##VIDEO ID:YZbNiw7EtHo## there you're never e we go [Music] our sure well I I do I you come we I to doer UPS they all these pictures on 
the wall and stuff so at the chamber have on scam count redevelop agency regular meeting 
September 5th 2024 9:00 a.m. please turn your   cell phone to vibrate silence or the off 
setting the board of County Commissioners   allows any person to speak regarding an item on 
the agenda the speaker is limited to 2 minutes   less otherwise determined by the chairman is 
there proof of publication the c meeting was   published and the SC beign press on August 
29th 2024 thank you are there any speakers   for public for uh not to my knowledge thank 
you so much Technical and Public Service uh we   have one um recommendation concerning community 
redevelopment agency meeting minutes August 1st   2024 we have a we'll entertain a motion minutes 
second motion please vote raise your hand P four   in favor thank you budget and finance uh 
three for your approval uh first one is   recommendation concerning residential rehab 
Grant um program funding and lean agreements   second one is recommendation concerning the 
cancellation of residential rehab grant program   leans and the third one is recommendation 
concerning residential roof program funding   and lean agreement any speakers Mr chairman 
we have none I move all three items in the   affirmative we have a motion second second 
please vote passes for in favor thank you so much did we take three with that that I think 
we did are there any items for discussion no   discussion item good I don't I don't see CLA but I 
certainly want to make sure we have clarification   about c a doll in housing there's been something 
what I believe is misinformation um do you have   any information on on the housing program where 
we at with ship funding and HUD funding um that   would uh actually would be talk to uh Garrett 
on that and uh I'll see Okay g kind of give   us the 30 seconds of what we've done what we're 
doing and and where we are sure sure um let's   see here yeah we've U we've expended all of our 
uh funds for the purchase assistance strategy um   we we've spent I think originally we had budgeted 
around a half a million um but we went up to uh   around 1.3 million in that so we've we've spent 
all of those so 1.3 million did it exceed the   budget it did by how much um by 8 $900,000 that's 
a significant amount to go over the budget and   and what we did so is to keep the to keep it 
running as long as possible is we our newest   allocation that we're going to be receiving we 
went ahead and kind of backfilled that um with   some rehab dollars and then in October once the 
money actually uh you know gets into the budget   we will move that money back over to rehab um so 
we we've exhausted the funding for that strategy   but all of our rehabs our demo rebuilds our 
wheelchair ramps our emergency strategies   all of that is still fully funded and moving full 
steam ahead so so gar and I guess I only had about   two or three rehabs in my district in in the past 
couple years and but there's a a long waiting list   how do we expedite this I mean what's the issue 
with the waiting list what do we as a board what   do we need to do to help you because I've had 
people on waiting list for three five years I   mean right how do we move that forward it it is 
it is a long wait list um right now we have uh   around 350 folks on that weight list um I'm 
I'm very proud of the work that our division   has done in the last couple of years um getting 
more contractors involved in the community we've   got another meeting coming up uh with purchasing 
um in October we're we're going to be reaching out   to more contractors trying to get them involved 
um we've increased our rehabs by around 400% in   the last year um so we're we're trying to move 
full steam ahead with with that okay um so I mean   it's just important to me I mean I don't care what 
the writing but I mean it's important to me that   constituents get those Services right so I know 
that there are people that I represent that have   been on a waiting list you know in perpetuity 
I mean some probably since I was elected and   so you know that's I mean that's why they living 
I mean unfortunately that's why we find dollars   in cras and bladed and safe neighborhoods is to 
improve the quality of life so I just want to   make sure that we're getting that money on the 
ground as quick as possible to help those most   vulnerable citizens commission Co I'm sorry no I'm 
sorry I'm sorry I was just going to say there is   for for any of those folks on the wait list if 
they have been on there a while which they they   may have um if they have any emergency situations 
such as uh roof leaking dangerous wiring anything   like that we have created the emergency rehab 
program to address those safety concerns and   we we don't keep a weit list for that program 
once someone calls us they get an application   that same week and we can at least address 
those safety concerns um while they're on the   weit list and then once we get to their 
name we can more holistically help them   so if we have the money the weight list is because 
we don't have what contractors I mean what why is   the weight list it's it's it's a lack of funding 
um we can only with uh with our ship allocation   for example we get between uh let's say 1.5 
and 3.5 million a year um so if with each   rehab project costing um you know roughly $50,000 
let's say there's only so much we can do and then   we have our demo and rebuild program that we 
started back up um and then purchase assistance   naturally so we're how many roofs have you done 
roofs um dozens and dozens and that's just ship   I can't speak for CR but I know they do a whole 
bunch of roofs as well so I think that would be   helpful I mean obviously we'll have a lot of 
new members on the board but it would be great   ATC meaning that we have some type of analysis 
or uh of what we've done the projects that have   happened how many roofs how many rehabs to kind 
of put that you know in in a spreadsheet to kind   of demonstrate what we've done with the dollars 
we'll have that on the next board meeting with   uh I have that um um information for you thank you 
commissioner col yeah thanks commissioner man just   I want to make I think it's support for clarity 
the $800,000 that was overspent when I sit down   with you guys I just want this on the record it 
was the applications that came in from the city   correct not from our department that is correct so 
it it wasn't on the the the county even though we   managed it we got applications from the city and 
we did what was right but they over spent their   annual budget it wasn't on the county right right 
I mean and but that's probably not the way that   it was portrayed or written Mike I mean and so I 
think in good faith our staff uh gave a and g I   want to just make sure for clarifications since 
a public meeting we allotted $800,000 over what   was budgeted uh for their first time home buyers 
is that what correct yeah anyone that had already   submitted an application uh we didn't feel it was 
fair to them to turn them down at that point they   had already you know found a house got got their 
uh First Mortgage lined up so we didn't want to   harm any of those folks so we every application 
that was active um that the the city had received   we did help all of those folks it was just new 
applications coming coming in that we had to to   Halt until we got more funding because our rehab 
need is so great in this community it's really   important that we you know don't forget about 
those folks on the list well I mean since the   Inception of cras you know you know the goal 
is to eliminate blight and we've over spent   $800,000 with the program that commissioner 
Co said just not necessarily A County program   uh but I represent blighted neighborhoods 
through Brownsville through Shannon toown   through Montclair and we can ride through this 
morning and houses are falling down and so if I'm   going to reallocate money you know outside of this 
municipality uh in my district is not being served   then that's fundamentally you know a problem for 
me I mean and so that's something that I hope that   you guys will address absolutely I just want one 
more thing on the record can you explain how we're   going to make up the shortfall of the 800,000 sure 
so so what we did um we took we took that overage   from some of our rehab dollars and then 
also some of our we we set aside roughly   a half a million a year um in hopes that we can 
partner with a potential uh rental developer um   through um through an RFA that we put out um in 
conjunction with Florida housing um no none of   the developers had made it the last year um so we 
did have around a half million there that we uh   brought over for that and then the rest came 
from rehab um and then again once we get our   new allocation that money will be sent back 
over to rehab to kind of make it whole so   we'll recoup that money is what you're saying that 
is correct that's correct thanks G you're you're   doing a great job I appreciate it than thank you 
any more questions thanks any other discussion   items no I if not we stand a journ commissioner 
Barry thank you Commission all right we'll go   ahead and move into uh agenda review today so 
uh I'm sorry so uh uh board if you don't mind   uh we do have a new EMS director Wes was going to 
take a minute to introduce him this morning if uh   nobody objects Wes yeah Eric if you come up you 
and Chris Chris Watts our new EMS Chief hail's   out of Michigan brings a lot of experience we're 
looking forward to it don't hold that against him   so now we're we're excited uh I've got Chris Watts 
with me today Chief Watts uh he joined us uh two   and a half weeks ago and I got to tell you the 
guy hit the ground running uh he met with Wes and   myself last week and had some ideas already that 
we run by Wes and Wes gave us the green light to   do uh one was getting more field training officers 
out there because we're getting the staff in we   just don't have enough training officers to get 
them out so we're work he's working on that got   a good plan he's been out with the cruise for 
two and a half weeks he's been running calls   he's been meeting with Community Partners been 
going to hospitals doing what he's supposed to   be doing so I appreciate the uh the the excitement 
and the uh the amount of energy he's brought to   the position and the crews out in the field have 
seen it uh they're pretty happy and excited to   see him out there as well so I'll turn it over to 
Chris and let him uh tell a little about himself   Chris thank Eric uh thank you for having me here 
this morning um just a quick background of me I   did uh born and raised Southeast Michigan moved 
to uh South Alabama in the Daphne area uh about   July of sorry June of 22 so I've been down here 
for almost 3 years now um did flight when I came   down here uh in Michigan I was uh operations 
manager for the largest Ambulance Service in   the state of Michigan uh so I got a lot of 
experience there started here at Escambia   County uh just working the road as a paramedic as 
a additional source of income originally back in   January because my wife just had twins and I was 
hoping she didn't have to go back to work uh and   then the chief opening popped up and here we are 
so uh happy to be here there's a lot of potential   in this County I'm looking forward to it we got 
some work to do uh but I'm in it for the long haul   so appreciate the [Applause] opportunity thank 
you Wes okay excuse me move into gender review   I have the invocation this evening Pastor William 
Strickland from Harvest Christian Center be coming   Mike do the pledge all right anything to be added 
to the agenda mam Council no sir commission may No   Sir Mr chairman nothing for me all all right I I 
have a couple of uh discretionary items that'll be   distributed uh this afternoon Wes I all right 
thank you all right and the proclamations uh   Employee of the Month Chief Powell's doing that 
correct I see him nodding okay Mike you're going   to do the next two proclamations I can't okay 
I mean I'm I'm happy to do one of them if you'd   like if your name your names on both of them on 
the printed list I have but okay um Todd humble   you're doing the two related to the library is 
he in the room yeah okay and then ratifying two   proclamations all right and Stacy the email excuse 
me that came related to the public hearings um was   that the 531 32 and 33s that all have to be or 
just the 531 okay yes sir Mr chairman just the   531 will need to be resed scheduled to October 3rd 
at 5:31 what was the issue a legal description it   was the era was in the legal description and it 
was the description or the advertisement both   oh okay all right um okay all right but the other 
the other hearings are fine yes sir okay all right   Madame clerk nothing okay thank you Wes horse 
I'm sorry not Wes horse Drew you sending just   to us up this morning Drew I understand yes yes 
sir okay we have the we have the resoning cases   um several resoning cases and then we have our 
September 24th consent agenda and our October the   3D consent agenda okay and no no changes for this 
evening you don't need no changes are needed okay   thank you I'm sorry oh I hear you buddy um okay 
Wes move on to your part thank you Mr chairman   we have 19 items on the technical Public Service 
consent agenda I'm happy to hold anything that   board would like to talk about this morning board 
anything out of the out of the consent agenda that   needs to be needs to be discussed this morning or 
need to be held tonight all right Wes I don't hear   anything 61 items on the Budget Finance consent 
agenda with the same can hold anything we need   to hold all right board anything specifically 
that we know of needs to be held right now or   want would like to be discussed this morning no 
okay all right and we have one item on discussion   the assess United States I know if you want Robert 
to come to speak this morning or you want to wait   to do it tonight what's a majority of the board 
or would you presume we would have people speak   this evening I would I would presume all right 
well board would youall like just wait till this   evening let let Robert come okay all right thank 
you Wes Madam councel there's seven items on the   agenda we can deal with them tonight board any 
any objection to that all anything else any uh any I don't I don't know that there is anything 
we that we can take off the plate um I recognize   our friends from PR key chamber uh leadership 
class is there anyone yes please anyone would   like to speak I see a hand well I saw I 
saw your hand raised that means you get to speak well I mean you know we we have we 
have uh we have students when they come   there's always a designated speaker so who drew 
the Short Straw I'm Tammy thuro I'm president   and CEO of the prido key Area Chamber of 
Commerce and I want to thank Jeff and Wes   and everybody for hosting us today for this 
is our first day of leadership and this is   our first leadership class ever so we're 
really excited that this is happening we   have 16 in our class so thank you so much for 
having us and we appreciate it we're learning   absolutely I recognize some leaders in your 
class already so you know we'll see thank   you so much yeah thank you well thank you'all 
for being here all right board anything else   this morning if not uh we will rejourn for 
public form at 4:30 no objection thank you