>> I DIDN'T BREAK, YOU PROMPTED ME.
[00:00:01]
[LAUGHTER] THE TIME IS[Call to Order]
NOW 7:09 AND I CALL TO ORDER THE TOWN COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING OF OCTOBER 20TH.WE'LL BEGIN WITH AN INVOCATION MOMENT OF SILENCE AND THEN THE PLEDGE. [NOISE]
>> DEAR GOD, GIVE US UNDERSTANDING, PATIENCE, AND STRENGTH AND GRANT THAT WE MAY REFLECT UPON OUR LABORS WITH HUMBLE PRIDE.
AMEN. LETS HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
>> WILL YOU PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE.
>> THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC IN WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
>> FIRST WE BEGIN WITH THE PROCLAMATION WE HAVE FOR FLORIDA CITY GOVERNMENT WEEK
[1. Florida City Government Week – October 17-23, 2022. ]
WHICH IS OCTOBER 17TH-23RD.WHEREAS CITY GOVERNMENT IS THE GOVERNMENT CLOSEST TO MOST CITIZENS AND THE ONE WITH THE MOST DAILY IMPACT UPON ITS RESONANCE AND WHEREAS CITY GOVERNMENT IS ADMINISTERED FOR AND BY CITIZENS AND IT'S DEPENDENT UPON PUBLIC COMMITMENT TO AND UNDERSTANDING OF IT'S MANY RESPONSIBILITIES.
WHEREAS CITY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES SHARE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO PASS ALONG THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF PUBLIC SERVICES AND THEIR BENEFITS.
WHEREAS FLORIDA CITY GOVERNMENT WEEK IS A VERY IMPORTANT TIME TO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANT ROLE PLAYED BY CITY GOVERNMENT AND ITS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE QUALITY OF OUR LIVES AND WHEREAS THIS WEEK OFFERS AN IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY TO SPREAD THE WORD TO ALL THE CITIZENS OF FLORIDA WHO MAKE CITIES GREAT PLACES TO LIVE, THAT THEY CAN SHAPE AND INFLUENCE THIS BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT WHICH IS CLOSEST TO THE PEOPLE.
WHEREAS THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES AND ITS MEMBER CITIES HAVE JOINED TOGETHER TO TEACH STUDENTS AND OTHER CITIZENS ABOUT MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS THROUGH A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS AND INFORMATION.
WHEREAS FLORIDA CITY GOVERNMENT WEEK OFFERS AN IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY TO CONVEY TO ALL CITIZENS OF FLORIDA THAT THEY CAN SHAPE AND INFLUENCE GOVERNMENT THROUGH THEIR CIVIC INVOLVEMENT.
WHEREAS THE TOWN OF JUPITER DOES ENCOURAGE ALL CITIZENS, CITY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, AND EMPLOYEES TO DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO ENSURE THAT THIS WEEK IS RECOGNIZED AND CELEBRATED ACCORDINGLY.
WHEREAS THE TOWN OF JUPITER DOES ENCOURAGE EDUCATION OR PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN CITY GOVERNMENT AND OUR SCHOOLS.
WHEREAS THE TOWN OF JUPITER DOES SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGE ALL CITY GOVERNMENTS TO ACTIVELY PROMOTE AND SPONSOR FLORIDA CITY GOVERNMENT WEEK.
NOW THEREFORE, I, JIM KURETSKI, MAYOR OF THE TOWN OF JUPITER DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 17TH-23RD AS FLORIDA CITY GOVERNMENT WEEK IN THE TOWN OF JUPITER AND ENCOURAGE ALL CITIZENS TO SUPPORT THE CELEBRATION AND THE CORRESPONDING ACTIVITIES.
[1a. Overview of the Housing Bond, County Question 1 on the November 8 General Election Ballot by Mr. Jack Weir, Chair of the Palm Beach County Housing Leadership Council.]
THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA FITTING TO THE POINT I'VE JUST READ IN THE PROCLAMATION.WE ARE GOING TO RECEIVE AN OVERVIEW OF THE HOUSING BOND WHICH IS A COUNTY QUESTION 1 ON NOVEMBER 8TH GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT.
I'M GRATEFUL TO MR. JACK [INAUDIBLE] FOR COMING FORWARD TONIGHT.
WE IN THE TOWN HAVING HEARD ABOUT THIS THOUGHT THIS IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD BECOME MORE INFORMED ABOUT.
I APPRECIATE YOUR COMING THIS OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE RESONANCE BOTH HERE AND THAT MAY WATCH IT ONLINE, BOTH LIVE OR LATER CAN BENEFIT FROM THIS PRESENTATION.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. MAYOR.
MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, STAFF, AND AUDIENCE, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT TONIGHT ABOUT THE HOUSING BOND.
COUNTY QUESTION NUMBER 1 WHICH IS ON THE BALLOT.
I AM JACK [INAUDIBLE] AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED.
I RUN EAST WING WHICH IS A LOCAL REAL ESTATE COMPANY.
BUT I'M HERE TONIGHT IN MY CAPACITY AS CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSING LEADERSHIP COUNCIL.
THE HOUSING LEADERSHIP COUNCIL IS A NON-PROFIT HOUSING ADVOCACY GROUP WHICH IS DESIGNED TO PROMOTE WORKFORCE HOUSING THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
MANY OF YOU MAY KNOW SUZANNE CABRERA, THE LONGTIME EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WHO HAS SPOKEN BEFORE THIS COUNCIL AND OTHERS IN THE PAST.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE HOUSING LEADERSHIP COUNCIL DOES IS IT PROMOTES POLICY RESEARCH.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IT DID IN 2020 WAS TO TEAM
[00:05:04]
UP WITH FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY ON A HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT.WE KNEW THAT THERE WAS A HOUSING PROBLEM BUT WE WANTED TO TRY AND PUT SOME NUMBERS TO IT.
THAT REPORT WAS RELEASED IN FEBRUARY OF 2021.
THE MAJOR FINDINGS WERE THAT 57 PERCENT OF THE RENTAL HOUSEHOLDS IN PALM BEACH COUNTY, THIS WAS A LITTLE BIT OVER 97,000 HOUSEHOLDS, WERE COST BURDEN.
MEANING THEY WERE SPENDING ROUGHLY OVER 1/3 OF THEIR INCOME ON HOUSING COSTS.
OF THAT 57 PERCENT, 30 PERCENT, SO MORE THAN HALF, 30 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL WERE SPENDING MORE THAN 50 PERCENT OF THEIR INCOME ON HOUSING SO THEY WERE SEVERELY COST BURDENED.
THEN EVEN OWNER-OCCUPIED HOUSEHOLDS WHICH HAVE A HIGHER INCOME ON AVERAGE, 30 PERCENT OF THEM WERE COST BURDENED AS WELL.
WHEN WE DUG INTO THIS A LITTLE, IT TURNED OUT FROM 2010-2019, IF YOU LOOKED AT THE POPULATION GROWTH OF THE COUNTY AS A WHOLE, WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADDING 6,300 UNITS PER YEAR, SO 63,000 OVER THE ENTIRE DECADE.
WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE PROPERTY TAX ROLLS, WE FOUND THAT THE NUMBER OF UNITS THAT WERE ACTUALLY ADDED DURING THAT PERIOD WAS 4,200 A YEAR, A LITTLE BIT OVER 42,000.
THAT GAP, SLIGHTLY OVER 20,000 UNITS, HELPED PUT THE MARKET INTO A SUPPLY-DEMAND IMBALANCE.
THEN CAME THE PANDEMIC AND YOU'VE SEEN WHAT'S HAPPENED.
WE HAD A COMBINATION OF SLOWING SUPPLY BECAUSE FINANCING DRIED UP IN THE EARLY STAGE OF THE PANDEMIC AND THEN WE HAD THIS POPULATION GROWTH FROM PEOPLE RELOCATING FROM OTHER STATES.
WE SAW RENT INCREASES ON A YEAR-ON-YEAR BASIS OF OVER 30 PERCENT.
JUST TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE, WHEN A DEVELOPER DOES A PROFORMA ON A RENTAL PROJECT, THEY WILL GENERALLY PROJECT RUN INCREASES OF 3 PERCENT A YEAR.
YOU HAD IN EFFECT 10 YEARS OF RENT INCREASES COMPRESSED INTO A SINGLE YEAR.
ON THE HOME-OWNERSHIP SIDE, HOUSING PRICES INCREASED BY OVER 25 PERCENT.
THE MEDIAN PRICE OF A HOME IN PALM BEACH COUNTY BRIEFLY CRUSTED OVER 600,000.
IT'S NOW DROPPED BACK A LITTLE TO ABOUT 550,000 WITH THE RECENT INTEREST RATE RISES.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS FROM THE HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND YOU PUT THE PANDEMIC ON TOP OF THAT, THEY'RE WORSE.
WHAT WE'RE FINDING IS THAT ESSENTIAL WORKERS, AND THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE EDUCATED OR THEY'RE SKILLED.
THEY ARE INTEGRAL PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY.
[NOISE] THEY PLAY A VALUABLE ROLE.
THEY'RE BEING PRICED OUT OF HOME OWNERSHIP, AND THEY'RE STRUGGLING TO FIND RENTALS AT A PRICE THAT THEY CAN AFFORD.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS SOME OF THE CONSEQUENCES WHICH RESTAURANTS AND SHOPS BEING CLOSED.
BUT THERE WAS A REPORT TODAY IN THE POST THAT TEACHING VACANCIES, VACANCIES WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WITH TEACHERS HAVE MORE THAN TRIPLED SINCE BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.
I WAS AT A FUNCTION YESTERDAY IN WHICH THE PRESIDENTS OF FAU SCRIPTS, AND MAX PLANCK SPOKE, AND WHEN THEY ASKED WHAT THE NUMBER ONE OBSTACLE WAS TO THE GROWTH OF THEIR INSTITUTIONS, THEY SAID HOUSING.
BASICALLY THEIR POST-DOC RESEARCH FELLOWS CANNOT AFFORD TO LIVE IN NORTHERN PALM BEACH COUNTY. WHAT DO YOU HEAR? EVEN IF YOU'RE COMFORTABLE [NOISE] IN YOUR OWN SITUATION, YOU'RE IN A HOUSE, YOU'VE PAID OFF YOUR MORTGAGE, IT'S AFFECTING YOU.
PART OF THE IDEA HERE IS TO COME UP WITH A LOCALLY BASED SOLUTIONS SO VERY APT GIVEN THE RECENT PROCLAMATION HERE.
THAT IS A BOND THAT IS ISSUED BY PALM BEACH COUNTY THAT WILL BE USED TO INCREASE THE SUPPLY OF WORKFORCE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
PART OF THE REASON WHY THERE'S AN IMPETUS TO DO THIS ON A LOCAL LEVEL, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, THERE'S A STATE HOUSING TRUST FUND.
BUT OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS THAT FUND HAS BEEN RATED BY THE LEGISLATURE FOR NON HOUSING PURPOSES.
THE SUM TOTAL OF THE DIVERSIONS DURING THAT PERIOD OR OVER TWO-AND-A-HALF BILLION DOLLARS ON A STATEWIDE BASIS.
PALM BEACH COUNTY ALONE HAS LOST MORE THAN 200 MILLION.
THAT'S PART OF THE REASON WE'RE IN THE SITUATION THAT WE ARE, AND WHEN THERE'S A GROUP OF [NOISE] STAKEHOLDERS CALLED THE HOUSING STEERING COMMITTEE HAD A MEETING ON A MONTHLY BASIS FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
WHEN THEY WERE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO DO A DEDICATED LOCAL SOURCE OF FUNDING.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS TO HAVE THE CONTROL AND THEN THEY OPTED FOR THE BOND BECAUSE IT OFFERED THE QUICKEST WAY TO MAKE AN IMMEDIATE IMPACT ON THE PROBLEM.
THE LANGUAGE IN THERE IS RELATIVELY ARCANE BOND LANGUAGE.
BUT THE THRUST OF IT IS BASICALLY BONDS THAT WILL BE ISSUED TO PROVIDE
[00:10:02]
LOANS TO DEVELOPERS AND BUILDERS OF BOTH RENTAL HOUSING AND HOME OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.THIS IS WHAT A PROGRAM THEY'RE SAYING THAT WHAT SOME CALL THE MISSING MIDDLE.
THOSE HOUSEHOLDS EARNING BETWEEN [NOISE] 50,000 UP TO 120,000 UNITS OF DOLLARS PER YEAR.
YOU USED TO THINK IF SOMEBODY WHO WAS EARNING $100,000 THEY HADN'T MADE, BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE NOW WHEN IT COMES TO HOUSING, I MEAN, EVEN PEOPLE IN THAT BRACKET ARE FINDING RENTS VERY HIGH AND THEY'RE STRUGGLING TO BUY HOMES OF THOSE MEDIAN PRICES.
THE TWO OTHER THINGS TO NOTE ARE, THESE ARE LOANS, SO IT'S INTENDED TO CREATE A POOL OF FUNDS THAT WILL BE RECYCLED OVER TIME, AND IT IS INTENDED TO BE COMBINED WITH PRIVATE DEBT AND PRIVATE EQUITY TO MAXIMIZE THE IMPACT.
THINK OF IT AS HAVING A PUBLIC SUBSIDY DOLLAR WITH A MULTIPLIER EFFECT TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF UNITS.
THE BONDS ARE PART OF A HOUSING PLAN, WHICH I'LL TALK ABOUT A BIT LATER, AND THE GOAL OF THE PLAN IS TO PRODUCE 20,000 UNITS OVER THE NEXT DECADE OF WORKFORCE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
IT'S BOTH TO INCREASE THE OVERALL SUPPLY AND THEN INCREASE THE PROPORTION OF THAT SUPPLY THAT'S AFFORDABLE TO WORK OUT FOR US AND WORKING HOUSEHOLDS.
THE WAY THAT WORKS IS FIRST ON RENTAL HOUSING, IT PROVIDES GAP FINANCING.
A TYPICAL REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT FOR MULTIFAMILY RENTAL MIGHT CONSIST OF 65 PERCENT CONSTRUCTION LOAN, 35 PERCENT EQUITY.
THOSE INVESTORS OFTEN WANT RETURNS OF 15, 18, 20 PERCENT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
THE GOAL IS TO REPLACE, SAY, 10 PERCENT OF THAT WITH A LOW INTEREST LOAN FROM THE COUNTY BOND PROCEEDS, AND IN RETURN, THE DEVELOPER COMMITS TO SET ASIDE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF UNITS AT A BELOW MARKET RATE FOR WORKFORCE HOUSEHOLDS.
[NOISE] THE SIZE OF THE LOAN DEPENDS ON HOW FAR BELOW MARKET THEY ARE.
THERE ARE 140 PERCENT UNITS, 120 PERCENT UNITS, 100 PERCENT AND 80 PERCENT AMI UNITS AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
THE LOAN IS LARGER FOR THE 80 PERCENT, THAN IT WOULD BE FOR THE 120 PERCENT.
KEY FEATURE THIS IS THE DEED RESTRICTION LASTS FOR 30 YEARS.
BUT IF THE OWNER SELLS THE PROPERTY, THEN THE LOAN IS REPAID, THE REASONING BEING THAT IF THE OWNER SELLS THE PROPERTY, THE PROPERTY HAS APPRECIATED IN VALUE, THEY HAVE THE FUNDS TO REPAY IT BUT THE DEED RESTRICTION CONTINUES.
IT IS ASSUMED BY THE NEW OWNER.
ON THE HOME-OWNERSHIP SIDE, THE BOND FUNDS ARE DESIGNED TO COVER THE GAP BETWEEN THE COST TO [NOISE] PRODUCE THE HOUSE AND WHAT THE SALE PRICE WOULD BE.
UNDER THE COUNTIES PROGRAM, THE SALE PRICE FOR AN 80 PERCENT AMI HOME WOULD BE 220,000.
THAT HOME MIGHT COST 270,000 TO PRODUCE SO THE BOND PROCEEDS WOULD COVER THE GAP AND ENABLE THAT HOME THEY'D BE PRODUCED AND SOLD TO A FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYER.
IT DOESN'T OVERRIDE YOUR PREROGATIVES AS A TOWN COUNCIL TO REVIEW AND APPROVE INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.
THE PROJECTS THAT WE'LL BE APPLYING FOR COUNTY FUNDING WILL BE BROUGHT ON A BASIS TO THE COUNTY, BUT THE INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT WILL CONTINUE TO BE REVIEWED.
IN THE HOUSING PLAN WE HAVE SOME IDEAS ON HOW CERTAIN APPROVALS CAN BE EXPEDITED, AND PERMITS AND INSPECTIONS CAN BE EXPEDITED.
BUT THE FINANCING [NOISE] IS DISTINCT FROM THE APPROVAL PROCESS AND THE OTHER THING TO POINT OUT IS, THIS IS NOT SUBSTANDARD HOUSING OR LOW-INCOME HOUSING.
[NOISE] ALL OF THIS WILL BE WHAT WE WOULD CALL A QUALITY HOUSING.
THE MAGIC IS IN THE FINANCING MECHANISM NOT IN ANY REDUCTION IN QUALITY.
ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE OFTEN GET IS, WHERE WILL THESE UNITS GO? PARTICULARLY IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT RENTAL APARTMENTS WITH MORE DENSITY.
ONE OF THEM IS GOING TO BE MAJOR COMMERCIAL THOROUGHFARES THAT ARE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, WHETHER IT'D BE US HIGHWAY ONE OR CONGRESS OR MILITARY OR OTHERS.
THESE ARE AREAS THAT TEND TO BE CLOSER TO COMMERCIAL USES LIKE [NOISE] SHOPPING, OFFICES AS WELL AS SCHOOLS, ENTERTAINMENT, RESTAURANTS.
WE THINK A MAJOR OPPORTUNITY IS GOING TO BE REDEVELOPMENT OF EXISTING COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES.
YOU'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH SHOPPING CENTERS THAT HAVE PASSED THEIR PEAK AND OFTEN HAVE LARGE VACANCIES.
MANY OF THESE CAN BE REPURPOSED AS MIXED USE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE RESIDENTIAL, RETAIL AND RESTAURANT OR ENTERTAINMENT COMPONENTS.
NOT JUST SHOPPING CENTERS, OFFICES WITH THESE LARGE FIELDS OF PARKING LOTS,
[00:15:02]
OLD HOTELS AND WE'D SEEN USES AS DIVERSE AS CHURCHES AND BOWLING ALLEYS THAT HAVE NOW BEEN CONVERTED INTO THESE.ONE OF THE OTHER PRIMARY AS WELL, URBAN CORES, TRANSITORY AND DEVELOPMENTS THAT WILL BE UNNATURAL AND THEN HISTORICALLY DISINVESTED NEIGHBORHOODS.
PART OF THE GOAL IS TO ENCOURAGE REINVESTMENT IN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN BYPASSED BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND WE SEE THAT AS A PARTICULARLY FERTILE OPPORTUNITY FOR HOMEOWNERSHIP BECAUSE OF SCATTERED LOTS THAT ARE VACANT, THAT CAN BE REDEVELOPED FOR SALE HOUSING AS WELL.
[NOISE] ANOTHER FREQUENT QUESTION IS HOW MUCH WILL THIS COST.
THE $200 MILLION WOULD BE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS.
THAT MEANS THAT THE COST IS BORNE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY BY ALL TAXPAYERS, WHETHER THEY ARE IN A COUNTY OR MUNICIPALITY THAT MEANS THE FUNDS CAN ALSO BE USED WITHIN THE COUNTY OR THE MUNICIPALITY.
BECAUSE IT'S SPREAD OVER SUCH A BROAD BASE, THE COST IS $4.36 PER 100,000 OF ASSESSED VALUE.
FOR THE AGGREGATE THAT MEDIAN VALUE HOME THAT I MENTIONED, THE COST IS $14 PER YEAR.
YOU BASICALLY YOU TAKE THE MEDIAN PRICE, YOU DISCOUNT FOR THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS, YOU DISCOUNT UNDER SAVE OUR HOMES FOR THE LENGTH OF TIME YOU'VE BEEN IN THERE.
THERE'S GENERALLY A GAP BETWEEN THE ASSESSED VALUE AND THE MEDIAN HOME PRICE.
WHEN THE COUNTY RAN THE NUMBERS, IT WAS $14 PER YEAR, SO A LITTLE OVER A DOLLAR A MONTH, THAT'S WHAT THIS WILL COST.
IT'S NOT QUITE REVENUE NEUTRAL, BUT IT'S A PRETTY LOW.
HOW ARE THE TAXPAYER IS PROTECTED ONCE THESE BOND PROCEEDS ARE ALLOCATED? ALL THE LOANS MADE WITH PROCEEDS WILL BE SECOND MORTGAGE LOANS AND THERE'LL BE BACKED BY RECORDED DEED RESTRICTION.
IF IT'S A RENTAL PROJECT, LANDLORDS ARE REQUIRED TO DO AN ANNUAL COMPLIANCE REPORT.
THEY HAVE TO CERTIFY TO THE MUNICIPALITY OR THE COUNTY OR A THIRD-PARTY COMPLIANCE MONITOR IF THAT IS WHAT REQUIRED THAT THE UNITS IN THE SPECIFIED PERCENTAGE ARE OCCUPIED BY ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS WITH INCOME.
THE INCOME AND THE RENTS AND THE PERCENTAGES ARE ALL CHECKED.
BOTH RENTAL PROJECT OWNERS AND HOMEOWNERS WITH FINANCING ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE THE COUNTY WITH THE NOTICE OF SALE, AND THAT'S SO THE LOAN CAN BE REPAID.
THEN THE PLAN IS TO HAVE THE HOUSING LEADERSHIP COUNCIL, THE BOARD, PROVIDE CITIZEN OVERSIGHT AND MONITOR THE PROGRAM PROGRESS.
THE COUNTY IS GOING TO BE THE ONE ADMINISTERING THE FUNDS, ALTHOUGH THEY CAN BE ALLOCATED TO PROJECTS IN MUNICIPALITIES.
THE TYPICAL MODEL THAT'S BEEN EMPLOYED HAS BEEN TO HAVE AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE WHICH IS BASICALLY CITIZENS WHO OVERSEE HOW THIS IS DONE.
WE THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO HAVE AN ORGANIZATION THAT ACTUALLY HAD STAFF SUPPORT THAT COULD PROVIDE MONITORING, AND COULD ASSESS THE PROGRESS OF THE PROGRAM.
IF IT WASN'T MEETING ITS GOALS OR IT WAS GOING OFF COURSE IN SOME WAY THAT YOU WOULD HAVE AN ORGANIZATION THAT COULD BASICALLY SERVE AS A WATCHDOG.
THE HOUSING LEADERSHIP COUNCIL DOES NOT GET ANY MONEY FROM THE COUNTY, AND IT DOESN'T GET MONEY FROM DEVELOPERS.
IT'S AN INDEPENDENT GROUP THAT CAN PLAY THIS ROLE, AND THE PLAN IS FOR IT TO INCREASE ITS STAFF AFTER THE BOND ISSUE PASSES IN ORDER TO DO THIS.
THE BONDS ARE PART OF A LARGER PLAN.
THEY ARE A MAIN ELEMENT OF FUNDING AND FINANCING.
THERE'S A COUPLE OTHER ELEMENTS.
THE COUNTY HAS A WORKFORCE HOUSING PROGRAM THAT COLLECTS FUNDS PAYMENT IN LIEU. SOME OF YOU'VE HEARD OF THIS.
IF A HOME-BUILT OR DOESN'T WANT TO BUILD WORKFORCE HOUSING UNITS ON-SITE, THEY PAY INTO A FUND.
RIGHT NOW THE COUNTY SAYS THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN SPEND THAT MONEY IS TO SPEND IT ON A HOME PRODUCED UNDER THE COUNTY'S WORKFORCE HOUSING PROGRAM IN THE COUNTY.
WHAT THE HOUSING PLAN HAS RECOMMENDED AND THE COUNTY HAS AGREED IS TO SAY NO, WE WILL BE ABLE TO USE THOSE FUNDS ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTY FOR ANY QUALIFYING FOR SALE HOUSE, REGARDLESS OF HOW IT WAS PRODUCED.
THAT WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT ADDITION AND A BETTER USE OF THE FUNDING SOURCE THAN ALLOWING IT JUST THE PILE UP IN THE COUNTY COFFERS.
WE'RE ALSO TALKING WITH LOCAL LENDERS ABOUT SETTING UP A REVOLVING LOAN FUND THAT WOULD ENABLE A NON-PROFIT OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT ENTITY TO BE A CASH BUYER.
ALL TOO OFTEN NOW IN A HOME COMES UP FOR SALE, THAT MIGHT BE AFFORDABLE TO A FIRST-TIME HOME BUYER, THE SELLER WILL SELL TO A CATCH FIRE BECAUSE THERE'S NO MORTGAGE CONTINGENCY THEY DON'T WANT TO WAIT ON ANY GOVERNMENT FINANCING.
[00:20:02]
THERE'S A PROGRAM IN CINCINNATI THAT TALKS ABOUT THAT'S NOT TALKS ABOUT THAT DOES HAS SET UP THIS REVOLVING LOAN FUND AND HAS BEEN BUYING HOMES, AND THEN SELLING THEM IN TURN.IT BASICALLY SETS UP A COMPETING CASH BUYER SO THAT HOMES CAN BE GENERATED TO FIRST-TIME HOME BUYERS RATHER THAN SOLD TO INVESTORS FOR SCATTERED SITE RENTALS.
THEN THE THIRD ELEMENT IS TO BOOST THE CAPACITY OF NON-PROFIT DEVELOPERS UP THROUGH A PHILANTHROPIC INITIATIVE AT THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION.
PLANNING AND REGULATORY REFORM WOULD BE MORE DENSITY IN THE APPROPRIATE LOCATIONS, INCREASING DEVELOPMENT FOOTPRINTS BY UNCHANGING THE UNDERLYING LAND USE ON SOME OF THESE COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES THAT I REFERENCED, AND THEN EXPEDITING THE APPROVAL, PERMITTING, AND INSPECTION PROCESS FOR PROJECTS ONCE THEY'RE APPROVED.
NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION, I MENTIONED.
ONE OF THE TRICKY ELEMENTS HERE IS GOING TO BE ENCOURAGING REINVESTMENT WITHOUT HAVING A DISPLACEMENT OF EXISTING RESIDENTS WHO WANT TO STAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
ONE OF THE GOOD THINGS ABOUT SAVE OUR HOMES IS IT LIMITS THE INCREASE IN ASSESSED VALUE EVEN IF A NEIGHBORHOOD'S VALUE START TO RISE BECAUSE OF REINVESTMENT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
FINALLY, THERE'S A RACIAL EQUITY COMPONENTS OF THE PLAN WHICH SEEKS TO LOOK AT OBSTACLES TO BLACK HOMEOWNERSHIP RATES IN THE COUNTY AND THE FINANCING, VALUATION, AND LEGAL ENTITLED ISSUES THAT IS OBSTACLES AND DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BLACK RESIDENTS AND PALM BEACH COUNTY.
ONE OF THE THINGS TO NOTE IS THAT THE PROBLEM HAS REACHED THE POINT WHERE IT'S NOT JUST THE HOUSING PROBLEM, IT'S ALSO A MAJOR PROBLEM FOR BUSINESSES LOOKING TO EITHER SEEK EMPLOYEES OR RETAIN EMPLOYEES AS WELL.
YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS SLIDE THAT WE HAVE A BROAD COALITION OF ENDORSEMENTS THAT HAVE FROM ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE REVIEWED THIS AND DONE IT.
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, ALL THE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE, INCLUDING THE NORTHERN PALM BEACH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND UNIONS, UNITED WAY, SO ALL OF THEM HAVE RECOGNIZED THAT IT'S A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND THIS IS A SERIOUS ATTEMPT TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
THE LAST THING TO NOTE IS THE COUNTY IS HAVING A COMMUNITY FORUM IN THE WEST JUPITER COMMUNITY CENTER NEXT WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26TH AT 5:30 AND THAT'S DESIGNED TO PRESENT WHAT THE COUNTY HAS IN ITS TOOLBOX, AS WELL AS MORE INFORMATION ON THE BOND PROGRAM.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION AND I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU. I HAVE A COUPLE AND I WANT TO TURN TO MY COLLEAGUES, BUT I JUST WANTED TO PREFACE THIS SO THERE'S NO MISUNDERSTANDING FROM THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
I ASKED, AND I APPRECIATE MRS. MORENO FOR WORKING THIS OUT THAT JACK WOULD COME HERE SHOWING HE HAS A PRESENTATION.
I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO BE INFORMED SOMETHING ON BALLOT.
I'M STILL MAKING A DECISION, BUT I'M GOING TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION SO I DON'T WANT TO MAKE IT SOUND ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, NOT TO MENTION GOVERNMENTS HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT EVEN THOUGH THIS ISN'T THE TOWN SUPPORTING THIS.
I JUST WANT TO SAY FOR THE PUBLIC, THAT NUMBER ONE TELLS THAT A LOT OF THINGS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING OVER THE YEARS WE HAD, AND I GOT THIS INFORMATION FROM OUR STAFF.
WE HAD OVER 1,600 UNITS IN ABACOA.
REGRETTABLY WHEN THAT WAS DONE, THE STANDARD WAS FIVE YEARS SO ALL OF OUR EFFORTS ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING LASTED FOR OVER FIVE YEARS, AND THEN WITH THE HOUSING INFLATION, WE LAUNCHED THAT.
WE'VE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL ON A PROJECT BARCELONA, JUST A FEW YEARS AGO AND WE HAVE, I THINK IT'S 75 UNITS IN LESSON LEARNED.
THEY'RE GOOD FOR 30-50 YEARS SO JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT TUB TOWN KNOWS WHAT WE'VE DONE.
WE ARE NOW CLOSER TO BUILD OUT SO THE OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE A LOT LESS.
BUT WE DO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT THE RENTAL UNITS BECAUSE WE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN DOING THAT OR I SHOULD SAY STAFF BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES THAT MOVE IT ALONG BEFORE IT EVEN GETS TO US.
BUT I HAD THE BENEFIT OF HEARING NOT ONLY THIS PRESENTATION BUT A WHOLE BUNCH OF QUESTIONS.
JUST A COUPLE THAT I WANTED TO JUST GET HERE.
THE SAME ON RENTAL UNITS AND HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.
THOSE ARE REALLY TWO UNIQUELY DIFFERENT THINGS.
CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT THE GROUP THAT CAME UP WITH THIS, THEY WERE MEETING THE INTEREST OF THAT GROUP AND IT'S A 25 PERCENT OF THE FUNDS WILL BE USED IN THE HOMEOWNERS JOB AND THEN 75 IN RENTAL UNITS.
[00:25:05]
THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT I RECOLLECT.>> YOU'RE CORRECT THAT THOSE NUMBERS ARE IN THERE, BUT THE 25 PERCENT IS A FOUR AND WE THOUGHT IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT.
THERE'S A CERTAIN TENSION BECAUSE YOU WANT TO GET THE MOST UNITS FOR EACH DOLLAR OF PUBLIC SUBSIDY.
RENTAL UNITS ARE EASIER BECAUSE ON A PER-UNIT BASIS THEY ARE LESS.
BUT HOMEOWNERSHIP IS VERY IMPORTANT SO THIS HOUSING STEERING COMMITTEE IS A VERY DIVERSE GROUP.
THERE ARE FEW DEVELOPERS IN IT, BUT IT'S REALLY LENDERS, LOT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, ATTORNEYS, PLANNERS, ADVOCATES.
WHAT WE SAID WAS, WE'RE TRYING TO HIT THIS GOAL IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF UNITS, BUT AT LEAST 25 PERCENT HAVE TO BE HOMEOWNERSHIP.
NOW IT'S A DEVELOPER DRIVEN PROCESS.
IF MORE HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES ARE PRESENTED TO THE COUNTY, THEN THE NUMBER CAN GO HIGHER THAN THAT.
BUT WE WANTED TO ESTABLISH A FLOOR SO THAT IT WOULDN'T GO BELOW THAT. THERE'S NO CAP.
>> I'M JUST FOLLOWING UP ON THAT.
SO $200 MILLION BOND WITH A TARGET OF 20,000 UNITS, THAT'S?
>> THAT DOESN'T GET IT DONE ALONE.
>> WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS JUST A YEAH.
BUT YOU KEEP SAYING THE COUNTY, IF THIS GETS ASKED, WOULD THE TOWN PROJECT PEOPLE AVAIL ITSELF FROM THAT FINANCING?
>> YEAH. I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR ON THAT SO THANKS FOR BRINGING THAT UP THERE.
THE REASON THE BONDS ARE ISSUED BY THE COUNTY IS THEY HAVE A TRIP A RATING AND YOU HAVE A CERTAIN ECONOMY OF SCALE AND HAVING ONE CENTRAL ISSUE.
YOU DON'T HAVE THE TRANSACTION COSTS IS IF A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT TOWNS ISSUED THE BONDS.
BUT THEY ARE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS, SO THEY CAN BE USED ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTY.
IF A DEVELOPER HAS COME TO YOU WITH DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL, THEY WILL ALSO BE APPLYING TO THE COUNTY FOR THIS GAP FINANCING FUNDS.
ANY PROJECT IN ANY MUNICIPALITY QUALIFIES.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING HERE TODAY TO SPEAK TO US.
I FEEL I'VE SEEN YOU SPEAK IN NUMBER TIMES, THE NUMBER OF DIFFERENT FORUMS, COMMISSION, AND OTHERS.
BUT AS I TRIED TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND IT, I FEEL IT FOR A WHILE IT WAS REALLY HARD TO FIND INFORMATION ABOUT THIS BOND ISSUE, AND MORE RECENTLY THAT THERE'S A LOT MORE COMING OUT ALL AT ONCE.
I JUST WANT TO PERHAPS DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE JUNE 12TH, 2021 PALM BEACH POST ARTICLE.
I WAS TRYING TO GET A SENSE OF THE NEED SO THIS BOND ISSUE IS FOR 20,000 UNITS OVER 10 YEARS.
>> THE HOUSING PLAN OF WHICH THE BOND ISSUE WAS A PART.
>> THE GOAL IS 20,000 UNITS OVER 10 YEARS WORKFORCE AND AFFORDABLE.
WE KNOW THAT THE BONDS ALONE WON'T GET US THERE SO PART OF THE ELEMENTS OF THE PLAN ARE NOT ONLY PULLING AND OTHER PRIVATE SOURCES, BUT OTHER PUBLIC SOURCES AS WELL THAT CAN HELP US GET THERE.
TO GIVE YOU ONE EXAMPLE WHICH MIGHT BE A WEST PALM EXAMPLE.
IF YOU HAVE A PROJECT THAT'S ON A RELATIVELY SMALL PIECE OF LAND, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO GET THE ZONING FOR QUITE A FEW UNITS, BUT YOU WOULD HAVE TO BUILD A PARKING STRUCTURE, YOU'D HAVE TO BUILD A PARKING GARAGE.
THE RENTS DON'T RISE WHETHER YOU HAVE A PARKING STRUCTURE OR NOT BUT YOUR COSTS, OF COURSE, RISE IF YOU HAVE TO BUILD A PARKING STRUCTURE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE IS IF YOU HAVE A COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY, THEY CAN PROVIDE SUPPLEMENTAL FINANCING FOR THE COST OF THAT PARKING STRUCTURE SO THAT YOU CAN BUILD THOSE UNITS AS WELL.
THAT'S JUST FRIENDS AND CYTOSINE GET THROUGH A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS QUICKLY.
>> IT IS VERY TECHNICAL AND THEN I'M SURE WE COULD BE HERE FOR HOURS, BUT IN TERMS OF GETTING A SENSE OF THE NEEDS, SO 20,000 IS THE GOAL OF THE WHOLE OF THE BIGGER PICTURE, THE BONDS BEING A PART OF IT.
BUT THAT ARTICLE ALSO MENTIONED THAT PALM BEACH COUNTY IS SHORT IS AT 78,000 UNITS.
WAS THAT THE TOTAL NEED? IT WAS REFERENCED IN THE ARTICLE AND IT SAYS IN ADDITION TO THAT, PALM BEACH COUNTY LOSES 17,000 UNITS A YEAR TO APPRECIATION.
CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT IN TERMS OF JUST IS THIS A DROP IN THE BUCKET OR IS THIS, YOU KNOW?
>> YOU HEAR THOSE NUMBERS. YOU WANT TO THROW UP YOUR ARMS AND SAY IT'S IMPOSSIBLE, WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THE NUMBER IS 78,000.
I THINK WHAT HAPPENS IS WHEN YOU HAVE A SHORTFALL, YOU START TO GET INTO A VICIOUS CYCLE SO YOU HAVE A SHORTAGE.
UNITS ARE SHORT, THEN PRICES GO UP AND THEN YOU LOSE UNITS TO APPRECIATION.
I DON'T THINK 20,000 SOLVES THE PROBLEM.
BUT WHAT I THINK IT DOES IS IT STARTS TO READDRESS THIS SEVERE IMBALANCE OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND.
[00:30:02]
THAT ROUTE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CLASSIC ECONOMICS.YOU HAVE MORE PEOPLE THAT WANT AND NEED HOUSING THAN THE HOUSING THAT IS THERE.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE CAN BUILD OUT ON EVERY LOT IN THE COUNTY AND NOR WOULD WE WANT TO BUT I THINK WE CAN BE SELECTIVELY SMART IN TERMS OF WHERE WE ADD DENSITY.
I THINK WE CAN ALSO CREATE MORE HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.
THERE WAS AN ARTICLE IN THE NEW YORK TIMES A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO ABOUT THE DEMISE OF THE STARTER HOME AND HOW IT'S NOT WORTH IT FOR COMMERCIAL BUILDERS TO BUILD COTTAGE HOMES AND STARTER HOMES NOW BECAUSE THERE'S JUST THE ECONOMICS DON'T WORK FOR THEM, THE PRICING DOESN'T WORK FOR THE PEOPLE THAT COULD BUY THEM BECAUSE THE COSTS ARE SO HIGH.
I THINK 20,000 IS MORE THAN A DROP IN THE BUCKET.
I THINK IT'S A SIGNIFICANT DENT IN THE PROBLEM.
I THINK THERE WOULD BE COLLATERAL BENEFITS IN TERMS OF SLOWING THE RATE OF APPRECIATION AND OTHER HOUSING AS WELL.
>> THEN ANOTHER ITEM I'M HEARING ABOUT READING ABOUT IS SINCE 2006, THE COUNTY IS HOW TO WORKFORCE HOUSING PROGRAM, AND PALM BEACH CALLED IT ONE OF THE WEAKEST OF ITS KIND.
IT MANAGED TO PRODUCE THE LITTLE OVER 1,000 HOMES IN 16 YEARS.
GIVEN THAT PERFORMANCE, WHAT CAN GIVE US CONFIDENCE THAT THIS WILL BE SUCCESSFUL? TO GIVE SOME CONTEXT THIS IS REALLY QUITE THE TANGENT, BUT MY PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND INCLUDES SOME WORK ON HAITI AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE AND HOUSING WAS A HUGE ISSUE AT THAT POINT IN TIME.
WE HAD PLENTY OF IT AND PLENTY OF DONORS WILLING TO PROVIDE IT.
THE PROBLEM WAS LAND WAS A NUMBER OF OPERATIONAL ISSUES THAT GOT IN THE WAY.
SO I JUST WONDER IF WE HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THE STRUCTURE TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM SO THAT IT'S NOT JUST MONEY THAT'S LIMITING FACTOR PER SE, BUT OUR ORGANIZATION. CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT?
>> THE COUNTY'S PROGRAM IS A MANDATORY WORKFORCE HOUSING PROGRAM.
THAT MEANS IT IMPOSES A REQUIREMENT THAT YOU MUST RUN CERTAIN UNITS BELOW BELOW MARKET, AND IF YOU DON'T DO THAT, THEN YOU HAVE TO PAY INTO A FUND.
I DISAGREE WITH MR. MAURICE CHARACTERIZATION IS ONE OF THE WEAKEST AND THE FLORIDA BECAUSE IT'S THE ONLY MANDATORY COUNTY WORKFORCE HOUSING PROGRAM IN FLORIDA.
IN THAT ARTICLE THAT YOU'RE REFERENCING, HE COMPARED IT TO MONTGOMERY COUNTY, WHICH IS A DEEP BLUE COUNTY POPULAR WITH MANY FEDERAL WORKERS ON THIS OUTSIDE WASHINGTON DC.
YOU'RE REALLY RUNNING INTO HEAD-ON RESISTANCE WHEN YOU DO A MANDATORY PROGRAM.
WHAT HOME BUILDERS DO IS THEY JUST RAISED THE PRICE OF THE HOME IF THEY CAN AND PAY INTO THE FUND BECAUSE THEY FEEL IT'S INCOMPATIBLE TO HAVE WORKFORCE HOUSING NEXT TO THEIR $700,000 OR MORE HOMES.
APARTMENT DEVELOPERS COULD BEAR THE PROGRAM MORE.
BUT NOW LAND PRICES HAVE RISEN TO THE POINT AND CONSTRUCTION COSTS HAVE RISEN TO THE POINT WHERE IT'S HARD FOR THEM TO MAKE IT WORK AS WELL.
THE THING YOU DON'T SEE IS THE NUMBER OF DEALS THAT THE COUNTY NEVER SAW OR NEVER GOT TO BECAUSE THE ECONOMICS WERE UNFEASIBLE.
THOSE ARE LIKE THE SILENT VICTIMS HERE.
I THINK THE COUNTY HAS MAINTAINED THE WORKFORCE HOUSING PROGRAM AT A TIME WHEN MANY THOUGHT IT MIGHT HAVE SUNSET IT.
BUT THERE ARE LIMITS TO WHAT IT CAN ACHIEVE.
THIS PROGRAM IS AN INCENTIVE-BASED PROGRAM AND ONE OF THE GOALS IS TO TRY AND INCENTIVIZE DEVELOPERS TO INCLUDE WORKFORCE HOUSING UNITS IN PROJECTS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE MARKET STRICT MARKET PROJECTS.
ANOTHER IS TO PROVIDE NON-PROFIT OR A SMALL FOR-PROFIT DEVELOPERS WHO WANT A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF WORKFORCE HOUSING INTO YOUR UNITS PERHAPS IN THE SHOULDER NEIGHBORHOOD, IT GIVES THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACCESS THE FINANCING SOURCES AS WELL.
THERE ARE PEOPLE ASKED ME, CAN YOU REALLY FIND ENOUGH LAND AND FIND ENOUGH DEVELOPERS DO THIS? I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE ANNUAL HOUSING TAX CREDIT PROGRAM, WHICH IS AFFORDABLE, 60 PERCENT OF AREA MEDIAN INCOME AND BELOW, THE APPLICATIONS OUTSTRIP THE AWARDS BY A 5:1 RATIO.
SO TO ME THAT INDICATES THERE'S STRONG DEMAND.
>> THEN THE FINAL QUESTION, IF I CAN FIND IT, IS THE APRIL 12TH, 2022 BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING.
I FOUND THAT TO BE A GREAT RESOURCE AS A RESIDENT LOOKING FOR INFORMATION ON THIS, AS ALMOST THE ENTIRE MEETING REVOLVED AROUND HOUSING.
I REMEMBER YOU BEING THERE AS WELL.
AT THAT TIME, IT WAS MENTIONED THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT AVAILABLE RESOURCES ALREADY READY TO GO BECAUSE THE PROBLEM IS NOW.
WHAT WOULD THE TIMEFRAME BE FOR SOME OF THE HOUSING THAT WOULD
[00:35:02]
COME ON LINE THROUGH THIS PROGRAM? IF THE COUNTY HAS OVER $100 MILLION AVAILABLE FOR HOUSING RIGHT NOW, DOES IT NEED $200 MILLION MORE?>> I THINK THE NUMBER FROM THAT PRESENTATION WAS 111 MILLION.
>> SO ONE OF THE THINGS TO NOTE IS THAT 76 MILLION OF THAT WAS WHAT I WOULD CALL ONE-TIME, NOT TO BE REPEATED.
THE REASON FOR THAT IT WAS EITHER ARPA MONEY OR SALES TAX INFRASTRUCTURE MONEY MEANT FOR EXTREMELY LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.
THE ARPA MONEY IS A ONETIME DEAL THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE REPEATED ANYTIME SOON, AND THE SALES TAX, THE INFRASTRUCTURE PAYMENTS ARE GOING TO BE GOING AWAY IN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO WHEN THEY HIT THE TARGET.
TWO-THIRDS OF THAT MONEY IS ONE-TIME, SO REALLY WHAT THE COUNTY IS WORKING WITH ON AN ONGOING BASIS IS 36 MILLION WHICH MAY BE MORE OR MAYBE LESS DEPENDING ON WHAT THE LEGISLATURE DOES RESHAPE IN THE NEXT YEAR.
MOST OF THOSE FUNDS HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED TO PROGRAMS. THEY HAVEN'T NECESSARILY BE COMMITTED TO SPECIFIC PROJECTS, ALTHOUGH SOME HAVE.
THAT'S BECAUSE THE COUNTY GOES THROUGH THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL PROCESS.
YOU CAN THINK OF IT ALMOST FORGIVE THE IMAGERY LIKE A PIG GOING THROUGH A PYTHON.
IT'S LIKE THEY GOT THIS LARGE CLUMP OF ONE-TIME MONEY THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO GO THROUGH.
THE OTHER THING TO KEEP IN MIND IS THE MONEY THAT THEY DID RECEIVE IN MANY CASES, HAD TO GO FOR WHAT I WOULD CALL NON-SUPPLY BUILDING MEASURES.
DURING THE PANDEMIC, THE FIRST ROUND OF IT WAS FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE, HELPING PEOPLE STAY IN THEIR HOMES SO THEY WOULDN'T BE EVICTED, AND MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE PREVENTION.
I THINK THE FUNDS THAT THEY HAVE, THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF PUTTING THEM OUT ON THE STREET.
ONE OF THE DISCUSSIONS WE HAD HAD EARLY ON WAS THAT WE THOUGHT THE COUNTY SHOULD DO REVENUE BONDS SO THAT IT COULD BE ISSUED MORE IMMEDIATELY, AND WHAT THE COUNTY DID INSTEAD WAS THEY REPURPOSED ARPA MONEY AND SOME OF THE OTHER MONEY FOR A SERIES OF REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS THAT ARE GOING ON NOW FOR MULTIFAMILY HOUSING AND HOME OWNERSHIP.
THOSE FUNDS ARE BEING ADMINISTERED NOW SO THAT THE EFFECT OF THE PROGRAM OVERALL IS NOT 200 MILLION, IT'S 240 MILLION.
THERE'S 40 MILLION THAT'S BEING ALLOCATED THIS FALL.
I THINK THE COUNTY OVER ALL CAN DEFINITELY HANDLE THIS, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THERE'LL BE A WATCHDOG DO TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY DO IT.
BUT WE'VE BEEN ENCOURAGED BECAUSE THE HOUSING STEERING COMMITTEE, THE BROADER GROUP, HAS HAD A NUMBER OF DISCUSSIONS WITH THE COUNTY ON THE BOND ALLOCATION CRITERIA, AND WE HAVE FOUND THAT THEY HAD BEEN MORE REALISTIC AND SOME OF THESE AND ALLOCATIONS IN THE PAST.
IT DOESN'T DO ANY GOOD TO PUT OUT THE MONEY IN AN RFP IF PEOPLE DON'T APPLY FOR IT BECAUSE YOUR CONDITIONS ARE SO ONEROUS.
SO THAT'S THE MESSAGE WE WERE TRYING TO HAMMER IN.
INTERESTING AND INFORMATIVE PRESENTATION BECAUSE IT'S BEEN REALLY DIFFICULT TO GET INFORMATION AROUND THIS ONE REFERENDUM.
THE MAIN QUESTION, ARE THERE ANY SIMILAR MODELS THAT HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED OR ARE IN MOTION NOW THAT ARE SIMILAR BASED ON THIS RESOURCE WHATEVER, I WANT TO CALL IT A PILOT BUT.
>> MIAMI-DADE COUNTY HAS ISSUED BONDS.
IT'S A LITTLE HARD BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT AN APT COMPARISON.
THEY'RE MUCH MORE URBAN, MUCH MORE DENSE.
THEY HAVE LOWER INCOMES ON AVERAGE.
I MEAN, THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY INCOMES ARE SIGNIFICANTLY BOTH PALM BEACH COUNTY INCOME.
THEY DO HAVE AN INFRASTRUCTURE THOUGH, AND THE REASON THEY HAVE IT IS THEY HAVE A SPECIAL STATUS UNDER FLORIDA LAW.
WHEN THE STATE HOUSING TRUST FUND WAS CREATED 30 YEARS AGO, MIAMI-DADE COUNTY GOT TO HAVE A SEPARATE SURTAX JUST FOR MIAMI-DADE COUNTY.
THEY GET A LITTLE BIT FROM THE STATE HOUSING TRUST FUND, BUT MOST OF IT IS HOMEGROWN.
THEY GET ON AVERAGE ABOUT 50 TO 60 MILLION PER YEAR.
WHAT THAT'S MEAN IS THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY CAN COUNT ON THOSE FUNDS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS SO YOU HAVE AN INFRASTRUCTURE OF FUNDS.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WHERE DEVELOPERS KNOW THAT THEY CAN APPLY IN THE MONEY WILL BE THERE.
IT'S HARD TO SET UP A BUSINESS MODEL AS A DEVELOPER, IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHETHER THE MONEY WE THERE YOU CAN'T COUNT ON.
IT. THIS WOULD SEEK TO DO THAT FOR PALM BEACH COUNTY, SO THAT'S PROBABLY THE CLOSEST ANALOGY.
THERE ARE OTHER AREAS OF THE COUNTRY WHERE THEY HAVE ISSUED HOUSING BONDS.
THEY'VE TENDED TO BE MORE IN THE NORTHEAST, MORE URBAN.
OUR COUNTIES HAVE BEEN MORE OF A MIXTURE, MORE SUBURBAN, AND SOME URBAN-RURAL OUT WEST STILL.
THERE ARE MODELS OUT THERE, BUT FROM A FLORIDA STANDPOINT,
[00:40:01]
THE CLOSEST ANALOGY WOULD BE IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY.>> IN THOSE SOME OF THOSE DIFFERENT MODELS, WERE THEY ABLE TO MAINTAIN RENTS OR INDIVIDUAL HOME COST, WE'RE STILL AT THE AFFORDABLE RATE FOR THE WORKFORCE HOUSING?
>> YES, YOUR QUESTION IS, HAVE THEY BEEN ABLE TO ARREST HOUSING PRICE APPRECIATION IN THEIR MARKETS BY VIRTUE OF THE SUPPLY.
I THINK THE RESULTS HAVE BEEN MIXED AND THE BEST FINANCING DOESN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE IF YOU RUN INTO SIGNIFICANT PLANNING AND REGULATORY BARRIERS, AS YOU RECOGNIZE.
THAT'S WHY THE BONDS ARE PART OF THE HOUSING PLAN.
IT REALLY IS A COMMUNITY INITIATIVE I MEAN IT AFFECTS ALL OF US.
I MEAN, EVEN IF YOU DID IN YOUR HOME LIKE ME FOR A LONG TIME, YOU'VE PAID OFF YOUR MORTGAGE, I CAN SEE THE IMPACT IN TERMS OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE ON FRIENDS OR NEIGHBORS, ON EMPLOYEES AND OTHERS.
SO THAT'S WHY I THINK IT'S A STRONG COMMUNITY INITIATIVE.
>> THERE'S A HUGE NEED FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING AND WE HAVE A SYSTEM HERE.
IT'S CUMBERSOME, IT'S NOT SUPER EFFECTIVE.
I THINK THAT'S PRETTY MUCH A SITUATION IN THE STATE.
THIS IS A TOTALLY NEW PROGRAM, CUTTING-EDGE.
>> [OVERLAPPING] MY QUESTION I GOT ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY OR JUST?
>> I MEAN, THERE ARE OTHER PLACES THAT HAVE ISSUED HOUSING BONDS, BUT THEY TEND TO BE MORE IN CITIES, AND THEY TEND TO HAVE BEEN MORE IN THE NORTH EAST, OR CALIFORNIA OR OTHERS, OR UPPER MIDWEST.
BUT I WOULD SAY OTHER THAN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY WHICH HAS ALSO ISSUED HOUSING BONDS, BUT ONLY RELATIVELY RECENTLY, THIS WOULD BE A DIFFERENT APPROACH.
JUST TO TOUCH ON THAT, I KNOW THERE WAS IN THE ARTICLE REFERENCED IN HIS TALK ABOUT A LINKAGE FEE AND JUPITER COURSE HAS A COMMERCIAL LINKAGE FEE.
ONE OF THE ISSUES WITH THE OTHER FUNDING SOURCES AT THE HOUSING STEERING COMMITTEE LOOKED LIKE, IT WOULD TAKE YEARS TO ACCUMULATE THE DOLLARS THAT YOU NEEDED IN ORDER TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE PROBLEM BY E-MAIL TO PLACE IT ON THE STREET.
THE APPEAL OF THE HOUSING BOND WAS IT WAS A LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT COULD BE BROUGHT TO BEAR IMMEDIATELY.
ONCE IT PASSES, IT CAN ALMOST HAVE AN IMMEDIATE IMPACT BECAUSE DEVELOPERS OPERATE ON COMMITMENTS.
THEY DON'T NEED THE CASH IN HAND IN ORDER TO DO IT.
THEY KNOW IF THAT MONEY IS THERE THE COUNTY ISSUES OF COMMITMENT FROM AN RFP, THEY KNOW THEY CAN PROCEED BECAUSE THE MONEY WILL BE THERE WHEN THEY'RE READY TO CLOSE.
IT'S NOT THREE YEARS IN THE FUTURE ANYWAY, I GOT THE BONDS CAN HAVE AN IMMEDIATE IMPACT IN TERMS OF THE TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IT IMPACTS.
>> NOW THAT THIS IS MY SECOND TIME THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION, SO I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW.
MOVING ON TO CITIZEN COMMENTS,
[CITIZEN COMMENTS]
THIS IS THE TIME WHERE CITIZENS CAN SPEAK FOR UP TO THREE MINUTES ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS. ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK, WE ASKED TO FILL OUT A CARD AND WHEN THEY COME TO THE PODIUM STATE HIS OR HER NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD PRIOR TO ADDRESSING THE COUNCIL.WE HAVE ONLY CITIZEN COMMENTS?
>> YES. BEFORE I MOVE ON TO CITIZEN COMMENTS I DO WANT TO DO A QUICK ROLL CALL.
>> ACTING TELL MANAGER, [INAUDIBLE].
>> FIRST WE HAVE UP AS ANDY WATSON.
THEN AFTER ANDY IS WAYNE POSNER.
>> GOOD EVENING. HONORABLE MAYOR, TOWN COUNCIL, STAFF. [INAUDIBLE] .
I SENT YOU ALL AN EMAIL LAST NIGHT.
PRIMARILY, DAVID HAS GIVEN US AN ESTIMATE OF WHAT IT MIGHT COST TO DO DOLPHIN, BUT HE DIDN'T ADDRESS WHO'S GOING TO PAY FOR IT.
HE'S ASKING ME, WHAT ARE THE CITIZENS WANT? WE HAVE A POSITION THAT WE DON'T WANT TO PAY FOR IT.
AT LEAST IT'S MINE, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WANTS TO.
YOU OWN THE ROAD, YOU OWN THE PROPERTY, 68 YEARS ON ONE OF THE PARCELS, AND 60 ON THE OTHER.
NOW, I'M JUST GOING TO SAY, WHERE'S THE MONEY GOING TO COME FROM? YOU WERE TALKING THROUGH THE BUDGET MEETING ABOUT THE ESCALATION OF PRICES AND HOW TAXES ARE GOING UP JUST ON THAT BASIS.
THERE'S FOUR HOUSES ON DOLPHIN.
[00:45:01]
ONE OF THEM, THE PRICE WAS SOLD LAST YEAR AND I JUST LOOKED AT THE TAX ROLLS IN THAT.THAT PROPERTY, THE TAX WENT UP $45,000 AND THAT'S ON THE ROLLS NOW.
THERE'S TWO OTHER THAT I PICKED OUT, ONE SOLD IN 2018 AND ONE IN 2013.
BOTH OF THOSE PROPERTIES NOW ARE $18,000 MORE THAN THEY WERE AT THAT TIME.
THEN MY NEIGHBOR, TOM MCCARTHY, YOU MIGHT KNOW, HE SOLD HIS HOUSE FOR $1.8 MILLION.
THAT'S GOING TO GO UP ABOUT $18,000 TOO.
THERE'S THE SOURCE OF THE FUNDS THAT CAN BE PUT BACK ON THIS ROAD, AND THAT'S JUST ON FOUR HOUSES, FOUR PROPERTIES, AND I'M NOT GOING THROUGH THE OTHER 38.
THE DRAINAGE PROBLEM IS THE ENTIRE STREET, AND THE BUDGET ITEM THAT YOU PUT IN ON THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT IS JUST DEALING WITH ABOUT FOUR HOUSES IN.
I'VE GOT TO SAY, I ACCEPT WHAT THE MAYOR SAID ABOUT DOING THINGS IN STAGES.
IF THIS IS THE FIRST STAGE, FIX THE DRAINAGE ALL THE WAY DOWN.
BECAUSE IT IS DESTROYING THE ASPHALT.
I CAME HOME TONIGHT, I SENT YOU THOSE PICTURES, AND THAT'S EXACTLY THE WAY THE STREET LOOK ALL THE WAY DOWN WITH THESE PUDDLES OF WATER ALL THE WAY DOWN THERE, AND IT'S EATING UP THE ASPHALT.
WE HAVE TO FIX THE DRAINAGE THERE.
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REPAVE THAT ANYWAY.
[NOISE] YOU MIGHT AS WELL DO IT RIGHT.
THAT'S MY PITCH TONIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL, WAYNE POSNER, 315 KARINA.
I JUST WANT TO GET A BUNCH OF THINGS THROUGH, I'M WITH ANDI ON THIS.
AS YOU WELL KNOW, I'VE BEEN THERE A BUNCH OF TIMES.
WHEN I WAS COUNCIL MEMBER, WE HAD IN THE BUDGET TO PAVE THIS STREET; I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO IT, I DON'T KNOW HOW IT GOT TAKEN OUT OF THE BUDGET SOMETIME AFTER I WAS COUNCIL MEMBER.
BUT AGAIN, THESE ARE TAXPAYERS. IT'S ONE STREET.
THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LINE OF PEOPLE IN HERE TRYING TO GET ALL THE STREETS FIXED.
THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE WERE AFRAID OF.
THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR FIVE YEARS.
AGAIN, WE ALL KNOW THAT HE HAS A DISABLED WIFE AND AND IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE WHICH I'VE TALKED TO MR. MAY BEFORE, AND I THINK IT'S TIME TO STEP UP AND DO WHAT WE'RE SPENDING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR WELL NEEDED NEW WELLS, WHICH WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR FIVE OR SIX YEARS.
THE SYSTEM THAT DAVID BROWN IS PUTTING IN HIS EXCELLENT SMALL STRAWS, TAKING OUT WATER AT A TIME, WHICH WILL NOT DEPLETE THE AQUIFER, AND THAT'S A GREAT PROJECT THAT HE'S DOING.
I UNDERSTAND EARLIER THIS EVENING IN THE CRA THAT THEY ARE LOOKING TO APPROVE THE ROUNDABOUT.
I HAD A MEETING WITH THOMAS HERNANDEZ, HAVING A CONSTRUCTION BACKGROUND.
SINCE THAT MAY COME TO FRUITION, I HAVE AN IDEA OF HOW TO GET THE TRUCKS INTO THE MANUFACTURED HOME AREA, WHEREBY THEY DON'T HAVE TO JACK THEM OR LIFT THE TRUCKS.
THAT'S THE ONLY OTHER WAY THAT HE CAME UP WITH.
BUT THERE'S A SMALL CURB CUT THAT CAN BE CUT AT THE TRIANGULAR PIECE WHERE THE CROSSWALK IS.
IT CAN BE CHAINED OFF AND ONLY USED WHEN THEY MOVE THESE MANUFACTURED HOMES AND THEY ONLY MOVE THEM MAYBE AT MOST ONCE A MONTH; BUT WHAT I HEARD IS TWICE A YEAR.
THAT WOULD REALLY HELP NOT LAND LOCK THOSE PEOPLE WITH THEIR MANUFACTURED HOMES.
IF THE COUNCIL SO GIVES ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO HIM AGAIN, MAYBE GO OVER AND SHOW HIM AND HE AGREED WITH ME HOW THAT COULD WORK.
WE NEED TO GET SOME DETAILS AND IT WOULDN'T BE VERY EXPENSIVE AT ALL TO MAKE THOSE COUPLE OF CURB CUTS AND MAKE THAT WORK ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR TO GET THESE MANUFACTURED HOMES IN AND OUT.
LINDA OTTO THAT LIVES ON RIVERSIDE DRIVE, SHE'S BEEN HERE A FEW TIMES.
SHE'S CONCERNED ABOUT SPEEDING.
SHE WANTED TO PUT A LIT SIDE AND 25 MILES AN HOUR WITH THE FLASHING LIGHTS.
THEY COST ABOUT $5,000-$6,000.
I'M NOT AN AGREEMENT WITH DOING THAT BECAUSE IT'S AN EXPENSE THAT PEOPLE WON'T PAY ATTENTION TO ANYWAY.
I'M HOPING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT MAY SEND SOME OFFICER THERE ONCE A MONTH FOR A WHILE JUST TO GIVE OUT A COUPLE OF TICKETS, PEOPLE GET THE MESSAGE FAST, AND THEY WILL STOP THE SPEEDING IN HER NEIGHBORHOOD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[2. October 6, 2022 Town Council Special Meeting Minutes.]
COUNCIL, WE HAVE BEFORE US THE MINUTES FROM THE OCTOBER 6TH COUNCIL MEETING, AND I DON'T SEE ANY CHANGE ON THE AGENDA.>> MOTION AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
>> MOTION CARRIES FOUR TO NOTHING; FOUR, ZERO.
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
I'M GOING TO JUST ASK FOR ONE ITEM TO BE DISCUSSED TO CONFIRM THE CONSENT AGENDA,[00:50:05]
I'D NORMALLY TURN TO SEE WHO WANTS TO PULL ONE.BUT BEFORE EVEN STARTING THAT, NORMALLY, WHEN WE HAVE AN ITEM THAT IS GOING TO BE DEFERRED, WE MOVE IT UP AND WE ANNOUNCE THAT, SO PEOPLE THAT MIGHT BE HERE ARE STANDING HERE FOR THAT.
WE DON'T WANT TO GET INTO A BIG DISCUSSION, BUT WE CAME HERE TONIGHT HEARING AND WE ALL GOT EMAILS WHETHER WE SAW IT OR NOT.
BUT ON THE BEARS CLUB, THEY'RE ASKING TO POSTPONE.
A DECISION OF POSTPONE IS ENTIRELY THE COUNCIL'S AS I UNDERSTAND IT.
GENERALLY WE ACCOMMODATE THAT.
IF THE MAJORITY DOES AGREE, THEN I'D ASK THAT THE AGENDA BE MODIFIED TO INCLUDE THAT THIS WOULD BE CONTINUED TO NOVEMBER 15TH AS STAFF HAD SUGGESTED.
>> DO YOU NEED A MOTION OR DISAGREEMENT?
>> I DON'T KNOW THAT WE NEED A MOTION HERE.
>> ARE YOU ASKING TO PUT IT ON CONSENT?
>> I'M ASKING TO PUT IT ON A CONSENT.
>> MOTION TO MOVE ITEM 10 ABC TO CONSENT, WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.
>> WHEREIN CAN WE ALREADY ALSO INCLUDE THAT IT'S [BACKGROUND] FOR THE CONTINUANCE TO NOVEMBER 15TH, THEY SHORTEN.
THE MAYOR WANTED TO MOVE IT TO CONSENT.
IF YOU WANT TO, YOU GOT TO TAKE IT UP BY ONE OF THE TWO ITEMS. IF YOU'RE GOING TO MOVE IT TO CONSENT, AND PUT IT ON CONSENT WITH THE NOTATION THAT THEY WOULD BE CONTINUED TO THE NOVEMBER MEETING.
>> THEY NATURALLY HAVE, SO WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT ON THAT. UNANIMOUS.
>> IF THAT'S THE MOTION, THEN THAT'S THE WAY TO GO.
>> ANYBODY ON COUNCIL WANT TO PULL ANY ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? SUCH ITEMS. WELL, THAT'LL BE ONE THROUGH 10 OR THREE THROUGH 10.
>> I'M REMOVING ITEMS 6 BECAUSE I'D LIKE TO.
>> I WAS GOING TO REMOVE ITEM 5 AND 6.
>> WE HAVE 2, 5 AND 6. ANYTHING?
>> KATE, ANYTHING? IS ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WANT TO PULL ANY OF THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA?
>> SEEING NONE, I'M GOING TO CALL FOR A MOTION ON THE AMENDED AGENDA, MOVING ITEM 10 WITH A NOTE TO BE CONTINUED TO NOVEMBER 15TH AND HAVING REMOVED ITEMS 5 AND 6 AND PUT THEM ON REGULAR AGENDA.
>> MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
>> THE MOTION CARRIED 4-0, BUT LET ME BACK UP AND I APOLOGIZE.
THERE WAS ONE ITEM THAT WAS A QUASI-JUDICIAL.
DOES ANYBODY ON THE PUBLIC HEARING ITEM 3 HAVE ANY QUASI-JUDICIAL TO REPORT?
>> I HAVE NONE, SO NOBODY DOES.
THE OTHER ONE IS NOTHING TO RECORD.
WITH THAT, MOVING ON TO AGENDA ITEM 5,
[5. Resolution 88-22, Approving contract award recommendation to All Webb’s Enterprises Inc. (AWE) to drill three Upper Floridan Aquifer (FA) water supply production wells RO14, RO15 & RO16, including one test production well, in the amount of $5,891,000. ]
WHICH WAS APPROVING THE CONTRACT AWARD FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THREE UPPER FREUDIAN AQUIFER WELLS.I JUST WANT TO PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION ON THE RECORD UNDERSTANDING THAT I HAVE BEEN IN THE MINORITY ON THIS ONE.
I'VE DISCUSSED THIS IN DOING THE BUDGET CYCLE AND ALSO IN PRIOR YEARS, BUT I DO NOT SUPPORT THE CONTRACT AWARD FOR 5.9 MILLION TO CONSTRUCT THE THREE FREUDIAN AQUIFER WELLS R014, 15,16 FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS.
REASON 1, DEFERRAL OF [INAUDIBLE] INCREASES IN WORLD WATER SUPPLY CAPABILITIES PROVIDE EXCELLENT COST AVOIDANCE OPPORTUNITIES TO OBVIATE THE NEED FOR SIGNIFICANT FUTURE WATER RATE HIKES, I'VE ADVOCATED THIS FOR YEARS.
I'M GOING TO REFER TO SECTIONS IN
[00:55:02]
THE FIVE-YEAR PLAN THAT WE RECENTLY HAD RECEIVED AND ACCEPTED INTO THE RECORD.TABLE 3.2 IN THE WATER UTILITY MASTER PLAN UPDATE PROVIDED WATER DEMAND FORECAST FOR COUNT BUILD-OUT CONDITIONS.
THE YEAR 2025 WATER DEMAND FORECASTS ARE FOR MAXIMUM DAY FINISHED WATER DEMAND IS 23.9 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY.
THIS REPRESENTS LESS THAN 80 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL WATER TREATMENT PLANT CAPACITY.
WE DON'T NEED TO CONSTRUCT WORLD WATER SUPPLY CAPACITY ADDITIONS FOR ANY MORE THAN 80 PERCENT OF THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT CAPACITY AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
THE TABLE ALSO INDICATES THAT THE ANNUAL AVERAGE DAILY WATER DEMANDS ARE FOR FINISHED WATER ARE 17.1 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY.
I JUST PROVIDE THAT AS A PERSPECTIVE BECAUSE ON AN ANNUAL AVERAGE DAILY WATER DEMAND, IT JUST 57 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL WATER TREATMENT PLANT CAPACITY AND WORLD WATER REQUIREMENT OF 20.9 MILLION GALLONS A DAY.
SECOND POINT UNDER MY BASIS IS THE LEVEL OF SERVICE STANDARDS FOR WORLD WATER SUPPLY AS SPECIFIED IN TABLE 2.2 WERE NEVER ADEQUATELY VETTED IN OUR EXCESSIVE, UNREASONABLE, AND NOT COST JUSTIFIABLE.
NEXT, THE EXISTING SOUTH FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT PERMITTED FREUDIAN AQUIFER WORLD WATER USAGE AMOUNTS AS SPECIFIED IN TABLE 3.4 INDICATES FOR PERMITTING STANDPOINT THAT THE MAXIMUM MONTH DAILY ENTITLEMENT TO FREUDIAN AQUIFER WORLD WATER USAGE IS 17.9 MILLION GALLONS A DAY AND THEN THE ANNUAL AVERAGE DAILY IS 11.71 SO THAT IS EFFECTIVELY THE PERMIT LIMIT.
NOW THE CURRENT FREUDIAN AQUIFER WELFARE CAPABILITY IS 15 MILLION GALLONS A DAY, THAT'S FROM TABLE 3.11.
THAT REPRESENTS 80 PERCENT OF THE PERMANENT CAPACITY REQUIRED TO MATCH THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT CAPACITY.
NOW THE WATER UTILITY HAS PROPOSED AN INCREASE TO FREUDIAN AQUIFER WELL FIELD CAPABILITY BY 7.5 MILLION GALLONS A DAY OVER THE NEXT FIVE-YEAR PERIOD.
THAT WOULD REPRESENT 50 PERCENT INCREASE IN CAPACITY.
IT IS MY FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY TO CONTINUE TO CHALLENGE THE UNDERLYING BASIS IN COST JUSTIFICATION FOR THE WATER UTILITIES' HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS SPENDING SPREE OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS.
NEXT ITEM, FISCAL MANAGEMENT CONCERNS ABOUT THE PERSPECTIVE WELL CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT COSTS BEING SIGNIFICANTLY MORE THAN BUDGET EXPECTATIONS.
THIS WORK BEFORE US TONIGHT IS PART OF AN OVERALL $12.9 MILLION FREUDIAN AQUIFER WELLS AND RAW WATER MAINS PROJECT.
SECTION 3.8.1.2 SPECIFY THAT THE ESTIMATED COST FOR THE WALL CONSTRUCTION IS APPROXIMATELY 1.5 MILLION PER NEW WELL, 4.5 MILLION FOR THE THREE WELLS.
A NEW PROJECT TO CONSTRUCT TWO ADDITIONAL FREUDIAN AQUIFER WELLS WAS ADDED TO THE CIP ADOPTED LAST MONTH.
FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET CONSTRUCTION COSTS FOR THOSE TWO WELLS WAS 2.97 MILLION WHICH IS LESS THAN 1.5 MILLION GALLONS PER WELL.
THE CONTRACT PRICE BEFORE US TONIGHT WOULD APPEAR IS 31 PERCENT GREATER THAN THE ESTIMATE AND THIS IS SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT THAN THE STAFF REPORT CLAIM THAT COSTS WAS SEVEN PERCENT HIGHER THAN THE ESTIMATED BUDGET.
AGAIN, I JUST WANTED TO UNDERSTAND.
I WAS IN THE MINORITY, I JUST WANTED TO GET ON THE RECORD THE FACTS BY WHICH I REALLY BELIEVE THAT THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES TO DEFER UNDER REDUCED INCREASE IN WORLD WATER SUPPLY CAPABILITY AND FOR ME THAT'S A STRATEGIC THING, IT MAKES LOT OF SENSE.
THE BEST TIME TO SAVE MONEY IS WHEN YOU'RE SPENDING IT, SO I DON'T SUPPORT THIS.
WITH THAT, WE GO BACK TO THE COUNCIL FOR ACTION ON THIS ITEM.
[01:00:16]
>> I DON'T BELIEVE I MISSED THE LAST MEETING WHEN THIS HAD COME UP BEFORE WITH THE FIVE-YEAR PLAN, BUT WE DID DIVE INTO THIS ISSUE IN DEPTH DURING THE SUMMER BUDGET APPROVALS.
I'LL MOVE TO, DO WE NEED MOTION TO APPROVE? MOTION TO APPROVE.
ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
>> NAY. MOTION PASSES 3-1 WITH THE MAYOR DISSENTING.
MOVING ON TO RESOLUTION 100-20 ITEM 6 ON
[6. Resolution 100-22, Approving contract award recommendation to Shellard Lighting Designs LLC in the amount of $82,023.04 to provide holiday lighting and decorations for the Town of Jupiter.]
THE AGENDA OF PROVING THE CONTRACT AWARD FOR THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE HOLIDAY LIGHTING AND DECORATIONS.COUNCILOR, DID YOU WANT TO GO FIRST AND YOU WANT ME TO GO?
>> ACTUALLY, I'LL LET YOU GO FIRST. THERE'S PROGRESS.
>> I JUST WANTED THIS ONE IS A DIFFICULT ONE FOR ME BECAUSE NUMBER ONE IS, I LOVE THE PROPOSED SLATE OF DECORATIONS.
IT IS DIFFERENT THAN I HAD EXPECTED, WHEN WE TOOK ACTION ON IT.
WE HAD AND I WAS USING THE BUSINESS MODEL OF MY OWN DISPLAY THAT YOU YOU ADD PIECES PER BUDGET LIMITATIONS.
THEN YOU HAVE PIECES THAT YOU CAN CONTINUE TO USE IN MY CASE, LABOR IS FREE BECAUSE IT'S ME AND MY WIFE.
I WAS ACTUALLY, YOU MAY REMEMBER, BUT A COUPLE OF MEETINGS AGO, I HAD SEEN A BROCHURE BY THE MALE AREA FOR US ON THE BIG TREES.
I REMEMBER SAYING TO TOWN MANAGER LIKE GOSH, YOU KNOW, WHAT SIZE YOU'RE GOING TO GET THAT WE'D LIKE TO WEIGH IN ON THAT AND IT COMPLEMENTING THAT IF MY RECOLLECTION THAT WILL, YOU'LL GET THE OPPORTUNITY.
BOTTOM LINE IS I WAS VERY SURPRISED WHEN I SAW WHAT'S BEFORE US.
I UNDERSTAND THIS IS ONE MODEL FOR DOING HOLIDAY LIGHTS.
WE'VE INVESTED NOTHING IN ANY DISPLAY ITEMS LIKE THE TREE THAT I THOUGHT WE WERE BUYING.
THEN IT'S 80,000 AND NEXT YEAR.
WHILE I LOVE IT, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT, EACH YEAR ARE YOU LEFT WITH NOTHING.
I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT AT LEAST FOR NOW, I GET IT, YOU KNOW, AND AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND HOW THAT BUSINESS MODEL WORSE BECAUSE I'VE TALKED TO THOSE COMPANIES, NOT FOR TOWN, BUT JUST THEY THROW AWAY LIGHTS AND WHATEVER.
BUT I WAS EXPECTING SOME OF THE BETTER QUALITY PIECES THAT WE WOULD OWN.
AS ABSOLUTE MINIMUM, I WANTED TO COUNSEL TO UNDERSTAND THAT, WELL, THIS ISN'T A ONETIME COST.
IN FACT, TO SOME DEGREE IT'S WORSE THAN THAT, MY MIND BECAUSE WE GET NOTHING.
HERE I WAS THINKING WE'RE PUTTING IN SOME MONEY.
THAT MEANS THAT FUTURE YEARS IF WE DON'T EXPAND THAN THE COST IS LESS BECAUSE NOW WITH OPERATIONAL, SO WITH THAT I'M STRUGGLING, BUT I'M NOT INCLINED TO SUPPORT THIS ONE BECAUSE I PREFER IT.
I PREFER THAT WE WERE BUYING SOME OF IT SO THAT IN FUTURE YEARS OUR COST COULD BE LESS.
WE COULD POTENTIALLY DECIDE EACH YEAR IF WE WANTED TO ADD TO DISPLAY, NOT UNLIKE MY OWN PERSONAL DISPLAY.
I DID SPEAK TO MRS. MORENO ABOUT THIS AND I DON'T KNOW IF SHE WANTS TO ADD ANYTHING TO THAT.
BUT I'M NOT TRYING TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT.
I JUST SINCE SO ANYWAY, THAT'S WHY I DON'T THINK I CAN SUPPORT IF COMMITTING TONIGHT TO COMMIT THOSE FUNDS, GETTING NOTHING OTHER THAN WE ENJOY THEM AND I WOULD REALLY ENJOY THEM.
BUT THEN WE HAVE NO ASSET THAT WE COULD USE MAYBE IN A TOUGHER YEAR.
I WASN'T EXPECTING IT TO BE MADE THIS WAY AND THAT'S MY ISSUE.
>> [INAUDIBLE] SO I UNDERSTAND THAT I THINK I'D BE CURIOUS,
[01:05:04]
NOW THAT PROMPTS ME TO ASK WHAT'S INVOLVED WITH THE CONTRACT.BUT ONE THOUGHT ON KEEPING ITEMS VERSUS THE RECURRING COST IS THAT EARLY ON WITH THE TOWN'S VERY FIRST LOOK AT THIS.
THIS IS OUR FIRST ENTRY INTO HOLIDAY LIGHTS IN A LITTLE WHILE.
IT'S A GOOD WAY TO EXPERIMENT. WE DON'T OWN IT.
IF WE DON'T LIKE IT, IF WE WANT A BIGGER TREE OR A SMALLER TREE OR FREE LOT MORE TREES, OR IF WE DON'T LIKE THE SNOWMAN, AND WE WANT SOMETHING ELSE THAT ALLOWS US TO NOT OWN IT SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO RETURN IT.
MAYBE IT'S WORTH DOING IT FOR A FEW YEARS JUST TO SEE WHAT WORKS FOR US AND GO FROM THERE.
I ABSOLUTELY THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA TO HOLD ONTO SOME OF IT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT STAFF CAPACITY IS OR HOW THAT WOULD WORK IN TERMS OF STORAGE AND WHO PUTS THEM UP.
BUT I DO THINK IT'D BE NICE TO SEE WHAT WORKS FOR US AND JUST HAVE THAT FLEXIBILITY EARLY ON.
I COME AT IT JUST REALLY WANTING TO GIVE STAFF SOME KUDOS HERE BECAUSE I WAS DELIGHTED AT THE ENTRY WAYS, LOOKING AT PUTTING SOME DECLARATIONS THERE.
IT REALLY WAS FOCUSED ON JUST GETTING THE MOST EYEBALLS ON A LITTLE HOLIDAY CHEER WHEN I THINK WE ALL NEED IT.
I'M JUST REALLY GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE THOUGHT THAT WENT INTO THAT.
HONESTLY, I WANTED TO PRAISE THAT.
I DO LOVE THE THOUGHT IN TERMS OF GETTING MORE EYEBALLS.
I DO RECOGNIZE HOW EXPENSIVE IT IS, 80 SOMETHING THOUSAND DOLLARS.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE PERHAPS THAT COST COME DOWN AS WE DO FIGURE OUT WHAT WORKS FOR US.
WE COULD BE CREATIVE GOING FORWARD TO.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO COME UP WITH A TOWN CONTEST WITH DIFFERENT BUSINESSES YOU NOTICE THEY DECORATE JUSTICE HOLMES DO, AND MAYBE THAT WE GET MORE HOLIDAY CHEER FOR MORE EYES AND FOR GREATER AUDIENCES.
WE'RE JUST STARTING, LET'S EXPERIMENT A LITTLE, SEE WHAT WORKS.
THEN LET'S TRY TO BUY THOSE THINGS, HOLD ONTO THEM IF POSSIBLE.
IT'S AT LEAST LOOK INTO IT FOR SURE AND GO FROM THERE. THAT'S MY THOUGHT.
>> THE CONTRACT IS A TWO-YEAR CONTRACT, WHICH IS AGAIN, WHY I WANTED TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTOOD.
>> THAT'S WELL. THIS WAS MY STRATEGIC INITIATIVE LAST YEAR.
BASED ON A BUNCH OF COMMENTS I GOT FROM RESIDENTS AND THERE'S VERY LITTLE OR NO HOLIDAY DECORATIONS AROUND TOWN.
I WANTED TO HAVE A TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY AND STUFF ADDED INTO IT, WHICH I THOUGHT WOULD HAVE BEEN PRETTY COOL TO DO.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT THE MAYOR IS SAYING ABOUT WE'RE NOT HANGING ONTO ANYTHING OURSELVES.
BUT TO COUNCILOR SOMETIMES POINT, IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE WHAT WE LIKE, WHAT WE WANT TO CHANGE, THINGS LIKE THAT.
THEN AS WE GO, WE CAN START TO, INSTEAD OF SPENDING THIS AMOUNT EVERY SINGLE YEAR, WE CAN START TO TAKE THAT MONEY, PUT IT TOWARDS STUFF THAT WE WOULD JUST PURCHASE AND HANGING ONTO OURSELVES AND USE IT YEAR AFTER YEAR.
THAT'S WHERE I LOOKED AT IT, I SAID, OH, WELL, IT'S RENTING IT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT DOES GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE WHAT WE LIKE, WHAT WE DON'T LIKE, WHAT WE WANT TO CHANGE.
THEN AS THE YEARS PROGRESS, WE CAN ADD TO IT AND CHANGE IT AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND AROUND TOWN.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT THE MAYOR SAID.
BUT AT THIS TIME BEING ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF AWAY FROM GETTING THOSE HOLIDAY DECORATIONS UP, I DON'T WANT TO CHANGE ANYTHING AT THIS TIME BECAUSE THAT PUTS IT IN DANGER OF NOT HAVING ANYTHING AT ALL.
I'M OBVIOUSLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE ITEM AND GIVE DIRECTION TO THE TOWN STAFF GOING FORWARD, LET'S START TO SEE HOW WE CAN OBTAIN THESE ITEMS OURSELVES.
MAYBE EVEN SPEAKING WITH THE COMPANY THAT WE CONTRACT, MAYBE WE CAN SAY, HEY, CAN WE JUST HANG ONTO CERTAIN ITEMS OR WHATEVER IT IS TO MAKE THE COST LESS AND LESS AS WE GO ON.
>> I AGREE WITH MAYOR. MY FELLOW COUNSELORS, I THINK FIRST-YEAR GOING INTO THIS [NOISE] EXTENT, IT'S A NO-BRAINER TO ME.
I'S JUST HIRING FIRM, HAVE THEM DO IT BECAUSE WE HAVE STAFF DO IT.
I MEAN, IT'S SCHEDULED IN RHINO THE MATERIALS.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LONG TIME TO FIGURE IT OUT. THEN DOWN THE ROAD.
[INAUDIBLE] I DO ALLOW THE SAME AROUND MY HOME TOO AND A LOT OF THINGS DON'T GO YEAR-TO-YEAR.
I THINK CEO MARCOS, THESE ORNAMENTS [INAUDIBLE] THE PUBLIC, THEY COULD BE VANDALIZED.
BUT I KNOW IT'S PRICEY, BUT IT'S ABOUT TIME WE DID SOMETHING WITH SOME CELEBRATION AROUND THE HOLIDAYS.
BUT I THINK DOWN THE ROAD MAYBE PURCHASED TWO IN THE MORNING, DURABLE ITEMS SUCH AS TREES.
ANY FRAMING THAT HOLDS UP SOME ORNAMENT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT THESE ARE SOME STORAGE ISSUES ALSO.
[01:10:02]
THERE'S A BIG TERM, WIDE DECORATING IS A BIG JOB.>> THERE IT IS. AGAIN, I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT IT, BUT I SAID I'VE GOT TO LOVE IT.
SOMEHOW I HOPE I LEARN SOONER BECAUSE THE COMMUNICATIONS I HAD, I THOUGHT WE WERE BUYING THE STATEMENT TREE.
I GET IT A LONG OF THE OTHER STUFF, SO THAT'S WHAT.
THEN WHEN I SAW [INAUDIBLE] THE SAME MONEY NEXT YEAR, I THINK IT WAS A MISSED OPPORTUNITY.
HOW THAT GOT THIS CANNOT HAPPEN.
I DON'T KNOW, BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS.
BUT AGAIN, SO WE ALL KNOW THAT THEN IT'S A TWO-YEAR COMMITMENT BECAUSE IT MAY WELL BE WE'RE NOT GETTING NEW HOLIDAY.
IT COULD BE THEY HAVE THESE FEATURES, THEY'RE JUST PASSING IT ON FROM ANOTHER CONTRACT.
ANYWAY, CAN I HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR FOR RESOLUTION 100-22?
>> I JUST WANTED TO ADD REAL QUICK.
I'D SAY JUST TO DRAG STUFF FURTHER FROM MY PERSPECTIVE IS JUST TO INVESTIGATE IT.
I WANT TO KEEP AN OPEN MIND, I DON'T KNOW STORAGE.
I DON'T KNOW COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF ALL THIS, BUT CERTAINLY TO INVESTIGATE IT AND GET US THAT INFORMATION SO THAT WE CAN MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION, AND THEN WITH THAT, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
>> NO, IT'S FINE. [OVERLAPPING]
>> COUNCILOR MAY, THIS IS HIS STRATEGIC EITHER.
>> I WAS GOING TO ADD JUST ONE COMMENT.
>> IT'S NOT A BIG DEAL. I JUST WANTED TO ADD ONE COMMENT.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN TALK TO THE CONTRACTED COMPANY THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.
ONE THING THAT I THOUGHT ABOUT AND I THINK IT WOULD BE COOL IF THE TREE LIGHTING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT IF THEY COULD BE SET UP, I'M NOT SURE IF IT WOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE CONTRACTED PRICE WHERE YOU HAVE THOSE LIKE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS IN A PLACE WHERE YOU DRIVE BY YOU TURN INTO A CERTAIN FM RADIO STATION AND THEY HAVE A LIGHT DISPLAY THAT GOES ON THAT GOES TO THE MUSIC.
>> I KNOW. [LAUGHTER] I THINK IF WE CAN TALK TO THE COMPANY IF THEY CAN INCLUDE SOMETHING LIKE THAT IT'D BE COOL.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 100-22.
ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING, AYE.
I'M MOVING ON TO PUBLIC BUSINESS,
[11. Resolution 79-22, Approving the contract award EPW 2022-04 re-bid, for the A1A and Jupiter Beach Road Roundabout to American Design Engineering Construction Inc. (ADEC) in an amount not to exceed $1,073,547.50.]
ITEM 11, RESOLUTION 79-22.WELL, BEFORE I EVEN ASK, DO WE NEED TO HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM STAFF ON THIS?
>> OKAY. I HAVE ONE QUESTION TO STAFF.
WE HAVE BEFORE US APPROVING THE CONTRACT AWARD, AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE A MAJORITY PREPARED TO DO SO.
THERE WAS A SUGGESTION MADE AND CJ COMMENTED TO IT IN HIS COMMENTS THAT CHANGING AN ITEM WHICH IS A SMALL CHANGE, WOULD MAKE IT A BETTER APP TO ACCOMMODATE THE [NOISE] MOVEMENT OF MOBILE VEHICLES.
YOU WANT AN ALLOWANCE FOR THAT OR HOW WOULD YOU WANT TO HANDLE THAT BECAUSE WE'D PREFER YOU TO GO AND PURSUE THAT MINOR CHANGE, CURB CHANGE?
>> ESSENTIALLY WHAT THAT WOULD BE AS INSTEAD OF USING THE F CURB, WHAT CJ WAS TALKING ABOUT WAS USING A CURB.
IT WOULD BE A UNIT PRICE ITEM, THERE IS A CONTINGENCY ALREADY AS A PART OF THE PROJECT ITSELF.
>> WE SHOULD BE COVERED WITH THAT PROVIDED THAT THE CONTRACTOR DOESN'T SQUIRM IF IT CHANGES THE UNIT PRICE OR CHANGES THE AMOUNT OVERALL WHICH IS USED.
BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WOULD BE A LARGE ISSUE GIVEN THAT THERE IS A CONTINGENCY FOR THE ACTUAL OVERALL CONTRACT ITSELF.
WE WOULD ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT WITH THE DESIGNER AND MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO ISSUES FROM THEIR END THAT THEY WOULD SEE.
BUT ESSENTIALLY IT WOULD DROP IT TO AN RA CURB AND WHICH IS A MOUNTABLE CURB RATHER THAN A SIX-INCH.
>> JUST ON THAT ONE SECTION OF THE ROUNDABOUT?
>> IF I WAS INTERPRETING AS CJ'S RECOMMENDATION, IF THAT'S THE CASE, I LEAVE IT UP TO STAFF ON THAT ITEM.
>> WE CAN DEFINITELY LOOK AT IT AND LOOK AT IT WITH THE ACTUAL DESIGNER ITSELF.
THE CONCERN IS DEFINITELY A POSSIBILITY.
WE CAN GO AHEAD AND DROP THAT REGARDLESS THAT IT BE WOULD BE A DROP IN HEIGHT FOR THAT CURVE.
MY CONCERN WITH THAT WAS WHETHER OR NOT EVEN THE COMPANIES WOULD WANT TO DRIVE THEIR VEHICLES OVER TOP OF IT BECAUSE IT MAY WRACK THE LARGE LOAD ON THE BACK OF THE TRUCK, BUT I'M NOT IN THAT INDUSTRY.
>> YOU SAID YOU DIDN'T NEED FUNDING, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IF WE HAD FUNDING TO TAKE CARE OF IT.
[01:15:01]
>> I BELIEVE BASED ON WHAT WE HAVE, WE SHOULD BE GOOD WITH FUNDING.
>> AGAIN, I'LL LEAVE IT UP TO THE STAFF'S JUDGMENT.
CAN I GET A MOTION ON THE FLOOR?
>> REAL QUICK, THERE IS ONE QUESTION FOR THOMAS.
ONE OF THE RESIDENTS ACTUALLY BROUGHT UP THAT WHEN HE LEAVES HIS NEIGHBORHOOD WITH HIS BOAT AND HE COMES OUT AT THE SOUTH ENTRANCE TO MAKE THAT RIGHT TURN, HE'S CONCERNED HE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT RIGHT TURN WITHOUT RUNNING INTO THE CURB.
THOSE MEDIANS LEADING UP TO THE ROUNDABOUT ITSELF THAT ARE ON THE DESIGN, THE GREEN AREAS IN THE PICTURE, ARE GOING TO BE SIMILAR CURVAGE TO THE ROUNDABOUT?
>> LET ME BRING IT UP REAL QUICK SO WE CAN ACTUALLY SEE ALL THAT [NOISE] WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
IT'S ON THE SLIDE WHICH YOU ALL HAVE.
>> WHERE THE SOUTH ENTRANCE IS YOU HAVE THE MEDIAN THAT'S GOING TO BE CONSTRUCTED THERE.
THAT'S GOING TO BE A MEDIAN AND THE SLOTS.
>> IN THE MIDDLE SECTION OF HERE WHERE THE CROSS-AREA IS CURRENTLY LOCATED?
>> YES. WHEN YOU COME OUT, NOT THAT MEDIAN, BUT THE ONE ON THIS CORNER ITSELF.
>> THAT IS THE ONE THAT WOULD BE THE ONE THAT CJ IS RECOMMENDING DROPPING TO THE LOWER RA CURB.
>> OKAY. THEN THAT WAS THE QUESTION BECAUSE THE RESIDENT CLAIM WHEN HE EXITS OUT OF THE SOUTH AND MAKES THAT RIGHT TURNING TO GO SOUTH ON A1A, THAT HE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO COME UP AND OVER THAT MEDIAN A LITTLE BIT WITH HIS TRUCK OR CAR IN ORDER TO MAKE THE EXIT WITHOUT CUTTING THAT CORNER TOO SHARP.
>> OR HAVE TO PROBABLY SWING WIDE IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT WHICH COULD BE SOMEWHAT OF A DANGEROUS CONDITION, BUT THAT WOULD BE THE OTHER OPTION THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO TAKE.
>> AGAIN FOR CLARITY AND FOR STAFF, WE'RE NOT RE-ENGINEERING ANYTHING UP ON THE DAIS.
>> IT WAS A QUESTION THAT WAS BROUGHT UP AND I WAS WONDERING IF THAT'S THE MEDIAN THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT.
>> YEAH AND WITHOUT [NOISE] LOOKING AT IT AND MAKING SURE THAT THE INHERENT RECORD HAS THE ABILITY TO LOOK AT IT.
WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT [OVERLAPPING].
>> THAT'S WHY I'M SAYING IT'S UP TO THE ENGINEER OF RECORD TO CONSIDER THAT.
>> WE'LL HAVE THEM LOOK AT IT AND DEFINITELY SEE IF IT'S A POSSIBILITY TO DO THAT WITHOUT BREAKING ANY STANDARD WHICH WOULD MAKE IN ANY WAY UNSAFE.
I WOULDN'T BY ANY MEANS PROPOSE TO DO ANYTHING THAT WOULD BE UNSAFE.
WE'LL DOUBLE-CHECK AND SEE IF IT'S A POSSIBILITY AND JUST MAKE SURE WE CAN WORK IT ON.
BUT I BELIEVE BASED ON THE BUDGET AND THE CONTINGENCY THAT'S AVAILABLE, WE SHOULD BE FINE AND BE ABLE TO WORK WITHIN THAT.
>> ONE THING, I'M SURE HE HAS A SWING WIDE NOW, BUT ALONG SEEING IT OVER THE CURB AND THAT'S A CURB THAT ANGLES UP TO THE ELEVATION AT THE TURF, CORRECT?
IF YOU'RE EVEN ON LIKE INDIAN TOWN ROAD, THERE'S SOME CURB THAT'S LEADING UP TO, I WANT TO SAY IT'S ACTUALLY ISLAND WAY HAS ALMOST LIKE A MOUNTABLE AND IT ANGLES UP.
IT HAS A SLIGHT EDGE AND THEN ANGLES UP SO YOU CAN MOUNT IT.
>> A LOT OF TIMES YOU SEE IT [NOISE] I HATE TO SAY IT, BUT EVEN AT SOME BRIDGE LOCATIONS BECAUSE PEOPLE WILL TEND TO DRIVE OVER THE CURB.
>> I THINK THE US 1 BRIDGE CURRENTLY AS YOU APPROACH GOING NORTH HAS THAT STOP?
>> OKAY. CAN I HAVE A MOTION ON RESOLUTION 79-22?
>> MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 79-22.
>> MOTION TO SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING, AYE.
>> MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY UNDER REPORTS, TOWN ATTORNEY.
[TOWN MANAGER]
>> YES, A COUPLE OF THINGS, MAYOR.
FIRST OF ALL, JUST WANTED TO MENTION, SINCE WE HAD THE PROCLAMATION ON FLORIDA CITY GOVERNMENT WEEK, JUST TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT AND PAY ATTENTION TO ALL OF THE GREAT PROMOTION THAT COMMUNITY RELATIONS IS DOING ON SOCIAL MEDIA AROUND ALL OF OUR TOWN DEPARTMENTS AND APPRECIATION SO IT'S NICE TO SEE AND IT'S A GOOD WAY TO CELEBRATE THE WEEK.
A REMINDER THAT TOMORROW MORNING IS OUR CONNECT WITH COUNCIL OVER COFFEE.
THAT'S AT NINE O'CLOCK AT SUBCULTURE COFFEE IN JUPITER SO I HOPE TO SEE AS MANY OF YOU THERE AS POSSIBLE AND WE'RE EXCITED TO INVITE ALL RESIDENTS TO JOIN US WITH THAT.
THEN I JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP AS WELL, COUNCILOR [INAUDIBLE], YOU MENTIONED IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE A CONTEST FOR BUSINESSES AND RESIDENCES TO LIGHT UP THE HOLIDAYS AS WELL.
>> WE ACTUALLY DO WE HAVE SOMETHING CALLED BYTES OF JUPITER THAT WE RUN.
>> IT'S FOR BUSINESSES AS WELL.
>> IT'S FOR ANYONE SO WE'LL LAUNCH THAT IN CONCERT WITH THE TREE LIGHTING EVENT AND IT'S NO PLACE LIKE JUPITER EVENTS, SO THAT'LL BE FUN AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN PUMP THAT UP EVEN A LITTLE BIT MORE THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF ALL THE FESTIVITIES.
>> I'LL TRY MY BEST TO HELP WITH THAT.
>> THAT IS MY RECOLLECTION IS IN QUITE A CONTEST, BUT IT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO ENTER THE DISPLAY SO THEN IT WILL SAY SOURCE FOR PEOPLE WANTED TO GO AROUND AND SHE DISPLAYS,
[01:20:03]
IT WAS A SOURCE OF ADDRESSES AND WHATEVER.>> WE DID DO A BIT OF A RAFFLE AT THE END FOR THOSE WHO PARTICIPATED TO ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION.
YES, IT'S NOT A STRAIGHT CONTEST, IT WAS MORE OF A PARTICIPATION THING AND THEN YOU CAN CREATE YOUR OWN TOUR AROUND TOWN OF LIGHTS IF YOU'D LIKE AND NOW WE CAN ADD ALL OF THE TOWN LOCATIONS TO IT AS WELL.
[TOWN COUNCIL – LIAISON REPORTS AND COMMENTS]
THE AUDIT COMMITTEE MEDIA RECENTLY AND I JUST WANTED TO SHARE, OUR AUDIT COMMITTEE MEETS ABOUT ONCE A YEAR, SOMETIMES MORE WHEN WE'RE WORKING TO BRING ON AN AUDITOR AND WHICH WE'VE JUST DONE.BUT THERE WERE QUESTIONS IN THAT MEETING ABOUT WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE COMMITTEE AND WHAT I LEARNED FROM THE AUDITOR BECAUSE THEY WORK WITH MANY MUNICIPALITIES THROUGHOUT FLORIDA, THEY WORK WITH 47 OF THEM, IS THAT MANY AUDIT COMMITTEES FOR MUNICIPALITIES ARE TEMPORARY IN NATURE THEY DON'T MEET REGULARLY LIKE OURS DO, AND THEY DON'T REVIEW THE [INAUDIBLE] OR WHATEVER IT'S CALLED THESE DAYS.
I REFUSED TO BUDGE BUT IT'S GREAT.
I JUST WANT TO COMMEND US AS A TOWN AND FOR THOSE WHO PUT IT IN PLACE LONG BEFORE I CAME HERE, JUST TO HAVE THAT EXTRA SET OF EYES AND NOT JUST ANY SET OF EYES, BUT TRAINED EYES ON OUR FINANCES.
I'M LOOKING AT THAT REGULARLY.
IT DOES SET US APART NOT ALL MUNICIPALITIES DO IT, I'M PROUD TO SAY JUPITER DOES.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY AS WELL BECAUSE I WASN'T HERE AT THE LAST MEETING, AT THE END AND COUNCILOR COMMENTS OR PERHAPS DURING DELIBERATION, THE MAYOR MADE SOME COMMENTS ABOUT IF YOU SUPPORT SOMETHING SPEAK UP AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY AT THAT MEETING REGARDING THE ASSESSMENTS WITH JUPITER RIVER ESTATES AND SPEAKING WITH TOWN STAFF AND MANAGEMENT RECENTLY, MY UNDERSTANDING, IT WASN'T A QUESTION OF IF IT WOULD HAPPEN, IT WAS A MATTER OF WHEN IT WOULD HAPPEN AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THE TIMING IS SOMEWHAT IMPORTANT AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THOSE ITEMS COME TOGETHER.
THE CONTRACT WITH THE ASSESSMENT SO THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT I HAVE SUPPORTED AND JUST WANTED TO VOICE THAT NOW BUT THAT SEEMS TO BE A GOOD TIME.
I'M PLEASED ABOUT CONNECT WITH COUNCIL, IT DOES FIT IN WITH THE WEEKS CELEBRATION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AS WELL.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL CAN DO TO BE ACCESSIBLE AND I THINK THAT'S IT.
NOW THAT THERE'S A RAFFLE THAT ARE HERE FOR THE RESIDENTS AND THE BUSINESSES FOR HOLIDAY LIGHTS, IF THERE ARE, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH WE WOULD SAVE AND QUIT COST-SAVINGS WE WILL FIND OR IF A SMALL PRIZE COULD BE GIVEN AS PART OF THE RAFFLE ONE DAY IN THE NEAR OR FAR FUTURE TO THOSE THAT PARTICIPATE.
[NOISE] THAT'S JUST AN INTERESTING THOUGHT SO I'LL JUST LEAVE THAT THERE AND THAT'S IT.
>> LET'S DO A COUPLE OF QUICK ITEMS. NUMBER 1, ON THAT, A SPECIAL ASSESSMENT, I LEARNED AFTER THE MEETING THAT IT WAS BEING WORKED MORE IN EARNEST.
BUT THE POINT I WAS MAKING JUST TO PUT IT IN CONTEXT IS I'VE BEEN ADVOCATING SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS FOR TWO DECADES.
NEVER GOT THE POLICY SUPPORTS, SO WE'VE NEVER GONE DOWN THAT PATH THIS IS BREAKTHROUGH WE GO DOWN THAT PATH.
THEN WHEN WE'RE PROVING THE CIP IN THE FUTURE, WE SHOULD DECIDE IS THIS ONE THAT WOULD FIT THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT ONE BECAUSE WE'VE NEVER DONE THAT.
>> I THINK IT'S A HUGE POLICY QUESTION.
BUT THEN SOMETHING WE NEED TO LOOK AT BECAUSE THERE ARE OTHERS THAT ASK ABOUT ROADS AND SIDEWALKS AND THERE ARE MANY NEIGHBORHOODS.
THE MORE I THINK ABOUT IT, THERE'S MAINTAINING THE LEVEL OF SERVICES WHICH WE ALL SAY WE WANT TO DO, BUT THAT'S IMPROVING THE LEVEL OF SERVICE AND SO THAT'S A QUESTION BECAUSE THAT COULD BE DONE IN MANY PARTS OF TOWN [NOISE] AND MANY PARTS OF TOWN WANT IT AND DO TALK TO US, MAYBE NOT IN THESE MEETINGS, BUT CERTAINLY BEHIND THE SCENES.
HOW DO WE APPROACH THAT? ARE SIDEWALKS FOR CHILDREN WALKING TO JUPITER ELEMENTARY, MORE IMPORTANT, LESS IMPORTANT? WHERE DO YOU GO WITH LIMITED DOLLARS AND HOW CAN YOU PARTNER TO GET MORE RESOURCES TO PUT TOWARDS INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH IS [NOISE] AN ENDLESS NEED?
>> BUT EFFECTIVELY, WE SOMEWHAT MADE PROGRESS ON THE POLICY THAT THERE'S GOING TO AT LEAST BE ONE TIME IN A TOWN IN THE LAST TWO DECADES THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DONE.
THAT'S BREAKTHROUGH [INAUDIBLE], I GOT TWO OTHERS TO JOIN AND THANK YOU.
BUT I'M JUST EMPHASIZING, THEN EACH TIME YOU DO IT NOW THAT YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR TOOLING AND WE REALIZE WHAT IT TAKES TO GET THROUGH IT,
[01:25:02]
THEN IT WON'T BE SO ONEROUS BECAUSE THERE'S NOT AS MUCH OF AN UNKNOWN.I WANTED TO JUST REPORT, I WAS GOING TO DO ONE, BUT NOW TWO ITEMS ARE ON THE TPA, WE HAD OUR TPA MEETING TODAY AND NUMBER 1, COUNCILOR [INAUDIBLE] YOUR COMMENT ABOUT SIDEWALKS FOR CHILDREN WALKING.
NOW, IN THE PAST, WHEN WE HAD [INAUDIBLE] BEEN HERE SO LONG, STAFF USUALLY MADE SURE THEY AVAILED THEMSELVES OF EVERY GRANT OPPORTUNITY, I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT OUR CURRENT DIRECTORY AS WELL.
BUT JUST TODAY, WE WERE REMINDED OF THESE THREE DIFFERENT TYPES OF GRANTS.
ONE COULD BE USED POTENTIALLY FOR SIDEWALKS THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PRIORITY.
IN FACT, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT STAFF IS WITHOUT ANY INPUT FROM US, IS MAKING SURE THAT ANY PROJECT THAT WE HAVE IN AND I THINK TOM IS ON THE CURRENT TECHNICAL COMMITTEE, CORRECT? SO I JUST ASKED STAFF TO MAKE SURE THERE'S A SHORT TIME FRAME, IT'S LIKE OVER THREE MONTHS OR SOMETHING, BUT WE'LL GET IN WE'RE NOT AT THE TABLE TO TRY TO GET A GRANT SO THAT POTENTIALLY COULD BE SOMETHING THAT COULD FATE POSSIBLY
>> MAYOR I JUST WANT TO ADD TOO, I AM LOOKING AT A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE TALK ABOUT.
YOU'D MENTIONED AT ONE POINT BUS SHELTERS, AND THAT HAS BEEN A HUGE ITEM THAT I'VE BEEN LOOKING INTO RECENTLY.
THERE WAS ONE BY WENDY'S THAT GOT TAKEN OUT NOT TOO LONG AGO AND I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE TOWN HAS PAID FOR SOME BEING A NEW MEMBER, NOT ON TPA, NOT WITH THAT EXPERIENCE.
IT'S TAKING ME LONGER TO COME UP TO SNUFF ON UNDERSTANDING THE TIMELINES, THE FUNDING, BUT I'VE BEEN READING THE TPA PLANS AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT GRANTS ARE AVAILABLE AND THAT WOULD BE BEAUTIFICATION ON INDIAN TOWN ROAD TOO.
IT'S ALL A BUNCH OF SMALL SMALL ENLARGE IMPROVEMENTS AND SO I WAS LOOKING AT THAT AS COULD IT BE PUBLIC BENEFIT, IS THAT APPROPRIATE GIVEN THAT THERE ARE OTHER SOURCES AVAILABLE, BUT HOW LONG WOULD THAT TAKE TO COME ONLINE RELATIVE TO OTHER OPTIONS.
IT'S A LOT TO DIGEST, ESPECIALLY GIVEN WHAT WE HAVE ON THE NOVEMBER 1ST AGENDA AND EVERYTHING ELSE BUT IT'S SOMETHING I'M LOOKING AT.
THIS IS THE TIME TO TALK ABOUT, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
YOU HAD MENTIONED BUS SHELTERS.
>> THAT JUST TO MAKE IT CLEAR, STAFF COULD BE DOING THIS FOR ALL I KNOW, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY ON THE DASH KNOWS THAT IF THERE'S ANY BUS SHELTERS THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN REPLACING OR ADDING, CAN IT STAFF BECAUSE I HAD A SPECIFIC REQUEST FROM THE DIRECTOR OF [INAUDIBLE] TELLING ME, HEY, WE CAN GIVE A NEW SHELTERS IF YOU WANT.
IT'S A MATTER OF I DON'T THINK IT NEEDS EVERYBODY ON THE COUNCIL QUITE FRANKLY, I'D ENCOURAGE EACH ONE OF US TO GET WITH STAFF.
IT IS ONE YOU WANT, BECAUSE THEN WHAT'S THE HARM AND ASKING YOU COME. [OVERLAPPING]
>> NEW LOCATIONS. [OVERLAPPING] TED THE ONE BY WENDY'S BECAUSE I SPOKEN FRANK, I HAD A COMMENT TO ME FROM WHAT ARE THE CONNECT WITH COUNSEL FROM A RESIDENT THAT SHE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE ONE BY WENDY'S THAT GOT TAKEN OUT DURING THE HIGH-SPEED CHASE.
[NOISE] I'VE SPOKEN WITH FRANK AND STUFF ABOUT IT AND THEY'RE WORKING ON HOPEFULLY GETTING THAT BACK RECONSTRUCTED.
>> AGAIN, I JUST WANTED TO, JUST BECAUSE I'M ON A [INAUDIBLE] HERE ABOUT THIS STUFF.
BUT STAFF HAS ALWAYS BEEN PROACTIVE GENERALLY.
I'M JUST REMINDING, GIVEN NOUNS, OF YOUR UP HERE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REACH OUT AND MAKE A SUGGESTION.
>> DO WE HAVE A MAP OF STOPS FOR THE BUSES? BE HELPFUL.
>> I THINK STAFF COULD PROBABLY, THERE'S A LIMIT ON THE NUMBER OF STOPS, BUT IF THEY REALLY WASN'T DEMAND, THEY ADD THEM.
BUT THAT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT PROCESS WITH PALM TRAN.
BUT PICK ONE WAY YOU THINK YOU WANT ONE? IF THEY'RE NOT GOING TO STOP THERE, THEY'LL TELL US THAT THEN THEY WON'T GIVE YOU A SHELTER FOR THAT AREA THAT'S THE WAY IT WORKS.
THE NEXT ITEM JUST QUICKLY IS QUIET ZONES.
THE REASON I BRING THIS UP IS, WE HAD TWO INTERESTING CONVERSATIONS AT THE TPA.
THE FIRST ONE WAS EFFECTIVELY A NON-AGENDA ITEM THAT WENT FOR ABOUT 15 MIN.
THERE WAS A RECENT FATALITY IN WEST PALM BEACH THAT GENERATED A LOT OF DISCUSSION AT THE COUNTY COMMISSION LEVEL, AND ALSO THEN IT WAS BROUGHT TO THE TPA AND THE SITUATION WAS A CAR GOT STUCK ON THE TRACK
[01:30:02]
AND BY SOMEBODY STOPPED IN FRONT OF THEM AND THERE WAS A FATALITY OR TWO, I DON'T KNOW THE DETAILS.>> I WAS ON SHIFT THAT THERE'S JUST ONE.
>> BUT IN ANY EVENT, AS LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT, WHAT COULD BE DONE AND LET'S TAKE THE CONCLUSION WAS WE, WE HAVE TO DO A LOT.
THERE'S PROBABLY A LOT OF THINGS YOU NEED TO DO, BUT BUT INTERESTINGLY, THAT LED TO A VERY CLEAR ALIGNMENT OF EVERYBODY ON THE THAT A QUIET ZONE IS NOT AS IMPORTANT AS SAVING LIVES.
IN THE TOPIC OF QUIET ZONES, I SHARE THIS BECAUSE I KNOW I'VE BEEN ASKED FOR A DECADE IS TWO NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE BEEN ANXIOUS FOR US TO DO QUIET ZONES.
THAT'S UNDERSTANDABLE, AND I THINK EVERY TIME I'VE EVER BEEN ASKED A QUESTION, WHICH IS PROBABLY 100 TIMES, I ALWAYS ANSWER THAT A QUIET ZONE DOESN'T GUARANTEE NO HARM.
IT JUST REMOVES IT FROM BEING MANDATORY.
WE WOULD STILL WANT THE TRAIN CONDUCTOR TO HIT THE HORN IF THERE'S SOMETHING UP AHEAD.
CERTAINLY IN LIGHT OF, SO I THINK IT'S EVEN MORE IMPORTANT.
AGAIN, I'M PREFACING THIS BECAUSE ANY ONE OF YOU MAY HEAR FROM THESE COMMUNITIES.
THEY'VE BEEN HEARING FOR YEARS, QUIET ZONE IS HAPPENING AND IT'S AROUND THE CORNER.
BUT IN FACT, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS LOOKING AT QUIET ZONES IN BROWARD COUNTY BECAUSE RIGHT NOW BETWEEN PALM BEACH, BROWARD AND DADE, WE HAVE THE HIGHEST INCIDENCE OF RAIL FATALITIES IN THE COUNTRY.
I ASKED A QUESTION WHERE ARE THEY ON THAT PROCESS ABOUT MAKING ANY CHANGES IN THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE WORKING ON IT.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IF ANY OF YOU ARE TALKING TO THE PUBLIC AND THEY'RE ASKING YOU ABOUT QUIET ZONES.
BE ADVISED THAT THE EXISTENCE OF QUIET ZONES COULD BE AND IS BEING REVISITED.
WHEN IN THE QUALIFICATION STAFF IS GOING TO BE HANDLING THIS.
BUT THERE REALLY HAS TO BE AN OPERATIONAL TEST OF THE SYSTEM, AND IT'S GOT TO BE DEEMED ACCEPTABLE TO BRIGHT-LINE BEFORE AN APPLICATION THAT TAN WOULD SUBMIT WOULD EVEN BE PROCESSED IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING.
STAFF IS POISED TO SUBMIT, BUT WE'RE STILL A WAYS OFF FROM IT EVEN BEING ACCEPTED.
AGAIN, THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF INTEREST EXPECTING IT TO HAPPEN, AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL WERE AWARE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF GOING ON ON THAT.
ANYWAY, ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT.
>> MAYOR I THINK YOU'VE DONE A GOOD JOB AGAIN, SETTING EXPECTATIONS ALWAYS.
I THINK IN TERMS OF IT NOT BEING MANDATORY HAS BEEN SAID FOR SOME TIME AND I'VE BEEN SURE TO SHARE THAT AS WELL.
>> I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHAT'S EVEN MORE UNCERTAIN NOW.
>> THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
>> I'M JUST GOING TO STAND ON A QUIET REAL QUICK.
DRIVING THE FIRE RESCUE TRUCKS AND STUFF WERE TOLD WHEN WE'RE TRAINING OVER 55 MILES AN HOUR YOU'RE OUT RUNNING YOUR HORN AND YOUR SIRENS.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS BY THE TIME YOU COME UP ON SOMEBODY, IF YOU'RE HITTING A HORN AND YOU ARE ON THAT RATE OF SPEED EUROPE ON THEM BEFORE THEY EVEN REALIZE WHAT'S GOING ON.
EVEN IF WE DO IMPLEMENT QUIET ZONES, OR IF THEY DON'T IMPLEMENT QUIET ZONES WITH THE SPEED OF THE TRAINS THAT ARE PROJECTED TO COME THROUGH HERE.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE OUT RUNNING THEIR HORNS.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO REALLY LOOK INTO, WHETHER WE GO QUIET ZONE OR NOT.
WE REALLY NEED TO PUSH SAFETY AT THE CROSSINGS AND ALONG IT.
I KNOW WE'RE DOING THE FENCING AND STUFF LIKE THAT TOO, BUT WE REALLY NEED TO PUSH MAKING SURE PEOPLE AREN'T STOPPING ON THE TRACKS, WAITING FOR THE LIGHT TO TURN GREEN OR WHATEVER IT IS, YOU SEE IT OFTEN AND ESPECIALLY IN SEASON, PEOPLE COME DOWN HERE AND THEY DON'T REALIZE WHERE THEY CAN BE AT THE RAILROAD CROSSINGS.
IT'S MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE NOT PROCEEDING THROUGH THAT RAILROAD CROSSING UNLESS THEY HAVE CLEARANCE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TRACK TO GET TO WHETHER THE LIGHT IS GREEN OR NOT BECAUSE SOMEBODY COULD STOP FOR WHATEVER REASON THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE ROADWAY.
IT'S JUST A BIG PUSH FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION AND GETTING THAT INFORMATION OUT THERE BECAUSE THAT RAILWAY INCIDENT IN WEST PALM COULD HAVE DEFINITELY BEEN AVOIDED HAD THE PERSON GOING ACROSS THE TRACKS WAITED FOR CLEARANCE ON THE OTHER SIDE AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY WERE GOING AND, THEY STOPPED AND THE PERSON IN FRONT OF THEM STOPPED AND THEY GOT STUCK AND THE GATES CAME DOWN AND THAT WAS, THEY WERE STUCK THERE.
[01:35:03]
SO BUT JUST MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THERE'S CLEARANCE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TRACKS, THEN YOU CAN PROCEED.>> SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE WHAT WAS EXPLAINED WAS THAT, IT'S COMMONPLACE IN THAT AND I'M NOT FAMILIAR WHERE IT WAS, BUT IT'S COMMONPLACE IN DOWNTOWN WEST PALM THAT THE CAR IN FRONT OF YOU MAY UNEXPECTEDLY HAVE TO STOP ON A PEDESTRIAN RIGHT?
>> YOU DIDN'T THINK YOU WERE GOING TO BE STUCK THERE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR IN FRONT OF YOU STOPPED ON IT.
IT'S REALLY A COMPLEX ISSUE AND IT MAY BE UNIQUE SOLUTIONS FOR DIFFERENT AREAS, BUT THAT'S WHY WE STOPPED SPEND 15 MINUTES TALKING ABOUT IT.
BUT THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED.
>> WHAT SPEED ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO BE COMING THROUGH TOWN? 72?
>> COME IN INTO JUPITER AT DONALD ROSS ROLLER, IT'S 110 MILES AN HOUR, [OVERLAPPING] AND THEN IT SLOWS DOWN FOR THE, FOR THE BASKET LIKE 90 SOMETHING AT INDIAN TOWN, AND THEN BECAUSE IT HAS TO SLOW DOWN TO 60 TO GET OVER THE RIVER.
>> THEN BACKING UP BACK THE OTHER WAY.
BUT IN ANY EVENT, THE OTHER THING, I BELIEVE IT'S CLEAR THAT THE COUNCIL HAS TO MAKE THE DECISION TO PROCEED WITH A QUIET ZONE.
YOU'LL CAN BE THINKING ABOUT THAT.
STAFF WILL HAVE AN APPLICATION AND WE HAVE TO SAY, WE'RE READY TO SUBMIT, I COMMENTED ON THE RECORD, HOPEFULLY I WAS REPRESENTING MAJORITY, BUT I DON'T THINK WE WANT A QUIET ZONE UNTIL THE FENCE THINGS UP THAT WE'RE GETTING CLEAR.
ALL OF US IF THESE ISSUES AND I ALSO ADDRESSED THE SIGNAGE WHICH SAYS SPEED THAT TRAINS CAN GO IN EXCESS OF 80 MILES AN HOUR.
I'VE BEEN CHALLENGING AD FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS APPARENTLY IS AN F.STANDARD.
BUT I'VE BEEN CONTINUING TO PURSUE THAT TO SEE IF WE CAN'T GET THE RIGHT TO CHANGE THAT BECAUSE WE REALLY WANT, IF IT'S GOING TO BE GOING TO 110, I WANT THE PUBLIC TO BE AFRAID OF QUASI OF THE TRACK.
IT SHOULD SAY WHAT IT IS SAYING.
IT'S GREATER THAN 80 ISN'T AS IMPACTFUL AS SAYING IT COULD BE OVER 110.
I'M HOPING WE CAN GET THE RIGHT TO CHANGE OUT THOSE SIGNS THAT ARE THERE.
>> NO, I HAVEN'T. BUT THAT'S 79 MILE AN HOUR MAXIMUM TO THE SOUTH.
>> I'VE WRITTEN THE BULLET TRAINS IN EUROPE AND THOSE THINGS GO LIKE 180.
IT'S INSANE. I SAW THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY GETTING READY TO START TESTING THEIR HIGH-SPEED CAPABILITIES AND STARTING LIKE THIS WEEK OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN.
>> WHAT WAS INTERESTING ABOUT THE EUROPEAN TRAINS BECAUSE I LIVED THERE FOR AWHILE, IS THEY'RE NEVER AT GRADE.
THEY'RE ALWAYS ELEVATED AS VERY SEPARATE FROM THE ROAD SYSTEM.
>>IT ALL OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE.
>> I MET THE FEDERAL RAIL SAFETY ENGINEER THAT I'VE COMMUNICATED WITH BEFORE HE WAS AT THE MEETING, CAME UP TO ME AND TALK TO ME AFTERWARD.
HE WAS REFERRING TO HE WAS FAMILIAR WITH TRAINS GOING 110 MILE AN HOUR.
I THINK THIS MIGHT HAVE BEEN IN NEW YORK OR SOMEWHERE.
I FORGOT WHERE HE MENTIONED IT UP IN NORTHEAST BUT DISPENSING.
[OVERLAPPING] THAT'S WHAT BOTHERS ME HERE.
IT WAS APPROVED WAS MUCH LESS SAFETY PROVISIONS ACCEPTED CROSSING.
ANY EVENT, ANY OTHER WITH THAT, WE CALL THE TOWN COUNCIL MEETING OF 10 OCTOBER 20TH ADJOURN. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.