A REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

april 9, 2013

The Lake County Board of County Commissioners met in regular session on Tuesday, April 9, 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; Jimmy Conner, Vice Chairman; Timothy I. Sullivan; Sean Parks; and Welton G. Cadwell.  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 Courtney Vincent, Deputy Clerk.

INVOCATION and pledge

The Chairman asked for a moment of silence and then led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Agenda update

The Chairman recognized Mr. Kress T. Muenzmay, Mayor for the City of Eustis, and Mr. Keith Mullins, Clermont City Council Seat 4, who were present in the audience.

Mr. Heath stated that the fiscal impact for Tab 18, regarding the contract for the Florida Department of Transportation Local Agency Program South Lake Trail Project, had been incorrectly reported as $386,296, and the correct amount was actually $368,296.

Presentations

proclamation for child abuse prevention month

Commr. Conner read and then presented a copy of Proclamation 2013-32 proclaiming April 2013 as Child Abuse Prevention Month in Lake County to Ms. Joyelle Aboytes, Community Development Administrator for Circuit 5 with the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF); Ms. Sue Cordova, President of United Way for Lake & Sumter Counties; Ms. Lori Humphrey, Project Manager for Shared Services Network with Lake County Schools; Ms. Stacy McDuffie, Senior Attorney and Acting Supervisor for Children’s Legal Services for Florida DCF; Ms. Latricia Eaton, Lake DCF CPI Program Manager; Ms. Nichole James, Lake DCF CPI; Ms. Stephanie Ruiz-Ortiz, Lake DCF CPI; Ms. Stacy Morgan, Kids Central Inc.; Ms. Ellen Didion, Sumter County Sunshine Foundation; Mr. James Dilimone, Deputy for Lake County Sheriff’s Office; Ms. Marcie Poitevent, Deputy for Lake County Sheriff’s Office; Mr. Danny Morales, Deputy for Lake County Sheriff’s Office; and Ms. Vanessa Snoody, Lake DCF CPIS.

Sales surtax oversight committee presentation

Mr. Keith Mullins, Chairman of the Sales Surtax Oversight Committee, recapped that back in 2001 Lake County approved a one percent sales tax for a 15-year time period that was to be split three ways between the School Board, the Board and 14 municipalities. He added that a committee was created to monitor the spending of the various government entities and to ensure it was spent the way the voter’s had intended.  He stated that in March 2013 the Committee met to review the budgets for the Fiscal Year ending September 31, 2012, and he reported that the Committee determined that the School Board, the County, and the municipalities were spending the sales tax money in the way it had been intended.  He thanked the members of the Committee for their work and thanked the County staff for their help putting the report together.

Employee awards

TEN YEARS

Karen Burt, Office Associate III

Public Works/Road Operations Division

 

Jeffrey Coulthart, Firefighter/EMT  (Not Present)

Public Safety/Fire Rescue Division

 

Debra Dyer, Tourism Program Supervisor

Economic Development and Tourism

 

William Holtzman, Firefighter/EMT  (Not Present)

Public Safety/Fire Rescue Division

 

Edward Johnson, Firefighter/Paramedic

Public Safety/Fire Rescue Division

 

Robert Perry, Firefighter/Paramedic

Public Safety/Fire Rescue Division

 

Matthew Roudabush, Firefighter/Paramedic

Public Safety/Fire Rescue Division

 

Dennis Smolarek, Librarian I

Public Resources/Cooper/LSCC Library

 

FIFTEEN YEARS

Brenda Likely, Senior Financial Coordinator

Community Services

 

Debra Padgett, Associate Plans Examiner

Growth Management/Building Services Division

 

Katherine Reardon, Dispatch Officer  (Not Present)

Conservation and Compliance/Animal Services

 

TWENTY YEARS

John Heffler, Maintenance Worker II

Public Resources/Agricultural Education Services

 

EMPLOYEE OF THE QUARTER

Sharon Hogan, Stormwater Technician

Public Works/Environmental Services Division

 

MINUTE APPROVAL

On a motion by Commr. Cadwell, seconded by Commr. Conner, and carried unanimously by a 5-0 vote, the Board approved the Minutes of March 12, 2013 (Regular Meeting) as presented.

Citizen question and comment period

Mr. Vance Jochim, a resident of the City of Tavares and writer of a blog called fiscalrangers.com, addressed the Board regarding lake water levels in the County.  He stated that the water levels had dropped significantly and suggested that this was due to water being pumped from the County lakes into Lake Apopka.  He asked that the Board discuss the economic impacts of lowering the water levels of the lakes during the presentation later in the meeting.  He stressed that the Board needed to do this because the County lacked representation with the St. Johns River Water Management District.

*****

Ms. Brenda Weber, a resident of Lake County, addressed the Board regarding the state of the County’s animal shelter.  She admonished the County for its lack of advertising to promote adoptions, the insufficient rates for spaying and neutering animals, euthanasia rates, and the use of drop boxes for people to leave their unwanted pets.  She stressed the need for change in how the County’s shelter is managed.

*****

Ms. Patricia Parker, a resident of Lake County who runs the animal rescue group RUFF Rescue of Central Florida, addressed the Board regarding the state of the County’s animal shelter.  She agreed with the statements that Ms. Weber had made and reiterated the need for help and resources for the shelters.

Commr. Cadwell asked Mr. Heath if there was a timeframe for when he would report back to the Board on the Animal Services issues.

Mr. Heath replied that the issues of online pet registration, the Animal Services fee schedule, and spay/neuter vouchers had originally been scheduled to be presented before the Board at today’s meeting; however, the presentation was delayed due to the resignation of a number of key personnel for these issues which had necessitated County staff to go back and reconstruct the previous efforts.  He stated that those three issues should be brought back before the Board in May.

Commr. Campione commented that she had been excited about these issues being on the agenda, and she wanted to see these issues move as quickly as possible while making sure that they were done the right way.  She related that it was hard to ask for patience when the issues involved life and death, but assured that progress was being made.  She expressed her appreciation for the work of the rescue groups and her hope that the County could work with the rescue groups to better coordinate their efforts towards the same ends.

Commr. Cadwell thanked Mr. Jim Stivender, Public Works Director, for acting as the Interim Conservation and Compliance Director and then thanked staff for their efforts.

Commr. Conner stated that there was room for improvement with the County animal shelter and he hoped that the right person could be found to take over as director.  He opined that if the Board made the commitment and the right person were hired, major improvements could be seen in a relatively short amount of time.

Commr. Parks added that he had visited the South Lake Animal League, and then he passed out information on the organization to each of the Board members.  He encouraged staff to incorporate the South Lake Animal League into the discussion for the improvement of the County’s animal shelter.  He stated that the County would need to decide and specify whether or not their shelter was a “no-kill” shelter.

Commr. Conner stated that he would be touring the South Lake Animal League’s shelter on Friday and agreed with Commr. Parks that the County needed to take advantage of the expertise of the other animal rescue groups in the County.

Commr. Parks noted that the other rescue groups in the County focused on advertising that there were animals for adoption.

Commr. Campione remarked that the Board would have to address the question of whether an ordinance change was needed.  She suggested that the Board hold a workshop to look at different types of ordinances and what other counties were doing.

Commr. Cadwell asked Mr. Heath to research what departments were responsible for the animal shelters in other counties, be it the BCC, the Sheriff’s Office, or another entity.

*****

Mr. Kent Weber, a resident of the City of Groveland, addressed the Board regarding the state of the County’s animal shelter.  He suggested the County contact Hernando County, which had gone through a similar overhaul of their animal shelter.  He mentioned that Hernando County had hired a veterinarian to run their shelter and had another full time employee with an animal rescue background who handled advertising and worked with the rescue groups.

Commr. Campione asked if Hernando County had a “no-kill” ordinance.

Mr. Weber replied that he was not aware of such an ordinance at this time.  He reported that the full time vet was at the shelter and could spay/neuter pets any day of the week.  He mentioned that the vet’s salary was only $80,000 per year.  He commented that this was working well for Hernando County and suggested the Board consider a similar option.

CLERK OF COURTS’ CONSENT AGENDA

On a motion by Commr. Conner, seconded by Commr. Parks and carried unanimously by a 5-0 vote, the Board approved the Clerk of Courts’ Consent Agenda, Items 1 through 5, 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.

Lake County Water Authority Annual Financial Audit for FY 2011-2012

Request to acknowledge receipt of a copy of the Lake County Water Authority’s Annual Financial Audit for FY 2011-2012.

Lake County Clerk of Courts Semi-Annual Investment Report for FY 2013

Request to acknowledge receipt of the Lake County Clerk of Courts Semi-Annual Investment Report for FY 2013.

Ordinance from the City of Mount Dora Regarding Property Annexation

Request to acknowledge receipt of a copy of Ordinance No. 2013-02  adopted by the City of Mount Dora on March 19, 2013 annexing property located  on the west side of Britt Road and south 1/3 mile of  SR 44, Mount Dora, Florida, comprising 1.18 acres contiguous to the  City of Mount Dora.

Letter Regarding FGUA Purchase of Aqua America Florida Assets

Request to acknowledge receipt of a letter emailed from the Florida Governmental Utility Authority (FGUA) with information regarding the FGUA purchase of Aqua America Florida Assets.

COUNTY MANAGER’S CONSENT AGENDA

On a motion by Commr. Cadwell, seconded by Commr. Conner and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved the County Manager’s Consent Agenda, Tabs 5 through 18 as follows:

Community Services

Request for approval to give the County Manager authority to sign the Direct Pay to Orlando Health, Inc. for an inpatient medical stay qualified under the Health Care Responsibility Act (HCRA) guidelines. The Direct Pay requires the County Manager's signature as the invoice total exceeds $25,000.00. The fiscal impact is $28,430.85 (Expense).

Conservation and Compliance

Request to approve a Satisfaction & Release of Fine, Owner's Name: Tereasa Swearingen; the fiscal impact is $150.00.

Facilities Development and Management

Request for approval to award contract 13-0429, Septic System Inspection, Repair, Maintenance, Certification and Pumping Service Contract and authorize Procurement Office to execute all supporting documentation.  The estimated annual fiscal impact is $8,000, but that value may vary as described in the background summary.

Request for approval to award contract 13-0428, Operable Doors, Gates, and Automatic Door Openers Preventative Maintenance and Repair Services to J.B. Matthews (Apopka, FL) and authorize the Procurement Office to execute all supporting documentation.  The estimated annual fiscal impact is $5,720.00, but that value may vary as described in the background summary.

Fiscal and Administrative Services

Request for approval to award contract 13-0426, Office Products to Capital Office Products, Daytona Beach, Florida, and authorize the Procurement Office to execute all supporting documentation.  The fiscal impact is estimated at $166,500 (Expenditure).

Public Resources

Request for approval and signature of the amended interlocal agreement with the Town of Howey-in-the-Hills to award impact fees for the expansion of its municipal library.  The fiscal impact is $144,627 (Expenditure).

Public Safety

Request to approve a change order for additional funds for completion of project and transfer of $30,544 construction funds from Public Safety/Fire Rescue repair and maintenance operating budget to capital expense budget for renovations at Lake County Fire Station 82 (Leesburg). Also requested is approval of a 60-day rental agreement for $1,800 to temporarily house the Station 82 firefighters.  The total fiscal impact is $32,344 (Expenditure).

Public Works

Request to approve and execute an operating lease for one Wheel Loader for an 18 month term from Highland Tractor, Ocala, FL, for use by Public Works.  The fiscal impact is $30,774.06 for the 18 month lease term.

Request to award new on-call contracts 13-0304 for Emergency Debris Removal Services to Crowder-Gulf Joint Ventures (Theodore. AL) and Wood Resource Recovery (Gainesville, FL).  The fiscal impact is dependent upon emergency circumstances and cannot be determined at this time.

Request to approve new contract 13-0412, Sidewalk, Vacant Lot, Bridge Approach, Retention Area Mowing and Maintenance to Faith Works Total Ground Maintenance (Mt. Dora, Florida) and termination of the existing contract for those services, and authorization for the Procurement office to complete all implementing documentation.  The fiscal impact is estimated at $63,526.91.

Request for approval to amend Mosquito Control STATE Funds by transferring funds from Operating Supplies to Publications & Dues in order to pay FMCA (Florida Mosquito Control Association) corporate and membership dues.  Also request approval to amend Mosquito Control LOCAL Funds by transferring funds from Operating Supplies to Capital Outlay in order to replace an existing ice machine.  There is no fiscal impact.

Request to approve the issuance of a purchase order to US Chemical Storage for a Pre-Fabricated HazMat (Hazardous Material) Storage Building. Approve budget transfer to move funding from 860640 -Machinery & Equipment to 860620 - Buildings. The fiscal impact is $41,873 (Expenditure).

Request for approval to advertise for the Bible Camp Road Widening and Resurfacing Project.  The fiscal impact is $2,163,373.00.  Commission District 1.

Request for approval to award contract for the Department of Transportation (FDOT) Local Agency Program (LAP) Project, CEI services for the South Lake Trail to Tierra, Inc. in the not-to-exceed amount of $368,296.

Presentation on county lakes and canal water levels

Mr. Mike Perry, Executive Director, Lake County Water Authority (LCWA), addressed the Board to provide an update on the status of the County’s lake and water canal levels.  He stated that there were three water control structures on the Harris chain of lakes with Lake Apopka controlled by Apopka Lock and Dam; Lakes Harris, Dora, and Eustis controlled by the Burrell Lock and Dam on Haynes Creek; and Lake Griffin controlled by the Moss Bluff Lock and Dam.  He mentioned that the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) had the authority and responsibility to make the changes in the locks and dams to move water through the system.  He stressed that water levels were driven by rainfall, so without rainfall there was little that could be done to increase the water levels, and he pointed out that the water control structures were not open at this time because the actual water level was about two and a half feet below the minimum desirable elevation.  He stated that the Lake Apopka water levels for the past year have been well below the minimum desirable elevation, and while the water levels did respond when the amount of rain increased, no water has moved through the Lake Apopka Lock and Dams since April 2012.  He mentioned that Lake Griffin and the “Superpond” of Lakes Eustis, Harris and Dora were in the same situation as Lake Apopka, causing the water control structures to remain closed, even during the period of increased rainfall over the summer of 2012 when the water levels of the Superpond flirted with the minimum desirable elevation level.  He reported that the cumulative rainfall deficit for the last nine years was approximately 56 inches, with 2005 being the last time the amount of rain had exceeded the average rainfall levels, and that the County lost on average about five and half inches of water every year.  He then discussed the Clermont chain of lakes, reporting that the water level in Lake Minnehaha in Clermont was declining and that this time of year the weather could cause as much as half an inch of water to evaporate per day.  He noted that the water level for Lake Minnehaha, the lake used to represent the entire Clermont chain of lakes, was about six-tenths of a foot higher now than at this point last year thanks to an increase in rainfall late in 2012.  He mentioned that the trend for Lake Minnehaha was for the water levels to continuously fluctuate between the wet and dry seasons, and the lake was doing better than in 2001 during the height of the drought.  He concluded by stressing that the County’s water levels were dependent upon how much it rained, and the water control structures had not been opened since 2005 in order to hold in as much water as possible.

Commr. Parks asked what the status was of the efforts to restore natural culverts to areas where the natural water flow had been interrupted by development.

Mr. Perry stated that the culverts had been identified and the LCWA was working with the property owners to get onto the properties to do the modeling.  He mentioned that LCWA needed to convince the Southwest Florida Water Management District that the process would not result in properties being flooded upstream.  He also commented that as a part of that modeling, the LCWA would be researching whether there was an outside factor such as sand mines or withdrawals from the Orlando area that were preventing the lakes from recovering.  He noted that according to a 2001 study, only four percent of the change in water levels could be contributed to something other than decreased rainfall.

Commr. Campione asked if the LCWA was funding the modeling and how much it would cost.

Mr. Perry replied that they were, and it cost approximately $150,000.

Commr. Campione asked for an update on the dredging of Lake Beauclair.

Mr. Perry replied that the dredging was complete, and the four residential canals should be completed by the middle of May at the latest.  He noted that the water quality had not been impacted from the dredging.

Commr. Campione mentioned that she had originally thought lowering the water level of Lake Apopka would expedite the cleanup process; however, it would actually result in higher concentrations of contaminants, and there was no guarantee the water levels could be restored, destroying the ecosystem.  She noted that prior to the Beauclair Canal being constructed, the water from Lake Apopka overflowed naturally to Little Lake Harris.

Commr. Sullivan mentioned that part of the Lake Apopka cleanup is based on what the minimum levels of contaminants are.

Mr. Perry mentioned House Bill (HB) 881, which requires all public facility projects of independent special taxing districts or taxing authority to be approved by the appropriate local government, and then stated that the BCC would need to appoint a representative to serve as an ex-officio member on the LCWA if it was passed.  He then mentioned that Senate Bill (SB) 538 required the single county independent special tax district to administratively consolidate within the county and would make the LCWA a dependent district, requiring the BCC to appoint the board for the LCWA.  He opined that either of those two bills would alter the relationship between the LCWA and the BCC significantly.  He noted that SB 538 has been stalled in committee for some time.  He also added that SB 538 did provide that the delegation could be contacted to inform them that the water authority was not going to consolidate if there was no way to gain any administrative improvements or increased efficiencies.

Commr. Campione asked how the navigability of the Dora Canal was at this time.

Mr. Perry replied that it was still navigable, even though the water levels were low, but boaters would need to be careful to stay in the channel.

Public hearing

Mid-year budget amendment for fiscal year 2013

Mr. Steve Koontz, Budget Director, recapped that the Adopted Budget was approximately $381.65 million, but since adoption there had been budget amendments totaling approximately $1.85 million, bringing the total Budget to $383.50 million.  He stated that the mid-year amendments totaled a decrease of approximately $1.20 million, bringing the supplemental Budget to $382.30 million.  He mentioned that $17.3 million, about 14.4 percent, had been in reserves when the Adopted Budget had been approved.  He explained that this had been an overestimation and stated that after the mid-year adjustment there was $16 million, about 13.4 percent, in reserves.  He noted that the County was looking to decrease expenditures by about $8.6 million, requiring a six percent budget cut across the board, and the departmental budgets had been completed and submitted for review.  He reported that reductions had been made to the General Fund balance based on the initial overestimations; adjustments were made because of purchase order carry-forward amounts as well as for software maintenance costs, utility costs, and repair and maintenance costs; and there was an increase of approximately $120,000 for the additional Courthouse security requested from the Sheriff’s Office for the remainder of FY 2013.

Commr. Conner commented that the cost of the additional Courthouse security would see significant savings because the Sheriff was willing to outsource, and he expressed his appreciation to the Sheriff for that.  He opined that outsourcing that security would not jeopardize safety.

Mr. Koontz stated that the reserves for the Fire Fund increased by $866,000, and the fund balances for the County Transportation Trust Fund and the Building Services Fund increased by $2.7 million and $277,085 respectively.  He mentioned that the Judicial Center Renovation project and the Lake County Probation Office Renovation project were being budgeted for $2.5 million and $80,000 respectively from the Infrastructure Sales Tax Capital Projects Fund.  He requested approval of the amended budget for FY 2013 to include the mid-year budget amendment and approval of the resolution adopting a supplemental budget for FY 2013.  He stated that the fiscal impact of the amendments to the FY 2013 budget was a decrease of $1,236,610, with a total supplemental budget of $382,272,232.

Commr. Parks mentioned that the Board had approved having an on-call contract for emergency debris removal services under the County Manager’s Consent Agenda.  He asked Mr. Koontz to provide the historical data on how much was spent on emergency debris removal and to report that data at a later meeting date.

Mr. Minkoff commented that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) no longer paid funds through reimbursement.  He stated that if there were a presidentially declared emergency, FEMA would advance the funds needed for cleanup at the beginning, and the funds would be rectified with an audit at a later date.

The Chairman opened the public hearing.

There being no one present who wished to address the Board, the Chairman closed the public hearing and reserved comment to the Board.

On a motion by Commr. Cadwell, seconded by Commr. Sullivan and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved Resolution No. 2013-39 adopting a supplemental budget of $382,272,232 and the Amended Budget for FY 2013 including the mid-year budget amendment.

COUNTY MANAGER’S DEPARTMENTAL BUSINESS

Growth management

public hearing request for south lake isba ordinance

Ms. Amye King, Growth Management Director, stated that the purpose of an Interlocal Service Boundary Agreement (ISBA) is to promote sensible boundaries that reduce the costs of local governments, avoid duplicating local services, and increase transparency and accountability.  She mentioned that the guiding principles for ISBA negotiation were to allow for non-contiguous annexations provided that urban services are provided by the cities; require cities to agree to common long-range boundaries; provide for reciprocal development review within 500 feet of a city and the County; and provide a means to address County-wide issues such as solid waste and fire services.  She recapped that the Montverde ISBA and the Umatilla ISBA were already approved, the Lady Lake ISBA and Clermont ISBA were under negotiation, and the South Lake ISBA, which included the participation of the Cities of Groveland, Leesburg, Mascotte, and Minneola, the Town of Howey-in-the-Hills, and Lake County, was pending.  She related that the South Lake ISBA addressed such issues as consistent Land Development Regulations, E-911 addressing standards, water and sewer boundaries, solid waste commitments through 2014, the sharing of equipment at cost, a shared economic development plan along US 27 and the Florida Turnpike, and the framework for addressing fire service including hydrant commitments.  She added that it also addressed criteria for non-contiguous annexations as contingent on a larger agreement on fire services.  She noted that the cities were in various stages of adopting the South Lake ISBA, and the BCC would hold an adoption hearing once all of the cities had adopted it.  She mentioned that Public Works would give an update on road transfers during the April 23, 2013 BCC meeting, and County Management would continue discussions with the cities regarding fire services and regional parks.

On a motion by Commr. Parks, seconded by Commr. Conner and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved advertising the public hearing for the South Lake ISBA.

Public resources

Cagan crossings community library mid-year update

Ms. Wendy Breeden, Public Resources Director, recapped that the Cagan Crossing’s Library opened in February of 2008 and was jointly funded by Lake, Osceola and Polk Counties.  She mentioned that the number of full time employees had dropped from 12.75 in FY 2008 to 9.375 in FY 2013, and the number of weekly library service hours had decreased from 56 hours to 46 hours.  She stated that in May 2012, Polk County notified Lake County that the level of financial support would be reduced for FY 2013, and in response the BCC adopted a policy amendment in October 2012 to reduce Polk County’s contribution to $78,000 and charge $20 for an annual library card for patrons from Polk County as a part of the FY 2013 Budget.  She reported that 407 non-resident library cards had been issued through mid-year, equaling $8,709 in revenue, and 1,500 one-time use $2 guest passes were sold, equaling about $2,500 in revenue.  She mentioned that the estimated revenue for FY 2013 had been $25,400, and the adjusted projected annual revenue was now $10,400.  She noted that the operating revenue and expenses were adjusted to compensate for the reduced level of support through such methods as not filling all vacant positions, closing the law library, and reducing expenditures in other areas.  She mentioned that Cagan Crossings saw a reduction between FY 2012 and FY 2013 from the third highest to the fourth highest circulation volume in the County, dropping from 13.8 percent to about 10 percent of total circulation volume.  She broke down the circulation by County for Cagan Crossings and noted that for FY 2012 between October and March, Polk County had accounted for 36.6 percent of the Library’s circulation but was only 18.3 percent for the same period in FY 2013, while Lake County’s contribution increased from 47.5 percent to 64.3 percent.  She reported that the contribution from Polk County for FY 2014 would be $88,400, which included the revenue from the non-resident cards, and revenues for FY 2014 were projected to exceed FY 2013 revenues by about $10,000.  She stated that for FY 2014, staff would be reduced by one full time employee and service hours would not be reduced.  She mentioned that the funding partners had all expressed initial agreement to continue joint funding the library.  She added that the County Manager would be conducting a work session on library outsourcing as well.

Commr. Parks asked if the Polk County residents needed the library card in order to use the computers in the library.

Ms. Breeden replied that everyone needed either a library card or a guest pass to use the computers.  She specified that if a patron did not have a library card, they could still attend library programs, use the Wi-Fi, attend story time in the children’s area, or participate in any other activities that were open to the general public.

Commr. Conner inquired how much of the total budget Polk County’s contribution represented.  He explained that he wanted to analyze whether Polk, Osceola and Lake County were contributing amounts equal to the ratio of use from the three counties.

Ms. Breeden replied that the contributions from Polk and Osceola Counties were in proportion to their usage.  She opined that one of the reasons for the low number of Polk County library cards purchased was that citizens did not see boundaries in regards to libraries; they only saw a public service that should be provided at no cost.

 Commr. Cadwell commented that staff needed to reach out to the Polk County BCC and ask them to encourage more residents to sign up for the library card.

Mr. Paul Alford, Library Services Division Manager, addressed the Board to discuss the new initiatives at Cagan Crossings Community Library.  He stated that the library was going to launch new technology and job readiness programs as well as learning and training opportunities using existing space and personnel, creating no additional impact on the County resources at this time.  He noted that the classes would begin on or before August 2013.  He reported that the library would be used as an outreach hub for small business and economic development in the area, and they would continue working with existing partners such as Lake Tech, Workforce Central Florida, and Goodwill on job preparatory opportunities and other classes.  He mentioned that a recent opportunity for partnership had come from a local businessman who had a very similar vision of providing cutting edge technology and training for new technology.  He stated that the unfinished second floor of the library would be used for learning and collaboration space for training, audio production, video production, and multimedia creation; and alternative funding such as partnerships and grants were being researched to offset the costs.  He specified that any partnerships were subject to Board approval.

Commr. Cadwell asked if there was a way to use part of the second floor for commercial activity.

Mr. Minkoff stated that an elevator would need to be installed, but the building had been designed with the elevator in mind so it could be installed easily.

Commr. Sullivan commended staff for looking at a way to utilize the County’s public services to fill a need.

Appointments

Public safety coordinating council appointments

On a motion by Commr. Sullivan, seconded by Commr. Cadwell and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved the following appointments to the Public Safety Coordinating Council:  The Honorable Michael A. Graves to the position of Public Defender, the Honorable Lawrence Semento to the position of Chief Circuit Judge, and representative Lt. Vernon Wherry to the position of Police Chief.

Planning and zoning board appointments

On a motion by Commr. Conner, seconded by Commr. Sullivan and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved the following appointments to the Planning and Zoning Board:  Ms. Debbie Stivender as the School Board Representative and Ms. Rosanne Brandeburg as the Alternate School Board Representative, each to serve the remainder of a current four-year term expiring January 31, 2015.

reports – county attorney

County property and leased space update

Mr. Minkoff stated that the County managed approximately 300 county properties which included land and buildings ranging from a quarter acre to several hundred acres in size.  He mentioned that the properties were located both in incorporated and unincorporated areas of the county but did not include right of way properties maintained by Public Works.  He informed the Board that the County property was tracked and accounted for through a central database that identified property by its Alternate Key number and tracked such information as what department the property was assigned to, the status of the property, how the property was obtained, and also contained copies of the survey, deed or title policy.  He stated that a list of the properties was distributed annually to the departments to be visited and reviewed to determine if they were still needed.  He explained that when a property was no longer needed, it was declared surplus, and if the property was not wanted after being offered to the constitutional officers, the cities, or an affordable housing agency, staff would then follow the statutory process for disposal.  He reported that of the 13 propertied disposed of over the last five years, five had been donated and eight had been sold for a total of $48,465.  He stated that the Property Management Division managed all county leases as well as most constitutional officers and Health Department leases.  He mentioned that leased space had been reduced from 134,184 square feet in 2008 to 79,470 square feet in 2013, a reduction of 54,714 square feet, bringing the annual cost of leased space down from $1,632,216 to $915,414, an annual savings of $716,802.  He specified that the decrease in costs was from a combination of decreased lease space as well as renegotiated rents.  He reported that in 2008 the County maintained 36 leases, 17 of them County department leases totaling 64,3015 square feet at $794,305 annually, and in 2013 the County maintained 16 leases, two of them County department leases totaling 18,473 square feet and $214,500 annually.  He specified that one of the two county properties was assigned to the Public Works department, 15,345 square feet at $180,000 annually, and the other to the Community Services Department, 3,128 square feet at $34,500 annually.  He reported that of the 14 non-county leases, two housed offices for the Clerk of Courts totaling $2,547 square feet and $39,870 annually; one housed offices for the Supervisor of Elections at 13,832 square feet and $165,948 annually; one housed offices for the State Attorney’s Office at 500 square feet and $6,300 annually; four housed offices and storage for the Sheriff’s Office totaling 12,398 square feet and $167,916 annually; four housed offices for the Tax Collector totaling 14,993 square feet and $197,106 annually; and two housed offices for the Health Department totaling 16,727 square feet and $123,774 annually.  He recapped that leased space had been reduced by 41 percent since 2008, and annual lease costs had been reduced by 44 percent, noting that staff would continue to actively pursue reducing leased space where practicable.

reports – county manager

Introduction of new deputy county manager

Mr. Heath introduced Mr. Bill Veach as the new Deputy County Manager and mentioned that he had started work for the County last week.

Introduction of new economic development manager

Mr. Heath announced that Mr. Robert Chandler had been promoted to the position of Economic Development and Tourism Director.

Update on animal services manager position

Mr. Heath reported that the Animal Services Manager position had been posted, and he hoped to have that position filled within 60 days.

Commr. Campione opined that the experience of the applicant should be a critical factor in the consideration for this position.  She commented that having a veterinarian as the director, as had been suggested during the Citizen Question and Comment period, was an interesting idea.  She opined that the County should not be in the business of having a subsidized spay/neuter clinic, but they should have the ability to perform this service on animals such as those that are the subject of complaints and the owners are not taking responsibility for the animals.

Commr. Cadwell commented that having a rescue background was important as well.

Mr. Heath stated that the interviewing team was going to include an outside veterinarian.  He added that one of the recommendations from the audit was to develop more of a hierarchy within the division so the manager would have some support staff.

Commr. Campione encouraged Mr. Heath to think outside the box and also look at outsourcing possibilities.

Commr. Sullivan commented that while time was of the essence, it was essential to take the time to do this right.

Mr. Jim Stivender, Interim Conservation and Compliance Director, stated that staff was reviewing and prioritizing each task of the department and determining long term and short term goals.

Commr. Campione asked what the issue was with the afterhours drop box.

Mr. Stivender replied that there were drop boxes available to the public, and they did have some animals dropped off not long after being adopted.

Commr. Cadwell commented that the drop box was a better alternative than having someone abandon the animal in the middle of the woods.

REPORTS – COMMISSIONER SULLIVAN – DISTRICT 1

Florida legislative session attendance

Commr. Sullivan reported that he had spent three days in Tallahassee during the legislative session, and opined that the overall mood in Tallahassee was positive.

reports – commissioner parks – district 2

Montverde academy’s boy’s varsity basketball championship

Commr. Parks congratulated the Montverde Academy’s Boys’ Varsity Basketball team for winning the National High-School Invitational Championship.

Water safety day at livewell fitness center

Commr. Parks reported that he had attended Water Safety Day at LiveWell Fitness Center in Clermont on April 6, 2013.  He noted that another Water Safety Day would be held in Leesburg on May 18th.  He then mentioned that the group who had put together Water Safety Day wished to form a task force that would meet quarterly to further these events and broaden the efforts of water safety to encompass pools, docks, and lakes.  He suggested that a staff member could work with the task force on a regular basis.

Commr. Cadwell told Commr. Parks to make sure that the group contacted the YMCA, because it used to be the only organization that had programs for water safety.

Commr. Parks replied that he thought the intent of the task force was to have organizations such as the YMCA join the task force and work towards water safety.

South lake mayors and managers meeting

Commr. Parks reported that there would be a mayors meeting for all of the South Lake County cities on May 8, 2013.  He mentioned that this event would be advertised and that Commr. Sullivan would also be in attendance.

Proclamation honoring Vietnam veterans

Commr. Parks stated that the proposed proclamation had been given to him by the Elder Affairs Committee, and would be presented at the Welcome Home Celebration being held in the City of Tavares on Saturday, May 18, 2013 if approved.

On a motion by Commr. Conner, seconded by Commr. Sullivan and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved Proclamation No. 2013-37 honoring Vietnam Veterans.

reports – commissioner conner – district 3

Montverde academy’s boys’ varsity basketball championship

Commr. Conner congratulated the Montverde Academy’s Boys’ Varsity Basketball team for winning the National High-School Invitational Championship.

Recognition for interim animal services director

Commr. Conner thanked Mr. Jim Stivender, Public Works Director, for acting as the Interim Animal Services Director until such time as the position is filled.

Lake county historical society update

Commr. Conner reported that he had written a letter to the Lake County Historical Society regarding the Society’s internal conflicts.  He stated that the County Museum was owned by the County, not the Historical Society, which was a separate entity from the museum. 

Mr. Neil Kelly, Clerk of Courts, replied that in the late 1980’s, the BCC had asked the Clerk at that time to create the museum, and the Clerk requested to turn the museum over to the Board once it was established and the director was going to retire.  He confirmed that the museum belongs to the BCC.

Commr. Campione asked if the items that had been collected and/or donated over the years were also owned by the Board.

Commr. Conner replied that the Board probably owned some but not all of them.  He noted that some of the artifacts were owned by an individual who was a part of the Historical Society and who was lending them to the museum.

Mr. Kelly noted that at the time the museum passed from the Clerk to the BCC, there was an inventory of the artifacts in the museum and who they belonged to.  He stated that he did not know if that list has been maintained since then.

Commr. Campione suggested that staff look at the money given to the Historical Society, see what has not been spent, and see if those funds can be reclaimed.  She also suggested finding a different approach to budgeting for the Historical Society.  She asked how the funds were provided to the Historical Society.

Mr. Minkoff replied that it was a simple grant agreement between the County and the Historical Society where the County provides the funds to them.  He commented that he believed the Historical Society had received the funds for this year.

Commr. Campione mentioned that the funds for the Historical Society were frozen until the internal conflicts were resolved regarding the composition of the board for the Historical Society.

Mr. Kelly specified that he had to have authorization by check for the funds to be used, and because there was no specified head of the Historical Society, there was no one with the authority to sign and therefore no checks could be written.

Commr. Conner commented that Ms. Julie Law, the attorney for the Historical Society, had quit and Mr. Kelly had resigned as Treasurer.  He noted that Ms. Law had given her opinion on the composition of the board for the Historical Society, and her recommendation was ignored.  He remarked that he was very disappointed to see the Historical Society in this situation, and if there was a legal way for the BCC to retrieve the funds, then staff should look into that.  He suggested that there might be an alternative to running the museum other than hiring someone full time.

Commr. Campione suggested that the Historical Society could have volunteers run the museum.

Meeting regarding doc stamp issue

Commr. Conner reported that he had a meeting set up with the Chairman of the School Board and the Superintendent regarding the Doc Stamp issue, and he mentioned that some of the legislators that he had talked with had advised that it was more of a School Board issue than a BCC issue.  He suggested that while they should work on the issue together, the School Board should take the lead.

Conference call with congressman Webster about fema issue

Commr. Conner reported that staff had had a conference call with Congressman Daniel Webster regarding the FEMA issue.  He mentioned that he thought they had received some relief from FEMA and that the Congressman’s office was still working with County staff on that.

REPORTS – COMMISsIONER campione – CHAIRMAN & DISTRICT 4

Coyote mud bog project update

Commr. Campione asked if there was an update on the Coyote Mud Bog Project.

Mr. Heath replied that the residents of the Town of Astatula appeared to support the project and that staff was tracking the complaints received from unincorporated County residents.  He mentioned that there would be a work session between the town and the applicant over the next several weeks, and it would be brought back for report in May.

Commr. Conner mentioned that the BCC had asked staff to talk to the Town of Astatula.

Mr. Heath replied that staff did that, and the Town and the applicant were trying to work things out, so staff was going to wait and see how those efforts went.

Commr. Conner remarked that there was a County ordinance regarding the noise, and it was his position that the ordinance should be enforced regardless of what the Town’s position is regarding the noise complaints.

Mr. Minkoff reported that Code Enforcement had gone out the week prior to the staff’s meeting with the Town and determined that there was no noise ordinance violation.

Inmate medical care update

Commr. Campione reported that she had been working with the Sheriff and the hospitals on the issue of inmate medical care, and she mentioned that she might be providing an update during the next Board meeting.

Concurrency agreement workshop

Commr. Campione reported that there would be a workshop on May 7, 2013 that would cover the concurrency agreement as well as the school capital facilities presentation.

Meeting with republican club of the plantation neighborhood

Commr. Campione reported that she had gone to The Plantation neighborhood of The Villages to meet with their Republican Club.  She mentioned that one of the issues discussed was garbage collection and the residents’ concerns regarding that issue.  She stated that staff would be returning to The Plantation with her on Wednesday to further discuss the issue.  She explained that the residents were upset about the once-per-week trash collection.

Large semi-truck traffic complaints on CR 44A

Commr. Campione reported that she had received a number of complaints from residents on CR 44A in the area east of CR 439 regarding large semi-truck traffic, specifically the volume and speed of the trucks on the road.

reports – commissioner cadwell – district 5

Communication with congressman daniel webster

Commr. Cadwell reported that Congressman Daniel Webster had been very responsive to the needs of the County.  He also mentioned that even if he did not agree with his politics, he agreed with the way the Congressman did business.

Florida legislative session attendance

Commr. Cadwell mentioned that he had been in Tallahassee for three days with Commr. Sullivan during the legislative session.

Trout lake nature center advisory committee

Commr. Cadwell reported that he would be serving on the Trout Lake Nature Center Advisory Committee as a citizen independent of the BCC.

ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business to be brought to the attention of the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 11:52 a.m.

 

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leslie campione, chairman

 

 

ATTEST:

 

 

 

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NEIL KELLY, CLERK