[CALL TO ORDER]
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WE WILL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED BECAUSE IT IS 4:01 ON MY CLOCK. COMMISSIONER RENNINGER IS GOING TO DO OUR INVOCATION IF YOU'LL STAND WITH US.
>> PLEASE JOIN ME IN PRAYER. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE LIVE IN A DYNAMIC WORLD WHERE IT'S HARD NOT ONLY TO FOCUS ON OUR PERSONAL ISSUES BUT ON THE ISSUES OF GREATER NEED.
WE FEEL OUR DAY IS SCHEDULED FROM SUN UP TO SUN DOWN. HELP US TO LOOK BEYOND OUR INTERESTS AND MAKE DECISIONS WHICH ARE GOOD FOR ALL CITIZENS OF OUR GREAT COUNTY. PLEASE BE WITH US TONIGHT, AS WE MAKE BUDGETARY DECISIONS, WHICH AFFECT ALL FACETS OF OUR COMMUNITY, INCLUDING PUBLIC SAFETY, RECREATION, AND TRANSPORTATION. GIVE US THE STRENGTH TO MAKE THE CHANGES, WHICH ENABLE US TO CRAFT A SUSTAINABLE PATH FORWARD. ALSO BE WITH THE FAMILIES OF ANNUNCIATION CATHOLIC SCHOOL IN MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, WHO SUFFERED THE INJURY OR LOSS OF LIFE OF THEIR CHILDREN BY A DERANGED KILLER. EACH CHILD AND FAMILY MEMBER WILL BE SORELY MISSED, AND WE HOPE YOUR GUIDING HAND WILL COMFORT THEM IN THIS TIME OF NEED. AS ALWAYS, BLESS THE EFFORTS OF THOSE WHO ARE STANDING IN WATCH TONIGHT, AS THEY ARE THE ONES THAT CONTINUE TO GIVE US THE LIFE SECURITY THAT WE ALL ENJOY. IN YOUR NAME WE PRAY,
>> OUR VETERAN- LED PLEDGE THIS AFTERNOON IS U.S. ARMY CAPTAIN GERALD MCBRIDE. CAPTAIN MCBRIDE SERVED IN THE ARMY CORP. OF ENGINEERS WITH THREE YEARS OF ACTIVE DUTY AND FIVE YEARS IN THE RESERVES. A VIETNAM VETERAN, HE SERVED IN COUNTRY IN 1969 TO 1970 AND WAS AWARDED THE BRONZE STAR FOR HIS SERVICE.
CAPTAIN MCBRIDE BEGAN HIS MILITARY JOURNEY THROUGH OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL, WHERE HE GAINED VALUABLE EXPERIENCE IN COMMAND AND CONTROL, CIVIL ENGINEERING, AND LEADERSHIP.
HIS FAVORITE MEMORY DURING HIS TIME IN SERVICE, JUNE 20, 1969, THE DAY HE MARRIED HIS WIFE, CHARLOTTE, AT THE MAIN POST CHAPEL. NOW A PENNY FARMS RESIDENT AND RETIRED CONCRETE ACCOUNT MANAGER, HE STAYS ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY BY VOLUNTEERING WITH THE PENNY VETS ASSOCIATION, CAIRO'S PRISON MINISTRY, AND AT THE PENNY FARMS RETIREMENT COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY AND THE COUNTRY. IF YOU'LL LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE, AND THEN YOU CAN SAY A FEW WORDS.
>> 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. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.
I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE.
WE LIVE DOWN IN PENNY FARMS, WHICH IS ABOUT EIGHT OR NINE MILES WEST OF HERE, AND WE'RE COMING UP ON OUR 100TH ANNIVERSARY. AND WE ALWAYS WELCOME PEOPLE TO COME BY AND STOP AND SEE WHAT WE'RE DOING THERE.
OKAY. I MIGHT ADD TOO, WE HAVE ABOUT 525 RESIDENTS THERE. WE HAVE 108 VETERANS.
EIGHT OF THEM ARE WOMEN. WE HAVE A COUPLE OF WORLD WAR II VETS.
WE HAVE ABOUT SIX KOREAN WAR VETS. AND THE REST OF US -- PLEASE COME DOWN AND VISIT US.
AND WE WELCOME YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[PET ADOPTIONS]
>> LET THE RECORD REFLECT ALL COMMISSIONERS ARE PRESENT.
WE WILL MOVE DIRECTLY TO PET ADOPTIONS.
>> OUR FIRST CAT TODAY IS RENO, NEUTERED MALE, DOMESTIC SHORT HAIR.
WEIGHS TEN POUNDS. RENEE ISN'T JUST A CAT.
HE'S YOUR COZY COMPANION WITH A LOT TO SAY. THIS BLACK AND WHITE SNUGGLE ENTHUSIAST LIVES FOR SOFT BEDS, TREATS, AND BINGE WATCHING YOUR FAVORITE SHOWS.
RENO ISN'T JUST A CUDDLE CONNOISSEUR.
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HE'S A CHATTER BOX, TOO. EXPECT PLENTY OF SWEET MEOWS, GENTLE HEAD NUDGES, AND LIVELY COMMENTARY ON YOUR DAILY ADVENTURES.WHETHER IT'S MOVIE NIGHT OR A QUIET EVENING IN, RENO IS YOUR PURRING SIDEKICK, ALWAYS READY TO KEEP YOU COMPANY AND STEAL A LITTLE HEART ALONG THE WAY.
NEXT WE HAVE RAIN, THREE YEARS OLD, WEIGHED 53 POUNDS. MEET RAIN, PART SECRET AGENT, PART WILD CHILD, AND 100% CHARM.
SHE MIGHT SEEM SHY AT FIRST OR MAYBE SHE'S JUST IN TOP SECRET TRAINING, ARMY CRAWLING HER WAY INTO YOUR HEART AND RECRUITING HER TO CARRY HER LIKE THE VIP SHE KNOWS SHE IS. ONCE SHE FEELS SAFE, THE FUN REALLY BEGINS. RAIN LOVES CHASING TENNIS BALLS, SNUGGLING STUFFED ANIMALS, AND WITH FRIENDS.
PLAYFUL, SOCIAL, AND FULL OF PERSONALITY, SHE'LL TURN EVERYDAY MOMENTS INTO MANY ADVENTURES.
LOOKING FOR A SIDE KICK WITH A LITTLE MYSTERY, LOTS OF LAUGHTER, AND ENDLESS LOVE, RAIN IS READY TO REPORT FOR DUTY.
NEXT WE HAVE LEO, DOMESTIC SHORT HAIRED, THREE MONTHS OLD AND WEIGHS 3 POUNDS. SAY HELLO TO LEO, THE KITTEN EQUIVALENT OF A MYSTERIOUS DREAM BOAT. THIS DASHING BOY SHOWS OFF HIS SOFT COAT LIKE IT'S COUTURE.
HE'S A THINKER, A WATCHER, AND A FUTURE EXPLORER, TAKING IN THE WORLD WITH BIG CURIOUS EYES.
LEO IS THE TYPE WHO WANTS TO FIGURE OUT ALL THE WHYS AND HOWS OF LIFE BEFORE DIVING IN. ONCE HE TRUSTS YOU, HIS SWEET SIDE SHINES BRIGHT AND YOU REALIZE THIS CLEVER CUTIE IS JUST AS HANDSOME ON THE INSIDE AS HE IS ON THE OUTSIDE. LASTLY WE HAVE BENJAMIN, TWO YEARS OLD, WEIGHS 45 POUNDS. HE IS HEART WORM POSITIVE, BUT HIS TREATMENT IS BEING SPONSORED. BENJAMIN IS A HIGH VOLTAGE BUNDLE OF FUN LOOKING FOR A PARTNER IN CRIME. HE'S ALL ZOOMMYS, ADVENTURES, AND TAIL WAGGING ENTHUSIASM. BUT HE'S STILL LEARNING THE ART OF DOGGY DIPLOMACY. SO, A CHILL, EASY GOING PUP BUDDY IS A MUST. FULL OF PERSONALITY, MISCHIEF, AND HEART, BENJAMIN IS READY TO TURN EVERY WALK, PLAY SESSION, AND CUDDLE INTO AN UNFORGETTABLE ADVENTURE. ARE YOU BRAVE ENOUGH TO KEEP UP? READY TO MEET YOUR NEW BEST FRIEND? OUR ADOPTABLE ANIMALS ARE WAITING TO ADD EXTRA LOVE AND FUN TO YOUR LIFE. FROM WAGGING TAILS TO PURRING KITTIES, WE'VE GOT THE PERFECT COMPANION JUST FOR YOU.
WANT TO SEE WHO'S AVAILABLE? HEAD TO OUR WEBSITE AND MEET OUR ADORABLE CREW LOOKING FOR THEIR FOREVER HOMES. YOU CAN DROP US A LINE AT CLAYADOPTIONS AT CLAYCOUNTY.GOV. AND PICTURES IS TABASCO AND SIBLINGS THEY ARE LOOKING FOR A FOSTER HOME, WHERE THEY CAN GROW, RECEIVE SOCIALIZATION, AND GET THE CARE THEY NEED UNTIL THEY ARE READY FOR ADOPTION. COULD YOU PROVIDE TABASCO AND ONE OF HER SIBLINGS A LOVING TEMPORARY HOME? IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN HELPING OUR FURRY FRIENDS BUT YOU CANNOT BRING ONE HOME, PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT OUR AMAZON WISH LIST.
WE'RE ALWAYS IN NEED OF ITEMS FOR THE SHELTERANIMALS. JUST GO TO AMAZON.COM.
[1. Commemoration of the September 11, 2001, attacks]
AND THAT COMPLETES OUR PETALL RIGHT. WE HAVE THREE VERY IMPORTANT PROCLAMATIONS THIS AFTERNOON. WE CAN GO DOWN FRONT.
>> OUR FIRST PROCLAMATION THIS AFTERNOON IS THE COMMEMORATION OF THE SEPTEMBER 11, 2001 ATTACKS.
WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION COMMEMORATING THE ANNIVERSARY OF 9/11 AND REAFFIRMING OUR PROMISE TO NEVER FORGET. WE'RE GRATEFUL TO HAVE SPECIAL GUESTS WITH US TODAY FROM LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIRE RESCUE, THE ROTARY CLUB OF ORANGE PARK SUNRISE, DISTRICT DIRECTOR BRIAN CAMPBELL FROM CONGRESSMAN AARON BEAN'S OFFICE, AND REPRESENTATIVE JUDSON'S STAFF. IF YOU COULD ALL JOIN US UP FRONT FOR OUR PROCLAMATION, WE WOULD BE VERY GRATEFUL.
[00:10:08]
COMMISSIONER COMPERE IS GOING TO READ OUR PROCLAMATION THIS AFTERNOON. THEN AFTER THAT, ANY GUESTS WHO WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE ANY BRIEF REMARKS ARE TO DO SO.>> THE PROCLAMATION READS, WHEREAS ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2001, NEARLY 3,000 LIVES WERE LOST IN AN UNPRECEDENTED ACT OF TERRORISM IN NEW YORK CITY, AT THE PENTAGON, AND IN SHANKSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA. AND WHEREAS THIS TRAGEDY UNITED OUR COUNTRY -- FIRST RESPONDERS, SERVICE MEMBERS, AND ORDINARY CITIZENS WHO RISKED OR GAVE THEIR LIVES TO SAVE OTHERS, AND WHEREAS THE MEN AND WOMEN OF OUR ARMED FORCES HAVE SINCE STOOD WATCH, DEFENDING OUR FREEDOM AND SECURITY IN THE WAKE OF THOSE ATTACKS, AND MANY HAVE MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE IN THAT CAUSE.
AND WHEREAS IT IS FITTING THAT WE REMEMBER AND HONOR THE LIVES LOST, THE FAMILIES FOREVER CHANGED, AND THE COUNTLESS ACTS OF BRAVERY THAT AROSE FROM THE DARKNESS OF THAT DAY.
AND WHEREAS THE CLAY COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS RECOGNIZES SEPTEMBER 11TH AS A SOLEMN DAY OF REMEMBRANCE, UNITY, AND REFLECTION, AND ENCOURAGES ALL CITIZENS TO HONOR THE MEMORY OF THOSE LOST BY UPHOLDING THE VALUES OF RESILIENCE, SERVICE, AND PATRIOTISM. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS CLAY COUNTY, FLORIDA, COMMEMORATES THE 24TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SEPTEMBER 11TH ATTACKS AND URGES ALL RESIDENTS TO OBSERVE THIS DAY THROUGH REMEMBRANCE, REFLECTION, AND ACTS OF KINDNESS, HONORING OUR SHARED COMMITMENT TO FREEDOM, LIBERTY, AND JUSTICE.
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED THAT THIS PROCLAMATION IS PRESENTED TO THE ROTARY CLUB OF ORANGE PARK SUNRISE IN RECOGNITION FOR THEIR FLAGS FOR HEROES EVENT, HONORING SERVICE MEMBERS, FIRST RESPONDERS, AND ESSENTIAL WORKERS, WHOSE DEDICATION CONTINUES TO STRENGTHEN OUR GREAT NATION.
DUALLY ADOPTED BY THE BOARD OF CLAY COUNTY COMMISSIONERS THIS NINTH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2025.
>> MOTION CARRIES, 5-0, I'M SURE.
>> ON BEHALF OF ORANGE PARK ROTARY SUNRISE, WE JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR SUPPORTING THIS PROCLAMATION AND FOR SUPPORTING OUR EVET. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.
>> I THINK IT'S FITTING THAT AS WE THINK ABOUT THE 9/11 ANNIVERSARY, WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE MEN, IN THIS CASE, THAT ARE REPRESENTING THE FIRST RESPONDERS BOTH FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FOR FIRE THAT CLIMBED THE TOWERS THAT DAY. IT'S BEEN 24 YEARS, BUT I THINK THEY ARE FITTING TO THINK ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF WEIGHT AND MATERIALS THAT THEY WERE CLIMBING THOSE 80 OR 90 STORIES TO RESCUE THE PEOPLE.
AND THINKING ABOUT IT IN RETROSPECTIVE, THEY SAVED OVER 19 -- THOSE NEW YORK CITY FIREFIGHTERS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL SAVED OVER 19,000 LIVES THAT DAY. WE TEND TO THINK ABOUT THOSE LOST, BUT DESPITE THAT SACRIFICE OF NEARLY -- OVER 400 FIRST RESPONDERS AND THOSE WHO HAVE SINCE PERISHED FROM THE 9/11 ILLNESSES THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE, THEY DID A GREAT SERVICE AND A GREAT JOB THAT DAY TO REMEMBER ALL THOSE THAT GAVE THEIR LIVES. I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE AND FITTING TO DO SO. SO, THANK YOU.
>> WE ARE GOING TO GET A PICTURE.
SO, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO IS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET THE÷÷ FIREFIGHTERS INAUDIBLE ] COME A LITTLE BIT FORWARD. AND IT'S GOING TO BE TIGHT.
WE WANT TO SEE EVERYBODY'S FACE.
[2. National POW/MIA Recognition Day (September 19, 2025)]
[00:16:04]
>> THE NEXT THING WE'RE GOING TO RECOGNIZE IS A RECOGNITION RECOGNIZING POW MIA RECOGNITION DAY. WE'RE PRIVILEGED TO WELCOME SEVERAL DISTINGUISHED GUESTS THIS AFTERNOON. WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVE JUDSON -- I'M SURE -- DID HE LEAVE? HE LEFT.
OKAY. NAVAL CAPTAIN ED TURNER, WHO'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE POW MEMORIAL MUSE M YUM.UM? DID HE LEAVE TOO? NOBODY WAS MOVING SO ALL OF A SUDDEN I HAD THIS PANIC OF WE'RE GOING TO CALL A PANIC.
SHERIFF COOKE ALWAYS HAS MYMY BACK. AS WELL AS TWO PRESERVES OF WAR.
WE KNOW THEY'RE HERE. I INVITE ALL GUESTS AND MILITARY MEMBERS TO JOIN US FOR THIS PROCLAMATION. WITH US TODAY, WE HAVE NAVAL CAPTAIN DALE RUBLE. -- OVER NORTH VIETNAM ON AUGUST 17, 1972. CAPTURED AND HELD IN HANOI FOR 225 DAYS, HE WAS RELEASED DURING OPERATION HOME COMING ON MARCH 29, 1973. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
AND WE ALSO HAVE AIR FORCE COLONEL WILLIAMWILLIAM G. BURNS.
COLONEL BURNS WAS SHOT DOWN OVER NORTH VIETNAM ON MAY 23, 1972. HE SPENT 309 DAYS AS A POW BEFORE HIS RETURN HOME IN 1973. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, COLONEL. AND Y'ALL CAN COME ON UP IF YOU WANT. AND WE HAVE BRIAN CAMPBELL AGAIN FROM -- AND -- JUST WALKED OUTSIDE. SO YOU WANT TO COME ON UP? AND OF COURSE BRIAN CAMPBELL FROM CONGRESSMAN BEENE'S OFFICE. AND WE ALSO HAVE SAM HOUSTON, WHO'S NOT ON MY PAPER. HE MUGT MIGHT BE ON THE SECOND PAGE. HOLD ON.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, SIR. I'M GOING TO PASS THE MICROPHONE TO COMMISSIONER RENNINGER TO READ THE PROCLAMATION. AND THEN WE WILL DO INTRODUCTIONS.
>> CERTAINLY MY HONOR TO READ THIS PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS NATIONAL POW/MIA RECOGNITION DAY IS OBSERVED EACH YEAR ON THE THIRD FRIDAY OF SEPTEMBER TO HONOR SERVICE MEMBERS PRISONERS OF WAR AND THOSE STILL MISSING IN ACTION, AND WHEREAS THIS OBSERVANCE BEGAN IN 1979, WHEN CONGRESS AND PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER CALLED FOR A GREATER ACCOUNTABILITY OF VIETNAM WAR POWS AND MIA S, A TRADITION CONTINUED BY EVERY PRESIDENT SINCE.
AND WHEREAS THE FLAG BEARING THE WORDS "YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN" HAS BECOME A POWERFUL NATIONAL SYMBOL AND IS THE ONLY NON-NATIONAL FLAG REQUIRED BY FEDERAL LAW TO BE FLOWN ON DESIGNATED DAYS. AND WHEREAS MORE THAN 80,000 U.S. SERVICE MEMBERS REMAIN MISSING FROM PAST CONFLICTS, INCLUDING WORLD WAR II, THE KOREAN WAR, THE VIETNAM WAR, THE COLD WAR, AND MORE RECENT AND DEDICATED AGENTS BY THE DEFENSE POW ACCOUNTING AGENCIES AND THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF FAMILIES CONTINUES TO SEEK ANSWERS AND BRING THEM HOME.
AND WHEREAS ON THIS DAY, WE RECOGNIZE ALL PRISONERS OF WAR AND EXPRESS GRATITUDE FOR THE COURAGE AND PERSEVERANCE THROUGH UNIMAGINABLE HARDSHIPS WHILE PAYING TRIBUTE TO THOSE WHO NEVER RETURNED AND TO THE FAMILY WHO IS CONTINUE TO BEAR THE WEIGHT OF THEIR SACRIFICE.
BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS CLAY COUNTY, FLORIDA, DOES HEREBY PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 19, 2025, AS POW/MIA RECOGNITION
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DAY IN CLAY COUNTY SO THAT WE MAY REMEMBER THE HARDSHIPS EXPERIENCED BY PRISONERS OF WAR AND INCREDIBLE SACRIFICES OF OUR SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN WHO NEVER RETURNED HOME. WE VOW THAT THEIR HEROIC ACTIONS WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN. DUALLY ADOPTED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS CLAY COUNTY, FLORIDA, ON THIS NINTH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2025.DO I HAVE A MOTION? MOTION AND SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE'LL GO TO
BILL. >> WHY DO I ALWAYS GET TO BE FIRST?
>> BILL, I'M GLAD YOU MADE IT UP HERE.
>> WE HAD SOME TOUGH TIMES, BIT WE HAD SOME GOOD TIMES TOO. IT WASN'T ALL BAD.
IF YOU ASK HIM, HE'LL TELL YOU. IT WAS PRETTY GOOD SOMETIMES.
BUT WE HAD A DIFFERENT LIFE THAN Y'ALL, AND WE BECAME ACCUSTOMED TO THAT.
I WEIGHED ABOUT 195 POUNDS WHEN I WAS BEING SHOT OFF THE END OF A CARRIER.
WHEN I CAME BACK, I WAS 140 POUNDS. SO, I CAN GIVE YOU A GOOD IDEA OF HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT.
>> THAT'S OKAY. NOT RECOMMENDED.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BRINGING PEOPLE IN TO DO THAT.
>> YOU JUST HEARD FROM ONE OF OUR HEROES THAT SPENT TIME IN THAT HELL HOLE OVER THERE. I'M JUST REALLY PROUD TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SAID I SERVED IN THERE WITH HIM. AND EVEN THOUGH HE WAS NAVY.
IT'S OKAY. AIR FORCE NOW, THAT'S ANOTHER STORY. BUT GOD FORGIVES ALL SINS, SO NAVY IS OKAY.
I WANT TO TELL YOU WHILE I WAS IN THE PRISON CAMP, I TRUSTED THE LORDLORD MY HEART AND SOUL.
I LEARNED TO DO THAT WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE. COUPLE THINGS -- ANOTHER THING I LEARNED WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE WAS I HAD SOME FIREMEN FRIENDS, AND THEY TAUGHT ME THAT RUNNING INTO A FIRE OR TOWARD A FIRE AND NOT AWAY FROM IT IS REALLY THE WAY TO GO. AND THAT'S THE WAY WE SHOULD DO IN LIFE. I LEARNED THAT AND CARRIED IT INTO MY MILITARY CAREER. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY, GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU AND CLAY COUNTY, AND THANK YOU FOR THE PROCLAMATION. AND GOD BLESS THOSE WHO SERVED.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR SERVING US.
>> AND I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE SAM HOUSTON, THE PRESIDENT OF POW/MIA MEMORIAL OUT OF CECIL FIELD, CECIL AIRPORT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JIMMY. YOU KNOW, WHEN WE THINK BACK IN REMEMBRANCE, WE THINK -- SEPTEMBER IS A REMEMBRANCE MONTH. AND WE THINK OF THOSE WHO GAVE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE. WE THINK OF THOSE THAT WERE PRISONERS OF WAR THAT SUFFERED THE HANDS OF THE ENEMIES. WE LOOK AT THOSE THAT DIDN'T COME HOME, THE MISSING IN ACTION, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE LOVED ONES THAT ARE WAITING FOR THEM TO COME HOME. AND I'M SAYING WE BRING THEM HOME EVERY DAY, AND THANK GOD THAT WE'RE COMING HOME. AND DALE, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU WENT THROUGH.
>> YES. EVERY -- EVERY YEAR WE -- AT THE MEMORIAL -- ARE HAPPY TO PRESENT THE COMMEMORATION OF THE RECOGNITION DAY. AND WE DO IT ON SATURDAY, EVEN THOUGH THE ACTUAL DAY IS THE 19TH. WE'LL DO IT ON THE 20TH BECAUSE WE HAVE THE AMERICAN LEGION RIDERS AND A NUMBER OF FOLKS THAT COME AND PARTICIPATE IN A PRETTY GRAND COMMEMORATION OF THAT DAY. OUT AT CECIL FIELD BETWEEN 11:00 AND 4:00, WE'LL HAVE A RECOGNITION DAY CEREMONY AS WELL AS A NUMBER OF OTHER THINGS TO COME OUT TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON AT CECIL FIELD.
THAT'S GOING TO BRING THE NATIONAL POW/MIA MEMORIAL TO JACKSONVILLE. SO, YOU'RE ALL WELCOME TO COME OUT TO THAT RECOGNITION CEREMONY. IT IS ADVERTISED IN OUR WEBSITE, THE POW-MIAMEMORIAL.ORG .
LOOK THAT UP AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON OUT AT CECIL FIELD. I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT THING FOR THE AREA, JACKSONVILLE, AS WELL AS THE
[00:25:05]
COUNTRY.>> IF YOU NEVER EXPERIENCED 300 MOTORCYCLES ARRIVING AT ONE TIME, IT IS VERY IMPRESSIVE.
>> WE'D LIKE TO PRESENT A COPY OF THE PROCLAMATION TO POW/MIA MEMORIAL AS WELL AS DALE.
>> ALL RIGHT. I THINK WE'RE READY FOR A PHOTO.
>> LET'S SEE IF WE CAN MAKE THIS -- WE'LL GET A FEW PEOPLE ON THE OTHER SIDE.
[3. BASCA Awareness Week (September 21-27, 2025)]
.>>> WE ALSO HAVE A PROCLAMATION TODAY FOR BASCA AWARENESS WEEK, RECOGNIZED THIS SEPTEMBER 21- 27, 2025.
WE HAVE BASCA'S CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, PATRICK KENNEDY, WITH US THIS AFTERNOON TO RECOGNIZE THIS OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION. MR. KENNEDY, YOU WANT TO COME ON UP? AND AFTER COMMISSIONER BURKE READS THE PROCLAMATION, THEN WE INVITE YOU TO MAKE SOME REMARKS ABOUT YOUR ORGANIZATION.
>> WHEREAS BASCA INCORPORATED BUILDING ABILITIES OF SPECIAL CHILDREN AND ADULTS WAS ORGANIZED IN 1994 AND HAS PROUDLY SERVED CLAY COUNTY FOR OVER 30 YEARS, PROVIDING ESSENTIAL CARE, SUPPORT, AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENT DIFFERENCES, AND WHEREAS BASCA CONTINUES TO REDESIGN DISABILITY CARE BY FOSTERING INDEPENDENCE, DIGNITY, AND COMMUNITY INCLUSION THROUGH ITS COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, INCLUDING THE OPERATION OF FOUR RESIDENTIAL GROUP HOMES LOCATED IN ORANGE PARK AND FLEMING ISLAND.
AND WHEREAS BASCA'S PROGRAMS ENHANCE THE LIVES OF ITS PARTICIPANTS BY OFFERING LIFE SKILLS, TRAINING, RESIDENTIAL SUPPORT, VOCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, TRANSPORTATION, AND INCLUSIVE RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES THAT PROMOTE PERSONAL GROWTH AND SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT.
AND WHEREAS TO CELEBRATE AND RAISE AWARENESS OF ITS MISSION, BASCA WILL HOST A CAPABILITIES 5K ONE MILE RUN, WALK, OR ROLL, A COMMUNITY- WIDE EVENT THAT RECOGNIZES THE ABILITIES ALL INDIVIDUALS AND FOSTERS INCLUSION AND SUPPORT.
AND WHEREAS THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ACKNOWLEDGES THE IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTIONS OF BASCA TO THE CLAY COUNTY COMMUNITY AND WISHES TO RECOGNIZE ITS LASTING LEGACY AND CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DIFFERENCES WHO LIVE, WORK, AND ENGAGE IN ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE WITHIN OUR COUNTY.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS CLAY COUNTY FLORIDA DOES HEREBY PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 21-27, 2025, AS BASCA AWARENESS WEEK IN CLAY COUNTY AND COMMEND BASCA INCORPORATED FOR OVER 30 YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE AND ADVOCACY, ENCOURAGING ALL RESIDENTS TO SUPPORT INCLUSIVE PROGRAMS THAT BENEFIT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
DUALLY ADOPTED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS CLAY COUNTY FLORIDA, THIS NINTH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2025. AND DO I HAVE A MOTION? OKAY. AND ALL THOSE IN SUPPORT? YES.
OKAY. VERY MUCH. AND WE WILL PASS IT ON.
>> THANK YOU. SO, WHEN YOU BECOME A FATHER OR A MOTHER OF A CHILD WITH A DEVELOPMENTAL
[00:30:05]
DISABILITY, EVENTUALLY YOU ASK YOURSELF A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. ONE, WHAT THE HECK SERVICES DO I NEED TO, YOU KNOW, TAKE CARE OF MY MILD? AND TWO, WHERE THE HECK AM I GOING TO GET THOSE SERVICES? SO, JUST OVER 30 YEARS AGO, A GROUP OF LOCAL FAMILIES, MOTHERS AND FATHERS, GOT TOGETHER IN A LOCAL CHURCH, AND THEY ASKED THEMSELVES THAT QUESTION.AND THEN WHAT THEY DECIDED WAS THAT THEY WERE GOING TO GET TOGETHER, FORM AN ORGANIZATION THAT CAN NOT ONLY ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS BUT WOULD ACTUALLY PROVIDE SOME OF THE SERVICES. AND ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND THE 80 PEOPLE THAT WORK AT BASCA, THE HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES THAT WE HAVE SERVED OVER THE YEARS, AND THE ALMOST 100 FAMILIES THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY SERVING, I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL OF Y'ALL FOR THE SUPPORT THAT YOU GUYS HAVE SHOWN US OVER THE MANY, MANY YEARS. BECAUSE WITHOUT Y'ALL, WE WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY. AND WE ARE VERY, VERY GRATEFUL.
SO, THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[4. National Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept 15- Oct 15, 2025)]
>> WE ALSO HAVE ONE DECLARATION THIS AFTERNOON FOR NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH. NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, CELEBRATED FROM SEPTEMBER 15TH TO OCTOBER 15TH, HONORS THE RICH HISTORIES, CULTURES, AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF OUR HISPANIC AND LATIN AMERICANS, HIGHLIGHTING THEIR VITAL ROLE IN SHAPING OUR NATION'S IDENTITY AND CELEBRATING THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS ACROSS ALL FIELDS.
WE INVITE YOU TO READ TODAY'S DECLARATION HONORING THEIR LEGACY, CULTURE, AND SERVICE IN FULL ATTACHED TO OUR
[CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS]
AGENDA ONLINE. I WANT TO RECOGNIZE OUR CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS TODAY.WE DO HAVE SHERIFF COOK. SHERIFF, WELCOME.
IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU WANTED TO TALK WITH US ABOUT? AND I DID NOT SEE ANY OF OUR OTHER -- DID ANY OF THEM SLIP IN? AND OUR CLERK AND COMPTROLLER, TARA TARA GREENE, COULD NOT BE HERE TODAY. WE HAVE ASSISTANT CLERK, RICK DINGLES. I RECOGNIZE THAT YOU HAD SOMETHING YOU WANTED TO SHARE.
>> YES, MA'AM. CLERK GREENE HAD A PERSONAL MATTER TO ATTEND WITH HER SON.
I WANT TO GIVE TWO VERY QUICK UPDATES.
ONE, JUST TO INFORM ALL THE COMMISSIONERS THAT WE'VE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH OUR AUDITORS TO KICK OFF THE FISCAL YEAR '25 AUDIT. IT FEELS LIKE WE JUST FINISHED THE '24 AUDIT A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO. SO, WE'RE BACK AT IT.
WE'LL BE HAVING SOME INTERNAL MEETINGS TO, KIND OF, GET A GAME PLAN TOGETHER AND THEN PLAN TO MEET WITH SOME OF THE COUNTY FOLKS AND SOME OF THE CONSTITUTIONALS TO HAVE A FORMAL MEETING TO DISCUSS DELIVERABLES, TIMELINES, THAT KIND OF THING.
OUR GOAL IS TO GET THE AUDIT OUT MUCH EARLIER THIS YEAR.
SO, WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO GET AHEAD OF THE GAME AND GET STARTED. LASTLY, YOU ALL RECEIVED THE COPY OF THE POPULAR ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT.
COMMISSIONERS USE IT AS A TOOL, MAYBE DURING SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS IN THE COMMUNITY WHEN YOU GET QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE.
WHAT IT IS, IT'S JUST A SIMPLIFIED, USER- FRIENDLY REPORT THAT, KIND OF -- IT SHOWS WHERE THE PUBLIC'S MONEY IS COMING IN AND HOW IT'S BEING USED. JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU GUYS A HEADS UP ON THAT. IT'S JUST A SNAPSHOT OF THE COUNTY'S FINANCES.
SHE DOES PLAN TO FOLLOW UP WITH A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DEPTH REVIEW OF IT AT A LATER MEETING WHEN SHE'S HERE.
JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU THOSE. THANKS FOR ALLOWING ME TO
SPEAK. >> SURE. THANKS FOR BEING HERE THIS AFTERNOON.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. DINGLE?
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.WE ARE TO APPROVAL OF MINUTES. I'LL ENTERTAIN A
MOTION. >> MADAM CHAIR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONER MEETING MINUTES FROM AUGUST 26, 2025.
I'LL SECOND. >> MOTION, A SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION?
[00:35:01]
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.[PUBLIC COMMENTS]
>> THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES 5-0.
WE ARE TO THE FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
THIS IS DESIGNED TO ALLOW CITIZENS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING MATTERS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE BOARD. AT THIS TIME, THE BOARD WILL NOT ENGAGE IN DEBATE OR ANSWER QUESTIONS. YOU MAY EMAIL ASKCLAY@CLAYCOUNTYGOV.COM.
PUBLIC COMMENT CARDS ARE CONVENIENTLY PLACED AT THE MEETING ROOM ENTRANCE AND SHOULD BE SUBMITTED TO THE CLERK AT THE FAR LEFT OF THE DAIS.
YOU ARE LIMITED TO YOUR COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES. BEFORE ADDRESSING THE BOARD, WE ASK THAT YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS. I WOULD NOW LIKE TO OPEN THE FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AT TODAY'S MEETING.
I DO HAVE THREE CARDS IN FRONT OF ME.
MY FIRST CARD -- ACTUALLY, THIS IS NOT A FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT CARD. THAT'S FOR AN ITEM IN THE 5:00 -- MY SECOND HARD IS FOR
MY NAME IS -- MY ADDRESS IS ON FILE.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE RECOGNITIONS OF 9/11 AND FOR THE PRISONERS OF WAR. MY DAD WAS A PRISONER OF WAR, AND I WOULD NOT BE HERE IF HE DID NOT RETURN.
WE ARE GRATEFUL Y'ALL REMEMBER THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SERVED OUR COUNTRY AND THAT HAVE SACRIFICED. I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU AGAIN TO YOUR STAFF AND TO Y'ALL FOR EVERYTHING THAT Y'ALL ARE TRYING TO DO WITH THE ROLLING HILLS COMMUNITY. AND WE DID HAVE THE DRC MEETING.
AND BETH WAS ABLE TO REQUEST THAT ON THATTHAT FINAL PHASE THAT THEYTHEY DO FOR 29 LOT THAT MAY COME IN THERE, THAT THEY DO PLAT ALL OF THE CONSERVATION LAND, AS THEY BRING THAT ONE FORWARD. SO, IT IS OUR PRAYER THAT EVERYTHING GETS DONE IN THIS COMMUNITY BEFORE THIS DEVELOPER WALKS AWAY.
AND WE JUST -- IT'S A LOT. AND SO JUST THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING TO TRY TO HELP WITH THIS.
AND THIS MAY BE OUR FINAL OPPORTUNITY BEFORE THEY DO WALK AWAY. SO, ALL OF THE HELP THAT EVERYBODY'S ABLE TO DO IS -- I'M GRATEFUL.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS AND SWORN PUBLIC OFFICIALS. AS A MILITARY MOM OF AN ACTIVE, A RESERVE, AND A DISABLED AFGHANISTAN VET, I CAN'T IMAGINE BEING A PRISONER OF WAR. BUT LET'S BREAK UP THE NORMALCY A LITTLE BIT.
THAT'S WHAT I'M USED TO. DEAD BABIES.
PEOPLE TELL ME IT'S POLITICS, BUT I DON'T REALLY WANT TO POLITICIZE THE DEAD BABIES.
PEOPLE TELL ME IT'S COMPLEX, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY DEAD BABIES. PEOPLE TELL ME I WOULDN'T GET IT, BUT I AIN'T STUPID. I KNOW A DEAD BABY WHEN I SEE ONE. AND THIS INTERNET IS JUST A BUNCH OF CABLES THAT RUN UNDER THE WORLD LIKE VEINS, YOU KNOW. AND THE MORE BABIES THAT DIE, THE LESS TEARS THAT EACH RECEIVE.
I FEAR WE HAVE AN EVER- REDUCED TEAR TO BABY DEAD CONVERSION RATE. WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TEARS.
I DON'T THINK WE'VE GOT ENOUGH TEARS FOR ALL THE DEAD BABIES. SOMETIMES I THINK TO IMAGINE ALL THE VEINS OF THE WORLD SUFFOCATING THE EARTH IN THE FIRM GRIP OF THE BODY. JUST A FEW DEAD BABIES AWAY FROM BEING CRUSHED UNDER THE WEIGHT OF ITS FACEBOOK FEED TRAGEDIES. SOMETIMES I'LL JUST BE IN THE STORE, AND I'LL GET THE WAVE OF HOW THERE THERE'S, LIKE, BABIES DYING AND I WANT TO TURN TO THE GUY NEXT TO ME AND BE LIKE, I DON'T NEED -- THERE'S BABIES DYING. WHAT AM I DOING WORRYING ABOUT MY HEALTH WHEN THERE'S BABIES DIE SNG WHAT KIND OF PERSON THINKS ABOUT PUTTING FLAXSEED ON OATMEAL WHEN THERE'S BABIES DYING? -- AND THE MORE YOU SAY THE WORDS, DEAD BABIES, THE LESS THEY SEEM TO MEAN. AND AS YOU STOP WATCHING, YOU GROW DESENSITIZED AND STOP WATCHING. BUT THE BABIES, THE BABIES DON'T STOP DYING. AND YOU STOP WATCHING BUT THE BABIES DON'T START DYING. AND YOU START EATING BUT THE BABIES÷÷ DON'T STOP DYING. YOUR GUTS ARE DOING GREAT, BUT THE BABIES DON'T STOP DYING. AND YOU'RE RUNNING OUT OF TEARS, AND THE BABIES DON'T STOP DYING. WE CANNOT JUST SIMPLY SIT AT HOME AND DESPAIR ANDAND DESENSITIZED. WE ARE BORN TO SEE DEAD BABIES AND DEFY. THERE MAY BE BLOOD IN THE CABLE, BUT THERE IS POWER IN THE WIRE.
AND ONE DAY YOU WAKE UP AND YOU SEE A PICTURE OF A REAL DEAD BABY. AND YOU SEE IT FOR WHAT IT IS, A REAL DEAD BABY. SAVE PALESTINE.
[00:40:05]
>> THANK YOU, MS. SANDE. YOU HAVE ANOTHER? ROBERT MEADOWS?
>> THANK YOU. SO, I GET TWO COMMENT PERIODS, RIGHT? IS THAT CORRECT?
>> WE HAVE A SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AT THE END OF THE MEETING.
THAT'S GOOD. I'LL MAKE THIS ONE DIRECT TO THREE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. MY DISTRICT COMMISSIONER, CHAIR, AND MR. RENNINGER. I'VE SENT EMAILS TO YOU AFTER TRYING TO SPEAK WITH YOU CONCERNING THE BUDGET AND VARIOUS AND SUNDRY OTHER THINGS.
AND YOU WON'T RETURN PHONE CALLS, SO I SENT EMAILS.
AND THE LATEST RESPONSE WAS NO RESPONSE. SO, WHEN MIGHT I EXPECT, SIR, A RESPONSE TO THE QUESTIONS I PRESENTED CONCERNING BUDGET, EXPENDITURES, AND SUCH? I HAVE OTHER COMMENTS THAT IF I HAVE TIME -- I'VE CHASED DOWN BUDGETS ON THE COUNTY SHERIFF. SCAM BEE I CAN'T COUNTY HAS -- SWORN OFFICERS, THE BUDGET SET FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS OF 102 MILLION PER MILLION. HERNANDO COUNTY, WITH 287 SWORN DEPUTIES, IS REQUESTING ABOUT $97 MILLION. AND THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS OFFICE THIS AFTERNOON TOLD ME THEY EXPECT TO TRIM THAT APPRECIATE BLI. IN SANTA ROSA COUNTY, WITH 246 SWORN DEPUTIES, ABOUT THE SAME SIZE AS CLAY COUNTY, IS GETTING BY ON AN $82 MILLION BUDGET. NOW, I'VE ASKED THAT YOU REVIEW THE VARIOUS BUDGETS, AND I'VE SUBMITTED IT TO YOU BASED ON INFLATION RATE AND GROWTH RATE. AND AS BEST I CAN TELL, YOU ARE NOT DOING YOUR JOB TO THE CITIZENS. THE SHERIFF AND II HAD A CHAT, AND I KNOW SHE WANTS A LOT OF MONEY.
BUT SHE'S ASKING FOR TOO MUCH MONEY BASE ON THE OTHER THREE COUNTIES I'VE LOOKED AT, WITH HERNANDO BEING THE COUNTY MORE CLOSELY IDENTIFIED WITH CLAY COUNTY. SO, I SUGGEST THAT EACH ONE OF YOU LOOK AT YOUR DUTY TO THE CITIZENS.
YOU CAN ONLY TAKE SO MUCH BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE IT.
AND AS FAR AS THE ORDINANCE ON THE UTILITY TAXES, I'VE TOLD YOU AGAIN, IT IS A FLAWED ORDINANCE AND IT'S A FLAWED RESPONSE. YOU NEED TO FIX THAT.
THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MR. MEADOWS.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AT THE FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD? ALL RIGHT.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
SEEING NONE, I WILL CLOSE THE FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.I WILL BRING IT BACK TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ITEMS 6 THROUGH 33. ARE THERE ANY ITEMS ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO PULL FOR DISCUSSION?
>> MADAM CHAIR, I'D LIKE TO PULL ITEM NUMBER 26.
>> ANY OTHER ITEMS? I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ITEMS 6 THROUGH 33 WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ITEM 26.
>> I'LL MOVE APPROVAL AND CONSENT EXCEPT FOR ITEM 26.
>> OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
>> I HAVE A COMMENT. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW THERE'S QUITE A FEW ITEMS ON THIS CONSENT AGENDA, BUT REST ASSURED WE RESEARCHED THESE EXTENSIVELY THROUGHOUT THE WEEK.
DON'T GET THE IDEA WE'RE JUST RUBBER STAMPING THESE THINGS. THERE'S A LOT OF COMMUNICATIONS THAT HAPPEN BETWEEN THIS COMMISSIONER AND STAFF ON ALL THESE ITEMS.
>> YEAH. I WOULD SAY ALL OF US.
WE ALL RECEIVE BRIEFS. AND A LOT OF THESE ITEMS ARE REQUIRED EXPENDITURES BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS THAT HAVE TO GO ROLLED UP INTO OUR BUDGET. SO, YOU'RE WELCOME TO READ THOSE ONLINE ATTACHED TO THE AGENDA. MR. MEADOWS -- MR. MEADOWS, COULD YOU PLEASE HAVE A SEAT? THANK YOU. SO, AT ANY RATE, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO READ ABOUT ANY OF THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE BACKUP, YOU'RE WELCOME TO PUT THEM IN -- DO THEM ON THE ONLINE AGENDA AS WELL.
[00:45:01]
AND THEY WILL BE ATTACHED TO THE MINUTES.THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER RENNINGER, FOR POINTING THAT OUT. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, INDICATE BY SAYING
[26. Memorandum of Agreement for In-Kind Donation of Bathroom Renovation at Paul C. Armstrong Community Park between Clay County and Fleming Island Athletic Association, Inc. (M. Covey)]
>> THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES 5-0.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I WANTED TO PULL THIS ITEM BECAUSE I'M EXTREMELY PROUD OF THE COMMUNITY'S INVESTMENT. FLEMING ISLAND ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION IS NOW TIPPING THE SCALES OF $80,000 WORTH OF INVESTMENT INTO ARMSTRONG PARK ON 220. AND THAT'S $80,000 THAT'S NOT COMING FROM TAXPAYERS THAT'S IMPROVING THEIR FACILITY.
SO, I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL THE PARENTS THAT HAVE INVESTED IN THAT PARK. THE PRESIDENT, MIKE -- IS A VOLUNTEER. SO, HE'S DOING ALL OF THIS FOR THE KIDS. AND IT'S JUST A REALLY BIG DEAL. I THINK AS BUDGETS CONTINUE TO GET TIGHT, THIS IS THE WAY FORWARD FOR QUALITY OF LIFE THINGS IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO, IF YOU ARE A PUBLIC- PRIVATE PARTNER WHERE YOU'RE USING TAX PAYING FACILITIES, AND YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO IMPROVE THEM, WE WANT TO TALK. WE WOULD LIKE TO DO THIS TYPE OF THING AS MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY CAN. AND THANKS TO HOWARD AND MEGAN AND JUSTIN AND THE PARKS TEAM BECAUSE THEY'VE DEFINITELY DONE A GOOD JOB OF MAKING THIS A SMOOTH PROCESS. I'LL SAY THAT. AND WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE APPROVAL OF
WE HAVE A MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND?
>> MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
>> THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES 5-0.
[34. Progress Report on the Bonded Transportation Program and Other Capital Projects (Capital Projects Team)]
WE WILL NOW MOVE INTO OUR BONDED TRANSPORTATION AND CAPITAL PROJECTS UPDATE. AND I THINK -- IS HERE TO BRING US OUR UPDATE THIS AFTERNOON.>> GOOD EVENING TO THE BOARD -- THAT'S LOUD.
GOOD EVENING TO THE BOARD. I'M MARK SIMMS. I'M HERE TO UPDATE THE PROGRESS OUR TEAM HAS MADE IN THE LAST MONTH ON THE BONDED TRANSPORTATION PROJECT. PROJECT NUMBER ONE, COUNTY ROAD 218 -- CONTINUE THEIR BIWEEKLY -- OR BIMONTHLY STATUS MEETINGS.
POND SITE NUMBER 4, EXCAVATION WAS COMPLETED. ALONG THE SOUTH SIDE OF THIS PROJECT -- DRAINAGE STRUCTURES, PIPES, DEMOLITION OF EXISTING DRIVEWAYS, PAVEMENT REPAIRS FOR DRIVEWAYS AND PIPES, AND CONTINUED TO BASE SUBBASE CURBING AND BASE MATERIAL. THIS PROJECT IS SCHEDULED WITH 50.1% PAID OUT AND 79% OF TIME USED.
MOVING ON FOR CMAR GROUP NUMBER TWO, WORK PROGRESS FOR PROJECT NUMBER TWO, COUNTY ROAD 209, WITH TRAFFIC NOW SHIFTED TO THE NORTH SIDE OF THIS PROJECT, SUPERIOR STARTED REMOVING THE OLD ASPHALT ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTRACTOR CONTINUED INSTALLING STORM DRAINPIPE ALONG RUSSELL ROAD NORTH OF THE COUNTY ROAD 315-B INTERSECTION.
THIS PROJECT IS SCHEDULED WITH 59% PAID OUT AND 41% OF TIME USED. FOR PROJECT NUMBER 5, COUNTY ROAD 220, THE TEAM CONTINUED TO TRACK THE U.S. ARMY CORP. OF ENGINEERS APPLICATION.
ALL FIELD WORK FOR THE NEW POND LOCATION HAS BEEN COMPLETED.
AND THE PRELIMINARY POND DESIGN IS IN PROGRESS.
ONCE COMPLETED, THE TEAM WILL FINALIZE WETLAND IMPACTS AND SUBMIT A PERMIT MODIFICATION REQUEST TO THE AGENCY FOR APPROVAL. AND FOR PROJECT 6-A, COUNTY ROAD 315, THE TEAM HAVE RESPONDED TO COMMENTS FROM THE ARMY CORP.
OF ENGINEERS AND UPDATED REPORTS TO FINALIZE THE IMPACT QUANTITIES. THE PACKAGE -- ARMY CORP. OF ENGINEER FOR FINAL REVIEW AND ISSUING OF THE PERMIT. FOR CMAR NUMBER 1, WORK PROGRESS, FOR PROJECT NUMBER 3- B AND NUMBER 4, THE COUNTY GAI AND -- HELD THEIR BIWEEKLY STATUS MEETING. FOR PROJECT NUMBER 3- B, WHICH IS CONNECTING THE EAST END OF THE
[00:50:05]
PROJECT 4 ON SAND RIDGE ROAD AND RUNS TO COUNTY ROAD -- NIGHT WORK CONTINUE WITH INSTALLATION OF STORM WATER STRUCTURES AND PIPES.THE CONTRACTOR'S PROJECT SCHEDULE REMAINS UNDER CONTENTION BY BOTH -- AND THE COUNTY. THIS PROJECT IS 44% PAID OUT AND -- OF THE TIME USED.
FOR PROJECT 6-B, CATHEDRAL PARKWAY, THE COUNTY TEAM AND THEIR DESIGNER CONTINUE TO HOLD BIMONTHLY STATUS MEETINGS.
THE CONTRACTOR CONTINUES TO WORK ON -- ITEMS THROUGHOUT THE CORRIDOR. THE PROJECT SCHEDULE REMAINS UNDER CONTENTION BY THE CONTRACTOR WITH 99% PAID OUT AND 122% TIME USED.
IN HAD SUPPORT OF ALL THIS WORK, WGI CONTINUES TO WORK ACROSS THE ENTIRE SPECTRUM. AS OF SEPTEMBER 2, 2025, THE PROGRAM HAS EXPANDED $138 MILLION. THIS CONCLUDES OUR UPDATE.
>> DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER BURKE?
>> WHAT DOES IT MEAN 103% OF TIME ELAPSED? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
>> THAT MEANS -- SAY IF YOU HAD A SCHEDULE OF 100 DAYS, THEY'RE NOW AT 103 DAYS.
>> SO, BUT -- OKAY. SO -- BUT, I MEAN, IT'S NOT NEAR DONE.
SO, LIKE -- SO, THAT'S NOT -- 100% DOESN'T MEAN HOW LONG IT TAKES TO ACTUALLY GET THE PRODUCT DONE I GUESS.
>> IT'S THE CONTRACTURAL PERFORMANCE PHASE.
LATE. >> SO, THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE DONE ALREADY, THIS WHOLE PROJECT?
>> AS FAR AS THE PROJECT IS CONCERNED, YES.
WHAT THAT IS? >> MAYBE KOURTNEY CAN GIVE SOME GUIDANCE ON THIS BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN UNDER CONTENTION FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. AND WE -- YOU WOULD BE BETTER SERVED TO ADDRESS THIS CONCERN.
BUT 44% PAID OUT, BUT YOU'RE WELL PAST YOUR SCHEDULED COMPLETION.
>> WE ALSO HAVE JASON MADDUX HERE.
>> OKAY. SO, WITH THE SCHEDULE BEING IN CONTENTION, IT JUST MEANS THAT THE CONTRACTOR IS REQUESTING ADDITIONAL DAYS, WHETHER THEY FEEL THAT THEY WERE DELAYED FOR SOME REASON OR ANOTHER, WHETHER IT'S PERMITTING OR WHETHER OF THE GET STARTED.
SO, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE NEGOTIATING. SO, THE 103% OF THE DAYS USED WERE FROM THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT.
AND WE ARE STILL NEGOTIATING WITH THEM ON WHAT THAT ACTUAL START DATE SHOULD BE BASED ON DELAYS, WHETHER THEY WERE CAUSED BY PERMITTING OR CAUSED BY SOMETHING OTHER THAN SOMETHING THAT THEY COULD NOT CONTROL. SO, ONCE THAT ALL GETS WORKED OUT, BETWEEN OUR NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN US AND THE CONTRACTOR AND THE COUNTY, THEN THE SCHEDULE DAYS MAY CHANGE, AND THEN THAT WILL PROBABLY ALL FALL
BACK INTO PLACE. >> BUT THE CONTRACTOR SAID THAT THIS PROJECT SHOULD HAVE ALL BEEN DONE BY
NOW. >> THAT WAS BASED ON THE ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT THAT WE SIGNED WITH THEM. AND THEN OTHER THINGS HAVE HAPPENED, WHETHER IT'S WITH WEATHER DELAYS OR PERMITTING OR WHATEVER.
AND SO -- AND I DON'T KNOW THE ACTUAL SPECIFICS OF THIS ONE. BUT ONCE THEY'RE -- ONCE THE AMENDMENT TO THE CONTRACT IS MADE BASED ON THE NEGOTIATED TIME THAT WE ARE GRANTING THEM, THOSE DAYS SHOULD COME BACK FROM 103%, BE MORE IN LINE WITH WHAT'S PAID OUT.
>> SO, DO THEY GET PENALIZED THEN EVENTUALLY?
>> IT COULD. IT DEPENDS -- YOU KNOW, ONCE THE CONTRACT IS AMENDED AND THE DAYS THAT WE ARE NEGOTIATED AND AGREED UPON, IF THEY GO BEYOND THOSE DAYS, THEN THERE COULD BE LIQUIDATED DAMAGES THINGS LIKE THAT. AND IT'S BASED ON COST PER DAY.
>> SO, WHAT IS THE ESTIMATE NOW OF WHEN IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE COMPLETED THEN?
>> I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION RIGHT NOW. BUT I CAN GET IT FOR YOU.
I THINK THAT SHOULD BE ON THIS REPORT.
>> WELL, ONE REASON IT'S NOT THERE, COMMISSIONER, IS WEWE COMPLETED THE NEGOTIATION OF TIME EXTENSION.
>> THAT'S TRUE. WE WON'T KNOW THE ACTUAL DATE UNTIL THE NEGOTIATED DAYS ARE COMPLETED.
>> SO, WHEN WILL THAT BE DONE?
>> YEAH. WE'RE WORKING -- WE'RE NOT WANTING TO GIVE UP THE GROUND, AND THEY AREN'T EITHER.
SO, WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH IT.
[00:55:02]
>> I -- I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYBODY WORKING ON RUSSELL IN A WHILE. MAYBE THEY'RE ON THE SAND RIDGE.
>> THEY'RE IN THE AREA BETWEEN SAND RIDGE AND 209- B, BACK IN THE WOODS MOSTLY.
KIND OF RIGHT THERE WHERE IT CONNECTS TO SAND RIDGE --
>> THEY'RE IN THERE. AND THERE'S A LOT OF DRAINAGE WORK GOING ON. I KNOW IT'S A VERY WET AREA, TOO. SO, THEY'RE HAVING TO DO A LOT OF DE- WATERING AND THINGS LIKE
SO, IT'S SUPPOSED TO ALREADY BE DONE. THAT'S CRAZY.
OKAY. I KNOW IT'S NOT Y'ALL. MAYBE THEY NEED TO GET MORE PEOPLE WORKING OUT THERE. YOU WOULD THINK WE WOULD SEE MORE STUFF HAPPENING.
>> THE FIRST PART IS ALWAYS THE LONGEST PART BEFORE YOU START TO SEE ANYTHING. ONCE THEY GET --
>> OH, NO, WE'VE BEEN IN THE FIRST PART FOR A LONG TIME.
OH, NO. IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME.
WORK. >> YOU EXPECT TO SEE MORE, RIGHT?
>> ONCE THE UNDERGROUND STUFF GETS DONE, THAT'S WHEN IT WILL START COMING TOGETHER. BUT I
UNDERSTAND. >> DID YOU HAVE YOUR CONCERN ADDRESSED IN THAT -- IN THE ANSWER? I DIDN'T WANT TO SKIP OVER YOU.
>> THANK YOU. I'M NOT GOING TO SAY ANYTHING.
>> OKAY. COMMISSIONER RENNINGER.
>> WELL, MY QUESTION IS, WHILE WE'RE POINTING FINGERS, IS CONSTRUCTION ONGOING?
>> SO, WE HAVEN'T STOPPED ANYTHING WHILE WE --
>> OKAY. >> KOURTNEY, WAS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANTED TO ADD TO THAT ABOUT
]. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR WORK ON THE BTP, ON THE TRANSPORTATION PROJECT? I WILL JUST GIVE YOU GUYS AN UPDATE. THERE WAS A -- THERE WAS A PETITION STARTED ONLINE BY A BUSINESS OWNER ON 218 REQUESTING A CHANGE TO THE PROJECT THERE. SO, IN ED'S ABSENCE, CARLOS AND AND RICHARD -- AND I GUESS THAT WAS JUST ABOUT ALL. AND WE HAD A NICE TEAMS CALL.
WE'VE COME UP WITH A POTENTIAL SOLUTION. SO, WE ARE WORKING ON IT.
AND ED WILL BRING IT BACK TO US AT A FUTURE DATE TO SEE IF IT -- THEY AREN'T REALLY SURE IT'S GOING TO CHANGE THE PROJECT ANY.
BUT OBVIOUSLY IT WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE THE CONTRACT.
SO, IT MAY NOT ADD TO THE COST, THOUGH.
RICHARD REALLY DID A GREAT JOB OF BEING CREATIVE.
SO, AT ANY RATE, JUST AS WE MOVE FORWARD, THERE COULD BE A CHANGE TO THAT PROJECT.
WE MAY DECIDE NOT TO CHANGE IT. BUT I DID WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE AWARE OF THE PETITION. I TALKED TO THE BUSINESS OWNER FOR QUITE A WHILE THE NIGHT THAT SHE STARTED THE PETITION. SO, WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER TO TRY TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION.
>> WHAT PETITION? I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT A
PETITION. >> IT WAS EMAILED TO ME THROUGH CHANGE.ORG, AND IT'S ONLINE ASKING -- IT TAGS ME DIRECTLY, AND IT IS ASKING US TO CHANGE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE --
>> MEDIAN. >> -- MEDIAN SO THAT THERE IS ACCESS INTO HER BUSINESS.
>> I THINK THAT SHOULD COME TO THE COMMISSION SOMEHOW BEFORE WE EXECUTE SOME KIND OF --
>> IT WILL. THAT'S WHAT I'M -- I'M JUST INFORMING YOU THAT WE'RE AWARE OF THE PETITION IS OUT THERE AND THAT --
COMMISSIONER IS -- >> I KNOW, I KNOW.
>> WE'RE ALREADY TAKING ACTION.
>> NO, WE HAVEN'T TAKEN ACTION.
OKAY. COMMISSIONER RENNINGER, I CANNOT VIOLATE SUNSHINE BY TELLING YOU THAT THIS CAME. I'M INFORMING YOU NOW IN THE SUNSHINE THAT THIS PETITION CAME TO ME, AND I ASKED STAFF, AS YOU WOULD DO IN YOUR DISTRICT, I ASKED STAFF IF WE COULD COME UP WITH A PROPROSED SOLUTION TO COME TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS SO THAT WE COULD ENTERTAIN IF WE WANT TO DO ANYTHING TO SOLVE THIS BUSINESS OWNER'S ISSUE. I DID NOTHING THAT COST THE COUNTY ANY MONEY, AND I DID NOTHING THAT YOU WOULDN'T DO AS A COMMISSIONER FOR SOMETHING IN YOUR OWN DISTRICT. AND THIS IS IN MY DISTRICT. SO, IF YOU TAKE ISSUE WITH THAT, I APOLOGIZE. BUT I'M NOT GOING TO VIOLATE THE LAW TO VIOLATE THE SUNSHINE, AND I'M INFORMING THE PUBLIC AND MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS THAT I HAVE ASKED STAFF TO COME BACK WITH A PROPOSAL. SO, I APOLOGIZE THAT YOU FEEL OFFENDED BY THAT, BUT I'M TELLING YOU THAT --
>> I THINK ANY COMMISSIONER CAN DO THAT FOR THINGS IN THEIR DISTRICT. DO ALL OF YOU NOT CALL STAFF AND ASK QUESTIONS WHEN SOMETHING -- WHEN A CONSTITUENT CALLS YOU AND ASKS YOU A QUESTION? AND YOU GO TO STAFF LOOKING FOR AN ANSWER.
>> ARE WE NOT ABLE TO HAVE THE PETITION SENT TO US
[01:00:02]
POSSIBLY?>> IT'S ON CHANGE.ORG. I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO GIVE IT TO YOU.
>> THE CHANGE. ORG PEOPLE EMAILED IT TO ME BECAUSE IT TAGS ME DIRECTLY BECAUSE I'M HER COMMISSIONER. I DON'T -- I DON'T CONTROL CHANGE.ORG. I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW -- SO, OBVIOUSLY I HAVEN'T DONE SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL WANT ME TO DO.
I -- I CAN'T FORWARD IT TO YOU BECAUSE THAT VIOLATES THE SUNSHINE. I COULD SEND IT --
>> YOU COULD SEND IT TO TERESA, AND SHE COULD FORWARD IT TO US.
>> SHE'S A CONDUIT TO VIOLATE THE SUNSHINE. I'M INFORMING YOU AT A MEETING.
IT WASN'T SENT TO COMMISSIONERS AT CLAY COUNTY GOV.COM.
IT WAS SENT TO MY CLAY COUNTY EMAIL, WHICH IS PUBLIC RECORD.
IF SOMEBODY FEELS LIKE I DID WRONG, I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO TELL YOU. BUT I -- I'M CHOOSING TO INFORM YOU OF THIS AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME, WHICH IS IN THE BONDED TRANSPORTATION UPDATE. I THOUGHT THAT WAS APPROPRIATE.
>> ARE THERE OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE BONDED TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM?
>> SWITCHING TO CAPITAL PROJECT WITH AN UPDATE FROM ALL SEVEN DIRECTORS -- DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF CAPITAL PROJECTS, RICHARD SMITH, HERE TO MY RIGHT, DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING, ERIC POPE, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, JUSTIN PIERCE, THE DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION, TEDDY MEYERS, THE DIRECTOR OF TOURISM, GENE PRICE -- AND ERIK JONES, DIRECTOR OF GROUNDS AND MAINTENANCE, AS WELL AS MYSELF, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF COUNTY PROJECTS. THE LIST OF 262 PROJECTS, AS COMPILED BY VERONICA -- OUR CAPITAL PROJECT CONTROL SPECIALIST. IN GENERAL TERMS -- LIST OF WORKDAY ITEMS AS OF SEPTEMBER 3, 2025, 59 ARE DIRECT PURCHASE ITEMS, LIKE BUNKER -- AS AN EXAMPLE. LIKE 46 ARE FURNISHED INSTALL ITEMS, LIKE BLEACHERS AS AN EXAMPLE. AND 157 ARE THE TRUE PROJECTS THAT TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION CONCEP CONCEPT CONCEPTUALIZATION -- PUBLIC SAFETY BOND UPDATE.
OUR TARGET PART OF THE BOND COVENANT IS TO SPEND 65 MILLION BY JUNE 2027. SO FAR TO DATE, THE COUNTY HAS SPENT 11.4 MILLION OR 17% OF THE 65 MILLION.
THE TEAM WILL CONTINUE TO GAUGE AND MITIGATE OUR SPENDING RISKS EACH MONTH. I WILL REPORT ON THE VERTICAL PROJECT ASSET, AND RICHARD SMITH WILL REPORT ON THE HORIZONTAL PROJECT ASSET AS MOVED FORWARD.
THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BUILDING. THIS PROJECT CONSISTS OF A TWO STORY, 34,000-SQUARE-FEET FACILITY LOCATED AT 633 NORTH ORANGE AVENUE, WHICH WILL HOUSE THE MAJORITY OF THE THIRD FLOOR STAFF.
AS OF AUGUST 28, CONSTRUCTION IS 63% COMPLETE AND REMAINS ON SCHEDULE FOR SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION IN FEBRUARY 2026. NEXT ITEM, TAX COLLECTOR OFFICE, ORANGE PARK.
THIS PROJECT CONSISTS OF INTERIOR DEMOLITION, AND REMODEL OF 8,000 SQUARE FEET OF SHOPPING CENTER SPACE. THE NEW COMPLEX WILL BE LOCATED AT 518 KINGSLEY AVENUE IN ORANGE PARK. THE PROJECT IS 90% COMPLETE, AND WE ANTICIPATE FINAL COMPLETION BY TEND OF THIS MONTH. -- THIS PROJECT CONSISTS OF SEVERE DEMOLITION AND REMODEL OF 1,750-SQUARE- FEET FACILITY.
THE BUILDING IS LOCATED AT 115 NORTHEAST COMMERCIAL CIRCLE.
THIS PROJECT IS CURRENTLY 70% COMPLETE.
NEXT ITEM, FIRE STATION ONE. THIS PROJECT CONSISTS OF CONSTRUCTING A NEW 17,700-SQUARE- FEET FIVE-BAY FIRE STATION LOCATED IN MIDDLE BURG OFF OLD -- AND BRANDON MILL BOULEVARD. THE GROUNDBREAKING IS ANTICIPATED TO BE IN EARLY OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR. CONSTRUCTION IS EXPECTED TO TAKE APPROXIMATELY 14 MONTHS, WHICH WILL PUT THE PROJECT
[01:05:04]
COMPLETION ESTIMATED DECEMBER 2026.NEXT AND FINAL ITEM, BUILDING 500 BUILDOUT.
THIS PROJECT CONSISTS OF BUILDING OUT UNFINISHED GRAY SPACE LOCATED WITHIN THE FACILITY.
THE BUILDOUT WILL GIVE THE CLAY COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE SOME MUCH- NEEDED TRAINING SPACE, COMFORT ROOM, AND OFFICE SPACES.
THE PROJECT IS CURRENTLY AT 90% DESIGN. I'LL NOW TURN IT OVER TO RICHARD, DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING.
>> THANK YOU. ON THE ROADWAY SIDE OF THINGS, WORK IS CONTINGENT ON 220. IT'S SLIGHTLY AHEAD OF SCHEDULE, BUT DON'T SHARE THAT WITH ANYONE.
EVEN IN THE SUNSHINE. BUT IT IS GOING VERY WELL, ACCORDINGLY. AND LAKESHORE DRIVE, 220, THAT INTERSECTION, YOU'LL START SEEING -- THEY'RE GOING TO BE MILLING AND RESURFACING IN TWO WEEKS. THEY'LL BE DOING THAT WORK AT NIGHT. IT'S THE FINAL BUILDING AND RESURFACING. THAT PROJECT SCHEDULED TO BE COMPLETE IN FEBRUARY. IF WE GET A BREAK WITH WEATHER, COULD BE FINISHED SOONER.
BUT THERE IS ALSO SOME MECHANICAL AND INTELLECTUAL COMPONENTS GOING ON WITH THE SIGNAL THERE.
BUT THE WORK ON THE ROAD, YOU'LL SEE SOME NIGHTTIME LANE CLOSURES.
BE CAREFUL DRIVING AT NIGHT THROUGH THERE.
SLOW DOWN. AND IT'S NOT A WELL- LIT AREA. JUST BE PATIENT.
THE BIG THING WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IS WE'RE PAVING OVER 25 DIRT ROADS SIMULTANEOUS RIGHT NOW.
WE STARTED WITH MELROSE ROAD. THE FIRST PHASE OF IT WAS COMPLETED LAST WEEK. WE NOW HAVE 25 ROADS IN THE COUNTY ROAD 215 AREA THAT ARE BEING PREPARED, AND PAVING OPERATIONS ACTUALLY BEGAN TODAY ON SOME OF THEM.
THAT WORK WILL BE THE FINAL PAVING CEILING AND STRIPING OF THE ROADS, INCLUDING MELROSE ROAD SHOULD BE COMPLETED THE IN ABOUT 30 TO 45 DAYS.
WE'RE PUTTING OUT VIDEO SIGNS, VIDEO BOARDS, TOMORROW TO WARN THE DRIVERS IN THE SESAME STREET AREA THAT WORK WILL BEGIN THERE. WE'VE GOT ESAME STREET AND NORTH ROAD, NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH OTHER ROADS NAMED NORTH ROAD. WE HOPE TO HAVE ALL OF THIS COMPLETED IN THE NEXT FOUR TO SIX WEEKS.
TAKE A REAL GOOD LOOK AT THAT WITH ESPECIALLY THE COMMISSIONERS WHOSE DISTRICTS ARE DIRECTLY INVOLVED.
SEE IF THAT'S THE QUALITY OF WORK WE WANT FOR THESE LOW AVERAGE DAILY TRIP ROADS, 500 TO 1,000 TRIPS A DAY OR LESS, IF THAT'S SOMETHING WE WANT TO DO. IT REALLY TAKES A LOT OF WORK, EFFORT, AND SAVINGS FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WITH THE GREATER COSTING OVER $400,000, WE WOULD LIKE TO REDUCE HOW MANY OF THOSE WE NEED IN THE FUTURE. SPENCER INDUSTRIAL DRIVE IS A NEW ROAD THAT WILL SERVE IKO, THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH A DEO GRANT, DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL OPPORTUNITY GRANT.
THAT PROJECT IS GOING VERY WELL, AND WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN THE WORK FOR THE WIDENING OF 218 ON SEPTEMBER 17. SO, LOOK FOR THAT COMING UP IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS. COMMUTERS OVER IN THE 301/218 AREA. AND THAT SHOULD CONCLUDE -- THAT'LL GO THROUGH OCTOBER. FDOT UPDATE ONON STATE HIGHWAYS -- THEY'RE PUTTING IN THE DRILL SHAFTS FOR ALL OF THE NEW SIGNALS THAT ARE GOING TO BE INSTALLED THERE. IT'S SCHEDULED FOR COMPLETION IN THE SUMMER OF '26. BIG NEWS OVER THERE IS WE'RE PUTTING -- HOPEFULLY BY OCTOBER 10, WE WANT TO BEGIN RESURFACING ORANGE PARK NORTHWAY, WHICH IS THE RING ROAD AROUND THE MALL, THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF IT IS THAT COUNTY- OWNED PROPERTY THREE WEEKS OR SO.
THAT SHOULD FACILITATE THE DRIVERS THAT ARE TRYING TO AVOID THAT INTERSECTION, GIVE THEM A BETTER DETOUR ROUTE. WE WANT TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION, NOT PART OF THE PROBLEM.
SO, WE WANT TO GET IT DONE NOW BEFORE THE REALLY BIG LANE CLOSURE AND THAT TYPE OF WORK STARTS. SO, WORK IS -- WORK WILL BEGIN ON SEPTEMBER 29TH IN FRONT OF THE BOARD MEETING BUILDING HERE. THAT WILL GO ON FOR 18 TO 24 MONTHS FROM BLACK CREEK BRIDGE RESURFACING REHABILITATION OF U.S. 17. EXPECT MOST HAD OF THAT WORK WILL BE DONE AT NIGHT.
STILL EXPECT DELAYS, LANE CLOSURES.
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOME MEDIANS PUT UP, SOME PERMANENT
[01:10:01]
BARRIERS IN THE DOWNTOWN GREEN COVE AREA THAT WILL PREVENT SOME LEFT TURN MOVEMENTS BUT ENHANCE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY.AND ON OUR VERY HIGH- PROFILE PROJECT, SUNDAY NIGHT, SEPTEMBER 14, THEY WILL BEGIN THE FINAL RESURFACING OF 17 FROM EAGLE HARBOR DOWN TO -- PLAIN. THIS INCLUDES OUR MUCH- ANTICIPATED REMOVAL OF THE WOODEN POLE IN THE CENTER OF 220 AND 17 AND THE STRIPING AND RESURFACING OF WATER OAK LANE.
SO, IT SHOULD LOOK A LOT DIFFERENT IN -- BY, SAY, THE END OF OCTOBER.
>> AND A RIGHT TURN LANE OUT OF WATER
THE RIGHT TURN LANE -- THAT ROAD GETS RESTRIPED AND RESURFACED THE FIRST -- UP TO THE FIRST INTERSECTION. SO, THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT ON THE ROADS. ANY QUESTIONS?
>> GREEN COVE FROM BLACK CREEK BRIDGE TO GREEN COVE, ISN'T THERE GOING TO BE AN INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENT AT 315 FROM THEM?
>> THEY'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING AT 315 ANYMORE?
>> 315, THAT IS A NEW INTERSECTION THAT WAS BUILT -- THE NEW SIGNAL AND ALL WAS BUILT. WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO REALLY LOOK AT WORKING ON THE COUNTY PORTION OF 315. THEY'LL RESURFACE JUST THE -- UP TO THE COUNTY RIGHT-OF- WAY, WHICH IS MAYBE AT THE END OF THE CURVE OF THE RADIUSES, AS THEY COME IN.
WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT TO KIND OF FACILITATE GETTING --
>> I THOUGHT THEY WERE DOING SOMETHING THERE BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE COMPLAINING THAT THEY DON'T HAVE A LEFT TURN LANE RIGHT THERE.
ARE WE NOT ABLE TO DO ANYTHING
ABOUT THAT? >> THERE'S A LEFT TURN LANE.
THERE'S NOT A RIGHT LEFT LANE.
>> GOING FROM 315 TO GO LEFT TO GO
THERE'S A LEFT TURN LANE AND THERE'S A THROUGH/RIGHT
LANE. >> I THOUGHT IT WAS SINGLE LANE.
>> IF YOU'RE PASSING BY WINN- DIXIE 315 TRYING TO TURN LEFT ON 17, THERE'S ONLY ONE
LANE. >> WELL, WHEN IT'S RESTRIPED, THEY WILL STRIPE OUT A LEFT TURN LANE IS WHAT I'M SAYING. IT'S THERE NOW.
IT'S JUST NOT NOTICEABLE. WE'VE GOT WORK ON THE COUNTY SIDE OF IT TO TRY TO AT LEAST GET A LANE ADDED TO THE SPEEDWAY SERVICE STATION ENTRANCE.
>> BECAUSE THE CLOG UP THERE IS FOLKS NOT ABLE TO TURN RIGHT.
TWO OR THREE CARS GET IN THE LEFT TURN LANE TO TURN LEFT, AND THEY CAN'T TURN --
>> WELL, IT'S COMING FROM CATHEDRAL OAKS
THE BACKUP IS THE FOLKS NOT ABLE TO DO A FREE- FLOWING RIGHT TURN. SO, WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO FACILITATE THAT.
>> OKAY. I DISAGREE, BUT THAT'S FINE WITH ME.
>> I MEAN, THEY'VE GOT TO GO TO JACKSONVILLE.
>> BUT THEY DON'T WORK OUTSIDE OF THEIR RIGHT-OF-WAY.
THEY'RE DOING IT AT 209, SO I THINK THESE PEOPLE THOUGHT THEY WERE GOING TO FIX THAT TOO.
SO YOU'RE SAYING THERE WILL BE A LANE THERE.
>> REMEMBER THAT'S PART OF PROJECT 6-A.
SO, WE'VE GOT THE DESIGN ALREADY
>> 315 IS. THE BOND AND TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM, 6-A.
>> BUT RICHARD THE PROBLEM IS THERE'S NO RIGHT-OF- WAY THERE BECAUSE THE TLC AND THE SPEEDWAY. SO, THERE'S NO EXTRA RIGHT-OF-WAY.
>> SO, HE'S SAYING SPEEDWAY IS GOING TO GIVE US -- WE'RE GOING TO WORK TO GET ANOTHER LANE.
YOU JUST SAID THERE'S GOING TO BE A LEFT TURN LANE. THAT'S ALL I CARE ABOUT. RIGHT? BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO STRIPE IT
THAT WAY. >> IT WILL BE A LEFT LANE AND A THROUGH LANE. WE'RE TRYING TO GET ENOUGH LAND AND SPACE TO BUILD A RIGHT TURN LANE.
>> NO, IT'S NOT IN THE BUDGET. THIS WILL BE SOMETHING THAT WE'VE GOT TO BRING UP AS IMPORTANT ENOUGH --
>> WELL, WE'VE ASKED DOT FOR HELP WITH THAT AREA. I KNOW THEY HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING YET.
>> THEY'VE BEEN -- THEY DID GIVE US 1.4 MILLION, WHICH WE SPENT ALL UP ON THE 209 AREA.
BUT -- WAS UPSET ABOUT THE BOTTLENECK ONTO 315 ALSO.
>> HE WAS UPSET ABOUT THE BOTTLENECK ON 315.
>> YEAH. IT'S -- WE'RE ASKING VERY
TWO QUESTIONS. NUMBER ONE, SO, THE COUNTY ROAD 220/LAKESHORE DRIVE, YOU MENTIONED MILLING AND RESURFACING. I KNOW EVENTUALLY ALL OF 220
[01:15:03]
FROM 17 OVER THE BRIDGE AT WHITEYS WILL BE RESURFACED.ARE THEY GOING TO MILL AND RESURFACE THE INTERSECTION FIRST? AND WHAT'S THE TIMELINE OF JUST, I GUESS, THE 220 REPAVING?
>> THEIR SCOPE IS FROM JUST EAST OF ARENA ROAD, PROBABLY NEARING THE FRONTAGE OF THE PROPOSED --
>> -- FIRE STATION PROJECT PARCEL DOWN TO BEYOND TURKEY
HILL. >> SO THEY'RE JUST GOING TO MILL AND REPAVE THAT FIRST?
>> CORRECT. AND THEN OUR CREWS WILL COME IN -- ONCE THEY'RE COMPLETE, ONCE EAST/WEST IS COMPLETE, WE'VE GOT THAT IN '25- '26 BUDGET. BEGINNING OCTOBER 1.
THAT PROJECT WILL BE SCHEDULED TO GO FROM 17 TO -- BRIDGE.
OKAY. AND THEN THE SECOND THING IS, THE 17 PROJECT AT EAGLE HARBOR PARKWAY AND THE 17/220 INTERSECTION, FIRST OFF I THINK IT'S FANTASTIC.
IT'S MUCH BETTER THAT THERE'S THAT DEDICATED RIGHT.
I NOTICED THAT THE PROJECTION IS TWO RIGHT-HAND TURN LANES.
DO WE HAVE A TIME LINE OF WHEN THAT WILL GO INTO EFFECT?
>> WE HOPE THAT'S COMPLETED WHEN THEY MOBILIZE ON
IT LOOKS LIKE THE -- IF YOU LOOK AT THE ROAD PAINTING, LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE GOING TO PUT THOSE TRAFFIC STANGSS AND ALMOST MAKE, LIKE, A BARRIER BETWEEN THE TWO RIGHT-HAND TURN LANES AND THE OTHER
THREE LANES. >> REMIND YOUR CONSTITUENTS, YOU CAN TURN RIGHT ON RED THERE AFTER STOPPING AND MAKING A SAFE GAP, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE RED ARROWS. I THINK WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO GET DOT TO ADD A SIGN, RIGHT TURN ON RED PERMITTED.
>> THANK YOU. >> OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE PROJECTS FOR RICHARD OR MARK OR ANY OF THE OTHER DIRECTORS? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, GUYS.
[37. Public Hearing on RG Ambulance Service, Inc., d/b/a Century Ambulance Service's Application for Renewal of a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for Ambulance Service (J. Boree)]
>> IT IS AFTER 5:00, SO I WILL MOVE TO OUR 5:00 TIME CERTAINS.
ITEM NUMBER 37 IS A PUBLIC HEARING ON RG AMBULANCE SERVICE, DBA CENTURY AMBULANCE SERVICE'S APPLICATION FOR RENEWAL OF THEIR CPCN. CHIEF BOREE.
>> GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS. WE'RE HERE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING FOR RENEWAL OF CPCN. I'LL HAVE A BRIEF STATEMENT TO READ FOR YOU GUYS.
THEN YOU CAN MOVE TO PUBLIC HEARING.
FLORIDA STATUTE DESIGNATES THAT COUNTIES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVISION OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES FOR CITIZENS.
CLAY COUNTY HAS -- CLAY COUNTY ORDINANCE CODE, ALSO KNOWN AS THE ORDINANCE, IN WHICH IT ESTABLISHED STANDARDS FOR ISSUING CERTIFICATES OF PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY, COPCNS. THE COUNTY RECEIVED AN APPLICATION FROM RG AMBULANC% SERVICE INCORPORATED, DBA -- REGUESTING THE REISSUE ANSWER OF A D, B, AND C. ISSUE ON SEPTEMBER 14TH OF 2023. THE ORDINANCE REQUIRES THAT THE FIRE CHIEF ANALYZE THE APPLICATION IN ORDER TO DETERMINE ONE, THE PUBLIC NEED FOR THE PROPOSED SERVICE IN THE GEOGRAPHICAL AREA REQUESTED, AND TWO, OTHER PERTINENT FACTS WHICH FIRE RESCUE DEPARTMENT DEEMS RELEVANT IN DETERMINING THE FITNESS OF THE APPLICANT TO RECEIVE A CERTIFICATE.
ALSO AS REQUIRED BY THE ORDINANCE, A COPY OF THE APPLICATION WAS TRANSMITTED -- THE COUNTY'S MEDICAL DIRECTOR, THE COUNTY'S OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET DIRECTOR. THEY WERE REQUESTED TO FURNISH RECOMMENDATIONS OR COMMENTS EITHER IN WRITING PRIOR TO THE PUBLIC HEARING OR IN PERSON AT TODAY'S HEARING. SO, THAT MAY BE PART OF YOUR DELIBERATIONS PRIOR TO ANY DECISION ON THE APPLICATION. TO DATE, WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY COMMENTS FROM ANY OF THE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES. THE COUNTY'S MEDICAL DIRECTORS REVIEWED THE APPLICATION, THE APPLICANT'S STANDARD OPERATING POLICIES, PROCEDURE, MEDICAL TREATMENT PROTOCOLS AS WELL AS THEIR EQUIPMENT LISTS, AND HAS PROVIDED A LETTER OF APPROVAL. SIMILARLY THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET'S DIRECTOR REVIEWED THE APPLICATION AND PROVIDED ANALYSIS OF THE FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS TO THE COUNTY.
FINALLY, THE FIRE CHIEF HAS REQUESTED BY ORDINANCE HAS PROVIDED A REVIEW OF THE APPLICATION FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. TODAY'S PUBLIC HEARING PROVIDES THE APPLICANT, CLAY COUNTY FIRE RESCUE, THE COUNTY'S MEDICAL DIRECTOR, ALL PRESENT CERTIFICATE HOLDERS IN EACH MUNICIPALITY TO BE HERE, BE HEARD, PRESENT EVIDENCE, CROSS-EXAMINATION WITNESS, AND PRESENT ARGUMENTS REGARDING THE APPLICATION. AT ITS CONCLUSION, YOU AS THE BOARD, UPON COMPETENT SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE PRESENT IT AT THE PUBLIC HEARING AS WELL AS THE FACTORS AND INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE APPLICATION AS REQUIRED BY SECTION 7.3-7 OF THE ORDINANCE, FIND WHETHER
[01:20:02]
THE RESIDENTS OF THE COUNTY WOULD BEST BE SERVED BY GRANTING THIS RENEWAL REQUEST SUBJECT TO ANY CONDITIONS AND/OR LIMITATIONS, OR BY DENYING THE APPLY CAUTION. THE APPLICANT HAS SUBMITTED AA APPLICATION AND EVERYTHING IS UP TO DATE. AND BACK TO YOU, MA'AM.>> OKAY. I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING . WOULD THE APPLICANT OR ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND BRING IT BACK
FOR ACTION. >> MADAM CHAIR, I HAVE A
>> I'M WONDERING IF IT'S FOR YOU OR MAYBE THE CHIEF. BUT WHEN WE ARE REVIEWING -- OR WHEN YOU HAVE TO REVIEW THE APPLICATION AND SUBMIT TO US WHETHER -- TO DETERMINE WHETHER WE NEED TO MOVE THIS DIRECTION, WHAT WOULD BE THE CIRCUMSTANCES WITHIN WHICH AN APPLICATION WOULD BE DENIED?
>> THERE COULD BE MANY REASONS. PROBABLY PERFORMANCE WOULD BE PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST. ANY ISSUES THAT WE MAY HAVE ENCOUNTERED WITH ONE OF THE PRIVATE SERVICES OR THE COPCN HOLDERS.
TO THIS DAY, WE HAVE HAD NO ISSUES.
>> OKAY. SO, PERFORMANCE. WHAT ELSE?
>> THE ORDINANCE LAYS OUT SPECIFIC LIST OF DOCUMENTS AND THINGS THAT CAN BE MADE AVAILABLE UPON THE APPLICATION FOR THE RENEWAL.
SO, ANYTHING THAT WAS NOT PROVIDED DURING THAT TIME FRAME AND WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PROVIDED UP TO TODAY'S MEETING COULD ALSO BE REASONS FOR DENIAL.
OKAY. SO, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD, DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY COPCNS WE HAVE IN CLAY?
>> YES, MA'AM. WE ACTUALLY HAVE QUITE A FEW. WE HAVE FOUR PRIVATE AMBULANCES, COMPANIES, COPCNS FOR PRIVATE AMBULANCE COMPANIES THAT ARE GROUND BASED.
I BELIEVE IN THE SPRING IT WAS WE APPROVED ONE FOR AN AIR AMBULANCE SERVICE. THE MUNICIPALITY OF THE TOWN OF ORANGE PARK ALSO HOLDS A COPCN. WE APPROVED ONE ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO FOR H CA OF FLORIDA FOR ORANGE PARK FOR THEM TO DO INTER-FACILITY TRANSPORTS BETWEEN THEIR FACILITIES. AND WE AS THE COUNTY ALSOALSO TO HOLD ONE. I BELIEVE -- IS THAT ABOUT EIGHTISH?
>> THAT'S EIGHT. THAT'S EIGHT.
>> OKAY. I THINK THAT SUFFICIENTLY ANSWERS MY QUESTIONS.
>> ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY SAYING
>> MOTION CARRIES 5-0. THANK YOU, CHIEF.
[38. 5:05 p.m. or as soon thereafter as can be heard - First Public Hearing - Adoption of Tentative Millage and Budget for FY 2025/2026 (R Kantor)]
WE ARE NOW PAST THE 5:05 OR SOON THEREAFTER, THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE ADOPTION OF TENTATIVE MILLAGE AND BUDGET FOR FY 2025/2026.>> YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A COPY OF THE PRESENTATION.
I'LL GO THROUGH IT SLIDE BY SLIDE.
BASICALLY BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT IS THE BUDGET'S BALANCED AS REQUIRED BY FLORIDA STATUTE. YOUR OVERALL BUDGET THIS YEAR IS ABOUT 779 MILLION. IF YOU REMOVE RESERVES OUT OF THAT, YOU'RE ABOUT 594 MILLION. WE DO HAVE 22 MILLION+ IN GENERAL FUND RESERVES.
SO, WE DO MEET THE REQUIREMENT FOR GFOA OR THE RECOMMENDATION -- RESERVES. YOU ARE CARRYING ABOUT 1.5 MILLION LESS IN GENERAL FUND RESERVES THAN YOU DID LAST YEAR, JUST AS A POINT.
AND YOUR CASH CARRY FORWARD ABOUT 83 MILLION LESS.
SO, QUICK BUDGET FACTS. JUST, AGAIN, LOOKING AT THE BUDGET -- WAS UP ABOUT 11%. THAT INCLUDES YOUR EXTRA . 2 MILLS FOR CONSERVATION, WHICH GENERATES ABOUT $4 MILLION. THE BLUE BOX KIND OF ILLUSTRATES THE GENERAL FUND. THE GENERAL FUND IS DOWN ABOUT
[01:25:02]
8.7% OR 8.5 MILLION. THE RED BOX ILLUSTRATES PUBLIC SAFETY. YOUR PRIMARY FUNCTION OF THE COUNTY IS LAW ENFORCEMENT, PUBLIC SAFETY. COMBINED, THAT'S ABOUT $168 MILLION OF OPERATING FOR THOSE TWO ENTITIES.AND THEN THE PURPLE BOX REPRESENTS WHAT YOUR OVERALL BUDGET ENDED UP AT AS FAR AS IF YOU TAKE RESERVES OUT OF IT. SO, IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR TOTAL TRANSFERS, EXPENSES, EVERYTHING, YOU'RE DOWN TO 594 MILLION, WHICH IS ABOUT AN 8.3% DECREASE OF THE BUDGET YEAR OVER YEAR. NEXT SLIDE.
>> SO, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE LOOK AT IS HOW DOES THE REVENUE COME IN? SO, YOU HAVE CASH CARRY FORWARD.
BUT NEW REVENUE COMING INTO THE COUNTY EACH YEAR.
THIS YEAR WE'RE GOING TO GENERATE ABOUT -- BASED ON THE BUDGET, WE'RE GOING TO GENERATE ABOUT 431 MILLION. OF THAT, ABOUT 171 MILLION COMES FROM -- SO 40% OF YOUR YOURBUDGET COMING FROM ADD VALOR M TAXES. -- AND YOU'LL SEE ME REPEAT THAT NUMBER SEVERAL TIMES TODAY. WHEN I TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET, 547 MILLION IS WHERE I'M AT BECAUSE THAT'S YOUR BUDGETED EXPENSES. THAT'S YOUR ANTICIPATED SPEND THIS NEXT YORE.EAR. ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT SO FAR? BREAKING DOWN YOUR VALOREM, LAW ENFORCEMENT CAN ONLY BE FUNDED OUT OF AD VALOREM.
THAT'S THE ONLY FUNDING YOU CAN PASS ON.
AND THEN FIRE CONTROL AND THEN THE GENERAL FUND.
ILLUSTRATED GENERAL FUND IS ABOUT 55 MILLION AD VOIR DIRE LORE M GOING INTO THAT AREA. BUT OF THAT ABOUT 43 MILLION IS YOUR CALLS FOR EMS IN THAT CALL CENTER THIS YEAR. PLUS YOU'RE DOING TWO TRANSFER TO FIRE CONTROL AND THE SHERIFF, MSTU.
SO, BASICALLY AT THE END OF THE DAY, EVERY DOLLAR THAT YOU HAVE AVAILABLE TO SPEND OUT OF AD VALOREM IS INTERESTING SPENT FOR IS LAW IMARY FUNCTION, WHICH - ENFORCEMENT. AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU GET 168 MILLION IN ADD VALOR M YOU CAN SPEND. IT'S NOT RELATED TO -- AND THIS EXPENSE IS ABOUT 168 MILLION. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THAT AT THE WORKSHOP, I WANT TO REITERATE THAT THAT IS HOW YOUR BUDGET'S LAID OUT. SO, TALKING ABOUT EXPENSES.
SO, AGAIN, THAT $547 MILLION NUMBER, WE KIND OF BREAK THAT DOWN INTO A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT AREAS.
SO, IT'S OPERATING, CAPITAL, AND THEN OTHER RESTRICTED FUNDS.
SO, FROM AN OPERATING STANDPOINT, THAT'S YOUR GENERAL FUND, TRANSPORTATION TRUST, SHERIFF, PUBLIC SAFETY, UNINCORPORATED MSTU. THOSE ARE REALLY YOUR OPERATING FUNDS. THE NUMBERS UP THERE AND THE PERCENTAGES REPRESENT WHAT PERCENTAGE IS THE OPERATING BUDGET. YOUR CAPITAL IS ABOUT 30%. AND THEN YOU HAVE OTHER FUNDS THAT ARE RESTRICTED TO CERTAIN PURPOSES.
I WILL POINT OUT FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS SLIDE, EMS IS A GENERAL FUND FUNCTION. BUT WE MOVED IT UNDER PUBLIC SAFETY SO THAT IT REPRESENTS THE ENTIRE PICTURE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. AND THAT'S NOTATED AT THE BOTTOM.
SO, STARTING WITH OTHER FUNDS OUT OF YOUR 547 MILLION, 104 OF THAT REALLY IS RESTRICTED TO SPECIFIC FUNCTIONS.
FOR EXAMPLE, HEALTH INSURANCE THAT WE COLLECT FROM INDIVIDUALS HAS TO BE USED TO PAY FOR THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE OUT OF A TRUST FUND. SOLID WASTE COLLECTION DISPOSAL HAS TO BE USED FOR SOLID WASTE. THE MONEY THAT COMES IN FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD FOR SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS HAS TO BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. SO, THESE ARE ALL YOUR RESTRICTED FUNDS THAT ARE TIED TO THESE PURPOSES. ANY QUESTIONS N THAT SLIDE? NOW WE'RE GOING TO PULL OUT AND LOOK AT CAPITAL FUND. OUT OF CAPITAL EXPENSES, 163 IN CIP IMPACT FEES, WHAT WE CLASSIFY AS CAPITAL COSTS.
OF THAT, 53 MILLION IS GOING TO TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS.
ABOUT 40 TO PUBLIC SAFETY. LIBRARY, BUILDING, DEPARTMENT, OTHER CAPITAL IS ABOUT 27 MILLION. PARKS AND REC IS ABOUT 18 MILLION. REMEMBER THAT'S YOUR IMPACT FEE FOR PARKS PLUS THE MATCH THAT YOU HAVE TO DO TO BRING YOUR PARKS UP TO COMPLIANCE THAT YOU ADOPTED IN YOUR IMPACT STUDY. OF COURSE WE HAVE THE PAYMENTS FOR THE BONDS THE IN THERE BECAUSE YOU ARE PAYING THOSE EACH YEAR. AND THEN THE LAST PIECE TO LOOK AT IS THE GENERAL FUND. GENERAL FUND IS ABOUT $889 MILLION. THAT'S WHERE I USUALLY SAY THIS IS WHERE YOU GUYS HAVE THE MOST CONTROL BECAUSE THIS IS THE GREEN MONEY THAT YOU CAN
[01:30:01]
SPEND ANYWHERE. HOWEVER, SOME OF THESE ARE REQUESTS THAT THE COUNTY DOESN'T CONTROL. FOR EXAMPLE, YOUR AID TO OTHERS, PART OF THAT IS YOUR MEDICARE PAYMENT THAT YOU'RE REQUIRED TO MADE BY FLORIDA STATUTE.WE DON'T HAVE A CHOICE TO MAKE THAT PAYMENT.
TO YOUR CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS. A LOT OF THOSE ARE -- YOU KNOW, THEIR BUDGETS ARE SUBMITTED TO THE STATE. THEY SUBMIT TO THE STATE. TAX COLLECTOR, PROPERTY APPRAISER. WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY.
HEALTH DEPARTMENT. AGAIN, WHILE YES, THIS IS YOUR GENERAL FUND, THERE'S STILL THINGS THAT ARE RESTRICTED EVEN INSIDE THE GENERAL FUND THAT YOU HAVE TO DO BY STATUTE OR BY, YOU KNOW, POLICY.
>> WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT FUNDS BEING EARMARKED WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND, HOW MUCH OF THIS 89. 9 IS THEN LEFT TO BE FLEXIBLE AMONG THE COMMISSION?
>> IF I CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, I THINK I CAN KIND OF POINT IT OUT. IT'S IN A SPREADSHEET FORM. THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS YOU YEAR OVER YEAR THE GENERAL FUND. GENERAL FUND WAS REDUCED BY ABOUT 8.7%. THIS KIND OF SHOWS YOU WHERE THOSE COME IN. THE ONES YOU REALLY HAVE DIRECT CONTROL OVER IS ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES. SO, THAT'S PAYING FOR, YOU KNOW, YOUR BUDGET OFFICE, PURCHASING OFFICE, COUNTY ATTORNEY, COUNTY AUDITOR, COUNTY MANAGER, GRANTS.
THOSE CORE BUSINESS UNITS OF THE COUNTY.
AID TO OTHERS, YOU HAVE A LITTLE FLEXIBILITY IN AID TO OTHERS. PART OF THAT IS MEDICARE.
OR THAT'S YOUR SOLID WASTE EXEMPTION. YOU COULD, AGAIN, INFLUENCE THE SOLID WASTE EXEMPTION. CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS, YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY THERE. MAYBE A LITTLE BIT, BUT NOT A LOT.
CRAS, YOU ADOPTED THE TWO CRAS. YOU DON'T HAVE ANY FLEXIBILITY THERE. CONSTRUCTION FACILITIES AND MAINTENANCE. THAT'S YOUR CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION DEPARTMENT. THE -- FACILITIES DEPARTMENT, GROUNDS AND MAINTENANCE. SO, YOU HAVE FLEXIBILITY IN THAT ONE. GRANT SPENDING IS THE DEDICATED GRAND SPENDING OF OUR ARPA OPIOIDS COMING IN. THAT'S MONEY YOU BROUGHT IN AND YOU HAVE TO SPEND THAT WHERE IT'S SET UP.
HEALTH DEPARTMENT. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S STATUTORILY REQUIRED, BUT THAT'S -- YOU KNOW, WE PUT IN 1 MILLION. THEY PUT IN 4 MILLION. SERVICES PROVIDED BY OTHERS, YOU HAVE FLEXIBILITY THERE.
THAT'S TO A CERTAIN EXTENT BECAUSE THAT'S JTA AND AGING TRUE PRIMARILY. SO, YOU COULD REDUCE THOSE SERVICE. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, COMMUNICATIONS, AND IT SHOULD SAY FIRE ADMIN, THAT'S A GENERAL FUND FUNCTION. SO, YES, YOU HAVE FLEXIBILITY THERE. QUALITY OF LIFE IS PARKS, LIBRARIES, ANIMAL SERVICES.
YOU HAVE FLEXIBILITY THERE. NEXT ONE IS I.T.
THAT'S YOURS. AND THEN FLEET AND FUEL IS -- YOU HAVE CONTROL OVER. SO, I THINK THAT KIND OF ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
>> I DON'T HAVE A TOTAL -- YEAH.
I DON'T HAVE A TOTAL OF THOSE, BUT ROUGHLY OF 89 MILLION, YOU CAN TAKE THE 20 MILLION OFF THE TOP, GRANT -- IT'S 2023 -- PROBABLY 30 MILLION OF THAT, ROUGHLY, IF I TAKE AID TO OTHERS.
I'M DOING QUICK MATH HERE WITHOUT HAVING A CALCULATOR.
20 PLUS 4 OF THE AID TO OTHERS PLUS GRANT SPENDING PLUS HEALTH DEPARTMENT. YEAH, YOU'RE PROBABLY CLOSE TO
30. >> $30 MILLION OF DISCRETIONARY
SPENDING. >> 30 MILLION OF NON- DISCRETIONARY SPENDING.
-- IN THE GENERAL FUND THAT YOU REALLY HAVE ULTIMATE FLEXIBILITY WITH.
>> MADAM CHAIR, IF I CAN HELP OUT.
IT'S 59.4, AND THAT'S AS ROUGH AS YOU CAN GET.
>> THERE YOU GO. I'M VERY GOOD ON PUBLIC MATH.
>> SO, I MEAN, YOU KNOW -- THAT'S THE POINT.
THE BUDGET THAT WE'RE PRESENTING TODAY, HOWARD, REJ, MYSELF, DEBBIE, THE TEAM, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, THE OTHER CONSTITUTIONALS, THIS IS A LEAN BUDGET. I MEAN, NO ONE'S GOING TO TELL YOU THAT THIS ISN'T A LEAN BUDGET. THIS IS A LEAN -- A LEAN BUDGET.
AND IF YOU GO TO THE LAST SLIDE, AND THEN I'LL BE -- IF THERE'S ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. REALLY, THE LAST SLIDE -- AND I APOLOGIZE, IT LOOKS LIKE THE FORMATTING JUMPED A LITTLE BIT ON THIS COMPUTER VERSUS WHAT I HAD.
DOLLARS SIGNS JUMPED A LITTLE BIT.
BASICALLY WE WERE ASKED TO ROLL UP THE NUMBERS TO FUNCTIONAL AREAS.
SO, SHERIFF'S AFS, 110 MILLION IS THE OPERATING.
THERE ARE, LIKE, 5 MILLION FOR SROS.
THAT'S A PASS THROUGH. WE WERE TRYING TO SHOWAL ALL THE
[01:35:03]
EXPENSES. PUBLIC SAFETY HAS CAPITAL, HAS GENERAL FUND. YOU CAN KIND OF SEE HOW THE BUDGET BREAKS DOWN. THIS ACCOUNTS AND THESE FUNCTIONAL AREAS FOR THE ENTIRE $547 MILLION, WHICH I THINK WAS THE REQUEST THAT WE WERE GIVEN. SO, AT THIS POINT I'M WILLING TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. ON THE LAST PAGE JUST TO REITERATE THAT. I THINK IF YOU WERE TO LOOK AT IT WITHOUT ANY CONTEXT -- SO, ON THE LAST PAGE YOU MENTIONED THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
IT INCLUDES THE SRO BUDGET, GRANTS, CASH CARRY FORWARD.
SAME THING WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
THAT'S MORE OF JUST A BIG PICTURE OF EVEN PASS THROUGHS BECAUSE IT'S NOT REALLY THEIR BUDGET SO TO SPEAK.
>> I WANT TO SEPARATE REVENUES FROM EXPENSES.
CASH CARRY FORWARD IS A REVENUE, NOT AN EXPENSE.
YOU MAY USE THAT TO PAY FOR YOUR EXPENSES, BUT I WANT TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO MIX THOSE TERMINOLOGIES.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, YES. SO, LET'S TAKE THE EMS PUBLIC SAFETY OR THE SHERIFF OR ANYTHING REALLY.
YEAH, THERE'S GRANT DOLLARS IN THERE.
THERE'S PASS THROUGH MONEY. WHEN WE LOOK AT -- LET'S LOOK AT THE SHERIFF SINCE YOU BROUGHT THAT ONE UP.
5 MILLION OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE BUDGET IS PASS THROUGH MONEY FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD.
IT'S PART OF OUR 547. BUT AGAIN, BACK TO THAT RESTRICTED SLIDE, IT CAN ONLY BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE.
THE 411,000 OF OTHER FUNDS, THAT'S RESTRICTED.
THAT HAS VERY DEDICATED PURPOSES THAT IT CAN ONLY BE USED FOR. YOU HAD THE SAME THING UNDER YOUR CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS.
FOR THE COURT -- IN THE COURTSIDE -- RICK CAN SPEAK TO THIS -- YOU'VE GOT THE -- MONEY.
THAT'S GOT VERY SPECIFIC PURPOSES IT CAN BE USED FOR. WE CAN'T JUST USE THAT MONEY FOR ANYTHING. SO, YOU'VE GOT RESTRICTED FUNDS. YOUR CAPITAL IN ALL OF YOUR BUDGETS, SHERIFF, PUBLIC SAFETY, THAT INCLUDES IMPACT FEES. YOU ADOPTED AN IMPACT FEEFEE STUDY. THAT $8 MILLION CAN ONLY BE USED FOR CERTAIN THINGS. IT CAN'T JUST BE USED TO GO DO WHATEVER YOU WANT. AND THAT WAS PART OF WHAT YOU AS THE BOARD ADOPTED WHEN YOU ADOPTED THE IMPACT FEE.
I THINK THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
>> YOU MAKE A GOOD POINT TOO. ALSO JUST FOR THE PUBLIC, IMPACT FEES CAN ONLY BE USED FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION, CORRECT?
>> SO, FOR EXAMPLE -- I HATE TOTO USING SHERIFF AND FIRE.
THEY'RE THE TWO THAT WE -- YOU KNOW, THE SHERIFF CAN'T USE THAT TO SAY I'VE GOT 100 VEHICLES NOW AND I WANT TO REPLACE TEN OF THEM.
NO. THE SHERIFF HAS TO SHOW SHE WENT FROM 100 VEHICLES TO 102 VEHICLES OR THAT SHE BOUGHT A NEW PIECE OF EQUIPMENT FOR SERVING THE DEPARTMENT.
IT CAN'T BE A REPLACEMENT FIRE ENGINE. IT HAS TO BE A NEW FIRE ENGINE THAT'S EXPANDING CAPACITY. THAT'S THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THE IMPACT PIECE IS TO EXPAND CAPACITY. IN THAT NUMBER, THERE ARE THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE DEDICATED TO THOSE PURPOSES.
>> COMMISSIONER -- >> MADAM CHAIR, I HAVE A QUESTION AND A COMMENT. THE QUESTION CONCERNS BONDS. BTP HAS TO BE PAID OFF WHEN? I MEAN, WE'RE SPENDING 14 MILLION IN BOND PAYMENTS, AND I ASSUME THAT'S BOTH BONDS THAT WE TOOK
OUT. >> BOTH BONDS ARE THE 1414 MILLION. I DON'T KNOW -- REGGIE DO YOU KNOW WHEN -- I THINK BOTH OF THEM RUN ALL THE WAY TO SALES TAX, RIGHT?
>> THEY'RE TIDYING SALES TAX, WHICH SUN SETS IN 2039.
>> THE QUESTION -- OR THE COMMENT I HAVE IS, IF YOU GO TO THE SECOND TO THE LAST SLIE, OR MAYBE THE LAST SLIDE, DEPENDING WHICH PACKAGE YOU HAVE, JUST TO DRAW ATTENTION -- YOU SPOKE TO THE COMMENT OF A LEAN BUDGET. WHEN YOU LOOK AT CONSTRUCTION FACILITY MAINTENANCE, MINUS 24%, AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT QUALITY OF LIFE FOR CONSTITUENTS, MINUS 24%. I DON'T THINK THAT'S SUSTAINABLE, OKAY? SO, YEAH, YOU CAN DO THAT A YEAR OR TWO, BUT YOU'RE REALLY GOING TO SUFFER. THESE ARE THE ROOFS THAT LEAK THAT NOW -- YOU KNOW, TERMITES LIKE WOOD, BUT THEY REALLY LIKE WET WOOD, OKAY? SAME WAY WITH QUALITY OF LIFE.
I MEAN, THAT'S YOUR BOAT RAMPS, LIBRARIES, THE BOARDWALK THAT LUCKILY WE GOT A GRANT TO DO THAT. BUT THOSE ARE THE TYPE MAINTENANCE THINGS, QUALITY OF LIFE, THAT WE'RE REDUCING NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET BY 24%.
IT'S A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION. SO, YOU KNOW, WE -- THIS IS WHAT IT IS. BUT WE NEED TO LOOK TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM IN THE YEARS GOING FORWARD.
SO, AND YOU CAN DO IT TWO WAYS. ONE, INCREASE REVENUE OR CUT BACK SPENDING. AND WE'RE CUTTING BACK SPENDING. T IN MY OPINION, ISN'T GOING TO LAST FOR LONG.
>> OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? OKAY.
[01:40:03]
>> IF I MAY FOR ONE MOMENT, MA'AM.
>> YOU KNOW, THIS IS OUR FIRST BUDGET HEARING.
THIS HAS BEEN A DIFFERENT BUDGET SEASON THAN WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST WITH CARE AND ARPA. THE SHERIFFS OFFICE, VICKY HAS BEEN AWESOME AS FAR AS WORKING WITH. I HAVE TO COMPLIMENT VICKY AND THAT TEAM OVER THERE HELPING US GET TO WHERE WE'RE AT.
THE COUNTY DEPARTMENTS, THE ACMS. I MEAN, EVERY SINGLE DAY, YOU KNOW, REJ, DEBBIE AND I ARE GOING AND ASKING THEM, HEY, WHAT'S THIS PROJECT, LET'S CUT IT OUT, LET'S CHANGING E SOMETHING. I HAVE TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR WORK. AND THEN OF COURSE THE BUDGET STAFF HERE, DEBBIE, REJ, LISA. WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT THEM. THIS HAS BEEN A VERY INTERESTINGINTERESTING SEASON, BUT WE'VE MADE IT THROUGH. WE'VE GOT THIS HEARING AND ONE MORE, AND WE'LL GET READY TO START THE NEXT ONE.
UNFORTUNATELY I WILL SAY THE NEXT ONE, WE'LL BE DOWN ONE MEMBER OF OUR TEAM WHEN THAT HAPPENS BECAUSE THIS REG'S LAST BUDGET SEASON WITH US.
EXTENSION? >> HE SAID THAT WAS IN INVISIBLE INK AND IT'S NOT BINDING.
I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU.
>> HE WROTE IT IN PENCIL? COUNTY MANAGE R?
>> MADAM CHAIR, AND DITTO WHAT TROY SAID THERE.
THIS COMES TO A PORTION AND BEFORE THE PUBLIC HEARING IS OPEN HERE, YOU EACH RECEIVED A BUDGET BOOK.
AND THEN WHAT TROY HAS DONE HERE EARLIER IS JUST TO REALLY KIND OF CONDENSE IT DOWN TO THESE 12 SLIDES.
AND IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. SO, MY FINAL THANK YOU IS TO TROY. YOU PUT A LOT OF HARD WORK AND EFFORT TO GET US TO THIS POINT. SO, JUST READY FOR THE HEARING NOW, MADAM CHAIR.
>> I WILL NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR SEPTEMBER 9, 2025, FOR THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING FOR TENTATIVE BUDGET.
>> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS. -- COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS TRUTH IN MILLAGE. IT SETS FORTH SPECIFIC GUIDELINES FOR THE CALCULATION AND ADOPTION OF THE MILITARY AND THE ANNUAL BUDGET OF THE COUNTY AND ITS DEPENDENT DISTRICTS.
TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE REQUIRED TO ADOPT A MILITARY AND BUDGET. THIS IS THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING. IT WAS ADVERTISED ON THE NOTICE OF PROPOSED PROPERTY TAXES THAT WAS MAILED BY THE PROPERTY APPRAISER'S OFFICE. THE PROCESS REQUIRES THAT THE FIRST SUBSTANTIVE ISSUE DISCUSSED SHALL BE THE PERCENTAGE INCREASE IN MILLAGE OVER THE ROLLBACK RATE NECESSARY TO FUND THE BUDGET AND THE PURPOSES FOR WHICH AD OREM TAX REVENUES ARE ROLLED BACK.
THE 2025/2026 AGGREGATE MILLAGE RATE IS 8.
5854 MILLS, WHICH IS MORE THAN THE CURRENT YEAR AGGREGATE ROLLED BACK RATE OF 7. 9580 MILLS OR BY 7.88%. THE PROPOSED OPERATING MILLAGE RATES ARE BROKEN DOWN AS FOLLOWS. COUNTY SERVICES, 5. 5471 MILLS.
CONSERVATION LANDS PROGRAM, 0. 20 MILLS.
UNINCORPORATED SERVICES MSTU FUND, 0.
1477 MILLS. LAW ENFORCEMENT MSTU-4 FUND, 2. 4014 MILLS. FIRE CONTROL MSTU-8 FUND -- LAKE AS BURY MSBD, 0 MILLS. AND CHALLENGER CENTER, 3.
0 MILLIONS. REVENUES INCLUDING ESTIMATED CASH FORWARD HAVE BEEN UPDATED TO REFLECT THE MOST CURRENT AVAILABLE INFORMATION. THE CLAY COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MUST APPROVE THREE SEPARATE RESOLUTIONS AS PART OF THIS PUBLIC HEARING.
THE FIRST. THE FIRST ADOPTS THE TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATES FOR 20252026 -- THE SECOND RESOLUTION ADOPTS THE TENTATIVE BUDGETS FOR THE CLAY COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND THE LAKE AS BURY MSBD FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025/2026. THE THIRD AND FINAL RESOLUTION AS REQUIRED BY FLORIDA STATUTE -- OF THE FLORIDA STATUTES DESIGNATES CLAY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CENTER INC. AS THE RECIPIENT OF THE COUNTY ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUG ABUSE TRUST FUND FOR FISCAL YEAR
2025/2026. >> THE PUBLIC HEARING IS OPEN.
IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE FIRST
[01:45:03]
READING OF THE BUDGET? SEEING NONE, I WILL CLOSE -- DO I CLOSE -- NO, I DO NOT CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.THE BOARD WILL NOW SET THE TIME AND DATE AND PLACE FOR THE SECOND AND FINAL PUBLIC HEARING.
THE SUGGESTED DATE IS TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2025, AT 5:05 P.M. AT THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING ROOM ON THE FOURTH FLOOR OF THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING AT 477 HOUSTON STREET, GREEN COVE SPRINGS FLORIDA, 32043.
>> MADAM CHAIR, THE PARAGRAPH BEFORE THAT IS THE THREE ITEMS TO VOTE ON.
>> WE WILL TAKE ACTION EVEN IF IT'S ONLY THE FIRST PUBLIC
HEARING? >> THESE ARE FOR THE TENTATIVE.
>> OKAY. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADOPS THE TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATES FOR 2025/'26. AND THAT IS IF YOU ARE LOOKING AT YOUR BUDGET LOOK, IT'S -- OR YOUR LITTLE FOLDER, IT IS BEHIND AS READ BY THE COUNTY MANAGER. THEY DO NOT CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR WITH THE ONE EXEMPTION OF THE CONSERVATION LANDS PROGRAM, AS PASSED BY THE VOTERS ININ NOVEMBER OF 2024.
>> I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION TO SET THE TENTATIVE MILLAGE RATES FOR FISCAL YEAR '25/'26.
>> WE I HAVE AMOTION AND A SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
>> THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES 5-0.
NOW WE'LL ADOPT THE RESOLUTION FOR THE TENTATIVE BUDGET ASSOCIATED FOR FISCAL YEAR '25/'26. IT IS LOCATED BEHIND TAB 3.
IT IS AS PRESENTED BY TROY AND REG PREVIOUSLY. IF YOU SO DESIRE, THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF CLAY COUNTY, FLORIDA, SET FORTH THE APPROPRIATIONS A REVENUE ESTIMATE FOR THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 25/26 IN THE AMOUNT OF $780,630,570, INCLUSIVE OF THE LAKE ASBURY MUNICIPAL SERVICES BONDING DISTRICT OR SPECIAL DISTRICT BUDGET OF $797,327. THE RESOLUTION WILL TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY UPON ITS ADOPTION. AGAIN, THIS IS FOR THE TENTATIVE BUDGET ADOPTION.
>> OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
>> THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES 5-0.
THE FINAL RESOLUTION FOR THE -- IS FOR THE ADOPTION, WHICH I IMAGINE WOULD NOT BE ON OUR SECOND PUBLIC HEARING. IT IS THE ADOPTION OFOF CLAY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TO BE THE COUNTY ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSEABUSE TRUST FUND -- THE USER OF THE COUNTY ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUG ABUSE TRUST FUND DOLLARS INCOME COMBINATION WITH OTHER COUNTY FUNDS FOR A TOTAL OF $350,000 AND WOULD BE NEGOTIATING A CONTRACT FOR THE AMOUNT OF $350,000 FOR THE SERVICES PROVIDED THEREIN.
>> OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
>> THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES 5-0. I'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THE SUGGESTED DATE FOR THE SECOND AND FINAL PUBLIC HEARING.
WOULD ANYONE MOVE WE APPROVE MOVE APPROVAL.
>> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, INDICATE BY SAYING
AYE. >> THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES 5-0. NOW THE BOARD SHOULD AUTHORIZE THE COUNTY MANAGER TO ADVERTISE THE SUMMARY STATEMENT OF THE ADOPTED TENTATIVE BUDGET AND THE NOTICE OF THE FINAL PUBLIC HEARING. DOES ANYONE MOVE TO AUTHORIZE?
>> OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
>> THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES 5-0.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE BUDGET?
[01:50:02]
ANY FURTHER COMMENTS ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE? SO, JUST TO REITERATE, THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IS NOT PROPOSING A TAX INCREASE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE LANDS CONVERSATION -- LAND -- CONSERVATION LANDS PROGRAM ADOPTED BY THE RA PASSED BY THE VOTERS IN NOVEMBER OF 2024.WE'LL NOW CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM. THANK YOU, REG.
[39. Public Hearing on Closing Access to Little River Drive from Old Hard Road (C. Grimm/R. Smith)]
WE ARE NOW AT ITEM NUMBER 39, A PUBLIC HEARING TO CLOSING ACCESS TO LITTLE RIVER DRIVE FROM OLD HARD ROAD.>> RICHARD SMITH, COUNTY ENGINEER.
I WILL LET MS. GRIMM GIVE YOU THE DETAILS OF THIS AND I WILL FOLLOW UP WITH ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION. >> THIS IS A PORTION OF LITTLE RIVER DRIVE THAT IS CURRENTLY CLOSED DUE TO THE CONSTRUCTION THAT'S BEING DONE ON 220.
THE REQUEST IS TO KEEP IT CLOSED. WE HAVE PLANS TO PUT A SIDEWALK ACROSS THE AREA. AND THE CONCERN IS THE CUT- THROUGH TRAFFIC THAT WOULD BE UTILIZING THE NEW LIGHT THAT'S INSTALLED. AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS NOT MEANT TO BE A CUT-THROUGH. IT'S NOT A STREET.
IT'S JUST A NEIGHBORHOOD ROAD.
>> WE HAVE DISCUSSED THIS WITH PUBLIC SAFETY.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS LESS THAN 100 LOTS. THEREFORE A SINGLE ENTRANCE IN AND OUT IS ACCEPTABLE PER THE NATIONAL FIRE CODE. WE CLOSED THE ROAD AS A MAINTENANCE AND TRAFFIC ISSUE WITH THE CONSTRUCTION.
THERE HAVE BEEN FOUR ACCIDENTS SINCE THAT CONSTRUCTION BEGAN. THEY'RE ALL DRIVER ERROR- TYPE ACCIDENTS. BUT WE'RE VERY GLAD THAT THE ROAD WAS CLOSED TO PREVENT ONE MORE CONFLICT POINT FROM COMING IN. SO, FEEL LIKE IT IS GOING TO BE A UNSAFE CONDITION TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD IF WE ALLOW THAT TO STAY OPEN AS IT IS.
>> QUESTIONS FOR RICHARD OR FOR KOURTNEY? ALL RIGHT. I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ITEM.
I DO HAVE ONE SPEAKER CARD, ALTHOUGH ANYONE CAN SPEAK ON THIS ITEM. MY COMMENT CARD IS THOMAS --
>> YES. MY NAME IS TOM BERTSAL, AND I LIVE IN THE RIVER BEND SUBDIVISION.
I HAVE LIVED THERE SINCE 1995. I'VE SEEN A LOT HAPPEN WITH THAT AREA SINCE THEN.
220 WAS A TWO- LANE ROAD. ITS INTERSECTION WAS, 17, WAS A YELLOW BLINKING LIGHT.
WE'VE COME A LONG WAY. SOME OF IT HAS BEEN GOOD, SOME OF IT NOT SO GOOD.
THE ONE IN PARTICULAR IS IS CLOSING OF OUR ROAD, OF LITTLE RIVER ROAD. IT STARTED BECAUSE THERE WAS SOME RESIDENTS IN OUR SUBDIVISION THAT PERCEIVED THERE TO BE A TRAFFIC AWARENESS ISSUE, WHEREAS THEY WERE GOING TO STOP THE LEFT- HAND TURN OFF OF OLD HARD ROAD ONTOONTO 220. SO THEREFORE PEOPLE COME THROUGH LITTLE RIVER, GO UP TO OUR SOON-TO-BE STOP AND GO LIGHT TO MAKE THAT LEFT- HAND TURN ONTO 220.
WELL, WHAT THEY DID WAS THEY BYPASSED OUR COVENANTS. THERE WAS NO QUORUM. THERE WAS NO VOTE, NOTHING.
AND WHAT WE HAVE NOW IS -- I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO CALL IT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T VOTE FOR IT.
THERE'S NOTHING ON PAPER. AND IT'S IN DIRECT VIOLATION OF OUR COVENANTS. I HAVE QUESTIONED THE BOARD ABOUT IT. THEY REFUSE TO TALK ABOUT IT.
QUOTE, UNQUOTE, THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO FOR ME. BUT IT'S NOT WHAT WE DO IN THE ASSOCIATION IF WE FOLLOW THE RULES. WE FOLLOW THE LAWS.
NOW, THEY STATE THAT THERE IS AN EMERGENCY ISSUE, WHEREAS FIRST RESPONDERS CAN COME IN VIA THE BOTTLENECK RIGHT THERE AT THE MAIN ENTRANCE.
WELL, CAN ANYBODY GUARANTEE ME THAT THEY WOULD NEVER BE
[01:55:03]
IMPEDED WITH ALL THAT TRAFFIC ON 220, ONLY ONE WAY IN, ONLY ONE WAY OUT? CAN ANYBODY TELL ME THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN? WELL, YOU CAN'T. WHAT YOU CAN DO IS IF YOU WERE TO LEAVE IT OPEN OR PARTIALLY OPEN, THAT INCREASES THAT DOUBT THAT IT WOULD -- THAT IT COULDN'T HAPPEN. THE BUSES, THEY COME IN THROUGH THE MAIN ENTRANCE. THEY HAVE TO COME IN AND DO A MULTI- POINT TURN IN ONE OF THE CUL-DE- SACS WITH PEOPLE'S CARS PARKED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, TRYING TO MISS THOSE, AND THEN COME IN AND TRY TO EXIT OUT THE SAME WAY THEY CAME IN, INSTEAD OF BEING ABLE TO MAKE A RIGHT-HAND TURN ONTO OLD HARD ROAD, WHICH THEY ARE DOING BY -->> YOU CAN FINISH YOUR SENTENCE. YOU CAN FINISH YOUR SENTENCE.
>> WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING IN OUR SUBDIVISION, NOTHING. I MEAN, THAT'S -- I WENT THERE.
I MOVED THERE. ONE THING THAT WE DO HAVE IS WE HAVE TWO ACCESS POINTS. WE DO HAVE THAT.
AND I'M SORRY TO BE SARCASTIC, BUT IT'S JUST TO PROVE A POINT, WE ALSO HAVE A BENCH AND A BIKE RACK, OKAY? I'M NOT GRIPING THAT WE HAVE THOSE THINGS. I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE A POINT OF WHAT WE HAVE. AND NOBODY VOTED ON GIVING AWAY THAT INGRESS AND EGRESS.
>> THANK YOU. >> AND I HAVE STARTED A PRE- SUIT MEDIATION, WHICH THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE AGREED TO -- THE ASSOCIATION HAS AGREED TO TAKE
PLACE. >> OKAY. THANK YOU, SIR. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AT THE PUBLIC HEARING? YOU CAN SPEAK, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE YOU FILL OUT A PUBLIC COMMENT CARD. IF YOU'LL JUST INTRODUCE YOURSELF SINCE I DON'T HAVE YOUR
NAME. >> ELIZABETH FAITH DANIEL, 1921, STORMY RIVER DRIVE. I ABSOLUTELY CONCUR WITH HIM. WE DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT THERE. THAT ACCESS WAS VERY HELPFUL TO COME IN AND OUT.
I WATCHED THAT SCHOOL BUS EVERY MORNING WHEN I WALK MY DOGS. IT'S NOT SAFE.
THEY HAVE TO DO THAT TURN LIKE HE JUST SAID. AND JUST THE OTHER NIGHT WE WERE TRYING TO COME HOME AND WE COULDN'T EVEN COME IN OUR MAIN ENTRANCE BECAUSE THERE WAS FIRE TRUCKS. THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT.
SO, WHY CAN'T I GO DOWN 220 AND COME INTO MY OWN NEIGHBORHOOD. ANY SUGGESTION, NOT NECESSARILY COMPLETELY OPEN, BUT JUST ENOUGH THAT WE CAN GET IN AND OUT AS NEEDED AND WHEN NEEDED. THANK YOU.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M -- I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATION OF RIVER BEND. WE SPOKE QUITE A BIT -- GOOD AFTERNOON, SIR -- IN OUR HOMEOWNER'S MEETINGS, WHERE WE -- AND EVEN WENT DOOR TO DOOR TO A LOT OF OUR HOMEOWNERS TO INFORM THEM THAT DUE TO THE CONSTRUCTION AND DUE TO THE OLD HARD ROAD ISSUE, WE KNEW THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF FLOW COMING FROM OLD HARD ROAD THROUGH LITTLE RIVER, THROUGH OUR SUBDIVISION, TO GET TO THE RED LIGHT IN ORDER TO TAKE A LEFT- HAND TURN ONTO COUNTY ROAD 220.
WE HAVE VIDEOS OF PEOPLE BEFORE THAT RIGHT- HAND TURN ONLY ON OLD HARD ROAD, OF PEOPLE PASSING TWO-LANE ROAD -- TWO LINES ON THE ROAD THAT YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO PASS, GOING ALL THE WAY DOWN, COMING THROUGH OUR SUBDIVISION TO GET GET WHAT WILL BE THE RED LIGHT TO TAKE A LEFT LEFT ON 220.
THAT WAS ALREADY HAPPENING BEFORE THE CONSTRUCTION EVER STARTED. SO, WE KNEW THERE WAS GOING TO BE A PROBLEM.
AND NOW BECAUSE THERE IS AA RIGHT ONLY, IF YOU WERE TRAVELING DOWN OLD HARD ROAD, YOU CAME UPON RIGHT TURN ONLY, AND YOU NEEDED TO TAKE AA LEFT 220, HOW WOULD YOU GO? YOU TAKE A LEFT THROUGH OUR SUBDIVISION, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, TO GO TO THE RED LIGHT AND TALK A LEFT INSTEAD OF GOING ALL THE WAY DOWN AND MAKING A U- TURN PAST THE FIRE STATION AND TURNING AROUND AND GOING ALL THE WAY BACK DOWN 220. LET'S BE REAL.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU WOULD DO. YOU WOULD COME THROUGH OUR SUBDIVISION GORKS TO THE RED
[02:00:05]
LIGHT AND MAKE A LEFT. I CONTACTED OUR COMMISSIONER. AND I SAID -- WE HAD A FEW MEETINGS. AND THERE WAS NEVER A VOTE ON WHAT WE WANTED TO DO.WE WENT AROUND AND WE JUST WENT -- GOD BLESS YOU -- AND WE JUST WANTED TO INFORM OUR NEIGHBORS THAT SOMETHING HAD TO BE DONE, WHETHER IT'S A RIGHT TURN ONLY ONTO OLD HARD ROAD, DO WE CLOSE IT COMPLETELY? WE MET -- WE EVEN TALKED ABOUT THEM PUTTING A FENCE UP AND THE FIRE CHIEF SAID NO, THAT WASN'T A GOOD IDEA. THOUGH HE WOULD HAVE ACCESS, IT WASN'T A GOOD WAY FOR -- HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT USING THAT METHOD. SO, WE SAID, YOU KNOW, Y'ALL ARE THE EXPERTS. YOU TELL US WHAT YOU THINK IS GOING TO BE BEST. THEY DIDN'T BELIEVE THAT IF YOU HAD A RIGHT TURN ONLY FROM OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ONTO OLD HARD ROAD THAT THERE STILL WOULD NOT BE PEOPLE WHO WOULD VIOLATE THE LAW AND TAKE A LEFT INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. SO, IT WAS PROPOSED THAT WE WOULD CLOSE THAT ENTRANCE ALTOGETHER FOR THE SAFETY OF OF KIDS AND THE SAFETY OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND FOR THAT NOT TO BE A THROW AWAY.
>> THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? COME ON UP.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS MIKE -- I'M ON THE BOARD OF THE RIVER BEND HOA. I'VE LIVED THERE FOR 29 YEARS.
EVERYTHING YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT THE SAFETY IS A BIG ISSUE.
THERE HAS BEEN -- I THINK WE HAVE THREE DEATHS A YEAR AT LAKE SHORE, INDIAN RIVER ANDAND ROAD 220. THAT LIGHT IS IMPERATIVE, AND THE LIGHT IS GOING TO BE THE BEST THING IN THE WORLD FOR EVERYONE. ALL THE TRAFFIC COMING EAST, MY GOSH, THEY'RE NOT DOING 45 MILE AN HOUR. THEY'RE DOING 70 MILE AN HOUR.
THERE'S WRECKS ALL THE TIME. THEY WHIP IT RIGHT DOWN OLD HARD ROAD, WHICH IS A 25-MILE-AN- HOUR SPEED LIMIT. IT IS SO DANGEROUS THAT ANYONE COMING UP OLD HARD ROAD WON'T EVEN MAKE A LEFT DOWN 220.
LIKE SHE WAS SAYING, THEY'RE AND THOSE OUBLE LINES. - PEOPLE ARE COMING DOWN THAT ROAD SO FAST, HEAD- ON COLLISIONS, IT'S INSTANT DEATH. THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER, MR. SGROMOLO, THE HEAD FIRE CHIEF, THEY HAD A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE ALL AGREE THAT CLOSING THAT ONE ENTRANCE IS NOT GOING TO IMPEDE ON PUBLIC SAFETY. AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU, THE KIDS ARE SAFER AT THE BUS STOP BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE NOT -- WHEN THE KIDS ARE WALKING UP TO THAT SCHOOL BUS, THAT HAD NO RELIEF AT ALL OR NO SAFETY.
OUR MANAGEMENT COUNTY HAD TO SEND MULTIPLE LETTERS TO THE CHARTER SCHOOL TO THE HEADMASTER SO THAT EACH KID WENT HOME WITH A FLYER FOR THEIR PARENTS SAYINGSAYING DO NOT CUT THROUGH RIVER BEND. THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE ON THAT SIDE OF THE -- OFF OF LITTLE RIVER DRIVE SAY OH, MY GOSH, IT IS SO NICE. IT'S SO SAFE AGAIN. ONE RESIDENT SAID, I ONLY WISH IT WAS CLOSED OFF WHEN I WAS TEACHING MY DAUGHTER TO RIDE A BICYCLE.
EVERYONE THAT LIVES IN THAT AREA IS AGREEING WITH THE CLOSURE, AND I HOPE THAT YOU MOVE FORWARD WITH IT. THANK YOU.
>> I LIVE ON SUWANNEE RIVER DRIVE ALSO.
AND I DON'T WANT THEM TO CLOSE IT. YOU NEED EMERGENCY VEHICLES IN THERE. FRIDAY NIGHT, THERE WAS A WRECK ON 220 WHERE THEY'RE PUTTING THE STOPLIGHT UP AT. YOU COULDN'T GET IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR 30 MINUTES.
PEOPLE WERE SITTING OUT THERE. IF THEY WOULD ALLOW US TO GO TO OLD HARD ROAD AND INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, THAT WOULD MAKE AN ALTERNATE ROUTE. AND WITH YOU HAD COME OUT OF THE SUWANNEE RIVER -- I HAVE A DIE KBRAM HERE. YOU CAN COME IN ONE LANE AND GO OUT THE OTHER WAY. SO, THEY COULD PUT THAT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND IT WOULDN'T STOP THE EMERGENCY VEHICLES. A YEAR AGO, MY FATHER-IN- LAW HAD A HEART ATTACK, WE THOUGHT.
WE HAD TO CALL AN AMBULANCE. THERE WAS A WRECK OUT THERE ON 220, AND THEY CAN'T GET THAT AMBULANCE.
THEN WHAT DO YOU DO? I'M NOT SURE IT'S AS BIG A PROBLEM AS THEY SAY ABOUT THE SPEEDERS. I'VE BEEN THERE SINCE 2007.
I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT MANY CARS COME IN THERE.
[02:05:02]
MAYBE THEY COULD PUT A TRAFFIC COUNTER OUT THERE AND COUNT CARS BEFORE THEY MAKE THEIR FINAL DECISION ON WHAT THEY WANT TO DO WITH IT. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT STAY OPEN FOR AN ALT ALTERNATE OUT.IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND BRING IT BACK FOR ACTION.
>> COULD CHIEF BURKE OROR SOMEBODY COME AND SPEAK TO THAT, REGARDING IF THEY WERE TO CLOSE IT?
ONE OF Y'ALL? >> I HAVE TO APOLOGIZE. I WAS WORKING ON -- BACK THERE.
WHAT ROAD SPECIFICALLY ARE YOU TALKING WOULD BE
BLOCKED? >> THIS IS AN AREA THAT UNFORTUNATELY WE'RE NOT GOING O HAVE ANY JURISDICTION THAT BECAUSE THERE IS AN UNDER- AMOUNT OF HOMES IN THAT AREA WHICH WOULD CAUSE IT TO ONLY HAVE TO HAVE ONE ENTRANCE OR ONE EXIT. THAT WOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH ANY PLACE ELSE IN THE COUNTY.
AS MUCH AS WE ARE AN ADVOCATE OF ACCESS, YOU KNOW, WE COULDN'T MAKE THEM HAVE A SECONDARY ACCESS FOR THAT.
>> BUT HE SAID THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT ON 220 FRIDAY NIGHT AND HE CAN'T IMAGINE YOU BEING ABLE TO GET THROUGH.
>> TYPICALLY WE CAN COME FROM ANY GIVEN DIRECTION AND GET AROUND THAT SORT OF THING. 220 IS A FOUR- LANE ROAD.
WE CAN GO TO THE OTHER SIDE OF TRAFFIC. CAN I SAY IT COULD NEVER HAPPEN? NO, I CAN'T SAY IT COULD NEVER HAPPEN.
BUT THAT WOULD FOLLOW SUIT WITH MANY CASES IN THE AREA WITH ACCESS TO DIFFERENT AREAS.
OTHER QUESTIONS? >> AS YOU ASKED THAT QUESTION, COMMISSIONER BURKE, WHAT I'M REALIZING FROM CHIEF MOTES ANSWER IS THAT EMERGENCY PERSONNEL ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO GET INTO THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. SO, THE CONUNDRUM FOR ME IN HEARING BOTH SIDES IS WHAT'S THE SOLUTION TO THOSE WHO ARE CAUGHT UP IN 30- MINUTE, AN HOUR TRAFFIC TRYING TO GET HOME? IT'S NOT -- IT'S A CHALLENGING -- I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS, COMMISSIONER SGROMOLO, AS TO HOW YOU GUYS HAVE WORKSHOPED A SOLUTION FOR THAT.
I CAN SEE THE CONCERN IF I'M TRYING TO GET INTO % MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND I ONLY HAVE ONE
SO, THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE COMING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM. WHEN I FIRST GOT INTO OFFICE, I ACTUALLY -- AFTER MEETING WITH RICHARD, I SAW THAT THIS WAS DEFINITELY GOING TO BE A HOT BUTTON ISSUE AND SOMETHING THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.
SO, YOU KNOW, I PROACTIVELY GOT WITH RICHARD AND SAID BEFORE THEY EVEN START CONSTRUCTION ON 220, WE NEED TO START TALKING ABOUT THIS. FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T LIVE IN DISTRICT 1, THERE USED TO BE A TON -- A TON -- OF TRAFFIC ON OLD HARD ROAD. I WAS ONE OF THOSE DRIVERS.
I LIVE IN EAGLE HARBOR, I WOULD CROSS OVER 220 WITH MY CHILDREN AND IT SCARED ME EVERY TIME I DID IT, AND I WOULD GO BACK TO MY HOME IN EAGLE HARBOR.
I'M JUST TELLING YOU RIGHT NOW, IF YOU REOPEN IT, I WILL BE ONE OF THEM WHO WILL CUT THROUGH THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD AND GO TO THE LIGHT.
IT'S NOT NOTRIGHT. IT'S WHAT A NEIGHBORHOOD IS MEANT TO DO. AS MANY OF YOU WOULD AGREE, WE HAVE TO MAKE VERY TOUGH DECISIONS. WHEN I HAVE TO MAKE TOUGH DECISIONS, LIKE AT PERCENTAGES.
I THINK THE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO USE THE NEIGHBORHOOD AS A CUT- THROUGH IS EXPONENTIALLY HIGHER THAN THE CHANCES OF AN ACCIDENT BLOCKING THE FRONT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS, FOR ME, THAT I JUST -- YOU KNOW, A NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN YOU HAVE KIDS RIDING BIKES, YOU HAVE PEOPLE WALKING THEIR DOG, NOT TO MENTION THE SPEED, I MEAN, RICHARD, WE'VE PUT A SPEED DETECTION DEVICE ON -- YOU CAN COME UP, PLEASE. WE'VE PUT A SPEED DETECTION DEVICE ON OLD HARD ROAD, CORRECT? THE LIGHT UP SIGN?
>> YES. AND I WANT TO POINT ONE THING OUT. THERE WILL BE A SPEED SIGN GOING UP ON OLD HARD ROAD INBOUND. I CALL IT GOING INTO FLEMING ISLAND. THAT WILL BE INSTALLED IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS. THE REASON WE HAVE -- WE TALK ABOUT BUDGETS TONIGHT A LOT.
WE DIDN'T SPEND VERY MUCH MONEY ON THIS AT ALL. THIS IS ABOUT A $3 MILLION PROJECT. WHEN I CAME IN FIVE YEARS AGO IN TWO DAYS IN THIS JOB, DALE SMITH, THE PREVIOUS COUNTY ENGINEER, SAID THIS WAS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS, TO GET A LIGHT, A SIGNAL, AT LAKESHORE DRIVE WEST.
[02:10:01]
YOU FIND OUT REAL QUICK WHAT IT IS.THAT MONEY TO DO THIS CAME FRIDAY ASAFETY GRANT FROM THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION DEEMING THIS -- EVEN THOUGH IT'S OFF SYSTEM.
IT'S NOT 16, 17, KINGSLEY AVENUE OR -- BOULEVARD. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACES IN CLAY COUNTY, OR REALLY DISTRICT 2, THE HIGHEST ACCIDENT RATES. AND IT WAS THE LEFT TURN MANEUVER OFF OF OLD KF HARD ROAD. I HAD TO GO TRY IT, AND I NEARLY GOT KILLED MAKING A RIGHT TURN ONTO 220 BECAUSE THE SPEED ON 220 IS SIGNIFICANT. IT'S A FOUR- LANE ROAD.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S JUST THE PLEASURE OF GOING OVER THE CREEK OR WHAT IT IS, BUT THEY DRIVE FAST. AND THE MONEY TO BUILD THIS, TO MAKE THESE IMPROVEMENTS AND INSTALL THIS SIGNAL, WAS PREDICATED ON SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS. AND THAT INCLUDED REARRANGING THIS INTERSECTION WITH OLD HARD ROAD AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE DOING IT. WE CLOSED IT FOR MAINTENANCE OF TRAFFIC DURING CONSTRUCTION. NOW WE'RE ADVOCATING -- THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT IS ADVOCATING A
PERMANENT CLOSURE. >> ULTIMATELY FOR ME THIS IS OUR NUMBER ONE ROLE SITTING UP HERE ON THIS DAIS IS PUBLIC SAFETY. AND I UNDERSTAND THE CONVENIENCE LIVING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. I GET IT.
I TOTALLY GET THE CONVENIENCE OF MULTIPLE ENTRANCES AND EXITS.
BUT IN TERMS OF THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC THAT WE WOULD ESSENTIALLY BE INVITING, IT'S NOT -- NOT A GOOD IDEA. THE SECOND THING I WANT TO SAY IS BACK IN PROBABLY DECEMBER, JANUARY- ISH TIME FRAME WHEN WE WERE REALLY MEETING ON THIS A LOT --
>> YES. >> -- I ASKED RICHARD TO LOOK AT EVERY SORT OF, YOU KNOW, MITIGATION WE COULD HAVE, WHETHER IT'S ONE-WAY IN, ONE- WAY OUT. THE THING THAT KIND OF REALLY -- I WOULDN'T SAY CHANGED MY MIND, BUT GOT ME TO THE FINISH LINE OF THE SAFEST THING TO DO IS TO MAKE THIS NOT AN OPTION, WAS THE VIDEOS JAN SPOKE ABOUT.
I HAD MULTIPLE RESIDENTS PRODUCE VIDEOS OF, YOU KNOW, TRAFFIC BEING STOPPED, PEOPLE DRIVING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION TO GET WHERE THEY WANT TO GO.
AND THAT'S WHERE YOU HAVE THE ONE WAY IN, ONE WAY OUT.
JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE 12-INCH- HIGH CONCRETE, PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THEY'LL DRIVE OVER IT.
THEY'LL GO IN THE EXIT. AND THAT'S THE PART I WOULD RATHER HAVE THE PEACE OF MIND KNOWING THE ONLY TIME THEY'RE GOING TO GO -- I'LL CALL IT OLD HARD NORTH 220 IS WHEN THEY WANT TO TAKE A RIGHT. AND THEY'LL USE THE MAJOR ROADWAYS TO GO 220 WEST IF IF THAT'S THE THEY
NEED TO GO. >> WE EVEN LOOKED AT PUTTING UP A PERMANENT BARRIER, CONCRETE BARRIER, 42 INCHES TALL. WHEN YOU GET INTO THAT YOU GET INTO OTHER PROPERTIES OWNERS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF OLD HARD ROAD, RESTRICTING THEIR ACCESS.
ONE THING THAT'S KIND OF INTERESTING, OLD HARD ROAD WAS PAVED IN 2012. IF THERE'S FOLKS LIVING THERE SINCE 1995, THEY LIVED FOR 17 YEARS WTH A DIRT ROAD TO COME OUT OVER THERE. WHEN IT WAS PAVED, IT WAS PAVED AS A 20-FOOT-WIDE, TWO 10- FOOT LANE DIRT ROAD PAVING.
KIMBERLY HORN DID THE DESIGN, I NO CURB AND GUTTER, NO SHOULDERS, OPENED ON BOTH SIDES OF OLD HARD ROAD.
IT WAS NEVER INTENDED TO HAVE SO MANY CARS GOING DOWN IT WHEN IT'S AT FULL SONG. SO, WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING.
AND I THINK THIS WAS A GOOD SOLUTION. I DON'T KNOW OF ANOTHER COMPROMISE WE COULD DO.
>> OKAY. COMMISSIONER RENNINGER.
>> I HAVE A QUESTION. I THINK I HEARD WE HAVE AN HOA THERE.
AND I THINK PART OF AN HOA IS COVENANTS AND RESTRICTIONS. AND I THINK I HEARD THAT THEY WEREN'T FOLLOWING. SO, I'M QUESTIONING WHETHER THAT'S FACT OR FICTION.
>> SURE. THE PRESIDENT CAN COME UP AND ADDRESS THAT IF HE WOULD LIKE. AND I HAD A FOLLOW- UP QUESTION ON THAT WHILE SHE'S COMING UP.
AND THAT IS, WE OWN THE ROADS,
WE'VE SPOKE. WE'VE HAD THOSE MEETINGS. WE'VE ADDRESSED THOSE ISSUES. AND THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS IT'S JUST NOT WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR. I'M SORRY I CAN'T --
>> IT WASN'T WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR.
SO, YOU'RE UPSET. I MEAN, I CAN'T MAKE -- WHAT I SAID TO YOU, IF IT'S NOT WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR, THEN OF COURSE I HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING. AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT TO MR. BIRD SONG. HE'S BEEN TO OUR MEETINGS
[02:15:01]
AND WE'VE DISCUSSED THAT AND ASKED HIM WHAT HE WANTED TO DO. AND HE SAID I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE CLOSED, BUT YOU NEED TO VOTE ON IT.I'M LIKE, THERE'S NO VOTE. THERE WAS NEVER A VOTE.
WE DON'T HAVE TO VOTE ON THAT. IT'S YOUR ROADS.
THERE'S NO COVENANT. THERE'S NOTHING IN OUR HOMEOWNERS' ASSOCIATION THAT SAYS WE HAVE TO DO THAT IN ORDER TO --
>> MADAM CHAIR, CAN I CHECK WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY TOO? THIS IS A COUNTY ROAD, CORRECT?
>> YES. YES, IT WAS DEDICATED TO THE COUNTY. IT'S NOT BY THE HOA.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER BURKE?
>> SO, YOU KNOW, THEREFORE IT COMES BACK ON US THAT WE HAVE TO DECIDE WHAT'S THE BEST FOR OUR PEOPLE. I WILL SAY I LIVE IN AN AREA PROBABLY ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT OF HOMES THAT IS A ONE WAY IN. WE HAVE TO GO OVER A RAILROAD TRACK TO GET THERE. OF COURSE I UNDERSTAND YOUR FEAR OF FIRE SAFETY, MAYBE NOT ABLE TO GET THERE. THEY DO HAVE A LOT OF ROOM ON 220 TO GET THERE, TO GO A DIFFERENT WAY IF THEY NEED TO. STILL I DO UNDERSTAND IT'S DEFINITELY GOING TO BE INCONVENIENT.
I HAVE SUBDIVISIONS IN MY DISTRICT THAT ARE HUGE, LIKE, A LOT MORE HOMES THAN THIS THAT HAVE ONE WAY IN AND ONE WAY OUT. IT IS SOMETHING A LOT OF PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTY FACE.
BUT AGAIN, NO MATTER WHAT, WE HAVE TO LIVE OUT FOR THE SAFETY OF THE GREATER -- THE GREATER GOOD AND THE GREATER PICTURE.
SO, SOMEBODY'S NOT GOING TO BE HAPPY, OF COURSE, WITH WHAT WE DECIDE.
>> COMMISSIONER, FOR MY EDIFICATION, WHERE IS THAT NEW LIGHT GOING UP?
>> THE NEIGHBORHOOD CURRENTLY HAS TWO ENTRANCES. THE FORWARD FACING ENTRANCE IS YOU HAVE LAKESHORE DRIVEDRIVE WEST, THE ENTRANCE TO THE RIVER BEND NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THEN 220.
THAT'S WHERE THE LIGHT'S GOING. AND THE SECOND ENTRANCE, IF YOU COME INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THERE'S A CUL-DE-SAC -- I BELIEVE THERE'S THREE HOMES ON THE OUTPOST THERE. AND THEN RIGHT NOW IT'S CURRENTLY CLOSED FOR THE CONSTRUCTION. BUT THERE USED TO BE AN ACCESS POINT THERE ON THE LITTLE SIDE ROAD, THE THREE ROADS TO OLD
HARD. >> OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
>> I'D LIKE TO MOTION TO MOVE APPROVAL OF CLOSING ACCESS TO LITTLE RIVER DRIVE FROM OLD HARD ROAD.
>> OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION. DO WE HAVE A
>> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. FURTHER DISCUSSION?
>> WELL, I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A COUNTY ROAD AND WE ALLOW ACCESS IF IT'S SAFE. AND I -- YOU KNOW, THE THROUGH TRAFFIC, IT WILL BE A MAJOR CUT THROUGH IN THE FUTURE.
SO, I'D HAVE TO VOTE FOR IT -- I WILL VOTE FOR THIS.
>> I WOULD AGREE. I JUST WANT TO SAY I HAVE THE UTMOST RESPECT FOR AND CONFIDENCE IN OUR COUNTY ENGINEER.
AND THERE ARE A LOT OF TIMES THAT HE HAS HAD TO MAKE SOME REALLY TOUGH DECISIONS, AND HE GETS BEAT UP BY THE PUBLIC AND CALLED ALL KINDS OF UGLY NAMES AND YELLED AT AND THREATENED.
AND HE TAKES IT ON THOSE SHOULDERS BETTER THAN I CERTAINLY WOULD, AND I'M THE ELECTED THAT SIGNED UP FOR THE JOB. AND I GET CALLED A LOT OF NAMES. BUT I DO.
I JUST FEEL LIKE RICHARD WOULD NEVER COME TO US AND ADVOCATE CLOSING A ROAD THAT WASN'T SAFE.
THIS IS NOT THE FIRST ROAD THAT WE'VE CLOSED THAT WAS NOT SAFE. WE CLOSED A ROAD IN MY DISTRICT THAT WASN'T SAFE, AND THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE WHO WERE UPSET ABOUT IT AND SOME PEOPLE WHO WEREN'T. AND THEY HAD A LOT OF THE SAME ARGUMENTS THAT YOU DID.
AND I LIVE IN THE COUNTRY. THERE'S ONE WAY TO GET TO MY HOUSE T. COUNTY MANAGER CAN TELL YOU, YOU CAN GET LOST GETTING THERE. WE ALL FACE THESE KINDS OF THINGS, AND WE JUST HAVE TO HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT OUR -- THAT THE EXPERTS WILL MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION. SO, FOR THAT, COMMISSIONER, I WILL SUPPORT YOUR MOTION BECAUSE I DO HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE COUNTY ENGINEER.
>> MADAM CHAIR, JUST THE LAST THING I WANT TO SAY IS, RICHARD, YOU'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THIS AND I APPRECIATE IT. I APPRECIATE ALL THE MANY PHONE CALLS CALLS AND MEETINGS WE'VE HAD LOOKING AT EVERY VIABLE OPTION. JUST TO REITERATE, IT'S NOT SOMETHING ANYBODY WANTS TO DO, BUT IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO. AND FOR, THAT I WANT TO SUPPORT
IT. >> ANYTHING FURTHER? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
>> AYE. >> THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES 5-0. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION, EVEN IF IT WASN'T THE OUTCOME YOU WANTED. AND IF IT WAS, WE APPRECIATE YOU. ALL RIGHT. I AM DONE WITH THE TIME
[35. Active & Upcoming Formal Solicitations (K.Smith)]
CERTAINS, SO I WILL GO BACK TO ACTIVE AND UPCOMING FORMAL[02:20:03]
SOLICITATIONS. THIS IS THE NEW UPDATE THAT KAREN IS GOING TO START BRINGING TO US.>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONER. SO, YOU HEARD FROM MORT EARLIER ON THE STATUS OF OUR CURRENT PROJECT, SO I WANT TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON SOME OF OUR UPCOMING PROJECTS. I'LL GO AHEAD AND START WITH SOME BIDS THAT WE HAVE ISSUED AND WE HAVE UNDER REVIEW RIGHT NOW. SO, WE DO HAVE THREE THAT WE ARE REVIEWING PROPOSALS, AND YOU'LL SEE THESE COME BACK TO YOU AT A FUTURE BOARD MEETING. BUT WE HAVE OUR CONSERVATION AND LAND MANAGEMENT SERVICES AS NEEDED BID THAT WE'RE REVIEWING FOR PROPOSALS. WE HAVE OUR SHIP INSPECTION SERVICES BID THAT WE'RE REVIEWING. WE RECEIVED SIX PROPOSALS ON THAT. OUR CONTINUING SERVICES FOR TRAFFIC SIGNAL MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR AS NEEDED IS UNDER REVIEW, AND WE HAVE FOUR BIDS FOR THAT. SO, WE'LL BE BRINGING BACK SOME RECOMMENDATIONS SOON. WE DO HAVE FIVE BIDS THAT ARE OUT FOR ADVERTISEMENT, EITHER ADVERTISED LAST WEEK OR PLANNING TO ADVERTISE THIS THURSDAY.
THE FIRST ONE IS THE FIRE STATION 24 SITE CLEARING.
THAT'S REMOVAL OF SOME TREES. AND THEN WE'RE ON HOLD WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM FEMA SO WE CAN PUT OUT THE BID FOR CONSTRUCTION OF FIRE STATION 24. WE HAVE WASTE TIRE DISPOSAL SERVICE. THAT CONTRACT EXPIRED, SO WE HAVE IT OUT TO BID NOW. WE HAVE OUR CMAR FOR THE SUDDENS FACILITY THAT ADVERTISES THIS THURSDAY. THE MOODY PARK NATIONAL FITNESS CAMPAIGN ALSO ADVERTISES THIS WEEK. SECURITY GATE AND CARD READERS FOR THE CLAY COUNTY JAIL WILL ADVERTISE THIS WEEK. WE HAVE SOME BIDS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON AND ANTICIPATE THAT THEY'LL GO OUT LATER THIS MONTH IN SEPTEMBER AND NEXT POTENTIAL MONTH IN OCTOBER. THESE ARE IN NO CERTAIN ORDER, BUT WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING ON THEM AND WORKING WITH OUROUR DEPARTMENTS AND CONSULTANTS.
WE HAVE TILE REPLACEMENT AT THE COUNTY JAIL. OLD JANINES AND LONG BAY TRAFFIC SIGNAL, OMEGA PARK CCUA CONNECTION, MUCH NEEDED PROJECT. OUR MOCCASINS BOARDWALK.
THAT'S PHASE ONE AND PAVILION ONLY. OUR AGRO NOMICS SERVICES FOR COUNTY PARKS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING. OUR CONTINUING SERVICES FOR ENGINEERING PLANNING, CONSULTING, AND DESIGN SERVICES THAT WILL GO OUT LATER IN OCTOBER. THE CONTRACTS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE NOW WILL EXPIRE IN FEBRUARY, SO WE'RE TRYING TO EVALUATE THOSE. FIRE ALARM UPGRADES AT THE COUNTY JAIL. AND THEN WE HAVE AA HOME REHAB PROJECT. AS YOU CAN SEE, MY TEAM'S BEEN BUSY. WE ARE WORKING REALLY CLOSE WITH THE DEPARTMENT, SO THOSE BIDS WILL GO OUT.
I ALWAYS LIKE TO DO A FRIENDLY REMINDER THAT THE NO- CONTACT RULE GOES INTO PLACE ONCE THE BIDS ADVERTISE. SO, THAT'S ANOTHER REASON I LIKE
TO BRIEF. >> COMMISSIONER RENNINGER?
>> YES. ARE ALL THE BIDS ON OPEN --
>> AND THAT'S A WEBSITE ANYONE CAN ACCESS OR YOU HAVE TO ENROLL OR SOMETHING?
>> YOU HAVE TO REGISTER SO YOU GET ALL THE NOTIFICATIONS, BUT IT'S FREE TO ALL THE SUPPLIERS.
IT'S NO COST TO THE SUPPLIERS TO REGISTER. THEY GET NOTIFIED OF ALL OF OUR BIDS AND ANY OTHER COUNTY --
>> I'VE NEVER USED IT. IS THERE A SCREENING PROCESS. IF I'M ON A JANITORIAL FIRM, CAN I JUST SEE THE JANITORIAL?
>> YES, SIR. SO, THERE'S -- WE CALL THEM CODES. THEY'RE NIGP CODES THAT IF YOU'RE A TREE COMPANY OR YOU'RE JANITORIAL, YOU WOULD PICK YOUR CODE.
IF YOU WANT TO BE NOTIFIED OF ALL BIDS, THERE'S A CODE YOU CAN PICK TO BE NOTIFIED BECAUSE SOME OF OUR VENDORS DO MULTIPLE TYPES OF SERVICES.
>> CAN YOU SPECIFY REGION? LIKE I DON'T CARE ABOUT MINNESOTA. I ASSUME THIS IS A
>> SO, YOU CAN SAY JUST LOCAL, JACKSONVILLE.
>> OTHER QUESTIONS FOR KAREN? I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR FOX MEADOW FRIENDS HEARDHEARD THAT SIGNAL AT LONG BAY AND JENNINGS IS GOING OUT FOR BID. THEY ASK ABOUT IT FREQUENTLY AT THEIR MEETINGS.
>> ONE QUESTION FOR KAREN. THE THROUGH A BID PROCESS, I GUESS, WITH CERTAIN -- I'VE HAD A COUPLE OF RESIDENTS REACH OUT ABOUT THE BLACK CREEK CREEK PROJECT AND THE TIMELINE THAT IT'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME AND PEOPLE USE THAT TRAIL EVERY DAY. HOW DO WE CREATE OUR SCOPE
[02:25:01]
OF WORK IN TERMS OF LIKE THAT PROJECT SPECIFICALLY SETTING THETHE DEADLINE, YOU KNOW? IS THAT IN THE BID OR IS THAT POST-BID? HOWDOES THAT WORK? >> IT'S IN THE BID SO THAT THEY CAN ANTICIPATEANTICIPATE IF -- HOW THEY WOULD SCHEDULE THEIR WORK
>> AND WITH THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT, THAT TIMELINE WAS HELPED DEVELOP BY THE ENGINEER THAT HELPED WITH THAT.
OKAY. >> SOMETIMES IT'S COUNTY STAFF, AND THEN OUR CONSULTANTS WILL HELP DETERMINE THE TIMELINE.
>> HAVE YU EVER HAD ANY BID WHERE IS WE'RE ABLE TO WORK WITH MULTIPLE CONTRACTORS?
>> WHERE WE AWARD TO SEVERAL? YES.
>> TO EXPEDITE, YOU KNOW, THE -- THANK YOU.
>> WE DID HAVE THAT PROVISION IN ALL OF OUR BIDS SO WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO AWARD MULTIPLE IF NEEDED.
>> OTHER QUESTIONS FOR KAREN? THANK YOU.
[36. Appointment of Members to the 2025-2026 Charter Review Commission (C. Grimm)]
APPRECIATE IT. UNDER NEW BUSINESS, ITEM NUMBER 26, APPOINTMENT OF NEW NUMBERS -- CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION.>> YES. THIS IS THE REQUIREMENT UNDER THE COUNTY'S CHARTER TO ESTABLISH THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION EVERY FOUR YEARS.
SO, THIS WILL BE THE COMMISSION FOR THE '25/'26 THAT JUST NEEDS TO BE IN PLACE FOR THETHE '26 ELECTION. ATTACHED TO YOUR BACKUP -- AND I BELIEVE TERESA ALSO GAVE YOU EACH A COPY -- ARE THE 15 MEMBERS THAT EACH OF YOU HAVE PRESENTED AS WELL AS THE FIVE ALTERNATES FOR APPOINTMENT. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT YOUR SELECTIONS OR IF YOU JUST WANT TO MOVE TO APPROVE THEM.
>> I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL 20 MEMBERS FOR AGREEING TO SERVE.
>> THE ALTERNATE -- THE QUESTION I WAS ASKING, DOES THE ALTERNATE
EYES. >> THE ANSWER IS YESSED..
>> WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST IS ONE OF YOUR MEMBERS ATTENDS FOR THE FIRST THREE OR FOUR MEETINGS AND THEN HAS A CONFLICT OR CAN NO LONGER PARTICIPATE AND THE ALTERNATE HAS TO STEP INTO THEIR SHOES, THEY CAN LOOK AT THE MINUTES AND TRY TO PICK UP.
BUT IT'S USUALLY BEST IF THEY ATTEND.
>> THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED WITH MY SLATE LAST TIME.
ONE OF MY MEMBERS QUIT PARTWAY THROUGH, AND MY ALTERNATE HAD TO SERVE AND DID SERVE.
>> I THINK COMMISSIONER BURKE HAD A SIMILAR SITUATION.
>> IF THERE'S NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, I'LL
ENTERTAIN A MOTION. >> I'LL MOVE APPROVAL.
>> OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
[40. Acceptance of Resignation Middleburg/Clay Hill Citizens Advisory Committee]
>> THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES 5-0. WE HAVE LETTERS FOR ACTION.
ITEM NUMBER 40, WE HAVE THE ACCEPTANCE OF A RESIGNATION OF ONE OF THE MIDDLEBURG CLAY HILL. THIS IS IN MY DISTRICT AND I WOULD MOVE WE APPROVE ACCEPTING HER RESIGNATION.
>> SECOND. >> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, INDICATE
[41. Discussion of Appointments to the Doctors Inlet/Ridgewood Citizens Advisory Committee]
BY SAYING AYE.>> THOSE PPOSED? MOTION CARRIED 5-0.
NEXT WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER 41. THIS IS DISCUSSION OF APPOINTMENTS TO THE DOCTORS INLET RIDGEWOOD CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE. THIS IS A NEW CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE MOSTLY IN COMMISSIONER COMPERE'S DISTRICT, HOWEVER KIND OF TOTHER DISTRICTS. AND WE HAVE A CONSIDERATION FOR APPOINTMENT OF THE FIVE PEOPLE LISTED ON THE BACKUP. IF ANYONE WANTS TO HAVE ANY CONVERSATION, COMMISSIONER COMPERE, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING
YOU WANT TO -- >> I DON'T HAVE ANY OBJECTION TO THE FIVE THAT SUBMITTED. THE ONLY THING I WOULD ASK THE COMMISSION TO CONSIDER IS RENAMING THIS DOCTORS INLET/RIDGEWOOD CAC TO BE MORE REFLECTIVE OF THE OVERLAY. I'M JUST NOT QUITE SURE YET WHAT THAT NAME WOULD BE.
HONESTLY I HAVEN'T GIVEN IT TOO MUCH THOUGHT, BUT I KNOW THAT NOT VERY MANY ON MANYTHIS REFLECT EVEN THAT NAME.
SO, JUST TO BE CONTINUED. >> OKAY.
I THINK THAT WE ENTERTAINEDENTERTAINED SO COMMISSIONER BURKE, THE SPRINGS DISTRICT WAS NOT ALWAYS THE SPRINGS DISTRICT. THERE WAS A PROPOSAL FOR ONE OF MINE, AND I DIDN'T LIKE IT. SO, WE LEFT
[02:30:01]
IT WHERE IT WAS. I THINK IT WAS MIDDLEBURG/CLAY HILL. I JUST REMEMBER IT WAS NOT REFLECTIVE OF WHAT IT WAS. AT ANY RATE, SO I KNOW ONE OF THESE MEMBERS.I DON'T KNOW ALL OF THEM. I KNOW PATRICIA.
>> COMMISSIONER COMPERE, I AGREE WITH YOU. WHEN I FIRST SAW THIS, I WAS LIKE 'DOCTORS INLET, THERE'S A LOT IN MY DISTRICTDISTRICT IN STOP.
>> DO YOU KNOW? IS IT IN THE BACKUP?
>> ARE YOU GOING TO DRIVE FAST, TROY?
>> WHILE WE'RE WAITING, I HAVE A QUESTION.
>> SURE. >> I THINK I ASKED THIS QUESTION, BUT I FORGOT WHAT THE ANSWER IS.
CANONA SMITH, HER APPLICATION IS FOR THE MIDDLEBURG --
WANTS TO BE ON THIS COMMITTEE. >> I THINK IT WAS TERESA AND -- HAD TO CONFIRM THAT HER ADDRESS
WAS ACTUALLY IN THIS DISTRICT. >> OKAY.
>> SO, IT'S DEFINITELY DEFINITELY SOUTHEASTERN PORTION OF IT IS THE FLEMINGBURG AREA, THAT THEY SELF- PROCLAIMED FLEMINGBURG.
BUT WOULD NOT BE REPRESENATIVE OF THE WHOLE AREA.
WHAT'S THE -- IS THE RED LINE RUNNING THROUGH THE CENTER, IS THAT THE BELTWAY?
>> OKAY. TRYING TO COME UP WITH CATCHY NAMES HERE. JUST GIVE ME A MINUTE HERE.
THAT'S A BIG -- , BIG LAND MASS.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE'LL BE ABLE TO COME UP WITH A NAME, LIKE, RIGHT NOW. BUT AGREE WITH YOU COMMISSIONER COMPERE. WE CAN DEFINITELY RENAME THAT TO SOMETHING THAT'S MORE INDICATIVE OF THE LAND MASS FOR SURE.
>> IT EVEN LOOKS LIKE I'VE GOT SOME IN THERE ON LONG
BAY. >> IT DEFINITELY TOUCHES ALL FIVE DISTRICTS, FOR SURE. I THINK THAT WAS THE LAST GAP.
IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, EVERY OTHER DISTRICT HAS A CAC.
AND THIS WAS THE VOID. TO YOUR POINT, COMMISSIONER SGROMOLO, I'M LIKE, WOW, THAT'S A BIG CHUNK.
IF I PUT A PIN IN THE CENTER OF -- YES, RIGHT THERE -- WHERE ARE WE? THAT LOOKS LIKE
>> DON'T BRING THAT UP. WE DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT.
OVERLAY. >> PROBABLY TOUCHES ALL FIVE.
>> NOT TO -- JUST TO CLARIFY AND QUESTION, I GUESS, AND NOT TO MAKE 7 MILLION CACS, BUT COMMISSIONER COMPERE, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT AN OAK -- THERE IS NO OAK LEAF CAC, CORRECT? I THINK OAK LEAF IN ITS OWN RIGHT IS JUST A REALLY LARGE AREA. THAT'S A REALLY BIG -- YOU COULD TECHNICALLY LIVE OFF 220 IN THAT CAC AND MAKE A DECISION FOR NORTHERN OAK LEAF.
>> RIGHT. THAT'S WHAT'S SO TRICKY ABOUT MY DISTRICT IS YOU'VE GOT -- OR AT LEAST I HAVE BEEN TASKED WITH JUGGLING THE INTERESTS OF PHASE ONE OF OAK LEAF, PHASE TWO OF OAK LEAF, CHESTWICK
[02:35:04]
OAKS, AS WELL AS YOUR RIDGE VIEW AREA AND YOUR RIDGE WOOD. AND AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THE INTERESTS OF THOSE COMMUNITIES ARE SO DIVERGENT.SO, WHAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO A CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR FOX RIDGE IS ARGUABLY NOT GOING TO BE THE INTEREST OF PHASE ONE OAK LEAF.
BUT THAT'S THE DISTRICT THAT I HAVE. SO, EVEN STILL --
>> I'LL SAY HOW WE ADDRESS IT IN THE MIDDLEBURG/CLAY HILL IS A LARGE ONE TOO.
DODEY MADE A MAP FOR ME. WHEN THE APPLICANTS COME IN, SHE PUT WHERE IS THEY LIVE ON THE MAP. WHAT WE'VE DONE, AND YOU THINK WE'VE DONE A REALLY NICE JOB OF, JOB BALANCING FROM ALL PARTS OF THAT PLANNING DISTRICT -- NOT THE DISTRICT- DISTRICT, BUT THE PLANNING DISTRICT HAS FAIRLY EQUAL REPRESENTATION.
>> WELL, I ALSO KIND OF LIKE IT'S CALLED MIDDLE BRKURG/CLAY HILL. IT MAY BE OAK LEAF ORANGE PARK.
THERE'S A BIG PART OF ORANGE PARK IN THERE.
>> IT DOES TOUCH ALL FIVE DIVISIONS. IT DOES HAVE A PIECE OF ALL FIVE DIVISIONS BASED ON -- MAP.
>> FOR INSTANCE, ST. JOHNS RIVER STATE COLLEGE IS --
>> ALL OF OAK LEAF IS AN ORANGE PARK ADDRESS, UNFORTUNATELY.
>> DON'T GET ME STARTED ON THAT. OUR OWN CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICES DON'T FOLLOW WHAT THE CONGRESSMAN GOT PASSED.
>> YES. SO, MAYBE WE PUT A PIN IN IT.
I WILL -- UNLESS SOMEBODY ELSE WANTS TO, I CAN TAKE THE LEAD ON JUST BRAINSTORMING SOME IDEAS THAT I THINK IT WOULD BE A NEED ENDEAVOR TO CAPTURE THE ESSENCE OF ALL FIVE DISTRICTS, IF I CAN. BUT THAT WOULD BE MY GOAL.
I JUST -- I WOULD PREFER SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE REFLECTIVE OF WHAT WE'VE GOT GOING ON.
AND I CAN BRING THAT BACK TO THE BOARD NEXT MEETING.
PARK. >> SEE? IT CAN BE DONE. IT CAN BE DONE.
>> OKAY. SO, THE NAMING WILL GO TO A DIFFERENT MEETING. BUT THE CONSIDERATION OF APPOINTMENT OF THESE FIVE INDIVIDUALS, AND IT COULD HAVE UP TO 11. SO, THERE ARE SIX SPOTS OPEN.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? OR I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
[42. Discussion of Appointments to the Fleming Island Citizens Advisory Committee]
>> AYE. >> THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES 5-0. THEN WE HAVE DISCUSSION OF APPOINTMENTS TO THE FLEMING ISLAND -- DAVID HARRELL SUBMITTED APPLICATION FOR CONSIDERATION OF APPOINTMENT. I WOULD REMIND YOU THAT THE FLEMING ISLAND CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE IN THE CURRENT STATE IS LIMITED TO FIVE MEMBERS.
IT'S THE ONLY ONE THAT IS. THE REST OF THEM HAVE INCREASED BASED ON VOTE. ISN'T THAT TRUE?
>> I THOUGHT WE COULD HAVE UP TO
11. >> I THOUGHT YOU COULD TOO.
HOWEVER, WHEN THERE WERE -- IN THE ORIGINAL AGENDA, THERE WERE TWO CANDIDATES.
LET ME FINISH MY SENTENCE. THERE WERE TWO CANDIDATES, AND THE STATEMENT IN THE AGENDA SAID, ONLY ONE SEAT IS OPEN.
>> WELL, THAT'S WHAT IT SAID ON THE ORIGINAL AGENDA, SO, I MEAN, I THINK WE NEED TO CLARIFY THAT.
>> SO, TERESA AND I -- ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE FLEMING ISLAND.
>> MM-HMM. KOURTNEY, YOUR MIC'S NOT ON.
>> SORRY. I MEAN, TERESA AND I WENT THROUGH ALL OF THEM TO CONFIRM THE NUMBERS.
>> SO, IT WAS MISTYPED? IT SAID ONE SEAT WAS OPEN AND
THERE WERE TWO -- >> I'LL HAVE TO ASK TERESA.
SHE'S THE ONE THAT PUT THEM ON THERE.
>> I BRING THAT UP BECAUSE IT'S YOUR -- ADVISORY, I THINK.
MAYBE IT CROSSES INTO COMMISSIONER RENNINGER.
>> IT'S ALL JUST ONE. >> OKAY.
SO, YOU MAY WANT TO CHECK WITH THAT AND SEE IF YOU CAN ADD MORE. THE REASON I BRING THIS UP IS THIS ONE HAS HISTORICALLY HAD TROUBLE GETTING A KWAR M.
>> I'M PRETTY CONFIDENT, LIKE 95% CONFIDENCE, IT'S UP TO 11. THERE'S ONLY FIVE ON THERE CURRENTLY, I BELIEVE -- SIX. THERE'S NOT --
>> SHE TOLD -- THIS IS WHAT TERESA TOLD ME.
[02:40:01]
SO, WITHOUT TERESA HERE, I DON'T KNOW.TERESA TOLD ME THAT WITH THE ADDITION OF THIS -- WITH MR. HAROLD, IT WOULD BE UP TO EIGHT.
PEOPLE ARE -- WHEN I FIRST STARTED, IT WAS, LIKE, FIVE. SO, I'M ACTIVELY ENGAGING CITIZENS TO GET INVOLVED THERE. ON THE ORIGINAL DRAFT OF TONIGHT'S AGENDA, COLONEL PERRY WAS GOING TO BE APPOINTED, BUT WE WERE GOING TO DO CHARTER REVIEW.
JUST THE ORIGINAL DRAFT SAID ONLY ONE SEAT
BUT DAVID HARRELL IS VERY ACTIVE THE FLEMING ISLAND.
HE'S A MEMBER OF THE CDD T CROSSINGS, HAS BEEN THERE FOUR TERMS. AND HE HAD BE A GREAT ADDITION TO THE FLEMING ISLAND CAC. SO, I'LL MOVE APPROVAL. I'LL MOVE APPROVAL.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND?
>> MOTION AND SECOND. FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, INDICATE BY SAYING
[43. Discussion of Appointments to the Clay County Historic Preservation Board]
MOTION CARRIES 5-0. NOW WE MOVE TO DISCUSSION OF APPOINTMENTS TO THE CLAY COUNTY HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD WECHLT HAVE APPLICATIONS FOR CONSIDERATION OF APPOINTMENT TO THE FOLLOWING, BARBARA BUJAK FOR DISTRICT THREE AT LARGE APPOINTMENT, AND RACHEL HITE, DISTRICT FOUR APPOINTMENT.
WE'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. NO MOTION? DO WE HAVE A SECOND?
>> SECOND MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE
[44. Bid Opening Tabulation (K. Smith)]
BY SAYING AYE.MOTION CARRIES 5-0. NOW WE HAVE LETTERS OF DOCUMENTATION. WE HAVE ONE BID OPENING, TABULATION TO CONSIDER. AND KAREN MENTIONED
[PUBLIC COMMENTS]
IT EARLIER. IT IS FOR THE SHIP INSPECTION SERVICES. WE ARE NOW TO OUR SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.THIS PORTION OF OUR AGENDA IS DESIGNED TO ALLOW CITIZENS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING MATTERS OF ATTENTION TO THE BOARD. AT THIS TIME, THE BOARD WILL NOT ENGAGE IN DEBATE OR ANSWER QUESTIONS.
YOU CAN EMAIL ASKCLAY@CLAYCOUNTYGOV. COM AND STAFF WILL ADDRESS YOUR QUESTIONS. PUBLIC COMMENT CARDS ARE IN THE BACK. YOU WILL GIVE THEM TO CHRYSTIA AT THE END OF THE DAIS. AND BEFORE ADDRESSING, WE ASK THAT YOU SAY YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
I OPEN THE SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. I DO HAVE ONE PUBLIC COMMENT CARD FOR MR. MEADOWS, BUT I DO NOT SEE HIM IN THE ROOM.
SO, I WILL MOVE ON FROM THAT. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AT THIS PUBLIC COMMENT? HALYNA?
>> THANK YOU, SVEN. HALYNA -- ADDRESS SON FILE. THIS IS A HARD ONE, KIND OF, FOR ME TO JUST ADDRESS. BUT AFTER HEARING THE DIFFERENT CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE ROADS AND ABOUT THE COMMUNITIES WITH THE ENTRANCES, IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS BROUGHT UP AT THE DRC MEETING WITH ROLLING HILLS AND THE FUTURE ROAD THAT IS PLANNED IN THERE IN OUR COMMUNITY HAVING SO MANY HOMES TAT ARE IN THERE. AND, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH IT'S JUST ANOTHER 29 HOMES THAT ARE BEING IN THERE, THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE FUTURE ROAD WAS AN ISSUE.
AND THE PERSON THAT WAS THERE FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, YOU KNOW, JUST SAID THAT THERE IS AN ACCESS ROAD, THAT THE EMERGENCY VEHICLES ARE ABLE TO USE EVEN THOUGH THE ROAD IS NOT DEVELOPED YET.
BUT IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO TO REQUIRE THE DEVELOPER THAT STILL OWNS THIS LAND TO CONTRIBUTE ANYTHING FOR THAT ROAD TO BE DEVELOPED, OUR COMMUNITY IS ABOUT TO BE 790 HOMES. AND ROUGHLY ABOUT 35 HOMES AT THE FRONT HAVE AN ENTRANCE OUT. ALL THE REST OF THESE USE ONE ENTRANCE. OUR ORIGINAL -- THAT THEY DID HAVE ON THE SCREEN AND IT HURT MY HEART TO SEE BECAUSE THAT IS NOT THE WAY OUR COMMUNITY WAS DEVELOPED. IT WOULD HAVE HAD MULTIPLE DIFFERENT ENTRANCES IN AND OUT.
THE CURRENT DESIGN, THE WAY THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN DEVELOPED SINCE THE ORIGINAL ENGINEER DID THE PUD AND DID THE BOND, THE COMMUNITY WOULD HAVE HAD ONE, TWO, THREE, POSSIBLY FOUR ENTRANCES OUT. BUT, AGAIN, THAT ROAD IS NOT THERE. AND SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO ON THIS ONE, BUT IT IS AN ISSUE. AND I DID, YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF POINT OUT TO YOU, THE BACK PART OF WHERE THESE AREAS ARE BEING DEVELOPED AT BUTTS UP TO ANOTHER PIECE, A LARGE PARCEL OF LAND.
AND WHEN THEY DO PLAT THAT EVENTUAL SUBDIVISION, OUR COMMUNITY HAS -- ROADS, THEY'RE NOT CDD- OWNED ROADS. AND FOR THEM TO REMEMBER THAT WHEN THEY APPROVE THAT
[02:45:02]
FUTURE LAND BEHIND US SO THAT WE'RE NOT HAVING INGRESS/EGRESS INTO WHAT WOULD BE A FUTURE CDD POSSIBLY AND PRIVATE- OWNED ROADS.SO, JUST THAT -- PROTECTING THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY OTHER CDDS WILL NOT WANT US DRIVING IN THEIR PRIVATE ROADS IF THEY ARE PRIVATE, DEPENDING ON HOW THAT GETS LAID OUT. AND OF COURSE HERE IN THE BRIDGE IN FLEMING, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE STILL DEALING WITH OUT AT LAKE ASBURY AND THE WALKING PATH AND THE SAFE AREA. THE SIGNS ARE STILL UP THAT THE KIDS CANNOT ACCESS IT. I WILL NOT LET MY SON USE IT UNTIL THE SIGNS COME DOWN. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE TO REQUIRE THEM TO TAKE THEM DOWN. WE'RE AT A LOSS ON THAT ONE.
I DO APPRECIATE EVERYTHING NAVIGATE THESE ROADS AND NAVIGATE OUR COMMUNITY SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THE SAFEST COMMUNITY. ONE MORE QUICK THING.
AS WE -- THE U-TURNS IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE DO ONLY HAVE ONE WAY IN ON SAND RIDGE AND -- BOULEVARD. THE ACCIDENTS HAVE INCREASED SINCE THE U- TURN HAPPENED. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE STA TIS YOU CANS ARE IN THAT PARTICULAR INTERSECTION, BUT NOW THAT EVERYBODY'S DOING THE U- TURNS, I'VE SEEN AT LEAST FIVE. WE'VE LIVED THERE SINCE 2018.
I'D ONLY SEEN ONE BEFORE, BUT I KNOW THAT THERE WAS PROBABLY OTHERS. I WOULD BE CURIOUS WHAT THOSE STATISTICS ARE ON THE INCREASE IN ACCIDENTS JUST IN THE PAST TWO YEARS. SO, THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AT THE SECOND PUBLIC HEARING -- PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD? ALL RIGHT.
[COUNTY ATTORNEY]
BACK. COMMISSIONER AUDITOR? COUNTY ATTORNEY?>> JUST QUICKLY, I KNOW WE HAVE HAD DISCUSSION ABOUT SENATE BILL 180, AND I'M SURE YOU'VE SEEN THERE IS A MOVEMENT AMONG MOSTLY MUNICIPALITIES BUT SOME COUNTIES TO ACTUALLY FILEFILE PARTICIPATE IN LITIGATION IN CONNECTION WITH CHALLENGING THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF SENATE BILL 180. I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THROUGH THE COUNTY ATTORNEYS, WE HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN WORKING WITH WITHLOOKING OTHER LANGUAGE OPTIONS TO POTENTIALLY SHARE WITH THE LEGISLATURE IN CONNECTION WITH THIS. AND THE THOUGHT PROCESS WOULD BE TO DO THAT THROUGH OUR LOBBYISTS. SO, WE ARE WORKING ON THAT. IT'S REALLY TO -- THE FOCUS OF THE BILL WAS TO BE IN CONNECTION WITH HURRICANE RECOVERY. SO, A LOT OF THE LANGUAGE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO WORK AND PROVIDE THEM ANSWERS OR THOUGHTS FOR CONSIDERATION IS IN CONNECTION WITH THAT.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, JUST LET ME KNOW.
>> DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I PERSONALLY WOULD SAY THAT I AM NOT IN FAVOR OF SUING THE LEGISLATURE. I THINK THERE ARE OTHER MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE WAYSWAYS TO -- CLAY COUNTY, THERE WERE SEVERAL OF YOU WATCHED OUR LAST MEETING.
THERE WERE SEVERAL ITEMS THAT HAD TO BE WITHDRAWN BECAUSE WE WERE GOING TO MAKE SOME CODE CHANGES AND WE CAN'T MAKE THEM BASED ON THIS LAW. BUT THAT IS JUST THE WAY THAT IT IS. AND IT'S THE WAY THE GOVERNMENT IS DESIGNED.
>> MADAM CHAIR, I'D ALSO AGREE WITH YOU.
I THINK THIS COMMISSION DOES A REALLY GOOD JOB COMMUNICATING WITH OUR DELEGATION.
I'D RATHER SIT DOWN AND HAVE A CONVERSATION AND TALK ABOUT -- THEY LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY TOO. SO, COMMUNICATING WITH THEM HOW STATE LEGISLATION CAN AFFECT THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITY, FOR US AS COMMISSIONERS, I THINK WE DO A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF THAT AND WOULD LIKE TO KEEP THAT POSITIVE MOMENTUM MOVING FORWARD.
>> PERFECT. AND FOR THE PUBLIC WHO DOESN'T KNOW WHAT SENATE BILL 180 BASICALLY SAID, AS COUNTY ATTORNEY SAID, IT WAS DESIGNED TO HELP EXPEDITE BUILDING PERMITS IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS, SPECIFICALLY I THINK -- COUNTY SPONSORED IT.
THEY WERE HAVING SOME PROBLEMS GETTING -- JUST SO MANY PEOPLE NEEDED NEW BUILDING PERMITS.
BUT IN THAT BILL, IT ALSO SAYS THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS CANNOT PASS ANY CODE THAT IS MORE RESTRICTIVE THAN STATE LAW.
AND SO THINGS THAT WE WOULD NORMALLY HAVE DONE TO CONTROL WHAT OUR PUBLIC WOULD TELL US IS OUT OF CONTROL DEVELOPMENT WE CANNOT DO.
SO, JUST FOR YOUR KNOWLEDGE. AND IF YOU WANT TO LOOK IT UP,
[COUNTY MANAGER]
IT'S SENATE BILL 180 FROM 2025 SESSION.DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE FOR US? OKAY. COUNTY MANAGER?
>> MADAMMADAM I HAVE FIVE COMMENTS TO MAKE. FIRST TO START OFF, ALISON DEFOREWILL THE NORTH FLORIDA ME AND KOURTNEY, INFORMED US AND STARTED THE CONVERSATION OF THEM POSSIBLY PURCHASING A PORTION OF THE SOLE PROPERTY FROM THE
[02:50:01]
NEW OWNER. THE VISION WOULD BE FOR NORTH FLORIDA LAND TRUST TO OBTAIN STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDS TO CLEAN UP THE PROPERTY AND TURN IT INTO A PARK. THAT WOULD BE VERY SIMILAR TO OTHER PROJECTS IN THE STATE THAT THEY'VE BEEN A PART OF, LIKE BONNET SPRINGS PARK IN LAKELAND, WHERE AN OLD RAIL YARD WAS REPURPOSED. WE WILL BOTH COME BACK TO YOU WITH FURTHER CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAVE WITH THEM AND SEE WHERE THIS PROCEEDS.>> YEAH. I WOULD LIKE TO STRESS -- FARMS AND THE ORIGINAL OWNERS OF THAT ARE STILL RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CLEANUP.
SO, THERE IS NO DELEGATION OF THAT OR REMOVAL OF THAT IN ANY WAY. NEXT COMMENT. SO, THIS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12TH WE HAVE FEMA FLOOD PLAN MAPPING MEETINGS. THE FIRST SET OF MEETINGS OCCURSOCCURS 1:00 TO 2:30 P.M. AND THAT'S FOR PUBLIC OFFICIALS. AND AT 4:00 TO 7:00 P.M. , THERE'S A PUBLIC OUTREACH. I WANT TO STRESS IF THERE'S ANYBODY FROM THE COMMUNITY GOING TO THAT, THERE ARE TWO EVENTS AT THE FAIRGROUNDS THAT EVENING. SO, THE CLOSER THEY ARRIVE TO 4:00 P.M. , THE BETTERBETTER OFF.
AGAIN, FEMA FLOOD PLAN MAPPING MEETINGS THIS FRIDAY, THE 12TH, AT THE OC, 1:00 TO 2:30 FOR PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND 4:00 TO 7:00 FOR PUBLIC OUTREACH.
THAT'S BEEN ADVERTISED. THERE WERE MEETINGS LAST WEEK AT A DIFFERENT LOCATION, AND IT'S BEEN VERY WELL ADVERTISED.
NEXT ONE, WE HAVE REALLY A NEAT THING THAT'S GOING TO BE OFFERED AT THE CLAY COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER. THIS OCCURS THE FOLLOWING FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, FROM 9:00 A.M. TO 3:00 P.M.
THERE WILL BE AT A COST OF $10 PER RABIES VACCINATION A POP- UP LOW-COST RABIES VACCINE CLINIC. THIS MEANS THAT THE ANIMAL SERVICES SHELTER WILL BE CLOSED TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT FRIDAY AND THEN WILL REOPEN SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20TH, FOR NORMAL OPERATIONS. THIS IS A FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS. AND THAT $10 IS VERY, VERY REASONABLE JUST FOR THE SHOT ITSELF. AND THE LIMIT IS UP TO FOUR ANIMALS PER VEHICLE.
AND TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF STAFF AND VISITORS ALL FEARFUL OR ANXIOUS PETS SHOULD BE MUZZLED BEFORE ARRIVAL. AND STAFF RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE TREATMENT IF ANIMALS PRESENT A SAFETY RISK.
NEXT ONE IS OUR 2026 LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES AND APPROPRIATIONS REQUEST. COMMUNICATIONS ALERTED A FINE JOB IN OUR PRINTER. THEY'RE HERE. EACH ONE OF YOU RECEIVED A COPY OF IT. WE ARE READY FOR THE DELEGATION MEETING THAT HAPPENS SEPTEMBER 20TH.
ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL TAKE AT THE END. THE LAST I HAVE, TOUCH A TRUCK.
AS ALL FIVE OF YOU KNOW, YOU RECEIVED A MEMO ON IT FOR THE COMMUNITY'S EDIFICATION. TEAM HAD 3,725 APPROXIMATE ATTENDEES TO TOUCH A TRUCK. THIS JUST BLEW AWAY PREVIOUS AMOUNTS THAT WE HAD. WE HAD 56 VEHICLES, TWO HELICOPTERS THAT WERE OUT THERE.
AND BOY, THEY STAYED A WHILE. THOSE HELICOPTERS WERE VERY, VERY POPULAR ALONG WITH THE FIRE TRUCKS AND THE OTHER ITEMS THAT WERE OUT THERE.
WE HAD 45 VENDORS. THE FOOD TRUCKS DID A PHENOMENAL BUSINESS. THEY WERE VERY, VERY HAPPY ACROSS THE BOARD. AND JUST TO REPORT SIX OF SEVEN SHELTER DOGS THAT WERE BROUGHT WERE ADOPTED.
HOW ABOUT THAT? AND I WAS TOLD JUST BEFORE THE MEETING HERE THAT THE SEVENTH ONE MAY ALSO BE ADOPTED. GREAT NEWS ACROSS THE BOARD.
THOSE WERE VERY TEMPTING DOGS TO GET THAT WERE OUT THERE.
IT WAS REALLY GOOD. I WANT TO POINT OUT, I DID TALK TO A COUPLE WITH THEIR KIDS.
THEY DROVE ALL THE WAY FROM MAYPORT TO ATTEND THE EVENT. HOW ABOUT THAT? AND WE HAD ALL THE WAY DOWN TO INTERLOCK AND THE PUTNAM AREA ALSO. WIDESPREAD ATTENDANCE.
WE MAY EVEN HAVE IN OUR NEXTNEXT MEETING A THAT TRACKS THESE ATTENDANCEATTENDANC E EVENTS.
TROY MAY HAVE MORE DATA ON THAT, MORE DEMOGRAPHICS ON IT.
OTHER THAN THAT, THOSE ARE MY FIVE COMMENTS. ANY QUESTIONS ON ANY OF
[COMMISSIONERS' COMMENTS]
THOSE THAT I GAVE? THANK YOU ALL.>> ALL RIGHT. AND WE ARE NOW TO COMMISSIONER COMMENTS. COMMISSIONER SGROMOLO?
>> ALL RIGHT. SO, A COUPLE OF THINGS.
LAST TWO FRIDAYS AGO, I BELIEVE, I ATTENDED A RIBBON CUTTINGCUTTING BAPTIST CLAY ON FLEMING ISLAND.
THEY OPENED A BRAND- NEW 11-ROOM WING IN THEIR EMERGENCY ROOM. I BELIEVE ED HUBL SAID THAT THAT HOSPITAL LAST YEAR SERVICED 38,000 PATIENTS. SO, THIS PARTNERSHIP WITH WOLFSON'S CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL GIVES THEM MUCH- NEEDED ER EXPANSION.
THEIR ER WAS OPERATING AT, LIKE, 98% CAPACITY MOST DAYS.
[02:55:03]
SO, THIS IS MUCH NEEDED AND WILL REALLY HELP.TDC UPDATES. WE HAD A TDC MEETING LAST WEEK AND HAT'S OFF TO TEDDY AND THE TEAM.
AIRSTREAM IS BACK ON LINE RECRUITING EVENTS.
SO, THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE UPCOMING.
WE HEARD YOU LOUD AND CLEAR IN OUR SECOND SENTIMENTS, MADAM CHAIR, TO GET THE REGIONAL PARK UP AND RUNNING.
ANOTHER THING FOR YOUR VISIBILITY, TEDDY WAS ABLE TO WORK WITH THE TOURISM BUDGET, TIGHTEN THE BELT ON SOME THINGS. WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN ABLE TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT FOR GRANTS THAT WERE GIVEN TO ATTRACT EVENTS TO CLAY COUNTY, WHICH IS A REALLY BIG DEAL FOR VENDORS. SO, I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT MOVE ON HIS PART AND WILL ALLOW US TO BROADEN OUR REACH. THROUGH THAT SAME VEIN, EVERYONE IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT HOW GREAT TOUCH A TRUCK WAS.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE PLACER DATA.
PLACER IS THE TECHNOLOGY THAT SHOWS US VIA CELL PHONES WHERE PEOPLE COME FROM FOR EVENTS.
IT STARTED OUT AS SOMETHING SMALL, BUT I THINK IT'S, LIKE, WE'RE CREATING OUR OWN NATURAL TOURISM EVENTS, RIGHT? AND MORE FOOD TRUCKS, MORE PEOPLE.
THAT'S -- IT'S A GOOD THING. IT'S A WIN/WIN FOR EVERYBODY.
SO, THAT WILL BE GREAT. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11TH, I'M GOING TO BE ATTENDING THE FLAGS FOR HEROES EVENT AT ORANGEORANGE PARK. JUST SUCH A GREAT PARK AND SO MUCH SUPPORT AND REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE ROTARIES FOR HOLDING THAT EVENT HERE IN CLAY.
LAST TWO THINGS, THE BLACK CREEK BIKE TRAIL, THANK YOU TO THE RESIDENTS THAT HAVE REACHED OUT, GOTTEN WITH STAFF. IT'S AT ABOUT 65% COMPLETION AT THIS÷÷ POINT.
LEGACY IS WORKING HARD. I SEE THEM OUT THERE EVERY DAY, AND THEY DO MORE AND MORE PORTIONS AT THAT STRETCH BETWEEN PACE ISLAND AND HARBOR ISLAND.
IT'S A VERY LONG STRETCH OF BOARDWALK. BUT ULTIMATELY IT REALLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS PANELS MISSING AND NAILS AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS. SO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
WE ARE DILIGENTLY TRYING TO GET IT TO THE FINISH LINE SO WE CAN GET THAT BACK OPEN.
I KNOW THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE'S QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND THEN LASTLY, THE APPLICATION IS FINALLY CLOSED FOR COMMISSIONER FOR A DAY.
WE HAD 20 STUDENTS APPLY, WHICH WAS FANTASTIC.
VERY TOUGH CHOICES FOR THE COMMITTEE.
THE LADIES OUTDID THE MEN. THERE WERE 16 LADIES THAT APPLIED, ONLY FOUR GUYS. COME ON YOU GUYS, BEING LAZY.
IT'S GOING TO BE EXCITING. NEXT COMMISSION DAY, THE 23RD, WE'LL HAVE OUR FIVE COMMISSIONERS SHOW UP, AND THEY'LL BE AT THE MEETING FOR OUR NEXT MEETING. SO, LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
>> ALL RIGHT. I TOO TOTALLY ENJOYED TOUCH A TRUCK. TERESA GOT THERE WITH EMILY AND SAID THAT EMILY WAS GETTING IN ALL THE TRUNKS, HONKING ALL THE HORNS AND MAKING ALL THE NOISES. I WISH I COULD HAVE SEEN THAT.
THE KIDS JUST HAD A GREAT TIME. IT WAS REALLY NEAT.
THE ONLY OTHER THING I HAVE IS WE HAVE GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY FOR HABITAT FOR HUMANITY HARBOR RIDGE THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 18TH AT 11:00 A.M. THAT'S ANOTHER COMMUNITY THAT'S GOING TO BE COMING ON LINE FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE THEIR NEW HOME. OTHER THAN THAT, EVERYBODY HAVE A GREAT REST OF THE WEEK.
>> THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER COMPERE?
>> YES. I ECHO WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID ABOUT TOUCH A TRUCK. I THINK THAT WAS A REALLY NEAT EVENT. I'M GLAD WE ALL GOT TO DO THAT TOGETHER. I WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT THE TOLL ROAD OFFICIALLY STARTS ASSESSING TOLLS NEXT WEEK ON THE 15TH. SO, IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY RECEIVED YOUR SUN PASS, THIS IS A FRIENDLY REMINDER TO DO SO TO SAVE YOURSELF SOME COINS.
THIRD ON MY LIST, I WANTED TO THANK THE COMMISSION, THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE BEING STOOD UP WAS ONE OF MY HOPES FOR THE OAK LEAF AREA.
STEVEN'S BEEN COMING TO THESE MEETINGS FOR MONTHS HOPING THAT HIS APPLICATION WOULD FINALLY GET PROCESSED
SO, I'M REALLY EXCITED. I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO DO GREAT.
AND THOSE ALONGSIDE YOU. I'M HOPEFUL FOR THE SIX VACANCIES.
MAYBE WE CAN GET SOME MORE FOLKS SOONER THAN LATER. A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT ARE A LITTLE MORE SENSITIVE.
HALYNA BROUGHT UP ABOUT ONE WAY ONE WAY OUT FOR ROLLING HILLS. AND THE REASON WHY IT'S A LITTLE -- IT'S CONCERNING TO ME -- IS BECAUSE I'M HEARING WHAT SOUNDS LIKE IS THE MAKINGS OF ANOTHER CHESTWICK- OAK SITUATION. AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THETHE STILL BEING IN THE PICTURE, WHICH IS NOT TRUE FOR CHESTWICK.
AND THAT IS ONE OF THE CONERNS WE HAD WANTING TO RECTIFY WHAT IS NOW A $100 MILLION PRICE TAG. IF THERE IS
[03:00:01]
ANYTHING THAT THE COMMISSION COULD DO TO LEAN IN, I DON'TDON'T KNOW.I'M JUST HEARING THIS FOR THE FIRST TIME.
SO, IT PIQUED MY INTEREST IN A WAY THAT I WOULD HATE FOR US TO LAND LOCK SO MANY HOMES LIKE WE'VE ALREADY DONE IN THE CHESTWICK-OAKS AREA. JUST SOMETHING TO BE OVERLOOKING OR THINKING ABOUT.
THIS IS ANOTHER THING THAT CAME UP. I KNOW THIS IS A LITTLE SENSITIVE, BUT I THINK THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE IN THAT THIS SCHOOL YEAR, BECAUSE OF CHANGES THAT HAD TAKEN PLACE WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD, THE OAK LEAF AREA WAS IMPACTED IN THAT THERE WERE FOUR SCHOOLS ON MAYBE A QUARTER OF A MILE OF ROAD THAT ARE IMPACTED PRETTY SEVERELY SUCH THAT NOTNOT THAT THE DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER WAS GETTING PHONE CALLS, BUT THEN I STARTED GETTING PHONE CALLS BECAUSE OF THE ROADS BEING CONGESTED. AND HOWARD BRILLIANTLY PULLED PULLED÷÷ A MEETING OF THE STAKEHOLDERS TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS. AND WHAT I REALIZED IS THAT THERE IS NO FORUM FOR THE COMMISSION AND THE SCHOOL BOARD TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS THAT -- AT LEAST NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE -- DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE WITH ONE ENTITY INVARIABLY OVERLAP AND AFFECT THE OTHER.
AND I'M CURIOUS WHAT WAYS WE CAN HAVE CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION SO IT DOESN'T CATCH US BY SURPRISE. OR AT LEAST THIS IS ONE COMMISSIONER WHO WAS CAUGHT BY SURPRISE. THE PHONE CALLS THAT I STARTED RECEIVING WERE ACTUALLY INFRASTRUCTURE ASKS BECAUSE THEY REALIZED THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD'S INVOLVEMENT WAS WHAT IT WAS. I MEAN, THESE ARE DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE DECADES AGO IN SOME INSTANCES.
BUT WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR IS SOME KIND OF FORUM OR -- AND ONLY TO USE WHEN IT IS NECESSARY BECAUSE I KNOW THAT, LIKE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CHANGED THIS YEAR -- THERE WERE A COUPLE OF VERY SENSITIVE CHANGES THAT HAPPENED WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD. BUT ONE OF THEM WAS IMPACTING THE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL SUCH THAT IT INCREASED THE SCHOOL'S CHANCETY CAPACITY BY 500 MORE STUDENTS. WHAT WAS HAPPENING WAS THE BUS LOOP WAS GETTING ALL 70 SLOTSSLOTS VEHICLES FILLED UP AN HOUR AND AND 40 MINUTES BEFORE SCHOOL WAS EVEN DISMISSED.
AND THEN THE VEHICLES WOULD SPILL OVER TO PLANTATION OAKS.
AND THAT IS A ONE-ROAD IN EITHER DIRECTION.
SO, TWO LANES AND OPPOSITE A REAL SERIOUS SITUATION WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC ON A TWO-LANE ROAD.
AND THAT'S WHEN THE PHONE CALLS STARTED COMING IN TO ME.
AGAIN, I'M JUST CONCERNED THAT WE DON'T -- I MEAN, IT'S NOT ANYTHING THAT WOULD REQUIRE -- AT LEAST NOT FROM MY VANTAGE POINT -- TOO MUCH WORK.
IT'S JUST A MATTER OF HAVING AN OPEN CHANNEL OF COMMUNICATION, AS THESE AGENCIES OR ENTITIES ARE HAVING CONVERSATIONS.
BECAUSE WHEN WE DID COME AND HAVE THE SCHOOL BOARD CHAIR WAS HERE, THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS WAS HERE, CCSO WAS HERE, THE PRINCIPAL OF THE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL WAS HERE.
HEADS WERE PUT TOGETHER TO COME UP WAY SOLUTION.
I THINK THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE APPROPRIATE TO DO THAT BEFORE. SO, THIS IS A TIMING CONVERSATION MORE THAN IT IS A COMPLAINT.
SO, IF WE COULD PUT OUR MINDS TOGETHER OR EVEN ENTERTAIN AN AVENUE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO HAVE INTER- AGENCY OR ENTITY CONVERSATION, I THINK IT WOULD BE TO THE COUNTY'S BENEFIT. WE ARE ALL OBVIOUSLY INVESTED IN THE COMMUNITY NOT HAVING THESE KIND OF CHALLENGES WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO ADDRESS THEM. AND I DON'T LIKE BEING -- I DON'T LIKE BEING BLINDSIDED BY CONVERSATIONS THAT I'M NOT PREPARED TO ADEQUATELY ADDRESS. AND I KNOW THAT I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE.
AND WE JUST -- WE HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DO IT.
SO, I PUT THAT OUT THERE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
I'M OPEN TO ANY THOUGHTS AND IDEAS. AND I WANTED TO BRING IT TO US FIRST. I HAVEN'T HAD A CONVERSATION WITH SUPERINTENDENT -- OR THE SCHOOL BOARD ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IF WE'RE INTERESTED IN DOING, WE CAN AT LEAST HAVE THAT CONVERSATION HERE FIRST. AND OF COURSE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT ALREADY, FOR SUNSHINE VIOLATIONS,
[03:05:04]
I COULD NOT BRING THIS TO YOU EACH INDIVIDUALLY.IT WOULD HAVE BEEN INAPPROPRIATE TO DO SO.
SO, I PUT THAT BEFORE YOU BECAUSE I CAN'T IMAGINE THIS WILL BE THE LAST OF THE CHANGES THAT WE SEE AS THE COUNTY CONTINUES TO EXPAND THAT WILL AFFECT NOT JUST THE BCC BUT ALSO THE SCHOOL BOARD AND OTHER AGENCIES THAT WERE IMPLICATED IN THE MEETING. SO, I PUT THAT BEFORE YOU.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING, THE LAST THING THAT I HAVE IS I WAS IN THAT -- I HAD A BRIEFING LAST WEEK WITH THE FEMA FLOOD MAPPING TEAM. AND I DON'T KNOW HOW WE RECTIFY THIS EITHER, BUT I WAS DISAPPOINTED TO FIND OUT THIS WAS JUST A BOX THAT'S BEING CHECKED.
THE FEMA REPRESENTATIVES ARE REALLY NOT LOOKING TO GET COMMUNITY INPUT. AND THEY HAVE STATED THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE LISTENING. THEY JUST WANT TO COME IN AND TELL US THAT THEY -- THAT THEY HAVE DONE EXACTLY WHAT IT IS THEY HAVE TO DO. AND UNLESS YOU HAVE THE STUDIES IN ORDER TO SUPPORT YOUR CONTENTION, EVEN IF YOU HAVE LIVED HERE FOR 40 YEARS, 50 YEARS, YOUR OPINION DOES NOT MATTER. AND THAT MAKES ME VERY UNCOMFORTABLE BECAUSE THESE CHANGES ARE GOING TO AFFECT SOME OF THE -- A LOT OF THE OLDER PARTS OF THE COUNTY. AND I DON'T -- I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO LEAN IN AND FIX THIS. BUT I DO TAKE EXCEPTION TO US JUST GOING THROUGH THE BOXES AND CHECKING BOXES FOR THE SAKE OF CHECKING BOXES WHEN REAL LIVES ARE BEING IMPACTED BY DECISIONS THAT ARE BEING MADE.
IT'S NOT EVEN US. THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT MORE FRUSTRATING. FEMA HAS TO DO THIS I THINK I WAS EVERY FIVE YEARS OR TEN YEARS THAT THE MAP HAS TO BE REVIEWED. BUT I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO COME ALONGSIDE OUR RESIDENTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE IMPACTED BY THE CHANGES WITH THE FLOOD MAPPING. WITH THAT, I DO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO TROY AND HIS TEAM,TEAM, REG, AND DEBBIE, WHO I'VE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS WITH, CONCERNING THE BUDGET. I THINK THAT THIS IS THE -- QUINTESSENTIALLY WHAT WE DO HERE ON THE BCC. AND THIS YEAR WAS VERY, VERY CHALLENGING. BUT YOU GUYS DID SO MUCH HARD WORK, AND IT WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE FOR ME TO NOT SAY THANK YOU FOR THE ENDLESS CONVERSATIONS AND THE PATIENCE THAT WAS ENDURED IN ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS ALONG THE WAY. I THANK YOU. WOULD YOU PASS IT ALONG TO EVERYONE ELSE, PLEASE, TROY?
Ú>> SO, TWO COMMENTS. ONE, I PARTICIPATED IN.
SO, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, IT'S THE ONLY ONE.
BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S THE ONLY ONE.
BUT THERE WAS A JOINT WORKSHOP BETWEEN THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
IRONICALLY ENOUGH, BACK WHEN THEY WERE FIRST ENTERTAINING STANDING UP THE SCHOOL BOARD POLICE. AND IT WAS CRAMMED IN HERE.
THERE IS THE POTENTIAL. IT WOULD BE A PUBLIC WORKSHOP WOULD BE THE BEST WAY TO DO IT.
NO DECISIONS WERE MADE THAT NIGHT.
I THINK IT WAS SHERIFF DANIELS AT THE TIME.
SHERIFF MADE A PRESENTATION. THE SUPERINTENDENT MADE A PRESENTATION. AND I DON'T REMEMBER ANY OTHER PRESENTATIONS, BUT, GOSH, IT WAS A LONG TIME AGO.
IT WAS PROBABLY 2017. BUT THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I KNEW. THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO SAY ABOUT THE FEMA MAPPING, I WASN'T SURPRISED BY THAT. THEY -- IT IS THAT THEY WANT TO HEAR INPUT. IT'S THAT YOU CAN'T JUST SAY, I DON'T AGREE THAT MY HOME WILL FLOOD WITHOUT HAVING THE ENGINEERING DATA TO BACK IT UP. I DON'T SO MUCH HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT. WHAT I HAD A PROBLEM WITH IS THE FACT THAT IT STARTEDIN 2023.
AND EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE HAVING THE PUBLIC MEETINGS NOW IN 2025, THEY ARE NOT -- THE MAPS DON'T GO INTO EFFECT UNTIL 2027.
SO, THIS PROCESS GOES OVER FOUR YEARS, AND THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO GET TAKEN OUT OF FLOOD ZONES. AND THEY CAN'T RECOGNIZE THE SAVINGS ON THEIR LACK OF HAVING TO HAVE FLOOD INSURANCE FOR TWO MORE YEARS. SO, THE PROCESS IS BROKEN.
SO, MAYBE WE CAN ASK OUR CONGRESSMAN FOR SOME RESOLUTION. I AGREE WITH YOU THE PROCESS IS BROKEN. AND REALLY WHY ARE THEY HAVING PUBLIC INPUT IF IT'S NOT REALLY PUBLIC INPUT? I AGREE. BUT ANYWAY, ANYBODY HAVE
[03:10:02]
ANY OTHER COMMENTS?>> I DO. COMMISSIONER COMPERE, I HAVE A QUESTION. CHARTER SCHOOLS DON'T REQUIRE A TRAFFIC STUDY IS WHAT I UNDERSTAND.
HOW ABOUT THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS? YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TRAFFIC AND ALL THESE SCHOOLS.
THEY DIDN'T ALL POP OUT OF THE GROUND THE SAME
I'LL CHECK INTO THAT. THE OAKLEY SITUATION WAS ALL PLANNED OUT. SO, I'M SURE THOSE PUBLIC SCHOOLS WERE DESIGNATED BY THE DEVELOPMENT WHEN THEY CAME IN.
WE'VE GOT TO DEAL WITH CONSEQUENCES.
WE'VE GOT THAT COMING UP IN TWO LARGE SUBDIVISIONS THAT ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION NOW. SARATOGA SPRINGS AND GOVERNOR'S PARK. I'M SURE WE'LL HAVE BETTER IDEAS ON HOW TO PLACE THOSE.
>> IT SEEMS TO ME YOU WOULD HAVE TO DO A TRAFFIC STUDY.
>> IT'S AN INTERESTING DEAL. I KNOW WITH THE TAXES ING PORTION OF IT, SPRING PARK ELEMENTARY WERE REQUIRED TO PAY FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS. WE ARE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN THEM, INCLUDING FLASHING BEACONS, RESEARCHING THE ROAD THROUGHOUT. THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
I'LL DIG INTO THAT A LITTLE DEEPER.
>> I ONLY HAVE A COUPLE -- THERE WAS ONE ELEMENT THAT WAS MISSED AND THAT'S WE GOT A MAJOR SPONSOR OUT OF THAT EVENT.
AND QUITE HONESTLY WE'RE LOOKING FOR DDITIONAL SPONSORS FOR THAT EVENT. WGI WENT UP TO THE BAR ON THAT ONE. THE ONLY OTHER THING I HAVE IS I SEE ERIC ANDERSON IS OUT HERE --
>> OH, ROUSSEAU? IN ADDITION TO WGI? OKAY. THAT'S NEWS TO ME.
I SEE ERIC OUT THERE FROM REGIONAL COUNCIL, AND I JUST WANT TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION I WAS THE PRESIDENT FOR THE LAST YEAR. MY TENURE HAS EXPIRED. I'M NO LONGER THE PRESIDENT.
JAMES BENNET FROM BAKER COUNTY IS NOW THE PRESIDENT AND WILL BE INSTALLED IN OCTOBER.
>> COMMISSIONER RENNINGER, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR HOW WELL YOU REPRESENTED CLAY COUNTY ON THE REGIONAL COUNCIL. YOU HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH TOUGH ISSUES. YOU ARE SO PASSIONATE ABOUT THE REGIONAL COUNCIL. THAT'S MY ONLY COMMISSIONER COMMENT. I WANTED TO ASK YOU ALL IF YOU -- AND WE CAN DO THIS AS A GROUP OR WE CAN DO THIS INDIVIDUALLY. BUT I KNOW COMMISSIONER RENNINGER SPOKE WITH REPRESENTATIVE GARRISON. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE SPOKEN WITH ANYONE ELSE. BUT AT THE MEETING YOU TALKED ABOUT THAT. BUT FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY NOT HAVE FOLLOWED OR IF YOU DON'T WATCH TRADITIONAL LOCAL NEWS OR THAT KIND OF THING, READ THE NEWSPAPER, THAT I THINK SO FEW DO, IN THE PROPOSAL FOR THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE'S BUDGET, WHICH THEY WOULD HAVE HAD THEIR FIRST HEARING TONIGHT AS WELL, THEY HAVE -- THEIR FINANCE -- THEY'RE STRUCTURED A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN US -- A LOT DIFFERENT. THEY HAVE 19 MEMBERS.
I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU GET ANYTHING DONE TRYING TO PLEASE 10 OF 19. BUT AT ANY RATE, THEY DO, AND THEY HAVE A FINANCE COMMITTEE. THEIR FINANCE COMMITTEE WAS RECOMMENDING TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL THAT THEY REMOVE THE FUNDING FOR THE REGIONAL COUNCIL.
IT WILL NOT DO -- IT WILL NOT -- IT WILL NOT PUT THE REGIONAL COUNCIL OUT OF BUSINESS, PER SE. BUT HERE'S WHAT I WANTED TO BRING UP ABOUT IT IS THAT OUR FELLOW -- ONE OF OUR FELLOW COMMISSIONERS FROM NASSAU COUNTY, JOHN MARTIN, WHO'S ALSO ON THE REGIONAL COUNCIL, WENT TO HIS COUNTY MANAGER WHEN HE FIRST WAS ELECTED AS A COMMISSIONER, AND HE SAID, WHAT DO WE GET FOR THIS MEMBERSHIP? AND WHAT DO WE PAY IN? AND TODAY CLAY COUNTY PAYS ABOUT $84,000 A YEAR TO BE A MEMBER OF THE REGIONAL COUNCIL, WHICH BY THE WAY THERE'S A STATE STATUTE THAT SAYS YOU HAVE TO BE A MEMBER OF A REGIONAL COUNCIL AND -- PAY SOMETHING TO BE A MEMBER OF THE REGIONAL COUNCIL. HE SAID, WHAT DO WE GET FOR THIS? COMMISSIONER RENNINGER BRINGS US THAT SHEET THAT OUR RETURN ON INVESTMENT IS 14 TO 1 OF WHAT WE PAY IN DOLLARS, AND THAT'S ONLY IN CERTAIN SERVICES THAT THEY ACTUALLY BILL FOR. AND NASSAU COUNTY MANAGER SAID THE BENEFIT WE GET FROM JUST THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TRAINING, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TRAINING, THE HEALTH CARE COALITION WORK WOULD BE AT LEAST THREE TO FOUR TIMES AS MUCH COST TO THE COUNTY AS WE GET FROM BEING A MEMBER OF THE REGIONAL COUNCIL. THERE WAS A TIME WHEN CLAY COUNTY WAS NOT A MEMBER OF THE REGIONAL COUNCIL.
THE REGIONAL COUNCIL STILL PROVIDED SOME SERVICES TO THE COUNTY FOR EMERGENCY TRAINING AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT I THINK THERE'S REAL VALUE IN IT. I THINK THEY HAVE HAD --
[03:15:02]
RECENTLY THEY HAD A RAIL EXERCISE, WHERE THEY TRAINED OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND HAZMAT EMPLOYEES AS WELL AS OTHER REGIONAL EMPLOYEES IN THE AREA. THE HEALTH CARE COALITION HAS PUT SMALLER THAN 35-POUND RESTRAINTS IN OUR AMBULANCES SO THAT WE COULD TRANSPORT, SAFELY TRANSPORT, SMALL PATIENTS TO THE HOSPITALS.THEY'VE PUT IN THE STRETCHER PACKS FOR EMERGENCIES IN OUR EMERGENCY ROOMS, WHERE THEY CAN MOVE AROUND PATIENTS IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION.
THOSE ARE JUST A FEW THINGS I WOULD BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION. IF YOU THINK THERE'S VALUE TO THAT -- TWO THINGS. IF YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW SOMETHING ON THE JACKSONVILLE CITY COUNCIL THAT YOU CAN MAKE A PLEA TO TO SAY, HEY, WE WOULD REALLY LIKE YOU TO SUPPORT THE REGIONAL COUNCIL, MAKE THOSE CALLS. COMMISSIONER RENNINGER AND I ARE LIMITED BY THE SUNSHINE, AS SERVING ON THAT, SO TWO MEMBERS OF THE JACKSONVILLE CITY COUNCIL, WE CANNOT REACH OUT TO.
BUT IF YOU KNOW SOME -- IN THE LEGISLATURE -- UP TO IF THAT WERE TO PASS IN ILS. - TALLAHASSEE, IT DOESN'T -- THEY DON'T TAKE IT -- IT'S KIND OF LIKE WITH US AND PROPERTY TAXES, THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT STATUTE REQUIRES TO BE DONE THAT WON'T BE ADDRESSED.
SO, IF YOU THINK THERE'S VALUE IN IT, REACH OUT TO OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION.
REACH OUT TO ANY OTHER LEGISLATORS YOU KNOW. AND CERTAINLY MERCER ALSO.
IF YOU THINK THERE'S VALUE IN CLAY COUNTY SAYING WE FIND VALUE, I THINK THERE'S VALUE. TIM AND THE CHIEFS I THINK WOULD SAY THERE'S VALUE, COUNTY MANAGER. BUT DO YOUR HOMEWORK.
ASK THE QUESTIONS. AND MAYBE IF YOU DON'T THINK THERE'S VALUE OR YOU DON'T THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, THAT'S FINE TOO. MAYBE WE CAN HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AT ANOTHER MEETING.
BUT I THINK THERE'S REAL VALUE.
>> I WANT TO ADD ONE OTHER THING, AND THAT'S THE REGIONAL COUNCIL'S DOING A MILITARY INSTALLATION READINESS REVIEW.
AND IT'S GOING TO LOOK AT ALL THE BASES AND WHAT ARE THE ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS TO THE BASES THAT MIGHT LIMIT THEIR ABILITY TO CONDUCT OPERATIONS? AND WITH THE DOGE EFFORT IN DC -- WE'VE BEEN DOING DOGE ALL ALONG. WITH THE MILITARY INSTALLATION, IT WAS CALLED BRAC. THERE WAS A WHOLE PROCESS. TODAY WITH DOGE THEY CLAIM THE PRESIDENT THROUGH EXECUTIVE ORDER CAN JUST SAY CLOSE MAYPORT. AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW, THE MILITARY ESTABLISHMENT IN THIS REGION CREATES ABOUT $8 BILLION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. SO, IT'S A BIG -- THE MILITARY ESTABLISHMENT IS A BIG DEAL OF LANDING, MAYPORT, KINGS BAY, JACKS, AND ALL THE RANGES AND AIRPORTS AROUND HERE.
I THINK IT'S WELL WORTH THE TIME. AND THE REGIONAL COUNCIL WAS SELECTED TO DO THIS STUDY IN THIS REGION. SO, I THINK IT'S VERY -- GET AHEAD OF THE PROBLEM INSTEAD OF TRYING TO CATCH UP.
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE DOING WITH THE REGIONAL COUNCIL. AND I THINK IT'S REALLY BENEFITTING THE REGION WITHOUT HEADLINES IN THE NEWSPAPER TODAY. WE MAY AVOID HEADLINES IN FUTURE NEWSPAPERS BY THIS STUDY THAT WE'RE DOING.
SO, IT'S THINGS LIKE THAT FOR REGIONAL COUNCIL.
SOLID WASTE. IT'S A PROBLEM FOR THE WHOLE NATION REALLY. AND, YOU KNOW, YOU READ ABOUT THE BIOSOLIDS. THERE'S A WEBINAR THIS PAST MONTH -- I THINK IT WAS YESTERDAY.
BIOSOLIDS, YOU KNOW, WHERE MIAMI IS SHIPPING BIOSOLIDS UP NORTH HERE AND IT'S FLOWING INTO THE ST. JOHNS RIVER AND CAUSING PROBLEMS THERE.
SO, ANYWAY, REGIONAL COUNCIL IS LOOKING AT SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL AND HOW DO WE DEAL WITH IT THROUGHOUT THE REGION. SO, I MEAN, IF THEY CAN COME UP WITH -- IF WE CAN COME UP WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS, THE BENEFIT WOULD GO BEYOND THE REGION. IT WOULD GO WELL THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
>> AND THE REASON IT'S BEEN BROUGHT UP TO ELIMINATE THEM IS A POORLY MANAGED REGIONAL COUNCIL, NOT THE NORTHEAST FLORIDA ONE.
IT'S IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. BUT, YOU KNOW, HOW THAT WORKS.
THE FINAL THING I'LL SAY ON THAT IS WHEN CLAY COUNTY WAS NOT A MEMBER OF THE REGIONAL COUNCIL BACK BEFORE ALL OF US WERE ELECTED, THERE WAS -- THERE WERE NEW SUBDIVISIONS THAT WERE APPROVED BY JACKSONVILLE CITY COUNCIL OVER AT THE DUVALL COUNTY CLAY COUNTY LINE IN WHAT IS REFERRED TO AS MAXVILLE.
IT TOUCHED MY DISTRICT. I GET CALLS A LOT.
[03:20:06]
TERESA IS GETTING CALLS A LOT. THOSE SUBDIVISIONS THAT WERE APPROVED ARE CAUSING FLOODING THE IN CLAY COUNTY.IF WE HAD BEEN MEMBERS OF THE REGIONAL COUNCIL, WE WOULD HAVE HAD A VOICE TO SAY, CAN WE ADDRESS THIS.
AND TIM'S NODDING HIS HEAD BECAUSE HE IS GETTING THOSE CALLS AS WELL. AT ANY RATE, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE MENTION OF THOSE THINGS.
IF YOU THINK THERE'S VALUE, WE WOULD ALL APPRECIATE IT.
>> THOSE INNER BOUNDARY ISSUES ARE REVIEWED ROUTINELY.
>> ALL RIGHT. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER?
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.