Updates on the Fight for Quality Public Education in Brevard County, FL
0:00 Music playing.
28:59 world of Facebook I caught up with a friend from Texas that I
28:43 grew up with
28:43 she’s she’s in her early 50s had a similar path decided after
28:47 all her kids
28:48 were grown and gone I don’t know yours look like yours are grown
28:51 and gone yet
28:52 but hers are grown and gone she she went back to the classroom
28:55 to be an IA
28:57 loved it decided you know what I want to become a teacher
29:00 finished her master’s
29:01 or her bachelor’s degree became a teacher she’s been a full-time
29:04 teacher
29:05 for about three years and I just looked on Facebook and she got
29:07 recognized not
29:08 only for teacher of the year for their district but for their
29:10 whole region in
29:11 Texas and you know Texas is so gigantic so that’s where I expect
29:15 to see you in
29:16 three years I just want to say so such a rock star thank you for
29:19 what you’ve done
29:19 thank you all right we’re gonna take a short recess and take a
29:23 photo real quick
29:37 thank you so much so much for coming here I hope you’re going to
29:42 see you next time
29:42 we’re going to see you next time
32:19 we’ll see you next time
32:21 we’re going to see you next time
33:25 the 2425 collective bargaining agreement
33:27 was held at work sites
33:28 from August 19th through August 23rd
33:31 there were 3,097 votes cast
33:34 which means about 66% of members of the bargaining unit voted
33:38 there were 2,980 yes votes and 78 no votes
33:43 therefore our bargaining unit has ratified the CBA
33:47 with 96% voting in favor of it
33:50 I want to thank our BFT bargaining team
33:52 as well as the district bargaining team
33:54 we are going to see you on a job well done
33:56 I also want to thank this board and superintendent
33:58 for stretching the district budget
34:00 to offer a competitive raise
34:02 we know this wasn’t a great year for funding
34:04 but you showed that your priority
34:06 is to do the best you can for teacher pay
34:08 as always there is some misinformation
34:11 and disinformation surrounding the news of the agreement
34:14 that I would like to clarify
34:16 first there are some saying that this raise
34:18 came from the millage referendum
34:20 to be clear not a cent of this raise came from millage
34:23 secondly some believe that new teachers will get paid more
34:27 under this plan than our current teachers
34:29 new teachers to Brevard will not make more than any teacher
34:33 who was here last year
34:34 in fact because of the three and a half percent
34:37 of the four percent raise being based on actual contract salary
34:41 teachers who have been in Brevard will earn more dollars on the
34:46 raise
34:46 lastly there are some saying that the health insurance premium
34:49 increases are more than the raise
34:51 while in fact no teachers will see premium increases anywhere
34:55 near the raise total
34:56 and most will see increases only between $2.76 per check and $7.46
35:04 per check
35:04 not to mention those amounts don’t start until January and don’t
35:08 reflect pre-tax implications
35:10 with that said I am very concerned about the lack of information
35:15 and the inaccuracy of information
35:16 that is being provided by our health insurance consultant Lockton
35:20 Lockton Lockton stated as late as March 20th that BPS would need
35:26 to put in about $4.9 million infusion into the plan by June 30th
35:33 in actuality BPS did not need to put a cent into the plan and by
35:38 the end of June there was a $2.7 million surplus in the fund
35:42 that’s a big difference an $8 million difference and one that we
35:46 should all be concerned about
35:48 I’m asking that you all put more eyes and focus on the health
35:52 plan and start asking serious questions for a consultant
35:55 and holding them accountable
35:57 my other ask is one that I’ve been suggesting for nearly a
36:00 decade and I don’t think it’s ever been done
36:02 that is to make the plan for next year’s raise now not in June
36:07 don’t assume Tallahassee is going to send you a windfall and
36:11 assume assume they won’t
36:12 so when they don’t you still have a way to address employee
36:15 compensation
36:16 it won’t be easy but with a year’s worth of planning it can be
36:20 done thank you
36:20 thank you
36:21 Julie Hanna and Kelly Curvin
36:31 hello good morning I’m a parent of two students in Satellite
36:36 Beach one at Delora Middle School
36:38 and one at Surfside Elementary and I know the guardian program
36:42 was adopted last year
36:43 and this is the school year that it’s to be put into place
36:48 and I called the schools to find out some more information
36:51 I spoke to the school board phone number for some more
36:54 information
36:55 but I have concerns that we parents aren’t getting any
36:59 information
36:59 we don’t know who is around our children
37:02 seven hours a day five days a week with a deadly weapon
37:06 I didn’t know any of their qualifications to have a weapon
37:12 around my child
37:12 I have concerns with these individuals qualifications
37:16 I don’t know what the handling of emergency situation guidelines
37:20 is for them to be able to utilize such a weapon
37:23 and for a district that talks about parents rights
37:30 I think us parents have the right to know who is going to be
37:34 around our children in these situations
37:37 and I’m not I would like to request that this information be
37:40 made available to the parents
37:42 that’s all I have
37:46 all right thank you
37:48 Kelly Curvin
37:50 Good morning, everyone. There were a lot of things that came out
38:02 of the last school board meeting that I would like to address.
38:04 And first up is Dr. Rendell. In your quest to admonish parents
38:07 and community members, you instead insulted our media
38:10 specialists with comments about their supposed expertise or
38:13 whatever. I agree. The community did want media specialists to
38:18 be a part of the conversation and have voting
38:20 rights on the book review committee. I still do. But I also
38:23 recognize that part of being a professional and having expertise
38:27 in their field means following district policies and state laws,
38:30 even if you don’t agree with them. Our school board has proven
38:34 to our media specialists that they do not have their backs, that
38:37 they will not fight for them and the autonomy of their
38:39 classrooms. Matt Susan and Katie Campbell sat by and listened as
38:43 extremists called them groomers and pedophiles from this very
38:46 podium and did nothing to stop it or defend them.
38:50 Megan Wright and Jean Trent actively stood up with the extremists
38:53 who called our media specialist groomers and pedophiles. The
38:57 school board once selected in 2022 made quick work of changing
39:00 the book banning policy to remove media specialists from the
39:03 conversation and then changes have been made over and over again,
39:07 each time pushing media specialists and their actual not
39:11 supposed experience further and further away from the
39:14 conversation.
39:15 The irony is that Matt Susan and Jean Trent would rather trust
39:19 unreliable committee members who don’t even bother showing up to
39:22 the meetings over our media specialists and just so we’re clear,
39:26 I don’t presume to speak for every media specialist in this
39:29 county, but for my friends who are media specialists, for the
39:33 ones who have come to vent to me out of frustration, for the
39:35 ones who have asked for me about the tone and other districts
39:38 because they’re making plans to leave BPS. For those who are
39:42 making choices so that they can keep their jobs. For those who
39:45 are making choices so that they can keep their jobs. For those
39:45 who
39:45 For those who don’t feel supported to use their voice. Those who
39:48 don’t feel supported to use their voice. Those are the people I
39:51 speak for because I can because it’s not my job on the line. It’s
39:53 not my retirement. It’s not my pension or my benefits.
39:54 So the next time you want to insult me or other community
39:57 members, think before you speak. Matt Susan and Megan, right? I
40:03 share similar sentiments. You just like me and I get it. You’d
40:07 rather have your authoritarianism go unchallenged. And again, I
40:11 get it. That would be easier. Wouldn’t it? If parents and
40:12 community members just accepted being lied to without questions,
40:12 you’d be in heaven. But that is never going to happen. And while
40:12 you two sat up there throwing temper tantrums because you didn’t
40:12 like my attention or my benefits. So the next time you want to
40:12 insult me or other community members think before you speak.
40:12 Wouldn’t it? If parents and community members just accepted
40:15 being lied to without questions, you’d be in heaven. But that is
40:19 never going to happen. And while you two sat up there throwing
40:22 temper tantrums because you didn’t like what was said, a
40:25 reporter from France was watching it all go down. Not only do
40:28 you embarrass provide public schools in this room, in this
40:32 county, and across the country, but now you’re going to bring
40:35 that embarrassment to the international stage again. And once
40:39 again, I don’t care how many crisis PR consults
40:42 and you hire, you will never not be who you are. Unprofessional,
40:47 chaotic, self-serving, and liars.
40:50 All right. So we are now at the consent agenda. Dr. Rendell.
40:59 Thank you, Madam Chair. There are 15 agenda items under this
41:02 category.
41:02 Thank you, Dr. Rendell. Does any board member wish to pull any
41:05 of the items?
41:06 I do.
41:07 Which item? Sorry, my mic wasn’t on. F24.
41:12 Sorry, give me one second, just so I can pull up which item you’re
41:18 looking at.
41:19 Okay. All right. Any other board members wish to pull any other
41:24 items?
41:25 No.
41:27 All right. I’ll entertain a motion to accept the consent on
41:31 today’s agenda with the exception of F24.
41:34 Move to approve.
41:36 Second.
41:37 Any discussion?
41:38 No. All right. Paul, roll call, please.
41:42 Ms. Jenkins?
41:42 Aye.
41:43 Ms. Campbell?
41:43 Aye.
41:44 Ms. Wright?
41:44 Aye.
41:45 Mr. Trent?
41:46 Aye.
41:46 Mr. Susan?
41:47 Aye.
41:48 All right. Ms. Jenkins, you asked to pull F24, so…
41:52 Make a motion and a second.
41:52 Move to approve.
41:53 Second.
41:55 All right. Discussion?
41:56 Yeah. I’m not going to go into grave detail. Our individual
42:02 evaluations for the superintendent aren’t
42:05 published, so it’s going to be published as a collective average.
42:10 I just wholeheartedly disagree
42:12 with giving a $10,000 incentive pay when we didn’t set goals in
42:16 the first place. I also disagree
42:19 with extending a contract two years in advance, so that’s why I
42:23 wanted to pull it.
42:24 Any other discussion?
42:27 No. All right. Paul, roll call, please.
42:31 Ms. Jenkins?
42:31 Nay.
42:32 Ms. Campbell?
42:33 Aye.
42:33 Ms. Wright?
42:34 Aye.
42:35 Mr. Trent?
42:36 Aye.
42:36 Mr. Susan?
42:37 Aye.
42:38 All right. We will now hold a public hearing to address a few
42:43 different things we have on the public
42:45 hearing, so Dr. Adele, do you want to go ahead and kick off the
42:48 first one for us?
42:49 Thank you, ma’am. Chair, the first public hearing is board-reviewed
42:53 policy revisions G26.
42:55 Board Policy 3120, Employment of Staff.
42:58 Is there anyone present who wishes to address this item?
43:03 Hearing none, do I hear a motion?
43:07 Move to approve.
43:09 Any discussion?
43:10 Call and roll call, please.
43:12 Ms. Jenkins?
43:13 Aye.
43:13 Ms. Campbell?
43:14 Aye.
43:14 Ms. Wright?
43:15 Aye.
43:16 Mr. Trent?
43:16 Aye.
43:16 Mr. Susan?
43:17 Aye.
43:19 All right.
43:20 Dr. Randall?
43:21 Thank you, ma’am.
43:22 Chair, the next public hearing item is board-reviewed policy revisions,
43:25 board policy 7217 weapons.
43:27 Is there anyone present who – oh, my mic turned off.
43:29 Is there anyone present who wishes to address this item?
43:34 Hearing none.
43:37 Do we have motion?
43:39 Move to approve.
43:40 Second.
43:41 Any discussion?
43:42 Call and roll call, please.
43:44 Ms. Jenkins?
43:45 Aye.
43:45 Ms. Campbell?
43:46 Aye.
43:46 Ms. Wright?
43:47 Aye.
43:47 Mr. Trent?
43:48 Aye.
43:48 Mr. Susan?
43:49 Aye.
43:50 Dr. Randall?
43:51 Thank you, ma’am.
43:52 Chair, the last public hearing item is G-28, the 2425 student
43:56 progression plan.
43:58 Is there anyone present who wishes to address this item?
44:04 Seeing none, do we hear a motion?
44:07 Move to approve.
44:08 Any discussion?
44:11 Paul, roll call.
44:12 Ms. Jenkins?
44:13 Aye.
44:13 Ms. Campbell?
44:14 Aye.
44:14 Ms. Wright?
44:14 Aye.
44:15 Mr. Trent?
44:16 Aye.
44:16 Mr. Susan?
44:17 Aye.
44:17 All right, Dr. Randall, will you please let us know about the
44:21 items under the action portion
44:22 of today’s agenda?
44:23 Thank you, ma’am, chair.
44:24 The first action item is H-29, Department and School Initiated
44:28 Agreements.
44:28 Do we hear a motion?
44:30 Move to approve.
44:31 Second.
44:32 Any discussion?
44:33 Paul, roll call.
44:36 Ms. Jenkins?
44:37 Aye.
44:37 Ms. Campbell?
44:38 Aye.
44:38 Ms. Wright?
44:38 Aye.
44:39 Mr. Trent?
44:39 Aye.
44:40 Mr. Susan?
44:40 Aye.
44:41 Mr. Susan?
44:41 Aye.
44:41 Dr. Randall, will you please let us know about the action item?
44:43 Aye.
44:43 Thank you, ma’am, chair.
44:44 The next action item is H-30, Procurement Solicitations.
44:45 Do I hear a motion?
44:46 Move to approve.
44:48 Any discussion?
44:49 None.
44:50 Roll call, please.
44:50 Ms. Jenkins?
44:51 Aye.
44:51 Ms. Campbell?
44:52 Aye.
44:53 Ms. Wright?
44:54 Aye.
44:55 Mr. Trent?
44:56 Aye.
44:57 Mr. Susan?
44:57 Aye.
44:59 Mr. Campbell?
44:59 Aye.
44:59 Ms. Wright?
44:59 Aye.
45:00 Mr. Trent?
45:00 Aye.
45:01 Mr. Susan?
45:01 Aye.
45:02 Mr. Susan?
45:02 Aye.
45:04 Okay, and action item number H-31, we just voted on in the
45:08 previous–
45:09 In the public hearing.
45:11 So, Mr. Gibbs, we don’t need to go through that action item, is
45:14 that correct?
45:14 That’s correct.
45:14 Okay.
45:15 So, Dr. Rendell, will you let us know about the next action item?
45:18 Thank you, Madam Chair.
45:19 The next action item is H-32, Book Challenges and Reviews,
45:23 People Kill People by Ellen Hopkins.
45:27 The recommendation of the committee is to Keep People Kill
45:30 People by Ellen Hopkins.
45:31 Do I hear a motion?
45:33 Yes.
45:34 I’m going to move that we do not keep this book and we reject
45:38 the recommendation of the committee.
45:40 I’ll second that motion.
45:42 This was the only one that I came to disagreement.
45:47 If you listen to the committee, some of them were on the fence.
45:50 There was a particular book–the issue with this book reminds me
45:53 a lot of the Kite Runner,
45:54 but as in–whereas in the Kite Runner, it was more vague what
45:58 was happening if you didn’t
46:00 know what was going on.
46:01 This one was more explicit as far as the–it was a very similar
46:05 scene, you know, body parts
46:07 and all the things I feel like violates the statute.
46:10 In addition, this particular book, if I heard the recording
46:12 right, has only been checked out–it’s
46:14 only at one school.
46:14 It’s only been checked out–actually, it has been checked out
46:17 zero times since 2019.
46:18 Yes.
46:19 So I don’t think it’ll be a great loss.
46:20 So that’s why I recommended that we don’t keep this book.
46:25 All right.
46:26 Any other discussion on this book?
46:28 No?
46:29 All right.
46:30 No.
46:31 Okay.
46:31 So just to clarify, the vote is to remove–to remove–to remove
46:35 this book.
46:36 And I second the motion, the discussion.
46:38 Any other discussion?
46:39 No?
46:40 None?
46:41 Paul, roll call, please.
46:42 Ms. Jenkins?
46:43 Nay.
46:44 Ms. Campbell?
46:45 Aye.
46:46 Ms. Wright?
46:47 Aye.
46:48 Mr. Trent?
46:49 Aye.
46:50 Mr. Susan?
46:51 Aye.
46:53 All right.
46:55 Dr. Rendell?
46:56 Thank you, Madam Chair.
46:57 The next action item is H33, Book Challenges and Reviews.
47:00 The book is “Dampsel” by Elena K. Arnold.
47:02 The recommendation of the committee is to remove “Dampsel” by
47:05 Elena K. Arnold.
47:06 Move to approve.
47:07 Second.
47:08 Any discussion?
47:09 All right.
47:10 Paul, roll call, please.
47:11 Ms. Jenkins?
47:12 Nay.
47:13 Ms. Campbell?
47:14 Aye.
47:15 Ms. Wright?
47:16 Aye.
47:17 Mr. Trent?
47:18 Aye.
47:19 Mr. Susan?
47:19 Aye.
47:20 All right.
47:21 Dr. Rendell?
47:21 Thank you, Madam Chair.
47:22 The next action item is H34, Book Challenges and Reviews.
47:24 The book is “Sasaki and Miyano, Volume 1,” by Sho Harasuno.
47:29 The recommendation of the committee is to keep “Sasaki and Miyano,
47:34 Volume 1.”
47:34 Move to approve.
47:35 Second.
47:36 Any discussion?
47:41 I’m not going to be voting to keep this one there, and I’m just
47:46 going to tell you why.
47:46 Again, I’ve read every one of these books alongside this book
47:49 committee.
47:50 This book focuses on nothing other than a relationship.
47:54 It’s inappropriate.
47:55 You start the book.
47:56 You read it backwards.
47:57 I mean, literally, when you start reading a book, which we’ve
47:59 been teaching our kids from
48:00 day one, you start at the beginning, and you read from left to
48:03 right, bottom to top.
48:04 Not that book.
48:05 You read that book.
48:06 You don’t.
48:07 And so it’s just, to me, I’m going, no, this is not the highest
48:10 and best book that we can
48:10 offer our kids.
48:11 And this is Volume 1.
48:12 So I’m not sure where this goes because the entire book is
48:14 focused on a romantic relationship.
48:16 So I’m like, if this is Volume 1, where does the next one go?
48:19 So that’s the reason why I won’t be supporting the committee’s
48:22 recommendation of keeping it.
48:24 So just letting you know.
48:25 I, since we’re discussing, I’m not going to defend this book
48:28 because I didn’t like it.
48:29 I thought it was kind of stupid personally.
48:31 I don’t think there’s a problem with it being backwards because
48:33 it’s Japanese.
48:34 And it was a literal translation, took the Japanese book and
48:37 inserted the English text.
48:38 So, um, but I, I can agree with the recommendation of the
48:41 committee because it doesn’t violate statute.
48:44 Um, and I was looking for it, but it didn’t.
48:47 So, um, you know, like I said, not necessarily one that I’m
48:50 super excited about, um, keeping,
48:52 but if we’re going to, you know, I’ve, I’ve tried to stick with
48:55 that, what the law says.
48:56 And I, I think that’s where, I don’t think this one is violating
49:00 the statute for us.
49:01 All right.
49:02 Thank you.
49:03 Any other discussion?
49:04 No.
49:05 All right.
49:06 Paul roll call, please.
49:07 Ms. Jenkins.
49:08 Aye.
49:09 Ms. Campbell.
49:10 Aye.
49:11 Ms. Wright.
49:12 Nay.
49:13 Mr. Trent.
49:14 Nay.
49:15 Mr. Susan.
49:16 Nay.
49:17 Uh, so I would like to amend the motion to, uh, make a motion to
49:19 remove this book from our,
49:20 our, uh, curriculum.
49:21 Do I have a second?
49:22 Second.
49:23 All right.
49:24 Any discussion?
49:25 All library books are considered curriculum.
49:27 So I guess it’s a curriculum, sorry.
49:29 I have a, I have a discussion, Mr. Gibbs.
49:32 Um, by removing this book, even though it’s not a violation of
49:35 the statute, do we set ourselves
49:37 up for potential legal debates?
49:38 Based on the Escambia case, we’re already potentially up for
49:44 legal challenge if, uh, publishers and
49:47 authors have the right to sue school districts.
49:49 It’s going to come down to what that case says and who has the
49:53 right to remove books.
49:54 Okay.
49:55 So, um, I am not comfortable removing a book because we don’t
49:58 understand why it’s being
50:00 read in the opposite direction, potentially setting us up for
50:03 legal ramifications.
50:04 Yeah.
50:05 If I can speak to this new motion.
50:07 Um, I, I’m not as concerned about the Escambia case because I
50:11 think Escambia did beyond what
50:13 their policy, they did, you know, they kind of did a broad swath
50:16 rather than following process.
50:18 We have followed a process.
50:19 The board does get the final say in Florida statute gives us
50:23 that.
50:23 Um, but you started to mention about instructional materials.
50:28 And I just caution us there because I don’t think, um, going
50:32 back to, and I don’t want to
50:33 put words in your mouth, but going back to what do the challenger
50:36 put in here, I don’t
50:37 think we’re about to remove every book that has a homosexual
50:41 reference in our libraries.
50:42 Yeah.
50:43 Because we’d, we’d be getting rid of a lot.
50:44 That’s the reason behind that.
50:45 I didn’t say that.
50:46 Okay.
50:49 So when we, when I, I just, so, I mean, um, that’s, when you
50:53 talk about instructional materials
50:54 or instruction, this is, this, having the book in libraries not
50:56 instructional.
50:57 Again, not going to defend the book.
50:59 Not a fan of it.
51:00 Um, but that’s, you know, where I fall down on that.
51:02 And I, like I said, the Escambia one doesn’t bother me.
51:05 Any other discussion?
51:07 No.
51:08 All right.
51:09 Paul roll call, please.
51:10 Ms. Jenkins.
51:11 Nay.
51:12 Ms. Wright.
51:13 Aye.
51:14 Mr. Trent.
51:15 Aye.
51:16 Mr. Susan.
51:17 Aye.
51:18 All right.
51:19 We will move on to the information agenda, which includes one
51:20 item for the board to review
51:21 and may be brought back for action in a subsequent meeting.
51:22 No action will be taken today.
51:23 Does any board member wish to discuss this item?
51:26 None.
51:27 All right.
51:28 Uh, we are now at board member reports.
51:31 Ms. Campbell, do you have something to share with us?
51:33 I thought you.
51:34 I emailed.
51:35 Oh, sorry.
51:36 My thing’s on.
51:37 Um, I emailed you guys a, um, a copy of what I had written up.
51:43 And just if, as long as everybody is good with what I sent, I
51:48 sent it on, um, Tuesday the
51:50 20th.
51:51 Mm-hmm.
51:52 If you’re looking in your emails, um, just the language.
51:56 I didn’t, the committee will, once we send it, if the FSB is
52:01 going to adopt it, they’ll
52:02 kind of refine it a little bit.
52:04 Cause I’m like, oh, I wish I had a better way to just get all
52:06 these words in here.
52:07 Um, but at number one was easy.
52:08 Cause, but I did add that word certified.
52:10 And I, because I know for example, like Charlotte County staffs,
52:15 they’re VPK with not certified
52:17 teachers.
52:18 And I think that may be some of the hesitation for the state is
52:21 that they say, you know, preschool
52:22 teachers, then that might mean everybody.
52:24 And some of them aren’t necessarily certified staff.
52:26 We’re specifically talking about certified staff.
52:28 So I went ahead and in the appropriate places added the word
52:31 certified.
52:31 So if you guys were good with that, um, and with, as long as you
52:34 didn’t have any problems
52:35 with the, and the number five, I, because Dr. Rendell had
52:40 mentioned it.
52:40 It came off the FSBA platform.
52:41 I pretty much pulled it straight off of last year’s FSBA
52:44 platform about the workforce development
52:46 capitalization center program.
52:48 So are you good?
52:49 And I was, did not get into specifics with the unaccompanied
52:52 minor, but just for them
52:54 to take a look.
52:55 Okay.
52:56 Yeah, no, it’s, that’s fine.
52:57 I mean, yes, I’m fine with it.
52:59 I read what you had written.
53:00 Oh, good.
53:01 It’s copied to the agenda items.
53:02 Sorry.
53:03 Yeah, it is.
53:04 It’s on there.
53:05 I’m looking at my email.
53:06 So if you guys are good, then I will this week, um, upload those
53:09 to the
53:09 platform that they have opened up for us.
53:12 I, I’m good with it board.
53:15 Yeah.
53:16 Mr. Susan, are you okay with that?
53:19 Yeah, I’m good.
53:20 Sounds good.
53:21 All right.
53:23 Does any board member have anything further discussed?
53:26 Yeah.
53:27 Just briefly, um, I serve as our representative on the Brevard,
53:32 um, cultural alliance and not
53:34 necessarily related to the arts, but they had a special
53:37 presentation.
53:38 Um, I’ve had someone come in and do a presentation on the ad valorem
53:43 tax abatement program.
53:44 And I just thought I’d share that, um, with the public and it’s
53:48 not necessarily school related,
53:49 but it is well directly, but it is, um, every 10 years our
53:53 county votes and this year it’s coming up.
53:55 It’ll be on the ballot in November, um, for the ad valorem tax
53:58 abatement.
53:59 And what that is, is allowing companies who come in, who meet
54:03 very specific requirements.
54:04 Like they’re going to create X number of jobs and they have to
54:07 meet the performance goals
54:09 before they get those tax incentives, um, to, you know, to have
54:13 those tax breaks and what
54:15 it ends up being for every, the stats that they, they had a team
54:19 from Florida tech actually
54:20 do a research project on it for every dollar of tax incentives
54:25 that this awards, our county
54:27 is receiving almost $5 in taxes, which includes school taxes as
54:33 well as things to, to build roads
54:34 and other things.
54:35 So, um, just, it’s one of those things that because it only
54:38 comes around every 10 years,
54:39 it’s not something we’re thinking about, but if you’d like more
54:42 information, um, I could
54:43 certainly point you to the right direction, but it’s going to be
54:46 on our ballot language listed
54:48 as the ad valorem tax abatement program.
54:51 And it’s something that I think, um, we want to attract these
54:55 good businesses that are going
54:56 to provide jobs to the people who are in our community.
54:59 And, um, Florida does not offer something like this as a state.
55:03 So the only thing we have really is, um, these local
55:07 opportunities, different cities do it.
55:08 And this is the one for the county.
55:10 So something to take a look at, um, when it comes to creating,
55:13 uh, attracting and retaining
55:15 high wage job companies.
55:16 And the scary thing that he presented is they had a meeting with
55:19 some of these space companies,
55:20 space companies that we have been building relationships with as
55:23 a district, as well as the community.
55:25 And because now there is opportunity to launch from other places
55:30 in the United States,
55:33 the opportunity for some of these companies to move their
55:35 manufacturing and other operations
55:37 outside of Florida and outside of the space coast would be
55:41 devastating to our local economy.
55:43 And so anything that we can do to, you know, again, it’s fair,
55:47 there’s very much accountability.
55:49 They have to go through an approval process.
55:51 And then if they’re not meeting those, uh, agreed to, um,
55:56 measures as far as the companies
55:57 they provide and, and the jobs, uh, you know, the, the, what the
56:01 product they’re producing, um, they don’t get to keep it.
56:03 It’s not a forever, you know, kind of a tax abatement, but just
56:07 something to take a look at.
56:09 And I’d be happy to share the information that was shared with
56:11 us.
56:11 Thank you.
56:12 No, I would love to see the information that was shared.
56:14 All right.
56:15 Dr. Rendell, do you have anything further to report?
56:17 Thank you, Madam Chair.
56:18 I do not.
56:19 All right.
56:20 being there’s no further business.
56:22 This meeting is adjourned.
56:23 All right.
56:24 Being there’s no further business.
56:25 This meeting is adjourned.
56:27 All right.
56:28 Being there’s no further business.
56:29 This meeting is adjourned.
56:30 All right.
56:31 Being there’s no further business.
56:32 This meeting is adjourned.
56:33 All right.
56:33 Being there’s no further business.
56:34 This meeting is adjourned.
56:35 All right.
56:36 Being there’s no further business.
56:37 This meeting is adjourned.
56:38 All right.
56:39 Being there’s no further business.
56:40 All right.
56:41 Being there’s no further business.
56:42 This meeting is adjourned.
56:43 All right.
56:45 Being there’s no further business.
56:46 This meeting is adjourned.
56:47 All right.
57:19 For more information, visit www.fema.org