mowing during the heavy growth season and every other week

[2:34:51] heavy growth season and every other week when

[2:34:51] it's the low growth season for grass.

[2:34:54] Other than that, it would include also emptying the trash can that would be out

[2:34:59] emptying the trash can that would be out on

[2:34:59] the site and so forth. So the net cost is just under $4,000. For an annual cost.

[2:35:04] They are— the Parks Division did indicate that they would be able to handle this

[2:35:09] within current staffing.

[2:35:11] They are currently maintaining the old 201 Highlands site,

[2:35:15] and they do anticipate sometime that that will also fall off their radar for what is

[2:35:20] on their workload as well.

[2:35:22] But there is no new staffing added as part of this project cost.

[2:35:26] And lastly, just want to show tie-back to the city's strategic This ties in very

[2:35:31] closely with our public health and safety goal to build a community of safe and

[2:35:36] healthy neighborhoods,

[2:35:37] and also the community pride goal to foster a vibrant and nurturing community

[2:35:42] foster a vibrant and nurturing community that

[2:35:43] attracts residents and visitors.

[2:35:45] Staff recommends approval and is available for questions.

[2:35:48] Thank you. Do we have any cards on this? We have no cards. I have a question.

[2:35:54] You mentioned some of the trees that are, you know,

[2:35:57] big branches are Is there plans to remove those ill trees?

[2:36:01] And also, is there any plan to use tree fund money to plant trees out there?

[2:36:07] The ones that are already dead have been tagged by the Parks Division for which

[2:36:11] tagged by the Parks Division for which ones

[2:36:12] would need to come down as part of that.

[2:36:14] There are a few trees on the north side that are in the way of the sidewalk

[2:36:18] expansion, and those will be replaced elsewhere on the property for that.

[2:36:23] We, at this point, we haven't identified additional ones beyond that for that,

[2:36:27] but that, that is going to be covered under the Community Development Block

[2:36:32] under the Community Development Block Grant

[2:36:32] allocation for those trees as well.

[2:36:34] Great, thank you. Commissioner DeBriesi. Thank you.

[2:36:37] Just for the what-if question, this is all block grant money, right?

[2:36:41] The project cost is, yes.

[2:36:44] Was there anything that was—

[2:36:45] that money was allotted for that's not going to get allotted for now?

[2:36:50] No, this project's been in the making for 2 years.

[2:36:53] So if there's any unexpended funds, for example,

[2:36:56] if we don't use all the contingency when we do our annual action plan for CDBG,

[2:37:01] we would count that as our rollover funds and reallocate it towards something else.

[2:37:06] Thank you. Thank you. Commissioner Holmes. Who owns that land?

[2:37:09] The City of Largo owns it.

[2:37:11] Really?

[2:37:12] Yes, sir.

[2:37:13] CSX doesn't have a, a front on that at all?

[2:37:17] There was, I think it was back in the '90s,

[2:37:20] they deeded the property over to the city.

[2:37:22] Also, a portion is unimproved 4th Street Northwest.

[2:37:25] So we're the slumlords then?

[2:37:27] It's part of it. Looking back in some of the older pictures too,

[2:37:31] it's been a problem for several years.

[2:37:33] It's been a problem for years.

[2:37:34] The storm exacerbated it. Yeah.

[2:37:36] So there's been, there was a lot of trees that came down on that property during

[2:37:39] those 2 hurricanes.

[2:37:40] I used to ride my bike back there and I got to the point Yeah, this is not—

[2:37:47] this is not good. Sidewalk shot.

[2:37:50] I move to approve award of contract number 26B849,

[2:37:54] 800 4th Street Northwest Green Space Improvement Project,

[2:37:59] to Cigna Construction LLC in the amount of $693,840.78 for the base bid plus

[2:38:06] selective alternatives.

[2:38:10] Second.

[2:38:10] I have a motion and a second. Could you poll the board, please?

[2:38:13] Commissioner Lauser?

[2:38:15] Yes. Commissioner Holk?

[2:38:17] Yes.

[2:38:17] Vice Mayor Johnson?

[2:38:18] Yes.

[2:38:19] Commissioner Smith?

[2:38:20] Yes.

[2:38:20] Commissioner Holmes?

[2:38:21] Yep.

[2:38:22] Commissioner DiBrizzi?

[2:38:23] Yes.

[2:38:23] Mayor Brown?

[2:38:24] Yes.

[2:38:24] Motion carries 7 to 0. Thank you, and thanks for all your work on this.

[2:38:30] It's going to be a great improvement over there. Thank you, sir. Thank you, guys.

[2:38:35] Thank you. Next is item number 20. See, now I'm caught up.

[2:38:40] Good evening, Mayor, Commissioners.

[2:38:42] My name is Charles Stanton and I am the Horizon Operations Manager.

[2:38:47] Tonight I bring before you a lease agreement with Bocelli Modern Italian for

[2:38:52] agreement with Bocelli Modern Italian for space

[2:38:53] at Horizon West Bay.

[2:38:54] The Celli will occupy approximately 6,443 square feet within the parking garage

[2:39:00] building along our West Bay Drive frontage,

[2:39:03] creating a prominent new dining destination along our downtown corridor.

[2:39:08] The initial lease term is for 10 years with 2 additional 5-year options.

[2:39:13] The Celli Modern Italian is a contemporary Italian restaurant that blends

[2:39:18] traditional cuisine with modern influences using the freshest ingredients,

[2:39:24] house-made pasta, and brick oven pizzas.

[2:39:27] Guests can expect an inviting atmosphere, craft cocktails,

[2:39:31] and a full liquor bar well suited to intimate dinners, group gatherings,

[2:39:36] and special occasions.

[2:39:37] The Largo location will feature an open kitchen,

[2:39:41] private dining space for parties and corporate events,

[2:39:45] and takeout and delivery service.

[2:39:47] Bocelli currently operates a Tampa location on Bayshore Boulevard near

[2:39:52] location on Bayshore Boulevard near MacDill.

[2:39:53] and has been since 2021. Excuse me.

[2:39:55] And they are very excited to soon be open in Largo.

[2:39:59] Thank you, and take any questions you may have. Thank you.

[2:40:03] Before I ask for cards, Commissioner Johnson. Vice Mayor Johnson.

[2:40:08] Yes, I just have to point out that I'm going to abstain from this item and item

[2:40:13] going to abstain from this item and item 21.

[2:40:14] The firm for which I'm employed was solicited to bid the fire sprinkler work

[2:40:19] solicited to bid the fire sprinkler work at

[2:40:19] these spaces and possibly the fire alarm work as well.

[2:40:23] So I'm going to abstain from discussion and voting. Thank you. Do we have any

[2:40:28] and voting. Thank you. Do we have any cards?

[2:40:29] We have one card.

[2:40:30] Greg Gardner. This is— this one's going to be fun. Okay. Bocelli.

[2:40:36] Largo is going to give Bocelli Oh, Smith, thank you. Proud of you.

[2:40:42] Thank you very much.

[2:40:43] Okay, and you, um, I think I knocked on about 400, 470 businesses.

[2:40:49] Guess whose name came up? That guy.

[2:40:52] Okay, he basically walks on water in the City of Largo. This city does love him.

[2:40:59] That's from Matthew Faustini's stab. It was ridiculous, but the city does love

[2:41:05] was ridiculous, but the city does love you.

[2:41:06] Um, and because you've done a lot for this city.

[2:41:10] But Shelley's— okay,

[2:41:12] so the city is going to give $1.6 million of taxpayer money to an establishment in

[2:41:19] Tampa, and we're trying to conceal it.

[2:41:22] But of course, we all know that you can't conceal this.

[2:41:27] No one ever approved for this. This is kind of— this is so silly.

[2:41:32] But it does create great editorial because Here's the bigger picture.

[2:41:38] You're not going to believe me, and you're going to—

[2:41:42] you can kick me later if I'm wrong. It's fine.

[2:41:46] Biltmore is owed between $6 and $12 million.

[2:41:50] I don't know the number, but it's massive. So John's doing lawfare. Drag it out.

[2:41:57] Drag it out 18 months, 2 years.

[2:42:00] We're broke because we're robbing from departments, and these managers are

[2:42:06] departments, and these managers are having,

[2:42:07] uh, finance manipulate the books. This is borrowed money.

[2:42:12] Now, you don't have to believe me, but it's going to come true.

[2:42:17] And if I'm wrong, you can kick me. That's fine. You too.

[2:42:22] I know you want to.

[2:42:23] Okay, so it's fine. But it's a big hoax,

[2:42:26] and it's wrapped around this Woody Brown gimmick of we're going to have an instant

[2:42:32] downtown. So it's a vanity project.

[2:42:34] We're going to fund with taxpayer money basically the entire buildout.

[2:42:40] I don't really think this is going to go over well,

[2:42:43] especially as you're threatening these guys a pay cut in 2028.

[2:42:48] It just doesn't make sense. We're bankrupt. We don't have the money.

[2:42:53] We don't have the money to pay Biltmore.

[2:42:56] We don't have the money to really do dredging.

[2:42:59] We're robbing Peter and it's all going into Coconut Palace.

[2:43:03] That's all I have to say. Um, it'll prove to be true.

[2:43:07] The deceit again comes from Kerp and these 2, and you guys are left in the dark.

[2:43:13] And I got— had a little privileges to inside information,

[2:43:17] so maybe you'll get I told you so or something like that. Thank you. Good

[2:43:23] something like that. Thank you. Good night.

[2:43:23] Thank you. That was the only card. Mr. DeBrisi.

[2:43:27] Thank you.

[2:43:29] Bear with me, Charles, and feel free to phone a friend on some of these.

[2:43:34] So trying to get down to, you know, what's actually happening, so— and help me out.

[2:43:40] You know, with Horizon,

[2:43:41] the city is now in a unique position of being a commercial landlord,

[2:43:46] and we are directly leasing for space, correct?

[2:43:49] Correct.

[2:43:49] Okay. No third parties that are managing— they're not— we're directly leasing.

[2:43:54] Correct.

[2:43:55] All right. I also learned recently that you're a real estate—

[2:43:58] licensed real estate agent, correct?

[2:44:00] Yes, sir.

[2:44:00] Okay. Thank you. We'll talk about these particular spaces in a bit,

[2:44:05] but when it comes to leasing commercial space, as we are now a—

[2:44:09] as a commercial landlord,

[2:44:10] is it unusual for the landlord and prospective tenants to negotiate a tenant

[2:44:15] improvement allowance? It's common. It's very common.

[2:44:19] As a commercial landlord myself, I agree with you.

[2:44:22] I have, you know, a space I'm redesigning right now that I'm in negotiations with

[2:44:27] the person wanting it that wants an improvement allowance.

[2:44:31] Regarding these spaces, they're first generation considered empty shell,

[2:44:36] generation considered empty shell, correct?

[2:44:36] Correct.

[2:44:37] Essentially, they are completely unfinished and there's not even a concrete

[2:44:41] unfinished and there's not even a concrete floor.

[2:44:41] 100% correct.

[2:44:43] All right. Was there a reason we left those spaces unfinished? There was.

[2:44:47] And the reason being is that we had no idea what type of tenant would occupy

[2:44:51] idea what type of tenant would occupy those

[2:44:51] spaces. So potentially, even if you said, hey,

[2:44:54] we're going to fill out every one of them as a vanilla box, build them out,

[2:44:58] put a slab in them, a bathroom, put the electrical requirements, the AC in there,

[2:45:03] it could end up being wasted funds.

[2:45:05] Because if a restaurant comes in there,

[2:45:07] they're going to end up cutting out the slab and tearing it out to reconfigure

[2:45:12] slab and tearing it out to reconfigure that

[2:45:12] space to what they need.

[2:45:13] So in order to save money, it makes more sense to leave them bare.

[2:45:17] And then supply more TI dollars and let those tenants build it out how they see

[2:45:22] those tenants build it out how they see fit.

[2:45:22] Okay. I would imagine there are very few businesses that would want to assume the

[2:45:27] cost of an unfinished space such as this and do the build-out on their own dime.

[2:45:31] So in my conversations, that was—

[2:45:33] your information is confirming what's been told to me,

[2:45:36] is that these were left undone.

[2:45:38] There was always going to be tenant improvement money.

[2:45:41] Because, you know, we would never expect any business to be able to basically

[2:45:45] any business to be able to basically finish

[2:45:46] our work.

[2:45:46] Right.

[2:45:47] So, all right. So I spent a lot of time researching tenant allowances for empty

[2:45:53] shell first-generation spaces such as this and found that basically allowances per

[2:45:59] square foot can range anywhere from $100 to $400 per square foot,

[2:46:04] and most average around $200 square foot.

[2:46:08] Would you agree?

[2:46:08] I agree. Um, will the city recoup this money during the lease period? They will.

[2:46:13] At year 9, they will recoup that. What happens if— I've got to remember the

[2:46:18] happens if— I've got to remember the lease.

[2:46:18] I read it. Is there an out clause for them to get out? No.

[2:46:22] So there is a guarantee on the lease that they hold.

[2:46:25] So there is— They leave one year, they're in it for 10 years no matter what?

[2:46:30] Mm-hmm.

[2:46:32] Um, I'm sorry, go ahead.

[2:46:33] I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cut you off,

[2:46:35] but we do run a financial background check to ensure that there is enough funds for

[2:46:39] them to guarantee the lease over the 10-year period.

[2:46:41] And with first-generation space, really, if 10 years they decide, or whenever,

[2:46:45] if they do leave, that it's second-generation space, that, you know,

[2:46:48] we're going to gain more on it because we're not going to have to do the

[2:46:51] we're not going to have to do the build-out.

[2:46:52] Correct.

[2:46:53] Okay. The— you know, looking at the rate that we're charging,

[2:46:57] that we're providing in tenant improvement, it's a little above that

[2:47:01] improvement, it's a little above that average,

[2:47:02] but it's in the range. You know, that's not necessarily the bother for me.

[2:47:07] It's— but it's, you know, it's close. I mean, it's within average. Sure.

[2:47:11] And if I could provide a little more clarity on that.

[2:47:15] So the 2 current fast casual restaurants that we have, Pappas and Parlor,

[2:47:20] their buildouts have averaged almost a little over $400 per square foot.

[2:47:24] And I would argue that a full-service restaurant with a bar The size of this

[2:47:30] restaurant with a bar The size of this space

[2:47:30] is, is going to cost more than that. Okay.

[2:47:33] Um, and this is up to an amount, not— Correct.

[2:47:36] So if, if hypothetically, if they built this whole entire space out for $1

[2:47:41] this whole entire space out for $1 million,

[2:47:41] we would reimburse them up that $1 million. And last question.

[2:47:45] Thank everybody for your patience. Where's the funding coming from?

[2:47:50] Um, I believe just from our city funds.

[2:47:55] Commissioner DiBrizzi, this will come from the general fund,

[2:47:59] and we do plan to either issue debt or interfund loan to pay for TI dollars

[2:48:03] for this project.

[2:48:04] Okay, all right, thank you, appreciate it. Thank you. Commissioner Holmes.

[2:48:08] Um, over the weekend I was scrolling through Facebook and I came upon an entry

[2:48:13] through Facebook and I came upon an entry there

[2:48:13] from someone named SL in Largo. I have no clue who that is.

[2:48:17] And for— I don't know how they did it,

[2:48:19] but they had 3 projects listed that what you just said now about the one restaurant

[2:48:24] where we're picking up the tab to get the building of it done,

[2:48:28] apparently we're doing it for all 3 of them, and it came to over $3 million.

[2:48:33] And my question is, you know,

[2:48:35] we're working on a budget right now where we're picking up the pennies on the

[2:48:39] sidewalk right now, and yet I looked at this and I asked for some confirmation on

[2:48:44] it. I haven't heard back from anybody.

[2:48:47] Everybody on the dais got a copy of this thing, by the way,

[2:48:50] because I sent it to the city manager and everybody else,

[2:48:54] because I wanted to know where did this thing come from?

[2:48:57] Where did these people get all this information?

[2:49:00] Because I, I was very surprised by the whole thing.

[2:49:03] I sent it to you.

[2:49:05] All right, so here's the money.

[2:49:07] So this is going to be over $3 million all between just these 3 restaurants,

[2:49:11] and we're picking up pennies in the sidewalk right now to try to balance the

[2:49:16] sidewalk right now to try to balance the budget

[2:49:16] out coming up. Whose great idea was to— I mean,

[2:49:19] I'm all in favor of having these renters coming in, having these leases like that,

[2:49:24] but where's all this magical fund? Where's this money all coming from?

[2:49:28] I mean, we're telling the police department we got to cut back on stuff and

[2:49:33] department we got to cut back on stuff and various

[2:49:33] departments we have to cut back on,

[2:49:35] and yet we have no problem whatsoever spending over $3 million on some eateries.

[2:49:40] Thank you.

[2:49:42] I have a problem with that.

[2:49:43] I mean, I'm all in favor of the eateries.

[2:49:45] I have a problem with the money.

[2:49:47] Commissioner, this is, uh, these, you know,

[2:49:50] these funds were always considered to be part of the project cost, um,

[2:49:55] because we obviously couldn't design commercial real estate space without

[2:50:00] commercial real estate space without completing

[2:50:01] the project and recruiting tenants and building out the, you know,

[2:50:05] the Horizon Complex. So again, always part of the project.

[2:50:09] And it's within what the Commission contemplated when we adopted this. Thank

[2:50:15] contemplated when we adopted this. Thank you.

[2:50:15] I read through the attached— they're not in this packet,

[2:50:19] but they're attached leases,

[2:50:21] and it still has 201 Highland as the addresses in several places. Just so you

[2:50:26] addresses in several places. Just so you know.

[2:50:26] Thank you. We'll make the correction. Absolutely. Any other questions?

[2:50:31] Commissioner DeBriesi. Thank you. More of a comment, and I appreciate it.

[2:50:36] You know, the dollar amount is shocking, a lot.

[2:50:39] You know, in looking through all of this, I was recognizing that we, you know,

[2:50:45] we have the space, and we have to turn it into something. We can't go backwards.

[2:50:50] We can't leave it empty.

[2:50:52] You know, it was— I don't think this was left undone on purpose, as we talked

[2:50:57] left undone on purpose, as we talked about.

[2:50:58] And, you know, if we would have finished it,

[2:51:01] it would have cost about this much as well.

[2:51:04] So as City Manager Kerb mentioned,

[2:51:06] this is always going to be part of the cost of the project.

[2:51:10] You know, it's— I didn't know—

[2:51:12] I asked the question that is coming from the general fund is, you know,

[2:51:17] that part gets me a little bit. But, um, and we may have to issue debt for it.

[2:51:22] Um, but like I said, we have— we're here, um, and the job is to, you know,

[2:51:28] to make this building work.

[2:51:29] And, and if we don't provide tenant improvement dollars,

[2:51:33] we're not going to get anybody in there.

[2:51:36] We're just going to have empty space considering every— you know, like I said,

[2:51:41] it's a dirt floor. Um, so, you know, we've got to—

[2:51:45] we've got to We've got to do something,

[2:51:48] and that's really probably the only comforting part of me for this is that you

[2:51:53] comforting part of me for this is that you know

[2:51:53] we have to do something with this. And you know in the long run it will pay off.

[2:51:59] You know this is a you know we've said that we're a fifty-year project,

[2:52:04] and you know the first iteration of a business is going to go in there,

[2:52:09] and you know we will see the return in later years.

[2:52:12] But it is a lot of money upfront right now, and that's you know does.

[2:52:17] You know, concern me, but, you know, like I said, we have to do something with this.

[2:52:23] Thank you. Yeah, the other thing that seems to be important is that 6 months

[2:52:28] seems to be important is that 6 months ago,

[2:52:28] when it probably would have made sense to a lot of people to put a floor in there

[2:52:34] and run pipes and stuff, we didn't know who the tenant was going to be.

[2:52:39] And so we would have been guessing and most likely would have had to retrofit

[2:52:44] most likely would have had to retrofit stuff,

[2:52:44] or the tenant would have had to, I guess.

[2:52:47] But either way, it would have— to your point,

[2:52:50] it would have probably cost about the same, I would expect, you know.

[2:52:55] Yeah, we had our internal construction team come up with a budget if we were to

[2:53:01] build those spaces out into vanilla box, and it was right around $280 a square

[2:53:06] and it was right around $280 a square foot.

[2:53:06] Okay. Mr. Kerb. And I want to emphasize that the tenant improvement dollars

[2:53:12] that the tenant improvement dollars leverage

[2:53:12] additional investment from the restaurateur,

[2:53:15] so we're fully expecting build out in excess of our, our contribution, um,

[2:53:20] and remind everyone that value stays with the city, um,

[2:53:24] to when they're approving our space.

[2:53:27] Also, this puts the— puts the, uh, those spaces are on the tax rolls,

[2:53:31] so we will see property tax revenue from the commercial real estate that,

[2:53:36] that we have here. So it's, it's not a— Excuse me, and sales tax.

[2:53:41] Yeah, well, correct.

[2:53:42] Yeah, we'll see revenue from, from this the site,

[2:53:46] and it's part of our downtown activation plan.

[2:53:49] And as we've seen already, you know, we're already realizing the benefits.

[2:53:54] Um, you know, our downtown CRA district grew at a rate of 8%, um,

[2:53:58] last year versus the city at large at only 4%.

[2:54:02] Um, so we're already seeing the return in value in that investment through that

[2:54:07] increment, and this would be a direct contribution to the general fund. Thank

[2:54:12] contribution to the general fund. Thank you.

[2:54:13] Any other questions? Motion. I'll do it.

[2:54:15] I move to approve the lease agreement between the City of Largo and Pacelli

[2:54:21] between the City of Largo and Pacelli Modern

[2:54:21] Italian.

[2:54:22] Second.

[2:54:23] I have a motion and a second. Could you poll the board, please? Commissioner Halk?

[2:54:28] Yes.

[2:54:28] Commissioner Smith?

[2:54:29] Yes. Commissioner Holmes? No. Commissioner DiBrizzi? Yes. Mayor Brown?

[2:54:35] Yes.

[2:54:36] Commissioner Louser?

[2:54:37] Yes. Motion carries 5 to 1. Thank you. Next is item number 21.

[2:54:41] All right, so this evening we also bring you another lease agreement with Dead

[2:54:47] you another lease agreement with Dead Bob's

[2:54:47] for space here at Horizon West Bay.

[2:54:49] They'll occupy approximately 2,072 square feet within the parking garage building in

[2:54:55] the plaza adjacent to our outdoor stage,

[2:54:58] connecting the bar restaurant directly with one of Horizon's key outdoor

[2:55:03] with one of Horizon's key outdoor gathering

[2:55:04] areas. The initial term is for 10 years with 3 optional 5-year renewal periods.

[2:55:09] Dead Bob's is a well-established neighborhood sports bar and restaurant

[2:55:14] neighborhood sports bar and restaurant started in

[2:55:15] 2014 with 2 existing locations in St. Petersburg and another in Tampa.

[2:55:20] It's known for its casual atmosphere, Extensive sports viewing experiences,

[2:55:25] an approachable American menu of burgers, wings, seafood, and daily specials,

[2:55:31] along with weekend brunch and extended evening hours.

[2:55:34] This will be Dead Bob's 4th location overall and its first in Largo,

[2:55:39] bringing a strong local following and a casual dining and entertainment option

[2:55:44] casual dining and entertainment option that

[2:55:45] complements Horizon West Bay's growing mix of restaurants, retail,

[2:55:49] and entertainment. Thank you, and I'm happy to answer any questions. Thank you.

[2:55:55] Do we have any cards on this? We have one card. Greg Gardner.

[2:55:59] All right, Curtis, I confess there is a connection between the initials you

[2:56:04] mentioned, and I'll provide you a document of all the monies that we spent.

[2:56:10] It is $3.3 million of taxpayer money given away crony capitalism that no one voted

[2:56:15] for, no one approved, is so Woody could have an instant downtown gimmick.

[2:56:21] That's what it is. It's just a gimmick.

[2:56:23] Uh, John will lie to everyone because that's what he does best.

[2:56:28] He says there's going to be return. No, there won't be any return.

[2:56:32] It'll be what, well, 9 years, uh, for, um, the silly, uh, Bocellis.

[2:56:37] Uh, Dead Bob's is 415,000. I looked at that at 7 years.

[2:56:41] You have to look at— I didn't drink the Kool-Aid. You have to look at Dead Bob's.

[2:56:47] It's a dungeon. So it's this little dungeon that's no atmosphere.

[2:56:51] I don't know why anyone would want to go there.

[2:56:54] When you go to the beach and go left or go right, it's nothing but beauty.

[2:57:00] So what Dead Bob's will be is, okay, it's new and that'll last 18 months,

[2:57:05] and then it's just become a watering hole.

[2:57:08] And lounge lizards are gonna hang out, and it's just, it's not a value.

[2:57:13] It's not a downtown. It's not a gathering place.

[2:57:16] I mean, I know you wanna believe it is. It is not.

[2:57:19] There will be anger and outrage that you spent $3.3 million,

[2:57:24] and it's $97 million here. It's not $85.

[2:57:26] You're stiffing Biltmore, and this is borrowed money.

[2:57:30] Thank you.

[2:57:32] And then later I'll say, I told you so. Okay? And all his numbers are right.

[2:57:36] He's not lying as far as build-out. As far as what you say, DeBriesi, it's true.

[2:57:41] They do. But it's not taxpayer dollars. There's a big difference.

[2:57:45] This is crony capitalism.

[2:57:47] So, so would a retail establishment do this type of build-out? Yes.

[2:57:51] I don't know if they'd go as high as $1.6 million. I don't know. No.

[2:57:56] No, that's excessive.

[2:57:57] And if he can't do Buccelli's in $1.6 million, there's something wrong.

[2:58:01] But he'll use all of $1.6 million.

[2:58:03] But it's— the average consensus, as I canvassed for 5 full weeks,

[2:58:08] is no one's in love with this place.

[2:58:10] The only people that are loving this place is you guys. That's it.

[2:58:14] It's gonna be ooh, ahh, ooh.

[2:58:16] Just look at the numbers going into the ice cream store. He'll never make a

[2:58:20] ice cream store. He'll never make a profit.

[2:58:21] Buccelli's won't make a profit after 2 years. But Chellis is done.

[2:58:25] And yes, he can bankrupt, and no, there's no recourse, not through bankruptcy.

[2:58:30] So that's my 2 cents.

[2:58:31] I'll give you the document that you asked for,

[2:58:34] and then you can pass it on to whoever you want, and,

[2:58:37] and I'll come back and say I told you so. Good night, guys. Thank you.

[2:58:42] That was the only card.

[2:58:43] Any questions?

[2:58:46] I move to approve the lease agreement between the City of Largo and Dead Bob's

[2:58:50] between the City of Largo and Dead Bob's Bar

[2:58:50] and Restaurant.

[2:58:52] Second.

[2:58:52] I have a motion and a second. Could you poll the board, please?

[2:58:55] Commissioner Smith? Yes.

[2:58:57] Commissioner Holmes?

[2:58:58] No. Commissioner DiBrizzi? Yes. Mayor Brown? Yes.

[2:59:01] Commissioner Louser?

[2:59:03] Yes.

[2:59:03] Commissioner Holk?

[2:59:04] Yes.

[2:59:04] Motion carries 5 to 1. Thank you. Thank you.

[2:59:08] Good job, Charles. Next is item number 22,

[2:59:11] Ordinance Number 2026-29.

[2:59:22] Good evening, Mayor and City Commission.

[2:59:25] I'm Laura Corey, Assistant Director for Recreation, Parks, and Arts,

[2:59:30] and I have with me Jerry Reming, the Assistant Director for the Library,

[2:59:35] and we're presenting, uh, the few ordinance changes for 2026.

[2:59:39] I'm going to let Good evening, Mayor, Commissioners.

[2:59:43] Providing rental meeting spaces for public use and rental is an important part of

[2:59:49] the library's mission.

[2:59:51] Rental fees have not significantly increased over the years and no longer

[2:59:56] increased over the years and no longer reflect

[2:59:56] the staff time and resources needed to support and maintain the service.

[3:00:01] Over the last 3 years,

[3:00:03] the library has averaged approximately $5,000 annually in room rental revenue.

[3:00:09] Modest increases to the Jenkins Wing meeting room fees are therefore proposed.

[3:00:14] The courtyard gazebo was renovated into the community butterfly garden

[3:00:20] in FY 2022 and has become a busy and vibrant place for library patrons.

[3:00:26] The library proposes changes to simplify the rental structure for that space and to

[3:00:31] better align the options with other city facilities.

[3:00:34] The courtyard gazebo and the entire facility strikethrough on pages 2 and 3 of

[3:00:39] facility strikethrough on pages 2 and 3 of the

[3:00:39] amendments to the fee ordinance were added in error and will be changed before the

[3:00:44] second reading, along with any other guidance that is provided tonight.

[3:00:48] The primary proposed changes are the courtyard gazebo offers as a space-only

[3:00:53] courtyard gazebo offers as a space-only rental

[3:00:53] at $300 plus applicable tax per 3-hour block,

[3:00:56] comparable with a space-only rental option for the terrace at the Central Park

[3:01:01] Performing Arts Center.

[3:01:02] The entire library also was stricken by mistake my mistake, offers for—

[3:01:07] offer for rental at $3,000 plus applicable tax per 3-hour block.

[3:01:13] Jenkins Wing meeting rooms adjusted rental rates to better reflect the staff time

[3:01:17] and resources required to support and maintain the spaces.

[3:01:20] Overall, the intent is to create a simpler and more consistent rental structure

[3:01:24] while aligning the library's offerings with other city-owned facilities,

[3:01:28] and I'm available to answer any questions.

[3:01:30] Thank you. Questions.

[3:01:31] Ordinance number 2026-29, an ordinance of the City of Largo, Florida.

[3:01:36] Diane, hold on, I still have a little bit of presentation.

[3:01:40] I'm so sorry, I, I won't take too much time.

[3:01:43] Um, but on the Recreation, Parks, and Arts side, so we confused it,

[3:01:47] we did 2 sections, Section 6 and Section 10, this, uh, this time.

[3:01:51] Um, but annually the Recreation, Parks, and Arts Department reviews their fees

[3:01:56] and Arts Department reviews their fees for,

[3:01:56] um, uh, to ensure fees are updated and relevant.

[3:01:59] In September of 2025, just to give some background,

[3:02:02] the City Commission adopted a variety of changes to our fees and fee structures

[3:02:08] changes to our fees and fee structures that

[3:02:08] included an additional Capital Recreation Improvement Fund that were—

[3:02:12] that is to help supplement the cost of future RPA capital projects.

[3:02:16] The proposed fee ordinance before you tonight updates some additional fees,

[3:02:21] primarily child care camp memberships and rental fees to be reflective of market

[3:02:26] rates and to ensure that they cover the cost of delivering the service.

[3:02:31] This aligns with our department's cost recovery policy, and on average,

[3:02:35] it's about a $5 increase per activity.

[3:02:38] After surveying neighboring communities, and the—

[3:02:42] our proposed fees still remain competitive to offer those same services,

[3:02:48] and the proposed changes overall will help generate Revenue to further offset

[3:02:55] the general fund cost of delivering recreation services to the community.

[3:03:01] Staff estimate the fee increases over the course of a year will generate about

[3:03:08] $430,000 in revenue beginning FY 2027. I'm here to answer any questions.

[3:03:14] Now, now you can go.

[3:03:17] Ordinance number 2026-29, an ordinance of the City of Largo, Florida,

[3:03:21] amending Sections 6 and 10 of Appendix B of the Largo City Code to amend certain

[3:03:25] fees charged by the Library and Recreation, Parks and Arts departments,

[3:03:29] providing for severability, providing an effective date. Thank you.

[3:03:32] Do we have any cards on this?

[3:03:34] We have no cards.

[3:03:35] Any questions? I move to approve Ordinance number 2026-29 on first

[3:03:40] reading and schedule a second reading Public hearing on September 15th,

[3:03:45] 2026.

[3:03:45] Second.

[3:03:46] Thank you. We do have a question, Commissioner Smith, uh, out of the

[3:03:52] Commissioner Smith, uh, out of the library.

[3:03:52] Uh, Section 6, number, uh, C, uh, the non-PPLC residents—

[3:03:57] you stroke through the single-family visitors card to now just a non-PPLC

[3:04:03] residence of 25, 50, and 75.

[3:04:05] Yeah, just adjust—

[3:04:07] adjusting the, uh, My question is, by striking out the family, um,

[3:04:11] would that now eliminate a whole— or is it just— okay,

[3:04:14] I just want to make sure that that doesn't, uh,

[3:04:17] say every person that comes from one—

[3:04:20] Absolutely, it still qualifies. Yeah.

[3:04:22] Also on, um, number E, why are you—

[3:04:24] why are we striking out the lost library card and computer— I mean,

[3:04:27] computer card I get, but, uh, lost library card of $1 fee?

[3:04:30] Uh, we no longer charge that fee, um,

[3:04:32] because it's a been detrimental to people getting their materials

[3:04:36] if they have to pay that card.

[3:04:38] But don't they— can't they use their driver's license?

[3:04:40] They can, but not at the self-check stations.

[3:04:42] So then they would have to come to the desk every time to get their card.

[3:04:45] And how many times does that happen?

[3:04:48] Over the years, we've probably—

[3:04:50] I would say annually for the lost card,

[3:04:54] for the lost library card, it's probably about under $100.

[3:04:59] Okay. Oh, okay. All right. It's called responsibility. Okay.

[3:05:04] I was gonna follow up on that question, but under $100,

[3:05:08] I think we're okay. I assume there's not people that lose their card

[3:05:14] many, many times. Oh, they do.

[3:05:16] Well, they, they do, but yeah, we note when we've given them a new card.

[3:05:21] Okay. Yeah. Thank you. I do have a motion and a Second. Yeah. All in favor say aye.

[3:05:27] Aye.

[3:05:28] I got to do a roll call. I have to do a roll call. Sorry, sorry about that.

[3:05:32] Commissioner Smith?

[3:05:33] No. Commissioner Holmes? Yes.

[3:05:35] Commissioner DiBrizzi? Yes. Mayor Brown? Yes.

[3:05:39] Commissioner Lauser?

[3:05:40] Yes.

[3:05:40] Commissioner Holk?

[3:05:41] Yes.

[3:05:42] Vice Mayor Johnson?

[3:05:43] Yes. Motion carries 6 to 1.

[3:05:45] Thank you, thank you, thank you. That's a lot. Next up, uh, let me see.

[3:05:49] City Attorney Allen, anything this evening?

[3:05:52] I do not, thank you.

[3:05:53] Very good. Vice Mayor Johnson? I have nothing, thank you. Thank you.

[3:05:57] Commissioner Smith? Uh, this coming Saturday out at, uh, at Ulmer Park is the,

[3:06:03] Saturday out at, uh, at Ulmer Park is the, uh,

[3:06:03] annual— the, um, monthly, uh, Largo Evening Market.

[3:06:06] Um, stop out there from 5 to 9 at Ulmer Park and, um, uh, check out the vendors

[3:06:11] Park and, um, uh, check out the vendors and,

[3:06:12] um, the food trucks and, um, visit the facilities here.

[3:06:15] There is a parking garage, so there'll be overflow so you can park.

[3:06:20] Um, look forward to seeing as many residents out there to participate in that

[3:06:25] residents out there to participate in that event

[3:06:25] this Saturday, uh, from 9 to 5 at Almer Park.

[3:06:28] It's the Largo Evening— uh, the Largo Evening Market.

[3:06:31] Uh, second item, um, we talked at the law— 2 meetings ago about, uh,

[3:06:36] short-term rentals, and I said that, um, um,

[3:06:39] the board kind of was looking for direction on like a,

[3:06:42] a joint collaboration between the, the code and, and, um, planning board.

[3:06:47] Um, I have had a couple residents who attended that reach out to me still with

[3:06:52] concerns because there was no real address from staff really of that we already have

[3:06:58] a shortage of police officers,

[3:07:00] and this distinguish between a police call and a code enforcement call back and

[3:07:05] forth, um, it really doesn't seem to, in these residents' mind, be addressed.

[3:07:10] Police say it's a code issue. Code says it's a police call.

[3:07:14] So they were fearful that this would kind of bog down a little bit and there was no

[3:07:19] real direction from this commission on that item.

[3:07:22] The other one was— trying to read my own handwriting.

[3:07:26] Oh, the— we all know that most of this stuff happens on the weekend.

[3:07:30] There's no clear direction. and staff talked about the possibility in

[3:07:35] talked about the possibility in communication.

[3:07:36] They're talking internal,

[3:07:38] but these residents still fear that that's just talk and it's not gonna actually

[3:07:43] come about, of a weekend patrol for them to call and handle these situations on

[3:07:48] these short-term rentals.

[3:07:50] So I just wanted to let the residents know where we—

[3:07:53] if we could give clear direction on where we are on those,

[3:07:57] or if there is any clear direction on those 2 items. And that's all I have.

[3:08:02] Or if we can get something in an email down the road, if—

[3:08:06] It's like something's walking up now, or—

[3:08:08] Hello.

[3:08:09] Well, and I'd be happy to address—

[3:08:11] the police department was involved through the drafting of this legislation at every

[3:08:17] step. Chief Laux has assured me that they have plenty of officers on patrol that can

[3:08:22] handle issues related to short-term rentals as they come up.

[3:08:26] So that is not an issue. And then we do have— what was your second part?

[3:08:31] The weekend violators.

[3:08:32] Yeah, so the, you know, the parts of the code that, you know,

[3:08:36] require attention on the weekends, PD can address.

[3:08:40] We can address issues like noise and, again, those things after hours.

[3:08:44] Code will be available to handle other issues, for example, garbage, waste,

[3:08:49] other things that know, create, um, create complaints.

[3:08:53] Um, and I'm very comfortable that between the police department and code

[3:08:57] enforcement, we'll have everything covered.

[3:09:00] Um, we'll have a system in place to track those, um, so that we can start, um,

[3:09:05] you know, get the registration process up and running.

[3:09:09] That'll provide us the, the accountability for,

[3:09:12] for owners and contact information for property managers, um,

[3:09:16] so we can deal with the issues promptly.

[3:09:19] So Again, there will be no gap in enforcement. Awesome. Thank you so much.

[3:09:23] Thank you.

[3:09:26] Thank you. Commissioner Holmes? I've got nothing. Thank you. Commissioner DiBrizzi?

[3:09:31] Thank you. Just a quick thanks to everyone involved in getting the proclamation for

[3:09:36] JWB done. That's an organization near and dear to me given the work that I do.

[3:09:40] So it was— I was happy to see it.

[3:09:42] So thank you to everybody who was involved in that. Thank you. Commissioner Lowser?

[3:09:47] Uh, yeah, so happy birthday to the JWB, and, uh, don't forget, uh,

[3:09:51] concert on the breezeway Friday night.

[3:09:53] I think it starts at 6 out at the Largo Golf Course. So thank you.

[3:09:57] Hopefully I'll be there.

[3:09:58] Commissioner Holk?

[3:09:59] I have nothing, thank you.

[3:10:01] Thank you. I, um, this is just to go off of, uh,

[3:10:04] Commissioner Smith's comments about code enforcement and short-term rentals.

[3:10:10] Um, I, I do think that there would be some value to having at least one code

[3:10:15] officer working on Saturdays.

[3:10:17] Right.

[3:10:17] I think that, I think that, um,

[3:10:19] it could be structured where they have a day off during the week and they make a

[3:10:25] little bit more because they're working on Saturday or something like that.

[3:10:29] Maybe you'd find one of the several officers that say, hey,

[3:10:33] I'd work on Saturdays for an extra $100 a week or something.

[3:10:37] And, and, uh, and it, it would solve so much, I believe,

[3:10:41] from businesses that do illegal—

[3:10:43] do stuff that's against code on the weekends to you name it.

[3:10:47] And I would recommend that that officer not be responding to anything but what he

[3:10:52] sees or she sees. So just canvass the city and look for any violation that can maybe

[3:10:57] be addressed right away.

[3:10:59] You just walk up and say, you're not allowed to have this or not, or whatever.

[3:11:04] So That would be my suggestion.

[3:11:06] Maybe we could take a look at doing that sometime in the future.

[3:11:10] I did want to mention, I always do this and I forgot this time,

[3:11:14] Rob Healy and Paul Wallace were reappointed to the Police and Fire

[3:11:18] reappointed to the Police and Fire Retirement Board

[3:11:19] of Trustees. So thank you for their service.

[3:11:22] I know both of them have been on that for a little while.

[3:11:26] And then I think that's it. I had one more thing.

[3:11:29] But I can't find it on my paper, so I'm going to— I'll leave it at that.

[3:11:34] I do want to welcome Bocelli's and Dead Bob's to the City Largo family.

[3:11:38] We're looking forward to them getting their build-out and their improvements.

[3:11:43] I know both business owners are very excited to locate here in Largo,

[3:11:48] and I think they'll bring a great atmosphere to our new complex. Very good.

[3:11:52] Any action items? 3 things.

[3:11:54] A request by Mayor Brown for a report report on the culverts at Donegan and

[3:11:59] report on the culverts at Donegan and under

[3:11:59] New Haven Drive and areas south of there.

[3:12:02] A request by Mayor Brown that staff look at why the lake along Donegan Road is at

[3:12:07] such a high level. And this one I'm not real clear on—

[3:12:11] a request from Vice Mayor Johnson for solid waste comparison of rates,

[3:12:15] commercial and residential. Yeah, in our future—

[3:12:18] in future evaluation, I'd just like to get commercial rates.

[3:12:21] But yeah, not, not commercial as in like businesses, but right, what— so,

[3:12:27] so privately, private haulers providing curbside,

[3:12:32] both recycling and solid waste pickup. Thank you.

[3:12:36] There's a lot of, a lot of them pay, you pay for recycling as well. Yep.

[3:12:42] All right, meeting's adjourned. Thank you very much. I took my body and quit.

[3:12:49] Great job, everybody. All right, Michael, who won?

Largo City Commission Meeting

Transcript