10-19-13 Minutes Minutes of Town Hall Meeting
Saturday,October 19,2013
Present: Mayor Pro Tern Maria Mark
Commissioner Carolyn Woods
Commissioner Jonathan Daugherty
City Manager Jim Hanson
Eight citizens attended—George Zikeli,Lou Keith, Sally Clemens,Jimmy Hill, Steve and
Monica Osborne, and Alexi Gonzales and her husband
Mayor Pro Tern Mark called the meeting to order in the Adele Grage Community Center at 10:01 am. She
explained that Mayor Borno was unable to attend because of a recently scheduled funeral that he had to
attend. (Note: Mayor Borno did join the meeting at approximately 11:25 am after the funeral was over).
Comments and discussions are summarized as follows:
• George Zikeli was the first citizen that spoke. He wanted the Police Department to do more about
enforcing the noise ordinance dealing with loud parties. He indicated that there had been a problem with a
house across from his residence at 573 Royal Palms Drive. He also wanted the parks to be open before
8 am. Specifically he was referring to Dutton and Tide Views Parks so that he could go fishing.
• Steve Osborne of Hidden Paradise Subdivision expressed a concern about the proposed multi-purpose
path that is part of the Marsh Master Plan. Commissioner Woods stated that she had set a meeting with
neighborhood residents on Saturday, October 26th at 10 am to discuss their concerns. Mr. Osborne
indicated that homeowners had been aware of the Marsh Master Plan in 2011, but did not think it applied
to them. Mr. Osborne wanted to know if any parking was proposed in the Levy area in connection with the
Marsh Master Plan. Commissioner Woods asked the City Manager to attend the meeting on Saturday,
October 26`h
•Jimmy Hill said that he was opposed to using another consultant to plan for the Marsh Master Plan
development and asked if the City could send a copy of the Tideviews newsletter to utility bill customers
that receive their bills electronically.
• Lou Keith expressed a concern about the Mayor using his prerogative to move items forward on the
agendas to accommodate groups of people. He felt like any other citizens that attend the meeting should
have their opportunity to speak first. He went on to voice several disagreements with the pay plan and
update done by Cody and Associates for the City of Atlantic Beach. Specifically,he felt like the maximum
pay in the Grade for the Police Chief was too high. He went on to say that City employees had received an
average of an 11%pay raise.
•Jimmy Hill said that he wanted to look into the pay scales for City employees after he gets sworn in and
indicated that"several top officers have told him that there are problems".
• Monica Osborne said she thought the Police Officers had a"very adversarial relationship with the
community"and that she did not trust them. She related a story of a police officer she saw picking up
garage sale signs and showing a bad attitude while doing so.
• George Zikeli said that when he called the Police Department several years ago they were there in three
minutes but he thought their response would probably be slower now.
•Jimmy Hill said that the Police Department does not have a"Citizen Corp"mentality. He said that the
officers had not been told to mingle with the public,but that they are"mercenaries not living here". He
said that he wanted to be able to see through the windows of the police cars. But thought it was not the
officer's fault that these problems existed.
• Sally Clemens commented on the difference in speed limits of 20 versus 25 mph in various City streets,
wanted more stop signs on arterial streets,wanted to invite everyone to the MarshFest on November 16`",
feels safe in her neighborhood,wants the canal through Johansen Park kept cleaner so homeless people will
not camp there,wants garage sale signs limited to only the yard of the garage sale owner,commented that
it was the culture of younger people now not to smile at others,and wanted to amend the City Charter to
require paperwork to be submitted prior to running for office for Commissioner in Atlantic Beach and that
minimum requirements for Commissioners include at least five years as a U.S. citizen and a resident of
Atlantic Beach at least three years. She also wanted all Commissioners to run at large.
• Mayor Borno joined the meeting at 11:25 pm.
There being no further citizen comments, the Town Hall Meeting was adjourned at 11:25 am.
/ LJU&kkIU
Jim Hanson Maria Mark
City;Manager Mayor Pro Tern