Okay, good evening, everybody.

I'd like to conclude uh the closed door session.

The executive closed door session of the city commission is now terminated and the public meeting is now reopened.

It doesn't matter.

I'm just saying what has to be said.

Okay, good evening everybody and welcome to the City Commission uh meeting this December 16, 2025.

Thank you all for being here.

I can't make myself any louder.

It has to be our our our uh audio folks.

Can you can you raise my can you raise the level of my microphone?

Okay.

Is that better?

A little better.

Okay.

Um thank you all for being here.

For those of you who are here for the first time, welcome and uh want to thank you all for your patience.

I'm sorry we had a delayed start because we had a very lengthy conference meeting this afternoon.

Um so for those of you who uh have not been here before, we begin our meetings with a pledge and a moment of silence, and then there are various housekeeping rules that we'll take care of, and then we we start with presentations.

What are presentations?

Presentations are opportunities for the commission and the community to recognize individuals, events, um uh things like that.

And tonight we have three of them, and we're very proud to uh invite uh member of the of this commission to make each presentation tonight.

Having said that, uh I invite you all to please uh stand and join me for the Pledge of Allegiance.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God, indivisible, liberty, justice for all.

Thank you.

Please be seated.

She was she hasn't shown up.

Yeah, I asked and they said she wasn't here.

No, uh this has been a very di well uh anyway, she's not yes, we can.

Is Courtney McCoy here?

Oh, now you're telling me she's here?

Hi, Courtney.

Where's Courtney?

Courtney, come on up here.

Courtney was supposed to join us in the pledge and lead us in the pledge tonight, and I wasn't I was told she wasn't here, and now I'm told she is here.

So let's give a round of applause to Courtney.

Yes.

No, that's beautiful.

Thanks.

Mayor and said, she's on Parkway Middle School, Part of Park Trip Team Program.

Thank you, Courtney, for being here tonight.

And uh and we have a little gift for you.

Thank you.

I apologize for the mishap.

Okay.

Uh okay, thank you.

I'll run the meeting.

Thank you so much.

So this has been a very difficult week for uh every community and those around the world, and uh a lot of unfortunate mishaps and uh tragic events occurred, and I'd like everyone to join me in a moment of silence.

Okay, thank you so much.

Uh I also like to take a moment and uh recognize a couple of employees who are now going to be leaving the city after a number of years of service to us.

First is Ernest Theme, uh, who has been a lead facilities worker in public works, has been with us for 25 years.

Congratulations and thank you.

And I also understand Clarence from uh CRA.

Clarence, where are you?

Clarence Woods?

I guess he's already left.

I guess he left already.

No, no.

Wherever you are, Clarence, thank you.

Uh this is this would be his last meeting.

He's been with us uh many, many years, and I want to thank him for his service and his uh contribution to to working with us on the community redevelopment agency board.

Uh having said that, I'd like to now ask the uh this the clerk to please call the roll.

Vice Mayor Herbst, Commissioner Glossman.

Here, Commissioner Beasley Pittman.

Here, Commissioner Sorensen.

Here, Mayor Trentals.

Here.

We have a few agenda announcements.

We're going to ask uh that R 4 and R6 be deferred.

R4 is regarding the uh conceptual design uh regarding the Los Oulas Mobility Project and R six is referring to the parking garage at Holiday Park.

Uh we had a lengthy discussion this afternoon on that, but because of some uh the need to uh find out more specific information on that.

Mayor along with the deferral for Los Mobility, so I got a phone call from Mr.

Weymouth while we were on break, and both he and Mr.

Hudson are going to be out of the country.

I think being that they're the two principal operat uh property owners on Las Oulas, we may want to consider pushing it back one more meeting to allow them to have the opportunity to participate.

Um sounds fine to me.

What about the rest of the commission?

Are we good with that?

Yes, sounds good.

Yes, I'm in agreement.

January 20.

So that would be the second commission meeting in January.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you for bringing that to our attention.

Uh walk on motion approving an increase in the uh contract coast capacity for talent booking agent pre-qualified pool.

That'll be brought up uh as a walk on.

And we have a couple of agenda items, uh correction CM4 page one, the last paragraph of the CAM was revised to correct the year from 2028 to what it should be, which is 2025.

Um do I hear a motion to approve the agenda for tonight as amended?

Moved, second.

It's been moved and seconded.

Please call the roll.

Commissioner Sorensen, yes.

Vice Mayor Herbst, yes.

Commissioner Glossman, yes.

Commissioner Beasley Pittman?

Yes.

Mayor Trentals.

Yes, and that agenda for tonight is now approved.

So now let me begin with the presentations.

I first like to ask Commissioner Beasley Pittman, who will be presenting a proclamation uh regarding the 60th anniversary of the of the Alpha Row Boulet of Sigma Pi 5 fraternity in the city of Fort Lauderdale.

Did I get that right?

Yes.

Is Tim Hogan's here?

Good job.

Is Tim Hogan's here?

Come on, Tim.

Is uh Alpha Row is Boole another Greek letter that I'm not familiar with?

What is that?

Okay.

Please join us.

I forgot to push the button, y'all.

Thank you.

Good evening, everyone, and happy holidays.

Good evening, everyone, a happy holiday.

Oh, come on.

This is a joyful time of the year, right?

Okay.

It is my honor tonight to be able to present this proclamation from the office of the mayor, the city of Fort Lauderdale, in recognition of the Alpha Row Boley, Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity.

Whereas Sigma Pi Phi Paternity, known as the Boley, is recognized as the oldest existing Greek letter postgraduate fraternity.

Whereas established on May 15th, 1904 in Philadelphia and Philadelphia, excuse me, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The Boley was found by the black professor, professional men, whereas Alpha Row Bole, a Sigma Pi 5 fraternity, was founded on December 3rd in 1965 in Miami, Florida, under the direction of Grand Sire Archin Oliver W.

Hill was assistant with the Alpha Zeta Boley of Tallahassee and the Phi Boley of Tuskegee.

And whereas the development of the Alpha Alpha Row Boley was influenced by 10 charter members, such as Ira P.

Davis, Clifton G.

Dyson, James L.

Bass, Samuel O.

Coyne, also G.

Brenton Sells, David M.

Dolls, John O.

Brown, Elmer A.

Ward, Warren W.

Cooley, and Robert L.

Smith, who were active in medicine, business, and education across South Florida.

Whereas among these characters, these chartered members, Dr.

James Linwood Bath of Fort Lauderdale's first black American dentist in 1939, and played a pivotal role in establishing the provenant hospital, Browritz County's first hospital serving the black community.

And whereas over the decades, members of Alpha Row Boley has been instrumental in advancing access to public accommodations, educations, employment for black Americans in South Florida, contributing a numerous social and civic achievement.

Whereas Alpha Robet continues to serve the region through scholarships at Florida Memorial University and Florida International University and through its sponsorship of the Black Health Summit.

Whereas the City of Fort Lauderdale recognizes Alpha Row Ballet's 60th dedication achievement and services to the community across South Florida and appreciates its continuous commitment to serving and supporting residents and advancing education and strengthening civic lives.

Now, therefore, as the city of the city commissioners of the city of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, we do hereby proclaim December 3rd, 2025 as the 60th anniversary of Alpha Robay in the city of Fort Lauderdale.

And this was dated on December 1st of 2025 by the Honorable Mayor Dean Trantellus.

If you can all let's give us a hand.

And we're gonna ask the whole thing if you would like to say something at the time.

I'd like to recognize my colleague, uh Mayor Wayne Messen, who's traveled all the way from the other side of the county from Miramar to join us tonight.

Good evening, everyone.

Good evening, everyone.

To the mayor, commission, city manager, entire staff, we are so humbled for this moment.

My name is Tim Hoggins.

I serve as the president of Alpha Roe Boulay, as mentioned here based in Miami and Broward Counties.

Uh, it's an honor to have served for so many years in the community, various boards and different organizations.

So it's good to see a lot of friendly faces in the in the room tonight.

Uh, but specifically we want to say thank you again.

We really appreciate it.

60 years of hard work dedication uh within Sigma Pi Phi fraternity, there's only 5,000 members throughout the world, uh, with most of our chapters, if you would, in the United States, one being in London and one being in Nassau.

Uh, but I'll conclude there by thanking my colleagues for being here as well, the mayor, Wayne Messum, and Joseph Gay as well.

Uh, there's 60 active archons within uh South Florida, if you would, and we're just really happy to be here.

Mayor, thank you again for all you're doing and the entire commission.

Thank you.

This is and congratulations.

Mayor, you want to say a few words?

Never to be shy.

Well, it's good to be here in Fort Lauderdale in your temporary commission chambers.

It's also on behalf of Um Sigma Pi Fi uh Fort Lauderdale is part of our service area, and um our consum far and near enjoy coming to some to South Florida, and whenever we have an opportunity to be of support and service in our community, um, it is our charge.

Um, we mentor young men and young ladies as well.

Um, and um our members are in various leadership positions um throughout um South Florida.

So um thanks so much for opening up your home and presenting our um Alpha Row Boulet, um, which is our local chapter here with such a recognition.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Great.

Now I'd like to invite uh Commissioner Sorensen, who will be presenting a proclamation as Rick Case Bike for Kids' Day in the city of Fort Lauderdale.

Thank you, Mayor.

You want to come on up?

Did you bring anybody else with you?

You have Rita's mothers here with her.

Okay.

Do you want to Andrew, do you want to come on up?

You sure?

Okay.

All right.

Rita, thank you for being here.

Thank you for being such a stalwart advocate for the community and helping so many.

It's just amazing.

We were talking, Mayor, about all that uh Rita does across the community and the whole team across the community with Boys and Girls Club, bike program, uh helping fund students going to vocational schools.

I mean, it's just it's just awesome.

So Rita, have a little proclamation I'll read and then turn it over to you to love to hear some words for you.

So from you, this is in recognition of Rick Case Bikes for Kids program, whereas the Rick Case Bikes for Kids program began began in 1982 by Rita and Rick Case and the Rick Case Automotive Group in Ohio, and whereas the Rick Case Bikes for Kids program works in conjunction with the Boys and Girls Club, local charities, churches, and schools to collect donated bicycles and share them with deserving children in time for the holidays.

And whereas hundreds of bicycles were distributed to children last year, and more than a hundred and twenty two thousand bikes have been provided since 1982.

And whereas in celebration of the program's 43rd anniversary, we encourage Fort Lauderdale residents to donate unused bicycles and invite their friends and families to join in, helping fulfill children's holiday wishes.

Whereas the delighted recipients are children whose holidays are brightened by the generous benevolence of the community and everyone engaged in the Rick Case Bikes for Kids program.

Now, therefore, we as City Commissioners hereby proclaim December 16th as Rick Case Bike for Kids Day here in the City of Fort Lauderdale dated the 16th of December by your mayor, Mayor Dean J.

Trentellas.

Yes.

Well, every year I come and I really appreciate the city always, you know, recognizing the program that we started in Ohio when we had 14 bicycle and moped stores.

We are now celebrating 40 years here in Broward County.

We moved here when we opened the first Acura and the first Hyundai dealership in the United States, and we felt Fort Lauderdale would be a great place to you know expose that brand to the country.

And with that, we brought our bikes for kids program that we started in Ohio.

And I just wanted to clarify, it's um used bikes, not unused.

We're looking for the bikes that are in your garage, you no longer need you've outgrown, your kids have outgrown, and you know, they just sit over there in the garage to go to the maybe next homeowner.

We'd like them to come down, just drop them off at any one of our dealerships between uh October 1st is when it starts each year up until December 22nd.

It gives us a chance to get them to all those children in time for the holidays that wouldn't have an opportunity to have that bicycle.

We all remember our first bicycle.

That sense of freedom, get away from mom and dad, get away from the siblings, you know.

And so there's a lot of children that cannot have a bicycle, and this is a way for us to take bikes that you're no longer using.

Match them up with a child that could use them.

And it's not just the boys and girls club, though, that was the first organization that we learned we could give the bikes to.

Since then, after 40 years of doing it here in Broward County, we have so many organizations, churches, even the um the public school system asks asks for bikes because they know children that need them.

So thank you very much.

We're honored to be here in Broward County.

You guys have done a great job helping us build our business, and we want to do just as much to give back to this community because it's a great place.

Thank you so much.

Thank you, Rita.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Here we go.

Thank you, Rita, for all the good work you do with our community.

Um our last presentation, uh, I'd like to invite uh Juan Carlos Samuel, who's the ASCE Broward President and Public Works Department employee, Lauren Johnson, uh Carla Jimenez, Elias Guevara, as well as Brad Cain, Mark Rhodes, and Brandy Leighton.

Are they all here?

Any of them here?

Yes, Mayor.

We also have T2, our deputy director of public works.

And this will be the presentation of the small project of the year award to the public works department by the American Society of Civil Engineers, Brahard County Branch.

Who would like to introduce this?

Can you push the button at the bottom of the speaker?

Great.

Okay.

Good evening, everyone.

Again, my name's go ahead.

We can hear you.

Okay.

Again, good good evening, everyone.

My name is Juan Carlos Samuel, and on behalf of ACE Brower Branch, which which is represented tonight by myself, uh, which I do currently work with the city for Lauderdale.

Our past president, Elias, our president-elect Lauren and Secretary Carla Jimenez, would like to present the 2024, 2025 Small Project of the Year Award to the City of Fort Lauderdale's Public Works Department for the 48-inch product water main infrastructure project.

This project was designed by Chen Moore and Associates and constructed by David Mancini Sons.

Congratulations.

Okay.

That way I get to be in the picture.

Come on, folks.

Anybody.

Great.

Thank you.

Congratulations.

Yeah, Gorana.

Thank you, Mayor.

I just wanted to uh thank our entire engineering team who worked on this.

Um as someone who sits as the vice chair of the um American Public Works Association for Broward County and my professional organization.

Uh ASC is an outstanding organization.

Uh so for our team to uh be able to obtain award like that, it's just an unbelievable dedication and commitment that I'm so proud of.

And I just wanted to thank Brandy personally, Mark, Todd, and all of our team in Public Works Engineering for this outstanding achievement.

Thank you.

And uh and this is just um part of a continuing effort as we continue to invest in our infrastructure throughout the city, and we appreciate your efforts in heading up that challenge.

Thank you so much.

And and Mayor, along with that award, Brandy Leighton was named Engineer of the Year by the same organization.

So we're really proud of the entire public works team for everything that they're doing and the light that they're shining on for a lot of them okay.

Um Commissioner Beasley Pittman would like to take a moment of personal privilege here, and she has a special presentation that she would like to make okay.

I'm back.

And this presentation um is really on behalf of all of us from the commission and also from the city.

Um, if I could ask at this time, um D.

Wayne Spence, if you could come and join me at the podium, please.

Yeah, she said DM.

Come on in suspense.

Yes, let us give them a little bit of more classic.

On behalf of the city of Fort Lauderdale, we would like to present this award to Dwayne Spence and appreciation for your outstanding service as our interim city attorney, not once but twice.

So we thank you for your service and your leadership and dedication during a critical time in our city's history.

We will never you will never be forgotten, and we are surely truly just have a heart for what you have done for us in this interim of time.

Thank you for standing into the in the gap in this community.

We thank you.

God bless you.

Would you like to say something?

Um city commissioners.

I I am and staff and and residents and neighbors of the I really appreciated the opportunity to have served in this capacity in the city.

Um I've shared with the commission that I felt like I grew up as a lawyer in the city of Fort Lauderdale.

Uh came here in 2010 and was an assistant city attorney one.

And this uh organization has truly nurtured me uh and allowed me to grow and develop and gave me an opportunity to serve as its uh city attorney on an interim basis, and I really appreciate that uh confidence that was shown.

So I appreciate this um token of appreciation from you all and um for the opportunity.

Thank you again.

Yes.

It's quite a trophy there.

Okay, uh that concludes our presentations.

Thank you, Commissioner Beasley Pittman, for that special recognition.

And uh at this point uh we have uh what we call the consent agenda, and the consent agenda is where the commission has the opportunity to vote on all the items at once, unless, of course, a member of the commission chooses to uh ask to pull one of the items, and we'll discuss and vote on that separately.

So let me begin by asking the vice mayor, do you have any items you wish to pull?

I do not.

Uh Commissioner Beasley Pittman.

None.

Commissioner Glassman.

None.

Commissioner Sorensen.

None.

Okay, I have none as well.

So do I hear a motion to approve all the consent agenda items?

So moved.

Second.

Do I hear okay?

Move and seconded.

Please call the roll.

Commissioner Sorensen.

Yes.

Vice Mayor Herbst.

Yes.

Commissioner Glossman?

Yes.

Commissioner Beasley Pittman.

Yes.

Mayor Trentals.

Yes, and all the consent agenda items have now been approved.

If you are here on any of them, you're uh welcome to stay for the rest of the meeting.

Otherwise, your item has been approved.

Um we move on to M1.

This is a motion approving a memorandum of understanding with the North Broward Hospital District, DBA, Broward Health, to implement a whole blood exchange program.

We have several um members who've asked to speak.

Uh is the fire chief here?

Yeah.

Do you want to come up and uh tell us a little bit about this program?

Absolutely.

Uh good evening, Mayor, Vice Mayor, and Commissioners.

Uh this evening I'm honored to present a partnership with Broward Health that represents a leap forward in pre-hospital trauma care.

Uh this is a program that will undoubtedly save lives in our community, and it it's the gift of whole blood.

Um this motion this evening will have a partnership, a bond with Broward Health that will bring whole blood to the community at no cost to the taxpayers.

This makes us unique than any other whole blood program that is currently out there in Broward County.

Um, and shows survivability when you look at medical journals across the country, increasing survivability in traumatic patients uh up to 80 percent.

That's truly unbelievable when you're giving someone an 80 percent better shot at life by this this simple administration of blood.

So I have the team here tonight, um, and I also have Shane Strom from Broward Health who made all this possible.

Without this partnership with Broward Health, we wouldn't be able to increase survivability by 80 percent.

So, Mr.

Strom, if you're Mr.

Strom, would you like to step forward and uh share a few words with us?

All right, well, good evening.

Mayor, Vice Mayor, Commissioners, good to see you again.

We're doing a lot together.

Briar Health in the City of Fort Lauderdale.

Well, this kind of uh goes on the same theme, right?

It's about collaboration, coordination, working together, partnerships.

This is a spectacular partnership that uh that the Board of Commissioners is actually allowing us to enter into being able to do something that's great for our community.

I really look at this as an additional trauma bay, right?

We the stories that you're gonna hear tonight is actually addressing the patient in the field and giving them a high probability of survival.

The story you'll hear this evening uh will really encourage you to make sure that we can do everything we can.

We feel like this is a broward health and a city of Fort Lauderdale gift to your residents, to all the people here in the room to make sure that they not only have speedy access when they're at Broward Hill, but when they're having field trauma, they're being taken care of with whole blood immediately.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Next, I'd like to invite the Livingston family up real quick.

I see we have Michelle Livingston, Andrew Livingston, and Stephen Livingston.

Absolutely.

All yours when we get up there with us.

Good evening, Commissioners.

My name is Andrew Livingston.

Stephen Livingston's my son.

I'm going to tell you a little story.

So this happened back at uh March 17th.

2.02 a.m.

We're fast asleep.

Stephen's not home.

I get a knock on the door.

Dog's startled.

I'm startled.

2 02 a.m.

as I walk past the kitchen to see the time on the microwave.

Two Fort Laureal officers at the front door.

Open the door.

They ask us a few questions.

If it was uh who owns a black Honda Cord, Michelle said she does.

Instantly said, uh, someone who's involved in an accident.

Um I know my time's limited, but uh you guys gotta hear me out.

The moment I looked at the officer's eyes, Officer Taylor and Becca from the city of Fort Lauderdale.

Understand we I live in we live in plantation, so it's kind of odd to see them here.

And I said, You came here instead of making a phone call, he said yes, we want to come and tell you in person that you guys need to go to the hospital.

I said, Okay, we can go.

I'll probably go down Broward because he explained the accident that occurred on Broward Boulevard by the BSO and the checkers.

So we got in the car, we had there, we got to hospital at 3 a.m.

about 3 a.m.

Come to find out.

Our son's name Stephen is named Trauma Charlie.

So the trauma won hospital at Broward General, Broad Health.

And uh upon sitting in the waiting room, we're escorted to a conference room in the back.

Doctor comes out, tells us what happened, scanned Stephen a few times, one, two, three times internal bleeding, femur, left female's broken, compound fracture, right knee had a laceration deep to the bone, right tibia and fibula fractured above the ankle, a chunk of the bone was missing, flesh, bleeding, bleeding out.

So we sat there, they wouldn't allow us to see him.

They had to go in surgery to stop the bleeding on his spleen.

We went home, came back around 9 30 that morning.

Come to find out, talking with the doctors there, the newer surgeons, the trauma team at Broward Health, that upon admission at 1207 a.m.

He was transfused whole blood on the way to the hospital.

Paramedics, firefighters, Stephen played baseball, so all of his parents' friends or paramedics reached out to me and said uh he was non-responsive when they got there.

So this is a story that brings Fort Lauderdale PD, Brown Broward Fire Rescue, Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue, Station House 42, and number two responded because there's one other person in another vehicle that was injured.

And when I tell you, when I see the paramedics talk to me and tell me what happened, and the eyes with the thousands and hundreds of thousands of dollars of equipment on their trucks.

What does a pint, a unit of blood really cost, right?

And that's what would transfuse to him on the way to hospital by BSO Captain Jennifer Ariola.

And that's when he said when he got there, he's gonna be okay.

I said, Why?

He goes, he started pulling the stuff out of his throat from being non-responsive at the scene.

I gotta also mention, sorry, the tactical unit that responded.

I found that out when we met the firefighters at the station house.

Stephen wanted to cook some barbecue for them.

So we did that.

I met and got this how I got the story.

And let me tell you if you guys don't believe that there's somebody up there, there is somebody up there.

Watching over this kid.

Doesn't deserve it.

And the reason I say that is the tactical captain or on the unit, it's over by Federal Highway.

He was getting gas for his vehicle, heading back to the station.

He heard on the radio what happened.

He didn't have to go respond.

He made a you made a U-turn on Broward, went over the turnpike, not turnpike, 95, saw the flashing lights.

He was the first paramedic that was there.

And then that's when he called the tactical unit to remove Stephen, extract him from the car, cutting the roof off.

The whole side of the car was cut off.

So this year is a good year.

It's still ongoing.

He still has a long journey to go.

And I want to thank BSO for the blood and the whole blood that our Christmas card this year will have five members of a family and not four.

And that's a story that that's it's real.

I want to say God bless and thank you guys for the time.

Good evening.

Good evening.

Luckily, I can say that I am the living, breathing reason that whole blood should be everywhere.

But if you're not gonna do it for me, do it for the many people who bled out and died before Broward Sheriff's office could get there with the whole blood.

And when I had the reunion with the first responders who saved my life, first of all, thank you again.

But I received challenge coins.

And my favorite challenge coin I received from the Broward Sheriff's Office from Dr.

James Roach.

And it says do it for Taylor on it.

And every time I look at it, I think of all the people who bled out and died and didn't have the opportunity to get whole blood like myself.

I was able to stay alive long enough until Broward Sheriff Office could arrive with the whole blood.

So if you're not gonna do it for me, do it for all the people who bled out and died before whole blood was able to get there.

Or if not, do it for Taylor, like the coin says we clarify one thing.

Taylor is uh Dr.

Roach's niece, who was in accident in Naples.

Similar situation.

Bled out.

And so bringing it to Fort Lauderdale to me.

It's a no-brainer.

Thank you so much.

So since 2020, we've been relying on Broward Sheriff's Office to provide this whole blood.

Uh this a partnership this evening will allow us to administer the blood ourselves, and we'll take it further into the community before we were relying on Broward Sheriffs not being on another call and being available.

This means that we will have it on three units in the city of Fort Lauderdale, and it will always be available to every citizen in Fort Lauderdale.

Thank you so much.

Happy holidays.

Thank you.

And again, we want to thank Broward Health for their partnership in this effort.

Okay, moving on to R1 resolutions and appointment of board and committee members, Mr.

Clerk.

We still have to do the motion to approve that one.

I I can't hear you.

We need to do the motion to approve M1.

Oh, I beg your pardon.

I'm sorry.

Uh, do I hear a motion to move M1?

Been moved to I hear a second.

Second.

Been moved and seconded.

Please call the roll.

Commissioner Sorensen.

Yes.

Vice Mayor Herbst.

Yes.

Commissioner Glassman.

Yes.

Commissioner Beasley Pittman.

Yes.

Mayor Trentals.

Yes, and M1 is now approved.

Now moving on to R1.

Please read the names of the record.

Thank you, Mayor.

For the January 6th, uh 2026 resolution, Citizens Committee of Recognition, Mary Pelican nominated.

Uh it's a consensus position for the council for Lauderdale Civic Association, President or Designee.

Code Enforcement Board.

Uh August Puyos, nominated by Vice Mayor Herbst.

General Employees Retirement System Board of Trustees, Jill Pri, uh consensus elected employee, and Paul Vandenberg, uh, also consensus elected employee insurance advisory board.

Jonathan Perillo, nominated by Commissioner Sorensen, Mark Schwartz, nominated by Commissioner Sorensen, Ted has Senior, nominated by Commissioner Sorensen, and Joseph Pachura Senior, nominated by Commissioner Sorensen.

Police and Firefighters Retirement System Board of Trustees, Susan Grant, nominated by Mayor Trentals.

Derek Joseph, that's consensus elected employees, uh police officer, Keith Costas, elected employee uh firefighter, public art and placement advisory board, Phoenix Lynn Marks, nominated by Commissioner Sorensen.

Walk of Fame Induction Committee 2026, uh Gina Ellis, nominated by Mayor Trentales, Ina Lee, nominated by Mayor Trentales.

And for tonight's resolution, Beach Business Improvement District Advisor Board, Alvaro Hernandez, alternate member for representing the B Ocean Resort Fort Lauderdale, budget advisor board.

Jason Jeffris, nominated by Mayor Trentales, Central City Redevelopment Advisor Board, Juan Carlos Guerrero, nominated by Mayor Trentales, Code Enforcement Board, Donald Ray Carney the Third, nominated by Commissioner Glossman.

Community Appearance Board, Matthew Till, nominated by Vice Mayor Herbst.

Shelley uh community service board, Shelley Gorn, nominated by Vice Mayor Herbst, and Wisme Sias, nominated by Commissioner Glossman.

And Wisme Sias, nominated by Commissioner Glassman.

Insurance advisory board, Steve Botkin, nominated by Mayor Trentales and Parks Recreation and Beaches Board.

Actually, that one is not going.

So that's that rounds it up.

Okay.

Are there any modifications or additions to that list?

Okay, there being none.

Would someone like to introduce a resolution?

Introduced.

Resolution has been introduced.

Please call the roll.

A resolution of city commission of the city of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, appointing or nominating, if applicable, boarding committee members as set forth in the exhibit attached here to have made a part here of.

Commissioner Sorensen, yes.

Vice Mayor Herbst?

Yes.

Commissioner Glassman?

Yes.

Commissioner Beasley Pittman?

Yes.

Mayor Trentals.

Yes.

And R1 is now approved.

I want to thank all those individuals for your volunteerism and uh your commitment to our community.

R2 resolution accepting the 2025 State Housing Initiatives Partnership Program.

That's the SHIP program.

Uh as approved and prepared by the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee and authorizing its submission to the Florida Housing Finance Corporation.

Two people have signed up to speak.

Are you here?

Susan Sprague?

You don't want to talk?

Okay.

And Chris Nelson, you sign up to speak.

Hello.

Hello, Mayor, Vice Mayor, Commissioners.

Merry Christmas, everybody.

Merry Christmas.

All right.

Chris Nelson and uh sign up to speak for this one because anytime I see affordable housing, uh, I think about all these projects where it's this social engineering type thing, or taking money from here and putting it over here, stuff like that.

And uh really the best way to give people affordable housing is through a property tax cut.

So when you're doing the uh doing your budget every year, affordable housing um for middle class regular people like myself, um, would be to give us a break on our property taxes.

And uh, you know, that that makes things a lot less complicated, a lot less bureaucracy involved with everything, and uh and uh you know it's just the most uh the most simple way to do it.

And uh I do hope that the um FAFO uh office or the uh Florida Department of Uh Financial Um Accountability or how are they doing FAFO, yeah.

They uh that they do audit uh Fort Lauderdale um and uh and do one of those uh one of those audits is the office of the uh chief financial officer blazingolia because I think it would be good to see um you know how much government here is grown and how much it could be uh pared down uh for next year.

And that's how it relates to affordable housing because then a property tax cut would mean uh a lot more affordability uh for the good people of Fort Lauderdale.

So thanks for letting me share.

Okay, thank you.

Anyone else wish to speak on this item?

You're being nobody else.

If someone like to introduce the resolution, introduced resolution has been introduced.

Please call the roll.

A resolution of the city commission of the city of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, accepting the affordable housing advisory committee's 2025 affordable housing incentive strategies report and authorizing the city manager to submit the AHAC report to the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, delegating authority to the city manager to execute all documents necessary or associated therewith and providing for an effective date.

Commissioner Sorensen, yes, Vice Mayor Herbst, yes, Commissioner Glassman, yes, Commissioner Visa Pittman, yes, Mayor Trentales.

Yes, and R2 is now approved, R3 resolution approving and ratifying a uh memorandum of understanding between the city of Fort Lauderdale and the Teamsters Local Union 769.

This is regarding collective bargaining agreement, providing for additional compensation for employees assigned to operate a personal rescue watercraft.

Um no one is signed up to speak.

Someone would like to introduce the resolution.

Introduced the resolution's been introduced.

Any questions?

There being none, please call the roll.

A resolution city commission of the city of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, approving and ratifying a memorandum of understanding between the city of Fort Lauderdale and Team Series Local Union number 769, affiliated with International Brotherhood of Team CERS and authorizing the city manager to execute the memorandum of understanding.

Commissioner Sorensen, yes, Vice Mayor Herbst, yes, Commissioner Glassman, yes, Commissioner Beasley Pittman, yes, Mayor Trentales.

Yes, and R3 is now approved.

R 4 has been deferred to the second meeting in January.

I think we want to do a motion to defer.

Just want to double check.

Um do we have to do a motion to do that?

In the beginning of the meeting, in the beginning of the meeting, you added it.

Yeah.

I didn't hear you.

I didn't say it again.

It's sufficient what you did in the beginning of the meeting.

That was sufficient.

Okay.

Just a quick question.

The second meeting in January.

Um the day after Martin Luther King Day.

Do we folks need to bump that over to Wednesday because you have your your agenda review meetings usually the night before?

You're good.

Okay.

All right, R five.

Um, this is a uh okay.

R5, this is a motion, a resolution authorizing the city manager or designee to proceed with the site plan alternative 1A for the Fort Lauderdale Beach Park Project and approved Park Spawn Improvement Project.

Um signed up to speak on this.

Hold on just a moment.

Before I go to that, I was just given a couple more.

Did you Brian, did you want to speak on the uh you didn't care?

Okay.

And Jaris, that's all I have his name Jaris.

Is Jaris here?

Okay.

Those are people that wanted to speak on R 4, but they were mixed in with something else.

Okay, R five.

Um this is regarding the uh the site plan alternative 1A.

A number of people have signed up to speak.

Um I'm gonna call your names three at a time.

And uh, but does the uh city staff want to make any sort of presentation before we begin to explain what we're doing tonight?

So thank you, Mayor.

So we've discussed this item with the commission in the past during conference meetings, and we've gotten feedback.

And I believe at uh one of our recent meetings it was requested that we bring this item forward for discussion and for a vote.

Uh we just really need some clear direction on the alternatives and the site plan that's being proposed so that we can move forward with the design and permitting process.

Uh we do have certain obligations tied to the interlocal agreement with the Bahia Mar Community Development District with certain deadlines.

Uh we also have parks bond funding that we want to utilize and maximize in a timely fashion.

So we're hoping that this discussion will allow staff to have that clear direction on how to proceed with the improvements at Fort Lauderdale Beach Park.

Okay, so to bring this into context, um, for those that did not understand everything which is just said, um there about a year ago the city commission approved um an agreement with the developers of the Bahia Mar to allow for the um uh construction of uh pickleball courts um at a certain site where currently there are now basketball courts, and the idea was to uh transfer the location of the basketball courts to a different location on the beach and allow for uh I believe it's two pickleball courts that we're obligated for, right?

That's correct.

The interlocal agreement called for placing two pickleball courts at the site of the existing basketball courts, adding fitness equipment, and relocating some operational equipment.

And also, okay, and but did we also discuss uh relocating the picnic tables in the barbecue area and and building new ones and better ones?

We have talked about enhancing the amenities at Fort Lauderdale Beach Park, utilizing the funding available through the park spawn program.

We have talked about uh consolidating the funding sources both through the Behem R C D as well as through the park spawn program to augment the amenities at the park holistically, including the picnic tables and the grills.

Uh we've also had discussions with the commission and shared communications with the commission related to relocating the basketball courts to the southern end of Fort Lauderdale Beach Park.

And that's what the 1A uh alternative talks talks about, correct?

Yes, Mayor.

So we're looking at exhibit one, which is the site plan, and it shows the basketball courts at the southern end of the parking lot, which is sort of right near right near the uh B Ocean Hotel.

Is that correct?

Yes, Mayor.

Okay.

Um and uh so all right, so that's basically what we're voting on tonight.

I know we've had a uh lengthy discussion of this in previous meetings.

Uh and so let us begin the um the public comment.

We have about a dozen people who sign up to speak, and I'll call your names and you'll have a couple minutes to speak.

So let's begin with Tracy Powell, followed by Dan Santoro, followed by uh Sally All's House.

Are those folks here?

Is Tracy here?

Come on up.

I can't hear a word you're saying.

You have to pull that close to you.

That's it.

Okay, there you go.

I also have some paperwork I'd like to submit for the public record.

All right, give that to the clerk, please.

Who's the clerk?

All righty, you're on.

Great, no problem.

Good evening, Mayor and Commissioners.

My name is Tracy Powell.

I'm a Fort Lauderdale native, and I live in the district directly affected by this decision.

I grew up on this beach, and the basketball courts across from VMR are part of the fabric.

That has always been a part of this place.

They're visible, active, and open to everyone.

They work where they are.

The plans before you show the existing basketball courts, beachfront basketball courts, being removed from their current location and rebuilt elsewhere in the park.

That is a relocation, not an in-place improvement.

Nothing in the funding or reimbursement framework requires the courts to be moved.

Relocation is a design decision and choice.

And for location-based public amenities, location is the value.

I grew up here.

My father always told me location, location, location.

I think everyone in Fort Lauderdale understands that.

Once those courts are gone from the spot, there's no practical way to bring them back.

This makes tonight a one-way decision.

I'm asking you to pause this plan and direct staff to return with a revised site plan that keeps the basketball courts not where they are.

This does not cancel the project.

It simply improves the park without erasing something that already works.

So please state clearly tonight whether you support keeping the basketball courts in their historic beachfront location.

Yes or no?

All right, thank you so much.

Dan Santoro.

Is Dan Santoro here?

You want to go for okay?

Let her go first.

Okay.

Are you Sally?

I'm not Dan.

Yes, Sally.

Okay, there you go.

Thank you very much.

Um and good evening.

My name is Sally All's House.

I'm here to address agenda item R5, and in opposition to the resolution.

I am a lifetime member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, an organization that is proud to support historic preservation.

The beach is and always will be a spiritual place and the location of the original fort built in 1838 by Major William Lauderdale and his troops during the second Seminole War.

Hence the name of the name of our city, Fort Lauderdale.

In 1929, the Hammersheet chapter of NSDAR placed a marker commemorating the fort and replaced the marker in 2005.

In my view, changing the basketball court could lead to BMR's new owners removing all historic elements.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Okay, thank you.

Dan Santoro, followed by Chris Nelson, followed by um uh Vicki Maori.

Yes, sir.

Good uh good evening, everybody.

Thank you for having me, Mayor uh Trentales.

My name is Dan Santoro.

I first came down here on spring break 1979.

And you still have the t-shirt, and I still do.

I'm serious about this, right?

So I got out the dress black t-shirt, because I'm serious about this.

Okay, okay.

In 1979, I came down to my first spring break.

And the second day I was here, I was overwhelmed.

Bikinis, beer, beach.

I'm walking towards the swimming hall.

I'm walking towards the swimming hall of fame because I wanted to see it.

And as I'm getting down to DC Alexander Park, I see kids with a basketball.

And I look around them and I see other kids playing basketball.

I'm like, wait a minute, the heck with the swimming hall of fame.

There's a basketball court here.

So I go down there, and there's like a fraternity from Maryland playing against a bunch of kids from Michigan.

And on the other court, there's a bunch of kids from uh Massachusetts against some guys from Rutgers.

I'm like, wow, this is great.

Not just, you know, drinking, but working some of the drink off.

And the next year I got all my friends together.

We played a few games, got from my team in Connecticut.

And we got together, and I never forgot the basketball court.

So I moved down here in 1986, and one of my first jobs was at the button.

So we would go play basketball before we would go to work and build up a sweat and get people to come to the button and all that.

The basketball courts are not a big draw.

They were back then, things have changed, people have changed.

They're not a big draw.

They could be a bigger draw.

But the thing is, they have been there for decades.

Mayor Trentales, as you know, I wrote this book about the history of Fort Lauderdale Beach.

I could not find information as to where or when the basketball courts were originally put in in the 1940s or 50s.

I believe it has something to do with what was the Yankee Clipper at the time, George Gill and those people, they put the courts out there for something for their customers.

But from what I understand, going back to Nikki Grossman in the 1990s when she tried to give some of the beach away to a developer.

You Taylor Birch in 1904 and John McGregor Adams, they donated the entire strip of the beach to the city of Fort Lauderdale with the caveat that no commercial enterprises be built east of A1A.

And if you're going to put pickleball courts connected to Bahia Mar or anybody else, that violates that, I believe.

You know, the lawyers are going to have to look into that.

But the basketball courts are good where they are.

I live in Pompano.

Thank you for calling me, allowing me to speak here.

But I tell everybody I live in Fort Lauderdale.

Why?

Because Fort Lauderdale Beach is still the best beach in America.

And the basketball courts are part of it.

All right, thank you.

Thank you.

That concludes your comments.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Chris Nelson, followed by Vicky Maori, followed by whoever Jaris is only using one word, one name.

And you're from Loxahatchie.

Are you here tonight?

Is that you?

And you're from Loxahatchie?

I can't hear a word.

Okay.

Chris.

Hello, Chris Nelson, and mayor, vice mayor, commissioners.

You need to keep those basketball courts exactly where they are.

Okay.

Let me remind you something.

Let me remind you something.

The people of Fort Lauderdale elected you, not the developers that put tens of thousands of dollars into your kitties and they're overpaid lawyers and mouthpieces.

Remember who you represent.

You're here to protect us from people who are trying to encroach on our rights on our pride on our public beach.

And I want to point out something to you.

This video that I came across that made my skin crawl.

And I want to call them out by name.

These were two realtors.

One, a Katarina Brozda from Brazd and Bentley.

And uh the other one was I don't, I can't remember her name.

But it was another one.

And they were there, they're there on a video for the Heamar Realtors and the St.

Regis saying, oh, okay.

Um you see all this right here.

Now, all the citizens, all the little plebes, they can still walk along the water because it's a public beach, you know.

But these amenities over here, the pickleball court and all this stuff, that's our are the basketball courts.

This is all gonna be gone.

And the amenities are gonna be yours exclusively to use.

Did any of you see that video?

Who are these people?

And are and are is are these the people that have that have buttered you up in your uh in your super packs?

Are these the are these the people that you represent?

Or do you represent us?

You don't represent them.

You represent us.

Now I gotta also think when I look at these basketball courts.

I was just down there, and uh Commissioner Glassman actually gave a great speech for why it should be a uh Please conclude your remark for why it should be a um historic landmark before he was commissioner.

That was a very good speech.

Folks, come on.

Folks, come on, I don't know what speed you were, but I can't help but think that there is also a racial element to this because I'm looking at who's playing basketball, and I look at who plays pickleball.

Do you play basketball?

I don't play basketball on this courts.

No.

But I think that we've got a situation where you're trying to move the people, the young people of Fort Lauderdale off of our beach and put them down in a corner so rich, wealthy tourists or um people that only come here maybe a couple months out of the year can come and take over that area.

I'm all for redoing the grills.

Uh my wife and I love going down there, redoing the grills, redoing the playground, all that stuff, but keep the basketball courts where they are.

Tell these two realtors here to slow their roll.

The beach doesn't belong to them, it's a public beach, and keep those basketball courts where they are.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

You brought your fan club with you tonight, Chris.

Good evening, and happy holidays, whatever you celebrate at this really fun, wonderful time of the year.

Tonight, all of you have an opportunity to represent and serve the people who put their trust and their faith in you when you were elected by us.

You can take a stand for the citizens of Fort Lauderdale and don't give away any public beach to any developers or private entities, anyone.

The beach isn't yours to give away, even though you are part of Fort Lauderdale, so you yes, it's yours like it is all of ours.

Leave the court where it is, preserve the historical marker that is there, and protect the dunes and the sea oats.

And I'm sure you know what I'm talking about, because something's definitely going on with the sea oats down right there in the very spot where we're going to supposedly possibly put pickleball courts.

You might want to go take a look if you haven't paid attention to the pictures that have been floating around.

Acknowledge that you erred previously on just matter is all I'm talking about.

You never had any public outreach on this.

The public didn't know anything about what was going to supposedly transpire.

You can stop this and you can change it, and you know you can.

Might take a little bit of courage.

I don't know.

Do you all have it or not?

We're counting on you to do the right thing to vote no, go back to the drawing board, so tomorrow morning you could face yourself in the mirror knowing you have served the citizens as you were elected to do.

Lastly, I want to thank whoever put up the signs at the basketball court and alerted us all to something going on.

And that was months ago.

Because that lit the flame and started this fire.

Thank you.

Uh Jarrus.

And could you tell us your full name, please?

Yes, sir.

I'm Jaris McErow is my maiden name.

Goss is my last name.

What's your last name again?

Um Jared.

Jaris Goss.

Okay, because we need it for the record.

Okay.

Okay, thank you.

Yes.

All right.

Good evening.

I'm here as an individual community member engaged in environmental, historical, and community issues.

Thank you for having me from Locktahatchie now.

I was born and raised down here.

Under site plan alternative 1A includes new earthwork and soil disturbances.

I understand that through prior hearings and staff review that these were heard already.

The project has gone through.

From my perspective, it's not clear where the evaluation of alternatives were were done, particular particularly rehabilitation versus new construction.

It's not documented per what I can see.

How or how environmental impacts from repeated groundwork and soil disturbances were considered, including long-term safety and public health in the area.

I'm sorry, excuse me.

Public health in an area with significant historical community use.

So my question to you, can you clarify for myself and a few others?

Who carries that long-term burden if something were to happen?

And who is and um how is this decision considered?

Well, this isn't a question to answer period.

This is you have an opportunity to speak.

And so please conclude.

Sorry, I'm leaving and just understanding for the public to understand how we just keep moving soil and you know, taking trees out and replanting them and not considering the the ramifications of that.

So I do apologize if it's not a question you can handle.

Okay, thank you.

Mikhaila Conka, Michaela, followed by Nancy Thomas, followed by Sandra McCarthy.

Is Michaela here?

Nancy Good evening.

Um I'm here to talk about what's what is insufficient, meaningful public notice regarding major proposed projects, particularly those on public property.

First, in 2023, the committee the commission voted in favor of replacing the beach basketball courts with pickleball courts, as requested by the Behemoth St.

Regis developers.

While this request likely was part of the commission meeting agenda and backup for that day's meeting, there was no public response until a small sign was erected at the basketball courts by the city earlier this year.

That single sign informed hundreds of citizens, rising to thousands, who were alarmed and upset about this decision, generating significant public backlash.

That's one example.

Then on December 16th, the four selected contenders for building a new city hall presented their renderings and cost estimates at the afternoon conference meeting.

At the evening meeting, the commission chose a top and secondary choice.

Only three community members spoke against the design and lack of public notice.

Very likely because the agenda item had more than 1,000 pages of backup and was published on the city's website the night before the Thanksgiving holiday and just five days before the meeting.

Nancy, can I just interrupt you for a second and I'll stop the clock?

This is gonna take more than a couple of minutes to read.

Okay, I'll skip through.

Yeah, because and try to stay on message because you're talking about many other things other than what's on the agenda.

I understand.

Okay.

I understand.

But I signed up to talk about everything in the example.

This is an example of not enough public input, insufficient public input.

Okay.

Okay, so um, in in the case of the um City Hall, as soon as the Sun Sentinel published in a photo, you got tons of response.

The point is that the city has defended the process used for these public projects on public property, stating that all the information is available on websites.

However, Commissioner Herbst admitted that was true, but the information was difficult to find.

Meeting agendas are clearly not an effective way to advise the public of important issues to be voted upon, including the basketball court issue, the 1A.

Um tonight I'm asking that a majority of the city commission vote to pause in the case of City Hall and in case of uh the beach uh basketball relocation and schedule effective, well-advertised opportunities for the public to weigh in.

Also that the city modify its public outreach process going forward.

It just isn't working by putting things on the website or putting things in meeting agendas, including the basketball court relocation.

All right, thank you.

Nancy, just to uh just to give give an example, um, with regard to the city hall thing.

We um brought that up in August of this year, and we posted all four designs on the website, and we got over six thousand hits.

So apparently 6,000 people were aware of it.

Maybe you weren't, but there are a lot of people who were, and not only that, but there are subsequent meetings in which the subject came up again and again.

So unless we go knocking on your door to let you know what's happening, you know, the city makes an effort, I think a significant effort to try to make the public aware of what's going on, whether it be the basketball courts, whether it be any issues.

So I know you brought up a lot of different issues, and I know tonight we're just focusing on the on the basketball courts, and uh I think there's uh still more to be said on that, so we'll wait to see what the rest of the uh the folks that have signed up to speak have to say, and I think they're members of the commission who also want to be uh um add their their point of view on this.

So thank you for coming tonight.

Uh Sandra McCarthy, Sandra, are you here?

No.

Uh Greg Bruton.

Greg?

Followed by uh Christine DeMarco and then Barbara Stern.

Good evening, Mayor Commissioners.

Greg Bruton.

Um I'm generally not here to speak on uh with so many people saying that in opposition to something, but I do want to bring a different perspective of this entire initiative as as you've heard it uh tonight.

Um for one, the the the I don't think there's an issue that's on the table to removing the basketball course entirely, and that there will be no public access for basketball on the beach.

Uh and and so I I think that's an inaccurate description of what's location uh relocation, so but they're still on the beach and they'll still be public.

Um take it from someone who grew up here in Fort Lauderdale, and the one issue that I do want to have a conversation with you about a gentleman talked talk about and saw a video about some realtors talking about what was going to happen on the beach.

I also saw a video that described the basketball courts as having a significant role in the desegregation of the beach.

I took exception to that.

I live that.

Those people who made that video didn't live that.

Fort Lauderdale Beach was segregated.

Nothing on the beach about basketball had nothing to do with the desegregation of that beach.

I take exception to that.

I think that's wrong.

I think that's inappropriate, and for people like myself who had to live through that era.

You talk about it being something that the community enjoyed.

There was also a movie made where the boys are.

I suggested a few years ago it should have been another movie where the other boys were.

This is Fort Lauderdale today.

Changes happen.

It is not historic.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Are you Christine?

I certainly am.

And I'm my own person, I'm not Chris Nelson's part of his pack, just so you know.

Okay.

Um I oppose R525-1215, and the reason I oppose it, number one and foremost, are two reasons.

They are public lands.

Your mission statement in Fort Lauderdale as a commission and mayor clearly state the mission is to serve the public, not the developers.

You are serving the developers by changing the basketball courts to pickleball courts.

Send the pickleball players over to the fort.

They have plenty of space.

We have plenty of picket balls.

All right, come on.

I know, Steve, you love the pickleball.

I say enough.

Secondly, there are environment environmental issues that have not been disclosed nor settled on with moving the basketball courts.

They'll never get built because if the EPA comes in and sees where you some of the alternatives might be, they may never, like I said, get built because of the environmental issues.

Tate also stated that he'd be happy to concede to the basketball courts if he had not printed marketing material and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars, and I heard this live.

Take that million dollars and let them print new marketing materials.

I just say no.

I hope you all will say no too, because it's the right thing to do for your residents.

Thank you.

Barbara, before you speak, I just want to ask staff a question.

With regard to these pickleball courts, they're not privatized.

They're open to the public.

Is that not correct?

That's correct.

They will be public amenities available to the public.

To the public.

Well, I just okay.

I just want to make sure everybody can hear me.

Well, I just I just want to make sure that when we when we speak and we make decisions, that everybody's everybody's making decisions based on facts and not just rumor.

So the suggestion tonight was that we're privatizing the beach for the for the sake of developers, but in but what we are in fact understanding is that the pickleball courts are open to the public and they're not being privatized for anybody.

So please go ahead.

Well, on that note, Barbara Stern.

Farbra Stern, proud resident of Fort Lauderdale, and Mr.

Mayor, you might be interested in hearing this description from the St.

Regis Bahemar.

Residents will enjoy the unparalleled luxury of having their very own pickleball court for spirited matches, leisure play, and wellness focused recreation.

I'm very upset that Jimmy Tate is not here tonight to explain his own marketing and advertising.

They have advertised as an amenity, beach basketball courts, not nearby amenity.

They declare it as their own amenity.

So I think the public has you said basketball.

Excuse me.

Pickleball.

Pickleball courts.

They have advertised it as their own amenity.

It doesn't advertise as a nearby amenity, their own.

Mr.

Mayor, you you do real estate.

One cannot convey a greater interest than he or she owns.

They don't own that land.

They cannot advertise it as theirs.

I'm disagreeing with you.

It should be a public well, Mr.

Tate should be able to answer his advertising.

Can we pause?

Do I get my time positive for don't worry?

You'll get your time.

Go ahead.

Well, that is where a lot of this outrage is coming from, Mr.

Mayor, because you sat here and just said just minutes ago that there's public outreach, even for the basketball courts.

Would it surprise you that after a meeting a couple of months ago when we had to hear from Commissioner Glassman that there wasn't enough outreach about Melrose Park for 10 years?

I did a public records request for the outreach that was done about converting the basketball courts to pickleball courts.

The answer from staff in response to your request, staff advised that there are no responsive records.

There was no public outreach.

You yourself admitted that on the record, January 9th, 2024.

Bill Brown stated it on the record.

John Burns stated it on the record.

There was no outreach before this decision was made.

The vote that was at issue on January 9, 2024 was about the air rights.

That's what people were concerned about.

Nobody was focused on the basketball courts, which were improperly described in the interlocal agreement anyway.

Mr.

Mayor, you you guys have a chance to do the right thing.

The interlocal agreement specifically states that the city possesses the authority to substitute and replace certain improvements as may be reasonably necessary based upon certain cost permitting and other factors.

Any substitution or replacement of improvements requires consent of the CDD, which shall not be unreasonably withheld.

It is unreasonable to ask us to now come back and keep the basketball courts, but just move them.

Spend money to move them, and then to also spend money to convert the basketball courts to pickleball courts.

It doesn't make sense.

Keep the basketball courts where they are, relocate the pickleball courts further south on the beach.

It is a cost savings to the city.

It makes more sense.

Okay.

Thank you.

And I would like Devin Thomas, followed by John Rodstrom.

Chris Stakowski, and then finally Susan Peterson.

Are you Devin?

Yes.

Good evening, Devin.

Hi, good evening.

Good evening to the mayor, vice mayor, commissioners, general public, both those here for preserving the courts and those in opposition, because God is love, so we love everybody.

That's the first principle.

So I want to get that understood before I convey my message.

So first and foremost, I want to be thankful for this opportunity during the holiday season.

Everybody getting ready to be around their family.

Everybody loves to be around the family around this time of year, whether you've been through good or bad, because it allows you to be able to reflect on the ups and the downs.

I remember times during 4th in July, during Memorial Day when I've been out by the courts, been able to have time with family, friends, loved ones, and be out there and really just have a good time.

I don't know if any of you guys play sports, not even basketball or pickleball, just any sports if you have athletic exercise because it's great for your health.

Um, and there's an acronym team T E A M taking exercise as medicine, which is what I employ, and a lot of people use those holistic practices through methods like basketball and other methods as well.

Um so I just think that as far as the public land is conserved, again, it is public, so through the public process, we have to make sure that the whole public is in agreement with it.

And I think the overwhelming majority is not in agreement with this.

And I personally, through my studying of law, am willing to, as a public resident, be able to take what legal action I need to if the proper justifiable action is not taken on behalf of the people, and I know there are people that are with me, so we will go as far as it takes to make sure if it is voted against that we can make sure that the proper legal actions are justified on the environmental end and for the rights of the people.

I had a lot more I want to say, but I'm gonna keep it short because actions beat louder than words, so I just want my actions if the right actions are not taken on your end because you all have a conscience, you all know in your inner compass what's right, and I think I don't need to say too much more.

You have a great evening.

All right, thank you.

Is John Rodstrom here?

Oh, John, okay.

Mayor, commissioners, vice mayor.

Uh I come here as a third generation resident for Waterville.

I grew up about a quarter mile away from the basketball courts.

What are we doing here?

I mean, seriously, what are we doing here?

Uh what we're we're doing is giving a developer who has already gotten so much from our community, even more.

Uh ten years ago, we gave them a piece of land, a public piece of land for almost nothing.

And for years I've been told, well, we're gonna get all these tax revenue from the development, which hasn't really happened yet.

It's the buildings haven't started, we're still kind of waiting.

Um and then we gave them the air rights, and now we're giving them part of the beach, and just I just you know, when does it stop, right?

So Barbara Barbara Stern read an out for you guys in the contract, and it talked about the authority the city has to substitute or replace certain improvements.

One of those things is costs.

This project is costing much more than you all originally contemplated when this happened, even though we didn't really contemplate this at all.

Most of you didn't even know this was part of the interlocal agreement.

But it also says other factors.

Do you know what the other factor is?

Our community, the people in this room.

Those other factor, right?

So you look at that, you have the absolute ability to change this contract, right?

Public land, guys.

I mean, how many times do I have to come here and beg you please just take care of our public land?

You ask why you ask why people don't want the basketball courts.

Move it.

There's so many reasons.

But another reason I'll give you the basketball courts right now are about a hundred and feet, 150 feet away from the water.

They're gonna move be moved to over 400 feet away.

It's a totally different area.

It's further down the beach, it's not where it's been for over 80 years.

Leave it alone.

I'm gonna come back to a statement my father said uh at City Hall at the time, and I believe, Mr.

Mayor, you were the only one on the commission when he said it to you, but it was the vote when we gave BehemR away.

You are public stewards of public lands.

Shame on you.

Uh Mr.

Stokowski.

Followed by Susan Peterson.

Is Susan here?

Yeah, they are.

So how did we get here?

We got here because we didn't know anything about this until a little yellow sign was put on the beach, which shows lack of transparency on your part.

You, the people we elected to protect and serve us, not the developers.

This is getting really crazy.

How every time we turn around, there's another land deal going on in favor of developers.

Why?

Why do it?

It's fiscally irresponsible to spend more money to move what is iconic, desegregation area area uh era basketball courts.

They've been there for decades.

I'm fifth generation Fort Lauderdale native.

You don't need to spend the money to build more basketball courts.

Leave them where they are.

Move the basketball courts down around the corner, across the street.

You know, currently, but he amar has bat uh pickleball courts.

Anyone knows that, right?

They're empty.

There's plenty of land over there for Mr.

Tate and his two billion dollar project will not be blown because of his pickleball courts.

What will happen is we will not be in support of any of this stuff.

Your lack of transparency has caused all this.

Each and every one of you that voted to go ahead and keep pushing this along and deferring it and deferring it and deferring it.

It's ridiculous.

We don't deserve this.

We didn't elect you for this.

And if you're not going to resent re represent us, I got one word for you, all of you.

Recall.

Yeah.

Good evening, Commissioners.

Um I'm Susan Peterson from River Oaks, and I'm a local history writer.

And here is the ad that was in the Sunday New York Times magazine on December 7th.

Exquisite.

We're a beach meets bay.

Here's the picture.

There's a very pale lady's legs, her head's on a she's lying in a hammock.

There's nobody there, no children, no family, nobody else.

It looks like Little Palm Island or something, and there's a man, I guess that's her servant in white clothes with sunglasses, and he's got a tray in his hand with a drink.

So this is the image they're projecting.

Who is they?

That's not our Fort Lauderdale, our fun, sexy, sporty city with opportunities for everybody.

And right now, um, last night I went to the Saber Cinema.

They had a special program, and it was about desegregating an amusement park right outside of Washington, D.C.

And how they did it with students from Howard University and members of the Jewish community, and uh one leading lady had five children, and her husband was a union organizer.

So they organized picketing for almost a year, and succeeded in getting it desegregated.

Um I've heard some talk about this St.

Regis is supposed to be like Monaco in Fort Lauderdale.

My Monaco connection is my swimming coach Mary Freeman Kelly was Princess Grace's sister-in-law.

She was married to John B.

Kelly Jr., who was at one time before he died, president of the Hall of Fame and head of the U.S.

Olympic Committee.

These were wealthy people who gave back to the community.

They did not live a life of luxury that they could have.

And I was watching on TV before I came here.

There was the wonderful Rita Case receiving the award for donating over a hundred thousand bicycles to children.

How can you not recognize that this is a treasure of a city, one of four beach basketball courts in the whole country?

How can you before Christmas even consider taking away this amenity which has been here since the mid-60s?

I first came here in 62, and I did not know the beach was segregated, but my first national championships, I had a taste of segregation when I flew through Nashville to Bartlesville, Oklahoma, to the headquarters of Philip 66 oil company that had a swimming pool in their corporate headquarters.

And there in Nashville, I saw for the first time colored and white bathrooms and drinking fountains.

My coach was a black prison guard, Navy veteran.

We used to meet him in a pool in Harlem.

We're not talking about desegregation tonight.

We're just talking about the very important issue that we should look at this as a community.

My last remark is going to be I can just imagine the salespeople saying we got to get those people out of here.

We can't have them opposite our sales office.

That's my impression.

Okay, thank you.

Is Dana Coronado here?

You just signed up.

Anyone else wish to speak on the come on up?

Anyone else wish to speak on this item?

Okay, did you sign up?

You have to sign up.

Go out in the front and sign up.

Okay, thank you.

Oh, the picture.

Oh, here you go.

There you go.

Thank you so much for letting me speak.

I appreciate it.

Good evening, everyone.

We've heard a lot of different stories here tonight.

Um opposing 25-1215, um, relocation of the basketball courts.

Um, relocation of the basketball courts.

Um, number one, obviously.

I just, as an ROI, I'm a business mind.

It doesn't make sense to me.

Um, seems like we would want them.

People here, we're all speaking up.

We all like where they are now.

I know that there's a lot of regulations and moving this, um, doing land use and development law.

And, you know, I just am not confident that they'll actually be able to be pulled off and relocated, and that's a a community issue to me.

Um, so as we're doing this, and the reason why I even say this is because when this agreement was first discussed, the interlocking agreement, um, it you guys posted it, but all the appendixes of where the the pickleball courts were gonna go were not um correct.

It it said in the the agreement that they were gonna be located south of the BMR Bridge.

Well, the basketball courts are north of the BMR Bridge, and they also don't say anything about replacing a basketball court anywhere.

So, you know, there's always this joke, like uh, you know, there's only two jobs that you can do completely wrong and still get paid.

Uh a kicker in the NFL, you know, he can miss the goal and he still gets paid.

And you know, the weatherman, you could predict the weather wrong, he still gets paid.

And also the Fort Lauderdale surveyor, because he didn't put anything in the right places, and yet he still gets paid.

And who pays that cost?

Right?

The people.

We're all paying that cost.

And you know, listen, you could have got six thousand clicks, but those clicks didn't see the right the right appendix.

They didn't show the right agreement.

So that's concerning to me because did the people really know?

So once the people did find out, the signs were put up, posted up.

We started contacting.

We started organizing, and it was beautiful.

What a beautiful community we have that stood up for this.

And I'm proud to be part of it.

My last point would be is uh basketball as as a citizen here.

I grew up playing basketball in those courts.

I went and played in college.

That led to a great business career.

I not only, you know, went to law school, got my MBA, and I step out on those courts, and every single time, those men, those bo those boys on playing with, you take that shot.

You hit that basket.

You deserve to be out here.

You deserve to crush it, and what do I do?

I go out in business, I crush it.

I I speak up.

I come to a meeting and I stand up.

I learned that from my community.

And you know what?

I don't know, they don't give NCAA pickleball scholarships yet.

So that that would be my thought.

Let's let's get our kids paid.

That nil money.

That's real money, and that could get them back into the community.

And we wouldn't have to wrangle over a million dollars.

Those kids are making millions.

All right, thank you so much.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Greg Risley.

My name is Greg Riddle.

Pretty much born and raised on this beach, Fort Lauderdale.

I've seen this is the first time I actually got up to speak.

I I can't believe that you guys are even contemplating with the public of what the outreach is.

But there is one thing that you guys did with this situation is you brought our community together.

All walks of life of people.

The people I saw at the historic society, there was at least 70 to 80 people speaking on behalf of this, which they wouldn't let us speak.

They said there was too many people to speak.

They were going to deter us till the next month, the next month.

So how can we vote tonight on something that the historic society said we have to wait two months now to or January to speak?

Something that Commissioner Glassman, you spoke heavily of in 2017.

I didn't know you then.

I can't paint for you after hearing that speech at City Hall at two in the morning.

And at that time frame, all that was talking about was the public, I guess the public land.

I don't know if everyone understands it, but EMR, we own that land.

At that time frame, it was how could they sell condos on public land?

Because it would be technically a co-op.

And would we have access to walk around the marina like or bike ride like we do?

They wouldn't give us an answer at that time frame.

The developers actually then later on said, oh yeah, we're gonna have this area that'll do this and for the public to go.

That was 2017.

Now it's 2025, and we're fighting.

We're talking about the beach.

I rented beach chairs on the beach for Mr.

and Mrs.

Perry for 25 years.

I was blessed every day to go to that beach.

I saw hotels come down, hotels build up.

I saw the ocean club next to beach next to next to the beach place get torn down where the candy store was.

You were talking about belly flop contest.

The first time that something was going in that hotel wasn't the Rich Carleton.

It was the St.

Regis that was built as the St.

Regis, and it got something happened later on, then they went bankrupt and four seasons bought.

So what happens when this happens to St.

Regis now?

Or Rich Carlson.

And it didn't go bankrupt, they just rebranded it.

They were taking deposits as the St.

Regis condos as the St.

Regis.

And then they rebranded.

What's it say?

They don't do that now.

I don't know.

Yeah.

I mean it's the public wants to be able to do that.

We're talking about basketball courts here.

Now I'm talking about hotels.

The public, it seems, really wants their beach.

And it's not pickleball versus basketball.

It's the public beach.

Okay.

Versus our developers.

All right.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you.

Is there anyone else who wishes to speak on this item?

Okay, there being none.

Uh do I hear a motion to close public hearing?

So move.

Second.

The move is seconded.

Please call the roll on the motion to close public hearing.

Commissioner Sorensen?

Yes.

Vice Mayor Herbst?

Yes.

Commissioner Glossman?

Yes.

Commissioner Beasley Pittman.

Yes.

Mayor Trentals.

Yes, in public hearing on R5 is now closed.

So what's the pleasure?

District Commissioner, would you like to begin this conversation?

Sure.

Thank you, Mayor.

First of all, thank you everyone for showing up.

I think it's incredible when we get so much input and it's very valuable.

And I want to just say thank you.

I have some questions for a city attorney and for the city manager.

By the way, just to correct the record, because I know Nancy, you wrote 2023.

The commission actually entered into that agreement in January of 2024 with the BehemR district, correct?

That's correct.

Help me understand, because it was brought up several times tonight, and I want to be really clear on this, that according to some of the speakers, we have the ability to go back and revisit and the development side, which in this case is the district, I believe, the taxing district, the community district.

They cannot hold, they cannot withhold that agreement unreasonably, or whatever the language was.

I think it was they cannot be unreasonably withheld.

So from our legal perspective, can you please just talk to me about that?

I really need to understand that really clearly.

So I need to hear the legal opinion.

Thank you, Commissioner VS.

And I'll read that in here.

Am I closing up?

A little closer.

I will read that second.

You can pull it closer to the agreement.

You can pull it closer to you.

Yeah.

Just move the whole machine.

I'll read that section from the interlocutor agreement.

It is paragraph 3.3.

Yeah, I know.

Just keep talking.

I know.

It's hard.

I'll have to speak up.

The paragraph 3.3 of the interlocal agreement reads the city possesses the authority to substitute and replace certain improvements as may be reasonably necessary based upon certain costs, permitting, and other factors.

Any substitution or replacement of improvements requires consent of the CDB, which will not be unreasonably withheld.

I understand.

That's exactly what I did here, but I need you to explain to me the unreasonably withheld part.

And I guess what I'm saying is if we were to renege on that on that agreement, what would be the legal consequences or what would be the grounds that we would have to do that in dealing with that language that you just read?

And and you're suggesting that we would not abide by the terms that require the pickleball courts to be placed where the basketball courts are?

Exactly, because that is what we agreed to in January of 2024.

We are obligated to abide by our agreement.

But what about the unreasonably withheld part?

Well, that would be their um their entitlement, right?

They cannot unreasonably withhold our request to make a change.

And help define that for me, because that to me is is very important to this.

Because what I'm getting at is I I don't want to get into a legal conflict over this because I I'm I don't know.

Excuse me, folks, please let the Everyone had a right to speak tonight, and now the Commission has a right to speak.

I didn't groan or moan when anyone spoke at the podium.

Just keep going.

So can you please help me understand that?

Because I think that's really crucial to this.

Are you speaking to their um their rejection of any change and whether they would in fact pay for the replacement of the basketball courts at another location?

No, I'm not.

Well, and I'm going to get to that in a little bit because I I need to just correct some of the things that were said about that as well.

No, I want to know what that exactly means that if we if we went to the table and we went to the taxing district, the community development district, and we said we do not want to replace the basketball in that location.

I'm not talking about the basketball further south, but if we decided that we did not want to do that, what would be the response if they said absolutely not, how do we hold someone accountable to those words unreasonably withheld?

I need I need a little bit more clarity about those words.

Well, would it burden the project?

So would it be unreasonable to to agree or disagree to do that?

Uh and an aspect we would be whether it would have burdened the project.

They would have an opportunity to say that we don't concur that, and then you would say that their objection is not reasonable because it would burden the project.

Okay.

So what, for instance, uh, and I've heard this because I've asked this question, and um I I I definitely have had this conversation with the Behemoth Community Development District.

Um, but I'm told things like, well, more than 30 units have been sold.

Um we we have offered that, it's on our model, it's in our, you know, it's in our materials.

Is that is that a good enough reason to say that you would put those sales in jeopardy?

Is that an excuse, if you would, that the developer could actually say the term unreasonably withheld requires um sort of an interpretation of good faith and fair dealing.

So we would we would we would analyze it in terms of whether it was good faith or fair dealing, and some of that would be subjective, Commissioner, but we certainly would expect them to uh assent to a reasonable condition.

And unfortunately, words like unreasonable and reasonably held are very subjective.

And so that's and that's when we get into difficulty because these things aren't specifically defined.

Right.

And and that to me is something that I'm having a little bit of difficulty with on this.

Um I also wanted to mention, and I know that people have talked about the history.

Um I will tell you that when I and I this has been referenced several times, so let me just address this.

But when I did speak in 2017, that was a night that went almost till 3 a.m.

Um, and our main objective that night was to make sure that that site plan did not get approved.

Um, and then when the commission came back, the next commission came back, the mayor and I worked with the development team to make sure that that project was scaled way back, that we had a lot more public space, including a two-acre park on the western end of the peninsula, and that we were able to get the boat show out of a garage and give them that space.

Those were the main objectives of what was addressed in 2017 when we fought that site plan.

We lost, but then the next commission we were able to uh actually go back to the drawing board.

So I just wanted to correct that record as well.

The original basketball courts, because this has been mentioned as well, and several people I I know that the author is gone for the evening, but I want you to know that the original basketball courts were much closer to Las Solas and A1A.

I have photos.

I've I've gone to the Historical Society to view that information.

Um they were much closer to Las Oles and A1A, uh actually the site of the waiting, where we have the monument sign right there commemorating the waiting.

Um that's where the courts were in the 60s.

Uh the courts that were referencing now across from Behemara did not come till the mid-80s.

So I know I also heard someone say they've been there for 80 years.

That's not true.

They've been there for about 40 years.

Uh so I just wanted to make sure people understood.

Please don't yell back and forth.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Um I I would also want to just mention that um I wanted to clear the record also because it was a little confusing.

The original agreement with the developer in January of 2024 contemplated the replacement of the basketball court with the pickleball court.

It was not contemplated at that time that we would actually be saying, okay, hey, we still want to keep basketball, let's find another site.

It actually called for the elimination of the basketball courts and the with the replacement of the pickleball.

When when this commission did hear from folks that there was a big concern about eliminating the basketball courts, that's when we went back to the drawing board and said, can we please figure out if we can do both?

Because we didn't want to get into a legal entanglement over the replacement and that site of the basketball with the pickleball, but we also heard the public saying we still want basketball on the beach.

So what we did was we asked the city manager to come back with us and please show us how we could accomplish that, making sure that we were staying east of the uh I'm sorry, west of the coastal construction line, making sure that we'd be able to get to a point where we would be able to have that.

Um this is all done in conjunction with also cleaning up the area under the pedestrian bridge, getting rid of all of our storage areas and bins, uh replacing all of the fitness equipment, um, and also replacing the picnic tables and and the grills.

So all of that is the amenity package, correct me if I'm wrong, that we're talking about in terms of how we're going to improve the park, the beach park.

Um all of those amenities would still be accessed by the same parking lot.

Correct me if I'm wrong, uh the beach parking lot from the north um to the south, that same that same length of beach.

Um so this commission did hear and did listen to the fact that people wanted to still be able to play basketball on the sand.

Um but again, because of that legal that legal obligation from January of 2024, uh we tried to come up with a plan that would work for everyone and still have all of those amenities on the beach.

Uh and to the tune of a million dollars, right?

I think that's what we said from the development team.

Uh they were still doing a million dollars for those improvements.

Plus, we had funds also allocated uh from the parks bond for the beach, correct?

So there's a million dollars that is available for uh eligible improvements as specified in the interlocal agreement, and we cannot exceed the million dollars based on those improvements that have been listed.

Uh just wanted to add to your comments, we are also contemplating replacing the playground at the beach as one of the improvements.

Are you talking about the one north at around Sebastian?

That playground, which playground?

By by the bathrooms.

Oh, by the bathrooms.

Yes.

And so that would be under the parks bond funding.

Okay.

Separate and apart from the interlocal agreement funding.

Okay.

Thank you.

So that is part of it as well.

Yes.

I understand.

Okay.

So I just wanted to clear up those those issues because those are just things that I've been hearing tonight, and I wanted to make sure that everybody understood.

Uh so thank you for that.

I it it helps, and I appreciate I appreciate the clarity.

Thank you, Mayor.

Okay.

Um a couple of other things I want to make sure we are all dealing with the same set of facts.

Uh you mentioned the million dollars.

I believe that was what the developers agreed to pay for the um for the um relocation of the basketball uh site, no?

I could I could clarify that, Mayor.

Did you do that for us?

The million dollars would be available.

And I apologize.

Let's be precise on this because we've had a lot of conversations between developer and CDD.

So be very, very precise.

You you know how I like precision in the city.

Which entities we're talking about.

Which entity we're talking about.

Which I think it's very important in this conversation to know who's offering to pay for what the interlocal agreement that the city has with the behemoth C D calls for up to a million dollars to be provided to the city for eligible improvements.

Right.

In addition, the developer, which is separate from the CDD, has offered to contribute $500,000 toward the relocation of the basketball courts.

Okay.

Could I interrupt on this?

Because I had a conversation earlier today, and that's not the takeaway that I have.

The takeaway that I have is that the developer has offered to advance funds to the CDD, because the CDD at its inception has no money.

So what they've offered to do is advance funds to the CDD to the tune of $500,000.

So I do think it's very in addition to the million dollars.

No, no, no.

So the million dollars is coming from the CDD as part of our interlocal agreement.

The CDD has no money to fund any improvements at this time.

It's my understanding, and I really want to make sure we confirm this because I'm getting conflicting messaging around this, and I think it's important we're all on the same page, is that the developer has agreed to advance funds to the CDD in order for all of this to take place now.

That doesn't mean that we're getting a million plus five hundred for a total of 1.5 million.

I I will say that I believe that the first portion of what you're saying is accurate.

I do believe that the developer is under the impression, and and this impression was given by the city that the eligible improvements pursuant to the interlocal agreement would amount to about $500,000 and not reach that million dollar threshold.

Correct.

I also believe that the developer is willing to contribute a separate $500,000 toward the relocation of the basketball court for a combined contribution between the CDD and the developer to a million dollars.

So not 1.5.

Alright, so I think we're all getting different information.

Right.

So what I think what I think, Mayor, if I may.

So what I what I think the suggestion is that the CDD has agreed to fund up to $1 million.

What we're saying now is that the totality of the enumerated improvements at the beach are only going to be $500,000.

The eligible improvements.

The eligible improvements.

So we're not going to be getting a million dollars from the CDD.

We're getting $500,000 from the CDD.

That's what we're estimating at the moment.

If those costs go up, we have up to the million dollars.

I think we need to get something in writing that clarifies all this because what I need to have clear is my belief, my understanding, this is not a criticism, please don't take it this way.

But when I hear my belief, my understanding, this is what I think we're going to get.

That's very problematic for me because I I'm I'm hearing multiple conversations that don't seem to be saying the same thing.

And again, specific specificity, transparency, and clarity on an issue is imperative.

It's of the utmost importance.

I I would like something in writing at some point from the CDD, from the developers, from everybody, so I know what we're getting and what we're obligated for.

Because the city is going to be stepping up and covering whatever shortfall there may be outside of these agreements.

Okay.

So to continue, so it's going to be important that we have more specificity with regard to the obligations that uh have been represented to us.

It was my understanding from the beginning that that the somebody from the developers team or whether it be the taxing entity, that the city was going to have up to a million dollars to spend to relocate the basketball courts and also to contribute to the other amenities that we spoke of on the beach, and that we could use it any way we want uh as long as it provided um uh assistance for the payment of these amenities on the beach, which would include the the uh the the barbecue grills, the the uh the um picnic tables, the uh uh the the uh uh playground equipment, anything else that was on the beach, and that our our parks parks bond money would be used to augment any project that we have uh within that within that discussion.

So because there's uh there's no clarity there, we need to we need to make sure we firm that up, number one.

Number two, um there seems to be a misunderstanding about you know what the uh what the uh salespeople for the St.

Regis are saying.

Um and if there are people doing videos that are saying that you know that that the um that the St.

Regis has dedicated private pickleball courts and so forth, yes, that's true, but they're not the ones on the beach.

The the uh brochures is referencing the pickleball courts that are on the the uh the main site of the property.

And the reason why I know that is because during this discussion tonight.

Can can I just finish?

Do not yell.

All right, listen let's understand that.

I'm speaking, I you all had a chance to speak.

Please don't interrupt.

So during this discussion, the the the broker for the project has been has texted to me a copy of the brochure, which specifically references the pickleball courts on the site, not the ones on the beach.

So if you folks have a different brochure, I'd like to see it, but right now they're referencing just the ones on the site, not on the beach.

Anyway, so we'll get clear, we'll get we'll get clarity on that too.

All right?

There seems to be a misunderstanding about that.

Thirdly, um building pickleball courts on the beach east of the coastal construction line is going to be an issue.

Because right now, those basketball courts are built east of the coastal construction line.

If we tear them up, we have to go back all over again and get the state's approval to build east of the coastal construction line.

That's always a challenge.

So there's no guarantee that we would be able to build pickleball courts, even if we wanted to, east of the coastal construction line in place of where the basketball courts are currently.

So we have to have clarity on that before we before we go anywhere further.

Um and and just to reiterate what um what has been said uh on the commission, you know, we have been talking about this for a long time, and there are people who have said to us throughout the throughout the year that um that they're very happy to have the pickleb the uh the uh basketball courts remain where they are.

But some people have come to me and said as long as we have basketball courts on the beach, it didn't matter to them.

So there's gonna be a difference of opinion.

Well, I I'm just letting you know what other people, you're not the only people that have opinions on this.

There are other people who have come to me.

There are other people that have come to folks, come on.

There are other people that have come to me and have had difference of opinions, all right?

So I'm not saying that who's has the most opinion and who's in the majority, who's the major in the minority.

I'm just letting you know that there are other people that have other opinions besides the ones that you have expressed tonight.

So um so you know, I'm not sure that this issue is right for a decision tonight because we have some um matters that really need to be clear cleared up, especially the issue of whether or not the state would even permit the building of pickleball courts east of the coastal construction line.

So uh and how much money is going to be dedicated towards the improvements that we have contemplated here.

So that's that's my point of view.

I don't I don't think we're prepared to do it, and frankly, I'm not even sure it's even necessary to go forward on this.

I think let's just leave the pick the basketball courts where they are and and uh but anyway, um uh let's let's just get some clarity on some of these issues and then we'll make it we can make a decision whether or not to go forward.

For the city manager, can you do us a favor?

I believe there is a timeline in that agreement that we're obligated to meet.

So I want to just make sure that we don't get into trouble with that as well.

Because it will take time for permits, it will take time to do whatever we need to do.

Um but I believe there is a deadline.

There is a deadline.

Yes, it's based on the effective date of the agreement and it is January 2027.

That they have to be completed?

Yes.

And we also have the cost breakdown for the proposed improvements in the exhibit.

Uh it's page one of five of exhibit number two.

So it provides an estimate of what we think it may cost.

We work with AECOM on that.

Uh, in order to fully assess whether we will be able to get this project permitted.

Uh we wanted to get feedback on the number of pickleball courts.

Uh there was a discussion about two and three and four.

What's the original agreement contemplated?

Two pickleball courts are what are required based on that agreement.

Uh, but in order to really advance the discussions and exploration of the permitting, we would need to know which direction we should be headed in.

So that's part of the reason why we wanted to get the clarification because we won't be able to fully understand whether a permit is feasible if we don't know the extent of the scope.

Have we reached out at all to the state to find out if that's even feasible then to take the footprint of the basketball court now, replace that with pickleball, even though it is, as the mayor said, east of the coastal construction line.

Have we been able to ascertain if that is even doable?

Um or because of the fact that we're not building anything new, is that site being that it's already got pavement, etc., etc., is it grandfathered in or not?

We've begun that process of exploration with the state, but we do not have a definitive answer at this time.

We have not submitted for a permit.

We've just had some preliminary outreach to the state.

What does that mean exactly, preliminary outreach?

I'm gonna call Ben Rogers, assistant city manager to share more on the conversations with the state.

Well, while we wait for Ben, so just so I'm clear, if we stay on the same footprint.

Right?

If so, if we do three pickleball courts, right?

We could do three pickleball courts on the basketball courts.

We're staying on the same footprint.

We're not expanding the footprint of the concrete that is already in place.

I know assuming that that is it might be a legal non-conforming use.

Which means the rules may have changed since the basketball courts were first installed.

So I I I don't want to use that as a thing, a false premise that we can go forward with pickleball using the same footprint.

They always change the rules, right?

Fair point.

Yeah.

Just like crosswalks.

Anyway, I don't mean to bring up another source subject, but go ahead.

Uh so good.

Good evening.

Uh to answer the question, I think that there's uh varying levels of permitting that goes through on this process.

So AECOM has started having some initial conversations with uh FDEP on what that looks and feels like.

To Vice Mayor's point, uh, you know, if you take the existing asphalt that's there, repaint it, it's probably an easy ask for the state because you're not impacting the usable space of the beach.

Uh you're not changing any of the factors.

However, once you start installing four-foot fence, six-foot fence, eight-foot fence, if you're going to put screening on those fences, uh, there's different breakaway conditions uh for the requirements.

And so, as the city manager indicated, one of the things that we're seeking from the commission is a is a site plan concept that we can then go and have these conversations with the Department of Uh Environmental Protection, because based off of each one of these different conditions, there might be a different path to get to the answer that we need to get for the Commission to make a final decision on this.

All right.

Then what uh haven't heard from you tonight.

What are your thoughts?

Thanks, Mayor.

Appreciate it.

Um, Mayor, I think we need to keep the basketball courts exactly where they are.

And as you know, the city attorney mentioned, I think the next step is we need to work with the CDD to assent to a reasonable condition to keep the basketball courts exactly where they are.

I think we can do that.

I think we should add two more, don't you?

Anyway, um, what what about uh Pam?

What are your thoughts?

I I want trying to get a little bit of a consensus here of what direction we should go in before we ask staff to commit any more time and expense on uh on moving them to a different location.

What are your thoughts?

Well, um I agree where the basketball courts are, they're they're there, they're where the community utilized them and that they're familiar with.

So if that's the case and they are able to stay there without us breaching the agreement that's in place, because there's still that agreement that we haven't discussed.

It was read by our attorney, but before when we discussed this, it appeared to my understanding that we both would have to be in agreement in order to um let them stay or move them, whatever the situation comes down to.

So the way I sit, let them stay where they are, but also understanding that we are in an agreement that we are we have to abide by as well.

Commissioner May, you're making uh an excellent point.

Um it will potentially come down to that.

You may wish to keep things as they are, but you have to deal with the language in the agreement that you've that you've already signed.

It does require uh that they give consent, but that it cannot be unreasonably withheld, so we have a little back and forth there.

Um perhaps that perhaps there is some room for that, but that would have to be addressed.

Can we go back to that for a second?

I know um Commissioner Glassman brought that up, but I I just want to kind of touch base on that a little bit.

So we have certain enumerated positions within the agreement.

Um of the things we've talked about is if there were leftover funds, could we add additional amenities to the beach, right?

So when I think about consent not being unreasonably withheld, I think of it more in the context of if we wanted to add more barbecue grills, more picnic tables, more things of that nature, it doesn't impact the substance and nature of the agreement itself.

It's merely expanding what we have.

But if you're talking a complete replacement of one of the enumerated features of the agreement and they object to that, it would seem to me that there's more of a basis for them rejecting that request than something that's somewhat more innocuous.

So when you talk about unreasonably withheld, where does that come in to specifically enumerated features of an agreement?

Well, you're substituting or replacing certain improvements.

The improvements are identified specifically.

Right.

And so they would have to agree to those major changes.

And I think to your point, uh the identified items are very specific, and though those are the ones to which they would have to give consent.

And that would include the pickleball.

It would.

It would.

It would.

It would.

So is it more reasonable then to is it more reasonable then for them to object to specifically listed items in the agreement than it would be for us to add additional items?

I'm just trying to get a sense of of where that unreasonably withheld comes into play.

If if it goes to exceed the intent, right?

The intent of the agreement is is to come together for the benefit of the public and this property and to put specific amenities which we call improvements.

It goes to that intent.

And that intent is to have at least two pickleball courts where the existing basketball courts are.

That's those are the identified amenities.

And some other things, the fitness part, those things.

And the um CDD will provide up to one million dollars to assist with that.

That's what the language is.

So the intent is to have these specific items.

What say you?

And so your question then is well, what would it matter to them?

What would be the threshold?

What would be reasonable to object to and not to object to within that context then, would we have to articulate a reasonable basis for the substitution?

It or did they have to do it they have to dictate a reasonable basis to deny the burdens on their on their own?

Correct.

Well, I'm wondering if it has to go both ways.

I mean, so I don't read it that way, uh, Vice Mayor.

So we don't have to articulate a reason as to why we want to do a substitution.

No.

We can just simply ask for it.

We could simply ask for it.

And they can and they can accept or reject that.

And from that point, next step is mediation litigation?

No, no.

They can ex-they can accept it and if they don't.

I'm I want to say that.

If they don't if you don't, do you hope that you could come to some reasonable uh you know, resolution or head in another direction?

Right.

So that's what I'm trying to understand, though, is is lay out the steps for me if if they choose not to, as as they have suggested that they they are not amenable to what we are suggesting.

What are the steps?

So I know we're dealing now with another governmental entity, and I know having gone through this before, what is it, 164 proceeding?

Where you go through mediation?

Yeah.

Right.

That would be a process.

And at first be you're still going to have to have some discussion with them about you know what is reasonable, what they would object to.

I don't know that that is the case.

I don't know that anyone does whether they're they would object to that.

It would be such an entanglement to then have to proceed and to unrest that and still comport with your other obligations under the uh agreement because you're obligated to complete the project within three years.

And now you're getting mired in some disagreement which would preemp prevent you from completing the project, which creates other problems.

Okay.

City manager, don't we have some preliminary indication from the CDD that they were not receptive to the idea of a substitution or or an abandonment of the pickleball?

Yes, I did attend a CDD meeting over the summer or early fall, and that was what was indicated at that time.

Um I do also want to highlight in the agreement what might be somewhat of a caveat as to what is um reasonably necessary.

So the city possesses the authority to substitute and replace certain improvements as may be necessary based upon certain costs permitting and other factors.

So we don't have any specificity on what the other factors are, but I I think that was an attempt to qualify what would be reasonable or not, or what would be the basis for a substitution or replacement.

And to your point, I I do think that So it's like beauty, it's in the eye of the beholder.

Yes.

I think the other factors could be the public opinion.

So uh and and that but but thank you.

Actually, mayor, I I appreciate you bringing that up because I want to know if that's the basis for another factor.

And mayor, you were here back in 2003 when a city commission decided to undo a previous approval that the CRA had done at the beach and we were in litigation and tied up that parcel of land over there for the better part of ten years.

What was the name of that parcel?

Um what was that?

Some started with a P.

What was it?

Uh-huh.

It was at the Las Olis Marina.

It was it was just on the other side.

That over there.

Yeah.

Well, and we won.

We did.

It held out for 10 years.

But uh, Mayor, can I make a suggestion?

I think it had like a name of a city in Italy or something.

It did, it did.

Uh not the Palazzo Lascle.

Palazzo.

Palazzo Lasolos.

I got it.

Palazzo.

Not a city, but I love what we had a bunch of old people up here.

Palazzo, yeah, the Palazzo.

Well, so when the so when the public is not you, sweetheart.

So when the public speaks up, you know, we we we need to listen.

And I think that that's a justifiable basis.

I think Mayor.

I think I think that going forward, you know, we should try to uh work with the developer and see what other alternative methods of trying to find recreational facilities on the beach that uh suits their their expectations at the same time suits the community's expectations.

So there's an opportunity here to compromise.

And Ben, did you want to say something?

Yeah, no, thanks, Mayor.

Completely agree with you, Mayor.

And my suggestion would be that um if I think it might be helpful to have a uh a single point of engagement and dialogue with the CDD.

I think that should be you, Mayor.

Okay and with the city attorney to start the dialogue, exploring the possibilities, and then um let us know how it's going.

Okay, and city manager and city attorney, I really again I know I've made this point before.

I'm just concerned about the timeline in these agreements.

I'm concerned about one thing leading to another and pushing things back, back back.

I'm just concerned about any bit of risk that we might be facing.

That's why it's so important for you and also my colleagues.

We just need to figure out what we're doing here, but we're gonna need information from you because we really need to understand the whole picture.

Um again, it said three years from that agreement to get all of this done.

Correct.

And now we only have 12 months left.

So and we know what happens with litigation and we know what happens with mediation, and we know.

So does that add another problem for us?

I just want to understand the entire picture here uh and what we are facing, what we could be facing, so that we can make a decision that benefits the whole city.

I just really need to have it.

Let's see what we can work out.

Um my experience with the developers is that they're reasonable people, and I'm sure we'll come up with some solution that will be that will work for everybody.

So uh so let me take let me let me uh take the responsibility of meeting with them at the city manager and the city attorney, and we'll figure something out.

In the meantime, thank you.

All right, so in the meantime, uh with regard to R5, can uh why don't we uh uh why don't we just defer this?

Or do we want to just uh uh vote it down?

I think we need more information from our city attorney and our city manager.

I think we should just defer this like we've been deferring everything all day.

All right, so I mean I I don't want to be sarcastic, I want to be I want to be correct.

So uh city attorney.

Let's just defer this indefinitely.

Okay.

That would be your choice.

Uh indefinitely might not be the best option, but it's certainly your deferred until we don't.

Okay.

Mindful of your obligations and other contract and timing this.

Do we need to vote on that or just defer it?

Yeah, please.

All right.

Move to defer.

Okay.

Second.

Okay.

They move the seconded.

Please call the roll.

Anyone else wish to speak?

No.

Uh please call the roll.

Commissioner Sorensen.

Again, move to defer.

Right?

No, we're deferring this indefinitely.

Yes.

Vice Mayor Herbst.

Yes.

Commissioner Glossman.

Yes.

Commissioner Beasley Pittman?

Yes.

Mayor Trentals.

Yes.

Okay.

Don't you want to stay for the rest of the meeting?

Thank you for doing the right thing.

Okay, moving R6.

Shh shh.

R six uh also is to be deferred.

Um do we need uh do we need a vote on that?

Yes.

Yes, please.

Okay.

Move to defer to January 6th.

20.

No.

We moved it to the 20th, didn't we?

This one.

Okay, I'm sorry.

Yes, to the no, no, this is the first one.

This is the six.

This is the six.

Okay.

It's hard to remember which is motion to defer to six.

January sixth.

Do I hear a second?

Thank you, Greg, for being here.

Do I hear was there a second?

Okay.

Please call the role.

vote on that yes yes please okay move to defer to january twenty twenty no we moved it to the twentieth didn't we this one okay I'm sorry yes to the no no this is the sixth okay it's hard to remember which is okay motion to defer to six January sixth do I hear a second thank you Greg for being here do I hear there was there a second second second okay please call the roll commissioner Sorensen yes Vice Mayor Herbst yes Commissioner Glassman yes Beasley Pittman yes mayor trentals yes in our six is now deferred to January 6th R7 this is a quasi judicial uh excuse me judicial resolution an amendment to site plan level two development alternative design design request from dependable equities this is the Ombell project on third avenue anyone wishing to speak must be sworn in and the commission will announce any site visits communications or extrovert opinions received and make them a part of the record vice mayor do you have any disclosures communication with Ms.

Two thinker um commissioner Beasley Pittman with two thank you as well I also added communication with uh Mrs Toothaker um uh Commissioner Glassman yes same met with uh Stephanie Two thinker December 15th just yesterday just yesterday well uh and uh may I suggest for the record when you identify the person with whom you spoke you identify their relationship to the project uh there relationship to the project yes is the person the counsel for the counsel for the uh for the principal yeah yes counsel same thing counsel for the principal Stephanie Toothhacher Zoom meeting yesterday December 15th counsel for the principal okay um let's see only Stephanie is signed up to speak I assume is just to answer questions where are you oh there you are uh anyone have any questions there being none someone move to close public hearing moved second to move to seconded please call the roll commissioner sorenson yes vice mayor herbst yes commissioner glassman yes commissioner beasley Pittman yes mayor trentals yes and public hearing is now closed uh our seven someone would like to introduce the resolution introduced it's been introduced please call the roll and commissioner that's for approval yes thank you uh a resolution city commission of the city of Fort Lauderdale Florida approving an amendment to site plan level two development permit and an alternative design that meets the overall intent of the downtown master plan for the project known as Ombell located at 300 northeast third Avenue Fort Lauderdale Florida in the downtown regional activity center city center zoning district commissioner Sorensen yes Vice Mayor Herbst yes Commissioner Glossman yesley Pittman yes mayor Trentals yes and R7 is now approved moving on to PH1 public hearing this is a second public hearing a resolution regarding the designation of real property located at 3100 Northeast 32nd Avenue as a brownfield area for rehabilitation and redevelopment pursuant to Florida's Brownfields redevelopment act uh one person to sign up to speak nectar but that's just to answer questions right is you are you still here next to oh there's she is still here so quiet um anyone have any questions um do I hear a motion to close public hearing moved do I hear second second been moved to seconded to close public hearing on pH one please call the role commissioner sorenson yes vice mayor herbst yes commissioner glassman yes commissioner beasley Pittman yes mayor trentals yes in public hearing on pH one is now closed someone like to introduce the resolution introduced resolution has been introduced please call the roll a resolution city commission of the city of Fort Lauderdale Florida making certain findings and designating the real property located at 3100 Northeast 32nd Avenue Fort Lauderdale Florida 33308 folio number 4943 30031320 as a brownfield area pursuant to section 376.80 parens 2 parents Florida statutes for the purpose of rehabilitation job creation promoting economic redevelopment authorizing the city of Fort Lauderdale to notify the Florida Department of Environmental Protection of said designation providing an effective date commissioner Sorensen yes Vice Mayor Herbst yes Commissioner Glassman yesley Pittman yes mayor Trentals yes and that is now passed pH two public hearing request to defer to January 6th do I hear a motion to defer this to January 6th wait there was a script for that one but there is there's a script yeah I'll give you mine I have it I have it I have it so we're mayor says this item was previously set to be heard today by a previous uh resolution approved by the city commission as required by the charter however the staff advised the 12 day required newspaper notice was not timely provided as additionally required by the charter uh our legal staff is advised advised that no testimony and action should be taken on the merits of this item until is it is deferred so notice can be perfected I will entertain a motion to defer item 25-1192 to the city commission regular meeting on January 6th starting at 6 p.m is do I hear a motion to defer some move second moved and seconded any discussion there being none please call the roll commissioner sorenson yes vice mayor herbs yes commissioner glassman yes commissioner beasley Pittman yes mayor Trentals yes so the motion passes uh and and the item is continued to the city commissioner

I will entertain a motion to defer item 25-1192 to the city commission regular meeting on January 6th, starting at 6 p.m.

Um Do I hear a motion to defer?

Some move.

Second.

Moves and seconded.

Any discussion?

There being none, please call the roll.

Commissioner Sorensen, yes.

Vice Mayor Herbst?

Yes.

Commissioner Glassman?

Yes.

Commissioner Beasley Pittman?

Yes.

Mayor Trentals.

Yes.

So the motion passes.

Uh and the item is continued to the City Commission regular meeting January 6th at 6 PM.

Did I do that okay?

Thank you.

You have the part.

Thank you.

PH3, public hearing and ordinance amending policy FLU 1.1.12 of the City of Fort Lauderdale Comprehensive Plan.

Um I'm not going to read the whole thing.

Only one person to sign up to speak.

Uh Nectaria.

Uh just for questions.

Um anyone have any questions or comments?

Someone like to move to close public hearing.

So moved.

Second.

Move and seconded, please call the roll.

Commissioner Sorensen, yes.

Vice Mayor Herbst.

Yes.

Commissioner Glassman?

Yes.

Commissioner Beasley Pittman?

Yes.

Mayor Trentals.

Yes.

In public hearing on PH three is now closed.

Would someone like to introduce the ordinance?

Introduced for approval.

It's been introduced for approval.

Please call the role.

In order to the city of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, amending policy FLU 1.1.12 of the City of Fort Lauderdale comprehensive plan, future land use element uptown urban village transit oriented development future land use designation to delete common seven, which provides that residential uses are only permitted in portions of the uptown TOD located east of Power Line Road and north of Cypress Creek Road and east of North Andrews Avenue, south of Cypress Creek Road, providing for several ability repeal of conflicting ordinance provisions transmitted to the applicable reviewing agencies of providing for defective date.

Commissioner Sorensen?

Yes.

Vice Mayor Herbst?

Yes.

Commissioner Glassman?

Yes.

Commissioner Beasley Pittman?

Yes.

Mayor Trentals.

Yes.

And PH three is now approved.

Moving on to PH four.

This is a public hearing.

Quasi judicial resolution.

Approving an after-the-fact waiver of limitations at 100 Hendrix Isle for one boat lift extending a maximum distance of 31 plus or minus feet measured from the property line into the adjacent waterway of the Rio Grande Canal.

Anyone wishing to speak must be sworn in, and the commission will announce any site visits, communications, or expert opinions received and make them a part of the record.

We have a couple people who sign up to speak.

Steve, are you still here?

Yes, Steve, you're here.

Is Jenna here?

There.

Are you here to speak in favor or against it?

In favor?

I'm sorry?

On behalf of the Okay.

And Steve, you're here in favor or just to answer questions?

Okay.

Other than that, no one else is signed up to speak.

Someone would like to move to close public hearing.

So moved.

Second.

They moved and seconded.

Please call the roll.

Commissioner Sorensen.

Yes.

Vice Mayor Herbst?

Yes.

Commissioner Glassman?

Yes.

Commissioner Beasley Pittman?

Yes.

Mayor Trentals.

Yes.

In public hearing on PH four is now closed.

Would someone like to introduce the resolution?

Introduced.

The resolution has been introduced.

In favor, correct?

Approved.

All right.

Anyone have any questions?

Commissioner?

None?

Okay.

Please call the roll.

I just was quasi.

And I don't know.

I don't think we did the disclosures yet.

Yeah.

Oh, I didn't.

We mentioned it, but you didn't ask.

I'm sorry.

It's okay.

Before we vote.

Vice Mayor, do you have any disclosures?

My only disclosure is Mr.

Witten.

Okay.

Commissioner Beasley Pittman.

None.

I don't believe we spoke on this, Steve.

Did we?

No.

Commissioner Glassman.

I received a communication from Steve Whitten, Chair of the MAB.

Okay.

Mr.

Witten.

Okay.

Okay.

Those are our disclosures.

And uh I had no disclosure, so now you may proceed to vote.

And that introduction was for approval.

For approval, correct.

Thank you.

All right.

A res a resolution of the City Commission in the City of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, pursuant to section 47-19.3 of the City of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, unified land development regulations granting an after-the-fact waiver of the limitations of ULDR section 47-19.3C to permit James G.

Mueller a single man installation of one boat lift extending a maximum distance of 31 feet plus or minus into the waters of the adjacent Rio Grande Canal.

Such property being located at 100 Hedricks Isle, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301.

And more particularly described below, subject to certain terms and conditions repealing any and all parts of resolutions in conflict here with and providing for an effective date.

Commissioner Sorensen?

Yes.

Vice Mayor Herbst?

Yes.

Commissioner Glossman?

Yes.

Commissioner Beasley Pittman?

Yes.

Mayor Trentals.

Yes.

And uh PH 4 is now approved.

PH 5, public hearing, quasi judicial resolution approving, and after the fact waiver of limitations at 102 Hendrix Isle for one boat lift extending a maximum distance of 31 plus or minus feet, as measured by the uh excuse, measured from the property line into the adjacent waterway of the Rio Gran Canal.

Anyone wishing to speak must be sworn in, and the Commission will announce any site business communications or expert opinions received, make them a part of the record.

Rice Mayor, do you have any disclosures?

Only disclosure is Mr.

Whitten.

Commissioner Beasley Pittman.

None.

I have none.

Commissioner Glass.

Same as the previous one.

Is that means you had a communication?

Communication.

Mr.

Whitney, yes.

Okay.

Mr.

Wentton.

Okay.

As a member of the Marine Advisory Board?

Yes.

Okay.

We have no.

I think that makes him an expert.

Um again, Mr.

Whitten and uh Jenna Robbins has signed up to speak, but just to in support of the issue.

Okay.

Anyone else wish to speak on this item?

There being none.

Um would someone please move to close public hearing.

So move.

Second.

Please call the roll.

Commissioner Sorensen.

Yes.

Vice Mayor Herbst.

Yes.

Commissioner Glossman?

Yes.

Mr.

Beasley Pittman.

Yes.

Mayor Trentals.

Yes.

And public hearing is now closed.

Someone would like to introduce the resolution.

Introduce for approval.

Introduced for approval.

Please call the roll.

A resolution of the city commission of the city of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, pursuant to Section 47-19.3e of the City of Fort Lauderdale Unified Land Development Regulations, granting an after-the-fact waiver of the limitations of ULDR Section 47-19.3C to permit Daniel Craninger and married man installation of one boat lift extending a maximum distance of 31 feet plus or minus into the waters of the adjacent Rio Grande Canal, such property being located at 102 Hendrix Isle for Lauderdale, Florida 3301, and more particularly described below, subject to certain terms and conditions, repealing any and all parts of resolutions in conflict here with and providing for an effective date.

Commissioner Sorensen?

Yes.

Vice Mayor Herbs?

Yes.

Commissioner Glossman?

Yes.

Commissioner Beasley Pittman.

Yes.

Mayor Trentals.

Yes, and PH5 is now approved.

Moving on to uh OFR 1.

This is an uh first reading ordinance amending chapter 8 of the code of ordinances regarding the sales service and consumption of food and alcoholic beverages and to create administrative review procedure for license renewal applications and increase the license application fees.

We have one person to sign up to speak, Marilyn Momano.

Anyone else?

Anyone else wish to speak on this item?

Okay.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

Good evening.

Good evening.

This is your lucky day.

I'm here to provide some constructive ways.

Well, wait, I can't hear the colour.

Microphone, microphone, microphone.

The whole world wants to hear the constructive waves.

Please push the button.

Good evening, Mayor and Commissioners.

My name is Marilyn Momano, and I'm here reading the testimony for Lauderdale tomorrow regarding this per uh this ordinance uh uh modification.

And as I said, coming up, listening to what was going on this after uh this evening, I'm here to actually offer you some constructive critic uh uh uh comments on how you can avoid the perception of the public that we're giving away public land on the beach.

Um I will read this uh very very quickly and then I would be happy to answer any questions.

Uh while Lauderdale Tamar supports streamlining the licensing process in general, we have several concerns as well as suggestions for necessary amendments.

Uh number one has to do with the process of streamlining the license renewal as it relates to the charter and whether or not the charter provides for the uh delegation of authority to the staff in these matters.

That's uh a legal question that we not don't have to answer tonight.

We just bring it up as a a concern.

And second one is that any changes to the ordinance should provide for streamlining the process will include a 30-day commission call-up allowed in the event that things are not going as hoped.

This provision protects both the licensee as well as the public.

The licensee can appeal a non-removal to the commission.

That's in the proposal.

So too should the public be able to appeal a renewal to the commission.

Number three, there should be an escalator clause in the application fee and the permit costs.

And number four, and this is very pertinent to the discussion that you had this this evening with the public.

We believe that there should be language in the ordinance that prohibits the license holder from representing that he, she, by virtue of this license, has exclusive rights to the beach or in any or in some way is operating an exclusive private club.

As we speak, the St.

Regis Hotel is representing on its website that they have an exclusive St.

Regis Beach Beach Club on Beach.

Go ahead.

Why is that beeping?

Because you used up your time.

I did not.

I couldn't possibly have.

Can I just finish this, please?

Thank you.

Okay.

This this is really very important.

There's no reason why you can't have some language in the ordinance that you know prohibits him from saying that.

Five, we are also concerned that the hotel licensee should pre-rent all of the beach chairs for hotel guests so that none would be available for the general public.

There should be language included in the audience to prevent that from happening.

And number six, and very, very important here.

We object to the size of the beach area allocated to the BMR license.

It goes from lot line to lot line, including the marketplace and the marina.

It should be significantly reduced.

The license should only apply to the beach chairs in front of the hotel, just like it does for all the other hotels.

Thank you for your attention to these concerns, and hopefully you will instruct the staff to incorporate them into the ordinance on second reading.

We are always available to work with them on improving the ordinance.

Thank you very much.

Great.

Happy to answer any questions.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Okay.

Anyone else wish to speak on this item?

Okay, there's nobody else.

Do I have to move to closed public hearing?

I don't think so.

No.

Okay.

All right.

Someone would like to introduce the ordinance.

Mayor just a couple comments before.

Oh, yeah, go ahead.

That's all right.

So see, we're called number and number two of Marilyn suggestions, which I I think makes sense.

I mean, the idea of allowing for uh Commissioner call-up.

I was talking with, I think Ben Rogers, were you and I, or were you and I talking about this?

Yeah.

So one of the suggestions, Mayor, to this is to adjust this this number two suggestion, which I think makes sense.

Is Raquel, what I'm thinking is, could we allow for a call-up?

But during that call-up period, Raquel, the existing agreement remain in place so that a hotel does not have to cease operations during that call-up, if that if that makes sense.

See if I'm articulating that the right way.

Does that make sense?

I I think that would be beneficial to both sides, considering that if the call-up led to the license being uh maintained, then the city would not have to go through another process to approve a new license, and the business could continue to operate and generate revenue that would impact our amenity on the beach.

Yep.

Right.

But but hold on a second.

I'm not quite sure where the third the request for a 30-day commission call-up comes into play.

Is this at the end of the of the I don't have Maryland's list?

No, no.

I'm just any changes to the ordinance to provide for streamlining the process should include a 30-day commission call-up allowed in the event things are not going as well as hoped.

I'm not quite sure what that means.

Does that mean we can cancel the license during the say it's a 12-month period?

Let me just say this.

The charter says that uh we shall not sell transfer or lease for more than one year any public area.

Well, a license is not a transfer, a sell or a lease.

It's a use.

It's not a transfer a sell or lease has to do with transferring interest in property.

A license is just the use of property.

So the charter doesn't really apply to giving these hotels the right to serve liquor and food on the beach.

The St.

Regis Beach Club, the exclusive St.

Regis Beach Club, is not referring to anything that that the St.

Regis uh hotel has exclusive use on the beach.

It means that there's an exclusive right to belong to this beach club, which has certain amenities.

And it has nothing to do with creating a border uh on the sand that's only available to the folks that uh that uh um that are visitors at the St.

Regis Beach Club.

If they decide to rent all the beach chairs for hotel guests, you know, I don't know how we can stop that or why we would stop that.

That's their choice.

Um and uh uh frankly I don't see how that's any of our business.

But in any case, um uh I'm not sure what the 30-day commission call-up is about.

I I know that the commission must vote on the renewal then every single year that it comes up.

It's not like it's automatic.

No, no, but that's what this is taking away.

We we as a commission, we requested a while ago that instead of seeing these all every single year, we requested that it would be handled administratively as a renewal.

So that's what this is and the ordinance, but Maryland's proposed these extra items.

But what I would say to that is uh Raquel, um first of all, we have we have nine such licenses, correct, right now at the hotels.

They're all in district two, correct?

Yes.

Yes.

So what I would say is I have not heard any complaints at all from anyone.

I go regularly to the beach meetings.

I go, you know, I speak to a lot of folks along that stretch.

Um have you ever received a complaint about any of these licenses?

Not during my tenure.

No, and I have never received one ever since we initiated this project.

But what I would say to you, rather than a 30-day call-up, I would hope that while you were looking at a renewal or not, you would at least talk to us or in our meetings that we all have with you to see if we've heard any problems, to see if there are any issues that we should be right.

I mean, I don't think you would just immediately just renew something without talking to all of us, right?

I I think we would want to have conversations with the various impacted stakeholders, including the commissioners and you know, there's the beach improvement district, yes, and there's the Central Beach Alliance.

Uh we would want to definitely have conversations with the um the hotels, you know, about any potential issues or anything that was brought to our attention.

Uh there are certain provisions in the ordinance right now that allow us to temporarily suspend or I think permanently uh as well based on certain situations.

And so I I think that this process would allow both staff and the commission to uh just have a more efficient um administration of this license.

And I'm comfortable with all of that.

Thank you.

Does does Marriott Harbor Beach have a license?

Pardon?

Does Marriott Harbor Beach have a license?

I don't have the list in front of me.

Maybe Carl does.

No, they just do it.

They have that whole beach.

But that's not private beach, though.

They don't own the private beach situation.

So I don't have the the list of front of me, but I believe that area is not a part of this.

So it's private?

Okay.

Because they serve there.

Okay.

Okay.

And then so to provide a 30-day call-up, I mean, there's nothing nothing obnoxious about it.

I mean, it just gives a it gives the uh this is what it this is on an annualized basis.

You'd have to give us notice, I guess, that there is a renewal pending and then we have a 30-day uh option.

Is that kind of what we're looking at here?

That's that's a suggestion.

Um, for clarity, um, this would be um an alignment with what we do if there's a um when we're looking at um we have the choice to look at um building permits or I may be saying the wrong thing, but there's an opportunity where we get to choose if we want to bring up an item yes, exactly.

This is the same process.

If we don't if we don't if we don't agree necessarily with the administrative decision, the commission has the right to uh bring it before the commission to vote on it.

All right.

So same process.

I I like that process.

It's the option.

Yeah, I don't think I don't see where that's you know, should we cause any point?

I think I I I think we should I think that should be okay.

It's not it's not a good thing.

Yeah.

All right.

We can include that.

And then I think for number three in Raquel and Ben we talked about this, but I think the um increasing fees and so forth, that's something we want to have flexibility.

So the cities are gonna be negotiating that.

We don't want to um put too narrow uh um limitation on that, I think, Mayor.

So just because we may have to we may want to reduce it.

We may reduce it, go up, yeah, go up more, go up, yeah.

Okay.

And if this is in line with one of our strategies to generate revenue for this year.

Great.

So I'm good.

That's it that's okay.

Thanks.

All right, so is that an amendment then?

Yeah, could we could we have that amendment of the 30-day call-up with upon notice to the commission of 30 days?

I think we could make that change.

Okay.

Thank you.

But but that but the but the notice has to be given I would say 60 days before the end of that that would work.

Yeah.

Okay.

Another another unfunded mandate on the city commission's on the city mayor uh managers office.

Does that work, Sherry?

Is that are you?

Yeah, we're gonna work out the timing detail and how to put it in the ordinance between first and second week of that.

Thanks.

Okay, so um would someone like to introduce the ordinance?

Introduce the ordinance to be introduced.

Well, we think we haven't done that yet.

Yeah, we will next time.

Okay, please call the role.

And ordinance of the city of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, amending chapter 8, Article 3 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Fort Lauderdale, Florida titled public beaches by amending section 8-55.4 titled sales, service and consumption of food and alcoholic beverages to create an administrative review procedure for license renewal applications for the sales service and consumption of food and alcoholic beverages on the public beach after the first license term is approved by the city commission, provided the license was not revoked by the city during the immediate license term, providing for an increase in license application fees, providing for definitions, providing for several, providing for conflicts and repeal, providing for correction of scriveners' errors, and providing for an effective date.

Commissioner Sorensen, yes.

Vice Mayor Herbst?

Commissioner Glassman?

Yes.

Mayor John Tolls.

Yes, and OFR 1 is now approved on second reading.

Uh first reading.

OFR two, first reading ordinance amending chapter two, section two-43.

Restrictions on employment of relatives.

Okay.

Um one signed up to speak.

Anyone have any questions on this?

Being none, would someone like to introduce the ordinance?

The ordinance has been introduced.

Please call the roll.

And ordinance of the city commission of the city of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, amending chapter two, Article 3 of the Code of Ordinance of the City of Fort Lauderdale, Florida by amending section two-43 titled restrictions on employment of relatives to remove the restriction that relatives cannot work in the same department, adding a restriction on supervising relatives, providing for severality, providing for repeal of conflicting ordinance provisions, providing for correction of scriveners' errors, and providing for an effective date.

Commissioner Sorensen?

Yes.

Vice Mayor Herbst?

Yes.

Commissioner Glassman?

Yes.

Commissioner Beasley Pittman?

Yes.

Mayor Trentals.

Yes.

And uh OFR two is now approved on first reading.

OFR 3, a first reading, an ordinance amending chapter 27 of the code of ordinances to establish an administrative application process, associated fees, and define and define vehicle for higher services and operating standards.

We have three people who sign up to speak.

Are you all in favor of this?

Uh David Hadlin, Paul Minoff, and Alex uh Vil Villamiel.

You're all in favor.

I'm in favor, but have a lot of comments.

Can you squeeze your comments in two minutes?

Uh please come up.

Please come up.

David?

Good evening.

Good evening, Mr.

Mayor.

Good evening, Mr.

Mayor and Commissioners.

Good evening, Mr.

Mayor and the Commissioners.

Thank you for having me this evening and Merry Christmas to all of you.

Uh my name is David Hadlin.

A lot of people know me here as Dallas.

I'm uh the founder of Sunrise Shuttles.

I grew up here in Fort Lauderdale.

I attended Harbordale Elementary by attending Christian growing up.

And I'm here simply tonight to uh introduce myself and our uh our business here.

I also currently serve right now in the United States Air Force, which is part of why I care deeply about the uh safety and accountability and serving the community I call home.

Uh Sunride Shuttles is a locally built transportation platform designed specifically for low speed vehicles, such as golf courts focusing on short local trips in dense areas like downtown beach corridors and entertainment districts.

Uh the goal is to help reduce parking and demand unnecessary vehicle circulation.

Uh during high volume periods such as the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, spring breaks and uh other major events.

The independent golf car community already plays an important role right now in helping moving people efficiently when traditional systems are stretched.

Sun rights uh role is pro to provide structure and coordination for the existing activities so it operates more smoothly and predictably.

The city already works with strong transportation partners, including public transit, ride share services and programs like circuit uh with dedicated fleets.

Some lar Sunride complements uh those efforts by focusing on independent operators rather than adding new vehicles to the streets.

Uh through features like geofencing, pickup zones, trip coordination, and digital permit uploads.

Our platform creates a e-permit system that provides and improves accountability and makes compliance and enforcement easier for the city.

Sunride is a free uh program for cart operators to use, which helps bring participation into a regulated framework rather than creating barriers.

We're also developing discounted ride programs for residents and service industry um employees or anything like that in the area.

I'm here because I care about Fort Lauderdale, and I want to see the continue uh the city to continue to grow and is safe, organized and supportive of local businesses and residents.

We view Sunride as a program.

The city is uh can use the complement existing transportation efforts and manage congestion and more effectively.

Thank you for your time and I appreciate you uh the opportunity to speak this evening.

Great, great.

Thank you, David, and thank you for your service.

David, thanks.

Are you in the Air Force Reserve?

Yes.

Where are you stationed?

Uh I'm stationed down here in Homestead right now.

Nice.

Okay, great.

Navy reserve.

So don't hold against how many years?

Uh right now I'm going on too.

Nice.

Awesome, sir.

Thank you.

Yes, sir.

Thank you.

You need to ride in the air or on the sea.

Okay.

Uh Paul.

And is Alex here?

Okay.

You're from Tavares.

Okay.

All right.

Good evening.

Good evening.

Oh, it's on.

Okay.

Mr.

Mayor, Vice Mayor, Commissioners, thank you very much.

My name is Paul Minoff.

I'm an attorney here in Fort Lauderdale.

Excuse me, with the uh law firm of Trip Scott.

I've been down here in Fort Lauderdale for 25 years practicing law.

Uh I am here on behalf of myself as somebody who frequents the trip scotters here.

It's a great place to be.

As well as uh my colleague Monica Blankenshane who is owns cart concierge LLC.

She is one of the very few permitted carts here in Fort Lauderdale.

I read all the materials, the city report.

I think the city, what you're trying to do is a great thing.

I think that there is more that needs to be clarified in the statute or the ordinance.

Um there are a lot of definitions that aren't a lot of things that aren't defined.

There are some definitions that don't seem to fit.

And I think what the city is starting to do is a great idea, but I think there's I need I think you all need to go out and spend a day out and ride the golf carts because there's a a lot of what's the problem here in the city of Fort Lauderdale, and there are lots of problems.

We're talking about eight people on a four-person cart, people dancing on the carts.

It first of all, it's embarrassing.

Someone who lives and works here.

I I'm That's all the fun about it.

Right.

You know, until someone gets hurt and then sues the city saying you you're not enforcing your laws or there are some of these people.

I don't know if they have driver's license, they definitely don't have insurance.

There are drug dealing going on.

I've seen drinking on the carts by the drivers.

So a lot of stuff that the Fort Lauderdale police could clean up.

A lot of what you're trying to do is a great thing.

I could spend 10 minutes, which I don't have to go through some of the comments.

Is there a way that I can convey some of this?

Talk to her.

I will do that.

Okay, great.

I happen to use Paul.

You know each other.

We may have uh met once or twice.

But I will say this.

I was I was walking down A1A the other night, and um and I had to go to a destination that was just I couldn't walk anymore.

And and one of the golf cart people took pity on me and said, Do you need to ride?

And hopefully you didn't charge you 200 for the uh 40 feet you were going.

Well, part of the problem that uh that we've actually discussed that there would have been some public speaking is that there are one of the things we're trying to cure is the fact that there's no regulation of rates, which is part of the problem the way they're defined.

But there are there's a lot of um, yeah, but it he probably didn't even have a rate.

He just you know because he doesn't have a permit.

That's probably a permit either.

Yeah, but you know what?

He had four wheels, and I needed them that night.

Well, no, listen, I think it's I it is I needed to but the point your points are well taken.

We agree with you.

No, I think what I think it's great, and I think we need the golf carts.

We definitely need the golf carts because we don't want all those cars, and they can easily navigate, but it's a free-for-all out there, and there's a lot of stuff, and it's especially late at night, and not that I'm generally out of the way.

In other words, a free-for-all, I'll tell you where it's a free for all.

In real vista, in Victoria Park, at Coral Ridge, where people uh drive aimlessly and without without uh uh without really uh concern with the other drivers and other golf cart people and children on the streets.

Oh no.

That's that's the concern.

The people that ride the commercials, uh the commercial corridors, those people are far more careful than the than the dads and the moms that ride those those carts in the neighborhoods.

I don't disagree, but I disagree in the sense that the shenanigans that I see going on with the golf carts, they are cutting U-turns in the middle of traffic, they are blowing lights.

I totally it's rampant.

I know.

And and who's the driver?

That's the problem is the city doesn't know because these people don't have we can't regulate the pe the mom and dad who have a cart.

But the people who are bringing people on board for money and who are doing shuttles, we do have to make sure that those people aren't putting people in harm's way, that they do have proper insurance, that they are licensed, and that if they don't, that the city is going to get them off the streets.

So that's what this attempt is to do.

Right, and it's a good start.

And I will be happy to get with your city attorney and go over my comments.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak with the way, Merry Christmas, and also happy Hanukkah.

As uh one of the fellow Jewish m folks here.

I like to hear that once in a while.

We we we we lit the second candle today up in my office, so thank you.

Thank you all.

What the fuck?

She's the happiest lady in this whole group.

14, 15, 16.

Yeah, yeah.

Maybe it should have been uh you should have you should have lit the third.

Yeah, I shouldn't have to be able to do it.

Well, we if we if this meeting lasts long enough, we may have no.

I think it was the third candle with today, not the second.

It's okay.

Well, it's a second candle.

We had the Shamus candle, and then the second day is the second day.

Tonight's the third night.

Right.

But what the third candle.

This was the second.

That's okay, we can continue.

Well, please go ahead, Alex.

Uh good evening, Mayor, commissioners, and city staff.

My name is Alex Via Mill.

Um, I do live in Tavares, but uh I grew up in Miami.

I spent a lot of time.

We won't hold either of those against you because I operate a professional pedicab transportation business, um, similar to kind of like golf carts, um, in multiple cities all over the state.

Um, and I do special event environments.

Um, I do appreciate the city's efforts to update chapter 27 to streamline applications, uh, clarify requirements and align with Florida state statutes.

Um I would like to respectfully highlight and uh an important distinction.

Petty cabs, including modern pedal assist pedicabs, operate very differently from golf carts and other motorized vehicles for higher services.

Uh even with pedal assist petty cabs remain they remain low speed, lightweight, and pedestrian adjacent with operational characteristics sticks closer to bicycles and motor vehicles.

When petty cabs are grounded under broader vehicle for higher regulations without clear permitted caps, city is often experience oversaturation, which brings in an influx of a whole bunch of golf carts, petty cabs, and it causes a huge issue.

Um it makes it uh very difficult for enforcement to to uh you know that uh this makes enforcement difficult and allows unpermitted offer operators to enter the market, especially during peak tourism periods and special events.

The absence of a cap and clear pedicab specific enforcement also leads to inconsistent pricing and price gouging, which creates consumer complaints and damages the visitor experience.

Uh there are not failures of pedicabs as a service, but symptoms of not having pedicab specific rules.

I encourage the commission to consider a separate clear clearly defined pedicab ordinance or subsection within chapter 27 that includes reasonable permit caps, clear enforcement, authority against unpermitted operators, and transparency requiring uh requirements for pricing.

So do you so you support this ordinance then?

I do, I do support it, yeah, definitely.

Um, like like the gentleman was saying, um, just people are charging absurd amounts.

They come from all different cities from all over the country.

Um Tortuga, the boat show.

I mean, those are huge, huge events.

Um, you're talking about people doing crazy crazy things that it's dangerous.

And if and he's right, if something does happen and they're not um they're not insured with the city or the city doesn't have record of them having you know VIN numbers or whatever the case might be, they're not gonna sue the person that injured them.

They're gonna come and they're gonna sue the city the city.

It's gonna be huge liability liability, a lot of money spent out.

Um that uh can you wrap it up?

Yeah, this approach approves safety, reduces complaints, strengthens enforcement, and supports Fort Lauderdale Tourism Economy.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Okay, anyone else wish to speak on this item?

Someone please move to close public hearing.

Moved.

having you know VIN numbers or whatever the case might be they're not gonna sue the person that entered them they're gonna come they're gonna sue the sit the city it's gonna be huge liability liability a lot of money spent out um all right so that uh can you wrap can you approves safety reduces complaints strengthens enforcement and supports Fort Lauderdale tourism economy thank you for your time thank you thank you so much have a uh okay anyone else wish to speak on this item someone please move to close public hearing moved second move and seconded please call the roll commissioner sorenson yes vice mayor herbs yes commissioner glassman yes commissioner beasley putman yes mayor trentols yes the public hearing is now closed on OFR three would someone like to introduce OFR three introduced for approval it's been introduced please call the roll in ordinance of the city of Fort Lauderdale Florida amending chapter 27 of the code of ordinances of the city of Fort Lauderdale Florida titled vehicles for hire by amending article one in general repealing and replacing article two taxi cabs with article two rental cars with chauffeurs and sightseeing vehicles and article three motel or hotel courtesy cars with article three non-motorized vehicles for hire and repealing article four rental cars article five rental cars with chauffeurs and sightseeing vehicles in article six non-motorized vehicles for hire thereby removing references to certificates of public convenience and necessity and implementing an administrative review and permitting process for the operation of vehicles for hire amending certain definitions defining a low speed vehicle and revising insurance provisions and providing for severability repeal of conflicting ordinance provisions providing for a correction of scriveners errors and providing for defective commissioner sorenson yes vice mayor herbs yes commissioner glassman yesley pitman yes mayor trentals yes and OFR three has uh is is uh approved on first reading we now have a walk on the motion approving an increase in contract cost capacity for talent booking agency um is this a motion yeah this is a motion um you all had a copy of the uh walk on someone please move the item anyone interested in moving the item it's been moved do I hear second second move and seconded um okay any questions please call the roll commissioner sorenson yes mayor herbst yes commissioner glassman yes commissioner beasley pitman yes mayor trentals yes and uh that walk on motion is now approved is there any further business of the city commission evening meeting there being none this meeting is now concluded before we go into the conference meeting uh we we need to uh let's go into the CRA board meeting and um uh please call the roll vice chair meeting now commissioner glassman yes beasley Pittman yes yes here I'm here and one motion approving minutes for the December 2nd 2025 uh community redevelopment agency board meeting someone please move the item so move second the move is seconded please call the roll commissioner sorenson yes vice chair herbs yes commissioner glassman yesley pitman yes chair trentals yes and m one is now approved m two motion approving a second lease amendment with fp a two llc um to extend the uh cra's current office space someone like to move the item so move second we moved and seconded please call the role commissioner soren yes chair herbs yes commissioner glassman yes commissioner beasley pitman yes chair trentals yes uh is there any further business of the CRA no mayor just want to thank uh Clarence again for all the great work he's done uh not you Rufus uh Clarence uh and uh and appreciate all the work he's done to uh uh improve the quality of life in this in the CRA uh all these years so um all right so that meeting's now concluded what I want to echo those sentiments and the commission will be receiving a memorandum related to personnel updates for the CRA okay great thank you that meeting is now concluded let's resume to the conference meeting and I think we're back on commission reports vice mayor do you have any reports to make um commissioner beasley Pittman um yes I do um want to give thank yous to Parks and Rick um doing this season that we've been in they've been doing an amazing job with all the light ups that we have been able to enjoy thank you for light up six streets they have um six trunk um light of um cottage park the memorial um the menorah lighting at the loop I was able to attend all of these really enjoy the opportunity um also attended the groundbreaking for the YMCA along with my co-partners here on the um dais also um if I can read my own handwriting okay um the groundbreaking yes for new hope missionary baptist church the new development that's going up for with work house workforce housing um that was uh a great opportunity also um went out with Susan Leon over to help me mayor with the name of that um that was the uh yes at the airport it is it's a um opportunity for a flying classroom that's being um worked out with Barrington Irving and also the partners um I'm sorry forgive me for the name

That was a great opportunity.

Also went out with Susan Leon over.

Help me, Mayor, with the name of that.

That was the uh airport.

Yes, at the airport.

It is it's a um opportunity for a flying classroom that's being um worked out with Barrington Irving and also the partners.

Um I'm sorry, forgive me for the name of the airport company that has partnered with us in the city to make it.

No, it wasn't Shelton, it was Ember.

I'll tell you in a second.

Help me.

I'll tell you in a second.

No, I hear some voices coming.

Rufus is coming up.

Okay, thank you, Rufus.

Help help me save this for me because it's a great um program that's coming forth, and um, you know, it's it's getting late, you all forgive me.

But we were able to through Susan Leon's um collaboration and work uh with this.

We brought in Fort Lauderdale.

Aviation Day at Embraer.

Yes.

Yes.

Um it was Fort Lauderdale.

No, don't don't move.

Please.

I beat you.

So um Fort Lauderdale High School and Diller High School scholars were in the room, and great opportunity.

But please elaborate on that so we could um save uh so you can save this for us, please.

Good evening, Mayor Vice Commissioners.

Yes, uh, this is Ember Aviation, and uh they're a uh aircraft manufacturer based in Fort Lauderdale as well as in uh Melbourne.

So uh Barrington uh Irving essentially has partnered with them to entice young high schoolers, even middle schoolers to pursue a career in aviation.

And so throughout the uh day while we were at Ember Air, they had hands-on training for them to get the experience of what it's like to be a mechanic or even using virtual equipment to get accustomed to what the uh life of uh a mechanic, a pilot, or even a uh line service individual would have to do at the airport.

Uh one of the highlights of the event that day was uh Embraer donating 75,000 to the Barrington Urban Um Techno Training School.

So we're really looking forward to having the the program start up at FXE and uh hopefully to grow more programs uh through aviation and uh into the high schools here in Fort Lauderdale.

Thank you, Rufus, for saving that for me.

Well said.

You're welcome.

Um I'm really excited about that.

You all know those who know me, you know that I um love to skydive and always trying to jump out of plane and um had opportunity, had opportunity for a similated flight, um using uh the software and the computer that was there.

So that was fun for me.

So maybe now instead of jumping out, maybe I'll stay in the plane and and be a pilot instead.

Yeah, this was uh this is a great program for high school students, and there's a separate school for crazy people who want to jump out of the plane.

Listen, the mayor told me he was gonna go with my next jump.

So in January, I'll watch you.

In January, we're gonna show that footage, okay?

All right, thank you, Mayor.

That's all that I have.

Good luck.

I'll be there to catch you.

Okay, Commissioner Glass.

Yeah, don't trust the mayor, Commissioner Beaver putting it.

Uh right now.

Good luck with that.

Okay, thank you, Mayor.

Um, December 3rd, thank you to the Victoria Park Civic Association.

It was great to be with you for your meeting and also celebrate 100 years old Victoria Park.

So that's an amazing milestone.

They had 75 people show up for that meeting.

It was really a great, uh great turnout.

Uh the next night uh we had the Lakeridge Civic Association's holiday party and also the Central Beach Alliance's holiday party.

Uh, two great events.

Uh December 5th.

Uh it was wonderful.

Thank you to staff and everyone who had anything to do uh with the celebration of life for Hal Barnes at the women's club.

Um I was glad I was had a chance to get over there and uh and just spend some time and uh uh a real loss for the city.

So thank you to anyone who had anything to do with putting that together.

Uh December 8th, uh a terrific, terrific event um as we reopened the Jimmy Ebbett Tennis Center in Holiday Park.

Uh Christy Everett was there.

The the main stadium court was named after her.

Uh a really great turnout.

Also, what was really exciting was to see uh more than 600 young athletes from around the world uh participating in the Orange Bowl International Tennis Championships.

Uh Orange Bowl has relocated that event to Fort Lauderdale, which is wonderful for us.

She just said it's amazing what I see happening in Fort Lauderdale from the days when she first played as a as a young person in Holiday Park.

The next night, as Commissioner Beasley Pittman mentioned, we did have the groundbreaking for the Holiday Park YMCA in conjunction with the health facility from Broward Health.

That also is going to be a tremendous asset in the park.

Also that evening, uh the Council of Fort Lauderdale Civic Associations held its annual um holiday event.

Nicely attended.

December 10th, I want to thank the Nirmie Isles Civic Association for its police roll call lunch.

And a really nice, a nice representation from the neighborhood.

So everyone that was in attendance had a really nice box lunch to take with them, a couple of different shifts uh came in and out.

Um and it's really very heartwarming to see the relationship that the police have uh with these neighborhood associations, and I always enjoy uh those roll call events.

So again, thank you to everyone involved uh with that.

December 11th, um at the Galleria Mall, we had the uh Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce, Holiday Social, uh again very well attended.

Also that night we had the Fort Lauderdale uh FOP holiday party at TAP 42.

Both events were terrific, um a lot of laughs, a lot of good time.

Uh again, a great spirit um in our city throughout all of these uh all of these events.

Um thank you to staff, thank you to Parks and Iraq.

Thank you to everyone from Winterfest uh for the Winterfest Boat Parade, December 13th.

Um as Commissioner Beasley Pittman mentioned on the 14th, we had the first night of Hanukkah celebration um at Las Solas Oceanside Park.

Very well attended.

Um so thank you to all again, Parks and Erect for helping put all of that together.

Um it was really a nice event.

Uh December 17th, uh that's tomorrow, I guess.

We have the topping off ceremony uh at the International Swimming Hall of Fame for the Ocean Rescue Building.

So I'm looking forward to being there uh tomorrow and then tomorrow evening.

I believe it's going to be the last holiday party in District 2.

I'm not sure for the whole city.

Um, but the Flagler Village Civic Association will be celebrating uh tomorrow evening.

Uh always another greatly attended event, a lot of fun.

Uh just a couple of comments, Mayor.

I was just wondering, um, City Manager, are we getting going on our talks uh with the team that we selected for City Hall?

I'm hoping that that will move quickly and um get that back to us in terms of a comprehensive agreement.

Is that all scheduled and happening?

We have scheduled a kickoff meeting for January 8th.

So we will keep the commission apprised of our progress.

And before we have that kickoff meeting with the developer, we'll have some internal staff meetings uh and bring on our outside council to discuss you know some of the strategy so that once we do have that kickoff meeting that we're off to a great start.

So thankful to the city attorney for being engaged on this, and we look forward to coming back with something hopefully soon.

Excellent.

Love to see that move as quickly as possible.

Um I will tell you that last week I also spoke to a lot of folks that had mentioned to me how they were very impressed with how Fort Lauderdale is becoming uh a sports town.

Uh I mean, I will tell you that in the last week, week and a half, two weeks maybe out the most, uh, we had at Lockhart, we had the MLS Cup with Into Miami winning the championship.

We had, as I mentioned earlier, the Orange Bowl International Tennis Championships here at the same time.

We had the APP, uh, that's the association for professional pickleball folks over at uh at the fort.

We had that tournament.

Uh and then we also had the World Sevens.

Uh that is a women's soccer uh organization that had their U.S.

debut uh for their tournament um right here uh in Fort Lauderdale.

All of that within a week and a half, two weeks span.

So uh again, I I just think it's really great all of these events that are happening, uh gaining a lot of international attention uh for Fort Lauderdale.

So congratulations to everyone involved with that.

Um Chief Golan, I wanted to say congratulations to you uh for being selected, the fire chief of the year, and uh I think that's an amazing accomplishment.

Congratulations to you for that.

I think we already said that.

Did we already bring that up because also I'm sorry, the mayor was telling me that we already brought that up.

He's such a party pooper.

Did we bring that up at the last meeting?

Last meeting.

We did.

I'm so sorry if I'm repeating it, but again, it's worth repeating.

Uh again, that's from the Fire Chiefs Association of Broward.

I'm not gonna call it up.

Um but I will just say congratulations.

That's that's a great accomplishment.

Um so thank you for that and for representing our city so well.

Um and lastly, I would just say to everyone have uh a very happy and a safe Hanukkah, uh a very Merry Christmas and a happy Kwanzaa.

Uh and here's to a very happy and healthy uh and safe new year for all of us.

Um and I guess that's it.

It's amazing that our next meeting is in 2026.

Thank you, Mayor.

You're welcome.

Commissioner Sorensen.

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh great couple weeks.

We many of us served as waiters at the Breakfast of Championship.

Yes, that was great.

Right?

That was awesome.

Um we should thank uh Katarina and my friend uh Trevor who decorated the table and we won the prize.

So that was awesome.

That was awesome, great fundraising event for uh those experiencing homelessness.

So that was just awesome.

Um really grateful for the dedication of Abiaka Park in Riverside Park, which was fantastic.

We had the chairman of the Mikasuke tribe there.

Um and and that was really special, so great uh more green space in the city.

Uh again, Hal um just left such an indelible mark on so many of us, so so grateful for Hal and his legacy.

Um also uh got thankful to Fire Rescue.

I got to hang out with Shift B at Fire Station 2 uh for the day riding along, which was just great.

Um also uh Commissioner Bees and Pitman, thanks for having us at New Hope's uh affordable housing groundbreaking.

That was great.

Winterfest boat parade.

Thank you, uh especially PD, Chief Schultz, um another safe positive event and and fire rescue and raquel, thanks for the whole team for making that all work.

Um let's see, uh Mayor wanted to just get a gauge.

Uh I think it would be we've talked a little bit about this, but e-bikes.

Um there's more we can do in terms of better regulation.

Um there's greater kind of limitations we can have on you know uh city property, sidewalks.

There's there's a lot we can kind of do there that I'd like to explore.

Um I've been talking with the city attorney's office about that.

There's um some uh uh there's uh uh ways to identify kind of the um age requirements and a whole host of things.

So could we kind of have the city attorney look at some options for us on that mayor for uh better ordinance we've got it's a major problem in in our parks in my neighborhoods in District 4?

Yes, I agree with you.

Uh good you do that, Commissioner.

Sure.

Is that okay?

Is that enough feedback?

Okay, great.

Thank you, Sherry.

Thank you, Mayor.

I appreciate that.

Um let's see.

Next up.

Um single use plastics.

This is something we've you know, I think done a good job of in the city.

I think we can go further.

So we could um like many cities, Mayor Broward County, for example, they ban single-use plastics at county events um and on county property.

So I'd love to explore that possibility of didn't the state co-opt our right to do that.

On that, I believe that so I'll follow up and find out.

But I think that might actually be true, Mayor.

Yeah.

Okay.

If you can follow up, I don't think that's what I've heard, but okay.

Commissioner, I'll look at it right away.

Thanks.

That sounds great.

Thank you, thank you.

Um let's see.

Um Mayor, we've also talked about drones versus fireworks, and uh if I remember right, I think we had good um sense of of exploring using drones instead of fireworks for the Fourth of July.

Yeah, so for Fourth of July, and then for New Year's, so I just wanted to get a gauge of kind of what we're doing.

New Year's is kind of a lame fireworks display.

I mean, we don't it's not like a big spectacular thing.

What's what did you what what did you find out?

We we do have a four-minute fireworks show planned for New Year's.

Oh, you do, okay.

Uh to the tune of about six thousand dollars.

Yeah, it's pretty lame.

Um but we also have a we also have a drone show.

Right.

We we also have a drone show planned for New Year's.

So the intent was to do both, but we could amend the plan, should the I'd love to just do uh drones and see how it goes.

I don't know if we have time to engage a drone.

We have a drone operation.

We do.

Okay.

We've already planned for a drone show.

For New Year's for New Year's.

It would be earlier in the evening, but maybe we could have a discussion about the the best timeline if we are not going to have fireworks.

As long as we don't defer that till January.

Always a comedian.

Okay, great.

So we'll just explore just drones for if that's the consensus, we're happy to do that.

We can try it out, see what it sounds like.

Usually drone shows come with music though.

They don't just like you don't just see them floating in the air.

There's usually a musical accompaniment.

So are we prepared to do that?

Uh Carl looks like he wants to share something.

Tell us how you're gonna entertain us.

Entertain you, we will.

Uh just real quick, just if there is a desire to only do drone shows, I believe there is a penalty that we will have to pay for the fireworks that we currently have.

Oh ready.

So I want to say five thousand or six thousand dollars or so.

Well, let's do fireworks for New Year's.

Can we do both?

Absolutely.

Our intention was to do both.

Okay.

I'd like to see what quality of drones we do, because if it's lame also, then I hate to I'd hate to know have Fort Lauderdale be known for having such you know weak entertainment for these events.

We're the we're the we're the happening place, okay?

Okay.

Yes, and and you know, in in fairness, you know, the the lameness of it is of course you don't have the extravagant Fourth of July kind of setup, but this is like hey, new year.

Here we go.

Yeah, I've seen what they've done in China, and it's amazing what drone uh capabilities they have.

And there's no reason why we can't do it here in America.

I agree with you.

We open up that pocketbook, we'll make it happen.

Talk to that lady.

Well, we will have live entertainment as well.

So it promises to be a very magical night.

Okay, so what you're saying is the anchor drop, December 31st is what we're announcing also.

Make sure everybody knows about that.

That is correct.

And we have um a special uh entertainment that we typically don't have in uh Phillip Phillips that we have an executed agreement with.

So that'll also be a part.

Wow.

What's good?

Repeat the name?

Philip Phillips.

Okay.

Of American Idol of Fame.

Yes.

Wow.

When does he come?

What is he coming on?

Is that in the eighties?

All right, just ignore him.

Ignore him.

Did he come in second to Kelly Clarkson?

Oh that was just in the case.

Please continue.

Thank you, man.

Thank you.

One last thing, one last thing.

And Raquel, I don't know the right way to kind of um share this information with the commission, so I just figured um, so um growing up I I was lucky enough to have different internships that help me think about jobs and professions and careers, and so um I've been talking with the boys and girls club of Broward County about having a I call it a one-day internship program, which is going to um working with kids who might not normally have access to opportunities like that, and basically saying, Hey, um what if you could pick one job, Mr.

and Mrs.

High School student, what's one job you'd be interested in doing and whatever that job is?

And then we would match them with that profession for a day so they can kind of live, feel it, experience it, ask questions, and kind of see what their what a future could be if they're interested in, or even figure out they don't want to do that, and then you know, great, cross it off the list, and next time um so with it it's with Boys and Girls Club, and so it'll involve you know some students from I think maybe my district and maybe Commissioner Beasley Pymmy yours, so I just want to um kind of share that and then I'd love to um just as we're doing that make sure that lines of communication are open and anyone that wants to participate from a commission could help or be part or not.

So is this like a um real-time junior cheeber type opportunity?

Exactly.

Yeah, just like a one-day you know, um start in the morning, you know, thank them all for being there, and then they would go with the boys and girls club transportation to these job sites, do it for the day, and then come back for a debrief and celebration.

So the open throughout anywhere in the city.

We'd have to get sponsors we'd want to invite uh kids to come to their places of work.

That's a big that's a chore.

Exactly.

Yeah, no, and I'd I'd do that.

I mean, you know, I'd be one of them, and again, anyone that so in other words, if someone says, hey, I want to be a lawyer, great.

We're I'll or others can reach out to the lawyer and match that person with a lawyer through the boys and girls club, or I hey, I want to be uh you know, a chef or whatever the case may be.

I I I like the idea.

Yeah, but could I suggest that maybe we do it within the city and maybe we can begin to plan a seat for those individuals to consider um career opportunities with us?

Yeah, absolutely.

Like love to do it.

And I I want to so yeah, so uh I I've done that before, and we did like so.

Some people want to be firefighters or police, so they did, yeah.

So that would be a big component of it.

Absolutely.

Okay.

Yes, we we could work on that, Commissioner, uh, in conjunction with uh Susan Leone, our chief education officer.

And I I agree that you know our primary or initial focus could be on the city and our various departments.

Uh maybe we can create a recruitment pipeline.

I don't know.

Exactly.

So it sounds good.

Okay, cool.

Thank you.

That's it, Mayor.

Thanks.

Okay, I I need uh a motion to extend the meeting 15 minutes.

We still have business to do move to extend to 10 30.

No, just 15 minutes.

10 15.

10 15.

Well, if you people will suck all the oxygen out of the how much business do we have left?

Well, we got my report, we got city manager's report.

Oh okay.

Can you hurry up?

Yeah.

Uh has there been a second?

No.

No.

Hurry up.

A second.

I'll defer to the city manager.

Do you have any you have a city manager's report?

You you all announced everything that I wanted to announce just about, but the only thing that was missing is that uh driver engineer Alexander Pritchard was awarded the firefighter of the year from the Fire Chiefs Association of Broad County.

So it's the same association that awarded Chief Golan the Chief of the Year Awards.

I just want to highlight him as well.

Okay, so I'm gonna I'm gonna talk right now.

So um uh there were a number of events that we that took place, and I just want to recognize again uh uh Lisa Scott Founds for an amazing year of winterfest events, uh the black tie ball, the uh the grand marshal event, uh uh everything that she did this month just brought the holiday season to a to a uh peak that everyone really loved the idea of what goes on in our city.

So my hat out to my hats off to her, her committee, uh the people that worked on the event, everybody did an amazing job to make that make the whole year and the whole the whole program such a success.

Um I also want to uh uh announce that uh on Thursday there's the grand opening of the Omni Hotel at the port.