All right, welcome everyone to the June 1st rules committee meeting.

We'll start out with introductions and uh let's please start with Mr.

Dennis.

Good afternoon, Garrett Dennis Administration.

Colin Hamsey, Council Research.

Carla Schell, Office of General Counsel.

Tristy Carreher, Council Auditor's Office.

Philip Peterson, Council Auditor.

Canamar, City Council, District One.

Randy White, District 12.

Chris Miller at large group five.

Ron Salem, group two at large.

Mike Gay, district two.

Nick Howland at large, group three.

I'm here in a non-voting capacity, just visiting, probably for the first 30, 45 minutes.

Thanks.

Okay, thank you.

We'll get started with public comments.

We have one card.

Uh Mr.

Nooney, if you'll come down, please.

Come on, Mr.

Nooney.

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 yeah, I'll touch on uh 8356 Bascombe Road.

Thank you.

And uh, you know, first, you know, I just want to.

Okay, I'll be touching on the big one's gonna be uh agenda item 21, 2026 0396.

But uh I'm gonna start with uh a couple of uh donations.

You know, first will be 2009 442, that's the Artificial Reef Trust Fund.

The next one will be 2026 0004, that's the Parks Trust Fund, and then right after that is 2025 0463.

That's the veterans trust fund.

Now, the last time we did this, I'll tell you it was like a reunion up there.

And I'll tell you, it's it's gonna be uh it works, it happens.

And so, what are I'm just down to a minute forty-eight, but this one, you know, uh this one.

I I mean, like I said, this is like a dream right here.

Ordinance making certain findings and improve the authorization of the public investment policy, okay.

OED to add endowment grants to the Jacksville Fostering Filmmakers Grant Program.

Now, you know, I spoke to it at the public hearing.

So, when you look at the bullet points, clarify that there is no maximum for the annual number of endowment grants that can be awarded.

Amends the public investment policy to authorize endowment grants not to exceed 10,000 per grant, subject to available funding as part of the Jacksonville Fostering Filmmaker Grant Program.

And this is massive.

This is awesome.

There are men sections of the Jacksonville Film and Television Office Trust Fund to include endowment grants within the authorized uses of funds.

So here we go.

We can have an OED.

I mean, that's Ed Rambo, Randolph, Richard, Sparky, 2025 0522, Riker, Dr.

Gregory, Jacob, Grant, Wendy, CIP Con, Fishing Tournament, to raise money for the Jacksonville Fostering Filmmaker Grant Program.

OED, the Office of Extraordinary Directors, just down to 15 seconds.

You know, you hear what's going on with Toy Story.

Well, in Jacksonville, welcome to Grant World.

And I'm also talking about Dr.

Gregory J Seb Grant.

This is awesome stuff.

Visit Jacksonville.

Thank you, Mr.

Nooney.

We received one more card.

Um, I'm sorry, ma'am.

Um I know you filled this card out quickly, but if if you come up and introduce yourself, I I'm not able to read your last name here.

Latavia Harris.

Harris, okay.

I'm sorry.

Yeah, that was me.

I felt it out extra fast.

Um address on foul.

Thank you.

Um, I'm here today to show my support for Robin to be on the Eastside uh community Benefits board.

Um, what Robin shows the community is no matter what color, what background, what gender, she comes into the community and she helps.

A lot of things along the way with the community.

Robin has been responsible for that.

Keep in mind she's from the community.

Just like some of us who were either displaced or had to move out of the community.

The biggest thing about when we were asking for board members were the people who had to leave, but brought everything that they had back into the community.

I won't say that for all of the board members that was picked, but Robin is one of those people that has not only explained she shows up, she probably shows up sometimes when the people in the community can't show up.

She's always there.

So she has my full support because when you just think about somebody who went through the challenges that Robin went through, and you could say, you know what, I'm done with a particular area side of town, but you come back into that community and try to make whatever you can and help them succeed.

Even if it was spending long nights explaining to us what's in the ordinance, how the ordinance is working, what people need to understand, what they don't need to understand, and she is one of those key people.

When I literally say when you guys speak of subject matter expert, she's the one with the lived experience.

I have voice to you guys about a lot of people on the board that just look good on paper, but intelligently, and humanity they just don't have good intentions, but that is not Robin.

Anytime we need her to show up, she shows up for the children.

She shows up for anything that she has to volunteer, whether it's with either side of the administration, Robin is always there.

So I would just like to say thank you and appreciate Robin, and I appreciate at least for the board members.

But Robin is definitely what we were looking for when we talked about community, being able to leave, get educated, and bring it back and not just leave us hanging.

So she did that for us, so I like to give Robin my support.

Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am.

Yes, sir.

That concludes our public comments, and we're now going to a period where Mr.

Peterson will give us an overview.

Um, and he'll go into more detail for those of you in in finance committee after the finance committee meeting.

However, um, a couple of us believe that it was good to get a little more exposure for this information, given the very real impact, uh, this can potentially have on us relative to the um adjustments that are being proposed to the property taxes at the state level.

And so at this time, uh like to turn this over to Mr.

Peterson to give us an overview.

Again, not into the amount of detail uh that will be given to um the finance folks, but still uh to give us just a general awareness of the impact.

And and he's got a handout for everyone here.

If you don't have one, please let us know that gives you some of those numbers and numbers and percentages that breaks this down.

So please, Mr.

Peterson.

Through the chair to the committee.

Um, so as the chair referenced, there's a five-page handout that was put at your desk just to give you kind of an overview of where the 2526 council budget um lies as approved uh in relation to the email I sent out Friday estimating that a um 250,000 dollar homestead exemption uh would equate to give or take 300 million dollars by the time this gets implemented.

I will note that the bill that was filed uh in the Senate does a hundred and fifty thousand dollar exemption in uh beginning in January 1 of 2027.

That's up to 250,000 January 1, 2028, uh, with direction to get rid of property taxes at some point in the future.

There's no specific step on how to do that.

Uh but what a couple of things I did want to point out to you.

Uh, you'll see on page one of the handouts where public safety that's police and fire and all related costs make up roughly 58 and a half percent of our budget, and then the other items that are broken down debt, that's a little over six percent.

Um, interlocal agreements is a small uh component.

Other departments uh that's every other department, or not every other department, I take that back.

Other departments within the journal fund, 290 million or just under 15%, citywide activities at 7.7%, and we have breakdowns of the other departments, citywide activities, contingencies at 1.3%, and then the transfers out to other funds at 11.7%.

One thing that I did not include in my email on Friday, that I do think is important to point out to you is that the bill filed at the state identifies what ad valorum taxes can be used for, and only specific uses.

So that's listed right there on your page one.

We pulled word for word from the bill, providing for public safety, including law enforcement, fire service, and emergency medical service, providing funding for education in public schools, financing or refinancing infrastructure, including expenditures on road and bridge construction and maintenance and stormwater control, financing or refinancing natural resource projects, including flood control measures, issuing local bonds for uses consistent with this paragraph, and to make debt service payments for existing obligations or meeting obligations for retirement benefits of local government employees.

And that's important because there are a large number of things that are funded in the general fund that ad valorum or that do not fall into those six categories.

I do think there will be some work that will need to be done to identify what does fall within each of those categories.

Easy example is KHA, ultimately funded out of the general fund.

What portion, if any of those would be education services.

So there's just a lot of work that will need to be done to identify what meets those six criteria, but there's a there is a good amount of the general fund expenditures that do not fall into those six criteria.

If you turn to page two, this is an outline of the departmental budgets.

So just one just want to draw your attention to there's a large uh large number of items that will not be able to be funded with ad valorum.

And should this pass at the state level, we will begin to dive deeper into what other revenue sources may have other limiting obligations to see where those dollars can be spent.

You'll see the public safety on page two, a billion one hundred and seventy-one million, and then citywide activities, that's the remainder of our general fund budget at 542 million.

Turning over to page three, you'll see a breakout from page one of the citywide activities, and what makes up that 154 million, large numbers that show up there, economic incentives, 23.8 million, another item that could not be funded with ad valorum.

Um little bit halfway down the page, Medicaid program, 22.7 million.

That's a number that comes from the state.

That also could not be funded with ad valorum.

Turning to page four, these are the contingencies that make up the 26.2 million from page one.

You're probably very aware of these numbers.

The budget stabilization accounts, which had a small remaining balance, our federal matching grants, 6.9 million, our fine grant dollars, 3 million, Riverfront Parks, 2.6 million, special committee on Duval Doge, the 2% lapse at the 5.8, and then the youth empowerment committee, 5 million.

Lastly, turning to page five, these are all the transfers out from the general fund that total to 234 million, the largest being KHA at 59 million.

You'll see further down the solid waste disposal, 51.9 million, another very large item that I don't think could be covered with ad valorum, should this pass at the state level.

But just wanted to provide you an overall estimate, or not an just an overall look of where the city's general fund budget, the two billion dollar budget lies.

If we are having to go down the avenue of cutting um a hundred and seventy-ish million in the first year based on the proposal, and then up to three hundred plus million in later years.

Happy to take any questions.

Thank you, Mr.

Peterson.

We have past President Salem, you're recognized.

Thank you, Chair.

A couple things.

Through the chair to Mr.

Peterson, in early in DOES, we looked at going back, as I recall eight or 10 years in the growth of various departments by dollar amount in percentage over that over the when the general fund budget was like a billion and now it's two billion.

Can you get that together as well?

I think that would be very helpful to look at not just this year, but which departments have really had growth.

That's point number one.

Point number two, tomorrow at DOE's we are discussing health care, and it's some of the final recommendations from how we could possibly restructure our health insurance and what other counties and cities across the state are doing.

That 21 million dollars at the at the bottom of page five is what's what's creating that, and that we are subsidizing our health insurance plan.

And he has some recommendations on how we can reduce and or eliminate that.

So thank you so much.

At 11 a.m.

President Elect Allen, you're recognized.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Uh this is striking.

And what it means is that we are going to have to pretty much every county in the state of Florida is going to have to focus on what core local government means to them.

You know, we always talk about core local government.

We always talk about we must fund public safety first, then infrastructure, then essential city services.

This is going to force us to really take a hard look at what core means to us this summer because we can't wait to see what gets decided in the November referendum.

We have to start looking at our budget with a fine-tooth comb this summer.

Um so I would recommend everybody uh hold on to this piece of paper the auditors are given to us because we're gonna keep referencing that.

I know I know this is this year's budget as approved and adjusted as Philip mentioned for uh some of the conflict bills, but there's gonna be some important numbers here.

You know, public safety is gonna need what they need to keep our streets and neighborhoods safe.

We're gonna give that to them.

After that, when we start thinking about what's necessary and what's left over, um we have to think long and hard about what's important to us from a core perspective.

There's a lot of things we all want to fund, but there might be reality here with what is left funds we have left to fund them.

Um a couple things I wanted to say.

Thank goodness that this council has taken a hard look at completion grants the last several years and used accruals where necessary over accruals to pay some of those completion grants down.

Uh, because we're not staring in the face of as much red now in the five-year plan as we thought we would.

Um but now it looks like we uh are gonna have another challenge, and that challenge comes with uh restricted revenues, and that's fair because we've seen property values skyrocket so high, and we know that people are out there struggling not only to pay their property tax bills but to pay their insurance.

Um governments have to live within their means.

So we will be focused this summer on how we keep delivering what the people expect us to deliver in core local government and do so within the means that we have.

So thanks uh Mr.

Chair for having the auditors come brief this today.

I won't be there tomorrow at finance, um, so I that's why I sat in on this one today, and I think it's very important that everyone understands some of these numbers at the high level.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Okay, no one else in the queue.

Uh, thank you, Mr.

Peterson.

We appreciate that.

I know that was a last minute request, and I appreciate you being flexible uh and coming here today.

And anyone who's interested, right after finance, that will be addressed in more detail, as I said earlier, and any questions you have for more information that you'd like please share that with the auditors.

Okay, we're gonna start with our order of agenda as far as uh the appointments go.

And so we'll start on page 16.

If you'll turn with me to that page, item number 22.

No appearance is required because it's a reappointment, but uh 2026 0399.

We have motion second on the bill.

Um is Carmen Martinez here.

Okay, not here, as I said, doesn't need to be, it's a reappointment.

Um seeing no one in the queue, please open the bot and record your vote.

Okay, by your actions, you approve 2026 zero three nine nine.

Seven to zero.

It was seven years, zero nays.

Um, having a little bit of audio concerns here.

So we'll go to our item number 17, uh, excuse me, uh page 17, item number 23, uh 2026 040.

We have a motion second on the bill.

Um see is Miss uh Centerzall, is it Miss Sunzall?

Is that how you pronounce your name?

Would you please come forward?

Um, if you would give your name and address for the record Robin Senizal 12539 Reginald Drive.

Okay, and if you would tell the committee a little bit about yourself, um and and why you believe this is a good fit um for you being on this east side grants committee.

Well, I'll start with um that it's their fault, they were the ones who talked me into it.

It was not initially my idea to be on the board, but um I'm happy to to serve in that role.

So as far as background, uh as Ms.

Harris mentioned, I grew up out east.

I I went R.

L.

Brown, Kirby Smith, and graduated from Andrew Jackson.

Um I spent 26 years working for the city of Jacksonville and over the years did a lot of different things, but um I think some of the work that I did that is most relevant is developing and launching initiatives.

Um, my first 12 years in city government, I worked in public works growing up through the ranks and work in the director's office with Sam Musa.

So I'm sure you are all very familiar with him, and I learned a lot of my work ethic from that office.

Um, I moved on to community services and helped to open the city's volunteer services office, and as part of that work, I developed an initiative to require background screening for all of our volunteers throughout city government, the ones that worked in the park department, for example, Pop Warner and Youth Athletic League, they were not previously being fingerprinted, and that that was an initiative that I developed, convinced the administration to launch, and then I personally was out at all the parks rolling fingerprints because we didn't have the electronic scans back then.

The other initiative I'm most proud of is is working in partnership with Brother Pete Jackson, who was at the time the West Side Minister, right here at 8th in Maine.

I worked with him to develop the network for strengthening families.

I wrote a million dollar grant and got federal funds with a local match, 500,000 from the city to launch the initiative focused on strengthening families by providing um structured curriculum to the parents and connecting them to resources, and as part of that, we created a coalition of over 50 organizations for cross referrals and serve 4,000 families over the next few years.

That initiative got national attention, and I was invited to join a consulting firm in the DC Beltway to provide training and technical assistance to other cities around the country that were doing similar initiatives.

Back at that time, Jacksonville was considered the murder capital of Florida, and we were able to make some some great headway serving over 4,000 families with uh even showing reduction in recidivism for juvenile offenders who participated in the program.

So I've spent the last 15 years working in the federal space, traveling the country, working with state, local, and faith-based organizations to help them do a better job of working with high-risk, low resource families.

Everything from workforce development to homeless issues to anti-poverty to re-entry.

And so I retired again.

Um so now I've retired twice and can't seem to stick to it.

But I have ever since I moved out of the east side, I've stayed in contact, continuing to volunteer, supporting organizations.

Even in my work in the federal space, I helped to bring over three million dollars to organizations on the east side, fresh ministries and operation new hope.

So as Ms.

Harris says, whenever I'm needed, I show up.

That's what I do.

I just I believe in the community, and it's been mistreated for far too long, and I look forward to being a part of this inaugural board helping to structure a program that will make a difference to the future of the east side.

Thank you.

Anyone anyone in the queue?

I don't see anyone listed here.

Um, we do now have one.

Um Councilman Gay, you recognize.

Thank you, Ms.

Chair.

I'd like to be added as a co-sponsor to a fellow Andrew Jackson classmate, and uh why she'll be able to do a fine job.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

Thank you.

Anyone else?

If not, I just have a couple questions because it just wanna clarify.

You currently live uh not in the out east or east side area.

You live in District Three, I believe, correct?

Correct.

I live across the bridge.

Okay, and and but you said you you had lived there previously.

Yes, sir.

I grew up, I grew up over there.

As I mentioned, I went to R.

L.

Brown, Kirby Smith, and Andrew Jackson.

Okay.

Um and the require requirement is not that you live there, but it's it's um something that is preferred or have a significant business interest in the area.

And uh in this case, you do have a significant business interest in the area.

Well, I actually work um because again, retirement doesn't seem to stick with me.

I work for safe management at the arena and the stadium doing security, so I am invested in that regard, but I've invested a considerable significant amount of my time and money over the years supporting organizations out east.

So I would not call it a business interest, but I would say it's a definite personal interest.

Okay, thank you.

And I was told uh we didn't get your your full name on the record from you, so would you please state your name again, please?

Robin Senazal.

Okay, thank you.

And seeing no one else in the queue, um, oh, we do have now as I say that.

Um council member, you're recognized.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Um, through the chair.

If I just heard you stated correctly, um that part of the comp uh required composition of this board is a uh residence of one of the five designated areas or B, um, and interest in in one of those five areas.

If those are the conditions for appointment, and in her testimony, she's she hasn't either.

Are we uh following the prescribed description of appointments?

Yeah, I'll go to Miss Shell on this, but I believe it's the way that it's written, it's preferred or highly encouraged something to that effect.

It's not required.

Is that correct, Miss Shell?

To the chair, that's correct.

The language is that to the extent feasible, the mayor and council president shall endeavor to employ appoint members that reside in or have a substantial business interest in each of those five neighborhoods of the east side.

Um, so it's strongly encouraged, but not a requirement.

Okay.

Seeing no one else in the queue, please open the ballot and record your vote.

Seven yes, zero and aids.

By your action, you've approved 2026 0400.

Thank you.

Thank you, Ms.

Sandersall.

And for those of you who are being considered for appointments today, we will at the beginning of the full city council meeting next Tuesday recognize all of you for stepping forward and um for your volunteer service that you've been appointed to.

And so it's not required, but if you would like to come in the beginning of that meeting, we will recognize you all uh who are in attendance that evening.

Um so next we'll go to um item number 24 2026 0401.

We have a motion and second on the bill.

Um Mr.

Thomas, are you here?

Yes.

If you please come forward and state your name and address for the record and tell us a little bit about yourself.

Sure.

Uh my name is Scott Thomas.

I live at 1659, Brookside Circle, Jacksonville, Florida.

Uh I've been very blessed where I've been in the community, uh, very active for over 30 years volunteering.

I've been very passionate about the waterways, the water community.

I've uh avid fisherman, boater, kayaker, water skier, and uh I've been involved in many different organizations uh that support water, and uh I'll just mention two of them uh today.

And the first one is the St.

John's River Management.

I was volunteer for several years as a wave uh volunteer, and where I was able to use my undergrad biology degree and do some uh water uh quality testing.

The other one is I'm still active in is at the Coast Guard Auxiliary, and I've been uh there for over 20 years, and I've done harbor patrols, safety patrols, event patrols.

I've uh also did instructions on new boaters, uh, did vote vessel exams, and it would be a big honor for me to be part of the Waters Way Committee.

Thank you, Chairman Miller.

Thank you.

We have President Salem in the queue.

You're recognized.

Thank you, Chair.

I've known Scott for a long time.

I think he'll be an excellent representative on this board and would like to be added as a co-sponsor.

Thank you, Councilmember Gay, you recognize.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Uh I fully support Scott and uh and me as a co-sponsor.

Thank you.

Pass President Freeman, you're recognized.

Uh thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Mr.

Thomas, thank you so much for putting yourself forward.

I'd like to be out as a co-sponsor.

Councilmember Omaro, you're recognized.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Just very quickly, um, thank you for stepping forward on the uh waterways commission.

Uh uh, it's uh as the current chair, I've seen some transition uh that has taken place, and I think that you'll be a wonderful asset uh to a body that oversees one of the uh most important assets in our community in reference to quality of life.

Uh what you've said thus far, uh, your compassion.

Uh I think will make you a good good steward, good servant on the waterways commission.

So welcome.

Thank you, Councilmember Boylan.

You're recognized.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Through the chair, Mr.

Thomas.

Again, my apologies for the late email.

Uh, specifically, I'd be interested in hearing what your understanding is of the role of the waterways commission.

Are you familiar?

Have you been to meetings or grid over minutes?

Do you know what you're getting yourself into and we put it up?

Uh yes, I do.

Uh, I mean, uh, one great thing that the city of Jacksonville has is archive all the past meetings, and so I did look at some of the past meetings, uh, so I know what I'm uh getting to.

And uh from the internet and and uh talking to individuals.

I mean, pretty much to be stewards uh of the waterway and to what councilman almost said is that uh it is one of our biggest assets, and we need to uh make sure uh that we uh protect it and also uh use it properly, and also I'd be an honored to represent the citizens of Jacksonville on that committee.

Thank you.

We have we have uh President Elect Howland, you're recognized.

Uh thank you, Mr.

Chair.

I just want to say I've known Scott for a long time too he gets my um high endorsement and even though I'm not on the committee I'll like I would like to be added as a co-sponsor and I'm non-voting but uh Scott good luck you'll get it thanks thank you and I'll echo what many others have said uh I've known Mr.

Thomas for for quite some time and he's represented many different people many different organizations and done in an outstanding way and I know he'll continue that on the uh Jacksonville Waterways Commission.

So I'd like to be out as a co-sponsor as well and with that please open the ballot and record your vote.

Seven years, Z Ron A's by Raction you've approved 2026 0401.

2026 0402 we have a motion second on the bill is Mr Youngblood here please good afternoon councilman thank you sir if you'd introduce yourself and uh state your address for the record please yes sir my name is Jeff Youngblood uh address is one one two nine one old St.

Augustine Road in Jacksonville Florida 3223 Councilman Bowland hello how are you and uh I look forward to serving if if you so choose me to serve on the true commission uh I love accountability and I love uh efficiencies and saving resources uh 30 years in business in Jacksonville uh three locations we sell equipment and machinery across 22 different states in the southeast uh again I think I can take that experience in a business acumen and bring it to the efficiency of the city of Jacksonville on the true commission if you chose to serve uh ask me to serve thank you very much uh on the queue is past president freeman you're recognized uh thank you Mr.

Chairman through the chair to Mr.

Young Blood one thank you so much for putting yourself forward good to see you again um and you all heard about his business acumen I would love to see you potentially maybe apply for our JSEV advisory board as well um and so I will definitely be putting that plug in it's a mayoral appointment but would love to to have someone with your experience and background um here but please add me as a co-sponsor and thank you so much again for putting yourself forward thank you councilman we'll go next to pass president white you recognize yes we're through the chair I've known Jeff a long time myself and I'd like to be added as a co-sponsor please thank you council member boiling you recognize well I guess you can add my name as well that's a good guy uh very engaged as dad I know and respect greatly and I think you would be a great addition to the true commission so thank you for putting yourself forward thank you councilman councilmember gay you recognize thank you mr chair uh I support Mr.

Youngblood and I think he'd be a good asset to the true commission and add me as a co-sponsor thank you thank you council member amaro you recognize thank you mr chair uh youngblood I don't know you as much as these folks know you but nevertheless uh thank you for putting yourself forward through the chair you responded eloquently to uh my questions in fact and I acknowledge uh your response and uh you your heart seems to be in the right place so I'm uh 100% with you on this uh thank you for stepping forward thank you Past President Salem you're recognized yes no Jeff um and like to be added as a co-sponsor good luck thank you and I'll wrap this up uh thank you Mr.

Youngblood and thank you for um stepping forward volunteering for this role and thank you very much for our discussion we had a very passionate discussion about um what you could do um and I will say just publicly I applaud you because you made a comment to me that you wanted to do this, but you were really concerned what would happen with the things that you all come up with on the TRUE Commission.

Would it actually be used and put to good use?

The things that you come up with, the recommendations that you make and um I assured you if if you make you all make that you bring that to our attention and you make sure we get that good input, that we will do that.

Now, you know, I challenge you, hold me accountable for that.

Hold us accountable for that, because otherwise, why are you there if we aren't taking the good input that you come up with to be able to help us make better decisions for the city?

So I just wanted to put that out there and now you know I'll be held accountable for that as well.

So thank you for stepping forward.

And uh I'd also like to be added as a co-sponsor, and with that, please open the ballot and record your vote.

7 yes, 0 nays.

By your action, you've approved 2026 0402.

Thank you, Councilman.

Thank you.

We'll next go to 2026 0414.

We have a motion second on the amendment.

Ms.

Carher, would you please explain the amendment?

Through the chair to the committee, the amendment will just clarify the seat is currently vacant.

Okay, all those in favor of the amendment, please signify by saying yes.

Those opposed, no.

The amendment passes.

We have a motion second on the bill is amended.

Um, is Mr.

Lane here?

Oh, yes, I'm sorry, I was looking to the right.

You'll please come forward and introduce yourself, give your name and address for the record, and tell us a little bit about yourself, please.

I was Charlie Douglas Lane.

I live at 3514 Oak Street.

That's in uh in the historic district of Avondale in Riverside, and I'm a practicing architect.

I've been practicing there since 1989, so I have a wealth of experience uh actually doing projects that uh I have uh helped my neighbors obtain COAs for 200,000 projects.

We've done other projects in the neighborhood that go up to 20 million dollars, so I have a lot of experience in uh doing preservation work, restoration work, additions, and remodels for for historic homes.

So I think that I'd be a good addition to the uh to the J HPC.

Okay, thank you.

We'll now go to past president saying you recognize.

Yes, 50 years, I think we look the same.

Going back to Lee High School.

Uh I think Doug will be terrific at this, like to be a co-sponsor.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

That's great.

Okay.

No one else, please open the ballot and record your vote.

Seven yes, zero nays.

By your action, you've approved 2026 0414.

We'll turn to page 18.

Page 18 item number 27, 2026, 0415.

We have a motion second on the bill.

Uh this is a reappointment, so does not need to be present.

But is is Ms.

Rios here?

Okay, just always want to check just in case.

Um, all right, no one in the queue.

Please open the ballot and record your vote.

Seven yes, zero nays.

By your action, you've approved 2026 zero four one five.

Okay, well, next, because uh we have visiting council member Diamond here.

We'll next go to item 12 on uh page eight.

And that is 2026 0363.

We have an amendment.

We have a motion and second on the amendment.

Ms.

Kerr, would you explain the amendment?

Through the chair to the committee, the amendment will just correct some formatting within the bill regarding the new code section that's being created and another code section that's being amended and correct some scriveners' errors.

Okay, thank.

Okay, we is it oh is it okay?

I just want to check real quick.

Uh OEO code pulling that, pulling the amendment.

So it's it's the same exact thing that Ms.

Karaher explained.

I'm just requesting to make it easier for me to prepare the document that it be moved as a substitute as instead of as an amendment.

It's not not changing anything other than what was described.

It's just there are so many formatting and other scriveners corrections I would have to make.

An amendment would be longer than the bill itself.

That's the only thing I'm asking for.

Okay, I see uh nod by the introducer.

Um, so I think we're we're good there.

Um, so all those in favor of the substitute, please signify by saying aye.

All those opposed, nay.

Uh the substitute passes.

I have a motion and second on the bill as substituted.

Um, we'll go to uh visiting council member Diamond, you recognize.

Uh thank you, Mr.

Chair.

And first of all, thanks for removing this up.

I always appreciate the courtesy of the chair, uh, especially as we have folks in the audience, just so you know, Alex Zabacis and uh Zach Miller are both here uh to answer questions and to talk about the bill if you're interested.

Um, but uh first of all, I think there's gonna be bipartisan support for this bill.

I think it's gonna pass.

And I think it'll be good for the city of Jacksonville.

Uh that's one.

Two, I want to be absolutely clear that this bill 363 is wholly unrelated to the other bill I've filed regarding administrative deviations 364.

In order to make that perfectly clear, I'm gonna withdraw 364.

Like the administrative deviations bill, we'll just put it out there, it'll be gone.

I'll ask uh councilman Carico just to go ahead and push it through uh to Tuesday, and I'll move to have it withdrawn because it's creating confusion.

They are totally unrelated bills.

It's oranges and Chevrolets.

They're totally unrelated.

All right.

And the third thing I'll say before I get into the guts of the bill and happily answer any questions is this is required by state law.

This bill that I wrote is an exact transcription of what state law already requires.

That's it.

It literally says that we need to do this.

And many counties are already doing this.

If you go to St.

John's County, they've got private providers.

If you go to Jacksonville Beach, they have private providers.

If you go to any rural county in Florida, they're using private providers.

Okay.

So this is not new, this is not groundbreaking.

This is simply another way for us to help people in Jacksonville have an affordable home.

And tomorrow at LUZ, I'm gonna have a builder and his team come up to this podium and talk about the extra expense of having to go through the city of Jacksonville to build a single family home, which can be as much as $15,000 a home.

And for a hundred and eighty thousand two hundred thousand dollar home, fifteen thousand dollars might be enough to put someone out of getting that home.

So this has a real impact on affordable housing in Jacksonville.

So here's what the bill does.

It takes state law and it says Jacksonville, you're gonna comply with state law.

And we all are very familiar with getting a permit once you're like kind of ready to build something in Jacksonville.

And we have private providers for building permits, it happens all the time.

Um, but we're what we're not as familiar with is having the engineering done by private providers.

And what the bill says is that if you have gone to school and got an engineering degree, if you have spent time working for a professional engineering firm, and then that firm signs off that you can take the engineering test and you take the test that here in Jacksonville, you can approve the engineering for a development.

And that's what it says.

Um the benefit of this bill is that you've got now two options if you want to do the horizontal uh permitting for a uh new construction.

You can either go through the city, which, and I'm not going to talk about the current experience people are having with the city.

I would like to pass this bill with a very positive forward-facing message.

We can go through the parade of horribles.

I don't think that gets us anywhere, but you can currently go through the city, or this would allow a private provider to do the exact same thing the city is doing, except that you've got someone who's probably more qualified than the person in the city, one.

One, two, if there's a problem with what they do, the private provider, you can sue them, right?

You can't sue the city for screwing up your engineering plans, but you can sue a private provider.

And three, you've got someone whose license is on the line.

Because what happens when a private provider takes your plans and goes through the entire thing, they have to fill out an affidavit and under oath sign that everything in that affidavit about the work they did to make sure that your construction followed state and local law.

It's on them.

And if they don't, they can go to jail, right?

That's what this means.

So we'll have another option for people in Jacksonville who already have their entitlements, already have their zoning, already have their land use, all that has nothing to do with this.

Just once you're already allowed a bill, here's a more efficient private way to do it.

Other places do it all the time.

It's required by state law.

The administration has come up with a series of amendments.

I think that the Mr.

Chair, I think the smartest thing to do would be to pass the bill as it is and turn these uh administration amendments over to LUZ tomorrow, because frankly, I think that's the right committee to take up those amendments, but that's okay.

If you want to take them up today, um I will agree on only the first one.

The first amendment was come up by uh Terrence and OGC, just kind of got into the the weeds and made sure that the uh definitions of a um a private provider engineer match up with state law, no problem with that.

The other ones, two, three, four, and five are really trying to gut the bill.

And what they're trying to do is essentially create a new level of bureaucracy, a new local certification for being a private provider that exists nowhere in state law.

And the the bar is already so high to be an engineer, you already have to put your name on it.

You already have to know local codes, you already have to follow the rules, otherwise you get sued, or you can go to jail if you don't do it right.

It makes no sense to create this new level of government.

It just doesn't.

If it had some common sense to it, I'd be like, all right, great.

The administration supports the bill as it is, and we're off and running.

No problem.

Bill passes 19 to zero.

I think it'll pass with at least 13 votes without this.

But uh I will agree on the first one.

The administration wants to work with me before LUZ tomorrow on some of the stuff.

I'm happy to listen to them.

I spoke with them earlier today.

But um I think the bill is is perfect as written.

I think it models state law exactly, and I think this will be one of the most important things we can do for the people of Jacksonville because it will make a house cheaper for a family that's trying to stop the rent.

And by the way, good for the city too, because fewer renters we have, the more money y'all can spend when I'm gone.

So appreciate it.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Happy to answer any questions.

And for the uh if there are any technical questions I can't answer, OGC is here, of course, and then uh Zach Miller is a subject matter expert.

Thank you.

Before we go to the queue, I I just wanna acknowledge that I was negligent in not earlier recognizing past President Freeman joining us and also uh Dr.

Johnson joining us as well.

They've been here for quite some time, so and also uh uh councilmember Boylan.

So I should have made that announcement earlier, uh given putting this on the record.

Everyone's seeing this, so I want to make sure um everyone knows they're present.

So with that, we'll go to past president Salem is first in the queue here.

You recognize, thank you, Chair.

Through the chair, to miss to Councilmember Diamond.

Just a few questions.

The private sector pays for this.

Any idea what the fee is?

I mean, typically it's less than what you pay the city, and the way state statute works, it says, hey, if uh it costs ten thousand dollars or whatever, and the city would have charged you uh eight thousand, the city can't suddenly increase fees on you to make up the difference.

That's how state statute works.

So this um, but I mean, if they want to charge a million dollars and someone liked it and they wanted to pay it, then so be it.

It's the private sector.

But it's a transaction between the developer and that private engineer.

Correct.

Now that that plan then goes to the city, and there is there some review by the city, and is there a time frame on that review so it doesn't get caught up in the city process.

Yeah, within it, so uh within 10 days the city needs to say it violated a statute.

And the way this is currently written, it says you have to say what statute would have violated.

So if for whatever reason the city felt uh you know on their in their 10 days that that you know it's supposed to be a 265 26-foot wide road going through your development, and you did a 23 foot one.

You say, hey, state statute says you gotta have 26-50 rule, you gotta you gotta go back.

And so, but 10 days, and you have to specifically state what is wrong.

And that goes back to the engineer and and then resubmitted at some point for another 10-day period.

Correct.

It is uh and I'm well out of my realm here.

It's 10 days a reasonable period to get that response.

I mean, the work should be done.

The work should already be done.

The engineer should have already done all of the work and they're signing on it, right?

So it would have to be something glaring that they've sworn under oath they've done all this work, right?

So they said you can look at it and be like, okay, uh, got 10 days to check it out.

Okay.

I'm I'm supportive.

Sounds like a great idea.

Next is Councilmember Gay, recognize, thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Um I fully support this and see it it doesn't just uh bring us for for the uh affordable housing, it brings to to get moving our commercial and our industrial facilities to where um for instance.

I we we've I recently in the past had a car dealer come to town that built uh car dealers all over the state, but they had problems here and that they had not experienced anywhere.

And so we was able to help navigate that.

That this brings our uh ability to streamline and with these registered engineers that are licensed, uh insured.

You know, they got the responsibility and the liability on them.

This this gets everybody in their lane to where we're already doing this with the building permits, and this just puts the rest of the pieces of the puzzle together to where uh it's a clear, clean process that we can have companies come in to build a facility, and they they know what they're building.

Uh they they have their own design team and they can move forward and not be uh hit hit roadblocks, so to speak.

So, you know, I I fully support this, and uh I think it'll be beneficial to where we we clean up a lot and streamline a lot in our um building uh department over there.

So thank you.

Next is past president Freeman, you're recognized.

Uh thank you, Mr.

Chair, through the chair to uh councilman diamond.

One, thank you for for bringing this forward.

I mean, I truly believe that anytime we can engage the private sector um in the end, we're gonna get a better product for our citizens.

Uh you hit on the two points that I was going to talk about, one being sovereign immunity and two being the loss of their license.

Um I think the third thing is this if and when something is found uh to not be uh to the level of the city's expectations and it's returned.

The private the private sector is incentivized to turn that back around quicker because it's dollars and cents and you kill what you eat in the private sector.

Um so I I see this as a huge advantage uh for our citizens.

Uh so I want to thank you for putting it forward.

Wish I would have thought of something like this, but I'd like to be added as a co-sponsor.

Next is Councilmember Amara, you recognized.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

What's uh been failed to say is that this is uh required by uh Florida statute, so there's no way around it.

Um all 67 counties will at some point have to be compliant with uh this law.

Uh that stated um if you serve on land use and zoning committee, you know that there's a growing lack of confidence among our constituents as to uh the approval process as to who is watching the hen house, if you will.

Um and so uh some of the things that uh and I agree with you uh council member diamond that uh some of the amendments that are being proposed should be fleshed out during uh LUZ.

But nevertheless, um what what guarantees are there that um you know these private individuals uh know the the city's uh building code, like the back of their hands number one.

Um that everything is gonna be compliant.

I I know it they're probably acquainted with ICC SBC, you know, all that, but uh I think uh at the municipal level that there are some things that are not uh that perhaps go beyond the um uh Southern building code and things of that nature and and and I just wondered if um if there needs uh some kind of standard as to where these guys are really proven to to have knowledge of uh the municipal building code from uh the front page to the back page.

Yes, please please do the chair to Councilman Amara.

So um uh on your first point, I uh clearly there's folks at LUZ who are concerned that there's unregulated just wild development in Jacksonville.

I in my experience it's really been on the land use and rezoning side of the puzzle, not necessarily the permitting side.

I I rarely hear of like where people are concerned about that something is being built not according to code or that the landscaping wasn't done correctly or that the drainage wasn't.

I rarely hear that, but I but I agree with you.

They want to know that we're keeping an eye on things, and so to answer your more specific question about how do we make sure these folks are know the local stuff.

So, first of all, the local and the state should match up almost exactly, right?

It should be very similar.

It's kind of like a driver's license, you know.

Like us, they have a special Jacksonville driver's license.

Well, I mean, driving anywhere for is pretty much the same.

Uh, but uh I would probably, if the administration wants to talk about this, make sure that there's like a one-time sign-off that someone has read our code or understands it.

I just don't want to create a new certification that has to be annually redone like they're asking for because that would be just it's just a level of onerous bureaucracy that would just cost people money and wouldn't give us any benefit because at the end of the day, when the engineer signs and swears under oath that it complies with the law, it they're swearing it complies with Jacksonville's law.

It's not just in federal law and all these other things.

They have to do that.

Thank you.

Um Mr.

Chair, if uh I see Nina Sickler, uh Director of Public Works.

If she if I can ask her to go ahead for a quick question.

Um and uh through the chair to uh council member diamond, I'm not gonna uh advocate uh more bureaucracy.

I'm not one of those fans of creating the administrative state where you gotta jump hoops, but nevertheless, I want us to be sure that we're protected.

And so uh through the chair to Ms.

Sickler, um, any concerns about uh the legislation as is, and uh I mean again we're gonna have to do it.

Uh it is required.

I'd like to hear your voice.

Through the chair to council member Amaro.

Um Councilmember Diamond is correct that uh the mayor's administration and public works does agree uh with the private provider program.

We actually announced this a year ago um when we when we uh established our eight-point plan for permitting.

So we we definitely agree we've actually had task team meetings over the last year with several engineering firms and others to discuss uh what it would take to put this program together.

And there is a difference in what the state statute requires versus what what this is.

Um, nevertheless, we do agree, but the state statute really covers buildings and site plans associated with those buildings.

This extends it further to cover the civil, the horizontal work, the site work.

And so um, but again, uh there's a couple of things that are different about this.

Number one, the civil side of things is separate than the Florida building code.

Uh the statewide building code uh requirements are very uniform.

Um what we what we check on the civil side is very unique to um our city, and that's handled in the land development procedures manuals as well as our municipal code.

So um, in order to make sure that our private providers are clear on their requirements, we recommend a um a one a one-day less than a day training session and uh and a brief open book exam.

That's what we've been working on.

We released it to our engineering volunteers last week.

We did not hear any pushback about that, and uh it's just a way to make sure that the folks who are checking these plans understand what our uh what our references are and that they're looking at the right uh at the right data in order to review the plans.

And we also have checklists involved so they understand what the city looks for.

So we think it's a a fairly simple requirement.

Um if it's not annual, we understand that we don't want to make it any more difficult, but at least a one time to make sure we've got qualified staff, that's what we recommend.

The second most important item that I'd like to cover is that some of these things on the civil side are different from building when you do a building uh plan review it's usually a private entity's um uh asset at the end when you do civil work much of it is roadways or work within our right of ways and in order to protect the interests of the city um we recommend that those things that will be adopted by the city for maintenance and ownership in the future should be reviewed by the city versus a private entity who doesn't who doesn't have an interest in our maintenance and um and other uh other assets so that those are the two main ones there are a couple of other um amendments that we would recommend one of them related to FEMA review because that's a federal requirement and we we really can't delegate that and then the fourth item is related to tree commission and uh calculating the fee required for uh tree mitigation we would recommend that that remain with the city so those are the those are the four things that we recommend again we've we support this initiative um we we do believe in partnering with the private uh sector in order to um do whatever we can to speed up her meeting thank you uh miss sickler through the chair to council member diamond um what I heard were a couple of things there that seem like a simple ask I'm not uh gonna advocate annual certification I uh I'm not uh but there is an ask of a one-day training to be acquainted with um I just want to get your thoughts on on if that's something amenable that you would uh like to see in the language uh uh thank you Mr.

Marrow and through the chair um so just so it's clear I only got this amendment you know today and I filed this bill a month ago uh or longer and so I I read through it and I'm trying to be fair and reasonable and so I think what I will propose to LUZ tomorrow is that someone has a uh that the administration develop like a just a one page declaration that I have read the local code and I certify that I understand it one time like and that they make whatever materials they develop available because they're already civil engineers these are folks who will do this for a living and the number of people who are going to do this are are probably going to be the older ones who've already had a long career here in Jacksonville.

That's who typically does this it won't be the ETMs of the world who are like jumping at the bit to do something like this because this is not money that they need.

The other thing Mr Mayor just so you know because and I didn't say it before is you can't review your own stuff.

So if if you know someone's building a new building somewhere they can't review their own stuff the engineers will develop the building plan for that building and then it goes to some unrelated private provider to review just like with the city now.

Thank you, Mr.

Diamond Mr.

Chair I I I'm leaning into supporting this because it is required number one we we can dance around it.

But I'm also leaning into it because I just heard uh councilmember diamond said that if the city uh the administration presents a one-page uh item tomorrow at LUZ uh I I I kind of concur with that there should be some acquaintance training if you will uh with with the city uh system so they can know what they're doing but I also heard uh the administration express concern about uh property that may end up being the responsibility of us the taxpayers and how do we safeguard against that so I think that uh if they uh present you a one-sheet uh um uh uh information sheet as to what they would like to see to make it better that's the objective here to make it better um uh I I think we I I can move forward and and let's see what happens tomorrow they'll usually thank you Mr.

Chair.

Thank you.

Next go to pass President White you recognize yes or through the chair and thank you I won't repeat everything Mr.

Romer just said but uh I would like to just have the confirmation from Mr.

Diamond that between now and now we usually tomorrow night, you do sit down.

And if we can get a little closer with these things, uh the right-of-way and stuff, I do have a concern, but I certainly think we're headed in the right direction.

I support this.

But we'll as you said, maybe move it out today.

But I would like you to get with her if you would, and uh if we can clean up uh and and change two uh two, three, and four a little bit and and both sides give and take a little bit uh and have it ready by tomorrow night.

I would appreciate that.

Thank you.

Thank you.

We'll next go to Councilmember Gay.

You recognize, thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Um through the chair to Mr.

Mr.

Diamond, the uh the I guess the the uh dynamics of this bill are is this bleeding out over into the public right-of-way.

Uh through the chair, uh Councilman Gay, I mean uh it theoretically it could, but even but that happens all the time.

I mean, being part of uh doing engine, I'll give an example in St.

John's County.

If they've got a new road that they're gonna build, I bet you 50% of the time they have a private provider doing it for the city.

So private proprietors are not some big problem.

In fact, it would give Jacksonville someone a suit if they screwed it up because if our folks screw it up, we're done.

There's no insurance to go to, there's no there's no uh uh liability they can go pursue.

Uh so to me to me, there's there's literally no difference other than we have a stronger control over the quality of the person if it's a private provider.

All right, thank you.

Um so look looking at the several aspects here.

This with for instance with the the building license, the city is not allowed to sit here and to tell a contractor coming to town that has a state license that you got to take another exam to be able to work in our city.

They have to honor that state license and give them a permit when they apply for it.

And so I I really don't know if it's it's legal for us to require a provider, uh, engineer to take a local exam to be able to operate here in the cities.

That that's I'm not saying it is or it's not, I'm just saying I don't know.

Uh and I I would like to when this goes into LUZ that that be a topic that's that's discussed and enough some enough time to research that.

Um, but the engineer, the design professional will be submitting their documents to the private provider.

That private provider is the one that needs to make sure that the rules and regulations are adhered to.

And so if anybody needs to make sure they're up on the standards, is the private provider.

So I think we kind of got it got to kind of off track here to where we we need to make sure that the private provider that is being uh uh operating in the the position of the approving the plans that they are fully in compliance and looking for all the I's dotted the T's crossed.

And so that these are some of the items I'd like to make sure it gets addressed in um LUZ uh before it moves forward.

But I think uh it's needed, and I would just caution and make sure we are OGC and everybody's fully looks at the state requirements on if we can implement additional testing.

Um, I don't think that we can, and when we like say when somebody comes in, we have to honor their their license to to be able to uh have them you know come in pull permits and go to work.

So with that, you know, I think the the amendment, any additional any we move the bill forward like it is, and then LUZ uh kind of tweaks it and make sure we get in line.

Thank you.

Thank you.

We'll go next to President Elect Allen.

You're recognized.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

I just want to commend uh Councilman Diamond for launching this bill.

I mean, we've heard for a long time that um permitting delays are causing you know problems for for progress in our city, and and this increases efficiency.

Anytime we can increase government efficiency is a win, particularly when we can do it within the proper guardrails, and a lot of this discussion is centered around what guardrails are there.

There's some pretty strong ones.

The second thing we've heard frequently how expensive permitting is, particularly for new developments, um, that affects housing affordability, and and this has the uh potential to improve on that, which is fantastic.

Um so thank you for putting it out there in particular.

Thanks for also seeing I heard you from the green room that 0364 was going to be yanked.

There is it was important to me to know and I learned there's there is nothing companion about these two bills.

363 has great merit.

And I also lastly want to thank uh Miss Sickler for providing feedback because I do think um I what I like about this conversation is this is a great bill it has to move forward but you've agreed that you're willing to talk with the administration before tomorrow night's LUZ to find a great path forward that is doesn't add additional bureaucracy but still achieves what you want to do so commendations all around I'm supportive.

Thanks everyone thank you we'll go next to council member you're recognized.

Thank you Mr.

Chair I just wanted the clarity on on what I heard and what I said I heard training I did not hear exam uh training to be acquainted with systems and I don't find that to be offensive at all.

I um you and I remember when uh on boarding here at the city hall regardless of whatever knowledge I may have had with government there had to be an acquaintance with and so um I don't think there's anything offensive in in asking someone who don't know your processes to sit down one day and find out how it works that they can apply whatever their skill set is to navigate that so training is what I heard um with SAM and and not exam thank you.

Thank you.

I think there was if I remember correctly Miss Sickler didn't you recommend recommend uh an exam after that training to the chair we have developed an exam um whether we use it for certification or for self for you know self-understanding of how you would with any training at the end you have you know you have some um assessment at the end you know that obviously can be discussed but okay thank you I just wanted to I I thought I'd remember that as well or heard that as well so I just want to clarify that.

Thank you very much.

And Mr.

Dennis you've been on the queue a couple times I was trying to get all the members first or is there something you want to add okay thank you.

Anyone else I I agree and this is a the good thing about being last um you're able to take this all in and I really appreciate everybody's willingness to have this back and forth the conversation the clarifications and uh I I also applaud councilmember diamond for bringing this forward and echo the comments about 364 they're uh very different and so um we're gonna defer that today at at what you had expressed but your intent is to withdraw that um and so that's the feedback I got was not about 363 there were some about 363 but I think um somehow they were put together and bundled together in the comments that I heard about the concerns and and so from my perspective anytime you can offer up another option you can offer up reinforcement for um what can be a challenging probably load on our public works folks when you can offer options um to be able to allow those builders to exercise those options for absolute professionals just as their people are um I think that's a good thing and and that adds to our efficiency and that adds to the can address the concerns and reduce the timelines that have been experienced so I think this is a good thing and as but has been voiced this is a state requirement effective July 1st so a month from today I believe this is required.

So I think there are good reasons for us moving forward with this, and as has been expressed.

Let's between now and LUZ, all the parties, responsible parties, get together, try to figure out a little way, a little bit better way forward on those extra recommended amendments.

And uh, and I'm sure that by LUZ time we'll be able to work, uh, they'll be able to work through those details and get to a good place that uh that hopefully all parties can be okay with.

Uh so with that said, um please open the ballot and record your vote.

Seven yes, zero nays.

By our action, you've approved twenty twenty-six-0363 as substituted.

Thank you.

Um, so we're we're now gonna go to the regular uh order of the agenda, starting with item number one and work our way through the rest of the items that we we have not uh touched on yet.

So item number one, 2024 0627 is being deferred at the request of council member diamond, item two, twenty twenty-four or zero nine six six is being deferred at the request of council president Carico.

Item three, twenty twenty five zero seven, seven, five is being deferred at the request of Councilmember Carlucci.

Item four is being deferred 2026 0192 at the re um, but we don't have the uh that's stated there.

That was by me as the rules chair, that's a continuation of deferral.

Same with item five, 2026 0203 is being deferred.

Item six, 2026 0227 is being deferred to request of council member diamond.

Item seven is 2026 0318 being deferred to request of councilmember Johnson.

Item 8, 2026 0319 is being deferred due to council public hearing.

Item nine, excuse me.

Item nine, twenty twenty-six zero three two zero is being deferred at the request of council member white.

And that takes us to um item 10, 2026 zero three three five.

We have an amendment.

We have a motion second on the amendment.

Ms.

Kerr, would you please explain the amendment?

Through the chair to the committee, the amendment will correct the applicable fiscal years related to the fuel cap.

We'll place a revised first amendment on file to correct the fiscal years related to the fuel cap.

Remove a reference to fiscal year 2032 33, which is not applicable since that falls beyond the term of this contract.

And lastly, we'll correct a section reference.

Okay, thank you very much.

All those in favor of the amendment, please signify by saying yes, all those opposed, no.

The amendment passes.

We have a motion second on the bill as amended.

Anyone in the queue?

Anyone I know there's an extensive discussion during neighborhoods earlier today.

Okay.

Um right, please open the ballot and record your vote.

Seven yes, zero nays.

By your action, you've approved 2026 0335 as amended.

We'll go next.

Couple pages to item 11, 2026, 0358 is being deferred.

Um item 12, we've taken up.

We'll go to item 13.

Um, this is the one we talked about earlier.

2026 0364 is being deferred due to uh planning commission, but as you heard earlier, the intent eventually is for a withdrawal.

Um item 14, 2026 0376 is being deferred due to planning commission.

Item 15, 2026 0378.

We have an amendment.

We have a motion and second on the amendment.

Ms.

Carrer, would you please explain the amendment?

Through the chair to the committee, the amendment will remove the striking of downtown development authority within the proposed code changes and update the terminology to reflect the downtown investment authority.

We'll move some language regarding determinant determination on applications from one code section to another code section where it makes a little more sense.

We'll change references from the consumer affairs manager position to a designee of the director of neighborhoods department or DIA.

We'll revise the penalty provision to reflect a Class D offense unless otherwise provided in Chapter 250.

This is just to match up with the offense that's listed in chapter 609.

And lastly, we'll correct some scriveners' errors within the bill.

The amendment passes.

No one in the queue, please open the ballot and record your vote.

7 yes, 0 nays.

By reaction, you've approved 2026 0378 as amended.

Item number 16, 2026, 0382.

We have motion second on the bill.

No one in the queue, please open the ballot and record your vote.

7 yes, 0 nays.

By your action, you've approved 2026 0382.

Item 17, 2026, 0383.

We have motion second on the bill.

No one in the queue, please open the ballot and record your vote.

Seven yes, zero nays.

By your action, you've approved 2026-0383.

Item 18, 2026, 0385.

We have an amendment.

Motion second on the amendment.

Ms.

Carriher, please explain the amendment.

Through the chair to the committee, the amendment will include carryover language within the bill and attach revised exhibit one, which is the BT form to correct the account information.

Okay.

Thank you.

All those in favor of the amendment, please signify by saying yes.

All those opposed, no.

The amendment passes.

We have a motion second on the bill as amended.

No one in the queue, please open the ballot and record your vote.

Seven yes, zero nays.

By action, you've approved 2026 0385 as amended.

Item 19, 2026, 0387.

We have a motion second on the bill.

No one in the queue, please open the ballot and record your vote.

Five yes, two nays.

By your action, you've approved 2026 0387.

Item number 20, 2026, 0389.

We have a motion second on the bill.

No one in the queue, please open the ballot and record your vote.

Seven yes, zero nays.

By our action, you approve 2026 0389.

Pardon me.

Okay.

Okay, item 21, 2026, 0396.

We have an amendment.

We have a motion second on the amendment.

Ms.

Carrer, please explain the amendment.

Through the chair to the committee, the amendment will clarify there is no maximum for the annual number of endowment grants that can be awarded.

We'll update some department and office names within the trust fund language and correct scrivener's errors.

And lastly, place a revised public investment policy on file to correct the date.

Okay.

All those in favor of the amendment, please signify by saying yes.

The posed no.

The amendment passes.

The motion second on the bill is amended.

No one in the queue, please open the ballot and record your vote.

Seven yes, zero nays.

By your action, you've approved 2026 0396 as amended.

We've already taken up item 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27.

We go to item 28, 2026, 0445 is on second read.

Also 2026 0446 and 0447 are on second read.

That takes us to item 31, 2026, 0452.

We have a motion and second on the emergency.

Would you please explain the emergency?

Through the chair to the committee, the nature of the emergency is to make these funds available as soon as possible as this is a summer program.

Okay, thank you.

All in favor of the emergency.

Please signify by saying yes.

All opposed, no.

Emergency passes.

We have a motion second on the neighborhood substitute.

Um would you would you cover the uh the items regarding the substitute uh I received a request about the substitute, please?

Uh through the chair to the committee.

The neighborhood substitute will increase the appropriation amount to 150,000 dollars and revise the funding source to general fund operating reserves.

We'll update the number of individuals served through the program from 25 to 50.

We'll change the oversight from the kids hope alliance to the grants and contract compliance division.

We'll remove the code waivers that were related to KHA.

We'll add a waiver of code section 118-107 and attach the required affidavit as a new exhibit to the bill.

We'll remove the language that was amending KHA's schedule M and remove that schedule that was attached as an exhibit.

We'll remove exhibit four, which was the council district eight traffic calming CIP sheet, as that's no longer needed.

And we'll attach a revised exhibit one, which is a BT, to reflect the updated appropriation amount, oversight department and account information, and lastly, attach a revised exhibit two, which is the term sheet and budget to reflect the updated amount, oversight department, and the number of individuals being served by the program.

Thank you.

Um we'll go to pass premium.

You're recognized.

Uh thank you, Mr.

Chair.

And unfortunately, I did not get a chance to watch neighborhoods this morning.

So my apologies if I tread in any waters.

Supportive of anything that deals with the youth and deals with workforce.

Uh just had a few questions.

Uh one being not being petty, but being petty a little bit.

Uh, as soon as I see grants and compliance is coming in and seeing something being done now in the summer.

I had a little concern with the microgrant when we did the JSAB, we were told by grants and compliance that because of the CBA that they couldn't take on more work until later on.

Um so I found that that would be able to be a little bit of a contradiction.

Nothing major.

We can move on from that.

Um, but I just want to go on the record, and I'm glad to see the council member here.

One, I'm fully supportive of traffic calming or anything.

I trust the councilman, and so he says that the community has told him that they do not have a need for it.

I just want to make sure I'm on the record saying that if someone comes back and says that they had a need for it, I would be very much in support of these dollars going to whatever needs they have.

But you know your community, your district better than any of us up here, so um blind trust there.

Um, but here's where the concerns come and I would love to hear the council members' thoughts.

They say that imitation is defined as form of flattery.

Um we have a youth empowerment committee that um has been pushed back a little bit.

I mean, we did all of the work starting in October.

We finished early enough, and I want to say March was at the end of the last meeting that the whole RFP process could have been taken care of in that month of April.

It could have made it to us in May, uh, and then voted on by their board in May, voted on us by May in April in April for them, May for us, and on the street in June.

Uh or earlier.

It was pushed back for whatever reason, that's fine.

But we have waivers here now that is going to somewhat circumvent that process and now not have to go through the same process that the youth empowerment committee had to travel through.

Here's the challenge.

You have the mayor's youth to work program, which is a good program.

One that I fully support, and there is a way that this could have been done and still can be done that aligns with the mayor's youth to worker program, so that we're not having a competition of serving the same, the serving the same um demographic, and that's just through enhancing what the contract that we already have.

Um, and that is one way, and I'd love to hear the council members' reasoning for not going that direction, but that would be one way to kind of not circumvent KHA, which is what I think is a thing that we're dealing with kids, 16 to 24, and KHA is the one that helped me come up with it to create the the window that expanded it.

Um, and then it doesn't put it into grants and compliance.

I'm very pleased with them.

But they also on record telling us that they were the CBA has had them swamped.

And this bill is putting job in a position where they're able to now manage goodwill, which in the microgrant program, it could have been just one.

You know what I mean?

So it's like we're picking and choosing winners and losers.

When in the end, I think if we're doing something for kids, 16 to 24, or for the least of them in our city, I think it's a win.

But it might come across more as uh who filed the bill kind of deal next.

And that's kind of what I want to kind of put in the atmosphere.

Thank you.

And I I welcome uh the introducer, Councilmember Gaffney Jr.

And yeah, please please respond.

That'd be brief.

So thank you to the chair to Councilman Freeman.

So I want to say a month, a month ago, I had an opportunity to tour Goodwill.

Um, when I was on a tour, David, the CEO told me that last year Mayor's youth program um took a thousand applicants.

However, there was only able to hire $500 because they only had like 1.6 million dollars.

So and I was like, so he was like, they need more funding.

So just like a month ago.

So at this time, you know, um, I spoke with him.

I was like, well, let me see, can I get you some funding?

So I reached out to kids hoping, and um, Kenneth shared with me that they board won't be able to see this legislation until mid-summer, so which would push this program back immediately.

So instead of going through kids hoping lines, who ultimately get us money to goodwill, you know.

I spoke with the um grants and contract compliance department, and they say they'll be willing to oversee the funds.

So you're right, it's pretty much the same program.

And I was going through Kids Hope Alliance, but like I stated earlier in neighborhoods committee, they say they won't be able to look at this legislation until they have another board meeting.

Yes, please pass President Freeman.

Thank you, and you're spot on with that.

Um, I just want to make sure that I but I'm going on the record.

The youth empowerment committee was this council president's initiate legacy piece.

I somewhat see something like this as running in competition.

Um, and so therefore I wanted to make sure that I support it because it's dealing with youth and try to find a way to but the merge it.

So the first thought was was can we add it to YEC like we did with the 200,000?

You're spot on.

You can't because of the delay.

It would not be out by the summer.

But then I ask, were there any other options?

And I got an option that said yes.

If we simply just enhance the current contract that Goodwill has with the city of Jacksonville for the mayoral youth at work program, which is the example he just gave, that they had a thousand applicants, but Goodwill could only hire 500, or the city could only have 500, that if we just enhance that one contract, we don't have to waive these codes and do these other things that circumvent the process that is the reason why our current president's project is not coming out while he's in office.

And I just that's what I just really want to put in in the ears of those who were past presidents, council member White, President White, uh, past President Ron Salem, and the rest of you that have all have desires of being in leadership.

It's something that whenever you can give your speech at the end of the year and you get to talk about your project.

He's not gonna be able to talk about his project, not because we didn't finish it in a timely manner, but because of the process, and it's not it's not the fault of the board of KHA, it's just how it falls.

We voted on a 20 on a Tuesday, they have their meeting on a Wednesday, so it could make their agenda in time.

So I just wanted to put that on it.

I'm not gonna vote against kids, so you're you're good on that.

But I if I could, and if there were a way that I could offer an amendment or something that said we we can accomplish the same task, and through the chair to Miss Kerr or Ms.

Shell, are we not able to accomplish the same task by just enhancing the current contract that we have with Goodwill and then avoid all of these other waiving of codes and things that we're doing to kind of circumvent KHA?

Through the chair to Councilmember Freeman, we would have to confirm with KHA, but I believe we could just revise the appropriation to send the dollars to KHA and add it to the existing contract.

May I please?

And through the chair and Ms.

Carrie, I've already confirmed with them you can.

Um, and I do believe that that was almost a recommendation that they had if we were trying to get those dollars on the street soon quicker, but yet not change the process.

I kind of see this to my colleagues, and I'll just say it.

I kind of see this as, and I don't know if if grants, if they came to you and offered, or if you went to them, and I'm grateful if you went to them and they said yes, but it puts them in a through the chair to Councilmember Gaffney.

It puts them in a tough spot when they stood at that day as they stood at the podium several months ago and told us that they couldn't manage 200,000 for a microgrant program.

That could have been one organization for 200,000.

Here we have one for 150, and they're able to manage it.

I just love consistency more so than kind of picking and choosing winners and losers.

So how do I go about it through the chair to Councilman Gaffney if I'm able to get support for enhancing and accomplishes the same goal that you want, which is getting the dollars out this summer, not having to wait for the board?

Would you be supportive of that?

I mean, Kid Top Alliance is now, they helped me write the legislation to expand it to 24.

Um, you're looking at the youth empowerment committee, they've been hand in hand working for a lot of those people that you sent here.

So this would kind of be an extension of what's already been happening.

The minute it goes to grants, it kind of gets you have two different organizations, departments within our city serving the same population.

Except one group's been working on it for several months, the other one is just coming in and managing.

Would you be opposed to enhancing the current contract and that they already have and they can now service, take these dollars and serve more kids?

Well, thank you through the chair to Councilman Freeman.

The only thing about that, I did reach out to Kids Hope Alliance.

And um, John Everett, um is that words had councilman.

If you appropriate funds to us, our board won't be able to approve this until mid-July, which put us back a whole month.

He didn't even say if they'll approve it or not.

So we said, okay, because originally this funding was going to Kids Hope Alliance.

So he said, our board won't be able to approve it until mid-early July, which which will put this push this program back another month.

My biggest concern is school is already out, you got 10 or 15,000 kids that just sitting at the house.

So I spoke with Goodwill.

I spoke with grants and compliance.

I said, hey, if we somehow move this money from, you know, kids, kids hope alliance until um grants and compliance.

Um would you be okay with that?

And they say they'll be able to they'll be okay with overseeing this funding.

So uh goodwill came this morning.

Um they was okay with grants and contracts, compliance, overseeing this funding.

Their biggest thing is they have the infrastructure right now, and they could put these kids on the street within the next two weeks.

They're gonna be responsible for hiring these kids, calling these kids, the taxes, the whole nine yards.

My biggest concern is school, it's only two months of summer break.

We just want to get these kids to work.

Like I said, I the and the reason I'm late at this because I took a tour a month ago.

This came up a month ago when he told me a thousand kids applied.

They was only able to hire the 500.

So I say, what can I do on my behalf to help these kids?

So at first it was 25 kids, then I say 50 kids.

It's a hundred and fifty, what?

Yeah, 150,000.

So I said, I just want to put these kids to work.

So it was going to kids hope alliance, but like I say, Mr.

Everett told me, he said, they next board me, it won't be until July.

And I mean, by the time they over, they could say no.

Then next thing you know, these kids are still just staying home on the streets.

So I don't, I did I wanted to go to Kids Hope Alliance, but he just said they net spoiled me, it won't be to July.

So that's when I reached out to the grants and contract compliance department, and they say they could work with goodwill so they could put these kids.

Hopefully they'll work within like the next couple of weeks, depending if they go through council next week.

They could be working within mid-June, hopefully.

If not next week, after um city council meeting.

Thank you.

So to answer your question, I would prefer the bill to stay with the way it is now because if we do go through KS Hope Alliance, um, like I say, John Everett told me, and I'm being redundant right now, that the board won't be able to approve this until early July.

And we know that's the fourth of July weekend, and they'll be going back to school in August.

Thank you.

Mr.

Dennis, you're recognized.

Uh, through the chair uh to the committee, a couple things.

Number one, Councilman Gaffney is correct, by putting the money over at Goodwill, the grants department, they're already managing that contract.

So they'll just be adding dollars to it versus this micro grant that Councilman Freeman continues to talk about.

That's where the different resources, because we're you'll be starting something from scratch versus something that's that's already the this you know that that's in operation.

The other thing I just want to uh caution uh you know this council on is that uh you should be very weary uh to circumvent processes processes are are in place uh to make sure that there's no fraud uh you know uh any abuse or or or any uh you know deceit or anything like that so I you know um I would caution you to uh you know to try to again stick money somewhere just because to get out faster um you know as it relates to the microgrants like again uh this council and the councils before you have set up um you know parameters in place so you won't have um uh you know so so all these dollars will be accountable because again these are taxpayer dollars thank you um but I want to check Mr.

uh council member you came off you were on you're good okay we'll go back to past president freeman you're ready uh thank you thank you so much and um I'm grateful that I I triggered someone by using the word microgrants because that was not the conversation piece we're actually talking about summer jobs 16 through 24 with a program that I fully support the mayor's youth at work program um and the real conversation here was how do we get those dollars so in reality I felt like you were just being circumvented by the Mr.

Dennis because that is exactly what this bill is doing it is circumventing the process so the dollars can get on the street faster so he's undermining your your comments a little bit where I'm going with it as well is I talked to KHA and I have the same email that you all have and it's it's public record so you can get any of the emails um and it says one potential option for consideration maybe to structure the funding as an enhancement or targeted expansion under the existing my mayor's youth at work program while preserving the legislation intended for district eight focus and expanded for 16 to 24 age group operationally this could allow the city to leverage infrastructure already in place through the current model including employer partnerships onboarding systems payroll range operation out of the city to leverage infrastructure through the current model partnerships on boarding um reporting mechanisms um importantly this approach would not alter the policy intent of the legislation or goodwill's implementation role rather provide a more streamlined administrative pathway all of that gibberish is saying this that we could just do this without having to change anything else but just do an enhancement and get the same end goal so why would you choose not to go that route and to go the route that you went I guess is where I'm going so thank you through the chat to Councilman Freeman so once again John Everett told me he said if I was to do it that route the board won't be able to approve it until July 2nd it was originally going through kids open that's why um when he said that because we was it was the funds was originally going to Kids Open Lines once he said it would the board will oversee it it won't be able to approve it to July 2nd at that point I reached out to the grants and compliance department and said hey would you guys oversee this with goodwill and the grant keep in mind the grants and contract compliance do the same contract with Kids Hope Alliance.

So they already doing the work with K Sopallies it was going through K Sop Alliance but he said the board doesn't meet until July I'm using the word July 2nd early July somewhere up in there yeah, okay, early July.

So they won't be able to approve it I'm I'm I'm 100% with you.

I'm a hundred and I'm I'm going to support this bill.

Um, but no, no, no.

I mean, you all got the lecture this morning.

I'm sorry, I missed it, but he's missing the point that I'm making.

This is not about the board legislation being written to go to KHA board.

This is saying that there is something, and I and I hope you guys are following this, because it's the same source.

We both talk to the same source, and in two different responses.

The first response is accurate, it's what we're dealing with with YEC, which I'm fine with.

That's the process.

I've always said government is slow.

The second one is saying we could have just done, you can simply just do an enhancement to the current contract that goodwill has, no harm, no foul, and we keep it moving.

And that was what I first asked our auditors and our attorneys in the very beginning of this process.

Can it be done?

And if you don't, if that's the way that you don't want to do it, then you can just tell me that okay, because both ways can be done.

This way doesn't require any type of waiving of codes, it doesn't require any of that.

It just says, hey, we just simply move it there, move it through an enhancement, we vote on it, and the money's out.

That's all I was trying to say.

So yeah, thank you through the chair to Councilman Freeman.

The only thing about it, if they approve this in late July, the kids won't start working until it right.

So no, no, it had to go before K.

Keep in mind, KS Open Lines have to approve it, and that's what he was telling me through the chair to Councilman Freeman.

He was telling me this won't get approved to the board.

That's what I understand what Everett told me.

Right.

So keep in mind, it was going to kids open lines originally.

And I changed it after he told me, he said this program won't go into effect until kids open lines board approve it.

They've already approved the contract with goodwill through the chair to Councilman McGaffney.

This is what I'm trying to say.

It's already been approved.

So all we would do is enhance it, saying instead of 500,000, we're adding this to it.

They've already approved goodwill doing this contract for the mayor's youth at work.

So nothing would have to.

If we if we took this action today and we voted on the enhancement, nothing would have to go back to KHA board.

That is that is if that is the facts, and that's what they just said as well.

That's where I'm trying to say.

You're getting two of the two topics confused.

And so I'm just trying to create a process that is a little more seamless as we move forward.

But if we want to go the other way, I'm fine with it because it benefits kids and workforce.

But at the end of the day, we could be setting it up to where council district council one says next year they have money, and now we want to do something for district one only.

It can be setting up now district two.

As opposed to we deal with goodwill, you can write those specifications into the contract, and now goodwill is managing it.

So I'm done now with it.

Um, but I just definitely and that I we were speaking to the same source, and so I just want to make sure that both both sides are kind of out there because I do believe that both are beneficial.

One is just a little more seen.

We're gonna take a vote on a substitute.

We haven't done that uh yet, so all this would be a voice vote.

All those in favor to substitute, please signify by saying yes.

All is opposed, no.

Um the substitute uh passes.

If I could have a as an emergency.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Yeah, it's been a while.

Um, thank you very much.

Um councilmember McGaffney, you're in the queue.

Okay, I just want to make sure we didn't miss anybody.

Okay, please open the ballot and record your vote.

Seven yes, zero nays.

By our action, you've approved 2026 zero four five two as substituted as an emergency.

I may not have said that correctly, but hopefully it covered everything.

Um item 32, 2026 is on second.

Also 2026 on second, as well as 2026 0456 is on second read and 2026 zero four five seven.

Second read and 2026 zero four five eight, second read item 2026, 459 is on second read.

Item 2026, 47, excuse me, 0460 is on second read.

Item 39, 2026, 0463 is on second read, and that takes us to item forty twenty twenty six zero four six six.

We have motion second on emergency.

Um may would you please explain the emergency, Ms.

Kerr?

Through the chair to the committee, a one-cycle emergency has been requested in order to make the funding available as soon as possible since the program is scheduled to begin in early June.

Okay, all those in favor of the emergency, please signify by saying yes.

All those opposed, no.

Emergency passes.

We have an amendment as well.

We have a motion on the amendment.

We have a motion and second on the amendment.

Through the chairs of the committee, the amendment will remove the waiver of code section one ten one twelve.

This isn't needed because uh KHA's ordinance code chapter 77 allows for advances of up to 25 percent of the contract amount.

Okay, thank you.

All in favor of the amendment, please signify by saying yes.

Those opposed, no.

The amendment passes.

We have a motion second on the bill as emergency as amended.

Um no one in the queue, please open the ballot and record your vote.

Seven yes, zero nays.

By your action, you've approved twenty twenty-six zero four six six as an emergency as amended.

Item forty-one, twenty twenty-six zero four six seven is on second read.

Item 42, 2026, zero four, six, eight is also on second read.

Item 43, 2026, zero four, seven, zero.

We have a motion and second on the bill.

No one in the queue, please open the ballot and record your vote.

Seven yes, zero nays.

By your action, you've approved twenty twenty-six zero four seven zero.

Item forty-four, twenty twenty-six, zero four, seven, one.

We have a motion and second on the bill.

No one in the queue, please open the ballot and record your vote.

I'd uh I'd also like to be added as co-sponsor.

Seven yay, zero, nays.

By our action, you approved twenty twenty-six zero four seven one.

Item forty-five, twenty twenty-six, zero four, seven, three.

It's on second read.

And uh that should conclude meeting.

Anyone anything else?

Anything else?

Um, we are adjourned.

Thank you.