City Council

>> Welcome to the city of Petersburg City Council meeting your elected officials are mayor Rick kriseman district one turning for this. Frankie Gallagher. And Martin narey. For garden right. Fife cares paid for now. Jean at risk all. District 7 counts chair Lisa Wheeler Bowman. And district date in >> I'd like to call the. 2019 meaning of the safe is Rick City Council order Mister Clark, we have a roll call please for now. There let's go here where moment. We have an agenda in front of us there's been one addition it was an that should have been on the agenda it's a resolution for human trafficking awareness month proclamation for human trafficking awareness month. That's the only change I have to be the agenda so I didn't a motion to approve the agenda as amended to prove second. Mister Clark, we have a motion in a second to approve the amend the agenda as amended. Please open the machine for voting. Seeing all council members a vote and Mister Court would you please tell me announce the vote. The motion to approve the agenda. Passes unanimously the council member Wheeler Bumi being absent. Thank you. Mister Clerk. We're looking to today to be joined by one of the brightest in Isis miles in the city of St. Petersburg and beyond having the brightest in nice this nice a smile in the city. She's a tremendous faith leader in our community I always enjoy seeing her in hearing from her especially when she is praying. So if you all join us in standing. The reverend Katie churchwell is going to lead us in the invocation. If it's your custom you're invited to pray. Gracious and loving God. In this new year. On this new day. We pray your presence with us. We pray that you would give us your eyes. Your years in your heart. Their hands and feet with Dean your work that we would be a blessing to all that we meet that living in the city of St. Petersburg could be a foretaste a foot living in your kingdom is like. >> He'll join us in the pledge of allegiance. I thought what. Thank you reverend churchwell. >> We're starting off with another. A joyful event and that some music we're going to have a ukulele musical presentation and handed over to council member Driscoll the introduce our performer. Thank you. And. Ladies and gentleman today we are so honored. To be joined. By Miss Matty Murray for a very special performance. I'm Eddie Murray is currently in the 4th grade. She has been playing the ukulele for about a year. After watching grace Van der Wal on America's got talent. She loves to sing and write her own signs. She also loves to watch videos to learn new signs. Matty also enjoys all sorts of arts and crafts, especially painting. One day she hopes to be on America's got talent herself. Today Manning will be playing us on date is an original piece by her it's called sunny day Miss Maddie. >> Call way don't go away. That if you come out for just a moment I want it I want to thank you so much for sharing arson time with that. I I fires Maddy per from the Sun last year at the our club breakfast and on the our nardo here has joined us here today to hear Maddie once more. It just puts such a sign in my heart and I thought you know we should think about this for Saint Pete's officials son just a thought and that in the mean time I'm Maddie I want to present you and with our very special sunshine ambassador This to to thank you for for sharing your talent with us today and please continue to it to show your sunshine with everyone always you are truly what Saint Pete is all about say, thank you. >> Deputy mayor, the sun is shining. And it's going to be grand. Deputy mayor as an international city of peace proclamation. >> That was a beautiful song Maddie. We should add of a first the sun is shining and we celebrate peace. Today. Out of Saint Pete is known as many wonderful. A place of many wonderful things the city of the arts. A city of compassion as led by sharing joy, clay shoe, I thought about them. Thank you for that leadership and vision and today we recognize ourselves as an international city of peace. I'm very pleased and honored to present this proclamation that reads we're asked the culture of peace is a set of values attitudes modes of behavior and ways of life that reject violence and prevent conflicts by tackling their root causes to solve problems through dialog and negotiation among individuals groups and nations and whereas peace is not merely the absence of war and violence but a condition where society has achieved a balance of prosperity security justice and hope and whereas the United Nations has suggested that for peace and nonviolence to prevail communities should promote respect for all human rights. And whereas promoting peace would advance understanding tolerance and select solidarity and support participatory communication and the flow of information and knowledge. And whereas this city is committed to be a healthy equitable city of compassion for all and in partnership with the Tampa Bay area Muslim Association incorporated the connection partners usf open partnership education network which is known as open. And the Florida Council of Churches. The city invites all of its residents and visitors to come together to promote peace fellowship and understanding with one another and whereas the community leaders of St. Petersburg are committed to establishing peace in the region and the song in our hearts to promote economic opportunity and improve the quality of life of the people of our region. Now therefore I can get Tom one deputy near the city of St. Petersburg on behalf it mayor Rick kriseman acknowledge our intent to build and to clear the city of St. Petersburg to be an international city of peace. Thank you and afternoon as a hawk. Afternoon Council. On behalf of community service is and actually our our community partners. We wanted to say thank you for. Bringing forward the proclamation if you remember in September of 18. We came for words with a proclamation declaring a city of compassion. The city is has that involved him we continue to be open. I'm encouraged dialog respect for diversity and uniqueness within our city and compassion and peace go together. Also in September some of our celebrated at the meeting. The international day of peace and rather than bring it at that time. We thought we would with this being the beginning of the year. We will also celebrate on it. But doctor Martin Luther This month as well that this would be a great way to kick on 39 and bring together. Compassion and peace. As part of the umbrella of what we do as an organization. One of the things that our partners have talked about is to create calendar of activities and this gives us an opportunity really to share what different. Activities whether it's workshops seminars to talk about and encourage dialog diversity uniqueness culture I think of we as a city organization we do we do a phenomenal amount of things just to to say where unique were great. Yes, we're at Sun shining. We're happy community and I think it's I think this is an opportunity for us really to to come out publicly and say we're also a city of peace. Before in introduce a staff person who will introduce our partners and I would ask our partners to please stand so you can be recognized by counsel in there. Deputy mayor, but there's a there's a song since we so we started that song and I'm not going to sing. Let this be my solemn vow to take each moment and live each moment in peace, internally let there be peace on Earth and let it begin with me as the international city of peace you know our message. As it a good. If I'm happening there as an Council and our partners. Each of us. An approach things a little bit differently. You know and and offer peace take the peace with them each of us an offer that to someone else. I think I think it would make for a community that would allow more open dialog except tons of our uniqueness. You I think sometimes we talk about differences that creates us almost that sense of well maybe some things maybe something's a little wrong. I think it's let's celebrate or you can eat uniqueness and let's talk about those commonalities that we do have and learn about each other. But ask Robert Bartow who is our neighborhood specialist introduce her partner partners in of her partners could please stand. As as we recognize today is international day of peace and look forward to the number of activities and things that we May have I believe some of our partners May want to. On this this afternoon. But if you do have a message to share a few could come forward supporting this month. >> Good afternoon Council deputy mayor thank you for having as you said my name is Robert Bartow on the neighborhood specialists in the community services Department and I just want to say thank you to all of you this is such an exciting way to ring in the new finding common ground with all of these community partners and our beautiful city. Thank you for the performance is a tough act to follow. But I'm going to go ahead and just some of our main partners for this initiative and I'm not sure who all is in the room today just feel free to stand up as I go down the line. I know the reverend doctor Russ Meyer can not be here today, but we have Mike Hill with the Florida Council of Churches also in recognizing and mamadou are we with the Tampa Bay area Muslim Association. Sure enjoyed quite and the connection partners and Benjamin spent and Jenny Fessler and all of the students with the usf Saint Pete open partnership education network. Thank you to all of you we could have done this without you. Deputy mayor, thank you city behalf of the open partnership education network. At the University of South Florida Petersburg and doctor Martin tad Lockett Mr. Jenner s t we wish to congratulate the city for this board step in declaring official city of peace and why would the city compassion, the open partnership education network or is otherwise known as open for short. Our mission is simply stated to help St. Petersburg in particular but future cities to create a smarter better connected city. We believe we can do that through open dialog open source tools frameworks that's the mission. The motto is it starts with art. So Maggie. Thank you so much for starting us with beautiful art us this afternoon. A disappointing one quick moment just a highlight how the open us a scene Pete wishes to help and engage the city of peace. I'm happy to announce, I'm proud to announce we will be bringing in Mister Stuck 20 Kirk wanting. He's a South Sudanese refugee wrote a book on his experience to that time the light and darkness he now works for unesco's United Nations Mahatma Gandhi Institute of education piece is a sustainable development. We bring him in the town for 2 weeks of what we're calling leader shops for our local youth and community members to engage in peaceful workshop building in leadership building and also just secured to dad also like to announce that we have just secured the talents of Mister Joshua Johnson from and pr one a program. He will be coming to town in early February during Valentine's week to do his to our live show. An npr radio live here in this city of St. Petersburg for those minutes, thank you much. Very quickly Shalom up next a coma packs will be school. So I will take home peace be with you peace be on new peace be upon you. This is quite a distinction for a city. This however it is part of not only is it a national movement. But the it such that just this past September 38 not only did the mayor and Council observe and join in the in observance of that in a national day of peace in support of what the United Nations approved several years ago. But in this area. September 38. Mayor George critic has from Clearwater city of Clearwater issued a similar proclamation. Mayor Bob Buckhorn from the city of Tampa issued a similar proclamation. County Commission chair can Welsh and those County Commission issued a resolution in support of this. A United States senator darreus on did the same and the pair of the and I forget the name please forgive me. The mayor of the city of Dundee did likewise later on this month. We will be in dunaden and if a united March for peace. So we want to spread this throughout the area throughout the city throughout the region throughout the world thank you for 2 people who support peace and blessings be upon you got to think. >> Council deputy mayor thank you and thank you says e and Robert and thank you representative said the city of St. Petersburg and those that are listening because we are indeed the people who are opening their hearts to the city of peace. I don't know if we are, but I think we're about to be the number one city of peace in the state of Florida. The last I heard unless somebody got ahead of us. It's because of the momentum that you and all of us are carrying and again it starts with their hearts. And I'm delighted to be part of this proclamation for the city of peace in St. Petersburg and I think that will just keep on keeping on and be open to what surprises come next. But I love the fact that the flow continues and to mlk weekend. Day of service. And we'll just keep on tracking. All these good things that you and all of us to get on the trampoline right. Oh yes, it's a trampoline that's right trampoline of the Hartsfield thank you. The mayor and. So the administration and members of Council. I do agree Miley as who where the storm are commonly as salute Lee Choon the indication of began with peace. Peace. So long will they come guard peace be with you. I am very honored to be here on behalf of Tampa Bay area, Muslim Association. And certainly want to thank there who's not here. But out different American senior administration all of you about 2 or 3 years ago we presented an idea of rain in the community together for But not just in a downer but I didn't do in the months. Peas tomato fasting month of Ramadan and that I do was accept that and thanks to all the support that we have received here. Well to you we've had the community to come out. But the month to roam about okay more than a. But I've promoting what peace. Made of 4 teens of this year. You all of this in body. It to come to that money at the Coliseum also on the 20 or so above this mine at congregation b'nai Israel is the annual but the long as the cane. If a server a man of peace. All is invited to come and share the peaceful sit at a peaceful people as we are I like this song and I close it says let there be peace. But let the piece began with me but he's be what you think much. Thank you so much for leading the way I'm I'm struck. I'm struck by the statement the proclamation. Being a peaceful city is not bold being peaceful city is right. I think that in this city because of your leadership, the community leadership. The people's leadership. When you're not a person of peace when you're not a person of compassion. You stand out. And we'd invite those who stand out to join us. And to bring your heart of peace to bring your heart to compassion. The move forward with us because you're going to be left behind otherwise we're not old. Just moving forward in the right. A deputy mayor there's also a local took the day proclamation be want to stay at the podium. Local one of the best reasons to start the year again hot. So we can celebrate local Tapia which is coming up Feb. 2nd. And the proclamation reads whereas our cities locally owned independent businesses are integral to the unique flavor of Saint Pete and make it a place we want to live work and play and whereas the health of Saint Pete's economy depends on our support of businesses owned by our families friends and neighbors. And whereas the individual decisions every community member makes today affects the future of our city. And whereas the independent business alliance keep Saint Pete local is working to build a thriving local economy and a unique community. And whereas keep Petersburg local will commemorate it 7 the seven-year anniversary by presenting the 6th annual local Tapia at Williams Park our city's first Park purposefully selected by the alliance as the venue for the festival and which will be the most sustainable local topi a to date and whereas local is to be held from 10:00am to 05:00pm on Sat. Feb. 2nd and Williams parking represents the largest community celebration of all things local and whereas local Toby has helped change our communities mindset about Williams Park. And that's the truth and has become the biggest event to be held in the park in recent times. We are so grateful has been an agent for changes to the park and has inspired others to hold events in the park. Now therefore I can get home and deputy mayor of the city of St. Petersburg on behalf ear do hereby proclaim 2/2/2019 as local Toby a day in St. Petersburg and encourage all of our residents to attend the celebration. Savor our local flavor support the participants and continue to support all are locally owned independent businesses. Year round and will all be the better for it. And I wanted to also thank you for is the in your daytime segment of local we feel so completely honor to be in the company. Things like the crest a theory the Grand Prix as things that the city is looking forward to this year's 2019. Local to for us is just. The in Saint Pete in terms of celebrating what makes it special what makes it unique. We had so looked forward to putting it on every year it's a it's also something that. Can't be defined in terms of we do everything we can to make that day. So incredible for our community. We're not responsible for how the community responds to it and why it feels that way it's every single person who comes to the festival and brings those good vibes and wants to celebrate. What makes the city so incredible and wants to they want to connect with their friends with their family and so that day is is something that we can't take full credit for it's it's the city's day. So thank you thank you for your support of that celebration. I think I think you should take a lot of dirt. Council member Cornell. I just I just wanted to say thank you and I think what you do is very important in supporting. Our independently on local businesses. It's so crucial to the whole fabric of our city and and what you're Since the organization started as a very small organization and it's grown and it's become this amazing impact on our city and I just wanted to say thank you all very much for what you do. Thank you, thank you, thank you very much that your mind is where it is. Lillian's city's first part Ferry every second. I Miss 3 weeks from this Sat. From 10:00am to 05:00pm and the surrounding streets because it's built out of the park Thank you so much to it. >> We hope to have everything including the air flowing all day. >> a lot of the things that I was planning on spending money on were gone already get come come early spend all day though then spend a lot of another day. Thank you so much, thank you. You stay up there. Deputy mayor. >> We have a we have a a proclamation for human trafficking awareness month I'm going to let council member Foster introduce this council member Foster. Thank Recently I was approached by the us since the 2 against human trafficking to have a conversation about the work they had done. In Pascoe County and they wanted to bring to Pinellas County and on I'm very excited. Today to say the mayor signed a proclamation here a little bit more about the details and some of our local statistics. But also that our Saint Pete Police Department will be working. In collaboration with some of the amazing technology tools that they bring to the table. You know certainly in my work and child human trafficking is a very real on challenge that we face and just a statistic for everybody to think about is that the age that people enter into or prostitution is 12 or 14 years old. And most Lord into these acts 48 ours on the street and one out of every 3 teens it happens to so I couldn't be happier to bring this forward and when I approached the deputy mayor she was ready willing and able for us to be engaged in a partnership on this topic and with that I'll turn it over to the deputy mayor, the new council member Foster it in. We so often gather in celebration on on this day great things happening in our city but how fortunate we have the platform to bring awareness to those things that plague. The most vulnerable among us. >> is with a honor and obligation that I read this proclamation that will enlighten us all and I hope compel us all to do what we can to take care of those in need. And it reads whereas January is human trafficking awareness month. And whereas human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery and occurs when an adult or child is recruited Harvard obtained or exported through force fraud or coercion for the purposes of exploitation. And whereas Florida consistently ranks 3rd in the nation. For the number of calls made to the National human trafficking hotline, human trafficking is growing throughout Pinellas County and the United States thriving in cities across geographic and so showed that demographic variability and nationally the criminal enterprise of human trafficking the second. Only to the illegal drug trade in terms of the speed of its growth and being among the most lucrative and we're at human trafficking significantly threatens the safety and well being of the child victims. Some as young as infants and often coming from the foster care system and vulnerable adults being purchased as well as the families of buyers, legitimate businesses and our communities and whereas there is a growing body of evidence that targeting buyers is a pragmatic effective way to reduce demand within the commercial industry. Now therefore I can get Tom one deputy mayor, the city of St. Petersburg on behalf Mayor Rick kriseman we'll continue our efforts to combat the commercial exploitation of our children and vulnerable adults and mitigate the associate of public safety economic and health risk to our community in collaboration with the us Institute against human trafficking. And that's the citizens of Pinellas County to join in promoting a shift away from the culture of tolerance to our human trafficking. And I didn't marry think we have some representatives here that would like to take a photo and share some additional information. You want to introduce yourself And the representatives that are with you. >> Deputy mayor and Council money was Jeff Rogers, the ceo of the us Institute against human trafficking. I can't thank you enough for taking this very important step today to declare the city of St. Petersburg trafficking free zone, it's critically important as really a first step and our goal is not to put a band-aid on human trafficking in the state of Florida in our community and around the country but really to eradicate it. And so while clearly we can meet continued services on the restoration and care for the survivors that are rescued out of this life for example we we operate one of the only boy safe homes in the entire country for young male victims of trafficking here in the state of Florida that's critically important. But what we recognize is if we're going to end this problem. We have to focus on the demand we have to focus where the problem begins and that's where the trafficking free zone program comes in and so today you're taking a very critically important first step in aggressively targeting the demand that is fueling this industry within our community and it's really that first step so we very much look forward to working with you over the coming months and years in order to identify what more we all can do across this community to eradicate this and so here with me is Michael oceans care program manager for Pinellas County with the trafficking free zone. And I also want to give very special stuff. Thanks to Lisa Vickers who is here with us and her spirit Foundation that without their financial support. We wouldn't be here today so truly the spear Foundation has been the bedrock of financial support to bring the trafficking free zone to an Ellis County so thank you Lisa. >> Say thank you. Council member in the Foster you our and met with a knee a couple weeks ago in. She shared her full support in. And many of us can have and to see for the issue but not many of us take action. Some of the share one more statistic I really appreciate the statistics that you shared and along those lines. Florida Department of children and family Services reported over a 1000 confirmed cases of child victims here in the state of Florida. So if you don't that the slavery is still going on here in America. There is more slavery today than at any other time in history. So as the community. It's our obligation to stand up for the vulnerable. The women and children that are being exploited. And be a voice for them, right. So the trafficking free zone program is set up for businesses health care providers. School social service organizations. Everyone in our community to come alongside not this the city of St. Petersburg is just the first step right now it's time for the community to engage and bring awareness to all of our community to the employees laid off within all of the sectors of the community and we can come in into free training and and and weep put that offer out there. Contact us at the us Institute against human trafficking and we'll get you all set up to build awareness. So that we can identify more victims and get them the services that they need so thank yous and I I failed to mention that Saudi list parks and recs department who always finds a way to say yes to every opportunity we bring forward. >> It's a 100% on board in is going to work on some of the training and other opportunities that are offered along with this it's not just the Police Department it really is something that's going to be integrated with an entire city estimate you city employees. >> Thank you deputy mayor for getting through the nose, tough. The next presentation. We have is a presentation of ours student ambassadors to to Japan. I think we have while Bowman with this with today is a right. Hello. I recognize that guy. >> The last couple years Spitz has managed the sister cities program for the city. We have 4 sister cities stash. Friendships it is and Peckham lots of Japan. It's the most active and has been for many many many years actually starting in 1961. And for many many years speed that sent student ambassadors to to come out so and received so then the messages from them during the summer. Right now be accepting applications for this coming summer. And you can find the Web on the Web said the city's website and same pieces to save his Web site to find applications. Today I'd like to introduce the student the messengers who went to take him out of this past summer. In that. I come in. I mean that they're in. And Olivia Wilson >> hi my name's Lynn affair in and so we divided this presentation up into 3 major parts the first part is going to be place. So overall talk Amati was very similar to St. Petersburg which is why we paired with them as a sister city in terms of population talk much about the population of about 420,000 people there. Yeah insisting he has over 200,000 so we're it their population is slightly bigger but I will go into more depth about why we are sister cities. So when we weren't talking Nazi we are able to visit Yashin a mountain which isn't photographed here because we're standing on top of the mountain and from here you can see the and Lance Ito c which is at waterfront right up against their and so this is an overall picture of talk about too. And so another place that we were able to visit was Retzer in garden and during feudal times return garden was used as a hunting ground which is an interesting fact and so photographed in the right is a Libya with her host family. The condo family and then on the left is a photo of all of us with our. The new friends that we made when we were in Japan, so this is our welcome dinner that we we were able to attend and another. Opportunity that we had was we were able to visit them there and to meet a lot of the council people of are too and while we were there we were actually we made it into their newspaper. The next day so it's been a tough picture below. And on another exciting thing that we are going to talk about later on as well is this here so in talking lots to translator that guided us when we were there took us to this Niro and so what talking what you did is they took. Features of their sister cities and they put it in the smear also the entire mural isn't photographs but what is photographed is what they have of Saint Petersburg's they have the pelicans the trees and then be the old pier. And then this is when that's sitting in their And then another thing we got to do it while we were there was we're able to visit their fire station so this is us photographs the Fire Department. >> So the culture of talk much is very interesting because the presence of Shinto Buddhism and then modern Japanese culture combined to create an amalgam of something that's kind of unique to the area. So prefecture of could all which is we're talking is located is where Japanese Buddhist go for pilgrimage. So while we were there we were able to experience many unique aspects of Buddhist pilgrimage in this city. This is a picture of the statue that you'd see there are many of these out that the force him out and surrounding takamatsu. And then that temple is one of the many temples that we visited that's my host Dickey who is comes from a family of Buddhist priests so. There are many different types of temples and talk about sieve. Santa temples and Buddhist temples, a difference in tosen is native to Japan and it's nature-based religion. Whereas of Buddhism was introduced to Japan with cultural exchange. So the interesting thing about talking much as you see a combination of those 2 religions come together to create something that's a new kind of experience for the people that live there. We also got to experience other parts of Japanese culture such the Cullen The area we are living in is really famous for wooden noodles it's really complicated how to make them as very interesting to learn. They also have a rich Military history. Yes, the man that she was talking about was the site of one of the major battles in Japanese history. There were dressed in traditional Japanese. Outfits I'm wearing the same rise outfit that's not what would be fought and it's very heavy and it's not practical but is there is a kind of like a show shows like power. We also got to experience the newer side of Japanese culture, cat cafes are really being there. They like you things. So we got to go in and spend time with the cats is very cool kids our age like to do that. We went to the mall which is different than the mall here is a lot of food got to try different foods very interesting. Tea ceremonies are also an incredibly important part of Japanese culture. My host mother actually worked at this g how so we're at so it's very cool to get to go do that and experience that a lot ceremony and set traditions happened that she ceremony so is a very interesting thing to see because we're right there with long history. The Japanese culture. We also were there during a Japanese festival called star festival. That celebrated all throughout Asia. We got to eat certain foods celebrate certain things it celebrates are in love with each other, and they can meet one a year on the 7th day of the 7th month by walking across the bridge of stars. They can't me if it's raining as a really bad storm going on over there so people are been doubt that right the celebration, the rain stops as a really cool thing to experience. >> So last we're going to talk about people and the people we interact with and for me personally this is one of the most fulfilling part of the change. So one of my favorite part was going to and all day we basically went around with another student and we didn't have a job in the school system went so in these The top one is us presenting ourselves in Japanese 2 of the teachers at the school. She's pretty nerve wracking and then the bottom picture is us with some friends in middle school took us out to dinner that night so that's really cool. All right. This is a picture of us in a photo booth. And this is kind of what Japanese teenagers do it the most popular thing to do so we did this a lot actually new. And another thing we did at school was go to a baseball game and baseball is a huge deal in Japanese culture way more than America Ann's there we are at a baseball game in news in this beautiful mountain and it was very interesting. Ok, here's another picture with our class and on the day we are there was actually cost competitions and that's something that we don't really have in America. So that was really interesting thing to take part of and another thing in Japan is they have very specific school uniforms. So the other swearing school uniforms. And the whole students came here to seek you with us so here's a picture of them in their school uniforms. And heres all 6 of us at the beach. Like I mentioned before the connections we made with our Japanese counterparts are really special and I think this picture really sums it up. And lastly this is something off Davis and talk about. So I'm like I talked about earlier the Miro lot made so when we saw it we thought that it was a really amazing thing that they did for Petersburg so we decided to start a mural project ourselves so it is led by us 3. We're pairing with few members of City Council and then with steps to create a Maryland. So this is actually the design that I came up with for the mail. So very cool. Yeah. He can talk about a great idea so the temple there is one of the temple is fought mate modeled off of one of the temples that we visited voters there. And then. The sun the symbol on it that's talk much says. Flag and then we also use certain designs that are present in lots of Japanese art says and tangles and things like create fees and Japanese culture in our city. Thank you have any questions. very much for the opportunity to member Gabbert coming to a medhat took assignments >> Well I'm sitting here reliving my youth because when I was 18 years old I was an exchange student in Japan lived to cheeky Japan, but actually did go to talk about so. It is a beautiful city such a beautiful The people you talk about a country of peace and a people of peace, I mean just the the overwhelming love that comes from their culture is something that we all could learn a lesson from. Thank you all for being courageous enough to step outside of your comfort zone and go to what really is for anyone who has never been there it completely foreign land everything is different and I congratulate you thank you for doing that thank you for being ambassadors for city you have no idea growing up and as you go into your adulthood that you will take this experience with you and you will use that along the way and you always remember it fondly and so I congratulate you and I thank you so much for coming in presenting today and few absolutely. >> I figured I figured they had a star festival because the 3 of them were there. >> Thank you for representing your city so well. Thank you very much. >> I I hope you're mural I hope you know idea grows idea thank you. Thank you for being here. Absolutely you make it is our hope that the mural b b. Ready and in place in time for a 60th that be right let us know what we can do to help make that happen absolutely ok with all right. All right our next item is sunshine. Ambassador words presented by council member Steve Cornell thank thank you. Mister Chair so I have a short introduction and I lost my best to come up and receive their words and make comments on but it would like everybody to imagine doing some routine paperwork. Kinds of things that we all have to do in our life like renewing a driver's license for filling out a registration form to go to college and having the most politically powerful person. In the whole world in the free world. >> Decide that you should be able to do that. And that's the kind of experience that transgender people have every single day. And and it's it's it's crazy. So what happens out of that though and it's despicable and it's unacceptable to me and I want to be unequivocal about how I feel about that. But but the great thing that happened out of that kind of discrimination. As people that are just going about their lives just trying to live in do what they need to do. You become heroes. And become these wonderful spokespeople. Again not not intended to be that but they become that. Nolo Mark Martinez. I hope I said it right. It's here today and came to came to Petersburg from Columbia his birthplace Columbia when he was 2 years old. He's a blessing to our city and when he came out as transgender to his mother she was wonderful and loving and accepting. And not every period is so so that's a fantastic thing. But to do some of the paperwork that he needed to do he did to get a birth certificate that reflected his accurate gender. So we went to Columbia and they said note. You can have our laws don't allow a. So they filed a lawsuit. All the way to the Colombian Supreme Court. And because of his actions. One of our residents. Of former student at St. Petersburg high School and a current student at St. Petersburg college. The Supreme Court of Columbia ruled that that in those circumstances the person should be able to have the birth certificate that reflects their accurate gender. Due to policies that President Trump has put in place. That's all a question mark now in all all in jeopardy. And I think a scene. That Colombia is more forward-thinking then the United States on this. But the other good news is our city is not like that our city is a loving open embracing city. Manual mean well a Nolo Martinez and his mother Claire to come forward, and also one of the great places that Income. One of the great places that provide support. And the Metro center of also instrumental in being supported to the family in their contribution to our community is amazing someone asked if they would all. >> I would really like to the council members for having me here, especially our council member a Cornell and thank you to the deputy mayor as well inviting me to this platform. It's really important to me you know part of this clear community and also as a person of color to be here as a representative for my people. And just a I'm really grateful to have this platform and to be visible for them, but also to say that you know it it doesn't end here. This is one thing that I was able to do to you know as he was singing my daily life and. There are more things to do and we you know where humans where individuals and it's important that people see us as individuals and that we're not second-class citizens and we deserve the same rights as everybody else and that we deserve the same ease of going about rather than having to go about with that stress put on us Basin. You know the press perception of others and discrimination within the system even in the public health system and I'd also like to that I'm really grateful that you know that I have in my life they've made. You know my daily going about so easy it's easy to get discriminated within the pot, the public health care system. And I've always had been there at my back you know fighting with me as well as making it really easy for me to access the health care that I need yeah different aspects as being able to access their a youth services as well. So I'm just really grateful to be here and we keep a hiding it within our state Legislature under federal legislation that I hope that you are a local government, you know, we'll stand by our through this time you know, so thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much. >> Thank you thank you so much for having us here this is really an to be able to be just a proud mom great kid. Who has seen baby. Since he came out when he was It would be easier for as just you know we're able to accomplish Bowen to accomplish. Was correct burst that if kid he became citizen with his right on tender corrected gender. And it would be to see she for him to stay in go look about them his life just like that that he was to take the opportunity us that are doing to him where he can talk to when he can You know de France where he can make people aware that the inches 10 there is not you know being a monster is is just a normal person is just like anybody you me and anybody else. And some other. You know. I'm I'm glad I'm blessed he has a good support system because that has made a big difference. The suicide rate and teenagers that are 10's and there is huge. Superfight of my key that a 15 year-old he was able to come out in the brave in. But when Eric Haney swaying I'm siding with our country. Black said that cannot be just it in these not we don't want to take the easy route to stay in court it because we're able to accomplish what we were able to accomplish. I want to be able to be civil in and you know in my role as mother maybe their parents out there that don't know what they didn't know how to go about it that they can fake in cds story May be something that they can do to will for the kids. Love and support makes a big in Jay is not only you I found in my mother's he had to. My sisters brother and nephews, everybody there sported that Metro Manheim Metro in having where the kids can go away. Parents can go for support where we can have a light where to go one. It makes a big I really think that my kid is alive today because of all those things help where put in place. So thanks so much for giving us this opportunity support in. Ice being here Po police is not 8. On on fighting mean to write sin for tensed and they're now to be to keep plants. Thank you thank you. >> I agree dissident not going to speaking after clearance. Thank you all so much for for doing is that you see for free now edging on the know I mean the one I was it was my is my first month if I won my first weeks at about 3 and a half years ago and as I can at the youth at that time and so he became one of my youth super involved in all of our programs really really really brilliant kid. And his mom was super supportive and had sought out all of our programs and brought him to literally everything we get on both sides of the day Tampa and Saint Pete and for a good couple years so they're still active members of our transparent supportive as well as I'm in awe as mom and other like family to me now so on super predators can this really glad that they were able to do this and takes really courageous and private people in it to do amazing things like They were the first and now allowed I think on for use Senate going to change that so. Quick I just want to say thank you St. Petersburg once again for same example for the state of Florida and the nation and the world. Thank you. >> Council member council member Rice are you done Councilman Cornell I am not a member Rice. >> I would like to thank council member Craig now for bringing this forward and especially I think you too. A new low. Your your courage and the example that you set is breathtaking I think transgendered people are some of the least understood and most. Discriminate against people. Today but because of your example in your courageous we're going to chip away at that change people's hearts and Every day and I like to Metro as well. A Metro. It's amazing to me how cut started in 19 84 in the basement of mcc church. When ah ha ve in aids patients were treated a great deal of discrimination. And now Metro has grown a treat. 10's of thousands. Manage 10's of thousands of case management over 7 counties and the work you do is also transformational an important important so. Thank you very much, I love you. Though is minoan nickname is your name and well or. Manolo is the neck you can pull the Mike down. So so I'm not I'm I'm not going to pretend to know that Romney went through but I want to share with you a little bit. There's a portion of my life where there was a truth that I had to face and in dealing with that I heard something one day that I think my colleagues have heard me say before and I'm going to clean it up a little bit because the rooms that I heard it and we're pretty blunt. But what I heard was. The truth shall set you free. But first it will make you really angry. And I'm imagining that when you're dealing with your truth. You went through periods like that. I can't imagine you would have come out on the other end. I don't know who you are, but I can't imagine you coming out on the other end of it the way you have without the love of your mother I just can't imagine. So the mothers to be congratulated and thanked and you I love her the rest of your But on the whole point of that And I'm speaking from my own experience that I think maybe you can relate to and I hope you don't take this like I'm preaching to you. Be true to yourself. Be who you are follow your dreams c because if you don't you won't reach the destiny that you were meant to reach. So keeping to yourself and keeping proud of it. All right. You are in the city of love. So thank you very much. Thank you congratulations to you. Mom come on up here. We like heroes. Thank you for being such a great mom. A slick and telling us. Next we have a presentation on keeping now it's beautiful and council member just going to take the lead on this. Thank you. You know, it's them. It's funny every time we have awards and presentations we have such variety of topics that we cover and it says so much about the papers of city that we are and we if anybody wants to know what's he does all about they get to come and watch one of these meetings because we see. How we are in in the in the sunshine and we see. In darker times how we find that light and it really. Shows what a beautiful city we are. And one of the organizations we have doing beautiful things for Saint Pete and for Pinellas County is keeping most beautiful and today, I've invited the executive director of the Church of the Pasco to give us an update as key Pinellas beautiful is a partner with the city of St. Petersburg in community revitalization through their great efforts. Issues such as illegal dumping. Litter issues water pollution. Vacant lots graffiti urban runoff into our local waterways. You know you name it they're out there helping us clean it up and helping us to educate our neighborhoods how they can take a more active role in keeping their own neighborhoods and more beautiful. I will turn it over to you Pat tell us what you've been up to thank you so much a problem. >> You know I just like this is a hard act to follow by the way said yes years over here, but it just shows that that. St. Petersburg really is a wonderful city and and I wish we could just take a snapshot of this and share it with everyone in the world. So they could see how people like people working together. What what beautiful things can happen. That being I'd like to begin, when I hit that I just have a question for you when it's I don't have to use the out to click open on me on this or I just clicked because I like to I clicked in changes lie when they didn't want to but to be a k. And then when pressed ago. Great thank you very much. Good afternoon. Everyone. It is with great honor that I stand before you today to share the impact my organization has had on the city of St. Petersburg during the 2018 fiscal year. I'd like to begin by sharing a little background about keeping else beautiful. We are a volunteer based 5 oh one c nonprofit community action education organization and certified affiliate keep America beautiful. He Pinellas beautiful forms partnerships with local governments. Businesses schools, nonprofits and neighborhood associations to turn public spaces into beautiful places. The keep America beautiful. Is our other organization and keeping those beautiful is a grassroots organization guided by our National Association. We are part of the bigger picture. We are your keep America beautiful affiliate. And as the keep America, beautiful Ophelia it is our responsibility to engage individuals to take greater responsibility for improving our communities environments for more than 6 decades keep America beautiful has served as our country's nonprofit steward of litter prevention and has provided its affiliates with tried and true best practices and procedures to best accomplish community engagement and behavior change founded in the 1950's as an ad campaign as you can see by this this came about it blossomed into a national organization with currently almost a 1000 affiliates, nationwide. We have 43 here in Florida. With the sole purpose of engaging people too keep America beautiful. Keeping those beautiful is dedicated to creating and fostering a community of environmentally responsible citizens through education engagement and action. We address critical environmental issues to protect and preserve our natural environment with that often Ellis County region. Our 4 focus areas are litter prevention. Waste reduction. Conservation beautification community greening and from Tampa Bay to the Gulf of Mexico from tarpon Springs to Fort desoto keeping those beautiful works with volunteers to foster unity and strengthen community bonds 2 improvement and beautification efforts across Pinellas County. As a Councilman Just mentioned we are under contract with the city of Saint Peter's Petersburg and we have induced introduced the following programs into your city. Education and outreach. And I'm very proud of our education Department because I am a retired teacher I've been part of keeping the keep America beautiful family 12. I started out as a and I fell for that Indian, you know the crying Indian to remember that when I was 12 years old I decided this is my passion. So I'm very fortunate to be able to get up get up every single day. And and and. Do what I love so I appreciate it thank you. We're under contract is the following programs our education programs. Our education programs take on many forms. We share our environmental stewardship measured messages. During classroom presentations 2 adult meetings and we provided them environmental leadership workshops for high school students and middle school students students and we even provide educational service opportunities for elementary age students. But what sets our programs apart from others is that we and an educational component to everything we do. Participants learn about caring for our environment. The experiential learning as they participate in our community improvement activities. The great American cleanup keep America beautiful signature event. And thousands of communities all across the country participate in public land improvement initiatives that include projects such as litter abatement plantings invasive plant removal painting recycling and waste reduction projects and environmental education. These are just a sample of some of the projects that were done during this year's great American cleanup. Here the city of St. Petersburg. Keeping else beautiful engaged residents in additional community improvement initiatives during the international coastal cleanup and care fast as well. The benefits of our initiatives are many. All of our efforts to build teamwork and community ownership and pride. They helped to create a cultural norm by defining a cultural expectation, a caring for the place we call home. They provide some of the most tangible rewards of any anti-crime program and then make people feel safer and better about being members of the community. Our programs show immediate visible results as the volunteers help regain and attractive usable space within their community. They help protect and preserve our valuable water resources. Beautification and community grieving it's a collective collective effort to improve our environment for people and nature. We have planted trees created to maintain green spaces, removed invasive plants and educated the public about Florida from the landscaping practices and our efforts connect and engage individuals of all ages neighborhoods community groups and businesses as they invest. In our green spaces to keep them clean and green. Another program that we have introduced into the city is the litter hotline and that supports your see click fix efforts are their hot line. It's a community service program where residents can report illegal dumping and our staff removed illegally dumped items within 24 hours of the initial call. This program assist the city departments such a solid waste. Parks traffic environmental management and code enforcement. And I'd option program. Our in dot our adoption program is the foundation. It's the foundation of of of our efforts. And I consider it to be the stronghold was is keep moving. President I reduction and volunteers to be a stronghold of our efforts. Volunteers that make a commitment to beautify their own neighborhood have taken ownership and responsibility for the place they call home and adoptions greatly hanse the parents of our roadways trails shore lines islands communities. Alleyways and go a long way to reduce litter and debris from entering our waterways and polluting our natural. And native have wildlife. Involvement in the adoption programs increases this level of pride that ensures the sustainability of the communities improvements. We have developed a new adoption program within the city limits in titled adopt an alleyway. And this is the card and it's in the eye place the card in folders as well that gives information about this and why why does this keep changing the reason why it's. Anyway we began this program it it took a little longer to We started at the beginning of last year. But we have developed to this new program. But but we noted to develop that we had together the facts first so we gathered effects by researching and identifying the communities that exhibit the greatest amount of litter. Then we worked and continue to work with community groups that develop relationships as we resume. Reaching out to neighborhood associations civic associations and businesses introducing the concept of taking responsibility of part of their community by cleaning it up in greening at 4 times what 6 times a year. This is what we've week we created from 9 2018 year. From Jan. First to Dec. 31th. He Pinellas beautiful conducted 201 educational presentations within the city of St. Petersburg and we participated in 17 outreach events therefore to 25,854 individuals June. And the affiliate engaged 5,073 volunteers and the organization coordinated 199 community projects as a result of the combined efforts abated a 140 3,444 pounds of litter as well as we removed. 56,750 51 pounds of invasive plants and we recovered. 2,500 and and 14 pounds of recyclables a win would is where all these numbers mean well you know if we take the value find out how much this would cost the city to pay when you multiply 20 to 50. By the number of volunteer hours by 17,887.3 8 volunteer hours. We see that with we see that we save taxpayers. 400 in 2000 $466 in community improvement. Services. Keep those beautiful is more than an organization that just picks up trash. Cleaning up a public places. Parks neighborhoods in shoreline is only part of the picture. We're about people. People working with people for the betterment of our communities. I am immensely proud of our organizations impact on the city of St. Petersburg during the last year. Looking beyond the statistics we reported for trash debated gardens planted invasive plants removed in numbers of residents educated is the growing sense of community that you do very well here in the city by the way that we're building during these outreach projects and programs. It's thrilling to see neighborhoods neighbors working together to beautify their neighborhood Park. Residents cleaning up beaches and local groups assisting to clean up our public lands and waterways city residents are working hand in hand to accomplish one goal to make our community a more beautiful place to live work and play the simple fact is the reason we do what we do. We will continue to keep our slice of paradise beautiful for generations to come. Thank you so much for your support. I'm in I want you all to know that it is greatly greatly appreciate it oh by the way. I can't if you promise to keep a secret. I know it will be a secret announces on that in the press. You know your auto and I know I just don't tell anybody. We were just we just won another national award. We are one of the top 10 for the second You know it's not because of me it's because of we it's a we we all work together and it's so nice to live in a place and work in a place that that sees the world the same way I do you know that if you all just to save everybody just a little Think about what a beautiful world to happen. Thank you for resolution. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Pat and and thank you for all of the great work that you've done all sued by being a partner at this city. I can't tell you how how much I hear about what about you all from different departments weather and storm water community services are parks and Recreation. They all talk about what great partners, you are. York quite in valuable to us and we see in every district in every neighborhood of our city you've had an impact said, thank you are we're very grateful for your for your work. Thank you Mister Chair, sure thank you. >> Next we have a presentation on the economic impact of domestic violence and. Maybe have Korean from cars here turn it over to council member Foster. >> Thank I want to introduce Casa which many of you know and they recently partnered with usf to do a study to help us understand the true impact of domestic violence. Here in our community. We certainly of read the headlines over the last couple of months with Too many dramatic endings to domestic violence and our former colleague who is no longer on the diocese was such a big supporter. Casa. And is no longer here we want to make sure we carry on that legacy for the former council member Kennedy and with that I will turn it over to Larry honor. You think it's much thank you for having us here this afternoon. Thanks for being here. So many of you are probably familiar with costs and the work that we do we're one of 40 to certify the island's organizations in the state of Florida. We do operate one of the largest organizations nightly we see an average of a 125 participants, half of whom are children even with those numbers we turn away almost 2000 people every single year in Pinellas County we rank 5th in the state of Florida for the number of domestic violence cases, domestic violence is not a comfortable subject, it's something that people typically have kept in the privacy of their homes. It's not something that we typically engage and we chat about and we try and figure out a solution in public and so Casa his decided to take a very different stand. We re branded the organization and we have a new tagline it stand up to silence and we're trying to figure out how to have the conversation about domestic violence. So we bring it out and we're talking about and we're trying as a community to figure out solutions to the problem. So with that we approached us of Saint Pete with the idea of maybe one of the tools that we can use to talk about domestic violence and a little bit different to the way is the economic i