Jul 08, 2025 BCC Workshop

[00:00:01]

>>> GOOD MORNING

[CALL TO ORDER]

WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT A FEW OF OF OUR OFFICERS ARE HERE TODAY. WE HAVE SHERIFF COOK , DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANTED TO TALK ABOUT, RIGHT AWAY, MA'AM, YOU DON'T HAVE TO SPEAK NOW. I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOU AND IF YOU HAD ANYTHING RIGHT OFF THE BAT? WHENEVER YOU WANT TO. I WASN'T TRYING TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, I APOLOGIZE.

>> GOOD MORNING, THANK YOU , I JUST APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE. I KNOW EACH OF YOU HAVE DIFFICULT DECISIONS TO MAKE AS WE MOVE FORWARD, JUST WANTED TO YOU KNOW, REMIND EVERYBODY THAT THE ROLE OF SAFETY AND PUBLIC SAFETY IS A CRITICAL KEY FUNCTION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT. AND THE CLAY COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE CONTINUES TO RUN AN EXCEPTIONALLY LEAN ORGANIZATION . I THINK I SHARED SOME OF THOSE NUMBERS WITH YOU AND I CONTINUE TO GATHER THE NUMBERS. WE ARE ONE OF THE LOWEST FUNDED AGENCIES OF A COMMUNITY OUR SIZE, AND EVEN WITH THE LOW FUNDING , WE ARE STILL UNDERSTAFFED ALTHOUGH WE ARE ADDING PEOPLE EVERY DAY. WE CONTINUE TO DRIVE CRIME DOWN AND CONTINUE TO KEEP THE COMMUNITY SAFE. THE REALITY IS ANY CUT TO OUR BUDGET WILL AFFECT RESPONSE TIME TO 911 CALLS. AND I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SORT OF PUT THAT OUT THERE IN THE PUBLIC AIR AND THANK YOU ALL FOR THE DIFFICULT JOBS THAT I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE AND THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING TO THE OFFICE AND SITTING DOWN WITH US AND GOING OVER OUR NUMBERS AND OUR CONCERNS AND I JUST APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO. THANK

YOU. >> THANK YOU, SHERIFF.

>> AND THEN, OUR CLAY COUNTY CHIEF JUDGE, JUDGE WHITTINGTON IS HERE. DID YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO US? YOU CAN COME ON UP TO THE PODIUM. I KNOW YOU HAVE A TRIAL YOU NEED TO GET TO.

>> IT'S NOT A TRIAL, I'VE GOT A COURTROOM FULL OF CRIMINAL DEFENDANTS AND LAWYERS WAITING FOR ME. WE DO HAVE A TRIAL TOMORROW. I'M THE ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGE OF CLAY COUNTY WHICH FUNCTIONS LIKE THE CHIEF JUDGE, I GUESS, WE ARE IN THE FOURTH CIRCUIT, I ASSUME MOST OF YOU KNOW THIS BUT THAT'S MADE UP OF NASSAU COUNTY, DUVAL COUNTY AND CLAY COUNTY, SO OUR CHIEF JUDGE IS CHIEF JUDGE LANCE J AND THEN I HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES AND CLAY. I WANT TO THANK YOU, TOO, FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TODAY AND FOR ALL THAT YOU DO AS MOST OF YOU PROBABLY KNOW I DON'T JUST WORK HERE IN CLAY COUNTY, I LIVE HERE, SO AS A CITIZEN I REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU ALL DO. I DON'T NEED TO TELL YOU ALL HOW THE COUNTY IS GROWING AND WHAT THAT MEANS AND ALL THE DECISIONS YOU HAVE TO MAKE BECAUSE OF THAT, WHETHER IT'S ROADS, FIRE STATIONS, SCHOOLS, I COULD TALK TO ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS IN THE COURTHOUSE. I MOVED HERE OVER 20 YEARS AGO AND WE HAD THREE CIRCUIT JUDGES ASSIGNED TO CLAY, WE HAVE FOUR CIRCUIT JUDGES AND TWO, AND THE LEGISLATOR JUST CREATED A NEW SEAT THAT WILL BE FILLED SOMETIMES THIS YEAR.

THERE IS A NOMINATING COMMISSION THAT WILL GET UP AND RUNNING HERE SOON AND THEY WILL START TAKING APPLICATIONS FROM LAWYERS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN THAT POSITION AND SOMETIME THROUGHOUT I WOULD IMAGINE IN THE FALL, EARLY FALL TO LATE FALL, THE GOVERNOR WILL MAKE A DECISION ABOUT WHO WILL FILL THAT SEAT .

THE LEGISLATURE ALSO CREATED TWO NEW CIRCUIT SEES FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT AND THERE'S A VERY GOOD CHANCE ONE OF THOSE TWO WILL COME TO CLAY COUNTY. THE CHIEF JUDGE HAS NOT MADE THAT DECISION FORMALLY YET, BUT HE AND I TALK REGULARLY AND INCLUDING JUST THIS MORNING, AND WE NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR A CIRCUIT JUDGE COMING TO CLAY COUNTY AS WELL. WE COULD CERTAINLY USE THEM. YOU ALL KNOW THAT BARRY, THE COMPANY THAT YOU RETAINED TO DO THE MASTER PLAN, THEY'VE CRUNCHED NUMBERS FROM THE DATA THEY RECEIVED AND THE SEATS ARE CERTAINLY NEEDED. THE WORK IS THERE FOR THEM, AND I CAN TELL YOU ANECDOTALLY, HOW BUSY WE ARE. HOW MANY TRIALS WE'VE HAD, JUST THIS YEAR . USED TO BE, YOU

[00:05:08]

>> THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR AND JUDGE, THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US, WE APPRECIATE IT. YOU MENTIONED THIS IS FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION SO THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS HOW THIS WORKS. YOU SAID THE LEGISLATURE MADE A NEW JUDGE SEAT SO THAT WAS NOT THE DOING OF ANYBODY IN THE COURTHOUSE OR ANYBODY ON THIS DAIS, CORRECT? THE STATE SAID YOU HAVE TO HAVE ANOTHER JUDGE,

CORRECT? >> WE REQUESTED IT, CALL THEM LOBBYISTS OR PEOPLE THAT WORK ON BEHALF OF THE JUDICIARY WENT AND SAID WE NEED A NEW JUDGE SEAT IN CLAY COUNTY. THERE'S 50 SOME ODD SEATS THAT HAVE BEEN CREATED. 37, I WAS A LITTLE BIT OFF. 37 SEATS ACROSS THE STATE THREE OF THEM APPLY TO US IN THE FOURTH CIRCUIT. THERE'S ACTUALLY ONE NEW COUNTY SEAT IN NASSAU. THEY ARE ABOUT TO GET TO, AND WE HAVE ONE COMING HERE FORA THIRD. SO YES, THE LEGISLATURE CREATED THOSE IN THE BUDGET, AND THE GOVERNOR HAS SIGNED OFF ON THAT, SO THAT'S

COMING. >> ALSO ONE OF YOUR JOBS IS TO SUPPORT OUR JUDGES, EXPLAIN THE COST THAT COMES WITH ADDING JUDGES, THAT'S NOT FUNDED BY THE STATE?

>> I THINK TROY WILL ADDRESS THIS IN HIS PRESENTATION BUT IRONICALLY, THEY APPROVED 37 JUDGES ACROSS THE STATE, WHICH INCLUDED I THINK TWO APPELLATE JUDGES AND THAT WAS ABOUT $18 MILLION FUNDED APPROPRIATION THAT GOT PASSED THE GOVERNOR SO IT'S A GIVEN. FOR THE 37 JUDGES, THE 35 BEING AT THE CIRCUIT OR COUNTY LEVEL, THE CLERKS RECEIVED ZERO FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE JUDGES. SO, JUDGE WHITTINGTON AND I HAVE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THIS BECAUSE , MORE JUDGES, MORE TRIALS, MORE CASES,

[00:10:04]

>> ADDING A JUDGE DOESN'T JUST ADD AN INDIVIDUAL PERSON, IT ADDS PROTECTION FROM PLATELETS -- BAILIFFS, COURTROOM --

>> IT'S THE WHOLE SYSTEM, OF WHICH NONE OF THEM, NONE OF US IN THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM GOT ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM THE STATE TO SUPPORT THIS, SO IT'S VERY CHALLENGING.

>> THANK YOU, JUDGE. >> ALL THESE UPTICK IN TRIALS THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE HAVE TO SUMMON THOSE PEOPLE TO COME IN AND PAY FOR THEM WHILE THEY ARE HERE AND THAT IS WHAT IS BEING REFERENCED. THAT MONEY GOES FAST WHEN WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN JURY TRIALS.

>> YOU SAID HOPEFULLY WE GET FUNDING FROM THE COUNTY , WHAT

HAPPENS IF YOU DON'T. >> I DON'T SUPPORT THEM, WE HAVE AN ISSUE. I DON'T KNOW THAT WE CAN KEEP UP WITH THE CASELOAD. SMALL CLAIMS AND ITSELF HAS RISEN GREATLY, WHICH IS A COUNTY CLAIM, CIVIL CLAIM ISSUE. WE ARE HAVING A HARD TIME JUST KEEPING UP WITH THOSE WITH CURRENT STAFF. WE ACTUALLY ARE MORE BEHIND THAN I WOULD LIKE .

>> YOU WOULD TELL THEM WE CAN HAVE YOU BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING? HOW DOES THAT LOOK ? MARK

>> THAT'S WHY THE JUDGE AND I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO BE CREATIVE AND HOW WE SQUEEZE THE BLOOD OUT OF THE TURNUP TO BE HONEST. WE ARE UNDERSTAFFED AS IT IS WITH THE VOLUME COMING IN CURRENTLY, TWO MORE JUDGES WILL INCREASE ACTIVITY, SO CASES WILL BE MOVING FASTER AND AS OF RIGHT NOW, I DON'T HAVE A BODY TO SUPPORT EITHER JUDGE IN THE COURTROOM. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I CAN PULL MY MANAGERS AND PUT THEM IN A COURTROOM BUT THEN I DON'T HAVE PEOPLE MANAGING A STAFF OF 20 TO 30 PEOPLE IN A DIVISION. SO, IT'S UNFORTUNATE, IF WE DON'T GET FUNDING, I'M NOT SURE HOW EFFICIENT THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM WILL BE IN THE

FUTURE, IN CLAY. >> ANYTHING TO SAY TO THAT?

>> WELL, WE ARE GOING TO WORK OUR HARDEST, WE'VE GOT JUDGES AND CLERKS AND WE WORK TOGETHER AND I'M SURE THAT WILL CONTINUE , WE ARE A HARD-WORKING BUNCH AND WE ARE BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO DO IT AND I LOVE MY JOB, SO IT'S NOT THAT AT ALL. SHE AND I HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING, ONE OF THINGS, I PROMISED HER, AND FIGURING OUT HOW TO DIVIDE THE LABOR WITH THESE NEW JUDGES, TRYING TO BE AS SENSITIVE AS I CAN TO THE SHORTAGE OF STAFF ON CLERKS, LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. WE SPLIT THE CIRCUIT CIVIL CASES AND THE FELONY CASES, ONE WEEK I'M DOING FELONY WORK AND THE NEXT I'M DEALING WITH CIVIL AND THE JUDGE DOES THE OPPOSITE. IT WOULD PROBABLY NOT BE A GOOD IDEA FOR ME TO CREATE A THIRD FELONY DIVISION AND HOW THAT DIVISION RUNNING THE SAME TIME AS SAYING, MY FILLING DIVISION, THAT WOULD REQUIRE HER TO STAFF TO COURTROOMS AT THE EXACT SAME TIME, BAILIFFS TO DO TWICE AS MUCH WORK, NOT TO MENTION THE STATE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND THE PUBLIC ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THEY, TOO ARE HAVING PERSONAL ISSUES, SO I'M NOT WANTING TO DO THAT, I WOULD FIGURE OUT A WAY TO USE THE FIFTH CIRCUIT JUDGE, SO WE ARE SENSITIVE TO THE PERSONNEL ISSUES. THAT'S JUST AN EXAMPLE, THINKING ABOUT WHAT WOULD NOT BE A GOOD IDEA. BUT, THERE WILL STILL BE INCREASED WORK. IF WE GET ANOTHER JUDGE THE JUDGE WILL BE BUSY, I PROMISE YOU. THERE'S WORK FOR THE OTHER JUDGE TO DO.

>> OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU. >> I SAID, I HAVE MY AFTERNOON COUNTER BUT I WILL BE BACK THIS AFTERNOON SO IF Y'ALL THINK OF SOMETHING, I'LL BE HERE AND WILLING TO ANSWER.

>> THANK YOU. >> AND I NEGLECTED TO ASK IF ANYONE HAD ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE SHERIFF BUT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO GO BACK OR IF ANYTHING WAS PRESSING RIGHT NOW, I APOLOGIZE, SHERIFF, FOR THAT OVERSIGHT. AND CLERK OF THE

[00:15:02]

>> NOTHING IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE JUST DISCUSSED.

>> ARE THERE ANY CONSTITUTIONAL THAT I DIDN'T SEE COME IN? I

[PUBLIC COMMENTS]

ME HOW TO SAY IT. >> I HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS ABOUT THE UTILITY TAX INCREASE, THE PROPOSED TAX INCREASE. I BELIEVE THAT WE ARE COLLECTING $5.5 BILLION THIS YEAR FOR THE BUDGET AND IF THAT IS TRUE, IS THERE ANY WAY TO FIND OUT HOW THE MONEY WAS SPENT AND WHETHER OR NOT THERE WAS ANY ROLLOVER? ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THE TAXES THAT ARE BEING COLLECTED FOR THE UTILITY IS SPENT PROPORTIONATELY BY THE TOWNS THAT PAY INTO THE MONEY? I THINK IT'S 150% INCREASE IF YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT THE FULL 6%, IT'S PRETTY ASTRONOMICAL IN THIS ECONOMY, AND NOT VERY FEASIBLE FOR A LOT OF US THAT HAVE TO PAY THIS MONEY . BUT THE REAL PROBLEM IS, WE ARE TOLD THAT WE ARE NEEDED FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, WHICH I AGREE, WE DO, BUT I'M ALSO TOLD IT KIND OF GOES INTO A BUCKET ACCOUNT WHERE YOU PULL THE FUNDS OUT AND DIRECTED TO WHERE YOU HAVE TO PUT IT. BUT THAT ALSO TELLS ME THAT IT CAN BE SPENT ANYWHERE, SO IS THERE ANY WAY THAT THESE FUNDS COULD BE DESIGNATED FUNDS? SOLELY RAISED FOR PUBLIC SAFETY? THAT WAY PUBLIC SAFETY DOESN'T HAVE TO FIGHT TO GET THAT MONEY THEY'VE GOT COMING TO THEM, THE MONEY CAN'T BE DIVERTED ANYWHERE ELSE, AND THE PUBLIC KNOWS THIS MONEY IS IN FACT BEING RAISED FOR PUBLIC SAFETY .

I'M ALSO TOLD THE SHORTFALL FOR PUBLIC SAFETY IS ABOUT $4 MILLION. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT NUMBER IS CORRECT BUT THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD. SO I'M NOT SURE WHY WE WOULD NEED TO RAISE IT A FULL 6%, IF THAT IS THE OPTION THAT IS BEING FLOATED RIGHT NOW . IT WOULD SEEM TO ME THAT WOULD BE MORE LIKE 3%, MAYBE? BUT THAT ALSO IS CONTINGENT ON WHETHER OR NOT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT YOU ARE PROJECTING THAT YOU ARE GOING TO GET IS PRE-CLAY ELECTRIC INTRIGUES -- INCREASE OR POST, BECAUSE IF IT IS PRE-, THEN IS GOING TO BE MORE THAN THE $7 MILLION PROJECTED. IF IT'S POST, THEN IT WOULD ONLY BE $7 MILLION. SUPPOSEDLY. I THINK OUR PUBLIC SAFETY IS VERY IMPORTANT.

I THINK THAT LAST PEOPLE WE SHOULD BE CONSIDERING CUTTING, IS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. BUT I THINK WE ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT OTHER OPTIONS BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT A TAX INCREASE WELL, THAT IS ALL THAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT HOWEVER, WE ARE ALSO GETTING AN ELECTRIC

INCREASE. >> THANK YOU, MA'AM. KATHLEEN MONRO? AND AFTER MS. MONROE WILL BE LIMIT WOMEN --

[00:20:26]

>> I ALSO HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE INCREASE, AND WHY IT HAS TO BE THE MAXIM. I COME FROM A DISTRICT WHERE OVER 60% OF THE PEOPLE ARE OVER AGE 65. LAST YEAR WE HAD WASTE INCREASE, THIS YEAR, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE AN ELECTRIC INCREASE, ELECTRICAL -- AND IT'S THE FIRST TIME IN FIVE YEARS THEY'VE RAISE OUR ELECTRICITY, AND AGAIN, LIKE THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER, I DON'T MIND FUNDING PUBLIC SAFETY . WE NEED THAT THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, BUT WHY THE EXTRA MONEY, IF INDEED, AND IT'S $4 MILLION TO DO THE PUBLIC SAFETY, WHY DO WE NEED THAT ADDITIONAL FUND? AND AGAIN, WITH THE FIXED INCOME, THAT MEANS WE ONLY HAVE SO MUCH MONEY FOR US ELDERLY, AND I'M SURE THERE'S A BIG LARGE ELDERLY POPULATION AND ALL THE DISTRICTS, WHY YOU HAVE TO GO THE EXTRA AMOUNT, I MEAN WE DON'T MIND DOING OUR SHARE BUT NEITHER DO WE WANT TO EAT CAT FOOD WHEN WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH THE MONEY, NATIONAL SOCIAL SECURITY ONLY WENT UP 1%. WHY DO WE HAVE TO GO UP ANOTHER 6%? I MEAN, WE NEED HELP HERE. AND THE FACT THAT IT'S UNDESIGNATED ALSO BUT BOTHERS ME. WHY NOT JUST GIVE IT TO THEM, DESIGNATE IT INSTEAD OF PUTTING IT IN WHAT WE USED TO CALL, A SLUSH FUND, YOU KNOW, WHERE SPENDING COULD BE ON ANY PROJECT AND NOT NECESSARILY PUBLIC SAFETY. IF WE NEED IT IN PUBLIC SAFETY, IT SHOULD GO TO PUBLIC SAFETY, NOT JUST UNDESIGNATED FUNDS AND NOT TO THE MAXIMUM, BECAUSE WE MIGHT NEED IT. I MEAN, LORD KNOWS, WHEN YOU SEE THE LIST OF ROADS THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED IN CLAY COUNTY, OVER HALF OF THEM ARE IN MY DISTRICT, BUT WE ARE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LIST, WE DON'T HAVE MILLIONAIRE SUBDIVISIONS. WE DON'T HAVE STREETLIGHTS AND SIDEWALKS. WE ARE RURAL RESIDENTIAL. AND THIS REALLY HURTS OUR AREA . I'M SURE YOU'VE GOT IT MARK FOR SOMETHING REALLY IMPORTANT, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT TO THINK OF THE TAXPAYERS, TOO. SOME OF THEM CAN SAY, OH, $75 A YEAR, THAT'S NOT, BUT ON TOP OF ALL THE OTHER INCREASES, ON A FIXED INCOME, IT'S NOT EASY. AND IT MAKES IT HARDER FOR US, SO EVERY DOLLAR YOU SPEND AFFECTS US, BECAUSE TAXES KEEP GOING UP, BUT OUR SOCIAL SECURITY DOESN'T, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I'LL BE ANXIOUS TO HEAR WHAT COST SAVING MEASURES THE COUNTY IS PUTTING IN, WHAT EFFICIENCIES THE COUNTY IS PUTTING IN PLACE.

>> THANK YOU MISS MONROE. >> LYNETTE WHITMAN AND AFTER HER

IS SANDY RESNICK. >> GOOD MORNING, THANK YOU FOR

THE JOB YOU ARE DOING. >> YES MA'AM, YOU'LL BE RIGHT, OH, YOU ARE AFTER MISS WHITMAN.

>> GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU FOR THE JOB YOU DO FOR CLAY COUNTY. IT'S NOT EASY. I LOOKED ON THE WEBSITE AND SAW HUGE SALARIES FOR THE UPPER MANAGEMENT FOR CLAY ELECTRIC.

AND I'M WONDERING IF SOME OF THIS MONEY WILL BE GOING THERE.

AND AS YOU HEARD, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN CLAY COUNTY THAT ARE REALLY LIVING ON THE EDGE. I VOLUNTEER AT A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS LIKE FOOD BANKS AND FREE CLINICS. I SEE WHAT GOES ON WITH THE INCOME THEY DON'T HAVE. IF THE MONEY IS GOING FOR POLICE, FIRE DEPARTMENT, I PREFER THAT, FOOD BANKS, COURTS AND STAFF, SENIOR TRANSPORT SERVICES HAVE ALSO BEEN CUT. SO WE ARE FILLING IN FOR THE BUS, YOU KNOW. VETERAN SERVICES ARE HORRENDOUS THERE'S SUCH A LACK OF HELP FOR THEM, AFTER WHAT THEY'VE DONE FOR US, THAT SHOULD BE TOP CLARITY, TOO.

GUARDIAN AD LITEM SERVICES , FOSTER CARE LOCATIONS, ANIMAL SERVICES, AND I AM NOTICING, I'VE BEEN HERE 23 YEARS AND I'M A HOMEOWNER AND AM NOTICING THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF HOUSES

[00:25:02]

MAYBE THEY NEED TO MAKE SOME CUTS LIKE WE ARE MAKING CUTS, ALL OF OUR SERVICES, THE LIBRARIES, SCHOOL ACTIVITIES, BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB. WHY IS ALL THAT THE FIRST THING ON THE

CHOPPING BLOCK? THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. SANDY RESNICK AND AFTER MISS RHYTHMIC IS REBECCA PARRISH .

>> HELLO, AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME HERE. I AM A VERY, VERY, VERY ELDERLY SENIOR CITIZEN, NEARING THE CENTURY MARK, AND I'VE LIVED IN CLAY COUNTY SINCE THE 1900S, THE 1990S, AND I'VE SEEN A LOT. WE WERE PROMISED OVER 30 YEARS AGO , THE HARD ROADS ON OUR STREET, IT'S RUINING MY CAR, MY HOUSE, EVERYTHING, AND MY CHILDREN HAVE ASTHMA AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF BAD HEART PROBLEMS AND THEY ARE BREATHING IN THE DIRT ALL THE TIME. IT WAS NEVER GIVEN TO US. I SPOKE TO A SUPERVISOR FROM CLAY COUNTY A FEW DAYS BACK, AND THEY SAID THEY ARE NOT ASKING FOR AN INCREASE, THEY SAID IT'S THE COUNTY. SURE, THE PEOPLE THAT DESERVE THE HIGHEST INCOME IN THE UNIVERSE ARE THE POLICE AND THE FIREMEN, THEY ARE RISKING THEIR LIVES, ON THE LINE, AND IT SHOULDN'T COME FROM AN INCREASE IN THIS. I DON'T HAVE MEDICINE FOR MY EYES. I'VE GOT GLAUCOMA, CATARACTS, I HAVE NEARSIGHTED EYES, I CAN HARDLY SEE ANY OF YOU FROM WHERE I'M STANDING, BUT THIS IS NOT RIGHT, TO TAKE AND PUT AN INCREASE ON THE ELECTRIC ONE EVERY SINGLE MONTH, YOU CAN ASK THE ELECTRIC COMPANY, I CALLED THEM, HOW MUCH IS MY BILL, HOW MUCH IS MY BILL, TAKING MONEY FROM OTHER DEBT TO PAY MY ELECTRIC, BECAUSE MY CHILDREN NEED MACHINES TO KEEP THEIR BREATHING GOING AND IT ISN'T FAIR AND IT ISN'T RIGHT, AND I WOULD APPRECIATE YOU CONSIDERING THIS VERY MUCH. I AM A SENIOR CITIZEN, WAY OVER THE MARK , AND I JUST CANNOT AFFORD THIS INCREASE, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HEARING ME.

>> THANK YOU. REBECCA PARRISH, AND AFTER MISS PARISH, IS LEWIS

SMOKE -- VOLK. THAT'S OKAY. >> GOOD MORNING YOU ALL. I'M GOING TO TRY NOT TO GET EMOTIONAL AND EMBARRASSED. THE POLICE AND THE FIRE RESCUE, I'M SORRY, I'M SO EMBARRASSED.

FORGIVE ME. THEY DESERVE A LOT OF MONEY, AND I'M GOING TO CALL THE GOVERNOR WHEN I GET HOME BECAUSE IT SHOULD NOT BE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND A LOT OF PEOPLE MIGHT GET MAD AT ME FOR SAYING THIS BUT I'M JUST GOING TO SPELL IT OUT. SHOULD NOT BE TO FOOTBALL PLAYERS AND FIELDS, YOU ARE SPENDING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS WHEN THE POLICE OFFICERS ARE GETTING SHOT, HAVING STUFF THROWN AT THEM AND EVERYTHING ELSE, BUT WE CAN'T AFFORD HIGHER ELECTRIC, BECAUSE LIKE OTHER PEOPLE SAID, IT'S HARD TO

[00:30:02]

AND THE UTILITY TAX JUST SEEMS HIGH , MY BREATHING MACHINES, I HAVE TO RUN THEM 3 TO 4 TIMES A DAY SOMETIMES AND MEDICATION AND EVERYTHING, I'VE GOT HEART MONITORS, LIKE I CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE SOMETIMES, BUT I PUSHED THROUGH FOR MY KIDS AND MY FAMILY, AND IT'S SO TOUGH, I THINK ALL THE FOOTBALL PLAYER MONEY SHOULD BE LIKE MAYBE THE COUNTIES CAN WORK TOGETHER AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER AND WE CAN DO A FUNDRAISER FOR THE EXTRA MONEY BECAUSE THE POLICE HAVE TO HAVE THEIR FUNDS . THEY PROTECT US.

WITHOUT THEM, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? BUT I'M GOING TO CALL THE GOVERNOR, TO SEE IF WE CAN START A FUNDRAISER AND RAISE MONEY FOR THE BLUE AND SUPPORT THEM THAT WAY, BUT THE TAX, WE CAN'T AFFORD IT, BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S ELECTRIC IS DIFFERENT WHEN YOU RUN YOUR AC MOORE, AND YOUR OTHER MACHINES AT HOME BECAUSE IT'S HOTTER OUT. IT'S HARDER TO BREATHE AND I HAVE TO KEEP MY AC SOMETIMES AT 65 TO 70, JUST SO I CAN BREATHE . IT MAKES THE ELECTRIC GO HIGHER, BUT THEN, IT GOES OFF AND ON CONSTANTLY BECAUSE, FORGIVE ME FOR SAYING THIS, BUT MY HOT FLASHES AND MY BREATHING, I CAN'T AFFORD IT AND IT MAKES IT HARDER BECAUSE YOU ARE RUNNING ALL THE MACHINES IN THE HOUSE MORE, SO THE ELECTRIC GOES UP HIGHER,THE HIGHER THE TAXES FOR THE ELECTRIC, PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD IT. EVERYBODY'S SITUATION IS DIFFERENT. SO WE ALL BEG YOU GUYS TO PLEASE FIND ANOTHER WAY TO RAISE THIS MONEY, AND I'M GOING TO PERSONALLY CALL THE GOVERNOR WHEN I GET HOME.

>> THANK YOU MISS PARISH. THANK YOU. AND DO YOU DRIVE YOUR

MOTHER? WITH HER VISION -- >> SHE'S GOT DRIVING GLASSES.

I'M GOING TO MAKE SURE SHE GETS HER MEDICATION.

>> THANK YOU. JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE SAFE. THANK

YOU. >> LEWIS VOLK AND AFTER ESTHER

VOLK IS DENNIS MATHENY. >> GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY. I WILL BE PARROTING WHAT MOST PEOPLE HAVE SET ALREADY, I MOVED HERE TO FLORIDA IN 2010. AND, IN THE LAST 15 YEARS, JUST MY WATER BILL WENT FROM $70, ROUGHLY, A QUARTER, NOW IT'S LIKE $80, A MONTH, WHICH IS AROUND 400% INCREASE, IN 15 YEARS. ME AS WELL AS MOST SENIOR CITIZENS, WE LIVE ON FIXED INCOMES, WE GET PAY RAISES, COST OF LIVING, CLAY ELECTRIC WENT FROM ACCESS CHARGE OF $23 A MONTH, IT'S NOW $37 A MONTH IN 4 1/2 YEARS, WHICH IS OVER 40%, WHICH IS WELL OVER WHAT THE COST OF LIVING HAS BEEN, AND THERE'S ALL THESE OTHER TAXES ADDED THEN, LIKE MOST SENIORS, BECAUSE THE COST OF LIVING IS HERE, SPENDING IS HERE, EVERY YEAR WE HAVE TO TURN AROUND, WE HAVE TO GIVE UP, WE GET A LITTLE BIT HERE, A LITTLE BIT THERE, AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S NICE TO HAVE, OR GO TO A NICE RESTAURANT ONCE A WHILE BUT NOW YOU ARE STUCK TO GO TO FAST FOOD PLACES, AND THAT'S THE WAY LIFE IS, THOUGH, I'D LIKE TO SEE THE BOARD DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT BUT I'M JUST GIVING MY COMMENTS, THANK YOU.

>> DENNIS MATHENY, AND THEN AFTER THAT, JERRY CLARK -- GARY

CLARK. >> THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK, I'M THE TREASURE ON THE H AWAY BOARD, AND WE HAVE 220 UNITS THERE, AND A LOT OF THE PEOPLE COME TO THE MEETINGS ALL THE TIME AND THEY SAY THEY CAN'T AFFORD ONE MORE RAISE AND NOW WE ARE GOING TO GET ANOTHER TAX RAISE. WE HAVEN'T GOT A RAISE FOR THE BUDGET FOR THE COUNTY YET. WE HAVEN'T GOT A BUDGET FOR CLAY UTILITY, WE HAVEN'T GOT A BUDGET FOR ELECTRIC CO-OP, SO WE ARE GOING TO EXPECT THOSE ALL TO BE RAISED. I TRIED TO CALL TODAY, I COULDN'T EVEN GET A COPY OF THE BUDGET OR THEY WOULDN'T TELL ME HOW TO GET A COPY OF THE BUDGET.

I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO. I THINK THESE MEETINGS, FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS NEEDS TO BE HELD AT 6:00 OR 7:00, SO YOU CAN GET 1000 PEOPLE HERE INSTEAD OF WHAT YOU HAVE NOW BECAUSE WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS YOU'RE ONLY INCREASING IN THE

[00:35:02]

THAT'S UNFAIR TAXATION, IN MY OPINION. I USUALLY COME HERE AND PAT YOU ON THE BACK, TODAY, I'M A LITTLE UPSET, SO, OTHER THAN THAT , LIKE THE OTHER LADY SAID, 10% IS A 150% INCREASE, THAT'S RIDICULOUS. $7 MILLION. I COME FROM A CITY UP NORTH, BACK IN 2019, AND IT WAS DEMOCRATS AND ALL THEY COULD THINK ABOUT WAS INCREASE THE TAXES, AND NOW I GET DOWN HERE, THE NAMES CHANGE BUT THE GAME IS THE SAME. I'M SORRY TO SAY IT THAT WAY, BUT I'M ON FIXED INCOME, MY WIFE IS ON FIXED INCOME, IT'S GETTING TOUGH, IT'S GETTING A WHOLE LOT TOUGHER. SO PLEASE , I WORK FOR A UTILITY COMPANY AND THE UTILITY COMPANY WOULD ALWAYS INSERT 15% RAISE, PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION SAYS, GIVE THEM HALF.

AND I HOPE THAT'S NOT WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT HERE. ASK FOR 10, GET FIVE. THAT'S NOT BEING FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE IN MY OPINION. THE OTHER THING IS, IT'S NOT WHAT YOU GOT, IT'S WHAT YOU DO WITH WHAT YOU'VE GOT. AND I KNOW THINGS HAVE GONE UP BECAUSE BEING ON THE H AWAY BOARD, EVERYTHING IS DOUBLE ON US, TOO, IT'S TERRIBLE. I VISITED FIRE STATION 20 AND FIRE STATION 15, YOU NEED THOSE FIRE STATIONS CHANGE, THOSE ARE TERRIBLE. IN MY OPINION, THEY OUGHT TO BE TORN DOWN. AND YOU ARE DOING IT, AT LEAST ON 20, NOW IT'S COMING UP HERE IN A COUPLE OF DAYS. I SUPPORT THE POLICE AND THE FIRE, BUT I DON'T THINK IT WAS GOOD THAT YOU WENT AND GOT FIVE FIRE STATIONS SET UP, YOU TURNED AROUND AND BORROWED MONEY NOW AT THE HIGHER INTEREST RATE, IF WE WOULD WAIT UNTIL WE GOT RID OF THIS FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIRMAN, MAYBE WE CAN DROP 2%, YOU CAN SAVE MILLIONS. SOMEBODY NEEDS TO START LOOKING INTO FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY. OTHER THAN THAT, I GUESS I'M CUT OFF. WILL WE

HAVE ANOTHER TIME TO SPEAK? >> NOT AT THE WORKSHOP BUT YOU WILL AT THE PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT AT 5:00. THAT'S WHEN THE ACTUAL VOTE ON THE UTILITY TAX IS IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK ON

THAT MATTER. >> I DIDN'T GET TO SPEAK ON THE JUDGE OR ANYTHING ELSE. NOT ENOUGH TIME.

>> YOU CAN SPEAK ON THAT AT THE MEETING AT 4:00. GARY CLARK, AND AFTER MR. CLARK IS RICHARD WARNER.

>> THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING TO LET ME SPEAK ON THIS. I RECOMMEND EVERYONE OF YOU SAY NO TO THIS 6% INCREASE. YOU'VE GOT TO LEARN HOW TO TIGHTEN YOUR BELT, THE COUNTY HAS WASTED MORE MONEY THAN WHAT THEY NEED, LOOK AT SANDRIDGE ROAD, EVERY ONE OF THESE POLICEMEN HERE CAN TELL YOU IT'S NOTHING BUT AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN, IN AN EMERGENCY, THEY CAN'T PASS US, AND THEY KNOW THAT, BECAUSE OF THE CURBS THAT ARE THERE, WE'VE WASTED MONEY IN BUILDINGS, ROADS, WE DIDN'T MAKE THE BUILDERS, YOU ARE IN MEETINGS WITH ALL OF THE LAKE ASBURY CENTER VILLAGE, ALL THEY TALKED ABOUT WAS WE NEED THESE VILLAGE CENTERS,, NOBODY, PUT ALL OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WERE PROPOSED. EVERYONE OF YOU SAID IT WAS A PREVIOUS COUNTY COMMISSIONER THAT APPROVED THIS. WELL, YOU HAVE RESPONSIBILITY TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS BECAUSE THEY VOTED YOU IN. EVERYONE OF YOU WERE VOTED IN, IF YOU DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT THEY SAY THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW, YOU WILL BE GONE, YOU WON'T GET REELECTED.

WE HAVE 44,000 NEW HOMES COMING IN. THE REVENUE OF PROPERTY TAXES SHOULD BE GOING UP, BECAUSE AVERAGE HOME PRICE NOW IS AROUND $350,000 IN CLAY COUNTY, APPROXIMATELY THAT. WE ARE BASING THAT THE INCREASE WILL BRING IN ABOUT $7 MILLION WHICH IS WRONG BECAUSE THE WAY THE ELECTRICITY IS USED, THERE'S NOT MANY HOMES THAT DO NOT USE OR YEAH, I THINK SOMEBODY SAID SOMETHING LIKE SIX DOLLARS IS ALL IT'S GOING TO GO. NO. $300 ELECTRIC BILL IS GOING TO ADD $18 WITH. EVERYONE HERE PROBABLY HAS AN ELECTRIC BILL CLOSE TO THAT IN THE SUMMERTIME AND IN THE WINTERTIME WHEN WE HAVE SUPER COLD WINTERS.

WE'VE WASTED MONEY LIKE THAT PARK DOWN AT CAMP LANDING, HOW MUCH MONEY DID THE COUNTY SPEND ON THAT? WE ARE THROWING MONEY

[00:40:01]

>> THANK YOU MR. CLARK. THE LAST COMMENT CARD THAT I HAVE IS FROM

RICHARD WARNER. >> GOOD MORNING. I SENT AN EMAILED TO THE FIVE OF YOU ABOUT 10 DAYS OR SO AGO, THE UTILITY TAX IS A TAX THAT HELPS TO FUND COUNTY GOVERNMENT. THE UTILITY CLAY ELECTRIC, DOES NOT WANT THAT INCREASE. THEY'VE STATED THAT PUBLICLY AND THAT'S PROBABLY ONE REASON MANY OF US ARE HERE. I THINK THAT TAX ON OUR UTILITY BILL SHOULD BE ZERO AND WHENEVER FUNDS ARE NEEDED TO OPERATE THE COUNTY EFFICIENTLY , SHOULD BE IN OUR PROPERTY TAXES. AM I A PROPERTY TAX MAN? NO, BUT WE ARE MISLEADING OURSELVES TO TALK ABOUT MAYBE WE ARE ONLY GOING TO RAISE IT FROM 4 TO 5 OR SIX. IF YOU GO FROM 4% TO 10%, WHICH IS THE STATE CAT -- CAP, AT THE 600 BASIS POINT INCREASE, THAT AMOUNT SHOULD BE ZERO, AND WHATEVER FUNDS YOU NEED FROM THAT ADDITIONAL $7 MILLION PRESS -- +4 TO $5 MILLION, SHOULD BE INCORPORATED IN OUR PROPERTY TAXES, THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU MR. WARNER. I DO NOT HAVE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT CARDS, IS THERE ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK FOR PUBLIC COMMENT THAT WE DIDN'T GET TO? YES SIR.

>> AND WE WILL NEED YOU TO TURN IN A CARD, IF YOU COULD STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS WHEN YOU COME TO THE MICROPHONE, PLEASE.

>> GOOD MORNING, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME COME UP AND SPEAK, MY NAME IS JOHN C NASTY FACE, JUST KIDDING, KENNETH BENENSON, JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS I WANTED TO POINT OUT, I WILL KEEP IT BRIEF, RETIRED MATH TEACHER AND THE GENTLEMAN THAT JUST SPOKE SAID SOMETHING VERY TRUE, I NOTICED IN THE PUBLIC DOCUMENTS THAT WERE PUBLISHED REGARDING THIS SITUATION IS THAT THE INCREASE WAS GOING FROM 4% TO 10%, WHICH IS A 6% INCREASE, THAT'S NOT CORRECT, FOLKS, WHEN I WAS TEACHING MATH, I REMEMBERED A FEW THINGS AND ONE OF THE THINGS IS THAT THE 150% INCREASE TO GO FROM 4 TO 10, SO I KNOW MANY OF YOU PROBABLY ARE THINKING ABOUT MAYBE DOING A LITTLE BIT OF A COMBINATION THING, RAISE UP A LITTLE BIT OR NOT, OR REDUCE EXPENSES, AND I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THAT. SINCE MY ROLE AS A RETIRED MATH TEACHER I'VE ALSO BECOME A PERSONAL FINANCIAL COUNSELOR AND THE LAST SIX MONTHS I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE AND HONOR TO WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, SERVING OUR MEMBERS HELPING THEM WITH PERSONAL FINANCIAL SITUATIONS. THEY ARE STRAPPED, FOLKS, THEY'RE HAVING A TOUGH TIME PAYING THEIR BILLS, WORK WITH PEOPLE EVERY DAY THAT WERE WORKING IN WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER GOOD PAYING JOBS IN THE MILITARY WHO WERE NOT ABLE TO PAY THEIR BILLS AND A UTILITY TAX LIKE THIS IS A REGRESSIVE TAX MEANING IT'S A TAX THAT BASICALLY LOWER INCOME PEOPLE PAY A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF THEIR OVERALL INCOME. AND I'D LIKE YOU TO CONSIDER THAT BEFORE YOU MAKE A DECISION AND LASTLY, I WAS GIVEN THIS RECOMMENDATION BY MY SON, A WONDERFUL BOOK, I HOPE MANY OF YOU HAVE ALREADY HEARD OF IT, IT'S CALLED STRONG TOWNS, IF YOU HAVE NOT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT. IT TALKS ABOUT HOW TO RUN GOVERNMENT SUFFICIENTLY, BY THE BUDGET, AND UNDERSTAND HOW SPRAWLING SERVICES CAN END UP BEING A BURDEN ON EVERYONE IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LETTING ME SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY.

>> THANK YOU, IF YOU WOULD FILL OUT A PUBLIC COMMENT CARD AND MAKE SURE THAT ONE OF OUR DEPUTIES GETS IT. THANK YOU VERY

[1.  Current Status of Budget]

>> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. WAITING FOR THE SLIDE DECK TO COME UP. WHILE WE ARE WAITING ON THAT, THE FIRST SLIDE, JUST RESTATING OUR RESERVE FOR REQUIREMENT, THAT BASES OUR

[00:45:05]

[3.  Review of Reductions for 25/26]

>> CAN WE GO OVER THE COST OF THESE?

>> I GOT A SLIDE IN THERE. >> KIND OF WALKING THROUGH IN DETAIL, WHEN I HEARD FROM THE BOARD AND I THINK STAFF HEARD FROM THE BOARD IS THE PROJECTS ON THIS LIST AND I CAN GO THROUGH EACH ONE OF THEM INDIVIDUALLY, KIND OF HAD CONSENSUS THAT THESE WERE 2025 AND 2026 THINGS THAT WE CAN REMOVE FROM THE BUDGET. THIS IS THE LIST OF PROJECTS THAT WE'VE REDUCED FROM THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET THAT WE STARTED WITH .

KIND OF REMINDING YOU HOW THE BUDGET PROCESS WORKS. WE STARTED WITH ALL OF THE REQUESTS FROM THE COUNTY THAT ALL THE DEPARTMENT SAID THEY NEEDED, FACILITIES HAD A SIGNIFICANT ASK FOR FACILITIES TO MAINTAIN OUR FACILITIES. WE AS COUNTY MANAGERS REDUCE THAT LIST AND WHAT WE RECOMMENDED, THESE ARE FURTHER REDUCTIONS FROM THE RECOMMENDED LIST TO GET TO WHAT WE CONSIDER THE BEST BUDGET WE COULD PUT FORWARD. THIS ABOUT $6.2 MILLION IN REDUCTIONS FROM THAT ORIGINAL RECOMMENDED BUDGET. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ON THE SLIDE

BEFORE I MOVE FORWARD. >> I JUST HAVE A POINT, I LISTEN TO FIVE TOP ONES THAT I LOOKED AT, JUST FOR THE LISTENING PUBLIC, SENIOR CENTER HVAC WAS CUT FROM NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, I THINK IT WAS MIDDLEBURG, SIDEWALK REPAIR, $150,000 WAS CUT, MIDDLEBURG LIBRARY, WINDOWS WERE CUT, FOR $50,000, AND THE PAL BALL FIELD, LIGHTING WAS CUT FOR $1 MILLION, STORMWATER REPAIRS WERE CUT BY $1.6 MILLION, SO, WE'VE GOT TO LOOK FOR WAYS TO SAVE, THIS IS HOW YOU SAVE . I JUST WANT TO POINT THAT OUT. THOSE WERE ON THE LIST.

>> OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THAT SLIDE? OKAY.

[2.  Review of Reductions for 24/25]

>> SO THESE ARE PROJECTS THAT ARE IN YOUR CURRENT BUDGET THAT STAFF FEELS LIKE WE HAVE CONSENSUS FROM TO REDUCE THE PROJECTS AT THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER REDUCTION OF $2.4 MILLION, THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WERE IN YOUR CURRENT ADOPTED BUDGET THAT HAVE NOT BEEN COMPLETED AND WE WOULD RECOMMEND REDUCING OUT OF THIS BUDGET TO GET TO THE FINAL NUMBER. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS

SLIDE. >> SIGNIFICANT ITEMS ON THIS LIST, LIGHTING HAS BEEN CUT FOR 50,000, FLOORIN, WAS CUT 50,000 , THE RONNIE VAN ZANDT LIGHTING WAS CUT FOR $150,000 AND THE FLEMING ISLAND LIBRARY PARKING LOT RESURFACING WAS CUT FOR

$300,000. >> THE PAGE BEFORE, ARE WE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING THESE RIGHT NOW ARE WE JUST GOING TO GO THROUGH

IT? >> IT'S AT THE DISCRETION OF THE CHAIR AND THE BOARD. REALLY AT THIS POINT, TO GET TO THE BOTTOM LINE NUMBER THAT WE PRESENT THE BUDGET, THESE ARE THE CUTS WE FEEL WE NEED TO MAKE TO GET CLOSER TO BALANCING.

>> YOU ARE GOING BACK -- >> CAN YOU GIVE A RUNDOWN OF THE COURTHOUSE ROOF. I WOULD SAY THAT I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT WE

[00:50:02]

>> ABSOLUTELY, WITH THE HISTORICAL COURTHOUSE WE DID A RENOVATION A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO THAT TACKLED THE SECOND STORY ROOF , THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER DESIGN DONE FOR THE FIRST FLOOR WINGS AND THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE FOR THE $350,000. ESSENTIALLY 5000 SQUARE FOOT, LOOKING TO REPLACE IT, PITCHES NEED TO BE IN THERE, WE ARE GOING TO PUT MODIFIED FITNESS FOR SOME OF THE OTHER ONES BUT THE CURRENT CONDITIONS RIGHT NOW, IT'S OLD, IT'S SWELLING, THERE'S VALLEYS, THERE'S A PARAPET ISSUE, WE ARE PATCHING AS MUCH AS WE CANCEL AND WE HAVE A BIG STORM, THE STORMS THAT COME THROUGH, WE HAVE SOME LEAKING IN THERE. WE WILL GO IN THERE, BUT SOME BUCKETS UNDERNEATH, WHEN IT DRIES OUT WE WILL PATCH IT WITH THE BEST THAT WE CAN. AT SOME POINT YOU HAVE TO REPAIR THAT ROOF. DO WE DELAY OR POSTPONE IT, THAT'S THE BOARD'S DECISION.

>> SO NEXT YEAR WHEN WE ARE IN THE SAME SPOT, THEN WE SAY OH,

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO NOW? >> YES MA'AM AND WE ARE ALWAYS WORKING WITH TROY'S TEAM AS WELL, IT'S DIFFICULT TIMES NOW BECAUSE WE HAD A HIGH PROBABILITY, WHERE GRANTS ARE RIGHT NOW, THAT'S NOT A PROBABILITY. WE WILL PRESENT OPTIONS TO YOU THE BEST WE CAN BUT AT SOME POINT IT'S GOT TO

GET DONE. >> SO STAFF WILL HAVE TO MOVE

SOMEWHERE IF IT GETS BAD. >> TO MY KNOWLEDGE I DON'T THINK THEY'VE HAD TO MOVE, AND THEY'VE HAD LEAKS IN THERE, THE TEAM HAS GONE IN THERE AND MADE REPAIRS.

>> BUT EVENTUALLY THEY WOULD. >> THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF WHAT OUR KIDS GO THROUGH IN SCHOOLS. WHAT ABOUT GREEN COVE

SPRINGS? >> WE'VE GOT A TOTAL OF 18 UNITS. THIS YEAR WE ARE REPLACING FIVE UNITS, NEXT YEAR, LOOKING TO REPLACE ANOTHER FIVE UNITS OUT OF THE 18 TOTAL. WE CAN DELAY THAT FOR ANOTHER YEAR, THOSE SYSTEMS WE ARE LOOKING AT REPAIRING OUR 19 YEARS RIGHT NOW. IS THERE A RISK ASSOCIATED

WITH IT, POSSIBLE. >> YOU'VE BEEN PATCHING UP AGAIN PRETTY MUCH FOR THAT? THE SLEEPY HOLLOW OFFICE, I HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THAT, AND I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THAT BEFORE, I WAS TOLD YESTERDAY THEY HAD THE DOOR OPEN SO THEY ARE WORKING WITH EXTREME HEAT, SO TELL ME ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING WHERE AGAIN, OUR STAFF IS HAVING TO DEAL WITH THEM.

>> I LEFT THE MEETING AND WENT STRAIGHT TO SLEEPY HOLLOW. I WOULD SAY THEY DID HAVE THE DOOR OPEN WITH THE AC RUNNING BUT THAT'S WHAT IT WAS, I TALKED WITH THE STAFF THAT WAS ON-SITE , IT'S A WINDOW UNIT AND THEY ARE IN A SMALL BUILDING, WHEN THE DOORS CLOSED AND THE UNITS ARE RUNNING, IT DOES ITS JOB, BUT PEOPLE DO HAVE TO ADHERE TO KEEPING THE DOORS AND WINDOWS CLOSED WHEN IT'S EXTREMELY HOT OUTSIDE. THAT IS ANOTHER ONE YOU HAVE TO JUST WAIT, YOU KNOW THE RISK OF HOW OLD IT IS, CAN YOU POSTPONE AND DELAY THAT ONE FOR ANOTHER YEAR, YOU COULD, THE WINDOW UNIT IS SUFFICIENT, BUT AT SOME POINT I THINK YOU NEED TO GET THOSE PEOPLE THE RIGHT THING.

>> HOW DOES THE REST OF THE BUILDING LOOK BESIDES THE AC?

>> IT'S HABITABLE, TO BE HONEST.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> ABSOLUTELY, MA'AM.

>> ANYTHING ELSE? >> OKAY, ON THE NEXT SLIDE, I HAD A QUESTION, TROY, WE ARE NOT GOING TO DO HURRICANE HELENE OR

HURRICANE MILTON? >> WE PUT MONEY INTO THOSE FUNDS FOR THOSE DISASTERS, SO WE SPENT ALL THE MONEY, WE ARE RELEASING IT BACK TO THE BUDGET. BASICALLY WE PUT ABOUT $500,000 WHENEVER A HURRICANE WOULD GET DECLARED, THAT'S THE LEFT OVER, SO WE ARE

JUST BEING TRANSPARENT. >> THANKS.

>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THAT SLIDE?

>> SO OVERALL, KIND OF WHERE WE ARE AT, WITH MAINTAINING THE

[00:55:01]

>> ON TOP OF THE $4 MILLION. OTHER ITEMS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP AT THE LAST WORKSHOP THAT WE DID LIST OUT ON HERE, ELIMINATING 15 POSITIONS, SO THOSE WERE NOT ADDITIONAL POSITIONS MAY COUNTY, WE STARTED THE BUDGET AT A FLAT FTE, RATHER THAN FIRE RESCUE, THOSE WOULD BE TAKING 15 POSITIONS OFF THE BOOKS .

>> AND THEY ARE VACANT TODAY? >> IT WOULD BE AT THE COUNTY

MANAGER'S DISCRETION. >> BUT I JUST WANTED TO PUT IT OUT THERE THAT NO ONE IS PROPOSING THAT ANYONE LOSE THEIR

JOB? >> THIS WOULD SAVE ABOUT $1 MILLION, AND REDUCED THE RESERVES FOR YOUR OTHER TWO FUNDS, TO MATCH WHAT THE SHERIFF SAYS IS 3% SO THAT WOULD DROP IT DOWN TO 3% AND SAVE HALF $1 MILLION. THAT DOES PUT YOU AT RISK FOR A CARRYFORWARD NEXT YEAR. BUT IT'S YEAR-TO-YEAR. SO AT THIS POINT, MA'AM, DISCUSSION OR COMMENTS BEFORE WE

GET DISCUSSING CIP . >> LET'S GO BACK TO THE 15 POSITIONS. SO FROM WHAT I REMEMBER, WE HAD ALREADY DONE THAT TO OUR STAFF AND EMPLOYEES, SO THIS WILL MAKE US GO NEGATIVE ON WHAT WE NEED TO MAKE THE COUNTY RUN SUFFICIENTLY. CAN YOU COMMENT TO THAT, FIRST, I MEAN, I'M SURE EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM KNOWS THAT WE CONSTANTLY GET CALLS ABOUT STORM WATER PROBLEMS, ABOUT THE GRASS NOT BEING CUT IN THE MEDIANS, ABOUT POTHOLES, SO THAT'S ALL PUBLIC WORKS, TELL ME HOW IS THAT GOING TO AFFECT THEM WHEN WE ALREADY HAVE REARRANGED EVERYONE TO MAKE IT, TO DOGE, WHICH EVERYONE HERE, I'VE GOT TONS OF EMAILED, WHY DON'T WE DOGE OUR COUNTY, THIS COUNTY DOES DOGE, WE'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR YEARS, IT DIDN'T JUST HAPPEN BECAUSE THE GOVERNOR ASKED BUT WHEN THE GOVERNOR ASKED WE ACTUALLY DOGE EVEN MORE. CAN YOU JUST ADDRESS THAT, HOW'S THAT GOING TO AFFECT THAT, WHENEVER SOMEONE CALLS US AND THEY DON'T HAVE

ENOUGH PEOPLE . >> MADAM CHAIR, IF I MAY, SO THE 15 POSITIONS, JUST TURNING BACK TIME ON WHAT WE TOOK A LOOK AT THE ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AND RECLASSIFY THOSE, CREATED THE COMMUNITY INFORMATION SERVICES GROUP TO ANSWER PHONE CALLS AND TO PULL THOSE ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS, WE RECLASSIFIED POSITIONS, SO ULTIMATELY, WHEN WE DID DO THAT , SIX POSITIONS WERE AFFECTED, SO THOSE SIX ARE WITHIN THE 15. WHEN WE TOOK A LOOK AT IT, WE SPREAD OUT, I CAUGHT BOOTS ON THE GROUND, PEOPLE THAT WOULD GO OUT THERE, MOW THE GRASS, FILL A POTHOLE, THEY WERE SPREAD OUT, NOT ONLY WITH PUBLIC WORKS BUT ALSO TO FACILITIES, GROUND MAINTENANCE, AND THOSE AREAS THAT WOULD HAVE SOMEBODY ADDRESS THOSE. IN THE MEANTIME, I'VE TAKEN A LOOK AT IT AND GIVEN DIRECTION, IF WE HAVE SOMEBODY THAT HAS MOVED ON, OUT OF POSITION, WE LOOK AT HOW CRITICAL THAT POSITION IS, AND TO SAY, WELL, MAYBE WE DO NOT FILL THAT POSITION AND IT COULD BE ACROSS THE BOARD, IT MAY BE A LIBRARY, MAY BE SOMEWHERE ELSE AND WE WOULD NOT WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT REDUCING ANYBODY AN ANIMAL SERVICES WE WOULD TAKE THAT POSITION AND REPURPOSE IT TO A BOOTS ON THE GROUND, SO WEEKLY WE MEET, BOTH PUBLIC WORKS AND ENGINEERING, WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT ALL THE NEEDS AND THE DEMAND SIGNAL THAT WE NEED.

WE OBVIOUSLY ARE NOT GOING TO IGNORE THAT, IF WE NEED TO RECLASSIFY A POSITION OUT THERE, TO CONVERT THAT POSITION TO A

[01:00:01]

OF THOSE FTES. >> TO MAKE THE COUNTY RUN

EFFICIENTLY. >> DOESN'T MEAN PEOPLE WILL BE OUT THERE WORKING HARDER AND THOSE THINGS, YES MA'AM, AND AGAIN, WE WILL ADJUST ACCORDINGLY.

>> FOR EXAMPLE, IS IT TRUE THAT WE HAVE QUITE A LARGE BACKLOG

THAT THEY CAN'T EVEN GET TO? >> IT COMES SEASONALLY AND WE COULD ASK ERIC POPE TO COME UP AND ADDRESS THOSE.

>> NUMBER ONE, THAT'S THE FIRST I'VE HEARD OF IT, NUMBER TO MY UNDERSTANDING THESE WERE PEOPLE TO ANSWER THE PHONES AND TO DO ADMINISTRATIVE WORK, NOT PEOPLE OUT DOING THE WORK, SO I THINK THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT. SO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE 15 POSITIONS ARE AND WHAT IS THE BACKLOG THAT WE CAN'T GET TO IN PUBLIC WORKS BECAUSE IT'S SHOCKING TO ME WE WOULD GET TO OUR THIRD BUDGET WORKSHOP AND WE ARE BEING TOLD, NOWHERE HAS THAT

BEEN IN ANY OF OUR DOCUMENTS. >> I CALLED AND ASKED. THAT'S

HOW I GOT THOSE ANSWERS. >> 2 TO 3 WORKSHOPS AGO, YOU EXPLAINED TO ME PERSONALLY, THE RESHUFFLING OF STAFF WAS FOR THE CALL CENTER, SO I'VE KNOWN THE WHOLE TIME THESE 15 ARE BOOTS ON THE GROUND POSITION. I'VE KNOWN THAT.

>> MADAM CHAIRMAN, PUBLIC WORKS, THE BACKLOG OR A LOT OF THAT HAS TO DO WITH NOT NECESSARILY BOOTS ON THE GROUND OR PERSONNEL RIGHT NOW. WE ALWAYS HAVE TURNOVER ESPECIALLY IN OUR LOWER POSITIONS, THAT'S BEEN CONSTANT, THAT HAS NEVER REALLY CHANGED. I WOULD SAY ONE OF OUR BIGGEST THINGS IS WE ARE WORKING AS EFFICIENTLY AS WE CAN BUT OUR NUMBER OF INCREASED SERVICE DEMANDS AND REQUESTS, KEEPS GROWING, AS A WHOLE, WHENEVER WE COME ACROSS STORMWATER STRUCTURES, A LOT OF THEM ARE COMING, GETTING CLOSE TO FAILURE, SO A LOT OF THOSE GO INTO UNFUNDED PROJECTS, WE TRY AND DO AS BEST AS WE CAN, WE ARE LOOKING AS CLOSELY AS WE CAN TO GETTING MORE EFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE AND WE ARE DOING THE BEST WE CAN BUT WE ONLY HAVE A LIMITED AMOUNT OF TIME AND PEOPLE AND WE TRY AND DO AS BEST

AS WE CAN WITH THE PRIORITIES. >> IS IT BACKLOG BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE OR BACKLOG BECAUSE YOU HAVE

UNFUNDED PROJECTS? >> A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH.

>> SO WHAT ARE YOUR UNFUNDED PEOPLE THAT AREN'T FUNDED TODAY BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T CUT ANY POSITIONS FROM 24-25.

>> WE'VE HAD NO CUTS IN MY DEPARTMENT DIRECTLY, WE HAD A COUPLE OF ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS THAT MOVED OVER BUT THAT'S NO CHANGE THAT BECAUSE WE ARE STILL RECEIVING ORDERS AND SIGNING WORK AND STUFF LIKE THAT. THAT'S NOT REALLY A CHANGE, SO PERSONNEL WISE, WE HAVEN'T. WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT DECIDED TO MOVE ON, THEY DON'T WANT TO CONTINUE TO DO WORK FOR

US. >> I'M CONFUSED. YOU SET -- SAID UNFUNDED POSITIONS OR UNFUNDED PROJECTS AND YOU SAID A LITTLE OF BOTH, WHAT ARE THE POSITIONS BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T CUT ANY POSITIONS FROM YOUR DEPARTMENT.

>> NO, I'M FILLED, POSITIONS THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW WHERE WE JUST HAVEN'T HAD ANYONE APPLY OR WE HAVEN'T

HIRED YET. >> SO HOW MANY OF THOSE UNFILLED

POSITIONS ARE IN THIS 15. >> I'M TRACKING THAT AT ZERO.

>> IF NONE OF THEM ARE IN THE 15, THEN IT'S NOT A TRANSPARENT PICTURE TO PAINT TO THE PUBLIC THAT WE WOULD NOT BE DOING PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO CUT PUBLIC WORKS

JOBS. >> MAYBE NOT BY PERSONNEL BUT BY FUNDS, SO, OKAY, HAVING EVERYONE DO ALL THE JOBS THEY DO, ALL OF THE REPAIRS, CUTTING THE GRASS, HERBICIDAL SPRING, FILLING POTHOLES AND DOING WORK ON ROADS, EVERYTHING WE DO, OUR LEVEL OF SERVICES, THE REQUESTS HAVE INCREASED OVER TIME, AND SOME OF THOSE ITEMS WE CAN'T DO LIKE THE STORMWATER REPAIRS, THEY ARE BEYOND OUR CAPABILITY OR IT WOULD BE A DIVERTING OF OUR TIME TO DO THINGS SO IT WOULD BE AT A COST OF DOING OUR

NORMAL ROUTINE MAINTENANCE . >> BUT NONE OF THESE 15

[01:05:02]

PROJECTS. >> YES, IF I MAY, THROUGH THE CHAIR, THIS MAY HELP OUT, SO, YOU MADE A REQUEST IN THE CURRENT BUDGET FOR X NUMBER OF POSITIONS. AN INCREASE OF POSITIONS. THE BOARD DIRECTED US NO NEW FTES, SO WE REORGANIZE GETTING RID OF THE ADMIN ASSISTANCE TO MAKE US MORE EFFICIENT AND WE CREATED BASICALLY 15 VACANCIES . THE 15 VACANCIES HAVE NEVER BEEN ADVERTISED OR FILLED BECAUSE WE KNEW WE WERE GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS, ON THE ORIGINAL CHART, THOSE 15, SIX WERE GOING TO PUBLIC WORKS, THREE WERE GOING TO ENGINEERING, THREE OF THEM WERE GOING TO FACILITIES AND TWO ARE GOING TO GROUNDS MAINTENANCE. MY NUMBERS MAY BE OFF BY ONE AND A DEPARTMENT. THAT WAS THE INTENT OF THE 15 POSITIONS. IF YOU ARE CUTTING THOSE POSITIONS AND WE CUT THE ONES THAT WE CREATED THOSE WOULD BE WHAT WE CUT. IF HE SAID GO FIND 15 POSITIONS AND GO CUT INSTEAD, I THINK IT'S A DYNAMIC SITUATION, DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?

>> I DON'T WANT TO PAY THE WRONG PICTURE , FIRST OF ALL THE BUDGET IS NOT BEING VOTED ON TODAY AND IT'S ACTUALLY NOT BEING VOTED ON IT UNTIL SEPTEMBER BUT SECONDLY, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF BEING PAINTED AS AN EITHER OR AND IT'S NOT NECESSARILY AN EITHER OR, AND THAT IS THE MAIN THING I WANTED TO GET. LOOK, I HAVE SEVERAL OF YOUR UNFUNDED STORMWATER PROJECTS WERE STOP SIGNS ARE ABOUT TO FALL INTO THE DITCHES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. I GET IT, BUT, THOSE ARE THINGS WHERE THEY ARE NOT IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET AND THEY ARE NOT IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET. WE DEAL WITH IT A LOT IN DISTRICT FOR BUT WE HAVE COME TO LIVE WITH IT. BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE BEING TRANSPARENT IN WHAT WE ARE DOING. THERE IS A POSITION AND I'M NOT GOING TO GET INTO DETAILS BECAUSE IT'S NOT PERSONAL AND IT'S NOT APPROPRIATE RIGHT HERE, THERE'S A POSITION THAT SOMEONE GOT A PROMOTION EARLIER THIS YEAR IN THE COUNTY A HUGE PROMOTION , I'VE ASKED 5 TO 6 TIMES, WHAT THE PUBLIC GOT FOR THAT, WHAT THE PUBLIC GOT FOR THAT AND I HAVEN'T GOTTEN A STRAIGHT ANSWER. WHEN WE START LOOKING AT WHERE WE ARE GOING TO USE PEOPLE AND I UNDERSTAND THE COUNTY MANAGER IS THE CEO OF THE COUNTY AND HE WORKS AT THE PURVIEW OF THE BOARD BUT THAT IS AN ISSUE FOR ME. WHEN WE SAY WE ARE GOING TO CUT PEOPLE, THAT'S WHY I ASKED THE QUESTION, SO IT'S NOT EXACTLY AS CUT AND DRY AS I

THINK IT WAS BEING MADE. >> LET ME JUST ADD, THAT'S THE REASON I BROUGHT UP THE FACT, NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET WE CUT $1.6 MILLION OUT OF STORM REPAIRS. IT'S ALL THE RESOURCES, MANPOWER, MONEY, GRANTS, THAT GO INTO MANAGING THIS COUNTY, THE COUNTY IS GROWING, SO IN THE BEGINNING OF THIS BUDGET PROCESS, THERE WERE REQUESTS, WHAT KIND OF MANPOWER WILL YOU NEED, SO THERE IS A REQUEST, AND WE CAN'T AFFORD TO ADD ALL OF THE MANPOWER'S I WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW, WHEN WE HAVE TO CUT THINGS, JUST LIKE THE SHERIFF SAID, RESPONSE TIME IS GOING TO BE AFFECTED. WE CAN'T FIX THAT NEXT WEEK. MAYBE NOT NEXT MONTH, MAYBE NOT NEXT YEAR. AND WE ARE LOOKING AT THIS. THE CEO OVER HERE IS LOOKING AT IT, THE BUDGET GUYS ARE LOOKING AT

IT AND WE ARE LOOKING AT IT. >> I THINK THAT LEAVES A BAD TASTE IN SOMEONE'S MOUTH, WHENEVER SOMEONE GETS A PROMOTION, CAN WE DISCUSS THAT? I LOOK AT THE SALARIES OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE COMPARED TO OTHER COUNTIES. WE KNOW ST.

JOHNS COUNTY PAYS PUBLIC WORKS MORE, THESE PEOPLE COULD LEAVE AS SOON AS THEY WANT THEY COULD PACK UP AND MOVE IN HERE WE GO WITH SOMEONE THAT'S BEEN TRAINED AND NOW WE DON'T HAVE THAT EMPLOYEE. THERE'S SO MUCH MORE THAT GOES INTO THIS, THAT WE ARE NOT EVEN DISCUSSING SO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT THAT.

IF YOU GIVE A PROMOTION, IT'S MOST LIKELY BECAUSE YOU WANT THEM TO STAY BECAUSE THEY ARE DOING A GREAT JOB BECAUSE THEY COULD GO TO THE NEXT COUNTY OVER AND WORK FOR MORE MONEY. JUST READ ACROSS THE BRIDGE, CAN YOU DISCUSS THAT?

>> YEAH, WE DID CONDUCT A SALARY SURVEY ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, AND BASED UPON PAST BUDGETS, WE TRIED TO ADJUST, SO WE DON'T LOSE PEOPLE TO OTHER SURROUNDING COUNTIES, WHEN SOMEBODY IS PROMOTED, THEY ARE HARD-WORKING, THEY HAVE MORE RESPONSIBILITIES, THEY HAVE A JOB DESCRIPTION, THEY EXECUTE THAT JOB

[01:10:01]

>> BASICALLY IF YOU ARE WAITING RIGHT NOW FOR SOMEONE TO COME HELP YOU IN YOUR YARD OR YOUR ROAD, IT AIN'T GETTING ANY BETTER WITH WHAT WE ARE DOING HERE. IT'S NOT GETTING ANY BETTER, IT'S GOING TO GET WORSE, AND WE HAVE A GREAT COUNTY AND PEOPLE ARE COMING IN AND WE CAN'T SHUT THE GATE. SO,

ANYWAY. >> I HAVE A QUESTION, TROY, WHEN WE ARE LOOKING AT THESE ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION, THE PROPOSED REDUCTIONS, IF WE ADD THAT $3 MILLION, ARE WE STILL LOOKING AT A $1.7 MILLION SHORTFALL? > YES MA'AM, IF YOU SAID YOU ARE GETTING THESE THREE ITEMS HERE WE WOULD BE AT $1.7 MILLION SHORTFALL. THAT'S AS FAR AS STAFF COULD GET BY ALL MEANS, IF THERE'S OTHER PROJECTS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE US TO LOOK AT, WE WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO LOOK AT THOSE AND MAKE ADJUSTMENTS BUT FROM STAFF THIS IS WHAT WE FELT WE HAD CONSENSUS WITH UP TO

THE $3.9 MILLION SO. >> OTHER QUESTIONS ON THAT

[4.  CIP Review]

SLIDE? THANK YOU, ERIC. >> SO KEEP MOVING? SO, ONE THING WE HAVEN'T TALKED A LOT ABOUT, TRYING TO GET TO THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET, IS THE IP, AND I KNOW THERE WAS DISCUSSION ABOUT CAN YOU MOVE PROJECTS OUT OF YOUR OPERATIONAL BUDGET INTO CRP, SUCH AS VEHICLES. YES, BY STATUTE, YES YOU CAN, BY POLICY , BEST PRACTICE, IS GONE BOTH WAYS BUT WE WANT TO LOOK AT CIP BECAUSE WE CAN BALANCE THAT FOR FIVE YEARS, IF THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENT. THE FIRST PAGE SHOWS YOU THAT IN YEAR FIVE YOU HAVE A DEFICIT TO YOUR CIP OF $4.3 MILLION. THAT IS WHAT IS HIGHLIGHTED IN THE RED. IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, AND I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH EVERY SINGLE PROJECT, YOU'VE ALL SEEN THE CIP, YOU WILL KNOW THE SLIDES, THE NEXT ONE, JUST FLIPPING THROUGH, THE NEXT ONE, THESE ARE ALL BASED ON YOUR DIFFERENT CATEGORIES, ENGINEERING, PARKS AND REC, GO

AHEAD, TERESA, THANK YOU. >> THERE'S NOTES BEHIND THE SCENES. IT'S JUST NOTES FOR US. I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT REMOVING THOSE. PUBLIC SAFETY AND THEN IF YOU GO BACK TO THE ONE WITH THE RED SQUARE ON IT, TERESA, THIS IS JUST TO ILLUSTRATE, WE HAVEN'T UPDATED THE CIP TO UPDATE THE NEW NUMBERS SO THAT WOULD GO INTO THOSE RED BOXES, THAT'S ANOTHER 1.2, $1.3 MILLION, OF EITHER BETWEEN IMPACT FEES AND CIP, SO THAT

[01:15:04]

SEVERAL TIMES. GO AHEAD. >> I WANT TO GO BACK, BACK TO THE REVENUE SLIDE . LET ME JUST SEE IF I'M READING THIS CORRECT. CIP FUNDS, TOTAL, FOR THE YEARS, GO FROM BASICALLY $40 MILLION, DOWN TO $22 MILLION. IS THAT CORRECT? THE TOTALS.

>> RIGHT NOW YOU'VE GOT $160 MILLION IN YOUR FUND.

>> THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE TRANSPORTATION, BLOB LOBLAW. IN GENERAL, WE HAVE ABOUT $40 MILLION IN CIP FUNDS, IS THAT A

BALLPARK NUMBER? >> WE ARE SPENDING IT DOWN.

>> I KNOW, BUT WE SPENT ABOUT $40 MILLION. I WANT TO POINT OUT IN , THAT'S ALL WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FUND CIP. IT'S ABOUT $22 MILLION. I WANT TO POINT THAT OUT, THAT'S WHERE WE ARE

HEADED. >> TROY, JUST FOR VISIBILITY OF THE PUBLIC , SO THE CIP, HOW IS THE CIP FUNDED MSS FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, CORRECT? AND HOW IS THE CIP FUNDED?

>> PRIMARILY TO SALES TAX. YOU HAVE IMPACT FEES THAT ARE PART OF YOUR CIP, YOU'VE GOT YOUR BONDED MONEY, IT ALL MAKES UP YOUR ENTIRE CIP. IT'S FUNDED BY YOUR SALES TAX THAT YOU'VE IMPLEMENTED FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS. WE FUNDED IT SEVERAL YEARS AGO. AND YOU'VE BONDED AGAINST THAT. I WILL DEFER TO THE COUNTY ATTORNEY. YOU CAN'T JUST GO REPLACE LIKE FOR LIKE, IT'S GOT TO BE CAPACITY AND BUILDING. SO FIRE STATIONS, YOU ARE INCREASING THE CAPACITY OF THE FIRE STATION.

>> I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND, IN GOVERNMENT, THERE'S RULES AND REGULATIONS THAT WE CAN'T JUST TAKE MONEY OUT OF ONE BUCKET LIKE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND THROW IT EXACTLY WHERE WE WANT. YOU MENTIONED IMPACT FEES. ONE QUESTION I GOT FROM MANY RESIDENTS IS, WITH ALL THE GROWTH THAT'S COME TO CLAY COUNTY, WHY ARE THE NEW RESIDENTS NOT PAYING FOR THE SERVICES THAT WE ARE NEEDING, CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY IMPACT AND MOBILITY FEES DON'T NECESSARILY AFFECT , THEY MAY AFFECT THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THE BUILDINGS THE POLICE AND FIRE BUT THEY DON'T AFFECT OPERATIONS, CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT TO THE PUBLIC.

>> JUST LIKE THE SALES TAX IT HAS TO BE CAPACITY PERMIT, MOBILITY FEES CANNOT BE USED FOR DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS, SO WHEN YOU DID YOUR IMPACT FEE STUDY, YOU LISTED OUT EITHER PROJECTS OR A STANDARD THAT YOU ARE TRYING TO REACH AND THE PEOPLE THAT PAY THOSE FEES ARE GETTING TO THAT STANDARD. ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT YOU CURRENTLY HAVE FOR FIRE RESCUE, I CAN'T REPLACE AN ENGINE WITH IMPACT FEE MONEY, I CAN BUY A NEW ENGINE FOR A NEW STATION BUT I CAN'T PLACED AN EXISTING STATION WITH IMPACT FEE MONEY. YOU GUYS DON'T HAVE CONTROL OVER THAT. IT'S SET AT THE STATE LEVEL.

>> IT'S PLAIN HOW IMPACT FEES AND ABILITY FEES GO IN THE

BUCKET? >> CURRENTLY, YOU HAVE SEVEN DIFFERENT FEES THAT ARE CHARGED TO A NEW RESIDENT, POTENTIAL SEVEN FEES, YOU'VE GOT MOBILITY FEE, THAT'S DIVIDED INTO FIVE

[01:20:02]

>> THE NEXT PIECE IS JUST SO THE PUBLIC KNOWS, IF A, NOT TO GET TO IN THE WEEDS, JUST TO EXPLAIN THE DOLLARS AND CENTS, LET'S SAY IT'S A STANDARD 2000 SQUARE-FOOT HOME, WHAT WITH THAT IMPACT FEE LOOK LIKE, SORRY TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT.

>> I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE THAT NUMBER WITH ME.

>> IT VARIES, DEPENDING ON THE DISTRICT, BECAUSE MOBILITY FEES

CHANGED BY THE DISTRICT. >> I KNOW IT'S $7500 PLUS WHATEVER THE MOBILITY FEE IS. BUT THAT CHANGES BASED ON THE

DISTRICT. >> IT IS 7500, THAT 7500, THAT'S SPLIT INTO THOSE BUCKETS.

>> AND IT'S NOT EVENLY SPLIT. AND THAT WAS BASED ON THE STUDY THAT WAS DONE AND WHAT THE STATE ALLOWED WHEN WE ASSESSED THOSE.

I THINK IT'S BEEN TWO YEARS SINCE WE VOTED THOSE IN . AND FOR THOSE THAT ARE SITTING OUT IN THE PUBLIC AND THEY SAY WAY, I PAID OVER $20,000 ON MY IMPACT FEE, I THINK IT'S 12,500 OF IT IS THE SCHOOL IMPACT FEE THAT WE HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH.

>> AND THAT 12,000 OF THE SCHOOL CANNOT BE USED FOR PUBLIC SERVICES. IT CAN'T BE USED FOR POLICE, FIRE, ANIMAL SERVICES.

>> CORRECT, THE DIFFERENCES, SOME PEOPLE WILL REMEMBER THAT THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THE COUNTY WAS NOT ASSESSING NEW IMPACT FEES, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT NEVER ELIMINATED THEIRS, THERE WAS A TIME THAT THE COUNTY HAD ELIMINATED IT, FOR A LOT OF YEARS, AND 2 TO 3 YEARS AGO, WE PUT IT BACK INTO PLACE.

>> THE IMPACT FEE VOTE WAS DECEMBER 2022.

>> I THINK IT WAS REINSTATED BEFORE THAT.

>> THERE WAS A MORATORIUM AND THAT PUT US BEHIND.

>> YOU HAD ROAD IMPACT FEES, WENT INTO MORATORIUM, CAME BACK

WITH A MOBILITY FEE. >> WE ORIGINALLY CAME BACK WITH

THE IMPACT FEE. >> THAT WAS FOR ROADS ONLY.

>> WHICH PREDATED ANYONE ON THIS DAIS.

>> AND THAT WAS VOTED ON IN DECEMBER OF 2022. AND YOU HAD TO GIVE IT A TIME, IT HAD TO SIT FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME. IT WENT INTO EFFECT JUNE OF 2023. SO, IT'S BEEN TWO YEARS.

>> THIS IS JUST THE MOBILITY FEE, $1188. ON TOP OF THAT YOU HAVE THE IMPACT FEES AND THE SCHOOL BOARD FEE.

>> MY LAST POINT ON THIS, I HAVE OTHER POINTS I WILL MAKE LATER ABOUT INFLATION BUT NEVERTHELESS, IMPACT FEE AND MOBILITY FEES ARE A ONE TIME FEE, CORRECT, TROY? THEY ARE NOT RECURRING, IT'S NOT SOMETHING WHERE YOU TAKE AN $11,000 AND YOU KEEP GETTING IT. IT'S A ONE TIME FEE.

>> THE WAY THAT THE IMPACT FEES ARE SET UP, IT'S THE IMPACT TO MAINTAIN THE LEVEL OF SERVICE FOR YOUR INFRASTRUCTURE, SO THE IDEA IS THAT EVERYBODY HAS A CHUNK OF THE FIRE STATION, YOU ADD ANOTHER PERSON, THEY HAVE TO PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE BUT IT'S A ONE TIME FEE. THE IDEA IS THAT OTHER TAXES PAY FOR GENERAL

OPERATING EXPENSES. >> I WILL TALK ABOUT THE INFLATIONARY PRESSURES THAT A LOT OF OTHER MEMBERS OF THE

PUBLIC HAVE TALKED ABOUT. >> A QUESTION I'VE BEEN GETTING

[01:25:01]

THAT? >> THE BOARD IS GOING THROUGH A STUDY RIGHT NOW, WHICH WOULD, AGAIN, INCREASE OR CHANGE THE

MOBILITY FEES. >> BUT FOR RIGHT NOW.

>> YOU HAVE TO DO THE SETTING AND IT'S NOT GOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM THAT YOU CURRENTLY HAVE. THE CURRENT PROBLEM WE ARE TRYING TO SOLVE IS OPERATIONAL COSTS, GENERAL FUND OPERATIONS.

IMPACT FEES CANNOT BE USED FOR OPERATIONAL COSTS,

>> I'M TRYING TO EXPLAIN -- >> YEAH, THAT IS THE ANSWER AT THE END OF THE DAY. WE CAN'T TAKE AND USE IMPACT FEES TO PAY FOR THE OPERATIONAL COST OF PEOPLE, GAS, ELECTRICITY, WHATEVER ELSE WE NEED TO DO TO KEEP THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT

COMING. >> I THINK THERE'S A STATUTORY

CAP. >> THERE IS, THERE'S HOW MUCH YOU CAN INCREASE IT PER YEAR, THERE'S A MANDATE THAT YOU HAVE TO DO A STUDY EVERY FIVE YEARS. IN YOUR CURRENT BUDGET THERE IS A STUDY FOR IMPACT FEES SO WE CAN GET READY FOR THE FIVE-YEAR

WINDOW . >> OTHER QUESTIONS ON CIP?

>> FOR ME, PERSONALLY, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THIS COUNTY IS GOING TO HAVE TO DO . DIVERSIFICATION OF REVENUE IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. IT SHOULDN'T ALL COME FROM FOLKS THAT OWN PROPERTY. I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT HAS BEEN WIDELY ECHOED BY THE COMMUNITY. SO, COMMISSIONER BURKE, TO YOUR POINT, I AM IN FAVOR OF LOOKING AT, RAISING IMPACT FEES, RAISING MOBILITY FEES AND I THINK LATER WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT OTHER FEES TO CONTINUE TO DIVERSIFY OUR REVENUE. I HAVE TWO YOUNG KIDS, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE SET

[5.  Fee Schedule]

THAN JUST THIS YEAR AS WELL. >> OTHER QUESTIONS ON CIP? ALL

RIGHT. >> THE LAST SLIDE FOR CONSIDERATION , WE HAVE FEE SCHEDULE TIME, WE WILL LOOK AT BRINGING THE SCHEDULE TO YOU, IN AUGUST, SO FAR, THE CATEGORIES ARE LISTED OUT HERE, THEY ARE HIGH-LEVEL CATEGORIES THE DEPARTMENTS HAVE SAID THEY WILL BE LOOKING AT CHANGING, REALLY JUST LOOKING AT DIRECTION FROM THE BOARD, ARE THERE OTHER FEES THAT COUNTY WANTS US TO LOOK AT, ANY FEES THAT YOU WANT TO HAVE MORE DETAILS ABOUT AND THE DEPARTMENTS ARE HERE AND THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO ANSWER WHAT THEIR THOUGHT PROCESS IS. SOME OF THESE ARE TIED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.

>> HOW ARE SIDEWALK FEES ASSESSED?

>> I WILL DEFER THAT TO RICHARD SMITH OR CHARISSE .

>> RICHARD SMITH CLAY COUNTY ENGINEER.

>> THE SIDEWALK FEES ARE ASSESSED ON ANY NEW PROJECT THAT HAS PUBLIC FRONTAGE OR FRONTAGE ON A PUBLIC ROAD THAT DOES NOT HAVE A SIDEWALK. THEY CAN CHOOSE TO EITHER BUILD A SIDEWALK INTO CLAY COUNTY STANDARDS, OR THEY PAY A SET FEE THEN THE FEE CAN BE USED, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S DISTRICT LIMITED, IT CAN BE USED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY IN PLACES SUCH AS AN INDUSTRIAL PARK WHERE THERE IS NOT A SIDEWALK WITHIN 2 TO 3 MILES, WE RATHER PUT ONE IN FRONT OF A SCHOOL THAT NEEDS IT.

>> THE $75 COVER THE COST? >> USUALLY, IT DOES. THERE ARE PARTICULAR PLACES , WE'VE GOT A PROJECT COMING UP THAT THE D.O.T. IS FUNDING THAT HAS A COUPLE OF CROSSINGS WHERE THEY WILL NEED TO PUT IN D.O.T. SPECIFICATIONS, SPECIFIED BRIDGES, IT WOULDN'T PAY FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT BUT TYPICALLY, IT COVERS A FIVE FEET STANDARD.

>> YOU ARE PROPOSING INCREASING IT.

>> THAT'S JUST WHAT IT IS NOW. >> THAT WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL FEE BECAUSE THAT'S NOT SPELLED OUT IN THE FEE SCHEDULE CURRENTLY. THAT ONE WILL ACTUALLY BE AN ADDITION TO YOUR FEE SCHEDULE TO START CHARGING $75. I THINK WE'VE BEEN KIND OF

DOING IT. >> YES, WE HAVE BEEN DOING IT.

>> IN THE PAST WE ALLOW THE DEVELOPER TO GIVE US AN ESTIMATE ON WHAT IT WAS. SOME OF THEM WERE A LITTLE LESS THAN $75.

[01:30:05]

>> SO NOW WE ARE JUST GOING TO SUBMIT ACROSS THE BOARD?

>> CORRECT, THERE'S NO, THEY ARE USING, THIS CONCRETE, WE WILL SEE IF YOU HAVE 500 FEET AT $75 PER FOOT.

>> DOCUMENT FEES? >> WE HAVE A STANDARD FEE. WHAT IS THE COST FOR YOU TO COPY A PIECE OF PAPER, STAFF TIME, WITH THE COST FOR PUTTING A MAP, THAT'S WHAT YOUR STANDARD

DOCUMENT IS -- >> WHAT IS IT NOW?

>> FOR EXAMPLE, RIGHT NOW IT'S TWO DOLLARS PLUS A DOLLAR FOR EACH COPY, IT'LL GO TO A DOLLAR FOR A COPY. SO IT'S NOMINAL INCREASES, AGAIN, THE IDEA WAS IN THE PAST, WE BROUGHT THE FEE SCHEDULE TO YOU, TRYING TO FREE UP SMOKE THAT AND LET YOU SEE WAS GOING TO BE COMING, AND WE CAN GET YOU A COPY OF THE ROUGH

DRAFT OF WHERE WE ARE AT. >> COMMISSIONER?

>> RICHARD I HAD ANOTHER QUESTION, SORRY, I TRIED TO GET YOU. CAN YOU JUST COMMENT ON THE BRIDGE IMPROVEMENTS?

>> THESE BRIDGE IMPROVEMENTS ARE MONEY THAT WE SET ASIDE EVERY YEAR IN THE BUDGET, IN CASE OF, WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF BRIDGES THAT HAVE ISSUES THAT ARE NOTED, EACH BRIDGE IS INSPECTED BY THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WHETHER IT'S ON A STATE OR COUNTY ROAD. THE COUNTY BRIDGES WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ADHERING TO THEIR INSPECTIONS. 3 TO 4 OF THE BRIDGES ARE SCOUR CRITICAL MEETING WHEN WE HAVE A HEAVY RAINFALL EVENT, WE SEND A CREW OUT, AND ENGINEER OUT, TO CHECK THEM THE FOLLOWING DAY, TO SEE IF WHEN YOU HAVE A LOT OF WATER COMING DOWN, MAYBE IT WASHES AWAY SOME DIRT AND SOIL FOR THE BRIDGE, STRUCTURE, AND WE HAVE TO REPLACE IT. THIS YEAR, WE'VE HAD A VERY POSITIVE YEAR, AND WE HAVEN'T HAD TO DEAL WITH ANY OF THOSE EVENTS. IF A LOT OF TIMES IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN HANDLE IN OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENTS, YOU REMEMBER A FEW YEARS AGO IN YOUR DISTRICT ON RUSSELL ROAD, WE HAD TO GO TO THE BRIDGE NORTH OF SANDRIDGE, I THINK THAT'S WHERE RADLEY CREEK COMES ACROSS AND REMEMBER, THAT'S WHERE WE PUT UP THE TRAFFIC SIGNALS. THE AUTOMATIC TRAFFIC SIGNALS, IT'S DOWN TO ONE LANE, IT HAD TO BE ONE LANE LIKE OVERNIGHT. AND THAT ONE, WE HAVE TO GO OUT TO CONTRACTORS TO DO, IN A CASE LIKE THAT. THAT WAS CAUSED BY A RAINFALL EVENT. WE'VE BEEN OKAY WITH THAT THIS YEAR. WE DIDN'T HAVE TO USE THAT. SO THAT'S WHY THOSE BRIDGE IMPROVEMENTS, I THINK THEY WERE ELIMINATED. WE HAVEN'T USED THEM THIS YEAR.

>> DO YOU FEEL SAFE IN GETTING RID OF THAT?

>> UNTIL OCTOBER. YES MA'AM . >> WHAT ABOUT NEXT YEAR.

>> IT'S BACK IN NEXT YEAR. >> WHAT SHE'S REFERRING TO IS THE FACT WE WILL BE REDUCING THAT NEXT YEAR AND WE WILL NOT HAVE THE FULL AMOUNT SET ASIDE.

>> WE WILL HAVE TO FIX IT. WE WILL HAVE TO ADDRESS IT, IF IT

HAPPENS. THAT'S A TOUGH CUT. >> I THINK THE ANSWER THERE WOULD BE, IF SOMETHING HAPPENS, YOU WILL BE PULLING OUT YOUR

RESERVES. >> WHICH IS WHY YOU HAVE

RESERVES. >> WE DIDN'T HAVE $1 MILLION TO FIX OR PREDICT. THAT'S SOME OF THE STUFF WE TALK ABOUT WHEN WE WANT TO HAVE A STORM WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN, TO LOOK AT THESE ISSUES THAT ARE IMMINENT, MAYBE NOT THIS YEAR OR 10 YEARS

BUT WE ARE READY FOR THEM. >> THANK YOU.

>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE FEE SCHEDULE BEFORE YOU SKIPPED OVER THE UTILITY TAX SERVICE SLIDE?

>> SORRY, THAT WAS JUST THE NUMBERS WE PRESENTED BEFORE.

>> IS THERE A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC HERE, I DON'T THINK WE

SHOULD GLOSS OVER THAT. >> NOT AT ALL, THAT WAS MY --

THAT WAS NOT MY INTENT. >> THOSE ARE THE NUMBERS THAT YOU COLLECT EACH YEAR BASED ON THE 4%. SO 4.8, 4.9, THAT'S THE LAST THREE OF ACTUALS, IF YOU DO A 6%, GO UP 2%, IT WOULD GENERATE 2.4 MORE IN DOLLARS, IF YOU WENT TO THE FULL 10% OR 6%

[01:35:07]

>> THAT IS ON THE AGENDA FOR A VOTE THIS AFTERNOON AT 5:00 , THIS, ONLY, IS ON THE VOTE TODAY IN YOUR NOTE HERE, IF IT WERE PASSED, IT WOULD START IN JANUARY, THE INCREASE, BEFORE --

THE 4% IS ALREADY THERE. >> YOU HAVE TO GIVE A CERTAIN TIME PERIOD, TO IMPLEMENT A CHANGE TO THE TAX, SO THAT'S WHY WE MAKE THE NOTE THAT IT WOULD START IN JANUARY. FROM A BUDGET PERSPECTIVE, WHATEVER UMBER YOU HAVE THERE YOU WOULD COLLECT 75% OF THAT NEXT YEAR TOWARD YOUR BUDGET.

>> SO, CAN YOU ADDRESS WHAT WOULD BE YOUR REASONING FOR NOT PUTTING IT IN PROPERTY TAX LIKE A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE ASKED. THAT'S A BOARD DECISION, PROPERTY TAXES ARE DONE DIFFERENTLY. I DON'T THINK MY PERSONAL OPINION WOULD BE THE

BEST ONE. >> WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE IN PUTTING IT IN THE PROPERTY TAX .

>> THE DIFFERENCE IS WHO YOU TAX, PROPERTY TAX IS BASED ON PEOPLE THAT OWN PROPERTY, UTILITY TAXES BASED ON PEOPLE WHO USE ELECTRICITY, IT'S A DIFFERENT CALCULATION.

>> THERE'S MANY THAT HAVE EXEMPTIONS .

>> A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD NOT BE PUTTING THAT MONEY INTO THE PROPERTY TAX. IT'S NOT EVENLY ACROSS THE BOARD --

>> WE ARE NOT HEARING YOU. CAN YOU PULL YOUR MICROPHONE OVER.

IF YOU WANT TO REPEAT YOUR QUESTION?

>> IT'S NOT EVENLY ACROSS THE BOARD TO ALL OF OUR CITIZENS.

>> PROPERTY TAX IS ATTACKED -- TEXT BY -- I DON'T WANT TO MAKE

THAT STATEMENT. >> RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE PROPERTIES THAT ARE NOT TAXED AT ALL AND THE NUMBER IS ABOUT 5000 OUT OF 72,000, 77,000 PROPERTIES IN CLAY COUNTY, SO SO THE BURDEN WOULD BE MORE SO ON THE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT ARE PAYING TAXES, AND THE COST WOULD BE HIGHER THAN THE ESTIMATED SIX DOLLARS PER MONTH THAT CLAY ELECTRIC IS COMING RIGHT NOW, THAT BORDEN WOULD BE EVEN MORE, THE STRETCHES OUT THE BURDEN OF RUNNING THE COUNTY, TO ALL. I THINK EVERYBODY USES ELECTRICITY. THIS SPREADS THE BURDEN OUT TO ALL THE RESIDENTS,

SO. >> I THINK IT'S WORTHWHILE TO ADDRESS TROY, THERE WAS A QUESTION HERE TODAY, I RETURNED 62 PHONE CALLS YESTERDAY SO I CAN'T REMEMBER WHO I TALKED TO ABOUT IT AND WHO I DIDN'T, BUT WE'VE ALL SEEN EMAIL'S AND ANNA, CAN YOU ADDRESS THE UNINCORPORATED VERSUS THE CITY?

>> THREE OF YOUR FOUR MUNICIPALITIES ALREADY HAVE A UTILITY TAX IN PLACE. I DO NOT BELIEVE GREEN CODE IS BECAUSE THEY ARE THEIR OWN UTILITY. AT LEAST ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE'S WEBSITE. THIS IS ON UNINCORPORATED CLAY COUNTY. ORANGE PARK IS ALREADY PAYING,

EASTERN'S ALREADY PAYING 10%. >> I THINK THE REAL STATEMENT THERE IS NOT THAT THEY ARE ALREADY PAYING IT IT'S THAT WE

CAN'T ASSESS IT, LEGALLY. >> SURE.

>> IF YOU LIVE IN KEYSTONE HEIGHTS, CLAY COUNTY CANNOT

ASSESS YOUR COUNTY TAX. >> KEYSTONE IS ALREADY COLLECTING THE REVENUE TO THEIR GENERAL FUND, SAME WITH ORANGE PARK. SO WE CANNOT ASSESS THAT IN A MUNICIPALITY, THAT IS

CORRECT. >> AND THE REASON WE CAN EVEN HAVE THIS DISCUSSION IS BECAUSE WE ARE A CHARTER COUNTY. THERE ARE 20 CHARTER COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA BASED ON MY RESEARCH ABOUT HALF OF THEM ASSESS A UTILITY TAX OF SOME

TIME -- SOME KIND. >> I'VE NOT LOOKED AT THE NUMBERS BUT YES MA'AM, IT'S ONLY BECAUSE WE ARE A CHARTER COUNTY. AND YOU GET TO ACT LIKE A MUNICIPALITY AND THIS IS A FEE THAT MUNICIPALITIES GENERALLY CHARGE. MUNICIPALITIES CAN ALSO LEVY A UTILITY SERVICE TAX, YES.

>> ALL OF THE CHARTER COUNTIES AROUND US BASICALLY PAID 10% ,

[01:40:10]

>> I WOULD HAVE TO REFERENCE THE CHART BUT I THINK, MOST THAT MUNICIPALITIES INSTITUTE SOME SORT OF UTILITY TAX WHETHER IT'S UTILITIES, WATER, GAS, DIFFERENT ITEMS. WE CAN PULL THE

CHART BACK AND LOOK AT IT. >> THE FACT IS 47 OUT OF 67 COUNTIES, WE BEEN LIVING LIKE THAT FOR A LONG TIME AND ALSO WHY SO MANY PEOPLE ARE FLOCKING TO OUR COUNTY. EVEN IF WE INSTATE THIS TAX, WE WILL BE 42ND, SO AROUND THAT, SO, YES, IT'S WONDERFUL, IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO LIVE THAT WAY WITH LOW TAXES BUT SOMETHING'S GOT TO GIVE.

AND I'M ALL FOR OTHER OPTIONS. PEOPLE SAY THERE'S GOT TO BE OTHER OPTIONS IT'S LIKE YEAH, I'M WAITING FOR THOSE OTHER OPTIONS. YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THE WHOLE LIST AND WE ARE STILL $1.9 MILLION SHORT IN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS MAKING A LOT LESS MONEY THAN OUR NEIGHBORING COUNTIES AND FIRE RESCUE, SAME THING, I ALREADY TALKED ABOUT OUR EMPLOYEES, THEY CAN PACK UP AND LEAVE ANYTIME AND WE NEED OUR COUNTY TO WORK.

WE NEED TO BE LIVING AS WONDERFUL AS WE'VE BEEN LIVING, ANYWAY, THAT'S UTILITY TAX, TO ME.

>> TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I THINK THERE'S THREE OTHER CHARTER COUNTIES ALL THREE HAVE INSTITUTED A UTILITY TAX. THERE ARE OTHER COUNTIES THAT DON'T INSTITUTE OR HAVE A LOWER ONE.

>> DUVAL COUNTY IS A CHARTER COUNTY AND MUNICIPALITY, THEY TREAT THEMSELVES DIFFERENTLY BUT THEY HAVE IT INSTITUTED AS WELL.

>> THEY OPERATE DIFFERENTLY. SO.

>> LET'S LOOK AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE BUDGET, IT'S 105, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, DUVAL COUNTY IS 600 AND SOMETHING MILLION. THAT'S INSANE, WHENEVER YOU THINK ABOUT IT THAT

WAY. >> OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE

UTILITY TAX SLIDE? OKAY. >> WE ARE HERE TODAY AT THE WORKSHOP, WE DO HAVE THE MEETING THIS AFTERNOON . TENTATIVE BUDGET HEARING SEPTEMBER 9TH AND THE FINAL BUDGET HEARING IS SEPTEMBER 23RD. TO YOUR POINT MADAM CHAIR, UNTIL SEPTEMBER 23RD, WE KEEP WORKING THE BUDGET. THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

>> OTHER QUESTIONS FOR TROY? >> NO, I JUST HAVE A FINAL.

>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR TROY? YOU SEEM LIKE YOU ARE CHOMPING

AT THE BIT. >> WE SPOKE OF THE TAXES IN CLAY COUNTY AND YOU'RE RIGHT, FLORIDA TAX LAW AS US 47 OF THE COUNTIES. WE PAY 40% LESS, WE LOOK AT PER CAPITA, JUST LOOK AT PER PERSON LIVING IN CLAY COUNTY, WE PAY $240 LESS THAN THE STATE AVERAGE. THE RATE HAS INCREASED 85.6 IN THE LAST 10 YEARS. STATEWIDE, CLAY COUNTY HAS INCREASED 73.8% AND I WANT TO CLARIFY A COUPLE OF THINGS. NUMBER ONE, THERE WAS A COMMENT THAT SOCIAL SECURITY AND THINGS, IN 2024, SOCIAL SECURITY WAS 3.2%, AND 2025, IT'S GOING TO BE 2.5%. SO THERE IS THE COST OF LIVING , SO ANYWAY, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE RIGHT, PEOPLE COME HERE FOR GREAT SCHOOLS, VERY SECURE AND LOW TAXES SO I WOULD SAY IF YOU DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO COME, HAVE CRAPPY SCHOOLS, OR RAISE YOUR TAXES. WE GET BEAT UP BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE MOVING HERE, AND WE TRY TO ACCOMMODATE THE RESIDENTS WERE COMING HERE AND WE GET BEAT UP OVER THAT BUT THAT'S OUR JOB, THAT'S WHAT WE SIGNED UP FOR. I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY, THANK YOU.

>> FIRST AND FOREMOST, A SPECIAL THANKS TO STAFF WHO HAD TO PULL ALL OF THIS TOGETHER. IT'S A LOT OF NUMBER CRUNCHING AND SO,

[01:45:02]

MUCH. >> THANK YOU.

>> I JUST HAD A COUPLE OF OTHER POINTS TO MAKE, AND I, TOO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A HARD, HARD THING FOR ALL OF US, I THINK ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS WE'VE HAD TO DEAL WITH, SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD. I WISH THERE WAS A WAY THAT WE COULD FIND FUNDING FROM SOME OTHER PLACE, YOU KNOW, IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS, WE, SOMETHING WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT, ABOUT $80 MILLION FROM ARPA AND COVID, FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND IT HELPED PUBLIC SAFETY, HELPED TO FIX STORM WATER ISSUES. PARKS, I MEAN, IT FIXED MAJOR ISSUES IN MY DISTRICT, AND IF WE HADN'T HAVE HAD THAT, WHO KNOWS WHERE WE WOULD BE RIGHT NOW. I MEAN, THAT'S A SCARY THOUGHT. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE THINKING OF EVERYONE AND OF COURSE PUBLIC SAFETY IS OUR PRIMARY PRIORITY AND WE'VE ALREADY SAID, OR I'VE ALREADY SAID, I WANTED THE MONEY TO GO AND BE EARMARKED FOR PUBLIC SAFETY IF WE THINK ABOUT OUR INFLATION, IF YOU LOOK AT BETWEEN 2022 AND 2023, INFLATION WENT UP ALMOST 14%. IN TWO YEARS. THAT'S DOUBLE WHAT WE TEND BEST I COULD CHARGE IN PROPERTY TAX. SO THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING THAT GIVES, AND WE HAVE TO FIND IT SOMEWHERE AND YES, THAT'S OUR JOB, AND YOU RELY ON US AND THAT'S WHAT WE WERE VOTED IN FOR, IS TO TAKE CARE OF THE COUNTY AND TAKE CARE OF YOU AND MAKE SURE YOU ARE SAFE. I HAVE TO WEIGH ALL OF THAT INTO MY DECISION AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, 44,000 HOMES, I HEARD THAT NUMBER, THE MAJORITY OF THAT IS IN OUR DISTRICT, GARY. BUT GUESS WHAT? I THINK IT WAS AROUND 2000 PERMITS FOR LAST YEAR, THEY WERE GIVEN ABOUT 1200, SO FAR, WE ARE A LITTLE LOWER ON TRACK. SO THOSE 44,000 HOMES DON'T COME IN RIGHT AWAY. IMPACT FEES, AS YOU SAID, AS WE'VE HEARD, CAN'T EVEN BE USED TO MAINTAIN THE COUNTY. BUT WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN IT BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS GETTING OLD. WHEN I CAME ON, I KEPT ON HEARING YEAH, NOBODY EVER WANTED TO BORROW MONEY, NOBODY WANTED TO WORK ON OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, MY ROADS IN MY DISTRICT HAVE BEEN WORKED ON IN YEARS. IT'S ALL BEEN BAND-AIDS, AND THAT'S WHAT WE HEARD FROM JEAN, WE ARE BEEN DATING -- PUTTING BAND-AIDS OVER EVERYTHING. WE CARE ABOUT OUR STAFF, EMPLOYEES, AND WE CARE ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY, SO WE'VE GOT TO MAKE A HARD DECISION. AND I'M WAITING FOR OTHER OPTIONS TO COME UP BECAUSE I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING ELSE TO MAKE US GET TO THE NUMBER, BY TAKING AWAY ALL OF THESE THINGS ON THE LIST, I MEAN, THERE'S MAJOR STUFF ON HERE THAT WE ARE GETTING RID OF, I DON'T AGREE WITH TAKING OFF THE ROOF, $350,000, I DON'T AGREE WITH TAKING AWAY THE AC THAT WE ARE HAVING TO PATCH BECAUSE NEXT YEAR WE WILL BE IN THE SAME SPOT, THE SERIFS STILL ME THE MONEY, AND WE ARE NOT TAKING FROM THEM, I WILL GIVE YOU MY NUMBER RIGHT NOW, IF YOU HAVE OTHER OPTIONS, IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE, PLEASE TELL US, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, THERE IS NOTHING ELSE THAT I'M SEEING.

SO I HAVE KIDS, THEY GREW UP HERE, MY HUSBAND WAS BORN AND

[01:50:03]

THAT'S IT, I'M SORRY. >> COMMISSIONER BURKE, I APPRECIATE YOUR PASSION. THERE'S A LOT OF LOVE BEHIND THE WORDS AND SOMETIMES TOUGH LOVE IS A GOOD THING. SOME INTERESTING COMMENTS, I KNOW THERE WAS A PUBLIC NOTICE SENT TO CLAY ELECTRIC'S MEMBERSHIP, AND IT LISTED WHERE YOU STOOD ON THE ISSUE COMMISSIONER CONDON, DID CLAY ELECTRIC REACH OUT TO

YOU INDIVIDUALLY? >> I'VE SAID IT AT TWO

WORKSHOPS. >> DID CLAY ELECTRIC REACH OUT

TO YOU? >> COMMISSIONER ALEXANDRA

COMPERE? >> YES.

>> I TOOK A MEETING, THEY ASKED FOR MY TIME, SO I GAVE IT TO THEM. AND THEY WERE SPECIFICALLY ASKING ABOUT THIS UTILITY INCREASE BECAUSE THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE TO BE THE FACE OF THE INCREASE, SO WE DID HAVE, I HAD A DISCUSSION, ACTUALLY, I'LL TELL YOU WHO IT WAS WITH, BECAUSE, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THEY WERE VERY INVESTED IN WHAT DECISION WE WOULD MAKE, THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO THEN BE THE FACE OF, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN JUNE 12TH , AT 12:00 P.M., THEY CALLED ME ASKING MY OPINION ON THIS INCREASE, AND WHAT MY POSITION WAS, WITH THE INFORMATION THAT HAD BEEN GIVEN AT THAT POINT.

>> COMMISSIONER BURKE, DID ANYONE REACH OUT TO YOU?

>> INTERESTING. I WAS NOT CONTACTED BY ANY MEMBER OF CLAY ELECTRIC STAFF, I REMEMBER DURING THE PAST BUDGET WORKSHOP , THIS BOARD HAS GIVEN STAFF DIRECTION ASKING FOR FUNDING STREAMS, AS DIVERSE FUNDING STREAMS AS WE COULD GET, AND UTILITY TAXES SOMETHING THAT WAS BROUGHT UP AS A POTENTIAL FUNDING STREAM. SO I THINK IT'S VERY DISINGENUOUS OF WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE A COMMUNITY PARLOR TO TEST MY PARTNER CANNOT REACH OUT TO COMMISSIONERS, TO PUT SOMETHING OUT THERE THAT IS A MAXIMUM WHEN I KNOW MY PERSONAL COMMENTS WERE, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE NUMBERS, SO I THINK IT'S KIND OF DISINGENUOUS. I THINK THE OTHER THING IS THAT THERE WAS A MAJORITY OF THIS BOARD, THAT SAID PUBLICLY, THAT IF THERE WERE TO BE ANY KIND OF INCREASE, THOSE FUNDS WERE TO BE EARMARKED. THERE WAS AT LEAST THREE OF US THAT AGREED UPON THAT. SO, TO SEND OUT A LETTER WITHOUT GIVING CONTEXT AS TO THE

[01:55:01]

NOT A BIGGER ONE. >> YEAH. PER SQUARE FOOT PRICING, THAT'S THE TWO NUMBERS THAT COMPARE.

>> SO YOU'RE GETTING AN APPLES TO APPLES COMPARISON. 143%.

WEATHER RESURFACING, SO A MILE IN 2021 -- 20.2, IT WAS 127,000 A MILE. ROAD RESURFACING IN 2024, IS $209,000 ON MILE WHICH IS A 64% INCREASE IN COST. ATLAS DRIVE IN 2022 $7.3 MILLION AND SPENCER DRIVE INDUSTRIAL DRIVE, TROY?

>> $15 MILLION, 105% INCREASE FOR THE ROADWAYS, AND ON A SMALLER SCALE, A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT, IN 2021 WAS $237,000, AND THAT SAME ONE IN 2025 WAS $348,000 WHICH IS A 47% INCREASE . ON TOP OF THAT, YOU KNOW, THE COST OF PEOPLE, AND THE COST TO RETAIN GOOD PEOPLE , SO RIGHT NOW THE SHERIFF HAS ABSOLUTELY FOUGHT HER HARDEST TO ENSURE THAT OUR POLICE OFFICERS CHOOSE CLAY AND CHOOSE TO STAY IN CLAY. RIGHT NOW, THEY WOULD MAKE $53,000 AS A FIRST YEAR DEPUTY BUT IF THEY GO NORTH TO DUVAL, THEY WOULD MAKE $68,000. SO THERE'S COMPETITION IN THIS.

THE $15 MINIMUM WAGE MANDATE HAS CHANGED THINGS TREMENDOUSLY. THE DILEMMA THAT OUR STAFF LEADERSHIP HAS OF TRYING TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE GIVING THE MOST MINIMUM COST OF LIVING INCREASE WHICH IS CALLED THE COLA, FOR THE PUBLIC, THAT'S A COST OF LIVING, WE ARE GIVING THE MOST MINIMUM WE CAN TO ENSURE THAT OUR PEOPLE STAY BECAUSE IF THEY DON'T, IT'LL COST MORE, TO BRING NEW PEOPLE IN. I BELIEVE THE NUMBER IS OVER $200,000, FOR YOU TO TRAIN A NEW EMPLOYEE, IS THAT CORRECT? YOU CAN COME UP REALLY QUICK, SORRY, TROY, I WANT TO EXPLAIN THIS. SO SHERIFF, JUST EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PAYING SOMEONE A 3% COLA AS AN OFFICER OR THEM LEAVING AND TRAINING A

NEW DEPUTY. >> THE COST TO GO OUT AND RECRUIT, HIRE, TRAIN, AND EQUIP A NEW DEPUTY IS RIGHT AROUND $200,000 THAT IT COSTS US EVERY TIME SOMEBODY WALKS OUT THE DOOR. THE 3% C.O.L.A. IS ABOUT $1500 FOR A 3% RAISE, C.O.L.A.

RACE, ON THE BASE SALARY. >> THANK YOU, THAT'S ALL I REALLY NEEDED. SO, THAT SAME MODEL OF BRINGING NEW PEOPLE IN AND THE INCREASE COST, THERE'S ALSO THE TIME THAT IT TAKES TO ONBOARD A DEPUTY AND GET THEM ON THE ROAD BECAUSE THAT DELTA OF TIME CAUSES MORE STRAIN ON YOUR RESOURCES.

>> YESTERDAY, WE BROUGHT IN 27 CADETS, THEY STARTED YESTERDAY.

IT'LL BE PROBABLY 14 TO 16 MONTHS, TO ACTUALIZE THEM ON THE STREET AND THEY'VE GOT TO GO THROUGH THE ACADEMY, THEY'VE GOT TO PASS THE ACADEMY, THEN THEY GO TO A MINI ACADEMY AND

[02:00:02]

THE DOOR. >> THANK YOU, SHERIFF. SO CLAY ELECTRIC RECENTLY RAISED RATES AND ON THEIR FACEBOOK PAGE ON JUNE 3RD, THEY CITED A REASONING, AND THEIR REASONING WAS INCREASED COST, THEY SAID POLLS HAVE WENT UP 79%, UNDERGROUND CABLE HAS WENT UP 150%. OVERHEAD WIRE HAS ALSO INCREASED 121%. SO THE QUESTION I HAVE, IS, HOW CAN CLAY ELECTRIC RAISE THEIR RATES BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT THE SAME INFLATIONARY PRESSURES, WE ARE SUPPOSED TO MAKE THESE UNBELIEVABLE CUTS. IT'S SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT. WE ALSO SEE NOW THAT SEE CUA -- CCUA WILL ANNOUNCE A WASTEWATER INCREASE , SO I DO APPRECIATE CCUA, THEY REACHED OUT TO ME, THEY TALKED ABOUT PROACTIVE THINGS THEY ARE DOING, SOME DOGE THINGS THEY ARE DOING ON THEIR END, AND YOU KNOW, THE RESIDENT THAT MENTIONED THE 40% INCREASE FOR AN ACCESS CHARGE FOR CLAY ELECTRIC REALLY MAKES ME KIND OF COFUSED AS TO WHERE THAT HAS COME FROM AND ALSO LIKE TO KNOW WHAT CUTS THEY'VE MADE TO PREVENT RATE INCREASES BECAUSE THIS BOARD POTENTIALLY, BY SEPTEMBER COULD MAKE UP TO $20 MILLION IN CUTS. THAT'S AN UNBELIEVABLE JOB BY OUR STAFF, BY OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, BY THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, BY OUR FIRE DEPARTMET, THAT IS DOGE, THAT IS DOGE, IT WOULD BE A NEW DAY IN GOVERNMENT, WHEN THE PUBLIC GOVERNMENT DOES IT IT SELF. IT'S OUGH TO SWALLOW BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE GOT SOME REALLY TOUGH DECISIONS TO MAKE. COMMISSIONER BURKA, YOU ARE 1000% CORRECT THIS MODEL OF JUST CUT CUT CUT IS NOT SUSTAINABLE, WE ARE GOING TO MAKE DRASTIC CUTS THIS BUDGET CYCLE AND I'M GLAD THE PUBLIC WAS HERE TO LISTEN THIS, HOPEFULLY YOU CAN SEE THE BIG PICTURE, ROOFS, SO PEOPLE DON'T GET RAINED ON AT WORK, IT'S QUITE THE CUT, QUITE THE CUT. NEVERTHELESS, AS DENNIS SAID, HE HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD, IT'S GETTING TOUGH AND IT'S GETTING TOUGHER. AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO LASER FOCUS ON, NOT JUST THIS BUDGET, BUT THE NEXT BUDGET FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS, THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, TROY, ONE LAST THING I'D LIKE YOU TO SHARE. I'VE BEEN DIVING DEEP INTO THIS BECAUSE I THINK THE INFLATION ALONG WITH THE PROPERTY TAX GAPS IS REALLY INTERESTING. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE INCREASE OF COST AS WE'VE LOOKED AT, I BELIEVE THIS IS THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX CAP AND THE REVENUE BASED ON THAT CAP.

>> AS YOU ARE ALL AWARE, YOU KNOW, CPI IS THE INFLATIONARY FACTORY EACH YEAR SO FROM 2014 TO 2021, THE CPI AND THE CAP THAT THE PROPERTY APPRAISER HAS, THE 3% CAP KIND OF RAN. IT CAN GO UP 3%, YOUR HOUSE VALUE CAN GO UP 3% OR THE CPI, WHICHEVER IS LESS, SO THOSE RAN PARALLEL FROM 2014 TO 2021. AFTER THAT, THEY'VE TAKEN A SEPARATION, CPI HAS GONE UP ALMOST 9%. IF YOU LOOK AT $100,000 OF EXPENSE IN 2014, THAT EXPENSE NOW WOULD BE $132,000 OR THE REVENUE WOULD BRING IN ABOUT, THAT'S WHERE YOUR GAP IS STARTING TO GET WITH THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INFLATION

AND PROPERTY VALUES. >> SO, FOR THE PUBLIC, THERE IS A STATUTE THAT WAS PASSED CALLED SAVE OUR HOMES, BACK IN 2008, WHICH PREVENTS YOUR PROPERTY TAXES FROM GOING UP MORE THAN 3%

ANNUALLY, IS THAT CORRECT? >> THE VALUE.

>> SO SIMPLE MATH WOULD SHOW YOU THE COST OF GOODS, SERVICES AND PEOPLE OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS IS WAY HIGHER THAN 3%. IF YOU LOOK AT THE NATIONAL MODELS, 2022, THE INFLATION RATE WAS 8% AND WE ARE NOTICING THAT COME BACK DOWN. THOSE ARE THE TOUGH DECISIONS THAT US AS COMMISSIONERS HAVE TO MAKE. WHAT WE WANT TO CUT, AND AS CITIZENS, YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. I DO APPRECIATE AS COMMISSIONER CONDON SAID, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE I'VE TALKED TO THAT DIDN'T LIVE IN MY DISTRICT. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HEAR THE PUBLIC, TO HEAR THEIR

[02:05:02]

YOU WANT TO FUND POLICE AND FIRE, AND THOSE ARE THE TOUGH DECISIONS THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR. >> THAT WAS JUST IN ONE DAY.

>> JUST TO PUT EVERYTHING IN PERSPECTIVE, THIS BUDGET IS $800

MILLION? >> YOUR OVERALL COUNTY BUDGET,

YES. >> WE ARE LOOKING AT A HECK OF A LOT MORE THAN JUST THESE NUANCES THAT WE HAVE CONTROL OVER.

THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS WE DON'T HAVE CONTROL OVER. $800 MILLION, THAT'S A BIG BUDGET, WE ARE GETTING NEAR THE B WORD.

SO TO COMPLEMENT THE COUNTY MANAGER AND STAFF FOR PUTTING THIS ALL TOGETHER. I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT'S GONE INTO THIS BUDGET WORKSHOP SO WE COULD MAKE

THE DECISION. >> THANK YOU.

>> I THINK I'M FINALLY TO MY COMMENTS. SO, I GUESS I WANT TO START WITH MY COMMENTS, A NUMBER OF MY CONSTITUENTS CAME TODAY TO SPEAK AND I WANT TO TELL YOU THANK YOU EVEN IF YOU DON'T LIVE IN MY DISTRICT, THANK YOU THAT WAS A NICE TURNOUT TO SEE, AND I ECHO THE SENTIMENTS THAT SEVERAL CONSTITUENTS IT. 100% I SUPPORT FULLY FUNDING OUR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT BUDGET REQUESTS AND OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT BUDGET REQUEST AND I THINK THOSE SHOULD BE DONE BEFORE WE DO ANYTHING ELSE. I HAD SAID THAT GOOD PUBLIC SAFETY ALSO INCLUDES ANIMAL SERVICES, PUBLIC WORKS, BUT I THINK THERE ARE THINGS THAT THE COUNTY SPENDS MONEY ON THAT WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO SPEND MONEY ON. IN MY OPINION AND IT'S NOT GOING TO MAKE ME POPULAR BUT I DON'T SIT APPEARED TO BE POPULAR WITH SOME STAFF, I SIT UP HERE TO DO THE WORK OF MY CONSTITUENCY WHO VOTED ME INTO OFFICE AND I THINK WE ARE TOP HEAVY. I THINK WE HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE IN HIGH-LEVEL POSITIONS THAT MAKE A NICE SALARY, WE DID THE SALARY SURVEY LAST YEAR AND WE INCREASED SOME SALARIES THAT ARE WAY BEYOND ANYTHING I'VE EVER MADE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR . AND I WORK FOR MYSELF, SO I COULD REALLY MAKE AS MUCH MONEY AS I WANTED RIGHT NOW BUT I SPEND A WHOLE LOT MORE TIME ON THIS JOB THAT I DON'T MAKE VERY MUCH MONEY ON BECAUSE I LOVE OUR COUNTY. BUT ONE OF MY CONSTITUENTS SAID, AND SHE'S EXACTLY RIGHT, I TALKED TO A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE THAT SAID MS. CONDON, IF I CAN'T PAY THIS TAX INCREASE, AM I GOING TO GET MY ELECTRICITY SHUT OFF? AND THE UNFORTUNATE ANSWER IS YES, WHEN THEY SAY MISS CONDON, AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE SOMEBODY GOT AN AVERAGE OF SIX DOLLARS A MONTH, I DON'T KNOW ANYBODY WHO'S ELECTRIC BILL IS $100 BUT AT ANY RATE, IF IT'S SIX DOLLARS A MONTH, I HAD A NUMBER OF PEOPLE TELL ME, THAT'S A PRESCRIPTION, AND THEY ARE ALREADY STRUGGLING AND ONE OF MY CONSTITUENTS WAS TALKING ABOUT HER MEDICINE, ACTUALLY TWO OF THEM, SO, I FEEL THE NEED TO REPRESENT THAT, AND THAT'S WHY I HAVE NOT BEEN SECRET SINCE OUR FIRST BUDGET WORKSHOP AT THE HOLIDAY INN, ABOUT WHY I AM OPPOSED TO THIS, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE IT'S AN ADVERTISED TAX INCREASE. AND I BELIEVE IT'S A REGRESSIVE TAX INCREASE BECAUSE IT DOES DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECT THOSE WITH A LOWER INCOME BECAUSE SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF HALF OF MY DISTRICT ARE IN MOBILE HOMES. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE EVER LIVED IN A MOBILE HOME BUT THEY ARE NOT WELL INSULATED AND THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE AS ENERGY-EFFICIENT AS A STICK BUILT HOME AND THEY OFTEN HAVE HIGHER ELECTRIC BILLS, SO THEY ARE GOING TO PAY THE MONEY MORE ALONG $18 A MONTH. YOU START ADDING THAT UP, OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, WE'VE INCREASED TRASH COLLECTION FEES, FOUR YEARS AGO, THERE WAS AN INCREASE , AND I DIDN'T VOTE FOR ANY OF NOT BECAUSE, IT'S BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE THAT I REPRESENT, THEY'VE ASKED ME NOT TO VOTE FOR TAX INCREASES. AT THE CORE, I AM JUST, THAT FISCAL CONSERVATISM IS JUST KIND OF WHO I AM. AND I HEARD A NATIONAL PUNDIT SAY AT THE END OF LAST WEEK, HE DECLARED AFTER THE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL OR WHATEVER PAST,

[02:10:02]

SO I JUST REALLY FEEL LIKE I NEED TO REPRESENT THOSE THAT I WAS ELECTED TO REPRESENT. AND BASED ON OUR CHARTER WE ARE ELECTED BY SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICTS, I'VE HAD A NUMBER OF DEVELOPERS IRONICALLY ENOUGH, TELL ME CLAY COUNTY SHOULD GO AWAY FROM THAT. WE ARE TOO BIG FOR SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICTS. I WOULD ARGUE THAT I REPRESENT THE LEAST POPULATED DISTRICT IN THE LARGEST LANDMASS DISTRICTS, FOR A REASON, BECAUSE THEY WOULDN'T GET A VOTE, AND THEY ARE THE ONES WHO ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY PAYING THESE HIGHER ELECTRIC BILLS, HIGHER COSTS, OF THOSE THINGS, SO THAT'S WHERE MY COMMENTS AND THINGS HAVE COME FROM . SO, JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY WHERE MY STANCE IS ON ALL OF THOSE THINGS BUT I APPRECIATE ALL THE COMMENTS MADE TODAY. I WANTED TO REITERATE TO YOU ALL THAT WHILE THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT CLEARLY THIS BOARD IS VERY DIVIDED ON, THIS TIME, AND THAT'S KIND OF UNIQUE, THERE ARE NOT A LOT OF TIMES THAT YOU SEE US WITH SPLIT VOTES BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS IS ONE ISSUE WE PROBABLY WILL BE SPLIT ON, AND WE REMAIN COLLEGIAL .

COMMISSIONER BURKE SAID IT AT THE LAST MEETING, I APPRECIATE YOU SAYING IT, WE ARE ALL HERE BECAUSE WE CARE, ALL FIVE OF US.

WE ALL WANT TO BE HERE TO SERVE YOU ALL AND NONE OF US ARE GETTING OUR POCKETS LINE, WITH EVERYTHING PEOPLE SAY OUT THERE, IN FACT, THAT IS ILLEGAL. SO I HAVE SAID, RIGHT OVER HERE, IT'S OUR FULL MEN AND WOMEN IN GREEN. IF YOU HAVE EVIDENCE THAT ANY OF US ARE TAKING MONEY FOR ANYTHING OR ANY KICKBACKS OR WHATEVER, LET'S GO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THESE PEOPLE RIGHT NOW. AND WE WILL TAKE CARE OF THAT BECAUSE THAT IS AGAINST THE LAW. I WANTED TO JUST CLARIFY FOR THE REST OF THE PUBLIC IF YOU BEEN LISTENING ONLINE, THAT WE WILL MEET OUR REGULAR BCC MEETING, THAT'S AT 4:00 TODAY, AND THE UTILITY TAX INCREASE IS BEING VOTED ON TODAY. THERE WAS MISINFORMATION

[02:15:02]

ANYTHING ELSE. >> WE ARE NOT ABLE TO SPEAK OUT OF HERE. I ADMIRE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. WHEN I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM YOU IS WHAT ARE YOUR, WHAT IS YOUR ANSWER, BECAUSE STILL, WE ARE $1.9 MILLION SHORT, SO, IF THERE'S PEOPLE, IF YOU SAY WE NEED TO GET RID OF SOME OF THAT, PEOPLE UP HIGHER, I NEED TO KNOW, SINCE WE ARE VOTING, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT IT IS THAT YOU FEEL LIKE WE CAN DO THEN BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T GONE

OVER THAT. >> I THINK IN THE COUNTY BUDGET,

THERE'S OTHER PLACES. >> THERE'S ALSO CARRYOVER. WE ARE IN JULY, I KNOW THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE OFTEN HAS CARRYOVER BUT THEY DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH. AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS WON'T SPEND ALL OF THE MONEY. IT COMES BACK IN BUT THEY WON'T KNOW THAT UNTIL SEPTEMBER TIME FRAME. TO I SPECIFICALLY HAVE THOSE THINGS TODAY? NO, I DON'T. BUT I FEEL LIKE THAT'S WHERE WE SHOULD LOOK INSTEAD OF RAISING THE TAXES ON OUR ALREADY STRAPPED CONSTITUENTS. THAT'S JUST , BUT I HAVEN'T MOVED OFF OF THAT.

AND I'M ONLY ONE, BUT THAT'S KIND OF WHERE I AM. I WOULD

RATHER US FIND IT. >> I'M ALL IN FOR FINDING OUT WHAT THOSE THINGS ARE. I'VE LOOKED DEEPLY, IT'S ALREADY SCARY TO THINK ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS WE ARE HAVING TO CUT, SO TO FIND EVEN MORE, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THOSE THINGS ARE.

WE LOVE OWNER MANAGERS AND EVERYONE BUT IF THAT'S WHERE IT NEEDS TO HAPPEN, THAT NEEDS TO BE SAID. AND NOT GENERAL, WE'VE GOT TO BE SPECIFIC, AND GET DOWN TO THE BARE BONES HERE AND FIGURE IT OUT, FIGURE OUT WHO IT IS AND I'M READY FOR THAT TO BE

DISCUSSED. >> IS THERE

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.