Invocation, Pledge of Allegiance and Roll Call

 

Invocation

Pledge of Allegiance

Roll Call (Muriel Straughn, Deputy Clerk)

                 

Present:               Sherrie Taylor, Chair, District 5

                                Gene Morgan, Vice-Chair, District 3

                               

   Amendments and Approval of Agenda

 

Add:      Commissioner Lamb’s Travel to FAC Policy Conference  16A

Add:      Amendment to Lease for Hospital Beds  - 12A

Remove from Consent Agenda add for discussion as 16B:            Appointment of Clarence Jackson to Tourist Development Council  9A

 

Lamb/Holt approve as amended  5 – 0

 

   Awards, Presentations and Appearances

 

1.       Introduction of the Interim Director for Gadsden County Health Department

 

Mr. Paul Myers, Interim Administrator to Gadsden County Health Department, introduced himself saying that he is from Alachua County Florida and is not a candidate for the position.  

 

Time frame for the replacement – by the end of October.  Surgeon General makes the appointment with the confirmation by the County Commission.  There is a nationwide search and the closing date was August 31.  The applicant base is set.  Interviews will begin shortly. 

 

2.          Impact of the Budget Cuts - Capital Area Community Action Agency  

 

Dorothy Inman-Johnson, Executive Director, addressed the board.  Gadsden County received $1.8 million last year. (2010-2011)  Unfortunately, there is likely to be some major cuts in the programs that will greatly impact on Gadsden County. 

 

She asked the board to support their efforts to go to the federal government to reconsider the massive cuts to the poor.  She asked for a resolution from the board in support of the effort to stop the reduction by Congress.  Send to President and delegation

               

Lamb/Holt approve to direct staff to put forth such a resolution to be brought back to the agenda at future meeting.  5 – 0

3.          Request for Gadsden County to Re-apply for a Community Development Block Grant to Fund Infrastructure Improvements for an Assisted Living Facility  

 

Anthony Matheny, Planning and Community Development Director, Charlie Harris, Facility Owner and Auburn Ford, Grant Consultant were all present.  Mr. Matheny recalled that Mr. Harris applied for CDBG grant funds, but the application was denied because of deficiencies in the application.   He must now reapply in a different funding cycle with a new application.  He is asking for permission to apply.

 

Holt/Lamb approve the reapplication

 

                Commissioner Morgan noted that it was on the agenda under awards, presentations and questioned whether it should come back on a future agenda. 

 

Attorney Glazer confirmed that action could be taken on the applicants request .

 

Vote 4 – 1 to move forward with the application.

 

Clerk of Courts

               

4.       Value Adjustment Board Appointments 

 

Lamb/Croley approve Taylor, Morgan and Ms. Emily Rowan to VAB 5 – 0

 

5.       Presentation of County Finance and County Clerk Issues 

 

Nicholas Thomas, Clerk of the Courts, addressed the board.

 

Emergency invoices for emergency invoices on the jail.  Will need to amend the current budget to make the jail repairs and do a Advertised Budget Change.  Must take from Capital Projects fund balance.

 

$66,000 for chiller; $25,000 for showers. 

 

Put this on the next agenda for budget amendment – advertised

 

Consent

                                Lamb/Morgan approve 6 – 8 5 - 0

6.       Ratification of Approval to Pay County Bills

 

7.       Approval of Bid Award for Actuarial Services for OPEB (Optional Post Employment Benefits) a Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) Requirement  (Connie McLendon, Finance Director)

 

8.       Approval of Commissioner Taylor’s Travel to Attend the Advance County Commissioner (ACC) Education Program  (Sherrie Taylor, Chairperson)

 

9.       Reappointment of Current Tourist Development Members with Expired Terms  (Anthony Matheny, Planning and Community Development Director and Sonya Burns, TDC Secretary)

 

Morgan – send back to TDC

Holt – does not have to go back to TDC

Croley – concurred with HOLT

 

Holt/Lamb appoint Clarence Jackson to TDC as Citizen subject to it being a proper classification 4 – 1 (Morgan)

 

Commissioner Taylor – Hemant Patel to continue to serve the remainder of this year – December 2011.  If unable to continue in  a regular capacity, then look at reappoint. 

Patricia Vice, Jeff DuBree

 

Holt/Lamb continue reappointment of  Jeff DuBree to the end of 2011 3 – 2 (Croley/Morgan)

 

Croley/Lamb approve appointment of  Ms. Vice to the end of 2011  5 – 0

 

 

 

 

Items Pulled for Discussion

 

Citizens Requesting to be Heard on Non-Agenda Items (3 minute limit)

 

Michael Taylor 120 North Macon St.  Quincy, FL  - Small Business Coordinator through the Chamber– requested $25,000 from the Chamber of Commerce budget.  Their funding will not allow for that this year.  Had 13 graduates from the program.  Seeking money to keep the momentum going.  

 

  Elizabeth Peterson  - graduate of the Small Business Center – finished in July;  time that was given to them was awesome.  Core group started the course in January.  They continue to meet together.  They all have businesses that are thriving.   

 

Budget Hearing will be on September 7, 2011 to state how they feel about the budget process. 

 

Public Hearings

 

10.      Public Hearing – First Reading of Neighborhood Commercial Land Development Code Text Amendments – Proposed Ordinance (Anthony Matheny, Planning and Community Development Director)

 

Chair announced this is a public hearing.  Called for public comments.  No response.

 

Matheny – this was debated at length in Planning Council.

 

Intersection criteria – Holt/Taylor would like to see it changed. Section 5204 B – intersection criteria

 

  Commissioner Morgan – need to support recommendation of the Planning Commission and the staff.

 

  Commissioner Holt – it is not the Planning Commission’s responsibility to attend to economic development.  It is the Board’s responsibility.  Need to go back and look at the Comprehensive Plan and change it to attract business to the county. 

 

  Croley/Morgan approve as recommended. 5-0

 

 

Motion to approve with the exception of the language 5204B – delete the language limiting businesses to the intersection criteria.   

 

Staff directed to bring back to the board a list of business types that can be put into the various categories such as Commercial, Neighborhood Commercial, etc.  Have in next agenda packet.

 

11.      Public Hearing – Approval of Resolution Number 2011-030 and Budget Amendments to the Fiscal Year 2010/2011 Budget – Funds for Records Center Roof and Line Item for  Gretna Water/Sewer Line (Connie McLendon, Finance Director and Jeff Price, Senior Management and Budget Analyst)

 

Chair announced a public hearing.  Open to comments from the public after board discussion.

 

  Commissioner Croley motion to split the question.   Chair felt the motion was out of order.  Motion died for lack of a second.

 

Attorney Glazer – it is a public hearing and has been advertised  as one resolution.  Cannot split the question.

 

Holt/Lamb approve the budget amendment.  4 – 1 (Croley opposed.)

 

 

General Business

 

12.      Redirection of Half Cent Tax and Trust Revenues from Capital Regional Medical Center to Medicaid in Order to Take Advantage of Federal Matching Funds  

 

Michael Glazer, Deputy County Attorney,

 

$400,000 recommended by the Clerk which is less than was paid to CRMC last year from the surtax proceeds and the trust fund interest.  Deadline is September 15th. 

 

Motion by Commissioner Morgan and second by Commissioner Holt to approve.  5 – 0

 

     12A- Amendment to the lease of hospital beds               Morgan/Holt(?)  5 – 0

 

13.      Request for Funding for Community Celebration of Educational Progress of the Gadsden County Schools  

 

Lamb/Taylor  motion to approve.

 

Morgan – never a right time to do the wrong thing.  There are many items that come before the board that need to be funded by other sources.  This is not the right thing to do with tax payer dollars.

 

Holt – if the commissioners want to give individually, then they should, but this is not something that tax dollars should be used for.  It should be funded with donations, not government.

 

Taylor – all municipalities gave and over 3,000 people received the service.  Going forward, we might not need to go this route, but this night, we need to send the message that we support them.

 

Vote 3 – 2 (Croley/Morgan opposed)

 

14.   Approval to Pay Invoice Number 90609 (Preble-Rish, Inc.) for Additional Planning Services to the Contract for the EAR –Based Amendments and Area Plans, Project Number 228.100 $4,590

 

Lamb/Holt pay $4,590 to Preble Rish   5 – 0

 

(Anthony Matheny, Planning and Community Development Director)

 

15.      Approval of Revised Circulation of Library Materials and Overdue Library Materials Policy

 

Carolyn Poole, Library Director

 

Lamb/Holt Motion to approve. 

 

  Commissioner Morgan – this went back to the Commission and they have recommended it. 

 

Commissioner Croley   - amend it to include to notify State Attorney office if materials are not returned.   

 

Holt – in favor of the fine.  Suggested that violators not be allowed to check out other materials.

 

Morgan    agreed with Commissioner Holt.  Possibly a communication issue.   Send out emails.   No more check outs. 

 

  Croley – was not suggesting that a State Attorney should send out letter for overdue books.  However, it seems that every method of notification should be taken, but other mechanism are out there.  Check with other libraries to see what measures are the most successful.

 

  Commissioner Taylor

 

Ms. Emily Rowan    we didn’t have any teeth to begin with.  Felt that they should start small and then build on it.  Great discussion about how much to  charge.   We have a problem with members not showing up.   Will come back and talk to Mr. Lawson and come back with a plan to get members that will show up.

 

Vote 5 – 0

  

 

16.   Approval and Execution of the State Housing Initiative Partnership (SHIP) Annual Report (Clyde Collins, Building Official and Phyllis Moore, SHIP Administrator)

 

Holt/Lamb 5 – 0

 

16a. Approval of Commissioner Lamb’s travel to the Florida Association of Counties Policy Committee Conference

 

Croley/Holt  5 – 0

 

 

County Administrator

 

17.   Update on Solar Energy Farm/Land Use Change  (Arthur Lawson, Interim County Administrator) 

   If this is approved as permissible use by right, it would only require staff approval. 

 

  Croley – He proposed this in Ag 3 land use designated properties.  The idea to do solar business on AG land makes sense, but it needs to be reviewed by the board as to actual siting issues. 

 

 

18.      Update on Board Requests  (Arthur Lawson, Interim County Administrator)             

 

County Attorney

                 

19.   Discussion of New Changes to the Gun Law  (Deborah Minnis, County Attorney)

        State of FL enacts all gun laws and have taken further steps as of October 1, that local governments cannot make regulations on gun laws.   Gadsden County has four ordinances that must be repealed. 

 

How does this apply to assault weapon?  If someone is stockpiling weapons.

 

 

 

 

 

20.    Update on Various Legal Issues

                (Deborah Minnis, County Attorney)

 

Discussion Items by Commissioners      

 

21a.     Commissioner Lamb, District 1 – FACC did talk about this at the last meeting.   Havana also discussed it at  their Town Hall meeting.  FACC has said again, that whenever we need help with grant writing to call on them to help find someone. 

 

21b.     Commissioner Croley, District 2 – Report and Discussion on Public Issues and Concerns    Pertaining to Commission District Two and Gadsden   County  - talked to Mr. Lawson about citizens who bought letters for permits and have not received their termination of services letter from the county. 

 

21c.     Commissioner Holt, District 4 – Economic Development – Want to develop an Economic Plan to encourage people to locate here. 

 Discussion of Citizens’ Bill of Rights

 Other Concerns

 

   Commissioner Morgan, Vice Chairman, District 3 Budget Hearing on September 7, 20ll at 6:00 p.m.      Public Works staff were out on holiday due to rain.  He thanked them for good job.

 

   Commissioner Taylor, Chairperson, District 5 – Look at ordinance to redirect the use of the surtax to accomplish the problems at the jail.      Letter to people who are losing services at the dump sites.  Set up meeting with the permit buyers and educate them about why the sites are being closed and have Waste Pro here also.  All stake holders should be present. 

 

 

Would like to agenda the build out of the hospital.  Motion Taylor/Holt  third Tuesday in October 5 – 0

 

Redistricting – to staff – we need to address this.  2% increase in population.  Where are our obligations?  What is required of us?  Need to finish this process.  Come back at a later date with a recommendation.    Does the State require us to do something. 

 

Have all right people here for discussion.

 

Motion to Adjourn                         

Holt/motion to adjourn at 9:00 p.m.

 

Receipt and File

 

22.

 

a.            For the Record:  Letter from Progress Energy Regarding Progress Energy’s Transmission               Line Enhancement Project in your Area – Quincy to Havana Rebuild

 

b.            For the Record:  Budget Amendment Numbers 110031-110093 (Exceptions 110038,         110046, and 110057)

 

September Meeting(s)

 

                - September 7, 2011, First Budget Hearing, 6:00 p.m.

 

                - September 19, 2011, Final Budget Hearing, 6:00 p.m.

 

                - September 20, 2011, Regular Meeting, 9:00 a.m.