Invocation, Pledge of Allegiance

  At 6:06 pm, with a quorum present, Chair Viegbesie welcomed everyone to the meeting. He asked for heads to be bowed in silent prayer followed by leading in the Pledge of Allegiance to the U.S. Flag. 

Amendments and Approval of Agenda

Commissioner Holt made a motion to approve with a second by Chair Viegbesie

The Board voted  3-0 by voice vote to approve.

Commissioner Morgan called in to the meeting and asked to have the panelist invite sent to him again and he would join via Zoom.    

Citizens to be Heard on Non- Agenda Items (3 Minute Limit)

Public comment of the meeting should be submitted via email to CitizensToBeHeard@gadsdencountyfl.gov until noon on Tuesday, September 8, 2020 in order to allow sufficient time for provisions to the Gadsden County Commission prior to the meeting. Any comments submitted after this time will be accepted and included as part of the official record of the meeting.

Non were had.

   General Business

1.    Budget Overview and Discussion (Henry G. Grant, Ph.D., Interim County Administrator)

Dr. Grant stated tonight was the first of two required Public Hearings on the FY21 Budget.

   Public Hearings

2.    3.First Budget Public Hearing for Adoption of tentative Millage Rate

Commissioner Holt made a motion to approve to adopt the tentative FY 2020/2021 Countywide Millage Rate of 8.9064 with a second by Commissioner Morgan.

COMMISSIONER HINSON YES

COMMISSIONER TAYLOR YES

COMMISSIONER MORGAN YES

COMMISSIONER HOLT YES

CHAIR VIEGBESIE YES

 MOTION PASSED 5-0

3.    Tentative Budget for Fiscal Year 2020/2021 (Henry G. Grant, Ph.D., Interim County Administrator)

  COMMISSIONER MORGAN MADE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE TENTITIVE FY 2020/2021 COUNTYWIDE BUDGET WITH A SECOND BY CHAIR VIEGBESIE.

Commission Taylor had a question. She asked if the Budget was being adopted with all the new positions that were discussed and was $1.8 Million short.

Morgan- Yes as presented today.

Chair where is the $1.8

Taylor- What the Clerk emailed but now is balanced not in favor of the new positions added on. County cannot support.

   Holt- With the virus and deaths today she asked to push Massey Bldg to get healthcare providers in ASAP. She asked about the insurance proceeds.

Knowles- did not think he was supposed to contact insurance company.

Chair- Asked if the County had a blanket policy where the money from a clain could be used on other projects.  

Grant- Did not know it needed to be brought to this meeting.

Holt- We needed something from the insurance company.

Grant said it was coming.

Meeks- The letter was not a letter ready. Insurance company was having their attorney look it over because they had not had this request before. He checked at 4:00 pm.  

Holt- Where would money come from.

Meeks need $58,000 to complete with a guarantee max proposal. Talked to Jeff and that could be budgeted in the next fiscal budget.

Holt- Who came up with the number

Meeks- 3-4 Construction managers, CSI Construction looked at FEMA and Insurance reports as well as the buildings and brought someone who did structural work to get quotes.

Holt- Normally it would take an Insurance Company just a few minutes to get that information emailed, they know the type of policy. Item needs to be bid out and would add $122,000 and we have $66,000 needed to know where it was coming from today.

Chair- Should have pressed Pat Thomas Insurance because we needed that today. If we assume we were right, we can use the money.

Holt- No that is why you bid an Insurance contract. Get the contract if they could not send an email. Inhouse estimate could have got bids. Don’t know how to fix that now. Anything with healthcare at the top of the agenda during a pandemic.

  Holt- Does the Budget include the Asst manager, grant writer the County needed to bring in revenue. She said the County needed an accounting firm to look over the budget for assurance.

  V- Need for an accounting firm should be considered in the future to work with the budget department.

Holt- Budget director sets the budget and the assistant does what the director tells them. She stated she was worried.

  Taylor- Will vote against the item for four reasons; do not think there should be a PIO dept at this time, no asst manager at this time, no elder affair coordinator at this time, do not increase attorney fee to $25,000 at this time. Pleased with Mr. Price and thanked him.

Taylor also said no B&G Club at this time.

Grant it’s not.

Chair V it is in reserve just in case

Morgan- asked the Admin and he said it was funded at $93,301.  

Grant not budgeted but put in reserve with the other non-profits so later if the Commissioners wanted them funded it was there.  

Morgan Game changer and not voting if it was not in the budget.

COMMISSIONER MORGAN WITHDREW HIS MOTION. CHAIR V WITHDREW HIS SECOND.

Holt- Everything was the same except all non-profits moved to the reserve except economic development.

Morgan- what is the reserve. Grant where he was instructed to put the nonprofits so if the Commission decided to do anything later, the money would be there. So, the funds were put with the reserve funds.

Morgan – If we were to have funded each of those items, would we be pulling any money out of fund balance to balance this proposed budget or not.

Grant- no.  Morgan then why can’t they be assigned now. Grant- Because the Board instructions were to hold back on them.

  V- don’t know if non-profits would be needed with the pandemic.  When school was open the money was there. Non- Profit was in the budget and was in the $189,946 on the expenditure side.

Morgan – Organizations unable to make their own budget if they did not know the funding was going to be there.   

V- if direction is to break the $189,946 back down the amount could be given.

Holt- had no problem with it being in reserve.

HOLT MOVED APPROVAL OF THE TENTATIVE BUDGET FOR 2020/2021 COUNTYWIDE BUDGET AS PRESENTED / V SECOND

COMMISSIONER HINSON NO

COMMISSIONER TAYLOR NO

COMMISSIONER MORGAN NO

COMMISSIONER HOLT YES

CHAIR VIEGBESIE YES

Motion failed 3-2

Chair – work on the budget.

Holt- there can be motions

MORGAN MOVED APPROVAL OF THE TENTATIVE FY2020/2021 COUNTYWIDE BUDGET WITH CHANGES OF THE MONEY IN RESERVE TO BE BUDGETED FOR THE NON-PROFITS / SECOND CHAIR VIEGBESIE with questions.

Holt what is total for non- profits

Price- $93,000 for B&G and approximately $40,000 for the others, no more than $50,000.

Knowles- Full number was needed for approval.  

Holt- If in a motion it said to include non-profits would the exact number be needed.

Knowles which non-profits and for how much. He asked for Commissioner Morgan clarify which non-profits and for how much.  

Holt – it would have to be non-profits that were already approved, and amounts already approved.

Attorney Knowles asked if they were listed in the budget and Chair said no. It was in the last Budget workshop and was broke down what went to North Florida Education Development and other agencies.

Holt said she would not vote yes because it was in reserve and no one is moving anyway and groups were not getting together but three Commissioners might.  

  Hinson asked Chair Viegbesie what his reason was for voting for B&G club. He stated as soon as it was voted on, a check had to be written. He asked Chair V to persuade him to vote for the B&G Club because kids were not benefiting from it at all.

Chair- The B&G club and other programs are because of the condition of the school systems and the educational method of remote, there would be no need right now and that was why the recommendation to Staff was all the money to be put into reserve under expenditures.

Taylor interrupted and told Chair V that Commissioner Hinson wanted to know why the Chair was voting for the B&G Club now. When school starts and we need services from B&G we would have the money ready.

Hinson- Commissioner Morgan is saying to take B&G out of Reserve and make the vote on that. Once approved a check would be cut. Commissioner Morgan said that was not correct. Hinson stated if it was kept in reserve and things started to clear up, they would get support but to just fund them would include writing them a check after approval.

Morgan- the Board was creating a budget for the upcoming year, don’t know what services will look like in 2021. The Board is just budgeting a certain amount for that group and it did not mean a check would be cut October 1. Need to see what services and how they would provide for our children. Don’t have to spend just because it was budgeted. If not providing services don’t use it. Would not give money if they were not providing services. He was saying to go ahead and identify those services so the organization could understand what was available if they did provide services rendered in the County.   

Holt- It would work the same way if the money was in reserve. The board decided at the last Public meeting where the money would go. If the BOCC decided not to move the money until January 1, the Board could get a date on it and it did not have to move from the budget or reserve.  

Taylor-Why entertain a $100,000 program when it won’t be running. Come back in January and adjust. Not fiscally responsible 

Morgan just budgeting items not having to spend the money in each line item.

COMMISSIONER HINSON NO

COMMISSIONER TAYLOR NO

COMMISSIONER MORGAN YES 

COMMISSIONER HOLT NO

CHAIR VIEGBESIE YES

MOTION FAILED 3-2

HOLT MOTION TO APPROVE 2020/2021 TENTATIVE BUDGET WITH A SECOND BY CHAIR VIEGBESIE

COMMISSIONER HINSON NO

COMMISSIONER TAYLOR NO

COMMISSIONER MORGAN NO

COMMISSIONER HOLT YES

CHAIR VIEGBESIE YES

Failed 3-2

  Chair- better for the Board to give staff direction as what to do with the balanced budget so when the Board came back or vote it would be done.

Taylor- Want to see the item move and be done. Regarding new position and new salary, if other Commissioners agreed to bring them on January 1 when new revenue was in, she would support the budget. She liked keeping the money in Reserve, but asked the Commissioners to let COVID pass before extra expenses were incurred, she would support a motion. Let them stay in the budget but to not start deducting the line items until January 1, 2021 she would support that.

COMMISSIONER TAYLOR MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE TENTATIVE 2020/2021 COUNTYWIDE BUDGET WITH CHANGES BEING THE LINE ITEM FOR THE NEW POSITIONS AND NEW SALARY WOULD STAY IN AND JANUARY 1, 2021 THE BOARD WOULD COME BACK AND FUND THEM FOR THE REMAINING FISCAL YEAR, DO NOT TAKE POSITIONS AWAY, NON- PROFIT MONEY INTO RESERVE AND THAT WOULD COVER THE NON-PROFITS ONCE COVID WAS GONE WITH A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER HINSON.

Holt- The new positions, did they include the Assistant manager?  Taylor said yes, she said all of them.  

Holt stated the assistant Manager was a must have.

Taylor- it was only for two months.

 Holt- 4 managers been here and she told them if they got sick or something happened, the county must continue. Must have help on the county’s behalf with a grant writer. Contracting out for programs but no management on the county behalf. Need grant writer and assistant manager and also a grants coordinator. Gone without an assistant manager and the departments start fighting each other and the public.  

  Taylor- it will take time to advertise. Start work Jan 1. Integrity has a responsibility for FEMA and HUD. They will take care of the County at no further expense and the County can get a grant writer Jan 1, 2020.

Chair- Understood the commission did not have authority to hire assistant administrator, the Board only hired the attorney and the County Administrator. The County Admin hired the Assistant Administrator. Need to hire an Administrator and impress upon them the need to hire an assistant. The board should not discuss an assistant because it was out of their jurisdiction.

Taylor- said Chair V comment was incorrect. Discussing how to fund the position for hire, not to hire one.

Holt- Public works needs people and that was 3 staff members.

Taylor She was talking about PIO department, asst manager, Elders Affairs Coordinator, $25,000 for the Attorney and $93,000 for B&G Club until January 1, 2021.  

COMMISSIONER HINSON YES

COMMISSIONER TAYLOR YES

COMMISSIONER MORGAN NO

COMMISSIONER HOLT NO

CHAIR VIEGBESIE NO

Failed 3-2

  Morgan- mission is to adopt a tentative budget. Positions don’t matter.

Chair give staff direction

Hinson Asked how much money the County had pre and post Hurricane Michael so he could make a better decision.

Chair- request would have to be researched.

Hinson- They could pull it up quick. He said he had it on his computer.

Chair said for Commissioner Hinson to pull it up.

Hinson simple question everything should be year to date.

Grant- Don’t have the numbers.

Price- don’t have the data before him but by memory before the storm $4.9 Million was in reserve after $3.9Million. Have not received any money from Hurricane Michael yet but have obligation from FEMA for about $700,000

Hinson Lowest reserve was at.

Price $3.5 Million

Chair- Thought it was at $2.7Million at one point

Price budget and actual is different.

Taylor- $1.8 short, where did that come from so it did not come from Reserve?  

Price- took 3% out of all operating departments and rearranged funding sources for other projects coming in using HUD and FEMA.

Taylor- you are not saying that you balanced budget off of possible money. FEMA and HUD are possible money and you balances the budget off of competitive funds.

Price- Yes Commissioner Taylor said that was illegal.

Chair out at 7:12pm

Morgan- he saw some items like Pat Thomas Park, which would use FEMA dollars, were not included in the budget.

Taylor- Asked price if funds for Pat Thomas Park, Havana EMS, and Concord Fire Department were in budget but based on a different funding source and Mr. Price said correct.

Taylor told Morgan the amount was in the budget based on a competitive funds.

Morgan said he was told Pat Thomas Park was delayed and using FEMA dollars

Price did not know if it was being delayed. They could be taken out of the budget and he thought it should show in budget.

Vice Chair Holt- $1.2 Million for the projects, how did it affect the budget if not funded until 2022-2023

Chair Viegbesie back 7:15pm

Price- It would not affect it because nothing was happening.

Holt- In order to balance the budget, these numbers are not included in your funding mechanism, only the Massey Building and Cell towers, so the others were not used to balance the budget.

Knowles- Are you asking if FEMA did not fund the Park, we would not pay it?

Holt- No, saying are the numbers used to balance the budget.

Grant- If the Money did not come in the project did not get done.

  Holt Right, so don’t put the things in that may need FEMA or HUD funding. Don’t know about Massey Building. Need another meeting.

Chair cannot agree

Holt Need comments from each commissioner. Wants to keep PIO and Asst Administrator.

Knowles- Must approve a Tentative Budget and a final budget so the Board had to continue the meeting. The tentative budget had to be posted for citizens to see.

V- Impasse. Adjustments could be made before the final budget was approved

Holt motion to approve budget as stated with inclusion of the PIO and admin position with no second.

V- What about the other positions

Holt- She thought they were already in.

Taylor – had no problem with the positions but the revenue did not allow for them at this time.

Grant- wanted Clarification on the motion because what Commissioner Holt was saying to add was already in the budget.

Holt- Trying to compromise with Commissioner and use the two she thought were needed most.

Taylor make sure revenue could meet the positions so that in June or July of 2021 they were no longer affordable.

V- same thing different angles

   Taylor-Commissioner Taylor made a motion to “Adopt the Tentative Budget for Fiscal Year 2021 with the exception of bringing on the position of PIO Department, Assistant Manager, Elders Affair Coordinator, increase for the Attorney as of November 1, 2020 and the Non- Profit will stay in the Reserve until the Board needs for

it to be brought out and give to the non-profits that had successfully applied.

COMMISSIONER HINSON n

COMMISSIONER TAYLOR y

COMMISSIONER MORGAN   n

COMMISSIONER HOLT y

CHAIR VIEGBESIE y

Passed 3-2

Knowles- Look at citizens to be heard and may need to open chambers for citizens to come in one by one for comments.

Hinson – Need emergency meeting about CARES Act- not Gadsden friendly hard for people to qualify.

V- Could be a part of a Friday meeting to make sure CARES Act rules were being followed.

Hinson- Don’t want to mislead. We made the rules. Need a 2 hr meeting with CARES not in a regular meeting. Getting phone calls

Taylor- do it Friday

Holt- asked Grant to pull up website and glitches complained about with Integrity. Open and get people help. Some people were about to get put out.

Morgan- adopt all 3 options?

Chair Viegbesie said yes.

Grant said the third item was for staff to advertise for the next Public Budget hearing.

Motion to Adjourn

7:40 pm ADJOURNED