Board of County Commissioners

Gadsden County, Florida

 

AGENDA

 

Regular Public Meeting

December 6, 2011

6:00 p.m.

 

 

   Invocation, Pledge of Allegiance and Roll Call

 

Invocation

Pledge of Allegiance

Roll Call (Muriel Straughn, Deputy Clerk)

 

Sherrie Taylor, Chair, District 5

Gene Morgan, Vice-Chair, District 3

Eugene Lamb, District 1

Doug Croley, District 2

Brenda A. Holt, District 4

Deborah Minnis, County Attorney

Arthur Lawson, Interim County Administrator

                 

   Amendments and Approval of Agenda

 

 

Lamb/Morgan 5 – 0 approve agenda as amended above

 

 

Awards, Presentations and Appearances

 

  1. Election of Vice Chairman

 (Arthur Lawson, Interim County Administrator)

 

Holt withdrew her name from nomination

 

Lamb/Holt nominated Gene Morgan as Vice-Chair  5 - 0

 

  1.    Ear-Based Amendment and Area Plan Approval Process Update

(Jon Sewell, Project Manager, Kimely-Horn)

 

Special area plans – will make recommendations for amendments.

HB7207 will affect some of the amendments proposed.

 

Completed Tasks:

 

Next Steps:

 

Special Area Plan:  can be addressed through Comprehensive Plan changes – will bring back some recommendations.

 

Aspects required by special Area Plans:

 

HB 7207 – changes that affect local governments

 

   Lake Talquin- Wetumpka Area:

  US 90 Corridor between Midway and Quincy

  US 27: - need to sit down with State before making recommendations to BOCC

 

   Proposed Approach:  

 

   Questions by Board:

 

  1.    Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan Update  Jon Sewell, Project Manager, Kimely-Horn   Master Plan will include:

 

  Chair Taylor comments following presentation.  

 

 

Clerk of Courts

               

  1.    Presentation of County Finance and County Clerk Issues  Clerk Nicholas Thomas was not present.

 

Consent    Morgan/Lamb approve 5 – 0

               

  1. Approval of Minutes – August 22, 2011 – Budget Workshop

- September 19, 2011 – Budget Hearing

 

  1. Ratification of Approval to Pay County Bills

 

Accounts Payables Dated:                           November 18, 23, and December 1, 2011

Payroll Dated:                                   November 17, 2011

                                                                                December 1, 2011

 

  1. Approval of the 2012 County Commission Meeting Calendar

(Arthur Lawson, Interim County Administrator)

 

  1. Request Approval to Pay Expenses for Veterans Day Celebration

(Arthur Lawson, Interim County Administrator)

 

  1. Approval of Library Annual Plan of Service 2011-2012

(Carolyn Poole, Library Director)

 

  1. Approval and Authorization for Chairperson to Execute the Partial Release of Mortgage for Philander Ennis Neal (Phyllis Moore, SHIP Administrator)

 

  1. Approval of Resolution Number 2011-045 in Support of Water Management District Funding   (Robert Presnell, Administrative Coordinator)

 

  1. Appointment of Gadsden County Representative to the Capital Regional Transportation Planning Agency (Charles Chapman, Public Works Director)

 

  1. Request to Appoint At-Large Planning Commissioner to the Gadsden County Planning Commission (Anthony Matheny, Planning and Community Development Director)

 

Items Pulled for Discussion

 

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

 

Hilliard Richard Reddick,Jr.  104 North Adams St.  Quincy, FL – Referendum for Slot Machines

 

Public Hearings

 

General Business

 

  1.    Approval of Contractual Agreement between Embarq Century Link and Gadsden County

 

Shawn Wood, Sheriff’s Department was present.  Lamb/Holt Approve 5 – 0

 

  1.    Request for Acquisition of Fire Bell             Chief Howard Smith, Quincy Fire Department

 

City of Quincy is building a new fire station and would like

 

Holt/Lamb approve with all expense incurred by the City. 

 

Because of the historical significance to the City of Quincy, Howard Smith, historical data will be displayed with the bell.  Everything will be done to preserve the bell. 

 

Vote was 5 – 0.

 

  1.    Reappointment of Members to the County Tourist Development Council  

Jeff DuBree, TDC Chairman –

TDC recommended 

 

Commissioner Croley recommended Matt Thro as Business Owner of H & H Furniture to replace Jim Kellum

 

Croley/Lamb motion to appoint to Matt Thro to TDC.  5 – 0 

 

Motion by Chair Taylor/Holt -  to Alka Patel Owner of Horseshoe Lounge/Motel  to replace Peter Patel whose   4 – 1(Morgan)

 

Lamb and Croley

 

Chair Taylor asked to appoint herself to the TDC Board as representative of BOCC to replace Commissioner Morgan.  Second by Holt.  5 – 0

 

Croley/Morgan re-appoint Lee Garner 5 – 0

 

  1.    Notification of Permit Development Extensions for Anderson Columbia Portion of the Gadsden Station DRI  

 

Anthony Matheny, Planning and Community Development Director 

Darren Taylor with Carlton Fields Law Firm 215 South Monroe St. Tallahassee, FL

Total of 11 years have been authorized by State Legislature for extension of time for developments make take place. 

 

Morgan/Croley  motion to acknowledge receipt of the state’s extension of six years.  5 – 0

 

  1.    Discussion of Whether to Allow Staff to Waive all Permitting and Application Fees for Churches 

 

Arthur Lawson advised the board that staff has received requests from several churches to waive the permit fees and application fees.    Direction to staff was given - keep the same fee structure and policy in place as it is.  If the church has a problem with the fee, then they can appeal to the board.  If staff finds themselves in a difficult situation, he can in  

  1. Approval of Payment to Pay for  Chiller and Pumps at the Gadsden County Jail (Clyde Collins, Building Official) Lamb/Croely motion to pay the invoice.  5 – 0 Capital Projects budget -

 

Pay for the installation and the pumps for the chiller – Croley/Lamb 5 – 0  Capital Projects budget –

 

Staff noted that the chillers at the hospital and the W.A. Woodham Building are also in need of replacement.  Staff to bring back information on replacing those.

 

 

  1.    Approval of Professional Services Agreement with Wood and Partners, Inc. for Landscape Architecture Services  Charles Chapman, Public Works Director

 

Lamb/Holt approve  5 – 0

 

  1. Approval of Florida Boating Improvement Program Grant Agreement for High Bluff Landing   

 

Lamb/Holt approve  5 – 0

 

  1. Approval of a Fixed Assets Policy for the Board of County Commissioners 

 

Arthur Lawson, Interim County Administrator   Croley/Lamb  5 – 0

 

22a. Approval of Commissioner Lamb’s Travel – Croley/Holt  5 – 0

 

County Administrator

 

  1. Small County Coalition Appointees        (Arthur Lawson, Interim County Administrator)

 

Workshop with National Solar to be set.    December 13 at 6:00 p.m.  – Look at imminent domain issues; what happens to the property that is off the tax roll in the event of dissolution of the business – does it revert back to the previous owner?, etc.;  What jobs are they going to provide to the citizens here? Want to have the hard numbers in front of them at the workshop;

 

How are we advertising the workshop to the public so that they can participate?  Consider doing more that the normal mode of notification.   We were selected by this company for several factors.  We should help facilitate them as primary focus.  We need to embrace a very positive opportunity.  We do not want to send negative message. 

 

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

 

County Attorney

                 

  1. Update on Various Legal Issues (Deborah Minnis, County Attorney)

 

Discussion Items by Commissioners      

 

  1. Commissioner Lamb, District 1 – no items

               

Commissioner Croley, District 2 – Report and Discussion on Public Issues and Concerns  Pertaining to Commission District Two and Gadsden County  - No items.

 

Commissioner Holt, District 4 – County Concerns

 

Congratulated the City of Quincy CRA on the opening of the Tanyard Creek Park

 

There are two referendums on ballot for January 2012. 

 

Letter from Mr. Williams turned over to the State Attorney’s office for investigation.  Need to set a policy about what we do with such letters in the future.    Attorney Minnis responded – FS 192 requires that when a person becomes aware of certain types of assertions, it should be turned over to the State Attorney.  

 

Motion – Take pack of appointed boards and commissions and put it on the agenda for discussion and possible actions.  Second by Croley  5 – 0

 

Commissioner Morgan, Vice Chairman, District 3 – Financial Commitment for Defending Florida State Hospital               

 

Agenda:   Increase funding to the Lobbyist contract to adequate defend Florida State Hospital from privatization.   Morgan/Lamb  3 – 2  

 

Commissioner Taylor, Chairperson, District 5

 

Caution to the commissioners – be careful in representing the board when the board has not made such a decision.  Be careful not to take a position on things that the board will discuss in the future.

 

Keep an ongoing list on the items that BCC has requested of staff – notice of the status of the requests that have been made of staff.  Things that need solutions. 

 

Look to getting a permanent manager in place.  According to tax office, beginning in 2013 will face some very important position.   Properties will depreciate.  Monies will be hard to come by.  Need to have clear policy in place for layoffs.  Need local person.   

 

There was a situation that came before the board.  Can ramps be considered as an emergency for indigent people.  Would like administrator to look at it.  Opinion only. Not a motion.

 

Point of order –

 

Put policy into place regarding how to handle letters sent in by disgruntled people.  May need to look at attorney services in the future.

 

Want an intelligent manager no matter where they live.  Need to look at qualifications  for next manager.

 

Don’t need staff involved in elections during an election year.  Manager does not need to be involved in elections.

 

 

 

 

Motion to Adjourn

 

The meeting adjourned at 8:15. 

 

Receipt and File

 

  1. For the Record:  Letter from the Florida Department of Revenue Regarding the Truth in Millage (TRIM) Certification

 

For the Record:  Letter from the Florida Department of Revenue Regarding the Maximum Millage Calculation Final Disclosure          

 

For the Record:  Letter from the Florida Department of Health Regarding the Activities and Expenditures Report for the 2011 Fourth Quarter

 

December Meeting(s)

 

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