A regular MEETING OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

september 11, 2018

The Lake County Board of County Commissioners met in regular session on Tuesday, September 11, 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; Gary J. Cooney, Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller; Kristy Mullane, Chief Financial Officer; and Kathleen Bregel, Deputy Clerk, Board Support.

INVOCATION and pledge

Chaplain Scott Hedrick from the City of Tavares Fire Department gave the Invocation and Commissioner Sullivan led the Pledge of Allegiance.

recognition of first responders

Commr. Sullivan remarked how September 11, 2001 changed each of our lives and in remembrance of this date in history, he recognized first responders from Lake County Fire and Rescue, the City of Tavares Fire Department, Lake Emergency Medical Services (EMS), and local law enforcement who were in the audience. He thanked them for their dedication and service to their community and honored those who gave the ultimate sacrifice on this day in 2001. He additionally noted that after the 911 attacks, Chaplain Hedrick had been assigned by the American Red Cross to work at Ground Zero in New York City where he coordinated volunteer services.

Agenda update

Mr. Jeff Cole, County Manager, stated there had been several changes since the agenda was first published and included the following additions: Tab 40 under Commissioner Campione’s report, which was a lease agreement relating to property near the Pine Meadows Conservation Area; Tab 41 under Chairman Sullivan’s report, which was a funding request from the Sheriff; Tab 42 which was a road maintenance agreement under the public works consent agenda per Commissioner Parks’ request; and that as a result of these additions, the 5:05 pm budget hearing had been renumbered Tab 43.

Commr. Campione recognized two Lake County students who were her guests at the meeting as part of their high school class requirements.

presentation of proclamation 2018-133

On a motion by Commr. Breeden, seconded by Commr. Blake, and carried unanimously by a 5-0 vote, the Board approved Proclamation 2018-133, declaring September 17-23, 2018 as Constitution Week.

Commr. Sullivan read and then presented the proclamation to two members of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).

Ms. Beverly Oyler, Regent for the Tomaka Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution, thanked the Commission for their proclamation and support of Constitution Week. She then shared a brief history of their organization, quoted their motto of God, Home and Country, and relayed her organization’s goal of historic preservation, education and patriotism. She reported that the designation of September 17-23 as Constitution Week had begun in the year 1955 with a draft resolution prepared by the DAR and was signed into public law on August 2, 1956 by members of the U.S. Congress.

employee awards

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

EMPLOYEE AWARDS

FIVE YEARS

Stephen Corley, Equipment Operator

Public Works/Maintenance Area III

Rodney Porter, Assistant Area Maintenance Supervisor

Public Works/Road Ops Special Projects

Nicholas Scharlau, Fairgrounds & Event Center Program Manager

Office of Fairgrounds & Events

Christine Stewart, Probation Officer (not present)

Community Services/County Probation Division

TEN YEARS

Josie Rodriguez, Library Assistant I (not present)

Office of Library Services/Cagan Crossings Community Library

Margaret Unger, Library Assistant I

Office of Library Services/Astor Library

FIFTEEN YEARS

Deborah Marchese, Construction Program Specialist

Public Works/Road Operations Division

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS

Patricia Fletcher, Office Associate IV

Office of Extension Service

MINUTES APPROVAL

On a motion by Commr. Parks, seconded by Commr. Campione, and carried unanimously by a 5-0 vote, the Board approved the Minutes of July 24, 2018 (Regular Meeting) as presented.

citizen question and comment period

Ms. Linda Campagna, a Lake County resident, shared concerns regarding the Lake Norris Conservation Area, specifically regarding possible truck traffic for sand removal on the upper part of County Road (C.R.) 437. She remarked that part of C.R. 437 had been a weight limited road for over 10 years; furthermore, she said that trucks coming from Hart Ranch Road to C.R. 44A, making a right hand turn onto C.R. 437, did not have a proper turn lane and a large truck would obstruct traffic. She opined that profits made from the sand removal of this area should be used to fix those roads.

Ms. Marie Hart, a resident of Hart Ranch Road, said that a representative from the Wetlands Bank Mitigation Company had held a meeting with local residents to explain the developer’s agreement between the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) and Lake County. She stated that the Wetlands Bank Mitigation Company representative implied that agreements to haul dirt down Hart Ranch Road were already completed and would definitely be happening.

Mr. Scott Atkins, a resident of Lake Norris Road, reported that a resident of his area calculated some numbers regarding this potential sand mine operation and opined that there would be trucks travelling down their road possibly every 2.3 minutes. He shared concerns that even though this project was proposed for a five year timeframe, it could extend beyond that and would affect the quality of the roads. He thanked the Board for their continued attention to this matter.

Mr. Cole provided an update on this issue by stating that on July 25, 2018, he and the County Attorney had met with the mitigation bankers, their consultant, and the SJRWMD staff and discussed items to be included in an agreement with the mitigation bankers. He relayed that a sample agreement was provided in August 2018; however, County staff had not received any information back from the mitigation bankers yet. He assured the Board and residents that no agreement was currently in place nor was there authority for trucks over 10 tons to utilize Hart Ranch Road, adding that if residents observed any trucks on this road they should notify his office. He remarked that per the Board’s direction, the agreement would be developed with the focus on safety in the community and road conditions on Hart Ranch Road as well as other roads that connect to this road. He noted that an agenda item on the September 25, 2018 Board of County Commissioners (BCC) meeting would be addressing a hauling permit process for trucks over 10 tons, noting approval at that meeting would be to advertise a public hearing on this topic at the October 9, 2018 BCC meeting. He elaborated that this agenda item would be a mechanism to allow permits; however, the County planned to have a separate agreement with the mitigation bankers which the SJRWMD had asked to be a part of.

Commr. Parks asked if this hauling permit would be for general use across the county.

Ms. Melanie Marsh, County Attorney, responded that it would only apply to unincorporated areas where there were county roads. She explained that the Board could direct staff to make changes to the proposed permit process at the September 25, 2018 meeting. She elaborated that it would be setting a process and standards for a permit but there would also be a threshold in it requiring permits for a certain number of months or amount of material being hauled to come back to the BCC for approval.

Commr. Campione asked if the county would have jurisdiction if it was a use that initiated in a city and then the trucks traveled over unincorporated county maintained roads.

Ms. Marsh replied that the ordinance could be done as countywide; however, she stated that as a non-charter county, if the cities passed an ordinance that conflicted with the County’s ordinance, then the County would not be able to enforce it within the those cities’ jurisdiction. She remarked that County staff could work with the cities to either set up a joint approval process or do a countywide ordinance and then see if the cities would accept it.

Mr. Vance Jochim, a Tavares resident who writes a blog about governmental issues, expressed concerns that the SJRWMD did not have Lake County representation on their board and encouraged the board to seek representation. He referenced the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) program and potential issues with this program.

Commr. Campione read a concept that she had drafted regarding ways to approach the recent controversy surrounding the statue of Confederate General Edmund Kirby Smith coming to the Lake County Historical Museum. She mentioned the importance of both viewpoints regarding the statue being open-minded and willing to compromise in the name of respect, education, empathy and forgiveness. She proposed that the statue be allowed to be displayed in the museum but with a plaque containing a statement which would explain the mainstream positions associated with Confederate monuments, the emotional responses these memories evoke, and the debate which occurred in Lake County about this particular statue, acknowledging that many of those who opposed the statue believed it was insensitive due to civil rights abuses and racially motivated events that occurred in the county during the civil rights era and the tenure of Sheriff McCall from 1944 to 1972. She recommended that an advisory group, approved by the BCC, be asked to oversee the details of the exhibit to assure it was sensitive to the viewpoints just mentioned, that it reach out to members of the community in an effort to tackle the emotionally charged subject, and that it help formulate a corresponding exhibit highlighting black residents who either overcame adversity and achieved personal success or contributed to the community. She concluded with the suggestion that the following statement accompany the statue: “The decisions made by the Board of County Commissioners and the Lake County Historical Society and Museum Board in conjunction with the decision to display the General Kirby Smith statue were made with the sincere and genuine intention of fostering respect, education, empathy and forgiveness within our community while preserving history and information of historical significance for present and future generations.”

Commr. Blake stated he would be in favor of Commissioner Campione’s suggestions.

Commr. Breeden thanked Commissioner Campione for her thoughts and mentioned she had withdrawn her support of the statue coming to Lake County because of the history of the county. She remarked that as a librarian, she had to defend library materials in the past; however, she hoped that the Lake County Historical Museum would reconsider and work towards more open dialogue. She encouraged both sides to work together for a compromise and to accomplish what was best for the county.

Commr. Parks indicated that because of the concerns presented in the July BCC meetings, he had reconsidered his position and was currently not in favor of the statue. He noted, however, that he appreciated Commissioner Campione’s approach, had the utmost respect for Pastor John Christian and had good conversations with him regarding his viewpoint. He opined that it was worth an attempt to find common ground and that equal attention should be given to both sides of the story.

Mr. Seber Newsome III, a Nassau county resident, showed his support to the Lake County Historical Museum for applying to the state of Florida and for being chosen as the location for the statue of General Edmund Kirby Smith. He displayed a poster of the statue and opined it was a beautiful piece of art. He stated that the state of Florida picked this statue to be one of two statues representing the state in the National Statuary Hall in Washington, D.C. because of the accomplishments of General Edmund Kirby Smith. He opined that having this statue in the Lake County Historical Museum would bring tourists to the county. He then shared some history of General Kirby Smith’s life. He asked the Board to support the statue coming to Lake County.

Mr. Michael Watkins, a Lake County resident, opined this was a tough issue. He acknowledged the need for history but stated that this statue represented hurt for many citizens. He believed that Lake County was not the correct place for this statue, that it would not bring the community together, and that it was a representation that things had not changed. He remarked that some city councils in the county had voted not to have the statue. He encouraged the Board to take the correct action and be sensitive to the hurts of others, especially since the statue had no connection to Lake County.

Mr. Bob Grenier, Lake County Historical Museum Curator, expressed appreciation for Commissioner Campione’s suggestion and stated that he invites citizens to share their thoughts on what they want in the museum. He opined that every culture, race and religion had stories of tragedies and triumphs, that relics and artifacts were a reminder of these stories, and that museums were the proper place for them. He elaborated that these artifacts tell the stories so that future generations understand the struggles and the history of what had happened. He explained that his desire as curator of the museum was to preserve, protect and educate. He relayed that his intentions for bringing the statue were to tell history and bring the community together.

Mr. Carey Baker, Lake County Property Appraiser, supported the statue coming to Lake County because it served as a historical artifact, noting that it stood in the National Statuary Hall for nearly 100 years. He acknowledged the importance of recognizing the pain that this statue represented but opined that it was an important responsibility to preserve all of history for future generations and to tell the whole story. He encouraged the Board to find a way to allow the statue to come to Lake County.

Mr. Lee Giddens, a Volusia County resident, shared his love of history and visiting museums. He felt that history should be preserved and that General Edmund Kirby Smith was a part of the country’s history.

Mr. Dowling Watford, an elected official from Okeechobee, Florida, said that he agreed with many of the previous comments. He shared that when he visits museums, there are some exhibits he enjoys and some he does not, noting that he skips the ones he is not interested in seeing. He opined that visitors of the Lake County Historical Museum have that option too and that historical museums have the obligation to present artifacts that represent history. He concluded that he supported the statue and hoped he could come back to view it.

Ms. Sandy Mott, a resident of Lady Lake, opined that the purpose of museums was to preserve and teach history and that the Lake County Historical Museum was true to that purpose. She quoted the famous historian, Dr. James Robertson, Jr., who said that “History is the greatest teacher you will ever have. Monuments compel us to look back and learn from our history.” She asked the Board to support the efforts of Mr. Bob Grenier.

Ms. Maria Kirby Smith, the great granddaughter of General Kirby Smith, asked Mr. Grenier to read her written notes regarding the statue. He read that Ms. Kirby Smith had been a sculptor of primarily figurative portraits for over 30 years. He shared some of her thoughts regarding her great grandfather’s history, noting that he had attended West Point and served his country. He noted that she felt that if society continued to bury history, there would be nothing to show and learn from and that the statue of General Kirby Smith should not be a visual reminder of hate but a keepsake of history. He read that she believed America is a mixed race of many cultures and everyone has times in history that are painful for them but are still a part of history; furthermore, both Union and Confederate armies had their place in history and should serve as a reminder not to repeat the mistakes of our past. He concluded that her desire was for unity among the community.

Ms. Mae Hazelton, a Lake County resident, implied that an article in The North Lake Outpost lead to her attending today’s meeting to speak against the statue of General Edmund Kirby Smith coming to the Lake County Historical Museum. She opined that this statue did not meet the criteria set forth in Article 2 of the current Lake County Historical Society bylaws for acquisition, nor did it meet the requirement in the July 2010 lease agreement between Lake County and the Society as approved by the interim County Manager and the County Attorney for securing historical items.

Pastor Chris Walker, from the American Legion Post 239, opined that General Kirby Smith was a traitor of the U.S. military since he left to serve in the Confederate Army and represented murder, economic exploitation of slaves, and the separation of families. He felt that this statue represented history that hurts a particular group and should not be brought to Lake County because General Kirby Smith was not from this county and surrounding cities did not want this statue. He asked the Board to deny the statue coming to the county and encouraged the community to come together and move forward in a spirit of unity recognizing that everybody is important.

Ms. Vivian Carla Miller Mitchell, a resident of Eustis, opposed the statue and opined that history should not hurt. She expressed concerns that African-Americans in the county were underrepresented and stated that she had personally provided pictures representing their culture throughout the county.

Mr. David Cunningham, a Lake County citizen who had served in the United States army, agreed with the former comment that General Kirby Smith did turn his back on the U.S. in favor of the Confederate States. He shared his concerns that there were not any minorities elected to office, that governmental entities were not representative of the county’s population, and that Lake County did not have a climate of trust. He did not believe there could be a compromise on this issue and encouraged an environment that was inclusive of everyone.

Ms. Bettye Stevens Coney, a published author and former school principal, stated she was a writer in the area of equity education and culturally relevant teaching and learning. She shared a poem from a book she had written and relayed that this issue made her sad and caused hurt due to the experiences she had encountered. She said she respected history but felt that this kind of remembrance to Lake County would be a disservice to many members of the community.

Pastor John Christian of Christian Worship Center mentioned he had met with several Commissioners to discuss the issue of the statue and opined that the community was not listening in an effort to understand each other’s point of view. He urged the Lake County Historical Society to listen to the opinions of those not on their museum board and to compromise and make this work for the entire community. He indicated that he loved history and had visited many museums across the country, but felt that the Lake County Historical Museum did not have a proper amount of artifacts that represented the African-American population.

Pastor Dannie Williams of Lake County shared concerns about what this statue represented and stated he could not find any relevance or significance for it. He encouraged the Commissioners and the Lake County Historical Society to not support this statue so that the community could come together and not be divided.

Mr. Shawn Peacock, a Lake County resident, encouraged those opposed to this statue to view it as a victory because of the fact that this statue was being removed from the National Statuary Hall in Washington, D.C. and replaced by a statue of Ms. Mary Jane McLeod Bethune. He said that while he did not want to diminish the pain associated with this statue, he hoped people would see it as an opportunity to explain all the passion and deeply held concerns surrounding this history in their own terms to future generations.

Commr. Sullivan reminded the audience that since the statue of General Edmund Kirby Smith was not an agenda item, the Board could not take any action regarding it; however, he thanked everyone for their input. He remarked that the statue would not be relocated to the county for two years and that there was still a great deal of work to be done in deciding if that was the right decision for the county. He indicated that the BCC would take all the comments under advisement and move towards a resolution that would benefit the entire community.

recess and reassembly

The Chairman called a recess at 11:32 a.m. for 15 minutes.

CLERK OF the circuit COURT and comptroller’s CONSENT AGENDA

On a motion by Commr. Breeden, seconded by Commr. Parks, and carried unanimously by a 5-0 vote, the Board approved the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller’s Consent Agenda, Items 1 through 3, 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.

Country Greens CDD FY 2019 Meetings

Request to acknowledge receipt of a Notice of Public Meetings for Country Greens in accordance with Chapter 189 Florida Statutes. The Board of Supervisors of the Country Greens Community Development District will hold bi-monthly meetings for Fiscal Year 2019 on the fourth Monday at 5:30 p.m. at the Sorrento Christian Center, 32441 County Road 437, Sorrento, Florida, as follows: October 22, 2018; December 17, 2018; February 25, 2019; April 22, 2019; June 24, 2019; July 22, 2019; and August 26, 2019.

Proof of Publication of Unclaimed Monies and Payment to the Board

Request to acknowledge receipt of proof of publication of unclaimed moneys and payment to the Board for those non-court related moneys advertised less claims and publication costs.

COUNTY MANAGER’S CONSENT agenda

Commr. Sullivan indicated there was one speaker card for Tab 31.

Mr. Joe Kilsheimer, with Friends of Lake Apopka (FOLA), remarked that his organization was grateful for Lake County’s support of the efforts to connect the West Orange Trail to Magnolia Park and enthusiastically supported the Lake County Office of Parks and Trails’ master plan. He stated that they encouraged the earliest possible connection of the Green Mountain Scenic Overlook and Trailhead to Hancock Trail so that Central Florida cyclists would have a safe, car free route around Lake Apopka.

On a motion by Commr. Breeden, seconded by Commr. Blake and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved the Consent Agenda, Tabs 4 through 31, and Tab 42 as follows:

COUNTY ATTORNEY

Request approval to extend the 2018 tax roll until completion of the Value Adjustment Board hearings.  There is no fiscal impact.

Request approval to accept Offers to Purchase on Alternate Keys 1339243, 2916311, and 3701216; and for the Chairman to execute any necessary closing documents.  The fiscal impact is $3,400.00 (revenue).

COUNTY MANAGER

Request approval of the 2019 Board of County Commissioners meeting dates as follows: January 15 and 29; February 12 and 26; March 12 and 26; April 9 and 23; May 7 and 21; June 11 and 25; July 16 and 30; August 13 and 27; September 10 and 24; October 8 and 22; November 5 and 19; and December 3 and 17.

MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET

Request approval of the Sheriff's Office request to transfer $100,000.00 from BCC Contingency-Sheriff to Transfer/Jail Operations-DEP/AST. The fiscal impact is $100,000.00 (expenditure).

Request approval of the Sheriff's Office request for budget Resolution 2018-136 to amend the Fiscal Year 2018 General Fund budget to include and approve the expenditure of unanticipated revenue from the Spring Creek Charter School, the Town of Montverde and the City of Minneola. The total fiscal impact is $57,792.00 (revenue/expenditure).

HUMAN RESOURCES AND RISK MANAGEMENT

Request approval to renew the County's annual Loss Control Program insurance policies with Princeton and other insurance companies ($1,778,182.00), Brown & Brown's annual fees for professional services ($55,000.00) and pre-funding of the Tenant Users Liability Insurance Program ($2,000.00); and authorization for the Office of Procurement Services to execute all supporting documentation. The estimated fiscal impact is $1,835,182.00 (expenditure).

Request approval to renew the Excess Loss Insurance for Lake County's Self-Insured Medical Plan with Symetra Life Insurance Company for an additional year, and authorization for the Office of Procurement Services to execute all supporting documentation. The estimated impact for fiscal year 2019 is $525,363.00 (expenditure).

Request approval to revise certain sections of the Employment Services Manual to incorporate the addition of employees of Lake Emergency Medical Services, Inc. into the Lake County Board of County Commissioners, effective October 1, 2018. There is no fiscal impact.

PUBLIC SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE

Animal Services

Request approval and authorization for the Chairman to execute Amended and Restated Interlocal Agreements for Animal Services with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and Astatula, Eustis, Fruitland Park, Groveland, Howey-in-the-Hills, Leesburg, Mascotte, Minneola, and Tavares. There is no fiscal impact.

Request approval and authorization for the Chairman to execute an Interlocal Agreement with the Town of Lady Lake setting forth the terms for continued cooperation between Lake County and the Town of Lady Lake regarding the Town’s animal enforcement services and the County’s Animal Shelter. There is no fiscal impact.

Planning and Zoning

Request approval to grant transferring school impact fees that were paid on 18 lots within the age-restricted and school impact fee-exempt Esplanade development, to 18 lots in the Canyons development within Highland Ranch, located in Clermont. There is no fiscal impact. Commission District 2.

Public Safety

Request approval of the Hazards Analysis Grant Agreement with the State of Florida Division of Emergency Management, and authorization for the County Manager to execute supporting documents. The fiscal impact is $8,839.00 (revenue).

Request approval of Camp Boggy Creek road names (DeGeorge Boulevard, Ellis Loop, Gracia Circle, Paul Newman Way) per Lake County Code Article V - Uniform Street Addressing System Sec. 18-103(g). There is no fiscal impact. Commission District 5.

Request approval to advertise an ordinance amending Chapter 18, Article V, entitled "Uniform Street Addressing System" to: clarify the requirements for road naming, posting road name signs, and obtaining addresses for structures; add additional road naming standards for development; and incorporate Chapter 18, Article V into Lake County Code, Appendix E, Section 1.05.00, entitled "Incorporation by Reference." There is no fiscal impact.

INFRASTRUCTURE AND INTERNAL SUPPORT SERVICES

Facilities Management

Request approval to award Contract 18-0925 for on-call, construction cost estimating services to Cost Management, Inc., d/b/a CMI (Orlando, FL), and Skanska USA Building, Inc. (Tampa, FL). The estimated annual fiscal impact is $65,000.00 (expenditure).

Request approval to award Contract 18-0443 to Zabatt Power Systems, Inc. (Jacksonville, FL) for the replacement of a generator that supplies emergency power to the County Administration Building and Central Energy Plant 75. The estimated fiscal impact is $128,669.00 (expenditure). Commission District 3.

Request approval to award Contract 18-0441 to Balanced Mechanical & Plumbing Services, LLC (Leesburg, FL) for the replacement of Courthouse Energy Recovery Ventilators. The estimated fiscal impact is $224,220.00 (expenditure). Commission District 3. 

Request award of Contract 18-0419 to Gulf Mechanical Contractors (Leesburg, FL) to provide HVAC, ice machine and walk-in cooler provision/installation and preventative maintenance. The estimated annual fiscal impact is $103,980.00 (expenditure).

Procurement Services

Request approval of contracts 18-0445 for Physical Examinations and Drug and Alcohol Screening to Adventist Health System/Sunbelt, Inc. dba Florida Hospital Centra Care (18-0445A, Maitland, FL), Leesburg Regional Medical Center, Inc. dba Central Florida Health (18-0445B, Leesburg, FL), and Life Extensions Clinic dba Life Scan Wellness Centers (18-0445C, Tampa, FL), and authorization for the Office of Procurement Services to execute all supporting documentation. The estimated annual fiscal impact is $129,112.00 (expenditure).

Public Works

Request approval to award Contract 18-0917 for shoulder rehabilitation services on an as-needed basis to Merrell's Grade-All, Inc. (St. Cloud, FL). The estimated annual fiscal impact is $350,000.00 (expenditure).

Request approval for the Chairman to execute a lease agreement with Lake Aircraft Radio Kontrol Squadron for use of the Solid Waste Central Landfill Phase I property. There is no fiscal impact. Commission District 3.

Request approval and authorization for the Chairman to execute the Fiscal Year 2018/2019 Annual Certified Budget for the Lake County Mosquito Management Program pursuant to Section 388.201, Florida Statutes, and Florida Administrative Code Chapter 5E-13. The fiscal impact is $33,404.00 (revenue - 100% grant funded).

Request approval to:
1. Execute a Local Agency Program Agreement (FPN #437486-1-58/68-01) with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) for construction of a new traffic signal at the intersection of Hancock Road and North Ridge Boulevard, in the Clermont area. 
2. Execute supporting Resolution 2018-137 authorizing the Chairman to execute and deliver the agreement to FDOT.
The fiscal impact is $361,019.00 (revenue/expenditure - 100% grant funded). Commission District 2.

Request approval to:
1. Release a performance bond of $725,379.08 posted for the completion of infrastructure improvements for the Serenoa Village 1 Phase 1A2 final plat, located in the Four Corners area.
2. Execute a Developer’s Agreement for Maintenance of Improvements with VK Avalon Groves, LLC (Tampa, FL).
3. Accept a maintenance bond of $65,943.55 for maintenance of improvements.
4. Execute Resolution 2018-138 accepting Goldcrest Loop “Part” (County Road No. 0264) and Painted Leaf Way (County Road No. 0265) into the County Road Maintenance System.
5. Execute a Developer’s Agreement for Construction and Maintenance of Sidewalk Improvements with VK Avalon Groves, LLC.
6. Accept a performance bond of $65,835.00 for performance of sidewalk construction.
7. Accept a maintenance bond of $5,985.00 for maintenance of sidewalk improvements.
There is no fiscal impact.  Commission District 1.

Request approval:
1. To award the Sun Eden Water Quality Retrofit, Project No. 2018-04, Bid No. 18-0927, in Yalaha, to Hartman Civil Construction Co., Inc. (Ocala, FL) in the amount of $237,300.00.
2. To encumber and expend the $237,300.00 to Hartman Civil Construction Co., Inc. from the Stormwater MSTU fund.
The fiscal impact is $237,300.00. Commission District 3.

Request approval to:
1.  Execute a Maintenance Agreement with Heidi H. Edwards, Franklin P. Hatfield, III, Timothy S. Hatfield, 14648 Ridgeline, LLC, and A&P Groves, LLC. (Owners) for Marguette Road, a County-maintained clay road located in Umatilla.
2. Accept a letter of credit for $50,000.00 posted as surety for the maintenance of Marguette Road as required by the approved conditional use permit for the project.
There is no fiscal impact.  Commission District 5.

COMMUNITY AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT SERVICE

Community Services

Request approval and execution of revised Policy LCC-80, governing the use of Disadvantaged Business Enterprises and small businesses within Lake County's federally funded public transportation system and support for a revised participation goal of 8.4% rather than the current 12.8% participation level. There is no fiscal impact.

Library Services

Request approval to submit the Fiscal Year 2019 State Aid to Libraries Grant Application and Certification of Funds. The estimated fiscal impact is $200,000.00 (revenue).

Parks and Trails

Request approval of Resolution 2018-139 to MetroPlan Orlando supporting the connection of the South Lake/West Orange Trails to Magnolia Park, part of the 40-mile Lake Apopka Loop Trail. There is no fiscal impact. Commission Districts 2 and 3.

energy services agreement presentation

Ms. Jennifer Barker, Office of Management and Budget Director, stated that the purpose of today’s presentation was to address the urgent utility infrastructure needs affecting the Detention Center, the Sheriff’s Administration Building and the County Administration Building. She specified that potential options being evaluated were an energy savings performance contract and a phased approach using infrastructure sales tax. She provided a brief background with the following timeline: in June 2016, the County entered into an agreement with Honeywell International Inc. to perform a feasibility study and energy performance audit for potential performance contracting; in January 2017, Honeywell’s report identified various infrastructure upgrades that could result in energy savings; in summer 2018, the County identified an urgent need to address a failing heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) infrastructure system that served the Detention Center, the Sheriff’s Administration Building and the County Administration Building; and County staff requested a proposal from Honeywell that would not incur additional debt but would address the urgent need.

Mr. Alfred Guerrero, Senior Business Consultant with Honeywell Energy Services Group, thanked the Board for the opportunity to present. He remarked that his presentation would be defining what an energy savings performance contract is, how it could be used to potentially solve an infrastructure issue, and how it could be used to fund this project in a manner where the project is paid for 100 percent through energy savings guaranteed through Honeywell. He explained that an energy savings performance contract was a procurement vehicle used widely across the United Stated by public sector entities, backed by state legislation, and used in Florida by governments and schools for about 30 years. He said in its most basic form, an energy services company like Honeywell puts forth a design built solution to address a needed infrastructure renovation or repair and uses the energy savings as a way to fund the project. He added what makes this one unique was that the energy savings were guaranteed by Honeywell. He commented that it was designed in a way so that there was no upfront capital expenditure by the County and that no payments were made until savings start accruing, making it a budget neutral format. He relayed that the Florida Statutes require that all costs associated with the project, whether engineering, design or installation, have to be covered by the savings and that every year there is an annual reconciliation process to ensure the savings’ targets are being met, otherwise Honeywell makes up the difference. He then displayed a building map of the downtown governmental complex, noting that there were two central energy plants (CEP) providing cooling and heating to these buildings. He relayed that the CEP on the south side of the complex was built in 1990 and had reached the end of its useful life, while the CEP on the north side was built in 2009 and designed with excess capacity so that eventually the older CEP could be decommissioned and ultimately interconnected with this new CEP to serve the central plant and all the facilities in the downtown complex. He elaborated that Honeywell was proposing to find a solution which would interconnect these two plants using the energy performance contract process. He said in summary that the solution would be budget neutral, interconnect the two existing CEPs, decommission the old CEP, upgrade the newer CEP to operate at peak optimal efficiency, and add an additional cooling capacity to handle the summer months. He explained that other energy savings found to off-set the project costs would come from the following: the optimization of the 2009 CEP; placement of light-emitting diode (LED) lighting in 26 different facilities; water conservation upgrades within the detention area; building envelope improvements to reduce building load requirements; and avoidance of future operational costs and capital expenditures. He reported that the estimated cost would be between $10 million to $12 million. He remarked that due to the lack of capital funds available to fund this project and the need for a payment structure that did not incur debt for the County, Honeywell was recommending an Energy Service Agreement (ESA). He stated that an ESA would allow the County to implement the infrastructure upgrades in a manner where Honeywell covered the debt and would be structured so that it was treated as a service contract and not considered debt for the County. He added that in regards to repayment for the project, the County would only pay for verified energy savings such that if there was excess, the County would keep the savings, but if there was a shortfall, the County would only pay that amount. He then displayed a development timeline, noting that if approved today, the next steps would be for Honeywell to finalize a few items of the project and submit a contract for the BCC’s consideration.

Mr. Cole closed the presentation by presenting the two options to the Board of either using the energy savings performance contract as just presented or a phased chiller replacement and interconnect using infrastructure sales tax. He said staff was currently considering the long-term contractual obligations relating to the energy savings performance contract to ensure it was a benefit to the County and the availability of sales tax funding for the phased chiller replacement option. He concluded that staff’s main concern was the climate control on the south side of Main Street and that the purpose was to present this information to the Board and return in October 2018 to make a recommendation.

public hearing ordinance 2018-38 definition of kennel

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

AN ORDINANCE OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF LAKE COUNTY, FLORIDA; AMENDING LAKE COUNTY CODE, APPENDIX E, LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS, CHAPTER II; AMENDING THE DEFINITION OF A KENNEL; PROVIDING FOR INCLUSION IN THE CODE; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR FILING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

The Chairman opened the public hearing.

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

On a motion by Commr. Campione, seconded by Commr. Breeden and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved Ordinance 2018-38 amending Lake County Code, Appendix E, Land Development Regulations, Chapter II; amending the definition of a kennel.

public hearing fire assessments resolution 2018-140

Ms. Barker presented an overview of the fire assessment as follows: it is used to fund the fire protection services such as fire suppression, fire prevention, fire building inspections and basic life support (BLS) services; it cannot fund advanced life support (ALS) services; tax exempt institutional properties receive a 64 percent discount on their assessment; and the total estimated revenues for fiscal year (FY) 2019 was $20,501,721. She reported that Tindale Oliver and Associates presented the annual fire assessment study to the Board at their June 19, 2018 meeting and found a stable number of property units by land use and a slight change in the incident/resource allocation. She stated they provided the calculated maximum rates for all land uses, with the assessment rates calculated based on the call data and the distribution of incidents, the allocation of resources and budget, and the proportionate share of each land use.

The Chairman opened the public hearing.

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

Commr. Parks asked Mr. John Molenda, Assistant County Manager, if this assessment would address the issues with staffing and overtime. He also suggested establishing a fire advisory committee in the near future.

Mr. Molenda replied that this fee proposed by Tindale Oliver and Associates would maintain the existing levels. He added that the additional firefighters they had obtained due to the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant would be retained by this assessment.

Commr. Campione stated she was in favor of keeping their current level of service and remarked that the fire assessment has a direct relationship to the service and coverage that residents in unincorporated Lake County receive. She noted that often in the rural areas, the fire department arrives to emergencies faster than an ambulance and this helped to provide service during emergencies.

Commr. Parks thanked all the firefighters, first responders and the safety team for all they do for the county.

Commr. Blake reiterated that this was an increase to the assessment over last year.

On a motion by Commr. Campione, seconded by Commr. Parks and carried by a vote of 4-1, the Board approved the execution of Resolution 2018-140 for fire assessments for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2018, the rate of assessment, and the assessment roll.

Commr. Blake voted no.

public hearing solid waste assessments resolution 2018-141

Ms. Barker explained the following regarding the solid waste assessment: it is used to fund the collection, management and disposal of solid waste and recovered materials; vacant lots are not assessed; it cannot be used to fund countywide services such as landfill operations and convenience centers; rates are based on the geographic area and service level; and the estimated revenue for FY 2019 was $14,244,032. She then displayed a chart with the FY 2019 solid waste assessment rates, which represented an annual per household fee based on the geographic area and service level and were as follows: for the one day a week yard, recycle, and trash collection service it was $196 for the north (area 1), $188 for the central (area 2), and $209 for the south (area 3); and that for the one day a week yard and recycle service with two times a week trash service it was $242 for the north (area 1), $227 for the central (area 2), and $251 for the south (area 3).

The Chairman opened the public hearing.

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

Commr. Campione commented that she had in the past been opposed to any changes in the solid waste assessment and did not favor the contract awarded by the County several years ago which put the current program into place. She felt that it set into motion several aspects that affected the overall budget and led to a higher assessment for this year. She remarked that even though she realized this increase in the assessment rate was a necessity, she was not certain if she would vote for it. She indicated that she would strive in the upcoming years to put a system into place that would be more economical and user friendly.

Commr. Parks stated that he was also reluctantly supporting it but for different reasons. He noted that he had been a part of the previous process as well and that everyone who participated in it had a part in shaping the Request for Proposal (RFP). He believed at that time the County had the lowest disposal and hauling rate and was using new technology which was recommended by the haulers and also used in other counties. He indicated that even if this new assessment rate passed, it would still be the lowest of the surrounding counties. He echoed sentiments regarding looking for the best system possible for constituents.

Commr. Sullivan remarked that it was a difficult decision since there are so many factors that contribute to it and that trying to find the right solution for Lake County was always a challenge since the county is spread out. He felt this was the best solution but agreed that moving forward, there were opportunities to consider.

Mr. Cole reported that the master plan approved by the Board at their previous meeting was expected to be completed in spring 2019, noting that would allow staff to chart a path forward later in 2019 and still be two years out from when the contract ended.

On a motion by Commr. Parks, seconded by Commr. Breeden and carried by a vote of 3-2, the Board approved the execution of Resolution 2018-141 for solid waste assessments for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2018, the rate of assessment, and the assessment roll.

Commr. Blake and Commr. Campione voted no.

public hearing transportation construction program

Ms. Lori Koontz, Road Operations Manager, presented the FY 2019-2023 Transportation Construction Program and the public hearing for the Road Impact Fee Transportation Construction Program. She reported that the funding sources for transportation construction were legislative appropriations and grants, road impact fees, funding partnerships, renewal sales tax capital projects, and the county transportation trust. She showed a graph of the transportation revenue from FY 2013 through FY 2018 with a projection for FY 2019, which included the transportation trust fund or gas tax, road impact fees, sales tax, and grants and aids. She reported that the gas tax for this period averaged approximately $13 million, with the other funding sources varying, and a total revenue average per year of about $27.3 million. She displayed a map of the three benefit districts and their fund balance for the road impact fee fund, noting that currently there was a total of about $7.2 million in fund balance with an FY 2018 revenue projection of approximately $3.4 million. She stated that the Citrus Grove Road project phase one was under construction, phase two was a proposed development agreement, and phase three was scheduled to be bid in May 2019. She added that this project was moving quickly since the Board awarded $5.7 million in funding in June 2018. She said the project had an interlocal agreement with the City of Minneola for utilities and was ahead of schedule for the contract completion date of October 22, 2019. She stated that C.R. 466A was also another project due for completion by July 19, 2019, with phases one and two complete and phase 3A under construction. She then displayed several slides listing the transportation program projects list for the various funding sources of federal/state grants, road impact fees, sales tax, and the transportation trust, including resurfacing/improvements and sidewalk projects. She also showed a chart reflecting the transportation construction expenditure summary projected for each year from 2019 through 2023, noting that the 2019 total was over $27 million largely due to the $10 million legislative appropriation for Citrus Grove Road and the total expenditure for the five year period was about $64 million. She summarized that the transportation construction program is funded through various stages of design and permitting, right-of-way acquisition, and construction of the following project types: sidewalks, traffic signals and intersections, water quality improvements, widening and resurfacing, adding new lanes, and building new road corridors.

Ms. Koontz continued her presentation with the countywide resurfacing program development, reminding the Board that the department uses the pavement surface evaluation and rating (PASER) system to visually evaluate roads. She explained that the PASER system is a one to ten rating scale with a ten rating being a new road, a five rating being a fair road and a one rating being a failed road in need of construction. She then displayed some pictures of various roads and their rating. She shared these facts regarding the life cycle of a road: the average life cycle of an asphalt road is 20 to 25 years in ideal conditions with varying factors such as weather, traffic volume, appropriate drainage and original construction impacting the lifespan; once a road reaches a six rating, it deteriorates more rapidly and generates increased calls for maintenance and higher repair costs; and a road rated a six and below is in the area of critical concern and immediate attention is needed to preserve its condition. She indicated that the following were the steps involved in the road ranking process: using collected data and field verification, the priority list is developed by first ranking the roads by lowest to highest pavement condition, then by highest to lowest traffic count; the priority list goal is to typically resurface four rated roads that include 70 percent collector roads and 30 percent neighborhood/local roads; budgeted funds are allocated until they are expended, thus establishing the annual resurfacing list; and roads not resurfaced are re-inspected and reevaluated the following year. She remarked that the program list of roads was to be finalized late 2018 so that the projects would begin the first of 2019. She recalled that at the July 10, 2018 BCC meeting, there were discussions with stakeholders to resurface Sugarloaf Mountain Road which connects C.R. 561 to C.R. 561A, is 3.67 miles in length, has a 20 foot width with an inverted crown, has a five pavement rating, is currently not identified for resurfacing due to its rating, and Board direction would be needed in order to include it in the next Countywide resurfacing program. She reported these possible resurfacing cost estimate options for this road: resurface existing width with inverted crown for $312,000; remove the inverted crown and resurface existing width for $634,000; remove the inverted crown and add two feet of widening with resurfacing for $875,000; resurface existing width and inverted crown with the addition of a ten foot concrete ribbon curb on both sides for $1,164,000; or remove the inverted crown and add the concrete ribbon for $1,486,000. She then reported that there were 1,250 miles of asphalt roads in the county road maintenance system with 594 miles, or 48 percent, within the area of critical concern, meaning rated a six or below. She elaborated that the total estimated cost to resurface all these roads was $67,800,000, noting that 238 miles were rated a six with an estimated cost for resurfacing of $28,000,000, that 284 miles were rated a five with an estimated cost of $33,500,000, and that 75 miles were rated a four with an estimated cost of $6,300,000. She indicated that current funding in the road program was only $1.7 million. She displayed a graph of the historical percentage of asphalt road inventory resurfaced per year from 2012 to 2018, noting that the data took into consideration the actual square yards resurfaced, the cost of the asphalt, and the funding. She explained that 1.87 percent of the county’s road inventory was resurfaced in 2012 and that 0.69 percent was resurfaced in 2018. She indicated that the average resurfacing of this timespan from 2012 to 2018 was 1.69 percent and that at this rate, county roads would need to last 60 years while the average road lifespan was 20 years.

The Chairman opened the public hearing.

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

Commr. Blake asked how long a five rated road stays at a five rating if all conditions are about the same.

Ms. Koontz replied that it did vary since there were so many factors that could affect it and the purpose of the graph she presented was to show what had been done and where the county currently stood as far as percentages; however, she commented that data is constantly evolving and there were currently more four rated roads than in years past.

Mr. Fred Schneider, County Engineer, added that it can also depend on how many roads are resurfaced each year.

Commr. Sullivan agreed that there were many factors to consider and that funding was managed as best possible to address the roads. He asked if the County coordinated with the cities in areas where they grow and annex. He added that since the cities participate in the gas and sales tax, it seemed like a good idea to work with them for funding, especially if it is to their benefit.

Ms. Koontz replied that whenever there is a road targeted to be resurfaced with greater than 50 percent in the city limits, she contacts the County Attorney to draft an agreement to coordinate with the city to repair that road.

Commr. Campione commented that sometimes to bring a road up to standards might be a greater expense than resurfacing it and can be a challenge when working with different entities. She encouraged putting a better system in place to help with this when cities do annex areas that have roads which need work.

Commr. Parks remarked that it was important when doing Joint Planning Agreements (JPAs) with the cities to make sure they are coordinating with Ms. Koontz.

Commr. Campione inquired about the Challenger Road special taxing district.

Ms. Koontz replied it was on target to bid in January 2019 and was currently in design and permitting.

Commr. Campione remarked this was a pilot situation and possibly could be used moving forward. She indicated that only the special assessment used to be available and this was a new approach. She asked if a special assessment or a municipal service benefit unit (MSBU) could be used for resurfacing if a community wanted to resurface their roads ahead of schedule.

Ms. Marsh responded that she thought an MSBU was broad enough to incorporate that but she wanted to review the wording in the County code to confirm.

Commr. Campione presented an idea to simplify the concept of impact fee districts based on her concerns with the high number of projects coming into the City of Mount Dora and the Sorrento area. She passed out a map to the Commissioners detailing her proposal which was to leave the central district and the south district the same, but to carve out a northcentral district to include the golden triangle cities. She noted this would bypass the city proper and would not raise impact fees in that area. She then suggested creating a northeast Wekiva district in order to distinguish the area where the Wekiva Parkway came into the Sorrento area and east of the City of Mount Dora. She said this would allow this area to be considered differently since there were road improvements associated directly with the parkway and surrounding area. She felt this might be a way to increase impact fees on a gradual basis with the Wekiva area possibly having higher fees then the northcentral area. She stated this would work within the same framework currently as the impact fee study. She specified that the mobility fee discussions could continue; however, this could be something to help fund road improvements that need to be done as a result of the new development due to the Wekiva Parkway. She reiterated that the Homebuilders Association’s main concern was advance notice and gradual increases in impact fees and that they understood the need for roads to support their developments.

Commr. Breeden conveyed she was willing to consider this option but believed the Board should still move forward with the exploration of mobility fees. She opined it was important to look at all possibilities, including the gas tax.

Commr. Campione felt there was not support for the gas tax at this time.

Commr. Parks agreed it was a worthwhile discussion and reiterated that the Board needed to decide what level of service they wanted for the county.

Commr. Sullivan suggested that this be incorporated into the Board’s upcoming mobility fee workshop. He remarked that the county was experiencing growth and decisions should be made on how to produce the funding needed for roads. He shared concerns with delaying action.

Mr. Cole stated that he would include this for discussion at the Board’s mobility fee workshop on October 9, 2018.

Commr. Campione asked if a draft ordinance could be brought to that workshop and Commissioner Breeden asked if action could be taken at a workshop.

Mr. Cole replied that if the workshop was advertised for that intent, then the Board could take action and that staff would work on drafting an ordinance.

Commr. Parks asked about improvements to Sugarloaf Mountain Road due to recent Board discussions on this road. He shared his disappointment in the cost for the ribbon curve and suggested utilizing the resurfacing of the existing width and inverted crown option for $312,000.

Commr. Campione inquired if Tourism Development Taxes (TDTs) could be used for adding a shoulder to Sugarloaf Mountain Road since it was used primarily for cycling competitions.

Ms. Marsh responded that the way the statute reads it does not specifically incorporate road improvements as part of the list of items you can conduct with TDTs; however, the statute does include language that says if it is not specifically listed, then it cannot be used for that purpose. She indicated they could ask for an Attorney General’s (AG) opinion, or plan a mini-trail since the money can be used for trails, although she raised the question if cyclists would actually use the trail since they typically prefer to utilize the road. She clarified that TDTs could not be used for the road itself since its primary purpose is to service the residents who live on the road.

Commr. Campione asked if they could get an AG’s opinion on the idea to use TDTs if the road was resurfaced with wide enough shoulders to be called mini-trails in order to accommodate cyclists.

Ms. Marsh replied that they could get an AG’s opinion and if the shoulders were wide enough to be a trail, then TDTs could possibly be used; however, resurfacing alone would not qualify. She asked for a Board vote if they wanted to seek an AG’s opinion.

Mr. Cole recapped that the Board desired for Ms. Koontz and her staff to develop the resurfacing schedule of roads this fall, to include Sugarloaf Mountain Road into that list, and that other projects would be roads rated a four. He noted that in the meantime, staff would seek the AG’s opinion regarding the use of TDTs for Sugarloaf Mountain Road.

On a motion by Commr. Parks, seconded by Commr. Campione and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved consulting the Attorney General for clarification on the ability to use Tourism Development Taxes (TDTs) for the cost of widening/adding shoulders on each side of Sugarloaf Mountain Road to better accommodate cyclists visiting the location.

Commr. Sullivan conveyed consensus from the Board to move forward with the $312,000 resurfacing for Sugarloaf Mountain Road; however, he noted that depending on the AG’s opinion, the funding allocation for other projects might possible change.

Mr. Schneider commented that it depended on where the funding came from, noting that the County did not have a high enough resurfacing program to fund all the costs on the list. He indicated that this road might need to be moved to the sales tax program, depending on what other funds could be applied towards it, and consider it a widening and resurfacing project that would be done separately from the resurfacing program. He explained that if they move forward with resurfacing the Sugarloaf Mountain Road as it currently stands, it would not necessarily prevent widening it in the future, although he noted this was not the preferred method. He mentioned that his staff could return to the Board with a plan once the AG’s opinion is obtained and his staff has time talk to the County Manager regarding how to fund it.

Commr. Breeden asked if Mr. Schneider recommended resurfacing without eliminating the inverted crown.

Mr. Schneider replied that typically when they resurface roads with inverted crowns, they prefer to remove the inverted crown. He stated that a thorough drainage analysis and detailed engineering design would need to be performed prior to widening the road. He then mentioned what this type of road work might entail.

Commr. Parks commented that although he would like to see this road resurfaced, he did not believe there was enough funding to support a major project on this road as there were other road projects around the county that might need this type of work instead.

Mr. Cole summarized that the Board desired to put Sugarloaf Mountain Road on the project list, that Ms. Koontz would work on developing the complete project list, that he would look at the impacts of adding this road, and then he would report back to the Board.

On a motion by Commr. Breeden, seconded by Commr. Blake and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved the FY 2019-2023 Transportation Construction Program that included the FY 2019-2023 Road Impact Fee Transportation Construction Program, as well as approval to add Sugarloaf Mountain Road to the county resurfacing project list.

other business

appointments to the wellflorida council

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 Ms. Allison Thall and Mr. Jonathan Cherry to the WellFlorida Council to serve a two-year term beginning October 1, 2018, and approval of a waiver of potential ethical conflicts for Mr. Cherry.

Lease agreement for pine meadows property

Commr. Campione reported that the Strimenos family had offered to lease and potentially convey to the County the property that had previously been used as the Pine Meadows tennis courts. She relayed that the director for the Office of Parks and Trails indicated that this property could be brought up to usable condition without much funding and that part of the parking area could be used as well. She stated that this family had also offered to dedicate a trail area that would connect from C.R. 44A up to the conservation area.

On a motion by Commr. Campione, seconded by Commr. Breeden and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved the lease agreement with PMCC, LLC, regarding the Pine Meadows property.

sheriff funding for school security

Commr. Sullivan stated this need for funding was a result of the Florida mandate to place security on every school campus and that the Sheriff had already spent resources fulfilling this mandate.

Commr. Blake asked for clarification that this funding was temporary and would be returned to the Board once grant funding was received by the school district.

Commr. Campione responded that the Sheriff was hoping for some of it to be returned but possibly not the full amount. She indicated that part of the funding was related to the guardian program training and another portion was for services he already provided to the school district, with the goal to receive that money back from the district.

Commr. Parks reiterated that when a tragedy happens such that led to this mandate, the Sheriff has to react and serve the community.

On a motion by Commr. Campione, seconded by Commr. Parks and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved the request to provide the Sheriff’s Office with additional funding of $300,000 requested for FY 2018 for unanticipated costs related to school security, and to transfer the additional funding from the General Fund reserves account.

regular agenda

employee health & wellness presentation

Mr. Jim Kovacs, Office of Human Resources and Risk Management Director, provided an update on the County’s Health and Wellness Center operated by HealthStat. He commented that this center is a convenience to employees and their families for easy access to health benefits, serves as a vehicle to promote health and wellness, enables the delivery of medical services in a cost efficient manner, and provides a mechanism for analyzing utilization metrics to identify efficiencies. He stated that it also serves as an employee recruitment and retention tool with the ultimate purpose of the center to provide the County with a return on investment and lower long-term health costs. He shared these facts regarding the background and history of the center: the planning and implementation began in early 2015; it opened its doors on October 3, 2016; a full time medical doctor began serving on January 30, 2017; and it had been in operation for 23 months. He explained that HealthStat operates 300 centers in 32 states, including the Pasco and Polk County Governments, Polk County Schools and the City of Lakeland. He shared that Lake County’s center was located off of U.S. Highway 441 in the City of Tavares under the name of Primary Care Connection and had one full time medical director and medical office assistant. He mentioned that services included disease management, school and sport physicals, flu shots, lifestyle and health coaching, and a dispensary for commonly used medications at a lower cost. He reported that through the end of calendar year 2017, the center had over 3,400 eligible people, almost 2,500 kept appointments, over 1,000 unique users, and about two thirds of users were episodic with a little over a third being disease management. He commented that when employees who are episodic use the center instead of going to an urgent care or emergency room, it saves the County money. He shared a chart with a fiscal analysis, noting that from October 2016 through December 2017, the total cost of the clinic was a little over a million dollars, the disease management/cost avoidance was slightly over $600,000, and the primary care/cost avoidance was over $200,000. He specified that although the center was currently a little short of their goal fiscally, there were expectations that it might not be profitable for the first three years and he felt it was doing well at this point. He then showed a graph of various disease management statistics from 2017, noting that over 150 people visited the center with one of the four risk factors of diabetes, hypertension, obesity, or hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol) and had improvements which equated to about half a million dollars in savings for the County. He said that from the center opening through July 2018, the center had almost 5,000 visits, with 18 percent of the 2018 unique patients previously being non-clinic users, and almost 1,300 unique patients had utilized the center for three visits. He reported that the center’s visits per month, visits per year and unique patients per year were all increasing each year. He relayed that as a self-funded health plan, their goal was to reduce costs; additionally, the center is a critical component in reducing overall health costs through educating and redirecting employees to use it instead of higher cost options like primary care, urgent care and emergency room visits. He explained that over the next 12 months, they would be assessing the value of the center. He reported that starting October 1, 2018, they anticipated increased utilization to improve the return on investment via some proposed strategic changes to the operation of the center such as: modifying the hours to include early morning and Saturday hours to meet patient needs; actively promoting and marketing the center through email blasts, fliers, and tours; and realigning medical staff to accommodate patient needs and requests by reducing the medical doctor hours and adding a certified nurse practitioner to promote health and wellness initiatives. He indicated that immediate goals were to have a greater awareness of disease management, reduce costs associated with primary care and urgent care, and have a higher return on investment where savings exceed costs. He elaborated that long-term goals were to expand the office space, explore opportunities for worker’s compensation treatment, conduct new employee and random drug testing, and explore partnerships with in-network health providers and specialists resulting in lower treatment costs. He concluded that their requested action was approval of a contract amendment allowing for a one year service extension.

Commr. Blake remarked that it was a good experience and that he had been discussing the cost of health care with a city manager who indicated they would like to partner with the County.

On a motion by Commr. Parks, seconded by Commr. Blake and carried unanimously by a vote of 5-0, the Board approved the request of a contract amendment allowing for a one year service extension.

commissioners reports

commissioner parKS – district 2

TRANSPORTATION SUMMIT

Commr. Parks reminded the Board that October 12, 2018 was the transportation and innovation summit in the Clermont City Center, noting that topics would include the use of right-of-way, autonomous vehicles, car sharing, and road design technology to reduce runoff. He added he would also be inviting the cities and sending an agenda once it was finalized.

jail recidivism

Commr. Parks mentioned adding to a future meeting agenda, even if for the next budget year, discussions around reducing recidivism from the county jail and developing a possible transition program for those released from jail and in need of shelter.

Commr. Sullivan added that this would coordinate with the work being done on homelessness.

Mr. Cole responded he would schedule this as a future agenda item.

commissioner breeden – district 3

cooper memorial library hours extended

Commr. Breeden announced that the City of Clermont had agreed to provide $76,000 next year to expand the hours of Cooper Memorial Library to include being open on weekends and additional morning and evening hours. She reported that part of that funding would come to the County to provide staffing and part would go to the Lake-Sumter State College for their additional maintenance cost. She felt this was a good partnership and appreciated all of the work staff was doing.

commissioner campione – district 4

Sylvan point community meeting

Commr. Campione reported that the Sylvan Point community meeting last week went well and noted that staff was working hard to address drainage issues in that area. She added that county staff was also working with the City of Mount Dora on possible sewer connections for residents without the need for city annexation because of the water quality issues of Lake Gertrude due to failing septic tanks and poor drainage.

grant for Lake may reserve project

Commr. Campione remarked that she and Mr. Bobby Bonilla, Director for the Office of Parks and Trails, went to the City of Tallahassee the previous week to accept a $1.5 million grant for the Lake May Reserve Project which would enable some much needed improvements. She appreciated all the work that went into this and looked forward to see the work that would be done.

commissioner sullivan – chairman and district 1

hurricane season preparation

Commr. Sullivan reminded everyone of the need to be prepared for the hurricane season and asked residents to be attentive to the public announcements.

meeting recess and reassembly

The Chairman called recess at 1:52 p.m. until the 5:05 p.m. Budget Public Hearing Meeting.

5:05 budget public hearing

presentation of Millage Rates and tentative budget

Mr. Cole stated that Ms. Barker would be presenting the FY 2019 budget and would address changes made since the BCC July 2018 public hearing to set the maximum millage rate. He expressed appreciation to County staff for their intensive work during the previous 15 months to identify efficiencies which would allow the County to reduce operational expenditures, noting that they had identified $1.6 million in reductions in FY 2018 as well as $1.3 million in reductions as part of the FY 2019 budget. He said that the budget being presented at this meeting would allow the County to fully fund County operations without any reductions in public services while also replenishing undesignated reserves to seven percent of the operational budget. He reminded the Board that reserves had been depleted by approximately $10 million due to Hurricane Irma expenditures across both FY 2017 and FY 2018. He indicated the goal per the Board policy was to maintain seven to twelve percent of the operational budget as undesignated reserves and he recommended that the Board continue to strive to increase the reserves from the current amount up to ten percent. He reported that the budget presented would allow the General Fund to fully fund the annual $5.4 million debt service payment for the 2007 downtown governmental complex as well as fully fund the Supervisor of Elections, Clerk of Courts, Property Appraiser, Tax Collector, Judicial Support and the Medical Examiner. He added that it also allowed an additional $3 million to go to the Sheriff’s budget.

Ms. Barker announced this was the first public hearing on the FY 2019 budget as required by the Florida Statutes and was for the millage rates and budget overseen by the Lake County Board of County Commissioners, noting that the BCC did not oversee the millage rates associated with the Lake County Water Authority (LCWA) nor any cities throughout the county. She reported the purpose of the meeting was to present the proposed millage rates, the changes from the rollback millage rates, and the tentative budget for FY 2019. She defined that the rollback millage rate is a rate when applied to the next year’s tax base, excluding new construction, which would generate the same revenue as what was raised in the previous year. She presented a graph reflecting the final property values for FY 2018 as certified on October 1, 2017 and the FY 2019 property values as certified by the Lake County Property Appraiser on July 1, 2018. She indicated these countywide millages and their increases: General Fund, Ambulance Municipal Service Taxing Unit (MSTU), and Public Lands-Voted Debt with an increase of 10.18 percent; Stormwater, Roads, and Parks MSTU with an increase of 8 percent; and the Fire Rescue MSTU with an increase of 8.01 percent. She noted that final property values for FY 2019 would be available on October 1, 2018. She remarked that Chapters 129 and 200 of the Florida Statute, which outlines the procedures for the annual adoption of tax rates and budgets, required that she identify the proposed millage rates for the FY 2019 as well as any adjustments the Board would consider. She then displayed a chart with the following Lake County millage rates: the General Fund proposed FY 2019 millage was 5.118 mills which was equal to the FY 2018 rate and a 5.82 percent increase over the rollback millage rate of 4.8364 mills; the Ambulance MSTU proposed FY 2019 millage rate was 0.4629 mills which was equal to the FY 2018 rate and a 5.83 percent increase over the rollback rate of 0.4374 mills; the Stormwater, Roads and Parks MSTU proposed FY 2019 millage rate was 0.4957 mills which was equal to the FY 2018 rate and a 6.37 percent increase over the rollback rate of 0.4660 mills; the Fire Rescue MSTU proposed FY 2019 millage rate was 0.4704 mills which was equal to the FY 2018 rate and a 6.31 percent increase over the rollback rate of 0.4425 mills; and the public lands-voted debt proposed FY 2019 millage, which did not figure into the rollback calculations since it was approved by a referendum, was 0.1324 mills which was a decrease of 0.02 mills over FY 2018. She mentioned that based on the calculation by the Department of Revenue (DOR) on the DR-420 Certification of Taxable Value form, the current year proposed aggregate rate was 5.82 percent over the rollback rate. She reported there had been 17 budget workshops to date with the following strategy used as the road map for the development of the FY 2019 budget: departmental/office budgets were evaluated for operational efficiencies while maintaining current levels of service; some mandated costs had increased such as the Florida Retirement System (FRS) and the Department of Juvenile Justice contribution; all operating millages would be kept at the FY 2018 rates; the public lands-voted debt millage decreased by 0.02 mills; and rebuilding the General Fund reserves after the effect of Hurricane Irma expenses. She summarized that the proposed tentative FY 2019 budget as presented would accomplish the following: fully fund the Judicial Support, the Clerk of Courts, the Property Appraiser, the Tax Collector, the Supervisor of Elections and the Medical Examiner; provide an additional $3 million to the Sheriff’s Office; provide an additional $380,384 for the Sheriff’s in-house support which included inmate medical care; incorporate the approved project list for the Infrastructure Sales Tax; include employee performance based raises; include the Office of Emergency Medical Services (EMS); and incorporate the savings identified from efficiencies. She remarked that the proposed budget also included an additional 196 new positions which included 193 EMS positions transitioning over from Lake EMS, one new position in both Human Resources and Information Technology which were transitioning over from Lake EMS, and one position for Community Services for the Housing and Community Development Division as directed by the Board at their August 21, 2018 meeting.

The Chairman opened the public hearing.

Ms. Susan Glaser, a Lake County resident, asked what services came under general funding as it appeared her taxes had increased and she noted that some areas seemed to be covered from other funds in the budget.

Mr. Cole responded that the General Fund was the operational part of the County’s budget and is supported by several sources such as ad valorem taxes. He explained that the millage rate did not change from last year’s millage rate and that possibly her increase was due to an increase in value of her property. He elaborated that if her property value did not increase, then the County portion of her taxes should be the same; however, he noted that did not include the LCWA, the Lake County School Board, the SJRWMD or other entities.

Ms. Barker specified that the General Fund millage covers the general services provided to Lake County citizens such as the parks and libraries but also the Sheriff’s department, the Clerk of Courts, mandated costs such as juvenile justice, and did not include the city governments.

Mr. Cole then displayed a graphic which showed the breakdown of each dollar of county property tax and where it goes for funding.

Ms. Glaser also asked about the new positions for EMS and the funding for them.

Mr. Cole recapped that the BCC voted in January 2018 to move Lake EMS, which was a separate 501(c)(3) entity, into the County government and this included their 193 positions as well as the related revenue that supported them. He explained that even though the County’s budget would increase, their revenue would also increase as Lake EMS came into the County government with their own funding. He summarized that there were no additional charges in citizens’ taxes as they were still paying the same amount but it was going to a different source of County government instead of the separate 501(c)(3) entity.

Mr. Marshall Smith, a resident of The Villages in the City of Fruitland Park, asked what the 0.2562 millage rate for water management covered.

Mr. Cole responded that the SJRWMD and the LCWA were separate entities in the State of Florida and the BCC did not have control over their millage rates. He clarified that the BCC did not control everything on citizens’ tax bills but only the portion related to County government.

Mr. Don Brozick, a resident of The Villages in the City of Fruitland Park, stated that he had previously lived in Sumter County and noted their millage rate had been reduced for several years while Lake County’s millage rate had increased. He said he understood there were some elements outside the BCC’s control but inquired why Sumter County could provide the same level of services as Lake County and yet be able to reduce their millage.

Mr. Cole replied that this Board probably would have reduced the millage rate this year if the county had not spent $10 million on recovery from Hurricane Irma and as a result, was in need of replenishing the reserves. He mentioned that another stress on the General Fund was that in 2007 prior to this Board, the County voted to obtain debt related to the downtown governmental complex and that the $5.4 million annual amount had to come from the General Fund starting in FY 2019, noting this debt was paid out of sales tax dollars previously. He relayed that the County expected to receive $7.7 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for the hurricane relief effort but noted that could take many years to receive.

Commr. Breeden commented that Lake County’s population was more than double Sumter County’s population; therefore, it cost more to provide services. She also related that Lake County’s geography provided other challenges to providing services since it was spread out, had many lakes and rural areas, etc.

Commr. Campione added that many of the services provided to residents living in the Sumter County portion of The Villages are paid by the residents and takes some burden off of the Sumter County government. She stressed that this Board had hoped to utilize a rollback rate if not for the hurricane expenses.

Commr. Parks thanked Mr. Brozick for his recent call to him to discuss this issue and stated he agreed with the other Commissioners’ comments and reiterated that County staff had made reductions to their operating funds the last two years.

Mr. Craig Peters, a resident of The Villages in the City of Fruitland Park, inquired what fire services Lake County provided and what dollar amount represented that in the General Fund millage.

Commr. Sullivan replied that since he was a resident of the City of Fruitland Park, he should not be receiving a fire assessment from Lake County.

Mr. Jim LaGrone, a resident of The Villages, asked why the Board decided to transfer Lake EMS into County government and also inquired about the $6 million allocation and how it related to the ambulance MSTU.

Commr. Campione responded that the primary reason they transferred Lake EMS into County government was to create efficiencies, explaining that there were duplications of services that the Board felt could be combined, such as Human Resources, Information Technology, purchasing, public safety positions, etc.

Mr. Cole elaborated that the budget for EMS for FY 2019 was $500,000 less than the previous year due to the efficiencies related with this transition. He said that these savings would go into an operational reserves account for Lake EMS with the goal to help make this operation self-sufficient, noting that previously the County would have to give money to Lake EMS while they were waiting for revenue to come in. He also relayed that the MSTU funds which the County collects gets transferred to Lake EMS.

Mr. LaGrone inquired why the Board needed to budget money into the reserves for funding spent on Hurricane Irma if FEMA was going to be reimbursing the County.

Mr. Cole explained that the Board has a policy to maintain the reserves between seven and twelve percent of the operating budget and recapped that reserves were well below that amount currently. He relayed that when the Board receives the funding from FEMA, it has to be received in a public meeting as an agenda item for unanticipated revenue and then the Board would identify where those funds would be placed. He reiterated that it can take up to a decade to be reimbursed by FEMA and noted that the County was still waiting for reimbursement from storms 10 years prior. He commented that his recommendation would be to increase the reserves to ten percent of the operating budget as funds are reimbursed with any remaining amount to be allocated at the Board’s discretion.

Mr. LaGrone asked why the millage rate was increasing over the rollback rate and if additional efficiencies could be found.

Mr. Cole reiterated that the millage rate was not increasing but was remaining at 5.118 mills which was the same rate as last year. He explained that the rollback rate is the amount the millage rate would need to be, based on property value increases, to raise the same amount of money as the previous year. He explained that if the Board voted for the current rollback rate, there would not be enough funding to rebuild the reserves, to support the governmental complex debt service from 2007, to give an additional $3 million to the Sheriff, nor to give an additional $200,000 to judicial support. He clarified that by keeping the current millage rate these items could be funded. He reiterated that the County departments had $1.3 million in reductions for this year due to identified efficiencies as well as $1.6 million in reductions from the previous year.

Commr. Campione remarked that while the BCC oversees the overall County budget, the Constitutional Officers are autonomous, submit their own budgets, are responsible for finding their own efficiencies, and the BCC has to work with the budgets they submit to them which affects the millage rate. She reiterated that the savings mentioned were found among the County departments which fall under the BCC.

Commr. Blake commented that some of the points being made at this meeting had come up at the budget meetings over the summer and noted that he supported a rollback rate.

Ms. Patti Drake, a resident of The Villages of Pine Hills, noted she pays a public safety service fee through her Community Development District (CDD) as well as reimbursing the City of Fruitland Park through an annual fire assessment fee for their portion of fire service costs. She asked why she also has to pay Lake County for fire services through their millage rate and non-ad valorem fire service assessment fees and asked if she was getting charged from three different entities for fire services.

Ms. Barker replied that if Ms. Drake was within the city limits of Fruitland Park, she should not be paying the Lake County MSTU as that was only charged to unincorporated residents.

Mr. Jacob Wiley, a resident of Lake County for 38 years and a Lake County employee for 13 years, stated he was in the county during the financial crisis of 2008 and felt it was important to have a reserves account and to continue to build it up. He praised the Board for doing all they could to keep the County fiscally responsible.

Mr. Neil Cole, a resident of Grand Island and a volunteer with the St. Vincent de Paul Society in Eustis, thanked the BCC for their funding of the grant program which helped those in need in Lake County. He reported that due to this funding in FY 2017-2018, his organization was able to assist 161 households with their utility bills which represented 204 individuals with 34 percent being children under the age of 18. He asked the Board to consider funding the grant program for the upcoming year.

Ms. Jolene Peters, a resident of The Villages, asked what the non-ad valorem fire service assessment fees collected from the City of Fruitland Park by Lake County fund.

Mr. Cole responded that was an assessment by the City of Fruitland Park and noted that this Board did not have any control over that fee.

Mr. Ron Cullum, a new resident to The Villages, shared concerns with his property taxes being almost double what he paid when he lived in Chicago, Illinois. He also asked about the charge for water from Lake County.

Mr. Cole replied that Lake County was not a water provider and did not assess any water fees. He commented that there were several water entities that could possibly be on his bill, such as his water provider from the City of Fruitland Park, the SJRWMD which is a water resource through the State of Florida, and the LCWA which is also a statutory agency. He mentioned that on his TRIM notice were the hearing dates for each of these entities if he wanted to attend and obtain more information from them.

Commr. Breeden clarified that the SJRWMD and the LCWA did not provide water but managed water such as springs, rivers and lakes and Mr. Cole reiterated that the City of Fruitland Park provided water for their residents.

Mr. Jochim expressed interest in having the Constitutional Officers conduct operational performance audits and noted that in the budget report, there were not metrics on business operations, opining it was just activity tracking and did not adequately reflect the costs of those activities.

Ms. Maggie Denk, Director of Camping and Recreation for Easterseals Florida and Camp Challenge, remarked that the camp was funded by a grant from the Children Services Council which the Board had supported for many years. She thanked the Board for their assistance and for all the programs they helped fund through the Children Services Council.

Mr. Ronald Abend, a new resident of The Villages, shared concerns about property values and taxes increasing especially for those on a fixed income.

Mr. Cole informed him that the Board and the County government did not set property values but that they are set by the Lake County Property Appraiser who is a separate Constitutional Officer.

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

Commr. Breeden commented that in July of this year she had recommended using $1.5 million to reduce the millage rate which did not receive Board agreement; however, she stated that she was supporting the millage rates as presented tonight. She thanked those in attendance who were new to Lake County and informed them that the general operating part of the County budget was more than 40 percent less than it was 10 years ago.

Commr. Campione reiterated that the Board was continually evaluating services and looking for efficiencies and that last year they intended to roll back the millage rate, but then Hurricane Irma hit and depleted reserves. She said there were additional requests for this budget year such as the extra needs for the Sheriff’s Office; however, she stated that the Board was not able to give him the full amount he needed even at the status quo millage rate. She opined that the decision on the millage rates was a difficult one, that the Board’s desire would have been to use the rollback rate if not for the pressing needs, and that keeping the millage rate where it currently is was the prudent thing to do in order for the County to be prepared for emergencies.

A member of the audience asked what the percentage of uncollected taxes was for Lake County and Ms. Barker indicated that the County budgeted 95 percent of projected revenues, with five percent not budgeted, under Florida Statutes.

On a motion by Commr. Campione, seconded by Commr. Breeden, and carried by a 4-1 vote, the Board approved the adoption of the Lake County tentative millage rates for FY 2019 as follows: the General Fund countywide millage of 5.1180 mills; the Ambulance MSTU millage rate of 0.4629 mills; the Stormwater, Roads and Parks MSTU millage rate of 0.4957 mills; the Fire Rescue MSTU millage rate of 0.4704 mills; the total millage of 6.5470 mills; and the public lands-voted debt millage of 0.1324 mills.

Commr. Blake voted no.

changes to the FY 2019 recommended budget

Ms. Barker remarked that there had been several changes since the recommended budget was approved in July 2018 and presented these for the County Departments and Offices: incorporated performance based raises up to three percent for employees; updated the fund balance and revenue projections; updated the Infrastructure Sales Tax fund to include the debt service for the animal shelter design and construction and the replacement of the public safety radios; added the Office of Emergency Medical Services, which reflected the transition of Lake EMS into County government; re-budgeted unfinished capital projects that would need to be rolled forward into the new fiscal year; incorporated purchase order (PO) carryforward estimates for projects not completed by September 30, 2018; and other miscellaneous changes and corrections. She reported these changes for the Constitutional Offices: adjustments to the salaries for the Supervisor of Elections Office; updated the Sheriff’s budget to incorporate revised contracts for services with several cities; additional funding for the Department of Juvenile Justice; and adjustment to the Tax Collector’s budget since his budget was submitted on July 31, 2018. She stated that the requested action was to adopt the changes to the FY 2019 recommended budget totaling $70,184,661, noting that the PO carryforwards were approximately $22 million, the transition of Lake EMS was about $15 million, the re-budget of the loan proceeds for the construction of the animal shelter and the purchase of public safety radios was almost $20 million, and the remaining was primarily for increases for the re-budgeted projects carried into the new year.

Mr. Cole reiterated that even though Lake EMS was an additional expense, there was also additional revenue.

Commr. Parks thanked staff for all their work on the budget and opined that Lake County was not an expansive government but was operating with the same number of employees from many years prior. He asked the Sheriff what amount above the additional $3 million that was budgeted would assist him on his immediate need of keeping deputies’ salaries competitive.

Sheriff Peyton Grinnell thanked the Board for the 4.6 percent increase they were allocating towards his budget with the additional $3 million and stated that he looked forward to working with the Board. He also thanked them, the Lake County School Board, and the Superintendent of the Lake County School District for working together to reach the mandate for school security. He indicated that approximately $700,000 of the increase his department was given would be funding school resource officers’ salaries; therefore, he stated that was the additional amount he would need to help make deputy salaries competitive. He recapped that he had presented the Board with a salary study in June 2018 which showed that Lake County deputy salaries were lower than surrounding counties and even lower than some cities throughout this county. He remarked that he was proud of the employees within his agency, that he was currently 60 positions less than what he had in 2008, and that he wanted to provide quality public safety so that Lake County constituents felt safe. He implied that as the county continued to grow, the demand for his services would grow and he felt it was important to have incremental increases in order to be prepared for the future.

Commr. Parks proposed that the Board provide half of the $700,000 requested by the Sheriff.

Commr. Breeden suggested considering this mid-year.

Mr. Cole reminded the Board that staff had budgeted this year tighter than the County used to budget in previous years; therefore, there might not be any additional funds mid-year. He also clarified that he had used rounded numbers earlier and that in the FY 2019, the County had 6.96 percent of the operating budget in reserves, which was about $50,000 less than the seven percent Board policy.

Commr. Campione stated that she did not feel comfortable taking reserves below the Board policy and felt they should wait until mid-year before allocating additional funds.

On a motion by Commr. Campione, seconded by Commr. Breeden, and carried by a 3-2 vote, the Board approved the adoption of changes to the FY 2019 recommended budget totaling $70,184,661 with approximately $22 million for the PO carryforwards, about $15 million for the transition of Lake EMS, almost $20 million for the re-budget of the loan proceeds for the construction of the animal shelter and the purchase of public safety radios, and the remaining amount primarily relating to funding in the current year which was being moved forward to the new year for projects that would not be completed by yearend.

Commr. Parks and Commr. Blake voted no.

tentative budget

On a motion by Commr. Campione, seconded by Commr. Breeden, and carried by a 3-2 vote, the Board approved the adoption of the FY 2019 tentative budget totaling $453,956,866.

Commr. Parks and Commr. Blake voted no.

final budget hearing

On a motion by Commr. Breeden, 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 2019 millage rates and budget on September 25, 2018, at 5:05 pm or as soon thereafter as possible, in the Board of County Commissioners Chambers.

ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business to be brought to the attention of the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 6:43 p.m.

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timothy i. sullivan, chairman

ATTEST:

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Gary J. Cooney, Clerk