A regular MEETING OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

June 28, 2022

The Lake County Board of County Commissioners met in regular session on Tuesday, June 28, 2022 at 9:00 a.m., in the County Commission Chambers, Lake County Administration Building, Tavares, Florida. Commissioners present at the meeting were: Sean Parks, Chairman; Kirby Smith, Vice Chairman; Douglas B. Shields; Leslie Campione; and Josh Blake. Others present were: Jennifer Barker, County Manager; Melanie Marsh, County Attorney; Misty Spahn, Agenda Coordinator, County Manager’s Office; Gary J. Cooney, Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller; and Josh Pearson, Deputy Clerk.

INVOCATION and pledge

Commr. Parks welcomed everyone to the meeting. He said that the Invocation would be provided by Pastor David Averill, with First United Methodist Church of Mount Dora, and that the Pledge of Allegiance would be led by a member of County staff who was also a United States (U.S.) veteran. He explained that Mr. Jerry Smith served as the Director for the Office of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) with a total of nearly 33 years in Public Safety, and that he entered the Air Force as an Airman Basic in July 1983 after graduating from Eustis High School. He elaborated that Mr. Smith entered the Air Force Reserves in 1987 and retired in September 2013 after 30 years of service with the highest enlisted rank, and that his extensive career assignments include Surgical Services Specialist, Aeromedical Service Specialist, Superintendent of Aerospace Medicine, and First Sergeant. He commented that the majority of Mr. Smith’s military career was spent at the 919th Special Operations Wing-Eglin AFB and the 920th Rescue Wing-Patrick AFB, and that his deployments included Operation DESERT STORM (Saudi Arabia/Kuwait), Operation RESTORE DEMOCRACY (Cuba/Haiti), Operation NOBLE EAGLE (September 11th/Patrick AFB), and Operation ENDURING FREEDOM (Kuwait/Afghanistan). He relayed that during his distinguished career, Mr. Smith was awarded the Air Force Reserve Command “Outstanding Reserve Non-Commissioned Officer” assigned to an Aeromedical Staging Squadron, performance medals ranging from Good Conduct to Meritorious Service, National Defense Service Medal, Air Force Expeditionary Service Medal, several campaign medals and many other military service awards and ribbons. He thanked Mr. Smith for his service.

Pastor Averill gave the Invocation and Mr. Smith led the Pledge of Allegiance.

virtual meeting instructions

Mr. Erikk Ross, Director for the Information Technology (IT) Department, explained that the current meeting was being livestreamed on the County website and was also being made available through Zoom Webinar for members of the public who wished to provide comments during the Citizen Question and Comment Period later in the agenda. He elaborated that anyone watching though the livestream who wished to participate could follow the directions currently being broadcast through the stream; furthermore, he relayed that during the Citizen Question and Comment Period, anyone who had joined the webinar via their phone could press *9 to virtually raise their hand, and anyone participating online could click the raise hand button to identify that they wished to speak. He said that when it was time for public comment, he would read the person’s name or phone number, unmute the appropriate line, and the speaker would be asked to provide comments. He added that everyone would have three minutes to speak, and after three minutes an alarm would sound to let them know that their time was up. He added that they previously notified the public that comments could be emailed through 5:00 p.m. on the previous day, and those comments were shared with the Board prior to the meeting. He stated that anyone wishing to provide written comments during the meeting could visit www.lakecountyfl.gov/commissionmeeting, noting that comments sent during this meeting would be shared with the Commission after the meeting was concluded.

Agenda update

Ms. Jennifer Barker, County Manager, noted that Commissioner Blake was attending virtually; therefore, he would not be able to vote on any item on the agenda, though he could still participate. She mentioned that there was an updated budget amendment for Tab 4 that was attached since the agenda was first published, and that staff had included a resolution from the City of Groveland for Tab 7. She commented that Tab 21 was added as an addendum since the publishing of the agenda, and she requested that the Chairman move Tabs 16 and 18, which were presentations by the Lake County School Board and Lake County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO), respectively, to immediately follow the citizen question and comment period.

ARPA UPDATE

Mr. Sean Beaudet, Grants Coordinator for the Office of Management and Budget, said that the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) previously allocated funds to the LCSO for a list of projects, and that the LCSO was currently requesting to reallocate $35,000 from the visitation center to the detention center virus modifications projects due to projected costs differing from actual costs. He concluded that the requested action was to approve the reallocation requests for the previously approved projects.

Commr. Parks noted that the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) was ongoing and could change.

On a motion by Commr. Campione, seconded by Commr. Smith and carried unanimously by a vote of 4-0, the Board approved the reallocation requests for the previously approved projects.

Minutes approval

On a motion by Commr. Smith, seconded by Commr. Shields and carried unanimously by a vote of 4-0, the Board approved the minutes for the BCC meetings of April 5, 2022 (Regular Meeting) and April 12, 2022 (Regular Meeting) as presented.

citizen question and comment period

Ms. Cindy Newton, a resident of Commission District 4, thanked the Board for moving ahead with the joint planning agreement (JPA) with the City of Groveland, and she expressed her support for this. She hoped that it was the first JPA of many, and she expressed appreciation for the work that went into this.

Commr. Parks thanked her for being involved with growth challenge issues.

Ms. Deborah Shelley, a resident of the Town of Howey-in-the-Hills speaking via Zoom Webinar, thanked the Board for Tab 7, which regarded the City of Groveland resolution, and she opined that the City’s strategic plan looked promising. She hoped that the outcome would be compatibility with the adjacent Yalaha - Lake Apopka Rural Protection Area (RPA), noting that there were many residents on large lots and with horses.

update on lake county schools

Ms. Diane Kornegay, Superintendent for Lake County Schools, said that this presentation would focus on their capital outlay funding, as well as their capital plan.

Mr. Scott Ward, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for Lake County Schools, reviewed some of the capital outlay funding that the school district had. He explained that state capital outlay funds were primarily for facilities, and that they had more flexibility on local capital outlay funds. He specified that state capital outlay funds were for building facilities, the major renovation of facilities, or debt service of both. He relayed that it was funded by the motor vehicle license and registration (MVLR) tax, and that the district could elect to participate in the State’s bonding program that allowed the district to pledge future funds. He remarked that in 2010, the State decided that it was not going to bond any new proceeds; therefore, since 2010, the school district only had the annual amount and had not had the ability to bond any of that revenue. He said that the annual amount was about $1.4 million for their district, and half of it currently went to debt service, with the other half being for capital outlay, noting that about $700,000 went toward capital outlay each year from that program. He stated that their second program, their Public Education Capital Outlay (PECO) program, was funded by the gross receipts sales tax on utilities, and that the State at one time was bonding those proceeds, though this was ended in 2009, and it was currently just the annual amount, minus the amount being used for debt service. He mentioned that the district was receiving about $7 million in new construction around 2010 and 2011, and about $1.3 million for maintenance of their facilities. He added that since 2009, the State stopped funding all new construction for K-12 facilities, noting that the district was no longer receiving any new construction funding from PECO, and that in 2018, the State stopped funding the $1.3 million per year for maintenance and had shifted it to charter schools for repair and maintenance. He commented that the lottery program was funded by lottery proceeds and that in 2009 to meet the class size amendment, the State had to build extra classroom space and had bonded the next 25 years of the lottery proceeds that were set aside for construction of K-12 facilities. He elaborated that since 2009, the State had not issued any additional funding for school districts out of the lottery program. He summarized that these three major programs from the State were substantially less than what they used to be since the 2008 to 2010 era. He then displayed the local capital outlay millage and noted that it was capped by statute, relaying that it used to be two mills until 2009, after which it went to 1.75 mills, and then to 1.5 mills in 2010; additionally, this was a 25 percent reduction in their local capital outlay funding for schools. He said that two mills in 2008 raised $43.3 million, and that currently, the 1.5 mills, with current property values, was still less than $43.3 million. He relayed that the local capital outlay millage was used for the following items: provide debt service for certificates of participation, or bond issues for schools; maintain over 7.5 million square feet of existing facilities; purchase new buses to maintain their over 370 bus fleet; purchase their fleet, safety, and drivers education vehicles; and purchase Chromebook and other IT equipment to establish and maintain the district’s program for providing one-to-one devices for all students. He displayed a graph of their annual debt service payments, noting that they spent about $19 million per year on principal and interest and that as the principal increased and they got closer to paying the debt off, the interest amounts were decreasing. He mentioned that even though they were paying off some of these certificate of participation issues, their debt service was staying flat at about an $18 or $19 million amount each year until they got to 2031, at which point their certificates of participation would be paid off. He displayed a slide with their impact fee collections over time, noting that they were seeing an increase in impact fees and that many new homes were being built. He said that the slide included the debt service out of the impact fees, noting that they were using impact fees to pay off debt. He pointed out that the debt service was increasing along with the fees in 2018, and it had been flat since 2019; furthermore; they spent $8.5 million to $9 million out of their impact fees for debt service. He commented that the school district received an audit criticism in 2018 about this, and that they were able to demonstrate to the State that the impact fees were directly related to the debt service, or vice versa, along with demonstrating how they were adding the student stations; additionally, they were in compliance.

Ms. Kelly Randall, Executive Director of Facilities and Growth Planning for Lake County Schools, listed the following impact fee projects: recently opened Lake Pointe Academy, which was a $38 million investment and provided relief for Sawgrass Bay Elementary School and Windy Hill Middle School, served Four Corners, and opened capacity for Wellness Way projects; in 2021, they opened the Lake Minneola High School addition, noting that it was 450 student stations including a robotics room and a biotech lab, and was a $14 million investment to provide relief for East Ridge High School and South Lake High School; and added a two story concrete modular classroom addition at Tavares High School in partnership with a concrete company in the City of Leesburg, stating that it was funded with proportionate share mitigation funding from a project in that area. She then provided information about the following future impact fee projects: Fruitland Park Elementary School would be replaced with a new school about one mile away, noting that while it was primarily a sales tax project, they were adding an additional 288 student stations which was eligible for up to $7.5 million in impact fee investment; in 2024 or 2025, they would be opening another City of Minneola relief K-8 school with 1,250 additional student stations with a $58 million budget; a classroom addition for the Villages Elementary of Lady Lake School projected to open in August 2025, with an additional 240 student stations; additional capacity at Beverly Shores Elementary School, which was eligible for up to $4.5 million in impact fee investment; a classroom addition at Windy Hill Middle School to accommodate growth for about $17.5 million; and Eustis Elementary School was funded in their five year plan and would be brought to a prototype size of about 750 students. She added that another sales tax project was that they fully funded an addition at Eustis High School to replace the Curtwright ninth grade center to add capacity through an efficiency. She indicated that they were pursuing an opportunity to build a high school in the Wellness Way area estimated at over $100 million, and that they were preparing to add incremental capacity in North Lake. She said that they were also using impact fees for land acquisition, noting that they were purchasing 22 acres in the Town of Howey-in-the-Hills for future planning, and a 50-60 acre high school site that they were in negotiations on in Wellness Way for an approximate $7.5 million to $9 million investment, with an additional $100 million to build the high school. She mentioned that Aurelia Cole Academy was a sales tax project and was currently under construction where Clermont Middle School previously was; furthermore, they planned to open it in August 2023, and were reusing the old Clermont High School auditorium. She stated that their next steps included the impact fee study update, noting that they previously adopted and had been using a study updated in 2019. She related that on the previous night, the school board approved a contract with Benesch and that they expected this draft at the end of 2022. She explained that the study would update their student generation rate for different school choices, noting that Benesch would also consider their anticipated need for capacity, cost of construction, and types of non-traditional housing. She mentioned that the school district had worked with the County on affordability initiatives and the waiver of impact fees for infill development. She indicated that there had been 79 waivers approved since 2017, relaying her understanding that the current number was 84, and that it provided over $730,000 in educational impact fees waived. She also added that it provided for housing in areas with less impact on infrastructure. She mentioned that they approved three studies for alternative educational impact fees for multifamily developments that may generate fewer students, which had provided for a reduction of $1.37 million in educational impact fees.

Commr. Campione asked what they would do with the Curtwright Center at Eustis High School.

Ms. Randall replied that they had not made a decision, and that this project was not funded until the end of their five-year plan; therefore, the opening of the new addition was six to seven years out.

Commr. Campione inquired if the additional capacity at Eustis Elementary School was where the portables currently were, and Ms. Randall said that Eustis Elementary School was a sales tax project for a complete rebuild. Commissioner Campione then asked if they would keep any part of the historical structure.

Ms. Randall stated that they had not yet determined the cost effectiveness either way, and that they would be exploring all options. She added that this was also fully funded in the fifth year of their plan.

Commr. Campione hoped that they could at least save a portion of the front, noting that used to be the main school in the City of Eustis area. She expressed appreciation for the school district’s help on the affordability initiatives, and she thought that they were helpful for local builders and for providing houses where there were infill lots close to schools.

Commr. Smith pointed out that the new developments were K-8, and he asked if this was a better design than K-5.

Ms. Randall replied that it depended on the area and that it added incremental middle school capacity; additionally, it was popular with parents.

Commr. Shields said that he toured the K-8 school in Four Corners and that there were separate stairwells for the seventh and eighth graders so that they would not meet the other children. He then inquired if she could explain the concurrency process.

Ms. Randall relayed that they had school concurrency since 2007, and it was an interlocal agreement between the school board, the BCC and their other local government partners; furthermore, it provided for a review process for the school district regarding development information. She mentioned that the school district had an opportunity to review and comment on it, and if there was no capacity in the area, then those developers could move forward with a mitigation process. She said that currently, the school district was collecting proportionate share mitigation for South Lake and North Lake high school capacity. She stated that once a capacity project entered the third year of their capital plan, then this was the school district’s commitment to the community, the BCC and the developers that they would build that project and have that capacity.

Commr. Campione requested an example of a typical proportionate share agreement.

Ms. Randall explained that if they had a project in South Lake that was projected to produce 10 high school students, and if there was no high school capacity, then the developer could go through the proportionate share mitigation process and pay for those high school seats, which was around $34,000 or $35,000 per seat. She remarked that the developer could enter into an agreement, pay for those seats upfront, and as they got to the building permit stage of their project, they would receive impact fee credits for the amount they paid in proportionate share mitigation. She also expressed appreciation for the partnership with the County and the City of Clermont to ensure that schools were addressed as they moved forward.

Commr. Parks thanked her for attending the Wellness Way meetings and said that the County was aware of the funding challenges. He asked them to let the County know what they could do to work together more on these issues.

Mr. Bill Mathias, a member of the Lake County School Board, stated that the presentation showed how important their partnership with the BCC was, noting that the BCC approved the impact fees and had fully funded them. He added that the school district had been able to build these projects with no debt, and he expressed gratitude for this.

Commr. Parks expressed interest in anything that the County could to do address school circulation around drop off and pick up.

Ms. Kornegay thanked the Board and recalled that in the previous month, the BCC approved the placement of the school district’s 0.75 millage referendum on the November 8, 2022 ballot. She relayed that this was paying for their school officers and deputies, and she asked the Board to help share videos on social media to inform the taxpayers of how the funding was being used.

Ms. Barker stated that the County could share these videos.

presentation on lake county sheriff’s office

Lake County Sheriff Peyton Grinnell presented a fiscal year 2022-2023 budget presentation for the LCSO. He displayed a graph showing the population growth in the county, noting that at one point, Lake County was the third fastest growing county in the State of Florida. He said that he had a constitutional mandate to provide efficient and effective law enforcement services to the citizens, and he believed that the LCSO was efficient, noting that the fiscal year (FY) 2021-2022 budget for the LCSO was about $82 million, while the Marion County Sheriff’s Office’s budget was almost $28 million more; furthermore, Lake County passed Marion County in population in 2022. He stated that the Florida Retirement System (FRS) rates were increasing, noting that they were at $3.8 million in 2012, and that it was $9.2 million in 2022 and would be almost 12 percent of the budget they were requesting. He showed a breakdown of the FY 2022-2023 budget request, relaying that general law enforcement was at 56 percent, corrections was just over 33 percent, and the remainder was court services and contracts. He mentioned that the annual inflation rate in the U.S. unexpectedly accelerated to 8.6 percent as of May 2022, and he expressed concerns for a cost of $5 per gallon of gas for over 400 pieces of equipment traveling the 1,156 square miles of the county, noting that this was a significant increase in their operations; additionally, they were trending about $600,000 or more in fuel per year over the prior year. He displayed a slide with operating expenses and commented that when diesel costs increased, it cost more to bring food to the jail, which raised the price for the inmate food. He also mentioned that they had to meet the request of Allied, who provided security in the Lake County Courthouse, to provide additional salary increases for the staff there. He said that they would see a $300,000 per year increase for the inmate medical contract they had with Wellpath, and that they would be taking over some animal enforcement officers for the City of Mount Dora for a $250,000 increase; furthermore, some judges were added, and his office had to provide additional bailiffs for an additional $225,000. He stated that the majority of his requested budget increase was for salaries, and he recalled that there was a vote in the State and in Lake County to raise the minimum wage up to $15 per hour. He said that with 800 employees, many of the LCSO’s employees were civilians, and there would be a significant budget increase to make sure they met this mandate. He showed social media posts from citizens expressing concerns about starting salaries for positions posted by the LCSO, and he said that companies such as Target started at $15 per hour; however, the LCSO was currently hiring civilians at $13 per hour. He relayed that the LCSO currently had 301 civilian positions with 43 openings, and that they wanted to increase their wage to be competitive in the current job market, fill the positions, and decrease their amount of overtime. He displayed a social media post from the City of Leesburg Police Department indicating that a police officer could go to work starting in October 2022, with built in overtime, at about $52,200 in their first year. He showed a sworn starting pay comparison in Lake County, and said that the LCSO was trying to attract the best of the best; furthermore, they needed to be competitive with similar agencies in the state in order to do this. He relayed that it would cost almost $9 million to bring up their sworn positions, noting that this was to increase the starting pay of a deputy sheriff to $50,000 per year; additionally, he had to be cognizant of a deputy sheriff that started years prior, and that he had to spread this increase throughout the agency. He mentioned that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed House Bill (HB) 3, an item that would go into effect in the state on July 1, 2022, and was for $50,000 per year starting pay for all State law enforcement. He expressed appreciation for the County’s continued support of law enforcement and said that while this was a large request, these men and women were deserving of that request. He stated that he wanted to make sure that they were able to attract, hire and retain the best of the best, and he expressed concerns for the LCSO becoming a training ground; additionally, he relayed that he was starting to lose deputy sheriffs to City agencies in the county.

Commr. Parks thanked Sheriff Grinnell and the LCSO for what they did, noting that there was a cost to train someone, and if they left, then the LCSO would lose that training and experience. He mentioned that Lake County liked to be a low tax county, and that they were trying to balance their roads with General Fund funding for road projects, as well as keeping reserves high. He stated that they could continue to speak and try to balance this out.

Commr. Shields commented that for Lake County staff, they were gradually increasing wages. He asked if the Sheriff had considered stepping it in.

Sheriff Grinnell responded that they had been stepping it in on the civilian side; however, the longer they went without addressing it, the longer they kept backing up more. He reiterated that on July 1, 2022, State law enforcement was going to $50,000 per year, and that there were several City agencies already at this, or would be going to this. He mentioned that when they were at $11,000 or $12,000 less per year than City agencies in their own county, Cities could continue to step as well. He thought that the LCSO was the largest and the best, and that they should be paid accordingly.

Commr. Smith remarked that some items were out of Sheriff Grinnell’s control, such as fuel costs, FRS and the food costs. He said that he knew Sheriff Grinnell had worked hard on his budget, and he said that he would work as hard as he could to get the Sheriff where he needed to be, keeping in mind the tax implications for citizens.

Commr. Parks remarked that there were many items beyond the Board’s control such as inflation and the amendment for a $15 per hour minimum wage, though the Board was trying to hold the line on taxes. He stated that there was a large amount of growth in the county that could keep revenues coming, and he noted that they had to have public safety and good schools.

Commr. Campione relayed her understanding that the $15 per hour issue was for civilian pay, and that a separate issue was the $50,000 per year starting salary for sworn deputies. She asked what the $15 per hour wage for civilians represented in the Sheriff’s increase. She also inquired if the budget increase would include more deputies on patrol.

Sheriff Grinnell responded that it was about $1.6 million. He also clarified that there were some positions included, and that he and the BCC Chairman were discussing the traffic issues and the amount of vehicle homicides. He relayed that on a good day they might have two Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) troopers working in the county, and he was trying to see if they could provide additional troopers. He added that he also needed to get the LCSO traffic unit fully staffed with additional staffing, noting that traffic was their top complaint in the county. He stated that speed enforcement saved lives, and he opined that they needed to focus on this; however, it was challenging to do this when his deputies were responding to calls. He commented that the third shift was currently in effect, and that they could add additional deputies to this.

Commr. Campione relayed that there had been many accidents on State Road (SR) 44 going toward the City of DeLand, along with SR 46. She opined that they needed more enforcement in Commission District 4.

Commr. Parks opined that there were too many people in accidents on the roads, and that enforcement helped. He thought it could help if more deputies were allocated to do traffic enforcement.

Commr. Shields asked if they considered raising fines to generate more revenue for traffic enforcement.

Sheriff Grinnell replied that he did not have any authority to raise fines, and that it would have to be a legislative action. He added that they only received $2.50 for every traffic ticket written, and that it could only be used for specific statutory provisions.

Commr. Campione inquired about school safety, mentioning a recent incident in the State of Texas.

Sheriff Grinnell recognized the Lake County School Board and Ms. Kornegay because he believed that they were addressing this issue several years prior. He mentioned that they had plans in place, and that his office worked with the school board to put their teachers, staff and custodians through active shooter training. He thought that Lake County was a model for the state, and he said that they were highly trained; additionally, they were putting their best deputies in the schools. He indicated that they continued to train and collaborate with the school district, and that he was confident that the professionals they had on school campuses would do what needed to be done if something like this occurred.

Commr. Campione expressed appreciation for what they did, and Sheriff Grinnell thanked the Board for their continued partnership.

recess and reassembly

The Chairman called a recess at 10:10 a.m. for five minutes.

CLERK OF the Circuit COURT and comptroller’s CONSENT AGENDA

On a motion by Commr. Shields, seconded by Commr. Campione and carried unanimously by a vote of 4-0, the Board approved the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller’s Consent Agenda, Items 1 through 3, as follows:

List of Warrants

Notice is hereby provided of warrants paid prior to this meeting, pursuant to Chapter 136.06 (1) of the Florida Statutes, which shall be incorporated into the Minutes as attached Exhibit A and filed in the Board Support Division of the Clerk's Office.

City of Mascotte Ordinance 2022-04-631

Notice is hereby provided of having received Annexation Ordinance 2022-04-631 from the City of Mascotte.

Avalon Groves CDD FY 2023 Preliminary Budget/Public Hearing Resolution 2022-16

Notice is hereby provided of having received the Avalon Groves Community Development District’s FY 2023 Preliminary Budget/Public Hearing Resolution 2022-16.

COUNTY MANAGER’S CONSENT AGENDA

Commr. Smith expressed appreciation for Ms. Barker and staff providing additional information regarding change orders for the Office of Fire Rescue.

Ms. Barker said that staff created a template, and that going forward for every construction project change order process, the Board would see where they started, all of the change orders, and the bottom line of the new contract total.

Commr. Parks added that he appreciated the willingness to work with the City of Groveland on a JPA.

On a motion by Commr. Smith, seconded by Commr. Shields and carried unanimously by a vote of 4-0, the Board approved the Consent Agenda, Tabs 3 through 15, as follows:

PROCLAMATIONS

Recommend approval of Proclamation 2022-67 designating July 2022 as Park and Recreation Month in Lake County.

HUMAN RESOURCES AND RISK MANAGEMENT

Recommend approval of a budget transfer in the amount of $200,000 from reserves to Fiscal Year 2022 Workers' Compensation and Property and Liability claims accounts.

ECONOMIC GROWTH

Recommend approval of Amendment Two to an agreement with the State of Florida, Department of Economic Opportunity, to extend the deadline for the payout of grant funds from June 30, 2022, to June 30, 2023.

PUBLIC SAFETY AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES

Fire Rescue

Recommend approval:

1. Of two change orders (4 and 4.1) for Fire Station 39 for Contract 20-0905 with PCDG Construction, LLC (Mount Dora, FL);

2. Of a budget transfer in the amount of $308,478 to reallocate Fiscal Year 2022 Sales Tax funds; and

3. To authorize the Office of Procurement Services to execute all supporting documentation.

The fiscal impact is $319,645 (expenditure) and is within, and will not exceed, the Fiscal Year 2022 Budget. Commission District 4.

Planning and Zoning

Recommend adoption of Resolution 2022-68 which provides notice of collaboration with the City of Groveland and neighboring municipalities on a Joint Planning Agreement (JPA).

PUBLIC SERVICES AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Facilities Management

Recommend approval:

1. Of Contract 22-938 for the Lake County Administration Building Skylight Infill to Boulevard Contractors Corp. (Winter Spring, FL); and

2. To authorize the Office of Procurement Services to execute all supporting documentation.

The fiscal impact is $232,500 (expenditure) and is within, and will not exceed, the Fiscal Year Budget. Commission District 3.

Housing and Community Services

Recommend approval:

1. To accept the Housing and Urban Development, Permanent Supportive Housing Renewal Grant through Continuum of Care, to assist homeless families; and

2. To authorize the Chairman to execute the grant agreement and any associated grant documents.

The fiscal impact is $127,023 (revenue/expenditure - 100 percent grant funded).

Parks and Trails

Recommend approval:

1. Of Contract 22-933 for East Lake Sports and Community Complex Basketball Courts and Parking to Bulldog Sitework, LLC (Lady Lake, FL); and

2. To authorize the Office of Procurement Services to execute all supporting documentation.

The fiscal impact is $745,793.16 (expenditure) and is within, and will not exceed, the Fiscal Year 2022 Budget. Commission District 4.

Public Works

Recommend approval of the Fiscal Year 2023 Detailed Work Plan Budget for Arthropod Control for the Lake County Mosquito Control Program pursuant to Section 388.201, Florida Statutes, and Rule 5E-13.022, Florida Administrative Code.

The fiscal impact is $50,519.43 (revenue/expenditure - 100 percent grant funded).

Recommend adoption of Resolution 2022-69 to reduce the speed limit from 50 MPH to 45 MPH on County Road (CR) 44, from State Road 19 to 1,500 feet east of Hicks Ditch Road, in the Eustis area.

The fiscal impact is estimated at $600 (expenditure – sign materials) and is within, and will not exceed, the Fiscal Year 2022 Budget. Commission Districts 3 and 4.

Recommend approval of contract #FWC21147 with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) for 5 years for aquatic vegetation control services. Annual allocations will be determined by yearly Workplan submittals. There is no fiscal impact.

Recommend adoption of Resolution 2022-70 to advertise a public hearing to vacate a platted right of way. The closest municipality is the City of Mount Dora.

The fiscal impact is $2,295 (revenue-vacation application fee) and is within, and will not exceed, the Fiscal Year 2022 Budget. Commission District 4.

Recommend approval:

1. Of pool Contracts 22-537 for countywide road resurfacing and related services to C.W. Roberts Contracting, Incorporated (Wildwood, FL); Middlesex Paving, LLC (Orlando, FL); and Ranger Construction Industries, Inc. (Winter Garden, FL); and

2. To authorize the Office of Procurement Services to execute all supporting documentation.

The estimated fiscal impact is $3,288,351.68 (expenditure). $2,248,351.68 is within, and will not exceed, the fiscal year 2022 Budget. The remaining $1,040,000 will be funded using Fiscal Year 2023 anticipated Infrastructure Sales Tax.

presentation on maintenance within new developments

Mr. Fred Schneider, Assistant County Manager, presented information regarding road maintenance funding. He stated that on May 25, 2021, the Public Works Department provided a presentation to the Board on infrastructure operation and maintenance, and that funding for road maintenance within new subdivisions was discussed including options with private roads, homeowners association (HOA), a Municipal Service Benefit Unit (MSBU) or a combination. He added that the Board confirmed to bring back for further discussion the establishment of a funding mechanism for maintaining new subdivision roads; therefore, the purpose of this presentation was to discuss a requirement for new plats to establish a funding mechanism to provide long-term road maintenance and preserve the infrastructure in a state of good repair. He showed an image relating to the cost effectiveness of pavement preservation and relayed that in about seven to 10 years, deterioration started to go down rapidly, noting that they could help it last longer and not experience the rapid descent. He displayed an example of a 111 lot subdivision with three or four miles of road, and commented that if it was an MSBU or was funded by the property owners, in about year 15 they would start charging $214 per year per lot for about seven years to fund the resurfacing. He added that for preventative maintenance, they could place a rejuvenator between years three to five, they could consider microsurfacing in years 10 to 12, and they could rejuvenate again in year 20. He mentioned that other items could be added, such as street lighting, sidewalk maintenance, mowing, etc., and he commented that they would save funding by rejuvenating pavement over time. He said that pavement preservation benefits included a longer life for roads with early treatment, property values remain higher when neighborhood roads are maintained in high quality condition, and cost savings are realized over time with a pavement preservation system. He began discussing maintenance funding options and said that for private roads, the property owners association (POA) or HOA was fully responsible for all infrastructure maintenance and repair within common areas and streets, that restrictive covenants were placed on the development at time of approval requiring road and common area costs to be assessed on each parcel owner, and that the association was responsible to determine the annual amount assessed and could lien properties. He stated that another option was for a HOA for public roads, noting that they could have a POA or HOA maintain that system of roads or additional items. He added that the cost could vary depending on lot density, that there was a recommendation for the HOA to have a property management company to assist in development of their capital work plan and fee collection, and that the HOA would be fully responsible for the calculation of the appropriate fee. He said that the MSBU option would also be for public roads, explaining that an MSBU is a non-ad valorem assessment funded by the collection of special assessments or charges. He elaborated that the Board had utilized one-time special assessments for capital road improvement projects, and that Ordinance 2017-47 was enacted by the Board on October 10, 2017, amending the existing special assessment ordinance to allow for MSBUs for one-time capital improvements. He remarked that MSBUs could be used for operation and maintenance such as maintaining and resurfacing roads, sidewalks and trails, along with lighting and stormwater pond mowing. He said that MSBUs could be used for capital improvement projects, noting that the County had primarily used them to pave dirt roads, though they could also be used for traffic calming and canal dredging. He stated that three existing subdivisions with MSBU items included Greater Hills, Greater Groves and Greater Pines in the City of Clermont area, and that these fees were for street lighting, lawn service, street sweeping, pool maintenance, etc.; additionally, other MSBUs were specific to street lighting for Picciola Island, Valencia Terrace, Village Green, and Sylvan Shores. He commented that fees assessed on MSBUs were currently set at up to 11 percent, and that the staff requirement to manage an MSBU was dependent upon the annual effort needed to maintain the program. He added that a public hearing was required at least every five years to reassess the fees, and that there would have to be another public hearing if there was a change in the fees. He mentioned that if a City annexed a development in the County MSBU, the MSBU would be eliminated unless there was an agreement with the City, and if they had a large MSBU with mixed uses, they would have to determine an equitable way of charging the fee on apartments, homes and commercial use. He listed pros and cons of the maintenance options, noting that a pro for private roads was that property owners plan, assess, and implement needed road resurfacing and other improvements, while a con was that they would lose the ability to have interconnected subdivisions. He listed the following pros for HOA/POA public roads maintenance: similar to private roads for maintenance; interconnection of subdivisions can be encouraged; the County may utilize a special assessment if the HOA does not manage the program; and the HOA is responsible for determining annual billing rates. He said that the cons included that an HOA for smaller subdivisions may not plan and assess for future needs, and that the County may need to provide staff to track and coordinate road maintenance efforts by HOAs. He stated that the pros for an MSBU were that the County would plan, assess, and implement the maintenance effort, and that timely refurbishment of pavement surface and other infrastructure reduces long term costs; furthermore, a con was that a public hearing for each MSBU is required whenever rates are adopted or changed, or at a minimum every five years. He then discussed the Wellness Way Area Plan (WWAP), noting that the design features approved by the Board had a higher level of service amenities desired, which could include signage upgrades, landscaping/streetscaping, street lighting, trails, intersection and bike/pedestrian upgrades, and traffic calming/crosswalks. He relayed that options for infrastructure maintenance in Wellness Way included option A for an area-wide municipal service taxing unit (MSTU) or MSBU for the arterial/collector road network, though this may be challenging to do on the arterial road network because there were other users coming from outside the area and using it. He said that option B was an individual MSBU for each residential and commercial plat, and that option C would be for an area-wide MSBU over Wellness Way for special amenities in the community. He summarized that all new plats would provide requirements for road maintenance and a consistent designated funding source tied directly to the property, that new development would require each lot owner to contribute to short and long-term local road maintenance needs, and that it would require that the new development provide for future maintenance of facilities and improvements. He elaborated that the mechanism for road maintenance funding could be private, an HOA, an MSBU, or a combination, that mixed use developments were more difficult to develop an equitable fee for, and that the WWAP was being adopted to have higher levels of streetscaping and amenities which should be funded by an area wide MSBU or MSTU. He added that as zoning approvals moved forward, the Office of Planning and Zoning had included language that if an MSBU was passed by the Board, then the developers would be accepting an MSBU upon their future developments. He commented that if the Board decided to move forward with an MSBU and if there was a subdivision with multiple phases with an MSBU in later plats, he would suggest to grandfather them in and just go forward with the new subdivisions and plats. He requested direction on whether to require new residential, commercial and platted subdivisions to implement a mechanism for maintenance of internal public road infrastructure, and whether to require an MSBU for streetscaping of the road network for the WWAP.

Commr. Parks said that MSBUs were a recommendation from the Capital Facilities Advisory Committee as a funding source many years prior to not rely solely on impact fees, and he opined that roads were the County’s utility, noting that they were a liability. He opined that the MSBU was a great funding source for the County and that it was fair and equitable, and he clarified that they would not be enacting an MSBU on someone who was already in a development; rather, this was only for future growth. He stated that the County engineers were able to assess when something needed to be done, and that HOAs were likely better for dealing with issues that were not roads and sidewalks. He remarked that the County could take care of their roads and ensure that a current resident would not be paying General Fund funding 20 years later for a road that they did not impact. He asked about option C for Wellness Way and if they could use an MSBU for an arterial road.

Ms. Melanie Marsh, County Attorney, replied that whether it was a collector or an arterial road, they would have to do it as an MSTU rather than an MSBU because they could not make this connection. She pointed out that this would count as part of the County’s millage cap, and if the County wanted this to remain in place, they would also have to do an agreement with the City of Clermont if the City started annexing; furthermore, it would also count against the City’s millage cap as well. She explained that they could not use an MSBU for collector or arterial roads because the connection was too tenuous, but that it could be used for internal subdivision roads because it benefitted the individuals within that subdivision.

Commr. Parks said that the standards for Wellness Way were high, and inquired if the MSBU could be used for other items on an arterial road.

Ms. Marsh replied that they would be better off doing an MSTU.

Commr. Shields said that the County was trying to make sure they had the funding to address these roads. He stated that currently, as a new subdivision came in, the County would take some of that funding and repave some older subdivisions. He added that this item could allow the County to get ahead of this and to know that they had the funding to address it. He also expressed interest in addressing stormwater, and he agreed that the smaller items could be addressed by the HOAs. He indicated concerns for the HOA model because the County had no way to ensure that an HOA existed 10 years in the future, opining that they should leave the professional items to professional staff.

Mr. Schneider said that the County had previously made HOAs responsible for certain things, such as mowing the retention ponds, noting that it had worked fine so far.

Commr. Shields clarified that he was not concerned about mowing, and he mentioned an instance of a stormwater pond filling up with sand.

Commr. Smith agreed that it should be an MSBU, and he wanted to make sure that this was only for roads in these subdivisions which were serving the homes that were being assessed.

Mr. Schneider relayed that the County Attorney could bring forward an ordinance to this effect.

Commr. Smith asked if an HOA would be unable to gate the community with an MSBU, and Ms. Marsh responded that they would still be considered public roads.

Commr. Shields asked about mirroring it for Wellness Way.

Commr. Parks opined that they wanted it within the neighborhoods in Wellness Way just for their local roads.

Commr. Campione thought that they were trying to develop a mechanism to maintain Wellness Way roads into the future with an MSTU. She asked if they could do an MSBU in the neighborhoods, and do an MSTU or the arterial roads. She commented that for the rest of the county, new neighborhoods could either be private and gated, noting that they would fund it, or they could go this route. She then relayed that there was an issue with tree trimming in a neighborhood and that the County was having to address this, and she expressed interest in including this.

Commr. Parks clarified that it would essentially address infrastructure between the right of way lines.

Commr. Campione asked if there was a mechanism for a subdivision in the County with an MSTU that became annexed by a city.

Ms. Marsh replied that unless the city authorized the County to levy it within their boundaries, it would be eliminated; therefore, the County would have to see if they could have a broad agreement with the city.

Commr. Campione mentioned that this could be a topic to include in the JPA discussion.

Commr. Smith inquired if the County could have a city take over everything included in the subdivision such as roads, stormwater and sidewalks.

Commr. Campione recalled that there had been situations regarding the annexation of lots, and the cities left the roads for the County.

Ms. Marsh said that it would have to be a JPA issue because currently, the County could not statutorily force the city to take the county road.

Commr. Campione opined that it would be smart to take the funding mechanism because neighborhoods were better when roads were taken care of.

Commr. Blake expressed support for option B for Wellness Way, which was an individual MSBU for each residential and commercial plat.

Commr. Campione said that a commercial plat for a shopping center or retail complex would have an MSBU under option B, but that this option would not address the larger roads.

Mr. Schneider stated that if there was a park with public roads going through it, then this option could be used.

Commr. Parks said that they were trying to cover all of this as much as possible in Wellness Way, and he relayed his understanding that the MSTU was better for this.

Commr. Campione clarified that this would be for the arterial roads, and that they could use an MSBU for the plats.

other business

appointments to the elder affairs coordinating council

On a motion by Commr. Smith, seconded by Commr. Shields and carried unanimously by a vote of 4-0, the Board approved to appoint the following At-Large members to the Elder Affairs Coordinating Council for terms ending January 31, 2024: Ms. Rebecca Brown; Ms. Dara Treadwell; and Ms. Janelle Carbone-Rodriguez.

appointment to the library advisory board

Commr. Blake recommended approval of this item.

On a motion by Commr. Campione, seconded by Commr. Smith and carried unanimously by a vote of 4-0, the Board approved to appoint Ms. Deborah Weinert to the Library Advisory Board as an alternate member representing the City of Tavares.

ordinance creating lake county water authority district

Ms. Marsh relayed that the Florida Governor signed HB 1105, which converted the Lake County Water Authority (LCWA) from an independent special district into a dependent special district, and that part of the bill required that it become part of the Lake County Code. She mentioned that the Board had an ordinance in their packet, and that staff was seeking approval to advertise it, noting that they could possibly bring it back on July 12, 2022 for final adoption. She summarized that it would take the entirety of the charter for the LCWA and bring it into its own section of the County code. She also indicated that part of the bill took the elected membership of the LCWA Board, reduced it from seven members to five, and the members would now be appointed, with there being one member per each commission district. She said that the Board had a list of the current elected officials, and that staff would also be looking to bring this back on July 12, 2022; however, they needed individuals to apply, similar for any other appointment, so that the Board could consider who they would like to appoint.

Commr. Parks relayed his understanding that they would advertise the appointments, but the Board members could also make those appointments individually. He asked if they had to do an advertisement.

Ms. Marsh replied that they typically advertised, but she did not think that they had to wait for an advertisement in this case because it gave the Board 30 days to do this, noting that the current elected officials would serve until they made an appointment. She stated that the Board could do it either way and that someone they were interested in would still need to fill out an application with the County because there were conflict waivers, etc. that had to be considered.

Commr. Campione indicated an understanding that if someone serving currently would like to continue, then they would have to fill out an application, and Ms. Marsh confirmed that this would be the County’s request. Commissioner Campione then asked if the County could facilitate this process by providing this to Mr. Ben Garcia, LCWA Interim Executive Director, to be given to the current LCWA Board members.

Ms. Barker commented that staff could reach out to Mr. Garcia and forward the application to him.

Ms. Marsh added that they could also wait until the second BCC meeting in July 2022 to bring this back if they wanted to give individuals more time to apply, assuming that the current elected officials were not interested.

Commr. Parks supported giving the current elected officials time to fill out the application, and that he would request the appointment of Mr. Trampis BonJorn, the current LCWA District 2 Representative.

Commr. Shields expressed interest in appointing Mr. Marty Proctor, the current LCWA District 1 Representative.

Commr. Smith stated that he had interviewed someone who was a U.S. Air Force F-16 pilot and a marine biologist, and that she had filled out the application. He said that he would recommend her.

Commr. Campione mentioned the clause in the legislation that gave the BCC flexibility, and she inquired if there could only be five members.

Ms. Marsh remarked that once it became part of the County code, the legislation allowed the Board to make changes to their charter; therefore, they could expand it. She clarified that the current recommendation was to have it codified as it was, noting that this would give the Board and the LCWA time to work through any issues, that there would be time to make changes, and that staff wanted to comply with the 30 day requirement.

Commr. Campione said that all of their trucks and logos said “Lake County Water Authority,” but the legislation renamed it to the Lake County Water District. She thought that there could be confusion with the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD), and she noted that it could cost a significant amount of funding to change their logos. She stated that it might make sense to leave it as it was, or at least transition it in the future. She inquired if they could incorporate the law the way it was, and later change the name to “Lake County Water Authority.”

Ms. Marsh explained that the Board could make this change before adopting the ordinance, and she did not think that this was a material issue as far as the legislation was concerned.

Commr. Smith added that the Board could also let it remain and evolve as they went through this process.

Commr. Parks asked if the County wanted to have a workshop on this item.

Ms. Barker responded that internal staff had met once, and that they would meet again. She mentioned that they also met with Mr. Garcia and Mr. Jimmy Crawford, an attorney, and had invited them as part of the transition team to help the County understand the duties. She said that she anticipated a workshop coming to the Board once they understood all aspects of the duties and assets to provide recommendations or information, along with requesting Board direction.

The Chairman opened the floor for public comment.

Ms. Newton expressed concerns for the cost of changing the LCWA’s name due to logos and paperwork, and she expressed support for it staying as the same name, or to defer it to the future.

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

Ms. Marsh stated that staff needed the Board to vote for approval to advertise the ordinance.

On a motion by Commr. Smith, seconded by Commr. Campione and carried unanimously by a vote of 4-0, the Board approved to advertise an ordinance creating Chapter 24, Lake County Code, to be entitled Lake County Water Authority District.

reports

county manager

office closure for independence day

Ms. Barker commented that County Offices would be closed on July 4, 2022 in observance of Independence Day. She wished everyone a happy and safe holiday.

gfl Environmental waste hauler contract

Ms. Barker remarked that Green for Life (GFL) Environmental was the County’s waste hauler in the east to northeast section of Lake County, and that GFL had incurred some liquidated damages based on service deficiencies over the last year and a half. She elaborated that GFL had reached out to the County in November 2021 with concerns about the high level of damages assessed, and that they had sent a letter to County management in March 2022 requesting an extraordinary rate adjustment, which was denied. She said that GFL had the opportunity to come before the Board and appeal the decision; however, the Board did not approve a rate adjustment. She stated that since that time, staff had been in communication with them mainly concerning the liquidated damages, and that in the previous week, GFL sent staff a letter indicating that they would be vacating the contract within 90 days. She mentioned that staff was creating a packet for the Board with all of the correspondence that the County had with GFL over the past six to eight months, and that she could add this item to a future agenda for further discussion.

Commr. Parks relayed his understanding that it should be 180 days’ notice, and Ms. Barker confirmed that this was what was provided in the contract. Commissioner Parks mentioned that this was of great concern as they tried to keep costs low for residents, and that the County had a system of keeping the hauler accountable with fines and fees. He mentioned that this same system was used around the state, and that the Board would have some options to consider soon.

Commr. Campione asked about the contract calling for a greater period of notice, and the extent to which they could find someone to step in and provide the service.

Ms. Barker replied that staff was planning for all eventualities.

Ms. Marsh suggested to let staff compile all of the information and correspondence so that the Board could review it, and said that staff could bring the item back for further discussion.

Commr. Campione inquired if the County ordinarily removed liquidated damages from what they were remitting to the hauler.

Ms. Barker confirmed that this was the process and that the County assessed the liquidated damage based on the deficiency in service, noting that the hauler had 15 days to respond or dispute.

Commr. Parks pointed out that not only was it 90 days short for the period that they had to notify the County about terminating a contract, but that there was also a process to challenge liquidated damages which had always been in the contract.

Commr. Campione asked if those funds stayed in the solid waste account.

Ms. Barker confirmed this and added that it was a separate fund that was not part of the General Fund.

Commr. Parks mentioned that there were other great providers and that there were these issues around the state, and Ms. Barker stated that staff was making sure that they were doing the right thing for residents.

commissioners reports

commissioner shields – district 1

COMMENTS ON WELLNESS WAY

Commr. Shields mentioned that the Orange County Commissioner on the other side of Wellness Way had some constituents with questions about what was happening along the Lake/Orange County line. He added that they met with Dr. Richard Levey, with Levey Consulting, via Zoom Webinar, and that Dr. Levey explained what was happening there. He also pointed out that there would be a wildlife corridor going under U.S. Highway 27 and connecting to the Green Swamp.

LAKE-SUMTER MPO MEETING

Commr. Shields said that he had a Lake-Sumter Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) meeting in the previous week.

TRAFFIC ISSUES IN GROVELAND AND MASCOTTE

Commr. Shields commented that traffic was an issue that they kept experiencing, especially in South Lake, noting that he, Ms. Barker and Mr. Schneider had met with the Cities of Groveland and Mascotte to discuss transportation as people continued to move there. He relayed that Mr. Mike Hein, Groveland City Manager, had suggested a possible community meeting for Commission District 1 and possibly Commission District 2 to discuss the future of the roads. He thought that it was a good time to have a community meeting, and he commented that 30,000 homes had been permitted in the Cities of Groveland and Mascotte, relaying his understanding that most of those people could likely be traveling east until the Christopher C. Ford Commerce Park was built out to the north.

Commr. Parks said that this could dovetail with the JPA effort with the City of Groveland, noting that the funding model in Wellness Way could possibly be used with those cities.

commissioner smith – vice chairman and district 3

MEETING WITH CAREERSOURCE CENTRAL FLORIDA

Commr. Smith stated that he had a meeting with CareerSource Central Florida, noting that they were doing a great job helping citizens in Lake County. He suggested that anyone who needed assistance with resumes or finding a job could contact CareerSource.

MEETING WITH THE CITY OF TAVARES

Commr. Smith commented that he met with the City of Tavares regarding county roads within the Tavares city limits, and that he would be meeting with Ms. Barker and Mr. Schneider in the following week about the roads they were most concerned with and about how the County could partner with the City to address roads within the city limits.

Commr. Shields said that a study for 2019 was mentioned at the recent Lake-Sumter MPO meeting and that it was included in the plan.

Commr. Campione asked about the controversial subdivision in the City of Tavares.

Commr. Smith explained that it was off Woodlea Road and that there would be a Tavares City Council meeting on July 6, 2022 to discuss it. He added that he would have a meeting with residents regarding this road, and that a significant issue was right of way acquisition, noting that they were trying to determine how they could discuss this with private landowners to supply some right of way to widen the road; however, it currently looked like the road may possibly be sufficient.

FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES MEETING

Commr. Smith said that he would be attending a Florida Association of Counties (FAC) conference in the current week.

NATIONAL PAUL BUNYAN DAY

Commr. Smith remarked that the current day was National Paul Bunyan Day.

commissioner campione –district 4

THANKING STAFF FOR ASSISTANCE WITH SMALL TORNADO SITUATION

Commr. Campione thanked staff for helping her with constituents that had debris and trees that had to be cut after a small tornado situation in the City of Mount Dora near Grand Island and Sylvan Shores.

VISIT TO SUNKEN GARDENS

Commr. Campione mentioned that she visited the Sunken Gardens in the Sorrento/Mt. Plymouth area. She recalled that some residents had asked the County to help with this, and she stated that the Office of Parks and Trails had been able to remove much of the debris and find the rocks hidden at the bottom of the area. She opined that it was a great park and area to walk in, and she mentioned that there were drainage issues in the area, along with water issues in Sunken Gardens. She said that it would be better if they had water in the area that was supposed to be in a pond, and she thought that there could possibly be a way to convey water into the Sunken Gardens as a retention area. She relayed her understanding that this would be their first partnership with the community where the community would adopt a park, noting that they would make sure items were being maintained; additionally, the County could perform hauling. She thought that this could prove to be a great program in the future for Lake County to have areas where nearby residents took an active role in maintaining them.

commissioner parks – Chairman and district 2

MEETING WITH CHIEF RESILIENCY OFFICER

Commr. Parks commented that on the previous day, he met with Mr. Wes Brooks, Chief Resiliency Officer for the State of Florida, in the Town of Montverde. He relayed that there would be grant funding made available for flood mitigation in natural areas, noting that there could possibly be some funding that could be helpful to the County to assist with developing a growth management system with the Cities, along with the purchase of certain lands that could be used for trails and passive recreation. He then said that he and Ms. Barker would try to meet with Mr. Brooks at the FAC meeting.

THANKING MR. GEORGE TAYLOR AND LIBRARY STAFF

Commr. Parks thanked Mr. George Taylor, Director for the Office of Library Services, and his staff, noting that they were providing copies of the United States Constitution and the Declaration of Independence at libraries in Lake County. He reiterated that they were celebrating Pride in America Month in Lake County in July 2022.

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY

Commr. Parks wished everyone a Happy Independence Day, noting that there would be parades and various events.

NEXT BCC MEETING

Commr. Parks remarked that the next BCC meeting would be on July 5, 2022, and that it would be a rezoning meeting beginning at 10:00 a.m.

ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business to be brought to the attention of the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 11:31 a.m.

_________________________________

SEAN PARKS, chairman

ATTEST:

________________________________

GARY J COONEY, CLERK