AT A REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS HELD IN AND FOR GADSDEN COUNTY, FLORIDA ON AUGUST 2, 2011, AT
6:00 P.M. THE FOLLOWING PROCEEDINGS WERE HAD, VIZ.
Present: Sherrie Taylor, Chair, District 5
Gene Morgan, Vice-Chair, District 3
Eugene Lamb, District 1
Doug Croley, District 2
Brenda A. Holt, District 4
Nicholas Thomas, Clerk
Deborah Minnis, County Attorney
Arthur Lawson, Interim County Administrator
INVOCATION, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, ROLL CALL
AMENDMENTS AND APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
Pull Item 8 from Consent Agenda
Move Item 20 to First Item under General Business
Lamb/Holt to approve as amended 5 – 0
AWARDS, PRESENTATIONS AND APPEARANCES
U
CLERK OF COURT
|
1. |
Presentation
of County Finance and County Clerk Issues No |
CONSENT AGENDA
Pull Item 7 for discussion
Lamb/Croley approve remainder of the consent agenda – 5 - 0
|
2. |
Ratification
of Approval to Pay County Bills |
|
3. |
Sheriff’s
Request to Use $19,000 Special Law enforcement Funds to Purchase a D.A.R.E.
Vehicle and Equipment and Give Budgetary to Expend the Funds |
|
4. |
Request
to Use Law Enforcement Education Fund (LEEF) for D.A.R.E. Officers Training for School
Resource Deputies and Give Budgetary Authority to Expend Funds |
|
5. |
Approve
the Chamber of Commerce’s Recommendation to Appoint of Lisa Stephany, HR
Director at Quincy Joist, to the WORKFORCE PLUS Board of Directors |
|
6. |
Approval
to Transfer of a 1994 Oldsmobile, Property Record No. A-00386, from the Board
of County Commissioners to the Gadsden County Health Council. |
|
|
|
|
8. |
|
|
9. |
Approval
of Local Agency Program (LAP) Agreement for Roadside
Beautification/Landscaping Project FPID 428100-1-38-01 The LAP Agreement is for $4,146.00 – Native
Wildflower Planting along US 27, US 90, CR 270A, and SR 65 in Gadsden County |
|
10. |
Approval
of LAP Agreement for Gateway Signage and Landscaping Project - The funding for the design only grant is $10,140.00 US 27, SR 267, US 90, CR 270A and SR 65 |
ITEMS PULLED FROM THE
CONSENT AGENDA
Approval of Bid Award No. 11-10 to Rudd’s Pest Control of Quincy, FL. For Pest Control Services
Morgan/Lamb approve 5 – 0
CITIZENS REQUESTING TO BE HEARD ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS
PUBLIC HEARINGS
|
11. |
Public
Hearing – Approval of Second Public Hearing on Behalf of the Rosedale
Community |
|
|
Justin Ford, Preble Rish, Inc. addressed the board. Draft application prepared. Will be submitted by August 15 if approved. Page 5 of the application is a narrative of the project. The grant is for $750,000. The City of Chattahoochee received a legislative appropriation toward this project and it will be used as leverage to strengthen the application. Chair Taylor called for public input. There was no response. Croley/Lamb approved the application and authorize the chairman to sign the application. 5 – 0 Sign in sheet is being passed around. Justin Ford asked everyone to sign it. |
|
GENERAL
BUSINESS |
|
|
20. |
Approval
of Millage Rate for TRIM Notification and Set the Date, Time and Place for
the Public Hearings to Adopt the FY 2011/12 Gadsden County Budget Lamb & Croley approve the millage rate of 8.9064 ; 5 – 0
Dates of public hearings: September 7, 2011 at 6:00 p.m September 19, 2011 at 6:00 p.m. Budget: |
|
12. |
Approval of Half Cent Sales Tax Dollars Collected in 2008-2009 The Gadsden County Health Council requested to utilize half of the revenue generated in 2008-2009 by the half cent indigent health care tax ($200,000) to purchase a Mobile Health Unit. It will help provide health services to the out-of-the-way communities where residents have transportation challenges. Howard McKinnon appeared before the board on behalf of the Gadsden Community Health Council. Commissioner Lamb would like to hear from GHI about these funds before funds are distributed. Clerk Thomas – Commissioner Morgan – as the hospital continues to change and we try to attract businesses to come here so that we can build on what we already have. Wait until sometime later to use that pot of money. Commissioner Holt – look at the plan and follow the referendum. They voted for indigent care and only 1/3 toward the hospital. Need to go back and look at it. We have an emergency room, not a hospital. The mobile unit would get to the indigents in the rural area. Chair Taylor – sided with Commissioner Morgan and Commissioner Lamb. She talked with GHI and they are looking at using the money to build out some of the hospital. How can we say to the people that we won’t live up to the referendum. Holt/Lamb approve the request. Vote 2 – 3. The motion failed. Mr. McKinnon made a plea - citizens are asking for it.
|
|
13. |
Approval of the Health Insurance Rates/Options This agenda item provided the board with proposed health insurance information as it relates to the County’s current health care coverage and sought board approval to change from the current Premier Plus Plan to the Capital Select Plan and to also absorb the 1% annual premium increase. (See the attached agenda report to see the rate and service differences between the two plans.) The Insurance Committee met and evaluated the plans and premiums and recommended that the county go with the Capital Select Plan. Who is on the insurance committee? A representative of each constitutional officer, plus HR. School Board has this plan. Lamb/Croley approve option 1 – Capital Selection option – county will abosr |
|
14. |
Approval
of Interlocal Agreement between Gadsden County and the City of Chattahoochee
to Complete Crawfish Island Project Morgan/Holt 5 – 0 The Community Development Block Grant disaster relief funding was made available to Florida by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development under Title IV of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et. Seq.) (Federal Register – Docket No. F.R. 5256-N-01, Volume 74, Number 29 and Federal Register Docket No. F.R. 5256-N-01 Volume 74, Number 156.) for federally declared natural disasters that occurred during 2008. Gadsden County received funding to stabilize the banks of Mosquito Creek near the Crawfish Island Community in order to improve the water flow and reduce flooding; the City of Chattahoochee also received funding for work in the Crawfish Island and Mosquito Creek area. The City of Chattahoochee desires to bid and construct both portions of the project as a single combined project. The Interlocal agreement shall serve as acknowledgement and permission by the County for the City to let the proposed improvements and administer the construction activities completed on the items proposed by the County. The BOCC approved and executed a contract with Preble Rish on January 18, 2011 for the engineering services for this project. The Department of Community Affairs Disaster Recovery Initiative (DRI) has allocated $241,866.00 to Gadsden County for the implementation of Storm Recovery and Mitigation. The project was reviewed and approved by the Department. No county match will be required. Request: Approve the Interlocal Agreement with the City of Chattahoochee and Authorize the Chairperson to Execute it. |
|
15. |
Request to Process Administrative Future Land Use Map Amendment for Properties Located on or Near Bostick Road in Havana, Totaling Approximately 35 Acres (CPA-2011-02) Changing the Land Use Designation from Commercial to Rural Residential to Reflect the actual land use of the properties and to establish a land use designation consistent with the existing use of the property on the FLUM Applicants: Sam & Nell Cunningham, Simon and
Sara Boddery, Charles Foster Coleman,
Molly Coleman Wilson, Sara C. Coleman, David O’Brian Location: North and adjacent to the Havana Golf and Country Club on the east side of US 27. Parcel No.: 2-27-3N-2W-0000-00123-0100; 2-27-3N-2W-0000-00210-0100; 2-27-3N-2W-0000-00123-0300; 2-27-3N-2W-0000-00210-0500 2-27-3N-2W-0000-00210-0600 2-27-3N-2W-0000-00210-0400 2-27-3N-2W-0000-00123-0200 The parcels listed above were designated on the FLUM in 1991 as Commercial property. These properties are part of a COMM designated area located in Township 3N, Range 2W, Section 27. However, the properties have not been developed as commercial nor are the access streets built for commercial traffic. They have been developed as single family residential uses. The owners petitioned the county to do an administrative change because they believe that an error occurred on the original plan. The fiscal impact to the county will be approximately $1,500. The Planning Department agrees that the property has been developed as residential and that it would be improbable for the property to develop as Commercial. The amendment will be subject to the Citizens Growth Management Bill of Rights, thus requiring a meeting with the area residents.
Croley/Lamb authorize staff to correct the
error with administrative land use map change. 5-0 |
|
16. |
Process for Amending of the Gadsden County Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code to Allow Solar Energy Farms as a Permitted Use by Right in Agricultural Land Use Districts At the June 7, 2011 Board meeting, the Board directed that the Planning and Community Development Director to review the county’s development process to allow solar farms as a permitted by right use in the Agricultural Future Land Use Districts as required by the Gadsden County Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code. Gadsden County has been announced as one of a number of finalists by National Solar Power as the possible location of approximately 20 related 200 acre solar farms. This is anticipated to be of considerable economic benefit to the county. Therefore, the board directed the staff to review the process for approval of a solar farm. Staff found that the Comprehensive Plan and the Land Development Code (LDC) require review and approval of a solar farm as a Class II Public Use/Utility or Essential Service requiring approval as a “Special Exception”” in the Agricultural Future Land Use District. Special Exception uses require approval by the Planning Commission and the Board of County Commissioners. Additionally, Special Exception uses require compliance with the Citizen’s Bill of Rights as well as the public notice requirements of the LDC. See the attached agenda report for time frames involved for each step. Commissioner Holt – in favor of solar farms, but not in favor of doing this by right. Continue to do it by special exception. In favor of going through the comprehensive plan and making all changes needed at one time. Consensus
to bring it back by right amendment to the comprehensive plan – follow normal
process for text changes.
Take to the Planning Commission in October. Meet with attorney and administrator prior to then. |
|
17. |
Approval of Selection of
Kimley-Horn & Associates Inc. to Administer a FDOT Funded County Grant to
Prepare a County-Wide Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan (BPMP) The Capital Regional Transportation Planning Agency (CRTPA) submits a priority list of enhancement project to the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) District 3 for consideration in the development of their Five Year Work Program. The process of developing the priority list takes approximately one year to complete, from application solicitation to the final prioritization of the final projects. Prioritized projects from 2009 were submitted to FDOT for consideration for their 2011-2015 Work Plan. Three transportation enhancement funding requests were submitted by Gadsden County in 2009 and approved for funding by FDOT Five Year plan. The Bicycle and Pedestrian Mobility Plan was one of them with funding available as of 2011. On October 29, 2010 the County entered into a LAP Agreement and is now ready to enter into the Planning Phase of the project. In response to and RFP six firms submitted qualified applications. They were ranked by a committee. The firm of Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. was selected as the highest scored firm with 92.75 points out of a possible 100. The total funding for the project is $90,000.00 for completion of the Plan. It is a reimbursable grant. Request: Award the bid to Kimley Horn to prepare the county’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan as authorized by the LAP Agreement. Lamb/Croley
accept staff recommendation to award bid to Kimley Horn 4-1 (Morgan) Croley disclosed that he had been contacted by Preble Rish and by Sprinkle Consulting |
|
18. |
Approval
of Tourist Development Council’s Budget for FY 2011-2012 Motion by
Morgan second by Croley to approve the
TDC budget. 3 – 2 to approve. Taylor/Taylor opposed. Would like to see co-op advertising. Radio advertising during the football weekends. Chair
Taylor asked for a meeting with TDC as a whole to have a dialogue and have
both boards get on the same page and have a parallel vision. Croley/Holt
to have meeting with TDC and the Board
5 – 0 August 20th
– Celebration of it’s children by the School Board meeting at School Board on Thursday at
10:00 a.m.
|
|
19. |
Approval of Amendment No. 6
for Grant LP6721 Water/Waste Water Infrastructure and Authorize the
Chairperson to Execute Holt/Croley 5 – 0 This item sought approval to request and extension for the legislative appropriation by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for the construction of water and waste water infrastructure. |
|
20. |
|
|
21. |
County Administrator – Update on Board Requests None |
|
22. |
County Attorney – Update on Various Legal Issues None |
|
23. |
Discussion
Items by Commissioners |
|
23a. |
Commissioner
Lamb, District 1 Thanked all board members for the ground breaking of the Havana Park |
|
23b |
Commissioner
Croley, District 2 Congratulated Commissioner Lamb on the park project. CRTPA signed appropriation book that has $91 million worth of projects in Gadsden County over the next five years. Rail, air, bikes, trails, road projects, pending funding priorities at the federal level. Commented that he feels the board is beginning to work together cohesively about the budget this year. |
|
23c. |
Commissioner
Holt, District 4 Needs a copy of the appointed boards and when the appointments end. Motion Holt/Morgan – have the administrator provide boards, functions and how appointments are made Economic
Development There are things going to happen as a result of Gretna’s expansion. We need to have meeting with the cities so that we can plan well for the appearances of the roadways etc.
Discussion of Citizens’ Bill of Rights Other Concerns |
|
24d. |
Commissioner Morgan, Vice Chair, District 3 Upcoming modification to the Tax Collector/Property Appraiser’s office. – We need to properly fund that project. |
|
24e. |
Commissioner
Taylor, Chair, District 5 Met with Shawn Wood and Red Cross. Happy to report that she is confident in how they are handling pending disasters. Businesses need to have a plan of action in the event FEMA needs to help the businesses. This county building does not have a generator in the event the power fails. The clerk did not want one over there because of the it would be an eyesore on the historic building. Chamber of Commerce demonstration with the potential Solar Farm was great. Need to build a jail pod. Spoke with the clerk and he thinks we need to do something to push it along. Find the money.
Appointment to Ad Hoc Regional Transit Committee |
|
24a. |
For the Record: Sublease of the W. A. Woodham Building to the City of Quincy Police Department |
|
24b. |
For the Record: Interlocal Agreement with the City of Quincy for Mosquito Control Services |
|
24c. |
For the Record: Letter from FAC Regarding Commissioner Gene Morgan’s Appointment to Serve on the Policy Committees and Workgroups |
|
24d. |
For the Record: Letter from FAC Regarding Commissioner Eugene Lamb’s Appointment to Serve on the Board of Directors |
|
24e. |
For the Record: Letter from the Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office Regarding Pledge of Support for the City of Gretna/Greensboro Projects for the Creation of New Jobs for Gadsden County |
|
24f. |
For the Record: Quit Claim Deed Regarding Additional Right of Way on Joe Knight Road |
|
24g. |
For the Record: Sub-Grant for the Sheriff’s Office Area Drug Taskforce |
|
24h. |
For the Record: Letter to Ms. Carol Edwards Regarding her Appointment to the Library Commission |
|
|
|
|
|
August
Meetings: August 16, 2011 Regular Meeting at 9:00 a.m. |