A regular MEETING OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
april 10, 2018
The Lake County Board of County Commissioners met in regular session on Tuesday, April 10, 2018 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: Timothy I. Sullivan, Chairman; Leslie Campione, Vice Chairman; Sean Parks; Wendy Breeden; and Josh Blake. Others present were: Jeff Cole, County Manager; Melanie Marsh, County Attorney; Niki Booth, Executive Office Manager, County Manager’s Office; Kristy Mullane, Chief Deputy Clerk, County Finance; and Kathleen Bregel, Deputy Clerk, Board Support.
INVOCATION and pledge
Pastor Rick Fountain of First Baptist Church of Tavares gave the Invocation and led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Agenda update
Mr. Jeff Cole, County Manager, stated that Tab 34 had been added the previous week as an addendum under Commissioner Sullivan’s business, and he requested that Tabs 13 and 16 be pulled from the Consent Agenda to be brought back at a later date.
employee awards
Ms. Jeannine Nelson, Human Resources Manager, announced that they would be recognizing employees who had reached significant milestones in their careers with Lake County as follows:
EMPLOYEE AWARDS
FIVE YEARS
Sandy Beckett, Office Associate V
Public Works/Environmental Services Division
Michael Bragdon, Sign & Striping
Technician I
Public Works/Engineering Division/Traffic
Operations
Nicholas Mcray, Stormwater Project Manager
Public Works/Environmental Services Division
Keith Stevenson, Office of Fleet Management
Director
Office of Fleet Management
FIFTEEN
YEARS
Karen Burt, Office Associate III (not
present)
Public Works/Road Operations Division
Jeffrey Coulthart, Fire Lieutenant/EMT (not
present)
Office of Fire Rescue
Debra Dyer, Office Associate III
Office of Planning & Zoning
William Holtzman, Firefighter/EMT (not
present)
Office of Fire Rescue
Edward Johnson, Fire Lieutenant/Paramedic
(not present)
Office of Fire Rescue
Robert Perry, Firefighter/Paramedic (not
present)
Office of Fire Rescue
Matthew Roudabush, Fire
Lieutenant/Paramedic
Office of Fire Rescue
Dennis Smolarek, Librarian I (not present)
Office of Library Services/Cooper Memorial
TWENTY YEARS
Brenda
Likely, Senior Financial Coordinator
Community
Services
Debra
Padgett, Plans Examiner (not
present)
Office of
Building Services
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS
John Heffler, Maintenance Worker II (not
present)
Office of Extension Services
RETIREMENT
15 Years:
Karen Burt, Office Associate III (not present)
Public Works/Road Operations Division
18 Years:
Denis Dietz, Traffic Operations Supervisor
Public
Works/Engineering Division/Traffic Operations
retirement
Mr. Fred Schneider, County Engineer, commented that Mr. Denis Dietz, Traffic Operations Supervisor with the Public Works Department, had worked for Lake County since 1999 and that he was highly respected and well liked among staff and the community. He said that Mr. Dietz was someone who never had to be asked twice to get a job done and that it was always done correctly. He reported that Mr. Dietz had worked on the countywide traffic signal agreements and sign agreements with the cities, and that he recently played a key role on the long-range planning of the County’s intelligent transportation planning system. He noted that Mr. Dietz had done a great job as a supervisor in keeping a well-organized site, with equipment in good condition and everything in the warehouse well tracked and in order. He mentioned that Mr. Dietz planned to travel with his wife during retirement, and he wished him the best and thanked him for his years of service.
Mr. Kristian Swenson, Assistant County Manager, remarked that he had worked with Mr. Dietz for nine years in the Lake County Public Works Department. He said that during this time, they both toured numerous traffic operations and sign shop facilities throughout the state in order to gain insights. He remarked that under Mr. Dietz’s leadership, Lake County had the best sign shop in Central Florida and that he had been a great asset for the county. He congratulated him on his retirement and thanked him for his years of service.
Commr. Sullivan thanked Mr. Dietz for his service to Lake County and presented him with a commemorative clock.
MINUTES APPROVAL
On a motion by Commr. Breeden, seconded by Commr. Blake, and carried unanimously by a 5-0 vote, the Board approved the Minutes of February 27, 2018 (Regular Meeting) and March 13, 2018 (Regular Meeting) as presented.
citizen question and comment period
No citizens wished to comment.
PROCLAMATION 2018-28
On a motion by Commr. Breeden, seconded by Commr. Parks, and carried unanimously by a 5-0 vote, the Board approved Proclamation 2018-28, designating April 2018 as Child Abuse Awareness Prevention month.
Commr. Sullivan then read and presented the proclamation to various representatives from organizations that strive to protect children in the community.
Mr. James Argento, Assistant State Attorney with the State Attorney’s Office, acknowledged various staff from his office who prosecute child abuse cases and work hard to fight the crime after it occurs.
Ms. Joelle Aboytes, Department of Children and Families, thanked the Board for their support and reported that there were 2,463 abuse investigations in Lake County in 2017. She then stated the zip codes in the county that had the highest number of cases. She asked for the Board to consider funding programs that support the protective factors, which include programs that promote resilience, attachment and bonding for parents, and provide knowledge of child development. She said these help prevent abuse and neglect and she then gave a handout with information on this to the Board members.
Ms. Marcia Hilty, Circuit Director of the Guardian ad Litem Program, commented that on any given day, there are over 350 abused and neglected children in Lake County who are involved with the court system, with most of them being younger than 12 and in need because of their parent’s addiction to drugs or alcohol. She assured everyone that they can make a difference by becoming involved in their program through volunteering, especially becoming a guardian ad litem for a child. She thanked the Commissioners for their constant support of their program.
Commr. Sullivan remarked that all the programs that address this issue in Lake County make a difference and provide a service that is much needed, sometimes with limited resources. He acknowledged that the volunteers in the Guardian ad Litem Program do an amazing job taking care of children in the county.
proclamation 2018-22
Commr. Parks commented that Lake County is sensitive to its environment, promotes a conservation effort and is “Real Florida, Real Close.” He remarked that water is a resource and that everyone can do something on a daily basis to conserve it. He then read and presented Proclamation 2018-22, designating April 2018 as Water Conservation Month in Lake County, to representatives from the Lake Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD).
Ms. Betsy Farner, a representative from Lake SWCD, thanked the Board for the recognition and shared information regarding Lake SWCD’s vision, mission and mobile irrigation laboratory (MIL). She noted that their goal is to help identify and implement water savings. She shared that while Lake SWCD can make positive suggestions regarding water conservation, policies made by the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) about future growth and development would make water resources more sustainable. She said Board funding was greatly appreciated and critical for fulfilling Lake SWCD’s mission. She then remarked that MIL technicians perform these three services for their clients: evaluate the grower’s irrigation equipment, which optimizes production of their crop; conduct a series of measurements of water pressure and water flow to determine problems and localize them; and report back to the grower identifying deficiencies and making recommendations. She reported that actual water savings for the MIL during the contract year of July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017 was 104.7 million gallons of water. She pointed out that potential water savings means that if a client improves their system, per the MIL technicians suggestions, they could save up to that maximum achievable uniformity for their type of irrigation system, which means that is the amount of water they could potentially save per year. She clarified that the actual water savings takes place when clients have done the recommended repairs, which reduce run times and make operations more efficient.
Commr. Sullivan noted that the MIL is a great operation and that the water savings numbers are amazing.
Commr. Breeden remarked that Lake County’s MIL is recognized around the state and has been given additional responsibilities.
Ms. Farner noted that their area of operations had expanded and they now have two teams.
Commr. Parks commented that since irrigation makes up fifty percent of the water use in the county, the more efficient it is, the better it protects the county’s water resources. He thanked Ms. Farner for her efforts.
PRESENTATION OF THE COUNTY ANNUAL FINANCE REPORT
Ms. Kristy Mullane, Chief Deputy Clerk, County Finance, announced that the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report and the Citizens’ Annual Financial Report for the year ended September 30, 2017, would be presented and available on the Clerk of Court’s website after the meeting. She remarked that this project was made possible through the efforts of the entire County Finance staff and recognized the following employees who worked on the project and were present as follows: Ms. JoAnne Drury, Mr. Kevin McDonald, Ms. April Allman, Ms. Lisa Yanco, Ms. Merrilyn DiVenanzo, Ms. Cynthia Richardson, Ms. Connie Rodgers, Ms. Julia Wilson and Ms. Tracy Zeller. She also thanked the following Board staff who helped with the audit: Ms. Diana Magrum, who did the printing and binding; and the Communications staff, Ms. Kelly Lafollette, Ms. Magda Zapata, and Ms. Cierra Danko, who designed the cover and assisted with updating the look of the citizens’ report. She then introduced the external auditor, Mr. William Blend, Shareholder with Moore, Stephens, Lovelace (MSL) CPAs & Advisors, who presented the audit report.
Mr. Blend presented the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) for Fiscal Year (FY) ended September 30, 2017, and stated he would go through the required communications under audit standards and highlights of the audit. He noted there was an initial communication in the planning section of the audit and then today’s presentation was the final communication. He thanked the Clerk of the Board staff who work on the financial information year-round and work with the external auditors at year-end. He also thanked other departments who participated in the audit, noting that everyone was very responsive to requests. He then went over required communications, commenting that MSL had performed their services in accordance with the appropriate audit standards, noting there were these three standards for governments: normal audit standards which private companies go through; the government audit standards; and in the state of Florida, the rules of the Auditor General. He remarked that management had met their responsibility to provide information in a timely and accurate manner to MSL. He clarified that while MSL does evaluate internal controls when doing the audit, they are not auditing internal controls. He explained that they do an evaluation of internal controls as well as significant compliance issues in order to determine how they will perform their audit of the financial statements. He stated that there were no significant matters to report in regards to internal controls or compliance, nor other significant matters. He remarked that management did provide them with the appropriate management representation letter at the conclusion of the audit, that Ms. Mullane was the assigned individual to oversee their services to the County, and that MSL performed their duties in a timely basis. He continued with his presentation sharing the deliverables, stating that the Independent Auditor’s Report, on pages 13 & 14 of the document, is the overall report of the financial information provided and that the County received an unmodified report. He stated that under the guidelines required for governments, MSL was required to report on compliance with major federal programs and state awards and that there were no findings in that. He explained that they receive a schedule of federal and state assistance, that there are calculations performed and that they identify what are deemed to be major programs at the state and federal level. He added that they then audit those programs, of which there were no findings to report. He said in addition, they prepared their report on internal controls and compliance with no findings in that report. He explained that the state of Florida, under the guidance of the Auditor General, requires MSL to issue a Management Letter, which was issued and identified a repeating observation as it relates to financial condition. He clarified that the Auditor General’s Office provides a group of ratios that they ask auditors to evaluate, then they report those, which he stated was reported on page 218. He opined that the County’s financial condition is healthy, but said it was up to the Board to decide if it needed to be stronger. However, he commented that using the criteria provided, which includes comparing the County to peers, that MSL evaluated more negative results than positive results related to financial condition. He explained that management did provide a response to the Management Letter, indicating several situations happening within the county, including the impact of the hurricanes. He also noted that the County’s financial policy is to have an unassigned fund balance between seven and twelve percent and that the County is currently just above eight percent. He indicated that the final item they were required to report was the Independent Accountant’s Report, which is compliance with the investment statute as well as the E911 statute, and that the County was in compliance with both.
Commr. Sullivan asked if state law requires the County to have a minimum of five percent in reserves.
Mr. Blend replied that he was not aware of any state statute that requires a specific percentage but noted that the state looks through the rules of the Auditor General and only reports if you are in a state of financial emergency.
Commr. Campione commented that there was a statutory requirement that counties can only budget ninety-five percent of projected revenues.
Mr. Blend continued with financial highlights, displaying a slide with the government-wide financial statements, which shows government and business-type activities. He noted that business-type activities are on full accrual basis accounting, and this is a transition to report government activities on that same full accrual accounting. He said from a current ratio perspective, which represents how many current assets are available to cover current liabilities, the County was in healthy condition and had strong ratios. He remarked that the total assets and deferred outflows were larger than total liabilities and deferred inflows. He commented that the largest portion of net position was net investments in capital assets, which means infrastructure such as buildings, streets, roads, etc. He reported that the negative unrestricted amount was mostly impacted by the implementation of the standard to record the County’s portion of the Florida Retirement System (FRS) pension liability, which is why it is a negative number and makes the percentage of expenditures negative. He remarked that one positive item was the change overall in net position. He then reported on the General Fund, which is every government’s main operating fund, noting that total assets were $23.1 million with total liabilities at $7.6 million, which he opined was healthy. He mentioned that in the fund balance there was nonspendable, assigned, and unassigned, with the unassigned balance of $11.1 million representing 8.2 percent of the operating expenditures for a year. He elaborated that in the current year, there was a net change of a negative $2.8 million. He explained that the County came in stronger in the budget to actual, as it related to resources, and that expenditures stayed about the same, which he opined was a positive report. He said in proprietary funds, which are landfill and internal service, that assets are larger than liabilities; however, the unrestricted fund balance in landfill was a negative due to impacts from the FRS pension report. He also indicated that the change in net position for landfill was a slight negative at $0.3 million and significantly down from a positive perspective from last year at a negative $3.2 million, which he said was due to the change in the estimated closure costs. He described a new accounting standard which will impact the financial statements for next year, which is the implementation of the Post-Employment Benefits Other than Pensions (OPEB) standard. He explained that it was very similar to the implementation of the pension standard. He said there is a portion of unfunded liability as it relates to other post-employment benefits, describing that the state of Florida requires offering retired employees the ability to participate in the health care plan at the same rate as other employees and the cost to include those employees will be more expensive and therefore add to the negative unrestricted fund balance at the full accrual level. He concluded by asking the Board to accept the County’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the FY year ended September 30, 2017.
Mr. Cole clarified that this report is effective through September 30, 2017, and reminded the Board that most of the financial impacts of Hurricane Irma would also be affecting this current fiscal year and the County’s reserve account. He stated this was consistent with what was mentioned in the Board strategies workshop and wanted to reiterate this as they start to go through the budget process.
On a motion by Commr. Breeden, seconded by Commr. Parks and carried unanimously by a 5-0 vote, the Board accepted the County’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for Fiscal Year ended September 30, 2017.
CLERK OF COURTs’ CONSENT AGENDA
On a motion by Commr. Parks, seconded by Commr. Breeden and carried unanimously by a 5-0 vote, the Board approved the Clerk of Courts’ Consent Agenda, Items 1 through 6, as follows:
List of Warrants
Request to acknowledge receipt of the 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.
Mt. Plymouth-Sorrento CRA
Request to acknowledge receipt of a copy of the CRA Annual Report for the Mt. Plymouth-Sorrento CRA reporting requirement as well as the corresponding public notice advertising receipt.
The Villages Community Development Districts Audits
Request to acknowledge receipt of October 1, 2016 – September 30, 2017 audits for the following Community Development Districts in The Villages: Village Community Development District No.11 and Village Center Community Development District.
Inspector General Report
Request to acknowledge receipt of Inspector General Report BCC-158 Year-End Inventory Observation – Fiscal Year Ending 09-30-17.
City of Leesburg’s CAFR
Request to acknowledge receipt of the City of Leesburg’s Fiscal Year 2017 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report.
Town of Lady Lake
Request to acknowledge receipt of the following from the Town of Lady Lake:
Ordinance No. 2017-44 - Amending Ordinance 81-8-(83); Ordinance 2017-45 – Rezoning; Ordinance 2017-46 – Annexation; Ordinance 2017-47 – Comprehensive Plan Amendment; Ordinance 2017-48 – Rezoning; Ordinance 2017-49 – Adopting corrections, updates and modifications to the Capital Improvements Schedule; Ordinance 2017-51 – Annexation; Ordinance 2017-52 – Amending Ordinance 81-8-(83); Ordinance 2017-53 – Rezoning; Ordinance 2017-54 – Annexation; Ordinance 2017-55 – Comprehensive Plan Amendment; Ordinance 2017-56 – Rezoning; Ordinance 2018-01 – Annexation; Ordinance 2018-02 – Comprehensive Plan Amendment; Ordinance 2018-3 – Rezoning; Ordinance 2018-05 – Relating to Medical Marijuana; Ordinance 2018-09 – Amending Chapter 2, Article III, Division 8, Section 2-105-13 (9) (10), of the Code of Ordinances Pertaining to the Citizen’s Review Board.
Resolution No. 2017-122 - Granting a Variance from the Provisions of Chapter 15, Article II, Section 15-52. A). 3). A) (Eff. 12/18/17).
COUNTY MANAGER’S CONSENT agenda
Commr. Parks thanked Leesburg Commissioner John Christian for the partnership opportunity on Tab 11, which he noted saves the County resources.
On a motion by Commr. Campione, seconded by Commr. Breeden and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved the Consent Agenda, Tabs 5 through 24, pulling Tabs 13 and 16, as follows:
PROCLAMATIONS
Request approval of Proclamation 2018-34 designating May 2018 as Law Enforcement Month, per Commissioner Sullivan.
COUNTY ATTORNEY
Request approval for the County Attorney, or designee, to execute the Stipulated Final Judgment in Court Case No. 2017-CA-1534, Lake County vs. Sam Kissinger, et al., (Parcel Number: FP-069) for needed right of way on the CR 466A Road Project, Phase 3A. The fiscal impact is $55,600.00 (Total Settlement of $87,500.00 less $31,900.00, which was previously deposited with the Court per the Stipulated Order of Taking). Commission District 5
Request approval for the County Attorney, or designee, to execute the Stipulated Final Judgment in Court Case No. 2017-CA-1531, Lake County vs. Wayne Leaser and Vera C. Leaser f/k/a Vera C. Sapp, et al., (Parcel Number: FP-19) for needed right of way on the CR 466A Road Project, Phase 3A. The fiscal impact is $68,000.00 (Total Settlement of $155,000.00 less $87,000.00, which was previously deposited with the Court per the Stipulated Order of Taking). Commission District 5
Approval for the County Attorney, or designee, to execute the Stipulated Order of Taking and Final Judgment in Court Case No. 2017-CA-1625, Lake County vs. Wayne L. Taratuta, et al., (Parcel Number: FP-032) for needed right of way on the CR 466A Road Project, Phase 3A. The total fiscal impact for approval is $4,550.00. Commission District 5
Approval for the County Attorney, or designee, to execute the Stipulated Final Judgment in Court Case No. 2017-CA-1798, Lake County vs. Louie B Thomas, as Co-Trustee of the Louie B. Thomas and C. Joyce Family Trust, a Revocable Living Trust, dated July 7, 1994, et al., (Parcel Number: FP-016) for needed right of way on the CR 466A Road Project, Phase 3A. The fiscal impact for approval is $43,500.00 (Total Settlement of $75,000.00 less $31,500.00, which was previously deposited with the Court per the Stipulated Order of Taking). Commission District 5
Approval for the County Attorney, or designee, to execute the Stipulated Order of Taking and Final Judgment in Court Case No. 2017-CA-1920, Lake County vs. Terry Joan Chiodo, et al., (Parcel Number: FP-80) for the needed right of way on the CR 466A Road Project, Phase 3B. The total fiscal impact for approval is $27,500.00. Commission District 5
Request approval to:
1. Donate Alt Key 1437423 to the Christian Worship Center of Central
Florida, Inc., approval of Agreement between Lake County and the Christian
Worship Center of Florida, relating to the donated property; and authorize the
Chairman to execute the required Resolution 2018-35 and County Deed.
Commission District 1
2. Accept an Offer to Purchase on Alternate Key 1606667; and approval for the Chairman to execute any necessary closing documents. Commission District 5.
3. Approval to offer Alternate Key 1376491 to the General Public. Commission District 3 The fiscal impact is $1,300 (revenue).
Request approval of First Amendment to the Lease Agreement between Lake County and Zellwin Farms Company for Commercial Lease Space for the Supervisor of Elections. There is no additional fiscal impact for Lake County. Commission District 3
PUBLIC SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE
Public Safety
Request approval to apply for Sabal Trail grant
funding for the Hazardous Material team, to receive and expend the grant
funding if awarded, and authorize the County Manager or his designee to execute
all related documents. The fiscal impact is $113,106.00 (revenue and
expenditure).
Request
approval to apply for the 2018 E911 State Grant Program to implement and
maintain next-generation 911 (NG911) network equipment, network services and
recurring network and circuit costs for the first year implementation period
per the grant guidelines. Grant requires no match funding. The
fiscal impact is $99,924.50 (revenue - 100% grant funded).
INFRASTRUCTURE AND INTERNAL SUPPORT SERVICES
Procurement Services
Request approval to extend the continuing contracts for landscape architecture services through July 9, 2018, or actual date of new award, and authorize the Office of Procurement Services to execute the appropriate contract modifications. Recent usage of the contract has been minimal. There is no fiscal impact.
Public Works
Request approval of an agreement with Miovision
Technologies Incorporated (Ontario, Canada) for the remote monitoring and
communication with connected traffic signals and authorize the Office of
Procurement Services to issue purchase orders to the manufacturer for related
goods and services as may be required. The fiscal impact for the first year is
$34,382.25, which includes an annual monitoring fee of $7,787.00 (expenditure).
Commission Districts 4 and 5.
Request approval to:
1. Release a maintenance bond of $38,704.36 for maintenance of roads within Verde Park Phase 2, located east of Clermont;
2. Release a performance bond of $89,496.00 for construction of sidewalks within Verde Park Phase 2; and
3. Execute a Developer’s Agreement for Maintenance of Improvements with Meritage Homes of Florida, Inc. for repairs to Florida Hills Street; and
4. Accept a maintenance bond of $2,991.00 related to maintenance of repairs to Florida Hills Street.
There is no fiscal impact. Commission District 2
Request approval of a Resolution 2018-36 supporting the Lake County Projects shown on the Lake-Sumter Metropolitan Planning Organization’s List of Priority Projects (LOPP). There is no fiscal impact.
COMMUNITY AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT SERVICE
Community Services
Request
approval and execution of the First Amendment to Facilities Agreement between
Lake County, the Florida Department of Health in Lake County, and LifeStream Behavioral
Center, Inc. for use of the Umatilla Health Center, extending the agreement
through April 12, 2020. There is no fiscal impact.
Request approval of the agreement with Mid Florida Community Services, Inc., for transportation services to four meal sites in Lake County (Groveland, Leesburg, Tavares and Umatilla). The fiscal impact is $298,119.00 (expenditure - $197,295.00 in County funding; $100,824.00 in Mid Florida Community Services, Inc. funding).
Library Services
Request retroactive approval to apply for participation in the Federal Communications Commission’s “E-Rate Program” for Fiscal Year 2018; and authorize the County Manager to apply for participation, and to execute any documents necessary to complete enrollment in the E-Rate program for current and future fiscal years. The fiscal impact cannot be determined at this time (revenue).
Parks and Trails
Request approval of contract 18-0427, Lake Idamere Park Landscape, Basic Maintenance and Related Services, to Sanders Cleaning Services, LLC (Leesburg) and authorize the Office of Procurement Services to execute all supporting documentation. The estimated annual fiscal impact is $64,496.00 (expenditure). Commission District 3
Florida Department of health presentation
Mr. Aaron Kissler, Director of the Florida Department of Health (DOH) in Lake County, presented the annual report, noting that it had been a great year for the DOH and that he appreciated the Board’s support. He reported the following numbers for client services: 193,000 services for clinical, dental and public health; school health had close to 23,000 screenings and 12,000 immunizations; environmental health had almost 4,800 inspections, with a big increase in septic tank inspections; there were 790 epidemiological investigations, investigating certain diseases reported by physicians; and vital statistics provided 30,000 services, including birth and death certificates processed through the two offices in Eustis and Clermont. He displayed a graph of the financial overview and reported that it was similar to last year. He said that much of their revenue is from certain grant programs that have to be used for specific reasons; however, the County provides four percent of their budget which allows them to provide other services such as epidemiology, environmental health, health education and children’s dental services. He reported that the breastfeeding rate had been historically low in Lake County but this year it increased to 82.5 percent, which is higher than their 2020 goal. He noted that breastfeeding rates are important as it affects a variety of factors such as obesity, nutrition, formula costs, etc. He indicated that their environmental health evaluation rating was one of the best in the state. He also mentioned they did Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) events this year, which involved getting their partners together to hold focus groups to look at what was affecting the community. He said the top five focus concerns that were identified within the county were obesity, access to care, substance abuse, access to healthy foods and diabetes prevention. He reported these community health accomplishments: recognition from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) for their prediabetes program, which looks at individuals close to entering the diabetes category and helps with prevention; the Remote Area Medical (RAM) event in Eustis, which provided dental services, immunizations, health education, and screenings for breast, cervical cancer and HIV; and the Tobacco Free Florida grant program which provided technical assistance for adoption of five tobacco free policies, such as electronic cigarettes/vaping devices. He indicated that they participated in 254 community outreach events such as back-to-school fairs, held 16 tobacco cessation classes, provided 33,000 educational items countywide, and distributed 854 tobacco quit kits to residents. He thanked the County and Mr. Cole for their support during Hurricane Irma and reported they opened six special needs shelters, with great support from community partners and the state Disaster Medical Assistant Team (DMAT), and they operated 24 hours a day for five days. He described his desire in the coming year to do synergy work with community partners, such as LifeStream, in order to look at the intersection of mental health and public health, and to work with Emergency Medical Services to prevent hospital emergency room visits. He concluded by thanking the County and community partners for their support.
Commr. Parks thanked Mr. Kissler and his team for their proactive and preventative maintenance approach and for taking time the previous week to meet with him and explain the connection and importance of mental health and share what DOH is doing in that area.
Commr. Sullivan also thanked Mr. Kissler for the RAM project, noting that they used the Lake County Fairgrounds and saw 1,500 patients over a two day period. He said it was an amazing process with a no questions asked philosophy.
Mr. Kissler mentioned that they planned to do it again next year and hoped for even more volunteers.
Commr. Breeden thanked Mr. Kissler for his leadership, his involvement in the community, the strength of the Lake County Health Department and for the many programs they offer.
public hearing – Planning and Zoning
Mr. Tim McClendon, Office of Planning and Zoning Manager, stated that the rezoning case RZ-17-29-2, Clonts Groves Property/Ridgecrest Planned Unit Development (PUD), was continued from the March 27, 2018 BCC meeting. He commented that the applicant was requesting another continuance in order to work through the remaining conditions. He said staff was in support of this request and that they were close to finalizing; however, they did not want to put a date on the continuance. He asked the Board to allow a continuance until they are ready to move forward with this case.
The Chairman opened the public hearing.
Mr. Ben Snyder, applicant and Vice President of Land Acquisition for Hanover Land Company, requested a two week continuance as he felt confident that could come to final agreements in that timeframe. He apologized for the additional continuance; however, he stated the property owners agreed to provide a master plan for the community, which he opined would help everyone understand what they were proposing in that area.
Mr. McClendon said that staff is fine with a two week continuance but felt that it was better to leave it open in case they are unable to finalize in that timeframe.
There being no one else who wished to address the Board regarding this matter, the Chairman closed the public hearing.
On a motion by Commr. Parks, seconded by Commr. Campione and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved the continuance of rezoning case RZ-17-29-2, Clonts Groves Property/Ridgecrest Planned Unit Development (PUD).
public hearing – land development regulations
Ms. Melanie Marsh, County Attorney, placed the proposed ordinance on the floor for its first reading by title only, noting that if approved, it would come back to the Board for adoption on April 24, 2018, as follows:
AN ORDINANCE OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF LAKE COUNTY, FLORIDA; AMENDING LAKE COUNTY CODE, APPENDIX E, LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS; AMENDING CHAPTER II “DEFINITIONS”; AMENDING SECTION 3.01.02 TO DESIGNATE PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES AS A PERMITTED LAND USE IN ALL ZONING DISTRICTS; AMENDING SECTION 3.02.03 TABLE TO ADD PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES AS A PERMITTED LAND USE IN ALL ZONING DISTRICTS; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR INCLUSION IN THE CODE; PROVIDING FOR FILING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
The Chairman opened the public hearing.
There being no one who wished to address the Board regarding this matter, the Chairman closed the public hearing.
On a motion by Commr. Parks, seconded by Commr. Breeden and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved the first public hearing of an ordinance amending Lake County Code, Appendix E, Land Development Regulations, in order to designate public safety services as a permitted land use in all zoning districts.
public hearing – amended budget for fy 2018
Ms. Jennifer Barker, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, presented the mid-year budget amendment including an overview, summary of changes, staffing requests and requested action. She remarked that the purpose of the mid-year budget amendment was to make adjustments to the FY 2018 budget due to unanticipated revenues, expenditures or unforeseen changes. She reported that the current revised countywide budget was $389.93 million as of February 27, 2018, and that the proposed changes were approximately $732,000, which would bring the supplemental budget to $390.65 million. She commented there were changes to the General Fund for both the County Departments and the Constitutional Offices, with a total adjustment being a reduction of $16,334. She noted that the County Departments had an increase of the transfer to the Solid Waste fund for hauler contracts in the amount of $67,420. She elaborated that the Constitutional Offices had the following changes: additional costs for inmate medical care of $81,563; reduction in revenue of $100,212 due to an amended contract between the Sheriff and the City of Tavares for dispatch services, which will also reduce the transfer to the Sheriff by the same amount; recognizing Help America Vote Act (HAVA) grant funds for the Supervisor of Elections for $34,572, which will be used for printing the sample ballots for this year; and additional revenue for the Supervisor of Elections in the amount of $51,553 being added to his budget, which is revenue he received from the municipalities as a reimbursement for his expenses for administering their special elections. She reported changes to the other funds as follows: additional revenue of $80,000 to the Law Enforcement Trust Fund; reduction of revenue/expenditures for the Infrastructure Sales Tax Fund in the amount of $42,700, based on the final disbursement of the prior infrastructure sales tax authorization; additional grant funding for the Community Development Block Grant Fund in the amount of $70,455; and additional grant funding in the Transit Fund in the amount of $703,020. She elaborated that with these last two funds, staff projects what they believe they will receive in grant funding for the year and then once the actual notifications come from these funds, then staff balances the budget accordingly. She indicated a reduction in revenue to the Employee Group Benefits Fund, which is the health insurance fund for employees, as a result of the Clerk’s Office headcount being less than what was budgeted and therefore providing less revenue. She noted that there were other miscellaneous budget adjustments. She remarked that in regards to staffing requests, the current number of permitting technicians and building inspectors were not able to meet the increased demand for services in the Building Services Department; therefore, staff was proposing to add three Permitting Technician I positions and one Senior Building Inspector position, with the annual fiscal impact of the new positions of $190,852 and totally funded through the Building Services Enterprise Fund.
The Chairman opened the public hearing.
There being no one who wished to address the Board regarding this matter, the Chairman closed the public hearing.
On a motion by Commr. Parks, seconded by Commr. Blake and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved the amended budget for FY 2018 to include mid-year budget adjustments, Resolution 2018-37 adopting a supplemental budget for FY 2018 and the four new full-time positions for the Building Services Department.
public hearing – ordinance 2018-14, gas taxes
Ms. Marsh placed the proposed ordinance on the floor for reading by title only as follows:
AN ORDINANCE OF LAKE COUNTY, FLORIDA, PROVIDING FOR THE LEVY OF A FIVE-CENT LOCAL OPTION FUEL TAX IN LAKE COUNTY; PROVIDING FOR APPROVAL OF THE LEVY BY VOTERS IN A REFERENDUM; PROVIDING THAT THE IMPOSITION SHALL BE EFFECTIVE FOR A PERIOD OF TEN (10) YEARS BEGINNING JANUARY 1, 2020; PROVIDING FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE FUEL TAX; PROVIDING FOR THE FUEL TAX PROCEEDS TO BE DISTRIBUTED AMONG LAKE COUNTY AND THE MUNICIPALITIES; PROVIDING FOR A SPECIAL ELECTION TO BE HELD ON NOVEMBER 6, 2018; AMENDING THE BALLOT LANGUAGE APPROVED IN ORDINANCE NO. 2018-8; PROVIDING FOR NOTICE OF THE SPECIAL ELECTION; PROVIDING FOR NOTIFICATION TO THE STATE OF FLORIDA, DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE; AUTHORIZING EXPENDITURES FOR INFORMING THE PUBLIC; PROVIDING FOR AMENDMENTS TO LAKE COUNTY CODE, CHAPTER 13, ARTICLE II; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; REPEALING AND REPLACING ORDINANCE NO. 2018-8; PROVIDING FOR INCLUSION IN THE CODE; PROVIDING A CONFLICT CLAUSE; PROVIDING FOR FILING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
Ms. Marsh commented that at the Board’s request, this ordinance was brought back in order to amend the ballot language and remove the reference to the Florida Statutes, which is the only change between this ordinance and the previous Ordinance 2018-8. She remarked that this ordinance will repeal the prior ordinance and if approved, will become Ordinance 2018-14.
The Chairman opened the public hearing.
There being no one who wished to address the Board regarding this matter, the Chairman closed the public hearing.
Commr. Breeden made a motion for approval of Tab 29, Ordinance 2018-14, and Commissioner Campione seconded that motion; however, she asked for discussion prior to voting.
Commr. Campione clarified that the purpose of bringing the ordinance back to the Board was to eliminate the ballot language referencing the Florida Statutes in order for it to be clear that the three purposes for the gas tax were construction of new roads, reconstruction/resurfacing of paved roads, and paving of graded roads. She suggested that the order be reconstruction/resurfacing of paved roads, paving of graded roads and construction of new roads. She also requested changes to the “reconstruction/resurfacing of paved roads” statement to read “existing paved roads” so that it would imply that the tax money was going towards work on existing roads to bring them up to standards. She commented that she was trying to look at it from the voter’s perspective to make it more descriptive.
Ms. Marsh responded that if the wording does not change the substance then it could be changed in this meeting.
Commr. Campione wondered if people would understand that the paving of graded roads meant clay roads or non-paved roads and suggested different wording to make it clearer.
Commr. Sullivan specified that the goal was for work on clay roads, which are already being maintained, have high vehicle traffic and need to be improved.
Commr. Campione asked if using the wording “paving of unpaved roads” would include both clay and dirt roads.
Mr. Schneider responded that would include any road being used by the public that is not paved, whether county maintained or not.
Commr. Campione also inquired if placing a list of the upcoming new roads on the county website was possible and asked Mr. Schneider to share examples of some of the new roads that were being planned.
Mr. Schneider stated Round Lake Road, roads within Wellness Way, the extension of North Hancock Road, and a new north-south road that extends from The Villages to County Road 466 were a few new roads being planned. He said there were others across the county and staff was working with the cities and land developers on roads.
Commr. Parks specified that any new roads within Wellness Way should not be funded by this tax as it should be developer driven.
Commr. Campione agreed that any new infrastructure going into the Wellness Way area needs to be driven by the developers of that area and not come at a cost to the residents of Lake County. She reiterated that this gas tax is truly to address current needs of existing residents.
Mr. Cole said that staff was currently compiling a list of proposed roads to use the gas tax funding on and that list would be finished by the summer and brought before the Board for their consideration.
Commr. Campione asked for clarification on the list of roads and their ratings that was presented to the Board at a previous meeting.
Mr. Schneider implied that the whole countywide system has a road rating process which identifies the rating for all the roads. He clarified that the list given to the Board were roads with a four rating, and that the lower the number, the worse condition the road is in.
Commr. Campione asked if the roads on the list were the ones that should have the highest priority because of the number of people who travel on those roads and the wear on the roads.
Mr. Schneider confirmed that the rating on the roads was due to the surface condition of the roadway and not necessarily related to the volume of traffic. He said that once a road gets to a three rating, it needs to be reconstructed and costs go up so it was important to address and work on roads at a four rating and ideally those up to a six rating.
Mr. Cole indicated that the original list was just a factual list of which roads are a four rating; however, the list that staff is currently compiling will consider other factors that the Commissioners are suggesting in addition to the condition of the road.
Commr. Campione recapped her desire to change the order and wording of the ballot language to say resurfacing and reconstruction of existing paved roads, paving of unpaved roads, and construction of new roads.
Mr. Cole suggested that Ms. Marsh prepare that language and come back to the Board later in this meeting.
On a motion by Commr. Breeden, seconded by Commr. Campione and carried by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved to table the motion on Tab 29, Ordinance 2018-14, to later in the meeting.
regular agenda
local housing assistance plan presentation
Mr. Cole announced that since the Board had previously asked for a presentation on the State Housing Initiative Partnership (SHIP) funding, that it was going to be included in this Local Housing Assistance Plan (LHAP) presentation.
Ms. Allison Thall, Interim Manager for Housing and Community Development, provided an overview of the SHIP program and the proposed 2018-2021 LHAP. She explained that the SHIP program was created by the Florida Legislature in 1992 and is governed in accordance with Sections 420.907 through 420.9079 of the Florida Statutes. She remarked that the SHIP program is funded from documentary stamp tax revenue that is set aside in a Housing Trust Fund to provide revenue for counties to use for affordable housing programs. She reported that the program is administered through the Florida Housing Finance Corporation (FHFC) and that counties and cities are awarded funds annually through the state legislative budget process. She elaborated that each entity must prepare a LHAP, which includes strategies for expenditures of funds to provide affordable housing to residents that fall into very specified income categories. She noted that the purpose of the program is to provide affordable housing to residents based on their income and that all strategies must address housing for moderate, low, very low and extremely low income households. She said that as a condition of receiving funds, each county must appoint an Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC), which must consist of individuals with certain areas of expertise relating to affordable housing needs. She stated that the committee develops recommendations on strategies to be included in the LHAP and then the BCC considers those recommendations when adopting the LHAP. She specified that the LHAPs cover a three year period in which the funds must be expended on a specific number of qualified units that are outlined within the plan. She reported the following state mandated uses and allowable percentages for each type of activity and income category: a minimum of 65 percent of all the SHIP funds must be used for homeownership; a minimum of 75 percent of these funds must be used for construction and rehab activities; and a maximum of 10 percent of funds can be used for program administration. She indicated that in addition to complying with the expenditure requirements, the county must also comply with the income and categorical status of the clients served, noting that a minimum of 30 percent of SHIP funds must be used for very low income (VLI) families and a minimum of 20 percent for individuals with special needs. She explained that the definition of special needs as it relates to the SHIP program is individuals who are receiving Supplementary Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability (SSD), youth aging out of the foster care system, verified homeless individuals/families, or anyone at risk of being homeless. She remarked that the process for awarding SHIP funds follows these steps: staff works with the AHAC to develop and prepare a LHAP; staff ensures that the LHAP includes all of the strategies and percentages of expenditures to meet program requirements as mandated by the state; the LHAP must be approved by the BCC; and after approval, staff works directly with families, contractors and developers through a competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) process to ensure that the funds are distributed throughout the programs properly. She reiterated that the manner in which funds can be spent is tightly regulated by the state legislature and therefore, the annual funding allocation reflects similar controls. She then showed a snapshot of Lake County’s SHIP funding history for the past ten years. She explained that the manner in which the county receives its annual funding is calculated through a formula which is applied to each eligible county. She said that the state legislature has complete control over the Housing Trust Fund and it is not uncommon for the housing programs to receive only a portion of the available revenue that is earned in any given year. She said that FY 2018 was an example of this when Lake County’s allocation dropped from $1.4 million for the current year to a projected $626,000 for FY 2018-2019. She reported that the Housing Trust Fund earned a total of approximately $294 million in doc stamp revenue last year; however, only $109 million was allocated to the housing programs at the close of the legislative session, which means that the legislature diverted about $185 million from the Housing Trust Fund to offset the cost of other legislative issues.
Ms. Thall continued her presentation by explaining the Local Housing Assistance Plan (LHAP), which was being recommended by the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC). She reiterated the LHAP was a three year tool used to administer SHIP funds. She elaborated that the Florida Housing Corporation, the state agency that administers the program, had developed a new template for the 2018-2021 LHAP period. She said that counties had been encouraged to develop fewer strategies in order to better manage their programs, and that all of the percentages associated with the allocations and the clients served had remained the same. She remarked that the current LHAP period was for funding years 2015-2018 and closes on June 30, 2018. She stated that the AHAC met on March 20, 2018, and recommended the new 2018-2020 LHAP, which goes into effect on July 1, 2018. She said that the AHAC recommended streamlining the County’s LHAP strategies and she then displayed a comparison of the current LHAP to the new recommended LHAP. She noted that by combining some strategies and eliminating others, staff had reduced the program by four strategies. She then explained each of the strategies. She mentioned that the purchase assistance strategy was designed to provide first time homeowners with down payment assistance. She stated they use a hybrid approach to identify and assist clients of this program, noting that they issue an RFP to a non-profit organization that initially screens and then provides homeownership and financial counseling to these clients by utilizing Housing and Urban Development (HUD) approved classes. She remarked that once these individuals are identified as credit and homeowner ready, then staff meets with the clients to provide an overview, confirm the income eligibility, and give approval based on the financing terms and housing costs. She noted that staff works very closely with local banks and realtors for this portion of the program. She relayed that with the owner occupied rehab strategy, staff is able to fully rehabilitate a client’s home to improve the living conditions for families who are currently living in substandard housing. She said for this strategy, staff uses the help of building contractors by following these three steps: every three years an RFP is issued to local contractors to provide the construction services associated with rehabilitating a home; contractors who respond to the RFP are placed on a contractor list and receive notification of every project that is bid out; bids are issued for each home and awarded to the lowest bidder; and local contractors receive preference. She indicated that the demolition replacement strategy mirrors the rehab strategy but on a slightly larger scale, and that this strategy will demolish a client’s home and replace it with a new site-built home. She stated that staff works with a licensed inspector to identify and qualify any home under consideration for the demolition replacement strategy. She specified that the disaster mitigation strategy was created by the FHFC for the purpose of responding to residential damage which is incurred by a disaster declared by an executive order by either the President of the United States or the Governor of Florida. She noted that the FHFC traditionally will set aside funds from their budget each year to assist individuals and families who are in need of home repairs directly caused by a disaster. She said these funds are available to address the immediate threats of health and safety, imminent residual damage to the home from the storm, and restoration of heating, air conditioning, plumbing, pumps, wells, septic systems, and water lines. She commented that the rental development strategy was reworked by the AHAC in order to make funds available to non-profit developers who are building affordable, residential, multi-family rental units. She stated that SHIP funds are available to serve as gap financing for the project, and to assist with construction, impact fees, infrastructure and development costs. She noted that a developer must submit their project to the AHAC for review, recommendation and approval, prior to being awarded any funds. She mentioned that their last strategy was the combined REACH/HARP programs, with REACH being an acronym for rental and energy assistance for connecting to housing, and HARP standing for homeless assistance and rental plans. She reported that an eligible REACH applicant can receive a one-time deposit that will assist with rental housing or utilities. She said HARP grants support to an eligible client by providing rental assistance for up to 12 months in order to help move an individual or family from homelessness to permanent housing. She stated this program is administered directly by staff and that each recipient must apply and meet all the income and situational requirements of this strategy. She noted that their REACH/HARP strategies were designed to help aid with the prevention of homelessness. She concluded with the request for approval and authorization for the Chairman to execute the 2018-2021 Local Housing Assistance Plan (LHAP), effective July 1, 2018, and approval of Resolution 2018-38.
Commr. Campione remarked that it was good for the state to encourage counties to reduce their strategies in order to focus on fewer areas and therefore have a bigger impact in those areas. She said that during the homelessness discussions regarding Lake County’s challenges in this area, she felt that if the County was effective in providing affordable housing, then there was a better chance of having less homelessness. She said that some individuals are homeless for reasons other than the availability of affordable housing; however, there are a group of people who are homeless because they cannot find affordable housing and this program helps those individuals. She stated that the REACH and HARP programs allow people to get into housing, until they can get better situated financially, and thought all these strategies were helping Lake County in the area of homelessness.
Commr. Parks asked if there would be an opportunity to look at metrics next year to see if these programs were effective.
Ms. Thall responded that staff works directly with families and inspects every home, and opined that the program is effective because it gives a person a much safer and viable place to live. She added that they have helped hundreds of individuals with the rental deposit assistance, which is a one-time only assistance, and this has given people the opportunity to actually get into housing because they do not have to come up with the initial deposit, which can be expensive. She felt that both the housing and rental programs were very effective and stated that staff receives lots of appreciation from people they help.
Commr. Campione remarked that in these situations, the numbers do not tell the whole story but it is told by each individual person or family that is impacted as a result of these programs. She said it is also a great way to help people move into a better position so they are not having to continually ask for public assistance.
Commr. Blake mentioned that many people take for granted the cost of set-up expenses required to get into housing and that can be a huge obstacle for those struggling financially. He asked how much in SHIP funding was allocated for disaster mitigation after Hurricane Irma.
Ms. Thall replied that the Florida Housing Coalition put $5 million aside for the entire state of Florida and it was utilized very quickly. She noted that was their typical allocation each year and indicated that she thought they would be putting $5 million from the Housing Trust Fund into disaster mitigation again this year, which would then adjust Lake County’s allocation.
Commr. Campione thanked Ms. Thall for her willingness to help in a new area and commended her for doing a wonderful job embracing it, understanding it and for getting the best value for the residents of Lake County.
On a motion by Commr. Campione, seconded by Commr. Blake and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved the authorization for the Chairman to execute the 2018-2021 Local Housing Assistance Plan (LHAP), effective July 1, 2018, and approved Resolution 2018-38.
revisit of gas tax discussion
On a motion by Commr. Breeden, seconded by Commr. Campione and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved reopening the public hearing and discussion on the gas tax ordinance.
Ms. Marsh handed out to the Board the wording changes for the gas tax referendum and noted that the word “approving” in the first sentence line should be “authorizing.” She then read the referendum as follows: “should Lake County Ordinance 2018-14 authorizing the levy of an additional countywide local option five-cent fuel tax on motor fuel sold in Lake County for ten years be approved.” She indicated that the list of eligible projects for the tax had been reworded and reordered as requested by the Board previously in the meeting.
On a motion by Commr. Breeden, seconded by Commr. Campione and carried by a vote of 3-2 the Board approved the adoption and execution of Ordinance 2018-14, amending Lake County Code, Chapter 13, Article II, entitled “Gas Taxes,” to add a new section regarding the levy of a 5-cent local option fuel tax pursuant to Section 336.025(1)(b), Florida Statutes (2017), upon every gallon of motor fuel sold in the county and authorization of a special election, amending the ballot language approved in Ordinance 2018-8 and reflecting the changes to the wording and order of the eligible projects discussed today, and repealing and replacing Ordinance 2018-8.
Commr. Parks and Commr. Blake voted no.
other business
appointment to the board of adjustment
Commr. Parks asked for this appointment to be postponed.
appointment to the elder affairs coordinating council
On a motion by Commr. Parks, seconded by Commr. Campione and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved the reappointment of Ms. Judy Smith, as an at-large member, to the Elder Affairs Coordinating Council to serve a two-year term ending January 31, 2020, and approval of the waiver of potential ethical conflict.
appointment to the parks, recreation & trails advisory board
On a motion by Commr. Breeden, seconded by Commr. Campione and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved the reappointment of Mr. Sandy Gamble, as a member from the Lake County School Board, or a designee, to the Parks, Recreation and Trails Advisory Board to serve a two-year term ending May 20, 2020.
reports
county manager
budget process update
Mr. Cole reported that the FY 2018-2019 budget was being prepared and that budget workshop presentations would start at the April 24, 2018 BCC meeting and would continue through each BCC meeting until June 19, 2018, with the adoption of the preliminary millage and budget on July 10, 2018.
animal shelter volunteers appreciation lunch
Mr. Cole announced that on Saturday, April 21, 2018, from 12:00 p.m. till 1:30 p.m., the Lake County Animal Shelter would be holding its first annual volunteers appreciation barbeque lunch for active volunteers of the shelter. He reported the shelter has 40 active volunteers and 70 foster volunteers. He noted that the Board had previously asked for special recognition of the Animal Shelter volunteers and that they are critical to the success of the shelter.
commissioners reports
commissioner parks – district 2
south lake regional park groundbreaking
Commr. Parks thanked various staff for the wonderful groundbreaking ceremony for the South Lake Regional Park and thanked all the Commissioners for attending. He said it was a great event and a beautiful day for it.
law enforcement officers appreciation
Commr. Parks thanked the law enforcement officers who were present at the meeting for all they do to keep staff safe.
emergency medical services transition workshops
Commr. Parks announced that the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Transition Workshops at Summit Greens and Kings Ridge had gone well and commented how Mr. Jerry Smith, Executive Director of Lake Emergency Medical Services, and Mr. John Molenda, Assistant County Manager, had done excellent presentations, which helped to educate citizens on the transition. He stated there was one more workshop for the Clermont Council the following evening.
commissioner breeden – district 3
lake county fair
Commr. Breeden stated she had the privilege to judge some of the 4H exhibits at the Lake County Fair and commented how great it was to see the efforts of the 4H students in doing their projects. She encouraged everyone to take time to go and enjoy the fair.
commissioner campione – district 4
emergency medical services transition workshops
Commr. Campione thanked fellow Commissioners and staff for participating in the EMS Transition Meetings and thought they had been very effective. She said she looked forward to the one the following evening in Clermont.
homelessness forum
Commr. Campione reminded the Board of the Homelessness Forum coming up on Thursday April 26, 2018, from 8:00 a.m. till 12:00 p.m., at the Clermont Community Building in downtown Clermont. She thought it would be a good time to look at what is already being done and where there were opportunities for more service to the homeless population.
commissioner blake – district 5
emergency medical services transition workshops
Commr. Blake stated he attended the Kings Ridge EMS Transition Meeting and agreed that Mr. Smith and Mr. Molenda did an outstanding job on presenting how the system will work. He added there were positive reactions from those in attendance.
south lake regional park groundbreaking
Commr. Blake complimented Mr. Bobby Bonilla, Division Manager for the Office of Parks and Trails, and staff for the great job they did at the groundbreaking ceremony for the South Lake Regional Park.
legislative town hall
Commr. Blake reported that he would be unable to attend the next EMS Transition meeting in Clermont since he would be attending the legislative town hall.
commissioner sullivan – chairman and district 1
appointment to the canvassing board
Commr. Sullivan mentioned that since the gas tax was on the upcoming election ballot, he could not be the Canvassing Board member and asked for approval of appointments to the Canvassing Board.
On a motion by Commr. Parks, seconded by Commr. Breeden and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved the appointment of Ms. Jennifer Hill as the Canvassing Board member and Mr. Sanford Minkoff as the alternate Canvassing Board member for the 2018 election.
south lake regional park groundbreaking
Commr. Sullivan thanked staff for their participation in the South Lake Regional Park ceremony.
community development block grant funds
Commr. Sullivan also thanked staff for their support of the Community Development Block Grant funds to help in the Leesburg Resource Center, noting it would be a great asset for their programs and the community.
lake county fair
Commr. Sullivan stated he attended the Lake County Fair over the weekend. He remarked that it was very well organized, that he had a great time, and that it was a revenue source for the county. He said it was amazing to see what the Future Farmers of America (FFA) students had accomplished.
legislative town hall
Commr. Sullivan mentioned he would also be attending the legislative town hall.
request from tourism development council
Commr. Sullivan reported that at the Tourism Development Council (TDC) meeting the previous day, one of the Board members mentioned the need for road signage for cyclists in South Lake County and that he would get together with Mr. Schneider to address this request. He stated the TDC was doing well and on track for getting the fieldhouse built at Hickory Point and that they had success with their recent event sponsorships, such as the Bass Tournament, Mt. Dora Bicycle Festival and the Leesburg Bikefest.
Commr. Campione commented that while Lake County might not have received some funding from the legislative session that they were hoping for, specifically in the transportation area, she was glad to see that Leesburg High School received funding for their Construction Academy, and that Lake Technical College received some funding as well.
Mr. Cole added that a meeting was scheduled with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) in order to follow up on items that were vetoed during the legislative session. He said Commissioner Campione would be attending that meeting.
Commr. Sullivan remarked that the way FDOT disperses funds for projects is a disadvantage to fast growing counties like Lake County because it is based on current population. He said that another item he would like addressed in next year’s legislative session is how eminent domain law is utilized.
Commr. Breeden asked if staff could present a legislative update.
Mr. Cole replied that staff could report on legislation that affects the county at a future meeting.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to be brought to the attention of the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 11:06 a.m.
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timothy i. sullivan, chairman
ATTEST:
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NEIL KELLY, CLERK