Aug 20, 2026 BCC Workshop

[CALL TO ORDER]

[PUBLIC COMMENT]

[00:00:07]

>> BUDGET WORKSHOP AUGUST 20, 2026.

WE WILL GO RIGHT INTO PUBLIC COMMENT.

THIS PORTION OF THE AGENDA IS DESIGNED TO ALLOW CITIZENS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING MATTERS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE BOARD.

AT THIS TIME THE BOARD WILL NOT ENGAGE IN DEBATE OR ANSWER QUESTIONS. YOU MAY EMAIL, ASK YOUR QUESTIONS OR EMAIL YOUR DISTRICT COMMISSIONER.

PUBLIC COMMENT CARDS ARE PLACED AT THE MEETING ROOM ENTRANCE AND SHOULD BE SUBMITTED TO THE CLERK.

YOU ARE TO LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO 3 MINUTES BEFORE ADDRESSING THE BOARD. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS. NOW I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN THE FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AT TODAY'S MEETING.

I HAVE BRIAN LUGO FIRST, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME UP.

>> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS BRIAN LUGA.

I LIVE IN KEYSTONE HEIGHTS. THE ISSUE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS IS NOT WHETHER THE STORMWATER WORK DESERVES FUNDING, IT OBVIOUSLY DOES. IT'S WHETHER THE BUDGET -- THE 20 '26-'27 BUDGET ASSUMES APPROVAL OF AN ASSESSMENT NOT VOTED ON UNTIL AUGUST 25TH AND WHETHER THAT ASSESSMENT ADDS CAPACITY OR MERELY SHIFTS EXISTING COSTS TO PROPERTY OWNERS. I'VE SENT A LIST OF QUESTIONS TO ONE CLAY OR ASK CLAY, WHATEVER, AND I WOULD LIKE TO GET ANSWERS BACK TO THOSE QUESTIONS, SINCE I CAN'T ASK THEM HERE.

THE COUNTY PROJECTS APPROXIMATELY 9.24 MILLION IN ANNUAL ASSESSMENT REVENUE. DOES THE PROPOSED BUDGET RECOGNIZE IT OR ASSUME ADOPTION OF THE STORMWATER ASSESSMENT CHARGES? IF THE ASSESSMENT CHANGES OR FAILS, WHICH REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE LINES CHANGE AND BY HOW MUCH? PLEASE IDENTIFY THE EXACT GENERAL FUND AND TRANSPORTATION FUND, STORMWATER EXPENDITURES IT WOULD REPLACE. HOW MUCH OF THE 9.24 MILLION REPLACES EXISTING SPENDING AND HOW MUCH FUNDS NEW SERVICES, STAFF, MAINTENANCE, RESERVES OR CAPITAL? IF COSTS LEAVE THOSE FUNDS, WILL MILL ANCHOR OTHER EXPENDITURES FALL? IF NOT, WHERE WOULD THE FREED REVENUE GO? F DEP CLOSED THE COUNTY'S WARNING LETTER ON JUNE 2ND. ONE OF THE BIG THINGS I FOUND IN MY RESEARCH WAS THAT THE REASON FOR THE STORMWATER ASSESSMENT WAS BASED ON THE F DEP CONCLUSION THAT WE WERE NOT IN COMPLIANCE AS THE COUNTY, THE COUNTY WAS NOT IN COMPLIANCE AND THAT THE REASON WAS LACK OF FUNDS.

IN THE LETTER I SAW LACK OF FUNDING WAS NOT AN ISSUE.

SO WHAT COMPLETED COST ANALYSIS BEYOND A CONSULTANT'S SCOPE OF WORK OR PLANNING LEVEL ESTIMATE SUPPORTS THE PROPOSED 25-DOLLAR PER ERU RATE AND APPROXIMATELY 9.24 MILLION ANNUAL COLLECTION? PLEASE SEPARATE COMPLIANCE, MAINTENANCE, CAPITAL RESERVES AND REPLACE SPENDING. DOES THAT MEAN I'M DONE

>> , YOU HAVE A LITTLE BIT LONGER.

>> IF THESE FIGURES ARE UNAVAILABLE TODAY, PLEASE PROVIDE WRITTEN RESPONSES BEFORE THE 25TH HEARING.

THE BOARD SHOULD NOT TREAT AN ASSESSMENT AS CERTAINTY AS ASK RESIDENTS TO JUDGE A PERMANENT REVENUE SHIFT WITHOUT SHOWING WHAT IS NEW, WHAT IS REPLACED AND WHERE THE MONEY GOES.

THAT'S ALL. >> THANK YOU.

MARIANNE SMITH. >> GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU.

I'M MARY SMITH. I LIVE AT 88 FOX VALLEY DRIVE IN ORANGE PARK. AND I AM HERE TODAY TO ASK THE BOARD TO RECONSIDER THE BUDGET OF THE CLAY COUNTY EXTENSION OFFICE. I THINK THAT A 50% REDUCTION IN BUDGET IS RATHER LARGE FOR A SERVICE THAT WE NEED.

AND THAT'S THE ONLY REQUEST I HAVE TODAY.

THANK YOU. >> THANKS, MA'AM.

ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT, I'LL CLOSE PUBLIC

[1. Budget Updates]

UPDATES WITH TROY AND MJ. >> SO AT OUR JULY 23RD BUDGET WORKSHOP, THE COUNTY WAS WORKING WITH AN 8 MILLION-DOLLAR BUDGET GAP AT THAT POINT. THE BOARD DID PROVIDE DIRECTION AND GUIDANCE AND SO WITH THAT DIRECTION AND GUIDANCE AND STAFF WERE BACK LOOKING AT FEES AND RECOMMENDING THOSE UPDATES, SO BASED ON THAT, THE STAFF WILL BE ABLE TO BRING A BALANCED BUDGET FOR CONSIDERATION ON SEPTEMBER 8TH, 2026.

THE FEE SCHEDULE UPDATES, SO THE PROPOSED SCHEDULE REVISIONS WILL

[00:05:03]

THEY DO INCLUDE FEE INCREASES ACROSS TEN DEPARTMENTS, MOST EXTENSIVE CHANGES ARE PLANNING, HEALTH, BUILDING, FIRE INSPECTIONS AND PARKS. THE REVISIONS INCLUDE NEW FEES, REDUCTIONS, REMOVALS AND THEN OTHER HOUSEKEEPING CHANGES.

THESE ARE THE MOST NOTABLE INCREASES, BUT YOU WERE PROVIDED WITH THE COMPLETE FEE SCHEDULE THAT WILL BE COMING BEFORE YOU ON AUGUST 25TH. SO IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS ON THOSE, STAFF IS HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF NEEDED.

AND THESE ARE CONTINUING TO BE THOSE NOTABLE CHANGES IN THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT SPECIFICALLY.

>> MADAME CHAIR? >> COULD COULD WE GO THROUGH A REAL QUICK SYNOPSIS OF WHAT THESE FEE CHANGES ARE.

FOR INSTANCE I'M GOING TO GO DOWN THE LIST... LINE ITEM -- THE FOURTH ONE OVER, IT SAYS ROADWAY CUT.

I THINK YOU'RE TALKING DRIVEWAY CUT, NO? SO THAT -- ANYWAY, I THINK IF WE GO OVER.

>> I COULD SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO THIS BUT I WOULD PREFER IT BE RICHARD. IF YOU HAVE WORK ON ON YOUR RIGHT-OF-WAY WHERE OTHER COUNTIES CHARGE FOR THOSE INSPECTIONS TO BE DONE IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY, IF SOMEBODY NEEDS TO CUT YOUR ROAD BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO PUT A WATER LINE ACROSS THE ROAD OR IF THEY'RE GOING TO PUT AN ELECTRIC LINE UNDER THE ROAD AND THEY CAN'T DRILL AND BORE, THEY HAVE TO CUT THE ROAD, RIGHT NOW YOU'RE INCURRING ALL THOSE INSPECTOR COSTS ON THE COUNTY. IT'S SHIFTING THAT BURDEN OF THOSE INSPECTIONS AND THAT MAINTENANCE TO THE ENTITY DOING THE WORK. OUTSIDE OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS, BECAUSE TELECOMMUNICATIONS IS PROTECTED UNDER FLOOR STATUTE.

BUT EVERYBODY ELSE THIS WOULD BE CHARGING THEM AND I AM KNOW CHARESE AND RICHARD HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH YOUR LARGEST UTILITY PROVIDERS TO PROVIDE THIS.

I WAS MAKING THE COMMENT THAT YOU'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH BOTH THE TWO LARGEST UTILITY PROVIDERS IN THE COUNTY BEING

CCUA AND CLAY ELECTRIC SO -- >> FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THEY DO GET CHARGED BY OTHER COUNTIES.

>> YES, MA'AM. SO I'LL DEFER IT TO --

>> YEAH, THERE HE IS -- COME ON UP.

WE DID TALK TO THOSE OTHER UTILITIES AND I THINK ONE OF THE KEYS THEY SAID IS IF EVERYBODY IS GETTING CHARGED, IT'S UNDERSTANDABLE, AND OTHER COUNTS DO CHARGE, OBVIOUSLY CCUA IS NOT ANOTHER COUNTY SO THEY'RE JUST IN OUR COUNTY BUT WE DID HAVE SOME OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS SO --

>> RICHARD SMITH, COUNT COUNTY ENGINEER.

MAY I HELP YOU? MISSIONER RENNINGER WAS DIRECTLY ASKED ASKING ABOUT RIGHT-OF-WAY

CUTS -- ROAD CUTS. >> WHAT PROMPTED THIS QUESTION, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ON THE BOTTOM LINE, THE FOURTH ONE OVER, IT SAYS ROADWAY CUT, I WAS THINKING IT REALLY WENT DRIVEWAY CUT, SO -- THAT'S BEEN CLARIFIED. SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A REAL

CUT IN THE ROADWAY. >> THAT'S PHYSICAL INSTALLATION OF A CABLE OR WATER SERVICE OR GAS LINE SERVICE THAT WULD GO FROM ONE SIDE OF THE RIGHT-OF-WAY TO SERVE RESIDENTS

ON THE OTHER SIDE. >> AND THIS IS FOR THE

INSPECTIONS THEREOF. >> YES.

THEY ARE IN A PLAN THAT SHOWS THE MAIN LINE THAT'S GOING IN AND THEN THE SERVICE LOCATIONS. OR IF IT'S ALREADY A MAIN LINE THERE, A NEW HOME IS BUILT, THERE WILL BE A NEW SERVICE

GOING OVER FOR CCUA OR TECO. >> ONE OTHER QUESTION I HAD IS HOUSE MOVING, ARE WE TALKING HOUSE OR MOBILE HOME, OR BOTH?

>> I'LL DEFER THAT TO STEVE SCHOPPE -- THIS IS SPECIFICALLY FOR HOUSE MOVING WHERE YOU'VE GOT TO MOVE WIRES AND ISSUES LIKE THAT, A MOBILE HOME I THINK NEEDS THAT FROM THE DOT STANDARD

OF CLEARANCES. >>

>> CAN YOU REPEAT WHAT HE SAID SO STEVE DOESN'T HAVE TO COME

UP. >> WELL, I HAVE QUESTIONS.

>> OH, OKAY. SORRY, STEVE.

>> OKAY, SO IN THIS PARTICULAR PERMIT WOULD BE AFFECTING THE WORK THAT'S IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY ITSELF.

PHYSICALLY MOVING THE BUILDING FROM ONE LOCATION TO ANOTHER AS

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BUILDING. >> THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER --

>> YES, SIR. >> -- WHOLE PROCESS?

YES. >> I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING -- SO A

HOUSE IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY? >> THEY'RE PICKING IT UP FROM THIS LOT AND DRIVING IT DOWN THE ROAD AND DEPOSITING IT ON THE OTHER LOT. THAT'S WHAT THIS HUNDRED DOLLARS IS LOOKING AT. SO IF YOU GOT POWER LINES, ANY OF THOSE KINDS OF STRUCTURES THAT GOT TO BE MOVED AND ADDRESSED, THOSE ITEMS I BELIEVE IS WHAT THIS WOULD BE COVERING.

>> DOES THAT HAPPEN OFTEN? >> VERY, VERY, VERY SELDOM.

IN STARK THEY MOVED THAT PRETTY CHURCH THERE, WHICH HAS HAVE YOU UNIQUE ARCHITECT TURK IS THE DOORWAY IS ON THE CORNER OF A SQUARE, ACROSS THE HOSPITAL, THAT WAS MOVED FROM I THINK OVER BY THE CITY PARK. MOVED IT ABOUT FOUR BLOCKS TO THE EAST. AND YOU HAD TO -- YOU KNOW, YOU HAD DOT INVOLVED WITH ROAD CLOSURES AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

THIS IS JUST FOR US TO HAVE PEOPLE THERE TO MAKE SURE OUR SIGNS ARE PUT BACK IN PLACE AND THAT TYPE OF STUFF.

AND IT WILL INVOLVE A LOT OF PEOPLE.

IT WILL INVOLVE CLAY ELECTRIC. IT'S NOT -- IT'S A BIG DEAL.

>> BUT IT DOES HAPPEN, IN ORANGE PARK DURING MY TENURE WE MOVED TWO HOMES FROM A RURAL ROAD AREA DOWN TO THE DAIRY QUEEN AREA, SO IT -- THEY ONLY MOVED 200 YARDS BUT --

>> RIGHT. >> WE MOVED THE WHOLE PHYSICAL

STRUCTURE. >> OKAY.

THANK YOU. >> ALL RIGHT? GOOD. THANK Y'ALL.

>> SO IN BRINGING THAT BUDGET ON SEPTEMBER 8TH, THAT BALANCED BUDGET, THESE WERE THE CONSIDERATIONS AND GUIDANCE, DIRECTION, CONSENSUS WE RECEIVED FROM THE BOARD AT THE LAST WORKSHOP. SO ITEMS 1, 2, 3 AND 4 ON THE NEXT TWO SLIDES ARE THOSE ITEMS THAT STAFF HEARD CONSENSUS ON.

SO IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION ON THESE ITEMS, WE

HAVE TIME TO DO THAT NOW. >> MADAME CHAIR.

>> GO AHEAD. >> I HAVE SEVERAL QUESTIONS ON CATEGORY 2. THE FIRST BULLET, RETIREE OPT [INDISCERNIBLE] PROGRAM -- THE VERB THERE I THINK IS ELIMINATE.

IS THAT THE VERB WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, ELIMINATE RETIREE OPT OUT

PROGRAM? >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

THE PROPOSAL IS TO ELIMINATE RETIREE OPT OUT FOR THOSE WHO ARE MEDICARE ELIGIBLE AND TO PHASE IT OUT ULTIMATELY WITH ELIMINATION OF OUR TWO-YEAR PERIOD FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT

MEDICARE-ELIGIBLE. >> HAVE WE DONE ANY RESEARCH I GUESS IS THE BEST WORD, AS TO IF WE ELIMINATE THE OPT OUT, THEY MAY TAKE THE INSURANCE AND WHAT THAT WAS GOING TO COST US

ANYWAY? >> WE DO NOT FORESEE AN INCREASE IN PARTICIPATION IN THE PLAN, DUE TO THE VAST MAJORITY OF THOSE OPTING OUT ALREADY HAVING ANOTHER COVERAGE, WHETHER IT'S MEDICARE OR A SPOUSE'S PLAN OR TRI-CARE.

>> OKAY. SECOND BULLET, IT SAYS REDUCE COLA. SHOULD THAT SAY REPLACE COLA FOR

A THOUSAND DOLLAR STIPEND? >> I BELIEVE THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL WAS A 3% COLA AND THIS WAS FROM THE BOARD'S RECOMMENDATION AT THE LAST BUDGET MEETING TO REDUCE IT INSTEAD TO A THOUSAND DOLLARS, AND I DO BELIEVE THAT WOULD BE PAID OUT OVER A 26-WEEK PAY PERIOD SO IT WOULD STILL BE A COST OF LIVING INCREASE IMPLEMENTED AFTER THE FISCAL YEAR, IT WOULD JUST BE A THOUSAND DOLLARS INSTEAD OF THE

3% ACROSS THE BOARD. >> SO IT'S A SALARY INCREASE OF

A THOUSAND ACROSS THE BOARD? >> YES, SIR.

>> OR IS IT A BONUS -- >> IT IS NOT A BONUS, IT IS A

SALARY INCREASE. >> OKAY.

I THINK IT'S THE FIFTH -- TWO, FOUR, FIFTH BULLET.

PHASE OUT EMPLOYEE -- IS THAT A REDUCTION IN THE OPT OUT

PROGRAM? >> YES, COMMISSIONER.

THAT WOULD BE PHASING IT OUT THE SAME WAY FOR NON- MEDICARE ELIGIBLE RETIREES OVER A TWO-YEAR TIME PERIOD.

THE FIRST YEAR WOULD BE A 50% REDCTION AND YEAR 2 WOULD BE A

COMPLETE ELIMINATION. >> GOT TO READ MY NOTES.

>> CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT MORE. >> ABSOLUTELY, YES, COMMISSIONER. SO RETIREES RECEIVE -- EMPLOYEES

[00:15:03]

>> OKAY, THANK YOU. >> AND AUBREY, JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT QUESTION, ARE WE -- MY UNDERSTANDING IS, IF YOU CAN CONFIRM, WE'RE THE ONLY COUNTY THAT ANYONE KNOWS OF THAT DOES

AN OPT OUT? >> A FEW COUNTIES DO STILL OFFER IT, COMMISSIONER, FOR EMPLOYEES. THREE THAT WE HAVE FOUND.

ALL OTHER COUNTIES HAVE ELIMINATED IT COMPLETELY FOR

RETIREES. >> OKAY.

AND THREE OFFER IT FOR EMPLOYEES?

>> THAT IS CORRECT, YES, COMMISSIONER.

>>

>> TURKSTHANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. >> WERE YOU DONE, JIMMY?

>> DONE, THANK YOU. >> MADAME CHAIR? SO ON THIS SLIDE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO -- FOR THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND SOME OF THESE SIGNIFICANT CUTS THAT THE COMMISSION IS MAKING. THE ONE THAT'S ELIMINATED AN ADDITIONAL 5 5FEST THAT'S FIVE JOBS THAT THE COUNTY WILL BE CUTTING ON TOP OF 30 POSITIONS. SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE GETTING VERY SHARP WITH THE PENCIL. COMMISSIONER RENNINGER WAS TALKING ABOUT THE COLA. STAFF WILL NOT BE GETTING THE 3% RAISE, BUT A LOT OF THAT'S GOING TO BE GOBBLED UP WITH INSURANCE.

WE'VE CUT OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT DOWN TO TWO PEOPLE SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE BEEN FOLLOWING ALONG THAT YOU'VE SEEN. FOR ALL OF THE STUDENTS THAT WERE INVOLVED IN [INDISCERNIBLE] EXTENSION AND ALL THE MASTER GARDENERS WHO HAVE CAME TO OUR MEETINGS AND VOUCHED FOR YOUR PROGRAM, WE HEARD YOU, WE WERE ABLE TO SAVE THE PROGRAM AS FAR AS PROGRAMING GOES. ALL OF THE AGENTS WILL REMAIN BUT WE ARE ELIMINATING TWO OF THE ADMIN ASSISTANTS IN THAT PROGRAM. IT'S TIGHT TIMES AND YOU KNOW, IT'S EVERYONE'S CARRYING THE WATER EQUALLY.

SO THOSE ARE JUST -- IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW, IF YOU SHOW UP TO THE MEETING AND YOU LOOK AT THE SLIDE FOR THE FIRST TIME, IT'S VERY HARD TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS, BUT THESE ARE THE SUBSTANTIAL CUTS THAT WE ARE MAKING, AND COMMISSIONER CONDON, TO YOUR POINT ABOUT THE OPT OUT, I KNOW FOR ME WE ARE NOT -- YOU KNOW, I'M STILL UPSET ABOUT THE VETERANS EXEMPTION BEING MESSED WITH.

SO I HAVE A CREATIVE PROPOSAL FOR THAT, TO BRING BEFORE ALL OF YOU TODAY. BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF ELIMINATING THE OPT OUT ALTOGETHER, THAT'S JUST MY PERSONAL BELIEF. AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT. WE HAVEN'T WENT TO THE 3 AND 4 YET, RIGHT? OKAY, GO AHEAD.

>> MADAME CHAIR

GO AHEAD VIEW BEFORE WE. >> BEFORE WE LEAVE THIS ITEM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ELIMINATE 5 FTES IT'S THROUGH ATTRITION,

IS THAT CORRECT? >> YEAH, THAT IS CORRECT.

>> SO WE DIDN'T PINK SLIP -- WE WERE ABLE TO REASSIGN AND RE-ORGANIZE THROUGH GOOD MANAGEMENT AND NOT HAVE TO TERMINATE ANY POSITIONS, AS WELL AS THE IFIS INDIVIDUALS HAVE BEEN REASSIGNED AS WELL, IS THAT CORRECT?

>> THEY'VE BEEN OFFERED A REASSIGNMENT WAS MY

UNDERSTANDING. >> WELL THAT'S ALL WE CAN DO, WE

CAN OFFER IT. >> BUT HERE IS MY POINT, COMMISSIONER: THE ATTRITION THING IS RUNNING OUT.

LIKE, WE'RE VERY, VERY CLOSE -- I'M GOING TO SAVE IT FOR TUESDAY WHEN I DISCUSS THIS BUT -- THERE'S NO MORE ATTRITION TO BE HAD. THE NEXT THING IS THAT'S THE

ONLY, YOU KNOW -- >> PINK SLIPS.

>> YEAH, 100%, SO >> THANK YOU.

ANYONE ELSE HAVE QUESTIONS ON THIS? THIS IS JUST THE 1 AND 2. WE'LL GO TO THE 3 AND 4,

CORRECT? >> SO THESE ARE ITEMS 3 AND 4 FROM THAT LIST SO IF THERE'S ANY DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS ON THESE

ITEMS? >> MADAME CHAIR?

>> HOLD ON ONE SECOND. WE ARE ELIMINATING AFTER YEAR 2, SO ARE YOU SAYING DO IT RIGHT NOW?

WHAT WAS YOUR -- >> WHICH --

>> THE OPT OUT. >> OH, IS THAT THE -- IS THAT

THE CURRENT PLAN? >> YEAH, TO ELIMINATE -- AFTER

YEAR 2, CORRECT? >> 50% THE FIRST YEAR --

>> AND THEN A FULL ELIMINATION THE SECOND YEAR?

>> THAT'S CORRECT. >> I WOULD BE OKAY WITH THAT.

[00:20:02]

OKAY. >> ALL RIGHT SO --

>> THANKS, MADAME CHAIR. >> AND YOU HAD A QUESTION RIGHT

NOW? >> YEAH.

SO TROY, I HAVE A QUESTION ON THE -- REDUCING THE VETERANS WASTE EXEMPTION TO 50% FROM 100 THE.

IS THERE A WAY THAT WE COULD DO A 50% HARDSHIP EXEMPTION AND THEN IF A VETERAN QUALIFIES FOR THE HARDSHIP EXEMPTION, THEY COULD THEN GET 100% EXEMPTION AS A VETERAN THAT ALSO QUALIFIES

FOR HARDSHIP? >> SO LET ME RESTATE THE QUESTION AND MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTAND IT.

YOU WOULD BE SAYING TO ONLY MOVE TO BASICALLY A HARDSHIP

EXEMPTION WITH TWO TIERS? >> CORRECT.

>> A HARDSHIP -- >> LIKE A PHASE 1 AND A PHASE

2 -- STAGE 1. >> IF YOU HAD A HARDSHIP, YOU WOULD GET A 50% DEDUCTION AND THEN IF YOU WERE HARDSHIP AND VETERAN, YOU WOULD GET 100% BUT YOU WOULD HAVE TO MEET BOTH CRITERIA, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE STATING?

>> YES. >> I DON'T SEE WHY YOU COULDN'T

IMPLEMENT SOMETHING LIKE THAT. >> I REALLY THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT

WE WERE DOING. >> THAT'S WHAT IT DOES, IN

ESSENCE. >> WELL, NO --

>> NOT AS IT'S WRITTEN. >> AS IT'S WRITTEN RIGHT NOW, YOU'RE GOING TO EVERYBODY BEING 50%.

MY UNDERSTANDING FROM -- >> BUT HARDSHIP IS 100%.

SO IF YOU QUALIFY FOR HARDSHIP, YOU GET 100%.

>> HE'S LOOKING AT A DIFFERENT MODEL.

>> YEAH, SO ARE YOU SAYING TO REVISE HARDSHIP AS WELL TO BE

50%? >> YEAH, UM --

>> IF YOU'RE A VETERAN AND YOU HAVE HARDSHIP YOU'RE ALREADY

GOING TO GET 100%. >> I THINK ANYONE WITH A

HARDSHIP GETS 100%. >> BUT I THINK THAT'S WHERE YOU WERE LOOKING AT DOING IT A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY, OF SAYING POTENTIALLY YOU COULD GO TO A HARDSHIP ONLY BEING 50% AND THEN IF YOU'RE A VETERAN AND A HARDSHIP GOING TO 100%.

I THINK YOU'RE LOOKING AT -- FOR VETERANS.

>> YEAH. >> I THINK THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS YOU AS A BOARD CAN LOOK AT THIS, IF YOU'RE TRYING TO NOT REDUCE IT -- IF YOU'RE TRYING TO REDUCE THIS $150,000 AND LOOK AT A DIFFERENT WAY TO DID IT. I THINK THAT'S UP TO THE BOARD

OF WHAT THE PLAN LOOKS LIKE. >> YEAH, I'M CONFUSED.

BECAUSE I MEAN, IF YOU'RE HARDSHIP YOU GET 100%.

IF YOU'RE A VETERAN, IF YOU'RE NOT --

>> IT MAKES SENSE TO ME NOW. I JUST --

>> IT COULD INCLUDE VETERANS BUT IT'S ALREADY INCLUDING VETERANS.

>> I JUST -- I DON'T LIKE REMOVING IT AT ALL.

THAT'S JUST -- I KNOW I'M UP HERE BY MYSELF BUT THAT'S --

>> NO, YOU ARE. >> WELL, I'M JUST --

>> BUT IT WAS ONLY YOU AND I LAST TIME SO --

>> I'M JUST TRYING TO GET CREATIVE ON IT BUT I'LL GO TO THE NEXT ONE. SO JTA FUNDING, IF YOU LISTEN TO THE PUBLIC, THEY WILL TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED TO HEAR.

I'VE NOT HAD ONE PERSON MENTION JTA BUSES, NOT ONE PERSON.

SO THE $500 -- OR $500,000 OF REDUCING IT, I'M IN FAVOR OF ELIMINATING THE PROGRAM. THERE'S NOT -- I MEAN, YOU COULD TAKE THAT 500,000 AND GIVE IFIS THE THING -- THERE'S WAY MORE KIDS IN 4H THAN THERE ARE THAT RIDE THE BUS.

I MEAN, IT'S -- THAT'S JUST MY PERSONAL OPINION.

I'M IN FAVOR OF FULLY ELIMINATING THAT 500,000.

>> I HAVE AN EMPLOYEE THAT RIDES THE BUS SO -- I MEAN AND SHE DOESN'T DRIVE, SHE NEVER HAS DRIVEN SO -- YOU KNOW, ONLY ONE

PERSON BUT -- >> I'M SYMPATHETIC TO THAT BUT THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY FOR ONE PERSON.

>> BUT THERE'S MORE. I'M ON THAT BOARD SO I MEAN THERE IS MORE PEOPLE. IT'S DEFINITELY SMALL NUMBERS BUT TO ELIMINATE TOTALLY, I THINK THAT'S A LITTLE HARSH

BUT -- >> MADAME CHAIR, CAN I ASK TROY A QUESTION REGARDING THAT? SO CAN YOU DISCUSS THE FUNDING -- BECAUSE I BELIEVE BUT I MAY NOT BE RIGHT, THAT SOME OF WHAT COMMISSIONER BURKE AND SGROMOLO ARE TALKING ABOUT ARE TWO DIFFERENT PROGRAMS SO THERE'S TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGE, WHICH YOUR EMPLOYEE MAYBE NOT UNDER THE TD.

>> RIGHT. >> BECAUSE THEY'RE BOTH, RIGHT.

SO THERE'S THE TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGE.

AND THEN THERE'S THE REGULAR JTA CLAY TRANSIT SERVICES, AND THE RIDERSHIP IS VERY LOW ON THE REGULAR CLAY TRANSIT.

I'M NOT ARGUING THEIR WAY YET, I JUST WANT CLASSIFICATION CLARIFH

IS WHICH. >> I THINK YOU'RE TALK ABOUT BOTH BUT I WILL BREAK IT DOWN, BECAUSE I THINK THERE ARE NUANCES TO YOUR POINT. SO YOU HAVE TD SERVICE.

TD SERVICE IS FUNDED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT 000 THE STATE TO US, THROUGH THE TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGE BOARD. THEY HAVE AN ALLOCATION, $500,000-ISH, IS THAT THE NUMBE0 THAT THEY GET FROM THE STATE.

YOU CURRENTLY SAY -- SO IN THE TD BOARD YOU HAVE A RANKING THAT SAYS PEOPLE ARE LEVEL 5, LEVEL 4, LEVEL 2, LEVEL 1 AND WE SUPPLEMENT FUNDING TO ALLOW THAT SCALE TO PROVIDE FOR MORE PEOPLE. SO WE SUPPLEMENT THE FUNDING TO

[00:25:02]

WE CAN GET YOU THAT -- WHAT THAT SCALE IS.

SO I THINK THAT'S THE FIRST HALF OF YOUR QUESTION, IS IT DOESN'T GO AWAY TOTALLY, JTA JUST SIGNED A NEW FIVE-YEAR CONTRACT TO PROVIDE TD SERVICE SO THE TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGE PIECE WILL STILL RUN, IT WILL JUST BE AT A LOWER LEVEL OF SERVICE IF YOU DON'T SUPPLEMENT. THEN YOU HAVE THE RED LINE, THE BLUE LINE, THE GREEN LINE, THE MAGENTA LINE, WHICH ALL OF THOSE ARE LEVEL OF STATE GRANT FUNDING THAT JTA GETS AND AGAIN IT'S A MODEL WHERE THEY USE THE MONEY UNTIL IT RUNS OUT.

YOU AS THE BOARD HAVE SAID, HEY, IF IT RUNS OUT, WE WILL SUPPLEMENT THIS MONEY TO CONTINUE THE PROGRAM IN ITS ENTIRETY. THEN HUFF YOU HAVE JUST THE NORL RIDERSHIP THAT YOU HAVE, WHICH IS PART OF THAT FUNDING, THAT WE'RE PROVIDING, THAT WE'RE PAYING FOR.

I WILL SAY I THINK IT'S THE BOARD'S CHOICE -- I KNOW KAREN AND I HAVE BEEN ON PHONE CALLS WITH SOME ALTERNATIVE SERVICES THAT MAY BE ABLE COME IN AND REPLACE WHAT YOU'RE DOING NOW, NOT THE TD PART, BECAUSE THE TD PART, AGAIN, IS WHAT THEY'RE CONTRACTED FOR THROUGH THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

IF YOU CHOSE TO CONTINUE HAVING A BUS SERVICE AT ALL, OUTSIDE OF

TD. >> AND HOW IS THAT PAID FOR, THE

SUPPLEMENT -- >> YOU WOULD BE PAYING FOR IT.

>> THE OTHER -- BUT IT'S JUST -- IT'S JUST CHEAPER OR WHAT?

>> IT'S AN ALTERNATIVE SERVICE. THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE NOW WHO ARE COMING IN WITH MICROTRANSIT, THERE'S FIVE OR SIX DIFFERENT VENDORS OUT THERE THAT DO MICROTRANSIT AND --

>> IS IT SIGNIFICANTLY CHEAPER? >> I WOULD SAY IT'S

SIGNIFICANTLY CHEAPER. >> YEAH.

>> SO I MEAN, IT'S REALLY -- >> YEAH, AGAIN, THAT'S GOING TO BE UP TO THE BOARD, IF YOU DECIDING TO THAT ROUTE WITH MICROTRANSIT, HOW DOWSETT UP THAT SYSTEM? DO YOU CHARGE A DOLLAR PER RIDE, $5 PER RIDE? THERE'S ALL KINDS OF PARAMETERS THAT THIS POURED COULD SET AS A.

THERE'S NO SERVICE IN OAK LEAF AT ALL SO FOR MICROTRANSIT THAT MAY BE A WAY TO GET TRANSPORTATION THERE BECAUSE JTA HAS TOLD US THEY'RE NOT GOING TO OAK LEAF ANYTIME IN THE FUTURE.

CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, MA'AM. I THINK THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT

THEY'VE TOLD US. >> BUT THE TD WOULD SERVE

SENIORS IN HER AREA? >> IF THEY QUALIFY ON THAT VERY

SPECIFIC CRITERIA. >> GOT IT.

>> SO WE HAVE NO WAY REALLY TO KNOW -- I KNOW THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF SENIORS WHO ARE USING THE TD SERVICE, I WOULD IMAGINE -- THEY'RE USING IT A LOT TO GO TO THE DOCTOR AND THEN TO GO TO SENIORS CENTERS FOR NUTRITION, SO I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY FROM DISTRICT 2 ARE COMING -- I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME AT MIDDLEBURG SENIOR CENTER WHO DO COME BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY.

IS THAT A PAY AS YOU NEED IT THING THIS MIC ROW TRANSIT OR DO WE STILL HAVE TO DID A MONTHLY THING LIKE THIS?

>> IT WOULD DEPEND ON HOW YOU WOULD SET UP THE CONTRACT.

I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE UP TO THE BOARD.

AND AGAIN, THAT'S -- YOU KNOW, NOT KNOWING THE DIRECTION OF THE BOARD, KAREN AND CHAR HE'S AND I HAVE HAD SOME VERY PRELIMINARY -- I DON'T WANT TO PUT WORDS IN Y'ALL'S MOUTH BUT VRY PRELIMINARY CONVERSATIONS WITH A COUPLE OF MICROTRANSIT PROVIDERS PROVIDERS -- WHETHER THAT'S A LEVEL OF SERVICE THE BOARD DESIRES OR NOT OR -- THAT'S YOU

KNOW, UP TO YOU. >> I'M GOOD WITH THAT.

I DON'T LIKE PAYING 30,000 A MONTH AND WE DON'T EVEN KNOW IF WE'RE USING ENOUGH TO, YOU KNOW -- LIKE YOU'RE SAYING.

SO IF YOU THINK THERE'S AN ALTERNATIVE, I'M DEFINITELY --

WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT THAT. >> MADAME CHAIR, TWO QUESTIONS.

ARE THERE ANY STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS TO PROVIDE

TRANSPORTATION? >> TO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION?

THERE'S A STATUTORY -- >> IF WE ELIMINATE IT, ARE WE IN

VIOLATION OF ANY STATUTE. >> BECAUSE TD SERVICE IS

STATUTORILY -- >> THE SECOND QUESTION I HAVE IS YOU KNOW JTA MANAGES IT NOW, AND IT'S VERY COSTLY.

IF WE GO TO A MICROTRANSIT, HOW MUCH STAFF TIME DO WE ESTIMATE -- YOU KNOW, GETTING BACK TO THE -- WE DON'T -- WE'RE NOT REAL FAT AROUND HERE, SO WE HAVE RESPONSIBILITY AND OVERSIGHT, DO WE HAVE OVERSIGHT RESPONSIBILITY, COLLECTION

[00:30:01]

MICROTRANSIT? >> YOU WOULD HAVE MORE OVERSIGHT BECAUSE YOU'RE MANAGING THE CONTRACT AT THAT POINT.

>> BUT I THINK YOU'RE ASKING OPERATIONALLY.

>> OPERATIONALLY, DO WE HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DO IS THIS?

>> I WOULD -- I DON'T WANT TO -- >> OR ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TO

HIRE AN FTE THAT WE DON'T HAVE? >> I DON'T THINK YOU WOULD HAVE TO. THE COMPLAINTS THAT WE GET NOW, WHEN JTA OR -- WHEN WE GET COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SERVICE NOW, JASON AND KAREN'S SHOP HANDLES THOSE COMPLAINTS.

I WOULD ASSUME THIS WOULD WORK THE SAME WAY IF WE WENT TO THE MICROTRANSIT. THAT WOULD BE YOUR LIAISON BETWEEN US AND THE VENDOR. THE VENDOR IS STILL GOING TO BE DOING THE SCHEDULING, THE FINANCIAL COLLECTION.

>> BUT YOU ARE MOVING THE CONTRACTUAL RESPONSIBILITY OFF OF JTA ONTO THE COUNTY. I MEAN --

>> THAT'S MY POINT. >> YOU ARE TAKING ON THAT INCREASED BECAUSE YOU NOW OWN THE CONTRACT.

>> THIS SAYS REDUCE. SO IF WE ELIMINATE LIKE HE'S SAYING, COMMISSIONER SGROMOLO IS SAYING, WHAT IS IT COMPARED TO

REDUCING? >> IF YOU ELIMINATE IT

COMPLETELY, THIS ADDITIONAL 600. >> ADDITIONAL WHAT?

>> IF YOU DECIDED TO ELIMINATE THE SERVICE MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO GET THROUGH CHRISTMAS AND ELIMINATE IT IN

THE NEW YEAR. >> THIS SAYS ELIMINATE 100,000 -- THAT'S FROM 1.3 MILLION TO

500,000. >> YOU'RE SAYING AN ADDITIONAL 600. GOT 'YA.

OKAY. >> I'M NOT COMPLETELY FOLLOWING BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE -- I THINK TD IS IMPORTANT AND I DON'T KNOW -- WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT.

SHOPPING MAY NOT BE AS CRITICAL EXCEPT THIS IS SOME OF THESE SENIOR CITIZENS ONLY WAY TO GET TO THE GROCERY STORES.

AND I DO HAVE TWO OF THE SENIOR CENTERS IN MY DISTRICT AND THEY

ARE HEAVILY USED. >> SO THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO IF WE DO THIS?

>> IF YOU WENT DOWN TO ONLY THE TD SERVICE THAT'S PROVIDED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AS SOON AS YOU GIVE THE 90 DAY -- THIS IS MY UNDERSTANDING AND WE HAD A CALL ABOUT THIS YESTERDAY.

THE NEXT MEETING THE TRANSPORTATION BOARD HAS TO APPROVE JTA'S CONTRACT. YOU WILL NOT HAVE GIVEN JTA YOUR 90 DAY NOTICE. THEY WILL CALL A SPECIAL MEETING OF THAT TRANSPORTATION BOARD AND AT THAT POINT YOU GUYS WILL ADJUST THE SERVICE LEVEL WITHIN THE CONFINES OF WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GIVES OR THE STATE GIVES TO TD, BECAUSE AT THAT POINT YOU'LL BE SAYING THAT YOU'RE NOT SUPPLEMENTING TD SERVICE AND SO YOUR $30,000 A MONTH IS NOT GOING TO BE THERE, SO THAT MEANS THEY CAN'T SAY WE'RE GOING TO TO GO TO 5S, 4S AND 3S, WE'RE ONLY GOING TO SERVICE PEOPLE THAT ARE THE MOST CRITICAL, LEVEL 5 AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS.

WE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT HOW MANY PEOPLE THAT IS.

THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT.

>> I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THOSE NUMBERS BEFORE --

>> AND I WOULD EVEN AGREE WITH THAT.

I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE NUMBERS OF -- I JUST THINK THERE IS A WAY TO NOT ALLOCATE $1.3 MILLION TO BUSES, THERE IS A WAY TO DO IT. SO IF YOU GUYS CAN GET US THE NUMBERS OF WHAT SERVICING THE TD IS, THEN THAT'S -- WE CAN LOOK

AT IT THAT WAY. >> AND WE PROBABLY SHOULD KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS ALTERNATIVE ALSO.

>> SURE, SURE 100%. >> I GUESS THE DIRECTION THAT WE NEED FROM THE BOARD IS ARE YOU COMFORTABLE AS LEAVING A REDUCED AMOUNT IN FOR JTA, WHY WE DO THAT RESEARCH AND COME BACK, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW YOUR BUDGET IS BASED ON US CUTTING THAT 600,000

OUT OF JTA'S BUDGET. >> BECAUSE CURRENTLY AS IT STATES THE TD STUFF STAYS THE SAME, RIGHT?

>> WE WOULD HAVE TO COME OUT AND FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT CONTRACT LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT YOU FEEL LIKE YOU CAN FUND OR NOT FUND.

SO IF THAT'S WHAT YOUR DESIRE IS, THEN WE WILL WORK TO THAT AS A RESULT AND BRING BACK OPTIONS IN THE UPCOMING BOARD MEETINGS.

>> ARE Y'ALL GOOD WITH THAT? AND POSSIBLE INCREASED SERVICE, AT LEAST IN DISTRICT 2. RIGHT? I MEAN, THAT WOULD HE BE THE IDEAL SCENARIO, IS THAT WE WOULD REDUCE COSTS AND INCREASE SERVICE.

>> YES. >>

>> AS NEEDED, YONNI MEAN -- >> I DON'T KNOW --

>> THAT'S WHERE SOME OF THIS MICROTRANSIT IS INTERESTING.

A LOT OF COUNTIES HAVE LOOKED AT DIFFERENT MODELS, IF YOU'RE INSIDE OF A CIRCLE THEN THE COST IS X BUT IF YOU'RE GOING FROM OAK LEAF TO GREEN COVE, THERE MAY BE A HIGHER CHARGE BECAUSE IT'S A LONGER TRIP, IT'S STILL CHEAPER THAN UBER, LYFT OR

WHATEVER. >> OKAY, GREAT.

WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK TO THAT, THEN, LATER.

AT A LATER DATE. ALL RIGHT.

[00:35:02]

>> I JUST GOT ANOTHER QUESTION ON THIS.

DO WE HAVE AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE LANDED WITH THE P SAPS, WHAT THE

PLAN IS WITH THAT? >> COMMISSIONER AND MADAME CHAIR. BOTH MANAGERS ARE HEREMENT WE'VE HAD TWO MEETINGS, ALSO INCLUDED THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WITH US ON THAT TO DISCUSS IT. WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE WITH REGARDS TO PSAPS, WHAT WE'VE FOUND IS DEAN'S DONE A GREAT JOB ON TRYING TO QUANTIFY THE NUMBER, BUT WHEN YOU TRY TO QUANTIFY AN INDIVIDUAL AND THEN YOU TRY TO SAY 25% OF THAT INDIVIDUAL, LIKE THE 911 CARD FLAIRT OR YOU LOOK AT THINGS LIKE SOFTWARE AND TRAINING, HOW MUCH TRAINING AND THEN EQUIPMENT, HOW MUCH IS THAT DEMAND ON EQUIPMENT, WHAT WE PROPOSED THEY WERE GOING TO BRING IT BACK TO THEIR COUNCILS BUT I'LL JUST SAY WHAT WE WERE TALKING AND KIND OF AGREED UPON BETWEEN THE MANAGERS WAS THAT WE WOULD GO ON AN MOU WITH THEM AND PROVIDE THAT AS AN INVOICE TO THEM FOR THEM TO PAY SO HE THEY SHOULD DESIRE TO KEEP THEIR PSAP.

>> SO WHAT I HEAR YOU SAYING IF THOSE COUNCILS CHOOSE TO FUND

IT, THEY WILL PAY FOR IT. >> THAT IS CORRECT.

IF THEY MOVE FORWARD -- I KNOW ONE OF THEM, MIKE AND I HAVE TALKED EXTENSIVELY ON IT, THEIR COUNCIL WANTS IT, AND I THINK WITH GARY TOO, HE SAID THERE WAS A DESIRE AND I THINK HE HAD WAYS THAT HE WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO FUND IT THAT WAY.

BUT THE OVERARCHING UMBRELLA ON IT IS TO GET TO A SINGLE SITE, SO WE WOULD ALSO PROPOSE NOT ONLY WILL WE HAVE THESE MOUS THAT WE'VE ESTABLISHED AND HELP US TO SAVE THOSE MONIES THAT ARE THERE, MOST IMPORTANTLY IS THE TIMELINESS OF THAT RESPONSE OF FIRST RESPONDERS AND WHAT HAS BEEN STUDIED OUT THERE FOR THAT 911 RESPONSE. WE WOULD LIKE TO FORM A COMMITTEE ON THIS, WITH ALL THE MAJOR STAKEHOLDERS ON IT WITH THE BOARD'S APPROVAL IS WHERE WE GOT TO, AND THEN GIVE US SIX TO NINE MONTHS TO COME UP WITH SOME SORT OF CONSOLIDATION PLAN MOVING FORWARD. I'VE TALKED TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE ABOUT THIS, FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR US ALSO AND THEN MUNICIPALITIES THAT WOULD BE INVOLVED.

>> COMMISSIONER RENNINGER? >> YEAH, THE BACKSTORY ON THIS EFFORT IS -- AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG BUT ALL CELLPHONE 911 CALLS GO TO SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND 98% OF 911 CALLS COME IN VIA CELLPHONE. SO YOU KNOW, WE'RE REALLY DUPLICATING EFFORT HERE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY THAT WE -- YOU TALK ABOUT DOGE, THIS IS A MACE WE OUGHT TO BE PLACE WE OUGHT TO BE DOGING. THEY HAD A PLAN TO CONSOLIDATE ALL PSAPS TO ONE, WE NEED TO DID IT TO TWO.

>> THE STATE LEGISLATURE WILL BE TAKING THIS UP AGAIN SO IT MAY COME OUT AS A STATUTE AND LAW THAT SAYS YOU HAVE TO CONSOLIDATE. SO WE ALL AGREED THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO COME OUT WITH SOME SORT OF PHASED PROCESS TO GET US THERE. WE TALKED ABOUT LOCATION, RIGHT, LIKE -- AND BECAUSE YOU NEED TO MAN THESE PHONES, RIGHT, AND SO THERE WOULD BE THAT DISCUSSION THERE, WHERE THE LOCATION WOULD BE AND THEN WHAT INDIVIDUALS WOULD BE SITTING IN THE 911 AREA FOR THAT DISPATCH AREA. SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT A PLAN, YES, SIR, THE PLAN MAY SAY YOU HAVE TO DO THIS NEXT YEAR, YOU'RE GIVEN TWO YEARS TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.

SO IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN SOONER THAN LATER AND VERY, VERY QUICKLY. WHEN IT COMES TO CELLPHONE CALLS, THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

SO MANY YEARS AGO, THE COUNTY AGREED THAT THOSE CELLPHONE CALLS WOULD BE ANSWERED BY THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IS A 911 DISPATCH CAN BE COMPLETELY OVERWHELMED WITH A MASSIVE EMERGENCY THAT WOULD BE ON SAY, FOR INSTANCE, 17ORE LANDING SO ALONG 17 WHERE THE TWO MUNICIPALITIES ARE LOCATED, THEY COULD BE EASILY OVERWHELMED BY THOSE CELLPHONE CALLS. WE DISCUSSED ABOUT GEOFENCING, BUT EVEN IF YOU GEOFENCED THE CALLS, THERE'S A RISK OF THAT DISPATCH GETTING OVERWHELMED. SO MANY YEARS AGO, THAT'S WHAT THEY CAME UP WITH AND THAT'S HOW THEY HANDLED IT.

THERE ARE MANY, MANY RULES, REGULATIONS AND ANSWERING THE CALL AND TRANSFERRING THE CALL AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

BASICALLY THE STUDIES THAT HAVE BEEN DONE IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA FULLY SUPPORT GETTING TO A SINGLE PSAP.

>> AND MADAME CHAIR, FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES IS TAKING UP THIS ISSUE AT THE POLICY AND INNOVATION CONFERENCE

[00:40:04]

SO SHERIFF, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR -- ONE, FOR BEING WILLING TO SHARE A CONFERENCE LIKE THAT BUT ALSO FOR YOUR

LEADERSHIP HERE. >> I WANT TO POINT OUT, THIS PARTICULAR ITEM IS ONLY THE ANSWERING, NOT THAT THIS -- NOT

THE DISPATCH, CORRECT? >> FOR THE COST SAVINGS?

>> HE'S NODDING YES. >> WE WERE TALKING ABOUT CALLTAKING ONLY AT THIS POINT IN TIME.

>> RIGHT. >> NOW, THE BILL THAT MAY GO THROUGH IS BROADER THAN JUST 911 BUT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY FROM A BUDGET PERSPECTIVE IS THE 911 FUNCTIONS ONLY, YES,

SIR. >> RIGHT.

>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON ITEMS 3 AND 4? OKAY. MADAME CHAIR, IF I MAY, I JUST WANT TO -- I APPRECIATE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT LOOKING AT ELIMINATING ONE OF THEIR SOFTWARE THAT COULD BE DUPLICATED OR WE COULD DO INTERNALLY, AND I WOULD ASK OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

WE DON'T WANT TO MAKE -- TAKE AWAY EFFICIENCIES, BUT IF THERE'S THINGS THAT WE CAN DO ON OUR OWN, WE -- IF THERE'S DUPLICATIONS -- WE HAVE A LOT OF SOFTWARE, A LOT OF LICENCES AND -- I WAS LOOKING AT ONE -- ON ONE OF THESE SLIDES -- OR MAYBE IT WAS FROM OUR PAST BUDGET WORKSHOP AND THERE'S A SOFTWARE THAT DOES ONE THING AND THEN A SOFTWARE THAT -- AND IT IS WITHIN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I'M INTERESTED IN LOOKING AT, BUT THERE'S ONE THAT MANAGES AND THEN THERE'S ONE THAT DOES IT. IT'S LIKE -- IT'S MANAGING THE NARCOTICS IN THAT CASE TICK PARR CASE, WHICH IS WHY I'M NOT INTERESTED IN DOING ANYTHING. BUT THERE'S ONE THAT MANAGES ALL OF IT AND THERE'S ONE THAT LOCKS IT UP, SO LIKE DO WE REALLY NEED TWO, IS THERE ONE THAT CAN DO -- BUT AT ANY RATE I'M NOT INTERESTED IN THAT PARTICULAR ONE, I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO LOOK AT DO THEY REALLY NEED THE SOFTWARE AND ALL THE LICENCES THEY HAVE. I IN PARTICULAR HAD MY COMPUTER DIE,ITE HAD, I-T HAD TO WORK ONI FOUND THAT I HAD A LICENSE FOR SOMETHING THAT I DON'T USE SO I GAVE IT BACK TO I-T.

AND TO USE FOR A DIFFERENT EMPLOYEE, IF IT IS NEEDED SO --

>> BEFORE WE LEAVE THIS ITEM, REDUCE PARKS PROGRAMS -- WHICH PROGRAMS? WHAT PROGRAMS?

>> THIS WAS IN -- OPERATIONALLY. >> JUST JUST ACROSS THE BOARD? IT'S A 20,000-DOLLAR REDUCTION -- HE HAS ALL THE

KNOWLEDGE RIGHT THERE SO -- >> HE IS THE EXPERT.

>> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO GET MY STEPS IN. JUSTIN PIERCE, DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND REC. WHAT YOU SEE THERE, THAT 20,000 IS OPERATIONAL PARKS EQUIPMENT. AN EXAMPLE OF THAT WOULD BE A MOVIE SCREEN FOR PARK EVENTS, AS WELL AS THOSE -- THAT'S WHAT THAT IS SO WE'VE MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO MAKE DO WITH WHAT WE HAVE TO COMPLETE THE PROGRAMS WE HAVE THROUGHOUT FISCAL YEAR.

>> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, JUSTIN.

ALL RIGHT. >> SO MOVING ON FOR OUR BALANCED BUDGET, SOME KEY CONSIDERATIONS THAT WE HAVE.

IF YOU'LL -- THE KEY COMPONENTS ARE FOR BRINGING THAT BALANCED BUDGET ON SEPTEMBER 8TH AND FOR SEPTEMBER 22ND, PUBLIC HEARINGS, ARE THE NEW AND INCREASED FEES.

THE STORMWATER ASSESSMENT, FIRE RESCUE FUND.

THE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICER FUND, OUR GENERAL FUND RESERVES WILL STAY AT OUR 16.7, BEST PRACTICE, AND THEN OF COURSE EXPENDITURE REDUCTIONS WHICH WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT TODAY.

AND BEFORE AT OTHER WORKSHOPS. IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS STILL TO COME OUT ARE THE STATE REVENUE ESTIMATES, THOSE DID START ROLLING IN YESTERDAY. SO THE BUDGET TEAM IS LOOKING AT THOSE AND UPDATING OUR REVENUES AS THOSE COME IN, ADJUSTING UP OR DOWN OR STAYING THE SAME WHEN WE GET THOSE.

>> DOES IT REALLY TELL IF IT'S ANY BETTER THAN [INDISCERNIBLE]

>> CURRENTLY THEY'RE COMING IN PRETTY MUCH WHERE WE DID

[00:45:01]

>> THAT'S A GREAT POSITIVE WAY OF LOOKING AT THAT.

>> I HAVE A QUESTION FOR TROY. AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WHEN I WAS TOLD THIS A COUPLE WEEKS OR MONTHS AGO, I GUESS, WAS KINDS OF ASTOUNDING TO ME. SO AD VALOREM REVENUE COLLECTION, JUST FOR THE PUBLIC EXPLAIN -- I THINK FOR CITIZENS IN THE COMMUNITY, THE ECONOMY IS EXTREMELY TOUGH, EVERYONE'S PROPERTY TAXES ARE TOO HIGH, AND IT'S HIKE THERE'S NO END IN SIGHT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S FRUSTRATING, THOUGH, EXPLAIN THE AD VALOREM REVENUE THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY COLLECTING, JUST NEWS TO EVERYONE: WE DO NOT COLLECT 100% OF PROPERTY TAX. CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT.

>> YEAH, I MEAN, YOU ALWAYS HAVE PEOPLE WHO DON'T PAY THEIR PROPERTY TAXES EVERY YEAR. I THINK THE LAST NUMBER WE LOOKED AT IS A LITTLE BIT BETTER.

WE GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE -- >> 96.4.

>> BUT THAT 96 -- IT WAS 94. >> IT WAS 94.

>> BUT THAT 96.4 TO # 100%, THAT GAP IS HOW MUCH MONEY?

>> LET'S JUST SAY 5% AND 5% OF OUR AD VALOREM THIS YEAR IS 171.

SO -- THAT'S ABOUT $8 MILLION, YEAH, $8.5 MILLION OF REVENUE THAT YOU'RE NOT -- AND THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, [INDISCERNIBLE] YOU BUDGET 95% AND YOU HOPE THE 5% IS THERE THAT YOU CAN CARRY FORWARD TO THE NEXT YEAR TO KEEP THAT FLOW.

SO YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THAT TO CARRY FORWARD.

I THINK THAT'S THE BIGGEST THING TO TAKE AWAY FROM THAT COMMENT, THAT MEANS YOU TONIGHT HAVE AS MUCH CASH CARRY FORWARD GOING INTO THE NEXT YEAR, YOU'RE DOWN $8 MILLION IN CASH CARRYFORWARD.

>> AND EXPLAIN HOW CASH CARRYFORWARD TIES INTO RESERVES.

>> WELL, YOUR RESERVES AND YOUR 5% REALLY IS AND WHATEVER YOU DON'T PENNED IS WHAT SPEND IS, E YOU START YOUR NEXT YEAR OFF.

IF YOUR RESERVES STAY AT 16.7 MILLION YOU SHOULD ALWAYS BE TAKING THAT RESERVE, CARRYING IT FORWARD AND GOING BACK TO YOUR RESERVES TO KEEP YOU ON THAT -- SO THEORETICALLY YOU'RE STARTING AN 8 MILLION-DOLLAR HOLE NEXT YEAR.

>> AND I THINK THAT'S THE THING FOR THE PUBLIC -- THEY NEED TOWNS. WHEN YOU HEAR CASH CARRYFORWARD, IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S AN EXTRA POT OF MONEY.

THAT'S MAINTAINING THE STRONG RESERVE YEAR TO YEAR AND THEN LIKE ONE OF THE THINGS THEY NEED TO KNOW TOO, SO MOODY ROAD, WHEN MOODY ROAD COLLAPSED AND CAVED IN, WHAT STORMWATER BUDGET DID WE PAY FOR THAT 950,000-DOLLAR REPAIR OUT OF?

>> YOU PAY FOR THAT OUT OF YOUR GENERAL FUND RESERVES.

>> I KNOW. I'M JUST SAYING -- THAT'S MY

POINT. >> BECAUSE WE'VE NEVER HAD A STORMWATER FEE -- ASSESSMENT OF MONEY TO GO TO THAT.

>> RIGHT. >> IS WHY.

>> AND I GUESS THAT'S MY POINT -- AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THIS TUESDAY -- BUT THE -- THOSE KEY INFRASTRUCTURE -- THE MAINTENANCE, THE REPLACEMENT HAS BEEN SUBSIDIZED OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH IS NOT FUNDED TO 100%.

IT'S 96.4 IN REVENUES. UNDER WITHIN MORE THING, SORRY, MJ OF THAT GENERAL FUND, HOW MUCH DOES PUBLIC SAFETY USE?

>> 100%. >> PLUS.

>> YES, PLUS. ALL ADAL VOR YOU WILLTHERE'S A O SUPPLEMENT THOSE FUNDS TO MAKE THEM WHOLE.

>> SO ONE LAST THING, TROY, SO YOU HAVE THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH IS SPENT ON PUBLIC SAFETY, WHICH I WOULD THINK FIVE OF US WOULD AGREE IT'S OUR NUMBER 1 JOB. THE OTHER PROGRAMS, PARKS AND ANIMAL SERVICES AND THE OTHER THINGS WE FUND, WHAT REVENUES

FUND THOSE? >> OTHER REVENUES THAT YOU COLLECT FROM EITHER STATE REVENUE SHARING OR YOUR DISCRETIONARY SALES TAX OR -- OR FEES.

>> CORRECT. >> SO JUST -- WHEN WE SAY GENERAL FUND, JUST FOR CLARITY, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS 100% OF THE AD VALOREM IS SPENT ON PUBLIC SAFETY.

YOU'RE SPENDING YOUR OTHER REVENUE STREAMS THAT YOU GET ON ALL YOUR OTHER GENERAL GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS, AND THOSE TRANSFERS TO SUPPORT PUBLIC SAFETY, TRANSPORTATION TRUST, ALL THOSE ARE COMING OUT OF YOUR GENERAL FUND.

>> NOT TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT BUT DO YOU HAVE A BALLPARK AMOUNT OF THOSE REVENUES THAT ARE NOT -- NOT GAS TAX, NOT SALES TAX, NOT CIP BUT THOSE OTHER GOVERNMENTAL REVENUES?

>> I WOULD HAVE TO GET THOSE FOR YOU.

I DON'T KNOW OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

>> I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY THOUGN IMPORTANT NOTE -- IT'S NOT

ANYWHERE CLOSE TO $175 MILLION. >> OH, NO, SIR.

>> RIGHT, YEAH. OKAY.

>> ANYONE ELSE? OKAY.

[2. Healthcare Rate Updates]

[00:50:02]

>> SO MOVING ON WE'LL HAND OVER TO AUBREY TO GO OVER OUR --

INAUDIBLE ] >> GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU. THE OVERALL INCREASE FROM 2026 TO 2027 HEALTH CARE RATES IS 13%.

YES, COMMISSIONER? >> WE PLANNED A BUDGETED NUMBER

OF WHAT? >> 10% AND WE WERE ABLE TO STAY

WITHIN THAT 10%. >> WE HAVE A PROBLEM.

WE'VE BUDGETED 10%, IT CAME IN 13%.

YOU KNOW BACK TO THE GENERAL REVENUE STATEMENTS, THEY'RE HOLDING EVEN. THIS DIDN'T -- THIS WASN'T IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR PLAN. 13%, THAT'S A BIG JUMP.

>> I WOULD SAY REGIONALLY, WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR, THAT'S PRETTY GOOD. I KNOW AT MY EMPLOYER IT'S LIKE A 25% INCREASE SO -- IT'S PRETTY GOOD.

>> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. THAT IS -- WE'RE NOT UNHAPPY WITH THIS RESULT. WE WERE ABLE TO -- WHILE UNEXPECTED, WESTERN ABLE TO BUDGET AND STAY WITHIN THE 10% FOR COUNTY INCREASE. THE REMAINING INCREASE WOULD BE PASSED ON TO TEAM MEMBERS IN THE FORM OF THEIR MONTHLY PREMIUMS. THE HIGHEST INCREASE TO A TEAM MEMBER WOULD BE $758 A YEAR ESTIMATE, AND THAT IS FOR THE FAMILY PPO PLAN.

THAT WOULD STILL SEE THAT GOING INTO 2027 WITH A THOUSAND DOLLAR COLA, THEY'RE STILL SEEING AN INCREASE IN THEIR COMPENSATION.

ALL RIGHT, MOVING ONTO THE NEXT THING --

>> BEFORE -- YOU KNOW, ONE THING THAT BOTHERS ME A LITTLE BIT IS -- YOU KNOW OUR EMPLOYEES COME HERE WITH AN EXPECTATION, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY HOURS I'M GOING TO WORK, WHAT I'M GOING TO HAVE TO DO, MY RETIREMENT POLICY.

AND THEN WE GET INTO THIS CONUNDRUM WHERE WE HAVE A HUGE INCREASE, ALTHOUGH 13 ISN'T HUGE, IT COULD BE A LOT WORSE -- BUT ANYWAY, MY POINT, I GUESS, IS JUST TO MAKE NOTE OF A SINGLE PERSON IN RETIREMENT IS GOING TO PAY HOW MUCH IN HEALTH

INSURANCE? >> A SINGLE RETIREE IN 2027 IS ESTIMATED TO PAY 11 -- 1,109 FOR THE PPO PLAN AND $1,033 FOR THE HDHP PLAN. HOWEVER,WE ARE MONTH.

HOWEVER THE COUNTY HAS PROVIDE A STIPEND OF $250 TO RETIREES ONLY

WHO WERE HIRED PRIOR TO 2016. >> THEY'RE GOING TO PAY $10,000, JUST ROUND NUMBERS, IN HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS, OUT OF THEIR RETIREMENT PENSION. THAT'S A BIG CHUNK FOR SOME OF

OUR EMPLOYEES. >> YES.

>> IT DOES CONCERN ME. IT'S A CONUNDRUM.

I DON'T KNOW. WE JUST NEED TO BE AWARE OF IT.

>> HEALTH INSURANCE -- >> AND THAT'S WITHOUT THE COPAY.

THERE'S A COPAY -- NOT COPAY, A -- WHAT'S THE PROPER TERM?

>> DEDUCTIBLE? >> TALK IOFDEDUCTIBLE BEFORE YON GET TO USE INSURANCE AND THAT IS?

>> THE DEDUCTIBLE FOR A SINGLE PERSON IS 2500.

THE COUNTY DOES PROVIDE A CONTRIBUTION TO EMPLOYEE HIGH DEDUCTIBLE HSA ACCOUNT IF THEY'RE UNDER MEDICARE ELIGIBLE AGE IN ACCORDANCE WITH FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS OF HALF OF THAT DEDUCTIBLE SO WE DO CONTRIBUTE HALF OF THAT DEDUCTIBLE.

>> AND OTHER SIDE I'M GOING TO SAY THAT SOME ORGANIZATIONS

DON'T PAY ANYTHING. >> THAT IS CORRECT,

COMMISSIONER. >> FOR HEALTH CARE.

WHEN I WORKED AT FSEJ, THEY DIDN'T PAY ANYTHING FOR A RETIREE. THE OTHER THING IS -- AND I'M GOING TO FIX THIS BEFORE I HEAVE PAYMENTS ON EVERY EMPLOYEE THAT WE HAVE AND THEY DON'T -- AREN'T REQUIRED TO TRANSITION TO MEDICARE WHEN THEY RETIRE. IN FACT WE CONTINUE TO PAY THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE AFTER PAYING ALL THESE MEDICARE PAYMENTS.

SO IT'S HIKE -- OUR CONSTITUENTE DOUBLE PAYING FOR OUR RETIREES.

>> LET'S FIX IT, COMMISSIONER. >> WELL, I'M TRYING, I'M TRYING.

WE'RE WORKING WITH BAILEY GROUP, MY BUDDY, YOUR BUDDY, TRAVIS.

WE'RE TRYING TO -- BUT THERE'S FEDERAL RULES AND LAWS AND ALL

THAT KIND OF STUFF. >> JUST TO BE CHEER, THAT'S NOTHING CLEAR, THAT'S NOTHING THAT WE CONTROL, THAT'S

AT A FEDERAL LEVEL. >> I DID HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE MEDICARE EXPERT AT THE BAILEY GROUP, AND IF THEY -- BASED ON THE NUMBERS THAT YOU JUST GAVE US, COMMISSIONER RENNINGER, FOR RETIREE INSURANCE, THEY COULD SAVE MONEY BY GETTING MEDICARE PART FEE IF THEY'RE 65 AND THE MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT OFFERED THROUGH OUR PLAN.

[00:55:02]

THEY WOULD SAVE MONEY. >> BUT WE DON'T REQUIRE IT.

>> I DON'T -- YOU CAN REQUIRE IT BUT I THINK THE EDUCATION PIECE OF THOSE PEOPLE TO SAY THEY COULD ACTUALLY -- IT WOULDN'T BE BETTER INSURANCE BUT THEY PROBABLY WOULDN'T CHANGE THEIR INSURANCE AND NOT HAVE THOSE COPAYS.

OR NOT HAVE THE DEDUCTIBLE I SHOULD SAY, THEY WOULD --

>> SO THIS IS SOMETHING YOU NEED TO WORK OUT, WHETHER IT BE EDUCATION OR STATUTE, YOU KNOW, WORKING FOR THE EQUIPMENT, AS I DID FOR 26 YEARS, THEY MAKE YOU TRANSITION TO MEDICARE.

THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT IT. REQUIREMENT, 65, YOU'RE ON MEDICARE. THEY DON'T PAY --

>> SO THEY CAN. WE SHOULD --

>> PARDON? >> IF THEY CAN MAKE YOU -- I

DON'T KNOW. >> ANYWAY, THAT'S SOMETHING WE

NEED TO WORK ON. >> JUST MAKE SURE THEY'RE OKAY

WITH IT, PLEASE. >> YEAH.

THANK YOU, WE DO PLAN ON HAVING TWO RETIREE OPEN ENROLLMENT SESSIONS WITH THE MEDICARE SPECIALIST TOMMY DELANEY PRESENT TO ENSURE EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION FOR THOSE WILL BE PUT OUT AFTER APPROVAL FROM THE BENEFITS FOR NEXT YEAR.

>> THIS IS RECAPPING THE OPT OUT ALLOWANCE CHANGES GOING INTO 2027. THE EMPLOYEE IMPACTS, RETIREE MEDICARE ELIGIBLE AND NOT MEDICARE ELIGIBLE ARE BROKEN DOWN IN THOSE THREE TIERS THERE. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS

REGARDING THIS? >> THANK YOU.

THIS IS WHAT HAD BEEN APPROVED TENTATIVELY AT THE LAST BUDGET MEETING SO THIS IS A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK OF WHAT THAT

DETAILS. >> THANK YOU, AUBREY.

[3. Capitol Improvement Projects]

>> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. >> I THINK I'M UP NOW.

SO WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT HOW DIFFERENT CIP THINGS WOULD BE AFFECTED.

THE FIRST SLIDE TALKS ABOUT THE IMPACT FEE.

THESE COMMISSIONER NUMBERS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH COMMISSIONER DISTRICTS. IN THE FUTURE WE'LL MAKE SURE WE PUT THE NAMES OF THE DISTRICTS ON THERE AND NOT THE NUMBERS BUE PROJECTS THAT ARE THERE IN THE DIFFERENT IMPACT FEE DISTRICTS.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THESE.

>> SO TROY, JUST TO CLARIFY WHAT THIS IS, SO THE COUNTY PUTS THESE PROJECTS INTO THE IMPACT FEE STRUCTURE AND ANY DEVELOPMENT THAT IS MADE WITHIN THOSE DISTRICTS, THEIR IMPACT FEES GO TOWARDS THOSE PROJECTS, IS THAT CORRECT?

>> GOING TO REVERSE IT A LITTLE BIT -- SO NEW ANY DEVELOPMENT HAS TO PAY AN IMPACT FEE TO SUPPORT YOUR PARKS.

THAT GOES INTO THOSE DISTRICT FUNDING, YOU SET THE PROJECTS.

SO THAT'S WHAT -- THESE ARE THE PROJECTS THAT STAFF IS RECOMMENDING, IF YOU AS THE BOARD SAY, NO, I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT PROJECT, THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SAY GIVE US DIRECTION BEFORE WE ADOPT THE BUDGET.

>> BUT FOR THE PURVIEW THOUGH, THAT'S NOT -- THESE NUMBERS ARE NOT COMING FROM THE GENERAL FUND, IT IS THE PROJECTS THAT WOULD BE FUNDED THROUGH IMPACT FEES.

>> YES, IMPACT FEES AND CIP DOLLARS BECAUSE YOU DO HAVE TO

HAVE A MATCHING DOLLAR THERE. >> CORRECT, OKAY.

>> MADAME CHAIR? THESE IMPACT FEES ARE NOT CONFERRABLE FROM TRANSFERABLE FROM DISTRICT TO

DISTRICT. >> THE PARKS AREA IS THE ONE AREA WHERE YOU HAVE IMPACT FEE DISTRICTS CREATED OUTSIDE OF ABILITY FEES, THAT THE MONEY HAS TO BE SPENT, BECAUSE WITH PARKS ARE A LOCAL ASSET, NOT LIKE FIRE DEPARTMENT WHERE IT'S A SYSTEM.

SO THIS IS -- YOU CONSTRUCT IN THE DISTRICT WHERE THE MONEY IS

GENERATED. >> AND I CAN'T TRANSFER THIS MONEY TO STREETS AND -- AND POTHOLES.

>> IT HAS TO BE USED FOR CAPACITY IMPROVEMENTS OF THE

PARKS. >> CONDITION BE USED FOR MAINTENANCE. MAINTENANCE HAS TO COME OUT OF YOUR NORMAL GENERAL FUND OPERATIONAL EXPENSES.

>> SO MY QUESTION WOULD BE IS -- HIKE I WOULD RATHER BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THESE -- LIKE, I GET THE MONEY AND I GET THAT WE NEED TO SPEND IT AND THAT WE'RE -- THAT TIME IS TICKING.

I'M NOT OBJECTING TO THAT. I JUST DON'T KNOW THAT MY SILENCE IS CONSENSUS TODAY THAT THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO DO WITH

THOSE THAT INVOLVE MY DISTRICT. >> IT'S UP TO THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD, IN EACH DISTRICT -- WE DON'T HAVE TO PUT ANY PROJECTS IN THE BUDGET, WE CAN SAY THE MONEY IS GOING TO BE SITTING THERE AND WE CAN HAVE A DIFFERENT WORKSHOP AFTER OCTOBER TO REALLY DEEP DIVE INTO PARKS IF THAT'S THE DESIRE OF THE BOARD, AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, IS HOW DOES

[01:00:03]

THIS -- >> AND THESE WERE CHOSEN BY?

>> STAFF. I WOULD DEFER TO JUSTIN AND KAREN ON HOW THEY CHOSE THESE.

RIGHT. >> IN OUR PARK PLAN --

>> WHEN I SAY STAFF, I'M LOOKING AT THE OVERARCHING.

>> SO JUSTIN, WHEN YOU'RE ADDRESSING HOW THE PROJECTS WERE CHOSEN, A LOT OF THESE SAY MASTER PLAN AND I THOUGHT WE HAD AN OVERALL MASTER PLAN, AND YOU KNOW I DON'T LOVE PLANNING.

>> YES, MA'AM. >> SO --

>> I'LL CLARIFY THAT. >> I LIKE DOING.

DID EVERYBODY HEAR THE WORD PLAN? WE ACTUALLY PLAN IN OUR COUNTY. I KEEP ON HEARING WE DON'T PLAN ANYTHING. JUST TO LET Y'ALL KNOW IT SAYS PLAN ALL OVER THIS PIECE OF PAPER HERE.

>> YES, MA'AM. BACK IN 2024, THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT COMPLETED A COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN OF THE FUTURE GROWTH OF THE COUNTY TO KEEP UP WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE COMING IN AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE MEETING THOSE LEVEL OF SERVICE. SO YES, IT IS A TERMINOLOGY THING, THE PARK SYSTEM MASTER PLAN WAS A LEVEL OF SERVICE, COMMUNITY NEEDS PARK EQUITY STANDARDS AND RECOMMENDED PARK IMPROVEMENTS "CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS" TO KEEP UP WITH THAT GROWTH AND CAPACITY. SO WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE LIST OF PROJECTS AND YOU SEE THE WORD MASTER PLAN, THAT'S A TERMINOLOGY THING AND WE CAN CHANGE THAT.

SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A SITE PLAN FOR THAT SPECIFIC PARK.

SO WHETHER IT BE CHANGING THE FLOW OF THE PARK AND ADDING SIDEWALKS AND ADDING AMENITIES TO IT, THAT DESIGN, THAT CONCEPTUAL PLAN IS WHAT'S CALLED THE MASTER PLAN ON PAPER, BUT WE CAN CHANGE THAT TERMINOLOGY TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NO CONFUSION,

MA'AM. >> THAT WOULD MAKE ME VERY

HAPPY. >> I DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM ON THAT. BUT GOING BACK TO THE QUESTION ABOUT HOW WE'VE DEVELOPED THESE PARK IMPROVEMENTS, THAT PARK SYSTEM MASTER PLAN LOOKED AT THE FUTURE GROWTH OVER A TEN-YEAR SPAN OF WHERE WE NEED TO PURCHASE LAND AND DEVELOP UNDEVELOPED PARCELS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAD IN OUR INVENTORY AND THIS LIST IS A PRIORITIZATION BASED OFF OF THAT, THAT FIT INTO IMPACT FEE DISTRICTS AND IMPACT FEE QUALIFYING PROJECTS AS WELL. THAT RECOMMENDATION LIST IS -- OUT OF EACH DISTRICT YOU'RE LOOKING AT SICK TO SICK TO TEN S BUT WHAT QUALIFIES IS WHAT YOU SEE HERE AND THE PRIORITIZATION WITH THE SHORT, MID-AND LONG-TERM TIME LINES AND THAT.

SO I CAN TALK ANY SPECIFIC PROJECT THAT YOU WOULD LIKE, BUT THERE WAS A MEETING MAYBE THREE MONTHS AGO THAT INCLUDED CAPITAL PROJECTS, INCLUDING FACILITIES, PARKS AND REC, O AND B AS WELL AS LEGAL TO LOOK AT THE LANGUAGE OF IMPACT FEES AND WHAT QUALIFIES OUT OF THAT RECOMMENDED PARK IMPROVEMENT LIST, AND THESE ARE THE ONES THAT QUALIFY WITHIN THOSE

DISTRICTS FOR THAT FUNDING POT. >> MADAME CHAIR, I'M FINE WITH THE LIST NOW THAT I KNOW THAT IT'S A SITE PLAN.

>> YES, MA'AM. >> OKAY.

ANYBODY? >> WELL, I'M -- I'M IN FAVOR OF PAUSING THIS SIMPLY BECAUSE THERE'S A BIG DECISION THAT'S GOING TO TAKE PLACE IN NOVEMBER AND IF WE GO FORWARD NOW WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT THAT DECISION IS -- MAYBE I MISUNDERSTOOD THE

CONVERSATION HERE BUT -- >> WELL, THIS IS IMPACT FEES THAT HAVE TO BE SPENT ON PARKS. NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS.

NOVEMBER, CORRECT? >> YES, MA'AM.

AND YOU KNOW, I THINK PART OF THE TIME SENSITIVITY ON THESE PARK PROJECTS AND IMPACT FEES -- AND I THINK I'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION WITH A COUPLE OTHER COMMISSIONERS -- IS IMPACT FEES DO HAVE A TIME LINE ON THEM. YOU HAVE TO SPEND IMPACT FEES WITHIN -- IS IT EIGHT YEARS, COURTNEY?

>> WE HAVE TIME. >> WELL, YOU DON'T HAVE TIME REALLY, BECAUSE YOU'RE AT FOUR YEARS ALREADY.

SO IF YOU'RE TALKING SPENDING 4 OR $5 MILLION, WE ALL KNOW IT TAKES TIME TO DO DESIGN, IT TAKES TIME TO BID AND DO CONSTRUCTION. MY CONCERN IS MAKING SURE THAT WE DON'T GET TO A POINT WHERE WE MISS THE TIME LINE.

>> IF WE PAUSE UNTIL JANUARY? >> YOU PAUSE UNTIL JANUARY, YOU'RE FINE. BUT I JUST -- THERE IS A TIME SENSITIVITY TO GETTING PARK PROJECTS DONE.

ANY PROMPTS DONE ACROSS THE BOARD.

>> LIKE WE'RE PAUSING EVERYTHING HERE? SO WHAT HAPPENS TO IMPACT FEES IF WE DON'T USE THEM?

>> THEY RETURN TO THE --

>> WHAT'S THE HARM IN MOVING FORWARD? I DON'T UNDERSTAND -- LIKE I -- SO I ASSUME YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT

IF AMENDMENT 3 PASSES -- >> CORRECT.

>> -- AND THEN WE HAVE TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT OUR PARKS, BECAUSE IT'S A NON- PUBLIC SAFETY -- IT'S A QUALITY OF LIFE

KIND OF THING. >> RIGHT.

>> AND IF AMENDMENT 3 PASSES, YOU CAN'T USED A VALUE OR YOU

[01:05:05]

REGARDLESS. >> HOWEVER, COMMA, WHEN YOU BUILD A PARK YOU'VE GOT TO MAINTAIN A PARK AND THAT'S WHERE YOUR AD VALOREM COMES IN. IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO MAINTAIN IT -- IS THERE A RISK BY PAUSING FOR THREE MONTHS FROM

SEPTEMBER 1ST TO JANUARY 1ST? >> IT'S -- TIME IS NOT YOUR

FRIEND HERE, SO THAT'S -- >> AND IT'S THE GOVERNMENT.

>> I JUST --

>> I DON'T WANT TO SAY THERE'S A HARM -- I DON'T WANT TO SAY THERE'S A HARM IN IN PAUSING, BT YOU CAN'T PAUSE TOO LONG I GUESS

IS MY COMMENT. >> I GUESS I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING BECAUSE WE'RE NOT SUGGESTING BUILDING ANYTHING REALLY --

>> THE PLANNING, DESIGNING. >> YEAH, PLANNING AND DESIGNING AND THAT IS MONEY THAT CAN'T GO -- THAT MONEY CANNOT GO TO OPERATION OF A PARK, SO YOU WOULD HAVE -- LIKE IT WOULD BE -- YOU WOULD HAVE -- SO FOR INSTANCE, DEVELOPMENT OF ANTLER RUN PARK, WE OWN THE PROPERTY FOR ANTLERS RUN.

WE HAVE HAD IT FOR DECADES. IT'S IN CLAY HILL.

IT'S A WOODED SITE RIGHT NOW. AND ONE OF THE IDENTIFIED PARKS -- ONE OF THE IDENTIFIED AREAS IN OUR PARKS MASTER PLAN THAT IS SEVERELY LACKING IN SPACE FOR THE COMMUNITY.

>> I UNDERSTAND ALL THAT. >> COMING UP WITH A PLAN AND A DESIGN, WHAT IS THE HARM IN THE NEXT THREE MONTHS --

>> YOU'VE GOT TO PAY FOR THE PLAN AND DESIGN AND IF YOU CAN'T SUPPORT IT AFTER NOVEMBER 3RD OR WHATEVER -- AFTER PROPOSITION

3 -- >> THEN WE DON'T MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CONSTRUCTION BUT WE STILL HAD IT PLANNED SO THAT --

>> IT'S A RISK. >> IT'S JUST LIKE OUR ROADS.

WE HAVE IT READY AND -- SHOVEL READY IS THE WORD, YOU KNOW

SO -- >> I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND THE

RISK. >> DO WE HAVE A CONSENSUS HERE?

>> I'M OKAY. IT'S JUST -- I JUST THINK THERE'S A RISK OF DEVELOPING A PLAN AND NOT BEING ABLE TO

EXECUTE THE PLAN. >> I THINK WE NEED TO GO AHEAD.

>> -- TO DEVELOP THE PLAN. >> TO CHIME IN, OUT OF THIS LIST THE ONLY TWO PROJECTS THAT WOULD NOT REQUIRE A DESIGN WOULD BE THE PLANTATION AND NEPTUNE PLAYGROUNDS.

EVERYTHING ELSE IS DEVELOPING SOMETHING IS THAT DOESN'T CURRENTLY EXIST AND WILL REQUIRE THE CONCEPTUAL DESIGN, SITE PLAN

AND THEN DESIGN AND ENGINEERING. >> JUSTIN, ARE THOSE COSTS -- THAT'S LIKE THE OUT THE DOOR COSTS?

>> THAT'S THE POT OF MONEY THAT WAS RECOMMENDED.

BUT WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT A PLAYGROUND FOR EXAMPLE IN YOUR DISTRICT, SIR THAT, PLAYGROUND THREE YEARS AGO COST US AROUND 242,000 FOR SOMETHING OF THAT SIZE SO THAT POT OF MONEY --

>> TO BUILD OR TO DESIGN. >> TO BUILD AND THAT INCLUDED

DEMOLITION -- >> AND DESIGN.

>> WELL FOR THE PLAYGROUNDS, DESIGNS ARE VERY MINIMAL.

IT'S PART OF THE PACKAGE OF PURCHASING THE PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT. SO IT WOULD GIVE YOU A RENDERING AND THEN DESIGN IT AND CONSTRUCT CONSTRUCT.

THAT'S ALL PART OF THE PROJECT, BUT ANYTHING ELSE, SARATOGA SPRINGS, THAT IS 19 ACRES THAT IS JUST LAND.

SO WHAT THAT PARK IS GOING TO BE, WHAT ELEMENTS THAT WILL INCLUDE WILL ALL HAVE TO BE A PART OF THAT DESIGN PROCESS.

>> SO THROUGH THE CHAIR IF I MAY, SO IF THERE'S CONSENSUS TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD BEING THE BOARD STILL HAS TO VOTE ON THE FINAL BUDGET IN SEPTEMBER. SO MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE, IF IT PLEASES THE BOARD, TO HAVE THEM PUT THESE IN THE BUDGET IN THE CIP, IF YOU DECIDE BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF SEPTEMBER THAT YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT, IT'S YOUR BUDGET, YOU CAN STILL CHANGE IT SO I MEAN, IF THAT WORKS AS A CONSENSUS TO MOVE FORWARD, REALLY IT'S DIRECTION FOR MJ --

>> I'LL SAY I'M OKAY WITH THAT. IT'S JUST THESE ARE THE CONVERSATIONS THAT THIS TURMOIL IN TALLAHASSEE HAVE CAUSED, AND THIS IS JUST A TIP OF THE ICEBERG FOR THE CONVERSATIONS THAT -- THE UNCERTAINTY OF THE FUTURE IS CAUSING PROBLEMS.

>> MADAME CHAIR, IF I MAY. ONE OTHER ON THIS COMMENT ABOUT THE NOVEMBER VOTE. EITHER WAY, WHICHEVER WAY THE VOTE SHOULD GO ON THAT DAY, WE ARE PLANNING AND WILL BRIEF THE BOARD ON A WAY AHEAD, AND ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS OF OPERATIONAL, RIGHT, OPERATIONAL ACROSS THE BOARD, PARKS, LIBRARIES, FACILITIES. WE WILL HAVE TO DO THAT.

AND YOU HAVE OUR COMMITMENT AS A STAFF AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT. WE DON'T HAVE THE FINAL PLAN.

THERE'S SO MANY THINGS AHEAD. BUT WE WILL -- NOVEMBER-DECEMBER WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME MEETINGS AND HAVE SOME DISCUSSIONS AND SAY -- AND ASK THE BOARD'S GUIDANCE ON THIS AND GIVE YOU OPTIONS ON MOVING FORWARD WITH OPERATIONS.

THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE. >> THANK YOU.

[01:10:01]

OKAY, THANK YOU, JUSTIN. >> THAT WAS THE REMAINDER OF THE PARKS LIST FOR THE IMPACT FEES. AND YOU'LL -- OF NOTE IMPACT FEL SEE THOSE REPEATED ON THE BOAT IMPROVEMENT FUND BECAUSE THE IDEA IS TO PAY OUT OF THE IMPROVEMENT FUND AND PART OF THE DISTRICT. ROAD IMPROVEMENTS, YOU SHOULD ALL HAVE RECEIVED AN UPDATED SLIDE THIS MORNING WITH A FEW TWEAKS TO IT. THIS --

>> THIS IS ALSO DISPLAYED ON THE LONG SPREADSHEET WE RECEIVED.

>> IN A DIFFERENT FORMAT. BUT BASICALLY, THIS IS THE CURRENT PLAN FOR ROAD IMPROVEMENTS NEXT YEAR.

USING THE MONEY THAT'S IN CIP FOR THOSE.

>> I HAVE TWO COMMENTS. ONE, CHECK BY DISTRICT -- I THINK THERE'S SOME ROADS IN THERE THAT AREN'T IN MY DISTRICT AND THESE ARE COMMISSIONER DISTRICT --

>> THE SECOND THING, IT'S A LITTLE NOTE NEAR THE BOTTOM, PAVEMENT ASSESSMENT, $350,000. IS THIS THE RADAR VAN THAT TRAVELS THAT WE DID ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO, IT'S AN UPDATE?

>> YES, SIR. >> IT'S GOING TO COST $350,000

TO UP DATE? >> THAT'S AN ESTIMATE.

THE PREVIOUS ONE WAS I THINK 249,000.

SO WE HAD A LITTLE ADJUSTMENT IN THERE.

IT WILL BE WHAT -- IT WILL BE -- KAREN, WILL THAT BE AN RFP WHERE IT'S PRICE DRIVEN OR RFQ? OKAY, GOOD.

SO IT'S AN RFP MEANING WE WILL GET QUALIFIED CONTRACTORS, REVIEW THEIR QUALIFICATIONS AND THEN THE PRICE WILL BE A

DETERMINANT. >> MADAME CHAIR, I'VE GOT A QUESTION FOR RICHARD. RICHARD, SO DO WE HAVE -- I KNOW PERSONALLY IN DISTRICT 1 -- AND I APPRECIATE THE PATIENCE OF A LOT OF CONSTITUENTS THAT I TALK TO REGARDING RESIDENTIAL ROADWAYS THAT THE COUNTY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR.

DO WE HAVE THE ABILITY -- YOU KNOW, COUNTY ROAD 220, THAT PROJECT IS FROM THE WHITE HE'S BRIDGE ALL THEY'S BRIDGE TO NIGHT BOX. DO WE HAVE THE ABILITY DO THAT

IN PHASES? >> YES, THAT WILL BE AT THE

COMMISSIONERS' DISCRETION, YES. >> MY SECOND QUESTION -- THIS IS JUST A BALLPARK -- HOW MANY RESIDENTIAL ROADWAYS WOULD YOU SAY IS AN AVERAGE OF THE LIST WE HAVE FOR EACH DISTRICT? LIKE I KNOW -- LIKE LET ME REPHRASE THE QUESTION.

I KNOW MY DISTRICT AND DISTRICT 1, THE LIST OF ROADS THAT NEED RESURFACING, THAT ARE IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS -- I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT 220, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT COLLEGE DRIVE.

I'M TALKING ABOUT WHERE PEOPLE LIVE.

COUNTY WIDE, HOW LONG ARE THOSE LISTS?

>> IT'S MUCH MORE DISTRICT RELATED.

KEYSTONE, WE MAY DO TEN ROADS THAT ARE 4 MILES LONG.

IN YOUR DISTRICT WE MAY DO 60 ROADS THAT TOTAL 4 MILES.

SO IT'S DEFINITELY DIFFERENT -- OAK LEAF IS KIND OF VARIETY.

YOU'VE GOT THE NEWER ROADS IN THE OAK LEAF -- ITS NAMED AREA THAT ARE NEARING BUT NOT YET READY FOR RESURFACING.

SOME OF THEM HAVE DETERIORATED FASTER THAN OTHERS.

THEN YOU'VE GOT DISTRICT 2 HAS ROADS IN BEAR RUN, UP THROUGH CAMP PERHAPS I SEE, JOHNSON THAT ARE 50-YEAR-OLD ROADS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN TOUCHED THAT WE ARE TOUCHING NOW.

ORANGE PARK, DISTRICT 3 IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF WHERE A LOT OF DENSITY, SMALLER SHORTER ROADS BUT THEY'RE NEARING THEIR LIFE EXPECTANCY. DISTRICT 4 IS -- OR DISTRICT 5 IS A LITTLE OF BOTH. YOU'VE GOT SOME IN LAKE ASBURY AREA THAT WE NEED TO WORK ON, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE 209 SOUTH AND DOWN THIS WE MAY HAVE ONE OR TWO BIG DISTRICT 4 TYPE ROADS. SO IT'S VERY PARTICULAR.

IN YOUR DISTRICT WOULD BE MORE THE DENSE ROADS.

>> AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT I'M GETTING AT, IS PERSONALLY I THINK THE BEST USE OF TAXPAYER MONEY RIGHT NOW WITH CIP IS THOSE TYPES OF PROJECTS, NOT -- LIKE RIGHT NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO ADD CAPACITY FOR CERTAIN THINGS, OTHER BUCKETS.

SO HE THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I WAS GETTING TO.

>> AND 220 -- THIS WILL TAKE IT -- WE'VE GOT MILESTONES.

RIGHT NOW IT ENDS AT WHITEY'S, JUST BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE JOINT IS GOING TO THE BRIDGE. FROM THAT POINT WE COULD TAKE IT TO COLLEGE DRIVE, WE COULD TAKE IT TO THE CSX RAIL, BUT THAT ROAD IS NOT IN A STATE WHERE IT'S PREVENTING THE GARBAGE TRUCK FROM PICKING UP YOUR GARBAGE IN THE CUL-DE-SAC.

IT'S OKAY BUT IT IS OXIDIZED AND NEEDS REPLACEMENT.

>> IF I MAY. RICHARD, YOU COULD CORRECT ME IF I RECALL THIS INCORRECTLY. BUT FOR EDUCATION PURPOSES, OF

[01:15:01]

>> ZERO FOR SEVERAL YEARS. >> YEAH, THERE WERE SOME YEARS THAT NOTHING WAS SPENT SO THIS ONE IS AT 11 MILLION, BUT IF I REMEMBER RIGHT WHEN WE DID THE PAVEMENT ASSESSMENT FIVE YEARS AGO OR SO, I SEEM TO RECALL A NUMBER OF 13 MILLION WOULD BE THE TARGET FOR US TO MAINTAIN WHERE WE WERE WHEN THAT

ASSESSMENT WAS DONE. >> YOU'RE SAYING THE MAINTENANCE

NUMBER WAS 13 MILLION? >> TO KEEP THE SCORE EVEN -- YEAH. YEAH, IT WAS -- IT WAS LIKE -- AND AT THE TIME YOU REMEMBER US THINKING WE COULD NEVER GET THERE, BUT I COMMEND THE COMMISSION THAT WE'VE WORKED REALLY HARD TO TRY TO PUT ANY EXTRA MONEY WE HAD TOWARD ROAD IMPROVEMENTS FOR CITIZENS. AND SOME OF THESE -- RIGHT HERE DISTRICT 4 LIST THAT LOOKS LONG BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL A LOT OF LITTLE ROADS, THAT DIRECTLY CAME FROM THOSE SCORES.

AND NOT BECAUSE THEY COMPLAINED. I JUST WANT IT TO BE KNOWN THAT THAT WAS SCORE-DRIVEN. THE DECISIONS ARE SCORE-DRIVEN, NOT BECAUSE A PARTICULAR PERSON OR COMMISSIONER ASKED FOR IT.

>> AND I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOME -- WITH THAT ASSESSMENT IT'S GOING TO ALLOW US TO KIND OF RECALIBRATE AND I'M NOT ADVOCATING DROPPING THIS DOWN TO 5 MILLION A YEAR OR ANYTHING.

I'M JUST SAYING IT WILL SHOW YOU WE'RE GOING IN THE POSITIVE DIRECTION. A LOT OF THAT ASSESSMENT PERSONALLY WAS BASED ON PROBABLY MORE OF A NATION-WIDE ASSESSMENT. WE HAVE SOME PRETTY LOW IMPACT ROADS THAT WHEN WE RESURFACE THEM, WE MAY NOT TOUCH THEM AGAIN FOR 40 YEARS. THE NATIONAL AVERAGE IS 15 TO 20. WE'VE GOT GOOD WEATHER, YOU KNOW, OTHER THAN THE HEAT AND WE DON'T HAVE THE FREEZE-THAW OF 2 FEET OF SNOW. WITH THAT I DO IT DOES ADD LONGEVITY TO OUR MAINTENANCE THAT WE PROVIDE.

SO -- >> I JUST WANT TO AMPLIFY, THERE WERE SEVERAL YEARS THAT THERE WAS ZERO SPENT ON ROAD RESURFACING AND NOW YOU LOOK -- AND I WANT TO COMPLIMENT THE WHOLE STAFF. NOW WE'RE PAVING ROADS, WE'RE DOING IT SCIENTIFICALLY WITH DATA.

AND -- AND WE'RE PAVING ROADS THAT WERE NEVER PAVED, DIRT ROADS. WHEN WE GOT HERE, WE WEREN'T PAVING ANY DIRT ROADS AT ALL. WEREN'T PAVING ANY ROADS SO I

WANT TO COMPLIMENT THE WHOLE >> AND IN THE LIGHT OF DIRT ROADS, SO IT SEEMS THAT -- AND RICHARD AND HIS TEAM ARE DOING SOME RESEARCH. IT SEEMS THAT A PRIVATE COMPANY APPLIED FOR AN APPROPRIATION FROM THE LEGISLATURE AND GOT IT AND THE GOVERNOR SIGNED IT AND IT'S FOR CLAY COUNTY.

AND WE DON'T KNOW WHO THIS ENTITY IS.

BUT IT LOOKS -- IT SEEMS TO BE A NEW PRODUCT THAT'S COME -- THERE'S A FEW NEW PRODUCTS FOR DIRT ROAD IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE COMING TO MARKET. I HAD FOUND ONE THAT RICHARD AND HIS TEAM ARE GOING TO MEET WITH THE PERSON TO LOOK AT, BUT THIS SEEMS TO BE ANOTHER COMPANY THAT HAS COME UP WITH SOMETHING TO DO WITH DIRT ROADS, THAT'S AN %-ÚS GRANT AND IT'S A HALF MILLION DOLLARS AND THAT'S WHAT WE KNOW TODAY.

>> WE'LL TAKE IT.

>> BUT IT'S -- LIKE IT WAS STRANGE.

LIKE WHEN JIM KNIGHT CALLED RICHARD, HE SAID, WHO IS THIS IS THIS WE? WE'RE GOING TO FIND OUT AND THAT COULD HELP IMPROVE SOME OTHER DIRT ROADS THAT WE COULDN'T AFFORD TO DO THIS YEAR SO I THINK THAT'S KIND OF NEAT.

>> AND WHEN I CAME ON BOARD -- THIS IS A BIT OF AN OMINOUS NUMBER, YOU'LL REMEMBER THIS, COMMISSIONER.

IT'S A MILLION DOLLARS A MILE TO PAVE A ROAD, THAT WAS LIKE --

>> USED TO BE. >> THAT'S WHAT THE NUMBER WAS IN 2020, SEPTEMBER 5TH WHEN I GOT HIRED.

AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT 259 MILES OF DIRT ROAD, IT'S A LOT OF MILLIONS. THIS 500,000-DOLLAR GRANT THAT THIS COMPANY RECEIVED, THEY'VE DONE WORK IN MISSISSIPPI, THEY'RE GOING TO DO 4 MILES WITH $500,000.

THEN YOU'RE GETTING INTO SOMETHING THAT BECOMES MANAGEABLE. WE'VE IMPROVED 90 DIRT ROADS BETWEEN PAVING AND TAKING THEM OFF OF THE GRADING LIST IN FOUR YEARS. SO WE'RE GOING IN THE RIGHT

DIRECTION. >> AWESOME.

>> MADAME CHAIR, IF I MAY, JUST A COUPLE COMMENTS.

COMMISSIONER CONDON, I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE GENTLEMAN ABOUT

THE GRANT. >> OH, YEAH.

>> AND SO I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, I DIDN'T EVEN THINK IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. I MEAN, WITH HOW TIGHT BUDGET ARE AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND I'M LIKE, YES, SIR, THAT SOUNDS GREAT TO ME, RICHARD AND I TALKED ABOUT IT.

[01:20:01]

SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE -- WE DID HEAR ABOUT IT BUT THE ODDS OF IT HAPPENING I THOUGHT WERE -- IT WASN'T GOING TO

HAPPEN. >> HOW CRAZY THAT IT SURVIVED

THE VETO [INDISCERNIBLE] >> IT'S GOOD TO HAVE FRIENDS IN

HIGH PLACES. >> CLEARLY THEY DO.

WHOEVER IT IS. >> AND WE DO TOO.

>> YEAH, WE DO, YEAH. >> BUT THERE WAS NO DERBY HEARD OF -- I HEARD OF THIS FIRST IN MID-JUNE, THINKING IN THREE WEEKS WE'LL GO TO ANOTHER SUBJECT.

IN THREE WEEKS, IT WAS SIGNED IN JULY, PASSED THE VETO AND WE HAVE SET UP MEETINGS, WE'VE SELECTED ROADWAYS AND WE'RE

READY TO GET STARTED. >> AND IF I MAY, MADAME CHAIR, I WANT TO GO BACK TO COMMISSIONER SGROMOLO'S COMMENT AND WHEN IT COMES TO THE ROADS. SO WHAT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT -- AND I THINK WHAT WE OWE YOU BY TUESDAY IS A NUMBER, AND I'M -- IN THE BACKLOG OF ROADS THAT WE HAVE, COMMISSIONER SGROMOLO, THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE KIND OF GETTING AT.

SO LET'S CLARIFY THIS. IT WAS A HIGHER NUMBER, AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO KIND OF SLOWLY INCREASE THAT NUMBER IN ORDER TO FIX THESE ROADS. WE WERE IN A DEFICIT AND WE NEEDED TO CATCH UP. AND A PCI SCORE OF 45 OR BELOW -- CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG RICHARD -- WAS WHERE WE HAD TARGETED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY SO WE'VE SPENT ABOUT $40 MILLION THE PAST FOUR YEARS FOR US TO BASICALLY DOUBLE UP TO CATCH UP, RIGHT. HOWEVER, THERE'S AN ASTERISK TO THIS AND I WOULD LIKE RICHARD TO ADDRESS THIS, BECAUSE FOR INSTANCE OUR LATEST ROAD AND THE ISSUE THAT WE HAD WITH REGARDS TO STORMWATER WAS 220, OKAY. SO THOSE STORMWATER PIPES WERE EXTREMELY DEEP. THEY NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED.

WE DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY FOR IT. WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO HAVE TAKEN MONEY FROM THIS BUDGET IN ORDER TO REPAIR THAT -- THOSE STORMWATER -- THAT STORMWATER SYSTEM THERE, CORRECT, RICHARD? I WANT YOU TO BACK ME UP ON THIS.

>> SURE. >> SO WHENEVER YOU LOOK AT THIS, WE HAVE NOT HAD A DEDICATED REVENUE STREAM FOR STORM WATER SO IT TOOK MONEY AWAY FROM DOING THAT LIST.

SO WHAT I THINK RICHARD OWES US AND THE HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT WOULD BE HOW MANY ROADS REMAIN -- YOU CAN DO IT IN MILEAGE OR NUMBERS -- I THINK BOTH WOULD BE IMPORTANT -- THAT ARE BELOW 45 OR BELOW 50. I'M JUST -- RATCHET IT UP JUST TO 50. AND THAT WILL KIND OF GIVE US AN IDEA OF THAT BACKLOG. AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GETTING AT, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE ACROSS THE BOARD ON ALL

THE DISTRICTS. >> YEAH, EXACTLY RIGHT.

THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING IS I LOOK AT JUST MY DISTRICT SINGULARLY, THERE'S STILL A TON -- I DRIVE, YOU KNOW -- WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING THE DISTRICT, YOU GO IN SOME NEIGHBORHOODS AND IT'S LIKE, THE PATCH JOB HAS BEEN DONE 68 TIMES AT THIS POINT, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S COSTING -- IT'S BETTER TO REPLACE IT, YOU KNOW.

>> ON THE DRAINAGE PROJECT -- I WANT TO ELABORATE ON THAT A LITTLE BIT. THAT PROJECT WAS IDENTIFIED -- THIS IS KIND OF THE HIDDEN PART OF STORMWATER.

WE DON'T REALLY SEE A LOT OF STORMWATER UNTIL A HURRICANE COMES THROUGH. THAT PARTICULAR AREA FLOODED SIGNIFICANTLY. FEMA IDENTIFIED IT AS AN AREA THAT FAILED. OUR CONSULTANT PUT TOGETHER A COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS, SAID LET'S GET A GRANT.

FEMA ISSUED A GRANT THAT WE USED FOR DESIGN PURPOSES AND DESIGNED A PROJECT TO REBUILD -- TO REPLACE NIGHT BOX AT 220.

FAST FORWARD TO 2025 WHEN IT WAS EVALUATED AGAIN, FEMA DID NOT -- IT DID NOT PASS THE BENEFIT COST ANALYSIS FOR HELPING PEOPLE.

THEY GAVE US ZERO. PAID FOR THE DESIGN.

SO WE HAVE DESIGN PLANS TO DO IT.

GAVE US NOTHING. DURING THE BRIDGE, 220 BRIDGE REPLACEMENT, WE GO OUT THERE AND FIND OUT 60-INCH PIPES, WHICH ARE PIPES ABOUT THAT BIG, WERE FULL OF MUD, NOT SOME MUD, A LOT OF MUD. A LOT OF MUD.

WE FORTUNATELY HAVE A VAC TRUCK THAT PUBLIC WORKS USES, IT SUCKED ALL THE MUD OUT, NEGOTIATED WITH DOT, FLORIDA DOT PAID TO REPLACE THAT. THAT WAS PART OF THE FEMA REPLACEMENT, IT DIDN'T HAPPEN. THAT HELPED A LOT.

THAT WAS ABOUT A 500,000-DOLLAR LIFT WE DON'T HAVE TO GO FOR.

THAT'S THE SCARY THING ABOUT STORMWATER.

IT'S THE BLUE SKIES, THE GRAY SKIES ARE WHEN WE FIND OUT WHEN

WE'RE REALLY HURTING -- >> AND I GIVE CREDIT TO STEVE CARTEROS ON DOT AND HE SAID THAT THEY ARE RUNNING FROM THEM NOW -- WHENEVER HE TRIES TO ASK FOR MORE MONEY.

>> WE PROBABLY WON'T TRY TO GET ANYMORE.

IT'S JUST AN -- THAT'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE TEAM DOING SUCH A GOOD JOB THAT DOT TRUSTS US. THERE'S NO ONE THAT DOT THAT'S THAT'S SITTING THERE SPENDING DAYS OVERSEEING WHAT'S GOING ON.

[01:25:03]

SO -- BUT MY POINT IS ON THE STORMWATER, WE'VE GOT THOSE KIND OF HIDDEN ISSUES THAT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT YET.

THE ONES WE KNOW ABOUT TOTAL 30 OR $45 MILLION.

I'M SORRY THE ONES WE DON'T THOUGHIT'S THE ONES WE DON'T KNW ABOUT LIKE THAT ONE UNTIL THE NEXT BIG EVENT HAPPENS SO --

>> THANK YOU, RICHARD. >> AND WE WILL BE MEETING INDIVIDUALLY TO CONFIRM THESE LISTS SO --

>> NEXT IS A LIST OF SIDEWALKS. WE TALKED ABOUT CDBG.

THIS IS A LIST OF SIDEWALKS THAT WERE PLANNED ON PUTTING IN THE

BUDGET TO FOCUS ON. >> MADAME CHAIR?

>> MM-HMM. >> FOR RICHARD, DYLAN DRIVE?

IT'S NOT ON THIS LIST. >> IT IS -- THIS IS LIKE A FIVE-YEAR LIST. DYLAN DRIVE IS AN IMMEDIATE FOR

THE COMING UP YEAR. >> IMMEDIATE?

>> IMMEDIATE, AS SOON AS -- YES, CDBG ANALYSIS GOES THROUGH, YES.

THIS LIST IS A LITTLE BIT -- WE KIND OF GOT SOME -- OUR INSTRUCTIONS FROM TROY WERE GIVE US A LIST, SO WE DID.

THAT LIST NEEDS TO BE NARROWED DOWN SO WHAT -- THAT FOOT NEEDS TO FIND A SHOE TO FIT IT AND THAT'S GOING TO BE THE GRANT

SIZE. >> AND JUST FOR INFORMATION, DYLAN DRIVE IS -- THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THEY ALLOW THE STUDENTS TO EXIT VIA THE REAR OF THE PROPERTY, AND IT EXITS ONTO A STREET, WITH NO SIDEWALKS. SO THESE KIDS ARE RIDING, WALKING, SCOOTING ON THE STREET. IT'S VERY DANGEROUS SO --

>> AND IT'S -- AGAIN, WHEN WE PRIORITIZE THESE, WE DEFINITELY LOOK AT THE SCHOOLS. A LOT OF THESE SCHOOLS WERE BUILT WITHOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT THE TWO-MILE RULE OF NO BUSSING. SO --

>> WHICH IS NOW A MILE -- OR NOW IT'S 2 MILES?

>> YES, AND IT'S STRICTLY ENFORCED.

MY SISTER RAN THE BUSES IN BRADFORD, IF YOU FELT SORRY FOR SOMEBODY, YOU PICKED THEM UP ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE SCHOOL BUT THEY DON'T IN CLAY COUNTY.

THEY'RE PRETTY -- THEY'RE PRETTY TOUGH ON THEIR LIMITS.

IT'S GOT TO BE GOOD REASON. >> SO RICHARD, YOU SAID THIS WHOLE LIST IS THE -- IS A FIVE-YEAR LOOK?

>> IT'S A FIVE-YEAR LOOKAHEAD AND AGAIN WE NEED TO NARROW IT DOWN ON WHAT THE CURRENT NUMBER IS.

>> I'M GOING TO RESPECTFULLY SAY THAT WE NEED A LIST TO PUT IN

THE BUDGET, SO IF YOU HAVE -- >> YES.

>> SO WE HAVE A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR TO SPEND ON -- OR ABOUT HALF A MILLION A YEAR TO SPEND. THIS IS WHY I THINK WE NEED DIRECTION FROM THE BOARD THROUGH SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE THESE PLANS IN THE BUDGET WHEN WE ADOPT IT. BECAUSE IF NOT WE HAVE TO COME BACK AND READOPT AND ADD SOME THINGS TO THE BUDGET SO WE WOULD

LIKE TO -- >> OR NARROW IT DOWN.

>> NARROW IT DOWN THROUGH RICHARD, HAVE THAT DONE IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO BECAUSE WE HAVE OUR FIRST HEARING ON SEPTEMBER

THE 8TH. >> NO, I JUST HAD -- SO I KNOW THE PARKS MONEY -- OR THE PARKS IDENTIFIED SIDEWALKS CAME FROM THE ADA ASSESSMENT. SO I GUESS MY QUESTION WOULD BE -- I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT WE DON'T WANT TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH ADA, BUT LIKE -- THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY AND ARE THERE OTHER THINGS THAT WE COULD DO IN THE CBDG FOR PARKS THAT ARE NOT JUST

BUILDING SIDEWALKS? >> AND THAT'S AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD. THE BIGGEST THING WITH CDBG WHAT WE'RE HAVING AN ISSUE WITH -- AND MAYBE THE DIRECTION EARLIER IN THE BUDGET -- ALMOST EVERYTHING WE TOUCH GOING FORWARD HAS TO HAVE AN ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW DONE SO WE'RE TRYING TO [INDISCERNIBLE] SOME OF THAT IN THE BUDGET.

THAT'S WHERE I THINK IF YOU HAVE DIRECTION FOR JUSTIN OR RICHARD ON WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE PARKS AND WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE, GIVE US THAT LIST, LET US VET IT THROUGH THE CDBG PROCESS TO MAKE SURE IT QUALIFIES AND WE CAN START DOING THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW. MY GOAL THROUGH MY STAFF ON THE BUDGET PURCHASES SIDE IS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE RETURNING THE STUFF, WHAT YOU AND I HAD, IT'S NOT JUST ON A LIST SITTING THERE.

WE'RE TRYING TO BE PROACTIVE AND TURN THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS -- THEY'RE NOW TAKING 90 TO 180 DAYS BECAUSE WE HAVE TO DO THE REVIEW, SUBMIT IT SO THAT'S OUR GOAL IS STUFF NOT BE THE POINT OF WE TALKED ABOUT IT HAPPENS TWO YEARS FROM NOW. I DON'T WANT TO HOLD UP

ANYTHING. >> TO HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH TASK FORCE OF WHAT YOU WANT TO HAVE ON THE LIST.

[01:30:01]

SAVES ONE MORE HURDLE. >> I WAS THINKING ABOUT THE COMMISSIONER'S POINT EARLIER. IF WE COULD USE THE MONEY AND NOT -- I MEAN, THE SIDEWALK IS SOMETHING THAT IF WE CAN'T MAINTAIN A PART DEFINITELY PUTTING A SIDEWALK THERE DOESN'T MEAN THAT SOMEONE IS GOING TO USE IT.

>> JUST DOUBLE CHECKING. ALL THE ROAD REPAVE, GOING BACK ONE LAST STEP. ALL THE ROAD REPAVING IS CIP

DOLLARS. >> YEAH.

>> MOVING ON. >> OTHER CIP PROJECTS, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF YOUR CIP IS REALLY FOCUSED ON PUBLIC SAFETY, HAVING MONEY FOR THE COMPLEX, THE P3 WHEN IT GETS AWARD WE HAD, VEHICLES FOR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, GRADERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. I WANTED TO PUT TOGETHER THE LIST OF CIP THAT ARE OUR MAIN FOCUS FOR NEXT YEAR.

>> I HAVE GOT A COUPLE THINGS ON THIS LIST.

FIRST, LET ME PREFACE THIS BY SAYING COMMISSIONER COMPERE, THIS IS NOT PERSONAL WHATSOEVER. I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN A HUGE CHAMPION FOR YOUR RESIDENTS REGARDING THE OAKLEY FLYBURY.

THE TOUGH THING FOR ME AT THIS POINT IS IT'S VERY FISCALLY IRRESPONSIBLE FOR US AS A COMMISSION TO BUILD SOMETHING THAT CREATES CAPACITY THAT WE ARE RESPONSIBLE TO MAINTAIN.

AND COMMISSIONER RENNINGER EARLIER SAID YOU BUILD A PARK, YOU HAVE TO MAINTAIN IT. THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT WITH SOMETHING LIKE A LIBRARY. THE FINANCIAL -- THE ECONOMY SINCE 2022 AT THIS POINT, THE ECONOMY HAS CHANGED TREMENDOUSLY. I DON'T KNOW IF WE WERE TO BUILD A LIBRARY RIGHT NOW HOW WE ARE GOING TO OPERATE IT WITHOUT CLOSING OTHER ONES. WITH ALL THE CUTS THAT WE HAVE MADE, I DON'T UNFORTUNATELY SEE HOW THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

I DON'T KNOW THE THOUGHTS OF THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY FOR THINGS THAT WE COULD SPEND IN THE COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW THAT DON'T HAVE THE RECURRING COST IMMEDIATELY LIKE ROADS. I MEAN, THAT'S JUST -- I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT UP. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE HAS ANY OPINIONS ON THAT. I HAVE BEEN KNEE DEEP IN THE BUDGET. I HAVE ASKED A MILLION QUESTIONS. I DON'T SEE HOW THAT GETS BUILT AND THEN IT'S FUNDED WITHOUT ROLLING UP OTHER ONES.

I'M JUST -- >> WELL, CAN I -- I FULLY APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THIS FORWARD, COMMISSIONER SGROMOLO BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT HOW WE MOVE FORWARD UNDER THESE CONSTRAINTS. I HAVE BEEN KNEE DEEP IN THE BUDGET ALSO AND TRYING TO MAKE SENSE OF ALL OF THIS.

I THINK THAT WHO'S BETTER SUITED TO ANSWER THE OPERATIONAL QUESTION WOULD PROBABLY BE TROY AND MARY BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN -- THAT'S BEEN THE CRUX OF THE CONVERSATIONS IS HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO MEET THE NEED OF A COMMUNITY THAT'S BEEN WAITING FOR MANY GAPS IN SERVICES? HOW DO WE MEET THOSE NEEDS WHILE ALSO CONTEMPLATING THE CONCERNS THAT WE MUST BALANCE.

AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO KICK IT TO THEM TO GIVE THE COMMISSION A MORE COMPREHENSIVE VIEW OF WHAT WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT.

>> GOOD MORNING. MARY CAMPFIELD LIBRARY DIRECTOR FOR CLAY COUNTY. I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS NEEDS NEEDED IN THE COMMUNITY AND ADDRESS YOUR OPERATIONAL REQUESTS AS WELL. ONE OF THE POSITIVE THINGS FOR OAK LEAF AND THE DESIGN IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO BE A COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO BESIDES JUST BE A LIBRARY? OUR MULTIPURPOSE ROOM WILL SERVE AGING TRUE. WE WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE LUNCH FOR SENIORS AND THEN PROVIDE PROGRAMMING FOR SENIORS IN THAT AREA AS WELL. AFTER SCHOOL, WE WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO USE THAT AREA FOR SPECIFIC TEEN PROGRAMMING IN ADDITION TO THE TEEN ROOM. THE LARGE MEETING ROOM WILL PROVIDE A VOTING SPACE FOR THAT AREA.

CURRENTLY THAT PORTION OF CLAY COUNTY ON THE WEST SIDE OF ARGYLE IS AN UNDERSERVED AREA, SPECIFICALLY FOR EARLY VOTING.

SO THE CLOSEST VOTING SITE IS IN OAKLEY EAGLE LANDING, THE WEST

[01:35:09]

IT WOULD BE AN EARLY VOTING SITE FOR ALL ELECTIONS.

IT WILL BE FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL ELECTIONS.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, NON-PROFITS COULD USE THE MEETING SPACE FOR FREE TO HOLD THEIR MEETINGS THERE AND FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS COULD RENT OUT THIS SPACE AS WELL.

WE ALSO ARE PROVIDING A FLEX OFFICE.

IT'S IN THE DESIGN SO THAT OTHER DEPARTMENTS FROM THE COUNTY COULD COME THERE AND MEET WITH RESIDENTS SUCH AS VETERAN SERVICES, THE TAX ASSESSOR. FDC COULD MEET WITH THEIR CLIENTS AS WELL. I DID COME UP WITH SOME NUMBERS FOR YOU, SIR, SOME APPROXIMATIONS FOR OPERATIONAL EXPENSES. BASED ON THE PRESENTATION THAT I GAVE LAST YEAR CONCERNING INSURANCE, FIRE INSPECTION, PEST CONTROL, CUSTODIAL SUPPLIES AS WELL AS AN INCREASE IN A BOOK BUDGET RUNS AT APPROXIMATELY $184,000 A YEAR.

AND THERE ARE THREE DIFFERENT WAYS TO DISCUSS THE SALARIES THAT NEED TO HAPPEN FOR THAT BRANCH.

ORIGINALLY WHEN I MADE THIS PROPOSAL BACK IN JULY OF LAST YEAR. THE INTENTION WAS TO CONVERT FULL-TIME TO PART-TIME STAFF. WHEN THIS LIBRARY WAS TO OPEN, WE WOULD NOT NEED TO HIRE ADDITIONAL STAFF.

HOWEVER -- WE HAVE BEEN DOING THAT.

HOWEVER, WE HAVE ALSO BEEN THROUGH ATTRITION ELIMINATING POSITIONS WITHIN THE LIBRARY TO MAKE US LEANER.

SO THERE ARE THREE DIFFERENT OPTIONS AS FAR AS SALARIES ARE CONCERNED. WE COULD KEEP ALL SIX BRANCHES OPEN AND REDUCE OUR HOURS FROM 9 TO 8 MONDAY TO THURSDAY FROM 10 TO 7 WHICH WAS PART OF THE ORIGINAL PLAN.

AND WE WOULD NEED APPROXIMATELY $220,000 FOR SALARIES BECAUSE WE WOULD NEED FIVE PART-TIME STAFF TO STAFF IT AS WELL AS TO PROMOTE SOMEONE TO A BRANCH MANAGER.

>> EXCUSE ME, MARY, COULD YOU SLOW DOWN AND GO BACK?

>> YES, MA'AM, I CERTAINLY CAN. >> YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FOR THE

SALARIES, MA'AM? >> JUST TO REPEAT THE SIX

BRANCHES. >> IF ALL SIX BRANCHES WERE TO REMAIN OPEN, THE FIVE PLUS THE NEW ONE AND REDUCE OUR HOURS MONDAY TO THURSDAY FROM 9 TO 8 TO 10 TO 7, WE CURRENTLY NEED FIVE PART-TIME STAFF AS WELL AS PROMOTING SOMEONE TO A BRANCH MANAGER WHICH WOULD THEN MEAN WE WOULD HAVE AN OPENING SOMEWHERE ELSE BASED ON THE SALARIES AND THE FRINGE THAT AUBREY AND I HAVE DISCUSSED IN THE PAST. THAT'S APPROXIMATELY $220,000.

IF WE REDUCE THE HOURS, SAME AS THE FIRST OPTION, AND WE CLOSE THE LOWEST PERFORMING BRANCH AND WERE TO MOVE THEIR STAFF TO THAT BRANCH, WE WOULD STILL NEED ONE FULL-TIME PERSON AND ONE PART-TIME PERSON INCLUDING WITH THE REDUCTION IN HOURS AT APPROXIMATELY $83,000. IF WE KEPT THE HOURS THE SAME AND WE CLOSED A BRANCH, WE WOULD STILL NEED THREE FULL-TIME STAFF AND ONE PART-TIME STAFF, AND THAT IS APPROXIMATELY $216,000.

AND WITH THE FULL-TIME STAFF, I ESTIMATED THEM ON EACH OF THE DIFFERENT LEVELS, AN ENTRY LEVEL STAFF, A MIDDLE STAFF AND A HIGHER STAFF BECAUSE WE WOULD NEED CHILDREN'S PEOPLE THERE AS

WELL. >> SO CLOSING ONE BRANCH, YOU'RE ONLY GOING TO SAVE $4,000. IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID?

>> YES, MA'AM, IF WE KEPT THE HOURS THE SAME.

IF WE CLOSE A BRANCH, IT WOULD BE 82,000 -- 83,000, EXCUSE ME.

IF WE KEEP THE CURRENT HOURS AND CLOSE THE BRANCH, WE WOULD NEED

MORE STAFF. >> MARY, WHICH BRANCH IS THE

LOWEST PERFORMING. >> CURRENTLY IT'S THE GREEN COVE

SPRINGS LIBRARY. >> IF I MAY MARY, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S CHANGED SINCE OUR INITIAL PROPOSAL IS THAT MARY HAS GONE THROUGH A STAFF REDUCTION THROUGH THE BUDGET CUTS. SO WHEN WE ORIGINALLY PLANNED THIS, WE PLANNED, HEY, WE HAVE ENOUGH STAFF TO SUPPORT MOVING PEOPLE. THE KEY THING NOW IS TO UNDERSTAND THAT SINCE THAT INITIAL PROPOSAL, SHE'S FURTHER REDUCED STAFF DUE TO THE BUDGET CONSTRAINTS.

SO WE DON'T HAVE THAT STAFF, THAT EXTRA STAFF TO MOVE AS

ORIGINALLY WAS THE PLAN. >> THAT'S CORRECT, YES, SIR.

>> AND MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, REDUCED HOURS, THAT MEANS NO

FRIDAY, SATURDAY HOURS. >> NO, MA'AM.

IT JUST MEANS WE'RE GOING TO OPEN AN HOUR EARLIER AND CLOSE AN HOUR LATER ON FRIDAYS. THAT'S THE REDUCTION AT THE OPENING AND THE CLOSING. THOSE ARE THE LOWEST

[01:40:01]

FRIDAY TO SATURDAY WOULD BE 9 TO 5.

>> ONE SHIFT AT THE LIBRARIES VERSUS THE SPLIT SHIFT THAT YOU HAVE NOW WHICH IS AN INCREASE IN STAFFING.

CUTTING AN HOUR IN THE MORNING AND THE AFTERNOON ALLOWS HER TO GET DOWN TO ONE STAFF MEMBER SHIFT.

YES, MA'AM. >> MADAM CHAIR.

>> CHRIS, COULD YOU SPEAK TO THE IMPORTANCE OF POLLING PLACES AND

THAT THIS DISTRICT -- >> I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT WAS THE -- HOW MANY -- WE PROBABLY DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE WENT TO THAT EAGLE LANDING FOR EARLY VOTING.

WAS THERE INTEREST -- WAS THERE INTEREST OUT THERE? WAS IT BUSY? IF YOU COULD ADD TO THAT.

>> IT CERTAINLY IS. CHRIS CHANDLER, SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS. THE EARLY VOTING SITE CURRENTLY AS IT IS IN EAGLE LANDING RIGHT NOW IS IN A SPACE THAT'S ROUGHLY ABOUT A THOUSAND SQUARE FEET. HOWEVER, IT IS FILLED WITH POOL TABLES AND OTHER TYPES OF AREAS. IT'S NOT A TRUE 1,000 SQUARE FEET. IN THIS LAST ELECTION, WE HAD ROUGHLY ABOUT 1,500 VOTERS THAT WOULD GO TO THE EAGLE LANDING LOCATION. NOW ONE OF THE ISSUES IS -- AND I REFER TO THIS AS THE CAUSEWAY SEPARATING OR BY -- BIFURCATING FROM THE OAKLEY AREA, THERE ARE A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF INDIVIDUALS THAT DO NOT MAKE THAT TRIP ACROSS TO THE WEST, IF YOU WILL, OVER TO THE EAGLE LANDING SIDE, BUT RATHER GO TO JACKSONVILLE OR THE ARGYLE AREA. IT IS UNDERSERVED SIGNIFICANTLY WITH REGARDS TO EARLY VOTING. INDIVIDUALS PREVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE ARGYLE CHESWICK OAKS AREA SERVED BY THIS LIBRARY, HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE ARGYLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WHICH IS THE ONLY PUBLIC SCHOOL THAT THE ELECTIONS HAS A POLLING LOCATION IN, MOSTLY BECAUSE OF THE ACT AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE MARJORIE STOWMAN DOUGLAS EVENT.

AND SO THEY WOULD HAVE TO DRIVE INTO JACKSONVILLE, DOWN THE BOULEVARD EITHER TO THE ORANGE PARK LIBRARY OR TO GOING OVER TO THRASHER HORN. IT'S REALLY A SITUATION TO WHERE THE PUBLIC JUST DOES NOT HAVE ADEQUATE SERVICES FOR VOTING IN THAT AREA. ALSO, IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE AREAS, YOU WILL SEE THAT THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF PRESSURE ON ELECTION DAY IN THOSE LOCATIONS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THERE'S NOT ADEQUATE EARLY VOTING. AND SO TYPICALLY, THOSE LOCATIONS, WHILE THE VOTING ENDS AT 7 P.M. THE DEPUTY STEPS TO THE REAR LINE SIGNIFYING THE LAST VOTER.

AND THOSE ARE SOME OF THE LAST POLLING LOCATIONS TO CLEAR ALL OF THEIR VOTERS OUT ON ELECTION DAY BECAUSE THE LINES ARE SO LONG. AND, YOU KNOW, PURELY FROM THE NEEDS AND WHILE MISS MARY MENTIONED EARLY VOTING, LET ME ALSO STATE THAT THIS WOULD BE A POLLING LOCATION AS WELL AS WELL AS CURRENTLY IN THAT AREA RIGHT NOW.

IT IS IN A COMMUNITY MEETING ROOM THAT'S LESS THE SIZE A SQUARE FOOT THAT'S IN THERE, THAT'S IN THEIR POOL PARK.

SO IT WOULD ALSO REPLACE THAT AS WELL.

REMEMBER, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, EVEN IN THIS LAST ELECTION THAT WE HAD 60% OF THE VOTE HAPPENS PRIOR TO ELECTION DAY.

THERE ARE LARGE NUMBERS. ESPECIALLY SCALING UP TO PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS, PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN SOME OF OUR HIGHEST LOCATIONS WILL SERVE 3,000 INDIVIDUALS A DAY AT A SPECIFIC LOCATION. NOW, WHILE I DON'T FEEL THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE OAK LEAF IMMEDIATELY REACH THOSE LEVELS, I THINK THAT THE REASON WHY THE USAGE OF EARLY VOTING IN THE OAK LEAF AREA IS DUE TO LACK OF AVAILABILITY.

>> SO, CHRIS, IF WE CAN'T BUILD A $6.3 MILLION LIBRARY, I MEAN, THERE'S OTHER PLACES WE COULD HAVE LOCATIONS; CORRECT?

>> WELL, VERY FEW LOCATIONS OVER IN THAT AREA FOR POLLING

[01:45:01]

CHURCHES, OF COURSE, ARE GREAT FOR TUESDAY.

THEY'RE BUILT FOR SUNDAY. IT'S NOT GOOD FOR EARLY VOTING.

EARLY VOTING YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT UP TO A TWO-WEEK PERIOD UP TO 12 HOURS A DAY, AND THERE'S NO PRIVATE FACILITIES THAT REALLY WANT TO GIVE YOU THAT LOCATION FOR THAT.

THERE WAS ALSO AN ATHLETIC CENTER THAT'S OVER ON THE OAK LEAF SIDE. HOWEVER, THEIR ROOM WAS UP ON THE SECOND FLOOR, WHICH MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR VOTERS TO INGRESS AND EGRESS, AND THEY DID NOT HAVE AN ELEVATOR WHICH MADE IT HARD FOR ADA REQUIREMENTS FOR THAT.

SO IT'S REALLY QUITE A PROBLEM. NOW THE BOARD HAS SEEMED TO ADDRESS THAT IN RECENT YEARS THROUGH THE IDEA OF THESE MULTIPURPOSE ROOMS THAT ARE AVAILABLE AT FIRE STATIONS, AT LIBRARIES THAT WILL ENABLE US TO GET INTO THE COMMUNITY.

AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE ALWAYS SAID IS THAT WHEN WE DEVELOP THESE PLANNED COMMUNITIES, IT PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE A BAD IDEA TO HAVE A COMMUNITY ROOM AS A PART OF THE AGREEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT OR WHAT HAVE YOU WITH THAT. THOSE ARE SOME WAYS THAT YOU CAN THINK OUT OF THE BOX TO TRY TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE VOTING BECAUSE I'M CONFIDENT THAT NONE OF US ARE HAPPY, EVEN WITH THE LAST 25.34%. AGAIN, I TELL EVERYBODY.

WHEN YOU HAVE A 25% TURNOUT, THAT MEANS THAT 75% OF THE MONEY THAT YOU PAID FOR THAT ELECTION BECAUSE WE PREPARE FOR A HUNDRED PERCENT IS WASTED. OKAY? SO I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS AN URGENT NEED TO HAVE AT THAT LOCATION. I'LL LEAVE IT FOR YOU TO DECIDE WHETHER IT NEEDS TO BE AT THE LIBRARY OR ANOTHER COUNTY FACILITY. BUT THE NEED IS THERE.

>> CHRIS, FIRST MAN, CONGRATULATIONS.

I AM EXCITED TO BE IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA WITH ELECTIONS.

YOU KNOW, I WAS WATCHING THE POLLS COME IN.

I THINK IT WAS, LIKE, FOR ME ON MY REFRESH, IT WAS 7:48 FINAL REFRESH RESULTS THE NIGHT OF. OTHER PLACES CAN'T MAKE THAT

HAPPEN. >> TAKE THAT, CALIFORNIA.

>> VERY HAPPY. GREAT JOB BY YOUR TEAM.

YOU STOLE MY NOTES. I WANT TO REITERATE THAT TO THE COMMUNITY. WE HAVE ACTIVE VOTERS, REGISTERED VOTERS, AND 25% OF THOSE SHOWED UP AT THE POLLS.

SO YOUR TAX DOLLARS FUNDED 153,596 PEOPLE SHOWING UP AND ONLY 25% OF THOSE DID. AND JUST TO REITERATE YOUR COMMENTS, I JUST DON'T SEE THE PROPER USE OF MONEY TO SPEND $6.3 MILLION FOR A POLLING LOCATION.

WE CAN COME UP WITH ANOTHER WAY TO DO IT.

CONGRATULATIONS ON A GREAT SEASON.

>> I HAVE A GREAT TEAM. I CERTAINLY WANT TO PUBLICLY GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO NOT ONLY THE COUNTY TEAMS BUT ALSO CLAY ELECTRIC. WE FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, WE LOST POWER AT SIX POLLING LOCATIONS, SIX POLLING LOCATIONS WITHOUT POWER. NOW UNDERSTAND THAT EACH ONE OF THE VOTING PIECES OF EQUIPMENT HAS A BATTERY BACKUP FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME. BUT THANKFULLY, BECAUSE OF THE FORESIGHT OF THIS BOARD AND THE BOARD BEFORE YOU THOUGHT THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO PROVIDE BATTERY FOR BACKUP GENERATORS, AND WE UTILIZED 12 OF THOSE AT THOSE 6 LOCATIONS SO THE PROCESS COULD CONTINUE. I HAVE TO TELL YOU.

THAT IS HUGE WHEN MANY OTHER COUNTIES HAD TO PROLONG OR TURN AWAY VOTERS. AND IN CLAY COUNTY THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN. MY HAT OFF TO EACH ONE OF YOU.

>> THANK YOU, CHRIS. >> MADAM CHAIR.

WE HAD A 25% TURNOUT COUNTYWIDE, DO YOU HAVE ANY DATA FOR THE

PRECINCTS UP IN OAK LEAF. >> I CERTAINLY DO.

NOT AT MY HAND RIGHT NOW. I CAN TELL YOU THAT EVEN AT 25.43%, THAT WAS THE HIGHEST TURNOUT IN THE LAST FIVE PRIMARY ELECTION SEASONS. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW,

[01:50:03]

>> THANK YOU. >> IS THIS A DECISION WE HAVE TO

MAKE RIGHT NOW FOR THIS LIBRARY? >> THIS IS JUST WHAT'S IN YOUR C.I.P. GOING FORWARD. THIS IS A DECISION.

IT WILL STAY IN YOUR C.I.P. UNTIL THIS BOARD DECIDES TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT IF THEY SO CHOOSE.

THIS ISN'T OUR CIP. I WOULD LIKE TO AT LEAST WAIT

TILL AFTER NOVEMBER. >> THAT'S THE BOARD'S

DISCRETION. >> THAT'S ONLY ME.

>> I STILL THINK WITH OR WITHOUT NOVEMBER, WE HAVE CUT 35 POSITIONS BY ATTRITION, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO ADD POSITIONS BACK. I DON'T -- YOU KNOW, PLUS 88.

WHAT WAS IT? 84,000 IN OPERATING.

I MEAN, LISTEN, IT'S NOT THAT I WOULDN'T LOVE TO PROVIDE THAT.

IT'S JUST TIMES ARE DIFFERENT. YOU HAVE GOT TO -- WE HAVE GOT DIFFERENT PRIORITIES. I PERSONALLY DO RIGHT NOW.

BUT -- >> BY THE WAY, WE'RE ALSO FOR THE PUBLIC, WE'RE OPERATING WITH THREE COUNTY MANAGERS, AND WE ALSO DO NOT HAVE A DEPUTY ASSISTANT COUNTY MANAGER, SORRY, AND DEPUTY COUNTY MANAGER IS ALSO GOING TO BE ELIMINATED.

I KEEP ON HEAR ABOUT THOSE KIND OF THINGS JUST TO LET EVERYBODY

KNOW. >> OKAY.

SO JUST NEXT STEPS IN THE PROCESS.

IS THE EDR REVENUE PROJECTIONS AS I MENTIONED EARLIER THOSE ARE STARTING TO ROLL IN? WE ARE CONTINUING TO UPDATE OUR BUDGET AS WE DO DAILY. SEPTEMBER 8TH WILL BE OUR FIRST PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE BALANCED BUDGET AND THEN THE FINAL ADOPTION WILL COME BEFORE YOU ON SEPTEMBER 22ND.

PENDING ANY OTHER DISCUSSIONS OR QUESTIONS, THAT IS WHAT WE HAD

TO PRESENT YOU TODAY. >> THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM, IT'S BEEN BROUGHT UP AND DISCUSSED SOMEWHAT TONIGHT OR THIS MORNING. THAT IS INCLUDED IN THIS PROPOSED BUDGET. IF IT IS, YOU KNOW, CAN SOMEONE GIVE ME A CRYSTAL BALL IF WE DON'T GO THAT ROUTE?

WHAT DOES IT REALLY MEAN? >> IF YOU DECIDE NOT TO IMPLEMENT STORMWATER, WHICH IS FACTORED INTO YOUR BUDGET, THAT MEANS YOU'RE GOING TO CUT THE CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT ARE IN THAT WE HAVE BUDGETED FOR STORMWATER.

AND IN ADDITION THAT MEANS YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FIND ABOUT $5 MILLION IN MAINTENANCE EXPENSE MONEY FROM OTHER PLACES

IN THE BUDGET. >> WHICH WOULD BE WHERE?

>> WHATEVER'S AT YOUR DISCRETION.

I CAN TELL YOU, THERE'S NO OTHER PROJECTS TO CUT.

YOU WOULD PROBABLY BE LOOKING AT A REDUCTION IN SERVICE, WHICH MEANS CUTTING PEOPLE, MOST LIKELY.

I MEAN, UNLESS THERE'S OTHER DIRECTION FROM THE BOARD OR THE

COUNTY MANAGER. >> AND THAT'S A LARGE NUMBER, FROM WHAT I HAVE HEARD? LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE?

>> YEAH. IT WOULD BE A LARGE NUMBER.

ALSO, WHEN YOU CUT BACK SERVICES, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT QUALITY OF LIFE SERVICES, LIBRARIES, PARKS AND REC, FACILITIES, THOSE TYPE OF AREAS. IF YOU SHUTTERED A LIBRARY, WELL, YOU HEARD KIND OF MARY'S TALK OF WHAT IT COSTS ANNUALLY TO RUN A LIBRARY. SO THERE WOULD BE SOME SORT OF SAVINGS THERE IF WE DID THAT. THE MAJORITY, THE BULK OF $5

MILLION WOULD BE IN PERSONNEL. >> I HEARD THAT ONE CONSTITUENT THAT THAT WAS A COP OUT. SO IT'S NOT A COP OUT.

IT'S REALITY. IT IS REALITY.

IT'S THESE PEOPLE OUT HERE THAT HAVE JOBS HERE THAT HAVE FAMILIES. NOT A COP OUT AT ALL.

WHERE WE'RE AT. >> ONE OTHER AREA JUST TO BRING UP, WELL, I GUESS IT WOULDN'T FOR -- NEVERMIND.

I'M WRONG ON THAT ONE. I WAS TRYING TO THINK OF ANOTHER AREA. THAT'S REALLY IT.

WHEN YOU START TO LOOK AT IT, WE MAY GET CONFUSED OF WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, FROM CAPITAL, CAPITAL PROJECTS AND THAT.

WE CAN'T. THAT'S NOT FUNDING THE GENERAL

[COMMISSIONERS' COMMENTS]

FUND. >> THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.

IF THERE'S NO QUESTIONS, WE'LL GO ON TO COMMISSIONER COMMENTS.

>> OKAY. THIS WAS HARD.

IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT A COMMISSIONER LOSES SLEEP OVER, IT'S THIS. WE HAVE TO MAKE SOME DIFFICULT DECISIONS. WE HAVE TO AMEND FOR ERRORS IN

[01:55:02]

YOU ELECTED US TO MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS FOR THE MOST PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY. AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK THIS COMMISSION HAS DONE IN THE PAST SIX BUDGETS THAT I HAVE OR FIVE BUDGETS THAT I HAVE HAD EXPERIENCE WITH HERE.

I THINK WE'RE GOING TO DO THE SAME THING HERE.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO SATISFY EVERYBODY.

THERE'S GOING TO BE SOMEWHAT OF A PAIN ACROSS THE BOARD.

NONETHELESS, WE WILL COME UP WITH THE BEST USE OF OUR RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE. AND WE'LL BE LOOKING TO THE FUTURE. WE HAVE GOT TO PLAN FOR THE FUTURE AS YOU HEARD TODAY ABOUT -- WE'RE LOOKING AT THE IMPACT OF THE DECISION WE MAKE TODAY AND HOW THEY IMPACT THE FUTURE 5, 10 YEARS OUT. SO SOMETIMES IT'S NOT VERY OBVIOUS. TRUST ME, WE DO A LOT OF HOMEWORK TO GET TO THIS DECISION.

WE'RE GOING TO DO A LOT MORE TILL WE GET TO THE FINAL BUDGET SEPTEMBER 22ND. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER. >> I ECHO THE COMMENTS.

THIS IS TOUGH. WE'RE ROLLING UP OUR SLEEVES.

WE'RE SHARPENING OUR PENCIL. I HAVE TO TAKE MY HAT OFF TO STAFF. THIS IS HARD, EXPONENTIALLY HARDER ON THEM, I WOULD SAY, TRYING TO MANAGE WHAT WE'RE PRESENTING TO THEM AND ALSO MAKE IT WORK.

ONE OF THE COMMENTS THAT I HAVE NOTICED ON SOCIAL MEDIA -- OR MAYBE IT'S THE TENOR OF THE TIMES THAT FOLKS ARE NOT TOO SURE ABOUT THE PARAMETERS WE MUST WORK WITHIN IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH STATE STATUTES AND SOMETIMES FEDERAL GUIDELINES.

AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE IT A POINT THAT IT'S PROBABLY EASIER TO PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL THE COUNTY MANAGER OR CALL ANY ONE OF THE FIVE OF US TO GET CLARITY ON AN ISSUE THAN IT IS TO LOOK AT THE DOCUMENTS AS YOU SEE THEM BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH MORE. IT'S FAR MORE INTRICATE AND I'D EVEN VENTURE OUT TO SAY THAT MY COUNTERPARTS AND I WANT THOSE PHONE CALLS. LET'S TALK ABOUT IT.

IT'S A HARD THING TO DEAL WITH AND WORK THROUGH ASSUMPTIONS THAT ARE MADE. THAT WALL IS VERY HIGH ONCE YOU'VE ARRIVED TO A DECISION. AND I WELCOME THE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHERE DOLLARS AND CENTS ARE ACTUALLY ALLOCATED AND HOW WE HAVE TO SPEND THEM. THOSE ARE GREAT CONVERSATIONS TO BE HAVING. SO YOU SEE IT.

IT'S A LOT OF WORK. I'M LOSING SLEEP OVER A LOT OF THIS TOO. BUT I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO REPRESENT YOU IN THIS PROCESS.

CLAY COUNTY HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT DOGE AND BEING MORE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR AS LONG AS I'VE LIVED HERE, AND THAT'S OVER THREE DECADES WHICH ISN'T MUCH COMPARED TO SOME OF YOU ALL. BUT MY HEART IS IN IT.

OUR HEARTS ARE IN IT. AND IT'S A BLESSING TO BE PART OF EVEN THE DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS.

AND SO I VALUE YOUR INPUT, AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE TO CALL, CONTINUE TO TEXT, CONTINUE TO EMAIL BECAUSE WE DO WANT TO KNOW. AND THEN MY FINAL THOUGHT IS STAFF AGAIN EXCEPTIONAL WORK. HATS OFF TO YOU.

YOU'RE DOING A LOT. AND I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT

TIME, ENERGY, AND TALENT. >> THANK YOU.

>> A LOT OF THE SAME. I JUST THINK THE BIGGEST THING IS IN THE LEANEST OF TIMES, YOUR CHOICES SHOW YOUR PRIORITIES.

AND TO ME, I WOULD LIKE TO GET CAUGHT UP IN FUNDING PUBLIC SAFETY, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, ROADS, DRAINAGE, ALL OF OUR PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE, THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO GET CAUGHT UP IN.

AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THIS BOARD OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS HAVE SOME CHOICES TO MAKE AS FAR AS WHAT'S TRULY IMPORTANT TO THE PEOPLE THAT WE REPRESENT, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO.

I WANT TO APOLOGIZE TODAY IF MY CANDOR WAS A LITTLE BRASH.

I HAVE LIKE YOU GUYS HAVE SAID, I DON'T DO WELL ON NOT MUCH SLEEP. IT REALLY HAS BEEN.

I THINK TROY, WE HAVE HAD MANY 9 P.M. PHONE CALLS AND MJ AND RICHARD. YOU GUYS ARE IN THE TRENCHES

[02:00:01]

I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS ALWAYS PICKING UP THE PHONE.

AND EVEN THOUGH I ASKED SOME WILD QUESTIONS.

NEVERTHELESS, THAT'S HOW WE GET TO WHERE WE NEED TO GET TO.

SAME THING FOR THE FOUR OF YOU SITTING UP HERE.

IT'S TOUGH. IT'S TOUGH.

AND I THINK THE FACT THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PROFESSIONALLY ELO ELOQUENTLY LAY OUT OUR PERSONAL BELIEFS AND WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT CLAY COUNTY MOVES FORWARD DURING THESE TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES IS WHAT I HOPE THAT ALL OF US ARE REMEMBERED BY. WE MADE THE BEST DECISIONS FOR THE COUNTY TO KEEP IT THE GREAT PLACE THAT IT IS.

SO THANKS. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

I AM ALSO VERY GRATEFUL FOR STAFF.

MOST OF THIS ROOM IS STAFF AND GRATEFUL FOR THE SERVICE OF EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. WE KNOW THAT YOU DO MORE WITH LITTLE AND WE APPRECIATE THAT. WE APPRECIATE THE LONG HOURS AND THE TIME THAT HAS GONE INTO THIS WORK.

MY SECOND COMMENT IS MOST OF THE PUBLIC, NOT MOST OF THE PUBLIC, I WOULD SAY. AS A CATEGORY OF THE PUBLIC THAT WANTS US TO ENGAGE AND DEBATE ON SOCIAL MEDIA, MOST NAMELY FACEBOOK. AND YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER SEGMENT OF GOVERNMENT IS BOUND BY SOMETHING IN FLORIDA CALLED SUNSHINE LAW.

AND THE SUNSHINE LAW SAYS THAT THE FIVE OF US ARE NOT ALLOWED TO TALK ABOUT ANYTHING THAT WE ARE GOING TO VOTE ON OUTSIDE OF A PUBLICLY ADVERTISED MEETING. AND FACEBOOK IS NOT A PUBLICLY ADVERTISED MEETING. AND SO WHILE IT MAY BE EASY FOR YOU -- AND I HAVE GOTTEN CAUGHT UP IN.

I HAVE COMMENTED ON THINGS. AND I HAVE PROBABLY PUT MYSELF AT RISK AT TIMES OF VIOLATING THE SUNSHINE LAW IN THE PAST.

AND SO I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT GOING FORWARD.

I'M NOT GOING TO ENGAGE ON THAT DEBATE ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

AND YOU CAN CALL ME ANY NAME YOU WANT TO CALL ME AND SAY I'M NOT WILLING TO PUT IT OUT SO THE PUBLIC CAN READ THE COMMENTS.

THAT'S NOT THE SUNSHINE. I TOOK AN OATH THAT I WOULD FOLLOW THE SUNSHINE LAW. THE LAW IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA SAYS THAT I CANNOT DO ANYTHING THAT COULD INDICATE TO ANY OF THESE OTHERS HOW I WILL VOTE ON SOMETHING AHEAD OF TIME NOR CAN ANYONE ELSE BE USED AS A CONDUIT.

SO, LIKE, I CAN'T CALL A STAFF MEMBER OR MY BROTHER OR MY HUSBAND, MY FRIEND AND SAY, HEY, MAKE SURE YOU GET WORD TO X COMMISSIONER THAT THIS IS THE DIRECTION THAT THIS IS GOING.

AND SO I'VE SEEN PEOPLE SAY, WHY AREN'T COMMISSIONERS COMMENTING IN THE PAST WHEN I WAS COMMENTED? AND PEOPLE HAVE COMPLIMENTED ME THAT USUALLY THIS COMMISSIONER WILL JUMP IN. THERE ARE OTHER COUNTIES WITH CURRENT COMMISSIONERS UNDER SUNSHINE LAW INVESTIGATION.

AND I'M JUST NOT GOING TO PUT MYSELF AT THAT RISK.

I HAVE TOURED THE JAIL. I AM NOT CUT OUT FOR IT.

I'M GOING TO DO EVERYTHING THAT I CAN TO STAY ON THIS SIDE WITH THE GREEN, WITH THE UNIFORMED STAFF MEMBERS THAT I'M GRATEFUL FOR INSTEAD OF HAVING TO HAVE THEM CALL ME OFF.

AND WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DID RUN FOR ELECTION.

AND YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH IN AMERICA.

AND YOU CAN CALL US NAMES. YOU CAN'T THREATEN US UNDER THE LAWS UNDER FIRST AMENDMENT. YOU CAN CALL US NAMES.

IT DOESN'T, LIKE, MAKE -- I HAD A CONSTITUENT SAY TO ME THAT BY SIGNING UP FOR THIS, I SIGNED UP TO BE A PUNCHING BAG.

SHE COULD SAY ANYTHING THAT SHE WANTED TO ME.

THAT'S WHAT I SIGNED UP FOR. NO, I DIDN'T.

THERE'S CIVILITY IN AMERICA. WE HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FORM OF GOVERNMENT. SO THE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO KNOW WHY CERTAIN THINGS ARE NOT ON YOUR BALLOT FOR VOTE, EVERYTHING IN CLAY COUNTY THAT YOU THINK SHOULD BE ON THE BALLOT FOR VOTING, THAT'S NOT WHAT AMERICA WAS BUILT ON.

WE'RE A REPRESENTATIVE REPUBLIC, NOT A DEMOCRACY.

MAYBE AMERICA IS NOT THE COUNTRY FOR YOU.

YOU CAN DEBATE THAT OFFLINE. I DIDN'T COME UP WITH IT.

THE FOUNDING FATHERS DID. WE CELEBRATED 250 YEARS.

WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVE FORM OF GOVERNMENT.

FOUR OF THE COMMISSIONERS SITTING UP HERE WERE ELECTED OR REELECTED WITHOUT OPPOSITION. IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT HAS JUST RECENTLY HAPPENED IN CLAY COUNTY.

BUT IF YOU THINK YOU CAN DO IT BETTER, THERE WILL BE COMMISSION

[02:05:03]

AND THEN THE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT I THINK COMMISSIONER COMPARES, JUST TO KIND OF GO A LITTLE BIT DEEPER INTO SOMETHING THAT YOU INDICATED IS THAT BUDGETING AT THE COUNTY LEVEL IN THE GOVERNMENT LEVEL IS NOT THE SAME AS THE PRIVATE SECTOR OR YOUR HOME BUDGET.

SO IN MY HOUSEHOLD, WE HAVE A GROCERY BUDGET.

AND IF THINGS GET TIGHT, I CAN'T DECIDE I'M GOING TO USE GROCERY MONEY TO PAY MY CAR PAYMENT. I CAN DO THAT AT HOME.

I CANNOT DO THAT -- WE CANNOT DO THAT AT THE COUNTY LEVEL, AT THE GOVERNMENT LEVEL. YOU CAN DO IT ON CERTAIN THINGS.

WHEN YOU HEAR US TALK ABOUT, THE BUDGET STAFF TALK ABOUT THE GENERAL FUND. THAT MONEY CAN BE USED DISCRETIONARILY. BUT ALL THE DIFFERENT BUCKETS, SO I HAD SOMEONE SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU COLLECT ALL THIS MONEY WITH THE GARBAGE FEE. YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO USE IT ELSEWHERE. YOU COLLECT THIS MONEY WITH SALES TAXES, GAS TAXES. YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO USE IT.

WELL, WE CAN'T. IF YOU DON'T LIKE THAT, THESE ARE ALL TALLAHASSEE-DRIVEN LAWS THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW.

THOSE ARE JUST A FEW THINGS, MADAM CHAIR, THAT CAME TO MIND, AND I APPRECIATE YOU GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE.

>> VERY GOOD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO EVERYONE.

FELLOW COMMISSIONERS, STAFF, WONDERFUL JOB.

ALONG THE SAME LINES WITH FACEBOOK, IF YOU DON'T IF IT'S TRUE, FIRST OFF, DON'T BELIEVE IT.

SECOND OFF ASK US BECAUSE THAT IS THE MOST FRUSTRATING THING.

I HEARD ANOTHER STAFF MEMBER SAY, IT'S SO EASY TO PUT IT OUT THERE. JUST BECAUSE IT'S THERE DOESN'T MEAN IT'S TRUE. OKAY? MOST THINGS ON FACEBOOK PROBABLY ARE NOT TRUE EXCEPT FOR PICTURES OF FAMILY.

IT ACTUALLY IS A.I. IT'S PROBABLY NOT TRUE.

NEVERMIND. SEE EVERYONE NEXT TUESDAY.

SO E

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.