A regular MEETING OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

August 9, 2022

The Lake County Board of County Commissioners met in regular session on Tuesday, August 9, 2022 at 9:00 a.m., in the County Commission Chambers, Lake County Administration Building, Tavares, Florida. Commissioners present at the meeting were: Sean Parks, Chairman; Kirby Smith, Vice Chairman; Douglas B. Shields; Leslie Campione; and Josh Blake. Others present were: Jennifer Barker, County Manager; Melanie Marsh, County Attorney; Niki Booth, Executive Office Manager, County Manager’s Office; Gary J. Cooney, Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller; Kristy Mullane, Chief Financial Officer; and Stephanie Cash, Deputy Clerk.

INVOCATION and pledge

Commr. Parks welcomed everyone to the meeting, and expressed appreciation for all those who were there in person and for those who were participating online virtually. He stated that the Invocation would be led by Pastor Michael Watkins, with Friendship CME Church in the City of Tavares, and that the Pledge of Allegiance would be led by a Lake County public servant, Deputy Chief Chris Sievert. He related that Deputy Chief Sievert joined Lake County Fire Rescue on July 5, 2018 and was recently reclassified as the Lake County Deputy Chief of Administration, noting that he was now in his 37^th year as a First Responder. He elaborated that Deputy Chief Sievert began his career as a volunteer with Volusia County Fire Rescue in 1985 and was hired right out of high school by the Orange City Fire Department, and that in 1989, he moved to Deltona Fire Rescue where he spent 29 very rewarding years holding every rank except Fire Chief. He mentioned that Deputy Chief Sievert’s career highlights included the following: being selected to serve as Fire Chief for Orange City at the age of 25 while simultaneously serving as a lieutenant at Deltona Fire Rescue for 12 years; teaching fire standards, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), and paramedics as an adjunct instructor and lead instructor for Daytona State College and Seminole State College; and earning his Associate’s Degree in Emergency Medical Services, a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Management, and a Graduate Degree in Emergency Management. He commented that one of Deputy Chief Sievert’s most rewarding career highlights had been the move to Lake County Fire Rescue. He then thanked Deputy Chief Sievert for his service.

Pastor Watkins gave the Invocation and Deputy Chief Sievert led the Pledge of Allegiance.

virtual meeting instructions

Ms. Elizabeth Heine, Enterprise Support Manager for the Information Technology (IT) Department, explained that the current meeting was being livestreamed on the County website and was also being made available through Zoom Webinar for members of the public who wished to provide comments during the Citizen Question and Comment Period later in the agenda. She elaborated that anyone watching through the livestream who wished to participate could follow the directions currently being broadcast through the stream; furthermore, she relayed that during the Citizen Question and Comment Period, anyone who had joined the webinar via their phone could press *9 to virtually raise their hand, and anyone participating online could click the raise hand button to identify that they wished to speak. She said that when it was time for public comment, she would read the person’s name or phone number, unmute the appropriate line, and the speaker would be asked to provide comments. She added that everyone would have three minutes to speak, and after three minutes an alarm would sound to let them know that their time was up. She added that they previously notified the public that comments could be emailed through 5:00 p.m. on the previous day, and those comments were shared with the Board prior to the meeting. She stated that anyone wishing to provide written comments during the meeting could visit www.lakecountyfl.gov/commissionmeeting, noting that comments sent during this meeting would be shared with the Commission after the meeting was concluded.

Agenda update

Ms. Jennifer Barker, County Manager, related that on Tab 31, the Commission District residence was updated for Mr. Richard Donahue to District 4, and that Tab 32 had been added as an addendum since the agenda was first published.

Commr. Parks mentioned that the order of the agenda would be changed.

employee awards

Ms. Jeannine Nelson, Human Resources and Risk Management Manager, announced that they would be recognizing employees who had reached significant milestones in their careers with Lake County, as follows:

FIVE YEARS

Raymond Hallworth, Senior Building Inspector

Office of Building Services

Jon May, Senior Building Inspector

Office of Building Services

Kenneth Johnson, ROW GIS Analyst

Public Works Department

TEN YEARS

Timothy Chastain, Mechanic II

Office of Fleet Management

James Delong, Right of Way Supervisor

Public Works Department

FIFTEEN YEARS

Jay Boleyn, Traffic Signal Technician

Public Works Department

TWENTY FIVE YEARS

Jimmy Scott, Construction Inspection Supervisor

Public Works Department

SPECIAL RECOGNITION

Florida Association of County Engineers and Road Superintendents (FACERS) President

George Gadiel, Senior Traffic Engineer

Public Works Department

Commr. Parks related that Mr. Gadiel was hired on January 23, 2017 in the Public Works Department, Engineering Division, and that he was the Senior Traffic Engineer managing the Traffic Operations and Engineering section of the Engineering Division. He commented that Mr. Gadiel had been a great asset to the department and the County and had spent many hours meeting and speaking with residents about their traffic concerns. He mentioned that Mr. Gadiel worked with the Lake County Community Traffic Safety Team (CTST), and that he maintained contact with Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and the Cities with regard to traffic signalization, intersection improvements, and funding agreements. He commented that Mr. Gadiel had joined the Florida Association of County Engineers and Road Superintendents (FACERS) soon after coming to Lake County and had served on the Board for the last three years. He added that in June 2022, he had sworn in Mr. Gadiel as the president of the FACERS statewide organization, and opined that he represented the County well.

lake county history day

Commr. Parks related that Lake County History Day, which was an annual countywide competition involving teachers and students from schools across the county, was held at Tavares High School on February 26, 2022, and he introduced Mr. Kirk Reed, a student from Round Lake Charter School, who won the County Junior Overall Division on his paper entitled The Cuban Missile Crisis: Stopping a Nuclear War With Debate and Diplomacy. He congratulated Mr. Reed and said that he was a straight A student, a tennis player, and that he liked playing video games.

presentation of the Florida Girls State program

Ms. Cari Branco, Assistant County Manager, recalled that during the June 14, 2022 Board of County Commissioners (BCC) meeting, there had been discussion among the Board, who had been interviewed by several students for the Girls State program, to invite some of them back to share their experiences from the program. She commented that she had been able to work with two of these students, Ms. Moriah Langford and Ms. Victoria Scurti, and that they would be doing a joint presentation on their experiences at Girls State.

Ms. Scurti relayed that she was a senior at Leesburg High School (LHS), and that some of her achievements included the following: varsity cheerleading captain for two concurrent years; student government association (SGA) Student Body Vice President; President of TRIAD, which was an all-girls club; President of the National Honor Society of Dance Arts; Treasurer of the National Honor Society (NHS); Vice President of Key Club; and Vice President of the LHS Interact Club. She commented that some of her personal accomplishments included the following: being an Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) Cambridge student and a dual enrollment student with an A average; being a dancer for 12 years; and being the only LHS student to go to Girls State for the 2022 program. She mentioned that her future goals included the following: obtaining an associate’s degree when graduating from high school; attending a four year university in Florida as a first generation student; attending law school; and becoming a practicing attorney.

Ms. Langford related that she was a senior at East Ridge High School (ERHS), and that some of her achievements included the following: freshman class Vice President; sophomore class President; senior class Secretary; National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS) inductee; NHS inductee; Science National Honor Society (SNHS) inductee; lead of Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA); robotics member during her freshmen year; robotics officer during her sophomore year; Real World Design Challenge (RWDC) member during her sophomore year; RWDC lead during her junior year; becoming a part of the Girls Golf team; and becoming a member of the dance team. She explained that some of her personal highlights included the following: earning her private pilot’s license; holding a Part 107 drone license; being the only ERHS student to go to Girls State 2022; and receiving a science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) scholarship. She mentioned that one of her goals was to attend a university for aviation and mechanics, adding that she aspired to be a pilot one day.

Ms. Scurti explained that different American Legion Auxiliary posts sponsored girls from their areas, and that a Lake County post sponsored her and a few other girls from the Villages Charter High School. She elaborated that 300 girls were sponsored from the State of Florida to be sent to Girls State every year, and that this year, 268 girls attended. She relayed that there was a rigorous process to complete in order to be selected, and that the girls were required to fill out an application that outlined their qualifications and interests, which would then be reviewed by the local American Legion Auxiliary post. She commented that the applicants were interviewed with questions regarding why they wanted to go to Girls State and how this could program benefit them.

Ms. Langford stated that in the State of Florida, Girls State was held at Florida State University (FSU), and that in the current year, it was held from June 7 to June 15, 2022, in which participants learned how local and state governments worked as well as how the three different branches worked together in being a governing body. She mentioned that she had participated as a senator and was responsible for debating bills along with amending, passing, or vetoing bills. She commented that some takeaways for her included meeting the other members and participating with them, along with meeting the Lieutenant Governor of Florida who spoke to them and answered their questions.

Ms. Scurti relayed that she had participated in the House of Representatives, and that they had also debated and voted on bills and practiced Roberts Rule of Parliamentary Procedure. She mentioned that some takeaways for her included the in-person learning she received, opining that it was better than classroom learning, and that even though she did not have a roommate, she was able to find ways to socialize and have a rewarding experience.

Ms. Langford displayed pictures of some of the participants and activities and explained that the groups included 25 to 30 participants who shared a dormitory hall, and that they participated in activities that gave them opportunities to rally and support their political parties.

Ms. Scurti commented that her group had also participated in these activities, and noted that she had the opportunity to sit in Florida Representative Cyndi Stevenson’s house seat at the capital.

Commr. Parks mentioned that Commissioner Campione was a Girls State alumni, and that she had participated in the interviews.

Commr. Campione congratulated them on being selected for Girls State, and said that she enjoyed hearing about their experiences. She inquired how they had received the position of Senator or in the House of Representatives, and if they had to campaign for their seats, adding that she remembered doing that in 1981.

Ms. Langford indicated that her experience was similar, noting that their dorm halls were lined with posters for people running for positions, and that several girls were handing out stickers.

Commr. Campione thanked them for representing Lake County well, and said that she looked forward to hearing about what they would do going forward.

County Attorney Intern

Commr. Parks mentioned that Mr. Anthony Arzillo, who was a recent graduate of East Ridge High School, was interning with the office of Ms. Melanie Marsh, County Attorney.

presentation of license plate readers

Lake County Sheriff Peyton Grinnell related that he had a short presentation, and that he was seeking approval to use county road right of way to install license plate readers (LPR), adding that there were representatives from the Cities of Clermont and Leesburg present also seeking that approval. He then introduced Mr. John Hixon and Mr. Sam Boyle, with Vetted Security Solutions, for the presentation.

Mr. Boyle said that he would present some information about how license plate recognition helped communities prevent crime and solve investigative crime. He commented that they had done this with many counties throughout the state, noting that Lake County had LPRs on a small scale, and that they wanted to expand on that. He opined that in counties they had worked with, such as St. Johns, Flagler, and Lee Counties, they had seen tremendous results from the agencies who installed LPRs to prevent crime from coming into their community. He explained that they worked off a federal hotlist or a state hotlist for stolen vehicles, stolen license plates, and wanted individuals, and that as soon as they came into a community, it alerted the Lake County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) to their presence so they could react as soon as possible. He relayed his understanding that a high percentage of home burglaries and car burglaries were committed with stolen vehicles, and that by preventing those stolen vehicles from coming into the community, the LCSO could prevent other burglaries, which could result in efficiencies and more cost savings. He elaborated that in Flagler County, they had seen about 21,000 stolen license plates, opining that it was common to have stolen cars involved in high property crime and homicides. He opined that by alerting local law enforcement to these vehicles coming into the community, those who would try to do harm to community members could be prevented from doing so by being apprehended before they committed a crime. He remarked that with the few systems they had in Lake County over the past few years, there had been over 7,399 stolen license plates, opining that they were just as important as stolen cars because they were placed on stolen vehicles, and that about 13,000 stolen vehicles and stolen plates were found in Lake County over just a couple of years. He pointed out that according to a study in St. Johns County, within eight months of installing the cameras at all of their county borders, they were able to reduce car burglaries by 50 percent, find 17 missing/endangered people, generate 104 leads, and find 38 wanted persons. He commented that the goal of Lake County was to do a similar program by installing LPRs at the borders of the county to prevent crime from coming into the community, enabling the LCSO to have more resources to work with in the communities. He elaborated that the Lake County statistics were very good with a small amount of cameras, and opined that adding on to those could add more crime prevention to the community. He displayed different cases that had been solved, such as homicide cases, kidnapping cases, and stolen vehicle cases, and said that building out the system would create more probability of preventing crimes and solving crimes, opining that it would make the community safer.

Sheriff Grinnell mentioned that he and Commissioner Shields had spoken with Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, who opined that the numbers Polk County had seen since installing the system were good, and that the solvability of crimes had increased significantly.

Commr. Blake inquired if they would install cameras at major ingress and egress areas at the county line.

Mr. Boyle said that the plan was for the LCSO to designate the major thoroughfares coming in from other counties in order to prevent criminals from coming in from those counties and to identify high crime areas in order to solve crimes happening in those areas and prevent others.

Commr. Blake asked which agencies, such as federal or state agencies, would the data be shared with when searching the hotlist.

Mr. Boyle explained that the hotlist was generated daily by the Florida Crime Information Center (FCIC) and the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), and that their company created alerts from that hotlist.

Commr. Blake wondered if someone could search for a particular tag if they were a subscriber to the system, and he asked who else could access that data.

Mr. Boyle replied that it was a shared law enforcement Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) system.

Commr. Campione asked what they would see.

Mr. Boyle said that they would see a picture of the vehicle and a picture of the license plate, and that it would tell them if this license plate was on a state or national hotlist and needed to be stopped for a reason that could include a warrant, a wanted person, a missing person, or a stolen vehicle.

Commr. Blake inquired if the cameras used still shots or video, and if they could search for a type and color of a vehicle.

Mr. Boyle answered that the cameras took still shots, not video, and that the vehicle could be searched for by type and color because it was registered through the vehicle identification number (VIN) through CARFAX reports, which contained data from the actual car, adding that they could not analyze video to find a car.

Commr. Blake questioned if the race and outfit of an individual could be searched if someone stepped out of their vehicle.

Mr. Boyle replied that there was no personal identifying data involved, and that the camera would not take a picture of anyone because by the time the vehicle stopped, it would be out of the reach of the LPR. He reiterated that it would only take a picture of the license plate and the vehicle and alert law enforcement that it was on a hotlist.

Commr. Smith asked if there was any difference between this system and a law enforcement officer running a tag.

Mr. Boyle said that there was not any difference, adding that it was making it more efficient through technology.

Commr. Parks inquired if it was similar to a toll booth camera, which took a picture of the back of the vehicle and the tag.

Mr. Boyle indicated that it was similar to the toll cameras, and said that it would take a still image of the vehicle and not anything surrounding it.

Commr. Parks clarified that a law enforcement officer would not go and use this system to find out what a private citizen was doing on a certain day.

Mr. Boyle relayed that this system was audited by Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), and that it was against policy to search without a case or without reason. He explained that a law enforcement officer would log into the program with a name and a signature and then input a case number, and that the officer would have to identify why they were searching. He commented that as it went through the system, FDLE would audit it to ensure that those searches were viable and that the system was being used correctly between every agency, noting that FDLE had full access of this program for auditing purposes. He opined that it was a good program because of the audit trail, and that there had been no issues with that.

Commr. Blake asked how often the audits took place.

Mr. Boyle replied that FDLE had a mandatory minimum of three years to go through the whole program, and that they had open access to the program every day as needed.

Commr. Blake opined that many issues could occur in three years, and stated that he would want there to be more regular audits than that.

Mr. Boyle commented that the law enforcement agency could audit it themselves, and anyone involved with agency management could audit the system as needed.

Commr. Smith questioned who would be alerted if the LPR identified a stolen car, and how that vehicle would be stopped if a law enforcement officer was 15 miles away.

Mr. Boyle explained that it would provide a be-on-the-lookout (BOLO) for that vehicle, and that even if law enforcement officers were 15 miles away, there were procedures they could implement, such as getting into position for the car to come through an intersection and taking measures to stop them. He elaborated that it would send a BOLO to every user and agency they had provided the system to, adding that this program could go on every laptop of every deputy or dispatch personnel depending on the agency’s use. He related that the agency would have to confirm the information, such as a stolen car, before the stop was attempted.

Sheriff Grinnell opined that it would be beneficial to have additional cameras, noting that if a vehicle passed several LPRs, it would aid the LCSO in obtaining the direction it was traveling.

Mr. Boyle remarked that even if the vehicle was not pulled over, it would be beneficial for investigative information. He opined that it would help prevent crime because stolen vehicles were sometimes used to commit crimes, such as homicides and burglaries, and that being able to alert these vehicles immediately to law enforcement was important for community safety.

Sheriff Grinnell related that he knew of several homeowners associations (HOAs) in Lake County who were purchasing these cameras on their own.

Commr. Shields mentioned that Sheriff Judd had said that this system had also helped them solve some crimes.

Mr. Boyle commented that he did not know of any counties in the state that did not have LPRs currently. He relayed that Lake County already had them, and that there was an opportunity to grow the system with the LCSO, opining that it would make the community safer.

Commr. Blake inquired how many cameras would his firm recommend for Lake County.

Mr. Boyle answered that he did not have a recommendation, and that it would be determined by what the Sheriff felt would be sufficient to prevent crime.

Sherriff Grinnell remarked that he would he would consult with the municipal police chiefs in a committee, and determine how to best capture criminals coming into this county. He opined that as large as this county was, he would need at least 100 cameras.

Commr. Campione asked if the municipal police departments would be involved with this program, such as the Clermont Police Department.

Sherriff Grinnell answered that they would all be involved, and stated that they had just opened a Real Time Crime Center. He related that the municipalities would be contributing officers to help staff that center, and that it would be a shared asset. He opined that if funding allowed, the municipalities would also participate in the LPR program, adding that the Clermont and Leesburg Police Departments were ready to go.

Commr. Blake questioned why those municipalities would need approval from the BCC, opining that they would need authorization from their own City councils for that; additionally, he had thought that the municipalities had some of this technology.

Mr. Boyle replied that they would need to use FDOT infrastructure and work alongside the traffic department, and that these municipalities wanted to be able to work in partnership with the LCSO.

Commr. Blake mentioned that HOAs and businesses could voluntarily give access to the LCSO to monitor their cameras without County involvement, and he opined that residents would not want a surveillance system in Lake County regardless of the benefits; additionally, he was opposed to surveillance cameras being distributed around Lake County.

Mr. Boyle stated that he had gone through technician training for FDOT to ensure that anything that Vetted Security Solutions ever installed was all by that standard, and that they had right of way approval. He commented that the systems they were working with currently had all been approved, and that they would never put cameras in a median or right of way without having approval from the County.

Commr. Smith asked what the cost would be, and if it was in the budget.

Mr. Boyle replied that there were different products available, and that it could range from $2,000 to $50,000 per intersection.

Sheriff Grinnell indicated that it was in the budget.

Commr. Blake inquired if that was for the equipment or for the subscription for the service.

Mr. Boyle answered that there were different subscription methods, and that they were still discussing that with the LCSO.

Commr. Blake questioned if the cameras would be solar powered with their own solar panels.

Mr. Boyle replied that there were different methods, and that some required constant power and others were solar powered.

Commr. Campione asked if only stolen vehicles would be alerted.

Mr. Boyle explained that anything that showed on the FCIC hotlist for Florida or the NCIC for the national hotlist would be alerted.

Sheriff Grinnell clarified that this included amber alerts, silver alerts, and wanted persons, and that the tag associated with the vehicle would be on a hotlist.

Commr. Campione opined that residents did not like red light cameras, and that there needed to be a valid law enforcement purpose for these cameras. She questioned what level a law enforcement matter had to be to get on the hotlist.

Mr. Boyle replied that it would include wanted persons, stolen vehicles, and high priority crimes, and that this program was to help law enforcement find people who were dangerous to the community, rather than to find expired tags.

Sheriff Grinnell commented that the LCSO had solved a homicide with the use of an LPR camera, and opined that it would not have been solved without it.

Commr. Blake remarked that there were good reasons to use this type of technology; however, the Board was tasked with also considering the reasons not to use this type of technology. He mentioned that there was a news article about a federal marshal who was using this type of technology to track an ex-girlfriend, and opined that it could be misused by other agencies.

Commr. Parks commented that when he rode along with law enforcement, there were BOLOs on the screen, and that this system would give nothing more than what was already available.

Mr. Boyle explained that they would be alerted on whatever their hotlist was set to, and that there were specific hotlists depending on the agency’s setting, adding that this system made it more efficient.

Sheriff Grinnell remarked that currently, a law enforcement officer could run tags for any vehicle if they had the time.

Commr. Smith commented that a red light camera system would send a person a ticket without knowing who was in the vehicle, and that this system required law enforcement to stop the vehicle and approach the person before anything was done.

Mr. Boyle indicated that this was correct, and added that a red light camera was a revenue generating product, while their product was a crime prevention product.

Commr. Campione inquired if the County would have any formal arrangement to outline what the hotlist parameters were in Lake County as assurance that it would not be used for other purposes, and if the audit would show every time that this was used.

Mr. Boyle replied that the login was a person’s fingerprint, and that FDLE could see every search a person had done and every search an agency manager had looked at, noting that every click and move inside the system was audited.

Commr. Campione relayed her understanding that if there was an abuse of the system, it would be visible.

Sheriff Grinnell commented that the LCSO had arrested one of their own employees for doing that, and that it had been discovered in an audit.

Commr. Smith asked for an example of a hotlist and how they obtained information about stolen vehicles.

Mr. Boyle explained that every agency reported daily to FCIC and NCIC hotlists, and that they were generated for every agency to see.

The Chairman opened the floor for public comment.

Ms. Shonda Bernard, a resident of Lake County, expressed concern about crime in her community, such as killings, shootings, speeding, and drug activity, opining that most of these crimes were unsolved. She opined that many residents lived in fear for their children, families, and friends, and that they wanted change for the Montclair community. She related that the previous Sunday, there was a shooting in her neighborhood while the children were outside playing on the bicycle trail, and that conditions were worsening there. She mentioned that she was a landlord, and relayed her understanding that her tenants were afraid to leave their children in their room to sleep at night. She expressed concern about block parties, strangers coming into the neighborhood, and people dumping garbage, and said that she had attended the meeting to speak for people who were afraid to speak up for themselves. She opined that the cameras would make a difference in her community because there were many issues and crimes that were not being solved there currently, and she asked the BCC to approve the cameras to help her community.

Ms. Aricka Feldman, a resident of Lake County, stated that on July 26, 2021, her home had been burglarized while she and her husband were at work, and she related the events of that day. She commented that due to the credit cards being used, surveillance footage was obtained to see one of the individuals involved in the burglary, and she relayed her understanding that the LPRs were then used to track the vehicle and individuals from Lake County to Volusia County where they were caught. She opined that if it had not been for the LPRs that were in the two counties, the individuals who burglarized her home would likely not have been caught. She mentioned that they had been arrested within three days of the burglary, and that the stolen items were recovered in a storage facility. She said that in this case, using the LPRs helped the LCSO arrest these individuals, and she thanked them for restoring some sense of security to her and her family.

There being no one else who wished to address the Board regarding this matter, the Chairman closed the floor for public comment.

Commr. Parks inquired what the action request was for the current item.

Ms. Marsh replied that this item was on the agenda only as a presentation, noting that per an ordinance passed October 2021, the LCSO would need to file an application and provide the information that the code requested. She explained that this item would come back to the BCC for a final vote, and if approved, they would need to apply for a right of way utilization permit for each location they were going to place the cameras.

Commr. Campione opined that the LCSO could begin the process to obtain a right of way utilization permit concurrently while waiting for Board approval.

Sheriff Grinnell said that he would like approval before going through the whole process, which was staff intensive, and that there would have to be committee meetings between the LCSO and the other agencies to strategically place the cameras around the county.

Commr. Parks and Commissioner Shields expressed their support for the LPRs.

Ms. Marsh stated that the Board could not vote on it on the current day because it was not on the agenda for that purpose, and that the application would ask for technical capabilities of the equipment, the number of devices, the proposed locations for the devices, an explanation of why they could not be on private property, and a detailed description of the reason for and purpose behind them, which was what they had presented. She commented that once they had provided that information, it would be scheduled for the next available BCC meeting.

Commr. Campione asked if a right of way utilization permit was required for each location.

Ms. Marsh relayed her understanding that the Public Works Department could use one application with a list of locations included.

Commr. Campione mentioned that it would become a public record, and she inquired if that would be an issue.

Ms. Marsh explained that there were security exemptions in the public records law that allowed them to not disclose those records.

Commr. Blake opined that the cameras would be obvious, and he asked if there would also be hidden cameras.

Mr. Boyle replied that it depended on installation, and that they did not want them to be obtrusive, adding that it could vary from intersection to intersection.

Commr. Blake opined that surveillance cameras had been an issue in the previous year, and that the residents of Lake County were firmly opposed to them. He mentioned that instead of a network of cameras installed across Lake County, a landlord could voluntarily have those systems in place and give access to the LCSO. He said that any subscribing agency across the country had access to the system, opining that a hotlist could be manipulated or abused by a federal agency, and that they could obtain access to Lake County residents. He opined that the risks outweighed the short term benefits, and that this opinion was shared by many of the voters who had elected the Board.

Sheriff Grinnell opined that to not allow these cameras would be a disservice to the citizens. He stated that he spoke to the residents monthly in their communities, opining that they wanted law enforcement to keep the quality of life great in this county; furthermore, he opined that having this system would be like having a deputy sheriff at every intersection. He related that the LCSO staff was stretched thin with 1,156 square miles and about 400,000 residents to protect, and that the technology was there to help. He pointed out that there were cameras everywhere, and that there was no expectation of privacy on road right of way. He stated that the LCSO was not going to be utilizing these cameras for any other reason than to keep citizens safe and to solve crimes.

Commr. Campione relayed her understanding that the ordinance that the BCC would approve could be revoked, and that if there was an abuse, there could be a provision to allow the Board to revoke the ordinance.

Sheriff Grinnell remarked that if there was an abuse, someone would go to jail, reiterating that the LCSO had previously arrested an employee for utilizing the system inappropriately. He commented that he was unable to guarantee that someone would not do something wrong; however, there were procedures in place to minimize that, and they took that seriously.

Commr. Campione questioned if it could attract more criminals to this county if the surrounding counties had these cameras and Lake County did not, and said that it was something to think about from a practical standpoint. She commented that it would be interesting to see if people would come out and voice their concerns, and opined that once the facts were presented, residents would not be opposed. She recalled that the issue with the cameras from the previous year was because it was done without knowledge or permission.

Commr. Blake remarked that he did not want infrastructure installed that could be turned against law abiding people.

Commr. Smith commented that the Board could not regulate everything, and that when driving to the City of Orlando, a license plate would be read; furthermore, there were procedures in place to stop misuse. He relayed that he saw LPRs as a benefit for Lake County, and that he supported it.

Commr. Blake opined that Lake County residents who did not want to have their license plates read could choose not to go to the City of Orlando, and that once there were 100 cameras installed across the county, it would not be easy to remove them.

Commr. Smith recalled that in the previous year, cameras showed up without the knowledge of the Board.

Mr. Boyle commented that this had been done by a private company who moved forward without the correct process; however, he had come in partnership with the LCSO before the Board for approval.

Commr. Parks said that it was important to have checks and balances, such as the permitting process for the right of way and the audit, and he opined that this would reduce crime. He reiterated that it would not be different from a law enforcement officer reading license plates, and that it would be a camera that would only alert to what was already on a hotlist.

Sheriff Grinnell opined that this would save lives and reduce crime.

Mr. Boyle explained that there was no identifying data behind it, and that it was different than the traffic light cameras and other types of cameras.

Commr. Blake asked if the Board could put a condition on an ordinance to have a more regular audit.

Ms. Marsh replied that once it came to the Board for approval, that condition could be added.

Commr. Blake commented that if it was going to be an eventuality, he would feel more comfortable if it was checked more often than every three years, such as an annual audit.

Commr. Campione opined that Sheriff Grinnell would be in favor of that, and that he might check it more often. She opined that this program could also help with human trafficking issues, adding that she would support it with the parameters that were mentioned.

Commr. Parks mentioned that there were at least four Commissioners in support of the program, and that they could move forward.

Ms. Barker stated that staff could provide them with the application, and if they could email it back by the following Friday, it could be placed on the August 23, 2022 BCC meeting agenda.

Commr. Smith expressed appreciation for the law enforcement officers’ hard work.

commissioner’s boards and committees updATE

Commr. Shields reported on the Arts and Cultural Alliance meeting on the previous day, and said that various City representatives and others updated each other on what was happening on their calendars relating to the arts, adding that they wanted to publish a calendar integrated with other tourist related events.

Commr. Smith reported on the Early Learning Coalition meeting, and commented that it they were doing good work.

Commr. Campione reported on a meeting with the City Managers of Mount Dora and Tavares along with Congressman Daniel Webster to discuss the Wekiva Trail and to ask for Congressman Webster’s support regarding a grant. She also reported on a meeting regarding Lake Yale and a potential alum treatment, adding that there were some Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) rules that would not allow it because of the way they were being interpreted, and that they were seeking a different interpretation or a rule change. She mentioned that there had been a Wekiva Wild and Scenic River Advisory Committee meeting, and that Mr. Steve Crawford from the Lake County Water Authority (LCWA) had agreed to represent Lake County regarding the technical aspects of the water quality issues in the Wekiva River Basin. She commented that there had been an Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC) meeting, and that the Local Housing Assistance Plan (LHAP) public hearing had been on July 25, 2022. She related that there had been a Parks and Trails Advisory Committee meeting with a large agenda including a trail update, a park update, a presentation by the City of Fruitland Park, and a presentation and discussion about pickleball at Palatlakaha Environmental and Agricultural Reserve (PEAR) Park, and that there was a group there supporting a partnership with Lake Sumter State College (LSSC) to provide more pickleball courts where their tennis courts were located, opining that there could be an opportunity for the Tourism Development Council (TDC) to provide funding. She said that she had attended a meeting regarding the Wolf Branch Innovation District, and that there were some collaboration opportunities with the City of Mount Dora. She related that there were issues with transportation and Round Lake Elementary School where parents dropped off and picked up students, and that there could be an opportunity to create part of a collector road that would allow traffic to get off of Round Lake Road and stack on the school property; additionally, it could serve the purpose of being the first part of a collector road system that was already in the Wolf Branch Innovation District concept plan.

Commr. Parks reported on the Keep Lake Beautiful Advisory Committee meeting, and commented that they were accepting $1,000 donations. He commented that it was a good organization that organized cleanups, provided education, and promoted policies that would keep Lake County beautiful, and he pointed out that they were expanding a partnership with University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) to promote the continued education about property management practices, such as fertilizing and using appropriate plants. He mentioned that Lake County was the first county to be an America in Bloom community, opining that it could provide some good recognition for the county.

recess and reassembly

The Chairman called a recess at 10:30 a.m. for 10 minutes.

Minutes approval

On a motion by Commr. Campione, seconded by Commr. Shields and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved the minutes for the BCC meetings of June 14, 2022 (Regular Meeting) and June 28, 2022 (Regular Meeting) as presented.

citizen question and comment period

Ms. Kim Cronin, a resident of Lake County, commented that she had moved to Lake County in 1988 and built a home on her property, and that now she was surrounded by subdivisions. She mentioned that she had thought she would never sell her property, and that it would be in her family forever; however, she was going to sell her property, opining that the development would not stop.

Ms. Deborah Shelley, a resident of the Town of Howey-in-the-Hills, mentioned that there were three families who were moving because they wanted to live in a rural area, opining that this area was not rural anymore, and expressed appreciation for the efforts of the County to protect the rural areas. She related that she was there on behalf of the residents and the community in the Yalaha-Lake Apopka Rural Protection Area (RPA), and that she and her neighbors had conducted an email campaign recently and hoped the Board had received their comments and understood their concerns. She displayed a map of the RPA, and opined that the City of Leesburg was expanding to the right, the Town of Howey-in-the- Hills was expanding to the left, and the City of Groveland had annexed everything to its north, adding that some of those parcels were now being reviewed for development. She relayed her understanding that the RPA was close to United States (U.S.) Highway 27, which was an important economic corridor for the City of Leesburg, and that it was also very close to the Christopher C. Ford Commerce Park, which had also brought growth. She opined that there was pressure to develop in this area, and said that even though they were not opposed to development, they would like to see more reasonable densities in the RPA. She requested that the County would consider amending the boundaries of the interlocal service boundary agreements (ISBAs) so that the RPA was not included in any boundary, opining that an ordinance would not stand up to annexation. She opined that amending the boundary would demonstrate recognition on the issues, and that it would bring more attention and focus to the RPAs.

Ms. Christina Susewitt, a resident of the City of Eustis, commented that she supported the grant adjustment for the Mobile Crisis Response Service, moving it from the City of Groveland to the City of Eustis. She relayed her understanding that Seminole County had provided $6 million in behavioral health initiatives through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, with another $3 million being provided by the Cities, and that because of mobile service units, there had been a decrease in Baker Acts, risk protection orders, suicides, attempted suicides, and arrests of individuals with mental health issues. She opined that legislation from 2012 allowed for the North Lake County Hospital District (NLCHD) Board to contract with the BCC for services performed for the district by personnel employed by the County. She explained that County staff could serve as a link between police services and LifeStream Behavioral Center, opining that half of their patients were indigent, and that this was a good opportunity to partner with the NLCHD and to share costs.

Mr. Gary La Venia, Fruitland Park City Manager, stated that he had come to discuss the Northwest Lake Community Park, and he thanked the Board for the park, opining that it had been a good partnership. He commented that in the current year, the City was installing new bathrooms, and that in the following year, the City would like to finish the concrete work for sidewalks and curbing. He mentioned that they also wanted to add water fountains, covers over the bleachers, and a permanent storage shed for the maintenance equipment, and that if there was funding left over, they would like to install safety crosswalks with lighting going from the baseball fields to the soccer fields. He asked for $100,000 from the County, and said that the City would also be contributing to the funding of these improvements. He expressed appreciation for all that the County had done over the previous four years to invest in this park, and opined that it had been a great success for Lake County and for the City of Fruitland Park.

Commr. Blake expressed support for the request, and said that this area was not served by a regional park, and that there had been much done for the amount of money invested. He commented that it was over-utilized, and that the county benefitted greatly from these small investments, pointing out that it was one of the larger parks in the area.

Commr. Parks opined that it should not be an issue for the budget.

Ms. Barker related that it was going to be included in the presentation for the Infrastructure Sales Tax on the current day.

Commr. Parks commented that the park was widely used and needed. He mentioned that he had a call with the City of Fruitland Park coming up relating the countywide planning meeting, and that most of the Cities he had met with had indicated that they would be supportive of joint planning agreements between them and the County. He relayed that this meeting was a follow-up from the joint meeting with the Cities which was held on February 7, 2022, and that it would be held during the last week of September 2022 in order to address growth issues.

CLERK OF the Circuit COURT and comptroller’s CONSENT AGENDA

On a motion by Commr. Smith, seconded by Commr. Blake and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller’s Consent Agenda, Items 1 and 2, as follows:

List of Warrants

Notice is hereby provided 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.

City of Mount Dora Ordinance

Notice is hereby provided of having received Annexation Ordinance 2022-39 from the City of Mount Dora.

COUNTY MANAGER’S CONSENT AGENDA

On a motion by Commr. Smith, seconded by Commr. Blake and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved the Consent Agenda, Tabs 3 through 24, with the addition of Tab 32, as follows:

COUNTY ATTORNEY

Recommend approval of Temporary Access and Utility Easement to the City of Leesburg for Fire Station 71 in Bassville Park. There is no fiscal impact. Commission District 3.

Recommend approval to accept an Offer to Purchase on Alternate Key 2569557 and authorize the Chairman to execute any necessary closing documents. The fiscal impact is $1,000 (revenue). Commission District 5.

Recommend approval of Resolution 2022-78 regarding Disposition of County Property for Affordable Housing and Inventory of County-Owned Property. There is no fiscal impact.

COUNTY MANAGER

Recommend approval to hold a special meeting on November 22, 2022 for the County Commission District 2 and District 4 Investiture Ceremony.

ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES

Management and Budget

Recommend approval of seven resolutions providing for certification of the non-ad valorem assessment rolls for the Greater Groves Municipal Services Benefit Unit (Resolution 2022-79), Greater Hills Municipal Services Benefit Unit (Resolution 2022-80), Greater Pines Municipal Services Benefit Unit (Resolution 2022-81), Picciola Island Subdivision (Resolution 2022-82), Sylvan Shores Subdivision (Resolution 2022-83), Valencia Terrace Subdivision (Resolution 2022-84) and Village Green Subdivision (Resolution 2022-85) for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2022.

The total estimated amount to be collected for these MSBUs is $949,055.60.

Recommend approval:

1. Of unanticipated revenue Resolution 2022-86 amending the Fiscal Year 2022 General Fund budget by $23,750 for receipt of funds from Mascotte Charter School for School Resource Deputies;

2. To increase the Fiscal Year 2022 transfer from the General Fund to the Lake County Sheriff by $23,750 for these services.

The total fiscal impact is $23,750 (revenue/expenditure).

PUBLIC SERVICES AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Facilities Management

Recommend approval:

1. Of Contract 22-453 with Advanced Pressure Cleaning, LLC (Apopka, FL) for pressure washing services; and

2. To authorize the Office of Procurement Services to execute all supporting documentation.

The estimated annual fiscal impact is $140,000 (expenditure) and is within, and will not exceed, the Fiscal Year Budget.

Recommend approval:

1. Of Contract 22-932 for the Collection of Solid Waste from County Facilities to Waste Pro of Florida, Inc. (Longwood, FL); and

2. To authorize the Office of Procurement Services to execute all supporting documentation.

The fiscal impact is $87,819.48 (expenditure) and is within, and will not exceed, the Fiscal Year Budget.

Housing and Community Services

Recommend approval of the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee Incentive Plan Report recommendations. There is no fiscal impact.

Recommend approval of the Civil Rights Certification for Qualified Public Housing Agencies (PHA's), and authorize the Chairman to execute the Annual Certification.

Recommend approval of Fiscal Year 2022-23 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Proposed Projects and Annual Action Plan and approval for County Manager to execute CDBG documents for Fiscal Year 2022-23 Annual Action Plan. The fiscal impact for Fiscal Year 2022-23 is $1,449,875 for CDBG Projects and $647,195 for the HOME program (revenue/expense - 100 percent grant funded).

Public Works

Recommend approval:

1. Of the purchase of one John Deere front end loader at end of lease for a total cost of $134,600; and

2. A budget transfer of $134,600 from Solid Waste Landfill Operations-Astatula Outside Disposal to Capital Expenditure-Machine and Equipment-County Maintained, for the requested equipment.

The fiscal impact is $134,600 (expenditure).

Recommend approval:

1. Of Contracts 21-0940A, 21-0940B, and 21-0940C for transportation and traffic engineering services on an as-needed basis to Metric Engineering, Inc. (Lake Mary, FL), Traffic Engineering Data Solutions, Inc. (DeBary, FL), and W.E. Oliver, P.E., LLC (Tampa, FL); and

2. To authorize the Office of Procurement Services to execute all supporting documentation.

The annual fiscal impact is estimated at $135,000 (expenditure) and is within, and will not exceed, the Fiscal Year Budget.

Recommend approval and execution of a Subordination of Utility Interest Agreement which provides for the City of Minneola to subordinate to the interests of Lake County along portions of the proposed Citrus Grove Road extension, for the construction of Citrus Grove Road Phase 4. The fiscal impact is $341.50 (expenditure-recording fees) and is within, and will not exceed, the Fiscal Year 2022 Budget. Commission District 2.

Recommend adoption of Resolution 2022-87 to post a “No Trucks Over 10 Tons Local Delivery Exempt” sign on Lona Street in the Tavares area.

The fiscal impact is estimated at $300 (expenditure – sign materials) and is within, and will not exceed, the Fiscal Year 2022 Budget. Commission District 3.

Recommend adoption of Resolution 2022-88 to post "No Parking No Stopping No Standing Any Time" signs on Hancock Road between Clearview Street and the entrance to Windy Hill Middle School in the Clermont area.

The fiscal impact is estimated at $500 (expenditure – sign materials) and is within, and will not exceed, the Fiscal Year 2022 Budget. Commission District 2.

Recommend adoption of Resolution 2022-89 to install stop signs and all-way plaques on Green Valley Boulevard at Green Valley Country Club driveway in the Clermont area. The fiscal impact is estimated at $100 (expenditure – sign materials) and is within, and will not exceed, the Fiscal Year 2022 Budget. Commission District 1.

Recommend adoption of two resolutions establishing speed limits of 25 MPH on Triple E Road, Bridges Glen Lane, Bridgedale Court, Grace Ridge Road and Hunters Trace Lane, in the Clermont/Ferndale area (Resolution 2022-90) and 25 MPH on Reedy Road, in the Eustis area (Resolution 2022-91).

The fiscal impact is estimated at $800 (expenditure - sign materials) and is within, and will not exceed, the Fiscal Year 2022 Budget. Commission Districts 2 and 4.

Recommend adoption of Resolution 2022-92 providing for certification of the assessment roll for the Special Assessment for the paving, grading, curbing, and drainage of Granville Avenue in Lake County. There is no fiscal impact. Commission District 2.

Recommend adoption of Resolution 2022-93 providing for certification of the assessment roll for the Special Assessment for the paving, grading, curbing, and drainage of Colley Drive in Lake County. There is no fiscal impact. Commission District 3.

Recommend adoption of Resolution 2022-94 providing for certification of the assessment roll for the Special Assessment for the paving, grading, curbing, and drainage of Firethorn Road in Lake County. There is no fiscal impact. Commission District 4.

Transit Services

Recommend approval of Resolution 2022-95 for the Board of County Commissioners to continue as the Community Transportation Coordinator (CTC) for Lake County, Florida. There is no fiscal impact.

Recommend approval of Lease Agreement between Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and Lake County for property located at 1995 US Highway 27, in Clermont (a/k/a the Clermont Park and Ride). There is no fiscal impact. Commission District 2.

mobile crisis response service grant adjustment modification

Mr. Tony Deaton, Director for the Office of County Probation, presented an update of the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Mobile Crisis Response Service Grant progress and the action steps needed to facilitate the fourth grant adjustment modification (GAM). He stated that the partners in this grant included the following: Chief Craig Capri, with the Eustis Police Department; Corporal Philip Pollen, with the Clermont Police Department; Ms. Karen Rogers, Vice President with LifeStream Behavioral Center; and Mr. Travis Price, with LifeStream Behavioral Center, who was the Program Services Manager with the mobile crisis intervention response team. He recalled that in April 2015, the BCC applied for funding through a grant from the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program, and that the intent was to subcontract with LifeStream as a provider of services to create a co-responder team comprised of a law enforcement officer and a mental health professional to respond to mental health related calls. He commented that the goal was to improve public safety by connecting people with behavioral health needs to treatment that supported diverting them from incarceration when appropriate, and that it was designed to help with public safety, connect individuals to programs that worked, and reduce costs to the criminal justice system by unnecessarily enmeshing mentally ill individuals in the jail system. He explained that the grant was awarded in October 2015 and provided $250,000 over a three year period ending September 30, 2018, and that LifeStream committed to provide a 20 percent match through in-kind contributions. He mentioned that the LCSO was the intended law enforcement agency with South Lake County as the target area; however, due to logistical and other concerns, the LCSO was unable to implement the program. He commented that the Clermont Police Department volunteered to take part in 2017 as the law enforcement agency partner and was approved by the Board and the BJA, and that the program operated in the City of Clermont with a counselor embedded in the Clermont Police Department working together in the community oriented policing program.

Ms. Rogers related that in May 2018, the Board applied for an implementation and expansion grant through the BJA to continue and expand the Mental Health Collaboration Program, and in October 2018, a $600,000 expansion grant was awarded to Lake County with a grant period from January 1, 2019 through December 31, 2021. She commented that the program was extended for an additional year as a result of challenges from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, noting that from March to June 2020, the Clermont Police Department’s Mobile Crisis Response services were temporarily stopped due to the COVID-19 outbreak, and their counselor was not able to continue to participate on site as a result of limiting people coming into the department. She relayed that in August 2020, the first GAM was submitted from the County to the BJA requesting to add the Groveland Police Department as part of the expansion and to replace the LCSO as the law enforcement partner, and that in October 2020, the Groveland Police Department signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) as the law enforcement partner. She mentioned that due to staffing shortages and an inability to hire a mental health professional, the Groveland Police Department withdrew from participation, and in April 2021, the first modification of partnership with the GAM was denied by the BJA. She commented in October 2021, the second GAM was submitted, and the one year grant extension period was awarded to extend from December 31, 2021 to December 31, 2022, noting that they were able to carry the money over and continue to draw those grant funds down. She stated that in March 2022, they had a third GAM with the Eustis Police Department who signed an MOU as the law enforcement partner with Mobile Crisis Response Service in place of Groveland Police Department, and that this GAM was denied by BJA pending further demonstration of support by the Board. She mentioned that they were requesting another GAM, and that they were looking forward to that approval in order to continue the project. She related that through LifeStream, they were able to apply for another grant program, the Connect and Protect grant, and that they were waiting for approval; additionally, they were also working with Lutheran Services Florida and other co-responder programs that have been implemented in the Central Florida area. She stated that they had increased the number of law enforcement officers receiving Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training to 350 officers, and that an additional 48 officers had completed a CIT refresher course since 2017, noting that 64 CIT officers had responded to initial calls. She mentioned that they had provided to the Clermont Police Department the assessment and screening of individuals involved in mental health related calls to allow for the provision of appropriate services to those with behavioral health crises in the City of Clermont area, which included the following: 631 referrals to the Mobile Crisis Response Service program since data tracking began in 2019, consisting of about 517 adults and 112 youth; and 193 individuals having received services, such as assessments, outgoing referrals, and/or case planning. She commented that they were meeting individuals where they were when they were in behavioral health crises and preventing those crises from escalating or resulting in arrests or Baker Acts, and that they followed up with those individuals to ensure that the crises were resolved and that the services that they needed were secured. She said that other accomplishments included the following: improved community relations for both the law enforcement agency and LifeStream in the South Lake area; follow-up to individuals post Baker Act to assess needs and provide support to reduce recidivism and the need for hospital care or incarceration; participation in community staffing for appropriate interventions to reduce law enforcement encounters with individuals identified as having high mental health needs and risks; and the furthering of the Board’s Public Safety Coordinating Council subcommittee efforts to achieve strategic goals.

Mr. Deaton remarked that this grant was awarded for three years for the amount of $600,000 with over $150,000 from a 20 percent match from LifeStream through cash and in-kind contributions, and that currently, they had expended $445,093, leaving about $154,907 that had to be expended by December 31, 2022. He commented that they wanted to provide this update to the BCC to increase awareness of their current situation and of the plan moving forward; furthermore, the BJA had requested participation of a County Commissioner on the monthly technical assistance call, noting that Commissioner Parks and Commissioner Blake had previously participated. He said that they supported the participation of the Eustis Police Department by highlighting this program at the Lake County Public Safety Coordinating Council’s (PSCC) quarterly meetings, and that they would include them in their strategic planning initiatives. He mentioned that they were providing support to LifeStream to fill vacant clinician positions by linking LifeStream’s job openings on the County’s website and connecting LifeStream to the Lake County Workforce Taskforce, which was organized by the Office of Elevate Lake. He related that they also provided County staff for participation in LifeStream’s “Creating Caring Communities Recovery Oriented System of Care” community events, noting that their first event was held in the City of Minneola, and that their next event would be held in the City of Eustis in support of this initiative by increasing community awareness and participation; furthermore, they would assist LifeStream with any necessary coordination of program evaluation. He stated that the action request for the Board included the following: to approve the recommended fourth GAM for submission to the BJA; to designate the Eustis Police Department as the participating law enforcement agency; to modify the educational requirements of the mental health clinician to include a bachelor’s degree in the Human Services field with a master’s degree preferred, as it currently excluded Bachelor level participation for applicants; and to authorize the County Manager to apply for the next GAM to extend the grant from December 31, 2022 to December 31, 2023.

Ms. Marsh pointed out that the last request for the County Manager to apply for the next GAM was not listed on the published agenda required action, and that the Board would not be able to vote on that item on the current day. She related that if approval was needed for that, it could be brought back on a future agenda, noting that the County Manager did have the authority under some recent policy amendments to apply for grants without Board approval.

Commr. Parks expressed appreciation for Mr. Deaton, and opined that the CIT program had worked well for the City of Clermont.

Commr. Campione opined that it had been a great program, and that there were many needs in the City of Eustis, such as mental health issues and homelessness. She hoped that there would be coordination for the various other needs, and said that she was glad to see that they were transitioning and working out of the City of Eustis.

On a motion by Commr. Campione, seconded by Commr. Smith and carried by a vote of 4-0, the Board approved to authorize the Chairman to send a letter requesting a Grant Adjustment Modification (GAM) for the Mobile Crisis Response Service to allow for the following: substitution of the Eustis Police Department for the Groveland Police Department; and modification of the behavioral health professional's credentials.

Commr. Blake was not present for the vote.

presentation on FY 2023 Infrastructure Sales Tax Projects

Ms. Allison Teslia, Director for the Office of Management and Budget, presented the five year proposed plan for the Infrastructure Sales Tax, noting that the extension of Infrastructure Sales Tax was approved by the voters in November 2015. She related that the term of the levy was from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2032, and that it was distributed evenly among the County, the School Board, and all the municipalities. She explained that the referendum included the following categories: public safety, which included law enforcement vehicles, fire trucks and ambulances, and public safety equipment; quality of life, which included parks, trails, recreation, and libraries; public works, which included roads, sidewalks, transportation, water quality, utilities, and drainage improvements; and other public infrastructure. She relayed that the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 revenue projections carried forward about $3 million from FY 2022 due to revenues that came in higher than what was projected in the previous year as well as utilization of the vehicle sales proceeds from the Enterprise Lease Vehicle program, which was about $382,000, and that they were projecting a three percent increase for each year beginning in FY 2024. She displayed a list of the major projects that were currently in progress that will be carried forward into FY 2023, and said that several projects reflected a $0 balance in new funding for FY 2023 because they were continuing to work on those projects. She then displayed a chart of the projected five year plan for the public safety category, and stated that there was about $6.3 million allocated towards public safety projects with about $29.3 million allocated in the five year plan, which included a $1.6 million request from the LCSO for security system upgrades in FY 2023. She commented that the quality of life projects included library building renovations, regional parks, and trail improvements, such as the South Lake Regional Park, the East Lake Sports and Community Complex, the Golden Triangle Regional Park, PEAR Park, the Minneola Athletic Complex, the Northwest Lake Community Park, and the Neighborhood Lakes Trailhead, noting that the total allocation in FY 2023 for quality of life projects was about $5.1 million with $33.9 million allocated in the five year plan. She related that the total allocation in FY 2023 for the public works category was about $7.9 million with about $33 million included in the five year plan, and that for the other public infrastructure category, there was about $1.3 million in FY 2023 and $5.6 million in the five year plan for various projects, such as capital building renovations, IT enhancements, and fleet equipment; additionally, under debt service, there was $2.3 million allocated in FY 2023 with $11.4 million allocated in the five year plan. She commented that the public hearing for the FY 2023 Infrastructure Sales Tax project plan would be on August 23, 2022, the first budget public hearing would be on September 13, 2022, and the final budget public hearing would be on September 27, 2022. She mentioned that they had received a request to partner with the LSSC for the development and construction of four pickleball courts and two shade structures at the Leesburg Campus, with an estimated cost of between $450,000 and $500,000, which would be built in phases should the County decide to partner with them.

Commr. Parks pointed out that it was important to focus on what was on the list and not the amount it cost. He relayed his understanding that the amounts would be addressed later, and that funds could be moved at any point during the year.

Ms. Barker remarked that the Board was approving the project list, and said that as long as a project was on the list, funds could be shifted if the priorities changed.

Commr. Parks expressed concern about the age of the Lake County Historic Courthouse, noting that it was the responsibility of the BCC, and he inquired what future planning would be required to make it last another 100 years.

Ms. Barker replied that Mr. Sean Beaudet, Grants Coordinator for the Office of Management and Budget, had been researching grants for historic buildings that could possibly be used to fund some of the repairs needed for the Historic Courthouse.

Commr. Parks mentioned that it was an item that could be added to the Infrastructure Sales Tax list with a $0 balance because it was a priority, but that it could wait until the possibility of a grant could be explored.

Commr. Campione asked if it was on the list.

Ms. Barker answered that it was not on the list, but that there was a capital building renovations item.

Ms. Marsh indicated that it would be included in that category.

public hearing: resolution 2022-96 vacate a platted right of way

Mr. Fred Schneider, Assistant County Manager, stated that this was a vacation petition public hearing, and that the applicants were Ms. Joyce Gossett and Mr. Duane Gossett, owners of Peninsula Trucking, Inc., being represented by Mr. Timothy Hoban, Attorney at Law. He explained that the proposed vacation was located in the Sorrento area in Commission District 4, and that it was located north of Sorrento Avenue and west of County Road (CR) 437. He displayed a map showing an area which had been platted many years prior as Prairie Avenue, and he related that the request was to vacate because there was an existing building and parking lot in that public right of way. He mentioned that there were no letters of support or objection, and that the County was going to retain 50 feet from centerline of CR 437 for right of way. He commented that there was a unity of title provided for this property and the surrounding lots, ensuring that there would not be any parcels adjacent to the area without legal access. He stated that when the utility companies were notified, there were no issues, and that staff recommended approval of the request.

Mr. Hoban remarked that everything Mr. Schneider said was correct, and that they agreed with him.

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. Smith, seconded by Commr. Campione and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved the adoption of Resolution 2022-96 to vacate a platted right of way in the Sorrento area.

public hearing: Ordinance 2022-37 lake county water district

Ms. Melanie Marsh, County Attorney, placed the proposed ordinance on the floor for reading by title only as follows:

AN ORDINANCE OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF LAKE COUNTY, FLORIDA; AMENDING CHAPTER 24, LAKE COUNTY CODE, ENTITLED LAKE COUNTY WATER DISTRICT; RENAMING THE DISTRICT TO THE LAKE COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY; AMENDING MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR INCLUSION IN THE CODE; PROVIDING FOR FILING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE; AND PROVIDING FOR 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. Shields, seconded by Commr. Blake and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved the adoption and execution of Ordinance 2022-37 amending Chapter 24, Lake County Code, entitled Lake County Water District, renaming the District to the Lake County Water Authority, and amending the membership requirements to allow the appointment of members without regard to district residency.

other business

appointments to the Lake County WAter authority Board

Commr. Parks commented that this was a request to approve appointments to the LCWA with the approval of applicable waivers, and that only five members may be appointed from the following applicant list. He said that the Board would vote for one individual per Commission District, and that there would be a separate motion for each one.

Commr. Blake relayed his understanding that there were now two applicants for District 4 and one for District 5, noting that Mr. Robert Hendrick and Mr. Richard Donohue were both from District 4.

Ms. Barker indicated that this was correct, and noted that this was adjusted during the agenda update on the current day.

Commr. Smith inquired which Board members would be appointed to serve for four years, and who would be appointed for two years.

Ms. Marsh relayed her understanding that the ordinance designated the specific districts.

Commr. Parks said that he would support the nominee of the district Commissioner for the appointment.

On a motion by Commr. Shields, seconded by Commr. Smith and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved to appoint Mr. Marty Proctor for District 1.

On a motion by Commr. Shields, seconded by Commr. Campione and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved to appoint Mr. Joseph Bonjorn for District 2.

On a motion by Commr. Smith, seconded by Commr. Blake and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved to appoint Ms. Kristan Zenishek for District 3.

On a motion by Commr. Campione, seconded by Commr. Smith and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved to appoint Mr. Robert Hendrick for District 4.

Commr. Blake made a motion to appoint Ms. Courtney Stokes for District 5, and Commissioner Shields seconded the motion.

Commr. Smith mentioned that Ms. Stokes’ elected appointment would expire on the current year, and that Mr. Donohue currently had three years left on his elected term.

Commr. Blake commented that Mr. Donohue resided in District 4.

Commr. Smith remarked that a waiver could be obtained, and that if this change had not happened, he would have been on the Board until his term was over.

Commr. Blake stated that he would respect what the majority of the Board wanted to do, and noted that Ms. Stokes was the Chairman and had rank.

Commr. Parks said that he would support the nominee of the district Commissioner, and he asked if Ms. Stokes would have to be reappointed at the end of her term since she only had one year left.

Ms. Marsh explained that their elected terms were not relevant to the current day’s appointments, adding that the ordinance did not specify the duration of the terms. She recommended that Districts 1, 3, and 5 would be four years or two years, and then Districts 2 and 4 would be the opposite.

Commr. Campione commented that there could be a coin flip, or the Board could give the shorter term to Districts 1, 3, and 5.

Ms. Marsh said that it could be determined individually, and that there needed to be some division, such as two members to serve two years and three members to serve four years, adding that the Board could choose whatever seemed appropriate.

Commr. Blake withdrew his motion.

On a motion by Commr. Campione, seconded by Commr. Smith and carried by a vote of 4-1, the Board approved to appoint Mr. Richard Donohue and waiver for District 5.

Commr. Blake voted no.

Ms. Marsh stated that three of the new appointees would need to be designated to have four year terms, and that the remaining two would be two year terms.

Commr. Smith suggested that the Board could do a coin flip.

Commr. Campione mentioned that for the BCC, Districts 2 and 4 currently had four year terms, and that Districts 1, 3, and 5 had two year terms, opining that it could be done that way.

Ms. Marsh clarified that Districts 2 and 4 would be four year terms, and that the remaining districts would be two year terms.

On a motion by Commr. Campione, seconded by Commr. Smith and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved to set the terms for the current appointments to be two years for Districts 1, 3, and 5 and four years for Districts 2 and 4.

commissioners reports

commissioner shields – district 1

2022 USRowing Masters National Championships

Commr. Shields mentioned that he would be representing Lake County in the 2022 USRowing Masters National Championships on the following Saturday in the City of Sarasota.

commissioner smith – vice chairman and district 3

Association of Volleyball Professionals

Commr. Smith recalled that the Board had approved Tourist Development Council (TDC) funding for the Gold Coast Volleyball Club and the Paralympics at a BCC meeting in December 2022. He mentioned that he and Mr. Ryan Ritchie, Director for the Office of Visit Lake, had met with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP), and that the AVP would be at Hickory Point in the City of Tavares on December 2, 2022, opining that it would have a large economic impact.

national day

Commr. Smith said that the current day was National Book Lovers Day and National Rice Pudding Day.

commissioner campione –district 4

Pine Lakes/Cassia area

Commr. Campione commented that Mr. Michael Ray, a resident from the Pine Lakes/Cassia area of the City of Eustis, performed on the Fox & Friends All-American Summer Concert Series, and that he had also been interviewed. She mentioned that he had filmed a music video in a church in the Pine Lakes/Cassia area, and that it was located near a sharp curve that needed attention from the Public Works Department and FDOT to make it safer. She relayed that Pastor Mark Douglas was the pastor at this historic church, opining that it was one of the oldest churches in the State of Florida, and that he was trying to bring more attention to the Pine Lakes/Cassia area, which was an underserved area. She commented that it was located in the Wekiva River Protection Area, which made it difficult to acquire any land use changes, and that the density was very low, opining there were many houses that needed to be torn down and rebuilt. She stated that she would like to put more focus on this area, and opined that there could be opportunities for the Office of Housing Services to offer aid that many residents did not know was available. She questioned if Keep Lake Beautiful could do a cleanup event there, and noted that on the previous weekend, the LCSO handed out hundreds of backpacks for children at a well-attended event in that area. She mentioned that they had a park there; however, it was very difficult to get to because there was no sidewalk from the more populated area to the park, opining that the Public Works Department and FDOT could include that in their safety study.

Commr. Blake inquired if those in the area were working on a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for the church in that area.

Ms. Barker replied that the CDBG could not be used for houses of worship; however, it was an option for the community center, and that Ms. Maria Abdoulkarim, Director for the Office of Housing and Human Services, had reached out to Pastor Douglas.

Commr. Campione relayed her understanding that there was property being offered near the fire department, and wondered if CDBG funds could be used for that property. She mentioned that there was a small community building there that had been offered to the LCSO, which would have to be given to the BCC, noting that it needed much work. She said that it was possible to obtain a grant for the structural and roofing needs, and that volunteers could do some of the cosmetic work. She opined that it was in a good location because it was close to the community, and that it could be used for youth programs, counseling, and other services. She expressed concern about the traffic and safety issues, and commented that FDOT was doing a corridor study because of all the accidents in that area, opining that many Lake County residents traveled through this area to go to the Cities of New Smyrna Beach and Daytona Beach,. She stated that she could update the Board with any progress that was made, and that she could request a date for Keep Lake Beautiful to do a cleanup event.

Ms. Barker stated that staff could work on providing a cleanup event in that area.

Commr. Campione opined that the County would need to do community outreach for the cleanup event, such as using flyers or postcards.

commissioner parks – Chairman and district 2

Bachelor’s degree in Community Wellness and Sports Coaching

Commr. Parks relayed that he had written a letter to LSSC expressing the support of the BCC for a Bachelor of Science Degree in Community Wellness and Sports Coaching with consensus from the Board.

Mr. Mike Vitale, Special Assistant to the President of LSSC for Accreditation and Research, relayed his understanding that this was a bachelor’s degree that the University of Central Florida (UCF) offered on the LSSC South Lake campus until 2015 or 2016, and that it was a very popular program. He opined that it was so large that it was overtaxing its remote site support staff, and related that UCF moved it to its main campus and developed a Department of Kinesiology and Sports Medicine. He stated that over time, they realized that the students were doing more professional work and going to graduate school and medical school for occupational therapy and physical therapy degrees, and that the coaching aspect was being downplayed; therefore, in 2021, they announced that they would no longer admit students into that track of the program. He mentioned that in January 2022 Dr. Jeffrey Duke, with UCF, and Dr. Jeffrey Biddle, with UCF, who had been part of the original program at the LSSC campus, asked if LSSC would be interested in taking on that part of the degree program as a bachelor’s degree for LSSC. He related that they were in the process of applying to the State of Florida for permission to offer this bachelor’s degree, and that the more support they had from the community, the better it was for them. He opined that this degree could produce graduates who were able to work as parks and recreation managers and facility supervisors, and that they could do more than just sports coaching. He relayed that included in the upper division levels of those graduates was nine hours of practicum, where they would have to go work in their field of interest. He stated that one of things that all of the graduates would be required to do was to pass the Florida Teacher Certification Exam (FTCE) General Knowledge Test, which would enable them to obtain a temporary education permit in order to go into the school districts as teachers and coaches. He opined that this would be a well-received program for the South Lake community and all of Lake County, and that there could be many opportunities for some of these graduates moving forward.

Commr. Parks opined that it would be a great degree for their system, and that it would keep people in Lake County and be attractive for people who wanted to come to Lake County.

Mr. Vitale commented that there were many sports events that took place in Lake County, such as rowing tournaments, and that the National Training Center was located in the City of Clermont, noting that there were many opportunities and needs for these graduates.

Commr. Campione inquired if Lake County could be a preferred location for their practicums, opining that Lake County could provide many opportunities between the trail system and the parks.

Mr. Vitale agreed that those areas could provide good opportunities.

Commr. Shields commented that the rowing program had an adult coach who was paid, and that there were several youth coaches from a seventh and eighth grade program, adding that six youth received scholarships for college.

Commr. Parks suggested that for some of the practicum hours, students could come work with Mr. Bobby Bonilla, Director for the Office of Parks and Trails, and learn about facilities management and layout.

Commr. Campione mentioned that it was difficult finding people to work in the human services field and to fill positions at LifeStream Behavioral Center, and asked if LSSC had degree programs that would fit into that category, such as psychology, social work, and human services.

Mr. Vitale replied that they had a health services management degree; however, he did not know if it would qualify a person to work in those services, and that there was nothing specific to counseling and social work. He explained that most of their degrees were associate’s degrees, and that students would need at least a bachelor’s degree in order to be licensed as social workers or counselors.

Commr. Campione opined that there was great need for those types of positions, and that it would be good to start with an associate’s degree and then move on to UCF for a four year program.

Mr. Vitale agreed, and mentioned that they were always looking for new opportunities to keep people in Lake and Sumter Counties.

Commr. Parks opined that they could have more discussions about other four year degrees that they could offer, but that it could be costly.

Mr. Vitale explained that there would have to be a needs analysis for this, and that they would have to take into account what the universities in this area and throughout the state were offering. He elaborated that the state universities had 60 days to respond with a proposal or an alternative if they wanted to object to it, and after that, the private nonprofits and private for-profits had the same opportunity, noting that there were 100 days where any university in the State of Florida could raise an objection and propose an alternative to their degree plan.

Commr. Parks relayed his understanding that there was consensus from the Board to send this letter, and that no other action was needed.

ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business to be brought to the attention of the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 11:57 a.m.

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SEAN PARKS, chairman

ATTEST:

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GARY J COONEY, CLERK