[Call to Order]
[00:00:10]
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[Approval of Minutes]
>> SO DID EVERYBODY HAVE A CHANCE TO REVIEW THE MINUTES THAT DODIE SENT OUT? OKAY.
ANY DISCUSSION OR CORRECTIONS TO THE MINUTES? OKAY. WE NEED TO GET A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE MINUTES.
>> ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND.
[Public Comment]
OKAY. MINUTES APPROVED. AND THEN AT THIS POINT I WILL HAND IT BACK TO YOU, DODIE.>> ALL RIGHT. JUST A QUICK REMINDER IF YOU'RE GOING TO SPEAK, TURN ON YOUR MIC --
>> ON THE OTHER AGENDA IT IS. IT ISN'T ON THIS ONE.
SORRY. I ADDED IT AT THE BOTTOM. WE HAVE TWO VERSIONS OF THE AGENDA. I APOLOGIZE. IN OUR SOFTWARE SYSTEM, WE'RE MIGRATING TO A NEW AGENDA- CREATING SOFTWARE.
BUT I HAVEN'T SET IT UP IN THE NEW SYSTEM YET, SO MY AGENDA TO YOU I JUST DO IN WORD AND DO IT AS A PDF AND SEND IT TO YOU. WHAT WE HAVE IN SYSTEMS IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT. SO THE ORDER IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT. SO WE HAVE THE PUBLIC COMMENT FIRST OFFICIALLY. SO WE'LL HAVE TO GO WITH THAT.
>> PERFECT. LET THOSE FOLKS GET OUT OF HERE IF THEY NEED TO.
>> I HAVE ONE CARD FOR BARRY COULETTE.
BARRY, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
>> I PROBABLY NEED IT, BUT I'M BARRY, CONSERVATION TRUST.
I SEE MY FRIENDS ARE ALREADY HERE.
I'M GLAD CLAY COUNTY IS GETTING EXCITED ABOUT DOING THIS. IT'S GOOD STUFF.
WHEN IT COMES TIME TO MANAGE THE PROPERTY, THOUGH, PUT FIRE ON THE GROUND, PUT TREES IN THE GROUND, CONSERVATION TRUST IS A DYING MEMBER IMPLEMENTATION TEAM FUNDED THROUGH NATIONAL FISH AND WILDLIFE FOUNDATION TO HELP GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS MANAGE THEIR LAND ONCE THEY ACQUIRE IT.
SO I HAVE SOME BUSINESS CARDS HERE. I'M GOING TO LEAVE SOME FOR FOLKS TO PULL BACK FROM.
BUT THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. I'M GLAD CLAY COUNTY IS DOING THIS. GOOD STUFF.
>> THANKS, BARRY. WE APPRECIATE YOU.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE WHO DID NOT PUT A CARD IN WISH TO SPEAK? OKAY.
[1. Agenda for August 19, 2025]
THEN WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT AND MOVE ON, ASSUMING THIS ONE IS GOOD, WE'LL MOVE TO THE INFORMATION ONLY ITEMS, HOW WE GOT HERE ON THE BLUEPRINT FOR SUCCESS.>> OKAY. I THINK PROBABLY MOST OF YOU HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THIS REALLY THE PROCESS MORE OR LESS FROM THE BEGINNING.
IS ANYBODY NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE BLUEPRINT FOR SUCCESS THAT LAND TRUST DID FOR THE PROGRAM IN THE EARLY DAYS LIKE TWO YEARS AGO? ANYBODY THAT DOESN'T KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT? WOW, ALL RIGHT. THEN I PROBABLY DON'T NEED TO GO INTO THAT IN ANY DETAIL IN THAT CASE. YOU HAVE A LITTLE PACT. I GAVE YOU A BUNCH OF HANDOUTS.
I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE GOALS BECAUSE THE GOALS OF THE PROGRAM COME FROM STUDYSTUDY THE REFERENDUM THAT WAS PASSED SO THE CONSERVATION VALUES GOAL HANDOUT HAS ALL OF THE GOALS THAT WERE CONSIDERED AND RANK ED ED AND THE PUBLIC MEETINGS THAT WERE HELD WITH THE BOARD, WITH THE PUBLIC OUT IN COMMUNITY GATHERING INPUT ON WHAT WAS IMPORTANT TO THE RESIDENTS OF THE COUNTY. I WANTED YOU TO HAVE IT AND READ OVER÷÷ IT, BECAUSE WE NEED TO KEEP THOSE GOALS IN MIND FOR EVERY PROPERTY WE'RE CONSIDERING. THE VERY SECOND SHORT HANDOUT THAT SAYS "REFERENDUM" UP AT THE TOP LITERALLY LISTS THE ONES THAT THE REFERENDUM COVERED AND BECAUSE IT'S REFERENDUM LANGUAGE THERE WERE ONLY THREE AND THEY WERE THE MAINMAIN CATEGORIES DRINKING WATER, WATER QUALITY, WILDLIFE HABITAT AND NATURAL AREAS AND THE WORKING FORESTS
[00:05:01]
AND FARMS. SO THREE PRIMARY CRITERIA AND GOALS THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR ANY PROPERTIES THAT ARE ACQUIRED TO SUPPORT. BACK TO THE AGENDA PAGE.AND THEN OUR NEXT PIECE -- SO THE ACQUISITION PROCESS -- AND IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE ALL KIND OF WORKING AND BUILDING ON AS WE GO, RIGHT, SINCE WE DON'T HAVE THIS CREATED YET, STAFF IS GOING TO DO -- GOING TO RECEIVE NOMINATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC IN AN OPEN PERIOD, AND WE'RE DOING A WINDOW IN TIME SO THAT WE GET ALL OF THE APPLICANTS, NOMINATIONS IN A BATCH, AND WE CAN DO THAT PROBABLY TWICETWICE YEAR. SO OVER TIME WE'LL DO THIS ON A MONTHLY BASIS, THEY'LL START TRICKLING IN. WE'LL MOVE FROM THE BATCH THING TO EVERY MONTH. BUT WHILE IT'S STILL NEW WE WANT TO EVALUATE AS MANY PROPERTIES AS WE CAN FOR THESE GOALS, RIGHT, SO THAT WE'RE APPLYIN OUR FUNDS IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE FROM THE GET- GO, ALL RIGHT? SO WHEN THEY'RE -- WHEN THE OPEN PERIOD ENDS AT THE END OF DECEMBER, JANUARY STAFF WILL BE LOOKING AT THOSE APPLICATIONS AND GOING THROUGH THE INITIAL DOES IT MEET ONE OR MORE OF THESE GOALS FOR THE CONSERVATION PROGRAM. AND THEN WE'LL GIVE YOU SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION IN A REPORT, AND THOSE PROPERTIES, ANYTHING THAT -- OBVIOUSLY IF IT DOESN'T MEET ANY OF THE CONSERVATION GOALS, THEN IT WILL BE A SETASIDE.
THE ONES THAT DO WILL DO THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR YOU, THAT THEN BECOMES THE NOMINATIONNOMINATION POOL. AND WE WILL BRING THOSE TO YOU AS A GROUP, AND YOU'LL GO THROUGH THEM AND DECIDE, DO THEY ELEVATE TO THE ELIGIBILITY POOL? AND THEN, IF THEY DO, YOU'LL VOTE, YES OR NO, RIGHT.
THE ONES THAT ARE YES, THEY COME BACK TO STAFF, AND STAFF HAS TO GO AND GET THE MORE DETAILED INFORMATION AND BRING BACK TO YOU SO YOU CAN TRULY EVALUATE ON A MORE IN- DEPTH BASIS WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANT TO RECOMMEND ACQUISITION TO THE BOARD. THE PROPERTIES THAT YOU DECIDE NEED TO GO TO THE BOARD AS A PRIORITY PROJECT, YOU'LL AGAIN GO THROUGH THE VOTING PROCESS, RIGHT, AND KIND OF IN THE BACKGROUND THE COUNTY OPENED UP REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FROM FIRMS TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO THE COUNTY FOR LAND MANAGEMENT CONTEMPLATION OF CREATING MITIGATION÷÷MITIGATION BANK, CONTEMPLATION OF CREATING A GO FOR TORTOISE BANK.
OR ACTUALLY A RECEIVING SITE. NO FIRM HAS BEEN SELECTED YET.
THAT'S STILL OUT UNDER UNDER CONSIDERATION, BUT HOPEFULLY THAT FIRM WOULD HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE AND COULD DO, LIKE, CREATION OF THE STEWARDSHIP PLANS÷÷PLANS ANY LANDS WE ACQUIRE WILL HAVE TO HAVE A STEWARDSHIP PLAN TO MANAGEMENT AND HOPEFULLY COULD DO SOME OF THE SITE ASSESSMENT PRIOR TO ACQUISITION. SO SOME OF WHAT -- STAFF CAN DO A CERTAIN AMOUNT, BUT I, YOU KNOW, I WAS AT THE STUDENT CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION FOR THREE MONTHS IN MY SUMMER OF HIGH SCHOOL SO THAT'S IT. LIMITED KNOWLEDGE THERE. SO HOPEFULLY WE GET A CONSULTANT ONBOARD THAT CAN DO A LITTLE MORE IN- DEPTH ANALYSIS OF THE SITES TO BRING TO YOU. SO THAT'S KIND OF OUR PLAN IN THIS PROCESS. I'LL LET YOU KNOW WHAT TRANSPIRES WITH THAT CONSULTING OPTION.
AND I HAVEN'T GOTTEN INTO LOOKING AT IT IN- DEPTH AS FAR AS EXACTLY WHAT WILL GO INTO THOSE REPORTS. I THINK I WILL HAVE TIME TO DO THAT BEFORE OUR NEXT MEETING, AND WE CAN LOOK AT IT MORE IN-DEPTH. AND I NEED TO MAKE UP A
[00:10:01]
MOCK VERSION OF THIS PROPERTY EVALUATION REPORT SO WE CAN ALL TALK ABOUT IT AND AND SURE THAT IT HAS ON IT THE THINGS THAT YOUYOU FEEL RELEVANT AND IMPORTANT TO HAVE.I NEED TO WRITE THAT DOWN QUICK AS A -- SO THAT LEADS US TO UNDERSTANDING THE MATRIX THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE DECIDING THESE PROPERTIES ON. AND LAST MEETING I GAVE YOU SOMETHING AND I REPRINTED IT OUT FOR YOU TONIGHT, THE LARGE SHEET, WHICH IS THE ACTUAL SCORING MATRIX AND THEN THERE'S A STAPLED TOGETHER TWO PAGES THAT ARE THE CRITERIA THAT ARE IN THAT MATRIX BUT IT HAS THE DATA SOURCES AND THE QUESTIONS MORE IN-DEPTH. AND SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO HAVE YOU ALL THINK ABOUT AND DISCUSS TONIGHT IS , ARE THESE CRITERIA GOOD JUST THE WAY THEY ARE? THAT'S PERFECTLY FINE.
DO YOU ALL UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CRITERIA OF OUR -- AND DO WE NEED TO DISCUSS THEM SOME MORE SO THAT, YOU KNOW -- I WANT TO GET TO THE POINT THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS WHAT'SWHAT'S THE CRITERIA LIST, HOW THEY'RE GOING TO USE THE CRITERIA LIST IN TERMS OF ASSESSING PROPERTY, WHAT ALL OF THOSE TERMSTERMS AND WHETHER -- AND DO WE NEED TO MAKE ANY CHANGES, BECAUSE, WELL, OBVIOUSLY, FIRST OF ALL, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE USING THIS GOING FORWARD, WE DON'T WANT TO BE MAKING CHANGES. WE WANT TO GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME. BUT ALSO BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO DO SOME SORT OF MOCK USES OF THIS IN PROBABLY OUR NEXT MEETING OR THE ONE AFTER. I'LL FIND SOME RANDOMLY SELECTED PROPERTIES AND WE'LL DO SOME MOCK EVALUATION. BUT THAT'S FOR COMING MEETINGS, BUT ANOTHER REASON WHY WE WANT TO DISCUSS THIS TONIGHT. MATT, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING?
>> I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY, PARCELS GOING INTO THE NOMINATION POOL.
>> I'VE GOT THE LIGHT. >> PARCELS GO IN TO THE NOMINATION POOL, AT WHICH POINT THEY WILL GO INTO THE ELIGIBILITY POOL IF THEY MEET ONE OF THE CRITERIA.
>> WELL, ACTUALLY, LET ME BACK UP.
IT'S NOT THAT THEY ARE -- THE WILLING SELLER PART COMES A LITTLE LATER, BECAUSE ANYBODY CAN NOMINATE.
>> OKAY, I'M SORRY. LET ME CLARIFY.
I ASSUME BY THEM ENTERING THE PROGRAM AND PUTTING THEIR APPLICATION IN --
>> WE'LL HAVE A SET OF STUFF TO LOOK AT. IF IT MEETS ONE OR MORE, IT WILL BECOME IN THE ELIGIBILITY POOL AND WE'LL RANK IT.
>> AND SO THEY'LL LIVE IN THAT ELIGIBILITY POOL RANKED IN ORDER OF ZERO TO TEN.
AND THEN, FROM THERE, THE TOP -- WHATEVER WE DETERMINE, TOP 10% WILL GO INTO A PRIORITY POOL, WHICH IS THE FIRST RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COMMISSIONERS. IS THAT THE WAY THE PROCESS WILL WORK?
>> AS WE WORK THROUGH EACH ONE OF THESE SCORES THEY GET A ONE TO FIVE AND THEN AVERAGED AND PUT TOGETHER LIKE THAT?
>> THAT WAS MY QUESTION. CONVERSATION? ANY ISSUES OR COMMENTS?
>> I HAVE ONE. SO ANYONE CAN NOMINATE?
>> AND THEN WE'LL REVIEW ALL OF THOSE BEFORE WE CHECK TO SEE IFIF THE OWNER IS WILLING?
>> STAFF WILL -- WHEN NOMINATIONS COME IN, WE WILL BE REACHING OUT TO THE APPLICANTS -- NOT TO THE APPLICANTS, TO THE OWNERS, AND OBVIOUSLY IT MIGHT BE OWNERS THAT SELF-NOMINATE.
THAT'S FINE. I'M SURE WE'LL GET SOME OF THAT, BUT WE MIGHT HAVE SOME THAT ARE NOMINATED BY OTHERS, IN WHICH CASE WE WILL BE REACHING OUT, YES. AND WE WILL LET YOU KNOW.
>> -- ABOUT REVIEWING SOMETHING THAT THE OWNER DIDN'T WANT TO SELL.
>> AND IF I'M LOOKING AT THIS CORRECTLY, IT IS WEIGHTED -- THE TOP SECTION WILL BE WEIGHTED STRONGER THAN THE BOTTOM SECTION, IS THAT CORRECT, AS FAR AS --
>> OH, YOU MEAN THE -- NO. THESE ARE, ALL FIVE -- THE
[00:15:04]
TOP ARE ENVIRONMENTAL AND HUMAN VALUES, AND THEN THE BOTTOM PORTION THAT IS SORT OF SEPARATED FROM IT IS ACQUISITION AND MANAGEMENT VALUES.>> OKAY. SO THE TOP IS GOING TO BE KIND OF GIVING MORE PRIORITY TAN THE BOTTOM, SO IF YOU HAVE ALL 5S ON THE BOTTOM IT'S NOT AS MUCH AS 3S ON THE TOP.
>> I KEEP HEARING ACQUISITION, ACQUISITION, ACQUISITION.
WHERE IS THE CONSIDERATION FORFOR EASEMENT AS OPPOSED
TO -- >> THAT'S ACQUISITION AS WELL.
YEAH. >> BECAUSE THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT CONVERSATIONS WITH THE LANDOWNER AND WITH US.
>> YES, THEY ARE TWO DIFFERENT WAYS OF HANDLING IT. CERTAINLY AN EASEMENT IS NICE IN THAT IT GIVES GIVES YOU, YOU KNOW -- WELL, NO, I DON'T EVEN WANT TO SAY THAT.
THEY BOTH HAVE THEIR PROS AND CONS.
>> I WOULD SAY WE HAVE A LIMITED AMOUNT OF FUNDING, AND WE MAY BE ABLE TO CONSERVE, PRESERVE MORE LAND WITH CONSERVATION EASEMENTS THAN WITH FEE BECAUSE YOU DON'T PAY THE FULL VALUE.
>> AND THE COST OF MAINTAINING THE LAND IS ON THE PROPERTY OWNER, WHICH ISN'T US.
>> TO FOLLOW ON THAT COMMENT, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS CONSERVATION VALUES AND GOALS AND÷÷AND WHAT COMMISSIONERS RANK STUFF AND THE PUBLIC RANKS STUFF, THE PUBLIC WANTS ACCESS TO RECREATION, WHICH WOULD BE FULL FEE, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT THE COMMISSIONERS ARE PRIORITIZING IT'S FARMS AND FORESTS WHICH ARE THE EASEMENTS.
I THINK YOU HAVE A GREAT POINT AND I THINK PROBABLY THE NEXT MEETING WE NEED TO HAVE A BIGGER DISCUSSION TO TALK ABOUT SETTING SOME BOUNDARIES FOR WHERE THAT MONEY GOES.
50/50 ACREAGE, 50/50 MONEY, AND A LOT COMES FROM WHERE CLAY COUNTY IS TRYING TO GO.
I ABSOLUTELY THINK AS A GROUP WE SHOULD SET SOME IDEA WHERE THAT MONEY IS GOING TO GOGO THE BAT SO WE DON'T START CHASING RABBIT HOLES. IT'S VERY CLEAR FROM HERE THAT THERE'S A DICHOTOMOUS INTEREST AND IT'S OUR JOB TO MAKE SURE THE MONEY GETS IN BOTH PLACES.
I'M WITH YOU. EASEMENTS ARE A GREAT USE OF MONEY AND THEY HELP THE TAX ROLLS WHICH ARE IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER.
MAYBE NEXT MEETING WE CAN HAVE THAT DISCUSSION.
>> TO ADD TO THAT, IS THAT SOMETHING WE WOULD WANT TO CONSIDER ADDING TO THE MATRIX? SO IF IT'S A CONSERVATIONCONSER VATION EASEMENT, DOES THAT GET A BETTER SCORE? IF IT GETS BETTER SCORE FOR HAVING MATCHING DOLLARS, MAYBE IT SHOULD HAVE A HIGHER SCORE IF IT'S A CONSERVATION EASEMENT, JUST A DISCUSSION POINT.
>> COMMENTS ON THAT? >> YOU WANT A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE EASEMENTS AND A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE NOT BE, OR, LIKE, IT MATTERS WHICH WAY TO WEIGH IT?
>> I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE BOTH.
THE RECREATION DESIRE REQUIRES A FEE SIMPLE.
WE CAN'T HAVE THE PUBLIC ACCESSING CONSERVATION EASEMENT THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE LAND. AND I THINK WE HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT KIND OF WHAT COMES IN IN THAT FIRST BATCH AND GAUGE WHAT'S AVAILABLE, BUT IDEALLY WE SHOULD HAVE -- I LIKE HILLSBOROUGH'S MODEL, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THEY HAVE TWO CATEGORIES.
THEY HAVE CONSERVATION AND THEY HAVE NATURE PRESERVES. THE CONSERVATION PARKS ARE PARKS, AND THEY HAVE RECREATION IN THEM AND PASSIVE. AND THEN THEY HAVE NATURE PRESERVES THAT JUST HAVE TRAILS, AND THAT'S IT.
THERE'S A SIGN AND THAT'S REALLY ALL, RIGHT.
AND THAT WORKS, I THINK, REALLY WELL WITH AN EASEMENT.
COULD BE FEE SIMPLE ON PROPERTY AS WELL. ON IN WEIGHING THAT IT DEPENDS ON WHAT GOALS AND WHAT THE CONDITION OF THE LAND IS AND WHAT WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE ON IT WHETHER -- IF IT'S VERY ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE, THEN IT PROBABLY NEEDS TO BE A LAND THAT DOESN'T HAVE A LOT OF PUBLIC ACCESS BECAUSE IT NEEDS TO RECOVER, RIGHT, SO --
[00:20:07]
AND THAT NEEDS YOUR THOUGHTS AND YOUR EXPERTISE TO GUIDE US, BUT THAT'S JUST KIND OF THE FRAMEWORK THAT'S BEEN IN THE BACK OF OUR MINDS ABOUT WHAT WE WANT TO HAVE.WE DID HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC, A LOT OF THE RESIDENTS WHO WANT TO SEE THE AGRICULTURAL HISTORY, RIGHT, OF THE COUNTY PRESERVED FOR THEIR OWN FAMILIES, FOR THEIR NEIGHBORS, FOR THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE IT IS THE HEART OF THE COMMUNITY AND HAS BEEN FOREVER.
SO PART OF OUR LAND ACQUISITION NEEDS TO ADDRESS THAT AS WELL.
THAT'S WHY IT'S ONE OF OUR PRIMARY GOALS.
BUT WHAT KIND OF RATIO? DON'T KNOW.
THAT'S FOR ALL OF YOU TO KIND YOU THINK ABOUT, DISCUSS, KICK ABOUT THE PROS AND CONS. YOU ALL HAVE THE EXPERIENCE.
>> THE MAINTENANCE SIDE OF IT, IF WE'RE LOOKING AT CONSERVATION EASEMENTS, THEY'LL HAVE MINIMUM FOR THE COUNTY AS FAR AS COST, BUT DO WE HAVE A NUMBER ON THE BACK END THAT WE WILL HAVE SAYING, HEY, WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE LANDS WE ONLY HAVE SAY $10 MILLION IN THE BUDGET FOR MAINTENANCE OF THESE PROPERTIES?
>> WE DON'T HAVE A DOLLAR AMOUNT.
WHAT WE DID DO IN DRAFTING THAT REFERENDUM, REQUESTING THE BONDS, WAS TO HAVE A -- THERE'S A CAP.
THE BONDS WOULD GO OUT FOR LESS THAN.
THE BOND MONEY CAN GO TO ACQUISITION.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WILL HAVE TO -- THE BUDGET OFFICE WILL HAVE TO GIVE SOME REAL THOUGHT TO AND THE CONVERSATIONS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AFTER WE GET THE FIRST BATCH IN AND THE IDEA -- AT THE MOMENT, WE'RE GOING TO NEED, BALLPARK, $5 MILLION? I HAVE NO IDEA. WE SAID COLLECTIVELY AT THE STAFF LEVEL, LET'S WAIT AND SEE WHAT THAT FIRST POOL LOOKS LIKE. THEN WE'LL DISCUSS THE MONEY END OF IT AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK TO IT WITH HOPEFULLY A BUDGET IDEA.
BUT I DON'T HAVE THAT RIGHT NOW. BUT IT IS SOMETHING WE HAVE TO KEEP CONSTANTLY IN MIND, YES.
>> WE'LL HAVE AT LEAST A BALLPARK - - I KNOW IT WON'T BE SET IN STONE, BUT WE'LL BE ABLE TO SAY, ALL RIGHT, WE KNOW THESE WILL TAKE 2 MILLION ANNUALLY, DO WE BUY ALL THESE OR WILL WE HAVE A METRICS WE CAN WORK WITH TO MAKE SURE WE'RE BUYING OR MOVING FORWARD BETTER LANDS, I SHOULD SAY.
>> CIRCLING BACK AROUND TO REBECCA'S COMMENT. I WOULD SAY, REBECCA, I THINK ITEM I- 4 IS GOING TO WEIGHTING FOR EASEMENTS.
>> I DON'T KNOW THE COUNTY WILL WANT FARMLANDS AND FARM IT.
THEY WILL PROBABLY SUBMIT IT FOR CONSERVATION EASEMENTS SO THAT MAKES SENSE, YES.
>> A QUESTION, THE SAME TOPIC AS THE MANAGEMENT DOLLARS, IS THERE AN AVAILABILITY WITHIN THE COUNTY IF THERE IS A PARCEL THAT ADDS TO EXISTING PUBLIC LAND, IS THE COUNTY INTERESTED IN HOLDING TITLE BUT GIVING OVER LEAD MANAGEMENT TO ANOTHER AGENCY? SAY WE END UP PURCHASING GOLD HEAD.
>> WE WANT TO BE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH AS MANY AGENCIES AS WE CAN IF THERE'S A VALUE THERE.
>> DEFRAY SOME OF THE MANAGEMENT COSTS.
>> WE WILL -- WE HAVE A GRANTS DEPARTMENT.
WE'LL BE, YOU KNOW, LOOKING FOR THAT KIND OF THING AND I'M GOING TO TRY TO BRING IN SOME OF THE OTHER AGENCIES THAT ARE OUT THERE.
>> YOU ALREADY PARTNER WITH WATER MANAGEMENT ON RAVINES?
>> WE DID BUT THEN WE ENDED UP TURNING THE WHOLE THING OVER TO THEM.
[00:25:03]
MIC. >> IT'S MY ONLY JOB TO TELL YOU WHEN YOU GET THE RED LIGHT.
>> YES, SO WE DID TURN OVER RAVINES TO SOUTH WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT.
THEY WERE DOING THE BULK OF THE WORK.
MOWING. >> AND TRASH COLLECTION.
>> ANYBODY ELSE? QUIET ON THE END. ANYTHING? ONE OTHER THOUGHT I HAD, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW IT WOULD NECESSARILY WORK, BUT THE ONE TO FIVE RANKING IS PRETTY CLEAR IN HERE WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT, BUT IT STILL HAS SOME SUBJECTIVITY AS TO WHERE YOU WOULD RANK, SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, 1- IC FOR DRINKING WATER WELL OR WELLS, IT SEEMS REAL BINARY SO YOU EITHER GET GET ONE OR A FIVE THERE. I DON'T KNOW IF WE WANT TO LOOK AT FLESHING OUT WHERE THE ONE TO FIVE RANKING OCCURS IN EACH OF THESE. I KNOW YOU DON'T WANT TO MAKE IT TOO COOKIE CUTTER BECAUSE THEY WOULD ALL GET THE SAME NUMBERS AND MAYBE YOU WANT THAT VARIABILITY BASED ON INDIVIDUALS, PEOPLE'S EXPERTISE AND STRENGTH BUT SOME WILL GET INTO A REAL BINARY SCORING AND END UP WITH ONES OR FIVES.
SOMETHING FOR THE GROUP TO THINK ABOUT AND MAYBE THAT COULD BE ANOTHER BULLET POINT FOR THE NEXT MEETING AFTER PEOPLE DIGEST IT A LITTLE BIT. IF WE THINK THERE'S SOME IN HERE THAT ARE A LITTLE TOO BLACK AND WHITE AND COULD USE A LITTLE NUANCE. I KNOW I WOULD HAVE TO CHEW ON IT A BIT. JOSH, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING FOR ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THIS SECTION, UNDERSTANDING THE PROPERTY DECISION MATRIX? THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT, RIGHT?
WE'LL LEAVE IT UNCHANGED FOR NOW.
WE DON'T HAVE TO REALLY GET IT FINALIZED AND FLESHED OUT UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR. IF YOU WANT TO MAKE CHANGES, THAT'S PERFECTLY FINE.
WHATEVER VERSION WE HAVE GOING WHEN WE GET TO PROBABLY OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER WE'LL USE AS A TEST CASE, AND I THINK IN DOING THAT WE'LL ALL HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF EXACTLY HOW THIS WORKSWORKS WHETHER WE HAVE SOME THINGS THAT WE NEED TO TWEAK.
>> WOULD YOU LIKE US TO LOOK AT ANY OTHER RUBRIX FROM OTHER COUNTIES LIKE HILLSBOROUGH, TO COME UP WITH THIS TEMPLATE, DID OF LOOK AT OTHER COUNTIES THAT HAD BEEN SUCCESSFUL
OR -- >> NO, THIS COMES FROM THE NORTH FLORIDA LAND TRUST.
>> BEEN TAILORED FOR US. NOT KNOWING ANYTHING ABOUT IT, I'M GOING TO ASSUME -- I KNOW THEY PUT A LOT OF TIME INTO IT AND THIS IS THEIR WHEELHOUSE.
I'M GOING TO ASSUME IT PROBABLY WOULD STAND ALONE JUST FINE BUT EVERYBODY HADIFFERENT EXPERIENCES AND DIFFERENT THOUGHTS ON IT.
ANY TWEAKING WE WANT TO DO, NOW IS THE OPPORTUNITY.
>> I WOULD ASK THE GROUP, IS THERE ANYTHING FLAGRANTLY MISSING? MISSING? DOES ANYBODY LOOKING THROUGH HERE SEE A TOPIC THAT'S MISSING? ANYTHING THAT IS DUPLICATIVE OR OR DOESN'T NEED TO BE ON THERE?
>> I GUESS THE ONLY THING MENTIONED -- WAS IT REBECCA OR HEATHER THAT SAID DO WE WANT TO HAVE A SEPARATE RUBRIC FOR EASEMENT?
>> IT WAS POINTED OUT THAT I- 4 ESSENTIALLY COVERS THAT LAND USE TYPE, THAT MANAGEMENT.
SO IF SOMEONE WANTS TO SUBMIT TO SCORE HIGH IN THAT T'S GOING- SECTION, WHICH WOULD LEND ITSELF TO A CONSERVATION EASEMENT. I THINK THAT MAKES SENSE.
BUT I THINK WE'LL SEE AS WE GO THROUGH THE TEST CASES.
>> SO IT WOULD BE FAIR TO CHARACTERIZE OUR ASSESSMENT -- THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF THIS ARE
[00:30:03]
PRETTY SOUND. WE DON'T SEE ANY MAJOR CHANGES THAT WOULD NEED TO BE MADE TO THE UNDER STRUCTURE. WE MIGHT NEED TO UNDERSTAND BETTER THE SCORING AND DO THE PRACTICE, BUT TO GET YOU SOMETHING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH -->> -- I WOULD PUT THAT OUT, IF YOU WOULD AGREE WITH THAT
CHARACTERIZATION? >> YES, CHAIRMAN.
>> BEFORE WE DO THE NEXT STEPS, COULD I PUT DR. PRICE ON THE STAGE HERE?
>> WE ALL HAD A CHANCE TO INTRODUCE OURSELVES A LITTLE BIT THE LAST TIME AND WE MISSED YOURS.
WOULD YOU MIND GIVING US FIVE MINUTES?
>> SURE. MY NAME IS CRAIG PRICE. A VETERINARIAN. HAVE BEEN IN THE COUNTY BUSINESS IN MIDDLEBURG FOR 40 YEARS OR SO. I HAVE A PIECE OF PROPERTY UNDER EASEMENT JUST OFF 16, SO GOT A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND, A LITTLE BIT OF IT AS FAR AS CONCERNS ME.
FAMILY WORKS WITH ME IN MY CLINIC.
I THINK I'VE HAD A CHANCE TO MEET MOST EVERYBODY I RECOGNIZE, PRETTY MUCH EVERYBODY.
WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT TO KNOW?
>> THEN, IN THAT CASE, WE'RE KIND OF DOWN TO THE NEXT STEPS.
I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO GET EVERYBODY'S, YOU KNOW, THOUGHTS ON AND LET YOU KNOW KIND OF WHAT TO EXPECT FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR, THE CALENDAR YEAR. WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A SEPTEMBER MEETING. STAFF WON'T BE HERE.
SO WE HAVE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS WE HAVE TO BE AT THAT WEEK, SO WE WILL NOT MEET IN SEPTEMBER BUT WE'LL MEET IN OCTOBER AND I'M SURE NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER PROBABLY.
THE TESTING PROCESS I MENTIONED I WILL DO A SEARCH FOR, I DON'T KNOW EIGHT OR TEN PROPERTIES TO SCATTER RANDOMLY AND I'LL PUT TOGETHER A MOCK EXERCISE FOR US ALL, AND WE'LL DO THAT FOR THE OCTOBER MEETING. I'M GOING TO TRY AND BRING IN TO DIFFERENT MEETINGS DIFFERENT AGENCIES SO THAT -- SOME OF YOU ARE REALLY, REALLY FAMILIAR WITH ALL OF THE AGENCIES THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH.
I'M SURE SOME OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW THEM, SO WE'LL HAVE A LITTLE SPEAKER, YOU KNOW, LIKE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, A PRESENTATION PERIOD FOR THE FORESTRY SERVICE TO COME AND TALK ABOUT BURNING THAT THEY DO AND OTHER PROCESSES, RIGHT.
AND THEN -- AND THEN WE WILL PROBABLY -- AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE'LL GET TO IT BEFORE THE END OF÷÷ THE YEAR OR NOT. IT MAY BE SOMETHING WE DO AS KIND OF A NEXT YEAR PROJECT, BUT PUBLIC USE OF CONSERVATION LANDS. AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE COUNTY STAFF ARE GOING TO NEED TO COME UP WITH, YOU KNOW, SOME KIND OF AN ORDINANCE ABOUT HOW THOSE LANDS WILL GET USED, BUT IT WILL BE SOMETHING WE'LL WANT TO BRING TO YOU AND GET YOUR THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS ABOUT AS WELL. SO WE'LL ASK YOU TO KIND OF REVIEW A DRAFT, BUT IT'S NOTHING TOO URGENT.
ACQUISITION COMES FIRST. WE DO NEED TO FORMULATE SOME SOME KIND OF, AS A COUNTY, POLICY.
AND, LIKE I SAID, IF WE WIND UP DOING TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF CONSERVATION LANDS, THEN WE WOULD HAVE DIFFERENT STANDARDS, RIGHT, FOR THOSE.
SO WE'LL SEE HOW IT GOES. BUT THAT'S JUST SORT OF SOMETHING THAT'S KIND OF IN THE BACK OF THE MIND. AND THAT REALLY IS KIND OF ALL I HAVE UNLESS ANYBODY ELSE HAS
SOMETHING? >> WE TALKED BEFORE THE MEETINGMEETING HAVING -- PUTTING OUT THERE TO ASK FOR MAYBE A RUNDOWN OF THE MANAGED LANDS BY THE COUNTY CURRENTLY.
>> WHAT THEY WERE AND WHAT THE ACTIVITIES ARE.
>> MR. CALEB, CAN WE CALL UPON YOU? THAT WAS KIND OF A REQUEST BEFORE THE MEETING STARTED TO LET THE COMMITTEE KNOW LIKE
[00:35:01]
WHAT LANDS -- CONSERVATION LANDS THE COUNTY ALREADY HAS AND WHERE THEY ARE SO THAT -- AS THEY'RE LOOKING AT NEW PROPERTIES, IF IT'S ADJACENT TO, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A VALUE THERE, AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO WANT TO DUPLICATE STUFF, YOU KNOW. SO DO YOU THINK YOU COULD FOR OCTOBER'S MEETING KIND OF COME UP WITH -->> THANK YOU, SIR. >> THANK YOU.
>> AND THEN NOT TO BELABOR THE MEETING, BUT ONE OTHER QUESTION JUST FOR MY OWN KNOWLEDGE. EACH SORT OF AGENCY HAS DIFFERENT ACQUISITION PROCESS.
HOW DOES CLAY COUNTY DO THAT? DO YOU GET THREE APPRAISALS AND DO YOU AVERAGE THEM?
>> YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW. WHAT IS OUR ACQUISITION PROCESS? I'VE NEVER BEEN INVOLVED IN LAND --
>> OKAY, SO YOU OPERATE UNDER FLORIDA?
>> THE RED LIGHT DIDN'T GO ON.
>> SO, YES, WE'RE GOVERNED BY FLORIDA STATUTE, AND THERE'S A PROCESS THAT'S INVOLVED WITH THE ACQUISITION. BASICALLY HAVE TO GET APPROVAL BEFORE I CAN EVEN START TO NEGOTIATE ON PRICES, AND THEN I GO BACK AFTER THE BOARD, IF THE BOARD APPROVES THAT, AND I BEGIN TO NEGOTIATE THE PRICE WITH THE OWNER.
AS PART OF THAT STATUTE WE WOULD DO APPRAISALS.
WE HAVE AN ALTERNATE PROCEDURE THAT WE USE THAT ALLOWS US BASICALLY TO SPEED UP THE PROCESS BECAUSE WE ALSO HAVE TO GIVE PUBLIC NOTICE WHEN WE DO THE ACQUISITION AS WELL AND THEN WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO DO AN APPRAISAL AND IT WOULD BE UP TO US TO DECIDE ON THE STAFF IF WE WANTED TO DO THAT.
SO THIS WOULD BE THE SAME PROCESS, I WOULD ASSUME, THAT WE WOULD USE ONCE WE GET TO THE POINT WE'RE INTERESTED AND WE KNOW WE WANT A PROPERTY AND WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO ACQUIRE IT.
THAT'S MY ASSUMPTION. ANY QUESTIONS?
>> THE REASON I ASK WHEN WE'RE PRIORITZING STUFF, IF WE'RE PAYING WAY OVER APPRAISAL, TO ME THAT WOULD KIND OF WEIGH AGAINST THE HIGHER RANKING.
>> I THINK IT WOULD -- I THINK IT WOULD DEPEND ON WHAT IT WAS AND HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS TO THE COUNTY, TOO. THE APPRAISAL CAN BE A GOOD THING. IT CAN HELP YOU IN THE NEGOTIATIONS. IT CAN ALSO BE AN ISSUE WHERE, YOU KNOW -- AND YOU'LL SEE THIS SOMETIMES APPRAISALS WON'T MATCH.
IF YOU HAVE TWO APPRAISALS, THEY MIGHT BE DIFFERENT.
SO IT CAN BE A HELP OR A HINDRANCE SOMETIMES, I WOULD SAY.
IT'S JUST ANOTHER FACTOR, ANOTHER TOOL TO EVALUATE THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY.
IF IT'S SOMETHING WE REALLY WANT AND WE CAN'T AGREE, IT MAY BE A SITUATION WHERE MAYBE WE MIGHT END UP PAYING MORE THAN THE APPRAISAL SAYS IT'S WORTH.
IF IT WAS SOMETHING WE REALLY FELT STRONGLY THAT WE WOULD WANT TO ACQUIRE.
SO I JUST PUT THAT OUT THERE BECAUSE I WOULDN'T -- I WOULDN'T NECESSARILY WANT TO SAY JUST BECAUSE IT DIDN'T COME IN AT THE APPRAISAL THAT, YOU KNOW -- I WOULDN'T LET THAT BE THE DETERMINING FACTOR ALL THE TIME IS WHAT I'M SAYING.
>> SO QUICK QUESTION, WILL WE -- I GUESS WHEN THEY SUBMIT THEIR PROPERTY FOR US TO REVIEW, WILL THEY GIVE A PRICE THEY'RE ASKING FOR THAT PROPERTY? WILL WE KNOW THAT AHEAD OF TIME? WE'RE JUST GOING TO KNOW THE HOME AND THEN -- OR THE PROPERTY -- IF IT FITS THE CRITERIA WE LIKE, WE PUSH FORWARD AND YOU GUYS NEGOTIATE THAT, CORRECT? SO WE WON'T KNOW THAT AT ALL ULTIMATELY.
>> WE'REKIND OF RANKING FROM A PRICE IS NO OBJECT STANDPOINT.
>> THAT'S WHAT I WOULD SAY WE SHOULD DO.
BECAUSE THE PRICES ARE GOING TO PROBABLY BE ALL OVER THE BOARD BECAUSE THE OWNERS ARE GOING TO BE DIFFERENT, AND NOT EVERY OWNER HAS THE SAME IDEA ABOUT WHAT THE PROPERTY IS WORTH.
SO YOU SHOULD JUST LOOK AT IT FROM THE STANDPOINT OF DOES THIS FIT THE CRITERIA AND THE GOALS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, AND IS THIS SOMETHING WE WOULD LIKE TO ACQUIRE? IS IT SOMETHING THAT WOULD FIT THOSE GOALS? A LOT OF THOSE TIMES, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES, LIKE YOU SAID, THE OWNER IS NOT GOING TO BE INTERESTED IN SELLING. THEY MIGHT BE INTERESTED DOWN THE ROAD, BUT THEY MIGHT NOT BE RIGHT THEN.
AND SO MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING WE CIRCLE BACK TO IN THE FUTURE.
SO THAT'S JUST WHAT I WOULD SAY ABOUT THAT.
>> I THINK IN A VACUUM THAT WORKS BUT, LIKE, IF I CAN PRESERVE EVERYTHING THAT'S GREEN IN THE COUNTY FOR 45 MILLION OR I CAN PRESERVE 100 ACRES FOR 45
[00:40:02]
MILLION, I THINK, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY I'M GOING TO DO EVERYTHING THAT'S GREEN IN THE COUNTY. I CAN PRESERVE MORE THAT WAY, RIGHT? SO I THINK THE VALUE HAS A POINT IN THIS RANKING SYSTEM OF SOME FASHION. I UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT.WE SHOULD RANK THEM ALL AND HAVE A HIT LIST OF WONDERFUL THINGS, YOU KNOW, WE WANT ALL THESE THINGS TO PRESERVE THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE BUT BUYING THE WHITE HOUSE AS PRESERVING THE CLAY COUNTY JAIL ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
>> THERE'S DEFINITELY A PLACE FOR EFFICIENCY AND GETTING THE MOST WE CAN ACQUIRE TO SAID VALUE.
NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT IT WILL COME INTO PLAY.
THERE'S GOING TO BE -- THERE'S GOING TO BE OWNERS THAT HAVE A BIG ASK AND IT'S NOT GOING TO BE FEASIBLE FOR WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR A PROPERTY. THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
WE WANT TO GET THE BEST PROPERTY WE CAN AT THE BEST PRICE JUST LIKE WEWE FOR ANYTHING ELSE WE WOULD BE ACQUIRING WE TRY TO DO THAT.
>> IS THERE A WAY WHEN WE OPEN UP FOR APPLICANTS TO PUT, SAY, HEY, WHAT WOULD YOUR ASKING PRICE BE IF YOU -- IF YOUR LAND WAS CHOSEN? COULD WE DO THAT?
>> I DON'T KNOW BECAUSE, LIKE I SAID, I'M ASSUMING WE'RE STILL GOING TO BE GOVERNED BY THE STATUTE WHERE I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE APPROVAL TO NEGOTIATE. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY WOULDN'T MAYBE TELL US A PRICE AT THE GET-GO, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO GO BACK AND START GOING BACK AND FORTH WITH THEM ON THE PRICE UNTIL I'VE BEEN APPROVED TO DO THAT BY THE BOARD.
>> RIGHT. I MEAN MORE LIKE WHEN THEY FILL THE APPLICATION OUT, I WOULD LIKE TO SUBMIT MY LAND.
MY ASKING PRICE WOULD BE IN THE BALLPARK OF.
AT LEAST WE KNOW IF THEY'RE GOING -- I WANT TO SELL MY TWO ACRES FOR 12 MILLION, WE UNDERSTAND THAT'S NOT -- THERE'S NO LAND OUT THERE WORTH THAT IN CLAY COUNTY, SO IF THEY SAY I WANT TO SELL TWO ACRES FOR 20 GRAND, OKAY, WE CAN, AS A COMMITTEE, EVALUATE THAT A LITTLE MORE.
THAT SEEMS FAIR AND IT MAY NOT BE THE RIGHT NUMBER BUT AT LEAST IT'S KIND OF GIVING US SOME COMMON SENSE NUMBERS TO LOOK AT GOING, OKAY, IT SEEMS REASONABLE FOR WHAT WE'RE BUYING.
IF IT'S LEGAL. AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW FLORIDA STATUTE ON THAT. JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE.
>> AND THERE IS A QUESTION ON OUR MATRIX HERE THAT SAYS WHETHER THE OVERALL CONSERVATION VALUE JUSTIFIES THE POTENTIAL COST OF ACQUISITION. SO WE ARE EXPECTED TO TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT IN THE RANKING.
>> DO YOU THINK WE COULD WORK AROUND THE ISSUE WITH POTENTIALLY -- CAN WE RECOMMEND PARCELS LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE LOWER END OF THE RANKING THEY COME WITH A RECOMMENDATION FROM THIS COMMITTEE TO NOT EXCEED APPRAISAL VALUE AND THEN MAYBE IN THE PRIORITY GROUP WE SAY, THESE ONES ARE PRIORITY, SO WE WOULD RECOMMEND EXCEEDING APPRAISAL AS A WAY TO MANAGE THAT COST?
>> I SEE WHAT EVERYBODY IS STRUGGLING WITH. I STRUGGLE WITH THE SAME THING.
WE HAVE A SET AMOUNT OF DOLLARS AND OUR JOB IS TOTO IT AS EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE SO DOLLARS PER ACRE MATTERS.
WOULD THAT WORK AROUND THAT THE OTHER WAY?
>> I GUESS -- I GUESS -- I GUESS I SEE THIS WORKING KIND OF LIKE THE BOARD, SO THEY'LL HAVE A DISCUSSION. THESE KIND OF DISCUSSIONS HAPPEN IF YOU WATCH THE BOARD MEET AND THEY'LL HAVE OPINIONS ABOUT HOW MUCH WE'RE GOING TO SPEND ON THIS OR THAT PROJECT. I WOULD ASSUME WHEN YOU ALL HAVE YOUR DISCUSSION AND YOUR VOTING, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WILL COME OUT INTO THE MIX WHEN YOU'RE SORTING THIS OUT AND YOU DECIDE WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD. SO I'M NOT SAYING IT'S SOMETHING YOU SHOULDN'T CONSIDER, I WOULDN'T LET THAT BE THE -- JUST LIKE YOU WERE SAYING, IT'S ONE OF MANY FACTORS. I WOULDN'T LET THAT BE THE OVERRIDING FACTOR UNLESS IT WAS WARRANTED FOR EACH PROPERTY.
THE GOOD THING ABOUT REAL ESTATE, EACH PIECE OF PROPERTY WILL BE DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE AND SO YOU HAVE TO EVALUATE EACH ONE SEPARATELY.
>> I GUESS SPEAKING -- WE WANT TO HAVE AT LEAST A NUMBER, SOMETHING KIND OF SHOWING MORE SO THAN NOT, JUST A PARCEL. ONCE YOU GIVE ME THE PARCEL, I MEAN, I'M A REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONAL.
I'M GOING TO LOOK AT IT, I UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY BUT NOT EVERYONE IS.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE WHEN IT COMES TO TYPICALLY THIS IS WHAT THE HOMEOWNERS WANT AND WHAT YOUR THOUGHT OF THE VALUE AS SO WE CAN MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION. AGAIN, THE COUNTY IS LOOKING TO US TO SPEND THE MONEY WISELY, SO WE WANT TO HAVE THE MOST OPPORTUNITY TO DO IT.
>> I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE ARE ON THIS, BUT CAN I ASK FOR, LIKE, A BUDGET FOR THIS COMING YEAR TO SPEND? IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK? THERE'S 45 MILLION AVAILABLE.
>> NO, BECAUSE THE COUNTY IS NOT ANYWHERE CLOSE TO MAKING
[00:45:01]
THAT DECISION. THEY WON'T DO THAT UNTIL THE SPRING SOMETIME. SO I THINK -- I THINK, REALLY, THE INTENT ON THE COMMITTEE WHEN IT WAS KIND OF DRAWN UP OR THE VISION WAS THAT YOU GUYS WOULD BE EVALUATING PROPERTIES KIND OF WITH THE MONEY NO OBJECT KIND OF THING, REALLY LOOKING AT THE VALUE OF THE LAND. DOES IT MEET THESE GOALS, AND IS IT GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF WORK AND, THEREFORE, MONEY, TO GET THE LAND TO THE POSITION IT NEEDS TO BE IN TO MEET THOSE GOALS? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? SO RATHER THAN FOCUSING ON A SPECIFIC -- THE TRUE DOLLAR AMOUNT, BECAUSE THE COUNTY IS GOING TO GO INTO NEGOTIATIONS ON THE ONES THAT ARE SELECTED, RIGHT, AND, TO KAYLA'S POINT, THE PRICE IS GOING TO VARY. I DON'T KNOW.AND SOME PROPERTIES YOU MAY BE WILLING TO SPEND OVER THE ASKING PRICE REALLY TO GET IT BECAUSE IT GIVES YOU THE ABILITY TO PATCH IT -- PATCH UP A HOLE THAT IS, YOU KNOW, IN CREATING THE CORRIDOR OR THAT KIND OF THING.
AS OPPOSED TO, I DON'T KNOW, IN A DIFFERENT LOCATION, IT MIGHT BE A COMPLETELYCOMPLETE LY VALUATION. ANYWAY --
>> BUT TO MARK'S POINT, IT WOULD BE NICE TO KNOW UP FRONT.
>> I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE AN OPERATING BUDGET RIGHT NOW.
>> TO HIS POINT ABOUT HAVING THE LANDOWNER SAY, THIS IS WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE FOR THE PLACE. A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE A PIPE DREAM GOING ON.
>> WITH LAND PRICES. IF WE KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE TO PAY AN APPRAISAL FOR IT OR THREE OR HOWEVER MANY THERE IS.
>> IS THERE A MORE OBJECTIVE WAY TO APPRAISE THIS? I'M LEARNING A LOT IN THIS NEW ROLE. FOR MY HOUSE, IT'S PRETTY EASY TO GET AN APPRAISAL, BUT I GUESS THERE'S A LOT MORE FACTORS AT PLAY WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS TYPE OF LAND.
SO HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT GETTING AN ACCURATE APPRAISAL OF THE
LAND? >> YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE AN OFFICIAL APPRAISER. THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. ME AND HIM KNOW THE MARKET, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK, RUN SOME COMPS, AND COME UP WITH A RANGE OF WHAT WE THINK THE PROPERTY IS WORTH, A MARKET ANALYSIS.
AN APPRAISAL IS SOMETHING OFFICIAL YOU HAVE TO HIRE SOMEBODY TO DO. IT'S A CERTIFIED APPRAISER.
>> THAT CARRIES A DIFFERENT WEIGHT.
IT DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE WRONG. WE COULD COME UP WITH THE SAME NUMBERS BUT IT'S VERY DIFFERENT.
WHAT I'M DOING AND HE'S DOING IS NOT AN OFFICIAL APPRAISAL. IT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE BASED ON OUR MARKET KNOWLEDGE AND OUR EXPERIENCE.
AND THAT'S STILL IMPORTANT AND IT'S STILL SOMETHING GOOD TO CONSIDER, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THE SAME AS WHAT FITS THE FLORIDA STATUTE.
>> DO YOU HAVE TO DO THAT FOR EVERY PROPERTY THAT YOU ACQUIRE, AN OFFICIAL APPRAISAL?
>> IF WE DON'T DO THE ALTERNATE PROCEDURE AND WE FOLLOW FLORIDA STATUTE, YES.
>> IT WILL SAVE US A LOT OF WASTED TIME.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING AT. STAFF AND EVERYBODY'S TIME, IF THEY'RE GETTING 50 PROPERTIES AND SOME WANT $10 MILLION, YOU'LL ALL KICK THEM OUT QUICK.
>> SO WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT ALL THESE PROPERTIES BLANK AND 90% OF THEM WANT WAY OVER WHAT THE PROPERTY IS WORTH.
>> MY ONLY CONCERN WITH THAT, AND YOU'VE PROBABLY DEALT WITH THIS, TOO, AS A REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONAL, THEY MAY SAY SOMETHING ONE WEEK, AND YOU COME BACK WITH HARD NUMBERS AND YOU NEGOTIATE WITH THEM, THEY'LL COME TO THE TABLE AND YOU'LL MAKE A DEAL.
>> I DON'T WANT YOU ALL TO JUST THROW SOMETHING OUT THAT MIGHT SOMETHING WE CAN GET AHOLD OF IF WE WORK WITH THE OWN OWNER AND GET THEM GET SEE THE ACTUAL VALUE AND STEER THEM BACK.
>> I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY WE GET.
>> IF WE SEE PEOPLE WANTING TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM, THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN NOT SUCH A BIG DEAL IF YOU GET THREE A MONTH. LET'S GO BACK AND TALK TO THIS PERSON AND SEE IF WE CAN WORK THIS OUT AND FIND A
[00:50:03]
DEAL SOMEWHERE IN HERE.>> WE'RE APPROVING PROPERTIES IN BATCHES, CORRECT? WE COME TO A MEETING AND WE MIGHT HAVE FIVEFIVE US AND WE'LL VOTE ON THEM AT THAT
TIME, RIGHT? >> WE'RE GOING TO -- WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE TWO OPEN NOMINATION PERIODS IN THE YEAR.
>> OKAY. AND THERE WILL BE A PERIOD WHERE STAFF DOES THEIR WORK OF IT AND THEN WE'LL BRING THEM TO YOU.
THE GOAL IS TO LOOK AT ALL OF THOSE AND IT WILL PROBABLY TAKE YOU -- YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DO THIS ALL IN ONE NIGHT.
HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE ENOUGH APPLICATIONS IT TAKES MORE THAN ONE NIGHT.
WE WOULD DO THAT AND THEN THEY WOULD GO ON TO -- WELL, THEN THE STAFF -- IT'S A BACK AND FORTH. IT WON'T BE EVERY MEETING YOU'RE LOOKING AT TWO OR THREE.
>> WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS WE SAY, OH, YES TO X NUMBER OF PROPERTIES AND HE STARTS OUT THERE NEGOTIATING.
AND THEN THE NEXT OTHER MEETING WE APPROVE SOME MORE AND THEN HE NEGOTIATES AND WHERE DO WE KNOW THE MONEY ENDS? JUST TAKE THEM FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED UNTIL WE RUN OUT OF MONEY OR WAIT FOR A BIGGER POOL, A CERTAIN POOL BEFORE WE EVALUATE?
AM I MAKING SENSE? >> YOU ARE.
>> WE'RE GOING TO DO -- WE'RE GOING TO SEND THESE TO -- TAKE THE FIRST BATCH, THE FIRST OPEN PERIOD. YOU'LL WEED IT DOWN TO THE TOP TEN PROPERTIES, LET'S SAY, AND SEND IT TO THE BOARD AND THE BOARD WILL DECIDE AT THAT POINT, OKAY, WE'VE GOT X AMOUNT OF MONEY, AND WE THINK, YOU KNOW, WE CAN PROBABLY MAKEMAKE ON EIGHT OF THESE AND WE'RE GOING TO SEND CALEB OFF TO GO AND DO THE ACTUAL ACQUISITION EFFORT, AND, YOU KNOW, IN A PERFECT WORLD WE WOULD GET ALL OF THOSE FOR A PERFECT PRICE.
BUT THE REALITY IS PROBABLY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'LL GET HALF OF THOSE TO ACTUALLY COME TO THE TABLE AT A RATE THAT WE'RE GOOD WITH. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WHEN THAT HAPPENS, RIGHT, THEN CALEB IS GOING TO COME BACK AND SAY, OKAY, YOU KNOW, WE GOT THESE FIVE PIECES, RIGHT, AND THEY'RE NOW PART OF OUR PORTFOLIO, AND WE'LL HAVE A LITTLE KIND OF FOLLOW- UP MEETING WITH YOU SO YOU ALL KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.
AND AT THAT POINT YOU KIND OF WILL KNOW WHAT THE POOL OF FUNDING IS MOVING THROUGH THE NEXT BATCH PERIOD, RIGHT.
BUT THAT'S A LONG PROCESS, SO THE REALITY, I SUSPECT, IS THAT WE'LL ALWAYS BE, LIKE, SIX MONTHS BEHIND BECAUSE THE OPEN PERIOD WILL CLOSE. YOU GUYS WILL GO THROUGH THE NOMINATIONS PERIOD. IT WILL GO TO THE BOARD, AND THEN JUST ABOUT THE TIME THAT THE NEXT NOMINATION PERIOD IS ENDING, CALEB WILL BE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING THE NEGOTIATION FOR THE FIRST BATCH.
IT TAKES TIME. SO WE PROBABLY WON'T KNOW UNTIL YOU'RE IN THE MIDST OF LOOKING AT THE SECOND BATCH WHAT THE ACTUAL OUTCOME WAS OF THE FIRST ONE. DOES THAT MAKE SOME SENSE TIMING WISE TO EVERYBODY?
>> SO NEXT TIME WE'LL HAVE FIVE PRACTICE ONES?
>> TO BE ABLE TO WORK THROUGH IT, BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ADJUST THE -- WHAT IS THIS THING CALLED? THE MATRIX. I WAS THINKING WE COULD SEPARATE INTO TWO DIFFERENT POOLS, FEE AND CONSERVATION EASEMENTS TO RECOMMEND TO YOU, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE IF I'M USING MY MAGIC WAND, I CAN'T DO THAT, SO I HAVE TO BE ABLE TO RANK THEM ALL ON THE SAME MATRIX AND SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE SOME CHANGES TO THIS MATRIX SO WE CAN RANK CONSERVATION EASEMENTS BECAUSE THERE IS NO MAINTENANCE ON THAT, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THEY GET A PERFECT SCORE ON THAT ONE, OR IF THEY DON'T.
>> IT DOESN'T QUITE WORK FOR ME. I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND UNTIL I APPLY IT, I GUESS.
[00:55:04]
YEAH, I WILL BRING SAMPLE PROPERTIES.>> JUST ON YOUR ASKING PRICE QUESTION. SO THE ASSESSED VALUE OR THE MARKET VALUE OF A PROPERTY IS NOT THE SELL PRICE NECESSARILY, WITH BUT IT IS A NUMBER TO GIVE US A SENSE OF WHAT THE VALUE IS OF THE PROPERTY.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. THERE IS A QUESTION ABOUT THE COST OF THE PROPERTY VERSUS THE CONSERVATION VALUE, SO WE HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING TO LOOK AT.
>> WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY WHAT IT WOULD SELL FOR.
>> CORRECT. >> IT'S NOT ALWAYS RIGHT.
>> IS THERE A REASON WHY WE COULDN'T HAVE TWO TRACKS AND JUST RECOMMEND EQUAL EXPENDITURE FROM BOTH TRACKS AND THAT WAY WE SPLIT THE MONEY?
>> SURE. NO, THERE'S NO REASON WE CAN'T DO THAT, YEAH.
>> I WILL SAY THAT VOLUSIA COUNTY DOES IT THAT WAY.
THEY HAVE TWO SEPARATE MATRIX FOR THOSE CATEGORIES.
>> OKAY. I WILL FINISH FLESHING OUT MY NOTES IN A MINUTE. I DON'T -- DO I HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? I DON'T THINK I HAVE ANYTHING ELSE.
YEAH. YES, MA'AM? OH, NO. THANK YOU. YES.
ONE OF THESE SHEETS, THE QUESTIONS FROM THE LAST MEETING.
SO, MATT, TO YOUR QUESTION, I DON'T KNOW, FOR YOUR FIRST QUESTION, YOU SAID WHAT HAPPENS TO THE REVENUE FROM THE MANAGED PROPERTIES.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE GOT TO -- STAFF IS GOING TO HAVE TO CIRCLE AROUND.
AND THEN FIELD TRIPS -- WE ARE GOING TO NEED TOTO -- WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK THAT OUT PROBABLYONLY FOR THE PRIORITY POOL PROPERTIES, RIGHT? THANKS TO SUNSHINE WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO DETERMINE HOW TO GO ABOUT THAT.
NORMALLY WHEN THE BOARD DOES SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THEY CHARTER A BUS AND THEN GO OUT AND NOBODY ALKS TO ANYBODY WHILE YOU'RE OUT THERE.
AND THEN EVERYBODY GETS BROUGHT BACK.
I DON'T KNOW -- NOT KNOWING HOW BIG THAT POOL OF PROPERTIES MIGHT BE, IF WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT WITH LITERALLY ALL OF THE NOMINATION POOL, OR IF IT'S GOING TO BE A MANAGEABLE ENOUGH NUMBER THAT WE CAN DO THAT, BUT I RECOGNIZE YOU'RE GOING TO NEED THAT BEFORE YOU MAKE THAT FINAL DECISION. AND THEN --
>> BACK ON MY FIRST QUESTION REAL FAST?
>> THIS IS JUST A ADD. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS A REAL THING THAT CAN HAPPEN BUT IF THE ANSWER TO THAT IS NO AND THE MONEY DISAPPEARS BACK INTO THE GENERAL CLAY COUNTY BUDGET, IS THERE A WAY TO APPROACH THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS TO SEE IF THEY WOULD PASS AN ORDINANCE TO ALLOW THAT TO GO INTO A MANAGEMENT FUND?
>> OKAY. BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO LEVERAGE YOUR ABILITY TO MANAGE THE PROPERTIES WE PROTECT AND WOULD REALLY FACTOR INTO WHAT WE WANT TO PRESERVE BECAUSE IT GIVES YOU AN OPERATING BUDGET TO PAY THOSE CONTRACTORS TO GET THAT INITIAL BALL ROLLING BECOMES REALLY IMPORTANT.
>> RIGHT, YEAH. I'LL GET WITH CHARISE LATER, WHAT EXACTLY THE MECHANISM DOES DOES AUTOMATICALLY TAKE THAT ON. OBVIOUSLY WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A FORMAL VOTE ON IT AND AND WHETHER OR NOT YOU NEED TO APPROACH THE BOARD AS THE CHAIR ON BEHALF OF OR IF STAFF DOES IT WE'LL LET YOU KNOW.
>> YEAH, WE CAN DEFINITELY LOOK IN A THAT.
REBECCA HAD THE QUESTION ABOUT WHEN WILL WILLING SELLERS' LETTERS BE REQUIRED? THEY ARE PART OF, I THINK, THE STAFF RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SECOND POOL STEP.
I'LL HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT IT, BUT IT'S IN
THERE. >> YEAH, IT LINES UP WITH COOPER'S QUESTION EARLIER. ANYONE CAN NOMINATE, SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A BUNCH OF -- YEAH.
GOOD TO KNOW IN ADVANCE IF THEY'RE WILLING SELLERS OR
[01:00:02]
NOT.>> AND THE QUESTION ABOUT RESEARCH AND HAVING TIME IN BETWEEN. THE FIRST MEETING WE'LL HAVE THE INITIAL LOOK AND LIMITED INFORMATION ON IT AND A MONTH LATER WE'LL COME BACK WITH MORE INFORMATION AND BEFORE YOU MAKE THAT DECISION.
>> SO THE NEXT MEETING WE WOULD COME BACK WITH OUR SCORING ALLALL SO WE COULD DISCUSS IT AND VOTE ON IT? YOU WOULD DO THE SCORING IN YOUR OWN TIME AND DO THE SCORE HERE?
>> THAT'S KIND OF UP TO YOU. HOW DO YOU WANT TO OPERATE.
>> I WOULD THINK WE WOULD NEED THE RESEARCH AND THE VISIT BEFORE WE CAN SCORE.
>> NOT THE FIRST TIME, NO. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET A VISIT UNTIL YOU GET TO THE POINT OF NARROWING DOWN THE PRIORITY POOL.
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A LIMITED AMOUNT OF INFORMATION AND WILL HAVE TO RANK BASED ON THAT.
THAT'S MAKING A DECISION FOR THE ELIGIBILITY POOL.
>> IF WE CAN GET THE PROPERTIES EARLY, I DON'T NEED A VISIT, BUT HAVE A LOOK AT THEM AND IF WE SCORE HERE, THAT'S FINE.
UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE PROPERTIES ARE PRIOR TO THE MEETING, THAT COULD BE HOURS. WE COULD SIT HERE FOR THREE OR FOUR HOURS EACH PERSON SCORING PROPERTIES.
>> THAT WOULD ESSENTIALLY GIVE US THAT CRITERIA. I THINK WE COULD HAVE THAT IN
YEAH, WE WILL -- I THINK WE -- THE WAY IT'S LAID OUT IS THE STAFF BRINGS YOU THE NOMINATION POOL AND SAYS, OKAY, HERE.
HERE IS ALL OF THE PROPERTIES THAT WERE NOMINATED.
HERE IS A SHORT REPORT. AND THEN IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE -- I HOPE WE HAVE SO MANY THAT WE HAVE TO DO THAT TWICE, RIGHT.
YOU WOULD NEED TO GO HOME AND DIGEST THAT.
WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU INFORMATION UP AHEAD OF MEETINGS ANYWAY. WE'LL SEND IT OUT THE WEEK BEFORE. YOU'LL HAVE TIME TO LOOK AT IT.
>> YOU COULD PROBABLY BE LOOKING AT IT AND RANKING BEFORE WE EVEN HAVE THE MEETING.
YOU HAVE ABOUT A WEEK TO GO THROUGH IT.
AND THEN -- LET'S TRY IT WITH THE MOCK VERSION AND SEE WHAT KIND OF, YOU KNOW, TIME IT TAKES YOU TO GO THROUGH. I'LL DO THE REPORT OF WHAT THE PROPERTIES LOOK LIKE AND WE'LL FIGURE OUT THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.
>> WHEN IS THIS APPLICATION PERIOD?
>> WE'RE GOING TO DO OCTOBER THROUGH DECEMBER.
>> GIVE PEOPLE SOME TIME TO GET THE WORD OUT.
>> AND ARE WE REACHING OUT TO ANY OF THESE LANDOWNERS?
THERE'S ONLY A LIMITED NUMBER.
>> THE COUNTY WILL ADVERTISE THE NOMINATION PERIOD, THE PROGRAM, ALL OF THAT.
>> HOW ARE WE -- WHEN I SAY WE, HOW IS THE COUNTY ADVERTISING
THAT? >> THAT'S OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT, SO THEY DO A LOT OF STUFF ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
IT WILL BE ON THE COUNTY'S WEBSITE.
PROBABLY THEY'LL DO INTERVIEWS, PUT SOMETHING ON THE PAPER.
>> AND AS COMMITTEE MEMBERS WE'RE MORE THAN ABLE TO TELL PEOPLE THERE'S A PROGRAM IN CLAY COUNTY.
HERE'S A LINK, YOU SHOULD LOOK AT IT?
>> WE JUST CAN'T HELP THEM DO ANY OF IT?
>> WE CAN ADVERTISE THE PROGRAM. WE CAN'T SELECT APPLICANTS.
>> YES, EXACTLY. YOU CAN DEFINITELY DIRECT DIRECT TO THE COUNTY'S WEBSITE OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
[01:05:04]
>> DO WE NEED A MOTION TO ADJOURN?
>> DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU, EVERYBODY.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.