AT A CALLED BUDGET WORKSHOP AND SPECIAL MEETINGOF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HELD IN AND FOR GADSDEN COUNTY, FLORIDA ON AUGUST 22, 2011 AT 4:00 P.M.

Present: Sherrie Taylor, Chair, District 5

Gene Morgan, Vice-Chair, District 3

Eugene Lamb, District 1

Doug Croley, District 2

Brenda Holt, District 4

Arthur Lawson, Interim County Administrator

Muriel Straughn, Deputy Clerk

Chair Taylor called the meeting to order at 4:05 p.m.

Arthur Lawson explained that staff had gone back to the board and reduced the budgets by 1%, 2% and 3% to all departments and all constitutional offices. See the attached spreadsheet for analysis.

Three of the commissioners agreed to cut 2% across the board on all departments and all constitutional officers.

Lobbyist Consensus 4 – 1 for $10,000 funding.

Croley – that is a want, not a need. Not a priority.

Morgan – Want to add $25,000 to protect the largest county employer – need presence at the Legislature

Lamb – support $10,000

Taylor - $10,000

Holt -

Roads Consensus to not add money to do any paving other than what is funded by the state.

Morgan – No paving.

Lamb – No paving til money comes from state

Holt – Hold off til money comes

Croley – Where is the list of resurfacing and where is the criteria and where are the gasoline taxes

Friendship Park 5 – 0 Consensus to add $2,500 to budget

Lamb Park - Consensus to add to budget $30,000

Lamb – staff recommendation of $30,000

Croley –

Holt – If we have the money, do it. Make sure we have it.

Morgan - $25,000

Taylor – Supportive

Riparian County Coalition $5,000 Do Not Add to Budget died 2 – 3 consensus

Morgan – supportive of staff recommendation

Croley - no

Holt – no

Lamb – no

Taylor – yes

Preble Rish Requested $91,497; Staff did not recommend payment because no authorization was given to do this work. Consensus was to Budget the money in this budget.

Croley – work was done in good faith and plans were delivered to the Public Works Department to former public works director

Holt – county has already paid them $35,000 - who gave authorization to pay it? If the service was rendered and plans were delivered, they should be paid.

Lamb - It should have been bid out. Pay it in the 2012/2013 budget

Morgan – budget for it and investigate what happened and how it happened.

Taylor – work was done in good faith. Look at it in December after staff has had opportunity to investigate it. Must stick with county policy. Can do an amendment to the budget later. Not in favor of budgeting this.

Holt - No company should be responsible because the administrator did not follow the policy of the county. Set this money aside and get ready to pay it. Would like to hear from Mr. Presnell for explanation.

Croley – Budget this year.

Holt – agree to set the money aside; talk to Mr. Presnell and if we owe the money, pay it.

8. Tax Collector Building – Consensus to fund the renovation and make debt service payment from the amount that he will return to the county at the end of the year.

Holt – let them stay where they are and do not get a loan on this.

Morgan – follow staff recommendation. Do not

Croley -

9. Courthouse Generator - Consensus was 3 – 2 to purchase the generator

10. Increase adjustments to county employees to help offset FRS 3% by increasing pay by 2% Consensus of 3 – 2 to increase the BOCC county employees only by 2%; this does not include the county commission – get legal opinion; this does not constitutional officers. Constitutionals can look at doing it within their own budgets.

Lamb – supportive

Morgan – do not support this; Must take the bite; have greater priorities to deal with

Holt – in favor of the increase.

Croley – do not support;

Taylor – supportive

11. Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development

Consensus to fund at $62,000.00 – come back after first quarter to consider giving them more.

Morgan favor funding at $100,000

Croley favor of funding at $75,000

Lamb favor of funding at staff recommendation of $75,000

Taylor $60,000

Holt – nothing - money is not there.

12. Legal Services of North Florida Consensus 4 – 1 to $6,500

13. Video Services Consensus to fund at $11,500.00

15. Grant Writer

Consensus to contract a grant writer at $25,000 for economic development purposes and be paid by writing the position into the grant.

14. Emergency Housing – Consensus to fund at $25,000.00

16. Gadsden Art Center – Consensus 5 – 0 to fund at $5,000

Reserve for Contingency $60,000 Consensus – 5 – 0

Dale Summerford, Tax Collector - BCC should look at how his budget is calculated – it is by statute and he cannot waiver from it.

Commissioner Holt – FACT and how premium might be affected. – Premium will not increase significantly.

Croley – Revenue matters – Jail fund -