[00:00:08] >>> OKAY. WE WILL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED. IF YOU WILL, PLEASE JOIN ME TO HAVE COMMISSIONER BURKE DO OUR INVOCATION THIS AFTERNOON. >> GOOD EVENING, PLEASE JOIN ME IN PRAYER. DEAR LORD, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING US HERE TONIGHT. THANK YOU FOR OUR WONDERFUL COUNTY WE LIVE IN. WE'RE SO HAPPY TO BE SO BLESSED BY YOU, AND JUST PRAY THAT YOU'LL BE WITH US TONIGHT. I PRAY THAT YOU'LL BE WITH ALL OF OUR CITIZENS, ALL OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT, OUR MILITARY, ANY PUBLIC SAFETY, FIRST RESPONDERS, PRAY THAT YOU'LL BE WITH ALL OF THEM. ALL OF THE RISKS THEY TAKE TO HELP PROTECT US AND JUST PRAY TO MAKE VERY IMPORTANT DECISIONS. PRAY WE ALL KNOW WE DON'T TAKE ANYTHING LIGHTLY. WE WORK HARD TO MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS FOR OUR COUNTY AND OUR PEOPLE. AND THANK YOU, AGAIN, FOR BLESSING US. THANK YOU FOR ALL OF OUR FAMILIES, EVERYONE HERE TONIGHT, AND PRAY THAT YOU'LL GET EVERYONE HOME SAFELY TONIGHT. IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY, AMEN. >> OUR VETERAN- LED PLEDGE THIS AFTERNOON IS FIRST CLASS PETTY OFFICER, DANIEL COSTELLO. PETTY OFFICER COSTELLO SERVED AS A CULINARY SPECIALIST IN THE U.S. NAVY. HE SERVED OUR COUNTRY FOR 31 YEARS AND TWO MONTHS, INCLUDING RESERVE AND ACTIVE DUTY, RETIRING IN AUGUST OF 2007. PETTY OFFICER COSTELLO SERVED IN LOCATIONS IN SPAIN AND JAPAN, AND AREAS OF OPERATION IN THE PERSIAN GULF AND INDIAN OCEAN. HE JOINED THE MILITARY FOR ADVENTURE. AND FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRAVEL WHILE SERVING HIS COUNTRY. HIS FAVORITE SERVICE MEMORY WAS THE CAMARADERIE AND WORKING WITH FRIEND TOWARD A COMMON GOAL. DURING HIS SERVICE HE LEARNED THAT IF YOU BELIEVE IN SOMETHING, YOU HAVE TO STAND UP FOR IT, AND THAT THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA REALLY IS THE GREATEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD. AMEN TO THAT. HE'S A DECORATED VETERAN HOLDING AWARDS INCLUDING THE NAVY COMMENDATION. NOT CONDEMN, COMMENDATION MEDAL. TWO NAVY ACHIEVEMENT MEDALS, TWO NATIONAL DEFENSE MEDALS, THREE NAVY EXPEDITION NARROW MEDALS, ARMED FORCES FORCES MEDAL. HE CURRENTLY VOLUNTEERS AS A COMMUNITY DIRECTOR FOR THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS COUNCIL IN ORANGE PARK. WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME IN THE MILITARY, YOUR SERVICE SINCE THEN, AND BEING A WONDERFUL CONTRIBUTING MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY. SO IF YOU'LL JOIN US, LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE AND THEN YOU CAN SAY A FEW WORDS FOR US. 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. >> YOU CAN SAY A FEW WORDS. >> SO NOBODY TOLD ME I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO SAY ANYTHING ELSE UNTIL I GOT HERE, AND THEY SAID DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING, AND I WAS LIKE, NO. I MOVED TO CLAY COUNTY ABOUT 18 YEARS AGO, AND I REALLY DEMI LOVATO -- REALLY LOVE IT DOWN HERE. I'M ORIGINALLY FROM BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, AND MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY POST PICTURES OF SNOW ALL OVER THE PLACE. MY SON LIVES IN PENNSYLVANIA. HE POSTS PICTURES OF SNOW, AND I POST PICTURES OF MY LAWN. AND YESTERDAY I POESZ POSTED A PICTURE OF MY ICE CREAM TRUCK GOING BY MY HOUSE. AND MY FRIENDS COMPLAIN, AND I POST PICTURES OF FOR SALE SCIENCE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE COLD. I LOVE CLAY COUNTY. I FEEL SAFE HERE, I FEEL WELL PROTECTED HERE. AND I HAVE LEARNED TO DRIVE THE SPEED LIMIT. I USED TO BE A TAXICAB DRIVER IN NEW YORK CITY, I REALLY IMPROVED MY DRIVING SINCE I'VE GOTTEN HERE. OTHER THAN THAT IT'S JUST A GREAT PLACE TO BE AND A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE AND I RECOMMEND IT TO EVERYBODY. OKAY. THANK YOU. [CALL TO ORDER] . >> I WILL NOW CALL TO ORDER THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING FOR FEBRUARY 25TH, 2025. LET THE RECORD REFLECT [PET ADOPTIONS] ALL COMMISSIONERS ARE PRESENT. WE WILL MOVE INTO PET ADOPTIONS. OKAY. OUR FIRST DOG TODAY [00:05:02] IS MAY -- MABLE, THE QUEEN OF BOW WOW BREAKOUTS. MABLE HAS BEEN ON MORE ADVENTURES THAN ANY PUP IN THE SHELTER. SHE'S READY FOR THE BIGGEST ONE YET, A FOREVER HOME. ULTIMATE ROAD TRIP BUDDY, READY TO HOP IN THE CAR AND CRUISE WITH THE WIND IN HER FUR. SHE'S A TOY ENTHUSIAST, SERIOUSLY, ALL OF THEM. A CERTIFIED ZOOMY EXPERT AND A LADY WHO KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT SHE WANTS. SHE THRIVES WITH MALE DOG FRIEND WHO LET HER CALL THE SHOTS. SHE'S GOT THAT CONFIDENT BOSS GIRL ENERGY. WHEN IT COMES TO PEOPLE, SHE'S A LADY'S GAL AT HEART. DON'T WORRY, FELLOWS, SHE CAN BE WON OVER. SHE SPENT TOO MANY DAYS WAITING. LET'S MAKE HER NEXT BOW WOW BREAKOUT THE ONE WHERE SHE NEVER HAS TO COME BACK. NEXT WE HAVE ANNIE, SPAYED FEMALE, SHE'S 3 YEARS OLD, MIXED BREED AND WEIGHS 35 POUNDS. ANNIE IS A SPIRITED 3-YEAR-OLD WITH A ZEST FOR LIFE AND A HEART FULL OF LOVE. THIS PLAYFUL GIRL IS CRATE TRAINED FULL OF ENERGY, AND READY TO MAKE NEW FRIENDINGS, BOTH HUMAN AND K-9. WHETHER SHE'S ZOOMING AROUND IN A GAME OF CHASE OR STRUTTING ON A LEASH, ANNIE THRIVES ON ADVENTURES OR COMPANIONSHIP. SHE'S A SOCIAL BUTTERFLY WHO LOVES BEING PART OF THE ACTION, MAKING HER THE PERFECT MATCH FOR AN ACTIVE FAMILY OR A HOME FOR PLAY FULL PUPS. WITH ANNIE BY YOUR SIDE, EVERY DAY IS BOUND TO BE FILLED WITH JOY, EXCITEMENT, AND PLENTY OF TAIL WAGS. OUR FIRST CAT IS NEUTERED MALE, DOMESTIC SHORT HAIR, 2 YEARS OLD AND WEIGHS 10 POUNDS. IF YOU WANTED A CAT WITH THE PERSONALITY OF A DOG, ZACH ZACH IS YOUR GUY, THE SUPER FRIENDLY, ENDLESSLY CURIOUSLY KITTY IS READY TO GREET YOU WITH ENTHUSIASM. HE LOVES MAKING NEW FRIENDS, HUMAN AND FELINE ALIKE. FIND ZACH ZACH AT OUR PET ADOPTION, AT OUR ADOPTION CENTER AT PET SENSE WHERE HE'LL LIKELY BE PERCHED BY THE WINDOW, KEEPING AN EYE OUT FOR HIS FUTURE FAMILY. THAT'S YOU. STOP BY, SAY HELLO, AND LET ZACH ZACH CHARM HIS WAY INTO YOUR HEART. LASTLY WE HAVE MOMMY KITTY, SPAYED FEMALE, DOMESTIC SHORT HAIR, AND WEIGHS 3 POUNDS. A GENTLE SOUL ADJUSTING TO SHELTER LIFE AFTER BEING AN INDOOR/OUTDOOR CAT. SHE HAS A LITTLE SASS. IT'S ALL FOR SHOW. SHE ENJOYS PETS AND AFFECTION ON HER TERMS. SHE'S LOOKING FOR A PATIENT HOME WHERE SHE CAN FEEL SAFE AND SETTLE AT HER OWN PACE. IF YOU LOVE A CAT WITH A LITTLE PERSONALITY AND A LOT OF LOVE TO GIVE, MOMMY KITTY IS FOR YOU. PLEASE CONSIDER OPENING YOUR HOME TEMPORARILY. CONTACT US AT CLAYFOSTERS@CLAYCOUNTYGOV.COM. BUNNY IS LOOKING FOR A FOSTER HOME DUE TO AN INJURY. I CANNOT TALK TONIGHT. PLEASE CALL THE SHELTER FOR MORE INFORMATION. AND IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN HELPING OUR FURRY FRIENDS BUT CAN'T BRING ONE HOME, PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT OUR AMAZON WISH LIST. WE ARE ALWAYS IN NEED FOR THE SHELTER ITEMS. [Retirement recognition for Amy Bramlitt, CPA, Finance Officer] GO TO AMAZON.COM. AND THAT COMPLETES OUR PET ADOPTIONS. >> THANK YOU. IF MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS WOULD JOIN ME DOWN FRONT, WE HAVE A STAFF RECOGNITION AND A PROCLAMATION. >> WELL OUR SPECIAL STAFF RECOGNITION IS A LITTLE BIT BITTERSWEET. WE WOULD LIKE FOR THE CLERK OF THE COURT AND COMPTROLLER AND ANY STAFF YOU WANT TO COME ON UP AND MS. AMY BRAMLITT, AND IF YOUR FAMILY WANTS TO COME ON UP. DON'T TRIP. THAT'S GOOD. COME ON. HOWEVER MANYMANY WANT. LOOK HOW LOVED YOU ARE. I DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT MANY PEOPLE. YEAH. AS I MENTIONED, IT'S BITTERSWEET TO RECOGNIZE THE RETIREMENT OF AMY BRAMLITT, CPA, WHO HAS BEEN OUR FINANCE OFFICER FOR CLAY COUNTY CLERK OF THE COURT'S OFFICE FOR SIX YEARS, SIX YEARS OF OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO THE RESIDENTS OF CLAY COUNTY FOR THE CLAY COUNTY CLERK OF THE COURT AND COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE. AMY IS LEAVING HUGE SHOES TO FILL. [00:10:03] WHERE'S DAVID? NO PRESSURE. HUGE SHOES TO FILL, PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN SO MANY IMPORTANT DECISIONINGS, S, AND I'M SURE YOU'RE NOT GOING TOO FAR WHERE WE CAN CALL AND ASK QUESTIONS IF WE HAVE THEM. NOW I'M GOING TO TURN THE MICROPHONE OVER TO PROBABLY THE BEST BOSS AND BEST WORKPLACE ACCORDING TO FACEBOOK, BUT TO THE CLERK OF THE COURT AND COMPTROLLER, TARA GREEN. >> AS MENTIONED, AMY BRAMLITT IS A CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT WITH A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN ACCOUNTING AND A MASTER'S DEGREE IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION. HER PROFESSIONAL CAREER SPANNED NEARLY THREE DECADES BEFORE JOINING THE CLERK'S OFFICE, INCLUDING KEY LEADERSHIP ROLES AT SEABOARD CREDIT UNION, FLORIDA EAST COAST RAILWAY, MARQUETTE MARQUETTE TRANSPORTATION AND THE ICX GROUP. HER LEADERSHIP INCLUDED OVERSIGHT OF HUNDREDS OF EMPLOYEES, NUMEROUS BUDGETS, AND MANY LAYERS OF COMPLEX DATA ANALYSIS, BENEFITTING THE MANY ORGANIZATIONS OVER THE YEARS. CLAY COUNTY AND THE CLERK'S OFFICE WAS VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE AMY BRAMLITT PUT HER ROOTS DOWN IN OUR COUNTY, SEEKING TO FURTHER CONTRIBUTE HER SKILLS AND PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE FOR THE BETTERMENT OF OUR COUNTY. AMY BRAMLITT WAS ONE OF THE KEY COMPONENTS OF THE SUCCESS OF THE COMPTROLLER DUTIES AND RELATED PERSONNEL TRANSITIONING TO THE CLERK OF COURT BEGINNING IN OCTOBEROF 2020. SHE SPENT MANY HOURS AND HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS TO PREPARE HER NEW TEAM AND ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION. HER EXPERTISE IN FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, CAPITAL PROJECTS, AUDITING, STRATEGIC PLANNING, TEAM BUILDING AND GUIDING BUSINESS PROCESSES WERE INVALUABLE TO THE CLERK'S OFFICE AND FOR THE COUNTY FOR THE LAST FIVE TO SIX YEARS. I AM PERSONALLY GRATEFUL, NOT ONLY FOR HER FRIENDSHIP, BUT FOR HER PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE IN ASSISTING ME, MY TEAM, AND THE COUNTY DURING A CRITICAL TIME. IT IS SAFE TO SAY THAT SHE HAS LEFT THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE AND THE TEAM IN GREAT PLACE FOR MANY MORE SUCCESSES. SO WE THANK YOU. APPRECIATION. >> OH, GOSH. >> YOU MIGHT WANT TO PUT THEM RIGHT HERE. I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU THE MIC AND SEE IF YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING. >> WELL, FIRST OFF, THIS IS A SURPRISE. I THOUGHT I WAS COMING HERE BECAUSE THERE'S SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT AN UPCOMING AUDIT AND EVERYBODY WAS DOWN AT CONFERENCE. I'M VERY WELL PREPARED FOR THAT CONVERSATION. BUT, NO, IT'S BEEN A GREAT SIX YEARS. IT SEEMS LIKE YESTERDAY, TARA DID PULL ME OUT OF MY FIRST RETIREMENT AFTER I LEFT KENTUCKY. I WANTED TO COME BACK HOME TO FLORIDA. I'VE HAD A HOUSE HERE ON THE CREEK SINCE 1986. AND KEPT IT WHILE I WAS ACTUALLY IN KENTUCKY. SO THIS IS HOME. AND ACTUALLY, BEING HERE WORKING FOR THE CLERK AND COMPTROLLER AND WITH THE COUNTY HAS REALLY BEEN HOME. SO YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE LAST OF ME. I'LL PROBABLY COME AND HELP SUPPORT WHEN THINGS ARE THERE, BUT I AM GOING TO BE TRAVELING WITH TIM IN OUR NEW MOTOR COACH AND JUST ENJOYING LIFE. YOU CAN CALL ME. AS I GET AWAY, I MAY NOT KNOW ALL THE ANSWERS BUT I CAN POINT YOU TO SOMEBODY THAT MIGHT KNOW. SO THANKS. I REALLY APPRECIATE WORKING FOR EVERYBODY, AND I'M GOING TO MISS EVERYBODY. >> WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE COMMISSIONERS COME FORWARD. . >> I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY CAN SEE THE CAMERA. I WANT TO MAKE SURE I SEE EVERYBODY'S FACE. I HAVE TO TAKE SEVERAL PHOTOS. I'M GOING TO NEED SEVERAL. AND AS ALL OF THE CLERK OF [00:15:22] THE COURT AND COMPTROLLER FOLKS ARE GOING BACK TO WORK HARD, I JOKED ABOUT THEIR AWARD, BUT IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, THE CLERK OF THE COURT AND COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE WAS AWARDED ONE OF THE TOP WORKPLACES IN FLORIDA, SO CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU, AND WE LOVE WORKING WITH YOU. [1.  Recognition of Pop Warner Champions, Fleming Island Dreadnaughts] NEXT WE HAVE A REALLY FUN ONE. WE LOVE IT WHEN WE GET TO DO THESE, SO WE ARE GOING TO RECOGNIZE THE POP WARNER CHAMPIONS, THE FLEMING ISLAND DREADNAUGHTS. THEY ARE NATIONAL CHAMPIONS, AND THIS SAYS '23, '24, IS THAT RIGHT OR WAS IT '24, '25. >> '25, 24, CHAMPIONS. BEFORE I READ WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO READ, ALL OF YOU IN UNIFORM AND YOUR COACHES, COME ON UP AND GET ON T. YOU CAN JUST KIND OF FILL IN WHEREVER. MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE NOT HIDING BEHIND SOMEBODY TALLER. THAT HAPPENS TO ME A LOT. '24, '25. ALL THE GUYS ON ONE SIDE. GIRLS ON THE OTHER. SO OUR RECOGNITION IS A LITTLE BIT LATE, BUT WE WANTED TO RECOGNIZE BOTH TEAMS TOGETHER. WHAT WE HAVE ARE THE 2023 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS THAT ARE THE CHEER LEADERS. DO YOUR CHEERS. AND THEN WE HAVE THE 2024 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS, THE FLEMING ISLAND DREADNAUGHTS. AND I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO COMMISSIONER SGROMOLO WHO HAS A PROCLAMATION, WITH A LOT OF WORDS, BUT IT MEANS WE'RE CELEBRATING YOU TODAY, AND WE'LL HAVE YOUR COACHES OR LEADERS OR ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO SAY SOMETHING SAY IT. COACH KENNY, YOU CAN HAVE THE MIC AFTER COACH SGROMOLO. IN PROCLAMATION SAYS, WHEREAS EACH YEAR, POP WARNER HOSTS THE POP WARNER SUPER BOWL AND NATIONAL CHEER AND DANCE CHAMPIONSHIPS DURING THE FIRST FULL WEEK OF DECEMBER IN ORLANDO, FLORIDA, AND WHEREAS THE POP WARNER FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS, WHICH CONSISTS OF 72 TEAMS FROM EIGHT POP WARNER REGIONS SHOWCASE THE NATION'S BEST FOOTBALL TEAMS COMPETING IN DIFFERENT AGE AND WEIGHT RANGES AS WELL AS AGE- BASED DIVISIONS IN DIVISION ONE AND TWO, AND WHEREAS THE FLEMING ISLAND DREADNAUGHTS, FIYSA FOOTBALL TEAM 11U, LED BY COACH MICHAEL KENNY GENERATED A 13- 0 PERFECT SEASON BEATING OPPONENTS FROM FLORIDA, MISSISSIPPI, MASSACHUSETTS, NORTH CAROLINA AND CALIFORNIA CAPPING THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP WITH A 32-0 SHUTOUT OVER THE SANTA MARGARITA COWBOYS AT CAMPING WORLD STADIUM ON DECEMBER 13TH, 2024, EXEMPLIFYING THEIR PROCESS OVER OUTCOME PHILOSOPHY, WHICH ULTIMATELY LED THEM TO VICTORY IN THE 2024 POP WARNER FOOTBALL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. AND WHEREAS THE POP WARNER CHEER AND DANCE CHAMPIONSHIPS FEATURE OVER 500 CHEER LEADING AND DANCE TEAMS WHO COMPETE IN SEVEN AGE RANGES AT THE FOUR-DAY EVENT TAKING PLACE AT THE ORANGE COUNTY CONVENTION CENTER IN ORLANDO, FLORIDA, AND WHEREAS THE 2023 NATIONAL CHAMPION, MIGHTY MIGHT CORE CHEER LEADING TEAM OF FIVE ATHLETES AGES 7 THROUGH 9, COACHES LINDSAY AND KATIE WRIGHT WAS THE FIRST CHEER TEAM IN PROGRAM HISTORY TO COMPETE FOR THE FIYA FLEMING ISLAND DREADNAUGHTS BEATING OUT SEVEN TEAMS AND RECEIVING THE WINNING SCORE OF 92.4 ON DECEMBER 4TH, 2023, AND EACH ATHLETE CONTINUED TO BUILD ON THE WINNING TRADITION BY RETURNING IN 2024 TO COMPETE WITH A TEAM OF NINE ATHLETES WHO WORKED HARD TO BECOME THE SOUTHEAST REGIONAL RUNNER UPS AND NATIONAL FINALISTS ONCE AGAIN IN THE JUNIOR PEEWEE [00:20:04] LEVEL ONE DIVISION. BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, CLAY COUNTY,FLORIDA, DOES HEREBY CONGRATULATIONS THE FOOTBALL TEAM AND CHEER LEADING TEAM, THEIR COACHING STAFF AND ALL OF THOSE WHO HAVE SUPPORTED THEIR PATH TO THIS TREMENDOUS ACHIEVEMENT DUALLY ADOPTED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONER, CLAY COUNTY FLORIDA THIS 25TH DAY OF FEBRUARY 2025, DO I HAVE A MOTION. MOTION BY COMMISSIONER RENNINGER, AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER CONDON, ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. CONGRATULATIONS BOYS AND GIRLS, IT IS OFFICIALLY IN THE RECORD, YOU ARE NATIONAL CHAMPIONS. CONGRATULATIONS. PASS THE MIC TO COACH KENNY, I WANT TO SAY, IF YOU LOOK THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY, OUR PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT, YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF PARKS IN CLAY COUNTY, THERE'S RECOGNITION OF TEAMS OVER THE YEARS, YOU KNOW, TEN, 20, 30 YEARS, THAT ARE NOW SUCCESSFUL DOCTORS. THEY'RE SUCCESSFUL ATTORNEYS. THEY'RE SUCCESSFUL HUSBANDS AND WIVES. AND WHO KNOWS, THIS FORMER OPAA BASEBALL PLAYER IS NOW A COUNTY COMMISSIONER. YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN BUT THE LIFE LESSONS YOU ALL ARE LEARNING THROUGH SPORTS ARE GOING TO CARRY YOU A REALLY LONG WAY, AND WE'RE SUPER SUPER PROUD OF EVERYTHING YOU HAVE ACCOMPLISHED. COACH KENNY A FEW WORDS. >> THANK YOU. THERE'S NOT MUCH MORE TO SAY OTHER THAN WHAT WAS SAID IN THE PROCLAMATION. YOUR POINT IS VALID. WE'RE LUCKY IN FLEMING ISLAND TO HAVE THE BEST CULTURE THERE COULD POSSIBLY BE, THE BEST PARENTS, PLAYERS, EVERYBODY HAS BOUGHT INTO OUR ORGANIZATION, AND IT SHOWED. WE TALKED ABOUT PROCESS OVER OUTCOME. THAT'S LEGITIMATE. THESE GUYS WORKED THEIR TAILS OFF IN CAMP WEEK GOING BACK TO AUGUST 1ST. THOSE WERE PROBABLY THE HARDEST TEN DAYS. I THINK I WAS CRAMPING BY THE END OF THE TEN DAYS, AND ALL I DID IS YELL AND BLOW A WHISTLE. THEY PUT THE WORK IN FROM DAY ONE. A LOT OF THESE GUYS HAVE BEEN TOGETHER FOR A LONG TIME. ANYWAYS, ALL THE CREDIT IN THE WORLD GOES TO OUR PARENTS AND TO YOU GUYS. JUSTIN IS A BIG PART OF WHAT WE DO. WE COULD NOT DO THIS WITHOUT YOU, THE FIELD, THE WORK THAT HIS TEAM DOES WITH US AS WELL. WE'RE APPRECIATIVE TO EVERYBODY AND FOR THIS AS WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE GREATLY APPRECIATE YOU. >>> ALL RIGHT. AS EVERYONE IS FILING OUT, IF YOU ARE STANDING IN THE BACK AND ARE NOT STAFF OR LAW ENFORCEMENT, IF YOU COULD FIND A SEAT, PLEASE. MR. OTTER, THAT INCLUDES YOU. WELL, YOU CAN STAND [00:25:01] BUT YOU CANNOT CONTINUE TO TALK TO PEOPLE DURING THE MEETING. BECAUSE YOU ARE VERY DISTRACTING. >> I WAS LAUGHING. >> IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOU WERE DOING, YOU CANNOT BE [2.  Flood Awareness Week – (March 3-9, 2025)] DISTRACTING TO OUR FELLOW CITIZENS WHO WANT TO ATTEND. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN FINALLY, WE HAVE ONE DECLARATION, WE'RE DOING A CLOUD DECK DECLARATION, NOT A PROCLAMATION. OUR STAFF IS OUT IN THE FIELD WORKING HARD. WE WANTED TO RECOGNIZE MARCH 3 THROUGH 9 AS FLOOD AWARENESS WEEK. IT'S RECOGNIZED MARCH 3 THROUGH 9 OF 2025. CLAY COUNTY HAS EXPERIENCED SEVERE WEATHER IN THE FORM OF EXTREME RAINFALL OR TROPICAL SYSTEM EVENTS RESULTING IN FLOODING THAT CAUSED DAMAGE AND FLOOD LOSSES TO HOMES AND BUILDINGS ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE RISKS TO LIVES AND PROPERTY CAN BE MITIGATED THROUGH EDUCATION ABOUT THE LOCATION OF FLOOD ZONES IN OUR COUNTY, HOW TO TAKE FLOOD PROTECTION MEASURES AND THE AVAILABILITY OF FLOOD INSURANCE. PLEASE READ THE DECLARATION ATTACHED TO THE AGENDA, AND REMEMBER TO TAKE THE TIME TO PREPARE YOUR HOME AND FAMILY FOR ANY NATURAL DISASTER THAT COULD IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY AND I WOULD JUST ADD AS A FINAL NOTE, PLEASE GO TO OUR CLAY COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT WEB SITE AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE REGISTERED, ESPECIALLY IF YOU KNOW YOU LIVE IN A FLOOD PRONE AREA FOR [CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS] FLOOD ALERTS. WE DID HAVE OUR CLERK OF THE COURT AND COMPTROLLER HERE. SHE'S HEADED BACK TO ORLANDO FOR SOME LEGISLATIVE MEETINGS OR CONFERENCE, BUT WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT. AND WE DID HAVE SOME REPRESENTATIVES FROM OUR SHERIFF'S OFFICE, BUT THEY HAVE STEPPED OUT AS WELL. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. I DON'T SEE ANY OF OUR OTHER CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS. [APPROVAL OF MINUTES] DID WE MISS ANYONE? OKAY. AND SO WE ARE TO THE PORTION OF OUR AGENDA WHERE WE APPROVE THE MINUTES. BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING MINUTES FROM FEBRUARY 11TH, 2025. >> I MOVE APPROVAL. >> SECOND. >> MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? >> ALL THOSE IN FAIR INDICATE BY [PUBLIC COMMENTS] SAYING AYE. THOSE OPPOSED, MOTION CARRIES 5-0. NEXT, WE ARE TO OUR FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. THIS PORTION OF THE AGENDA IS DESIGNED TO ALLOW CITIZENS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING MATTERS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE BOARD. AT THIS TIME, THE BOARD WILL NOT ENGAGE IN DEBATE OR ANSWER QUESTIONS. YOU MAY E-MAIL ASKCLAY@CLAYCOUNTY÷÷ GOV. OR E- MAIL YOUR DISTRICT COMMISSION COMMISSIONER. PUBLIC COMMENT CARDS ARE PLACED AT THE ENTRANCE AND SHOULD BE SUBMITTED TO THE CLERK AT THE FAR LEFT OF THE DAIS. YOU ARE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES. BEFORE ADDRESSING THE BOARD WE ASK YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS. I OPEN THE FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AT TODAY'S MEETING. I DO NOT HAVE ANY COMMENT CARDS. MR. OTTO, WE KNOW YOU WANT TO COME UP, SO YOU CAN BE FIRST. >> YES, MA'AM, THANK YOU. >> YOU'RE ON. >> JAMES TTO 2908 BLANDING BOULEVARD. OF COURSE I'VE BEEN HERE FOR MANY MANY YEARS, AND I BELIEVE WE NEEDTO STOP THE POP WARNER AND K THROUGH 12. IT'S CHILD ABUSE IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. BASEBALL WOULD BE A LOT BETTER CHOICE. I'M GLAD I WAS HERE FOR ALL THE OTHER STUFF THAT YOU'VE STARTED ADDING TO THE CURRICULUM AND THE COUNTY. I'D REALLY APPRECIATE IT IF YOU STARTED CALLING OUT A PIT BULL. IF YOU GO BACK THROUGH THESE, THE RECORDS, YOU GUYS DON'T EVER SAY THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ADAPT OUT A PIT BULL. SO I WOULD LIKE YOU TO RE-LOOK AT THAT. THEY MOVE THESE DOGS AROUND, THEY LOSE THEIR PAPERWORK AND START CALLING THEM STRAYS AND START ADOPTING THEM OUT TO ELDERLY PEOPLE AND OTHER ISSUES. SO I'D REALLY APPRECIATE IT IF YOU START CALLING OUT THE DOG FOR WHAT IT IS, NOT JUST THE MIX BREED. OF COURSE WE SHOULDN'T BE SPENDING $20 MILLION ON AN ANIMAL SHELTER WHEN WE DON'T HAVE A HOMELESS SHELTER, AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THIS COUNTY IS GOING TO DO WITH THE NEW LAW ABOUT SLEEPING IN PUBLIC AND TAKING CARE OF THE HOMELESS, ALL OF THESE CHURCHES THAT TOOK ALL OF THIS PUBLIC MONEY FOR THETHE PANDEMIC AND THE AMERICAN C.A.R.E. S ACT, IF THEY COULD START OPENING THEIR DOORS TO THE HOMELESS AND NOT BEING HYPOCRITICAL ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT. 0806, I MEAN, YOU GUYS GOT STUFF ON THE BOARD THAT SHOULD NOT BE APPROVED TODAY. WE'RE GOING BACK INTO THAT. WE GOT ALL KINDS OF [00:30:02] BUILDINGS, RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET, THE CVS HAS BEEN EMPTY FOR YEARS NOW. WE'VE GOT HARDEE'S, AND ALL OF THESE OTHER BUILDINGS ON THE LANDING THAT HAVE BEEN EMPTY, SO I APPRECIATE IT IF YOU STOP, YOU APPROVING THIS MESS. I UNDERSTAND THE BUILDERS ARE SLOWING UP IN GREEN COVE BECAUSE THERE'S JUST NOT A MARKET FOR ALL OF THIS BUILDING THAT'S BEEN GOING ON. THE PUBLIC RECORDS, I MEAN, WHY SHOULD I PAY $500 FOR PUBLIC RECORDS. THAT SHOULD BE ALL ONLINE. IF YOU GOT TO REDACT SOMETHING OR DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, LET'S DO IT. WE THE CITIZENS HAVE A RIGHT TO SEE THIS STUFF, YOU KNOW, AND THEN I WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS PLAN ON DOING. I GUESS YOU HEARD ABOUT THE REAL ESTATE TAX. THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, GETTING RID OF THAT, AND I MEAN, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO FUND THAT? HOW ARE YOU GOING TO FUND STUFF WHEN THAT GOES AWAY TO PAY FOR OUR OTTO INSURANCE AND OUR HOMEOWNER'S INSURANCE. IT'S GONE THROUGH THE ROOF. >> THANK YOU, MR. OTTO. >> WHY THE GOVERNOR WANTS TO GET RID OF IT. >> THANK YOU, MR. OTTO. REGARDING PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST, I WANT TO GO ON THE RECORD TO SAY THAT THE LAW ALLOWS US TO CHARGE A REASONABLE FEE, AND WHEN SOMEONE MAKES A BROAD REQUEST FOR 20 YEARS OF MATERIAL, THAT IS A VERY LARGE PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST. SO YOU WON'T FIND THOSE THINGS ONLINE. YOU DO HAVE TO MAKE A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST. YOU WERE SENT AN INVOICE, AND YOU CHOSE TO NOT PAY IT. AND YOU CHOSE TO NOT PAY THE INVOICE, AND SO NOW YOU JUST NEED TO NARROW YOUR REQUEST. THAT'S NOT WHAT THE LAW SAYS, MR. OTTO. WE KNOW WHAT THE LAW SAYS. BUT THANK YOU. [CONSENT AGENDA] IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AT OUR FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT? ALL RIGHT. SEEING NONE, WE WILL MOVE INTO OUR CONSENT AGENDA. BEFORE I ENTERTAIN A MOTION, ARE THERE ANY ITEMS ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO PULL TO DISCUSSION? >> MADAME CHAIR, I WOULD LIKE TO PULL ITEM NUMBER 7. >> OKAY. ANY OTHERS? >> SEEING NO OTHERS, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ITEMS 4 THROUGH 11. >> I'LL MOVE APPROVAL 4 THROUGH 11 EXCEPT FOR 7. >> A MOTION AND A SECOND, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION. [7.  Agreement for Tourism Sports Marketing & Sales with Raconteurs (C. Latham)] ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY SAYING AYE. THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES 5-0. ITEM NUMBER 7, AGREEMENT FOR TOURISM SPORTS MARKETING AND SALES WITH RACONTEURS. THIS IS A CONTRACT BEGINNING ON THE EFFECTIVE DATE AND CONTINUING FOR A PERIOD OF THREE YEARS WITH AN OPTION TO RENEW TWO ONE-YEAR PERIODS IN THE AMOUNT OF $66,000 ANNUALLY PAID IN MONTHLY INSTALLMENTS. MR. SGROMOLO. >> I PULLED THIS ITEM FOR A FEW SEPARATE REASONS, THE FIRST REASON BEING I WANT TO THANK THE TOURISM STAFF AND CHARLIE AND HIS TEAM, AND ALSO KAREN BECAUSE THIS IS KIND OF AN EXHAUSTIVE PROCESS. BUT I APPRECIATE THE LIFT. AND THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU AS FELLOW COMMISSIONERS. YOU KNOW, NUMBER ONE, I THINK YOU ALL REALIZE THIS AS IT'S ONE OF OUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES. TOURISM IN CLAY COUNTY HAS GROWN TREMENDOUSLY SINCE 2020, AND WHILE I WASN'T ON THE BOARD, I HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING ALONG, HAVE BEEN SEEING THE EXPANSION OF FACILITIES IN CLAY, THE EXPANSION OF OPPORTUNITIES IN CLAY, AND I THINK THAT THIS RFP IS SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT FIVE TO TEN YEARS TO BECOME PRETTY ROBUST. I THINK, YOU KNOW, TEN YEARS AGO CLAY COUNTY WAS NOT NECESSARILY A PLACE THAT WAS SUPER DUPER ATTRACTIVE TO HOLD BIG EVENTS. I THINK THAT AS TIME IS GOING ALONG, THAT'S STARTING TO CHANGE, AND I JUST WANTED TO BRING TO LIGHT, YOU KNOW, THE BOOK OF BUSINESS THAT THE TOURISM DEPARTMENT HAS CREATED SINCE 2020. YOU TALK ABOUT USA CYCLING, MOTO SURF, PRO WATER CROSS, ROUND NET, LACROSSE EVENTS, ULTIMATE FRISBEE, FLAG FOOTBALL, FIRST COAST RUGBY, AND PLENTY MORE, MINOR LEAGUE GOLF, THAT HAVE COME TO CLAY COUNTY. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WISH I WOULD HAVE -- THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN PLACED IN THE CONTRACT IS PERFORMANCE METRICS. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CONTRACT, IT TALKS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SALES AND OPERATION MANAGEMENT, SERVICES, BUT THERE'S NOT NECESSARILY TANGIBLE PERFORMANCE METRICS. THE ONLY THING THAT'S REALLY IN THE CONTRACT IS THAT THE VENDOR WILL GO TO MARKETING CONFERENCES AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, BUT THERE'S NOT REALLY ANY GUARANTEE THAT WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BRING THESE EVENTS TO CLAY COUNTY, RIGHT? [00:35:02] THAT'S THE HOPE, AND OBVIOUSLY OUR TOURISM STAFF HOPEFULLY WILL PARTNER WITH OUR VENDOR AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. I THINK WE'RE PROTECTED BY THE CONTRACT WITH A CONVENIENCE CLAUSE. THAT STATES THAT IF WE FEEL THERE'S NOT PERFORMANCE, THEN, YOU KNOW, WE CAN DEVIATE AS NEEDED. BUT THE LAST THING I WANT TO SAY IS JUST, IT'S -- I REALLY AM LOOKING FORWARD TO PARTNERING WITH OUR NEW VENDOR TO KEEP UP THE TREMENDOUS POSITIVE TRAJECTORY. I MEAN, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FROM A MILLION IN 2019 TO ALMOST $2 MILLION IN 2023 IN TOURISM DEVELOPMENT TAX, AND THAT'S A BIG DEAL FOR OUR COMMUNITY. SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO PARTNERING WITH OUR NEW VENDOR TO CONTINUE THAT POSITIVE GROWTH WITH OUR NEW EXPECTATIONS, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE HERE IN THE COMMUNITY. >> OKAY. THAT'S ALL I HAD TO SAY. >> COMMISSIONER RENNINGER. >> I HAD ONE QUESTION/COMMENT, THE PROPOSAL WAS FOR 60,000, AND I SEE HERE IT'S $5,500 A MONTH. BUT WE GAVE AUTHORITY TO NEGOTIATE THE NUMBER OF CONFERENCES THAT THEY WOULD ATTEND, AND I JUST -- COULD SOMEBODY TELL ME WHAT IS THE NUMBER? WHAT IS THAT 5,500 OR $500 EXTRA ENTAIL? >> GOOD AFTERNOON. SO ON BEHALF OF THE TEAM, I WILL TRY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. YES, SIR, DURING THE NEGOTIATIONS. LET ME BACK UP. DURING PRESENTATIONS IT WAS DISCUSSED THAT THEIR PROPOSAL MENTIONED THAT THEY WOULD SET A BUDGET, WORK WITH STAFF TO SET A BUDGET, SO THAT'S WHAT WE DID. WE WORKED WITH THEM. THEY CAME IN AND PRESENTED US A LIST OF, LIKE, CONFERENCES AND THE REGISTRATION FEES THEY ANTICIPATED, AND IT WAS ABOUT $23,650. SO WITH THAT, THEY SAID A LOT OF THAT REGISTRATION FEE WAS ALREAY COVERED, EITHER THEY DO SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS AT THOSE CONFERENCES, THEN THEIR REGISTRATION FEE IS EITHER WAIVED OR REDUCED OR THEY HAVE OTHER CLIENTS THAT HELP OFFSET THAT, SO WE NEGOTIATED DOWN TO A $6,000 AMOUNT. >> THANK YOU. >> OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? >> NOT SO MUCH. WELL, KAREN AND I DID GET A CHANCE TO FLESH THIS OUT. I HAD A SIMILAR INQUIRY AS TO THIS CHANGE THAT COMMISSIONER RENNINGER BROUGHT UP. AND MY CONCERN WAS GETTING TOO MUCH INTO THE WEEDS ABOUT THE RESPONSIBILITIES BECAUSE WE ALREADY KNOW THAT THERE'S AN ARRAY OF SERVICES THAT RACONTEURS IS RESPONSIBLE FOR, AND THE MODIFICATION I WAS LOOKING SPECIFICALLY TO REQUEST WAS TO GET OUT OF THE OPERATIONS PIECE OF THEM PERFORMING THE SERVICE BECAUSE WHAT IT SEEMED TO ME WAS IF WE'RE TELLING THEM -- AND I BELIEVE THAT THE NUMBERS ARE SEVEN CONFERENCES THAT WITH A $6,000 BUDGET, AND THE CONCERN THAT I HAD WAS WHEN WE ARE TELLING THEM HOW MANY CONFERENCES TO ATTEND, AND THEN THEY HAVE THIS BUDGET, THEY ALREADY NEED TO PRESENT TO THESE CONFERENCES SO THAT THEY CAN FULFILL THE CONTRACT THAT THEY HAVE WITH US. SO INSTEAD OF TELLING THEM HOW MANY CONFERENCES TO GO TO AND HOW MUCH TO SPEND, LET THEM DO WHAT IT IS THEY DO AND US NOT GET INTO THE MINUTIAE OF THEM DOING THEIR JOB. BECAUSE THEY OUGHT TO BE BRINGING THESE SERVICES TO CLAY ANYWAY. IT'S PART OF THE CONTRACT. SO WHY, THEN, WOULD WE DICTATEDICTATE TO THEM WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO FULFILL THEIR CONTRACT? I THINK THAT JUST FROM A PRACTICAL STANDPOINT, FROM PRIVATE INDUSTRY, THEY ALREADY HAVE AN OBLIGATION. IT MAKES SENSE THE OBLIGATION THAT THEY HAVE, IT'S SPELLED OUT IN THE CONTRACT, LET THEM DO IT, AND IF THEY DON'T PERFORM TO OUR EXPECTATION, WHICH IS SIMILAR TO WHAT COMMISSIONER SGROMOLO WAS TALKING ABOUT, IF THEY DON'T MEET OUR EXPECTATION, THEY FAIL TO MEET THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT, BUT I DON'T WANT -- I JUST FIND IT A LITTLE DISCONCERTING TO GET TOO MICRO MANAGY IN THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT WHEN WE ALREADY KNOW WHAT IT IS THEY NEED TO ACCOMPLISH, AND THEN I BELIEVE THE COUNTY MANAGER WAS TALKING ABOUT THE DISPARITYDISPARITY CERTAIN NUMBERS THAT CAME BACK WITH THE OTHER CONTRACT OR RATHER THE OTHER BIDS THAT CAME THROUGH WHERE THE FIGURES ARE SUBSTANTIALLY DIFFERENT, BUT IT'S BECAUSE THEY CAPTURED THOSE COSTS THEMSELVES. AND WE WEREN'T HAVING TO EXPLAIN TO THEM WHICH CONFERENCES TO SHOW UP TO, AND HOW TO DO THE JOB. SO THAT WAS MY -- THAT WAS MY COMMENT, AND I KNOW THAT WE'RE [00:40:03] LOCKED IN FOR THREE YEARS, AND A LOT OF THIS NEGOTIATING IS COMPLETE, BUT I DON'T LIKE -- I PREFER NOT TO MICRO MANAGE BECAUSE I THINK THAT THEY HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO PERFORM, AND THEY NEED TO DO IT WELL. THEY NEED TO MEET OUR EXPECTATIONS. AND I DON'T WANT US HAVING TO PAY FOR THEM TO DO THEIR JOB. >> WE'RE ONLY LOCKED IN IF THEY GET THREE VOTES. WE'RE NOT LOCKED IN YET, AND I HAVE SIMILAR CONCERNS BECAUSE THE BID -- THE RFP THAT WENT OUT WAS ALL INCLUSIVE, AND IT WAS IN THE PRESENTATIONS THAT IT CAME OUT, SO THEIR BID WAS $60,000, AND THE NEXT BIDDER THAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT WAS $72,000. AND ONE OF THE GRAVE CONCERNS THAT I HAVE, AND IT IS GRAVE, IS GOING BACKWARDS, COMMISSIONER SGROMOLO, BECAUSE WE NOW HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO OFFER WITH MORE FACILITIES IN THE COUNTY THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO HAVE THESE THINGS, AND OUR FIRST CONTRACT WITH OUR PREVIOUS CONTRACTOR WAS FOR $60,000, AND THEN IN THEIR RENEWAL, IT WENT TO $66,000. SO WHEN THEY CAME IN AT 70 OR $72,000, THEY SAID FROM THE SPEAKER PODIUM THAT THAT WAS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY KNEW IT TOOK TO DO THE JOB. AND SO I'M CONCERNED THAT WE'RE STARTING OUT OUT OF THE GATE MOVING BACKWARD. AND I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT THE CONTRACT FOR THAT REASON BECAUSE I DO HAVE THAT CONCERN, AND BECAUSE I THINK IT WAS A LITTLE BIT DISINGENUOUS. THE RFP SAID ALL INCLUSIVE. IF IT WAS ALL INCLUSIVE, IT WOULD BE AT $60,000. HE TOLD US AT THE PUBLIC COMMENT, AT HIS PRESENTATION, THAT HE WAS GOING TO NEGOTIATE FOR MORE MONEY, AND SO -- BUT I'M RIGHT THERE WITH YOU. SO I'M A NO VOTE, BUT THOSE ARE -- I'M THINKING ALONG THE SAME LINES AS YOU-ALL. BUT AT ANY RATE. COMMISSIONER BURKE, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING? >> I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM KAREN AFTER THAT. IF YOU COULD EXPOUND ON THAT. >> IT WAS AN RFP. WE EVALUATED MORE THAN JUST PRICE. IT WAS THEIR QUALIFICATIONS, THINGS THAT YOU HEARD PRESENTED TO YOU. SO WITH THAT, WE TOUCHED ON THE TRADE SHOWS AND DIFFERENT EVENTS THAT WE WOULD LIKE FOR THEM TO GO TO. SO COMPARED TO COMMISSIONER COMPERE, THEY ARE THE EXPERTS. WE DID NOT DICTATE THEIR WHOLE MEANS AND METHODS OF PROVIDING THESE SERVICES IN THE RFP. THEY ARE THE EXPERTS, BUT WE DID OUTLINE SOME EXPECTATIONS OF ATTENDING TRADE SHOWS, CONFERENCES, THINGS LIKE THAT. SO BECAUSE IT WAS MENTIONED DURING THE PRESENTATION, WE DECIDED TO GO AHEAD AND OUTLINE THE CONFERENCES THAT WERE DISCUSSED AND THAT WE KNOW WE REQUEST THEM TO GO TO. WE DID SAY NOT LIMITED TO. IF THEY KNOW OF A DIFFERENCE CONFERENCE OR A TRADE SHOW, MAYBE THERE'S A NEW ONE DEVELOPED OVER THE COURSE OF THEIR CONTRACT, MAYBE OUR TOURISM DEPARTMENT RECOGNIZES OTHER EVENTS THEY WOULD LIKE FOR THEM TO GO TO. WE CAN REQUEST THAT, AND THEY'RE STILL LOCKED IN AT THE 6,000. WE CAN ACTUALLY GET MORE FROM THEM, BUT STAY AT THAT SAME PRICE. IF THAT MAKES SENSE? >> I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT'S A DIFFERENCE PRICE NOW STILL? >> BECAUSE IN THEIR -- WE KNEW IN THEIR PROPOSAL AND THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE EVALUATED THEM BASED ON THE FACT THAT THEY WOULD SET BUDGET FOR THE TRADE SHOWS DURING THE NEGOTIATION PROCESS. WE DON'T KNOW FROM THE OTHER THREE VENDORS. THEY DIDN'T LIST WHAT TRADE SHOWS THEY PLANNED TO ATTEND TO. WITHOUT US GOING INTO NEGOTIATIONS WITH THEM, I CAN'T SAY THAT THEY WOULDN'T HAVE ASKED FOR SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT THEY ALL PRESENTED IN THE RFP, BASED ON THEIR PRICE, I'M ASSUMING THEY HAD SOME STUFF ALREADY BUILT IN AND CONSIDERED I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF THEIR FEES ARE WAIVED OR REDUCED BECAUSE OF THESE ENGAGEMENTS, SPEAKINGS, OR THINGS THEY MAY DO AT CONFERENCES. I DON'T KNOW THAT, SO I DON'T WANT TO MAKE A STATEMENT. >> AND THAT WAS PART OF WHAT HE SAID, HE ALREADY GOES, HE'S ALREADY A PART OF THESE TRADE SHOWS. SO THAT'S CONFUSING AS TO WHY IT WOULD BE MORE THEN. I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT HE SAID. I KNOW HE SAID HE WAS PART OF THEM ALREADY. HE ALREADY GOES. HE'S INVOLVED WITH THEM ALREADY. SO WHAT HAPPENS AT THIS POINT IF WE DON'T APPROVE THIS? WHAT WOULD WE HAVE TO DO? >> SO WE COULD GO NEGOTIATE WITH A NUMBER TWO OR WE WOULD HAVE TO REBID. THE CURRENT CONTRACT HAD EXPIRED AT THE END OF JANUARY, SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE NO SPORTS PROVIDER, JUST STAFF IS DOING WHAT THEY CAN, STAFF- WISE TO LOOK FOR EVENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, [00:45:03] BUT THOSE WOULD BE THE TWO OPTIONS. I DO BELIEVE MR. DUNN IS HERE IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS FOR HIM. OTHERWISE I'M HAPPY TO TRY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. WE HAVE TOURISM TEAM AND ACM THAT WAS PART OF THE NEGOTIATIONS ARE HERE ALSO. >> ONE MORE QUESTION. SO WERE YOU SURPRISED THAT THAT HAPPENED AFTER OR WAS THIS A ÷÷COMMON -- IS THIS WHAT HAPPENS NORMALLY ON A ROUTINE BASIS? >> AGAIN, IT'S AN RFP, WE HAVE SEEN WITH OTHER TYPE RFPS THAT WE NEGOTIATE AND PUT MORE DETAILS IN THE AGREEMENT. YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO USE GARBAGE AS AN EXAMPLE. >> THAT'S WHAT I WAS THINKING. >> BUT SOME OF OUR OTHER ONES, RECENTLY THE COLLEGE DRIVE INITIATIVE, I DON'T THINK THE FEE CHANGED, BUT WE DID KIND OF PUT SOME ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE IN THE AGREEMENT TO CLARIFY THE SCOPE. BUT I WOULD HAVE TO PULL SOME OTHER EXAMPLES AND BRING THEM BACK. IF YOU WOULD LIKE DETAILS ON PRIOR AGREEMENTS. >> COMMISSIONER BURKE, I THINK THAT YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD IN YOUR OBSERVATION, AND IT WAS THE COMMENT THAT I MADE TO STAFF DURING MY BRIEFING WITH THEM IS IF THEY'RE ALREADY HAVING TO PRESENT AND THEY ALREADY HAVE -- WHETHER THEY WANT TO OR NOT, THEY'RE SHOWING UP BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE ALL OF YOUR VENDORS ARE. SO THEN WHY WOULD WE PAY FOR THAT IF THEY ALREADY HAVE TO SHOW UP. AND IF THAT'S NOT WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BRING THOSE ATTRACTIONS TO CLAY, THEN LET THEM. FOR US, WE'RE OBJECTIVE ORIENTED. BRING THESE REALLY GREAT EVENTS TO CLAY COUNTY. IF YOU DON'T NEED TO GO TO THE TRADE SHOW TO GET THAT DONE, WHATEVER. I WAS ASKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT INDUSTRY STANDARDS, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO EXECUTE THEIR JOB WITHOUT US BEING INVOLVED WITH WHERE THEY GO, WHEN THEY GO, AND HOW MANY -- IT'S VERY SPECIFIC. SEVEN EVENTS UP TO $6,000. SO I AGREE WITH YOU. I'M, LIKE, WHY ARE WE MOVING IN THIS DIRECTION. >> THAT WAS A MAJOR REASON FOR MY VOTE IS BECAUSE HE SAID HE WAS INVOLVED IN THE TRADE SHOWS, AND HE WOULD BE GOING TO THEM ALREADY ANYWAY. THAT WAS A MAJOR REASON. YOU SAID HE'S HERE? >> YES, MA'AM. HE'S OVER HERE. >> I GUESS WE NEED TO HEAR. >> GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS, I WANT TO BEGIN F WE CAN GO THROUGH AND KIND OF CORRECT SOME OF THE NUMBERS. I REMEMBER YOUR EXISTING OR SORRY, YOUR NOW PREVIOUS VENDOR WAS AT A $66,000 ANNUAL FEE. THEIR PROPOSAL WAS FOR $84,000, NOT FOR $72,000, SO IN TERMS OF PAYING FOR THE TRAVEL, YOU WERE GOING TO PAY FOR IT WITH THE EXISTING. I CAN ALSO TELL YOU BASED ON EXPERIENCE FROM MY TIME ATTENDING THESE SHOWS AND FOR THE LENGTH OF YOUR PREVIOUS VENDOR, THEY ATTENDED ONE NATIONAL CONFERENCE AND ONE STATE CONFERENCE. THE STATE CONFERENCE DID NOT HAVE A REGISTRATION FEE. SO IN TERMS OF THEIR ATTENDANCE AT THESE SHOWS, IN ORDER TO OBTAIN OR TO BRING BACK AND SOLICIT BUSINESS AND ACQUIRE IT, OUR EFFORT WE'RE TRYING TO PORTRAY TO YOU IS GOING TO BE FAR BEYOND THAT. THE STATEMENTS THAT I MADE DURING OUR PRESENTATIONS WERE THAT IN SOME CASES, THESE CONFERENCES ASK US OR TRADE SHOWS ASK US TO BECOME A GENERAL SESSION SPEAKER OR A BREAKOUT SESSION SPEAKER. EVERY ONE OF THEM IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT. I'LL GIVE YOU ONE EXAMPLE, U.S. SPORTS CONGRESS THAT HAPPENS EVERY DECEMBER, WE ARE A SPEAKER IN THIS PAST DECEMBER, I SPOKE THREE TIMES AT THAT CONFERENCE. SO THEY PAID FOR OUR REGISTRATION FEE. THEY PAID FOR OUR HOTEL ROOM, AND IT WAS IN FLORIDA. SO WE DID NOT GET A FLIGHT VOUCHER. BUT IN PREVIOUS YEARS WHEN IT'S IN ANOTHER STATE, THEY TYPICALLY GIVE US ABOUT A $500 FLIGHT VOUCHER. 400 OR $500. I DON'T REMEMBER EXACTLY. WE DID SOME MATH. WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ACCURATELY PORTRAYED THESE CONFERENCES AND TRADE SHOWS, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR MENTIONING. THIS WAS A SAMPLE OF CONFERENCES THAT WE WOULD LIKELY GO TO, NOT AN IN- STONE ARRANGEMENT THAT WE WANTED TO MAKE BECAUSE THERE COULD BE A BETTER SHOW THAT POPS UP OR WE COULD BE ASKED TO SPEAK AT ANOTHER ONE, THAT WOULD BE A COST SAVINGS AS WELL. SO TOTAL REGISTRATION FOR THESE SHOWS IS $21,750, AND THEN ON THE TRAVEL, WE DID AN ESTIMATE THAT SHOWS $16,650. SO THAT'S $38,000 400 OF WHICH WE AGREED TO JUST $6,000. THAT'S OUR CONFIDENCE IN OUR ABILITY TO HAVE SOME KIND OF AN ARRANGEMENT WITH THOSE SHOWS TO GO REPRESENT CLAY COUNTY THERE. SO MINUS THE $6,000, THAT'S, IN YOUR OPINION, THAT'S A $32,400 SAVINGS. [00:50:02] I DON'T KNOW OF A SINGLE CONTRACT IN THE UNITED STATES WHERE AN AGENCY IS REPRESENTING A COUNTY IN SPORTS TOURISM WHERE THE COUNTY DOES NOT ALSO PAY FOR THE CONFERENCE REGISTRATION FEES AND THE TRAVEL AS WELL. AGAIN, YOUR PREVIOUS VENDOR WAS REQUESTING $84,000. THEY WERE AT 6. THAT'S AN $18,000 INCREASE. THERE WERE TWO VOTES FOR THE $84,000 NUMBER. WE SAID 60. WE AGREED TO 66, SAVING THE COUNTY $18,000 IF YOU WERE TO GO TO YOUR SECOND OPTION. I WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT THERE. WE CAN'T AT THIS TIME TELL YOU THAT ANY SPECIFIC SHOW IS GOING TO PROVIDE ANY PARTICULAR OR SPECIFIC COST SAVINGS. BUT WE'RE CONFIDENT IN OUR ABILITY TO MAKE THOSE ARRANGEMENTS TO GO AT A FAR REDUCED AMOUNT OF WHICH, IF THAT HAPPENS, WE WOULD BE ASSUMING THE MAJORITY OF THOSE FEES. AGAIN, THIS IS A $500 FEE PER MONTH, SPREAD ACROSS THE FISCAL YEAR FOR $6,000 TOTAL. SO IF OUR TOTAL TRAVEL COSTS AND, SAY, CONFERENCE REGISTRATION FEES END UP BEING $18,000, WE'RE GOING TO PAY $12,000 OF THAT. SO, AGAIN, THAT'S WHAT WE'VE AGREED TO. AGAIN, YOUR FORMER VENDOR WAS 66. WHEN WE STARTED NEGOTIATING SOME OF THIS, WE AGREED TO THAT ADDITIONAL $6,000 TO BE EVEN STEVEN AT $66,000. YOUR SPORTS TOURISM VENDOR, THAT NUMBER DOESN'T CHANGE. THEY'RE AT 66. WE'RE ASKING TO BE AT 66 AS WELL. >> DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? >> YES, I HAVE A QUESTION, THOUGH. SO I KNOW YOU HEARD COMMISSIONER SGROMOLO TALK ABOUT THE THINGS COMING TO OUR COUNTY. I KNOW WE HAVE HAD SOME CANCELLATIONS. WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS TO BE ABLE TO GET HOPEFULLY THOSE PEOPLE BACK AND WHAT ARE YOUR FEELINGS ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS WE'VE HAD? ARE YOU GOING TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THOSE THINGS COMING TO OUR COUNTY? WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS THERE, AND WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU CAN MAKE HAPPEN? >> THAT'S THE EFFORT. WE'RE WORKING WITH A LARGE NUMBER OF GOVERNING BODIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY ON A WEEKLY BASIS. WE WERE ASKED NOT TO BEGIN WORK, HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE BEGINNING TOMORROW. I HAVE HAD A FEW OF THOSE EVENT RIGHTS HOLDERS REACH OUT OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS, TO HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS. WE DID NOT INITIATE THOSE CONVERSATIONS. THERE'S SOME INTEREST TO COME BACK. EVEN THOUGH I CAN TELL YOU THAT FROM SOME OF THOSE PHONE CALLS. WE'LL PUT THAT PLAN TOGETHER. WE'LL BE HAPPY TO PRESENT IT TO YOU. WE WERE ASKED NOT TO START UNTIL THE CONTRACT WAS DONE. >> YOU FEEL CONFIDENT THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE GROWING EVEN FURTHER THAN LAST YEAR BY TOURISM BECAUSE OF YOUR WORK. >> I DO. AND THE REASON WHY I FEEL THAT WAY, IF YOU WERE TO LOOK AT THE SPECIFIC SPORTS THAT WERE MENTIONED BY THE COMMISSIONER EARLIER, AND JUST THE RESEARCH WE HAVE DONE SO FAR IN THE FACILITIES THAT YOU CURRENTLY HAVE, EVERY ONE OF THOSE SPORTS HAS THREE TO 12 TO MAYBE EVEN 15 RIGHTS HOLDERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT OWN AND OPERATE EVENTS SPECIFIC TO THAT SPORT. SO WE WILL REACH OUT WITH THOSE. AND MOVE FORWARD IN THAT EFFORT TO TRY AND BRING THEM IN. AGAIN, IN SOME CASES, WE ARE SEEING THEM AT CONFERENCES. IN SOME CASES, WE ARE HAVING ONE ON ONE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM IN PERSON. IN OTHER CASES WE'RE DOING THAT THROUGH VIDEO MEETINGS, AND IN SOME CASES WE'RE EVEN DOING THEM A SOLID BY SHOWCASING THEM IN OUR DIGITAL SPORTS TOURISM MAGAZINE. SO THOSE RELATIONSHIPS ARE CREATED. THEY'RE MAINTAINED AND GO ON THROUGHOUT DECADES. >> I MEAN, NO DOUBT, YOU'RE THE NEW KID ON THE BLOCK. SO, I MEAN, YOU HAVE TO, YOU KNOW -- IT'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT OF A PROCESS FOR YOU. I DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND THAT, AS BEING A BUSINESS OWNER, AND YOU KNOW, SO, WE DO HAVE TO -- WE ALL KNOW THAT. SO THANK YOU. YOU ANSWERED MY QUESTIONS. >> I'LL ADD TOO. THERE'S RESEARCH WE NEED TO CONDUCT RIGHT OFF THE BAT. I WANT TO DEFINITELY TAKE A LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF THOSE EVENTS, OF THOSE EVENTS THAT WERE BROUGHT IN AND, YOU KNOW, THE FUNDING THAT WAS PROVIDED TO THEM. IN SOME CASES THEY'RE PROBABLY GREAT PROJECTS, IN OTHER CASES, YOU KNOW, THERE MIGHT BE A DISCREPANCY BETWEEN THE RESOURCES THAT WERE PROVIDED AND THE RETURN THAT YOU RECEIVED, MEANING THE NUMBER OF VISITORS THAT CAME AND THE OVERNIGHT STAYS THAT WERE CREATED. SO BY DOING THAT RESEARCH, WE'L DETERMINE IF THERE'S A BAD EGG IN THE BUNCH, AND WE'LL MOVE ON TO ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY. BUT, AGAIN, THAT'S SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE'LL DO FROM THE BEGINNING, HOPEFULLY BEGINNING TOMORROW, AND WE'LL BE GLAD TO COME BACK AND SHOWCASE A STRATEGIC PLAN TO YOU IN THE NEAR FUTURE. >> THANK YOU. >> MY CONCERN IS DEEPER AFTER YOU ANSWERED YOUR FIRST COMMISSIONER BURKE'S FIRST QUESTION FOR YOU, FRANKLY, AND THAT IS YOUR NEGOTIATION TACTIC. BECAUSE THAT SAYS TO ME, I MEAN, WE'RE A LOCAL GOVERNMENT, PUBLIC ENTITY, AND THAT SAYS TO ME, YOU WERE DISINGENUOUS IN WHAT YOU SUBMITTED BACK IN YOUR PROPOSAL BECAUSE YOU FULLY WELL KNEW [00:55:02] YOU SUBMITTED A PROPOSAL AT $60,000, AND YOU KNEW YOU WEREN'T GOING TO BE AT $60,000 EVER. YOUR INTENTION WAS TO NEGOTIATE THAT HIGHER FROM DAY ONE BECAUSE THE CONTRACT WITH OUR PREVIOUS PROVIDER WAS PUBLIC INFORMATION. AND SO FOR YOU TO COME IN -- AND I REALLY, I DON'T LOVE THE FACT THAT YOU ALREADY ARE DENIGRATING WHAT HAS GONE ON HERE IN THE PAST. COMMISSIONER SGROMOLO PUT INTO DOLLARS THE ROOM NIGHTS THAT WE HAVE INCREASED AND MAYBE THERE IS ADDITIONAL ROOM TO GROW, BUT I'M GRAVELY CONCERNED ABOUT THE BUSINESS PRACTICES AND TRANSPARENCY. THE PUBLIC DEMANDS TRANSPARENCY FROM US AND EVERY FORM OF GOVERNMENT NOW MORE THAN EVER AS IN EVERY TIME YOU TURN ON ANY NEWS MEDIA, YOU HEAR ALL ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY, AND NOW THE GOVERNOR IS GOING TO BRING THAT TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT, AND SO WE HAVE TO HAVE -- THE REASON WE PUT OUT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL IS FOR PEOPLE TO TELL US WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO. I MEAN, I REMEMBER WHEN WE AND MS. SMITH DIDN'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT GARBAGE. WE DON'T WANT TO GO BACK THERE, BUT I REMEMBER WHEN WE GOT BACK THE RFPS ON THE GARBAGE CONTRACTS, WE ASKED WHO SUBMITTED A CREATIVE PROPOSAL. AND THEY REALLY COULDN'T DEVIATE OUTSIDE THE LINES OF WHAT WE HAD PUT INTO THE RFP. SAME THING HAPPENED WITH SOME OF OUR INSURANCE PROPOSALS, SO, YES, AN RFP IS MORE THAN JUST THE DOLLARS, BUT THAT'S OF GRAVE CONCERN. AND I JUST REALLY HOPE THAT IF YOU HAVE THREE VOTES ON THIS BOARD THIS AFTERNOON THAT THAT'S NOT THE WAY, IN MY OPINION, AND I WILL SUPPORT IT, AND IN FACT, I'LL HAVE TO SIGN THE CONTRACT IF IT HAS THREE VOTES, AND SO IT WILL HAVE MY NAME ON IT, BUT I HOPE THAT THAT'S NOT HOW YOU WILL START OFF. BECAUSE IN MY OPINION, YOU'RE STARTING OFF A REALLY ROCKY START WITH CLAY COUNTY GOVERNMENT, AND I'VE HEARD THAT YOU USED TO BE A DIRECTOR OF TOURISM AND MAYBE YOU THINK YOU KNOW ALL OF HOW IT WORKS AND HOW LOCAL GOVERNMENT WORKS, BUT WE NEED TRANSPARENCY IN EVERY WAY WITH OUR GOVERNMENT, AND YOU HEARD A CITIZEN EARLIER TODAY TALK ABOUT PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS. THIS IS THE WORLD THAT WE LIVE IN. WE LIVE IN THE SUNSHINE, AND SO I WAS MORE DISAPPOINTED AFTER YOU ANSWERED HER QUESTION THE WAY THAT YOU DID. >> SO WE WORKED ON THE PROPOSAL IN OCTOBER. WE SUBMITTED IT, I REMEMBER, AT THE BEGINNING OF NOVEMBER. I'LL GO BACK AND TAKE A LOOK. OBVIOUSLY I'LL TAKE YOUR WORD FOR IT IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE MISSED, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE MISS ED. I WAS NOT UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT TRAVEL WAS TO BE INCLUDED IN OUR BID PROPOSAL. WE'LL GO BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. APOLOGIES FOR THAT TAKING PLACE. >> YOU KNEW IT WASN'T IN THERE. >> I DID NOT KNOW IT WAS IN THERE. >> CAN I MAKE ONE QUICK CORRECTION. IN THEIR PROPOSAL, THEY DID ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY NEEDED TO SET A BUDGET WITH THE TOURISM DEPARTMENT. SO -- >> HE SAID IN HIS PRESENTATION WHEN THEY MADE THEIR PRESENTATIONS UP THERE, I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER RENNINGER HAD ASKED A QUESTION ABOUT IT, AND HE SAID I WOULD NEGOTIATE THAT FURTHER. THAT WAS NOT IN MY 60,000. YOU DID KNOW WHEN YOU SUBMITTED YOUR $60,000 IT WAS NOT IN THERE. >> THIS IS COMMON PRACTICE FOR THAT TO BE IN ADDITION WITH THESE TYPES OF CONTRACTS IN THE SPORTS TOURISM INDUSTRY ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THAT'S ALL THAT I CAN TELL YOU AT THIS TIME. CERTAINLY I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT THE FULL DETAILS OF THE RFP BACK IN OCTOBER. WE'LL INVESTIGATE IT. WHEN WE GAVE OUR PRESENTATION, WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE IN ADDITION, AND THOSE ARE THE COMMENTS WE MADE AT THE PODIUM AT THAT TIME. >> I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COUPLE OF OBSERVATIONS. ONE, TODAY, WE HAVE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF ASSETS THAT ARE UNDER REPRESENTED. AND IN BUSINESS, IF YOU'RE NOT REPRESENTED, YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE. SECOND THING IS IF WE GO THROUGH AND RESET, WHAT ARE WE TALKING, THREE, FOUR MONTHS? THREE, FOUR MONTHS, YOUR ASSETS WILL NOT BE REPRESENTED FOR ANOTHER FOUR MONTHS, THREE MONTHS. WE'RE ARGUING OVER $6,000, WHICH IS WHAT WE PAID LAST YEAR? IS THAT CORRECT, WE PAID 66 LAST YEAR, AND WE'RE GOING TO PAY 66 THIS YEAR? THAT'S JUST MY OBSERVATION. >> YOU LAUNCHED INTO A $34,000 NET SAVINGS FOR CLAY COUNTY. IS CLAY COUNTY YOUR ONLY CLIENT? SFL IT IS, YES. [01:00:05] IN TERMS OF -- WE HAVE ANOTHER CONTRACT WITH NASSAU COUNTY, SPECIFIC TO CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS FOR A NEW FACILITY TO BE BUILT, SO WE'RE NEGOTIATING WITH A FACILITY MANAGEMENT AND FACILITY FINANCE FIRM FOR NASSAU COUNTY. >> SO THEN I GUESS MY QUESTION IS WHEN YOU PRESENTED TO US WHEN YOU WERE LAST YEAR, YOU WERE SHARING ABOUT NEEDING TO ATTEND THESE CONFERENCES. SO THEN IF WE'RE THE ONLY CLIENT THAT IS ASKING THIS OF YOU, WHAT WAS THE IMPORT OF YOU NEEDING TO PRESENT TO THESE CONFERENCES? >> WELL, WE OWN SEVERAL ASSETS. SPORTS TOURISM, DIGITAL MAGAZINE, WE'RE THERE, YOU KNOW, PITCHING OUR MEDIA KIT TO DESTINATIONS, TO SEVERAL OTHERS. YOUR PREVIOUS VENDOR REPRESENTED SEVEN DESTINATIONS. >> LET ME JUST STOP YOU RIGHT THERE. I THINK THAT MY POSITION, I'M GOING TO ECHO COMMISSIONER CONDON'S CONCERN HERE IN THAT YOU'RE NOT REALLY SAVING US $34,000 IF YOU ALREADY HAVE TO PRESENT. PRIMARILY BECAUSE AS A BUSINESS OWNER, YOU'RE SPREADING THOSE COSTS. SO I THINK THAT IT IS SEMANTICS TONIGHT, AND I REALLY DON'T LIKE THAT. >> OKAY. >> AND COMMISSIONER RENNINGER, I AGREE WITH YOU IN THAT IT SEEMS NOMINAL. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT $66,000 BEING RENEWED BUT I DON'T REALLY THINK THAT THAT'S THE CRUX OF THE CONCERN TONIGHT. THIS IS MORE THAN RENEWING A CONTRACT FOR THE SAME AMOUNT OR ENTERING INTO A CONTRACT FOR THE SAME AMOUNT. AND SO I THINK IN LIGHT OF WHAT YOU'VE SHARED FURTHER TONIGHT, MY ANSWER IS GOING TO BE A NO ALSO. >> OKAY. THANK YOU. . ALL RIGHT. ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? >> I HAVE A QUESTION. MR. DUNN, SO THE SPORTS TOURISM INDUSTRY, WOULD YOU SAY THAT CONFERENCES ARE THE ONLY MEANS OF SECURING EVENTS? >> NO. NOT AT ALL. BUT IT IS THE BEST WAY TO CREATE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND MAINTAIN THEM OVER THE YEARS. I CAN TELL YOU THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAVE REPRESENTED DESTINATIONS IN THE PAST, THERE ARE VERY FEW TIMES THAT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF ACTUALLY MAKING A BID PRESENTATION TO A CLIENT. A NATIONAL GOVERNING BODY OR AN EVENTS RIGHTS HOLDER. THE REASON IS BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN IN THE BUSINESS FOR 30 YEARS NOW. AND WE HAVE LIKELY ALREADY HOSTED SEVERAL EVENTS FOR THEM IN THE PAST. THEY HAVE A FAMILIARITY WITH US THAT WE DONE HAVE TO THEREFORE GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS. SOMETIMES IF THEY RUN INTO AN ISSUE WITH ANOTHER DESTINATION. WE'RE ONE OF THE FIRST PHONE CALLS TO HELP THEM SOLVE A PROBLEM ESPECIALLY IN THE SHORT TERM. SO, YEAH, CERTAINLY WE CAN PICK UP THE PHONE, WE CAN SEND A TEXT MESSAGE. WE CAN SEND AN E-MAIL. BUT, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE IN THE ATTENDANCE AT THE CONFERENCE IN ORDER TO BE PRESENT. IF WE'RE NOT THERE, DEPENDING ON THE CONFERENCE, ROUGHLY 500 OTHER DESTINATIONS ARE IN THEIR FACE. >> THANK YOU. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, TO COMMISSIONER RENNINGER'S POINT, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A LAPSE. OBVIOUSLY WE ALSO HAVE A LAPSE WITH THE DIRECTOR OF TOURISM POSITION SO THAT KIND OF GOES HAND IN HAND. YOU KNOW, IF THE APPLICANT GETS THE RFP, THEY'RE STILL GOING TO BE A COUPLE OF MONTHS OUT UNTIL THEY GET THE NEW LEADER OF THAT DEPARTMENT TO WORK WITH AS THAT GOES. I THINK THE LAST COMMENT I HAVE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE RFPS AND BIDS FOR A REASON, RIGHT? THERE'S A REASON THAT PURCHASING WOULD NEGOTIAE THINGS FOR COUNTY GOVERNMENT. YOU KNOW, BID IS USUALLY JUST PRICE, RIGHT, BECAUSE IT'S APPLES TO APPLES. RFPS, SOMETIMES THE PRODUCT YOU GET COULD BE SUBSTANTIALLY DIFFERENT EVEN IF THE PRICE IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. AND I THINK ONCE AGAIN, MY CONCERN IS $66,000. WHEN YOU'RE TALKING THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC THAT YOU COULD POTENTIALLY DRIVE, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE THERE. THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. >> DO YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THIS COMPANY? >> I WOULD DEFLECT TO MY FORMER VOTES ON THE SITUATION. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? >> I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE COUNTY ATTORNEY, MS. GRIMM. BASED ON THE DISCUSSION WE'VE HAD, THERE'S NO VIOLATION OF [01:05:01] THE RFP AS A COUNTY COMMISSIONER IF YOU DON'T AGREE WITH A PORTION OF THE CONTRACT, YOU'RE WITHIN YOUR RIGHTS TO VOTE AGAINST THE CONTRACT, CORRECT? >> I BELIEVE YOU CAN VOTE AGAINST. >> NOT THAT IT VIOLATES, IT, WHETHER AS A COUNTY COMMISSIONER, IF YOU DON'T AGREE WITH IT, YOU'RE NOT BREAKING A LAW TO VOTE AGAINST IT? >> NO. FROM A STAFF STANDPOINT, WE WOULD NEED IT NEEDS TO GO OUT FOR AN RFP. IT COULDN'T GO BACK TO RENEGOTIATING WITH THE SECOND BIDDER. >> I AGREE. >> YOU KNOW, I HEAR THE COMMENTS THAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT AND THE CONCERN. MY CONCERN WHEN I VOTED, I WILL SAY THAT I WAS RECEIVING -- I RECEIVED CALLS AND TEXTS FROM THE NUMBER TWO, AND DURING THE RFP, AND SO I -- IT KIND OF PUT A LITTLE BIT OF A BAD ENERGY FEELING INTO MY HEAD DURING THE VOTE. AND, SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MAYBE DISHONEST OR WHATEVER. I THOUGHT THAT WAS PRETTY CONCERNING. SO JUST WANTED TO KIND OF PUT THAT OUT THERE. >> I HAD A VERY SIMILAR EXPERIENCE, COMMISSIONER BURKE. AND WE DID END UP HAVING TO CAST THAT VOTE MULTIPLE TIMES, AND THEY WEREN'T MY SECOND CHOICE EITHER BECAUSE TONIGHT IT'S A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT WE FEEL, OR AT LEAST WHAT I FEEL AS TOWING THE LINE OF INTEGRITY, IN A BUSINESS PRACTICE. AND SO TO YOUR POINT, I WAS LIKE, I DON'T KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT SOMEBODY CONTACTING ME WHEN THEY KNOW BETTER THAN TO BE CONTACTING ME DURING THIS PERIOD. SO FOR ME, I AGREE WITH YOU. NO, THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE MY FIRST CHOICE OR SECOND CHOICE ANYTIME I HAVE TO CAST A VOTE. IT'S UNFORTUNATE, THOUGH, BECAUSE IF WE RELEGATE THIS TO $66,000, IT'S JUST $66,000 AND WE'RE NOT THIS -- NO SKIN OFF OUR BACK. WE HAVE DONE THIS BEFORE, BUT I'M ALSO A PROPONENT, IF SOMEBODY SHOWS ME HOW THEY WANT TO ENGAGE, WHY WOULD I DISAGREE WITH THEM ABOUT HOW THEY WANT TO ENGAGE. LIKE, I DIDN'T SET THE TONE. WE WERE ASKING QUESTIONS SO WE COULD MAKE AN EDUCATED DECISION ON HOW TO MOVE FORWARD. THAT'S WHAT THE PREMISE WAS WHEN WE HAD OUR THREE FOLKS COME LAST TIME. SO FOR ME, THIS IS PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD. I'M NOT GOING TO ARGUE WITH HOW SOMEONE WANTS TO PRESENT THEIR BUSINESS PRACTICES AND I JUST HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH % WHAT THEY HAVE PRESENTED TO ME. THAT'S WHAT MAKES TONIGHT A LITTLE DIFFICULT. >> YOUR QUESTION OF INTEGRITY, BOTH, WHAT I HAVE HEARD IS BECAUSE OF THE $6,000, WHEN IT WAS IN THE RFP, SAYING THAT IT WOULD BE NEGOTIATED LATER. SO THAT'S WHY -- IS THAT THE ONLY REASON FOR YOUR QUESTION OF INTEGRITY, I'M NOT FOLLOWING. >> SO IT WAS A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT CAME UP TONIGHT. SO WE -- AT THE PODIUM, WE WERE MADE AWARE THAT THERE WAS A FAILURE OR MAYBE AN OVERSIGHT WOULD BE A MORE POLISHED WAY TO PRESENT THAT. THERE WAS AN OVERSIGHT IN REVIEWING THE APPLICATION OR WHAT REQUESTS WE WERE LOOKING TO COMPLETE. THAT'S A CONCERN, AND THEN WHEN IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING ALSO THAT THE CONVERSATION WAS OVER AT 60. THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING, AND THEN TONIGHT, THE ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS SEEMED TO SUGGEST THAT THERE WAS ALWAYS THIS UNDERSTANDING ON RACONTEURS' PART THAT THIS WAS A CONTINUING CONVERSATION. WELL, FOR THE SAKE OF BEING CONSISTENT AND THE SAKE OF BEING QUITE FRANKLY WE'RE TALKING ANT FILLING OUT AN APPLICATION, AND I KNOW THAT SOUNDS VERY HARSH, BUT THOSE ARE DETAILS, AND THIS IS A DETAILED BUSINESS. LIKE WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NEEDING TO GET DONE FOR THE COUNTY AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE BRINGING QUALITY VENDORS TO THE COUNTY, IT'S NOT -- I KEEP CIRCLING BACK. I DON'T THINK THIS IS A CONVERSATION ABOUT $66,000 ANYMORE. IF I'M LED TO BELIEVE THAT IT'S ONE THING, BASED ON THE CONVERSATIONS THAT HAPPENED THE LAST TIME WE WERE ALL HERE, AND THEN TONIGHT IT'S SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT, IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE STAFF IS SUPPORTING WHAT THEY UNDERSTOOD AND MAYBE I'M THE ONE. THAT'S THE SENTIMENT THAT I'M GETTING IS THAT I WAS MISUNDERSTOOD, THIS WAS ALL VERY PLAIN, AND FOR WHATEVER REASON, WE MISSED IT. AND I DON'T -- I [01:10:01] DON'T APPRECIATE THAT EITHER BECAUSE WE DID HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT WAS COMING TO THE TABLE, AND THEY WERE VERY THOROUGH, AND SOME OF THEM LENGTHY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT WAS COMING TO THE TABLE, AND NOW, NOT ONLY HAVE WE CHANGED THE NUMBERS, BUT MY SECOND CONTENTION WAS I DON'T WANT US TO BE IN THE WEEDS ABOUT HOW A COMPANY DOES THEIR JOB BECAUSE THEY ALREADY HAVE TO PERFORM A SERVICE. THAT'S MY POINT. IF THEY ALREADY HAVE TO DO IT. I DON'T NEED TO BE TELLING THEM HOW TO DO IT AND THEN I THEN HAVE TO FOOT THE BILL FOR HOW THEY DO IT, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE WERE TOLD HE WAS ALREADY GOING TO BE THERE. >> OKAY. BUT WE CAN'T REWIND THE TAPE, RIGHT, WE CAN'T LISTEN TO WHAT WAS SAID BEFORE. BUT KAREN IS SAYING THAT WAS AN RFB. THAT'S WHO WE'RE SUPPOSED TO LISTEN TO. SHE WAS THE ONE THAT NEGOTIATED IT. >> SHE'S RIGHT. HE'S SAYING THAT HE DID NOT SEE IT. THAT'S HIS POSITION TONIGHT IS THAT THERE WAS OVERSIGHT ON HIS PART AND THEN HE PRESENTED THAT NIGHT AND SAID, OH, THESE CONVERSATIONS ARE GOING TO CONTINUE. SO TELL ME HOW IT CAN BE BOTH. IF YOU KNEW FROM THE OUTSET OR MAYBE YOU DIDN'T KNOW FROM THE OUTSET, BUT NOW I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION, WHY DIDN'T YOU KNOW FROM THE OUTSET IF OUR DEPARTMENT HAS ALREADY MADE VERY PLAIN WHAT IT IS WE'RE LOOKING FOR, ALL INCLUSIVE. SO I FEEL LIKE WE'RE TALKING IN CIRCLES HERE, BUT THE MORE HE SPOKE TONIGHT ABOUT WHAT HE KNEW WHEN HE KNEW IT, LIKE, WELL, WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE? WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HASH A LOT OF THAT OUT, IF NOT ALL OF IT OUT THEN WHEN THEY FIRST PRESENTED SO WE WOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE A DECISION ABOUT HOW TO MOVE FORWARD. IT SEEMS LIKE THE GOAL POST KEEPS CHANGING AND THAT MAKES ME UNCOMFORTABLE. >> I DON'T KNOW. I FELT LIKE IT CLEARED UP WHAT YOUR QUESTIONS WERE WHENEVER HE SPOKE TONIGHT. THAT'S JUST ME. SO I GUESS OKAY. >> OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS? I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON ITEM I MOVE APPROVAL OF NUMBER 7. >> OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION, DO WE HAVE A SECOND? >> I'LL SECOND. >> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY SAYING AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. >> THOSE OPPOSED. >> AYE. >> MOTION FAILS 3-2. I'LL ENTERTAIN ANOTHER MOTION. >> THERE IS NONE. >> DON'T NEED ANOTHER MOTION? >> WE'LL ASSUMING WE'LL PUT IT BACK INTO THE RFP PROCESS. >> OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. WE ARE PAST OUR 5:00 TIME CERTAIN, SO WE DO HAVE ALL OF OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS THIS AFTERNOON. ITEMS 13 THROUGH 18 REQUIRE SWEARING IN. SO IF YOU ARE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEMS NUMBER 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, OR 18, PLEASE STAND AND MOVE TOWARD THE CENTER SO YOU CAN SEE YOURSELF ON THE SCREEN HOPEFULLY. WELL, ERIC'S EFFICIENT, AND HE'S ALREADY CHANGED IT. CAN YOU SEE? ERIC, CAN YOU SEE EVERYBODY? SO CHRISTY CAN SEE THEM? HE SAYS YES. THUMBS UP. SO CHRISTY. >> PERFECT, EVERYBODY RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND, DO YOU SOLEMNLY [13.  Final Public Hearing to consider adoption of COMP 24-0025. Dist. 5, Commissioner Burke (D. Selig)] SWEAR OR AFFIRM THE TESTIMONY YOU'RE ABOUT TO GIVE WILL BE THE WHOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH SO HELP YOU GOD. THANK YOU, ALL, HAVE A SEAT. >> ERIC, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND WE HAVE JODI WITH OUR FINAL PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF COMP PLAN 24005 IN COMMISSIONER BURKE'S DISTRICT. >> YES, GOOD EVENING. THE APPLICANT FOR THIS APPLICATION, THE REPRESENTATIVE IS SUSAN FRASIER WITH SLF CONSULTING, COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 24-0004, WOULD CHANGE PORTIONS OF THE TEXT FOR TWO POLICIES, IN THE LAKE ASBURY MASTER PLAN AND SPECIFICALLY THE LAKE ASBURY INTERCHANGE VILLAGE CENTER LAND USES. THIS MAP SHOWS THE TWO AREAS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE THAT ARE IN -- THAT ARE DESIGNATED INTERCHANGE VILLAGE CENTER. THEY ARE THE PURPLE WITH THE WHITE HASH MARK THROUGH IT. [01:15:01] SO IN THE VERY UPPER LEFT CORNER OF THE MAP, THERE'S A SMALL CIRCLE THERE. THAT'S AT HENLEY AND VERBENA PARKWAY. AND THEN AT THE BOTTOM CENTER OF THAT MAP, YOU'LL SEE IT -- THE INTERSECTION, THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE FUTURE EXPRESSWAY AND HIGHWAY 16. THERE'S A LARGE AREA THERE OF THE PURPLE WITH WHITE STRIPES THROUGH IT. SO THOSE ARE THE TWO INTERCHANGE VILLAGE CENTER PARCELS THAT WE HAVE. AND THESE POLICIES WOULD THEREFORE AFFECT. SO THANK YOU. WE'RE PLANNING TO MAKE SOME CHANGES IN THE FIRST POLICY, WHICH IS 1.4.1. PART OF IT IS SMALL CLEANUP. YOU'LL SEE WHERE THE WORD ACRE WAS LEFT OFF. THE WORD NET WAS LEFT OFF. THE POLICY NUMBERS IN THE FOOTER WERE INCORRECT. THOSE ARE SMALL CHANGES. REALLY CORRECTIONS. IN ORDER TO EXPLAIN WHAT WE'RE REALLY DOING WITH THIS. I'M GOING TO JUMP AHEAD A LITTLE BIT. THE NEXT POLICY THAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT, . 1.4. 10 IS THE ACTUAL POLICY IN THE FUTURE LAND USE LIST FOR LAKE ASBURY. IT IS TWO POLICIES IN ONE. IT HAS BOTH LAKE ASBURY VILLAGE CENTER, AND LAKE ASBURY INTERCHANGE VILLAGE CENTER. I THINK WHAT HAPPENED WHEN THE TABLE AND POLICY 1.4.1, THE LIST OF FUTURE LAND USES AND DENSITIES, I THINK WHEN IT WAS ORIGINALLY DRAFTED, THEY TOOK THE FIRST HEADING FROM THAT LATER POLICY, .4. 10 AND DIDN'T INCLUDE THE INTERCHANGE PIECE OF THAT. I THINK IT'S AN OVERSIGHT. WE'VE HAD THIS SAME DENSITY APPLICATION. IT'S ALWAYS BEEN INTENDED TO BE APPLIED AT THAT SAME -- THE EXACT SAME LEVEL. WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE INSERTING IT HERE SO FOR CLARITY, WE'VE GOT LAKE ASBURY VILLAGE CENTER RIGHT THERE, AND IN RED, YOU SEE THE INTERCHANGE VILLAGE CENTER, IT'S THE SAME DENSITY. NO CHANGE, SO IT'S NOT A TRIP TO THE MORATORIUM OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. IF YOU'LL GO ON, I'LL GET INTO 1. 1.4.10. WE COPIED THE LANGUAGE FROM VILLAGE CENTER TO THE ICC PORTION OF IT. JUST TRYING TO CLARIFY, BREAK UP THIS KIND OF RUN- ON POLICY SO THAT IT'S MUCH CLEARER. WE'VE COPIED THE CONNECTIVITY SECTION, AND THE SPECIFIC PARK LANGUAGE FROM VC TO IVC, AGAIN TO MAKE IT CLEAR, WE HAVE ADDED BOTH OF THE IVCS, THIS IS THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST WAS TO ADD AN ALLOWANCE FOR AUTO ORIENTED USES IN THE AREAS ADJACENT TO THE INTERCHANGE ITSELF. PROVIDED THE PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIONS ARE MAINTAINED. AND THAT REALLY IS BECAUSE THE VILLAGE CENTER IS DESIGNED TO BE A WALKABLE PEDESTRIAN LEVEL SCALED DEVELOPMENT. AND THE INTERCHANGE VILLAGE CENTER IS OBVIOUSLY DRAWING CARS OFF THE INTERSTATE, RIGHT? THAT'S REALLY ITS PRIME PURPOSE, AND SO THIS PROVIDES A LITTLE MORE CLARITY, THAT IN THE INTERCHANGE VILLAGE CENTER, ARE ALLOWED PROVIDED THAT PEDESTRIAN CONNECTION IS STILL MAINTAINED, AND THEN THERE'S ALSO THE REQUEST INCREASE, THE MAXIMUM COMMERCIAL AND RETAIL USE THAT'S ALLOWED, SPECIFICALLY IN THE VILLAGE, IN THE IVCS FROM 40 TO 65. RIGHT NOW, THERE'S A CAP AT 40% OF THE INTERCHANGE COULD BE COMMERCIAL. AND THAT, AGAIN, IS PROBABLY NOT A REALISTIC NUMBER FOR AN INTERCHANGE OFF AN INTERSTATE. THAT REALLY IS WHERE YOU WANT YOUR COMMERCIAL TO BE FROM NOW ON. SO SECONDARY CHANGES, LIKE I SAID, PUTTING IN HEADINGS TO SEPARATE VILLAGE CENTER FROM INTERCHANGE VILLAGE CENTER, PROVIDING CLARITY, OBJECTIVE NUMBER FOR THE POLICIES, ADDED A DATE THAT WASN'T IN THERE SPECIFICALLY. JUST SMALL CHANGES SINCE WE WERE MAKING ADDITIONAL CHANGES. ON NOVEMBER 14TH OF '24, THE LAKE ASBERRY PENNEY FARM HEARD THE ITEM. THEY VOTED 6-0 TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL, WITH CHANGES SPECIFICALLY FOR THE IVC AT HANLEY ROAD ONLY. THEY WERE RECOMMENDING REMOVING BASICALLY THE MINIMUM RESIDENTIAL, TAKING IT DOWN TO 0%. INCREASING THE CIVIC PARK USE FROM 10 TO 15%, AND INCREASING THE MAXIMUM RETAIL USE UP FROM [01:20:05] 65 TO 70%. STAFF'S FEELING WAS THAT TAKING RESIDENTIAL COMPLETELY OUT OF THE VILLAGE CENTER WAS PROBABLY NOT THE BEST USE, THE INTENT OF THE VILLAGE CENTER IS TO PROVIDE WALKABLE HOUSING CLOSE TO -- NOT RETAIL, TO EMPLOYMENT. WE THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO KEEP THAT IN THERE. ON DECEMBER 3RD, THE PLANNING COMMISSION PER THE ITEM THEY VOTED 7-0 TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE ITEM. BECAUSE THIS IS A TEXT CHANGE. WHENEVER YOU HAVE A TEXT CHANGE TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, IT IS AUTOMATICALLY WHAT'S CALLED A LARGE SCALE CHANGE, AND THAT REQUIRES THE STATE TO REVIEW SO WE HAVE SENT THAT OFF TO THE STATE AFTER YOU HEARD IT THE FIRST TIME AND THEY HAVE RETURNED THEIR OBJECTIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND COMMENTS REPORT. THEY HAD NO COMMENTS. SO THEREFORE STAFF IS RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THIS ITEM. >> QUESTIONS FOR JODI? >> JODI, ON THE CAC, THERE ARE COMMENTS AROUND THE HENLEY INTERCHANGE, IS THAT BECAUSE THAT AREA IS SO HEAVY RESIDENTIAL ALREADY THAT THEY DIDN'T THINK THERE WAS A NEED FOR IT? >> THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN. YEAH, IN FACT, I CAN'T REMEMBER AT THIS POINT, I'M SORRY TO SAY. BUT -- >> IT SPECIFICALLY IS. IGZ YOU I GUESS YOU COULD SAY THAT ABOUT THE OTHER CHANGES EVENTUALLY WILL BE THAT HEAVY RESIDENTIAL. >> LIKE THAT ONE AT SANDRIDGE, I GUESS IT REALLY WOULDN'T APPLY. >> JUST WONDERED. >> OKAY. >> BUT THEY WERE FINE WITH IT IF THAT DIDN'T PASS OR THEY'RE ONLY FINE WITH IT IF WE TAKE IT TO THOSE NUMBERS, DO YOU KNOW? >> I BELIEVE THAT THEY WERE OKAY WITH THAT. I MEAN, THAT WAS THEIR RECOMMENDATION, BUT IT WASN'T -- >> I KNOW THEY WANT COMMERCIAL. >> YES, YES. >> ALL RIGHT. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIOS FOR STAFF, FOR JODI. SUSAN. >> GOOD EVENING, SUSAN FRASIER, FLF CONSULTING, 3517 PARK STREET IN JACKSONVILLE. I THINK WE HAD A REALLY GOOD DETAILED DISCUSSION WHEN YOU TRANSMITTED THIS IN DECEMBER AND WENT OVER A LOT OF THE DETAILS ABOUT HOW WE ARRIVED AT THIS POLICY. AND WHAT IT WILL DO. AND SO UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, I AM HAPPY TO HAVE YOU DISCUSS IT AND MOVE. THANK YOU. >> QUESTIONS FOR SUSAN? I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. I GUESS I SHOULD HAVE DONE THAT BEFORE SUSAN SPOKE. AT ANY RATE, WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, MR. OTTO? >> YES, MA'AM, JAMES OTTO, 2908 BLANDING BOULEVARD. I WOULD ASK YOU NOT TO MAKE ANY CHANGES. THEY COME AND ASK FOR SOMETHING, AND THEN THEY WANT TO COME BACK AND CHANGE THINGS. TOO MANY TIMES. THE OVERGROWTH AND THE FLOODING IN THAT AREA IS OUT OF CONTROL. WE NEED TO START LOOKING AT THE MORATORIUM. I UNDERSTAND THE HOUSING'S THERE, SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE SOME COMMERCIAL STUFF. IT COMES IN AFTER THE RESIDENTS, BUT I WOULD ASK YOU TO STAY TO THE ORIGINAL, YOU KNOW, AND I COME IN HERE TIME AND TIME AGAIN AND THE STAFF IS BASICALLY PUSHING THAT THIS SHOULD BE APPROVED OVER AND OVER AGAIN ON THE LONG- TERM, YOU KNOW, THE LONG- TERM FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN HERE÷÷ FOR 15, 20, 25 PLUS YEARS. YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T GET THE IMPACT FEE. WE GOT MAYBE A MOBILITY FEE, WHICH SHOWS THAT THERE'S A ISSUE WITH THE COUNTY. THEY'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, A STRONG COUNTY WHEN THEY HAVE THAT. WE HAD THAT IN THE PAST. I WOULD ASK YOU TO KEEP THE MOBILITY. OR, I'M SORRY, THE MORATORIUM. I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF YOU KEEP THE MORATORIUM IN THIS AREA AND EXPAND IT UNTIL EVERYTHING'S DONE WITH THE OUTER BELTWAY. I KNOW WE WERE AT LIKE 128 MILLION ON THE OUTER BELTWAY, AND THEY WENT TO 133 MILLION , AND NOW I LOST TRACK OF HOW MUCH YOU GUYS HAVE APPROVED, AND I KNOW YOU'VE GOT SOME STUFF. I CAN'T REALLY GET SIDETRACKED ON THAT RIGHT NOW, BUT REALLY HAVE TOO MUCH APPROVED. I TALKED TO THE FIRE CHIEF, AND YOU'RE GETTING FOUR OF THE SEVEN FIRE DEPARTMENTS. WE JUST NEED TO SLOW THIS DOWN HONESTLY. THERE'S WAY TOO MUCH GROWTH. THE TWO BY FOURS WERE $5. NOW THEY'RE COMING DOWN TO THREE. THEY WERE TWO TO BEGIN WITH. I MEAN, PEOPLE NEED TO STOP CONTRACTS STUFF RIGHT NOW. IT'S WAY, WAY, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT STABLE. [01:25:02] IT'S GOING TO GET WORSE. LIKE THE '06/'08. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SERIOUS PROBLEMS HERE, AND I ASK YOU TO KEEP IT THE WAY IT WAS, AND NOT MAKE CHANGES. THIS IS THE WAY IT WAS APPROVED. THEY'RE TRYING TO GET CHANGES TO WHAT THEY HAVE ALREADY APPROVED. CORRECT? THEY'RE ASKING FOR CHANGES TO THE PLAN. YOU'RE LOOKING AT ME LIKE YOU'RE CONFUSED. >> YEAH, I AM. IT'S YOUR TIME TO TALK. >> YOU'RE DEALING WITH COMMERCIAL, AND TALKING ABOUT MAYBE SOME RESIDENTIAL FROM WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ONE WAY, AND YOU'RE TRYING TO CHANGE IT TO ANOTHER RIGHT NOW. WE NEED TO START GETTING THE PLAN TOGETHER AND STOP MAKING ALL OF THESE CHANGES. >> THANK YOU, MR. OTTO. >> THAT'S WHAT THEY AGREED TO. >> THANK YOU, MR. OTTO. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING. SEEING NONE, I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD FOR MOTION AND DISCUSSION. >> QUESTION. >> SURE. >> AS FAR AS THE CAC, THEY SAID THERE WAS A ZERO RESIDENTIAL, MINIMUM OF ZERO GIVES BUILDER MORE OPTIONS BUT DOES NOT SAY NO TO MORE RESIDENTIAL. >> THEY WERE GOING TO TAKE THE PERCENTAGE DOWN TO 0 REQUIREMENT. A MINIMUM OF 0. >> SO RESIDENTIAL COULD GO IN. >> IT COULD, YES, YES. >> NO MATTER WHAT, THEY STILL HAVE A PERCENTAGE OF RESIDENTIAL THAT CAN GO IN THERE, CORRECT? >> YES, IT CAN. THERE IS A MAXIMUM. >> THERE'S A MAX. >> IT WOULD TAKE THE MINIMUM DOWN TO 0. >> YEAH. >> SO WHICH WOULD MEAN IT COULD BE PURELY COMMERCIAL IF THAT DEVELOPER WANTED ONLY COMMERCIAL. >> RIGHT. >> OKAY. THAT'S CORRECT. SUSAN. >> IT IS. AND IF THE DISCUSSION WAS EXACTLY WAS TRYING TO ASSIST US. THEY HAD THE SAME COMMENT YOU DID. THERE WAS A LOT OF RESIDENTIAL IN THE AREA. DO YOU NEED ANY RESIDENTIAL, AND I THINK THE STAFF'S POSITION IS PARTICULARLY AT HANLEY, RESIDENTIAL IS ALLOWED AT THREE UNITS PER ACRE IN THE ADJACENT RURAL FRINGE. IN THE VILLAGE CENTER, YOU CAN HAVE TOWNHOUSES AND DUPLEXES AND HOUSING DIVERSITY. THAT DIVERSITY ALLOWS MAYBE MORE WALKABILITY. SO I THINK WE'RE FINE WITH IT STAYING AT THE MINIMUM RESIDENTIAL THAT'S THERE BECAUSE THERE IS PLENTY, BUT THE REQUEST THAT WE'RE MAKING ABOUT THE COMMERCIAL INCREASE ACCOMMODATES WHAT OUR PLANS WOULD NEED. >> THANK YOU. >> QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, ENTERTAIN A MOTION? >> ANYTIME WE CAN GET MORE COMMERCIAL, I'M FOR IT. I MOVE APPROVAL. >> SECOND. >> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY SAYING AYE. [14.  Final Public Hearing to consider ZON 24-0037. (District 5, Comm. Burke) (J. Bryla)] >> AYE. >> THOSE OPPOSE D? >> MOTION CARRIES 5-0. NEXT WE'RE ON TO ITEM 14. THE FINAL PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER ZONING 24- 0037, ALSO IN COMMISSIONER BURKE'S DISTRICT, APPLICATION IS A REZONING CHANGE TO CHANGE ABOUT 305 ACRES FROM INDUSTRIAL SELECT DISTRICT TO HEAVY INDUSTRIAL. MS. BRYLA. >> GOOD EVENING. >> GOOD EVENING, JENNY BRYLA, ZONING CHIEF, HERE TO PRESENT -- WHAT AM I PRESENTING? I AM PRESENTING ZONING 24-0037, WHICH AS YOU SAID, IS A REQUEST TO CHANGE THE ZONING FROM IS TO HEAVY INDUSTRIAL. IB. THIS IS ONLY A ZONING REQUEST AS THE FUTURE LAND USE IS ALREADY INDUSTRIAL. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THE GRAPHIC ON THE LEFT IS SHOWING YOU THE AERIAL OF THE PROPERTY. THE PARCEL IS SOUTH. JUST SOUTH OF THE CITY OF GREEN COVE SPRINGS WHERE THERE IS CURRENTLY A MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT BEING CONSTRUCTED. YOU CAN SEE THE EXISTING INDUSTRIAL LANDS TO THE SOUTH AND EAST OF THE PROJECT LOCATION. THE GRAPHIC IS SHOWING THE LARGE PARCELS THAT SURROUND THE PROPERTY THAT WERE NOTIFIED OF THE PROJECT. SO THE EXISTING ZONING OF IS OF THE PARCELS IS SHOWN IN THE GRAPHIC ON THE LEFT. CURRENTLY A PARCEL CAN NO LONGER BE ZONED IS AS THIS ZONING DISTRICT WAS DISCONTINUED IN 2002. THE PROPOSED IB ZONING IS SHOWN ON THE GRAPHIC ON THE RIGHT, EVEN THOUGH THE COLORS ARE ALMOST IDENTICAL IN THIS ILLUSTRATION, IS USES ARE GENERALLY PREFERRED FOR PROPERTIES THAT ARE SURROUNDED BY RESIDENTIAL. IB OFFERS VERY SIMILAR USES, BUT ALSO INCLUDES AIRPORTS, HELD PORTS, OUTDOOR STORAGE, RECYCLING, AND A LITTLE BIT [01:30:04] HEAVIER INTENSIVE USES. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. AS MENTIONED, THE LAND USE OF INDUSTRIAL WILL NOT CHANGE. THE IB ZONING DISTRICT ALLOWS FOR A GREATER INTENSITY THAN THE CURRENT USE OF IS. AND I BELIEVE THE APPLICANTAPPLICANT SOME INTENTIONS OF RECYCLING, WHICH IS NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IN THE IS DISTRICT. IN CONCLUSION, THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A CHANGE FROM THE IS TO IB, AND STAFF HAS FOUND THIS REQUEST TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE COMP PLAN AND THE INTENT FOR THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE. AND RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THIS REQUEST. THE SPRING CAC DID HEAR THIS ITEM ON JANUARY 8TH, 2025. AND PROVIDED A RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL 5-0. AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION HEARD THE ITEM ON THE FEBRUARYFEBRUARY PUBLIC HEARING, AND PROVIDED A RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL 5-0. I BELIEVE THE APPLICANT IS HERE. >> OKAY. ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. BRYLA? MR. MILLER? >> GOOD AFTERNOON, MY NAME IS FRANK MILLER. MY ADDRESS IS 1 INDEPENDENT DRIVE SUITE 2300 IN JACKSONVILLE. MS. BRYLA OUTLINED IT VERY WELL. IT'S A -- THE LAND USE IS INDUSTRIAL. ITST BEEN INDUSTRIAL. OUR REQUEST IS TO CHANGE IT FROM INDUSTRIAL SELECT, WHICH IS A LIGHTER LEVEL OF INDUSTRIAL TO THE IB, WHICH IS A HEAVIER. AND THE PRIMARY REASON, THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE AN AIRPORT OR A LANDING STRIP SORT OF THING. BUT THE MAJOR DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE IS AND THE IB IS THAT IB ALLOWS FOR ANY MANUFACTURING, RECYCLING DISTRIBUTION, WAREHOUSING AND ASSOCIATED USES NOT IN CONFLICT WITH THE ORDINANCES DEALING WITH INCINERATORS, TOXIC OR HAZARDOUS WASTES. IT BROADENS THE AVAILABLE USES, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. I HOPE YOU WILL FIND THIS ACCEPTABLE. >> OKAY. QUESTIONS FOR MR. MILL ER? >> DO WE HAVE ANYONE INTERESTED ALREADY? >> THERE IS A CONTRACT FLOATING AROUND FOR A SOLAR RECYCLING, EXCUSE ME, SOLAR PANEL RECYCLING FACILITY. AS THE FIRST GUY IN THE DOOR. AND AS I UNDERSTAND IT, ALL OF THAT WOULD BE DONE INSIDE, NOT OUTSIDE, AND IT'S A GOOD START. >> HOW LARGE A COMPANY, LIKE HOW MANY JOBS? DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MANY PEOPLE WORK FOR THAT COMPANY? >> I DON'T. I'M SORRY. >> MR. RENNINGER. >> GRESS AND EGRESS ON 17? >> NO, WE CAN'T GET THERE FROM HERE. ACCESS WOULD BE OFF JERSEY ROAD, AND PROBABLY ON 15A SOME. >> AND I BELIEVE THIS PARTIAL IS RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD FROM THE INTERCHANGE OF THE BELTWAY RIGHT THERE, RIGHT? >> YEAH. >> YES. >>. >> OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. MILLER? >> SOLAR PANELS HAVE A LOT OF HEAVY METALS IN THEM AND STUFF, I ASSUME EPA WILL GOVERN THE RECLAMATION OF THOSE MINERALS AND HEAVY METALS AND RARE EARTH METALS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. >> I WOULD ASSUME SO BECAUSE I BELIEVE THEY WOULD HAVE A LOT OF VALUE. >> YEAH. >> IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, THAT'S UNDER THE LAWS OF THE -- THAT'S EPA, RESOURCE CONSERVATION RECOVERY ACT. THAT IS DELEGATED TO THE DEP, AND COMMISSIONER BURKE HAS GOTTEN A CRASH COURSE IN THAT, BUT -- >> MIGHT NOT WANT TO GET INTO THAT. >> WELL, WE WOULD HOPE THEY WOULD BE MUCH MORE HEAVILYHEAVILY THAN IN THE '90S. I'M JUST SAYING, THAT IS WHO REGULATES THEM, BUT IT IS DELEGATED FROM EPA, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. >> OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? OKAY. THANKS MR. MILLER. I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND BRING IT BACK FOR MOTION AND DISCUSSION. >> I MOVE APPROVAL. >> SECOND. >> OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I WOULD JUST SAY BASED ON GREEN COVE DOESN'T TURN OUT AS MUCH AS LAKE ASBURY. BASED ON THE FACT THE ROOM IS NOT PACKED YOUR CONSTITUENTS SEEM IN FAVOR [01:35:02] OF THIS. WE LIKE TO MAKE THEM HAPPY AS WELL. >> JOBS. >> AND THEY'RE RESIDENTIAL. >> GOT IT. OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION, ALL THOSE [15.  Final Public Hearing to consider ZON 25-0001. (District 1, Comm. Sgromolo) (J. Bryla)] IN FAVOR INDICATE BY SAYING AYE. THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES, 5-0. 15, FINAL PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDERING ZONING 25-0001. COMMISSIONER SGROMOLO'S DISTRICT, WHICH COMMISSIONER BURKE IS HAPPY TO PASS THE TORCH. >> THANK YOU. YES, JENNY BRYLA TO PRESENT ZONING 25-0001. THIS IS A REZONING, AGAIN, NOT A LAND USE CHANGE TO CHANGE APPROXIMATELY 2. 73 ACRES TO MATCH THE LAND DENSITY ADJACENT TO THE PROPERTY TO THE EAST FROM AR, AGRICULTURAL RESIDENTIAL TO RB, RESIDENTIAL B. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THESE PARCEL MAPS SHOW THE LOCATION OF THE SITE. YOU CAN SEE THE SMALL LOT DEVELOPMENT TO THE SOUTH AND EAST OF THE PROPERTY. THE GRAPHIC ON THE RIGHT ILLUSTRATES THE NOTICE BOUNDARY THAT WAS IMPLEMENTED AND YOU WILL NOTICE FROM THE AERIAL THAT THERE ARE WETLANDS ON THE WESTERN PORTION OF THE LOT THAT IS THE APPLICANT'S INTENT TO PRESERVE THAT WELL AND TRACT ON THE PROPERTY. THERE ARE SOME LARGER 1 ACRE LOTS TO THE NORTH OF THIS SUBJECT PROPERTY, BUT THE PREDOMINANT PATTERN OF DEVELOPMENT IS QUARTER ACRE FAMILY LOTS. THERE ARE PROPOSED ZONING CHANGES REQUESTED FOR THE PROPERTY FROM AGRICULTURAL RESIDENTIAL TO RESIDENTIAL B. CONSISTENT WITH THE LANDS TO THE EAST, CROSS SLEEPY HOLLOW ROAD. CONSISTENCY MEANING AN ESTABLISHED DENSITY AND NOTNOT ACTUAL VEHICULAR OR PEDESTRIAN CONNECTION BETWEEN THE TWO DEVELOPMENTS. THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION AT THE PLANNING BOARD, REGARDING THIS. SO I WANTED TO CLARIFY. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THE FUTURE LAND USE PROPERTY WILL NOT CHANGE. IT WILL CONTINUE TO REMAIN RURAL FRINGE, AND WILL BE SERVED WITH WATER AND SEWER. SHOULD THE PROPERTY CHANGE FROM AR TO RB, IT WOULD REMOVE SEEMINGLY INTENSIVE AGRICULTURAL USES THAT ARE LISTED HERE. THIS CHANGE WOULD SERVE AS A DENSITY TRANSITION FOR THE AREA WEST OF SLEEPY HOLLOW. GOING FROM A DENSITY OF APPROXIMATELY 3. 7 UNITS TO THE ACRE TO THE SOUTH IN BARRINGTON ESTATES TO A DENSITY OF ONE UNIT TO THE ACRE TO THE NORTH. THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IS REQUESTING A DENSITY OF 1. 46 UNITS TO THE ACRE. THREE UNITS TO THE ACRE ARE PERMITTED IN THE RURAL FRINGE LAND USE DESIGNATION. SO JUST TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THE DENSITY, THEN, BECAUSE IT'S ALL RURAL FRINGE, THE ZONING IMPLEMENTS THAT DENSITY, BUT THESE PARCELS WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY 3/4 OF AN ACRE. HERE WE JUST SHOW THAT WE POSTED THE SIGN, AND THAT STAFF ONLY RECEIVED ONE CALL IN OPPOSITION TO THE REQUEST. THE APPLICATION IS NOT SERVED BY A CAC, SO THEREFORE NO CAC HEARD THE APPLICATION. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THE APPLICANT WOULD LIKE TO SPLIT THE PROPERTY INTO FOUR 3/4 ACRE LOTS. IN SO DOING, THE APPLICANT WOULD NEED TO PROCEED WITH PLATTING THE PROPERTY AS A MINOR SUBDIVISION. AND THEN ONE SUGGESTION THAT CAME OUT OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING THAT DURING THE PLATTING PROCESS, THAT THERE WOULD BE A COMMON DRIVEWAY AND THAT THERE WOULDN'T BE FOUR SEPARATE ADDRESS. -- SEPARATE DRIVEWAYS. I HAVE MADE THAT SUGGESTION TO THE APPLICANT TO SEE IF THEY WERE AMENABLE TO THAT. THEY ARE IN KEEPING WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND THE INTENT OF THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, AND THEREFORE RECOMMEND APPROVAL. AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE. >> ALL RIGHT. QUESTIONS FOR MS. BRYLA? COMMISSIONER BURKE. >> THE PLANNING COMMISSION? >> I THINK THAT THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS. THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE IMPACTS TO THE ROAD ON SLEEPY HOLLOW. THERE WERE FOUR, THREE CITIZENS THAT SPOKE AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING THAT WERE AGAINST THE PROJECT THAT LIVED DIRECTLY TO THE SOUTH OF THE SUBJECT PROPERTY. >> SO RIGHT NOW, ONLY ONE HOME IS PERMITTED ON THAT PROPERTY. >> YES. >> BUT RURAL FRINGE, YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO PUT THREE. [01:40:01] >> MM-HMM. >> ALL RIGHT. AND THERE IS PRETTY EXTENSIVE WETLANDS ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE LAND. >> FURTHER MAINTAINING THOSE. >> THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, YES, MA'AM. >> ARE WE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THEY >> WELL, THEY WOULD HAVE TO MITIGATE IT IF THEY WERE TO IMPACT IT, AND WE DON'T HANDLE THAT, THE DEP DOES THAT. >> THAT CAN'T BE A PART OF OUR AGREEMENT? >> YOU CAN CONDITION TO WHATEVER YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A CONDITION. >> OKAY. >> COMMISSIONER? >> THE DISCUSSION ABOUT A COMMON DRIVEWAY, DID THEY RECOMMEND HOW TO CONSTRUCT A COMMON DRIVEWAY? I MEAN, THAT JUST SEEMS FRAUGHT WITH PROBLEMS TO ME. >> I'VE SEEN IT IMPLEMENTED IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS WHERE YOU HAVE MAYBE A COMMON ONE DRIVEWAY OR TWO DRIVEWAYS AND THEN THEY SPLIT AND GO IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION. >> BUT SOMEONE HAS TO OWN THAT COMMON DRIVEWAY. >> AND IT MAY BE THAT WHEN THEY PLAT THE PROPERTY, IT'S A JOINT OWNERSHIP OR -- >> WE'VE GOT SOME AREAS IN CLAY, SPECIFIC TO DISTRICT 1. >> WE HAVE A BRAND NEW ONE RIGHT NOW. >> THERE'S LOTS OF THEM. >> YEAH, IT IS A CONUNDRUM. SO DID WE GET ANY FEEDBACK? WELL, I GUESS WE'LL GET TO THAT. I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW WHAT THEIR SOLUTION IS TO THAT CONCERN. IF I'M REMEMBERING CORRECTLY, IS IT SLEEPY HOLLOW, ONE LANE IN EACH DIRECTION? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. >> ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? IS THE APPLICANT HERE? COME ON UP. I THINK -- AND I'LL GO THROUGH. JANICE LEE, 1157, JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA. EXCUSE ME, I HAVE SOME OF THE -- SOME SLIDES THAT I THINK WILL ADDRESS SOME OF YOUR CONCERNS AS WELL AS THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S CONCERNS, AND I HAVE REACHED OUT TO THE THREE PERSONS THAT CAME TO THE MEETING. WE DISCUSSED THE CONCERNS, AND ONE IS HERE, THEY'RE KIND OF HAPPY WITH WHAT WE CAME UP WITH. SO WE DID ADDRESS THEIR CONCERNS. AS WELL AS THE PLANNING COMMISSION. A LOT OF THEIR PLANNING COMMISSIONS AS MS. BRYLA SAYS WERE MORE SITE PLANNING ISSUES THAN THE ZONING. I DON'T THINK THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE DENSITY. THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT SITE ISSUES, IN CONVENTIONAL ZONING WE CAN'T DEAL WITH THAT AT THE TIME. WE ARE WILLING TO DEAL WITH WHATEVER WE CAN. SO THIS WAY IS IT WORKING? OKAY. SO AS MS. BRYLA SAID, THIS IS PRETTY MUCH A SINGLE FAMILY DEVELOPMENT AREA. THERE'S NO -- IN THIS, THAT'S SURROUNDING DEVELOPMENT. YOU CAN SEE THIS DEVELOPMENT THERE. YOU CAN SEE IT'S PRETTY MUCH SUBDIVISIONS. WHICH ONE, THIS ONE? >> THERE WE GO. I'LL GET IT. I GOT IT NOW. THANKS, I'M SORRY. ANYWAYS, AS SHE MENTIONED IN HER PRESENTATION, THE TWO LARGE YELLOW DEVELOPMENTS ARE ZONED PUD, BUT WHEN YOU ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THE LOTS, IT WOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH THE RB, WHICH IS THE ZONING. THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WHEN YOU DO THE ZONING MAP, YOU REALLY CAN'T SEE WHAT THE ZONING IS WHEN IT'S A PUD. YOU ACTUALLY DO THE LOT SIZES, IT'S CONSISTENT WITH RB. AND SO THAT'S AT THE SUBDIVISION OF DOCTORS INLET PRESERVE, WHICH IS PROBABLY I WANT TO SAY IT'S LIKE 311 OR OVER 300 UNITS. THE DWELLING IS. JUST THE AREA PUD, AS I SAID, IT'S BASICALLY RB ZONING DISTRICT, WHICH MINIMUM LOT SIZE IS 8,700. 8712. THIS IS RIGHT FROM YOUR CODE, WHICH IS . 2 OF AN ACRE. THE LOT IS 60 FEET. THAT'S REALLY WHY WE'RE HAVING TO GO THROUGH THE REZONING PROCESS TO HAVE THE FOUR LOTS THAT ALLOW FOR THE LOT WIDTH TO GET THE FOUR LOTS. LOT DEPTH IS MINIMUM 100 FEET. FRONT YARD SETBACK IS 20. SIDE YARD IS 7 1/2. [01:45:02] AND THE REAR IS 15. SO THAT'S WHAT IS EXISTING TO MEET YOUR RB CODE. SO THIS PROPERTY PROPOSED FOR REZONING IS ACCESS ON SLEEPY HOLLOW, EVERYBODY THOUGH THE PROPERTY APPRAISER HAS THE QUAIL ROOST. THERE'S NO ACCESS. YOU CAN SEE THE ROAD DEAD ENDS, BUT AS MS. BRYLA MENTIONED, IT PROVIDES A TRANSITION FROM THE LARGER LOTS TO THE NORTH AND WEST, AND SMALLER LOTS TO THE SOUTH AND EAST. THE PARCEL IS 2. 73 RES. . 98 IS WETLANDS, AND THE LOCATION INCREASES MORE NONUSABLE LAND. INITIALLY WE THOUGHT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO CREATE THE PERSONS PURCHASE IN THE PROPERTY, AND PROBABLY DEVELOP IT, AND ONE OF THE PARTNERS IS HERE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR HIM. THEY THOUGHT THEY COULD DEVELOP A FEW MORE LOTS. BECAUSE WE WANT TO PRESERVE THE WETLANDS, WE'RE LIMITED TO THE FOUR. SO HERE IF YOU CAN SEE HOW THE WETLANDS ARE, AND, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S UPLANDS IN THE CORNER, BUT YOU CAN'T REALLY ACCESS IT. THE IDEA IS WE WERE GOING TO PRESERVE IT BECAUSE WE HAVE THE ACCESS ON SLEEPY HOLLOW, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING TO DO ALL -- HAVE THE LOTS OFF OF THOSE. AS I MENTIONED, WE'RE GOING TO PRESERVE WETLANDS TO BE PRESERVED. BASICALLY THERE'S A GREEN, THE GREEN AREA OF THE WETLANDS ON THE SITE PLAN, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE DEALING WITH SITE PLAN. THIS IS THE INTENT. PLUS WE'RE GOING TO DO ANOTHER 30 FOOT BUFFER OFF THE WETLANDS TO PROTECT THE WETLANDS. THAT WOULD PROTECT THE WILDLIFE, VEGETATION TREES, WHICH WAS A CONCERN BY THE NEIGHBORS AS WELL AS THE PLANNING COMMISSION. WE HAVE THE 30 FOOT BUFFER. THE LOT WILL EXCEED THE RB LOT MINIMUMS. AS I SAID, THE LOT SIZES WOULD BE BETWEEN .61, AND . 7 ACRES, OVER 26,000 TO 30,000 SQUARE FEET, AND THEY WILL BE 70 FEET WIDE, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT LARGER, THIS PROPOSAL, AND WE WANT TO PROVIDE BUFFERS TO EXISTING DEVELOPMENT, SO IN THIS POTENTIAL SITE PLAN, AND IT IS A SITE PLAN, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE PLANNING PROCESS. THIS HAS TWO LOTS, EXCUSE ME, TWO ACCESS POINTS, SLEEPY HOLLOW. BY THE WAY THAT YOU'RE PROVIDING, WE KIND OF GROUP THE TWO HOUSES TOGETHER. WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE TO -- THEY WOULD HAVE A COMMON DRIVEWAY, CURB CUT OUT, BUT THEY WOULD HAVE THEIR OWN ADDRESS. BUT IT ALSO ALLOWS MORE OF A DEPTH FROM THE EXISTING DEVELOPMENT TO THE SOUTH. SO THERE IS ABOUT 25 FOOT WE ANTICIPATE WOULD BE BETWEEN A HOUSE AND IN THE LOT LINE OF THE HOUSES TO THE SOUTH, AND THEN YOU ADD THEIR BACKYARD. YOU'RE PROBABLY ABOUT 40, 50 FEET FROM THEIR HOUSES, AND MAINTAIN IT. AND ONE OF THE THINGS IS YOU CANCAN THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE WAY WE'RE DOING THE BUFFER, THE WETLANDS, WE'RE REALLY BLOCKING ANY HOUSES, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE ONES THAT ARE THE CLOSEST TO IT. WE THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO THE EXISTING DEVELOPMENT, AND IT'S REALLY IT. WE'RE CONSISTENT, I'LL GO BACK. IT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AS MENTIONED. IT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE LAND DEVELOPMENT IN THE AREA. AND AS I SAID, I REACHED OUT, AND WE'VE HAD COMMUNICATION WITH THE OPPOSITION THAT WAS AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION. AND I THINK -- AND I TALKED TO THE COUNCIL COMMISSIONER TO TRY TO GET ALL OF OUR CONCERNS. YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING THE BEST WE CAN. AND LIKE I SAID, THE DEVELOPER IS HERE, AND TO ASSURE THAT THEY'RE JUST BUILDING A FEW HOUSES IN THIS AREA. THAT'S ALL THEY WANT TO DO. THEY BOUGHT THE PROPERTY BECAUSE IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL, AND THEY WANT TO MAINTAIN THE LOOK OF THE PROPERTY. THEY'RE NOT CLEAR CUTTING IT. YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE CONCERN THAT THERE WAS A CONCERN BROUGHT AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION THAT THEY COULD DO THAT NOW, AND THAT'S NOT WHAT WE WANT. WE FEEL THIS IS MORE CONSISTENT FOR DEVELOPMENT IN THE AREA THAN ANYTHING ELS. I'M HERE FOR QUESTIONS. >> QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? >> 3/4 ACRE LOTS WHAT KIND OF UPLANDS DO YOU ESTIMATE THOSE FOUR LOTS TO HAVE? >> THE SIZE OF THESE LOTS, THESE HOUSES, THEY'RE DOING ONE STORY, 1,800 SQUARE FEET. AND SO THAT YOU CAN SEE THEY'RE ALL ON THAT -- THE SQUARES ARE ACTUALLY REPRESENTATION OF AN 1,800 SQUARE FOOT HOUSE. >> ROUGHLY. >> . 3 OF AN ACRE. >> THAT'S KIND OF -- IT LOOKS LIKE A THIRD. >> THEREFORE, WHICH IS ABOUT THE SIZE OF -- IF THE WETLANDS WAS NOT PART OF IT, THEY WOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH THE SIZE OF THE LOTS IN THE SUBDIVISION BELOW THAT, EVEN LARGER THAN THAT. [01:50:03] >> THANK YOU. >> MADAME CHAIR, REITERATING AND VERIFYING, SO THE PROPERTY THAT'S THE SOUTHERN MOST PROPOSED HOME, YOU ARE PUTTING A LANDSCAPE BUFFER NEXT TO THAT? >> THAT'S WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING. THAT'S YOU ARE OUR INTENT BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE GOOD NEIGHBORS. WE WANT TO BE GOOD CITIZENS. YES. THAT'S WHERE WE'RE SHOWING THAT. >> JUST TO KIND OF PIGGY BACK OFF THE CONCERN ABOUT THE ADDRESS, AND THIS IS JUST A GENERAL QUESTION, WHEN THOSE HOMES BECOME FOR SALE, IS THAT PART OF THE -- I KNOW YOU MAY OR MAY NOT BE INVOLVED IN THIS, IS THAT PART OF THE SALE AGREEMENT THAT THE DRIVEWAY IS -- YOU'RE BUYING THIS WITH THE UNDERSTANDING IT'S A SHARED USE DRIVEWAY? >> WELL, THE WAY THAT IT'S KIND OF SHOWN IS THEIR DRIVE WOULD BE ON THEIR PROPERTY, INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY OWNERS, THEN WHEN IT GETS TO THE CURB CUT, WHICH IS ON PUBLIC RIGHT-OF- WAY, IS WHERE IT WOULD BE SHARED. SO THAT WOULD LIMIT THE -- THAT'S HOW -- THIS ALTERNATIVE IS÷÷IS -- WE WOULD DO THE ONE. IF YOU DO ONE DRIVEWAY, AS MS. COMPERE SAID, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A DIFFERENT LOT, THIS REALLY IS DONE THROUGH JUST A PUBLIC RIGHT-OF- WAY WITH THE DRIVEWAYS MEETING THAT DRIVEWAY. SO THEY WOULD NOT BE AN ADDITIONAL PLATTING REQUIREMENTS FOR A SEPARATE A LOT OR A HOME OWNER'S AGREEMENT OR WHATEVER. >> WE CAN LOOK AT THAT AS SHE BRINGS THE PLAT FORWARD. >> THE PLAT WOULD HAVE TO COME TO YOU TOO AT THAT POINT IN TIME. >> THAT'S ALL I GOT. THANK YOU. >> WHEN THAT PLAT COMES, IT'S DONE. >> AND WE WANT, YOU KNOW, MY CLIENTS AND THEY WANT TO BE GOOD STEWARDS, WANT TO MAKE A NICE DEVELOPMENT. INITIALLY WHEN THEY CAME TO ME, WE WANTED TO BUILD MORE DEVELOPMENT. YOU NEED TO GET WETLANDS, ONCE THEY SAW THAT, WE NEED TO STAY OFF THE WETLANDS, JUST THE FOUR LOTS. >> OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? ALL RIGHT. SEEING NONE, I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? MR. OTTO. >> 2908 BLANDING BOULEVARD. I'M TOTALLY AGAINST ADDING ANYMORE. THIS IS CRAZY. FARMWAY TRAFFIC. ON EITHER SIDE OF THE PROPERTY YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. THE SIDEWALKS ARE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET. I'M NOT HEARING ANYTHING ABOUT SIDEWALKS OR ANYTHING BEING PUT IN. YOU KNOW, THERE'S JUST TOO MUCH INVENTORY OUT HERE. WE TALK ABOUT 220 AND THE OVERGROWTH. OVER AND OVER AGAIN. AND WE TALK ABOUT THE CUT FROM THE FUNDING OF 220. THAT WAS JUST IN THE MEETING. I MEAN, HOW CAN WE EVEN THINK THINK ABOUT PUTTING MORE THAN ONE. I THINK THAT'S THE CIRCLE K OWNER'S HOUSE DOWN THE STREET. THAT HUGE MANSION. I MEAN, CAN'T WE GET SOMETHING ALONG THAT LINES ON THIS PROPERTY OVER HERE. IT'S TOTALLY OUT OF PLACE. I UNDERSTAND THAT. IT'S A HUGE MANSION. I MEAN, I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT. BUT THAT WAS THEIR RIGHT TO BUILD THAT. WE HAVE A RIGHT TO HAVE OUR COMMUNITY IN A SAFE. WHERE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, THE ROAD ISN'T EVEN STRAIGHT THERE. THEY'RE TRYING TO WORK ON IT RIGHT NOW. YOU GOT THAT SCHOOL THERE BY WHITEY'S THAT'S ALWAYS HAVING CRASHES. I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT MAJOR PROBLEMS ON 220. I CAN'T EVEN. I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THIS IS EVEN QUESTIONABLE THAT YOU'RE ADDING MORE THAN ONE HOUSE IN THIS AREA. YOU'VE GOT THREE EXITS FOR FARMWAY. ONE OF THEM GOES THROUGH ANOTHER DEVELOPMENT. YOU LITERALLY HAVE ONE EXIT BY THAT SCHOOL. AND YOU GOT THE OTHER ONE, YOU KNOW, COMING OUT BY THE GAS STATION. I MEAN, THIS IS ABSURD. I MEAN, HONESTLY, FOLKS, THEY'RE TRYING TO PRESERVE THE WETLAND ASKS STICK THREE MORE PROPERTIES ON IT. COME ON. THEY WANTED TO CUT DOWN ALL OF THESE TREES, AND ALL OF THIS STUFF TO PUT EXTRA HOUSES IN THERE. IT'S REALLY NOT ACCEPTABLE. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A SHARED DRIVEWAY, THOSE ARE HUGE PROBLEMS. SHARED ADDRESS ARE NOT A GOOD THING. YOU KNOW, THEY'RE HARD TO RESELL. YOU KNOW, THE -- I JUST, I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW YOU COULD EVEN THINK ABOUT DOING THIS. [01:55:01] I MEAN, IT'S SHOWING IT'S A STRAIGHT AWAY. THIS IS KIND OF WHERE THE CURVE IS THERE. SO, I MEAN, I WOULD ASK YOU TO KEEP IT AT THE ONE. YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, THE REAL ESTATE TAXES ON THE LINE RIGHT NOW. YOU NEED TO REALLY, REALLY LOOK AT THAT. DESANTIS IS TALKING ABOUT DOING AWAY WITH THE REAL ESTATE TAX. THIS COUNTY CAN'T AFFORD TO KEEP BUILDING STUFF AND NOT GETTING PAID FOR WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. >> THANK YOU, MR. OTTO. DON'T FORGET TO STAY ON TOPIC ON THESE. ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? >> JAMES MEKLER DEVELOPER. I WANT TO ADDRESS A COUPLE OF THINGS ON THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY. ONE IS ON THIS PROPERTY WE ARE TRYING TO GO AHEAD AND PRESERVE SOME OF THE NATURE AND HAVE, YOU KNOW, THAT TREE BUFFER THERE. THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR THIS PARTICULAR AREA TO NOT HAVE IT AS AS MUCH AS THE SUBDIVISIONS AROUND THERE. AS FAR AS THE SHARED DRIVEWAY, THAT'S TO REDUCE, YOU KNOW, THE TRAFFIC THAT GOES ON TO SLEEPY HOLLOW. AS IT'S CURRENTLY ZONED, WE COULD PUT TWO HOMES ON THERE. THE PROBLEM WITH PUTTING TWO HOMES IS A GENTLEMAN HAD SUGGESTED, YOU WOULD HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF A HUGE MANSION. MAYBE NOT THAT DRASTIC, BUT TWO LARGER ESTATE SIZED HOMES, AND WHEN YOU'RE TALKING LARGER ESTATE SIZE HOMES, YOU ARE ALSO TALKING ABOUT CUTTING DOWN SOME OF THAT STREET TO KIND OF GO WITH THAT. AND WE DON'T WANT TO GO THAT ROUTE. WE REALLY WANT, YOU KNOW, TO PRESERVE SOME OF THAT NATURE AND HAVE SOME HOMES IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA THAT PEOPLE CAN WALK OUT AND HAVE SOME WOODS LIKE THAT. EVEN THOUGH THAT MAY NOT BE THE NORM OVER IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA RIGHT NOW. JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT. >> MR. MEKLER, WHAT IS YOUR PRICE POINT ON THESE HOMES? >> THOSE ONES ARE AROUND MARKET PRICE FOR 1,800 SQUARE FOOT. I THINK WE'RE AT 335 WAS OUR PROJECTION. >> FOR AN 1,800 SQUARE FOOT HOME? >> YES. >> OKAY. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? >> SEEING NONE I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND I WILL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD FOR MOTION AND DISCUSSION. >> I JUST APPRECIATE THE APPLICANT'S WILLINGNESS TO WORK WITH THE NEIGHBORS. THAT'S IMPORTANT IN THIS AREA FOR SURE, AND THE VEGETATIVE BUFFER WITH THE WETLANDS IS GOOD AND SAME WITH THE LANDSCAPING SO BECAUSE OF THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE REZONING 25-0001. >> SECOND THE MOTION. >> OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? >> I'VE GOT A QUESTION. ARE YOU OPPOSED TO PUTTING IN THAT THEY WILL FOR SURE DO THAT WITH THE WETLANDS, PRESERVE THEM? >> SO IS THAT A QUESTION FOR THE COUNTY ATTORNEY? >> I THINK THAT SHOULD ADDRESS THAT. >> OKAY. >> BECAUSE WE DEFINITELY HAVE CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE PEOPLE SELL PROPERTIES, AND, YOU KNOW, I MEAN -- >> YEAH, WE'VE HAD THAT. >> BETH CARSON, DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND ZONING. THIS ISN'T A PUD WHERE YOU WOULD APPLY CONDITIONS TO IT. THIS PROPERTY WOULD HAVE TO PRESENT A WETLANDS DELINEATION SURVEY WHEN THEY COME TO GET THEIR PERMIT, AND WE WOULD SEE THE EVIDENCE OF THE WETLANDS AND THE BUFFER SO THAT WE WOULD BE ENSURING THAT THEY'RE STAYING OUT OF IT. WETLANDS COST A LOT TO MITIGATE, I WOULD ASSUME FOR FOUR LOTS, THE DEVELOPER IS LIKELY NOT GOING TO GO TO THAT EXPENSE TO MITIGATE THAT WETLANDS, AND THEY'RE TELLING YOU THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO. >> OKAY. >> COMMISSIONER SGROMOLO, CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION? I DIDN'T RIDE THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S IN THE BACK. I DROVE SLEEPY HOLLOW, BUT I DIDN'T DRIVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE BACK, AND MY QUESTION FOR YOU IS HOW IS THAT PROPERTY -- WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS THERE A CONCERN THAT BY DEVELOPING THIS PROPERTY DOUBLE THE AMOUNT THAT THEY CAN DO TODAY FROM TWO HOMES TO FOUR, AND I RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S ONLY FOUR HOMES, BUT IS THERE ANY CONCERN THAT ANY OF THAT WOULD DRAIN TOWARDS THAT OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD OR ANY OF THE OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS VERSUS USING THE -- UTILIZING THE WETLANDS TO COMMISSIONER BURKE'S POINT? DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE RAINFALL OR -- >> I HAVEN'T HAD ANYBODY REACH OUT SAYING THEY'VE HAD DRAINAGE ISSUES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO THE SOUTH IS A FULL FLEDGED PUD WITH POST TAJ STAMP, LIKE THEY'RE ON TOP OF EACH OTHER TO THE SOUTH [02:00:01] OF THAT. IT'S PROBABLY QUARTER ACRE LOTS. CORRECT? >> THEY'RE 3. 75 UNITS AWAY. >> SO JUST OVER THAT. >> A THIRD OF AN ACRE LOTS. >> AS OPPOSED TO 3/4 ACRE, WHICH IS WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING! >> YEAH. >> HOW BUSY IS SLEEPY HOLLOW? I KNOW WHEN THE PREVIOUS COMMISSIONER IN YOUR SEAT WAS -- CAME TO US WITH SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT ARMSTRONG PARK, THERE WERE CONCERNS ABOUT TRAFFIC AND PARKING AND THOSE WERE PRETTY SPECIFIC TO THE PARK ITSELF, JUST SO IT'S SO UTILIZED, WHICH IS WONDERFUL. HOW DOES THAT IMPACT SLEEPY HOLLOW WITH THE STORAGE UNIT THAT'S BEHIND THERE, THE BOAT STORAGE AND THAT KIND OF THING. >> THE BOAT STORAGE ACTUALLY IS NOT OFF OF SLEEPY HOLLOW. IT'S THE ROAD NEXT TO ARM STRONG PARK, SO THE ONLY TWO PURPOSES THAT SOMEONE WOULD DRIVE DOWN SLEEPY HOLLOW, THEY LIVE IN DOCTORS INLET RESERVE, AND GOING TO THE ECC OR THEY WORK FOR PUBLIC WORKS HERE AT THE COUNTY. THOSE ARE THE ONLY THREE THINGS ON THAT ROAD, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY WE'LL HAVE THE ANIMAL SHELTER COMING BUT THAT'S BEFORE THIS AREA. >> RIGHT. OKAY. >> I DON'T SEE ANY TREMENDOUS IMPACT WITH FOUR PROPERTIES. >> OBVIOUSLY THE ROOM'S NOT PACKED. >> I DO HAVE A QUESTION, COUNTY ATTORNEY, AGAIN, SORRY, I KEEP CALLING ON YOU TONIGHT. AND I THINK BETH SAID SOMETHING TOWARDS THIS. I WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M ON THE SAME PAGE. THE CONDITION OF APPROVING THE REZONING WITH THE CONDITION OF PROTECTING THE WETLANDS, YOU CAN DO THAT AND YOU CAN'T DO THAT? >> NO, THEY DID NOT. IT'S NOT PART OF A PUD. >> RIGHT. >> SO IT'S NOT. IT'S NOT THAT YOU CAN APPLY A CONDITION, SO THEY'RE ASKING TO JUST FALL IN LINE WITH THE ZONING CHANGE THAT UNDER RB, AND SO UNDER RB, AS BETH EXPLAINED, ONCE YOU GET THROUGH THE PROCESS AND YOU COME FORWARD, THEY WILL HAVE TO DO THE WETLAND DELINEATION, AND YOU WOULD PROTECT IT AT THAT ASPECT. >> SO AS IT COMES THROUGH OUR DIVISION FOR THEIR BUILDING PERMITS AND FOR THEIR PLATTING, WE WOULD MAKE SURE THAT THOSE LANDS ARE EITHER IN CONSERVATION OR AS PROTECTED AS PART OF THEIR BUILDING PERMIT? >> OKAY. SO YOU CAN'T MAKE IT A PART OF THE MOTION, BUT FOR THEM TO DEVELOP THIS PLOT OF PROPERTY, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS. >> CORRECT. >> OKAY. OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS? I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION OR DID I ALREADY HAVE ONE. >> A MOTION TO TO APPROVE, AND DID WE HAVE A SECOND. MOEGT ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY SAYING AYE THOSE OPPOSED? [16.  Public Hearing for the purpose of considering the entry into a Purchase and Sale Agreement for the purchase by the County of real property necessary for the Bonded Transportation Program, more particularly described as Tax Parcel No. 05-05-25-009016-007-00 and authorization for County Manager to execute all documents necessary to close the acquisition (C. Grimm/E. Dendor)] MOTION CARRIES 5-0. >>> ITEM NUMBER 16 IS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONSIDERING THE ENTER INTO A PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT FOR THE BONDED TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM. ED DENDOR. >> GOOD EVENING TO THE BOARD, AND CHAIR. ED DENDOR, TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR, JOSH MAT TOKS, ITEM NUMBER 16 IS PROPERTY DESIGNATED WITH A TAX PARCEL ID NUMBER IS NECESSARY FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS, PORTION OF BOND PROJECT 5 NEAR THE EASTERN PORTION OF COUNTY ROAD 220 PROJECT. THIS PARCEL IS NECESSARY FOR THE ACCOMMODATION OF STORM WATERS UPON SITE. THIS ITEM INCLUDES FEE SIMPLE PURCHASE OF ROUGHLY 4 ACRES. IT'S A TRIANGULAR IN SHAPE. IT'S COMMERCIAL PROPERTY WITH ABOUT 400 FEET. AND IT'S ABOUT 387 FEET DEEP. THIS ITEM REQUIRES A PUBLIC HEARING, BOARD ACTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE PURCHASE AND SALES AGREEMENT OF 225,000 AND AUTHORIZATION FOR THE COUNTY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY TO CLOSE THE ACQUISITION. >> OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS FOR ED? SEEING NONE, I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD FOR MOTION AND DISCUSSION. >> MOVE APPROVAL. >> OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? >> MOTION AND A SECOND, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? DOES YOUR MOION INCLUDE THE COUNTY MANAGER'S AUTHORIZATION? >> IT DOES. >> THANK YOU. >> AND YOUR SECOND? >> YES. [17.  Public Hearing for the purpose of considering the entry into a Purchase and Sale Agreement for the purchase by the County of real property necessary for the Bonded Transportation Program, more particularly described as Tax Parcel No. 05-05-25-009016-008-00 and authorization for County Manager to execute all documents necessary to close the acquisition (C. Grimm/E. Dendor)] >> OKAY. THANKS. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY SAYING AYE. . THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES 5-0. NUMBER 17 IS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE ENTRY INTO A SALE AGREEMENT FOR ANOTHER PROPERTY FOR THE BONDED TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM. AND I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN THISTHIS BY SAYING THAT THE OWNER OF [02:05:02] THE PROPERTY SHARES A LAST NAME WITH MY MAIDEN NAME. WE ARE NOT RELATED, SO THERE IS NO CONFLICT OF INTEREST. I DO NOT HAVE A PERSONAL GAIN IN THIS ACTION. >> AGAIN, ED DENDOR. AND WITH ME, JOSH MATTOX. ITEM 17, THIS PROPERTY IS DESIGNATED WITH A TAX PARCEL ID NUMBER, AND IS NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT THE ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS ON A PORTION, AGAIN, OF BOND PROJECT NUMBER 5 NEAR THE EASTERN PORTION OF COUNTY ROAD 220. THIS PARCEL IS NECESSARY TO, AGAIN, ACCOMMODATE STORM WATER AS A POND SITE, AND IT'S CONGRUENT OR ADJACENT TO THE OTHER PARCEL. TO THIS WOULD BE A SINGLE POND SITE. THIS ITEM IS FEE SIMPLE PURCHASE OF ABOUT 2.81 ACRES. IT'S A TANGULAR IN SHAPE, AND CURRENTLY COMMERCIAL PROPERTY WITH ABOUT 300 FEET OF FRONTAGE ON 220 AND 136 FEET DEEP. IT REQUIRES PUBLIC HEARING AND BOARD ACTION FOR APPROVAL, PURCHASE SALES AGREEMENT 320,716 DOLLARS, AS WELL AS THE AUTHORIZATION FOR THE COUNTY MANAGER TO EXECUTE DOCUMENTS NECESSARY FOR CLOSURE. >> ANY QUESTIONS FOR ED? SEEING NONE I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? MR. OTTO. >> YES, MA'AM, JAMES OTTO, 2908 BLANDON BOULEVARD. I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE NEEDING TO ADD ALL OF THIS PROPERTY. THERE HAS BEEN OTHER MEETINGS RECENTLY WHERE WE HAVE BEEN BUYING PROPERTY, I BELIEVE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS PROPERTY. BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW WE'RE SPENDING 129 MILLION THAT WENT TO 133 MILLION AND WE DON'T HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING BEFORE WE STARTED THIS? WHY ARE WE NEGOTIATING THIS THREE, FOUR YEARS LATER? WHY ARE WE SPENDING MORE MONEY IF WE COULD HAVE BOUGHT IT, YOU KNOW, A LOT EASIER FOR LESS MAYBE WE COULD JUST PUSH THIS OFF UNTIL THE RECESSION COMES BACK AROUND AND SPEND LESS MONEY. WE ALL KNOW THERE'S A RECESSION COMING, SO WE DON'T NEED TO BE SPENDING HIGH DOLLARS WHEN YOU CAN GET IT FOR MUCH CHEAPER IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS. THERE'S WAY TOO MUCH INVENTORY AND THEY'RE NOT EVEN BUILDING STUFF RIGHT. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TONS OF PROBLEMS WITH THESE PROPERTIES THAT YOU GUYS ARE APPROVING. SO, I MEAN, $320,000 FOR WHAT AND WHY WASN'T IN INCLUDED AT THE BEGINNING WHEN MR. DENDOR HERE TOOK ON THIS PROJECT? BEYOND WHY WE'RE LOOKING AT SO MUCH MONEY WAY DOWN THE ROAD. IF YOU COULD EXPLAIN THAT TO US, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. >> THANK YOU, MR. OTTO. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD FOR MOTION AND DISCUSSION. >> I'LL MOVE APPROVAL AND THE REASON IS BECAUSE WE NEED THE ROADS DONE. THAT'S WHY. >> SECOND THE MOTION. >> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. THE ONLY THING THAT I WOULD ASK AND I DON'T KNOW, COURTNEY, IF YOU'LL CHECK THE SPELLING OF THAT. I WANT TO MAKE SURE IN THE LEGAL AGREEMENT THE SPELLING OF ONE OF THE LAST NAMES IS CORRECT. IT'S NOT ON HERE. THAT'S ON THE DISPLAY. IT HAS A C AND NOT AN N. BUT JUST WHEN WE -- >> ON THE AGREEMENT THAT I HAVE, IT HAS SDALLA. SISTRUNK. >> IT'S AS A C IN HERE, IF THE REAL AGREEMENT IS THAT WAY, THAT'S FINE. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. >> IT DOESN'T INCLUDE COUNTY MANAGER EXECUTING. >> THANK YOU. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE [18.  Public Hearing for the purpose of considering the entry into a Purchase and Sale Agreement for the purchase by the County of real property necessary for the Bonded Transportation Program, more particularly described as a portion of Tax Parcel No. 39-05-25-015113-002-00 and authorization for County Manager to execute all documents necessary to close the acquisition (C. Grimm/E. Dendor)] BY SAYING AYE. THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES 5-0. AND FINALLY WE HAVE A THIRD PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT FOR A THIRD PARCEL. >> YES, MA'AM. ED DENDOR AGAIN WITH JOSH, THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE PROJECT. THESE PROPERTIES ARE DESIGNATED AS PARCELS, 619 AND 6-712. THEY'RE NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT THE ROAD IMPROVEMENTS ON A PORTION OF BOND PROJECT 6A ON COUNTY ROAD 315. [02:10:03] THIS IS EAST OF THE RAILROAD TRACK ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF COUNTY ROAD 315, A FEE SIMPLE PURCHASE OF ABOUT 390 SQUARE FEET. IT'S RECTANGULAR IN SHAPE COMMERCIAL MEASURING ROUGHLY 70 FEET BY 7 FEET DEEP, AND AS WELL AS A TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT OF 1,129 SQUARE FEET. A RECTANGULAR SHAPED PIECE MEASURING APPROXIMATELY 61 FEET BY 22 FEET DEEP. BOTH FEATURES REQUIRE AGAIN A PUBLIC HEARING, AND BOARD ACTION FOR APPROVAL. THE PURCHASE AND SALES AGREEMENT OF 14,000. AND THEN AUTHORIZATION FOR THE COUNTY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ANY OF THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS FOR THE ACQUISITION. >> OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS FOR ED ON THIS ONE? >> IS THERE A TIME LIMIT ON TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT? >> WITH THESE PARTICULAR TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTIONS, I'M LOOKING AT COUNCIL, BUT WE HAVE MADE PROVISIONS TO WHERE THEY'RE IN PERPETUITY AND TRANSFERABLE AND THE PROPERTY IS SOLD. >> THEY HAVE A TIME FRAME. THEY DO NOT START UNTIL PROJECT COMMENCEMENT AND THEN IT'S A SET FORTH TIME FRAME UNTIL COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT. SO THE ACTUAL DOCUMENT DEFINES THAT. >> FROM BEGINNING OF THE PROJECT TO THE END OF THE PROJECT. >> CORRECT. >> NOT IN PERPETUITY. >> WHEN THE CONSTRUCTION ACTUALLY STARTS. SO IF THE CONSTRUCTION DOESN'T START FOR ANOTHER FIVE YEARS, AND FIVE YEARS BEYOND. >> THANK YOU. >> OTHER QUESTIONS? I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD FOR MOTION AND DISCUSSION. >> MOVE APPROVAL. >> SECOND. >> COUNTY MANAGER EXECUTING. >> OKAY. A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. THOSE OPPOSED? [12.  RFP No. 24/25-044, Broker Services for Property and Casualty Insurance (K. Smith)] MOTION CARRIES 5-0. THANKS, ED. WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK TO ITEM NUMBER 12 UNDER NEW BUSINESS, RFP FOR BROKER SERVICES FOR PROPERTY AND CASUALTY INSURANCE AND THE REASON THAT THIS HAS TO COME BEFORE US IS BECAUSE WE ONLY HAD ONE RESPONDENT. >> YES, MA'AM. THAT'S CORRECT. WE GOT ONE RESPONSE. THE RESPONSE IS FROM RISK MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATES, ALSO KNOWN AS BROWN AND BROWN. YOU MAY RECOGNIZE THAT NAME. AND HAVE BEEN FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. WE HAD MET WITH SOME OTHER COMPANIES, ANTICIPATED MAYBE GETTING SOME OTHER PROPOSALS, BUT WE DID GET ONE NO BID. BUT SO FAR STAFF HAS BEEN VERY VERY HAPPY WITH BROWN AND BROWN, SO WE SEE NO NEED TO REBID. THEY DID POINT OUT IN THEIR PROPOSAL THAT THEY HAD SAVED US OVER 50K LAST YEAR AT RENEWAL TIME BY REEVALUATING SOME OF OUR COVERAGES. SO AGAIN, STAFF HAS BEEN HAPPY WITH THEM, AND RECOMMEND AWARDING THE BID. >> OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS FOR KAREN? >> JUST HAVE A COMMENT. >> SURE. >> THIS IS ANOTHER INDICATOR OF THE TIGHTNESS OF THE INSURANCE MARKET. I MEAN, INSURERS ARE PULLING OUT OF FLORIDA. THEY DON'T WANT TO EXPAND THEIR RISK IN FLORIDA. TO HAVE ONE BIDDER FOR A COUNTY, I MEAN, THAT'S UNBELIEVABLE. THAT'S THE LIFE WE LIVE IN TODAY. >> OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS, IF NOT, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. >> I'LL MOVE APPROVAL. >> SECOND. >> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY SAYING AYE. THOSE OPPOSED? [19.  Discussion of Appointments to the Lake Asbury/Penney Farms Citizens Advisory Committee] MOTION CARRIES 5-0. ALL RIGHT. GOING BACK TO ITEM NUMBER 19. DISCUSSION OF APPOINTMENT TO THE LAKE ASBURY PENNEY FARMS CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE. LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE HAS FOUR SEATS TO FILL. I'M GUESSING THAT THAT'S JUST BASED ON CYCLE. SO ONE MEMBER HAS INFORMED STAFF SHE WOULD NOT BE SEEKING REAPPOINTMENT, AND AS YOU CAN SEE IN YOUR BACKUP, THE APPLICATIONS FOR THREE REQUESTED RENEWAL AND THEN ONE FOR APPOINTMENT. >> I WILL ENTERTAIN HOWEVER YOU WANT TO MOVE FORWARD, COMMISSIONER BURKE. >> I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ON THESE. THERE'S NO ONE THERE WITH THEM, KOURTNEY, TO OVERSEE THESE MEETINGS, RIGHT? THEY JUST MEET THE CAC? >> SHERISE MIGHT BE BETTER ABLE TO ANSWER THIS. AND CORRECT, I DON'T THINK STAFF ATTENDS. >> SO WHAT HAPPENS IF [02:15:01] THEY DON'T GET ALONG OR IF ONE PERSON IS TRYING TO OUT SPEAK SOMEONE ELSE? >> THEY DO HAVE A CHAIR. AMONG THEMSELVES THEY SELECT A CHAIR, AND THE CHAIR IS RESPONSIBLE FOR RUNNING THE MEETING. >> OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I JUST GOT SOME FEEDBACK THAT KIND OF WAS DISTURBING, BUT ANYWAY. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING. >> AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THERE ARE KIND OF RULES AROUND THEIR MEETINGS. BECAUSE I ASKED THE SAME THING FOR MY CAC. AND WHILE STAFF IS NOT THERE, YOU MAY WANT TO SPEAK TO, THEY DO HAVE ROLES. SO LIKE, FOR INSTANCE, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE ON ONE OF MY MIND, HE'S SO BUSY, HE HAD MISSED SEVERAL MEETINGS AND WASN'T ABLE TO PUT IN THE TIME, AND SO HE RESIGNED, AND WE APPRECIATE HIS RECEIVES. BUT I THINK THERE ARE SOME, LIKE, YOU CAN BE REMOVED FROM IT. >> THERE ARE SANDING RULES. THE CHAIR, THERE'S TYPICALLY A CHAIR AND ICE CHAIR. THEY KIND OF RUN THE MEETING. STAFF SHOULD NOT RUN THE MEETINGS BECAUSE THEN STAFF GETS DRUG INTO ALL THE QUESTIONS, AND THIS IS A CITIZENS COMMITTEE. THIS IS THEIR CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT THIS ITEM. >> SO WHAT WOULD SOMEONE DO IF THEY FEEL LIKE THAT IS HAPPENING? >> I MEAN, THEY NEED TO HAVE SOME CONVERSATION WITH THE CHAIR, AND THEY CAN ALSO HAVE CONVERSATION WITH US AS STAFF. >> OKAY. >> BECAUSE, WE DON'T WANT IT TO BE WHERE PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO VOLUNTEER BECAUSE THEY'RE HEARING THOSE THINGS, YOU KNOW. SO OKAY. I MEAN, WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL AS STAFF BECAUSE IF WE GO TO THOSE THINGS AND WE HAVE GONE TO A COUPLE OF THEM. >> YEAH, THAT MAKES SENSE, DEFINITELY. >> I MEAN, THERE'S REALLY NO POINT IN HAVING THE CAC BECAUSE WE'RE JUST HASHING OUT A PLANNING COMMISSION AND REGULAR VCC. >> IF THERE'S ISSUES GOING ON, AND WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT IT. >> FOR ANY OF THE CACS OR ANY OF OUR VOLUNTEER BOARDS AS WELL AS OUR, YOU KNOW, WE EXPECT A CERTAIN PROFESSIONAL DECORUM. >> CORRECT. AND WE CERTAINLY WANT COLLEGIAL INTERACTION. >> IF THERE ARE FOLKS THAT AREN'T ON THERE, YOU CAN RECOMMEND THEM GETTING REMOVED. IT'S GOT TO COME FROM THE CHAIR. BUT. >> SO HOW DO YOU WANT TO MOVE FORWARD? DO YOU WANT TO TAKE YOUR THREE? DO YOU WANT TO TAKE THEM ALL FOUR AT THE SAME TIME? BASICALLY YOU HAVE FOUR SEATS OPEN AND YOU HAVE FOUR APPLICANTS? UNLESS YOU DECIDED YOU DIDN'T WANT TO FILL ONE OF YOUR SEATS. >> I'M FINE WITH THE FOUR FOR NOW. WE JUST NEED TO HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH THEM. SO. >> OKAY. IS THAT A MOTION? >> MM-HMM. THAT'S A MOTION FOR ALL FOUR. >> OKAY. I'LL SECOND. >> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY SAYING [20.  Discussion of Appointments to the Fleming Island Citizens Advisory Committee] AYE. >> AYE. >> THOSE OPPOSED, MOTION CARRIES 5-0. NOW WE'RE MOVING NORTH TO THE FLEMING ISLAND CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THIS ONE HAS STRUGGLED TO KEEP ITS -- WE LIKE SEEING SOME ACTIVITY GOING ON UP THERE. SO THEY CURRENTLY HAVE EIGHT MEMBERS OF THE 11 THAT ARE AVAILABLE. THREE MEMBERS ARE SEEKING REAPPOINTMENT, THEY'RE LISTED IN THE BACKUP. YOU HAVE THEIR APPLICATIONS. THE FIVE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BELOW DID NOT SEEK REAPPOINTMENT. BUT YOU DO HAVE FOUR APPLICATIONS. >> YES, MA'AM, MADAME CHAIR. I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST OFF THANK EVERYONE FOR VOLUNTEERING TO SERVE. IT'S TRULY REALLY REALLY IMPORTANT AND THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY AS A CITIZEN, SO IF YOU'RE WATCHING, YOU KNOW, YOU WANT TO GET INVOLVED AND YOU WANT TO HAVE A VOICE, THIS COMMITTEE FOR FLEMING ISLAND IS GOING TO HAVE FOUR OPEN SEATS AFTER TONIGHT, SO PLEASE GO ON THE COUNTY WEB SITE AND APPLY. WE WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO GET INVOLVED. I WOULD LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND REAPPOINT OUR -- I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED TO DO TWO SEPARATE MOTIONS. >> WHATEVER YOUR PLEASURE IS. >> I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO REAPPOINT THE THREE INDIVIDUALS SEEKING REAPPOINTMENT, AND ALSO APPOINT OUR FOUR INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE SEEKING APPOINTMENT FOR THE FIRST TIME. >> SECOND. >> I SEE SOME IN THE AUDIENCE, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING. >> OH, THANK YOU. >> SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY SAYING [21.  Discussion of Resignation and Appointment to the Middleburg/Clay Hill Citizens Advisory Committee] AYE. >> THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES 5-0. FINALLY, WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER 21. WHICH IS AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE MIDDLEBURG/CLAY HILL CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE DID RESIGN. WE APPRECIATE HIS SERVICE VERY MUCH. WE DO HAVE ONE APPLICATION THAT WE HAD HAD [02:20:03] ON FILE ALREADY, AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE APPOINT MR. WALLACE FOR THAT VACANCY. >> I SECOND. >> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR [22.  Tourist Development Council Meeting Minutes February 5, 2025] [23.  Bid Opening Tabulations (K. Smith)] INDICATE BY SAYING AYE THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES 5-0. ITEM NUMBER 22, OF COURSE, WAS THE BID TABULATION OPENING FOR OUR INSURANCE, AND THEN FOR INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS AT COUNTY ROAD 220 AND CANOVA ROAD AND EAST/WEST PARKWAY, AND THE TDC MINUTES ARE JUST FOR NOTICE, I GUESS. IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANT TO TELL US. >> WE HAVE AN ERROR IN THE AMENDMENTS. >> OKAY. WELL, THANK YOU. GOING TO ASK STEPHANIE TO FILL YOU IN. >> YOU CAN SEE IN THE SUBJECT THAT THE DATE IS INCORRECT. WE DID HAVE TO POSTPONE THAT MEETING DUE TO THE WINTER STORM. INSTEAD OF JANUARY 22ND, THAT DATE NEEDS TO BE FEBRUARY 5TH. >> OKAY. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> WE APPRECIATE THAT, STEPHANIE. >> WE APPRECIATE YOUR FLEXIBILITY AS WELL. [PUBLIC COMMENTS] >> ANY OTHER THINGS ON THE LETTERS OF DOCUMENTATION. WE'RE AT OUR SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. IF I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AT THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. I DON'T HAVE ANY COMMENT CARDS. DID YOU GET ANY? YOU'VE GOT TO GET YOUR IN, MR. OTTO, YOU CAN COME UP AND SPEAK. >> JAMES OTTO, 2908 BLANDING BOULEVARD. IN RESPONSE TO JIM, I MEAN, BEFORE 2021, WE WERE GETTING SINGLE BIDS, SO THIS IS NOTHING NEW TO CLAY COUNTY. A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST DON'T WANT O BID HERE. AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE THE OVER GROWTHS, YOU WOULDN'T NEED THE ROADS THAT YOU NEED RIGHT NOW, AND TODAY IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF APPROVING THREE MORE HOUSES ON 220 THAT SHOULD NOT BE APPROVED. 300,000, THE GENTLEMAN SAID, THAT'S NOT A MANSIONMENT HAVE YOU SEEN WHAT 300,000 WILL GET YOU IN CLAY COUNTY NOW? IT WILL PROBABLY BE HALF OF THAT IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS. SO THAT IS NOTHING COMPARED TO THE KANGAROO GAS STATION OWNERS OR WHOEVER OWNS THAT NOW DOWN THERE ON 220, THAT MANSION. YOU KNOW, THE RECORDS REQUEST, BETSY, YOU KNOW, I REALLY WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF YOU TOLD EVERYBODY THAT THEY GET 30 MINUTES FREE FIRST. AND THEN YOU CAN RE- FILE FOR ANOTHER 30 MINUTES, AND I ASKED THE COUNTY MANAGER AND HE TOLD ME HE WOULD GET THE PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST AT THE LAST MEETING÷÷ TWO WEEKS AGO, SO I REALLY DON'T THINK THAT THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO PAY FOR PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS. THE SHERIFFS, COUNTY, ADMINISTRATE BUILDING, EVERYTHING SHOULD BE POSTED ONLINE. ANYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE REDACTED SHOULD BE DONE AND THEN POSTED ONLINE. AS FAR AS DESTINY, OR DESTINATION. CLAY COUNTY IS NOT A DESTINATION. I'D REALLY LIKE FOR YOU ALL TO STOP. OKAY. THIS IS A STOPOVER TO THE BEACHES. TO OTHER PLACES. THIS IS NOT A DESTINATION. AND IF KIMBERLY CAN'T DO THE JOB WITH THE STAFF THAT YOU'VE ADDED, THEN WE NEED TO GET SOMEBODY ELSE. >> YOU CAN'T USE NAMES, MR. OTTO. >> OKAY. THEN YOUR STAFF, IF YOUR STAFF CAN'T DO IT. >> CAN YOU KEEP YOUR COMMENTS AWAY FROM OUR STAFF. >> WE DON'T NEED TO SPEND $66,000 WHEN WE HAVE A STAFF PERSON THAT IS FOR TOURIST DEVELOPMENT. THAT'S MY PERSONAL OPINION ON IT. AND, YOU KNOW, JUST, YEAH, I MEAN, IT REALLY AMAZES ME HOW YOU GUYS SIT HERE AND APPROVE THIS STUFF, AFTER EVERYTHING WE HAVE HAD TO SIT HERE AND LISTEN ABOUT 220 AND HOW PEOPLE ARE SO UNHAPPY ABOUT HOW MUCH TRAFFIC'S OUT THERE. I MEAN, HOW DO YOU APPROVE MORE DENSITY. I MEAN, AND I DO WANT TO THANK THE BOARD. THIS IS WHAT I WAS GOING TO START WITH BECAUSE WENDELL DAVIS, TRAVIS CUMMINGS AND. >> THANK YOU, MR. OTTO. THANK YOU, MR. OTTO, YOUR TIME IS UP. THANK YOU, SIR, YOUR TIME IS UP. THANK YOU, MR. OTTO, YOUR TIME IS UP. >> ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK AT THE SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT? [02:25:02] SEEING NONE, I WILL COME TO COMMISSION AUDITOR. [COUNTY ATTORNEY] THANK YOU. COUNTY ATTORNEY. >> YES, JUST QUICKLY AS YOU MAY RECALL, WE HAVE SPECIAL PROCEEDING MOVING FORWARD IN CONNECTION WITH THE FLEMING ISLAND PRESERVE. IN CONNECTION WITH WITH THAT, THE MEDIATION IS TOMORROW. COMMISSIONER SGROMOLO WAS GOING TO BE ATTENDING BUT HAS A CONFLICT. OUR BACKUP ALSO HAS A CONFLICT. [COUNTY MANAGER] COMMISSIONER CONDON WILL BE STEPPING IN. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR CONDON. >> NO WORRIES. NOTHING FURTHER. >> THREE ITEMS FOR THE BOARD THIS EVENING. FIRST, PUBLIC RECORDS. IF YOU GOOGLE CLAY COUNTY PUBLIC RECORDS, IT TAKES YOU TO OUR WEB SITE. IT'S A LINK THAT TAKES YOU TO A VERY EASY PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST WHERE YOU CAN HIT A NEW REQUEST, AND YOU CAN FILL IT ALL OUT. IT CAN ALL BE TRACKED, AND THEN YOU'RE COMMUNICATING WITH A MEMBER OF OUR STAFF THAT WILL PROVIDE THOSE RECORDS. WHEN IT BECOMES A LARGE NUMBER OF RECORDS THAT ARE THERE, IT TAKES LONGER THAN THE 30 MINUTES PART OR THE NUMBER OF PAGES, THEN THAT'S WHERE A COST IS INCURRED. I WANTED TO CLEAR ALL OF THAT UP. IT'S SIMPLE. RIGHT ONLINE, ON OUR WEB SITE. SECOND ITEM IS OUR NEW RIGHT HOT OFF THE PRESSES, OUR 2025 LEGISLATIVE PARTIES AND APPROPRIATION PUMP CARDS ARE OUT. I THINK IT LOOKS ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC, AND I LOOK FORWARD AS YOU ALL I'M SURE TO GIVE THESE TO INDIVIDUALS AND LET THEM KNOW WHAT THE BOARD'S PRIORITIES ARE FOR LEGISLATION, AND FOR OUR SIX APPROPRIATIONS REQUESTS. BY THE WAY, THE FORMS WERE ALL FILLED OUT. MEGAN WAS COMPLETELY ON TOP OF THAT, AND THEN THE ATTESTATION FORMS, I FILLED THOSE OUT. THOSE WERE SUBMITTED IN THE TIME LINE WE HAD. THIRD ITEM, THIS PAST FRIDAY WAS A GREAT DAY IN ORLANDO FOR ANIMAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT. SIX OF OUR STAFF WERE RECOGNIZED DOWN THERE. THAT MEANT THAT THEY WERE IN THE TOP THREE IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA IN THEIR PARTICULAR CATEGORY. AND WHAT HAPPENED IS TWO WALKED AWAY WITH AWARDS. I WANT TO RECOGNIZE TARKIE MONTGOMERY, AN ANIMAL CARE CONSULTANT WORKING WITH US SINCE 2019. HE HAS DONE A FANTASTIC JOB, AND HE WON EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR. EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR. >> WOW. >> WHICH IS UNBELIEVABLE, I THINK, IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF FLORIDA FLORIDA. AND SOME OF THOSE COUNTIES, ORANGE COUNTY SEEMS TO SWEEP THE AWARDS CEREMONY. SO PROUD OF HIM, AND IT WAS GREAT TO SEE HIM GET THAT AWARD. AND ARLENE JONES RECEIVED A LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD. ARLENE HAS BEEN WITH US OVER 28 YEARS NOW, AND SHE'S JUST DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB, AND WAS RECOGNIZED THERE. SHE ATTENDED WITH HER HUSBAND, AND IT WAS JUST A GREAT EVENING TO SEE THOSE AWARDS GIVEN OUT. SO PENDING ANY QUESTIONS, THAT'S ALL I HAVE. >> MY ONLY QUESTION, ARE WE GOING TO HAVE THEM AT SOME POINT COME TO A MEETING? >> YES, MA'AM. THEY WILL. LIKE WE DID LAST YEAR, WE'LL HAVE A COPY OF THE PLAQUE. EARNEST IS WORKING THAT UP AND GETTING IT READY, AND THERE WILL BE A FOLLOW-ON MEETING. COULDN'T TURN IT THIS QUICKLY. >> AND REALLY, THE NOMINEES, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THEM TOO. YOU CAN'T WIN EVERY, I GUESS ORANGE COUNTY, BUT YOU KNOW. >> DEFINITELY. AND I HAVE THE BOOKLET FOR IT TOO, AND I'LL HAVE THAT OUT, TOO AND I'LL HAVE IT IN MY OFFICE. ANYONE CAN COME BY AND TAKE A K LOO AT IT. IT'S A REALLY NICE BOOKLET THEY PUT OUT. [COMMISSIONERS' COMMENTS] COMMISSIONER COMMENTS, DID ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE COUNTY MANAGER? COMMISSIONER RENNINGER. >> I HAVE A COUPLE OF ITEMS. NOMINEES BROUGHT TO MIND, I SIGNED THE VETERAN OF THE YEAR NOMINEES, WHICH THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THAT TO ME WAS TWO YEARS AGO WE HAD NO VETERAN OF THE YEAR. LAST YEAR WE HAD MAYBE FIVE NOMINEES. THIS YEAR, I THINK IT WAS 20 SOME OR 30 SOME. >> CLOSE TO 20. >> SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING. I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR HERITAGE. AND CELEBRATING OUR HERITAGE. IN 2026, PENNEY FARMS BECOMES A HUNDRED YEARS THEY HAVE BEEN HERE IN CLAY COUNTY, AND THE OTHER ONE THAT'S A LITTLE CLOSER IS THE ORANGE PARK MALL ON SEPTEMBER 24TH. IT'S GOING TO CELEBRATE ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY IN CLAY COUNTY. AND THAT WAS A CATALYST, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, FOR CLAY COUNTY DEVELOPMENT. THERE WAS NOTHING IN CLAY COUNTY. I WAS HERE, AND I ASKED A COUPLE OF PEOPLE, WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO LIVE IN [02:30:01] CLAY COUNTY, IT'S OUT IN THE BOONDOCKS AND THE MALL CAME, 295, BUCKMAN BRIDGE CAME AND THE REST WAS HISTORY. SO I THINK SOMETIMES WE NEED TO CELEBRATE OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND, YOU KNOW, CLERK GREENE ISN'T HERE. BUT THE CLERK'S OFFICE WAS RECOGNIZED FOR BENEFITS. LAST TIME I CHECKED, THEY'RE KIND OF THE SAME THAT OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE, RIGHT? >> YES, SIR. >> EXCEPT THE MANAGER. SO ANYWAY, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE SAY, YOU KNOW, CLAY COUNTY, DO YOU WANT TO GO WORK AT CLAY COUNTY, WE'RE RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY FOR THE BENEFITS, AND PROBABLY OTHER AREAS AS WELL, BUT WE WERE GIVEN AN AWARD FOR BENEFITS. AND LAST THING, A PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT OR ACCLIMATION HERE, I BECAME A GRANDFATHER. >> AGAIN? >> OTIS DANIEL RENNINGER. 9 POUNDS 4 OUNCES, CUTE LITTLE GUY. THAT'S ALL I HAVE, THANK YOU. >> THAT'S AWESOME. CONGRATULATIONS. THAT'S BEAUTIFUL. I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS. AND IT'S REALLY HARD TO FOLLOW BABY ANNOUNCEMENTS. THEY'RE SO PRECIOUS. AND I THINK COMMISSIONER RENNINGER WAS TALKING ABOUT HAVING HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HOLD THIS PRECIOUS BABY TEN HOURS OLD. AND I JUST -- IT'S ALWAYS A BEAUTIFUL THING TO WELCOME LIFE INTO THE WORLD, AND SO CONGRATULATIONS. >> THANK YOU. >> SO TOMORROW I JUST WANTED TO REMIND FOLKS WHO ARE INTERESTED, THE FIRST COAST EXPRESSWAY CONFERENCE IS AT 9:30 AT THE THRASHER HORN. I'M ESPECIALLY INTERESTED, AND I KNOW THAT I CAN'T BE THE ONLY ONE IN CLAY COUNTY WONDERING ABOUT WHAT THE IMPACTS OF THE EXPRESSWAY COMING, THE BENEFITS, ET CETERA. AND THEN, LASTLY, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING THAT MAY -- IT'S BAKED IN, BUT I WANT TO DRAW THIS OUT. OUR COUNTY MANAGER WAS DISCUSSING OR HIGHLIGHTING OUR EMPLOYEES AND THE RECOGNITION THAT THEY HAVE BEEN RECEIVING, AND THAT'S A BIG DEAL FOR CLAY COUNTY. BUT WHAT YOU PROBABLY DON'T KNOW IS THAT IT WAS A SIX-HOUR ROUND TRIP FOR HIM TO GO DOWN THERE ON FRIDAY AND COME BACK HOME. AND THAT IS -- THAT SHOWS TREMENDOUS COMMITMENT TO OUR STAFF AND OUR TEAM, AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SERVANT LEADERSHIP. WE HAVE A GREAT COUNTY, GREAT STAFF, AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE HELP THAT WE GET. I DON'T WANT THAT TO GO UNNOTICED THAT YOU'RE ASSISTING THEM, AND THEY CAN FEEL THAT SUPPORT. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE. AND THAT'S ALL THAT I'VE GOT TONIGHT. SEE YOU GUYS AT THE NEXT ONE. >>÷÷ THANK YOU. >> COMMISSIONER BURKE. >> ALONG THE SAME LINE WITH ANIMAL SERVICES, I HAD A CONSTITUENT REACH OUT TO ME FRIDAY, WHICH I DIDN'T KNOW THEY WERE IN ORLANDO, SO, WOW, THIS MAKES IT EVEN BIGGER. THERE WAS A ELDER ABUSE -- HAD TO BE TAKEN OUT OF A HOME BY ONE DAUGHTER, WELL, HAD TO GET -- HER SISTER TO BE TAKEN OUT OF THE HOME BECAUSE THERE'S ELDER ABUSE, AND SO THERE WAS NO ONE LEFT IN THE HOUSE, BUT FOUND OUT THERE WAS TWO DOGS IN THE BACKYARD THAT WERE LEFT AND ABANDONED, AND THEY WEREN'T NICE. THEY PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF TREATMENT THEY WERE GETTING, SO THE LADY COULDN'T JUST GO GET THEM OUT, AND SO ANYWAY, I GOT AHOLD OF TROY, THEN TROY GOT AHOLD OF EARNEST, AND THE LADY SAID IT HAD BEEN TAKEN CARE OF AND EVERYONE IS HAPPY, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND IT WAS EVEN BIGGER THEY WERE IN ORLANDO AND ERNEST GOT IT TAKEN CARE OF. I WAS GOING TO GO OVER THERE AND FEED THESE DOGS, SOMEBODY HAS TO TAKE CARE OF THESE DOGS. IT'S TERRIBLE. I NEED PRAYERS. I'M RUNNING IN THE GATE RIVER RUN ON SATURDAY. USED TO DO IT EVERY YEAR. HOPEFULLY I MAKE IT ACROSS THE FINISH LINE. >> HOWARD MIGHT HAVE SOME TIPS FOR YOU. >> CONGRATULATIONS. COMMISSIONER SGROMOLO. >> BEST OF LUCK IN THE GATE RIVER RUN. I TRY NOT TO RUN. I JUST HAD TO RUN TO SECOND BASE. THAT'S AS FAR AS I USUALLY WOULD RUN. A COUPLE OF THINGS, I FORGOT LAST MEEKT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS, BUT I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND ONE OF CLAY COUNTY'S BIG TOURISM EVENTS, MINOR LEAGUE GOLF TOURNAMENT AT EAGLE HARBOR, WHICH WAS AWESOME. YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE BEST COMPETITIVE GOLFERS IN THE WORLD, RISING STARS COMING TO CLAY COUNTY. THE WINNER WAS A GRADUATE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING, AND HE WON $10,000, AND I ACTUALLY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO RIDE WITH HIM. THEY WENT TO A THREE- HOLE PLAYOFF. [02:35:04] AND IT WAS THREE, YOU KNOW, PROFESSIONALS TRYING TO MAKE IT ON THE ON THE PGA TOUR, AND THAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITIES. THE FIELD OF 70 SOME PLAYERS HAVE TO STAY HERE. THAT'S A BENEFIT FOR US. SATURDAY I GOT TO ATTEND THE 30TH ANNUAL SCOTTISH GAMES, AND IT WAS AWESOME. IT WAS REALLY GOOD. CONGRATULATIONS TO AUDI AND HIS TEAM. ANOTHER JOB WELL DONE. YOU COULD FEEL THE PRIDE IN THE CROWD THAT IT WAS THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY. AND THE SHOWCASE CLAN WAS THE MCLEODS KNOWN AS THE LOUD M÷÷CLEODS, THEY HAD YELLOW KILTINGS, KILTS. AND IT WAS AWESOME. JUST GREAT PEOPLE. AND WE HAD A SPECIAL GUEST, SECRETARY OF STATE CORD BIRD, WE APPRECIATE HIM COMING DOWN TO CLAY COUNTY TO CELEBRATE WITH US. AND TWO MORE THINGS, SATURDAY WAS OPENING DAY AT FLEMING ISLAND ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION. OVER 650 BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL PLAYERS WERE OUT THERE, HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO THROW OUT THE FIRST PITCH, WHICH WAS REALLY COOL, AND THREW IT A LITTLE BIT TOO HARD, BUT NEVERTHELESS, IT'S EXCITING, AND SATURDAY IS GOING TO BE THE FIRST ROUND OF GAMES FOR THEM. AND THEN LASTLY, I WANT TO INFORM THE PUBLIC THERE'S GOING TO BE A MEETING, A PUBLIC MEETING ON MONDAY, MARCH 10TH A THE FLEMING ISLAND LIBRARY FROM 4:00 P.M. TO DISCUSS RADAR ROAD. COMMISSIONER WORKED HARD ON THAT PROJECT TO BRING IT TO FRUITION. IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THAT CORRIDOR WE'LL BE HAVING THAT MEETING. >> THANK YOU. SO FIRST ON MY LIST IS DON'T FORGET YOUR STAFF EVALUATIONS ARE DUE. TRY TO GET THEM IN BY THE END OF THE WEEK, WHICH IS WHEN THEY'RE DUE. HOWEVER, I KNOW IT'S A SUPER BUSY WEEK. I KNOW A COUPLE OF YOU HAVE ASKED FOR THEM ELECTRONICALLY. I KNOW YOU'RE WORKING ON THEM. IF YOU CAN GET THEM SOMETIME THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, STAFF WOULD APPRECIATE IT. NEXT, OUR CONSERVATION COMMITTEE, CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN THROUGH THE END OF THIS WEEK. THEY CLOSE MARCH 1ST, WHICH IS SATURDAY OR THEY CLOSE THE 28TH, FRIDAY. THE 28TH. SO THEY CLOSE ON FRIDAY. WE APPRECIATE THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE ALREADY APPLIED, AND WE'VE GOTTEN SOME REALLY GOOD FEEDBACK ON IT. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE CURIOUS ON IT, THERE ARE SOME SPECIFICS WITH MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR. NOT ALL OF THOSE POSITIONS, AND SO I'VE SEEN YOUR COMMENTS ONLINE, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE. WELL, IT'S NEVER TOO LATE, AND THIS IS WHAT THE VOTERS PASSED, THE REFERENDUM IN NOVEMBER, AND SO WE WANT TO -- WE ARE GOING TO HONOR THAT. SO THIS COMMITTEE IS GOING TO REVIEW APPLICATIONS FOR POTENTIAL LANDS FOR THE COUNTY TO PURCHASE OR ENTER INTO AGREEMENTS FOR CONSERVATION, AND THEY WILL MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS BACK TO THIS BCC SO IT'S AN IMPORTANT ROLE, AND WE APPRECIATE THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY STEPPED UP TO APPLY. NEXT I WANTED TO TELL YOU THAT WE HAD A WONDERFUL CLEAN UP EVENT UNDER THE HIGH RIDGE INITIATIVE SATURDAY. SHAWNTAE GOT TO COME OUT AND BE INTRODUCED TO THE HIGH RIDGE INITIATIVE. WE HAD TO CALL THE SHERIFFS DEPUTIES. I TOLD HER IT'S NOT ALWAYS LIKE THIS. WE HAVE HAD SO MANY CLEANUPS, I'VE NEVER HAD TO CALL 911. WE HAD A MENTAL HEALTH INCIDENT BUT OUR SHERIFFS DEPUTIES ARE ALWAYS WONDERFUL, AND WE TRIED TO NOT -- WE TRIED TO JUST IGNORE THE SITUATION, AND WE COULDN'T, AND SO IT ENDED UP BEING A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE. SO WE NEEDED TO INTERVENE. BUT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THAT, WE HAD OVER 20 VOLUNTEERS FOR THE CLEAN UP EVENT, WHICH IS A REALLY GOOD TURNOUT FOR IT. I HAVEN'T GOTTEN THE NUMBERS BACK ON WHAT WE COLLECTED YET, BUT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THAT, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAD BROUGHT SOME OF THEIR EQUIPMENT OUT TO DO A SMALL TOUCH A TRUCK FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE KIDS REALLY ENJOYED THAT, AND THEY HAD OF COURSE THE TRINKETS TO GIVE AWAY, AND IN HIGH RIDGE, ALTHOUGH YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A RESIDENT TO ATTEND IT IS SOMETHING CALLED THE BOOK BUS, AND IT'S A MISSION THAT TWO TEACHERS STARTED FIVE OR SIX YEARS AGO, MAYBE LONGER, AND THEY HAVE DONATED BOOKS, AND THE KIDS GET TO COME IN AND PICK BOOKS AND TAKE THEM HOME AND KEEP THEM. IT'S NOT LIKE THE LIBRARY WHERE THEY HAVE TO RETURN THEM BECAUSE WE KNOW IN SOME FAMILIES THEY TEND TO GET LOST. AT ANY RATE, THEY GET BOOKS TO TAKE HOME AND KEEP. IT WAS JUST A REALLY GREAT EVENT. THE WEATHER WAS GORGEOUS ON SATURDAY. SO WE APPRECIATED THAT. AND THEN FINALLY I WANTED TO CLOSE OUT. INDULGE ME, THIS ONE IS A LITTLE BIT LONGER, BUT IT IS VERY IMPORTANT. TO CLOSE OUT BLACK [02:40:04] HISTORY MONTH, I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY THAT'S SPECIFIC TO MY DISTRICT BUT SPECIFIC TO CLAY COUNTY. THE MIDDLEBURG COLORED SCHOOL, KNOWN AS MCS WAS THE FIRST MIDDLEBURG AREA SCHOOL FOR BLACK CHILDREN. IT MET IN A RENTED BUILDING NEAR THE ER LIVING QUARTERS. THE CLAY COUNTY AUTHORIZED BUILDING THE STUDENTS A NEW SCHOOLHOUSE, ONE THAT SERVED AT LEAST FOUR GENERATIONS OF LOCAL BLACK STUDENTS. AND ONE HISTORIAN WROTE IN THE 1930S, THE COUNTY WAS DOTTED WITH SMALL ONE ROOM PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR BLACKS IN GRADES ONE THROUGH EIGHT. AND IN BETWEEN 1870 AND 1968 THERE WERE ABOUT 30 BLACK PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOUNDED IN CLAY COUNTY. THAT CAME OUT OF SCHOOL BOARD MINUTES. SO STRAIGHT OUT OF THERE. WELL, ONE OF OUR RESIDENTS ACTUALLY, I THINK SHE MAY BE COMMISSIONER BURKE'S CONSTITUENT, BUT SHE GREW UP IN MY DISTRICT. BOROUGHS JACKSON, IF YOU HAVE BEEN TO ANY OF OUR EVENTS, SHE'S OFTEN THERE. SHE WAS BORN IN 1942, SHE AND HER EIGHT BROTHERS AND SISTERS ATTENDED SCHOOL IN THE MIDDLEBURG COLORED SCHOOL. IT WAS EVENTUALLY MOVED OVER WHERE FIRE STATION 14 SITS TODAY. IT WAS SENT THERE. AND MS. JACKSON WENT TO COLLEGE IN ST. AUGUSTINE AND CAME BACK TO BE A TEACHER IN CLAY COUNTY, AND SHE TAUGHT. AND SHE CAUGHT WIND THAT THAT SCHOOL WAS SCHEDULED TO BE A BURN EXERCISE FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, SO THAT WAS THE FIRST INTERVENTION THAT SHE MADE TO PRESERVE, WITH THE COUNTY COMMISSION TO PRESERVE THAT SCHOOLHOUSE. IT WAS PRESERVED OBVIOUSLY THEN, AND THEN IT WAS MOVED OVER AND IT SITS TODAY AT HUNTER DOUGLAS PARK, WHICH IS IN THE BACK OF THE HILL TOP COMMUNITY, WHICH WAS THE BLACK COMMUNITY. AT ONE POINT THERE WERE ABOUT 650 RESIDENTS THAT LIVED IN THERE, AND MOST OF THEM WERE RELATED TO EACH OTHER. THERE'S ONLY A COUPLE HUNDRED THAT ARE LEFT THAT ARE FROM THOSE ORIGINAL DESCENDANTS, BUT IT'S REALLY -- IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED BY HISTORICAL SOCIETIES TO BE OF HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE SO THEY HAVE DETERMINED THAT IT IS ACTUALLY AUTHENTIC, AND THAT IT IS WORTH PRESERVING. BUT IT NEEDS PRESERVING. RIGHT NOW, YOU CAN'T SAFELY WALK IN IT. SO WHEN THEY DO THEIR DAYS WHEN YOUGET TO GO AND SEE THINGS, YOU CAN LOOK IN, BUT YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING. SO THEY HAVE TRIED SOME PRESERVATIONS, THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD HAS TRIED SOME THINGS OVER THE YEARS. I KNOW THEY'RE WORKING WITH MEGAN ON POSSIBILITIES OF GRANTS. ONE EFFORT TOWARDS THAT IS IN 2021, THEY APPLIED FOR A HISTORIC MARKER. WE HAVE HEARD THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE GIVEN THAT HISTORIC MARKER. THAT WILL HELP US TO BE ABLE TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR GRANTS. I WANTED TO SHARE IT WITH YOU. I'LL LEAVE SOME STUFF ON MY TABLE, IF YOU WANT TO READ MORE ABOUT THE HILLTOP COMMUNITY AND THE HILLTOP HERITAGE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. AND SOME OTHER THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON. BUT IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE FIGURE OUT A WAY AS WE MOVE INTO BUDGETING OR WHATEVER MEGAN CAN GET FOR GRANTS TO PRESERVE THINGS LIKE THIS IN CLAY COUNTY, AND THE HISTORIC -- WE DON'T FUND THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD. THEY DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY. IF THEY DO ANYTHING, IT'S THROUGH FUNDRAISERS. I WANT TO BRING IT TO ATTENTION. IT'S IMPORTANT TO THE PEOPLE OF HILL TOP, IT'S IMPORTANT TO THE PEOPLE OF CLAY COUNTY. I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU. I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY A NEAT WAY TO CLOSE OUT BLACK HISTORY MONTH. THEY DIDN'T ASK ME TO SHARE SO THAT'S WHY NOBODY WAS HERE TONIGHT FROM THAT COMMUNITY BECAUSE I DIDN'T TELL ANYBODY I WAS GOING TO. BUT AT ANY RATE, TELL ALL OF MY PEOPLE, I GOT THEM. BUT ANYWAY. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER? SEEING NONE, MEETING ADJOURNED. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.