REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING (2025-01-21)

HISTORIC TOWN OF EATONVILLE, FLORIDA REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MEETING MINUTES

Tuesday, January 21, 2025, at 7:30 PM

Town Hall-307 E. Kennedy Blvd.

SPECIAL NOTICE: These meeting minutes are presented in an abbreviated format intended as a public record discussion of stated meeting according to the Florida's Government-in-the-Sunshine law. Meetings are opened to the public, noticed within reasonable advance notice, and transcribed into minutes for public record. \*\*Audio Recording are available through the Town's website on the Council Agenda Page.

CALL TO ORDER AND VERIFICATION OF QUORUM:

Mayor Gardner called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. and a quorum was established by Mrs. King.

PRESENT: (5), Mayor Angie Gardner, Vice Mayor Theo Washington, Councilman Rodney Daniels, Councilwoman Wanda Randolph, Councilman Tarus Mack

STAFF: (6) Demetrius Pressley (By Zoom), Chief Administrator Officer, Veronica King, Town Clerk, Ryan Knight, Town Attorney, Katrina Gibson, Finance Director, Chief Stanley Murray, EPD, Valerie Mundy, Public Works Director

INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:

Moment of Silence led by Mayor Gardner followed by the Pledge of Allegiance

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA:

Mayor Gardner Motions to APPROVE the meeting agenda; Moved by Councilman Mack; Second by Councilwoman Randolph; AYE: ALL, MOTION PASSES.

PRESENTATIONS AND RECOGNITION- (1)

Presentation of the Certificate of Appreciation- Chief Murray presented Certificates of Appreciation to Officer Colangelo, Mrs. Colangelo, Bagel King, Puff 'n Stuff Catering, and Orlando Regional Realtor Association.

CITIZEN PARTICIPATION- (5)

Daniel Demonta - Shared a poem focusing on the melanated family to remind ourselves of what we are as we move forward with the reclaiming of this land from foreign colonizers and colonial forms of dictatorship that have sneaked into our borders; a lot of our community suffers from PTSD meaning Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome, our mind, economy, spirituality are trapped within the plantation, still psychologically imprisoned ourselves in the confines of the master, the master has changed forms in 2025 and looks like real estate investors, political enforcers, political enforcers, when we do not know our identity as melanated beings, or know our family history and the generations that have cultivated Eatonville making it the space that it is supposed to be, we are lost, cannot move forward tomorrow if you do not know where you stand today, it is hard to know where you stand today if you do not know where you stood yesterday, It was not easy for them to have founded the first legal black town in the United States, a large percentage of Eatonville is owned by foreign investors, until we see that everything that we are pouring in economically is coming back to us the way it should with actual melanated historical evolutionary education, with grocery stores and dollar stores that are feeding us wealth through our health, then what are we doing? We are throwing resources, money, and ourselves.

Kaia James - Transferred time to Daniel Demonta.

Angela Thomas - Expressed concerns about dogs that are not behind fences, not on leash, and not with competent adults; request that the town adopt a dog leach ordinance or piggyback on the leach law adopted by Orange County.

PUBLIC HEARING:

Approval of First Reading of Ordinance 2025-1-Revisions to the Land Development Code Tara Salmieri gave an overview of the revisions to the Land Development Code Public Comments: Marion Hunt expressed concerns about rezoning, request for zoning map; Victor McCall inquired about clarity on having a home office; Ruthi Critton inquired about Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) and requested clarity on the design and height requirements/restrictions Mayor Gardner Motions to APPROVE the Consent Agenda approving the First Reading of Ordinance 2025-1-Revisions to the Land Development Code (Preamble Read); Moved by Vice Mayor Washington; Second by Councilman Mack; Council Comments: Councilwoman Randolph inquired about mobile homes, is there an ordinance for mobile homes (Ms. Salmieri stated that there was not); inquired about pools not being include (Ms. Salmieri stated that pools where moved to accessories). Mayor Gardner calls for the question; AYE: ALL, MOTION PASSES.

APPROVAL CONSENT AGENDA: Mayor Gardner Motions to APPROVE the Consent Agenda approving Council Meeting Minutes for December 3,2024,December 17,2024,January 7,2024, Resolution 2025-1 Establishing the Designated Authorized Representative to Execute Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Loan Agreement, the Engineering Program Manager Agreement between Town and GCI, Inc. for the FDEP SRF Grant Funding; Moved by Councilman Mack; Second by Councilman Daniels; AYE: ALL, MOTION PASSES.

COUNCIL DECISIONS:

Approval of the Mutual Release with UPS Development Company, LLC and The Town of Eatonville; Attorney Knight gave an introduction and review of the mutual release, the mutual release is for the amount of $100,000.00 paid by TOWN to UP, by way of payment to the Burr & Forman Trust Account, to be fully paid within 30 days of the full execution of the signed agreement.; Mayor Gardner Motions to APPROVE the Mutual Release with UPS Development Company, LLC and The Town of Eatonville (Preamble Read); Moved by Vice Mayor Washington; Second by Councilman Mack; AYE: Mayor Gardner, Vice Mayor Washington; Councilman Mack NAYE: Councilman Daniels, Councilwoman Randolph; MOTION PASSES. Comments: Councilman Mack recommend approval, this is the best decision to make; ; Councilwoman Randolph request for the documents that legal was referring to; what is the amount in the reserve and the amount that will go to legal, there should have been a budget amendment included in the package, should have been a 286 meeting; Councilman Daniels ask what was

CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER: Demetrius Pressley - No Report; will send updates out on the Read File.

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TOWN CLERK: Veronica King - No Report

PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR: Valerie Mundy - Gave thanks for the approval of the agreement with the GFI firm; they will assist with the 34-million-dollar grant (rehabilitation of the town water); have picture for viewing, will email the pictures to the town council.

ATTORNEY: Ryan Knight - No additional lawsuits; no further report

TOWN COUNCIL REPORT/DISCUSSION ITEMS -

Councilman Rodney Daniels - Encourage residents to be active at the meetings; MLK Parade was a great event; looking forward to the Zora Festival January 31-February 3,2025; congratulations to the officers and businesses who received the certificate of appreciation; acknowledged Chief Murray and those who participated in the citizen participation period; agree with implementing a dog leash ordinance and piggy back on Orange County until a ordinance is put in place.

Councilman Rodney Daniels not feeling good about the $100,000.00 settlement agreement; acknowledged the town clerk; the crowd of the parade was great, will get with Ms. Robinson to discuss recommendations; condolences to the family of Tony Belfon.

Councilwoman Wanda Randolph-acknowledged staff for the success of MLK parade along with public works, participation was great, expressed concerns with lots of cars and trailers parked on the streets of Catlina Park; agree with implementing a dog leash ordinance; inquired about the status of the Zora Festival, was fees satisfied?

Vice Mayor Theo Washington - The MLK Parade was massive, thanks t the committee, expressed a need for more barricades, recommend throwing bags of candy (not individual candies)

MAYOR'S REPORT - Mayor Angie Gardner Acknowledged Ms. Mundy for her efforts along with the parade staff; condolences to the bereaved families.

ADJOURNMENT Mayor Gardner Motions for Adjournment of Meeting; Moved by Councilman Mack; Second by Vice Mayor Washington; AYE: ALL, MOTION PASSES. Meeting Adjourned at 9:19pm.

Respectfully Submitted by:

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Veronica L King, Town Clerk

APPROVED

Angie Gardner, Mayor