To the city of Jacksonville's city council meeting.

It's Tuesday, May 12th, 2026.

Time is 5 p.m.

And I call this meeting to order.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

First order of business is the invocation and pledge of allegiance.

Please recognize our council chaplain, Councilmember Kennemar.

Mr.

Chaplin, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Mr.

President, Mr.

Floor Leader.

Tonight, our invocation is being delivered by Pastor Waitsea Mask Senior.

He is the senior past of Wayside Assembly of God in Dinsmore.

He is ordained in the assemblies of God.

He has been in ministry at Wayside since 1986.

He's married with three children and has lived in Jacksonville for more than 55 years.

Please receive pass the way for tonight's invocation.

The stirres gives all the information.

And she says, when the oxygen mass drops because of Cavas loss pressure, first put the oxygen mask on yourself.

And so I want to encourage y'all because if you're flopping in the floor like a fish, you're no good to anybody.

But if you'll put that spiritual oxygen mask on first, every day, keep it on continually when you're serving the citizens of Jacksonville and serving your own family.

If you'll put your spiritual thing as the priority, and then help you be in line so you can hear from God and make the decisions that need to be made for the citizens here.

So always put yours on first.

Let's pray.

Father, we thank you for these folks that spend day after day caring about others.

Dear Lord, we thank you for this city.

We thank you for the certainly this state and this country.

We we thank you, dear Lord, for the freedoms that we have and the freedom to assemble.

Outside right now, there's someone talking about something there is every meeting.

But we have that freedom, and we have the freedom to pray like we are now.

Dear God, let us never take that for granted.

But God, I ask you to bless these folks that are entrusted with making decisions for the people of this city.

God, I ask you to bless their homes and their families and their marriages, dear God.

God, touch their bodies, dear Lord.

And God, we ask you once again that you would help them to hear from you that they wouldn't hear from other sources, dear God, but what you put on their hearts, what you speak, and especially through your word, that that would be the decision maker.

And we'll always give you the glory and you the praise that no flesh would ever glory in your presence in that sweet name of Jesus.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

I pledge allegiance.

Roll call, Mr.

President.

All right, roll call.

18 present.

All right, and I'm gonna turn it over to the vice president for a quick announcement.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

I do have an announcement.

Thanks for recognizing me.

Um, I want to thank you for discharging Bill 20260326 from Finance Committee.

That's the Win Dixie bill.

Uh, and I wanted to let everybody know that in discharging that bill, it's moving forward in the agenda tonight.

So it will be just before public comment.

But there is public participation on that bill.

So if you go into the atrium to the table and fill out a public participation card, you can still speak on that bill, and it will be coming up quickly tonight.

Keep in mind, uh, people have also had a uh opportunity to speak on this before.

There was a public hearing on it last week during finance committee, and again during uh councilwoman Pittman's special committee on Friday.

Believe me when I say this, the voice of the community was heard loud and clear from last week.

Those concerns from the community are reflected tonight in the floor amendment that you will see later when we discuss the bill from Councilwoman Pittman.

Simply put, this community's involvement has made this bill stronger.

And by voting on it tonight, we'll also eliminate the uncertainty that Wind Dixie employees have had to endure during this whole ordeal.

So I think all parties will be pleased with this bill as amended and as voted on tonight, and I'll reserve my specific comments for the bill during the discussion later in the agenda.

Thank you.

All right, thank you, Mr.

Vice President.

Mr.

President, next up is the approval of the minutes from the regular council meeting of April 28th.

I move the approval.

Got a motion and second on the approval of the minutes.

All in favor of approving the minutes.

Signify by saying aye.

Aye.

And you both say nay.

Minutes have been approved.

Mr.

President, we have seven communications from the mayor's office and others.

Would you like them read or filed with legislative services?

We're going to go ahead and get those filed with legislative services.

Very well.

We have one presentation tonight, honoring and congratulating the Providence School Stallions varsity boys basketball team on winning the 2026 class 2A boys basketball state championship.

Mr.

Teal, please read the resolution.

Resolution 2026-234.

The Providence School Stallions varsity boys basketball team finished its 2025-2026 season with a record of 29-3.

17 consecutive victories in a district three state championship.

The Stallions, led by Coach Jim Martin, dominated the regional playoffs with 33, 55, and 27 point victories over Bishop Snyder, Rocky Bayou Christian, and the first Academy before defeating Northside Christian 59-43 in the state semifinals to reach the class 2A state championship game.

Junior forward Nolan Nelson led the Stallions with a dominant double-double performance of 18 points and 13 rebounds.

Junior guard Ryan Gornto added 14 points, including two critical three-pointers in the fourth quarter.

And senior guard Marvin Christie made an inspirational return from injury to contribute to the championship run.

The Stallions overcame a hard-fought defensive battle to defeat Miami Country Day, 51-43 and claimed the 2026 FHSAA Class 2A state championship in front of a hometown crowd at the University of North Florida, becoming the first Jacksonville team to win a boys' basketball state title in its own city.

The victory ended a decade-long championship drought for Northeast Florida's boys' basketball, as no team from Duval, Nassau, or St.

John's counties had won a boys' basketball state title since Bowls in 2016.

The championship marks another chapter in the remarkable legacy of longtime head coach Jim Martin, whose fourth state title, more than 25 years of coaching, and more than 600 career victories have established him as one of the most accomplished high school basketball coaches in Florida history.

Now, therefore, be it resolved by the council of the city of Jacksonville.

The Jacksonville City Council hereby honors and commends the Providence School Stallions varsity boys basketball team on winning the 2026 FA FHSSA class 2A Boys Basketball State Championship and extends to the players, coaches, family, friends, and boosters of the Providence School, the city's best wishes for future academic and athletic success in the years to come.

Thank you, colleagues, for supporting this resolution.

Congratulations to the Providence Stallions.

Uh, the resolution speaks for itself.

Coach Martin, congrats on your fourth state championship to go along with your over 600 career uh victories.

That's amazing.

And uh gentlemen, a 29-3 record with 17 straight wins.

That is awesome.

Uh, so just congratulations on a great season.

And uh, they had to travel a long ways to get there.

Everyone knows Providence is off of Hodges.

They had to load onto the bus, take a ride on beach, go all the way down to Kernan to play for the state championship.

So it has to be one of the shortest drives to a state championship.

And I'll also point out all accomplished within my council district.

So again, congratulations, great job, and uh hopefully a repeat next year.

So congrats, gentlemen.

Thank you very much and coach, if you want to say a few words.

Uh thank you so much.

Um, Providence thanks you.

This basketball team thanks you.

Uh, and we also thank you for all your great work and being great leaders in the city as as a coach, um, and having relationships with these young men.

I hope someday that these guys can follow in your footsteps and be leaders in their communities as well.

Uh, this is the fourth fourth time I've been here.

It never gets old.

And I'm hoping I'm back here again next year for my fifth time.

But thank you guys so much for all the stuff you do.

It's a great honor.

Thank you.

And I know some of my colleagues have Providence connections.

Feel free to come down if you'd like for the pictures.

I think we're going to get a picture.

All right.

Well said, Coach, and congratulations to all your success.

While we pose for the picture.

We're going to take the time to recognize Dr.

Johnson.

Fill some space.

Right.

I was just going to say, Mr.

President, through the chair.

We'll look so tiny down there.

All right.

So while we are taking the photo, allow me to take a quick moment to recognize our page for tonight, also from the Providence School in Jacksonville.

So thank you to Riley Rogers for coming out and volunteering tonight.

We want to recognize you.

If we could give Riley a round of applause.

All right.

As our floor leader makes his way back to the podium, we will ask Dr.

Johnson for a poem.

Nope.

Words of inspiration from Mr.

Omaro, the chaplain.

No.

Recipe for barbecue ribs from Chief White.

No.

Or we can proceed.

I'm back.

All right, floor leaders back.

Thank you, sir.

All right.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

The mic.

Testing.

It is on.

All right.

So thank you for your support again, colleagues.

And with that, we're gonna go on to page five now and take up quasi judicial items.

These items were now taking up do not include public hearings as they were thoroughly reviewed at the committee level where public hearings were part of the decision making process.

Council members are reminded to declare any ex parte communications.

Item number one, 2026 208.

I move the amendment.

We've got a motion second on the amendment.

There's no one in the queue.

All in favor of the amendment.

All right.

Councilwoman Clark Murray is in the queue and she's recognized.

And she was kicked out again.

Thank you.

I rise to declare exbarte.

On the 8th of April, I spoke with Mr.

Herzberg regarding this particular bill and talked about what the applicant or why the applicant wants to rezone the property.

And the appropriate paperwork has been filed with legislative services.

Alright.

Thank you very much.

No one else is in the queue.

All in favor of the amendment, signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Any opposed saying nay?

The amendment carries.

Move the bill as amended.

Got a motion second on the bill as amended.

There's no one.

There's no one in the queue.

We are going to pause for some updates on the software.

All right.

So we didn't get a song.

We didn't get words of inspiration.

We didn't get a recipe.

Colonel Miller, maybe a story from service overseas.

No.

Let me know when you're ready.

And open the ballot and record your vote.

18 yes, zero nays.

By your action, you've approved 2026-0208.

Item two, 2026-209, move the bill.

Got a motion and second on the bill.

I have no one in the queue.

Please open the ballot and record your vote.

18 years, zero nays.

By your action, you've approved 2026-0209.

Item 3, 2026 210, move the amendment.

Got a motion second on the amendment.

There's no one in the queue.

All in favor of the amendment signify by saying aye.

Aye.

Any opposed say nay?

The amendment carries.

Move the bill as amended.

Got a motion second on the bill as amended.

No one's in the queue.

Please open the ballot and record your vote.

Eighteen yes, zero nays.

By your action, you've approved 2026 0210.

Mr.

President, we're now on to page seven to take up the consent agenda.

Colleagues, if you want to be out as a co-sponsor on any item, please reach out to legislative services as council rules prohibit items from being pulled for this reason.

Mr.

Teal, would you please read the bills?

2026-241, 244, 259, 277, 286, 287, 349, and 361.

Mr.

President, I have a pool on item 2026 277.

So with that, I move the consent agenda with the exception of item 2026 277.

We've got a motion and second on the consent agenda minus the item mentioned by the floor leader.

I see people in the queue.

You're not on the consent agenda vote on you.

All right.

Open the ballot and record your vote.

18 yes, zero and nays.

By your action, you've approved the consent agenda minus the item mentioned by the floor leader.

Item seven, a little lukewarm.

I guess I'll move this one 2026 277.

We've got a motion and second on that item.

The queue got cleared out, but I saw council member Diamond was in there, and I'm not gonna spoil his joke because it's a good one.

Uh it's I promise I wouldn't do it publicly.

Can I do it publicly?

All right, I won't uh move a council amendment.

Second.

At a motion and second on the council amendment.

We'll do the joke in private.

All in favor of the council amendment signified by saying aye.

Aye.

You're supposed to say nay.

The council amendment is passed.

Move the bill as amended.

Got a motion second on the bill as amended.

Miss Clark Murray was in the queue too.

There's everyone's just popping in and out of here.

Okay, for the exact same reason.

Councilmember Amara.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

I just wanted to congratulate Philip.

I uh I think our decision tonight is right choice.

I think he's gonna bring the kind of leadership to uh this position that's gonna steer the ship into the future and and he's worthy of this uh promotion.

So all right, past President Carlucci recognized.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Uh this is a um somewhat of a uh I'm not sure how to describe it except to say this.

Philip is the first council auditor uh that we've had that was not hired by Bob Johnson.

Uh the Bob Johnson brainstem has gone down all the way to Kim Taylor.

So uh and then I'm I'm getting to uh your next door neighbor who I'm sure will be um perhaps council auditor one day too.

Um but but Philip did not get hired.

But uh but what I want to say though is that the the culture um and I almost hate to use that word because it gets thrown around now in ways that uh are not always so good, but but indeed the the culture of Bob Johnson and the expectations of what the council auditor is expected uh to bring to the table in integrity and uh and just bringing the facts and providing us the material and and the information that we need to know in order to make good decisions, um, has been second to none.

I think they are the finest office in city government, and I've always felt that way, and uh Philip is gonna fill that role so well, and I'm so proud of him.

But I just thought uh that's just a little um trivia that maybe some of us didn't know.

Uh and I've counted the council auditors that have come down from Bob Johnson uh all the way down to Kim, and now it's Philip, and he just fits that mold so well.

I talked to Bob Johnson about Philip the other day when we went to lunch.

He just thinks the world of you, Philip, and he's uh got high expectations for you.

And so uh with that, that's uh just want to give him a big congratulations as well.

And I think my name did get put on this if it didn't, I sure want it to be.

So oh, we did the council member, that's right.

Thank you, Ken.

So um that's all I have to say.

Thank you very much.

All right, councilwoman Pittman, you're recognized.

The chair, it is indeed my honor for you to get this promotion.

Um, ever since I've been here, almost eight years.

You've always took time.

You always dig deep to find out whatever we want to do, and especially in my district, which has been a distress district for a while, and you have been able to find resources that I need.

And so I just want to say thank you.

I'm proud of you.

Um you always have an even spirit.

I don't care.

You you nobody can't shake you.

You just manage to run this council and give us what we need.

And I just want to say Kim, thank you as well, because he is as good as his leader, and I just want to say we're gonna miss you as well, but he's walking in big big shoes, but I know he will be just fine.

But just thank you so much for what you've done.

Now I got a few more months, so I I still look forward to you taking care of district 10.

All right, thank you.

All right, Mr.

Floor Leader.

Yes, sir.

Uh, so I've worked with a lot of finance people in the city, and uh Philip uh and Kim are both among the best.

Uh Philip, I just hope Kim let you know how many times I text and call her on nights and weekends, and uh hope you uh are happy with what you got here.

So congratulations again.

All right.

Did we already vote?

No, sir.

Let's open the ballot and record the vote.

18 years, 0 nays.

I actually have approved 2026-027.

He's not in the queue, so no speech.

Colleagues, with that, we're gonna jump all the way towards the end of the agenda.

Item 55 under unfinished business, item 155, 2025-872.

And I believe council president, you're going to recognize the bill sponsor.

Yes, past president Salem, you're unrecognized.

On item one fifty-five.

No, I was standing up on uh 2025 872.

That's item 155, yes, sir.

Okay, I'm sorry if I confused it.

Um thank you, Mr.

President.

Uh on 2025 872, Mr.

Facler has indicated a verbal approval of of the uh opinion, but uh I would he's indicated to me that in two weeks he will have a written opinion, which I think most of us would like to see and be able to read and digest before voting on this bill.

So I'm asking for a two-week postponement on 2025-872.

I wanted to do it early in the meeting so those that were here for that could go home.

Second, all right.

Motion and second on the postponement, Sir President.

So the motion is to May 26, 2026.

It needs to contain the date, so just want to clarify that.

Alright, Ms.

Florida, you want to put that on the record.

I move to postpone to May 26.

And a motion and second on the postponement to May 26.

We have Councilmember Peluso.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

I stand to ask why would we not just re-refer this back to committees?

And that way we can kind of digest this in the committee process rather than have this back in city council night, and this could go long, and this can go.

I would just assume that we'd want to re-refer this back to committee, and I want to see if that might be of an appetite to you, Mr.

President, and to the body.

Rhetorical question are you asking me directly?

I'm asking you directly.

Yeah, it already went through committee, so I'm happy with the uh postpone.

All right, no one else is in the queue, so we'll do that on the ballot.

Is that right?

All right, for the postponement, open up the ballot.

Record your vote.

18 years, zero and nays.

By your action, you've approved the postponement on 2025 0872.

Colleagues, we're now going back to page 31, item 62, 2026 0326.

As mentioned at the beginning of the meeting, the council president has discharged this from the finance committee.

The first part of this we'll take up is public participation.

I do have five public participation cards.

If you want to speak on this bill, go ahead and come on down while I call the names.

Wells Todd, Katrina Spencer, Lydia Bell, Amina Sharif, and Denise Scott.

I also now have Trey Ford, Kelly Frazier.

Okay, Mr.

Todd, you're closest, so you can go first.

And it is three minutes per person on this item.

My name is uh Wells Todd, and I'm a member of Take Em Down Jacks.

Um, address please.

So file.

Thank you.

I was at the uh financial meeting regarding uh this situation with Win Dixie, and uh Win Dixie demanding X millions of dollars to stay in Jacksonville when it's been here forever and has made, I'm sure, millions and millions and millions of dollars off the community.

It's very interesting that this committee spoke mostly in terms of the money issue.

I remember especially um the uh representative at the beaches Diamond.

The crucial issue here is whether or not this city is going to allow another food desert to exist with the departure of Win Dixie.

Now I've heard that Win Dixie has uh decided to stay.

I could care less one way or the other, but this city council cannot allow a food desert to spring up.

These corporations have done this not only in Jacksonville but across the country, where they blackmail and threaten a community or a city that they will leave unless they get X amount of millions of dollars to stay when their pockets are already full.

I think it's important that we understand, and I'll say this more than once tonight, the needs of the community, people need to be put before profits.

I don't know if you really understand what that means, but what it means is people need food, they need shelter, they need health care.

That's just the basics, and the way this country is going today, more and more people are finding themselves in a position where they cannot do any of those things.

So I believe that if Win Dixie's gonna stay here and they keep the store in the black community, that that needs to be written in ink and signed by their owners.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next up is Katrina Spencer, and just as a reminder, please speak to this bill, which is the economic development agreement.

I'm Katrina Spencer.

My address is on foul, and I live in the community where you wanted to take the Win Dixie is away.

The hybrid is empty.

We need food in that store, ASAP, the community.

There's no other store in that area, and we really need that grocery store.

And we need to have a pharmacy.

And at the meeting, they were saying they wasn't gonna have a pharmacist in there.

We really need a pharmacy in that store.

Even if they have to bring somebody else in to take over that pharmacy.

But we really need that store there because you're building the two new senior buildings.

Where are they going to go to the grocery store?

They roll their wagons and they look carts.

And the cars not stopping for them.

You don't have a walkway where they can walk through.

So they dodge in cars.

So we really need that store right there in the community, and we do not need to be paying Win Dixie incentive to stay here.

Miss Lydia Bell.

Good evening, Lydia Bell addresses on file.

I've been going to that store since the 70s.

I have a great niece and a great-great niece that works at that store.

So that lets you know how entrenched that store is in the community.

I find it very troubling that you have this two humongous senior citizen buildings being built right in front of the store.

So to move that store from that area is a travesty.

People need to be able to get fresh food, fresh vegetables, anything that's gonna uplift our community.

In Brentwood, as you all know, we've been coming down here fighting since 2023.

But I appreciate Councilman Pittman who has stepped in and tried to talk to the Win Dixie officials to the negotiate to find a way to keep that food store there.

My interest is any store could be there, long as it's not a full desert.

It is much needed in the community, and it's something that we want.

Well, you all have listened to the community one time, but we'd like for you to listen to the community again, and we need that store.

And let's look out.

And as you know, Brentwood is where the first shopping center was ever built.

It's a old neighborhood, and more seniors live out there, so we need that store to remain in the community, and we hope the people in um Win Dixie officials know that that store is needed.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next up, Miss Amina Sheriff.

It'll be Denise Scott, Trey Ford, and Kelly Fraser.

Hello, Amina Sharif address on file.

My concern is that it was just last week that the community uh that a meeting was held regarding the Win Dixie situation.

Last week, we uh the fact that it was the first discussed with the community last week, and here it is, a vote supposed to be done today on whether uh you would approve giving them 12 million dollars uh to stay.

Something's wrong with that process.

It should be more time spent on making a decision like that.

Something is wrong with the process.

We we need to you need to really consider more time spent on making such uh strong decisions.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Ms.

Denise Scott is next.

And Trey Ford, Kelly Frazier.

Good evening.

My name is Denise Scott, my address is on file.

Um, I'm just here to say, please don't rush um to vote on this amendment.

Since Friday.

Were you all able to just make all the necessary changes that were discussed?

I personally believe that Win Dixie is distorting this city, saying that if you don't, if we don't give them $12 million, then they'll move their headquarters out of the city.

Win Dixie is a for-profit company.

They don't seem to have problems keeping their stores open in other areas of the city.

We're told that the stores, the store on Maine 48th in Maine, is a profitable store.

Are you willing to let another grocery store close in 3209?

The committee meeting that was held on Friday seemed to be very productive.

There was a lot of conversation, good conversation too.

There was a lot of questions asked.

So since Friday, I'm sure you all haven't answered all those questions.

As I said in that meeting before, I don't agree with too much of nothing.

How grand wizard over there says, but he said if they want to go, let them go.

I agree with them on that issue only.

Thank you.

Next up, Trey Ford.

And then our last speaker is Kelly Fraser.

Trey for my address is on file, but I do live in the Grand Park Agricultural District.

Um I was at the meeting on Friday, and as it relates to economic development, I do feel uh perturbed that Wendixie is able to play chicken uh with our city council budget as far as you know, if if you do this, then we'll do this.

Uh I think that that money would be better spent or something that should be put into the bill.

Uh is uh money for things like dev store to be created uh throughout town and opening up the free market because uh it really does feel like a monopoly that Win Dixie does have over Jacksonville and their ability to kind of force our hand in this way.

Uh so with that being said, I also want to push the start farming mentorship, which is through Duvalsa on the water, as well as the Free to Garden Act, which will allow us to uh take matters into our own hands and be collectively sustainable uh sans big corporations.

Thank you.

Thank you, sir.

Kelly Frazier is Kelly Frazier here.

Oh, and I apologize.

Kelly Frazier put I do not wish to speak but supports 2026 326.

Mr.

President, we do not have any more public participation cards, so I move the finance amendment.

We've got a motion and second on the finance amendments.

I know we have a floor amendment that is marked, but I have some people in the queue on this amendment.

Ms.

Pittman, you're recognized.

On the finance amendment, or you want to wait until after that?

All right, Councilman Lane is on the finance amendment.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

I just want to speak on the finance amendment and finance.

There are actually three separate amendments.

There's a technical amendment, there's an auditor recommended amendment, and then there's the Lennon amendment.

And mine, uh, when I reviewed the economic development agreement, there were some things that I wanted changed.

And so what my amendment did is section 3.1, it creates a more aggressive job creation schedule and also establishes annual goals they have to meet in order to get the next retention grant, which is really a job creation grant.

Again, these are 200 additional average of a hundred thousand dollar jobs so 20 million annualized payroll coming into our city, that they have to meet these uh hiring goals in order to get the first tranche of money.

Secondly, it gives us more protection once these payments are made.

Originally there was no real protection on if they did not keep all the jobs they created.

Uh, there's now a better callback clause that if they do not keep those 200 new jobs that were paying out the grants for 1.3 million over five years, we get it back.

That was not in the original economic development agreement.

Uh, every up everyone up here knows my view on cash grants.

I wish this would have been talked more about a job creation grant, because really the business case here was the 200 new jobs, not just retaining the 500 existing, but I appreciate the fact that they were uh they accepted my changes.

We now have a more aggressive job creation schedule, uh essentially the job creation schedule.

Uh they have to prove to us that they've added at least a million uh 1.5 million in new payroll in our city before they would get that first 1.3 million, and then they have to keep on stepping up each year.

And if they don't keep those jobs over the course of the entire Rev grant, uh we start getting our money back if they don't keep that commitment.

So because of those changes, uh I am supporting this uh the bill as is, and I'm sure I'll support the uh Miss Pittman floor amendment as well.

All right, all in favor of the question for the finance amendment.

Councilmember Aries.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Uh to Mr.

Lenin.

So how are we gonna be able to track that?

Um I'm assuming the auditors will get that information and it'll come to finance committee every year.

If so, when will be will should we expect that?

Yes, so through the president to uh council member Aries.

I know Mr.

Randolph uh Mr.

Randolph is out there and he probably nod or thumbs up, but I believe that within the EDA the reporting from Win Dixie has to go to OED, be vetted, and then working with the combination of the CFO's office and our auditors, no cash will leave the door until we have verified that just like any other element.

My question, I guess, is when should the body, the finance committee, expect to receive those every year?

Because it should be right before the budget, right?

Yeah.

Well, the equity gentleman could uh speak through the chair.

I know you're right next to each other.

Through the president to Councilmember Arias.

Uh, the economic development agreement, we're probably gonna uh need to get Mr.

Randolph up here.

Uh, but the way it's written is it's every October if they meet that.

They have to create the jobs by December 31st of each year.

However, if by October they're ahead of that deadline, we would then pay it out.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Sorry.

All right.

So we're gonna go ahead and vote on the finance amendment, and then I'll call on Councilwoman Pittman to introduce the floor amendment.

All in favor of the finance amendment signify by saying aye.

Aye, any opposed to say nay.

The amendment carries.

Councilwoman Pittman.

First of all, before I get started, I'm gonna ask Phil or someone from OGC um to talk about the new um amendment.

And after you do that, I'd like for someone to come up or either Ed or someone from Win Dixie to make sure we're agreeing all on the same thing.

Thank you.

Through the president to the council.

Uh so councilmember Pittman's floor amendment uh would add language that Win Dixie shall use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the store at 201 West 48th Street through the term of their expiring lease, which doesn't expire until February of 2029, and or facilitate a replacement tenant to operate a grocery store at that 201 site within a quarter a quarter mile radius of the site.

Um it also amends section 10.2 regarding the default clauses that in the event they do not maintain a store at 201 for the duration of their existing lease, once again through February of 2029, the company shall promptly repay the city 100% of the headquarter retention grant that was that had been dispersed to the company up until that time.

Uh referring back to Councilmember Lane's comments, that's 1.3 million each year during the term of the agreement.

Thank you very much.

So I'd like for Mr.

Randolph or someone to address one that you agree with that amendment as well.

Ed Randolph OED through the chair to councilman Pittman and to the body.

Uh yes, when Dixie is in agreement with all the amendments just stated on the record.

Uh they're in agreement to move forward with those changes.

Okay.

So to my colleagues, I'd just like to say a few words.

Um, do I need to?

Oh, okay.

Um I want to thank each of you all for coming to the meeting, and I want to thank Win Dixie.

Um, within I think 24 or 72 hours, we were able to have a meeting, and then on Friday, this past Friday, we were able to hear more voices from the community.

You know, I must say that the store on 48th Street, um, it's a lifeline.

I want y'all to hear what I'm saying.

It's a lifeline.

And we want to make sure that our senior seniors, our working families, um, and the residents um within that area to make sure it's not a food desert community.

I think we've had enough of food desert pharmacy desert, and we have new development coming to that area.

And so, as I said in the meeting, I was very interested just in keeping the store.

That's what our meeting was about.

Keeping the store and keeping the um leased agreement into 2029.

And secondly, to make sure that Win Dixie comes back and report to us.

Most important, I gotta say, I appreciate Win Dixie staying in our community.

They're interested in staying.

So at this point, I hope that you all can.

You would say in something, Miss Mary.

I think you put that last piece on the on the um record that I was gonna refer to.

Yes that they would come 18 months prior to the expiration of the lease and make a report to the floor.

Yes, ma'am, and then they agree with that as well, right?

Mr.

Randall.

That was part of what they agreed to, yes.

And then Mr.

President, you'll need to call for a motion and a second on the floor amendment before you take up a vote.

Okay, thank you.

All right, do you have a motion second on the amendment?

I'm second.

We have a motion second on the amendment.

We'll open up for discussion.

Council Vice President Howland.

Sorry about that.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Um, just to clarify there, if anyone didn't hear the last thing that was said by Ms.

Stefopoulos was one additional concession from Win Dixie was uh that they would report to this city council 18 months prior to the February 2029 expiration of the lease at 211 West 48th Street.

And why that was important was because Ms.

Pittman raised a concern on Friday that what if Win Dixie rolls up to the end of their lease in February 29 and leaves?

Um it would leave the neighborhood I and dry and it would create that food desert.

So therefore, Win Dixie was happy to give that extra concession that they notify council of their intent 18 months prior to that February 2029 date.

That is also in the Pittman floor amendment.

With this floor amendment, I think this deal is a win-win-win.

It's a win for Win Dixie, it's a win for the city of Jacksonville, and it's a win for the community of Brentwood.

As part of it, we noted already the store on West 48th will stay open for three years.

That was a huge concession from Win Dixie, and also Jacoby negotiated that extra uh 18-month notice period ahead of the expiration of the lease.

I think that's a very reasonable ask.

So, in return, what Win Dixie asked was let's end the uncertainty.

There's been a lot of uncertainty for the company and quite frankly, for the employees at that 201 West Um 48th Street address.

There are 60 employees there, and Win Dixie had already served notice of termination several weeks ago when they see a deal being made last week that the store stays open, and then potentially that deal on the rocks later, it creates a lot of uncertainty, and not just for them, but for the 500 employees and their families at Win Dixie's headquarters and their distribution center who are watching and reading the news and wondering where Win Dixie is gonna be in the future.

So this should be a pretty easy choice.

If we approve this amendment and the bill is amended, there's a hundred percent chance that 500 employees stay here, the West 48th Street store stays open.

We hire 200 new employees in Jacksonville and Win Dixie invests sixty-five million dollars in capital investment.

Otherwise, as Mr.

Lennon went through the clawback procedures, we get our money back.

If we don't approve this tonight, the only thing we're 100% sure of is more uncertainty and that the West 48th Street store will close.

So I'm grateful for my council partners in this effort, in particular uh Councilman Lennon for keeping a sharp focus on protecting taxpayers, and uh most notably uh Councilwoman Pittman for fiercely advocating for the neighborhood and its residents.

I'm also grateful for the community whose voices were clearly heard and who made this bill better, and to Win Dixie's leadership team, it's become very clear to me how much Win Dixie treasures the Jacksonville community.

So if all goes according to plan, Win Dixie will remain part of the fabric of our city for decades to come.

And Jacoby, you deserve all the credit for that.

Thank you.

All right, Councilmember Diamond.

Forgive me, Nick, but I disagree entirely, and I don't think this floor amendment gets us there at all.

First of all, I could drive a knobby through the size of the loophole in this.

Like they can go in two years.

They could use reasonable best efforts to stay.

This is not legally going to get us anywhere.

No wonder they agree to it, okay?

So this doesn't get us where we want it to be, which was to guarantee the store stays open and that there's a Win Dixie there.

It also doesn't help anybody who's next to another Win Dixie store, which is also being shut down all over Northeast Florida.

Okay.

So this doesn't do it.

This is extortion.

All the uncertainty that we're trying to put to bed is because Win Dixie is giving us the uncertainty.

They're the ones shutting down the stores, they're the ones saying, yo, we love Jacksonville.

We grew up our entire company here.

We are the history of Jacksonville, but we're gonna leave if you don't give us cash.

It's all from them.

This is corporate extortion, this is corporate welfare.

Whether you're on the left, think about what you could do with 12 million dollars to help people in your district.

If you're on the right, imagine giving six million dollars of taxpayer money back to the people who elected you because that's what they want you to do.

Jacksonville does not want this.

Ask them.

I guarantee you.

UNF, you love doing these polls, ask them.

Do you want to give 12 million dollars to Win Dixie?

A profitable company.

The answer is no.

This doesn't do it, I'm voting knowing this, voting knowing the bill.

I ask my colleagues just to just don't do these cash grabs anymore.

Because it's just going to encourage the next company, the next company, the next company to come up here.

Everbank is next, and the next one is gonna come up.

Look, I don't mean to pick on Win Dixie, I like Win Dixie.

They had a SIP store on my one in Neptune Beach.

I loved it, it's great.

So it's not a Win Dixie problem, it's a corporate welfare problem, and we have to stop.

I've got several people on the queue, including our attorney.

Mary, did you have something to say or do you want to let everyone speak?

Okay, all right, Councilwoman Clark Murray.

Thank you, President.

You know, some things need to be decided based on head.

The things that Councilmember Diamond just discussed have to do with his head.

There are other things that need to be decided with your heart.

And more specifically in this case, with your stomach.

So let's think about the community and the fact that they need a place to be able to go and buy groceries to be able to feed themselves and their children.

They need a place where they can buy medicine so that they can sustain their lives and have good lives.

So disregard what he said because he's thinking about his head and not his heart, and specifically about the stomach of the community who want this particular grocery store to remain there.

And once just like he said, Win Dixie is an institution, it's an institution in this particular county, and we need it.

And there is a reciprocal type of giving.

So in this case, we're helping to fund them, but they're helping to fund the community.

And they don't just have grocery stores.

They give away turkeys.

They do other things to support the community.

So they're not just buildings in our community.

They're institutions and they help the community.

And in this case, the community needs this, needs this.

We don't want food deserts.

And if we have the opportunity, and we do have the opportunity to solve this problem, we should solve it and not create more problems.

That's that's all of our jobs.

Our jobs is to serve people and solve problems for people.

Thank you.

Thank you, Ms.

President.

Um I support the bill for all the reasons that have been stated.

But I can't sit here knowing what I know about Win Dixie, about the Davis family.

Listen to a young man who has no idea what he's talking about, who has no idea of the history of Win Dixie and the Davis family in this community, and what they have meant for decades upon decades, and use the word extortion.

And I'm not I I just cannot let that go go unanswered.

This is a beloved family.

It's a beloved grocery store.

It has meant the world to so many people.

They have fallen on some difficult times, but they have gutted it out to stay.

And uh I don't remember at all of my years of public service, a whole lot of incentives that have gone to Win Dixie.

But I can tell you this, they have done a lot for this city.

Now I know extortion is going to get you the headlines.

Good for you.

But when Dixie, for so many years, and their family has done so much for this city, and not because they wanted to give headlines, but because they wanted to give back.

Next time you hopefully, uh I hope you don't have to go to Mayo Clinic.

But if you ever do, well then you think about Win Dixie.

So let's quit it with this kind of nonsense talk.

And let's think about what people do for this community that's been around for a while.

Maybe it's our time to help them out a bit.

So stop it.

Just stop it.

Councilman Aries.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

So I'll speak on the amendment and then later on I'll come back to speak on the actual bill itself because I have a lot to say on that.

Um, so Ms.

Pittman, the amendment that you had um the 18 month coming to council.

I know that when we had our public notice meeting on Friday, that was one of the concerns I had is like I want to make sure that the community is still involved in this process.

So the fact that you negotiate 18 months, kudos on you.

Awesome job on that.

Because now the community will have a chance to meet with us once again.

I don't want to win it for to have Wendixie and just us meet.

I want to make sure the community has plenty of time for participation, so 18 months is more than enough time.

One of the things though that I don't see here is that myself and Councilmember Pelusa, we talked about the time frame uh for 18 months.

If should Wendixie decide to stay, they would have 18 months to then build a store.

Councilmember Panusa and I were talking about potentially making it six months.

Um I'm assuming because we're gonna have the conversation 18 months prior, we would know.

So they there shouldn't be an 18 month gap.

My point is I don't want to have 18 months of no stores there.

Should they decide to stay and renew the contract with that whatever landlord it is, right?

So um, Mr.

Randolph, if through the chair, um if you don't mind coming up here, um if Wendix decides to stay uh that 18 month gap for them to build a new store, is that still a possibility, or because they're gonna come 18 months prior to negotiate with us or talk to us, whatever the case is, um, will there be a gap in service?

Uh through the chair to councilman Arias, um, I will need to defer to the company representative.

Uh, however, collectively for any of the stores right now in the agreement that are located in an EDA, including this one, if they were to go ahead and close within that 18-month period, it's stated in there that they need to find another store.

Not necessarily construct a new store, but you know, we originally looked at doing a six to twelve-month period, but understanding that it's a large footprint of a store to find something of similar size in, you know, in the area in the neighborhood may be difficult.

So that's why the 18 months was in there.

Um, understanding, but uh collectively, it really depends on them finding another store within an EDA.

So it you know, it really depends on the market, uh, what's available at the time as it relates to any specific store, but that 18 months was given um as the time period just because it may be difficult to find a store that's you know 20, 30, 40,000 plus square feet to to make an in-kind replacement.

Right.

I into the chair.

I just see it as a total of um 36 months is what I'm looking at, then 18 months prior and then 18 months again.

Is that what you need to find a new store?

Um, the chair to Councilman Arias.

No, I think right now it's stated at eight within 18 months.

So if they close a store, it's within 18 months a new one needs to be uh reopened.

So it's strictly 18 months.

Now, this new uh amendment speaks to the store that they're keeping open now.

So you're gonna get an 18-month, you're gonna get a report 18 months before that lease ends, so you're gonna have that 18-month heads up as to whether they've negotiated an additional um extension or whatnot.

So that that specific provision relates to this new store.

So this was the new amendment put forth by councilwoman Pittman.

Okay.

Well, I still have my thoughts on the bill itself, but I definitely will support this amendment.

It's a definitely a small win for for our community, but I still have my um my comments left for later on.

So thank you.

All right, councilwoman Pittman, and this will be her first time.

She introduced the bill, and now she's speaking on for the first time.

So the full four minutes.

Well, first of all, I want to just follow up.

Um, this amendment is a win about keeping this store open, it's a win.

Um, what I want to share with you, councilman Diamond, you may not have ever lived in a stress community, or you may not have research.

I'm gonna speak directly to Councilmember Diamond.

If you speak through the chair.

Yeah, thank you.

Through the chair, but I I I was just so anxious to talk about this.

Um, I've represented this community for many, many years, and when you haven't lived in a community that's dispressed, expressed or have issues, you can't relate to that, right?

And to hear people come who live in that residence and stakeholders to the finance committee, um, it made a difference.

So, you know, I gotta say I was a little bit taken back about what you just said and hurt, and I think the people who are here um are hurt as well.

And I just want to say a couple things about the Davis family.

Um, when I worked at the Y WCA, they spent a tremendous amount of resources for low-income women to get them in college to provide access to programming as well as nonprofits in this community that wouldn't exist today if it was not for the Davis family.

And I knew Ms.

Flo personally, so tonight I think it's a win, and I just want to share to all of them again, um, this particular amendment is important, but not only that, we didn't say that Win Dix is also spending a half a million dollars in that store.

I want you all to hear that a half a million dollars, right?

So that means having those two new apartments that are in that area, transportation that JTA has expanded because I've asked them to because the seniors don't have transportation, they can't take an Uber all the time.

So I just want to say again, as we vote on this tonight, not only knowing the culture, the history of that store and what it means, we need it.

I don't want another food desert in my community.

I really don't.

And y'all know my heart and how I care about people.

I need you all to support this amendment and this bill.

Thank you.

Dr.

Johnson, thank you, Mr.

President.

Uh, very quickly, uh, through the chair to Councilmember Diamond.

You mentioned a loophole.

Could you speak very briefly specific about the loophole that you believe that's in this amendment?

I jumped on the queue to do that, but I threw the answer.

It's three years, and close it in three years.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Through the chair to someone from OGC.

Um, I'm assuming that all of these things were run through OGC.

Can you speak to that?

Uh what the council member brought up that there were issues and there are these major issues that are glaring.

Uh has the OGC, I'm sure I know the answer to it, but I just want to know has the Office of General Council worked through this and has this agreement been put through whatever testing that you all do, so that we're we're sure that the loopholes that have been alleged are not gonna be something that hurts this uh legislation.

Through the chair to council member Johnson, so I'm not wholly understanding of what loop he didn't really get into specifics as to what loopholes he was just addressing.

Um I can tell you then when it comes to development of an economic development agreement such as this, the client department, in this case, Office of Economic Development works in coordination with John Sawyer or a member of his team in our government operations department to develop an appropriate contract based on the business terms and conditions that are negotiated between the client and the prospective recipient of the city incentives.

So there is OGC involvement through every step of that process, but at the end of the day, the business terms are the subject of that negotiation that occurs between the economic development agency and the entity that is receiving the incentive.

Thank you.

And I'll wrap up, Mr.

Chair, Mr.

President, by saying, you know, this is part for the course.

I do believe our Office of General Counsel and our amazing attorneys do the work to ensure that when they bring something to this body that it has been vetted, that has been worked through, and all the specifics are there.

Um I was in the audience at the meeting on Friday, and I'd literally heard many of the things that were being said.

It's important that we can do whatever we can to ensure that that community not just have representation but also have food, quality food, and that's what's trying to happen here.

So I will be supportive of this amendment tonight.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

I thank you.

Councilmember Gay.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Um, here in the amendment, the floor amendment, then and that's that's what we're on right now.

Um I'm in supportive of the floor amendment that would bring more protection to to the city and to that community, and so at this point I'm I'm supporting that.

Uh when we get to the to the bill, I'll I'll have some more conversation on that, but I will support this amendment at this time.

Thank you.

All right, we have several members on, I believe, that are for the second time.

But Dr.

Salem, have you spoken on the amendment yet?

So Dr.

Salem for the first time.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Uh, 54 years ago, my first job was at Wind Dixie at the corner of uh at Cassett, and uh I ten grew up in the area of this plant, but I have a couple questions I want to and my heart wants me to support this, and I intend to support this.

Mr.

Randolph, can you come up?

I've heard a couple things I just want to clarify in my own mind.

The eighteenth month uh part of this amendment, are you suggesting at that point when they come 18 months from now, they will have an indication that uh we've tried to extend this lease and we're not gonna be able to, so therefore we're gonna be looking for another location.

Is that your understanding?

Uh, to the chair to councilman Salem.

Um in uh correct.

So at that point, they're gonna give an update again.

It's market forces that are gonna drive their decision to either stay in that location based on their conversations with their landlord, um, their store profits again.

So there's gonna be a handful of things, but you are correct.

In general, in eight in 18 months prior to the expiration of that, which is in roughly 18 months from now, um, that conversation they'll basically disclose where they're at and what their um path forward is.

But there's no distinct, um, you know, they're not gonna at this point it's not written in there that they're gonna give you a definitive answer.

I think they're just gonna explain as to where they stand from a business uh decision perspective.

I I through the chair, I would hope they would give the community some indication at that point what their plan is.

Um but I hear what you're saying.

Through the chair to councilman salem, and that's the message that we've driven home to them that that point just to give the community comfort that um they know within 18 months, you know, what where they're headed.

So hopefully that at that point they're gonna give a decision that they're gonna extend it or they're looking at another location but not leave the neighborhood without uh a food store.

Okay, through the chair to Mr.

Randolph.

That's different from the other stores in this agreement where they can close a store and then they have 18 months to find another location, and that's whether they're impoverished areas or in other areas of town.

That's for all the stores as I understand it.

Through the chair to councilman salem, no, that's just for economically distressed areas where there's less of a saturation of other stores.

So we um so that's that was what we agreed on.

So economically distressed, correct, the other two.

There's one one at uh at uh College Park is one of those, correct?

Correct.

Where are the other two?

Um you it's listed in the in the that's okay.

Yeah, but the the ones that are economically distressed areas um are are the ones that are subject to that 18-month, you need to have a replacement in con replacement within that 18 month period.

But they could close it two months from now, and then they have eighteen months to open another one.

Worst case scenario.

Correct, and again, um, as much as we wanted to put in so many safeguards just from a business decision standpoint, that was one of the concessions.

Okay, I just want all of us to understand that.

I as I said, I'm gonna support it.

There's risk here, guys.

There's risk here, but but uh I think keeping that store open and Jacoby's Jerry is the primary objective here, and we got that, and I think that's important.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Uh I'm gonna let the vice president respond to that.

Uh thank you, Mr.

Uh President.

I just want to say if this deal does not get done, that protection doesn't exist.

That protection only exists because of this deal.

It's a rider to this economic development deal.

Um if this deal doesn't get voted on, there's nothing stopping them from closing any store, and they don't have to put another one up within 18 months.

So that's a positive um protection for the community.

Thanks.

All right, Councilman Diamond for the second time.

Okay.

Sometimes I can be guilty of not explaining myself very well.

So I'm gonna try another crack at this.

Um, first of all, and first uh to the author of the amendment.

I don't want a food desert either, and I commend the effort to try and make sure the store doesn't shut down.

That isn't my problem.

My problem is that for 12 million dollars, we should get like a 10 year agreement.

We should lock it down.

That was my issue that this isn't good enough for 12 million dollars.

That was my only issue with the amendment.

That's why I'm not happy with it.

If we're gonna spend our money to make sure there's no food amendment, I'm using my head because my head tells me this isn't good enough.

And that's my service to the city to be able to read the agreement and say we could do better.

I don't think OGC screwed up to my other colleague on how they drafted it.

I just think the negotiated deal isn't good enough.

That's my problem.

Three years.

Secondly, the Davis family hasn't owned any part of Win Dixie since 2005.

So if we're having this debate in 1996, yeah, maybe my opinion is different.

Um, but it's 2026.

And in 2026, a bunch of people who don't live in Jacksonville own Win Dixie.

So that's the facts, right?

Okay.

So I don't owe anything to whoever owns Win Dixie today.

And so I understand the point of the amendment.

I'd like it to be a little stronger to get what we actually want.

I feel like we rushed.

I feel like Win Dixie could do more to give you more of a guarantee if we're gonna spend twelve million dollars.

And let's be honest, y'all are gonna give this money away.

So you might as well get the best possible deal out of them now, and not just this one.

There's like three or four other ones you should ask for to not shut down for like 10 years if you're gonna spend the money.

Look, I don't think we should be in the business of telling people to open stores or close stores.

I'm personally against that.

But if you're gonna do it, at least get a good agreement.

Thanks.

All right.

I think I have Councilman Peluso now in here for the first time.

Is that right?

Yep, you're recognized.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

I stand hating these words.

I tend to agree much with what Councilman Diamond just said.

Um I expected this to go to committee.

Like it was agreed upon the other day.

I'm very uncomfortable that we are doing all this right now at this last minute pace.

Because there's still a lot of work.

There was an amendment that I want to offer as well.

I have the exact same concerns Councilmember Salem has.

I'm very concerned that in a couple years the store does close and we're not gonna have an answer for how to how to put another one there to the point of even what Councilman Diamond said.

I think he's right too.

We could have had a better amendment.

I'm very concerned.

Um I'm very happy that we have the 13 stores that will remain.

I'm happy about the headquarters, which is in Lackawanna getting support.

I get all that.

Um, but one of the amendments that I wanted to offer in finance that's not ready for prime time right now, right, was that I wanted to make sure that we had a project or a program ready to go as a rider to this bill so that make so we make sure that there are no more food deserts in all of 3209.

I want if we're gonna talk about grocery stores in this body the way we have been, let's continue this conversation to talk about all right, how do we make sure economic development can work to make sure that the food desert program, which right now is underfunded, we have no money in the food desert program, so this is an awesome opportunity to put a rider on Win Dixie to say open up another grocer or two in the next couple years.

That was an amendment that I wanted to do.

Um I'm very uncomfortable with this bill.

I I I don't love corporate welfare either.

I do feel like other companies are gonna come to us, but I am excited that we're keeping uh uh the store on Maine.

I I just wish we had more time.

I want this to go back to finance, and I really wanted that.

I would traditionally vote this down, unless I get an assurance from someone in leadership that we are going to continue to talk about food deserts moving forward.

I want to have a notice meeting, and I want to to make sure that we have a program in place that's funded in the years to come to make sure that we help solve the food desert issue because right now we've neglected it for many years.

And while we have Wendyxie here, we could be getting more from them, I think.

Um so I I think that I might I don't know how I'm gonna vote right now.

I'm looking for for help from leadership.

So hopefully someone speaks up.

Councilmember Gaffney for the first time.

Thank you, through the chair.

I have some concerns as well.

I guess for me, um, I'm gonna propose an amendment that when did see they guarantee us tonight or whenever that they'll stay open for the next five years.

Um I just want to put some type of, I guess, support on this amendment.

Um I'm concerned as well.

I mean, I love you, councilwoman Pittman.

I know I understand 18 months, but my biggest fear 18 months, we're gonna be dealing with this situation all over again.

And I feel like we could deal with it right now by putting a guarantee and extending this contract at least a five years, so we won't be dealing with this the next two years.

I really think we're gonna be dealing with this in two years because they're gonna end up closing down again.

So I want to make an amendment that Wendy, you know, stays open the next five years, all right.

So just so we're in the proper posture.

Um, let me explain it.

Mr.

President, I didn't hear a second on the motion.

I would just point out that this is a rented space.

They do not own the space, so to require them to guarantee that it stay open for five years beyond the current term of their lease.

I don't know that Wendixie would be in a position to do that because they don't own the space.

So they would that would that would they could be in the position where they would not be able to comply with that requirement if they could not successfully negotiate a new lease or an extended lease with the current owner of the property at the end of the three year existing lease.

All right, Councilman Gaffney, you still have the floor.

So thank you through the chair.

Do we know if Wendy is here or the um the individual who owned the building is here?

So the individual who owned the building, uh, who represent the I guess who owned the shopping center.

You just have to ask for that.

That's not him.

This is the landlord for the building is not here.

Okay.

Yeah, because I wanted to speak towards the lease.

When is the lease end of three years, correct, through the chair?

Maybe ask the gentleman from Wendixie.

So the lease in the three years through the chair, correct?

That is correct, sir.

Okay.

Yeah, I guess by my question is suited for the individuals who own this building.

I mean, I understand they rent it to Win Dixie, but I wanted to get their perspective tonight to see what their long-term plans are for this shopping center.

But it's hard for me to make a decision if they're not here.

So um there's a motion.

Yes, it's an amendment on the floor.

I mean, well, a motion on the floor.

Do you have any other questions for anyone else, Mr.

Gaffney?

That's it for right now.

Okay, so was there a second one, Mr.

Gaffney's amendment?

There was.

So you have a motion on the floor to amend the amendment to add a requirement that they remain open at the 201 site location for five years.

And through the chair, I know we can't make a guarantee because the owner of the plaza is not here.

That's why I wanted to speak with him.

It's the owner of the plaza was here.

I think that would kind of um solidify my, I guess, my motion.

So I know we kind of make an empty promises because we can't speak for the owner of the building.

Uh so uh it's uh council council um council member um Peluso point.

I really think this needs to be deferred.

I understand we want to keep them.

I understand that, but I think we need all the parties here tonight.

The owner of the plaza need to be here before we make the decision.

I mean, so I'm waiting on the done.

Okay.

The entire council is on the queue.

We we do have an amendment to the amendment that we don't know if we can actually legally vote on.

Uh I think our lawyers told us we can't.

So why don't we just vote on that amendment?

I'll speak to it.

And um first on that amendment is Vice President Holland.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

This is the reason that this deal almost went off the rails on Friday night.

So this deal came before finance committee on Tuesday.

And the community came and rightfully expressed their concerns about the store at 201 West 48.

Uh the finance chair deferred the bill so councilwoman Pittman, the district councilwoman, could meet with the community in Wind Dixie and hammer out details of keeping that store open.

That happened Friday.

Uh councilwoman Pittman brought uh what is most of this floor amendment to a special committee meeting on Friday.

And during that meeting, uh much of the community was happy with it, but a number of extra concerns came up about food food deserts in different places, whether Win Dixie had things at pharmacies and all their stores, stocking levels and things like that.

Issues that got away from the core of this economic development agreement, which was retain 500 members in the headquarters, add 200 members, uh 200 new employees at a hundred thousand dollars apiece, invest sixty-five million dollars, and now keep a store at 2101 West 48th Street open.

When the additional requests started coming, it was too much for the business that was just trying to work an economic development agency.

We're a local government, we're not in the business of telling individual privately owned companies how to run their portfolio stores, how to run their businesses, and in any event, they gave a big ask when they agreed to keep that store in Brentwood open.

So the way that we salvaged this deal was uh Ms.

Pittman negotiated one thing out of that Friday meeting, and that was the 18 month heads-up notice on the 201 West 48 store in return for trying to vote it out tonight.

Why?

Because voting out tonight eliminates that uncertainty and it gets Win Dixie what it needs, it gets the Brentwood community what it needs, and it satisfies and it's a big win for the city.

So if we start on the floor, adding a number of additional requirements on a business without the business being able to truly meet those, they are not the landowner on 201 West 48.

So the landlord would have to agree to that.

Um they don't know uh and can't make business decisions on the fly where they can open up stores to address other uh food desert areas.

So they can't answer that.

What they can answer is the deal we agreed now, which is a good deal, and as I said, a win-win-win to Mr.

Peluso's concerns.

I hear you for years you have been working on trying to address food deserts, and we we accomplished that here.

We just reversed a food desert that was about to happen by keeping up the 201 West 48th Street.

I will work with you in the future and have notice meetings to see what we can do to address other food deserts in the city.

But trying to now put extra mandates on this business um to achieve individual uh uh requirements of council members is not what this bill 0326 is all about.

0326 is exactly what we stated before.

Retain 500 employees at the headquarters, add 200 employees at the headquarters at 100,000, add 65 million and retain 201 West 48th Street.

That's a darn good bill.

As I said before, it's a win-win-win.

Thanks.

All right.

With the full queue on an amendment which we've been told is illegal.

I have a suggestion that maybe we just vote on that amendment.

Maybe you can vote however you like, but we can get it off.

Uh because if not, we're just gonna go through the whole queue and talk about the amendment.

Or else someone could move to a withdrawal.

Are we at a point of order for Mr.

Carlucci?

If we have, if we have an amendment to the amendment, are you saying that we can't discuss that?

We we that's illegal to he just withdrew it, just made a motion to withdraw it.

You withdrew that with the I can't hear what anybody's saying, but I'm just trying to it's that been pulled.

So we're just on an amendment.

I heard a motion from Mr.

Gaffney Jr., Councilmember Gaffney Jr.

to withdraw his motion.

I did not hear a second on that.

Okay, okay, so Mr.

President on the floor now is a motion to withdraw his amendment to the amendment.

Let's take that by a show of hands on the motion to withdraw Mr.

Gaffney's amendment.

Raise your hand.

Anyone wants to keep it?

Yeah.

Okay.

And let me let me all right.

So the amendment has been withdrawn.

Okay.

You no one else has been recognized.

I want to speak to that amendment.

We're back on the Pittman amendment, Mr.

Mr.

Okay, so we're gonna go back through the queue.

His point of order is over and your bill's been withdrawn.

So get back in the queue.

We're gonna go through.

I want to address it while we um while I gotta maintain order here.

Okay.

So uh council member Salem, we're just going back through it.

Everyone's on the second time as far as I know.

Oh, he's not here.

Actually, I see Joe Carlucci on here.

So for the first time, Joe Carlucci.

Because we're back on the Pittman amendment.

So basically everyone else is for the second time.

All right, thank you, Mr.

President.

Um, sorry, my head's a little spinny right now.

Yeah, support the Pittman amendment.

Look, guys, this is we're we're overcomplicating this.

This queue should be zeroed out right now.

Look, Councilmember Peluso.

Um, I completely agree with you.

And what I would want to do, because that what we brought up in the Friday meeting with the food deserts, is if we attach it to this bill, it's just really attaching it to Wendixie.

What I would propose is we look at it from all the other grocers in the in the in the city, and and that's a bipartisan issue.

I mean, I think we would all agree that food deserts are not a good thing, and but but some districts don't have them.

So that's why I rely upon my other council members to know what can I do.

And I'm and I'm happy to work with any of y'all to do that.

So all that to say, I think we don't address that here at this meeting.

I think we pass this out, and then we start tackling that issue.

And luckily we have a three-year run runway now.

Um, so that's that's my proposal.

Again, I'll make the request because I know the council president won't.

I think we've belabored this, and we want everyone to have a chance to speak.

Everyone has kind of spoken.

I think we all need to get comfortable with this, vote, and then we'll take up other issues later.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Thank you for advocating, but I will respect the queue.

So next, Councilman Arias, I believe, for the third time.

Councilman Arias, second.

I got plenty of things to say.

Uh yes, Mr.

President.

So um, all right, uh, once again on the amendment, because I really want to talk about the bill itself.

I hate it.

But um the amendment, the 18 months.

Uh, through the chair to Mr.

Randolph, you don't mind please coming up here.

I know you're negotiating things right now, but um for the 18-month period.

My concern would be um if when Dixie, which let's be real, they're probably gonna say we're getting out of here.

Are is uh the the store gonna be fully stocked to the end to the three-year mark.

What I don't want to happen is exactly what they're doing right now, taking things off the stock at the shelves way too prematurely because at the end of the day, you may have a store called Harvey's, but if it's not stocked, it's a food desert nonetheless.

So can we also ensure because I don't see it here in this uh floor amendment that that store will be fully stocked all the way to day number one, uh the last day in February 21st of 2029?

It's sure to chair to Councilman Aries.

No, no, I know it's stocked.

I'm saying till the end, because if they come in eighteen months prior, say we're not gonna renew our lease.

What's gonna happen is my question.

Sure.

Through to Chair to Councilman Arias.

I know that was brought up last Friday at the meeting.

Um, that very concern.

Um I will have to defer to the uh Wendixie representative to speak to that.

I mean, you can offer it up with his amendment, but as it relates to their agreement to do that, um, I'll ask um for Win Dixie to um speak to that, please.

Sure.

It's killing my time.

I'm sorry, you guys are kidding my time right now.

All right.

Look, very simple.

The store was not stocked because you guys were closing.

You guys just restocked the store.

Thank you.

If you guys come back 18 months prior to the lease renewal and you decide not to renew the lease, I want to make sure that in this amendment it's it signifies that you guys will keep the store fully stocked to the end.

I know it's currently stocked, but to the end, when you come back eighteen months.

It killed my time.

Five seconds, yes or no.

I think I think the way the amendments are written is that it requires us to run it like a grocery store until the lease expires.

So that would include keeping it.

That keeps me happy.

Thank you.

Alright, a sailing back?

Dr.

Salem.

We're on the Pittman amendment.

You were at the top of the queue.

You missed all kind of fun stuff.

You good?

All right, council member uh pass President Carlucci then.

Uh thank you, Mr.

President.

Uh, first of all, I've been around here a long time.

I know the Davis family doesn't own this anymore, but we wouldn't be here talking about Win Dixie had the Davis family not owned this for decades, and had they not been so ingrained in this community.

So uh set that straight.

Second, uh, we need to pass the bill and make progress.

I'm supporting this.

Uh I think finance hammered out the best possible bill they could, and we're talking about we've been talking about food deserts for so long since I've been up here, and now we have a chance to do something about it.

I don't want to quibble up here about you know, six more months, another year.

Um, let's let's just get it done.

And as the finance chair said and the vice president have said through the chair.

Uh we can hammer out other issues and other details later.

But I'm voting for this, I'm not going back.

Let's vote for it, be done with it, and move on with our agenda.

But I congratulate uh uh the way that the finance committee tackled this.

It wasn't easy, and I congratulate uh uh council member Pittman, and you've got my full support on this.

And let's let's uh let's get some food out of the community that these people have been waiting on for a doggone long time.

Thank you.

All right, for the first time, past president White.

Yes, sir.

Thank you.

I'll call the question on the amendment.

The question has been called on the Pittman amendment, all in favor, and we have a second from the floor leader, all in favor of the question being called on the Pittman amendment.

Raise your hand.

I move the bill as twice amended.

Well, you have to vote on it.

Oh, on the pitman amendments ahead of myself.

I apologize, council president.

It was called before the president got to speak on it.

I support the amendment.

The bill may be different.

All in favor of the amendment, raise your hand.

The Pittman amendment.

Pittman amendment passes.

Again, apologies on that, Mr.

President.

I now move the bill as twice amended.

I have a motion and a second on the bill as twice amended.

I'm gonna go to the floor leader.

Can someone clear the queue?

Because we had six people on from the Pittman amendment.

So let's just get back in.

Uh thank you, Council President.

I think uh council member Joe Carlucci has the quote of the evening, and that we have complicated this.

Uh, this economic development agreement, uh, again, it was a big agreement applying to lots of stores, and we got store-specific, and I'm happy that we were able to help council member Pittman out.

But if we just back up about what this agreement does and why I'm a yes on it after the land amendment in finance, this is a sixty-five million dollar capital investment minimum that's tied to a five and a half million dollar rev grant over 20 years.

And again, rev grants are usually win-win.

We're gonna get additional property taxes because they're investing more.

So that's that part.

It's 200 incremental on an average of 100,000 a year jobs that we're creating again.

They're retaining 500, okay, great, but they're adding 200.

That was the business case for me.

So that's once they ramp up to it in five years, which again they have to meet certain goals each year to get the next tranche of that 1.3 million each year.

That's 20 million in annualized payroll, and that's just the present value.

It's gonna keep on growing from that as well.

So that 20 million times 20 million or uh 20 million times 20 years, that is the money that's gonna be coming in because of those new jobs.

This had an ROI of greater than one when it came to us.

I didn't ask OED to rerun it, but with the finance amendment I had, it's only gonna go up.

Uh, and so I think we need to uh vote this up.

I think this kind of sets the standard for what'll get us to say yes for grants like these.

Uh, and uh again, I don't think we need to defer this.

We've had plenty of time to ask our questions.

I thank OED for always being available when I did have a question, and uh so I hope that we support it as twice amended and can move on with the rest of the evening.

Thank you, Councilmember Peluso.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

I'll be quick.

Uh, though I am still frustrated with this process, and I did wish it got re-referred to finance.

I'm very satisfied with Council Vice President Howland and Council Member Carlucci um for their commitments to do a notice meeting with me.

These food deserts, we have a program now, it's just underfunded, and the program probably needs to be updated.

So I really want to make sure we tackle that.

It must be tackled this year.

We've been talking about food deserts more in the past week and a half than we have in years.

So I'm grateful to that.

But let's take this opportunity to actually do something with it.

And I feel like a lot of us now know more about this topic than we traditionally do.

So it's my expectation we'll have this notice meeting soon enough, and we'll uh we'll hopefully get some more resolutions and more uh groceries opening up in 3209 and elsewhere.

Thank you.

All right, Dr.

Johnson.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

I was just trying to get some clarification of because I think I understand this properly.

Uh and I just want to make sure, and Ms.

Stepoplis, thank you, and uh, Mr.

Harvey, thank you both for explaining that to me.

That uh I want to make sure that if this store does leave, or there will always be something in that geographical area, and I think we need to make sure that we understand that, Mr.

President, that there's got to be something in that area based on the way the amendment is written, uh the Pittman Amendment is written.

There will be something if that store closes.

So this area will always have that in it.

Um that's the the winning point for me.

While I certainly understand um the four leaders, the way of looking at it, and you're absolutely right, and all those things work for me, but I just want to make sure knowing people who live in that area and driving down that area, seeing it that they have access to food.

That is so important to me, and this does that for the long haul.

So I'm a yes, thank you.

All right, thank you, Councilman Arias.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Um, I think um, if I'm not mistaken, you're incorrect, Mr.

Johnson.

Because this agreement was drafted through the chair through the president after they agreed to this deal.

This store was already slated to close prior to this agreement.

So if they decide to leave, they are not forced to stay or or even relocate anywhere else.

That area will become a food desert because they're not mandated.

That's one to clarify that.

All right, um, that was brought up on Friday's meeting.

So now we're talking about the bill.

Um here's the thing.

I'm gonna support this bill because I feel my hands are handcuffed right now.

I am being forced to support something because otherwise we will have a food desert.

Here's the thing.

I'm gonna give credit where credit's due.

When Dixie, they restock the store, they're gonna stay open for three more years.

We cannot force them to stay there.

At the end of the day, they're uh they're a private business.

We cannot make businesses do whatever we want them to do.

However, this, if people come up to us for money, this is a negotiation room.

So I think that it is in our part to make sure that every bill, which they do, they bring it up to us.

We negotiate and we advocate for our community.

In this case, this bill was drafted as an economic development agreement for our city, not just for the Brentwood community.

It just so happens that if they were to leave, that's where we talked about this.

There would be a food desert.

So at the end of the day, what I'm trying to get at is that every deal that comes to us, we need to negotiate as hard as possible to make sure our community has a voice.

And that's exactly what happened here today.

Um, I'm gonna be fully supportive of this just because as the economic uh incentive package, uh the new jobs that it creates, the economic revenue.

I think it's a win-win for our city.

Um, most importantly, for me, the biggest win is the 65 to 85 jobs that we're gonna keep at that Wendixie for the next three years moving forward.

Um, so I definitely want to support this to Mr.

Peluso's credit.

Uh 100% I'll be a part of those conversations because this bill was created in 2019, uh 2019-245, the Food Desert Program.

And that bill that program is underfunded.

So this, if anything, to the community out there, what it is was it created the conversation.

The create the conversation has started now.

So we as a body are gonna fight for you all, just like we did today.

I think this is a huge win for our community bringing keeping Wendixy on board with us um and making sure that you guys have your stores that are fully stocked and moving forward.

We will make sure that the food desert programs also fully funded as well, too, hopefully in the future.

So um I feel really confident about this bill, and at the end of the day, um, once again, uh I just uh here to support it.

Thank you.

Councilmember Gaffney Jr.

Thank you through the chair.

Councilman Aries, you say you felt like your hands would be in handcuffed.

I guess my question is to the committee, why are we're rushing?

What's the difference?

Why we can't wait two weeks versus tonight?

That's my own.

And I think that's a fair question.

Why we can't wait two weeks versus tonight?

You just heard one of the fellow colleagues.

He said he feel like his hands was handcuffed.

And here we are, rushing to give away 12 million dollars.

I'm just trying to figure out why we can't wait two weeks from now.

It's a fair question.

Uh uh You gotta direct that at somebody.

Councilman Aries.

Thank you, Mr.

Gaffney.

I do appreciate you the chair.

Thank you, Mr.

Graffin, through the chair.

I do appreciate you um recognize me on this part.

Uh, my hand, I feel handcuffed, not because of the the urgency of this bill, mainly because of uh of that we have to approve this.

I think it's I think that the due diligence on our part has been already met because of the public notes meeting.

Um I think taking it up tonight is is a fair deal.

I feel handcuffed because once again, we are doing something because the threat of a food desert, that's why, not because we haven't had enough time to debate it.

I think taking it up tonight won't make a difference in two weeks.

Thank you for that though for looking out.

But um, I think moving forward, any economic development deal needs to come through full uh finance and uh we need to negotiate on behalf of the city.

Thank you.

Thank you through the chair.

I mean, like I said, my question still remain why not wait two more weeks.

I don't I'm not sure if the um community is happy with this.

I mean, I know the councilwoman is, but I'm not sure what the community, I guess they satisfy, just know after 18 months when Ditsa can leave.

So I you know, and I'm you see the community, what they shaking the head, you know, they so but anyway, um, I support you, councilwoman.

Um hopefully we won't be dealing with this in 18 months.

You know, my biggest fear is when they when it's getting their 12 million dollars and then belly, you know.

I guess it'll be left up until the council members who these individuals um elect the second term to deal with it.

So thank you.

Councilmember Gay.

Thank you, Ms.

President.

Um just looking at this thing, what this has turned into is is a quagmire.

You know, I look at when you're a successful business and you got a successful store.

Why would you want to close it?

And then we take in parallel that to, oh, here's a bill that we're wanting to get 12 million dollars for that, you know, we need all this money to create all these jobs, but we've got a good store that's that's performing, but we're gonna close it.

And it kind of puts us in that posture, as Councilman Arias said, that it's it's not it's not a good place for to sit here and negotiate a business deal from the city's perspective because we we're being held hostage and forced that if we don't support this, then we we are sitting here enabling a food desert.

I'm looking, look at my my district.

Um I just did a uh uh groundbreaking with a grocery store that's coming in, and they the uh the amount that they were asking in incentives and round figures was zero.

They're coming in and doing it, and so you know, I look at a profitable store that's been admitted that the owned uh grocery store has admitted that it is a successful store.

And no, I'm sure if the Davis family still owned it, we wouldn't be having this discussion that we would not be put in this posture.

And yes, the Davis family has done a lot for our city, and but that's not what we're dealing with right now.

And it's it is is it's unfortunate that we at this time are looking at drawing together two different scenarios of sitting here keeping a store open that's potentially could be a food desert if it's not kept open to what is filed in this bill, and it's it doesn't make it mean make it make sense, it doesn't make sense that it would have been to the right way would be to come in to say we've got X number of stores that we are needing support on keeping open.

Not to sit here and say, well, if we don't get 12 million dollars, we're gonna start closing these stores where it's gonna hurt the most.

And that's what we're forced with now is given 12 million dollars or being subjected to where it's gonna hurt the most.

And that's where if if I I'm still undecided about this.

If I'm gonna hold my nose and vote for it, uh, is just it's appalling that we were put in the situation.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

All right, Councilman Aries.

For these second time on the bill.

Alright, no one else is in the queue.

So over the ballot record your vote.

16 years, two nays.

I reaction you've approved 2026-0326.

Councilwoman Pittman, go ahead.

I just want to say thank you.

I really appreciate it.

And we'll save the community and the lifeline that these residents are depending on.

And thank you, Vice President, for being my side kick and making sure and to um OED and Wendyxie.

Um, I look forward to you taking us to the finish line, which I know you all will.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Mr.

Floor Leader, where does that land the plane at?

Mr.

President, we are now ready to start public comments.

Ladies and gentlemen, if you wish to speak, you should have filled out a green public comment card.

No cards will be accepted after six, which I just realized we are well past that.

Council rules call for an allotment of 90 minutes for public comment, and given the amount of cards everyone tonight will get their full three minutes.

I'll announce five speakers at a time.

When I call your name, please come down to the reserve seats of the front row while waiting your turn to speak.

Your time will not start until you arrive at the podium.

And remember to state your name and address before beginning, or you may say my address is on file.

A speaker may be invited to the green room for further discussion at a council members' discretion.

I'll read the first five names now so they uh can begin to make their way down, and then I'll have Mr.

Teal read council rule 4.505 regarding disruption of meetings.

The first five are Miss Kathleen Pereira, Gary Smith, Wells Todd, Vincent Barone, and Katie Elizabeth.

Uh legislative services, please note the start time as 6 37.

And Miss Pereira, the floor is yours.

Oh I apologize, uh Mr.

Teal, read uh please read the council rule.

I missed that part.

Council rule 4.505.

Disruption of a meeting.

Any person who disrupts a regular meeting of the city council, standing committees, special or select committees, subcommittees, or any other public meeting presided over by a city council member, may be forthwith barred, removed, or otherwise ejected in the discretion of the presiding officer from further attendance at that meeting.

If necessary, due to the nature of the disruption, the audience may be cleared from the council chambers or meeting location in the discretion of the presiding officer.

Any person who refuses to leave the city council chamber may be subject to arrest.

Thank you, Mr.

Teal.

Leslie of services note the start time is now 6 38.

And Miss Pereira, the floor is yours.

My name is Kathleen Perry.

My information is on file.

The 2045 comp plan and planning codes do not sanction overdevelopment or encroachment.

And yet it seems as if they are easily ignored just to ruin the character of well-established neighborhoods.

Sometimes neighborhoods prevail in saving themselves from an oil depot or slaughterhouse, but most neighborhoods haven't been so lucky.

This time disaster may strike the Windy Hill and Fox Chase Wilman Station neighborhoods, which directly bordered the proposed 15,000 seats soccer stadium multiplex in St.

John's town center.

That will also destroy the productive big island swamp and wetlands.

How does the good for the all and the we can't stop progress?

And the more tax review arguments work here when you callously expect these neighborhoods to get flood insurance for the first time, have their septic tanks over taxed, they're well water contaminated, accept a plummet in their property values, or worse yet, never have a good night's sleep again from the noise created 365 days a year from concerts, games, and events.

Not to mention that several residents will have to plan even more time just to get out of their neighborhood because of the incredible increase in traffic.

This project will cause in an already congested area.

Instead, start focusing on slower growth with the least bit of hardship and impact on already established neighborhoods.

Their homes may not be as lofty as yours, but they are havens that each of us deserves and want to preserve.

And I would like to see you as passionate with keeping this project from and from the St.

John's Town Center as you were keeping Wendixie open.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next, Gary Smith.

How are y'all doing this evening?

Uh the name is Gary Lewis Smith Sr.

Uh my address is on fire.

I am the self-proclaimed mayor of Ocean Way.

You guys heard from me before.

First, you're going to give an honor to God for being the head of my life.

And if this is what is happening, because you are our elected leaders at the local level, where they say politics starts at the local level, and then you go to the state level, then to the federal level.

A doggone grocery store, I see why the news is the way it is right now.

When is the last sometime somebody been in Weird Dixie?

Because the people back behind me saying that weird Dixie is not stopped.

Right?

What if the person that actually has the building?

Shouldn't they be at this meeting?

What are we doing here?

Now I know why DJT has a 22-foot stature with the fist in the air, and he has purple on, which I last time I checked, he's not a Pharisees, right?

And he got somebody touching him and he's praying with a Bible.

Y'all guys got to do something.

It starts at the local level.

If we can't start a doggone grocery store, right?

Giving them money from the Davis family, whoever the hell that is, probably don't even own it.

It's shareholders, rich people, stock people that owns that grocery store.

And one guy said that I'm representing the new store now, and they didn't want any money.

So why are we giving people money to help a desert community?

And then somebody over here said something about what that guy says something about, you don't even know about culture.

Culture is very important.

Very important.

My grandson, first one, 12 granddaughters, one grandson.

I'll be doggone if I don't come here and address you guys.

Because it all starts right there.

But if with what we got to come and listen to y'all fight over grocery store that should have been solved for these people spent their time coming in here tonight, that should all have been working out.

And the weird Dixie guy, he's not giving y'all no answer.

Why should he sit here commit to anything?

When he's dealing with y'all like this, and y'all keep calling the guy up with the tan suit, the weird Dixie guy, extend this far from the mic because they don't want nobody here what the hell they got to say.

Come on, your guys elected.

You got fam you people in here too.

You got a uh a reserved person here, retired military, an evangelist over here.

Come on, I know you know better.

I'm just a citizen.

I ain't no deacon, ain't no pastor, but I know what goes in the mouth is good for man, what comes out of mouth is defiled.

Matthew chapter 15, verses 13 through 14, right?

So y'all need to get y'all S together.

Wells talk.

My address is on file.

I guess we got a good lesson this evening on who controls America, and that's corporate America.

Um, first I want to just say I know sooner or later the jail question is gonna come up again, and we do not want that jail to be built in a predominantly African-American neighborhood.

That should have been made clear to you guys a long time ago.

Second, you continue to refuse to demand that the charges against the three young people who were ripped from their seats and charged with felony, you refuse to call for those charges to be dropped.

And that is just ridiculous.

Nobody else has ever been arrested in this chamber, not even Ben Frazier when he was dragged from this podium.

And the reason you did it was because of the question of Israel.

And the support, the designist community gives you guys.

Let's talk facts.

The rest of what I have to say is directed at Blake Harper.

My name keeps coming out of his mouth.

Maybe what we need to do is have a debate.

It could focus on the campaign that he is leading to ban books by black authors.

It could focus on the support of the genocidal government of Israel that he gives.

It could focus on the support of the overthrow of the Cuban government.

Or how about this one?

Your support for the lunatic right wing convicted felon in the White House.

Your choice.

If you don't pick one, keep my name out of your mouth.

Mr.

Blake Harper.

Next, Vincent Baron.

Hello, my name is Vincent Barone.

My name should be on file.

I thought I was gonna come in.

Well I knew I was coming here tonight, but let me start with this.

You're fighting over 12 million dollars for Win Dixie.

When I found $65,000 a day being burned through our health insurance pension plan.

It is a trap that nobody is discussed, that's been the under uh hidden since 20 to 2022.

All this is on public record.

I went through and I did a forensic analysis on it.

I saw that the executive, I've called the legal branch that does all the accounting for all this stuff, have held our premiums down because they didn't want to raise the premiums on the people.

So now you're burning $65,000 a day, which by the way, that's a $10 million premium, and which Blue Cross Blue Shield pays nothing.

You're naked on it, which means you're self-insured.

Well, where do you go with that?

Well, I looked at our last bond issue.

You never disclosed it.

The legal counsel how you sign off on it, and it was never disclosed in the prospectus.

I have the numbers, I have the pages.

What does that mean?

That means that the underwriters would never have given you a 5% bond rating, knowing that that naked exposure was there.

Now let's go to the next step.

In that bond, that bond made $36 million with the premium that you guys got.

We had the money go.

It got washed to wash the last bond that you guys played.

And I know you guys, but whoever's in those back offices on the accounting doing this, because they're not telling you this.

You know why?

Because if they were telling you this, you guys wouldn't be fighting over 12 million.

They close these silos.

You have to have those silos open.

And I believe that starts with the mayor.

I think the mayor has to put an executive order, freeze the executive counsel, uh the exec um the legal counsel and the accountant, and you need an auditor.

Well, one of the things I specialize is that's the people I bring in.

My people come in, do a clean sweep, allow you to see where all the money is hidden, which you guys don't, you're not allowed to see.

Okay.

And once you get to see it, then you get to have a conversation as where is it go?

Why?

You got shan't $54 million.

It's a hole.

Nobody goes there.

There is not one dollar of support because you guys are worried about, oh, this guy, I'm working worried about a broker.

You don't need brokers.

You're buying everything at retail prices.

You're paid on the bond four million dollars, two million in the prospectus, and then another two million that you didn't see the fees.

You guys are getting ripped off all over the place.

And blue cross-free shield, you're paying them 10 million dollars to administer something.

I can drop that 50%, doing one thing for you guys.

50% where you guys aren't dealing with this, and then I could straighten up.

Straighten up on the bottom.

Next up, Katie Elizabeth, and then after Miss Elizabeth.

Thank you.

Amina Sharif, Lydia Bell, Katrina Spencer, Sally Barnes, and Nathan Valentine.

Is Katie Elizabeth here?

Uh, Mina Sharif.

I see her walking down, so it'll be Amina Sharif, Lydia Bell, Katrina Spencer, Sally Barnes, and Nathan Ballantyne.

Katie Elizabeth was here to speak about JEAST masked account issue ignored for over a year.

Amina Sharif address on file.

Okay.

There's a double standard when it comes down to public comment.

There's a problem.

At the beginning of this session, you had you were whatever recognition you were given for the young men, what have you, you you stood up, applauded, and what have you.

No problem.

Nobody was threatened to be arrested and whatever.

But in the comment public comment section, you got people who are facing criminal charges for clapping, for snapping their fingers.

Something's wrong with the with with that's double standards.

If clapping is wrong, it should be wrong altogether.

You don't clap for what you're acknowledging, and public comment should be just as open for people to support or disagree with whatever's being said.

No one is being heard.

You shouldn't be going to court or threatened with jail for coming to the uh city council meeting.

All right.

Now the other thing about the jail situation.

Someone made a comment just the other day about the condition of the jail house.

It wasn't in the area where the prisoners were.

This was the condition of the jail in the lobby.

Whoever is responsible for keeping these jails up to uh standards, human conditions and whatever, these people should be forced to hire enough people to keep the facility clean, or give the inmates incentives or keeping their areas clean or whatever the case may be.

All right, the other issue is the forensic lab.

We're still fighting that.

The fumes that are coming out of those four vents on top, that's still an environmental issue that should be addressed.

We are being the victims of whatever chemicals are coming out of that building and what have you.

Thank you.

Thank you, Miss Lydia Bell's next.

And it'll be Miss Katrina Spencer and Miss Sally Barnes.

Good evening, Lydia Bell.

Address on file.

First, I like to say I stand with councilwoman to run o'clock Murray in her situation.

If she's removed, then anybody that's being investigated should be removed.

Secondly, I was at the court when the city spent all this time and all this money prosecuting a young lady for uh resisting arrest without violence.

I'm curious of how much money was spent for that case.

The next one has been dropped.

But now Connor Collie got to go to court for two felonies.

I was told that they supposed to bring a film there to show or have an expert to show how he attacked the police.

They're apparently coming with an IA tape.

Because I know what we saw, and the young man was just standing there, but no charges are brought against the police who grabbed him round the neck, pulled him across the chair, and could have killed him.

But Connor is the only one.

Those charges need to be dropped.

Now, going back to the morgue and the forensic lab.

We are suffering out there.

We need to deal with this environmental mental crisis that has been upon us.

We shouldn't have to, like me, I shouldn't have to step on my back on my front porch, 12 o'clock in the morning, and then back in my house because of the odor.

This is an environmental crisis that morgue, that forensic lab need to be moved out of our neighborhood.

It never should have been there.

But to do that to the citizens, I like that the fact that when Dixie and they're working with the 12 million dollars incentive, but I find it rather ironic that when we brought up the issue about the more, the statement was well, if we stop it, it'll cost us five to 10 million dollars.

So you mean to tell me to keep a store here for 12 million dollars, but you won't use our tax money to save our lives because that industrial building shouldn't be in Brentwood at all.

And we're gonna have to find a way to have it removed because we got to live out there.

I would right across the street from a school.

You all should have stopped that, but you didn't.

It got to go.

Thank you.

Thank you, Katrina Spencer.

Katrina Spencer, my address is on foul.

I want to discuss the trash being picked up the city property.

I call to report trash that's in the streets.

That's the city property.

If it was on my property, they will find me, and I will have to pay that fine.

I was told that that's not my responsibility to call in on that.

And the yards need to be cut, and the trash need to be picked up.

And another thing, the morgue, y'all call it the medical center.

It's the morgue.

You can smell the scent when you're coming at your door late at night.

So undoubtedly they're doing whatever they're doing late at night when they think everyone's sleep.

And that should have never been in our neighborhood.

No one will wanna be smelling the scent that's coming out.

And it's a loud scent.

And they're saying they're not doing cremation and everything over there.

Undoubtedly they're doing something with those scents, and that need to be checked on.

Our lives are important to us, and it should be important to y'all.

Thank you.

Thank you, Miss Sally Barnes.

Good afternoon.

My name is Sally Barnes.

My address is on file.

My concern is when the developers come in here, they speak, they take as much time as they want.

And they can come back and readdress it several times.

Well, we are given three minutes.

My concern is that they should be given a time limit too instead of taking up all this time to go back and rehash what they've already gone over back and forth, back and forth.

We're here.

We want to go home too.

And we want to address our concerns.

I think something should be done about that.

If we get three minutes, they should have a time limit that they can put what they plan to do within a certain time.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Nathan Ballantine is the next.

And then the five after that, I believe this is William Upham.

Addison Patrick, Felix Bon Venture, Monique Sampson, and Keanu Blailock, please come in down.

Mr.

Ballantine.

Good.

Good evening.

My name is Nathan Ballantine.

Our farm of Ross Farm is growing at 125 East 7th Street.

Once upon a time, back in 2018, I met with all the city departments at once in the round table hosted to help entrepreneurs start small businesses in Jacksonville.

You see, I had this neighborhood farm dream.

Planning development, code enforcement, building fire, all the folks, all the city folks were there.

I shared, I want to start a market garden in my backyard to feed my neighbors.

This panel of city bureaucrats looked around at each other and finally said, Well, we can't tell you you can do what you want to do, but we also can't tell you you can't do what you want to do.

So go ahead.

And I said, Well, you know, that sounds dangerous.

At the very least, would you advise me of any pitfalls so that I can avoid them?

And they mentioned traffic, permanent structures, uh, and general nuisance concerns.

We grew our subscription UPIC neighborhood farm with this advice from the city, central to how we operated and developed our farm, which all began with a community farm raising and a kids' garden workshop in 2018.

From the beginning, we sought to grow food in the midst of our neighborhood and cultivate community in the midst of our farm.

By 2020, we had so much interest we started a wait list.

By 2023, we'd opened Overalls Farm 2 in the side yard of another neighborhood business.

The week of farm two's farm raising when a hundred of us joined hands to build the farm.

We added as many people to our wait list as farm two would serve.

So we soon started looking for commercial property for Overalls Farm Three to continue feeding and fostering our community.

Along the way, even as we wrestled with over two years to secure our certificate of use to operate legally, our wait list grew to over 500 families across Jacksonville and beyond.

The evident urgent need for food people can trust expressed by our wait list, the yearning for sustainable green space, and the need of opportunities to connect with others in community are only growing.

For these reasons, I'm here again to encourage the behind the scenes moving and shaking that is advancing the Free to Garden Act that will make market and community gardens permissible right.

Thank you so much.

I look forward to working with y'all.

Thank you.

Next up, William Upham.

Can you please restart his clock?

Thank you.

Good evening, ladies.

Good evening, gentlemen.

My name is William Upham.

Address on file.

I'm here to tell you that I'm running for Florida's fifth congressional district.

My campaign.

You can't do that here.

Sorry, Mr.

Yeah.

If you need an explanation from OGC, but you can't come in here and campaign for understood.

You can still take your time to talk about something else, though.

Uh no, I'll pass.

Thank you, sir.

Appreciate it.

All right.

Thank you.

Uh next up, Addison Patrick.

All right.

Uh good evening, Mr.

President and members of the council.

My name is Addison Liberty Patrick, and my address is on file.

I have a few items this evening before I forget.

Definitely support the Free to Garden Act.

Number one, I believe the biggest barrier to civic participation in this or is this alphabet soup of government.

To help, I've developed a quick guide to City Council to explain the general process, the land use and zoning codes, and the lengthy agendas that we see here.

Number two, we need a council that encourages a variety of professional backgrounds on our citizen advisory committees, not just to check a box, but to ensure our decisions are vetted by real-world expertise.

Number three, when we lack that perspective, we lose sight of the basics.

In the new town area at Barnett and State Street West, for a timeframe of at least two months, there were and may still be cones in the middle of the street for either a pothole or missing manhole cover, a hazard that should not take that length of time to address.

Looking at ordinance 2018-295-E as an Edward, the city mandates that 20% of our one-cent gas tax must go to pedestrian improvements.

Yet the code explicitly states, quote, no funds shall be used for sidewalk repair projects.

We are legally mandating the construction of new sidewalks with these funds, while our existing infrastructure in neighborhoods like Newtown is literally crumbling under our feet.

I hear regularly that people fall while walking on our sidewalks.

That's the definition of a broken system.

Unfortunately, it gets worse for the taxpayer.

Under Munissa Code Section 799.101, we have a six cent gas tax running through 2046.

But then there's section 799.201, the five cent tax passed in 2021, which is actually part of that 12 cent uh local total, and it's set to drain the pockets of Jacksonville drivers until December 31st, 2051.

Between federal state, and these local ordinances, Jacksonville citizens are paying close to 60 cents in taxes per gallon.

Obviously, taxpayers in Jacksonville are struggling with rising gas costs of the pump and current ordinances prohibit using some of those funds to fix the sidewalks we already have.

Therefore, we don't need 30-year tax mandates.

We need a repeal of the additional six cent gas tax and a common sense approach to maintenance.

Even President Trump is talking about helping relieve federal gas tax temporarily.

Who is committed to giving the citizens of Jacksonville some immediate financial relief by spearheading a six cent gas tax repeal?

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next up, Felix Bon Venture.

And then Monique Sampson will be after.

My name is Felix Bonventry, and my address is on file.

I would just like to say that I think it is ironic that I just sat through an hour, maybe over an hour.

I wasn't keeping track of argument over whether to spend 12 million dollars on a grocery store.

When this council has decided that JSO's yearly budget is 630 million dollars.

And in 2025, JSO shot seven people who are experiencing a mental health crisis.

JSO should not even have been on the scene for those crises.

I don't understand why 12 million dollars for a grocery store can be argued about for an hour.

630 million dollars for the police can be passed, but we don't have the money for any kind of professional mental health task force that is separate from the police that does not carry guns into situations that does not create violence where violence does not already exist.

That's all I have to say.

Thank you.

Next up is Monique Sampson.

Is Monique Sampson here?

Uh Kiana Blaylock.

Okay.

So Monique Sampson did not write about what she wanted to talk about.

Kiana Blaylock wanted to talk about police accountability.

So with that, the next ones, please come on down.

Jamal Davis, Sarah Posey, Brian Jefferson, Shane Trimbler, and Connor Cavley.

Please come on down if I called you.

So the order I called was Jamal Davis, Sarah Posey, Brian Jefferson, Shane Trimbler, and Connor Cavley.

Is Jamal Davis here?

He's not here.

Okay, thank you.

He did not write what he wished to speak about.

What about Sarah Posey?

It'll be Sarah, Brian, Shane, and Connor.

Good evening.

Um, my name is Sarah Posey.

My address is on file.

I wanted to start by saying that the mic is not loud enough for the people in the back.

It's been really difficult to hear everybody speaking, so whoever's running sound tonight.

Um, I'm here today to discuss the conditions in which the council conducts its public comment and some concerns I have regarding the safety of the public in these chambers, both physical safety and the safety of our rights.

On May 27, 2025, three peaceful participants of the city council meeting were arrested and put in jail.

One of the participants, Connor Collie, who was only standing there filming the arrest of Leah, was violently thrown over a row of chairs right back there.

All three of the folks arrested spent over 24 hours in jail and were brought up on various charges, which have been followed by a year-long legal battle.

Leah Grady, the first person arrested that night is still experiencing nerve damage and one of her wrists from how tightly her hands were cut.

The cited reasoning for these arrests was that there was a disruption of the meeting in the form of clapping that particular night.

There were many instances of clapping by many members of the public.

But the only only the three people, but the only three people who were arrested.

So sorry.

Only three people were arrested and brought to jail.

Um it was argued that these three people were not singled out.

We know them as engaged, outspoken members of their communities, members who at the time were regular attendees at City Council, who brought the fight for a free Palestine to these chambers.

It concerns me, and it should concern you too that it seems not everyone is treated equally during public comment.

Why is it that everyone else who clapped that day got a warning, but Leah's clapped resulted in such brutality?

In addition to these confusing this confusing selectivity, during the trial of Leah Grady, a handful of city council members claimed that officers serving as sergeant of arms in these chambers received special training to do so.

When two of the arresting officers, Aliaga Ruiz and Davis, were questioned at the stand about the special training, they confirmed that they had not received such training.

Now, both arresting officers, Davis and Aliaga Ruiz, have previously received domestic violence injunctions.

These are people with a history of violence, which we saw happen in front of us that evening.

It was also claimed by city council members that when escorted out of the chambers, constituents are brought to a secondary room with screens to watch the remainder of the meeting, yet the arresting officers had not heard of such a room.

And so it seems that the overall communication between the council and the sergeant of arms have been subpar to the point of threatening the safety of the participants in these chambers.

I want to believe in good faith that you have no true interest in selectively silencing participants from exercising their right to freedom of expression, and that you yourself want these chambers to be safe for the public, and so I urge the council to consider these threats to the democracy.

Thank you.

Next up, Brian Jefferson.

My name is Brian Jefferson, and my address is on file.

In 2025, there were seven JSO shootings related to mental health crises.

That's seven lives that were unnecessarily lost at the hand of JSON.

Brian Gillis was one of them.

And I'm going to tell you a little about Brian Gillis.

He was about 30 years old and he had a history of mental health struggles.

He had been baker-acted multiple times in the past, but no criminal history.

His mother called 911 requesting a mental health evaluation, not an arrest.

A mental health professional arrived on the scene.

Officer Kayla Boomgarner saw Gillis 60 or 70 feet away.

Boom Garner dropped his taser and fired seven shots at Gillis as he ran away.

A former federal prosecutor called this shooting horrific.

Gillis' uncle asks, You knew he had mental health issues.

Why couldn't you tase him?

Even with a mental health professional on scene, JSO still exerted excessive force and broke their own policy.

Brian Gillis should still be with us today.

Brian Gillis should still be with us today.

And there are thousands of people who live with mental health issues here in Jacksonville.

They're your friends, they're your family, they're your neighbors, and their families are put in a difficult position when one of their loved ones has an episode and they have to call for help because JSO does not de-escalate situations like this.

We have seen time and time again that they fear for their lives and they shoot.

A mental health crisis agent or officer should be there to respond to these situations rather than a police officer who's going to issue their own death sentence.

The community deserves guaranteed precautions ensuring the actions of these officers and that they will not engage in such violent acts when dealing with people who are clearly struggling with their mental health.

Jacksonville needs to create a permanent mental health emergency response team.

We need professionals and not patrol cars.

We need to require officers on mental health calls, radio confirmed de-escalation and non-lethal force only.

We want to see real consequences for officers who use excessive force, and we want to see the families who are affected by these killings get closure.

We want to see them get the records immediately, within seven business days.

Cause imagine having to sit on this for months, if not years, after already losing a loved one.

And lastly, we're demanding that you demand that the charges are dropped for Connor and Leah.

Clapping only leads to violence when city council representatives sick the police on citizens.

Shane Trembler.

I'm sorry, baby Trimblay.

Good afternoon, Council.

My name is Shane Tremblay.

My address is on file.

I'm here today to address what I would consider to be the hostile environment of City Council meetings that jeopardizes the democracy and free expression that can take place in these chambers.

On May 27th, 2025, three peaceful participants of the City Council meeting were arrested and put in jail.

One of the participants, Connor Collie, was violently thrown over a row of chairs.

The cited reasoning for these arrests was a disruption in the form of clapping.

There are many instances of people clapping that night, including tonight as well.

But only three people were arrested and brought to jail that night.

Those argue that these three people were not singled out.

We know them as engaged and outspoken members of their communities and people who brought the fight for free Palestine to these chambers.

All three spent over 24 hours in jail and were brought up on various charges, which were followed by a year-long legal battle.

Leah Grady, the first person arrested that night, is still experiencing nerve damage in one of her wrists because of how tightly her hands were cuffed.

During the trial of Leah Grady, a handful of city council members claimed that officers serving as sergeant of arms in these chambers received special training.

When two of the arresting officers, Aliag and Davis, were questioned at the stand about the special training, they claim to know nothing about it.

There's a discrepancy here.

If these officers aren't given special training, it could explain why Aliaga decided to throw a non-violent person over a row of chairs.

Both arresting officers, Davis and Aliaga, had previously received domestic violence injunctions.

These are people with a history of violence.

Violence had expressed itself that evening.

Three individuals who are behaving no differently than others in these chambers were singled out, physically assaulted, put in jail, and are still dealing with the resulting legal battles.

I believe this sets a dangerous precedent for these meetings and what may happen to participants if they meet some unknown criteria that deems them worthy of being arrested.

I urge the council to consider the three these threats to democracy and physical safety of your constituents and to make the necessary changes to undo them.

To start, dropping all charges against Connor Collie and supporting the appeal process for Leah Grady, which showed good faith in restoring this trust.

Officers with known violent histories should not be serving as sergeant of arms, and special training should be required for anyone tasked with keeping order and safety in these chambers.

And in the spirit of safety, I also stand with all of the demands of the Jacksonville Community Action Committee and for officers not to be responding to mental health crisis, and instead we have mental health professionals doing that.

Thank you.

Next up is Connor Collie and the last six speakers.

Please come on down.

Blake Harper, Denise Scott, Trey Ford, Kelly Frazier, Charles Barr, and John Newton.

Mr.

Collie.

Address is on file.

Once again, extend that invitation to anyone who wants to join in the fight against the repression imposed on the working people of Jacksonville by our leadership.

Facing 10 years for simply speaking out against a genocide, what was done to me can be done to anyone else in this room tonight.

That's what I'm here with JPSN to speak about, speak about today.

Officers Donovan Davis, Mikhail Aliaga Ruez, are not only allowed to remain in the positions here at City Council as sergeants at arms after violently flipping me by the neck over a bench and causing permanent damage to my friend Leah's wrist, but we're hired to that position with a past history of domestic violence.

So instead of fostering a safe and democratic space for the constituents, city council hires these violent cops to intimidate and attack us instead of listening to the needs of the people.

Just like the JCAC have said, we need care, not cops, stop dumping our city's budget into a violent, corrupt police department and hiring cops who beat women to intimidate us at these meetings instead focus on better mental health solutions for the city.

Like I said, I'm facing up to 10 years simply for attending one of these meetings.

I know the council knows that's wrong, so we demand that the council urges the state to drop these trumped up charges.

Once again, I invite everyone here to help us pat the courtroom on the 19th.

This wasn't just an attack on myself and Leah, but on all the working people at Jacksonville who struggled to have their voices heard.

We will continue fighting those charges and we will win.

Next up, Blake Harper.

Can you reset the three?

Thank you.

Good evening, council members, council vice president.

Um is Blake Harper, information on file.

First of all, I have to apologize to you.

I broke out in a glorious gleeful response when Wells Todd mentioned my name.

I guess I am actually now the 20th uh city council member as he ordained me to be, because he's attacking me.

To his response about a debate, I'd like to share with you something that Thomas Sowell once said.

Excuse me.

It is usually futile to try to talk facts and analysis to people who are enjoying a sense of moral superiority and their ignorance.

That is interesting.

The word for the day is gerrymandering.

The word for the day is getting uh elected districts to correspond to what Martin Luther King wanted or claimed for us to do or look at the character of the person, not the color of the skin.

It started with Mississippi, where it Mississippi ended the um ended the racial gerrymandering.

Then Virginia tried to reset their entire state, saying it was fair to have 10 Democrats and one Republican.

Well, if you take a look at what we have here, we have eight states who have over uh 20% of our population is Republicans, but they have no uh representation, they have no suffrage.

Then, of course, there's Illinois that has 53 has 53% of the votes, but they have 82% of the states.

There's this nonsense going on about what's going on with uh gerrymandering and racial and redistricting.

The reality is turnabout is fair play.

And the reality is we are now looking at a situation where fair is fair.

It wasn't fair before, 10 to 1 wasn't fair.

Um, 82% of the house seats going to in Illinois to Democrats when they only hold 53% of the vote.

The eight to eight states, uh, typically in the Northeast, who have over two uh two million, two hundred thousand Republicans not getting any any votes.

That's not fair.

It's about time we got things fixed.

And by the way, God bless Donald J.

Trump.

Next up, Denise Scott.

And then after Miss Scott will be Trey Ford, Kelly Frazier, Charles Barr, John Nooney.

You're next, Mr.

Ford.

After her, yeah.

Good evening.

My name is Denise Scott, and my address is all file.

Um, racism has always occupied the throne in this country.

Race racism has always been the front man and fascism is the play.

Everyone knows that racism is why we needed a civil rights bill and a voting rights bill, and now we all know that racism is why we no longer have these protections.

We get it.

The DLP has a war on black Americans, and guess what?

We're gonna fight with everything in us, and we won't quit, and we definitely won't surrender.

There's a strong movement taking place in America that is attempting to erase black history.

Whitewash slavery suppress voting rights, favorably preserve the Confederacy, cipher the democratic process, undermine the Constitution, and eliminate diversity.

The main reason is because the United States never properly condemned the Confederacy.

Had they all, had they all put the Confederacy in front of that firing squad, as they should have when they surrendered, we wouldn't have maybe we wouldn't have so much hatred here in 2026.

I heard a young man ask the question if white supremacy is so supreme, why is it that y'all always working so hard to make everything so difficult for black people?

It seems like instead of wearing the white robes and the hoods, some of you now wear the suits and ties.

But how dare this council try to investigate them when some of you are under the investigator or should be investigated?

The Fox cannot guard the chicken house.

I'm still waiting on the outrage from that um text, that infamous text from Council President to the JE board member.

He's being investigated.

Um I'm waiting on the outrage from areas.

Isn't he being investigated?

Just because you stepped down from that finance committee, doesn't you still on the committee?

The definition of integrity is to be honest, ethical, and having a moral principle, even when no one's watching.

Well, that was what Claude Murray did.

She self-reported the incident to authorities.

Before the proper authorities can complete a thorough get uh investigation, we got our resident Grand Wizard Diamond already calling for her removal.

Where was he calling for removal for his other colleagues?

But then the question becomes have you been thoroughly investigated concerning your charity?

Speaking of our grand wizard um Diamond, now he says that because of what the Supreme Court did last week, that Jacksonville City Council should withdraw their map, redraw the maps.

This has always been a majority republic council in this city.

How much more Republican majority can you get?

I'll say this.

If you want to redraw the maps, let's start with getting rid of these five at large seats.

They're useless.

Next up, Trey Ford.

Uh Trey Ford, my address is on file.

Grand Park Agricultural District once again.

And I really just want to talk about the uh 12 million of Win Dixie one more time.

Uh I know it was said that it was a win-win.

Um, you know, I would say maybe pass-fail.

It was a C for me.

I want to commend uh Councilman Gaffney, uh, Councilman Gay, uh, Councilman Peluso for pushing back a little bit because I do think that we could have gotten more uh from Wendix.

Uh and really we're being very reactive.

Uh, the fact that it's gonna all of a sudden become a food desert.

Um, you know, where was that three, four or five years ago when it could have been addressed proactively?

Uh, and proactively is things like the Right to Garden Act, proactively is refunding Duval Swan Water Conservation District, who does a start farming mentorship so that again citizens can take matters into their own hands.

This council has a lot of fight in them.

Um let's stop playing not to lose and play to win.

Thank you.

Thank you, Kelly Frazier.

And colleagues, this is the uh two-card warning if you're in the green room.

Hello, my name is Kelly Frazier, address on file, and I am the president of the North Side Coalition of Jacksonville.

As Trey just mentioned, we can be proactive as we have three years to come up with a solution to the Wendyxie ordeal.

I am a resident of the North Side, and as president of an organization founded on the principles that this community will no longer be the routinely ignored section of the city, I am here to talk about the future of the Duval County jail.

While the city looks for an area to pin this facility on, we ask that you do not consider the north side.

Liquor stores, morgues, and food deserts plague the north side.

But as my father, Benjamin Frazier used to say, we are accepting the baton in a relay of civil rights history, and that race does not include us running backwards into further marginalization.

My father often spoke of the difference between political cowardice and political courage.

It would be an act of political cowardice to place a billion dollar jail in a community that is already fighting for basic needs, like a grocery store.

True political courage would be choosing to invest in our people rather than our incarceration.

We know that there is money to invest in things like jobs, affordable housing, finding and agreeing on ways to eliminate food deserts in the areas that have them, and positive activities for our youth and finding solutions for JSON addressing mental health.

I ask that you invest in these revitalization of the north side of Jacksonville.

I would also like to bring attention to a piece of legislation coming tonight, the ordinance 2026 0364.

This ordinance is a direct assault on the rights of every citizen in this room, regardless of what side of town you are on.

This bill seeks to strip away the public hearings and hand over ungoverned power to a single non-elected administrator.

It creates the developer fast track that allows for automatic approvals.

If the city fails to act in just 30 days, this is an invitation for backroom deals that leaves every neighborhood in the dark.

The appeal process, this ordinance creates a fee of $650.

For many people in Jacksonville, $650 is a month's worth of groceries, a car payment, or money that could go towards the utility bill.

By attaching $650 to this, you are ensuring that only those that can afford it will have a voice in our city's growth.

This fee is a deliberate economic hardship designed to silence those who can't afford it.

Do not price your constituents out of democracy.

Stop this ordinance, and please understand that the community members of the north side of Jacksonville do not want the jail on the north side.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Charles Barr.

Good evening, Charles Barr.

My information's on foul.

Good evening, Mr.

President, Vice President, Council, good to see you guys.

You know, uh, I know most of you guys personally talk to you.

I speak to all of you at some point in time.

And I just want to say my hat's off to you for sitting up there.

You take butt chewings all the time.

I think that in my role that I play, and you get you guys know what I do.

Uh, I catch heat from right and left sometimes, but not near as much as y'all.

So my hat's off to you, whether you're on the left side or the right side of the aisle.

Y'all got an important job.

You put up with the stuff that you put up with.

Look here.

I know you guys are considered part-time, you get paid a certain amount, but let me just say I'll be the first one uh to push to get you guys double your pay.

Uh you deserve it.

Well, some of the stuff you put up with.

And to the officers here, Officer Gay and these other officers and TK uh Sheriff TK Warders, I want to thank them for the job they do.

Look, sometimes they mess up, we all mess up.

Uh, and sometimes it's bad, but they put their life out there on the line.

Officer gay here and the other one, they're standing here protecting you guys.

So, some some fool comes up here rushing you, they're gonna risk their life for you.

And I want to thank each and every one of you guys for that.

And set them up here, and I got uh two minutes left.

I think there's a bill 2026-265 that's got to do with apprenticeship.

You know, there's some people that go around town and they complain about everything, every single bit of the money that's spent.

And I'll tell you, I'll be the first one that complains about some wasted money, and I've seen some wasted money come out of this council and other and other departments, and I'll be the first one to tell you about that.

But not everything that y'all vote on is wasteful.

And this one here's got to do apprenticeships.

So I went through apprenticeship 42 years ago, Councilman Gay, something like that.

Somewhere around 42 years ago, I'm an electrician by trade.

I'm a 38-year member of the IBW, 32 member year member of the Teamsters, and there's nothing like apprenticeship.

We need we need uh construction workers, we need those tradesmen out there.

Trust me, this the country is lacking in tradesmen.

You can see uh, I forgot his name, the guy on TV that always talks about trades.

We need that.

And if you guys can vote to help the trades, help the help the electricians, the plumbers.

Uh, I know Lance is back here somewhere with the sheet metal workers.

Every one of them, we need to support those trade schools because what they do is they produce construction workers or tradesmen.

I work at an industry.

Not everybody is cut out for college.

Not everybody can afford college or pass tests to get into college.

Some people go to trade schools.

And we need that support.

And I hope that you guys will unanimously vote for that bill or whatever it is when it comes up in a little while, because we need to support the trade schools.

That little bit of time I run for council a few years ago, I went all around the district talking about how we need a trade because there were so many young men that didn't have a job, and they could have become electricians or plumbers or carpenters or whatever.

So I'm asking for your support on that.

Thanks.

Thank you, Mr.

Barr.

Our last public commenter is Mr.

John Nooney.

Hello.

I am John Philanthropic, Jelly Roll, a good boy, resiliency nooney.

8356 Baskum Road, Xville, Florida, 32216.

I'm in City Council District 4.

CPAC, Planning District 3, School Board District 3.

Governor Ron DeSantis, Pardon Nooney.

You know, 2024 is 0107.

Now that was a 3.5 million dollar direct contract for JU.

You know, I missed the ribbon cutting ceremony.

Now it was the JU College of Law.

Now you can pull the tape, but I wanted to see the College of Law.

Now I was trespassed and warned.

JSO told me that Tim Cost and JU can remove the trespass.

It's real.

It's lifetime.

Now the next topic, ethics is gone in Duval County, Jacksonville.

Now at an ethics commission meeting with Kirby Oberdorfer, Dylan Reingold, I asked.

We have six seat packs representing the entire city of Jacksonville, the mayor's disability council, you know, the wheelchair gang, the council on elder affairs, the senior citizen gang, you know, Robin Lang, Donnie Olton.

Why is OGC, the Office of General Counsel, not represented at these meetings?

Now these meetings, I mean, it's the wild we're at West.

Right now, Raymond Day is the chair of the True Commission and is the CPAC 3 representative and has destroyed the public trust.

Okay, next topic.

Okay, you know, we're making a movie.

You know, OED, the Office of Excellent Directors.

I'm just down to a minute.

You know, we've got, you know, Ed Rambo, Randolph, Gregory, Jasub Grant, Todd, Red Carpet Rubin.

I mean, if you have a shirt, you're in the movie.

You know, there's gonna be uh also, you know, we're coming out with uh with our hats.

You know, here's a play.

This is uh, you know, play off the FWC, the Fish Wildlife Commission, you know, fishing with council, fishing with Congress, fishing with Chris, you know, uh fishing with Charles Scooter Barr.

I mean, you we'll have to get him a shirt.

You know, but right now, just down to 30 seconds, but what I really want to share with you is that public access on our waterways.

It's the worst ever.

Here's the Northeast Florida Regional Council, you know, uh, and here's the Resilient Jacks.

You know, I'm in this thing four times, only down 10 seconds.

Filled out a bunch of speaker cards.

But when it comes to tourism, open up our waterways.

Thank you for listening.

Mr.

President, those are our last speakers.

I'm gonna read into the record.

A few uh cards did not wish to speak.

Tony Langles, uh, vote no on 2026 364.

Ian Faith, care not cops, drop the charges on Connor Cave.

Loretta Patterson put do not wish to speak, and then did not fill out anything.

Joseph Moore, the use of force on Jack's citizens is unacceptable and needs change.

Dan Cordy passed the people's budget, fire officers with histories of violence, James Edwards vote no on ordinance 2026 364.

And I believe this is Avery Holbrook.

Tax dollars should be used to help our community and people in crisis.

That concludes our public comments.

And with that, Mr.

President, it's now time for public hearings starting on page 11.

Council members should declare any ex parte communications.

Anyone wishing to speak on the following bill should have completed a blue speaker card, and you will be allowed three minutes to speak.

You may say your address is on record, but you're encouraged to be specific with your location as that may impact the weight given to your comments.

Like public comment, a speaker may be invited to green room for further discussion at a council member's discretion.

Mr.

Teal, please read the bills.

2026, 273, 274, 275, 276, 307, 308, 309, 310, 312, 313, 314, 315, 316, 317, 318, 320, 321, 322, 323, 324, 325, 327, 328, 329, 330, 331, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336, 337, 358, 362, 363, 364, 2026, 122, 123, 126, 127, 168, and 169.

These public hearings are all open.

I'm 13 and 14, 2026, 274, 275, no speaker cards.

These public hearings are closed.

Item 15, 2026, 276, one speaker card, questions only, Annabelle Susi.

Public hearings closed.

Item 16, 2026 0307, one speaker card, questions only, Annabelle Susie.

Public hearings closed.

Item 17, 2026 308, questions only, Annabelle Susie.

Public hands closed.

Item 18, 2026 0309.

I have two speaker cards, Bonnie Smart and Denise Journagan.

Bonnie Smart or Janice Denise Jernigan.

And uh ladies and gentlemen, if you wish to speak on anything else remaining on tonight's agenda, we just ask that you move forward a little so when we do call you up, you can get to the uh podium and start your three minutes sooner.

Good afternoon.

My name is Bonnie Smart.

My address is on file.

We got a letter for rezoning for entrance to a piece of property that is being cut off of our neighbors.

I would say, but they don't have a right of way to our street.

R Street is a private road, it has been like that for over a hundred years.

Nobody ever give them access off of our private road to start out with.

Now they're wanting to cut a new driveway through there to make it for some property that they have uh gave to one of their family members.

But the letter that we've got in the map that was sent to us, this is not correct.

This is not how the land goes.

On ours, you can see where we have a pond in the back.

On there, you do not see their pond.

And the property that they are wanting to rezone is a pond.

Over half of that property that they're wanting to put a resident on is the pond.

Now I do know for a fact that they use Davidson Farm Road, and they're not supposed to, but they have been bringing tractor trailers down through our road, flatbed trucks, all the deliveries for their company, which is our road is just one way in and one way out.

It's a dead end.

It's only a one-lane road.

Most of the people that live on this street is family.

A lot of them are disabled, and we have a lot of medical vehicles that have to come in and out.

We do not need a business ran and their vehicles running up and down our street, blocking our way to get in and out, which that's happened quite a few times.

They run off their ditch because they have if anybody tries to go past them, somebody's got to go in the ditch, and that has happened.

Culverts are being smashed in.

Our road signs at the end of our private road has been torn down, our stop signs is being torn down.

This has to stop.

This is not what this street was made for.

It was the easement for the family that live on there, not for someone that has property that runs beside us to come in and make them a driveway to property that goes to the back of their property.

It's being given to a family member, so they can give their access to what they're using now, which is to be Yellow Bluff Road.

That is their address, not Davidson Farm Road.

This is a disgrace to the ones that live on that street because they're having to deal with all the deliveries, all the backup.

You have to wait till they get done unloading their equipment for their company or whatever it is they're running to get by.

And it's it's uncalled for.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Denise Chernigan.

I apologize if I mispronounced your last name there.

Good evening, everybody.

My name is Denise Jernigan.

Address on file.

I am also one of the residents that live on Davidson Farm Road, which is a private dirt road that the property owners are responsible for maintaining.

Uh we are formally opposing the request for the waiver of road uh front road furniture road printage.

Sorry about that.

Umils were sent to Councilman Gaffney from a lot of the residents that live on our dirt road, there's maybe 20 families all opposing this as well.

The application that was submitted states that they have access to an easement that allows them to use Davidson Farm Road.

The applicant, if that is true, it was given back in 1985.

And now that the applicant has an established and functional entrance directly off of Yellow Bluff Road, which is their address, the usage of Davidson Farm Road is no longer valid.

Um we will also be issuing a voluntary request to terminate the existing easement if there is one on file due to it no longer serving the purpose that it held when it was originally given in 85.

At this time we ask that the application be denied.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And uh Mr.

Denise Miss Bonnie, your district council member uh Reggie Gaffney Jr.

would like to talk to you in the Bob Johnson room along with uh Miss Abney from our uh planning department, if y'all would like to uh go through there, thank you.

I have no more speaker cards.

Public hearing is closed.

2026 310.

I have four speaker cards.

Come on down if you're here to speak on 310.

I have a Robert Reinhart, a Megan uh starts with a G.

I cannot read the last name.

Uh Jamie Crawford and a I believe this is Richard Michael Smith.

So if I called any of those names here to speak on bill 2026 310, that is the bill taking place in District 12.

Please come on down.

I'm gonna call these names one more time.

I do not see anyone walking down.

Robert Reinhardt, Megan starts with a GR cannot read the rest.

Jamie Crawford or Richard Michael Smith are any of those here.

Okay, just for the record.

Uh all four of those people oppose this ordinance, and I have no more speaker cards.

Okay, closed.

I'm 2021 22, 2026, 312, 313, 314.

I have no speaker cards.

Public hearings are all closed.

I'm 23, 2026, 315, one speaker card, John Nooney.

Mr.

Nuny, you are next three or four cards.

Please speak directly to the bill that you're up there to speak on.

Hello.

I am John J.

Nooney, Jacksonville City Council resolution 2023 0819.

I'm in City Council District 4, CPAC 3 School Board District 3.

And Address Mr.

Nooney.

It's off Mills, South Side.

Um, really back straight up to Pottsburg Creek.

Okay, uh this ordinance approve the Harbor Waterway Dependent Special District.

And, you know, it's in neighborhoods and finance, but not in waterways.

You know, waterways meets tomorrow.

You know, at 9 30.

You know, these used to always go to waterways.

And when you open up the uh, you know, for those that are here, you open up the agenda to page three.

City council auditor Purchasing cards, P Card, audit report Number 904.

Received April 28th, 2026, City Council Auditor, Council District Discretionary Fund, Second Quarterly Report.

Received April 29th 2026.

Well, the reason I'm just bringing this to people's attention because the next bill also has to do with special districts, and with waterways, we're creating more and more of these special districts.

So anyway, you know, if it came before waterways, you could see how some of these special districts are they being successful.

They're not successful.

You know, we were in a meeting earlier with with two different uh CRAs, you know, the King Soutel and Renew Arlington.

You know, you put things in place, but you know what?

A couple of years later, things may not be working out the way you would hope that they would work out.

So here is an opportunity for the city council representative to go and maybe pull some money from, you know.

Uh, because I'll tell you what, P cards, you know, at that report, you got millions right there.

They were talking about.

And so anyway, uh, I just want to get on the record.

You know, I'm only just down to 40 seconds, but you know, uh, again, this should be in waterways.

Everything used to go to the waterways commission.

And I can I'd be more than happy to show everybody, you know, past agendas on this stuff.

Okay.

That's it.

And uh I'll speak to the next one.

Thank you.

No more speaker cards, public hands closed.

It's 24, 2026, 316, one speaker card, John Nooney.

All right.

Uh I am John J.

Nooney, Jacksonville City Council resolution 2023 0819.

I'm in City Council District 4, CPAC 3, School Board District 3.

Uh 8356 Baskum Road, Jacksonville, Florida, 32216.

You know, it's a dead end street.

There's uh sandwiched between two private roads.

Uh backs up to Pottsburg Creek.

Okay, this is Miller's Creek dependent special district.

You know, uh, be also nicest to have the council uh districts.

I know this one, you know, I would I'm thinking it's right down off of uh Beach Boulevard, but uh same thing, it's gonna be in neighborhoods and finance, but not waterways.

You know, you want these to go before waterways, you wanna hear the success or the failure, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the public access that ever all these waterway uh special districts are fortunate to have so uh anyway uh again.

If you just go and look, there's two potential actually, there's lots of money around.

So uh, and just for the record, in the past, anyone can make a motion, and here's other evidence if you'd like to the chair that these could be sent to waterways, and uh I just hope that would be a consideration.

Alright, thank you for listening.

No more speaker cards, and no motion, public hands closed.

Item 25, 2026, 317, uh, no speaker cards.

Public hands closed.

I'm 26, 2026, 318, one speaker card, John Nooney.

Right, okay.

Oh, I'm the only speaker on this.

All right, I am John J.

Noone, Jacksonville City Council resolution 2023 0819, City Council District 4, CPAC 3, School Board District 3, 83 56, Baskum Road, Jacksonville, Florida, 32216.

This wow, um we're gonna be adding a filing fee of $10 for violations of the Jacksonville Ordinance.

Mr.

Nene, you're reading what's written down.

Well, I wasn't reading all of it.

I I mean, gosh, are you all right?

Well, let's increase it to $20 bucks.

Okay, do I hear 30?

Can we go back to the P cards?

We got a couple million in this one.

Yeah.

I'm just okay.

Mr.

Nooney, if you don't know about the bill, don't come up and just ramble.

Come on, man.

Well, look, this is a big fee.

I mean, you know, it's in neighborhoods, rules, finance.

You know, you send that this one to waterways.

You know, um, but okay.

You know, again, a ten dollar, and we're going to add a new subsection section for assessing a filing fee for violation.

The Jacksonville ordinance code.

I know we're getting ready to change everything.

Everything.

So uh I'm just surprised I'm the only one speaking on it.

All right.

I have no more speaker cards.

Public hands close.

I'm 27, 2026, 320, 2 speaker card.

John Nooney does not wish to speak, but he supports it.

Vincent Barone, are you still out there?

Come on down.

I like to Vincent Barone, Jacksonville.

I like to explain the difference between a guarantee and an if.

I was in Atlantic City with my friends.

We were going one hotel to another, and a bunch of prostitutes came over to our car, and they said, Oh, come on, honey, come on.

I said, No, no, no.

The girl said, Sir, let's get on the bill quicker.

I am.

Yeah, okay.

I am.

Let me finish the story.

Let me finish the story.

I get it.

So anyway.

So anyway, the girl says to me, she says, What's the matter, honey?

You didn't want to pay for it.

And I point at my wedding ring, and I said, I already did.

That's the guarantee.

That's the if.

That's the versus the guarantee.

When I'm looking at the way this pension plan is set up, Susie Wiles put this plan together to for it to be guaranteed.

The lockbox was picked by the executive branch and the general counsel.

So now you're leaving the deficit.

Um almost 60% that these firemen and fire people in the future can have an if, just like Social Security.

And you took away the guarantee.

And you guys aren't addressing that because you're worried about how you're going to get it.

I'm telling you guys, if you don't open up and start looking at the boxes, they're gonna rob the money from you.

If you have a guarantee, you take the guarantee.

You don't tell them the the financial areas to put it in bond issues where they roll the money into another.

It's like it's like when you refinance your credit card debt.

That's what they do.

We have 36 million dollars in profit on a bond that was issued.

Where's the money?

Where is the money?

The reason why is because they took that to wash the other bonds.

They keep rolling it out to 20 years in the future.

Well, let me tell you what 20 years is that's 300 million dollars in interest payments that we pay on it.

So you want to stop me from saying something that's that's that you may think that's inappropriate.

There's nothing more inappropriate than taking the money from the people.

You guys are in the districts, and Ms.

Pittman, I like to talk to you for a second.

You have a flyover country.

These people can't give you the money because it's in silos, it's there.

It's there.

You can't get to it because the executive branch, not the three tells you, tells you you're gonna have you don't have an option to get to it, and that's not right.

The the mayor has the right to open all this, and I have the team that can get together and open up all these things.

Thank you.

I have no more speaker cards.

Public hearings closed.

I'm 28, 29, 30, 31, and 32, 2026, 321, 322, 3232, 324, 325.

I have no speaker cards.

All these public hearings are closed.

33, 2026, 327, one speaker card, John Nooney.

Hello, I am John J.

Nooney, Jacksonville City Council Resolution 2023 0819.

When city council District four, CPAC Planning District three, school board District three, Ocho Trace, and Co Says, Bascom Road, Jacksonville, Florida, 32216.

Backs up to Pottsburg Creek, which really believe it or not, connects to the Emerald Trail.

So here we're going to be appropriating 12 and a half million dollars from the Emerald Trail.

Hogan's Creek to the River Walk.

Other construction costs.

I mean, this thing is massive.

And it's uh in here again, it's neighborhoods, rules, TEU finance, but it's not in waterways.

And you look at what it's going to be doing.

You know, we're settlement of claims and suits.

You know, we're my gosh.

You know, it's that's a ton of dough.

And uh so anyway, we're going to authorize the chief of the real estate division, department of public works, you know, the direction of engineering.

You know, this is this is some you know big stuff, but you know, here's the bottom line.

When this goes through the committee, ask where today on Hogan's Creek, you can launch stand-up paddle board or kayak, launch legally.

And uh, you know, and I'm serious about that because there's every piece, and I've got dozens of pieces of legislation that I can just share with you.

And you know what?

Remember this too.

We just created a parks trust fund 2026, 004.

And then also, we just passed 2026-0024.

You know, that's uh FWC, fishing with Clara.

You know, and uh, you know, there's more of this, but I'll be speaking on on it.

I'm just down to 40 some seconds.

But again, you know, uh, no, this is waterways stuff, and you know, uh, well, open our waterways, please.

No more speaker cards.

Public errors closed.

I'm 34, 35, 36, 37, 2026, 328, 329, 330, 331, no speaker cards.

These public hearings are all closed.

I'm 38, 2026, 332, one speaker card, John Nooney.

All right.

Hello.

I am John Philanthropic Jelly Roll.

Good boy, resiliency Nooney, 8356, Baskom Road, Jacksonville, Florida, 32216, City Council District 4, CPAC Planning District 3, School Board District 3.

Governor Ron DeSantis, Pardon Nooney.

All right, now this is one, okay.

Authorize the mayor, the corporate secretary.

This is a second amendment to the agreement with JU to renew the agreement.

Now, you know, this is a neighborhoods finance, okay.

This is the it is in waterways.

But remember this.

You know, the environmental protection board.

You know, that these used to come before the environmental protection board.

And I'll tell you something.

You know, uh, the reason I want to speak on it, you know, uh, you know, public hearings with the environment, they don't happen anymore.

And the reason I also want to speak with it is, you know, I really do need that part.

Because with J U.

Mr.

Nuny, your pardon has nothing to do with this bill.

Well, it's J U.

You know, and and the whole thing is, you know, when we are whole, you know, handing out all this money, you know, to protect some of these not-for-profits or special interest groups.

Yeah, you better be concerned about it.

All right, thank you for listening.

No more speaker cards.

Public hearings closed.

I'm 394041, 2026, 333, 334, 335, no speaker cards.

Public hearings closed.

Item 42, 2026, 336, one speaker card.

Mr.

John Nooney does not wish to speak, but he supports this.

Public errors closed.

I'm 43, 2026, 337.

I have no speaker cards.

Public hearings closed.

Item 44, 2026, 358.

John Nooney does wish to speak.

Hello.

I am John J.

Nooney.

Jacksonville City Council resolution 2023 0819.

Oh, Joe Trace, 506, Baskum Road, Jacksonville, Florida, 3216.

City Council District 4, CPAC 3, School Board District 3.

Now again, here's another one.

Neighborhoods rules, TEU, but not in waterways.

I tell you, this is big stuff.

Storage of vehicles or vessels, vessels.

And you know, you know, you got uh the co-sponsors, council member gay and co-sponsored council member Pelusa, you know, waterway guys.

You know, and so again, you know, this should be in waterways.

This is massive.

You know, it's the state of Florida.

This is big stuff when it comes when it comes to the watercraft.

And uh, so anyway, you know, I just wanted to get on on the record.

You know, uh I again I'm surprised that no one else is filling out cards on this stuff.

Thank you for listening.

Stay there, Mr.

Nini.

I have no more speaker cards.

Public hands closed.

Item 45, 2026, 362, one speaker card, John Nooney.

Hello.

I am John J.

Nooney, Jacksonville, City Council, resolution 2023 0819.

8356, Baskom Road, Jacksonville, Florida, 32216.

I'm in City Council District 4, CPAC Planning District 3, School Board District 3.

Now this one, you know.

Address Mr.

Nini.

8356 Baskam Road, Jacksonville, Florida, 32216.

And so okay, I got two minutes.

But here's an ordinance 5,200,000 from the general fund operating youth empowerment.

This is kids' hope alliance stuff.

And you know, I was at last night's Greater Arlington CPAC meeting.

And here's Kids Hope Alliance, right here.

And the guy, we fund programs, we don't operate them.

Now, the reason I've been going to the Kids Hope Alliance is because you know, and when you read this, you're looking at benefiting youth.

What I want everyone to understand, and this only happened a year ago, but there are three potential find.

That's a Florida Inland Navigation District.

They're meeting this, you know, this month.

Mr.

Nooney find has nothing to do with this bill whatsoever.

Actually, you know, it has everything to do with it.

You know, and the same thing with the Northeast Florida Regional Council.

No, that doesn't track either, Mr.

Nooney.

We're gonna go ahead and okay.

Well, several times you're done on this one.

Next one.

Mr.

President, that's my only speaker card.

No, no, no.

No, this is JCB's stuff.

This is everything.

Mr.

Nooney, we're on the city.

Okay, kids.

You're done.

Sit down.

Item 46, 2026, 363.

Mr.

President, the next two I do have a uh about 10 each for uh these two.

I have a combination of those that wish to speak that I'm gonna call now.

I'm gonna call on Councilmember Diamond first to make a quick announcement regarding the next two bills.

Thank you.

Uh so as far as uh number 46, I don't have an announcement, but just so everybody knows on 47.

These are unrelated bills, just to be clear.

They're both kind of L-U-Z bills, but they're unrelated.

Uh number 47, that's the administrative deviation bill.

I've got a lot of feedback on this, and so I'm I'm hearing what people are saying.

I'm listening to their concerns.

So I'm gonna tap the brakes on that and defer it for at least one month, at least.

I promise it'll be at least a month.

Have a public hearing about a substitute bill that addresses people's concerns, and then only after we have another public hearing just on this, uh, will I uh let the bill go uh for committee hearing.

So just everybody knows 47 gonna tap the brakes, hearing people out.

I'll rewrite parts of the bill and then I'll let that one go.

Thank you, Mr.

Diamond.

All right, thank you, Mr.

Diamond.

So I'm gonna call the ones that do wish to speak so you can come down.

Uh Wells Todd, Ruth Nelson Peoples, Lydia Bell, Katrina Spencer, Amir Sharif, and John Nooney.

Those that do not wish to speak, it looks like they're all opposed.

Uh Joe and D'Angelo.

Uh last name Barnett, I think it's Tommy Barnett and Sally Barnes.

They all oppose.

So Mr.

Todd.

Uh we are on 46, 2026 363.

And then when we get to item 47, uh call the uh cards, and if uh Mr.

Diamond's comment has changed your mind, you do not have to speak.

Mr.

Todd.

My name is Wells Todd.

Address is on file, and we'll take them down.

Jack's uh just for some clarification.

Um Mr.

Diamond, are you saying that um what you are creating or what you want to create is a private path to uh permitting for developers?

Is that what you're holding off on?

You can speak to me.

No, I won't take in the green room if he wants, but that's his choice.

No, no, no.

No, we're dealing with the democratic uh stuff going on here.

I don't go to green room.

So if I'm speaking to it, it appears that what Mr.

Diamond wants to create is a path for permitting uh for developers, a private path.

Uh he argues that compared to the city's planning department, private firms take on more risk and improving site plans.

So private firms should take place of Jacksonville's planning department.

Um I do want to say is private firms take on the risk.

That's part of the capitalist system.

Um this would appear to sidestep um a number of things, including a neighborhood bill of rights.

Uh private firms are always going to look at what makes profit for them, not what is best for the community.

Profit motive never takes into account what is best for the community.

With a community input in your plan, Mr.

Diamond, do you want to dismiss the neighborhood bill of rights?

That's the question that I have.

This is exactly um one of the reasons why Mr.

Diamond is involved in setting up turning point USA clubs to reinforce the philosophy of putting profits over human needs.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next.

Thank you.

Next is Ms.

Nelson Peoples, please.

Mr.

Todd, um Councilmember Pelusa would like to speak with you if you're open to that.

Yes, go ahead, Miss.

Go ahead, Miss Nelson Peoples, please.

Uh good evening, council members.

My name is Ruth Nelson Peoples, and my address is on file.

Um I just want to quickly say something uh about what Councilman uh Diamond said.

Um, because I didn't quite understand that 0363 and 0364 were not related.

Part of the reason that I didn't understand that was that we were unable to access this information um through the legislative gateway.

And even though I emailed the council PIO, COJ.net, um, and requested information on this, that those email I didn't receive any information on it.

So that was really the only reason that I didn't, I guess I want to say there's no way we could have understood it because we couldn't get access to the information.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next is Ms.

Livia Bell, please.

Lydia Bell address on file.

What manner of government?

This ordinance 2025-036 or 0363 without legislative review can reduce lot size, yards, landscaping, increase height, lot, a lot of things.

This is just a bad bill, and I'm glad that in 2027, elections are coming.

So we will see who will vote for this horrible bill, downsizing the participation of the communities.

Several things amazed me about this bill.

The councilman who submits this bill lives on the beach that will not affect any of his constituents, but only the people who live in Jacksonville.

But you have a 31-year ordinance, neighborhood Bill of Rights, that we had over 100 concerned citizens to come to that neighborhood bill of rights.

That's what you should be working on to ensure that citizens are properly represented.

Because like in Brentwood, you had to drive-through look a store, 300 body more, forensic lab, 100 unit uh apartment for homeless people, and then came back with the looker store and made it into a JSB.

Not one planning hearing, not one thing did we hear, but now you're coming up with a bill that would help private businesses.

No official transcript entered into public records and uh evidence for a lawsuit, no requirement for public notice.

This bill size-steps the Florida Sunshine Law, which holds legislators responsible for not giving notice of meeting, not giving citizens access, access, not discussing business outside of the chamber.

I fail to understand why this is even coming up because what it does is derail the neighborhood bill of rights.

Like when we weren't notified about the looker store, we were told we should appeal.

How you gonna appeal a decision that you don't even have a notice that you're having a meeting?

Things gotta change here in Jacksonville.

For some reason, it's gotten off of rail that more concern is for businesses, but not the constituents and citizens that are paying tax.

Why this bill is coming up, I don't even know.

And maybe the council person can explain it to me in my address.

I'll send you my address, my email, so you could send me a true response to why this bill is even coming up.

This is the worst bill I have read in a long time, and helpfully the elections would get us the right people in order to do the right thing.

Thank you.

Next is Miss Spencer, please.

Okay, she she opposes.

Um next up is Amina Sharif.

Is she still here?

Amina Sharif, address on file, city council members.

We have to do better, this bill speaks clearly to what has not been happening in the communities, what has not been happening in the decisions that have been made for the constituents that you have been elected for.

You do the right thing so that you can be appreciated for all the hard work that you do.

Bills like this take away what you supposed to be trying to do.

All we, as your constituents, want you to do your job and for us to show you the appreciation you deserve.

This kind of bill by not including the uh residents by not making it clear or plain what is supposed to be happening in the future.

That's your job.

You're supposed to notify us.

You supposed to keep us informed of what's coming or what's going on.

All we ask is that you do your job and that we can appreciate you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next up is Mr.

Nooney.

Hello.

I am John J.

Nooney, Jacksonville City Council Resolution 2023 0819.

8356 Baskam Road, Jacksonville, Florida 3216, City Council District 4, CPAC, Planning District 3, School Board District 3.

This is going to be in rules, LUZ, but not neighborhoods, finance or waterways.

And what I wrote down here, and the public hearing will be continued to May 26, 26.

But I wrote down here.

On Pottsburg Creek.

2025 0019.

Alright, thank you for listening.

I have no more speaker cards.

Uh this public hearing is closed.

An additional public hearing will be on 52626.

Auto 47, 2026, 0364.

Uh we have wishing to speak, Kathleen Pereira, Ruth Nelson Peoples, Katherine Del Ray, Blake Harper, Trey Ford, Ed Rat, Ed Radloff, and John Nooney.

And while they're coming down, I'll read into the record those that do not wish to speak.

Joanne D'Angelo opposes.

Tommy, perhaps it's Chartwell opposes.

Sally Barnes opposes, Keith Lingenberg opposes, Kelly Frazier opposes, and Reverend Gundy opposes.

Excuse me.

Now if we could be certain that all council members would answer every email or phone call, attend all their CPAC meetings, and call regular and when necessary, special question and answer town hall meetings with their constituents about all development plans in their district.

And if citizens could be assured that the competent substantial evidence they have presented against the project would be seriously considered and given at least equal or even more weight than the developers.

And if citizens were confident that procedural due process would be fervently followed, then this ordinance might not be so controversial.

It also doesn't help us to think positively about this bill now that the city's website is being upgraded until June, and citizens can't fully review any ordinance without having to depend upon an email response from the city that may or may not be timely or complete.

Therefore, given the current record of how things are being done, this bill can only be viewed as the city's attempt to stifle public awareness, comment, discussion, and debate when their neighborhoods are suddenly encroached upon big developers, developers.

In fact, this bill, which would encourage reckless development, is the perfect reason why the council needs to codify the 1995 neighborhood bill of rights.

Loopholes were mentioned in uh an earlier bill concerning the Wind Dixie.

This has a great big loop itself.

Vote no on this bill.

Thank you.

Next up, Ruth Nelson Peoples.

I don't think she's here.

Catherine Delray.

Oh, I'm sorry, ma'am.

I see you now.

Uh good evening, council members.

My name is Ruth Nelson Peoples, and my address is on file.

This bill is not simply about feet on a map or technical notification requirements.

It is about whether the public still has a meaningful voice in decisions that shape their neighborhoods and quality of life.

Public participation is one of the few safeguards ordinary residents have in the development process.

Citizens do not have teams of attorneys, consultants, engineers, or lobbyists representing them.

Our ability to participate begins with being informed.

In fact, as I mentioned earlier, part of being informed in Jacksonville is the ability for us to use the legislative gateway to access proposed ordinances.

As I mentioned earlier as well, my email request for uh information on this ordinance was not answered, and it's been a week.

I have a number of issues with this ordinance, which include reducing the notification radius from 350 feet to 300 feet, which weakens notice requirements and moves us in the wrong direction.

Instead of expanding awareness and encouraging engagement, it narrows the circle of people who even know a project exists.

Entire streets, neighborhoods, and residents could be excluded.

If anything, the notification area should be expanded to 800 to a thousand feet.

So communities truly affected by growth and rezoning decisions have an opportunity to participate before decisions are finalized.

Public input is not an obstacle to overcome, it is a critical part of responsible planning.

Residents often identify concerns that may never fully appear in a staff report or site plan.

Local knowledge matters because the people who live in these communities experience the consequences long after hearings are over.

This ordinance attempts to weaken public participation, weakening public participation weakens accountability.

And when fewer people are notified, fewer questions get asked, fewer concerned or fewer concerns are raised, and projects move forward with less scrutiny.

That may make the process easier for development developers, but government's responsibility is not to make development easier at the expense of the public's voice.

No resident should learn about a major development only after the trees are cleared, the wetlands are filled, or the bulldozers arrive.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Catherine Delray.

Okay, she opposes Blake Harper.

She opposes the ordinance.

She does not oppose Blake Harper.

Sorry, so that all the same time.

Well, Scott is.

Blake Harper information on file.

One of the great things that I feel that I have with the people on City Council is the ability to work together when we agree on things, but also work to work in respectful manner when we disagree on things.

And I'm just so thankful for the fact that I have that kind of relationship with the sponsor of this bill.

There is a serious problem out there.

My thought on this is this issue of uh administrative deviations is a what they use during COVID.

It's an essential public service.

I'm not one for taxes, but uh going for crazy social programs, but I am one for taxes for providing expanded essential services.

I think one of the things that you may want to consider is how to expand throughput.

Um, when uh when whatever the turn uh whatever the parameters were set up for administrative deviations, it was done with the idea that there was a certain amount of uh uh input, a certain amount of consideration, a certain balance.

And uh I I don't know if Lori Bory had anything to do with it, but I just had a great appreciation for the fact that much of the uh these types of policies and procedures are founded in rational rational uh outcomes.

So my suggestion is as you're looking at this, however you find, however, you uh look at redu trimming it or trying to uh uh speed up the through throughput without sacrificing public uh public uh cont um involvement and without sacrificing the quality of neighborhoods.

You also need to look at allocating more funds to this department so that they can I can process more people can process this.

That's very simple.

This is one of the things that we need to use taxes for, and uh keep the burden down for the uh general public.

Thank you.

Thank you, Trey Ford.

He's still here, and I see him.

He opposes Ed Radloff, and then John Nunny will be the last speaker on this.

Uh, good evening, everyone.

Ed Radloff, uh name and address, or name and address, address on file.

Um, it's been a while since I've been down here, but I appreciate uh council member Diamond pulling this back for uh more talk.

Um I oppose 364 as someone that has been down here fighting zoning issues, listening to the people here fighting zoning issues.

You're basically looking at doing away due process.

There's three requirements of due process.

Notice, an opportunity to be heard, and a fair, unbiased decision maker.

And sitting here and taking away hearings for people to come and speak to the planning people, so city council, is just not right.

Too many times we are having stuff shoved down our throats, and I can go back and show instances in our area of Arlington where things have happened, and now we're having to live with the consequences.

And we need to have a process where we can come together as a community and speak our concerns, our reservations on some things.

We had an instance uh where we fought a zoning, and uh we ended up coming to agreement.

Well, they have not moved forward with the project because they wanted to put more um homes on that piece of property.

We came to an agreement, but it still sits on undeveloped.

So um I do oppose this, but I do appreciate council member Diamond, and uh we will follow this along.

Thank you.

Thank you, John Nini.

Our last speaker on this item.

Hello.

I am John J.

Nooney, Jacksonville, City Council Resolution 2023 0819, Votro Trace 56, Spaskum Road, Jacksonville, Florida, 3216.

I'm in City Council District 4, CPAC, Planning District 3, School Board District 3.

And you know, what I wrote, this will be the Rory Diamond, non-conforming lots structures, public park on Pottsburgh Creek, a true find.

And you know, it's in neighborhoods, rules, L U Z, but not in waterways.

And I just want to remind everybody, I'm next to uh no array 2024 0034 FEMA house.

It should have been demolished.

You know, and so you talk about hitting all the different boxes.

But anyway, I just wanted to get that on the record.

Uh this you'll be continued to 526 26.

Thank you for listening.

No more speaker cards.

Public hearing is closed.

An additional public hearing will be on 526 26.

It's now time for public hearings on land use amendments and certain companion rezonings starting on page 24.

Items 48, 49, 50, and 51, 2026, 122, 123, 126, and 127.

I have no speaker cards.

These public hearings will be continued to 6926.

Item 52, 2026 168.

I have a number of uh number of speaker cards here.

Those that wish to speak, Sally Barnes, uh, go ahead and come on down when I call your name.

Uh Benjamin and I cannot read the last name.

And I believe this is Sean Shaw.

Uh actually, he has written, I don't wish to speak at the bottom.

Uh so I think the only speakers I have are Sally Barnes and Benjamin last name, I cannot read.

Uh Sally Barnes, before you go, let me read uh these into the record.

We have Carolyn Gaitlin who opposes this legislation, does not wish to speak, and Manuela Roberts, who opposes and does not wish to speak.

Uh Miss Barnes, go ahead.

Hello, my name is Sally Barnes.

My address is on file.

I am here to speak against this because a septic tank on it.

And it's really not enough space there.

But my concern is I pulled off abandoned septic tanks, and there's a possibility of explosion if it's not checked out and done right.

They have to have someone according to the rules.

They have to have someone come in and check it and make sure it's safe.

They say they also have a risk of falling into a sinkhole out there because it's been abandoned.

They don't know how bad it's been abandoned, and there are also health risks associated with that septic tank.

I did research on it, and it's really bad.

It's not worth taking a chance on somebody, their houses right next door.

That thing butts to 2370 Commonwealth Avenue, that property.

That septic tank is not too far from that there, and it's been abandoned for years, from what I gathered.

Now, this is something that we got children play on that sidewalk.

They're running up and down that sidewalk, and it says that these things have a lot of toxins in it, and there's a chance that it will explode.

If they don't know, but they recommend that it be checked out to see what is actually there.

And if it is a possibility of explosion there, these houses are right next to there.

One right next to it, one across two across the street, one across the street on the other side of the street with children.

Little kids run up and down there.

If this thing is open without being checked, and somebody's kid get killed.

Who that fault?

Who got caught?

I'm asking you all to just make them check this thing, make sure this septic tank is taken out properly, according to the rules of Florida.

Because right now it's not, and it's not really that big.

And they keep saying that they're gonna do whatever they're gonna do.

They're gonna put apartments, duplex, or whatever, but it's not really sad.

They're not really saying what they're actually gonna put on there.

But my concern is that septic tank, because I live down the road.

I'm not right across from it, but I I don't live too far from it.

And I don't want my I don't want anybody's kid getting killed.

Nobody else for that matter.

They need to check it out, make sure it's safe, and then come back.

This is my opinion, and I'm hoping you all will agree with me.

Come back, make safety first.

Don't just take a chance on somebody getting killed because this thing explodes if they go out there and start working on it.

You can't get back a life.

Once it's gone, it's gone.

So I'm asking you all to just make them check it, make sure they clean it up and come back and do whatever they need to do.

I walked over there in the weed in the weeds myself when I saw it.

My neighbor told me about it.