A REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

September 10, 2013

The Lake County Board of County Commissioners met in regular session on Tuesday, September 10, 2013 at 9:00 a.m., in the Board of County Commissioners’ Meeting Room, Lake County Administration Building, Tavares, Florida.  Commissioners present at the meeting were:  Leslie Campione, Chairman; Jimmy Conner, Vice Chairman; Timothy I. Sullivan; Sean Parks; and Welton G. Cadwell.  Others present were:  David Heath, County Manager; Sanford A. “Sandy” Minkoff, County Attorney; Wendy Taylor, Executive Office Manager, County Manager’s Office; Neil Kelly, Clerk of Court; Barbara F. Lehman, Chief Deputy Clerk, County Finance; and Shannon Treen, Deputy Clerk.

INVOCATION and pledge

Pastor Brooks Braswell from the First Baptist Church of Umatilla gave the Invocation and led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Agenda update

There were no changes to the agenda.

presentations

introduction of florida hospital waterman ceo

Commr. Campione stated that Mr. David Ottati, CEO of Florida Hospital Waterman, had served as the President and CEO of Florida Hospital Flagler for seven years, and during that time a 34,000 square foot outpatient center was built which brought 300 jobs to that local economy.  She noted that he had a double major in Finance and Accounting and had received his Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Central Florida.

Mr. Ottati introduced himself and pointed out that he had been working with Adventist Health System since 1996 starting in Orlando, then in Flagler, and now at Waterman.  He explained that his goals were to develop strong relationships with the community, physicians, and EMS providers, and he wanted to make sure they had the appropriate services as the community grew.

Commr. Cadwell mentioned that Mr. Ottati has worked with them on the emergency room delays, and they have seen a marked difference.

Lake County’s Federal legislative priorities

Mr. Maurice Kurland from Alcalde & Faye, which was the County’s federal lobbyists, gave an update on the key issues they were currently working on.  He noted that they have worked on transportation and infrastructure issues for many years and were pleased with the dollars they have been able to get for the County.  He related that there would be a five-year highway bill coming at the end of next year that would present additional opportunities to move forward on some projects and that Congress was working on a water resource and development act.  He stated that he had a discussion with the Region 4 Council of the Environmental Protection Agency regarding a project in Clermont, and they planned to have an answer within the next three weeks.  He mentioned that he would be debriefing Mr. Jim Stivender, Public Works Director, about a transportation grant soon.  He also pointed out that they provided a compilation of different grant opportunities to the department heads on a biweekly basis so they could move forward with those if something met the needs of the County.  He then expressed that he was honored to represent the County in Washington, D.C.

Commr. Campione stated that it was an honor to have him here and that they appreciated what he did on behalf of Lake County.

Commr. Cadwell noted that this was one investment that was easy to keep a report card on, because they could actually see the dollars the County has received over the years they have been represented.

Commr. Conner mentioned that it was not hard to see the great work that their lobbyists did for the County.  He added that they always kept them informed and represented Lake County extremely well, and he appreciated it.

Commr. Parks related that the lobbyists were resources and money well spent and he was grateful for what they did.

employee awards

Ms. Christina Brandolini, Human Resources Manager, presented the following employee awards:

FIVE YEARS

Josie Rodriguez, Library Assistant I  (Not Present)

Public Resources/Library Services Division

 

Margaret Unger, Library Assistant I

Public Resources/Library Services Division

 

TEN YEARS

Deborah Marchese, Construction Program Specialist

Public Works/Road Operations Division

 

TWENTY YEARS

Ms. Wendy Breeden, Public Resources Director, presented the award for twenty years of service to Ms. Patricia Fletcher, Office Associate IV, Public Resources/Lake Soil & Water Conservation, and commented extensively on her service.

RETIREMENT

Mr. Sandy Minkoff, County Attorney, presented the award for Retirement to Ms. Quinnette Durkin, Property Manager/Legal Office Manager, County Attorney’s Office, and commented extensively on her 35 years of service to the County.

BOARD/COMMITTEE CERTIFICATES

Ms. Brandolini presented the following awards:

Arts & Cultural Alliance

Barbara Krull, for service from 2012-2013

 

Board of Adjustment

Robert P. Peraza, for service from 2011-2013

 

Elder Affairs Coordinating Council

Paul Richardson, for service from 2011-2013  (Not Present)

 

Library Advisory Board

Laura Pierce, for service from 2010-2013  (Not Present)

 

Mining Committee

Nancy H. Fullerton, for service from 2011-2012

Kraig McLane, for service from 2011-2012

J. Michael O’Berry, for service from 2011-2012

Tracy Mouncey, for service from 2011-2012

Douglas Dufresne, for service from 2011-2012  (Not Present)

Steve Adams, for service from 2011-2012

 

Parks, Recreation & Trails Advisory Board

Todd Luce, for service from 2009-2013

 

Public Safety Coordinating Council

Linda A. Brooks, for service from 2005-2013

Kelly Smallridge, for service from 2005-2013  (Not Present)

 

Women’s Hall of Fame Selection Committee

Bernice Odums, for service from 2010-2013  (Not Present)

 

MINUTE APPROVAL

On a motion by Commr. Conner, seconded by Commr. Sullivan and carried unanimously by a 5-0 vote, the Board approved the BCC Minutes of July 30, 2013 (Regular Meeting) as presented.

citizen question and comment period

Mr. Vance Jochim, a resident of Tavares who writes a blog called FiscalRangers.com, addressed the Board in regards to Tabs 5, 9 and 10, specifying that each Tab was for large expenditure items, and the descriptions did not provide enough information.  He stated that Tab 5 discussed a $136,000 grant for two buses, but there was no detail about whether those were replacement buses and if the maintenance costs were budgeted.  He also noted that Tabs 9 and 10 discussed risk and medical cost insurance, and there was no disclosure of prior year costs without having to go into the details in the budget packet.  He asked if the Board could add more detail in the descriptions so the public would not have to download the entire agenda backup.

Mr. Thomas Madden, a resident of Clermont, commented that Vista Del Lago Boulevard was temporarily closed in 2004, because at that time many houses were being built along Lake Luisa Road and there was no traffic signal at the intersection of Lake Luisa Road and Highway 27, which caused too much traffic on Vista Del Lago.  He noted that the residents were assured by the Board that Vista Del Lago would be reopened once Hammock Ridge Road had opened and the traffic had acclimated to using that road instead; however, that has not happened.  He asked for the road to be reopened.

Commr. Parks commented that he would like more information about this and to discuss it as a Board.

Commr. Cadwell stated that the district commissioner should meet with the Maddens and the Homeowners Association of Vista Del Lago first to see if anyone has changed their opinion on the matter.

Commr. Campione mentioned that she would rather hold a workshop so that the Board would be able to get all of the information at one time.

Commr. Parks stated that he would meet with the Maddens, Public Works and the HOA, but he would most likely come back and recommend having it as a discussion item.

Ms. Pam Lee, a resident of Lady Lake, spoke in regards to emails and letters exchanged between Mr. Minkoff and Mr. Daniel Mantzaris, Attorney for the City of Clermont, regarding the taxation of Mr. Falzon’s property.  She added that it appeared as though the City of Clermont was claiming the property was theirs.  She asked if she could present more information to the Commissioners at a future meeting so they would be well-informed of the actions taking place.

Commr. Campione pointed out that this was an issue with the Property Appraiser’s Office, there were appropriate steps to be taken, and it was not appropriate for them to sit as a tribunal on such allegations.   She added that Ms. Lee could send them information individually and could hold her own public hearing regarding the matter, but it could not be in front of the Board.

recess and reassembly

The Chairman announced at 9:52 a.m. that there would be a ten-minute recess.

CLERK OF COURTS’ CONSENT AGENDA

On a motion by Commr. Conner, seconded by Commr. Parks and carried unanimously by a 5-0 vote, the Board approved the Clerk of Courts’ Consent Agenda, Items 1 through 6, as follows:

List of Warrants

Request to acknowledge receipt of the list of warrants paid prior to this meeting, pursuant to Chapter 136.06 (1) of the Florida Statutes, which shall be incorporated into the Minutes as attached Exhibit A and filed in the Board Support Division of the Clerk’s Office.

Lands Available List

Request to acknowledge receipt of property placed on the Lands Available List.  Lake County has until November 4, 2013 to purchase property from the Lands Available List before it is available to the public.

Request to acknowledge receipt of property placed on the Lands Available List.  Lake County has until November 18, 2013 to purchase property from the Lands Available List before it is available to the public.

Southwest Florida Water Management District

Request to acknowledge receipt of a letter from the Southwest Florida Water Management District dated August 6, 2013 regarding a return to year-round water conservation measures.

Green Swamp Area of Critical Concern

Request to acknowledge receipt of the Final Order Approving Lake County Ordinance No. 2013-25 and Final Order Approving Lake County Ordinance No. 2013-27, which both amend the Lake County Land Development Regulations regarding the Green Swamp Area of Critical Concern.

City of Clermont’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report

Request to acknowledge receipt of a copy of the City of Clermont’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2012, in accordance with Section 163.387 (8), Florida Statutes, as well as a copy of the CRA Annual Report.

COUNTY MANAGER’S CONSENT AGENDA

On a motion by Commr. Cadwell, seconded by Commr. Conner and carried unanimously by a 5-0 vote, the Board approved the County Manager’s Consent Agenda, Tabs 5 through 19, as follows:

Community Services

Request for approval to apply for the Shirley Conroy Rural Area Capital Equipment Grant for two buses for the Transportation Disadvantaged (Paratransit) program for the 2013-2014 Fiscal Year budget. Also, approval and signature of the supporting Resolution No. 2013-99, and acceptance and implementation of the grant if awarded. Also, permission to purchase the vehicles if the grant is awarded under the State Transit Research Inspection Procurement Services Program. The fiscal impact is $136,962.00 (County portion: $13,696.20 / Grant funded: $123,265.80).

Request for approval of the 2012-2013 Annual State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) Report.

Growth Management

Request for approval of the 2014 Comprehensive Plan Amendment Schedule.  There is no fiscal impact.

Public Safety

Request for approval and execution of: (1) Hazards Analysis Grant Agreement with the State of Florida, Division of Emergency Management; and (2) authorization for the County Manager to sign future amendments/modifications that do not involve financial impact. This agreement provides revenue to the Emergency Management Division. No local match is required.  The fiscal impact is $9,300.00 (revenue).

Human Resources

Request for approval of the County’s Property, Liability, Workers’ Compensation and other Risk Insurance coverage renewal, effective October 1, 2013 through September 30, 2014. It is also recommended that the Board authorize the Procurement Services Manager to sign the appropriate forms necessary to bind the coverages associated with this agenda item. The fiscal impact for FY 2014 is $1,431,841 (Expenditure).

Request for approval to award contract 14-0001 to Symetra for medical stop loss insurance, effective October 1, 2013 through September 30, 2014.  It is also recommended that the Board authorize the Procurement Services Manager to sign the appropriate forms necessary to bind the coverages associated with this agenda item. The fiscal impact for FY 2014 is $544,529 (Expenditure).

Public Works

Request for approval of and authorization for the Chairman to sign Resolution No. 2013-100 providing for certification of the assessment roll for the Special Assessment for the paving, grading, curbing, and drainage of Diane Drive and Lisa Drive in Lake County. There is no fiscal impact.  Commission District 3.

Request for approval of contract for the purchase and removal of Lake County’s scrap metal and white goods, and authorize the Procurement Office to execute all supporting documentation. This is a revenue contract with an estimated fiscal impact of $97,650 per year.

Request for approval of the Arthropod Control FY2014 Certified Budget.  The fiscal impact is $29,456 (Expenditure).

Request for approval and signature on a LAP agreement and supporting FDOT Resolution No. 2013-101 between Lake County and Florida Department of Transportation for CR 561: from US 27 to CR 48 signing/pavement markings (FPN  429608-1-58/68-01) in the amount for $335,515.00 FDOT Safety Funds.  Commission Districts 1, 2, 3.

Request for approval and signature on a LAP agreement and supporting FDOT Resolution No. 2013-102 between Lake County and FDOT for the design of the Eustis Elementary and Eustis Middle School sidewalk on Abrams Road. (FPN 432954-1-38-01).   The fiscal impact is $15,917.00.  Commissioner District 4.

Request for approval and execution of a License Agreement with Sumter Electric Cooperative, Inc. (SECO) and Seminole Electric Cooperative, Inc. for the purpose of constructing and operating an electric transmission and/or distribution line or system, including placing poles, repair and maintenance within County owned, abandoned railroad property in the Umatilla area according to plans approved by Lake County.  There is no fiscal impact.  Commission District 5.

Request for approval of the Traffic Signal Maintenance Agreement with the City of Fruitland Park.  This agreement will add a traffic signal at US 441 and CR 25A/Dixie Avenue that is within the City limits, thereby increasing the annual revenue by $95.91. Commission District 5.

Request for approval of the Traffic Signal Maintenance Agreement with the Town of Lady Lake, adding the traffic signals at US 27 & CR 25/ Water Oak and US 27 & Rolling Acres and 2 School flashers on Rolling Acres that are located in the Town of Lady Lake, increasing revenue $2,480.42 annually.  Commission District 5.

Request for approval and signature of Resolution No. 2013-103 authorizing the establishment of the speed limit at 25 miles per hour on Rooks Avenue (5606) in the Fruitland Park area, Section 9, Township 19, Range 24. There is no fiscal impact.  Commission District 5.

COUNTY ATTORNEY’S CONSENT AGENDA

On a motion by Commr. Sullivan, seconded by Commr. Conner and carried unanimously by a 5-0 vote, the Board approved the County Attorney’s Consent Agenda, Tabs 20 through 22, as follows:

Request for approval of renewal of Lease Agreement with Macerich Lake Square Mall, LLC for Sheriff's Office space.

Request for approval of Fourth Amendment to the lease between Lake County and Ali H. Jawad for lease space for the Tax Collector's Office in Clermont.  The fiscal impact is $8,656.59.

Request that the Board order the 2013 tax roll be extended prior to completion of the Value Adjustment Board hearings.  There is no fiscal impact.

public hearings

solid waste assessments

Mr. Steve Koontz, Fiscal and Administrative Services Director, gave a presentation on the Solid Waste Assessment.  He reviewed that the Solid Waste Assessment was used to fund the collection, management, and disposal of solid waste and recovered materials.  He explained that there were no changes in the rate of $184, and the estimated revenues were $12,392,400.  He mentioned that the initial rate resolution was approved on July 30.

Commr. Campione asked if this assessment was for the current system.

Mr. Koontz confirmed that this assessment affected the current system and that next year’s assessment would affect the new system which would go into effect on October 1, 2014.

The Chairman opened the public hearing.

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

On a motion by Commr. Conner, seconded by Commr. Cadwell and carried unanimously by a 5-0 vote, the Board approved Resolution No. 2013-104 to impose Solid Waste Assessments for collection, management, and disposal of solid waste and recovered materials against assessed property located in Lake County, Florida for the Fiscal Year beginning October 1, 2013; approved the rate of assessment at $184.00; approved the assessment roll; and provided an effective date.  The fiscal impact is $12,392,400.

fire assessment

Mr. Koontz noted that the Fire Assessment was used to fund fire protection services, but it could not fund advanced life support (ALS) services.  He indicated that Tindale-Oliver recommended maintaining the current assessment schedule of $181, and the estimated revenues were $16,325,000.  He mentioned that the initial rate resolution was approved on July 30 and that a full update of the Fire Assessment Study would be done in FY 2014.

The Chairman opened the public hearing.

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

On a motion by Commr. Conner, seconded by Commr. Parks and carried unanimously by a 5-0 vote, the Board approved Resolution No. 2013-105 to impose Fire Assessments against assessed property located in Lake County, Florida for the Fiscal Year beginning October 1, 2013; approved the rate of assessment; approved the assessment roll; and provided an effective date.  Please see pages 5 and 6 of the Resolution for rates.  The fiscal impact is $16,325,000.00.

pain management clinics ordinance

Mr. Minkoff placed the proposed ordinance on the floor for its first and final reading by title only, as follows:

an ordinance of lake county, florida relating to pain management clinics; amending lake county code, chapter 14, article vii, entitled “pain management clinics”, section 14-101, entitled “moratorium”, to extend a moratorium on the issuance of business tax receipts for new pain management clinics that is due to expire on october 1, 2013 to september 30, 2014; providing for inclusion in the code; providing for severability; providing for filing with the department of state; and providing for an effective date.

 

The Chairman opened the public hearing.

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

On a motion by Commr. Conner, seconded by Commr. Parks and carried unanimously by a 5-0 vote, the Board approved Ordinance No. 2013-41 amending Section 14-101, Lake County Code, in order to extend the moratorium on the issuance of new business tax receipts for pain management clinics from October 1, 2013 to September 30, 2014.  There is no fiscal impact at this time.

Transportation impact fees ordinance

Mr. Minkoff placed the proposed ordinance on the floor for its first and final reading by title only, as follows:

an ordinance of the board of county commissioners of lake county, florida; amending section 22-37, article iii, lake county code, entitled transportation impact fees; providing for the establishment of a higher transportation impact fee rate for the south transportation benefit district to be effective january 1, 2014; providing for severability; providing for inclusion in the code; providing for filing with the department of state; and providing an effective date.

 

Commr. Campione expressed that her main concern was deterring the type of activity the County was trying to attract and suggested allowing commercial and industrial users to pay their impact fee in installments at the time they paid their tax bill.  She noted that they would have to set some kind of a threshold.

Commr. Parks recommended setting up a reserve account to pay the impact fees for instances when companies planned on bringing hundreds of jobs to the area.

Commr. Cadwell mentioned that some people would try to take advantage of paying impact fees in installments and asked what the timeframe would be for the installments.  He also noted that he would not want to create a reserve account, but he would rather maintain their current policy and see what they could do for companies that came to the County.

Commr. Campione answered that an installment timeframe would be for five years.  She pointed out that the County would be protected, because they could have a condition stating that the company’s mortgage lender must agree to make that payment a priority over their mortgage on the tax bill.

Mr. Minkoff confirmed that it could be done as long as there was a recordable document noting that the County had first priority over a mortgage.  He added that South Florida has successfully assessed for impact fees.

Commr. Sullivan commented that they mitigate some of the impact fees for companies such as large construction companies by giving them credits for building roads.

Mr. Jim Stivender, Public Works Director, stated that that only applied to certain roads, and the road must help the people around that business.

Commr. Sullivan related that he did not want to hold up any kind of economic development projects and that he was not opposed to an installment program, but he wanted to make sure it was done right.  He then asked if it could be applied only to commercial.

Mr. Minkoff replied that they currently treated commercial and industrial projects differently than other types of uses, so they could develop something like that if the Board wanted.

Mr. Heath mentioned that he planned on bringing three options back to the Board on October 22, which were the special assessments, the fee being due at closing, and the fee being due at the certificate of occupancy (CO), but they needed to take action on this ordinance now in order to collect on January 1.

Mr. Minkoff related that this type of change would not require the 90-day notice the statute requires for new fees, so the ordinance could be adopted in December if elected in October.

Commr. Cadwell suggested tailoring it to the uses that they were actively targeting to help create jobs.

Commr. Conner asked if the future revenues from the transportation impact fees could be bonded.

Mr. Minkoff replied that it would be very unlikely to be able to borrow against a short-term assessment like that.

Commr. Conner commented that they needed to consider the fact that they would not be able to build the roads they wanted to if the revenues were delayed five years, and at that point it would cost more money to build them so they would not be getting their money’s worth.

Mr. Stivender clarified that some roads were done in phases, adding that it could be 10 years before a project was completed after a Project Development and Environmental (PD&E) study was done.  He related that it took time to work out all of the details and that they could start by doing small projects and work up to bigger projects as the revenues increased.

Commr. Conner asked if there would be interest charges for a business if they decided to pay the fees over five years.

Mr. Minkoff responded that there would be an interest component to it, so the business would have to make its decision based on cash flow.

Commr. Conner asked if it was legal to discount the impact fee if a business paid it up front as opposed to five years.

Mr. Minkoff answered that that was something they could work out.

The Chairman opened the public hearing.

Mr. James Hitt, Economic Development Director for the City of Clermont, stated that the City of Clermont was in favor of the transportation impact fee.  He added that Clermont currently allowed payment upon the certificate of occupancy for residential and commercial businesses and that it has worked well for the last eight years.

Commr. Campione asked if they had ever had any problems where someone was not able to come up with the money.

Mr. Hitt replied “no,” adding that the builders were familiar with their system and they shared that with the buyers.

Dr. Kasey Kesselring, a resident of Montverde, handed out a sheet listing figures for permits that have been issued in Lake County since the suspension of transportation impact fees in March 2010.  He noted that Lake County had forfeited about $11 million in uncollected impact fees since the suspension took place, which was the right thing to do at that time, but the economy has been slowly progressing, and the housing industry in South Lake was constructing at a remarkable pace.  He stated that impact fees helped with the road and stormwater infrastructure that was necessary to support additional residences and traffic flow.  He related that all of the municipalities in South Lake supported the new fee, noting that the fees would still be lower than Orange County.  He indicated that the Transportation Alternative Funding Task Force and the Capital Facilities Advisory Committee made a variety of recommendations which included impact fees.  He added that the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) did not contribute money to road projects if there was no local funding contribution.  He opined that a broad based approach was required to fund the transportation needs where every resident paid their fair share, and they needed to support the renewal of the six cent gas tax, using more of the one cent sales tax for infrastructure, and to consider having an additional one to five cent gas tax for next year.  He mentioned that the Minneola Interchange and the Wellness Way Sector Plan would bring a significant economic impact and high-wage jobs to Lake County, but there was currently no way to fund those.  He stated that the Commissioners were tasked with assuring the long-term sustainability and viability of the County and suggested reinstating impact fees between 50 and 70 percent of the recommended value, allowing them to be paid at closing or at the time of the certificate of occupancy, and consider a portfolio of options since impact fees could not be a cure-all for infrastructure needs.

Mr. Ray Goodgame, Mayor Pro-tem for the City of Clermont, spoke in favor of the transportation impact fees.  He stated that the lack of impact fees has put a burden on the current residents, and the corridors that were part of the Sector Plan would not get built without those funds.  He expressed that the Sector Plan was very important as it was for future job growth they were striving for in South Lake County.

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

Commr. Campione stated that she preferred to go with 60 percent, because she thought it was a good meeting point to still be competitive.

Commr. Conner noted that the Board was more effective when they spoke as one voice, so he wanted them to find a common ground.  He added that he was more comfortable with 60 percent instead of 70, and he would support that if there was a unanimous vote.

Commr. Parks pointed out that 60 or 70 percent would still make them competitive as compared to Orange County.

Commr. Sullivan commented that he was comfortable with 70 percent, because it was a discount to keep Lake County competitive yet it would still provide for the needs as they grew.  He added that he thought the idea of the installment plan was great, and he was interested in discussing that in October.

On a motion by Commr. Cadwell, seconded by Commr. Parks and carried by a 4-1 vote, the Board approved Ordinance No. 2013-42 amending Section 22-37, Article III, Lake County Code, entitled “Transportation Impact Fees”, establishing a higher Transportation Impact Fee rate of 70 percent for the South Transportation Benefit District effective January 1, 2014.  The fiscal impact for the first year is $1,800,000 (Revenue).

Commr. Campione voted “no”, because she wanted a 60 percent rate.

cOUNTY MANAGER’S DEPARTMENTAL BUSINESS

community services

transit update

Ms. Dottie Keedy, Community Services Director, stated that the Ride Right, LLC management team would introduce themselves and provide an update on the fixed route transition plan, and she would discuss LYNX Route 204 and the use of LakeXpress for students.  She noted that the contract for the provision of public transportation services would transition from the current provider to Ride Right on October 1 and that the transition plan was underway.

Mr. Lynn Schantz, Regional Director of Ride Right, pointed out that they were well into the transition process and that they had extended offers to the existing workers at MV Transportation, and about 99 percent of them had chosen to work for Ride Right.  He then introduced Mr. James Sackor, General Manager, and stated that he would be the primary contact for Lake County.

Commr. Campione asked if there would be a hotline for complaints or issues that come up.

Mr. Schantz answered “yes,” adding that Ride Right’s primary focus was customer service and that they were looking to make an immediate improvement in customer service to improve performance.

Route 204

Ms. Keedy recalled that the paratransit educational and employment trips ended in April 2012 due to budgetary limitations, and Route 55 and Route 204 would be eliminated in September 2013.  She then discussed Route 204, stating that it was the express route from the Clermont Park and Ride to downtown Orlando which the County had subsidized for the last six years.  She indicated that there were currently 68 riders on this route and that the current cost of the route was $168,376 annually with the cost per rider from the General Fund at $2,476 annually.  She mentioned that the riders paid fares depending on the type of pass they purchased and that a 30-day pass cost $70, and the cost for a 30-day fare without the General Fund subsidy was $276 per rider.  She noted that staff worked with Lynx in an attempt to keep the route running without a General Fund subsidy, but Lynx concluded they could not continue the service without the local subsidy.  She pointed out that South Lake County was designated as part of the Orlando urban area due to the results of the 2010 Census, and they were now eligible for approximately $396,000 of the FTA Section 5307 grant, which could be used for the implementation of Route 5, which was a fixed route on SR 50.  She noted that the Fiscal Year 2013/2014 budget included the purchase of three fixed route buses and constructing bus stops for the new route which would begin in FY 2014/2015.  She stated that the residents who commuted to work outside of Lake County could use the VanPool Program offered by both Lake County and Lynx as an alternative to the routes.  She noted that Lynx would be holding a public hearing regarding ending Route 55 and Route 204 at the Clermont Community Center on September 24, 2013 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Commr. Parks pointed out that he had the opportunity to ride on Route 204 yesterday and hear from the riders why the route was so important to them.  He stated that the route worked and that it was hard to take away an existing service.  He suggested having staff work with Lynx to see if the County could use $100,000 of the 5307 money to fund some of the route temporarily and to include a farebox increase as well as eliminating some of the trips that were not utilized as much.  He added that the riders he talked to yesterday were fine with the increase.  He indicated that he still supported Route 5, because there was a need for that in South Lake, but those cities really needed to step up as well.

Commr. Sullivan commented that he was open to the idea of using $50,000 of the 5307 funds to subsidize the route on a temporary basis until they came up with a solution, but it was hard for him to want to subsidize transportation for people who worked outside of Lake County.

Commr. Cadwell mentioned that they needed to first find out if they could even use those dollars and how using that money would affect Route 5.  He added that they would basically be paying $50,000 to put off a decision for another year, specifying that the $50,000 would not be available next year.  He expressed that he was for public transportation and he understood the logic of wanting to keep the route, but under the current financial situation he was unsure how they could continue it.

Commr. Conner asked what Route 5 was going to be, when it would be implemented, and what the ridership would be.

Ms. Keedy answered that the route would run along SR 50 from Mascotte and into Oakland to connect to the Lynx system.  She added that it would start with the County’s headways and that there would be two buses and one back-up.  She noted that the implementation of that route would depend on the budget and that it would take one year to order the buses and get the bus stops installed.  She indicated that they were conservatively estimating about 36,000 trips each year, but she was unsure about the number of riders.

Commr. Conner noted that they needed to use the money towards a route that cost the least amount of money and served the most people.  He added that $2,476 was a lot of money for the County to spend to subsidize each rider on Route 204.

Commr. Parks related that the subsidy amount should go down with the fare increase and the trip reductions.

Commr. Conner related that it would be nice to know how much of a savings that would be, because the gap may not be that wide.

Commr. Campione opined that they needed to pursue the possibility of cutting some of the routes, increasing the fares and using the 5307 funding, if possible; however, she wanted to know how that would affect Route 5.  She pointed out that Route 204 was used by Lake County residents to get back and forth to work, but it was unclear how many people would actually use Route 5.  She added that they needed to figure out a way to have both routes if the data was there to support Route 5 and that they needed to pin down how much the cities in South Lake were willing to commit to Route 5.

Ms. Keedy mentioned that they would need to get a cost from Lynx as to what they would charge for the service to determine the cost for the riders.

Mr. Heath commented that they would need to verify that the 5307 funds could be used and if so, how much the Board wanted to use for the route.  He related that Lynx planned on cancelling this route on October 18, but they could negotiate with the 5307 funds.  He stated that eliminating some of the routes on Route 204 as discussed could reduce the ridership, and the cost for a 30-day pass would triple if they only used $50,000 to subsidize the route.

The Chairman opened the public hearing.

Mr. T. J. Fish, Executive Director of the Lake-Sumter Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), stated that Lynx was looking at outsourcing Route 204 and raising the farebox, but realized they could not do that.  He related that the MPO supported keeping Route 204 intact at some level of service, but they should ask Lynx what the cost would be if they reduced the number of buses from five in the morning and five in the evening to three and adjust the farebox.  He added that they would still have to revisit the issue of Route 5 even if Route 204 stayed intact.

Mr. Jerry Russo, a resident of Clermont, stated that he rode Route 204 to get to work in Orange County, but he lived, paid taxes, and spent his money in Lake County.  He added that the costs of gas and tolls have increased over the years and he would have less money to spend if he had to drive to and from work.  He noted that eliminating Route 204 would encourage Clermont residents to move to Orange County, because there were no jobs in Clermont, and he mentioned that the route from Winter Garden to Downtown Orlando would take an hour and a half and that did not include the time it would take for him to get to that route.  He indicated that the riders on Route 204 paid more than the riders on the North Lake County routes and more than the state average.  He related that the riders were willing to accept a fare increase and decreased service by eliminating some of the routes, because some people could not afford to get to work without the bus.

Ms. Michelle Hoffman, a resident of Groveland, mentioned that there were significantly more riders on Route 204 than 68 which was stated earlier.  She noted that the riders lived and paid taxes in Lake County and also supported local businesses and schools, community sports, and non-profits.  She related that they took the bus because it was convenient, safe, and reliable, as well as an economical and environmentally friendly way to get to work and back.  She indicated that cancelling the bus would result in long-term expenses for Lake County, such as more vehicles on the roads and increased traffic, which would cause more pollution and more wear and tear on the roads.  She added that additional costs for law enforcement and emergency services would be required, because of the potential for more accidents on the roads.  She specified that she was a federal employee and received a subsidy to ride the bus, because the federal government recognized the value of public transportation.  She expressed that the riders were willing to talk about fare increases and reductions in service.

Ms. Debbie Pearce, a resident of Howey in the Hills, pointed out that Lake County was growing every day, and the express route to Orlando was vital to the continued growth of the County.  She added that eliminating the route would be a step backwards for Lake County and would cause her to have to move back to Orlando.  She noted that she had a petition with close to 300 signatures on it supporting the route.  She suggested that the Board consider raising the fares and to make all riders pay, including police officers and Lynx employees; eliminate the 5:30 a.m. and the 6:00 p.m. routes, which would reduce the cost by 20 percent and would leave eight routes instead of 10; and promote the bus by letting the community know that professional men and women rode it.  She mentioned that the riders have discussed using vanpools instead, but it would be difficult to pick up the riders at the same place and time every day.

Ms. Sandra Pogue, a resident of Clermont, commented that the fact that the riders were willing to pay more said a lot about them.  She added that some people may not be able to afford a fare increase, but she supported the fare increase as opposed to eliminating the route, because paying double was still a major savings.

Mr. Thomas Harris, a resident of Groveland, explained that he used Route 204 to get to and from the University of Central Florida (UCF) almost every day.  He stated that the route was significantly cheaper than driving to the campus or living there and that he could not afford to continue his classes without the route.  He related that the riders were agreeable to raising the fare and that they should eliminate some of the middle routes to save money.

Mr. Khemjai Harkissoon, a resident of Clermont, stated that he was also a student at UCF, and he had considered living on and near campus, but he could not afford to do either.  He added that he could not finish his degree if the bus was eliminated.

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

Commr. Campione stated that they would work with Lynx to try and lower the costs, eliminate some of the routes, see if the 5307 funds could even be used, and check with Lynx to get a more accurate number of riders and make sure they were counting the ones who rode the bus for free.

Commr. Sullivan pointed out that it was difficult to take away something that had already started, and that was why he was comfortable with using $50,000 of the 5307 funds since Route 5 was not in place yet.  He added that public transportation was crucial when trying to create jobs.

Commr. Parks mentioned that they should have Lynx look at both options of using either $50,000 or $100,000.

Commr. Conner opined that they needed to decide how committed they were to Route 5. 

Commr. Campione stated that they needed to work on a business plan for Route 5, get a projection of what the ridership would be, and then figure out what amount the cities would need to contribute, and in the meantime they needed to keep Route 204 intact.

Mr. Heath pointed out that he would bring this back on October 8, but he wanted to know whether the Board wanted to negotiate with $50,000 or $100,000 with Lynx.  He noted that Route 5 would have to be a future discussion.

Commr. Campione suggested splitting the difference and negotiate with $75,000 with the understanding that the County may not be able to continue the route the following year.

Commr. Conner stated that he would support no more than $50,000.

Commr. Cadwell noted that he would not support $100,000.

On a motion by Commr. Sullivan, seconded by Commr. Parks and carried unanimously by a 5-0 vote, the Board approved to renegotiate Route 204 with LYNX by using $50,000 of the 5307 funds, increasing the fares, and eliminating some of the routes.

LakeXpress

Ms. Keedy continued the presentation to discuss the proposal to market LakeXpress to Lake County students by allowing them to ride the bus at no cost.  She indicated that the County had done that in the past for short periods of time, and staff thought it would be beneficial, because it would introduce the students to the transit options available which may increase ridership as well as additional federal funding.  She noted that it would positively impact the available capacity of the buses at no additional cost to the County and it could also alleviate some of the issues with the loss of school bus transportation to students living near fixed routes.  She added that there were no proposed modifications to the route, and the students must have a valid school ID to ride the bus, which included students at Lake Technical Center and Lake-Sumter State College.

The Chairman opened the public hearing.

Mr. Vance Jochim, a resident of Tavares who writes a blog called FiscalRangers.com, opined that expanding LakeXpress by giving free rides to students was socialism.  He expressed that when people become dependent on services, it becomes extremely hard to cut the service when the funds were no longer available.  He noted that those students would expect free rides even after they graduated.  He urged the Board to stop taking property taxes from the General Fund to subsidize programs that were not self-sufficient.

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

Commr. Conner pointed out that Mr. Jochim’s comments were more applicable to the Route 204 issue.  He then noted that he supported the recommendation to allow students to ride LakeXpress at no cost mainly because he strongly opposed what the School Board had done with the courtesy busing.

Commr. Campione mentioned that the students were going to school to get educated, and the buses had seats available and were making those trips regardless.

Commr. Parks commented that at some point they would have to raise the farebox on LakeXpress to make it self-sustaining.

On a motion by Commr. Cadwell, seconded by Commr. Sullivan and carried unanimously by a 5-0 vote, the Board approved to allow students with a valid ID to ride LakeXpress at no cost.

public resources

habitat conservation plan

Mr. Bobby Bonilla, Parks and Trails Division Manager, gave a presentation on the status of the current development of the Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP).  He reviewed that a HCP was a requisite component of an Incidental Take Permit (ITP) that described all of the programs and policies the applicant must implement to minimize the take of listed species, which included sand skinks, scrub jays, and gopher tortoises, and presented a plan for mitigating unavoidable take.  He added that the HCP also included a description of the area to be regulated, the activities to be managed, an implementation schedule, and identified funding mechanisms to ensure that the plan could be implemented.  He stated that the key strengths of HCPs included being flexible to accommodate a wide range of projects that varied greatly in size and scope, and the weaknesses included an ongoing annual operating cost and user fees that were unable to cover the program’s operating expenses.  He explained that the HCP process was a complex, scientific conservation planning tool requiring large amounts of data and analysis and that the County was solely responsible for meeting the terms and conditions of an ITP.  He added that it required allocating and maintaining sufficient funding for personnel and material resources to ensure that the HCP could be effectively and efficiently implemented and that the permanent durations for a HCP could range from five to 30 years, but it would be subject to review at the five to 10 year interval by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).  He then showed a slide depicting the annual operating costs for Volusia, St. Johns, Escambia and Walton Counties and indicated that those counties’ funding sources included the general fund, user fees, the tourist development tax, citations, and some federal and state grants.  He noted that there was no dedicated funding source for Lake County’s HCP except for the grant funding they received from the USFWS.  He pointed out that a county-wide HCP was challenging, expensive and time consuming and that the County was responsible for a variety of things, such as accepting regulatory responsibilities, acting as the permitting agency, amending the Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Regulations to codify the development guidelines, and establishing and maintaining an annual budget.

Mr. Bonilla specified that the HCP project started in April 2009, three of the agreements expired before they could be executed, and the fourth agreement would expire on December 31, 2013.  He added that the fourth agreement did not provide sufficient time to execute the grant agreements, so the Board would need to apply for an additional extension.  He stated that the grant funds for limited consulting services were $94,390, that the estimated impact to Parks and Trails was $225,000 per year, and the fiscal impact to Growth Management and other departments was unknown.  He mentioned that there were no further financial commitments or responsibilities to the County if they decided to terminate all agreements with USFWS and the project consultants.  He related that there have been many challenges over the years in developing a county-wide HCP, and with no return on investment, they felt the County’s long-term responsibility and financial commitments negatively outweighed the benefits provided by the HCP.

Commr. Parks asked if they knew what the fees were for Volusia County, because it was his understanding that their fees paid for their operating costs.

Mr. Bonilla replied that they used a combination of funding sources to cover their operating expenses and noted that they had staff dedicated to the HCP.

Ms. Wendy Breeden, Public Resources Director, concluded the presentation stating that staff was requesting that the Board decline the proposed grant extension agreement with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, approve to terminate the HCP grant for convenience, and approve to terminate for convenience the agreement with Quest Ecology, Inc., the project consultant firm.

Commr. Parks asked if the consultant provided any comment regarding the termination of those agreements.

Mr. Bonilla replied that the consultant’s work was very limited and that staff should have performed additional research in the beginning.

Commr. Parks commented that the plan would have been a streamlined process for handling sand skink and scrub jay issues, which would normally take years when dealing with the USFWS, if it had worked.

Commr. Cadwell noted that they did not have enough staff now to oversee it to make it work.

Commr. Campione expressed that she was thrilled to be able to get out of the agreements, because the County would be the ones to get blamed for all of the difficult regulations of the USFWS.

On a motion by Commr. Cadwell, seconded by Commr. Parks and carried unanimously by a 5-0 vote, the Board approved to decline the proposed grant extension agreement with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, to terminate the HCP grant for convenience, and to terminate for convenience the agreement with Quest Ecology, Inc., the project consultant firm.

other business

appointment to the Parks, Recreation and Trails Advisory Board

On a motion by Commr. Cadwell, seconded by Commr. Parks and carried unanimously by a 5-0 vote, the Board appointed Mr. Geoffrey Rose to the District 5 seat on the Parks, Recreation and Trails Advisory Board to complete an unexpired two-year term ending May 20, 2015.

reports – county attorney

school impact fee/assessment discussion

Mr. Minkoff explained that Mr. Bob Nabors with Nabors, Giblin, and Nickerson, P.A., who was an expert in the area of impact fees and assessments, was there to answer questions the Board had since they were interested in hearing whether assessments could be used to fund schools.

Mr. Nabors stated that school impact fees were different in that they were only imposed against residential property, they were the only fees that the county commission imposed on behalf of another governmental body, and they were influenced by the state education clause in which the state constitution provided that there should be an adequate provision for a uniform system of free public schools.  He added that that influenced the school impact fees beyond the dual rational nexus rule where a relationship between the need and the expenditure of the fee must be shown.  He explained that originally school impact fees were imposed in the unincorporated area and only in municipalities if they consented, but the Supreme Court ruled that the impact fee was invalid because of the uniformity provision under the Constitution and the fact that there may be a need to spend the money within a municipal area, but only the unincorporated area paid.  He indicated that if exceptions were made in terms of uniformity, there was the potential of converting it into a user fee, specifying that certain distinctions such as building houses that were not intended for people with children were invalid.  He pointed out that impact fees could be converted into assessments as collections on the tax bill, but a burden would be put on the fee earlier in the process.  He noted that under home rule, the impact fee could go beyond the building permit stage and could be imposed at the time concurrency vests.  He mentioned that any unpaid amount of impact fees would be due at the time of the building permit or the issuance of a certificate of occupancy (CO) if they were collected earlier in the process and allowed to be paid incrementally.

Commr. Campione asked how there would be a priority over the first mortgage.

Mr. Nabors responded that a valid special assessment would have priority, adding that the impact fee could be due at the platting process, and the developer could be allowed to pay the fee incrementally over a period of years.  He noted that an individual lot would pay the fee at a later time when there was an active approval process and it was ready to develop.

Mr. Minkoff mentioned that he would not recommend they take that risk, because the developer could have trouble with getting financing.

Commr. Campione asked about school assessments in The Villages, because it was her impression that the schools were built by a developer as part of their DRI approvals and did not have school assessments.

Mr. Nabors replied that The Villages was unique in that it was a community development district (CDD) that provided the entire infrastructure for that development.  He added that they would have to provide a school site, and they would then get credits against the impact fees the County imposed which was converted into an assessment charge that continued past the building permit.

Mr. Minkoff commented that he verified with the attorney for the charter schools that the schools were not part of the CDD and that the developer built the schools and leased them to either the school district or to the charter school and received rent from them for using the facilities.

Commr. Campione stated that there had been a suggestion for the County to do an MSTU and impose a school impact fee within the city limits if the cities did not opt in to do it as a school benefit district; however, it seemed that could potentially create problems.

Mr. Nabors pointed out that a certain geographical area could not be charged more for their obligation to the public schools.

Mr. Minkoff clarified that there was an attorney general opinion indicating that a county could not use their resources to pay for schools without it having a county purpose, and schools were typically not a county purpose unless it fit in with other programs such as transportation.

Commr. Campione pointed out that the School Board was debating between an impact fee and an assessment or a combination of both.  She related that they thought an assessment would make it an easier burden to bear since the home buyer would pay it over time, and they also thought it would allow them to bond their improvements, because they would have a revenue stream coming in.

Mr. Nabors noted that it would still be one charge, and they would run into problems if they had different charges based upon different developments.  He added that they could have a provision for an early collection instead of paying it incrementally on the tax bill if they wanted to achieve an early payment.

Commr. Cadwell opined that the School Board needed to tell the Board what they thought they needed, because the Board could not make that decision for them.

Commr. Sullivan stated that he agreed, adding that the School Board was aware that they needed either an assessment or a fee to keep up with the growth of the County, but they wanted to find a way to do those without deterring economic development.

Commr. Campione asked if they could tighten up concurrency for big developments that come to areas that were close to capacity.

Mr. Minkoff answered that the developer could not develop and they could not require the developer to pay more than their share if there was a very strict concurrency; however, the developer could do that voluntarily.

Commr. Campione asked if the proportionate share mitigation was supposed to take care of developing when the area was at capacity.

Mr. Minkoff pointed out that there was a specific rule on transportation that prohibited the County from charging for any other deficiencies, adding that they could not exceed the impact fee.  He pointed out that Mr. Nabors and his firm agreed with his opinion that they could not charge different impact fees in different areas of the county.

Commr. Campione suggested that the School Board tighten up concurrency, increase the de minimus under concurrency to anywhere between eight and ten lots so they were promoting infill, and to settle on a fee that was not $10,000.  She opined that there would have to be a more efficient way to build a school, which would mean the impact fee would not have to be so high.

Commr. Cadwell asked where the cities were with the concurrency agreement.

Mr. Minkoff replied that several of the cities have taken it out of their comprehensive plan, but they were still enforcing it in their land development regulations, and Mount Dora has completely repealed it.

Commr. Cadwell mentioned that they needed to get all of the cities on board, and tightening up concurrency would give the Board and the School Board a better comfort level of what they planned to do with the impact fees.

Commr. Parks asked if they would have to justify changing the de minimus.

Commr. Cadwell answered “no,” adding that they picked the number four at that time and he did not see that as a hurdle if everyone agreed.

Commr. Campione asked if they could have a mechanism for anyone pulling a permit to voluntarily elect to pay the impact fees over time.

Mr. Minkoff answered “yes,” stating that it may not be feasible on a lot by lots basis because of the cost, but it would be easier to deal with at the subdivision level.

Mr. Nabors related that there was a certain amount of administrative cost in aggregating the fees and putting them on the tax bill.  He noted that they could ask for the remaining balance at the time of the building permit or the CO, which was what most counties did, or it could be continued, but the developers tend to pass some of the cost off on the homeowners which caused problems since the homeowners did not understand the additional fees on their tax bill.

Commr. Campione suggested having a workshop in the future regarding sidewalks to see where they were at, what else needed to be built, how much money it all would cost and how long it would take in case it was brought up during their joint meeting with the School Board next week.

Commr. Parks commented that he constantly received phone calls from concerned citizens about sidewalks, and it would be nice to know the plan.

Mr. Heath mentioned that they planned on having a discussion about trails and sidewalks at the October 22 BCC meeting.

Commr. Campione commented that maybe they could use the sales tax money to help fund the sidewalk needs to show that the School Board, the County, and the cities were all contributing since sidewalks affected everyone.

Commr. Cadwell stated that it could possibly be lumped in with all of the other transportation needs.

reports – commissioner sullivan – district 1

Wings and Wildflowers Festival

Commr. Sullivan mentioned that it was getting close to the Wings and Wildflowers Festival, and he was interested to see how well it would go this year.

reports – commissioner parks – district 2

Parks, Recreation and Trails Advisory Board meeting

Commr. Parks commented that he attended the Parks, Recreation and Trails Advisory Board meeting yesterday and that it was a great meeting.  He added that they would be touring some of the parks facilities in November.

REPORTS – COMMISSIONER conner – vice-CHAIRMAN AND DISTRICT 3

resolution for the Leesburg Regional Airport

Mr. Leo Treggi, Airport Manager at the Leesburg Regional Airport, explained that the intention of the foreign trade zone was to bring international companies that did imports and exports into the County.  He added that they have also identified the 470 property as the foreign trade zone, which the City of Leesburg was currently developing.

On a motion by Commr. Conner, seconded by Commr. Cadwell and carried unanimously by a 5-0 vote, the Board approved Resolution No. 2013-98 supporting Leesburg Regional Airport as a Foreign Trade Zone.

county manager and county attorney evaluations

Commr. Conner noted that the evaluations for the County Manager and County Attorney had been passed out, and he thought they were very good.  He added that he strongly supported them and appreciated their work.

reports – commissioner cadwell – district 5

tourist development council meeting

Commr. Cadwell pointed out that the Tourist Development Council was meeting at the Mission Inn on Thursday, September 12 for a morning workshop to discuss their marketing spending.

Proclamation honoring Apopka mayor john land

On a motion by Commr. Cadwell, seconded by Commr. Parks and carried unanimously by a 5-0 vote, the Board approved Proclamation No. 2013-96 honoring Apopka Mayor John Land for his many years of public service and his outstanding contributions to the citizens of the City of Apopka.

water committees

Commr. Cadwell mentioned that the County Manager put together a matrix of the 10 committees involved with water issues and suggested the Board prioritize those to see which meetings staff and commissioners needed to attend.

REPORTS – COMMISsIONER campione – CHAIRMAN & DISTRICT 4

Endorsement letter for the Central Florida Sports Commission

Commr. Campione asked for authorization to sign a letter endorsing the Central Florida Sports Commission in their bid to host future NCAA Division II and III men’s and women’s golf championships in Lake County.

Recess and reassembly

The Chairman announced at 1:20 p.m. that they would recess until 5:05 p.m. for the Public Hearing on the Fiscal Year 2014 Budget.

Public hearing

fiscal year 2014 budget

Mr. Heath stated that this was the first of two public hearings on the Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 Budget as required by Florida Statute and specified that it was for the millage rates and budget overseen by the Lake County Board of County Commissioners.  He noted that the tentative budget including the proposed millage rates and the change from the rollback millage rates would be presented.  He defined the rollback millage rate as a rate when applied to next year’s tax base, excluding the new construction that would generate the same revenue as was raised in the previous year.  He added that the rates were typically lower than the current millage rates and the rollback tax rate was higher than the current millage rates, because the tax base was slightly lower than last year.  He indicated that at the conclusion of the public comment period, the Board would adopt the tentative tax rates and the tentative budget including any adjustments and that the Board could also direct him, as the County Manager, to bring back further adjustments to the Board at the second public hearing on September 24, 2013.  He then gave a presentation of the budget and explained that the Board held multiple budget workshops since December 2012.  He indicated that the ad valorem tax revenues increased slightly by 0.42 percent, and they were able to balance the budget while keeping all of the millage rates the same as FY 2013.  He noted that the constitutional officers had a net reduction of about $400,000, and that the budget included a 5.3 percent reduction to the departments; provided for adequate maintenance of all the facilities, equipment and infrastructure; and set public safety and economic development as the highest priorities.  Also, Mosquito Control, Children’s Services and Human Services grants, the Trout Lake Nature Center, and LifeStream were kept at status quo after a lot of deliberation.  He then thanked the constitutional officers and senior staff for their cooperation throughout the budget process, as well as County staff for their willingness to search for efficiencies, to add additional work efforts and to offer their total support as they made adjustments to the way the County did business.

Mr. Koontz then read the proposed millage rates, reporting that the Lake County General Fund Countywide Millage was 4.7309 mills which was equal to the current rate and a 0.71 percent reduction from the rollback tax rate of 4.7645; the Lake County Ambulance MSTU was 0.3853 mills which was equal to the current rate and a 0.70 percent reduction from the rollback tax rate of 0.3880; the Lake County Stormwater, Roads, Parks MSTU was 0.4984 mills which was equal to the current rate and a 1.19 percent reduction from the rollback tax rate of 0.5044; the Lake County Fire MSTU was 0.3222 mills which was equal to the current rate and a 1.20 percent reduction from the rollback tax rate of 0.3261; and the total proposed aggregate millage was 5.9368 which was equal to the current aggregate rate and a 0.91 percent reduction of the aggregate rollback rate of 5.9830.  He noted that the Lake County Public Lands-Voted Debt was 0.1900 mills which was equal to the rate adopted in FY 2013.

The Chairman opened the public hearing regarding the millage rates.

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

On a motion by Commr. Conner, seconded by Commr. Parks and carried by a 4-1 vote, the Board approved to adopt the Lake County General Fund Countywide Millage at 4.7309 mills.

Commr. Cadwell voted “no.”

On a motion by Commr. Conner, seconded by Commr. Parks and carried unanimously by a 5-0 vote, the Board approved to adopt the Lake County Ambulance MSTU at 0.3853 mills.

On a motion by Commr. Conner, seconded by Commr. Parks and carried unanimously by a 5-0 vote, the Board approved to adopt the Lake County Public Lands-Voted Debt at 0.1900 mills.

On a motion by Commr. Conner, seconded by Commr. Parks and carried by a 4-1 vote, the Board approved to adopt the Lake County Stormwater, Roads, Parks MSTU at 0.4984 mills.

Commr. Cadwell voted “no.”

On a motion by Commr. Conner, seconded by Commr. Parks and carried unanimously by a 5-0 vote, the Board approved to adopt the Lake County Fire MSTU at 0.3222 mills.

Mr. Koontz then summarized the changes made since the recommended budget was presented in July, which included adding funds to the Veteran’s Memorial, bringing LifeStream back up to status quo, adding a school resource officer to the Spring Creek Charter School in Paisley, and making changes to the Infrastructure Sales Tax for the debt service.  He added that incentive pay for County staff was added and additional funding was going towards Parks and Stormwater because of the reductions from the State and the Juvenile Justice expenditures.  He also noted that the fund balance projections and the purchase order carry forward estimates were updated, and there were other minor corrections, which brought the budget down to $3,711,810.

Commr. Cadwell asked how much the infrastructure sales tax adjustment was that was made for the debt service.

Mr. Koontz replied that it was $1,050,000.

Mr. Heath pointed out that there was going to be a workshop on October 8 to discuss the infrastructure sales tax, and he noted that Mr. Rick Reed, President of the Historical Society, would be presenting his business plan to the Board on September 24.

Mr. Koontz added that funding was in the budget for the Historical Society, but it was reduced by six percent.

The Chairman opened the public hearing regarding the changes to the recommended budget.

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

On a motion by Commr. Conner, seconded by Commr. Sullivan and carried unanimously by a 5-0 vote, the Board approved to adopt the changes to the Fiscal Year 2014 budget which totaled $3,711,810.

The Chairman opened the public hearing regarding the tentative budget.

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

Commr. Cadwell opined that the way the budget was funded was wrong, but staff and the Board did a good job in bringing forward the budget with what they were given to work with.

Commr. Conner expressed that they were fortunate to have such great administration and staff and thanked the County Manager in particular, because he made the Board’s job easier and takes a lot of pressure off of them.

Commr. Parks thanked the County Manager, staff, and the constitutional officers for the job they did.

Commr. Sullivan stated that it had been a very difficult budget process and he appreciated the staff’s hard work.

Commr. Campione pointed out that it had been a long road getting there and they had been working with the money they had to provide the best service as possible.  She added that it would be tough next year, but hopefully there would be some more economic development happening and it would be all positive.  She also thanked the staff and the Board for their work.

On a motion by Commr. Conner, seconded by Commr. Parks and carried unanimously by a 5-0 vote, the Board approved to adopt the Fiscal Year 2014 Tentative Budget totaling $347,377,219.

On a motion by Commr. Conner, seconded by Commr. Parks and carried unanimously by a 5-0 vote, the Board approved the public hearing for the final adoption of the FY 2014 millage rates and budget on September 24, 2013 at 5:05 p.m., or as soon thereafter as possible, in the Board of County Commission Chambers, 315 West Main Street, Tavares, Florida.

ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business to be brought to the attention of the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 5:27 p.m.

 

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leslie campione, chairman

 

 

ATTEST:

 

 

 

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NEIL KELLY, CLERK