Heat. --------- Heat. Ladies and gentlemen, am I on? All right. Thank you all for joining us this afternoon for our July uh county commission meeting. Uh it is 3 o'clock, so we're going to go ahead and
get this show on the road. Um we're going to start with uh I'll recognize Commissioner O'Keeffe to uh introduce our invocation speaker. Thank you. Um, I'm honored to introduce Brian Stringer, who has many titles in
our agenda, but who's made very clear that his most important title is servant, to do our invocation. How's everyone doing this morning? This afternoon, I'm sorry. I've been working all day. Well, good afternoon, commissioners, community leaders, and faith leaders,
and everyone gathered here today. we could just quiet our hearts for a moment and take a deep breath and come before the presence of the holy. Gracious and loving God, we gather today as one people,
bound not by uniformity, but by a shared longing for justice, for peace, for the well-being of every person who calls this county their home. We pause to remember that while we come from different backgrounds, different
congregations, different professions, even different perspectives, we are neighbors. We're partners. We're siblings in the shared work of a build a beloved community.
God, break down any walls of us versus them that divide us. Remove the suspicion that poisons collaboration. Cleanse us of the pride that insists on our way alone and deliver us from the fear that sees
our neighbors gain as our loss. Today God, we lift up commissioners who bear the weight of public trust. Give them hearts of compassion that refuse to ignore suffering. Give them eyes that sees the hidden and the overlooked. Give
them the ears that listen not only to the loudest voices, but to those too often silenced. And grant them courage to choose what is right over what is easy or popular. We pray for our faith leaders, our congregations gathered across this county and city.
May we remember that our call is not only to preach within our walls, but to advocate beyond them. remind us that true worship is caring for the poor, defending the marginalized, lifting up the brokenhearted. Help us to see that our congregation and
our commissions are not opponents but partners in this work of justice. We pray for community members filling these chambers today wearing green as a sign of hope and determination. Bless this advocacy with persistence but also
humility. Let their passion be marked by love for our neighbor. Keep them faithful to the promise that no one in our city should go without shelter, dignity, or hope. God, unite us. Not in
pretending we have no disagreements, but in remembering that our disagreement should never cost someone their home. Not in erasing our differences, but in elevating our shared humanity. We remember the word of scripture that says, "You will not need to fight in
this battle. Position yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord that is with you." We claim that promise today, not as permission for inaction, but as an invitation to trust, to stand together in faith, to speak truth
without hatred, to pursue justice without vengeance, to do our part and trust you for the outcome. We know that affordable housing is not merely a budget line but a moral commitment. It is the measure of who we are as a city. We cannot claim to love our neighbors if
we will not house them. We cannot say we value the community while ignoring those pushed to its margins. So today God, let this meeting be more than a formality. Make it a sacred moment. A moment of conscience. A moment where politics bows
to morality. Where budgets reflect compassion. Where policy embodies justice. Bind us together. Oh God, commissioners and congregations, community members and community leaders, those with power to decide and those
with power to witness. May your unity not be lip service but live commitment. May our word not be empty but lead to action. And may today re be remembered not for division but for the day we
chose to come together for the sake of our neighbors who call this place home. We pray all this with your humble hearts and fierce hope. It is in your matchless name that we pray. Amen. Amen. Commissioner O'Keefe and lead us in
pledge of allegiance. Please stand. I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all. All right. Thank you, Commissioner O'Keeffe, and thank you, Mr. Stringer. Um, we are now on awards and presentations. Um, and we're going to start with Commissioner Maddox is here uh for a proclamation
recognizing Dr. Adrienne Peters. Commissioner Maddox. Hey, Mr. Chair. If I could have Dr. Peters come up. Hey, how you doing? Good. Uh, Mr. chair of proclamation reads whereas Adrien Peters uh ed uh is
the founder in the of the achieve academy a nonprofit private school which opened in 2016 for students with unique abilities and whereas Adrien Peters having been in educa in education for 33
years recognized every student deserves access to a nurturing inclusive and empowering education that meets their unique needs and talents. And whereas education serves as the cornerstone of a thriving and forward moving society and institutions dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge
and personal development play a vital role in shaping the future. And whereas the achieve academy dedicated to serving students with unique abilities has providing a supportive and individualized learning environment that fosters personal growth, academic
readiness and self-confidence. And whereas the educators uh the educators, administrators, and the staff at the achieve academy has demonstrated unwavering commitment to the success of each student by embracing innovation and a diagnostic prescriptive educ education
approach, ensuring each child enrolled receives instruction that meets them that meets them where they are academically, emotionally, and socially. And whereas the Achieve Academy has reached a historic milestone with the first graduation of its first class in
the year 2025, marking a momentous achievement in the school's mission to empower students through innovative instruction and individualized support while fostering confidence, academic academic success, and lifelong love of
learning. And whereas the graduates of the class of 2025 have shown perseverance, their determination, and a remarkable progress, inspiring all who have who have had the the privilege to witness their journey. Now, therefore, be a proclaimed that the board of Leyon
County Commissioners in Leyon County, Florida, do hereby recognize and commend Adrian, Dr. Adrien Peters, the Achieve Academy for outstanding service to students with unique abilities and honor the first graduating class for their achievements and contributions to the
school's legacy. This is signed by the chair as well as the rest commission and tested to you by the academy. Thank you all so much. Thank you so much. I am going to steal some words from my school board member and I'm going to say that I am deliciously proud
of the Achieve Academy and the accomplishments of my unique learners. All of the students at the Achieve Academy have ASD or are on the autism spectrum. And this year we graduated students who not only finished high
school with traditional diplomas but they have gone on to TSC for postsecary work. Now if you had told me that in 2016 that that's what it wouldn't have in 2025 I'd have been. No you're kidding right? But
we are so proud that we were able to give the parents a safe haven for their unique learners to give the unique learners a place that they can call home where all of their uniqueness is common place. Right? And so our goal is to
continue to grow, continue to create a path for these learners that don't always fit into that traditional model of schooling, but our goal is to create a safe haven and to make them productive citizens in our community. I thank you
from the bottom of my heart. My parents, thank you. And my students, thank you. Thank you, Dr. Peters. Commissioner Max. Thank you, sir. If I can have Miss Ashley Scott come up, please. Mr. shared the proclamation reads, "Whereas Ashley Scott is an
entrepreneur, author, and philanthropist dedicated to transforming lives through education, grant writing, and social impact. And whereas Ashley Scott exemplifies visionary leadership, unwavering dedication to community uplift, and a lasting legacy of positive
impact. She recognizes education serves as the cornerstone of a thriving and forward moving society and institution dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge and personal development play a role a vital role in shaping the future. And
whereas in 2020, Ashley Scott opened the Oxford Learning Academy, which expanded from a preschool to a fullervice kindergarten through fifth grade elementary school serving over 600 families. And whereas Oxford Learning uh
Academy has uh for 5 years demonstrated a steadfast commitment to excellence in education, nurturing the young minds and talents of students through innovation, innovative learning practices, dedicated mentorship and a deep sense of
community. And whereas through his tireless efforts, Ashley Scott and Oxford Learning Academy have positively impacted the lives of students, families, and educators, fostering an an environment that promotes academic achievement, character development, and
lifelong learning. And whereas Oxford Learning Academy proudly boasts 100% of their students scored at or above the average of the Renaissance Diagnostic Diagnostic Assessment, and 88.8% 8% of
VPK students were proficient in higher in language in literacy vocabulary. I think that deserves a hand there. Again, I say 100%. That is that's pretty cool. Whereas the fth anniversary of the Oxman Learning Academy marks a
significant milestone that celebrates the vision, perseverance, and collaborative spirit of its founder, staff, supporters, and students. Now therefore beer proclaimed by the board of Leon County Commissioners in Leon County, Florida, we do hereby recognize and commend Ashley Scott Oxford Learning
Academy and extend sincere congratulations to all those who have contributed to the continued success and impact on the community. This is signed by the chairman as res commission tested by the county administrator. Congratulations. Good afternoon. I just want to say thank
you to Commissioner Maddox as well as the board of county commissioners for being advocates for us and for small business owners as well as education in our community. I none of this would be possible without our incredible village.
And so if you are a part of the village, I am sharing this with each of you. So can you all please stand? The entire well part of the village We started our journey in the middle of the pandemic. And so in August 2020, we opened our
doors when everybody else was kind of closing um and we didn't know what to do. But we had crazy faith and we knew that it would work out. And so I'm so grateful for my family, my husband Jonathan Scott, my kids, Ethan and Zoe,
as well as my parents, um, Thomas and Lorraine James. Um, and before I thank all of our community partners that are here, I really have to give a special shout out to who I call my golden girls, my golden angels, which is Miss Cheryl Collier Brown, as well as Miss Anita
Favors, Miss Jackie, um, everybody in between. And you ladies know how much you all mean to me. So, thank you all so much. Thank you so much. Without further ado, I just like to say thank you to our staff that is here, um,
our administrators, Miss Fay, who, um, supports our early childhood education program, and Miss Marcus, who oversees our K5 program, as well as our educators that are in the room as well. and to our partners. Thank you all so much. I wish
I could go through the entire list. Um the ELC of the Bitb DCF um the Florida Department of Education, Florida University, the Bitbian Minority Chamber of Commerce, um the Department of Agriculture and Commu
Consumer Services, as well as our smaller businesses. Because this mission that we have at Oxford extends more than just educating our students. It's also being a product of Lyon County. It's a pipeline for us to put back into small
businesses too. So we thank partners like therapeutic endeavors, SG Mental Services, Jasmine's Photography, Infinite Public Relations Firms, as well as T- Bar Touch Worlds um making miracles group home for being that for us and allowing us to sew seeds in your
program. So, thank you all for your support. Thank you to our parents that believed in us and that trust us with your most precious gems. Thank you. Sure. Yeah, hold on one second. Oh, no, no, you go ahead.
All right, Miss Scott, uh, stay right there. Commissioner Cummings, and then Commissioner Proctor would like to say something to you. Uh, thank you, Mr. Chair. I just want to congratulate Doc Dr. Peters. Did she leave? Okay, maybe she'll stand up. I want to congratulate
both of these uh educators, Dr. Peters and Dr. Scott, for all of the work that you all are doing to educate our children. You all are both innovators. Uh, you founded your own school and it's
paying off. And so we on the day is we appreciate all of your hard work and blessings to both of you and the best is yet to come. You're showing us your best and it's going to continue uh to be beneficial to our community and to our
children. So thank you all so much. Thank you uh Dr. Peters, Dr. Scott. Um, ladies and gentlemen, members uh of our commission, um, on our day right now, I may be the only member here who's old enough to
recall that, um, uh, that you got a spanking in school, if you didn't have your homework. You got a spanking in school if you had the wrong answer. and you got spanked in
school for um cund things like talking and all of that. So there were a lot of categories of which I received spankings in school. Uh but this morning uh a continuation of the work through which uh um schoolboard
member Jones uh called us this morning together at Pine View uh to lift up and to sound the alarm of uh the peril facing uh schools that uh have been facing the
challenge of the loss of the United States Department of Education And uh I was volunttoled by uh schoolboard member Jones the day that and I received a t-shirt uh that I would be volunteering at uh
Oakidge Elementary School. And um the super majority of this desk was there this morning as was a city commission and other um uh civic leaders whether it's a private school or a
public school whatever all of that uh children need to learn and I respect highly uh what you all are doing and we need everybody uh regardless of the label uh it's called public, private, whatever
it's called and all of that. Uh I need everybody in particular the younger people here to appreciate that the United States Department of Education exists largely as the federal government agency that
would imagine what Brown versus Board desegregation would look like in our nation. And unless there is a Brown versus Board 1954 Supreme Court decision decreeing that
public schools would be desegregated. You don't have a US Department of Education which regulated, facilitated, orchestrated and keeps up and monitors desegregation. It keeps up and it monitors uh programs
that reach out to poor children uh children who are quote disadvantaged. The department of education is that which undergurs what's called title one schools which derive the title from the number of students who qualify for free
and reduced lunch. Now, we're in some serious times, and this is not just about that right there, that sheet of paper, which I appreciate, Commissioner Maddox, but we're on a hell of a steep slope
in this moment of history that the pendulum can go backwards and a US Department of Education not undergirling uh food for students in the morning, after school programs,
uh all of the needs that children don't come even to the schoolhouse on day one. That right there is a serious issue. So, um, school board member Jones, you called us together today and gave us a
charge, and we recognize what lies ahead. And I'm encouraging you all to continue in your journey. And for everybody in here that when these leaders call upon you to help, to aid, uh, I don't know, can you can you still beat children if they have the wrong
answer? Old school. Put a hand through that. you know, the old school, the old school. But we salute you sincerely and it's it's in a time such as this that what you're doing, the
light of it, it's illumination. Uh it bolds well for uh a song that I recall uh as a child hearing. Ain't going to let nobody turn me around. Amen. Turn me around. So, let's move forward.
a charge to this community to all of us to not let nobody turn us around. Thank you all. Thank you, Commissioner Proer. Commissioner, thank you. Thank you. All right, I am happy to introduce
president and CEO of Family Cafe, Lori Fee, and a number of the important team members there um to present this proclamation. Whereas Disability Pride Month is celebrated each July to commemorate the
signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act on July 26, 1990, a landmark civil rights law that guarantees equal rights and opportunities for individuals with disabilities. And whereas Disability Pride Month is a time to honor the history, achievements,
experiences, and ongoing struggles of individuals with disabilities and to celebrate the inherent dignity and worth of every person. And whereas in Lyon County and throughout our nation, individuals with disabilities make meaningful contributions in all areas of
life, enriching our community with their talents, leadership, and perspectives. And whereas organizations like the Family Cafe, a Florida nonprofit dedicated to providing individuals with disabilities and their families with information, connections, and
opportunities for advocacy, play a vital role in empowering the disability community across our state. And whereas the family cafe hosts the largest statewide cross disability event in the nation each year, bringing together thousands of Flidians to share
resources, build community, and celebrate disability pride. And whereas the Leyon County Board of County Commissioners remains committed to fostering a community where all individuals, regardless of ability, can thrive and contribute meaningfully. Now
therefore, be it proclaimed by the board of county commissioners of Lyon County, Florida, that the month of July 2025 be recognized as disability pride month in Lyon County, and that all residents are encouraged to honor and celebrate the strength, resilience, and pride of
individuals with disabilities in our community, and to join in building a future where everyone can participate fully, live with dignity, and lead lives of purpose and opportunity. dated this 8th day of July, 2025, signed by our
chairman, commissioners, and attested to by county administrator Vince Long. Thank you. Wow. Um, a special thank you to the commissioner O'Keefe and all to you Leon County Commissioners for recognizing this July as disability pride month.
Thank you so much. Before I say a few words, I'd like to introduce the hardest working staff in the state. Jeremy Countryman, vice president of the family cafe, Sarah Fehey, meeting planner, Tanya Hansen, our financial
administrator, and Josh Tapia, our youth leader. And again, my name is Lori Fehee. So again, thank you. So, it's clear that the Family Cafe shares a deep commitment to supporting the disability community, striving for a
world where people with disabilities have every opportunity for fulfilling life. The upcoming 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act is a significant milestone to not only celebrate and disability pride month
provides a crucial time to reflect upon the progress made. We're proud to be part of the Lyon County community. Our statewide event served about 130 families from our community. This recognition amplifies the dreams,
acknowledges the struggles, and celebrates the triumphs within the disability community. It is a powerful way to honor the advocates who paved the way and to recommmit to ongoing promise of full inclusion, accessibility, and
opportunity for all. On behalf of for those who may have heard this before, Justin Dart, who we referred to as a godfather of the ADA, I want to thank you again and I want to tell you to lead on. Lead on. It's
something that we must do. Thank you. Thank you. A picture of my notes. You guys going to get a picture there? Yep. Thank you. Too many people. Oh, we've had many more.
There you go. Okay. All right. Thank you all very much. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Administrator. We're on citizens to be heard on consent non-aggenda items.
Oh. Oh. Oh. You see how quick that happened? Uh, Mr. Mr. Administrator, I want to take a point of personal privilege here, I'm sorry, and recognize Chanty Haynes to step up to the podium, please, for a special presentation.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I forgot that so fast. No problem. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for this opportunity to make a special presentation. Mr. County Administrator, I just want to give you a heads up. Uh, Commissioner Cummings does not like surprises, so I may be looking for a job tomorrow. So, I just want to give you a
heads up. So, uh you have no idea how difficult this is to keep something from your boss. Uh but I received a letter uh early in January 2025. And I did not tell Commissioner Cummings
that I received this letter. Then I was wondering what would be the appropriate time uh for me to present this to her. Just in case you did not know, uh, Janu July the 15th is a national holiday and
it just so happens to be Commissioner Cummings birthday. In honor of your birthday, Commissioner Cummings, uh, on behalf of the best aid on planet Earth, I would like to ask the best commissioner on planet Earth if you would come down. Commissioner Cummings, if you would come down, please.
That's Commissioner Cummings, Commissioner Park. I did call her name. I did call her name. Thank you, Michelle. escort escort. Commissioner Brock and this letter is from the White House. Okay. And I'm going to read it verbatim to the
best commissioner on planet. No, I'm sorry. To Miss Carolyn Cummings, chair of the board of county commissioners, Tallahassee, Florida. Dear Miss Cummings, thank you for welcoming me to Tallahassee during my recent visit in the aftermath of Hurricane Helen. My
administration will continue working handinand with local and state leaders like you as Florida continues to recover and rebuild. Please know that Jill and I are keeping you and the entire state of Florida in our prayers. Sincerely, Joe
Biden. Well, Chanty has significantly raised the bar uh for uh chief of staff behavior commissioners. So, Kyle Frost, if you're out there, I might get I got might get letters from
presidents of HOAs, not presidents of the country. Mr. Before you speak real quick, I'm going to ask real fast. I'm going to ask the board real quick in recognition of our our unbelievable
female representative on this board's birthday, which is coming up on July 15th. I want to ask, and we're out of order here, Comm Mer, don't beat me up. I want to ask if uh we put together a proclamation in recognition of Commissioner Cummings 75th birthday,
which is unbelievable. We have a motion in a second. All those in favor signify by saying I. I don't even have to ask. Commissioner Cummings, we love you more than you know. We're going to give you a proclamation on your at your event. Mr. Chair. Yeah. Oh. Oh, I thought she
was turning 30. You know what? She looks like she's turning 35. Madam Attorney, is it is it possible to fire a commissioner? Cuz if she's going to fire Chon for presenting this surprise, I'm pretty sure she's going to fire Brian for
telling the world her age. I'm just trying to make sure. I'm trying to see what's possible. It's like Ripley's Believe It or Not. I don't think people going to believe it. Oh, thank you so much. You know, my age is on my invitations and and whatever.
So, no. Uh, people asked about my age and I I said, "Well, it's the four G's, a good God and good jeans." So, I thank God for my longevity. I thank my mom and dad for the great
genes. And I thank the best aid on planet Earth. I had no idea I had received this letter from former President Joe Biden. Lord. Ah, what a surprise. What a surprise. What a
memory um to hang on my walls for my my son and hopefully my my grandchildren. But I just love my commissioners. Thank you, Mr. Chair, Mr. County Administrator, and
all my fellow commissioners for all your love and respect and support. and um I just look forward to continuing to work with you all. Thank you, Mr. County Administrator, County Attorney. Thank all of you all.
All right, Commissioner Proctor, you want to say anything? Yeah. We um one of the last words that Jesus uh said from the cross was, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." Ladies and gentlemen, just forgive Chanty Haynes. Forgive him for he knows
not what he says. You know the greatest commission. Y'all know. Good job, Chanty. Um, commissioners, I know we could probably spend the rest of the night talking about how much we love Commissioner Cummings, but um, and I'm willing to entertain that if we want to.
If anybody would like to say anything, um, this is a a nice opportunity to do that. But for me personally, you know, you are an absolute queen. I could not respect you more. Come in with me in
2020. And um I if there is ever a reason to celebrate another human being, it is to celebrate you. And I think I speak for all of us when when I say that we love you more than you possibly know. And uh we are uh aruck by you on a
daily. So thank you for thank you for letting us hang out with you. All right, we are going to get back on it now. We are on consent, Mr. Administrator. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Commissioners, we have a few I'm sorry. Citizens to be heard on We have just a few citizen uh cards
submitted for citizens to be heard on non-aggenda items. Uh the first uh Reverend Sylvia Jones to be followed by Jordan Rios. Good afternoon. My name is Reverend Sylvia Jones. I
reside at 4250 Woodbridge Road, Tallahassee, Florida. I am co-chair of the KUM affordable housing strategy team and a member of Mount Zion Church in Havana, Florida. We have turned out our KUM members once again, this time to
express our gratitude. Um because of the lengthy agenda, we have elected to speak now rather than wait for the individual agenda items to Jones. I'm sorry, but this is non agenda items time. This is a consent and non-aggended items time. So if you want
to speak on the affordable housing proposal, which is on our general business agenda, you're going to have to wait. No, you don't. I would move to to address the agenda, allow them to speak now if it's all right. Do we need to wave rules, Madam Attorney? Okay. All right. Is there a motion? So,
Mr. Miner, second. I second. Yeah. All right, Miss Jones, is there all those in favor signify by saying I? I. I. Go ahead. Go ahead. Thank you. Um, we've um this time we uh we want to express our
gratitude. Because of the lengthy agenda, we have elected to speak now rather than wait for the individual agenda items. Two other speakers will follow. We're here to express our appreciation for the initiative you're taking to address the dire shortage of rental housing that families with
extremely low and very low incomes can afford. The directions you gave staff at your 2026 budget workshop and that you will vote to ratify today is a testament to your sincere concern for the welfare of the working families of our community
who are most vulnerable. We're grateful for the dedication that county staff has brought to this challenge. In particular, Assistant County Administrator Shington Lambie with the support of county administrator Vince Long and for the fruitful collaboration
we have shared with Mr. Lambie. We thank all of you who have shown your support as we have navigated our way through different pathways to address this challenge. We thank you for agreeing to meet with us individually throughout this time. We would like to
thank Commissioner Maddox for his motion at your J January 28th meeting that set this collaborative process in motion and for his motion at the blueprint board's budget workshop that led to their commitment of additional funding for this initiative. We also thank
Commissioner O'Keefe for his long-standing outspoken advocacy. Kum's mission is to work with local officials to address community justice challenges. You have listened, you have understood, and you have committed to act. We are
here today to celebrate as you ratify that commitment by voting to approve option one for agenda item number six, approving the proposed expenditures for the 2026 state housing initiatives partnership allocation. and option
number one for agenda item number 18, ratifying the direction provided by the board during the 2026 budget workshop. In particular, items J and K. Scripture says to love your neighbor as yourself. So, we thank you for putting that love
in motion. Next speaker, Jordan Rios, to be followed by Otis B. Young. My name is Jordan Rios and I'm a public school teacher in Jefferson County. I am going into my 12th year of teaching and I'm the proud mother of seven amazing
children, ages 11 down to just one. First, I want to just say thank you for giving me the chance to speak today. And I especially want to thank you for the work you're doing to address the affordable housing crisis here in our county. I know that today you're considering important funding
allocations that could help so many families. It means a great deal to us just to know this issue is being taken seriously. I'm here today to not just not just to tell my story, but why these decisions matter so deeply. In 2023, I was living in Tennessee with my now
ex-husband. Behind closed doors, my family was living with abuse and fear. Financially, we were drowning. His gambling addiction meant rent went unpaid for months. Eventually, we were evicted. But worse than the eviction was knowing that I had to get my six
children, pregnant with my seventh kids, safe. And I knew I couldn't just move across town. I had to leave it all behind for their safety. I came to Tallahassee in May of 2023, pregnant and raising six children, trying to start from scratch. I had a job offer. I was
ready to work and build a new life. But I did not realize how hard it would be to find a place for us to live. Even with the job offer in hand, everywhere I applied, I hit barriers. Too many kids per room. Credit checks that punished me for a marriage that hurt me in every
way. My credit was destroyed. And no one wanted no one wanted to take a chance. I spent money I didn't have, $100 here, $200 there on application fees for rentals just to be told no over and over. The truth is, we found housing
only 2 days before I had to move and start my new job the following week. That was the thin line between my children sleeping in beds or sleeping in a car, between safety and the street. And even once we moved in, things didn't magically get easy. There were months
that I had to make impossible choice choices. Do I pay rent on time or do I buy groceries? Do I drive uninsured or do I miss work? Keep the lights on or pay the late fee? After I had my youngest child, I even received eviction notices because I couldn't return work
right away immediately following childbirth. Thankfully, we were never formally evicted. But the fear was real, and it still is. I know how quickly one unexpected bill or one health crisis can push us right back to that edge. And I want to be clear, I'm not someone who's
unwilling to work. I'm a veteran teacher. I'm college educated. I'm bilingual. I work full-time serving the children of our community. But even with that, the system was set up to say no to me at every turn. What changed everything was one landlord deciding to
give me a chance. No hard credit check. That's it. Just trust. And with that one opportunity, my credit score in less than two years has gone from 489 to me being able to work with a lender to get
approved to be a first-time homeowner. My kids are stable. They're doing well in school. They feel safe. And that stability has changed everything in our lives. My oldest daughter at that time was suffering from depression. And now she is the only fifth grader at Jefferson County K- through2 school that
made a five on ELA math and science. Commissioners, this is why the funding you're considering today matters so much. These allocations are not abstract numbers or lines on a budget. They are real hope for real families. They are the difference between sleeping, children sleeping in beds or in cars,
between parents going to work or losing everything. Families like mine don't want pity. We want policy. We want the chance to stand on our own two feet to provide for our children to be part of the solution to leave abusive situations. And you by investing in
affordable housing are giving families like mine the chance. I know I'm out of time. I just want to say thank you. Thank you for letting me go over as well. I appreciate it. Thank you. Uh, good afternoon, commissioners. Good afternoon. All right. Thank you. Good afternoon. What's your name and address, sir, for the record?
Uh, name is Otis Young. Address is 8930 Wingfoot Drive, 32312. Thank you. Great. My name is Otis Young. I'm the senior pastor of Kingdom Life Tabernacle here in Tallahassee. Um, I'm a pastor by name, but a counselor by profession. and
humbly and gratefully the newly elected president, co-president of Capitol Area Justice Ministry. Today, I stand before you not just as a faith leader, but as a lifelong servant of the community who has who has walked with families through their deepest
struggles. I've seen parents break down because they can't afford can't afford or find affordable places to live. I prayed with grandmothers um who who who were concerned about their grandchildren who had nowhere to lay their heads at night. I've counseledled people who work
two and three jobs or two and a half jobs but still can't find or can't can't afford rent in the city they call home. Uh that's why today's action matters so deeply to me. By approving this funding and these program changes, you're doing
what's what you're you're you're doing more than just moving budget lines. You're showing compassion. You're sending a clear message that this county cares about its most its most vulnerable. And for that and on behalf of Kum and the many congregations that
we represent, I want to say two simple words and that is thank you. And as I say garage, as I say thank you, I want to be clear that this is just the beginning, but it's a step in the right direction. Affordable housing is not a problem we solve with one vote or one
year. It's a commitment, a covenant, a promise we keep to our neighbors. And that is why Kinjum, we we're not going anywhere, but we will continue to show up. We will continue to partner with you. We will continue to hold each other
accountable because that's true community which means working side by side year after year to ensure that every child every child has a safe home. Every parent has a hope and every family has a fair chance. So today,
commissioners, let's celebrate uh the step as an act of compassion and caring and let's look ahead together to the other justice challenges we can face and solve for the good of all of our people.
I say thank you for your leadership. I say thank you for listening and I say thank you for your commitment to justice. Sign yours truly, Otis B. Young. Commissioners, that was the final speaker from Kum. We have two additional
speakers. Max Ebstein to be followed by the your final speaker on this section of the agenda, Neita Marlene Davis. Hello, commissioners. Max Epstein, 101 St. Louis Road. I was hoping not to have to take off uh work today to be here because we've been working great with uh
Matt Cavell to set up our town hall meeting. Um except for the fact that um we weren't given a choice on the location. We chose a date and a time. We were supposed to get locations. Uh we're being told it's going to be held in Woodville, which is almost 25 minutes
away round trip. It's not within the Lake Monson area. Leyon County holds all their Montinary meetings at the Baptist Church and other bunch of faith leaders here today. It's larger. It has screens all around. I think we had seven of the 12 city and county commissioners come to
our first um town hall meeting at this location. Uh we've reserved it for the 26. So, we'd like to see the board here, direct staff, please, to hold it there or at least have us, you know, some, you know, say in the matter. This is
important because half those folks are not going to be able to make the meeting if it's in Woodville. There are a lot of older folks, a lot of disabled people who live in the area and to make them go to Woodville makes no sense. So, um really appreciate if you do that. Otherwise, it's been great. I mean,
everything that we've asked for perfect. um you know that I presented some water quality um information at your at your last meeting and uh Commissioner Caban I know on your Facebook you have been saying something
hearing that the water quality is the best it's been in 20 years. So I posted two um some some of these uh concerning trends that I saw and right here this is the nitrogen north of Mson and south of it. This is the most
concerning and this is the least concerning. And I said this at our last meeting. This is well below. You can see here this one curves up. And I even asked staff, thank you to provide some more information. You can see they provide actually some of the averages here. So I just wanted to know if you
saw a line like this, would you think that we have the best water quality in the last 20 years? and staff was able to provide me with all of the water quality data that we had over this enhanced draw down. If you take a look at the water that's coming into the lake, you look at the 20-year
line, the 10year, the 5year, and now the three-year line is all broken above. And actually, for the first half of this year, we are currently violating the TMDL for nitrogen coming into the lake. That's a problem.
Now, it's the same for the phosphorus, right? You see all these that are above the line here, above the line. And you can see the staff provided some more here. But if you map it, does that look like the best water quality we've had in the last 20 years? And each one of these
little points here that's above the line represents a violation of that. And I'll wrap up just by saying if this were 2008 and they were going through the TMDL process, if 10% of those samples are above that line, it's automatically
considered impaired. So both North Mson Slooh and South Mson Slooh would be considered impaired right now. So please, I hope moved location to the church and we'll have discussions just like this and I hope you all come. So thank you
commissioner command. Thank you Mr. Mr. Chair, and I know this is technically out of order, but um I think it's important with an issue like like Lake Mson that um misinformation is not spread. Unlike U Mr. Epstein, I actually got a degree in
chemistry from Florida State University. So when you are doing an experiment in public experiment, there is always going to be deviations amongst the average and those get written off. And I had my notes previously when I had from the
meeting last time where I had the data to show that we were within the margin of error. Additionally, I live in town. For the neighbors who live along Lake Monson and Woodville, it is an 8 to 10 minute drive to the
Woodville Community Center. So, I myself will be driving the same distance as you to go to the the Woodville community meeting considering we live relatively in the same neighborhood. And so, I want to thank staff for their efforts on this project. Additionally, which we will
find out today, we got $800,000 from the state legislature for Lake Mson water quality improvements. And so, I want to thank staff for their efforts on that. And I'm looking forward to the town hall. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you, Mr. Vice Chair. There any other speakers? Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Commissioners,
final speaker, Nita Marlene Davis. Okay. All right. And that concludes your speakers, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Mr. Administrator. We are on consent agenda. Commissioners, we have one item pulled. Can we get a motion for everything except for the pull down? So moved. We've got a motion from Commissioner
Miner. Is there a second? Second was where I'm sorry, Commissioner Oh, Commissioner Maddox. Okay, we've got a motion, a second on all consent items excluding number 15. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. I. Passes unanimously. We are on item number 15. Mr. Administrator.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, commissioners. Item number 15 uh is your fiscal year 2324 annual audit and financial statements uh prepared um by the um uh the clerk of the court uh and comproller
along of course with our um external uh auditors um uh commissioners. I saw some of the the clerk's uh team here today uh which I'm sure who I'm sure be happy to answer any questions you might have along with your staff. This item was uh
pulled by Commissioner O'Keefe. Commissioner O'Keefe, you're recognized. Thank you. Um just to start discussion um make a motion to accept the report and I'm I'm not done yet. Um and ask staff to work with the clerk's office to bring back a corrective action plan um
on addressing the number of findings. Okay, we have a motion. Is there a second? Before Before I second, Mr. Chair, can I ask a question? Sure. Um, Mr. Administrator, you said the corrective action report if there there was some things in there to be that needed a
corrective action report. My question is, don't they do that anyway? Or can someone answer that for me? Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Is is someone from the clerk's office would they like to come on up and address that?
You're recognized. Go ahead. Good afternoon, chairman, members of the commission. I'm Kenneth Kent. I'm the chief deputy in the clerk's office. Thanks, sir. Um, won't you guys be doing a corrective action report anyway? So, we have
plan I'm sorry. Yes, sir. We have looked at the findings. We've responded to them in the uh audit report and we're actively working with the various departments and other constitutional officers to make sure that we correct all the items that
were identified in the annual financial report. Thank you. So, um Commissioner O'Keeffe, only thing I'm wondering is if they're already doing it, you're just asking for it to come back to us. Um I'd like to be able to explain it and that's but I'll start with the motion
perhaps. Perhaps someone would like to make a motion uh that accepts the report and then let me make comments on why that's not what I would go with. Okay. I I'll make a substitute motion that we that we accept the report, Mr. Chair. Second. All right. We've got a motion and a
second. We're in discussion. Commissioner O'Keefe. Thank you. Um so Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Chair. That would be the main motion cuz he didn't get a second. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Uh we've got a a motion. Yeah. Your motion and his second and he's going to discuss. Sure. Thank you. So um this is
the reason I pulled this is this is a unusual number of significant immaterial major findings. It's very unusual. And so, um, the, uh, and I know this may not, uh, I don't, this may not be received well because it is not typically how much we go into it, but
I'm hoping I get a little difference um, since this is my professional expertise, just like we usually give more difference to if we're talking about hospitality industry, we would do so with Commissioner Kaban, nonprofit leadership, Commissioner Madic, Commissioner Miner, Lost Lawyer Legal
Stuff, Commissioner Cummings, and teaching and professorship, Commissioner Proctor. and and Commissioner Welch. So, um I'll start with I uh saw this report and typically you get ideally the goal is you get no
findings. Okay? And now there have been findings in the past years, but I wanted to be able to illustrate that in a way um that was clear without having to take all the accounting classes. So, I compared us to Elatchua, Leyon, and St. John's County and I looked at their two
years of audits and combined none of them had any findings. No significant findings, no material weaknesses. Significant finding means there's an issue and error in the process, but it's not a big enough number that people will care about. A material finding means it's a big enough number people will care about and it gets corrected in the
financials, but it gets caught by the auditor. And so, while we have had findings in the past, there have been one one or two. This is five material weaknesses and uh one or two significant
deficiencies. And so while while the numbers are the the final numbers the auditors have said are we believe correct, that's after they've caught these mistakes. And so I I do want to preface with the the the clerk's office and everyone in there has been amazing
in talking with me about this and talking about the the ways they're addressing it and everything. And as we know, we work very well with them and um I know that they work to uphold the highest standard of transparency and accountability. The reason I bring it to
our commission is because this report is to the county commissioners and the financial statements is the county commissioners and we are tasked with oversight. Normally, we don't have to dig into it, but this is a very high
number of findings. And so, I'll skip over the specific accounting parts of the findings. And there, you're right in it. Um, there's a response that says we're updating policies or we had turnover or we're doing this. And that is um that's all in there and that's all
satisfactory. But when you have this number of them, what it is evidence of and what it has is higher risks to make other errors to have other misappropriation of assets that aren't part of this. And that's in the report. That's the part of the audit being done
by external auditors on behalf of us. And what this audit is saying in multiple findings, there is a higher than normal risk of assets being misappropriated um or amounts being reported incorrectly. That's why I'm pulling it. And that's why while there
is, you know, a paragraph or two in each thing about managing this response at a high level, what happens is this stuff is found in the spring, the spring in the audit for a year ago. Okay? And we put in new we we sorry, the clerk's
office puts in new policies now from the finding. You're already 6 to 7 months into the year of the audit that's going to happen again in a year. And so the reason I'm asking for a corrective action plan to be brought back in collaboration with the clerk's office and audit committee to the commission is
to make sure that we are on top of a comprehensive plan to address this because there is a higher than normal risk these will be repeated or that other things will be found just because it is difficult uh to it can be
difficult to get out of these once you have a number to get them turned around. It takes time and I do want to say that we've um so again I want to preface it um accountants would know this is not uh um to say that these are not excellent
professionals is to say that um this is what was found in the audit and we are collaborative and we want to make sure that we know what's going on to make sure it's that we are being responsible for the citizens and taking our oversight role seriously while respecting it's the clerk's authority
who is a duly the elected official that we rely on for our financials and for the expense and control of taxpayer dollars. And so that's why my uh original motion was in there. And I just have a couple questions um
uh for either the county administrator or the clerk or whoever is appropriate. Um what is our responsibility when we vote on accepting these financial statements as county commissioners? What are we saying that
we are responsible for? Would you like to go? Well, you are responsible for attesting to the public, to any bond holders, to the auditor general that the uh financial statements that are reported
are stated fairly and accurately. And uh in this case, there was an unmodified opinion. Uh you have complied with all those requirements. I do agree with you commissioner it was not the audit we wanted to see. Uh there were a
lot of moving parts this year. Uh there was changes in the governmental accounting standards board proclamations which had to be built into the uh review. Um also we've had some personnel changes that we have worked diligently to catch up on. And I believe that we
will in fact have a much uh fewer audit findings next year and a much quicker turnaround time on completing the annual financial report. So we are taking to heart what you're saying. Um and we do appreciate the fact that you've spoken with us earlier. But I just want to
reiterate this is a complex audit. It involves the county which has you know extraordinary number of initiatives going on to benefit the citizens and also five constitutional officers. So with that many moving parts uh it takes
some time to get an audit like this as complex that it is done. Uh we appreciate very much the auditor's uh diligence and review and also the oversight and working with the county's uh office of management and budget and the various project managers throughout the county to get the accurate
information that was needed to complete the audit. We believe that based on the work we did this year that we are in position to go through this more uh diligently and quickly next year. We believe that we've found where the choke points are and we're going to be working
uh to re rectify those and streamline the process. In fact, we do have a meeting coming up with management and budget uh premeating for our annual closeout meeting. And again, we want to make certain that the items that were found, particularly items like capital
asset disposal, uh the uh leases and how to calculate those leases, that we work through those earlier in the process and get those done before we get into the testing that the auditors are going to do so that there are fewer items that end up being brought up at the end of the audit.
Thank you. Um and uh so um I'll just add that um the normal the normal result is no findings. I have never had a finding where I've been
audited at any of the agencies I've worked at. And it doesn't mean um like like he said, it doesn't mean the statements aren't correct, but what it means is there's in this case at least five things where the statements were going to be wrong by an amount that mattered and the auditors caught it and
put it in there. But that's not this is also not just about these five items. This is about if we are not o if we if we don't have everything tight and under control in these processes what is the next process and I want to make sure everyone understands an audit is not
covering everything these are only findings that were done out of the little little sample of items for example um not tracking assets that were uh equipment computers all that stuff that were disposed of and and not uh
updating if they've been gone. Um, there were 19 tested and six were incorrect out of all of the assets that were disposed of. And what that very boring detail means is we didn't find the auditors didn't find five issues out of looking at every transaction. They found
five issues out of looking at a small number of transactions. And so I'll drop the the the audit talk there and just say that I think I I as a CPA I wanted to be clear that this is an unusually high number of findings that there is a
lack of control and I fully believe and know that the clerk's office is is on top of fixing it. But it's a big enough number of issues that I think it's our responsibility to pay attention more so than waiting till next year. And I will
make a substitute motion that we accept the report and ask staff to work with the clerk of court and the audit committee to update us with their corrective action plan. All right, we've got a substitute motion. Um, is there a second?
Seeing none, dies without a second. We're on the original motion. Commissioner Maddox, did you want to elaborate or can we vote on it? Yeah, just give me one second. I just cuz it's not that I was against his motion. So, I'm just trying to I'm just trying to figure out what's what's the difference between what he's
asking for, right, and what's actually going to happen. Staff is already going to work with with you guys on that. As I understand it, we are here just to make sure that we're attesting to the financial statements being correct. Yes, sir. Uh and so now what I think we could do
if you want to really get into it because even the corrective actions that you put in the corrective actions report will be performed by the clerk's office. Yes, sir. So let me uh go through that with you. One, we'll have this a two-pronged approach on this. One, we will have our finance staff working with
the various departments with OM and the other constitutionals to address these issues. Also, we have an audit oversight committee made up of audit professionals both from the community and within the uh county. And with our internal audit
staff, we'll be going through these as well to make certain that we're reviewing the internal controls and that any controls that need to be uh enhanced that those changes are made and that they're also brought back to our audit oversight committee for uh for approval.
So, we are going to be going down both those roads. We're very appreciative of you, the board, county administration, for the resources you've provided to us this year. For example, you've allowed us to have a third internal auditor, which will allow our audit director and
our chief auditor to uh focus more on these items, and we intend to have them really take a hard look at each and every one of these findings to make certain that they're not repeated. All right, thank you. We've got uh All right, commissioners. We got a heavy agenda. Um can we move on? Commissioner
Miner, followed by Commissioner Proctor. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I I know we got a heavy agenda, but this is why we're here, right? So, um I I agree with Commissioner Maddox. I mean, I I I I'm not objecting to the motion at all, you know, and I I do see our responsibility
to not only attest to the accuracy of of the of the audit, um but also making sure that, you know, we're doing our part as county commissioners to oversee the operations of of Leon County government. Let me let me ask you. So when would be the next time that the county commission would get an update on
the progress on the corrective actions? So we would be happy to share one with you after we have the audit oversight committee look at the findings and what efforts are being made. I'd be happy to provide a report to the commissioners. I I have no problem with with with
making sure that that's provided as a status report in a future county commission meeting. Just I mean that it's probably a matter of course. Isn't that auto automatically provided to us as uh so that the audit advisory committee reports I believe are available to the board but I'll make certain that it is
brought to the board. Okay. I um I I don't I'm not a CPA. Um I I don't I don't see the gravity of of the of of the seriousness that Commissioner O'Keefe does. Perhaps because I'm just I don't have that
background. But I think we all want to see, you know, what what the status is and and what the updates are. So, you know, I have no problem um trying again, restating Commissioner O'Keefe's motion, but with a modified approach, basically adopting the staff
uh recommendation to accept the report, but when there's a when there's an update available, having that presented to us as a staff report for an upcoming commission meeting, we don't need to have it as a separate agenda item where we discuss it unless unless the Sash report comes back to us and it's worthy of of bringing up for discussion. But I
think that's I think that's a very reasonable request. So I'd want to restate that amendment. I I want to restate the motion. I don't mean to take your your your motion. He is to add that unless you just want to make a motion. Well, that's that is my motion. You know, I make the motion that essentially
that some similar to Keith's accepting the report. You let me say is there a motion on the table right now? There is a motion in a second. Oh, okay. My apologies. All right. I didn't hear that. I thought we had a motion. No, no, no, no. I I'll support the motion on the table. My my apologies. I didn't hear your your
motion. I like I like but is the is the status report the status report is always going to come already going to come back Mr. Administrator or no I think we were I think based on what you heard here today we were clarifying that if that's what the board directed that we would make sure that it came
back to you. The question is did you want it to come back as an agenda item? I don't want an agenda item. I would like I would I would add it to come back and stat report. Somebody wants to pull it pull it. Yeah. Yeah. My my mistake. I didn't hear the motion. My apologies about that. So I um I I offer the friendly amendment. I will point out status
report as status is fine. But I will point out the difference is if we don't ask for this, nothing comes back until the next audit's complete. That's the difference is so I would ask for friendly amendment that um we accept the audit report and ask for a status update
uh in an agenda item once their audit committee has made their plan. I'm not willing to Sorry, not the agenda item, a status report. Stat. Yeah. Once once the work is complete, I would like a status report to come back for the board's review of the corrective action. It's reasonable, sir. Fair. Perfect. Commissioner Proctor,
we have Is that the motion? We have All right. Commissioner Proctor, I ask county administrator to walk with me a little bit on this. Um the Dave Lang years as uh clerk of courts. We're often tumultuous with respect to
the board of county commissioners and the clerk. uh duking it out over who was the u um ultimate voice over things financial for the county. And you recall the tensions uh clerk's office with uh
county administrator then. Um and it's my understanding that uh eventually we came to recognize that the clerk is a independent uh state recognized constitutional officer elected um in their own right
and that the aside from signing all of our paychecks, uh the clerk is the uh chief financial officer for for Leon County. those things are financial.
Um there is a our desire for efficiency and so forth with another constitutional officer's uh handling and whatever their report card might might linger but we ain't their daddy and we can't spank them if you
will uh whatever's on their report card. Um that's between them and the school, the teacher, whatever. But we're not their parent. And Vince, if there is uh any you just grabbing a metaphor uh if you
will to explain that this board, we have no oversight over the clerk's office. And if you had to put it on a scale, uh the clerk has more oversight over us. Mhm. And that's been the learning experience
that dates back uh for me um over the years in looking at tensions that we've had. But I'd like for the county administrator to um amplify um if I've missed a mark in those statements. Mr. Chairman, go ahead.
Well, the great thing is I haven't heard anything so far I would disagree with. So again, yeah, of course, the nature of the clerk's office is they are uh not only the clerk uh but the custodian of funds and and the comproller and they have statuto and and and and constitutional authority and the
relationship is supposed to be arms length and and and all of that. Um, and so, um, but again, I think what you've heard is is a is sort of a willingness to to sort of cooperate, work through these issues and that sort of issues and and and the the the commission, you
know, leaning in and expressing, you know, concerns and that sort of thing to make sure that we're on the right track. Again, um, I haven't heard anything that I that I would disagree with so far. I would have weighed in uh, if I if I had. Um, I think the only wrinkle we we've heard here tonight is to have something
come back to the board to make sure that you have a status report on those corrective actions um for your um public consideration even if it's a status report. So um again uh but happy to to to weigh in more if there are any specific questions. Could I about the
audit? Please commission can I bring up one last comment? So, one thing to bear in mind is as the clerk of the circuit court, we are acting as the board's accountant. But in order for us to provide the data that
you want and need, it has to be provided to us. So, this is a this is where the partnership really comes in. We're only as good as the information we receive. And so at the beginning of my remarks, I mentioned that this is a complex operation involving departments of the
board and five constitutional officers. Sometimes what happens is that information does not get to our finance office timely. Uh and it's not an intentional uh uh issue. It's not in any way a a reflection on the hard work of
everybody involved. But that coordination is very complicated. So, one of the things we're looking to do this year is start that process much earlier. I think that this last audit helped us map out a number of areas for us to look at. We intend to fully look
through those, but it does require cooperation. It does require those hardworking individuals that are out in the field to get that information to us so that we know as you mentioned now those 16 items, I think it was six of them had in fact been disposed of. We
wouldn't know that sitting on the seventh floor of the county administration annex. We have to have that information provided to us. So, we are going to make a diligent effort to get with those agencies to make certain that that is in fact happening. But I don't want anybody to think that the
clerk's office is not working as hard as it can or as diligently as it can prepare these financials and get these done in timely and in accordance with the with the rules of the auto general and Florida statutes and basic accounting practices. We very much want
to do that, fully intend to continue to do that and we're always looking for opportunities to improve and we will do so. Mr. Mr. Chairman, if I might also have one last u comment, and it's to say that over the last recent years that if we're not aware
that the courts uh have had difficulty being funded to the level of need, uh judicial uh requests for more judges has not been met uh for Florida's courts is difficult across the street. Uh the
clerk's association likewise is not um the fair child of the legislature. And as I was looking um u another agenda item um today um that
indicates that state employees were going to get a 2% across the board salary increase. But note that um the state's budget provides uh additional percentage raises for state law enforcement officers and firefighters.
So you don't see additional monies supplied to either the courts or to the clerks of courts uh in Florida. I don't understand the dynamic of what it is that the legislature uh fails to um
understand the need for additional funding, but it I dare not say it's hostile. I'm just not I'm saying that. But what I am saying is that it's not loving. Uh and the kind of uh raises flat for law enforcement and the kind of
reception that the sheriff's association as constitutional officers getting across the street. and additional money on top of that. Uh the clerk and the courts of Florida are simply not in that league of respect and um uh reward. So
I'm aware of um difficulties uh that dates back to the efforts of uh Chief Judge Charles Francis uh who caught hell across the street. And I don't know if it's because we're a Democratic county or I don't understand the philosophy,
but they're not treated the same. And I think that that's fair. The resources are not keeping pace with the demand for those um entities of government. Mr. Chairman, would you mind having the motion on the floor restated, please?
Motion. Uh my motion is for option number one. uh our our staff recommendation uh and we will have a status report come back on the corrective action once the committee is done doing this work. All right, we've got a motion, a second.
All those in favor signify by saying I. I. All oppose. No, none. Passes unanimously. We are on to general business. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Agenda item number 18. Uh commissioners is your
first general business item. uh the ratification of the board's action of June 17th on the FY26 budget workshop regarding the development of the tenative budget. The item also recommends commissioners rescheduling our next board meeting and public hearing from Tuesday uh September 16th
to Monday uh September 15th to meet the statutory uh deadlines for holding the public hearing on the non-advalorum uh fire assessment and fee. Commissioners, again, this should all look very familiar to you. We just had this workshop very recently. You'll see
uh the alphabetical uh listing of all the actions that you took which we seek ratification on. You'll notice that one of the outstanding issues uh that we um uh that we received direction on the board uh at that time was to tenatively
approve the performance raises um at 0 to 5 with an average of 3% but the board did provide direction for us to bring back an option to provide the 5% across the board uh pay increases. We've done that. It's listed in table one uh for your consideration. And with that,
commissioners, we're recommending uh options one, two, and seeking your direction on option three. We have no speakers on this item. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Commissioner Miner. You're recognized. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'd like to make a motion for option one, option
two, and then for option three, um basically having directions for the staff to implement the 0 to 5% performance pay increase with an average of 3%. And I imagine we might have some discussion about that. So, I'll I'll save my comments for that for that to come back around. Thank you, sir.
All right, we've got a motion for staff recommendation options one and two and for board direction on three, option three for a 3% average performance-based pay raise. Uh, is there a second? I will second for discussion. And we are in
discussion. Commissioner Miner, you have the floor. Thank you, sir. I appreciate it. And we spoke about this at length during our workshop, so I won't belabor the point. But um and if we've got different opinions on this, that's fine. You know, we'll just we'll hash it out and talk it through like we always do. Um I feel
pretty strongly, as I've said before, about the 0 to 5% performance-based uh increase with an average of 3%. Uh because we have um by by having this continual increase of 5%, we're having a recurring fiscal obligation uh during
times of particular uncertainty. And so uh I think uh we've we've done it for uh multiple years in a row. I think it's time for us to take a step back, return back to the policy that we had three years ago, four years ago. Um and uh because during this during this time of
unprecedented financial uncertainty with what uh the state might provide, what the economics are going to provide, I think it's the right course of action. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Commissioner Miner, may I ask a question real quick? Is it would it be possible to just do a motion on one and two so that three Yes, sir. Separate vote.
I was gonna offer that if if it got Okay. So, is that cool? Yeah. So, I'll bifrocate the two. I'll have a motion for options one and two. Dispense. Can we dispense of one and two first? Okay. I will second u Mr. Chair. Yes, sir. Um if I can. You got a better way of putting that?
Um I'll make a motion for option two. Okay. I can't I I have Oh, you got to be Okay. So, um, you want to go ahead, Commissioner Miner, you want to do option two? I'll do option two. Okay, option two and we got a second. Uh, and if there's no discussion, all
those in favor signify by saying I. I. That one passes unanimously. We're back. Commissioner M, you still have the floor. Um, do you want Yes, sir. When you do option one, if Commissioner Maddox, you need to recuse. Go ahead. Um, you want to state your recusal? For the record, I'll be recusing myself from
option one because I am the CEO of Family Promises Big Ben, which receives CHSP funding, I could bifurcate it, but in abundance of of caution, I'm just going to recuse myself from the entire item. All right. So, we've got a motion for option one with recusal of Commissioner
Maddox, I will second that for discussion. Is there any disc there? I got people here want to discuss. Anybody want to discuss that part? Okay. Um, Commissioner Cummings, you are recognized. Commissioner Miner, did you want to speak any on option one bifurcate or No, sir. I'm fine for this. All right. Commissioner Cummings, then
Commissioner Maddox, then Proctor O'Keefe. Uh, thank you, Mr. Chair. In regard to option one, I wanted to see if Commissioner Maddox would amend his motion to exclude M. Approve everything
A through L, N through O. Oh, yeah. Exclude M. And that way that would leave him over uh leave it out for full board discussion. Uh Mr. Chair, M Comm Commissioner Cummings, maybe the administrator can clarify. Does option
three uh sort of delete option M? It's fine. We would have taken that as addressing the the the option. But that's okay. We can do it either way. We're fine. So, can we move then without removing option M and still address it through option three? Do you understand what I'm saying? I Yes, we do.
It's kind of stated twice. Yes. Yeah. We we wrote it to clearly articulate all the actions taken by the board. Again, if the board would like So, if we if we pivot on option three away from what is written in M, does it? Yes. If I think it's fine if you'd wish to if you want to clarify here what you
want to do on M to be very clear how you want to address that. Okay. So, we can deal with option three effectively and option M, but we've already withdrawn option or we're already holding back on option three or delineated it. So, do we need to remove option M is my question. I think that would be fine if it makes it clear for
everybody to understand. Okay. MJ or M. I'm sorry. Commissioner Cummings has the floor. What? But but no, I was just saying if we leave M in it's confusing if we don't deal with option three. So I think to make it clean, approve everything. So we have a motion for option one
excluding Commissioner Maddox and removing option M. And we are in discussion. I'll second that. Okay. We've got a motion and a well you I think Commissioner Maddox. Who made the motion? I feel like Excuse me. I feel like you made the motion. I seconded it. We are in discussion
on option one excluding M and Commissioner Cummings, you are back up if you want to talk. No, I'm good. If you accepted that that M's out of there. Uh, Commissioner Max, you're up next. Is that just your recusal? Go ahead. Uh, that was my recusal. I will go
ahead. Well, I'll wait till Yeah, if you don't mind waiting. Um, Commissioner Proctor, then Commissioner O'Keeffe. I I'll I'll wait to option three. Okay. Okay. Commissioner O'Keefe, you're on option one minus M. Thank you. Um I just want to point out that the I just want I don't want to
pass this up without thanking Kum, Commissioner Maddox, all the commissioners so that everyone knows this vote is ratifying the vote we took at the budget to create the overall $500,000 commitment to affordable rental housing
for low and very lowincome families. And I just want to make sure that we celebrate that when we take this vote. Thank you, Commissioner O'Keefe. The other thing is I and and uh my concern my my concern I'm not making any substitute motions or things on
removing M in this is the the point of one is to ratify what we had decided and we had decided to do 0 to 5 until we find out if there's new money. Right? By not ratifying M in this in this motion, we don't determine anything
on salary and we have to decide the specific thing in three instead of ratifying what we decided and then deciding to override it. So I'm not making any I'm I'm not I'm just pointing that out that Yeah, I mean I get it. It feels like it's one half a dozen the other.
It was a little bit of a challenge to write, but I think we all see the issue. Whatever the board um decides, we'll clarify it. Okay. Commissioner Maddox, you want to comment real Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, I'm actually rethinking my recusal now because I want to be in on the KUM vote, but uh I I do
want to say I want to thank those folks from KUM uh for trusting the process. We first started this. Um there were a lot of conversations kicking the can down the road. um you know, you guys can commit to to just a panelis plan. Uh but
you gave it a chance and now we're here with a Leyon County plan that others can copy and and and and imitate. Uh and let me tell you something. I I got approached in the grocery store saying, "Support this thing at church." Uh
saying, "Hey, I'm very disappointed that you kick the can down." Let me tell you something. They were on me. But look where we are here today. And I think you all should be proud of your advocacy and you should be proud of of your of your perseverance and the way you push for this. Uh the young lady who spoke
earlier, your story is so inspiring. Uh to know that you went from where you are to now about to buy a house. That's what that's that's the thing dreams are made made of and and I appreciate you sharing that. But I did I did want to take the opportunity uh to say that I appreciate Cinjun working with us. I appreciate our
staff uh for being innovative in the ideas they came up with with for us to get here. And I'm just I'm I'm proud of us as a commission. I'm proud of us as a community to be able to do this. So, thank you, Mr. Ch. I will go ahead I will go ahead and recuse myself out of caution, but I I I support I support the
budget. I support what we were able to do here today and I support CAM in in the uh in the way you have worked with us. Thank you. All right. Thank you, Commissioner Maddox. We've got a motion from Commission. Oh, I'm sorry, Commissioner Cummings. you want to talk on this one? Yeah. Uh, thank you, Mr. Chair. I I just
felt like I would be remiss if I didn't just make a comment about our vote today as far as affordable housing is concerned. And I I think to our Capital Area Justice Ministry, uh, it it just solidifies our vote today, the vote we
took at our last meeting. I think it solidifies the way we have always felt uh with the county commission. We have always supported affordable housing and
so we've uh done it now in word and indeed. I think the record of Lyon County commitment speaks for itself. And I think we've said over and over again for the last few years we have um
funded I think close to $5.8 million in direct direct support of affordable housing and that does not include our votes as far as bond issuances are concerned. And I believe I'm correct,
right, Mr. County Administrator? $5.8 million. So, we we appreciate you all's advocacy, but I want you to just recognize that we've always supported affordable housing and this is just a great demonstration of our level of
support. So, thank you all so much. We appreciate you. All right. Thank you, Commissioner Cummings. All right. Got a motion by Commissioner Miner, seconded by myself for staff recommendation option one minus option M. All those in favor signify by saying I.
I. Passes unanimously with Commissioner Maddox in recusal. Now we are on option three and uh thank you Commissioner Proctor. You are recogn uh that we go with the 5% across the
board for our county workers uh as pay increases for next year. All right, we've got a motion Mr. Chair, I second the motion. All right, uh the vice chair beat you to it, Commissioner Cummings. Oh, we've got a motion from Commissioner Proctor, second from the vice chair for
a 5% acrosstheboard pay increase. We are in discussion. Commissioner Proctor, do you need to discuss? Well, to the question uh Commissioner Miner lifted and that was the contingency of the previous uh M uh under one M under one
and I just for the record and for um the public's awareness that our board is hesitancy at something to do with first identifying where funds would come for from. uh our community um certainly has
seen uh the hiring of personnel and uh people not know how you going to pay the president of Florida&M uh but but you hire them and give them a salary and um still unclear where the money will come from. That's not what this board wanted
to do. uh you said hold up before we make a commitment let us understand uh the sources the streams of revenue and a part of your um discomfort uh was simply in waiting for the final numbers from uh
Mr. Akiami and I want to make sure that uh as we get to this point of budgeting and belt tightening that um our administrator is able to uh uh any doubts or hesitations uh which were
raised before consistent with uh words from Commissioner Miner today. Uh Mr. Administrator, what comfort can you give to this commission that we are uh walking on safe and um stable ground? Chairman. Sure.
Very briefly, Mr. Chairman. Uh Commissioner, again, we are um following the direction that we that the board provided to identify uh uh dollars that would be available uh at this point in the budget process, which we've done. And so again, the dollars are there if
this is the decision that the board decides to make. Very good. So the dollars are there. That's the good news. Uh we're not uh huffing and puffing and making commitments that we don't know how we will fund and we've never done that. Uh the patience with which we've shown, the
optimism with which we've held out, uh the numbers and the monies coming in uh it's amazing uh process how this works. But patience always is rewarded uh with when faith uh is applied. So, I believe
that for all of the efforts of uh our our our county uh employees who are here looking us in the eyes and those who um vote for or against us or whatever, but to say that we appreciate them in this time. Um
um you know, there's a big beautiful bill uh is big but not beautiful. uh more than ever uh the incision uh in the against poor folk,
middle class people and the transfer of $4 trillion out of programs that help people like those who work for the county and myself and you. $4 trillion transferred to America's top tier uh at the expense of
the bottom 40% is the reason that uh we can do our best to reward those who show so much uh concentrated effort for uh our county and our mission, our goals, and um our operations. Thank you, Mr.
Chairman. Thank you, Commissioner Proctor. Um, Commissioner Cummings. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I Well, I thought I second the motion, but Commissioner Bird thirded it.
I third the motion. Uh, but no, I just want to take the opportunity to just l our county uh employees. They recently received an additional seven achievement awards at the Nico uh convention. and the county administrator um uh pointed
out to us that over the last what five six years they've received 118 achievement awards. So we have great uh county employees. they make us look good. And I appreciate the county
administrator going back um and editing his comments because one of the things we said last we asked him to do last month is do a revision depending on the property values. Uh and so when the
property appraisers submitted those property values, uh they came in where we've netted over a quarter of a million dollars. And using that quarter of a million dollars, uh we can give our employees across the board 5% raise
without having to uh deal with any fund balances. uh the county administrator has presented a balanced budget to us based on uh on that uh a quarter of a million dollars that we've realized plus there were some um expenditure reductions in
certain areas. So I feel good about uh the financial situation that we're in and I just feel that we should uh reward our county employees while we can because we might be in more dire straits next year. Uh, and I think we we are
anticipating some hard times. But right now, um, with inflation at the level that it is, I think all of our employees deserve a raise and and we are not just giving it to them. They've earned a raise, Mr.
Chair. So, I'm I'm um happy, Mr. Vice Chair, to support uh the motion on the floor. Thank you, Commissioner O'Keefe. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um I the
so many of the employees of the county do so much better of a job than I won't speak for the others, but me uh and they do incredible work and and the awards are welld deserved. And that's why
I would like to get back to merit is the motivating the top performers and that is where if I do the bare minimum versus if I go above and beyond and everyone's getting 5%. One or two years 3 years um
you know but it's it's become our permanent policy. Let's be real. If I'd suggest if this is what we want to do this year, it's um how many years have we done this? Um three. Three. This will be the fourth or the third? Fourth. This will be the fourth. This would be the fourth. And so perhaps
if this is the way the majority board wants to go, we can save ourselves time each year and just make it the policy. Um second. Second. And and I mean it because um because uh
I don't think it's whether employees deserve a raise or not is necessarily the debate. I think the debate is whether we should do it based on merit. And so and you know I'd be if we want to give more money which I'm good with but
I'd prefer it stay merit. you know, I' I'd be happier with something instead of 0 to 5% with an average of three. If we want to add five, make it merit- based, but it's an average of five, that we are giving them more money to spread around, but we're still doing it based on merit.
Um, and that's why it's uh that's why I won't support this. Um, I support more money, but I would like it to be merit um over the long term. Um, the other question I have is what's the lowest, not a name when I'm that would be rude,
but what's the lowest full-time county salary? It it the name is Ken Wars just but but the uh again the uh the uh commissioners would the lowest uh county
salary I think was last budget year the board um or maybe two ago the board uh put in place a minimum $15 an hour for hourly employees. Then that's grown each year um uh with a um uh tied to an
index. And so so to keep pace with with that um rough numbers does do you know the average never mind rough numbers uh how many employees make less than $60,000 a year? I know I'm just throwing it at you but you have no idea.
I I'd have to get that information to you. Okay. Um, you know, I would to me if we're adding money based on position across the board, I'd like to see us say, you know, 5% of of $30,000 is a lot less than 5% of $150,000. And
so if we're modifying it to make sure that people who do the work we rely on, um I would rather see us do something where we add this money and say everyone who makes under 60,000 gets a thous minimum thousand raise. Um so it's more I'm not the reason I'm not suggesting
these substitute motions is we're for order. We're we're well in the process, but um I'd like us to consider that there is a good reason to attach someone's work performance to overall raise as long as we're doing it fairly.
And if we're not doing it fairly, that's a management issue we should be addressing. Um that's all. Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner Kan. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, I'm going to support the motion on the floor and last in our in our budget
workshop, I stated that as long as that we had the money in the budget and we did not have to go into reserves, I would support the motion and I'm a man of warden and so I intend to do so. However, the reason why I am supporting the motion
is because of times like Sir Richard Road, times like Team Leon, all the work that's being done on Lake Mson. And you know, in my businesses,
I tend to say, "Hey, I support um merit raise merit-based raises." However, look at the awards and look at the effort that we our team is doing at Lyon County. We have a very nimble government
and we have a lot of positions that are wearing different hats and they're and they're they're doing different jobs. And particularly, I mean, think about our public works department, Sir Richard Road. They rebuilt a bridge in a day um to allow our residents um out of a
neighborhood of which they were literally trapped. And so um that is the reason why and for those efforts why I intend to support this race. And I really do want to give a big shout out to our Leyon County staff and the county administrative for this. The re us being
able to be nimble as a government allows us to be competitive and take good care of our employees. And I think that speaks volumes. So, I intend to support the motion on the floor. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you, Commissioner Kan. Commissioner Miner. Thank you, Mr. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Um, I know a big part of our concern during the budget workshop was being able to pay for the the raises this year. And I and Commissioner Proctor, you mentioned that and and it it's it's good news that the county administrator and and the and his team have been able to to find allocations for this year.
The issue though is that this is a recurring obligation and so we might be able to find funds for it this year, but it's a it's a burden in perpetuity. Um, and so that's that's another point. And and one thing that I didn't harp on during the budget workshop last time, but I I spoke about it last year and the
year before, which is that for for managers, whether you're in Lyon County government, whether you're in your private sector, one of the most important tools you have in your toolbox, is is is showing appreciation and recognition for the people within your team that are really doing an
incredible job. uh if you if you have an across the board pay pay increase, it's hard for you as a manager to to to show recognition for those folks that are truly getting up every day and working hard. And we've talked about the folks
who uh rebuilt the road. We we we talk about the folks who are working so hard on on Lake Mson. Those people are the ones that are likely to get the 5% merit increase. We're talking about the people that are working so hard. Um, if there are folks in within the county
structure, I doubt there are many, but if there are folks that just aren't really doing their best to serve the people of Lyon County, I don't think they should get the kind of raise that our best should get. And so, that's been my point from the very beginning when we first started talking about this 3 years
ago. Uh, that's been my position since then. Um, you know, we we need to take care of our county employees. you have an obligation and we we all want to take care of our accounting employees. We also have an obligation to the public to make sure
that we're being good stewards of their taxpayer dollars. And so we we've talked about this for the last 3 years. We've had a long thoughtful discussion over this topic for the last 3 years and and I know we feel differently and and I respect that. Um, I'm going to I'm going
to support the merit increases and I'm going to support that next year because I just I think that's that's an important part of what Lyon County needs to be an innovative um dynamic organization. Across the board increases don't instill in most people that
innovation, that hard work, getting up every single day, putting your boots on, getting out there and working for people that live in this county. I believe that's that that management tool is something we need. And so that's where my position is. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Commissioner Miner. Um, Commissioner Maddox, I was going to
close us out. You want to go ahead? All right. Um, appreciate the arguments. I'm going to be consistent on this. Uh, I think that this is now 20% over four years. I think
it's really bad fiscal policy. I think that while we may have the money now, we all acknowledge that we very likely won't have it next year or the year after that or the year after that. There is very likely going to be cuts in the
amount of money we collect here, which means that will have to translate somehow to the workforce, which is our biggest expense. So for us to now we've created approximately5 to $6 million in increased expenditures liabilities if
you will in perpetuity. I think that commissioner Miner's points are are very well taken about the management tool aspect of it. I think the county administrators told us this is what he would prefer for a management tool aspect. But I think for us as
policymakers, we are setting a very dangerous precedent here, which we to Commissioner O'Keefe's point, we are effectively saying now we're going to give you 5% across the board pay increase at this county every year, which means in 20
years salaries are going to double. I don't expect our revenues will double in 20 years. So I think that's a really tenuous policy decision for us as commissioners. Um and and it's important to understand that the the alternative
here is not nothing. It's 3%. But that extra 2% across the board costs $1.5 million a year more than the 3% average. And so when you commit yourself to that year upon year, that's 15 million after
10 years. That's $30 million more dollars after 20 years. And if you it's a it's a significant slippery slope in terms of fiscal policy. Um and so that's
why I cannot support it. We don't have a lot of discretion in our budget, right? The sheriff asks for what they ask for and we tend to give it to them. Uh we, you know, fuel costs go up. Um you know, insurance costs go up for our staff. um
there are certain fixed things that we really can't avoid. We don't have a lot of discretion in our very lean budget. This is one of the items where we do have discretion and now four years in a row the board will be deciding to use its discretion to permanently add a
liability to its balance sheet. And I think that's just not the not a conservative way to govern. It's not fiscally sustainable in a normal circumstance, but definitely in the current circumstance with the um with
the almost certainty that we're going to lose revenue here at Lyon County government. We are going to very likely lose revenue. And so what we're doing is we're putting our our administrator and our department heads in a position where when we have a when we have to do 5%
across the board cuts to every department whose position is going to be eliminated. So yeah, we're giving somebody a sort of, you know, hey, this might feel good. You're going to get a, you know, you're going to get a $3,000 or $4,000 raise
this year. next year your job could be on you you might get a 60 or $70,000 cut to your job because we are not putting ourselves in a position to adequately accommodate losing revenue. We're we're actively
right now adding revenue adding liability to our county. So for those reasons I will not even like casually oppose this. I will adamantly oppose uh the current motion. So, with that being
said, um we have a motion uh for 5% across the board pay increases for county employees. Um seeing no further discussion, all those in favor signify by saying I. I. I. And opposed? No. Passes four to three with
Commissioner Miner, Commissioner O'Keefe, and Commissioner Welch in opposition. Thank you, Commissioners. We are now on to our next item. I think Commissioner Administrator, we are. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, commissioners, um this should be a quick one. It is uh your seeks your approval
of the 20 uh 2026 uh CHSP grant recommendations to agencies in the amount of uh 1,324,500. And again, this represents our year two of the current 2-year cycle. Again, we've provided some other relevant information. Therefore, we're
recommending options one and two. We have no speakers on this item. Mr. Administrator, I think you missed 19. I'm sorry. I am sorry that I must have feels like 21. All right. Thank you. Citizens charter.
Thank you so much, Mr. Chairman. Um, commissioners. Again, item number 19 uh provides an overview of the proposed uh charter review process with recommendations to establish the charter review committee. Again, this all follows the uh the outline provided in
the county charter again, which provides that uh the board every 8 years uh um at least 12 months before the general election uh that we convene uh this committee to review the county's home rule charter and uh that this committee can propose any amendments uh to the
board of county commissioners for your consideration again to place on the general election ballot. Again, commissioners, um we are recommending here options uh 1 through five. We have no speakers on this item. Happy to answer any questions you might have.
Thank you, Mr. Administrator. Commissioner O'Keefe, you have the floor. Would you I'd like to make a motion. Uh yeah, I'll make a motion on uh options one through four. Second. All right. We have a motion for options one through four. We're going to leave option five dangling for a while.
Well, it is to provide direction. Do we have to if we're not I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Got you. Actually, you buried the lead. We'll come back. Yeah, I got you. What's that? I got you. We'll come back to it. Yeah, I mean, yeah, that's fine. All right. We have uh staff recommendation options 1 through 4. Uh Commissioner
O'Keefe, seconded by Commissioner Maddox, Commissioner Proctor in the queue. Commissioner O'Keefe, do you want to talk about it? Yes. Go ahead. Yes. Thank you. Um there's I noticed there's a very specific and tight timeline and I wondered what requires
that and um because it seems like it it it seems very prescribed and I wonder if it's our rule or somebody else's rule. Yes, Chasse and I can can tag team on this. It's two things. It's it in your charter, but there's also some deadlines prescribed uh in statute depending on
how you amend your charter. But let me let me defer to Chasse. She may have a little bit more to add to that. Go ahead. Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, yes, there are some timeline provisions in the charter, but then there are also references in
the charter that uh direct compliance with certain statutes. Those statutes relate to uh requirements and timelines when a county is considering adopting a charter. but they were incorporated into
our charter and our existing CCRC time frame which does compress the time frames a little bit considering we also have a hard deadline by which we have to provide any proposed charter amendments to the supervisor of elections for inclusion on the ballot. So, so there is
kind of a time crunch toward the end for board consideration of any final recommendations of the CCRC, but that's why because that's the current that's the current timeline provided in the charter. And so,
what does that do for people? What does that what benefit does that give us? Um, there's it's really not a a benefit or a non-benefit per se. It doesn't uh minimize or eliminate uh public input,
the ability of the CCRC to to to deliberate uh before it makes final recommendations. It's just again the final time frames. If you look at table one in the agenda item uh which is on I think page 749
of the agenda materials, that's correct. Uh it's it's toward the end. It's so the CCRC has to have three public hearings before and then adopt at the final third hearing its final recommendations to the board. You then again you have you have
to count back from your general election date to the deadline to provide any proposed charter amendments to the supervisor of elections for inclusion on the ballot. uh and then that kind of indicates where the board has uh time to
deliberate any proposals from the CCRC. So that's that's where that time frame comes from there. And I would just add commissioner, Mr. Chairman, if I could. Sure. Um as the county attorney said, there is ample time built into this process for the As you can see, it it takes a year.
And just to again to um um to amplify what what the county attorney was saying, uh when we originally passed the charter, um it wasn't uncommon for a charter committee to pick up the language that was under the original charter review commission when you when
you originally establish a committee and to and to copy those statutory deadlines for your uh future charter review committees. As the county attorney said, um we don't have to follow that. that may very well be something that this committee wants to take a look at and to see if we have even additional
flexibility by getting rid of some of the some of those deadlines in here and that sort of thing, but it is what we're under currently. Um, but again, it may very well be these are the types of issues that charter review commission committees often take a look at. Okay. And so this is something that we can change. It's kind of cleanup from
when it was when the charter was first done. And it it uh so but it would have to change through the charter to remove these outdated um uh references to to statute. So, what
I'd like to do is uh amend my motion to uh option one through four and direct staff to um provide information on the necessary steps to change uh cleanup and outofdate
statutes that are referred to that don't apply anymore. Um, Commissioner O'Keefe, would it be easier because I assume there may be other people who would like to provide board direction if we just stick with one through four and then come back to five and kind of build a list. I mean, I
don't know how you all want to deal with that, but if if there's seven of us making 10 recommendations, option five might get convoluted, but it might get convoluted anyway at that point. So, I'm happy to I'm happy to do that. And and I'll say just reiterate, we don't have to bring ideas up now to get them
in there. It just this is one I know that would have some technical um things to it. So yeah. So I'll leave my motion. I'll leave my motion. Okay. So we're on we got one through four and then we'll deal with five se separately. Okay. Um commissioner proctor you're in the queue to speak. Do you want to wait till we get
chairman? Uh, I wanted to ask council uh when the the council board of county commission the recommendations that we make would require, if I read this right, four votes plus one for it to be a referendum uh item. Is that accurate?
Have I read this correct? Proposed for board proposed amendments. Yes, it is uh it is a it is a majority plus one. So it would require five. Yes. Okay. Um
the BOCC uh are we waved from our uh suggestions or recommended items from going to the CCRC or would our recommendations have to
flow through the CCRC committee for their approval? No. Uh there are two tracks. You can make suggestions to the CCRC to have them consider and bring back recommendations to you. But there is
also an additional secondary track where the board itself can just under the board proposed amendment process provided for in the charter bring your own amendments. Great. Does the state statute limit us to 14 or can we move that number?
It's the it's Mr. Chairman, it's the charter. um that actually has language that says that the committee shall be comprised in a manner that the board determines. So you've got a lot of flexibility there. You could go more or you could go fewer, but unless unless you had anything else on that. Yeah. So
again, you have all you have flexibility there. I I I just would caution and say to our board that my observation um I first of all I believe this committee its composition we should strive for DEI. Uh it deserves to have
youth on it. It deserves to have elderly persons on it and we should have a cross uh section. And what what has happened in years ago is that the uh most prominent citizens would choose u seven
eight things uh and rally for five and the control once you get the first lock down of what the issues are, it becomes virtually impossible for any other part of the
community to add to because they act like we have we have the the ten commandments ments and we got them from Mount Si and you don't need to add anything else to it and uh I just despise a process where the most
prominent people serve this committee lock down on what they want and really tune out and begin to spend and put public spend against that which they don't want. Uh I hope that this is a um
an exercise uh not dominated by the bigs uh but that welcomes a uh crosssection and that there is u it don't have to be harmony uh like that but it ought to be
regard for um the citizens who come to the table and um those are the dynamics which u concern me that we have uh women on this thing, young people on this, and not just hardy toies and uh super bigs.
Uh that's important. And uh county attorney, I'd ask you uh how much to my desire to see uh diversity on this panel? Uh how how much can we state that
or are we exempt? I mean are not exempt but are we prohibited from um stating things like we want 20 30 40 50 60 year old people you know and that number and and maybe two people
is not enough. Our county has grown. Uh maybe what we need is 21 people. Maybe this board needs to nominate three folk that we each are queuing into. Uh not that standard citizen who's always over and over on every little citizen
committee. And of course they going to trot and beg on us to nominate them uh for some reason or the other. And then uh my final point is uh county administrator, you know that
our committee commission the last time had recommendations. City com city commission came down here led by Mayor Mox and just torpedoed uh the final uh recommendation and
desire. And um I mean are we just wimps to uh the city commission don't like what comes out of the county's ordinance and can come down and do that again or how do we protect the process that our
citizens voice are not inferior to a Tallahass city mayor and their uh their machine to uh annihilate the voices of what we the people of the county want to put on the ballot. Uh that right there concerns me. I don't
want to see that happen again. And we need to protect their voices that they're not intimidated that the city uh is kept out of this process and I don't want to see them back in the door if we need to keep them out. Those are my comments. Thank you, Commissioner Proctor. Uh all
right, Commissioners. We have a motion. I'm sorry. I was waiting question. My first question was how do we state that request for diversity at the table? with the board directs the number and composition of the CCRC. Period. So, you
decide as a group. And and as Mr. Chairman, just to to to answer the question you asked, um ultimately the board uh determines while your committee makes recommendations. Ultimately, it's the board that decides what to put on the referendum. But I
will note the last one uh the last time we had the revision, the one uh charter amendment you placed on was an amendment um for the uh county's environmental ordinances to supersede the city's environmental ordinances and that
passed. And again, so that was the one um uh issue that um that uh was on the last um uh uh charter uh ballot. There were more that the board didn't accept, but that one was one of them.
All right. So, um, is would that be if Commissioner Proctor wanted to propose a different makeup, would he do that under number five, option one? Okay. Commissioner Proctor, if you want to try and amend option one, which we're
which is in the motion and seconded right now, that's your that's your um, commissioners. Um, I would like to see us move this to a uh 21 member citizen charter that gives a little more flex
for the idea. What I'm hopeful that somebody from Woodville could be good enough if if you know I or Commissioner Caban would uh recommend that person or someone from um um Highway 20 uh could get on this
and be respected and uh and I just think that we ought to seek uh balance representation um make a suki and all like that. Um those are the things which undergur
democracy and participatory engagement and that those citizens are protected though they may not have the practice in the history of coming to a civic table and voicing. They may not have the
confidence, but we should create uh a balanced community that um people are made to uh feel welcomed at at that at that table. And um those
are the concerns that that that I have. Um, Commissioner Proctor, might I suggest that whether that number is two appointees per commissioner or three or five, we ultimately hold the power to appoint who we want. So if you make it
100 appointees and you you're still going to get the same balance of hoy toes versus regular folks in Woodville or wherever. So I like to move number to my motion is for option one to go to 2021 that each commissioner would have three appointees.
Okay. Who is the seconder? So no I I made the motion. Oh you were the motion. So you'd have to make an amendment. I will amend my motion for options one through four with establishing 21 members three appointed per commissioner. Correct. Okay. So we have an amended
motion. Who is the seconder of the motion? Everyone don't jump at one. I'll go with that. Okay. So, we have options one through four with the 21 member citizens charter review committee. Uh, and then we have Commissioner Caban and
Commissioner Cummings in the queue. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, I just have a couple questions for staff pertaining to this item. Mr. Chair. Yeah, go ahead. At any time, can we assign um topics for
the CCRC to discuss or do we have to by next meeting come up with all our topics for the board to discuss and then present it to them then? Yeah. I again I this this um time frame provides the opportunity for the board
either through your members or to the to the committee as a whole once they're convened to offer um items. I think what we do at the next meeting. The reason that we say, "Hey, you know, if again if there are any board initiated um uh type
amendments, it just it gives you an ability to sort of see, you know, is there is there something that has sort of a general sentiment, you know, on behalf of the board to u to propose to them and does it have that kind of uh majority. However, the the process remains open um again for 120 days that
they'll be convened and the board has ample opportunity to to to provide. Got it. or individual commissioners has ample opportunity to to make recommendations to the committee. Thank you for that clarification. I I have a question for the um the county attorney. Mr. Chair, sure. Based on state statute, um Madame
Attorney, I know the county administrator just previously mentioned that we have in our charter the ability to supersede city ordinance on environmental. If it was the CCRC's will and we put it on the ballot, could the county supersede the city on any
ordinance? If approved by the voters generally yes. Um the charter is generally differential uh in terms of uh enabling
when they're in conflict for city ordinances to basically trump or supersede county ordinances. currently with the exception of the environmental standards provision. Okay, that's all I have. Thank you, Mr.
Chair. Commissioner Cummings, followed by Commissioner Maddox and Commissioner Proctor. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just have a couple of clarifying questions by county attorney. Uh, this committee is subject to sunshine, right? Meetings have to be noticed. Correct. Based on based on
Okay. And is and if we approve the amended motion for each commissioner um to appoint three members is it's no mechanism to scrutinize who I appoint or who another commissioner appoints. Am I correct?
I'm sorry. What's your question? Right. Well, going back, we were talking uh Commissioner Proctor were talk was talking about our desire hopefully to get a cross-section of the community perhaps uh diversity, you know, looking at men, women, what have you. Uh if my
appointees are within my discretion, how do we scrutinize the appointees or do we have the ability to do so? um what to make sure we have the the diversity or cross-section of the community all those things that we desire.
You will appoint your appointees each commissioner will appoint their appointees and the composition will be what it is on those three appointees by each commissioner. Okay. As currently proposed. Awesome. Okay. That's all I have. Mr. Chair, thank you. Yes, ma'am.
Commissioner Maddox, we're on items one through four. Correct. Correct. with an amendment to one to be 21 members. Would you like for us to hold items on file? Oh, we're going to hold that. Y Okay, I'll hold my comment. Okay, Commissioner Proctor. Thank you. Um
I just want to just cut to the chase. Utility review board. We um kicked that around uh and we wanted to put that on the uh on the u referendum. I believe commission, Mr. Chair. Okay.
Wouldn't that be a part of five? Are you trying to suggest something? We're doing one through four, which is We're just doing one through four. And if you have Are we subject matter prohibited from referendum uh items? I know the last time we tried to put a a
citizens utility review board uh there and it was opposed by the city in that for whatever reason they didn't want any oversight. I know the legislature disallows um police review boards. Uh the state
has annihilated those, but it has not allow annihilated the uh utility review board. And I'm asking on the front end, is that a prohibited subject that can't be um that can't be wrought from uh a uh uh CCRC?
Mr. Chair, before before the county attorney answer that question, I think that's part of five. If could we dispense with one through four and then take that up as first thing you take up. I think that would be Yeah, I think that would be the right order. Commissioner Proctor, if you just wait a second and we get to five. There we go. All right. We've got a Oh, Commissioner
Command. Okay. Um, we got a motion for options one through four with the amendment option option one to have 21 members to this charter review committee. All those in favor signify by saying I. I post. It passes unanimously. Now we're on option five, which is board direction
on specific issues. I've got Caban then Maddox. Proctor, do you want to sh Come back? Okay. I I was going to comment on Commissioner Proctor, but if Mr. Chair, I would allow Proctor to speak first. Mr. Proctor, you want to go ahead? Yes. Yes. Commissioners, I'm interested in uh our community having an
opportunity for once in our lives for a citizens uh uh review board of our utility. Um, I'm not happy with the shut out, the lockout of, um, you know, I'm not happy about citizens who pay utility
bills and can't vote in city elections. Um, I'm not happy about citizens who pay a fire service fee to the city and can't vote in the city elections. And I'm interested in uh a review, a charter
amendment that makes voting rights uh empowered to and among those who pay city utility bills and a fire service fee and uh is that prohibited as a subject matter? Um madame county
attorney, I will have to research for any proposal that the board puts forward. I'll have to do specific research to make sure that what we are proposing is not inconsistent with law. So if you want and that's the board's direction, I
would research that and come back to you and let you know. And on the 16th, that's on the 16th. The board is going to appoint the members anyway. So that's when that information will come back to the board for anything that the board commissioners I'm requesting your support that the county attorney tells
us uh can we referendum uh that uninccorporated area citizens who pay for city utilities and who pay for city's uh fire services fee that they have the right to vote because they're being taxed and they cannot vote.
All right. So can y'all just keep a list? Yes. Okay. Secondly, uh commissioners uh our need for uh extending uh incorporated lines uh has to go south of Tilman Funeral
Home and everybody inside of Capitol Circle on Southside should be in the city limit are incorporated area but they're not and they're depleted of uh full services. They pay for city utilities, fire services, and cannot
vote. Uh, I'd like to see a referendum item that we, the people, of the people, and for the people would extend uh incorporated area to include everything inside of capital circle. That's the second thing.
Okay. On point of uh and the third thing is a a citizens utility review board. That's the third point, madam attorney. Those are three things um that um that um concern me deeply and I'd like to see.
Uh Commissioner Kaban is next. Commissioner Maddox, do you want to go on a point there? Yeah, I'm I'm not sure that we can dictate comp plan in a in in the constitution. Madam charter, I'm I'm sorry. in the charter. Madame Attorney, what
Commissioner Porter is asking that we extend the urban services area boundary to or incorporated boundary to cover uh I think he said Woodville. I'm not I'm not sure that we can I don't think he's talking about the USA. I think he's talking about annexation, which is different.
Okay. Can we Can we We would take a look. There are statutes that address annexation. So again, that's something that we would bring back and determine what we could and couldn't do in our charter. But but let me ask this question uh legal. Why is annexation always triggered from
the city but the county cannot propose the marriage but only the city can ask if we will accept to be married to them. Uh we need something that if we can also propose a marriage uh dictate mandate
one through uh revised u charter. Again, that's something that we'd have to look at the existing statutory provisions which provide for city annex annexation or for direct property owner annexation requests, but we would have
to look to see if there's a third option where the county can request annexation. That's something we would research and come back to you with. Very good. Add that to the list. Very good. All right. Commissioner Command, you're up. And then we got Commissioner Maddox, O'Keefe Miner. Thank you, Mr. Chair. and everybody else. Commissioners, one thing I I want to
bring to our attention to uh for us to discuss and and with specifically related to this uh charter review committee is this um over time the city of Tallahassy's city limits has expanded. If you look at a
map of the city of Tallahassy's uh map, city limit map from 1990 to now, it has continued to expand. Commissioner Proctor, the idea you're proposing is not a bad idea. However, as the county commissioners, the way our current
charter is set up, anytime we annex or properties annex into the city, we lose all policy jurisdiction over it. And my fear is over time the city of limits boundaries has expanded, which means our jurisdiction
gets smaller and eventually folks are going to come to us and they're going to say, "We just do a Jacksonville deal. consolidate, which I don't know if that's for for the people or not. You know, I would need someone to look into that. However, the more city limits expands, the less jurisdiction we're
going to have. I would argue it's it's in our taxpayers best interest for us to look at putting on the ballot that all Leyon County policy will supersede city policy. Otherwise, as more as the city
of Tallahassee grows, we lose jurisdiction and then eventually they're going to say, "If the city limits continue to grow and grow, what's the point of having a board of county commissioners?" And so, I think it's worth us having a conversation because I understand the incentive and how the
city uses their utility to incentivize developers and and property owners to annex in city limits. they give them incentives on the utility and and sewer fee hookups and they can give incentives there. And so I think it's uh Mr. County Administrator I would like to add to the
list is is having policy for the charter review committee to discuss of having all policy all county policy supersede the city policy or an ordinance that all all county policies supersede the city policy if there is a conflict. all
ordinances, all county, all county ordinances. My apologies. Additionally, Commissioner Proctor, I think a review committee for the utility is too small. I think we need to discuss having a a utility authority
where the county commission has two or three seats in in managing the utility because there are large portions of the unincorporated area where the city of Tallahassee utility serves and those people cannot vote in
city elections. I'm going to propose in my commissioner time something specifically for that, but I'll wait to discuss that in my commissioner time. But commissioners, the city of Tallahassee has the the
ability to charge a 50% sir charge on our county residents that live in the unincorporated area and use city of Tallahassee utilities.
Madam attorney, can you opine on that? That is the city's interpretation of an existing statutory provision that does authorize a city to charge a search charge when it provides utility services in an incorporate an unincorporated area. That is true. That means our
residents in Lyon County that don't live in the city of Tallahassee that have no say on city elections have the are getting charged 50% sir charge on their utilities. I think that's wrong. I don't think that's in the best interest of our
taxpayers and I think if that if that agreement is going to continue exist we need to look at a utility authority for the charter review committee to discuss. Thank you Mr. Chair. All right. So you you add that to the list. Okay. Um commissioners, if
possible, may not be possible. I'd like us to take a break in 10 minutes, but probably not going to make it. M Mr. Chair, I just need to ask the account attorney one question. Sure. Sure. I've got Commissioner Maddox next. Is that okay? Thank you, Mr. Chair. I I um
Mr. Chair, I I I I don't think we should offer any recommendations or suggestions to the committee. I believe we should let them uh do their work uh and bring back to them bring back to us what they
recommend our charter amendments should be. Um if you so choose to give your appointees direction or things that you'd like for them to look into uh individually, I I think you can do that. But but us as a
board uh sending things for them to consider, I I just I don't agree with. So, um, not in opposition to any of the things that may be, uh, pushed forward from this from from
individual commissioners. Um, but I won't support anything that we put forward. Now, if these things come back from the committee, so be it. I'm not, again, I'm not in opposition of anything
that has been said thus far. Uh but I do believe I I believe the process for me uh that I would like to see is for us to if you want to have meetings with your individual folks and talk to them about some things that interest you and they want to take it forward um then then so
be it. I I just I want that process to be citizen led, citizen thought through uh and citizen produced back to us to be able to put on the uh ballot unless we find and then unless we find some that we just want to put. Now, as I
understand it, uh madam attorney, you did say that once we get all of uh the recommendations back, we can place some uh commission uh produced
um amendments on the on the ballot. Correct. Based on the timing, there will not be time for any you will either have to accept that what the recommendations are or not accept the
CCRC under that process because of the timing. Yeah. Cuz if if you were going to propose a modification or something different, you have to give a certain amount of notice before you do that. And under this time frame, there isn't time to do that.
However, that's where the separate board right proposed amendments process would come into play. The board can independently do that. So, if if the CCRC earlier on is deliberating, it's having
conversation, it's, you know, and you don't like the direction the CCRC is going with something, you can trigger the board proposed charter amendment process on your own. Right. So, so long story short, I I will be voting in opposition of anything that
we do considering option five. Not because again I don't support what may come from this commission but because I would like for the citizens to be able to come up with our own citizen-led process and amendments uh for us to consider if we place this board and once we consider those if we want to add
through the through the commission um route we could add but I don't want us to bog down uh this this uh CRC with our own thoughts and and uh policies that we like for them to consider. Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner Maddox.
Commissioner O'Keefe. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, and uh, thank you, Commissioner Proctor, Commissioner Gaban. Um, because I like that we consider all of these issues. They all come under um what we
run into which is um you know we have over the over the decades worked out between us and the city who does what and who's in charge of what and um what may have worked in the past may not be working in the future and it doesn't
mean everything. It may mean this but not that but that not that. I think that's citizen referendum is where that's considered. But um um Commissioner Maddox has convinced me um along his line of reasoning on this because as much as I came in and I'm
thinking all right this is a great idea. This is a great idea to be considered. This is a great be idea to be considered. We can appoint people that that you know um that that support that and and that and we have our own method. If we want, if
the citizens don't pick up what we want, we think they're missing something, we go and go that path. But I like leaving it be. We pick the citizens we think represents the community best. And we let them come up with they what they want without um directing them. And uh
during this whole year, we we can um put our own that we think they might be missing. And so, um, while a lot of these ideas I like and think need to be considered, I want to leave this process to let's let the citizens committee start with these ideas. Thank you, Commissioner O'Keefe.
Commissioner Miner. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, you know, Commissioner Maddox has provided some thoughtful comments on this and Commissioner O'Keefe has too. I, you know, I, uh, I'm going to support that line of thinking on this. You know,
I we work for the citizens. This is a citizens charter review committee. Uh I think it's uh it's it's I think the best approach is to let them drive it within the committee itself. And as has already been said, you know, we we get to appoint three people uh as members of
the committee. I think we have the ability to talk with them and and ask them if they agree to to to pitch some of the ideas that we've got as well as having discussions with them about this in general. Um so I'm I I think that Commissioner Maddox is on to something here. I think that's the right approach.
I do have one question though. Um, aside from the comments I just made regarding the the timing here, uh, Mr. Chairman, I think this is for the county administrator. Um, our next time to review this and um, uh, is review the agenda item for September 16th. Will we
at that time if the board decides to go a different direction and actually have ideas that we present to the citizen review committee, will we at that time be able to introduce ideas there in time for staff to provide an analysis for us to uh have that on a list of items for
the um review committee to review when they convene October 23rd. Uh whichever. Yeah, it well that's why we um provided this opportunity, right? Yeah. so that we would have the opportunity to check in with the board if you did have any items that you
wanted us to do some analysis on. We would be able to bring that to you on the 16th so that um you'd be able to give that direction to us before they convene in October. That's fine. That's fine. And that's separate from my comments. I I believe that Commissioner Maddox has got the right approach here and I'm going to support that line of thinking. Thank
you, Mr. Chairman. Commissioner Cummings, you were in the queue, but I think out you back in. I'm going to put you uh ahead of Commissioner Proctor cuz he he come in there after after you fell out. So go ahead, Commissioner Cummings, then come back to Commissioner. Just very briefly, I'm I'm not clear on
what motion is on the floor right now. I know Commissioner Madd, we've got uh option five um with us presenting ideas where we building the list. Commissioner Maddox indicated he doesn't like that motion, so I assume he'll vote against that along, you know, with But that the motion is on the floor.
The motion is currently number five with us providing board direction. Okay. And just very briefly, I I I believe as elected officials, we are certainly, in my opinion, in a good position. Um uh may I ask our county attorney, is there a pro prohibition
against us as elected officials talking to our appointees, even giving them suggestions about areas that we believe might need some addressing? uh like Commissioner Caban and Commissioner Proctor mentioned what they feel is a disparity as far as what's being built
for utility services and and fire services. Is is it a prohibition against that? There is no prohibition against any county commissioner talking to a member of the CCRC. Both bodies are subject to the Sunshine
Law, but you not you're not serving on the same collegial body. So, you can't talk to each other about things that come before this board. The CCRC members can't talk about things outside of notice meetings about things that are going to come before them, but you guys
don't serve on the same bodies. So, you can talk to individual appointees uh to the CCRC as much as you like, but as always, you cannot serve as conduits. So, you can't talk to one of your appointees and then go to another
appointee and say, I've told so and so, I want to do this. How are you going to vote? They're going to vote this way. All of the usual no conduit rules apply in that context like it does with this body as well. Thanks. Thank you, Madam Chairman. I was
just going to add the first thing that your committee will do when they're uh convened is that they'll get a lesson from the county attorney on on sunshine laws and that sort of thing. So they'll they'll know all the rules. Absolutely. And then my my last question from a legal standpoint, madam county
attorney, is what suggestions or recommendations come before that committee? And then if we as a body uh move forward and say well we want this present this to the citizens as a referendum uh it it goes to the
citizenry and is voted upon in the general election. And if it's a situation where we we disagree with with some of the um policies that the city has as far as charging customers uh for the fire
services for other services that they're not that the sewer services that they are not receiving. That vote can control what the city does and does not charge for for usage. So again, we will have to review each
individual proposal to determine whether it's consistent with law, existing law, and jurisdictionally whether whatever that issue is is appropriate for the charter. So, it'll
have to be like a casebyase like review and determination and then that information will have to be identified for the CCRC as it's deliberating. Okay? Because the county doesn't own the utilities and and if if we address some specific
issues as it relates to those particular services, you know, we might be putting Well, yeah, we'll just have to look at it on a case by case basis. Absolutely. Okay. Thank you. Yes, ma'am. Uh, Commissioner Proctor,
you were in the queue. You want to take one more stab at it and then I'll close this out or vice versa? You You're a good man. Uh, thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank you so much for this commission's uh patience. It's just that Commissioner Miner and U.
Commissioner Maddox are fundamentally um at a point of of um of surrender which is not required of us. And this is why initially I asked the
question does the BOCC have uh the authority to make the recommendations and uh um who who is Cameron Williams? Cameron Williamskin. Who is that? All right. Williams did a good job, really
great job of making simple um some things which probably put you to sleep faster than anything in the drugstore. Childh language. You did a great job. Thank you. Um Ken, you did a great job.
We appreciate that. But understand, commissioners, we don't begin the process by relinquishing our legislative authority to a citizens group, saying we're we're waiting. and and and I don't know how you feel, but I I feel a little I mean, we're not sissy's huddle up and
can't make a move, but under this um uh board of county commissioners se segment on page four, it says that since the approval of the charter, there have been no board initiated amendments.
I don't know how you feel, but everything we've ever done has deferred to a citizens group. when we have the authority uh according to what we're giving here. Um and so option five
pretty clear provide board direction on any specific issues for staff to bring back. This is a two-part um ask to provide specific issues for staff to bring back in an analysis and then for the board to determine if the issue
should be addressed by the citizens charter review committee. So, we're asking our staff to investigate and then we get to gnaw on it, chew on the bone again and determine if we would defer uh
to a charter group um to review those things. Um but just to simply say that we don't need to think, we don't need to consider. There ought be no analysis on our part. Let's just let them start from scratch and let us get in eight more
years another sentence that says since the approval of the charter there has been no brain activity from the board there's no been no board initiated amendments this shows a lack of brain activity uh on our part flatline we
don't have to just acquies and be flat lines in the process and I challenge us not to be thank you thank you I think flatline is heart activity Um, Commissioner, I'm I'm going to close this out. Commissioner Max, if it's okay with you. Um, I mean, I I'll
say what I say and you can go if you want. Um, you know, this is interesting. I I I tend to agree with Commissioner Proctor and Commissioner Caban. I think that we as a county commission represent
constituents and why wouldn't we put forth requests to the county attorney to bring back analysis? I mean, she might come back and go, "You can't do that. You can't tell the utility what to do with the city." But like, how do we know if we
don't ask? You know, like I I think it's really option five to me is more like a search and explore mission for us to kind of see what even statutoily we can legally do in imposing our will on our
sister government. We may not be able to. We know that there's but I think that that request is based in a lot of like really fair criticism when you talk about uh the fees in Karn Lakes or Woodville for sewer services. When you
talk about the fire services fees kind of, you know, hey man, we going we're going to ask a lot more from your people that you made a 5-year agreement with. I I think that and I I think I say that sort of in the ether of also. think if if any of us said, "Hey, I I think that
we should, you know, we should limit salaries of commissioners or what." I mean, I think that as commissioners, we have the ability and I think the duty, frankly, to at least flirt with the ideas. You know, they may come back, we may not get married, and we may not even
date, but I think we okay flirting with the ideas. And so, I think that's what option five is asking us very specifically. Um, uh, I know that's probably going to put a lot of work on our staff to look at these things, but I think that's a part of this process. And
I think that if we don't do this, we're just going to tell the members that we appoint to the committee that we want them to do this and they're going to advance those ideas more than like more likely than not anyway. And so you're going to see these generally brought back up again. And that may be Commissioner Proctor why
you've never seen a board um produced agenda charter agenda item because it just comes through the the committee anyway. And so I think it's okay for us at this point of the game to put these forward because as they've said, you can't do this in September. It's going to be too late to get that analysis. So,
um, I'm going to support the motion on the on the table with the little list, which I think is a pretty modest list, frankly, given that there's seven of us and there's what, how many, five or six things on the list? Five things. You know, it could have been 30 things. We
could have gone hauling wild. So, I think that's fair. Uh, here's a question for the county administrator. What happens if this does not get approved? Then, do we just do we just go to option five without providing direction? Yes. Okay. All right. So, uh Oh, we got two more
back in there. Commissioner Maddox, I think you need a motion on the on We have a motion, don't we? No, we don't. Not on five. Not Not on option five. Oh, cuz I guess we were hammering out ideas. Okay. Well, Commissioner Maddox, you are in the queue. Would you want to make a motion? Uh, you might not like my motion, Mr. Chair, but I'll make That's okay. All
right. Uh I I make a motion that we um make no recommendations to the uh uh CRC and we allow them to do their work. Maybe my motion. I'll second the motion. Okay. Yeah. Okay. Um if I can provide comment, Mr. Chair.
Um Mr. uh Mr. Administrator, Madam Attorney, let's say we come up with five things. say we come up with seven 10 things uh that we want them to look at. I would imagine that they would they would absolutely have to look at those
things that we that we send to them. Correct. Okay. Um we give them a list of 10 things to look at. I don't know how many amendments or how many things the city's CRC looked at, but I would imagine that if we sent
them enough things, we would we would we could send enough things to take up enough time to where whatever they wanted to consider wouldn't be considered. Um, I'm not saying that that the things that we think are important should not be put forward to our uh CRC.
What I'm saying is that each one of us will have three people that we that that we put on that CRC. I think it's not a bad process for us to sit down with those three people and tell them about what we're thinking if they agree with us that they would have the power to take those things forward
and present those to the committee for consideration. Not for us to dictate to them right now what we think they should be looking at. Again, my only request and my only thought here is that this will be a citizen-led process without us dictating to them with the things that
we would like for us like for them to do and the time that we would like for them to spend on the issues that we want them to look at. Um there are ways as as you just said, Mr. chair. Uh, in the past, what you probably had, you probably had commissioners sit down with their appointees and talk through some of the
things that they like to see and those appointees bring those things forward for the consideration by the CRC. Um, so it's not like if we don't if we don't do it today, it's not going to be done. The same process is going to happen if we if we ask for analysis from from the county
attorney or county administrator. You're going to bring the analysis back and we're going to we're going to vote to to put forward those things. But if the CRC did the same thing and they asked they asked for certain analyses to come back which were the things that we asked for it'll be the same exact process. Correct
madam attorney? That is correct. The county administrator and myself will be staffing the CCRC. So any proposal that the CCRC puts forward would have to undergo the same review and vetting process to determine that whatever is
recommended is legal. So to hear me out we have for the most part and I don't remember all five of them but I think the majority of them is about how much how much control we have over things that happen with within the city. I think one of them was utility
authority. Correct madam attorney. The other was how do we supersede uh city ordinances? And I think there was a couple more. Fire services, fire services, citizens to pay for city utilities and fire services fees to vote, address annexation,
uh citizens utility review board, county ordinances to preempt city ordinances, and utility authority. Right. Sounds like to me what we what we're talking about here is there's some things that happens at the city and some some jurisdictional issues that we have between what they can do and what we're able to do over them. If there's
anything I should I think that should be citizen led and citizen brought up, it is exactly what we're talking about here today. It's issues of jurisdiction between the city and the county. Sit down with your folks, have a conversation. These are the things that I think that you guys should talk about
concerning the city and allow them as citizens to talk back to you about what they think. And if you can agree on it, they will bring them forward. and the people I'm thinking about will be strong enough if I brought up something that they did not agree with. They will look me in the eye and tell me, "Nick, I'm not taking that to the CRC." And I will
respect them for it. And so that's why I stand where I stand on this. This should be a citizen-led process. We have appointees. You should sit down with your appointees and have conversations about what you're thinking. If your appointees agree with you, they will bring those things forward and they will
have a discussion with at the CRC about whether those things are things that are legal because the county attorney will anal have an analysis is whether it's something that that the citizens of Lyon County think that or or the the people on that group think that the citizens of Leyon County should look at and vote on.
And if if if there's one thing on there that we don't see, we can always in a moment make a make make a commissionled amendment process add something to it. So again, my vote isn't in opposition of
any of the things you guys have talked about. It's a process issue where I believe again that this should be citizen citizen. It's not it's not the commission review. It's not it's not us on there. It's the citizens that should be leading this, making decisions about
what they talk, what they talk about, and making decisions about what comes back to us. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, sir. Um, Commissioner O'Keefe, you were in there. Okay. So, we've got a motion and a second for option five, do not provide any direction. Uh, all those
in favor signify by saying I. I. All opposed. I No. uh fails four to three I think. Commissioner O'Keefe, Commissioner Mer, Commissioner Maddox and we're on the losing side of that. So,
does that give you the direction you need then or do we need to vote on Mr. Chair? I move option five with the list of five things. Second. All right, we have a motion from Commissioner Kaban. Mr. Chair, take a second for any commissioner that wants to add anything to it to add it. I mean, I'm not, but I think there were some
things other commissioners may have wanted to add. It's the only thing I ask. There was just one thing. Can we add to it? Um, uh, cleaning up outdated, um, statute references, um, of the charter. Okay, I got that. All right. Uh,
Mr. Chair. Yes, ma'am. Uh, yeah, we can always add to it uh, during the process. Am I correct, Mr. Yeah. County Administrator? Okay. I just don't know analysis right now. Is that what you're saying? Oh, exhaustive. Okay. Just for the purpose of analysis over the next two months.
Thank you. Okay. Uh, all right. We have a motion from Commissioner Kaban for staff re or for option five with board direction on six specific issues. Um, and a second from Commissioner Proctor. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. Opposed.
Nay. And passes 43 with Commissioner Maddox, O'Keeffe, and Miner in opposition. All right, commissioners. Uh, I think that'll be a good stopping point for us. We got to come back at six o'clock for our uh public hearings. We are in what
do you call it? Recess. Thank you. You should know that. Part: 2
Heat. Heat. Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. We are in session. session for our 6:00 public hearing at 6:02. Thank you commissioners for being on the dis. I'd like to ask all other commissioners to please return
to the dis. Uh madame county attorney, I think you got the first item. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh agenda item number 23, our first public hearing is the first and only public hearing to consider adoption of a resolution approving and adopting the local
provider participation fund nonadvalorum assessment role. This item requests the board conduct this first and only public hearing. Uh and your agenda materials include revised attachments that were issued today uh due to the president signing the big beautiful bill on July
4th which reduced the amount of federal draw down funds available for hospitals from what was originally proposed in the agenda materials. Uh this item does have a fiscal impact. If the resolution is adopted, it is estimated that approximately 90 million in gross federal and local provider participation
funding will potentially be paid to local hospitals the next fiscal year. It would not require any county funding. Uh the county will retain an annual fee for administrative expenses. Uh this item also seeks board authorization to execute an agreement with the agency for
healthcare administration in a form approved by approved by the county attorney as well as approval of a resolution and associated budget amendment to affectuate the county's participation and support for legal hospitals. Uh staff is recommending options 1, 2, and three. Uh there are two speakers, one of whom is from TMH,
but only if the board has any questions. Okay. Uh commissioners um do we need to is there a second speaker that is not for information? Oh, just Okay. All right. Commissioners entertain motions. Miss Mr. Chair.
Yes, ma'am. Uh I move staff recommendation of options one, two, and three. All right, we've got a motion, a second for staff recommendation options one, two, and three. Uh Commissioner Cummings, did you have any discussion?
Uh, no. I I think when the county admin uh when the county attorney was making the presentation, I think she alluded to uh the bill that was just passed by um by the Senate and the House and signed uh by the president. And I know
with this provision here um it involves Medicaid Medicaid payments uh to the hospitals. They serve our indigent clients and of course they're not able to pay and then those Medicaid payments sort of help subsidize some of that some
of that medical costs. Uh but we anticipate some reduction in those those costs at some point. Right. Uh Madame County Attorney uh not necessarily reduction. This just caps what uh can be assessed based on uh
the highest rate that was previously assessed. So it just doesn't enable uh the the the percentage to go higher. Right. Absolutely. But that's all I have. Okay. Thank you, Commissioner Cummings. Commissioner O'Keefe.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um this is I just have some questions on it and you can direct where they go. Um this is this cap is that is from the new federal law that we're voting on. There's not an option. We we are obligated that this is
the cap. There is no county discretion. That is correct. Okay. And uh can you repeat the financial impact to the county of what passed? Um so that what we're seeing now versus 2 days ago.
Um we don't know that the fiscal impact of that because the numbers any final numbers weren't calculated at this point. Uh but what we know based on the cap that now exists if the board adopts the resolution is potentially uh an approximately $90 million in gross
federal and local provider participation funding will uh occur. Um but no county expenditure of funds as a part of that process. And then um if you'll allow me uh if I heard right that a representative from
TMH is here is I'd like to know what their expected impact on care um for patients are that would typically um have their care provided under these funds um through Medicaid. I want to make sure we understand the impact uh to
our community um and to the hospital. Hi, I'm Priscilla Needam. I'm the CFO at TMH. And so just to give some highlevel information about just TMH, not talking about the other hospitals, is that just our community benefit at cost that we
provide every year is over $und00 million. And that's just for our hospital. And so that includes the cost of Medicaid, um financial assistance, subsidized programs, um such as a transition center and our education um
programs with residents. And so this we're not decreasing. What we're saying is there's a cap where otherwise there's often an increase. Is that accurate? That's probably a question for the county.
So the chair So Chabra, I I represent all the hospitals. Um I'll explain the program to you. What happens is this is when you're assessing hospitals today, you're assessing them for the care they've already provided. The way Medicaid works, it's 60 cents on
the dollar. Historically, charity care in Florida has been as low as 1%. So, a hospital would spend $100, they'll get $1 back. What this does is that it allows these hospitals to draw federal matching dollars from the federal programs.
Historically, the state of Florida has never pursued, I would say, average commercial rate. They've always pursued as much as they needed. The statewide cap is 6% federally. Florida was at 3.5%. Fiscally conservative states tend to do
that. For the first time in the history of the state, AKA, our agency, is pursuing what we call average commercial rate. So, they're finally drawing those matching federal funds. No impact to the county. There will never be a dollar impact on any Lyon County residents. Uh
everything is there to be gained. It's a win-win. However, with the one big beautiful bill, now we have a ceiling. That ceiling is nationwide. Thankfully, our state government is pursuing a better option, which is average commercial rate. When that
happens, hospitals will still not lose money. They'll never make money on Medicaid. They That's always a losing business, but they're not going to lose tremendous amounts of money that they've historically lost. That's the resolution before you. Thank you. Thank you. Yes, sir. All right, Commissioners, we've got Yeah, Commissioner Proctor.
Mr. Chairman may ask one question. U among among our nation's states uh affected by Medicaid u limits in the big beautiful bill. Um is it not my understanding
accurate that Florida somehow received some kind of exemption waiver or got a different formula through the chair? There's it is difficult for me to tell you at this moment what the impact particularly to
Florida or any other state would be because the law just got implemented. However, uh what I can tell you is that our state administration and counties across the state. This is the 26th hearing I'm at. 25 unanimous verdicts have been passed. There are tools like
directed payment program uh low-income pool program that are already given in federal law to local jurisdictions and hospitals to be able to access more federal dollars. It's just that we've never really used them. So, this program
started in the state in 2021. These programs are tools that are designed to help our local populations continually have access for for the uninsured, for the indigent. Um so there are tools but we're finally putting them to use. Hypothetical
uh just just a hypothetical for instance. Absolutely. If um a teaching hospital like say something called Florida State University uh became a dominant player uh operator of Talis Memorial and it's
the planet uh to the uh oversight of Florida State. Would Florida State have access to the same monies? So through the share again commissioner uh these programs are strictly meant for private hospitals public hospitals
directly go with their intergovernmental transfers IGTS which these hospitals would make thanks to you approving it they directly go to AKA and AKA directly goes to the federal government so for all public hospitals public universities programs are backed by the state
government already so they go directly to Aka they don't have to come before a county commission so specifically among the five hospitals that decided um in the materials before us uh which hospitals would not be impacted.
They will all be impacted. All private hospitals will be impacted uh from this resolution. What they what that assessment will do is they will front their own private dollars to draw matching federal funds so that they can continue to provide care to those who
need it the most. Wow. Um Mr. Chairman, I'm I'm I'm thinking that this is uh quality uh opportunity in particular that it focuses upon uh those who are uninsured uh those who have had uh difficulties
accessing medical care. And um this also affords u uh hospitals to continue to have interest in people who don't have the means or the insurance. uh to uh having the hospital have an
appetite to serve everybody whether you're insured or not. If they can get their money back, they can get uh reimbursed. Uh it boils down to uh who's walking in the door is we or is we ain't going to get paid off this person. So
this does not level the playing field but it gives some measure of uh recouping services rendered by uh one of our area hospitals and I think that thus it incentivizes uh our area's hospitals to receive all
people uh coming through the door uh with um with um mutual respect and consideration. So I definitely has Has has a motion been made? Yes, sir. Okay. Good. Good. Good. Thank you. All right, commissioners. We've got a motion um by Commissioner O'Keefe O
Cummings, seconded by Commissioner O'Keefe for staff recommendations. Options one, two, and three. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. Show passes unanimously with Commissioner Caban out of chambers. Uh next item, Mr. Administrator. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Commissioners,
item number 24 requests the board conduct a public hearing on the proposed amendments to the land use and mobility elements in the 2030 Lyon County uh Tallahassee comprehensive plan. Um and um uh again, commissioners, as you know, based on the recent uh actions taken by the city commission at its June 11th
transmitt hearing, this item recommends that the board not adopt the proposed ordinance and direct staff to develop and implement a comprehensive uh public participation plan to further engage residents regarding the proposed uh amendments uh to the land use mobility elements. Of course, upon completion of
that, uh staff will be back um uh to you to seek your direction relative uh to adoption. We have the the full planning team here available to answer your questions. And I do have uh just a few speaker cards. Mr. Chairman, uh Mr. Administrator, I think that the
speakers probably I think the outcome will probably reflect uh is there any way to ask the speaker? Are the speakers in the room or they online? They're in the room. You have three? Yes. Um if those of you are in the room, I I I would anticipate that this will go the direction of staff recommendation if you
would still like to speak. We will entertain that. But I think we if I had to guess, probably go in the direction you want. Wave in support. Yeah. Maybe just wave in support if you're or you got three minutes. Totally. Um up to you. So uh if you want to announce
the names and maybe you can come up and say wave in support if you still have a desire to speak. Uh Kathy Magcguire. Yes sir. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. So, I tell you what, we'll go ahead and Commissioner Maddox. Um, recommendation. We got a motion for staff
recommendation. Second by Commissioner Miner. Um, Commissioner Miner, go ahead and you want to do you want to hear from Miss McGuire first? I mean, she wants I think she probably wants to hear how Miss Magcguire, I think we're going to vote in the way you want. Um, so it's really a matter of when do you want to
speak? You want to speak now or do you want to speak after? Miss McGuire, you can speak now if you want. Okay, thank you. Next speaker, Vivian Young. last name. Sorry.
Go ahead, Miss Spear. Commissioner Mer, you'll be in. You're you're first up. Oh, Miss Spear, you can come on. Oh, there you are. Go ahead. You have three minutes. Name and address for the record, please.
My name is Sophie Wakon, address 704 Dupark Circle, Tallahassee. I'm the current president of the Friends of Lake Jackson, whose mission it is to advocate for the lake. So, I will limit my comments to propose changes within the lake protection zoning district. I first
want to applaud the staff who following a review by the state took the decision to eliminate from the transmitted version the proposed changes that had caused us and other stakeholders the most concern. The present version still creates development pressure on the lake by
doubling the residential density and the mixeduse non-residential intensity in certain LP categories. So we also welcome the staff recommendation to postpone adoption for you to allow more in-depth discussion on that topic.
What is at stake is mostly the southern half of the lake which taken is isol in isolation qualifies as impaired whereas the northern half is still healthy. For decades the cause for that difference has been traced to urban development in
the south versus rural lands in the north. Last I heard, FDP was considering either putting the whole leg back on the impaired list or suggesting an alternative restoration plan that would mostly target the southern half. Large
efforts were deployed in the past to try and remediate water quality declines, but the recent FD discussion is a clear signal that more restoration efforts are needed. For years, we have documented large plumes of silty storm water invading the southern half of the lake
via Ford's arm, likely contributing to phosphorus loading in that region. Ironically, as we speak, blue green algae is blooming in that part of the lake, prompting a DO health alert press release. Our position is that ideally
remediation efforts need to be implemented and tested before any proposal of more development pressure around the lake is considered. The language used in both present and proposed comp plans regarding the lake protection category reads ensure that
development within the lake Jackson basin occurs in a sustainable and environmentally sound manner with minimal impact to water quality. Minimal impact may sound good enough for a super healthy resilient water body, but Lake
Jackson is not one of those. And this kind of wording does not build trust in the process. A group would be far more reassured by stronger language such as development resulting in no further
impact or improved water quality, setting a more quantitative tone for the lake protection section. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Spear. All right, commissioners. Uh, we have a motion and a second. Commissioner Miner, you're in the queue, followed by Commissioner O'Keefe.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate it. Um, first of all, I want to I want to thank Arty White and his team for the tremendous amount of work that's gone into this work, both both for the county portion of the comp plan as well as the cities. Um, uh, I I've seen you do it because we've been working and and and
meeting with you at Nauseium, you know, for for months. Um and so I I and I can also tell that you're you're listening to constituents and uh that that means a lot. So thank you very much for your work. Also want to thank um all the folks who were here tonight and everyone who has been involved in reaching out to
us on the county side and the city side and staff and with each other um on the work on the comp plan. This is very important as you all know we are planning our growth for the next 25 years and um it's important to get it right. Uh, with that being said, I
support the motion on the floor. Uh, I think it's the right thing to do if we were to adopt the comp plan now. That would create two problems, three actually. Number one, it would lead to a lot of confusion since there would be for a time at least two entirely
separate comp plans. We'd have the the county version which was recently adopted by us and we'd have the city comp plan uh which is basically on hold until the until the city uh adopts their portion of the comp plan. So that's one
problem. The second problem we'd have is after the city adopts their rewrites, we would then have to undergo a reconciliation process trying to figure out well, you know, where the city has text amendments, how do we reconcile those in the county so that we do have
overall another comprehensive comp plan uh that addresses both the unincorporated and incorporated areas. That's a whole other process we have to go through whenever the city does adopt uh their version of the comp plan up to a year from now. The third problem is
that and probably the most important is that there's still discussion we need to have with our constituents. Uh if you go if you if you go to the the public meetings, if you go to the the meeting that they had at Los Robels, um time and time again, people are asking
us for more time. They're asking us to sit down with us with staff to go through the details of what this plan for growth is going to mean for the next 25 years. And I'm I'm I I commend the city of Tallahassee, the commission there for listening. And I it sounds it
seems I can read the room that that the county commission is going to do the same. Uh with option one, we we will have up to a year longer, which is strongly supported by the Alliance of Tallahassee neighborhoods, Tall Timbers, the Friends of Lake Jackson, aquatic preserve experts Michael Hill and Jess
Van Djk, and numerous other constituents who would like more time with us and with staff on the comp plan rewrites. Our residents are speaking loudly and clearly. They want more time to work with us on this plan for how we're going to grow over the next 25 years. So, Mr. Chairman, thank you very much for your
comments. I hope you support option one. Thank you, Commissioner Miner. Commissioner O'Keefe, followed by Commissioner Proctor. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, I'm going to support this uh and I'm looking forward to a robust community conversation with staff and um I know we
already have plans for that and um as I will I will be as I'm sure my colleagues meeting with all our constituent neighborhoods and everyone to make sure that when we as we go through this over the next year that we make sure the comp plan reflects what our community is looking for.
I would like it noted for the record what we're about to do, which is I want to acknowledge and appreciate the city commission for unanimously taking a lead on recognizing that we still need more input and we still need more adjustments
um to the comp plan. And um I'm glad that we get to join in that and participate in that to make sure because it is such a big deal um that we work together on it. Um, I'll support the motion and um, I could go on more about the importance of the comp plan and perhaps I should, but um, we uh, I think
we all know and I will just say that the reason we are taking our time with this and extending another year is so important because the comp plan decides how we grow or build for the next 25 years or more. And that is where we get
to put the rules in place for what we want to see and what we don't want to see. And that's how we prevent neighborhoods from having to come in and fight new uh development applications because the rules weren't laid out in the way the county want the the
community and the county wants. And so um that's what we're that's stake here for the comp plan. I'm glad we're taking the time to make it right. Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner O'Keefe. Commissioner Proctor. Thank you, Shimmer. Uh staff, I'd like uh very much to uh in the
uh weeks ahead um I'm asking for uh a staffing on um the English property on the southeast sector plan. Uh the,061 acres phase one and two combined.
Um it has maximum residential potential for 10,000 plus uh residential units and I definitely need to understand six uh 10,000 residential units uh in
the area which currently is my understanding is English. uh uh English property 10,610 units. Um I'm for Southside Development. I'm not I'm not against anything like
that, but um 10,000 units. Uh I need to know where. So I'm asking for update uh briefing staffing on that. Secondly, um I'm asking for help to understand um and I you know, Commissioner Dan, I'm
I'm not I might be reading off your notes, but the commercial uh retail service and office development in Woodville and the rural community uh future land use category.
uh it has not been um nudged since uh since since O2 and uh it's been sitting here the same for about 20ome years. As I think about Bradfordville
and the transformation of Bradfordville up at Thomasville Road from and if I'm not mistaken it carried um a similar uh rural I think they had almost the same designation
except for Bradfordville rural has transformed into a very urban um practical reality and I'd like staff to helped me understand uh how and what steps do we focus in
Woodville to make a similar transformation if so desired. So when uh Commissioner Gaban and I hold um a town hall meeting in Woodville uh area asking citizens participation
uh we we would definitely need uh to know where commercial is going and what stride steps to get there. Um they may not want to be Bradfordville but um they may want to move off of 23 years ago
type statement. Then finally, um, uh, I'm requesting to be brief understanding of, uh, the USA line, and I need somebody to help me understand what does it take for black people inside the
urban service area to get sewer pipes. Um, I don't understand. Uh, I'm confused and you know I'm I'm I'm still numb though grateful that the state of Florida put some street lights down
there on U Crawfordville Road uh from Wilson Green or Tilman's funeral home up to Capitol Circle. Good. 20 years worth of begging. Uh but we
still got people um with um backyard sewer in the urban services area. If it just gone lie, then I want it taken out. That sewer don't come with it. But
it has argued and been presented to us in the public as public policy that central sewer comes with being in the urban services area except it's just a promise that have not been kept. Um
I feel like Fanny Liu Hamer. I'm just sick and tired of being sick and tired of being lied to. And then final final is um the rural designation
uh one house built on 10 acres. Uh I think I heard Commissioner O'Keefe said that this would cover the next 25 year uh our commitment and I just damn don't see one house on 10 acres
for the next 25 years that folk got to get stuck like that for 25 more years. People have served their sentence since this thing was adopted. Uh 1990,91 89 somewhere. They don't serve their
sentence almost 30 40 years of being constricted um of being uh affixiated. Uh and it's got to be a escape clause.
There has to be an escape hatch for people 25 years from now. Uh Rick that about by 2050 or something like that. I'll be you know some of us going to be
closer to you know season age. Yeah. That's too much y'all can't take that. and we need an escape uh valve on that rural one house on 10 acres. And I just can't support the comp
plan at all if there is no way uh in it for rural people to be continued to be um uh affixiated by the standard is oppressive. and Florida when we adopted
this this plan. Uh when was this thing already adopted? 1990. Yeah. Uh Florida we had no more uh I guesstimate 7 8 million people possibly. Yeah. We're
cooking with 23 million, you know, before ICE rounds up a hell of a lot more. That's it. Um and I believe that with the intensification of population in the
state, we really need to think uh do we need a comp plan that locks down people who are uh who who are under this designation, freedom, emancipation, uh jubilee,
uh let them go. That needs to occur. Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I'm hoping that staff will meet with me on. Okay, we got a motion and a second. Um, all those in favor signify by saying I. I. All oppose.
Passes 61 with Commissioner Kaban in opposition. Uh, next item. Mr. Administrator. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Commissioners, the next few items, uh, commissioners, are the public hearings required to, um, utilize the uniform method of collection for our non-adorum special assessments
and also to adopt the resolution um to, um, uh, to establish the, uh, advorum or nonadalorum assessment roles. The first one up, commissioners, item number 25, um, requests the board to conduct the first and only public hearing on the adoption of the solid waste disposal services assessment role for 283
properties being assessed for the first time and certification of the entire role to the tax collector. We have no speakers on this item. Recommendation second. We got a motion for staff recommendation by Commissioner Maddox, second by Commissioner Caban. All any discussion? Seeing none, all those in
favor signify by saying I. I. I. passes unanimously. Next item. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Next item number item number 26 is required by Florida statute request the board to conduct the first and only public hearing on the adoption of the assessment role for 286 properties being
assessed for the first time and certification of the entire assessment role for the storm water management uh ro to the taxation. All right, we've got a motion. A second. Second from Commissioner Cummings, motion from Commissioner Maddox for staff recommendation. Seeing no discussion, all those in favor signify
by saying I. I I show it passes unanimously. Next item. Thank you. Um Mr. Chairman, the next item uh again commissioners uh seeks the board's approval to conduct the first and only public hearing to approve the resolution adopting the non-evalu
special assessment role for the sewer services readiness to serve charges on certain real property located in the Karn Lakes Plantation subdivision units one and two and certification of the entire role to the tax collector. We do have one speaker on this item. Okay.
Missy Hyatt. That's right, Miss Hyatt. Name and address for the record, please. My name is Missy Hyatt, and I oppose this. I'm on septic tank. Why do I have to pay someone else's sewage? That's ridiculous. I was paying $189 a year on
my taxes. It went up to $440 last year. Now, my mortgage is up $140 a month just because of taxes and um insurance. I'm not paying it. my house is going to be paid for in three years and I have attorneys that work for me. If I have to
go to the Supreme Court, that's ridiculous that I have to pay sewage for someone else's sewage. Why don't you tax the people that have sewage in that neighborhood and let them pay for it? Why do you have to tax the people that have septic tank? And Brian Welch, I
called you four times last week and left messages with you and your assistant. You're a wanker cuz you didn't call me back. And if you don't know what that is, look it up. I'm sorry. Did you say wanker? Yes. Oh, I'm sorry. We didn't receive your calls, Miss Hayyatt. Yes. All right. It concludes your speakers, Mr. Chair.
All right, commissioners. Mr. Chair, move staff recommendation. Can I make a comment, please? Yeah, sure. Second. Thank you. U ma'am, we appreciate you coming and speaking uh today. Um we've had plenty of conversation about this.
Um this is not an issue that we have much control over. Uh this is something that uh was decided a while ago and because the city uh has uh we have an agreement with the city and correct me if I'm wrong Mr. Administrator but I think I know this one. We have agreement
with the city that you do have access by pipes to the sewer system. And the way it was explained is that you uh when your or if your septic septic septic
tank fails will be required to uh hook up to that pipe. Uh and because of that, you have to pay. Now, now I'm not saying it makes much sense. I'm telling you what is this board doesn't have much wiggle room at all uh about whether or
not we can do this. This is this is almost preunctuary in a way. Um and that we have to do it. And so I I appreciate you speaking. I understand your frustrations. Um maybe maybe the attorney can help, but right now this is where we have to be because we have
ma'am ma'am ma'am ma'am we heard you speak. This is where we have to be because we have no choice. Thank you Mr. Chair. Thank you, Commissioner Maddox. Um, all right, Commissioners, Commissioner Proctor, you're in the queue. You want to make a motion? Mr. Chairman, this is uh the sentiments
of the speaker convey uh largely uh levels of um pissivity that a lot of people have. Um and this is also I don't know if they get the vote in the city commission. Uh uh they do not.
They do not. Okay. But here again, people are paying taxes uh and and and and and not receiving a service commensurate with a uh USA uh
promise and commitment and frustration. But imagine hundreds of people in in this manner uh inside the Capitol Circle uh in the southside off of Crawfordville Road off of Woodville Highway uh the people who
live across the street from Southwood who are gerrymandered out of city uh care with respect to those pipes. So taxation because and we use the word taxation I don't use it lightly but I
use the word it taxation in my limited understanding of taxation as money's raised and amounts that go into the general coffers of the city to undergard services that serve the city residents
of which county residents some of them are denied. So we pay in and speaking of uh the Boston Tea Party um you know uh taxation without representation. It it stands true in the area of sewer
services and not only in and I I supported uh Commissioner Tony Gripper uh in his his uh effort to work a deal out kill lakes. Uh it was a bad situation, but the city was considerate
enough to run pipes to kill our lakes, modify their effort to serve and extend beyond and the county afforded them access to come and give services there. the county administry, you remember those good days uh when this occurred.
But Commissioner Gripper uh was a lion uh a grown man lion and fighting for uh that relief. But the city has shown no such energy coming to the southside and do the same thing. That's what I've
seen. That is what I know. These are the facts. It's a different response from the north side. and than there is on the south side and we're in the urban services area without the service but we're paying utility we're paying fire
fees and we don't get the service. Thank you sir. Thank you Commissioner Proctor. Commissioner Cummings then Commissioner Caban. Oh uh thank you Mr. Chair. um the property owner left. So I I would I was going to say a couple of things to her, but anyway, I understand her. I
certainly understand her her sentiment, but I will be supporting the motion on the floor. Yeah. Um, and Commissioner Command, before you go, I would also say to the property owner or I would remind her, I have adamantly voted against this and opposed this and made a million points
about how I think this is wrong, but at the end of the day, ain't a whole lot we can do about it. So, uh, I'll continue to vote against it and, um, you know, and hope that our scrier knows how to spell wanker. She does. I'm sure she
does. Uh, Commissioner Command. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I will be uh with you on voting against this. I fundamentally disagree with this process. I think it's wrong. You know,
there are state statutes that prohibit the increase of property taxes for uh for homesteads for 3%. Yet the city of Tallahassee because they want to or have some consultant that works for them can say that they can 3x someone's sewer
fees just because they want to. And I think it's wrong. And this is another reason why I'm looking forward to conversations about having a utility authority where hopefully we have county commission representation because we
have no say over the readiness to serve charge and it's unfair to property owners who do have a septic tank who have been maintaining their septic tank. And not only that, but those who even do have sewage. Now, we often times talk
about affordable housing. Well, there are several costs that go into affordable housing. Utilities are one of them. And this is if you're a senior citizen living on a fixed income, these cost increases cut into your cost of living. I just think it's wrong. So,
I'll be voting against this. Thank you. Actually, Commissioner, I don't think we have a motion. Or do we? We do. We do. Oh, okay. Okay. Okay. All right. Commissioner, we got a motion from Commissioner Maddox, seconded by Commissioner Cummings. Um, seeing no
discussion. All those in favor signify by saying I. All opposed. I I passes 43 with Commissioners Proctor, Command, and Welch in opposition. Yes, sir. Go ahead, What happens if that'll pass?
Well, it did. Yeah, it did. I assume will be in litigation because we will get sued by the city for violating the 2005 agreement for not certifying the role. Yeah. Okay. Thank you. All right. Next item. Mr. Mr. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, commissioners.
This item requests the board conduct the first and only public hearing to approve the resolution imposing the non-adorm assessments for the purposes of collecting the sewer service charges uh and readiness to serve charges on certain real property located in the Bair Anowwood area and the resolution adopting the non-edorum assessment role
and certification of the entire role to the tax collector. We have no move recommendation second options one. We have a a motion for staff recommendation from Commissioner O'Keefe, seconded by Commissioner Maddox. Commissioner Proctor, you're in the queue.
Thank you, M. Mr. Chairman. Um, is M uh M administrator, can Miss Padella um address a couple questions? did okay I'm looking um under the report one two
three four paragraph down under reporting discussion uh and you say that there are 10 properties which have sewer service available but do not have city utility account for meter service
and the special assessment is limited to only those properties. How do you have services and don't have a meter? They do not have like water service or electric service. So, they have sewer service, but they have um a well for
their water or they have electricity provided by some other utility. Is this is inside of Capitol Circle? Um Bel Air is uh coming down over by uh off of u Woodville Highway inside of uh
Capitol Circle, I believe. So, okay. Yeah. How is this area so jacked up and raggedy and not uniform? I do not know, sir. Madam Madam uh attorney, this is a problem. This is just a problem. And
this what I'm trying to say is that this is a this is a equal protection of the law problem that I believe uh in my district uh the city is so uh wishy-washy
and cherrypicking who receives and who is not going to. How do you get services and don't have a meter? This is crazy.
Um, I'd like to see us uh um look at a uh a 42 USC 1983. And I believe that there's wholesale discrimination. It's captured right here in the words in
our faces. is given to us over and over in our reports, but we're dull in our senses and we don't we see the words, but it don't register. This is discrimination. And I I like a report uh the board's permission for a county attorney to
advise us uh of uh options that we can take for county residents who, like the young lady that spoke moments ago, is um being charged And moreover, these people
cannot vote in the city's election. So when the city violates the five services agreement, breaches it, we got a 5-year agreement and the city dictate dictates that we have to bend or they're going to take us
to court. Or as to Commissioner Maddox's question, what happen if we don't support it? Hell, that mean we ain't got no option. We don't have the option not to support it. So, we'll be hauled in downstairs to court
in this building where we reside, but we'll be taking the court in our own building if we don't humble ourselves, bow down, and kiss the city's ring. This is discrimination. I am so sick and
tired of these policies. And it been like this a long time. I I don't want to go to the house and having left this and whoever becomes the next county commissioner from district one is starting from scratch. But I've
made very little progress and I really need y'all's help because my voice just has not been effective in the city's desire to gerrymander and lock folk out of voting
to tax them. um all kind of riggedy rackety sewer. It's just crazy. But I do want to thank our staff and compliment uh
um Minister Long and our staff that the movement in sewer that has occurred results from their efforts to secure funding in these different phases over there by Mson over here in Anna Wood uh
Bair uh uh Woodville Hill, but it like all these things is in uh under the same county, but it's like it got four, five different daddies.
Each each each little community got a a different little situation, little arrangement, like a different daddy. One buy tennis, one buy church shoes, one don't buy no shoes, one buy flip flaps. They all get treated different. Where's the equal protection of the law?
It shouldn't be like this. We We ought to be their daddy with all the children treated the same. We're the government providing for the health, the safety, and the welfare. And we just sleep. And I believe it's
because of who they are. I'm sorry. It's because of who we perceive they are not that it it lingers this way. So the fact that we can talk about kill arm with a special sewer,
hell, the city made an effort to respond there when when when when when uh feces were floating and all like that and and and you thought that Texas was bad and what we've seen yesterday, our hearts
given to uh challenges people, but Kilarn Lakes had a similar situation. ation except for sew was all around the area. Vince, is that right? But the city determined that it would
not allow that area to to to to exist like that and they responded with the county's um support. But we allow other areas closest to Walcolor Springs. They were just trying to protect the wall color spring
protection zone. And I understand that in some of those areas, commissioners, when the underground water table is highest and you can dip dig down 10 ft and hit water, that's how close they are to the aquafer. So the areas that are most
sensitive and closest to the aquifer on sand sand don't have what really ought to be a priority central sewer pipes and these people not living in the 21st century with the rest of us.
That's why I'm asking your support to allow attorney Ostein to tell us any options we can do to expedite closure to bring that we won't have to see another report quite like what this one is informing us
about the disparities. I appreciate that, Mr. Chairman. I know I went long, but these are years and years of reading these words, these words, these words, and it's just a lot to feel. And I apologize
for um the passion. I thank you all and I ask on this motion that we allow our attorney to come back and inform us of steps we can take to close the gap of sewer services where some have service
and no meters and stuff. All right. All right. Motion uh is your motion? Yes, sir. Is staff recommendation? I'll accept that amendment to staff recommendation on this and ask an item to come back with information from our county attorney on
steps to close the gap on sewer. Excellent. Excellent. Thank you. The secondary of the motion was Commissioner Cummings. I think you on board with that or I can't remember but I will second it with that friendly amendment. Absolutely.
I see some whispering over there. Does it need to be for the county administrator? No. I I think given the nature of the issue, I think it's it's directed the right place. Of course, uh county attorney and I will work on it jointly if that's the direction of the board. Yes. Yeah. But I think the I think the
clarification in terms of the the representation issues that have been raised is one of obviously we're providing sewer. But I think the issue was the you identified Commissioner Proctor the lack of utility accounts on for for some of these folks and and that
sort of thing. We just wanted to seek clarification on what specifically the issue was. No. And also the withholding of uh sew service to these people inside the urban service area. The urban service area supposed to grandfather these people in.
It's supposed to serve them all alike. It doesn't. It's random. It's crazy. Okay. Do you have clarity? We got it. All right. We've got a motion and a second. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. I.
All oppose. Passes 61 with Commissioner Caban in office. Caban. What's wrong with you? Why you say it's not the it was the it wasn't the amendment it's the principal the principle of the whole entire agenda item on the sewage part of of charging
them um for the for the readiness to serve All right Mr. Administrator item 29 Thank you Mr. Chairman, commissioners, this item seeks your approval to conduct first and only public hearing to consider an amendment to the Southwood development of regional impact integrated development order. All right, Commissioner O'Keefe moves
staff recommendation second by Commissioner Maddox. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. Passes unanimously. Next item number 30. Mr. County Minister, I hope you don't mind us interrupting. Thank you. Yes, you were going too
quickly for me. So the item number 30, Commissioner uh move recommendation. There you go. All right, we've got a motion. We have no speakers on this item. Motion for staff recommendation uh by Commissioner Maddox, second by Commissioner O'Keefe. On item number 30, all those in favor signify by saying I. I.
I. Passes unanimously. Next item. We do have one speaker on this item. Uh this item requests the board to conduct the first and only public hearing to consider an ordinance amending the official zoning map from light industrial to general commercial. Uh the proposed ordinance would change
the allowable uses uh for a 1.1 acre parcel located at 3320 North Monroe Street. Uh we're recommending option one. We have uh one speaker. However, I'm just uh reading now available for questions if we have any. Most recommendation.
All right. We've got uh Commissioner Miner in the queue. We have a a motion from Commissioner Maddox, seconded by Commissioner Caban, I think. Commissioner Miner, you are up. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate it. Um yeah, as this uh item has been
working through its uh process at the county, I've received some concerns from constituents about this zoning change, particularly on the amount of traffic. Now, this is quasi judicial, so I I need to basically declare a new exparte communication that has occurred since um
the the um communication logs have been provided to us on the county commission. Um about 2:30 p.m. today, I uh called Ann Bidley, who's been an advocate um against this zoning change uh because I wanted to tell her that after speaking with the county attorney's office about
this agenda item, uh I then I I called her to explain what uh what the county attorney had told us. Now, since the planning commission has voted to support this zoning change, and the zoning change request was consistent with the comp plan, the uh board of county commissioners here would need a
substantive reason to vote against what the planning commission recommends. Later, when and if a site plan is submitted to the county, we will then have the details we need to analyze the traffic demand compared with the available capacity uh along uh North Monroe as well as uh Homewood Road and
Lang. Uh, so I I told uh Miss Bidley this and that I'd be happy to meet with her and neighbors in the area um once a site plan has been submitted. So C Madam County Attorney, is that sufficient for the record? Yes, it is. Great. Thank you. And with that, Mr.
Chairman, uh, thank you for your time. Appreciate. All right. Thank you, Commissioner Miner. We've got a motion and a second. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. All oppose show it passes unanimously. Next item. Mr. Chairman, item number 32 requests the board conduct to conduct the first and only public hearing to consider an
ordinance amending the official zoning map from light industrial M1 zoning to commercial parkway on a 2.1 acre parcel located at 306 Capital Circle. We're recommending option one. We have one speaker representing the developer. Uh if uh you have any questions,
move staff recommendation. Second. All right, we've got a mo motion for staff recommendation by Commissioner Maddox, seconded by Vice Chair Kaban. Commissioner Proctor, you're in the queue. M Mr. Mr. Chairman, I just wanted understanding of the movement uh what's the reason behind the reason and what is
the u activity uh that will occur um and when we move from light industrial to commercial parkway uh what activity will this change facilitate uh if we may know that go ahead
the uh change would allow commercial development to occur and if you look at this area. Uh there's kind of a Walgreens, then Applebees, and a Zachbies, and then the Warner Hyundai Hyundai dealership. And so you have kind of a corridor of commercial uses. Uh
this property that doesn't have any development on it, but does have uh curb cuts already in place. Uh this would allow commercial development to happen on it. Uh we don't know at this point what kind of commercial development or what specific business is looking at this. Uh we just know that they are
intending to do commercial development like the properties adjacent to them. This is on the way to the airport. This is over there by Schuler Schuler Road. Schuler on the corner of uh over by the uh um
Commissioner Kaban has some uh insights. Commissioner Proctor, this is in my district. So this is between uh West 90 Tennessee Street and and Pensacola Street, you know, the early part of Highway 20. This is all industrial commercial. So, you know, if if I'm speaking on behalf of my
district, I think this is an appropriate zoning change to spur more commercial development along an industrial corridor already. That's just my two cents. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I was curious about this because we put the um the county's uh waste transfer uh is over in this area somewhere.
Yeah. Is that accurate? What street is that on? It's invisible. And I remember Miss Shu Gum Road is where the Is this over by Gumro? This is north of that. Close on Capital Circle. Closer to
Capital Circle 90. I'm looking at the map on page 8. Um, okay. There's one on page on exhibit A. Uh it's bigger. Uh Commissioner Proctor Chairman, go ahead. If you look at the top left corner of
that uh insert, you'll see West Tennessee Street written. I see it. Yeah. So that's how how close you are to Tennessee Street. Okay. So those those are the uh uh what's the word? Okay. Zach's car dealership. Corner Honda. Okay. Okay. Um,
you're a few miles away from Gumb. I was curious about that. Um um county administrator, you remember Miss Schula came here and I think she felt that she got a raw deal some years ago when we put the um waste transfer um transfer station out there on Gum Road
and um she was one of those people who did not want the stench of uh that and I want to make sure that we were not doubling down um on another Nimi uh project, not in my backyard project uh
on Ms. Schuler of that family at that area. Okay. All right. The district commissioners authenticated and said he's pleased. Um I'm cool. Thank you, Commissioner Proctor. All right, commissioners. We've got a motion from
remind me. Option one. Maddox. Maddox and seconded by command. Thank you. Um all those in favor signify by saying I. I. All opposed. Show it passes unanimously. Thank you uh to our staff
and everybody that helped us get through those public hearings. We are now back on general business. Mr. Administrator number 20, I believe. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, commissioners. This puts us back on item number 20 on your general business agenda. This seeks your acceptance of the 2025 legislative final report, the board approval of a
resolution to designate the county's development review committee as the administrative authority for the approval of platting and replatting submitts as required by the passage of a new law. uh addressing that issue and and as discussed in the analysis
section. Um commissioners again we have um a presentation prepared to you. I know uh this commission has been um well briefed throughout the legislative process. Uh Nikki's prepared to do that. We have our contract lobbyist is here as well. We could do that or we could uh
again defer Mr. Chairman and and and answer any questions that you might have. Again, I know the board's been uh uh following this and updated throughout the process. Again, though, commissioners, we also have um uh this this item also addresses the county's uh
contract lobbying services. As you know, the county utilizes uh contract lobbying teams at the state and federal levels each year. Uh and headed into the heading into the 25 session, of course, uh the board elected to hire an additional lobbying firm uh to focus on
state appropriations. Um, the contract with the Southern Group was for one year and of course, as you may recall, was paid for out of the board's contingency fund. The contracts with the Capital Alliance Group and Patent Bogs are both in their fourth uh year with options uh
to renew their final one-year uh extension on the contracts uh this fall. Again, that' be the fifth and final uh year of those contracts. And um we're seeking uh uh your your direction uh commissioners um if you have any for us
relative to um uh the state contracts. Again, we're also happy to answer any questions you might have on the legislative report. Um we're recommending options one and two. And again, any direction that you might have on option three or else uh should you take no action on that uh we it would
your your uh existing contracts uh would just renew. Again, happy to answer any questions you might have. Thank you. Commissioners, would y'all like to see a presentation or just answer have Nikki answer questions? Okay. You available for questions? All right. Uh, commissioners, I don't have
anybody in the queue. Would anybody like to make a motion? Mr. Chair, I move um options one and two and leave three open for discussion. All right. We've got a motion for staff recommendation options one and two. Um,
is there any discussion? and a second by Commissioner Maddox. Um I I probably want to I'm probably saying what everybody else is thinking here and just want to say thank you to Nikki and Jeff and Southern Group and what a bizarre session. Uh I think we all admit kind of
unusual really for the Florida legislature to get so dysfunctional. Um which has obviously had impacts on everything that we do over here and will do in the future. So just want to commend you guys for enduring that trial. Um, okay. So, we've got uh motion
for staff recommendation option one and two. We're going to wait on option three. Commissioner Proctor, do you want to excited, Mr. Chairman, commissioners? I'm very excited for the bacon uh that has come home for $2 million to reignite
uh to resurrect uh Crawfordville Road. Um that's meaningful. That's a step in the right direction. and um to um uh Southern Group effort to um secure and keep that money secured. It's one thing to get it passed. It's another thing to
get it past the the uh veto pin. And we were able to get uh they were I not say we they were able to help we out uh with reigniting this project. I want to say that time uh time costs it costs money
when you let time go by. And when this was first profitable road was funded by United States Congress, uh we received $28 million to pave that road all the way to the wall color line. And we uh we
uh uh the city and county commission took half the money and took 319 uh Thomasville Road to the Georgia line and uh left 319 South incomplete
aboarded and cut off at the uh 363 road. We go to Walcolor Springs. So when you go down that road right now is it's four lane till you get to 363 it bears left and it stops. Our commitment was we
didn't need to take it any further because Walcolor had not done their part. And again I emphasize uh traveling that road last week has done their part. And now what would have cost only 14 additional million
dollar then uh is projected in our notes to us. It would take $66 million to complete. Uh that's five times I believe um the amount O'Keefe is that right about five times uh you can't afford 14 million to uh Kea
tell you if it was five or six times but it was some more times more greater than what originally had we not uh um just taken from the south side and just move the money to the north side and um it's
an emergency evacuation route and I'm very appreciative that when um uh Commissioner Cummings um I believe the chairman Welch um and I don't know who else was there when we went before the delegation uh with our uh wish list uh
we heard u chairman Schae indicate that he travels that road every day coming to Tallahassee and it was of personal interest as well as his constituents uh safety uh to improve that road and um
I'm just really excited that after all of these years uh $2 million as a um signal uh as a pulse it's it's got a heartbeat and possibly before doomsday it might have an expansion. So
to those who deserve the credit uh here here Bill Proctor thank you the people of the southside. Thank you Commissioner Proctor. Uh Commissioner Miner again we're on options one and two. Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, I want to give a a brief very brief
update and also uh congratulate our our uh our our folks for working on the restoration of passenger rail. I want to thank uh Nikki Hatch with our county staff as well as uh the Capital Alliance Group for their work. We got further than we ever have before in
terms of uh urging Florida to join the Southern Rail Commission, which as I've said many times is is generally seen as a first step toward restor restoring rail through the Florida panhandle. We actually, thanks to our our our team here, we were able to get a House bill and a Senate bill filed in the
legislature and we had a House committee uh report favorably the House version of the bill. So, that's the furthest we've ever gotten before on this. Uh in October when we have our legislative workshop, I'm going to recommend uh to all of you that we we double down. We basically reassert that as a priority
for the Lyon County Commission. Last year, I was able to talk with the Florida Association of Counties. They also made that a legislative priority for their statewide efforts. Um and so I we're we're building momentum. It's a it's a long multi-year process and um there are barriers along the way, but uh
I do feel eventually we will have restoration of passenger rail through North Florida. Now, some of you may know this, but uh just last week, Amtrak and the Southern Rail Commission made a big announcement. The Mardigra route, which will run twice
daily from New Orleans to Mobile, will be operational on August 18th. Mhm. So, when that line is open and running, the the gap that exists from Mobile to Pensacola to Tallahassee to Jacksonville will be ever more stark. Uh there's nothing running passenger rail-wise
between those cities. So when the Migra route is is up and running, I think that's going to help us understand uh help us express the the the need for passenger rail restoration in North Florida. So uh just want to thank our our team for
their hard work on this. Looking forward to uh uh doing it again next year and getting further. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Commissioner Maddox. One uh the the the most impressive statement, the policy work that that our team did was phenomenal. Thank you so
much for that. It really was. Uh Jeff, your group uh Sean Pitman and his group and as well as the Southern phenomenal work you did. The most impressive thing I saw I read when I was reading through all of this. Interestingly enough, Leyon County ranked the third highest
statewide on the amount of money any county received in the budget this year. I don't I don't know where we usually rank uh as far as that's concerned, but if you think about the
counties in the state of Florida, be it large, small, medium, it's impressive that we were the third highest county to receive an amount when we talk about the amount of money received by Lyon County. I mean that that that that
is the work of of our of our team, our lobbying teams uh that we have with us as well as our delegation. Uh we had uh folks from our delegation in key areas uh and chairman of of key positions and appropriations and everything else. And
so I I can't I can't help but thank whether you agree with their political stances or not. I can't help but thank Leyon County delegation for bringing home that type of money to Leyon County. That is all of them. That's um Alison Tant. That's Jason Schae. That's um
Cory Simon as well as um Galllet Franklin. Um that is that is really really impressive and I hope that they can continue that that success for years to come. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, sir. All right, we've got a motion
for staff recommendation on options one and two. All those in favor signify by saying I. I I passes unanimously. We're now on option three. Um board direction regarding the county's contract lobbying services. Uh anybody want to take a shot
at that? Oh, Mr. Vice Chair, you're up. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Sure. I'll take a stab at this. Um to begin though, I do have a couple questions for staff. First of all, before I begin, I would like to say congrats. I think you've
had, you know, great session. I know your team has been very busy um working amongst, you know, the different lobbying groups and staying in touch with the different policies. So, thank you for you and your office's time. Um I have a question on the lobbying contracts. What are the current terms of
the the I think we have three lobbying groups. What are the current terms? So um starting with the southern group, we have our contract through the end of this fiscal year um for Capital Alliance Group, our other state lobbyist. They um
they have one year remaining. Um so through next fiscal year and then um the same with our federal lobbyist. So on Capital Alliance and our federal lobbyists, they had an initial term though, right? Of three years. Okay. And then right now we're in the
year toyear. Yeah. Um they had two uh options of um two one-year automatic renewals. Uh we're currently in the first still in the first uh automatic renewal year and they have one remaining. Okay. What are the terms of the renewals?
They're automatic. Um but if the board did not want to renew, they would have to provide 30-day notice prior to the end of the the current year. Okay. When is the end of the current year for Capital Alliance Group? It's through our current fiscal year. So September 30th.
What about the federal lobbyist? They're on the calendar year. So they're through December 31st. Okay. And what is the total amount that we paid I guess for this year in lobbying with all three lobbying groups. Um so standard uh capital alliance group
85,000 for our federal lobbyist 100,000 and then we had the supplemental 40,000 for the southern group uh 22 225 225 okay and this this session commissioner
proctor I know you said 2 million but you know I want to respectfully correct you we got 2.8 8 million and um I'm I'm very proud of that because they were all in the southside and I know Commissioner Proctor and I um we we that's a big you know Crawfordville Highways is the line
of our district and my atlarge commissioners I know it's important to you all too. I'm not forgetting about y'all but um also there was $800,000 for Lake Mson water quality improvements as we know very important. Um so I'm very thankful for that. Um when when was the last time that we
received the two two anything close to this through you know signed by the governor of state appropriations from end of a session. So the last time we received a direct local project appropriation was back in 2022 um for Fred George Fred George
wetland restoration. We received $400,000. Uh the year prior to that in 2021, we received $150,000 for uh backup generators at uh the county-owned uh health department. And then um in 2016
for Leyon Works, um we received 100,000. Uh and I would say those are the only three that we've received in the last 10 years. Okay. What is the total that roughly? 600 650,000. 650,000. So Neon Works, what was the other two? uh
the Fred George wetland restoration and then the backup generators at the health department. So um correct me if I'm wrong, but since 2016, which is 9 years, 10 years, we received 650,000
in funding. Yes. What is, if I'm doing my math correctly, we received 650,000 on appropriations. Do we know on federal appropriations what we received? Uh so earmarks uh have not always been a
thing. Um I believe they uh were reinstated in 2021. Um and ever since then we've we've had success um just about every year um ranging from the Concord school to the veterans uh memorial bridge replacement um ranging
from$1 to $2 million for each project each year. Okay. So from state appropriations it's looking like so right now what I'm looking at is this last year commissioners we received in one session
more money it looks like combined than we received in 10 years if I'm from from state appropriations is that roughly correct it looks looks correct from my quick math the comparison of 650,000 compared to
the administrator No, I just Nikki, make sure you're including the state agency request because I think that's what we're comparing apples to apples. Yes. So, um that math, the 650,000 were just direct line item correct project request. Correct. So, not funding that we received through
FDOT's work program. Correct. We're on the same page. Yeah. It's just it's just that Crawfordville Road would be considered a state agency request. It'll technically come through FD's work. Well, that's what I I consider that a priority project to be honest. So, yeah. Um
on point though, on point. So, the 2 million as a state agency, the rest of it was was for Lake Mson. That's $800,000. We will directly uh enter a grant agreement with uh the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Got
Thank you. So, commissioners, um thank you for the questions, by the I think that's I think that um if I have anything else I'll I'll I'll let you know. But I I appreciate your time, Nikki. Um you know, commissioners, I appreciate
those who walked with me when we discussed this early this spring. You know, I I had felt in my core that we weren't getting our our you know, as Commissioner Proctor would say, our portion of the bacon. And you know, we're the state we're the state capital
county. And you know, we had a trial run with the Southern Group and we brought them on for a $40,000 one-year contract. And in one year, they brought in $2.8 million. And um whether you want to call it, you
know, if you look at our priority funding, that's $800,000, which is still more than we've had in the last 10 years. um that return on our investment commissioners is is significant. And so what I would like to do is
propose a motion to I I I did some numbers. I did some math and I have some consideration for the for our board to discuss particularly for our lobbying firms. But I would like to make a motion, and there's three steps to this, to notice both our current lobbying
firms that will we will not be renewing their contracts. And and I would like to propose save $25,000 by proposing a 4-year contract for $200,000 to consolidate our federal and
state lobbying contracts with the Southern Group. And as a portion of that, they must maintain the MWSBE requirement and allow them to choose the the minority firm of their choice. That is my motion, Mr. Chair.
Madam Attorney, thank you, Mr. Chair. So, if you're going to exceed $100,000 for any given contract, that takes it out of informal bid process under our purchasing policy because it's currently if it's up to
it's between 50,000 and 100,000 under the purchasing policy section 603 that's in that that requires an informal bid process. Uh if you exceed 100,000, which is I think what you're proposing, that requires a full ITB RFP competitive
procurement under section 6.08. 08 unless the board wants to wave the purchasing policy. So, I'm just putting that out there. If that's part of your motion, that needs to be part of the motion to wave the purchasing policy. Okay. Then I will include that in my motion to wave the purchasing policy as well. All right. So, we've got a motion from
Commissioner Caban to directly hire Southern Group or cancel contracts with or you said two, you mean three or we just assuming Southerns has expired? Yeah, we would extend it. Right. Right. Okay. So, with capital
alliance and with bogs patent or squire patent bogs and then wave our policy. Does everybody understand? I guess we all understand. I will second that for uh discussion. And I've got Commissioner O'Keefe and Commissioner Miner in the queue and Commissioner
Proctor and Commissioner Cummings. Commissioner O'Keefe. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, and uh, this is one I have some questions on this before I can get behind it, but um, this is where uh, my wife is used to hearing this.
This is where I say you were right. This is where I say you were right. And if if if my partner Alex is listening on the record, I hope I hope she heard that. I don't hear that much in my house about this. Um, I bet Brooke hears that all the time about this. And so, um, I just want to
say, you know, I objected to this. Um, but the the proof is in the pudding and the funding has come back and so I I will admit that that is uh you were right and um I'm so I'm happy going
forward on that. Um I my question is what is our current budget? Well, how much is in the lobbying total budget in what we've preliminarily approved? 185. 185. Okay. And um I'm not
familiar with the lobbying industry. Uh so what what I've seen is Southern Strategy incredibly effective at the state level. I don't know their effectiveness at the federal level. Um and so I'll I'd like to hear about I I
don't know how I don't know who I hear about that from, but that that's a question I have for myself is we've proven it at the state level. Is it similar at the federal level? Um and then uh for the the 220 for the 200, yes,
it's saving from last year, but it is more than we budgeted. But now that I say that out loud, it falls under the category of I'll admit when you're right, we're talking about 20, we're talking about 15 grand
on 2.8 million. Um and uh and so the um I usually I really it it just really doesn't sit right usually with me to not do open competitive bid and all that. But what's clear is in this this is not
um widgets and this is not um uh auditing services. this is um very specific, very specialized. And I appreciate while I like the public per process, I appreciate the motion doesn't waste staff's time when we know what we want. That that tick me a little bit
last year. We kind of knew what we want, but we know now. And so um if somehow I hear can hear a little bit more about um comfort on the federal influence level, then I can support this. Nikki, is that something you can speak to in terms of No. is is
no one can speak to that. Speak to uh Southern's effectiveness at the federal level. Oh, I I think you can speak to Southern's effectiveness at the federal level. I think their work product is well known. You wouldn't be able to compare it um without an RFP process.
However, but but yeah, nobody would I think anybody would stipulate that that Southern is a very reputable firm and and again, as Commissioner O'Keeffe noted, if the board wanted to dispense and and and again, you had your preferences. Certainly, the board has the ability to do that.
Okay. Commissioner Miner. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate it. First, I've got a question for Nikki, if if you don't mind, Mr. Chairman. Sure. Um, Commissioner Caban I thought really was helpful in kind of clarifying what our um what our appropriations have been
received over the last 10 years and then this last year, right? Uh, he mentioned that we determined that over the past 10 years we've received 600k in direct appropriations uh from the legislature and then uh just this last year 800,000 for Lake Mson. You said that um um the 2
million for uh Crawfordville was was basically a state agency uh appropriation. Um what would be the state agency uh amount that we've received over the past 10 years? I want to make sure we compare apples to apples to apples. It's not the full picture,
but typically on any given year, we receive about a 50 50 million I believe um through state agency funding. Well, how's that compared to this year? Um I I don't know the full breakdown. I'm sure it's going to be somewhere
between 50 to 60 uh million as well. Um 50 to 60 million. Yes. So, the uh the funding for Crawfordville Road, um that's a project already with within FDOT's 5-year work plan. Um what essentially that 2 million is going to do is accelerate the pro uh
the project um within the work plan. Okay. We won't be receiving any of those dollars directly. Gotcha. So, would it be fair to say, and correct me if I'm wrong, would it be fair to say that our state agency appropriations this year compared to previous years has
been relatively consistent? Yeah. Okay. Okay. Great. Thank you for that clarification. I appreciate it. Um like like has already been said here on on the day, I think the Southern group has done an incredible job. I think the the proof is in the results. Um I do
however believe that we really do need to stick to the process. we need to stick to the ITB uh RFP process. There are a lot of questions we have. I I I'm uncomfortable for us just saying now I I know I know they have a very good reputation when it comes to federal
lobbying. I just know that. But we none of us has looked at that on paper. None of us has looked on has looked at anything that Southern Group has given us in terms of what they say they can do for us at the federal level. Um, $200,000 sounds like a a good amount
for us. I mean, considering the rate of return we're probably getting for that, but that that money doesn't belong to us. The $200,000 belongs to the taxpayers. Shouldn't we put that out for bid so that the Southern Group frankly tells us what they think they should do
the work for, how much that's going to cost them, how much they want to charge us, because they're going to be competing with other people that respond to the bid. What I want to do is I want to have an RFP process where Southern Group which has done a tremendous job for us this past year where Capital Alliance Group
has done a tremendous job where Sean Pitman and his folks have done a tremendous job where they're basically applying to to basically have our to basically have us as a client along with anyone else out there that wants to apply. That gives our county staff and us the ability to compare the results
with what they've already provided to us as well as what the prospective lobbyists might want to do for us and at the price that they're willing to charge us. Um, that's why we have a policy that's why we have a policy that requires an RFP up to a certain
threshold. Uh, I I'm uncomfortable voting for this without going through the process. Um, I agree that the Southern Group has a esteemed reputation when it comes to federal lobbying, but we've not read anything about what their capabilities are for us at Leyon County
other than just having our own knowledge about the reputation. So, I really hope you'll you'll pause on this a bit, take a step back. I think the right thing for us to do in terms of the best use for taxpayer dollars is to have an RFP where our county staff can
evaluate things according to the people that respond to the bid and then we have the chance to take a look at what those results are and make a decision for ourselves. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you, Commissioner Miner. Commissioner Proctor. Mr. Chairman, uh, may I, uh, defer to Commissioner Caban that he might
directly respond, uh, in the, um, in the heat of this moment to, uh, what Commissioner Miner said, my comments. I don't want to Sure, I'm okay with that as long as Commissioner Cummings is okay cuz I saw she was in Q and I don't want to skip you as well. I I just I didn't by the time you circle
back directly to his question, speak on point. Yeah, on point. Um, Commissioner Miner, you bring up some very great and fair points. Um, but if I were to like respectfully debate you, I would say this. Um, one, committee week start the
first week of October. This last session, we went through this and they got a late start already. Two, I would arguably say that the Southern Group just went through the most realistic RFP process that you can do, which is they
went through a session for us and as Commissioner Proctor would say, they brought home the bacon, right? So, in one session, they brought back more money on our line item funding for whether it's just Lake Mson 800,000.
They went and took a project that was vetoed last year and not only did they get it more funded at a higher level, but they got that signed and it's it's a done deal. Additionally, if you took a look at they did over the last 10 years, right? I mean, we've paid we we've been
at a deficit. So, when we talk about what's best for taxpayers, we've paid 85,000 for 10 years and we got back 650,000. That's a deficit. In one year, we had a $40,000 contract and brought home 800,000. So, I I think we have the
same I think our approach is and we both want what's best for taxpayers and I respect that, but I'm saying my approach is what's best for taxpayers is bringing on a firm that's going to bring them a higher return on their investment. So, that would be my direct reply, Mr. Chair. Commissioner Miner, you want to respond
to that and then I can get back in order? I would. Thank you very much. And and Commissioner Ban, I respect that as well. Um, what's the rush? The legislative session ended. Uh, our county administrator has told me during briefings and it's in the agenda item and I I'm sure he's told all of us,
we have plenty of time to put this out to bid. Plenty of time. And there's more. Yes. Judge by performance. Southern group has done a tremendous job. Uh, but there's more to the RFP than just a prediction of of performance. There's the documentation. You have conflict of interestlo
disclosures, all those types of things. the the actual amount that they want to charge us that we can compare with other responses to the bid. Those are essential parts of the RFP process that I think should be part of it. And here's the thing, we have time. We have time to put it out to bid. We have time to have
people respond to that RFP. We have time for our county staff to evaluate that through a rigorous process to take a look at the documentation, make sure everybody's is is is conforming with what our procedures are and then it has time to for for that to come back to the county commission. We can take a look at
Southern Group's response. We can take a look at Capital Alliance if they choose to respond to it and anybody else that wants to respond. That in my opinion is the most responsible way to use taxpayer dollars. We might have Southern Group that we end up choosing, but because they're competing for our business, they
might choose to bid bid it out at 185,000 or 150,000. You know, I think we have time to do that. That's my point. And and I agree. I I I understand what you're saying. Why waste time? But we have time to do it. And that's my point. And and there's more to the RFP process
than just simply the performance. Although that's a huge part of it, there's a lot more in terms of the process that the county requires to make sure we dot our dot our eyes and cross our tees. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, sir. All right. We're going to get back on Commissioner Proctor, then Commissioner Cummings. Okay. Thank Thank you, Mr.
Commissioner O'Keeffe and Miner. Again, I appreciate my colleagues um um comments and um I think that above the shoulders um on this one. Um, I I have to lean to Commissioner Miner uh his desire to see uh us follow uh the bid
process and all of that. And you know, in years um prior to uh current governor um objectively I could likely lean that way. Um but after
looking at the Florida University search for a president, the damn process ain't worth a damn. And um you know, with all due respect to respect, um but you just don't respect respect when respect don't respect you
back. So it it don't respect you back. Even if we go to through and we end up with a lions of some other joker, what this process respects is who you know and connections and personalities.
I am so clear after getting uh my efforts to uh see an objective process at FMU and go for the most qualified person and let's objectively rank these persons and how do we get there all of that and that's the old school that
don't even count no more you know that don't count no more so the process is who's connected who's got juice who's got game who's got connect that's way it is and I can give you a whole lot of names
of people who who thought there would be a process. Commissioner Miner, alumni, faculty, students, but it wasn't one because under this particular governor, all of that don't mean a damn thing.
It's who you know. So when you bring $2 million and resurrect Crawfordville Road, something that been dead forever in my district, I'm happy. I'm looking for performance. Uh when
$800,000 comes down for Mson, I don't care if the state, who name you put on it, I don't care what it's in my district. It's something that needs to be done. And we brought in a team that went to work. But the but but what's
most impressive is after the meat grind and when the sausage gets ground up, you got to be able to keep it when the legislative have hit sign die and they done closed the door and close the liberation and you got to hang on and
keep the governor's pen, veto pin off your money if you got some designated. That's what we saw. So, it's one thing to um cha lot and talk all that talk talk talk and get it through, but it's a
whole another season once you get past the legislature. That next season involves your ability to keep the money legislators designated to you. We saw that ability and that I like to respect the process but the
process it ain't one and it's based on those variables that are subjective and with respect to um the process as um legislators we hold discretion
as legislators to exercise our discretion with respect to what we're looking at. We want to go out there in the marketplace. But Caban said it well well said that the bidding process was the performance which occurred in the
last 2025 legislative session. That was the bidding pro. Everybody had an equal chance to show what you're working with. What you brought home, what you lasso, what you got, who you cor what you brought. That was a process clearly to
me. What what else I got to go do? So, I'm well pleased with um selling them. According to the information, we brought them on board in January. Man, it was so much money spent before January, they didn't even participate in it. They didn't even get their boots on the
ground the same time everybody else. And they caught up and outran everybody else and performed. uh in a grown man and woman's world, time over performance is the only measure objective you can go by. That's
what we went by. I'm not sure about uh that group up in u Washington uh uh I forgot their name. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Uh I don't know how to compare them but uh
uh I mean think about the word southern southern group. I mean the word southern carries weight. It's almost coded language. Southern group in Washington. They ain't going to lose no money cuz they're southern group if you know what
southern means. So their arm and name proper noun southern group is going to find traction in times like these when it ain't no rules there are no norms there's no tradition there is no process
we are best represented by a group called who call themselves southern I'll drink to that ain't some whiskey called southern something like that is it southern all right thank Thank you, Commissioner Proctor. Commissioner
Cummings, thank you for your patience. Thank Thank you, Mr. Chair. I I think we're all up here excited and giddy about um the bacon that was brought home for our county this uh legislative session, uh this past legislative
session. And I I want to thank all of our our lobbying groups, the um Capital Alliance, the Southern Group, and our federal uh lobbyists. I'm sure they bounce things off of each other. in the final analysis, we have a win-win
for our county, a win-win for the citizens of of Leyon County. But um Commissioner Caban's initial motion indicated 200 set aside 200,000. Mhm.
And then the county administrator indicated that that was above I believe our policy um 100,000 count our budget our policy is anything above 100 we have to wave the rules. Oh I understand. Okay. But but my qu my
question is uh lobbying services, madam uh county attorney, are those exempt from uh competitive procurement or is it just our policy here uh on the county uh
for a certain amount? uh they are not exempt from the county's purchasing policy, but that's why the board can wave it because you impose that threshold under your purchasing policy under our policy. Correct. But under state statute like legal services is
exempt from from govern this because we're not subject to 287.057 competitive procurements at all. We have our purchasing policy. So we're operating under our policy, not that state statute. Abs. Okay. So that answers my question. Lobbying services is not subject
to state procurement. None of our none of our procurements are we don't operate under 287.057. Ah but we set our own correct limits here. Right. And our limit as far as lobbying services without the competitive process
is $100,000. Is that the ceiling? Yes. But we have the ability to wave that. Correct. Okay. Yes. Okay. So, um we could wave it if if we wanted to set the cap at $200,000
uh based on Commissioner Kan's initial initial motion. Okay. Uh, I like the fact that he also indicated and is that part of the motion um to require minority and women participation as well?
Yes, ma'am. Oh, okay. And then I'm like Commissioner Miner uh in the sense that I I believe in fairness putting it out there um allowing the interested
entities to submit their proposal evaluated what have you. Um and I'm in favor of following procedures. Have have your policy in place. Follow your policy. uh do your analysis, determine the best
entity to provide the services. However, listening to the debate up here on the DES, I I think Commissioner Proctor just brought some realization uh to my mind and that is in all instances the procedures don't
dictate. You might have you might feel that you have the best procedures adopted. you try to follow those procedures but in this day and time that might not be the ultimate final decision even if you follow your
procedures you know to the tea. I think we're living in a world now where we recognize the power of political engagement, uh, political involvement, uh, the power of, um, polit political
camaraderie. Uh, and I think it's incumbent upon us, I believe, here on the day as commissioners to look holistically at what's best for the citizens.
of Lyon County as far as bringing home appropriations that's going to benefit our county, that's going to address some of the needs of the citizens here in Lyon County, that's going to address um widening roads and
road repair and everything else that we have been trying to uh benefit from every year throughout the the legislative ative uh process. So, I appreciate the debate. I I appreciate Commissioner Proctor's
um concern and and and his passion about what's best uh for for Leyon County. So um at this point if we as a commissioner if we are able to wave certain
provisions so that we would be operating within I guess the the arbittors of what we as a county have have established. Um, I'm I'm willing to sort of walk with Commissioner uh Caban on
this, recognizing how we benefited this last legislative session uh from his motion um few months ago to bring on this extra group uh for little or nothing to be honest with you based on the return uh
that that we received. But I'm persuasive. I'm persuade. I am willing to be persuaded and I think uh Commissioner Proctor is almost uh persuading me. I appreciate uh
Commissioner Miner's uh concern about the competitive process allowing entities to submit proposals and we do the evaluation and and that's basically my mindset as an individual as the person but I think it's incumbent upon
all of us to also recognize the realities of the times that we live in you know and I think we need to recognize the real the realities of having a relationship ationships, professional relationships,
um, political relationships, and whether or not those relationships are in the best interest of what we want for for our county. Also, thank you, Mr. Chair. That's my two cents. Thank you, Commissioner Cummings. Commissioner Maddox O'Keefe, Mr. Commissioner O'Keefe, you're in there,
but I'd like to hear from Commissioner Maddox and then myself because we haven't chimed in, and then we'll circle back to you if that's okay. I'll be I'll try to be as swift as I can, Mr. Administrator. um the MW the MWBE portion of um this contract will be
capped at whatever I think it's like 14 15% correct I think it's 12 I want to know what the number is but I think it is I think the only reason I asked is because I remember when we did the um 40 the $40,000 I believe it was I asked for a
specific number instead of what the um percentage was and it came back that we had to go with the percentage that that's prescribed. Correct. It and and excuse me. Yes, we could. And and it's um uh the county attorney and I
were just um putting our heads together on this one. I don't think again it would be a problem for you to set it at the same percentage as you had it last time. Right. Right. I mean, it's prescribed. I mean, we can't Okay. Cuz it's justified that way because it's it's in the study. Okay. Um, I struggled whether or not I
was going to speak on this, but I think it's it's necessary for us to celebrate because the writing's on the wall. I I can read how the tea leaves are going here. I think it's necessary for us to celebrate uh the firms that have been with us for years. Uh how how long have we worked with the the firms that we
currently employ? The the early 2000s. Early 2000s. So for 20 some odd years uh patent bogs and uh Capital Alliance have have worked with us and have done good work. Uh I will say that I am though I I
I think they've done good work and I'm I'm excited about what they've done for us. I'm also excited about the direction that we're moving it moving in. Uh and given again the tea leaves that I see here, I will go ahead and support Commissioner Caban's motion. Uh but I I
will say I I don't want us to to walk away from from this moment without uh giving those firms the roses that they deserve for the for the work that they did did for us for so long. Uh and so I want to say to both firms, thank you. Um
to the Southern, I challenge you. uh you you did what you were supposed to do with the $40,000 that we that we took a chance on and brought back monies that that uh exceeded our expectation. Uh but if we're going to go down this road, and
I believe that that you can with the with the relationships that you have, I challenge you to to to continue the legacy that has has been built over the past 20 years with the firms that we had and to exceed that. That is the
opportunity that we're giving. That's the chance that we're taking right now because we believe as a commission that the southern for our federal and state which is first time is this first time we've done this Mr. M in a very long time. Yeah. First time in a very long time we believe they can exceed the expectation.
This isn't about meeting the expectation. This about this is about exceeding the expectation. and to go as far as we've gone to even weigh rules and move forward with this. I I I I do challenge the southern I but on the same foot of the challenge I I I
I uh present here today. I believe they are fully capable of doing exactly what we're asking. And so I like I said, I struggle as to whether or not I was going to speak, but I I wanted to go ahead and and take this opportunity cuz I haven't we haven't done it yet. as I'm listening across the board, it look like this thing is going to pass. To thank
those who have done the work for the past 20 years and to to thank them sincerely for the work that they've done and not to not to think not to to make it seem like they haven't done any good work cuz they have. This isn't about the product that they produce. Uh this is
about the opportunity that we have uh with the Southern, the opportunity we're giving the Southern to exceed expectation on on the state and federal level. um in the work that they do for us. And so, Mr. Chair, I I'll support the the the
the motion on the floor with again that thank you to those who have served us in the past and and a challenge and excitement and to those who if this passes will serve us in the f future. Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner Maddox. Um I am
I have been pretty bullish on this idea. Um, going back to our original discussion, I I feel like, um, you know, we acknowledge the dynamic nature of the activity across the street
and we also acknowledge that we've been with our folks for 20 something years. Imagine how much that has changed in 20some years across the street. And I I I spent some time over there 20 years ago, and I know Commissioner Proctor spent some time over in that building years ago, and so is probably some of
others of us. Man, it's a doggy dog world over there, man. It is it is really cutthroat. And I think that I agree with Commissioner Maddox wholeheartedly. I think that um the Mr. Shy's group has done a fine job
servicing Leyon County, but I think you living in a in a world now where fine job ain't bringing home the bacon, right? You got to really excel. And so I I think that I totally agree with Commissioner Miner. I think that that it
is really would be responsible of us um to to go through the RFP process, but I also think that as as elected officials, we owe it to our constituents to show them that we are serious. And I think that supporting Commissioner Caban's
motion is a testament to that. We are serious. I don't think we have to ever apologize for hiring the largest lobbying firm in the state of Florida. The largest in the state of Florida. Okay. by volume by by by numbers of associates
who clearly we have acknowledged has a presence at the federal level. I think it's silly to to hire a firm at the federal level and at the local level when you have powerhouse firms right across the street from us who operate at both levels. I think that there's
there's dollar cost averaging there or whatever you want to call it. I think there is value there and I don't think that we have to feel like we're out of order by waving our rules to hire a firm that we know got a bunch of dogs in it and that's going to go out there and
really fight hard in that just almost unfairly dynamic environment across the hall where you have you got to be that way. You got to be that way, right? And so, um, I will, as the seconder of the motion, obviously, I'm going to support
Commissioner Caban's motion, um, I I think it's I think the earlier that we can give our designated lobbyists the opportunity to go out there and start banging on doors, um, you know, you've got midterm election cycles that are going to start ramping up here probably
before the end of the summer, both locally and certainly at the state level. And so I think the sooner that we can get those guys and gals motivated and moving and knocking on doors and going, "Hey, I'm representing Leyon County now." I think that'll just be better for our constituents cuz at the
end of the day, that's who we are sent here to represent and we have to the rubber has to meet the road. And so I think that there's nothing wrong with pivoting at this point after 20some years to a 4-year deal. Um, and I guess this is a question for the county
administrator. I mean, y'all would need more direction than us just saying a four-year deal. Would there be parameters like a three-year deal with a one-year extension or just be a straight four-year deal? I think we can we can take your direction based on that and structure a contract to bring back for your approval
that would reflect the spirit. I just think, you know, I think that's the right way to go. I think that's a really, again, it's it's aggressive, but it shows we're serious. It shows we're ready to rock and roll. We're ready to play the game over there and we ready. We're ready to have a seat at that table
when it comes time to getting things signed. I think our delegation, they do the best they can pushing things through. But as we all know, it's so dynamic over there. Even your delegation can't always get the job done. You got to really bring in the big guns. And I think this is us saying we're ready to
really invest hard in the big guns. Not just flirt with, but actually date the big guns. So that's where I'm at. Um I'm I'm welcome to come back uh Commissioner O'Keeffe and then Commissioner Miner if you guys want to wrap us up. Commissioner O'Keefe.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um that hit that brings to a couple questions that that were that came to mind. The current agreements uh what were the original terms? Were they a two-year contract with two automatic one-year extensions?
I think that's it. There was a base term of three years with two one-year automatic renewals. And we have until 30 days until their renewal to notify them. Yes. Okay. And um Okay. Then um my first
thing is the we we talk about the money that we got but but as the county administrator reminds me and yet I forget until the end of the discussion um a lot of the money that we saved is money that we stopped negatively impacting us this
year. So, for example, pension changes that if I remember my numbers right, if they were passed, would hit our budget by $30 million or more. Is that That's correct. That's correct. And so, um, the my question is, and a lot of that advocacy,
I believe, is coordinated with the Florida Association of Counties as well as things that affect home rule that are that are not just projects. And so my question is how much and how if how much if any
does our current capital alliance group join us in fact Florida Association of counties I'm not cussing um with those efforts separate from special things I don't want to jump to the projects and forget and make sure we still have a
strong effort on home rule and huge negative um revenue side or expense side policies. We would continue to do with that with whoever the board selected. And you have no issues? No. Okay. And then um we have non-financial
legislative priorities. I think more at the federal level. And I know I know I'm going to bring some I hope we support to add to our legislative priority workbook in for the federal level. some of those are not consistent with the current
administration's philosophy. And so again, um can we expect that we will get the same level of advocacy for those non-financial um issues that we are voting on and
saying that we want our lobbyists to represent us. Yeah, I think it's fair to say Nikki's here. we had any concerns about that, we would we would u make you aware of it. But again, I think any of the top firms have to be able to to work both sides of
the ball. Okay. And so um I'm going to the the two things. An administrative thing I'd like to offer um to consider as an amendment is we just a little a literal
administrative thing. We I'd like to tell staff to offer and negotiate a contract with Southern and then notify the two firms that we're not going to renew cuz there's a theoretical world where we vote this and staff goes out
and the vendor's like 200 grand I don't know about that and we would have already notified. I just wanted to put the notification after having a contract. Um, I would say that I think the county just to sorry commissioner command, but I would say the county minister just told
us that we're at the very top of the structure. I think countywide at two at 225. So, Commissioner Kan, go ahead. No, I I think we're I think we're all good to go with this. Okay. And then my only other ask is um
the is that we give the same uh lead guaranteed years and then optional. So in so I would ask for a friendly amendment um for 3 years with two optional one-year extensions. And the reason is let's see how effective
they are because just like we did with their other firms. If by some reason in 3 years they're not effective, we should drop them like a hot rock just like we we do any other firm that's not effective. And so I would just try to say that we give the same um initial lock in with extensions. That's all.
Sure. Commissioner Kan Commissioner if if if you're going to support the motion with those amendments and I'm happy to do that. I think that's completely fair. So I'll accept those amendments. All right. So, we've got amendments. I'll accept those as well as a seconder of the motion. And we are still going.
You see more? Commissioner Miner's in the loop. Go ahead. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just to wrap this up, um I know where the votes going. Um you know, I I'm going to vote no on this mainly on principle because of my belief in having us follow the
process. Um you know, I it looks like we're going to have Southern Group representing us, which I'm happy about. It's a top firm. uh you know it it it very well could be the best firm that we can have going working for us both at the capital here in Tallahassee as well as in DC. So I I want to be very clear
about that. Uh my vote is not against our new lobbying firm. It's against uh what I believe to be us not following the process. And um you know I I know that the the thought here is like let's be serious. Let's show what that mean business. I get that. In my opinion,
showing that we're serious and meaning business is following the process and going through the RFP and and since we have the time to go through that process, making sure we we basically cast a wide net, see what we catch, evaluate what's in the net, and then make a decision there, which would have
very well been Southern Group, but we would have gone through that process to do so. So, I'm going to vote no, but I I know where it's going. I'm happy uh with what the results going to be and I look forward to uh some appropriations coming our way over the next few years. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Commissioner Cumins, you want
to wrap us up? Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just just one uh question. uh commission on commissioner um O'Keefe's suggestion that our federal and state lobbyists now not be notified
until we get a positive uh consensus from the southern group uh to our county attorney. Don't we have a certain amount of time to let them know that we will not be uh exercising that last year extension? Right. Yes. Nikki said so the deadline
would be the end of July for it would be August 30th for our state contract and then uh November 30th for our federal federal. Okay. So I just suggest that we follow the process and procedures that are in the contracts that we have,
you know, with both entities and and we're obligated to do that anyway. Correct. Okay. Awesome. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, ma'am. All right. Um, we've got a motion from Commissioner Caban, uh, and a second from myself. Do you guys got everything you need? All right. All those in favor signify by saying I. I.
I. All opposed. All right. Passes 61 with Commissioner Miner uh, in opposition. And we are on to our next item 21. Mr. Administrator. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, commissioners. Uh, this item seeks the board approval of the 2026 CHSP grant recommendations
in the amount of 1,324,500. This is the second year of our current two-year cycle. We're recommending options one and two. And let me just check. Commissioners, we have no speakers on this item. Move option one and two. Mr. Chairman, second. Commissioner Maddox, you want to get in on that?
Yes, sir. Mr. Chair, I'll be recusing myself in this item. Uh, as I am chairman, uh, chairman, it's been a long night. Uh, President and CEO of Family Promise of the Big Ben, which receive CHSB funding. Thank you. All right, we've got a motion from Commissioner uh
um Proctor, seconded from Commissioner O'Keeffe and with a recusal from Commissioner Maddox. Uh seeing no discussion, all those in favor signify by saying I I pass. All oppose passes unanimously with Commissioner Maddox in recusal. Uh
next item, Mr. M. Commissioners, this item seeks full board consideration of the appointments to the investment oversight committee as well as the uh educational facilities authority. We're recommending options one and two. You have no speakers on this item. We've got a motion for option one and two from Commissioner Maddox, seconded
by Commissioner Cummings. Seeing no discussion, all those in favor signify by saying I. I. All oppose. Shows passes unanimously. Commissioners, we are on citizens to be heard on non-aggenda. That's done with general business. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes. Uh your first speaker, Kenneth McDermott.
Who? Who? You said, Mr. M. Mr. McDermott. Oh. Um, Mr. McDermott had to leave, but I did tell him that I would convey information to him. Uh, the name should sound familiar. He owns the property,
owner of, uh, the Washington Square property. Uh, he wanted me to let the board know that, um, the agreement with the county for him to repair the ride ofway has not been executed yet. However, he has a
meeting with staff tomorrow to work out uh some timeline issues with the expectation that the agreement will be signed by the end of the week. I told him I would convey that information to the board. Thank you. Great conveyance. The next speaker is Carllet Smith to be
followed by Sam Wilson. Name and address for the record, please. You have three minutes. My name is Carllet Smith. My address is 5990 Smithville Lane. Good evening, commissioners and neighbors.
I'm honored to serve as the director of the Boys and Girls Club in Mkasuki, Florida. I want to thank you for this opportunity to share what we need to truly make this new community center a place of growth, connection, and hope,
especially for our youth. We are in a rural area, and while that comes with its own beauty and strengths, it also comes with unique challenges. Our young people will need access to programs that support them academically, emotionally,
and creatively. That includes afterchool tutoring, sports and recreation, STEM programs, and creative outlets like art and music. We also need to think about families, offering parenting workshops,
job training, mental health support, and wellness programs. A community kitchen, computer lab, and safe transportation would make a huge impact. This center has the power to change lives, but it will only reach its full potential if we
invest in the right programs and resources. I am here to say that I along with the Boys and Girls Club of the Big Ben am ready to lead and support this effort every step of the way. Thank you again for listening and for your commitment to
our community. Thank you, Miss Smith. Sam Smith or Sam Wilson rather to be followed by the final speaker, David Hall. Mr. Wilson. Name and address for the record, please. And you have three minutes.
My name is Sam Wilson. My address is 14614816 Rosa S. Wilson Lane, Tallahass, Florida. I'm a advocate of the Boys and Girl Club and um we put a lot of effort and work
into make it it is what it is and we do appreciate what the county have already done for us. We do appreciate that. We think it could be more but we thank for what we have. Uh I have one deeply
concerned about when the ribbon cutting was done. I just think that we should have had some representative from uh the the committee peoples working that community with the ribbon cutting and we we know it was went off well and
whatnot, but uh my concern I thought we should had some representative from the area that worked in so hard to make it what it it is. Again, I thank you for listening and I hope and another concern
I have. I asked different people from the county and whatnot about the sign being put on the building. We have the Boys and Girl Club. Well, the county got their sign there, but it says the Boys and Girl Club, but there's no sign out there saying the Car
Wilson Boys and Girl Club. That's what it were at the beginning. I wonder could I get some information, some enlightenment, why isn't that sign put on the building now? Uh is it not going to be a public signing of the car Wilson Boys and Girl Club or uh
whatever, but we would like to get some enlightening on that if we could. Thank you so much. We can have staff speak with you, Mr. Wilson. Uh final speaker, David Hall. Mr. Hall, name and address for the record, please. Three minutes.
Good afternoon. Thank you, uh, county commissioners. My name is David Hall and, uh, I grew up in the Mika community. I never been more proud of the changes that brought about the ribbon cutting ceremony of the new
renovated community center by the Ly County Board of Commissioners. In behalf of the entire community, you have our proud thanks. However,
I would be remiss if I did not call your attention to all the work in the form of meetings, discussion groups, plans, and the member of the community that went completely
unnoticed at the ceremony. Even Commissioner Bill Proctor weren't even there. Well, in fact, members of the committee
who was appointed by the county commission to work with the uh the uh excuse me, work with Maggie and the administrators. We were not even given a chance. I knew
it was real hot that day and I can contest to that. But we had seven members appointed by the the county to work with us. We came out every Tuesday
and worked religiously trying to get this center open up. And come to behold I've been getting calls from the committee. Why weren't we with acknowledge at knowledge? I can't answer
that but I'm looking for an answer tonight. I ask you in all appropriate ways, public knowledge of all the tireless work of the community center went toward great effort which we promoted even greater
community pride as well as greater future involvement. With that all being said, consideration is made that a community center
committee be awarded a plaque with the name of each member on that plaque and placed in the Mickey Suki Community Center. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Hall. Yes, Commissioner
Maddox. Uh Mr. D one better. So I remember the conversations we had around this commissioner probably you were there. Um there was a lot of conversation and Mr. Minister you remember about not even wanted to do at Concord school because of what it represented. Uh and we move
forward with with using Concord School as a community center for Mkasuki and you all that committee of seven um though he may not totally have agreed with it chose to serve to help us figure out how we're going to make that
facility the best facility we possibly can. And on behalf of of of myself and I'm sure the chairman will say the same. We apologize for you all feeling like you might have been forgotten about, but for your efforts, not just for your efforts, uh, but for your willing
willingness to be a part of a process that you might not have totally agreed with from the jump. What I'd like to do, Mr. share on your behalf as the judge commissioner is ask for a proclamation to be permit to be given uh to those seven folks uh for their for their work
the work that they put into and the time that they put into creating uh the Mkasuki uh community center to be what it is today. And so, Mr. Mr. Chair, I make a motion that we uh not do a plaque
uh but we we um that we do a proclamation uh celebrating those seven members of the committee that were uh that helped us in the time that we needed help out there to figure out what we're going to do. Second.
All right, we got a motion and a second. Uh all those in favor signify by saying I. I opposed. Passes unanimously. Thank you, Mr. Chair. And and again, I apologize for the way that you all may have felt about the lack of recognition,
but don't think it's not it's not it's lost upon us the important role that you all played in uh the community center being what it is. And and we thank you and I hope this proclamation shows our sincerity uh in in our appreciation of
your efforts. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you. Thank you. Yes. Thank you, Commissioner Maddox. All right, commissioners. We're on uh comments and discussion items. Anything from county attorney? Uh, no. Thank you, Chairman.
All right. Items from the county administrator. No, thank you, Mr. Chairman. All right. Discussion items by commissioners. We're going to start with you, Mr. Proctor. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh, Mr. Mr. Chairman, in light of uh comments just heard,
um searing pain uh enters my chest. Uh I saw the news uh of the ribbon cutting and I had uh I was delighted. I was sad that I think I had a funeral service
that day, something. And um I was hurt that I was not there because when we um when we um dug up the dirt to kick it off and I believe we had gotten something like $34 million, how
much money we got was how much was it to re uh bring the building up? 4 million. $4 million. And uh we were out there and we walked the halls. County administrator told us this is going to
be here. This is how it's going to look. Oh, we're going to do a great job. those those commitments on the front and um from the joy that we felt expressed um um uh Maggie
and if there was a uh and there may have been an oversight uh but please know from the depths of uh the hearts of the effort and the joy with which Maggie um was enthused about doing something for
uh that property. uh that I know that the labor that went in was a plain Jane oversight, but I think that we can make we can make it up at the district commissioner and
our chairman um uh we've had so much energy and out of all the spaces of uh from uh out on Highway 20 with Commissioner Caban's district uh Woodville bill little different but
there is something annoying that's g n a w i i n gn knowing um tension around race that has permeated the existence of mkasuki
uh since I've been here uh Mr. Paul, you've been here a jillion times. Um, we've almost had to come out there and separate folk from fighting and stuff and folk just
but our hearts to see a transformation and a unity in Mikasuki among the neighbors and who controlling it and who calling the shots. We've worked hard and there's been great patience. I'm talking about race.
And I don't know how far back the dynamic goes, but Mr. Chairman, what I'm trying to say is that we done put the brick in the mortar, $4 million on bricks and mortar. And I believe that we ought to do a community
celebration that focuses on the flesh, the blood, and the spirit, and the hearts of people. And I believe that for $4 million being invested there that a a ribbon cutting is a stiff quick
it doesn't even capture the the amount of time. And if the district commission would consider um the fortitude with which both communities have come together around the county's efforts to create harmony,
not just bricks, but harmony that we need to go down there and do a real um celebration of um sorts. I don't know Mrs. Carrie Wilson. I don't know her. But to the the modest requests that have
been made today, uh, Mrs. Wilson's name be added, um, the motion made by Commissioner Maddox. Um, he asked by Miss Smith for Boys and Girls um, support and in particular with the
big beautiful bill is going to hurt SNAP. Um, it's going to hurt um families and Mr. Wilson's asked for support, but they're already looking
down the road. And if we could um you know, we when it storms, we the county, we prepare sandbags. We get sandbags and we tell people to come get these sandbags and keep. And that's kind of what we need to do is
prepare sandbags for the storm that may engulf this community. But commissioners, I would love to see uh for the years I've invested. Uh have seen the efforts of community
come together. uh we put a lot of heart and soul and I really believe what we've never done is gone down there and I'm and I wanted to be there but we have never had a celebration community celebration in an
area that's been troubled that's been trying to come into the 21st century of thinking and thought being and doing and action and loving and embracing. That's where we trying to get everybody same page. That's what they asking for. And
they feel hurt that uh their voices didn't get recognized at the ribbon cutting. That's not what we felt, what we think, how we feel. But I think we can do better than cut a ribbon. I think we ought to. And if this board don't want to do that, I promise you this
commissioner is going to do that. So we going to have a community celebration whether whatever happened but I pray that our board will be willing to do so. And I'm asking as my first ask of this board tonight is uh for us to give
thought to how to bring the entire and reach out to to that the level of human collegiality will reach the height of a $4 million building. We can't have the building
greater than the people. We want the people to have greater get along collegiality than what the building and then for the programs that Miss Smith is talking about. Let's find ways creative um soft areas of support
that we can we can do so and Mr. Lambie um you have one or two tools that might be helpful. So that's my first ask that can we go back and make the amend for and uh well they feel that they gotten
shortened and let's let's re go back and do a celebration. That's my first ask. I want to put it in motion cuz Mr. Chairman you want to bring it back on your time out. Commissioner Proer um you know I would say to you that the ribbon cutting where
a lot of us were was a pretty spectacular event. It was about as close to a community celebration as you could possibly have. Food, drinks, the whole nine yards. Tours. It's a beautiful facility. I encourage you to drive by it. Beautiful. Incredible. The members
of the committee were acknowledged by myself and my remarks, the county administrator, Maggie Tero, everybody involved on the project acknowledged, and I think everybody here would attest to that that was in attendance. We acknowledge the sacrifice, the service, and the work of the folks in the mix city community center construction and
seven I think it's like a $7 million project all in not you know federal funds and county funds. So if you if you want to direct staff or ask the board to direct staff to host some kind of bigger festival
if we can do that. Um, but I'm telling you, the ribbon cutting that we had was far from a stagnant, sterile event. It was a lovely, beautiful event, well attended, and it was carried off with great detail by our staff and great thoughtfulness, as as is the community
center itself. So, that's where I'm comfortable leaving that. Well, I'd like to um uh make the motion that we ask staff to give consideration after meeting uh with
the community uh because I don't want to do a ribbon cutting 7 million 177 million and folk um have taken time and spent long hours to wait to tell us that
they feel hurt And I don't think money replaces hurt. And from what I'm hearing, um I don't think that we can buy nobody off. And $7 million don't buy your feelings back. So if that what you
think, Mr. Chairman, those are your thoughts. But um I don't think no amount of money that we done spent make them feel good about how they felt in that ceremony. Though elaborate elaborate to our eyes. Um, I heard something
different. So, I would like for staff to uh bring back uh for our attention something that fits the order of, you know, and sometimes um um a doover um makes it right.
I appreciate your sentiments, Commissioner Proctor, and we can direct staff or we can ask county administrator to work with staff to come up with something else. I mean, we are doing a proclamation for the seven committee members. Um, if there's anything else that's within reason, Mr. Administrator,
that we can do to celebrate the seven people in Mixuki who helped and felt underrecognized at the event, please look into that. Thank you. Yeah, I'm just listening for your direction and if that's your direction, we'd be very happy to do it. Your time, Commissioner Parker.
Okay, very good. Thank you very much. Uh, did was a motion needed or is that conveyed? I think your direction is conveyed. I think the board's not going to disagree with that. Okay. Very, very good. Thank you all. Um, again, our collective apology uh to all of y'all and we're going to make
this thing tight and right, I'll assure you. All right. Um, commissioners, I've just shared with you um a uh farmer market farmers market proposal and um I'm asking
uh that in light of the reductions in the federal supplemental nutrition assistance program uh and given the closure uh pending closure of the um flea market
that our community. Uh speaking of food desert, we do not have a place of uh fresh produce uh available uh on the south side urban core and um
we've put together this proposal, this ask and I'd like for staff to u look at it and to study its potential and to bring back um a u some consideration to And I have points one through four. Uh a
response of what we can do to give uh Florida&M uh that A stands for agriculture uh local farmers um and some of those who won't be working at the flea market in the future. Uh how do we get those vendors
together uh that our community will be supplied uh with fresh groceries uh from the ground? Um, and I've shared um, commissioners with you a copy of the proposal and I ask your permission to
allow staff to bring back uh, for our attention of how to create a a fresh food market um, and for the loss of the flea market and all of which they provided. Many people went there uh, on
the weekends to get fresh food. Second. All right, we have a motion in a second for uh staff to bring back a proposal to create a farmers market. Uh yeah, Commissioner Miner. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh Commissioner Proctor, this is a a great idea. As you know, I used to work at Second Harvest
where we helped out with a lot of food distribution. Um, one thing that I'm hoping you might consider um, adding as a friendly amendment would be in addition to creating a farmers market also within that agenda item um, exploring ideas of working with existing
uh, entities like Second Harvest and and possibly others um, as a way to to maybe maximize some of their effort. It might it might be better in the long run for us to help prop up other people that are doing that work right now instead of creating it standalone. I don't know what the right answer is, but hopefully
that agenda item would cover that. Would you mind accepting that as a friendly amendment? Absolutely. We uh we we we're looking um when SNAP snaps uh is going to create issues. Uh I believe it was um about four or five
weeks ago. Um I think Commissioner Gaban and I we did a food giveaway um Saturday morning uh down at the fairground. And when I tell you that the cars were lined up on Tram Road uh all around
Monroe coming down uh Paul Russell Road then meandering through the parking lot of U Jean Cox Stadium. Um it was an amazing moment. Uh I I still got the counter in my car and I don't know if it
was 479 or 379. It was 389. 389 over 500 people, right? Serving more than one family and and one more than one family per car. Uh the demand, the need, the reaching out uh is
is tremendous and I think that if we step this way sooner than later, we it would better help us to provide for health, safety, and welfare of u citizens. So, I think it's an excellent idea and thank you for um my failure to
include all of that. All right. Um commissioners, I want to thank you all for your support. Pardon? Hey, uh Commissioner Kaban, I think, um yeah, well, before we move on, Commissioner Proctor, Commissioner Miner, did you had you had the floor,
but I think Commissioner Kaban want to talk on point, and then we can come to you. Mr. Chairman, I'm done. He accepted the friendly amendments, so I'm I'm done, sir. Commissioner Kaban. Yeah. I just um I support the motion and um Commissioner Miner I I I like the um the from the amendments as well. I was going to add
to that. I know around Lyon County in um different parts of different districts and different communities there are existing farmers markets. And so one thing that I would like to see as part of the item, Commissioner Proctor, is how can Leyon County also be more
involved in supporting existing farmers markets and also maybe include a status report of um what what where are our needs on food insecurity. I think it's a it's a huge need especially in in our shared footprint in Woodville and Fort
Braden, which is our our food desert. So I think this is a very important topic and I appreciate you you bringing light to it. I just want to open it more. Hey, what how can we support food insecurity as a whole, not just with creating our own farmers markets, but how can we support existing farmers farmers markets
as well? It's great thought. I welcome all of those those um inquiries. uh you you know the loss of the the owner said that they couldn't afford to pay for fixing up the flea market to
the level with which the uh code enforcement was requiring and um believe it or not I know that the flea market is not an economy identified in the um some of the stats that we keep on um uh
commercial activity and you know we don't keep count on the nighttime dollar after 10:00, 9:00 to uh 6:00 in the morning. Uh we don't keep count on monies uh spent at the flea market and what that look like. This just under
underground economy, but the flea market probably was flipping more dollars than than Governor Square Mall on on some days and certainly more than the Tallahassee Mall on all days. So it's an economy that's
um has been eviscerated and we need to uh uh collectivize those vendors who were participating and find uh a local uh that the community can reach. We we
just can't lose food at this time. It's too essential uh too needed. And I'm I'm grateful for your support if you will, Mr. Chairman. Yes, sir. All right. So, we've got a motion in a second. We already do we not vote on it? All those in favor signify by saying I.
I. Passes unanimously. Sure. Sure. Uh Mr. Chairman, uh I'm asking uh commission support uh that allow uh this commissioner to attend the National Association of Black Journalists uh in
Cleveland in August. August 4. All right. We have a motion and a second. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. I. Show it passes unanimously. Commissioner Maddox out of chambers. As well as that on that last vote. I think he was out of chamber. Okay. M. Mr. Chairman, you did a great
fantastic job. Commissioners, thank you. Um we we made progress tonight um in in in wonderful ways. Um my um condolences are extended to uh that community um in
Texas. And just though I know and I don't know how to communicate it, Mr. chairman, but my final ask tonight um is a letter uh from you uh representing our board uh expressing our deepest sympathy
to uh I forget the name of the county, Barrett in Texas, but I I think that it it just warrants um an expression if we feel uh the empathy of what has occurred there. And I would make the motion that
we send um some letter of love support for sure sister County. All right. Motion seconded by Commissioner Cummings. All those in favor signify by saying I. I passes unanimously with Commissioner Maddox out of chambers. Thank you very much. All right. Commissioner Miner, you're up.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And and good job tonight. It's uh it it's hard at uh hurting these seven cats, but uh you're doing a good job of it. So, thank you. Um first request is uh for a proclamation moving for a proclamation for impact week 2025. This will be held
November 18th through the 20th um in the Challenger Learning Center. Impact Week TH is a nonprofit business conference and speaker series that connects innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders from across the city, region, and state. Awesome. We've got a motion second from Commissioner O'Keeffe. All those in
favor signify by saying I. I. I. So it passes unanimously. Commissioner Proctctor and Commissioner Maddox out of chambers. Would remind you commissioners if you can present proclamations at the events. Yes. Perfect. Yes. Perfect. Um thank you very much. Okay. Uh next thing um there's a group of of uh
entities that are working together on helping to develop what we call the Lyon County digital literacy program. And the purpose of this would be to help Lyon County residents avoid internet scams, help um Lyon County parents learn how to
protect their children from the downsides of the internet and social gaming messaging and such. And then also helping residents increase their resilience when it comes to using AI. Um Florida is number one in the number of reports of identity theft per capita.
Florida is number two in the amount of losses. It's 1.07 07 billion due to cyber crime and that's just last year. So um we've been collaborating with the Tallahassee State College, FSU's College of Communication and Information,
Florida Tech Council, the Cyber and Technology Bureau of FDLE, and some local tech leaders within the uh the private sector. And I've been speaking with the county administrator about this. And one thing we wanted to do to kind of help make this feasible would be for Lyon County to provide inind
resources to help this program um um uh implemented get implemented. One would be to um um allow for the use of the libraries as a um venue for the training sessions to the public. Number two would be um having our our videographer record
the training sessions and then kind of package that into something that could be viewed on via streaming so that if people can't attend the training sessions, they can watch it online. And then the last thing would be um some inkind assistance from the CMR department on community outreach because
CMR probably as good as anyone else in the county knows how to reach sometimes hard to reach folks when it comes to uh community messages. We have a lot of experience when it comes to hurricanes, etc. So, uh, I've spoken to the county administrator about this to make sure it was feasible. And so, my motion is to is
is is to basically, um, ask our Lyon County staff to provide those in kind of resources for the Lyon County digital literacy program. All right, we got a motion. Commissioner Cummings second. All those in favor signify by saying I.
I oppose. This passes unanimously with Commissioner Maddox and Commissioner Proctor out of chambers. Thank you. And then and then last thing, actually second last thing, who's going to Niko? I think you and I are going to N. Anybody else? Okay. Well, so for anybody that doesn't know, Niko is a National Association of
Counties Conference where county commissioners from around the country will converge upon uh Philadelphia this year to talk about federal policy that can help us in our um in our communities back home. Um, just an FYI, one thing I've been talking about with Shelley
Bell at Talce State College um is is how we can help federal policy uh develop the workforce here, not just in Lyon County, but nationwide. One thing that um a lot of the state colleges or community colleges have been pushing for is an expansion of
Title 4 eligibility that would apply to short-term vocational programs. So, in other words, federal dollars under Title 4 will go to educational programs to help people develop the skills for jobs, but they do not fund the short-term vocational programs that are under 600
hours. Um, and so what that means is that some of the most high demand jobs in the country, CDL licenses for semi- for tractor trailer drivers, uh CNAs, nurses, those type of high demand um jobs are hard to fill. And so what this
would do is is ask the federal um NATO lobbyists to advocate uh for that eligibility expansion so that we could get more people certified to work those jobs and then fill those jobs nationwide as well as here in Leyon County. So Taly State College has said that's a priority of theirs. And so uh when we're at Nico,
I'm going to be trying to push for that. And then um lastly, I as Commissioner Proctor said, I I wanted to offer um our sincere condolences and prayers to the families affected by the the tragic floods in central Texas. Um just an hour ago, there was announcement
made in in Kirk County, the the main county where the floods have occurred, that in addition to people that have been victims identified already, there are 161 additional people that are still missing. So that means that the total is likely to be much higher. So, as a as a
parent, it really hits me hard and just wanted to offer our prayers and condolences for those folks and um wishing our brothers and sisters the best in Kirk County. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Commissioner Miner. Commissioner O'Keeffe. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um the one thing I
want to ask about is um if we can get an update on Washington Square. I know we heard just information passed on from the owner. Um, so I'd like to hear where we stand after our last actions on it. Go ahead. Yeah, of course.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh, so staff has diligently been working with uh the county attorney's office to prepare uh an agreement uh that has been shared with Mr. McDermott and his representatives. There has been active
uh dialogue back and forth about specific terms uh and that sort of thing. Um, as I told you earlier in the meeting, uh, Mr. McDermott is in town. He does have a meeting with staff tomorrow. And,
uh, again, his expectation is that, uh, an agreement for him to complete the work will be signed by the end of the week. Uh, my update to the board on the legal side is if that does not happen, I'm in the process of retaining outside counsel and we will proceed immediately
to litigation. Do you need any action from us to do that? No, sir. Do you have to wait till the end of the week to do that? Pardon me. Do you have to wait till the end of the week to do that? Uh, I don't have to. Um, I would
It is nice of Mr. McDermott to show up into town now at this point. That's very kind of him um to do that and to see where his project stands after all this time. Uh, they have had a month to do to look at this agreement. Um, and it
always seems like they just show up at at the last minute to say, "Oh, there's some new information. Give us some time. There's some new information." They have a commitment to us. They have a commitment to the the county, to the community. They have an agreement with them. Um, I would
just ask um that uh I'd like to move to ask count make a motion to ask the county attorney to um enter right away into engaging uh council and pursuing our uh the the
filing. All right, we have a motion. Is there a second? Dies for lack of a second. All right. Um, well, I appreciate the update. I know you're working diligently on it, and at least I am um
uh done with waiting on Mr. McDermott to wait until our September meeting to show up to town and say, "Oh, we'll sign the agreement this time." So, um, I look forward to us not waiting for that. Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner O'Keefe. Commissioner Cummings.
Well, thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh, I'd like to ask for a proclamation for a nonprofit community based entity that's called Melanin Mothers. They've
been around about 9 years, but they focus on maternal mental health and postpartum care. uh they have something coming in September and I'd like to ask for a proclamation hopefully to be be
presented to them at their function or at their conference in uh September. Second. All right, I have a motion and a second. All those in favor signify by saying I. I passes unanimously. Commissioner Proctor out of chambers. Uh thank you. I know we've all seen
where WCTV uh is celebrating their 70th anniversary on local television. WCTV 70 years and I'd like for us to present them in chambers
uh with the proclamation celebrating that 70th anniversary. So I move to do so. Second. I have a motion and a second. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. I passes unanimously. Okay. Commissioner Proctor out of chambers
still. Uh thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh Florida&M University has also appointed its first ever woman head drum major. So she's the first
female head drum major of the uh marching 100. So I move that we present her with the proclamation in the fall. I'm not okay for Okay.
has to come two by one. Certainly there's going to be All right. We've got a motion in a second. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. Passes unanimously with Commissioner Proctor out of chambers. Thank you. And one last thing I'd like
to ask um our our county attorney about the arbitration with the city of Tallahassee I guess and where where we are on that on the fire services the arbitration with the city of Tallahassee on the fire services thing.
Absolutely. Yes. Uhhuh. Uh so um the city agreed with uh the county that we had moved beyond mediation given that our respective boards have taken a position. So we have moved directly to arbitration. There will be a three
member panel. Uh the county has selected one, the city has selected one. The third panelist will be selected by those two arbitrators hopefully by the end of this week. Uh we will hopefully next week uh probably toward the end of the week um again we're still working out
logistics and details but uh we're working collaboratively with the city to nail down time frames to complete any discovery we need schedule the final hearing to be held uh well in advance. So we have an arbitration award in advance of the board September 15th
meeting which is the public hearing where public hearing we have to adopt the the the tax role the assessments uh and so we're proceeding diligently and the city attorney's office is cooperating in that effort. Okay. Thank you m county attorney. So we are doing are are we hiring outside
council or we doing it are we doing we're handling it internally. Okay. And just one follow-up question. You say a three member panel. So will they sit as the oper arbitrating group? Correct. Okay. And are they are they attorneys? Are they lay people or
uh uh they are attorneys. They have to be uh and one is a retired judge here locally. One is a retired uh judge from Central Florida. And we'll see with the third panelist who hasn't been selected yet. Awesome. Awesome. Thank you so much. Thank you, Mr. uh Mr. Chair. That's all
I have. Yes, ma'am. Commissioner Maddox. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, I only have one thing I'd like to ask for a proclamation for Miss Sandra Horn. She's the mother of the Mario Ro Murray who was uh murdered uh through gun violence
on October 29th, 2022. Uh the proclamation is celebrating her uh taking her pain and and and her grief and uh choosing to be productive. Uh she's actually uh spoken and and been an activism of
gun violence since the death of her son 2023 2024. She erected um billboards um in reference to stopping gun violence and using her son as an inspiration to stop such and so I'd like to ask for a
uh proclamation celebrating her works and celebrating uh what she's brought to our community. All right, we've got a motion and a second. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. Passes unanimously. Mr. Chair, you run great meeting. Thank you. I also want to want to thank
um Commissioner Proer for his for his idea of the event out in Mka area. I do think it'll go a long way. Looking forward to seeing what staff puts together on that. Thank you, Mr. Chair. All right, Commissioner, Vice Chair Command. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Great meeting,
commissioners. Um uh first order business. Um madam attorney can I would like to the record reflect I think there was the first public hearing agenda item. I was out of the chambers. I would like to let the record reflect that I voted in affirmative um on the staff
recommendation. Second I I don't know if this is something we usually do with other local elected officials. However, um I don't really care. I would like to request a a proclamation for school board member Daryl Jones and
superintendent Rocky Hannah. Sable Palm Elementary School is now an A letter school, a an Agrade school and that's a title one school in my district and um that is a a tremendous
um improvement and I think we need to recognize that uh for our community. Mr. Taban, would you be willing to add the principal? Absolutely. I think she's maybe transitioning out actually, but the previous principal. Yeah. Awesome. We got a motion in a second. All those in favor signify by
saying I. I. I. Passes unanimously. Next, in in light of what happened in Texas over last week, which is just, you know, a complete tragedy. I I would like to request a a status report from staff
to come back at one of our future meetings just to highlight, you know, in April of 2024, we had a flooding event where I believe we had 8 in of rain over an 8 what 6 8 hour span. And you know, believe it or
not, commissioners in parts of my district in West Leon County, um there were mobile home parks that literally had water up to the the doorway. And so it's, you know, not comparing two natural disasters to each other, but there has been significant flooding
event in Lyon County. And I would like to have a status report come back and I would just like to know what is our threshold to where if we have this amount much amount of rain within the region under this period of time we have issues and I I would like to just kind
of see what that looks like and and then also with that how can we better prepare for flooding events to make sure that that this does not happen and some things we can't control but what is within our control be able to modify and maneuver. over. So that would be my
status of my my motion, Mr. Chair. All right, we have a motion. Second. Oh, Nefal, go ahead. We are doing a vulnerability study right now. That actually is exactly that what you're asking for. Okay, fantastic. I will I'll withdraw the motion if you guys are already
working on it. Perfect. Thank you, Nal. Thank you for that update. Um, you know, next, this isn't emotion, just more of a of a statement, but um, you know, I've been seeing in the news, unfortunately, been seeing in the news
lately, just horrific crimes against our children in Lyon County. And as we approach our next legislative
priority workshop, I don't have anything I want to just prepare right now, but I would like our board to really consider um how we move forward and how we approach you. I know that it's a priority of us of our
board to to free up capacity in the detention facility in Lyon County. However, I want to make sure that's not creating a environment where we want to be light on
on on crime, particularly when it's crimes against our children. You know, I think that's where we need to make sure we are holding the line and being firm and letting folks know that this is not tolerated in Lyon County. It never will
be. And I saw the state attorneys made some comments uh in the press about it recently and and I actually stand behind him because some of the stuff I've been reading in the news and seeing in the news about just you know whether it's abuse um even the incident with Lorie
Paige which is just terrible. I I just want to make sure that our board is is drawing a firm line when it comes to uh crime against our children. And so I plan on bringing up some stuff in when their legislative priorities come up related to that.
Lastly, commissioners, I am going to pass out this is a Leyon County ordinance. I would like for you all to review it. Please pass that down. Thank you, commissioners. So, what I what I This is related to the fire services fee, and
this is a Leyon County ordinance that talks about collection of the fire uh the fire services fee. From my understanding, there are three different kinds of fire services fee and how it's collected. One is within city
limits. For Leyon County residents within city limits, the city of Tallahassee charges the fire services fee to their utility. If you're in the unincorporated area and you don't have city utilities, it is on madam attorney our advorum tax
assessment. Correct. And then the third, if you are an unincorporated Leon County, meaning you do not live in the city of Tallahassee, however, you have city utilities, we allow them with this ordinance, we
allow the city per this ordinance to charge the fire services fee to the utility through the utility. We give the city that permission through this ordinance. The problem with that in what I would call a gray area and madam attorney uh
and I might refer to you in a little bit but I brought this to the our county attorney's attention is there is case law from the a from Florida US District 5 where a judge ruled in a class action
lawsuit that the fire services fee being charged through a municipal utility was an unconstitutional tax on its citizens. The result of that lawsuit resulted in
the city of Ocala paying back $79 million to its taxpayers. I I I saw in the news that that that's looks like it's being challenged or may be challenged now. However,
per our charter, we have very little say of what goes on in city limits. We've discussed that earlier today. However, we have an ordinance right here that allows the city of Tallahassee to charge that this fire services fee through
their utility. I don't want Leyon County residents to think that we're we are allowing an unconstitutional tax be put on them. If you don't pay your fire services fee on your city, this ordinance says if you don't pay your fire services fee, the
city of Tallahassee has the full right to turn off all your utilities. I think that's wrong. So, what I want to propose is that we have an agenda item come back um prepared by the county attorney to
remove this language and those folks who do not live in the city limits but have the city of Tallahassee utilities. We build them the fire services fee like we do any other unincorporated resident and no longer
allow the city of Tallahassee to charge that through their utility. So I requesting a a my motion is to request an agenda item for us to review with that language. Second point of you requesting a public hearing
to amend the ordinance because we would need to schedule the public hearing and notice it accordingly. But I would like I don't want to Is that in line? What what I'm I guess my question for you, what is the right process, Madam Attorney? If you want to amend the ordinance, uh the board authorized staff to schedule a
public hearing to bring back an ordinance that would remove this language from the existing ordinance. I just would want to make sure that our fellow commissioners have enough time to review the ordinance whether they want to support it or not. Sure. Whatever the board wants to do. Yeah. I mean, I I would think an analysis. I still maintain second and I think
there's time to talk with county attorney on point process wise. Madam Attorney, um looks like Commissioner Caban has done some extensive research on this and understands the issue completely. Um you talked about going straight to public
hearing and amending the ordinance. Is there any kind we can have we can have like an agenda item first and then go to public hearing or is it only dealt with in public hearing? No. Well, if you want to amend the ordinance, you can only do that in a public hearing. I understand that. But but if you want to do a two-stepper, which we typically
do for public hearings, I would let you know that this wouldn't become effective until next year. Uh because of the time frame for us to use the the uniform method to collect, we have to send that
tax role by September 15th. So, if you want to get us to get a an agenda item first and then bring that ordinance back later, just know that this change wouldn't be effective until the next fiscal year, but if we just did the public hearing,
it could be effective. Would you say it could be? Yes. It's up to you. Commissioners, I would rather us deal with this in this fiscal year because this is a gray area. If if the agenda item I care about you guys having ample time to review the ordinance. That's
what I care about. If you think this comes back and when would the public order when would the at the public hearing if the board's not comfortable, you can always continue it. You can make modifications at the hearing. But it's really the board's discretion about what you want to do.
But I wanted to inform you of the timing issue for when this would become effective given what you're contemplating. Yes, ma'am. I I'll leave it to go ahead and schedule the public hearing. I think that's two months for for commissioners to work meet with you or review the item
as it comes back to us. Um so that'll be my motion to schedule the public hearing um for a September meeting that has a proposed change for the ordinance. A second. We've got a motion and a second. Commissioner O'Keeffe in discussion. Um I I'm going to support this um on the
on the hearing. jumping right to the hearing knowing that we'll have all the information we can decide and move forward or not. And it's like two meetings worth, right? Because we don't have a meeting in August. So, there's there's 60 days for people to find out because um I think this this can make
sense, but it's one of these things where a lot of things related to fire service fees and billing and is is is up in the air right now. And um uh I want to make sure that we do things in
a way that are clear and we don't confuse people um and confuse citizens. I mean, citizens are already going to be confused about why the city and county don't agree on what their fee is and who's going to get build what when. But um given the information that we would
get back at the public hearing September, I think this could all be a one-time thing that makes that makes sense. And just to to re reiterate my understanding, this would be affecting people who are unincorporated areas but have city utilities and they would no
longer be building in their city utilities. They would be build the same way everyone else in the unincorporated area is, which is their property tax bill. And therefore, they also would not be subject to their utilities being cut off if they didn't pay their fire service fee. In that case, they would be subject to whatever you get for not
paying property taxes. Correct. And there's and there the idea behind this is there are more protections Yeah. for property owners in state statute for this already. Yeah. I think I think this starts to make sense and um glad we can have a public hearing on it and flush out the details. Thank you.
I have a question. So I used to live in the county uh like an incorporated area and I got I got build quarterly for the fire service fee even though I had city gas but not city electric. So what is that? Some kind of weird nebulous area?
Well, the city some residents do ask uh for it not to be put on the nonadalorum assessment role and instead to be built getting an option. It just they get an option. That was the point of the paper. But if you but if you don't pay that quarterly bill, we put it on the tax
roll. Oh, I got so it just defaults. Yeah. Okay. So, you pay now it's on my utility bill where there's a lot of things that I didn't pay before. Um Okay. Yeah, I'll call. Yeah, Madam Chair. Yes. I I just have a a followup
question. Just just want to make sure if we proceed with these steps that our county property owners are are protected and that the city is not able to
uh turn off utilities be because we are shifting the mode that they are paying these fees. That's correct. They would they would no longer be on the utility bill. So, it would be nothing for them to shut off if
they didn't pay the fire assessment, the fire service assessment. As long as they pay their utility bills, I mean, they'll deal with their utility bills and service just like they would even if this isn't this assessment isn't part of their utility bill.
Okay. But this would not be part of the utility bill anymore. Oh, awesome. So any avenues or any steps they wanted to take against the property owner for those fees could not be the termination of the utility services
because it's not part of it wouldn't be part of that bill if we pass this particular amended provision. Right? It would be collected on the tax role and then as with all other residents in the incorporated area who pay from the tax role, we would just
collect and then we would transfer that money over to the city as we've done in the past. Just one other follow-up question, Mr. Chair. So, the county has always had the authority then to to shift this fee to the tax roles
or I guess when when this assessment was established, the county had the option of one way or the other utility bill as opposed to a tax bill. Yes. And we chose utility bill. Well, we we
decided to permit the city for unincorporated residents who have city utilities to place the assessment. They divide it up into monthly payments and they they put it on people's utility bill and that's how some people pay for
their assessment instead of on the tax role which is how the county does it unless somebody pays a quarterly bill voluntarily. And then one other follow-up question. So is there an interlocal agreement between the city and the county for this particular process or do we have a
written agreement with the city that says that we were collected in this manner. So in other words, if we change the status, we're not looking at a breach of contract correct with the city. Correct. Correct. That's what this or this ordinance is what authorized them to do that. We also include it in each of the
resolutions when we adopt the tax roll every year. That's part of the resolutions that we adopt. includes a provision like this. Awesome. I think that that would be a great protection, I believe, for our for our uh our county residents. So, I thank you, Commissioner Caban, for raising
this so that we can address it and scrutinize it. Yes, ma'am. Absolutely. Thank you. All right. Commissioner Proctor, you're in the queue. Yes. I wanted to ask Commissioner Cavan uh with this measure, would you be opposed to uh the county
imposing a uh collection fee or commission on all monies extracted from county residents that uh come through um the graces of the county just simply allowing the city to um set, pillage,
loot, take from our people. Um, you have any problems with uh with our receiving a commission on um utilities that are charged to county residents and monies that we collect and give to the city. We don't get a quarter. My my issue with that is they're going
to they have the ability to charge a 50% sir tax. So, I think they're just going to charge that fee to our residents. That's my opinion. They're going to say we got to charge a commission. We're going to raise your utility bill and then they're going to pay more. Madame Attorney, is there anything in the state constitution or any prohibitive language
that uh forbids Leon County from charging the city uh a fee or commission for the monies that we take up and and and just give it to them? Um how come we don't get no money for the services we
provide? There's nothing that prohibits us from doing it, but there's nothing that says they have to pay it because that's not provided for an interlocal agreement. Every penny that the county collects for fire service assessments fees get sent over to the city and that's pursuant to the interlocal
agreement which does not provide for us to retain any sort of any portion of that money for any administrative costs. I think that it's time for us to uh empower ourselves that if we're the collector, we don't have to send it all
to them and wait for a check back. Just give them the amount that they're due and we retain that portion that we is a part of of what we pay ourselves. Um I I think that this is big business. Um, and
big business tends to operate in a way that uh if you're pro providing a service, you you get paid for it. And I I just don't see us doing anything but opening the gates and and allowing for
the flock to get fleeced uh by the city. We don't get nothing back. They they shear our sheep and we keep none of the wool. They get it all. Uh, I think we should, uh, Madame Attorney, um, and I know it's your item, Commissioner, but
you brought it up, but I I think that as they're collecting, collecting, collecting, we ain't get nothing. And I'd like for us to take a look at how do we get ourselves uh, paid, it is it's business. That's all. All right, Commissioner Maddox, you're
in the queue. You want to talk on that? No, no, I'm sorry. I I I thought No, let's I don't have anything to say on the side. I was just going to say I had more business after, but I thought Yeah, you still got the floor. You just trying to dispense this one. So, I understand where we're going with
this and I understand your your premises and thoughts behind it. But I I I would think that it's on a utility bill, which means that it's not a separate piece of utility bill. It's just uh every month it's in there and they just whoever it is or the the the
person whose utilities it is, they just pay it, right? I mean, so if their utility bill is 300 bucks and $10 of that is the fire services fee monthly, they just pay that 300 bucks and it
covers it. Um I think if I'm if I am a unincorporated resident I would like to have the option because I I don't think it's a bad idea what what what we did there u because it
is just some I mean versus you paying it quarterly you just it adds $10 to your to your monthly fee and you pay it. So basically, if you don't pay your utility bill, period, your utility is going to get cut off. Okay. Um now, if it says it's $10 on there, you pay $290, they
still going to cut it off because of that 10. I is if there's a way to give our county residents the option, Madam Attorney, where they can either choose to put it on their utility bill if they don't want to worry about paying it quarterly, or they can they can
choose to take it off and then pay it quarterly. Is there a way to write the ordinance in that way in that in that way that gives them the option versus us just saying just taking the option away and saying they have to do it quarterly? Um
you could try that. I think that the issue would become an administrative issue because be because for example renters pay utility bills, renters change and turn over. So, you might have somebody who's paid for half of a year
on a utility bill. A new renter comes in and says, "No, no, I don't want that on my utility bill." That's they're already halfway into the fiscal year. They don't have a choice at that point. They have to pay on the utility bill for the rest of that fiscal year. This is a hard one for me. This raises
an issue because if I'm if I'm a property owner, it's going from the utility bill to the tax to the tax bill. Now, all I'm going to do is take that money and just put it on add it on to the to the rent to make sure it's covered. This this is a this is a tough one for me because I I can see the
benefits of where it is being paid monthly, but I can also see the benefit of what you're talking about and making sure that that our folks are not handcuffed uh to it being a part of the utility bill and having to pay it. I I don't I don't know how I feel about
it. I think I might just want to leave need well enough alone because it it goes on the tax bill and it becomes a part of the rent. I I I don't know yet. I I I'm willing to to to go with the public hearing because I mean I want to give you some time for for staff to bring it back and let's look at the
idea, but I'm not I'm not totally sold on on changing it because I I'm I'm talking a lot y'all because I'm thinking through it. Um, I can't say that I I I'm wondering what our citizens will want on this. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
On point, Commissioner Command, Commissioner Maddox, I think um once I get to my next motion that I'll bring up after this, I think it'll also provide more context. I just intentionally keep it separate. The the the issue, the biggest issue here is that there is case
law with a judge ruling that charging the the fire services fee through a utility when it's so they're being charged to all residents when it is a benefit to the property owner was ruled unconstitutional. So I'm trying to do
also is protect our board. So that that's also some of the thought process here. So, um, all right, Commissioner Proctor, are you back in the queue? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. M, thank you. So, Commissioner Pan, um, clearly, um, what you're asking the county attorney
is to, um, to, um, to to, uh, model a a a U parallel case for citizens of Lean County. that parallels the issues. If the facts match, if oranges are with
oranges, that our county attorney would prepare to look at this and to pick up a little aggression and that we follow suit uh based upon legal findings of uh what what what what district is uh
Marian County? What uh what area is that? What circuit is that? This is the fifth district court of appeal. All right. in that we're the second and um I think second come before the fifth on it. We're the first district, Commissioner
Proctor. Okay, we're the first and that means something. We ought to act like it and uh the first shouldn't be behind fifth when we the first. So, I think I hear Commissioner Van asking um and correct
me if asking that we parallel a case uh on the order in modeled after the Marian County. Is that what you're saying? Yes and no. What I'm saying is let's make all the unincorporated
properties uniform, right? So, so that way we don't have some being built through the utility. Yes, I'm saying that essentially. Yeah, that's what he's saying, Madam Attorney. And I I I just believe that um a little interpretation. I I just believe that um
to the extent of what I was saying, Madame Attorney, about us getting paid, um I'm not a member of the mafia, but I've seen a lot of movies. And if you sell drugs in the territory of what some
mafia said, this our territory and you selling in their territory, you got to pay um to be over there. And it's pretty much the sense of what um United States President Trump is saying. If you going to you foreign and
you going to uh access United States markets, you owe me a tariff. I need to get paid. It's no different. Same principle. You just don't play for free and you don't give me something for what
you're making off of my people. And that's what I'm saying. It ain't we we we we're not playing at the level which we ought when we our people our jurisdiction money is being extracted and we ain't getting none. It's just that plane with a tariff. That's what we
ought to do. All right. Commissioner Cummings, you're Yeah, just just point uh just on point Mr. Chair. Uh following uh Commissioner Cabay's motion um right here in Lyon County, I know we've read it where there's a group here that that is
threatening and they might have already filed the lawsuit against the city of Tallahassee based primarily on that lawsuit uh that they mentioned down. I believe it was in G I believe it was in Elatchua Okala. Okay. Uh in Ocala. So, I
don't I I haven't found it. I I'm not sure if it has been filed, but over the last 30 days, it has been consistently in the newspaper where they're threatening to file a lawsuit against the city of Tallahassee because of the
collection of this fee on the utility bill. So, it might serve us to also sort of track that as well cuz it directly I'm not I'm not sure what judge they would give it to, but it would directly track your concern and the language that
we're dealing with with the city and our our county residents. All right, we've got motion and a second. Who was the seconder? Commissioner Cummings? I think I did. I can't remember either. Okay, so we got a motion to second. All those in favor
signify by saying I. I oppose. Passes unanimously. Back to you. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you, commissioners. The last thing I I think it would be good to to for the board to be educated on the the lawsuit that took place with the
city of Ocala and it was a class action lawsuit and their constituents. So, what what I was going to do is just propose a status report for the county attorney to bring back us an agenda item simply simply as aformational item for us to
track the facts of that of that lawsuit. I think it would be good for educational purpose purposes for us to see to make sure that there's not similarities between what is going on currently with the with the utility and make and to
prevent any potential unconstitutional attacks on our constituents. Simply simplyformational. All right. Report on the motion that we already All right. Uh we need a second. Second.
All right. Commissioner Proctor second. We're in discussion with Commissioner O'Keefe. Um I'll I'll defer if you have more you want to talk about on it before I I talk. No, I just want to an anformational only item come back saying this was the facts, not conjecture of the lawsuit that transpired uh for the board to
review and be educated on it. Gotcha. And this is only related to the settled lawsuit that Okay. U my only question would be should that be what's it called? a shade meeting since there is other litigation regarding
um uh fire service fee issues in our local community. Is that something we should consider as a shade meeting um instead of publicformational meeting? Uh no, because uh we are not engaged in any pending litigation related to that
city of Ocala case. So we couldn't even have a shade meeting if we wanted to and and the scope of any shade meeting that we would have related to litigation is limited to strategy only which is why that it's not apples to apples here but
anformational item is is no problem. Excellent. Thank you commissioner. Thank you county attorney. Thank you for the bringing the item commissioner. All right we've got a motion and a second. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. Passes unanimously. Commissioners, thank you for a great meeting. Hope everyone has a a great
break. Great break. Next time you see me, I will be a dad of one. So, point of information. Um, Mr. Chairman, I wanted to ask Commissioner Ban. Um, I heard it mentioned at a meeting, public meeting this morning uh that you're
having a um kickoff of back to school. Could you share with us uh little information, please? You're just spoiling the surprise, but no. Uh yes, we I'm having my annual back to school event going to uh doing at Sable Palm this year. Um not
doing it as much as a bash. We're trying to we're trying to give away 1,200 backpacks. So um got the backpacks ordered. We're doing it at the Sable Pond Sable Palm carline. Uh August 1st is the date. 5:30 p.m. You guys are all welcome to volunteer and join. I know
Commissioner Maddox will be there cuz he don't have a choice. And then um and so yeah, the love love for the sport. Mr. County administrator would love to see you there with a hat on, sweating. I'll be there. Boots on the ground. Boots on the ground. All right.
Um commissioners, thank you for a long productive meeting. Um and your patience at times when things get a little sideways. Um, just wanted to say uh congrats to our uh our colleagues over
at the city of Tallahassee on their All-America City award. That's a big deal. And uh I think that you know we have some issues with them from time to time, but we need to give them their kudos when they deserve them. Uh likewise uh congrats to all of our county employees on your Niko awards and
your continued excellence. Um, you know, uh, in spite of the earlier conversation, I the only real event between the last meeting and this meeting was the Mixuki Community Center grand opening, which I thought was wonderful and want to thank our staff who contributed so much effort obviously
to that. You know, when Commissioner Maddox is serving up the cold cuts, uh, it was a is a big deal. Okay. Um, so that facility looks great. It was hot out there. But uh just want to thank Maggie and Matt and and uh Kiana and
everybody that was involved in making that that event so cool. Amanda, oh yeah, Amanda Hidecker, thank you. Who uh we probably don't give enough love to cuz we got the World Cross Country uh logo came out uh which I think we got a sneak peek of that must have earlier.
But anyway, um so just want to continue to thank our county staff and and uh enjoy not having to come here on a Tuesday night in August and we look forward to seeing you in September. And then same I was going to congratulate Commissioner Kaban. Uh although we we
may see you before uh that we won't have a meeting before Commissioner Caban joins the ranks of uh of the people who get the child tax credit. So um he's got that to look forward to. All right. And with that, thank the county administrator and the county attorney for uh a great season of meetings here
before we go into our little uh break in August. Uh you guys continue to set the set the bar very high. So, thank you all so much and thank you everybody. Have a great night. Good meeting, man.