CALL TO ORDER, INVOCATION, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

  Chair started workshop at 3:34 pm. Green provided invocation. Chair led into pledge of allegiance.

CITIZENS REQUESTING TO BE HEARD (3-Minute Limit)

The Gadsden County Board of County Commissioners welcomes and encourages public participation at all meetings of the Board. Citizens are free to speak for up to three (3) minutes on non-agenda items. Public comments and participation are also encouraged for items on the agenda.  Additionally, if you are unable to attend a meeting in person, comments from the Public can also be submitted via email to CitizensToBeHeard@gadsdencountyfl.gov until noon on the date of the meeting. Comments submitted after the deadline, but prior to the meeting, will be added to the official record, but the County cannot guarantee that Commissioners and staff will have adequate time to review comments prior to the meeting.  Citizens are further encouraged to participate via Zoom using the credentials on the County’s website. The Board’s meetings are also broadcast live on the Board’s Facebook page.

GENERAL BUSINESS

1.

 Ms. Gabrielli stated they will start a team building activity. She passed the activity ball around to people to introduce themselves and answer a question from the ball.

  Ms. Gabrielli started with a “Pipeline to Success Teambuilding Activity”

  Gabrielli explained what is strategic planning

Holt arrived at 4:09 pm.

  Gabrielli mentioned Census

 Discussion of Outcomes from 2021 Strategic Planning

-          Mission, Vision, Values

-          Strategic Planning

-          Goals

  Mission statement: should clearly define

3 Components of Mission Statement

 Current Mission Statement: 

  Vision Statement – statement about what your organization wants to become.

Current Vision Statement: The model community of excellence globally

  Values: Values are beliefs that are shared among the stakeholders of an organization.

Values drive an organizations culture and  

  Priorities – Strategic Priorities

  Goals – specific accomplishments that must be achieved in total. 

  Green asked how often should be changed

  Gabrielli stated one to 2 years is good time frame

Chair stated building sustainable comm thru economic development

  Holt asked before they change anything, to look at the goals.

  Gabrielli went thru 2021/ 2022 goals  

Holt asked if had health plan

   Dixon stated since then, access has changed. Before, doctors were not going to telehealth. Since pandemic, new and best thing. Envisioning Telehealth centers

  Green stated … have not really agreed to anything, need to come up with solution

Asked if working with other health dept, other physicians. 

  Dixon stated had dialogue, health department is really caught up in politics of the day.

  Green asked how to come up with plan, if no experts

  Simpkins stated looking at their outlining areas, what truly are reasons for citizens not going to dr. High percentage of uninsured. How do they get there to be insured. What role could they play to help? Goes beyond just looking at the one clinic and that particular area. Need to look at those numbers and citizens in that area, how many not seeing dr bc uninsured or was there another reason for them not going to the dr. Need to look at Telehealth. Need to look at County as a whole, especially unincorporated areas.

  Holt stated need to look at plan and say yay or nay. Health department cannot answer anything unless government says so.

  Simpkins stated there were couple events bringing citizens in and question them as to why they don’t go to Dr. A lot of it was because of trust issues. She said need health clinic on west side. Need to look at healthcare plan as a whole, and look at how to increase health equity in county.

  Dixon stated need them all, that was reality. They need Federally qualified health center.

  Chair stated was major issue and Commissioners have brilliant input. Healthcare has a lot of moving parts. There are limitations with the health department. Need to bring in a Coordinator. 

  Simpkins stated her concern was could they afford to form another department.

  Chair stated need to locate the resources to coordinate healthcare.

  Green stated would be good to ask legislator for assistance on forming this department.

  Gabrielli added in goal of hiring a director of health administration

  Simpkins asked what that position looks like; did not want to rush this. Needs to serve purpose and make sure the Board decides what that position should entail.

  Green stated no for January 1 Goal because they need to have time to…

  Chair asked what was a good time frame. Green stated Spring  

Green recommended to add to that workshop and go from there.

   Gabrielli said to start workshop asap.

  Holt said she said Jan 1 bc of the legislative session.

  Gabrielli asked about date for goal. March 1?

  Holt stated Jan 1

  Simpkins stated in Oct now, some are traveling and they have the holidays. Did not see Jan 1 working.

    Green would like to determine date during workshop  

Hinson arrived at 5:05 pm.

  Simpkins stated physician would handle health care plan 

  Hinson stated they were fiscally constrained county.  Need to maximize what they have already.

  Simpkins asked about funding the public safety coordinating council

Change word ‘fund’ to reconvene” under Public Safety Coordinating Council 

  Gabrielli asked if updates on combat homelessness. Dixon stated no.

   Green stated don’t think they have overpopulation of homelessness.  Asked how would they find these people to have numbers

   Simpkins stated they have homeless problems in her district. Would be a priority for her. Mental health plays a part with homelessness in some ways

  NeSmith asked if have section within housing department that does research on homelessness. 

  Green stated important if they could some numbers

   Gabrielli stated there is a lot of homelessness than they think

Chair asked if had a way to collect data.

  Holt stated maybe public safety would know about collecting data. Also mentioned school system having data

  Simpkins stated data is available. Big Bend has data

  Simpkins stated there are individuals out there currently working with the homeless.  The Commissioners have not responded to them. Should be a top priority

  Hinson stated need to go to St. Pete and see how they handle mental health.

  Dixon stated attempted to address food desert, County has donated funding to second harvest 

  Gabrielli mentioned the Economic Dev plan

   Lewis stated they added another for $500,000.

  Develop heir property legal assistance program

Stiell stated got list of property county owned, looking thru ordinance 

  Added ‘inventory of County owned property being conducted’ under Research Transitional Housing. Date set for 3/1/2024

  Hinson stated they have a lot of seniors that have a lot of land and kids. The code hurt the community. Need to look at land development code.

   Dixon stated ran Summer Youth for couple years. They met with school district. Will meet in Nov to start talking about the program. How they could get kids on the entrepreneur program

Holt stated they need to look at County and School Board meeting

  Simpkins stated important to meet with schools, but they need to make sure bringing in business partners as well.  Need to make sure focusing on repairs, maintenance.

   Gabrielli mentioned feasibility study for Gadsden County Community College.

   Hinson stated change date to Oct 2024

  Changed date for implementing bike trails to Sept 2024. 

  Moved date for assisting in promoting minority farmers in Gadsden County to March 2024

  Dixon stated submitted Broadband

  Simpkins asked if people are still able to do test on DEO website.

  Needs assessment completed for broadband access. 

  Gabrielli mentioned the goal of paving up to 5 miles of dirt road each year. Dixon stated not really going anywhere, no funding to pave dirt roads. 

  Changed date to 9/30/2024 for paving dirt roads

Gabrielli mentioned goal of adding private dirt roads of at least 5 miles into the public maintenance system. Changed date to 9/30/24

Gabrielli mentioned goal of providing broadband access to everyone in county. Changed date to 1/1/25

  Mentioned goal of getting all 4 I-10 interchanges ready for economic growth. Lewis stated submitted feasibility grant of $500K

  Mentioned goal of conducting feasibility plan for new I-10 interchange at Highbridge Rd and Hwy 65. Date set for 9/30/2024. 

  Mentioned goal of developing code enforcement Board. 

Mentioned Develop Board of Adjustment and Appeals.

  Mentioned review and revise all county ordinances. Changed title to ‘review and revise outdated county ordinances’. Changed year to 2024. Many ordinances revised including alcohol, church development, board rules

  Goal of conducting feasibility study for new county administration, and courthouse complex - Architect on board, working on ability to fund feasibility study. 

Goal of enhancing the public transportation system – 9/30/2024

Goal of updating the transportation element of the comprehensive plan with detailed needs related to county roads and bridges – Stiell stated received grant from FDOC, working to revise transportation element ARPC. Changed date to 1/1/25

  Goal of improving street lighting throughout county - in progress. Date changed to year 2024.

  Goal of improving street lights within communities and neighborhoods – Hinson stated they could look at costs first

  Goal of evaluating existing parks for access, safety – In progress. Date changed to 2024.

  Goal in increasing access for trails and parks – Date changed to 2024.   

  Goal of meeting or exceeding water quality standards – Dixon stated to change title to ‘continue to meet and exceed water quality standards by working with partners Water Mgmt. District, Talquin, and Municipalities.

  Goal of overhaul com plan – date changed to 2025.  

  Goal of provide access to and promote lakes and rivers - Steele stated first event in Dec. Date changed to 2024 – ongoing.

  Goal of exploring the feasibility study for Gadsden Utility System

  Simpkins asked about the above goal. Dixon stated

  Holt stated Talquin is its own government. Needed sewer lines and talquin did not want to provide- had to apply for CCBG grants.    

  Green stated mission statement was fine how it is to him. 

Adjournment

Meeting adjourned 7:53 pm.