A regular MEETING OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
february 12, 2013
The Lake County Board of County Commissioners met in regular session on Tuesday, February 12, 2013 at 9:00 a.m., in the Board of County Commissioners’ Meeting Room, Lake County Administration Building, Tavares, Florida. Commissioners present at the meeting were: Leslie Campione, Chairman; Timothy I. Sullivan; Sean Parks; and Welton G. Cadwell. Commr. Jimmy Conner, Vice Chairman, was not present due to illness. Others present were: David Heath, County Manager; Sanford A. “Sandy” Minkoff, County Attorney; Wendy Taylor, Executive Office Manager, County Manager’s Office; Neil Kelly, Clerk of Court; Barbara F. Lehman, Chief Deputy Clerk, County Finance; and Susan Boyajan, Deputy Clerk.
INVOCATION and pledge
Pastor Bill Robinson from the First Baptist Church of Tavares gave the Invocation and led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Agenda update
Mr. David Heath, County Manager, recommended that they move Tab 20 regarding the North Hancock Road signal to be heard immediately after the County Attorney’s Consent Agenda, since there were people in attendance at that meeting specifically for that issue.
Commr. Cadwell stated that he wanted to add something to his business that would require a vote regarding correspondence from Mr. Jim Myers from the Lake County League of Cities stating that they have selected Mayor Chris Bell as their requested appointment to the Lake EMS Board.
On a motion by Commr. Parks, seconded by Commr. Sullivan and carried unanimously by a vote of 4-0, the Board moved to add that item to the Agenda under Commr. Cadwell’s reports.
employee awards
Ms. Christina Brandolini, Human Resources Manager, presented the following employee awards and commented briefly about each employee’s contribution to the County.
five years
Ben Driver, Stormwater Inspector II (not present)
Public Works/Environmental Services Division
Kerry Graybill, Firefighter/EMT (not present)
Public Safety/Fire Rescue Division
Alvin Hodge, Animal Control Officer
Conservation & Compliance/Animal Services Division
David Hope, Fixed Route Coordinator (not present)
Community Services/Public Transportation Division
Elizabeth Kelley, Firefighter/EMT (not present)
Public Safety/Fire Rescue Division
Gustavo Marquez, Communications Associate
Public Safety/Communication Technologies Division
Anthony Moore, Radio Services Technician
Public Safety/Communication Technologies Division
ten years
Julius Anderson, Landfill Attendant (not present)
Public Works/Solid Waste Division
Donald King, Firefighter/EMT (not present)
Public Safety/Fire Rescue Division
Lisa Piper, Library Assistant I
Public Resources/Library Services Division
fifteen years
Daniel Miller, Battalion Fire Chief
Public Safety/Fire Rescue Division
Wendy Taylor, Executive Office Manager
County Manager
twenty five years
J. B. Blackwell, Fire Marshal/Fire Captain (Presented by Chief John Jolliff)
Public Safety/Fire Rescue Division
Susan Dugan, Senior Contracting Officer (not present)
Fiscal and Administrative Services/Procurement Services
Randolph Jones, Battalion Fire Chief (Presented by Chief John Jolliff)
Public Safety/Fire Rescue Division
Thomas Osebold, Veterans Services Officer (Presented by Dottie Keedy)
Community Services/Health and Human Services Division
Minute approval
On a motion by Commr. Cadwell, seconded by Commr. Sullivan and carried unanimously by a vote of 4-0, the Board approved the Minutes of December 18, 2012 (Regular Meeting) as presented.
citizen question and comment period
Mr. Jim Purvis expressed concern that Commr. Conner was not present and requested that the Board wait for him to be present before voting on Tab 20 regarding the signalization on North Hancock Road.
Mr. Kent Weber requested that the Board add to the next agenda a discussion about forming a Lake County Animal Advisory Committee, which he believed would be a huge asset to help the future development of volunteerism and adoption programs. He noted that his research indicated that 27 counties in the state already have animal advisory committees which included veterinarians, citizens, business owners, humane societies, rescue groups, and staff from Animal Control. He commented that a well-rounded committee could help Animal Services become more efficient and hopefully help reduce the number of intake animals and euthanasia.
Commr. Campione mentioned that they have had someone donate a banner that will be going up on their animal shelter indicating that it was a place to adopt a pet, which was one of his previous recommendations. She also related that they had a meeting with veterinarians in the northern part of the county two weeks ago and were meeting with the South Lake veterinarians tomorrow night. She commented that they have received good feedback and input from those veterinarians and would be bringing that back to the Board at a future meeting.
Commr. Cadwell asked Mr. Weber to send the Board the list of counties that have advisory boards, and he indicated that staff would research that issue.
Ms. Nancy Muenzmay, a resident of Eustis and a member of the Lake Eustis Chamber of Commerce, invited everyone to the City’s 111th GeorgeFest celebration the weekend of February 22 through 24, noting that it was the longest-running celebration of George Washington’s birthday in the state of Florida and the second-longest in the United States. She specified that they expect over 15,000 people and that there will be over 100 vendors, fireworks, a parade, and a free concert in the bandshell by an Eagles tribute band.
Mr. Vance Jochim, a resident of Tavares and a writer of a blog called FiscalRangers.com, cautioned the Board about maintaining an oversight accounting process and cited an incident that occurred in Okaloosa County involving a County official who embezzled money from the BP oil settlement because of a lack of adequate accounting procedures and comptroller oversight.
Commr. Campione suggested that they have a future presentation by the Clerk’s Office to go over for the public the Board’s procedures regarding their extensive monetary oversight.
CLERK OF COURTS’ CONSENT AGENDA
On a motion by Commr. Parks, seconded by Commr. Sullivan and carried unanimously by a 4-0 vote, the Board approved the Clerk of Courts’ Consent Agenda, Items 1 through 7, as follows:
List of Warrants
Request to acknowledge receipt of list of warrants paid prior to this meeting, pursuant to Chapter 136.06 (1) of the Florida Statutes, which shall be incorporated into the Minutes as attached Exhibit A and filed in the Board Support Division of the Clerk’s Office.
Annexation Ordinance from the City of Tavares
Request to acknowledge receipt of Annexation Ordinance 2012-38 from the City of Tavares annexing approximately 6 acres of land generally located east of David Walker Road, north of Old Highway U.S. 441, west of Merry Road; rezoning the property from County R-6 Residential to City RMF-3 (Residential Multi-Family). The ordinance was approved by the Tavares City Council on December 19, 2012.
Notice of Extension of Existing Phase I Water Shortage Order
Request to acknowledge receipt of a Notice of Extension of Existing Phase I Water Shortage Order from the Southwest Florida Water Management District, extending the terms of Water Shortage Order No. SWF 2012-022 through July 31, 2013, and noting that copies of Water Shortage Order 2010-022, its extensions and related fact sheets are available online at www.WaterMatters.org.
Electronic Report from the Clerks of Court Operations Corporation
Request to acknowledge receipt of an electronic report from the Clerks of Court Operations Corporation (CCOC) for the first quarter of SFY 2012-13 per Section 318.18(13)(b), Florida Statutes.
Notice of Public Hearing from City of Minneola
Request to acknowledge receipt of Notice from the City of Minneola regarding a Public Hearing. The City of Minneola Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing on Monday, February 4, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. at the Minneola City Hall located at 800 North U.S. 27, Minneola, FL, to consider a request by property owner Delphine Lampert and applicant Dale Ladd for property located at 327 South US Highway 27 in Minneola. The property being considered is generally located south of Chester Street, west of Galena Avenue on the east side of US Hwy 27. This request is to review and approve the site plan for Family Jewelry and Pawn submitted for the property, which includes improvement and development of the northern portion of the property consisting of approximately 1.335+/- acres. The City of Minneola City Council will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, February 19, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. at the Minneola City Hall to consider the request.
Notice of Public Hearing from City of Minneola
Request to acknowledge receipt of the Notice from the City of Minneola regarding a Public Hearing for Resolution 2013-04. The City of Minneola Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing on Monday, February 4, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. at the Minneola City Hall located at 800 North U.S. 27, Minneola, FL, to consider a request for a Variance to allow for more than 50% of the off street parking to be located between the primary façade and the abutting street on property located at 327 South US Highway 27. The City of Minneola City Council will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, February 19, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. at the Minneola City Hall to consider the request.
Letter from the St. Johns River Water Management District of Public Hearing
Request to acknowledge receipt of a letter from the St. Johns River Water Management District announcing that a public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, February 12, 2013 to receive public testimony regarding the District’s Florida Forever Work Plan Annual Update pursuant to Section 373.139(3) and 373.199(7), Florida Statutes. The public hearing will be held during the Governing Board meeting, which begins upon conclusion of the Regulatory Committee meeting which begins at 10:00 a.m.
COUNTY MANAGER’S CONSENT AGENDA
On a motion by Commr. Cadwell, seconded by Commr. Parks and carried unanimously by a vote of 4-0, the Board approved the County Manager’s Consent Agenda, Tabs 3 through 12 as follows:
Community Services
Request for approval of an Easement Agreement between the Lake County Board of County Commissioners and the Lake County School Board for property at Lake-Tech in Eustis to serve as a transfer station for LakeXpress. There is no fiscal impact.
Request for approval and signature of the Memorandum of Agreement between the Florida Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged and the Lake County Board of County Commissioners. There is no fiscal impact.
Facilities Development and Management
Request for approval and signature on the Interlocal Agreement with City of Leesburg and the Lake County Board of County Commissioners for the City of Leesburg to provide the desired fiber optic services subject to the terms and conditions of this Interlocal Agreement. The fiscal impact is (Not to Exceed) $50,000 (Expense).
Fiscal and Administrative Services
Request for approval to (1) declare the items on the attached list(s) surplus to County needs, and (2) authorize the removal of all of the items on the attached lists from the County's official fixed asset inventory system records.
Public Works
Request for approval of award of contract 13-0012, Road Resurfacing and Related Services to D.A.B. Constructors, Inc. and authorize the Procurement office to execute all supporting documentation. The fiscal impact is estimated at $2,027,000 (Expenditure).
Request for authorization to advertise for bids for Special Assessment No. 104 for Firethorn Road, located in unincorporated Lake County, Section 3, Township 19, Range 27. The fiscal impact is estimated at $297,103.50 (Fund 3040 - Capital Projects PW and pooled cash account). Commission District 4.
Request for approval and acceptance of the attached list of public right of way deeds that have been secured in conjunction with roadway and/or stormwater projects. There is no fiscal impact.
Request for approval and execution of Resolution No. 2013-15 authorizing the exchange of County property and a Purchase Agreement with Jeffrey W. Wiggs for right of way for the Alfred Street Realignment Project in the City of Tavares, and authorization for the Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners to sign any and all documents necessary for closing, and to effectuate the exchange transaction. The fiscal impact is $20,000.00 plus the exchange property. Commission District 3.
Request for approval of award of contract 13-0415, Tree Removal, Trimming and Related Services to Native Land And Tree, Inc. (Howey-In-The-Hills, FL) and Total Land And Tree, Inc. (Orlando, FL) and authorize the Procurement office to execute all supporting documentation. The fiscal impact is estimated at $90,000 (Expenditure).
Request for approval and execution of a developer agreement with Equity Leesburg, LLC for the purchase of an easement and for construction of Pond 2, in conjunction with the Radio Road Widening and Resurfacing Project, in the Leesburg area, and authorization for the Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners to sign any and all documents necessary for closing. The fiscal impact is $189,600.20 (Expenditure). Commission District 3.
COUNTY ATTORNEY’S CONSENT AGENDA
On a motion by Commr. Cadwell, seconded by Commr. Sullivan, and carried unanimously by a vote of 4-0, the Board approved the County Attorney’s Consent Agenda, Tabs 13 and 14 as follows:
Request for approval to advertise an Ordinance adopting the Amendment to the Interlocal Service Boundary Agreement (ISBA) with the City of Umatilla. There is no fiscal impact.
Request for authorization for the County to waive its right to purchase Tax Certificate 1319 of 2009 which is currently on the "Lands Available for Taxes" list. This request includes authorization on future requests for County to waive its right to purchase properties on the “Lands Available for Taxes” list where the County has no interest in purchasing the property. There is no fiscal impact.
COUNTY MANAGER’S DEPARTMENTAL BUSINESS
signalization/safety improvements on north hancock road
Mr. Heath related that he spoke with Commr. Conner, who indicated that he will not be at the BCC meeting due to a medical emergency, and he spoke with him specifically about the traffic signal at Diamond Players Club and Hancock Road. He noted that Commr. Conner did not wish for this issue to be pulled off the agenda today or continued, and he read a statement from Commr. Conner stating that he regretted his absence from the meeting, apologized to the residents at Summit Greens, and respectfully requested the Board to grant the signal.
Commr. Campione commented that although she would like to see closure of this issue since it has been lingering for so long, she did not feel comfortable moving forward with an issue that was important to Commr. Conner in his absence.
Commr. Cadwell opined that Commr. Conner did not want to inconvenience the residents that have come to the meeting to speak about this issue; however, he pointed out that Commr. Conner has been an important part of this discussion, and he would also be more comfortable with moving forward when he was present.
On a motion by Commr. Sullivan, seconded by Commr. Cadwell and carried unanimously by a vote of 4-0, the Board moved to postpone Tab 20 regarding the signalization and safety improvements on North Hancock Road until the next BCC Meeting.
public hearings
ordinance extending moratorium of pain clinic tax receipts
Mr. Sandy Minkoff, County Attorney, placed the proposed ordinance on the floor for its first and final reading by title only, as follows:
AN ORDINANCE OF LAKE COUNTY, FLORIDA RELATING TO PAIN MANAGEMENT CLINICS; AMENDING LAKE COUNTY CODE, CHAPTER 14, ARTICLE VII, ENTITLED “PAIN MANAGEMENT CLINICS”, SECTION 14-101, ENTITLED “MORATORIUM,” TO EXTEND A MORATORIUM ON THE ISSUANCE OF BUSINESS TAX RECEIPTS FOR NEW PAIN MANAGEMENT CLINICS THAT IS DUE TO EXPIRE ON FEBRUARY 28, 2013, TO JULY 1, 2013; PROVIDING FOR INCLUSION IN THE CODE; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR FILING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
Mr. Minkoff explained that by working with FAC and watching what is going on in the legislature, he discovered that there is a bill that has been filed that would preempt local governments from being able to regulate these clinics, since there is a hodgepodge of regulations in the medical community, and he added that the bill also requires committees statewide to develop zoning regulations to deal with this issue.
The Chairman opened the public hearing.
There being no one who wished to speak regarding this issue, the Chairman closed the public hearing.
On a motion by Commr. Cadwell, seconded by Commr. Parks and carried unanimously by a vote of 4-0, the Board approved the adoption and execution of Ordinance No. 2013-6 amending Section 14-101, Lake County Code, extending the moratorium on the issuance of new business tax receipts for pain clinics to July 1, 2013. There is no fiscal impact at this time.
ordinance extending suspension of transportation impact fees
Mr. Sandy Minkoff, County Attorney, placed the proposed ordinance on the floor for its first and final reading by title only, as follows:
AN ORDINANCE OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF LAKE COUNTY, FLORIDA; AMENDING SECTION 22-4, LAKE COUNTY CODE, ENTITLED DEFINITIONS; AMENDING CHAPTER 22, ARTICLE III, LAKE COUNTY CODE, ENTITLED TRANSPORTATION IMPACT FEES; PROVIDING FOR THE ADOPTION OF AN UPDATED TRANSPORTATION IMPACT FEE STUDY; PROVIDING FOR THE CONTINUATION OF THE SUSPENSION OF THE COLLECTION OF IMPACT FEES UNTIL SEPTEMBER 30, 2013; PROVIDING FOR A REVISED IMPACT FEE SCHEDULE TO BE EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1, 2013; REDUCING THE NUMBER OF IMPACT FEE DISTRICTS FROM SIX (6) TO THREE (3); PROVIDING LEGAL DESCRIPTIONS FOR THE IMPACT FEE DISTRICTS; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR INCLUSION IN THE CODE; PROVIDING FOR FILING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
Mr. Minkoff noted that based on the discussion of the Board at its workshop, he is prepared with an ordinance that would change the September date to December 31 which would make it effective January 1, but it had already been advertised prior to that meeting.
The Chairman opened the public hearing.
There being no one who wished to speak regarding this issue, the Chairman closed the public hearing.
On a motion by Commr. Cadwell, seconded by Commr. Sullivan and carried unanimously by a vote of 4-0, the Board approved Ordinance No. 2013-7 extending the suspension of the collection of transportation impact fees until December 31, 2013; reinstating impact fees beginning January 1, 2014, at lower rates; adopting the updated Transportation Impact Fee Study; and reducing the number of impact fee districts from six to three. The fiscal impact is projected to be $1,000,000 (revenue) for the first year.
county manager’s departmental business
growth management
discussion regarding ordinance suspending school impact fees
Ms. Amye King, Growth Management Director, explained that the presentation and discussion would be regarding the school impact fee suspension and approval to advertise, and she recapped that the school impact fees were suspended effective January 2012, with the suspension expiring on March 29. She also recapped that CFAC (Capital Facilities Advisory Committee) was tasked in 2012 with making recommendations to fund capital needs of the School District, which were presented to the Board on January 8, and their recommendations were to pursue a local doc stamp, support suspension of the school impact fee for one year, adopt an appropriate impact fee after that, recommend that the state restore the two mil capital levy, and pursue a half-penny sales tax; however, they were not in favor of a four-year one mil ad valorem property tax levy at this time. She related that the School Board met on January 28 and came up with four recommendations, which were to petition the legislature to adopt a stable, dedicated funding stream for the collection of doc stamps to be reserved for education as well as support a local referendum for that funding; continue the suspension of the school impact fees for 90 days; and to reissue the one cent sales tax with the division of one-half cent dedicated to education. She illustrated on a map the impact fees of the surrounding counties, noting that Lake, Sumter, Volusia, and Marion all have suspension of the fees in effect, with the counties to the south having their school impact fees still in effect. She requested Board direction about suspending or reinstating school impact fees, the length of the suspension, and the amount of the school impact fee when it is reinstated. She recapped that there was consensus from the Board during their retreat on February 5 to suspend school impact fees until January 1, 2014 consistent with transportation and to work with the School Board on documentary stamps; and she asked the Board’s approval to advertise an ordinance regarding suspension of the school impact fee, hold a public hearing on the ordinance on March 12, and determine the amount of the fee upon the end of the suspension.
Commr. Campione commented that they have not yet heard from the School Board regarding the amount of the school impact fee at the end of the suspension.
Commr. Cadwell pointed out that the School Board has stayed silent on that issue, and he did not want to make that decision for them; however, he suggested reinstating the fee at 13 percent, which was the same percentage the Board was planning on using for transportation impact fees.
Commr. Sullivan opined that the doc stamp issue would affect impact fees, but they will not know if that is an actual viable option until at least the next legislative session. He stated that he supports suspending school impact fees until January 1 and not deciding a reinstated amount at this time, which he believed would have to be a discounted rate due to the economy.
Commr. Campione commented that there was an increase in building permitting activity in South Lake County but not as much in the north part of the county, and she suggested that having two separate districts might be a way in the short term to address the situation, since there was a need for additional student stations in one part of the county but not the other.
Commr. Cadwell expressed concern that a divided system would lead to having two levels of service.
Commr. Campione replied that there would not be two levels of service since there would be sufficient student stations in the north and not as much of a need for the impact fees there.
Commr. Parks stated that he supported suspending the fee until January 1, which would give them time to have discussions regarding this decision, and he opined that there was more of a willingness in the South Lake district to catch up to the capital demands through an impact fee until another source of funding such as doc stamps is available.
Commr. Campione mentioned that Commr. Conner was going to take the lead to discuss this issue with the School Board and to find out whether their lobbyist is going to make some contacts and get some feedback about how realistic the doc stamp idea is.
Mr. Minkoff related that he has talked with the FAC (Florida Association of Counties) lobbyist, and he did not get an encouraging indication that doc stamps were a possibility this year or in the future. He noted that one problem with the doc stamps is that it constantly recurs every time someone refinances their home. He also stated that there may be legal issues with dividing the impact fees according to districts, since the School Board is required to redistrict at times, which may create issues with students that are moved from a paying district to a nonpaying one, and he would like to research this issue and discuss it with the School Board attorney before they decide anything regarding this matter.
Commr. Sullivan added that students can also go to school in another district.
Mr. Heath pointed out that if the Board takes no action on this issue, the impact fee will go back to the $9,000 amount, and he suggested that they bring this issue back to the Board in August in order to ensure they have a 90-day notice to schedule a public hearing in September.
Commr. Campione added that the Board would need to hear back from the School Board prior to that time regarding the amount it supported. She also pointed out that someone would have to refinance their house ten times in order to pay the same amount in doc stamps as they would owe if they were paying 100 percent of the impact fees, since that amount is just a fraction of the impact fee amount. She thanked the CFAC committee for all of their time and effort.
On a motion by Commr. Sullivan, seconded by Commr. Parks and carried unanimously by a vote of 4-0, the Board approved suspending the School Impact Fees until January 1, 2014 and to further discuss that issue before that time.
overview and update of online permitting process
Ms. King related that this presentation would give the Board an overview of the new permitting system for commercial and industrial projects, including the initiatives they have already completed as well as their next steps and goals, and she showed a chart illustrating that the amount of permits for residential and commercial structures have increased from 2010 to 2012, with a general increase of the total permits from 1,918 to 2,490 during that time. She recapped that online permitting was a directive from the Board as well as a goal of the Economic Development Plan for streamlining and simplifying the permitting process to improve customer service and provide a virtual one-stop shop. She stated that they offer several types of permits online and that the online permit applications are available for 20 different types of permits. She listed some of the initiatives they have completed, including an online single-family dwelling unit permit, an online site plan process, online tutorials, an online fee calculator to improve predictability of the permitting process, and a mobile website for users to check out the status of a permit on their smart phones or tablets. She mentioned that the online permitting process was developed by the Growth Management, Information Technology, and Communications Departments as well as the Department of Health, and she showed a snapshot of what the application on their website looks like. She reported that staff was planning on going live with this the next day, Wednesday, February 13, and the next steps would be to complete the preliminary plat online application by the end of July, the impact fee calculator by April 12, and the rezoning online application by the end of January 2014.
Commr. Parks commented that he appreciated the presentation and what she was doing, and this initiative helps the County achieve their goal of being the most business friendly county in the state and helps promote economic development, which is of the utmost importance.
Commr. Campione opined that this was something they could be proud of.
Ms. King mentioned that some of the large cities in South Florida are calling the County to ask for advice about online permitting.
recess and reassembly
The Chairman announced at 10:00 a.m. that there would be a ten-minute recess.
public works
solid waste collection and disposal request for proposals
Mr. Jim Stivender, Public Works Director, stated that he will be requesting approval for solicitation of collection and disposal contracts as well as giving an update to the Board on the Solid Waste Division’s business plan. He recapped that the current collection consists of two times a week waste collection, one time a week recycling collection, and on-call bulk pickup, which he opined was a very good program; however, the contracts for both haulers which cover the county, which were Waste Management and Waste Services, expire September 30, 2014. He related that the disposal contract has been with Covanta for the last 20 years but expires on June 30, 2014. He recalled that the Solid Waste Alternative Task Force (SWAFT), which was enacted in September of 2009, had 24 meetings during 2010 and 2011 to discuss a variety of collection and disposal options and came up with 22 recommendations to change or enhance the process. He listed the recommendations of the SWAFT, including mechanized or automated collection with self-loaded or hand-loaded containers; changing from two solid waste pickup days a week to one day a week, as well as to have one collection day per week for recycling and one for yard debris; commercial recycling; an educational component for the public; maintenance of bulk collection; and composting or reuse of yard waste. He pointed out that single-stream recycling has been increasing all over the country, with recycling bins sometimes larger than the solid-waste containers, and one of the goals of the SWATF was to increase recycling. He also noted that the committee wanted to keep costs down, but ensuring environmentally sound practices was also very important to them, so they have addressed those two issues simultaneously. He stated that maintenance of a multi-year budget master plan for the next 20 to 30 years was another of the committee’s recommendations.
Commr. Cadwell commented that he believed at some point it would be beneficial to the Board for Mr. Stivender to explain why ensuring that the solid waste assessment covers the enterprise fund cost as recommended by the SWATF was important so that they did not have to fund that out of the general fund, as well as the history regarding that issue.
Mr. Stivender responded that he had planned to give the Board a presentation about that in about a month as well as how their budget would evolve in the next three or four years. He recalled the timeline of the recent history of meetings and workshops in 2012 regarding solid waste issues, listing all of the vendors they worked with and commenting that those vendors gave them a lot of valuable input in putting together an RFP.
Mr. Skip McCall, Solid Waste Division Manager, related that they have been meeting with vendors and allowing them to submit questions and comments pertaining to the collection and disposal contracts and RFP’s, and staff and their consultant reviewed all comments and came up with a suggested collection and disposal program. He explained that they are proposing an automated or semi-automated once per week garbage collection designated to specific disposal sites with the vendors providing the carts in various sizes for these services, as well as automated or semi-automated once per week single-stream recycling collection, which has been proven to be a very effective program that increases the level of the recycling percentage rate, and once per week yard waste collection designated to the County Central Solid Waste Facility. He stated that for disposal, vendors may submit a price per ton for the disposal of municipal solid waste (MSW) for the unincorporated residential units; however, the County will not guarantee a minimum amount, although the County would dedicate tonnages to specific sites. He mentioned that the County was planning on processing all of the yard waste at its Central Solid Waste Facility in order to increase the reuse of this waste, as recommended by the SWATF, and he noted that there were vendors already interested in turning this yard waste into fertilizer and mulch. He went over some of the terms of the contract, including that it was a seven-year contract with one three-year renewal option, an adjusted holiday pickup schedule which would push forward collection one day from Tuesday through Saturday during those times rather than utilizing make-up days, continued on-call bulk waste pickup, and GPS on trucks with RFID chips on carts in order to enhance customer service and monitor when the waste gets collected.
Commr. Campione asked whether the recycling containers would list or have pictures of the materials that would be recycled, along with a telephone number, email, or web site address.
Mr. McCall responded that there would be labels on the containers which would enable them to incorporate that information on the containers. He also mentioned that the vendor will provide three cart sizes for residents for both trash and recycling of 96, 64, or 48 gallons in order to enable flexibility and that the County will have a one-year transition plan.
Mr. Stivender gave a timeline of the next steps that staff will take in 2013, including solicitation of the RFP’s and contracts, evaluation of bids, and award of those contracts after looking at all of the options and variables. He specified that he hoped to award the contracts by September 30, which is a year before the old contract expires. He requested that the Board approve solicitation of the collection and disposal Request for Proposals and contracts.
Commr. Cadwell noted that he was excited about this process and believed that there were good vendors out there. He mentioned that the City of Eustis has increased their recycling 150 percent in the short time since they initiated their program.
Commr. Parks asked that staff check the environmental track records of the vendors carefully during this process.
Mr. Stivender noted that all of these will be state-certified sites, and he assured him that staff will inspect those records.
Mr. Minkoff added that there is also a requirement through the contracts that the vendors have to give the County information about permitting and enforcement actions on an ongoing basis, and there were significant performance bonding requirements. He mentioned that there was a requirement that the collection vendors have had at least three contracts of about the County’s size for several years.
Mr. Stivender pointed out that staff will visit each of the sites and make sure that they have the equipment and the manpower to handle the waste.
Commr. Campione expressed concern about future capacity on the chosen site.
Mr. Minkoff responded that the contract identifies what the County expects the tonnage to be and requires the successful vendor to be able to establish that they have the ability to take that amount for the term of the contract, and that guarantee would be covered by the bond that is posted. He also pointed out that the County has a landfill that is permitted which they can use on an emergency basis to deal with the waste in Lake County.
On a motion by Commr. Cadwell, seconded by Commr. Sullivan and carried unanimously by a vote of 4-0, the Board approved the request to solicit the Solid Waste Collection and Disposal Request for Proposals and Contracts.
appointment to library advisory board
On a motion by Commr. Sullivan, seconded by Commr. Parks and carried unanimously by a vote of 4-0, the Board approved the appointment of the following members to the Library Advisory Board: Mr. Ed Rowlett (City of Mount Dora) to complete an unexpired four-year term ending February 28, 2014; Mr. Pat Kelley (City of Minneola) to complete an unexpired four-year term ending February 28, 2014; Ms. Christine Karcher (Commission District 2) to complete an unexpired four-year term ending February 28, 2015; and Ms. Carol Wasserman (Commission District 3) to serve a four-year term ending February 28, 2017; and reappointment of Mr. John Nystrom (Commission District 5) to serve a four-year term ending February 28, 2017.
appointment to capital facilities advisory committee
On a motion by Commr. Parks, seconded by Commr. Sullivan and carried unanimously by a vote of 4-0, the Board approved the appointment of Ms. Caroline Maimone to the Capital Facilities Advisory Committee representing the Home Builders Association of Lake County to serve an unexpired two-year term ending August 2, 2014.
reports – county manager
rescheduling of budget workshop
Mr. Heath related that he had checked everyone’s availability in the event that the Board wants to reschedule the budget work session this afternoon and that next Friday, February 22 at 9:00 a.m. was good for everyone. There was consensus to reschedule the workshop for that day and time.
reports – commissioner sullivan – district 1
irish american heritage month proclamation
Commr. Sullivan read Proclamation No. 2013-16 proclaiming March 2013 as Irish American Heritage Month.
On a motion by Commr. Sullivan, seconded by Commr. Parks and carried unanimously by a vote of 4-0, the Board approved the Irish American Heritage Month Proclamation No. 2013-16.
reports – commissioner parks – district 2
parks and recreation advisory meeting
Commr. Parks related that he recently attended a Parks and Recreation Advisory meeting, and he recognized all of Commr. Cadwell’s experience and previous work on that committee and noted that the committee was very supportive of Commr. Cadwell’s work. He commented that he was looking forward to working with such an active and energetic committee.
elderly advisory committee
Commr. Parks mentioned that he also recently attended the Elderly Advisory Committee meeting and was looking forward to forwarding some recommendations from that committee to the Board.
presentation at town hall workshop
Commr. Parks thanked staff for the excellent job they did on the State of the County presentation at the County’s town hall-style workshop at King’s Ridge last Tuesday, February 5, and he added that they were planning on having more of those types of meetings throughout South Lake County.
Commr. Campione noted that there were revisions made to that State of the County Address to make it more generic and that it was available for anyone who wants to use it at a town hall or community meeting.
reports – commissioner cadwell – district 5
league of cities appointment to lake ems board
Commr. Cadwell stated that they had added an agenda item under his business regarding the League of Cities’ appointment of Mayor Chris Bell to the Lake EMS Board.
On a motion by Commr. Cadwell, seconded by Commr. Sullivan and carried unanimously by a vote of 4-0, the Board approved the appointment of Fruitland Park Mayor Chris Bell as the League of Cities’ appointment to the Lake EMS Board.
automobile tags for st. johns river alliance
Commr. Cadwell mentioned that the St. Johns River Alliance asked that the Board put out the posters at boat ramps around the county supporting the automobile tag and some information regarding becoming a member of the Alliance. He related that they are also going to make a presentation to update the Board in the next couple of months, and he pointed out that the Commissioners were still considered members of the Alliance even though they were not able to contribute funds to it this year.
regional summit on land issues impacting lake apopka
Commr. Cadwell commended the staff and Chairman for the regional summit on land issues impacting the North Shore of Lake Apopka held in Mount Dora on Friday, February 8, and opined that it was a great and energetic meeting which relayed a lot of information.
Commr. Campione pointed out that according to the district map, each Commissioner has at least a portion of a lake that is in the Harris Chain in their district which would be impacted by what happens in Lake Apopka. She opined that it was a very positive event and that they had two congressmen at that meeting to participate in the presentation. She also asked for feedback from the Board about reaching out to the Scott Family to work with them on a land use change that would allow them to have some ecotourism uses on their property established in their Comp Plan designation, although the specifics would be worked out during the zoning process. She opined that the farm was a good representative of an agribusiness.
Commr. Cadwell opined that it was a great idea.
Commr. Sullivan indicated that he also thought it was a great idea, and he commented that making it easier for people to get through the process would be good for economic development. He opined that the Scott family has been great community citizens.
Commr. Parks also believed it was a great idea, and he commented that Commr. Campione mentioned a planning approach and a possible sector plan at the regional summit.
Commr. Campione added that she believed that idea would complement the vision from the City of Apopka for that area and she believed they could have a variety of coexisting uses.
REPORTS – COMMISsIONER campione – CHAIRMAN & DISTRICT 4
issue regarding expiring bonds for subdivisions
Commr. Campione brought up the issue regarding subdivisions in Lake County which were bonded but not built out and in danger of the bonds expiring and not being able to be renewed. She noted that if that happened, that property would go off the tax rolls as lots and would be considered vacant land.
Mr. Minkoff explained that they typically seize the bond or the letter of credit, make the bonding company put the improvements in, or suggest that they vacate the plat, in which case the requirement of the bond would cease. However, he related that the developers are indicating that although they do not want to put the infrastructure in right now while there is no market, they do not want to lose their rights, and they were asking for additional time to extend these agreements. He mentioned that there have been some extensions that were granted by the state, and the Board had previously granted an extension as well. He added that if the Board elected to grant the additional extension, they would require that they extend the bond or the letter of credit or do the improvements.
Commr. Campione suggested that they grant the extension. She commented that keeping the lots on the books would be good for the tax base, and then everyone concerned would not have to go through the whole process again.
Commr. Cadwell indicated that it was fine with him if they continued the bond.
Mr. Minkoff stated that he will bring an LDR change back to the Board if it was required or would bring back the policy if an LDR change was not required.
minneola interchange and roundabout
Commr. Campione reported that the Minneola interchange has been approved, and all indications are that plans for design and construction for the interchange are moving ahead at a relatively quick pace. She commented that this interchange has been one of the considerations regarding the need for the roundabout now rather than later, since the traffic counts are expected to go up in that area due to the impacts of the development that is expected to occur because of the interchange as a result of the entitlements for thousands of square feet of commercial and thousands of new homes. She added that this was also an opportunity to use their gas tax money that is paid to the federal government for a local project rather than that money going towards a project in another county. She believed that the roundabout would contribute to economic development, good planning, and safety.
Commr. Parks commented that the engineers supported it as being safer in their professional judgment, and a 20-year analysis done at the Board’s request for operational costs supported that.
Commr. Cadwell opined that the County has not received a lot of federal dollars in the past and has been mainly a “donor” county, but this is an opportunity for them to do something with those monies. He also commented that he supported it and believed that it will be a better intersection and road system as a result of those improvements.
Commr. Campione pointed out that it was expected to be a large roundabout where semi-trucks and large vehicles could maneuver in it.
Commr. Sullivan commented that he supported it, believed it was a good use of public funds going forward to maximize their benefits, and would not affect their five-year plan.
effect of controlled burn on royal trails subdivision
Commr. Campione commented that there was an issue that had come up regarding residents of the Royal Trails subdivision having a hard time getting out of their neighborhood after a controlled burn. She related that Mr. Jim Stivender, Public Works Director, was working on a master plan to solve that problem before another fire strands residents in that neighborhood.
Commr. Cadwell added that he would work with staff on that long-range plan.
Mr. Stivender recalled that a controlled burn combined with a lot of heavy fog in the morning caused the problem and severely cut off visibility in the area. He reported that there was a meeting scheduled with Chief John Jolliff and staff from the Forest Service to work on a management plan that better clarifies options such as to move further to the north, since a lot of that land is now owned by the state, noting that their first goal is to work on how to get people out during a controlled burn.
rescheduled budget workshop
Commr. Campione announced that the budget workshop that was originally scheduled for that afternoon has been rescheduled for Friday, February 22, at 9:00 a.m.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to be brought to the attention of the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 11:15 a.m.
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leslie campione, chairman
ATTEST:
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NEIL KELLY, CLERK