MINUTES CITY OF FORT MEADE REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING TUESDAY, AUGUST 13,2024  A Regular Meeting of the Fort Meade City Commission was held on Tuesday, August 13,2024, at 6:00 P.M. at Commission Chambers, 8 W. Broadway Street, Fort Meade, Florida, and via  Zoom.  A. CALLTO ORDER: B. ROLLCALL: Mayor Vice Mayor Commissioner Commissioner Commissioner Staff Present City Manager City Attorney City Attorney Deputy City Clerk Finance Assistant Fire Chief HR Director Chief Operations Officer Assistant City Manager CRA Director  The Meeting was called to order at 6:00 PM by Mayor McCutchen  Petrina McCutchen Samuel Berrien James Watts James Possum Schaill Jaret Williams Edward Dean Shirlyon McWhorter Norman Powell Melissa Cannon Kelsey Kikta Matthew Zahara George McNemey Veronica Hairston Amy Wheeler Lekia Johnson  Present Present Present Present Present Present Present Via Zoom Present Present Present Present Present Present Present  Also present was PCSO Sgt. Ernest Fulcher and Deputy Weldon INVOCATION AND PLEDGE TOTHE FLAG  C.  Commissioner Berrien led the invocation. Mayor McCutchen led the pledge to the flag.  D. ADDITIONS. AND/OR DELETIONS  E.  PROCLAMATIONASPRESENTATIONS/AWARDS/REPORTS  F. PUBLIC FORUM:  PUBLIC FORUM: Each person addressing the Commission shall sign in with the City Clerk no later than 6:35 PM. Persons shall step up to the microphone, shall give his/her name and address in an audible tone ofvoice for the record and, and unless further time is granted by the Commission, shall limit their address to the three (3). minutes. All remarks shall be addressed to the Commission as a body, and not to any member thereof. No person other than the members of the commission having the floor, shall be permitted to enter into any discussion, either directly or through the members of the commission.    City ofFort Meade, Florida Regular City Commission Meeting August 13,2024 Page2  Mr. Herman Fisher, 526 N. Oak Ave, stated that he is combat disabled veteran, and he is drained financially by the city over the last 4 years and is opposed to raising the ad valorem tax. Mr. Fisher, representing the VFW stated that the assessment for the VFW went up $600.00 this Mr. Jesse Maxwell 29 N. Orange Ave. stated he has been a resident since December and isa Pastor and his utility bills have been over $600.00 and now, he is receiving fire and stormwater Mr. Matthew Taylor, 301 N. Oak Ave., stated that he has invested a lot ofmoney in a rundown house in the city to make it more energy efficient and the utilities in Fort Meade are way too Ms. Tina Leach, 1825 Lakeview Dr., Fort Meade, stated that she asked at the last meeting ifthe city was hiring a part-time or full-time city manager and asked again. Ms. Leach stated that he plans to hire a team of people to do the job he was hired to do but he 1s never in the office to do sO. Ms. Leach asked if we can'tafford our utility bills how can we afford to hire a lobbyist, a Mr. Kevin Bradley, PO Box 423, asked ift the attorney revisited the "Bond" in the city manager's contract, stating that it needs to be added back to protect the city as well as the city Mr. JeffDeLeon, 801 S. Oak Ave., stated that he is here representing investors and renters in the city and stated that the taxes here are already tool high and don'tneed to be any higher. Mr.  year and that's a lotofmoney.  assessments and feels the city is bleeding him dry.  high.  retail team, and all the others he has in his plan.  manager.  DeLeon requested the commission reconsider raising the taxes.  G. APPROVAL OF MINUTES:  01. Minutes of. July 9, 2024, Regular Commission Meeting and Amended Minutes of June Motion Commissioner Berrien, second Commissioner Watts to approve the minutes of the regular meeting ofJuly 9, 2024, and the. Amended minutes of the June 11, 2024, Motion to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of. July 9, 2024, and the Amended minutes of the June 11,2024, regular meeting passed by a unanimous vote of5-0.  11,2024, Regular Çommission Meeting.  regular meefing.  H. CONSENT AGENDA: (one vote on all items unless pulled from agenda);  RESOLUTIONIS)  01. FDOT State Highway Lighting, Maintenance and Compensation Agreement 02. Modification No. 3 to the Interlocal Agreement for fire dispatch with the Polk County  Sheriff's Office    City ofE Fort] Meade, Florida Regular City Commission. Meeting August 13,2024 Page3  Motion Commissioner Watts, second Commissioner Schaill to approve the consent Motion to approve the consent agenda passed by a unanimous vote of5-0.  agenda.  I.  RESOLUTIONS:  01. Resolution R2024-64 Extension ofthe Temporary License Agreement with Retroflow Motion Commissioner Schaill, second Commissioner Watts to approve Resolution R2024- Motion to approve Resolution R2024-64 extending the temporary license agreement with  64 extending the temporary license agreement with Retroflow.  Retroflow passed by a unanimous vote of5-0.  J.  ORDINANCES: Ordinance.  01. Ordinance 2024-16R Repealing Ordinance 2024-12 Amending the Floodplain Management  Attorney Powell read the title to Ordinance 2024-16.  Motion Commissioner Watts, second Commissioner Schaill to approve Ordinance 2024- Motion to approve Ordinance 2024-16 passed by a unanimous vote of5-0. 02. Ordinance 202417Amendingthe: Floodplain Management Ordinance  16 on 1st reading and set 2nd reading for Séptember 10,2024.  Attorney Powell read the title to Ordinance 2024-17.  Motion CommisiongrSchall, second Commissioner Watts to approve Ordinance 2024-  17 on 1st reading and set 2nd reading for September 10, 2024.  Motion to approve Ordinance 2024-17 passed by a unanimous vote of5-0. 03. Ordinance 2024-18 Updating the Fort Meade Fire Prevention Code  Attorney Powell read the title to Ordinance 2024-18. Chief Zahara gave an overview. Motion Commissioner Watts, second Commissioner Schaill to approve Ordinance 2024-  18 on 1st reading and set 2nd reading for September 10,2024.  Motion to approve Ordinance 2024-18 passed by a unanimous vote of5-0.  K. PUBLIC HEARINGS, ifany:  01. Annual Stormwater Assessment Resolution R2024-62 approving a final stormwater  assessment roll    City ofFort Meade, Florida Regular City Commission Meeting August 13,2024 Page 4  Attorney Powell read the title to Resolution 2024-62. McCutchen closed the Public Hearing.  Mayor McCutchen opened the Public Hearing. With no one wishing to speak, Mayor Motion Commissioner Watts, second Commissioner Schaill to approve Resolution Motion to approve Resolution R2024-62 passed by a unanimous vote of5-0. 02. Final Fire Protection Assessment Resolution R2024-63 approving a final fire assessment roll  R2024-62 approving the final stormwater assessment roll.  Attorney Powell read the title to Resolution 2024-63. Mayor McCutchen opened the Public Hearing.  Ms. Shayla Riley, 425 S. French Ave, requested clarification on finalfire assessment roll. Chief 4 Zahara gave an over of the fire assessment. City Manager Dean explained further. Ms. Natalie Feeney, 300 S. Washington Ave., requested that the commission table this item Mr. Kevin Bradley, PO Box 423, stated the importance oft the fire department and stated that he witnessed a structure fire at a residence outside the city limits where Fort Meade Fire Ms. Shayla Riley asked ifthis item is tabled what would the timeline be. .  until the budget workshops and the budget have beençompleted.  Department was the first on the scene.  Mayor McCutchen closed the Public Hearing. 63 approving the final fire assessment roll.  Motion Vice Mayor Berrien, second Commissioner Schaill to approve Resolution R2024- Motion to approve Resolution R2024-63 passed by a vote of4-1 with Commissioner  Watts opposed.  L. OLD BUSINESS (discussion of matters held over from Iast meeting, if any)  01. Reschedule Budget Workshop Dates  Motion Vice Mayor Berrien, second Commissioner Schaill to reschedule the budget workshops for August 19th,20", and 215 from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Motion to reschedule the budget workshops for August 19th,20th, ,and 21st from 3:00  pm to 6:00 pm passed by a unanimous vote of5-0.  M. NEW BUSINESS:  01. Resolution R2024-65 Proposal to form a partnership with Retail Strategies for Economic    City ofFort Meade, Florida Regular City Commission Mecting August 13,2024 Pages  Development.  City Manager Dean gave an overview ofRetail Strategies for Economic Development. Ms. Sara Beth Stewart was present via Zoom and presented al PowerPoint presentation of the calculations performed for the city and toj provide an overview of their services. After much discussion, Motion Commissioner Watts, second Commissioner Schaill toa approve Resolution R2024-65: approving the proposal from Retail Strategies. Motion to approve Resolution R2024-65 passed by a vote of 4-1 with Commissioner  Williams opposed.  N. REPORT OF THE MAYOR:  Mayor McCutchen stated she wanted to say to City Manager Dean and his new staff she Mayor McCutchen stated she would like to have a çommission team building session Vice Mayor Berrien stated he would like to add to that to have a workshop to focus ona a  looks forward to working with them. with an independent party.  5-year plan.  O. REPORT OF THE CITY MANAGER:  City Manager Dean stated he was happy to be here and introduced 3 new key city  employees and asked the community to give them a chance:  Leika Johnson, CRA Manager Amy Wheeler, Assistant City Manager Veronica Hairston, Chief Operations Officer Mayor McCutchen welcomed them. REPORT OF THE CITY ATTORNEY:  Each one gave al brief bio and thanked the commission for the opportunity.  P.  FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS OF COMMISSIONERS, ifany:  Commissioner Watts asked for an update on the SRF sewer project. Commissioner Watts Vice Mayor Berrien asked about the CDBG-CV grant and asked that it be discussed at  asked for an update on the litigation cases.  the next meeting.    City ofFort! Meade, Florida Regular City Commission Meeting August 13,2024 Page6  Mayor McCutchen asked the commission if they had any other ideas for the grant to be City Manager Dean requested to have CRA Director, Lekia Johnson bring back some  used for.  recommendations.  Commissioner Williams welcomed the new staff.  R. FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER (limited to events, feel good announcements  only)  Commissioner Williams stated that his organization gave away a couple ofhundred shirts  tot the community for the new school year.  S. NOTE:  ADJOURN:  Ifany person decides to appeal any decision made by the City Commission with  respect to any matter considered at this meeting or hearing, he/she will need a record ofthe proceedings, and forsuch purpose, he/she may need to ensure that a verbatim record ofthe proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal lis to  be based. (F.S. $286.0105)  There being no further business to conduct, Motion Commissioner Watts, second Commissioner Schaill to adjourn the Regular Commission meeting of August 13, 2024, at Motion to adjourn passed by unanimous vote of5-04 l Bmi  8:31 PM.  mbehlEA Petrina McCutchen, Mayor  ATTEST:  M Mebinlinns Melissa Cannon, Deputy City Clerk