Minutes_01-06-2026

TOWN COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES TUESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2026 – 6:30 P.M. PIERSON TOWN CENTER 1. Call meeting to order1 2 Mayor Gray Leonhard called the meeting to order at 6:30 P.M. and asked Town Clerk Yvonne3 Braddock to take the roll call.4 5 2. Roll call6 7 PRESENT:8 Mayor Gray Leonhard9 Vice Mayor Robert Greenlund10 Councilmember Jimmy Anderson11 Councilmember Linnie Richardson12 13 14 Councilmember Brandy Peterson was excused. Deputy Clerk Ryan Smith and the Volusia County15 Sheriff were also in attendance.16 17 3. Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance18 19 Councilmember Linnie Richardson gave the invocation, which was followed by the Pledge of20 Allegiance.21 22 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – Mayor Gray Leonhard23 24 25 a. Regular Meeting Minutes December 16, 202526 27 Mayor Gray Leonhard read the title and asked if there were any additions or deletions, if not he28 would entertain a motion for approval.29 30 Council Member Linnie Richardson made a motion to approve the above listed minutes as31 written; seconded by Vice Mayor Robert F. Greenlund. All agreed, motion carries.32 33 5. NEW BUSINESS34 35 a. Pierson Community Food Pantry – Heather Letendre36 37 The name of the food pantry has changed to Pierson Community food pantry; we are in need of38 food assistance our grants have run out. The Christian Community Association has donated39

$250.00 dollars. We serve about 300 families in our area. We were hoping to set up a food box,40 possibly at the town center, for non-perishable foods like canned meat and canned vegetable. We41 need any help we can get, I have gone to local churches and businesses asking for support. The42 lady that handled this has passed away and we are starting new. Lester Pulley stated that we are43 the only food bank in area and we have exhausted our grant funds we received. Discussion ensued.44 Resident Sue Elliott stated they do a very good job and that the money has dried up. Council stated45 they can put a box up here and we will make residents aware of the need for non-perishable food46 for our community food bank.47 48 b. AM Mug Shots Coffee/ food truck at Town Center – Town Clerk Yvonne Braddock49 50 Town Clerk Yvonne Braddock started off with that we received an email asking if she can put her51 food truck up at town center a few times a week in our parking lot to sell her goods. She was here52 for our Christmas celebration. Discussion ensued amongst the council. Councilmember Linni53 Richardson stated if we allow one, we must allow them all. Mayor Gray Leonhard stated we don’t54 have the parking spaces for this and council agreed. Discussion ensued. Vice Mayor asked if we55 could send her a letter and explain that if we do for one, we must do for all, and we just don’t have56 any available parking for this with the other businesses we have up here.57 58 c. Water billing method clarification and discussion – Deputy Clerk Ryan Smith59 60 If you use 4000 gallons it will round up to 5000 gallons, only reason I brought this up is because I61 was contacted by a resident that had a concern about increase on their bill. Resident Sherry62 Whidden stated why do we round it up and that it’s more cost out of our pockets. Vice Mayor63 Robert Greenlund and Mayor Gray Leonhard stated that it has always been this way since the 90’s.64 Sherry Whidden then asked why such an increase in October, our bill used to be 70 something65 dollars and now its 90 something. Councilmember Jimmy Anderson stated that his bill has66 increased from 20 dollars a month to 50 something dollars a month. Mayor Gray Leonhard stated67 everyone’s bill increased including ours and we just pay it I do use my well to water my yard and68 plants with and that does cut the cost down. The cost of everything is going up the chlorine, water69 maintenance and this is only the 2-water rate increase since the 90’s. Vice Mayor Robert Greenlund70 stated that we should have been doing a water rate increase yearly and gradually so it wants such71 a shock to residents and that’s the council’s fault. I know this doesn’t resolve your problem but72 that’s the answer we have. Mayor Gray Leonhard asked if anyone else has anything else to say on73 this matter.74 75 d. Airport RFP results and Discussion – Deputy Clerk Ryan Smith76 77 We received 3 RFP’s the one was to help us grow the airport at a cost of 85,000 dollars to the town78 for the first year. One other was to be an airport manager and build up the airport trying to get79 grants, but we tried that prior with an airport manager. We really haven’t explored trying for grants80 for the airport. Then we have UF Health and Med trans that wants to put a helicopter pad and a81 living pod for Shands to service Volusia County at our airport. The mayor and I have met with82 them a few times and they are present. Mr. Allen introduces himself and partner and stated that83 this would be mutually beneficial to them and us and that from our airport they would be able to84 service 4 counties. Town Attorney asked if it would make that portion of airport taxable and Mr.85

Allen stated that he doesn’t know that answer and would have to find out from partner. Vice Mayor86 Robert F. Greenlund stated this would be a great contribution to our town and all the residents in87 the surrounding areas. Mayor Gray Leonhard stated it would also generate some income for the88 town. Town Planner Mark Karet asked how many flights per day, and Mr. Allen answered 3-5 per89 day is what we averaged so, some days it could be one and other days it could be 3, it varies day90 to day. Mr. Allen stated it would be 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, helicopter serviced we will91 have a pod placed that will have 3 bedrooms and office and common space to be used by the staff.92 Town Planner Mark Karet asked where they would be fueling up at, and the response was Deland93 or Daytona. Town Attorney Scott Simpson asked will it interfere with the runway at all and they94 stated no. Discussion ensued about the rezoning and getting a survey and Deputy Clerk Ryan Smith95 stated it really needs to be rezoned and have its own address. Mr. Allen stated we are going before96 Volusia County Council on the 20th of this month, and it would be about 90 days after that for97 completion. Council stated so in April. Mr. Allen responded with a yes. Discussion ensued about98 the rezoning and Town Planner Mark Karet was asked if it had to be rezoned prior to completion99 and he stated no but we need to get working on this now. Deputy Ryan Smith asked if he could100 sign the letter of intent to get the process started and he would send a group email out including101 Mark Karet and Scott Simpson. UF Health thanked the council and handed out business cards to102 the council.103 104 6. OTHER BUSINESS (Mayor, Council and Staff Reports)105 106 Mayor Gray Leonhard stated he had nothing at this time. Vice Mayor Robert F. Greenlund started107 off with the idea that the sidewalk at the park was fixed by Billy Schmidt today and he did in fact108 use the rebar as discussed at the prior meeting. Councilmember Jimmy Anderson stated he had109 nothing at this time. Councilmember Linnie Richardson thanked the mayor and continued with the110 Volusia County Animal Control bill and that she thinks this should be an emergency item. The bill111 for three months is 11,876.80 and when Halifax stopped taking animals and Volusia County built112 building for animals, I am not sure what to do but this is a lot of money. Town attorney Scott113 Simpson stated that this is a county wide problem since Halifax closed its doors to stray animals.114 Council Member Linnie Richards said they took in 52 animals from Pierson now is that all of115 Pierson or just the Town of Pierson. Discussion ensued. Town Attorney Scott Simpson stated we116 need to look at the contract and did we receive an updated contract for this facility and charges.117 We also need to request from Animal Control supporting documents with addresses to confirm118 this is just the Town of Pierson. Town Attorney Scott Simpson asked staff to send an email request119 to them for supporting documents.120 121 Councilmember Linnie Richardson continued with “we need to do something about people122 defecating on bathroom floors in park restrooms”. This is becoming a weekly issue. Vice Mayor123 Robert F. Greenlund stated we need to put cameras up at doors outside and he was advised we124 already have them, and they take 5000 pictures a day and public works can look at them on their125 phones but how do you determine who is the guilty party. Councilmember Jimmy Anderson said126 that the sheriff office used to close the bathrooms at sundown and the park gates, but they kept127 changing officers and eventually keys got lost but now they are combination locks. Discussion128 ensued about having someone closing them at sundown and paying overtime for 30 minutes a day129 to complete this task. They also asked town attorney if cameras can be placed in common area of130 bathroom not the stalls and he stated he does not know. Town Attorney Scott Simpson asked if we131

could use automatic locks on the door and council stated that this could be a solution but voiced132 concern about someone getting locked in the bathroom. Councilmember Linnie Richardson133 brought up scheduling and employee/handbook workshop and what days did everyone have134 available. Decision was made for January 22 at 4 PM. Councilmember Linnie Richardson thanked135 Mark Karet and Zev Cohen for the employee Christmas dinner and then Mayor Gray Leonhard136 thanked Mary Kay and Chris Hansen for the pickle ball courts and that he went by and 8 people137 were playing and he is glad that the tennis courts are being used again.138 139 Resident Mary Kay Hansen stated that water was sitting on side of court and was going to get140 someone to trench it so the water could drain and if public works could flag the sprinklers on that141 side. Councilmember Jimmy Anderson stated that it would not be a problem and that the boys142 could use the tractor to dig a ditch out so that it drained. Mayor Gray Leonhard came back with143 the culvert repair on East Washington is already washing out and had pictures on phone stated he144 spoke with Louis Trivitt, and he will come out and look at it.145 146 Town Planner Mark Karet gave update that he will be here on the 15 th to meet with residents about147 their zoning questions and concerns. Mayor asked Scott Simpson if he had anything and Scott148 responded with a no. Mayor asked staff if they had anything, no. Vice Mayor Robert F. Greenlund149 stated on the behalf of the Town of Pierson we send our condolences to Chris Hansens family and150 discussed that Dodee was Tom Larrivee’s wife and he was on our council.151 152 Mayor Gray Leonhard asked audience and council if they had anything else and with153 hearing no further business meeting adjourned at 7:56 P.M.154 155 156 Minutes prepared by: Minutes approved by:157 158 159 ___________________________ ___________________________160 Yvonne Braddock, Town Clerk Gray Leonhard, Mayor161