Clermont City Council Transcript 3/24/26

5:31 I call this meeting to order. Welcome to our council meeting for March 24, 2025 26.
5:40 Virtual participation in council meeting are available on your computer or smartphone via soft Microsoft teams or
5:47 by telephone. You can learn how to participate virtually by visiting our website www.cleoutfl.gov
5:57 and search for attend councsil meeting online. In the interest of time,
6:01 efficiency, and ensuring that everyone who wishes to address the council is given the opportunity to do so, the following would apply to all comments made by the public in person or
6:10 virtually. Each speaker will be permitted three minutes to address the council in an effort to be respectful during the meeting. Please make sure your cell phones are set to silence.
6:21 Thank you for participating in your city government. Tonight's invocation will be given by police chaplain Jane Peagan.
6:28 Um,
6:31 I'm g throw a little something I mean I I I would just ask everybody to um one of our
6:39 big members of the community that's contributed a lot to our community, Mr.
6:43 Softy Patrick Wright, better known as Mr. Softy Ice Cream. He lost his wife on yesterday. So, I'm going ask y'all to keep him lifted up in He lost his wife
6:51 on yesterday. So, I'm going ask you to keep him up in prayer, please. All right. Thank you. So, please rise and I'm sorry. Please rise and remain stand for the pledge of lead.
7:02 Thank you.
7:04 Heavenly Father, we thank you for this time that we get to worship you. We gather here today as stewards of our
7:11 city. We ask for your blessing upon this council and all who serve our community.
7:18 Grant us clarity of thought, wisdom in our decision, and the courage to act with integrity. inspire us to work
7:25 together united in purpose for the betterment of every resident. As we approach the upcoming feast days, we are
7:33 reminded of the rich tapestry and the traditions and celebrations that uplift our souls and strengthen our bonds. May
7:42 these special times fill our homes with joy, our hearts with gratitude, and our community with a renewed sense of hope.
7:51 Let the spirit of these holy days inspire us to extend compassion, foster understanding, and build a more
7:59 harmonious clamor for all. In our father's holy name we pray. Amen. Amen.
8:08 Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation
8:15 under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Thank you.
8:22 Please be seated.
8:29 All right. This afternoon we have a proclamation for testicular cancer awareness month. Testicular. Yes ma'am.
8:37 Whereas testicular cancer is the leading cancer in men between ages 15 to 44.
8:42 Although it can occur at any age from infancy to elderly and whereas according to testicular cancer awareness
8:48 foundation approximately nine 9,720 individuals will be diagnosed in 2026
8:56 with testicular cancer in the United States and whereas according to testicular cancer awareness foundation
9:03 approximately 600 deaths will occur in 2026 caused by testicular cancer in the United States. And whereas public awareness can increase early detection.
9:13 And whereas if detected early, testicular cancer is over 95% curable.
9:18 And whereas early stage testicular cancer can be detected by performing monthly selfexams. And whereas it is
9:26 important to recognize those that have been affected by testicular cancer.
9:31 Now therefore, I, Tim Murray, mayor of the city of Clermont in the state of Florida, do hereby proclaim the month of
9:37 April 20 and 26 as testicular cancer awareness month. In witness whereof, I
9:45 have here unto set my hand and cause the great seal of the city of Clmont to be affixed this 24th day of March in the year 206.
9:56 Thank you.
10:01 Uh, next item on the agenda is public comment. If you wish to address the council in person, please come to the microphone and state your name and
10:07 address. Once in-person comments have concluded, we will move on to virtual comments. If you are participating online on Microsoft Teams and wish to
10:16 provide comments, please raise your hand and you will be called on to unmute your microphone when it is your turn to
10:24 speak. If you are participating by phone, you will press star five on your phone to raise your hand. When called
10:31 upon, you will press star six to unmute your microphone.
10:36 For all virtual particip participant, if you wish to comment on other items on the agenda, please stay on the Microsoft
10:43 Teams or on your phone and please raise your hand when your item comes up on the agenda. This portion of the meeting is only for items that are not on the agenda. In the interest of time,
10:54 efficiency and ensuring everyone who wishes to address the council is given an opportunity to do so. Each speaker will be permitted three minutes to address the council. To avoid disruption
11:03 of the meeting, speakers should avoid inappropriate language, personal attacks, and derogatory statements and direct comments to the council. Everyone
11:10 is requested to be respectful of each other even when we disagree. It is not public comment. Anyone wish to speak to anything that's not on the agenda?
11:33 Joe Famasi 2693 jumping jack way. Uh I come to speak to you today about
11:42 impact fee credits and uh CDD building and borrowing money to build these infrastructures.
11:54 I have brought up a CIP report from 2024 where it shows that my CDD through bond
12:02 money that's paid back by the residents Wellness Ridge only has built several
12:08 major sewer and water projects down there in the wellness way area and none of the other developments that
12:16 contributed to this. It was Wellness Ridge that built the traffic light. No other developments have built those traffic lights. I'm sure there was
12:24 impact credit fees associated with that as well as the lift station, master lift station. That master lift station that
12:31 my residents paid for uh part of that $7.4 $4 million that was borrowed by public money also helped facilitate the
12:41 impact credits for the school land donated 15 acres from Lenar that because the land was shovel ready
12:50 increased the impact credit for Lenar up to $3.6 $6 million. It was $250,000 an
12:58 acre, 15 acres because we paid for that lift station to go in there. They end they earned the impact credit because it was separate. It was a land donation.
13:09 These are examples of where they're get they're skirting the law. They might not be violating the law, but they're using
13:17 us as financing for their p their purpose, the developers. When is it the
13:25 growth pays for itself? That doesn't mean one neighborhood pays for everybody. That means that we all contribute in the wellness way towards those particular impacts.
13:35 And I am asking for a more fair system that not only leave it on Wellness Ridge to pay for it, we have Parkside Trails and Olympus that didn't contribute to
13:44 those master stations. I'm still waiting on information request from the prior city managers comments and email
13:52 exchanges with the CDD on that particular issue. Uh I put it in December 21st and I'm still waiting to hear back. I know they're working on it.
14:01 945 emails are associated with this. So I understand it's a large file, but I'd like to see it. I'm very interested how
14:10 this all came about, how one development built everything and not the rest of the wellness way. Thank you. Thank you, sir.
14:21 Anyone else?
14:34 Good afternoon, mayor, members of the council. Paulo Hoisington, 564 East Dninnesota Street. Um I'd like to follow
14:41 up on follow up on um some questions or inquiries that I had at the last council meeting. And during that um someone else
14:49 came up and spoke about the need to feel that the information that we bring, the questions that we bring that they are valued and that we get followup and
14:58 follow-up is requested. I asked a question about basically field trips, the seaside trip. What is the process?
15:07 How do you decide who paid for those who were non- city um employees to go? And in the event that there are other field
15:16 trips, how does the average citizens have the opportunity to be included? I have not heard anything back on that.
15:23 The other thing that I want to bring up is I found it very disturbing
15:30 that councilwoman Strange brought up the need to discuss the resolution and
15:37 behavior on the deis when your seatmate, your prior seatmate
15:44 almost every meeting displayed rude toxic behavior demeanor toward our mayor.
15:53 I could be mistaken and if I am I stand corrected. I do not remember you bringing it up or addressing his behavior as it appro applied to the mayor.
16:04 I also found it somewhat dis that you brought up the fact of who shall or should the mayor should the
16:13 mayor accept um support when he's running?
16:20 I don't recall you asking any of the previous council persons who were up for elections. I don't remember you saying
16:30 publicly, let's not accept those endorsements.
16:34 So, I find it strange that you would address that to the mayor where you didn't see the need to address
16:42 it to your previous colleagues when they were running. It was somewhat disturbing.
16:48 I checked with the secretary of elections and it was nothing about getting endorsement was illegal,
16:56 improper or unethical.
16:58 So the fact that you would ask the mayor publicly not to accept an an endorsement is disturbing to me particularly when
17:06 you didn't do it with the others when they ran. So if somehow I can get a response to that later on, Mr. Mayor, that would be appreciated. Thank you.
17:14 Okay. All right. Thank you. Yes, sir.
17:21 Thank you, council. Mike Kramer, 208 Nautica Mile.
17:25 So, I left a few minutes early from the last meeting, and I really wish I hadn't because I get to listen to Mayor Murray
17:34 discuss the potential of eliminating the planning and zoning board and putting it a special magistrate in place.
17:44 Can I inquire how many of you started on one of the special boards, planning and zoning or any of any boards? I know for sure Brian did. So the majority of you
17:53 have you see the value in it. It's a great opportunity for people to get involved. You want to eliminate community involvement, eliminate the boards.
18:03 I know that people get up there and pontificate and use it as a bully pulpit. If you don't like the way the board's operating, train us better. give
18:11 us the feedback. If there's one or two members on that board who are taking up time and just ranting on and on, pull
18:18 them aside. I know we don't like to do public. We we talked about admonishing people in public and we don't like to do that. Pull them aside. We have a city
18:26 administrator. We have a lawyer who can say, "Hey, Mr. Kramer,
18:31 we're here to talk about a a cup and you're talking about traffic on Hancock
18:38 Road. It's they don't match up. Limit your conversation.
18:45 You want to see the people at the end of the night every night? We'll still be here if we're on planning and zoning. You want to get rid of us, that's fine.
18:54 But I think it's a real bad mistake. I'm really disappointed. I mean, that we would even entertain it without giving any feedback to the to that board.
19:01 People come here and volunteer. Same people come here and volunteer every week to be in these meetings with you.
19:06 Same people come to sharetses, same people that come to to workshops.
19:12 And Tim, I know you really support these boards. So, I'm really hoping you guys can get behind this and figure it out.
19:18 If this board isn't performing the way you like it to do something about it,
19:22 don't just say, "Well, let's just fold it up. You know, maybe we can just let the city manager run things. Just fold you guys up." But it's just not that the
19:30 way it doesn't work that way. So, I hope you have some robust discussion about it. We were entertaining where you said you were going to have a meeting with
19:38 planning and zoning. Set some expectations. If they're not meeting your expectations, give them feedback so they know what to do. But don't come up
19:45 here and say, you know, well, like tell Mr. Vang Wagner, you have no job tonight with no feedback. It's not fair. You've done it before. Do planning zoning.
19:55 I'm disappointed.
19:57 People should have been informed of this instead of it being just brought up like that. I'm I'm going to go sit down. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Anyone else?
20:11 Yes, sir.
20:53 Good afternoon. No.
20:55 Mayor Murray, city council members, city attorney, Rick Van Wagner, deputy city manager, city clerk. Don't want to leave anybody out. Don't hurt anyone's
21:02 feelings. Uh, my name is Kurt Shu. I have a restricted address, but some people know it now since there was a traffic accident at my house this morning. Um,
21:13 this past week in the great city of Miami, one of the largest cities in the great state of Florida, there was a a summit and Jeff Bezos brought up the
21:22 point with the city manager and I think there are people in every community here in Clermont around the United States that are visionaries and I think Jeff
21:29 Bezos is one of those along with a lot of other people like Elon Musk. And so he brought up with the mayor and I'll play the video in a second and he talked
21:37 about how with AI today when the IIA we currently use you can actually approve a building permit in 10 seconds.
21:45 In 10 seconds I know right now with current technology AI systems can understand and articulate 50 to 100 years of human knowledge. They can
21:52 conceptualize it in a day and articulate it. Jeff Bezel also said this past month he's going to lay off 600,000 people in
22:00 the next three years because of robotics and AI and that made a lot of people at Amazon unhappy. But we look at where we're going and I'd like since Clermont
22:09 I think is an amazing city choice of champions where we look at how this is going to be because they say between now and 2035 our world will change.
22:19 So hopefully a AI application that reads your building permit for a new house or a new
22:27 building and it should give you a yes or a no in 10 seconds. And if the answer is
22:33 and if the answer and if the answer is no, if the answer is no, it should tell you the six things
22:42 you have to change to get a yes. And why does it take months and months and months to get a building permit? It doesn't make any sense.
22:54 In Los Angeles, in San Francisco, a building predicts almost 300 days. And so, of the 1200 12,000 structures that
23:01 are burned 14 months ago, only 30 have been approved and are under construction. Out of 12,000 in LA County when the fires happened last January,
23:09 it's something to consider where we're going. Also, there will be cost savings in the future, but there there's going to be unemployment issues, too, that we're going to struggle with over this next half a century. Thank you so much.
23:20 God bless you all. Thank you, sir.
23:25 This is public comment. Any about in the public wish to come to uh speak to anything that's not on the agenda may come to microphone, state your name and
23:32 address, and have three minutes. Anyone else? Anyone else?
23:46 Mr. Mayor, council members, I'm Dennis Allard. I'm from 1792 Nature Cove Lane here in Clermont. I'm here by way of
23:54 encouragement to our men and women of our law enforcement, fire rescue, and our military.
24:03 like my friends and family members, uh just totally disgusted the way our first responders are being portrayed in the
24:10 news and um how they're not appreciated.
24:16 I grew up with uh law enforcement in my family and I still have law enforcement in my family. So, I have a total high
24:22 respect for them. And uh I've been on had the privilege I've been three ride alongs here with the Clermont Police
24:31 Department under Chief Broadway and Chief Gray.
24:35 And um most recently I had what apparently was an attempted break-in in my house uh on March 14th, 2026.
24:46 And so I called the police at about 6:07 a.m. And in inside of two minutes flat,
24:56 two squad cars arrived in the neighborhood with their spotlights on and patrolled the neighborhood. And I
25:03 got a I got a courtesy call from Officer Reynolds, which was great to to report that. I've been um on a ride along with
25:11 Officer Khan Hernandez and Zweg. And uh this May I will be eligible to apply for another ride along and I will I'd like
25:20 to read an excerpt of uh real quick of the late Adrien Rogers who had a message
25:27 on Christian citizenship. And this is what he said. And this was preached in um July 5th,
25:35 1998 and he passed away in 2005. It's about time we said a good word for the policemen. I'm sick and tired of
25:42 policemen being put upon, which meaning taken advantage of as a result of one's good nature, expected or asked to do too
25:51 much. A policeman is many things. He is a son, a brother, a father, an uncle, and sometimes a grandfather.
25:59 He is a protector in time of need. He is a comforter in a time of sorrow. His job calls him to be a diplomat,
26:05 psychologist, a lawyer, a friend, and an inspiration. He suffers from an overdose of publicity, brutality, and of
26:12 dishonesty. He suffers the notoriety. He suffers far more than uh unfounded charges. Too often, acts of heroism go
26:21 unnoticed. And the truth is buried under all the criticism. The fact is, listen to this, less than half of 1% of policemen ever discredit their uniform.
26:31 That's a better average than you find among clergymen. A policeman is an ordinary guy who's called upon for extraordinary bravery for us. His job
26:40 may seem routine, but the interruptions could become moments of stark terror. He is the man who faces half crazy gunmen.
26:48 I'm sorry. Go ahead. Finish up.
26:51 He's he's uh he's the man who faces a half crazed gunman who rescues a lost child who challenges a a mob and risk
26:59 his neck more than we realize. He deserves our thanks. A policeman stands between the law abider and the law
27:06 breaker. He is the prime reason your home hasn't been burned, your family hasn't been abused, and your business
27:13 looted. Try to imagine what would happen if there were no policemen around. And then try to show them the respect you
27:20 really have. Offer them a smile and a kind word. See that they don't have to be magicians to raise their families on
27:28 less than adequate salaries. We think policemen are great. We thank God for all the little boys who they wanted to
27:36 be a policeman. We hope you feel the same way and we hope you show it so that there will be enough good policemen to
27:44 go around. He is the minister of God to thee for good. He is there to restrain evil. And my end note is whether you see
27:53 a member of law enforcement, fire rescue or military veteran, it takes less than 10 seconds to approach them with a smile
28:01 and extend a hint of friendship and thanking them for their service. And as a volunteer at the Lake County uh prison
28:09 for past eight and a half years, I quite re recently I've been seeing a lot of FHP and other law enforcement come to um
28:19 use the shooting range to keep up their qualifications and uh to hone their skills. And even though the compound
28:27 sounds like Fourth of July, I thank God and take comfort to know that they are doing this for me and those around us.
28:35 Thank you very much. Thank you, sir.
28:42 Anyone else? Anyone else in the chamber?
28:47 Not I close out the public comment in the chamber. I think I may have one online. Go ahead.
29:03 microphone's muted, sir.
29:05 Sir, uh, whoever's online, your microphone is muted. Please unmute your microphone.
29:11 They on teams or the telephone. My apologies. And and and I'm a ma'am.
29:18 My name is Jenny May. I'm at 4062 Greystone Drive. I would like to uh add on to what Mr. Kramer who sits on the planning and zoning commission with me.
29:29 Um again, I was taken aback uh I was told that the special magistrate conversation was brought up at the end
29:37 of a city council when I was out of town. Um when when I asked the reason why, nobody had the why.
29:47 And that's the problem.
29:49 So if we are doing something wrong then why aren't we told what is the wrong because I believe that the seven people
29:57 who provide their volunteer work who give up some time from their work from their families to to do you know have a
30:06 noble cause to do their civic duty to serve on a commission should know the why.
30:11 So if maybe one or two people are being unruly or rude or whatever it is because I still don't know what the why is then
30:19 why eliminate the entire commission seven there. We are dedicated volunteers. I am
30:27 a dedicated volunteer. I have not only served on the planning and zoning commission but I have also served in on the code enforcement and I truly truly believe that we have a great commission.
30:39 There may be times that people may ask too many questions or may be out of line, but that's where the staff or the the the city attorney should, you know,
30:51 step forward and let us know or or or even stop us. But to to literally just
30:58 tell us, hey, they're doing such a bad job or or they're doing a bad thing or or they're they're scaring away good developers or bad developers. I mean,
31:07 without having the why and telling us what the why is, then how do you eliminate the problem? So, I mean, I
31:13 would appreciate if someone um and I know we have a meeting, I think, coming up, but at least let us
31:20 know what we're doing wrong so that we can kind of eliminate or improve. You know, like Mr. Kramer says,
31:28 give us the training. But we are dedicated people. We give our time. So,
31:33 I hope that you take this all in consideration. Um, and just, you know, special magistrates,
31:43 it's not the way to go. Especially, I think they brought up Wildwood. I mean,
31:47 Wildwood is a small city. I mean, we are a growing city. And to be able to have the citizens speak in front of their peers, their residents, their neighbors,
31:59 is is better than having them speak in front of a a legal attorney who probably has no vested interest in our city. So,
32:07 I just wanted to just come online and just let you know that please no to special magistrate and and just, you know, have some respect to the
32:15 commissioners who do serve and provide their times away from their families to serve. Thank you very much. Thank you.
32:23 Anyone else?
32:26 No one else online. So, we're going to close public comment and move on. Mr.
32:34 Vanwagen, are there any changes to the agenda? No changes, Mr. Mayor.
32:38 No change to the agenda. So, the next portion of the meeting, the consent agenda, which contains items that have been determined to be routine and non-controversial. If anyone in the
32:47 audience wish to address a particular item on the consent agenda, now is the opportunity for you to do so.
32:52 Additionally, if staff or members of the city council wish to speak to a consent item, they have the same opportunity.
32:59 The consent items for consideration tonight is items uh 1 through 12.
33:05 There any items anyone wish to have pulled? Number four. Number four.
33:15 Any other any other items?
33:21 Seeing no other items, I would entertain a motion on items 1, two, three, and four and five through 12. I'd like to make a motion to accept items 1
33:30 through 12, leaving fing five out for discussion. Item four. Four.
33:37 Four. Never mind. Leaving four out of discussion. Okay. I second.
33:42 I have a motion. Motion and a second for accept the consent agenda consent agenda item as presented with items one two
33:50 three and five through 12 leaving item four for further discussion any further discussion hearing none all in favor let it be known by saying I
33:59 all oppose chair vote I as well motion carries passes 50 item number four
34:07 resolution number 2026-008R yes ma'am Um, I pulled this because I'm against it.
34:16 Okay,
34:23 this is this is a public hearing. Anyone in the public wish to speak to this item may come to the microphone and state your name and address and have three minutes.
34:34 Anyone in the public wish to address this item number four from the consent agenda may come to microphone, state your name and address and have three minutes.
34:42 Seeing no one, anyone online? No one online. We are going to close public comment. Yes, sir. Mr. Bank,
34:50 I was just going to make a motion to approve item number four. Okay. Is there a second? Second.
34:57 Have a motion and second for approval of item number four. Any further discussion?
35:05 None. All in favor, let it be known by saying I. I. I.
35:08 All oppose. I or nay and the chair vote I as well. Motion is nay.
35:18 Motion passes 32.
35:23 All righty. Item number 13, ordinance number 026-031,
35:30 final certified recovery residence residence. Yes, ma'am.
35:38 Ordinance number 202613,
35:41 an ordinance of the city council of the city of Clermont, Lake County, Florida,
35:45 amending chapter 125 to establish procedures for the review and approval of recovery residences pursuant to
35:52 amended section 397.487 487 Florida statutes providing for conflict severability codification administrative
36:01 correction of scrivener's error publication and effective date. Yes sir.
36:08 Good afternoon mayor, city council members and guests. John Cruz development services. This is agenda item 13. City staff is proposing an
36:17 amendment to the land development code in order to align with new state laws regarding the review and approval processes for certified recovery
36:24 residences. The law requires local governments in the state of Florida to formalize and streamline the review and
36:31 approval process for applicants seeking reasonable accommodation from local land use regulations to establish certified
36:39 recovery residences. If the amendment is approved, a new article under chapter 125 of the city's land development code entitled zoning would be created
36:48 specifically for rec certified recovery residents to ensure consistency with the requirements in section 397.487
36:56 of the Florida statutes. The planning and zoning commission recommend approval 6 to0. Staff recommends approval ordinance 2026-013.
37:07 That concludes staff's presentation. Okay,
37:11 this is a public forum. Anyone in the public wish to address this item may come to the microphone and state your name and address and have three minutes.
37:19 Anyone in the chamber wish to address this item may come to the microphone and state your name and address and have three minutes.
37:25 Seeing no one at close chamber, nobody mind. We are closed public com bring it back to council. What say council?
37:35 I was against this when it came for the first reading. Um, I remain against it,
37:39 not only because this is another example of the state of Florida telling us how to run our city, but also because when you look at the requirements of what we
37:46 as a city and our city staff will have to do, um, I don't believe that we're currently equipped to provide these this
37:53 level of service. So, because I see it as once again state overreach into our local government, I'll be voting against it today.
38:04 Okay. Anyone else? If not, I entertain a motion.
38:18 Well, to get a motion, I'll go ahead and move to approve item number 13. So, we can vote on it.
38:26 Sorry, I second. Okay.
38:31 have a motion in a second for approval of item number 13, ordinance number 20.
38:38 I would like to ask our attorney. Do we have to approve this? I'm sorry. 20126-013.
38:44 Yes and no. I mean, so I I don't want to give you that lawyerly, but the state does require that we pass an ordinance like this that does create a method by
38:54 which we bypass any uh attempt by the city to prevent recovery residences from operating. So, it doesn't have to be
39:01 this specific form. There could be changes made. Maybe you don't like this way of doing it. Um, but we do have to pass something like this and we have to do it soon.
39:10 Okay. Well, uh, what does soon mean? Huh? Uh, by yesterday. By yesterday. Ah,
39:16 this is and that's what I'm saying. And I agree with council member uh, Strange.
39:21 It's another one of them things where the state is overreaching, but at this point basically it's a state law. We have no no other choice almost. So, so
39:30 I would like to ask council member Strange, what would you like changed in it if since we do have you do re realize we do have to accept it, but what how would you change it in your opinion?
39:40 The rebel in me doesn't like the we have to do a thing. But the things that jump out at me are um for example, are we
39:48 prepared to identify whether people in these in these homes have a minimum of nine months sobriety? Are we prepared to
39:57 determine whether the home is democratically run? Are we prepared to determine whether residents are following rules in the resident handbook? Are we prepared to determine whether the residents are paying dues?
40:08 Are we prepared to determine and make a determination on whether the supervision by staff has formal training and that the residents are being held
40:16 accountable? Are we even prepared to determine whether the residences are actually being staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? Are we prepared to
40:25 determine whether clinical services may not be performed or are being performed at the residence? I think there's a lot of oversight here that
40:34 I mean at the risk of asking a I'm seeing a a no from our development director here and I just think that
40:43 if there is absolutely loose language I could get behind it. I just don't know how we enforce this law. And if a law
40:52 can't be enforced, I don't think it should be on the books.
40:55 I I I get that, you know, as a city attorney, I certainly understand that. I think what this ordinance does, and a lot of uh local governments have kind of adopted something very similar to this.
41:05 In other words, we aren't reinventing the wheel.
41:07 Um is it's kind of deferring those concerns to the certified recovery residents. So, it's this process of
41:14 certification that we're hoping and assuming works, that the credentiing entity, the Florida Department of Children and Families, our DCF, is doing its job.
41:24 As long as it's doing its job, theoretically,
41:27 we shouldn't have to do our own compliance uh checks. But what if they don't do the checks and stuff? Does that come back on us? What
41:34 is uh what do you mean, Councilman? Like what you just said, say they're not doing all
41:41 of the different checks that's listed on there to make sure that it's staffed, you know, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day,
41:48 the people are meeting whatever their requirements are.
41:51 I think the answer is it might. I mean, it depends on the level of supervision we want to have. If we get word that there
42:00 are concerns, we report that to the DCF because they're the credentiing authority.
42:04 So the state wouldn't hold us for that then? Oh, no.
42:07 Okay. Okay. That's I just want to make sure we won't have any liability as a result of this.
42:11 Now is this a precipitation of what's going on in other parts of the country with these type of uh facilities where supervision was lacks if not even there?
42:20 I don't know about the rest of the country. I think that this arises from the fact that many local governments struggle with the location of facilities
42:29 like this or other homeless shelters for example. It's not in my backyard, right?
42:34 So, a lot of local governments are um very I'm not saying they have bad reasons. I'm just saying they it's harder and harder for these places to
42:42 exist. So, what the state is doing is it's overriding our control over it and saying,
42:48 "Well, you're going to have them period and we're going to make it easy for them to exist." And that's I think that's my view of what
42:56 the public policy from the legislature is,
42:59 right? Is there a way for us to designate areas that would be approved?
43:04 Is there a way for us to say um we will rely solely on DCF and is there a way for us to add a clawback in the event
43:13 that um maybe a certain number of police calls come to a place or some sort of standard where we say okay you've given your notice you've there's some sort of
43:22 teeth that we revert back to the original zoning if the entity who got the benefit of the looser zoning fails to uphold their end of the bargain.
43:32 Well, we can revoke approval on this. Um there there is a provision at the end where if we can put reasonable uh
43:41 conditions of approval and if they violate those conditions, they go away. Uh if they don't maintain certification,
43:48 they can't be there and and it will revert. Um I I think that even you know they've
43:56 even tried to find a way around that which is uh well the 180 days.
44:01 Yeah, exactly. So we we can tweak parts of this for sure. I mean, if you don't like that 180 days thing, um, we can
44:08 take it out and see what happens. Um, so it's up to you.
44:14 Just like we've passed things in violation of SP 180 before, too. I mean,
44:18 and nothing has happened. So I thus far thus far and the law is going to be amended. So I'm not sitting here saying
44:25 that um the form of it matters as much as the fact that we do something So what you're saying is that you could
44:34 eliminate that 180 and then pass it with without the 180. Sure. And then see if it goes back and it it it sticks. If not, then it becomes a law among other things. Yes.
44:43 I I the way I view it, Council Member Strange, also is I don't I think an answer to your question, I don't believe
44:50 it really falls on us to check a lot of those things. We may be concerned about them. Um and maybe we establish
44:58 uh staff to check on some of them. But this is a credentiing entity issue. It is something that is outsourced to the DCF.
45:06 I I see it as is taking a lot of responsibilities away from us. Okay. And putting it in the hand. You asked the question about it fall back on us. I
45:14 think it fall back to the state under these circumstances if we pass what was here. So um um all other concern I
45:21 really have with it even is the fact that as Mr. W say they making it easest for these facilities and everything to
45:29 exist are they going to fund the facilities? How how do they get funded?
45:33 Okay that's that's and and you as a council may dictate to staff that in its application of the
45:39 criteria in section 125-626 uh that we aren't lenient. You know, so for example, there's a condition here
45:48 that um we have to consider on an application whether the requested accommodation would impose an undue financial or administrative burden on
45:56 the city. You could give us guidance on how to interpret that or maybe staff comes up with it uh staff self saying look we're not giving it it's got to be
46:04 very clear if there's any burden we think that's undue. So I don't think the hands are completely tied, but we
46:12 whatever guidance we have in interpreting these criteria, we'd have to be consistent. That's all. Okay.
46:17 Could we add any sort of condition under the revocation that if an arrest is made or a number of arrests are made, then the re that would be considered grounds for revocation?
46:27 Yes. Oh, okay.
46:29 I mean, this kind of goes to what we talked about at the workshop about if it violates the nuisance statute, for example. If if and that's what our
46:37 nuisance statute is. I mean, if there's a certain number of arrests for certain crimes within 6 months, nuisance, we can seek abatement. I heck I mean, I think
46:45 that's a very good idea. You could absolutely incorporate that.
46:49 Could we put any sort of restriction on the number of bodies in a room? Like I noticed some of these have like nine residents and you start dealing with
46:57 nine people in a three-bedroom house and you could start to run into vehicles being parked in the street, vehicles
47:04 parked in the grassy area of the community. I mean, could we put any sort of standards so that it doesn't scream this is a house that has 12 adults living in a three-bedroom?
47:14 I think we could. I I don't think they have any interest in in looking that way either. Um, normally they try to be fairly nondescript for obvious reasons.
47:25 Um, I just don't know. I'm I'm just the lawyer, you know. So, I I don't know what those right numbers are. What I the
47:32 way I look at it is we can always amend it if it's not working. So, if this number doesn't make sense, let's we we can change it later as well.
47:41 That was going to be a question I was going to ask is could we do something similar to like what we did with uh the
47:48 original golf cart trial. Could we put a a one-year time limit or what you know a time limit which forces us to address
47:56 some of these things because my concern is is I think I've heard about four or five different changes and I don't know if I fully understand where all those
48:05 are going to be and the the effect of those. But I also from watching the planning and zoning commission meeting
48:12 heard the city attorney say we really do need to get something on the books at this point and try to figure out how to move forward. So I I I wonder if we
48:22 could move forward with a one-year uh you know this is in effect for one year.
48:27 It gives time for us to give the feedback that we just talked about here to the city attorney. He can look at is that feasible? Isn't it feasible? you
48:35 know, what are the options available to us in those things? And if we need to then come back with a revised, it doesn't have to be a year, it can be six
48:42 months if he comes back with a ordinance that, you know, more aligns with the spirit of where we are here. Um, and then we can actually then just take that
48:50 time limit off. Does that sound like something we could agree to? Yeah. So, we can get something on the books. So, I if so, I'll make a motion.
48:58 Time out. Time out. I got a motion on the floor already. Well, actually, I I like I like the direction and um if you're comfortable, let me see if I can
49:06 amend this in a way that might make us all a little more happy. Um, so I'm going to move to adopt item number 13,
49:13 ordinance 2026-013 with the following amendments. Adding a subsection 10 under section 125626A
49:21 that allows city staff to rely solely on the representations of DCF and determining the applicability of this ordinance on a particular situation.
49:30 That'd be subsection 11. You're right. That's 11. Thank you. I wrote over 10.
49:35 Okay. um amending section 125-627 to add as excuse me to amend subsection
49:44 B to be 30 days rather than 180 days to add a subsection C to include violation
49:51 of our existing nuisance statute to add a subsection D to prohibit on street or
49:57 off driveway parking and to add to section seven a one-year sunset to ordinance.
50:07 I second um Mr. War the one there about um off streetet parking that that could be a problem.
50:18 Right.
50:19 That is exactly what caught my attention. Um because to the extent that it is treated as residential,
50:28 I can't do that. um if it's otherwise permitted for residential and throughout other residents
50:35 throughout the community throughout the city. Correct.
50:38 See, you're restricting that one community with that.
50:41 I can't do that. We have to do it for the whole city.
50:44 Does our current code allow for parking in the grass areas of any neighborhoods? You can.
50:51 Yes, you can. What can I do?
50:58 You can proceed or take that out? Take that part out.
51:01 And yeah, I I guess I would just go back to the maybe we approve what we have here for the because it there that was a
51:09 lot that that's what I was trying to avoid um at this point cuz um you just read off I think five different things
51:16 and I was still trying to find the spot where the first one was when you finished with the fifth one. So um I think uh I I I hear what you're saying.
51:25 I think there's good intent to try to figure this out to make this better, but without all of those recommendations in front of me, I I'm going to I'm going to
51:32 vote no unless we can just either table this with those until those ordinances come back or those amendments come back to the next meeting if we're able to do
51:40 that procedurally or just put it in as is for a year and and come back with with revisions. Well, I would vote no to that. So,
51:49 either way, it'll be at least one no vote and I respect that because I I would do the same. Um, I don't mind for purposes of moving this forward to
51:57 remove the on street off driveway section D edition. So, we would just be amending to add an item number 11 under
52:06 on page 271 to simply say that city staff can rely solely on DCF and making a determination about compliance so that
52:15 our staff doesn't have to make the assessments that I was concerned about under subsection uh section 125627. This
52:23 is the revocation of granted accommodation under 271. Um, what I was looking at was reducing that 180 days
52:30 down to 30 and then adding the violation of our nuisance statute as conditions upon which staff could revoke or council
52:38 could revoke the uh the the looser um zoning that would be granted under this
52:45 ordinance, the special zoning that would be granted and then to add the one-year sunset. So, we're we're really looking at four changes if we can get comfortable with that.
52:56 Okay.
52:57 Okay. Uh and Mr. Bane, if can I have a second? My second approval.
53:01 Yeah, we have a motion in a second. If I'm not mistaken, we can always come back and revisit this uh after it's on the book. We you can take a look at it and come back and visit any portion of
53:09 it that you you don't agree with. So, is there any further discussion?
53:15 Hearing none. Uh roll call. Uh Council Member Strange. I with the stipulation as presented. Okay.
53:23 Yes. Okay. With the four number of the parking. Okay. Uh Mr. Bane. No.
53:30 Council member Myers I.
53:33 Council member Peterson I.
53:36 Chair vote I as well. Motion passes 4 to one. So, uh, we make those changes and then of course we can take another look
53:44 at all that once once it changes and really see what it's look like when it's actually in writing. Um, item number 14,
53:52 resolution number 2025-037,
53:57 a resolution of the city council of the city of Clermont, Lake County, Florida,
54:01 granting a conditional use permit to allow for a convenience store, gas station, and car wash to be allowed within the wellness way planned unit development providing for conflict,
54:13 severability, administrative correction of Scrivener's error, publication, and an effective date. Yes, sir.
54:21 Good afternoon again. John Cruz, Development Services.
54:25 This is agenda item 14, 7-Eleven Wellness Way conditional use permit. The applicant B3 Capital Group is requesting
54:32 a conditional use permit to allow for a convenience store and gas station as the primary use and ancillary car wash use.
54:40 The subject parcel approximately 6.69 69 acres is located at the southeast corner of the Wellness Way and Scoffield Road intersection. The
54:49 property is governed under the Wellness Ridge PUB ordinance number 2019-06.
54:56 The request would encompass the entirety of the subject parcel with the future intent to split off the proposed convenience store, gas station, and car wash during final site plan approval.
55:06 Proposed use will be located on the west side of the subject parcel. Here is an example of the elevation that was submitted.
55:15 The proposed site is within the Wellness Way neighborhood center land use that is designated for C1 light commercial uses
55:23 that complement the adjacent residential uses. Convenience stores and gas stations are a conditional use under the C1 light commercial use. Car washes are
55:32 not permitted as a conditional use under the C1 light commercial district and are specifically prohibited by the ordinance 2019-06.
55:42 A review of the current convenience store and gas station locations within the city indicates that majority of them are located along an arterial roadway
55:51 such as US 27 or State Road 50 and they're located within C2 general commercial zoning. In addition, a review
55:59 of card wash locations indicates that they are also located along arterial roadways s such as US 27 or state road
56:08 50. All these uses are autodependent or more desirable along roadways with higher levels of service. The
56:15 neighborhood center is more suited for walkability from the nearby residents that provides a variety of services that are less intense and dependent on vehicles.
56:25 The city adopted wellness way design standards in 2022, a set of formbbased codes. While the original PED was
56:33 adopted prior to these standards, the applicant's request for a conditional use permit can be subject to these standards. The proposed project does not meet several of the design standards.
56:44 One such standard is 2.3.2 that requires buildings on cornal parcels be located up to and address the corner. Another
56:52 standard is table 2.2.2. two that doesn't permit these uses in the neighborhood district. The proposed
57:00 convenience store, gas station, and car wash would be more appropriate in the multi-use west the multi-use district that fronts US 27.
57:09 When evaluating a request for a conditional use permit, the land development code section 1012 requires specific development standards that are
57:17 required to be met. Staff has reviewed the application as submitted in accordance with the development criteria and finds that the proposed use is in
57:25 conflict with PUD ordinance 2019-06 the land development regulations for C1 light commercial and the wellness way
57:34 design standards approachable at this particular location since there are several standards within the wellness way design standards and the city's
57:42 comprehensive plan for the neighborhood district that are in conflict. In addition, the character and type of development at this location is
57:49 autodependent and does not reinforce the neighborhood district's walkability for uses with the adjoining residential neighborhood.
57:56 Now, on the display is an overall site plan. And to the left of the site plan is is the is the 7-Eleven along with the car wash and the convenience store.
58:07 Action to date. The planning and zoning commission recommended denial 5 to0 at the October 7th, 2025 meeting. Following
58:15 the planning and zoning meeting, the applicant requested a continuence to their application in order to address questions brought up by the planning and
58:23 zoning commission. The applicant made changes to the proposed plan and provided the updated concept plan to staff for review. Staff found the
58:32 changes to be minor and included an increased landscape buffer on the south side of the property. The car wash was relocated to the east side of the
58:40 project and adjustments to the proposed access from Wellness Way were noted. It was determined by staff that the changes were nonsubstantial.
58:48 Staff has reviewed the updated plan and staff's recommendation of denial still stands based upon the analysis. The primary issue is the proposed use is not
58:57 considered desirable at this particular location since there are several standards within the wellness way design standards and the city's comprehensive
59:05 plan for the neighborhood district that are in conflict. Staff recommends denial of the conditional use permit resolution number 2025-037R.
59:15 That concludes staff's presentation. Thank you. Is the applicant present?
59:31 How are you all doing? All righty, sir. How about yourself?
59:34 Great. Uh Trey Vic, CEO of V3 Capital Group. Uh thank you guys for taking the opportunity to listen to the project. Um
59:41 you we have been through uh quite a process with this project. Uh we've met with staff several times. Uh we met with the residents uh at a community meeting
59:50 most recently on the 18th. Uh limited attendance on their side, but our team was there and has reached out. I know um
59:58 John mentions the changes to the site plan. Um I would just call out a few things. I know it'll be open to public comment and we'll I'm sure have more to
1:00:06 discuss, but um well actually could is it possible to just put the site plan that you had there? So
1:00:15 he mentioned nonsubstantial changes and and I think that that's fair and and that's part of why we're here and didn't go back through P&Z but the changes were
1:00:24 very intentional. I think that's what I just want to call out. So if you look at the buffering uh towards the south um
1:00:31 where the spine road cuts through and the green space that buffer that exists within our standards is a 15ft landscape
1:00:39 buffer a 25 ft building st set setback which that landscape buffer is part of.
1:00:43 So effectively you could build a building within 25 ft of that property line. What we're showing here is is
1:00:50 substantially greater. It's 175 ft from the edge of our property line all the way up to the building. Uh with that
1:00:56 landscape buffer being uh twice more really almost 300% of what was required.
1:01:02 The idea there is listening to the residents concerns from our last PNZ meeting about not not having um enough
1:01:09 buffering there having a commercial use in their backyard. All those factors were certainly taken into account and uh given the value of commercial real
1:01:17 estate, I mean it's a substantial use of property, but in an effort to make the residents realize we're we're not trying to just ram this down everyone's throat.
1:01:25 We're trying to have a a comprehensive view of it. The second move was moving the car wash to the right of the building. That was probably the the
1:01:32 biggest change in terms of keeping buildings away from the residents. uh that actually oriented it um
1:01:40 perpendicular with the main road, but we also buffered both the front and the the back of the car wash to deal with light.
1:01:47 Uh we also have it facing towards the main street. Uh so you won't have headlights facing the cars or the houses. You won't have um the noise or
1:01:55 will be managed as well as it can be with landscape buffering. And then all of the tanks, um, vent stacks, anything,
1:02:02 uh, fuel related is all, uh, at the farthest point away from the residential homes as possible. Um, so I just I draw those key points of adjustment that was
1:02:11 made. Um, keeping the rear frontage road there to to provide additional buffering, uh, pedestrian connectivity across the entire site being
1:02:19 accommodated there. It it it certainly was not, um, uh, something where we didn't hear what the concerns were and do our very best to address them. So, um I'm sure uh there'll be more comment.
1:02:29 I'll be back to to talk, but I just wanted to lay that foundation. So, all right. Thank you, sir. Thank you. And should we have any other question,
1:02:38 we will call on you at a later time.
1:02:40 This is a public hearing. Anyone in the chamber wish to address this item may come under the microphone and state your name and address and have three minutes.
1:02:47 Anyone in the Hello, good afternoon. My name is
1:02:59 Matthews Morgan. I live at 2671 Runner Circle, Clermont.
1:03:04 Um, we've been, you know, thinking about this for a really long time after we bought our house. But, um, I'm going to
1:03:12 go ahead and just tell you what I I I've been learned on on the internet.
1:03:18 Uh there are several practical environmental and safety reasons why people often oppose a gas station behind direct behind the ground. I'm sorry.
1:03:27 Excuse me. Take your time.
1:03:33 The the safety risks. Uh gas stations store large amounts of flammable fuel while modern stations are regulated.
1:03:41 Their risks still a risk of fire or explosions. fuel truck traffic increasing accidental risk spills during a delivery or storage.
1:03:52 Uh there are health concerns. Uh stations release fumes that can affect air quality. Long-term exposure has been
1:04:00 linked to health issues especially for children and older adults. Uh noise and light pollution. Uh cars coming and going at all hours.
1:04:10 Loud delivery trucks especially morning and late night. Uh bright canopy lights that may stay on 24 hours, 247 hours a
1:04:19 day. Uh increased traffic. A gas station could bring more cars cutting through nearby streets. Congestion and interest
1:04:27 and exits. Higher risk for pedestrians and residential areas. Uh environmental
1:04:34 risks. Underground storage tanks can leak over time. Soil and groundwater contamination is a major concern.
1:04:42 Cleanup can take years if something goes wrong. Uh, very important is property value impact. Homes located next to
1:04:50 which my house will be exactly behind it. I'm I'm thinking it'll be right behind the car wash, exactly within 100
1:04:56 ft or so. Uh, homes located next to or behind gas stations often sell for less,
1:05:03 take longer to sell, are seen as less desirable by buyers. There are crime concerns. Gas stations,
1:05:12 especially 24-hour ones, can sometimes attract lording, theft, or vandalism. Late night disturbances.
1:05:19 Uh there will be odors, gasoline fumes,
1:05:21 and exhaust smells can carry into nearby yards and homes, especially depending on wind direction.
1:05:28 And also the Charlie Kirk Memorial Highway goes down Scoffield Road, which is in Clermont, which will be right
1:05:34 there. Uh Wellness Ridge promotes and represents a healthy style of living. and that certainly won't be doing that.
1:05:44 People will be walking and trying to enjoying their lives with their families all in that area. It just it doesn't appear right and look right and it just
1:05:52 doesn't belong there. Uh I clearly oppose this project for the health concerns, the safety risks, and the
1:06:01 property value impact. I ask that you deny the plans to build the 7-Eleven.
1:06:06 It has been extremely challenging for me to buy this home due to my disability
1:06:13 and I I I ask that you do not build the 7-Eleven to destroy the dreams of my wife and myself. Thank you.
1:06:23 Thank you, sir. Yes, sir.
1:06:36 Good afternoon everybody. Uh my name is Lan from 2659 Runner Circle. I wrote something out for you here. Um I live directly behind the proposed 7-Eleven.
1:06:46 I'm going to show you guys a picture of where my lot stands at. Uh I'm here as a homeowner, neighbor, and a dad who cares
1:06:52 about his family and where we live. Uh right now our neighborhood is quiet,
1:06:57 safe, and honestly one of the main reasons why me and my my family chose to live in that neighborhood.
1:07:04 Uh it's the kind of place where people walk their dogs, kids are outside playing all the time. Uh and you don't
1:07:12 have to think about what is going on during the day or late at night. That's the peace of mind. The peace of mind is a big deal for for all the residents. I
1:07:21 believe bring in a 24-hour business. And even if it is not a 24-hour business, a long, you know, working period, I don't
1:07:29 know what what you want to call it, but it's going to be long hours business and a convenience store right behind our homes is going to change that completely. It's not just about having a
1:07:38 store nearby or convenience. It's everything that comes with it. Increased traffic. We have tankers coming to, you
1:07:46 know, fill up the gas the gas tanks. um headlights shining into our homes. Even if it is not directly into our homes, it
1:07:55 is going to be an annoyance. Constant flow of people in and out and constant flow of traffic. Quite being honest,
1:08:03 places like this just don't bring customers. They bring issues, loading,
1:08:08 noise, trash, and over time real safety concerns. That's not just assuming anything. That's something that we've seen happening in other places as well.
1:08:17 Uh, I work in construction. I drive from Hernando County, Elatchua County,
1:08:23 Sumpter County. I drive everywhere and I do construction everywhere. I'm yet to see a gas station built behind or in
1:08:30 front of a home. If you guys can show me one gas station like this anywhere nearby where we live, I I'll be I'll be
1:08:38 impressed because I couldn't find driving everywhere in the state of Florida in Central Florida. We're not we're not against growth. We understand the city is developing and that's a good
1:08:47 thing because we have other spaces. We know there. But that but not every project belongs in every location. A
1:08:55 24-hour gas station directly behind a residential home is just not a good fit.
1:09:00 This is not a good fit. At the end of the day, this decision isn't just about a business. It's about people.
1:09:06 It's about the families who live there and who will deal with the consequences of every single day long after this meeting is over. We are asking you to
1:09:15 really think about that. Think if you're going to if you would buy a house, would you buy a house behind or in front of a gas station? Just think about that. If
1:09:23 you would be in our shoes, would you do that? Would you be happy with that?
1:09:27 Whatever. You know, if you change it, if you make it prettier, if you put a buffering zone, it's a gas station regardless. If you can just I don't know
1:09:36 how it works, but if you can just show real quick. I just want to show you what my backyard looks like. And this is not the second floor. This is my backyard.
1:09:46 He can help you. Oh,
1:09:51 you can take a picture off of a We'll take a picture off of the video feed.
1:09:58 Okay. Right here.
1:10:02 Yeah. I just I just want to show you guys this is this is the stop sign on Wellness Way on I'm sorry Scoffield into
1:10:11 Wellness Way. This is me me standing at my backyard. This is how close this gas station is going to be to my house.
1:10:19 Thank you very much for your time. Thank you, sir.
1:10:28 Valerie Shu, West Montro Street. Um, I'm going to keep it short. I'm just going to encourage you guys to make your denial swift, you know, and from someone
1:10:36 who's not a resident of Wellness Way, I want to share that perspective. I feel for the residents of Wellness Way. We hear about it every council meeting and
1:10:46 it's so much bigger than a not in my backyard. That's a that's obviously an understandable perspective for the residents, but this is not what they
1:10:53 were promised and we need to advocate for better development. Thank you. Anyone else?
1:11:06 Joe Famasi 2693 jumpy jack way wellness way. Um when I seen this project come I had a lots of questions especially with
1:11:15 placement of it directly on what's going to be a commute road eventually. Uh the entry and exit way for that property is
1:11:24 only one way off of Wellness Way going towards I guess would be the Hamlet section which raised lots of concerns
1:11:31 for me uh getting in and out of that property. Scullfield Road only has one entry and one exit that goes in one
1:11:40 direction back towards Clermont and it doesn't go the other way.
1:11:45 So my question is is I know they made some changes here and I appreciate that, but at the same time really they didn't.
1:11:52 All they did is turn the plan around another direction and they're uh they're
1:12:00 really no nothing changed. It's the same plan that came before the planning and zoning commission if we're going to be honest.
1:12:08 And no buffering is going to protect that neighborhood. If we go to Clermont right now on Highway 27, how many like
1:12:16 my prior neighbor said, how many gas stations do you sit set next up to residential areas? None. That's done for a reason. That's to protect those
1:12:24 neighborhoods and put them in a commercial area. If you also remember,
1:12:28 DPZ also started a new comp plan where they were talking about developing Highway 27 and uh the Wellness Way area
1:12:36 for commercial. for that purpose. Uh I made suggestions to the developer of bringing a recharging station with a
1:12:44 bakery or a coffee shop or something that would draw the neighbors to come down and actually walk to. Uh I think
1:12:53 that that's where we need to start with this and not a gas station. I appreciate the fact that they're the first ones
1:13:00 that want to come in, but I'm sure with a little bit more hard work, we could bring something that the whole neurhood
1:13:06 can enjoy and uh actually serve the neighborhood instead of the outside community that uses it as a commute
1:13:13 road. So, I hope that you will follow staff's recommendation. PNZ uh the plan zoning turn this down. And I hope that
1:13:21 you guys can find your hearts to do the same thing, especially for the uh neighbors that are going to have to live with this night in night out. Thank you.
1:13:33 Thank you. Yes, sir. Good afternoon, city council. Vincent,
1:13:41 Regency Hills. I'm here to speak on myself and only for myself as a citizen.
1:13:46 I got a question. That road, is that active? That gray area, is that going to be a road? Because that is a lot closer than the road of their setbacks. So,
1:13:57 headlights and noise is going to interrupt that. And on a real I'm going to keep it short. This community was called Wellness Way.
1:14:08 7-Eleven doesn't sound like it's wellness with the toxic fumes. That's all I want to say. Thank you. God bless.
1:14:18 Thank you. U Michael Curtis, 2725 Runner Circle.
1:14:30 Sorry, I'll make this quick. This is kind of my nightmare speaking in public.
1:14:33 So, uh same thing with that road. It's just I live right against that road and that road looks like it's going to dump out into our neighborhood right there.
1:14:39 There's a model home to the right and our amenity center is just above that to the right, just off of this picture.
1:14:44 There's children riding bikes back and forth all the time. Tanker trucks are coming into our neighborhood. That's just another thing that's not safe. Um I don't want a 24-hour business behind my
1:14:52 house to be completely honest. um a wellness community would have um you know Pilates, coffee shops, walkable places that we could go to, convenient
1:14:59 stores would be fine, like a small grocery store, something like that, but not a 24-hour 7-Eleven. So, that's all I have to say. Thanks.
1:15:06 Thank you. Anyone else?
1:15:17 Good afternoon, Caroline Christina Francoin from 2659 Circle. Uh, I'm a resident of Clermont. I have a business
1:15:25 here for seven years, 20 if you count my parents. I'm here today not just a homeowner, but as someone who deeply believes in the community that Clermont
1:15:33 is. My home is directly behind the proposal location of this gas station.
1:15:38 I'm uh one's wife. So, you've seen my home directly behind the station. the
1:15:44 gas station. Uh there is only a vinyl fence separating my backyard from this
1:15:51 development. So this is not just a distant concern. This is my home. This is my family's home. We are a
1:16:00 residential uh street filled with families, children, babes, dogs, and I'm a mother of a young daughter. She's just one, and she plays in my backyard every
1:16:09 single day. This is the environment that we chose to raise our family. When I purchased the home, I understood that there would be a commercial area over
1:16:17 there, but I would expect something that aligned with a family community, coffee shop, small restaurants, any wellness
1:16:28 development over there with operating hours, something that belongs with the neighborhood like ours, not never ever a
1:16:35 7-Eleven or anything that is 24/7. A gas station brings constant lightning,
1:16:42 noising, traffic, uh often operating late and at night hours and early in the morning. And this is again our backyard.
1:16:54 So it impacts our safety, our peace and our quality of life.
1:16:59 And beyond that there are real concerns about health, environmental environmental impacts. This is not the
1:17:07 kind of devel development that should be placed directly behind homes, especially in a street full of young families. I
1:17:15 chose Clermont for a reason. This city is known for being welcoming and respectful. It's a place where residents
1:17:22 feel heard like right now, and it's a place I proudly talk about everywhere I go. As an entrepreneur, a woman who built her business here with much pride,
1:17:33 I represent Clermont with love and respect everywhere I go. And today I'm asking the same respect in return from
1:17:40 you guys. This decision should not be based uh only because of profit. It
1:17:48 should reflect the voices of the people who live there, people who have their families there, who invest their lives
1:17:55 in this community, us. We are not against development. We are against, we are just asking for responsible
1:18:03 developments, developments that respect the people who already call this place a home. Thank you.
1:18:09 Thank you.
1:18:24 Good afternoon, Mayor Murray and council members. Thank you for your time, your service, and your commitment to protect protecting the families.
1:18:32 Can I get your address, name and address, please?
1:18:35 Who live uh in this community? Uh we truly appreciate the responsibility you carry when reviewing projects like this
1:18:42 one. Uh this is Vicarus Yave. C can we get your name and address? Yes.
1:18:48 Six. I live at 6045 Shavasana Road. I'm a resident of Wellness Way.
1:18:53 Um so I'm here regarding about the item 14 resolution 20 2500-037R.
1:19:02 um V3 develop the V3 developers they they hired uh Damian to be a community
1:19:10 leaison for us for our community and he's been in contact with us through private text messages and the fact that
1:19:18 Mr. Trey said that there was limited attendance on the community meeting. Um
1:19:24 Damian actually just texted us um I believe March 6th and the meeting was March 18. He did not even ask us whether
1:19:33 or not if all the residents were available for this meeting. The meeting happened. Um, so
1:19:40 our neighborhood I just wanted to uh point out is made out of families with young children and safety is our top
1:19:47 priority. Uh, so in just the past few weeks we've had a car theft incident.
1:19:53 Um, and since and also an incident where three adults approached children, asked for their names, and took photos. I'm a
1:20:00 mom. I have five children. I I homeschool and obviously I let my children out in, you know, out in in
1:20:08 playing. Um, and building a gas station like this, it could draw more additional
1:20:14 traffic or unfamiliar individuals into the area. So, I ask you to consider this as well in regards to safety. Um,
1:20:23 and and obviously this is exactly why the wellness ridge PUB prohibits car washes as well, right? in way the wellness way design standards discourage
1:20:32 autoor oriented uses. Um so these rules were placed to protect walkability,
1:20:38 family safety and the quality of life that residents were promised when they purchased their homes. So I'm a I'm a
1:20:45 homeowner and you know I I would like that to happen. Um we are not really against the development like some of the
1:20:53 residents here that spoke said. We simply ask the development follow the PU PUD, respect the design standards, and
1:21:00 support the safety and peace of the families who live there. For these reasons, we respectfully ask the council to upload the planning in zone zoning
1:21:09 commission's unanimous 5-0 recommendation for denial. Um I may I
1:21:15 add again that there was a um a case study that happened that was done in Texas where they found out that gas
1:21:24 stations particularly being placed in um in residential areas they attract more criminal activities. So again thank you
1:21:33 again mayor and council members for listening and for continuing to protect the the character and safety of our neighborhood. Thank you.
1:21:40 Thank you. Anyone else?
1:21:43 This is a public hearing and anyone in the chamber wish to speak to this item may come to the microphone and state your name and my address and have three minutes.
1:21:51 Seeing no one else I close public comment in the chamber. We have anyone online? We have two citizens ready.
1:21:58 Let's go ahead and cue the first one please. Sir,
1:22:05 good afternoon. My name is Nicole Parker, resident of 2677 Runner Circle.
1:22:11 My neighbors have done an absolute phenomenal job this afternoon reiterating my concerns. So, I do not want to waste anybody's times by
1:22:19 reiterating that. But I agree with them and this should be denied. As a mother of two young boys, Santa magically put a
1:22:27 playground into our backyard. My son climbs his steps and shouts, "Look at the pool. Look at the basketball courts." I do not look forward to the day when he says, "Look at the cars.
1:22:38 Look at the car wash. Look at the gas.
1:22:40 Look at the people. I'd rather him see the wellness aspect, the things that bring us joy, the reasons why we live in
1:22:47 Florida. Our neighbors up north are jealous of us during this time of year where we can sit in our backyard, have barbecues, and play. And I have seen my
1:22:56 neighbors do just this in their backyards. These very people that stood before you today. And we ask that you
1:23:03 allow us to continue to do that to promote our wellness community to keep it beautiful and keep it a place
1:23:11 that we are proud to live. Not I don't agree that this gas station will bring anything good. And yes, there's plenty of open land throughout Clermont,
1:23:22 throughout other areas that this developer can go. Please deny this request and allow my boys and my family and our neighbors to enjoy the backyard.
1:23:33 Please, we beg of you. Thank you. Thank you. Next.
1:23:45 Hello, this is Anna Sinclair, 575 West Miniola. I am not a resident of Wellness Way. I just thought that I would uh
1:23:52 speak up about this particular issue and I'm going to focus on the code. We have a code for a reason and of course uh
1:24:00 residents can petition for exceptions but when you are granting an exception it should be something that so great so
1:24:08 amazing that the code could not possibly have included that. None of us could have thought that a gas station with a
1:24:15 car wash is not that. It is not an exceptional development. Um, if anything, I have yet to hear the resident who has un unironically said,
1:24:23 "Hey, Anna, you know what? We need more of car washes." Like, we have enough of those, I think. And this particular
1:24:30 development is not congruent with the Wellness Way vision and the Wellness Way code. So, I would um ask you to please deny this uh CUP. Thank you.
1:24:42 Thank you. Anyone else? Mr. Wayne, that's it, sir. That's it. Since no one else is online,
1:24:48 we're going to close public comment and bring it back to council. What say council? I I don't understand if we, you know,
1:24:54 why have standards if we're not going to ever follow standards? I mean, and uh I know we they're allowed to bring this up to council to vote, but it was it was
1:25:03 five nothing in planning and zoning and our own department's denying it and yet we still want to entertain it. I mean,
1:25:11 this is bad development. I mean, you know, it's it's plain to see it is and yet we we we're going to consider it. So, I'm I'm a definite no on this.
1:25:19 Well, I actually think you raise a valid question and and I feel I don't want to rub anyone run anyone through the mud
1:25:27 here, but you know, Mr. Vic, I I have the same question that Mr. Peterson has.
1:25:32 Um, you we have the code that we have down there. We have requirements that we have street facing buildings. Um, we
1:25:41 have our staff's communications, our planning and zoning communications, and full disclosure, in our case, our own communications, but I met with you what,
1:25:50 a year ago, plus or minus a month or two. I'm in the spring games time warp,
1:25:55 but I had the same conversation. So, I'm also confused why you went through this process if you were told, "This is not what we're looking for as a community.
1:26:05 Why not spend this time doing something the citizens desire?
1:26:10 Well, to be clear, this isn't against the PD. The PD doesn't disallow what we're trying to do. The PD actually
1:26:18 predates this wellness way standards that keep getting referenced. So,
1:26:22 really, by us doing this and going through the CUP process, the city actually has the opportunity to implement some standards into it that don't exist and aren't governed by this
1:26:30 property. And look, I appreciate everybody's comments and we did meet directly and I've I've met with several of you uh one-on-one and in an effort to
1:26:39 absorb comment and absorb feedback and try to make adjustments where adjustments can be made. Um this was always going to be a commercial
1:26:46 property. Um before there was a single home built there. This was 6.7 acres of commercial land. Um it doesn't have the
1:26:55 buffering standards that are in your PD now. it doesn't have a lot of the things that you guys have built into it after this land was commercial and after this
1:27:02 PD was approved. So, we've done our best to marry the two. This isn't us being maverick developers and just ramming something through. We've made a lot of
1:27:11 changes since the 50 uh meeting with PNZ. We've met with a lot of people. We've talked to a lot of people. So,
1:27:16 it's not it's not us being cavalier about it. It's us having a a national tenant who's respected in in you know
1:27:24 the credit markets respected in the community. People probably went to 7-Eleven today. Um and they want to be here and they want to be in Clermont.
1:27:31 They want to add to the tax base and we're trying to do development responsibly. I know that the vast majority there were several that some that spoke that weren't immediately
1:27:39 behind this but the vast majority um it's literally not in my backyard and I think that that's relevant and important
1:27:46 and I respect that. But there will be commercial in their backyard. And this is the greatest opportunity to create those big buffers and to address those
1:27:54 things because without this, we can put much more intensity because that's what we'll have to do. If we can't have the
1:28:01 the income stream from a good tenant like this, that's generally an unintensive building use. Uh without that, we can build bigger buildings,
1:28:09 more traffic, closer to the residences,
1:28:11 all by code, all by standards, and never come back up here. So, so it's not actually this is the much harder route.
1:28:17 Uh there's a lot easier routes we could have taken that probably in the long run, you know, someone could stand up here and say all the same things about.
1:28:24 So, it's not us being cavalier and I don't want to put that that comment out there. It's not that we don't listen.
1:28:29 We've done a lot of listening. That's why it was a year ago when we talked. I mean, uh we've done a ton of thoughts around that. I think uh we got the
1:28:38 access approved off of wellness way with the county that was not in there before when we went to PNZ. So, that was a major change because of the concern
1:28:45 about traffic running through uh that site and not going into Wellness Way.
1:28:49 There was a comment about dumping into the neighborhood street. That was always designed that way. I mean, even in the original uh plans, there was an exit point proposed to be at that light. So,
1:29:00 that wasn't something we made up. That was something the developer that did their neighborhood came up with. I know there was a lot of concern about the vinyl fence. We didn't build the vinyl
1:29:07 fence. That's what the the home developer built. So, we we'd burn that site. We would help, we're helping with buffering. We would do a lot of things and want to do a lot of things to help
1:29:16 it better. But if nobody want I mean, if if the the thought is that we're just not listening, I I just I can't really agree that that's not the case. We've done a lot of listening.
1:29:25 Well, that's why I wanted to ask you. I mean, that that's kind of the hard obvious question that if I don't ask you, then, you know, I could not ask you. Um, but it I'm hearing from the
1:29:34 residents that they want a place they can walk to, that they can bike to. And what I'm hearing from you is you worked really hard to separate your property
1:29:42 from the residents. And I'm not hearing that that's what they want. I think what they want and what was anticipated in the wellness way plan was to have
1:29:51 commercial development that could be enjoyed by the residents who live behind the way that doesn't require you to get into your car. Um I it seems to me it's
1:30:00 a missed opportunity and I think you know the fact that you came out a year ago I think you want to do something good and that's why I'm giving you the
1:30:07 opportunity today because you just you don't have community support for a a vehicular project and it's not in the
1:30:14 code to be ant anticipated for it. So it's I wanted to give you a chance.
1:30:20 No and I appreciate that. I I would say too like the vehicular nature of that site. Wellness Way is going to be a a
1:30:27 primary arterial road. Um it's it's going to be a very very busy road. Um
1:30:33 connecting from 27 to 429. Um that's why these retailers want to be there. We're trying to bring services to the community that they want. This is one
1:30:41 that um gets used. It's a it's a daily use type thing. And I think that there is positive that comes with it. It's not uh necessarily as negative as he says.
1:30:50 And then we have other land that's going to be a lot of other things that come here. So, um, anyways, I well, no need to belabor.
1:30:56 I I I would like to just ask you a question because I haven't met you before.
1:31:01 Um, would you want this in the back in your backyard of your home? The way it's designed? Yeah.
1:31:07 So, you would be okay with fumes being in your h being near your children playing and whatnot? That would be okay with you?
1:31:16 There's That's about the most baited question I could have. So I I mean I'll leave that because what I hear I hear the residents
1:31:24 their real concern and it is a real concern because you know gas has a lot of chemicals. It's toxic and um they
1:31:31 don't want that near their children and looking at your plans it doesn't look like according to what our staff has said and our planning and zoning
1:31:39 commission. You haven't made the substantial changes cuz really they don't want a gas station. They want
1:31:45 other businesses like a coffee shop or something of that nature, but nothing that has those fumes because I'm hearing
1:31:53 the residents raise valid concerns about the safety and well-being for their children.
1:31:58 Well, I'll tell you that uh 7-Eleven is one of the largest corporations uh around and if it is it was uh as dangerous and presented the
1:32:06 environmental challenges, they wouldn't be as prevalent as as they are. Uh you'd see things handled a lot differently.
1:32:12 They have some of the most stringent environmental standards of any use you could have. So you could put a nail salon in there that could have a discharge vent off the back of that wall
1:32:21 that's 25 ft from that building and I could do it by code and then people would be upset about the fumes from a nail salon. We've taken a lot of thought
1:32:29 and all of the gas oriented is along the road. There's nothing gas oriented or chemical oriented towards those residential houses. So just addressing
1:32:37 the comment but we we didn't turn our back to those realities and and the environmental concerns from the double
1:32:44 line tanks uh extreme environmental stringent standards to do a deal with the gas station today extreme environmental monitoring prior and post
1:32:53 to ensure that they don't have environmental contamination. So it it's it's not the gas stations of the 80s at all and and we've done a lot of gas
1:33:01 station development. So I just address that as a as a point that you raised.
1:33:04 Well, I just follow up to say, um, I'm a military wife and lived all over. I don't see guests. I don't see 7-Elevens
1:33:12 right next door to people's neighborhoods, and I wouldn't want it. I see it on major highways and stuff where it should be, per se, but I wouldn't want that in my neighborhood like that
1:33:20 either. But thank you for for coming here and presenting.
1:33:24 It was also not completely disallowed in in the PD, the prePD and the post wellness PD. So I with the level of of
1:33:32 um dislike for that use, it's somewhat surprising that if it was going to have that position, it would just be disallowed, not a conditional use.
1:33:43 Yes, sir.
1:33:43 Thank you, Mayor. Um I was uh on PNZ when this came before us in October and
1:33:50 um I think we heard a lot of uh emotional statements from people who live right in this area.
1:33:59 And that's very valid.
1:34:02 We also up here, just like at PNZ, we also have to look at what the code says and and and consider those emotional uh
1:34:10 comments, but what the what does our code say? And when we look at a cup, we look at compatibility and the fumes, the noise, the environmental, the traffic, the ingress,
1:34:20 the egress, it's not compatible. It's not compatible. So, I'm not going to get into whether or not it could be allowed, should be allowed, shouldn't be allowed,
1:34:29 would be allowed if we didn't consider something. Um, it's not compatible based off of what the CUP standards are. And I'll also use the the same analogy I use at the planning and zoning commission.
1:34:41 If I'm really really hungry for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich,
1:34:46 and I really really want a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, I'm going to go look for that. But if I get to the point where it's between passing out and
1:34:54 eating that tuna fish sandwich that's in the in front of me, I'm probably going to eat that tuna fish sandwich. But we're not there. We have the ability to
1:35:04 set the standard for how all commercial development looks in this entire area.
1:35:11 It is not compatible. And I unless there's any additional comments or when it comes time, I would make the motion,
1:35:18 but I would hope that my fellow council members would join me in in voting no. Okay, I think it's time.
1:35:26 I don't know if you have any statements, Mr. Mayor. No, I don't have any.
1:35:29 Okay, then I'll I I'll move uh resolution number 2025-037R. I'll second. Oh,
1:35:37 sorry. What was the motion?
1:35:40 Motion to deny. Well, it's a I'm moving it because it parliamentary procedure.
1:35:45 We need to move it to take action, but if you want to deny it, you vote no. Okay. Yeah. All right.
1:35:51 Have a motion and a second for denials of uh what's this item number uh 14 resolution number 2025-037R.
1:35:59 Any further discussion? No.
1:36:01 Hearing none. All in favor, let it be known by saying I.
1:36:08 It was a denial. No, he No, I moved I moved it forward. So, if you did So, we're all going to vote no if we don't want. All right. All right.
1:36:17 All oppose. Nay. Nay. Okay. Chair vote nay as well. Motion.
1:36:25 Motion carries five.
1:36:36 All right. Uh item number 15 for consideration of resolution number 2026-00005R
1:36:43 a resolution of the city council of the city of Clermont Lake County Florida granting an amendment to the conditional use permit resolution 201221
1:36:52 resolution 2022003R and resolution 2023 011R to include the
1:37:00 expansion of seating area within the property providing for conflict severability administrative ative correction of scrivener's error publication and an effective date.
1:37:14 Good to go. All right. Good afternoon,
1:37:17 city council members and guests. Nick Gonzalez, Development Services. This is agenda item 15.
1:37:23 The applicant, Jimmy Crawford, is requesting a conditional use permit uh amendment to revise the site plan in resolution 2023-01R
1:37:33 to include the expansion of the restaurant deck and additional outdoor seating area on the north side of the Salt Shack on the Lake restaurant
1:37:41 located in the CBD Central Business District. The property is located at 846 West Ocula Street, formerly known as Lily's on the Lake.
1:37:51 The proposed amendment includes an enlarged deck footprint 32 feet deep by 78 feet deep and the addition of new
1:37:59 outdoor seating to accommodate increased dining capacity. With the addition of seating, staff has included an updated condition in the revised resolution
1:38:07 requiring that any additional parking demand generated by the expanded seating area be satisfied through payment in the city's parking fund as allowed under
1:38:16 section 115-14 of the land development code. This payment must be made prior to the approval of the site review application.
1:38:26 The current cost per space in the parking lot is $3,000 as approved by the city council. If this in if this is
1:38:33 increased prior to the time of site plan approval, then the applicant would be responsible for paying the new fee.
1:38:39 Based upon the anticipated additional seating of 104 seats, the parking requirements would be one space for every eight seats. That would equate to
1:38:48 13 spaces and a payment of 39,000 into the parking fund at the current rate.
1:38:56 The project does not require approval from the city regarding lakefront impacts. The applicant has already secured permit approval from the
1:39:03 proposed improvements from the St. John St. John's River Water Man water management district. The CU amendment
1:39:11 does not alter the approved use, but modifies the configuration of the outdoor dining area to pro improve functionality and enhance customer
1:39:20 experience. All other conditions of resolution 2023-11R remain in effect.
1:39:28 The proposed increase in seating does not appear to be detrimental to the health, safety, and welfare of the surrounding community. The city did
1:39:35 receive a noise complaint in May of 2024. An investigation was conducted and was found that the sound was a result of
1:39:42 the mechan mechanical equipment at the site. Sound compression blankets were installed on the exhaust fans and the
1:39:48 HVAC equipment in July of 2024. This reduced the sound decibb well below the city's sound decibel limits and no further complaints have been received.
1:40:02 Action to date. The planning and zoning commission recommended approval 5 to1 of resolution 2026-005R
1:40:10 with three conditions. The applicant shall meet with DPZ to obtain recommendations. Two, Lake County Water
1:40:17 Authority is included regarding possible shoreline alterations. and three,
1:40:22 installing additional waterfront signage to discourage boats from mooring near the vegetation along the property's shoreline. In your supplemental folder,
1:40:31 you'll find an email from Nathan Nor Nathan Norris, economic development director, who reviewed the project with DPZ. Their only recommendation was to
1:40:40 allow for a future waterfront connection by providing the city with a 15t easement beyond the proposed deck. This
1:40:47 would allow the city, if desired, to construct a boardwalk that would not interfere with views from the salt shack and could potentially include space for
1:40:55 boat moing. This recommendation has been forwarded to the applicant. The second recommendation from planning and zoning
1:41:02 was to include uh the W Lake County water authority and the applicant indicated this would be addressed during the interim period. And lastly, language
1:41:10 has been added to the resolution to include additional signage along the shoreline. Staff recommends approval of
1:41:17 resolution 2026-005R cup amendment for salt shack on the lake. That concludes test presentation.
1:41:25 Thank you. Yes, sir. Mr. Crawford. Thank you, Mr. Gonzalez. Um, Mr. Mayor,
1:41:35 council members, staff, and support. Uh,
1:41:38 it's good to be here this afternoon. My name is Jimmy Crawford. I am an attorney with the law firm of Crawford, Monica, and Holt, 702 West Montro Street,
1:41:47 Clermont, Florida. And I do represent both the owner of the property and the applicant, uh, well, I'm the applicant,
1:41:54 but the user is Salt Sha, Salt Shack,
1:41:57 uh, that I think most everybody's familiar with. We have here today from Salt Shack, we have Jeff Smith, who is
1:42:04 an owner's representative. We have Jeremy Darden, Katherine her, and Robin Mueller who are all involved in the management at the restaurant. And if
1:42:13 there are any questions regarding those type of things, I will they will come up and answer them to the very best of their ability. We also have Jeff Banker,
1:42:22 PE from Highland Engineering, who was our civil engineer that worked on the St. John's River Water Management
1:42:29 District permit, um, which took almost two years to get. Um,
1:42:39 we started this out thinking that we didn't even have to have an amendment to the conditional use permit because we are not asking for any kind of use
1:42:48 change. And in the actual cup itself, it doesn't say anything about how many tables, how many those are all addressed through site plan approvals. staff
1:42:57 correctly pointed out that there was a concept plan attached to the cup originally in 2023 and it did not show the expanded deck.
1:43:08 So to be consistent with that, we had to amend the cup and the concept plan. So good catch by them and that's why we're
1:43:16 here. Uh we did receive our St. John's permit for this deck expansion uh last June. Um,
1:43:27 as Nick just said, uh, the P&Z conditions that were recommended for approval were DPZ input, which, uh, Mr.
1:43:36 Norris's email just, um, discussed, and I have discussed that with my client,
1:43:43 and we are all for that. There is not a not a problem with that at all. we would
1:43:50 have some details regarding uh who constructs it, who maintains it.
1:43:56 And the only thing that they were worried about in the beginning is uh right now there are fences with gates
1:44:02 that are closed when we're closed. And we'd have to do something different with security if it was open 247. So, uh the
1:44:12 hours that we're open, man, we'll do that next week. That's uh that's piece of cake. Um,
1:44:19 the second one was they wanted water authority, Lake County water authority comment on quote possible shoreline alterations.
1:44:28 And I did ask the water authority for input and I have not heard back. I know in the past
1:44:38 I'm the attorney for the Lake County Water Authority, so I'll just disclose that right right there for for everybody. So I I had a direct line and
1:44:46 they said we are not a regulatory agency and if municipalities or local governments ask us water related
1:44:54 questions we we definitely try to cooperate and help and if the city wants help through site planning process. Um
1:45:02 the water authority would make their people available for that but they don't comment on zoning matters that are
1:45:09 before local governments. Um St. John's River Water Management District is the regulatory authority for that for this
1:45:18 type of thing. And uh they deemed and Mr. Banker's here to to testify and
1:45:24 answer any questions, but they deemed um that we were not doing shoreline alterations. We are digging peers for
1:45:33 the the wooden peers that go in. Uh but that is not considered shoreline alteration. That said, they drug us
1:45:41 through the ringer and counted the entire deck um as imperous surface, even though it
1:45:50 has the cracks in between that allow water to to get through. They count that as all impervious. And the garden
1:46:01 dining area to the east of the restaurant, they counted that as impervious also because we had put shell
1:46:08 down. We figured that that did not count as impervious, but St. John says, "Nope,
1:46:15 we are going to count at all and you have to dig French drains and then connect to the pipes and send all this to Victory Point." So, right now,
1:46:26 we have the existing old construction permits and water management district permits and um the new scheme required
1:46:37 by the St. John's permit which is in your packet uh requires substantial improvements to that. So there will be
1:46:46 even less of a chance that water from runoff from our property will go straight into the lake. It won't it gets
1:46:54 all captured sent to victory point for treatment before it all of it eventually winds up in our lakes. You know that's why we try to be very careful. Um,
1:47:10 uh, there is also a roof, gutter, drain system. Part of the deck will be covered. I was incorrect at planning and zoning and I'd correct that afterwards.
1:47:21 Um, but it is uh the same that there there is a gutter and drain system that takes all of the water straight down
1:47:29 into the French drain, straight into the pipes for victory point. Um, so in
1:47:36 summary, we agree with the staff and P&Z conditions. We've uh been open almost three years now. Uh we believe Salt
1:47:44 Shack has shown themselves to be good corporate citizens and a substantial asset to downtown and the city of
1:47:52 Clermont in general. We ask you to support your existing businesses and employers. Uh Salt Shack has a hundred
1:48:00 employees. Um all except four or five of which live very locally right right here
1:48:07 in South Lake County. um because some of it because some live in Sumpter County because of the costs of living in
1:48:14 Clermont that we're we're continuing to try to work on. Uh we ask you to support clean lakes by improving the storm water treatment uh that eventually winds up in
1:48:24 our Clermont chain of lakes. You noticed it's called the Clermont chain of lakes, too. It's not even the South Lake County chain. We're the only one that touches almost all of them now.
1:48:33 Probably all of them. uh and support continued enhancement of our irreplaceable.
1:48:41 I had valuable and I scratched it out.
1:48:44 I'm going like, you know what, as DPZ pointed out, this is the last substantial private parcel on the
1:48:52 waterfront in downtown Clermont. That's why they want the connection to make it connect the east and and the west side.
1:49:01 it it's a vitally important site and we think we're so glad that Salt took it
1:49:07 over three years ago. Um, and we believe that their history has proven that
1:49:15 they'll do the right things. Um, and we would ask for your support to try to do that. There is there's an economic
1:49:23 argument that I don't really want to make but I just want to mention quickly and that is that you can operate a small restaurant profitably and you can operate a bigger restaurant profitably.
1:49:34 That middle one where you have 65 seats and 100 employees. That's the hardest.
1:49:42 We're not adding any employees for this.
1:49:44 We've trained them already and they want more hours anyway. So, we're we're going to be doing that. There's an economy of
1:49:52 scale with all the management, all the staff, everything that has to be done.
1:49:56 And this will ensure the long-term profitability. That's not a bad word.
1:50:01 Still, I don't think uh and and support for downtown uh Clermont. With that,
1:50:08 I'm happy to try to answer any questions, get our team up here to answer any questions. We would like the opportunity to listen to anyone in the
1:50:14 community who has questions and respond to those if we can.
1:50:20 Thank you, sir. And if we have any question, we will call you back at a later time. But this is a public forum.
1:50:26 Anyone in the chamber that wish to address this item may come to the microphone and state your name and address and have three minutes.
1:50:42 Good afternoon, Dan. Dan Wyatt, 1108 Paragreen Street.
1:50:47 I do want to comment a little bit on the whiplash. Boom from 7-Eleven to Salt Shack. 7-Eleven about 2 million locations. Saltchack is on their second.
1:50:55 So, bit of a difference in scale here. Um, another thing I want to point out,
1:50:59 you know, you turn over and look over there, you'll see Jeff, Jim, Jeremy, Katherine. Um,
1:51:08 that's the Salt Jack executive team.
1:51:10 This is a local business employing, like they said, about 100 people. Um, I think that's something we have to foster. I can tell you from living in this area
1:51:17 for a while now, there's there's always going to be an Outback. There's always going to be, you know, an Arby's.
1:51:22 There's always going to be another McDonald's. Having a small locallyowned restaurant, I think is wildly valuable.
1:51:31 Um,
1:51:33 they're they've always been wonderful to me, wonderful to my family. I don't know if we want to pull the video up, but I have a video of my 2-year-old daughter on her second birthday dancing to to the
1:51:41 conga music at in their beachfront property. From the sounds of it, they've done everything correct. They've they're working with everyone. They've gotten
1:51:49 all the approvals. I think this is an easy and slam dunk approval. personally. Thank you.
1:51:56 Thank you. Anyone else?
1:52:01 Anyone in the chamber wish to address this item may come to the microphone and state your name and address and have three minutes.
1:52:16 How you doing? I'm Steve Green, 18710 Downway Road.
1:52:21 I just scribbled this down while I was thinking about this. Um, I just want to say salt, if any I moved here about five
1:52:29 years ago and was so excited when I saw the previous waterfront establishment and was surely disappointed several times, but since Salt's been there, I've
1:52:38 noticed and thrilled about how exceptionally wellrun the place is. And you see that consistently over the last three years. I jotted down some thoughts
1:52:47 about that. We see that definitely Salt Check is a very professionally managed customer focused business. This is proven out by the consistent quality of
1:52:54 their products. Now we're three years in. A lot of places come in, they open a business, the first year they do great and it just falls off when they start cutting costs. We're not seeing that
1:53:02 with Salt Check. It's consistent quality, consistent customer focus, good quality food and service. But we also see this is proven out by the consistent
1:53:11 quality of their products, their service and the resulting clientele that goes comes to the establishment makes the place just such a much better place to be. Further, there's also proof in that
1:53:20 if you having worked in the restaurant business before I went to college. A key thing you see is poorly run, poorly
1:53:27 managed restaurants often have lots of turnover. And what I see here is the other day I was just noticing how many how many people are still there that
1:53:36 were there from day one. so many of them. Um, that's another support of how how the place how well and efficiently
1:53:44 it's run. That means they take good their people, their people take good care of their customers, take good care of the business. This is the type of quality business I think Clermont
1:53:51 wants. And that expansion, I've always thought every time I've been there, I look and I go, "This little small strip
1:53:59 of sand where that deck's going to go suddenly makes that area so can be utilized by instead of 12 to 20 people,
1:54:07 maybe another hundred people could be sitting there mean shorter wait times.
1:54:11 That means that frees up parking because people will come with large groups coming to Salt Shack and they'll stand outside and they'll wait 30 40 minutes to get in. Sometimes that means they're
1:54:20 tying up those spaces 30 to 45 minutes longer. So there's a huge benefit them having more seating as well as the economies of scale how well the
1:54:27 restaurant can run its place. So that's all. Thank you. Thank you sir. Anyone else?
1:54:35 Anyone else? This is a public forum.
1:54:37 Anyone in the council in the chamber want to speak to this item may come to the microphone, state your name and address and have three minutes.
1:54:45 Seeing no one else in the chamber. Do we have anyone online? No service.
1:54:48 No one online. We're going to close public comment. Bring it back to council. What say council?
1:54:57 Just a quick question. You were saying about the deck that it's uh it's considered non-permeable, but is it permeable or is it non-permeable?
1:55:05 You said when water rains, isn't it going to go through the deck into the lake? Right. Yes or no?
1:55:10 Are you going to put something underneath that's going to catch all that water then and then steer it into a French drain into victory point? Is that what you're saying?
1:55:18 There, Mr. Banker. I I I don't want to start spouting off lawyer stuff that I don't know what I'm talking about. I think the answer is yes, but let me get it from the horse's mouth.
1:55:30 Good afternoon, Mr. Mayor, members of the city council. Jeff Banker Highland Engineering, 1172 South Grand Highway,
1:55:35 Clermont. Um, the way the deck the deck is conventional deck, you know, it has a half inch spacing between the the joist, but when we when we permit this with St.
1:55:44 John's, we have to still consider that impervious area as part of the the permit with St. John's. So, we included that in the calculations we submitted
1:55:51 through the district to make sure that it was accounted for for treatment offsite in Victory Point. It may not be 100% captured, but it is accounted for
1:55:59 in the treatment capacity in Victory Point. That allocation was taken from the Victory Point pond accordingly.
1:56:05 So Jeff, if if water on the un roofedded part of the deck, if rain falls and water does drip down in the cracks
1:56:14 between the boards, what happens to that water? It sand. It does hit the sand. Yes, that is true.
1:56:20 But the the additional impervious area is accounted for in the the victory point basin. So there's the treatment capacity has been removed from the victory point pond to account for that
1:56:29 added impervious area to ensure that treatment is provided even though it's not directly provided for um onsite. It
1:56:37 does remove that treatment capacity for other projects from the Victory Point pond and therefore the treatment is provided in the Victory Point system to offset that.
1:56:47 If I can piggyback I don't mean to steal your time Mr. Peterson, if you want me to wait, I will. But related to that, it seems, and please excuse my ignorance.
1:56:57 Um, but it seems like it's almost unjust that they're doing that because now other projects can't develop. And the
1:57:06 reality is if there's food, when there's food, when there's drink um on that deck
1:57:13 and that deck is washed, that food and drink is going to fall into the sand and and presumably into the lake. Um and I
1:57:21 don't know if that's I don't know if that's really even a problem. Um I I think this is more an environmental type
1:57:29 question perhaps than an engineering question. Um, but it does strike me as
1:57:36 kind of um odd that St. John's is counting that as impervious when clearly the items that are on the deck are going
1:57:44 to fall into the sand below and therefore into the lake. And I think my concern is more about the pristine waterway
1:57:51 in this case than it is the the Victory Point. I I agree with you. I don't think this is going to fall into Victory Point. I think it's more likely to fall into the waterway.
1:58:00 Correct. I mean,
1:58:02 the only way to to 100% collect it would be to to roof the entire deck and provide roof drain collectors to to capture it all.
1:58:11 Well, even then you'd still have the food falls, which I have three young children, so I am very familiar with what happens underneath the table. Um,
1:58:19 and it is messy and we always tip extra for that reason. Um, but it I don't know. I I worry about the pristine
1:58:26 waterway more than I do in this case about the water before this. Right now, the way it stands right now when it rains, it's going right into the into the lake. So,
1:58:37 what you're proposing is you're going to be building this deck and it's still going to go into the lake. But St.
1:58:42 John's water authorities, you're going to have to pay some kind of fees to them to compensate almost like a carbon footprint that you would if you had a a
1:58:49 gas guzzling uh Lear jet that's flying over more or less that you know the impervious area is accounted for even though it's not directly contributo to
1:58:58 the victory point pond. It is it is accounted for to ensure that treatment is provided for that percentage of imperousness.
1:59:06 Um I'd like to have Katherine her who is I never get your title right. Not general Chief operating officer,
1:59:13 COO. Okay, there we go. Uh, name and address, please. Katherine her 16616 Sound Shores Drive.
1:59:19 This question came up at planning and zoning and Katherine did a good job because she's the one that's responsible for making sure everything gets picked up and cleaned up. And if you've been
1:59:28 down on the waterfront at any time, it it I've not seen litter or I'm I spilled a margarita there once,
1:59:39 but beyond that, nothing.
1:59:41 No, thank you for the opportunity to speak today. Um, we know that Clermont takes the pristine community really seriously and when we came into the
1:59:51 community, we knew that we had to ensure that we had the process and procedures to make sure that we were cleaning up anything that was on the ground, trash,
2:00:00 as we would in our other property. But we know how important it is and we definitely have the team, the process,
2:00:07 the procedures to ensure there's no trash. We're sweeping up, wiping up, cleaning up as often as we possibly can.
2:00:14 We have assistants on staff for the servers um throughout every shift that help with pre-busing trash, drinks off
2:00:23 of the tables to ensure that they don't fall onto the ground or that there's no litter or anything left. Um and we would ensure that those same policies and
2:00:32 procedures are happening um in the expanded deck as well.
2:00:36 And to be clear, my concern is the underneath of the deck. You know, an out of sight, out of mind situation where,
2:00:42 you know, the deck is elevated. Right now, you've got the beach, so you can see the trash, but as things fall between the cracks,
2:00:51 maybe that's I think the cracks are pretty small, so the napkins, the cups, any of the, you know, anything except for maybe liquid or a crumb wouldn't fall through there.
2:01:02 And we would try, as we do in the rest of the restaurant, just to ensure if something does fall so it doesn't have the opportunity to fly off or get into
2:01:10 the lake, that we would make sure we've got a team on the deck that's assisting the servers to clean up and make sure that we're doing everything we can
2:01:18 possible to ensure that something like that doesn't fall through the cracks.
2:01:21 And is there any sort of language that you would be comfortable with including in the cup that would commit you to some sort of beach cleaning? And I'm I'm
2:01:30 concerned with the beach cleaning more than I am the deck. I believe you about the deck. It's the beach that I'm concerned with.
2:01:36 Absolutely. I mean, we um the beach that we're utilizing now on the property, we clean up twice a day. I mean, we have a team that comes in the morning before we
2:01:44 open. They clean it and before we leave at night, there's a process to do it.
2:01:48 Those processes that we have internally would be the same exact ones on the deck, but we would be more than happy to include it, the language that we have internally as well.
2:01:57 Okay. Can you work on that?
2:02:01 That's good. And I did just confirm with staff the deck is between six and seven feet
2:02:08 above the sand level. So it is quite easy to have everybody except your tallest uh employees go under there and twice a day or more as needed cleaning.
2:02:20 Anyone else? Well,
2:02:25 one of the things DPZ said was that they were you were going to give us an easement so that there could be a a boardwalk under the deck or next to the
2:02:34 deck on top of the deck or floating water between the ordinary high water line and the uh and the edge of the deck, right?
2:02:42 Um and it doesn't have to be a boardwalk. It could be an an improved walk in the sand for we we but we are
2:02:49 committed to as long as we can work out the security and the hours of operation.
2:02:54 We're committed to cooperating with that. It's good for us too. Have people come by and go like, "Wow, I want one of those." Yeah.
2:03:02 Because it appears from the sketch that the deck is going right to the water line. Is that not correct?
2:03:07 It's not correct. Okay. It it the water line as you know of that lake varies a lot. So you go off of the ordinary high water line, a very official line, OHWL,
2:03:18 set by the water management district.
2:03:21 And then there is a little flood zone above that. And what your code said is in CBD, if you have waterfront property,
2:03:27 you can build down to the flood zone line, but not into it. So that's where we stopped. So when water is high, it
2:03:35 might not be 15t, but from the ordinary high water line, it's that plus a little more. Okay.
2:03:44 You still have something to say? Okay. All right.
2:03:50 Well, I just like to say I get Wow.
2:03:55 I guess I'm the only one around off here. That that was here when when Salt Shack came in here when we went out and bought Salt Shack in here in the place that was there before, which was a real
2:04:03 real problem for the city. Okay. And we happy I'm happy that Salt Shack came here. But if I'm not mistaken, when we first
2:04:11 brought them in here, it was part of their plan were to eventually put a deck out there and everything. I think the plan somewhat changed away from the
2:04:19 original concept, but I still uh still admire it. Um,
2:04:24 and I thank you for clearing that up for me because one of my I heard the comment about food falling underneath the deck and everything and I thought I read it
2:04:33 was going to be about five or six feet off the ground, which mean they got plenty opportunity to go underneath and clean. And I I would imagine they'll do that on a regular basis because you have to be be careful folks. If they don't,
2:04:44 then you have to worry about rodents and all these other things. We got to beat the raccoons to it. So,
2:04:49 and and as Katherine just said, we're fine if the city wants to include language that says the it shall be patrolled at least twice a day and if it becomes a problem,
2:05:00 um you send code enforcement out and we ramp it up even more.
2:05:04 Okay. Okay. Well, that's just that's another thing. Hey, I I I know you said you were willing to accept the recommendation with DPZ. This is a
2:05:13 private piece of property and everything. So, I want to thank you for accepting that that proposal and willing to work with us on that. So,
2:05:20 you know, we DPZ is so good at the macro community stuff and they don't comment as much on the
2:05:29 individual site plan stuff, the site stuff. And so, I was really happy with that comment that came back because it's really both. It deals only with our
2:05:37 little bitty site, but it also deals with the entire downtown waterfront. So,
2:05:41 we're we're happy to help because we think it's a win-win.
2:05:45 I still have a concern though that as you stated before about security because we got gates that lock all that off now
2:05:52 that leave you. So, once you put that pathway through there, we have to look at making sure we we lock it off as some kind of way to secure your property and everything. So,
2:06:01 my initial, we've only been a day or two at talking about this issue, but our initial conversations were, we'd sure
2:06:08 like it not to be open in the middle of the night when we're not open. We're uh 11 to 10.
2:06:15 Yeah. Just outside of our business hours, it would be hard for us to maintain the security when no one's on property after we're closed. Um, but we
2:06:24 love the idea of having the gates open anytime we're there. Obviously, we get there early to prep and prepare and normally there a couple hours after
2:06:33 closing to clean up and prepare for the next day. So, it's not a lot of close time, but just when we're not on site.
2:06:40 And I would just like to close with say thank you. You uh when we was out talking and trying to get you in here,
2:06:47 you've lived up to everything we said in the field and everything everything we talked about and all. Uh you've been a very very Mr. Mayor, the old restaurant was interesting in that Chinese curse way.
2:06:59 Maybe you live in interesting times to say the least. Okay. Well, we appreciate Shank and everything they've
2:07:06 done they've done and everything and it's it's been a growing thing and uh I get nothing but ra compliments all the time about it. So, thank you for for living up to what you say. Thank you.
2:07:16 I move to approve item number 15,
2:07:18 resolution number 2026-005R subject to the following conditions.
2:07:25 That the property owner grant the city a 15t easement for a boardwalk. Would the ident the specific location and terms to
2:07:32 be determined at some point in the future? that the applicant install additional waterfront
2:07:39 signage to discourage boats from moing near the vegetation along the property shoreline and to ensure that the property in and around the deck is
2:07:48 maintained in such a manner as to protect the pristine waterways status of Miss Lake Minnola which shall include beach cleaning not less than two times daily.
2:07:59 A second. I'm sorry.
2:08:03 I got a motion and a second with all stipulations stated. You want to read them again? No, that's okay. Oh, please.
2:08:11 Any further discussion? Hear none. All in favor, let it be known by saying I. I. I. All oppose.
2:08:17 And chair vote I as well. A motion passes 5. Thank you. Yes, sir.
2:08:24 Mayor, I would like to uh move that we take a 10-minute recess. I have a feeling the next three items may take a little bit of time and rather than each of us individually getting up and going,
2:08:33 uh, if we could just maybe take a recess for 10 minutes and allow folks to go. There you go. Okay.
2:08:39 All right. It's 5 uh 53. We'll be back.
2:10:02 Yeah.
2:10:59 Hey. Hey. Hey.
2:11:38 Hey. Hey. Hey.
2:13:23 Hey, hey, hey.
2:14:57 Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.
2:15:24 Heat. Heat.
2:17:14 Heat. Heat.
2:17:38 Heat.
2:17:58 Hey, Heat.
2:18:29 Heat. Hey, Heat.
2:19:08 Hey.
2:19:19 Hey. Hey.
2:19:39 feel.
2:19:44 Hey
2:21:39 Hey, hey, hey.
2:22:18 Yeah.
2:22:33 Heat. Heat.
2:23:10 If I can get everyone to take their seats.
2:23:26 All right. Thank you. And let me apologize. We a couple minutes after it's at 5:15, but uh 3 minutes after,
2:23:32 but I had a little unexpected business I needed to take care of there, you know.
2:23:38 Uh but anyway, we item number 16 is for ordinance introduction.
2:23:45 Yes, ma'am. Ordinance number 2026 011,
2:23:49 an ordinance of the city council of the city of Clermont, Florida, amending ordinance 202218 to expand and contract the boundaries of
2:23:57 the Wellness Ridge Community Development District located within the city of Clermont, Florida, describing the boundaries of the land to be removed and
2:24:06 added from the Wellness Ridge Community Development District and describing the new external boundary of the Wellness Ridge Community Development District after expansion and contraction.
2:24:17 providing for all other conditions to remain unchanged, providing for severability and repeal, providing for administrative correction of scrivener's error, providing for an effective date,
2:24:26 and providing for recording. Thank you.
2:24:34 All right, this is an introduction, but u I'm quite sure everybody up here on the on the dice want to hear from the public. Yes.
2:24:42 Okay. So, in that case, I'm going open up to the public. Anyone in the in the chamber that wish to speak to this item may come to the microphone and state your name and address and have three minutes.
2:24:59 Is this one copy or is this one? There's several copies in there. Maps,
2:25:03 that kind of stuff. So, uh Joe Famasi 2693 Jumpy Jack Way
2:25:10 Wellness Way. Uh is there a copy for the applicant here or not the applicant but uh CDD council? I'm just curious.
2:25:19 Oh, you have one. Okay, just checking.
2:25:39 Yeah. Are these individual pages?
2:25:44 Yeah, these are individual uh the first one is the 2026 budget. The maps underneath 2026 budget.
2:25:54 I just want to make sure CDD council has a copy since it's being presented at this hearing.
2:25:59 Sounds like it's all things from public records. Okay. Okay.
2:26:02 All right. I'm just not sure how to break apart.
2:26:04 Oh. Um Yeah. How I know. So, um,
2:26:09 Joe, is it just for the clerk or did you want each of us to have a copy?
2:26:12 You can each have a copy or I made it all for the clerk, which can, uh, pass it out at your convenience. Okay. Thank you. So,
2:26:22 so this is the uh district that is um in blue is the uh outline of the expansion
2:26:30 area that they want to add to the district. Here
2:26:37 this is a picture preferated. That's the area that they want to uh add to the expansion. Currently, as you can see, uh
2:26:46 the expansion area is separated by the green swamp on mo majority of this area right here. This is the green swamp right here. This is the expansion area.
2:26:56 Uh this is Hancock Road extension coming into this particular thing here. This is
2:27:04 the road goes all the way up to the gate. Uh the one section right here is what
2:27:12 connects it to uh phase 2 which is currently inside the district.
2:27:18 So the reason I'm against this uh particular expansion is because in the petition it says that uh the whole cost
2:27:26 for this particular project wouldn't cross more than 500,000 and my our current budget right now is
2:27:33 at 1.6 6 million for the total of uh 600 acres and this is added of 200 acres
2:27:43 and I feel that uh 500 is a little uh lowballing because how come they didn't
2:27:50 attach cost constructions for uh flood control ponds, road constructions because they've already constructed this
2:27:57 in our district. So they have uh a more accurate estimated cost of what would cost to actually make this happen,
2:28:07 right? And explain the cost in their petition. It just says 500 and then it talks about some of the other associated
2:28:14 fees. But if you look at our budget, it gives you a more accurate picture of what those kind of fees cost for 2026.
2:28:23 So, I think that this project is actually, if you really would look at it, it's 55 and over. So, the
2:28:30 landscaping maintenance and uh other things, uh there's a roundabout in there. Um you're looking probably closer
2:28:39 to a higher amount than what they're claiming their petition. And under Florida law, they're supposed to do their best estimates. And I think there should have been more supporting
2:28:47 document to support those best estimates. Um,
2:28:53 our budget 2024 was for the total district was 44 462,000.
2:29:00 2025 went to 1.3. That's 184% increase.
2:29:05 2026 is now at 1.6, another 20 29%. That's without the expansion portion of it.
2:29:13 That's a lot of money for one district. Um, we're currently at 600 acres.
2:29:20 So, I think they were first estimates were going to be about 87 million. And now with the expansion, they're talking
2:29:28 about 110 million possibly. That's a large portion of this to go in. Please indulge me a minute.
2:29:37 So, there's other uh things that were not figured into this. insurance cost,
2:29:43 um, sidewalk repairs, those kind of things that I think should have been in this petition to explain what the costs
2:29:50 were to be a more accurate at best guess. I I hope that you'll ask for
2:29:57 clarity on that. Uh we we're at a height right now of this is totally funded by
2:30:05 the residents and uh I think that we should just finish out the project that we have and that have not been plotted
2:30:13 yet because it seems like they promised that they're going to plot this first 26 and 27 have that completed instead of
2:30:21 the other phases which I don't understand which hasn't even been put into the district yet. So, why is there
2:30:28 such a focus to move on this but not get the rest of the project done first?
2:30:35 I hope that you'll review the material that I've given you and we'll consider the real cost of some of you are very
2:30:44 good at estimating budgets and I think that if you really look at it, you'll see what I'm talking about, especially
2:30:51 when you compare the 2026 budget. Thank you for your time. Thank you. Anyone else?
2:30:59 Anyone else? Yes. Yes, ma'am.
2:31:04 Hi, I'm Jen Carpenter, council for the district, and we're the applicant. And just this is a first reading, so we we aren't presenting the entire um
2:31:12 petition. And that will come, it's required by Florida Statutes 190, that we present a petition at a public hearing, which will be on April 14th,
2:31:20 and that's being published four times in accordance with the statute. Um and and as you all know, I mean, you've got, I think, four CDDs now. The CDD is a
2:31:28 special purpose government. So, just like you all are on the city council,
2:31:32 our board are all public um public representatives. They have to follow ethics law. We have to follow statutory law. They follow sunshine law. We have a
2:31:41 budget process for every CDD, which is similar to the city's budget. We have a proposed budget. It was presented at meetings for the public. And then we
2:31:49 also will have a final budget which will be adopted at a hearing in the summer in time to get assessments on the tax role just as we get your taxes on the tax
2:31:57 role. So it's it's a process. The the district's a is also audited by an independent CPA every year. Our audits go to the governor's office if there is
2:32:05 any financial discrepancy. We get a letter. I'm registered agent so I get the letters and we have to respond with our financial folks as to what the issue
2:32:13 is and if we need any help from the from the governor's office to address those issues. Uh this district was formed in 2022. So there's been a history now of
2:32:22 several budgets, several audits. They've been clean. Um there really are no issues. The petition, the information in
2:32:29 the petition is set forth in the statute very explicitly. The petition to expand and contract is exactly the same as
2:32:37 perform forming a CDD. There are certain things that have to be listed and you'll see them on the first couple pages of the petition. The size, what's being
2:32:44 added, if there's any connections to water service. There's a statement of estimated regulatory cost that our district manager's office prepares and
2:32:52 that again is a statutory requirement that talks about what is the cost of actually doing this filing. There's maps that are prepared by our district
2:32:59 engineer and there's very specific requirements. Um, in this case, there was a tiny contraction and that's really for a survey issue along a small edge
2:33:09 less than an acre on a commercial parcel. And there's the expansion to include the new development known as a sanctuary that's, you know, been
2:33:16 permitted. And when we we present you with the maps, it's on, I think, page 389 of your agenda. And and I believe Mr. Fumasi showed you, it's at the top.
2:33:26 There's two connections into the the current existing CDD. So, they are a connected community. Um, I have with me the chairman of our CDD,
2:33:36 um, Adam Morgan. We have our district manager who is here who handles the finances of the meetings. We have John Prowell, our district engineer, and Mark
2:33:45 McDonald, a representative of the developer. So, we're here to answer questions and we know there have been there's been a question or two from the public. We've given the public records.
2:33:54 We've had explanations. Um, and we will continue to answer any questions that come up. Um, and again, if you have questions, we have our whole staff here
2:34:02 and our developer here to answer any questions and then we look forward to seeing you all in April when we present the actual formal petition and are happy
2:34:10 to answer anything in the meantime as well.
2:34:12 Thank you. I will have questions, but do we want to get through public comment first? Yes, if I may. Okay, great. Thank you.
2:34:18 Thank you. This is a public Anyone else in the chamber wish to speak to this?
2:34:22 make under Mike Michael Curtis 2725 Runner Circle. Um,
2:34:33 pardon my ignorance on the subject I'm kind of just hearing about and I I know this is opening statements. So, I just wanted to come up and I I would love much more clarity on this because this
2:34:42 is kind of shocking to me that we're one of the few CDD developments in that whole area and um that it seems like we're responsible for a lot that I'm
2:34:50 hearing about now. So, I'd just like much more clarity on that. So, thank you very much. Okay. Thank you. Anyone else?
2:34:58 Anyone else in the chamber would like to speak to this?
2:35:02 Seeing no one else, I close down the chamber public comment. Anything on anybody online? No.
2:35:09 So, we are going to close public comment and bring me back. You miss Miss Strange, please.
2:35:15 Oh, thank you. Yeah, I I have a couple questions for um for council or for the applicant, whoever wishes to answer it.
2:35:22 Um my questions are coming from a place of a desire to be good neighbors with and and good representatives of the
2:35:29 people of Clermont. Um I see two two questions jump out at me that I'm looking for as we move forward in this process.
2:35:37 Um one I'll say them both and then you can respond however you wish. One question is, you know, why expand? Why not keep the CDD boundaries as they are?
2:35:46 And then the second question is going to be more of a statement to which I would love to one bring your awareness to and perhaps get responses is that the
2:35:55 general feel I hear from citizens in the district are feelings of injustice in
2:36:04 the payment of the fees associated with the with the CDD with the HOA with the MSTU while the developer from the
2:36:13 perspective of the public is getting impact impact fee credits for the payments that are being made by the citizens, not by the developer. So,
2:36:22 those are kind of the two issues that are in my mind as I'm moving forward and I want to bring them to your attention so you can those are are big issues and
2:36:30 good questions and and they have some pretty uh fair answers. The the reason why bringing a new development that's
2:36:37 connected to another develop sorry it's a bug in in another development um is one economies of scale. if you are
2:36:45 adding a new area and in this case we're adding an area and one of the requests from staff was to add in the ordinance that the new area the district would not
2:36:53 accept any roads or anything that's going to have the huge impact on budget.
2:36:56 So it's going to be a lower cost to the CDD. So with not having another administration for that area, we are
2:37:04 ultimately hoping it will lower the cost because those people have less amenities, less improvements that will be funded by the CDD. So overall, when
2:37:11 we're adding 699 homes to 1850, that's a large chunk that should hopefully keep the assessments as moderate as possible,
2:37:20 if not lower them. Um the other advantage, of course, is having a CDD.
2:37:24 You have the government behind it. So you're getting bid prices for um all your maintenance. You're having again the public records, the sunshine, the
2:37:32 budgeting, all that as opposed to having an HOA next door to a CDD where then you have two different forms of administration. So that those are the the main reasons for doing it. I mean,
2:37:41 if you had to have two separate CDDs,
2:37:43 then you're adding a whole another level of administration and cost to the new area. And at the same time, you're not getting that economies of scale of
2:37:50 putting it all together since it would obviously be less expensive to do maintenance for both areas, the storm water systems connected. So if you have one engineer, one maintenance company,
2:38:00 you're certainly saving money than having two separate ones. Um, so that that's the quick answer to the first question. And the second question on on
2:38:08 residents being concerned about impact fees. Um we use taxexempt bonds to finance CDDs and because of that we're
2:38:16 extraordinarily cautious of what is funded with those taxexempt bonds. So the cost of a development and the improvements always exceeds the amount
2:38:23 of bond capacity that you're able to issue because you don't want to burden the homeowners with too high assessments. So we are very careful in
2:38:31 every time a requisition comes in to make sure the improvements that are being paid for by the CDD and are being assessed to the residents only covers
2:38:40 taxexempt on things of which there's no impact fees. If the developer spends their own money to finish up because there's never enough money of CDD money.
2:38:48 They use their own money to fund the balance. If they get impact fees for that, that goes to whatever they spend.
2:38:54 But nothing that the CDD has done and has built had any impact fees come back to it. If they did, we would have to take those as the CDD as an asset and
2:39:03 sell them. So, we are extremely cautious and we have tax lawyers reviewing everything whenever there's a draw or improvements. So, I think there's
2:39:10 sometimes a misconception when people hear they got impact fees for this.
2:39:14 Well, the developer had to do that because they built something else or they had home permits, so they had to they got impact fee credits for education or something else. So, a
2:39:22 followup, you've raised another question in my mind. Uh, sorry. Um, the what are the amenities or services or
2:39:30 infrastructure that this particular CDD is providing to the existing community and for the proposed additional community that aren't otherwise covered
2:39:39 in the city taxes, the county taxes, or the county MSTU that the residents pay? I'll have our district. Yeah. Okay. Um,
2:39:47 yeah, generally it's it's the improvements of the CDD, landscaping,
2:39:51 uh, public parks, those sorts of amenities. But here, Mark McDonald will give a better, more comprehensive answer.
2:40:01 All right, thank you for your time. Mark McDonald, Lenar Holmes, uh, 6675 Westwood Boulevard, Orlando, Florida.
2:40:09 Um, all right. So, couple different questions. So to answer Miss Strange's question, the the amenities that are
2:40:17 provided throughout the Wellness Ridge CVD in the the original boundary that was approved in 2022 or I'm sorry, yeah,
2:40:26 2022 are all of the park spaces, all of the landscape buffers, every common area
2:40:34 tract within the development, including the wetlands, storm water ponds, are all owned and maintained by the association with one exception.
2:40:44 I'm sorry, CD.
2:40:45 Thank you for that correction. Uh with one exception, which is our amenity site, the 10acre amenity site, which includes our our clubhouse, fitness
2:40:53 center, two pools, basketball, pickle ball, soccer. Uh that site is uh owned and operated by the association. Uh everything else within the development,
2:41:04 every park space, tot lot, dog park is owned and maintained by the CDD. in the
2:41:11 expansion area. Uh only the infrastructure that's outside the gates uh because these are private streets
2:41:19 gated community uh only the infrastructure outside the gates is going to be maintained by the association which essentially is I'm
2:41:27 sorry the CDD which essentially is the the main boulevard coming in from Hancock to our guard house. So it's our
2:41:35 east west uh street called Leisurely. uh that landscaping will be maintained by this by the by the CDD including the
2:41:44 retention ponds because like Miss Carpenter said all of the retention ponds are interconnected as a storm water system. So all the ponds will be
2:41:52 maintained by the by the district and the landscape buffer that uh adjacent to
2:41:59 five mile road. So very little actual maintenance obligation that's being added to the to
2:42:07 the district for the budget and like was stated earlier adding 699 homes is a 38%
2:42:16 increase in the number of homes that are paying on and am assessments. So a bigger pool of money um without having
2:42:24 that proportional increase in the in the budget for O and M. Couple things I want to clarify. So I love I love Joe. I love Mr. Famasi.
2:42:38 We've had many many conversations and uh I am available 24 hours a day to any of the residents that that have questions.
2:42:47 you know, seeing the the passion around item 14 was uh you know, it's inspiring.
2:42:53 I'd rather have residents in a community that I develop that are passionate and want to make sure that the community is,
2:43:01 you know, a great place to live for their f friends, families, and uh for many people to come. So, I like the
2:43:09 passion. Um, and I'm trying hard to to make sure that we're communicating effectively to the residents so so that the facts are actually straight. So,
2:43:19 there's a few things I want to clear up.
2:43:21 Like Miss Carpenter said, none of the offsite improvements that we've had to do to make Wellness Ridge and eventually Sanctuary um, a viable development,
2:43:32 which includes the roads. We built Wellness Way Boulevard. We built Hancock Road. We're continuing to build Hancock Road all the way up to Hardwood Marsh,
2:43:41 which is not a responsibility that the development had, but we chose to do that to help Lake County and to help the city of Clermont get that connectivity. So,
2:43:51 in exchange for building the the main roads, we have a road network agreement that provides impact fee credits for the cost of construction of the roads.
2:44:03 What what happens at that point? So,
2:44:05 we're building about $20 million worth of roads and we can consume about $5.5 million in transportation impact fees on
2:44:14 the site permitting the 2500 homes total 2550. So,
2:44:21 all of those improvements are done by LAR with LAR's money and then we get impact fee credits that sit in a in a
2:44:29 balance sheet. Those credits will be used at some point in the future on other projects within Lake County, but
2:44:37 they were not reimbursed. The cost of that infrastructure was not reimbursed with CDD funds. Same thing goes for the utilities. We had to extend the utilities four miles up to the plant.
2:44:48 Um, we did that at our cost. We have a utility agreement. The city pitched in $3.78 million of impact fee credits for
2:44:57 utility credits of the $21 million cost to extend those utilities. Not a dime of that was paid for by the CDD. The only
2:45:06 infrastructure that the CDD reimbures the developer for are the eligible infrastructure items within each
2:45:15 assessment area. So currently within the development, we have three assessment areas. The first one is phase one. The
2:45:23 second one was phase two and three. The third one was phase four and six. That is why you see a bump in the budget, the
2:45:31 annual budget every year. Every time we add an assessment area, which means it's in the boundary of the district, we're
2:45:39 adding the debt onto that property. that property now becomes um after it's platted the responsibility
2:45:48 of the CDD to maintain the common areas within that property. So unlike an HOA
2:45:55 similar to an HOA but an HOA does a buildout budget for the entire community day one. So the first homeowner paying
2:46:03 their HOA assessment is paying the same thing plus inflation in the future of what all the homeowners are going to pay in the future.
2:46:14 The CDD acts similar but it's by assessment area. So once assessment area one was floated, we have a cost to maintain that and we have the revenue
2:46:23 from the assessments that comes through on the tax bills.
2:46:27 Once we added assessment area 2, the budget increased, but the revenue increased because now we're collecting assessments through the tax bill for those homeowners or those vacant lots.
2:46:40 Then we did assessment area three recently which was phase four and six.
2:46:44 That was just the debt was just floated this year. So now that gets added to the budget for for that maintenance.
2:46:50 What we will do next is uh pending this approval in a few weeks,
2:46:58 we will then float the debt on the first phase of sanctuary just because of the sequence of development that's under
2:47:05 development now. And then the next phase of uh Wellness Ridge, which is phase five, the last phase in the development,
2:47:13 that will be the next assessment area.
2:47:15 And then eventually u sanctuary phase two will be the last assessment area.
2:47:21 All that is important because as as we add assessed property,
2:47:27 the property gets platted. The assessments then become on roll which means they go onto the tax roll come
2:47:34 November and then all of the assessments which includes debt interest and on&m
2:47:42 is collected by the tax collector on each individual properties tax bill. So to answer some questions that have come through email,
2:47:52 the reason why LAR as the developer is not funding the shortfall of& and M
2:48:00 which was done prior to plat is because now that all the home sites are platted in all three assessment areas, LAR gets
2:48:09 roughly 700 tax bills for Wellness Ridge and we are paying each one of those property tax bills which includes debt
2:48:18 interest in ON and M for the CDD. So the CDD's revenue from assessments
2:48:26 is fully funded for all three assessment areas and LAR is paying almost 50% of
2:48:33 that through all of our tax bills individually. It's something the residents don't see, but you will see it in the budget when they show how many
2:48:41 home sites by product size are paying their assessments because that's coming from the uh from the tax collector every year. Once we add a new assessment area,
2:48:53 then it and it gets platted. Then those assessments become on tax roll or on roll. And then come November, we as the developer, we pay as the property owner,
2:49:04 we pay all those tax bills, which, you know, regardless of if homes are closed or not, once homes start closing, the
2:49:11 homeowner pays their tax bill. We pay the, you know, hundreds of tax bills that come every November. So hopefully that as answered some of the questions,
2:49:21 may have generated a few more. So happy to stay up here as long as you guys want.
2:49:27 Are you all feeling like you're watching paint dry or are you as excited as I am? No. I feel like we're in the academy.
2:49:35 Well, and we are, but I I feel if if you're willing to indulge me and if you're not, that's okay. We can do it offline, but I think a lot of homeowners
2:49:43 have confusion. And there's something that he brought up that I think we need to be aware of that the first time I had a conversation with this developer, I
2:49:52 learned a few things about this impact fees that I think we all need to be we need to be aware of. I can go straight to that if you want or I can
2:50:00 stop talking. It's totally up to you for because I know we've exceeded the time on this one. But I think this is an opportunity for us to really understand
2:50:07 the complexity of these CDDs and how they work in wellness way. If we want to do it today, if we want to do it another day, I'm happy to do it.
2:50:14 Let let me let me say this.
2:50:17 Mr. Van Wagner, I hope you don't take this the wrong way. Uh anything, but uh back in January, I sent Mr. Van Wagner a
2:50:25 letter email requesting basically all this type information in it. Okay. And I
2:50:32 copied each one of you in it because uh Mr. Famasi has been asking for a lot of the these other and we me I haven't been able to answer it.
2:50:41 So that's why I sent the emails trying to get all this information and I can get a better understanding on exactly what's going on under CDDs and and all
2:50:48 this here. Um and I know Kirk and Mr. a while has been working on this and I think a couple council meeting ago it
2:50:56 came up and I let you all know and I hadn't the reply got back before it wasn't satisfactory for me it was missing a lot of information I was
2:51:03 asking for but the whole reason behind that was to be able to educate the council members on what's going on down in wellness way
2:51:11 because it is a lot and it is very confusing. Yeah. Um,
2:51:15 and every time I sit down and get a chance to sit down and look at this,
2:51:20 I learn I learn a lot. I I think I met with Mark the other day and learn a little bit more. Uh, I know Kirk showed me the product he's working on for me.
2:51:28 And I'm hoping uh hopefully next week we he'll have all that. He's hoping we have all that and all. I'm sorry it's taking
2:51:36 so long and I'm sorry we haven't been able to ask Mr. Famasi a lot of the questions he have because I just didn't know the answer. Yeah.
2:51:42 Okay. That's why I asked as sent the email and asked for this information and everything and it's taken us a while to get it. But um hopefully next week we'll
2:51:51 have all this. So I'm I'm looking to just go ahead and this is an introduction. Yeah.
2:51:55 Okay. Um I don't know Mr. are whether once they get all this information to sit down, whether we need to come back
2:52:02 and um or we have opportunity once they get it, we can sit down as a counselor and talk about some of this stuff or just go to the April 14th hearing uh or
2:52:12 whatever. But I I would like to suggest the fact that hey, we just go ahead and move this move this forward. It is an introduction. Move it forward.
2:52:20 Hopefully, you'll all get the information and we can get a better understanding of everything of what's going on down there. Next week, if we need Mr. water to sit down or Kirk to sit down with us and explain all this.
2:52:30 We can do that. Okay. Because because it it is it is a lot. It's a lot. It's a lot.
2:52:35 Well, in understanding that you're paying the tax bill through your your own individual owned property, is there
2:52:42 any objection to us making this expansion um take effect once the turnover happens to the homeowners?
2:52:51 because we're we're dealing with 300 or sorry, I've got it over here. We've got 699 homes now. Um, sorry, we're adding 699 homes to 8,850.
2:53:03 You've got the size of 10 towns, you know, with almost 800 acres. I just would like to see these folks able to
2:53:11 govern themselves. And so, if we continue to expand it, they'll never be able to do that. So,
2:53:18 well, if sorry for interrupting, but let me speak on that real quick. So the the laws that govern in the state of
2:53:25 Florida, the statutes that govern CDDs is different than HOAs. Okay.
2:53:29 So by statute, the CDD, the five board member board is required at six years
2:53:37 after establishment. We were established in 2022. After six years, uh, two of the board seats, two out of five, are turned
2:53:45 over or offered up as general election in the November elections in 2028, which would be six years after establishment
2:53:52 for the qualified electorates. So, a qualified electorate is the same uh standards apply to everybody on the city
2:54:01 council. You have to be a member of the district, meaning you have to live there, has to be your homestead. um you have to, you know, you can't be a
2:54:08 convicted felon, blah blah blah. Um so at 6 years, which would be November of 28, two of the seats go to homeowner
2:54:18 election. And then at 8 years, which is in 2030, the third seat will go to homeowner election. Two more.
2:54:25 Sorry, two more. Two more. So at that point,
2:54:29 you know, it's it's totally the homeowners. Now, in the case of HOAs, once we get 90% of buildout of the HOA.
2:54:36 So, the Wellness Ridge is its own HOA, the sanctuary will be its own HOA. So,
2:54:42 once we get to 90% of 1850 homes within Wellness Ridge, then by statute, we have
2:54:50 to turn over the association to the control of the residents. So, that will happen, you know, in 600 more home closings,
2:54:59 right? or so which is a couple years now. Uh now I found out that a couple days ago as well. Now I also understand
2:55:07 you you don't have to wait the six years, right? We don't.
2:55:10 And if if a we've done this in in many of the districts that we've ran throughout the Central Florida area. If we have a resident that is interested
2:55:19 and wants to be on the board, all they have to do is express interest and you know we can we can appoint as the developer under control of the board.
2:55:28 the board has the ability to resign one of the seats and then appoint a resident. So, we leave that open to anybody that's interested. So,
2:55:39 however, after that term is off, he has to qualify to remain on the board through the election process.
2:55:46 At the end of the term, you know, each each of the board seats has a term either two years or four years. And then come general election time, so come November of 28,
2:55:58 um, any of the appointed seats that are up for election at that time period would have to then be elected by the residents of the district.
2:56:07 But all in all, with year eight, the the homeowners would have control of the CDD.
2:56:13 They'll be in total control. Well, they should have year eight, which would be 2030.
2:56:17 Total control in 26. Well, it was it's year six, you have to release two. Two. That's correct. To the homeowners. That's right.
2:56:25 And year eight, you have to release two more. So, they give four out of the five back to the homeowners. That's right. So, they in control.
2:56:31 And does this CDD have any water, sewer, um, sidewalks, public parks?
2:56:39 Does it does it manage anything like that?
2:56:41 Uh, currently, right now, it doesn't manage any of the utilities. So, all of the utilities are public utilities that are owned and operated by the city of Clermont. Okay.
2:56:50 Um,
2:56:52 we can get a little bit more complicated, but we may want Isn't there a well somewhere there? There is, but what you'll see in
2:56:58 in addition to this petition to expand coming before you on April 14th, you're also going to have the interlocal
2:57:06 agreement between the CDD and the city of Clermont, which is a critical document to review and approve. Uh, and
2:57:15 that really the main the main item in that document is the city approving the CDD to operate the irrigation system.
2:57:27 Um, because currently we have two wells that are built and operational. we can't turn them on and we can't remove the portable jumpers um to irrigate until
2:57:36 the city approves the interlocal agreement which then authorizes the CDD to act as the utility provider for
2:57:43 irrigation water only. So gets a little bit complicated.
2:57:48 Sure. Mr. W in the desire to move this forward and and stop me from talking which is a valid desire. Is there anything that we've talked about that if
2:57:56 it was amended in April would be considered a material change that would cause us to go back to the start of this
2:58:03 that we should be talking about today in case there's a material change or all the things that we've talked about things that could be amended between now and April 14th I think we said.
2:58:12 Yep. Yeah.
2:58:15 And and if council for the applicant feels like anything we've talked about would be material, I I would love for them to have a chance to opine.
2:58:21 Well, I mean, the the issue really is due process and notice. So, the the main as long as they're aware of what's being considered,
2:58:30 I don't think there's an issue for that. Any objections to that? No,
2:58:38 most of the questions honestly sound like they're more budget and financial understanding the system as opposed to the actual petition. I mean, the
2:58:46 petition is a actually a short document that follows the statute and these are the items we'll go through. This is what you're supposed to look at. Um, it
2:58:54 doesn't really sound like anything material has been brought up. It sounds like there's issues that you all need to understand clearly, but I don't see anything that I've heard today that
2:59:01 would affect the petition or the hearing. Okay. Thank you. All right. For purposes of moving this forward,
2:59:09 I'll move to approve item number 16, ordinance number 2026-001,
2:59:13 first reading, amended community development district. I second.
2:59:17 Oh, okay. I have a motion and a second for approval of item number 16, intro,
2:59:23 uh, ordinance number 2026-011. Any further discussion? No.
2:59:30 Hear none. All in favor, let it be known by saying I. I. All oppose. and chair vote I as well. Thank you sir.
2:59:38 Thank you. 1754.
2:59:43 Yes sir. Item number 17 for consideration for a bid award for construction of fire station number two. All righty sir.
2:59:52 Yes. Good afternoon or good afternoon council members and uh mayor. My name is Freddy Suarez. I'm the procurement director for the city and item 17 deals
3:00:00 with is to consider a bid award to the lowest qualified responsive responsible bidder uh Mulligan Constructors Inc. in
3:00:08 the amount of for session number two in the amount of 2,975,290.
3:00:16 The estimated time for construction completion is 300 days roughly 10 months from issuance in order to proceed from the city. I have if you have any
3:00:23 questions regarding procurement I'm here to answer any questions. fire chief is behind me uh to answer any question about the fire station and the contractor is also here in to answer any questions regarding construction.
3:00:33 Thank you. Thank you. Okay, this is a this is a public forum.
3:00:37 Anyone in the council chamber that wish to speak to this item may come to the microphone and state your name and address and have three minutes.
3:00:44 Anyone in the chamber wish to speak to this item may come to the podium, state your micro state your name and address and have three minutes.
3:00:54 Seeing no one anyone online we close public comment come back to council with say council
3:01:01 do we know how much would be required to move this project forward and specifically I'm asking how much of the 2.9 million would be requested during
3:01:09 this fiscal year do we know anybody
3:01:18 let's see if we can have mulligan come up for estimations on timelines Yeah.
3:01:26 Wouldn't this this be paid off in phases? Yeah.
3:01:30 Yeah. I I would expect this is easily going to span two fiscal years, but you know, I'm going to defer to the contractors to give a better idea on timelines for payments.
3:01:37 So, it's okay. It's not really So, the next seven months would be this fiscal year.
3:01:42 Good evening, Jason Mulligan, Mulligan Truckers. First, thank you very much for the opportunity and hopefully we're going to build your next fire station. Um, it depends when we're permitting,
3:01:51 when we start in a 10-month project.
3:01:53 Obviously, when it starts, it'll be built out in 10 months. Okay.
3:01:56 So, I don't think we're in for permitting yet. Is that correct? Do we not? Okay. So, 90 days for permitting.
3:02:03 So, a roll this year and in the next year would be my best guess.
3:02:07 So, we we only have six months left in this fiscal year. So,
3:02:11 so we'd get to four of the 10 months this fiscal year.
3:02:16 Times close. Yes. What do we of the 2.9 how much do you think we would see this year? I'm I'm not trying to hold you to it. I'm just trying to anticipate a budgeting question.
3:02:24 I would guess probably you don't get any finishes. Probably 35%. Okay, great. Perfect. Thank you.
3:02:32 It's not it's not spelled out in the contract um the payments doing certain phases.
3:02:38 It's not it's not it's all one phase. We provide a detailed schedule of values for all the activities and as we do the work we bill 30 days later.
3:02:47 So you build a percentage of completion.
3:02:50 Okay. You build every 30 days. It's not correct. Yeah. We do 30 days. You receive X amount. Uh anything.
3:02:55 We bill you. The work's done. The team walks it approves the pay application.
3:02:59 We get paid typically a few weeks after all the work's done. Thank you.
3:03:03 On a monthly basis. Here's why I asked the question is um in the conversation about these the fire station and the
3:03:10 costs and things. In fiscal year 25, we had built into the budget $900,000 to be paid toward what would have been
3:03:18 debt service on the original plan for a $15 million fire station. So those funds are actually sitting in our general
3:03:25 reserve now because they weren't spent in fiscal year 25. So, um, one of the things I asked as I was preparing for
3:03:33 this was how much do we have currently in our fire impact fee? Understanding that we can only use the impact fee funds for certain projects and also
3:03:40 understanding the desire to provide a fire station out at Verde Ridge, which isn't going to have a lot of impact fees
3:03:48 over the next however many years. We're not that's pretty much a builtout region. So, if we can use impact fees
3:03:56 towards projects, I think that's a good thing to do.
3:03:59 um but also looking at where those impact fees were paid so that we're putting the the impact fees back into the community that paid the impact fees.
3:04:08 This will be relevant for fire station 5. All this to say um I had a really nice conversation um with our city
3:04:16 manager and our finance director about this and what I'm proposing is that first of all I'm in support of this. So,
3:04:22 I'm going to start with I'm proposing that we approve this, but that we start by funding 900,000 from our general fund reserve, which
3:04:32 came from the original capital for fire station 2. So, that's general funds rather than using impact fee funds. We
3:04:39 have 5.5 million in impact fee right now. Um, and there is some complication to this, so I'll spend as much time as
3:04:47 you want, but um, if we can start with the 900,000 approval for fiscal year 26, that will get us through fiscal year 26.
3:04:55 And then I would ask for your support in directing staff to by July 1st come to us as we're in the budget cycle with a
3:05:04 five-year fire station plan on how we pay to build out the fire stations that we need where we're drawing impact fees
3:05:13 where we have special fees coming in where we have known grants coming in so that we can have a five-year financial
3:05:20 as well as visionary plan. So, I would if we need a a confirmation of what my
3:05:27 motion would be today, it would be to approve this with 900,000 coming from general fund reserves with the remainder
3:05:36 coming from impact fees unless modified in the future, understanding that my goal is that we have a 5-year plan as we
3:05:43 move forward. So, that's where I'm coming from. Obviously, open to discussion on it. Um, but that came up today that we did have those funds in
3:05:51 the general fund reserve that were set aside for this specific purpose that I would like to be able to use if if you're all willing um for this purpose.
3:06:00 Well, first of all, and let me say this,
3:06:02 you got to be careful. This is a renovation. This is not new construction, okay? So, impact fees may not be available for this project.
3:06:10 Well, that's why I like using the general fund. Well, well, I'm just saying the whole thing need to probably come out of general unless
3:06:17 we go back through Mr. Be Wagner, you go back through and I understand they saying some of it may be new considered new construction. You may be able to use
3:06:24 of it some impact fees, but you got to keep in in mind impact fees can only be used on new construction. This is a renovation project.
3:06:33 Well, it's based on new.
3:06:35 So, when fire station 2 was built, it was really built to support Kings Ridge,
3:06:39 right? since since fire station 2 was built. We've got Southern Fields, we've got is it Hammock Ridge, there's Regency
3:06:46 Hills, there's three new neighborhoods down there and a new one coming online.
3:06:50 So, all of those would have paid into the impact fees and have caused part of the reason why we need a fire station to expansion
3:06:57 and and granted true, but still we're not building a new station because of the increase in growth. We are
3:07:03 renovating the station. Okay? So, it not it does not qualify for impact fees.
3:07:08 That's why we had strapped plans before to renovate the station and look at building a whole new station so we could
3:07:15 qu it would qualify for impact fees. But we've got rid of that. So I'm just saying be careful on looking at using
3:07:23 impact fees. Okay. And everything and make sure we we don't we don't use fees that we're not eligible to use. And for some we got it in the budget right now.
3:07:32 I think it's all being budgeted for this amount and I I think it's a low amount and everything uh for this. So just take it all out of general fund, you know,
3:07:40 but if you can look at it and find some areas in there that we can slip by with them fees, I'm willing to do that, too. But be careful.
3:07:50 I I I think you do accurately state the law, Mayor. I mean, I I I my understanding is that some portion of this will be new. In other words, not just redoing the kitchen, so to speak,
3:08:01 which we would not be able to use impact fees for, um, but additions that we attribute to the growth. And so, yeah,
3:08:09 we might be, um, having to split hairs on what portion must come from the general fund and which which might and
3:08:17 can come from the uh, impact fees, but my understanding is they've thought of that and accounted for it. So, um, I
3:08:24 think that's in everyone's mind. That's why I like starting with the 900,000 because it is general fund and it gives our staff time to do this assessment of
3:08:32 the impact fees and also put together the plan so that before we start spending impact fees, we've done that assessment, right?
3:08:40 Do you like that?
3:08:41 I mean, I'm in total agreement with that. Then, you know, going back to the original station two where we were going to be spending like 12 to 15 million,
3:08:48 we're doing this now at, you know, 3 million 2.9. Granted, it might not be the same size, but it's going to say do the same purpose. And now we really got
3:08:57 to think, you know, for the future for station five up in Wellness Way. And,
3:09:01 you know, we you and we already have the temporary buildings that we have there.
3:09:05 And we, you know, chief had found the wherewithal to figure that ahead of time, which give him kudos for that. So, this way we're not going to be sending,
3:09:13 you know, we're going to be running around halfcocked out there because we're going to be able to be able to service the community. Maybe not quite
3:09:20 as well as they need to, but it'll be serviced and it's not going to put a huge damper on station two as servicing everyone up there.
3:09:28 Yeah. Okay. We make a motion.
3:09:31 I don't Mr. Bane, do you wish to comment?
3:09:33 Yeah. Yeah, I do. Well, um, do we have a motion on the floor? Okay. Um,
3:09:39 Council Member Strange, you you mentioned a budget amount and that contradicts what's in our document. So,
3:09:45 I don't know, Mr. city manager if you can answer or if you'd want to have our our finance director answer. You mentioned council member Strange a
3:09:52 budget of a balance of like 5 million in fire impact fees and according to our our document here the the budget is
3:10:01 about 1 million49,000 and this if it came out let's call it 3 million uh is going to leave us with
3:10:08 about a $2 million deficit in our fire impact budget. So I I'm curious question to you directly is where where where's
3:10:17 your $5 million number and then to the city manager, what is our actual fire impact fund?
3:10:22 Yeah, we the fire impact fund is around 5.4 million right now and the budget amount for fiscal year 26 was the
3:10:30 million dollars that we see in our packet. So with the price being 2.9, the proposal by staff was to use impact fees
3:10:38 for this entire project. What I recalled was in fiscal year 25 we had that 900,000.
3:10:45 Yeah, I'm not worried about that. My question is more about the fire impact fee fund at this point. I don't know,
3:10:49 Mr. City Manager if you can answer or have Mr. Bor answer. You want me to take it?
3:10:54 We do have projects inside the impact fee fund that have been pledged against those funds. Uh we went through as an exercise today and just for for the
3:11:02 exercise put the entire 2.9 million renovation into the cost for the impact fees. So with where we have today in the
3:11:10 impact fees and what we expect to collect between now and year end, uh we still land in the black within the impact fees. There's not much left in
3:11:18 there, but there is we're not running in.
3:11:20 Okay. So why then in my meeting yesterday and why in our packet does it show a deficit? That doesn't make any sense to me. This this account number
3:11:29 says that the current year budget available is 1.049, 049 that the project is 2.975 and the budget ending is negative 1.925
3:11:39 and I I asked that question in in the meeting yesterday and none of this other information was ever brought up.
3:11:44 Right. And we had to do some research on this to get a clear answer on that. Uh one of the reasons is one of the projects in there was the dirt that we that we uh that we allocated for the uh
3:11:52 the training facility that was 260,000 that we put in as a PO. The final bill came in at 200,000. So we saved $60,000
3:12:00 on that project. So, those are funds that we'll be able to recover inside the budget. In addition, the the finance is predicting that we're going to collect an additional $972,000
3:12:08 in impact fees between now and the end of the year. That's why I'm saying we land in a in a cash positive position even with the other projects that have been dedicated.
3:12:16 And I think I can help here because he's talking about this year's budget. I'm talking about the fund budget, the fund.
3:12:24 Okay. My question to the city manager then is on page 437 of our packet where it talks about the impact fee fund and
3:12:30 it gives a project number 1.049569 is the current year available budget.
3:12:38 Is that what is left in the fire impact fee fund? No.
3:12:44 Then why is that our number on this document? Because that is incredibly confusing and that that was never brought up in any conversation that I
3:12:51 had. There was some things before you were on the council, Mr. Bane, that were obligated by the city council members that were part of the budget. And so
3:12:58 we're considering all those things, but we went ahead to be proactive and as chief was saying, we went to look at what was coming in for forecasting. So
3:13:07 you have some things before and there's some things new that were included that as well. And then we had some cost savings as well. So the there's no bait
3:13:16 and switch here. It was just some shifts and proactive budgeting on chief's part and the finance part and planning and
3:13:24 zoning's part. We're just trying to get you the accurate information so you'll know what's coming this next year.
3:13:30 But gentlemen, again, we're talking about apples and oranges. We we really are. This is and this is kind of the problem for folks watching at home. Um,
3:13:38 government often operates in this fiscal year. So, what you're seeing, Mr. Bane,
3:13:44 and even what Mr. Van Wagner is responding to and what I heard our police chief our fire chief responding to is how much is in the current year
3:13:51 when you see available budget that means that's what they're seeing as their restriction on what they can spend. We are council we have access to the entire
3:14:00 fund balance and although we mostly talk about the general fund the enterprise funds exist and are are usually loosely discussed during the budget cycle. So,
3:14:10 for purposes of working on a five-year vision, this was one of the questions I asked this morning when I came in was I want to see the entire fire impact fund,
3:14:21 not what we approved this year, the total fund. And in that fund, I'm interested in who paid what and where,
3:14:28 because we're talking about this long-term vision. So, the responses you're getting and you're hearing, and I commend all of you, you're staying within your fiscal year budget. I'm
3:14:36 talking about looking at the future and what we have available in the future.
3:14:40 And I I think it would be irresponsible for them to say, "Well, we have $5 million to spend." Well, no, because that's not what we gave them as
3:14:47 authority to spend. So, the the question that I'm speaking to relates to what we have, which would require a budget
3:14:54 amendment if we were to make changes down the road. What they're answering is what they have this year to spend. So,
3:15:02 that's the breakdown. And I'm seeing it happen and I'm feeling for both of them.
3:15:05 Yeah, I I hear that. I do. Um I guess then if we're considering projects like this,
3:15:15 we should know what is actually in the fund and where those where those funds are going. Because if we're going to
3:15:22 allow a council member to get creative with the budget, uh all council members should have that ability to get creative with the budget and say, "I think it is
3:15:31 more uh of a higher priority for us to spend these fire impact fee funds on a fire station than say one of the other
3:15:39 projects that we may have approved at some point if that information was readily available in this document to compare and consider." Um, and when I
3:15:48 when I talked about this yesterday, I I expressed serious concern about having a a budget deficit of two almost $2
3:15:56 million in our fire impact fee fund. And we talked about taking loans against the general fund. And I I I have I think
3:16:05 that we got to be very conscientious about that fiscal responsibility that we have in leveraging the general fund and
3:16:12 loans against the general fund uh with fire impact fee funds and taking loans out against that. Um now h I guess had
3:16:20 that information been shared with with in relative to this conversation and and it wasn't 1 million it really is 5
3:16:29 million. We may have allocated or earmarked things, but there's really five million. We could have a conversation about that five million.
3:16:37 And I thought the conversation was really only about 1.49 1.049. And it sounds like it's not. Yeah.
3:16:44 And that's where my frustration comes in.
3:16:46 I I can I totally understand that. And And it is it it is tricky. Government
3:16:53 financing is not it is not simple. Um I I will for whatever it's worth you can
3:17:00 kind of see here I'm looking at the um our fis our supplemental information.
3:17:08 What is this through Scott? This this year budget report December what December December
3:17:15 okay so in December we have uh original appropriation of the fire impact fee we
3:17:22 have 5,70,000 as of December. Does that sound right? I mean, if we're at 5.3 now, that's probably
3:17:31 Yeah. So, these are I don't know. I remember spreadsheets, so sometimes the numbers stick in my head.
3:17:39 Consider me a resource, I guess. I don't know what to say, but that but this is because I see I'll say us with a capital
3:17:47 U like people in government who are trying to do a good thing. like we we tend to kind of operate in silos and so we look at things in one project at a
3:17:56 time versus holistically. So that's why I bring it up so that we all are on the same page and it's also why I propose that we give staff three months because
3:18:04 I don't think it's quick like figuring out what the Verde Ridge residents paid, what the Hartwood Marsh residents paid, what the Wellness Way residents paid,
3:18:11 that's not going to be quick because it's never been tracked like that in our finances. But I think we owe it as we're
3:18:18 growing as a city to be looking at things as you know what is the impact who paid it and I'd like to give our staff time to sort through that so that
3:18:28 we can all make an informed long range decision. I agree with that and I certainly think I I'll only speak for myself, but if I would have been told in
3:18:36 a conversation where we were using fire impact fee funds on other projects that by the way the effect of this could be a
3:18:44 $2 million deficit when it comes time for the fire station. I would be against it.
3:18:47 I certainly would have considered that in making that decision. And I think that I'm not making an accusation that it's bait and switch, but it certainly
3:18:56 is not all the information. And I think that's the frustration that I have in this is that um we're we're we're making
3:19:04 siloed decisions about budgets that some people have a total picture on, some people don't. And I and it's discussed
3:19:12 in one way but and discussed in another way. And it's it's frustrating because I want to see us move forward. As I said a
3:19:21 couple of council meetings ago when I expressed, you know, I may not have been in favor of this plan for a station two,
3:19:28 but we've got to move forward. I want us to move forward, but now I now I'm feeling like, okay, we actually have
3:19:36 some other funds that we could fund this and not run a deficit.
3:19:40 you know, call me a call me crazy, but I I don't like it when I see parenthesis,
3:19:46 especially when that number is 2 million. Trust me, when it comes to fire impact, we're on the same page. And I certainly would have would have wanted
3:19:53 to consider that information uh in my decision- making or in the process to be
3:20:00 able to say, okay, is this worth then not being told we have the funds? Uh yeah, well, we have the funds. That may
3:20:06 not be incorrect. It may be in the current year available, but there it's not the total picture. And that's I
3:20:14 think where where we're running into the issue here.
3:20:16 I realized today that I dropped the ball on the budgeting process on this because back when we had started this process,
3:20:23 the 900,000 was in and even Scott today I'm like it's the last line under the the debt service. It's right. It's the
3:20:31 very last one. And he's like it's not there Allison. So in two 2025 when we had started this process we had that 9
3:20:39 million that was allocated for debt service which to me is also capital funding. So when we were looking at fire
3:20:45 station 2 I was looking at well 925 we're not going to do anything. 926 we're not we're barely going to make
3:20:53 progress as you can see. And then 927 when it's finally built that's 2.7 million. And so some of the communications I had had with staff was
3:21:02 keep it in that 2.7 range because that's what we're going to have in our general fund to be able to pay it if we maintain this. Now, when we went through this
3:21:10 process, we didn't need the bond anymore. Frankly, it slipped my mind to say, "Oh, we need to keep that 900 debt
3:21:18 service." Why would we do that? We don't have debt service. So, um, in talking to Mr. Bor today, you know, the only item in our debt service right now was
3:21:26 400,000 for the parking garage. And I said, 'Well, let's pin that one and talk about it another day, right? But that's in our general fund that won't be spent
3:21:35 in fiscal year 26 either. So, we're going to have some overage in 26 that we could use toward paying cash for this.
3:21:44 So, the question becomes, to your point,
3:21:45 Mr. Mayor, how much of this is renovation? How much of it is new construction? And my point to you is not
3:21:52 to be flippant about we have the money because that's one thing I'll never be when it comes to money. But it is to say, we know we have 5.5 available. I
3:22:02 don't think it should all go to one location, but how much of that can we allocate to this?
3:22:07 You know, how much do we need to put in general fund? I know we have 400,000 because we're not going to spend it on debt service this year. So, we have at least 1.3 available that would have been
3:22:16 in that capital construction concept plan. Do we want to spend it all on this particular project? I think those questions need to be had. In the
3:22:25 meantime, we do have the funds in the 900,000 in the general fund that was already allocated toward this in 25. And then we we do have the impact fee funds.
3:22:35 So, I'm comfortable. I have what I need. And and you may not have what you need, but I have what I need to move forward.
3:22:42 Um, and and you know, Mr. Bane, please don't beat yourself up. I've been going through these lines since 2022, so I
3:22:49 probably know them better than most. and and it took many many many many many weeks of doing it to get this comfortable, but I feel good about it.
3:22:57 Well, and it's not about beating up,
3:22:59 it's about having all the information and and you know, I guess I have I'm going to have to be very specific about the question rather than assume that
3:23:08 it's the total picture. Um, I do have a question about the general reserve fund balance if we're going to use 900. Um, I don't know if that's for the city
3:23:15 manager or if he'd like the finance director to answer that, but um, what is our current general reserve fund balance? Do we have any earmarks for that? And how does that affect our 25%.
3:23:33 Scott, board, finance director. In order to answer your question,
3:23:42 Council Member Bane, I'm going to give you a little bit of a preview on our 2025 audit. Great.
3:23:49 So, I'm speaking a little bit ahead of putting a card a little bit ahead of the of the horse, but um I'll be glad to share with you some numbers that have
3:23:57 not yet been shared um with you. Let me find it. Bear with me just a second.
3:24:08 Here we go.
3:24:10 Okay. So, um within the last week, I've received a draft of the 2025 audit and within we're within a matter of days of completing
3:24:18 that process. Um so, here in order to answer your question, here's the numbers I was referring to. In fiscal year 2025,
3:24:26 the general fund has returned a little over $9 million back into the general fund reserves. Um that is in addition to
3:24:34 what was there at the beginning of the year which includes the $900,000 from fiscal year 2025 that council member Strange has been referring to. So um to
3:24:43 give you specific numbers at the end of the fiscal year 2025 uh fund balance of our unassigned fund balance within the general fund $36.5 million.
3:24:54 The fund balance policy which is our three months of reserves will equate to approximately $12.7 million. meaning
3:25:02 that above and beyond our fund balance policy, uh, council will have available at its discretion approximately $23.8 million to utilize as it sees fit.
3:25:12 And do we have have we allocated or previous councils allocated
3:25:20 expenditures for that 23.8 earmarked for that? The general fund budget for this current fiscal year was
3:25:28 adopted as a quote unquote deficit budget, right? Approximately $6 million if I recall off top of my head. Um, so
3:25:36 if you take that off the 23.8, you're down obviously around $17.8 million.
3:25:40 Okay. So 17.8 is if we were say a a true balance that's not earmarked or reserved
3:25:50 for policy on what we need to keep in reserves, those type of things.
3:25:53 That is a certain way to look at it. And keep in mind that our budgets are adopted on an annual basis. Correct. So, okay. All right. Thank you.
3:26:02 M Well, staying there, Mr. Mr. Scott, um out of that out of that fund balance there, how much was uh we we authorized the meet us in the middle project? So,
3:26:12 how much did we authorize from general funds to go towards meet us in the middle? I off top of my head, I do not know, mayor.
3:26:20 So, we still we still got that out there as well. We I think when we did the meet us in the middle, we took some from anything that's in the existing budget
3:26:28 would be part of that $6 million quote unquote deficit that I mentioned,
3:26:31 right? So So it's still there's other other things out there. I think we've already authorized and everything that's coming out impact some of that general
3:26:40 fund. Well, I don't I don't think Meet in the Middle was funded or authorized by this council, but at the time we had talked about um what we were going to do
3:26:49 with EMS and depending on how it went with the county, if we had to subsidize EMS, it was potentially a 4year transition until
3:26:58 EMS was paying for itself was early projected numbers, which if they were 4 million a year, that's 16 million. And
3:27:05 and so that for for anybody watching at home, like why are we sitting on 17 million? That would have been my ask.
3:27:10 It's because we were watching that EMS and I think we still need to make decisions on that. So, I'm looking forward to the fiscal year 27 budget
3:27:19 cycle so that we can have a plan for this these funds we have collected from the citizens. But because that 9 million
3:27:25 included the 900,000 I like my buckets and you know if we're comfortable with that whether we decide to use general
3:27:33 fund for fire you know public safety to me that's consistent with EMS or if we decide to use impact fees we know those
3:27:41 funds are available. So all that big picture is why for me I'm comfortable saying let's move forward with this
3:27:49 allocate 900,000 from general fund reserves today and have staff come back by that first meeting in July or I would say July 1st so that we get it before
3:27:58 maybe we can have a workshop or we do it in the budget cycle but by July 1st gives them three full months to work out a proposal for a five-year plan.
3:28:06 Do we feel like that's make a motion? Uh, I'll make a motion to approve item number 17, the bid award
3:28:13 for construction of fire station 2 with a budget amendment to come back to us for 900,000 from the general fund reserves and instruction to staff to
3:28:22 have a 5-year plan for the remainder of the funds brought to us by July 1st, 2026.
3:28:28 I second that. I have a motion and a second for approval of item number 17 uh with 900,000 coming
3:28:37 out of the general fund reserve. Any further discussion?
3:28:43 None. All in favor? Let it be known by saying I. I. All oppose.
3:28:46 Chair both eyes. Well, motion carries 50.
3:28:52 Item number 18, council member request to discuss and consider amended city charter. Okay. I think I submitted this
3:28:59 uh I I submitted this in in in
3:29:06 as as a proposal and or was hoping we can get a mo I can get a motion tonight to go ahead and move forward with uh changing our term limits from two-year
3:29:15 terms to fouryear terms. Um basically as I travel around and and around the city around the state pretty
3:29:22 much to different places uh these two years terms is putting a lot of a lot of a lot of strains on a lot of cities. So
3:29:30 most of the cities are moving away from including Groveland and Minnola just just went from four two to four year term. And the other pro thing is that it
3:29:39 by going to four-year terms, we have more stability and and continuity on on our city council and
3:29:46 all. I've been up here six years and every year I've been on this council or I've had each year I've had a different council. Somebody's been different on
3:29:53 this councilman. And as we were just talking about the fire station, okay,
3:29:58 that's a project. I mean, fire station 2, I started talking about that when I first came aboard back in 2020. Okay.
3:30:05 And here are we still going. So by giving you four being up here four years, you get a project started, you give you time to be here and hopefully
3:30:14 see some projects through. Okay. Uh and in addition to that, going to four years, it eliminate a need to have a
3:30:21 count uh election every year, which give our staff a little break and and be at a bit better plan each year. Uh because
3:30:30 the way it it would be set up is the fact the fact of the matter is uh this year we've still do the uh two-year terms. Uh in 2027
3:30:39 uh what is it? Seats two.
3:30:42 Two and four that's up. We'll do a three-year term. Okay. And then uh in 28 one five three and five will go to
3:30:51 fouryear term and in 2030 two and four will go to a four-year term. In addition to that, if we This is something I don't think the council,
3:31:02 it's not our decision. I'm just asking for the council to go ahead and make the motion, put it on. It's something that need to be done by the by the residents
3:31:09 out there. Uh so I'm asking for a proposal to go ahead and move have the city manager and city attorney to go ahead and draft. I think I've already
3:31:17 gave the city manager uh city attorney some language for for the four-year term, but we will probably also have to look in considering um
3:31:27 we do you want because we I don't I don't want to leave lose the eight-year term limits. Okay, keep the eight years,
3:31:35 but do you want to reset the time limits? Okay, uh once we go into eight fouryear term, reset it there and go
3:31:42 limit your time eight years. To me, it doesn't make any difference. You can reset it or you can you can leave it and use time serve once you go in there. It
3:31:52 make it a little bit more difficult because if so, you still have to have I guess Mr. Wall still have to sit there and hash out how we going to do that.
3:32:00 For example, um if the resident proved this, you get reelected in 27, you had seven years. So now, can you are you
3:32:08 eligible to run another four for another four-year term because you exceed eight years? Okay. So, these things come into play by starting it all over and
3:32:17 everybody once you go into a four-year term, everybody start you get two four-year terms and and go from there. I
3:32:25 know there's talk out there, but I'm trying to do this to be able to stay in power, but trust me, people, I'm if I
3:32:32 decide to run this year, and I should have to wait another term, I'm done after eight years. I came here on eightyear premise. Uh, and I'm taking my
3:32:42 life in my hand because I told my wife I wasn't going to run again. So, if I run run again, you know, I may have to deal with home, you know, but but trust me,
3:32:51 it I had no intention of trying to stay up here any longer past my eight years.
3:32:55 Um, so my main thing is to try to make it as simple and easy as possible to make this transition. And most people
3:33:03 and everywhere I've talked to, most cities I've talked to, they always did the reset, which is make makes more sense and easier. So, so that's where I'm at with that. It was save the city.
3:33:12 I was estimate every other year with save the city anywhere from uh I don't know, I think usually I estimate come in for election around 80,000 for a primary, another 80,000 for the general.
3:33:22 So, you can say anywhere from 80 80 to $160,000 a year. uh because by doing this and getting it on the uh every
3:33:30 other year even years with the state the state will pick up all the cost out of elections. Okay. So that my other big reason to look at trying to save the
3:33:39 save save the city's money and and and give convenority up here. You know, uh Miss Miss Dra, you've been here ever since you came on this D last last year,
3:33:48 you've been talking about the comprehensive plan. Two years and it still ain't done that.
3:33:54 But I mean it give give you some time to be here and hopefully see some projects through because I I'm not sure we going to even finish the comprehensive plan in this two years. because you're up for
3:34:02 re-election and it give us chance to focus more on the city business rather than worried about election every year.
3:34:11 Okay, so that's where I'm at. But public comment, I will open it up to the public. Anyone in the public wish to
3:34:18 address this item may may come to the microphone, state your name and address and have three have three minutes.
3:34:32 Valerie Shuitt, uh, West Montro Street. So, I am actually for a 4-year, uh,
3:34:40 term. I think just looking at it, but I'm looking at it from one perspective.
3:34:44 um looking at it from a citizen's perspective, trying to do good things and move things forward and needing council support or doing it
3:34:52 alongside you, it's a lot to be constantly kind of re-calibrating to new councils every two years. And I agree with what the mayor said. Um you know,
3:35:01 the second year y'all are thinking about re-election and campaigning and all that kind of stuff. So, um I that's why I like the four-year uh term. I do think
3:35:11 no reset. Um, it should be eight years in cap. I just think if you send it to the ballot with a reset, it's probably
3:35:18 not going to make it anyway. Um, I understand it makes things logistically easier, but you could also say you just
3:35:26 I mean you just don't run if it's going to push you over that 8-year limit, you know, which I know means then six years for a lot of you, but that is the flip
3:35:34 side of that. um or we deal with the headache of like the transition phase which I think is um worth it for
3:35:41 something like this. So um there's something else I was going to say and I can't remember but I'm sure someone else will say it from the public. Thanks.
3:35:50 Thank you. Anyone else? Good evening council Otis Taylor 3686.
3:36:02 I think four years is wonderful.
3:36:06 You get a chance to know each other. I mean I come out from looking out from here looking on where you see so much of
3:36:14 and it's not that you guys are fighting one another. It's just like u like Brian said sometime you get information and
3:36:22 another person get information so it kind of muddies up the water. But when you guys are working together so long,
3:36:29 you you know each other. You you're uh gel with each other. You and I think it makes it nice and smooth. Now along with that,
3:36:38 let's go back to 6:30.
3:36:40 I know that wasn't a topic, but I think four years would really really make a big difference in um in a way
3:36:49 uh people can relate to each other because uh what come June half of uh the ones
3:36:57 that's up for election, your minds are going to be elsewhere. Not not that that's the way it is, but the fact that
3:37:04 you're concentrating now on running again for election and there's other things need to be done. So, if we're on
3:37:12 four years, uh we not only that, it just saves the city. I mean, the whole thing today about all the money and this and that, $80,000,
3:37:22 that's a lot of money and we can save on that and we can put that toward other things, but four years I think would be
3:37:29 very good for the city and it' be very good for whoever is sitting up there because to make a decision and not be able to see it through, that's kind of
3:37:38 that's that's not, you know, you you want to be able to do something and then leave saying yes, I done something well.
3:37:45 Uh and sometime that two year you just it's government don't work that fast. So it takes about four years for government to make anything happen anyway. So four years. Yay.
3:37:56 Thank you. Anyone else?
3:38:04 Good evening. Uh Jenny May 4062 Greystone Drive. Um, so in regards to the four years, and I can understand why
3:38:13 the mayor is bringing it up because there are cities that do have the four years because of the continuity and the and the accountability and all that. Um,
3:38:20 and I can see the two years. Now, I have to remind everybody that we did go to vote the first time, right? Uh, I think that was like what, two, three years
3:38:28 ago, and the public did speak and they said no. So, um, yes, it's really up to
3:38:34 the residents, but I do want to have clarity because I I saw the application that you put in for Mr. Mayor in regards
3:38:43 to this and you did say that you wanted to have a reset. So, I'm kind of confused now. You're saying no reset or
3:38:52 yes, you want a reset. It's just in the application itself. So, but in regards to the reset, I mean, there's there's councils that go four years, there's
3:39:00 commissions that go four years, there's ones that go to. It's it's really up to the the residents to to speak on. But,
3:39:06 however, I want to make sure I'm I'm clear in our record, and I want to make sure that you're clear that, you know,
3:39:12 that I strongly oppose any language that will allow for any reset, any reset of
3:39:18 anyone. I think that um allowing anyone to reset their term counts,
3:39:25 especially if they're already served 8 years, should not be should not be added at all. I mean, your time has served.
3:39:32 Eight years, you're good. Now, remember,
3:39:35 the intent of any term limit is just is not just about the about time served. It is about preventing the consolidation of
3:39:42 power and ensuring fairness and access to public office. I want to make sure that that is on record. You know, if we
3:39:50 allow a restart provision, we effectively undermine that actual intent. So eight years should mean eight years regardless of whether those years
3:39:58 were served under a two-year or four-year term. So no reset. I thank you for your time.
3:40:05 Thank you.
3:40:14 Thank you, Fran Falcone 3904 Duneway. Um, I support four years with no reset.
3:40:21 Uh, I don't think two years gives you the benefit to do anything productive because you're learning at least the very first year. Thank you.
3:40:29 Thank you. Anyone else?
3:40:37 Good evening, Mr. Mayor, members of the council. So Paula Hoisington, 564 East Dninnesota,
3:40:42 East Dninnesota Street. Um I too agree with everything that was said that we should go with the four years. I'm not sure about the reset. Um four years will
3:40:51 give you time to as you bring in your plans once you're elected to follow follow them through at least see them
3:40:57 get further along. Um and you won't come into an election with two years planning to run because that's what happens when you only have two years. you come in,
3:41:08 you try to do something a year, the next year, as Odis said, you're thinking of reelection. So, um, if we are going to
3:41:16 do this and put it on the ballot, I would hope that we do a very thorough educational
3:41:23 promotion to the citizens so that they understand the value. I don't think people really think about how much it
3:41:30 costs to run an election every two years, the $80,000 that we're spending.
3:41:35 But if we can explain the benefits, not only financially, but how it brings cohesiveness to our council to see things through, I
3:41:45 think we can get this done. So, let's go for it. And I would always Can we reconsider 6:30?
3:41:52 What was that? I didn't hear that. 6:30.
3:41:56 Because I mean, even though we have it online,
3:42:00 if I'm at work, right, and I want to listen to my city council, uh, no, because I'm working, right? So,
3:42:09 I still don't have access if I'm working and I want to tune up because my, you know, I'm walking in my staff's office
3:42:17 and they're listening to the city council instead of doing what? No. Okay. Okay. Thank you. Anyone else?
3:42:27 Anyone else?
3:42:35 Good evening, city council. Vincent Neim, Regency Hills.
3:42:39 Uh, we tried this before. How'd that work out? Not too good. All right. I'm not here to attack anybody, but I re I
3:42:49 recall many years and staff could back me on this where I say people use the planning zoning as a stepping tool. Some
3:42:58 used it as a stepping stool, some I agree that should be from the pen on that council. Okay. But as all we could
3:43:09 recall, if you are good at your job that you do up there, you'll get reelected.
3:43:16 Sometimes like Miss Meyers her first term and the second term she ran unopposed because she listened to the
3:43:25 people. Okay? And that means she didn't have to run for an election.
3:43:31 Okay? We also could get a council up there that spent over $150,000 for a new
3:43:38 boat for the lake. And just last workshop, you said we had a councilman or mayor says, "Let's get let's give the
3:43:48 lake back to the county." So there goes the 150,000. We had a council up there that want to spend $14 million on a
3:43:55 firehouse. New council came in and spent what was it in here? 200 two two million less than three,000 $3 million.
3:44:07 No make sense.
3:44:09 We also have volunteers on the planning and zoning and I bit my tongue sitting there cuz I know it was directed towards me by a certain individual.
3:44:18 Okay. A special man's street is going to cost anywhere from 35 to $40,000.
3:44:26 Okay.
3:44:29 You also said that at a workshop you want to get rid of the code enforcement. There goes another
3:44:36 $40,000. So there's your $80,000 that you could be saving and giving to the election. I just add it up. But just
3:44:45 keep in mind we need real council people up there, not puppets.
3:44:54 It didn't work out before. Take it to a vote. You'll see it's not going to work out again. Resets. What's next? Marial.
3:45:03 A marial power. One person in charge.
3:45:07 You're taking the government and making a government. You're taking the power away from people. From the people of Clermont.
3:45:17 Okay. Two years. Yeah, I agree. I only had two years as a planning and zoning commissioner and then there was a vote
3:45:25 and I only had one year as a planning I didn't complain about it. I took my lumps but I did my job and the council kept voting me on because I did my job.
3:45:38 Do your job. Thank you. God bless. Thank you. Anyone else?
3:45:45 Anyone else?
3:45:48 And no one else in the chamber. Anybody online? We have one person in the queue, sir. Please uh go ahead and queue them up, please.
3:45:59 Hello, my name is Anna Sinclair, 575 West Manola Avenue. Uh I am in favor of a 4-year term. However, I am strongly
3:46:08 against a reset. I believe that if you have served um that that time should be taken into consideration. I understand
3:46:17 that this poses some challenges because there are some members who might be for example at six years and then if they
3:46:24 are seeking reelection um they would not be able to go for the four year but I think we need to go through the a painful transition period
3:46:33 wherein um a person who is at six years has a reduced term after a few years uh
3:46:40 we should be able to have all council members on a four uh year term. The reason why I support four years is
3:46:47 because it brings uh stability. I understand that uh there's something to be said for having shorter terms terms
3:46:54 as we do right now. Uh right now every two years uh we get to decide if a person in council has been doing a good
3:47:02 job and if we don't like it we get to uh vote against them. There's a lot of value in that. But if shorter elections
3:47:10 do bring a certain level of chaos and we understand this because otherwise we would be evaluating you every year or
3:47:18 every six months like that is what my company does with me. I get a a midyear review and a yearly review as well and
3:47:26 it's always a great review by the way because my boss doesn't know that I'm calling you right now. So don't tell her that.
3:47:34 But but there's a there is a certain level of instability that that brings.
3:47:38 We understand therefore that we need to have a certain level of balance that we need some chaos. Yes. Because we don't want somebody being there for 20 years.
3:47:46 But also um we cannot have yearly or monthly uh elections and just just four
3:47:54 years is the period that I'm comfortable with. That is it. Some of my fellow residents are going to be comfortable with too. And that's fine. the there's
3:48:01 nothing uh wrong or right about this. Um but if we want to, I would be in favor of bringing this again, like putting it
3:48:10 on the ballot. But I'll say that if you have a reset clause in there, chances are it's not going to pass. I think this is already going to be an uphill battle,
3:48:19 uh even without a reset clause, even making it making it clear to the residents that uh time serve is going to be taken into consideration. Uh, but if
3:48:27 you put that reset clause in there and basically allow uh current council members to serve more than the eight-year limit, I don't think this is
3:48:36 going to uh pass. Well, that is my two cents. Thank you very much. I'm going back to work.
3:48:44 Thank you. That's it. No one else. All right. We going to close public comment. Bring it back to the council.
3:48:51 Yes. Let's say council.
3:48:55 Are we getting the city city attorney back? Because I had some charter questions for him.
3:49:00 Yeah, he's going to be back in just a sec. You have to go take care of an issue.
3:49:02 Okay. Um I'll just save save that for when he comes back because I just have some questions charter wise. Okay.
3:49:13 Here we go. Welcome back. Thank you.
3:49:24 On Q. Um, I have a couple of questions. First, statutory and charter.
3:49:30 Council member, if you would just give me one second to say something to the city manager, please.
3:49:37 That's new. Oh boy.
3:49:47 Should I hum music? I'm ready. I'm sorry. Okay. No, no, no, no need to apologize.
3:49:53 Um, and do do we need a break? Do we need a recess here? Actually, yes, if possible. Okay, a fivem minute recess if possible.
3:50:02 I'll make a motion for a fivem minute recess. I second. Okay. Thank Yes. Uh, 650.
3:50:10 Yes. Thank you.
3:51:11 Hey. Hey. Hey.
3:52:30 Heat. Heat.
3:54:00 down
3:54:54 Hey, hey, hey.
3:56:24 down.
3:56:40 Hey Heat. Heat.
3:59:40 Yeah, feel
4:00:12 Okay.
4:00:26 minutes back in session. I apologize.
4:00:35 No worries. We'll pick back. Are we good to pick back up? I am. Okay. Um,
4:00:41 let me get back into that mind frame here. Uh first question is is there a statutory
4:00:48 requirement in Florida for municipalities to have a charter review process? No.
4:00:55 Okay. Was there use did there used to be or is it or is it like a Well, there's a city manager or sorry a city attorney like best practice that communities do?
4:01:04 No. Um I it is a an older traditional practice that older cities and counties had. Uh I myself was on the Orange
4:01:12 County Charter Review Commission. Uh a lot are beginning to discontinue the process. Okay.
4:01:18 Because there are these citizen-led petition. But long story short, there's no best practice. Everyone has their own way.
4:01:23 Okay. I just wanted to make sure cuz I did get that question on whether or not I think there there was an assumption that like people had heard every five or
4:01:30 seven or 10 years. And I just put that out there. Um with our charter as it currently reads. So, if we were to
4:01:39 change to a um to a 4-year term,
4:01:45 it would obviously change that language specifically in the charter that it would be from a two-year term to a four-year term. And then there's the second question of term limits.
4:01:58 Is that correct? Yes. And can that be handled in one ballot question?
4:02:08 I think yes. I think it could. Okay.
4:02:13 Because I think uh if I remember correctly, the previous ballot initiative
4:02:19 related to four-year terms asked really two questions. One was, do you want a 4-year term for your city council
4:02:28 members? And do you want to extend term limits to 12 years from 8 to 12? So 2 to
4:02:35 4, 8 to 12. So that can be done in in in one ballot question if if the idea has a unifying idea. So I
4:02:43 think here you could make the case that it's a reform of the city council terms.
4:02:50 Okay. Is there anything that would prohibit us in our current charter that if we did if we put on the ballot go to
4:02:59 a four-year term but do nothing with the term limits. So, the 8-year term limit applies.
4:03:10 Does the charter say eight years or does the charter say four two-year terms? Two years. Yeah, it does say four two-year terms.
4:03:19 So, we would have to change the language in the charter to to be two four-year terms.
4:03:29 are we how would we go about if we did not want to do what I'll just kind of call as the restart how would that language
4:03:37 look so that yes it would be two four-year terms as the max
4:03:45 going forward but not restarting anything for current folks in office. It would require additional language that
4:03:53 states, for example, to the extent that any existing council member had already served X years, that counts against that 8-year limit.
4:04:02 Okay. Um,
4:04:06 and I think that um I I think that uh you know, this really should be think this should be thought
4:04:15 about from the standpoint of what's in the best interest of the city and not people. But it's hard because the reality is there's five of us sitting up
4:04:21 here and we're each in various stages of our term limits and people are going to naturally think about how this is going
4:04:29 to affect certain people. Um, if we didn't do any restart, if you will, and just asked, do
4:04:38 we want four-year terms for an 8-year term limit um
4:04:45 to go into effect in 2028
4:04:53 for seats 1, three, and five is when that would go into effect. Is that right?
4:04:58 For the first time. for the first time as as proposed by the mayor in this it would be seats 1 3 and five. So if that's the case,
4:05:07 council member Strange if she were to run again in 26 and be elected would be up her position her seat that she occupies would be up again in 2028.
4:05:19 And if it was a 4-year term, her total would be eight years at that point.
4:05:24 Correct. So we it wouldn't be an issue for her specifically in that seat,
4:05:30 right? Same would go for Mr. Peterson because he's he was elected at the same time. If we did that related to the
4:05:39 mayor's position, if he were to run for reelection in 26,
4:05:45 at the end of 26 going into that 28 election, he would be at the eight-year. So he would be not eligible for running.
4:05:52 Yes. for that seat for re-election in 27 it would be seats two and four and so at
4:06:01 that par um I would have served two years if I ran for reelection and got reelected if if we did this as a
4:06:08 three-year I would have served I will then serve in 2020 in 2030 five years
4:06:15 council member will have served two four seven years so really the
4:06:23 cutting. Yeah. So, really the cutting short if we don't reset affects two of us. It doesn't affect these positions,
4:06:31 but it affects two of us. And I want to draw that distinction because I think I don't want to make this decision about
4:06:38 what it means for me. I want to make this decision about what it means for this council and for the city. And
4:06:46 in reality, I guess I would have the potential most to lose in terms of service. If the citizens wanted to keep
4:06:53 me for a third election, they couldn't do that because the term limit, if we didn't reset, I would be at 5 years. I
4:07:00 couldn't run for another four-year term because that would put me at nine and I would be prohibited.
4:07:05 I get that. Uh same for Council Member Meyers. She would be at seven. She couldn't run for a four-year term because she then would be at 11.
4:07:14 But if the four-year term is really in the best interest of the city,
4:07:18 then I either sit out and run again later or I, you know, make different decisions based off that. But I think I don't want us to get too mired into how
4:07:27 this affects an individual per se. It should be about what is the best interest for our community.
4:07:34 With that being said, I think the biggest downfall to the previous ballot item that was out there was because it really did ask two questions. It said,
4:07:44 "Do you want a four-year term, and do you want to extend the four term limits to 12?" And for someone like myself who went into that ballot box and said, "I may feel one way about a four-year term,
4:07:54 but I may feel a different way about 12-year term limit. I only have one vote, though, and so I could be yes and
4:08:01 no, or no and yes, but I only can vote yes or no." Um, and I I really I hope if
4:08:09 we're going to put a ballot initiative with this or any ballot initiatives that we approved go on the ballot that it be
4:08:16 as straightforward as possible with as little mixing of things in there. Um, so
4:08:24 that it really answers the question, do you want a 4-year term regardless of what it means? And in this case, in all reality, for council member Myers or
4:08:33 Council Member Bane, it does we're it doesn't matter what it what it means to us. Do you think a four-year term is the right thing for the city of Clermont?
4:08:42 And so I I I bring all that up because um I think it's important to discuss and just it's the elephant in the room.
4:08:49 We're it's human nature to tie it to people. Um but it really isn't and shouldn't be about people. It should be about the positions and what's in the best interest for the city. So, if we do
4:08:58 move forward, I hope it's a cleancut four-year term with no restart clause.
4:09:06 I mean, I'm I'm a really initially I thought it was a good idea, but now I don't think it's a good idea because I think it it takes takes away
4:09:14 accountability just like we were discussing, you know, we people every two years give us a review.
4:09:22 You know, they say, do you want them or you don't want them? And I don't think this is four years is a long time. You know, you lose you lose trust, you lose
4:09:30 transparency. We become, I think, a little bit too complacent then because an incumbent, a four-year incumbent has
4:09:38 a lot of power. So, it's going to cause a lot of you're not going to have people coming up against a fouryear incumbent.
4:09:44 A two-year incumbent, yeah, if you're here for second term, yeah, then you're going to have more power. But if you're here four years straight without anybody
4:09:52 any opposition, you're not really listening to the public anymore. And I think you you you're breaking away from the voters as opposed to, you know,
4:10:00 you're always thinking about what they're going to think when you vote.
4:10:04 Not, you know, you don't care anymore because I'm here for four years and, you know, people have a very short memory.
4:10:10 So, they're not going to remember what we did. But a two-year memory, they do have and they'll remember every single word you say, every single vote you take, and it'll come back and haunt you.
4:10:20 And that's my feel. So, I would I would be a strong no against this.
4:10:24 Um, I see both sides. Um, for the candidate, it's of course easier because you're, you know, one and you don't have to spend all that time campaigning. Um,
4:10:37 but the other side to that is that if you get a bad candidate in there for four years, they can do a lot of damage.
4:10:46 We see people who are in office now who have been in for a year and some change and the damage that they are already
4:10:53 doing to a lot of citizens. So, um, I would be a no on that.
4:11:03 I'm sorry. May I ask you a question?
4:11:04 Because both of you talked about your vote on that. Why not give the citizens the opportunity to actually vote on that rather than you because we already did that.
4:11:15 We did in a in a in a double item, if you will. And if if this if this if because it was a four-year term and a
4:11:23 12-year term limit, so extension of the term limits. If this was an item that just voted on a four-year term,
4:11:32 if you you may choose to vote against that, but why not allow citizens the opportunity in the ballot box to have that same right to say yes or no to that
4:11:40 four-year term straight up with no other caveats to it?
4:11:44 Well, I I would like to answer that question and and it goes to something I commented to some folks who who opineed publicly to me that four-year terms are
4:11:53 good. And it's how many of you have actually run for office? And and I I I don't mean that facitiously. I
4:12:00 authentically mean it like getting up here and running for these seats. You know, four years. Four years if you're a
4:12:08 parent, that's most of elementary school. It's all of middle school. It's all of high school. It's all of college.
4:12:16 You're committing when you decide to run to give up all those years. And if you're a small business owner, small
4:12:24 business is volatile. Small business can change from one year to the next. It definitely can change over four years.
4:12:31 So I think we look at, you know, what type of people do we want? And if the question is, are we letting the people decide? I would submit that as a
4:12:39 republic, it's our responsibility to in our seats, in the positions where we've chosen to make policy, to offer to the
4:12:47 public the questions that should rightfully be in the hands of the public. We are a republic, not a democracy. And so, if we're asking
4:12:55 people to make a decision about information and things that they really don't have firsthand knowledge of, I think that's irresponsible. And I think
4:13:03 it abdicates our duty to the public if we just offer that up. And so I go to the question of this is we're talking
4:13:11 about our constitution, our charter. A constitution should be universal truths.
4:13:15 It should be the the law of the land. It is the highest law that we have. And then why would we change it? And what I
4:13:23 heard is we want to change it because that's what everyone else is doing.
4:13:28 And and I'm not I'm not that's not a that's not an attack. It's like that,
4:13:31 but that was this is what everyone else is doing and so we want to do it and it'll save us a little bit of money and it'll help with continuity and and there's some pluses, but we're a very
4:13:40 large city that has had two-year terms since our founding. And in being a large city, we are the envy of many. And so
4:13:49 having two-year terms with that dysfunction that comes with two-year terms has served us in the past. And
4:13:56 when we look at classical study of ideas, we want to measure the ideas against time. And in our case, time has served us well having two-year terms.
4:14:08 Um, so I think I don't think that there's a if there's a problem that we're trying to solve. I think the
4:14:16 problem here is relative to a $200 million annual budget, a small amount of money where
4:14:23 the potential counterpoint of that is wasting of millions. And so I look at,
4:14:28 to your point, Miss Meyers, if if we if the wrong person or people are sitting up here and there's nothing the people can do to get them out, you know, to
4:14:36 your point, Mr. mayor, if the comprehensive plan and the vision I have for the city is not a good one that's supported by the city, the citizens can vote me out and and that's within their
4:14:45 power in the ballot box. But if we have four-year terms, they can't vote me out and and so the decisions that I'm making
4:14:52 with million millions of dollars, the citizens can't do anything about it.
4:14:56 I've taken the hands out of the power out of the hands of the citizens. So I think that the the test of time and the
4:15:03 test of ideas and the frequency of the voting voting at the ballot box is actually good for the citizens. And so I can't get behind four-year terms. Um,
4:15:13 ironically, I might be digging myself a hole here, but I actually would be for longer term limits. Um, and the reason why is somebody who spent a great deal
4:15:22 of time in government has shared with me an expression that the talent pool is shallow. And um I don't disagree
4:15:29 actually. I I'm a big like oh term limits are great but honestly like finding people who are willing to do this who are good at it who are willing
4:15:38 to continue to do it year after year that's really hard. So I think if we were talking about something that I was willing to change I'd be more inclined to say let's talk about the term limits.
4:15:50 But I think the terms and the frequency of the election by the people is really good for the city and I think it served us well. So I don't see a need to change that piece of it.
4:15:59 Let me u let me say this. It sound like you talking from both sides of your mouth. In one minute you're saying two years is enough. Uh and four years is
4:16:07 too much but yet still you talking about extending the term amount of terms. Sure.
4:16:11 So uh beyond eight years that means you're getting reelected.
4:16:14 Two years is four years is too much. Why would you want to serve more than eight years? See,
4:16:19 because the people vote you in and then Well, and true. And again, as Mr. Bane say, it's not I don't think this is our decision. This is something
4:16:27 that the the people out there need to vote on. You put it on the ballot. Let the people make the decision uh of where
4:16:34 they want this city to go. I'm out there with the people every day, and that's what that's one of the biggest questions I get. Why are we still at two-year terms? Not just because other cities are
4:16:43 doing it because residents are asking me, okay, why don't we go to four-year terms? it make more sense. Besides, you know, some of them I'm saying they tired
4:16:51 of having to try to donate the campaigns every year. You know, we asking all this here and money is getting tougher and tougher every year for the these people out here with the economy and
4:16:59 everything. So, so I I understand this for continuity and and stability here.
4:17:05 We go to two years and you're right, it was on the ballot in 2022, but the big mistake we made in 2022, as Mr. Bane said, we grouped everything together.
4:17:14 And to be honest with you, I wasn't happy with what we put on the ballot in 2022 because it extended it to to
4:17:21 12-year terms. And I'm not I'm not for extending the 8-year term. And when we got ready to put it on the ballot, I
4:17:29 voiced my opinion about it. I wanted to go to the four-year term, keep it at 8-year term limits. However, the council, other council members voted
4:17:38 different. Okay? So, that's how I got on the ballot. And I think that one of the biggest things is because most of the people that came to me, hey, we're for eight year fouryear term, but we don't like the 12 year term term limits. Okay.
4:17:49 So, uh that's one of the things that people keep telling me know about. They like the eight four year terms, but not the eight year term limits. Um and
4:17:57 you're right. We've been sitting here for years and years at two years. But as you said, the city has changed. See, I'm
4:18:06 not coming to a city council now where I used to used to come around here and see five or 10 thousand people. The city have gotten bigger. Okay? So things
4:18:15 change and so that's why, you know, it's a time for us to look at look at our charter and do is there things on the charter. And ever since we've been here,
4:18:23 Miss May, Miss Strange, ever since you've been here, we've been changing things in the charter. We've been changing ordinance and everything else.
4:18:29 See, we've always been making these adjustments.
4:18:33 All right? cuz we look at them, you think they ordained or whatever, so you make the changes. Now we sitting up here worried about what we think. My thing
4:18:41 is, hey, vote, put it on the ballot, let the people speak. We're here to represent the people and most of the people I come to that come to me asking
4:18:50 to go to four year. I think just everybody came to the das basically just now supported the four-year term. Okay.
4:18:57 So the people are speaking to you, but yet and still we keep worrying about us.
4:19:02 I it doesn't matter to me whether you reset it or time served. Doesn't matter to me which way you go.
4:19:09 My main thing is spend it on the ballot.
4:19:11 Go to the four-year term. Save the city money. For us to spend almost $80,000 for 6,000 people out of 30 something,000
4:19:18 voters to vote. That's a waste of money in the offyear election. I don't care how you and you can sit here and talk about how much money was in and saved
4:19:27 here and there, but I I I beg the difference because if we go back and look at everything, we haven't saved too much money and spent too much money over
4:19:34 the last year. Okay? All these figures they throwing out about saving this and saving that. Um
4:19:40 so my thing is, hey, let's make the offer. uh given the motion, put it on the ballot, let the people speak and
4:19:48 quit trying to uh I'm not I'm not worried about it. And as the comment was made, you're right. If you if you're
4:19:55 good, people reelected. I guess that's why I've been re reelected three times. Okay.
4:20:01 Do so I'm not worried about it. And if I don't get re-elected, I don't get re-elected. But it doesn't matter to me.
4:20:07 Okay. I would like to to I think we've all spoke. Um, so, uh, I'm going to make
4:20:14 a motion that we put on the ballot four-year terms with no, um, with no reset for the people, uh, to give us
4:20:23 feedback on that. Um, I I guess I just have more faith and trust in the voters to, uh, give us that feedback. um and
4:20:32 without uh any other process by which uh we've established as this council to do so to put those ballot initiatives on
4:20:39 the ballot. I think uh this is the opportunity that they have to do that through through us. So I make that motion. Have a motion there. Second.
4:20:48 I'll second to call the vote.
4:20:50 Okay. I have a motion and a second to go ahead and um put the initiative on the ballot. It give directions to the city manager and
4:20:58 city attorney to go ahead and draft the ballot issue uh issue for the ballot to go to four-year terms and no reset and we going to keep the 8year term limits.
4:21:09 Yeah, this is just a straight up do you want a four-year term for your council members?
4:21:14 Okay. Uh but no reset. No reset. Mr. Mr. W,
4:21:21 is that the only question we need to put on the ballot? just go to eight-year terms.
4:21:26 Well, I think what I've construed and maybe I should ask for clarification is uh straight four year terms with a maximum of two.
4:21:33 Yeah. So, I I I knew you as soon as you were starting that question, I knew you were going to ask that. Yes. So, the ballot language would be four-year terms
4:21:41 with a max with a maximum of two four-year terms. Two consecutive two consecutive four-year terms. I don't want to change anything else other than
4:21:48 the length of the term from 2ear to fouryear. All the other language that makes it equate and be legal all stays the same. Yeah, it makes sense to me.
4:21:56 But that's good on the second. It doesn't change my intent, but I understood that's okay. All right. Thank you.
4:22:04 No further discussion.
4:22:06 All in favor? Let it be known by saying I. I. All oppose. Nay. Nay.
4:22:11 And the chair vote I as well. Motion fails three to two.
4:22:20 All right. reports.
4:22:31 Mr. Van Wagner,
4:22:33 I' I'd like to let Mr. Bor come up for a moment and share some exciting news with the council and with the community.
4:22:43 And while he's coming up, uh, on Wednesday, March 25th, we have a public safety training media event at 2 p.m. if
4:22:51 any of you would like to come. And then this Friday and through Sunday is Pig on the Pond at Waterfront. And then
4:22:59 Saturday through Sunday, there is the Lake County Boating riotta at Victory Point from 7:00 a.m. to 4 pm. And then
4:23:08 there is a another riata on April 4th and April 5th. That's the Sunshine State Invitational riotta on Lake Minnola.
4:23:18 That's from 7:00 a.m. to 400 p.m. as well. And that's college teams, right?
4:23:22 Yes. And then we have the Masters Point Showcase Disc Golf Tournament at Lake Hayawa on March 28th from 8:00 a.m. to noon.
4:23:34 Scott Bore, finance director. A couple audit reports for you. I'm going to work in reverse in regards to our most
4:23:41 recently completed fiscal year. I mentioned this a little bit earlier,
4:23:44 fiscal year 2025. uh we are in the last few days of completing that process and we expect uh currently we are scheduled
4:23:52 to have our auditor from CRI to present to you the fiscal year 25 audit at the second meeting in April. Uh is that on time?
4:24:02 Uh we we are hopeful still to be have it technically completed by the end of March. Okay.
4:24:10 Yes. But the the state deadline is the end of June which obviously we're well ahead of the curve on that one. Great.
4:24:16 Then the second item uh which Mr. Van Wagner was alluding to in regards to the previous audit, the fiscal year 2024 audit. Uh you might recall that uh Miss
4:24:25 Moser from CRI presented that audit to you last summer. Uh last week we received notification from the Government Finance Officers Association
4:24:33 GFOA that with that audit they have awarded us the certificate of excellence for a certificate of achievement for
4:24:40 excellence in financial reporting. And why we're so happy and proud to share that dues is it's the first time the city has been awarded that since uh fiscal year in 2020.
4:24:51 So thank you.
4:24:56 So uh finance department uh obviously kudos to the team very proud of that. Um
4:25:02 also our external partners and uh other departments within the city. It is truly a team effort. Um, and credit goes to
4:25:10 the current and former administration and councils as well for their patience and getting us back to this point. And,
4:25:17 uh, we're very excited to share that due. So, it's very exciting.
4:25:20 Wayne's got a copy of, if I can ask Wayne to pull that up. Um,
4:25:26 you'll see this in the uh, audit report for 2025.
4:25:30 That will uh, that will uh, be given to you in a couple weeks here. Of course,
4:25:35 we'll post this online. And uh there it is right there. Certificate of achievement.
4:25:41 And uh excellent work. Yeah. Thank you. Great job, Scott. Thank you.
4:25:45 Great job, Scott. I know when you and Mr. a former city man, Mr. Bolt Ty bought this whole thing about switching our accounting and new software to me
4:25:54 and I was a little skeptical about everything, but you all sold it on me and I think it's worked out well and I think we got a very very good picture of the uh finances and everything. Now,
4:26:04 thank you. Thank you for all the great work you put into it to make sure it got off and going. Thank appreciate that. Thank you.
4:26:09 And I'd just like to publicly say to Scott, thank you for all your hard work and your perseverance because they could have given up on this award at any moment
4:26:17 and they persevered despite the odds and the obstacles of not being able to do this in a timely fashion. And we worked
4:26:25 together with you guys and the and the auditing team. We didn't hire them until the last year. It was late. So all of
4:26:34 those things were attributed to the challenge, but they looked beyond the challenge and did it. And I will also add for the council,
4:26:42 they're three months early this year compared to last year.
4:26:45 That's a difference in our procedures that we've done intentionally because we don't want to be at the mercy of the
4:26:52 committee saying you are qualified or you're not. We just wanted to follow the rules. So they made an adjustment in the
4:27:00 accounting department which we haven't had for years and years and that's all you know Mr. Mr. Bore I give you all the credit for that making that adjustment.
4:27:09 So I just want to publicly say thank you for your support and Mr. Boore and his team like I said they're three months ahead so we can get the we're hoping to
4:27:18 get the award again. So thank you council members for your support so we can make the necessary adjustments and go get that award again and again.
4:27:26 That's what we want to do. We want to make Clermont proud and our council and our citizens. So, thank you again, Mr. Mayor, for your time.
4:27:31 And Scott, I know I know what you what the work you had to put in cuz I know what you came into and you weren't quite comfortable taking the position when we
4:27:39 when you brought we brought you in there, but you've done a fantastic job with it and I appreciate you for putting the effort and time in. Thank you.
4:27:48 Yes, sir. Oh, yes. Okay.
4:27:56 Uh on the city attorney's side, um we're working with finance on presenting an investments policy to you in April. Um
4:28:05 we are still consummating the purchase on the 8 acres that um you all approved the contract for a while ago and due
4:28:13 diligence has commenced on that. We have a phase one survey in progress to determine if there's any environmental issues, make sure that it's good, clean
4:28:21 property uh for us to take. and we are in the midst of a I I would say a comprehensive review of our code enforcement
4:28:30 procedures as regards nuisances and how we handle those. So, um we're just in the beginning stages of that. It is going to come to you eventually. We're
4:28:38 going to need some direction. Um but I wanted you to know it's in the works and if you have any questions, feel free to contact me.
4:28:46 Mr. Bang.
4:28:48 Thank you, Mayor. Uh the only report I have is that next Tuesday is a fifth Tuesday and similar to like the mayor having lunch with the mayor and and
4:28:57 council member uh Peterson having bagels with Bill uh I'm going to host a fifth Tuesday forum and the fifth Tuesday. So,
4:29:06 every month there's a fifth Tuesday quarterly, four times a year, I'm going to host a communitywide listening session. And I'll be at various points throughout the community. And this one's
4:29:14 going to be on Tuesday, March 31st at 6:00 at the Arts and Recreation Center uh on US 27 South. So, I look forward to seeing you there.
4:29:25 Thank you, sir. Council member Myers.
4:29:30 Good evening, everyone. I had an idea that I wanted to bring to council to see what their thoughts were. Um it's I was
4:29:39 thinking we should as a city host meet the candidates um in September for all of those who are running to um be up
4:29:49 here and have uh all of the candidates have the same questions and it's at our arts and rec center. I
4:29:58 don't think it's fair that um our our gated communities seem to be the only places where candidates get to go and
4:30:06 talk to the communities. So my thinking is if we did this as a city and all of the candidates had the questions ahead
4:30:14 of time and the citizens to come out and they could meet the candidates to see do they want to vote someone new in or they
4:30:22 want to keep who they have. Um it would just be a fair ground for everyone. Um,
4:30:28 so I would like to see if you all would be in agreeance with that. Um, the other thing I wanted to bring to your attention. I don't know you may have
4:30:36 already heard of this, but there is a phone system where it's pound 919 and a citizen would call and say, "Okay,
4:30:46 I want to know about Clermont and okay,
4:30:49 my trash didn't get picked up." So, they would connect them to our sanitation department. Or if they wanted to know
4:30:56 where, hey, a gas station is on 50, it would give them that. Um, hey, where can I get dry cleaning? It gives them all of
4:31:04 those things. There is a free trial for 30 days and then it would cost the city $3,000 a month. The city of Winter
4:31:12 Garden already has this in place and the city of Akoi is in the process of having it as well. Um, it's really neat. I've
4:31:20 tried it out. I thought it would be something fun for us to use. Um, it would be helpful for all of our different departments as well as all the
4:31:28 businesses that we have here. It's just one number that you would call and that's pound 919 and then it would prompt what city you would say Clermont
4:31:36 and what it is that you need help with and it would connect you to that. Um, and then the other thing I want to say,
4:31:43 my last thing is I want to say happy Women's History Month. And I would like to highlight our deputy city clerk,
4:31:52 Nicole Wiz Nessie. I hope I said that right, Nicole.
4:31:56 She serves as the deputy city clerk for the city of Clermont, a position she has held since 2022.
4:32:02 She has gained experience across multiple government departments,
4:32:06 including building and planning and zoning departments. before joining the city clerk's office in Mount Dor. Nicole has been a member of the Florida
4:32:15 Association of City Clerks since 2021 and recently achieved her certified municipal clerk designation. She is also
4:32:24 a member of the International Institute of Municipal Clerks. Nicole is married and has four children and two grandchildren. She values family and
4:32:33 time spent, and I appreciate all that she does for our city. Thank you. Thank you,
4:32:43 Council Member Peterson. I think you forgot somebody down the end there. He comes back.
4:32:48 Okay. Uh thanks.
4:32:51 This past weekend, we went to uh see a show of at the ARC. It was a phenomenal show. And you know, I'm in Kings Ridge
4:32:59 and a lot of people were just telling me how the shows are getting better and better over there. And I just want to give kudos to Brian whoever else he is
4:33:07 who's marketing the new talent that's coming over there. But it's a great asset to to Clermont because we're getting a lot of people from Jason areas
4:33:15 coming in thinking that you know we we're turning into a a cultural center for for the community and um I agree
4:33:24 with all the other things you said about you know having an open forum. I think once before they had that in ARC, right?
4:33:30 I don't know who was the sponsor to that forum uh for the re, you know, where they had the candidates there.
4:33:36 You're talking about the hobnob. That's a South Lake Chamber. It's a South Lake Chamber event.
4:33:40 Yeah, South. So, I think they're going to do that. I I'm in total agreement with that. And that's it. Thank you, Council Member Strange.
4:33:49 Well, Little League baseball is officially underway, as is Babe Ruth softball.
4:33:55 There's probably soccer. There is soccer. It started on time this year.
4:33:58 So, that's exciting. I may be missing one. Um, but those are the the new and exciting things. I think Did I get all
4:34:05 the sports? I think I did. Um, I don't have any other reports right now. I think everyone else took all my exciting news with their meetings.
4:34:15 Were their reports, excuse me. Uh, Mr. Mats.
4:34:18 Yes, sir. Just one quick thing. Um, a couple months ago we hired True North to help us with our social media stuff.
4:34:27 They are doing a analysis of our current situation and part of that analysis is they're going to be doing some stakeholder meetings. And so you
4:34:35 probably received an email tonight. If you did not receive an email from Lori Siobhan of True North, let me know and I'll forward it to you because she
4:34:43 copied me on all of them. but she's basically just asking you to set up a time either in person or Zoom just to
4:34:50 quick go over some of your thoughts and uh that way they can help them with the assessment and where we go with that. So again, if you didn't if you don't
4:34:59 receive it tonight, let me know and I'll forward it to you. Thank you. Okay, Mr. Mayor, could I ask a question? Sure.
4:35:05 Council member Meyers asked if you all wanted to move forward on a few items and I just need to know if there's consensus or not to do those things she mentioned. Can you guys let me know?
4:35:17 I'm I'm in support of the community. Any community forum I think is always good.
4:35:21 So I'm I'm in support of that. Um I'd like to see the pound 919 maybe come to us. We've got this social media
4:35:29 strategy, public information. We've got the budgeting coming up. So, I think that's a great anything that helps with communication I think is a good idea.
4:35:36 Was there a third item? It was Nicole. Nicole was number three. Okay. Thank you for your service, Nicole.
4:35:45 Yeah, I I think the pound option. My first thing that came to mind is there a procurement
4:35:52 kind of related issue here? Would we have to go out to some sort of bid if we're going to contract out a service and and not um not give everybody equal opportunity? It sounds like a good idea,
4:36:03 but I don't know. Are there other places that do this? And would we need to competitively bid this to meet our requirements? Um, so I don't know if it
4:36:12 needs to be workshopped a little bit more or discussed, but I in theory I like the whether it's text 1111 or or
4:36:20 dial pound something something that would allow an easy access particularly,
4:36:26 you know, um, when it gets outside the city, whatever. But for for for the actual city to say there's a pothole,
4:36:36 there's a stoplight out, there's a stop sign that is obscured, there's a my trash didn't get picked up, anything city related. I I like I really like the
4:36:44 idea of a of a text number or a pound thing that people could call in and do that. And I don't know where that plays into the one-stop kind of shop
4:36:52 conversation that has been out there for a while. So maybe this could be a workshop topic and and also give us feedback on the on the procurement
4:36:59 piece. The uh the other thing about the work or the public forum, I love the idea of public forum. I couldn't believe when I moved here that there weren't
4:37:07 communitywide public forums outside of our gated communities outside of the hobnob, which really I mean it's
4:37:13 everybody who's on that ballot and there's so many people that you you may get 5 seconds with one person and and 30
4:37:21 seconds with someone else and that's about it.
4:37:24 I'm a little hesitant about the city doing it because I feel like then it becomes a the city getting involved with it. Even if we give the answers, I I
4:37:33 would I I would like us to see us to encourage an outside entity like a League of Women Voters or a South the
4:37:40 South Chamber or uh some partner with someone to do that rather than have the city do it.
4:37:47 Yes. Uh that was my thought process on the on the city sponsoring events like that, election events, um
4:37:56 meet the candidates. Uh I hate to see the city get involved and I've always been under the impression, hey, we want to keep the city neutral and everything.
4:38:04 So then when we start sponsoring the event, even though you're inviting all the other other candidates out there, I think we getting into some some great
4:38:12 real great territory there. So I I don't want to see that happen. Um, I know a lot of the subdivisions they host their
4:38:19 their harp knobs or whatever you want to want to call them and everything. Uh,
4:38:24 this the chamber does a hobnob every year for all the candidates. And I do understand the fact that you can't really talk to anybody too much there.
4:38:33 You kind of limited on what you can do at the hopnob under the city uh under the uh chamber uh thing. And I would like Brian, I would like to I would like
4:38:41 to see more events outside the gated communities. Uh but I don't think the city city need to get into that in into these things. So uh for the nine nine
4:38:50 pound 91 um I think we can look at that a little bit further. But right now I know I got a couple programs on my phone
4:38:57 that basically I can do that with it doesn't cost me anything. Okay. I'm driving down the road. I got one I can hit and it can tell me what's happening
4:39:05 up ahead up ahead of the road. Uh what's traffic police at? What's this that? Uh and I thought on our website that we
4:39:12 updated a couple years ago uh been updating um we already provide a lot of different type of information on there.
4:39:19 You can go to the one there where are you or what you need to know and you can hit that on our website now and know some of the stuff. I don't know if we can find out where a gas station is at.
4:39:29 Um, I know in my car and everything it's all I have to do is hit a button and it it'll tell me everywhere gas station along the road and I can actually tell
4:39:37 it specifically if I want a specific gas station it'll tell me where the closest one. Okay. And it doesn't cost me anything. So, so I think we with Brian I
4:39:46 think that maybe you need to look into it and maybe work if it's better than what we have now. Um, and everything uh
4:39:53 we can after work workshopping and everything we we'll get more information. I can probably support it.
4:39:59 Okay. But right now, I I would like to look into it a little bit more myself.
4:40:06 All right. Where were we?
4:40:09 Oh, it was I lost. Okay.
4:40:14 Mr. Van Wagner, I think somebody came up and asked for the second time on how do we how do they get their name on field trips? Are we playing field trips and
4:40:22 everything? Can we can we try to get that answer to to I think Miss Hornet didn't asked that. I think she asked it at the last council meeting and uh she
4:40:30 asked it again tonight. Um when we playing when we do field trips and everything if uh civilians um people
4:40:38 outside city staff uh is eligible to go on them, how how do they get on the trip? So would you like me to answer that or just please? Yeah. Uh well,
4:40:46 it's pretty simplistic. I was unfortunately unavailable cuz my wife was in the hospital the night before. So I wasn't able to be here to discuss that
4:40:54 trip when that was discussed publicly. So,
4:40:57 I'd love the opportunity to take a few moments to do that. The trip was planned for only staff and there were a number
4:41:04 of staff that were unable to make the trip. Some were sick, some had conflicts, some had family outings,
4:41:11 different things. So, they weren't be able to go. The bus was already booked for a certain rate. The rate doesn't change because you have a different number of people that can or can't go.
4:41:22 It's the same. So the thought was let's get the council to come. So we communicated with the council and there's some discrepancy of whether our
4:41:31 communication was clear or not with one of our with our mayor or not versus the others. So be it. I'm not here to get
4:41:38 into that argument. They think that time has passed. So that was the first answer was to discuss it with the council
4:41:45 members. They weren't available. So then we went out into the community
4:41:52 trying to find people that were going to be involved in the process with DPZ. And I think everybody seen the value of
4:42:00 understanding some of the things with DPZ because nobody knew what that was going to be like until we did that. And then we had all the sharet and all the
4:42:08 workshops and the different things. But there was a there was a an idea that we would try to work with the main street because those people work in the
4:42:17 downtown, a number of those people. So that's why we were trying to work with downtown people that had some involvement with it. But you know, I for
4:42:26 one appreciate your bluntness. I find it refreshing honestly because I don't like people who hold back and don't tell
4:42:35 their tell their truth. So, I miss Hoington, I respect you and I appreciate you saying what you say and I was just waiting to be directed by the city
4:42:43 council to be able to answer your questions because I work at the bidding of the council. So, I'm happy that the mayor gave me this opportunity. I was
4:42:51 just waiting for him to give that to me and he did that tonight because I didn't want to get into this topic since it was a past issue. I didn't want to kick up
4:42:59 any dust, but I assure you I wanted to have a conversation about it. Just out of respect to everybody involved, I chose not to. But if you are expressing
4:43:08 a desire to be involved in things like that, you're you're on one of my A1 lists. Personally, I think you're a quality person and I have a star by your
4:43:16 name. I think very highly of your knowledge and I'm not trying to plate you, ma'am. I I think very highly of you. So, if that's something you would
4:43:24 want to be involved in in the future, if if there are some endeavors, but you know, it makes me a little nervous spending an extra $3,500 after the
4:43:32 response that I just received from the council to be honest with you. Although,
4:43:36 that's another subject in itself, my my ability to spend money for $3500 to $5,000, but I don't want to get into
4:43:43 that either. Can I just finish my thought for a minute if you wouldn't mind? So,
4:43:47 I hope that answers your question. There wasn't a definite I'm going to get this group or that group. We were just trying to grab people as fast as we could
4:43:55 because the time clock kept getting smaller and smaller as people were telling us they couldn't be there. So, I appreciate your bluntness and I I hope
4:44:03 that helps a little bit and if it doesn't, I'm happy to meet with you anytime to talk offline like we have already. So, thank you again for your
4:44:11 bluntness and thanks Mr. Mayor for letting me have a moment to clarify my thoughts on that. So, Miss Strange, I didn't mean to interrupt you, but I'm a
4:44:19 guy. I got to keep going otherwise I lose my my focus sometimes. Well,
4:44:23 related to that, I think that the the questions that are raised are valid questions and they've revealed things in the way that the city has conducted
4:44:31 business in the past that are kind of just the way we've always done it or or or lack of clarity on policy and
4:44:38 procedure on anytime there is a trip outside of um outside of just well a
4:44:45 trip period. Um I've never seen a policy on, you know, when we go on trips, how we go on trips. um how we allocate our
4:44:53 transportation and travel and training budget. It's just a budget and it gets executed by the city manager. And I think as we go through the budget
4:45:00 process this year, um I think it would be helpful for us to you know in in the case of that
4:45:07 particular trip, the city manager executed a budget, you know, but there may be a desire by us to as we go through budget process identify which
4:45:17 trips are permitted and which are not versus, you know, just allowing the city manager to execute it. So, I think that part of what could be perceived as
4:45:25 conflict on that issue or might feel like conflict on that issue to people is the lack of clarity in our communications to the city manager on a
4:45:34 policy on how to execute that particular line item of the budget, specifically transportation and training and then
4:45:41 policy related to who can go on these trips and who can't go on these trips.
4:45:45 So, I encourage us to engage in that. If not, I mean, we've got a lot of workshops already on the agenda, but if we can do that during the budget process
4:45:52 this year, I think that would be healthy for us and for the public and for the city manager and for the staff. Does that sound like it would be good for everybody?
4:46:02 And then Mr. Wall, I think um I think Miss Hoisington would like to have a copy of the report that you prepared. I don't want to speak for her, but I think
4:46:09 she would benefit from seeing what you did, what you provided at the meeting where you showed how all the dollars were spent and who went and all of that so that she has access to it as well.
4:46:19 Can you send it to her? Sure. Great. Thanks. Thank you, sir.
4:46:26 Uh, mayor's lunchon, uh,
4:46:30 I guess there going to be some confusion because my mayor's lunchon going to actually be on the 1 of April, which is a Wednesday this this month, uh, in April. Uh, and it'll be at Pazanos at 12
4:46:39 o'clock as usual, but I'm doing the Wednesday because on the first Tuesday of this month, I the women's club of uh,
4:46:46 Clout have asked me to come and speak to them during the same time I normally do my lunch. So, that's where I'll be on the first Tuesday, but on the for the
4:46:53 lunching, it'll be the 1 of April at Pasanos. Okay, which is next next Wednesday instead. They asked me to do
4:47:00 it on Wednesday instead. um training. there there's some
4:47:07 talk about the my um discussion on on PNZ and the magistrate
4:47:13 last week and everything as I said then um I asked the council member to go back and look at the PNZ board PNZ board the
4:47:22 last few PNZ boards and it's it's rather embarrassing to the city u of what I've
4:47:30 been seeing uh cuz I do go back and watch the PNZ board and I I think it may be time for us to do something. And
4:47:36 trust me, as I said last week, that last council meeting, I believe in having residents serve on these boards. I think
4:47:45 it need to be in the hands of our resident. I don't want to see a magistrate come in here. But when we don't have qualified or we don't have
4:47:55 residents that's uh wanting to serve on these boards and everything, that put us in a in a predicament. We need to have
4:48:02 the PNZ. We need our code enforcement board. I'm the one to sit up here and fought to bring code enforcement back and take it out of magistrate hand a
4:48:10 couple years ago helped bring it back because I felt like it needed to be in the hands of the residents. However,
4:48:15 we're having trouble filling these boards. And I'm going be point blank honest.
4:48:20 It's about two or three people on our PNZ board that need to come off. And we talked about somebody mentioned about training earlier. I'd had training with
4:48:28 people with with the board um under the old old city attorney. I had him go go and do training with the PNZ board. We
4:48:36 had a combined training session with PNZ. Um I had Mr. War go back and do training in February because it's it's a
4:48:45 problem. Okay. But we still seeing the same thing over and over. So where do we go from here? Okay. I'm not set on doing a magistrate. But hey, if there's
4:48:54 qualified people out there that want and people want to serve on these boards can be objective. Okay.
4:49:02 I I'm willing to keep the board. But right now, I'm almost forced to keep people on the board because I have no other candidates to serve on the boards.
4:49:11 Okay. So, where do we go from here? If I take these people off and say, "Hey, I I don't think you doing the city any just I have no problem doing that." As I told
4:49:19 Mr. W, when I asked him to uh ask them to provide training and everything, if the u actions continue, then we have to
4:49:27 look at taking them off. But then when we take them off, who's in the pool? I have nobody in the pool.
4:49:34 Okay. So, so where do you go? Is it fair to the people that's coming to face these boards to sit there and only have three or four people on the count on the
4:49:42 board and then two or three of them show up? You don't have a quorum.
4:49:48 That's that that that's a problem we have. So, we need to look at it. Hey, if you want to encourage more people to come and s want to serve on that board
4:49:55 and everything and we continue to give them training and they continue to serve in a way in a way that's I don't
4:50:03 well we that I feel like it's hurting the city then then we need to look at moving them off and I get all the comments nobody
4:50:11 wants to come to Claremouth and face our PNZ because the way they treated the way they talk to and everything so they
4:50:18 don't want to come so it's is something that that personally I think it reflect upon everybody sitting on this council.
4:50:26 We putting a P product out there cuz we're the one that put these people on on on the PNZ boards and and and the code enforcement board and then they're
4:50:35 not doing a proper representation. I think that reflect upon this council as well. So, we have to take a look at that's why I asked you all to go back and look at what's been going on and
4:50:44 some of the things that's been happening at our PNZ board uh and talk with the city attorney and see what he has to say about it. Okay? But I I'll be the last
4:50:53 one that want to take it out of the hand of our residents and put it into a magistrate. But if that's what we have to do and all to to have a a good
4:51:02 product out there, I have no problem with it. Okay. So,
4:51:06 uh and I know Mr. while he provided training. Somebody asked about doing training. We did that in February. I
4:51:15 think it was was it Mr. W? We did training in February. Uh we did.
4:51:19 Okay. And I think we even talked about I think we talked about even trying to come back and do a combined training with the PNZ board and the council as
4:51:27 well. Uh we haven't gotten that scheduled, but I'm I'm willing to do that as well. Huh? We we have a workshop April 21st, Mr.
4:51:36 Mayor. So, so but in the meantime, and that's all I'm saying. Hey, take a look at what's going on with your PNZ board and everything. And if you see what I
4:51:45 see, uh, and talk to your city attorney and everything, um, and go from there.
4:51:51 All right. I served on, you're right, a lot of us use this step board. Well,
4:51:55 when I served on it, I would, I had no intention of ever running for office when I served on on the code enforcement board. That was the farthest thing away
4:52:03 from my mind. and they had to convince me to do that and I sometime I wished I hadn't let them talk me into doing it
4:52:09 but anyway uh and PNZ it was it was the thing we there to provide a service for
4:52:16 the city okay and and we got to be objective when when these things come along we have codes we have rules we
4:52:23 have ordinance and everything that we have to take a look at when when these people come to us and we just can't mis mistreat the people any kind of way okay they they entitled to respect Um,
4:52:35 other thing, last thing I want to do, uh,
4:52:40 and somebody mentioned it earlier about the endorsement, asking about the endorsement, but I and I and I wrote I wrote this statement this statement out
4:52:48 and everything cuz u, it it was a little concerning to me. Uh, and I just want to take a minute or two to go ahead and read this uh, this responsibility. Over
4:52:57 the co uh course of the last several meetings, there have been instances where council members have been asked to enter into certain agreements that in my view raise concern. At a prior meeting,
4:53:07 members were asked to refrain from making comments if they attended public noticed meeting involving involving the chetses. Most recently during our last
4:53:16 council member, members was asked to agree not to seek accept campaign endorsement from police or fire union. I
4:53:23 find these requests troubling troubling for several reason. First, when a public meeting is properly noticed and conducted in accordance with the laws of
4:53:32 the state of Florida, council member have the right to attend and speak.
4:53:35 While we serve in elected office, we we also uh we are also residents of this community and we retain the ability to
4:53:43 participate in public discourse without fear of violating the uh Florida sunshine law. Secondly, it is neither unlawful or nor improper for
4:53:51 organization including police and fire units to endorse candidates. Likewise,
4:53:55 it is not improper for candidates to seek such endorsement. These organizations have the right to support candidates of their choosing and that
4:54:05 process should remain free from any perception or limitation or undue influence. Third and perhaps most importantly, the das is reserved for
4:54:13 conduct of official city business. When statements of this nature are made from uh during an official meeting, it risks
4:54:20 blurring the line between governance and campaign activity. It may create the appearance that the authority of this body is being used to influence
4:54:28 political decisions or to make place pressure on fellow council members in a public forum. It is essential that we maintain a clear and private boundary.
4:54:38 Discussions related to campaigns,
4:54:40 endorsements or political strategy have no place in our council proceedings and should be addressed if it if at all in a
4:54:47 private campaign context, not in this chamber. Our ability here is is to govern with integrity, uphold the law,
4:54:54 and ensure that the public maintain confidence in the fairness and transparency of this body. I respectfully ask that we refrain from
4:55:01 mindful refrain mindful of these principles as we move forward and keep our focus on the business of serving the residents of Clmont. And with that,
4:55:10 that's all I have.
4:55:14 Anybody? Anyone else has anything for the good of the order? Anyone else?
4:55:21 No one else.