1.

Call to Order, Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance

  Chair called meeting to order at 6 p.m. Chair led into Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance.

    5.

Amendments and Approval of Agenda

  Hinson mentioned limit of 6 minutes for comments on items

    Morris requested to pull item 11.i

  Requested to add item 11.K and 11.L

Simpkins to approve amendments / Green 5-0

  Chair requested approval of agenda

Simpkins to approve agenda /Holt 5-0

   6.

Awards, Presentations and Appearances

6.a CareerSource Capital Region Presentation

  Representative from CareerSource was not here

   7.

Consent

  Williams stated item 7.d deals with letters on letterhead and authorize letter to authorized party

Holt motion to approve 7.d with amendments / Green 5-0

  Simpkins motion to approve consent/ Green 5-0

7.a - Ratification Memo

7.b - BOCC Meeting/Workshop Minutes:

       1. November 4, 2024, Regular BOCC Meeting

       2. November 19, 2024 Regular BOCC Meeting

7.c – Approval of Library Annual Plan of Service 2024-2025

7.d – Approval of Sheriff’s Office – Automated School Zone Traffic Enforcement Permitting Letters on Letterhead

7.e – Approval of the Bridging Barriers, LLC Contract

7.f – Approval and Signature on the E911 2024 Fall Rural County Grant Award Acceptance for Eventide NexLog DX Voice Recorder Annual Support, Warranty, and Maintenance

7.g – Approval of County EMS Award Grant

   8.

Items Pulled for Discussion

   9.

Citizens Requesting to be Heard on Non-Agenda Items (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 on the County’s website at www.gadsdencountyfl.gov.  

  Chair read aloud the above statement. 

   10.

Public Hearing

  11.

General Business

11.a

Approval of Fairbanks Ferry Road – Agreement

  Morris presented. No fiscal impact

Green/Holt

  Chair asked if widened road

  Young appeared and stated no, it was resurfacing of existing road.

  Chair stated there has been multiple deaths on that road and wanted to make it safer

  Wood asked about improvement of bridge – Young stated has not heard about bridge

Green/Holt 5-0     

11.b

Approval of FL Department of Health, Bureau of EMS Matching Grant

  Morris presented.

Simpkins/ Green 5-0

11.c

Request Board Approval of Modification #1 to the State Funded to Hurricane Shelter Retrofit Contract #F0100 for retrofitting of the Gadsden County Hospital to be utilized as a Special Needs Evacuation Shelter

  Morris presented.

 Holt asked if would allow room for any other vendors   

  Simpkins asked if they have started with this at all – Morris stated engineers have come out

  Green stated need to have workshop with people that have built hospitals. 

Holt/ Green 5-0

11.d

Appointment of Gadsden County Representative and Alternate to the Capital Region Transportation Planning Agency

  Morris presented.

  Chair asked for volunteer

  Green nominated Holt/ Wood 5-0

11.e

Appointment to the CareerSource Capital Region Board

   Morris presented.

  Green volunteered/ Wood 5-0

11.f

Appointment to the Northwest Florida Business Development Council, Inc. dba Opportunity Florida Board

  Simpkins nominated Wood/ Green 5-0

11.g

Appointment to the Inmate Commissary Fund

  Chair stated not necessity to appoint someone but could if they want to.

11.h

Appointment to Tourist Development Council

  Wood nominated Simpkins

  Holt stated already serving and would like to stay on that board

Wood motion for Simpkins/ Green 5-0

11.i

Discussion and Direction on the Former County Administrator’s Severance Pay

Item pulled.

11.j

Discussion and Direction Regarding the Interim County Administrator’s Compensation

  Williams stated at last meeting, there were comments to pay higher than what it is now

  Holt motion for same salary as former CA/ Wood 5-0

  Williams stated…

11.K

Board Approval of a Task Order with The Integrity Group to Assist the County to Comply and Meet Deadlines for FEMA Disaster Recovery Reporting and Completion of Florida-Recovery Obligation Calculation (F-ROC)

  Morris presented. Rep. from Integrity was here.

 Williams stated in past task orders, it appeared to be open ended and worked with Harris to ensure a fixed number

 Chair stated heartburn about budget

  John Zharvis, Rep from Integrity appeared.

  Green motion to approve/ Wood 5-0  

11.L

Board Approval of a Task Order with The Integrity Group to Assist the County to Comply and Meet Deadlines According to US Treasury Rules for ARPA Funds

   Morris presented.

  Janice Harris appeared.

  Simpkins asked if they were not able to complete contracts – Harris stated they were completed and were being monitored. 

  Wood mentioned fire hydrants – ISO ratings are thru the roof.

Wood/ Green 5-0

 12.

Clerk of Court

No updates.

 13.

County Attorney

No updates.

 14.

County Administrator

  Morris stated…

  Wood stated need to focus on their children; would hate to see kids choose between the two

  Green stated parade was probably planned first  

  Holt motion for $6k for GC Football team

  Simpkins motion for 10k for GC Football team/ Green 5-0

  Steele stated they would have to wear t-shirts 

 15.

Discussion Items by Commissioners

15.a

Commissioner Alonzetta Simpkins, District 2

  Dec. 14 parade at 1 p.m.  

  Simpkins stated garbage in county is out of hand – construction work trash is being put in diff areas instead of taking it to landfill.  Morris stated it was in building code where they need portable toilet and somewhere to dispose of debris

  Simpkins wanted to know where they are dropping trash off

  Simpkins mentioned Dog Town Road – Young stated it was at 90% design – 100% before Christmas and then back to DOT for review and approval.

  Simpkins mentioned striping and asked if have funding – Young stated 300k was not in budget like he thought it was.

  Simpkins stated she needs lines on Jaimeson Road.

  Simpkins mentioned lighting – elderly have called and stated they cannot see.

  Simpkins stated received request from FL Association of Registered Nurses for a proclamation - Jan 19 thru 25 is CRNA Week

 Simpkins motion for proclamation for FL Association of Registered Nurses/ Green 5-0    

15.b

Commissioner Shawn Wood, District 3

  Wood mentioned mega reunions and need to bring kids back

  Wood mentioned clinic in Chattahoochee - $40 doctors visit and indigent fund

  Simpkins stated they would all need to come to the table

  Wood mentioned Dr. Cooksey meeting with dept. and coming up with plan.

  Wood wanted them to co-exist with Chattahoochee

  Wood mentioned Sawdust

  Wood stated would love to hear from students to know what they need to do to make the school better

Green stepped out at 7:31 p.m.

Green returned at 7:35 p.m.

Simpkins stepped out at 7:39 p.m.

15.c

Commissioner Brenda A. Holt, District 4

  Holt stated need list of roads and the work done

Simpkins returned at 7:41 p.m.

  Holt stated St. John Park needs a restroom 

  Holt mentioned plan with economic development

   Holt mentioned TDC

15.d

Commissioner Ronterious Green, Vice-Chair, District 5

   Green stated Simpkins had mentioned an approval for signage in county offices and he did not want to hear back from the Clerk’s office that they did not do the appropriate motion for this so he asked if they wanted to do a motion on this.

  Dec. 14 golf cart parade at 6 p.m.

Wood stepped out at 8:02 p.m.

  Green mentioned boys & girls club – asked attorney to expand on where they are

Wood returned at 8:03 p.m.

  Attorney stated they started review on it; no issue with funding and plan on having draft out next week

  Green mentioned process with CA – wants to make sure they have fair process

  Green stated to make sure shelters are readily available due to cold weather.

15.e

Commissioner Eric F. Hinson, Chairman, District 1

 Chair stated need to advertise for CA position.   

  Simpkins stated need to discuss process – would like for community to be involved

  Chair stated to have workshop

  Wood stated they need to do the process – did not like how the process went down with the county attorney issue

  Chair requested proclamation for Dr. Mark Newberry’s retirement

Holt/ Wood 5-0

 16.

Motion to Adjourn

Chair adjourned meeting at 8:23 p.m.