The city commission began with a moment of silence instead of the traditional invocation from a local pastor.
Helen Warren discusses moving her "time certain" Climate Emergency item to the evening. Arreola convinces her to keep it there since it had already been advertised.
Jim Konish asks why local government is discussing a "climate emergency" and asks whether fees charged under the increase on lighting rates will be refunded whether it will be rolled back.
Warren says the Climate Emergency item is related to the health of the planet. No answer to Konish's question about refunds.
Debbie Martinez is reading her Open Letter to Poe: alachuachronicle.com/as-you-know-mr…
Bob Chewning continues to read Martinez's letter.
James Thompson from the Alachua County Charter Review commission is giving info about contacting the commission. alachuacounty.us/charterreview/…
A young woman (I didn't catch her name) is reading Florida Statutes 11.45. She is reading various definitions in the statute and the duties of the Auditor General of the state.
Jim Konish says "Thank goodness" that Clemons and Perry asked the Joint Legislative Audit Committee to audit the city of Gainesville.
Konish says Hayes-Santos set up a GoFundMe to raise legal expenses and used the official seal of the city of Gainesville (this is accurate, but AHS took it down after it was called out).
Konish says nobody from the city showed up to the JLAC hearing, and the vote, on a bipartisan panel, was unanimous. Most of the citizens who went to Clemons and Perry to ask for the audit were Democrats.
Konish says, according to his reading of the statute, the city will pay for the audit.
Hayes-Santos (AHS) says he welcomes the audit. Calls Holt a disgruntled employee. AHS says he caught Holt in a lie. AHS says Holt tried to extort the city.
Arreola says it is not "a positive" for the commission to indulge in disparaging comments about Holt or other citizens.
Now they are talking about ratifying an agreement with the firefighters (there was no presentation about the specifics). Warren moves to ratify the agreement.
(Mayor Poe is still absent - Ward referenced an event across the street at the library. Johnson is also absent.)
Firefighters' representative says the union voted for the agreement, although it was not unanimous. Vote to approve is unanimous.
Next is a request to rename Tumblin Creek Park to "Cora P. Roberson Park.' Simmons moves to rename the park and for Zeta Phi Beta Sorority to "adopt" the park.
Next up Sarit Sela, City Architect, to discuss the Old Fire Station #1 Rental and Adaptive Reuse Draft Invitation to Negotiate (ITN). The city will improve the building and bring it up to code before the tenant starts operations.
Johnson arrived during the Tumblin Creek Park renaming item. Poe is still not here.
Motion to offer the ITN passes. Now Hayes-Santos is talking about sites for an event center in the downtown area.
Hayes-Santos says you usually see these centers in city centers because they impact local businesses. "The impact would be massive - 1500 jobs makes a difference."
Hayes-Santos says there is 3x the impact when money goes to a local business vs. a chain. Also says he wants visitors to Gainesville to see the unique parts, not the parts that look like the rest of suburban Florida.
Hayes-Santos wants the city to ask the county to do a feasibility study on the sites he's proposing.
Hayes-Santos says there are 11 hotels within a 5-minute drive of Depot Park.
Ward says he is "reticent" to tell the county what to do, especially when they're not in a joint meeting. Says he hopes to bring Celebration Pointe into the city at some point. Talks about the difference between spending public money for business purposes or for social purposes.
Poe has arrived. Arreola says commissioners shouldn't denigrate residents of District 3 (his district), saying they don't represent Gainesville.
Arreola says the city and county commissions hadn't agreed on whether an event center is even needed, and now the county is moving ahead.
Warren says she doesn't like to see large event centers being built with public funds. Says the community should identify "what's the right thing" to put in different parts of the city. Says that development at 8th and Waldo may be the best thing right now for the city.
Warren says bringing something like Celebration Pointe to Depot Park will bring noise and traffic that will affect people who have lived there for many years. "I think [the event center is] a good fit off of I-75."
Warren says she went to a soccer game in Jax, and she doesn't want that type of neighborhood (surrounding the stadium) or traffic in Gainesville.
Johnson says they're conflating issues. One is the best use of public money. "It's a social responsibility, not necessarily an economic responsibility." Second piece is what they're trying to accomplish by putting an event center downtown.
Johnson said she lived in Brooklyn when there was "an insane amount of development and an insane amount of disruption." The Barclays Center didn't necessarily benefit the residents of the neighborhood. "It was devastating."
Hayes-Santos apologizes, says he was not trying to disparage District 3. Says he is seriously concerned about the viability of downtown if the area continues to push west. Wants to go back to when people went there.
Simmons has "a lot of concerns on so many levels." Talks about historical neighborhoods but also large number of youth (18-30) that have nowhere to go and nothing to do. "There is a need for an event center."
It's not clear that any of them are talking about the same thing. The county is talking about attracting volleyball tournaments, etc. That doesn't provide activities for youth.
Poe says they haven't defined what they mean by "event center." Some people think conferences, some people think community space. "We do need something like that - we absolutely do."
Poe says staff needs to help define what exactly they want. Big difference between a sports complex and an event center. County is primarily talking about a sports complex.
Poe asks whether a sports complex is the highest, best use of public money. Says that the Victus report was written when there was less emphasis on fighting inequity and racial disparity.
Poe says most of them don't know how tourist development dollars can legally be used. He also doesn't want a private facility because the city won't have enough control over it and could preclude a public project.
Poe says "we only have one shot at this." The investment of this much money is a "once in a generation" thing. Poe recommends getting more information, "hitting the pause button, doing community engagement," determining best use of money.
Poe hopes there won't be a motion on this today, says he'll vote against it if there is one.
Warren says people who live near Depot Park don't necessarily want an amphitheater or other venue that will bring noise and traffic.
Simmons wants to talk to the county about social responsibilities and inequities in our community.
Hayes-Santos agrees that it's a generational decision and that working with the county could bring something good for the community.
Ward emphasizes that while they'd like input into the decision, it's the county's decision. Says even if it's outside the city, it will create infrastructure demands on the city. "What are we trying to achieve?" Business case or larger social terms?
Public comment. Mark Sexton, County Spokesperson, comes to the podium, representing the County Manager. Says a sports arena is a different thing from a community center. County says a hotel conference center has been "the missing piece in downtown development."
Sexton says a hotel conference center is a "classic CRA project." Hope UF will participate. County thinks city should study this, specifically related to the CRA.
Sexton says downtown is not in east Gainesville, but the city should do a feasibility study for something in east Gainesville. Says the CRA consolidation was supposed to free up $70 million in funds.
Sexton also mentions Cabot-Koppers site, runs out of time, is cut off by Poe.
This topic will come up again at joint City/County meeting on December 2 at 3:00.
Next up: Ward's item on making youth and senior bus fares free.
Estimated cost is $230k/year. "It's an item that speaks directly to equity." 'It's an easy ask for equity." Says Children's Trust funds could be used for youth portion ($130k/year).
Motion to direct the Dept of Mobility to "find a way to fund" this for the rest of the fiscal year and apply for Children's Trust funds. Hayes-Santos disagrees with making a budgetary decision in the middle of the budget year.
Hayes-Santos supports applying for Children's Trust funds but not adding over $100k to the budget for senior fares. Head of Dept of Mobility says they don't have any extra money in the budget to "find" for that.
Hayes-Santos said they should not spend recurring dollars out of the general fund balance. Supports applying for the Children's Trust money.
Uber rides for seniors are currently funded with $37k from the City Manager's budget.
Poe says he's going to be "grumpy old mayor". Says they're only 6 weeks into the fiscal year and already discussing recurring budget increments. "I'm not going to do that this year."
Poe talks about how to verify whether people qualify for the programs, whether their cards are being "bought and sold on the secondary market," etc.
Asst. City Manager Fred Murry says transportation for seniors is a growing issue.
Simmons says "We do have a transportation issue with our seniors."
Ward says he wants to build RTS ridership, not Uber ridership. Says he will be looking for partners to fund the senior part.
Johnson calls attention to the "fabulous" shoes of Melissa McCreedy, Director of Mobility.
Motion to apply for Children's Trust grant passes unanimously. Motion to find funds for senior fares fails with only Ward and Simmons in support.
Since Warren's item is "time certain" for 4:00, they move on to commissioner comment. Arreola asks for a budgeted program, Youth Political Forum, to be scheduled. Passes unanimously.
Ward asks to move a January district workshop from 5:30 to 6:00. Passes without objection.
Simmons asks for an update on how the census budget item is being used. Feldman says he will supply that.
Poe mentions the open letter to the School Board about students who are not achieving. Poe says he's read it many times to make sure he supports it. Wants the commission to support the letter as a body instead of individually.
Warren moves to sign the letter as a body. Ward asks what they're offering: "Unbudgeted resources? A blank check?" Says they will have to say no to requests during the budget year.
Hayes-Santos asks to bring it up during the evening session because he hasn't read the letter carefully.
Arreola says there is tension when one governing body starts to interact with another governing body. He agrees with the content of the letter but worries about a slippery slope in other letters to other government bodies.
Arreola says they will work with the School Board "regardless."
Warren is also worried about resources and stepping on the toes of the School Board, but they can sign it as a measure of respect.
Johnson asks how this is different from sending a letter to the legislature as a body or signing on to an amicus brief.
Poe says this is primarily about community engagement, not anything that will be implemented during this school year or budget year.
Hayes-Santos suggests writing their own letter. Ward says that their support will be interpreted as an offer of money.
Johnson says the goal of 100% 3rd-graders reading at grade level will take 150 community organizations.
Now taking up the discussion on whether to make a "Climate Emergency" proclamation.
Warren says she had to find a way to bring the environmental conversation back into her life. Then someone brought her the document in the backup (a paper from a psychologist).
Says their goals of housing, social justice, equity, will be harder to achieve if they don't address the climate crisis. "We are in a climate emergency." Not to create chaos or a panic but to prepare.
Warren: "I feel that now I can say 'What would Greta do?'"
Asks that they agree to make a statement and have staff look at ways they can address this with Comp Plans and policies "to really bump up this conversation." "What about our carbon footprint?"
Still Warren: I saw a guy this morning using a 2-cycle edger to trim the bushes. We can change that, use a company that uses electric tools. Arreola seconds motion to make a proclamation.
Ward says he's fully in support, proposes directing GRU Manager and City Manager to develop dashboard that shows the city's carbon footprint. Warren: "Whoa!"
Warren adds that to the motion. Ward: "We have a climate emergency, I believe." "When the climate crashes, we know who will be affected first."
Hayes-Santos proposes a resolution instead of a proclamation because a resolution has more teeth.
Jay Rosenback(?) from the League of Women Voters says it will cost more to do nothing than to fight climate change. Jeffrey Shapiro, also from the LWV, also supports the motion.
Jim Konish says the city uses lots of inefficient non-LED lights that they overcharge businesses, including the county, for. Asks again whether charges will be refunded after the rates are rolled back.
Konish says the community won't buy this charade. City burns trees and coal full of mercury. They spill sewage "around the clock" and "have the audacity to pontificate upon the state of the global climate when you destroy a relatively pristine place."
Konish says they're continuing to run the utility into the ditch. Says he thanks God that there's a system of checks and balances to deal with this.
Nkwanda Jah thanks Warren for "stepping up to the plate."
Bob Tanzig works on various climate-related projects. Says County has set up a Climate Advisory Committee. Encourages city to pass proclamation/resolution. Climate Reality Project encourages 100% renewable electricity by 2030.
Hannah Bunkin(?) voices her "strong and unwavering support" for the motion. Mentions "Hurricane Irma" in the Bahamas this summer (that was Dorian).
Arreola says they must take up the challenge to save the planet.
Poe says they will need to put it on a General Policy Committee agenda. Now in recess until 5:30.
@threadreaderapp unroll
