A special MEETING OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

December 20, 2023

The Lake County Board of County Commissioners met in a special Astor Workshop on Wednesday, December 20, 2023 at 5:00 p.m., at the Astor Community Center, Astor, Florida. Commissioners present at the meeting were: Kirby Smith, Chairman; Sean Parks; Leslie Campione; and Josh Blake. Commissioner not present: Douglas B. Shields, Vice Chairman. Others present were: Jennifer Barker, County Manager; Melanie Marsh, County Attorney; Mary Burns, Accounting Director; and Josh Pearson, Deputy Clerk.

welcome

Commr. Smith welcomed everyone to the meeting.

Commr. Blake gave the Invocation and led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Public Comment

Commr. Smith asked residents to let the Board know their thoughts on the Silver Glen issue.

Mr. James Paul Grech, a resident of Astor, commented that on Labor Day weekend, residents were made aware that there was a letter written to the State to try to implement a Spring Protection Zone (SPZ) in Silver Glen. He indicated that residents had created a nonprofit and that on December 15, 2023, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) had a private meeting regarding the qualifications for Silver Glen being an SPZ; furthermore, it had qualified. He expressed concerns that the State would implement that individuals could only drive through or stop and hold their boat, noting that there would not be any more anchoring, mooring, poling, or other activities. He opined that there were many reasons to keep Silver Glen open, and he expressed concerns for local stores and property values. He said that his organization was trying to do what they could to keep it open to boaters so that they could stay and not just drive through.

Mr. Steve Combs, a resident of Astor, indicated concerns that if the SPZ was enacted, it would affect 51 miles of riverfront businesses. He added that he had moved to Astor because of Silver Glen, and he also expressed concerns for property values decreasing and businesses failing. He indicated concerns that this would never be undone, and he asked the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) for help.

Commr. Smith stated that Lake County was aware of this issue and that he had been in contact with some people to try and determine what was occurring.

Mr. Samuel Mehalick, a resident of Astor, asked about what was occurring with sidewalks, and he inquired about a public road which was not maintained by the public. He asked about material being put into water and why individuals were not allowed to have septic tanks on their private land. He inquired if anything had occurred regarding flooding, and he relayed that he had spoken to Commissioner Campione about vacating Bass Road; furthermore, he inquired about who had an issue with vacating the road.

Mr. Steve Plummer, President of St. Johns River Utility, encouraged the BCC to support requests for applications for Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) funding and hazard mitigation funding to assist with making improvements to the wastewater system in Astor, noting that they had damage from Hurricanes Ian and Nicole.

Commr. Parks arrived at 5:12 p.m.

Lake County staff presentations

Ms. Angela Harrold, Director for the Office of Parks and Trails, said that the County was responsible for three boat ramps in Astor, in addition to the Astor Lions Park and some blueways. She commented that they saw some drastic flooding after Hurricanes Ian and Nicole, and that once the water receded at the Lake George Boat ramp, the County was able to remove the trees, the vegetation and the muck; additionally, they re-stabilized the road leading into the area and had put in some 57 stone in the staging and parking area. She elaborated that they were also able to install a new bear proof trash can and update the entry signage, furthermore, they would keep monitoring the situation there and continue maintenance. She then relayed that the Pearl Street Boat Ramp saw significant flooding, and that the County had a temporary dock. She added that in January 2024, an item would be coming to the BCC to have a new gangway and floating dock permanently constructed, and that they had ongoing pothole repair, along with some grading and installation. She also mentioned that they had an interlocal agreement with Volusia County for the removal of derelict vessels. She stated that for the Butler Street Boat Ramp, there was a new pavilion and picnic area, as well as a new water restroom that was just completed and opened to the public. She added that there was a new drain field and a new floating dock and gangway, and that they would be doing ongoing replacement of the asphalt with new concrete. She said that they had done many improvements at Astor Lions Park including a dog park, bleacher shade replacements, updated fence lines around the ballparks, and pickleball courts. She relayed that upcoming improvements would include a new lighted basketball court with new bleachers and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) sidewalks and walkways. She displayed a segment of the North Lake Trail System which would be running from the City of Umatilla to Astor, noting that it would also connect to the Heart of Florida Loop Trail along State Road (SR) 40 through the Ocala National Forest. She then listed the following Astor Blueways: Blue Creek Run; Stagger Mud Lake Run; and St. Francis/Dead River Run. She also relayed that they would be doing some ongoing interactive maps on the County website, and that there would be geo-positioned marker upgrades.

Ms. Jennifer Parsick, Associate Director for the Office of Library Services, showed an architectural rendering of the new Astor County Library, remarking that it would be located next to the baseball fields in the Astor Lions Park and would face Alco Road. She indicated that the current square footage of the library was 4,200 square feet, and that the new building would increase by 47.8 percent. She added that the building currently offered a meeting room at 341 square feet and a study room at 90 square feet, and that the new building would offer a meeting room at 669 square feet which would hold 45 people, a community services office at 113 square feet, and a study room at 74 square feet for a total of 856 square feet, which was a 99 percent increase in meeting and study spaces. She also said that the rotunda would be a dedicated space for youth programming and would be conducive for nature based story times. She commented that in the current lot they only had nine parking spaces and eight unpaved spaces, and that the new library would have 48 spaces including three accessible spots; furthermore, spaces would be available to library or park visitors; additionally, this would be the first library in the county to offer a drive through for pickup. She reiterated that the building would face Alco Road, giving greater visibility to residents, and noted that the library would be open during the construction.

Mr. David Kilbury, Public Safety Director, mentioned that Fire Station 10 was located nearby and that it housed Engine 10 and Rescue 10. He explained that Engine 10 was an advanced life support (ALS) crew with the same type of equipment as the ambulance, minus the stretcher. He elaborated that the ambulance could transport someone to Marion County, Lake County or Volusia County depending on the ailment and the requirement destination. He said that there were some areas where firetrucks could be challenged, and that this truck was a four wheel drive, front drive axle, and that there were few similar apparatus in Lake County; additionally, it carried slightly more water than the commercial chassis in more urban areas where there were fire hydrants. He mentioned that the transport ambulance was state of the art and was licensed through the State of Florida, noting that it carried a variety of pharmaceuticals. He clarified that any medical incident could be addressed in one’s living room or kitchen the same as in the suite at the emergency room (ER), and that an ambulance would get one stabilized; furthermore, they may also call for an airship depending on the illness. He stated that Lake County worked well with Volusia County, and that Lake County had a good web of resources through their 911 to get one the help they needed. He then mentioned that they were getting ready to enter into El Niño which meant there could potentially be less rainfall and a higher risk for wildfires; therefore, the County would possibly implement a burn ban to keep the occurrence of a wildfire at a minimum. He said that one was always responsible to have a defensible space where the fire would run out of fuel, and he encouraged everyone to be mindful of fire safety and to check their smoke alarms. He remarked that Lake County had a fire resource as well as the State and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) with their vessels on the St. Johns River, and that they also had the ability to bring additional watercraft, even with municipal partners, in Astor. He added that they had also brought sand for sandbags at Fire Station 10.

A resident asked if they were the ones cleaning up Alco Road for controlled burns in the future.

Mr. Kilbury clarified that the State did much of this and that Lake County worked with them. He also recalled a fire in the past summer in the Ocala National Forest in which they were bringing in helicopters and air tankers from around the nation, clarifying that this area would fall under the Florida Forestry Service.

Mr. David Salinas, Director for the Office of Solid Waste, spoke about the convenience center on Astor Transfer Station Road, recalling that in the past year they had an issue with trespassers and break ins at the facility. He said that the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) required site improvements, and that the County had installed new fencing, signage and surveillance cameras which would allow them to work with the LSCO and hopefully limit the amount of trespassing and break ins.

Mr. Jeff Earhart, Engineering Manager for the Public Works Department, stated that there were many roads in Astor which needed to be maintained, and that there were 46 miles of maintained roads which he showed on a map. He added that there were 34 miles of unmaintained roads, and that the County’s process for maintaining roads was that in the summer they were mowed and litter was picked up every four weeks, with clay roads being regraded every two weeks. He elaborated that unmaintained roads were used for public access and that the County would maintain them for emergency repair if a firetruck or police could not get through. He explained that there was a special assessment process if one wanted to change an unmaintained road into a maintained road, and that 80 percent of the affected residents would have to vote yes to contribute some funding to be assessed in order to pay for that process. He elaborated that as funding was available, the County and the residents would each pay 50 percent of the project. He relayed that in the past 17 years the County had repaved about 17 roads, which he displayed on a map; additionally, they were looking at repaving a portion of Riverview Drive Spring in 2024. He also showed a map with pavement ratings, noting that the orange roads rated at four would be the next roads they would look to resurface; furthermore, when allocating funding, they looked at the pavement rating and the volume of traffic on those roads. He then relayed the following information for drainage operations in Astor during 2023: filled 43 potholes; did about 10 pavement edge repairs; did pipe replacements; did about 26 minor drainage improvements; did two road shoulder replacements; and did vegetation management. He displayed images of two stormwater projects that they did in the past year, noting that the pipe was collapsed or blocked; therefore, they installed a new culvert underneath two driveways on Coon Road and Deer Road. He mentioned Hurricane Ian which had occurred on September 30, 2022, and he recalled that there had been much water in Astor. He elaborated that during that event, there were 73 flooded roads which accounted for 15 miles of submerged roads for between 10 and 45 days. He said that the County had put in a request to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to try to repave those roads, noting that it was an $8 million request. He added that there were some hazard mitigation grants and that the County had requested a grant for two backflow preventers on Bonnet Road and Acorn Road for about $50,000. He mentioned that the County was looking at walkability in Astor, including about a half a mile on River Road and Alco Road. He opined that it was a challenging area to build a sidewalk because of ditches and limited right of way, noting that the cost would be around $2.2 million. He stated that the County had been working on a no wake zone on the river, and he believed that there were some temporary buoys; furthermore, the County was waiting on final permitting, and it would be installed south of River View Drive. He said that the County was working with the Army Corps of Engineers on a flood study in the Astor area from Lake George to Lake Dexter, and he displayed a map of the study area and a chart with the level of the St. Johns River. He commented that the study recommended to raise the road to an elevation of four in the Lake George Road area, and to install a 24 inch pipe and swales on both sides of the road at the Astor Landing Campground. He elaborated that they had discussed flap gates on Maple Road and Hazelnut Road, and that at Fern, Bobcat, Palmetto and Deer Roads, they were looking at adding a swale and some pipes to get that area to drain to the outfall better. He added that at Bartram Road, they were looking at adding 18 inch pipes under Bartram Road and Holiday Road, as well as a two foot by 12 foot box culvert under Jamie Road. He also mentioned that the Astor Library would receive two 1.5 foot by three foot box culverts.

Commr. Smith called on Major Chris DeLibro to discuss the LCSO.

Major Chris DeLibro, Major of Law Enforcement Operations for the LCSO, introduced other individuals with the LCSO who were in attendance, and he mentioned that there were some bicyclists in the area who were getting in the roadway during late hours and who were not wearing anything reflective. He stated that the LCSO had recently addressed some of the speeding complaints that residents had on State Road (SR) 40, and he indicated that the LCSO would be there and answer any questions that residents had.

Commr. Smith asked Mr. Bobby Bonilla to discuss parks and water resources, noting that Mr. Bonilla was the Executive Director for Parks and Water Resources and that he was over the Lake County Water Authority (LCWA) and the County’s parks and trail systems.

Mr. Bonilla commented that the County had just made some significant changes to the structure of the parks and trails by aligning the LCWA, the aquatics, mosquito management, and the water lab. He elaborated that it was a one stop shop for residents, remarking that they had staff in various disciplines to address uplands and waterways. He said that they operated seven days per week in their recreational facilities, and that they were launching a new program in terms of water and water quality throughout Lake County as a result of the legislative changes made at the State level, as well as the BCC following through to ensure that they had an all-inclusive service and timely response for the residents. He expressed appreciation for support from the Astor Chamber of Commerce throughout the years, as well as members of the libraries and those who were part of the sandbag distribution center. He stated that they had many great things coming, and he also expressed appreciation to the BCC and the County Manager for their support.

commissioner comments

Commr. Smith said that they had an extraordinary team with their fire and emergency medical services (EMS), as well as their police, road services, parks and trails, and their waterways. He opined that their library services were great, and he expressed appreciation for everything that Astor did. He added that the County was working on the boating issue.

Commr. Parks indicated that he represented the south side of the county, and that he loved Astor and was passionate about serving. He stated that he also loved the special communities, rural character, small towns and natural areas. He expressed support for protecting this, and he thanked everyone for attending, noting that he was always available to help.

Commr. Blake remarked that he had previously been the district Commissioner before the County redistricted in 2020. He mentioned that he had some great relations with individuals in the area, and he recalled that Hurricane Irma had been a significant challenge at that time. He relayed that he was happy to see the library progressing and all of the great things happening in Astor. He noted that residents could feel free to reach out to him if he could be of assistance.

Commr. Campione said that she was the current district Commissioner and that she was proud of this. She indicated that she had wanted to bring the staff from the City of Tavares to Astor because it was a long trip for residents to come to the City of Tavares for the BCC meetings in the morning. She expressed appreciation for staff and everyone attending, and she hoped to make this something that they could do on a regular basis to provide updates on the progress being made. She stated that for the walkability and safety issues, she would like nothing more than to have some sidewalks in place, opining that Alco Road would be a great place for a sidewalk. She mentioned that the drainage issues, the culverts and the swales made it challenging, though it was on the County’s list and they were trying to make it happen. She relayed that she had noticed some people riding bikes down the middle of the road on SR 40, and that the LCSO was aware of this. She opined that Astor was a challenging place to live from the standpoint of being in the floodplain, but opined that it had to be the most beautiful place in Lake County. She expressed appreciation for residents having to go through much hardship, and she said that the County understood the Silver Glen issue. She opined that Silver Glen was a special place, and she thought that everyone wanted it to stay protected from the standpoint of not being degraded; however, she believed that the people who used the area and who enjoyed being in the outdoors were the best stewards to look out for the springs. She indicated that she would do whatever she could to support everyone who wanted to continue using the springs, and that if they could not have it be exactly the way it had been for access, then they could possibly come up with some solutions. She stated that she was happy about the Butler Street Boat Ramp bathroom, and she expressed excitement for attending the ribbon cutting for the Astor County Library. She said that the County wanted to work on the hazard mitigation funding, and that septic tanks and sewage systems were critical in an area that flooded frequently. She elaborated that if they were going to protect the river and the environment, then they had to address the sewer system and ensure that they did not have any health issues or environmental degradation. She commented that Lake County was one of four counties in the Mid Florida Homeless Coalition where they tried to address their homeless population and connect people to help to get them out of circumstances where they did not have a place to live. She indicated that she had visited Astor in the previous January with some individuals from the homeless coalition, and that they went to various places looking for encampments. She remarked that the community had been kind and gracious to those that they knew lived in the area, and that this was occurring across Lake County to various degrees. She mentioned that residents could reach out to her by sending her an email on the Lake County website, noting that if it regarded something that was long term, then the BCC needed to know about it so that they could work together. She expressed appreciation for the input, and she hoped that there would be more that the County could report back on for what they were able to accomplish. She added that she traveled through Astor on a regular basis and that she always took time to drive around and see what was occurring, and she asked everyone to let her know if there was something she could do to help the community.

Commr. Smith relayed that Commissioner Shields was unable to attend the current meeting and that he sent his regards and wished that he could have been there. He opined that they had a great BCC and said that they were all committed to their districts and Lake County. He indicated that he knew the area well, and he provided his phone number to the audience, noting that he was readily available and that he held office hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays. He relayed that the BCC was hired to help every citizen in Lake County, and he thanked everyone for attending.

ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business to be brought to the attention of the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 5:54 p.m.

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kirby smith, chairman

ATTEST:

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GARY J COONEY, CLERK