A regular MEETING OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

September 27, 2022

The Lake County Board of County Commissioners met in regular session on Tuesday, September 27, 2022 at 9:04 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 relayed that the Invocation would be given by Pastor Mike Ellis, with First Baptist Church of Umatilla, and that the Pledge of Allegiance would be given by someone in public service, a first responder, or a military veteran. He stated that Mr. Ashley Treadway had joined the County in 2015 and was a Maintenance Technician for the Office of Facilities Management. He related that Mr. Treadway had been a firefighter in the United States (U.S.) Air Force from September 1985 to January 1990, and that he was honorably discharged as a Sergeant. He noted that Mr. Treadway’s father had been the first baby born at Waterman Hospital, and that Treadway Elementary School was named for his grandmother; additionally, his parents and wife had retired from Lake County Schools.

Pastor Ellis gave the Invocation and Mr. Treadway led the Pledge of Allegiance.

virtual meeting instructions

Mr. Erikk Ross, Director 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. He elaborated that anyone watching though the livestream who wished to participate could follow the directions currently being broadcast through the stream; furthermore, he 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. He said that when it was time for public comment, he would read the person’s name or phone number, unmute the appropriate line, and the speaker would be asked to provide comments. He 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. He 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. He 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, commented that Tab 23, which included the budget book and resolutions, had been attached to the agenda since it was first published, and that Tab 24 had been added as an addendum since the agenda was first published. She requested that Tab 24 be heard after the Citizen Question and Comment Period for the Supervisor of Elections who was present at that time. She mentioned that in the FY 2022 budget preparations, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) had requested that $100,000 be placed into a contingency account for extraordinary circumstances requiring additional funding, and that there was now an emergency request from the LCSO to have those funds transferred to cover any additional overtime and operational expenses related to the preparation for Hurricane Ian. She mentioned that the first requested action was for the BCC to approve to add this item to the agenda as an emergency agenda item, and that the second requested action was to approve the transfer of the $100,000 funding out of the contingency reserve and into the LCSO operating account.

On a motion by Commr. Smith, seconded by Commr. Blake and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved to add the emergency request by the LCSO to the agenda.

On a motion by Commr. Campione, seconded by Commr. Smith and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved the transfer of $100,000 out of the contingency reserve and into the LCSO operating account due to the impending impact of Hurricane Ian.

Minutes approval

On a motion by Commr. Blake, seconded by Commr. Smith and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved the minutes for the BCC meeting of July 26, 2022 (Regular Meeting) as presented.

citizen question and comment period

Ms. Deborah Shelley, with Citizens for the Preservation of Rural and speaking via Zoom Webinar, thanked Lake County staff for their hard work and for the joint planning meeting on the prior day with all the Cities. She requested that the County write a letter to the City of Leesburg regarding development in the Yalaha-Lake Apopka Rural Protection Area (RPA), asking them to acknowledge the RPA boundaries. She relayed that this was in regards to housing development projects equaling about 2,000 units on Dewey Robbins Road, and recalled that the Lake County Public Works Department had stated in October 2021 that the road could not handle 2,000 units. She opined that the new development projects were in contrast to what was discussed at the prior day’s meeting, and that even if a letter would not affect the outcome of these projects, the residents of the RPA would like to know that they had the County’s support.

Commr. Campione asked if the BCC could use a similar template that had been used in a previous letter, and if any comments that the Public Works Department had with regard to Dewey Robbins Road and other impacted roads could also be incorporated.

Ms. Barker indicated that the County could draft that.

Commr. Smith asked if the County could use the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council (ECFRPC) to help obtain more information about what was occurring in this area.

Commr. Parks indicated that they could do that; however, it would take some time before they could obtain the data. He mentioned that the County could draft a letter based off of the last one to the City of Leesburg with updated information. He opined that the County should express a spirit of cooperation, and that even though there were issues about what was happening, it was important to work with them as much as possible.

Commr. Campione hoped that the County and the City could discuss this particular area and the RPA in relation to future applications that could come to the City of Leesburg, opining that there was a trend emerging that could eventually place Dewey Robbins Road under the jurisdiction of the City; additionally, the input of the Public Works Department in the letter could help clarify the transportation issues.

Commr. Parks commented that the BCC could also meet with the City of Leesburg through the ECFRPC, which could collect data from the meeting with the Cities on the prior day.

Ms. Barker remarked that the County could contact the City of Leesburg and arrange a meeting.

Tab 3: proclamation for National 4-H Week

Commr. Parks stated that this proclamation was honoring 4-H participants and adult leaders, and he thanked them for their participation and for representing Lake County. He said that some action was required first, and then Commissioner Blake would read the proclamation and present it.

On a motion by Commr. Blake, seconded by Commr. Smith and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved Proclamation 2022-100 declaring October 2-8, 2022, as National 4-H Week in Lake County, Florida.

Commr. Blake read and presented Proclamation 2022-100 to the 4-H youth and leaders present.

Ms. Megan Brew, County Extension Director and Extension Agent II for the Institute of Food and Agricultural Services (UF/IFAS), thanked the Board for recognizing the youth their program supported every year, and said that part of the credit went to Ms. Dallas Meringolo, Extension Agent I with UF/IFAS, Ms. Stephanie Klein, Office Associate III with UF/IFAS, and their volunteer leaders, including Ms. Tracey Clement, Mr. Orin Owen, and Ms. Sherri Owen. She commented that the 4-H program relied on volunteer leaders who were located throughout the county, which allowed them to extend the mission of 4-H. She expressed appreciation for their help and for the support of the County for this program, and opined that the 4-H program would continue to benefit these youths into adulthood.

Commr. Parks opined that the youth made the future look bright, and he encouraged them to continue to work hard; additionally, he thanked the adults for volunteering their time to this program.

Tab 6: Proclamation for Fire prevention week

On a motion by Commr. Campione, seconded by Commr. Smith and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved Proclamation 2022-101 designating October 9-15, 2022, as Fire Prevention Week in Lake County.

Commr. Campione read Proclamation 2022-101 into the record and shook hands with Smokey Bear.

Supervisor of Elections' future facility

Ms. Barker recalled that the Board had discussed the new facility for the Supervisor of Elections over several previous meetings, and that the Board had approved a lease agreement for the former Sears building in the Lake Square Mall to be used for complete operations. She relayed that the County had been negotiating a contract with both an architect and a construction manager (CM), and that both contracts were before the Board for consideration and approval. She mentioned that staff had provided a budget of $3.5 million for the total renovation, which included 50,000 square feet for the Supervisor of Elections, and the remaining square footage would be utilized for the LCSO or other governmental needs. She explained that Song & Associates, Inc. would be providing the architectural services, including space planning, schematic design, design development, construction documents, bidding and negotiation assistance, permitting assistance, and construction administration. She elaborated that the estimated completion of construction documents was 21 weeks from the notice to proceed, and that the cost for their services was $352,000. She related that Charles Perry Partners, Inc. (CPPI) would be the construction manager for the project, and that they would provide pre-construction services and construction services. She stated that the estimated completion date was August 1, 2023 as long as the notice to proceed with the renovation activities was received by February 1, 2023 and the provision of designed equipment list was received no later than November 1, 2022. She commented that the cost for pre-construction services was $28,000, general conditions was $270,000, and the actual construction management was 5.5 percent of the guaranteed maximum price (GMP), noting that if the cost was less than the GMP, the County and the CM would split the savings equally.

Commr. Smith wondered if the $3.5 million GMP could be reduced to $2 million.

Ms. Barker replied that if that was the Board’s direction, staff could discuss that with the architectural firm and the CM.

Commr. Campione commented that one would need to know what would be included for that cost and how much of the space could actually be renovated for that amount, opining that the whole site could not be renovated for that amount.

Mr. Chris Tatum, with CPPI, explained that it was the client’s responsibility to tell them what they wanted, and that there were many things they could do for $2 million; however, it would have to be discussed with the architect and the client with a goal in mind. He explained that as the CM, their job was to assist with the budget and the square footage cost, working with the client to ensure that the ultimate scope was achieved with the budget allotted, and that it depended on what the client wanted.

Commr. Parks asked what $2 million would achieve qualitatively.

Commr. Campione said that it depended on the cost per square foot, and opined that only a percentage of the square footage could be renovated for $2 million.

Mr. Tatum commented that they had recently completed a couple of projects with minor interior renovations for $80 per square foot, and that the full almost 70,000 square foot facility for the Supervisor of Elections would have to be scaled back from an extensive renovation. He relayed his understanding that from early walk-throughs of the Sears building, there were some mechanical renovations that would be required, including two units that needed to be replaced and evaluated with the system. He opined that the $3.5 million was a more accurate amount for the Supervisor of Elections’ needs, and that going to $2 million would scale back the full scope of renovations. He mentioned that with the evaluations of the mechanical units, the cost could be closer to $150 to $160 per square foot.

Commr. Parks inquired if there was a phased approach.

Mr. Tatum relayed his understanding that the July 1, 2023 move in date was important in order to start the early voting process, and that a phased approach could be achieved.

Commr. Smith opined that CPPI could renovate the entire building without it being as expensive as they had estimated.

Mr. Tatum stated that it depended on what the client was looking for, and that in his experience over the past two years, an interior renovation was a minimum of $80 per square foot. He opined that $50 per square foot would be a minimal renovation for a large square footage building, and that there would be less included.

Commr. Parks opined that they might not spend all of the $3.5 million budget on the renovation, and he questioned what the process would be for that scenario.

Ms. Barker replied that the County would split the savings with CPPI if they renovated below $3.5 million.

Commr. Parks commented that this would be an incentive for them, and that the Board could be involved with the process by overseeing the work and asking questions about value engineering, noting that staff could also answer questions. He pointed out that Commissioner Smith’s experience with construction could be valuable to the Board, and opined that he could be more involved in monitoring the process.

Commr. Smith remarked that he would do what he could to help the citizens of Lake County.

Commr. Campione mentioned that she was in favor of saving money; however, it was the Supervisor of Elections’ facility, and opined that he should have the most input on the functionality. She relayed her understanding that this was because of the need for added square footage, and that it needed to be the type of facility that met all of the requirements for security and efficiency. She noted that it was the responsibility of the BCC to provide the facilities for the Constitutional Officers, and opined that there should be an amount of deference to them regarding their work environment and operations. She opined that the CM would look for opportunities to decrease costs when possible, and that they would benefit in the savings.

Commr. Smith remarked that he had wanted to raise the question because this was a guaranteed maximum price of $3.5 million, and that the Board needed to value engineer this project and try to decrease the cost as much as possible.

Commr. Parks reiterated that Commissioner Smith could be involved with the process and work with staff and CPPI.

Commr. Blake commented that he was not opposed to providing a facility for Senator Alan Hays, Lake County Supervisor of Elections, or spending the funds; however, he was opposed to investing funds into someone else’s asset, and said that he preferred building a new warehouse that could be added onto later using Infrastructure Sales Tax funding.

On a motion by Commr. Shields, seconded by Commr. Smith and carried by a vote of 4-1, the Board approved the agreement for Construction Management services with CPPI and a contract for professional services for architectural services with Song & Associates for the Supervisor of Elections' future facility at the Lake Square Mall in the former Sears location, and the associated budget adjustment in the amount of $3,852,000 in Fiscal Year 2023.

Commr. Blake voted no.

CLERK OF the Circuit COURT and comptroller’s CONSENT AGENDA

On a motion by Commr. Campione, 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 through 4, 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.

Town of Lady Lake Ordinances and Resolutions

Notice is hereby provided of having received the following from the Town of Lady Lake: Ordinance 2021-30; Ordinance 2022-01; Ordinance 2022-02; Ordinance 2022-03; Ordinance 2022-04; Ordinance 2022-05; Ordinance 2022-06; Ordinance 2022-07; Resolution 2022-101; Resolution 2022-102; Resolution 2022-103; Resolution 2022-104; Resolution 2022-105; Resolution 2022-106; Resolution 2022-107; Resolution 2022-108.

Greater Lakes/Sawgrass Bay CDD Resolution 2022-08

Notice is hereby provided of having received Resolution 2022-08 identifying the Fiscal Year 2022/2023 meeting schedule for the Greater Lakes/Sawgrass Bay Community Development District. This meeting schedule is being submitted in accordance with Section 189.015(1) of the Florida Statutes.

City of Eustis Ordinances 22-18, 22-19, and 22-20

Notice is hereby provided of having received Annexation Ordinance 22-18, corresponding Future Land Use Ordinance 22-19, corresponding Design District Designation Ordinance 22-20 from the City of Eustis, and corresponding backup documents.

COUNTY MANAGER’S CONSENT AGENDA

On a motion by Commr. Smith, seconded by Commr. Campione and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved the Consent Agenda, Tab 5, and Tabs 7 through 18, as follows:

PROCLAMATIONS

Recommend approval of Proclamation 2022-115 designating the week of October 21, 2022 - October 28, 2022 as Mobility Week in Lake County.

COUNTY ATTORNEY

Recommend adoption of Resolution 2022-133 authorizing the County Manager or designee, with approval of the County Attorney, to execute required documents related to the Lake Norris Conservation Area and Blackwater Creek Mitigation Bank. There is no fiscal impact. Commission District 4.

Recommend approval to authorize the County Manager or designee to execute a Release of Final Judgment of Foreclosure.

Recommend approval to increase the hourly rate for the staff time needed to process public records requests to $13.00 per hour; and authorization for the rate to automatically increase whenever the Board increases the minimum wage for employees. The fiscal impact is unable to be determined at this time.

ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES

Management and Budget

Recommend approval of Resolution 2022-134 adopting the fee schedules for Fiscal Year 2023.The fiscal impact (revenue) cannot be determined at this time.

Recommend approval of Agreement for Disbursement of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funds between Lake County and Find, Feed & Restore, Inc. The fiscal impact is $3,000,000 in ARPA funds. Commission District 5.

Recommend approval of reimbursement to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office from the State Law Enforcement Trust Fund for Fiscal Year 2021 and Fiscal Year 2022 through Period 11 expenditures authorized under the Florida Contraband Forfeiture Act. The fiscal impact is $181,694.32.

Recommend approval to authorize the Chairman to sign any necessary documentation required by the State of Florida related to the implementation of the Local Provider Participation Fund (LPPF), with this authorization continuing each year the assessment is in effect.

HUMAN RESOURCES AND RISK MANAGEMENT

Recommend approval of the pay ranges for Fiscal Year 2023. The pay ranges begin at a minimum of $13.00 per hour.

PUBLIC SAFETY AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES

Planning and Zoning

Recommend approval to advertise an Ordinance amending Section 14.11.00, Lake County Code, Appendix E, Land Development Regulations, entitled Minor Lot Splits, Family Density Exceptions and Agricultural Lot Splits. There is no fiscal impact.

Emergency Medical Services

Recommend approval:

1. Of an Interlocal Agreement with the Village Center Community Development District (VCCDD) to allow the VCCDD to provide Emergency Medical Services to Lake County sections of The Villages. The estimated fiscal impact is $627,201.90 (expense) and is within, and will not exceed, the Fiscal Year 2023 Budget.

2. Of an Interlocal Agreement with Sumter County for Dispatch Services for the Lake County sections of The Villages. There is no fiscal impact.

Commission District 5.

PUBLIC SERVICES AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Public Works

Recommend approval of the Purchase Agreement with Serenity at Redtail Community Association, Inc. for right of way needed for the Wekiva Trail Segment 2 project in the Mount Plymouth area and authorize the Chairman to execute all necessary documentation.

The fiscal impact is $31,300 plus closing costs (expenditure – FDOT funding) and is within, and will not exceed, the Fiscal Year 2023 Budget. Commission District 4.

Recommend approval of a Roadway Improvement Agreement with Esplanade at Highland Ranch HOA, Inc. and Taylor Morris of Florida, Inc., to obtain right of way for the construction of the Citrus Grove Road bridge over the Florida Turnpike, to obtain a drainage easement for Citrus Grove Road, and to provide $50,000 to Esplanade at Highland Ranch HOA, Inc. for impacts to their entrance and installation of a gate system.

The fiscal impact is $50,000 (expenditure) and is within, and will not exceed, the Fiscal Year 2023 Budget. Commission District 2.

Firefighter Charity Alliance of Lake County Inc.

Commr. Parks expressed appreciation for Mr. Brian Gamble, with Firefighter Charity of Central Florida, for all that he has done through the years for Lake County and for doing this presentation about a firefighter charity that he cared about.

Mr. Gamble related that the Firefighter Charity of Central Florida was established in 2012 as an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) approved 501C3 not for profit organization with no political affiliation, and that it was not affiliated with a specific department or any other organization. He explained that their focus was helping the local community, and that they had recently expanded in order to help local emergency responders during times of personal crisis, such as helping with issues not covered by insurance, noting that they had already been able to help a few people. He elaborated that volunteers ran the organization and events, and that there were no salaries or pay for their officers; additionally, their board was comprised of a variety of volunteers. He related that that they had provided close to $10,000 in grants to the AdventHealth Waterman Foundation to provide mammograms for women who could not afford them, and that this was made possible by their Turn Central Florida Pink campaign. He mentioned that this was a unique program with a pink firetruck that toured around the county raising money and awareness, encouraging people to receive breast cancer screenings. He remarked that they dedicated the firetruck with a different name every year, and that in the previous year, the firetruck had been dedicated to a woman named Mary who had gone through the screening and discovered the cancer that would be treated by AdventHealth Waterman; furthermore, sales of pink t-shirts helped fund the mammograms. He relayed that another community event they did was a local area toy drive, and that they set up a toy shop for local families who had been screened for income to come and shop for free, noting that they were able to help about 200 families a year. He explained they had recently established the Florian Fund to help firefighters or emergency responders who had been injured, including the following: a Lake County firefighter’s family at the hospital with food and lodging after he suffered sudden cardiac arrest; a Tavares firefighter with medical bills after an alligator attack on his arm took him out of work; a Lake County firefighter with expenses after suffering an unknown medical condition that rendered her unable to walk; an Apopka firefighter’s family when he was killed in the line of duty; and a Lake County firefighter with expenses battling brain cancer. He stated that their request was to be approved as an official Board charity, which would allow them to collect toys at Lake County Fire Rescue and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) stations, and that those employees who purchased pink shirts would be allowed to wear them to show their support.

Commr. Parks commented that he was in favor of the request, noting that Mr. Gamble had been doing this for years and had attended multiple events, such as Boy Scout and chili cook-off events. He opined that it made a difference in the community, and said that he supported the good work that they were doing.

Mr. Gamble mentioned that they would have a chili cook-off event in March 2023, and that there would be a children’s competition as well as the adult competition.

On a motion by Commr. Campione, seconded by Commr. Smith and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved the Firefighter Charity Alliance of Lake County Inc. to become a Board of County Commissioners-approved charity; to collect toys at Lake County Fire/EMS stations during charity toy drives; and for employees to purchase and wear "Turn Central Florida Pink" shirts each October to support breast cancer awareness.

homelessness mitigation presentation

Ms. Barker stated that Ms. Maria Abdoulkarim, Director for the Office of Housing and Community Services, would give the homelessness mitigation presentation, noting that the Board had requested that this program be reinvigorated.

Ms. Abdoulkarim recalled that in 2021, the BCC engaged the Florida Housing Coalition to conduct a study of homelessness throughout the County, and that through analysis of data and community feedback, the study concluded that additional strategies must be established in order to meet the needs of the unhoused in our communities. She explained that in order to address the needs of the unhoused population, staff recommended developing a plan which ensured unhoused individuals had access to appropriate facilities and comprehensive services that could facilitate progression from shelter to permanent residences. She elaborated that the key objectives of this plan included the following: preventing or reducing first time or chronic homelessness; reducing the amount of time a person or a family was unhoused; and decreasing a return to homelessness by assisting with permanent housing solutions. She commented that they were working in partnership with community stakeholders to address homelessness at a local level, and that their goal was to continue to partner with community organizations, non-profits, and faith-based organizations to assist the County’s unhoused and at-risk populations with emergency services, shelter, and permanent housing, funded through various federal, state, and local sources; furthermore, they would address the housing crisis in Lake County by implementing changes and using current program funding allocations. She mentioned that a recent study published by the National Alliance to End Homelessness listed a lack of affordable housing as the primary cause of homelessness and rising home prices, noting that in one year, home costs increased by 28.8 percent, and that 34.6 percent of homes sold were purchased with cash, creating an inventory shortage of affordable available homes. She pointed out that the State of Florida was the seventeenth highest amongst states in homelessness, and that an estimated 27,487 people were experiencing homelessness, which was about 12.8 for every 10,000 people. She stated that the State of Florida had among the highest year-over-year rent increases in the nation, and that 452 households experienced homelessness in Lake County as of August 31, 2022, noting that this did not include populations that had not been in contact with programs or service providers for assistance. She displayed a graph that showed the demographics of households experiencing homelessness, and said that while the numbers after 2018 appeared to be trending slightly lower, in the current year, there were 64 new households needing assistance; additionally, they have continued to experience a rise in households needing assistance due to evictions. She commented that in Tavares, in order to afford the average rent for a one or two bedroom unit, a household would need to make an annual salary of $41,205 or $47,590, which was an hourly rate of $19.81 or $22.88 per hour; furthermore, there was an average increase of $400 to $500 in the fair market rents (FMRs) for low-income households. She relayed that as Lake County’s numbers had increased, there had been a trend of contributing factors, including the following: rental increases that were outpacing wages causing rent-burdened households; reduced income due to changes in employment, illness, or loss of a spouse; and housing shortages as households continued to be priced out of the housing market. She stated that according to a 2020 report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, for every $100 increase in median rent, there was a nine percent increase in the estimated homelessness rate; additionally, those that were homeless faced significant obstacles in finding or maintaining employment. She mentioned that as households were priced out of housing, finding affordable housing was difficult, especially for those with special needs and disabilities, including veterans and seniors, and that those on fixed incomes were even more vulnerable to displacement and instability. She related that the current model of assistance was the diversion approach, which included the following: regular assessments for those in need to determine crisis level and the essential services necessary; assistance with benefit applications for food, shelter, resources, medical equipment, and social service support systems; collaboration with partners to leverage funds and to refer services that may not be provided by the County, such as healthcare; preventative measures through rental, utility, and deposit assistance for eligible households; and continuous support by advocating on behalf of applicants for housing, clothing, and additional services. She remarked that while the current model allowed them to assist the most vulnerable, there were many challenges, including the following: the distribution and prioritization of resources; stabilization efforts to those at risk of homelessness or recently housed; lack of transportation causing the need for proximity to essential services and healthcare; the vetting of clients to determine which services they were best suited for; and homeless system responsiveness. She explained that mitigating homelessness required innovative planning practices that balanced immediate and long-term needs, and that effective initiatives to address these challenges included the following: providing consistent information and resources to partners and the community; coordinating with partners to leverage funds and invest in affordable housing; implementing new policies to increase efficiencies and access to services; connecting with partners, landlords, and developers to improve housing opportunities; and working closely to enlist community support, such as first responders, EMS, and educators. She asked that the Board would consider reconvening the Homeless Advisory Council in order to set specific shared goals and implement project solutions to address the population’s needs; furthermore, they could enlist the assistance of first responders and provide training and education on supportive services to create a homelessness response system. She stated that they could strengthen the countywide response system by leveraging services, and that they could ensure continued funding and staffing by applying for federal and state funds. She asked that the Board would consider establishing a pilot program for day service facilities in each municipality, also known as care centers or hope centers, which would offer the following: clinic healthcare services; hygiene stations; laundromat and barber services; temporary employment and educational opportunities; program assessments with case managers; and support with registration for housing, rental, and utility assistance. She said that they would also like to establish variations of the Housing First model to support more than one approach. She commented that by establishing a minimum set-aside percentage of below-market-rate units, they could ensure that the most vulnerable populations, such as veterans and seniors, would be assisted, and if builders did not want to participate in a minimum set-aside, they recommended creating a charging fee which would be placed in a housing fund account for developers interested in building affordable units. She said that they were in favor of incentivizing landlords to participate in current programs, and that in November 2022, there would be a landlord summit for their current landlords to discuss the benefits of the Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP) and to discuss ways to incentivize them. She opined that the only solution to homelessness was permanent housing, and that new construction was not the only answer. She opined that the County’s homelessness challenges were solvable by implementing effective solutions to address the issues with realistic and achievable goals, good strategies and timelines, and effective coordination of stakeholders and funding. She expressed appreciation for the opportunity to speak regarding the current homeless issues and summarized the following recommendations for the Board’s discussion and direction: reconvening the Homeless Advisory Council; creating day facilities to provide services with stakeholder and municipality assistance; enlisting the assistance of first responders, law enforcement, and school officials to identify households experiencing homelessness; providing training and education on supportive services to create a homelessness response system; pivoting from crisis to case management; creating affordable housing development opportunities; and incentivizing developers and owners to serve vulnerable populations.

Commr. Parks recalled that there had been much activity with homelessness mitigation a couple of years prior, and that it was discontinued for several reasons. He mentioned that there were five actions listed for the Board to consider, opining even though it was important to keep government minimal and efficient, the County had a leadership role. He commented that when visiting with some of the providers in the county, many felt that they were on their own, and that this was a plan to help those providers, opining that it would be well received by many organizations, such as churches and non-profits.

Ms. Barker remarked that one of the main recommendations was to convene the Housing Advisory Council, and that the other items were things that could be discussed within that council.

Commr. Blake inquired if every $100 increase in rent was about a nine percent increase in homelessness, and Ms. Abdoulkarim indicated that this was correct.

Commr. Campione stated that she was glad to have some tangible items to start working on, and opined that the Housing Advisory Council would be able to accomplish these goals. She opined that developers providing set-aside units or contributions was a good concept, and that the Lake County Coalition for Housing and Economic Development (CHED) would be a good group to receive input from. She opined that this concept would be more applicable in larger projects and cost prohibitive for smaller projects. She commented that this effort would be more effective with cooperation from the municipalities, as they would have to approve many of the residential projects, noting this could help residents countywide to have set-aside units within the larger developments. She mentioned that the County could try to involve the municipalities, opining that CHED could be a liaison and engage them in this discussion. She noted that there was a housing stock issue, and that even though there were landlords who were willing to work with the County on these programs, such as vouchers, there were not enough units. She wondered if the day centers would provide an opportunity to partner with local charities, such as The Salvation Army and LifeStream Behavioral Center.

Ms. Abdoulkarim agreed that it would be a good opportunity for all of the organizations they currently worked with to create a care center in every municipality, noting that they did not have to be shelters. She added that they could be homes for rehabilitation with space to have those additional services available between normal business hours, and that they could have access to facilities and apply for services while there. She remarked that staff could work with their current partners and faith based organizations to create these spaces in every city.

Commr. Campione opined that it could provide a place for someone to shower if living out of a car, opining that some people went to local gyms who let them come in and use their showers. She commented that there could be places for these people to do their laundry and to work on connecting with other job opportunities and potentially receive housing vouchers, opining that it was a good way to connect people with the services they needed. She mentioned that when churches asked the County what to do when someone asked them for help, the County could provide that information and assess the situation in order to help provide the needed services.

Commr. Shields opined that there was an issue with non-profit organizations competing for resources and grants, and that the County could provide leadership. He mentioned that it was more effective to provide help before people became homeless and to keep them in housing, and that many Counties and Cities were working towards that goal. He opined that these programs could help residents return to being housed and employed, and that some leadership from the County would help.

Commr. Campione opined that the County was the logical organization to bring all of these groups together and to provide information about all of these resources to those who needed assistance. She inquired about permanent supportive care vouchers, noting that there were other types of homelessness that were a result of substance addiction and mental illness.

Ms. Abdoulkarim replied that the chronically homeless were served with permanent supportive housing vouchers, and that their department had applied for permanent supportive housing vouchers through their continuum of care in the previous year. She related that they had received a grant for five vouchers for the current year starting in November 2022, and that they had applied to carry that program over to the following year. She commented that those individuals were the hardest to house, and that it required community partnerships and working with landlords to incentivize participation, noting that they were there to support the landlords and the individuals. She mentioned that they would provide case management services for a period of time in order to assist them in becoming more self-sufficient, and that day centers could help them by providing them opportunities to receive copies of Social Security cards, birth certificates, and other documents required for applying for a job or housing. She explained that permanent supportive housing vouchers were limited, and that through the housing choice voucher, they were awarded 11 new vouchers, which was the first time this had happened since their initial allocation in Lake County. She elaborated that there were 19 people remaining on their housing choice voucher waiting list, which had not been open since 2008, and that they anticipated moving people off of that wait list so it could be reopened. She stated that they were going to reach out to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to see if there were additional vouchers that could be awarded, and that they had been in communication with the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs in Orlando for Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) vouchers, noting that these would provide vouchers specifically for veterans. She commented that they were also limited by the amount of available housing, and opined that if they could bring additional landlords into the program who could be taught to understand the population and the needs, they could have a successful program.

Commr. Campione relayed her understanding that this voucher just paid the monthly rent, and that the permanent supportive housing vouchers also covered case worker services.

Commr. Parks opined that it could keep them from being displaced.

Commr. Campione opined that it could help them understand how to be a good tenant, and that for someone in need of additional services, it could help them connect to mental health care and service providers.

Ms. Barker remarked that the County needed consensus to reconvene the Homeless Advisory Council, and that the other items could be discussed with them.

Commr. Parks commented that he would like this done soon, and opined that it was a good action plan.

Commr. Campione questioned what the criteria would be for a Homeless Advisory Council member, and how many people would be on the council.

Ms. Abdoulkarim answered that the initial council had 15 to 19 people on the board, including some people who were currently on some of their other boards, and that they would like to have representatives from each municipality and healthcare service providers.

Commr. Parks mentioned that obtaining one member from each city would make the group large.

Commr. Campione commented that some Cities had people within their police departments who were trained for interacting with homeless individuals, and that she would like to see some representation from law enforcement.

Ms. Melanie Marsh, County Attorney, stated that she was not familiar with the Homeless Advisory Council, and that it was not in the County Code.

Commr. Campione recalled that there had been an individual interested in homeless mitigation who had wanted this council established; however, it was never brought before the Board. She said that it would have to be created and approved, and that she wanted to determine the appropriate people to have on this council because it would be part of the ordinance that was drafted for this purpose.

Ms. Marsh stated that she would work with Ms. Abdoulkarim to draft that ordinance, and that it could be brought back to the Board at a future BCC meeting.

Commr. Campione mentioned that this council had been discussed before coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and that she had originally been concerned that it could cause delays by having theoretical discussions instead of implementing action plans; however, there was currently a homeless mitigation plan, which could provide the next step and a way to engage the community.

Commr. Parks opined that it should be action oriented, and that it should be included in the ordinance.

Commr. Campione remarked that the council could build on the foundation of what was already being done.

Commr. Blake mentioned that in 2008, many families resorted to living in tents in the Ocala National Forest, and that many ministries collected food and clothing for them. He opined that to prevent this from happening again, government should not raise taxes on rentals; additionally, mobile home parks could address some of the immediate needs because mobile homes did not take long to build.

Commr. Campione opined that park models could be used; however, those residents would need to use shelters for storms.

Commr. Blake opined that it was better than living in a tent in the forest.

Commr. Parks commented that Pastor Brian Broadway, founder of Find, Feed & Restore, used mobile homes for temporary housing.

Commr. Campione opined that it would be good to have 20 to 50 units that could be utilized in different locations, noting that the previous animal shelter property had been discussed as a possible location for transition housing.

Commr. Parks indicated that there was consensus to create the Housing Advisory Council.

legislative priorities

Ms. Niki Booth, Executive Office Manager for the County Manager’s Office, presented a review of the proposed 2023 legislative priorities, and explained that every year, the Board submitted a list of priorities to the Lake County Legislative Delegation. She elaborated that the County worked with its lobbyist, GrayRobinson, on obtaining funding for the priorities and on tracking legislation, and that Commissioners and key staff members attended meetings in the City of Tallahassee to support legislative efforts. She related that one priority was for design and construction for an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant paddle launch for Lake Idamere Park, which was comprised of 45-acres in the City of Tavares and was home to one of the few boundless playgrounds and Miracle Fields in the State of Florida, and that the request was for $500,000 for design and construction. She stated that Ferndale Preserve was 196 acres located off County Road (CR) 455, and that this project would complete the planned Lake Apopka waterfront amenities, which included the construction of a fishing pier with an observation deck, an ADA accessible paddle launch that would provide connection to the Lake Apopka Blueway Trail, and a boardwalk to connect to the interior trail network. She noted that this phase was consistent with the Florida Communities Trust Grant requirements, and that the request was for $350,000 for construction costs. She relayed that the South Lake Trail wooden boardwalk, constructed and opened for use in 2007, was located on CR 455 in the City of Clermont, and that large portions of the decking, support beams and railings had been replaced multiple times over the years due to major deterioration issues. She mentioned that the entire boardwalk had exceeded its life expectancy and needed to be replaced with a concrete and steel structure to provide the safety needed, and that the request was $500,000 for construction costs. She related that the Neighborhood Lakes Scenic Trail & Trailhead was a 5.2 mile multiuse trail located in east Lake County and was part of the Wekiva Trail System, and that this project would involve the design and construction of two pavilions, drinking fountains, picnic tables, and an ADA connecting pathway, noting that the request was for $400,000 for design and construction. She commented that in 2016, Lake County passed Ordinance 2016-25 stating that customers would have the option to use bear resistant carts, and that this program required residents to pay $40 for a cart. She mentioned that the County had utilized Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) grant funds to assist in purchasing 2,324 bear carts, keeping the costs for residents low, and that currently, the County had 848 residents on a waiting list for bear resistant carts; therefore, the request was for $275,000 to purchase additional carts. She stated that the last priority was the RPA proposed legislation, noting that at the August 23, 2022 BCC meeting, the Board gave direction for staff to pursue a legislative priority which would limit the density in an RPA even if subsequently annexed, unless the County and municipality entered into a joint planning agreement authorizing a different development program. She concluded that the requested action was for approval of Lake County’s 2023 Legislative Priorities.

Commr. Parks inquired when this would be presented to the State.

Ms. Booth replied that the County had to provide the appropriations to the Legislative Delegation by the middle of November 2022, and that this needed to go to the lobbyist to review and make any necessary changes before it was presented.

Commr. Parks recalled that there was an issue with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and a trail in the previous year, and said that he would like input from the lobbyist on feasibility.

Commr. Blake relayed his understanding that the County was named in many lawsuits that it was not a party to, and that the result was that many local governments would settle the claim to be rid of it, which was not fair to local governments or to the taxpayers. He suggested that the Board request tort reform from the State that targeted this issue, allowing the County to recover attorney’s fees.

Ms. Marsh recalled that there had been two trials that the County was successful on, and that in order to try those cases and receive a successful verdict, it cost around $50,000 for outside council to prepare for those trials. She commented that the County was in the process of determining if those plaintiffs had any assets in order to recover costs, noting that many plaintiffs were individuals with limited incomes; therefore, even if the County was able to obtain a judgement against them for recovery of attorney’s fees and costs, they were judgement-proof individuals. She mentioned that if there was something done at the legislative level, it could either limit what could be spent to send individuals to doctors or provide another option to collect the funds the County had expended to defend against meritless cases.

Commr. Blake clarified that these were cases in which the County was incorrectly named, and opined that this could benefit more than just Lake County. He questioned if this issue had been discussed at the Florida Association of Counties (FAC) meetings.

Commr. Parks said that he was not aware of this issue being discussed at FAC meetings, opining that it could be an issue with other Counties, and that they could be contacted.

Commr. Blake opined that this could provide relief for the County’s legal staff and the taxpayers.

Commr. Shields remarked that this would be a good priority to have, and he wondered which FAC subcommittee would be involved with that.

Commr. Parks opined that it would be part of urban and community affairs, and that they were trying to address sovereign immunity, which could also affect this.

Ms. Marsh clarified that this was not a sovereign immunity issue, as it was an issue of having to pay to defend against cases that should not have been brought against the County to begin with. She explained that even though the County was a party, there was no liability; however, the County still had to defend against it.

Commr. Shields commented that he could discuss this with the FAC committee chair.

Commr. Parks stated that he wanted to add a provision to use Tourist Development Tax (TDT) funds for engineering costs for parks and trails to the priorities list, noting that they could be built with TDT funds; however, it could not be used for engineering costs.

Commr. Shields opined that TDT funds would be around $6 million for the current year.

Commr. Parks stated that there was approval and direction from the Board, and that there would be another presentation in a future BCC meeting.

appointment to the Women's Hall of Fame Selection Committee

Commr. Shields mentioned that he did not have a representative from District 1 on the Women's Hall of Fame Selection Committee, and that he had approached Ms. Barbara Gaines, from the Groveland City Council, who said that she would do it.

On a motion by Commr. Shields, seconded by Commr. Smith and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved the appointment of Ms. Barbara Gaines to the District 1 seat on the Women's Hall of Fame Selection Committee.

hurricane Ian update

Mr. Tommy Carpenter, Assistant County Manager, recalled that on the prior Friday, the Office of Emergency Management staff started contacting personnel, and that on Saturday, they started contacting their special needs clients and those who needed transportation to shelters. He stated that currently, Hurricane Ian was forecast to make landfall near the City of Tampa as a category three hurricane, which produced sustained winds of about 120 miles per hour, and that once it made landfall, it should decrease. He mentioned that the more intense center of the hurricane was forecast to be in the vicinity of Lake County, and that they were working with the Lake County School Board on opening the shelters. He commented that the executive policy group had convened on the prior Sunday, in which a local state of emergency was issued, and that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis had included all 67 counties in an executive order on Saturday. He expressed concern about timing the opening of shelters, and said that they had decided to open all 15 primary shelters. He related that the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) was activated to level one, which meant 24 hour operations, and that Lake County’s fixed route transit service, LakeXpress, would suspend operations that evening. He stated that emergency shelters would open in a phased approach, and he listed the shelters and when they would open. He relayed his understanding that there would be impact at around 4:00 p.m. on the following afternoon with sustained winds at around 55 to 75 miles per hour and gusts around 80 to 90 miles per hour, and that it may go further to the east.

Commr. Shields inquired what the worst case scenario was for rain.

Mr. Carpenter replied that Hurricane Ian could bring 10 inches of rain or more, noting that the St. John’s River in the area of Astor was already high at minor stage flooding. He recalled that Hurricane Irma in 2017 caused significant flooding, and that they were prepared for flooding in this area.

Commr. Campione asked if the LCSO was setting up a command center there.

Mr. Carpenter replied that they had plans to do that; additionally, the EOC had been working with the LCSO, EMS, and Fire Rescue, and that there was a complete plan in place for the Astor area.

Commr. Campione questioned what the worst case scenario was for wind.

Mr. Carpenter answered that there could be sustained hurricane force winds at 74 miles per hour or greater.

Commr. Parks mentioned that Hurricane Irma produced winds which were just under that.

Mr. Carpenter remarked that the highest wind speed recorded for Hurricane Irma was 68 miles per hour at the Leesburg International Airport.

Commr. Parks opined that the wind speed for Hurricane Ian could be higher than that for a longer period of time.

Mr. Carpenter opined that there could be 55 to 75 miles per hour sustained winds, and that if it came closer, there could be higher winds.

Ms. Marsh recalled that earlier in the year, the Board had adopted a new emergency management ordinance, and that it set forth the duties of the Emergency Management Director and the Chairman. She mentioned that curfews were a big issue during COVID-19, and that the Chairman had authority to issue a curfew order if needed; however, it would come back to the Board for review if it was not revoked prior to that time. She relayed that the next BCC meeting was scheduled for October 11, 2022, and that if the Chairman needed to issue curfew orders, they would include all of the exceptions that were in the ordinance, such as travel to emergency services, service facilities, or owned and managed properties. She commented that if the curfew was issued for limited areas of the county, it would come back to the Board at the October 11, 2022 BCC meeting to review for revocation, repealing, or continuation.

Commr. Parks remarked that a curfew was the last thing he wanted to do, and that if it had to be in place, it would be a localized situation with the exceptions in that policy. He mentioned that since the situation had become more serious since the last report, he requested leaving time available on the following Monday for a special meeting.

Commr. Campione commented that in the past, the Astor area had been the place to issue a curfew because of safety issues and law enforcement issues, and that if there was a tornado somewhere, a curfew could be issued to prevent looting. She opined that this would be for a short period of time, and that it would not stay in place long enough for the Board to authorize it.

Ms. Marsh stated that staff had rescheduled the next week’s BCC meeting for the following week, and that people would not need to come out if they were dealing with storm debris; furthermore, recommendations by the LCSO should be considered before issuing curfew orders.

Commr. Campione was in favor of not issuing a curfew and relying on the LCSO recommendations, and that if there were safety issues, she trusted the Chairman to analyze the situation and do the right thing.

Commr. Parks indicated that he would keep the Board informed, and he inquired if there was any advice for the general public.

Mr. Carpenter remarked that the Office of Emergency Management prepared year round, and that this was a serious situation. He commented that residents should be finishing preparations soon, and that if they lived in unsafe structures, such as mobile homes, this was a time to work with friends and family in order to shelter with them. He mentioned that the County shelters were safe; however, they were to be used as a last resort. He said that residents should maintain contact with news, and that the County would announce additional information.

Commr. Parks added that afterwards, there was a plan in place for debris recovery and assistance with restoration; additionally, Lake Support and Emergency Recovery (LASER) had funds available for assistance, and that they were mobilized and ready to help.

Ms. Barker relayed that the Office of Communications was posting regular updates on the County’s social media pages, and she encouraged the public to go there or to go to the website for updates on the storm, noting that it provided sandbag locations, shelter information, and the latest news briefs and emergency orders.

Commr. Campione expressed appreciation for the staff involved in public safety and the other departments that were involved, noting that they made sacrifices in order to help the community.

Commr. Shields expressed appreciation for the quick response in providing sandbags to the Four Corners area.

commissioners reports

commissioner shields – district 1

FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES MEETING

Commr. Shields mentioned that he had attended a FAC meeting, and that they had approved the budget and the mission; additionally, there had been good discussion about legislative items.

Charity Events

Commr. Shields relayed that he had attended two charity events.

East Central Florida Regional Planning Council meeting

Commr. Shields commented that he had attended the ECFRPC meeting, and that there had been a roundtable discussion on homelessness and affordable housing.

commissioner smith – vice chairman and district 3

Miracle Field

Commr. Smith encouraged the Board to attend a game at Miracle Field, and he suggested that pictures could be posted on social media to spread the word about these events.

Ms. Barker indicated that this could be placed on the County’s social media pages.

Commr. Smith opined that it was a good event with many volunteers, noting that some were dressed as super heroes. He hoped that everyone would stay safe during Hurricane Ian, and that all loose items were placed somewhere secure.

National Chocolate Milk Day

Commr. Smith said that it was National Chocolate Milk Day.

commissioner campione –district 4

traffic signal outages

Commr. Campione stated that when traffic signals went out, intersections should be treated as four way stops.

Ms. Barker commented that the County would be posting that reminder on social media.

commissioner parks – Chairman and district 2

preparation for Hurricane Ian

Commr. Parks mentioned that staff had been doing hurricane preparation at the sandbag areas, and that they had assisted a large crowd in the City of Minneola over the previous weekend.

Find, Feed & Restore

Commr. Parks related that Pastor Brian Broadway, with Find, Feed & Restore, had a successful fundraising event on the previous Saturday.

RECESS AND REASSEMBLY

The Chairman called a recess at 10:56 a.m. until the 5:05 p.m. Budget Public Hearing.

5:05 BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING

PRESENTATION OF MILLAGE RATES

Ms. Barker stated that there would be two public hearings, one for the BCC budget and one for the Lake County Water Authority (LCWA) budget.

Ms. Allison Teslia, Director for the Office of Management and Budget, said that the purpose of the current meeting was to adopt the final millage rates and the final budget for FY 2023, noting that she would present the proposed millage rates over the rollback rates, and then the FY 2023 final budget. She elaborated that she would then turn it over to the Chairman to open the public hearing, and following this, they would have three actions which were to adopt the FY 2023 final millage resolutions, adopt the changes to the tentative budget, and then adopt the final budget for FY 2023. She relayed that she would then present the LCWA budget, and that the Board could review and adopt their final millage and budget resolutions. She remarked that Chapters 129 and 200 of the Florida Statutes outlined the procedures for the annual adoption of tax rates and budgets, and required that she identify the proposed millage rates for FY 2023 as well as any adjustments that the Board would consider. She began presenting the proposed FY 2023 millage rates and said that the proposed Lake County General Fund Countywide Millage was 5.0364 mills, which was a decrease of 0.0165 mills from the FY 2022 rate, and was a 9.59 percent increase over the rollback rate of 4.5958 mills. She related that the proposed FY 2023 Lake County Ambulance and EMS municipal service taxing unit (MSTU) millage was 0.4629 mills, which was equal to the FY 2022 rate and a 9.95 percent increase over the rollback tax rate of 0.4210 mills. She stated that the proposed FY 2023 Lake County Stormwater, Parks and Roads MSTU millage was 0.4957 mills, noting that this was equal to the FY 2022 rate and a 10.87 percent increase over the rollback tax rate of 0.4471 mills. She commented that the proposed FY 2023 Lake County Fire Rescue MSTU millage was 0.5138 mills which was an equal to the FY 2022 rate and an 11.67 percent increase over the rollback tax rate of 0.4601 mills. She explained that based on calculations by the Florida Department of Revenue (FDOR), the current year proposed aggregate millage rate of 5.9891 was 9.21 percent over the aggregate roll back rate of 5.4838. She indicated that the proposed FY 2023 Lake County Public Lands-Voted Debt Service millage, which did not figure into the rollback calculations as it was approved by a referendum, was 0.0918 mills which had not change from the FY 2022 rate. She presented a comparison of FY 2022 rates to the proposed rates for FY 2023, and commented that the General Fund operating millage was decreasing by 0.0165 mills; additionally, the remaining BCC millage rates for the Ambulance MSTU, Stormwater, Roads, and Parks MSTU, and Fire Rescue MSTU had no change from FY 2022 as well as the Public Lands-Voted Debt Service. She noted that the final rate for the LCWA, which was approved September 21, 2022, had decreased 0.0146 mills to 0.3083 mills. She displayed a graph depicting the ad valorem revenues over the last several years and the recent purchasing gap due to the rate of inflation and a chart showing how the proposed rates for FY 2023 could affect reserves based on some items that were anticipated in the following year, such as Supervisor of Elections leasehold improvements, the purchase of the YMCA property for the Central Regional Park, and the use of the reserve for road projects.

PRESENTATION OF FINAL BUDGET

Ms. Teslia said that the proposed final budget, as presented, included the following items: a General Fund millage of 5.0364 mills, which was used to estimate the ad valorem revenue; $3.1 million from the General Fund reserves for road projects; a $13 minimum wage and wage adjustments to address compression; the approved project list for the Infrastructure Sales Tax; full funding of Judicial Support, Constitutional Offices, and the County departments; and a General Fund reserve total of $38.7 million or 21.7 percent of the operating budget. She displayed a chart showing the proposed staffing changes for FY 2023, and said that there had been no changes since the first public hearing.

public hearing

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.

MILLAGE RESOLUTIONS

Ms. Barker mentioned that Ms. Teslia would list the resolutions, and that the Board could make the motion to approve as stated or make an amendment; furthermore, they could be voted on together or separately.

Ms. Teslia stated that the first action was the approval of the resolutions and adoption of the final millage rates, and she listed the millage resolutions.

Commr. Smith said that he was adamant about reserves, and he mentioned the importance of reserves for the impending storm approaching. He commented that he would be in favor of decreasing the millage rate; however, this would hurt the reserves.

Commr. Campione remarked that the County would have to pick up storm debris, and that a reimbursement by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) would not come for some time, opining that it could take years. She opined that debris removal after the storm would be an important step in returning to normalcy, and that Lake County was a large county with difficult areas to reach, resulting in a large expense.

Commr. Parks opined that reserves made the County less vulnerable to having to rely on the Federal Government.

Commr. Blake relayed his understanding that the cleanup bill from Hurricane Irma was about $10 million; however, the benefit of reserves for the County was to the detriment of the taxpayer’s reserves. He reiterated that homelessness increased with every $100 increase in rental rates, and opined that small businesses and commercial real estate would be hurt the most because they did not have the protections of the legislature, such as exemptions and programs. He expressed concern about the housing crisis and higher utility bills, and opined that the average American was having to pay an additional $11,500 over the previous year because of inflation. He relayed his understanding that the County needed to provide services, and suggested that as a compromise, the County could adopt the rollback rate and use social media to ask residents to pay the difference between the approved rate and the rollback rate. He opined that residents who were able and willing to do so could, and that others who were struggling because of global and national situations would not have to.

Commr. Parks deferred to the graph depicting the purchasing gap due to the rate of inflation, and opined that the County did not want to have to decrease services, such as deputies, public safety, and fire rescue. He opined that the purchasing power gap would continue to grow, and that the County was keeping costs in check and struggling to be as lean as possible with basic items, adding that the staff was doing an efficient job.

Commr. Smith mentioned that the millage rate was being reduced by a small amount.

Commr. Parks relayed that the County could continue to look for ways to become more efficient.

On a motion by Commr. Campione, seconded by Commr. Shields and carried by a vote of 4-1, the Board approved of the following items: Lake County Countywide Final Millage Rate Resolution 2022-123 of 5.0364 mills; Lake County Municipal Services Taxing Unit for Ambulance and Emergency Medical Services Final Millage Rate Resolution 2022-124 of 0.4629 mills; Lake County Municipal Services Taxing Unit for Stormwater Management, Parks and Roads Final Millage Rate Resolution 2022-125 of 0.4957 mills; Lake County Municipal Services Taxing Unit for Fire Rescue Services Final Millage Rate Resolution 2022-126 of 0.5138 mills; Lake County Voter Approved Debt Service Final Millage Rate Resolution 2022-127 of 0.0918 mills.

Commr. Blake voted no.

CHANGES TO FY 2023 TENTATIVE BUDGET

Ms. Teslia gave a summary of the changes since the first public hearing, which included the following: updated fund balance and revenue projections; re-budgeted capital projects which would not be completed at the FY 2022 year end; updated purchase order (PO) carryforward estimates; and other miscellaneous changes and adjustments. She said that the requested action was approval of the changes to the FY 2023 tentative budget totaling $24,538,451.

On a motion by Commr. Campione, seconded by Commr. Smith and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved the changes to the FY 2023 tentative budget totaling $24,538,451.

FINAL BUDGET

Ms. Teslia read the requested action to adopt the final budget Resolution 2022-128 for the FY 2023 budget totaling $753,464,472.

On a motion by Commr. Shields, seconded by Commr. Campione and carried by a vote of 4-1, the Board approved Resolution 2022-128 for the Fiscal Year 2023 Final Budget totaling $753,464,472.

Commr. Blake voted no.

Lake County Water Authority Budget

Ms. Teslia stated that the final budget for FY 2023 for the LCWA was approved on September 21, 2022 with a final millage of 0.3083 mills and a final budget of $22,436,045. She noted that the adjustments they identified included reductions for the Lake County Historical Society project and a building removal project, and that updates were made to the fund balance and PO carryforward projections.

Commr. Parks mentioned that he was at the LCWA meeting on the previous week, and he complimented them on their deliberate actions and for identifying reductions.

public hearing

The Chairman opened the public hearing.

Ms. Christi Susewitt, a resident of the City of Eustis, commented that the LCWA millage rate was higher than the rollback rate, and that at their previous meeting, the chairperson asked if there was an ability to adopt a rate between two ranges in order to come to the amount of $500,000 which the County had requested as an arbitrary number and not based on specific budget cuts. She opined that if the BCC had advised the LCWA to adopt the rollback rate, they could have used the budget cuts they had prepared equal to almost $900,000 while not affecting water resources. She expressed concern about the discussions relating to the LCWA budget, and noted that they cut funding to the Lake County Historical Museum, gave funding to non-profits, funded boats for the LCSO, and moved an executive salary into the water resource category. She stated that the LCWA, which was made up of 20 employees and a $20 million budget, had an executive director who made $183,000, opining that the rollback rate could compel the LCWA to normalize or reduce that salary for a permanent executive director position. She hoped that the Board would consider adopting the rollback rate for the LCWA, and opined that it could save the taxpayers $900,000.

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

LCWA millage resolution

Commr. Blake made a motion to adopt the rollback rate for the LCWA, but the motion died due to the lack of a second.

Commr. Parks commented that he had attended the meeting, and that the BCC would be more involved with the budget process in the future. He said that the BCC trusted them and had asked them to work on their budget, and that they had presented their recommendations.

Commr. Smith mentioned that he had not seen the total budget or been involved in the workshops, and that it was difficult to deny what they had recommended. He hoped that that there would be more time in the following year to review the budget and consider the rollback rate.

Commr. Campione opined that the County was trying to show a level of deference to them with this transition occurring, and that there was much happening in a short period of time. She opined that in the following year, the rollback rate could be approved and adopted with the mission of finding efficiencies and assuring that all of the water resource projects were taken care of, such as protecting water quality and retrofitting lakes, rivers, and surface waters, which was the goal behind the legislation. She opined that this was a good first step, and noted that there had been a reduction of the millage rate.

Ms. Barker remarked that there was a meeting with Mr. Ben Garcia, LCWA Interim Executive Director, and Mr. Jimmy Crawford, attorney for the LCWA, set for the following week, which may be rescheduled due to Hurricane Ian.

Commr. Smith inquired what the LCWA’s originally proposed millage rate was, noting that the County had requested that they would reduce it by $500,000.

Ms. Barker replied that that it was 0.3329.

Commr. Parks commented that the LCWA recommended keeping it the same, and that the County had asked them to reduce it by $500,000, noting that they reduced it by nearly that much by removing some items.

Ms. Barker clarified that they had reduced it by $414,000.

Commr. Campione relayed her understanding that one area of savings was from outsourcing the Lake County Nutrient Reduction Facility (NuRF) operations, opining that there were opportunities for other savings there. She opined that because it was late in the year, the County had to defer to the LCWA recommendations since they were the ones who had been involved with that budget for the entire year. She asked how involved the BCC would be with overseeing some of those decisions, and expressed her concern about a construction project they were considering, opining that they should be focused on water quality as opposed to building facilities. She suggested doing periodic reviews to ensure that decisions were not being made that would make it difficult for the BCC to meet its goals for the following year.

Ms. Barker said that providing for a process to update the Board could be discussed when the County met with the LCWA.

Commr. Parks suggested that the County could meet with them regularly.

Commr. Campione asked if staff would review the construction project to see what it involved, and Ms. Barker indicated that she could do that.

On a motion by Commr. Smith, seconded by Commr. Shields and carried by a vote of 4-1, the Board approved the Millage Resolution for Fiscal Year 2023 Lake County Water Authority Final Millage rate Resolution 2022-129 of 0.3083 mills.

Commr. Blake voted no.

LCWA final budget

Ms. Teslia related that the last requested action was the adoption of the LCWA final budget Resolution 2022-130 for FY 2023 totaling $22,436,045.

On a motion by Commr. Shields, seconded by Commr. Smith and carried by a vote of 4-1, the Board approved the Lake County Water Authority Final Budget Resolution 2022-130 for Fiscal Year 2023 totaling $22,436,045.

Commr. Blake voted no.

ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business to be brought to the attention of the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 5:35 p.m.

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SEAN PARKS, chairman

ATTEST:

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GARY J COONEY, CLERK