1.       PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

               Chair Parramore welcomed everyone to the meeting at 6p.m. He read the Citizens Requesting to be Heard statement. He continued with the pledge.

2.       INTRODUCTION OF MEMBERS – Roll Call

              Mark Moore is a new member and he introduced himself. He is a pastor at Calvary Baptist church. Appreciates the opportunity to serve. The rest of the members introduced themselves to Mr. Moore. 

Roll call was completed:

Dr. Joe Parramore                  Present

Lori Bouie                               Present

William Chukes                      Not Present

Eugene Sherman                    Present

John Youmans                        Present

Tracey Stallworth                   Present

Mark Moore                           Present

Wayne Williams                     Not Present

Charles Hayes                         Not Present

Anthony Powell                     Not Present

Charles Roberts                      Present

Karema Dudley                      Not Present

3.       MINUTES –  April 14, 2022  ITEM 3

              Chair Parramore said everyone should have received copies of the April 14^th meeting. He asked if there were any comments or changes on the minutes? No one replied. Motion to approve minutes: Youman/Stallworth 7-0

Dr. Joe Parramore                  YES

Lori Bouie                               YES

Eugene Sherman                    YES

John Youmans                        YES

Tracey Stallworth                   YES

Mark Moore                           YES

Charles Roberts                      YES

Chair said before approving agenda, would like to add one item between #5 and #6, which is the Commissioners remarks and/or comments.

Motion to add agenda item: Sherman/Bouie 7-0

Dr. Joe Parramore                  YES

Lori Bouie                               YES

Eugene Sherman                    YES

John Youmans                        YES

Tracey Stallworth                   YES

Mark Moore                           YES

Charles Roberts                      YES

Chair asked for a motion to adopt the agenda.

Bouie/Sherman 7-0

Dr. Joe Parramore                  YES

Lori Bouie                               YES

Eugene Sherman                    YES

John Youmans                        YES

Tracey Stallworth                   YES

Mark Moore                           YES

Charles Roberts                      YES

PUBLIC HEARINGS

4.    N/A

GENERAL BUSINESS

5.     PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING SCHEDULE 2023 ITEM 5

   Chair said Mr. Steele is available to discuss the dates. Chair asked if they are still following the Thursday, 6pm schedule? Mr. Steele said yes.

  Commissioner Stallworth said it’s the first time he sees the agenda. He asked if they got mailed out? Mr. Steele said yes. He said he didn’t receive his but he asked if he could get it by e-mail in the future? Mr. Steele said they should have been e-mailed. 

  Motion to adopt calendar: Bouie/Stallworth 7-0

Dr. Joe Parramore                  YES

Lori Bouie                               YES

Eugene Sherman                    YES

John Youmans                        YES

Tracey Stallworth                   YES

Mark Moore                           YES

Charles Roberts                      YES

5a. COMMISSIONERS REMARKS AND/OR COMMENTS

 Bouie said was still interested in training sessions. She said maybe an hour or two before the actual meeting. Mr. Steele said they have been talking about setting up a schedule on it. They are looking at adopting new members sometime in February and they will start the schedule.  

 Commissioner Sherman said if a schedule could be presented. Mr. Steele said they will work on getting it to them.

  Commissioner Bouie asked if there are state trainings that they could have access to as well. Mr. Steele asked any particular type of trainings? Commissioner Bouie said planned professional’s meetings to become familiar with the language. Mr. Steele said if they want to e-mail them, then they can look at all that.

  Commissioner Stallworth said when he started, it was beneficial to him to take the training and be able to articulate the language. He thinks workshops are good. They can serve their community much better.

  Commissioner Sherman said he wanted to acknowledge Commissioner Hinson in District 1. He wants to know what the counties strategic plan is. He felt they were making decisions in a vacuum. He wants to know their decisions tie into the overall and not just individual decisions.

  Commissioner Youmans asked if they did follow up on solar field that they talked about 8 months ago. He said they never had training on it. Chair Parramore said no, he’s going to address it.

  Chair Parramore said it has been 8 months since last meeting and it concerns him on several different levels. It is hard for him to understand that Gadsden County hasn’t had any application come before P&Z that is actionable. Another concern is that there was a narrative presented to the board of County Commissioners stating that the primary reason for the lack of meetings is because of the lack of quorum. He recalls that they have never cancelled a meeting due to lack of quorum. He doesn’t know where that narrative came from. He asked Mr. Steele if any applications have come in to their office in the past 8 months that was actionable, and if not, why not?

  Mr. Steele said there was miscommunication on his part regarding the timeframe of when they weren’t reaching a quorum and when they didn’t have any applications come in that required them to come before Planning and Zoning. The items that come before Planning and Zoning is legislative and quasi-judicial. If something they can approve administratively, then they can move forward on it. The majority of the applications have been administrative which means there hasn’t been any major development. That’s why they haven’t scheduled a meeting since then.

  Chair Parramore said if he can share where the narrative originated that they don’t have a quorum with actionable items. It concerns him on different levels. If that was the case, their office never reached out to him to see if they can gain a quorum. There have been some communication issues. Tonight’s agenda package normally e-mailed and mailed by US mail. Nobody received e-mailed package. There is a lack of communication and consistency. If they are not going to have a monthly meeting because the actions were administrative, it still needs to be communicated. Can’t afford for commissioners to lose interest on what they volunteered to do. When they o 8 months with lack of communication, they stand a strong chance on not meeting a quorum. Not asking an explanation, it was some misinformation. During past 8 months, Ms. Bouie and others brought up training months before April 14^th, could they have not taken advantage of their request, in these 8 months, to utilize that time for training that has already been requested. Freed up commissions schedule for training. Don’t want to continue to request training, when they came in 8 months ago. Squandered 8 months that could have added value to the commission.

  Steele said that was a missed opportunity. Didn’t find the appropriate training for them.

  Sherman said he got calls saying that the meeting was cancelled. He didn’t know there was one scheduled. Constructively there are many sources available.

  Stallworth asked if there is a budget allocated for them to go to training.  Sometimes they get broader ideals. Steele said he has to check with finance on that.

  Bouie said if they found something they would present the idea. The opportunity to even know what the county is looking for. Even just a review of what the state is looking for in the county. New employees and want an overview in what’s expected for that.

  Youmans said if there is a budget, they can have the training, but if not a budget, what’s the steps? They can get a budget form where they can have the training. Bouie said Steele can present it to the board for approval. Steele said there is a budget, but doesn’t know if for out of state.

  Chair said there are countless training platforms that they can take advantage of. Staff just needs to research what they are looking for.

  Sherman said they did brainstorm potential topics before, if it can be retrieved from the minutes or go over it again. Steele said he will go over the minutes to locate that.

  Knowles said if they can bring some they found for next meeting. They can get with the association of counties locally or another state. Maybe they can agenda that for next meeting.

  Chair said that was a great idea. Knowles said to avoid quorum problems, schedule them as workshops. Can’t take action, but can still talk about it.

  Chair said if they could mirror the commissioners, with workshop before regular meeting. Limits the amount of time they are here. Kill two birds with one stone. Knowles said they are not required to meet on Thursdays. So, if they want a different day, they can choose another. All agreed that Thursdays did work the best for 2023.

  Roberts said train with a focus. Should be receiving training for a foreseeable target. Comprehensive plan, solar plan, infrastructure planning, etc.

6.     PLANNING DIRECTORS’ COMMENTS 

  Steele thanked them for being present. They have been working on and making updates to the land development code. He presented new staff, Beau Scott and Ellen Andrews. Chair asked when will he have the update of land use maps for their review. Steele said still working on it. Chair said its comprehensive and been on the radar a long time.

  Roberts asked if he has a method of tracking change. Steele said they will get a version of striker underlined format (audio unclear) to see the changes. Chair said if reasonable timeline, perhaps workshop on how they worked on plans would be an excellent training.

  Stallworth asked Mr. Steele when he anticipates it will be done. Mr. Steele said changing the land use map is complicated because they have to be careful that they don’t take anyone’s rights away. He can’t say a timeframe. Stallworth asked if it will impact their decision, once they have development rights, would have to come to compliance with whatever those current requirements are. 

7.     ADJOURNMENT OF MEETING

  Bouie/Youmans 7-0

Adjourned at 6:41pm.

The next regularly scheduled meeting is January 12, 2023 at 6:00 pm.