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CC05-16-2022Min LONGWOOD CITY COMMISSION Longwood City Commission Chambers 175 West Warren Avenue Longwood, Florida MINUTES May 16, 2022 6:00 P.M. Present: Mayor Matt Morgan • Deputy Mayor Tony Boni Commissioner Abby Shoemaker Commissioner Matt McMillan Commissioner Brian D. Sackett Dan Langley, City Attorney Clint Gioielli, Acting City Manager Michelle Longo, City Clerk David Dowda, Police Chief Chris Kintner, Community Development Director Chris Capizzi, Leisure Services Director Judith Rosado, Financial Services Director Ryan Rinaldo, Recreation Manager 1. CALL TO ORDER. Mayor Morgan called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. 2. OPENING INVOCATION. There was no volunteer invocation speaker present at the meeting, therefore a moment of silent meditation was observed. 3. THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. Mayor Morgan led the Pledge of Allegiance. 4. COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS. Ms. Longo read the following announcements. A. The "Longwood Food Trucks"will be held on Friday, May 27, 2022,from 5:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. at Reiter Park, 311 West Warren Avenue. B. Orlando Health South Seminole Hospital along with Ladies 327, Inc. will be sponsoring the "Concert in the Park"event on Saturday,June 4, 2022, from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. at Reiter CC 05-16-2022/1 Park, 311 West Warren Avenue. There will be a kids' zone, vendors, and food trucks. Music starts at 7:00 p.m. and the band will be Switch. C. The City of Longwood will partner with the Longwood Historic Society for their Texas Hold'em Charity Poker Tournament,to be held on Saturday,June 4, 2022,from 3:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. at the Longwood Community Building, 200 West Warren Avenue. All proceeds will go to the Longwood Historic Society to maintain the historic buildings in Historic Downtown. To register please visit www.historiclongwood.com under Events. 5. PROCLAMATIONS/ RECOGNITIONS A. Recognizing Commissioner Brian D. Sackett for his dedicated service to the City as Mayor, from May 2021 to May 2022. Mayor Morgan recognized Commissioner Sackett for his service to the City as Mayor. He then presented him with a plaque and photographs were then taken. B. District#3 Presentation of the Business Person of the Month Award for May 2022 to Long Master Tailor, Inc., located at 300 St. Laurent Street, Suite 116. Commissioner McMillan read a brief biography on Mr. Hung Tien Phan and will be presenting him with his Business Person of the Month Award for May at his place of business. C. Proclaiming May 15 through May 21, 2022, as National Public Works Week in the City of Longwood. Commissioner Shoemaker read the Proclamation and presented it to Shad Smith, Public Works Director, and staff. Photographs were then taken. D. Proclaiming May 15 through May 21, 2022, as Emergency Medical Services Week in the City of Longwood. Deputy Mayor Boni read the Proclamation and presented it to Fire Department staff. Photographs were then taken. 6. BOARD APPOINTMENTS A. Appointment of a member of the Commission as the alternate representative to the Council of Local Governments in Seminole County (CALNO). CC 05-16-2022/2 Commissioner Sackett nominated Commissioner Shoemaker as the alternate representative to CALNO. Seconded by Commissioner McMillan and carried by a unanimous voice vote. B. Appointment of a member of the Commission as the primary representative to the MetroPlan Orlando Municipal Advisory Committee (MAC). Commissioner McMillan nominated Commissioner Sackett as the primary representative to MAC. Seconded by Deputy Mayor Boni and carried by a unanimous voice vote. 7. PUBLIC INPUT A. Presentations: State Representative David Smith to provide a post-session legislative update. Representative Smith gave an update on the legislative session which ended in March. He noted there was a special session on redistricting maps and he will return to Tallahassee next week to address homeowners' insurance. He stated this presentation was his 16th legislative update in Seminole County, and if you live in Longwood he is your state representative. Representative Smith said it was a good legislative session because they had money to spend, and Longwood received funding for a cyber security project. He stated legislative members have one constitutional responsibility which is to pass a budget. He said the legislature passed a historic$112 billion budget, the most in state history because Florida's economy is open and is not a lockdown mandate state. The legislature made some significant investments in the area of cleaning up and restoring the environment including putting more money into the Lake Okeechobee cleanup, Everglades Restoration, and Springs Restoration in Central Florida. Money was set aside for water issues totaling $326 million, and municipalities and counties can tap into it if they have matching funds. He reported on investment in education, increase in teacher pay which he has advocated for, investment in higher education, money for mental health, money set aside to maintain and repair roads and bridges, tax cuts including sales tax holidays for gas tax reduction, school and hurricane preparedness, and a tax break for skilled trades. He also reported significant policy bills were passed, including four of his bills. The governor signed two of his juvenile justice reform bills, another is filed, and one more is coming up for signature. He CC 05-16-2022/3 reported on appropriations for Seminole County. He had twenty- two (22) of his twenty-nine (29) projects funded. He spoke about Senate Bill 620 which allows businesses to sue their municipalities over reduced revenue. He said as soon as the bill passed, he asked the governor to veto it because it undermines home rule and is bad public policy in his opinion. He also addressed homeowners' insurance calling it "a crisis in Florida". He planned to return to Tallahassee the following week to work on that issue. He added something needs to be done to stabilize the market, and there are some good ideas that the legislators are working through. He thought the state legislature could start making a dent in what people are paying for homeowners' insurance, and he hoped to provide an update at a later time. He reported he visited NASA last week and said they are on track for sixty (60) launches this year. He said when everyone thinks of Florida, they think of space but only three percent of the space industry money is here in the state. The high-paying jobs are in designing the satellites and building the rockets that the legislature wants to draw them to Florida, and significant investments are being made for that. Discussion ensued on a variety of city projects. Representative Smith also noted he helped the city receive funding including a new fire department and equipment, and cybersecurity. Representative Smith welcomed the Commission to approach him with any needs for the city. He also noted he is working to increase the unemployment benefit per week because $275 a week is not enough. He pointed out there is a labor shortage in Florida with more job vacancies than people looking for work. McDirmit, Davis & Company, LLC will be giving a presentation on the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (Audit)for the Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2021. Tammy Campbell gave a presentation on the highlights of the 2021 financial report. The City received a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting, and she believed the city will once again receive the award for the next submission. She said the city had both a federal and state single audit due to some of the major grants related to their various utility fund projects. The city complied with all the laws and regulations and the one prior year management comment has been fixed. She noted there are no new comments. CC 05-16-2022/4 B. Public Participation. Warren Brown, 100 Canada Avenue, Altamonte Springs. He said Representative Smith said some things that interested him. One is looking for input from the community. Mr. Brown said the City of Longwood has plans to rebuild the fields at Candyland, and he thought there are 8,000 members in their database. He planned to petition them to write to Representative Smith to see if he can help the City of Longwood with the cost of refurbishing Candyland which benefits a lot of people. He said he has been active at Longwood Babe Ruth for thirty-four (34) years and has served multiple board positions including president for twelve (12) years. He is currently on the board as a past president, and there are four(4) members who provide valuable experience with a historical perspective. From what Mr. Brown understood after talking to Deputy Mayor Boni, his main goal is to remove the league from the fields so the city can get general revenues through rentals, not necessarily concerned about what the league has done for the city or the city residents. It is all about the money. He wanted to inform the new commissioners of some of the things the league has done. Mr. Brown said from 1988 when Longwood Babe Ruth was chartered to the current administration from an early start of 125 players, eight (8)teams, and no softball. He said we have grown as high as 700 players including softball, we averaged for thirty- four(34) years about three (3) to 400 players per year including years that we were down, for COVID and everything else. The growth of soccer, the inception of travel ball, and COVID lowered their averages for the past five (5) years. This past season they had over 280 players, and they expect fall enrollment to be between 300 and 350 players. He said they expect next spring to be over 400. Fall is historically lower than the spring because kids play fall sports. He added some statistical information saying with two (2) seasons, which is an average of twenty-four (24) weeks, a player spends eight (8) hours a week in practices and games. The total hours that players in Longwood spend in a year is about 57,600 times thirty-four(34) a year that is about two million hours have been spent on Longwood Babe Ruth baseball fields with players learning the skills of baseball, sportsmanship, and everything else. That does not include the fact there is a parent available for every game with the child usually, and each team has a manager and two (2) coaches. Add all those up it is more than 2.5 million to 3 million hours spent by people doing community service and baseball players. He asked what have we CC 05-16-2022/5 accomplished in these years. Besides teaching baseball and sportsmanship to players, players who have grown up in the league have now returned as adults to coach and train players, and teach the same skills and sportsmanship to today's players. They had a tournament this week the 215t Annual Rookie and Tee- Ball Tournament, and Longwood Babe Ruth had the highest number of teams from all over the county. Seminole, Osceola, and Orange counties participated with twenty-one (21) teams entered in the tournament, and 300 plus players altogether. Longwood Babe Ruth received a lot of accolades for the way the tournament's been run and for the way our community supported those other communities. Longwood's Babe Ruth has been recognized by Seminole County's Hall of Fame and has received a Business of the Year Award from the Longwood City Commission. Also, the league has sent teams all over the state to all levels of play including to the World Series which they won once and placed fifth a second time. In addition, the league is co-founder of the Buddy Ball program for physical and mentally challenged players which currently plays every week. He also mentioned the league started pitch, hit, and run, instituted training for managers and coaches with professional instruction, and offers free registration every year for first-time tee-ball players so they will get interested in baseball and stay with the league. He pointed out that all of these events brought recognition to the City of Longwood from all around, and the state and national participants spend dollars in hotels, restaurants, and stores. Mr. Brown reported other than the annual fees Longwood Babe Ruth pays the city and the revenue from the concession stand, there are other contributions they have made to the fields with help from their sponsors and donations. He said he personally built fields four (4) and five (5), and the value at the time was between $76,000 and $100,000. They got every bit of that money donated from the community, and businesses in the community. He said the city did not pay any of that except for the fences. He added the league has built batting cages, covered dugouts, provided funding for overhead safety nets, and practice fields, and even provided $10,000 one year for a city Parks and Recreation employee. Any time the city asks us for help or to contribute, Longwood Babe Ruth has done that, and always considers themselves to be in partnership with the City of Longwood. He asked are you going to throw Longwood Babe Ruth under the bus for the sake of a few dollars or to invite another league to come in and use the fields. He said in closing Longwood Babe Ruth has a new board and they are committed to CC 05-16-2022/6 growth and a partnership with the city. The board will continue to serve the community and the youth of the community as they always have, and that is why their coaches and members are involved. He said you can see the involvement of the people who care sitting in the back of the room. He stated he is eighty(80) years old and has been in the league for thirty (30)years. He donates his time like all the coaches and board members in support of the recreation program and the City of Longwood, for our youth to make them better sportsmen, and teach them baseball skills. Matt West, 1776 Redwood Grove Terrace, Lake Mary. He said his question to Deputy Mayor Boni is where are all of the kids going to play? Are you going to send them to Altamonte and Winter Springs because that is exactly what will happen. He said if you think someone is going to come in and start a league here, never going to happen. A lot of people are coming back because their parents played here before because it is right next to their house. If you think someone's going to bring Little League here, Little League is dying and has half as many leagues as Babe Ruth. He said that is never going to happen, Lake Mary is dying because they cannot get players so their numbers are dropping every single year. Travel ball has obviously been a major part of why the numbers are down. He quoted numbers for players by season beginning with Spring 2018 at 499, Fall 2018 at 375, 363, 324, and 328. He said COVID hit Spring 2020 so we were at 328, a pretty good number. They even had a summer where kids played free, and there were only 177 players after COVID. Then we were at 155, 172, 193, and 286 so it is growing and coming back. Mr. West said a lot of what he is hearing is renting to travel ball but he did not understand what the city planned to rent. There are not enough fields to do a tournament. There are only two (2) fields that can host any type of thing. One softball, one Babe Ruth, the big field, it is not enough. He said you might get a little practice time and you guys are going to take over concession but you are not going to make the money because you will not have near the number of kids out there. He said at the end of the day you have police officers,firefighters, and commissioners helping out there. These kids cannot afford to play travel ball. This is Longwood, and that is why they stay here to try to get us to teach them how to do things. He said this is like a personal vendetta, somebody who has not been but five (5) minutes, did not like the way things were done or the way he was treated umpiring some CC 05-16-2022/7 games, and now wants to ruin thirty(30) years of letting kids play here. He said to him, it is almost pathetic. Ronald George, 1533 Mockingbird Lane, Longwood. He said he lives in the front of Candyland and he was not here for the statistics but he was here for the heart. He stated he is a Babe Ruth coach, has been on the board, and has seen kids grow including Commissioner Sackett's daughters,granddaughter, and his grandson. He has his grandsons and granddaughter playing, and he asked the Commission if they want to rip it apart. He said he has done travel ball and it is a lot of money. Nobody's going to come here with the small fields we have. You are taking a gift away from these kids, an honor for them to learn who they want to be, what they want to be, and how they can do it. If you take it away, you are taking away self-esteem from these kids. Somehow these kids pull it out of themselves to play ball for Longwood. He feels honored to be part of Longwood and he wears their shirts. He said he is an ambassador of this city and he lives here. He is fortunate to know a lot of people here so please he said do not do this. Jason Phaduangdest, 124 Edgewater Circle, Sanford. He introduced his son Jackson Phaduangest, and stated he is an eleven (11) year member, eleven (11) year coach, long time board member, and holds multiple positions currently. His son then spoke saying he is ten (10) years old and has been playing at Candyland since he was four (4). He received a gift this year and it read "On this clay, you have literally left it all. Blood, sweat, and tears. You have made friendships that will always be part of you. You fought side by side with boys who can relate how bad you want to win. This clay holds your laughter as tightly as it holds your frustration. Life goes on and off this clay. But nothing can compare to the feeling you get when standing on it. Each time you look at this jar of clay, know in your heart what it stands for and remember all the memories it holds." Mr. Phaduangdest said Longwood Babe Ruth is recognized in the state and region as producing quality players. Many of their players have been awarded college scholarships and some are currently playing or coaching in the major and minor leagues as well. He said many are in schools and recreational leagues all over the U.S. They are giving back to the community what they learned at Longwood Babe Ruth. CC 05-16-2022/8 Sinead Egerd, 980 Harbour Drive, Longwood. She said as a Longwood resident and former Longwood Babe Ruth parent and board member she has personal knowledge of how travel ball has affected the number of teams playing at Candyland. Over the years, many coaches have come to Longwood, managed a team, and then departed for travel ball, taking the entire team with them. This is a fact of life that many recreational sports programs are now having to deal with. Any coach can start a travel ball team. There are no background checks performed on those travel ball coaches, and there is no abuse training required. Quite simply, if you can write the check, you can have a travel ball team. She said all the new rental properties in Longwood are great for the tax base but they do not bring pride of ownership. That is only achieved through hard work, sweat, and the desire to make your neighborhood better. Renters historically don't care. They come in, pay their fee, and walk right back out. If we bring travel teams to rent the fields, it will be detrimental to the citizens of Longwood in a multitude of ways. Look at what's happened during the Longwood Babe Ruth break, graffiti on the walls and buildings, people breaking in, or trying to break into the Longwood Babe Ruth temporary office. It is proven that kids without structure are more likely to get into trouble and do the wrong thing. She said she does not want that to happen to our city. The final decision should not be about dollars and cents, it should be about the kids and the surrounding community. Michelle Gregory, 120 Des Pinar Lane, Longwood. She said she has been with Longwood Babe Ruth for sixteen (16) years, and she pointed to her first child in the back that started and is now down to her third. They have not missed a season. She is playing with kids she grew up with, they are coaching the teams now. They came back and they never abandoned us. Jimmy Defalco, 618 Burke Street,Altamonte Springs. He said he played on the Babe Ruth fields twenty-seven (27) or twenty-eight (28) years ago with his friends. He said the other day when they were at the Warren Brown Invitational, they took a picture with seven (7) of Mr. Brown's ex-players all of who are now involved in the league in some way or coaching. As a mayor of a city,that is what he wants for his city. I notice ever since it started, your body language, and you seem a little aggravated. I would be proud of this whole thing not aggravated with everything. He said after Matt spoke you were laughing Mr. Boni, and I found that extremely disrespectful for this league means so much to him and the kids. He said he and his son were upset that morning, and he CC 05-16-2022/9 was upset right now that this is even a topic of discussion to bring this league to no more. He did not know any other leagues that have people coming back twenty-five (25) to thirty (30) years later. People may say some things are not done right, but obviously, people would not keep coming back if things were not done correctly. He said he loves this league; his kids love this league and it is a true shame that this is even a discussion right now. He stated he was pleading to keep this league around. The kids need this. He also said he is a recovering addict, and kids need an outlet, they need something to do. Some parents might say screw it, I'm not going to Altamonte, could potentially change the trajectory of a kid's life. He said he was asking to please reconsider, and save our league for the kids because if you guys want a strong city, you have to have a strong future, and it is all going to start with these kids right here. Hector Enriquez, 1704 Billie Lynn Point, Sanford. He said he has been a coach at Longwood Babe Ruth for seven (7) years, been everywhere, and played baseball at every level in some major leagues. He said to Deputy Mayor Boni that this is not right, and what you have right here, is the future. He noted not everybody has the means to go play travel ball. He said it is $3,000 for two months and most of these families do not have it. This is where we come into play and this is where you guys come into play, supporting all these families, all these kids. In the league, there are some forms of payment for parents who cannot afford $115 or$150 for registration. The league gives them a form of payment and we want you to come to play. It is not about the money, and that's where you are wrong. It is about these kids. This is the future. We, the coaches that teach recreational baseball, are the ones that take the sweat with no money every Saturday, most days of the week to teach these kids to do the things right. Pass the ball with two hands, throw the ball right, hit the ball with two hands, and then another coach from travel ball charges them $1,000 when we already did the work. He said it is not right what you guys are planning to do, or whoever's behind this. You guys got to think about the future of these kids and just look at them because this is the future right here. He said I live in Sanford and my business is in Longwood. He could just take his kids to Sanford, Lake Mary, and Altamonte just like Matt said. He said but I am in Longwood, seven (7) years in Longwood. He is not changing, he is not going anywhere. He is staying here until his kids grow up until they do not want to play baseball anymore or go do something else. He said he hoped you guys change your CC 05-16-2022/10 mind about what you are planning to do because it is not worth it, the money is not worth it. Tammy Chiriani, 224 High Castle Lane, Longwood. She said her children began playing in Longwood Babe Ruth in 1995 when she was a resident of Longwood and she was appointed to the board that same year. She was president of the league from 1998 to 2000. She retired for sixteen (16) years only coming out of retirement for the occasional tournament or fundraiser. Longwood Babe Ruth decided to host the Southeast Regional Tournament and then a second one,that's when seven (7) years ago she was again appointed to the Board of Longwood Babe Ruth. For the past four (4) years, she has been elected by the members to serve on the executive board. Twenty-four(24) years after being appointed to the board of directors she has been honored to be elected again to serve this league. Her goal in 1998 and her goal today, twenty-four (24) years later, is simple. Her job here is done if she can keep one child off the street, one child off drugs, and one child out of the system. If one child learns how to win with grace and lose with dignity, she has achieved her goal. When she was president of Longwood Babe Ruth, she had two sayings that were her mantra. The first was it's all about the kids. I see former board members today who still start our conversations with "I know Tammy it's all about the kids, it's not about me." Her second mantra was usually directed at a complaining coach. The outcome of your game will not determine world peace. But how you coach your kids might determine whether years later if a child can work with others as adults. By giving someone else credit when it could have been theirs to accept when they take others' feelings into consideration instead of putting themselves first when they have learned to be good citizens. These are life lessons that ballplayers learn on the diamond. They do not learn them in skate parks or on street corners. They learn them through team sports and they learn them at Longwood Babe Ruth. When my friends from the last decade saw Facebook posts this past season about the league, they sent her emails, and calls, and said are things really that bad? They asked "What can I do? How can I help?" People who had not been involved for over two (2) decades, still felt that connection after more than twenty (20) years. Things were not that bad. Longwood is going through a cycle much as Altamonte did in 2005 and Winter Springs in 2010. All leagues go through them. She for one appreciates the renewed energy and enthusiasm that was brought to our league this past season. That energy and enthusiasm brought us new board members with CC 05-16-2022/11 young children who all have a clear sense of direction as to where they would like to see the league go. She said this weekend at the Warren Brown T-Ball and Rookie Invitational, the 21rt invitational, ten (10) of Warren's former players, we only got pictures of seven (7), were in attendance. All had played at Candyland Park in the 90s and early 2000s. They came back with their children playing on the same fields they had played on with their parents, now grandparents, cheering in the same stands. This was a celebration of the community we all created almost thirty(30) years ago. She hugged people she had not seen in decades with whom she had shared laundry duty, whose children she considered her own, friends with whom she shared many late-night pizzas or rainout pizzas and maybe a few beers, people she still calls friends to this day. That is the sense of community Longwood Babe Ruth builds. This sense of community will never be built by renting fields out to travel ball teams for practice or to a coach who wants to hold the occasional tournament. That type of community is only built by playing games together week after week, month after month, year after year. Those types of relationships are built after games at team parties held at Papa Bees or after Warren Brown's tournament win when three (3) generations of Longwood Babe Ruth baseball players celebrated the award. This sense of community is one that Longwood has long desired. They wanted to create it for its residents and it is right in front of you in this very room. If only, you are willing to embrace it. Patrick McFadden, 437 Sundown Trail, Casselberry. He said he is the newly elected president of Longwood Babe Ruth. He is supported, believed in, and believes in their future, and they are growing. He said we are going to continue to grow as Warren said earlier we expect to have over 300 to 350 people in the fall and close to 400 in the spring hopefully more. He said that is because everyone believes in us and he feels the city should believe in them as well. They have new board members as Tammy said with a new energy that is going to push forward. We are going to be pushing softball even more and growing even more. We finally brought it back this year. It was well deserved and needed. We had three (3) great teams that represented Longwood proudly, and we are going to grow it even more. The league is going to continue to have free clinics for the players so they can keep learning, and they are going to have clinics for the coaches so they can be better coaches and better leaders for our community. He has been with the league for two (2)years and it has been incredible just seeing his kids' passion that they have never had CC 05-16-2022/12 before for baseball. He said trying to take that away was personal to him and that is why he is here and that is why he got support. Kim Johnston, 14104 Country Estate Drive, Winter Garden. She said she was here with Little League International and represents Winter Garden, Apopka, South Lake, Dr. Phillips, and Windermere. She stated a charter application has been filed with Little League International and they should have approval by Friday for Longwood Little League. She was here to ask for fields, not here to shut down Babe Ruth. She needs fields to play on for the kids. She said she is with District 14, Longwood will not be hers. The city will be with District 24. She said Denise Spinkle is the District Administrator (DA) there, and she is in the Dominican Republic. Little League has approved the Chartership and they will have it on Friday. Little League is here, we are growing. She said in her district they work very well with the Babe Ruth programs. She borrows fields from them for her tournaments. West Orange Babe Ruth has a beautiful facility and they let her host her tournaments there. We share our fields. She is not a DA who is against Babe Ruth. She is a travel ball mom, she is a baseball mom, and she is a softball mom. She is a little bit of everything, just loves baseball, and loves kids on a field. She was not here to ask you all to shut down Babe Ruth. She was asking to make room for Little League. Thomas Moncello, 290 Cambridge Drive, Longwood. He said he has been a Longwood resident since 1977, he has been with Longwood Babe Ruth since 2018, and a coach of both baseball and softball since 2012. He got involved and stays involved because he has always believed the adage that if you do not like what you see, do not complain, and volunteer. He said that is why he is here. He has personal opinions of the way the league has been run for the last four (4) or five (5) years, and that is also why he is here. There is a need for recreational baseball, not everybody can play travel ball. Not every family has the resources to play travel baseball. Not every family wants to travel. He said community, teamwork, and sportsmanship are what he tells his kids every season. He does not coach to build MLB players. He would love to say someday, he coached that kid but he does not know if that is going to happen but you know what, he will probably have a couple of Fortune 500 kids under his belt. He will probably have good stewards of the community. He said he is building gentlemen, stewards of society, and community members. He is not building baseball players but we are having a lot of fun while we are doing it. He got involved initially because CC 05-16-2022/13 of his son. He has three (3) kids and did it to spend time with them. He enjoys it but also realizes that not only does he have nine (9) plus other kids on that team that is watching him, but he also has got the opposing team watching him, his co-coaches, the other coaches, and the parents. We can affect our community that way. He said Longwood Babe Ruth needs to be a developmental league. This community needs recreational ball. Despite what you may have heard, Altamonte is overcrowded, they are looking and we hear about them wanting to come over here. Altamonte Little League failed, Maitland Little League failed, and multiple local parks have been sold, privatized, and taken out of consideration for a lot of kids. We could be the last one standing. We could be a powerhouse of recreational baseball plus you got to think where do travel ball players come from? They come from recreational ball. We have got to build baseball. We have a great opportunity to build community here. We have a great new board with local connections and a proven track record. Let's do it. We are going to coach the coaches, coach the players. We are going to build something much stronger. He has total faith. We have proof of concept in the people who are coming on board. Let's do this together. Tyrone Baquie, 109 Rockwood Way, Sanford. He said he moved here in 1999 from New York. He just moved to Sanford and was living in Longwood right around the corner. He got a chance to be part of Longwood Babe Ruth in 2001 thanks to Mr. Brown. He said I walked in and Mr. Brown said, "Why do you want to coach?" Mr. Baquie said because he played recreational baseball, he played travel baseball up in New York. He played against Gil Hodges and you know what happened? Gil Hodges had all the money, they had all the resources, and he played playground ball. They beat them every single time regardless of how much money was thrown at them. When he told this to Mr. Brown he gave him the opportunity saying he was going to give him a team and an assistant coach who I already know as Mr. Barry Roberts, and we had a fantastic season. If you ever watched the movie The Sandlot, we had those types of kids for that season. Different personalities, and different ways of doing things, they all want to go in a different direction. We got them isolated down to play as a team. He appreciates the fact that Warren gave him the opportunity to coach that team and get my feet wet so to speak. He said he coached recreational ball and travel ball. He is probably uniquely qualified to tell the difference between all of them. He said the gambit of things that happened in travel ball is completely different from recreational ball. Recreational ball is CC 05-16-2022/14 always about community. Travel ball is always about winning because when you are not winning, you are gone. Both as the player, as the parent, and as the coach. He is a father of three (3) who have all played at Longwood Babe Ruth. One is currently, after playing at Longwood Babe Ruth, is now serving in the Air Force. How did he learn how to do that? He learned teamwork at Longwood Babe Ruth. His daughter is about to head off to college. She is an NCAA double athlete, and she started with Longwood Babe Ruth. She is also an Olympian playing for the country of Panama as their starting pitcher. His youngest had heart surgery and is still playing at Longwood Babe Ruth because his doctor okayed him to play. He has coached both boys and girls, and in his years at this community park at Candyland, he has had the opportunity to give examples of being a positive role model and leader. He still runs into his former players and their families. He gets reports on how Longwood Babe Ruth has helped them to stay on the right path, becoming soldiers in each one of the armed forces. Some of them are seniors at Lake Brantley, Lyman, and Seminole High Schools who have either got partial or full-ride scholarships playing softball or baseball. Some of them are planning to pursue careers that they would not have had the opportunity to pursue if it were not for Longwood Babe Ruth such as being doctors,forensic scientists, psychologists, pharmacists, and lawyers. Each one of them has gotten their start with Longwood Babe Ruth playing recreational ball. They have said that being part of Longwood Babe Ruth they learned how to be part of a team, the importance of teamwork without the pressure of having to win every game, of being cut from a team like it is done in travel ball. He said Longwood Babe Ruth in the years he has been there, has bolstered the community by giving scholarships to needy players, bringing the community Buddy Ball, gave a lot of single moms and dads someplace to go with their children for a fun day on the weekend, away from the house, away from the pressures of school, and work. He loves when he sees a mom and dad get out on the field and throw the ball around with their child. Those smiles are priceless. The peace of mind and the smiling face on your daughter, son, granddaughter, and grandson should be what it is about. When you think about the smiles, think about Longwood Babe Ruth. This is what each and every one of you can offer this community. Mr. Baquie closed with several names:Jayden Baker, Duke University; Hannah Marian, Stetson University, Hannah Harper, University of West Florida;Alexandra Backey, Catawba North Carolina; Brianna Neal, Saint Leo University; Cassidy Goodpaster, CC 05-16-2022/15 St. Pete College;Josh Hancock, FAMU; Daniel Antonio, FAU, Sky Ramos, Daytona State; Michaela Layton, North Carolina A&T; and Brett Porter, FAU. Mayor Morgan added Sidney Sackett to the list of former Babe Ruth players heading to college. Mr. Baquie responded exactly and said this is what we offer the community at Longwood Babe Ruth. The opportunity to grow, flourish, and then come back to the community and be doctors, lawyers, psychologists, and forensic scientists. Judi Coad, 1695 Grange Circle, Longwood. She said she commended all the parents here, and it is obvious you all care very much about your baseball. Her children are now grown. Addressing Deputy Mayor Boni, she said she was sorry for the semi-slanderous comments made to him. The topic she has not heard discussed that night was the situation of the contract the city has with Babe Ruth. Her opinion as a citizen and having read the contract which she did not hear one person talk about, she believed has become a big issue. She said if that is where they go, she believed it certainly needs to be restructured, and it has not been a 501(c) non-profit at all. She felt as a citizen very deceived about that over the last plus decade, and maybe you all were not aware of that. It does need restructuring. It needs to be restructured where ever it takes our ball fields such as Little League. She also believed as she has read the contracts, that the concession stand is a separate contract. She knows the fields at Candyland are greatly expanding to include pickleball and hopefully other tournaments will be held there. She believed that the concession stands contract should be put out for bid to whoever else could be there. It would be used more for the betterment of the city. She said any league or any who use the ball fields could have their sponsorship as it was originally intended. Deputy Mayor Boni moved to have Item 12D under Regular Business moved up on the agenda and handled now. Seconded by Commissioner Sackett and carried by a unanimous voice vote. 12D. City Commission discussion regarding options for baseball and softball field use at Candyland Sports Complex. CC 05-16-2022/16 Deputy Mayor Boni thanked Ms. Coad for supporting him. He was confused about his conversation with Mr. Brown and wanted to give his history with Longwood Babe Ruth. He said he is the biggest supporter of Longwood Babe Ruth having three (3) daughters over fifteen (15) years go through the league all the way up until softball was canceled. When it came back, his middle daughter was disappointed there was not an 18U team. Even with all that, he still stepped up and donated this year. His business is on the back of one of the fences. He was confused as to how everyone came up here, maybe needed to point the finger at somebody, but he was removing the emotions and was looking at it as Candyland Sports Complex. He said no way has anyone ever said we are getting rid of Longwood Babe Ruth. That is a misinterpretation from an agenda item saying the word discussion. He did not know where that came from. He showed the audience a baseball card which he received as a thank you for cooking 120 hot dogs on registration day at Candyland, and he showed another card with all five (5) commissioners on opening day. He said the Commission supports Candyland but he was disappointed with Mr. Brown from their conversation and this is what he got out of that. Deputy Mayor Boni said it is correct that the Commission is reviewing the contract, and the five (5) elected board members need to discuss the contract. He stated the expenses of running Candyland have gone up immensely, and he just wanted to step in and defend himself. He reiterated he has been the biggest supporter for fifteen (15) years, umpired for three (3) years, and coached when his daughters were younger. He has gone through the program as well as everybody else here. He was disappointed, and his body language was more of disgust no one knew him and what he has done for Longwood Babe Ruth over the last fifteen (15) years. He said he told everyone when he campaigned he would be objective and would do his research, and that is exactly what he has done. He repeated no one has ever said they are removing Longwood Babe Ruth as several people have got up and accused the Commission of doing, and him specifically. Commissioner Sackett said he has been with Longwood Babe Ruth for thirty(30) years contributing over 15,000 hours to the organization as well as coaching his daughters and attending his grandchildren's games. He has been at the field for every opening and closing ceremony, passed out hundreds of trophies, and cooked hot dogs. He lives and breathes for his kids and grandkids to become great citizens and that is what it is all about. What he sees for Longwood Babe Ruth is a small field, one (1) softball, and three (3) others so they do not go very far. He still does not like the location of the concession stand and wanted to move the T-ball so kids do not have to use a portalet to go to the bathroom. As far as he was concerned, Longwood Babe Ruth is staying here. He was not interested in exploring other options. He is only interested in Longwood CC 05-16-2022/17 Babe Ruth maintaining its history with the city. He did agree with reviewing the contract which he thought needed updating. Mr. Capizzi presented the Item and said the city has partnered with Longwood Babe Ruth for many years to provide a fun and competitive baseball and softball program to residents in the surrounding area. He commented the term of the existing contract is coming to fruition in the fall, September 5, 2022. He said because of the timing, it is a necessity for staff to know the direction of the Commission. He did not want kids signing up as early as June and the determination is made not to renew the contract. He wanted to avoid children not having a place to play. He stated a decision had to be made by the Commission regarding what option they wanted to go with. He listed the following options: 1. Renew Field Use Agreement with Longwood Babe Ruth The City can choose to renew the current contract, or create an updated contract with additional terms, with Babe Ruth for another year or as long as desired. Per the field use agreement, the city currently collects$120.00 for each team signed up to play baseball or softball each season (fall and spring). Registrations increased from 193 kids in the fall of 2021 to 286 kids total this past spring. The concession stand fee also has increased with the last two seasons which is a separate contract and is $1,500 a season. 2. Turn Candyland into a Rental Facility for softball and baseball If the commission declines to renew the agreement with Longwood Babe Ruth, staff could rent the fields to any interested team or league. One possible form of revenue generation would be predicated on renting the fields for 40 weeks per year with one day per week closed for field maintenance. In this scenario,the total revenue for the city would be approximately$102,400.00. If the city went this route, a company or some other option would need to be considered in order to operate the concession stand since the city does not have the staff to do so. 3. Explore other partnering options If the commission declines to renew the agreement with Longwood Babe Ruth, this could provide the city an opportunity for partnering with another organization in an effort to run a baseball/softball program out of Candyland Sports Complex. If the city went this route and the possible partner organization did not want to manage the concession stand, a company or some other option would need to be considered in order to operate the concession stand. CC 05-16-2022/18 Deputy Mayor Boni moved to extend the current Longwood Babe Ruth contract to the end of the fall season, which ends in November. Seconded by Mayor Morgan. Discussion ensued on the motion and what the time frame was. Commissioner Shoemaker commented she understood the value of sports even though she is not directly involved with Longwood Babe Ruth. She said there are areas in the Longwood Babe Ruth contract which need to be addressed. She was not mad at anyone as inferred by some of the public participants toward the Commission. She did agree with extending the current contract. Mayor Morgan explained he also is a supporter of Longwood Babe Ruth and coached two (2)teams for the league this past year along with his wife who is vice president of softball. He also served as a board member for Longwood Babe Ruth. He added Deputy Mayor Boni is not the bad guy as accused earlier and that talk needed to stop. He pointed out Deputy Mayor Boni has been just as involved with the league as anyone else participating with his three (3) daughters in the past. He said there never has been a discussion regarding the removal of Longwood Babe Ruth, however, there is room for improvement for the league. Motion carried by a four-to-one (4-1) roll call vote with Commissioner Sackett voting nay. Commissioner McMillan said he grew up here and always knew Longwood Babe Ruth was part of the community. It is what he believes makes a place special and that is its people. You have multiple generations of players and coaches that keep coming back. He knew what was on the agenda was to discuss a contract and was never considering canceling Longwood Babe Ruth. He said he would like to hear what the issues are with the contract. He would like to stick with Longwood Babe Ruth, which has been with the city for thirty(30) years and is part of its community. Commissioner Sackett explained his reason for voting no on the last motion. He wanted to extend the Longwood Babe Ruth contract to the conclusion of the spring season instead of the fall providing additional time to review the terms as well as wrapping up both seasons for the league. CC 05-16-2022/19 Deputy Mayor Boni moved to have the elected board members of Longwood Babe Ruth sit with city staff and start discussions on a new improved contract for both sides. Seconded by Commissioner Sackett and carried by a unanimous roll call vote. The Commission recessed at 7:49 p.m. and reconvened at 7:58 p.m. 8. MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS' REPORT District#5. Commissioner Sackett requested an update on Duke Energy and the Devonshire neighborhood. He said Mr. Gioielli could respond to that item later. He also commented the Candyland Sports Complex needs a new sign possibly other than the candy canes. Commissioner Sackett reported on his upcoming schedule. In June, he planned to travel to Minneapolis for ten (10) days, and in July he planned to go to the beach for two (2) weeks. In August, he had to bury his brother-in-law off Vancouver Island. Then, in September he will be traveling to Norway for ten (10) days. He said he will continue to check in between trips. District#1. Commissioner Shoemaker said she needed to correct a statement in regards to the ethics program of the Tri-County League of Cities. She explained the format was different from before in that there is no regular meeting during the program and lunch would be served during that time. She reported she attended the ribbon cutting for Andre Klass who established the Christian Tech Center Ministries. She said the tech center was a very much-needed service in the community and was a great addition to the city. On May 14, Commissioner Shoemaker said she was in downtown Longwood for the Saturday events including food trucks, a car show, and a concert. She commented it was nice to see the city has a hometown community and there are things to do, and how far they have grown since her service on the Parks and Recreation Board. District#2. Deputy Mayor Boni said he also signed up for the Ethics training along with Commissioner Shoemaker. He mentioned he also attended the ribbon-cutting for the Christian Tech Center Ministries, and about seventy (70) plus people were there to support Andre Klass. He encouraged people to bring their old laptops and computers to Mr. Klass, who refurbishes them and distributes them to those in need. He also was glad he chose Longwood as his home base. Deputy Mayor Boni reiterated that May 14 was an amazing day for events in the city including food trucks and live entertainment. He also reminded everyone of the Poker Tournament scheduled for June 4. To register for the tournament, go to www.historiclongwood.com. CC 05-16-2022/20 District#3. Commissioner McMillan thanked Representative Smith for his legislative update and his help in getting the cybersecurity project approved for the city. He also thanked Maggie Ridore, and the employee committee for the Employee Appreciation Bash which he attended describing it as a high-energy event at Reiter Park. Commissioner McMillan reported on May 5 he attended the Sheriff's Prayer Service in Sanford, and Chief David Dowda and Ms. Cartagena also were in attendance. He also participated in the ribbon-cutting for the Christian Tech Center which he said is a welcome addition to the city. He mentioned the food truck battle along with the car show and concert on May 14 worked out very well. Commissioner McMillan reported on the true, good and beautiful. For the "true", he said the wet season is upon us. The average rainfall in Longwood in May is 3.44 inches,June is 8.16 inches, and July is 8.19 inches. For the "good", he experienced good dialogue. He was the last commissioner to meet with Ms.Trippy's Emporium in Longwood, and he thought the group gave a professional presentation. He added there is still work which needs to be done but the meeting was a good example of dialogue. For the "beautiful", he mentioned May 4 was Star Wars Day based on "May the force be with you." He commended Ms. Cartagena on the logo that she designed for the city's social media with a baby Yoda which generated a lot of excitement. District#4. Mayor Morgan said on May 4 he had the opportunity to attend a press conference at Full Sail University for the Orlando Predators' upcoming Season Opener. Following the press conference, that weekend was an event supporting autism that also gave the city recognition, and he thanked Deputy Mayor Boni for setting it up. He and his son attended the Predators game and they were able to sit in the press box. He added city employees also had the opportunity to attend the game with free tickets and again thanked Deputy Mayor Boni for that. The day before the game was the Employee Appreciation Bash in which the employees were celebrated. He commended the staff for a great job on the employee event at which employees were able to co- mingle with commissioners as well as get to know each other better, especially the new employees. Mayor Morgan reported on May 5 he spoke on a panel at the Seminole County Chamber of Commerce regarding medical marijuana and how it 111 affects the economy. He noted the City of Longwood was the first to approve medical marijuana dispensaries. He said unfortunately those businesses get a bad reputation from those who have never been inside CC 05-16-2022/21 the stores. During the panel discussion, Mayor Morgan said he kept making the point everyone should be given the same opportunity to pick up their prescription if they are in pain or in ailment like those with Crohn's disease and cancer just like when he had a back injury he was able to get painkillers at a local pharmacy. In addition, these dispensaries have contributed to the improvement of the city by investing millions of dollars to upgrade properties. Mayor Morgan announced the girls' softball team with Longwood Babe Ruth finished with a thirteen (13) game winning streak, and again he mentioned many of the girls never played softball before. He noted he was able to observe the progress of the players from being shy to forming friendships to becoming improved players. He commented the lessons learned on the field are all positives for life. He gave a special thank you to David Rubin, former Longwood Babe Ruth President, for the increase in player registrations this past season and the free clinics he held weekly to generate interest. Mayor Morgan said in regards to the fields at the Candyland Sports Complex he had concerns and heard at various Longwood Babe Ruth Board meetings the fields need improvement. He said we need to figure out a way how to generate income to be able to fix the fields. He suggested researching grants or meeting with other community partners. He stated improvements are already being made including the installation of backstops which was obtained through grants. He commented in regards to the concession stand, there is a missed opportunity for the city to get a third-party vendor to open up the concession stand not just for baseball but for other events especially when the pickleball tournaments start. He pointed out that the funds generated from the concession stand can go directly back to Candyland park. He also commended Mr. Capizzi and Mr. Rinaldo for their hard work on the fields, as well as their ability to handle the complaints. Mayor Morgan planned to return to the Longwood Babe Ruth Board for the next season. Mayor Morgan congratulated Andre Klass again on the opening of the Christian Tech Center which was mentioned earlier. On May 12, he participated in a Top Golf fundraiser for Teen Challenge, a rehabilitation facility in Sanford for substance abuse. He said some residents in Longwood have received services from them. He also attended a meeting with the Barrington neighborhood about the new ground tech service manager and hoped the neighborhood may be able to move forward. 9. ANY ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS TO THE AGENDA. None. CC 05-16-2022/22 10. CONSENT AGENDA A. Approve Minutes of May 2, 2022, Regular Meeting. B. Approve the Monthly Expenditures for April and May 2022. C. Approve the Monthly Financial Report for April 2022. D. Acceptance of the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (Audit)for the Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2021. E. Approve a change order in the amount of$40,000 to the Empire Pipe and Supply Purchase Order No. 22-00182 for water and sewer-related items. Commissioner Sackett moved to approve Items 10A through 10E as presented. Seconded by Deputy Mayor Boni and carried by a unanimous roll call vote. 11. PUBLIC HEARINGS A. Read by title only, set June 20, 2022, as the second public hearing date, and approve the first reading of Ordinance No. 22- 2222,which proposes approval of a Large-Scale Comprehensive Plan Amendment (CPA 02-22)to comply with the regional water supply plan. Mr. Langley read Ordinance No. 22-2222 by title only. Mr. Smith presented the Item. Mayor Morgan opened the public hearing. No one spoke in favor or opposition to Ordinance No. 22-2222. Commissioner Sackett moved to close the public hearing. Seconded by Commissioner Shoemaker and carried by a unanimous voice vote. Commissioner Sackett moved to approve Ordinance No. 22-222 and set June 20, 2022, as the public hearing date. Seconded by Commissioner McMillan and carried by a unanimous roll call vote. B. Read by title only and adopt Ordinance No. 22-2224, annexing a portion of State Road 434 east of U.S. Highway 17-92. (Continued from the May 2nd meeting). CC 05-16-2022/23 Mr. Langley read Ordinance No. 22-2224 by title only. Mayor Morgan opened the public hearing. No one spoke in favor or opposition to Ordinance No. 22-2224. Deputy Mayor Boni moved to close the public hearing and carried by a unanimous voice vote. Commissioner McMillan moved to adopt Ordinance No. 22-2224 as presented Item 11B. Seconded by Deputy Mayor Boni and carried by a unanimous roll call vote. 12. REGULAR BUSINESS A. Read by title only and adopt Resolution No. 22-1600, authorizing the Acting City Manager to apply for up to a $4,060,000 loan under the State Revolving Fund (SRF) Loan Program to fund the East Longwood Phase II Wastewater System Improvement and Expansion Project. Mr. Langley read Resolution No. 22-1600 by title only. Mr. Smith presented the Item and answered questions. 111 Mr. Gioielli clarified Mr. Smith is asking for an additional amount so he does not need to return to the state should there be an increase in costs or some unanticipated costs. He said Mr. Smith does not know what is under the road until he removes it. Discussion ensued on the cost being ten percent over and that being normal practice, adjusting the numbers when actual costs are received, and increase in cost in the last six months. Mr. Gioielli stated he is aware the Commission has received negative feedback from residents on the existing project. Staff is taking from their experiences additional steps to protect the residents from having the same experiences as they have had recently. The city's Utilities Manager Andrew Marsian will oversee the next project phase. Commissioner McMillan moved to adopt Resolution No. 22-1600 as presented Item 12A. Seconded by Commissioner Sackett and carried by a unanimous roll call vote. CC 05-16-2022/24 B. Read by title only and adopt Resolution No. 22-1601, authorizing the submission of a Cultural Affairs Grant application intended to assist with necessary improvements at the Longwood Community Building. Mr. Langley read Resolution No. 22-1601 by title only. Mr. Capizzi presented the Item and said staff has the opportunity to apply for funding in the amount of$75,000 with the stipulation to match $155,000 from the city. The grant is through the state and is for the Longwood Community Building upgrades including the replacement of a large air conditioning unit. Other upgrades are the replacement of the blue siding on the building which is beginning to fade, and new flooring for the inside of the building. He explained all of these items are original from 2002, and the grant will help to complete these upgrades. Commissioner Sackett asked if he planned to move city staff from the upstairs of the Longwood Community Building. He also commented the interior paint and the curtains need updating so the building can compete with other cities. Discussion ensued with suggestions to consider the building improvements at a later date, the revenues from rentals averaging $10,000 to $11,000 a month, the rental of the upstairs space moving staff to portables, and the color of the floor for wedding photos. Mr. Gioielli clarified that$155,000 is not a commitment should the city have different priorities, and that amount is the total cost with the city getting a reimbursement of$75,000 from the state. Commissioner McMillan moved to adopt Resolution No. 22-1601 as presented Item 12B. Seconded by Commissioner Sackett and carried by a unanimous roll call vote. C. Deputy Mayor Boni requests City Commission discussion regarding dog regulations during the Farmers Market located at Reiter Park. Mr. Capizzi presented the Item and said the current city code in reference to pets in parks states no pets shall be allowed in city parks. He recalled this topic in 2014 when the Commission approved a 90-day provisional lift on the ban of pets at Reiter CC 05-16-2022/25 Park. Staff did install a few dog cleanup stations around the park, and there were hopes people would use them. Unfortunately, during the 90-day trial people were not cleaning up after their pets. There was a constant issue with dog feces around various areas of the park which posed a health concern in consideration of the amphitheater lawn. The splash pad was not built at that time but there also was concern about children walking in feces and urine. In addition, some dog owners were unleashing their dogs, and there was not enough staff to monitor the park in the evenings. He commented it is a tough situation since he knows people like bringing their dogs to the park and the Farmers Market. He said at the end of the 90 days in 2014 the Commission decided to uphold the ordinance banning pets from the park. Deputy Mayor Boni said he was referring to dogs being allowed on the paved area of the Farmer's Market not the grass. He also was told by someone before he became commissioner that dogs are allowed at the Farmers Market, and recently he received several calls from residents who said they would like to walk their dogs at the weekly market. He realized ultimately it is up to the Commission to decide. Discussion followed with concerns regarding dog clean-up, children not knowing whether to pet a dog,food being around, close space, vendor issues, lack of staff in the evenings, confusion about where dogs are allowed, and the potential of dog waste running into the splash pad. Mayor Morgan suggested promoting the Arbor Dog Park and holding events there. No action was taken on the item. D. City Commission discussion regarding options for baseball and softball field use at Candyland Sports Complex. Item addressed after Public Participation. E. Mayor Morgan requests City Commission discussion regarding City Code Section 6.2.2 in reference to strip lighting on buildings. Mr. Gioielli presented the Item and said this was prompted by a code notice which was issued to Bayridge Sushi. There was some input from the Commission at the last meeting that the work done specifically at Bayridge Sushi, while against the code, was CC 05-16-2022/26 something that warranted a second look because it seemed to be professionally installed,visually appealing, and a benefit to the city. He thought if the Commission is going to make a change in the code, it is important to consider all the variables so the Commission does not unintentionally make a change that negatively impacts everyone. Mr. Kintner said one thing from the staff perspective if the Commission directs staff to make a change to the code they would ask the code enforcement to hold back on that particular element while making changes. Commissioner Sackett asked why Bayridge Sushi was cited with a code violation thinking the matter fell under a temporary use permit which is valid until the holidays. He understands the lighting brings in more customers but said the business likely does not need the extra attention since it always seems crowded with people. He said it appeared Bayridge Sushi and other businesses were moving their lighting inside. Mr. Kintner replied Bayridge Sushi was cited with a permanent sign, not a temporary sign citation. He was referring to the blue strip lighting around the building. Mayor Morgan said when you drive through the city at nighttime, a lot of the strip malls do not have lighting. The goal should be to attract business owners who have a sense of pride and want to beautify their property. He thought Bayridge Sushi was the best- looking structure in that strip mall. Discussion ensued on how bright the Bayridge Sushi lights appeared and other businesses may follow, neon lights, blinking lights, how close the business is to a residential neighborhood, what is fair for other business owners if cited with the same violation, and if they paid for lighting changes. Mr. Kintner explained there is a difference between professionally installed strip lighting and the items you can buy online that you roll out and tape up to the inside of a window. He said the Commission may or may not want to make that distinction. Commissioner McMillan asked if the lighting for Bayridge Sushi was included in the building permit. Mr. Kintner answered the lighting was not included. CC 05-16-2022/27 Mr. Gioielli said the particular city code that is under discussion addresses three (3) different issues including strip lighting only. Blinking and flashing lights are in a different area of the code. He explained strip lighting, whether it's LED, neon, or something similar, is specified if used to outline a roof of a building or any part of the building such as a window. He stated the options to the Commission are to take no action or to direct the staff to remove the entire code or to dissect which ones are a priority or not. For example, the Commission may desire to approve roof lighting and strip lighting, but still, be interested in having a code restricting window lighting. He said also, to make a distinction between professionally installed strip lighting and something someone ordered online which they put up themselves. Discussion followed with suggestions on getting comparisons from other cities' codes, whether Bayridge Sushi owned their parking lot and if not, where are the street lights, the lights at Bayridge Sushi are subjective and may not appeal to everyone. Deputy Mayor Boni moved to direct city staff to review and evaluate Section 6.2.2, subsection BB, and to direct the suspension of enforcement of the same subsection with regards to strip lighting used to outline roofs or parts of the building with the exception of the window which would remain in enforcement. Seconded by Commissioner Sackett and carried by a unanimous roll call vote. 13. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT Mr. Gioielli pointed out Ms. Cartagena was part of a committee for the employee event team which is the same team who held the holiday party last year and issued employee awards. He is excited about the committee and the energy they bring to city staff. He thanked Deputy Mayor Boni and the Commission for supporting the Employees Night Out at the Predators game. Mr. Gioielli reported over the last couple of years the Commission has received various complaints about the intersection of Wayman Street and Bay Avenue. They have been contacted about a stop sign and there were comments on social media. He was pleasantly surprised by the positive comments in regards to the stripping added to the roadway to highlight the curve to keep residents safe. He thanked the Public Works Department for that project. CC 05-16-2022/28 Mr. Gioielli said work has started on the Leisure Services/Volunteer Portables. Rotten wood on the outside of the buildings is being replaced in preparation for pressure washing and painting. He also reported an unexpected expense has arisen with one of the air conditioning units at the portables and it needs to be replaced. Staff is currently working on that situation. Mr. Gioielli said staff has participated in the program called Best Foot Forward with the intent to improve or do what we can as a community to improve pedestrian safety as it relates to intersections and roadways. The Public Works Department, the Police Department, and staff have been involved this year in two (2) well-organized events teaming up with Best Foot Forward and eleven (11) other Central Florida law enforcement agencies where they were able to improve driver awareness and provide enforcement education, and he hoped to see the improvements to continue to keep the residents safe. Mr. Gioielli said in regards to Ms.Trippy's Emporium each Commissioner has individually had a meeting with the owner where she tried to better illustrate her position on whether or not the event is actually a place of venue or an event center. He thought he had a good idea of some of the issues since he was in the meetings and able to take notes. He asked for direction from the Commission in regards to this item coming back on a future agenda. It was the consensus of the Commission for Mr. Gioielli to bring the issue back as an agenda item at a future meeting. Mr. Gioielli commented on the Independence Day Celebration scheduled for July 2 from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Staff is concerned about having a lot of people at the event, and likely will be one of the largest city events ever. The city has partnered with WJRR 101.1, and there will be food trucks and things for kids. He said there will be an operational plan in place to consider all the safety needs of residents and visitors. 14. CITY ATTORNEY'S REPORT. No report. 15. CITY CLERK'S REPORT Ms. Longo said city offices will be closed on Monday, May 30th in observance of Memorial Day. She noted the Mayors and Managers Meeting will be held this week on Tuesday, May 17th, and will be held at the Oviedo Cultural Center, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. As a reminder, she said the Tri-County League of Cities will not be having their normal meeting and is hosting an in-person Ethics Training this Thursday, May 19th in the City of Casselberry. She stated this will satisfy the CC 05-16-2022/29 Commission's required ethics training. It will be held from 10:00 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. at the Casselberry Recreation Center. Lunch will be served between 12:00 p.m. and 12:30 p.m. if any Commissioner would like to attend for lunch only and network with those attending, you can still register. She also noted the Board Appreciation Dinner is coming up, and will be held on Thursday, June 2nd, and will be held at the Longwood Community Building. She reminded the Commission to send in their RSVP. 16. ADJOURN. Mayor Morgan adjourned the meeting at 9:15 p.m. Minutes approved by City Commission: 06-06-2022 Matt Morgan, May ATTEST• ichell ong M , City Clerk I CC 05-16-2022/30