[Music] Yeah. And you wanted something. Yeah, you're right. You're right. Two years old guys, Michigan. That's what my brother has. Security disability. The train already left. Only
one train today. One of the most beautiful touch. I'll be afraid to fall off the wall. Yeah. Baptist right service. I think it's [Music]
Thomas ain't much to speak after I die. [Music] Pardon me. As I rank next year [Music]
I got one extra. [Music] You're right. [Music] Get started. Father, Father in heaven, we come again now thanking you for life, health, strength. We come blessing your name
because your name is worthy to be blessed. We come calling on your name now because we want no one else to call on, Father. And we thank you for what you've done. We thank you for what you're going to do and we ask that you crown our head in wisdom and knowledge
you be able to serve us. Thank you. Father, we ask you to protect our country. We ask you father to help those stand your name again. We love you in Jesus name I pray. Amen.
Amen. 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.
Like to welcome everyone to our meeting this Monday, May 5th, 2025. We have a conference line set up. The number there is 1 19179001022. Access code is 32347. This is not a tollfree number. You may be subject to longdistance
charges according to your long distance plan. When the chairperson opens the meeting for public comment, please follow the below instruction. If you wish to speak, please dial star five. The moderator will unmute your lineup when it's your turn to speak and notify you by announcing the last four digits
of your telephone number. Please announce your name and address. You'll be allowed to speak for three minutes. Any person wishing to address the board regarding an agenda item will be given three minutes for comment. The commenter may only speak one time for each agenda
item. That said, before we move on to three, I would like to get approval to move item 18 up uh right after item 13. This is the TCDA appointments. That'll
give our attorney a time to tally up the vote. So if everyone's okay with moving that right after 13, then we'll move 18. Motion to approve. Motion by Commissioner Fel second by Commissioner D to approve. All in favor?
On your consent items. You haven't had a chance to go over your consent items. Any questions? Discussion. No questions or discussion. will obtain a motion to approve. Motion by Commissioner Dibs. We have a second. Second by Commissioner Newman. All in
favor? This public hearing to item 11, the board to receive statement of qualifications for the Steam Hatchee Coastal Park Planning Project at 6 PM or assume their efforts possible agenda by Melie Cox
Grant. Command We have five bids or not they're not bids there so I can go over those and open those up here. So the first one is from Inc. Mville,
Florida. This one is Kimberly Horn. K I M L E Y- H O R N Associates, Inc. out of Gainesville, Florida. unmuted. Brian
Pierce out of Jacksonville, Florida. North Florida professional services out of Lake City. I think we start talking about this project. It's been some time because it's funded out of
the funds. So, it's been some time. I don't think so. I think this has been a more recent Can y'all hear me? We're already looking for bids. Well, this is so this is just planning. This
isn't for construction, right? So, I think I don't know that I think we're trying to work on everything at the same time, but if you recall, we're trying we're working through a new grant application for Hodge Park for design
bill and to add additional funding for mitigation. So, it's not a matter of one ahead of the other. Um, and this would be to help with plans for that particular parcel.
So this isn't for construction. So have we done the same thing for park that we that we're doing here tonight? No, ma'am. Because that was strictly for construction. Okay. To to rebuild that park. I just
don't want us to get ahead of some of the old projects that we've been working on for years. I understand. Can y'all hear me? Okay. Yes. Yes. Um and just just keep in mind that this is a state risk grant for planning only
whereas park is a department of treasury restore act funding and department of treasury takes so much longer for approval. So the fifth bid is Hammond Design Group LLC or SOQ is Hammond Design Group LLC
architects out of Talisa Florida. even it would be myself, Melody Cox, and Jamie Evans. That last one's I didn't get the name. The last one was Hammond Design. H A M M
O N D Design Group LLC and they're out of Tallahass feedback on May 20th. Anything else on this public meeting the board to hold the annual public hearing to the board and receive public input for the license
transportation disadvantage program at 6:05 or as soon after as possible. Hey everybody. All right, let me go through this real quick and then we can receive some public input. And there was some pretty
interesting things in this report and we actually followed up to confirm that we had the correct figures but last year the wrership on the transit shuttle was 10,762. it was dimmed slightly um from prior years and when I talked with
they've been trained they felt like it was due to um hurricane and the aftermath of it and and things being slow to get up and running again. We did um passenger by trip purposes. That's
always really important to us to kind of track who is using it for medical purposes. it was 3,638 for employment was 152. In her other they call it life
sustaining which is going to the store, going to the um post office, going to the library, it was 6,972. This was a huge change in um our demographics because employment the
prior year had been [Music] 1,609. And so I pulled a question on that. There was a big big increase in the life sustaining though which was went from 2818 to
6,972 where that's people just using the shuttle to go places in general. Now for employment, I did not think Georgia Pacific would impact using the shuttle because the shuttle did not go there.
However, when I contacted Benefit Transit, there were rides reserved through the transportation disadvantage program to go to employers related to um Georgia Pacific, but they did a true
change to that. They indicated that several individuals who worked like in food services out there were during shutdowns not not the regular middle employees were accessing um their
employment. In addition, they knew that quite a few uh people that used the shuttle actually went to employee to sit home employees of Georgia Pacific like house planning people and that type of
thing. So they did um see as an impact the Georgia Pacific closure closure as a triple down effect of employment but we did confirm those figures. As you will know there were
220,458 miles to travel. Um 10 vehicles were used. There was one case of a breakdown and there was um only one uh formal complaint last
year in transit on shuttle service. So I would say that's very very good of all the wrership that we have. Any questions? Any questions for me? No questions by the way
to the public to the public any [Music] Thank you. Thank you. Item 13 under public request, Commander Michael Thrift to discuss
VF. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. For those you don't know me, I'm Mike St. I'm the commander of uh local veterans of Poland West Coast 925 Harris, Florida [Music] and we BFW are honored to be speaking
with you tonight. We are here to request a status update regard regarding the facility for our post home. Several months ago it was voted on and approved. I'll add a location for but
through research it was already promised another entity. Excuse me. Even although the U facility was not ideal for our purpose, we were willing to utilize that
facility and so we find one that was better fit for our needs and the needs of our community. Unfortunately, our veterans of foreign wars post 9 to5 has been without a dedicated facility for more than 10 years as far as my knowledge goes, if
not if not longer. Moreover, our per our current lack of hosticity is preventing us from establishing pack and troop 600 back in Taylor County, which is for our young boys and young men.
give them something to do and opportunities for personal growth, self-confidence, building teamwork and pass uh positive matching role models in a positive setting. As a local veterans
organization, I've said this many many times. We maintain a very strict policy of not promoting our permitting alcohol consumption at our facility as we believe it is detrimental to our
veterans, our community and our image. We strive to be a beacon of hope and a guiding light for our veterans and community alike, especially where our youth are concerned. Will you respectfully ask uh what's what are the
updates on a home for our post and and to enable us to better serve our veterans community and bring pack and troop sick back to Taylor County to keep their history and their legacy alive. I have
some my post members that were Vietnam vets that were part of that troop and we would just like an update and um if there's nothing y'all can do accesses, please just let us know so we can try
and find some alternative arrangements. So, the last time you were here, I did mention to get with me and I was I had a location that we could potentially look at. I did reach out to those folks and there was nothing
there. So, I don't know that any I don't know to my knowledge anyone had any options from the board just yet other than just something come available, we'd let you guys know. would definitely be
actively pursuing it on your side as well. Finding a location that fit the needs. Well, I was advised that the county doesn't have any goldies or new locations available. Yeah, I'm not aware of any.
[Music] Something was if someone on this board or anyone had an option that was feasible for what you guys look for, they would let you guys know. Because right now it's they will not let us charter the pack or the food
here. They said we we can't hold meetings in anywhere out in the community has to be a permanent home. You know Mr. Chairperson, can I ask Mr. a question? Do you just need
meeting space for ma'am? It's not just meeting space. Let me finish. Yes, ma'am. For the Boy Scouts. Do you just need a place to meet for the Boy Scouts? Well, according you want to separate the two. According to my understanding, the
BSA said that the BS have we can't even have meetings in another location unless that we were all for the Boy Scout said to have it at the senior center where we held our meetings at and they said that's not fathomable.
Was there a reason why? I have no idea. I've tried I've been trying to call for three days now and I have yet to get through to anyone because I don't see what the problem is. As long as we have a somebody going to let us use their
building for the troops. I would say they have the extension. Um, if they had meeting space available just for the Boy Scouts, that might be an option if they could if there was a classroom available or something like
that because there are other organizations who utilize, you know, classrooms at at um at county extension office or group of me. the Boy Scouts
once a week at a minimum. Yeah, my son was in Cub Scouts, so I know a little bit about it. Um, the charter organization for the Boy Scouts America, they have to have the space. They have to be the ones who are signing all of the we agree to this area. So, for an extension office, it would have
to be the extension office essentially. the county would have to be the the parent organization that's that's going to sponsor that that thing. So, if the VFW wants to do it, they have to have their own dedicated space that they're accepting. These are the responsibilities and these are the
rules. Um, and the same like there's churches that do it as well and they have to sign off. So, it's that's part of why they have to have a fixed location is because it it can't be a secondary. Um, it used to be the Elks Club that sponsored the Cub Scouts and the Boy Scouts, but their parent Elks
organization said they're no longer going to be sponsoring that anymore, which is why it's no longer held there. So, you could do it at the extension office. Doesn't sound like it. all the all the forest capital. Well, that's what she just
said, right? So, it sounds like that they could not Well, it's not it's not on the county side. It's the Boy Scout organization that requires uh that whoever is sponsoring the pack
have a permanent location. Chartering it. Chartering. Yeah. And I've been trying to do this for three years now and finally I had enough time to be able to dedicate my time and I have five or six posters wanted to do it as well because we need something that
the youth can do to go hang out in the woods and you know with your brothers drinking and stuff in the pool and they need some positive role models. You know, a lot of these children nowadays, they se
separated homes. I even say a lot of these parents are on drugs or they're too busy trying to be their children's friend being a role model. And that's what we need as far as folks having home. That's
what that's what we need this for. Plus, it helps us as opposed to do our fundraising. host events. It gives the troop and the pack place to meet where we can do things
with them. We can have cookouts to raise money, fundraising stuff, and a place for our our veterans that have served no wartime, a place to gather and socialize without being around a bunch of people that are drinking and doing drugs. This
is a place for us to come and be ourselves and relax and be able to talk to each other about things we've been do without judgment. Well, how do other areas do this? This the same initiative that you're talking
about. How do these other areas and locations do this as far as well I mean as far as location? I mean because it seems like you have to own the location on the location of charter and
I don't think you're in no position. No, no, we don't have to own it. It just has to be le leased or rent to us in our names to qualify through the BSA
or loan to us in writing. are use this the the veterans foreign awards is using this location. So this you're not you're not really having to pay anything at the senior center center now I would assume are
you? No, I volunteer there about 80 hours a month. Is there any reason the senior center wouldn't they don't have any available rooms? We're using their time to me hall for our meetings which is after hours but we we've gone out through trying to
find rooms that we can help face up. There's nothing there's nothing that everything's pretty much beyond repair. Mr. Chair, u I think there's some empty uh buildings downtown that maybe y'all could rent. I know Earl Swan with the
Swan venue. Maybe y'all could talk to him about renting his place. We have and he we're a nonprofit organization. 85% of our money has minimum goes to helping our veterans and our communities. We can't afford to pay
$2,000 a month. I mean, we have to be out there every day trying to do fundraising. Every year for the whole month of May, we're out helping veterans get their yard work done, getting parents out of their homes. Saturday, we were 19 Korean War veterans. And that's
what we do is we we try to gather in community and help our veterans, our senior citizens, and our youth. And so we don't we can't be we can't be trying to fund raise 30 days out a month trying to pay rent. Well, the only thing I know
to tell you is that you know we can all keep our ears and eyes open and if we hear of something, you know, we can contact you, but we don't have anything. What happened to the place y'all had? The old Rocket Creek. We had a bar out
there and u the landlord screwed us out. He basically had he did illegal lease with us and we went to speak with him about some issues we were having. He told us, "Well, you can get
out. This lease is invalid. My wife's name's not on it. Her name's on the property." Which suited us because we really didn't want to have bar anyways cuz none of us drink. And anyway, I said, "We we
got rained really hard on that place. We sunk a lot of money into fixing it, making repairs, painting it, putting in new flooring, and not even a year later, we're getting kicked out." Well, thank you for respectfully. Thank
you for your time for the business post 95 and our auxiliary and our team and our membership. Thank you. Thank you. All right. I'll do uh item 18. That's
our board to consider the appointment reappoint of three members to the T county development authority board administrator. There were 12 um applications that are in your packet. We have passed out the flooring
sheets. Now, Conrad, if you can help me, if you will score the applicant and pass um make sure you sign your sheet, please, and pass down to Conrad. You write a one, two, three. the ones that you don't put
anything down and they, you know, they're not the top three. Ain't that right? That's the way we looked at it. Good that you had so many. My goodness. One, two, three. down the bottom.
We're going to move on with the meeting while you guys tell me. We go to item 14 under county staff items. The board to review and consider approval of the Florida Commission for the Transportation Disadvantage Planning Grant application form authorizing
resolution for the upcoming fiscal year 2025 2026 grant cycle agenda by Jack Evans grants coordinator. Motion to read the resolution by Tylen by Commissioner Bent. All in favor?
All right. There's no title. I'm just going to read the first part of it for y'all. The resolution of the Taylor County Board of County Commissioner here and after board hereby authorized filing and execution of a transportation disadvantage planning grant agreement with the
Florida Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged. Motion to approve the resolution. Motion by commission to approve the resolution. Second by
commission. All in favor. Mr. Chairperson, I think you have to approve the application as well. Motion to approve the print application. A motion and a second to approve the
application. All in favor? I without the board consider formally ending the expired union contract. Good evening everybody. Um so the IAFF union has been long since disbanded um
from a lack of anybody joining. We have firefighters but none of them are union firefighters. Um, do you remember how many years it's been since it was Well, it's it's been several years. I think the issue is that we we would not have
known Yeah. whether whether members can rejoin and pay their dues or not, but it's been it's been several years. But anyways, the way the contract is written is basically it'll go on in perpetuity unless the two two parties either create a new contract or decide we're going to
nullify it. Um and right now we can't do that because there is no second party to discuss that with. Um the local 3789 is no longer recognized by the IFFF International. They are no longer recognized by PERK or the Florida
Firefighter Association. So essentially they're not there. Traditionally I think like with the IBW they formally dissolved and that nullified that contract. Unfortunately, when the IIAFF disbanded, they never formally dissolved. They just let it go, defunct.
Um, so what we're asking the board is since there's nobody else to negotiate with, and we've gone in good faith and honored it as best we can all these years, but it kind of ties our hands on anything that we have to hold to other rules that we set a long time ago. And I
will add our current county policies for the most part supersedes anything that was in the contract. It will not be any negative impact to the firefighters by ending this. It's just a formality at this point is all. So what's the uh driving force behind
this all the we well on the next item that's coming up. It kind of goes into that. Um but there are other things. So if we wanted to make a change that would go against the union contract,
anything that would be defined in the benefits in that union contract, we have to be able to negotiate that out some with someone with the union. Um, but there's nobody to negotiate. So we by by leaving it go on the way it
is we're trying well what we're doing now is trying to prevent future problems because we're going to get into a situation where it's like we need to do we want to make this change. All right well let's negotiate out with okay there's nobody to negotiate. So we're kind of in an impass. So by formally
acknowledging that guy if that is dissolved and nullifying the contract we are preventing future problems. So there's no downside to ending this contract. Motion to end the
contract to end the expired using contract Mr. Moody. All in favor 16 the board to consider amending language in the first policy presented by D fire chief. Okay. So, there was
something that came up in about holiday pay for firefighters. And what we found when we were looking into this and it kind of went back into the what was a union contract is it said language on how to kind of handle things, but our
personnel policy for the county was written more for 8 to 5 employees and non- shift work employees and left a very gray area of the intention of the board. Um, so what we've provided you here is a draft of what we would suggest as a proposed change. What you'll see in
that change is it clarifies in there that if a shift work employee firefighter is not on shift when a holiday falls, they would still receive a holiday pay benefit. Um, like the old wording was ambiguous the way as the
intending board. So that is what we're proposing as a draft change. Right. In that draft also, is that double time in half when they work on a holiday? That would stay the same. That remains the way it is currently. Is the only thing it clarifies out is if they're not on
shift, they would still receive some sort of holiday pay and moving forward. We've looked at the numbers. We we don't anticipate any impact changes to the budget. It's at a full capacity. We're looking at about
$1,550 or $15 $15,50 or $500, but utilizing if we were at full staff, we would have budgeting for part- timerrs that we would not be spending on the part-timers because we're at full staff. So that money would slide from what we would use on part- timer. So I
said, I think we can we can achieve this benefit for the firefighters without asking for additional. So up until now, so I guess what you're saying is that if they were not actually working on shift, they did not get paid. They would just
nothing. And so their shifts are 24 hours, right? So they would get paid for 24 hours. So what they would get is like said if they were on shift for the hours that their shift fell on the holiday. So if it was 7:00 a.m. to midnight, they would receive time and a half for those
holiday the days of that post of that. If they were not on a shift that had anything to do with holiday pay, they didn't get any benefits. They were just just not there. So they, you know, they didn't get any anything for the holiday pay where most county employees will either get some sort of pay or a paid
day off, right? And our firefighters will look at it. Well, congratulations. You already had a day off anyway, so we're not going to give you a benefit. And we'd like we'd like to address that and say, you know, we want we want to give you the same holiday benefit that everybody else and that's why it's listed at eight hours. We don't want it
to be any more than any other county employee would get. Um, this basically levels the benefit. That's what we're trying. I I guess what I'm trying to understand is if their shift is not eight hours, then
Well, I'm kind of lost here. Well, it's kind of balancing out. Like I said, we don't want it to be any more than any other employee would normally get, you know, because these people are not on their normal shift. They are on their regular scheduled day off. So, but we would like to give them some kind of a recognition of a holiday the holiday pay
for the days that they're off, but other most other employees have eight hour days except for the road department. So that I think what he's saying is giving these guys eight hours worth of holiday pay like the rest of the county
employees and they don't they don't get it today because that's the way the union contract is. They they did not receive holiday pay previously and we'd like to take all that. We we also don't want to take away from the firefighters that are
on shift who are having to be away, you know, be away from their family on Easter or something like that. You know, that, you know, we want to make sure that their time and they're recognized a little bit more because they're away from their families and then the people do do get to spend it with their families, you know, they still get
something. Um, I think this would be a positive morale boost for the firefighters. Um, even at the eight hours, I think they're gonna be very pleased with this. So, I I understand and um I think that's fair, but you know, while we're looking at policy for firefighters, what I'd like to see also
is that um if we don't have anybody to pull a shift that you're required to pull that shift, I'd like to see that put into policy because we've had to close the sections. We've had several days where we didn't have protection in
c certain areas. And had you been required to be there that would would have had protection for our citizens? And we've had a few days and there's been days when I've worked on a truck. Um maybe not for a full 24-hour shift, but and we also have made staffing
changes and and move things around. And since that last one, it's been five months now or so since we've had any any days where we've had a station closure. And I understand that and we're making good progress with the with the changes the board allowed us to make as
far as hiring recruit firefighters. We have one that's about to graduate the fire academy right now. We have another one that's about to be enrolled into the next June class and we have two more that are in the wings that want to apply for the next one after that. So we are making good progress on getting back in step. Yeah. And I and that's that's
really good. But I'm just thinking in the future if you lose a lot of people, which that's possible since our pay scale is so low um that if that happens again, at least we would have coverage. So what what what are the rest
of y'all think? Make a motion to approve the proposed change. I've asked a question. Does anybody else agree with my concept that he I don't I don't necessarily disagree with you, but I mean it's I I think you
and does pull some shifts. Maybe not 24-hour shifts, but does pull has pulled some shifts. You are aware that we had stations that were closed, right? Just as aware as you are. You have a motion to approve. Yes, sir. Motion
second question. All in favor? [Music] Let me tell you how we did this. [Music] Um, if you got a post, you put it on here. Okay. And it really didn't matter whether you were a three, two, or
one. We had two people that got uh the most votes and then we had one other person that got more than anybody else. So that makes sense. It doesn't make sense. So your your members were
going to be uh Mr. Jim Basset, Mr. Matt Eel, and Mr. John Cal, I'll make a motion that we approve these these three
people. Motion by Commissioner to meet DCBA appointment. So we had a second by Commissioner DS. All in favor? I did call Mr. Calvin John C. Cal, but he he does have a C on. Everybody knows
who John C. Yeah. Yeah. All right. We're going to item 17. The board to consider approval of request to award bids for the demolition and new construction of 11 homes through the HP program. The board
also to consider approval of exceeding the arbitary cost limits for the ship local housing assistance plan due to the rising cost for construction by me grandf. Hey. Hey everybody. I
we u have reviewed all the bids received and we are making the following recommendations. We are recommending Florida Homes be awarded Chappie Miller in the amount of 184750, Betty Sue Ellison in the amount of
1849, Johnny and Brenda in the amount of 1847, Karen Ever in an amount of 184750. Kila H in amount of 2.2700 and hers was substantially higher
because we had to add a third bedroom. due to um someone in the home having a disability. And we do have it doc documented by um the her medical um people that this particular child
requires a separate bedroom. Diana in the amount of 184500. We recommended awarding JG Parker Enterprises the homes of Christina and Robert 1848. Blinda and George Kieran
1948. Sharon Felch in the amount of [Music] 199800 K instruction we recommend Patricia Brown in the amount of 186 326. Charlie and agree in the amount of
18615. We also will need your approval to raise the six arbitrary cost limits which are now set at 175 due to the rising cost increases. We see that 175 is not going to it's not
going to do it anymore. So we have need to raise these limits with your approval. What are you looking to raise? Um well, we're we're requesting these at this time that all these be raised, but we will probably um we will be meeting
with um a center and I would say we're probably going to recommend $200,000 otherwise every single time we do a home we will be doing these cost increases. going to be having a change coming to you on CDBG
um on a cost increase because since their home was inspected, they've had additional damage on a CDBG home and it's going to be an increase of right at $112,000 over what was initially
anticipated. So across the board in all of our housing programs, we're seeing substantial home increases and we really have some concerns because we have limited funds and a whole lot of people
to help. We talked to um Florida housing and it's this way throughout the state. The costs are just rising substantially. Question for the floor. Motion to approve. [Music] had a motion by Commissioner Fle to
approve. Do you have a second? I second and not ready. Second by Commissioner D. All in favor. Then I'll make a motion to approve exceeding the arbitrary um funding limits on the ship program.
Motion by Commissioner Fel to approve exceeding arbitrary limits. Have a second. Second by Commissioner. All in favor? Thank you. Thank you everyone and we will have these houses underway here real soon. Thank you ma'am.
Thank you. All right 19 item 19 under county administrator items. The board review and consider approved of renewal of the general service administration agreement contract 47
USAHA22 D002 L incorporated for the maintenance and repairs of the elevators at the ter county courthouse. We place this back on the agenda just but if Conrad has not had the
opportunity to to review the um amended contract, we can table it once again. I have. You have? Okay. Can we comment? I do. Um, the reason that I'm willing to do this is
because need to contract right away in my view because it's the elevators in the courthouse which are used every single day. Um, you ever use one taking your life into the hands of the
elevator? Anyway, but they did change it somewhat um but one of the things that they did not do and and it's one of my one of the
things that I I stress all the time. They did put venue on here and they say the exclusive venue for any dispute between the parties shall be in the county and state of the premises as set
forth on page one. Wanda, show me where page one is listed on the bottom right hand corner. There ain't no There ain't no page one. Now I have a page one that has this
emblem on it. Is that your page one? If you look, but that's not a part of a contract. I know, but that's the only page one I could find. All it is is a like a title.
Looks like a looks like a All right. Where does it say on this page one? Taylor County, Florida. Where does it say Taylor County on page one? It doesn't. It doesn't. And there's no
other page one. No, sir. So, my suggestion is that y'all agree to this subject to them putting the the wording that I use, which
is venue shall be exclusively in state court in and for Taylor County as a result of any litigation pursuant to this agreement. You know that to me
or just repeat it. You shall be exclusively um in state court in and for county, Florida, right? Pursuant to any litigation as a result of this
agreement. Okay. I'll make a motion that we approve and add exactly what comrade said to my motion. I a motion by a second by commissioner
there. This is a fiveyear contract. But I just read a deadline and I wanted to get Thank you. So they did change some of the things I will tell you one of the things just since you've already passed it is one of
the things that they put in there that you know that really that I don't ever recommend is that their liability was the amount of the contract remember that when we've had those before and I don't think so they they listed what the amount of their
liability insurance is which is a million dollars. So, I really don't want to do that, but since we need to do it, you know, you understand what I'm saying, everybody. I'm off my soap box now. Next item will be our comments and
concerns from the public for non-aggended items. Anyone from the public for non-aggenda items? Mark Road. Now I got my friends of the library hat on. Just wanted to extend an
invitation to everyone. This Saturday from 8 to 12, we will have our spring book sale. Um we library is closed on Saturdays, so we fill it with books that aren't for checking out but for purchasing. Um five for a dollar.
magazines are a nickel for six for a quarter. All the proceeds we use to benefit the library. So, I know finances are going to be tough this year. Um, we as an organization have been restarted now
for about 20 years now. I know we're we're starting our 19th short story contest or we're in the midst of our 19th short story contest. So yeah, we've been around about back as an organization for about 20 years. Um, but we we help support the library, help
purchase books, help with the summer reading program. Um, so if you want some cheap books and you want to help the library, this weekend is a great time to do it. The library the sale will continue through the following week while the sale while the library is open. Um, if you want the best
selection, come on Saturday. Just want to say that last year. I got something. My name is Mike Hunter. I sat on your variance board along with four others. There's five of us on the variance board. In 2023, you guys
changed all that because you had seven and you couldn't get enough people attend meetings. So, you had to receive five so we could have three to make it. We're having a lot of bades. Wouldn't you agree, Linda? Sir, we have a lot of absences on our variance board.
Yes. What is the policy for when somebody's absent a lot? The variance board is very important because your building department is a face to the public should have a sign what can we do instead of being a painful process of doing it. By the time someone applies
for a building permit, uh gets turned down for whatever reason, they check all the boxes. We all know big money can check all the boxes. Everybody else comes in and out of the doors two or three times a week or month. By the time they get something done, it makes it to the board and does it pass and they take
it to a TED committee, five department heads, they review it. And most of the time, by the time it makes it us, it's done been turned down twice. So it makes it to us on the various boards. You have some really, you know, good educated people here that spends $500. I don't
know if y'all know that it takes $500 to get to that meeting. Uh, and I'm not sure if that's non-refundable whether they pass it or don't because it doesn't say it's just a $500 fee. Doesn't say if they get it back. It's a $500 variance application. So, we listen to it. We try to listen for if any neighbors has any
complaints about something. And if the neighbors here in agreement, we pass it, which is kind of words got back to me is I'm just one. I'm one of five. I can't speak for that. That the building department is kind of aggravated that the uh every time something gets passed down makes it very, we pass it. Well,
we've not had anything really serious. It's been really no complaints that you guys know of that I know of from what we've done as a board. So, the longer I sit here, the more realize I don't really have a problem. I just want to ask y'all, you know, let you be aware of what goes on on the various board. Uh
anything on people not attending meetings. We've got one guy now, he's missed three in a row. Now, we've got our chairman who's missed two in a row. Uh it's a pretty serious thing. They aren't missing like this. I mean, these meet once a month. We meet only once a month. That's 12 times a year. And
there's been a few meetings that we didn't have a couple. I know we didn't have enough, but they've had to have a mercy meeting where we barely got three people together because someone like Namo or or Big Top was trying to push something to get it to you guys. We had one variance meeting that we met an hour before y'all did because they were
needing to do something. There's cases where people are needing to break ground. They need to get it done. This can's been kicked and kicked and kicked that when it gets to the variance board. I understand now we have an attorney from the variance board that we never had but since I've been there uh Sally
sit on it but she was a board member. She was a voting board member. She was in fact attorney. She was a voting board. So now we have that one who wants to do workshops. Uh that's not my issue. The issues is you have a bunch of people applying for the PCA. Can I have some of
those and replace? Let me ask you a question. [Music] Um, would it be could you operate if you only had three board members? It's hard to say. Three board members is
good. I mean, it's a it's a it's it's an embarrassment when engineers and and builders from out of town are here and they see a board that we all don't show up. You know, three would be good. I hate that. I'm not asking y'all to reduce it down. Um I can help find
people that would want to serve on this board if we have What are the rules? Have we asked anybody? Bobby told us in a meeting Thursday that rules was if you missed two meetings, you was automatically off. That was his
statement. So when I off you can throw them, you can take them off of the board, but then you know you and maybe you could find somebody if you know people. Okay, maybe that's what we need to do then because if you've got somebody from
out of town that's driven here and and there's you don't have a quorum that is embarrassing and that's bad business. We've had people drive seven, eight hours to be here. We've had multiple ones here from Perry, Georgia and Atlanta be here and let us know that
they're here to do that for that very well. But we've had quorums, but they've driven here for these meetings. Um the uh we've had one where we didn't have a quorum and we did have a special meeting, but so many times we only had three and it's barely our meetings at
5:00. It's barely got one of us walking the door. Somebody's walking. Time is not the problem. Maybe we need to look at the attendance and look at maybe look at the attendance over the last six months and we got same people consistently missing. Maybe it's not that important. So this is what the
ordinance reads. So there's an ordinance I I believe that's entitled variance board or zoning. But if I look under planning board, the planning board ordinance, this is what it says. Members of the planning board may be removed for
cause by the board of county commissioners after filing or written charges in a public hearing and a majority vote of the county commissioners. Vacancies in the planning board membership shall be filed by the board of county commissioners for the unexpired term of the member
affected. So I think probably the language that I haven't asked him yet that Mr. Bobby is referring to is from a different part of the ordinance that's named differently. But Conrad, I don't I
don't recall this particular if you miss two meetings you're off the planning board. I haven't been able to find it in our code ordinances. I doubt very seriously that I would put that in in because you got to have due
process. You know, a person has to have the right to come in and say to the to the board of county commissioners, I'm sorry. Um I was ill both times that term and I I respectfully request that you keep me on the board or kick me off. I'm
I'm ready to go off that that sort of thing. You know, I I just think that due process is very very important. But the planning board can make that request to the board of county commissioners. Certainly they can. Well, I've voiced it at several of the meetings to all the
members. Uh it's got to be important. If it's not important, then I'm wasting my time. Make a suggestion then. Um, what about if if the members that are not showing up the way they're supposed to, if
someone I don't know if that that's you or or who that you would speak to these people and say, you know, you've not been here and it puts us in a file blah blah blah and do you wish to stay on the border? It's a hardship. They can stay
off. It's that easy. And then the chance to say I want to stay on. If they say yes, I want to stay on, then read them whatever it is that you need to read to them that you need to be here. And then if they don't attend the meetings after
that, then bring it to the board. And that way you've given them a fair chance, you've let them know that, hey, you know, this is a problem and do you really want to stay? If you do, you need to be here. Otherwise, we're going to go to the the BOCC. And you're absolutely right. I just was
wondering if there was anything like Bobby said to me, you said you're automatically off. You send them a letter done water board policy is petition. It's three in 12 months, you get a letter in your office. That's that's that policy there. I didn't know
if the various board had a policy anywhere, but they don't. It should because it's important what I used to read was seem to be about the expiration of the term. Um no sir what the part before that just basically said that if
the planning board as a body wished to bring that to the board of county commissioners wish for someone to come off of the board that you can do that and then the board could fill that unexpired term with somebody else. Okay.
So if we as a commission if we keep getting reports that members aren't showing up could be agenda the item potentially remove the members and you notify the member that y'all going to have a hearing on it. Right. But I mean
if it's if it's noted that this continu this is continues to be the process and folks not showing up then one of the bar commissioners can add this as an agenda item to discuss potentially put them in place is that the way you understand it
or does it have to be an actual formal motion by the planning board? Can can someone from the planning board express that concern to a commissioner who made an agenda it? Yeah. But again, what you got to do in my view, humble opinion, is
that I have I haven't come to three meetings, okay? And someone like M Seagull has said called and told me and and I said, "Oh, I was ill, blah, blah, blah." You know, and then I don't go to another meeting.
Then they need a notice that there's going to be a hearing before the board of county commissioners to determine whether they're going to remove you or not, me or not. I mean, it's pretty simple. It's a board that we appoint. I mean, surely if we got an
issue documented that there's an issue, then we it's a voluntary board, but it's a hard board. I've said on several of y'all's boards, if your board's hard, that parent's board's hard because you got people here mad. By the time they get here, they're mad. They're mad
building hard. They're mad by the time they get here. Would you agree? They're mad when they get here. So, it's not an easy board. So, it's it's uh it should be taken seriously. And I don't want to be one stand up here. And I I've voiced it all over the other four. I'm speaking
for myself. I've uh I don't have a problem standing here, but I don't want to stand here trying to get one kicked off the board either. I just there's especially when there's only a policy that says there's a due process that comes up and says that I was ill, so I I promise I'll do better. I get that. It's
like a probation period. It's a volunteer board. It's not even they don't get paid to do it. But if someone don't take it that serious voice that all time is important meeting once a month we end up folks having to wait a whole another month then people don't show up and that is
embarrassing and when they don't show up someone can't break ground contractors is held up they can't build things can't get going put off for another month we only meet 12 times a year we're in some times right now when we know that builders are trying to get things done they're trying to get permits and when
it makes it to the variance board and they only meet 12 times a year and builders are booking up their schedules where they're at and the homeowners need to builders is going to go build somewhere else. I know builders are building Tallahass right now because they can't get permits right here
Tallahass once they land in zones takes a while to get one back. So, one other question. Now, you mentioned um about a lawyer. Do you have a lawyer that's there at every meeting? I understand we do now. Uh and the
lawyer's there at $250. I'm volunteering my time. He gets $250. Well, now he gets 250 every meeting for being there. And y'all need him every meeting? Do you need him there every meeting? Well, then why are we
doing that? We have the building inspector there that brings his expertise to us. So, we don't we don't need to be doing that. The the bind that we're in now financially, we I would say that let's only have a lawyer there in case you've
got something that's uh disputable and can't be resolved, then get him to come. But paying him $250 every time he comes to sit there seems like a waste of taxpayer money to me. And
probably like to mention that these items have come to you, y'all have already been through two different hands. Say that again. By the time it gets to that planning board, the the application has already been in two different hands. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We got the the
application at the building department application goes I you know that's my understanding that you know prior life of a building official that the tech review board didn't have a lot of these
meetings but now a lot of these meetings are transpiring because of a lot of them being pushed on down the line that ends up at the variance board. If the build official can't see a way to approve it, can't find a way to make it happen uh in
another chapter on another book, then it goes to the tech view. And if they can find a way to make it happen, then it goes back and never makes it to the various board. So by the time it makes it to the building official, to the tech view, then to us, we always ask what was the views of the tech view without
having to ask an attorney. We asked their advice and so they give us their advice. And the ones we've dealt with has been variances on setbacks and we've had neighbors there to speak on behalf of the person. So it's been really easy.
[Music] Yeah. So do we problems attendance right now? So do we do we do we need this attorney to continue? All right. So you have a Yes.
I think I knew you were going to do that. I know. That's why you wouldn't look at me. Well, in the respect for I know for so long that there was never I know we can't use it Sally, but we can't use Sally because she was not acting as
an attorney. She was a board member. She was a voting. We didn't have an attorney there for quite some time. So now we do and I know we put this this application out there for a long time ago you're looking for these attorneys but about a
year put out in July and then sign contract in April uh the last month uh so what's the contract said with this attorney does it say that he is to be there every meeting is not well then why
are we having him there every meeting well He's only been at one meeting, so it has not been at every meeting. But I think that maybe I can work with staff and with Conrad to develop a criteria for when we do
need the planning board attorney there. My my only concern is there's really no protection for the planning board members um or you know, I don't want to expect them to be authorities on our code of ordinances.
And we have a very new building official. So I I don't want to sit there and have to debate it with an attorney because a variance board is one that can offer a variance. I wouldn't said that. I don't I don't need an attorney. Oh, I I understand that. I'm more concerned about development applications. I get
it. But by the time it's made it through two boards, does he sit on the tech board? He does not. watch. So also another it was mentioned that the attorney I I don't know where this comes from other than maybe it was mentioned
in one of the meetings that this attorney has set up a workshop training workshops. I I don't really think we would need the attorney to to plan workshops that we're probably have to pay him for. I mean, I don't I
mean, we've done this board's been going on, I don't know how long this guy showed up at one meeting and all of a sudden got to have had a workshop and then we're probably going to have to pay him for it. So, I don't think so. So you guys are well my consideration is you're making law anytime you're
doing a zoning or you're doing a variance because then we get somebody that comes up to the board and says well we need this mu because they've got this there and there there already. So as soon as a variance is put in place, it
needs to be wisely orchestrated to make sure that the the vision of the county is maintained and not just well yeah this mistake or whatever we're just going to roll it forward they want. So it's got to be wisely with the attorneys and everybody to make the decision that says yeah do
that or don't do that. Not really. We can make decisions. The board can provide our time for free. the building department can take it and come meet with the attorney and do their business, but not to be in our meeting just for a day or night. Mr. Chairperson, I think my my concern
would be if there's consideration of comprehensive plan changes or future land use map amendments, you might want that expertise of the attorney. If it's something simple like a setback, um I I don't disagree with that. I understand
what you're saying. So maybe should we develop criteria in which we would request the planning board attendee or attorney to be at these meetings around do you think? Well, this is not on the agenda
today and I can talk about it. Okay. Would that be I will say if we got to sit and debate with an attorney to to help move building along in town, you won't have people sitting to add to
that is um if if you you know what the agenda is for them before and so if you see something there that you know yes is going to need that, then maybe that's when you you might need that person
there. But, you know, just to have somebody there. This is just my opinion, but just to have somebody there to sit there just in case when you already know what the agenda is about seems like to me a waste of taxpayer money.
Anything else? uh comments and concerns from the public for nonend items information. I've got a couple of things. Could I ask you as the chair that when when we are discussing things
and then we have a motion and we have a second. Could you ask is there any further discussion so that a commissioner can finish saying what they were trying to say or want to say before another commissioner wants to go ahead
and move the move the vote along. So in other words, you know, I've noticed there's been a couple of times where, you know, someone is anxious to stop the conversation and move on. So if you could just say is there any further
discussion so that we can you know say the things that we need to say. Well I think I do that on every item. Is there any further discussion? But I mean yeah I don't have a problem with that. I mean I think we do that on every item but yes. The other thing is
just before Landa just before I got to the meeting tonight I got a call and um I had some pictures sent to me. Um, it's my understanding that there were seven dead kittens found this morning at the
animal shelter. That there was no one there all weekend. There was none of the animals were fed. There was no water. The water bowls were empty. There were maggots in the food bowl and um there was just no service on weekend. Is that
true? I have not heard that, but I will definitely I've got some pictures I can share with you. Um, but and I think I saw the pictures of the dead kittens where there nobody showed up for the whole weekend obviously. So, could you
check into that and I'll after the meeting I'll show you the pictures. That's all. Thank you. Mr. M I just say with the rains and such I know it's really dry and folks are having mosquitoes such follow up with
that please M speak with you about that I talk with you today but get the rain but we know what comes with that all right nothing else a motion to adjourn Thank you. Muted introduce
myself. Been a long day. Get I drew those short. Sorry. I wasn't ignoring y that motion before. thought he was talking.
Good night, friends. I can I can type the minutes