City Council

>> Welcome to the city of Petersburg City Council meeting your elected officials are mayor Rick kriseman. District one Council chair, Charlie 38. This trip too. Randy Gabbert. Council vice chair Ed might marry. The core now. Gina Briscoe. District 7 Lisa Wheeler Bowman. And a posture. >> All the May second 2019. I think Petersburg City Council meeting to order please. Thank you very much. >> You're doing a roll call before you even ask for the call. An end. We have some was I'm going to have to be careful because that means you could read my mind so girgis is here Mister Clerk. We'll Bowman Aaron here. Was a practice round or should we do it again. Pretty busy around here. Yet look to be busy. No worries. One of the joys of doing City Council meetings is we get to spend some time with a faith leaders throughout our community in. >> You're with us this morning that I had the privilege of meeting before Iran from office. Ran that's what I'm doing in Running from office in January. Before I ran for office I had the privilege of of this and faith leaders spending agreeing to spend some time with me. And he's been. He's been an important person in my life so I'm happy he's here this morning. This is pastor manual Sikes from Bethel community Baptist Church who's lived and served in our community for a long long time. Pastor thank you for being here we're going to have an indication followed by the pledge of allegiance I would ask you to really standing. After the pledge of allegiance to recognize some fallen police officers and firefighters. That passed in the month of May. In the history of our city so pastor, I love you God bless you thank you for being here after your indication pastor, if you wouldn't mind a little commercial for the National day of prayer gathering. I would appreciate that. We are grateful for this day and for all of your many blessings. We're thankful that you've allowed us to come together for the business of the city. We asked him the father that you would give us wisdom understanding give us vision not only for today, but in the future that that vision be inclusive that the one God that will help to lift everyone to the place of dignity to the place of security and father we know that you bless us, you know you we know that you have given us everything that we have to enjoy so God continue to direct each of these counts persons the administration of the city in the way that they should go in governing. The city of St. Petersburg and help us oh God to truly be a city that is settlement he'll for all to see. They May look up and admire the justice to mercy the grace. Most of all the love that we have one to another. This now is a prayer in Jesus name Amen. I will also say that today is the National day of hope would do that for national day of prayer but I don't have a specific location yet forgive me for that. >> As to the public. We remain standing. We Fallen firefighters and police officers of the city of Petersburg that lost their lives in the line of duty during the month of May. Detective Wayne, I'm very May 23th. 1929. Officer Frank, a Pike. May 19th 1933. 1969. Thank you please be seated. I'm not a k a going to take a personal privilege is chair this morning and start off with something that's not on our agenda. >> And I'm only get it. But I'm going to start off with is a personal apology a week We were gathered in a committee of the whole downstairs a discussing. Capital budgets for the city of St. Petersburg for 2020 and a 5 year window beyond. During that discussion. A subject came up that we were discussing. And I barked at council member Steve Cornell. I barked because my brain doesn't work the same way that council member Cornell's brain And uh it was my impatience and frustration that caused me to bark and i've shared publicly that during my 7 and a half years on Council. Council member Cornell has been the North star of inclusion on this body. He's a champion for diversity. And it occurred to me in the intervening week that diversity is not just race. It's not just gender. It's not just sexually identification. Diversity also includes thought and ideas. And the fact that my brain works differently than Steve's and differently than. Brandy's and adds an and Darden's and gina's and leases and Amy's. Is why we have a wonderful Council because all of our brains work differently. We have different perspectives we have different ideas we have different thoughts and it was wrong of me to lose my patients in the become frustrated. Because council member Cornell's input has always been valued by me and I think his colleagues I would ask your forgiveness and I I apologize for treating you. Without dignity and without respect because you have dignity and respect for me so I apologize that think you and I would just like to say I'm. It's it's so funny because I came here today, the fully intending when designing came up to me to also offer an apology because I don't now for what I said, but I think how I said it could have been much more conciliatory and respectful and so I apologize as well and and accept your apology and and I'm quite ready to uh to move forward. We will move on then with the formalities of our meeting colleagues we have an agenda in front of us and I will tell you that the cow report that was. Identified as item each for will be deleted because really nothing to report a on the review of the c I p budget so the cow report will be deleted otherwise we have an agenda in front of us that I would ask for discussion deliberation or motion. Mister Clerk we have a motion in a second for approval of our agenda. I believe Mister Cornell not okay. The open the machine for voting on approval of the agenda Mr. Clerkin colleagues if you don't your votes please. Mister Clerk seeing that all council members have voted on the approval of the agenda. Police telling announce the vote. Sure the motion to approve is in the past as you can. >> And next is our consent agenda I would ask for discussion deliberation or motion on the consent agenda. Thank you. Mister Clerk, we have a motion in the second to approve the consent agenda. We do not have cars in. Thank you. Colleagues be done here boats on the motion to approve the consent agenda. Mister Clerk seeing that all council members have voted would you please telling announce the vote. Sure the motion to approve the consent as in the past as unions. All right the next on our agenda is open forum and just before we start open forum. I would ask that I know I know the timing of City Council meetings isn't always uh you know accommodating the personal schedules people were hurt people of things to do people have children all kinds of things. And end a but we do have a rule that open forum is one half hour. That's 3 minutes per speaker. So that's kind of 10 speakers if you do the math right to get the math right. I'm not very good at it. What I'm going to say is. You are speaking on a particular agenda item and you can be here for that item. I would I would ask that you consider speaking under the item because under the item there will not be a half hour limit. So it's much more. It's much more available to speak under the item that it is under open forum and what I don't want to do is cut off folks from open forum. That want to speak about something that's not on the agenda. And don't have an opportunity to say what they because the item they want to talk about is on the agenda, having said that I don't know your schedules I don't know what you need to do today. So so please you know it's not nobody's gonna. I won't Park it you today e so if you just take that into account. And uh I appreciate it Mister Mister clerk if you'd please read the rules or Madam Clerk for open forum and then we'll proceed with carts. Thank you. Mr. Yes. Just for one extra might not inconsistent with anything you said the open form does continue at the end of the meeting. Thank you for pointing that out. When it is called and you're not here for the first 30 minutes you get an opportunity at the end. You can come back at 1130 just before lunch just when we're about to finish our meeting. Nobody's open forum at the end of the meeting will be much later this afternoon so of and At 11:30pm tonight, maybe all right, thank you for that all right. >> Public Kerry replied by judicial items listed on the agenda. The sign up with the clerk prior to the meeting. Only the individuals with wishing to speak recently opened sheet. Only city residents. Boaters and property business leaders in the city are there employees May speak. All issues discussed the open form with the limited to issues related to the city of St. Petersburg government. If you are speaking to an item on the agenda. You me we speak once during the open form when the time comes up on the agenda in order to provide an opportunity for all citizens to address Council. Each individual begin in 3 minutes to speak and after which the microphone will be needed. First couple speakers. Bernie hate it. In June in Dallas. Good morning, good morning. I'm Bonney heart grit 1140 moderate Boulevard Northeast. Snow all President. We ask that you table the complete streets resolution and not that today. My husband and I moved from Tampa Saint Pete in 19 92 in large part due to the tremendous traffic problem in Tampa movement around Tampa was never easy. Congestion construction gridlock. Impeded good traffic flow. Traffic coming into Tampa from any direction was always slow. We moved to take advantage of Saint Pete's easier lifestyle. Coming over the Franklin dirt and the bridges always gave one a sense of serenity as the contrast in Tampa versus Saint Pete traffic was very calming. We regularly talked about how much better living in Saint Pete was then Tampa traveling on any route in Saint Pete was a piece of cake. But then Saint Pete became the mecca for people of all ages to move to. The 7 miles of part the wonderful waterfront shops condos Grand Prix Museum. Try mainsail the rays the arts, the beaches. All wonderful venues that bring more attention to just how great our city is Saint Pete has enjoyed a steady increase in growth and its surrounding beaches, draw more than 15 million visitors, annually with steady population growth. Our city took a serious detour and decided that mess is more. Let's treat lanes and more bike paths, more residents and visitors to move with greater congestion fewer vehicle lanes and gridlock with more traffic lights and more waiting. What were they thinking. We have more people moving into and visiting our beautiful city. And we stopped them at every turn due to increased congestion this is hardly progress. A failed experiment. Businesses impacted with that Lane loss spoke out against the initiative but were met with the city's deaf ears, what drives people to want to visit or live here its business. So it's a p continues failing to listen to businesses or the chamber, we know what happens businesses leave. And moved to where their voices are heard. You don't take things away from people and make them happy. You anger them when you squeeze more people into less traffic lanes waiting waiting and waiting for multiple traffic light changes. Our neighborhoods to feel whenever 12 neighborhood presidents and 27 strong neighborhood leaders are not in the support of the city's complete streets initiative. And yet the mayor moves it forward since he considers it his privilege. We the people disagree we're asking for consideration of a redesign of complete streets with no vehicle Lane last. No parking loss, avoiding arterial and primary roads and implementing paths off of roadways using sidewalks and intermodal bypass. Let the sun shine in on our sunshine city and the whole concept of getting the community and neighborhoods involved in the process at the front and. My name is Judy Alice I live in 1874 Juarez way South and I'm here to address that. Complete streets issue here is a letter or part of a letter from yesterday's times. I recently moved to Tampa Bay from another state. I have been appalled at the number of accidents and how unsafe Florida drivers are. We too were appalled when we moved here, especially when people kept telling us what that drivers they were in New York, New York drivers can't hold a candle to the reckless disregard for human life exhibited by so many Saint Pete drivers every day. The skies. She's complaint was lack of turn signals. We noticed that too to the point where we thought maybe turn signals were legal in the state. People who live here say it's the tourists. No it's not it's us. We live in an area with almost no traffic enforcement so that after years of a Dodge City mentality. Our roads are now totally unsafe and we pay the force highest to insurance rates in the country. Every day we see speeders school zone violations staying out of Windows. No wind chill wipers no lights rolling through stop signs every day. Have you noticed the increase in traffic this winter. The weather was so bad up north that the people who came here a snow birds apparently are not going home. A 20 minute trip to the airport now takes an hour. 50,000 people moved to Orlando. So far this year. And how do we fix this problem by reducing the space available for traffic. Last lanes lanes we issue permits for 24 story skyscrapers that are going to be filled with people with cars. Are they going to be riding bicycles. The solution is and always has been at hand is called enforcement. The federal highway Commission has long recognized that you can seriously impact traffic, another crime by vigorous law enforcement. We are timid about this year downright scared in fact we would rather see collisions and traffic deaths in people driving drunk and stoned then write a ticket. It's time we got over the civic cowardice and started doing something about the real problem. It's not the number of lanes it's not the size of the lanes it's the utter and total lack of enforcement and until we address that nothing nothing you do he's going to make any difference in fixing things. Thank you. Thank you. And doctor end, constant. >> I mean you be just a beat. So big to me itv of 4 years, the sub 8 to me is the ultimate suburbia city of the 3 countries. I visited probably 50 countries and my thought. Cent beaches by fall far the easiest city driving and I've ever visited find me another city anywhere in the world, a large city like the drive 10 miles from my home. Not on Boulevard down here in 15 minutes. Challenge any one of you to find one. Do you really intend to downgrade this lovely city. And turn it into a nightmare to drive in. But every other large city. Tell me that the Aussie joined you personally is this what you intend to do. Really is this what you intend to do turn the city into another not matter of traffic. I was appalled to be told by the day. Did you have at advocated you're right to vote on this issue. Elected by us citizens to represent them, not a possible act to some committee. I trust you will take whatever steps are necessary to regain your control other the right to vote on your city and this issue. They just wrong segments. But I think for one moment. I'm and against green. Well boulevards. I May be the most beautiful Boulevard I visited Islam around Le in Barcelona and if the a b the in that area at but you all to visit lot on that. How a country still flows pretty well around it. You do not win friends and influence drivers. By infuriating every drive it every day but deliberately causing traffic jams. This already has happened and you failed experiment on Martin Luther King. But with another green level. I want to address something different my hobby says I was 10 years old being beekeeping. Almost all nutritious foods in this world will vanish and we'll suffer from malnutrition. Like many of our forefathers. A Florida and Tempe to take in many excellent steps to save the bees. But there's one major failure. Any Thomas was reported in the city. When you buy that compares control people come and poison it. But I need a poison that swarm but they hobble poison other swarms in that area. I'd like to propose a be banned from poison and this is state be keeping inspector. Approves this is a very difficult case and needs to be poison. The girls and he says you told him that we abdicated our civic responsibility. Doctor Carlson, what's a good thing. Basically for came by my house the other day and I appreciate our beautiful parks. Our roads. Our lights. Our water flowing through our taps our toilets Flushing we live in a magnificent city. Transportation gratuitously offers Council vote on their resolution today. The streets can go forward without this marketing plan and window, dressing please table the resolution rather than being used by transportation. Our second picked on mlk was a huge success, I was aware of how beautiful mlk could be with Boulevard sidewalks it already has mature trees allied organizations save our streets. Door hangers and yard signs are now populating first Avenue North and First Avenue South. Pasadena Commission passed a resolution last week opposing brt Saint Pete Beach has drafted their resolution. First thing can you a nonprofit citywide umbrella group a strong citizens neighborhoods, businesses organizations. The 8 founding officers and board members are presidents of strong neighborhood associations Cota now coma. A minority of less than half of neighborhoods. Our members fomo would not help West neighborhoods and about it with the city a developer in the diocese. We felt that when you West neighborhood United with 21 neighborhoods. 9 public airings 2 years and we won would not help a zillion with Raytheon pollution. Again we won. Call a failed to help other neighborhoods. Coleman says we do not take a position. Yet mlk letter of support from then President Marlene Murray waived 3 times to Council by Transportation Department, multiple times we asked the new President If the letter was authorized by Cota or was an individual you. We discovered that coma is a secret organization. Well kony see meeting minutes are only for kony ect members only thus it secret. And ok letter was not authorized by phone to members. It must be disregarded as an individual initiative, not fairly represent evening, even the minority of neighborhoods. Then a member neighborhoods are still opposed to mlk. Now we have can you citizens a neighborhood United citizens neighborhoods, businesses organizations to be a citywide Umbro voice for the many who care table the resolution. Do not settle future councils for 20 years with the draft plan with revisions every 5 years table the resolution. >> Gen stats in Howard cold Goodrich. >> Morning was Mister Smith is it is it. That is good morning. >> My name is Jim Stitt I'm President Of Allendale neighborhood Association. I'm here this morning to suggest that you table your action later today. And the complete streets resolution and draft implementation plan. But first I'd like to summarize once again. What citizens against Lane last supports. And what we respectfully oppose we strongly support. Streets that are safe and convenient for all users pedestrians. Bicyclists automobile operators and others. Well manage traffic flow and are rapidly glow growing city. A well planned network of bike paths and trails more pedestrian crosswalks more why multi-use sidewalks and a complete streets program that proactively seeks an ax and it put from all constituents. And we respectfully oppose. The elimination of traffic lanes on mlk similar disruptive unnecessary Lang was on future projects and any further project authorization prior to rigorous public review, including all stakeholders. Concerning the resolution and the complete streets draft plan themselves we're asking you to the table in the action today for the following reasons. The plan is a draft. No reason is offered for the need to approve it in draft form. Waiting for the final version assures you and your constituents of what exactly is being approved. The draft includes an advisory committee was no representation from the largest stakeholder group automobile users. This is a critical mission. The plan does not contain a defined learning and based on public review and user feedback after each project phase, including mlk this is another critical omission so it's a plan is in draft form. We suggest that these issues be rectified now and that you table action on your part until a final version is issued for your review. Thank you. I love all right by Tehran Square mall. And I remember Mike you this morning. So obviously you know, which side I'm on. No I didn't um but I did take I did take residential streets. But I want to bring the point but I think the council needs to be aware of. I was involved in a bike accident and the city is trying to make this place safer. On December 26,017 I was hit about 30 miles an hour. My bike. This is what it did to my bike helmet. This is what the car looked like. I broke my pelvis shattered my leg. I broke my collarbone I barely survived I cannot believe I survived the doctors told Billy made. I am I writing I do it, I love it I continue to like right. I lived here for 30 years and I intended the rest of my life in his town. I have no clue, I was even paralyzed, I just don't understand frankly. But I do love riding my bike and and I I am retired and I do write it. I have 2 vehicles so I can see easily afford not to ride. But I do find it is a great alternative means of transportation to go to businesses cousin, settle basically by and just to travel around and I think everybody should she consider that is a just it's just easier. I think one of the problems is I understand the frustration people feel because I feel the same frustration of the 2.30 years. I seen the city grow. I think that people need to. It's the red lights your city of a litle times more people this morning. Buildings going up. I love the growth I love the city, but yes, the growth is a problem, I mean as far as traffic is concerned. I just want you to know I just would have you guys can do to make this place a safer place for the city to be in. I would appreciate it. Thank you very much for your time. >> Kurtz it Stephen, you know the phone. >> The morning Paul Kurtz 9.10 31st terrorist Northeast snow our properties Association. Member. Want to just share with the council a couple of complete streets projects, the city has completed over the last couple years that have been impactful in my life. The first is on the first Street North and the others is on a minor and how Mia have 2 young children, my wife and I like to take the kids out for a bike rides and now we can feel safe and comfortable on those right coming downtown, it's been a big benefit for me personally in my family. Safety is obviously very important but perhaps more important to the health benefits that these facilities provide. So the city has an initiative for healthy Saint Pete, I think the complete streets initiative aligns perfectly with that and I like the fact that the city has been for thinking this and the city showing the residents that it's important for young people health is important safety is important. So I urge the council to support the complete streets resolution. Thank you for calling This set of 40 or theft. I appreciate that it could start tomorrow morning. So. I'm my name is Steve Young Phillip o. Speaking in regards to to 61st Avenue South. Eye on for commercial buildings downtown. All all of them are historically significant were close to having our 5th building downtown so cross my fingers that we'll have another one to a to announce by the end of the year. So provide jobs to over a 100 people through our businesses we provide services within our co-worker to about 300 small businesses in the community. I've had an office here about 2004 so going on 15 years. So I consider myself to be invested a member of the community here so obviously love same piece that's why we continue to invest here so. I wanted to speak specifically to lanes that are east of 4 Street kind of an airing the lanes as you head East towards a beach drive. On first Avenue I think it's a great idea to collapse the for angled parking. Because wanted ads parking to its slows down traffic and we've witnessed the speeds of cars and talk about safety in. I think that's probably the biggest on and you know I could sit here and say that hey sometimes our businesses in the retail that we have in our buildings are certainly impacted by that raft of I d type of parking that's outside of there. A retail and when it's an angled parking you can look around the city and businesses thrive with angled parking because you put people on fee. He slow traffic down. And you let people explore the city so when you look at the main artery of First Avenue South that is the main traffic an artery coming into downtown. And what we've witnessed over over time just cars whiz on by the speed through and they end up on Beach drive in the Miss A lot of opportunity to get on foot and enjoy kind of the downtown core and so I think it's super important to think about that and to look at her at the businesses that around town and look at the track at the parking configurations outside of those business. I the beach drive I East Central Avenue. Those are the catalyst to to to how far the city's come. And they've had angle parking they get people on fee, it's safe. No one complains about speeding on Beach drive. Right it's it's you know, it's just part of I'm not only a safety measure but also to keep the small businesses and businesses that are on the ground to to thrive so on that just bring it up in in my support so thank you. >> When Franklin Megan that's that. Yeah absolutely. >> About one to 2, 6, 14th Street North which is and you could I have to say as a resident right on mlk anything but a failure, what you guys did this is awesome for the neighborhood love it we're super Thank you so I grew up in Sarasota Barry Otto centric didn't know any different going to be honest. I thought. You only took a bus a road, your bike or walk if you had absolutely no other choice. That was my mind frame. I moved out to Portland said join my sister when I was 21. i have to be honest like. I looked down everybody was saying hi to me when I was walking by didn't have a car was their lives near the Max. And like I had to adjust to people walking by and saying hi because those like looked down and go and like I just that was my mind frame you didn't choose to be outside like it's awesome I loved it there and that's my family. I came back. Yes, I have longed for a movement like this to start taking place for us the lake except how awesome it is to be out. My husband is from England where public transit was the norm for their school they just took the public bus. My sisters and an apple us right now they're in acting up for high schoolers to like be able to just create a culture of people use the public transportation along with saving dollars. We're so inspired that the city was kind of like starting to move this direction that we went down to a one-car family. We have we have money or blasts like unfortunate for that we can afford a second car but we are behind us we are willing to like. Inconvenience ourselves We just want city to kind of Baucus and shifting a mind frame. It's awesome to get out there what ever your choices if you are choosing to because you want to or if you have to or if you just want to start pounding your neighbors and walking to the left Bank Easter for coffee or just all the reasons that you want to be outside and interacting exercised by osmosis and. This isn't just about cyclists or pedestrians. This is shifting a mind frame to like. Let's just be more encouraging of each other and much just let's just start promoting like how awesome it is for you can choose to drive a car. Thumbs up my mom could not believe my sister and I went down to one car I get it. I support her that's fine we're doing it anyway. My sister got over 2 years and it's Graham I'm on this coming around because of her old you do it's convenient for her. I love her that's totally fine but like we have a whole generation and uprising of people that are willing to inconvenience themselves for the greater good because traffic. It's coming you guys know that we do nothing. >> Ryan Franklin 4761 cocaine a key I'm going to will talk about the herbicide and pesticide that's coming up today. I'm a golf course Petersburg Country Club. Been in the industry for over 10 years now. Real quick couple things. We are educated and what we do we have to Griese and turf horticulture so we spend 4 years in college people go longer. We have you know doctors in the field as well. We're we continue our education You know I pm's it's like the Spurs site management bn peas are bnp actually that we rolled out a couple years ago was actually we did it with the with the state of Florida with d p. Best management practice to do right. So we we did them in conjunction and we came up with certification is with the deep he was involved Department of Florida ag as well as a Florida waters systems. Management. So that we also on top of all that we do are pesticides or vacation with the state of Florida. We do our fertilizer search case with state of Florida. And then every year we uh we the crew are see use so we are very educated in how to correctly handle herbicides pesticides and everything like that we and big thing is we don't want to put down a ton of it because the same time it does cost money so we're doing everything we can to kind of minimize what we're putting out. But we're also trying to provide you know a good product at the end of the day. That's it thank you. Currently coppins asked net is and green. Early new. Yes side makes it go down. Those on the left and start. Ok so. I'm Charlie Cook and and and that. I support complete streets and. Started at a new school recently and it's in my neighborhood time able to bike there and Lizzie an eye we're the only bikers and so that kind of May decide that we understood why Lake. There were sent there like there are sidewalks but like we'd always have to jump over sheets and it didn't feel safe for us and we're at this intersection wait 5 minutes. At that intersection to us every day. And finally somebody with this across and I watched cross traffic almost hit my sister and so finally we a city representative out there. And. We you know. We we got an intersection put in and now it's so much safer for us to go across and within the last year. It goes from us being the only people biking to having to look for a spot on the bike rack because it's full. So I I do support complete streets and I feel like it would be so much more fun and you know everybody it would be. For everybody to be able to I get where they need to go with you know getting exercise and having fun, you know it. It's it's the sunshine city while we enjoyed. Where do you live Charlie. >> I think it May be that one. You can maybe use council member month there is this one. You know. >> Name is Brian Cox honest car. So I am a resident at 3100 yell Street Northam also President Of the Saint Pete Heights neighborhood Association run at the new s neighborhood associations in the city. Has been is here and I he is a programmer financial trust out of financial trust Management company for people with disabilities. I work at occurred college, I'm a college recruiter and missing counselor and I'm an education specialist and translators fall. We are proud members of konna at the scene p Heights neighborhood Association. And my husband and I we are professionals and choice transit riders. As well as multi modal transportation users we both own cars, but we love the option a of not having to take them all the time. My husband and I both grew up in Pinellas County. I decided to move back to Saint Pete after 7 years of living in France. Why because I love that that the direction the city is moving on. I love how environmentally focused how inclusive as well as how friendly it has become to pedestrians and cyclists we absolutely love the bike lanes and 30th Avenue North and on mlk before these were installed, we really did not bike much at all. Now that were biking a lot more to get to downtown which by the way takes less than 20 minutes to get to downtown on our bikes. We are noticing a lot more businesses along the corridor. Some of these are new businesses, some of them are they've actually been there a very long time we've just been speeding by in our cars and not really notice them so we're shopping at those businesses were bringing. You know our our local money and putting it back into the local economy. We feel more connected to the city as a result of complete streets as a result of these additional bike lanes. Complete streets has made it so that we actually want to stay in Saint Pete for the long term now initially when we didn't know, but we really think we want to stay here long term. We support complete streets for a variety of reasons and I know time is limited and I'm sure you guys have heard all the arguments. But I'm one of the biggest things I feel that it is equitable and democratic. We all pay taxes for our streets. And therefore I think it is fair that the streets should be open for all of us. Those of us in cars, those of us on bikes, those of us who are pedestrians. It's healthy ear. And also complete streets are the future. This is what it's going to attract business and investment. Complete streets mean complete neighborhoods incomplete neighborhoods mean a complete city, thank you for listening. You go into a Mister Clark. You have to look beakers. Not that I'm with you if you want to take that to more speakers will take 2 more speakers and that's it hindle read in Josh, what black. Thank you very much Sir appreciate that. Joshua black 30 to 22 Queen Street or. Today launch a new website and to continue my work trying to give people the cliff notes version of City Council meetings. It's called the hall monitor Petersburg Beach of Saint Pete home monitor dot com. We'll use your to say than the other Web site. Not much else has changed I'll continue to try to beat every Council meeting and I'll continue to speak out against the excesses of government. The street frequently take place in his chambers. Don has indeed created government, but he has not done so to empower us to rule over each other. Rather government was created by God to serve the weaker vessel to stand up to the criminal to establish justice. If a person breaks gone Sloan hurts his fellow men got has come in every community to stand up for the victim until either the criminal makes it right or criminals removed from there. That does not give the government a license to invent its own standard of morality. God has not given government the authority to redefine good Knievel to punish people for doing things that are not here in Rome. Nor has he even given government the authority to punish every single wrong. That is done on the Earth or even in their jurisdiction. Some things only God can punish rightly some things only parents can deal with some things only churches can deal with some few things however ought to be dealt with at the community level by the government. Things like thefts arson assault vandalism injurious negligence rate murder kidnapping and adultery are indeed in the purview of the local government. God has prescribed punishments for each of these crimes, governments should pursue justice by following his guidelines on these topics it has been neglecting got word that we have that we have the uncontrollably widespread criminal activity President In our day. More cops more regulations more arrests more jails more cruelty won't fix this more justice will. All right we're going to do the I think there's but Police Department quarterly report with cheap away first. Right after to follow ways. Quarterly report we're going to can be read that. Recess as City Council convene as the community redevelopment authority. We have a or agency we have 3 items as the cra we're going to cheap always report and then we're going to do the 3 cre items just to give people a kind of vision of where we're headed. Council member council member races leaving for a few minutes and it gives me an opportunity to tell you that while the meetings going on today. Each council members going to leave for about 20 minutes to walk over. Yes we're going to walk to the Holocaust. And they're doing a reading today of names at the Holocaust Museum. >> All day long in remembrance of those who perished in the Holocaust and all of us are participating in that meeting today, so you will be seeing one of us get up every 20 minutes and leave for a little bit. I think it's really cool. I just want to let you know why you're going to see people getting up and down. The morning best police chief in America. One of the City yeah, I like that a good comeback. I know she didn't say best city Council chair but but I'll take the collective who does all take the collected who does. Thank you for being here looking forward to hearing from you. Well good morning, Sir we know you're the top shares After though a good morning again City Council members or reduce Gove our quarterly report that a court that that. >> Feel free to ask the question. First slide to see is the overall crime for the past 5 years so as you can see for compare from 2007. The 2018 crime down 21%. The crime trend for 5 years makes it fell 30%. The issue that we're dressing about 3 years ago the auto theft. Epidemic everybody call that you can see the five-year trend now that we're Donald by 40% in that area. Lockett cars a certain to kick Are drugs that I for the much you can see that they're down by 27% arrested owned by 2026% base and again as we talked about we're mainly going after the major drug bills that are trafficking amount of drugs into our cities. So the street level narcotics were still work that really targeting the major drug bills that are coming into our city. The issue that we're talking target again the moles is the heroin and cocaine this coming into our city. For this quarter also. For us our don't 1st quarter. Although burglaries as you can see there are up, but I want to notice the arrests are up by 93%. And that's a good job to our detectives they also that are working the street and also to our community because I can tell you right now if you're going to try to commit a crime in our city. Our communities will call the know you they will call suspicious activity. Ines thanks to the community into all that he also doing that we're making such great cases out there. A little bit up this month. So what we're looking at now is who's out of jail are people of still leaving their keys in their cars of key fobs in a car to leave in a walk. So we'll figure out do we need to do education or is someone is out of jail again this committing these of this. Our whole program is still going strong as you recall home program. The sheriff's office and all the local law enforce the seas in Pinellas County what we do is we monitor the kids once they are arrested on a felony the also will go out to the homes. The talk to the pair's and see what we can do to help these children back on track. Our second chance program is still working successfully. We decided we're going to added a new step step is going to be after children have completed their program that started program with parks and reck who then going to send them over to read the urbi who's our community outreach person to see what program we could because into so we want to make sure we continue to service with these children. Our path program. Police assistant homeless. We started this program this year we realized that we can't arrest our way out as a prop problem. So we put a sergeant and 5 officers on this project basically what this is the officers are not assigned to district. There's sine city was so they decided to we're trying to move the problem for one area to the next area. They have to follow the homeless issues. So for this quarter. We had 916 eye contact of those 916 eye contact. Only 260 people. Decided they didn't want to eat a peripheral the officers are still handing out brochures and they're still making contact with the services each and every day we're all very fortunate that we're not homeless word is one issue away from being homeless. So that's why we're trying to make contact. What does individual each and every day no matter where they move throughout the city see we can provide them help. We have 4 homicides a doing this quarter 3 a close one is open to 3 that are close they were related to 3 people that were having an argument. The one is open. We think is robbery related. The drug over coal. A new survey and shoot about 16 property. Our legal department works and that we get citizens. Police pursuit as a score you can see it is still 0. Use of force over his past 3 months. If you add those 2 together there are 187 use of force of the Guinness anytime he also goes hands on what a suspect those 187 times we would hands on we have 0 complaints of all says excessive use of force. You can also see from our our diagram there with that of 4 can play this department us with a supervisor. It's looking into an issue with an officer accommodation from services little bit dull from the department. Our Marsh art it sort of score is down a little bit so what we're trying to figure out is what can we do to get more citizens involved and give this tip of crime is also going on, but we just want to make sure the people know they still can contact the the v a tips for 1 one or one else to do in the park walk and talk because we want to continue to see that of crime going down. Park walk and talk still about the same. But again we're trying to figure out what can we add a Morris Park walk and talk says are still responsible for one hour week to get out there could be a walk but we're trying to make sure are we doing it right to are we doing a park walk and talk. Example at 10 o'clock in the more, I know 2 o'clock in the morning. On a Tue. Morning. We know people that work should we start doing that Park walking top on a Sat. Or Sun.. So we're trying to look at that so we can adapt to so we can get to know more individuals. A lot of people say well I haven't seen a park walk and talk to my neighborhood. But do we go back and check it we can see that also did a park walk and talk that person probably work Mon. Through Fridays 8 to 5. It also probably did as Park walk and talk at 1 o'clock in the afternoon which is not open is there. So we just want to continue to figure out how we can make that better. Our response time for call were still meeting our goals but what we're starting to look at we're getting there was about is our priority. One call was what I'm getting there was bizarre party one call. As well be that with the 7 men as you can see we're getting pretty close to that and that's because of our cities population's getting bigger there's more traffic. So we have to look at the area of how we're going to move our resources out throughout the city. So we can handle was called have been talking to the man about increase in our manpower because that's what we're probably we should be looking at because we do need more officers out there so we can get to those party one calls. Our traffic said as you can arc accidents have gone down our traffic stops have gone up over 900 for the past quarter. So we are out there enforcing traffic. So. This is happening throughout the city. So as everything about 300 more traffic stops month. As you can see we have exceeded our goals as far as e e o c. What are what our biggest goal is right now is a mask and staff can we double that we've we exceeded our goals so is it possible that instead of looking at minority, Mel also got 18% can we make it 36% to make a minority female a percent. If we do have a waiting list so people do worker city. So we're just trying to figure how we can quickly. All suicide as you see we're still working in the positive with that. Still standing true. There's one mistake in here. You'll see off duty over time. Second call this is budget amount 73,000. It should be 673,000. So we did lose 600 about $600,000 there. We just forgot they had to 6 there. Active shooter training. You know our world has changed and we're still continue to do it active shooter training as corporations callers and that's to come and do what we actually will be doing one. This week in a this Fri. With a just said. Our heat This unit that we form probably about 8 months ago, and as the human exploitation and trafficking. The main goal for his use to go after people that are going after our children were targeting trafficker they're looking to try to get our kids off to were between the ages of 12 to 16 we do want operation were we went online. Scary we want it to o'clock we have to turn sheen off at 2.30 because every detective had a case to work at that time within 30 minutes. We were good. We have we have been making a lot of cases. Are finding people alive we're working with our state federal and local partners we're going to continue to do this. Biggs in blue, we are one of the agencies in Tampa Bay that a Stardust probe in what we do something totally different. The kids actually come to the Police Department is would be sworn in on sworn. So it's been a couple hours with him and we have lunch with these kids to talk about issues that we can that's our future that we're looking at photos of the future police officers you see there May be a chief and their deputy chief couple of the people in that group. Grand opening of our Police Department. That was Mar. We're still moving it. Get a lot of issues that to me to dress but as again the they did a fabulous job both my quick though to kalasa. In right Mary Watson just try to move all that technology and so so is a police headquarters like the ship when the captain is the last one to the. >> Today at the old ship before the shoot you. Just like the top for so you try to move in the middle. ok. >> The so you can see a good at bat. So I have moved over moved over probably we have to go. Now patrols start to move in and then after that the be read office. Yes, so the biggest issue that we all laughed with the dresses property evidence as you know the lawyer movie that property for one area to the Knicks are going to be make because a chain of custody. So with that all have a pretty question. Thank you so much. She council member Foster. Thank you thank you chief for the report and then ask you to go back to the path report for just a second. For my colleagues, I have a every 90 day meeting with the path team since they started and I'm really excited about the work that they're doing and the number of contacts and assistance they've been able to offer. This is just a few months, they weren't even really up and running in early January they were getting see I t trained. And so I just really want to highlight. How many contacts they're making. The other thing I wanted to point out to you here and I've expressed this to missions as well as to some other colleagues. I I there's some anomalies on this list and I would just like this too. Take a good look at that as we move in the budget season and ask some tough questions. So for example, Saint Vincent depaul which city funds almost a 100% of their shelter only 3 people wanted to go there. If you spend any time talking to her homeless. The reason they don't want to go there and would choose turning point instead which is sleeping on a man. It's not a. >> Luxurious facility in any way is because how they are treated by staff. And so we have to start having some of those tough conversations not to say that Saban's and polish doing anything wrong or it's not a valuable resource for our community. But the things that I hear on the street when I talk to homeless and other reports were saying that the homeless leadership board aligned with this. I would just say there's there's some anomalies and the numbers that we need to tease out and have some more discussions about expression Lee as we consider where we invest our resources. And so the other thing I want to mention about this is. You know, I've brought up before our challenges with their Street outreach team which is separate than our past team. Those challenges still are not resolved. And I think we need to have some discussions about how we resource and support this path team. So the city gives over $30,000 to operation par each year. Who is a part of the street outreach team to provide resources such as bus tickets in being able to put people in hotels and that kind of thing. The path team shared with me not received any funding since early January. And so to resign, Rob others are working on there. But I just they're doing a really great job you see these numbers almost a 1000 people in a couple months and they need to have the resources in order to assist someone if they find a child on the street with their parent etcetera so I wanted to that so that as we have future discussions budget season. You know you can some of what you're seeing here. The other thing I wanted to just mention to you that she Holloway is you mention the tip for 1 one numbers being down and I don't know exactly how this works and so you May have any answer you May have to go back and do some research that kaylie and I have. Constituent complaints come in recently about nuisance properties. And whenever have gone in to pull the car reports and other things based on what citizens are telling us and what the stat map shows they don't align. And so in further conversations with citizens, we realize they're not calling the Police Department there tip for one wanting that. But then that's a problem because I can't use that to ask somebody to look at the chronic nuisance ordinance or something else. And so I I don't know how that aligns and tipped for 1, 1, is supposed to be anonymous that it's it's just something that has come up very recently that we are trying to figure out how that would work in the future so I wanted to mention it to you I don't know if if you have thoughts about that, but it's so then I'm worried about that its citizens are using that then we don't have the data we need in order to be able to you know look at a problem property that's affecting a neighborhood. I can do when you call isn't on to tip. But that information should be follow-up saw that my people to make sure if you me that was to get information about the news of the property that is transferred over to that Matt okay to be sitting on one server we just going to talk at hay. Thank you. That's all chair. Thank you. Council member we have a cart we do we do count on your from the public purse to mind. Let's hear from the public will quick just a black. Knows you. I see you I love you of that. You know you know the old adage about when the coach stopped yelling at you ok. It would be cool with me if you let them it's okay. This body is heard me address the racism behind gun control laws and you have not heard me address the reasons behind the war on drugs cannabis was re named marijuana to poison the minds of English speakers against this amazing plant. The propaganda has clearly been effective because police today still lock people in steel cages just for having it. It's ludicrous. What's worse is that while blacks and whites use it plant falsely Coulter want to add about the same per capita measure, cops still law black people up it wants to per capita of weight of points for the procession of this plant even more idiotic is the claim that these arrests deter use. The percentage of the population that uses drugs to go meant to keep pretending they're too dangerous for human consumption. Hasn't changed since the war on drugs was declared during the Nixon administration. The truth is that the drugs are winning the war on drugs that the police departments, including this one keep insisting on maintaining what ought to be a distant relative of America's recent best. The reason is pretty obvious. The federal government gives out crime fund grants for local law enforcement agencies that imprisoned people over substance possession. Notice I did not say substance abuse. It is true that some people in possession of the substance is unjustly controlled by the federal government May indeed abused them. But that is not what the government punishes them for possession or sale or the offense is not addiction which can't be treated by incarceration anyway. The goal this week at practice of putting image bears of the living God in cages over plants is it to cure addiction but to secure funding. Just the greed of local bureaucrats to keeps legacy racism. Alive. You think the people of color would recognize this and not participate in such a wicked system but the propaganda has been so ubiquitous and effective that for many years I didn't recognize myself took an old white Republican congressman running for President Ron Paul to get me to reconsider my room his position on this immoral war on drugs. I still don't expect ever to use candidates for any reason. Let's say some degree cancer. People are Police Department have no excuse. The know what the deal is they choose to be greedy instead of going to pay pensions instead of sending captives free. In this they violate got commitment to punish evildoers by law and just men to falsely declared innocent people to be guilty. But using a false standard of right and wrong. Then they willingly impose these unjust sentences on these victims of government overreach and ruin their lives for paycheck and a pension. The Judas Iscariot sold himself short. >> You don't have to but if you want to respond to you. You don't have to. Pfizer Mount airy n. Thank you Mister Chair. Thank you chief, always great to see you and thank you again for your strong leadership of our great Police Department can you talk a little bit about the uh oh go back to that slide. And you can give us just a little bit of a backup of white that everything else was trending down but but this is trending back up the scent. You have any any idea why why the numbers are up in this quarter. Was killed in the same day were somebody either drugs or things like that walking through the neighborhood. The kids call it pop and ill try stevedores a lot of the North's a lot they're going to go inside. See what they can find inside the car mainly to look as if the keys in the cards for student is a value left in a car. So we're still seeing that but like I said the best part about it is. Now people are calling in when he sees a suspicious walking around in your neighborhood. So the officers are responding to that it also the detectives are also looking at who lives in the area who just got out of jail to negative fingerprint can I get something out of a car so I can make an arrest. So you see that train up and you also see that arrests are up by 93 person. Ok well thank you thank you for. For clarifying a that for council member Foster asked a lot of the questions that I had I did want to mention that as I to neighborhood meetings. I'm always so impressed by the community police officers in the updates that they give and I've had some issues and City Council district with the bridge closing down. We've had some issues in a in a park. And we have a live station is being constructed. And no one in my neighborhoods also and in all cases, the police are just so responsive and helping helping us solve problems. I just wanted to kind of a loop back to you and tell you that your the men and women that serve in our department just do a wonderful job in a very responsive to problems that are out there in our neighborhoods. Thank you. That is very done. That all comes from a mother yes. Council member gathered. The chief thank you so much for being here today and thank you for the can we get a copy of. The report I see I don't think we're able to get that so we got was that I think you and I wanted to thank you first of all for mentioning increase in the traffic stops. That was actually a question that I was going to have for you after hearing the comments the burning and we've heard them before that a lot of our issue with safety on our streets because our law enforcement is not actually doing traffic stops and enforcing the traffic violations so I'm glad to hear that um could you go back to that side for me. And can you just talk a little bit. I mean I know personally I mean especially in the mornings when you're out on the roads icy officers, you know sitting on the sides of you know Fort Street and mlk and so I I see that you're can you talk a little bit about you know why the up tick what you've been doing. Here's what we call the 3 d's we evaluate the area we educate the public and then we start doing enforcement. So the valuation be the same time you see the smart rooms we called the smart crews go out and it kills the average speed was someone's going by in and you know what we're about using also so they do is that the travel trailer goes out it will tell us that on Tue. Between 3 5 o'clock people are speeding. So we know now to put all says other between Tue. 3 oh 5 o'clock. Forsman so that gives you see the site so you see the citations going down. You see traffic crashes going down because he also has nowhere to go. But he see traffic is stopped increasing because again we know where to go. But there's also something that has affected his also that new app called the wave. So once the officers get out there start Marty the traffic with him for 10 or 15 minutes. So was going to put it out slowdown also down the street. So we have to be very selective on what we do traveling for some because we know once we start once we get there within the next 15 to 20 minute. So was going to put something on the app c the officers are on the streets. So we try to become smarter least different use different types of vehicles. But again like you said like you can see there. We increased traffic stops about 300 more money. I noticed I kind of Tallahassee and I noticed Google now on Google maps you can actually cite the same sort of thing that weighs does so good luck keeping up with that technology. And just a funny my my son calls the unmarked cars, the sneakers so you know if you if you need a little term for them. So I want to Councilman Foster for bringing up the app path report and this morning to let you know that I join you with that being a priority this week I had the privilege of touring all the West care facilities with that bp James states actually it had been my second time a turning point but was really able to spend some time with Katrina who runs that program there and to um you know much to your credit they are so thankful for the work that you all do with them and being able I think it was in the last quarter I think I saw being able help those people and anything that you know we can do so I just wanted to thank Councilman Foster for bringing that up and that joining her with making sure that we make that one of our priorities. And then I just wanted to ask you one last thing about the auto burglary stats um can we expect kind of an up tick and that during the summer months and is there anything that we're going to be doing to kind of reinforce to our residents because I think we get very vigilant and then the numbers come down and we get kind of complacent again and if we're expecting an uptick are we going to be getting the word out again