On March 24, 2026, the Venice City Council held a regular meeting addressing several agenda items including recognitions, public comments, consent items, pension board reports, four ordinances on first reading, a resolution, and charter officer reports. The meeting lasted from 9:00 AM to approximately 5:00 PM, with a brief recess.
Okay, let's call this meeting to order. Madam Clerk, if we could start with a roll call, please. Mr. Engelkey. Mrs. Frank. Here. Mr. Howard. Here. Mr. Smith. Mr. Wheat is absent. Vice Mayor Boltz. Here. Mayor Pichoda. Here. All right. We'll stand for the uh invocation, and today's pledge will be led by Vice Mayor Bolt. Father, we offer you thanks and praise for the blessings of our community, those who have led us in the past, and those who have accepted the challenge to lead us on this day. Give us patience and understanding as we set aside our personal interests and serve for the good of those that have been that we've been called to serve. Accept our thoughts and words for in your name we pray. Amen. I pledge allegiance to the fly of the United States of America. And to the Republic or which one nation, under God, individual, liberty, and justice for all. Okay. And I just want to give a special recognition to Miss Lori Stelter for being in the audience today after thirty-two years of great service to our city as the clerk. Um I could get Scotty Lynn Kelly, Clerk Michaels, and Tony Gregory plus family if they'd like to come up. There you go. International Institute of Municipal Clerks. Sorry, I was rushing to get here. Sorry. Printed it big so I can see it. The first step towards certification is earning the certified municipal clerk designation. This requires completion of the IIMC approved municipal clerk institute program conducted by the John Scott Daly Florida Institute of Government at Florida State University. This program includes 120 hours of coursework focused on leadership, management, interpersonal skills, and the techno technical knowledge needed to navigate the rapidly changing demands of government. Additional requirements include responsible experience in local government, participation in conferences and seminars, and in many cases, academic coursework or degrees in public administration or related fields. Achieving the CMC designation is a significant milestone, but true professionals never stop striving for more. And you got your CMC three years ago. Two years ago. Okay. So I got to come do that one too. The next step is the Master Municipal Clerk Academy, designated or designed to advance the professional education of clerks and prepare them for the compla complex challenges of the office. To earn the MMC designation, clerks must complete 160 hours of advanced education, 80% of which must be in public administration, along with 20 points of documented professional and social contributions, such as conference attendance, committee participation, and special recognition. Meeting these requirements is no small task, especially considering the daily demands placed on the clerk's office. Oh, printed it two-sided and I missed a page, but that's okay, we're not going back. Recognizing the need for even more advanced professional development opportunities, FACC partnered with the John Scott Daily Florida Institute of Government to create the Florida Certified Professional Clerk Program. This 20-month program continue combines virtual and in-person learning and culminates in a capstone project. It is open to all CMC certified FACC members in good standing and focuses on organizational leadership specific to the unique responsibilities of municipal clerks in Florida.