City Council

>> for City Council meeting and your elected officials our mayor Ken Welch. >> District one hopefully Curtis. District district 3 and not marry. 5 and Council vice chair Debra big spenders. Gina Driscoll. John Muhammad. And district day Richie Floyd. >> Driscoll here Muhammad Floyd here guard is here. Gabbert you want to marry air and with us here. We will begin our morning with an indication that would be given today by reverend Robert Benson junior from pastor pastor faith Memorial mission Baptist Church. This will be followed by a moment of silence to honor our fallen firefighters and police officers followed by the pledge of allegiance please stand. Council and staff let us pray. >> Almighty GOD. We are grateful for this staying. And this opportunity. We thank you almighty GOD for your sovereignty in your hand of protection. We thank you for stab wishing our government. And let us keep your view as our focus as we've opponent. These leaders as ministers who will carry out the purpose on your behalf. Let us stay close to use it though so that your expectations all manifested let us stay close to you so that chaos does not rain was civil order is seen. Let us stay close to you so that we are a mirror image of your purpose. Let us stay close to you so that you are glorified through our civil responsibilities. We thank you GOD for this beautiful sunshine state. We thank you for the sun that shines on the city of St. Petersburg and those who are in authority. Let's keep the son and his rightful place high lift it up so that our great city. We're growing the spirit of love joy peace forbearance kindness goodness faithfulness gentleness and self-control thank you for the sun. And let us continue to allow the sun to shine and this great city of St. Petersburg Amen Please join me in a moment of silence as we honor our fallen first responders detective Wayne in Barry end of watch 5/23/1929. Officer Frank Pike end of watch MAY 19th 1933. And firefighter Robert f Parker last alarm MAY 10. 1969. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of a and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under GOD, indivisible with liberty and justice for all please be seated. >> Thank you reverend Benson for joining us today. Alright council members we have an agenda before entertain a motion for approval approval second. Seeing that we have a motion a second no requests to speak clerk please open the machine for voting. Council members in your votes. Things are present council members have voted clerk please telling announce the vote. >> MADAM Chair, the motion to approve the agenda passes unanimously with councilmembers fix Sanders and Mohammed being absent. Thank you and council members we haven't us consent agenda before us today clerk do we have any public comment on the consent agenda no comments. MADAM CHAIRMAN Allan or take a motion to approve you're no hands up and zoom. Ok, thank you. Okay we have a motion and a second to approve the consent agenda seeing no request to speak clerk please up in the machine for voting. Seeing as all council members have voted clerk please tell you denounce the pope. >> And sure the motion to approve the consent agenda passes unanimously with council members. Big Sanders and Mohammed being absent. All right and before we go to open for I had pulled an item to good news from the consent agenda which now at 6 I believe and that going to be presented test today by transportation and parking management director, Evan Murray good morning, MISTER Murray. Good morning Council hope doing well today, thank you for providing us an opportunity to highlight this item and highlight a couple good organizations are found work with on We as you know started bikeshare program in St. Petersburg 6 and a half years ago most of the bikes have been on the street for 6 and a half years in the weather and they've been maintained, but they're getting older and just last week we I would say successfully launched bikeshare 2 point oh and St. Petersburg with brand new bikes again and so we were in the position to have surplus bicycles about 300 of them. And city code allows 2 ways to dispose of a surplus assets which is what these are at this point. One is to auction them off to the highest bidder. The second is that with the council's approval we can give them to a good cause to charitable organization where multiple organizations and we feel like that second route is the best way to go for these bikes for a couple reasons one is. You know it would be good to get some money back to the city when we auction those often goes back to the general fund to be appropriated later. But these bikes proprietary in nature in terms of some of the parts and so one reason it's good to work with an organization I'm holding in my hand. These are special tools that you need to take fields off of the bike and put it back on and there's another tool that does something else that they understand that I'm not sure exactly how it works. But you need these to be able to maintain the bikes properly. And so I can hand over if you approve it today, keeping them until the approved with me today I'd like to provide an opportunity for them to address Council, so they can tell you a little bit more about their mission. And how they would put these bikes to use how they would refer and then how people can come back to them if they need help with with maintenance. Today I have Nick Anheuser he's a Saint Pete bike co board member and then also executive director of bikes for kids, Tampa Bay Randy helier Randy would you like to come up first. Thanks for the opportunity to address free bikes for kids, a national organization 14 affiliates last year we gave away slightly more than 30,000 bicycles making us the largest a free Facility actually in North America at this point in time. Last year the Saint Pete affiliate in our first year of operation we actually gave away 447 bikes to deserving kids and families probably within 5 miles of where we're standing and sitting right now. We also gave away an additional 190 bytes to other organizations such as the tree program for Salvation Army, as well as 2 other additional not-for-profits that needed additional don't bikes to facilitate people who are moving from Carson ration back into the public that need to just the fundamentals of the way to get to work. We refer reached every one of those bikes and put it on the road safely and in cooperation with the Florida Department of Transportation we actually provided helmets at no additional cost to every participant for safe writing. That's our goal this year. We have the lofty goal of basically giving away close to a 1000 bikes. So the donation of roughly close to 300 bytes would put us about a 3rd of the way there right out of the chute which is a tremendous step forward for us should you be most to be worthy of consideration for this donation. Have to address or answer any questions of possible about the project itself for anything else that we can due to try to make a positive impact on our own community. >> Council members any questions. Well I just want to thank you so much for your partnership Evan from when you first shared with me that we're going to be switching our bike share and that was one of the first questions I asked was what are we going to do with all these bikes and you immediately thoughts of the solution and a solution that would better the community and would help people and so I just want to thank you for your forward thinking, but also your compassion and how we could utilize that resource poor for so much good. So I thank you all both very much a very happy that we can share this good news today move approval. Second Nick address, the group. >> My name because amber eyes are on the bike of the Saint Pete by klopp. You all MAY have seen our building right by the ocean or courts. Where not quite as large an organization we get about 5 bikes week away we try to get more but you know funding because generally when we get a bike wheels like a lock and to prevent. You know bad things from occurring. Wieser everyone that comes through our door no matter what if they can pay sweet if they can get. Those bikes if we can get some of these bikes would be really helpful for us. Those 5 bikes week we give away our all donations. And because we've been there for over 10 years now if something happens with the bike they just will it on in and we help them fix it whether to tires the special fittings. Or and sundry of parts that we already have. Yeah we serve but the large portion is we serve a large portion of the houseless or just people who just can't afford a monetary. Job a question about why co-op or if you like come in please come and join us. Well thank you as well thank you again it many hands to fill need and so thank you for your part of the partnership makes well we appreciate you being here with us this morning. Alright council members so we have a motion and a seconds and seeing no other requests to speak clerk please up in the machine for voting. Council members please enter your votes Singh's all council members voted clerk please telling announce the vote. And share the motion to approve agenda item f 6 passes unanimously with council members. This could mean big Sanders Muhammad the apps. Very good and thank you again, MISTER Murray. All right we will now go to our open forum. A clerk can you please called the rules for open form. Yes, MADAM Chair. If you wish to address City Council on subjects other than public hearing or quasi judicial items listed on the agenda. He signed with the clerk. On the individual wishing to speak MAY sign open form sheet only see residents owners of property business owners in the city or their employees MAY speak. Issues discussed and open form must be limited to issues related to the city of St. Petersburg government. If you're speaking to item on the agenda you MAY only speak once during open for one item comes up on the agenda in order to provide opportunity for all citizens to address Council each individual be given 3 minutes to speak and after which the microphone will be muted. If you wish to address city Council meeting you must use the raise hand feature but in the zoom app we're in or star 9 on your phone at the time the agenda item his address. When it's your turn to speak up a new to x to state your name and address at the conclusion of your comments cool when you reach the 3 minute time limit you'll be muted. Already stands will be lower at each agenda item regardless of the method of participation use normal rules apply including a 3 minute time limit on comments. The requirement that any presentation materials must be submitted in advance of the meeting and rules of decorum if my public comment is disrupted by violations of the rules of decorum the chairs authorized to accept public comment. Alternate means including by email only and MADAM Chair, we have no speakers in here or on zoom. Ok, well then we will go ahead and close open forum and we still have some time before our public hearing. >> I don't know are we ready to do the cra it. We have our team here for that all right well, then why don't we go ahead and recess, a City Council in convene as the cra and take up cra item 2. >> Good morning. We are joined this morning frying caper and Rick Smith, Rick I need to make sure you are here today. Yes, okay, good good. All right please go ahead with your presentation. Good morning City Council before we present the economic development. I'd like to take a moment to acknowledge Rick Smith. Today is his birthday but more notably today is his last day with the city of St. Petersburg work began with the city in 1999 is a historic preservation planner in the development services Department in this role. He wrote local historic landmark designations including the 400 structure downtown St. Petersburg National Historic district ensure the 2002 Florida trust for Historic preservation conference in 2004 he was promoted to plan or 3 serving as the city's community redevelopment cordinator Rick implemented the city's redevelopment area plans including in town in town West bayboro Harbor industrial park. We're glad they St. Petersburg ocean team and the downtown development, the regional impact or dri it's eerie work led to the development of the Dali Museum, public parking facilities waterfront Park improvements and the St. Petersburg pier. Amongst others Rick's most significant project however was the creation of the South Petersburg community redevelopment area, one of the largest series in the state and one of the most impactful Rick's vision leadership and foresight led to the 3 pillar approach to the cra business and commercial development, housing and neighborhood revitalization and education and workforce, investing in our people. Instead of the traditional place based development of Rick became economic development manager in 38. Leading a fantastic team that is here with us today. He's continued to advance the goals and objectives of the cri and of Mayor Welch including over 4.5 million single-family and multifamily affordable housing developments leading the citizens Advisory Committee for the South St. Petersburg cri administering workforce, development programs for hard to hire residents and managing the city's community benefit agreement program. Rick is one of our community strongest advocates he has dedicated his career to advancing the city's economic prosperity and no one has worked harder to ensure that opportunity shines on everyone in our city. His witness tremendous economic growth and advancement in St. Petersburg as a result of his efforts. I know you will continue to bring this strong commitments to your community and your future adventures in Gainesville. On a personal note, I would like to thank wreck. Record you have been a tremendous mentor to me. Coming to the city fresh out of grad school when my hair was still fully had many questions but few answers. Your patients advice and guidance were invaluable. I know I would not be where I am today had it not been for you. You are much more than a colleague. You're a great friend. Well you MAY claim Gainesville as another home, your true home is the sunshine Sat.. Thank you for everything on behalf of the department we would like to present you with a small token of our gratitude. You can look to this and think of us when you're sitting at home. Watching Gator football. Hopefully a complete blowout over Georgia. He will always be a member of the economic and workforce development Department. Thank you wreck and best wishes for your next adventure. >> I brought Kleenex on the dias today. More because I've been a little under the weather but I think they were more appropriate for other Do you have a few words, you'd like to share with everyone. Could have a take this is a very hard decision. And I knew would be this tough and send to leave that I'm happy for the opportunity it. If it was any other place I would not taking the job. That's always then a second home. My wife and I met there I've loved off and on there for about 17 It's sort of calls to me that I do love the city, I love the people. The organization has been wonderful for man unable to. You know do work I love and as meaningful and passion about throughout my career here and what more can you ask. I'm gonna MISS The people the We have a lot of help and Niger nee. You know being around so long to get to know people you know who to call to help you out and reciprocate when they call and that's a real strength of this organization and that's why the the cre program has been successful because we had to work across agency lines and we've done some very successfully or or housing partnership has worked very well. I don't intend to be a stranger. You know it's not a wonderful place to live it's a beautiful place to visit. And I intend to come back here with my wife regularly and see my friends and see the city's progress. It's going in the right I knew it was a beautiful place when I came here 2324 years ago. And it's just kept evolving that way and and I attribute that to you know that unanimity of the community and forwarding the goals the protection, the waterfront knowing that that Sir a real asset. The growth of downtown which has been stunning and still the protection of the store resources which helps to you know retain the local flavor. Proud of the work that I've done feel that this is the capstone of my career and owned by encore but the same people always be. Right here. Perfect for your efforts and your support of our efforts and. I'm told by the outreach. Well Rick thank you so It is a bittersweet day happy birthday first of all. Yeah that's the saddest part of that. That you have to be a council meeting on your birthday. I got another one behind which happens to the best of us right Thank you I mean you're leaving on a bang right because this week, I mean we've made some phenomenal announcements about the cra are doing more great work today and so maybe that's a bit of a birthday present for you as you depart. >> I think it's it's fitting. You know this has been my life's work for the last 15 years. And might as well finish l and front of a group of bin in front of Sherry yeah there you go. What we're going to take council member comments we'll start with council member driskell. Thank you. And Brian, thank you for. Your words about It was very well put it and I echo those sentiments. I have learned so much from you rank coming coming on the City Council for the first time. You know I I already had some familiarity with the the cra process and how it's set just because of my mentor curl nurse who worked with you on so much of this and he passed me on to you to continue that learning and figure out how I could help for the rafters and enhance what was already happening. And you helped me. Figure out the differences between all of our series and how they work because I think all of them touch my district and one where ha 1, 1, place or another. And just the guidance that you have given to me into to everyone City Council, the staff. The steady hand that you have. You know placed on this and and used to guide us. And through some pretty big changes over the last few years. Especially with same it is absolutely wonderful and I. That that we have this vote today on and yet another impactful program that you helped to make happen. Gainesville is so lucky to be. Welcoming you. I can't wait to see what you do there. But every time you come back here you perhaps more than anyone else because of how long you've been here and what you've done every single day. You'll always be able to come back on those visits and look around and point at things all over our city and say I helped make that happen. That is. Absolutely amazing. Not many people can say that the eve really you've really set quite a bar. You've also set up a team that can carry on your work and because you've been such a great mentor to so many. We are going to move forward and keep moving see Petersburg in the right direction in great part because of the work that you've done. So thank you for that I am so grateful for you. I absolutely love you as a person and I'm kind of jealous that you're birthdays on Star Wars day because you all are. You have a built-in theme every year. It's so cool so happy haha happy birthday and. And best of the best of luck to you and you will be missed you'll always be honored. Thank you. I do want to. Point out my team, Tony George Cassidy. >> County air Mike. My cousin working our department but he is been workforce for us and mapping and data gathering. That's just another example of the collaboration we've had across minute agency lines. I'm really really happy for the team that we have I feel like I'm not leaving anything on the table there. They're young or enthusiastic smarter than me. So I think you're in good hands. George particularly is a wonderful friend for me. A colleague. I want I'll even say a mentor to me he's. He's got even steadier hand and I so I think you're going to be very happy with the replacement. >> Once a member Mohammed. MADAM Chair. Thank you some advice I got from a bus driver. About birthdays keep on having them haha haha. Because the alternative is not so but with thank you for your service and then it is a bittersweet I remember meeting you want to say maybe 2009 When I was beginning to become more public and more And I was like attending neighborhood Association meetings and I was roped in by you see the and going deliveries and became a part of that in the 30. We came I think my first time speaking Council was presenting point to progress for agenda 31 of them was the request for cra for the South side. And I was still learning cre was and didn't really understand particularly with the South side cre into later how significant that was and how it was the first and that wasn't in the downtown area. And you work, you know just through that process through you know the community benefits and just everything that we've done related to the economic development, one community plan and all of the work that we value always there you always a great adviser. Thought partner. I know in those days I was a lot more. This And so we would be on different sides of issues but we always came to you know consensus around what was good for the majority of the residents of the city of Saint Pete specifically in the South side where I was champion in advocating for and so the team that you build up the work that you've done to me Saint Pete we're talking look the resume and bio is all there. But to be you know a party to it in a witness of it and to see it you know and today with the voters biggest this is amazing so GOD bless you bless your family and looking forward to those visits MAY the 4th be with you. Thank you MADAM Chair. Thank you I appreciate that. >> Thank you chair and good morning City Council and I had a chance earlier this week too. Share with Rick my for service and just want to make a couple brief comments publicly. You know, We only have one life and you gave a large portion of your life to the city and to the people the city. And that's an amazing gift to give so I thank you for that and thank you for all the wonderful work you've done. I'm really want to thank you on behalf of the mayor, you know mayor Welch was a strong advocate for the South Petersburg cra it was a large pool of his on the county Commission and you know you're really the one with you and your team that brought it to life. And how much I enjoyed working with you on the cra especially the housing partnership we developed and and and watching it bloom, you know, and I think that. Frankly the revenues that are being generated within the South St. Petersburg cra. Are to the work that you've done and the quality of life improving and therefore the assets improving so on behalf of the mayor just want to thank you for everything that you've done and we wish all the best in Gainesville and we're always here when we come back to visit. Thank you. I've always enjoyed working with you I guess we were together in planning for some period of time. It's been a real pleasure knowing in working with You have a real hard for Petersburg and shows day in day out. >> Well I guess I will conclude and then we will get on to our business so that you can get on to your birthday in your So just want to thank you so for all of your hard work and in coming into City Council honestly I knew really nothing about the cra if I'm being quite honest and have learned from you and George and your every step along the way. I know there have been times when I maybe was a bit of a thorn in your side, but you were always professional, you always came back with ideas of how we could solve whatever was before us and that doesn't always happen. I think every time that we ever maybe you know kind of crossed ideas we always came to a good resolution and I appreciate that about you I just appreciate how you handle things on your demeanor and your creativity because what we have seen happen in the cra over the last few years and the catalyst for what will happen comes from that work and so I really I appreciate you I think one of the downsides of working for such a great organization is that people grow. And people you know really learned their full potential in an organization like this and that they're forming sometimes they move on. And so well it's sad for us, it's good for you. And all we can do is support you and thank you and just know that your family will always be right here at home for you thank you know shoot the bank you again always be in my heart. The work you do here. I know it's hard. >> You know sometimes we're on different sides of the table but I think we're all moving in the right direction. It's just how we get there the men Amen thank you again wreck. All right. >> ok so you have a presentation. Haha. >> I love I'll take a swing at it all right. This is a request for action by the community Redevelopment to recommend that City Council approved the South St. Petersburg see Eric economic development incentive program. This is an advisory committee recommend approval of the program at its Feb. 7th meeting and because the program will be seeking city or County funding. We submitted to the county staff review. They have also. That proved it. The intent of the program is to cra funding for major economic development projects that are consistent with the intent of the South St. Petersburg redevelopment plan. These include industrial and commercial projects and implement to grow smarter strategy. Commercial development along major corridors of the cra to support the we're talking about the deuce is 49th Street. Doctor Martin Luther King. And private public partnerships with for-profit and nonprofit entities to provide incubator space for entrepreneurs cultural facilities and workforce, a new development training activities. The program will support a wide range project projects renovation and new construction where public funding MAY be needed to ensure project moving forward. These would include private projects on private land private development on city-owned land needs additional financial support or funding. We're funding city projects on city-owned facilities are land. There's no cap on the amount of the funding they can go towards a project. However, there is a in need of the city intends to use more than 1.5 million and county funding that it gets County approval to do so. And also if the city intends to use tif or to bomb the tif revenue we need to go to the Board of County commissioners for approval. That's. It's fairly standard for the board they've done it with all the other series and the county. As far as uses go the program is intended. Designed to fund bricks and mortar it's not programmatic will be funding foundations removing Site development in prep work and tenant improvements, a whole wide range of. The activities we were envisioning. Applying these funds to the Manhattan casino which I know councils are interested in so this is targeting that potentially sankofa tendering Plaza other major facilities that are in need of support. The program and vision supporting those. This problem. This program nears this area for the housing loan program which you approved several major Jordan Park Fairfield Avenue apartments, it's basically customized on a deal by deal basis depending on the needs of the project. Ministration will negotiate with the developer and then bring a term sheet our development agreement to you for your review comment. And consideration. Program of projects in this program are also subject to the cba the community benefits program. Even if they don't meet the minimum threshold we will still attempt to negotiate some of the main tenets of the the cba program in terms of local hiring and small business support. Speaking of which I think this is a appropriate and point for the We began the week with a microphone program like to Alexis and and Tracy who were instrumental in putting that together. I worked a little bit on it they have done the lion share the work since the beginning of this year. I think we're moving in. You know. Move forward and I think this helps address some of the concerns about you know sporting moms and pops. On the other hand, some of the transformational projects that we'd like to see The cre support can be provided and supported by this program. So recommending community Redevelopment agency support this program. >> House member mountain area. Thank you MADAM Chair. Let me begin Also commenting on your or your career and wishing you a happy birthday, Rick, a have been just such a force in our city for for the good of so many different ways and you're kind of like the Energizer bunny that just keeps on plugging along and doing a great things for our city and as council member driskell mentioned. There are so different the big projects in the city that have your fingerprints on it in in a very good way. So thank you for your service to the city of St. Petersburg I do have some some questions on this No let me just start off by asking what's the total amount of funding that we're going to allocate for for this it's a really good to be done on the project by project basis we probably will not the budgeting a large amount up front. >> Unless we have a project in mind and set aside a reserve amount. Whatever administration feels is appropriate given the scope of the budget. But I think what will happen is when a project comes in I rights expecting. One a year to year we're probably going to do what every other year. >> So it's going to be on a case-by-case basis and it will be evaluated relative to the other in the budget and I think the beauty of it. We have a a whole range of programs and in the cra housing workforce development. Our commercial development programs and each project will have to be You know relative to the importance of those other programs and initiatives. Okay all right, thank you. >> So and I I read the back material any any project over $75,000 will come to City Council for approval any any project over 1.5 million needs the county administrator. Approval. One of couple concerns that that I have one of them was. This aboard some ordinance debt I mean if we do if we do alone in the city is subordinate to a mortgage holder what what are their financial concerns It makes me a little nervous rival. I think that phrasing was it. And then a fight in the redevelopment plan and we were trying to encompass the scope of financial support we could provide an entity and that's just one tool in the tool box so to speak. Obviously the the city is. Wants to be the prime or prime area. More rights for that, but we MAY have a project where we need to to be in second for instance, Jordan. Park renovation we were a subordinate lindor I'm in that regard so imagine would depend on the entity that we were doing business with as to whether we want to assume that position. Okay and then would the city be the lender of last resort. That could be the case here. It's really like I said going to be. A collective decision the council administration as to whether they want to under take that initiative. And because I don't want to take away business from. You know another lending institution of a bank or credit union or or something like that where the city is giving. And a loan at a lower interest rate and then we we could be. Causing problems in the in the private market. How's the interest rate determined. It was the interest rate determined on on the loan. Answer that right now. That's how we how we done in the past. In Manny is done in on the housing side. And it's a forgivable You know after 10 years. That's the way we've typically done it there, but those are smaller. Smaller loan packages. And then the last. The question that I had was and at the end there. Second page of the resolution. There are some. If they cannot find it. I'm sorry it's on that page 12. It it's the disqualifying. Reasons to discuss the disqualifying. It says a mortgage payments 3 months in arrears but above that. It talks about confirmation that mortgage property insurance and property tax payments are current in good standing. The those seem to be in conflict. Okay. >> There MAY Some discretion as to whether or not we would disqualify an applicant. Other considerations were on the positive. As you can see it Applicants MAY be eligible based on these following criteria. So it's not a hard and fast, you know. >> The last thing I just wanted to mention is in the backup material there was a a reference to a Pinellas County report the economic impact of of poverty. Which I thought was very well done I think we should do this as as a city. On on a regular bases to address systemic poverty within the city of St. Petersburg. I'm I'm for this. But I'm there's I I have a little bit of about it so I appreciate Answering my my questions and I MAY put something and maybe talk to administration about this. This report because bird for ball down and a lot of good information in it. Thank you, thank you, Rick, thank you again for your your service. Thank you MADAM Chair councilmember Floyd thank And I'd feel a similar way to council member I'm Amanda Berry. So I appreciate your questions But first I want to what I really like about the cra Ben the investment in people and sort of it ingenuity and innovation that was and I think you're responsible for that, so I really appreciate it. Which leads me to what we're what the changes are now seems to be more infrastructure investment, a typical of other cr is which I totally see the need for. But because of the unique history of the this cra it does bring me a little bit of Not saying that I supported because I believe that we need to do this. I think that I'm going to be evaluating every. Investment that comes across to With a little more critical of and I because of the history in the cra and I'm hoping my see where I'm coming from there. I we've we've taken a different path of the cra I hope that we continue to do that. Ands but I also I agree that I see a need for and I see where benefits could come from from us investing more in infrastructure, so I'm supportive. But I just wanted to make clear I'm definitely going to be. Taking a keen interest in all the projects that use under this new plan, but I appreciate it and appreciate everything you've done for the city so thank that's all about for today. Thank you chair would like to acknowledge my good friends and colleagues and legal. Michael Lynn, a and Brad they've really helpful in developing our programs and scrutinizing him and being you know a devil's advocate to make us defend their work show our work I I will MISS The collaboration we have with them and I appreciate all the efforts you put into this as well. You know it it has been a a team heavy lift and. Common face that you've seen there's a lot going on in the background a lot of other people working on the same goals towards the same goals. >> Let's remember him what's and I just want to say because it's been mentioned by 2 council members. I do agree with councilmember month an area with the Floyd I'm going to be paying attention to it. But what I liked about it was it was innovative. So I was reading I was like a had a bunch of questions what I like how was in and then I felt comforted that it is going to come to City Council and they are going to be awful checks in the process. And I also know from our city team they're very good about making changes as necessary when they see that it needs to be fixed. Is this is just the beginning and it doesn't mean it's going to stay like this and I know we're going to continue to improve make sure that we get to the goal that we want to get I just want to mention. I think what we're all seeing is is innovative and and and we're on the cutting edge side like that. So thank you so much for >> I would just council member Hannah with so when we met for 1, and you explain the program and I think like I said earlier the timing of how we release the microphone program earlier this week and now we have this programming it's almost kind of like bookends for me book ins of need if you will there's a whole lot in the middle that we still need to work on but I feel like it's coming together. And Council has I think critical over the years of different cra programming that we have had whether or not it was doing the most good and so I have no doubt that we will continue in that dialogue and in that process. But for rolling out these 2 programs both in the same week really I think like I said book ends that need and then we'll continue to work collaboratively together with the administration to find ways to meet in the middle as well. >> for me that's why I it's an easy support for me because I definitely see where we've had that whole and hopefully we'll be able to fill it with this program so thank you again for the creative the ingenuity of putting this together. Alright council members so we have a motion and a second seeing no other requests to speak to we have any cards or anyone in zoom, sure all right clerk please open the machine for voting. Council members in your votes. >> Seeing is Let's figure out that it's like well here it was blank sides want to make sure all right seeing PRESIDENT Council members voted clerk please Ali and announce the vote. And sure the motion to approve agenda item c 2 passes unanimously with councilmember fix. Sanders began. Okay at this time we're going to adjourn is the cra and reconvene a City Council and then we will take up item f 2 which is the resolution to support the cra economic development incentive program approval. have a motion a second. And no requests to speak. Clerk please open machine for voting. Council members under your votes seeing as all council members have voted clerk please tell me and announce the vote. >> And chair the motion to approve agenda item death. 2 passes unanimously councilmember fix Sanders be being absent. I thank you thank you wreck, thank you Brian. Thank you team. Thank you all for being here this morning. All right now we're going to go back and take up our public hearing item and we will start with item e one clerk can you read the title please. Resolution of haha I get it right now it's not right haha. All right so we are joined this morning by housing and community development director Joshua Johnson. Good morning Joshua chair members of City Council. Administration brings before you today requests to. Fy 2022 23 annual action plan. The trends for a 103,000. >> 747 $1. 2 whisk year. For the year in the very center to provide rehabilitation assistance. In repairs. Which includes the installation of a generator renovation of bathrooms and replacement windows at the facility located at 18 oh 5. 18 a one 5th Avenue North. That provides 3 Fe 65 bid in need breed receiving an intervention program for homeless persons with. And alcohol addiction. Last year we give you a short background last year the city You approve. $207,000 in funding for the facility. The middle is County Board of County commissioners 207,000. Those funding for the facility. Subsequent to that they went out and received bids. The bids came back. At 621,000 always instead of the 400. That was originally proposed they do not have the requisite funding to fill the gap. So they've asked the city and Pinellas County to split. The difference. Therefore administration is requesting that the city fund $103,747 and Pinellas County will fund the. The other fortune on there in public notice was published in the Tampa Bay. Times on Mar. 20th to advise the public of this meeting and the public hearing that's to be held today to request. The amendment to the annual action plan and funding with the administration request that you approve the funding and I'm open to any questions. >> a council members. We have a motion a second term curse on the MADAM Chair all right seeing no further request to speak clerk police up in the machine for voting. Council members in your votes sing-off present council members have voted clerk please telling announce the vote. And general motion to approve agenda item e one passes unanimously with councilmember fix and has been. >> All right that concludes our public hearings so we will now move down to item f one. Our sanitation director Billy Joseph and sanitation assistant director Bob Turner. Hello MISTER Turner, how are you today are good counsel can do you do it feeling, good welcome guys for giving me a moment to speak about our fleet purchases. We can. Presentation there we go. >> So if you're talking about 2 items today, one is the first vacation of our fuel supply and the other one is the actual purchase of our trucks. The majority of our sanitation played at this time is cng fuel approximately 88 vehicles that we currently have are that are on order of the 112 pieces that we have our cng powered cng fuel has saved us one million in fiscal year, 22. Well over million since the inception of the program and 2013. Some of the issues that we're concerned about our that there are limited options for us to fuel our trucks locally. Currently we feel at the Clearwater, public private site. The issue with that is is it requires fuel obviously for us to get there and back by the time we returned from fueling were anywhere from 4 to 6 going short. On our trucks. That that's a concern if there were disruption in the cng supply we would not be able to collect solid waste that is the biggest concern that we have sanitation in our fleet department currently maintain a 20,000 gallon diesel fuel station at the sanitation complex diversification of the fuel supply would allow us to operate portions of the fleet should one type of fuel. Become. Ultimately as we move forward with the fleet. Our plan is to have a diverse fuel supply for with an equal distribution of cng all electric and clean diesel powered vehicles. The chart here indicates how far we've come with clean Since we first started replacing some back in 2020. We were model year 1999 vehicles. The cng powered trucks offered us an 89% reduction and pollution over those vehicles. Had we had 2019 diesels which I don't have any but I I plug those factors into the calculator here. You can see we have an average reduction of about 21%. Pollution if we were to use if you were to replace one of those clean Diesel's today so they are much cleaner in the chart above indicates that showing how much cleaner the 2019 models are. Versus the 1999 models that we had Well just like anything we're we continue to suffer with supply chain We have an awful lot of trucks and and they ordering process. We have bill dates on most of those there's still a couple of pieces that we still don't have bill dates for the truck builders are not taking any orders at this time when they do accept orders we anticipate long lead times right now we're looking at 18 to 24 months to get a solid waste vehicle that used to take us 6 months to 2 obtained. So if we approve the fiscal 2024 order now to provide us the flexibility to place orders quickly sure that we get billed slots when they become available. With the exception of the that we have listed here it's unlikely that we'll see any of these vehicles in calendar year 2023. So this is what our propose order is it's a it's a good cross section of vehicles for our fleet we've got 7 side which are for residential collections to roll offs to front-end loaders which are our commercial division and then we have one rear load or that is for our brush division. And again that will give us the flexibility should we have fuel issues with cng these Diesel's would run those routes for us. Are there any questions. Council member Mount Mary haha thank you MADAM Chair. Yvonne how are you learning, becoming before us more frequently here recently. The very You're welcome back every every week if you want to thank you and or is always open haha I'm sure thank you. >> when we did the budget review. Or this week. i asked some questions about the sanitation and the I actually was a water resources question and the the the pile salads to energy project down of the Southwest, a water treatment facility. And when that plan was brought to City Council back in 36. The plan was to generate enough cng to power the plant and to power a good part of our sanitation fleet and at that meeting earlier this week we found out that we're not generating enough cng to power our sanitation fleet. But. I do know that the city did buy some property. And we were going to build a facility. Just just in in case. Just wanted to ask you some about have have we done a study because the cost savings of using cng issue pointed out in your presentation are substantial. Have we done the study of building our own revealing facility. To capture those savings. Well we do have our own cng station if you're talking about using the bio solid asked the issue with that was actually get it to the fueling station. So I believe the transmission lines were only 4 inches. So we didn't have the volume that was required to run the station at that location. I believe that's what ultimately was abandoned. So. That piece of property I believe it's for because again if you can't get the gas to it there's a practical way to do wouldn't work out the other issue is good enough customers online to use that and the other. >> I think those are the fuel cost of $60. That's the drivers time that Well so on so it's very costly to go there and I'm not sure if it was clear from the presentation that that's our backup facility. Okay so our main fueling station is that the sanitation complex ok if that goes down ice Denver back up is clear I see what you're so act and one of the things that it right now is to get runs credits. So that would basically take someone who is putting natural gas like are. Bio solids plan, they're putting that gas into the system we would be the customer now so we would share and those credits were working on a 5 year agreement because I believe and I don't want to speak for another department, but I believe our plan is moving forward within the next 5 years. We will have a surplus of that gas. It will be going into the line we will then become the customer for Claude's group and and those Rens credits will be safe and actually paid for with in the city we will get those equally the departments, okay. Well I and I figured you all did your homework that I just wanted to to make make sure that I was understanding you know everything that we're we're doing it because it. When you when you have a large fleet of Trump during sort of vehicle. It sometimes it makes sense. Pearman point of view or maintenance point of view to have like a common type type of the fleet. And which kind of gets into my my my next which was the last bullet on your slide about in the future you're you're We're planning on a electric clean diesel. And cng fleet can you talk a little bit about. >> Maintaining all 3 types of vehicles because that seems like a lot and I I took a tour of our fleet facility. Recently and it's it's interesting some of the challenges that are. People that work there have with the different types of vehicles that they have to maintain and the certifications that are required. In cg does pose the largest training difficulty and as far facilities concern as well they have to have specific ventilation specific equipment heating cooling all has to be taken into consideration. I know fleet has For several years to have training to get folks certified and cng our roll call mechanics are all cng certified. So we all kind of have a grasp on that of the direction we need to go to get cng electric as as a whole different ball game we we have no training in that no knowledge of it. And I don't know a whole lot once it's out there that have any experience Clearwater has purchased a couple of vehicles are has ordered some. Orlando has as well. So weak kind of like to let them work the bugs out for so we're hoping they have their 2 or 3 vehicles. They're terribly expensive that would give us time to kind of ramp up. My thought is will be somewhere in the middle cng and diesel by the time we're ready to look at electric they're not quite there yet. They have signed letters of the 500 let's today and we need 1600 just for one route so it's the batter and nothing uses more energy than the garbage truck. They're they're running at nearly full capacity all day long especially residential collection. So they use a lot of energy require a lot of energy and our hope is that battery technology will continue to improve to where we start getting some sun electrics that we can use. Okay, good. But in the short term where do you see the mix between cng and in and clean diesel. All right now word about 90%. You know this purchase would would give us a little bit of flexibility it's 13 pieces one of them is the trailer. So we have to you know 12 pieces into that 88. A number I would think the next probably 2 purchases just to get us over that 3rd Mark and then go back and start looking at cng again. And again they. We haven't looked at it that far we're sort of looking for you know approval from you before we we moved any further we would want to do all the Suns replaced once and then all cng replaced once and then all electric, you want to kind of do pieces so that you're not you know always dealing with what we've learned now is we have all brand new fleet now we've got all old fleet it doesn't work we kind of wanted to age uniformly. >> Bergen thank you for answering my my questions move approve action. Okay, we have a motion a second. And no carts, okay, so clerk please open the machine for voting. Council members and your votes. Things all present council members voted clerk please telling announce the vote. I'm sure the motion to approve tonight of effort. All right, thank you thank you very much MISTER Turner. The next week. Hissed if you're lucky. You. >> we will move on now to item f 3 and we are joined by our engineering director. Yes, hello, good morning. MISTER Freeman. >> Pleasure being had great to see all. I do have f 3 of the very short mask if I can take ef 3 and ef 4 at the same time absolutely. Yes, thank you. >> once This this is a major complex project a major investment for the city and investment and infrastructure as it relates to. Providing that level of service but also provide and that f operational flexibility to our operational staff of the treatment plants. One of the key elements and why it's so important and why we have this discussion and I do have to think Council for understanding these innovative construction processes on funding procedures that were going through because it all translates to benefits to all residents whether the level of service but also the rates that the peak. So at go ahead and get started on the presentation and just to give a quick and if you toward the Northeast Ponton I do have John hand just in case we get into anything technical on the death of the operational side. But you would see the general school before the red being the project limits. We are conducting operational improvements and enhancement to the facility, including electrical switch can you talk about rerouting as well as a new generator. What you would also see is the placement of 10, you The new pump station as well as an injection well, and just the We did bring this Council item for the design services for the injection of that is to provide operational flexibility meaning we will at times have to take one mile down for maintenance during that time we have the world too switch to us. The placement of that pump station is strategic that allows us to either go to the storage dance reclaim onto when there's not a demand. Well at that point David flew into the distribution system. If there's a demand for reclaim usage. If not that allows us to put it directly into the injection wants that's that blue apr square right there. Generates an electrical loop is taken into consideration, the future bills for the facility and allows us that operational flexibility. This project is being conducted by construction manager at-risk process which is what provided us that benefit funding strategy. So while this gmp that the brain to is essentially $63 million essentially City Council as a already approved the preconstruction services didn't initial authorization of the gnp and now we're just requesting the balance of that for the total amount of 63. The reason we're doing it in structured in such a Mina is again to provide funding benefit and we put together to simple graph showing that if we would have in common that anti a million that would have been the impact of what you would visualize on the reached all residents. But in essence when you look at the funding strategy, the first year the remaining of this year with only asking for $4.8 million. And then a few gm will it's subject to Council approval and budget we'll come back and accept ing the rest of it. At this point the risk is on the construction manager. And again to re read meaning violence of the construction cost is relatively. It is within the cost of that 63 we've already also authorized approximately million. And want to direct purchases which offers a us attack savings. And that I do last approval honest any questions. >> I don't see any requests to speak so we have item f 3 and f 4 motion would be to approve both okay, I'm sorry. Council member Matt Mary. Thank you thank you. Thank you for that. Presentation brash and thank you for the one on one meeting to that But and Sir. Just about all of my questions. But for the for the public, this is a Marge expenditure. Can you. We share with us how old the equipment is especially the electrical equipment when some of the problems. So that the public knows why we're spending this amount of money and thank you for that opportunity to. Thank you, thank you jump out of water resources So. At the Northeast facility. Initial part of that facility was built in the 1960's has been upgraded several over the decades. But some of the original electrical equipment the switch gear that switch is it from a great power over to the emergency generation power and a lot of the electrical conduits and that are there are from the original construction. And then some of it from the 1970's and 80's constructions at the at the plant. But a lot of the technology has improved over the We're many decades past that and as as you can imagine. These facilities you can no longer find replacement or equipment for them and so in order to maintain reliable operations in bright weather or stormy We need to upgrade these facilities because they run on a significant amount of electrical. >> Haha. And can you also explain and to us when there is a power transfer. How powers transferred now if there's a storm or something like that going on and we lose power that plan what is the operator need to do to switch 2. Yeah, so there is not a lot. Electric that can be so there's manual process that the that the operators have built that and knocking would in a poll in order to engage the switch gear to switch to generator operations within the team. So somebody has to go out in the middle of it thunderstorm will it get bullis poll out to switch over to generator we we we do take the safety of our a very We do switch over to. Operations that we see inclement weather So we switch off of great power and go on general generator operations weather gets too bad. Okay, but that does use all along a little bit of extra to be on a generator for an extra day. So ok and then so what when these upgrades are done. >> That will all happen automatically when there's a power surge. Yes, yes. And then the other thing I hear from time to time. People. The general public is confused about injection Wells can you talk a little bit about injection Wells and how these are deep the epa approved Wells and their deep injection Wells. And yes our injectable system is is how we dispose of the extra reclaim That do not need to plea during wet weather right we're using every drop of reclaim that the facilities can produce for our our residents to irrigate their lawns but during wet weather we have more reclaim that our residents use and so we inject the excess reclaim water into a salient part of the Florida an offer where you know there's a lot of a salt water and so that is nearly. 7, 7, 8, 100 below source of a drinking water and so in that part of the aquifer the hydraulic gradient water from the green swamp area near the center of the state out. Toward toward the toward the gulf and the Florida not frenso what we see is a very hi sailing zone. That is moving slowly about 700 feet below the surface of the ground. >> The one thing I'm context it as well during the construction of an injection. Well. You know the as us how do we why do we have to engage and so much construction. Inspection. We will have to have it consists of a consultant to technical engineers on site looking at every time that drill that comes up. The take a sample to understand the substructure as we're going through because the intent is an injection was constructed with a solid sleeve going all of the lead on Haas that penetrating point into a confined to lay a tackle for. So it doesn't allow flow back up in 2 other subtract substructure MS. So that's the key is that the these g technology as a building that puzzle piece of how that substructure is going all the way down to make sure they get into that and find the real and it clear that confined area in 2. That ceiling. Okay all right very good. But thank you explaining that. To us and I Move approval 3, 4, second. A council member Floyd thank you. >> And the conversation around injection Wells fascinating outlook. Florida continuing to talk about But I wanted to take a slightly different direction you mentioned the impact of rates that this would have. I was just wondering if you could see just spend a minute talking a little bit more about that and how we this project too. Manifest that impact over time. So essentially. It's being fiscally responsible to ensure that. The cop the funding available. For when you actually spend it. See a lot of these long need a lot of this construction. We will not get done. Let's in all honesty when fiscal year 23, we have a few months ago. We would not be able to spend $63 million in purchasing and installing and accepting that work and for months. So the sense of putting that into a cost of the reits to generate that funding now to encumber the full contract is not a fiscally responsible action. Instead we put the risk and the construction manager to give us that guarenteed maximum price. For the time frame that they can build it is probably going it's going to be about 3 years to build it. So why would we have that return our resident study if we're not going to spend that money for the next 2 years. Instead let's build that spending plan to spend on plan. So we don't sit on a $30 million of revenue from our residents. We will not be able to spend. But like if I could add a supreme and we avoid the debt service payments. You know, that's that's how it significantly impacts >> Okay, yeah, absolutely we talked about that a little bit just wanted to Clarification for the public as well so and I appreciate you doing it this You I think we're all sensitive the amount of work for we're having to spend Our water systems in general how much that's impacting rate grateful for taking a thro