6. Agreement with Fleischman and Garcia Architects & Planners for Professional Architectural Services for the Oakleaf Library (K. Smith)

[19. Public Hearing on the adoption of an Ordinance amending Ordinance No. 2003-80, which is codified as Chapter 18.3, Article VI, of the Clay County Code, entitled "Public Service Utility Tax" by amending Section 18.3-202 (a)]

>> OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES, 19, ADOPTION ON AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE 2003-80, CODIFIED AS CHAPTER 18.3, ARTICLE 6 OF THE CLAY COUNTY CODE ENTITLED PUBLIC SERVICE UTILITY TAX. BY AMENDING SECTION 18.3-202(A).

[17. Items from the July 8, 2025 Workshop (T. Nagle)]

>> COULD WE DISCUSS 17 WITH 19 BECAUSE THEY ARE INTERRELATED?

>> SURE. >> THE QUESTION IS, DO YOU HAVE SLIDES FROM THIS MORNING ? AT THE BUDGET WORKSHOP, WE PRESENTED ITEMS ABOUT REDUCING THE BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR. I THINK, WE CAN START THE CONVERSATION OF THOSE ITEMS , WHAT IS THE DESIRE OF THE BOARD BECAUSE THAT WILL INFLUENCE ITEM 19. SO, IF YOU GO ONE MORE SLIDE, WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR IS CONSENSUS OR ACTION THAT THESE PROJECTS ARE THE ONES YOU WANT TO REMOVE FROM THE 2025-2026 BUDGET FOR ANY ITEMS YOU WANT TO PUT BACK IN TO THE BUDGET IN 2025-2026 .

>> AS IT CURRENTLY SITS, THOSE WOULD BE ADDITIONS FOR THE GAP

IN FUNDING? >> YES .

>> ARE THERE ANY ITEMS ? >> I WOULD LIKE TO PULL THE HISTORICAL COURTHOUSE ROOF. JUST TO BRING IT BACK A LITTLE BIT, I RECEIVED A TEXT , I WILL NOT SAY WHO FROM, ABOUT THE HISTORICAL COURTHOUSE . I WILL READ IT, THE REPAIRS HAVE BEEN TEMPORARY FIXES AND OVER TIME THE DAMAGE TO THE WOOD, DRYWALL THE CARPET HAS GOTTEN WORSE, EVEN MORE CONCERNING IS THE LEAKS ARE IN THE OFFICES WERE STAFF MEET WITH CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, NOT JUST UNSIGHTLY, BUCKET AND TRASH CANS EVERYWHERE UNPROFESSIONAL AND POTENTIALLY HARMFUL TO EMPLOYEES ABOUT TO SHOOT BACK -- I HOPE YOU WILL KEEP IN MIND HOW URGENT THIS REPAIR IS NEEDED AND THE LONGER IT IS DELAYED, THE WORST AND MORE COSTLY WILL BECOME. I KNOW IT IS NOT THE FAULT OF STAFF. WE LIVE IN CLAY COUNTY AND THAT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. I HAZARD TO GUESS THERE ARE OTHER THINGS ON THIS LIST THAT I WANTED TO GET TO SLEEPY HOLLOW TODAY BUT I DIDN'T AND WILL GO LATER. I WANT THE HISTORICAL COURTHOUSE ROOF TO BE PULLED AND REPAIRED, OR, FIXED. PEOPLE VISIT THAT CONSTANTLY. TEEN COURT IS THERE. ONLY FIVE ACS FIXED, I WOULD LIKE THAT TO BE TAKEN OFF SLEEPY HOLLOW OFFICE, I WOULD LIKE FOR IT TO BE TAKEN OFF. THE 50 POSITIONS, WE NEED THEM. -- THE 15 POSITIONS , WE NEED THEM AND WE CANNOT ALLOW OUR COUNTY TO SUFFER, WE ARE WITH FTES, THIS WOULD TAKE US INTO A NEGATIVE. THOSE ARE MINE, AT A MINIMUM, PROBABLY MORE

LATER. >> WHAT IS THAT NUMBER? THE COURTHOUSE IS THREE AND $50,000, TOTAL, $550,000.

>> $2 MILLION ? >> ABOUT $2 MILLION .

>> $3.5 MILLION TOTAL. >> $4.7 MILLION.

>> YOU $4.7 MILLION, WE HAVE SOME DEDUCTIONS , WE WILL DO THE

[01:20:04]

MATH TO MAKE SURE WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE. THE OTHER CONSIDERATIONS FOR THIS LIST? IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, CONSIDERATIONS FROM THE CURRENT BUDGET , CURRENT

APPROVED BUDGET -- >> I HAVE A QUESTION. THE CARRYOVER WE TALKED ABOUT THIS MORNING THAT WAS FIGURED IN TO

THIS? >> YES, MA'AM. WE DO AN ESTIMATE. NOT SAYING IT WILL BE AN EXACT NUMBER. WE DO TAKE INVESTMENT. THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN TAKEN IN TO THE VERSION FROM THE CONSTITUTIONAL -- THOSE NUMBERS ARE FACTORED IN TO WHAT

WE FEEL COULD MAKE THE BUDGET . >> CURRENT YEAR ?

>> IF YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE , PLEASE. IF YOU ADD THOSE PROJECTS BACK IN , $550,000 15 POSITIONS, STILL POSTPONE THE IMPROVEMENT AND REDUCE RESERVES TO THE 3%, I COME UP WITH ABOUT A $3.8 MILLION DELTA. DID YOU TAKE THE $1.5 MILLION OFF THE BOTTOM? THAT WOULD BE THE DIRECTION OF THE BOARD. A CONSENSUS TO REDUCE

>> $.2 MILLION ARE YOU PLAN ON ADDING BACK IN ? -- WHAT $2 MILLION ARE YOU PLANNING ON ADDING BACK IN ? WOULD YOU ENTERTAIN GIVING US A FEW MINUTES SO WE CAN WORK OFF-LINE?

>> SURE. WHILE STAFF IS FINISHING UP THOSE ISOLATIONS AND QUESTIONS, I DO NOT THINK IT WOULD HURT ANYTHING TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AGAIN. I HAVE A STACK OF CARDS. IS ANYONE OPPOSED TO THAT? OKAY. I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER -- I MOVED MY PAPERS AROUND. I THINK IT IS 18. 19?

[01:25:07]

THANK YOU. ITEM 19 ON THE UTILITY TAX . I HAVE A STACK OF CARDS . IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A CART IN, YOU'RE WELCOME TO SPEAK. MY FIRST CARD IS GREG WALSH, THEN OWEN RUSSELL.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON, I LIVE IN 326 COUNTY ROAD 215, I AM OPPOSED TO THIS INCREASE . I HAVE NOT GOTTEN INFORMATION ON IT. THE DESIRABILITY OF LIVING IN CLAY COUNTY , AT THE BREAK OF EXTENSION AND WILL BE A THING OF THE PAST IT IS UTILITY TAXES PUSHED THROUGH WITHOUT CLARIFICATION. I HAVE LIVED IN CLAY COUNTY FOR MORE THAN 40+ YEARS, AND LIVED IN DISTRICT 4 MOST OF THAT. I AM PRETTY SURE THAT THIS IS THE POOREST DISTRICT IN THE CLAY COUNTY AREA. MY WIFE AND OPERATE A FOOD BANK AND HAVE SEEN A 100% INCREASE IN THE NEED AND CLIENTELE THAT IT IS DRAWING -- WITHDRAWING FROM THE WORKING CLASS. I AM RETIRED . WHICH MEANS I LIVE ON A FIXED INCOME.

MY HOME INSURANCE HAS GONE UP 100% IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS . M IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS . I NO LONGER HAVE A CHOICE OF HOW I PAY MY GARBAGE BILL. I PUT THIS AS A POINT OF REFERENCE, 20% IN DRIVERS IN CLAY COUNTY DO NOT HAVE CAR INSURANCE, THEY HAVE MADE A FINANCIAL CHOICE. YOU CANNOT GET BLOOD FROM A STONE.

OKAY? I HAVE WORKED IN THE SAFETY ENVIRONMENT FOR 20 YEARS AND I DO UNDERSTAND THE NEED. I UNDERSTAND THE REQUIREMENTS, BUT I NEED MUCH MORE CLARIFICATION BEFORE I CAN SUPPORT IT .

>> THANK YOU, MR. WALSH . OWEN RUSSELL, THEN MR. MEADOWS. I HAVE YOUR NOTE AND WILL ADDRESS IT IN A MOMENT. I WILL ADDRESS

IT IN JUST A MINUTE. YES? >> MY NAME IS OWEN RUSSELL, I AM OPPOSED TO THIS INCREASE IN THE UTILITY TAX . I AM OPPOSED TO ANY OF THESE TAXES, CABLE BILL, PHONE BILL, ELECTRIC BILL, THERE WAS A LINE ITEM FOR A CLAY COUNTY TAX. THEY'RE CONFUSING THE CITIZENS. MOST OF THEM DO NOT PAY ATTENTION TO THESE LINE ITEMS. WHY HASN'T THIS ROLLED INTO OUR PROPERTY TAXES SO WE SEE RIGHT UP FRONT, WHAT WE ARE PAYING FOR COUNTY SERVICES? I THINK THAT THERE COULD BE A REDUCTION IN SOME OF THE COUNTY BUDGET. ITEMS. THEY ARE ALSO THE -- MORE OF THESE COSTS NEED TO ÚBE ABSORBED BY THE DEVELOPERS YOU ARE BUILDING SUBDIVISIONS ALL OVER THE COUNTY. WE ARE ALL PAYING FOR IT. I OPPOSE THIS. WE NEED TO CUT BACK ON THE COUNTY BUDGET. CUT THIS OUT.

>> THANK YOU MR. MEADOWS, I HAVE YOUR CARD THAT ASKED TO PUT SOMETHING ON SCREEN BUT I DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT. THE ITEMS YOU SEE FROM STAFF ON THE SCREEN ARE LOADED IN THE BACK ROOM AND WE DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO DO THAT. THAT IS JUST NOT THE POLICY OF THE BOARD . YOU ARE WELCOME TO READ ANYTHING YOU WANT INTO THE RECORD IN YOUR THREE MINUTES. YES , SIR, I WILL. YOU DO HAVE IT? SHE DOES HAVE IT AND IT WILL BE REFLECTED INTO THE RECORD. AFTER MR. MEADOWS, MR. HUFF.

>> ROBERT MEADOWS, I LIVE IN ORANGE PARK THIS COUNTY COMMISSION HAS AN ONEROUS TASK BEFORE IT, YOU HAVE INHERITED THE SINS OF ALL THE PAST COMMISSIONERS. IN THAT, YOU HAVE COUNTY ORDINANCE REFERENCING THE FLORIDA STATUTE THAT IS INVALID.

UTILITY TAX , AS YOU HAVE WRITTEN IT , AS YOU HAVE WRITTEN THE ORDINANCE IS A VIOLATION OF THE FLORIDA STATUTE 166 --

[01:30:05]

166.231, THAT IS WHERE YOU BASE THE TAX. 166.231 ALLOWS MUNICIPALITIES TO IMPOSE A UTILITY TAX. THE COUNTY MAY NOT.

THEREFORE, BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN IMPOSED YOU HAVE BEEN TAKING ILLEGALLY , FROM EVERY CITIZEN IN THIS COUNTY, FUNDS THAT SHOULD BE RETURNED IMMEDIATELY. THEREFORE , I ASK YOU TO IMMEDIATELY RESEND AND CANCEL THE ORDINANCE , DIRECT THE COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH HAS BEEN COLLECTED, RETURN THAT TO THE ELECTRIC WITH INTEREST FOR CLAY ELECTRIC TO REDISTRIBUTE THOSE FUNDS YOU TOOK ILLEGALLY . AND COMPENSATE CLAY ELETRIC FOR THE COST TO DO SO. IT IS A SAD DAY, I LOOKED AT THIS WHEN I FIRST CAME OUT, I SPOKE WITH MY COMMISSIONER. I AM SURE YOU WERE NOT AWARE OF THE ILLEGALITY OF HOW IT WAS WRITTEN. FURTHER , THE COUNTY CHARTER ALLOWS YOU TO WRITE AN ORDINANCE, DOES NOT ALLOW YOU TO WRITE AN ORDINANCE CONCERNING TAXES. A COUNTY CHARTER , IF IT WILL ALLOW THE COMMISSIONERS TO COLLECT OR LEVY A TAX, WHEN THAT CHARTER WAS ADOPTED, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A LINE ITEM IN THE CHARTER, THERE ARE OTHER FLORIDA CHARTER COUNTIES THAT SPECIFICALLY PROHIBIT THE COLLECTION OF A UTILITY TAX . STATE LAW PROHIBITS NON-CHARTER COUNTIES FROM LEVYING A TAX . IN THIS CASE, IT WAS DONE IMPROPERLY AND ILLEGALLY. CLAY COUNTY IS NOT A MUNICIPALITY , IT IS A COUNTY, THERE IS A DEFINITE DEFINITION OF THAT. SO, PLEASE, RIGHT NOW, TAKE ACTION, CANCEL THIS THING.

>> THANK YOU. DAVID HUFF, AFTER, DAVID COUGHLIN.

>> HI. DAVID HUFF. YOU AND I HAVE TALKED MANY TIMES. I AM A RETIRED NAVY CAPTAIN, MY WIFE IS A DOCTORATE IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION . WE WENT OVER THIS PROPOSED TAX WITH A FINE TOOTH COMB. BASED ON OUR BACKGROUNDS. LOOKING AT THE IMPACT ESTIMATE , IT ONLY ADDRESSES BUSINESSES. EVERY HOMEOWNER AND RENTER IN CLAY COUNTY IS IMPACTED BY THIS.

100%. NOWHERE IN THE ESTIMATE IMPACT DOES IT ADDRESS HOMEOWNERS AT ALL. I FOUND THAT KIND OF INTERESTING. IN PARAGRAPH 1A, IT SAYS, TO GO AT OR BELOW 10%. BUT, IN THE WRITE-UP, IT CALLS OUT 10%, IT DOESN'T SAY WE HAVE THE OPTION FROM MOVING IT FROM FOUR, FIVE, IT SAYS FROM 4% TO 10% WHICH IS A HUGE JUMP IN TAXES, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE -- WE HAVE HEARD MANY PEOPLE THIS MORNING AND THIS EVENING ALSO, THEY ARE ON FIXED INCOMES, ESPECIALLY IN DISTRICT 4. PROBABLY 80% OF THE PEOPLE ON FOX MEADOW ARE RETIREES. WE ARE VETERANS, OR BOTH, IT WILL IMPACT THAT. IT IS JUST -- THIS TAX IS GOING TO BE ONEROUS AND WILL RUIN PEOPLE'S LIVES. I HEARD ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS THISMORNING STATE THAT YOU DOGE EVERYTHING, BUT GOING TO THE COUNTY STRATEGIC PLAN, NOWHERE DOES IT ADDRESS EFFICIENCY OR EFFECTIVENESS. NOR DOES IT ADDRESS EVALUATING EVEN THE NEED

[01:35:04]

FOR THAT TO GO ON. SO, IF YOU DOGE< IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE IT IS NOT A PART OF YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN. THIS TAX, COMING AT THIS TIME, I THINK YOU NEED TO GO BACK AND GET THE DEPARTMENT HEADS TO LOOK AT THINGS , ESPECIALLY WHEN CONSIDERING THROWING $4 MILLION BACK INTO THE BUDGET ON TOP OF THIS. IF YOU NEED $7 MILLION AND NEED TO ADD $4 MILLION, MY MAP SAYS $11 MILLION YOU ARE SHORT, YOU WILL BE SHORT ON THIS , EVEN IF YOU GO TO THE 10% . I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME . THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> THANK YOU. DAVID COUGHLIN, THEN DENNIS MATHENY.

>> DAVID COUGHLIN, 23 WIDENER WAY, ORANGE PARK, THIS TAX INCREASE IS UNDERPINNED BY TWO FLAWED NARRATIVES, WE ARE TO BELIEVE THAT CLAY COUNTY REVENUES ARE JUST NOT KEEPING PACE WITH CLAY COUNTY'S EXPLOSIVE GROWTH, THIS NARRATIVE IS EASILY FLAWED IN THE FACE OF 2.5% ANNUALIZED POPULATION GROWTH VERSUS 12% ANNUALIZED SPENDING GROWTH OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS. REVENUES ARE NOT THE PROBLEM, SPENDING IS THE PROBLEM . NOT LONG AGO, THE CLAY COUNTY COMMISSION GAVE $150,000 TO SPRINGS FOR PICKLE BALL COURTS. IF THE COMMISSIONERS THEN BY POLITICAL FAVORS WITH TAX DOLLARS , WE MUST REDIRECT THIS CONVERSATION TOWARDS BETTER MANAGEMENT OF OUR EXISTING AND ALREADY PLENTIFUL REVENUES. WE ARE TO BELIEVE THAT, BECAUSE CLAY COUNTY RANKS SO LOW AMONG OTHER FLORIDA COUNTIES IN TERMS OF TAX BURDEN, WE HAVE TO RAISE IT. HOW REMARKABLE THAT ARE AFFORDABLE GOVERNANCE IS FRAMED IN A NEGATIVE LIGHT AND THE MAN'S CORRECTION, DOES ANYONE IN THIS ROOM HONESTLY BELIEVE THE OTHER 4640 COUNTIES THAT CARRY THE HIGHER TAX BURDEN ARE MORE DESIRABLE PLACES TO LIVE? YOU ARE BEING PLAYED BY FALSE NARRATIVES. THAT WILL LEAD US INTO DUBIOUS VALUE PROPOSITIONS.

THIS TAX INCREASE HAS NO SENSE OF PREVENTION UNDERMINES INNOVATIVE THINKING NEEDED FOR HONEST VALUE PROPOSITIONS.

REJECT THIS TAX INCREASE AND RETURN RESPONSIBLE GOVERNANCE.

THANK YOU. >> DENNIS MATHENY ?

>> FLEMING ISLAND, FLORIDA. I WAS ON THE PHONE THIS MORNING, WITH CLAY UTILITY, AND THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE A BUDGET INCREASE MORE THAN LIKELY ON SEPTEMBER 8TH, THAT IS WATER AND SEWER, WE ARE GOING TO GET THAT. I CALLED CLAY ELECTRIC, THEY CANNOT DO THE BUDGET BECAUSE THEY ARE WAITING ON SEMINAL BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE THEY BUY THEIR ELECTRICITY AND THAT COULD GO UP. COUNTY HAS NOT SET THE MILLEDGE YET BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO GET ALL THESE FIGURES TOGETHER. I THINK WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING . WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO GO LIKE THIS. YOU HAVE A HARD JOB, I AM ON AN HOA BOARD, I KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO FACE THE PUBLIC, IT IS NOT EASY BUT THAT IS WHAT YOU HAVE A JOB. YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DO SOMETHING TO START PULLING MONEY BACK. IF YOU HAVE TO START CUTTING PEOPLE , YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO START CUTTING PEOPLE. I HATE TO SAY THAT. BUT, I JUST HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT YOUR BUDGET YET. I AM GOING TO ASK FOR THAT.

I WANT TO LOOK AT EVERYTHING . I HAVE DONE BUDGETS FOR EIGHT YEARS. I AM NO EXPERT BUT I DO KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BUDGETS.

WE HAVE ALL HAD TO TIGHTEN OUR BELTS. SO, I DON'T ENVY WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO, I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, BECAUSE IT AIN'T EASY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK FOR

[01:40:02]

THIS PUBLIC HEARING? WE WILL GET YOU A CARD TO FILL OUT IF YOU

WILL TELL US >> JOEYOUR NAME AND ADDRESS. THE ELGATO -- JOAD ELGATO , ORANGE PARK, FLORIDA. WE KNOW WHAT PEOPLE'S CONCERNS ARE. WE CANNOT SPEND MORE MONEY THAN WE HAVE. THIS IS WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN, IT WILL INCREASE OUR DEFICIT. UNDERSTAND, SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT . I WOULD NOT WANT ANYTHING TO BE TAKEN AWAY FROM OUR FIRST RESPONDERS. ESPECIALLY WITH WHAT HAPPENED THE OTHER NIGHT IN ORANGE PARK MALL. WE CAN'T SEE THAT CUT. IT IS EASY TO HIT THE EASY BUTTON AND KEEP ON GOING, BUT, WITH THE JOBS EACH ONE OF YOU HAVE, THE VOICE IS CHALLENGING. LOOK AT OTHER ALTERNATIVES. ESPECIALLY IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT IS -- THAT HAS BEEN ILLEGALLY DONE AS WAS MENTIONED BY THE PREVIOUS GENTLEMAN. YOU CANNOT CONTINUE AND CONDONE THAT. SO, I SEE MANY PEOPLE IN MY AREA ON A FIXED INCOME. THEY ARE STRUGGLING. I SEE CERTAIN CHURCH MEMBERS WHERE I GO, STRUGGLING. WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH ANOTHER SOLUTION.

MAYBE 2% OR 1%, IF WE ARE ALREADY IN A DEFICIT AND THIS MONEY WILL COVER IT, ONCE IT'S COVERED, ARE WE GOING TO GET ANY MONEY BACK IF YOU RAISE IT? I MEAN, WE ARE GIVING YOU A LOAN THAT YOU WILL DEFAULT ON, INTEREST FREE. HOW LONG HAS THE SHORTFALL BEEN GOING ON? HOW COME IT HAS NOT BEEN SEEN THROUGHOUT THE CERTAIN TIMELINE ? WHY WAIT UNTIL HE GETS TO A CERTAIN POINT ? MAYBE YOU HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MITIGATE IT SOONER.

I AM NOT SAYING IT WAS NOT DONE , BUT WE DO NOT KNOW. WE TRUST YOU. WE TRUST THE BOARD. I AM JUST SAYING, LOOK AT IT FROM A DIFFERENT ANGLE. I DO NOT THINK THIS INCREASE IS MERITED.

ESPECIALLY IF IT HAS BEEN DONE ILLEGALLY. UNLAWFULLY THANK YOU

AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT. >> IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AT THE PUBLIC HEARING ? IF NOT, I WILL BRING

IT BACK FOR STAFF. >> THE NUMBER IS $3.8 MILLION.

>> THE DELTA IS $3.8 MILLION? >> YES.

>> THERE WERE A FEW POINTS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP THAT I WOULD LIKE THE PUBLIC TO CLARIFICATION ON. ONE OF THEM, THE LEGALITY OF

THE ABILITY TO ASSESS THE TAX. >> AS WAS ORIGINALLY SET FORTH IN THE IMPLEMENTING ORDINANCE IN , I BELIEVE, 2003-80, IT REFERENCES THE FACT THAT THE STATUTORY AUTHORITY UNDER 166.231 IS AUTHORIZED UNDER ARTICLE 8 OF THE CONSTITUTION SECTION 1G, ARTICLE SEVEN, SECTION 9A AND FOUR THE SUPREME COURT DECISION FROM 1984 THAT SUPREME COURT DECISION , THE SUPREME COURT SAID THAT A CHARTER COUNTY IS ENTITLED TO

IMPLEMENT THE TAX. >> AS THE PUBLIC COMMENT MENTIONED, THERE ARE SOME CHARTER COUNTIES WHERE THEIR CHARTERS HAS SPECIFICALLY PROHIBITED THE ABILITY TO ASSESS THIS . ASIDE FROM THAT, A CHARTER COUNTY CAN ASSESS IT .

>> I AM NOT AWARE OF THOSE WHO HAVE SPECIFICALLY SAID THAT.

UNDER THE GENERAL LAW, YOU ARE ALLOWED.

>> THE ONLY ONE I AM AWARE OF IS COLUMBIA. THERE WERE 20 CHARTER COUNTIES AND I BELIEVE 12 THAT ASSESS THE UTILITY TAX OF SOME

[01:45:01]

KIND. OF THE 67 COUNTIES, FROM MY RESEARCH. SOMETHING ELSE I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU BUT IT LEFT MY MIND. I DID NOT WRITE IT

DOWN. >> A MAN RAISED THE BUSINESS IMPACT STATEMENT, THAT DOCUMENT IS REQUIRED BY FLORIDA STATUTE, WITH SPECIFIC QUESTIONS YOU ARE TO INCLUDE IN THE BUSINESS IMPACT STATEMENT AND IT ADDRESSES BUSINESSES. THEY ARE IN ACCORDANCE WITH FLORIDA STATUTE.

>> COMMISSIONER BURKE? >> I TAKE ISSUE WITH IT, THE CURRENT SHERIFF, IT SEEMS LIKE THE SHERIFF STAFF HAS OUTGROWN -- TO MAKE THE SHERIFF LOOK IMPORTANT , ACCOMPLISHING NOTHING IN LAW ENFORCEMENT THE CITIZENS OF CLAY COUNTY, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE SHERIFF NOT COMMENT ON THAT. AGAIN, WE WILL NOT BE CUTTING THE NEEDS OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND DEFINITELY STAFF IS EVIDENTLY MORE SO

NEEDED FOR A REASON. >> YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK BUT THAT PEOPLE ASKED ME WHY ARE THERE SO MANY GREEN UNIFORMS IN THE AUDIENCE. THESE ARE MID-LEVEL AND EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT FOLKS BECAUSE OPERATING LEAN AND EFFICIENT IS EMBEDDED INTO THE CULTURE OF OUR AGENCY. FOR ME , IMPORTANT MID-LEVEL MANAGERS UNDERSTAND THE DIFFICULT PROCESS THAT IT IS TO GET A BUDGET ACROSS THE FINISH LINE, DIFFICULT DECISIONS THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO MAKE. WHEN WE DO OUR BUDGET PROCESS , WE INCLUDED A LOT OF PEOPLE. I WANT MY STAFF TO FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS NOT A BLANK CHECK . THESE ARE TAXPAYER DOLLARS, THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE COME UP HERE TONIGHT TO EXPRESS CONCERNS. MY TEAM , THE SECESSION PLANS WE HAVE IN PLACE, NEEDED TO HEAR THAT.

SPECIFICALLY , WHEN IT COMES TO THE NUMBER OF DEPUTIES WE HAVE ON THE STREET . THE CLAY COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE CONTINUES TO BE UNDERSTAFFED . THE AVERAGE STATE RATIO OF DEPUTIES PER 1000 IS 1.65, WE ARE AT 1.26 . WE ARE STILL ABOUT A QUARTER DEPUTY BEHIND WHICH MEANS TO BRING US TO AVERAGE STAFFING IN THE COUNTY COMPARED TO OTHER COUNTIES IN THE STATE, WE WOULD NEED TO HIRE 40 OR 50 MORE DEPUTIES JUST TO GET TO AVERAGE . MANY COUNTIES ACROSS THE STATE HAVE MULTIPLE MUNICIPALITIES TO POLICE THEIR OWN TALENTS . WE HAVE TWO SMALL MUNICIPALITIES, BUT WE COVER THE VAST MAJORITY OF UNINCORPORATED AREAS ABOUT 640 SQUARE MILES. OUR CALLS FOR SERVICE ARE INCREASING AND LAST YEAR WE HANDLED ABOUT 275,000 CALLS FOR SERVICE INCLUDING 80,000 911 CALLS INTO THE DISPATCH CENTER WHICH CAME OUT TO 752 CALLS PER DAY. WE ARE SERVICING AN EVER-GROWING POPULATION . WHEN I CAME INTO OFFICE, WE WERE OVER 200,000 PEOPLE AND NOW UP TO 217,000 AND LAST YEAR ALONE WE MADE OVER 4000 ARRESTS . I SHARED WITH EACH OF YOU, A WEEK AGO , SOME INFORMATION ON OUR FUNDING COMPARED TO OTHER AGENCIES IN THE AREA THAT ARE SIMILAR IN SIZE TO US. I AM PROUD TO SAY THAT WE ARE EXTREMELY LEAN AND EXTREMELY EFFICIENT . OF ALL OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE I HAVE SURVEYED OVER THE PAST TWO WEEKS , WE ARE THE LOWEST FUNDED PER PERSON IN OUR AGENCY. I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION, COMMISSIONER.

>> YES. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE SHERIFF ? THANK YOU, SHERIFF . WE HAVE ALL BEEN PRETTY CLEAR , FOR THE MOST PART, WHETHER WE AGREE OR NOT ON RAISING UTILITY TAX, FULLY FUNDING, FOR ME, OTHER HAVE SAID IT, FULLY FUNDING OUR SHARES BUDGET REQUEST AND OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT, ARE CRITICAL. THAT IS HOW WE DO IT.

I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE AND ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS. OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? I WILL OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSION. WE CAN

[01:50:12]

HAVE DISCUSSION OR IF SOMEONE WANTS TO MAKE A MOTION. I DID HAVE ONE ITEM THAT CAME UP THIS MORNING THAT I WAS GOING TO READ TO YOU, I AM READING FROM THE 2025 LEGISLATIVE SESSION, FINAL REPORT FROM THE FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES, THIS IS AVAILABLE ONLINE ON THE FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES WEBSITE , IT IS PUBLICLY AVAILABLE. YOU CAN MAKE A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST, YOU WILL GET A PHOTOCOPY OF A BOOK, SOMEONE ASKED THE QUESTION ABOUT IMPACT FEES. THERE WAS A NEW STATUTE PASSED , I HAD IT MARKED AND I LOST MY PAGE, ABOUT IMPACT FEES SPECIFICALLY. LOCAL GOVERNMENT LAND REGULATIONS. BASICALLY , IT SAYS, THE BILL PROVIDES SEVERAL MODIFICATIONS TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS , THE BILL REQUIRES LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO SPECIFY THE MINIMUM INFORMATION REQUIRED FOR CERTAIN ZONING APPLICATIONS. PROCESS OF APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT PERMIT ORDERED WITHIN CERTAIN TIME FRAMES, CAN ISSUE A REFUND TO AN APPLICANT AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT FAILS TO MEET THOSE TIME FRAMES UNLESS AN EXCEPTION APPLIES. SPECIFICALLY, CERTAIN FEES MAY BE USED BY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO PROCESS OR ENFORCE BUILDING PERMITS . MODIFIES THE THRESHOLD VOTE REQUIRED TO IMPROVE , AND IMPACT FEE INCREASE FROM TWO THIRDS VOTE TO A UNANIMOUS VOTE AT THE LOCAL GOVERNING BODY AND REQUIRES LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO IMPLEMENT AN INCREASE IN IMPACT FEES IN AT LEAST TWO OF NOT MORE THAN FOUR EQUAL ANNUAL INCREMENTS . IT PROHIBITS A LOCAL GOVERNMENT FROM INCREASING AND IMPACT FEE BEYOND THE FACE AND LIMITATIONS, IF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT HAS NOT INCREASED THE IMPACT FEE WITHIN THE PAST FIVE YEARS. IT SPECIFIES THAT THERE WERE CERTAIN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENTS THAT ARE NOT ADOPTED IN A SECOND PUBLIC HEARING, THE AMENDMENTS MUST BE FORMALLY ADOPTED WITHIN 180 DAYS OF THE SECOND PUBLIC HEARING, OR THE AMENDMENTS ARE DEEMED WITHDRAWN.

IT REQUIRES LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO TRANSMIT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE ALL ADOPTED PLAN AMENDMENTS WITHIN 30 DAYS RATHER THAN 10 DAYS OF A FINAL ADOPTION HEARING. AND THE DEVELOPMENT -- THERE IS A LONG NARRATIVE ABOUT WHAT THIS MEANS. THIS IS SENATE BILL 1080 AND ASSOCIATED HOUSE BILL IS 579, CALLED LOCAL GOVERNMENT LAND REGULATIONS . QUESTIONS ABOUT WHY WE DO NOT JUST RAISE THE IMPACT FEES, THAT ADDRESSES THAT. I WANTED TO BRING THAT FOR THE RECORD. WE DO HAVE, FOR THE PUBLIC NOT WATCHING, WE DO HAVE IMPACT FEES, MOBILITY FEES IN PLACE SINCE 2018 , AND OTHER IMPACT FEES , FIRE, SHERIFF DEPARTMENT , PARKS, LIBRARIES , AND REGIONAL PARK AND LOCAL PARKS HAVE BEEN IN PLACE SINCE JUNE OF 2023.

>> MADAM CHAIR , WHILE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IT , IT PLAYS INTO THE QUESTION ABOUT, OTHER SOURCES OF INCOME AND , I AM SURE WE CAN FIND OTHER SOURCES OF INCOME. WE HAVE LOOKED AT OTHER SOURCES AS A COMMISSION. STORMWATER FEE. WE HAVE A SEVERE PROBLEM IN CLAY COUNTY WITH GETTING RID OF STORM WATER. IT WAS NOT ADOPTED IN ALL. WHEN WAS THAT LOOKED AT? ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO ? THAT WAS NOT APPROVED. I PROPOSED A BUSINESS LICENSE , MOST COMMUNITIES HAVE -- MOST CITIES HAVE BUSINESS LICENSES , ORANGE PARK HAS BUSINESS LICENSES . THAT WAS SUPPORTED AS WELL. WE HAVE AN ANIMAL CONTROL FACILITY. SOME MUNICIPALITIES HAVE A DOG LICENSE. THAT WAS, I DO NOT HAVE A DOG, I DON'T WANT TO PAY A DOG LICENSE. WE HAVE LOOKED AT A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES. THE FUNDING SOURCE OF AD VALOREM, THAT ONLY GOES AGAINST PROPERTY OWNERS, IF YOU DO NOT OWN PROPERTY AND LIVE IN CLAY COUNTY, YOU DO NOT PAY DIRECTLY. WE COULD RAISE YOUR PROPERTY VALUE, BUT YOU ARE PAYING FOR UP TO 5000 PIECES OF PROPERTY THAT PAY NO TAXES. IF THIS UTILITY TAX IS ONE OF THOSE

[01:55:06]

THINGS WHERE WE SPREAD THE WEALTH. ALLOW EVERYBODY TO HAVE SKIN IN THE GAME . WE DID LOOK AT A VARIETY . WE HAVE LOOKED AT A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES.

>> MADAM CHAIR, IF I MAY? I WILL GO THROUGH WHAT I SAID THIS MORNING. THERE ARE SOME NEW FOLKS HERE. I NEED TO REITERATE, TO PAINT THE PICTURE FOR THE PUBLIC, ESPECIALLY BEING A NEW COMMISSIONER. TROY, ONE QUESTION FOR YOU BEFORE I START, A RESIDENT MADE A GOOD QUESTION, HOW LONG HAS THIS DEFICIT HAPPENE ? THIS IS MY FIRST BUDGET WORKSHOP. IN THE PAST BUDGET CYCLE . IN THE PAST FOUR YEARS , WE STARTED THIS YEAR WITH A BUDGET , THE BUDGET STAFF LETTING OUR FIRST WORKSHOP , WE WERE TOLD YOU HAVE TO CUT $17 MILLION. THAT IS WHAT WE WERE TOLD AND FOUR YEARS PRIOR, WHAT WAS THAT NUMBER? IF IT WAS LESS

THAN THAT, WHY? >> COUPLE THINGS TO TAKE IN MIND, WE HAVE NOT BEEN RUNNING IN A DEFICIT THE LAST FEW YEARS.

YOU HAVE TO BALANCE THE BUDGET. A COUPLE THINGS HAVE ATTRIBUTED TO THIS, ONE, INFLATION AS WE TALKED ABOUT THIS MORNING, THE INFLATIONARY RATE IS EXCEEDING YOUR CAP ON PROPERTY VALUES. THE OTHER BENEFIT , COMMISSIONER BURKE POINTED THIS OUT THIS MORNING, WE HAD THE BENEFIT OF COVID AND ARPA MONEY THE LAST FOUR YEARS, FIVE YEARS TO THE TUNE OF $80 MILLION . THAT HELPS OFFSET YOUR COST INCREASES YOU ARE SEEING FROM INFLATION AT THE BEGINNING, SUCH AS BUILDING ROADS OR STORM WATER. THIS IS A TALE OF WHERE WE ARE AT ECONOMICS, $50 MINIMUM WAGE, THOSE HAVE ALL CONTRIBUTED BUT YOU ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET. IT IS JUST A MATTER OF WHAT IS IN THE BUDGET AND WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE WITH THE BUDGET.

>> YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD. WITH UTILITY TAX, CLAY ELECTRIC CHOSE TO SEND OUT A NOTICE TO OTHER MEMBERSHIP. THEY LISTED IN THAT NOTICE THAT COMMISSIONER CONDON WAS AGAINST THIS . I ASKED THIS MORNING AND I WILL ASK AGAIN, COMMISSIONER RENNINGER, DID THEY REACH OUT TO YOU FOR YOUR OPINION?

>> NO. >> COMMISSIONER COMPERE?

>> I WILL REITERATE MY ANSWER, YES .

>> YOU HAD A MEETING WITH THEM?

>> I DID >> COMMISSIONER CONDON ?

>> NO, I SPOKE AT OUR FIRST AND SECOND BUDGET WORKSHOPS THAT I WAS OPPOSED TO THIS WHEN IT WAS FIRST PRESENTED ON MAY 6TH . AT OUR FIRST BUDGET WORKSHOP AND I REITERATED THAT IN OUR JUNE 19TH BUDGET WORKSHOP, AND I SAID IT IN MY COMMENTS IN THE JUNE 24TH

MEETING . >> COMMISSIONER BERT, DID THEY

REACH OUT TO YOU? >> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS

FRUSTRATING ABOUT THAT -- >> OUT OF LINE . WE ARE NOT

GOING TO DO THAT. >> I AM SORRY, WE CANNOT . THANK

YOU . >> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS UNDERHANDED ABOUT IT , THE FACT THAT IN THE BUDGET WORKSHOPS WE HAVE HAD, THERE WERE REQUESTS FROM COMMISSIONERS TO STAFF TO FIND REVENUE STREAMS, ONE OF THOSE REVENUE STREAMS THAT WE ASKED TO LOOK AT, OR WAS BROUGHT UP , THE UTILITY TAX, I REMEMBER SPECIFICALLY SAYING, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE NUMBERS. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE COOPERATION WITH OUR LOCAL PARTNERS AS IT PERTAINS . WE ALL SHOULD BE LOOKING TO FIND THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR CITIZENS , SHOULD NOT BE WORKING AGAINST ONE ANOTHER, IT IS VERY INTERESTING, THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND SOME THINGS THIS BOARD IS DEALING WITH. ONE OF THOSE , YOU HAVE BROUGHT IT UP , AS THE PUBLIC, YOU HAVE MENTIONED YOU ARE PAYING MORE FOR EGGS AND MILK, AND PAYING MORE FOR GAS, CLAY ELETRCIC JUST HAD A RATE INCREASE . THEY CITED THAT THERE RATE INCREASE WAS BECAUSE OF INFLATION, THEY PUT A POST ON FACEBOOK ON JUNE 3RD THAT SAYS THEY ARE PAYING 79% MORE FOR POLES, 150% MORE FOR UNDERGROUND CABLE, 219 PERCENT MORE FOR PARAMOUNT TRANSFORMERS, 121% MORE FOR OVERHEAD WIRE,

[02:00:04]

CLAY COUNTY UTILITY AUTHORITY WHICH HAS RESELL, ONE OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES REACHED OUT AND INFORMED ME THEY WERE TRYING TO MAKE AS MANY CUTS AS THEY COULD. THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT MAKING A 3.75% WATER REVENUE INCREASE AND 3.75 LEASE WATER INCREASE FOR THE 25-2026 BUDGET. LET'S TALK ABOUT CLAY COUNTY, THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT , THE COUNTY COMMISSION. I HAD STAFF PULL SOME NUMBERS FOR ME BECAUSE I WANTED THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND THIS, WHEN WE START MAKING THESE CUTS, AND YOU START WONDERING WHAT IS GOING ON, THIS IS WHAT IS GOING ON . FIRE STATION 11 WAS QUOTED IN 2018 AND 2019 , $252.30 PER SQUARE FOOT, THE PER SQUARE FOOT PRICE OF FIRE STATION 20 IN 2024 WAS $614.59 . THAT IS A 143% INCREASE PER SQUARE FOOT .

ROTARY SERVICING , SOMETHING I HAVE HEARD FROM MANY RESIDENTS THAT THEY WANT THE ROADS FIXED IN CLAY COUNTY, $127,000 PER MILE IN 2022, AND 2024 THAT NUMBER IS NOW $209,000 PER MILE, A 64% INCREASE. SOME ROADS THAT WERE DEVELOPED, AND LAND DESCRIBED IN 2022, WAS $7.3 MILLION PER MILE AND SPENCER INDUSTRIAL DRIVE WAS $15.1 MILLION, A 105% INCREASE .

SOMETHING AS SMALL AS A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT, A ROAD GRADER, WAS $237,000 IN 2021 AND IT WAS $340,000 IN 2025, A 47% INCREASE. SO , ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO ASK THE COMMUNITY, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO HOLD OTHER PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE AS WELL? HOW ARE YOU GOING TO HOLD A PRIVATE NOT-FOR-PROFIT ACCOUNTABLE ? WHO ARE THEY REPORTING TO? HOW ARE THEY CUTTING COSTS? WE ARE ABOUT TO CUT SOME SIGNIFICANT COSTS AND IT IS IMPORTANT THAT OUR COMMUNITY WORKS TOGETHER TO DO THAT. SO, THE LAST THING IS , WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE ? THIS IS THE MESSAGE I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS. AS MR. MATHENY SAID, I WILL PUT THIS ON A SHIRT, IT IS TOUGH OUT THERE AND ONLY GETTING TOUGHER.

OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, WE WILL BE FACING VERY TOUGH DECISIONS. WHAT DO YOU , AS RESIDENTS, WANT ? I AM VERY THANKFUL TO LIVE IN CLAY COUNTY AND THANKFUL THAT 99% OF YOU STOOD UP AT THE PODIUM AND BACK TO THE PEOPLE IN UNIFORM. VERY THANKFUL FOR THAT. BUT, WHEN IT BECOMES THAT THAT IS THE ONLY THING IN THE BUDGET, THERE IS OTHER NEEDS. COMMISSIONER RENNINGER MADE A GREAT POINT ABOUT STORMWATER, LAST YEAR WE DID IN THE RESERVES $8 MILLION BECAUSE OF EMERGENCIES , THAT IS NOT GOOD AND NOT FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE. FOR OUR RESIDENTS THAT LIVE IN ORANGE PARK, THE LAST HURRICANE WE HAD A STORMWATER FAILURE THAT KNOCKED OUT ABOUT 150 FEET OF ROADWAY THAT 150 FEET WAS $950,000 TO FIX. OF SOMETHING THAT WE DID NOT BUDGET FOR . WE DID NOT BUDGET THE ROAD WAS GOING TO FAIL. THAT BEING SAID, WE'RE GOING TO KEEP CUTTING AND WE WILL KEEP DOGEING OURSELVES AND FINDING WAYS TO BE MORE EFFICIENT . IF YOU DO NOT TAKE $20 MILLION OF CUTS IS NOT BEING EFFICIENT, WE HAVE A DISAGREEMENT AS TO WHAT THAT MEANS. NEVERTHELESS, I AM MAKING SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS THE LEVEL OF THINGS YOU EXPECT CANNOT BE FUNDED IF IT IS NOT PAID FOR. THAT IS SOMETHING WE HAVE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION . SORRY FOR THE LONG-WINDED EXPLANATION BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WERE NOT HERE THIS MORNING AND THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT AND WHERE OUR MONEY IS GOING.

>> THANK YOU . BEFORE OTHER COMMISSIONERS SPEAK, I -- DID YOU WANT TO SPEAK AT THIS PUBLIC HEARING, MR. WARNER? YOU SAID WHAT YOU WANTED TO SAY? OKAY, I APOLOGIZE , I STILL HAD YOUR CARD. ONE LONE CARD. OTHER COMMISSIONER COMMENTS?

>> I WILL JUMP IN. THE COMMENTS COMMISSIONER SGROMOLO SAID IS THE PERFECT SEGUE TO HAVE AN OPEN DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT CLAY COUNTY RESIDENTS WANT TO DO, IT IS VERY CLEAR, BASED ON THE CONVERSATION, THAT WE HAVE CERTAIN VALUES , THAT WE WANT TO PROTECT CERTAIN INTERESTS, AT THIS JUNCTURE, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO ME, EITHER , THE BOARD MAKES A DECISION CONCERNING

[02:05:03]

MAKING UP THE SHORTFALL, OR TAKING IT BACK OUT TO THE RESIDENTS OF CLAY COUNTY. WE WERE GIVEN A MIXED MESSAGE THIS MORNING. WE WANT TO ENSURE PUBLIC SAFETY , WE CANNOT AFFORD THE CHANGES THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED. IN LIGHT OF THAT, I THINK THAT IT WAS COMMISSIONER BURKE , AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE MEETING THAT ASKED, IF THIS IS WHERE WE ARE , HOW DO WE MEET THE NEED BUT SHE PROPOSED THAT TO COMMISSIONER CONDON AND WE GOT A RESPONSE . BUT I THINK THERE IS MAY BE ROOM TO DISCUSS WHAT OPTIONS THE RESIDENTS OF CLAY COUNTY HAVE . BECAUSE , BIG PICTURE, IF WE WILL TALK ABOUT BIG PICTURE, WE ARE ONLY DISCUSSING THIS YEAR'S BUDGET. I CANNOT EMPHASIZE THAT ENOUGH .

WE ARE ONLY TALKING ABOUT THIS YEAR'S BUDGET. THAT MEANS THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE HERE AGAIN NEXT YEAR WITH LARGER PROBLEMS TO ADDRESS. THAT IS WHAT -- FOR ME, IF I CAN BE CANDID, I AM MORE OF A MACRO PERSON, I AM NOT A MICRO, INTO THE WEEDS PERSON AND WHEN I ANALYZE THE DISCUSSIONS HAPPENING NOW, AND THE EXTENT WE ARE HAVING TO GO TODAY, TO MEET BUDGETARY CONCERNS, WHAT MAKES ME MORE CONCERNED IS APPROACHING THIS DISCUSSION NEXT YEAR AND THE YEAR AFTER THAT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME UP IN CONVERSATION AFTER THE WORKSHOP THIS MORNING , THERE ARE OTHER PROJECTS THAT WILL BE VERY EXPENSIVE , STUDIES WE HAVE OUT RIGHT NOW THAT WILL BRING RESULTS AND THE COUNTY STAFF WILL TURN TO THE COMMISSION AND SAY, I THINK WE NEED TO FUND THIS. THE CONVERSATION WILL COME BACK TO THE COMMISSION FOR US TO ASSESS YOU AGAIN. I CAN ALREADY SEE , A MILE DOWN THE ROAD, THIS WILL BE AN ISSUE THAT -- I DO NOT LIKE BAND-AIDS WHERE YOU NEED SURGERY. THE PROPOSAL THAT WE ARE MAKING IN ADDRESSING THE UTILITY TAX INCREASE , EVEN IF YOU BRIDGE THE GAP AND GO FROM 4% TO 10%, WHICH HAS BEEN THE PREDOMINANT CONVERSATION , IT ONLY MITIGATES TEMPORARILY. YOU DO NOT HAVE A LONG-TERM , SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION. I HAVE HEARD YOU LOUD AND CLEAR. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT GIVES ME PAUSE, I HAVE ONLY BEEN ON THE COMMISSION FOR 2.5 YEARS . BEFORE I WAS ON, I WAS HEARING COMPLAINTS ABOUT INSURANCE PREMIUMS ON HOMES, PROPERTY TAXES , PROPERTY TAX INCREASES, LAST YEAR THE SOLID WASTE GARBAGE WASTE CHANGE HAD AN ASSESSMENT AND TODAY WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A UTILITY TAX INCREASE. SOMEBODY SO MUCH WISER THAN MOST SAID, THE WATER IN CLAY COUNTY IS BOILING OVER . PEOPLE ARE UPSET BECAUSE , IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE , THE SOLUTION WE ARE LOOKING TO FOR SUE -- PURSUE IS MYOPIC, IT WILL NOT SOLVE THE LONG-RANGE PROBLEM , AND IT IS THE EASIEST WAY TO RAISE MONEY IF WE ARE GOING TO BE HONEST ABOUT IT . TO SQUEEZE THE TAXPAYER . I DO NOT THINK THAT IS THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION TO ADDRESS CONCERNS THAT ARE GOING TO OUTLIVE ANY OF US ON THE BOARD TODAY. I ASKED TROY, TALK ABOUT WHAT OUR OPTIONS LOOK LIKE . THE QUESTION COMMISSIONER BURKE ASKED COMMISSIONER CONDON AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE MEETING WAS THE MOST CRITICAL QUESTION , HOW DO WE SOLVE THIS PROBLEM? A BAND-AIDS IS NOT GOING TO BE THE SOLUTION. HE PROVIDED ME WITH THIS PRINTOUT THAT HAS THESE -- A DIVERSE LIST OF, FRANKLY, DISCRETIONARY SALES SURTAX RATES IN FLORIDA COUNTIES WITH THESE DIFFERENT BUCKETS THAT CAN

[02:10:04]

RECEIVE FUNDS. THE REASON WHY I AM BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION , BUT KEPT COMING UP THIS MORNING IN THE WORKSHOP, WE WANT TO FUND PUBLIC SAFETY , BUT IS THERE AN EARMARKING MECHANISM TO DO SO? INSTEAD OF CREATING A MECHANISM , I WAS GOING TO PROPOSE US LOOK AT WHAT MECHANISMS ARE ALREADY IN PLACE TO SOLVE THAT AND TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU TO DECIDE. AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT IS YOUR DOLLARS BEING SPENT. I FULLY APPRECIATE THAT THEY ARE YOUR DOLLARS . INSTEAD OF UNILATERALLY MAKING A DECISION ABOUT HOW THIS IS GOING TO AFFECT YOUR WALLETS WHEN YOU ARE ALREADY DEALING WITH SO MUCH, MY APPROACH, IN MY MIND , IT WOULD MAKE MORE SENSE FOR YOU ALL TO DECIDE HOW YOU WANT TO BE ASSESSED BECAUSE THE DECISIONS WE HAVE TO MAKE AT THE COUNTY LEVEL, IT IS NOT CONSISTENT, OR , THE AVENUES WE CAN EXPLORE ARE INCONSISTENT WITH THE ASKS BEING MADE OF US. I WANT , I HAVE SHARED THIS WITH TROY MULTIPLE TIMES, I WANT A LONG-TERM SOLUTION. AT THIS JUNCTURE, I DO NOT HAVE ONE. WE DO NOT HAVE ONE. TODAY, TODAY HURTS, MAKING THESE DECISIONS TODAY HURTS . 12 MONTHS FROM NOW, IT WILL BE A WHOLE LOT WORSE. THAT IS THE MACRO -- WE HAVE RECEIVED PROJECTIONS FROM VARIOUS PARTS OF THE COUNTY THAT GO FIVE, TEN YEARS, I MEAN, YOU SAW WHAT HAPPENED TONIGHT, MY PROJECT, THE ONLY PROJECT IN MY DISTRICT, THE OAKLEAF LIBRARY TAKING SHOTS TONIGHT BECAUSE WE HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION THAT IS DIFFICULT , HOWEVER , HOWEVER, I DO NOT THINK -- I REALLY DO NOT THINK THAT LOOKING AT THIS , ONLY THIS YEAR'S BUDGET , IS GOING TO BE BENEFICIAL AND WE HAVE NOT YET BEEN PRESENTED WITH WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FIVE YEARS , EVEN 10 YEARS , DARE I SAY 10 YEARS FROM NOW. I KNOW THAT THERE ARE COUNTY STAFF MEMBERS THAT ARE LOOKING AT 10 YEARS FROM NOW. THESE NUMBERS ARE NOT ADDING UP.

THREE YEARS FROM NOW, THESE NUMBERS ARE NOT ADDING UP. I AM VERY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH MAKING A DECISION THAT ONLY ADDRESSES TODAY. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY. BIG PICTURE IS FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY , TO ME, WE CAN HAVE VARYING OPINIONS , I AM OKAY WITH IT, AS ONE COMMISSIONER, I AM UNCOMFORTABLE WITH A NARROW APPROACH TO THE CONCERNS THAT WE ARE INEVITABLY GOING TO BE HAVING A YEAR FROM NOW.

>> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER COMPERE OTHER COMMENTS ?

>> SALES TAX, SOMETHING WE ARE HAVING AS AN OPTION?

>> I CAN ADDRESS THE COMMENTS BY COMMISSIONER COMPERE ? A COUPLE DIFFERENT REVENUE STREAMS WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT OVER THE YEARS, I WILL GO THROUGH THE MALL REAL QUICK SO WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE . ABOUT THE REVENUE STREAMS ARE STATE REVENUE SHARING, SALES TAX, THROUGH THE STATE, REVENUE-SHARING , WE HAVE NO CONTROL OF THOSE. THOSE ARE FACTORS THAT THE STATE GIVES US , REVENUE-SHARING NUMBERS COME FROM THE STATE. LIKE COMMUNICATION SERVICE TAX, COMES TO THE STATE GETS REIMBURSED TO THE COUNTY . THAT WAS ONE OF THE ITEMS THE STATE DECIDED TO CUT THIS YEAR AND DO A REDUCTION ON BY 7.5%. YOU HAVE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT THIS MORNING -LIKE IMPACT FEES, IMPACT FEES, MOBILITY FEES ONLY TO CAPITAL EXPENSES AND CANNOT BE FOR OPERATIONAL . WE GET DOWN INTO OPERATIONAL, GAS TAX, SALES TAX HAVE SAID DISCRETIONARY YOU HAVE GOES TO FUND THE GENERAL FUND. THE SHEET I GAVE YOU FOR THE MEETING, THERE ARE SOME OTHER SALES TAXES THAT HAVE VERY FINITE RESTRICTIONS THAT YOU COULD CONSIDER. STAFF HAS NOT HAD TIME TO ANALYZE THESE AND SAY, HOW MUCH WOULD IT GENERATE, OR, WHAT WOULD THE OFFSET BE? ONE OF THE FOUR REGIONAL

[02:15:05]

TRANSPORTATION, ONE FOR INDIGENT CARE . YOU WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT THOSE AND SAY, HOW MUCH OF THE BUDGET DOES THIS OFFSET ? WHAT IS THE GIVE? THAT IS THE SALES TAXES. THE OTHER OPTION --

>> BUT THESE TAXES ARE PAID BY THE RESIDENTS ?

>> IS IT A SALES TAX -- IT WOULD BE PAID BY ANYBODY , IF IT HAPPENS TO DO BUSINESS IN YOUR COUNTY, THAT IS WHAT THIS SHEET WAS . THE OTHER SHE HAD PROVIDED TO EACH OF YOU, DEALS WITH NON- AD VALOREM ASSESSMENTS, WE TALKED ABOUT PROPERTY VALUE ASSESSMENT, THERE IS NON-AD VALOREM, WHAT COMMISSIONER COMPERE WAS REFERRING TO, THE STORMWATER STUDY , THAT IS PART OF WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT. THESE ARE ONE OF THE COUNTIES ASSESS FOR NON-AD VALOREM ASSESSMENTS , AND THE SECOND PAGE SHOWS YOU THE PERCENTAGE BREAKDOWN OF AD VALOREM VERSUS NON-AD VALOREM , FOR EXAMPLE, 70% OF OUR REVENUE -- 17% OF OUR REVENUE COMES FROM NON-AD VALOREM AND THE OTHER FROM AD VALOREM. THOSE ARE OPTIONS YOU COULD USE TO CHANGE HOW YOU COLLECT REVENUE.

>> QUICK QUESTION, ON THE DISCRETIONARY SALES SURTAX, THE EMERGENCY FIRE RESCUE SERVICES AND FACILITIES SURTAX, WHAT DOES

THAT MEAN? >> THAT MOST LIKELY WOULD BE AN OFFSET TO YOUR IMPACT FEES FOR FACILITIES BUT WE WILL LOOK AT WHAT THAT THEY CAN BE LOOKED FOR, TWO COUNTIES ASSESS IT IN FLORIDA OF 67, WE WILL LOOK INTO IT.

>> PIGGYBACKING UP WHAT COMMISSIONER COMPERE SAID, DO YOU KNOW OF ANY MECHANISM CURRENTLY WHERE VOTERS HAVE THE ABILITY TO TO FUND PUBLIC SAFETY OTHER THAN A SALES TAX?

>> BRADFORD COUNTY ASSESSED, NOT FOR THE SHERIFF TO PROMISE PHYSICALLY BUT THEY ASSESSED A FIRE FEE. THEY DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY , THEY ARE NOT A CHARTER COUNTY AND CANNOT DO IT, THEY ARE AT MAX MILLAGE, THEY CANNOT RAISE THEIR AD VALOREM OR ASSESS A UTILITY TAX, AND THEY DID NOT HAVE -- THEY HAVE NEEDS AND THEIR FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT WERE NOT BEING MET AND THEY ASSESSED A FIRE FEE AND THAT IS WHAT I KNOW ABOUT IT.

>> I DO NOT THINK THAT WAS VOTED DRIVEN. I DO NOT THINK IT WENT TO THE VOTERS. THAT WAS A VOTE BY THE COMMISSION. HOWEVER , CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG, YOU CAN PUT NONBINDING REFERENDUMS ON THE BALLOT . NOT ACCOUNTABLE TO IT BUT DOES GIVE YOU THE OPINION OF THE VOTERS. SOMETHING LIKE THAT YOU WERE LOOKING AT, THAT MAY BE A WAY TO NOT NECESSARILY HAVE THE VOTERS PER SE VOTE ON IT, WHICH I DO NOT THINK YOU CAN, BUT STILL GET

THEIR OPINION >> WHAT ARE THE LEGALITIES AROUND THE MSTUS, WHEN WERE THEY PUT INTO PLACE?

>> BOTH COVER DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTIES, UNINCORPORATED, FOR EXAMPLE, FIRE AND MTSU, EVERYTHING BUT ORANGE PART AND PART OF THE 10 MILLS. ONLY TAXING EVERYBODY EXCEPT ORANGE PARK , OF THE MUNICIPALITIES AND COUNTIES HAVE DONE IF YOU LOOK AT SHIFTING , BY GOING TO A FEE, USUALLY IMPLEMENT A FEE, POSSIBLY REDUCE THE MILLAGE , GENERATE THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY IN A DIFFERENTWAY. USUALLY THOSE MODELS ARE BASED ON USAGE MODELS. IT IS NOT BASED ON VALUE , IT IS BASED ON, FOR EXAMPLE , FIRE, WHO USES THE FIRE SERVICE MORE OFTEN ? IF YOU WERE A CERTAIN TYPE OF BUSINESS , YOUR FEE MAY BE HIGHER BECAUSE THERE IS MORE OF A CHANCE OF A FIRE OR MORE SETS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT GOING TO SOMEPLACE, SO THAT THE IS HIGHER. -- SO THAT FEE IS HIGHER. SO, DIFFERENT METHODOLOGIES.

>> CAN YOU ADDRESS WHAT COMMISSIONER COMPERE WAS SAYING IN TERMS OF NOT A LONG-TERM SOLUTION, GOING INTO NEXT YEAR ?

[02:20:05]

>> NOT TO SPEAK FOR HER, YOU SET THE BUDGET AT $180 MILLION, THAT IS WHAT YOU WILL GET WITH THE AD VALOREM UTILITY TAX . NEXT YEAR, IT WILL ONLY GO UP BY A PERCENTAGE AND UTILITY TAX IS NOT GOING TO GO UP AGAIN. THAT NUMBER IS RELATIVELY FLAT, THERE WILL BE AN INCREASE WITH NEW HOMES, BUT IF YOU HAVE A DEMAND SIGNAL , AS HAS BEEN INDICATED, BUT YOUR REQUEST NEXT YEAR MAYBE 10%, 12%. THAT DEMAND SIGNAL IS GOING TO BE MORE THAN WHAT YOU WERE GOING TO BRING IN MOST LIKELY ON ANY KIND OF PROPERTY INCREASED VALUE. I THINK THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE ALLUDING TO. YOU WILL HAVE THIS PROBLEM POTENTIALLY AGAIN , DEPENDING ON WHAT THOSE REQUESTS ARE AND HOW MUCH VALUES GO UP.

>> THE REAL QUESTION IS, HOW DO WE GET TO WHERE WE DON'T HAVE THE PROBLEM? WE HAD NO IDEA THAT, AFTER COVID , THE PRICES OF EVERYTHING WOULD GO UP ASTRONOMICALLY AND IT HAS NOT COME BACK DOWN . DEVELOPERS ARE SAYING THAT, EVERYTHING HAS GONE

UP AND HAS NOT GONE BACK DOWN. >> I AGREE WITH YOU IN THAT , THE FIGURES MAY BE UNPREDICTABLE , BUT WHAT WE DO KNOW FOR SURE , BUT WE DO KNOW FOR SURE, THAT THESE ARE SHORT-TERM SOLUTIONS.

AS THE YEARS CONTINUE, THOSE FIGURES GET EXPONENTIALLY LARGER. YOU DO NOT HAVE A QUICK FIX HERE. YOU DO. IN MANY WAYS, IT ADDRESSES TODAY, SEPTEMBER , BUT YOU DO NOT HAVE THE GUARANTEE -- I BELIEVE IT WAS COMMISSIONER CONDON WHO MADE THIS POINT AT THE LAST WORKSHOP , TO YOUR POINT , A LOT OF THESE FIGURES NEXT YEAR, THEY ARE OUTPACING WHAT YOU BRING IN , THAT IS NOT GOING TO KEEP UP WITH THE DEMAND. WE CAN ALREADY SEE THAT, IT IS HAPPENING TODAY . IF WE STARTED THE CONVERSATION AT $17 MILLION IN THE HOLE, IT WILL NOT BE A LOWER NUMBER A YEAR FROM NOW AND THE DEMAND WILL BE MORE THAN WE KNOW IT WILL BE MORE. WE ARE TALKING TODAY ABOUT TAPPING UTILITY TAX.

TODAY, 10%, FROM 4% TO 10% , THERE IS NO METHOD TO INCREASE EVEN THAT . I AM NOT PROPOSING THAT, DON'T GET ME WRONG, YOU ARE NOT THE MOST. WHAT I AM LOOKING FOR, I DO NOT NEED TO BELABOR THE POINT, SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO ADDRESS THIS , THAT IS NOT A BAND-AID. WE ARE LOOKING AT A BAND-AID SOLUTION.

AND WE ARE GETTING A LOT OF MIXED SIGNALS AS TO HOW TO MOVE FORWARD . BUT IT IS ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE. AS THE YEARS CONTINUE THOSE CAPS ARE MAXED OUT. YEAH, I THINK THAT, TROY, YOU SAID IT ELOQUENTLY , I WILL NOT REPEAT ANYTHING YOU SAID, WHERE WE ARE TODAY , FIXING THE PROBLEM TODAY, DOES NOT PROVIDE YOU WITH A SOLUTION FOR TOMORROW.

>> FROM A STAFF PERSPECTIVE, WE DO NEED TO LOOK AT DIVERSIFYING OUR REVENUE STREAMS . OTHER WAYS TO DO THAT. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE IS LIMITED AVENUES FOR THAT IN THE STATE STATUTES WHICH ALLOW US TO FUND. I HAVE BEEN VERY OPEN WITH ALL OF YOU, LOOKING AT OTHER MECHANISMS OTHER THAN AD VALOREM FEES, LOOKING AT THOSE TO SUSTAIN THIS FOR LONG-TERM YOU HEARD FROM THE STATE LEGISLATURE THIS YEAR, IT WILL DEPEND ON WHAT THE STATE DECIDES, TOO. WE ALL KNOW THERE IS ACTION AT THE STATE LEVEL. I AGREE. WE HAVE THE PROBLEM TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE.

>> COMMISSIONER RENNINGER ? >> THIS IS NORMAL BUDGETING

[02:25:01]

PROCESS . THERE IS NO CRYSTAL BALL . THERE IS NO MAGIC KEY.

YOU HAVE TO USE THE BEST RESOURCES YOU HAVE AVAILABLE TO YOU. I KIND OF DISAGREE WITH UTILITY TAX BEING A MANDATE.

BECAUSE , YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT THE RATE BEING TAPPED , BUT THE REVENUE IS NOT TAPPED . WHEN YOU BUILD A NEW HOME, YOU WILL USE A REVENUE STREAM FROM THAT. HOW LONG IS THE SHORTFALL BEEN ONGOING? WE HAVE HAD A SHORTFALL EVERY SINGLE YEAR . THAT IS WHAT BUDGETING IS ALL ABOUT . YOU NEVER HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCES TO DO EVERYTHING YOU WANT. YOU MIX-AND-MATCH , YOU MOVE TO THE RIGHT AND YOU MOVE TO THE LEFT. THAT IS WHAT WE ARE GETTING PAID TO DO TONIGHT. WE ASKED THE STAFF TO GIVE US THE BEST ADVICE THAT THEY CAN SO THAT WE CAN GET TO THE NEXT HURDLE. IT IS LIKE RUNNING A 100 YARD HURDLES, GET OVER ONE AND THEY WILL PUT ANOTHER ONE RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU. WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY PANACEA TO FIX THIS, BUT TOOLS TO HELP US FIX IT, ONE YEAR, THREE YEARS, SEVEN YEARS. LIKE I SAID, YOU HAVE TO THE REVENUE SIDE AND EXPENDITURE SIDE .

>> WHERE I DISAGREE WITH THAT , RESPECTFULLY , WHEN WE BUDGETED LAST YEAR, WE HAD AN EXPECTATION TO ADHERE TO THE BUDGET AND CONVERSATIONS TODAY ARE ASKING US TO CUT $2.4 MILLION FROM OUR CURRENT BUDGET AND $6.2 MILLION FROM THE PROPOSED BUDGET. AND, I THINK, IF IT CAN BE THAT FLUID, WE WILL ALWAYS BE ABLE TO GIVE OURSELVES AN EXCUSE . I AM NOT LOOKING FOR CRYSTAL BALL, I AM SEEING THE WRITING ON THE WALL, IT IS VERY EVIDENT THAT THE ASKS SO OUTPACE WHAT WE HAVE, IT IS NOT -- IT IS NOT UNREASONABLE , LET ME PUT IT THAT WAY, IT IS NOT UNREASONABLE TO SEE THAT YOU ARE NOT LOOKING AT A $17 MILLION, $18 MILLION DEFICIT LAST YEAR, NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT WANTS ANYMORE, TALKING ABOUT JUST THE DESIRES WE WANT IN CLAY COUNTY, YES, YOU ARE RIGHT, BUT WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT WANTS. TONIGHT, THE BOARD MOVED IN A DIRECTION TO CUT A SERVICE THAT THE LIST IS PRETTY LONG. BUT, EVERYTHING WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, I THINK BACK ON THE POINT BY COMMISSIONER CONDON AS THE PUBLIC SAFETY BEING LARGER OR BROADER THAN YOUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND RESCUE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES, THERE ARE QUITE A FEW ITEMS ON THE LIST THAT WE HAVE DECIMATED IN THIS CONVERSATION AND PASS CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE NOT WANTS. I DON'T THINK -- I THINK IF YOUR ARGUMENT IS EQUITY, I THINK THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE GETTING AT, THIS ACROSS THE BOARD, MAKE SURE EVERYBODY IS CONTRIBUTING TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE HERE, I CAN AGREE WITH YOU . BUT I DO NOT THINK THAT , ONE, THIS PROPOSAL WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN ABOUT UTILITY TAX IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY OF DOING THAT. IS IT A WAY OF DOING THAT? YES, I AGREE WITH YOU IT IS A LEVER WE CAN PULL. BUT I THINK YOUR NET IS WIDER IF YOU HAVE NOT JUST THOSE WHO ARE USING ELECTRICITY PAYING INTO THE POT, WHICH IS WHY -- LET ME JUST POINT OUT, THE TWO LISTS THAT TROY PROVIDED TO US, THE NOT AD VALOREM FUNCTION BY -- IS A BOARD VOTE, WHEREAS THE SALES TAX -- SALES SERVICE TAX RATE IS SOMETHING -- SALES SURTAX RATE IS SOMETHING THE VOTERS GET TO DECIDE ON. YOU DECIDE ON, INSTEAD OF A DECISION WE MAKE TO YOUR MARKET THIS

[02:30:01]

DOLLAR FOR THAT DOLLAR, YOU GET TO DECIDE THAT. IF THE CONVERSATION IS, LET'S BE FAIR, I AM ALL FOR FAIRNESS. MY OPINION , AS ONE COMMISSIONER, I DO NOT THINK THAT SOMETHING AS NARROW AS THE UTILITY TAX IS THE BEST WAY TO ACHIEVE THE GOAL . I THINK WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE ABOUT WANTING TO MEET QUALITY OF LIFE AND LEVELS OF SERVICE IN CLAY COUNTY. NOW -- NOT A SINGLE ONE OF US DIFFER ON THAT POINT. HOW DO WE GET THERE IN A WAY THAT IS SUSTAINABLE ? I DO NOT HAVE , AT THIS POINT IN TIME, THAT SOLUTION . THAT IS WHAT I AM LOOKING FOR.

>> I WANT TO SAY ONE THING , YOU SPOKE OF PULLING A LEVER ON THE UTILITY TAX, YOU CAN PUSH THE LEVER BACK, WHEN YOU FIND --

LAUGHTER ] >> OKAY.

>> WHEN YOU FIND AN ALTERNATIVE SOURCE, YOU CAN PUSH THE LEVER

BACK. >> OTHER COMMISSIONER COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER COMPERE, THE ONLY THING YOU'RE THINKING OF IS THE TAX -- WE NEED TO ASK STAFF TO ADDRESS THAT AND SEE IF THAT IS A VIABLE OPTION . THAT IS THE ONLY OPTION I'M HEARING YOU SAY THAT NOBODY ELSE HAS COME UP WITH.

>> JUST TO BE CLEAR, I DO NOT THINK THESE OPTIONS SOLVE THE TODAY BUDGET. NONE OF THESE WILL BE ABLE TO BE OF LIMITED IN A TIMELY FASHION FOR THIS BUDGET. IF THE BOARD'S DIRECTION IS TO EXPLORE THESE OPTIONS, I WOULD SAY , STAFF WILL DEFINITELY TAKE THAT DIRECTION, BUT THESE CANNOT BE OF LIMITED TO THE OCTOBER

BUDGET. >> WE HAVE TO BALANCE THE

BUDGET. >> CORRECT .

>> I ANTICIPATED THAT TO BE THE ANSWER THAT'S WHY PROVIDED . IT IS TRUE, THEY WOULD HAVE TO DO THE RESEARCH. I KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT COMFORTABLE , BUT, AT THIS POINT, WE ARE LOOKING AT A $3.8 MILLION SHORTFALL THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS. I AM GOING TO PUT IT OUT THERE, WE HAVE THE STAFF WILLING TO TAKE A LOOK AT OUR BUDGET, TO SEE WHERE WE CAN COME UP WITH THAT IN LIEU OF MOVING ON TONIGHT WITH VOTING FOR THAT INCREASE. I SAY THAT AS SOMETHING FOR YOU TO CONSIDER . I FIGURED THIS IS NOT A TODAY THING. IF WE MOVE FORWARD, GIVE ALL OF THAT BACK TO THE TAXPAYER, NOT A CONVERSATION WE COULD HAVE TONIGHT. AND SOLVE ALL OF OUR PROBLEMS TONIGHT. BUT , WE HAVE BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE , IT DOES NOT COME WITHOUT ITS ACHES AND PAINS, BUT , I DO THINK THAT THERE IS A PATH FORWARD OF FINDING THE $3.8 MILLION IN OUR BUDGET . IT WILL NOT MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY AND I UNDERSTAND THAT BUT IT WOULD GIVE US THE TIME WE NEED IN ORDER TO EXPLORE THESE OPTIONS AND GIVE YOUR TAXPAYERS A SAY IN THE MATTER. WHAT I AM ASKING FOR, BOTTOM LINE, TIME. BECAUSE, THE DECISION ABOUT UTILITY TAX AS I UNDERSTOOD IT IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH COUNTY STAFF, THERE WAS AN URGENCY TO VOTE ON IT TONIGHT BUT WE HAVE UNTIL AUGUST TO MOVE INTO THAT DIRECTION AND IT WOULD NOT BE IMPLEMENTED UNTIL JANUARY WHETHER WE VOTE TONIGHT OR IN AUGUST. BUT, IN THAT LATITUDE , DURING THAT TIMEFRAME, MAYBE WE MAY BE ABLE TO -- I THINK WE CAN FIND THAT SHORTFALL WE ARE LOOKING FOR. IT WOULD NOT BE

COMFORTABLE. >> OTHER COMMISSIONER COMMENTS ? TO MY COMMENTS, I WANT TO REITERATE MY COMMENTS FROM THIS MORNING , THERE WERE SEVERAL OF MY CONSTITUENTS WHO SPOKE THIS MORNING, SOME I HAD SPOKEN WITH ON THE PHONE AND SOME OF WHICH I HAD NOT. THEY POINTED OUT THAT, OVER 65% OF OUR -- MY DISTRICT IS OVER 65. ON A FIXED INCOME. I HAD A NUMBER OF CONVERSATIONS

[02:35:01]

WITH CONSTITUENTS WHO SAID THAT RAISING UTILITY TAX , THEY ASKED THE QUESTION , IF I DO NOT PAY MY TAX , OR THE TAX INCREASE, CAN MY ELECTRICITY BE SHUT OFF? YES. I SPOKE WITH SEVERAL , IT SEEMS LIKE IT WAS THIS ELDERLY LADY WHO SAID THAT I AM ALREADY KEEPING MY THERMOSTAT AT 80 , 82, I ONLY WANTED A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF THE DAY AND I HAVE MY BUDGET , SO MY ELECTRIC BILL CANNOT GO OVER $140 PER MONTH . IF IT DOES, I CANNOT AFFORD MY PRESCRIPTIONS. THOSE ARE THE THINGS I HAVE TO CONSIDER. THAT IS WHY REPRESENT. THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SPOKEN TO ME.

WHAT I HEARD, FROM ALL OF OUR CONSTITUENTS WHO SPOKE OUT, NOT JUST DIFFERENT THAN BEFORE, PUBLIC SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT AND I HAVE SAID FROM THE FIRST WORKSHOP, I FULLY SUPPORT FULLY FUNDING THE REQUEST FROM BOTH OUR SHERIFF DEPARTMENT AND FIRE DEPARTMENT. I THINK THOSE ARE CRITICAL AND THOSE WERE NEGLECTED FOR A LONG TIME. I THINK THE COMMISSION, FOR THE PAST 4.5 YEARS I HAVE BEEN A COMMISSIONER, HAS WORKED HARD TO TRY TO GET SALARIES COMPETIIVE SO WE WERE NOT LOSING FIREFIGHTERS AND DEPUTIES TO OTHER SURROUNDING COUNTIES. THAT APPLIES TO FRONTLINE EMPLOYEES FOR THE COUNTY , PUBLIC WORKS AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS . WE CANNOT CRACK THE CODE ON ROAD GRADERS . THEY COME TO CLAY COUNTY AND MAKE $23 PER HOUR AND GO TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND MAKE NINE DOLLARS PER HOUR MORE, WE TRAIN THEM AND THEY GO. DISTRICT 4, ROAD GRADERS ARE IMPORTANT AND YOU ARE CALLING OR COMMISSIONER AND SAYING, WHY ARE THEY PILING UP THE DIRT ON THE SIDES OF THE ROAD? IT AFFECTS DRAINAGE AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS . THAT IS A REAL ISSUE THAT WE FACE . HOWEVER, WHEN I RAN IN 2020, IN 2022 AGAIN, I RAN AS A FISCAL CONSERVATIVE. I AM A REPUBLICAN . I AM A CONSERVATIVE. COMMISSIONER COMPERE , I BEG TO DIFFER, WE DO NOT HAVE TO GROW, GROW, GROW, THAT IS WHAT IS BEING DISCUSSED IN WASHINGTON. WHEN THE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL PASSED, I HEARD THAT FISCAL CONSERVATIVE IS DEAD AND OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS AND ARGUABLY OVER THE PAST 15 YEARS, ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE, PEOPLE HAVE GROWN WITH THE SIZE OF GOVERNMENT. CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS GIVE US THEIR BUDGETS AND MOSTLY THEY ARE JUST FLOW-THROUGH. WE DO NOT GO TO THEIR BUDGETS IN THE SAME WAY WE DO THE COUNTY BUDGET. YOU HAVE THE COUNTY BUDGET , IN THE PAST 4.5 YEARS , WE HAVE GROWN THE COUNTY BUDGET BY A LOT SOME WERE NEEDED , WE HAVE TRIPLE THE AMOUNT GOING TO ROAD GRADING AND RESURFACING , DESPERATELY NEEDED . PEOPLE ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT TRAFFIC , CONSTRUCTION EVERYWHERE, THAT IS WHY, WE ARE FINALLY PUTTING FUNDINGTOWARD IT THAT NEEDED. THERE ARE SOME OTHER THINGS THAT I -- COMMISSIONER BURKE, YOU ASKED, I DID NOT ANSWER YOU , AT OUR WORKSHOP, THINGS I THINK THAT CAN BE LOOKED AT. I REMEMBER , AT THE END OF MARCH, WHEN WE GOT THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE GOVERNOR ASKING , AT THIS POINT , IT WAS VOLUNTEERING WHICH COUNTIES WOULD DO DOGE ACTIVITIES, THE SHERIFF AND I SPOKE ON THE PHONE RANG STORMING DOGE IDEAS, BALANCING IDEAS OFF EACH OTHER AND IT WAS AN AWESOME CONVERSATION. I PASSED THOSE THINGS ALONG TO STAFF, I AM SURE SHE DID THE SAME, NOT EVERYTHING IS COME BACK . WE SHOULD LOOK AT EVERY SINGLE CONTRACT THE COUNTY HAS AND GO BACK TO THOSE PROVIDERS AND SAY, ASK, DOES THIS MAKE SENSE? WE SPEND A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY IN ARCHITECTURE, DESIGN CONTRACTS, NONE OF THAT GETS ANYTHING BUILT . WE TALKED ABOUT THAT TONIGHT WITH THE OAKLEAF LIBRARY. I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE A LOOK AT VEHICLES . I HAVE LONG SAID, IF YOU LIVE IN DISTRICT 4 AND DRIVE A VEHICLE WITH LESS THAN 100,000 MILES ON IT, YOU ARE UNIQUE.

THAT IS PART OF OUR WAY OF LIFE BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS 45 MINUTES AWAY AND YOU PUT A LOT OF MILES ON YOUR VEHICLES AND VEHICLES ARE LASTING LONGER TODAY AND I AM NOT SAYING OUR FIRE TRUCKS OR AMULETS OR POLICE AND SHERIFFS VEHICLES ART -- THOSE ARE NOT THE ONES I'M TALKING ABOUT, I AM TALKING ABOUT, THERE ARE SO MANY COUNTY VEHICLES, EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK THERE ARE COUNTY VEHICLES . PEOPLE ARE OUT DOING THINGS. WHAT IS THE LIFE OF THEM? WE HAVE THREE DIFFERENT FLEET DEPARTMENTS , THE SHERIFF

[02:40:07]

HAS A FLEET DEPARTMENT, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AS IF THE DEPARTMENT, THE COUNTY HAS A FLEET DEPARTMENT AND THEY ARE ALL STAFFED. OFFICE SUPPLIES, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICES, AND THE COUNTY PURCHASED A TON OF OFFICE SUPPLIES . NOT ONE OF US SHARES ON THE SAME CONTRACT ? WE HAVE SIX DIFFERENT CELL PHONE CONTRACTS IN THIS COUNTY. WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT CONTRACTS WITH MICROSOFT FOR OFFICE 365. THESE ARE BASIC THINGS THAT I DO NOT -- WE HAD NOT HAD REPORTS ON. WE ASKED FOR DOGE THINGS AND NOT GOTTEN REPORTS. THE FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES ANNUAL MEETING, COMMISSIONER SGROMOLO, YOU APTLY MENTIONED TO THE PUBLIC EARLIER, WE DO NOT GO TO PLAY, WE GO TO LEARN, WE CAN'T TALK TO EACH OTHER WHEN WE ARE NOT IN THE MEETING, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SET IN THEIR DOGE ACTIVITIES, THEY HAVE A CITIZEN COMMITTEE WITH FIVE PEOPLE THAT DOES NOT REPRESENT DISTRICTS, THEY ARE IN FIVE VERTICALS , THEY PUT IT OUT, THESE ARE VOLUNTEER POSITIONS, IT EXPERT WORKS WITH COUNTY STAFF TO SEE IF EVERYTHING -- IS EVERYTHING BEING DONE EFFICIENTLY ? AND APPROPRIATELY ? I FORGET WHAT THE OTHER FOUR VERTICALS WERE . THAT WAS INTRIGUING TO ME AND THEY HAVE THAT AVAILABLE ON THEIR WEBSITE AND WERE OFFERING IT. WE SHOULD CONSIDER DOING THAT. THAT IS WHY -- A COUPLE OF THINGS, ONE, I DO NOT THINK GOVERNMENT HAS TO GROW, GROW, GROW, TWO, WE HEAR THE COUNTY'S GROWING UP WHAT HAPPENED THIS YEAR, GROWTH SLOWED DOWN. WE HAD A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF PERCENTAGE OF GROWTH IN NEW HOMES COMING ONLINE IN CLAY COUNTY IN THE PAST 3.5 YEARS . THIS YEAR, THE PACE WAS LESS THAN IT HAD BEEN IN THE PAST. THEREFORE, IT CREATES THIS GAP. I WOULD NOT NECESSARILY WE HAD $20 MILLION IN CUTS, WE HAD $20 MILLION IN PROGRESS WE CANNOT ALWAYS FIND. WELL, WE CAN DO THAT IN OUR HOME BUDGETS. I WOULD LIKE -- I DO NOT ALWAYS LIKE TO COOK , IT WOULD BE NICE TO GO OUT TO EAT EVERY NIGHT, BUT IN THE CONDON HOUSEHOLD , WE CANNOT AFFORD THAT AND YOU MAKE DIFFERENT DECISIONS ON BASED ON WHAT YOUR NEEDS ARE. AND WHAT YOU WANT TO DO. WE CAN LOOK AT PRIORITIES. I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT . WE HAVE A STRATEGIC PLAN . SOMEONE MENTIONED WE HAVE NO MEASURES IN IT . YOU ARE RIGHT, WE DO NOT HAVE ANY MEASURES IN IT . WHAT IS A LEVEL OF SERVICE OUR CONSTITUENCY EXPECTS AT WHAT ARE WE LEAVING TO? THAT DEMAND -- IT DEMANDS WE STOP TO THAT LEVEL .

THE SHERIFF HAS SOME IDEA AND UNSPOKEN TO US ABOUT THAT. I APPRECIATE THAT . I DO NOT THINK WE HAVE THAT FOR ALL COUNTY SERVICES. I KNOW THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS WORKING ON THAT WITH SOME CERTIFICATIONS AS WELL. WHEN I LOOK AT -- I DO NOT IMMEDIATELY GO TO A TAX INCREASE . YOU KNOW THAT IS WHO I AM.

THAT IS WHY I HAVE BEEN OPPOSED TO IT FROM THE BEGINNING. I DO NOT FEEL LIKE WE HAVE LOOKED UNDER EVERY ROCK AND I THINK THAT OUR CONSTITUENCY DEMANDS THAT OF US . I SAID WHEN WE STARTED THE DOGE ACTIVITIES , I OFFENDED PEOPLE EARLIER , PROBABLY SOME PEOPLE, WE SET THREE MONTHS AGO THERE CAN BE NO SACRED COWS . WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO, BUT WE CANNOT DO THAT, WE CANNOT DO THAT. AS COMMISSIONERS , WE HAVE PROJECTS , I AM SURE YOU FELT THAT WAY ABOUT THE LIBRARY. THERE ARE THE THINGS THAT OUR CONSTITUENCY DEMANDS. OBVIOUSLY , THEY HAVE COMMITTED PUBLIC SAFETY AND I HONOR THAT. WHAT I DON'T WANT, ANY MISTAKE NOT VOTING TO INCREASE UTILITY TAX IS NOT VOTING FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. I AGREE WITH YOU, IT IS ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT BECAUSE, ONE COMMISSION ASKED FOR IT TO BE AND WE CAN DO THAT BUT, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IT COULD BE VOTED ON ALL THE WAY UP UNTIL THE SECOND MEETING IN AUGUST AND STILL GO INTO EFFECT IN JANUARY IF IT WERE VOTED ON. THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS.

>> I AGREE WITH YOU ABOUT THE EXPENDING OF GOVERNMENT, NOT MY INTENTION TO CONVEY THAT MESSAGE. I DID ASK IN MY CONVERSATION WITH TROY AFTER THE WORKSHOP, HAVE AN ECONOMIST SERVE OUR BUDGET AND I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THERE WERE

[02:45:02]

STATUTORY CONSTRAINTS ABOUT THAT . MY FIRST INTENTION WAS, HOW DO WE SHRINK WHAT WE HAVE SO THAT WE CAN BE MORE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE? IT WAS UNDER MY IMPRESSION THAT WE CANNOT .

>> THE QUESTION I WAS ANSWERING IS, ARE THERE OTHER FEES THAT THEY CAN LOOK AT ? MY COMMENT WAS SPECIFICALLY TO THE FEES.

THE FEES WE CAN CHART OR SET IN STATUTE . AN ECONOMIST IS NOT GOING TO SAY WHAT OTHER FEES WE COULD CHARGE. IF YOU WANT THE ECONOMIST TO LOOK AT WHETHER THERE IS OTHER -- WHETHER WE ARE BEING EFFICIENT, THAT IS A DIFFERENT ANSWER AND I APOLOGIZE IF I LET YOU DOWN THE WRONG PATHWAY.

>> I AM GLAD WE HAD THAT CLARIFICATION BECAUSE THAT WAS THE INTENTION OF MY INQUIRY. I HAVE NEVER BEEN A PROPONENT OF BIG GOVERNMENT AND I AM NOT A PROPONENT OF BIG GOVERNMENT NOW.

BUT, I WAS, WHEN I RECEIVED THAT INSTRUCTION , I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION WE HAD EXHAUSTED ALL OF THOSE OPTIONS AND COULD NOT.

WHAT I PRESENTED TONIGHT WAS WITH THAT AS INFORMING MY DECISION. SO, IF THERE IS AN OPTION, THERE HAVE BEEN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT DOGEING, AT ONE POINT IT WAS POLITICALLY EXPEDIENT TO MAKE THAT COMMENT BUT THE RUBBER IS MEETING THE ROAD TONIGHT IN WAYS THAT, NO PUN INTENDED, I KNOW THERE ARE ROAD PROJECTS, WE ARE IN A UNIQUE -- WE HAVE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO DEMONSTRATE ON A LARGE SCALE SOME OF THE ASKS WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN . LOUD AND CLEAR . LOUD AND CLEAR. AS FAR AS CLAY COUNTY, THERE WERE JOKES ABOUT HOW MANY PHONE CALLS RETURNED ON A DATE IN THIS MATTER. I THINK WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE ABOUT WANTING TO MEET THE NEEDS, PUBLIC SAFETY, THAT WAS THE HOT TOPIC THIS MORNING. OKAY, SO, HOW DO WE MEET PUBLIC SAFETY? NOT JUST IN THE NARROW SENSE OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT, YOUR FIRE DEPARTMENTS, YOUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT , HOW DO YOU MEET PUBLIC SAFETY WITH REGARDS TO ALL OF THE VERY SERIOUS THINGS THAT HAVE COME UP TONIGHT? I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT

THAT FROM YOUR TEAM, TROY. >> I WOULD LOVE TO SAY I DO NOT WANT TO INCREASE THIS TAX, THERE WAS ANOTHER WAY, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING UP THOSE POINTS . WE DID HAVE THE FIRST WORKSHOP IN MAY, NOW, ARE WE GOING TO ASK STAFF TO GO BACK AND DO THAT? WE HAD TO FIGURE ALL THIS OUT. DEPARTMENT HEADS , WE HAVE LISTS OF THINGS CUT, A LONG LIST OF THINGS. THEY WENT BACK AND CUT MORE AFTER THE FIRST CUTS. WE GOT A LOT OF CUTS. SO, IS THAT THE ASK, I AM ALL FOR IT, WILL WE ASK THE POINTS YOU ASKED TO FIND OUT IF WE ARE BEING EFFICIENT ENOUGH OR WE NEED TO MAKE MORE CUTS? IS THAT WHAT WE ARE ASKING?

>> I WOULD SUPPORT THAT ASK. >> SO, THAT MEANS OUR FLEET, THEY DO NOT -- OUR FLEETS DON'T RUN OFFICIALLY, THEY DO NOT MAKE SURE THEY ARE RUNNING AT MINIMAL STANDARDS? AREN'T THERE ALREADY

CHECKS IN PLACE? >> THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT STATEMENTS, TO THE POINT OF COMMISSIONER CONDON, WE HAVE THREE FLEET DEPARTMENTS , COUNTY FLEET, SHERIFF'S OFFICE FLEET SHE IS LOOKING AT IS THERE EFFICIENCIES THAT CAN BE ACHIEVED BY CONSOLIDATING OR DOING SOMETHING ELSE WITH THOSE FLEET DEPARTMENTS ? LOOKING AT THE BUDGET FROM A STAFF PERSPECTIVE, WE WILL HAVE TO GO TO THE BUDGET AGAIN, I WILL, ONE NUMBER IN FRONT OF ME, WE TALKED ABOUT OPERATING EXPENDITURES, LAST YEAR'S BUDGET OR OPERATING EXPENDITURES WAS $40 MILLION, FOR THE GENERAL FUND , THE BUDGET WE ARE PROPOSING RIGHT

[02:50:03]

NOW HAS A $2.5 MILLION CUT IN OPERATING ALONE WHILE WE ARE SEEING UTILITY INCREASES AT BOTH GREEN COVE, OTHER INFLATIONARY CONCERNS. BY ALL MEANS , WE CAN GO BACK AND KEEP LOOKING. WE HAVE MADE SIGNIFICANT CUTS IN THIS BUDGET. THAT WE PRESENTED

ALREADY. >> CLAY ELECTRIC IS RAISING THE RATES. IT IS EVERYWHERE . ALL ACROSS THE BOARD. IT STINKS. NOT

GOOD. WE HATE IT, TOO. >> IT IS THE DESIRE OF THE

BOARD. >> IS IT POSSIBLE TO FIND AS MUCH? FLEETS WE HAVE ALREADY GONE OVER , THE SHERIFF HAS

TALKED ABOUT THAT. >> I WAS NOT SUGGESTING CUTTING SHARES VEHICLES. I WAS SAYING, OUR VEHICLE POLICY WITHIN THE

COUNTY. >> I MEAN , WE CAN GO BACK AND LOOK. FOR CLARITY , WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT REVIEWING THE SALES TAX, NOT TALKING ABOUT, THEY WILL BE UP LIMITED BETWEEN NOW AND SEPTEMBER ANYWAY . YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT GOING BACK AND LOOKING TO THE CURRENT BUDGET WE HAVE PROPOSED, AND LOOKING FOR $4 MILLION IN CUTS IN THE GENERAL FUND. LAW ENFORCEMENT -- THAT WOULD HELP STAFF, KNOWING WHAT IS ON THE TABLE , NOT ON THE TABLE, IF IT IS DO NOT TOUCH PUBLIC SAFETY, DO NOT TEST LAW ENFORCEMENT THERE HAS BEEN OTHER DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHAT IS CONSIDERED PUBLIC SAFETY, WE , AS STAFF, WE NEED GUIDANCE. IF IT IS OTHER PROJECTS , WE CAN GO TO THE LIST OF PROJECTS AND SEE IF THERE IS ANOTHER $4 MILLION TO CUT.

>> THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO ACTION . I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION , UNLESS THERE IS FURTHER DISCUSSION .

>> I DO HAVE A QUESTION , THE PERCENTAGE, GOING TO MAYBE NOT 10%, WHAT IS THE -- WE NEED $3.8 MILLION. IF WE WERE TO GO LESS

THAN THAT ? >> 75% RECOVERY THIS YEAR.

>> KEEP GOING. ALMOST ALL THE WAY TO THE END. SORRY. ALL THE WAY. NEXT TO LAST SLIDE. GO BACK.

>> IF YOU DID THE 4.9÷.75 , $3.6 MILLION , THAT WOULD BE WHAT YOU NEED TO DO. PROBABLY AN 8% -- TO FUND THE $3.8 MILLION

>> THERE WOULD BE NO REASON TO GO TO 10% BECAUSE WE DO NOT NEED THAT MUCH? LOOKING AT FUTURE YEARS?

>> THAT WOULD BE AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD.

RESERVES , GO TO 8% TO COVER WHAT YOU HAVE INTHE CURRENT BUDGET. OR IF YOU DID SOME COMBINATION THEREOF.

>> WE MAY NEED TO REVISIT IT AGAIN.

>> THAT WOULD BE AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD.

>> QUESTION , WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO OUT AND TO FUTURE YEARS IN THE CIP AND ADJUST THOSE DOLLARS?

>> YES, SIR . >> I HAVE LOOKED AT THE CIP THROUGH 2029 AND 2030 AND THERE ARE SOME PROJECTS THAT WERE FOUR YEARS AGO IN THE BALLPARK, WE WOULD PLAY BALL WITH AND THAT WE ARE NOT. THERE WILL BE SOMEBODY THAT WILL BE SHIFTED TO BALANCE.

[02:55:05]

ALONG WITH THE CUTS. >> REFERRING TO MOVING STUFF OUT

OF OPERATING INTO CAPITAL ? >> YOU EXPLAINED HOW THAT WORKS, IF YOU DO NOT DO SOMETHING CIP -- MET FOR THE TRANSPARENCY FOR THE BOARD, THE COMMISSIONER IS REFERRING TO TAKING US ITEMS WE TALKED ABOUT, THE WORKSHOP, ITEMS IN THE CURRENT GENERAL FUND BUDGET SUCH AS VEHICLES AND MOVING US INTO CAPITAL AND PAYING THAT WITH SALES TAX DOLLARS VERSUS GENERAL FUND DOLLARS WHICH MEANS YOU HAVE TO TAKE PROJECT IN THE CIP AND MOVE THEM FURTHER OUT INTO CALENDAR YEARS.

>> BIOLOGIC , TAKING CARE OF WHAT YOU HAVE, --

>> IS THERE A MOTION ON ITEM 19? >> FOR THE SAKE OF DISCUSSION, IF NO ONE WILL MAKE A MOTION, I WILL DO THAT IN A SECOND. THE COMMISSION COMMENTS FROM COMPERE, THIS YEAR , THERE WAS AN ANSWER, WHAT THIS BOARD WILL HAVE TO MOVE ON IS THE FUTURE AND FINDING OUT HOW WE WILL FUND THE ESSENTIAL SERVICES PEOPLE WANT. I THINK THERE IS A WAY TO GET THERE.

>> IS THERE A MOTION? >> A MOTION TO DENY THE UTILITY TAX INCREASE AT THE CURRENT RATE?

>> SECOND? >> SECOND.

>> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY SAYING -- I WILL REITERATE AS I HEARD IT, YOUR MOTION IS TO NOT INCREASE THE PUBLIC SERVICE UTILITY TAX BY CHANGING THE ORDINANCE? IT IS AN ADOPTION OF A NEW ORDINANCE THAT WOULD INCREASE THE AMOUNT. IS YOUR MOTION TO NOT ADOPT THE

ORDINANCE ? >> CORRECT, I WOULD LIKE TO

LEAVE EVERYTHING AS IS. >> A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL

THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE.

>> OPPOSED? >> AYE.

>> MOTION CARRIES, 4-1, DIRECT STAFF TO LOOK AT OTHER AREAS BASED ON THE CONVERSATION TONIGHT.

>> THE DESIRE OF THE BOARD FOR US TO LOOK AT WHAT --

>> 10 THE AUDIENCE PLEASE STOP? >> A COUPLE THINGS WE NEED DIRECTION WITH, THE ITEMS THAT COMMISSIONER BURKE POINTED OUT, WITH THE BUDGET, THE CONSENSUS OF THE BOARD NOT TO ELIMINATE THE 50 POSITIONS AND AT THE $550,000 BACK INTO THE BUDGET, THAT IS THE FIRST THING WE NEED A DIRECTION ON.

>> YES. >> MADAME CHAIR, I WOULD HAVE TO BE KIDS THAT COME TO DOLLARS THE LAST BUDGET PROPOSAL I GAVE TO TROY DID NOT INCLUDE THOSE , TO GET TO THE SUM ZERO GAME, YOU

CANNOT. MY VOTE IS NO ON THAT. >> CONSENSUS WOULD BE TO ELIMINATE THE 15 POSITIONS AND KEEP THEM ON THE LIST ?

>> TROY, I WANT TO GO BACK, AS WE LEFT THE BUDGET WORKSHOP, THAT IS WHERE I WOULD LIKE TO BE TO FINISH IT OFF.

>> MADAM CHAIR, IS THERE A CONSENSUS?

>> COMMISSIONER BURKE HAD HER SIGHTS SET ON THE 3.8.

>> WHERE IS THE 1.5 COMING FROM ?

>> IF YOU CAN GO BACK A FEW SLIDES. KEEP GOING BACK. KEEP GOING. BASICALLY, WHERE WE STARTED THE WORKSHOP TODAY WAS

[03:00:04]

3.9 , ADDING THE ITEMS FOR THE EXTRA JUDGE THEM GOT US TO 4.7 AND WE TAKE OFF THE 15 POSITIONS, LAKESIDE IMPROVEMENTS, REDUCED THE RESERVES TO 3% OF THOSE FUNDS WHICH WAS $83 MILLION IN JUST 1.7 MILLION . IF THAT IS CONSENSUS OF THE BOARD, THAT IS THE STARTING POINT FOR STAFF.

>> SEEMS TO BE. >> DO YOU WANT STAFF TO CONSIDER THE POINT BY COMMISSIONER SGROMOLO, ITEMS IN THE CURRENT BUDGET OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND INTO CIP AS A WAY TO BALANCE THE

BUDGET ? >> IT IS WORTH TAKING A LOOK AT

. >> JUST A STARTING POINT FOR STAFF TO LOOK AT DIRECTION. WE HAVE ABOUT 1.5 MILLION IN

VEHICLES. MOVING GOES INTO CIP. >> OKAY.

>> WE DON'T HAVE A CHOICE. >> I THINK WE HAVE ENOUGH

DIRECTION TO START WORKING. >> THANK YOU. IF YOU DECIDE TO LEAVE, PLEASE DO IT QUIETLY AS WE WILL TRY TO FINISH UP OUR

[14. Progress Report on the Bonded Transportation Program and Other Capital Projects (Capital Projects Team)]

AGENDA QUICKLY. WE ARE NOW ON ITEM NUMBER 14, DISCUSSION UPDATES . IF YOU WILL DO THE PROGRESS REPORTS FOR THE TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM AND OTHER CAPITAL PROJECTS.

>> GOOD EVENING TO THE BOARD, TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR, THE PROGRESS THE TEAM HAS MADE OVER THE LAST MONTH . FOR PROJECT NUMBER ONE, COUNTY ROAD U 18 TO PINE TREE LANE, COUNTY TEAM CONTINUE THE STATUS MEETINGS, REPLACEMENT WAS COMPLETED ON SITE NUMBER 4 QUALITY CONTINUE THE INSTALLATION OF DRAINAGE AND STRUCTURE THE PIPES AND CONTINUE PLACING SUBBASE CURBING AND LIMESTONE , THIS PROJECT IS ON SCHEDULE WITH 45% PAID OUT AT 69% TIME USED. SPECIFICALLY FOR PROJECT NUMBER TWO, SUPERIOR CONTINUED INSTALLATION OF THE STORM WATER DRAIN PIPES AND CURBING ON THE NORTH SIDE OF COUNTY ROAD 209 INCLUDED THE DRAIN INSTALLATION AND PAWN SITE 2 AND CURRENTLY THERE WORKING ON EMBANKMENT BASE BETWEEN THE RAILROAD TRACKS AND PAWN SITE 2. START INSTALLATION , INSTALLING THE CUTOFF WALLS AND FINISH GRADING OF THE PAWN SITE , THIS WEEK, FOLLOWED BY PERMANENT PAVEMENT ON THE NORTH SIDE OF COUNTY ROAD 209, BY WEEK OF JULY 21ST. THE PROJECT IS ON SCHEDULE WITH 50% PAID OUT AT 37% OF THE TIME USED. PROJECT NUMBER FIVE, SURVEY WAS ORDERED ON THE DUPONT SITE AND TRANSITIONING ] ISSUING OF THE NARRATIVE.

FOR PROJECT 3- B, WHICH IS A SECTION CONNECTING THE EAST END OF PROJECT 4 AND RUNNING THROUGH THE ROUND UNDAT 209 B, CONTINUED INSTALLATION OF STORM WATER STRUCTURES AND PIPES, THE PROJECT SCHEDULE IS BEING ADJUSTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE EXTENDED DELAY IN RECEIVING THE PERMIT FOR THAT PROJECT WHILE DISCUSSIONS CONTINUE ABOUT THE FINANCIAL IMPACT OF THAT DELAY.

COMPLETED THE RELOCATION OF THE RECLAIM AND WATER LINES THAT CONFLICTED WITH THE DRAINAGE DESIGN.

THE PROJECT IS 38% PAID OUT WITH 89% OF THE TIME LAPSE.

ON PROJECT NUMBER 4, SAND RIDGE ROAD, THEY FINISHED THE MILLING AND RESURFACING THE ENTIRE PROJECT AT NO COST TO THE COUNTY DUE TO THE ORIGINAL WORK THAT WAS COMPLETED DID NOT MEET COUNTY SPECIFICATIONS OR STANDARDS. THIS WORK WAS COMPLETED AT NIGHT WITH SOME WORK DAY. ALSO CONTINUES TO WORK ON THE FINAL INSPECTION AND WALK THROUGH IS SCHEDULED FOR LATER NEXT WEEK.

MOVING ON TO PROJECT S 6- B, THE COUNTY'S TEAM WITH THEIR DESIGNER CONTINUE TO HOLD THEIR BIMONTHLY STATUS MEETINGS.

EROSION CONTROL DEVICES CONTINUE TO BE REMOVED IN AREAS WHERE SLOPES ARE ESTABLISHED. THEY PREPARE CURBING

[03:05:04]

AND SIDEWALK CONTINUES THROUGH THE CORRIDOR AND ELECTRICAL AND SIGNAL HEAD WORK HAS STARTED FOR THE INTERSECTIONS AT CATHEDRAL PARK WAY AND COUNTY ROAD 315.

THE PROJECT SCHEDULE REMAINS UNDER CONTENTION BY THE CONTRACTOR WITH 115% OF THE TIME USED WITH 97% PAID OUT.

THE COUNTY AND SUPERIOR CONTINUES TO DISCUSS THE SCHEDULE FOR RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF ALL THIS WORK, WGI CONTINUES TO WORK ACROSS THE SPECTRUM AND AS OF JUNE 30TH THE PROGRAM HAS EXPENDED $129. 6 MILLION. THAT CONCLUDES THE TRANSPORTATION PORTION.

DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? >> ANY QUESTIONS FOR ED?

>> THE SWOOSH, WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT ALL THAT FLOODING AND EVERYTHING IN THAT AREA?

>> YES, MA'AM. AS A MATTER OF FACT, I WAS GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT TOMORROW. IN THAT AREA, THERE IS A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF EARTH WORK FOR THAT POND SITE THAT'S JUST TO THE SOUTH OF THETHE SWOOSH.

AND THAT AS WELL THROUGH THE SWOOSH AREA.

THE LAST TIME WHEN WE HAD HEAVY RAINS I DID CHECK WITH THE TEAM AND THEY WERE ABLE TO GO IN AND PUT MILLINGS DOWN IN THE ROAD. I DON'T THINK THE PROBLEM IS ACTUALLY ON HUMMINGBIRD LANE BUT POSSIBLY ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE PROPERTY. AND MR. GERALD HAS MY PERSONAL NUMBER, WHEN WE WORKED WITH THEM THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS A FEW YEARS AGO, IN ACQUIRING THE PROPERTY, I HAVEN'T GOTTEN ANY CALLS FROM HIM DIRECTLY SO MAYBE THROUGH MS. COMERA, I CAN FIND OUT THE DETAILS BUT TO HER POINT, THERE IS A LOT OF WORK GOING ON. THAT WAS UNDERSTOOD WHEN WE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF DESIGNING AND OF COURSE BUILDING THAT PROPERTY FOR THE PROJECT.

>> YOU'RE GOING TO TALK TO HER.

>> >> YEAH.

>> I HAVE A QUESTION. WHEN YOU SAY 115% TIME USED, WHO IS PAYING FOR THE 116TH PERCENT, THE 120TH PERCENT? ANY TIME WE GO OVER 100%.

>> RIGHT, AND SEE PART OF THE CHALLENGE WITH ONE OF THE PROJECTS, EACH ONE OF THEM HAVE THEIR OWN CHALLENGES INITIALLY ON 6-B. WE WERE HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME ACTUALLY GETTING THE WETLAND CREDITS MITIGATION CREDITS, AND THEN ONCE WE GOT THE CREDITS THEY WERE REQUIRED TO GET THE PERMIT. PART OF THAT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DELAY IS ON US AND THE OTHER PART IS ON THEM.

SO WE'RE COMING TO TERMS ON MAYBE WHAT THE DAYS ARE, BUT WE DON'T AGREE RIGHT NOW ON WHAT THE DOLLARS ARE.

>> ED, QUESTION ON CATHEDRAL OAKS PARKWAY, WHAT'S THE LATEST? WE'RE HEARING MID- JULY NOW.

WE WERE HEARING INTO THE SUMMER, THAT PART WITH THE BELTWAY. WHAT ARE YOU HEARING?

>> AGAIN, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS WITH CRYSTAL BALLS. THE STATE TOLLING AUTHORITY, IF YOU LOOK BACK QUITE A FEW MONTHS, IT WAS MID- JUNE, THEN MID-JULY. AGAIN, WE CAN ONLY GO WITH WHAT WE'RE BEING TOLD AND HEAR. WE HEAR BETWEEN MID- JULY TO MID- AUGUST, BUT THE LATEST IS MID- AUGUST TO MID-SEPTEMBER.

I CAN'T REALLY PUT ANY CREDENCE ON THAT FROM THE TOLLING AUTHORITY AND/OR THE CONTRACTORS.

OUR BEST FEEL IS FROM THE FIELD INSPECTORS AND I WOULD GAME IT SOMEWHERE BETWEEN END OF JULY TO MAYBE THE END OF AUGUST, IF YOU WOULD.

>> HAVE WE HEARD -- HAVE THEY SOLVED THE ISSUE WITH THE TOLL ELECTRONICS? I REMEMBER BACK, THAT WAS THE INITIAL PROBLEM.

>> I BELIEVE THAT'S STILL THE CHALLENGE FOR THEM.

>> OKAY.

>> THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HEARING, THE INTELLIGENCE.

IT'S KIND OF IRONIC, I THINK EVEN WITH YOUR NEW BUILDINGS WHENEVER YOU -- A ROADWAY, YOU THINK, OKAY, YOU HAVE CURB, GUTTER, ASPHALT, SHOULD BE READY TO GO, BUT THE ROAD IS REALLY AN INTELLIGENT ROAD LIKE YOU THINK BACK, MAYBE EVEN 30 YEARS AGO, WHEN I BUILT MY HOUSE, IT WAS JUST A HOUSE.

NOW IT'S AN INTELLIGENT HOUSE. MY DOORS ARE AUTOMATIC.

IT'S A LOT DIFFERENT SCENARIO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ROADWAYS NOW COMPARED TO YEARS AGO.

SOON AS YOU HAVE THE ASPHALT DOWN, YOU'RE READY TO GO.

THAT'S NOT THE WAY ANYMORE. THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO OPEN

IT -- >> UNTIL THEY CAN CHARGE YOU.

>> EXACTLY. EVEN THE ROAD LOOKS READY TO GO, THEY CAN'T OPEN IT BECAUSE OF THE ABILITY, THEIR LACK OF ABILITY TO MAINTAIN THOSE TOLLS.

>> OKAY.

>> OTHER QUESTIONS FOR ED? DO YOU HAVE PROJECT UPDATES?

>> YEP.

>> OKAY. >> I THOUGHT THERE WAS ANOTHER QUESTION. SWITCHING HATS TO THE CAPITAL PROJECTS UPDATE BY THE SIX DIRECTORS. RICHARD SMITH, DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING, ERIC POPE, JUSTIN PIERCE, GENE PRICE, ERIC JONES.

THE DIRECTOR OF GROUNDS AND MAINTENANCE, AS WELL AS MYSELF, DIRECTOR OF CAPITAL PROJECTS.

OUT OF THE 227 PROJECTS LISTED IN THE PACKICT, EACH DIRECTOR SELECTED A COUPLE PROJECTS TO REPORT ON. THESE PROJECTS WERE

[03:10:01]

SELECTED BASED ON A NUMBER OF RISK FACTORS. THE PROJECT LIST WAS COMPILED BY OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS CONTROL SPECIALIST. THIS MONTH, THE CAPITAL PROJECTS, THE TEAM IS HIGHLIGHTED THE PROGRESS OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BUILDING, AS YOU CAN SEE, NEXT DOOR TO THE SOUTH OF US, THE NEW BUILDING IS RISING UP OUT OF THE GROUND. THIS PROJECT CONSISTS OF CONSTRUCTING A NEW TWO- STORY, 1800 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING TO SERVE THE PUBLIC AND HOUSE COUNTY STAFF. THE STRUCTURAL FRAMING IS WELL UNDER WAY ALONG WITH THE SECOND FLOOR SLAB BEING PLACED AND THE FIRST FLOOR -- EXCUSE ME, THE FIRST LIFT OF ASPHALT WAS PLACED IN THE PARKING LOT.

AND HALF THE PARKING LOT. NEXT PROJECT IS THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE 3200 SQUARE FOOT SINGLE STORY ANIMAL SHELTER AND CARE FACILITY. THE COMPLEX IS LOCATED ON COUNTY OWNED PROPERTY ON COUNTY ROAD 220. IN THE MIDDLEBURG AREA.

THIS PROJECT IS CURRENTLY 15% COMPLETE.

THE FOUNDATION HAS BEEN PLACED WHILE THE CONTRACTOR CONTINUES WORKING ON THE INSTALLATION OF THE UNDER SLAB UTILITY. PARKS AND REC, IS THE REPAIR OF 6,930 LINEAR FEET OF THE BLACK CREEK BIKE TRAIL BOARDWALK ALONG HIGHWAY 17.

THIS CONSISTENCES OF REPLACING STRINGERS AND HAND RAIL AND THE BOARDWALK.

A PRECONSTRUCTION MEETING WAS HELD WITH THE CONTRACTOR WHILE THE MOBILIZATION IS PENDING.

THE SECOND PROJECT FOR PARK AND REC IS THE CCOA CONNECTION AT THE PARK COMMUNITY PARK. THIS PROJECT CONSISTS OF FURNISHING AND INSTALLING ALL NEW WATER AND SEWER MAINS WITHIN THE COMPLEX, TAPPING INTO THE EXISTING CCOA WATER LINES AND DECOMMISSIONING THE SEPTIC TANKTANK DRAIN FIELDS THAT CONSIST OF CONSTRUCTING A NEW LIFT STATION AND REPLACING THE GREASE TRAP WITH A COMMERCIAL GREASE TRAP.

A PROJECT IS IN THE PREBID STATUS WHILE PENDING FINAL SEWAGE APPLICATION APPROVAL.

NEXT UP FOR FACILITIES OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE, THEY'RE WORKING WITH MULTIPLE COUNTY DEPARTMENTS TO MOVE ITEMS THAT WERE STORED ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF THE COURTHOUSE. BASICALLY TO MAKE ROOM AND WAY FOR THE ANTICIPATED CONSTRUCTION AT THE STATE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. FOR THE TWO JUDGE CHAMBERS.

THIS BUILD OUT WILL SUPPORT GROWTH AND EFFICIENCY FOR THE STATE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND FUTURE JUDGES. NEXT UP FOR ENGINEERING, THEY'RE WORKING ON THE COUNTY ROAD 220 FROM KNIFE BOX TO HOLLER PLACE, THE OLD BRIDGE IS NOW COMPLETELY REMOVED, AND THE NEW BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION IS WELL UNDER WAY. IN COMING MONTHS, WORK WILL INTENSIFY AT THE COUNTY ROAD 220 AND HENLEY ROAD INTERSECTION WHILE STORM DRAINAGE PIPE INSTALLATION AT THE FERRY ROAD NEARS COMPLETION.

AND THE 220 -- EXCUSE ME, COUNTY ROAD 220 LAKE SHORE DRIVE OLD HARD ROAD INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS ARE IN PROGRESS AS PLANNED. A MEETING TOOK PLACE ON JULY 1ST AND PAVING IS EXPECTED TO COMMENCE IN THE NEXT THREE WEEKS. AND THE LIVE OAK LANE AND GREENWAY TRAIL CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS IS PROGRESSING AS PLANNED. UTILITY ROAD CONSTRUCTION ARE CURRENTLY UNDER WAY. AND LAST, FOR THE ENGINEERING, ON JUNE 16TH, CONSTRUCTION STARTED ON THE SPENCER INDUSTRIAL DRIVE AND COUNTY ROAD 218 WITH THE INSTALLATION OF EROSION CONTROL MEASURES, SURVEYING, MOBILIZATION ACTIVITIES.

AND LASTLY, ALL PROJECTS FOR THE PUBLIC WORKS AND GROUND MAINTENANCE IN RELATION TO THIS MEETING ARE COMPLETE.

THIS CONCLUDES THE UPDATE FROM THE SIX DIRECTORS.

DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THESE PROJECTS?

>> ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, ED.

[15. Rehearing to Consider adoption of PUD 24-0006 (Fleming Island Preserve) (District 1, Comm. Sgromolo)]

>> THANK YOU.

>> APPRECIATE IT. ALL RIGHT.

AND WE ARE NOW TO OLD BUSINESS. ITEM NUMBER 15.

REHEARING TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF PUD 24- 006, PLUMB ISLAND PRESERVE AND COMMISSIONER'S DISTRICT. THIS ITEM WAS ORIGINALLY HEARD AT THE BOARD'S DECEMBER 10TH, 2024 BOARD MEETING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SPECIAL MAGISTRATE'S APRIL 30TH, 2025, FINAL REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION ISSUED PURSUE NLT TO FLORIDA LAND USE AND ENVIRONMENTAL DISPUTE RESOLUTION ACT SECTION 70. 51 OF FLORIDA STATUTES AND MAY 23RD, 2025, CLARIFICATION MEMO, A REHEARING WILL BE HELD BASED ON THE DECEMBER 10TH, 2024, HEARING TRANSCRIPT.

THIS ITEM IS BASED ON THE TRANSCRIPT FROM THE DECEMBER 10TH HEARING HELD ON THE REZONING APPLICATION. I WILL NOW ASK EACH COMMISSIONER IF THEY HAVE RECEIVED AND REVIEWED THE TRANSCRIPT. A COPY WAS ALSO ATTACHED TO THE AGENDA AS PART OF THE BACK- UP MATERIALS.

COMMISSIONER, DID YOU RECEIVE AND REVIEW?

>> I HAVE RECEIVED AND REVIEWED THE TRANSCRIPT FROM DECEMBER WHATEVER DAY IT WAS.

>> 10TH.

>> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER, DID YOU RECEIVE AND REVIEW?

>> YES, MADAM CHAIR, I DID. THANK YOU.

[03:15:02]

>> OKAY, I ALSO RECEIVED AND REVIEWED.

COMMISSIONER BURKE, DID YOU RECEIVE AND REVIEW?

>> YES, I DID.

>> COMMISSIONER SCRUMALOW DID YOU RECEIVE AND REVIEW?

>> I HAVE RECEIVED AND REVIEWED THE TRANSCRIPT.

>> OKAY, NOW PER THE SPECIAL MAGISTRATE'S RECOMMENDATION, I HAVE TO REQUEST THAT ANY EX PARTE COMMUNICATIONS REGARDING THIS APPLICATION BE SHARED. AND I WILL BEGIN WITH MY OWN.

I DID DISCLOSE THAT THERE WERE WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS VIA EMAIL THAT ARE ALL PUBLIC RECORD IN MY PUBLIC RECORD, I DO NOT RECALL SPECIFICALLY RESPONDING TO ANY OF THEM.

I MAY HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT SOME OF THEM WERE RECEIVED.

BUT I HAD NO OPINION FROM THAT. I DID DRIVE BY THE LOCATION.

I DID MENTION IN MY -- IN THE HEARING THAT I HAD RECEIVED OPINIONS FROM REALTORS AND THOSE REALTORS ARE AMBER TAYLOR AND CHARLIE STEEL. BOTH REALTORS IN THE MILLBURG AREA.

I GUESS I'LL GO DOWN THE LINE AGAIN.

COMMISSIONER, DO YOU HAVE EX PARTE COMMUNICATIONS TO DISCLOSE?

>> YES, MADAM CHAIR. I HAVE RECEIVED THREE WRITTEN CORRESPONDENCE VIA EMAIL, AND I RESPONDED TO ONE. A JOHN BAGBY, AND THOSE ARE THE ONLY COMMUNICATIONS I HAD.

>> OKAY, THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER, DID YOU HAVE EX PARTE COMMUNICATIONS?

>> I RECEIVED, FIRST OF ALL, YES, I DID.

I RECEIVED EIGHT WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS ON THE MATTER, ALL WHICH ARE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC. NO RESPONSE WAS GIVEN.

>> OKAY. THANK YOU.

COMMISSION BURKE, DID YOU HAVE EX PARTE COMMUNICATIONS TO

DISCUSS? >> YES, I RECEIVED EIGHT EMAILS, THEY'RE ALL PUBLIC RECORD.

ENGINEER ABOUT WIDENING ROADS T- IN THAT AREA.

>> OKAY. AND COMMISSIONER, DID

YOU? >> YES, I DID.

I RECEIVED MANY, NUMEROUS EMAILS FROM CONSTITUENTS IN MY DISTRICT REGARDING THE REZONING AS TO WHICH I REPLIED THANK YOU FOR YOUR FEEDBACK REGARDING THIS % ITEM. AND I ALSO HAD TWO CONVERSATIONS WITH ALEX MALDOVEN, THE SECOND OF WHICH JOSH COCKRELL WASPRINT PRESENT ON THE CALL AS WELL.

>> I BELIEVE THAT COVERS ALL EX PARTE COMMUNICATIONS.

DISCLOSURES. SO LASTLY, I GUESS, COMMISSIONER, THIS IS YOUR DISTRICT, IF YOU HAVE COMMENTS, YOU WANT TO MAKE A MOTION.

>> OKAY. SO BASED ON THE SPECIAL MAGISTRATE'S RECOMMENDATION THAT WAS GIVEN TO US, THE CRITERIA SET FORTH IN THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE WHICH IS NOTED IN THE STAFF REPORT IS TO BE CONSIDERED IN CONNECTION WITH THIS REZONING REQUEST.

WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE STAFF REPORT AND THE CRITERIA.

I HAVE SPENT SOME TIME REVIEWING THE CRITERIA AND ALTHOUGH SOME OF THOSE MAY SUPPORT A REQUESTED REZONING, A REVIEW ALSO SHOWED THAT MAINTAINING THE EXISTING ZONING IS LIKEWISE SUPPORTED. I FOUND THAT LOOKING THROUGH THE CRITERIA AS NOTED IN THE STAFF REPORT, SPECIFICALLY CRITERIA ITEM D, THE PROPERTY CAN BE USED IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS EXISTING ZONING FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.

FURTHERMORE, AS SHOWN BY FIGURE 3 OF THE STAFF REPORT, WHICH IS THE EXISTING ZONING MAP, WHICH IS ON PAGE -- LET'S SEE HERE.

WHICH IS ON PAGE 5, FIGURE 3, IT SHOWS THAT THE SURROUNDING DISTRICT -- EXCUSE ME, AS SHOWN BY FIGURE 3, IT CAN BE USED IN EXISTENT ZONING AS THE ZONING MAP, WHICH I ALSO ALLUDE TO IN THE TRANSCRIPT. ALSO, THERE'S A TABLE ON PAGE 9, WHICH THE DISTRICT'S TABLE IN THE STAFF REPORT AND ALSO NOTED IN CRITERIA A, THE CURRENT ZONING IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE ADJACENT PROPERTIES TO NORTH AND THE EAST.

ALSO, ON TOP OF THAT, THE EXISTING ZONING IS CONSISTENT WITH THE COUNTY'S COMP PLAN, AS REQUIRED BY CRITERIA E AND G. AND SPECIFICALLY, THE RELEVANT CLAY COUNTY 2040 COMP PLAN POLICY NOTED IN THE STAFF REPORT ON PAGE 7, FLU POLICY 1.4.1. 5 PROVIDES THAT DENSITIES SHOULD BE A MAX OF THREE UNITS PER ACRE AND A MINIMUM OF ONE UNIT PER ACRE WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH THE CURRENT A.R. ZONING OF ONE UNIT PER ACRE LISTED HERE. THE EXISTING ZONING MAP FIGURE 3 OF THE STAFF REPORT ALSO SHOWS THAT THE OLD HARD COMMUNITY SURROUNDING THE PROPERTY AS I STATED IN THE TRANSCRIPT IS LARGELY UNCHANGED AND HAS MAINTAINED AN A.R. ZONING. THEREFORE, TO MAINTAIN

[03:20:01]

CONSISTENCY, REZONING IS NOT FAVORED UNDER CRITERIA C AND F OF THE STAFF REPORT. ALONG THOSE LINES, AS NOTED IN THE REPORT, CRITERIA B IS MET AS THE BOUNDARIES ARE NOT ILOGICALLY DRAWN.

BASED ON THE EVIDENCE FROM THE -- EXCUSE ME, DECEMBER 10TH HEARING, WHICH WAS CONTAINED IN THE TRANSCRIPT AND THE CRITERIA IN THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AS NOTED BY THE SPECIAL MAGISTRATE, THERE IS COMPETENT SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE IN THE RECORD TO SUPPORT DENIAL OF THE REQUESTED REZOINING AND THEREFORE I MADE A MOTION TO DENY THE REQUEST.

>> OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION. DO WE HAVE A

SECOND? >> I SECOND THE MOTION.

>> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, INDICATE BY SAYING AYE?

>> AYE.

>> THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

[16. Agreement with Airstream Ventures for Tourism Sports Sales and Development Agreement (T. Meyer / K. Smith)]

5-0. WE'LL MOVE ON TO NEW BUSINESS.

WE ARE NOW AT ITEM NUMBER 16. AGREEMENT WITH AIR STREAM VENTURES FOR TOURISM, SPORTS, SALES, AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.

THIS IS THE APPROVAL OF THE AGREEMENT THAT STAFF BROUGHT BACK AND THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS, AIR STREAM COULD NOT BE PRESENT AT OUR PREVIOUS MEETING AND SO WE HAD ASKED TO MOVE THIS TO THIS ITEM -- TO THIS MEETING. SO KAREN.

>> YES. GOOD AFTERNOON.

JUST TO KICK THIS OFF, YOU'RE CORRECT.

THIS IS A RESULT OF THE RANKINGS THAT WERE APPROVED BY THE BOARD AT THE LAST MEETING. JUST OUTLINING THE AGREEMENT.

THIS IS A THREE- YEAR AGREEMENT WITH AN ANNUAL RATE OF 81,600 DOLLARS, WITHIN THE AGREEMENT, THE TERMS INCLUDE DISCUSSION OF PERFORMANCE MATRIX, ALSO THE AIRSTREAM WILL MEET WITH THE TOURISM DEPARTMENT MONTHLY AND ALSO THEY ARE TO REPORT TO THE TDC QUARTERLY AND PROVIDE UPDATES. SO WITH THAT, WE DO HAVE MR. ALLEN WITH AIRSTREAM HERE TONIGHT, AND MR. TEDDY, OUR TOURISM DIRECTOR IS HERE AS WELL IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FOR HIM.

>> OKAY. QUESTIONS FOR STAFF OR FOR THE VENDOR. ALLEN, WITH AIRSTREAM VENTURES AND OF COURSE, TEDDY, WHO IS OUR DIRECTOR OF TOURISM. NO QUESTIONS FOR THEM?

>> I JUST HAVE ONE FOR KAREN. WAS THERE ANY CHANGE IN THE AMOUNT THAT WAS PRESENTED TO US IN THE FINAL FIGURE THAT WAS AGREED UPON?

>> NO, MA'AM. NO CHANGE.

AND TO RECAP, AIRSTREAM HAD AN AGREEMENT WITH US PREVIOUSLY.

THEY HAVE BEEN OUR OVIDER. THAT AGREEMENT WAS $66,000 PER YEAR. THE PREVIOUS RFP WE OPENED AND REJECTED THEIR FEE PROPOSAL WAS $84,000 A YEAR.

THIS NEW RFP THAT WE RECEIVED WAS THE $81,600 AND THAT'S WHAT'S IN THE AGREEMENT FOR YOU TODAY.

>> OKAY. OTHER QUESTIONS? I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

>> I'LL MOVE APPROVAL OF THE AGREEMENT WITH AIRSTREAM VENTURES FOR TOURISM SPORTS SALES AND DEVELOPMENT.

>> OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION. DO WE HAVE AEKD?

>> I'LL SECOND.

>> A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY FURTHER

DISCUSSION? >> I HAVE A QUESTION.

>> SURE.

>> PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS ARE VERY IMPORTANT.

AND ON AIRSTREAM'S DEPARTURE, WHAT WAS REPORTED TO US WERE THERE WERE SOME CANCELLATIONS OF PROJECTS. SO CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT?

>> I CAN. ALLEN VERLANDER WITH AIRSTREAM VENTURES AND I DEEPLY APOLOGIZE FOR NOT BEING HERE A FEW WEEKS AGO.

I HAD A BRIEFIOUSLY SCHEDULED TO BE OUT OF TOWN THAT I COULD NOT MISS. BUT YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT. I THINK IN ANY INDUSTRY, RELATIONSHIPS ARE KEY. AND SPORTS, THEY'RE EVERYTHING, AND OUR INDUSTRY, AND SO WHEN OUR CONTRACT WAS NOT RENEWED, AND THE OTHER VENDOR WAS SELECTED, BECAUSE WE HAVE THOSE GREAT RELATIONSHIPS WITH THOSE SPORTS ENTITIES OR EVENTS, WE BASICALLY SAID JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW YOU HAVE EVENTS COMING UP IN CLAY COUNTY, BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE WORKING WITH YOU ANYMORE ON THOSE EVENTS TO WHICH THEY SAID, THEN WE'RE GOING TO CANCEL THOSE. BECAUSE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS ARE SO DEEP. BECAUSE WE WORK WITH THEM.

AND SO WE HAVE SINCE CALLED THEM.

TEDDY AND I HAVE SPOKEN. WE ARE PUTTING A PLAN TOGETHER, I THINK, VERY QUICKLY, YOU'LL START SEEING EVENTS COMING BACK BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.

>> OKAY. THANK YOU.

>> OKAY. ANY OTHER? WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

AND NO FURTHER DISCUSSION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY SAYING AYE. THOSE OPPOSED.

MOTION CARRIES 5-0. THANK YOU.

WELCOME BACK. WE LOOK FORWARD TO MANY ACTIVITIES.

>> CHAIRMAN, I DID WANT TO MENSCH ONE OTHER THING THAT'S IN THE AGREEMENT THIS TIME.

YOU PROBABLY HAVE SEEN IT, BUT IT DOES STATE THAT COUNTY STAFF CAN INITIATE AND BRING IN EVENTS.

SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING MR. TEDDY AND HIS TEAM

[03:25:02]

BRINGING IN EVENTS AS WELL.

>> MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT YOU HAVE EXPERIENCE IN THAT.

YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THAT.

>> TEDDY WITH TOURISM. I WANT TO THANK KAREN'S GROUP.

OBVIOUSLY, IT'S ONLY ABOUT TWO MONTHS I HAVE BEEN HERE, AND A LOT OF GRACIOUSNESS WITH THEM GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS.

IT WAS REALLY MY FIRST DAY LOOKING OVER THE RFP, SO THROWN RIGHT INTO THE WOLVES. THEY WERE TREMENDOUS.

I THINK THE BIG THING IS WHAT SHE HIGHLIGHTED WITH THE METRICS AND THE FIRST QUARTER REALLY GOING THROUGH THIS STUFF WITH ALLEN AND AIRSTREAM.

SETTING THE TABLE FOR CLAY COUNTY TO COME OUT ON THE RIGHT END, AS THE BIG KEY.

AND THEN TAKING THAT NEXT TWO YEARS TO HELP MEET THE DELIVERABLES. THAT'S THE BIG THING.

THE OTHER PIECE IS US, STAFF, PARKS AND REC, EVENT PERMITTING, ALL COLLECTIVELY WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE IT'S AS LESS AS POSSIBLE.

TO THE QUESTION ABOUT GROUPS NOT COMING BACK AND RELATIONSHIP WISE, THE COLLECTIVE IS SO MUCH MORE IMPORTANT INITIALLY INTERNALLY WITH CLAY COUNTY SO THAT WAY THOSE GROUPS WANT TO COME BACK.

SO THERE'S NO HICCUPS EVEN ON THE AIRSTREAM SIDE.

IT'S US WORKING AS A COLLECTIVE WHEN WE GET THE RIGHTS HOLDER HERE, TO MAKE SURE THEY WANT TO COME BACK SIX MONTHS, EIGHT MONTHS, A YEAR LATER. CONTINUALLY.

THAT'S THE BIG PIECE.

>> MADAM CHAIR, ANOTHER THING I WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THE CONVERSATION. I THINK EVEN THOUGH I WASN'T A COMMISTCHING FROM AFAR, THERE W LOT OF OTHINGS, A LOT OF FACTORS, LIKE I THINK ONE WAS THE REGIONAL PARK.

AND I AGREE WITH YOU, YOU HAVE BEEN VERY OUTSPOKEN TO OPEN THAT BAD BOY UP AND GET IT GOING, AND I THINK YOU HAVE GIVEN STAFF A LOT OF DIRECTION, AND I AGREE WITH YOU. AND I THINK LOOKING AT THE EVENTS THAT WERE HELD, THERE WAS A LOT OF TREPIDATION TO KIND OF NOT OPEN THE VALVE BUT WE'RE NOT AT THE POINT WE'RE READY TO OPEN THE VALVE, AND AS WE HAVE TALKED TONIGHT WITH BUDGET AND THIS MORNING WE TALKED WITH BUDGET, THESE ARE REVENUE DRIVING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR COUNTY.

SO I'M EXCITED THAT ALLEN AND HIS TEAM ARE BACK ON BOARD. I'M EXCITED TEDDY IS ON BOARD AND GO MAKE MONEY, FELLOWS.

>> APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> TDC IN ORLANDO IS $350 MILLION.

THAT WOULD SOLVE OUR BUDGET PROBLEMS.

>> NO DOUBT.

>> JUST HAVE TO MOVE DISNEY WURPD UP HERE.

>> THANK YOU, KAREN. WE ALREADY ADDRESSED ITEM

[20. Acceptance of Resignation from the Lake Asbury/Penney Farms Citizens Advisory Committee]

NUMBER 17. WITH ITEM NUMBER 19.

ITEM NUMBER 20, WE HAVE A RESIGNATION FROM THE LAKE ASBERRY CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE. I FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE STRUGGLED KEEPING PEOPLE ON THERE, COMMISSIONER BURKE, BUT I THINK MR. RYAN HAS BEEN ON --

>> THEY QUIT.

>> I THINK MR. RYAN HAS BEEN ON THERE A WHILE, HASN'T HE? SO I GUESS I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ACCEPT HIS

RESIGNATION. >> I'LL MOVE APPROVAL.

>> I'LL SECOND.

>> OKAY, A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.

>> AYE.

>> THOSE OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES 5-0.

[21. Bid Opening Tabulation (K. Smith)]

MR. RYAN, WE APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE.

[PUBLIC COMMENTS]

WE HAD A FEW BID OPENING TABULATIONS.

WE ARE DOWN TO OUR SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT. I DO NOT HAVE ANY COMMENT CARDS FOR OUR SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT.

IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? MR. MATHENY, COME ON UP.

>> I HOPE YOU DON'T GET TIRED OF HEARING ME. I THINK A GOOD IDEA WOULD BE WOULD LISTENING TO WHAT YOU HAVE ON FACILITIES FOR AUTOMOBILES, IF YOU COULD REDUCE IT TO ONE AND GET RID OF THE OTHER TWO, AND THEN SELL THOSE BUILDINGS OR THOSE PROPERTIES, PUT THAT MONEY IN A GENERAL FUND. THAT MAY HELP.

AS FAR AS VEHICLES, I KNOW WHEN I WAS A CONSTRUCTION MANAGER, WE HAD TO LOGON OUR VEHICLES THE MILE FOR OUR NONWORK AND FOR OUR WORK. THAT LET YOU KEEP TRACK OF HOW MANY MILES PEOPLE PUT ON. AT ONE POINT, THEY HAD US JUST LEAVE THE VEHICLES AT WORK AND WE HAD TO DRIVE OUR CARS TO THE VEHICLE. AND THEN USE IT DURING THE DAY.

THAT SAVES ON GAS. THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BUILDING, I THINK WE COULD HAVE HELD OFF.

IS THAT WHAT IS GOING NEXT TO THE OTHER BUILDING? I THINK WE COULD HAVE HELD OFF ON THAT AND LET THE CONTRACTORS WAIT.

BECAUSE WHEN YOU BUILD A BUILDING, THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW, YOU GOT TO FILL IT FULL OF PEOPLE. AND IF WE HAVE A BUDGET CRUNCH NOW, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A BIGGER BUDGET CRUNCH NEXT TIME. OTHER THAN THAT, I THINK THAT'S ABOUT IT. BUT I THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOTE.

AND I KNOW IT WASN'T EASY, AND IT'S NOT GOING TO BE EASY NEXT YEAR.

AND IF YOU HAVE A COMMITTEE THAT YOU BROUGHT UP ABOUT FIVE PEOPLE TO KIND OF GO THROUGH THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, I WOULD CERTAINLY OFFER MY TIME.

IT'S FREE. SO IT WON'T COST THE COUNTY ANY MONEY. THANK YOU. HAVE A GOOD DAY.

>> THANK YOU, MR. MATHENY. YOU HAVE BEEN WITH US ALL

[03:30:03]

DAY, THIS LONG DAY.

>> YES, MA'AM.

>> IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD HIKE TO SPEAK AT PUBLIC COMMENT? I'LL REAL QUICK SAY MR. MATHENY, THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT BUILDING IS BUILT OUT OF BUILDING PERMIT FEES, SO IT IS NOT OUT OF THE GENERAL REVENUE.

BUT YOUR POINT IS WELL TAKEN. THANK YOU.

>> WHICH WE HAD TO SPEND.

>> YEAH.

>> OR WE WOULD LOSE IT.

>> ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT? OKAY.

[COUNTY ATTORNEY]

MOVE ON FROM THAT. COMMISSION AUDITOR.

OKAY. COUNTY ATTORNEY.

>> YES, QUICKLY, BUT LET ME PULL IT UP SO I DON'T MESS IT UP. JUST WANTED TO GIVE EVERYBODY A HEADS- UP THAT IN CONNECTION WITH THE OPIOID LITIGATION, THE PURDUE BANKRUPTCY IS NEARING APPROVAL OF ITS PLAN, AND WE RECEIVED NOTIFICATION FROM THE ADMINISTRATOR THEY WILL BE SENDING OUT A NOTICE AND FORMS TO ACCEPT ANY SETTLEMENT THAT WE MAY BE ENTITLED TO, SO WE SHOULD HEAR AN AMOUNT AND RECEIVE THE FORMS PROBABLY IN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO.

>> OKAY.

PERFECT. ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE COUNTY

ATTORNEY? >> THOSE, AND I KNOW THAT IN THE PREVIOUS MEETINGS WE HAD ABOUT THAT, IT COULD BE A LITTLE BIT. IT COULD BE A LOT.

WOULD -- HAVE WE RECEIVED SETTLEMENTS PREVIOUSLY?

>> YES, AND ALSO, IT MAY BE THAT THEY OCCUR OVER A TIME PERIOD. SO SOMETIMES WE RECEIVE THEM MAYBE EVERY YEAR OR IT COULD BE FIVE YEARS OR 15 YEARS. IT'S STRUCTURED.

AND THEN YOU HAVE TO USE THEM FOR VERY SPECIFIC PURPOSES, WHICH MEGAN, I DON'T KNOW IF SHE'S STILL HERE, BUT SHE OVERSEES THEM.

>> THAT WAS MY SECOND QUESTION. YES, THERE ARE.

[COUNTY MANAGER]

THANKS.

>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE COUNTY ATTORNEY? COUNTY MANAGER.

>> MADAM CHAIR, COMMISSIONERS, JUST ONE ITEM FOR THE BOARD.

AND JUST FOR INFORMATION. OUR FIREFIGHTER ENGINEER JOHN LONG AND SEARCH K- 9 OFFICER IN AUSTIN, TEXAS EARLIER TODAY TO HELP WITH THE RESPONSE TO THE CATASTROPHIC FLOODING IN TEXAS.

PLEASE PRAY FOR THEIR SAFE DEPLOYMENT AND KEEP YOUR PRAYERS GOING FOR THAT COMMUNITY.

BUT I WANTED TO REPORT THAT BACK AND OFFER OUR SERVICES WERE REQUESTED AND THEY ARRIVED THERE TODAY.

PENDING ANY QUESTIONS. THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

>> ANY QUESTIONS?

>> I SAW A HEADLINE COME THROUGH WHILE WE WERE IN HERE THAT NOW THE DEATH TOLL IS UP TO LIKE

[COMMISSIONERS' COMMENTS]

160. JUST HORRIBLE.

>> ALL RIGHT. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS. I'LL START DOWN HERE.

>> JUST REAL QUICK, FOR MY DISTRICT, HIGHWAY 17 AND COUNTY ROAD 220 IS COMING ALONG. I'M SEEING RICHARD BACK THERE.

REAL QUICK, CAN YOU ANSWER SOMETHING FOR ME REAL QUICK? I DO KNOW THAT ALL SIX LANES HAVE BEEN PAVED, AND THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AND WE'RE LOOKING LIKE WE'RE GETTING

CLOSE. >> RICHARD SMITH, COUNTY ENGINEER. IT'S MAYBE THE POWER OF THE PEN. A LOT HAS HAPPENED SINCE THEY LEFT TALLAHASSEE AND CAME HOME.

THEY HAVE DONE SOME WORK THERE AND IT'S LOOKING A LOT BETTER. STILL HAS -- STILL LOOKING -- THEY'LL PAY THROUGH JULY 17TH. AND WHETHER -- WEATHER PERMITTING, THEY'LL BE FINISHED WITH THAT.

STILL DON'T HAVE THE SIGNALS WORKING.

SIGNALS ARE STILL A PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD -- I DIDN'T KNOW WE HAD A U- TURN SIGNAL. WE HAVE ONE AT EAST PARKWAY.

IT'S IN THE CYCLE. I HAVE A COUPLE THINGS I NEED TO BRING UP REAL QUICK. WE ARE STILL ON SCHEDULE TO CLOSE THAT SMALL SECTION OF HENLEY ROAD FRIDAY AT 7:00 P.M. THROUGH THE WEEKEND, UNTIL MONDAY MORNING AT 5:00 A.M. THAT'S TO BRING IN HEAVY EQUIPMENT, TO LAY PIPE THERE.

SO CLOSURE FROM THE 220, ON 220 FROM HENLEY ROAD TO SHAMROCK IN THAT AREA.

ABOUT 300 FEET IN THAT LITTLE COMMERCIAL AREA.

EVERYONE WILL STILL BE ABLE TO GET IN AND OUT OF THEIR HOMES AND SUBDIVISIONS. THEY JUST WON'T BE ABLE TO GO ACROSS THAT WAY WITH THE CRANES THERE.

>> THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO GO WHERE?

>> THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO TURN LEFT AT HENLEY ROAD NORTHBOUND TO GO TOWARDS BAXLY.

>> OKAY.

>> THIS HAS BEEN PUBLISHED FOR ABOUT A MONTH.

JUST WANT TO REMIND PEOPLE.

>> WILL THEY BE GOING THROUGH THAT

PARKING LOT OR SOMETHING? >> NO, THERE WILL BE NO ROAD THERE FOR THE WEEKEND.

>> OH.

>> YEAH. SO THEY JUST WON'T BE ABLE TO, IF THEY HAVE TO GO TO PLANNING BOULEVARD, THEY'LL CONTINUE NORTH. IF THEY'RE IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS, THE THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO GO TO HENLEY.

>> THAT STARTS WHEN AGAIN?

>> FRIDAY AT 7:00.

>> UNTIL SUNDAY AT 5:00?

>> MONDAY MORNING, 5:00 A.M.

>> OKAY.

>> SO THE OTHER THING IS WE TALKED EARLIER ABOUT GETTING OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS, SO WE CAN TURN THE LIGHTS ON AND OFF REMOTELY IN CASES OF HURRICANES AND OTHER NATURAL DISASTERS AND

[03:35:01]

OTHER EVEN EVENTS, A PARADE OR SOMETHING.

THOSE ARE ABOUT 90% COMPLETELY INSTALLED.

WE'LL BE COMPLETED NEXT WEEK. AND WE'RE ALSO GOT THE FIRST OF THE DIGITAL TRAFFIC SIGNALS, TRAFFIC SIGNS, CONCRETE HAS BEEN POURED.

THEY'LL BE SET ON OAKLEY PARKWAY SOUTHBOUND, VILLAGE PARKWAY SOUTHBOUND AND ON CAMP FRANCIS ROAD.

>> HOW MANY?

>> WE GOT 18.

>> 18?

>> YEAH, WE'RE STILL WAITING. WE TILL HAVE SOME OTHER LOCATIONS TO PUT IN. WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR THE ONE IN YOUR DISTRICT TO GET APPROVAL.

ANYTHING ELSE?

>> THANK YOU, RICHARD. I WOULD JUST SAY TPO FOR THE TPO BOARD, THE BOARD MEETING IS CANCELED ON THURSDAY.

FOR LACK OF A QUORUM. THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR THAT THEY TRIED TO DO A JULY MEETING. AND THAT DIDN'T WORK OUT SO WELL.

>> WE BARELY HAD A QUORUM FOR OURS.

ONE THING I DID GET AN EMAIL DURING THIS MEETING FROM TPO. WE HEAR ALL ABOUT THE CUTS IN WASHINGTON. WELL, THE TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY, SEAN DUFFY, SAID ROADS AREN'T POLITICAL.

SO HE HAS ASKED US -- I GOT A TEXT, AN EMAIL FROM JEFF, ASKING US TO PUT A LIST TOGETHER OF OUR MOST NEEDS IMPROVEMENT, NONARTERIAL ROADS.

THE RUSSELL ROAD, THE 209 SOUTH, YOU KNOW, PICK ONE.

220. THOSE TYPE OF ROADS. OFF SYSTEM ARTERIAL, I SHOULD SAY, OFF SYSTEM MEANING DON'T PUT 17 OR 16 OR KINGSLEY AVENUE. THESE ARE OUR ROADS.

WELLS ROADS, PLACES LIKE THAT. THAT NEED HELP, WHETHER IT'S CAPACITY, REALLY DRIVEN BY PEDESTRIAN SAFETY.

I SENT THAT TO MEGAN, SO WE'LL BE WORKING ON THAT IN THE MORNING.

>> I'D REMIND YOU THAT 218 IS ONE OF OUR CRITICALLY DEFICIENT ROADWAYS AND WE DIDN'T GET FAR ON THAT.

>> 218 IS VERY IMPORTANT. WE ACTUALLY HAVE, AGAIN, PERMITS IN HAND. PLANS IN HAND.

AND THEY PARTICULARLY MENTIONED, I DIDN'T KNOW THIS, BUT HALF THE VEHICLE -- HALF THE FATALITIES IN THE UNITED STATES ARE ON ROADS LIKE THIS.

NOT ON THE INTERSTATES. AND NOT ON THE 301S AND THE 17S AND 16S. TWO-THIRDS OF THOSE FATALITIES ARE PEDESTRIAN, AND 218, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WALK IT, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE WALK IT. AND THEY ARE NOT DRESSED FOR SAFETY.

>> HAD ONE MORE QUESTION. THE RIDE OUT ELEMENTARY PASS-THROUGH IN THE BACK, ANYTHING ELSE HAPPENING WITH THAT WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD?

>> I'LL CHECK WITH MR. ADDISON IN THE MORNING AND SEE.

I DON'T KNOW. THEY SHOULD BE WORKING ON IT NOW. I KNOW THAT IT WAS NOT GOING TO BE READY FOR THIS COMING SCHOOL YEAR. BUT IT HAD BEEN AWARDED.

THAT'S WHY THEY DIDN'T ENGAGE US TO GET THE ROAD PORTION OF IT COMPLETE, BECAUSE WE WERE READY TO DO THAT AT THEIR EXPENSE, OF COURSE. BUT WITH USING OUR CONTRACTS, BUT THEY HAD ALREADY HAD A CONTRACTOR ONBOARD THAT WOULDN'T COOPERATE.

I'LL CHECK AND SEE.

>> AND THEN JUST FINISHING UP HERE.

TOMORROW, THERE'S A VERY LARGE TRAINING OPERATION AT THE FAIRGROUNDS. A LOT OF IMPORTANT TRAINING THAT'S GOING TO BE HAPPENING WITH SIMULATING A MASS CROWD OF A BIG EVENT, AND SO JUST KEEP OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND THE VOLUNTEERS, I THINK THAT'S A COOL -- SPEAKS TO OUR COMMUNITY.

THEY PUT OUT SOMETHING ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT THEY NEEDED VOLUNTEERS. THEY NEEDED 100 PEOPLE, AND VERY QUICKLY, THEY HAD 121 THAT WANT TO GET IN ON THE LIVE ACTION. SO BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO BE A BIG DAL. IT'S A BIG DEAL TO PREPARE FOR SUCH AN EVENT. AND AS THEY SAY, IF YOU STAY READY, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GET READY. SO THAT'S GOING TO BE GOOD TOMORROW. AS THE COMMISSIONER MENTIONED, A COUPLE WEEKS AGO WOE GOT TO GO TO THE FAC EDUCATIONAL STATE MEETING. WE WERE ONE OF THE ONLY COUNTY COMMISSIONS IN THE STATE THAT ALL OF OUR COMMISSIONERS PARTICIPATED. IT'S A DEDICATION TO THIS BOARD, WANTING TO LEARN AND WANTING TO CONTINUALLY IMPROVE. I WANTED TO CONGRATULATION COMMISSIONER CONDON. SHE WAS APPOINTED AS CHAIR. WHICH COMMITTEE?

>> RURAL AND AGRICULTURAL AFFAIRS GLRB COMMISSIONER CONDON HAS BEEN A CHAMPION WITH SOME OF THE SOLAR NISH INITIATIVES. AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PROPERTY TAX DISCUSSION, THAT GOING TO BE VERY IMPORTANT AND THE FACT WE HAVE A COMMISSIONER IN A CHAIR POSITION IS GOING TO BE HELPFUL ALSO, COMMISSIONER, I KNOW YOU HAVE SERVED ON SOME COMMITTEES AS WELL, AND I APPRECIATE THAT. THESE FOLKS DON'T GET PAID MORE TO DO THAT. THEY DO IT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO DO A GOOD JOB AND HELP CLAY COUNTY. AND LASTLY, TWO THINGS. NUMBER ONE, EVERY SAID IT, BUT YOU HAVE TO SAY IT, PRAY FOR TEXAS. SOMETHING THAT NO ONE SHOULD EVER HAVE TO GO THROUGH, ESPECIALLY WITH CHILDREN.

[03:40:03]

I THINK WHEN YOU BECOME A PARENT, YOUR PERSPECTIVE TOTALLY CHANGES ON THINGS LIKE THAT.

LASTLY, I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU ON THE DAIS.

THESE DECISIONS ARE NOT EASY. AND WHILE WE ALL DON'T AGREE NECESSARILY ON CERTAIN TOPICS, THE RESPECT THAT I BELIEVE THAT YOU ALL HAVE FOR EACH OTHER AND I HAVE FOR YOU AND YOU HAVE FOR ME IS IMPORTANT. AND CLAY COUNTY RESIDENTS RELY ON THE FACT THAT WE CAN HAVE TOUGH CONVERSATIONS AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, LOOK TO THE NEXT DAY TO MAKE THE NEXT DECISION TO KEEP OUR COUNTY MOVING FORWARD. AND I APPRECIATE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU FOR BEING GOOD COLLEAGUES.

SO THAT'S IT. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER BURKE.

>> THANK YOU. AND I ECHO ALL OF THAT.

AND I'M JUST GLAD TODAY IS OVER.

>> YEAH.

>> HAVE A GOOD NIGHT, EVERYONE.

>> BEEN EXHAUSTING.

COMMISSIONER? >> YEAH, I REALLY COULDN'T AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER BURKE MORE.

I AM WORN OUT. WE HAVE BEEN AT THIS FOR 11 HOURS. BUT I WOULD BE REMISS NOT TO RAISE TEXAS, TO BRING TEXAS TO MIND AGAIN. AND SHOUT OUT TO OUR EMERGENCY PERSONNEL WHO ARE THERE ASSISTING. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT, SO THAT HELPS MY HEART TO KNOW THAT CLAY COUNTY IS A PART OF RESTORING SOME HUMANITY IN THAT SITUATION. EVERYBODY HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

>> THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOMETIMES THE PUBLIC ASK WHY DO WE DO THAT? AND WE DO IT BECAUSE WHEN WE HAVE A NEED, THEY COME TO US. SO OUR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, THEY'RE ALL GREAT PARTNERS IN THAT WAY AND THE COUNTY MANAGER SUPPORTS ALL THAT AND I COMPLETELY RESPECT THAT YOU DO THAT. THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER.

>> JUST REAL QUICK. ATTENDED A COMMUNITY BULK ITEM PICKUP ON BEL-AIR. WE FILLED -- THAT WAS TWO SATURDAYS AGO. WE FILLED TWO ROLL- ON, ROLL- OFF DUMPSTERS.

WE COULD HAVE USED EIGHT MORE. AND I STOPPED A COUPLE RESIDENTS AND ASKED, DO YOU KNOW HOW TO GET RID OF THIS? THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT IF YOU CALL, FCC WILL PICK UP. THEY JUST UNDERSTAND IF YOU PUT IT OUT THERE, IT WILL GO AWAY SOMEHOW.

THAT'S NOT THE WAY TO DO IT. BUT I SAY THAT BECAUSE OVER THE WEEKEND, I WAS IN ESCAMBIA COUNTY AND THEY HAD A PSA, WHICH IT WAS KIND OF LIGHTHEARTED BUT THEY REALLY TOLD THE PUBLIC HOW TO PSA VIDEOED HOW TO GET RID OF THEIR BULK WASTE. AND SO I TALKED TO LAURA A LITTLE BIT, AND WE HAVE ONE, BUT WHAT I SAW, IF YOU HAVE KIDS OR GRANDKIDS, COCO MILLEN.

WE WERE WATCHING COCO MILLEN AND ONE OF THE ADS CAME UP FROM ACUA, ESCAMBIA COUNTY UTILITY AUTHORITY.

BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS KIND OF CUTE.

AND IT SAID EVERYTHING IT HAD TO SAY.

ANYWAY, JUST, YOU KNOW, I HAVE BEEN THROUGH A LOT OF THESE BUDGET THINGS AND THEY'RE NOT EASY. I HATE TO SAY THIS BUT WE'RE NOT DONE. YOU KNOW, WE KICKED $8 MILLION WORTH OF NEEDS, NOT WANTS, BUT NEEDS DOWN THE ROAD.

AND THE ROOF -- IT'S STILL GOING TO BE LEAKING.

SO WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO FUND THIS.

SO THE SHERIFF SAID SHE'S DEPUTIES SHORT.

THAT'S FRENCH FOR WAIT UNTIL NEXT YEAR.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A NEED THERE, TOO.

AND SHE NEEDS THEM. SO IT'S BRUTAL, IT'S HARD, BUT YOU KNOW, I HATE TO SAY THIS, BUT WE DO HEAT MAPS OF WHERE EMERGENCY SERVICES ARE REQUIRED AND WANTED, AND THEY'RE KIND OF IN THE SOUTH PART OF THE COUNTY.

SO WHAT WE'RE SAYING BY NOT MEETING THOSE NEEDS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RESPONSE TIME.

AND RESPONSE IS EVERYTHING, WHETHER IT BE EMS OR WHETHER IT BE SHERIFF.

SECONDS ARE VITAL. SO WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

AND I DO WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY.

THIS WAS A BRUTAL DAY. AND WE DON'T ALWAYS AGREE, BUT WE ALWAYS SHAKE HANDS AND KISS AND MAKE UP AND AWAY WE GO.

SO IT'S A WAY THIS -- YOU TALK ABOUT MAKING SAUSAGE IN GOVERNMENT. TODAY WAS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT. THANK

YOU. >> ONE LAST THING.

WHEN THE COMMISSIONER WAS TALKING ABOUT RESPONSE TIME, THIS CAME UP IN THE BUDGET WORKSHOP BY A RESIDENT.

THE INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED AT THE ORANGE PARK MALL, YOU KNOW, ONE, AND THE SHERIFF WOULD ECHO THIS, THERE IS NO ROOM FOR ANY OF THAT IN CLAY COUNTY.

AND NUMBER TWO, THOSE DEPUTIES WERE ON SCENE EXTREMELY FAST, AND CLEARED THAT CROWD OUT.

[03:45:03]

AND THAT'S A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHY IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY HAVE THE RESOURCES THEY NEED FOR SUCH SITUATIONS.

I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT UP.

>> THEY HAD TIPPERS. AND LUCKILY, THEY HAD TIPPERS TO PREPARE FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

BUT THAT STUFF JUST CAN'T HAPPEN IN CLAY COUNTY.

WE CAN'T ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN. AND THAT'S OUR FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE TO KEEP IT FROM HAPPENING.

>> THANK YOU.

>> OKAY, SO I JUST HAVE TWO THINGS.

ONE, I CLICKED AWAY TO TRY TO FIND IT REAL FAST TO TELL YOU. SO, I SAW -- I'LL GET IT TO LAURA, BUT I SAW ON SOCIAL MEDIA EARLIER, I THINK IT WAS OVER THE WEEKEND OR YESTERDAY, WHERE SOMEONE IN MIDDLEBURG SAID THAT THEY HAD SEEN A DISTURBING INCIDENT WITH A YOUNGER MAN AND AN OLDER MAN AT WALMART IN MIDDLEBURG.

AND THEY SAID, IF THIS WAS YOUR CHILD, YOU KNOW, PLEASE HAVE A CONVERSATION. THINGS LOOKED LIKE THEY WERE OUT OF PLACE. JUST DIDN'T LOOK LIKE IT BELONGED. THERE WERE LOTS OF COMMENTS.

AND THERE WERE LOTS OF, IT'S GONE, IT'S HAPPENED BY NOW.

THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN REALLY DO, BUT THERE'S VIDEOS.

AND I'M A ROTARIAN AS WELL AS COUNTY MANAGER IS A ROTARIAN.

THE COMMISSIONER IS A ROTARIAN. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ROTARY IS PASSIONATE ABOUT IS STOPPING HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

AND I RECENTLY WENT TO A TALK ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING, AND THE SPEAKER, SHE WAS DRESSED AS WONDER WOMAN TO GET ATTENTION, BUT SHE SAID, WHEN SHE FIRST HEARD ABOUT HUMAN TRAFFICKING, WHAT CAN LITTLE OLD ME DO? AND WHAT CAN I DO? I'M NOT GOING TO GO INTO THE, YOU KNOW, THE STREETS AND REALLY I'M NOT GOING TO GO RESCUE SOMEONE IN HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

THAT'S NOT MY THING, BUT SHE SAID WHAT CAN I DO. SHE SHARED THE PHONE NUMBER, AND YOU CAN TEXT, AND I'LL GET IT TO LAURA. I HAVE A SCREEN SHOT OF IT. YOU CAN TEXT, YOU CAN CALL, YOU CAN SEND A TIP. AND I DIDN'T. THEY HAD TURNED OFF COMMENTS ON THE MIDDLEBURG POST WHERE THE PERSON HAD SAID IT, SO I WASN'T ABLE TO POST THAT AND SAY, IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, REPORT IT. AND THEN SOMEBODY WHO IS -- THE SHERIFF HAS THIS INTERCEPT TASK FORCE, THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT WILL GO AND INVESTIGATE.

TLARL GO WATCH THAT VIDEO AND SEE IF THEY NEED TO INTERVENE. I HAVE BEEN ON A PLANE BEFORE WHERE I SAW SOMETHING WITH A YOUNG COUPLE THAT JUST DIDN'T LOOK RIGHT.

AND SO, IF YOU SEE SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU DON'T NEED TO INTERVENE.

BUT PLEASE SAY SOMETHING BECAUSE I THINK IT'S ALL OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO STOP HUMAN TRAFFICKING BECAUSE THE BIGGEST THING THAT I TOOK AWAY FROM THIS SPEAKER IS THAT WE CAN THINK IT DOESN'T HAPPEN IN CLAY COUNTY, WE CAN THINK THAT IT ONLY HAPPENS IN BIGGER CITIES LIKE JACKSONVILLE AND TAMPA AND MIAMI AND AROUND SPORTS EVENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT IT DOESN'T. IT HAPPENS HERE.

I KNOW OF AN INCIDENT IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WHERE IT HAPPENED, A GIRL FROM WILKINSON JUNIOR HIGH, A LOVELY FAMILY, GENERATIONAL FAMILY, AND SHE WAS GIVEN ALCOHOL, PICKED UP AT THE ORANGE PARK MALL, GIVEN ALCOHOL, TAKEN TO A HOTEL ROOM, PUT IN COMPROMISING POSITION. THEY TOOK A VIDEO OF IT, AND THEN THEY BLACKMAILED HER BECAUSE THEY TOLD HER, WE'LL SHOW YOUR GRANDPARENTS, YOUR PARENTS.

SHE WAS SCARED TO DEATH TO TELL ANYBODY.

THAT WAS YEARS AGO. THAT'S HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

AND SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE INTERVENING.

THAT'S MY SOAP BOX FOR THAT. THEN THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO TELL YOU I THOUGHT WAS REALLY COOL, THE COUNTY MANAGER SUPPORTED IT. JUSTIN, I KNOW HE'S PROBABLY GONE HOME. HE'S LISTENING, BUT HE COORDINATED WITH A MEN'S GROUP AT HUNTER DOUGLAS PARK, THEY HAVE A COMMUNITY CENTER AT HUNTER DOUGLAS PARK WHICH IS IN MIDDLEBURG, AND A FEW SATURDAYS AGO, THEY HAD A DOCTOR COME IN FOR A MEN'S HEALTH CLINIC ON A SATURDAY MORNING, AND THEY HAD 29 MEN COME AND LISTEN TO THIS DOCTOR PRESENT ON MEN'S HEALTH.

AND TOPICS LIKE THAT. AND I JUST WANT TO SHOUT OUT, THAT'S SOME OF THE PROGRAMMING THAT JUSTIN AND THE PARKS AND REC GROUP DO BECAUSE THEY HAD IT AT THE PARK, BUT JUSTIN COORDINATED IT.

HE HAD SOMEBODY THERE TO UNLOCK THE BUILDING, AND HE DOESN'T GET ALL THE PRAISE FOR THAT KIND OF THING BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MAKE THE PRESS, BUT 29 MEN HAD A GOOD CONVERSATION ABOUT MEN'S HEALTH. AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY COOL. ALL OF OUR STAFF, I KNOW I HAVE KIND OF BEATEN UP ON YOU TODAY.

AND I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THAT.

IT'S NOT PERSONAL. I THINK THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF REALLY HARD WORKING PEOPLE HERE IN THE COUNTY, STARTING WITH OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE STAFF, OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY,OUR COUNTY MANAGER, AND OUR COMMISSION AUDITOR, BUT I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT IS DONE AND THEN YOUR STAFF THAT GOES INTO THAT. IT DOESN'T GO UNNOTICED.

AND WITH THAT, I THINK IF THERE IS NOTHING ELSE FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER, I WILL ADJOURN.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.

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