* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. YES, WE CAN GO [00:00:01] AHEAD MADAM. RECORDING IN PROGRESS. OKAY. [1.  CALL TO ORDER] WELCOME TO THE CITY COMMISSION MEETING. WE ARE PLEASED THAT YOU HAVE DEMONSTRATED AN INTEREST IN THE CITY OF LORD DE LAKES BY ATTENDING A CITY COMMISSION MEETING. WE HOPE THAT YOU ENJOY THE MEETING AND WILL ATTEND MORE OF THESE MEETINGS IN THE FUTURE. GENERAL RULES AND PRE PROCEDURES FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AT CITY COMMISSION MEETINGS, PLEASE TURN OFF FOR SILENCE YOUR CELL PHONES. ANY PERSON REQUIRING AUXILIARY AIDS AND THE SERVICES MUST CONTACT THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE AT 9 5 4 5 3 5 2 7 0 5 AT LEAST 24 HOURS PRIOR TO THE MEETING. IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS HEARING OR SPEECH IMPAIRED, PLEASE CALL FLORIDA RELAY SERVICES AT +1 800-955-8770 OR 8 7 7 1 WHO MAY SPEAK ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO WISHES TO ADDRESS THE CITY COMMISSION MAY DO SO. PROVIDING IT IS ACCOMPLISHED IN AN ORDERLY MANNER AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROCEDURES OUTLINED IN SECTION 2 5 4. PARENTHESIS TWO OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCE PETITIONS FROM THE PUBLIC PER SECTION TWO DASH 54 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCE EACH PERSON DESIGNED TO PETITION THE CITY COMMISSION WILL BE ALLOTTED FIVE MINUTES UNDER THE APPLICABLE ORDER OF BUSINESS FOR THE CITY COMMISSION. MEETING PETITIONS FROM THE PUBLIC SHALL NOT EXCEED 30 MINUTES IN AGGREGATE TIME. THE MAYOR AT HER DISCRETION MAY ALLOW MORE TIME THAN THE ALLOTTED TIME SPEAKING ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA. EACH PERSON WHO WISHES TO ADDRESS THE CITY COMMISSION MUST SIGN IN WITH THE CITY CLERK BEFORE 7:00 PM BY COMPLETING THE PETITION FROM THE PUBLIC FROM FORM LOCATED ON THE PODIUM OUTSIDE OF THE CITY COMMISSION. CHAMBERS, THE CITY COMMISSION MEETING IS A BUSINESS MEETING AND AS SUCH, PLEASE CONDUCT YOURSELVES IN A RESPECTFUL AND PROFESSIONAL MANNER, BOTH IN TONE OF VOICE AS WELL AS CHOICE OF WORDS. PLEASE DIRECT YOUR COMMENTS TO THE CITY COMMISSION AS A BODY THROUGH THE PRESIDING OFFICE AND NOT TO THE AUDIENCE OR INDIVIDUAL CITY COMMISSIONER. AS YOUR CITY COMMISSION. WE WILL ABIDE BY THE DEBATE AND DECORUM RULES WHICH PROVIDES FOR EACH CITY COMMISSIONER TO SPEAK 10 MINUTES AT A TIME ON EACH SUBJECT MATTER. AFTER EVERY COMMISSIONER HAVE SPOKEN, THE MAYOR WILL PROVIDE FOR OTHER COMMITTEES. MADAM CITY CLERK, THE MEETING IS NOW CALLED TO ORDER. ROLL CALL PLEASE. MAYOR EDWARDS PHILLIPS. HERE VICE MAYOR SWELL PRESENT, COMMISSIONER HARRISON, COMMISSIONER MAXWELL WILLIAMS PRESENT, COMMISSIONER THOMAS [00:05:01] PRESENT, CITY MANAGER BROWN STUBBS PRESENT CITY ATTORNEY CALLAWAY PRESENT. MADAM MAYOR, LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT MAYOR EDWARDS PHILLIPS, AS WELL AS COMMISSIONER SHARON THOMAS ARE ON THAT LINE VIRTUALLY FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSES ONLY, BUT NOT FOR VOTING PURPOSES. ADDITIONALLY, AT THIS TIME, COMMISSIONER EASTON HARRISON IS ABSENT AND WE HAVE NO QUORUM. OKAY, I WILL, I THINK THE CITY ATTORNEY SAYS WE CAN CONTINUE WITH THE INVOCATION. UH, FATHER PEAR IS HERE FROM ST. HELEN'S CHURCH. FATHER PEAR, WELCOME TO THE CITY COMMISSION MEETING AND WE ARE GOING TO STAND FOR THE INVOCATION. GRACIOUS, LOVING GOD, YOU ARE THE GOD OF LIFE, LOVE AND JUSTICE. WE COME BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING AS CITIZENS OF THE CITY OF LAUDER DE LAKES TO ASK YOUR BLESSING ON THE PEOPLE YOU ARE BEING CALLED TO LEAD THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH WE LIVE AND MOVE AND WORK. WE PRAY FOR THESE ELECTED OFFICIALS, OUR POLICE OFFICER, OUR FIRST RESPONDENT, ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT MAKE UP THIS CONSULT WHO GATHER HERE TO DISCUSS, TO DISCERN AND MAKE DECISIONS THAT WILL HELP THEM TO GOVERN OUR CITY. I PRAY YOU, LORD, THAT YOUR SPIRIT OF LOVE, COMPASSION, JUSTICE, AND WISDOM WILL OCCUPY THE SPACE AND THEIR MINDS AND DIRECT EVERY DISCUSSION TONIGHT. HELP THEM AS LEADERS TO BE OPEN TO LEARN ABOUT THE NEEDS OF THE CITIZENS AND HOW THEY MIGHT NEED TO CHANGE AND IMPROVE EVERY SINGLE LIFE. I ASK YOUR FATHER TO HELP EACH ONE OF THEM TO SEE THEMSELVES AS ONE OF THE LEAST AMONG US. SEE THEMSELVES AS HOMELESS, AS UNEMPLOYED AND AS UNDEREMPLOYED AS AN IMMIGRANT SO THAT THEY MAY BE GUIDED BY THE GOLDEN WALL OF LIFE TO DO UNTO OTHERS AS THEY WOULD HAVE OTHERS TO DO THEM. REMIND THEM THAT THEY ARE NOT ONLY LEADERS BUT ALSO SERVANTS AND THAT IT IS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY IN OURS TO SERVE THE COMMON GOOD OF ALL. REMIND THEM THAT NO MATTER WHERE WE LIVE, EVERYONE IS OUR NEIGHBOR, OUR SIBLING. AND THAT THROUGHOUT THE AGE'S, PROPHETS HAVE CALLED THE LEADERS OF THE PEOPLE TO RESPECT AND PROTECT THE LEAD THE LEAST OF THOSE AMONG US. WE THANK YOU FATHER FOR ALL THOSE CHERISH WOMEN IN OUR LIVES AND IN OUR HISTORY. AS WE CELEBRATE THE MONTH OF WOMEN, MOTHERS, SISTERS, FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS, MAY ALL WOMEN OF THIS BOARD IN OUR CITY, OUR NATION AND THE GLOBE CONTINUES TO BE EMPOWERED KNOWING THE LOVE YOU OFFER. GRANT THIS BOARD AND US THE WISDOM AND COURAGE TO KNOW AND TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT AND GOOD AND THROUGH MAY THEY AND WE SPEAK OUT WHEN IT IS TIME TO SPEAK OUT AND LISTEN PATIENTLY AND RESPECTIVELY. WHEN IT IS TIME TO LISTEN, MAY THEY AND WE ALWAYS BE GUIDED BY THE SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY, BY THE SPIRIT OF JUSTICE AND BY THE SPIRIT OF LOVE. WE MAKE THIS PRAYER THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR SAVIOR, IN OUR LORD. AMEN. PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PLEASURE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. PLEASE BE SEATED. CONFIRMATION COME HERE, WE CAN DO THAT. GO AHEAD. THIS [00:10:01] IS A DELIBERATE, YOU BETTER BE IN THE HOSPITAL. IV [A.  PROCLAMATION - CELEBRATING NATIONAL PROCUREMENT MONTH] PROCLAMATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS. WE HAVE SOME PROCLAMATIONS AND THE FIRST ONE IS PROCLAMATION CELEBRATING NATIONAL PROCUREMENT MONTH. I THINK I HAVE TO GO DOWN. YEAH. OKAY. OKAY. CELEBRATING THE MONTH OF MARCH AS NATIONAL PROCUREMENT MONTH, WHEREAS THE PUBLIC PROCUREMENT PROFESSION PLAYS A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN THE EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF BOTH GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS. IN ADDITION TO THE PURCHASE OF GOODS AND SERVICES, PROCUREMENT ADDS VALUE TO THE ORGANIZATION BY PERFORMING FUNCTIONS SUCH AS EXECUTING, IMPLEMENTING AND ADMINISTERING CONTRACTS, DEVELOPING STRATEGIC PROCUREMENT STRATEGIES AND CULTIVATING WORKING RELATIONSHIPS WITH SUPPLIERS AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION. AND WHEREAS THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF A FIRST CLASS PROCUREMENT ORGANIZATION EXTENDS BEYOND THE TRADITIONAL BELIEF THAT PROCUREMENT PRIMARY ROLE IS TO OBTAIN GOODS AND SERVICES IN RESPONSE TO INTERNAL NEEDS. AND WHERE THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS AND ENCOMPASSES THE ENTIRE DEVELOPMENT OF GOODS AND SERVICES THAT OUR END USERS REQUIRE FROM THE IDENTIFICATION OF NEED TO THE WRITING OF THE SPECIFICATIONS, TO THE ISSUANCE OF THE SOLICITATION DOCUMENT TO ACQUI ACQUISITION, RECEIVING AND INSPECTION TO INVENTORY CONTROL TO SELECTION AND AWARD OF THE CONTRACT TO CONTRACT PREPARATION AND EXECUTION, TO CONTRACT MANAGEMENT, TO CONTRACT CLOSEOUT, TO SALVAGE AND DISPOSAL OPERATIONS AND EVERY ACHIEVEMENT IN THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS IN THE SUPPORT OF THE STRATEGIC GOALS OF THE CITY OF LORD DE LAKES. AND WHEREAS THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL SERVICES IS COMMITTED TO THE FAIR, EQUITABLY AND TIMELY ACQUISITION OF GOODS AND SERVICES TO THE CITY OF LORD DE LAKES AND TO CULTIVATE AN ETHICAL AND PROFESSIONAL ENVIRONMENT. AND WHEREAS USING COMPETITION TECHNOLOGY AND BEST PRACTICES, WE STRIVE TO BRING THE GREATEST VALUE TO THE CITY AND ITS RESIDENCE IN AN EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE MANNER WHILE EMBRACING THE VALUES AND GUIDING [00:15:01] PRINCIPLES OF ACCOUNTABILITY, ETHICS, IMPARTIALITY, PROFESSIONALITY SERVICES AND TRANSPARENCY WHICH WERE ESTABLISHED BY THE INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC PROCUREMENT AS FUNDAMENTAL TENANTS OF THE PUBLIC PROCUREMENT PROFESSION. NOW, THEREFORE, I VERONICA EDWARDS PHILLIPS, BY VIRTUE OF THE AUTHORITY VESTED IN ME AS MAYOR OF THE CITY OF LORD THE DE LAKES DO HEREBY PROCLAIM MARCH AS NATIONAL PROCUREMENT MONTH AND URGE ALL RESIDENTS TO JOIN ME TOGETHER WITH VICE SMEAR TY SWELL AND THE COMMISSIONERS EASTERN HARRISON, CARLENE, MAXWELL WILLIAMS, AND SHARON THOMAS IN RECOGNIZING THE ROLE OF PUBLIC PROCUREMENT, GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS IN WITNESS. THEREFORE, I HAVE HERE ON TO SET MY HAND AND CAUSE THE OFFICIAL SEAL OF THE CITY OF LORD DE LAKES TO BE AFFIX THIS 11TH DAY OF MARCH, 2025. VERONICA EDWARDS PHILLIPS MAYOR AND DENISE HOWARD CITY CLARK AND I DON'T KNOW WHO IS HERE TO ACCEPT THIS PROCLAMATION. MS. BOBBY, COME FORWARD PLEASE. OKAY, MS. BOBBY, ON BEHALF OF THE GREAT WEAKER CITY OF LORD DE LAKES MM-HMM . THIS PROCLAMATION HAS BEEN WRITTEN, READ AND IT'S HERE FOR YOUR DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. TAKE SOME PICTURES, COME DOWN. OKAY. OH, HE'S GOING TO ACCEPT IT. OKAY. COME DOWN. WHERE IS MISS? SHE NEEDS TO COME DOWN. LET'S TAKE SOME PICTURES. WELL, Y'ALL GOTTA WAIT. . YES I WOULD. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, CITY ATTORNEYS, CITY MANAGER, CITY CLERK, OUR AMAZING AUDIENCE. UH, THIS EVENING OUR STAFF, UH, ONCE AGAIN, GOOD EVENING. I'M BOBBY WILLIAMS, THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCIAL SERVICES FOR THE RECORD. AND TODAY IS NATIONAL PROCUREMENT MONTH. UH, WE CELEBRATE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE MONTH OF MARCH AND IT IS DEDICATED TO HONORING PURCHASE PURCHASING PROFESSIONALS. EXCUSE ME. THIS DESIGNATION RECOGNIZES AND PROMOTES THE PUBLIC PROCUREMENT PROFESSION AS AN ELITE PROFESSION, WHICH CONTRIBUTES TO THE CITY'S OVERALL EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS. PUBLIC PROCUREMENT PROFESSIONALS HELP TO DO THE HARD WORK OF EVALUATING PUBLIC PURCHASES TO SEE WHAT MAKES SENSE FOR THE CITY, WHAT'S NOT WORKING AND WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED. THE CITY'S PUBLIC PROCUREMENT PROFESSIONALS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR [00:20:01] ACTIVITIES SUCH AS COMPARING VENDOR OFFERS TO ENSURING TAXPAYERS ARE GETTING, ARE GETTING THE MOST VALUE FOR THEIR MONEY WHEN PURCHASING GOODS AND SERVICES. DOWN TO MONITORING THE CONTRACT PROGRESS. WITH THE FOCUS ON TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY, PUBLIC PROCUREMENT PROFESSIONALS WEAR A VARIETY OF HATS. WE ARE EXPLORERS, TRAILBLAZERS, AND INNOVATORS FOCUSED ON BUILDING A BETTER TOMORROW. THE REGION IMPACT OF PROCUREMENT PROFESSIONALS, UH, WHAT THEY DO IS BREATHTAKING, SOMETIMES SUPERHUMAN, SUCH AS TRANSFORMING CITIES THROUGH THE USE OF INNOVATIVE AND CREATIVE SOLUTIONS AND DETERMINING HOW AND WHEN GOODS ARE PROCURED. THE CITY OF LAUDERDALE LAKES PROCUREMENT STAFF IS A COMPLIMENT OF UH, TWO PERSONNEL THAT IS OUR PROCUREMENT ADMINISTRATOR AND WE ALSO HAVE A PROCUREMENT COORDINATOR, I'M SORRY, PROCUREMENT PROCUREMENT ADMINISTRATOR AND A PROCUREMENT COORDINATOR AND THEY HAVE HALF A MEET. SO 2.5 COMPLIMENT DOING ALL THAT WORK. DURING FISCAL YEAR 2024, THE PROCUREMENT TEAM PROCESSED OVER 407 70 PURCHASE ORDERS VALUED AT $17 MILLION, MANAGED OVER 152 INFORMAL AND FORMAL CONTRACTS AND PROCESSED OVER 2000 PCARD TRANSACTIONS VALUED AT $560,000. ON THE BEHALF OF THE CITY COMMISSION AND OUR CITY MANAGEMENT, I LIKE TO THANK OUR PUBLIC PROCUREMENT PROFESSIONALS, UH, FOR ALL FOLLOW THE SERVICE TO THE CITY AND ALSO TO OUR PROFESSION. THANK YOU. LEMME TRY. [B.  PROCLAMATION - PROCLAIMING MARCH AS NATIONAL ATHLETIC TRAINING MONTH - CITY OF LAUDERDALE LAKES (SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER THOMAS)] AND THIS ONE IS PROCLAIMING THE MONTH OF MARCH AS NATIONAL ATHLETIC TRAINING MONTH AND IT'S SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER SHARON THOMAS, WHEREAS THE ATHLETIC TRAINERS ASSOCIATION OF FLORIDA INC. WAS FOUNDED IN 1983 AS AN ORGANIZATION COMMITTED TO THE EDUCATION OF ITS MEMBERS AND THE ENHANCEMENT OF THE PROFESSION OF ATHLETIC TRAINING, CREATING BETTER HEALTHCARE FOR THE POPULATION IT SERVES. AND WHEREAS ATHLETIC TRAINERS FROM PROFESSIONAL COLLEGIATE, HIGH SCHOOL AND CLUB SPORTS TEAM INDUSTRIES, HOSPITALS AND PHYSICIAN OFFICES, REHABILITATION CLINICS, COLLEGE EIGHT AND SECONDARY SCHOOL EDUCATION, PUBLIC SAFETY, INCLUDING LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FIRE RESCUE, FIRE RESPONDERS, AND EVERY BRANCH OF THE UNITED STATES MILITARY WORK TOGETHER TO PROMOTE AND PRACTICE THE PROFESSION OF ATHLETIC TRAINING WITHIN THE CITY OF LODE LAKES LAKES. AND WHEREAS ATHLETIC TRAINERS AS A MEMBER OF THE HEALTHCARE TEAM HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF PROVIDING QUALITY HEALTHCARE FOR ATHLETES AND PERSONS ENGAGED IN REG REGULAR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY TRAINERS, OUR HIGHLY QUALIFIED MULTI-SKILLED HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS WHO SPECIALIZE IN IMMEDIATE ACUTE AND EMERGENCY CARE EXAMINATION ASSESSMENT AND DIAGNOSIS, INJURY PREVENTION, RISK MANAGEMENT, THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION AND REHABILITATION OF INJURY AND ILLNESS. AND WHEREAS THE NATIONAL ATHLETIC TRAINERS ASSOCIATION REPRESENTS AND SUPPORTS MORE THAN 45,000 MEMBERS OF THE ATHLETIC TRAINING PROFESSION, INCLUDING MORE THAN 3049 [00:25:03] ATHLETIC TRAINERS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. LEADING ORGANIZATIONS CONCERNED WITH ATHLETIC TRAINING AND HEALTHCARE HAVE UNITED IN A COMMON COMMITMENT TO RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PROFESSION OF ATHLETIC TRAINING AND THE ROLE OF ATHLETIC TRAINERS IN THE PROVISION OF QUALITY HEALTHCARE SERVICES. AND WHEREAS NATIONAL ATHLETIC TRAINING MONTH IS HELD EVERY MARCH IN ORDER TO SPREAD AWARENESS ABOUT THE IMPORTANT WORK OF ATHLETIC TRAINERS, WHEREAS IT IS THE DESIRE OF THE CITY OF LORD DE LAKES TO PROMOTE IMPROVED HEALTHCARE FOR ATHLETES AND ALL OF THOSE WHO ENGAGE IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. NOW, THEREFORE, I VERONICA EDWARDS PHILLIPS, BY VIRTUE OF THE AUTHORITY VESTED IN ME AS MAYOR OF THE CITY OF LORD DE LAKES, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF MARCH, 2025 AS AN URGE ALL RESIDENTS TO JOIN ME TOGETHER WITH VICE SMER TYSON OSWELL AND THE COMMISSIONERS EASTERN HARRISON CARINE, MAXWELL WILLIAMS, AND SHARON THOMAS IN RECOGNIZING ATHLETIC TRAINERS FOR THEIR HONORABLE WORK IN PROVIDING AN UNPARALLEL CONTINUUM OF CARE TO THEIR PATIENTS AND KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY HEALTHY IN WITNESS. THEREFORE, I HAVE HERE ON TO SET MY HAND AND CAUSE THE OFFICIAL SEAL OF THE CITY OF LORD DE LAKES TO BE AFFIXED THIS 11TH DAY OF MARCH, 2025, VERONICA EDWARDS, PHILIP S MAYOR, AND DENISE HOWARD CITY CLARK. AND MISS VENICE IS GOING TO ACCEPT THIS PROCLAMATION SINCE SHE'S AN ATHLETIC GURU ON BEHALF OF COMMISSIONER SHARON THOMAS, THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU. AS THE CITY'S PROGRAM COORDINATOR FOR HEALTH AND WELLNESS, I AM ACCEPTING THIS PROCLAMATION THAT WAS GRACIOUSLY SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER THOMAS, UM, FOR THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ATHLETIC TRAINERS WHO COULD NOT BE IN ATTENDANCE TODAY. OKAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH. TAKE SOME PICTURES. OKAY, THANK YOU. AND I'LL PUT A BIG ONE. THAT'S THE BIG ONE. ARE YOU MISSING ONE? NO, YOU ARE NOT DOING THE EASTON. NO, HE NOT HERE. OKAY. YOU DO THIS ONE AND THEN AFTER THAT. NO, GO AHEAD. NO, HE WAS NEXT. GO AHEAD. SO NOW WE KNOW WHAT TO DO WHEN WE NEED THE, A FULL ATTENDANCE IS TO INVITE COMMISSIONER HAZEL ROGERS. [00:30:04] SHE'LL BE HERE EVERY TUESDAY AS OF TODAY [C.  PROCLAMATION - RECOGNIZING MARCH AS MUSLIM AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH AND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF RAMADAN (SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER HARRISON)] RECOGNIZING MARCH AS MUSLIM AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH AND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF RAMADAN. AND THIS IS SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER EASTERN HARRISON. WHEREAS MUSLIM AMERICANS HAVE MADE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CULTURAL, ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, AND POLITICAL FABRIC OF OUR NATION, ENRICHING COMMUNITIES THROUGH THEIR DEDICATION TO EDUCATION, PUBLIC SERVICE, BUSINESS SCIENCE AND THE ARTS. AND WHEREAS THE OBSERVANCE OF MUSLIM AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE THE DIVERSE HISTORY, ACHIEVEMENTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF MUSLIM AMERICANS WHILE FOSTERING UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION OF ISLAMIC TRADITIONS. AND WHEREAS RAMADAN, THE HOLIEST MONTHS IN THE ISLAMIC CALENDAR IS A TIME OF FASTING, PRAYER, REFLECTION AND COMMUNITY OBSERVED BY MILLIONS OF MUSLIMS AROUND THE WORLD AND IN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES. AND WHEREAS DURING RAMADAN, MUSLIMS FAST FROM DAWN TO SUNSET AS AN ACT OF DEVOTION, SELF, SELF-DISCIPLINE, AND SPIRITUAL RENEWAL, WHILE ALSO EMPHASIZING GENEROSITY, CHARITY AND COMPASSION FOR THOSE IN NEED. AND WHEREAS THE VALUES OF RAMADAN, EMPATHY, GRATITUDE, SERVICE, AND SELF-REFLECTION ALIGN WITH THE UNIVERSAL PRINCIPLES OF KINDNESS, JUSTICE, AND THE COMMUNITY BUILDING FOSTERING UNITY AND SOLIDARITY AMONG PEOPLE OF ALL BACKGROUNDS. AND WHEREAS MUSLIM AMERICANS CONTINUE TO PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN PROMOTING INTERFAITH DIALOGUE, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, AND THE HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS THAT STRENGTHEN OUR SHARED COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION, IT ALSO PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE RICH HERITAGE OF MUSLIM AMERICANS AND APPRECIATE THE CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES AS WE WORK TOGETHER TO FOSTER MUTUAL RESPECT AND UNDERSTANDING. NOW, THEREFORE, I VERONICA EDWARDS PHILLIPS, BY VIRTUE OF THE AUTHORITY VESTED IN ME AS MAYOR OF THE CITY OF LORD DE LAKES, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM MARCH AS MUSLIM AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH AND MARCH 31ST, 2025 AS MUSLIM DAY AND URGE ALL RESIDENTS TO JOIN ME TOGETHER WITH VICE M MAYOR TWELL AND COMMISSIONERS EASTERN HARRISON, CARLENE, MAXWELL WILLIAMS, AND SHARON THOMAS IN ACKNOWLEDGING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF RAMADAN, WHICH SHAPES THE VALUES OF FAITH, RESILIENCE, AND COMPASSION THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE [00:35:01] WELLBEING OF OUR SOCIETY IN WITNESS. THEREFORE, I HAVE HERE ON TO SET MY HAND AND CAUSE THE OFFICIAL SEAL OF THE CITY OF LORD DE LAKES TO BE AFFIXED THIS DAY, 11TH DAY OF MARCH, 2025, VERONICA EDWARDS PHILLIPS MAYOR AND VENICE HO HOWARD CITY CLARK AND I'M, I THINK SOMEONE IS HERE. OH, OUR FRIEND IS HERE. YES. WHO HAPPENS TO BE A MUSLIM. AND ON BEHALF OF THE CITY, I JUST WANT TO PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION AND I LEARNED SO MUCH JUST READING THE PROCLAMATION ABOUT MUSLIM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY, I THINK YOU CAN SHAKE. OKAY, GO OVER THERE. OKAY, WE'RE GONNA GO OVER THERE. TAKE A PICTURE, MOVE, WHY GET HURT AND A PLEASANT GOOD EVENING TO EVERYONE, MADAM VICE MAYOR, MADAM MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, COLLEAGUES, FRIENDS AND VIEWERS. I'M VERY HUMBLED BY THIS PROCLAMATION AND ALL THE EFFORT THAT WENT INTO IT ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE MUSLIM COMMUNITY, WE WANT TO THANK LAUDERDALE LAKES FOR BEING, FOR TAKING THIS STEP. THIS IS ALSO THE FIRST TIME THIS CITY HAS DONE THIS AND WE WANT TO CONGRATULATE THIS CITY FOR SHOWING HOW MUCH THEY CARE. IT'S INDEED A PLEASURE THAT I'M A MEMBER OF THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY, BUT I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF STAFF AND THE CITY HAS SHOWN THAT TO ME HOW MUCH THEY CARE. I HAVE FELT SO MUCH AT HOME AND COMFORTABLE HERE, NOT JUST BECAUSE I'M FROM TRINIDAD , BUT I'M ALSO AN AMERICAN AND ONE THAT'S VERY MUCH RESPECTED IN THIS CITY BY MY COLLEAGUES, BY MY BOSS AND MY CITY MANAGER AND CITY CLERK WHO HAVE ALL GIVEN ME SUPPORT. ONE THING I WANT TO CLARIFY WHY WE, WHILE IN THIS MONTH OF RAMADAN, WE DO FAST. WE DON'T EAT OR DRINK ANYTHING FROM THE BREAK OF DAWN UNTIL AFTER, UNTIL SUNSET. PEOPLE THINK THAT'S DIFFICULT, BUT THAT'S THE EASIEST PART OF FASTING. THE REAL FASTING IS ESPECIALLY DURING THIS TIME, WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO LIE, CHEAT BACK, BITE OR SLANDER OR THINK EVIL TOTS OR LOOK AT EVIL THINGS. THIS IS THE REAL TEST FOR MANY PEOPLE. EATING AND DRINKING, THAT'S THE EASIEST PART. BUT ALSO FINDING QUA, FINDING GOD CONSCIOUSNESS, BEING CONSCIOUS BECAUSE THE KORAN MENTIONS THAT WHEN A MUSLIM FAST, THERE'S NO SPECIFIC QUANTITY OF REWARD GIVING TO THAT PERSON BECAUSE THAT FAST, THAT FAST THAT THAT MUSLIM DOES IS A SPECIAL REWARD THAT IS GIVEN BY ALLAH. IT'S ONLY GIVEN BY HIM AND IT'S, IT'S BEEN GIVEN BASED ON THE FACT THAT THAT PERSON DOES. THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN. [D.  PROCLAMATION - CELEBRATING WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH HONORING COMMISSIONER HAZELLE ROGERS (SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER MAXWELL-WILLIAMS)] [00:40:01] GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. GOOD EVENING PLEASE. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU. SO TODAY I AM, UM, HONORING MY VERY GOOD FRIEND. AND I THINK, UH, THIS IS WELL DESERVED TO THIS BEAUTIFUL LADY. WE HAVE A LOT IN COMMON. SHE OLDER THAN ME, THOUGH SHE COULD BE MY MOM, . UM, SO LET ME BEGIN. WHEREAS BROWARD COUNTY COMMISSIONER HAZEL ROGERS WAS BORN IN KINSTON, JAMAICA. SHE MARRIED HER BEST FRIEND CLIFTON ROGERS IN 1974, WHO SHE DRAWS STRENGTH AND INSPIRATION AS HER UNWAVERING ANCHOR. AND WHEREAS COMMISSIONER ROGERS MIGRATED TO NEW YORK IN 1969 BEFORE RELOCATING TO FLORIDA IN 1982, SHE BEGAN HER PUBLIC CAREER IN 1996 AS A CITY COMMISSIONER IN LAUDERDALE LAKES, EMBRACING THE MOTTO, LET THE WORK THAT I DO SPEAK FOR ME, BECOMING THE FIRST PERSON FROM ENGLISH SPEAKING CARIBBEAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY, ELECTED IN THE SOUTHERN US SOUTHERN US ROGERS SERVED AS PRESIDENT OF THE BROWARD LEAGUE OF CITIES IN 2004 WAS FIRST ELECTED TO THE FLORIDA HOUSE, OUR REPRESENTATIVE IN 2008, AND SERVED AS THE DEMOCRATIC DEPUTY WHIP FROM 2010 TO 2016. SHE BECAME THE FIRST FEMALE CARIBBEAN AMERICAN TO SERVE AS MAYOR OF LAUDERDALE LAKES IN 2016 AND RAN UNOPPOSED IN 2020 ELECTION. AND WHEREAS COMMISSIONER ROGERS WAS SWORN IN AS BROWARD COUNTY COMMISSION ON DECEMBER 29TH, 2022 AND RUN UNOPPOSED IN NOVEMBER, 2024 ELECTION, SHE HAS RECEIVED NUMEROUS ACCOLADES INCLUDE CONTRIBUTION RECOGNITION, PLAQUES FROM THE AMBASSADOR, SEVEN DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH, AND AN APPRECIATION RECOGNITION KEY FROM THE MIAMI BROWARD CARNIVAL. AND WHEREAS HER AWARDS INCLUDE 2000 YMCA VOLUNTEER AWARD, THE 2001 BROWARD COUNTY WOMAN HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE, AND THE 2014 HONORARY ATE OF HUMANITIES. SHE HAS ESTABLISHED A SCHOLARSHIP FUND IN FLORIDA MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY IN SUPPORT OF THE UNITED NEGRO COLLEGE FUND. AND WHEREAS WOMEN ARE POWERFUL SOURCE OF INSPIRATION, SUPPORT AND STRENGTH FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY, WOMAN IS A WONDERFUL TIME TO HONOR AND CELEBRATE THE SIGNIFICANT IMPACT WOMAN HAS MADE AND CONTINUE TO MAKE THE CITY OF LAUDERDALE LAKES PROUDLY HONOR BROWARD COUNTY COMMISSIONER HAZEL ROGERS. WELL DESERVED. THIS IS WELL DESERVED AND I HOPE MR. MAYNARD WILL BE WITH ME WHEN WE TRY TO GET THE PART NORTHGATE PARK WHERE HER NAME ON IT ALSO. I WOULD LIKE THAT TO HAPPEN AND WE'LL BE WORKING ON THAT ALSO. NOW, IF IT WAS UP TO ME, I'LL CHANGE YOUR NAME TO HAZEL LAKES . HAZEL LAKES RIGHT. WANT EVERYONE TO OH MY GOD GUYS. PERMISSION TO GO ON THE OH, I NEED TURN. YES. OKAY. PERMISSION? YES. [00:45:01] PERMISSION GRANT? YES. YES. SO WE JUST TURN THIS WAY? YES. OH, LET ME GO. YOU WANT TO STAND HERE? YES, RIGHT HERE. BE CAREFUL. HI MA'AM. I'M ALWAYS A TROUBLEMAKER FOLKS. SO GOOD EVENING. IF YOU CAN JUST FILL UP THESE CHAIRS FOR ME BECAUSE YOU'RE HONORING SOMEBODY WILL HAVE SOME EMPTY CHAIRS, PLEASE. CAN WE JUST, YOU WANT YOUR FAMILY AND DWIGHT? YES, DWIGHT. DWIGHT. PUT UP THE CHAIRS. I KNOW. LET ME ASK YOU BOTH. UH, COMMISSIONER. COMMISSIONER? YES. ARE THERE, JUST ASKING YOU TO MAKE A ONE STEP DOWN. YES. ONE STEP DOWN. ONE STEP DOWN GUYS. ONE STEP DOWN. OKAY. LOVING IT. THANK STEP THIS WAY. 1, 2, 2. AND LAST THREE. THANK YOU. THANKS. GOOD? YES. OH, SIT DOWN. ALRIGHT. UM, ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME AND SAY A FEW WORDS? YES. NOW WE WANT ALL TO GO HOME. SO WE HAVE ABOUT TWO MINUTES TO SAY. OKAY. IF YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING, WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND SAY SOMETHING? OH, OKAY. COME ON GUYS. I WROTE SOMETHING. OH, YOU WROTE SOMETHING? OKAY. HOW MANY OF YOU WROTE SOMETHING? NO, THIS IS NOT THE ACADEMY AWARD. IT IS BERNARD COUNTY COMMISSIONER. HI ROGERS. OF COURSE. ANYTHING FOR MS. ROGERS? GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. UM, CAN I GET YOUR PENSION PLEASE? THANK YOU. UM, I REALIZED THAT THE COMMISSIONER FORGOT TO MENTION THAT COUNTY COMMISSIONER HAZEL ROGERS HAVE SERVED LAUDERDALE LAKES FOR 29 YEARS. 29 YEARS. OKAY. SHE HAS BEEN A CHAMPION FOR EQUAL ACCESS, QUALITY EDUCATION, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES. NOW I ALWAYS HEAR HER TELLING ME THAT, UM, HOME OWN, HOME OWNERSHIP IS IMPORTANT. SO SHE'S ALWAYS CHAMPIONING THAT I WROTE SOMETHING, SO PLEASE INDULGE ME. UM, TODAY AS WE CELEBRATE WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, WE ARE HERE TO CELEBRATE THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THOSE WHO HAVE COME BEFORE US. THOSE WHO DID TO DREAM BIGGER, TO FIGHT HARDER, AND TO CARVE A PATH FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. AND IN THE WEAK HILL CITY OF LAUDERDALE LAKES, WE HAVE OUR OWN REMARKABLE WOMAN TO HONOR HAZEL P ROGERS, A WOMAN WHOSE NAME IS ETCHED IN THE FABRIC OF NOT JUST LAUDERDALE LAKES, BUT THE STATE OF FLORIDA. SHE IS A BEACON OF HOPE. SHE'S A BEACON OF HOPE, A TIRELESS ADVOCATE TO THE LESS FORTUNATE AND SOMEONE WHOSE IMPACT RESONATES [00:50:01] IN OUR COMMUNITY. TODAY I PAY TRIBUTE AND HEMORRHAGE TO YOU, A FRIEND AND A MENTEE. AS A MENTEE, YOU'VE MENTORED ME. SO THANK YOU. YOU HAVE CARRIED US ON YOUR SHOULDER AND MADE A PATH THROUGH JUNGLE. AND DESPITE YOUR SUCCESSES, I KNOW YOU HAVE FACED CRITICISM FOR DOING TOO MUCH TOO FAST OR WHEN THINGS GO WRONG FOR DOING TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE. YOU ARE DAMN IF YOU DO AND DAMN IF YOU DON'T. BUT I CAN HEAR YOU SAYING, FRANKLY I WOULD RATHER BE DAMNED IF I DO. IT IS PREFERABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT I DID TO HELP MY COMMUNITY THEN AVOID THE CRITICISM THAT I'M DOING TOO MUCH. AND I JUST WANNA READ JUST THIS AND I'LL GO STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS. I AM STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF THE ONES WHO CAME BEFORE ME. I AM STRONGER FOR THEIR COURAGE. I AM WISER FOR THEIR WORDS. I AM LIFTED BY THEIR LONGING FOR THE FEAR AND BRIGHTER FUTURE. I AM GRATEFUL FOR THEIR VISION, FOR THEIR TOILING ON THIS EARTH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MS. INGRID. WHO, WHAT'S YOUR NAME? UH, PATRICE. PA. PATRICE. PATRICE IS NEXT. YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO READ, DO YOU? NO, I'D SAY IT FROM MY HEART. ALRIGHT, . WELL GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I WOULD NOT BE ANYWHERE ELSE THAN HERE THIS EVENING BECAUSE I'M HERE TO HONOR THIS TRAILBLAZER, TRAILBLAZER, HAZEL ROGERS. I'M REPRESENTING MYSELF, MY FAMILY, AND THE ORGANIZATION THAT I CURRENTLY WORK FOR. BROWARD COMMUNITY AND FAMILY HEALTH CENTER. THIS WOMAN, I'VE NOTICED YOU READ EVERYTHING ABOUT HER POLITICAL CAREER, BUT PRIOR TO THAT SHE WAS OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY ADVOCATING THAT PART OF HER WAS NOT TOLD. BUT I DO KNOW SOME OF THAT BECAUSE THAT'S HOW I MET HER MANY YEARS AGO. DOING WHAT SHE DOES BEST IN THE COMMUNITY. AND I'LL LET YOU KNOW THIS TOO, SHE'S GOT MANY CHILDREN, DIDN'T GIVE BIRTH TO ANY, BUT SHE'S GOT KIDS THAT I'M TELLING YOU. OKAY? SO HERE, COMMISSIONER ROGERS ON BEHALF OF MY FAMILY, MYSELF, BROWARD COMMUNITY AND FAMILY HEALTH CENTER, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. WE LOVE YOU, WE APPRECIATE YOU AND CONTINUE DOING THE WORK THAT YOU DO. LOVE YOU MY SISTER. HI GUYS. SO LET ME EXPLAIN SOMETHING SHE DOES A LOT AND SHE UM, I ADMIRE HER AND LOVE HER AND I BROUGHT THIS PROCLAMATION TO GIVE TO HER. I WAS THE ONE WHO PUT IT TOGETHER TO HONOR HER 'CAUSE SHE MEANS SO MUCH TO ME. NOW, IF I HAD TO PUT EVERYTHING THERE, IT WOULD'VE BEEN A WHOLE ENCYCLOPEDIA AND WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE TIME. SO WE HAD TO BREAK IT DOWN AND UH, IMPACT IT. BUT THAT'S NOT SAYING THAT WE DON'T KNOW AND HONOR AND SEE WHAT SHE DOES, WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH SPACE ON THE PAPER. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. AFTER THAT. NO, I DON'T EVEN NEED A MINUTE, BUT GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. AFTER ALL OF THAT, I MET HAZEL ROGERS SOME THREE DECADES AGO, I THINK, UM, THROUGH SAMANTHA VAIANA. I AM AN ATTORNEY, UM, HERE IN LAUDERDALE LAKES. AND UM, BUT I MET, UH, COMMISSIONER ROGERS WAY BEFORE I BECAME AN ATTORNEY WHEN I WAS IN UNDERGRAD, NO GRAD SCHOOL DOING, UH, JOURNALISM. AND SHE GAVE ME MY FIRST OPPORTUNITY THAT IS THE ESSENCE TO ME OF WOMEN CELEBRATING WOMEN. AND SHE GAVE ME MY FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO WORK IN HER OFFICE THROUGH PATRICE. AND WE DID ALL KINDS OF THINGS AND CARRY ON. AND I'VE JUST BEEN ALONGSIDE HER THIS ENTIRE TIME. I LOVE YOU, MY SISTER. I LOVE YOU IN THE LORD, I LOVE YOU IN WORK AND EVERYTHING ELSE. CONGRATULATIONS. FINISH AND, AND MAN WILL PROBABLY BE EVEN QUICKER. SO, COMMISSIONER HAZEL ROGERS. I'M BARBARA SMITH ON BEHALF OF OR ESTATES AND YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY. I GREET YOU. I SAY THANK YOU. YOU ARE TRULY A VIRTUOUS WOMAN. DON'T STOP. THANK YOU. HOW YOU DOING? [00:55:05] HAPPY WOMAN'S MONTH TO EVERY, ALL THE WOMENS THAT ARE IN HERE NOW. I KNOW IT DOESN'T TAKE A MONTH TO CELEBRATE WOMEN. WE CELEBRATE YOU EACH AND EVERY DAY. 'CAUSE WE ARE LIVING EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US. IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE FROM THE GRACE CITY OF OAKLAND, OAKLAND PARK COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER BROWARD COUNTY COMMISSIONER HAZEL ROGERS REPRESENT CITY OF OAKLAND, OAKLAND PARK. SHE'S ONE OF THREE, BUT SHE'S NUMBER ONE. . YEAH. UH, I'M REPRESENTED BY, I LIVE IN THE PRECINCT WHERE LAMAR FISHER, WHICH IS THE ALLY FOR ROGERS AND COMMISSIONER BUL IS REPRESENTED BY, UH, COMMISSIONER MCKENZIE. SO AISHA GORDON IS REPRESENTED BY COMMISSIONER ROGERS. SO SHE GOT THE THREE RIFA CARIBBEAN AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMISSIONERS IN OAKLAND PARK WHERE WE MADE HISTORY. NOVEMBER 5TH, I WAS THE THIRD ONE. I'M COMMISSIONER FITZ BUDD, WHO FROM GRAY CITY OF OAKLAND PARK. WE APPRECIATE, WE APPRECIATE YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO TO OUR CITY EACH AND EVERY DAY. YOU GIVE US A LIE, OKAY? DON'T TELL A LOT OF THEIR LADIES, BUT WE GET A LIE . AND WE, WE WANT TO CONTINUE THE SUPPORT IN EACH AND EVERY WAY. YOU GOT POWER IN OAKLAND PARK, OKAY? I'M DRIVING THE BUS, I'M DRIVING IT TOWARD YOU. TOWARDS YOU EACH AND EVERY TIME. OKAY? GOD BLESS YOU. ENJOY THIS BEAUTIFUL EVENING. I HAVE TO GO TO ANOTHER MEETING. I'M LATE. OF COURSE, BUT THAT'S OKAY. YES, IT WAS A GREAT HONOR TO BE HERE. TO ME, I LOVE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. BE BLESSED AND KEEP IT GOING STRONG. THANK YOU. AND I APOLOGIZE THAT I DID NOT RECOGNIZE COMMISSIONER FIRO. THANK, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING. NO, THANK YOU. AND I APOLOGIZE, I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE A COMMISSIONER. NO PROBLEM. I WON. OH YEAH, I WON. . ALRIGHT, COME ON. OKAY. THIS CUTIE PATIE NIECE SAY, WHAT'S YOUR NAME? HI, I AM ZOE. I'M COMMISSIONER HAZEL ROGERS GRANDNIECE. AND I JUST WANNA SAY, YOU ARE DOING AN AMAZING JOB. UM, I LOVE YOU AND KEEP ON DOING THE GOOD WORK. NEXT, MAKE IT SHORT, SWEET, SHORT AND SWEET. SHORT AND SWEET. BUT HOW COULD THAT BE ? YOU CAN DO IT. GOOD EVENING, IMAM. IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIRMAN OF THE GREATER KOREAN AMERICAN CULTURE COALITION IN, UH, FEST. AND MRS. ROGERS AND I GO BACK 20 PLUS YEARS BACK WITH THE BROWARD CARIBBEAN CARNIVAL. AND SHE HAS BEEN IN NATURE THE, WITH THE COMMUNITY, WITH OUR EVENTS, WITH EVENTS IN GENERAL IN THE WHOLE CITY. AND, YOU KNOW, WE, THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF EVERY ONE OF THE EVENTS OR ACTIVITIES THAT ARE SURROUNDED AND THAT ARE SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER HAZEL P ROGERS ARE THOSE THAT CULTIVATE THE CITY AND THE STATE, OR SHE WENT FROM THE CITY TO THE STATE AND NOW AT THE COUNTY LEVEL. THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE FOR US. WE LOVE YOU AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO AND WE KNOW THAT YOU'LL CONTINUE TO DO. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS PATRICK BUCHANAN AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY, UM, COMMISSIONER ROGERS, YOU ARE A SHINING EXAMPLE OF WHAT WOMEN SHOULD BE AND HOW THEY SHOULD SUPPORT THEIR COMMUNITY. AND I JUST HOPE AND PRAY THAT YOU'LL CONTINUE TO FIND THE STRENGTH TO KEEP ON GOING BECAUSE WE NEED PEOPLE LIKE YOU OUT THERE REPRESENTING US. THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS. I LOVE YOU. SERIOUSLY DIVA. HUH? GO AHEAD, . HI, MY NAME IS. HI, MY NAME IS CALLIE. I AM I AM, UM, COMMISSIONER HAZEL'S GRAN. UM, I JUST WANNA SAY I LOVE YOU AND I AM VERY PROUD OF YOU AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE FOR ME. YEAH. YES. TAKE IT QUICK, QUICK. GOOD EVENING. UH, YOU KNOW, I WOULD FEEL BAD IF I'D LEFT HERE WITHOUT SAYING ANYTHING. I'VE BEEN KNOWN, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, FROM DAY ONE. I REMEMBER SHE GOT MY FIRST VOTE OVER HERE. THAT IS [01:00:01] SOME YEAR, 2001, 2000. I DON'T REMEMBER IT'S SO LONG. BUT I'VE ALWAYS CALL HER THE HARDWORKING YOUNG LADY TONIGHT YOU COULD SEE EVERYONE COMES TO HIRE HER. AS I COME UP HERE, I, I REMIND MYSELF I'M WEARING THREE HATS. I HAVE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR MY BSN RADIO GOSPEL MINISTRY, AND OF COURSE ALL NATION NEW TESTAMENT. WE ALL LOVE YOU. WE CAN'T DO WITHOUT YOU AND WAVS RADIO. I JUST HAPPEN TO SEE MIKE SISON AND HE SAID, DON'T LEAVE ME OUT. AND SO, BUT COMMISSIONER, YOU'VE BEEN, UH, A STAR FOR ALL OF US. I TOLD THE PEOPLE ON THE EAR ALL THE TIME, IF YOU ARE GOING INTO POLITICS, YOU NEED HELP, CALL YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE THERE. YOU DON'T STOP WORK. WORK EVEN LAST NIGHT ON THE EAR, I WAS SAYING THAT ABOUT YOU. GOD BLESS YOU AND MY , YOU LOVE HER SO MUCH. THANKS FOR DOING THIS. YOU ARE WELCOME. GOD BLESS YOU. OH, YOU NEED TO MISS YOU. AND THEN FORGOT, SAY SOMETHING. I NEED YOU TO SAY SOMETHING QUICKLY AND I WANNA SEE. GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS LINDA HUGHLEY. I AM THE CEO AND PRESIDENT OF WOMEN'S OF VETERAN AFFAIR. AND I JUST WANT TO STAND HERE AND SAY THANK YOU TO COMMISSIONER ROGERS FOR LOOKING AFTER THE VETERANS. SHE'S ON A MISSION. I'M ON A MISSION WITH HER. I APPRECIATE HER AND ALL THE VETERANS IN THIS ROOM. I KNOW THEY APPRECIATE HER. SHE'S FIGHTING FOR US AND I'M FIGHTING WITH HER. THANK YOU MAYOR. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I AM, UH, PASTOR CANDY HENRY FROM WATER LIVE WORSHIP CENTER, HAZEL COMMISSIONER, PAST MAYOR, PAST STATE REPRESENTATIVE. WE WORSHIP WORSHIPED AT THE SAME CHURCH FOR SEVERAL YEARS. AND I JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW THE SECRET TO HER SUCCESS. IT IS SO SIMPLE. SHE KNOWS HOW TO PRAY. I'VE SEEN HER AT THE HALL AT THE ALTAR SO MANY TIMES SEEKING GOD FOR DIRECTION IN THIS CHALLENGING AND CHAOTIC AND CAN BE HECTIC POLITICAL ARENA. AND I REMEMBERED, AND I'LL TAKE MY SEAT AFTER THIS, BEFORE SHE EVEN OR I DIDN'T KNOW SHE WAS HEADING TO THE STATE TO REPRESENT, SHE WAS AT THE ALTAR CRYING AND PRAYING. AND YOU REMEMBER THAT SUNDAY MORNING I WHISPERED AND SAID, IT'S NOT OVER YET. GOD HAS ANOTHER LEVEL FOR YOU AND YOU'RE GOING TO THE STATE TO REPRESENT US ALL. AND WHEN I SAW IT CAME TO PASS, I SAID TO ALL GLORY, HONOR AND PRAISE AND THE SCRIPTURE THAT SAYS I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME. LOVE YOU, MY SISTER. BEAUTIFUL. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. OKAY, SO I JUST WANT TO REMEMBER MY BEST FRIEND, HAZEL ROGERS, SHE GAVE ME ALL THE STRENGTH AND I JUST HAVE A LITTLE STORY. I'M GONNA CUT IT SHORT. I REMEMBER WHEN SHE RAN, SHE LOST BY A VERY, VERY TWO, TWO. AND I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND I WAS LISTENING TO THE REGISTRATION. AND WHEN THEY ANNOUNCED THAT SHE WAS THE FIRST WOMAN OF THE CARIBBEAN TO COME DISCLOSE AND LAST BY TWO MARRE, I FELT GUILTY. SO I WENT OVER TO HER OFFICE AND I SAID TO HER, LISTEN, YOU ARE MY STRENGTH. I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS, BUT REMEMBER I'M NOT GONNA LEAVE YOU OUT. WE'RE GONNA DO THIS TOGETHER AGAIN. AND I PROMISED HER, AND FROM EVER SINCE SHE AND I TOGETHER AND OTHERS, STACY WAS ALWAYS BEHIND US. WE GOES AROUND AND SHE TRIED TO ORGANIZE THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS. AND I CAN REMEMBER GOING TO SOME VERY WEIRD NEIGHBORHOOD ONE NIGHT AND SOME GUY STOP US AND SAY, HEY, THAT LADY RICK JUST START RUNNING. IS SHE GONNA CHANGE LORD HILL TO JAMAICAN HILLS, AND I BACK. AND THEY SAID, I WANNA SEE HER BECAUSE I WANNA, SHE'S GONNA CHANGE HILL TO. [01:05:01] AND I SAID, NO, WE NOT GONNA DO THAT. OKAY. AND FROM THERE ON I ENDED UP, YOU KNOW, THEY GAVE ME THE NAME, UM, AZEL DONKEY BECAUSE SOMETIMES SOME, SOME OF OUR VIRGIN, THEY DIDN'T SHOW UP. SO IT WAS THE THREE OF US AND TY . SO I'M SO HAPPY THAT WE REACHED THIS MILESTONE AND I'M SO PROUD OF HER. SHE'S MY STRENGTH. I OWN A SMALL BUSINESS AND SOMETIMES I'M GOING THROUGH SOME HARD TIME. I CAN ALWAYS COUNT ON HER FOR MY STRENGTH AND SHE'S ALWAYS THERE FOR ME. AND SHE'S MY STRENGTH AND MY GUIDANCE. THANK YOU. ONE MINUTE. YES. SO I DIDN'T KNOW THIS WAS HAPPENING TONIGHT, BUT ME AND HAZEL GO BACK A LONG TIME WHEN I OPENED THE BEAUTY SCHOOL AND SALON OVER IN THE PLAZA WITH THE POPEYE'S CHICKEN ON OAKLAND PARK BOULEVARD. SHE CAME IN AND SHE BEGAN SUPPORTING MY BUSINESS, MAKING SURE THAT SHE PATRONIZED MY BUSINESS FREQUENTLY, TELLING ME HOW TO, UM, OBTAIN ASSISTANCE FOR MY BUSINESS, HOW TO GO OUT AND ACQUIRE, UH, APPLICATIONS TO A COMPLETE APPLICATIONS TO ACQUIRE FUNDING FOR MY BUSINESS. SHE WAS THE ANCHOR OF MY BUSINESS. AND SO SHE'S NOT JUST SOMEONE THAT DEALS WITH THE CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY. SHE LOVE US ALL. YES. AND THAT'S WHAT I LOVE ABOUT HER. I WANNA THANK HER BECAUSE SHE HAS BEEN A ROLE MODEL FOR SO MANY OF US IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND AS THE LADY SAID, SHE'S A PRAYING WOMAN. NOW, I DON'T KNOW THAT SHE'S A PRAYING WOMAN. I CAN'T ATTEST TO THAT. I BELIEVE SHE IS. BUT WHAT I CAN ATTEST TO IS HE THAT SO IT FOR SEED WILL REAP PLENTY AND SHE HAS DEFINITELY SOLD IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU. OH, SAY SOMETHING. YES. OKAY. AND THEN I, AND I'M GOING TO CALL ON HER EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT, MR. DWIGHT SSON. AND THEN I'M GOING TO SAY SOMETHING AND THEN THANK YOU MR. DWIGHT AND MADAM VICE MAYOR. YES MA'AM. YES. UM, MAYOR VERONICA PHILLIPS WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING. THANK YOU WHEN THE TIME COMES. OKAY. THANK YOU. YES, SIR. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. GOOD EVENING. UM, MADAM MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS MADAM CITY MANAGER, CLERK, RESIDENTS, AND VIEWING GUESTS. UM, I WANT TO TAKE THE TIME TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT, UH, MY BOSS, BROWARD COUNTY COMMISSIONER, THE HONORABLE HAZEL P ROGERS. UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY. I STARTED HERE BACK IN MARCH OF 2017 WHEN SHE WAS THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF LAUDERDALE LAKES. I CAME IN FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND IT WAS A, IT WAS A BIG CHANGE FOR ME GOING FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO THE PUBLIC SECTOR. BUT WITH THE HELP OF MADAM MAYOR AT THE TIME, UM, SHE WAS ABLE TO HELP ME TRANSITION, TRAIN ME. WITH THE HELP OF LOLITA AND THE REST OF THE WECARE FAMILY, I WAS ABLE TO MAKE THAT SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION. UM, I MUST SAY MADAM COMMISSIONER, THAT, UM, I TELL YOU ALL THE TIME, I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU GET YOUR ENERGY. UH, WE ARE CONSTANTLY GOING, CONSTANTLY GOING, CONSTANTLY GOING. YOU NEVER STOP. SO I'M GLAD THAT WE HAVE OTHER PEOPLE TO HELP ME HELP YOU . AND UM, I JUST WANT TO TAKE THE TIME TO THANK YOU FOR THE ROAD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THE JOURNEY DOWN THIS ROAD AND I WISH YOU MANY, MANY MORE. GOOD DAY. AND MS. DAPHNE EDWARDS FROM OAKLAND VILLAS WANTS TO SAY SOMETHING. MS. DAPHNE OH NO, GO AHEAD. AND THEN MAYOR EDWARDS PHILLIPS, YOUR NURSE, YOU WILL BE NEXT. WELL, TY CAUGHT ME OFF GUARD. OKAY. BUT I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO OKAY. SPEAK THROUGH THE MIC SO THAT THEY CAN HEAR. I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO MS. ROGERS, HAZEL ROGERS. I KNOW SHE HAS BEEN IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR AS LONG AS I'M HERE. ALSO, WE SUPPORT YOU, MS. AZA OAKLAND VILLAGE SUPPORT YOU TREMENDOUSLY. AND WE WANNA THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR US. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MADAM MAYOR, CAN [01:10:01] YOU HEAR US? YES, I CAN HEAR YOU. THANK YOU MADAM VICE MAYOR, PLEASE GO AHEAD. COMMISSIONER, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. COMMISSIONER ROGERS. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU ON A PERSONAL NOTE, IN ADDITION TO THANKING YOU AS THE MAYOR OF THE GREAT WE CARE CITY OF LAUDERDALE LAKES. I RECALL IN 2015 WHEN I DECIDED FIRST DECIDED TO RUN FOR CITY COMMISSIONER, YOU AND I WENT OVER TO MARGARET HANEY, BIRCH'S HOUSE. MRS. BIRCH IS NOW DECEASED. BUT WE WENT THERE AND WE SAT THERE AND WE TALKED ABOUT, AND YOU ASKED ME WHY DID I WANT TO BE A CITY COMMISSIONER? AND WE SAT THERE AND WE TALKED AND MARGARET TALKED WITH US ABOUT THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF BEING AN OFFICIAL FOR A CITY. AND I CAME AWAY FROM THAT MEETING WITH YOU AND MS. HANEY BIRCH REALLY WONDERING WHY DID I WANT TO BE A CITY COMMISSIONER? BUT I KNEW THAT I WANTED TO WORK FOR MY CITY TO MAKE MY CITY A BETTER PLACE. ALSO, DURING THE TIME OF YOUR CAMPAIGNS, I GOT TO KNOW YOU ALSO BECAUSE MY SISTER ROSA EDWARDS WORKED FOR YOUR CAMPAIGN. I GOT TO KNOW YOU DURING THAT TIME. AND I JUST WANT TO SAVE ON A PERSONAL NOTE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR INSPIRATION, FOR YOUR MOTIVATION, FOR YOUR QUESTIONS. THAT REALLY MADE ME THINK ABOUT THINGS. THINK ABOUT WHAT WE DO FOR THE CITY. THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN SERVE OUR RESIDENTS. THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN SERVE OUR BUSINESS. SO COMMISSIONER ROGERS, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY PERSONAL HEART, VERONICA PHILLIPS AND FROM THE GREAT WE CARE CITY OF LAUDERDALE LAKES. THANK YOU MADAM VICE MAYOR. THANK YOU. AND I AM ONE MINUTE, ONE MINUTE, 10 SECONDS. MADAM VICE MAYOR. YES, MADAME COMMISSIONER, YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? YES. JUST A FEW WORDS. YES. UM, BROWN COUNTY COMMISSIONER HAZEL ROGERS, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. UM, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR BEING A MENTOR, FOR BEING A TRAILBLAZER, FOR BEING A PERSON. THAT IT'S SOMEONE TO EMULATE AND TO OBSERVE AND WATCH. AND I'M SO GRATEFUL THAT I HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR. 'CAUSE THEY SAY YOU GIVE YOUR FLOWERS WHEN SOMEONE IS ALIVE SO YOU CAN HEAR IT AND APPRECIATE IT. AND I WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU AND I THANK YOU FOR BEING IN THE RACE EVEN WHEN YOU DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HOW IT WAS GOING TO END UP. BUT BECAUSE YOU HAVE PLANTED MANY SEEDS, YOU ARE RECEIVING THE FRUITS OF YOUR LABOR. MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOU. AND I THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND LOVE YOU. THANK YOU SHARON THOMAS. SO WE ARE GONNA HAVE, OH, WHILE WE ARE WAITING ON THAT, UH, I WANT TO CORRECT THE YOUNG LADY THAT TOLD ME SHE WAS IN OFFICE FOR 30 YEARS AND WE DIDN'T PUT IT THERE. I DID SAY SHE STARTED IN 1982. SO GET YOUR CALCULATOR. OKAY, , I JUST HAVE A FEW MINUTES. I MET COMMISSIONER HAYES ROGERS WAY BACK, I THINK IT'S IN 1987. I WAS A REALTOR, STILL A REALTOR UNTIL LAST YEAR. AND SHE WAS A MORTGAGE BROKER DOWN GOING CALLED OCEAN MILE CONGEN CON, GENERIC ROUTE AND LONG, LONG TIME AGO. AND I REMEMBER HER SAYING TO ME, OH, I'M GOING TO, FIRST SHE INVITED ME TO THE EASTGATE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION. AT THAT TIME SHE WAS THE SECRETARY. WILLY WEBB PARK IS NAMED AFTER WILLY WEBB. AND WILLY WEBB WAS THE PRESIDENT. AND AT THAT TIME THERE WERE NO WESTERN, THERE WERE A FEW PEOPLE LIVING IN PLANTATION ACRES. THERE WAS NO JACARANDA. EVERYTHING [01:15:01] WAS RIGHT HERE IN THIS CITY OF LAUDERDALE LAKES. LORD DAY LAKES WAS THE GEM OF BROWARD COUNTY. AND I WISH TO GOD, I LIVED TO SEE THAT DAY WHEN IT CAN BECOME THE GEM. WHEN I CAME HERE IN 1983, HAZEL RAN, BY THE WAY, TODAY, MARCH 11TH WHEN SHE RAN AND LOST IT WOULD'VE BEEN 30 YEARS. AND MY SON WAS AMONG ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO SHOULD HAVE VOTED YES. I REMEMBER THE MORNING I SAID, YOU NEED TO VOTE. HE WAS GOING TO BROWARD COLLEGE UP IN COCONUT CREEK. AND OF COURSE HE SAID, OH MOTHER, I'LL DO IT WHEN I COME. HE WAS WORKING AT MERVIN'S. HE CAME BACK HOME AFTER NINE O'CLOCK. SO GUESS WHAT, IF SHE HAD WON, IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN 29 YEARS TODAY, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN 30 YEARS. YAY. NO, I STILL HAVE SOMETHING MORE TO SAY. A VERY IMPORTANT THING, HAZEL IS AMONG THE FEW JAMAICANS LIVING OVERSEAS OR LIVING IN JAMAICA THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN AN ORDER, I THINK IS MR. DWIGHT, COULD YOU TELL ME WHAT THE ORDER IS SINCE I, YOU KNOW, I'M OLD, I DON'T REMEMBER THESE THINGS. ORDER DISTINCTION. ORDER OF DISTINCTION, WHICH IS KNOWN AS WHAT OD IN THE RANK OF COMMANDER. NOT MANY PEOPLE IN AND OUT OF JAMAICA GET THAT RECOGNITION ENOUGH. AND I ALSO REMIND US THAT THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THE CARIBBEAN, AMERICAN DEMOCRATIC CLUB, THE EAST GATES HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION WAS ALIVE AND WELL. AND I'LL SAY HAZEL ROGERS AND HER HUSBAND BECAUSE HE NEVER COMPLAINED WHEN SHE WAS OUT AND HE COULD HAVE, THEY WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE GROWTH ALONG WITH MY WALKING PARTNER, YULI LEE B, THEY WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE GROWTH IN LORD DE LAKES. SO ON BEHALF OF ME, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION AND THAT YOU LOOK LIKE YOU'RE JUST 35, NOT EVEN GOING 36, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE ANOTHER ANNOUNCEMENT. HER PARTNER 51 YEARS CELEBRATES. SHE'S STILL CELEBRATING A BIRTHDAY TODAY. SO GIVE HIM AROUND. THANK YOU MR. CLIFTON FOR BEING THERE FOR HER FOR IF IT WERE NOT FOR YOU, I DON'T THINK SHE WOULD'VE SHUN AS BRIGHTLY. NO, IT TAKES TWO TO TANGO. TRUE OF EVERY WANT. THAT IS TRUE. I'M GOING TO GIVE THE MIC BACK TOO. COMMISSIONER COLLEEN MAXWELL. YES, THAT IS TRUE. WITHOUT MR. CLIFFORD, THERE WOULD BE NO HAZEL ROGERS. I WONDER WHAT WILL HER LAST NAME BE BESIDE ROGERS? BLAKE. OH, . YEAH. SEE? DOESN'T HAVE A RING TO IT. RICH HAZEL BLAKE. YEAH. THANK YOU MR. CLIFFORD FOR MARRYING HER, FOR KEEPING HER, FOR LETTING HER BECOME THE WOMAN THAT SHE IS TODAY. PRAISE. SO COME ON UP, MS. AIL ROGERS AND TAKE YOUR FLOWERS AND SAY A FEW WORDS. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. AND I'M TRULY GOING TO BE BRIEF BECAUSE THIS IS JUST OVERWHELMING. BUT TO ALL MY FRIENDS, TO THIS COMMUNITY OF LAUDERDALE LAKES, I'M MY LITTLE FAMILY HERE, [01:20:01] ALL GIRLS. SO THEY HAVE TO MARRY WELL, OKAY, IF NOT, YOU KNOW WHAT? AND BSO IN THE ROOM AND I FIRE CHIEF AND ALL OF YOU FOR BEING THERE. I ALWAYS SAY THAT IT TAKES MORE THAN ME BECAUSE I CAN'T DO ANYTHING BY MYSELF. IF I'M GONNA COORDINATE AN EVENT, I NEED ALL OF MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND COMMUNITY WHO WANTS TO BE ENGAGED. AND ALL OF YOU HAVE BEEN BLESSING ME OVER THESE 29 YEARS. I WOULD SAY 42 BECAUSE WHEN I GOT HERE, I STARTED WORKING, ENGAGING MY CHILDREN, ENGAGING WITH MY SENIORS, HOSTING WORLD NETBALL TOURNAMENTS, HOSTING CRICKET, HOSTING RADIOTHON FOR THE UNITED NEGRO COLLEGE FUND. YES, HAVE A SCHOLARSHIP AT FLORIDA MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY. WE HAVE DONE AN AWESOME JOB, BUT IT'S NOT JUST, SO WHENEVER I CALL ON YOU, JUST COME MY NETBALL, ANCHOR, MY RADIO FRIENDS. I KNOW I SAW GLEN JOSEPH EARLIER. MARK, YOU CROSS THE ROAD ON THE OTHER SIDE OF OAKLAND PARK RIGHT INTO NORTH GATE TO GET TO ONE OF UNI'S FIRST EVENTS THAT WAS HELD IN THE CITY OF LAUDERDALE LAKE. THEN YOU WERE YOUNGER, YOU DID NOT HAVE THAT FANCY, MATURE LOOKING BEER THAT YOU'RE WEARING THAT I DON'T RECOGNIZE YOU SOMETIME. BUT THANKS FOR COMING. AND ONCE A COMMISSIONER, YOU HEAR ME SAY THAT ALL THE TIME, ALWAYS A COMMISSIONER. THIS IS WHERE YOU LIVE. AND IT SHOULD NOT TAKE AWAY YOUR VOICE WHEN YOU'RE NOT ELECTED. YOUR VOICE DOES NOT LEAVE YOU. SO I KNOW YOU WILL CONTINUE TO DO WHAT YOU STARTED, BECAUSE IF IT WASN'T IN YOUR HEART IN THE FIRST PLACE, THEN YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE DONE IT. IF IT'S IN YOUR HEART, YOU'RE GONNA STAY FOCUSED AND GET SOME THINGS DONE FOR THIS COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS BEING THERE FOR ME. THANK YOU. SO IT'S TIME FOR ME TO JUST SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM BECAUSE YOU HAVE TOUCHED MY LIFE IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS. AND I DON'T CARE IF YOU GIMME ONE MINUTE OR A DAY IN SERVICE. I VALUE EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE DONE. AND COMMISSIONER GLORIA LEWIS, WHY I, WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? HOW ARE YOU? AND I SEE ALSO COMMISSIONER BEVERLY WILLIAMS. SO ONCE A COMMISSIONER, ALWAYS A COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU LADIES, THANK YOU TO THE VIEWERS AND THANK YOURE THANK YOU MS. TY. COME ON OVER HERE. THIS ONE. EXCUSE ME. GO AHEAD. COMMISSIONER CARLY MAXWELL WILLIAMS. YES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TODAY. THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH. OKAY. AL INGRID COULDN'T BEAT YOU TODAY. I LOVE I KNOW, RIGHT? IS SHE TRY NOT TRUE. YEAH, SHE TRY . THANK YOU GUYS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH. WELL, WELL DESERVED. WELL DESERVED. AND WE'RE WORKING ON THE PARK. NEXT ONE IS GONNA BE THE PARK. THERE'S A PARK. YES, THERE'S A PARK. MS. TAXI, THANK YOU GUYS FOR COMING OUT AND SHOWING SUPPORT. THANK YOU. AND NOW [E.  PRESENTATION - BROWARD SHERIFF'S OFFICE COMMUNITY PARTNERS RECOGNITION] I'M GOING TO CALL ON SERGEANT JOHNSON. SERGEANT JOHNSON HERE. NO SHE'S NOT. OKAY. CAN HER SHADOW COMES IN IF SHE'S NOT HERE? SHADOW. DO I HAVE TO TEACHERS AGAIN? YES, WE ARE GOING TO DO THAT. COME ON. OKAY. THE FLOOR IS NOW YOURS. THE FLOOR IS MINE. YES. JUST MINE. YES. NO, I'LL TAKE IT BACK OUT FOR A WHILE. OKAY. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. THANK YOU GUYS FOR COMING OUT TO SEE ME TONIGHT. MADAM MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS CITY MANAGER AND UM, CITY STAFF. FIRST, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, HONOR OUR, THE COMPANIES THAT HAVE BEEN SO GOOD TO OUR NEIGHBORS. UM, ON THE BEHALF OF OUR DISTRICT CAPTAIN, CAPTAIN PHILLIPS, THE BROWARD SHERIFF'S OFFICE, AND THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY. WE'LL LIKE TO THANK THE WALMART FROM LOT OF LOT OF THE LAKES DISTRICT, SOUTHLAND PAINTING CORPORATION AND BROWARD MEATS AND FISH FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND GENEROSITY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. WALMART, I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE HERE, TAKE A STAND FOR ME PLEASE. MS. MARY, MANAGER, MARY, MANAGER MAR, UM, MARILYN AND THEIR TEAM. THANK YOU GUYS FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE FOR US THROUGHOUT THE [01:25:01] YEAR. NO MATTER WHAT THE TASK WAS, NO MATTER HOW LATE WE ALWAYS PUT IN OUR REQUEST, YOU GUYS ALWAYS FIND A WAY TO GET THE JOB DONE. OVER THE LAST YEAR, YOU GUYS HAVE SUPPORTED US IN SEVERAL EVENTS SUCH AS NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, THE, UM, ACTIVE KILLER DRILL AND THE BICYCLE GIVEAWAY WITH THE BASKET BICYCLE GIVEAWAY THING. IT WAS A LAST MINUTE EFFORT. YOU GUYS CAME TOGETHER, YOU PUT IT TOGETHER AND YOU MADE IT HAPPEN. SO WE THANK YOU FOR THAT. THE SOUTHLAND PAINTING CORPORATION, MS. LIZ, I DON'T BELIEVE THEY'RE HERE TONIGHT, HOWEVER, I STILL WANNA RECOGNIZE THEM. MS. LIZ IS A PERSON THAT DOESN'T WANT THE RECOGNITION. HOWEVER, SHE BELIEVE IN JUST HELPING PEOPLE AND THE LESS FORTUNATE, LIKE SHE SAID, SHE BELIEVE IN AGAPE LOVE. SO SHE'S NOT LOOKING FOR A CELEBRATION, BUT WE WANNA CELEBRATE HER FOR ALL SHE DID. WHILE WE WERE DOING OUR THANKSGIVING GIVEAWAY EVENT, MS. LIZ POPPED UP AND SHE SPONSORED OVER 24 PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY TO GIVE 'EM A, UM, A PRE-MADE PUBLIX MEAL. SO EVERY 24 PEOPLE FROM HER COMPANY WAS FED AND GOT FOOD. SO THANK HER FOR THAT. OUR NEXT PARTNER WAS BROUGHT MEAT AND FISH. MS. DENISE HAVE BEEN A BLESSING TO OUR, UM, DEPARTMENT FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. SHE SPONSORED STUFF BY MAKING THE KIDS CHRISTMAS VERY HAPPY. A COUPLE YEARS SHE SPONSORED THE SHOP WITH A COP EVENT AND SHE ALSO DID THE BICYCLE GIVEAWAY FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS. SO FOR MS. LIV AND THE BROWARD BEEF AND FISH FAMILY, WE ALL WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SINCE YOU GO PICK UP THE EVENT PAPER. WE HAVE A COUPLE THINGS THAT THE KIDS FROM, UM, LAUDERDALE LAKES, THE ALL THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE APPRECIATIVE OF EVERYTHING THAT THEY DID AT BROADWOOD MEETS, THEY DID SOME PRESENTATION. I JUST WANT TO SHARE A COUPLE OF IT WITH YOU. IF'S NOT A LOT. JUST SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT WE DO TO SAY WE APPRECIATE EVERYONE. SO AS YOU CAN, AS YOU CAN SEE, THEY DID A CARD JUST, UM, THANKING EVERYBODY FOR ALL THAT THEY DID. THE KIDS AT THE PARK, THEY DID. AND THEN JUST TO SAY THANK YOU. AND THIS IS FROM THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB IN, IN THE CITY OF CENTRAL BROWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL KIDS. WE HAD A, WE HAD ANOTHER ONE, BUT WE'LL PASS, WE'LL BYPASS THAT. WALMART. WOULD YOU GUYS COME UP? OH, YOU WANNA SEE THAT ONE TOO? YES, THEY ARE. SO AGAIN, WE JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. IT'S NOT A LOT, BUT IT IS JUST OUR APPRECIATION FOR EVERYTHING YOU GUYS HAVE DONE. IT SAYS WALMART, LAUDERDALE LAKES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR OUTSTANDING SUPPORT AND COMMITMENT TO THE CENTRAL BROAD LAUDERDALE LAKES NEIGHBORHOOD SUPPORT TEAM. 24 20 25. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. TAKE PICTURES. YOU WANNA TAKE A PICTURE? ALL THESE PEOPLE CAME OUT HERE TO SEE YOU GUYS. SO PICTURE, HOW YOU DOING? THANK YOU. YOU WELCOME. NOW COME ON OVER SO WE CAN GET THE PICTURES. YEAH, WE GONNA TAKE IT IN THE MIDDLE LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE COME. . SHE'S SO FUNNY. SHE WAS LIKE, COME ON, LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE DID. OH, CERTIFICATE TWO. CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION. Y'ALL WANNA SEE THOSE TOO? YES, I'M DONE. SO WE CAN'T GO. CAN WE MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT? WHERE ARE WE NOW? [5.  APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETING] [01:30:01] WE MAKE ANNOUNCEMENT. YEAH, YOU SHOULD JUST LET THE PUBLIC PARDON ME. OKAY. FROM THE PUBLIC. OKAY. YES. HELLO? I THINK SOME OF THEM LEAVING RESIDENTS. I WE DON'T HAVE A QUORUM, AS YOU KNOW, YOU NEED THREE FOR A QUORUM. SO WE HAVE TWO. [6.  PETITIONS FROM THE PUBLIC] I AM GOING TO PETITIONS FROM THE PUBLIC. WE ARE GOING TO TAKE THAT. AND THEN AFTER THAT WE ARE GOING TO ADJOURN. ADJOURN FOR FIVE MINUTES TO GIVE THE OTHER COMMISSIONER MAYBE TIME FOR HIM TO COME. UH, MME. CLARK, ARE THERE ANY PETITIONS FROM THE PUBLIC? YES, WE DO HAVE SOME PETITIONS. THE FIRST BEING FROM MR. BYRON MAILER. OKAY. . UH, OKAY. OKAY. UH, MADAM MAYOR, I, I WAS EXPECTING YOU TO RECOGNIZE ME, BUT, UH, OH, MR. ENGAGED SOMEWHERE ELSE. PLEASE FOR THE RECORD, , COULD YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS PLEASE? NO, UH, MY NAME IS BYRON MAY I LIVE IN NORTHGATE. UH, MY NAME MAY, I WAS COMING HERE TO ME TWO SUGGESTION TO THE CITY COMMISSION. BUT WHEN I CAME AND I LOOK AT THE, THE ORDER OF BUSINESS, I DIDN'T REALIZE YOU WOULD'VE A FOUR D ON THE AGENDA. BUT, UH, PUTTING THAT ASIDE, I STILL GONNA MAKE MY COMMENT IN REFERENCE TO MADAM E ROGERS. OKAY, GO AHEAD. UH, I REMEMBER, UH, IF YOU CHECK THE ARCHIVES, I CAME BEFORE THE CITY COMMISSION. AND WHEN I HEARD THAT FOLKS WAS TRYING TO NAME NOT GET VETERAN PARK, I CAME BEFORE YOU TO REBUT THAT. AND I SUGGESTED THAT WE NAME VETERAN PARK AFTER EASY ROGERS. OKAY. AND I, I BECAME MORE A FIXED ON IT AFTER WHAT I HEARD DURING BLACK INSTRUMENT. I'M LIVING IN THE CITY SINCE 1982 IS REGISTER. I JOINED THE CITY THE SAME YEAR AND I AM AWARE OF ALL SHE HAS DONE NOT ONLY FOR A LOT OF DEAL LEAGUES, BUT BROWARD COUNTY AND THE STATE. AND I, UH, CAME BEFORE YOU AND ASKED THAT THE NORTHGATE PARK SHOULD BE RENAMED AZEL ROGERS, NOT GATE COMMUNITY PARK. OKAY. AND I HOPE THEY, WHEN I INQUIRE ABOUT THAT, THEY TELL ME THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE FIRST . BUT I LIKE, I LIKE PEOPLE GET THEIR FLOWERS WHILE THEY'RE WALKING. THE HURT. UH, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, I THINK THAT WAS DONE THROUGH ORDINANCE. AND OUR PRESIDENT KEN, IS SHOWING US THAT THE LAWS IN AMERICA IS NOT WRITTEN IN STONE. IT CAN'T CHANGE. SO AN EXEMPTION COULD, SHOULD BE MADE TO RENAME NORTH GATE PARK TWO AZEL ROGERS, ROGERS NORTHGATE COMMUNITY PARK. OKAY. I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT. THE SECOND THING I SUGGESTION THAT I CAME BEFORE, COME BEFORE YOU TO MAKE TO THE, TO THE COMMISSION IS A COUPLE WEEKS AGO I SAT IN THE CHAMBERS HERE ORGANIZING OVER THE DEBATE WHEN, UH, UH, SOME CONTRACTOR CAME, THEY WANT TO REMODEL [01:35:01] THE, THE, THE, THE, THE, THE, THE REEF PLAZA. AND I SAT THERE IN AGONY AND LISTENED TO COMMISSION HAGGLING OVER THINGS THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY ABOUT, ABOUT HAZARD. THOSE, THOSE THING IS NOT THE PREVIEW OF THE CITY. WHAT I'M SUGGESTING TO THE CITY TONIGHT IS I KNOW LOT OF LEAGUES HAVE A GOVERNMENT ACADEMY. I THINK YOU SHOULD PUT A, A MO A A MOD, A MODULE. THAT'S THE WORD I WANT A MODULE IN YOUR ACADEMY THAT EDUCATE WHOEVER COME THROUGH THE CITY ABOUT THE LAWS THE STATE HAVE AND THE LAWS THAT THE COUNTY HAVE. BECAUSE EVERY, EVERY YEAR, EVERY DAY THE LAWS IN TALLAHASSEE CHANGES. AND I REALIZE THAT SOME OF THE PEOPLE DON'T KEEP ABREAST WITH THESE CHANGES BECAUSE THEY, WHEN YOU WANT TO, UH, WHAT YOU CALL TAKE OVER THE AUTHORITY OF THE STATE, YOU CAN'T. SO THEY HAVE TO KEEP ABREAST. SO I, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT IN YOUR, YOU HAVE A MODULE THAT EDUCATE POTENTIAL CANDIDATE FOR, UH, COMMISSIONERS TO WHETHER YOU HAVE TO ENGAGE THE ATTORNEY OR NOT, YOU SHOULD DO THAT BECAUSE IT, IT WAS VERY EMBARRASSING TO SEE PEOPLE UNDER THE DIOCESE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RESPONSIBILITY IS COMPARED TO WHAT IS, IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE STATE OR THE COUNTY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MR. MAYER. FORMER COMMISSIONER BEVERLY WILLIAMS. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. THE VICE MAYOR AND THE COMMISSION. CITY ATTORNEY. CITY MANAGER, CITY CLERK. WHAT I WANTED TO SPEAK ON TONIGHT WAS A VERY IMPORTANT, UH, THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED BY OUR COMMISSION. TWO, A WEEK AGO, A WEEK AND A HALF AGO, I ATTENDED THE WORKSHOP AND I SPOKE ON THAT MONDAY, THE FOLLOWING TUESDAY. ON THAT TUESDAY NIGHT, I HAD HAD BEEN BUSY ALL DAY, SO I HADN'T HAD A CHANCE TO EAT. SO WHEN I LEFT AND I GOT HOME AND PULLED UP, I HEAR THE ATTORNEY SAYING THAT THIS PROJECT WOULD BE IN JEOPARDY IF YOU ALL DID NOT DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. WHAT I HAD TO SAY, I'M GOING TO WAIT NOW BECAUSE THE COMMISSION IS FRAGMENTED. NOBODY'S HERE. I MEAN, WHEN I SAY NOBODY'S HERE, THEY'RE IN, IN THEIR PROPER PLACES AND ONE IS MISSING. SO AT ANOTHER DAY, I WILL COME UP AND BECAUSE WE REALLY, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES. I WAS VERY EMBARRASSED FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WERE SITTING HERE. UH, THEY DEAL WITH THAT. AND FOR SOMEONE TO SAY, WE ARE GONNA TABLE SOMETHING, WHICH, AND I KNOW RESIDENTS DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, IT MEANS WE'RE GONNA PUT THIS ASIDE. WELL, WE HAD ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT WERE SITTING HERE AND THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING. WE HAVE LOST AT THE, AT THE SOUTHEAST CORNER, WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT OUR TOWN CENTER THAT WAS LOST BECAUSE OF THE COMMISSION AT THAT TIME, DECIDED THAT THEY WERE GIVING THEM HASSLE. THEY GOT UP AND LEFT. SO WHAT WE HAVE IS WHAT NOW WE ARE TRYING TO DEVELOP BACK IN THE EARLY 22 THOUSANDS, WE COULDN'T PULL A MAJOR GROCERY STORE IN HERE. WE COULDN'T GET A RESTAURANT IN HERE. AND FOR YOU ALL TO SIT UP THERE AND, AND DO WHAT HAPPENED, AND THEN MAKE IT MATTERS WORSE. NOW YOU GOTTA FIND OUT WHAT DID WE VOTE ON TO TABLE? NOW WE GOTTA UNTURN IT TO DO A, THAT'S NOT THE WAY A COMMISSION SHOULD RUN. THAT'S NOT THE WAY A CITY SHOULD BE RUN. AND I HAVE SAID BEFORE, AND IF FOR THE RESIDENTS, YOU CAN GO ONLINE AND YOU CAN LOOK UP ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT TO ON THE T ON YOUR, UM, YOUR IPAD OR GOING INTO YOUR, UH, PHONE OR HOWEVER YOU WANT TO CONTACT THE CITY. WE HAVE GOT TO DO BETTER. IT'S EMBARRASSING BECAUSE IF THEY HAD GOT UP AND WALKED OUT, WE ALMOST MISSED A CHANCE OF GETTING THAT APARTMENT OVER THERE BECAUSE THE, THE COMMISSION AT THAT TIME DID NOT WANT TO ADDRESS ANOTHER CITY ASKING THEM, CAN WE GET ACCESS TO A MAJOR HIGHWAY? WE GOTTA DO BETTER. I SAID, WHEN THE NEW COMMISSION CAME ON IN 2022 WHEN I TURNED OUT, [01:40:01] EVERY PERSON CAN LEARN TO BE A COMMISSION. WE ARE LACKING THAT HERE ON THIS CITY. ON, ON THIS DIOCESE. I WILL BE SURE TO TELL YOU, YOU CAN GO TO ANY INDIA, DON'T HAVE TO COME TO ME. YOU ALL CAN'T COME. THAT'LL BE BREAKING SUNSHINE. BUT YOU, THERE ARE OTHER COMMISSIONERS, OTHER CITIES, PARTICIPANT, THE BROWN LEGAL CITIES WHERE YOU GO AND LEARN. SO NOW WHAT DO WE DO? WE HAVE SO MANY EVENTS. I WASN'T GONNA STAY HERE. MY HUSBAND'S BIRTHDAY IS TODAY. I NEED TO GET HOME. WE HAVE SO MANY EVENTS HERE. ONE OF THE MAYORS ASKED ME ONE DAY, Y'ALL HAVE EVENTS EVERY WEEK? I SAID, YEAH, WE DO. IT APPEARS THAT OUR BUDGET, I DON'T CARE IF YOU PUT SOMETHING IN THE BUDGET, YOU SAY YOU WANNA SPEND $80,000 ON THE EVENT AND YOU SEE WHERE YOU CAN CUT THAT BUDGET. YOU DON'T HAVE TO USE UP ALL THE MONEY. YOU CAN ACTUALLY JUST SAY, OKAY, WE ARE GONNA SPEND WHAT WE NEED TO NEED. AND RIGHT NOW, WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW, WE ACTUALLY DO NEED TO BE, UH, WORRIED ABOUT OUR RESIDENTS BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA BE, I'M, I WOULD SAY I'M, I'M A LITTLE BIT BETTER 'CAUSE I KNOW HOW TO GROW GREENS AND I KNOW HOW TO COOK AND I KNOW HOW TO DO THAT WELL. WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO BE ABLE TO BE ON THE MOW TO BE ABLE TO HELP OUR RESIDENTS. 'CAUSE IT'S COMING, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE DID NOT VOTE LIKE WE SHOULD HAVE. THIS CITY'S GONNA BE IN TROUBLE. 2008, 2009, TROUBLES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. JUST NOT A LOT OF LAUDERDALE LAKES FROM 2010 UNTIL 2022, WE'VE NOT HAD ANY HAGGLING AND CARRYING ON. IT'S TOO MUCH HAGGLING. OUR, THE STAFF HERE IS NOT HAPPY, BUT THE MORALE IS LOW. DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. WE ARE MISSING PEOPLE. THEY'RE LEAVING BECAUSE THEY SAY THEY CAN'T TAKE IT. WE NEED TO LOOK AT OURSELVES. AND I SAY WE, BECAUSE I SAID LAST NIGHT, I DON'T CARE WHAT HAPPENED BACK IN 2000 AND AND EIGHT AND WHEN WE HAD THAT PROBLEM AS A COMMISSION. AND FIRST THING Y'ALL LEARN, I TOLD YOU THAT THE FIRST THING YOU LEARN IS IT'S ALWAYS, WE, YOU CAN NEVER SAY THEY DID THAT BACK THEN BECAUSE THAT IS NOT WHAT HAPPENED. YOU SAY WE DID THAT AND WE HAVE TO LIVE WITH WHATEVER IT HAPPENED. THE, THE FINANCE GUY WROTE LETTERS, WROTE CHECKS, AND DID NOT COMPLETE SENDING MAILED OFF. WE DID THAT. AND THAT INCLUDES ME AS A FORMER COMMISSIONER. I LOVE MY CITY. BUT WE HAVE, Y'ALL HAVE GOT TO COME UP WITH SOME KIND OF WAY. I'M NOT HERE. I DON'T PROMOTE, I'M NOT PROMOTING ANYONE. I'M HERE PROMOTING ME BECAUSE I LOVE LAUDERDALE LAKES AND I DON'T LIKE BEING THERE LAUGHING STUFF. BUT Y'ALL ALREADY HEARD ME SAY THAT. SO NOW, EXCUSE ME, I'M GONNA GO HOME TO MY HUSBAND. THANK YOU BIRTHDAY. THANK YOU. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MR. LAVOY. THANK YOU MADAM. FORMER COMMISSIONER ANYMORE. WE DO HAVE, UH, I BELIEVE THEY SPOKE INGRID ROBERTS AND BARBARA SMITH. YES, THEY DID. OH, I THINK, YEAH, THEY SPOKE HER. OH, SO, AND MR. KUMO, OUR CITY COMMISSION. MY NAME IS BUKU . I WON'T BE HERE IF I WERE NOT RETIRED. AND I'M AWARE THAT MANY PEOPLE WOULD WISH THAT THEY WERE HERE, BUT THEY CANNOT BE HERE BECAUSE THEY ARE WORK. UM, WE HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO DIG OUR OWN WEALTHS. I THINK A LOT OF US HERE ARE CATEGORIZED AS MINORITIES. IF YOU DON'T DIG YOUR OWN WEALTH, IF YOU DON'T PURSUE INDEPENDENCE, YOUR KIDS, YOUR DAUGHTERS, YOUR CHILDRENS WILL BE TAKEN OVER BY OTHER PEOPLE AND YOUR CITY WILL NOT DEVELOP. YOU WILL BE A DEPENDENT POPULATION TO OTHER CITIES OR OTHER PEOPLE WHO KNOW HOW TO DIG THEIR OWN WELLS. TWO WEEKS AGO, THERE WAS A MEETING, A WORKSHOP AT THE EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL CENTER. AND I OBSERVED FOR BUSINESS OWNERS AND RESIDENTS, A LOT OF THE PEOPLE WHO CAME IN THERE CONSOLIDATED CREDIT BANKING PEOPLE WHO HAD OPPORTUNITIES TO GIVE LOANS, I THINK WERE NOT RESIDENTS. AND SINCE I'VE BEEN IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, THERE'S WHAT IS CALLED PREDATORY TENDENCIES. I'M A MEDICAL DOCTOR BY TRAINING PROFESSIONALLY, I'M, I'M ALSO A PRIEST. YOU CANNOT APOLOGIZE [01:45:01] IF YOU DON'T KNOW THAT THE HUMAN BEING IS DISCRIMINATORY. IT IS HUMAN NATURE TO BE SELFISH. WELL, YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE THAT WORD. IT IS HUMAN NATURE TO BE, UM, TERRITORIAL. NOT ONLY HUMAN BEINGS, EVEN ALS DOGS, ANIMALS OR ANIMALS ARE TERRITORIAL. IF YOU DON'T REALIZE AS MINORITIES THAT YOU HAVE TO BE, THAT YOU HAVE TO BE TERRITORIAL. PROTECT YOURSELF, PROTECT YOUR CHILDREN, PROTECT YOUR CITY, PROTECT YOUR INDUSTRIES. PROTECT YOUR BUSINESSES. A CITY LIKE LORD, THAT LAKE SHOULD HAVE. WE SHOULD HAVE THAT CONSCIOUSNESS TO PURSUE HAVING EVERYTHING WE NEED. YOU WHAT I MEAN BY DIGGING YOUR OWN WEALTHS, WE SHOULD LEARN TO DIG OUR OWN WEALTHS. WE SHOULD HAVE OUR OWN BANKS. WE SHOULD HAVE OUR OWN CREDITS, UH, UH, OUR OUR LEARNING COMPANIES AND STUFF LIKE THAT. UM, SO SUMMARY, THAT'S WHAT I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE US WITH. THAT'S MY, THE DRIVER OF MY PETITION. UM, LIKE I SAID, I'M AWARE THAT THAT MANY PEOPLE LOOK AT THE SEATS. IT'S LOVELY TO SEE PEOPLE. IF YOU COME IN HERE, THEY MAY MENTION A BLACK HISTORY, BLACK HISTORY MONTH OR BLACK HISTORY, UM, WHATEVER, UH, EVENTS ORGANIZED BY THE MAYOR. YOU HARDLY SEE PEOPLE. NOW WE HAD, UM, MS. ROGERS HERE. THIS PLACE WAS FULL. IT WAS LIKE THE MAYOR WAS GIVING A STATE OF CITY ADDRESS. I WISH IT WAS LIKE THAT EVERY, EVERY TIME. BUT WHY IS IT NOT LIKE THAT MINORITIES, LIKE A LOT OF YOU AND ME, THEY ARE WORK WHY THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE HERE. THEY WISH THEY WERE HERE. BUT PEOPLE LIKE US WHO ARE MINORITIES IN THIS SYSTEM, YOU WORK WEEKENDS AND YOU WORK AFTERNOON AND NIGHTS DISCRIMINATORY. YOU HAVE DISCRIM TENDENCIES AGAINST YOU AS MINORITIES. IF YOU DON'T REALIZE THAT THE SYSTEM IS NOT DESIGNED FOR YOU, AS IT WERE AS MINORITIES, YOU WILL NEVER SUCCEED. THIS IS A SMALL CITY. THEY SAY LOT OF LA CITY A BUT YOU CAN BE SMALL AND BE BIG. YOU CAN BE SMALL AND DO BIG THINGS. SO THAT'S MY DRIVE. LET US LEARN HOW TO DIG OUR OWN WHEELS. LET US LEARN HOW TO BE INDEPENDENT, TO PURSUE INDEPENDENCE. US, US, US. INSTEAD OF OUR CHILDREN WORKING AT NIGHT WHEN THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE HERE. THEY'D BE WORKING HERE INSTEAD OF OUR CHILDREN. IS THERE, OUR CHILDREN WORKING FRIDAYS, SATURDAY, SUNDAY, MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEEKENDS THEY'LL BE HERE. AND MOST OF THESE EVENTS ARE ON WEEKENDS. SATURDAYS I COULD NOT MAKE THE, UM, WHAT DO YOU CALL IT? I COULD NOT MAKE THE, UM, AFRICA, I MEAN BLACK HISTORY, UM, BLACK HISTORY EXCELLENCE, UH, DAY OR SOMETHING. UH, BUT REALLY MY PHONE WAS SPREAD, BUT EVEN MY PHONE WAS NOT SPREAD. MANY OF US WILL NOT BE HERE BECAUSE WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE AT WORK SOMEWHERE ELSE. SO LET'S, LET'S TRY TO, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, UH, UH, BE INDEPENDENT, DIG OUR OWN WAYS, KEEP OUR OWN KIDS WITHIN OUR OWN SELVES SO THAT THEY CAN ATTEND THEIR OWN EVENTS INSTEAD OF WORKING AT SOUTH BEACH UNDER JEWS AND STUFF LIKE THAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU MR. FORMER COMMISSIONER MARK SPENCE. GOOD EVENING. MADAM MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS AND MEMBERS OF DESK. GOOD EVENING TO THE COMMUNITY. I AM MARK SPENCE, FORMER VICE MAYOR OF CITY LARDO LAKES. UM, I CAME TO SAY THIS EVENING I WAS INVITED BY VICE MAYOR BECAUSE WE WERE RECEIVING THE $100,000 OR APPROVING THE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS GRANT FROM FLORIDA BLUE. SO I WAS GONNA ASK THAT WE, UM, MOVE IT FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA TO THE REGULAR AGENDA SO WE CAN TELL THE PUBLIC MORE ABOUT THAT. UM, THAT, UM, THAT FUNDING. BUT I ALSO WANT TO SAY, UM, HOW PROUD I WAS OF LAST, UM, LAST COMMISSION MEETING TO HEAR, UM, MR. ANTONIO SPEAK UP FOR CONCERNS THAT HE HAD IN THE COMMUNITY. AND ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK OF THAT WE DO HAVE A YOUTH COUNCIL AND WE HAVE TO UTILIZE IT MORE. THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES THAT ARE GOING ON THAT WE AS ADULTS DO NOT HEAR OR SEE, BUT THEY HAVE IT. AND SO MY, UM, SUGGESTIONS THAT WE DO MORE TO, TO ENGAGE WITH OUR YOUTH COUNCIL. UM, I KNOW ME AND THE MAYOR, WE HAD OPPORTUNITY TO DO, UM, UH, WHAT DO YOU CALL IT? UH, WE HAD A LUNCH WITH THE, UM, YOUTH COUNCIL AND THEY GAVE US SOME IDEAS THAT THEY WANTED TO DO. AND ONE OF 'EM WAS THE, THE, UM, PARTY. AND THEY WAS ABLE TO DO THE TEEN, TEEN, [01:50:01] UM, PARTY. BUT, UM, WE GOTTA GET THE YOUNG PEOPLE MORE ENGAGED INTO THE, THE WORK OF THE, OF THE COMMUNITY. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M PROUD OF THAT WE HAVE DONE IS THE MAYOR COMMISSION OF THE DAY, WHICH, UM, COMMISSIONER HAZEL RODGER, YOU KNOW, STARTED THAT PROGRAM WITHIN OUR CITY WITH THE QANTAS CLUB. AND FROM THAT, UM, PROGRAM, I REMEMBER WE GOT AN EMAIL FROM MISS ANTONIO ABOUT HIS DESIRE TO BE A COMMISSIONER OR WANNA BE, YOU KNOW, IN THAT LINE. SO, YOU KNOW, THESE TYPE OF PROGRAMS WORK. I'M PROUD THAT HE STEPPED UP. I'M EVEN MORE PROUD THAT, UM, LAST NIGHT WE HEARD THAT THE VSO HAD A PLAN OF ACTION TO DEAL WITH, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS GOING ON. AND SO IT JUST SHOWS THAT YOUR ENGAGEMENT THAT, UM, RESULTS COME WITH THAT. AND THEN I ALSO WANNA SPEAK ON THE, WAS IT 10 B THE CITY MANAGER? SO YOU GUYS KNOW I LOVE MY CITY MANAGER, RIGHT? SO I'M NOT GONNA GO BACK THROUGH MY WHOLE SPEECH FROM BEFORE. 'CAUSE SOME PEOPLE SAID IT WAS LIKE EMOTIONAL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. BUT, UM, I HONOR INTEGRITY, HARD WORK AND DEDICATION, BUT I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE VOICES OF THE COMMISSION IS HEARD WHEN THIS MATTER'S BEING SPOKEN OF. SO I'D RATHER THAT YOU GUYS TABLED THAT WHEN ALL THE COMMISSIONERS ARE HERE TO SPEAK ON IT AND NOT JUST A FEW. BECAUSE LAST NIGHT WE UM, HEARD SOMEBODY SAY, UM, WE DECIDED THAT WE'RE GONNA TAKE, UM, FIRE FOR, UM, WHATEVER IT WAS. SO IT KIND OF SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS WORKED UP TOGETHER. SO JUST TO BE SAFE THAT IT'S CLEAR TO EVERYBODY BECAUSE I WAS ASKED ABOUT IT FROM UM, A FORMER, I WAS ASKED ABOUT IT BY A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY LAST, LIKE TWO WEEKS AGO, WHAT I THINK. AND I SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, THE COMMISSION HAS BEEN IN THERE LONG ENOUGH AND THEY CAN MAKE A DECISION ON WHAT THEY WANT FOR A CITY MANAGER. BUT I'D RATHER THAT DECISION BE MADE WITH ALL THE COMMISSION HERE PRESENT THAN JUST A FEW. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MR. FORMER VICE MAYOR, FORMER COMMISSIONER GLORIA LEWIS. I'M KIDDING YOU. THAT'S HOW WE GET TREATED. WHEN YOU DON'T DO IT FOR ONE, YOU GOT TO DO IT FOR ALL. NOT THE SAME. UM, CITY CLERK, GOOD EVENING. I'M HERE TONIGHT FROM LAUDERDALE LAKES O UM, OREOS ESTATE. I HAVE A PROBLEM GIVING HONOR TO THE VICE MAYOR AND TO THE CITY MANAGER, THE CITY CLERK AND OUR CITY ATTORNEY AND OUR COMMISSIONER MAXWELL GLORIA LEWIS, 3,500 NORTHWEST 41ST STREET. I HAVE A REAL SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH, UM, A MEETING THAT SUPPOSEDLY HAD TAKEN PLACE HERE ON MARCH THE FIFTH. BUT AT THE, I BROUGHT THIS WITH ME TO LET Y'ALL KNOW WE ARE NOT SECOND CLASS CITIZEN IN OREOS ESTATE. YOU HAD THIS COVERED UP OVER A SIGN THAT SAID, UH, FORFEIT LAUDERDALE LAKE STORMWATER PUBLIC OUTREACH MEETING. MARYROSE PARK, JANUARY THE 23RD, 2025 AT 7:00 PM MARYROSE PARK COMMUNITY CENTER. NOW WE LIVE IN OREOS STATE AND THIS SIGN HERE WAS OVER BOTH SIZES ON THIS, UH, UH, UH, ON A, UH, PLASTIC OR ANOTHER SIGN FROM ANOTHER CITY. WHOEVER WE ARE DEALING WITH, UH, SUPPOSED TO BE DOING THIS PROJECT. AND THEN YOU SEND OUT A PROJECT IF THIS A COMMUNITY PROJECT ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION GOING ON IN THAT AREA, WE NEED THEM BE MORE PEOPLE FRIENDLY AND, AND, AND BE MORE EDUCATED TO OUR COMMUNITY THAN NOT TO USE THE SIMMER OF UAZ 1 0 8 UUA Z 1 0 8. AS A COMMISSIONER, WE PROBABLY KNOW THAT'S A ZONING AREA THAT'S IN OUR PLANNING OR HOW WE PAY FOR THIS PROJECT. BUT FOR THAT COMMUNITY OUT THERE, YOU SHOULD HAVE HAD SOMETHING OUT STATING A COMMUNITY MEETING FOR OREOS ESTATE WITH THE PROJECT GOING ON TO UH, EITHER FIND OUT SOME CONCERNS. THIS WAS SO SMALL, RAY CHARLES COULDN'T SEE IT AND STEVIE DIDN'T HAVE TO WONDER ABOUT IT. SO LET ME BE CRYSTAL CLEAR MANAGEMENT. I HEARD MY FORMER COMMISSIONER SAID, MARK SAID HE LOVE OUR CITY MANAGER. WE CAN LOVE EVERYBODY. BUT THIS IS NOT ABOUT THE LOVING THIS ABOUT LEADERSHIP. I TELL EVERYBODY ALL THE TIME, IT'S NOT ABOUT FRIENDSHIP. I HEARD THE TAPE LAST NIGHT WITH OUR MAYOR SAYING, WELL WE DIDN'T GIVE A-A-A-A-A EVALUATION. [01:55:01] IT'S NO SUCH THING AS AN EVALUATION. 'CAUSE IT TAKES A MAYOR TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. NOT THE CITY COMMISSIONERS. IF YOU WANNA GIVE AN EVALUATION, YOU DONE BEEN HERE FROM 2022 TO 2023. IF YOU DIDN'T GIVE ONE, THEN WHAT YOU COME UP WITH IT FOR, AGAIN, IT TAKES MANAGEMENT. AND I CAN SAY THE SAME THING LIKE MY FORMER COMMISSIONER SAID, I LOVE MY CITY MANAGER, MY SISTER CITY MANAGER, MY CITY CLERK. BUT WHEN IT GET DOWN TO BUSINESS AND OUR A HUNDRED BILLION DOLLAR BUDGET, WE NEED SOME CREDENTIALS. WHO KNOW HOW TO RUN A CITY? THAT'S ALL I'M TELLING YOU. IT AIN'T ABOUT THE MANAGER. BUT WE DON'T HAVE BODY THERE. WHEN WE CALL FOR A CITY MANAGER, WHEN WE COME UP THERE, EVERYBODY, AND IT MAY NOT BE THE CITY MANAGER FAULT, IT'S, SHE'S NOT HERE. SHE CANNOT SPEAK. SHE'S NOT AVAILABLE. AND THEN WHEN I HEARD ABOUT THE CITY MANAGER AND THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER AND ANOTHER AIDE WENT OUT OF TOWN WITHOUT TELLING THEIR BOSSES, LET ME BE CRYSTAL CLEAR. IF A CITY MANAGER DON'T KNOW NOTHING ELSE, WHEN MS. LEWIS SIT DOWN TONIGHT, A CITY MANAGER SHOULD KNOW YOUR BOSSES ARE THE COMMISSIONERS AND THE MAYOR. THE COMMISSIONERS AND THE MAYOR HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO FIRE FOUR PEOPLES. THAT'S YOUR ATTORNEY, YOUR CRA ATTORNEY, YOUR AUDITOR, AND YOUR CITY MANAGER. AND IT DON'T HAVE TO BE ON NO AGENDA AT ALL. IF THEY HAD ANY SENSE, THEY WOULD'VE DID IT THE RIGHT WAY. I ALWAYS TELL THEM, YOU MIGHT HAVE, YOU MIGHT AS WELL GO AND WATCH FRED SAMPLE. HE'D TELL THEM ALL THE TIME. YEAH, BIG DUMMIES, YOU DON'T LET, LET NOBODY KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING. YOU GIVE 'EM A OVERNIGHT EXPRESS PACKAGE. BUT YOU CAN TELL THEM YOU DON'T HAVE NO CONFIDENT IN THEM. AND IF I WAS THIS CITY MANAGER, THE WAY THINGS ARE GOING NOW, I WILL GET OUTTA HERE OUT OF DODGE BECAUSE IT, IT IS ANOTHER WAY TO GET RID OF ANYBODY. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER, UM, UM, MS. BESSIE DENNIS? I'M NOT SURE IF SHE ALREADY PROVIDED OR IF SHE'S SPEAKING AGAIN. THANK YOU. I NEVER SPOKE. I JUST GAVE A FEW SECONDS OF ACCOLADES TO HA THE HONORABLE HAZEL ROGERS EARLIER, LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE WAS ABLE TO DO. UM, WHAT I'D LIKE TO, UM, DO IS I'D LIKE TO ASK, FIRST I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE OUR, YOUR NAME, BESSIE. MY NAME IS BESSIE DENNIS AND I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE DIOCESE TODAY. UM, THE VICE MAYOR, OUR COMMISSIONER, UM, MAXWELL, OUR CITY MANAGER, CITY CLERK, AND OUR CITY ATTORNEY. UM, I'D LIKE TO ASK IF MR. FULLER, WHO IS A BUSINESS OWNER, HE IS THE OWNER OF A, UM, FUNERAL HOME IN THE CITY OF LAUDERDALE LAKES IN THE LAUDERDALE, UH, MARKETPLACE PLAZA. AND HE WAS HERE BEFORE 7:00 PM HOWEVER, HE DID NOT KNOW THE DYNAMICS OR THE PROTOCOL OF HOW TO BECOME A PUBLIC SPEAKER. SO I CAN GIVE HIM MY SPACE IF YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO HONOR THE FACT THAT HE WAS HERE AND JUST DIDN'T KNOW HE HAD TO FILL OUT A PAPER AND SUBMIT IT. SO VICE MAYOR, CAN I GET SOME ME GET GUIDANCE FROM THE CITY CLERK? WILL HE? I THINK HE STILL HAS TO FILL OUT THE PAPER. HE HAD THE PAPER, BUT I GAVE HIM A PAPER 'CAUSE THE PAPERS WAS STILL OUT BY THE DOOR. HE WAS HERE BEFORE I GOT HERE. I FILLED OUT MINE AFTER I ARRIVED. HE WAS ALREADY SITTING IN THE BACK AREA THERE, BUT DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO GO FORWARD. I WILL ALLOW HIM TO SPEAK. OKAY, GREAT. SO HE HAS ONE. I GAVE HIM ONE, BUT HE DIDN'T. OKAY, SO MS. DENNIS, YOU'RE GIVING UP YOUR TIME. THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU SAID. YOU SAID YOU ALLOW HIM TO SPEAK. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT I WAS GIVING, GIVING UP MY TIME BECAUSE I HAVE SOMETHING IMPORTANT. I SAT HERE ALL NIGHT FOR TO SPEAK TOO ABOUT. GO AHEAD. THE REASON WHY I'M HERE TONIGHT IS ON BEHALF OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY BOARD. AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT I SHARE WITH THE DIOCESE AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC THAT WE ARE HAVING SOME MAJOR PROBLEMS, UM, WITHIN OUR BOARD BECAUSE OUR BOARD IS TO EMPOWER THIS CITY IN TERMS OF BUSINESS. WELL, ECONOMICS SPEAK FOR ITSELF. SO BEING THAT WE HAVE A HIGH LITER LITERACY, [02:00:01] UM, INEFFICIENCY IN COMPARE TO IN COMPARISON TO OTHER CITIES, WE ARE TRYING TO WORK VERY HARD AND TIRELESSLY AND OUR, ON OUR BOARD TO TRY TO CHANGE THAT. LAST YEAR, AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE HAD A BUSINESS RESOURCE FAIR AND A LITERACY FAIR TO BRING AWARENESS TO OUR RESIDENTS ON HOW TO GET MONEY, FREE MONEY FOR SCHOOLING, FREE MONEY FOR BUSINESSES, HOW TO DO, UH, GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENTS, HOW TO, UM, GET CONTRACTS WITH DIFFERENT ENTITIES, HOW TO BECOME MINORITY CERTIFIED FOR YOUR BUSINESS. WE DID ALL OF THAT BY PROVIDING OUR COMMUNITY PLATFORM FOR OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS TO COME AND PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION AT OUR FAIR ON JUNE 22ND OF LAST YEAR. AND IT WAS SUCCESSFUL BUT NOT AS SUCCESSFUL AS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN. WE ONLY HAD 62 IN ATTENDANCE, WHICH IS MORE THAN WE GET FOR MOST OF OUR EVENTS. UM, BUT WE HAD A LOT OF PUSHBACK FROM THE CITY. THEY TOLD US THEY DIDN'T HAVE MONEY TO HAVE, PROVIDE REFRESHMENTS FOR THE EVENT. BUT THEN, UM, WHO WAS THEN A COMMISSIONER, TY SWELL, SHE PROVIDED FUNDING FOR US TO HAVE FOOD ALONG WITH SOME OTHER RESOURCES THAT WE HAD TO ACQUIRE ALONG WITH ME BEGGING BUSINESSES IN OUR CITY TO CONTRIBUTE FOOD FOR OUR EVENT. WE WAS ALSO TOLD AT ONE POINT WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE IT, UH, PAY FOR THE VENUE TO HAVE THE EVENT. WE WASN'T GIVEN THE EVENT AS A BOARD. WE ARE JUST AN EXTENSION OF THE CITY. WE VOLUNTEER OUR TIME AS A BOARD TO COME IN AND HELP TO GIVE IDEAS TO THE CITY TO HELP TO CREATE A BETTER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR THE CITY OF LAUDERDALE LAKES. SO IT WAS THE CITY OF LAUDERDALE LAKES AND WE HAD NO BACKING. WE DID NOT HAVE THE SUPPORT THAT WE NEEDED FROM THE TOP TO THE BOTTOM. LIKE I SAY, COMMISSIONER SWELL STEPPED IN AND WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THAT. BUT IT TAKES A VILLAGE, IT TAKES EVERYBODY TO BE CONCERNED. I HEAR PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT THE YOUTH, THE YOUTH. WELL IF THE KINGS AND THE QUEENS ARE DYSFUNCTIONAL, SO WILL THE PRINCES AND THE PRINCE BE DYSFUNCTIONAL? WE'VE GOT TO START AT THE TOP OF THE VILLAGE AND START MOVING FROM UP, DOWN AND THEN FROM IN OUT. AND WE ARE HAVING MAJOR PROBLEMS, PROBLEMS WITH OUR CITY IN TERMS OF HOW WE ARE SPENDING MONEY. THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT HAVE NEEDS IN OUR CITY. AND GUESS WHAT? WE ARE NOT ADDRESSING THOSE NEEDS. NOW WE ARE SAYING THAT WE ARE GOING TO DO A GRANT, UM, PROGRAM THAT IS STARTING BACK AGAIN FOR HOME MINOR HOME REPAIRS. I'M HOPING PEOPLE WILL COME OUT FOR THAT GRANT TO GET THE, THE HELP THAT THEY NEED. THANK YOU FOR HEARING ME TONIGHT. THANK YOU MS. MR. FULLER RESPECT YOU. EVERYONE. THANK YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK. UM, I, I WAS HERE A LITTLE BIT EARLIER AND I JUST DIDN'T KNOW WHICH ITEM TO PLACE IT IN. UM, BUSINESS ADDRESS IS 37 76 WEST OAKLAND PARK, UM, AND THE LAUDERDALE MARKETPLACE. A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN THERE. I'VE SEEN AND I KNOW, UM, FULL, COULD YOU STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD? SORRY. JASON FULLER. YEP. AND WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY. I'M JUST MAKING A SUGGESTION ON ONE OF THE GRANT PROGRAMS THAT WE RECENTLY APPLIED FOR, UH, IT WAS MADE, WE WERE MADE AWARE THAT THERE WAS A BUSINESS EQUIPMENT GRANT, UM, A FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS ON CERTAIN TO MEET CERTAIN CRITERIA. ONE OF THE CRITERIA WAS THAT THE BUSINESS MUST HAVE A DECLINE IN REVENUE, UH, FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR THAT WAS ADDED. I BELIEVE THAT WAS ADDED THIS YEAR. UM, AND UM, SO I JUST CAME TO SPEAK ON THAT. UM, JUST THE VERY NATURE OF EVERYTHING GOING UP. SO THE, UH, I GUESS THE GRANT WAS SUPPOSED TO, UH, HELP ECONOMICALLY. UM, JUST THE BASIS OF EVERYTHING GOING UP. RENTS ARE INCREASING. UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO ALL RAISE COSTS. I I OPERATE A FUNERAL HOME, SO IF YOU DON'T RAISE COSTS, YOU CAN'T COVER YOUR EXPENSES. SO YOUR COSTS ARE, ARE INCREASING, THE RENTS ARE INCREASING. WE WANT TO BE ECONOMICALLY VIABLE, UM, AND PROVIDE THE RESOURCE TO THE CITY. BUT WE WERE DIS UM, DISQUALIFIED FROM THE PROGRAM OR FOR THE, FROM THE GRANT BECAUSE OUR REVENUES INCREASED. UM, SO TO THE, THE THE EXPENSES. SO I MEAN, JUST THE VERY NATURE OF BUSINESS, UM, I I THINK IT WAS KIND OF PRODUCTIVE. IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM, BUT THERE SHOULD BE SOME, SOME OTHER CRITERIA OTHER THAN, YOU KNOW, YOUR REVENUES CAN INCREASE EACH YEAR. UM, BECAUSE IF, IF THE REVENUES DECREASED EVERY YEAR, YOU, WE WOULDN'T HAVE BUSINESSES IN THE CITY. WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO PAY THE RENTS. UM, INCREASING PROPERTY TAXES, INSURANCE THAT IS TRIPLE, UM, JUST TO OPERATE THE BUSINESS. UM, SO MY SUGGESTION IS THAT, UH, [02:05:01] MAYBE IN THE FUTURE SOME THINGS CAN BE ADDED THAT ARE NOT REVENUE BASED. SO WE CAN ALL EQUALLY QUALIFY FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. ONE MOMENT BEFORE YOU LEAVE, BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN ACTUALLY, UM, ASSISTING HIM. HE HAS SOME MINUTES LEFT. SO DO YOU MIND ME SHARING YOUR MINUTES? MM-HMM . OKAY. SO, AND WITH MOST GRANT PROGRAMS, PEOPLE LIKE TO INVEST IN BUSINESSES JUST FOR THE RECORD THAT ARE ACTUALLY NOT FAILING. BECAUSE IF YOU INVEST IN A BUSINESS THAT'S FAILING, THEN WHAT HAPPENS? YOU HAVE DUMPED GOOD MONEY INTO BAD GROUND. NOW WHAT HE'S SAYING IS HE DOESN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO GO OUT AND, AND, AND TO IMPROVE HIS BUSINESS OR TO GET THE EQUIPMENT THAT HE NEEDS IN ORDER TO COMPETE WITH OTHER BUSINESSES OF HIS NATURE. BECAUSE THAT'S COMMON. IF YOU KNOW BUSINESS, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO PAY YOUR RENT AND YOUR BILLS, BUT YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE, IF AN EMERGENCY OCCUR TO GO OUT AND SPEND $10,000 ON AN EMBALMING MACHINE OR IF YOU ARE A RESTAURANT TO GET A WALK-IN COOLER FOR $10,000. BUT YET YOU CAN KEEP THE DAILY, YOU KNOW, EVERYDAY EXPENSES AND THE MONTHLY EXPENSES GOING. AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE. SO HE WAS MISLED INTO THINKING THAT HE WOULD BE ABLE TO GET THE GRANT. BUT, AND THEN I FOUGHT FOR THIS, NOT JUST ME, BUT THE WHOLE BOARD LAST YEAR WE CAME BEFORE THE DIOCESE AND WE SAID, LISTEN, IT'S NOT ABOUT THE FACT THAT A PERSON'S REVENUES DIDN'T DECLINE. IT'S ABOUT THE FACT THAT IF THEY'RE IN BUSINESS IN OUR CITY AND THEY NEED TO IMPROVE THEIR BUSINESS OR THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO REPLACE SOMETHING THAT IS NOT OPERABLE, CAN WE HELP THEM? AND WE WERE TOLD, YES, WE COULD DO THAT. BUT THEN THEY WENT BEHIND OUR BACKS AND THEY CHANGED IT ANYWAY. AND INCLUDED THAT LITTLE SNEAKY CLAUSE THAT IF YOU HAVE A, AN INCREASE IN REVENUES, WHICH LIKE HE SAID, YOU GOTTA WEIGH IN BALANCE. YOU GOTTA WEIGH IN. YOU CAN'T JUST SAY, OKAY, WE MADE 80,000 THIS YEAR, LAST YEAR WE MADE 75,000. BUT WHAT ABOUT THE INCREASE IN HIS RENT? WHAT ABOUT THE INCREASE IN HIS SUPPLIES? WHAT ABOUT THE INCREASE IN THE GIVING, GIVING HIS EMPLOYEES AN INCREASE IN SALARY AND THEY DIDN'T CHECK ALL OF THAT? THEY DON'T GO LINE BY LINE. SO IT IS UNFAIR TO HAVE A GRANT OF THAT NATURE WITHOUT DOING ALL OF WHAT IS REQUIRED TO BE FAIR TO THE BUSINESSES IN OUR CITY. AND WE NEED TO CHANGE THAT. THANK YOU MADAM. MS. DES, I THINK WE'RE GOING CLOSE OFF. ARE WE DONE? OKAY, NOW I'M GONNA TURN OFF NOW. THANK YOU. PETITIONS FROM THE PUBLIC CLOSE MATTER. YES, CORRECT. MADAM MAYOR. YES. I'M GOING TO MOVE FOR AN ADJOURNMENT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A QUORUM AND WE WILL MEET ON MARCH 25TH IN THIS COMMISSION, CHAMBERS AT 7:00 PM GOODNIGHT. THANK YOU. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.