REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING (2024-05-07)

HISTORIC TOWN OF EATONVILLE, FLORIDA REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MEETING MINUTES

Tuesday, May 7, 2024, at 7:30 PM

Town Hall (Council Chamber) - 307 E Kennedy Blvd. 32751

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

CALL TO ORDER AND VERIFICATION OF QUORUM:

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

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

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

INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:

Rev. Critton led the Invocation followed by the Pledge of Allegiance

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA:

Mayor Gardner Motions to approve amended meeting agenda adding walk on items to the agenda for council decision: Moved by Councilwoman Randolph; Second by Councilman Mack; AYE: ALL, MOTION PASSES. Notes: Clarification of the planning board qualifications was provided. The agenda was amended prior to the scheduled meeting adding the $ 1^{\\mathrm{st}} $ reading of Ordinance 2024-1 extending and/or Readopting the temporary moratorium on the issuance of building permits.

PRESENTATIONS- (2)

A. Mayor Gardner read a proclamation recognizing National Park acknowledgements were expressed to Chief Murray and the Eatonville P the council and the public. Chief Murray gave remarks of gratitude.

ice Week (May 12-18, 2024); ice Department with applause from

Representative Bruce Antone - Spoke on the opportunity for the Florida Museum of Black History; would like to volunteer services and schedule a meeting with each council member and the mayor. The museum will be a complex that includes the museum, two wedding chapels, banquet hall, a 250-seat theater, and an amphitheater ($75-100 million dollar project). Will also have a boxy park with food court. Funding includes $30 million from Orange County, ideally $30 million from the State of Florida, the ten acres of land, and $30 million to be raised. Commissioner Christine Moore will solicit support from republicans, to include support from state representative colleagues. Would like to help with the community benefit agreement, the traditional method of

1of6 050724COUNCILMeetingMinutes getting citizen input will not work, maybe go door to door to get input. Everybody that owns a home should benefit from whatever happens. Once the town council approves at least one thousand housing units,the demographics are going to change drastically.

Jordan Ware - Appreciate information shared by Representative Antone; Expressed concerns about trash, coming up on three weeks and still having issues with trash; is there anywhere at town hall where trash can be transported? Concerning the opportunity to hire a recreation director, is there anywhere that those qualifications are going to be listed? Would love to see programs for youth; willing to lend a helping hand.

Julian Johnson - Spoke on the community benefits agreement (provided support documents); requesting for council to workshop and consider; document provides a comprehensive overview of the proposed CBA, which is a community benefit agreement for the town of Eatonville, a legal binding contract between the resident community stakeholders and developers who come in here and get government funds or subsidies when they want to develop. Having a CBA will facilitate a clear understanding among the town council members about the benefits and considerations associated with implementing the CBA. Pros and cons have been provided. Would like for the community to be involved in the development process (creating a community benefit advisory council), can require developers to provide community benefits for projects that receive public assistance. Benefits may include activities in the following areas, affordable housing, environmental resiliency sustainability, public infrastructure, equitable workforce development, equitable economic opportunities, and neighborhood health and safety, to prevent gentrification.

Nia Williams-Brown Passed public time to Julian Johnson.

Angela Johnson - Inquired about the effective date for the stormwater to be added to the A valorem tax bill, $52 annual payment instead of to the tax bill as opposed to the monthly billing, recommend information to be provided in the water bill; Support hiring a recreation director, do not lose sight of the amount of time that it takes to administer programs and services, bringing on a director would enhance the services provided, challenge the staff to be mindful of the relationship between our H. R. Department and potential staffing, to remove any implicit or perceived biases, conflicts of interest, consider outsourcing that to a different hiring company; thanks Councilman Mack for an great event.

Joyce Irby - Water was cut off three months consecutively, 29 days after I paid my bill in full; This is sacred land on which we stand, the framework that we can give the land to developers to have affordable housing that nobody here can afford, Eatonville must keep it soul.

Anthony Grant - Acknowledged Representative Antone's leadership and Julian Johnson CBA idea, perhaps the council should appoint an advisory committee to look at it (CBA Agreement) and make a recommendation to council (interested in helping Mr. Johnson); inquired as to if the town council formally adopted a presentation for the museum (believe that NY Nathiri would have put together a good presentation for the town); will the stormwater fee now be provided on the tax roll (Yes), was there a study done before entering such an ordinance (will follow up), request a copy of the accounting done by the finance on the stormwater fee; inquired as to if Orange County put the town on notice about sewage wholesale or have Altamonte Springs put on notice (No), there's nowhere you can put a sewage treatment plant without affecting somebody's front door, back door, and side door (have concern with moving forward).

2of6 050724COUNCILMeetingMinutes meeting, they told Shan from the CRA that we do not need your design or anything like that because family architectural school will be doing the design; some investors have a conflict of interest; raised property taxes will push people out,

Cathy Mills- (318 Greens End Street) Have gators in the lakes, the Wildlife Preserve stated that due to the kind of easement, the Town of Eatonville should call Wildlife Preserve to get those gators out of the lake; at 41 Lincoln Ave, never knew there was a septic tank until there was a problem, there is backup at the home, need to get this resolved, request for the town to look into this matter.

PUBLIC HEARING

Approval of 1st Reading of Ordinance 2024-1 Extending and/or Readopting The Temporary Moratorium on the Issuance of Building Permits (Preamble Read) Mayor Gardner Motions to approve the 1st Reading of Ordinance 2024-1 Extending and/or Readopting The Temporary Moratorium on the Issuance of Building Permits Notes: The residential single family has been taken out. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Comments were made by Anthony Grant, Julian Johnson, and Angela Johnson. Inquired about considering small businesses ($5,000 or less); How do you extend an ordinance that has expired; because town do not have a CBA, do not have impact fees, nobody benefits if somebody comes and build something; the talk has been about implementing impact fees because of the financial state of the town, the impact fees will generate revenue. COUNCIL COMMENTS: Members of town council requested a copy of the initial 2023-6 Ordinance and would like to learn more about the details surrounding the moratorium. Single-family residential homes do not apply to the moratorium extension/readoption.

APPROVAL CONSENT AGENDA: Mayor Gardner Motions to approve Consent Agenda;

COMMENTS: (Item #2) Resolution 2024-17 Appointing One (1) Individual to the Planning and Zoning Board as an Alternate Board Member was removed from consent agenda (Applicant withdrew application of interest) Councilwoman Randolph) requested to have Item #3 (Approval to Hire Recreation Director for The Town of Eatonville) moved to Council Decision. Because meeting agenda was previously approved, Councilwoman Randolph motioned/moved to rescind vote moving item #3 to council decision. Second by Councilman Mack; AYE: Councilman Mack, Councilwoman Randolph, Councilman R. Daniels NAYE: Vice Mayor Washington, Mayor Gardner MOTION PASSES; MOTION PASSES. (Item #3 has been moved to Council decision).

Approval to Hire Recreation Director for The Town of Eatonville: Mayor Gardner Motions to approve Approval to Hire Recreation Director for The Town of Eatonville; Moved by Vice Mayor Washington; Second by Councilwoman Randolph; Comments/Question: (Mack) Want to make sure that there are programs in place making things happen in the community for youth. (Randolph) based upon moving $20,494 over for nine payrolls, it adds up to $2,277 every payroll, which is $1,138 a week, for 52 weeks out of a year, the amount over exceeds the budget of $59,000 (Response: It includes the fringe benefits that has to be included in the budget amendment separate from the salary resulting in the increase referenced.); The salary is set through the administration, and is confirmed by the council for a director's role. Mayor Gardner Calls for the Question AYE: ALL, MOTION PASSES.

REPORTS:

CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER: Demetrius Pressley - UPDATES -

(CBA) Need direction from Council pertaining to bringing the Community Benefit Agreement to a workshop, discuss it first, if the next step is desired it will be made known. (Trash) Valerie is available to speak briefly on the trash, a chart has been created collecting the data of calls that come in through a work order system tracking the number of calls received monthly. We are administering the rules that are applied by the ordinance and the agreements with the contract, still working on the communication. (Master Plan) close to getting the master plan review board together, a draft has been put together by the collaboratives which consists of POLIS, the National Trust, and Baker Barrios; preparing to get the community input on the draft, drafting an approved schedule that coincides with the community's availability for the best input to include community members and stakeholders. (Mayor's State of the Town) is May 24th at 6pm located at the Denton Johnson Center. (Community Pool) reopening is set for May $25^{th}$ (information has been placed in the newsletter), (Newsletter) is available electronically and will go out in the community next week. (Clean Water/Drinking Water Grants

ATTORNEY: Ryan Knight - If anyone has questions regarding the prior ordinance 2023-6, information and clarifications can be provided; Mr. Pressley will send Ordinance 2023-6 to council by email tonight.

TOWN COUNCIL REPORT/DISCUSSION ITEMS-

Councilman Rodney Daniels - Acknowledged the job teachers are doing in recognition of Teacher Appreciation Week, thank all teachers for their sacrifice. Encouraged to do something nice for a teacher.

Councilman Tarus Mack - Recognized the students who received awards, need males involved; (Issues Needing Attention) Deacon Jones Street, there are complaints about no lights; complaints about the trash not being picked up properly; bears in the area; alligators in Cataline Park (need to reach out to wildlife preserve to get alligators removed); sidewalk by the Chamber of Commerce down to I-4 is broken up; owners need to address the trees that are hanging over people can't even walk down the sidewalk; requesting that events are promoted on the town's website; Ms. Mills and Mr. Nicholas water condition, the town must do everything that can be done to provide resources to help them, (public works have found some solutions, there is a sewer lateral close to the property line that helps and a proposal has been received from the choice plumber. The CRA will bring back to the next meeting for approval), this is an emergency and needs to be addressed now (consider a special meeting). Efforts have been made to pump out the septic tank. Learned within the month that the problem was not with the septic tank, it was a broken sewer pipe was broken. This is on private property and must be careful on mitigating town funds to do private property work. The CRA will assist with this matter. Trying to find an expedited resource; acknowledged the National Police Week with thanks to Chief Murray for changing the trajectory of how the police department functions; acknowledged Representative Antoine fighting for the town, cannot allow others to dictate what goes on in our community, it is up to the citizens of the town. Special thanks to everyone that came out to the community cookout, thanks to Ms. Johnson, Vice Mayor Washington, and Mayor Gardner for helping and coming out, thanks to sponsors consisting of Classic Development, 1887 First, Help CDC, J & L Consulting, Town of Eatonville, Crystal Bertrand, and King Bertrand. (Host Dime) requested an update on the date of completion and why it is taking so long (project was extended through June of this year, and update and meeting has been requested) When are we going to be finished with this project? It has been almost three years, what is taking so long with the project. (Administration)

Councilwoman Randolph-Inquired about the water situation in the month of March that was not communicated to Council. Public Works Director (Mundy)provided reasoning with updates, Biometrics is the company that does the testing, had a new employee that did not do two tests in the month of March, there was a violation or any fault, requesting a written response as to why the operator missed the two tests in the month of March, there were no negative findings of any fault in the water system, a meeting with biometrics has been scheduled. (Administration) request updates on unfinished matters, the moratorium, the impact fees, and the landlord/tenant ordinance, Mr. Pressley will get back with council. Upcoming Events/Activities) a neighborhood meeting with the lake lovely on May 29, submitted a proposal for a June business meeting with all the businesses to update them on issues concerning the town and anything that they need to know, to discuss the trash containers; requesting information on plans for Founders Day (Mayor Gardner, when the plan is available it will be brought to council); spent time with the auditors to gain an understanding about reading the reports to include meanings

(Discussion) Councilwoman Randolph is disputing the way the chair was appointed according to section 3.1 of the CRA bylaws. It is believed that there should have been a vote for the vice chair, not for the chair.The whole scenario was not handled correctly,and the town council violated the bylaws, need to ensure transparency across the board. The appointment needs to be done correctly. (Legal) recommend bringing this matter to the next meeting, would like to look into what happened at the meetings, view the meeting minutes and recording to make a proper opinion as to whether the bylaws were followed or not. (Mayor Gartner) Nothing was done improperly, a vote for a chair, is what happened, (Councilman Mack) we need to do our due diligence for the citizens of the Town of Eatonville to make sure that we're following all guidelines of the bylaws, I support the motion on the floor, the Bylaws was further reviewed and discussed. (legal) the opinion would be that there be a new vote for chair and the vice chair. Although there is not a vacancy for the Vice Chair, the opinion would not preclude the current Vice Chair from being considered and becoming the Chair, the opinion would be that the two appointments be made together. There is a motion with a second on the floor, need to hold a vote on the motion. (Councilman Mack) recommend a special meeting to have another vote and address this issue. (Mayor Gardner) the slips of paper used for the vote were to make it easier when you nominate and put on the floor someone's name, it was to streamline the process and make it more efficient. (Councilman Mack) the sheets of paper did

Mayor Gardner Calls for the Question; AYE: Councilman R. Daniels, Councilwoman Randolph, Councilman Mack; NAYE: Mayor Gardner, Vice Mayor Washington, MOTION PASSES; MOTION PASSES.