Well good morning everyone welcome to our June 1st neighborhoods meeting.

I'll call the meeting to order, and we'll go ahead and start with introductions to my left with Mr.

Delaney.

Good morning, y'all.

Bill Delaney, Mayor's Office.

Brandon Russell, Council Research.

Mary Stephopolis, Office of General Counsel.

Philip Peterson, Council's Office.

Roman.

Good morning, Michael Boyle, and happy Monday.

Uh Kenamara, City Council, District 1.

Brandy White, District 12.

White Gay, District 2.

Ron Salem, Group 2 at large.

Ratman Johnson, District 14.

Good morning.

Just visiting.

Good morning, Councilman.

Reginald Gaffin and Julia just visiting District 8.

Well, welcome, visiting Council members.

Glad to have you here.

Do we have any public comment cards?

All right.

We have two.

The first speaker will be Cornell Oliver.

Please come on down.

You'll be given three minutes to speak directly to a specific item on our agenda and uh state your name and address or say it's on file for the record.

Mr.

Oliver, you have three minutes.

Uh yes, my name is Carneg Oliver.

Uh addresses on file.

I want to speak to the KHA funding that has come in, being sponsored by uh Mr.

Um Gabney Jr.

And I also want to speak about the 700 something thousand dollars cap.

When it comes down to city funding, I have my red light is coming on and on, because thing about it is that money a lot of money has been thrown to waste, and some of the biggest lessons that I've learned is through COVID 19 years.

I will never forget the lessons that I learned because if properly, if this city was a good store with taxpayer dollars, we wouldn't be in the situation that we're in.

And it leaves me to talk about what the Bible says.

The old testament talks about discipline and personal responsibility, right?

The new testament talks about forgiveness because somebody paid the ultimate cost for somebody else breaking a lot of furnace.

At this point in time, you look at me like I'm homeless, right?

Of course I am.

You expect me to get off my butt, do my part.

How do you expect me to be a productive member of society when the resources that y'all put out on the streets are not going to the ones that need it the most?

Your line in pockets of NGOs, developers.

I am one of the biggest supporters right now of Ron DeSante's $250,000 tax exempt because it'll cripple NGOs, it'll stop all this frivolous spending, and we can fire some of these crooked city employees.

I'm at a breaking point right now with all the mass corruption, especially some of these rhinos on this city council.

Too much furniture has got broken because of ignorance.

I have told you plenty of times about moving fools, but you made this wrong choices, time after time after time, and everybody's paying for it.

All right, thank you.

Our next speaker will be Mr.

John J.

Nooney.

And as always, specifically on the agenda.

Hello, I am John Philanthropic Jelly Roll, good boy resiliency Nooney.

8356 Baskum Road, Jacksville, Florida, 32216.

I'm in City Council District 4, Carico.

CPAC 3, Wiselowski Raymond Day School Board, District 3, Cindy Pearson Charter School, Public School, Field Trip Park on Pottsburg Creek.

Governor DeSantis, President Elect Howell and Vice President Elect Carlucci, Pardon Nooney, 2024 0107.

Yeah, I'all be uh touch touching on agenda items.

You got one, eight.

But first, I just I'm down to two and a half minutes.

I'll be making three donations.

First will be to the Veterans trust fund.

The next will be, and by the way, that's 2025 0463.

The next is the Parks Trust Fund.

2026 000 4.

And the third one is the Artificial Reef Trust Fund 2009, 442.

So I'll be taking those up, and I just shared that with uh Rich.

Every media outlet, get ready.

You know, we you know this is good stuff.

So down to a minute 50.

So agenda items 1A, 2026, 0358, not in waterways, number 9, 2026 0364, 10, 2026, 0377, 11, 2026, 0378, uh 14, 2026 0382, environmental protection board 2024 0325, down to a minute 30, uh 19, 2026 0388.

Uh 21, 2026 0391.

Are we getting rid of the environmental protection board and creating a new authority?

25, 2026, 0396.

Okay, this is Todd Red Carpet Rubin.

Now we're adding endowment grants to the Jacksonville fostering filmmaker grant program.

I mean, that's super duper stuff.

I mean, we're we're making a movie, it's gonna be wicked.

Uh you got a uh shirt, you'll be in the movie.

Uh special consideration will be given to the travel gavel.

Uh okay, we've got 50 seconds.

All right, 2026 0450, JU, the College of Law, forgiveness of 1.250,000.

Remember 2024 0107, 3.5 million.

So is that in addition to that other 3.5 million?

30 some seconds.

You know, that environmental protection board, you know, with the 45,000 dollars for the party uh travel scrap it.

45 grand.

You know, we'll do a GoFundMe account.

You know, we got to start cutting some stuff here.

And in fact, I'm only down to 18 seconds, but when you read the uh the reason, it's education.

But then we're gonna waive the education, it's right there.

We're waving it.

It's for education, but then we're gonna waive the education so we can party.

Thank you for listening.

All right, thank you.

All right.

First, we're gonna go ahead and to our agenda here.

We're going to take some items out of order for our visiting council members.

First item we're going to take is item number 33 on page 21.

If you want to turn to there, we'll be taking item number 33, 2026, 0451.

Can I get a motion on emergency?

I've got a motion of second on emergency.

Mr.

Gaffney, you want to address it?

Thank you through the chair to all my colleagues.

This will be brief.

This piece of legislation you guys voted on.

Maybe six or seven months ago.

We just stand in the term sheet and modifying the term sheet.

Um, and it's a piece of simple legislation.

Right, so in in regards to the emergency, uh, do you want to speak on the emergency?

Through the chair of the committee.

Uh, the nature of the emergency is that uh as council member Gaffney Jr.

stated, y'all approved a um a direct contract with Lisk last year uh due to some um contract negotiations and issues.

Uh they have not yet executed this contract, so uh the emergency is to be able to get that contract executed as soon as possible under the uh the revised term sheet that uh Mr.

Gaffney worked out.

All right, no speakers on the emergency, all in favor say yay.

Yay, any opposed, likewise, no, emergency carries.

Get a motion second on the bill as an emergency.

And I've got a motion and a second.

Mr.

Bowlin, you're recognized.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Maybe to Mr.

Peterson or Mr.

Councilmember Gaffney, the increase from 400 to 750.

Can you explain the rationale?

Yep.

So thank you.

So thank you.

So I'm not sure if you recall.

Um it'd be like two months ago, and I said this when I first proposed the legislation.

Um, us, our colleagues, our body.

Yeah, we we allocated through the COVIST.

That's, um, I got this idea from.

What we realizing is that some of these small businesses make up to like a million dollars.

And they've been reaching out asking for just help.

Need help expanding and so on.

So yeah, so that's what I'm finding out.

Is that most of these small businesses they salary ranges anywhere from 500 to a million dollars?

So by increase through the chair, uh by increasing this to 750, we have a sense that the number of organizations that didn't qualify prior or will qualify because of this 750 number?

Absolutely, yes, sir.

What is that number?

Do you know?

I don't know.

I have to get with lists, but lists had like a little filler.

They said so pretty much this this bill was pretty much arranged from lists where we gave a million dollars out.

Um and they had like a list of organizations that did apply that but wasn't able to receive funds because of qualifications and restrictions.

Pedro, here any from the list to speak to this?

No, but I can make sure I think um I appreciate getting that information.

It'd be at the rules committee and finance Lamar.

Thank you.

Okay, all right, thank you.

All right, no other speakers on the queue.

Councilman Morrow, you were on the queue.

Mr.

Chair, I I just want to follow up on Councilman Boyle.

And and I think that uh in my years, I haven't heard a great explanation for why we're gonna do a $350,000 jump in the allocation here.

And so that's what I I'd like to know more in that aspect.

So after speaking with um Dr.

Corn from Liszt, what he explained to me that a lot of businesses that wasn't eligible, um, they didn't meet the criteria.

So he said um council McGaffney, in order to make more businesses eligible, we might want to increase the I guess the revenue so more business to be eligible for this grant.

Now through the chair to uh Philip, is there a timeline for application?

And if if if there is when will these funds be uh reverted back to uh general fund if I'm hearing the councilman the uh correctly uh they haven't been enough applicants because of the dollar amount, and hopefully by uh approving an increase would trigger greater participation.

Through the chair to council member, um so the application process is going to be established by LISC once they have an executed contract with the city.

Uh but however the all of the dollars will be required to be spent by the end of this calendar year.

So there's only about seven months, like seven months today left um in the year whereby they have the ability to spend those dollars.

So um I'm don't know the exact application uh timeline that Lisc will have established, but there's a minimal time period.

Any dollars remaining after uh December 31st will come back into uh the city's account.

Through the chair to uh Philip follow up.

Um given the uh the the processes involved, it sounds like the probability of these dollars being spent by the end of the year are extremely remote.

And just give me some context there.

Through the chair uh to council member, so the grant term sheet does allow for the dollars to be reimbursed to Lisc, who will then reimburse the entities for the entire 2026 calendar year.

So even though you were approving it in June, and we probably won't have a contract until July, the the reimbursement qualifying period is the entire 2026 calendar year.

So more than likely, I would expect these dollars to all be spent given that it's not just a forward looking time period.

Alright, no other speakers in the queue.

I've got a motion and a second on the bill, open a ballot, record your vote.

Five years, or knees by your action, you approve 2026 0451.

The next item will do turn the page to item 22.

Item number 34, 2026, 00052.

Can I get a motion on emergency?

Get a second.

I've got a motion second on the emergency.

Mr.

Peterson on emergency.

Through the chair to the committee.

Uh the nature of the emergency is to make these funds available as early as possible as the program that is being funded begins uh early this month.

All right, thank you.

Mr.

Gaffney on a bill or an emergency on uh bill.

Okay, Dr.

Salem Bill and emergency.

Okay, so we're still on emergency.

Okay, okay.

Alright, so no other speakers on the emergency, all in favor of the emergency.

Say yay.

Yay.

Any opposed?

Likewise, none.

Emergency carries.

I've got a motion on the bill in as an emergency.

Can I get a second?

Thank you.

All right, I've got a motion second on the bill as an emergency.

Mr.

Gaffney, you're recognized.

Yes, thank you through the chair to my colleagues.

So a month ago, I had a chance to um go to our goodwill when I met with the CEO David and I met with Mr.

Phillips Simmons.

Um, they were sharing with me about the mayor's youth program.

How I think like last year over a thousand kids applied to this organ on this program, but only 500 kids was higher for this mayor's use program.

So pretty much what this is, it's just allocating Monday.

It's the same program similar to the mayor's U program, it's just allocating funds to this program to get teens off the street to get them some summer jobs as simple as that.

All right, thank you.

Let me go to Dr.

Salem.

Thank you, Chair.

Through the chair to Mr.

Peterson.

This traffic calming dollars we approved uh two or three years ago, correct?

Do the chair to councilmer Salem as part of the 2324 budget.

How much was uh originally approved for traffic calming in that district?

Did the charity councilmember Salem 300,000?

$300,000.

How much it has how much of it has been used for traffic calming?

Through the chair to council member Salem Zero.

How much has been spent before this 75?

Through the chair to Councilmember Salem, uh the council approved 25,000 dollars to go to an uh the oyster fest um a couple months ago.

Okay, so this this would leave two if this passes it'll leave 200.

Uh through the through the chair to Mr.

Gaffney.

What what is your intent on these dollars?

Uh a comment was made by one of my colleagues.

I won't repeat it, but I think you probably heard it.

If you could address that.

So thank you through the chair.

So a couple of years ago, I part these dollars there with no intentions to use them.

Um, and at the time, some of the funds was designated to go to speed hunts, but as I eloquently said a couple of weeks ago, is that what I'm finding now are some of these communities don't have the meaning in not getting the petitions to get the speed hunts.

But the long story short, I part these funds there in this account with no real intentions.

Not all of it's supposed to go to the um traffic comments, but um some of it is some of it not, but it was just a method and um, I guess just a way of parking funds because at the time I wasn't sure how I was going to use these funds.

So that's why a couple of weeks ago, I think we all a couple of months ago we changed to I guess the topic for these um funds to make it more strategic.

But at the time, I wasn't sure how I was gonna use the funds, so I just parked it there as a mechanism to use them.

Through the chair to Mr.

Peterson, this $300,000 dollars was part of the budget process.

If I recall correctly, is that correct?

To the chair to councilmer Salem, that's correct.

It was part of um leftover dollars in the council um contingency, and Mr.

Gaffney asked them for this purpose.

You know, this makes me very uncomfortable.

Um, just it sounds like you you have another two hundred thousand dollars that you're gonna come forward with some other spending that will not be traffic calming, and we appropriate it.

I I don't recall the discussion uh in 23-24, but I I'm assuming that the committee believed you were gonna use it for traffic calming.

So, yeah, thank you through the chair to um councilman Sellum.

So at the time, um I wasn't sure how I was going to use the funds.

So I part these dollars there at this um traffic comment.

I allocated these funds to this uh specific designation.

Um, some of it is planned to go to traffic commons.

The issue that I'm running into once again is that some of these communities don't want the traffic commons now.

That was my intentions.

A lot of communities, 2324, did reach out to get traffic comments.

Well, what I'm finding out when I go to these community meetings is that it's a lot of infighting about these traffic comments.

So now I designated these funds there, and these communities don't want them.

So for whatever reason, or they can't get the petitions, so not as money is just stuck.

So either I can let it there and it just go not go to good use, or I could wait on some of these communities.

But we have at least seven communities, and I can name them that restart about traffic comments.

We had community meetings, and what I'm finding out, a lot of these communities, we don't want them, it's too many, it ruined my car and stuff like that.

So at the time I part the dollars.

Now when I'm finding out things are changing, we got other needs and things in that nature.

I've said my piece.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

All right, thank you.

Let me go to uh councilman Amoro.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

I I I'm gonna follow up on Councilman Salem's concern, and it's the optics of what's taking place here.

And I know we had this conversation uh through the chair uh regarding the 25,000 appropriations for the oyster fest, and I was hoping there would be some some sort of correction somewhere as to where the funds are.

It just doesn't look good when money has been allocated for traffic calming, and now you're taking it for oyster fests and now for summer jobs.

And it's hard to vote against kids who are trying to find summer employment, but it's uh we've been given a fiduciary role of doing what is right up here with the dollars that have been given and trusted to us, and it just doesn't look right.

And so I uh I don't know how I'm gonna go on this, but I want to make that clear.

Oh, thank you, Liz.

Councilman Bowlin.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

I don't want to pile on, but I think uh following the comments of my two colleagues, the best thing to do, frankly, is to put the traffic calming money back into the general operating, put it back into the budget, and have this stand on its own, and then coming out of the operating reserve.

I mean, the traffic calming is a safety issue.

Now you're using these dollars for a non-safety issue, as important as they are, and as Councilman Merrill said, I want to support it.

I just don't like the route that's being yes being taken.

We're seeing this happening more and more with what greater frequency.

I'm not disparaging you at all, Councilman Gaffney.

It's just the idea of us saying we're gonna put all this money over here and then pull it out and use it over there, knowingly perhaps that you were going to do that ultimately through this process, it doesn't bode well for you, it doesn't bode well for us as a council.

So I would uh suggest, and maybe through the uh Mr.

Peterson or Mr.

Fopoulis, the prospect of substituting this bill, coming back with a bill that clearly it delineates the fact that the money from the traffic calming that you think you're not gonna be using to go back into the operating reserve and then have the stand on its own, pulling the money out of the operating reserve.

It just seems to be a a straighter and more transparent path for the use of these funds, Mr.

Chair.

All right.

Thank you.

Um Mr.

Gavin, you're in the queue next.

But my my question to you is a little clarification.

Is you said you parked the money.

Now, are you referring to you when you originally filed the bill for this traffic coming?

That would the intent was to park it, or that now that these communities haven't wanted to utilize this fund, you've got it parked there and not moving forward with that.

If you could give a little give me a little clarification on that.

Yeah, thank you to the chat to Council McGay.

Um so pretty much uh, you know, at the end of 23 2024 budget, we had leftover strategic funds.

At the time, I wasn't sure what I was gonna do with these funds, but at the same time in the back of my head, um, a lot of communities had reached out to me about traffic commies.

Um so I parked the funds there, thinking that I would need some of it.

Not sure if I need all of it to use for traffic comments.

Um fast forward now.

I have went to like at least four or five community meetings, and what I'm finding out is that a lot of these same communities that reached out to me um a couple of years back at odds now, they're not sure if they want the traffic comments, so I have hesitated to move forward.

Right, and I get that part.

I was just looking at the original intent that that you did intend to do traffic common, and now that's that dynamics has changed.

Uh is there an amount now that you would still want to keep for traffic coming, and then like the recommendation that uh Councilman Bowen referred to, move a portion of it back to the general fund to where we can structure it that way.

I think with kind of what I'm what I'm getting from the committee up here, that would be a uh um a better place to to land this at.

Um thank you, uh Council McGay, and through the chair.

Um, I mean that's fine with me.

The only thing about it is that, you know, and I go back to the first point I made is that I met with Goodwill and they shared with me last year a thousand kids applied to Goodwill to get jobs.

Only 500 kids were selected.

So, you know, that's why I thought about taking.

So what I'm trying to do is get kids jobs.

We could do it that way.

The only thing about it, school is out.

We got five to ten thousand, if not 15,000 kids that just sitting at the house.

We just trying to get these kids jobs.

So we could do it that way.

I'm not sure how long they go take, but school ended out last week.

I did bring Philip from um Mr.

Simmons from Goodwill is here to speak about that if I have any questions for him.

So we could do it that way in terms of I guess taking the traffic up, traffic common money and putting it back in the budget and then allocate.

I'm not sure how that worked, uh, what's the process, but it I'm not sure what that means for the kids, start for the um summer youth program.

All right, let me let me go to Miss Mary or Mr.

Peterson.

Uh through the chair to the committee and council member Gaffney.

So you could accomplish it in one bill or you could do it as two.

I'm not sure what the point of it would be is if you did it in one bill where you would just move it into one account and then automatically move it into the other in the same bill.

Um you could do a bill, you could substitute this to just convert it to an appropriation out of the um traffic calming into the operating reserves and just do that and then bring a subsequent bill that would pull it from the operating reserves to the goodwill program.

You could do that.

All right, well, let me uh go to back to the committee here, Councilman Morrow.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

I uh that was gonna be my suggestion just to make it clean.

And um I I know the kids are they're out there, and again uh part of the challenge here is um you don't want to vote against summer employment for students, and and uh you're trying to make sure that things are are clean though and transparent and so um I don't know if uh the council member wants to defer cycle or I I I don't know.

So okay, go ahead.

I'm sorry.

Uh let me kind of keep going through the order here.

Uh Dr.

Salem.

I have a suggestion.

I don't want to vote against this because I think it's too far along.

Um what if we amended this bill to say the remaining two hundred thousand of the three hundred thousand that is remaining will fall into the reserves.

It it through the chair to council member Salem.

So in speaking with Mr.

Peterson, that should be accomplished through a separate piece of legislation is what his recommendation is.

You can't just through the chair to Mr.

Peterson.

I can't just amend this bill to do that.

Yeah, so in this case, and I I also think Councilmember Gaffney Jr.

was also going to request a substitute on this legislation.

So you may want to hear from him on that because it entailed an adjustment to the appropriation amount.

Um at the end of that conversation, if the committee is amenable to that, some of this becomes so substantive that I would be recommending a re-referral at the end of it because now we would be uh um to accomplish what Dr.

Salem is discussing, changing the appropriation amount from 75,000 to 275,000.

So to the extent that the bill was noticed as an appropriation of 75,000 to goodwill, that's what the public was aware that the bill was accomplishing.

We may just want to discuss as a committee whether that additional change would warrant sending it back through the process so it could be renoticed to the public, but you may want to hear from council member Gaffney on the the potential substitute he was gonna ask the committee to consider.

All right, if committee would are you, I was just trying to get us out of this quicksand, and I thought that was the best way to do it.

Let if the committee uh would let me let's go to Councilman Gaffney and uh hear about this substitute.

Yeah, thank you to the chair.

So what uh what Miss Mary is referring to, so um two things.

What I want to do is increase the number of kids that goodwill higher.

So originally right now 25 kids at 75,000.

What I want to do is increase it to 50 kids and it'll be um 150,000.

Um also the I guess the other substitute will be instead of it going to kids hope alliance, it's going directly to Goodwill.

Um and the reason because of that is because um kids open lines is going through some transitioning right now, and they won't be able to oversee this piece of legislation until they get a new CEO until they have another board meeting.

So it'll be going straight to goodwill.

That that that last part is inaccurate.

He would be wanting to change oversight from kids hope alliance to grants and contract compliance.

So all appropriations have to go through a department or division for oversight to administer the contract, so it's not like the money just goes straight to goodwill.

So what he's recommending or requesting is that the oversight be adjusted from kids hope alliance to grants and contract compliance, and that adjustment would change some of the waivers in the bill.

Um we would take out the waivers of chapter 77 relevant to kids hope alliance, and we would also be adding in a waiver of one-eighted one oh seven um where we have to attach that affidavit of disclosure with respect to direct appropriations to a nonprofit.

Alright, so this this basically changes our whole discussion from from when we first started discussing this bill.

So uh, you know, I'm all for getting the the money to the kids.

Uh so with this we would need a motion on a substitute.

Yes, a member of the committee would need to move the substitute and then you would need a second to put it in front of the committee for discussion and consideration.

Go ahead, Mr.

Bowling.

And Mr.

Chair, I would offer the substitute uh to increase to five fifty thousand.

Uh I'm sorry, 150,000.

However, it also included the sub route that comes from directly from the operating reserve with the expectation that Councilman Gaffney then will introduce a bill that takes the balance of his traffic calming funds or a portion of it back into the operating reserve thereafter to at the at the least amount of 150,000 thousand so through the chair to Councilmember Boylan, just to confirm you're adjusting the appropriation to 150,000, you're adjusting the appropriation account to be operating reserves and your your you would also include the change to the oversight to grants as part of the absolutely okay if I could mr chair bring up uh goodwill person please whoever from goodwill is here to speak to this I'm interested uh I need a second I'm sorry all right I've got a motion a second uh your name and address please Philip Simmons and uh with uh my title vice president for mission programs at GoWell Industries of North Florida first the uh through the chair um to councilman bowling um you said you had questions I do yes sir uh with respect to so we're looking at 50 150 thousand dollars 50 students or 50 youth uh in this process uh those that's on average three thousand dollars per with how much of those funds would be actually being paid to those students for their services over the course of the summer yes sir um roughly um through the chair to councilman bowling um roughly a hundred and forty thousand of that um ten thousand of that will be to uh admin I appreciate knowing that uh and where are you in the process uh move moving forward with this in in the event that it gets through council uh the next week yes we um through the chair to councilman bowling we are uh in and uh ready to go uh have uh already um sent out the applications and and try to identify students um with uh councilman uh gaffney and and make sure that we I mean we already have the infrastructure we've been running an internship program for now for the past uh six years.

Through the chair to Mr.

Gaffney again just wanted to affirm that you'll be introducing legislation I need to hear it orally please uh that the balance of the funds not not needed for traffic calming will be put back into the operating reserve it's going to require second legislation.

Second piece are you are you're gonna be that's why yeah.

So Mr.

Chair I'm trying to get us to land this plane and I think we're close.

Thank you.

Ms before I go to anybody else I we need to make sure we're clear on this because there's there's still uh some I guess some confusion about the substitute of what's going to be going into the general back into the reserves and what's going to stay in district eight for traffic common.

To the chair um and through the chair to the committee so based on the discussion and how the substitute was proposed the substitute would adjust this appropriation to 1500 which would leave approximately 125 thousand in the traffic calming that would stay there to be moved to the operating reserves by future legislation that council member gaffney has indicated he would introduce and this bill based on the substitute if it's approved would change the funding source from the district eight traffic calming to operating reserves with the intent that his subsequent bill would replenish a portion of that with what's remaining in traffic calming I would also just recommend to the committee that based on the substantive nature of all of these changes that you might consider whether it would be appropriate to re-refer this bill so that it can be renoticed and readvertised to the public with all of the changes that are going to be incorporated it would add two weeks to the process but you may consider whether that's appropriate in light of all of the substance of the changes that were that are being discussed.

All right thank you I'm I'm under the um mindset of let's let's move it forward based on this substitute to get the get the money to goodwill for the for the jobs um next in the queue is uh councilman morrow.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Uh, through the chair to council member member Gaffney, if I'm hearing your agreement correctly, you you you're gonna empty your traffic calming with the balance of one twenty five and sending that back to the general fund.

Yes, sir.

But I end up probably end up creating more legislation, it'll go to the general funds with the intentions of I'm not sure at this time what I use the funds for, but uh the right more legislation, but it will go back to the general fund.

Thank you.

Alright, thank you.

Thank you.

All right, you're in the queue, Mr.

Gaffney.

All right, so no other speakers on the queue.

I've got a motion and a second on the substitute.

All in favor of the substitute say yay.

Yay.

Any opposed?

Likewise, none.

Substitute carries.

So can I get a motion second on the bill as an emergency as a substitute?

I've got a motion and second on the bill.

Open the ballots and record your vote.

By the answer, and ease.

All right.

By your action, you approve 2026 0452.

That takes us to our next item number 10 that we're going to go to for council member Johnson is on page nine.

Thank you guys.

I appreciate it.

All right.

Thank you, sir.

All right.

Item number 10.

2026 0377.

Can I get a motion on the bill?

I'll get a second.

And I get a second.

Thank you.

I've got a motion and a second on the bill.

Dr.

Salem.

Thank you, Chair.

Through the chair to uh council member Johnson.

Um we have about three or four months of data now where we've gone from 2 a.m.

to 3 a.m.

Is that is that pretty accurate?

Two months.

Okay.

Um you have the council secretary responsible for collecting this data.

Um it was it was my thinking that DIA may be a more appropriate entity to collect this data.

I was interested in your thought process and in uh and picking the council secretary if he could respond.

Go ahead.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you, Dr.

Salem.

Through the chair to Dr.

Salem.

Uh the reason that this is in the council secretary would be responsible for distributing it, but if in the legislation specifically, the Northeast Florida Regional Council will aggregate, gather the data from all of the requisite in the in the uh legislation.

It talks about the JFRD, JSO, uh downtown businesses, people who live in downtown gathering that information, and the Northeast Florida Regional Council has agreed to produce the report.

The council secretary, however, would be uh responsible for working with them to distribute it to the members of the council.

Okay, may I continue?

Yes.

So the council secretary is not accumulating this data.

The Northeast Florida Planning Council is responsible with getting with all the entities, and we're just looking at the hour difference.

Is that correct?

That's correct.

We're looking to see during through the chair, we're looking to see what happened during that period so that we can see do we need to decrease it, do we need to increase it?

Are there things we need to do and what can we do to move toward a downtown entertainment district?

As an educator like I was, we're we're gonna compare the all the data to two two to three versus what might be happening between 12 and 1 and 1 and 2, for example.

Yes, sir, you're absolutely right.

Okay, I'm fine with that.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

Let me go ahead to Mr.

Peterson.

Do the chair to the committee.

Uh just wanted to point out in the legislation, um, the council secretary is the one who is required to prepare the report.

While the Northeast Florida Regional Council may assist in accumulating the ultimate responsibility falls on the council secretary, so just wanted that to be made known.

All right, thank you.

Councilman Omaro.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

I just heard what Phillip said, and I just heard what Dr.

Johnson said.

And where I need clarity is uh is this within the scope of the role of the council secretary?

Is this part of his job description?

And and and I don't know who can answer that.

Mr.

Teal?

Hold on up, Mr.

Teal.

Through the chair to Ms.

Atial.

Is this within the scope of your role, sir, that you prepare uh this this report?

It's different from you presenting versus preparation.

Through the chair too, Councilmember Romaro, Jason Teal, Council Secretary.

Uh, I would argue that it is not.

Um, I don't have the resources to be able to uh be able to go out and conduct any kind of analysis, nor do I think that my office has the expertise to be able to compile data, evaluate it, make a report based upon the evaluation as to uh whether or not um you know there are any issues or there are any uh um concerns as far as the operation of these uh entities between those hours.

So I I would say that that that is not within the scope of the council secretary's office.

I'm the repository for information on behalf of the council.

Um we don't do the kind of analysis typically the council auditors do analysis, but I would argue that this is more of an executive function uh as opposed to a uh legislative one.

Um, but um, but yeah, that's uh the concerns that I have with regard to this is is that I don't have the resources to be able to pull that off through through the chair.

Thank you for that clarification because the language is pretty explicit, uh requiring a comprehensive report by you, and and so I I when I saw that uh it just uh made me somewhat uneasy.

So I just thank you for the clarity.

All right, let me go back to the introducer, Dr.

Johnson.

Thank you so much.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

What I wanted to say is, and I'm I know this was prepared by Mr.

Ryan Gold before he left, and we went through it.

There was a noticed meeting on it.

Uh I spoke with both the council secretary as well as the Northeast Florida Regional Council, and I'm looking, and for what I am the language that was put in was that the regional council was supposed to be the main group.

I mean, we really went back and forth about that and even got with the regional council and put it there.

They're the main group who are putting in uh all of the details going to all of the agencies as you notice in the legislation, it does speak to all of the agencies that require the report to be done.

Uh as I said when I spoke to the council secretary, we were not asking the council secretary to do the report, but the report needed to be shepherded by someone, it couldn't be specifically from a council member and the regional council.

While they are we are a member of that and a duce payer of to that organization, we still needed someone in-house to be responsible for the report, and so that's why that was a recommendation I received from the general council's office, and I happen to agree with it.

I believe the council secretary, while not required to do the report, nor do they have the expertise or data, although they do step in to places where you know it's a little tenuous there.

I don't believe they should be, but in this specific example, I do believe the secretary's office not should be responsible for creating the report, but certainly working with the regional council to ensure this council receives the comprehensive report.

And so if we need to change, I'm certainly open to a language change, so the council secretary does not feel as though that it is unfairly targeting that office to do something that they're not equipped, prepared, or understand how to do.

All right, thank you.

Let me go to Miss Mary real quick.

Through the chair of the committee, I would just caution you you can't mandate to the Northeast Florida Regional Council that they take this task on.

If they voluntarily agree that they would assist with it, that's that's certainly up to them, and you could put it in as a request that they usher the the report through or administer the report, but it can't be a mandate.

Um and it to the extent that they're willing to assist in that endeavor, um, you probably would want to hear from them to confirm.

Maybe Dr.

Johnson did speak to them in that regard.

It sounds like he did, um, but before you add it to the bill, um, and then you could also just assign uh someone potentially DIA or another entity within the organization that's not the council secretary that would work with in coordination with them if they are voluntarily willing to take it on to bring the report back.

All right.

So I've I've got quite a few back in the queue now.

Uh I would like to just reach over to Dr.

Johnson.

Would you be willing to list defer this and that all this reach back out to the Northeast Florida Regional Council and the different can kind of kind of get get this, I guess, pulled together on exactly where it needs to go and then have if it's the Northeast uh Regional Council that's going to be involved in this, have them come you know here as well.

I think that would settle everybody down.

Let me say, Mr.

Chair, and thank you for asking.

And while I do understand, I think it's important.

There, this is not gonna change the data.

Uh so I think we're fine.

I'm certainly fine with the default deferral.

Um, and they were supposed to be mentioned in the legislation, and I do have specific emails where I sent over to the general counsel's office, and they that was supposed to be included in this legislation.

I do understand there was some personnel changes, but and as most of you know, I'm very detailed in the work that I do.

I ensured that we literally mentioned it, and there's an email as a part of that from the regional council that says they were willing to do this project.

I didn't just come up with them and just mandate them to do it.

Furthermore, no one's mandating them to do anything, it was a request as I chair co-chaired uh under Council President Salem, or I I chaired a subcommittee on the jail.

They were our people that helped us create that report.

So they have agreed, they've done other reports I know for personally for my district.

So I do agree with the deferral.

Um we will I guess move it forward in that respect.

I wish that there could have been uh some communication about this before because I really did vet this thoroughly before moving to this point.

Uh and so I look forward to uh coming up with this.

If we could do it to a date certain, I just don't want us to end up down the road and we not have this report.

So if we could do it for the next committee cycle, I'll make sure that it's uh possible for this to work.

Okay, so I'm on a I'm gonna pause on the deferral and keep on letting the uh uh committee speak here.

Uh Dr.

Salem, you're next.

Thank you, Chair.

Uh uh Dr.

Johnson kind of stole my thunder.

Uh I requested the Northeast Florida Planning Council do our jail study two or three years ago.

They did an excellent job.

They basically did everything, and then the report came back to council member Boylan who chaired that, who reviewed it, and the individual subcommittee members, uh, white, uh uh Peluso, etc.

Reviewed it as well.

I would see this as a report conducted by the planning council and coming back to you, Dr.

Johnson, for a final review uh and then put out.

It would be my recommendation.

All right, thank you.

Let me go to Chief White.

Thank you.

I would like to through the chair asked Mr.

Teal here, but I would whatever we do, defer it or move it on is fine with me.

But I would like to make an amendment to change that word one word for prepare to distribute, then I think that protects him, and then no matter what they do, if there's a report, it's just his job to distribute it.

If there's not, there's nothing to distribute.

But I would like to make amendment to change that word prepare to distribute.

If I could get a second, you get it.

All right, we've got a motion and a second on the amendment to change Mr.

Teal as to distribute it.

Councilman Morrow, are you on the amendment?

Through the chair to Miss the Fopulus.

What would that language look like?

Uh through the chair to council member Omaro.

So I I believe Mr.

Mr.

White is referring to on the section one of the bill, which it talks about the preparation.

It would just change the word to so it would state instead of the city the council secretary director is hereby required to prepare a comprehensive data-driven report, etc.

It would say he's required to distribute.

What's left though is who would then be responsible or requested to prepare it.

So if this amendment passes, it would be very clear in the bill that the intent is that the council secretary will receive that report and distribute it to the council.

But what's left unstated in the bill is who then is tasked with or requested to prepare it.

Through the chair to Missopholois, uh again, the introduction says ordinance requiring a comprehensive report by the council Secretary, director pertaining to the downtown blah blah blah blah blah.

So the language would read what ordinance requiring council secretary to present.

No, it would be an ordin of on the fly, because we would what in anything within the vein of the intent of the amendment we would address in the bill when we actually prepare the amendment.

So if the intention is this amendment is approved, I would probably change this title to say something along the lines of an ordinance requiring a comprehensive report to be distributed by the council secretary.

What would be need to be added is who would be preparing it.

Or two, Ms.

Popolis.

Do we need an ordinance for that?

Through the chair to Councilmember Amara, yes.

This is something that would be done through ordinance and not to.

Well, I think the intention of it being an ordinance is because it was directing the preparation of the report in consultation with a number of different agencies.

So that was appropriately done through an ordinance versus a resolution.

That being said, I think your your ordinance is substantially substantively lacking if it doesn't indicate who would be preparing it.

You know, if you just shift it to distribution, you have a substantive flaw that needs to be filled, a gap that needs to be filled.

All right, so basically on the amendment on the floor now is uh council member white's amendment to change.

It would be to adjust any throughout the bill.

Wherever we would need to adjust the language, it would see it would state that the council secretary director would be responsible for distributing the report once it's completed versus requiring that he prepare it.

Okay, but do we need to address the the who does the preparations through to the chair?

I would recommend that if this amendment is approved that yes, you would want to then take an action to address who would need to prepare the report.

You could also um defer the bill to let Dr.

Johnson kind of work through some of that before you start taking up amendments to that effect, but you may want to address that with the introducer as well.

All right, Chief White.

Yes, sir.

It might make through the chair, it might make sense just to go ahead.

If y'all want to pass my amendment, then defer it, and then it will come with that one word change no matter what we do in the future.

All right, thank you, sir.

Dr.

Johnson, I got you on the queue for the amendment.

It's my recommendation, Mr.

Chair, with all due respect, uh, that we defer the bill as a whole.

I think uh Chair White, uh Councilman White is absolutely on point with this.

Um, as I just talked to the council secretary and understanding the nuances of this bill, I think we need to do any changes together, and I certainly don't mind having it all as one amendment that includes any language referring to the council secretary or the DIA as well as, and I again I just looked at the email.

The regional council is supposed to be included in this legislation, and it's not.

So I think if we just do a blanket deferral, put all of the language in there as one and then amend the bill when it comes back, and I hope I could get a member of this committee to join me in amending it because all this is is just asking for this report.

I think we would all be in a good place there.

All right, Chief White.

Yes, sir.

I would withdraw my amendment, and then maybe it'll go just like Mr.

Johnson wants it to.

Thank you.

All right, so the amendments were drawn, and I'm going to go ahead at the request of the introducer, defer this bill, and uh we'll discuss it here in the future.

Next item that we'll go to is item number 39 on page 20 five.

The very last page of your agenda.

Item number 39, 2026 0466.

Can I get a motion on emergency?

I've got a motion and second on emergency.

Mr.

Peterson on emergency.

Through the chair to the committee, the request for emergency is in order to make the funding available as soon as possible as this program is scheduled.

Scheduled to begin early this month, all right.

All right, any discussion on emergency?

Um none.

I see.

All in favor of emergency say aye.

Uh any opposed, likewise, none.

The emergency carries.

Can you get a motion and a second on the bill?

I need to get a motion of second on the amendment.

Get a second.

I've got a motion and second on the amendment.

Mr.

Peterson.

Through the chair of the committee, the amendment will remove the waiver of section 110 112 related to the advancement of funds.

Funds that are placed uh within KHA.

KHA has the authority to advance up to 25%, which is what uh the term sheet uh identifies.

And so there's no reason for that waiver, and so we're removing that from the bill.

All right, any speakers on the emergency, I mean the amendment.

None, I see.

All in favor of the amendment, say yay.

Yay.

Any opposed likewise, none.

The amendment carries and get a motion second on the bill as an emergency as amended.

Move the bill.

And I've got a second, so no discussions.

No speakers in the queue.

Open a ballot, record your vote.

Five years, you're an ease.

All right, by your action, approved 2026, 0466.

And Dr.

Johnson, you're recognized.

Thank you, gentlemen, for approving that.

I do want to recognize the people from Vision for Excellence, they'll be carrying out this program that are here.

Dr.

Faye Davis, Felicia Fredericks, and uh Kendall Anderson.

Uh, they will be doing this program, and it was my attempt, at least for the West Side with all the team takeovers and those kind of things that are going on.

This program will be a summer youth intensive experience that goes into an after-school program at the Lou Brantley Park.

Uh off 118th Street.

So thank you, gentlemen, for voting this forward.

All right, thank you.

Alright, this takes us back to the beginning of our agenda with item number one 2024 0966, deferred.

Item number two, 2025 0361 is deferred.

Item number three, 2026 0227 is deferred.

Item number four two 2026 0318 is deferred.

And it takes us to item number five, 2026 0319.

I open the public hearing.

Do we have any speaker cards?

No speaker cards.

I close the public hearing.

Can I get a motion in a second?

You are correct.

This is deferred.

Item number six, 2026, 0320 is deferred.

Item number seven, 2026, 0335.

Can I get a motion on amendment?

I've got a motion second on the amendment, Mr.

Peterson.

Through the chair to the committee.

The amendment corrects the fuel cap fiscal year to the appropriate fiscal year as it relates to this three-year renewal.

It places a revised first amendment on file to again correct that fuel cap within the agreement.

Uh remove a reference to a fiscal year 2032 33.

Uh, that will is beyond the term of the agreement and then very correct various section references.

All right.

Any discussion on amendment?

None.

All in favor of the amendment say yay.

Any opposed likewise, none amendment carries.

I've got a motion second on the bill as amended.

Let's go back to Mr.

Peterson for auditor concerns.

Through the chair to the committee, uh, this is the last of the three waste hauler contracts that are coming to you to remove the rate review process.

Um, in doing so, the rate review is moved removed in this agreement.

Uh the agreement is extended for an additional three years to match the prior waste pro contract that you approved last fall, and then uh lastly, it increases the rate above uh their current rate by 8.8 percent.

Uh, that is above the CPI cap of five percent that is included in the agreement, and so we're just making you aware that by approving this 8.8% increase, that is a 1.1 million dollar difference over what CPI would be, and given that it has a six-year time frame left on the contract, that uh 1.1 million dollars equates to a seven million dollar total uh impact that you are um approving uh towards the Solid waste Fund.

All right, I don't see any speakers on the queue.

Open a ballot, record your vote.

Five years, zero and a's by your action, you approve 2026 0335.

That takes it to our next item on the agenda.

Item number eight, 2026-0358 is deferred.

Item number nine, 2026-0364 is deferred.

We've already done item number 10.

Takes us to item number 11, 2026, 0378.

Can I get a motion on the amendment?

I've got a motion and second on the amendment, Mr.

Peterson.

Through the chair to the committee, the amendment would remove the striking of the downtown development authority and update the terminology to match the definitions within chapter 250.

Uh would also move language regarding the determination on applications from one section uh of our code to another section that's more appropriate.

Uh changes references from the consumer affairs manager.

Uh that is not an idea specifically identified position to the designee of the director of the neighborhoods department or DIA.

Uh revise the penalty provisions to reflect a class D offense unless otherwise provided that matches the violations in chapter 609 of our code and then corrects various scriptures.

All right, thank you.

Any speakers on the amendment?

None.

All in favor of the amendment, say yay.

Yay.

Any or let me go to councilman Amaro.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Through uh through the chair to uh Philip.

Uh can you expound a little bit on the uh parting the amendment that uh speaks to the uh revocation of the authority um uh and and the role of the special magistrate?

Through the chair to council member.

So with the changes in this legislation, the special magistrate will now be the one who can um suspend or revoke a uh permit uh under chapter 250.

That will fall um under their authority, and so the code as it currently stands uh gives that authority to the downtown the director of the downtown development authority uh or the DIA, but it this includes more than just the DIA.

It also includes uh areas that are overseen by the neighborhoods department.

So now that role will be done by the special magistrate.

All right, no other speakers on the amendment.

All in favor of the amendment say yay.

Yay.

Any opposed likewise, none.

The amendment carries can get a motion and a second on the bill as amended.

And a second, please.

I've got a motion and a second on the bill as amended.

No speakers in the queue.

Let's open a ballot and record a vote.

By your action, you approve 2026 0378.

The next item number 12, 2026, 0380.

Okay, get a motion on the bill.

I've got a motion and a second on the bill.

No speakers in the queue, open a ballot and record your vote.

Five years, zero nays.

By your action you approve 2026, 0380.

Item number 13, 2026, 0381.

Can I get a motion on the amendment?

Okay, get a second.

Alright, I've got a motion and a second on the amendment, Mr.

Peterson.

Through the chair to the committee, uh, this bill authorizes um technical changes to be made to the agreements to fulfill the purpose over those technical changes are not included in the bill, and so we've reached out to DIA that's supposed to be their normal technical changes, so we'll include that as part of the bill and then correct various scriptures.

All right, thank you.

No speakers on the amendment.

All in favor of the amendment say yay.

Yay.

Any opposed likewise, none.

The amendment carries.

I've got a motion and a second on the bill as amended.

No speakers in the queue.

Open the ballot and record your vote.

By your action, you approve 2026 0381.

Item number 14, 2026 0382.

Can I motion on the bill?

And a second, please.

All right, I've got a motion and a second on the bill.

No speakers in the queue.

Open a ballot and record your vote.

Five years, zero and a's by your action, you approve 2026 0382.

Item number 15, 2026 0383.

Can you get a motion on the bill?

I've got a motion and a second on a bill.

No speakers in the queue, open a ballot, record your vote.

Five years, zero and a's.

By your action, you approve 2026 0383.

Item number 16, 2026, 0385.

Can I get a motion on the bill?

Oh, can I get a motion on the amendment?

I've got a motion on amendment and a second.

Mr.

Peterson.

Through the chair, the amendment would include carryover language for this funding into the next fiscal year, and then also attach a revised BT to uh correct account information.

All right.

I have no speakers on the amendment.

All in favor of the amendment say yay.

Yay.

Any oppose likewise?

None.

The amendment carries.

Can you get a motion second on the bill as amended?

Move the bill as amended.

In a second, please.

And I've got a second.

No speakers on the queue.

Open the ballot and record your vote.

By your action, you approve 2026 0385.

Item number 17, 2026 0386.

Get a motion on the bill.

I've got a motion and a second on the bill.

No speakers in the queue.

Open the ballot, record your vote.

Five A, zero and a's.

By your action, you approve 2026 0386.

Item number 18, 2026, 0387.

Get a motion on the bill.

I've got a motion and a second on the bill.

No speakers in the queue.

Go ahead, Mr.

Bullin.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Through the chair, Mr.

Fopoulis.

I understand there's a bill on the governor's desk that effectively takes away the necessity of them going through the county commission to get millets on the ballots.

Are we are you familiar with that?

Through the chair to council member Boylan.

I'm not familiar with that particular bill, but until it's signed and made effective.

Understood.

I'm I'm suggesting perhaps you either we defer this.

No, they don't have time to make the ballot if this bill gets deferred, which is why it needs to go through this cycle.

Fair enough.

I just want to make the party aware that the body aware that the governor's got a bill on his desk.

The legislature is re uh eliminated the necessity of the county commissions or our case or our council to approve such uh millage going on the ballot.

All right, no other speakers in the queue.

No, sir.

Go ahead, Dr.

Salem.

If you're not in a creep, wait, wave at me if you're not if you don't want to speak.

I'm not getting anybody in the queue.

Go ahead, Dr.

Salem.

Thank you, Chair.

Uh I will be voting against this today.

Uh, I just can't support the potential of a tax increase right now.

People are struggling.

Uh I know it needs to go on the ballot if it occurs, but uh I'm not there.

So I'll be a no today.

All right.

Let me go to Miss Mary first.

Through the chair to the committee, I just want to clarify that this isn't authorized.

This referendum would not be for a new or an increased tax.

It's for continuation of the existing one mil tax for an additional four years.

All right, thank you.

Let me go to councilman.

Uh thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you, Mary, for the uh clarification because that was my understanding as well.

And I I think the ask here is for us uh permission to allow the voters to make that decision.

And uh I believe in the uh democratic process that if the voters don't want it to continue, they'll vote it down.

If they uh want it to continue, they'll vote it up.

Our the ask is for us to have the permission to let the voters decide.

So I'm gonna support it.

All right, thank you.

Councilmember Bolin.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair, Chairman.

Mr.

Lopoulos.

Uh again, as I seem to recall, the last time we went through this process and went through the courts, and the court said, No, you guys gotta go do it.

So can you want to clarify the fact whether we voted up or down is almost immaterial?

Through the chair to council member Boylan.

Yeah, uh, thank you for the question.

So, yes, the statute makes it clear that for this type of millage to be assessed, the school board shall direct the council as the board of county commissioners in this capacity to put to ask the supervisor to put it on the ballot.

There has been case law to that effect that addresses whether the county commission or the city council would have any sort of say or opportunity to deny that, and it is essentially a ministerial obligation, which I think is why that state law is pending, because it's an extra step that seems unnecessary in this regard.

Yeah, thank you.

Uh to my to my other conversation or comment, uh, clearly that was the case.

The state legislature recognized this is a perfunctory step for us to have to be in the middle of, we need to step away from it.

But to that end, I understand we really don't have a whole lot of choice but to support this.

Uh to put the putting up support putting this on the ballot.

Through the chair to council member Boylan, that is correct.

And in fact, the state law used to not have specific language as to which election it would have to be put on the ballot, but that was corrected to allow because there was case law that addressed that as well.

It now requires that it be held at a general election.

All right.

So no other speakers on the queue.

Um, with with the same uh comment that councilman Omaro made that uh um the only reason I would be supporting this is that the voters will get a chance to decide, and that that's to me that that's important.

So open the ballot and let's record your vote.

Four years, one nay.

Next item number 17.

I mean 19, excuse me, 2026 0388.

Get a motion on the bill.

Yeah, I've got a motion and a second on the bill.

Dr.

Salem.

Thank you, Chair.

I've spent a lot of time on this bill.

I've met with my good friends at JEA.

I've met with Mr.

Bertozi as well and had considerable discussions.

Um this is not a perfect bill by any means.

Um, but we've got a building that's empty, been empty.

Um, and the the point that uh was made to me that really convinced me is all the expense to evaluating this building is on is on the developer.

So he's likely to pay two, three, four million dollars evaluating uh this building for development uh before he uh executes the agreement on this building.

So with that, um it's not perfect by any means, but I'm gonna support it.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilman Morrow.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

I I'm gonna support it as well, even though um at first blush the uh the numbers seem kind of uh on balance.

Um I don't know Paul.

Are you able?

Um I just got a quick question through the chair for Mr.

Batozi and uh I think this is um a C division sir I think this is a great great opportunity for you to be uh a van Gogh if you will and create something fantastic on that block uh here's my question looking down the road um when you get through with your due diligence and and run the numbers as to um what it's gonna take to uh create that vision uh can you do it without the assistance from the city we have a lot to evaluate with the building that name and address for the record uh Paul Bertozi um addresses uh 96478 soap creek drive um through the um to Mr.

Amara through the chair we have a lot to evaluate with uh with the building as Dr.

Salem said we'll be two and a half three hundred or three million and to due diligence for the building we have a great team a great um group of people that are engaged with us we have Ginsler architects to be our architect for the building along with all of their support structure so we see this as you said as an opportunity to create something very valuable for the downtown we look forward to the opportunity to be part of part of this project and obviously with with your support we'll we'll see it through thank you Mr.

Chair one more question Paul kind of lighthearted um when charter owned that property the restaurant rotated is that part of the vision so there's gonna be a lot of due diligence on that um the building was obviously built in the early 60s so current code um does not allow for that building because of egress from that floor um there's a single means of I guess egress um on that floor so we'll be looking into that and to see what can be done there um but there's there's gonna be a lot of due diligence done to see what the options are all right thank you let me go back to Dr.

Salem thank you Chair Paul you're fine thank you um the the the question that that came up just reminding me of a point that I wanted to make we've got this uh homestead exemption it looks like it's gonna pass through the through the house and the Senate I believe it will pass by the voters in November and I am looking out I think incentives that the city may provide are going to be extremely tough going forward.

We passed earlier and I wanted to make this comment then but it got past me on the uh JWB 20 year loan that we passed which is very similar to what we've done with Vestcore for similar affordable housing um I think those type of things will be very difficult as we go forward so I I would just caution the development group to to be aware of that.

I won't be here many of us won't be here with when that when you probably if you come for incentives but I think incentives in general that are not loans of some sort um maybe like a house mortgage of some sort where you you pay it back over a uh 15 20 year period of time are going to be extremely uh difficult for the the city to afford so I'll just throw that out there thank you all right no other speakers in the queue um I've had the discussion with with JEA um in this legislation Mr.

Peterson is there any callbacks that if the during this process the the developer decides to just flip the property.

We got any protection or clawbacks on any of that.

Through the chair or to the chair, I don't recall there being any prohibition on the developer flipping the property um I would defer to I know representatives from JEA are here um that the developer does get a two two two year plus due diligent period with all the time periods that are laid out in it, but I don't recall that once they go forward with the purchase that they couldn't resell.

All right.

JEA, I want to speak to that.

Good morning.

Good morning, Chair.

Good morning, Council.

Committee.

Shay Hill, JEA.

I just want to introduce uh Jordan Pope, our senior VP of Administrative Services to answer that question.

Thank you.

All right.

Mr.

Pope.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

There are no clawbacks in that event that you mentioned.

What I would add is if Live Oak spends two and a half to three million dollars to bring certainty to those structures and the potential development around it, it will be capital that JA did not expend.

It is not our core business.

We are not familiar with that type of redevelopment, and so I think JA would still get the benefit of not having the uh burden of maintaining those buildings, which is approximately a million dollars a year right now.

Live oak would bring certainty to the process, and so they would benefit from the capital that they spent on it.

That JA would have avoided.

Alright, so with that, basically JA is now looking to spend another two and a half million dollars maintaining the buildings while this due process is taking place.

So they have a year for due diligence with three sixty-day extensions, so that's 18 months, and then a time period for closing.

So to your point, you're looking at somewhere between a million and a half to two million dollars, assuming that timeline sticks for JA to maintain those buildings.

Yes, sir.

Alright, and and you're okay with uh like I say the sale going through a basically 93% lower than the appraised value.

Yes, sir, and I'm I'm happy to talk about multiple reasons uh as to why JEA believes that's the right course.

I will just for right now say that our other bid on this property was zero dollars, and I think it reflects reflects the complexity, the significant capital investment, and really the unknown surrounding uh that those structures uh that that will take as Mr.

Bertozi has represented significant funds to bring certainty to.

Alright, thank you.

Yes, sir.

You know, uh looking at this this building, and I look forward to the developer basically uh restoring the the old charter oil building uh to its you know the original uh potential that it's had.

So I've got great hope that we'll be able to do that, get this on the tax roll, and be able to generate revenue.

So with that, let's open the ballot and record your vote.

Five years, zero and ease.

By your action approved 2026, 0388.

Next item number 20, 2026 0390.

Can you get a motion on the amendment?

I've got a motion and a second on the amendment, Mr.

Peterson.

Through the chair of the committee, the amendment will attach revised CIP sheets to correct the prior and current year appropriation amounts for the projects that are uh the part of this bill, and then correct Barry Scribner's.

All right, no discussion on the amendment.

All in favor of the amendment say yay.

Any opposed, likewise, none.

Amendment carries can get a motion and second on the bills amended.

I've got a motion and a second.

No speakers on the queue.

Open the ballot and record your vote.

Five A zero.

Yes.

By your action approved, 2026, 0390.

Next item number 21, 2026, 0391.

Okay, get a motion on the bill.

I got a motion and a second on the bill.

No speakers in the queue.

Open the ballot, record your vote.

Five years, zero and A's.

By your action approved, 2026 0391.

Next item number 22, 2026, 0393.

Can a motion on the amendment?

I've got a motion second on the amendment, Mr.

Peterson.

Through the chair of the committee, the amendment would attach the contract amendment uh with mosquito control from the state as a new exhibit to support this increased grant award amount.

All right, no speakers in the queue.

All in favor of the amendment say yay.

Yay.

Any opposed likewise?

None.

The amendment carries.

Can you hit a motion second on the bill is amended?

I've got a motion and a second on the bill.

As amended, open a ballot and record your vote.

5A, 09s.

By your action, approved, 2026, 0393.

Next item number 23, 2026, 0394.

Okay, no motion on the bill.

I've got a motion and a second on the bill.

No speakers in the queue, open a ballot, record your vote.

5A 09's.

By your action, you approve 2026 0394.

Next item number 24, 2026, 0395.

I open the public hearing.

Do we have any speaker cards?

No speaker cars.

I close the public hearing.

Okay, get a motion on the amendment.

I've got a motion and a second on the amendment.

No speakers in the queue on the amendment.

All in favor of the amendment say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed likewise?

None.

The amendment carries.

I've got a motion and a second on the bill as amended.

No speakers then the queue, open a ballot, record your vote.

Five years, zero and a's.

By your action, approved, 2026, 0395.

Number 25, item 25, 2026, 0396.

Can I get a motion on amendment?

I've got a motion and second on the amendment.

Mr.

Peterson.

Through the chair to the committee, uh this bill adds uh endowment grants to the JAX fostering filmmakers grant program.

So we're clarifying there's no maximum for the annual number of endowment grants that can be awarded.

It updates the department and office names within the trust fund section within our code chapter 11 uh.3635 and then places a revised public investment policy on file to correct the date of the approval.

All right, no speakers on the amendment.

All in favor of the amendment say yay.

Yay.

Any opposed likewise, none.

The amendment carries can motion second or bill as amended.

I've got a motion and a second.

No speakers in the queue.

Open the ballot, record your vote.

By your action approved, 2026, 0396.

Next item 26, 2026, 0418 is deferred.

And the next items are on second, 2026 0444, 0445, 0446, 0448, 0449, 0450.

Item 33, we've already taken action.

34, we've taken action.

Item number 35, 04, 2026, 0457, 2026, 0458, 0460, 0463, and 39.

We've already taken action that takes the end of our agenda.

Any comments?

None.

We are adjourned.