City of Mexico Beach Meeting Minutes TUESDAY JANUARY 28, 2025 - 6:00 PM The City of Mexico Beach City Council met in a regular meeting on Tuesday. January 14, 2025, at 9:00 am at the Public Works Building in Mexico Beach. Mayor Richard Wolff and the following Councilmembers were present: Linda Hamilton, Jason Adams and Tim Linderman. Councilmember Jerry Smith was absent. Also present were City Administrator, Chris Truitt, City Clerk, Tammy Brunson and City Attorney Tim Sloan. I. Call to order: Mayor Wolff called the meeting to order at 6:00 pm. II. Special Appearances: Richard Bracken = FL27 Recycle Program status and update - Mr. Bracken was not present. Phillip Steed = Forgotten Coast Beach Co. LLC - Beach services and rentals. Mr. Sneed from Forgotten Coast requests a permit for vending on the beach, specifically for beach chairs and umbrellas. He outlines his plans to store equipment at 1024/15 Street and transport it to the beach. He explains that the chairs and umbrellas will be picked up between 5 and 5:30 PM daily and is curious about the possibility of using sand dune storage boxes for equipment. Tim Sloan questions if the proposed vending would be on city property. Mr. Linderman raises concerns about future beach access changes affecting delivery. Mayor Wolff and others discuss the legalities and current practices regarding beach vending. Mayor Wolff suggests giving the City Administrator a week to gather thoughts and provide a final decision. III. Regular Agenda: 1. Ordinance 845 - Townhome District Setbacks (First reading) was brought to the table. Mr. Linderman motioned, and Mrs. Hamilton Seconded to read Ordinance 845 by title only. Motion passed unanimously. Open public comment 6:24 pm - No public comments were made. Closed public comment 6:24 pm. Allara Mills Gutcher with tpc introduced Ordinance 849, which aims to fix setback requirements for unattached structures in the townhome district. The ordinance clarifies setback measurements and excludes building services equipment from height measurements. Section 2.02.07, clarifications on building services meaning and other necessary changes will be made before the second reading. 2. Ordinance 850 - Budget Amendment (First reading) was brought to the table. Mrs. Hamilton motioned, and Mr. Linderman seconded to read Ordinance 850 by title only. Motion passed unanimously. Chris Truitt explains the need to move funds from the water and sewer budgets to purchase smaller trucks for the city. Chris Truitt and the new finance director confirm that such transfers are allowed under current legislation. 3. Resolution 25-01 Property Surplus was brought to the table. Mr. Truitt presented Resolution 25-01, which authorizes the auction or disposal of surplus electronic equipment found in City Hall. Mr. Adams motioned, and Mrs. Hamilton seconded to read Resolution 25-01 by title only. Motion passed unanimously. The council discusses the possibility of donating the equipment to nonprofits or residents. Tim Sloan suggests trying to sell the equipment first to maximize recovery. Mr. Linderman motioned, and Mrs. Hamilton seconded to approve Resolution 25-01. Motion passed unanimously 4. Bypass pump bid recommendation was brought to the table. Mr. Truitt requests declining the bid for bypass pump installation to explore cost-saving measures. The council discusses the importance of completing the FEMA grant requirements and the potential for in-house construction or renegotiation. Mr. Linderman emphasizes the need to move forward with the project to recover funds and meet FEMA requirements. Mr. Adams motioned, and Mr. Linderman seconded to decline the bid and authorize Mr. Truitt to seek alternative solutions. Motion passed unanimously. City of Mexico Beach Meeting Minutes TUESDAY JANUARY 28, 2025 = 6:00 PM IV. Citizen Comments: Alex Hogan commends the current administration and expresses concerns about the JLAC audit report. He highlights issues of careless bookkeeping and the need for better financial oversight. Mr. Linderman and Mayor Wolff respond, explaining the steps taken to address the audit findings and the importance of transparency. VII. Council Comments: Mr. Linderman asked that the city's response to the JLAC Audit and what has already been done to correct these items be presented to the public. He continued by saying all past due audits are complete and the FY 2023-2024 audit will be completed and turned in on time. Mayor Wolff stated everything would be presented at the next council meeting. VI. Mayor Comments: Mayor Wolff suggests making attendance at staff training sessions mandatory for council members. Mr. Truitt outlines the types of training required, including fraud, harassment, and cybersecurity. The council agrees to the mandatory attendance and the importance of staying informed. VIII. Staff Comments: City Administrator - Mr. Truitt had no additional comments. City Attorney - Mr. Sloan had no additional comments. XI. Adjournment: Mr. Linderman motioned, and Mrs. Hamilton seconded to adjourn the meeting at 6:55 pm. By: Attest: DInuD Bwvor Mayor, Richard Wollf City Clerk, Tammy Brunson