Sep 22, 2026 Town Council

[Call To Order]

[00:00:03]

GOOD EVENING. THE TIME IS NOW 07:00 PM, AND I'LL CALL TO ORDER THE TOWN COUNCIL MEETING OF TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22ND. IT IS NOW 8 DAYS AND 5 HOURS TILL WE GO LIVE. OKAY, MOVING ON, UM, WE BEGIN WITH AN INVOCATION FOLLOWED BY A MOMENT OF SILENCE, AND THEN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. IF ALL THOSE ARE ABLE, PLEASE JOIN ME IN STANDING.

LET US PRAY. ALMIGHTY GOD, WE GATHER- GATHERED THIS EVENING GRATEFUL FOR ANOTHER DAY. WE HUMBLY SEEK WISDOM AND CLARITY AS WE CARRY OUT THE RESPONSIBILITIES BEFORE US. MAY WE REMAIN MINDFUL OF THE CONCERNS, HOPES, AND CHALLENGES OF THE RESIDENTS WE SERVE.

IN ALL THAT WE DO, MAY GRACE AND PEACE BE WITH US ALL.

AMEN. WE WILL NOW PAUSE FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

PLEASE JOIN ME IN A PLEDGE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE.

TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION, UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

MADAM CLERK, MAY WE HAVE A ROLL CALL, PLEASE? MAYOR KURETSKI? HERE.

VICE MAYOR CHOY? HERE.

COUNSELOR DELANEY? HERE.

COUNSELOR GUISINGER? HERE.

COUNSELOR SUNDSTROM? HERE.

TOWN MANAGER KITZEROW.

HERE.

TOWN ATTORNEY BAIRD.

HERE.

[Items 1 - 3]

UH, THIS IS THE SECOND AND FINAL HEARING FOR THE BUDGET, UH, UH, BEFORE ADOPTION THIS EVENING.

ON THE... FOR, JUST TO REMIND EVERYBODY WHAT WE'VE DONE ALL SUMMER LONG, UH, LEADING UP TO THIS EVENING. UH, WE HAD AN OPERATIONS BUDGET WORKSHOP BACK IN JUNE OF, UH, 2018. UH, YOU SET THE TRIM OR THE MILLAGE RATE, THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT THAT YOU CAN APPROVE. UH, THAT WAS DONE ON THE 21ST OF JULY. UH, WE ALSO HAD A TAX REFORM WORKSHOP BASED ON AMENDMENT 3 THAT'S, UH, COMING UP IN NOVEMBER. UH, ON AUGUST 13TH, WE HAD A CIP OPERATIONS BUDGET UPDATE, UH, WE DID, AND ALSO TALKED IN DETAIL ABOUT THE CIP. WE HAD THE FIRST, UH, UH, PUBLIC HEARING ON SEPTEMBER 8TH, AND THEN WE HAD A MILLAGE, UH, DISCUSSION, UH, ON SEPTEMBER 17TH, AND THEN LEADING INTO THIS EVENING ON THE 22ND, WHICH IS THE SECOND FINAL HEARING OF THE BUDGET. SO THE HIGHLIGHTS AND ASSUMPTIONS THAT'S WENT INTO THE BUDGET, UH, THE PROPOSED MILLAGE RATE THAT'S BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING, UH, THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER IS 3.5886. UH, THE AD VALOREM TAX REVENUES, UH, INCREASED DUE TO FORECAST INCREASES IN PROPERTY VALUES, NEW CONSTRUCTION, AND THE FIRST YEAR OF FUNDING THE JFRD, UH, THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED AT LENGTH, UH, THAT WAS NEEDED TO IMPLEMENT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. UH, NO WATER RATE INDEXING, UH, IS BEING REQUESTED. UH, NO STORMWATER RATE INDEXING IS BEING REQUESTED FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR. UH, FOR EXPENDITURES, UH, WE PROJECTED A 5% INCREASE FOR NON-UNION EMPLOYEES, UH, MAINTAIN A 90-10 SPLIT ON THE HEALTHCARE COSTS BETWEEN THE TOWN, UH, AND THE EMPLOYEES. UH, WE'VE MAINTAINED THIS LEVEL OF CONTRIBUTION, UH, TO THE EMPLOYEES FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. ALSO, THE HSA ACCOUNT CONTRIBUTIONS, UH, HAS STAYED IN PLACE. UH, THE FIRST YEAR OF THE FIRE FUND OPERATIONS, 25.5 MILLION DOLLARS, UH, WHICH IS AN ON TARGET, UH, FROM 2023 PROJECTIONS, SAVING 10 MILLION DOLLARS TO THE RESIDENTS. WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT A COUPLE TIMES, UH, THROUGHOUT THE PRESENTATION THIS YEAR. UH, I ACTUALLY, UH, WENT BACK AND LOOKED, UH, WHAT IT WAS ACTUALLY PROJECTED AT BACK IN JANUARY OF 2023. IT WAS, UH, 25.9 MILLION W- WAS THE ACTUAL PROJECTION. SO WE'RE ACTUALLY UNDER TARGET. UH, THE MAIN THING WE, UH, NEED TO S- DISCUSS THIS EVENING IS OBVIOUSLY THE MILLAGE AND THE, UH, PROPOSED INCREASE IN VALUATIONS AND THE, UH, ROLLBACK RATE. WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT AS WELL. BUT, UH, HERE IN, UH, 2027, UH,

[00:05:01]

UH, I'M HAPPY HERE AT THE VERY END TO PRE- UH, REPORT, UH, WE HAVE MET OUR GOAL, UH, OF THE OF THE COUNCIL AND THAT CHALLENGE. UH, FIRST YEAR SAVINGS, 10 MILLION DOLLARS. UH, YOU CAN SEE THE, UH, THE MILLAGE RATE THAT IS BEING PROPOSED TO, UH, FUND THE JFRD AT, UH, 3.5886, BUT, UH, 25 MILLION DOLLARS, UH, THE P- UH, ESTIMATED F, UH, PALM BEACH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE WAS ESTIMATED AT 35 MILLION DOLLARS. THAT, THAT WAS NOT OUR NUMBER, THAT ACTUALLY CAME FROM, UH, PALM BEACH COUNTY.

UH, SO 10 MILLION DOLLAR SAVINGS IN THE FIRST YEAR.

THAT'S, UH, QUITE AN ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR ANY TOWN. THE MILLAGE RATE, UH, COMPARED TO ROLLBACK, ONE OF THE PRIORITIES THAT WE HAVE TO DO THE, UH, DO, UH, OUR STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS.

UH, YOU CAN SEE THE, UH, PROPOSED RATE OF 3.5886, UH, ESTIMATED TO BRING IN, UH, JUST OVER 70 MILLION DOLLARS, UH, IN 100% COLLECTIONS. UH, ALSO WITH THE ROLLBACK RATE OF 2.2705. WE TALKED ABOUT THE ROLLBACK RATE, UH, DURING THE, UH, WORKSHOPS THIS, THIS PAST SUMMER, UH, AND WHAT THE ROLLBACK IS, SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT HAD IN RELATION TO ROLLBACK, BUT YOU CAN SEE THAT THAT WOULD, UH, BRING IN JUST OVER 45 MILLION DOLLARS IF WE WERE TO GO TO THE ROLLBACK RATE OF 2.2705. SO, UH, WE TALKED ABOUT THE TAX NOTICE THAT'S BEEN RECEIVED, UH, IN JULY, OR I'M SORRY, IN AUGUST, UH, JUST TO KIND OF SHOW THIS, THIS IS AN ANOMALY YEAR, UH, IN RELATION TO, UH, WE WERE, UH, THE RESIDENTS WERE GETTING BILLED, UH, FROM PALM BEACH COUNTY THROUGH A JUPITER, UH, FIRE MSTU, UH, THAT'S IN THE LEFT HAND COLUMN, AND YOU CAN, WE USE THE TYPICAL, UH, HOUSEHOLD HERE IN JUPITER, UH, TO SHOW WHAT THE SAVINGS WOULD BE, UH, BASED ON THE TRIM BILL THAT THEY RECEIVED IN THE MAIL.

UH, YOU COULD SEE THE PALM BEACH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE IN, UH, 2026, THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN BILLED 400 AND 543, UH, DOLLARS, UH, HERE IN FY27, UH, ZERO. THIS IS THE DIRECT COMPARISON OF THE TRIM BILL, UH, THE TOWN OPERATING 752 DOLLARS. YOU CAN SEE THE INCREASE IN THE TOWN OPERATING THAT'S DUE TO THE, UH, NEW MILLAGE, UH, THAT'S BEING REQUESTED TO BE IMPLEMENTED, UH, TO FUND JFRD, AND ALSO THE NON-AD VALOREM ASSESSMENT AT 93 DOLLARS. YOU CAN SEE THIS RESIDENTIAL HOME HAS A OVERALL SAVINGS OF 39 DOLLARS AND 67 CENTS AT THE END OF THE DAY.

UH, AGAIN, THIS IS A, A 314,000 DOLLAR HOUSE, UH, AS FAR AS THE, UH, ASSESSED VALUE, UH, WHICH IS ALSO CAPPED AT 3%.

DIRECTOR REYNOLDS, MAY I JUST HOLD YOU THERE FOR ONE SECOND? SURE.

BECAUSE I GOT A, I GOT A QUESTION FROM A RESIDENT. I, UM, HAD SHARED THEIR CONTACT INFORMATION WITH YOU, BUT I JUST WANT TO SHARE WITH RESIDENTS, WHOEVER'S WATCHING TONIGHT.

COLUMN 2, UM, LOOKS A LOT LOWER, THE TOTAL MILLAGE RATE AND TAX AMOUNT. COLUMN 2 LOOKS MUCH LOWER THAN COLUMN 3, BUT WE ARE IN AN UNUSUAL SITUATION WITH FIRE RESCUE. CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE IN THAT COLUMN 2 DOESN'T ACCOUNT FOR FIRE RESCUE PROPERLY? THAT'S, THAT'S IT. YOU CAN SEE THE 0 THERE FOR THE PALM BEACH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE, THAT IT DOESN'T TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT. UH, THEY SHOULD HAVE SHOWN THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE, WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO IS THEY'RE TRYING TO SHOW IN THAT MIDDLE COLUMN, THAT YELLOW COLUMN, UH, THE, THE ROLLBACK AND WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK BA- LOOK AT AS FAR AS BRINGING IN THE SAME REVENUE AS THE PREVIOUS YEAR, BUT THEY DID NOT INCLUDE, UH, THE PROPERTY APPRAISER DID NOT INCLUDE, UH, THE PALM BEACH COUNTY PORTION, SO IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S AN ARTIFICIAL INCREASE, UH, TO THE RESIDENTS.

AND IT DOESN'T SHOW JUPITER FIRE EITHER.

RIGHT, EXACTLY.

THERE'S NO FIRE RESCUE BEING PROVIDED ANYWHERE IN COLUMN 2.

RIGHT.

IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE BECAUSE THE STATE STATUTE OR THE STATE DOESN'T ALLOW FOR THAT IN COLUMN 2 WITH OUR SITUATION.

SO IT LOOKS LIKE AN ARTIFICIAL INCREASE CORRECT.

BASED ON THE ROLLBACK.

THANK YOU.

BUT THAT IS THE COLUMNS YOU

[00:10:01]

BUT EFFECTIVELY, WHAT THEY DID WAS CONSISTENT WITH THE LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENT ON THE ROLLBACK CALCULATIONS, CORRECT? CORRECT, CORRECT.

AND, UH, WE MAY BE THE ONLY, YOU KNOW, TAXING ENTITIES IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA THAT'S RIGHT.

THAT HAS A SITUATION OF AN MSTU GOING AWAY, SO THE LEGISLATORS DID NOT LEAVE PROVISIONS TO DO THAT.

THAT'S EXACTLY CORRECT.

YEAH.

THAT'S A VERY UNIQUE SITUATION THAT WE'RE IN THIS YEAR.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

YEP. SO THE OVERALL, UH, VIEW OF THE BUDGET, UH, EXPENDITURES AT 3.7, THERE'S A 3.7 MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET DECREASE ACROSS ALL THE FUNDS FROM, UH, 2026. UH, THAT'S WHEN YOU VIEW ALL THE FUNDS PUT TOGETHER, UH, THERE'S ACTUALLY THAT 3.7 MILLION DOLLAR DECREASE. AND AGAIN, UH, THE PROJECTIONS ASSUME, UH, THAT'S INCLUDES THE 5% SALARY ADJUSTMENTS FOR NON-UNION. UNION MEMBERS HAVE IT IN THEIR CONTRACT, WHAT THEY WILL RECEIVE. UH, THE TOWN INSURANCE, WE HAVE PROPERTY AND LIABILITY INSURANCE INCREASES IN THERE, ALSO THE HEALTHCARE BENEFIT COSTS TO THE EMPLOYEES, UH, AND THEN AGAIN, THE FIRST YEAR OF, OF OPERATIONS FOR JUPITER FIRE RESCUE. UH, WE'RE ON TARGET. IN FACT, I THINK WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING BETTER THAN WHAT WE ANTICIPATED IN 2020. UH, JUMPING STRAIGHT INTO THE GENERAL FUND, UH, YOU CAN SEE THE OVERALL INCREASE OF THE GENERAL FUND ITSELF IS 4 MILLION DOLLARS IN, IN REVENUE. THIS IS THE REVENUE PIECE OF THE GENERAL FUND.

UH, AND INCREASE IN, UH, ASSESSED VALUES RESULT IN A 2.1 MILLION DOLLAR INCREASE IN AD VALOREM DOLLARS. UH, THERE'S, UH, INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES.

THERE'S AN INCREASE OF JUST OVER 21,000 DOLLARS THERE, INCREASE OF 233,000 DOLLAR- DOLLARS IN CHARGES FOR SERVICE, PRIMARILY DUE TO THE, UH, SOLID WASTE SURCHARGE REVENUE, AND THERE'S SOME ALLOCATION COSTS THAT COME OVER FROM THE UTILITIES. UH, THAT'S PART OF THAT CHARGES FOR SERVICE. UH, ALSO INTEREST EARNINGS, WE'RE ANTICIPATING THAT, UH, WHEN WE FIRST PUT TOGETHER THESE PROJECTIONS, WE WERE VERY CONSERVATIVE ON OUR ESTIMATES. IF ANYBODY'S WATCHING THE NEWS, UH, YOU CAN SEE THE INTEREST RATES ARE STARTING TO INCREASE. UH, WE'RE ANTICIPATING THAT THAT COULD ALSO AFFECT OUR INTEREST EARNINGS GOING FORWARD, BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE SHOWING AN INCREASE OF 1.3 MILLION DOLLARS IN INTEREST EARNINGS OVER THE CURRENT YEAR. UH, NO USE OF, UH, GENERAL FUND RESERVES, UH, NEEDED TO BALANCE THE BUDGET.

ON THE OPERATIONAL SIDE OF THE HOUSE, UH, 83.4 MILLION DOLLARS IN EXPENDITURES, UH, PROJECTED FOR NEXT YEAR, UH, 2.3 MILLION DOLLAR INCREASE OVER, UH, THE ADOPTED 26 DOLLAR, UH, 26 BUDGET. OVER ON THE LEFT HAND COLUMN, UH, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT AT LENGTH, OF WHAT'S REALLY DRIVING A LOT OF THESE INCREASES AND DECREASES IN THE FUND ITSELF.

UH, YOU CAN SEE THE TRANSFER OF CAPITAL. THERE WAS A MAJOR DECREASE THERE, UH, IN THE TRANSFERS THAT WERE NEEDED, UH, IN FY26. THIS IS THE BIG ONE.

UH, THIS IS, UH, THE JUPITER FIRE RESCUE DEPARTMENT OPERATIONAL BUDGET. UH, IT HAS ITS OWN FUND, UH, PREDOMINANTLY DUE TO THE NON-AD VALOREM ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS BECAUSE IT'S A SPECIAL REVENUE.

UH, WE'VE SEGREGATED THAT OUT.

UH, THE MILLAGE THAT HAS BEEN, UH, PARSED OUT TO, UH, FUND JUPITER FIRE RESCUE IS 21.6 MILLION DOLLARS, OR THE MILLAGE RATE OF 1.1992.

IT'S BEEN POINTED OUT MULTIPLE TIMES, AND I JUST WANT TO REITERATE, UH, THEY THEY DO NOT HAVE A SEPARATE MILLAGE RATE. UH, IT'S HOW WE PARSE IT OUT TO FUND JUPITER FIRE RESCUE. IT'S PART OF THE TOWN'S OVERALL, UH, MILLAGE RATE, UH, THAT YOU'LL SEE ON YOUR TRIM BILL, BUT THAT'S THE PORTION OF THE MILLAGE THAT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO GENERATE THAT 21.6 MILLION DOLLARS, UH, THAT'S NEEDED TO FUND, UH, JUPITER FIRE RESCUE. YOU ALSO HAVE TRANSPORT FEES. I WILL TELL YOU, WE WORKED OVER THE SUMMER WITH THE, UH, TRANSPORT, UH, UH, SECTION OF JUPITER FIRE RESCUE, UH, TO PUT GET THESE FEES PUT IN PLACE AND TO GET CONTRACTS IN PLACE TO TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. WE'RE PROJECTING 1.5 MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF TRANSPORT FEES. UH, THE NON-AD VALOREM ASSESSMENT, WE'VE TALKED AT THAT ALL SUMMER LONG AS WELL. UH, AFTER THE BUY DOWNS, UH, THAT COUNCIL, UH, INCORPORATED INTO THEIR RESOLUTION, 1.9 MILLION DOLLARS, UH, IN NON-AD VALOREM ASSESSMENT REVENUE.

UH, THAT'S, UH, TO PAY THE DEBT SERVICE THAT'S COMING. UH, THAT'LL PROBABLY COME BACK BEFORE THE TOWN COUNCIL BY DECEMBER, UH, AND WHICH WILL PLEDGE THOSE, THOSE REVENUES TO PAY FOR THE BONDING THAT'S NECESSARY FOR THE TWO NEW FIRE STATIONS.

UH, FIRE PREVENTION REVENUES, UH, THAT'S ON THIS, UH, LATER ON IN THE AGENDA THIS EVENING, UH, 250,000 DOLLARS, AND THEN ANNUAL INSPECTION FEES. THAT'S ALSO PART OF THIS EVENING'S, UH, REQUEST OF THE COUNCIL FOR 100,000 DOLLARS. TOTAL FIRE FUND FOR FY27, 25.4 MILLION DOLLARS. I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING TO BE VERY PROUD OF. UH, AGAIN, UH, THE COUNCIL 3 YEARS AGO, I DON'T NEED TO JUST KEEP REITERATING, BUT I, I, I AS STAFF, UM, UH, THE WHOLE STAFF OF THE TOWN HAS COMMITTED THEMSELVES OVER THE LAST, UH, 3 YEARS, FROM EVERYBODY ON THE COUNCIL, MR. BAIRD, UH, THE TOWN CLERK,

[00:15:01]

UH, I'M VERY PROUD TO BE PART OF THE TEAM THAT, UH, PUT ALL THIS TOGETHER AND MADE THIS HAPPEN. UM, IT'S BEEN A VERY TOUGH, UH, ROAD OVER THE LAST 3 YEARS, AND, UH, AGAIN, I'M VERY PROUD OF THE PEOPLE THAT I WORK WITH, UH, TO TO TO SEE IT. BUT, UH, SAVINGS, UH, FOR THE JUPITER FIRE RESCUE, 10 MILLION DOLLARS. UH, I KNOW INITIALLY, UH, THE UH THE COUNTY REALLY WANTED US TO GO TO THE COUNTYWIDE MILLAGE.

UH, THERE ARE SOME PE- PLACES IN THE TOWN OF JUPITER WHERE YOU'RE INSIDE THE TOWN, YOU'RE GOING TO RECEIVE THE BENEFIT OF WHAT WE DID OVER THE LAST 3 YEARS, UH, EVEN AT THE OLD PALM BEACH COUNTY RATE, UH, THE 3.4581 CREATED A SAVINGS OF OVER 39 MILLION DOLLARS.

THAT'S WHAT THE COUNTY REALLY WANTED US TO DO FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. AND UH, THE, THE TOWN COUNCIL AL- AND, AND, AND STATED THAT THEY WANTED TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

THAT IS VERY SIGNIFICANT ACROSS THE WHOLE STATE. I'VE RECEIVED A NUMBER OF PHONE CALLS ABOUT, ABOUT THIS PROCESS. IT'S A TREMENDOUS LIFT AND SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF IT.

CAN I JUST PAUSE ON THAT, UH, TO REFLECT ONE ITEM, UH, MR. REYNOLDS? SO, YOU KNOW, UH, TONIGHT WE'RE GOING TO BE HONORING, UH, SOMEONE FROM PALM BEACH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE, UH, AND I JUST WANT TO PUT IN PERSPECTIVE THAT, UH, ON THAT THE COUNTY WAS THE COMMISSION AND THE LEADERSHIP.

THAT IS NOT THE COST OF WHAT PALM BEACH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE WAS OR IS. THERE WAS A LEADERSHIP DECISION TO ASK AND EXPECT THAT JUPITER WAS GONNA PAY TO S- TO SUBSIDIZE THE MORE EXPENSIVE SERVICE AND UNINCORPORATED PALM BEACH COUNTY. WE'RE BLESSED IN A MUNICIPALITY TO BE COMPACT, AND UH, I JUST REALLY WANT TO, I DON'T WANT OUR PALM BEACH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE TEAM TO FEEL LIKE, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT THE ONES THAT THEY'RE NOT, I JUST WANTED TO HAVE KIND OF EMPHASIZED THAT. I THINK IT WAS APPROPRIATE TO SAY THAT TODAY.

I APOLOGIZE, MAYOR, IF I, IF I MADE IT SOUND.

NO, YOU DIDN'T, YOU DIDN'T, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE SAID IT. YOU SAID IT CLEAR, BUT I, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT WAS THE LEADERSHIP, THAT'S NOT THE TROOPS ON THE GROUND, RIGHT? THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING, BECAUSE, UH, WE MADE IT KNOWN FROM THE VERY BEGINNING THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT WE RECEIVED FROM PALM BEACH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE WAS EXEMPLARY. UH, THEY CONDUCTED THEMSELVES, SPECIFICALLY CHIEF ROWLEY. I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT HIM THIS EVENING. UH, HE WAS NOTHING BUT PROFESSIONAL THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS.

UH, A NUMBER OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE INTERACTED WITH, VERY PROFESSIONAL, UH, AND UH, WE, WE THANK THEM, UH, BECAUSE THIS WAS A V- AS YOU SAID, MAYOR, THIS IS A VERY HEAVY LIFT, BUT THANK YOU FOR THAT, UH, BRINGING THAT UP.

AND WHAT YOU SAID WAS FACTUALLY CORRECT. I JUST WANTED TO DISTINGUISH THAT IT WAS THE LEADERSHIP, PALM BEACH COUNTY LEADERSHIP, THAT, YOU KNOW, WANTED US TO PAY THE SAME RATE AS, YOU KNOW, UNINCORPORATED AREAS THAT IS HIGHER TO SERVE. THANK YOU.

ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WE'LL BE TAKING ON THIS UPCOMING YEAR IS SOME DEBT. UH, WE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THAT. UM, WE WILL BE COMING BACK BEFORE THE TOWN COUNCIL, MO- MOST LIKELY BY DECEMBER WITH THE DEBT ISSUANCE, UH, FOR YOU TO APPROVE AT THAT POINT IN TIME.

BUT RIGHT NOW, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE SEEING AS AN ESTIMATE IS THE 1.9 MILLION DOLLARS, UH, SO WE HAVE BUDGETED THAT ACCORDINGLY.

UH, THE, LET ME GO BACK TO THAT REAL QUICK, UH, JUST TO, TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY, EVEN IN THE PUBLIC, RECOGNIZES THAT, UH, THIS IS A REPLACEMENT DEBT.

UH, WE WENT OUT AND ISSUED A COMMERCIAL PAPER, UH, TO BUILD AND CONSTRUCT THE, THE BUILDINGS. IT WAS MORE LIKE A, UH, UM, UH, A, A SHORT-TERM LOAN, UH, BECAUSE WE HAD NO IDEA IF WE WERE TO ACTUALLY SPEND THE FULL 20 MILLION, UH, THAT WAS AUTHORIZED, UH, AND WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR FINAL PAY APPS TO COME IN. UH, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE, UH, SENT FORWARD FOR THE 20 MILLION PLUS AN ADDITIONAL 2 MILLION, UH, FOR THE, UH, STATION OVER IN ABACOA, UH, STATION 11 RENOVATIONS, BUT WE'LL BE BRINGING THAT BACK IN DECEMBER. UH, THE WATER FUND, NO RATE INDEXING. UH, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT EARLIER.

UH, THE WATER EXPENSES, UH, HAVE TO DO WITH, UH, 5% SALARY. THERE WAS SOME REDUCTION IN DEBT SERVICE, UH, RE- UH, ALSO DECREASES AS 0.62% DUE TO THE UPDATE IN, UH, FP&L ESTIMATES. UH, WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR PARTNERS AT FP&L, UH, TO GET THOSE ESTIMATES RIGHT FOR THE PLANT. UH, ALSO THERE'S A 929,000 DESIGNATED 2 RETAINED

[00:20:01]

STORMWATER FUND, NO RATE INDEXING. THERE'S 580,000 DOLLARS BEING DESIGNATED FROM RE- FROM RETAINED EARNINGS. UH, WE HAVE, UH, FY27 PROJECTED AVAILABLE R&R RENEWAL AND REPLACEMENT CONTRIBUTIONS AT, UH, 502,000 DOLLARS. UH, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS EARLIER, THAT THERE IS A NEW VAC TRUCK, UH, THAT WAS BEING REQUESTED, UH, TO BE FUNDED, UH, FOR 435,000 DOLLARS. UH, THAT'S A COST SHARING ITEM BETWEEN THE WATER AND STORMWATER FUND.

THE JUPITER RIVER ESTATES NON-AD VALOREM ASSESSMENT, WHERE THIS IS NOTHING NEW FOR EVEN FIRE RESCUE WITH THE NON-AD VALOREM ASSESSMENT.

WE'VE DONE IT WITH THE JUPITER RIVER ESTATES. UH, YOU CAN SEE IT'S A NON-MAINTENANCE YEAR, SO VERY MINIMAL COST THERE.

THE BUILDING FUND, UH, PERMIT REVENUE ESTIMATES SHOW A 350,000 DOLLAR INCREASE IN PER RATES, UH, PERMIT, PERMIT RATE, UH, REV- REVENUE.

UH, WE ARE CURRENTLY TRYING TO WRAP UP THE, UH, PERMIT RATE STUDY, UH, SHOULD BE DONE IN THE NEXT MONTH OR TWO. UH, INTEREST RATES ARE, WE SHOW A DECREASE THERE, AND I'M SURE YOU'RE PROBABLY ASKING WHY, BUT WHILE WE'RE SHOWING AN INCREASE IN THE GENERAL FUND FOR INTEREST EARNINGS AND MAYBE A DECREASE IN THE BUILDING FUND. IT'S BASED ON THE AVAILABILITY OF CASH. UH, AS YOU KNOW, UH, BACK IN UH, UH, JUNE, UH, WE ACTUALLY PURCHASED A BUILDING, UH, FOR 9 MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE BUILDING FUND, SO DECREASED THE AMOUNT OF CASH AVAILABLE. UH, WE HAVE A SMALL USE OF, OR I'M SORRY, UH, A 1 MILLION DOLLAR USE OF RETAINED EARNINGS. AGAIN, THE EXPENSES, UH, ASSOCIATED WITH THE BUILDING FUND, UH, WE'VE SEEN A SLIGHT INCREASE IN EXPENSES, UH, CONTRACTUAL SERVICES OF 77,000 DOLLARS, AND THEN A 277,000 DOLLARS IN THE COST ALLOCATION. IT'S PRIMARILY DUE, IT'S A LOT OF THAT'S DUE TO, UH, THE CODE COMPLIANCE, UH, ELEMENT THAT'S BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE BUILDING FUND. UH, THEY'VE ACTUALLY BEEN RUNNING A, A NUMBER OF BUILDING FUND, UH, TYPE ACTIVITIES, SO IT'S ONLY RIGHT THAT THEY PAY FOR THEIR, UH, PORTION OF THEIR COST. THE HEALTH INSURANCE FUND, STILL VERY HEALTHY. UH, WHAT I'M GOING TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE HEALTH INSURANCE FUND, UH, I CAN'T REMEMBER HOW MANY YEARS IT'S BEEN, AT LEAST 5, MAYBE 06, UH, THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD ASKED FOR A RATE INCREASE FOR THE HEALTH INSURANCE, UH, PREMIUMS FOR THE, UH, TOWN OR THE EMPLOYEE. UM, THE, IT'S A 90-10 SPLIT. WE'VE MAINTAINED THAT ALONG WITH HSA. WHAT I WILL TELL YOU, WITH THE NEW FIREFIGHTERS COMING ON, UH, WE WILL BE MONITORING THE FUND, UH, GOING FORWARD. UH, THEY'RE, I'M ASSUMING THEY'RE ALL VERY, THEY ALL LOOK VERY YOUNG AND HEALTHY. UH, HOPE THAT TREND CONTINUES, UH, WHICH WILL ALSO IMPACT THE FUND GOING FORWARD, UH, SO WE CAN SEE WHAT WE CAN ACTUALLY DO WITH THE HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS GOING FORWARD. RIGHT NOW, WE'VE, WE'VE KIND OF HELD, UH, UH, THE STEADY AS FAR AS THE PREMIUMS GO. UH, YOU CAN SEE HERE, UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE CLAIMS COST OF JUST OVER 6, UH, 6.2 MILLION DOLLARS. UH, YOU CAN SEE SOME RESERVE EQUITY THERE. WHAT THE RESERVE EQUITY IS, IS BASICALLY ANY EXCESS REVENUE THAT'S GENERATED, UH, MAY GO BACK INTO THE RESERVES, BUT IT'S ALSO THERE TO HELP BALANCE, UH, IF, UH, SOMETHING WERE, UH, MORE CLAIMS WERE TO COME IN THAN ANTICIPATED. SO AGAIN, WE'RE MONITORING, UH, THE HEALTH INSURANCE FUND.

BY NEXT SUMMER, WE SHOULD PROBABLY HAVE SOMEWHAT OF A GOOD IDEA, UH, OF THE, UH, HEALTH INSURANCE, UH, CLAIMS COST, UH, WITH ALL THE NEW ADDITIONS OF OF THE EMPLOYEES, AND WE CAN HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF REALLY WHERE WE SHOULD BE SITTING AS FAR AS THE RESERVE BALANCES. AND WE TALK ABOUT THAT EVERY YEAR DURING THE BUDGETARY PROCESS, BUT, UH, SOMETHING TO NOTE AND MONITOR AS WE GO FORWARD, SPECIFICALLY IN THE UH, QUARTERLY REPORTS THAT COME OUT. WE DO A, A, A REPORT ON THE HEALTH INSURANCE FUND.

MAKE SURE YOU'RE WATCHING THAT, UH, AS WE GO THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.

THE CIP FUNDING, UH, HERE'S THE SUMMARY, UH, FROM, FOR THE FIVE-YEAR WINDOW FROM 2027 TO 2031. UH, IT'S BEEN UPDATED SINCE THE PREVIOUS WORKSHOP, UH, 24.6 MILLION DOLLARS, UH, IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FY26 AND FY27 AS FAR AS THE WHAT'S BEING REQUESTED. UH, THE WE FUNDED THE SPLASH PAD WITHOUT THE USE OF RESERVES. I KNOW THAT CAME IN FROM THE COUNCIL, AND WE FOUND A WAY TO DO THAT. UH, WE ADDED THE AEDS AND STOP THE BLEED KITS TO THE PARKS. I KNOW THAT WAS A REQUEST OF ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS. UH, WE D- ACTUALLY DID THAT THROUGH OPERATING, UH, INSTEAD OF FUNDING IT THROUGH THE CIP PROCESS. UH, WE REDUCED, UH, THE FY27 STORMWATER, UH, ASSET MAINTENANCE DUE TO AVAILABLE- AVAILABILITY OF CARRY FORWARD FUNDING, AND ADDED THE A1A, UH, BEACH SHOWER FUNDING WE RECEIVED FROM THE STATE, UH, THROUGH THE APPROPRIATION. SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO MORE, UH, BEACH SHOWERS, UH, OVER

[00:25:01]

BUT, UH, WHAT WE DID WAS WE PAUSED THESE PROJECTS. UH, UH, STAFF IS NOT ACTIVELY PURSUING TO BRING CONTRACTS BEFORE THE COUNCIL UNTIL WE KNOW WHAT AMENDMENT 3'S, UH, UH, THE OUTCOME OF THAT IS, AND THEN WE HAVE THE WORKSHOP WITH THE COUNCIL, AND THEN YOU CAN EITHER FREE UP PROJECTS OR YOU CAN FURTHER REFINE THE PAUSE OR ACTUAL ELIMINATION OF SOME PROJECTS.

BEFORE YOU GO ON, I JUST WANT TO MAKE, I WANT TO JUST REFLECT ON THIS PAGE, A SIGNIFICANT ITEM. UM, SO, AND I'VE SAID SOME OF THIS BEFORE, UM, TO THE, UH, THOSE ON THE DAIS, BUT, YOU KNOW, I WAS, UH, MOVED TO JUPITER IN 1992. I VOTED, ALONG WITH MY FAMILY AND ALL MY NEIGHBORS, TO ANNEX INTO THE TOWN OF JUPITER, KNOWING THAT THERE IS, I WANTED PREMIUM S- PREMIUM SERVICES, UM, THAT CERTAINLY INCLUDED PUBLIC SAFETY. THAT WAS A BIG ONE, UH, BUT ALSO OTHER THINGS, PARKS AND RECS. FAST FORWARD, I VOTED S- A FEW YEARS LATER IN FAVOR OF ADDING A COMMUNITY CENTER, AN AMENITY THAT THIS PUBLIC HAS SIGNIFICANTLY ENJOYED. THE ADDED VALUE THAT THIS PUBLIC WANTS. IT'S GREAT IRONY ON THE HEELS OF AMENDMENT 3 THAT WE'RE PAUSING THE COMMUNITY CENTER RENO- RENOVATIONS AND REHAB TO THE TUNE OF 1.5 MILLION DOLLARS. YOU OWN A HOME. I'VE REPLACED MY ROOF TWICE, I'VE REPLACED MY AIR CONDITIONING UNIT TWICE, I'VE REPLACED MY WATER HEATER TWICE. UM, BUT FOR SOME REASON, THE STATE LEGISLATURE DOESN'T THINK, DOESN'T THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN THINGS THAT ARE COMMUNITY ASSETS THAT THEY WANT. I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE, THAT IT'S INCREDIBLE. SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO GET THROUGH THIS REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS ON AMENDMENT 03, BUT I HOPE THERE'S MANY PEOPLE, AND I KNOW THERE'S MANY PEOPLE LIKE ME, THAT WE DON'T AGREE WITH AMENDMENT 3 FOR THAT REASON. WE'VE CHOSEN AS A COMMUNITY TO HAVE A LOT OF AMENITIES. WE MOVED TO THIS COMMUNITY, SO THE OUTCOME OF AMENDMENT 3 COULD BE IT'S GOING TO CHANGE, DIFFERENT FROM WHY WE CHOSE TO MOVE TO JUPITER. JUST WANT TO HAVE SAID THAT BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY CENTER IS ON THERE. I WAS REFLECTING TO TOMORROW, UH, COUNCILOR SUNDSTROM, WHEN WE HA- WE'RE CONVENING PEOPLE OVER THERE AND WE'RE IN THE COMMUNITY CENTERS, THAT IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS COMMUNITY, RIGHT? UH, BUT THE STATE LEGISLATURE IN AMENDMENT 3 DOESN'T RECOGNIZE THAT THAT'S SOMETHING TO BE FUNDED. CRAZY. I'M SORRY, I HAD TO, I HAD TO VENT HERE.

YOU'RE FINE, MAYOR. SO IN SUMMARY, UH, WHAT WE SEEK THIS EVENING IS APPROVAL ON SECOND READING OF THE PROPOSED OPERATING MILLAGE OF 3.5886, UH, THROUGH ORDINANCE 40-26, PRIMARILY, UH, TO FUND THE JUPITER FIRE RESCUE, UH, AND ALSO TO SEEK APPROVAL ON SECOND READING OF THE PROPOSED 2027-2031 COMMUNITY INVESTMENT PROGRAM THROUGH ORDINANCE 41-26, AND THEN ULTIMATELY, UH, THE APPROVAL, SEEKING THE APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION 109-26 TO APPROVE THE 26, OR I'M SORRY, THE FY27 OPERATING BUDGET AND PAY PLAN FOR THE TOWN. UH, ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO MAKE SURE, UH, TO BRING UP, BECAUSE WE DID HAVE THIS DISCUSSION, UH, LAST WEEK, UH, AND WE, WE TALKED ABOUT THE, THE VOTING STATUS OF EACH OF THE, UH, UH, MILLAGES, PRIMARILY THE, THE MILLAGE THAT SITS BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING. IT REQUIRES A UNANIMOUS VOTE OF THE COUNCIL. IT GENERATES, UH, JUST OVER 70 MILLION DOLLARS IN FUNDING. UH, THERE IS A REQUIREMENT THAT, UH, IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE, UH, ALL 05, UH, MEMBERS, UH, THAT IF YOU CAN ONLY, UH, VOTE FOR 4 OUT OF THE 5 OF YOU, UH, THAT WOULD GO BACK TO THE 110% OF ROLLBACK, WHICH IS 2.4976, UH, WHICH WOULD GENERATE, UH, 04, JUST OVER 49 MILLION DOLLARS IN REVENUE, OR A LOSS OF 21.4

[00:30:02]

NOW, UH, THE ROLLBACK, I MEAN, THAT, THAT THE, THE IDEA OF THE ROLLBACK IS TO GENERATE THE SAME AMOUNT OF REVENUE, UH, AS LAST YEAR, UH, SO IT'S JUST KIND OF UNREALISTIC, UH, AND REALLY, UH, THE PROPOSED MILLAGE THAT'S THAT'S BEFORE YOU, 3.5886, UH, THAT FULLY FUNDS EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE SEEN THIS EVENING ON SECOND READING AND WE'VE DISCUSSED THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER. WITH THAT, THAT'S THE END OF MY PRESENTATION.

YOUR PRESENTATION COVERED AGENDA ITEMS 1, 2, AND 3, CORRECT? YES, SIR. YES, SIR, IT DID.

UM, I TURN TO COUNCIL. DOES COUNCIL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE, UM, I'LL TAKE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON ORDINANCE 4026.

JUST FOR THE RECORD, WE HAD NO CARDS FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING.

THANK YOU. UH, MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE 4026 IN SECOND READING.

SECOND.

I'D ASK THE TOWN ATTORNEY TO READ ORDINANCE 40-26 ON, READ THE ORDINANCE.

ORDINANCE 4026, AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN COUNCIL OF TOWN OF JUPITER, FLORIDA, ADOPTING A MILLAGE RATE TO BE LEVIED BY THE TOWN OF JUPITER ON TAXABLE REAL AND TANGIBLE PERSONAL PROPERTY WITHIN THE TOWN FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2026 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2027, STATING THE ROLLBACK MILLAGE RATE, STATING THE PERCENT BY WHICH THE MILLAGE RATE EXCEEDS, IF ANY, THE ROLLBACK MILLAGE RATE, AND LEVYING AD VALOREM TAXES ON ALL TAXABLE REAL AND TANGIBLE PERSONAL PROPERTY IN THE TOWN OF JUPITER FOR THE SAID FISCAL YEAR.

WE HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

MOTION CARRIES 5-0. MOVING ON TO ORDINANCE 4126. UH, I'LL TAKE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON 4126.

MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE 4126 ON SECOND READING.

SECOND.

I'D ASK MR. BAIRD TO READ ORDINANCE 4126.

ORDINANCE 4126, AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF JUPITER, FLORIDA, AMENDING THE TOWN'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO UPDATE THE FIVE-YEAR COMMUNITY INVESTMENT PROGRAM, INCLUDING WITHIN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS ELEMENT OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, PROVIDING FOR THE REPEAL OF LAWS IN CONFLICT, PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY, AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON ORDINANCE 4126. ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE.

NAY, THE MOTION CARRIES 4 TO 1 WITH THE MAYOR DISSENTING. I'LL TAKE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON RESOLUTION 10926.

MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 109-26.

SECOND.

MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

MOTION CARRIES 5-0. UH, MOVING

[4. JFRD Update. ]

I BRING UP OUR FIRE CHIEF.

MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, THOSE ATTENDING HERE IN PERSON, THOSE WATCHING FROM HOME, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME THE HONOR TO SERVE HERE AT JUPITER FIRE RESCUE. UM, SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE AN UPDATE ON JUPITER FIRE RESCUE, BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT TONIGHT, WE DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE. AND SO FIRST, I'D LIKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CALL UP CHIEF BILL ROWLEY.

BILL. I- I'VE KNOWN BILL FOR A VERY LONG TIME. WE'VE BEEN FRIENDS PROBABLY UNTIL TONIGHT BECAUSE HE DIDN'T KNOW THIS WAS HAPPENING. UH, AND UH, AND LOOK, WE JUST WANT TO THANK YOU. UH, YOU HAVE BEEN AN INCREDIBLE, PROFESSIONAL, HUMBLE INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS SERVED THIS TOWN SO INCREDIBLY WELL. I THINK YOU'VE BEEN HERE FOR OVER 6 YEARS IN JUPITER, I THINK, IS THAT RIGHT? AND OVER 40 YEARS IN THE FIRE SERVICE. UM, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU HAVE BEEN ALWAYS HONEST, ALWAYS STRAIGHTFORWARD WITH US, AND ALWAYS HELPFUL TO US. UM, BUT YOU HAVE ALSO DEMONSTRATED INCREDIBLE LEADERSHIP BECAUSE THE FOLKS THAT WORK FOR YOU IN THE NORTH END OF THIS COUNTY HAVE PROVIDED EXCEPTIONAL

[00:35:03]

UH, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO STAY CLOSE WITH YOU. YOU'RE GOING TO STILL BE HERE, AND WE APPRECIATE THAT. WE WANT TO WORK CLOSELY WITH YOU. UM, YOU KNOW, REALLY, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S OUR SINCEREST THANKS FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, AND I KNOW CHIEF KITZEROW MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING HE WANTED TO SAY AS WELL.

YES, UH, MAYOR, IF I COULD.

BILL HAS BEEN REMARKABLE THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE THING, AND I KNOW BILL AS THE POLICE CHIEF, AND I KNOW BILL AS A TOWN MANAGER, AND THESE HAVE BEEN SOME TRYING TIMES OVER THE LAST 3 YEARS. GOOD MAN. GOOD MAN. THANK YOU, BILL.

SO ON BEHALF OF THE TOWN OF JUPITER, WE PRESENT YOU AH.

WITH THAT PICTURE.

I ALWAYS SEE THE PICTURES ON THE WALL.

YEAH. AND THIS CERTIFICATE IN HONOR OF YOUR LOYAL AND DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS AND BUSINESSES OF THE TOWN OF JUPITER. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I, I TRULY DID NOT EXPECT THIS.

UM, I'VE TRULY VALUED THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TOWN OF JUPITER, AND IT'S TRULY ESPECIALLY THE MANAGEMENT TEAM FOR THE TOWN OF JUPITER. UM, FROM DAY ONE, I JOKED WITH FRANK, UH, THE DAY AFTER YOU GUYS HAD THE VOTE IN THE COUNCIL TO GO THE DIRECTION YOU WENT. I SHOWED UP AT THE STAFF MEETING, LIKE I ALWAYS DO THE DAY AFTER, AND I COME IN AND FRANK LOOKS AT ME, GOES, I WASN'T SURE IF YOU WERE COMING TONIGHT. I SAID, I'M GOING TO KEEP SHOWING UP UNTIL THIS THING BUZZES WRONG AND DOESN'T LET ME THROUGH THE DOOR, MY ID. I, I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH TO HOW PROFESSIONAL, HOW FRIENDLY, HOW WELCOME THE MANAGEMENT TEAM FOR THE TOWN OF JUPITER HAS BEEN FROM DAY ONE OF STARTING NEGOTIATIONS ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE NEGOTIATIONS, WHICH OBVIOUSLY WE KNOW IS AWKWARD.

AND THEN THIS THREE YEARS OF YOU GUYS BUILDING, BUILDING YOUR FIRE DEPARTMENT.

EVERY TIME I COME IN THERE, I FELT IT WAS FRIENDLY, IT WAS WELCOMING, AND THEY WERE NOTHING BUT PROFESSIONALS. EVERY ONE OF YOUR MANAGEMENT TEAM FOR THE TOWN, INCLUDING YOUR COMMAND STAFF FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. IT IS, IT IS, AND I SPEAK OF THIS FREQUENTLY TO PALM BEACH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE'S LEADERSHIP. I DON'T MISS AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO SAY THAT.

IT REALLY, IT MEANT A LOT. IT SHOWED A LOT, AND IT, LIKE YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT, YOU WERE SAYING ABOUT MY LEADERSHIP, IT TRULY SHOWED THAT FRANK PUT THAT MESSAGE, UH, THAT AIR OUT THERE, AND THE COMMAND OR THE MANAGEMENT TEAM FOR THE TOWN TRULY TOOK IT UP.

IT REALLY, REALLY WAS APPRECIATED BECAUSE THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY, VERY AWKWARD 4 YEARS, AND IT WASN'T. WE WORKED AS A TEAM THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE TIME. FRANK AND I SPOKE FREQUENTLY. I SPOKE FREQUENTLY WITH YOUR COMMAND STAFF FOR YOUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND I SAID, I, I, I HATE TO BE LONG-WINDED WITH IT, BUT I JUST CAN'T SAY ENOUGH TO HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE THAT, AND IT REALLY SHOWED A LOT FOR ALL OF YOUR TEAM TO BE THE WAY THEY WERE THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, AND IT, IT TRULY WAS NOTICED AND APPRECIATED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK, THANK YOU, BILL. AND MAYOR, JUST SO YOU KNOW, HE KEEPS TRYING TO HAND IN HIS ID CARD TO GET IN THE BUILDING, AND I JUST HAD TO SQUARE IT AWAY WITH HIM.

WE'RE NOT TURNING THAT CARD OFF. UH, HE'S GOING TO KEEP IT. HE DOESN'T NEED TO BE CHECKING IN TO COME HERE. HE'S PART OF THIS TEAM. SO THANK YOU, BILL. I APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. SEE YOU TOMORROW.

[00:40:02]

GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE TOWN COUNCIL, MAYOR, TOWN MANAGER, AND GUESTS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ALLOWING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO STAND BEFORE YOU AND RECOGNIZE ONE OF OUR VERY OWN FIREFIGHTERS FROM THE JFRD. UH, HE MENTIONED MY NAME, JASON SEKULA. I JUST HAVE TO MENTION THAT I AM A JUPITER FIREFIGHTER, BATTALION CHIEF ON SEA PLATOON FOR THIS ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE ORGANIZATION. BEFORE I BEGIN, I'D LIKE TO TAKE A QUICK MOMENT TO COVER A FEW ESSENTIAL FACILITY DETAILS. SO PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT AND IDENTIFY YOUR EXITS NEAREST TO YOU RIGHT OUTSIDE THESE DOORS, TO THE LEFT, TO THE RIGHT. OKAY. UH, WE ALSO HAVE 3 AEDS LOCATED IN THIS BUILDING. ONE IS LOCATED RIGHT BEHIND THE FRONT LOBBY DESK.

WE HAVE ANOTHER ON THE SECOND STORY, RIGHT OUTSIDE THE STAIRWELL, ON THE WALL, AND THERE'S ANOTHER ONE IN THE FIRE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING OFFICES RIGHT TO THE LEFT, AND IT'S, UH, IDENTIFIED WITH A NICE LITTLE SIGN THAT SAYS AED.

ABOUT STOP THE BLEED KITS, YOU GOT THOSE? I'M SORRY? STOP THE BLEED KIT, YOU GOT ONE OF THOSE? YEAH.

WE HAVE A LOT OF THOSE THINGS. ALSO, UH, BATHROOMS, RIGHT? RIGHT OUTSIDE THESE CHAMBER DOORS. THERE'S ONE TO THE LEFT FOR THE MEN, AND ON THE RIGHT SIDE THERE'S SOME FOR THE FEMALES. ALL RIGHT, UM, SO THE REASON WHY I SAY THIS IS BECAUSE IN MY OLD DEPARTMENT, EVERY TIME THIS SAFETY MESSAGE WAS DELIVERED BEFORE A MEETING OR A CLASS, PEOPLE WOULD ROLL THEIR EYES AND SAY, HERE WE GO AGAIN. WE HAVE TO HEAR THIS SAFETY MESSAGE EVERY SINGLE TIME. AND I'LL BE HONEST, I LOOK AT THESE BRIEFINGS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT NOW. WHEN THERE'S AN EMERGENCY, YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW TO GET OUT OF THE BUILDING. WHEN SOMEONE SUFFERS A SUD- SUDDEN MEDICAL EMERGENCY, YOU NEED TO KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THAT AED IS, AND I THINK EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THIS ROOM CAN AGREE THAT WHEN YOU NEED A BATHROOM, THE LAST THING YOU NEED IT IS TO GO SEARCH THE BUILDING LOOKING FOR A BATHROOM.

AND THAT'S THE TRUTH.

ON SEPTEMBER 11TH, AN EVENT OCCURRED WHERE THIS WAS PROVEN, AND IT LITERALLY SAVED A MAN'S LIFE. LET ME EXPLAIN WHY, AS I READ TO YOU A COMMENDATION LETTER THAT I PREPARED FOR ONE OF OUR VERY OWN JUPITER FIRE RESCUE DEPARTMENT FIREFIGHTERS, JESSICA HERMAN. JESSICA, WILL YOU COME UP, PLEASE? YES, SIR. APPRECIATE YOU.

FIREFIGHTER HERMAN, IT IS WITH OVERWHELMING PRIDE, PROFOUND GRATITUDE, AND DEEP PROFESSIONAL RESPECT THAT I WRITE THIS LETTER TO HONOR YOUR SWIFT, HEROIC, AND LIFE-SAVING ACTIONS DURING THE 9/11 TOURNAMENT, HOCKEY TOURNAMENT. SHE PLAYS HOCKEY. SHE'S TOUGH. SHE'S VERY TOUGH. YOU SEE HER THROW A LADDER, YOU KNOW SHE'S VERY TOUGH.

UM, DURING THE 9/11 MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT AT THE ICE DEN IN CORAL SPRINGS. ONE QUOTE I ALWAYS RETURN TO IS, THE FUNNY THING ABOUT FIREMEN IS, NIGHT AND DAY, THEY ARE ALWAYS FIREMEN. I RETURN TO THIS QUOTE BECAUSE NOT EVERYONE IS BORN WITH WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A PUBLIC SERVANT. YOU EITHER HAVE IT OR YOU DON'T.

TO SELFLESSLY PUT YOURSELF IN SITUATIONS TO SAVE THE LIVES OF OTHERS, KNOWING THAT YOUR OWN LIFE MAY BE IN DANGER, IT'S IN OUR BLOOD. THIS OCCURS THROUGHOUT YOUR LIFETIME, WHETHER YOU'RE ON DUTY OR OFF, ACTIVE DUTY OR RETIRED. WE ARE ALWAYS READY TO SERVE. THE FUNDAMENTAL TRUTH WAS PUT ON FULL DISPLAY WHEN OFFICER GOMEZ, JOSEPH GOMEZ, A RETIRED NEW YORK PD OFFICER PLAYING FOR THE SOUTH FLORIDA FINEST HOCKEY TEAM, COLLAPSED ON THE BENCH DURING A GAME AND WENT TO FULL CARDIAC ARREST. YOU DID NOT HESITATE FOR A SINGLE SECOND. THE MOMENT THE CRISIS STRUCK, YOUR INSTINCTS AS A FIREFIGHTER TOOK OVER COMPLETELY, EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS OFF DUTY.

WATCHING YOU TAKE COMMAND OF THAT CHAOTIC SCENE AS A RESUSCITATION TEAM LEAD, A TEAM OF FELLOW FELLOW FIREFIGHTERS FROM MULTIPLE AGENCIES, WAS NOTHING SHORT OF INSPIRING. YOUR VOICE BOOMED ACROSS THE RINK WITH ABSOLUTE AUTHORITY AS YOU CLEARED THE AREA, DIRECTED BYSTANDER CONTROL, AND YOU LED THE TEAM THROUGH HIGH-QUALITY CPR AND DEFIBRILLATION. NOW, IF YOU EVER WORKED WITH JESSICA, JESSICA, YOU KNOW THAT THE ONLY VOICE YOU HEAR IS JESSICA. I DO A LOT OF WORK IN THE OFFICE, AND I'M ALWAYS LIKE, HOW AM I GOING TO GET ANYTHING DONE WITH JESSICA IN THE STATION? BUT NOW I SMILE WHEN I HEAR HER VOICE, BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S ONE OF HER GOD-GIVEN TALENTS THAT

[00:45:01]

AT 2 MINUTES, AN AED ARRIVED, WAS PLACED ON THE PATIENT, AND A SHOCK WAS ADMINISTERED.

AT 3 MINUTES AFTER COLLAPSE, EMERGENCY TRANSPORT ARRIVED, AND OFFICER GOMEZ HAD REGAINED CONSCIOUSNESS, AND HE RECOGNIZED YOU AS HIS RESCUER, AND HE CALLED OUT YOUR NAME, JESSICA. A MIRACULOUS OUTCOME THAT LED TO HIS SUCCESSFUL MEDICAL TREATMENT AND HIS RETURN TO THE ICE THE NEXT DAY FOR A CEREMONIAL PUCK DROP, AND HE WENT STRAIGHT TO THE LOCKER ROOM TO TAKE PICTURES WITH HIS RESCUERS AND THE FIREFIGHTER TEAM, RIGHT? HE WAS A COP, HE'S ON A COP TEAM. IT'S TABOO, A LOT OF FIGHTING, CHIPPY. HE DID THAT, AND I THINK HE HAD TO DO IT, BUT THEY HAVE A DEEP RELATIONSHIP FOR MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS, AND UH, SHE TOOK IT PERSONAL, AND SHE UH, SHE SPRUNG INTO ACTION.

ANOTHER QUOTE FROM A FORMER FDNY FIRE CHIEF EDWARD F. CROKER. OUR PROUDEST MOMENT IS TO SAVE LIVES.

UNDER THE IMPULSE OF SUCH THOUGHTS, THE NOBILITY OF THE OCCUPATION THRILLS US AND STIMULATES US TO DO THE DEEDS OF DARING. AND AS YOUR BATTALION CHIEF, I CANNOT OVERSTATE HOW IMMENSE MY PRIDE WAS IN THAT MOMENT, NOT JUST AS YOUR COWORKER, BUT AS YOUR TEAMMATE ON THE ICE. ALTHOUGH YOU RECENTLY JOINED THE JUPITER FIRE RESCUE DEPARTMENT, YOU DEMONSTRATED THE CHARACTER, LEADERSHIP, AND HEART OF A VETERAN FIREFIGHTER.

SETTING THE STANDARD WE CAN ONLY HOPE TO MAINTAIN, YOU PROVED THAT REGARDLESS OF RANK OR TIME ON THE JOB, A TRUE FIREFIGHTER IS ALWAYS ON DUTY, ALWAYS PREPARED, AND READY TO ANSWER THE CALL AND SERVE THE PUBLIC IN ANY WAY THEY NEED. THE TOWN OF JUPITER AND THE JFRD ARE TRULY BLESSED TO HAVE A FIREFIGHTER OF YOUR MAGNITUDE SERVING THIS COMMUNITY. YOUR COMPOSURE UNDER FIRE, YOUR DEDICATION TO PRESERVING HUMAN LIFE, AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO YOUR FELLOW FIREFIGHTERS, FIRST RESPONDERS, REFLECTS THE HIGHEST ABSOLUTE TRADITIONS OF THE FIRE SERVICE. I THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF THE COMMAND STAFF, THE TOWN, JOSEPH, AND EVERYBODY. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR COURAGE, YOUR LEADERSHIP, AND FOR REPRESENTING OUR DEPARTMENT WITH SUCH DISTINCTION. YOU MADE ME, YOUR TEAM, AND THE ENTIRE JUPITER FIRE RESCUE DEPARTMENT EXCEPTIONALLY PROUD. NOW, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T MENTION THE OTHER FIREFIGHTERS THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THIS INCREDIBLE MOMENT, ALL FROM DIFFERENT AGENCIES, RANKS, AND TENURE. THEY WORKED TOGETHER FLAWLESSLY TO SAVE THIS MAN'S LIFE. AND JESSICA, ALTHOUGH SHE KNEW THE PLAYERS ON THE TEAM, SHE HAD JUST JOINED THE BOMBEROS, THAT'S SPANISH FOR FIREFIGHTERS, RIGHT? SHE HAD JUST JOINED A MONTH AGO, AND THAT WAS HER FIRST TIME PLAYING WITH US IN A HOCKEY TOURNAMENT. SO I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE FROM PALM BEACH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE, FIREFIGHTER IAN SCRIVER, LIEUTENANT FROM MIAMI-DADE FIRE RESCUE, DREW JOHNSON, FIREFIGHTER JOSEPH ARLEY FROM COCONUT CREEK FIRE, LIEUTENANT ANTHONY ZAPATA FROM NORTH LA- LAUDERDALE FIRE RESCUE, AND CHRISTOPHER LOY FROM CORAL SPRINGS FIRE DEPARTMENT. NOW, THERE WAS A LOT OF OTHER INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE THERE DOING SOME OTHER I, UH, ACTIONS TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WENT SMOOTHLY. UM, IT WAS A DEFINITELY A TEAM EFFORT, BUT THE PEOPLE THAT NEED TO BE RECOGNIZED IS JESSICA AND HER TEAM THAT WERE DIRECTLY INVOLVED WITH THIS. SO, I'D LIKE TO MENTION THAT AS OF TODAY, SEPTEMBER 22ND, THE JFRD HAS RESPONDED TO ONE CALL. THAT CALL WAS A CARDIAC ARREST, AND WE SAVED THAT MAN'S LIFE.

SO WE ARE ONE FOR ONE. AND LET ME SAY, THAT'S AN INCREDIBLE WAY TO START OUR JOURNEY. AND I'M

[00:50:02]

THANK YOU.

AND, AND SHE IS READ.

RECEIVING THE PHOENIX AWARD, WHICH IS A LIFE-SAVING AWARD, AND IS PRESENTED TO JESSICA HERMAN IN RECOGNITION OF EXTRA- EXTRAORDINARY COURAGE, DECISIVE ACTION, AND EXCEPTIONAL CARE IN THE SAVING OF THE LIFE OF JOE GOMEZ.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. REALLY APPRECIATE IT. BEAUTIFUL FAMILY.

WOOHOO! FOR SURE. WE'LL DO A LATER.

OH, SURE. THERE'S NO DOUBT IN MY MIND. HE'S GOT IT.

OH MY GOD.

I'D LOVE IT.

YES. WOULD YOU LIKE IT OPEN? MM-HMM. YOU AND THE FAMILY AS WELL. ARE YOU TRYING TO GET THIS PICTURE FIRST? SHE BRINGS. SHOULD BRING... WE HAVE OUR... WE HAVE OUR ASSIGNED SEATS. I NEED EVERYBODY TO TIGHTEN IN A LITTLE BIT.

OKAY, READY? 1, 2, 3. YOU BET THE QUARTER. SO, JESSICA, I JUST WANT TO SAY, UH, I GOT TO LISTEN IN ON THAT WEBINAR WHERE YOU AND YOUR OTHER CO HELPERS, UH, WERE THERE WITH JOE GOMEZ. AND I REMEMBER HIM SAYING THAT, UH, HE SAID, YOU KNOW, THE MINUTE I MET JESSICA, YOU WERE 13 OR SOMETHING, RIGHT? HE SAID, I KNEW SHE WAS SOMETHING SPECIAL.

AND WHEN HE SAID THAT, RIGHT, IT STRUCK ME BECAUSE I RECALL I WAS TAKING MY KIDS CAMPING. I WAS DRIVING OUT TO LAKE OKEECHOBEE AND PULLED OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, UH, TO DO YOUR INTERVIEW. AND UH, AND I DID IT FROM MY CAR ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, BUT THE MINUTE, UH, I HEARD YOU SPEAK, I KNEW YOU WERE SOMETHING SPECIAL. AND I KNEW THAT YOU NEEDED TO BE A PART OF THIS TEAM. AND SO THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING JUPITER FIRE RESCUE, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING A JUPITER.

OKAY, ON TO THE BORING STUFF.

UH, TONIGHT'S UPDATE. SO TONIGHT'S UPDATE WILL FOCUS ON JUPITER FIRE RESCUE'S READINESS FOR OCTOBER 1, 2026 LAUNCH DATE. WE'VE BEEN PLANNING AND EXECUTING THIS MOMENT FOR 3 YEARS. WHEN LAUNCHING A COMPLEX OPERATION OF THIS SCALE, YOU DON'T JUST TAKE ONE PERSON'S WORD FOR IT. SO I'VE ASKED MY

[00:55:01]

GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY. ALL THREE FIRE STATIONS, INCLUDING THE TEMPORARY DEPLOYMENT AT ABACOA COMMUNITY PARK, ARE FULLY OPERATIONAL AND STOCKED.

ALL RESPONSE VEHICLES, ENGINES, THE LADDER TRUCK, AND AMBULANCES ARE FULLY EQUIPPED, TESTED, AND PROVISIONED. PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT, COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS, AND DAILY OPERATIONAL SUPPLIES ARE SECURED AND ISSUED. FACILITIES ARE SECURED, APPARATUSES ARE EQUIPPED, LOGISTICS IS GO.

NEXT UP IS, UH, OUR FIRE PREVENTION DIVISION. I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO DIVISION CHIEF ARMENIS.

WELL, I'M TRULY BLESSED TO BE ON THIS COMMAND STAFF. THE FLORIDA STATE FIRE PREVENTION CODE ADOPTION PROTOCOLS ARE FULLY IMPLEMENTED. PLAN REVIEW AND FIRE CODE COMP- COMPLIANCE PROCESSES FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION ARE IN PLACE. LIFE SAFETY INSPECTION FRAMEWORK FOR EXISTING BUSINESSES ARE ESTABLISHED AND READY TO EXECUTE. CODE COMPLIANCE IS ACTIVE. INSPECTION PROCESS ARE SET. FIRE PREVENTION IS A GO.

NEXT UP IS OUR TRAINING DIVISION, DIVISION CHIEF ROB RAMIREZ.

GOOD EVENING. GOOD TO BE BACK HERE. FROM TRAINING, ALL 91 MEMBERS PERSONNEL HAVE COMPLETED A RIGOROUS MULTI-WEEK ONBOARDING AND ORIENTATION.

ALL THE CREWS HAVE DEMONSTRATED VERIFIED PROFICIENCY IN STRUCTURAL FIREFIGHTING AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS RESPONSE.

SPECIAL OPERATIONS TEAMS ARE FULLY CERTIFIED IN TECHNICAL RESCUE, WATER RESCUE, CONFINED SPACE RESCUE, AND ELEVATED VICTIM RESCUE.

CREWS HAVE BEEN VERIFIED, PROFICIENCIES ARE MET, AND TRAINING IS A GO. NEXT UP, OUR EMS DIVISION CHIEF, TIM ROCHE.

GOOD EVENING. THE STATE OF FLORIDA HAS OFFICIALLY INSPECTED AND APPROVED THE EMS PROGRAM. THE STATE AND COUNTY AUTHORITIES HAVE INSPECTED AND CLEARED ALL THE EMS RESCUES OR VEHICLES. THE ELECTRONIC EMS PATIENT REPORTING SYSTEM IS ONLINE, TESTED, AND FULLY OPERATIONAL. AND I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR, DR. FERRARO.

GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU GUYS FOR HAVING ME. UH, TO SAY I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS IS BEYOND COMPARE.

WE HAVE ONE OF ONLY 5 IN THE STATE WHERE WE'RE DOING PRE-HOSPITAL LABS. WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING LACTIC ACIDS TO RECOGNIZE EARLY SEPSIS.

WE'RE GOING TO BE ADMINISTERING ANTIBIOTICS FOR EARLY SEPSIS. WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING PRE-HOSPITAL ULTRASOUNDS. WE ARE ONE OF ONLY 10 IN THE STATES TO CARRY BLOOD, TRULY LIFE-SAVING. AND WITH THAT, EMS IS DEFINITELY, ALL STATE LICENSES ARE COMPLETE. THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR SIGN-OFFS ARE DONE ON 91 SIGNATURES, OKAY? AND EMS IS GO.

NEXT UP, OUR OPERATIONS DIVISION, DEPUTY CHIEF SHAW.

GOOD EVENING. OUR DAILY MINIMUM STAFFING OF 23 PERSONNEL IS SCHEDULED AND LOCKED IN. OUR BATTALION CHIEFS ARE BRIEFED AND COMMAND STRUCTURES ARE ESTABLISHED. PROTOCOLS ARE FINALIZED FOR THE EXACT MINUTE OF THE OCTOBER 1ST MIDNIGHT TRANSITION. JUPITER FIRE RESCUE IS FULLY PREPARED TO RESPOND TO ANY FIRE, MEDICAL, OR TECHNICAL EMERGENCY.

COMMAND IS ESTABLISHED, CREWS ARE STAGED, OPERATIONS IS A GO.

IF I CAN TRANSITION THIS SLIDE OVER, HOPEFULLY I GET THIS RIGHT.

TOWN COUNCIL, YOU HAVE HEARD FROM THE COMMAND STAFF. THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS BUILT, THE PERSONNEL ARE TRAINED, THE LICENSES ARE SECURED, AND THE CREWS ARE STAGED. WE ARE ON TIME, ON BUDGET, AND READY TO SERVE. SO FROM YOUR FIRE CHIEF, JUPITER FIRE RESCUE IS GO FOR LAUNCH.

THANK YOU. I'LL GO

[01:00:29]

ONE QUESTION, WHAT TOOK YOU GUYS SO LONG? I'M JUST KIDDING.

UH, ABSOLUTELY REMARKABLE, OVERWHELMING, UH, JUST THANKS TO EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY INVOLVED. IT'S JUST, UM, TRULY, IT'S JUST, IT'S, I'M SPEECHLESS OVER THIS. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S WHAT, 8 DAYS AND 3 HOURS TO GO, SO LET'S GO. THANKS, GUYS, APPRECIATE IT.

COUNCILOR SUNDSTROM.

I AGREE, THE THEME OF TONIGHT IS OVERWHELMING, AND I'M SURE CERTAINLY OVER- OVERWHELMED. UM, LET'S GO.

I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR WANTING TO BE A PART OF JUPITER AND MAKING THIS HAPPEN, BECAUSE WE CAN'T DO THIS WITHOUT THE COMMAND STAFF AND ALL YOUR DEDICATION. SO THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART FOR ALL THE HARD WORK YOU GUYS HAVE DONE UP TO THIS DATE. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT 8 HOURS, 3 MINUTES, AND 58 SECONDS TO RESTART. SO THANK YOU.

YOU KNOW, TONIGHT, UM, IS THE CULMINATION OF, WE'RE OBSERVING THE CULMINATION OF, UH, INCREDIBLE EFFORTS BY THE PART OF SO MANY. AND, UH, JUST TO REFLECT, UH, MANY OF US DO BELIEVE IT IS BY DIVINE PROVIDENCE THAT EVERYBODY IS HERE, AND WE REALLY NEED TO, IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE IT, BELIEVE IT. UM, WE, THIS IS JUST INCREDIBLE. I- I'VE NEVER, YOU KNOW, IN MY ENTIRE LIFE, I'VE NEVER SEEN SUCH AN INCREDIBLE TEAM EFFORT, UM, AND ENTHUSIASM, AND UH, AND FOR THOSE NEWER MEMBERS OF OUR TEAM, OUR FAMILY, YOU MAY NOT KNOW THAT LAST YEAR WE CELEBRATED OUR 100TH YEAR AS A TOWN. IT WAS IN- INCREDIBLE FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR CELEBRATION THAT WE HAD. UM, AND SO, AND IT DIDN'T, I'M SURE EACH ONE OF US UP HERE HAVE BEEN REFLECTING UPON THAT IN YEAR ONE OF THE SECOND CENTURY AS A TOWN. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A UNITED PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, THE BENEFITS OF WHICH ARE JUST EXTRAORDINARY. UM, SO, AND I GET TO ASK, OR WE GET TO ASK ON COUNCIL STUFF, WE DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT'S BEEN DONE OR NOT. UM, SO I'M GOING TO MAKE AN ASK ON THE PART OF THE COUNCIL, BUT, YOU KNOW, AS WE REFLECTED OUR 100 YEAR ANNIVERSARY, THERE ARE SOME THINGS WE WONDERED ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED AT THE BEGINNING, AND WE'RE GOING TO ASK, IF IT ISN'T ALREADY DONE, THAT SOMEWHERE IN EACH FIRE STATION WE SHOULD HAVE MEMORIALIZED IN A PLAQUE OR SOMETHING THE NAMES OF THOSE THAT SERVED DAY ONE.

LIKEWISE, OUR COMMAND STAFF AND THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS SO THAT WE NEVER FORGET WHO IS HERE IN 8 HOURS, 8 DAYS, 3 HOURS, 56 MINUTES. SO IT MAY TAKE A TIME TO PUT THAT TOGETHER, BUT I THINK IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES BUILDINGS HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE NAMES OF WHO WERE THERE WHEN IT, UH, THE RIBBON CUTTING WAS DONE, OR, YOU KNOW, YOU PUSHED THE FIRE TRUCK IN AND, UH, BUT I THINK MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT'S THE PEOPLE. SO WE'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE MEMORIALIZING EVERYBODY, UM, I THINK OUR POLICE, TO SOME DEGREE, HAVE CAPTURED, LIKE, THE BADGE OF, YOU KNOW, OF EVERYBODY THAT SERVED OR WHERE THEY CAME FROM AND WHATEVER. SO, AGAIN, JUST ASKING, BUT, UH, CHIEF, THE TEAM, INCREDIBLE.

WELCOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. AND NOW, BEFORE I MOVE ON, UM, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO WHAT WE ALWAYS DO, IS, UH, WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO THE REGULAR BUDGET MEETING, OR THE REGULAR MEETING, AND WE DON'T WANT EVERYBODY TO HAVE TO SIT, FEEL AWKWARD AND SIT THROUGH THE WHOLE MEETING. SO PLEASE, UH, FEEL FREE, AND ACTUALLY WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET UP. YOU CAN WATCH IT ONLINE LATER OR WHATEVER.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. I REALLY

[01:05:16]

I'M LUCKY. I'M VERY LUCKY.

NO, WE ARE. NO, WE ARE. THANK YOU. THIS IS SO COOL. I LOVE IT.

YOU SEEN HIM OUTSIDE HIS OFFICE? YEAH, HE'S...

GREAT.

THAT WAS GREAT. THAT WAS GREAT.

YEAH. MM-HMM. THAT WAS GREAT.

DO WE HAVE ANY CITIZEN

[5. September 8, 2026, Town Council Special Meeting Minutes. ]

OKAY, COUNCIL, UH, WE HAVE BEFORE US THE MINUTES OF THE SEPTEMBER 8TH, UH, TOWN COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING, AND I BELIEVE THERE MAY BE SOME SMALL ME- UH, CORRECTIONS ON THE DAIS. IF THERE'S NO OTHER, UH, CORRECTIONS, I'LL TAKE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE, UH, THE MINUTES AS AMENDED.

MOTION TO APPROVE AS AMENDED.

SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

[CONSENT AGENDA]

MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.

CONSENT AGENDA. UH, IS THERE ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC THAT WISH TO PULL A CONSENT AGENDA ITEM? NO, SIR.

ANY MEMBER ON THE DAIS? SEEING NONE, UM, RESOLUTION 5026 IS QUASI-JUDICIAL. IS THERE ANY, UH, EX PARTE DISCLOSURES TO MAKE? I HAVE NONE.

NONE.

NO, MA'AM.

NONE.

LET THE RECORD SHOW NONE. UM, I'LL TAKE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.

SO MOVED.

SECOND.

MOTION AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

AYE. THE MOTION CARRIES

[TOWN ATTORNEY]

THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH, YOU KNOW, TODAY WAS KIND OF, UH, FOR ME AS A WORK DAY, IT WAS KIND OF A TOUGH DAY, AND UH, TONIGHT WAS VERY UPLIFTING AND, UH, MADE MY DAY A, A, A LOT BETTER. AND SO I WANT TO THANK ALL OF THOSE THAT PARTICIPATED FOR PULLING ME ALONG FOR THIS DAY. THE, UH, YOU KNOW, AS THE TOWN ATTORNEY, I'VE BEEN WORKING ALREADY WITH FIRE RESCUE, GETTING A LOT OF THE AGREEMENTS IN PLACE, MUTUAL AID AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS. BUT, UM, IN 8 DAYS, 3 HOURS, 51 MINUTES, AND 52 SECONDS, THE TOWN ATTORNEY ADDING JFRD LIVE TO THE DEPARTMENTS I SERVE IS A GO.

THANK YOU.

[TOWN MANAGER ]

THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, IS THIS THE, IS THIS THE RIGHT? THIS IS RIGHT, RIGHT? NOT LIKE THE ONE OUTSIDE MY OFFICE.

YES.

I DID THAT FOR KATE, BY THE WAY. UM, JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS FROM ME. UH, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK THE COUNCIL FOR THE LEADERSHIP. UM, YOU KNOW, IT WAS ONLY FITTING THAT TONIGHT THE COUNCIL TAKE THE LAST MOVE TO PUT US OVER THE TOP AND PUT THE FINAL CHECK IN THE BOX ON THE 5-0 VOTE. I KNOW IT'S BEEN, UH, A BIT TEDIOUS, BUT I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THAT.

UM, I WOULD SAY THAT I KNOW MR. REYNOLDS, UM, IS PROBABLY VERY APPRECIATIVE AS WELL, AND I COULDN'T BE ANY MORE PROUD OF HIM AND HIS STAFF AND ALL THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE, AND REALLY ALL OF YOU TO DO WHAT YOU'VE DONE. AND SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

UM, I COULD GO ON ABOUT THANKING THE TEAM, AND I THINK WE'VE DONE A LOT OF THAT. UM, I JUST COULDN'T BE ANY MORE PROUD OF THEM. I KNOW WE HAVE OUR DINNER COMING UP ON SEPTEMBER 30TH, UM, AND THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO THANK THEM OFFICIALLY.

AND, UH, AND YOU CAN SEE BY THE, THE CALIBER OF PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE, JUST REALLY SUCCESSFUL. SO, VERY PROUD.

[TOWN COUNCIL – LIAISON REPORTS AND COMMENTS]

THIS IS DEFINITELY AN EMOTIONAL NIGHT, AND I COULDN'T BE ANY PROUDER TO SIT ON THIS DAIS WITH MY COLLEAGUES WHO WITNESSED TONIGHT WHAT WE'RE GOING

[01:10:01]

I HAD A COUPLE THINGS I WAS GOING TO GO OVER, BUT I'M GOING TO WAIT. I'LL WAIT TILL NEXT MEETING. THIS TONIGHT'S ABOUT GETTING THE BUDGET PASSED AND FIRE AND THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE STAFF, AND, UH, SPECIFICALLY MR. REYNOLDS AND HIS TEAM. UM, YOU KNOW, ONE THING, IT'S, IT'S GREAT TO GET EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW, LAUNCHED ON TIME. WE HAVE 8 DAYS TO GO, BUT TO COME OUT OF THE GATE WITH TOP SHELF LIFE-SAVING SERVICES AND THE TECHNOLOGY, LIKE, RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE, AND IT'LL ONLY GET BETTER FROM THERE. IT'S JUST REMARKABLE, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, UM, IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST A SPECIAL NIGHT FOR ME AND ALL OF US, I THINK.

BUT AGAIN, SCOTT, LIKE I SAY EVERY YEAR, GREAT JOB ON ALL THE FINANCIAL REPORTS.

YOU MADE, YOU MAKE IT JUST EASY FOR US TO KIND OF GO THROUGH ALL THE NUMBERS AND, YOU KNOW, BREAK EVERYTHING DOWN.

BUT AGAIN, GREAT JOB. TAKE A VACATION. YOU'RE READY. SO, UM, I'LL JUST WRAP IT UP WITH THAT, AND THANKS EVERYBODY, TOWN MANAGER AND MY COLLEAGUES.

THANK YOU FOR, YOU KNOW, THE 5- 5-0 VOTE WAS TOUGH. IT WAS, YOU KNOW, IT WAS, WE HAD TO GET THERE, BUT WE GOT THERE, AND I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY PITCHING IN. TOWN ATTORNEY, AS ALWAYS, GREAT JOB. YOU'RE ALWAYS ON TOP OF EVERYTHING. AND, UM, SO ANYWAY, HERE WE GO. WE GOT 8 DAYS TO GO. LET'S DO IT.

THANK YOU. COUNCILOR SUNDSTROM.

I'M ALMOST AFRAID TO TALK. I'M SO SLEEP DEPRIVED.

UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, TONIGHT WAS OVERWHELMING, AND IT TRULY IS A VERY SPECIAL NIGHT, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE DECISION WAS DIFFICULT TONIGHT, AND I'M JUST SO GRATEFUL FOR IT. I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR THIS COUNCIL AND FOR EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM.

UM, I THINK I CAN SPEAK FOR ALL OF US, WHICH IS SOMETHING I'VE HEARD OFTEN FROM THE MAYOR. I THINK I CAN SPEAK FOR ALL OF US WHEN I SAY THAT WE'VE ALL LOST SOME SLEEP TONIGHT, OR, YOU KNOW, THE PAST FEW DAYS, AND IT HAS BEEN A HARD PROCESS ON ALL OF US, UM, AND IT'S AN UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCE THAT WE FOUND OURSELVES IN. AND SO I'M JUST SO BLESSED TO BE A PART OF THIS TEAM, AND I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SERVED. UM, SCOTT, I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR YOU. THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE. IT'S BEEN A LOT. I WILL CRY. I'M GONNA STOP, BUT THANK YOU.

COUNSELOR GUISINGER.

YEAH, I GOT TO ADDRESS SCOTT ALSO. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE. IT WAS A HEAVY LIFT FOR YOU. WE MADE IT PROBABLY HARDER ON YOU THAN WHAT NEEDED TO BE, BUT SINCERELY, I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR NOT ONLY THE TOWN, BUT THE COUNCIL AND THE RESIDENTS OF THE TOWN OF JUPITER. UM, I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT JESSICA HERMAN AND WHAT SHE BRINGS TO JUPITER FIRE AND ALL THE FIREFIGHTERS WE'VE HIRED OVER THIS YEAR. I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A TREMENDOUS START. THEY GOT THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT, THE RIGHT ATTITUDE. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO DAY ONE COMING UP IN 8 HOURS, 3, 8 DAYS, 3 HOURS AND 46 MINUTES. AND I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T POINT OUT ONE THING. THIS WAS A HEAVY LIFT, I THINK, BETWEEN, UH, TOWN MANAGER, TOWN ATTORNEY, AND CHIEF DONATO TO GET THAT INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT IN PLACE WITH PALM BEACH COUNTY. SO HATS OFF TO THE TOWN, HATS OFF TO PALM BEACH COUNTY REACHING THAT AGREEMENT. 11TH HOUR, BUT WE GOT IT, AND IT'S IN TIME BEFORE WE START OPERATIONS COME OCTOBER 1ST. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THE 3 OF YOU DID MAKING THIS HAPPEN, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. SO THAT'S ALL I GOT. THANK YOU.

JUST 2, UH, FINAL ITEMS IN CLOSING, AND THIS IS SUCH A UNIQUE SITUATION THAT EVERY TIME ANY ONE OF US FINISHES, WE PROBABLY THINK OF SOMETHING ELSE WE WANTED TO SAY, RIGHT? SO I GET TO GO LAST HERE, BUT I'M GOING LAST ON TWO ITEMS THAT I FORGOT TO SAY WHEN THE TEAM WAS IN HERE, SO I'M GOING TO JUST SAY THEM. UM, AND NOT THE DEBATE THAT, AND I LOVED IT. I LOVED THE PASSION AND THE FACT THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST LIFE SAVED, THE FIRST CALL ON THE SAVE FIRST LIFE, BUT I REFLECTED, AND AT LEAST A COUPLE UP HERE WERE ON BOARD AT THE TIME, MAYBE MORE, MAYBE 3, BUT DEPUTY CHIEF STEVE SHAW SAVED THE LIFE OF A TOWN OF JUPITER EMPLOYEE BEFORE HE EVEN KNEW HE WAS

[01:15:01]

THAT WAS AN OMEN.

WHAT'S THAT? IT WAS AN OMEN, RIGHT? EXACTLY, YOU KNOW, LIKE, SO, BUT I'M NOT, I'M NOT DEBATING, LIKE, THAT'S ONE. THE POINT IS, IS THERE MAY BE OTHERS, BUT THIS IS SUCH AN INCREDIBLE, YOU KNOW, DIVINE PROVIDENCE, AND I'D BE REMISS NOT HAVING, YOU KNOW, REFLECTED UPON THAT, IF YOU WILL, RIGHT? AND THEN, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, OUR METAL MEDICAL DIRECTOR SPEAKING THAT WE'RE ONE OF FIVE IN THE STATE AND ONE OF 10 IN THE STATE. OH MY GOSH, YOU KNOW? UH, WE AND, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE HIM SAYING THAT, UM, BUT THE GRAVITY OF THAT, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT IT, IS THAT'S THE PASSION OF THE LEADERSHIP TEAM, STARTING WITH MR. KITZEROW, UM, TO OUR FIRE CHIEF AND HIS LEADERSHIP TEAM. JUST, I DON'T KNOW, I'M GOING TO ADMIT I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THAT KIND OF STUFF, RIGHT? SO, UH, I'M GRATEFUL THAT THAT IS WHAT HAS BEEN CREATED, AND THAT IS THE SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC THAT'S GOING TO START ON DAY ONE. SO THANK YOU. AND WITH THAT, UH, THE TIME IS NOW 8:16. UH, WE'RE 8 DAYS, 3 MINUTES, 3 HOURS AND 43 MINUTES AWAY, AND, UH, WE'LL ADJOURN THE MEETING.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.