AT A PUBLIC HEARING OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HELD IN AND FOR GADSDEN COUNTY, FLORIDA ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2011 AT 6:00 P.M. , THE FOLLOWING PROCEEDING WAS HAD, VIZ.

Present: Sherrie Taylor, Chair, District 5

Gene Morgan, Vice-Chair, District 3

Eugene Lamb, District 1

Doug Croley, District 2

Brenda Holt, District 4

Debra Minnis, County Attorney

Muriel Straughn, Deputy Clerk

1. Public Hearing – First Budget Hearing for Adoption of the Tentative Millage Rate and Tentative Budget for Fiscal Year 2011/2012

Millage Adoption

Chair Taylor called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. and turned it over to Interim County Administrator Arthur Lawson.

Jeff Price read into the record certain statistical

Lamb/Morgan Motion to adopt the proposed millage rate at 8.9064.

Chair Taylor called for public input as to the millage rate only.

There was no response.

Vote 5 – 0 to adopt the millage rate of 8.9064.

Budget Adoption

Michael Taylor - Small Business Service Center Director

Joseph Moore 4706 Mt. Pleasant Road – spoke in support of the Chamber of Commerce budget request of $100,000. He went through the Small Business class sponsored by the Chamber. His desire is to rehabilitate old houses. Once he completes his classes and gets his 501c3, he will begin to apply for grants to start his business.

Channel Franklin, Tallahassee, FL – importance of maintaining the small business development center at the Chamber of Commerce. Small business is imperative to the economic health and development of the county. They will have options that only small business can provide. She is continuing to work without a salary to those who have gone through this class.

Charlie Brown 99 Gray Road, Quincy, FL President of the Gadsden County Chamber of Commerce. He pled for the funding of the full $100,000 for the Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber works very hard for economic development in Gadsden County. It will bring value back into the county.

Elizabeth Peterson, Quincy – the small business center has served her and her classmates. They have completed the class but continue to meet on a bi-weekly basis to encourage each other. This class is very important to the citizens of Gadsden County.

Commissioner Taylor responded to public comments.

Chair Taylor called for motion to adopt the budget. There was no motion. She then opened the meeting up for discussion.

Commissioner Holt –

Commissioner Lamb’s remarks – Motion to accept the budget as it is.

Taylor seconded the motion.

Discussion followed.

Commissioner Croley –

Commissioner Morgan- economic development is the most important need in this county. Now is not the time to back off from supporting the economic development arm of the Chamber.

Supported the funding for Lobbying Services to help defend the largest employer in the county (Florida State Hospital)

Can’t support the 2% increase to county employees to offset the state mandated employee participation in the retirement system.

Will not the vote for the budget if it does not support economic development. We are ignoring a need to afford a want.

Asked for: $75,000 to Chamber and $25,000 to Small business Development Center and $25,000 for lobbying services to defend Florida State Hospital.

Commissioner Croley - County Employees all work for constitutional offices including those who work for the county commission. This budget is divisive. Did not agree with the approach to cross the board 2% cut. Then turned around and gave 2% increase to county employees only. That is not right. Also have dedicated employees that work for the constitutional officers who did not receive the same increase. Don’t support the budget as it is now.

Judicial Services - $17,000 goes to pay travel costs to the judges and their assistants. Would rather keep $15,000 of it to put toward the small business center.

Emergency Repairs – what was budgeted in current year has not been spent. Can’t support it again this year.

Commissioner Holt – judicial budget – agreement was made with Judge Francis to pay those cost in order to get another judge to come over here to help with overcrowding.

EMS – needs $160,000 for equipment needs; $190,000 due to Preble Rish - not in this budget

Suggested that they not get funded until January.

Commissioner Taylor – 2% is to offset the 3% reduction that employees received.

Your needs are not unheard. Willing to come back and work again, but it is not available right now.

This year, we stayed within our budget.

Motion and second on the floor to adopt the budget as presented.

Morgan rebuttal. If you don’t fund economic development at the level they have requested, you are putting wants ahead of needs. The budget doesn’t reflect priorities. He will go to the public and give them the facts about this budget.

Remove the 2% to the employees.

Fund the Lobbying Services.

Fund the Chamber at $100,000.

Commissioner Holt – I don’t see the 2% as a select few. When other constitutionals got raises, the county employees did not. The Clerk is the County Clerk and the Sheriff is the County Sheriff. Those employees bit the bullet and didn’t get a raise at all. Wish we had more money. Afraid of the budget.

Vote – 3 – 2 (Croley & Morgan)

Holt/Lamb approve Option 3 – direct staff to advertise on September 15, 2011 in accordance with the Florida Statutes, the Tentative Millage Rate and Budget for FY 2011/2012 and the Date, Time and Place of the Public Hearing to Adopt the final millage rate and Budget for FY 2011/2012 (September 19, 2011 at 6:00 p.m. in the BOCC Chamber Vote 5 – 0

There being no further business before the board, the chair declared the meeting adjourned at 7:05 p.m.

2. Other Items as Necessary