A regular MEETING OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

March 13, 2018

The Lake County Board of County Commissioners met in regular session on Tuesday, March 13, 2018 at 9:00 a.m., in the Board of County Commissioners’ Meeting Room, Lake County Administration Building, Tavares, Florida.  Commissioners present at the meeting were:  Timothy I. Sullivan, Chairman; Leslie Campione, Vice Chairman; Sean Parks; Wendy Breeden; and Josh Blake. Others present were:  Jeff Cole, County Manager; Melanie Marsh, County Attorney; Niki Booth, Executive Office Manager, County Manager’s Office; Neil Kelly, Clerk of Court; JoAnne Drury, Accounting Director, County Finance; and Kathleen Bregel, Administrative Specialist, Board Support.

INVOCATION and pledge

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

Agenda update

Mr. Jeff Cole, County Manager, noted several changes to the agenda including the removal of Tabs 14, 21 and 27, and the addition of two addendums: Tab 33 to County Attorney’s Consent Agenda and Tab 34 presentation of Proclamation 2018-27. 

Commissioner Campione asked for Tab 20 to be pulled from the Consent Agenda for discussion.

Commr. Sullivan asked for approval of Tab 34 in order to present the proclamation immediately following the employee awards.

On a motion by Commr. Campione, seconded by Commr. Blake and carried unanimously by a 5-0 vote, the Board approved Proclamation 2018-27.

employee awards/board & committee certificates

Ms. Jeannine Nelson, Human Resources Interim Manager, announced that they would be recognizing citizens who had served on Boards and Committees, employees who had reached significant milestones in their careers with Lake County, and employee recipients of Quarterly Awards as follows:

BOARD/COMMITTEE CERTIFICATES

Arts & Cultural Alliance

Keith Mullins, for service from 2007-2017

 

Elder Affairs Coordinating Council

            Ray Newman, for services from 2011-2018 (not present)

            Judy Smith, for service from 2016-2018 (not present)

 

            Lake Emergency Medical Services (Lake EMS)

            John Moore, for service from 2013-2018 (not present)

            Keith Mullins, for service from 2013-2017

 

            Sales Surtax Oversight Advisory Committee

            Keith Mullins, for Service form 2002-2017

 

            Tourist Development Council

            Terry March, for service from 2000- 2017 (not present)

EMPLOYEE AWARDS

TEN YEARS

Matthew Einhorn, Firefighter/EMT (not present)

Office of Fire Rescue

 

FIFTEEN YEARS

Richard Sullivan, Mechanic I

Office of Fleet Management

 

THIRTY YEARS

Craig Scott, Mosquito & Aquatic Plant Program Manager

Public Works/Environmental Services Division/Mosquito Management

 

QUARTERLY AWARDS

EMPLOYEE OF THE QUARTER – 1st Quarter FY2018

Deborah Marchese, Construction Program Specialist 

            Public Works/Road Operations Division

 

Ms. Nelson stated that Ms. Deborah Marchese was being recognized as the Local Agency Program (LAP) Coordinator for the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and Public Works.  She explained that LAP was one way to expand the County’s budgeting dollars and that funding through this program requires strict adherence to federal guidelines, documentation and a strong sense of oversight to ensure the program’s requirements are being met.  She remarked that Lake County had recently completed the LAP project for the Leesburg/Lady Lake area, which was a $479,000 safety project that consisted of adding four foot paved shoulders for a quarter mile section of County Road (C.R.) 466A and Picciola Road.  She mentioned that Ms. Marchese’s sense of dedication, customer service, teamwork and professionalism allowed her to guide the project to completion on-time and within budget.  She then congratulated her for being the Employee of the Quarter and thanked her for her service.

T.E.A.M. OF THE QUARTER – 1st Quarter FY2018

            SOE Op Dash Team:

            Jim Dowling – Information Technology

            Brandon Barnett – Information Technology

            Shelly Coates – Information Technology

           

Ms. Nelson then recognized the Supervisor of Elections (SOE) Operational Dash Team from the Information Technology Department as the T.E.A.M of the Quarter.  She stated that during this quarter, Ms. Coates, Mr. Barnett and Mr. Dowling, along with the Supervisor of Elections staff, worked diligently to improve operations.  She said that this team recognized the potential to move SOE’s tabular data to a more user-friendly visual graphic which became the SOE’s operational dashboard.  She mentioned that this dashboard application would show historic voting trends and current registered voter data which permits the SOE to better allocate resources, monitor population growth of registered voters, address polling location needs, and a variety of other logistical concerns.  She remarked that by having this visual source of data, the SOE can provide a better overall election experience for Lake County citizens.  She thanked the team for their service and congratulated them for being the T.E.A.M. of the Quarter.

proclamation 2018-27 Florida surveyors and mappers week

Commr. Campione declared March 18-24, 2018 as Florida Surveyors and Mappers Week and then read and presented Proclamation 2018-27 to a group of Lake County surveyors and mappers who were present.  She thanked them for their contributions to the county.

citizen question and comment period

No citizens wished to comment.

CLERK OF COURTs’ CONSENT AGENDA

On a motion by Commr. Parks, seconded by Commr. Blake and carried unanimously by a 5-0 vote, the Board approved the Clerk of Courts’ Consent Agenda, Items 1 through 2, 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.

City of Eustis Ordinance 18-03

Request to acknowledge receipt of Ordinance No. 18-03 of the City Commission of the City of Eustis regarding the voluntary annexing of approximately 4.45 acres of real property located at 2089 Morris St., Eustis, FL.

COUNTY MANAGER’S CONSENT agenda

Commr. Parks remarked that under Tab 12, there was great work done through inter-governmental coordination with the co-location of a radio communications tower, which saved the County $400,000.  He also added that under Tab 18, the sale of mulch produced from Hurricane Irma generated $56,000 of revenue for the County. 

On a motion by Commr. Breeden, seconded by Commr. Parks and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved the Consent Agenda, Tabs 2 through 25, and Tab 33 with an errata sheet, pulling Tab 14 and Tab 21, and moving Tab 20 to regular agenda for discussion as follows:

PROCLAMATIONS

Request approval of Proclamation 2018-22 declaring April 2018 as Water Conservation Month, per Commissioner Parks. There is no fiscal impact.

Request approval of a Proclamation 2018-24 in observance of National Library Week in Lake County, April 8 - 14, 2018.  There is no fiscal impact.

COUNTY ATTORNEY

Request approval for:

1. The Board to re-affirm the prior 2007 and 2012 Board authorizations given to the County Manager, with consent of the County Attorney, to accept offers to purchase for right-of-way projects.

2. The Chairman to execute any necessary closing documents to complete right-of-way purchases.

3. The County Manager to execute required direct pays for right of way purchases and to issue payments required to be paid to the Court Registry under an Order of Taking issued by the Court when the County has filed eminent domain proceedings.

There is no fiscal impact.

Request approval and execution of the Fourth Amendment to the Agreement between Lake County and Bryant Miller Olive, P.A. for disclosure counsel services. The fiscal impact cannot be determined at this time.

Request award of contract 18-0908, Workers' Compensation Attorney Services, to Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer, P.A. (Orlando). The estimated annual fiscal impact is $25,000.00 (expenditure).

Request approval of Impact Fee Deferral Agreement with William Wheeler; and Approval to Advertise an ordinance amending Section 22-7 and Section 22-11, Lake County Code, and creating Section 22-6, Lake County Code, to be entitled "Transfer of Impact Fees."

COUNTY MANAGER

Request approval of Resolution 2018-25 authorizing the County Manager to appoint a delegate to electronically approve and "Pin" all Federal Transit Administration/Federal Department of Transportation transit grant documents. There is no fiscal impact.

MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET

Request approval of Resolution 2018-9 adopting the revised fee schedules for Fiscal Year 2018 to reduce community shed permitting fees. The fiscal impact (revenue) cannot be determined at this time.

ECONOMIC PROSPERITY

Elevate Lake

Request approval of an agreement with the University of Central Florida for management of Lake County's Small Business Development Center services. The fiscal impact is $150,000.00, payable in quarterly increments of $37,500.00 (expenditure).

PUBLIC SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE

Public Safety

Request approval to purchase one Pierce Class A structural firefighting apparatus (engine/pump) from Ten-8 Fire Equipment per County Contract 14-0601, and to replace one end of life apparatus, including one replacement LifePak cardiac monitor unit from Physio Control and other equipment for the apparatus. The fiscal impact is a $450,107.00 (expenditure).

Request award of contract 18-0614 to Fisher Scientific, LLC, (Pittsburgh, PA) for the purchase of firefighter bunker gear on an as-required basis, and authorize the Office of Procurement Services to execute all supporting documentation. The fiscal impact is estimated at $506,981.00 over the five-year contract, for an annual average of approximately $102,000.00 (expenditure).

Request approval of an Interlocal Agreement with the City of Apopka for a shared public service radio communications facility, with the City permitting and constructing a telecommunications tower, at City expense, on property owned by the County located in the Sorrento area (AK #3909640). There is no fiscal impact.

Request approval of a budget transfer to move available Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) funds into a capital equipment account for the purchase of a vehicle. The fiscal impact is $29,954.00 (expenditure - 100% grant funded).

INFRASTRUCTURE AND INTERNAL SUPPORT SERVICES

Facilities Management

Request award of contract 18-0410 for Pest Control Services to Kerin Solutions, LLC (Apopka, FL).  The estimated annual fiscal impact is $44,265.00 (expenditure).

Request award of contract 18-0411 for Termite Inspection and Treatment for Lake County Facilities to Massey Services, Inc. (Leesburg, FL). The estimated annual fiscal impact is $34,970.00 (expenditure).

Procurement Services

Request approval to reassign contract 15-0016, awarded to Public Financial Management, Inc. (PFMI) on April 7, 2015, to PFM Financial Advisors, LLC (PFMFA) due to the corporate acquisition proceedings, and authorize the Office of Procurement Services to execute all implementing documentation. There is no fiscal impact.

Public Works

Request approval of a contract resulting from RFQ 2018-00040, Sale of Mulch by Lake County Solid Waste Division to Reliable Peat Company, Inc. (Leesburg, FL) and authorize the Office of Procurement Services to execute all supporting documentation. The estimated fiscal impact is $56,700.00 (revenue).

Request approval to:

1.      Accept the final plat for Louisa Grande, located in the Clermont area, and all areas dedicated to the public as shown on the Louisa Grande final plat; and

2.      Execute a Developer’s Agreement for Construction of Improvements between Lake County and Avatar Properties, Inc.; and

3.      Accept a performance bond of $2,795,258.99.

The fiscal impact is $1,551.00 (revenue for final plat application fee).  Commission District 2.

COMMUNITY AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT SERVICE

Extension Services

Request approval of employment of Lloyd Singleton as County Extension Director, Extension Agent II. The fiscal impact is $38,704.00 (expenditure).

Parks and Trails

Request approval of contract 18-0425, Unpaved Trail and Common Area Landscape Maintenance and Related Services contract to Habitat Restoration & Wildlife Protection Service (Eustis, FL), and authorize the Office of Procurement Services to execute all supporting documentation. The estimated annual fiscal impact is $107,999.94 (expenditure).

Request approval of contract 18-0422, Paved Trail and Common Area Landscape Maintenance and Related Services contract to Faithworks Total Ground Maintenance (Tavares/Mount Dora, FL) and authorize the Office of Procurement Services to execute all supporting documentation. The estimated annual fiscal impact is $58,050.00 (expenditure).

Request award of contract 18-0904 for improvements at P.E.A.R. Park to Professional Dirt Services, Inc. (Eustis, FL). The fiscal impact is $136,809.00 (expenditure). Commission District 3.

regular agenda

letter to FDOT regarding segment 3b of wekiva parkway

Commr. Campione remarked that this request addressed issues on C.R. 46, Segment 3B of the Wekiva Parkway Project and noted there had been changes to the letter that was part of the agenda.  She stated that the issue was the design of the road being under the flood elevations themselves, not just the flood events.  She said that the changes to the letter request the road to be designed above the 100 year flood elevation instead of the 50 year flood event and that these modifications were made to more accurately address their concerns.  She reported that she has constituents in her district that have observed flooding in this area when a big storm event happens.  She added that in addition to the effects of a storm event, often the conditions prior to the event and the amount of water in the area cause concerns.  She stated the goal of the letter was to influence FDOT to redesign and elevate C.R. 46 in that area.

Commr. Breeden said she appreciated the citizen who took the time to bring this to the attention of the Board.

Commr. Sullivan stated he had seen photographs of that area when it is flooded and that it creates a strain on surrounding roads since cars are unable to pass through there.

Commr. Campione agreed and stated that traffic often diverts to Round Lake Road and Wolf Branch Road which is already a very busy area and intersection. 

On a motion by Commr. Campione, seconded by Commr. Breeden and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved Tab 20, request from Public Works for the Chairman to execute and send the letter in the agenda backup, with the changes made by Commissioner Campione, to the Florida Department of Transportation regarding the design of Segment 3B of the Wekiva Parkway project.

county extension Services director

Mr. Cole mentioned that part of the Consent Agenda was the appointment of Mr. Lloyd Singleton as the Director of the Extension Services.  He remarked that he had been serving in the capacity of Interim Director for a year and that the University of Florida recommended that he be hired full time.  He stated that he had been doing a great job and then acknowledged him in the audience.

Commr. Sullivan welcomed and thanked Mr. Singleton for all he does for the community in the areas of agriculture, maintaining water resources and educating farmers on irrigation and crop management.

Commr. Breeden added that the County was fortunate to have Mr. Singleton as part of the leadership team.

presentations

lifestream behavioral center

Mr. Jon Cherry, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of LifeStream Behavioral Center, presented a history of mental health services in Florida and Lake County, sharing what the center provides for citizens and the challenges the center faces.  He stated that back in the 1870’s, the first asylum was created in Florida in Tallahassee and was the beginning of public mental health services in Florida.  He reported that in the 1950’s, there were four statewide inpatient institutions created and Florida had 55,000 long-term psychiatric beds by 1955.  He noted that in the 1960’s, there was the movement for community mental health and Waterman Hospital created the first inpatient unit in Lake County in Eustis in 1969, which they ran for about two years.  They then helped community leaders create The Lake-Sumter Community Mental Health Center in 1971, which was later known as LifeStream.  He stated that after the first year not going well, Mr. Bert Lacey came to serve as CEO and stayed for a little over 20 years.  He continued stating that in the 1980’s, the institutionalization of mental health started, which brought people out of the state hospitals and kept them in the community, noting that was what the community system of care was created for and the purpose of LifeStream.  Unfortunately, he said that funding to provide the services was not always available.  He mentioned that before the 1980’s none of the mental health centers in the state provided inpatient services so people were going to general hospitals, which do a great job of providing general health care, but charged the county and the state $400 per day for mental patient care services.  He reported that Crisis Stabilization Units (CSU) were added in the 1990’s which meant that care for the mental health population was able to be provided directly, and he noted that the state currently reimburses $345 per day for that care, with the county sharing 25 percent of that cost, and therefore it is more cost effective.  He commented that in 1989, LifeStream built the psychiatric hospital out on Tally Road in Leesburg, which is a 62 bed inpatient unit for short-term stays of about four days, with the goal to stabilize patients and get them back into the community.  He remarked that in the 2000’s, treatment teams were created and kept people out of the state hospitals for a minimum of the cost, noting that state hospitals expenses were $125,000 per bed per year while LifeStream was costing $15,000 per year, which is a tremendous savings to the state and county since the county requirement is a 25 percent match.  He said that with the help of $500,000 from the County, a 64 residential bed Hope and Recovery Center, with case management and medical services, was built on the LifeStream hospital campus and enabled them to have a place for elderly residential seniors in the community with mental illnesses.  He stated that LifeStream was instrumental in creating Kids Central, which is the town welfare agency that serves Florida’s Fifth Judicial Circuit (Circuit 5) and allowed the state to privatize child welfare services.  He reported that in this decade, LifeStream bid on Central Receiving System Services and were one of seven that received funding for it.  He stated that LifeStream created an Addictions Receiving Facility in their hospital complex, which was highly needed in the county, and has 10 beds that are full every night with individuals with severe substance abuse disorders and in need of inpatient care before they are ready for outpatient care.  He noted that Assisted Outpatient Therapy began in 2017 with a federal grant that does not have a match requirement, works with the court system and is the same as the Baker Act on the outpatient side.  He said it was a four year federal grant and they would be working with the state to replace those dollars once they are depleted.  He said they also created a 15 bed pregnant and postpartum women’s residential unit for ladies who are addicted to opium which saves the state money because if women are addicted when their babies are born, the babies are also addicted and then go into the neonatal intensive care units which cost approximately $100,000 per stay.  He then concluded his overview of how LifeStream had gotten to where they are now in 2018 as a comprehensive integrated behavioral health system for Lake County, where the majority of their services are provided. 

Mr. Cherry continued his presentation by reporting that LifeStream provides services in these three areas: public safety, which is primarily inpatient services such as the Baker Act, public receiving facilities, and at-risk individuals; health care services for individuals with serious diagnosis of mental illness and substance use disorders; and social services, which is residential, case management and home services.  He remarked that they have 66 Baker Act public receiving facility beds and 10 beds at their Addictions Receiving Facility for a total of 76 beds in the inpatient arena.  He mentioned that they are about to build a 20 bed CSU in South Lake, which will be a savings for the county since law enforcement would not have to drive to Leesburg to deliver Baker Act individuals.  He reported they have 91 residential beds for mental health and substance abuse services and when they build the facility in Clermont, which will include two new 16 bed residential units, it will give LifeStream 123 residential beds for the community.  He stated that LifeStream provides services in seven counties, including every county in Circuit 5 and Orange and Seminole counties; however, 90 percent of what they do is in Lake County, which is their headquarters.  He mentioned that thanks to the County, they have a 35 unit apartment complex in Leesburg, with the majority of the apartments for low income individuals and families.  He pointed out that a year and half ago their Child Welfare Case Management and Adoptions Services took 83 employees and assumed the case load of 850 children and their families in about three weeks’ time when Kids Central was not able to provide services anymore.  He added that program now has 70 staff and is located in Tavares.  He mentioned LAKE Academy in Leesburg and Eustis, which the Lake County School Board funds 100 percent and serves approximately 200 severely and emotionally disturbed students per day who cannot function in normal classrooms with the goal to return them to their classroom as soon as possible.  He shared that the 21 staff Case Management team manages a number of outpatient programs for the most seriously mentally ill in the community and serves about 650 individuals, including adults and children.  He summarized that out of the 715 staff working for LifeStream, there were 624 employees in Lake County, with 13 ½ medical staff consisting of psychiatrists, advanced registered nurse practitioners, and physician assistants who provide inpatient and outpatient services to four clinics in Lake County in Leesburg, Clermont, Eustis and the Health Department in Umatilla.  He noted that emergency services, inpatient residential services and some outpatient services are 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with the rest of the outpatient services being 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. during the week.  He said they handled 321,000 visits to over 20,000 individuals in Lake and Sumter Counties in 2017 and then showed a slide with the number of clients and visitors for each program, noting that they also provide primary care wellness integration for any individuals that they serve for behavioral issues. 

Mr. Cherry concluded his presentation by sharing LifeStream’s most notable 2017 accomplishments as follows: they received the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grant for court ordered cases, which provides assisted outpatient treatment services for individuals who are in the court system and cannot function in the community; they were awarded the Kids Central contract as mentioned earlier, which provides Child Welfare care; they earned a three year accreditation from The Council on Accreditation of Rehabilitative Facilities (CARF); they implemented services with new state allocations to fund the Central Receiving System (CRS), which created a ten bed Addictions Receiving Facility (ARF); they continue to plan for the new 20 bed Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU) in Clermont, with completion in 2019; they were the first in the state to provide Vivitrol treatment for the opioid epidemic in the country and are now offering medically assisted treatment services; and they were awarded State Legislature appropriated funds to create a Forensic Multidisciplinary Treatment team.  He then showed a graph displaying these program/service expenditures: inpatient/CSU services were the largest at $9.9 million; medical services at $8.6 million; community housing services at $5.7 million; child welfare program services at $5.2 million; substance abuse services at $5 million; academic services at $4 million; and the remaining $10 million were a variety of outpatient programs with total program costs near $49 million.  He reported these funding sources: federal and state grants at $19.1 million; net patient revenue, which is Medicaid, Medicare and other insurances at $15.4 million; and local grant revenue, which includes County money, at $8.3 million.  He displayed a pie chart of operating expenditures and noted that salaries and fringe benefits made up a little over 60 percent, which he said was normal for mental health centers; medical and pharmacy was the next largest category, with a majority of that being donated pharmaceuticals.  He concluded that LifeStream attempts to bring hope to life and felt they did a good job doing that with the resources they have.  He opined  they had been a good partner to the County and appreciated all the County had done for them over the years.  He remarked that their two greatest challenges were workforce and adequate funding, noting a real crisis in the workforce with being able to obtain psychiatrists and professional staff such as social workers and nurses.  He said they did not have the resources to offer the signing bonuses and pay that hospitals offer.  He concluded that their job is very difficult and done by 715 very dedicated individuals.  He appreciated the support the County has given and hoped to enhance that in the future. 

Commr. Blake thanked Mr. Cherry for his presentation and asked what the long term success rate was for opioid recovery for Lake County residents suffering from addiction.

Mr. Cherry replied it was a difficult process.  He said that statistics say individuals who go into rehab for recovery purposes will relapse up to eight times and that it takes an average of nine treatments before it works for them.  He added that for some individuals, the treatments do not work at all.  He stated that typically a person comes in for treatment and is then sent back into the community and can last anywhere from six weeks to six years before they are in need of treatment again.  He mentioned that they get them involved in support groups when in the community; however, it is a disease that is difficult to recover from.  He reported that LifeStream received approximately $300,000 in funding for Lake County for this which allowed them to enhance the medically assisted treatment services and that they are currently serving about 200 Lake County residents.  He remarked that there was also some additional funding from the state in the current year’s appropriations and that hopefully some of that funding would come to Lake County so they could provide residential services in order to get individuals out of their current living situation, get them stabilized and get them back into the community in a better place. 

Commr. Parks also thanked Mr. Cherry for his presentation and for the amazing job he does with the challenging work he faces.  He said he wants to support the programs and asked for come clarification on LifeStream’s needs in order to address them during the upcoming budget season.  He asked if there was a correlation between the lack of availability of care for addictions and mental illnesses to violent crimes as having studies or data that support that would be helpful when talking to Lake County residents regarding needs and funding.

Mr. Cherry responded that the overall statistics of individuals with mental illnesses is that they actually commit less crimes than the average population but are the recipient of more crimes.  However, he said that those lesser number of crimes can be very disturbing and what needs to be done is to identify kids at the earliest age who need help and then get them into treatment.  He added that it can be difficult because treatment is voluntary on an outpatient basis, unless someone is very ill, and people can be reluctant to put their child into treatment.  He said there needs to be a way to work with the school system to identify students who need help much earlier.  He stated that the state legislature did provide approximately $67 million for the school systems for mental health treatment which will go to the school board and each county will determine how the funding is utilized.  He added that they were working with the Superintendent of Lake County Schools to determine services LifeStream could provide in the county and that he anticipated receiving $1 to $2 million in order to be able to evaluate students and provide services to them.

Commr. Parks suggested possibly working with the Health Department too.

Mr. Cherry replied that they do work with the Health Department and have the clinic in Umatilla which provides minimal services; however, they could do more with that department to help identify who might need their services.

Commr. Breeden thanked Mr. Cherry for presenting and for the valuable information he provided to the Board.  She recapped that County funding for LifeStream had been reduced during the recession and even though it had been restored, they were still approximately $100,000 below their need.  She asked if that funding was able to be provided in the budget, how it would impact their services.

Mr. Cherry clarified that the $100,000 would bring them back to where their amounts were in 2007.  He noted that three years prior to this meeting, he had presented his calculations to the Board which indicated that in order to get back to where they were, and considering inflation, it would take $300,000 in one year and an additional $100,000 cost adjusted for where they would have been in 2007.  He reported that the Board provided two $100,000 increases in two years but was unable to provide that in the third year.  He concluded that in inflation adjusted terms, it would actually be $200,000 that they needed now but they would accept whatever the Board was able to do.  He responded that one need was for the Central Receiving System, which brought in money from the state two years ago, and has $800,000 budgeted for enhancement this next year which will require a local match of 50 percent; therefore, he needed $400,000 in funding and commented that any amount towards that would be helpful.  He said their second need was for the new CSU and residential facility in Clermont, which would cost $6 million, and that he planned to submit a request for a one-time allocation for that. 

Commr. Campione asked if the City of Clermont would be helping with costs for that facility.

Mr. Cherry stated that he had verbally talked to the City Manager and would be putting in a formal written request for assistance.

Commr. Sullivan asked if any of the municipalities were helping with funding since 55 percent of the Lake County population lives in the cities.

Mr. Cherry responded that the municipalities had helped with small allocations throughout the years, and indicated that the City of Leesburg had given approximately $8,000 one year and that the City of Eustis provides some funding for The Open Door homeless day shelter, which LifeStream helped to establish. 

Commr. Sullivan asked if any of the other counties they serve provide funding.

Mr. Cherry replied that Sumter County does participate for a local match and that Orange County provides $450,000 a year towards the operation of the 41 bed homeless shelter, which is just over the Lake County border. 

Commr. Campione inquired about the breakdown of individuals who use that shelter.

Mr. Cherry indicated that it was mainly Orange County citizens but that it was open to anyone in the area who needed a bed.  He added that 15 beds were for the pregnant postpartum women’s program previously mentioned, while the other 26 beds were for homeless services.

Commr. Campione asked if there was room for expansion at that location.

Mr. Cherry responded that they were in the process of adding nine beds, which would require renovations, and would make it a 50 bed facility, which is the limit for the zoning.  He stated they owned four acres adjacent to it and they hoped to build low-income and homeless apartments.  He said they were open to considering that type of project for Lake County and possibly opening a homeless shelter as well.

Commr. Campione asked if there was a certain number of beds that would be a maximum for a homeless facility when considering operational aspects.

Mr. Cherry replied that the facility they visited in Tallahassee had hundreds of beds and it seemed to operate very well.  He implied he would do research to see if there was an optimal number but felt the 50 bed facility in Zellwood worked well.

Commr. Sullivan thanked Mr. Cherry and his staff for the work they do with law enforcement in regards to juvenile justice and Baker Act situations.

Mr. Cherry thanked the Board for their support and reiterated their desire to serve. 

other business

appointments to the PArks, recreation & trails advisory board

On a motion by Commr. Breeden, seconded by Commr. Parks and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved the reappointments of Commissioner Chris Bell, as the League of Cities representative, and Mr. Michael Stephens, as an at-large member who is a resident in unincorporated Lake County, to the Parks, Recreation and Trails Advisory Board to serve two year terms ending May 20, 2020.

appointment to the Lake-sumter mpo bicycle & pedestrian advisory committee

On a motion by Commr. Breeden, seconded by Commr. Parks and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved the appointment of Mr. Greg Lewis, representing District 3, to the Lake-Sumter Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee to serve a two year term ending December 31, 2019.

appointment to the library advisory board

On a motion by Commr. Blake, seconded by Commr. Breeden and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved the reappointment of Ms. Norma Emerson, as the Tavares City Member, to the Lake County Library Advisory Board to serve a four year term beginning March 1, 2018.

central florida sports commission lake county representative

On a motion by Commr. Parks, seconded by Commr. Breeden and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved the Central Florida Sports Commission’s recommendation to reappoint Mr. Paul Johns, as the Lake County representative, to complete a three year term ending December 31, 2019.

reports

county manager

montverde city council meeting

Mr. Cole announced that he would be speaking at the Montverde City Council meeting that evening.

groveland city council meeting

Mr. Cole stated that he and Commissioner Parks would be speaking to the Groveland City Council on Monday, March 19, 2018 regarding the South Lake Regional Park.

legislative session update

Mr. Cole reported that as a result of the legislative session, the following was in the Florida State Budget waiting to be approved by Governor Scott: $7 million for the County Road 437 realignment, for which he thanked the lobbyists in Tallahassee who worked hard to secure that for Lake County; $2.5 million in recurring funds for The Veterans Court funded through the new Problem-Solving Courts grant, with the amount coming to Lake County to still be identified; $750,000 statewide for the Smart Horizon Library Program, also known as Career Online High School; and $750,000 for Lake Technical College’s Center for Advanced Manufacturing, which was a priority of the BCC.  He added that Lake Technical College’s Executive Director, Ms. Diane Culpepper, requested that the Board consider sending a letter of support to Governor Scott encouraging their allocation to be approved as part of the budget.  He indicated he would draft a letter at the Board’s consensus.  He also mentioned that as part of the legislative session, the language which Ms. Melanie Marsh, County Attorney, provided to further define the use of the infrastructure sales tax revenue was adopted in a bill and waiting for Governor Scott’s signature.

Commr. Campione mentioned that she recently attended an MPO Transportation for Disadvantaged joint meeting with Sumter County, which was very positive, and she reported that the County Transit System has been very successful with few complaints.  She added that many of the transportation items did not pass during the legislative session, including an MPO bill that related to who could be a part of an MPO and the texting while driving provisions. 

commissioners reports

commissioner parks – district 2

Clermont’s pig on the pond event

Commr. Parks mentioned he attended the City of Clermont’s Pig on the Pond event the previous weekend and complimented the City and those on the leadership team for the event on its great success.  He reported the event had 18,000 to 20,000 people on Saturday and remarked that the money raised is used to provide scholarships for students in South Lake County.

south lake chamber of commerce ambassador breakfast

Commr. Parks thanked staff for helping with his table sponsorship at the South Lake Chamber of Commerce Ambassador’s breakfast.  He commented how impressive the table was in its “Made in Lake” theme and thanked them for their efforts. 

commissioner breeden – district 3

regional boy scout dinner

Commr. Breeden remarked that at the previous week’s Regional Boy Scout dinner, Mr. Tommy Carpenter, Lake County’s Director for the Office of Emergency Management, was honored.  She commented how well he spoke at the dinner and how proud she is of all that he does for the county.

leesburg art festival

Commr. Breeden said how much she enjoyed the Leesburg Art Festival the previous weekend and that the event had a great turnout.

mote-morris house

Commr. Breeden mentioned that the City of Leesburg reported there was a possibility that through insurance funds and community involvement, the Mote-Morris House might be able to be saved or rebuilt.

tavares city council meeting

Commr. Breeden reported on the Tavares City Council meeting on Wednesday, March 7, 2018, regarding the discussion on the Hidden Rivers Development.  She recalled that Mr. Jimmy Crawford, attorney for Hidden Rivers, requested a postponement for the annexation and rezoning of the property due to procedural questions; however, he asked for the City to move forward with the transmittal of the Future Land Use (FLU) amendment to the state, which was approved by the City.  She said the request for annexation and rezoning of the property will be brought back after the FLU is considered and time allowed for public comment, which will probably take six to eight weeks.

commissioner campione – district 4

resolution 2018-26 honoring former commissioner hanson

Commr. Campione requested approval of Resolution 2018-26 which supported the designation of a portion of the Wekiva Parkway in honor of former Lake County Commissioner Catherine Hanson.  She stated that Commissioner Hanson had been instrumental on the committees that helped to find the right location for the parkway and that she coordinated with local residents on their input.  She read part of the resolution which stated, “throughout the time that the location of the Wekiva Parkway was being debated and negotiated, Catherine vociferously represented the interest of East Lake County residents who would be most impacted by the construction of the Wekiva Parkway and modifications to the adjacent County and State road system, and she genuinely sought to protect the environment while balancing economic and quality of life concerns of Lake County residents.”  She added that Commissioner Hanson grew up on a dairy farm, obtained a Dairy Science degree from the University of Florida, and had her family dairy farm moved to Sorrento in 1975 and then purchased as part of the designation of conservation land for the parkway.  She also mentioned that on March 31, 2018, there would be the ribbon cutting for the Mount Dora interchange portion of the parkway.

Commr. Parks stated he supported the resolution and that Commissioner Hanson’s efforts and leadership have been significant. 

Commr. Sullivan attributed that she is known for being very influential in that area of the county.

On a motion by Commr. Campione, seconded by Commr. Breeden and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved Resolution 2018-26 supporting the designation of a portion of the Wekiva Parkway in honor of former Lake County Commissioner Catherine Hanson.

mr. tommy carpenter’s recognition

Commr. Campione also congratulated Mr. Tommy Carpenter and said he represented the County well, was a great honoree and that the Board is fortunate to have him as part of the County team.

commissioner blake – district 5

lake county historical society event

Commr. Blake reported that he recently spoke to the Lake County Historical Society at their 2nd Annual Museum by Moonlight event.  He noted that he was asked to speak about Florida history and shared the story of his great grandparents and how his great grandfather was born in Micanopy at the turn of the century and ended up in Winter Park.  He said he appreciated the chance to speak and enjoyed the event.

commissioner sullivan – chairman and district 1

elevate lake event

Commr. Sullivan reported that Elevate Lake was hosting its 5th Annual Partners for Success: Skills Showcase in Clermont on March 28, 2018.

Ms. Ericka Greene, Interim Director of the Agency for Economic Prosperity, added that the event would be held at the Clermont Arts Center from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.  She said it was a great program for businesses to come and interact with students.  She reported that Lake County Schools, Lake-Sumter State College, Lake Technical College and Beacon College will be hosting booths and showcasing how they prepare students for joining the workforce. 

okahumpka community meeting

Commr. Sullivan mentioned he had recently attended the Okahumpka Community meeting to discuss various issues regarding growth in Lake County.  He reported that 50 to 60 residents were at the meeting and were very concerned about what was happening in their area, such as the expansion of Highway 470 and the growth of The Villages.  He said that since almost every district has a unique community concerned about what is happening in their area due to cities growing, that it would be important to work with staff and consider developing a comprehensive program to have community meetings in each of the districts to keep the public informed. 

Commr. Breeden remarked that she also had concerns from residents from The Plantation at Leesburg regarding the potential design of the intersection of C.R. 48 and C.R. 33. 

Commr. Campione suggested that in addition to informational meetings, the Board should engage the cities in those areas to discuss land uses, densities and growth concerns. 

Commr. Parks added that he and Commissioner Sullivan should consider combining a meeting for South Lake and agreed that having those discussions was a great idea.

ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business to be brought to the attention of the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 10:31 a.m.

 

 

 

 

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timothy i. sullivan, chairman

 

 

ATTEST:

 

 

 

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NEIL KELLY, CLERK