1.

Call to Order, Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance

    Chair called meeting to order at 5 p.m. Chair led into moment of silence and Pledge 

   4.

Amendments to the Agenda

   No amendments 

   5.

Approval of Agenda

  Green/Wood 5-0

Simpkins appeared through Zoom

   6.

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.

  7.

General Business

 7.a

County Administrator’s Position

  Morris presented

 Green stated was fine with this description; wants to make sure they were on same page regarding getting interviews on the go. They had agreed to have a board or group to assist; would love to have community input

  Wood asked if board would look at applications or just be a part of interview process

  Green stated he thought it should be a vetted process

  Attorney stated could recommend a process to consider; board could have a citizens committee after vetting the first process. People need to be vetted and qualified first before it getting to the board.

  Simpkins stated her opinion on this was to have citizen input and have applicants introduce themselves. She wanted all applications to go to her email, even if it was 500.

  Holt mentioned ordinance and the qualifications would already vet people out; was in favor of committee

  Chair mentioned credit score qualification

  Chair stated for all to agree to start advertising tomorrow.

  Wood stated need to have format so that when they send it out, applicants will know expectations

  Green stated they could have a timeline for this position to be filled.

  Chair mentioned 30-day timeline of getting position out there.

  Holt stated to choose one person per commissioner for committee

  Simpkins stated would like to know the applicants; interviews are open to the community

  Chair stated it would be a 3-month process regardless; give applicants 30 days to apply

  Attorney stated position advertisement is tied to importance of position; suggested to vote on time period for advertisement

  Green suggested vote to not sound redundant

  Wood and Holt are with 45-day timeline

  Simpkins stated she would like 30 days to advertise

  Holt motion for 45-day timeline to advertise/ Green 3-2

  Attorney stated applicants should be vetted before commissioners get them; rec 10-day vetting period with HR… Commissioners see all applicants but they are vetted.

  Holt motion for 10-day vetting period for HR/ Wood 5-0

   Burroughs appeared and stated maybe 15 days to give commissioners to review and interview applicants.

Wood stepped out at 6 p.m.

  Green motion to approve 15-day process/ Holt 5-0

   Attorney stated need to vote if they want citizens committee to review apps and rank applicants

  Holt motion to approve citizens committee to vet applications and each commissioner to select a person/ Green 2-3

  Wood motion for 2 people each commissioner and include constitutional to sit in/ Green

  Attorney stated it was probably unique to include a constitutional; needs to be only advisory if they do go that way    

Wood motion for 2 people each commissioner and include constitutional to sit in/ Green 3-2

  Attorney stated next issue was job description

Asked if wanted to include social science under degree; needs to be a vote

   Commissioners were fine with removing social science

  Holt stated to include…

  Attorney stated next issue was to vote on advertising entire position description

  Burroughs appeared and stated they usually provide full description

  Wood stated not sure why they have 8 people answering to one; asked if they had ability to change the structure. Chair stated they could change the organizational chart. Burroughs stated in other counties, they have multiple assistant county administrators and this county only has one.

  Chair asked if wanted to add CFO position on the description; Morris stated they also needed to add elderly affairs under the positions that the CA would supervise

  Simpkins stated they never approved CFO position itself, just the person.  

  Chair stated whichever one was approved, CFO or budget director

  attorney recommends for admin to meet with HR director and…      

   holt motion for CFO

No second, motion failed.

  attorney mentioned CFO being Clerk; Financial director

  Holt motion for Finance Director/ Simpkins 5-0

  Holt motion to eliminate numbers and provide direction to HR to fill positions and include them in description/Green 5-0     

  Attorney stated they need to know what they want back from applicant -resume, references, etc.

Burroughs stated could do a qualifications statement

  Holt motion for applicants to return resume, references, qualification statement/ Green 5-0

  Chair stated should do credit score 

  Burroughs recommends to do it on the back end

  Wood motion to add 700 credit score for final 3/ Holt 5-0

Simpkins motion to have CA direct Burroughs to prepare advertisement and commissioners review before its advertised/ Green

  Green asked how soon would this be ready to go – Burroughs stated will be ready by next Tuesday 

Wood stepped out at 6:57 p.m.

Wood returned at 6:59 p.m.

Attorney stated to include in motion

  Holt motion to include info on timeline / Green 5-0

  Attorney asked what publications they want for advertisement

Simpkins appeared at 7:01 p.m.

 Burroughs stated they normally advertise

Chair stated to add Tallahassee Democrat

  Attorney stated to have Burroughs give list to CA and sent to Commissioners…

Holt/ Green 5-0

 8.

Motion to Adjourn

Chair adjourned meeting at 7:04 p.m.