INVOCATION, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Chair Holt welcomed everyone to the Disaster Recovery Workshop at 4:30. She asked if there were any requests from citizens to be heard and Mr. Dixon said no.

1.

Opening Comments (Chairwoman Brenda Holt)

   Chair stated that we need to get prepared for the next round of funding.

GENERAL BUSINESS

2.

CITIZENS REQUESTING TO BE HEARD (3-Minute Limit)

Due to COVID-19 and the efforts of the Gadsden County Board of County Commissioners to continue the practice of social distancing, Commissioners want to continue to hear from citizens under the Citizens Requesting to be Heard section of the agenda.

If citizens have any questions, comments, or concerns, please email CitizensToBeHeard@gadsdencountyfl.gov and anticipate receiving a response within 48 hours.

The Board of County Commissioners would like to thank everyone for their patience and flexibility during this time.

   No citizens requesting to be heard.

3.

CARES Act Efforts & Progress -Since July 2020 (Gary Yates, Integrity Group)

  Dixon stated that staff asked the Integrity Group to come and speak on the disaster relief efforts.

 Dixon introduced Mr. Tim Moore from Integrity Group. Moore stated that as a company has been helping stated and local Florida entities for 12 years.

Green entered the workshop at 4:41 pm

The existing agreement began in October 2019 under the disaster response services. The contract began on March 18, 2020. The contract is for five years with 3 years and 2 one-year renewals. Strong bench of professionals.

Mr. Moore introduced Gary Yates.

  Mr. Yates revisited with what the group has done with Gadsden county.    

3a.

Administration & Distribution of CARES Act Allocation of $7,967,316.00.

  Yates stated that the original spend plan was implemented with $7,967,316.00.

3b.

Multiple workshops and meetings regarding Spending Plan and Grant Eligibility & Documentation Requirements

   Had multiple workshops and meetings. Did prepare spend plan. Operated the grant programs.

   202 Business grants totaling $1,371500.00. 179 resident grants totaling $561,789.95. The number of approvals is up to par with surrounding communities. Meeting compliance regulations. 10 people working on the applications. Federica Hamilton has been working on documentation. 1.3 Million dollars still to be awarded and getting into the new appropriation.

  Chair stated look more at the process so the commissioners have input.

  Yates thinks that they learned a lot to know the best guild lines. Welcomes the idea of working with the commission.

  Hinson asked are we focusing on cares act or FEMA. Are we doing separate or both in this workshop.

  Dixon stated that they are going over multiple grants that Integrity Group is associated with.

  Hinson stated that its confusing. Talking about different types of money that are for different disasters. The FEMA money has already come in and the CARES has not.

  Chair stated that this is not FEMA

Dixon stated that this is CARES.

Hinson stated that he was not sure.

V entered at 4:50pm

  Dixon asked for what the RFQ allows through Integrity Group.

   Yates stated this disaster recover on all fields such as FEMA, HUD, and other mitigation. Written about anything that is a declared disaster. Pandemic is the largest declared disaster. Comprehensive approach. Submitted a proposal that was evaluated by an evaluation team. Care new money is coming.  Concerned about compliance.  Legally hired.         

3c.

Implementation and operation of Gadsden Grant Program.

              i.  Business Community & Resident.

             ii. Close focus on compliance with Federal/State Regulations.

            iii. Deployed team (technology, paper processing, compliance, approval & submission for payment).

3d.

Reporting to and requesting funding from FDEM.

3e.

Several updates of Spending Plan as program progressed.

4.

New CARES Funding for County (Eric Miller, Integrity Group)

  Eric Miller stated he is here to talk about new funding which is 1.3 million. It is no longer considered cares money because it is county money. Funding that remains. Developing new grant programs that will not be as strict. Federal assistance is coming sot Gadsden may want to hold off until that comes through. May get more business funding. Proper documentation for pre-qualification. The suggested plan certification for cares act funding. Applicants will be able to give feedback on the process.  

4a.

Emergency Rent & Utilities

   There is 850 million that is being dispersed. Applicants would have to apply DCF.

4b.

New CARES funding directly to County.

  addition to the rent and utilities Gadsden County will be awarded 8.93 million dollars. This does not go to the stated since it is awarded to the county. This money can be used for lost revenue and to qualifying nonprofits. Cities would have to go to the State of Florida to receive funds. County does not have to give money to cities. The municipalities would have to go through the state.  County would have to go through the U.S. Treasury for funds.

5.

CDBG-DR Grant Pursuit (Sheree Keeler, Integrity Group)

    Sheree Keeler stated that there are 4 different grants for the county. One is for Hurricane Michael. Keeler stated that 4 grants were prepared and only 3 was sent out because of issues with getting the hospital grant completed.

  Hinson stated he could not hear.

  EMS Facility updates are $2 million dollars. Radio Towers construction are $500,000.00 DEO has not made a decision regarding these grants. 

Integrity Group is working on getting CDBG COVID-19 funds. Workshop for that is scheduled. Potential applications for those grants.

Recovery grant for comercialtion.

  Hinson stated that they cannot hear what she is saying.

5a.

Hurricane Michael CDBG-DR $735 million (ten most impacted counties).

  That Florida has been awarded the mitigation money. Deo has not released any specifications for that grant at this time. Integrity Group will advise staff as soon as possible on this topic.

  Chair told Hinson what she went over.

   Hinson apologized since he could not hear what she was saying. 

 Green asked if the workshop was for integrity.

   Dixon stated it is for the commission to agree to apply for the grant.

   Keeler stated that she would start speaking up.

  V stated that bring up mic volume.

  Nesmith asked about when the workshop was.

Dixon answered March 10, 2021 at 6 p.m.

  Green asked about the workshop projections for the grants.

Chair answered yes.

5b.

Grant proposals have been submitted to Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.

5c.

Grants now being developed, Economic Development & Infrastructure.

6.

FEMA Public Assistance Program (Fredericka Hamilton)

 Fredricka Hamilton stated that FEMA has a funding source for the pandemic. This is 100% from the federal government and does not have the county match dollars.  This supplements the CARES dollars. Allows for advances on funds. Option the county has for COVID-19 related costs.     

6a.

Developing project worksheets for COVID expenses.

             i.  Now 100% Federal, no local/state match.

            ii. Indication of faster payments.

           iii. Complement/Supplement CARES funding.

7.

General discussion (All Participants)

  Chair asked how long is the contracts.

Miller answered 3 years with two 1-year renewals.

  Green asked if we are focusing on the process. Lots of citizen talking about the processes. Residual funding. Can citizens get more money. Able to reapply.

  Dixon stated that residual is designed to give money to those who have not gotten money already.  Meeting with the group. 30 days before is too dispatch teams that can come in and get information checked. Meet qualifications. Getting funding for those who didn’t get funding. 30 days people will not get qualified. Bring a set of rules to the board. Do the application up front and help them through. Biden money is coming. Hoping to get people up and running. There are other programs.

  Green asked if there are 2-3 people who works in that department and if they can add more people.

Dixon stated that is preprocess and that there are 5-10 people in that que. Those are to help with the process. 

  Hinson asked noticed that there was 1 mill set aside for the hospital. Probate the money. Give half to the businesses and half to the citizens. Where is that money located.

  Hamilton stated that it was in the spread sheet.

  Hinson were was reappropriated.

Chair stated that it moved it to broadband.

  Hinson stated that rereview the on how the citizens can re-apply.

  Chair stated that it was the workshop on the 10^th.

Dixon stated that the workshop on the 10^th is for CDBG and COVID-19 shelter.

  Dixon stated that opportunities are there but noting is shelf ready. To be ready for anything coming out of this program and congress. Looking at the shelf ready options.

Chair stated that they can meet more often. If people qualify then could they qualify now.

Dixon stated that citizens should re apply to the new pot of money.

  V stated that he understands the eligibility for federal cares act. Work on what the eligibility. COVID-19 relief bill looks at it for the requirements. Unless that money is released. Reduce the standard as low as they can. Workshop then we have the infrastructure. Shelf ready to apply for the money. Need to have a unified mind for shelf ready money.

  Chair stated that they are saying the same thing over and over again. Putting people out there so they can look at what citizens need. More meetings. Outside ideas. Are there questions about the presentation.

  Hinson asked control the 1.3 money to get that money out. Until they finish this. Get it out of the way. Rules changes. Even when they have to make things work. Get this out of the way.

  NeSmith asked if they have the money.

 Dixon stated that they have to wait on that money. They will roll out the program. The county office is not built for this. No program development. That is intense work. 

  NeSmith asked that there is a number of grants that have been submitted. 4 applications. All of them have been submitted. what are the limitations.

  Yates stated that grants come from money for Hurricane Michael. Some have been available. 3 projects have been submitted but it moving slow. The economic grants are due to get HUD money. Start looking at CDGB-DR. Come up with long list of projects for the county. Funding is 100% federally funded.

  Dixon stated that it is only if those are the programs that you want to do. They want to do more.

  NeSmith asked if an application is not funded does Integrity Group get paid.

Yates sated if they don’t win them, Integrity Group does not get paid.

Dixon stated that they ask for money but do not have the people in place to work with it..

 Chair asked how could they get funding for hospital.

Yates stated that weren’t able to. Make it a winning proposal.

 Chair stated that it drives the economy. It feeds the community. Need a lot of input. Have them on the website. Have to look at work shop.

  Yates stated that there is interest in broadband. There are grants that need appropriation for funding.

  Chair stated that zoom for small counties. The mobile unit. Everything related to health care and economic development.

Dixon stated that grants are like pie in the sky. County needs to take control of the county’s future. Don’t know when it will come. Getting ready.

Chair stated that money is given on how much work is done previously. Shelters have to be  put in place

  Dixon stated that on the agenda for the regular meeting has a ratification memo, approval of minuets, live shelter/4h program, resolution of red cross month, adopt a road program and a proclamation. General business has an approval of public health campaign, legislation for lobbyist, road invitatory. Replacement of roof for senior citizen building. Item 12 has been pulled.

  Knowles stated that the debris removal contract is being added to the meeting.

  Dixon stated the upcoming advents Wednesday March 10,2021 is the workshop, Tuesday March 16, 2021 is a workshop and meeting, Wednesday March 17, 2021 is legislation day at the capital. Tuesday March 23, 2021 is following up to the retreat.

 Hinson stated that he couldn’t hear. Knowles repeated himself. 

  V asked if they were pulling item 12.

Dixon answered pulling item 12.                          

8.

Closing (Chairwoman Holt)

MOTION TO ADJOURN

Chair adjourned the workshop at 5:49 p.m.