[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.
[23:09] 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.
[1:01:12] 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?