[00:00:03]
>> GOOD EVENING. THE TIME IS NOW 7:00 PM,
[Call to Order]
AND I'LL CALL TO ORDER THE TOWN COUNCIL MEETING OF FEBRUARY 20TH.WE'LL BEGIN WITH AN INVOCATION, FOLLOWED BY A MOMENT OF SILENCE, AND THEN PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE.
IF THOSE THAT ARE ABLE PLEASE STAND.
>> DEAR GOD, MAY YOU GRANT WISDOM FOR EACH DECISION MADE TO PROTECT AND SERVE THE CITIZENS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY AND GIVE HOPE AND GUIDANCE FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE. AMEN.
>> LET'S HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
>> PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE.
>> MAY WE HAVE ROLL CALL, PLEASE.
>> WE BEGIN TONIGHT, WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION ABOUT THE 211 HELPLINE AWARENESS MONTH,
[1. 2-1-1 Helpline Awareness Month - Ms. Patrice Schroeder - 2-1-1 Palm Beach/Treasure Coast. ]
WHICH I'LL BE PRESENTING TO MISS PATRICE RODER.LET ME READ IT FIRST AND THEN I'LL COME DOWN TO PRESENT IT.
A PROCLAMATION OF THE TOWN OF JUPITER, FLORIDA, DECLARE IN FEBRUARY 2024 AS 211 AWARENESS MONTH.
WHEREAS TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE REACH OUT TO 211 HELPLINE EACH YEAR, AND WHEREAS DURING THESE CHALLENGING TIMES THAT SEEMINGLY INCREASINGLY UNCERTAIN, 211'S HIGHLY TRAINED AND ACCREDITIVE STAFF CONTINUE TO BE FRONTLINE RESPONDERS AVAILABLE 24/7.
WHEREAS 211 IS THAT CENTRAL ACCESS NUMBER WHERE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES, PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND WALKS OF LIFE CAN FIND LIFESAVING CRISIS SUPPORT, GUIDANCE, AND HOPE, AND WHEREAS PEOPLE HAVE EXPRESSED GROWING STRUGGLES WITH MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH, ADDICTION AND ABILITY TO MEET THEIR BASIC NEEDS OF HOUSING, UTILITY PAYMENTS, FOOD AND OTHER CONCERNS, 211'S CARING STAFF LISTEN TO EACH AND EVERY PERSON TO PROVIDE AVAILABLE RESOURCE OPTIONS AND HELP THEM STRATEGIZE AND PROBLEM SOLVE.
WHEREAS 211 ALSO HAS SPECIALIZED ADVOCACY AND SUPPORT PROGRAMS FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT INCLUDE CAREGIVER SUPPORT PROJECT, HELP ME GROW, ELDER CRISIS OUTREACH AND 211'S LIFESAVING SUNSHINE DAILY CALLS FOR LONELY AND ISOLATED SENIORS AND CAREGIVERS.
WHEREAS 211 IS ALSO THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND RESPONDER FOR 988 LIFELINE NUMBER AND ADDITIONAL SUPPORT LINES THAT INCLUDE FIRST RESPONDERS IN MY FLORIDA VET FOR VETERANS WITH PEER-TO-PEER SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE FOR THESE SPECIALIZED GROUPS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, NAME KURETSKI, MAYOR OF THE TOWN OF JUPITER, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM FEBRUARY 2024 AS 211 AWARENESS MONTH IN THE TOWN OF JUPITER, AND URGE ALL CITIZENS TO BE AWARE THAT IF THEY ARE OVERWHELMED IN ANY CRISIS, OR JUST NEED TO TALK, 211 IS AVAILABLE ANYTIME OF THE DAY OR NIGHT.
211 STAFF CAN ALSO PROVIDE REFERRALS FOR MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, HEALTH CARE, EMPLOYMENT, FOOD ASSISTANCE, DAYCARE, SUPPORT GROUPS, VOLUNTEERING, VITA FREE INCOME TAX PREP AND SO MUCH MORE.
IN WITNESS THEREOF, I HAVE SET IN MY HAND THIS FEBRUARY, 20TH DAY OF FEBRUARY 2024.
I'LL COME DOWN TO PRESENT AND THEN YOU CAN SAY SOME WORDS IF YOU LIKE.
>> I'M GOING TO HAVE TO LEAN IN BECAUSE I FEEL REALLY SHORT.
[LAUGHTER] THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
[00:05:01]
211 IS ENTERING ITS SIXTH DECADE OF SERVICE TO THIS COMMUNITY. IT'S JUST SO IMPORTANT.I KNOW THE PROCLAMATION WAS A LITTLE LONG, BUT WE HAVE SO MANY PROGRAMS AND SO MANY THINGS TO OFFER, AND WE'VE SAVED LIVES EVERY DAY.
LAST YEAR, WE HAD OVER 124,000 INDIVIDUALS REACH OUT TO US WITH DIFFERENT NEEDS, SO WE'RE GETTING ABOUT 350 CALLS PER DAY.
OF THAT, 42,700 WERE PEOPLE IN NEED OF MENTAL HEALTH CARE AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS.
WE HAD ABOUT 4,583 SUICIDE-RELATED CALLS.
WE AVERAGE ABOUT 12 SUICIDE CALLS A DAY.
THAT DID INCREASE WITH THE 988 NUMBER, WHICH IS THE NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION NUMBER NOW, THE 988 SUICIDE AND CRISIS LIFELINE.
WE DO GET ROUGHLY, LIKE I MENTIONED, 12 PER DAY.
OUR STAFF ARE IN THE TRENCHES AND I WOULD BE A REMISS IF I DIDN'T MENTION THE NUMBER OF HOUSING CALLS WE GET.
WE GET ABOUT 100 HOUSING CALLS A DAY.
THIS IS FOR OUR FIVE COUNTY AREA TO BE SPECIFIC.
BUT I DID LEAVE SOME BROCHURES FOR YOU.
I WANTED TO SPOTLIGHT OUR TWO SUPPORT LINES.
WE DO HAVE A MY FLORIDA VET SUPPORT LINE.
WE CAN HELP VETERANS GET ENGAGED WITH THE VA AND OTHER SERVICES OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT WE CAN ALSO HELP THEIR FAMILIES.
WE PROVIDE PEER-TO-PEER SUPPORT, WHICH IS ALSO HELPFUL WITH THAT CRISIS SITUATION.
BUT AGAIN, WE CAN HELP THEIR FAMILIES FIND THOSE CRITICAL SERVICES THAT COULD HELP THEM.
WE WANT TO GIVE BACK TO THOSE VETERANS THAT HAVE SERVED SO MUCH FOR US.
OUR NEWEST SUPPORT LINE IS THAT FIRST RESPONDER SUPPORT LINE.
I KNOW THAT A LOT OF MUNICIPALITIES DO HAVE SERVICES FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES, BUT THIS IS AN EXTRA SAFETY LINE.
IF A FIRST RESPONDER, WHICH WOULD CONSIST OF AN EMT, 911 DISPATCH, COULD BE FIREFIGHTER, LAW ENFORCEMENT, OR A CORRECTIONS OFFICER.
THEY COULD BE ACTIVE DUTY OR THEY COULD BE RETIRED.
BUT IF THEY ARE STRUGGLING AND THEY WANT TO REACH OUT WHERE THAT EXTRA PAY SECOND OUT 211 OR THE LINE THAT'S LISTED THERE.
ALSO AGAIN, WE DO THAT PEER TO PEER, SO WE DO HAVE FIRST RESPONDERS ON OUR STAFF AND WE CAN ALSO HELP THEIR FAMILIES.
AGAIN, THOSE TWO SUPPORT LINES ARE NOT JUST FOR THAT INDIVIDUAL IN CRISIS, BUT THE FAMILY UNIT AS WELL.
I JUST WANTED TO SPOTLIGHT THAT.
WE ALSO, AGAIN, ARE HERE FOR ANYBODY OF ANY AGE THAT IS LOOKING FOR THE SERVICES THAT YOU MENTIONED.
WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE LOOKING FOR ASSISTANCE WITH FOOD.
WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE STRUGGLING WITH UTILITIES, AND OF COURSE, HOUSING IS A TOUGH ONE AND THAT TAKES THE COMMUNITY TO PRODUCE MORE OF THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING RIGHT NOW, WHICH WE GET CALLS EVERY DAY.
PEOPLE'S RENTS ARE GOING UP $800, $1,000, SO IT'S VERY COMPLICATED RIGHT NOW, BUT WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN TO HELP THEM PROBLEM SOLVE AND GET TO OTHER SERVICES AS WELL.
LASTLY, I'LL GO AHEAD AND MENTION OUR CAREGIVER SUPPORT PROJECT.
IF YOU KNOW OF A FAMILY CAREGIVER, WE KNOW A LOT OF THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE ISOLATED, DOING THAT VERY IMPORTANT JOB EVERY DAY.
IF WE'D LIKE TO HAVE A DAILY CALL FROM OUR SUNSHINE, WE CAN.
WE CAN ALSO HELP THEM FIND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES AS WELL.
AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO SUPPORT US, AS YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN DOING THAT EVERY YEAR FOR US, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. [APPLAUSE]
>> WE'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU.
FORTUNATELY, WE BENEFIT BECAUSE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS YOU COME HERE AND THAT'S HOW WE LEARNED ABOUT THE PROGRAM.
BUT I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT ANNUALLY TO KEEP UP BECAUSE THEN THOSE THAT ARE EITHER HERE OR DO WATCH US ONLINE LIVE OR AFTER THE FACT, THEN MAYBE SOMEBODY AMONG THAT MIGHT LEARN ABOUT 211 AND HELP SOMEBODY. SO THANK YOU.
>> MOVING ON TO PRESENTATIONS,
[2. JFRD Implementation Update.]
WE HAVE TWO PRESENTATIONS TONIGHT.THE FIRST ONE IS ON JFRD IMPLEMENTATION UPDATE.
>> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS DARREL DONATTO, YOUR FIRE CHIEF.
FIRST TIME ADDRESSING THE COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY, AND SO I WANT TO BEGIN BY JUST REALLY THANKING YOU FOR ENTRUSTING ME WITH THE HONOR OF SERVING AS YOUR TOWN'S FIRE CHIEF.
I'VE BEEN HERE FOR THREE WEEKS NOW, AND SO I'LL TELL YOU, THE THING THAT'S REALLY MOST NOTABLE TO ME IN THIS THREE WEEKS IS JUST HOW FRIENDLY THE STAFF AND RESIDENTS ARE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
IT IS TRULY A PLEASURE TO BE HERE. A BRIEF UPDATE.
OVER THE PAST THREE WEEKS, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON A PROJECT WITH TOWN STAFF AND WGI ON THE FIRE STATION PROJECT GOALS, TIMELINES, GENERAL DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS, AND NEXT STEPS.
WGI IS WORKING ON THAT NOW AND THEY'LL BE DRAFTING AN INITIAL BUILDING DESIGN
[00:10:01]
THAT WILL COME BACK TO US FOR A DETAILED DISCUSSION WITH THE TOWN'S TEAM SOMETIME IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.WE HOPE TO HAVE AN UPDATE FOLLOWING THAT MEETING.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR TOWN'S GRAPHICS DESIGNER, SANDY MCCREADY, AND THE VENDOR FOR OUR AMBULANCES AND FIRE TRUCKS TO FINALIZE EXTERIOR GRAPHIC DESIGN SCHEME.
THE GOAL IS TO ENSURE THAT THE TOWN'S AMBULANCES AND FIRE TRUCKS ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE TOWN'S BRAND.
THEY'RE CLEARLY IDENTIFIABLE AND THEY'RE UNIQUE TO THE TOWN OF JUPITER, AND THAT OUR RESIDENTS WILL BE PROUD TO CALL THEM THEIR OWN OVER THE NEXT 10-15 YEARS OF THEIR USEFUL LIFE.
IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE TOWN'S HUMAN RESOURCE DEPARTMENT, WE'VE BEEN ADVERTISING FOR A COUPLE OF POSITIONS, FIRE RESCUE EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT AND THE FIRE RESCUE DEPUTY CHIEF POSITION.
THESE POSITIONS WILL BE ESSENTIAL IN ACCOMPLISHING OUR NEXT STEPS IN THE PROCESS TO BUILD THE JUPITER FIRE RESCUE DEPARTMENT.
THE NUMBER OF APPLICANTS HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT, AND WE'LL BE REVIEWING AND ESTABLISHING PROCESSES FOR SCREENING AND SELECTING THOSE POSITIONS IN THE COMING WEEKS.
LASTLY, AND MORE RECENTLY, WE'VE SPENT SOME TIME TALKING WITH THE TEAM FROM PALM BEACH GARDENS FIRE RESCUE, AND WE'VE TOURED THEIR TRAINING FACILITIES AND LOGISTICS CENTERS.
PALM BEACH GARDENS, AS YOU KNOW, IS A COMMUNITY IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE TOWN'S SOUTHERN BORDER, AND THEY'LL BE AN IMPORTANT PARTNER IN OUR FUTURE.
WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH PALM BEACH GARDENS FIRE RESCUE, AND COORDINATING FUTURE SERVICE, MUTUAL AID AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES.
>> NEXT UP, WE HAVE PRESENTATION ON THE 2023 CITIZEN SURVEY RESULTS.
[3. 2023 Citizen Survey Results.]
>> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL.
FOR THE RECORD, SEAN REID, COMMUNITY RELATIONS MANAGER FOR THE TOWN.
IN THE FALL OF 2023, THE TOWN CONDUCTED THE CITIZEN SURVEY.
2023 MARKED THE TENTH YEAR THAT JUPITER HAD CONDUCTED A CITIZEN SURVEY, AND THE NINTH TIME THAT JUPITER HAD UTILIZED THE NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTER'S NATIONAL COMMUNITY SURVEY.
THE CONSISTENT USE OF THE NATIONAL COMMUNITY SURVEY HAS ALLOWED THE TOWN TO TRACK PROGRESS IN A NUMBER OF KEY AREAS SINCE 2009, AND PROVIDES THE TOWN WITH AN INSTRUMENT THAT IS BOTH NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED AND ENDORSED BY THE ICMA OR INTERNATIONAL CITY COUNTY MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION.
JOINING US TONIGHT TO PROVIDE MORE INSIGHT ON THE RESULTS OF THE SURVEY IS JASON NEUMEYER.
JASON IS A SURVEY SPECIALIST FOR POLCO IN THE NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTER. JASON.
>> THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. EXCELLENT. THANK YOU.
I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE TONIGHT, ALL THE WAY FROM THE FROZEN TUNDRA IN GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN.
THE LAST TWO DAYS I'VE REALLY ENJOYED YOUR SUNSHINE.
BUT BEFORE I BEGIN, ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND MY POLCO COWORKERS, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK SEAN REID.
HE'S BEEN OUR PRIMARY CONTACT THROUGHOUT THE SURVEY DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS, AND HE PROVIDED THOUGHTFUL AND DETAILED FEEDBACK.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY COLLEAGUE GRACE ARNESON, WHO IS JUPITER'S NCS PROJECT MANAGER FOR THIS YEAR'S SURVEY, AND CONDUCTED A BULK OF THE WORK HERE FOR THIS IMPORTANT PROJECT.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT US BEFORE WE DIVE INTO SOME OF THESE RESULTS.
POLCO'S ONLINE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT POLING PLATFORM PROVIDES THE INFORMATION TOOLS THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND OTHER PUBLIC SECTOR LEADERS NEED.
TODAY, WE WORK WITH HUNDREDS OF ORGANIZATIONS NATIONWIDE TO DEVELOP STRATEGIC PLANS, TO DEVELOP BUDGETS, AND TO EMPOWER RESIDENT VOICES.
WE MAKE CIVIL, VERIFIED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ONLINE, NOT ONLY POSSIBLE, BUT ACCESSIBLE.
THE NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTER AT POLCO GIVES LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND OTHER PUBLIC SECTOR ORGANIZATIONS THE DATA THAT THEY NEED TO MAKE MORE INFORMED DECISIONS.
SINCE 1994, WE'VE WORKED WITH HUNDREDS OF ORGANIZATIONS AND JURISDICTIONS NATIONWIDE.
NRC, AS I'M SURE YOU KNOW, IS BEST KNOWN FOR OUR BENCHMARKING SURVEYS, INCLUDING THIS, THE NATIONAL COMMUNITY SURVEY, AS WELL AS THE NATIONAL EMPLOYEE SURVEY, AND THE COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT SURVEY FOR OLDER ADULTS.
OUR BENCHMARK DATABASE IS THE LARGEST OF ITS KIND IN THE UNITED STATES.
NRC AND POLCO MERGED TOGETHER IN 2019 TO MORE EFFECTIVELY SERVE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND TO PROJECT RESIDENT VOICES, AND AS WAS BROUGHT UP BEFORE, AND YOU CAN SEE ON THE SLIDE HERE, WE ARE ALSO EXCLUSIVE PARTNERS WITH ICMA AND NLC, AND WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THE ENGAGED LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEADERS, ALLIANCE FOR INNOVATION, THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC OPINION RESEARCH, THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON, AND THE HOOVER INSTITUTE AT STANFORD UNIVERSITY.
NOW, BEFORE I DIVE INTO THE SPECIFIC RESULTS FROM THIS SURVEY, I DO WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THERE ARE A VARIETY OF WAYS THAT THESE RESULTS CAN BE USED.
MOST COMMONLY, THE JURISDICTIONS THAT WE WORK WITH WILL USE THIS SURVEY DATA TO MONITOR TRENDS IN RESIDENT OPINION OVER TIME,
[00:15:03]
TO MEASURE GOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE AND RATINGS OF PUBLIC TRUST, AND TO INFORM THEIR BUDGETING PROCESS AND STRATEGIC PLANNING.OUR RESULTS ALSO ALLOW YOU TO BENCHMARK YOUR COMMUNITY-SPECIFIC CHARACTERISTICS AND SERVICES TO THOSE SAME CHARACTERISTICS WITHIN OTHER COMMUNITIES WITHIN OUR BENCHMARK DATABASE.
OUR HOPE IS, HERE, AS THESE RESULTS ARE PRESENTED, IT WILL SPUR IDEAS FOR YOU AND WHAT CAN BE DONE WITH THESE RESULTS AND WHERE YOU'D LIKE TO CONTINUE DIGGING DEEPER.
THE NATIONAL COMMUNITY SURVEY, OR THE NCS, IS WHY WE'RE HERE.
THE NCS IS A STANDARDIZED FIVE-PAGE COMPREHENSIVE SURVEY THAT ALLOWS MUNICIPALITIES TO ASSESS RESIDENT OPINION ABOUT THEIR COMMUNITY AND ABOUT THEIR LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
THE NCS FOCUSES ON THE LIVABILITY OF JUPITER BY CATEGORIZING SURVEY QUESTIONS INTO THESE 10 FACETS OF LIVABILITY SHOWN HERE.
THESE FACETS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED THROUGH EXTENSIVE SURVEY RESEARCH AS THOSE THAT ARE MOST IMPACTFUL TO RESIDENT'S QUALITY OF LIFE.
THE NCS INCLUDES ITEMS WITHIN EACH OF THESE 10 FACETS TO PROVIDE A FULL PICTURE OF HOW RESIDENTS FEEL ABOUT THEIR COMMUNITY.
FINALLY, THESE FACETS TEND TO ALIGN WITH MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENTS, MAKING IT EASY FOR STAFF TO QUICKLY FIND THE INFORMATION THAT IS OF MOST IMPORTANCE TO THEM.
NOW, ALL HOUSEHOLDS WITHIN JUPITER WERE ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS RECENT SURVEY.
A LIST OF HOUSEHOLDS WITHIN THE ZIP CODE SERVING JUPITER WAS PURCHASED BASED ON THE MOST UPDATED LISTINGS FROM THE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE.
USING THE GIS BOUNDARY FILES THAT WERE PROVIDED BY THE TOWN, ADDRESSES LOCATED OUTSIDE OF JUPITER'S BOUNDARIES WERE REMOVED FROM THAT LIST.
THEN FROM THAT FINALIZED LIST, 3,000 ADDRESSES WERE RANDOMLY SELECTED TO RECEIVE THE SURVEY.
THE 3,000 RANDOMLY SELECTED HOUSEHOLDS RECEIVED MAILINGS BEGINNING ON OCTOBER 16TH, AND THIS SURVEY REMAINED OPEN FOR SIX WEEKS.
THE FIRST MAILING WAS A POSTCARD INVITING HOUSEHOLDS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SURVEY, THE NEXT MAILING CONTAINED A COVER LETTER WITH INSTRUCTIONS, THAT FIVE-PAGE SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE, AND A POSTAGE-PAID RETURN ENVELOPE.
BOTH THE POSTCARD AND THE COVER LETTER ALSO INCLUDED A WEB LINK TO GIVE RESIDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND ONLINE SHOULD THEY SO CHOOSE.
NOW, ONE ADDITIONAL NOTE HERE ABOUT DATA COLLECTION, AS I'M SURE SOME OF YOU HAVE HEARD, A LINK TO THIS RANDOM SAMPLE SURVEY THAT WAS CONNECTED TO AREA 1 IN JUPITER WAS SHARED ON A LOCAL FACEBOOK PAGE.
EACH AREA HAS A SPECIFIC LINK THAT ALLOWS US TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THOSE GEOGRAPHIC COMPARISONS THAT YOU'VE SEEN OVER THE YEARS.
UPON FURTHER EVALUATION OF THAT SHARED LINK, WE KNOW THAT IT WAS SHARED ON OCTOBER 25TH, AND SO WE DOVE BACK INTO THE RAW RESULTS UPON COMPLETION TO SEE IF WE COULD PROVIDE SOME CLARITY HERE AND SOME REASSURANCE.
OF THE 145 COMPLETED SURVEYS FOR AREA 1, 39 OCCURRED ONLINE AFTER OCTOBER 25TH, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO VERIFY USING TIMESTAMPS, ZIP CODES, AND IP ADDRESS LOCATIONS THAT 15 OF THOSE WERE COMPLETED BY RESIDENTS OF JUPITER.
WHEN LOOKING AT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, THIS ACCOUNTS FOR JUST ABOUT 5% OF ALL SURVEYS THAT WERE COMPLETED DURING THIS PROJECT.
NOW, WE DO HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT THESE NUMBERS MIGHT ACTUALLY BE ON THE HIGH END AND THAT THIS POST DID NOT GENERATE A LOT OF TRAFFIC TO THE SURVEY.
OF THOSE 24 SURVEYS WE COULD NOT VERIFY, ONLY THREE WERE COMPLETED THE DAY OF THE LINK BEING SHARED, AND ONLY 12 OCCURRED WITHIN A WEEK OF THAT POST, WHILE SIX OF THEM, OR EXACTLY 25%, OCCURRED DURING THE LAST DAY THAT THE SURVEY WAS AVAILABLE, WHICH IS VERY, VERY TYPICAL AS PEOPLE SEE THAT DEADLINE UPCOMING.
ALTHOUGH IT IS NOT IDEAL THAT A SURVEY LINK FOR THE RANDOM SAMPLE WAS SHARED, THE ISSUE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE WIDESPREAD AND WE CAN CONFIRM HERE THAT OVER 95% OF THE TOTAL RESPONSES TO THIS SURVEY WERE UNAFFECTED BY THIS SITUATION.
IN TOTAL, 441 COMPLETED SURVEYS WERE RECEIVED FROM THESE EFFORTS, WHICH PROVIDES US WITH A RESPONSE RATE OF 16% AND A MARGIN OF ERROR OF PLUS OR MINUS 5%.
WE THEN COMPARED THE DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE OF SURVEY RESPONDENTS TO ALL ADULTS LIVING IN JUPITER USING THE MOST RECENT CENSUS AND AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY DATA, AND WE WEIGHTED THOSE FINAL SURVEY RESULTS.
IN ADDITION TO THIS RANDOMLY SELECTED SAMPLE, A LINK TO AN ONLINE COMMUNITY-WIDE OPEN PARTICIPATION SURVEY WAS ALSO PUBLICIZED BY JUPITER.
THAT OPEN PARTICIPATION SURVEY WAS OPEN TO ALL TOWN RESIDENTS AND BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 13TH.
THE SURVEY REMAINED OPEN FOR TWO WEEKS AND 35 RESPONSES WERE RECEIVED.
THE PRESENTATION THAT WE HAVE HERE TODAY, THE REPORT THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU ARE ALL BASED ON THE RANDOM SAMPLE MAIL-BASED SURVEY.
THE RESPONSES TO THAT OPEN PARTICIPATION SURVEY ARE PROVIDED SEPARATELY IN THE REPORT.
ONE OF THE MAJOR ADVANTAGES TO USING OUR COMMUNITY SURVEYS IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMPARE RATINGS GIVEN BY YOUR RESIDENTS TO THOSE FROM OTHER COMMUNITIES AROUND THE NATION.
NRC WAS THE FIRST ORGANIZATION TO CONCEIVE OF THIS IDEA,
[00:20:01]
TO CREATE BENCHMARKS OF PUBLIC OPINION.CURRENTLY, ACTUALLY, WE NEED TO UPDATE THAT SLIDE, THERE ARE MORE THAN 600 COMPARISON COMMUNITIES IN OUR NATIONAL DATABASE.
JUPITER RECEIVED COMPARISONS TO THIS ENTIRE BENCHMARK DATABASE, WHICH I'LL BE REFERRING TO AS NATIONAL BENCHMARKS, BUT ALSO OPTED TO RECEIVE CUSTOM BENCHMARK COMPARISONS TO A SUBSET OF COMMUNITIES, ALL OF WHICH WERE LOCATED HERE IN FLORIDA.
ON TO THE OVERVIEW OF SURVEY RESULTS.
IN THE SURVEY ITSELF, WE HAVE TWO QUESTIONS THAT ASK DIRECTLY ABOUT THOSE 10 FACETS OF COMMUNITY LIVABILITY THAT WE IDENTIFIED EARLIER.
THE FIRST ASKS RESIDENTS TO RATE THE QUALITY OF EACH OF THOSE 10 FACETS, AND YOU CAN SEE THE RESULTING COMPARISON TO THE NATIONAL BENCHMARK IN THE SHADING ON THE CHART IN FRONT OF YOU.
THE SECOND QUESTION ASKS ABOUT THOSE SAME 10 FACETS, BUT IS CENTERED ON HOW IMPORTANT RESIDENTS THINK IT IS FOR THE COMMUNITY TO FOCUS ON EACH OF THESE FACETS OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
SO WE ASK ABOUT THE QUALITY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE FACETS, AND WE USE THESE ANSWERS TO CREATE THIS, THE QUALITY IMPORTANCE MATRIX.
WE USE THIS CHART, WHICH IS ALSO INCLUDED IN THE FINAL REPORT, TO HELP DETERMINE WHICH AREAS ARE OF RELATIVELY HIGHER IMPORTANCE AND LOWER QUALITY TO RESIDENTS.
THOSE THAT ARE LOCATED IN THE LOWER RIGHT-HAND QUADRANT ON THE SCREEN.
THIS CHART IS ONE OF MANY WAYS TO INTERPRET YOUR DATA AND CAN BE USED TO IDENTIFY KEY FINDINGS AND TO HELP COMMUNITIES TO DETERMINE WHICH AREAS MAY NEED ADDITIONAL FOCUS OR RESOURCE ALLOCATION IN THE COMING YEARS, AND WHICH OTHERS ARE PERFORMING WELL BY COMPARISON.
WHEN LOOKING AT THOSE BENCHMARK COMPARISONS, OF THE 122 SURVEY ITEMS FOR WHICH YOUR RESIDENTS PROVIDED EVALUATIVE RATINGS, 28 RECEIVED RATINGS THAT WERE HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL BENCHMARK, 92 RECEIVED SIMILAR RATINGS, AND TWO RECEIVED LOWER RATINGS.
RATINGS ARE CONSIDERED SIMILAR IF THEY'RE WITHIN 10 POINTS OF THE NATIONAL AVERAGE, AND HIGHER OR LOWER IF THEY'RE MORE THAN 10 POINTS DIFFERENCE FROM THAT AVERAGE.
A FULL TABLE OF THESE NATIONAL BENCHMARKS CAN BE FOUND IN THE REPORT STARTING ON PAGE 37.
AS I SAID EARLIER, JUPITER ALSO ELECTED TO COMPARE THEIR RESULTS TO A CUSTOM SUBSET OF COMMUNITIES FROM WITHIN OUR NATIONAL DATABASE.
THIS INCLUDES OVER 30 FLORIDA COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE ALL COMPLETED A COMMUNITY-WIDE SURVEY WITHIN THE LAST THREE YEARS.
OF AGAIN, THE 122 SURVEY ITEMS FOR WHICH RESIDENTS PROVIDED EVALUATIVE RATINGS, 33 RECEIVED HIGHER RATINGS, 88 RECEIVED SIMILAR RATINGS, AND ONLY ONE RECEIVED LOWER RATINGS.
A FULL TABLE OF THESE CUSTOM COMPARISONS TO OTHER FLORIDA COMMUNITIES CAN BE FOUND IN THE FINAL REPORT, AGAIN IN A TABLE STARTING ON PAGE 44.
NOW IN ADDITION TO THESE COMPARISONS, WE CAN ALSO SHOW CHANGES OVER TIME WITHIN JUPITER ITSELF.
WHEN COMPARED TO JUPITER'S NCS RATINGS FROM 2021, IN 2023 SIX ITEMS RECEIVED RATINGS THAT WERE STATISTICALLY HIGHER THAN THE PREVIOUS SURVEY ITERATION, 69 RECEIVED SIMILAR RATINGS AND 63 RECEIVED LOWER RATINGS.
IN ORDER FOR A CHANGE TO BE STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT FROM 2021, THE RATINGS HAD TO CHANGE PLUS OR -6%.
THERE ARE A COUPLE OF REASONS WHY WE MAY HAVE SEEN A HIGHER NUMBER OF DECLINES FROM OUR 2021 SURVEY, MANY RELATED TO THE EXTREMELY HIGH SCORES THAT JUPITER HAD IN THAT LAST SURVEY, AND THAT ARE STILL EVIDENCED IN THE HIGHER-THAN-AVERAGE BENCHMARKS THAT WE SAW IN THE LAST TWO SLIDES.
ADDITIONALLY, ACROSS A NUMBER OF TOPICS, WE'VE SEEN NATIONAL DECLINES IN THE POST-COVID ERA, INCLUDING HERE, WHICH IS MANY RATINGS RELATED TO LOCAL GOVERNANCE.
INCLUDING CONFIDENCE ACTING IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY, TRUST, AND A NUMBER OF ITEMS RELATED TO SERVICES AND THE AVAILABILITY OF SERVICES.
THE INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE ON THIS SLIDE AND THE NEXT ACTUALLY DISPLAY THE OVERALL RATINGS FROM EVERY COMMUNITY WHICH HAS COMPLETED THE NCS OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS.
DURING 2020 AND 2021, WHEN JUPITER LAST SURVEYED, MANY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS EXHIBITED A LOT OF LEADERSHIP AND SPENT A LOT OF TIME TAKING ON THE PANDEMIC AND PROTECTING CITIZENS.
BASED ON SURVEY RESULTS BOTH HERE IN JUPITER AND NATIONALLY, WE SAW THAT DURING THAT TIME, RESIDENTS APPRECIATED IT.
HOWEVER, AFTER THAT INITIAL PEAK, WE'VE SEEN A STEADY DECLINE IN THESE RATINGS.
THE 2023 NUMBERS ARE STILL BEING FINALIZED.
YOU CAN SEE THEY'RE NOT INCLUDED HERE ON THE CHART, BUT I CAN UNFORTUNATELY ASSURE YOU THAT THIS NATIONAL TREND IS CONTINUING.
IN ADDITION, ANOTHER TREND THAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING NATIONALLY, AND THAT SHOWS UP HERE IN JUPITER'S 2023 RESULTS ARE RATHER STEEP DECLINES IN ECONOMIC AND AFFORDABILITY SENTIMENT RATINGS.
YOU CAN SEE HERE THAT SOME ITEMS LIKE THE AVAILABILITY OF AFFORDABLE QUALITY HOUSING SHOWN IN GREEN, HAVE BEEN DECLINING FOR SOME TIME.
BUT OTHERS, LIKE THE COST OF LIVING, THE AVAILABILITY OF AFFORDABLE QUALITY FOOD,
[00:25:02]
OR THE AVAILABILITY OF AFFORDABLE QUALITY CHILDCARE, HAVE SHOWN LARGE DECLINES POST-PANDEMIC.I DON'T THINK THIS WILL SURPRISE ANYONE HERE AS WE'VE BEEN NAVIGATING THE VERY HIGH INFLATIONARY TIMES, COMBINED WITH INCREASING INTEREST RATES, AND UP UNTIL RECENTLY, VERY LOW CONSUMER SENTIMENT ABOUT THE HEALTH OF OUR ECONOMY.
ALTHOUGH WE DO SEE DECLINES IN SOME OF JUPITER'S RATINGS FROM 2021, MANY OF THEM DO RELATE TO THESE BROADER TRENDS THAT WE'RE SEEING NATIONALLY.
THIS ISN'T TO SAY THAT JUPITER SHOULD OR SHOULDN'T ADDRESS THESE ISSUES, BUT HOPEFULLY, THIS HELPS TO PLACE THESE RATINGS INTO A BROADER CONTEXT BY ALSO TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE HUNDREDS OF OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT ARE FOUND IN OUR NATIONAL DATABASE.
AGAIN, A FULL TABLE OF THESE TRENDS OVER TIME CAN BE FOUND IN THE FINAL REPORT.
THE TABLE WILL SHOW YOU RESULTS FOR ALL QUESTIONS DATING BACK TO THE 2009 SURVEY IMPLEMENTATION.
MOVING NEXT INTO HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR FINDINGS.
I DO WANT TO POINT OUT A FEW ITEMS THAT STOOD OUT TO OUR SURVEY RESEARCH TEAM.
THERE IS A LOT OF ADDITIONAL DATA IN THE FULL REPORT THAT WE WON'T COVER TODAY.
BUT THE REST OF THIS PRESENTATION WILL FOCUS ON A FEW AREAS THAT WE FOUND TO BE MOST NOTEWORTHY IN JUPITER'S FINAL RESULTS.
KEY FINDING NUMBER 1, JUPITER RESIDENTS CONTINUE TO ENJOY A HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE AND HAVE A STRONG SENSE OF COMMUNITY SAFETY.
VIRTUALLY ALL 96% OF JUPITER RESIDENTS GAVE EXCELLENT OR GOOD RATINGS TO THE OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE WITHIN THE TOWN.
ABOUT 95% OF RESIDENTS APPLAUDED JUPITER AS A PLACE TO LIVE, AND NINE AND 10 RESPONDENTS PLAN TO REMAIN IN THE TOWN FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
JUPITER AS A PLACE TO RAISE CHILDREN AND JUPITER AS A PLACE TO RETIRE WERE ALSO HIGHLY REGARDED, WITH BOTH RANKING HIGHER THAN THE CUSTOM SUBSET OF COMMUNITIES HERE IN FLORIDA.
THESE HIGH MARKS FOR QUALITY OF LIFE ARE LIKELY CORRELATED WITH THE STRONG SENSE OF SAFETY EXPERIENCED HERE BY JUPITER RESIDENTS.
ROUGHLY NINE AND 10 RESPONDENTS OFFERED FAVORABLE MARKS TO THE OVERALL FEELINGS OF SAFETY WITHIN THE TOWN.
VIRTUALLY ALL RESIDENTS INDICATED THAT THEY FELT VERY OR SOMEWHAT SAFE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS DURING THE DAY, AND NINE AND 10 ALSO FELT SAFE IN JUPITER'S DOWNTOWN AND COMMERCIAL AREAS DURING THE DAY.
ABOUT NINE AND 10 ALSO REPORTED FEELING SAFE FROM VIOLENT CRIME, WHILE EIGHT AND 10 FELT SAFE FROM PROPERTY CRIME.
ALL OF THESE RATINGS FOR SAFETY HELD STEADY FROM THE 2021 RESULTS INDICATING CONSISTENT APPROVAL IN THIS FACET.
KEY FINDING NUMBER 2, THE LOCAL ECONOMY CONTINUES TO REMAIN A TOP PRIORITY FOR RESIDENTS AND POSES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ADDITIONAL FOCUS.
WHEN ASKED ABOUT WHICH GENERAL ASPECTS OF THE COMMUNITY THE TOWN SHOULD FOCUS ON IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS, ABOUT NINE AND 10 RESPONDENTS IDENTIFIED THE OVERALL ECONOMIC HEALTH OF THE TOWN TO BE A TOP PRIORITY.
A STRONG MAJORITY, 95% IN FACT, OF RESIDENTS, GAVE FAVORABLE ASSESSMENTS TO JUPITER AS A PLACE TO VISIT, HIGHER THAN BOTH THE CUSTOM AND NATIONAL BENCHMARKS.
A SIMILARLY HIGH PROPORTION OFFERED POSITIVE REVIEWS FOR THE VARIETY OF BUSINESS AND SERVICE ESTABLISHMENTS AND THE OVERALL QUALITY OF BUSINESS AND SERVICE ESTABLISHMENTS BOTH EXCEEDING NATIONAL BENCHMARKS.
WHILE MOST OF THE EVALUATIONS FOR JUPITER'S ECONOMY WERE SIMILAR TO OR EXCEEDED NATIONAL BENCHMARKS, A FEW AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY EMERGED, MAINLY AROUND AFFORDABILITY.
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES WERE EVALUATED AS EXCELLENT OR GOOD BY LESS THAN HALF OF RESPONDENTS, SHOWING A STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT DECLINE FROM 2021.
ADDITIONALLY, TWO AND 10 RESPONDENTS FELT THAT THE ECONOMY WOULD HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THEIR FAMILY INCOME IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS.
AND ROUGHLY 17% OF RESPONDENTS OFFERED FAVORABLE RATINGS TO THE COST OF LIVING IN JUPITER, DOWN FROM 31% IN THE PREVIOUS SURVEY.
THE AVAILABILITY OF AFFORDABLE QUALITY FOOD, THE AVAILABILITY OF AFFORDABLE QUALITY HEALTHCARE, AND THE AVAILABILITY OF AFFORDABLE QUALITY MENTAL HEALTH CARE ALSO SHOWED DOWNWARD TRENDS, GARNERING POSITIVE REVIEWS FROM ROUGHLY HALF OF THE RESPONDENTS.
THESE FINDINGS, AGAIN, ARE REFLECTED IN ONGOING NATIONAL TRENDS, BUT THEY ARE STILL CONCERNS BEING RAISED HERE BY JUPITER RESIDENTS NONETHELESS.
KEY FINDING NUMBER 3, RESIDENTS APPRECIATE JUPITER'S COMMUNITY DESIGN BUT DO RAISE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT NEW DEVELOPMENT.
THE OVERALL DESIGN OR LAYOUT OF THE RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL AREAS WAS HIGHLY REGARDED BY ABOUT THREE-QUARTERS OF RESPONDENTS, HIGHER THAN BOTH NATIONAL AND CUSTOM BENCHMARKS.
THE OVERALL APPEARANCE OF JUPITER ALSO RECEIVED ABOVE-AVERAGE MARKS, WITH 87% OF RESIDENTS PROVIDING EXCELLENT OR GOOD REVIEWS, WHILE 50% OF RESIDENTS APPROVED OF JUPITER'S WELL-PLANNED RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL GROWTH.
MANY RATINGS RELATED TO HOUSING AND DEVELOPMENT DID DECLINE FROM 2021, INCLUDING THE OVERALL QUALITY OF NEW DEVELOPMENT; FROM 64% IN 2021 TO 50% IN 2023.
WELL-DESIGNED NEIGHBORHOODS, 76%-67%.
THE VARIETY OF HOUSING OPTIONS,
[00:30:03]
49%-38%, AND THE PRESERVATION OF THE HISTORICAL OR CULTURAL CHARACTER OF THE COMMUNITY, 74%-61%.NOW, IN A SERIES OF CUSTOM QUESTIONS THAT WERE UNIQUE TO JUPITER'S SURVEY, RESPONDENTS WERE ASKED TO RATE THEIR LEVEL OF CONCERN WITH DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF NEW DEVELOPMENT OR REDEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
NEARLY ALL RESPONDENTS INDICATED THAT THEY WERE VERY OR SOMEWHAT CONCERNED WITH INCREASED TRAFFIC DUE TO NEW DEVELOPMENTS AROUND TOWN.
ABOUT NINE AND 10 FELT SIMILARLY APPREHENSIVE ABOUT INCREASED HOUSING DENSITY, WHILE EIGHT AND 10 VOICED CONCERNS ABOUT ALLOWING INCREASED BUILDING HEIGHTS AND ALLOWING CHANGES TO ZONING AND LAND USE.
HOWEVER, RESPONDENTS INDICATED THAT THEY MAY BE MORE LIKELY TO ACCEPT THESE IMPACTS IF THE DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL INCLUDED PUBLIC AMENITIES SUCH AS GREEN SPACE, PUBLIC ART, OR PUBLIC ACCESS TO WATERWAYS, OR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THESE RATINGS MAY MERIT ADDITIONAL RESEARCH AND CONSIDERATION TO FURTHER EXPLORE NOT JUST RESIDENTS' PERCEPTIONS AND PREFERENCES, BUT IN ADDITION TO THEIR PREFERENCES REGARDING FUTURE DEVELOPMENT HERE IN JUPITER.
THEN FINALLY, OUR LAST KEY FINDING HERE, THE COMMUNITY'S NATURAL ENVIRONMENT REMAINS HIGHLY VALUED BY RESIDENTS.
ABOUT NINE AND 10 RESIDENTS APPLAUDED JUPITER'S NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND IDENTIFIED IT AS AN ESSENTIAL, OR VERY IMPORTANT AREA OF FOCUS FOR THE COMMUNITY IN THE COMING TWO YEARS.
HIGHLIGHTING BOTH ITS VALUE ON ONE HAND AND ITS IMPORTANCE ON THE OTHER.
A SIMILAR PROPORTION PRAISED THE TOWN'S CLEANLINESS, AIR QUALITY, AND WATER RESOURCES, AND YOU CAN SEE HERE THAT ALL OF THOSE CAME IN HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL BENCHMARK.
RESIDENTS ALSO GAVE POSITIVE MARKS TO THE OVERALL QUALITY OF THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, SURPASSING COUNTERPARTS ACROSS THE NATION AND IN OTHER FLORIDA COMMUNITIES.
THEN FINALLY, IN ANOTHER CUSTOM QUESTION UNIQUE TO THIS SURVEY, RESIDENTS WERE ASKED TO RATE HOW IMPORTANT, IF AT ALL, THEY THOUGHT IT WAS FOR THE TOWN TO DEVOTE RESOURCES TO THE FOLLOWING ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES.
AROUND NINE AND 10 FELT THE TOWN SHOULD DEVOTE RESOURCES TO PRESERVING SEAGRASS BEDS AND ENCOURAGING NEW GROWTH.
A SIMILAR PROPORTION INDICATED SUPPORT FOR PRESERVING, MANAGING, AND CREATING OPEN SPACES AND NATURAL AREAS AND MANAGING HOW RUNOFF OR OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AFFECT WATER QUALITY IN LAKES, STREAMS, RIVERS, INLET WATERWAYS, AND BEACHES AND THEIR INHABITANTS.
THESE ARE THE FOUR KEY FINDINGS FROM OUR SURVEY RESEARCH TEAM AT POLCO.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, JUPITER RESIDENTS CONTINUE TO ENJOY A HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE AND HAVE A STRONG SENSE OF SAFETY.
TWO, THE LOCAL ECONOMY REMAINS A PRIORITY FOR RESIDENTS AND POSES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ADDITIONAL FOCUS.
THREE, RESIDENTS APPRECIATE JUPITER'S COMMUNITY DESIGN AND RAISE CONCERNS ABOUT NEW DEVELOPMENT.. THEN FOURTH AND FINALLY, THE COMMUNITY'S NATURAL ENVIRONMENT REMAINS HIGHLY VALUED BY RESIDENTS.
AS YOU KNOW, THE ONLINE VERSION OF THIS SURVEY WAS HOSTED ON POLCO.
AFTER COMPLETING THE COMMUNITY SURVEY, RESIDENTS WERE ASKED IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO JOIN YOUR POLCO PANEL.
IF YOU WISH TO DIG DEEPER AND FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE OPINIONS AND PERCEPTIONS OF YOUR RESIDENTS, YOU CAN CONTINUE TO ENGAGE WITH THEM THROUGH THE POLCO PLATFORM.
YOU CAN SHARE NEW QUESTIONS THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, EMAIL, IN PERSON EVENTS, AND OTHER CHANNELS TO ENGAGE WITH YOUR ONLINE PANEL BY ASKING FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS TO THIS COMMUNITY SURVEY, OR REACHING OUT ABOUT HOT TOPICS OR POLICY ISSUES AS THEY ARISE.
JUPITER HAS A LARGE PANEL ON POLCO, 889 RESIDENTS HAVE SIGNED UP.
YOU CAN CONTINUE TO ASK QUESTIONS AND ENGAGE IN CONSTANT DIALOGUE WITH THESE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AT ANY TIME.
WITH THAT, I WILL CATCH MY BREATH AND I WOULD INVITE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE ABOUT THE SURVEY PROCESS OR THESE FINAL RESULTS. THANK YOU.
>> DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?
>> I HAVE JUST A FEW. FIRST OF ALL, WHY THE MIC ISN'T QUITE WORKING WELL HERE.
WE DO APPRECIATE THIS SURVEY AND I FIND I'LL BE REFERRING TO IT A MIND DATA FOR DAYS.
>> EXCELLENT. I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT.
>> NO, NO, IT'S GREAT INFORMATION AND I'VE PROBABLY SPENT ABOUT FOUR HOURS, SO I'M JUST STILL TOUCHING THE SURFACE, BUT JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT A FEW THINGS AND I'M CURIOUS.
>> EVEN THOUGH SOME OF THESE MAY NOT CLEAR, SOME MAY HAVE CLEAR ANSWERS SOME MAY NOT TO THE DEGREE YOU DO THIS.
I WANT TO ASK WAS NUMBER 1, AND IT'S HELPFUL THE DISTINCTION, TO KNOW.
I APPRECIATE YOU GAVE SIMILAR, WAS + OR -10% FROM AVERAGE.
>> I THOUGHT I NOTICED AN INCONSISTENCY FROM HIGHER AND MUCH HIGHER, WHAT IS THE DISTINCTION ON MUCH HIGHER?
>> OH, SORRY, I SHOULD HAVE INCLUDED THAT HERE AS WELL.
MUCH HIGHER AS 20 POINTS OR HIGHER.
>> OKAY. THAT'S NOT FROM RANK, BUT IT'S FROM.
>> FROM THE NATIONAL AVERAGES ACROSS ALL OF THE COMMUNITIES.
[00:35:03]
>> EXACTLY. IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE TABLES, YOU'LL ACTUALLY SEE THE RANK IS LISTED THERE AS WELL AND THE NUMBER OF COMMUNITIES THAT YOU'RE COMPARED TO.
>> CAUSE I HAD LOOKED AT, FOR EXAMPLE, WATER RESOURCES AND OVERALL QUALITY OF NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.
>> TO PIERCE. THE OTHER WAS 2 OF '24, 6 (2/3).
YET ONE WAS MUCH HIGHER AND ONE WASN'T.
>> EXACTLY. THE RANK IS YOUR POSITION COMPARED TO ALL OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT TOOK IT, KIND OF LIKE A PERCENTILE, WHICH IS ALSO LISTED THERE AS WELL.
>> YEAH, THE OTHER THING AND SOME OF THIS MAY BE SOMEWHAT UNIQUE TO JUPITER, BUT THEN I'M SURE WHICH 600 COMMUNITIES, THERE'S A LOT OF UNIQUE.
BUT WE TRIED TO MOVE AWAY FROM JUST TALKING ABOUT A DOWNTOWN BECAUSE WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A DOWNTOWN OR THE FEW DOWNTOWNS THAT WE HAVE.
MAYBE THEY'RE NOT DOING AS WELL, BUT IT'S INTERESTING.
WE USED THE WORDS FOR DOWNTOWN/COMMERCIAL AREA, CORRECT? BECAUSE FOR EXAMPLE, FOR US, MOST OF THE COMMERCIAL AREAS ALONG, LIKE INDIAN TOWN ROAD.
IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE THEN WHEN I LOOK AT THIS IS ONE OF YOUR SLIDES.
>> THE OVERALL QUALITY OF BUSINESS AND SERVICE ENVIRONMENT IS RATED 89%.
>> THE VARIETY OF BUSINESSES AND SERVICE ESTABLISHMENTS WAS RATED 80%.
THEY WERE HIGHER THAN AND YET THE VIBRANCY OF DOWNTOWN COMMERCIAL AREA WAS 55%.
WHAT STRIKES ME IS THAT PROBABLY WHEN THEY'RE ANSWERING THIS TO THE DEGREE THAT THEY SEEM TO RATE HIGH ON COMMERCIAL, BUT YET WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT VIBRANCY, THEY'RE NOT SEEING IT THERE.
I'M HYPOTHESIZING THAT THEY'RE FOCUSING ON WHAT THEY THINK IS A DOWNTOWN AREA, DESPITE THE FACT WE HAVE DOWNTOWN/COMMERCIAL.
>> THAT COULD BE, ULTIMATELY WE CAN CHANGE THE LANGUAGE OF INDIVIDUAL QUESTIONS, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO CHANGE.
IF WE WANTED TO REMOVE DOWNTOWN, FOR EXAMPLE, AND MAYBE JUST ASK ABOUT COMMERCIAL AREAS IN THAT QUESTION, WE CERTAINLY COULD.
BUT WE DON'T WANT TO CHANGE THE MEANING TOO MUCH BECAUSE WE ASKED THAT QUESTION IN ALL 600 COMMUNITIES AND WE WANT TO COMPARE APPLES TO APPLES.
>> NO, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT AND JUST SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES THAT ARE HERE ON THIS.
>> WE CONSCIOUSLY CHANGED IT FROM DOWNTOWN, WHICH WAS THE CONVENTIONAL TO INCLUDE COMMERCIAL AREA BECAUSE WE REALIZE THAT THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF COMMERCIAL AREAS THAT'S NOT IN DOWNTOWN.
>> [OVERLAPPING] I'M ALWAYS PLEASED THAT WE'RE SEEING THAT OVERALL HIGHER SATISFACTION WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
THEY'RE JUST NOT IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
ON THE CUSTOM QUESTIONS WHICH OBVIOUSLY THE TOWN CHOOSE THOSE TO GIVE US INFORMATION.
THEY WERE VERY HELPFUL BECAUSE WHILE I THINK ALL OF US HAVE A SENSE FOR WHAT COMMUNITY IS CONCERNED ABOUT, OBVIOUSLY IT GETS REINFORCED WHEN YOU SEE IT IN THE SURVEY.
BUT THEN THE QUESTIONS THAT WE ASKED ABOUT, WELL, IF WE DID THIS, WOULD THAT CHANGE YOUR FEELINGS ABOUT APPROVING AN EXCEPTION? I FIND IT INTERESTING THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND WORKFORCE HOUSING WERE RATED DIFFERENTLY.
I'M WONDERING IF, IN MY HYPOTHESIS IS THAT BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE WILLING TO ACCEPT MORE EXCEPTIONS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT NOT WORKFORCE HOUSING, IN MY HYPOTHESIS, THEY MAY NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT WORKFORCE HOUSING IS, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHY THERE'D BE A 10 PLUS DIFFERENCE WHERE THEY'RE NOT KEEN TO WORKFORCE HOUSING, BUT THEY ARE TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
HAVE YOU DEALT WITH THAT ANYWHERE ELSE?
>> I HAVE NOT SEEN THAT IN OTHER SITUATIONS.
I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT THAT MAYBE PARENTHETICALS IN THAT SITUATION MIGHT HAVE BEEN HELPFUL JUST TO CLARIFY THE TWO, BUT THAT IS AN INTERESTING HYPOTHESIS.
>> WELL I POINT TO THIS, THIS IS IN THE BOOK ON PAGE 35 FOR THOSE OF US UP HERE.
BECAUSE THE QUESTION WAS, ARE YOU MORE LIKELY TO BE ACCEPTING OF THE ITEMS LISTED IN THE QUESTION ABOVE IF THE PROPOSAL INCLUDED WORKFORCE HOUSING? THE ANSWER WAS YES, 48%.
BUT WHEN YOU SAY AFFORDABLE HOUSING, YES, WAS 59%.
>> WE PROBABLY HAVE HAVE SOME WORK TO DO OR WE JUST ACCEPT IT AS A FACT THAT THEY DO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE, AND THAT MEANS I'M GOING TO SUSPECT THAT THEY'RE THINKING AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS MORE BROADER AND MIGHT AFFECT SOMEBODY
[00:40:01]
THAT WOULD THINK THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE COUNTED AS A WORKFORCE.>> I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY RIGHT.
>> BUT THAT'S AGAIN, I JUST THOUGHT A FEW OF THESE I WANTED TO BRING UP BECAUSE WE'RE ALL DEALING WITH THAT RIGHT UP HERE IN THE [INAUDIBLE] I JUST WANTED TO HAVE YOU WEIGH IN ON THAT?
>> YEAH. I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY RIGHT.
PUBLIC AMENITIES IS THE THIRD OPTION THERE.
YOU SEE THAT THAT HAD THE EXACT SAME PERCENTAGE AS WORKFORCE HOUSING.
>> HOWEVER, WE DID INCLUDE, AS I SAID, GREEN SPACE, PUBLIC ART, PUBLIC ACCESS TO WATERWAYS FOR PUBLIC AMENITIES.
I THINK YOUR HYPOTHESIS, UNTIL WE TEST IT, WE CAN'T SAY FOR CERTAIN, BUT I THINK YOU'RE PROBABLY RIGHT ABOUT THAT. YES.
>> ANYWAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THIS IS EXTREMELY HELPFUL FOR US, PARTICULARLY THE WAY IT'S PRESENTED ALL THESE DIFFERENT WAYS IN OUR BOOK.
>> IT'S HELPFUL THAT IF WE WANT TO GO AND LOOK THE TREND OVER TIME, AND IT'S HELPFUL THAT YOU PROVIDED THE NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE SO THAT WE CAN PUT IT IN CONTEXT WITH NATIONALLY.
THE LAST THING IS, CLEARLY I ALWAYS GO AND LOOK WHERE WE'RE LOWER, RIGHT? BECAUSE THAT'S CERTAINLY REPRESENTS AN IMPROVEMENT OPPORTUNITY.
NATIONALLY WE HAD TWO LOWER, AND THAT WAS COST OF LIVING AND AVAILABILITY AFFORDABLE QUALITY HOUSING.
>> THEN YOU A PEER COMMUNITIES COST OF LIVING, WE WERE LOWER.
COST OF LIVING IS A BIG ISSUE.
>> OF COURSE WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT CERTAINLY WITH THE ECONOMY AND EVERYTHING.
BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING THAT YET.
ONE WOULD THINK THAT TO SOME DEGREE, RETIREES WOULD HAVE THE HARDEST TIME DEALING WITH AFFORDABILITY AND COST OF LIVING AND YET WE RANK 3 OF 25 TO PURE BENCHMARK COMMUNITIES ON JUPITER AS A PLACE TO RETIRE.
THAT'S SOMEWHAT INCONSISTENT WITH WHAT I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT.
IT MUST BE PEOPLE RETIRING HERE, ALTHOUGH THEY MAY NOT LIKE THE COST OF LIVING INCREASES.
>> BUT I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT TOO.
THAT'S A CLEAR INCONSISTENCY FROM EXPECTATION.
SO YOU KIND OF AGREE WITH THAT HYPOTHESIS?
>> I WOULD AGREE, YES. NOW, I WOULD SAY, AS WAS BROUGHT UP IN THE PRESENTATION, WHICH IS WHY WE LIKE TO BRING IN THE NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE OF ALL COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE DONE THIS.
BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT IS DIFFICULT TO DISINTEGRATE YOUR LOCAL ECONOMY VERSUS THE NATIONAL ECONOMY, OR WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND YOU MORE BROADLY.
AGAIN, WE SEE THOSE TRENDS IN AFFORDABILITY THAT WERE INCLUDED, I BELIEVE ON SLIDE 13 OR 14.
THAT'S A CONVERSATION WHEN I'M GIVING THESE TALKS IN OTHER COMMUNITIES.
WE HAVE A SIMILAR CONVERSATION THERE AS WELL.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE CHALLENGED WITH IS OUR RESIDENTS WANTED, WE WANTED, AND HAVE CREATED A VERY DESIRABLE RELATIVELY PLACE, BUT THAT MAKES IT MORE EXPENSIVE.
>> WE'RE PRETTY WELL BUILT OUT, SO IT'S HARD TO MOVE THE NEEDLE ON A CHANGE AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
BUT NONETHELESS, WE'RE TRYING TO DO WHAT WE CAN.
AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS INFORMATION.
I DO APPRECIATE YOUR PERSPECTIVE BECAUSE THEN I KNOW IT'S COMING FROM HAVING LOOKED AT HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF THESE AS OPPOSED TO JUST JUPITER. THANK YOU.
>> YES, YOU'RE WELCOME. IF ANY OTHER QUESTIONS DO ARISE, I'LL MOVE US FORWARD HERE, ONE, YOU CAN REACH OUT TO MYSELF OR SEAN OR GRACE WHO RAN THE PROJECT HERE, AND WE'D BE HAPPY TO GET BACK TO YOU WITH FOLLOW UP COMMENTARY AS YOU WORK THROUGH. [OVERLAPPING] YES, SIR.
>> I DO HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.
I PERSONALLY, I THINK MOST COUNSELORS WOULD AGREE THAT TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF WHAT OUR CITIZENS ARE ASKING FOR IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE.
I'M CONCERNED BY THE LOW PARTICIPATION RATE AND I DON'T FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE WITH THAT LOW RATE.
HAVE YOU HAD SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER CITIES AND WHAT CAN WE DO TO IMPROVE THAT PARTICIPATION RATE?
>> CERTAINLY. WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE NUMBER OF COMPLETED RESPONSES, REALLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS OVER BETWEEN 300 PLUS IS THE MINIMUM THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE RATE IS ONE WAY TO MEASURE THAT.
THE OTHER WAY TO LOOK AT IT IS THE MARGIN OF ERROR.
ULTIMATELY, IF WE CAN GET TO OUR NUMBER, WHICH WE GOT TO HERE WAS 414, I BELIEVE, OR IS IT 441? 441. THAT ALLOWS US TO CALCULATE A + OR -5% MARGIN OF ERROR AROUND EVERY ONE OF THE NUMBERS WE GAVE YOU IN THIS SURVEY.
PARTICIPATION RATES HAVE BEEN DECREASING SINCE THE '70S.
[00:45:01]
WE DON'T GET RESPONSE RATES LIKE WE USED TO, BUT ANYTHING REALLY IN THE RATE OF 12-25% IS PRETTY STANDARD.ACTUALLY, I THINK OUR PARTICIPATION RATE INCREASED A LITTLE BIT THIS TIME.
I THINK OUR NUMBER WAS 14% IN 2021 AND WE WENT UP A LITTLE BIT HERE.
WE CERTAINLY TRY TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO GET AS MANY PEOPLE TO RESPOND TO THAT RANDOM SAMPLE AS POSSIBLE.
WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEND OUT AN ADDITIONAL POSTCARD.
WE WANT TO POST AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND OTHER OUTLETS.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, OUR GOAL IS TO REACH THAT 400 NUMBER SO WE CAN GET THAT MARGIN OF ERROR WHERE WE REALLY WANT.
>> I WOULD THINK A LARGE PORTION OF IT WOULD BE THE SNAIL MAIL VERSION OF HOW THIS IS BEING ACCOMPLISHED.
I SAW THERE WAS SOME HESITATION ON YOUR PART TO SENDING LINKS AROUND.
WAS IT A SPECIFIC LINK OR A SPECIFIC REASON WHY YOU'RE SHYING AWAY FROM LINKS? I WOULD THINK IT'D BE MORE EFFECTIVE TO MASS FIRED AS TO EVERY CITIZEN THAT HAS AN EMAIL ACCOUNT REGISTER WITH THE TOWN.
>> THERE IS AN OPEN PARTICIPATION SURVEY AT THE END OF THE PROCESS.
BUT IN ORDER TO CALCULATE THE ULTIMATE NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE HERE, THE MARGIN OF ERROR AND EVERYTHING, WE HAVE TO STICK WITH A RANDOM SAMPLE.
THEREFORE, WE DO NOT WANT TO BLAST THIS TO EVERY INDIVIDUAL PERSON.
BY HAVING A RANDOM SAMPLE IT ACTUALLY ALLOWS US AT THE END TO WAIT THE RESULTS IN ORDER TO MAKE IT MORE REPRESENTATIVE OF YOUR RECENT CENSUS NUMBERS THAT JUST CAME THROUGH.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE DO HAVE TWO PARTS.
WE DO HAVE A PORTION THAT OPENS IT UP TO EVERYBODY AND THOSE RESULTS ARE AT THE END.
BUT THE STATISTICALLY VALID MARGIN OF ERROR SCIENTIFIC PORTION HAS TO BE RANDOMIZED.
THAT'S WHY WE STILL DO THE OUTREACH TO THE 3,000. EXACTLY, YES.
BUT WE DO THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO HEAR FROM AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE, WHICH IS WHY DURING THE LAST TWO WEEKS, WE OPEN IT UP TO EVERYBODY AS WELL.
YOU SEE THOSE RESULTS AT THE END.
>> SPECIFICALLY ALONG WITH WHAT THE MAYOR IS TALKING ABOUT.
WE'VE BEEN, AT LEAST I THINK I HAVE AND A MAJORITY OF US HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH TRYING TO INCREASE WORKFORCE HOUSING; FIRST RESPONDERS, FIREFIGHTERS, POLICE OFFICERS.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO US TO CREATE THOSE TYPE OF HOUSING UNITS.
I THINK WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT GOING INTO INCREASING DENSITY AND CAUSING MORE TRAFFIC PROBLEMS IF WE CAN GET SOME VIABLE WORKFORCE HOUSING OUT OF IT.
IT SEEMS LIKE THAT MIGHT ALMOST BE MISGUIDED IN A WAY, AND I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO MOST, IF NOT ALL OF US.
THE CORRELATION BETWEEN WORKFORCE HOUSING AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING MIGHT BE PART OF WHAT WE'RE STRUGGLING WITH.
THE LACK OF KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT WORKFORCE HOUSING REALLY IS AND WHAT IT COULD DO FOR THE TOWN.
MAYBE THAT'S INCUMBENT UPON US TO HELP EDUCATE THE TOWN A LITTLE BETTER IN WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO CREATE MORE TRAFFIC PROBLEMS OR MORE DENSITY PROBLEMS IF WE'RE NOT REALLY MAKING THE TOWN HAPPY BY CREATING WORKFORCE HOUSING.
THIS IS SOMETHING I'D WANT TO CONSIDER.
>> THAT'S THE CONUNDRUM BECAUSE PEOPLE CONFUSED AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH WORKFORCE HOUSING AND FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS.
THEY WANT WORKFORCE, BUT THEY'RE ALSO AGAINST HIGHER DENSITY AND MORE TRAFFIC.
>> BUT THE WAY THIS IS SET UP IS REALLY SMARTNESS.
YOU'VE GOT ALL THESE PROBLEMS. ARE YOU WILLING TO TOLERATE THESE PROBLEMS IF WE DO THIS? WORKFORCE HOUSING SHOWING UP LOW.
THAT MAY BE SOMETHING FOR US TO CONSIDER BY IN THE FUTURE.
BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. VERY USEFUL FOR US.
>> I WOULD SAY ALSO THERE ARE 900 PANEL PARTICIPANTS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP.
THEY WANT TO GET MORE CONTENT AND GET MORE OUTREACH.
MAYBE WE COULD WORK TOGETHER TO PUT A WORKFORCE HOUSING OR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, SURVEY TOGETHER.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE ASKED FOR THAT.
WE HAVE TEMPLATIZED SURVEYS IN OUR LIBRARY.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE PUSH IT OUT TO EVERYBODY.
WE GET AS MANY RESPONSES AS POSSIBLE AND WE DO A LITTLE BIT OF WAITING ON THE BACK END TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE SCIENTIFIC.
IT'S NOT A RANDOM SAMPLE, BUT IT GETS CLOSER TO IT.
WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT IN THE FUTURE AS WELL.
>> I'D LIKE THAT, WOULD BE GREAT.
>> YEAH, WE'LL WORK TOGETHER TO GET THAT PUT TOGETHER. YOU'RE WELCOME.
>> JUST ONE QUICK. IS THERE A POINT WHEN YOU'RE ADVERTISING GETTING THE RANDOM SAMPLES OUT IF YOU PUSHED TOO HARD, YOU WOULD SKEW THE RESULTS?
>> I'M SORRY, I MISSED THE BEGINNING.
>> IS THERE A POINT WHERE IF YOU WANT A RANDOM SAMPLE FOR THE SCIENTIFIC EDGE OF IT, IS THERE A POINT IF YOU PUSH THAT TOO HARD, YOU'D SKEW THE RESULTS HERE?
>> AS LONG AS WE ARE GETTING, SO WHEN WE ARE PUBLICIZING DURING THE RANDOM SAMPLE, WE WILL TELL PEOPLE IF YOU RECEIVE SOMETHING IN YOUR MAILBOX, PLEASE RESPOND. WE DON'T SHARE THAT LINK.
WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO CLOSE IT AND MAKE IT PRIVATE WITH A PIN,
[00:50:02]
BUT RESIDENTS TEND TO NOT LIKE TO HAVE A UNIQUE PIN IDENTIFIED TO THEIR ADDRESS THAT WE MAIL IT TO THEM.DURING THE RANDOM SAMPLE PORTION, WE WILL NOT SHARE THE LINK PUBLICLY.
WE UNFORTUNATELY DID HAVE ONE GET ONTO A FACEBOOK PAGE WE DUG IN.
BUT DURING THE OPEN PARTICIPATION SURVEY, WE HAVE A PUBLIC LINK THAT EVERYBODY CAN PARTICIPATE IN.
WE'RE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO SHARE THOSE PUBLIC LINKS.
AT TIMES IT CAN OCCUR AS IT DID HERE, BUT USUALLY WE'RE ABLE TO SHUT THAT DOWN QUICKLY AND IDENTIFY WHICH ONES CAN BE VERIFIED AND WHICH ONES CANNOT.
AGAIN, HERE IT WAS 96% WERE VERIFIABLE.
THE OTHER 4% MAY HAVE BEEN ANONYMOUS RESIDENTS WHO ARE PART OF THE RANDOM SAMPLE OR MAY HAVE BEEN PEOPLE WHO FOUND IT ON THAT LINK.
BUT IT'S STILL A VERY SMALL NUMBER.
>> THIS IS A TREASURE TROW OF INFORMATION FOR US TO GET PUBLIC OPINION.
IT'S DIFFICULT TO FEEL THE VIBE OF THE TOWN SOMETIMES AND ALL THE DIFFERENT ISSUES, BUT WE APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.
>> JUST ONE MORE POINT BASICALLY.
WHAT COMES TO MIND HERE IN MY COLLEAGUES IF YOU WANT TO COMMENT ON THIS.
I'M NOT FAULT FINDING, BUT I THINK IT'S SIGNIFICANT THAT THE SURVEY IS RATHER LONG.
A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE GETTING IN THE MAIL MIGHT LOOK AT IT AND SAY, I'M NOT GOING TO SPEND THAT MUCH TIME.
I WOULD SUSPECT THAT WHEN YOU DO THIS ONE AND WE WANT TO GET IT ALONG BECAUSE YOU'RE TRYING TO DO A WHOLE SCOPE OF ITEMS. THAT'S WHY EVEN WHEN WE ASK CUSTOM QUESTIONS, WE TRY TO LIMIT IT SO WE'RE NOT GOING LONGER.
BUT THAT MAY BE WHERE CAN YOU MAYBE COMMENT THAT IF YOU THEN DID A MORE TARGETED SURVEY, MORE NARROW, YOU MAY GET A HIGHER RESPONSE RATE THAN WHEN SOMEONE LOOKS AND IT'S A PAGE VERSUS A DOZEN.
>> WE CERTAINLY DO NOT ADVOCATE FOR ADDING MORE CUSTOM QUESTIONS THAN WE ADDED IN THIS ONE.
THE AVERAGE COMPLETION TIME FOR THIS I BELIEVE WAS JUST OVER 15 MINUTES.
NOT SUPER LONG, BUT NOT SUPER SHORT EITHER, TO BE THIS COMPREHENSIVE AND TO GET THE BENCHMARKS AND THE TRENDS OVER TIME THAT YOU'VE HAD FOR, WHAT IS THAT? FOURTEEN YEARS NOW, A LONG TIME.
WE DO NEED TO ASK THE QUESTIONS IN A SIMILAR ORDER, IN A SIMILAR WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CONSISTENT FROM SURVEY EFFORT TO SURVEY EFFORT.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO SPECIFIC TOPIC AREAS, USUALLY THE CADENCE WE SEE IS A JURISDICTION.
WE'LL DO THE INCS, THEY'LL LOOK AT THE RANDOM SAMPLE RESULTS, AND THEN THEY'LL SEE MAYBE THIS MISMATCH THAT YOU IDENTIFIED IN AFFORDABLE VERSUS WORKFORCE HOUSING.
THEN WE DO A TARGETED SURVEY TO THOSE 900 PANELISTS AND WE SAY, HERE'S WHAT WORKFORCE HOUSING IS, HERE'S WHAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO ASK YOU A BEVY OF EIGHT QUESTIONS.
ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY SIGNED UP.
ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE HAVE INPUT THEIR DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION.
THE SURVEY COULD BE FOUR QUESTIONS AND WE COULD WAIT IT.
>> PROBABLY GET A HIGHER RESPONSE RATE.
THAT'S THE POINT I WAS ASKING.
>> I DON'T KNOW IF THE RESPONSE RATE WOULD BE HIGHER BECAUSE IT'S AVAILABLE TO EVERYBODY.
BUT THE TOTAL NUMBER OF RESPONSES MIGHT BE HIGHER.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. AS I SAID, IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO MYSELF AND WE'D BE HAPPY TO DISCUSS THEM WITH YOU.
>> MOVING ON TO CITIZEN COMMENTS.
[CITIZEN COMMENTS]
THIS IS THE TIME FOR NON AGENDA ITEMS, LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES.ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK IS ASKED TO STATE HIS OR HER NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD PRIOR TO ADDRESSING TOWN COUNCIL.
WE'RE GOING TO START WITH CINDY LOATHE.
>> HI, HOW ARE YOU? MY NAME IS CINDY LOATHE, I'M A JUPITER FARMS RESIDENT.
I AM HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE MY ARREST ON 5/4/2023.
JUPITER POLICE DEPARTMENT DO NOT HAVE DASH CAMS FELT IN THEIR CARS.
ZERO DASH CAMS. OFFICERS CAN CLAIM ANYTHING WITHOUT ANY ACCOUNTABILITY.
VICTIMS OF POLICEMAN CONDUCT ARE LEFT WITH THE BURDEN OF PROOF.
I AM DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED IN THE INACTION OF THIS TOWN AND DEPARTMENT.
I CAN'T AND WILL NOT ACCEPT THIS INJUSTICE.
NO WOMAN SHOULD BE SUBJECTED TO AND FORCED TO PULL INTO AN UNSAFE DARK ROAD LEFT VULNERABLE AND TERRIFIED.
I ASK, WHAT DO YOU TELL YOUR FAMILY TO DO NOW THAT YOU'VE HEARD MY STORY? BECAUSE I TOLD THEM MY DAD WAS A POLICE OFFICER.
OFFICER, LOATHE STATED SHE DID NOT FEEL SAFE.
I ADVISED LOATHE SHE PASSED SEVERAL SAFE POINTS TO COME TO A STOP.
SHE ADVISED SHE DID NOT SEE ME WALKING TOWARD HER VEHICLE.
[00:55:04]
I FIND PROBABLE CAUSE TO ARREST CINDY LOATHE.SHE DID WILLFULLY FLEE AND ELUDE.
I'VE RAISED TWO TEACHERS AND I BREAK THE WORDS DOWN.
WILLFULLY IS TO COMMIT AN ACT REGARDLESS OF THE CONSEQUENCES.
IT'S LIKE A CHILD KNOWING THEY WILL GET INTO TROUBLE BUT CAN'T HELP THEMSELVES.
TO FLEE IS TO RUN AWAY, THE PERSON INITIATING IS A PERSON INITIATING THEIR HAZARD LIGHTS, ENGAGING DIRECTIONAL SIGNAL, STOPPING AT A YELLOW LIGHT.
THE LAST LEAVE AN INTERSECTION WHEN THE LIGHT TURNS GREEN, CONSISTENT WITH SOMEONE TRYING TO RUN AWAY.
TO ELUDE TO HIDE FROM STOPPING AT A CVS, THE FIRST INHABITED AREA AND THE FIRST AVAILABLE PARKING SPACE WITH HAZARD LIGHTS ON AND WINDOWS ROLLED DOWN REPRESENT ELUDING.
WAS AN OFFICER WALKING BEHIND? AROUND THE BACK OF HIS CAR BEHIND HIS BLARING LIGHTS HIDDEN IN THE DARK AND FURTHER FROM THE DRIVER'S VIEW SO HE CANNOT BE SEEN A MORE ACCURATE EXAMPLE OF ELUDE AS HE STATED ON HIS BODY CAM, THAT WAS THE POINT.
THIS WAS AT NINE O'CLOCK AT NIGHT, HEADING WEST FROM 95 ON INDIAN TOWN ROAD TO CVS TO JUPITER FARMS, ALL WITHIN A MILE.
THAT REPRESENTS 2 MINUTES AND 12 SECONDS.
THE TIME THAT YOUR OFFICER TURNED ON HIS LIGHTS TO THE POINT HE TOOK DEADLY COVER, POINTING A GUN AT ME.
I HAD A GLOCK POINTED AT MY FACE.
AT LEAST SEVEN GUNS POINTED AT ME SCREAMING DOGS, RIOT GEAR, AND I WAS DEPRIVED OF MY FREEDOM.
I COULD HAVE BEEN MURDERED THAT NIGHT.
THE MAJORITY OF THOSE OFFICERS RESPONDING TO THAT MAN CALL ASSISTED IN ASSAULT AND BATTERY OF ONE OF YOUR CITIZENS.
MY FATHER WAS A METRO DADE POLICE OFFICER.
HE PATROLLED LIBERTY CITY RIOTS IN THE '80S.
HE AND HIS PARTNER RESPONDED TO A CALL.
A WOMAN WAS TRAPPED IN A BURNING BUILDING.
MY DAD, BOB YORK, AND HIS PARTNER RAN INSIDE TO SAVE THAT WOMAN.
I'M SORRY, JUST PRIOR TO MY DAD'S PASSING IN MARCH OF 2022, THE STAFF HAD TO TIE HIM DOWN BECAUSE HE THOUGHT HE HAD TO GO RESCUE THAT WOMAN ONCE MORE.
I KNOW I'M GOING OVER MY TIME AND I DON'T HAVE ANY EXPECTATION THAT ANYBODY'S GOING TO MAKE THIS RIGHT.
BUT I AM TRYING TO LEARN HOW TO USE MY VOICE SO THAT I CAN BE HEARD AND I'M TAKING THIS FORUM TO LEARN HOW TO SPEAK PUBLICLY BECAUSE I PREVIOUSLY LIVED IN A BUBBLE, I LIKE PEACE.
BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. CAN I SAY ONE THING? MY DAUGHTER HAD A STROKE [INAUDIBLE].
>> HI. KAREN VINSON, 10036 STREET.
I'D LIKE TO HEAR WHAT THE TOWN PLAN ON DOING IN ORDER TO STAY AT OR BETTER THAN THE CURRENT RESPONSE TIMES OF PALM BEACH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE.
WITHOUT TAKING THE PARK SPACE, WITHOUT TAKING THE GREEN SPACE.
WHY ARE WE LOOKING AT PLACES TO BUILD FIRE STATIONS? BECAUSE THE TOWN HAS A SURPLUS OF MONEY IN THEIR EYES AND DOUBLE STANDARDS IN MIND.
THE BIGGEST REASON FOR THE COUNCIL WANTING THEIR OWN FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS BECAUSE OF INCREASED COST FROM PALM BEACH COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT.
PALM BEACH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE HAS ALWAYS ACTED PHYSICALLY RESPONSIBLE JUST AS JUPITER SAYS IT DOES.
EVERYTHING IS GOING UP IN THIS DAY AND AGE, AND I WOULD EXPECT THAT COST TO GO UP ALSO.
PALM BEACH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE KNOWS THE FIRE RESCUE NEEDS OF JUPITER BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE DUE TO 40 YEARS OF EXCELLENT SERVICE.
JUST AS MR. BAIRD AND HIS COMPANY HAVE GIVEN US 38 YEARS OF EXCELLENT SERVICE.
THREE YEARS PALM BEACH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE GAVE JUPITER A SPECIAL RATE BECAUSE IT WAS PALM BEACH COUNTY COMMISSIONERS THAT HAD A PROBLEM WITH IT AND DIRECTED FIRE RESCUE TO ADJUST THEIR PRICE.
CONTRACT I FEEL STILL WAS NEGOTIATED IN POOR FAITH.
THERE'S STILL TIME TO FIX THIS.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO BUILD, THEN PLEASE DO LOOK AT RIVIERA'S NEW STATION.
YOU HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE WHO ARE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THE TOWN AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN IT.
WHY NOT ASK FOR PRESENTATION FROM PALM BEACH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE WITH YOUR VERY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS AND ISSUES DEFINED? WHY NOT TRY TO COME TO COMMON GROUND FOR THE BETTER OF THE PEOPLE? I INVITE PALM BEACH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE SENIOR LEADERS TO SPEAK WITH THE TOWN COUNCIL AND TRY TO ADDRESS THE DIFFERENCES AND DO WHAT'S BEST FOR ALL THE PEOPLE.
[01:00:01]
HAVE AN OPEN DISCUSSION, HAVE A PRESENTATION LIKE YOU JUST HAD.I'VE HEARD IT MANY TIMES THAT YOU HAD THIS PRIOR, YOU DID NOT HAVE IT ON THE LEVEL THAT YOU HAVE MEETINGS NOW.
THERE HAS BEEN A CHANGE, THERE IS MORE DISCUSSION AT THE END OF EVERY MEETING.
THERE IS MORE DISCUSSION THAN THERE'S EVER BEEN THAT I'VE EVER SEEN ON ANY OF THESE TAPES AND I APPRECIATE THAT AND THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR.
I WANT TO CHANGE THE WAY YOU DO STUFF.
THE REST I'LL TALK ABOUT ON THE NEXT ONE.
>> GOOD EVENING. MAYOR, COUNSEL, KRISTEN HENRY 109, MAJORCA WAY.
THE MEANING OF THE WORD SAME MEANS IDENTICAL, NOT DIFFERENT.
SINCE WE CONTINUE TO HEAR THAT JUPITER FIRE DEPARTMENT WILL PROVIDE THE SAME, IF NOT BETTER, LEVEL OF SERVICE AS PALM BEACH COUNTY, AS A RESIDENT, I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT ARE THE BENCHMARKS USED WHEN COMPARING THE LEVEL OF SERVICE? WILL JUPITER FIRE DEPARTMENT HAVE WHOLE BLOOD, PORTABLE ULTRASOUND, BRUSH TRUCKS, JET SKIS, OR ANY SPECIAL OPS, A CLASS ONE RATING AMONG OTHERS? IF THE ANSWER IS NO TO ANY OF THOSE, THEN A LEVEL OF SERVICE WILL BE PROVIDED.
BUT AS YOU SEE, IT CANNOT BE THE SAME.
WHEN YOU PROMISE THE SAME OR BETTER LEVEL OF SERVICE, DID YOU MEAN RIGHT AWAY IN A MONTH, IN A YEAR AND A CENTURY? WHICH IS THE LENGTH OF TIME MANY MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING TOWN UPON BEACH HAVE BEEN OPERATING? IF THE PLAN IS TO ADD ANY OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED IN THE FUTURE, HAS THERE BEEN ANY TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT DOES TO INCREASE THE BUDGET FOR RESIDENT TRANSPARENCY? IF I MAY ADDRESS CHIEF DONATTO, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW POSITION.
IF THE PENDING LAWSUIT DOES NOT UPHOLD THE DEPARTMENT CREATION, RESPECTFULLY, YOU HAVE A LARGE ROAD AHEAD.
I APPRECIATE THAT YOU HAVE MANY ACCOLADES, EXPERIENCE, AND SEEM TO BE WELL CONNECTED.
UNFORTUNATELY, YOU'RE NOW IN THE HOT SEAT.
AS I'M SURE YOU'RE AWARE, THE RECENT LEAGUE OF CITIES MEETINGS AND WHITE PAPER FINDINGS BY THE FLORIDA FIRE CHIEF ASSOCIATION HIGHLIGHTED THE GROWING ISSUES ON RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, ESPECIALLY IN SMALLER DEPARTMENTS ACROSS FLORIDA.
THINGS LIKE PAY, BENEFITS, KELLY DAYS, AND LACK OF ROOM TO MOVE UP OR ADVANCE IN SKILLS WERE AMONG SEVERAL REASONS.
IT'S VERY BUSY IN EMS. WHAT IS YOUR PLAN TO RETAIN LOCAL PERSONNEL WHERE THE MEDIAN HOME IN JUPITER AND ITS SURROUNDING AREAS ACCORDING TO REALTER.COM IS $849,000.
AFFORDABILITY IS A BIG AREA JUST POINTED OUT IN THE SURVEY PRESENTATION.
JUPITER IS A CITY OF OVER 61,000 RESIDENTS, WHICH INCREASES IMMENSELY WITH TOURISM AND SEASON.
WE HAVE MAJOR ROAD ARTERIES AND MAJOR DESTINATIONS THAT LOCAL AND OUT OF TOWNERS COME HERE TO VISIT.
IT WAS LAST REPORTED THAT OVER 8,320 CALLS IN OVER 23 MILES WERE RESPONDED TO HERE IN 2022.
AGAIN, RESPECTFULLY, COMING FROM THE TOWN OF PALM BEACH WITH JUST OVER 9,000 RESIDENTS, WHICH CUTS DOWN A LOT OFF SEASON ISN'T A THROUGH WAY OR A VISITED DESTINATION FOR LOCALS AND OTHERS VISITING.
CAN YOU TELL US HOW YOU PLAN TO MANAGE THE SAME THREE STATION DEPARTMENT ON A MUCH LARGER SCALE SINCE THE TOWN OF PALM BEACH HAS THREE STATIONS RESPONDING TO A REPORTED 2,600 CALLS AND JUST UNDER 8,000 MILES? LASTLY, BACK TO THE COUNSEL, IT SEEMS THAT IN THE SURVEY RESULTS, RESIDENTS ARE CONCERNED WITH IMPACTS ON INCREASED BUILDING, LACK OF GREEN SPACE, AND ENVIRONMENTAL SENSITIVITY.
ALL AREAS CREATING A DUPLICATE FIRE DEPARTMENT WILL FURTHER INFRINGE UPON THAT YOUR RESIDENTS ARE NOT HAPPY WITH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
[4. February 6, 2024 Town Council Meeting Minutes.]
COUNSEL, WE HAVE BEFORE US THE MINUTES OF THE FEBRUARY 6TH COUNTY COUNSEL MEETING.
IF THERE'S NO REQUESTED CHANGES, CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES?
>> MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
>> MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
THIS IS ITEMS 5 THROUGH 8 ON THE AGENDA.IS THERE ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC THAT WANTED TO PULL THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEM?
>> YES. WE HAVE ONE MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC.
>> OKAY. ANYBODY ON THE DAIS WISH TO CONSENT AGENDA ITEM?
>> OKAY. CAN I HAVE A MOTION ON AMENDED CONSENT AGENDA APPROVING RESOLUTION 29-4 AND RESOLUTION 31-24?
[01:05:01]
>> MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE AGENDA ITEM 6 AN 8.
ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
>> MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
MOVING BACK TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 5,
[5. Ordinance 9-24, First Reading, Approval of Amendment of Town Code Section 2-109 Pertaining to the Town's Purchasing Procedures.]
ORDINANCE 924 OF FIRST READING PULLED BY A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC.WOULD THAT MEMBER COME FORTH TO STATE YOUR COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS?
>> KAREN VINSON,1003 SIOUX STREET ON CONSENT AGENDA NUMBER 5.
ACCORDING TO THE LANGUAGE IN THIS DOCUMENT, ACCORDING TO JUPITER, IT STATES, STRATEGIC PRIORITY OF THIS PARTICULAR ORDINANCE.
CHANGE IS TO BE PHYSICALLY RESPONSIBLE.
JUPITER'S IDEA OF STRATEGIC PRIORITY IS PHYSICAL RESPONSIBILITY.
I'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE.
THEN IT TALKS ABOUT THE REQUIREMENT FOR AT LEAST THREE QUOTES TO BE OBTAINED BEFORE ANY PURCHASE OF $10,000-25,000 IS MADE AND YOU WANT TO STOP THE QUOTE REQUIREMENTS ON ANY PURCHASES FOR 2,500-10,000.
WELL, I SEE THE REASON BEHIND THIS AND I DO NOT SEE A PROBLEM WITH THIS.
I DO SEE A DOUBLE STANDARD, AGAIN, WITH THE TOWN.
WHY IS THIS NOT DONE FOR LARGER PURCHASES? I SEE THIS PROCESS AND I LOVE WHAT THE TOWN IS TRYING TO DO, TO BE PHYSICALLY RESPONSIBLE AND AT THE SAME TIME USE SOME COMMON SENSE.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, WHY DOES THE TOWN NOT FOLLOW THOSE SAME POLICIES AND PROCEDURES WITH PURCHASES LIKE FIRE TRUCKS, BIDS FOR CONTRACTORS AND VENDORS FOR THE NEW JUPITER FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT THEY WANT.
THE TOWN MANAGER STATED LAST MEETING, I BELIEVE, THAT THAT HIS SUGGESTION TO GRANT APPROVAL FOR THE WORK ORDER FOR THE WGI GROUP, FOR THE PRELIMINARY DESIGN, SERVICES FOR THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION CRITERIA PACKAGE FOR THE FIRE STATION OF THE PARK PI PLACE AND THE PARK PI PLACE.
THIS WAS THE RECOMMENDATION WITHOUT REQUIRING ANY COMPETING BIDS BECAUSE WE HAVE USED THEM IN THE PAST AND HAD A GOOD RELATIONSHIP.
WE USED PALM BEACH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE WITH A GOOD RELATIONSHIP ALSO FOR 40 YEARS.
THE SAME WAS DONE WITH THE CONSULTING FIRM THAT MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN AN ACQUAINTANCE OF THE TOWN MANAGER.
REALLY DOESN'T MATTER BECAUSE NO ONE OBTAINED ANY OTHER BIDS FOR THE JOB THAT NO ONE KNEW WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.
THE FIRE TRUCK THROUGH A COMPANY, THEY DID NOT HAVE TO SUBMIT A BID BECAUSE THE STATE THINK IT'S SOME STATE VETTING PROCESS THAT YOU USE IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY.
THIS IS WHY I KEEP SAYING THAT THERE ARE DOUBLE STANDARDS AND THERE'S NO TRANSPARENCY.
I'M ONLY GOING OFF MEMORY AND I AM JUST A LAYPERSON TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS.
BUT I WOULD THINK THAT THERE WOULD BE MORE BIDS SUBMITTED THE BIGGER THE PROJECT, AND I SEE LESS AND LESS EVIDENCE OF THIS.
THIS IS WHY I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS AND THE WHOLE JUPITER FIRE DEPARTMENT DECISION TO GO TO THE VOTERS IN THE COMMUNITY.
I STILL DON'T THINK IT'S BEING PHYSICALLY RESPONSIBLE AND I DO NOT THINK THIS IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE RESIDENTS OF THE TOWN OF JUPITER UNLESS IT'S UNDER A VOTE. LET US VOTE.
>> MR. REYNOLDS, I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT, BUT I ALSO WANTED TO ASK SPECIFICALLY, COULD YOU EXPLAIN TO US AND TO THE PUBLIC TWO ITEMS THAT I THINK WERE BROUGHT UP.
ONE IS PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ON HOW WE'RE BOUND BY, AND I MIGHT EVEN HAVE A DIFFERENT OPINION, BUT WE'RE BOUND BY STATE REQUIREMENTS ON HOW TO ACQUIRE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.
I THINK THAT'S ONE ITEM I HEARD.
>> THEN THE OTHER ITEM, IF YOU'LL ADDRESS, HAS TO DO WITH WHEN WE LEVERAGE EFFECTIVELY COMPETITIVE PRICING FROM OTHER CONTRACTS AS AN EFFICIENCY GAIN.
BUT COULD YOU ADDRESS BOTH THOSE AND ANYTHING ELSE YOU THOUGHT?
THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT IS A PROVISION OF STATE STATUTES THAT'S ALLOWED THROUGH WHAT'S CALLED THE CCNA PROCESS.
THOSE CONTRACTS ARE VETTED AND ALLOWS THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, SUCH AS THOMAS OR AMANDA, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE ON CALL CONSULTANTS THAT CAN BE USED AS NEEDED FOR PROFESSIONAL STUDIES TO DO ENGINEERING WORK.
NOW, TALKING ABOUT THE SPECIFIC PI PLACE PROJECT, THAT PROJECT NOW HAS TO GO TO BID.
ONCE THAT PORTION OF THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ARE COMPLETE, AND I BELIEVE MR. HERNANDEZ SPOKE ABOUT THAT WHEN HE HAD YOU ALL APPROVE THAT CONTRACT,
[01:10:03]
HE WILL HAVE TO COME BACK TO YOU NOW FOR THE BID PROCESS TO ACTUALLY START THE CONSTRUCTION.THAT WILL BE A TOTALLY DIFFERENT PROCESS THAT WILL HAVE TO ACTUALLY GO OUT FOR BIDS.
BUT THE PROFESSIONAL PORTION OF THAT, WHICH IS THE ENGINEERING, WE'RE ALLOWED TO GO UNDER THE CCNA STATUTE TO HAVE THESE CONTRACTORS AVAILABLE TO US AS NEEDED AND APPROVED BY THE COUNSEL.
THE OTHER PORTION IS THE PIGGYBACK PROVISION. THAT IS ALLOWED.
THAT'S ACTUALLY MENTIONED IN OUR PURCHASING POLICY AND WE DO IT EVERY YEAR.
ALL MUNICIPALS AND COUNTY GOVERNMENTS ARE ALLOWED TO PIGGYBACK OTHER CONTRACTS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
THEY DO HAVE TO BE BID OUT, THEY DO HAVE TO BE DONE IN THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS AND BID.
THE STATE CONTRACT THAT WE USE FOR THE FIRE APPARATUS AND THAT THE POLICE CHIEF USES FOR THE POLICE VEHICLES, THOSE ARE BID THROUGH THE SHERIFF'S COOPERATIVE CONTRACT PROCESS.
THEY ARE VETTED AND THEY USUALLY ARE THE BEST PRICE.
THAT'S WHY IT'S BEING USED ALL OVER THE STATE WHEN THEY DO THOSE PIGGYBACKS EVERY YEAR.
BUT IT DOES SAVE A LOT OF TIME.
AGAIN, USUALLY THAT IS THE MOST COMPETITIVE PRICE THAT YOU'LL FIND ON A VEHICLE.
THAT'S WHY WE UTILIZE IT. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. WITH THAT, IS THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE DIAS?
>> YES. AGAIN FOR YOU MR. REYNOLDS, I THINK MISS VINCENT BROUGHT UP SOME REALLY GOOD POINTS.
THE TWO THAT SHE BROUGHT UP SPECIFICALLY HAD TO DO WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CONTRACTS THAT WERE DONE WITHOUT BIDDING.
CAN YOU DISCUSS THOSE SPECIFICS? THE TWO, YOU MENTIONED A STATE STATUTE THAT ALLOWS JUST PROFESSIONAL CONTRACTS TO GO THROUGH THAT PATH.
>> THE CCNA CONTRACT THAT WE'RE SPEAKING OF ABOUT SPECIFICALLY ABOUT FIRE PLACE, THOSE ARE PRE SELECTED ENGINEERING FIRMS THAT THOMAS AND AMANDA WILL HAVE A LIST OF THOSE PRE-DETERMINED CONSULTANTS THAT THEY CAN CALL UPON.
THOSE ARE APPROVED BY THE TOWN COUNCIL PRIOR.
THE ONE THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO IN RELATION TO MR. POZO, THOSE PROVISION WERE REQUESTED TO BE WAIVED BY THE COUNCIL IN RELATION TO SAVING OF TIME AND ENERGY AND ULTIMATELY MONEY BECAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE TO RECREATE A LOT OF THE DATA POINTS THAT WAS NEEDED IN THE INITIAL STUDY TO BE ABLE TO GO FORWARD AND IMPLEMENT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
>> IS THERE A LIMIT FOR WHAT TYPE OF PROJECT PRICES THEY COULD IMPLEMENT THAT TYPE OF PROCESS?
>> A $10 MILLION NO BID PROJECT IS THEORETICALLY POSSIBLE?
>> WELL, IT'S NOT A PROJECT, IT'S PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.
THERE'S A DIFFERENCE. IF IT'S A PROJECT, THERE ARE LIMITS TO THE DOLLAR VALUE.
>> SPECIFICALLY AND EXCLUSIVELY PROFESSIONAL SERVICES?
>> AGAIN, THAT'S COMMON AMONG OTHER MUNICIPALITIES?
>> IT IS. DO WE LIKE TO DO IT? IN FACT, THE DAY THAT WE BROUGHT THAT CONTRACT BACK, I VOCALIZED TO THE COUNCIL.
NORMALLY, THIS WOULD NOT BE THE PROCESS, WE WOULD NOT DO THIS.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE RECEIVING THE MOST COMPETITIVE PRICE ON ANYTHING THAT WE DO.
BUT LOOKING AT THE SCOPE OF SERVICES, BASICALLY IF WE WERE TO HIRE ANYONE ELSE, THEY WOULD HAVE TO RECREATE A LOT OF THE DATA THAT WAS ALREADY PROVIDED BY THAT SAME VENDOR.
WE KNEW GOING IN, IT WOULD HAVE COST MORE MONEY FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT CONTRACT.
>> THAT MAKES SENSE. HOW OFTEN DO WE DO THIS?
>> VERY MINIMAL. THIS IS PROBABLY THE SECOND TIME IN MY HISTORY HERE THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD TO DO IT.
>> WITH THAT, ON ORDINANCE 9-24 FIRST READING, I'D ASK FOR A MOTION AND A SECOND.
>> MOTION AND A SECOND. I'D ASK MR. BAIRD TO READ ORDINANCE 9-24 ON SHORT TITLE.
>> ORDINANCE 9-24, AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF JUPITER, FLORIDA AMENDING SUBPART A OF CHAPTER 2, ARTICLE III, DIVISION 2, SECTION 2-109 OF THE TOWN CODE PERTAINING TO THE TOWN'S PURCHASING PROCEDURES, PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY, PROVIDING FOR THE REPEAL OF LAWS IN CONFLICT, PROVIDING FOR CODIFICATION AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
>> I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
>> MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
[7. Resolution 30-24, Authorization of Work Order No. 48 of Contract EPW2016-12D with Wantman Group, Inc.]
RESOLUTION 30-24 BY COUNCILOR SUNDSTROM.WHAT'S YOUR PLEASURE? YOU WANT A PRESENTATION OR DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS?
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. THOMAS COULD COME UP.
[01:15:04]
THOMAS, THE SCOPE OF THIS WORK ORDER IS FOR PLAYGROUNDS AT JUPITER COMMUNITY PARK AND F.I.N.D PARK, JUST THE DESIGN OF THEM.THE DEMOLITION OF THE OLD ONES.
WE'VE GOT A CONTRACT IN PLACE WITH MILLER LEGG DOING A MASTER PLAN FOR RECREATION.
THE COUNCIL HAS COMMITTED A LOT OF FUNDS, HAS MADE A LARGE INVESTMENT IN RECREATION AND PLAYGROUND SPECIFICALLY, WHICH THIS IS A REPRESENTATION OF.
BUT IN TERMS OF GETTING PUBLIC INPUT INTO THOSE PLAYGROUNDS OR INTO THOSE RECREATIONAL FACILITIES, THESE ARE TIERED.
IT'S ONCE EVERY 20 YEARS THAT WE DO THIS AT THE END OF ITS USEFUL LIFE.
HOW CAN WE ENSURE PUBLIC INPUT? IS THERE A WAY TO TIE WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THIS CONTRACT IN WITH THE MILLER LEGG CONSULTING TO ALLOW FOR PUBLIC INPUT ON THESE PLAYGROUNDS SPECIFICALLY AND IN FUTURE RECREATIONAL ITEMS DOWN THE LINE?
>> FOR THE RECORD, THOMAS HERNANDEZ, DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING AND PUBLIC WORKS.
CURRENTLY, AS YOU MENTIONED, THIS IS THE DESIGN WORK ORDER FOR F.I.N.D AS WELL AS JUPITER COMMUNITY PARK.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON A COUPLE OF OTHERS THAT WE HAVE ALREADY AUTHORIZED THROUGH A SIMILAR WORK ORDER.
AT THIS POINT WE'RE IN THE EARLY STAGES, WE STILL HAVE TIME TO GO THROUGH THE KICKOFF PROCESS.
HOWEVER, IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT THIS CAN'T BE AND IT WOULD LIKELY BE SET UP WHERE IT WOULD BE CONCURRENT WITH THE OVERALL MILLER LEGG STUDY AND THE OVERALL PARKS MASTER PLAN STUDY.
KRISTIN HAS LIKELY SOME BETTER INPUT ON THE ACTUAL TIMELINE FOR THAT.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND DEFER TO HER FOR THAT PORTION.
>> THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL.
FOR THE RECORD, KRISTIN GEORGE, DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION FOR THE TOWN.
I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT WE DO HAVE AN ALIGNMENT PROCESS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON TO MAKE SURE THAT MILLER LEGG AS OUR CONSULTANT FOR THE FACILITY'S MASTER PLAN, THEY'RE VERY WELL AWARE OF THE PLAYGROUNDS, CIP, AS WELL AS ANY OTHER CIPS THAT ARE RELATED TO PARKS AND RECREATION AND THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE PROJECTS.
ONE OF THE KEY THINGS THAT WE'LL BE GATHERING DURING OUR PUBLIC INPUT SESSIONS, WHICH AT THIS POINT WE ARE SCHEDULED TO HAVE STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS, WHICH WILL INCLUDE ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEWS WITH EACH OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS DURING THE WEEK OF MARCH 12 THROUGH THE 14TH IS WHAT WE'RE TARGETING.
AND WE DO HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY WITH THAT AS WELL.
THOSE WILL BE SOME IN-PERSON OR ZOOM MEETINGS WITH THE CONSULTANT FOR THE KEY STAKEHOLDERS LIKE OUR YOUTH SPORTS ORGANIZATIONS.
THEN A PUBLIC MEETING TO FOLLOW THAT WOULD TAKE PLACE EITHER ON THURSDAY, MARCH 14, OR ON MONDAY, APRIL 1, WHERE THERE'S A FEW MOVING PARTS THAT ARE INVOLVED WITH THAT.
AS FAR AS GETTING THE CONSULTANTS, THERE ARE SEVERAL OF THEIR TEAM THAT ARE OUT OF STATE.
THEY HAVE TO OBVIOUSLY MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE AVAILABLE TO ATTEND.
SPACE. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE'VE GOT ENOUGH SPACE FOR THOSE MEETINGS TO TAKE PLACE, BUT THE PROGRESS SHOULD MOVE ALONG CONCURRENTLY FOR THE PLAYGROUND SO THAT THE PUBLIC WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE AS MUCH INPUT AS POSSIBLE ON THOSE DESIGNS.
>> AS A FOLLOW UP, FOR THOSE WHO MAY NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE THE MEETING, WILL THERE BE AN ONLINE OPTION OR SURVEY MADE AVAILABLE FOR THOSE THAT CAN'T ATTEND?
>> YES. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR COMMUNITY RELATIONS TEAM AND POTENTIALLY POLCO.
WE ARE GOING TO BE HAVING A CITIZEN SURVEY THAT WILL GO OUT SPECIFIC TO PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITIES.
HOW DO YOU FEEL THEY LOOK NOW? WHAT IMPROVEMENTS WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE? WHAT CHANGES? THAT WILL BE OPEN FOR THE PUBLIC FOR A PERIOD OF TIME BEGINNING LIKELY JUST TO ALIGN WITH THE PUBLIC MEETING AS WELL.
>> KRISTIN, WILL THE PUBLIC MEETING BE AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER LIKE WE USUALLY DO WITH THESE THINGS?
>> THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HOPING. WE HAVE THE TWO DATES IDENTIFIED AND WE ARE JUST TRYING TO DECIDE WHICH DATE WILL WORK BEST.
WE DO HAVE SOME LIMITATIONS ON SPACE DUE TO EARLY VOTING THAT'S SCHEDULED TO START TAKING PLACE HERE WITHIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
WE JUST HAVE TO SEE WHICH DATE WORKS BETTER, BUT YES, WE ARE PLANNING FOR THE COMMUNITY CENTER.
>> HOW ARE YOU ADVERTISING TO THE CITIZENS?
>> WE ARE WORKING WITH COMMUNITY RELATIONS.
WE'RE SCHEDULING LIKE A MEDIA BLITZ, SO TO SPEAK, SO THAT WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE INCLUDING INFORMATION THAT'S ALREADY UP ON THE TOWN'S WEBSITE ABOUT THE MASTER PLAN, THE PROCESS, AND ALSO THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE PUSHING INFORMATION OUTWARDS.
ALSO, WE'RE INTENDING TO PUT SOME SIGNS WITHIN OUR PARKS THAT ARE FREQUENTED BY A LOT OF OUR USERS THAT HAVE THE VALUABLE INPUT THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, AS WELL AS ANY OTHER INFORMATION SOURCES THAT THE CONSULTANT CAN PROVIDE US AS AVENUES THAT HAVE WORKED FOR THEM WITH PREVIOUS MASTER PLAN STUDIES.
>> YOU'RE WELCOME. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
>> OKAY. CAN I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON RESOLUTION 30-24?
>> MOTION AND A SECOND, ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
>> MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
[01:20:01]
MOVING ON TO REGULAR AGENDA ORDINANCE 4-24 ON FIRST READING,[9. Ordinance 4-24, First Reading, Town-Initiated Zoning Text Amendment to Section 27-264 for Application for Rehearing.]
IS TURNED OVER STAFF FOR PRESENTATION.FOR THE RECORD, THATCHER HART, PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT.
THIS IS A TOWN INITIATED APPLICATION TO AMEND SECTION 27-264, ENTITLED APPLICATIONS FOR REHEARING.
THE SECTION OUTLINES THE PROCEDURES FOR THE APPLICATION WITHDRAWAL AND RULES THAT RESTRICT THE RESUBMITTAL OF ANY APPLICATION THAT HAS BEEN DENIED IN THE PAST 24 MONTHS BY THIS BODY.
STAFF HAS PROVIDED YOU IN YOUR PACKETS WITH RESEARCH REGARDING SIMILAR PROCEDURES THAT ARE FOLLOWED AROUND THE REGION.
THE LANGUAGE PROVIDED TO YOU WITHIN THE ORDINANCE IN THE PACKETS HAS BEEN UPDATED SINCE BEFORE GOING TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION TO REFLECT AND PROVIDE DIFFERENT TYPES OF THRESHOLDS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IN LINE WITH TYPICAL TOPICS OF CONCERN THAT COME UP DURING THE HEARING PROCESS.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO RECEIVE AN UPDATED APPROVAL FROM THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION, STAFF CAN PROVIDE AND SCHEDULE THE APPLICATION RETURNED TO THE COMMISSION.
BUT I'D BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE FOR ME RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU.
>> JUST REAL QUICK. DOES THIS CHANGE THE ABILITY FOR AN APPLICANT TO WITHDRAW THEIR APPLICATION AT THE TIME LIKE THE DAY OF THE MEETING OR IN THE PAST WE'VE HAD WHERE AN APPLICANT DIDN'T FEEL LIKE THE VOTE WAS GOING TO GO THEIR WAY SO THAT THEY WERE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO WITHDRAW THEIR APPLICATION FROM THAT MEETING.
DOES THIS TAKE AWAY THEIR ABILITY TO DO THAT?
>> I BELIEVE THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO STILL DO THAT IF IT FALLS WITHIN THE JUDICIAL PROCESS.
>> I HAVE A QUESTION. YOU'VE SAID THIS IS SIMILAR TO OTHER MUNICIPALITIES WITHIN PALM BEACH COUNTY?
>> WE PROVIDED THE RESEARCH THAT WE INCLUDED IN THE PACKET THAT SHOWS OTHER.
>> OVER THE YEARS WE HAD SOME LANGUAGE THAT WASN'T CLEARLY DEFINED ABOUT WITHDRAWING AND RESUBMITTING BEFORE THE 24 MONTHS.
BUT THE FIVE CRITERIA TO JUST IMPOSE, ONE OF THEM, I DON'T THINK IT HAS ENOUGH TEETH.
I THINK WE SHOULD IMPOSE AT LEAST TWO BECAUSE I STILL DON'T WANT TO SEE STAFF OVERWHELMED WITH APPLICATIONS COMING BACK A MONTH OR TWO LATER, AND I WANT APPLICANTS.
WE WERE ALWAYS VERY SERIOUS ABOUT HERE, ABOUT OUR DEVELOPMENT.
NOT TO SAY PEOPLE PLAY GAMES, BUT I JUST WANT THEM COMING IN WITH SOMETHING THAT'S SERIOUS.
DON'T ASK FOR THE WORLD, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO BEAT THEM UP ON THE COUNSEL AND HORSE TRADE AND ALL THAT.
I WANT PROPER APPLICATIONS COMING UP.
IF THEY CAN'T DO THAT TO BRING A SIMILAR APPLICATION BACK ON THE SAME PROPERTY, IT'S GOING TO BE DRASTICALLY DIFFERENT.
I DON'T THINK THIS HAS ENOUGH TEETH FOR MYSELF TO BE COMFORTABLE WITH VOTING FOR IT.
I WOULD ASK THAT WE IMPOSE EITHER 1 OR 2 AND 3.
SO 1 AND 3 OR 2 AND 3, AND I'D BE MORE COMFORTABLE WITH VOTING FOR THIS.
>> YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SECTION UNDER B.
>> YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE REQUIREMENTS UNDER B.
>> SO YOU WANT TO DO SPECIFICALLY ONE.
>> WELL, IT SAYS YOU HAVE TO APPLY, MEET ONE OR MORE OF THE FIVE REQUIREMENTS.
I THINK WE SHOULD DO AT LEAST TWO.
>> WELL, YEAH. TWO OR MORE. 1 THROUGH 3.
SO 1 OR 3 OR 2 OR 3 MINIMUM, AND THEN THEY WANT TO DO MORE, WHICH I DOUBT IT.
BUT I WANT THIS TO HAVE SOME TEETH.
>> JUST A COMMENT. THEN CERTAINLY IT'S WHATEVER THE MAJORITY DECIDES, I JUST WANT TO COMMENT A COUPLE OF THINGS IN TOUCHING ON THAT.
NUMBER 1, I APPRECIATE THE ATTACHMENT FOR WHAT OTHER MUNICIPALITIES HAVE DONE. THAT'S VERY HELPFUL.
JUST FOR THE RECORD, I WANT TO SAY THAT BECAUSE I THINK WHAT WAS PRESENTED TO US WAS I THINK, MORE STRINGENT THAN THESE OTHERS HAD FROM WHAT I LOOKED AT.
BUT THEN I WOULD JUST WANT TO DEFEND THE POSITION THAT WE'RE DOING BECAUSE FOR EXAMPLE, THE GARDENS HAD SIMILAR APPLICATIONS, WOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR SIX MONTHS.
[01:25:01]
I THINK WE'RE HEARING FROM THE PUBLIC.THAT THERE SHOULD BE A TIME DELAY.
I JUST WANTED TO DISTINGUISH THAT THERE'S A CONSCIOUS DECISION MADE BY STAFF, EVEN IN PRESENTING IT FOR US TO BE DISTINGUISHED, BUT YET, IT WAS HELPFUL TO SEE.
BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THE RANGES OF CHANGE WERE STEPPED UP IN HERE, WHICH I APPRECIATE.
IN OTHER WORDS, A DECREASE IN INTENSITY OF 25% DECREASE IN DENSITY OF 40%.
THOSE ARE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES.
OTHERWISE YOU DO HAVE TO WAIT.
I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT.
NOW I'M OPEN IF THE MAJORITY, AND THIS IS FIRST READING, SO WE COULD ALSO PONDER ABOUT THAT.
BUT IT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE COUNCIL, WHETHER YOU REALLY WANT TO GO AHEAD AND WITH AS YOU WERE SUGGESTING OR WE THINK ABOUT IT, WHETHER IT SHOULD BE TWO OR MORE OR SPECIFIC ONES OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
BUT TO SOME DEGREE, FOR EXAMPLE, A DECREASE IN DENSITY OF 40% IS LIKELY TO RESULT IN A REDUCTION IN TRAFFIC.
SOME OF THESE THINGS YOU'D ALMOST EXPECT, YOU'RE GOING TO GET MULTIPLE.
IF THERE'S A WAY, THEY COULD JUST EKE BY BY JUST DOING ONE AND I'D BE CONCERNED.
AGAIN, IT WAS YOUR SUGGESTION.
>> IT JUST APPEARS TO ME SINCE THE RECENT, THE SEA GLASS SITUATION, WHERE THEY CAME BACK AND IT COULD APPROVE, IT WAS CHANGED DRASTICALLY.
I DON'T WANT THAT TO CONTINUE BECAUSE SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, YOU ASKED ABOUT WITHDRAWING THE DAY OF A VOTE. I'M ALL FOR THAT.
IF THEY DON'T THINK THEY HAVE IT, THEY CAN WITHDRAW AND TWEAK IT.
BUT I DON'T WANT JUST WISHY WASHY APPLICATIONS COMING IN OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
IT'S JUST, IT TIES EVERYBODY UP.
>> IT'S NOT FAIR TO THEM, IT'S NOT FAIR TO US AND STAFF.
>> YEAH. I AGREE CHANGING IT TO MAKE IT AT LEAST TWO OF THOSE FIVE.
THEN ALSO I KNOW THAT IT WAS STATED IN THE REPORT FROM STAFF.
SHOULD THE TOWN COUNSEL WANT TO RECEIVE AN UPDATED RECOMMENDATION FROM PNC COMMISSION, STAFF CAN SCHEDULE THAT ITEM FOR THE RECONSIDERATION.
WHATEVER WE DECIDE HERE, I DO THINK I'D LIKE TO AT LEAST GET INPUT FROM THEM BECAUSE I KNOW THAT IT WAS A 43 VOTE FROM THEM FOR THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE, AND THE REASON WAS BECAUSE THEY WERE FAVORING A 12 MONTH RESTRICTION INSTEAD OF A 24.
I'D LIKE TO AT LEAST GET INPUT FROM THEM ONCE WE FIGURE OUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMISSIONERS AGREE WITH THAT AS WELL.
>> I THINK THE INTENT WAS TO CLARIFY AND PROVIDE CRITERIA.
WE LEARNED FROM STAFF THAT OVER THE COURSE OF SOMETHING LIKE 10,11 YEARS, AS LONG AS THE STAFF MEMBER AT THE TIME IN OCTOBER WHEN HE WAS PRESENTING TO US WAS HERE, THIS HAS ONLY COME ACROSS ONE TIME.
IT DOES NOT COME ACROSS VERY OFTEN, AND WE WANT TO BE CAREFUL IN HOW MUCH CHANGE WE INTRODUCED TO OUR CODE OVER A SINGLE INSTANCE IN 11 YEARS.
IN THAT WAY, I WAS VERY HESITANT, AND ACTUALLY I THINK I DISAGREE WITH THE EIGHT DAYS BECAUSE THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT DEPARTURE.
WE HAVE A PRACTICE OF ALLOWING IT CLOSER TO THE DAY.
A LOT CAN HAPPEN IN EIGHT DAYS.
I KNOW THAT BOYNTON BEACH IS ONE EXAMPLE, BUT IN CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHERS.
SOME ALLOW UP UNTIL THE FINAL ACTION.
YOU COULD ALLOW UNTIL THE DAY OR THE MOTION, WHATEVER IT IS.
I THINK WE SHOULDN'T HAVE SUCH A MAJOR DEPARTURE IN THAT REGARD BECAUSE THE INTENT WAS TO PROVIDE CRITERIA.
WHAT MAKES A MATERIALLY DIFFERENT APPLICATION? THEN MY QUESTION ON SECTION B WAS, UNDER THESE CRITERIA LISTED, COULD BUSH ROAD COME BACK? COULD THAT ITEM THAT WE HAD COME BACK UNDER THESE CRITERIA? AND THE ANSWER IS YES, IT COULD HAVE.
I HAD A QUESTION WITH THE BUILDING HEIGHT BY ONE OR MORE STORIES BECAUSE DEPENDING ON HOW LARGE THE PROJECT IS TAKING OFF, ONE STORY MAY NOT MAKE SUCH A BIG DIFFERENCE DEPENDING ON THE DESIGN OR WHATNOT OF INTENSITY OR DENSITY.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT AND THERE ARE A LOT OF OPTIONS TO MANEUVER WITH IT.
I HAD THOUGHT ELIMINATE NUMBER 4.
I LIKE THE IDEA OF TWO OR MORE.
I HADN'T THOUGHT OF THAT. IT'S A GOOD ITEM.
I WOULD LIKE TO ELIMINATE THE EIGHT DAYS AND KEEP THE PRACTICE THAT WE HAVE, BUT CREATE THOSE CRITERIA BECAUSE THAT ELIMINATES THE BURDEN ON STAFF.
THEY UNDERSTAND THE DIRECTION OF COUNSEL.
[01:30:01]
IT DOES MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT BUT PROVIDES FLEXIBILITY WITHIN THE SYSTEM.THAT'S WHERE I'M AT RIGHT NOW.
>> I THINK THAT ONE THING I WANT TO ADD BECAUSE I HEARD STAFF SAY THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO WITHDRAW IT PER QUASI JUDICIAL.
I DON'T KNOW SPECIFICALLY WHAT THAT IS, BUT IN THAT LAST HEARING, WHEN I GAVE THEM THE RIGHT TO WITHDRAW IT, IT HAD BEEN COUNSEL POLICY TO ALWAYS DO THAT.
WHO'S EVER SITTING IN THE SEAT THAT OTHER THAN COUNSEL POLICY CHANGING, THAT WAS ALWAYS OUR PRACTICE.
I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND, BUT I'D ASKED MR. BAIRD, I THINK YOU MAY WANT TO COMMENT ABOUT QUASI JUDICIAL, WHAT RIGHT DO THEY HAVE IN.
>> WELL, AS COUNSEL KNOWS, THE QUASI JUDICIAL PROCESS WINDS UP WITH COUNSEL DELIBERATION AND AT THAT POINT THERE'S NO MORE PARTICIPATION FROM THE PARTIES.
THAT BEING THE STAFF AND THE APPLICANT.
IF THE COUNSEL'S DESIRE IS TO CONTINUE WITH THE UNOFFICIAL POLICY AND NOT THE QUASI JUDICIAL POLICY THAT YOU HAD, THEN I WOULD SUGGEST YOU CHANGE THE EIGHT DAYS UNTIL COUNSEL BEGINS ITS DELIBERATION.
THAT WOULD GIVE THE MAYOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY COUNSEL IS NOW GOING TO DELIBERATE AND VOTE ON THIS ITEM.
DO YOU WISH TO PROCEED, MR. APPLICANT OR MISS.
APPLICANT. THAT WOULD RESTORE ESSENTIALLY THE UNOFFICIAL POLICY THAT YOU HAD.
>> ANOTHER THING TO CONSIDER IS HOW MANY TIMES DO WE WANT TO ALLOW AN APPLICANT TO EXERCISE THIS OPTION?
>> I'M GOING TO KEEP DOING IT OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN UNTIL THEY GET SOMETHING THROUGH US OR DO WE WANT TO LIMIT HOW MANY TIMES TO 24 MONTHS.
>> I THINK AS COUNCIL SUNDSTROM SAID FROM FROM PRACTICE THIS HASN'T BEEN AN ISSUE.
>> WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS WHAT WE NEVER HAD BEFORE IS WE NEVER HAD CRITERIA, SO NOW WE'VE DELIBERATED ABOUT THAT WE HAVE SOLID CRITERIA.
AGAIN, THIS IS AS MUCH FOR THE PUBLIC AS IT IS FOR US.
IS THEN THEY'RE CONFUSED WHEN THEY THINK WE REJECTED SOMETHING AND THEY SEE IT COME BACK. THAT'S WHY THE TIME.
>> IT GIVES THEM SPECIFIC TARGETS TO.
>> THE OLD METHOD WE HAD I THOUGHT WORKED WELL, BUT IT WASN'T CLARIFIED.
I THINK WE NEED TO CLARIFY IT.
>> SO WITH THAT, I'LL TAKE A ACCEPT A MOTION ON THE FLOOR ON THIS ORDINANCE.
>> MOTION TO APPROVE AMENDING UNDER SECTION B STARTING AT LINE 19, CHANGE ONE OR MORE TO TWO OR MORE; AND THEN UNDER SECTION 2, LINE 14, CHANGING THE EIGHT DAY REQUIREMENT TO STATE UNTIL COUNSEL BEGINS DELIBERATIONS.
>> MOTION IN TO SECOND, I'D ASK MR. BAIRD TO READ ORDINANCE 424 ON SHORT TITLE.
>> AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF JUPITER, FLORIDA AMENDING CHAPTER 27, ARTICLE 3, DIVISION 2, SECTION 27 264 OF THE CODE OF THE TOWN OF JUPITER PERTAINING TO DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS AND REHEARINGS, PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY, PROVIDING FOR THE REPEAL OF LAWS IN CONFLICT, AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
>> THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
MOVING ON THE REPORTS, TOWN ATTORNEY.
[TOWN ATTORNEY]
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. WE HAVE HAD A SERIES OF MEDIATIONS GOING ON WITH RESPECT TO THE SPERRY PROPERTY.
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE TOWN MANAGER AND I MEET INDIVIDUALLY WITH EACH OF YOU FOR A HALF HOUR TO UPDATE YOU ON THAT BEFORE FRIDAY.
I KNOW THAT'S A CONSTRAINED TIME FRAME, BUT WE DO HAVE ANOTHER ATTORNEYS MEETING ON FRIDAY AND THEN WE A CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING ON FEBRUARY 29TH, AT WHICH TIME, IF WE HAVE NOT REACHED SOME TYPE OF MEDIATED SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT, THE MAGISTRATE HAS INDICATED THAT HE WANTS THE HEARING TO BEGIN.
SO WE HAVE A CONSTRAINED TIMEFRAME.
I THINK WE'VE MADE GOOD PROGRESS, BUT WE NEED TO UPDATE YOU ON THAT SO THAT WE CAN MAKE OUR PLANS FOR
[01:35:03]
THE UPCOMING MEETINGS AND THAT IS IT.[TOWN MANAGER]
>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS ON MY REPORT.
FIRST OF ALL, SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THAT IN RESPONSE TO RECENT CITIZEN COMMENTS THAT SOME OF OUR TOWN COUNCIL MEETINGS REGARDING TRANSPARENCY AND DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION, WE'VE UPGRADED THE WEBSITE NOW, UPDATED THE WEBSITE TO INCLUDE CONTENT RELATED TO UTILITIES, CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS UNDER THE HEADING OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND TOWN.
IF YOU GO TO THE WEB PAGE, YOU CAN CLICK ON THE LINK PROVIDES INFORMATION SUCH AS PROJECT NAMES, PROJECT STATUS, ANTICIPATED PROJECT COMPLETION DATES, AND A BRIEF PROJECT DESCRIPTION FOR ACTIVE AND UPCOMING CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS BEING ADMINISTERED BY THE WATER AND STORM WATER UTILITIES.
NOW GOING FORWARD, THE CONTENT WILL BE UPDATED ON A MONTHLY BASIS OR AS OFTEN AS THE STATUS OF THE PROJECT CHANGES.
WE'RE ALSO IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING AN INTERACTIVE MAP, WHICH WILL ALLOW VISITORS TO THE WEB PAGE TO SEE WHERE THE PROJECTS ARE SPATIALLY LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE TOWN LIMITS AND WATER SERVICE AREAS.
SO THAT'S A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT THERE AND WE'LL CONTINUE WORKING ON THE THINGS THAT WE HEAR THROUGH CITIZEN COMMENTS.
THE SECOND THING IS, I'M SURE MANY OF YOU HAVE SEEN THE EMAILS REGARDING THE FREQUENCY THAT BRIGHTLINE IS GOING THROUGH TOWN IN THE USE OF THE HORNS.
SO I WANTED TO JUST UPDATE YOU ON A COUPLE OF THINGS.
AS YOU KNOW, WE ARE GOING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN BRIGHTLINE AND FEC ON THE FENCE ISSUE.
I KNOW THE TOWN ENGINEER, THOMAS, HE'S HERE SOMEWHERE, HAS RECENTLY, AS THIS AFTERNOON, HAD MORE CONVERSATIONS, BUT JUST A COUPLE OF CONCERNS ABOUT THE GRANT.
THE RAISE GRANT DOES NOT EXPIRE AND BRIGHTLINE IS CURRENTLY WORKING WITH FDOT AND FRA TO FINALIZE THE GRANT AGREEMENT.
WE EXPECT TO COMPLETE THE NOTICE OF ESTABLISHMENT APPLICATION FOR THE QUIET ZONES WITHIN TWO WEEKS.
WE'VE REACHED OUT AGAIN TO BRIGHTLINE, AND OPENED UP SOME DISCUSSIONS.
A LOT OF THESE CHALLENGES ARE RELATING TO MAINTENANCE OF THAT FENCE.
WE'RE OPENING SOME DISCUSSIONS ON THE POTENTIAL, CAN WE EXPEDITE THIS IF THE TOWN AGREES TO TAKE ON THE MAINTENANCE AND WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE.
WE'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THEY WOULD TAKE OUR SUGGESTION UNDER CONSIDERATION.
THEY'VE ACKNOWLEDGED RECEIPT OF OUR REQUEST AND ARE LOOKING INTO WHAT THAT TIME FRAME WOULD BE TO GIVE US A RESPONSE BACK AND IN LARGE PART BECAUSE THEY HAVE SO MANY COMMUNITIES ALONG THE LINE, I GUESS THAT ARE RELATING AND HAVING THE SAME ISSUES THAT WE'RE HAVING.
WE HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING UP ON THESE THINGS, INCLUDING THE USE OF THE TRAIN HORNS AND THE DECIBEL LEVELS, AND EVERYTHING THAT WE SEE BRIGHTLINE IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE STATE STATUTES, FEDERAL REGULATIONS IN TERMS OF THE USE OF THOSE HORNS.
BUT WE'LL CONTINUE WORKING THROUGH THAT ISSUE.
THEN JUST A COUPLE OF OTHER SMALL THINGS.
YOU MAY OR MAY NOT IF YOU DIDN'T SEE THE INFORMATION I SENT TO YOU TODAY, THE STAKEHOLDER PUBLIC MEETINGS BEGAN TODAY.
I KNOW WE HAD THE FIRST OF SEVERAL, AND WE'LL BE GIVING YOU FEEDBACK ON THAT.
YOU'VE RECEIVED A REQUEST FROM US FOR A CRA WORKSHOP ON MARCH 13TH.
IF YOU CAN, LET US KNOW IF THAT WORKS FOR YOUR SCHEDULE OR NOT, WE WOULD APPRECIATE IT SO WE CAN GET THAT OUT AND NOTIFY THE PUBLIC. THAT'S MY REPORT MA'AM.
[TOWN COUNCIL – LIAISON REPORTS AND COMMENTS]
>> I'M GOING TO PIGGYBACK ON WHAT TOWN MANAGER WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT THE QUIET ZONES VERSUS FENCING AND I KNOW THE TWO HAD BEEN LINKED TOGETHER AND I'D LIKE TO SEE IF WE COULD POSSIBLY SEPARATE THE TWO SO THEY'RE NOT LINKED TOGETHER.
ON THE QUIET ZONES I BELIEVE ARE OPTION THAT'S BEING PAID FOR BY THE TRAINS THEMSELVES AND THE QUIET ZONES HAVE TO DO WITH INTERSECTIONS, NOT AREAS IN BETWEEN, WHEREAS THE FENCING IS IN AREAS IN BETWEEN.
SO THEY AREN'T REALLY RELATED IN A CLEAR AND OBVIOUS WAY.
BUT THE HORNS AT THE INTERSECTIONS ARE A HUGE COMPLAINT FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE I'VE TALKED TO AND IT SEEMS ALMOST NEEDLESSLY.
SO IF WE CAN GET THOSE TO BE QUIET ZONES AND IT'LL BE SAFER IN
[01:40:03]
THAT IT'S VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR CARS TO DRIVE AROUND IT WITH THE DOUBLE BARRIERS DOWN, WHICH MAKES THOSE SIGNIFICANTLY SAFER WITH OR WITHOUT THE HORNS.THE HORNS NOW ARE FOUR PLUS TIMES AN HOUR.
IT'S AS MANY AS SIX TIMES AN HOUR NOW, WHICH IS VERY COMMON, ALMOST CONTINUOUS SOUND EFFECT.
SO IF WE COULD SEPARATE THE QUIET ZONES FROM THE FENCING, I THINK THAT WOULD GO A LONG WAY TO HELPING A LOT OF CITIZEN COMPLAINTS ON THE NOISE.
THEY HAVE 110 DECIMAL LIMIT ON THE HORN.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE ADHERING TO THAT OR NOT BUT SOMETIMES WE CAN HEAR IT STARTING OUT OF TONEY PENNA.
IT'S NEARLY A CONTINUOUS BLAST UNTIL THEY'RE THROUGH WITH COUNTY LINE.
SO IT SEEMS LIKE THEY'RE VERY COMMON AND SOMEWHAT EXCESSIVE.
AGAIN, I DON'T SEE QUITE HOW THAT'S RELATING TO THE FENCING PROJECT.
CHIEF, COULD I PUT YOU ON A SPOT REAL QUICK? I'M SORRY TO DO THIS TO YOU UNPREPARED, BUT HOW MANY INCIDENTS HAVE WE HAD? I KNOW YOU GAVE US GREAT NEWS AND THAT YOU PREVENTED TWO SUICIDE ATTEMPTS ON THE TRACKS.
HOW MANY CROSSING MID INTERSECTIONS, HAVE WE HAD ANY FATALITIES OR ACCIDENTS WHERE THE FENCING WOULD HELP?
>> I DON'T RECALL ANY ACCIDENTS WHERE SOMEONE WAS JUST WALKING ACROSS THE RAILROAD TRACKS AS A TRAIN WAS COMING INCIDENTS SINCE WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN PURPOSELY DONE IN AN ATTEMPT TO COMMIT SUICIDE.
>> WHICH THIS PROBABLY WON'T HELP SO MUCH AS HAVING AN OFFICER RESPOND QUICKLY, POSSIBLY.
>> ANY MEASURE WOULD BE A HELPFUL MEASURE, BUT NOT LIKELY.
>> WELL, ANOTHER ISSUE TOO IS WHETHER WE HAVE FENCES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE TRACK.
DO YOU THINK THAT WOULD HELP THAT SITUATION AT ALL?
>> THE INTENT OF AT LEAST ONE FENCE IS TO CAUSE PEOPLE WHO WISH TO JUST CROSS THE RAILROAD TRACKS TO GO TO THE CROSSINGS RATHER THAN THAT MID BLOCK.
TWO WOULD BE PREFERABLE FOR PEOPLE TO KEEP THEM OUT, BUT THERE WOULD ULTIMATELY BE ENTRANCES AT THE CROSSWALKS OR AN INDIVIDUAL COULD WALK THROUGH.
SO IT WOULDN'T COMPLETELY BLOCK IT OFF OR PREVENT IT.
>> I GUESS, WOULD THE FENCES BE FAR ENOUGH AWAY FROM THE TRACKS IF SOMEBODY DID GET CAUGHT IN BETWEEN THOSE TWO?
>> I'M SORRY, SAY THAT ONE MORE SIR?
>> IF THE PROXIMITY OF THESE FENCES TO THE TRACK, ARE THEY FAR ENOUGH AWAY SO SOMEBODY COULD GRAB A HOLD OF FENCE AND LET A TRAIN GO BY AND NOT BE CAUGHT UP IN?
>> THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE.
YOU COULD STAND IN BETWEEN A FENCE AND THE RAILROAD TRACKS WITHOUT BEING IN DANGER OF BEING HIT BY THE TRAIN.
>> OKAY. SO MAYBE WE CAN GET BY WITH ONE FOR NOW AND THEN MAYBE ADD A SECOND SET IF WE FIND THAT NECESSARY.
AGAIN, WE'RE NOW, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE ALMOST FIXING SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T HAVE A PROBLEM YET AND I THINK WE SEE THAT IT IS A PROBLEM THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE LINE OF BRIGHTLINE.
BUT NOT NECESSARILY JUPITER SINCE WE'VE NOT HAD AN INCIDENT YET, IT SOUNDS LIKE. OTHER THAN THAT [OVERLAPPING]
>> YEAH, JUST SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT THAT.
I'D LIKE TO BE PROACTIVE, ESPECIALLY ON POSSIBLY SAVING SOMEBODY'S LIFE.
I VERY MUCH LIKE THAT IDEA, BUT PART OF THE REASON WHY WE CAN'T IS THE EXPENSE OF THIS.
WE'RE TAKING ON AN EXPENSE OF A TOWN.
IT'LL BE EASIER FOR US EXPENSE WISE, TO ONLY HAVE ONE FENCE.
IF WE WERE TO DO THAT, I'D RECOMMEND IT BE ON THE WEST SIDE BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY.
>> THAT'S WHERE IT IS. WE MADE THAT DECISION.
>> I'M GOING TO COMMENT ON THAT, BUT I WAS WAITING TO GO DOWN THE [INAUDIBLE] STILL CAME TO ME. IS THAT ALL YOU HAD?
>> I WAS NEVER COMFORTABLE WITH THE SAFE ZONES UNTIL THE FENCES WENT IN, YOU DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM UNTIL YOU HAVE A PROBLEM.
SO THE MORE YOU CAN KEEP PEOPLE OFF THE TRACKS, KIDS, INDIGENT, WHOEVER.
TOWN MANAGER, ANY TIMELINE ON THE FENCES, IS THERE ANY?
>> NO. THEY'RE STILL GOING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE TWO AND THAT WAS MY POINT THAT I WAS BRINGING UP IS THEY'VE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT WE'VE ASKED ABOUT THIS MEANING BRIGHTLINE, BUT THEY'RE NOT PREPARED TO GIVE US A RESPONSE AS OF THIS AFTERNOON IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH TIME IT WOULD TAKE TO WORK THROUGH ALL OF THESE THINGS.
>> WE WANT TO GET ONE FENCE ON THE WEST SIDE SIDE, PINE GARDEN SOUTH.
I DON'T KNOW. I HEAR THE TRAINS ALL DAY, EVERY DAY.
BUT WE'VE BEEN LUCKY, BUT LUCK'S PROBABLY GOING TO RUN AT SOME POINT.
SO I MEAN, I NEED TO TURN TO GET PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN THE CROSSINGS FROM CROSSING.
SOME PEOPLE WILL DO IT ANYWAY.
BUT I'D LIKE TO HEAR WHAT MY COLLEAGUES THINK ABOUT THIS.
[01:45:11]
>> BY THE WAY, SO JUST I'LL COMMENT ABOUT AND GIVE US STATUS ON THE QUIET ZONE BECAUSE I, IN FACT, AS THE COUNSEL REPRESENTATIVE ON THE TPA, I'VE STAYED IN CONTACT WITH AND I'VE TALKED TO THE TOWN MANAGER EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE WITH AN UPDATE.
SO I'VE STAYED IN VERY CLOSE CONTACT WITH BRIGHTLINE FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW.
SO JUST TO GIVE STATUS, NUMBER 1, WE HAD I BELIEVE AS ACTION CONCLUDED, THAT WE WEREN'T GOING TO PURSUE THE QUIET ZONE UNTIL THE FENCE WAS IN.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD BEEN UNDER THE UNDERSTANDING I HAD THAT WE COULDN'T SUBMIT A NOTICE OF ESTABLISHMENT TILL BRIGHTLINE WAS READY.
I HEARD NOW THAT'S CHANGED SO WE CAN SUBMIT IT.
SO I JUST HEARD THE TOWN MANAGER SAID WE'RE GOING TO PROCEED TO DO THAT.
CORRECT. THAT'S THE NEXT STEP WHETHER OR NOT YOU KNOW IT'S IMPLEMENTED, THAT'S THE NEXT STEP. CORRECT, MR. KISER?
>> THEN THE ISSUE IS IT ISN'T BRIGHTLINE HAS TO WORK THROUGH FEC WHO OWNS THE RIGHT AWAY.
FEC IS THE ONE THAT'S HINDERING THE PROGRESS HERE.
I'M JUST I'M NOT GOING TO SAY ANYTHING MORE THAN THAT ON THE RECORD.
I AM WORKING WITH BRIGHTLINE AND BECAUSE THEY WERE THE ONE THAT PUT UP A HALL WITH FENCING GOING ANYWHERE, OTHERWISE PHASE 1 WOULD HAVE BEEN INSTALLED.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PUBLIC IS GOING THROUGH.
HECK, I HEAR IT WHERE I LIVE, IT'S JUST INCREDIBLE.
JUST SO YOU KNOW, I'VE ASKED THE QUESTION.
ARE THEY AT THE HIGHER LEVEL OF THE DECIBEL LEVEL? IT SEEMS LIKE IT SO I'VE GONE DOWN THAT PATH, I HAVEN'T GOT AN ANSWER YET, BUT I'M WONDERING IF THEY'VE RAISED IT SO THEN IF THERE'S A LIMIT, THEY HAVE TO BE WITHIN, WE'D HAVE TO ASK THEM THEN.
I'VE ASKED THE INFORMATION, I HAVEN'T GOT IT YET, BUT I WAS JUST PURSUING THE POSSIBILITY, WHICH WOULD BE THEIR DISCRETION OF WHETHER OR NOT, LET'S SAY IF IT WAS AT THE UPPER END OR IF THEY COULD LOWER IT BECAUSE IT'S CERTAINLY GOTTEN LOUDER.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S A REPORT AS WE MAKE ANY PROGRESS ON THAT, WHATEVER.
BUT THEN I'LL JUST SUGGEST I'VE TOLD THE PUBLIC THIS FOR YEARS.
WHEN SOMEONE ASKS IS THE QUIET ZONE DOES NOT GIVE A RIGHT, THERE IS NOT ABSOLUTELY SURE THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO DO THE HORN, AND IT JUST MEANS THEY'RE NO LONGER OBLIGATED TO PUSH THE HORN.
I'M INCLINED TO BELIEVE THAT BRIGHTLINE, SINCE IT IS THE HIGHEST FATALITY RAILWAY PER MILE IN THE COUNTRY, IS NOT GOING TO BE INCLINED TO, EVEN IF WE GOT THE DESIGNATION TO STOP.
I THINK WE'VE SPOKEN TO THEM ENOUGH ABOUT THE NEED FOR SOME FENCING THAT THEY MAY, THIS IS JUST SPECULATING ON MY PART, AND BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN SO MANY INSTANCES OF YES, IT COULD CUT IT DOWN BUT THAT WOULD BE THE THAT'S THE RIGHT ONLY THING WE CAN DO IS GET A QUIET ZONE DESIGNATION SO THEY NO LONGER OBLIGATED TO DO IT.
I APPRECIATE STAFF REACHING OUT THE BRIGHTLINE.
WE'LL DO LIKEWISE AND WE'LL GIVE A STATUS UPDATE.
I APPRECIATE NOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE AHEAD WITH THE NOTICE OF ESTABLISHMENT TO GET THAT PROCESS GOING.
SEEING THAT WE SAVED TWO LIVES ALREADY ON PEOPLE ATTEMPTING SUICIDE.
I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR THAT BECAUSE, AND I DO BELIEVE THAT THE FENCING THAT WE HAD SAID AS A COUNSEL, REQUIREMENT HAD NEGOTIATED WITH BRIGHTLINE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO PAY FOR IT PHASE 1.
THEY HAD THE FUNDING BUT AGAIN, FEC STOPPED THEM FROM DOING IT, THAT'S THE FACT.
I'D FEEL BETTER BECAUSE IT IS ON THE WEST SIDE OF PINE GARDEN SOUTH.
I DO BELIEVE IT WOULD EVEN INHIBIT SOMEBODY TO SOME DEGREE THAT YOU MIGHT YOU TAKE THEIR LIVES.
BUT EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT KIDS.
THERE'S A LOT OF KIDS THAT'S THAT'S A BEATEN PATHWAY, TO GO FROM PINE GARDEN SOUTH TO PUBLIC SHOPPING CENTER.
I'M SURE THAT'S THE STATUS ON IT, BUT I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE TO PROBABLY MAKE SOME TOUGH DECISIONS HERE.
[01:50:03]
FIRST STEP IS WE'LL FILE THIS NOTICE AND SEE WHERE IT GOES FROM THERE.BUT WE NEVER EXPECTED WE'D BE HERE AT THIS POINT IN TIME STILL NOT HAVING THE FENCING.
I CAN'T SAY THAT BUT YOU READ EVERY WEEK THERE'S ANOTHER FATALITY, SO.
WELL, YOU SAID IT'S VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO GET STUCK.
IT'S STILL HAPPENING ALL THE TIME.
>> I HAVE A QUESTION, MAYOR. YOU'VE BEEN THE FRONT MAN ON THIS, BUT ALONG WITH STAFF, DO YOU FEEL THERE'S A HIGHER PROBABILITY IF WE GET THE QUIET ZONES THROUGH THAT THE FENCING ISSUE WITH BRIGHTLINE GOES AWAY? IS IT BASICALLY ALL FEC? I KNOW WHAT IT WITH INSURANCE AND ALL THAT.
>> BUT FEC OWNS THE RIGHT AWAY. BRIGHTLINE DOESN'T.
>> WE WERE LUCKY TO GET BRIGHTLINE TO ACCEPT IT BECAUSE WHAT OTHER MUNICIPALITIES HAVE HAD WITH THE WAY OF ISSUES IS NOT HAVING PROPERTY TO PUT A FENCE ON.
WE COULDN'T CONSTRUCT THE FENCE.
THAT BRIGHTLINE IS GOING TO BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE RIGHTS TO GO ON FEC PROPERTY.
WE WENT DOWN THE MOST PRACTICAL APPROACH.
AGAIN, WE'LL MUTUALLY TRY TO GET A STATUS.
WE WANTED STAFF TO BE PURSUING THIS SEPARATE FROM WHAT I'M DOING.
>> BUT IF THE SITUATION HAS CHANGED, I JUST FROM MEMORY I RECALL WE TIED THE FENCING TO THE QUIET ONE WE DID TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING HAPPENED.
>> BECAUSE AGAIN, WE THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, IN A REASONABLE AND NOW THAT IT ISN'T, THAT'S WHY I'VE STARTED TO PURSUE OTHER OPTIONS.
IF THERE ARE EVEN OPTIONS TO ASK ABOUT THE LOWER LEVEL, ARE THEY AT THE UPPER LEVEL? BUT YOU'RE AN ENGINEER, YOU CAN QUESTION THAT AS WELL BECAUSE THAT'D BE A VIABLE SOLUTION POSSIBLY.
IF THEY'RE AT THE UPPER LIMIT, CAN YOU LOWER IT? STILL STAY WITHIN THE LIMITS? BUT THAT WOULD BE THE THEY WOULD HAVE TO MAKE A CHANGE TO THEIR HORN.
BUT AT LEAST IF WE COULD GET THE DATA, THEN YOU COULD ASK.
I'VE ASKED, BUT I HAVEN'T GOTTEN AN ANSWER.
THEN I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT ABOUT TWO OTHER ITEMS. ONE IS ON E-BIKES, NUMBER ONE, OTHERS MAY HAVE SEEN WHERE KEY WEST PASSED AN ORDINANCE PROHIBITING E-BIKES.
SECONDLY, I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE, BECAUSE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS A NUMBER OF TIMES, AS RECENT AS THE LAST TPA MEETING, COUNTY COMMISSIONER AND OTHERS HAVE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT THE BEHAVIOR AND SAFETY ISSUES THAT ARE BEING CREATED BY IRRESPONSIBLE BIKE BIKE USERS.
LOOKING AT THE MINUTES, A COUPLE OF MEETINGS BACK, COUNSELOR SUNSTROMG HAD ASKED FOR AN ORDINANCE ON E-BIKES.
IF WE ALL DON'T KNOW HERE ON THE DICE, WHEN ONE PERSON ASKS SOMETHING AND IT ISN'T SECOND OR THIRD, THEN IT MAY NOT BE GOING ANYWHERE.
I DO WANT TO, NUMBER 1, RECOGNIZE HER BECAUSE I'VE TALKED ABOUT E-BIKES A NUMBER OF TIMES.
YOU SPECIFICALLY ASKED COUNSEL STROM FOR AN ORDINANCE.
I DO THINK IT'S TIME BECAUSE BASICALLY ALL LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS, AND ULTIMATELY, IT MAY TAKE SOME STATE CHANGES, BUT IT'S FAST UPON US.
WE'RE GETTING WE ALL PROBABLY GOT AN EMAIL FROM A RESIDENT.
I DON'T WANT TO BELABOR IT ON THE OTHER THAN TO SUPPORT THREE MAKES IT HAPPEN. AN ORDINANCE.
THEN I WOULD JUST SUGGEST STAFF GET WITH US INDIVIDUALLY AND START WORKING ON WHAT IS A REASONABLE ORDINANCE.
I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO WHAT SHOULD BE IN THE ORDINANCE, BUT I DO THINK WE HAVE TO TAKE SOME ACTION SO THAT WE HAVE MORE THAN WHAT WE HAVE NOW.
BECAUSE EVERYBODY I'VE HEARD WHEN I HEAR IT AT THE TP, IT'S ASKED.
THERE ISN'T ANY ANSWER OTHER THAN IT'S A MOUNTING CONCERN HERE.
THEN LASTLY, JUST ON PARK IMPROVEMENTS, AGAIN, I APPRECIATE COUNSEL SUNDSTROM HELPING TO CHAMPION THE EFFORT ON THE PARK IMPROVEMENTS.
[01:55:07]
I JUST WANTED TO SAY A COUPLE OF THINGS WITH REGARD TO THAT BECAUSE ONE OF MY GRANDDAUGHTERS IS IN TRAVEL SOCCER, SO I'M HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY AGAIN TO TRAVEL TO OTHER AREAS AND SEE WHAT OTHERS HAVE.THIS WAS THE CASE THAT JUPITER HAD, SOME OF THE FINEST PARKS THAT EXIST BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE WOULD COME HERE.
I DO THINK OUR PARKS HAVE BECOME DATED.
WE MAY HAVE THE SAME QUANTITY, BUT THEY'VE BECOME DATED, SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THIS PROGRAM, WHICH I SUPPORT AND I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT PERSPECTIVE.
IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE LITTLE AMENITIES MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
LET'S TAKE SOCCER FIELDS, FOR EXAMPLE.
THE PARENTS OR EVEN THE TEAMS AND IN SOME FIELDS I THINK SOME OF THEM DON'T HAVE EVEN BENCHES FOR THE TEAM TO SIT ON.
THEN AS I TRAVEL AROUND, OTHERS DO.
IT MAY BE SOME SIMPLE THINGS THAT COULD BE DONE, IN SOME CASES, TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS SOONER THAN YEARS.
I'M JUST GOING TO MAKE THAT SUGGESTION.
THEN I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS, PARTICULARLY WHEN SOMEHOW WE NEED TO EMPHASIZE THAT WE HAVE A REGIONAL PARK IN THE GARDENS, AND SOMEHOW WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE LEVERAGING THAT BECAUSE THE PUBLIC SHOULD KNOW THAT THE GARDENS, TO SOME DEGREE, SHOULD ALWAYS NOW HAVE THE BEST.
BECAUSE WE AGREED YEARS AGO FOR THE FUNDING TO GO TO THE GARDENS TO PAY FOR THE REGIONAL PARK.
WE PROBABLY SHOULD BE JUST MAKING SURE THAT OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR PROGRAMS ARE GETTING A FAIR SHARE OF USE OF THE REGIONAL PARK BECAUSE EFFECTIVELY, IT'S PART OF WHAT WE'RE ENTITLED TO AND THAT MAY NOT BE HAPPENING.
I JUST WANT TO POINT THAT OUT ON HIS SAYING, LET'S SOMEBODY MAYBE WITH PARKS.
I KNOW THAT PARKS REC LEFT, BUT WE CAN FOLLOW UP ON THAT TO SEE MAKING SURE AGAIN THAT WE'RE NOT BEING DENIED.
AT ONE TIME, WE HAD BEEN GIVEN AND I HAVE IT, I DON'T KNOW WHERE I PUT IT.
BUT THE AGREEMENT FOR USERS AND IT IS OPEN AND IT HAS TO BE BECAUSE IT'S A REGIONAL PARK, ONE OF THEIR PARKS IS.
I'LL MOVE DOWN TO A DIASE TO COUNCILOR SUNDSTROM
I'LL JUST SAY THAT ON EBIKES IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE HEARING MORE IN EMAILS.
I WENT TO A PRESIDENT'S COUNCIL MEETING, SO THE PRESIDENTS OF HOA AND ABACOA, AND THAT WAS A TOPIC OF CONVERSATION.
IT WAS BROUGHT UP IN THAT MEETING.
THEY'RE ALL SEEING IT, THEY'RE ALL FACING IT.
I HAD BROUGHT UP THE IDEA OF LOOKING AT ZONING.
THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS TO LOOK AT THERE, BUT ALSO JUST ENFORCEMENT AND KNOWING WHAT THE RULES ARE.
I CAN'T SAY I'M PERFECTLY CLEAR ON THAT, ON SPEEDS ON SIDEWALKS VERSUS ROADS.
THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES CAPABLE OF DIFFERENT SPEEDS.
I THINK MAYBE A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH OF JUST UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE RULES ARE AND HAVING A COMMON UNDERSTANDING, SHARING IT, ENFORCING THE RULES ON THE BOOKS.
BUT THEN ALSO LOOKING WHAT WE COULD DO BECAUSE COUNCILS CAN CREATE ORDINANCES AND WE'VE GOT STATE STATUTES, BUT THEY CAN BE MORE RESTRICTIVE.
WE CAN'T BE LESS RESTRICTIVE THAN STATE STATUTES, BUT WE CAN BE MORE RESTRICTIVE IN WAYS THAT SERVE US.
MAYBE WE DON'T WANT THEM ON TRAILS.
WE HAVE A LOT OF WALKING TRAILS HERE AND DEPENDING ON THE PEOPLE AND THE REASON THEY WANT TO DO THAT.
PALM BEACH ISLAND DOESN'T ALLOW MOTORIZED VEHICLES ON THE LAKE TRAIL.
THAT'S A BIG ISSUE, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE MISINTERPRET THE SIGNAGE THERE FOR MOTORIZED, LIKE GOLF CARTS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THEY DON'T NECESSARILY THINK OF SCOOTERS OR EBIKES.
I DO THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD LOOK INTO.
I LOVE MORE INFORMATION ON JPD, WHAT THEY'RE SEEING, WHAT THE RULES ARE, AND HOW TO ENFORCE IT. QUIET ZONES.
I HAVEN'T BEEN HERE TOO LONG, BUT WHAT I'VE NOTICED IN CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD ON THIS DIASE ABOUT QUIET ZONES IS THAT AND WHAT I'VE NOTICED JUST OUT AND ABOUT IN THE COUNTIES, HOW STRANGE.
I LIVED IN LONDON BRIEFLY, AND THE TRAINS ARE ALWAYS OUTSIDE OF THE CITY, ON THE EDGE.
THEY'RE NEVER IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
HERE IN SOUTHERN FLORIDA, YOU'VE GOT SEVERAL DOWNTOWNS OR COMMERCIAL AREAS THAT THIS TRAIN IS TRAVELING THROUGH AND THE CHARACTERISTICS ARE SO DIFFERENT.
I LIVE ON FREDERICK SMALL ROAD, I HEAR IT.
HEAR AT DONALD ROSS, HEAR IT AT FREDERICK SMALL, HEAT IT AT TONEY PENNA.
[02:00:03]
BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF GREENERY THERE AND THEN YOU GO INTO INTERSECTIONS WITH INDIANTOWN, MORE COMMERCIAL AREA, THINGS LIKE THAT.I KNOW IN WEST PALM YOU HAVE LOTS OF PEDESTRIANS.
FREDERICK SMALL, DOESN'T HAVE AS MANY PEDESTRIANS AS DOWNTOWN WEST PALM.
YOU'RE HAVING SO MANY CONFLICTS AND THE SYNCHRONIZING OF LIGHTS IS REALLY DIFFICULT AS WELL.
I REMEMBER THE GATES CLOSING ON ME WHEN I HAD A PROTECTED LEFT TURN GREEN LIGHT.
WE ALL NEED TIME TO ENSURE SAFETY ACROSS THE BOARD AND I THINK THEY'RE STILL WORKING THINGS OUT BECAUSE I LOVE THOSE LIGHTS TO BE A LITTLE BETTER.
WE'RE STILL WORKING THINGS OUT.
BUT I THINK THE CONNECTION BETWEEN WHAT YOU SEE SPECIFICALLY IN OUR TOWN, BECAUSE IT'S DIFFERENT IN DIFFERENT MUNICIPALITIES IN THE SPACE BETWEEN THE INTERSECTIONS, THEY ARE LINKED BECAUSE DURING THE DAY WE'VE GOT THIS CROSSING FROM PINE GARDEN SOUTH TO PUBLIX.
WE DO SEE CHILDREN, WE SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE, A LOT OF PEDESTRIANS MAKING THAT CROSSING AND YOU CAN TELL BECAUSE OF THE PATH THAT'S BEEN WARNED.
THERE'S WARNING FOR THOSE PEDESTRIANS, IN THOSE HORNS THAT ARE REQUIRED.
IF THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED, GIVEN THE SPEEDS OF THE TRAINS WHICH ARE HIGHER SPEED NOW, IT COULD LEAD TO REAL PROBLEMS. WE'VE GOTTEN VERY LUCKY AND I WOULD HATE TO SEE THAT, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE TRACK RECORD THAT THIS TRAIN HAS SO FAR.
THEN JUST WITH PARKS, I'VE BEEN TRYING TO EXPLAIN IT TO RESIDENTS AND I LIVE IN ABACOA.
SAY OUR PARKS, IT'S LIKE A 25 YEAR OLD HOUSE.
IT'S TIME TO GET NEW APPLIANCES.
WE GOT A NEW ROOF. WE'RE NOT GETTING THE NEW IPHONE EVERY GENERATION.
WE WAIT UNTIL THE END OF A USEFUL LIFE, AND WHEN THE USEFUL LIFE IS COMPLETE, WE UPGRADE.
THAT'S RESPONSIBLE HOMEOWNERSHIP.
WE'RE GETTING TO THE END OF THE USEFUL LIFE OF A LOT OF THESE FACILITIES WITH RECREATION AND SO NOW IT'S TIME TO LOOK AT THAT UPGRADE.
IT'S EXCITING, IT'S GOOD NEWS.
WE SHOULD BE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS, AND I THINK IT SHOULD BE A REALLY FUN EXERCISE WITH OUR RESIDENTS TO LOOK AT WHAT WE CAN DO IN RECREATION SPECIFICALLY.
BUT I AGREE WITH THE MAYOR, THE REGIONAL PARK IS ONE EXAMPLE AND OTHER, JTAA.
IT'S JUPITER TEQUESTA ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION.
TEQUESTA HAS FEWER PARKS THAN WE DO.
IN TERMS OF WHO'S PROVIDING WHAT FACILITIES AND WHO'S PROVIDING WHICH PARTICIPANTS AND THE NUMBERS, JUST ENSURING FAIRNESS ACROSS THE STRUCTURE OF RECREATION.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AND I ENCOURAGED THE CONSULTANT TO LOOK AT THESE STRUCTURES BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF RESOURCES TO US IN THE REGIONAL PARK, IN OUR PARTNERSHIPS AND WE SHOULD MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE FAIR TO JUPITER RESIDENTS. THAT'S IT.
>> YOU GUYS TOUCHED ON EVERYTHING I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> WITH THAT, TIME IS NOW 9:03 AND WE'LL ADJOURN THE MEETING.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.