this meeting to order I am Larry Harvey the chairman uh invocation today will be led by Pastor Daniel Helms from the Branch Community Church Pledge of Allegiance will be done by commissioner Leota Wilkinson All Rise if you're able to do so hey let's pray father this morning I'm grateful for the gospel I'm grateful that you love me and all of my failures and shortcomings um and that you died for me and rose from the dead and uh so Lord I I'm grateful I live in this County um these leaders here are a big part of why this county is such a great place to live and so I pray for them now I pray as they provide leadership and direction in our community that you would guide them and direct them I pray the decisions that they make would be pleasing to you and so I lift them up to you right now and pray that you'd bless the rest of this meeting meting and it's in your name I pray amen am amen please join me in the pledge I pledge alance to the flag of United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all thank you Pastor Helms and thank you commissioner Wilkinson uh it's great to be here on Tuesday February 13th and we we look forward to a very productive meeting next on our agenda is approval of the Amendments the chair will entertain a motion Mr chair I move approval of the board of County Commissioners proper motion do we have a second second proper second any further discussion on the motion hearing none all in favor signifi by saying I iOS like sign the eyes have it we're going to we're going to recess our Board of County Commission meeting call to order our Port Authority meeting and the first item of business there is to approve our minutes of the Port Authority regular meeting January 9th Mr uh chair I move approval of the minutes proper motion do we have a second proper second any further discussion on that motion hearing none all in favor signify by saying I I poose like sign the eyes have it is there any public comment today on Port Authority items this would be Port Authority only and seeing no one coming to the front we have any cards on that Ashley okay we will close the public comment portion of the port authority Commissioners is there any general discussion on Port Authority matters and seeing none oh Mr Turner I'm sorry yes right quick Mr chairman um I've been told that the and I know that the Port Authority owns the jail property um I know that we're looking into the possibility of trying to get that switch to the county and they're doing some research on if we can with the usrd uh loan that went through that and what have you I just wanted to make the board aware that they we are looking in or the staff is looking into that and that I think that sooner rather than later we need to look into that try if we can try to get that switched over into the County's name versus the Port Authorities name for that piece of property because of liability reasons I agree so that's all I had sir thank you thank you commissioner Turner for sharing that I agree with that any further discussion on any matters seeing none we're going to rejourn we're going to get rid of our Port Authority meeting go right back into our border of County Commission meeting and presentations our first presentation we're not going to do crossing guard until a little bit later till they get there uh we're going to go to Wendy um if you'll come up I think you have a video that's going to be shown and bring everybody up that needs to come up this is a great day yes it is great day in agriculture this is uh Farmer John William reels and he just finished planting about 400 Acres of potato for us and uh we're here to celebrate him today um we're not here to talk about all the challenges that agriculture has um with rotten seed coming in from Maine and labor prices going up and fertilizer prices going up and potato prices staying the same we're not here to talk about that today don't make them depressed no we're here to celebrate um John receiving the this Farm cares award I want to show y'all why this is a three minute video two and it's very important to have Farmers like John William we're not seeing the young farmer come back or stay on the farm or the ranch these days and to have young Farmers like John William continue that tradition keep that farm going and be a part of the community giving back to the community Through farming and producing a wholesome product it's just important that we have a young farmer like John William staying on the farm and continuing that tradition I'm John Rebels with Crescent Lake farms we've been here for 7 years this is going into our eighth season so we grow tabl stock potatoes we grow corn as a secondary crop in our offseason my whole family has farmed uh for about 60 years my grandfather Farm my dad still farms at our home Farm in Hastings with my little brother so we've uh come up with a few different things to help with our bmps me and my father designed a fertilizer bander applicator to more precisely apply our fertilizer directly where we need it to keep it out of our irrigation ditches it allows us to do a percentage less fertilizer usage on our dry and our liquid we were the first ones to design the dry applicator machine and Water Management got involved when they saw our design and thought it was great pretty much everyone uses a the same kind of bander applicator so I'm most proud of being able to continue on generation for Generation we've had to diversify within ourselves uh grow in different crops in different types of ways and um just happy to be able to to be a third generation to be able to do that and hopefully keep um keep going for my my children John William Rebels was selected because he does a great job at following bmps he's enrolled in bmps he's helping preserve his family's farm for generations to come the heart of the BMP program is protecting and conserving water we're concerned about leaching of nutrients as well as nutrients moving with erosion if you're having high erosion you're losing phosphorus from the field if we have leeching rain events and they they're over fertilizing that LE can be leeched into our groundwater as well as we do a lot of Coster projects to retrofit old irrigation systems for more Precision application of irrigation water which is reducing their need for water so we're trying to do the best thing for the land you know we'd like you know my children and and my children children to be able to still farm and so we want to take care of the land you know keeping our fertilizer out of the river and it's cost effective but also it's better for the environment we're proud to be nominated for the farm cares award this year I'm actually a secretary for our division here in putam St John's with Farm Bureau it's something that I've have passion in and and devote a lot of time [Music] to so as you can see he's done a lot of work um on his farm and he's got a lot to pass on and we're proud of him you want to say anything absolutely all right three two one than Wendy Wendy is there anything else you want to say Yeah Wendy I want to say a couple of things um John Williams said he didn't want to speak but uh he may um John William when they when they bought the uh winoski Farms from the frolix um they had a a reputation to uphold of being good Farmers good stewards of the land and good community members and John William has stepped in and done that you can see with his wife Emily and their three sons he's a family man he's one of the most grounded young men that I have met recently he's about the same age as my oldest son about 35 36 and he's just a fine young man and another thing to come in and be part of a community you have to give back and he's done that um the Rotary Club in Crescent City started a fundraiser some 30 years ago and we've had it at wisnowski farms now Crescent Lake farms for about 20 of those years John William allowed us to have it there after the sale he found out what it was like how we put the event on who it benefits year we raised about $25,000 and without John Williams help we would not have been able to do that so John Williams I'm glad I've met you do business with you and know you and you're one of the finest young men I've ever met and you deserve award thank you thank you commissioner Pickins beautifully and well said next item is J.R Grimes you will come good morning Commissioners um administrative staff thank you for having us this morning uh today is one of those days that we really enjoy about our job as we get to give recognition to the deserving ones and not that they're not all deserving but maybe these had Rose to the top of a um Awards committee um that was established a year ago um and so a little background on the awards committee um it was nominations from their peers to put them into places where they are they submitted it um and their peers were able to um decipher through several scenarios um pick out the best that they could and Deliver us a final product um we'd be remissed if we didn't mention the folks that participated in this committee um that made this awards ceremony happen it was led underneath the um direction of um deputy chief clue wri um our voting members were Jee morgante Rod Flynn Jenna farmer Kenneth rust Colleen Underwood um it was also miss G was present um she was there not not a voting member but taking the notes and um making sure everything was good but without them this would not happen um thank you to all of our First Responders out there every day um they do such a phenomenal job I mean it's day in and day out of the grind that they have to go through to make um the Dayo round a lot of times it's unknown noticed um sometimes it is noticed uh today is one of those days that we get to recognize the the fine men and women that serve our community every day so without further Ado I'll turn it over to Chief Wright um to start handing out some award thank you director Grimes Mr chairman thank you Mr Commissioners Mr commissioner thank you for Ling this opportunity for us to come up here and present these Awards uh the first award we' like to do is a fire f a year Lieutenant Luke kirs Lieutenant L kiry was nominated by his peers for the 2023 firefighter of the Year Nomine nominee State Lieutenant ciry has demonstrated discipline preparedness and foresight to his job in high stressful situations he has overcome obstacles due to his preparedness and tactics Lieutenant ciry during High stressful situations has overcome and applies tactics to receive a clear outcome and Lieutenant kiry's sound leadership and commitment toward his crew is well received and respected and puam County fire rescue should be proud to have an employee such as lieutenant ciry if you don't mind return back up here yeah um I would just like to say because there's there's a particular incident in place I'd like to accommodate Mr Cy for this morning um as a young line officer it's not very often you get that call that is completely outside of the box okay I worked to call with him um if he wouldn't have took control and Leadership of that call being a young line Lieutenant um he actually had a fire on an island okay that you cannot get a vehicle to um he led the the charge in direction of a um on a fire on Hog Island um coming from I think he came from satuma that morning um they have a boat inside their station one of the first ones there adapted and overcomed all of the challenges that that presented to them right because I mean we got getting folks over there we got getting equipment over there um and we were able to contain it I mean at the end of the day I mean we had a loss of the home but we able to contain it to the property where it started um and if it wouldn't have been for fast actions of folks like Lieutenant Kirsty making those decision and very welld deserving another W thank sir thank you stay up there we'll get a picture all of there you stay okay next we would like to recognize volunteer of firefighter of the Year rodwick [Applause] Flynn Roder Clint is a volunteer firefighter and he has responded to over 467 calls for service more than any other volunteer in 2023 as a dedicated volunteer firefighter he spent countless time and hours away from his family Rod as we call him is the 2023 volunteer firefighter a year along with the most calls for any volunteer in the county if y'all would stay up here we're going to do group picturers and then individual ones with the board and staff okay next we would like to introduce the department employee of the year David [Applause] bosan think think you brought your fan club with you [Laughter] good David Bosman was nominated by his peers for the 2023 for Department employee of the year nominee State firefighter pic Bosman is the epitone of a paramedic he goes above and beyond for his patience and shows true professionalism on every run his commitment and professional as a paramedic should be uh followed by all employees and putham County should be proud to have an employee such as him good deal I'd like to say one thing about David not only does he do a great job I've received multiple emails from citizens about how caring David is when they're in his care I've also had two students send me emails talking about how well they want to come to work for putam County now because of David Blossom and how he has shown them the ropes of of putam County while they're being a student so yeah I'd love to have a hundred of you good your fan club will be invited later on up here we'll take pictures so don't worry about that we're going to get to it next we would like to uh recognize the department Achievement Award Captain Kenneth rust Captain kenth Russ was nominated by peers for the 2023 Department Achievement Award nominee State Captain Russ has dedicated his time organizing the 911 ceremonies while leading the arag Guard team Recruitment and Retention committee and being part of the peer support group Captain Russ has performed a valuable service to putam County fire rescue for his Superior Service and dedication thank [Applause] you and next we' like to recognize the company officer of the year captain Katie [Applause] Harper is anybody on duty out there today or or they seem to be all here today Captain Katie Harper was nominated by several of her peers for the 2023 company officer of the year nominee State Captain Harper has tremendous Integrity goes above and beyond to ensure training and Duty are adequate she takes pride in fundraiser events for the community outreach Captain Harper always has a great worth ethic and is very in tune to what her subordinates need and is always encouraging them to train and get better she is epitone of commitment and dedication within the putham County fire rescue Department thank [Applause] you Commissioners thank you um we're going to bring the unit citation Awards back um some of the folks were on duty today that couldn't make it so we're going to bring that back when they can actually attend the meeting U but thank you so much for your time um and I'd be remissed uh we had a pen in ceremony four or five months back and um former chairman Turner says um how come we all don't have uniforms like that right so I would like to thank him and Mr Suggs for your leadership and was able we were able last year to get all of our line officers um the class a dress uniform um that was the first time in putam County we were able to pull that off and I would we're going to continue it um so hopefully it was just one step to get us in the positive right direction so thank you guys for your leadership um they look fantastic this morning um so um but it's just part of being a professional organization I think that they're they're very very proud of so thank you so much for your time this morning and congratulations to all the award all right so we're going to come down there staff is so somebody needs to direct who's coming first so we' like to get a picture with the board and staff and then we'd like to get a picture with the families also of every individual then we'll do one big Collective or let's do the first one grou group first okay come down okay yeah everybody sir you rather stand I don't I yeah there you there you go perfect all right three two one all right and then the indidual picture we bring the hey guys bring all your firefighter Personnel down now okay everybody get back up firefighter first responder support staff there you go okay everybody in ready really I don't know what there's Mr two one now and the balloons get the balloons in might have been % yeah that would probably be easier for the commission stand the hey Commissioners we're going to have to stand in the back it's [Music] gotten those of you who want to stand in the back we do that the balloons down a little bit all [Laughter] right I got what I mean good conrat congratulations wait wait wait did you embarrass him enough or is there something else you want to [Applause] do D on down all right three two one we'll three two one what am I supposed to do with this I need I need a three two one come on on two one you make it through all the smile easy for me jaw hurt give the room a minute to clear out all right thank you very much and we appreciate it and um thank you for the families that share your uh loved ones with us and we'll be praying for you we understand that the U page goes off and they have to leave family but we greatly appreciate our citizens appreciate it we're going to go out of our our script here for just a moment crossing guards are going to be here as soon as they can uh so we're going to go into our 9:00 Planning and Development public hearing uh so Zach are you ready are you're over there already wow you are ready thank you Zach you have the floor sir thank you chairman for the record Zachary Baker planning and development services I'm going to keep this brief we've heard this once already this is the second hearing for a rezone from commercial retail C2 to commercial retail C4 um it it includes two Parcels in the county um on Highway 17 North side of the county just north of Bostwick area um the two Parcels are highlighted here you can see on the aerial they're on the east side of the road it Acom encompasses is 10 and a uh yeah 10 and A4 acre the uh the imagery really Paints the picture for us so they're currently C2 they got commercial on the North and the South side of the property a uh zoning around it the land use though you can see is is commercial in the immediate area and in uh IND industrial so staff has recommended that um the board of County Commissioners adopts the rezone from C2 to C4 and we recommend to approval for this request thank you Zach any questions for staff okay seeing none we're going to open it back up for public comments is there anyone in the audience that would like to speak for this project please come up and state your name and address for the record and you will be asked to keep your comments to at least three minutes okay not at least not over three minutes if you'll put the microphone up to your mouth you can move it right up okay my name's John Bruce I live at Palm 96 uh Palm in Palm Coast Florida uh and I've been working with Mr Carlton to get this reson we want to be good partners to the county so and we're going to take care of everything and do everything properly we can we need to so we'd appreciate the getting it rezoned thank you sir thank you is the applicant here I meant to ask that question and I didn't um chairman that is the applicant agent okay good thank you very much anybody else in the audience would like to speak in favor all right seeing none anybody want to speak in opposition of this and seeing no one running up to the microphone I will close the public portion of that and Commissioners what's your pleasure Mr chair I move approval of rezone Rez 23-00 00000010 I'll second that do we we need to read the ordinance don't we on page 21 of the packet an ordinance of the putam county of the county of putam State of Florida amending the official zoning map for putam County incorporated into article two of the putham County Land Development code ordinance 2005-1 18 resoning A 10.26 plus or minus acre parcel of land from commercial retail C2 to commercial intensive C4 providing for severability and an effective date case number Rez 23-00 00 one0 a proper motion do we have a second we have second from commissioner Turner any further discussion on the motion at hand hearing none all in favor signify by saying I I oppose like sign the eyes have it unanimously thank you very much and we'll move on to Zach thank you for your time yes sir move on to public comment on agenda items this portion of the agenda is designed to allow citizens an opportunity to bring matters to the attention of the board it's not reasonable to expect that the board will engage in debate or deliberations about matters on which the board has received no prior information as part of the agenda please limit to three minutes public comment cards are conveniently placed in the meeting room on the backside and should be submitted prior to the meeting to Deputy clerk who sits at the right of the podium my left Miss Ashley over there do we have some cards um he has early this is on the new business he ask if he can go ahead okay okay um so do we have any comments on agenda items then we'll close that part of the meeting I think we'll get to it pretty and we'll go to consent is there Commissioners I'll start with commissioner adamac is there any items you'd like to pull I have none commissioner Turner item F item F commissioner Pickins I have none commissioner Wilkinson I and I have none the chair will entertain a motion Mr chair I move approval of consent agenda items a b c d e g and H second second proper motion we have proper second any further discussion on that motion hearing none all in favor signify by saying I I oppose like sign the eyes have it Mr Turner you have item F uh yes I think uh Deputy County Administrator Mr Grimes would like to comment on this issue this morning Mr Grimes thank you Mr Turner for pulling this um item I just want to say thank you to our staff um this is a project um that was put into an hmgp project following Hurricane Matthew um and the design of this project was $997,000 um for just a design so that I mean in today's world you can figure that the construction this is going to be somewhere between $950 and a million dollar to change a Out Underneath Hoover Road I'd like to thank our staff for stepping up and going whoa um we can do that inhouse so our engineer um and our survey Creer are working together and they're going to change this out for less money than what the County's match would be on the design so I would just like to thank our staff for looking at this as a as a um item that we can say hey we can save County and state federal taxpayer dollars by saying that we can do this with our own in-house Crews with our own design and that's why it is so great to have a here anything that we need to he can stamp it and we can he can draw the plan so um I'd like to publicly say thank you to um Mr Scott nolles for uh bringing this up to our attention and um moving this project forward so thank you thank you Mr if I may add this is exactly how it's supposed to work guys that we find projects that we can do in house now that we have our own full-blown engineer and our own in thehouse abilities to do some of these projects and instead of spending a million dollars we're going to end up spending very few dollars uh compared to it so this is the way it's supposed to work it's taken us a while to get our engineer on board welcome to Scott and uh that came over from Matthews and but I'm just saying that this is the way the system is actually supposed to work um and with that Mr chairman I move that we approve item F proper motion we have a second proper second any further discussion hearing done all in favor signify by saying I I pose like sign the I have it Miss Wilkinson you have item I thank you um this is our Dart to pay project um just a couple questions I know that previously we had not required our contractors to be fdot certified is that correct and um what that does is that helps again a big cost savings and it also gives us an option to use local vendors is correct so my one question is who inspects the roads I mean who who makes sure that the quality uh is what we're expecting our field inspectors that we employ at public works okay so we have somebody specifically that does that and is train yes ma'am it's do he's dot qualified to do inspections of Roads okay all right that was my only question and I want to make a comment on this the reason um I asked for this to be added was we were trying to work on a msbu for Paving for a um area right down the road Violet Lake Circle um we use numbers of 480 500,000 per mile for Paving a road well the scribers area era said 1.25 and the bid was for 178 I did not want the residents to think that we could pave a road for $178,000 for 1.25 Miles when we were just telling them it was costing them so I appreciate Public Works fixing that you know because once these things see the light of day people their gospel at that time and there really not not it was just an era but I was kind of excited sitting at my desk trying to figure out how we could pave one mile 1.25 miles for 178,000 I was getting excited but um it didn't happen that way so yes Mr Turner um I think that it's important to note here that during the contract documents actually called for the contractors to go out and measure their sales the length of the roads that were put in the contract documents so the bidder actually picked up the length of the road as actual was not what was in the document as a scrier error on our part correct so I think that's important to understand that they actually bid the thing at the proper length because they went out and checked how long the road actually was yes sir well thank you for that clarification so uh this is just a good moving forward at this point so the chair will entertain a motion on item I Mr chair I move approval of item I on our consent agenda second proper motion proper second any further discussion on that motion hearing none all in favor signify byan I iose like sign the eyes have it we will go down to new business and um Mr Hafner I know you've got a leave correct okay all right so let's go to animal control and um the port neuter portable trailer Mr Helms good morning people my board so I'm Brian Helms um I'm the executive director of Developmental services so I'm kind of leaon with um working with the ark we've already brought this to you guys on the November 16th um The Ark is looking to acquire um a USD Grant um looking for $25,000 to do 25 plus spade and neuters we came to you guys um sorry they came to The Advisory Board the animal control Advisory board on the 16th um they had a vote of 4 to one in favor to support this we came to you guys on 129 um you guys uh requested the ark and me kind of work together to finite the terms and what they were asking and so we did that that was also included in your packet um I have them here today and they're here to answer any questions that you guys have um and so we're they're again still asking the same uh 25,000 for the uh USD Grant match fund that they that they're doing so so we'll present that to you and I'll give it over to them please state your name and address for the record good morning Virginia Delgado Oakwood Cresent City kennel 1952 South Highway 17 in Cresent city thank you so much for this opportunity again to talk to the Commissioners uh tomorrow is Valentine's Day and this proposal is for the love of Paws um red is my favorite color but also red represents urgency have we mentioned in the past Animal Welfare uh I do see the light at the end of the tunnel with hopefully the new shelter being built this year and with spay and neuter um in this counting which is not offered uh it will be a fantastic step to improve Animal Welfare briefly I want to say that dog offsprings in six years they can produce 67,000 puppies cats in 7 years can produce 370,000 kittens I have never had so many puppies at Ark Animal Rescue between Thanksgiving and New years's I had 26 and I have pulled several puppies from Animal Control in fact we had to convert our cat room into the nursery I have a dog that was um abandoned at Animal Control she should have never been pregnant probably eight or nine years old had seven puppies uh four were still born we had to go to Veterinary Care to induce her in order for uh her to survive and it was a $500 bill so this spay and neuter is for putham County it's the first step into improving Animal Control animal services and Welfare as you know an all alter male dog can attack and bite we are the top three in the nation for Florida for dog bites that's just one reason second reason all the dogs that are loose can cause car accidents we want putam County to be safe where all our residents can walk without being attacked by a herd of dogs that's just not one a herd there are three an three dogs that are loose still that animal control cannot uh capture in Crescent City so these are the reasons why we need to spay and neuter it is for the county not only for South putam all the way over to interlocking we have proven ourselves of what we can do for this County we did 560 plus vaccine lowcost vaccines last year and we provided in 2022 150 spay and Nutter vouchers last year we did 275 almost double the need is here we also have an opportunity to work with UF veterinary school uh to have those students come to us and like I mentioned in the proposal as if you received a copy we are planning to go all the way to interlocking in fact we are planning to do a lowcost clinic and interlocking in March I leave it open to all of you for any further questions or discussions commissioner Turner has a question uh yes I have several Miss Oakwood thanks for coming again today uh who are who's going to actually work the trailer do you have a veterinarian that is yes sir we have two okay you have two that have obligated theel to work the trailer yes okay are you any closer to getting the gr at this time we are 95% getting that Grant okay and regardless if we do not we have a plan b c and d okay so if the commission were to see to give you the 25 ,000 you're requesting today for the services that you have um that you have offered um the the you would still need the $25,000 even if you didn't get the grant or would you need the $225,000 contingent upon you getting the grant how would that work part two contingency of the grant okay so would that meet your criteria that that um that you needed if we uh voted to give you the 25 contingent upon you getting the grant that would meet your need yes sir okay we're not asking for a check right now we just need your support so we can submit it to USDA well I think it's very important in this situation for us to uh bring up that we're not just donating 25,000 of this that they're actually offering services to the county for in for them uh for the uh money um and some of those services are up to 70 procedures quarterly uh for a very nominal fee of 35 for a feline or 45 for a k9 um they're actually um offering to schedule low appointments for vaccinations and what have you for rabies and what uh it's on it's in the packet right um I'm just trying to to hit the highlights but I I just need the public to know that we're not just donating $25,000 to a a um a nonprofit what we're doing is we're we're participating in the proog in the project in order to get services from them that the county needs thank you very much well spoken so I just wanted to say that Mr well Mr Mr Turner Miss Wilkinson you have the floor thank you Miss Virginia for bringing in this forward um I'm a big animal uh Advocate if you don't know already and um these are the kind of Partnerships we should be doing we should be doing public private Partnerships and that's the way I see this it is not something that I want it's something that is needed we do not have a program currently in putam county and you're right I see on social media all the time people going here's my situation or I'm trying to help my neighbor or these dogs this that and the other and they're asking where they can go and I am very appreciative that you are taking the lead and trying to bring this forward and I'm very supportive of it um I do understand that nonprofits sometimes can do a much better job than government because they don't have near the red tape that the rest of us do and um I just want to say I'm in favor of it and thank you again thank you I'm in tears thank you so much thank you commissioner wilon my light's not working right now so I'm looking down Mr Pickins you're next yes uh Diane and and thank you for coming again and thank you for your efforts um in our first conversation and I think my conversation with you yesterday afternoon was I was concerned about perception of the of the public of just donating $25,000 so there need to be deliverers which you have uh explained the sustainability of the program is also a concern but um you seem to be very confident that you have a A and C and maybe even a d plan yes sir um for this to continue and then also I mentioned definitely in our first meeting it has to be mobile it has to reach all ends of the county because somebody that really can't afford to they may not have transportation to take an animal you know 45 minutes an hour across the county to come down to South putam from interlock and or Melrose you know to have the services uh provided so anyway um if for some reason God forbid that you don't get the Grant I guess this money would come back to the county we're not asking for money we're asking for a just the pledge just the letter stating of your support when we get the grant uh that excuse me that document will be submitted to the USDA and then when the grant is provided to us then we'll make arrangements and uh follow the criteria for the USDA because remember the trailer also has to be ordered it's brand new okay and if it takes as long to get a trailer that does a a a fire no excuse me ambulance sir 35 months I think is what Jr said okay so if this goes forward and you receive the trailer are there any other uh expenditures or expenses that you foresee to equip this trailer is it come ready to go you have that taken care of it comes ready to go vaccines already in our refrigerator we also have a vaccine clinic with a stainless steel equipment anesthesia IV poles You Name It We got it okay thank you that's all I have right now thank you commissioner Pickin Mr adamack you have the floor yeah I just want to say I really appreciate you bringing this back to us because the initial iteration wasn't as clear this is very clear I support it 100% I I think it's a great idea it's something that's absolutely needed in the west side of putham and throughout putham um but we we see just a lot of and I'm sure we do throughout the countywood in West putam there's dogs that come through my property that come through everyone's property in my neighborhood and uh we need to start doing something proactive and this is a proactive measure that I really appreciate and support thank you thank you now I have a few comments I do appreciate you bringing this back um this isn't an ask it's a partnership in my view and um it's badly needed in our County um I would hope would we never needed it I would hope that we have responsible pet owners that take care of it some people are and they just fall on fell on hard times and they can't afford it I fully understand that I also like the idea that I'm sure that you wouldn't mind that if people wanted to adopt a spade or a neuter for whatever price I'm sure they could contact you and and put some money in the bank to help sit that situation um I could see some fundraisers that I would be involved in that we would do something into that nature um be because again I know people fall on hard times and you know some of the calls I get is I have six dogs my girlfriend left me left me with her dogs what do I do now I I don't know the answer I mean I don't I'm sorry that that happened to you um I love to be a pet owner I'm currently not oo I have no no I had the best told her that I have puppies I Ling dog I love on other people's Labs not mine anymore but I had the best dog in the world and to at my age I think about you know do I really want to go back down that road and and face the Heartbreak that I had to face with mine and I don't like that feeling so I'll love on others right now and I'll support others but I truly I believe this is a wonderful partnership and uh we I think this board is going to go ahead and do what you've asked us to do so is there any more comments You' like to make or I want to add that this afternoon at 4:30 I will be presenting I'm also an educator with miss diaa our board member to the um putam County school board on pet responsibility and spay and neuter for um educational curriculum very good good very and so this is the beginning uh I Envision like Jacksonville Rick's Vision he started tiny and he has a probably 10,000 square foot clinic in spay and neuter and I am determined to have that for putam County Mr chairman are you ready for a motion I am most ready for a motion Comm okay I move that we approve the $25,000 commitment upon them receiving their Grant second a proper motion we have proper second any further discussion on the motion hearing none all in favor signify by saying I I POS like sign it P unanimously thank you very much thank you for what you did brought tears to my eyes so thank you next item is our Planning Development RFQ for putam County impact studies thank you Mr chairman record Zachary Baker Planning Development Services so um we're here today we're we're really looking for ultimately Direction but favorably an approval on moving forward with the RFQ uh 2326 which would be an impact fee feasibility study um I've kind of prepared some stuff I don't know if you have questions first or if you want me to go through kind of my line items that I prepared go ahead and prepare for what you okay so and in year 202 2023 uh the putham County building department reviewed 408 residential permits uh that was broken into 187 siteb built 215 mobile homes six Florida building code compliant modular homes in addition to that we also reviewed 18 commercial permits um those ranged from retail Industrial Services institutional and recreational the missed out impact fees and I'm going based off of the city of pac's recently approved impact fees um so using their impact fees for putham County so there is a difference in price here but from the residential permits we could have collected 2.19 million that would have been used as an investment into the County's infrastructure that we currently have as well as um set aside for new developments new drainage New Roads what have you um in addition to that there was also different commercial fees and I didn't calculate what all of the commercial permits would have equated to the reason why is they're based off of the use and the square footage so I would have had to Broken everyone down and and done the calculations and it's just not something that I can quickly do but I did look at um a variety retail store that would be 10,580 square ft that would have been 24 ,000 wonder what that would be um a retail part store at 6,400 FT $188,000 certainty 313,000 ft² expansion $116,000 um and a standard Self Storage drive up put your stuff in in a box 7 $7,700 um again those values were based off of city of pac's recently passed um it comes out to be 5,3 $74 on a residential permit and again it would vary on Commercial based off the use and size um when we had impact fees last in 2008 the impact fee was around $7,700 for a single family home so it it could be less than what we recently had um the scope of our impact fee study would include outright Transportation parks and Recreation water Wastewater fire rescue um the cost for that feasibility study is $161,500 so that's the minimum that we're asking for um we also had the the company we've kind of been in communication with which is benesh out of Tampa um very great multi-disciplinary firm that's done a lot of work in Northeast Florida uh we asked them if they could also provide us a budget for law enforcement if we chose to include that on the scope that would be $188,200 um and then also schools which would be $4,300 so we have a range here it could be anywhere between 161 and some change up to 22,4 that would be a a but a minor investment into the county sustainability of our infrastructure the well-being of our citizens um and the Improvement of a quality of life for the citizens as well so that's my Spiel that's what we're asking for and I hope that hope that we can kind of make an agreeance here today thank you so much commission attorney you have the floor um is the rules when you implement impact fees let me make a Spiel before we go there I've for many many years been absolutely against impact fees unless you're going to use that money for the impact and not just put it in the county coffers and continually spending it over things that would have been spent on otherwise I understand that by from talking to Miss Young that it was set up previously and it will be set up again that each line item that the commission decides to to charge an impact fee on that that would be isolated to be used for that type of work so in other words if they charge money for um transportation impact fee they can't take that and just stick it in the general fund and use it for overall Transportation it has to be Transportation related um I want to see if we can even get some of these down a little more uh a little finer to where you can't if if somebody builds a subdivision in East Paca for instance that the that the transportation infrastructure impact fee portion of that would be used on the first on the impact that they create and so you wouldn't take an impact fee from an East Paca subdivision and use it in mail RS to fix a problem in mail RS I understand melro has got to be fixed but that's not what they're impacting in East Paca now you can say the the Melrose has the uh the subdivision it would be the same thing you couldn't use melrose's impact fee for East Paca it needs to be used to offset the impact fee in the area um is there any way that is there any way that we can do this impact fee legally inhouse okay so do we have to do an impact study on every single category wait a minute sorry you you can but you don't want to because it has to be defensible against the lawsuit on the method methodology so okay most counties that I've worked with always have somebody that will not just provide the methodology but be willing to defend it and Court should accom that that's good enough for me um the answer is basically no so that's a legal interpretation or no you can't do that that's is as short as he could get it too okay so do we have to do an impact fee study on every particular line item on this list I know that you already went back to bash and or Benish or whatever they're called and said and asked them was there any wiggle room for the $163,000 um and they said no if you do every impact line item it takes the same amount of work you just there's no way to do this job and do it less money because to be make it defensible and so do we have to do every single line item that they put in here trans ation Parks water Wastewater fire rescue General government buildings technical reporting do we have to do every one of those line items to make this defensible if we even if we're not intending to do an impact fee and I'm not saying we are or not but just say for instance pick one uh General government buildings if we didn't want to do an impact fee the to charge residential people for General General government buildings would we have to pay that $115,000 to have that line item studyed is that part of the deal no sir you don't have to the the concept behind the study is to give you the options to bring back and determine which impact fees you would like to assess for the purposes so if you don't study it and then you determine a need you don't have a way to do the impact fee imple implementation well the reason I'm asking that is is because if if the board and I'm like I said I'm not picking on any certain one I'm just picking one but if the if the board made a decision that they were interested in an impact fee but only on certain items like maybe transport I'm just picking them Transportation utilities things things that are direct absolute direct impact but not just trying to throw in the kitchen sink such as general government building impact fee I really don't see personally and this may just be me but I don't see personally how you building a house out somewhere in the county is going to be a general impact on one of our general government buildings around here well I'm not I'm not for or against I'm taking board Direction but remember the concept that this board has taken is this is not about one more house this is about 500 more houses understand and if we end up with 500 more houses then yes we end up needing to service a population much bigger than what we have today that's exactly what my next question was going to be can we if this is a single family residence not part of a of a subdivision at this time could we exempt that single family residence firsttime buyer type thing could we exempt them from Impact fees and it only be for subdivisions and for commercial and for and and again commercial I'm not I'm not so sure I don't think impact this is just me speaking but I don't think impact fees should be a cash cow or money raising thing they should be offsetting actual impacts that you have I have a hard time getting the certained one that he came up with a minute ago the impact fee for certain would have been $313,000 what additional Services would be there to offset them and then certain te doesn't come here anymore they go to one of their other plants so we don't get we're giving these people incentives to come in here and and be part of the community and and now we're going to give them an incentive and then charge them 313,000 on the other side of it I don't know that that's good for economic development in any way shape or form but not saying that I'm against impact fees especially I'm sorry for rambling on Mr chairman F you're fine my my trigger for impact fees was when the big boys started showing up the people who wanted four 500 house subdivisions 300 house subdivisions they're here I'm telling you they're here I don't know that I'm at Liberty to say on TV but I'm telling you they are here and so it's time to have an impact fee it is but I don't think we just need to use it as a money raising Venture across the board where we're not really offsetting true impacts all we're doing is just trying to raise more money to spend on all these items even if it's necessary or not so that's why I think we need to go down this list and maybe decide if we're able to to decide what things on the list that we're actually thinking about doing an impact fee on and then if we don't have to um if we don't have to one of them here is technical report and ordinance task three $35,000 do we want okay do we need to do that yes the ordinance right so all of this is intended to offset cost none of this is meant to be generating money to put in a uh fund somewhere that's never going to be used to answer your first question on could you exempt out like the oneoff single family home I think you're going to run into a problem where when you apply impact fees you're looking to apply them fairly to anyone in the same situation so there are some counties that have provided some um I think of them like a rebate exemption for affordable housing that's the only type way I've seen come off the impact fees but candidly I don't know what the recommendation's going to come after the analysis but 7,000 or 8,000 is the lowest going to find in any of our surrounding counties so um I mean some of them are I think clay was over 18,000 I heard St John's County was right at 30,000 and that's for every home coming in that's how they analyze what the infrastructure impact is going to be to them so I think what you're saying is 100% right that this is meant to actually be a direct offset for services that we're going to have to actually put into place and that's the reason why I'm not fighting drastically against against impact fees which I have for the last since two since they were implemented in 05 or six or whenever they were implemented I think they were gone done away with and eight but um the point being is is that if if we went down this list if we postpone this until the workshop next week and I Know M uh Mr Chairman's Workshop is really full but if we postpone this until the workshop next week where we could try and study this list and figure out things that we were interested in doing and and not interested in doing then maybe for instance we wouldn't have to put in there if we weren't interested in doing an impact fee to cover General government buildings for instance around town um or I don't know meetings and presentations do we want an impact fee to cover our meetings and presentations I mean I'm I'm just saying that commissioner Turner maybe it it may be prudent for you guys to take some additional time to have uh more consideration I do not see a large impact in the cost of the study if we start lineing things today what will be uh back before the board once the analysis and study is complete the decisions for the board to make as to which impact uh fees and things will be funded from them it won't be a matter that you guys get to determine the level of funding right they're going to tell you in order for you to sustain operations of Transportation the impact over the next several years is going to be X and you guys are then going to be able to determine do you want to engage in that you are not going to see a large chunk of money come off or reduce the cost of the study because they've got to study every every parcel regardless of whether or not they're studying it for five different areas or two that that work still has to be done now we can take some more time and have any deliberation you want to but I but I do not we did have some conversation about taking one off and adding one and all of that and frankly it made a nominal change it actually made it it was kind of kind of counterintuitive but we added one that's the answer I was looking for basically wouldn't save us any money if we did it so we added a discipline and it actually took the base fee down um which again counterintuitive I understand so you're not changing the actual cost of what it's going to cost this professional it it doesn't change the number of hours they've got to put in The Matrix right how did we find bonish did we do an RFQ we did an RFQ and they responded okay sorry um they done a lot of I understand chairman can I add something real quick to you the the the sheet commissioner attorney that you were referencing is the budgetary breakdown for the entire project so we would not be and collecting an impact fee for meetings and presentations or technical reports and ordinances those are components uh within this process that we would be build for I understand okay so we put out an RFQ and these were the only people that responded we did only have one respondent that's correct the are these the only people that do this or just the only people that were interested or is it like what happens to puton County from time to time that we put something in there that kept other people from being responsive to this RFQ or do you know that answer I do not believe there was anything materially wrong with the document in fact we provided we we received it with some guidance from other counties who had uh successful participation so it was not something um done independent or outside of some guidance that being said we did have a number invited we just didn't have a number of people that wanted to show up uh to do the study at this time okay one last comment I know that there's another County that that doesn't charge impact fees on single family residences outside of a subdivision I found that in my research and so I don't know if it's still legal or not but I know one other's doing it so um we could certainly have the consultant look at the options and present them to the board that that's what this first step is well one of the biggest things I've been against impact fees all this time for a small first time for a small home on first time buyer and you say impact fees on trailers and what have you I know that trailer everybody hates trailers because they don't pay enough taxes or whatever I had to live in one one time cuz I couldn't have get no better yeah I did too it's the best I could could do at the time I don't live in one now but I lived in one at one time and having an impact fee on that trailer at that time would have prevented me from even being able to live in the trailer so I understand the theory of that ever that everybody lives in a nice house wants trailers to go away all together but the the reality of that is some people either live there they can go out to HUD is and stay in a damn tent that's their two options so I think we need to make sure as best we can when we Implement these impact fees that we do it for the right reasons and not against the people that we're going to prevent from having somewhere to lay their head at night because they can't pay an impact fee I'm almost certain that an impact fee is not cannot be included in a morgage so you've just included more of a down payment for somebody body that's trying to build a small firsttime home or whatever if that if that turns out to be the case um I know that a house that I'm building right now they would not include them on St John's County they would not include the $26,000 impact fee on that house the people had to write the check well thank goodness they could true a lot of people that's going to prevent them from being able to get a firsttime home so I just think we need to be mindful of that section of our citizenship when we're implementing these impact fees is it is we need to make sure that we're not putting somebody or making it where somebody cannot have a firsttime home cannot live in a mobile home because our impact fee is too high cannot and they got to go live in a tent out at hudal I'm just saying we need to be mindful of that when we go through this process it's not just about raising money there needs to be some compassion in these impact fees too that's it there I agree thank you Mr adamac you're next yeah I agree with 90% of what you just said um as far as the the law enforcement portion I'd like to see that added to it and I I agree with delaying it just to let us get our minds around it and possibly to reach out to the school board and the superintendent about if they wanted to participate because it may be a cost savings to them if they could come up with their portion to do that I know there was some talk during some of their meetings of they're talking about doing impact fees I'd be all for letting them tag on at that 40,000 if they wanted to and uh that's all I wanted to say is I think that give them the opportunity to say whether they want to participate at that price and I think we should include law enforcement as well thank you Mr Adam that Mr Pickins yeah um thank you commissioner all your comment um so Julian what you're saying is if we were to take some of this out it's not not going to reduce the cost that much so I guess the time at when this study comes back that would be the time to to add or or include or not include these items okay let me ask you go it's also going to take 18 to 24 months to get this done so it's it's a very long process that has to be done that was their estimate that they gave us okay because I saw that if we didn't move forward something today that it would definitely not if we had to send it back out for RFQ that time that it would not be um on the 2025 tax rle if we decided to do that not going to make it anyway okay so this board I won't go there but um okay what if you you had the they had the whole study done okay and we removed the general government buildings didn't have it in there at all in year five we decided this board decided that they wanted to put that back in would you have to have another study or would because is there is there a certain time period that this study is relevant and to be able to be implemented take taken out put in you see what I'm talking about so if the study's completed and we adopt the ordinance to collect the impact fees any changes or deviations to the assessments that we're collecting would require another study so why could so if we're taking if we take it away then then no no studies required but if you omit government buildings now and then in three years you decide you'd like to collect for government buildings we got to go back to the RFQ process another study right but just on government buildings any any facet any other portion you could back in So if you foresee that you who this we are really growing that you could do that in the future okay all right I definitely agree that if we could take some time to study this a little bit more and maybe have it at the end of that Workshop Mr chairman if not definitely by the next meeting that's all I have thank you Miss Wilkinson I'm I'm really not for postponing it um it's already an 18 to 24 month process to me it's pretty cut and dry there we are not making the decision as to what impact where fee we're going to collect or not collect all we're doing is asking for the study to be done and um I'm not so sure I'm I'm with the school district getting the you know us paying the 40,000 or even partnering with them it sounded like from some of their meetings they were doing their own impact fee study but we could have the discussion but I'm certainly would be good with having the one for the additional $18,200 point is when we when it came around for Budget time we couldn't even discuss impact fees because we didn't have a feasibility study and so now we asked for we asked for this this board asked for this feasibility study to move forward and I just don't like the idea that we're kicking it down the road or waiting a couple more weeks and then you got to put it on another agenda and so now we're another month out and what's the purpose we already know that if we take something off the list we're not going to save any money so what's the purpose just get the study done let's be efficient get it done that's where I'm at thank you m won Mr Turner uh yes when the impact fees were implemented before and then there was a moratorium on those Implement on that there was an impact fee study done at that time so does that mean that we ever so many years if we Implement impact fees we have to do a new study along the way and the one that we have in place right now is not valid it's not we can't use the one that's already the fee schedule that's already in place which is actually higher than the one Zach just calculated or by his calculations it actually the impact fee back then was even higher so are we saying we can't use that one no you need to base it off of current market market conditions and cost Services now traditionally the economy even if you see slate dips from time to time will continue to increase increase so if you remain on an old methodology then you're just not keeping in track with what the costs are okay I have a few questions so along those lines when when you do the study and I do agree commissioner Turner we need to identify the list first I think we have but hone in on that before we go much further but Rich what happens or what happens when we pass an impact fee and then we need to change it to go up I heard going down it's not a problem but if we have to increase what happens then do we have to go get a new study or does that study last for three years or four years or what what's that purpose at that point if your cost increase you need a new methodology to support why and how you're proportioning the the fees just for that one section of that fee let's say that we see fire or law enforcement right I I mean we just have to see what that is you can't predict where you're going to see fees go up or even if they would well I want to say this I've been against impact fees since I got here but I do understand that times are changing Homestead exemptions are continually going up and we're throwing people out of the pot um the taxpayers we're also seeing there's a big push right now to get rid of the ADV Valor taxes um in the state and I don't know how in the world we would ever develop a budget without that you'd have to have a sales tax of double digits to make that work so I don't I think we St we got to start somewhere and um I support us looking at this study identifying the list and I think we can move forward thank you okay Commissioners what's your pleasure I'll make the motion that we move forward with the putam county impact P study you have a proper motion are you including the law enforcement with the um I'm including law enforcement but not school board I'll second that for discussion okay we have a proper motion proper second we have I didn't hear the last part of that motion but not the school board not the school board not the school board law including law enforcement but not school board that's $40,000 savings under discussion we have discussion now Mr Turner um are we going to offer the the school board would have the opportunity to be included in our study if they paid their own $40,000 because I don't know that it'll be valid otherwise I know before that the study earlier had school board it had some different all kind of different things in One impact fee so I don't would that well when y'all get done talking I'll ask my question it's at the board's Direction I'm happy to have is it required is the question is is it required it is not required so we don't have to include the school board no so would we allow them to piggyback with us that's what I'm asking the Commissioners I'm sorry I'm looking down AR y'all I don't I was going to that was going to be why I had it for discussion is I think we should give them the option CU if they go out on their own it might be $100,000 just to do the school board and it could save them $660,000 I don't think we should pay it at all exactly I as as a commission but if they wanted to jump in and fund that 4,327 I don't see why we wouldn't make that available to them now the I guess my question Rich to you would be or to Julianne since you've been the one talking to them would if if we approve this today without the school board could we add the school board in at that 40,000 3 weeks from now if if the school board came back to you guys after having that conversation with them that yeah we want to jump on that or does that can we can't change it after today well technically we can because you don't have a contract in front of you so we we would bring a contract back for the final number uh with a budget amendment because you don't have that in front of you either because we were we were seeking board direction today so yes if if that is the direction of the board we would reach out and if the school board would like to participate then we would bring back a final contract and budget resolution to properly fund and execute and I and I'm good with that that's why didn't want to continue to push us down the road because we still got to bring the contract back and then we got I mean it's just I mean we all this board has been really good about trying to create efficiencies and this is one of those cases that studying on this I mean we've had this board package I mean I read it it's pretty C cut and dry to me and so we're not making the decision today whether we're doing impact fees we're not making the decision as to what we're going to do or not do we're getting the cart before the horse um just we just need to get the impact fee done and study done and then after that we'll we'll make other decisions I I don't disagree with a lot of commissioner Turner's uh discussion earlier but that's the discussion we have once we get the impact fee study back so my thank you I amend my aemotion to say that we could if if the school board wanted to come on board and pay their share I would be fine with that and I'll amend my second thank you commissioner Pickin did you have a comment yeah with the shareff were we funding do we fund that they fund that we fund that okay so didn't know I not know if he had any extra money um we can ask him if he has it in his budget um he he left he jetted once he heard law enforcement timing's everything okay so if I understand good we're going to allow the school board to make a decision uh soon whether they want to piggyback on this at their cost all right best case scenario we voted today school board said something by the end of the month best case scenario that this study comes back to the putam County Board of County Commissioners what's a time frame you still holding to can we get that can we get the contractor to give us a best case scenario Ario instead of Staff trying to tell you what that firm might can produce that would be great all right okay have proper motion Mr Turner you have a comment uh one last comment I know that it's easy to say that we're not that uh we're not making the decision today on impact fees or we're not doing any of that but this commissioner if we're going to spend $180,000 today then I think we need to be pretty serious that we're thinking pretty hard about doing impact fees or we're wasting $180,000 taxpayers money now I didn't say that I'm against impact fees no way in shape I just think they need to be tailored to where they're really needed and not hurting people while we're doing it that's the only thing I'm trying to come up with here but if we go forward today uh Miss Wilkinson wants to go forward today I'll go along with her today I'll vote for it and we'll go along we'll get it done but that do but that means that I am interested in Impact fees at some point but I am not interested and going on the record today and if it happens after I'm not here anymore I hope whoever wins will use the common sense that they shouldn't use impact fees to keep people from owning a home in this County I agree with that I agree all right we have proper motion that's been amended this been seconded the amended part is there any more discussion on the motion everybody understands the motion all right so seeing that all in favor signify by saying I I oppose like sign the eyes have its unanimous we're going to take a two-minute break uh we're going to reconvene our border of County Commission meeting and we're going to go to item C commissioner Turner discussion of golf cart community in duns Creek thank you Mr chairman would you pass these down please I've already given one to Ashley for the record um it's basically I was um I was asked by me members of the community to bring this forward and I had no problem doing it because I think it's a great idea um and a couple of them are here this morning if you would permit Mr chairman this is a this is actually a petition that they got done in the neighborhood that uh of all the different people that they just and it didn't take them long to get these cuz I just talked to Keith a couple of weeks ago so with this this was within a couple of weeks they went out and got all these signatures on these petitions so Mr Turner I just have one question did they ride their golf cart to do it never mind I don't can't get there from here on the golf cart Keith do you if I may Mr chair you'd like to come forward good morning good morning good morning Commissioners uh my name's Keith AR I live at 114 nasau Avenue Satsuma Florida um we're here today uh quite a few of us actually U we would like to see about getting establishing us a golf cart Community a lot of areas is doing it Salt Springs uh waka um you know um St Augustine um there's quite a few in our area we uh I actually got 2 62 signatures um thanks to Georgia Boys and the pre seating in air um a lot of us in the neighborhood uh we have a a weekend before Christmas we have a Christmas parade and um this year we had over 175 golf carts um and we go road to Road you know down to CER saacs and stuff um it's all done you know we all by by all the traffic rules um we all got lights and everything everything we decorate the carts up and we hand out candy a lot of people would come down their you know set it Ed their driveway and we give out candy to all the kids and uh we all gather at Georgia Boys I mean that's where the parade in and uh we have a good time and we also do a New Year's Eve uh thing they sponsor which um she would like to talk to y'all too but uh we were really like for all of but you know be legal and get this um established and where we can do you know fundraisers and pick up trash on the side of the road with all carry bags and and do that and uh just be a one big family you know um and help out in the community if we got some somebody in our neighborhood or something needs help with you know with hospital bills or something we can have a uh you know fundraiser or something but uh we would surely appreciate it and we all want to be legal and do things right and not give the sheriff's department no reason for us to get in trouble so um we appreciate it and we got a map area here we'd like to see if we could get it from the top of the hill it's in sanona to the dun Creek Bridge but uh I got a map area here I wasn't sure if we could do it that far not not to uh interrupt you anything but I think the way we're going to have to do this is we're going to have to if I can get the commission to go along with it we're going to have to find out what the rules are in what areas and there's a set of rules that you have to go by to have a golf cart Community okay so I don't want you to think I'm putting you off CU I appr but there's a certain way we're going to have to go about this and I think the first step step is going to be to have probably Public Works do a a little study in the area and find out because like I've told you previously I don't know and I just don't know if we can can have 17 Highway 17 south in the golf cart Community I don't know that we can't so it may be that we have to I know that you want your the community to be on the the uh right side going down south are headed south and that we they also want one on the left side over in that area so it may have to be two of them because I'm pretty sure that you can't cross a four lane State Highway with a golf cart and so it may have to be two two different communities and I don't know that we'll have a a way to get you from over where you live is it not Inver U what's the name of the road yeah um you talking about um over there on the right going old s and those are on the other side of Islander that's the road we live on both sides come to me but on there's could be one on The Islander side and then maybe another one on the other side you know in that area but those are the type of things that we're going to have to ask somebody to research and that was what I was going to try to do today yes sir if I could get the commission to go along with me that we could authorize uh do or authorize Public Works to take a look at it and find out what areas in there would would work for a golf cart Community yes I think the boss just showed up yes sir can I say something quickly there is a road that goes under the bridge St Creek Bridge I need your name and address oh I'm sorry Debbie harp good I'm the wife I get it the ball and um I live at the same address 114 NASA Avenue I thought I'd state that um we do have a way to get to the other side safely but there's a little work that needs to be done on the side of the bridge but they just put that new it's not about that it's about State Statute and um so they there's some issues that have to be overcome okay because we can the police actually told us we could go around that way up around under the bridge I didn't know if it was possible you could just when they do Stu I don't think you're going to be able to use the bike path either and that's part of the bike path I believe so yeah so I don't believe do is going to let you use that either all righty um I'd like um Mr Keith is there anybody else that would like to speak would you like to well seeing how we're just trying to move forward I yeah it's not going to take yall are welcome to come up and speak every one of you but all we're trying to do today is just move it forward to the study stage to see what we can get done and um and go excuse me I didn't mean to interrupt you go ahead and state your name and address for the good morning my name is Susan Malin this is my husband Michael we live at 2:30 Butler Drive we also own Georgia Boy Fish Camp which is at the end of Butler Drive at 217 Butler Drive the reason that they asked me to come this morning is the majority of our neighbors that live in our community own either golf carts or side bys side Vehicles mostly all senior citizens which all of us abide by the law um a lot of my customers that come to Georgia Boys to buy their Bait Tackle and supplies come by golf cart every day every day I must have at least 20 to 30 golf carts pull onto my property to purchase something for me it's so much easier to grab the golf cart than to get in the car or the truck especially when you live a canal away we support the golf cart community twice a year I hold a big party on val on Valentine's Day no today tomorrow is Valentine's Day on the 4th of July we hold a huge party I probably have 150 golf carts on my property on that day on New Year's Eve we host a huge party and they also have a golf cart parade on that day last year this past year we had I believe over 175 golf carts rolling through my property they're slow nobody drives crazy they respect the law they respect the neighbors and I just want to say that we're Georgia Boys is 100% behind a golf cart Community thank you thank you okay thank you for having us all right thank you so I guess today Mr chairman what I mainly want to try to ask for is can we move forward with looking at it and and see if it would work out and if rules would allow it and you know those sort of what areas we could include because I'm almost certain we can't we can't make 17 any part of it whatsoever not to cross it not to anything and so U what do you need a waveing support from this board I don't know I don't need legal I'll need legal to help me with that if they give me a wave of support can we look at it and have Public Works look at it to see if it would fit and how it would fit and maybe um yes you can and the statute changed July last last year so anybody who's interested start start with the statute as far as what the new rules are that's right okay Commissioners waveing support everybody agreement I'm in agreement got five five yes thank you all very much for coming appreciate it what they what that means is we're going to move forward to see what we can do and what we can include and what the rules are and what have you because I just don't know yet but it this is a positive First Step guys thank and if you need to read Florida statute 31621 to golf cart Community okay so thank you for bringing us up thank you yall have a great day okay next on our agenda is commissioner Wilkinson Memorial Bridge uh Mr Hafner did he really confused okay commissioner won you have the floor thank you this is going to take a while can we go on to whip Thomas where he can leave going and got you mind if we go to find reduction and come back up to you commissioner let's do the fine reduction real quick and we'll be right back to that Thomas come on up codes case number 2008 uh- 00825 just ask is anybody here is anybody the applicant here today I don't know sir no okay Commissioners what's your pleasure public ask for public comment yeah public comment on this for or against on case number 208-8256 1552 if paid within 180 days second okay we have proper motion proper second any further discussion hearing n all in favor signify by saying I iOS like sign the eyes have it thank you Mr okay M Wilkinson thank you for that commissioner Wilkinson now he doesn't have here yes sir I think we have a person that would like to speak if we if I can you have the floor can we ask him speak first Mr Hafner Jerry Hafner would you like to speak before I get started or do you want to yes sir Jerry Hafner 122 Hilty Lane in East patka I'm speaking for myself and a lot of other folks I know and also the revitalized historic patka uh M Wilkinson made a presentation to the city commission a couple months ago concerning a bridge lighting project uh everyone I've talked to including M my committee and uh uh all the things we're trying to accomplish in downtown pretty much support what she is going to be presenting to you today I don't think they've actually heard the presentation but anyway we support it we would like to see the County Commission support it uh we think it will it will add a uh some Delight to downtown it really will uh I think it will encourage visitors to come here more uh it will encourage visitors to come to putam County more if we start acting like we're part of an educated Community thank you thank you Mr h okay Miss won you still have the floor uh thank you I just wanted to bring up this Memorial Bridge lighting project um hopefully we can get some movement on it today as you know the governor recently approved the Florida Department of transportation's 5-year work plan included in that work plan was up to $16 million for the Paca Memorial Bridge lighting project this capital investment project is for a new Dynamic state-of-the-art color changing LED lights allowing for special Lighting Display similar to what you see on some of the bridges in Jacksonville in addition there's a safety component to the new lighting uh project underbridge lighting adds to safety and functionality of the bridge for pedestrians vehicular traffic and Bo boers I think we can all agree that a wellit lit bridge is definitely more secure for everyone the fact that the state is willing to invest this much money into our County to me is um it's it's wonderful because we didn't initiate this this was an fdot project they brought it to us and so while we were a little bit surprised that this was in the work plan um I I still think that it's something that we definitely should consider incorporating the LED bridge lighting into our community is beneficial some of the highlights moving forward with the project is it will make the bridge look unique and attractive to both our citizens and tourists um tourism brings in more Revenue to the city into the county in fact some of the most well-known Bridges around the world have increased their popularity because of alum illuminated Bridge lights illumination will create a distinguished s distinguished signature with a more appealing look than that of a dull and boring Bridge it creates a unique visual experience particularly during holidays um most importantly it will add vibrancy to the city of Paca and become a focal point for the entire city and will add to the beautification of the Paca Riverfront that so many people have already invested in it gives visitors and locals a new reason to spend time in the city of palaka LED lighting is among the most energy efficient options a municipality can choose when deciding ways to improve the community FD would completely fund this project and would handle the construction from start to finish their ask is that we some agency whether it be us or the city would enter into a maintenance agreement which is in your packet fdot has already provided us with an estimated operating cost for the utilities which is two options a $10,000 option to a $20,000 option annually and they have stated that the lights have a 20-year life expectancy since they are LED and they will course will only burn during nighttime hours so um you know I know that we spoke about this before and we had one commissioner mentioned that he would prefer it to go to the city um and then I had another commissioner during the previous discussion say that he would prefer the county do it because he wanted the county to have control over the light schedule so that is one of the things that is part of this is whichever entity signs the agreement the maintenance agreement they would be in charge of working with fdot on the schedule of what lights go the color schemes there's some some things that are very particular that they're going to the state there's a policy and so like red white and blue during fourth of July Memorial Day and stuff like that so there are some specifics that they here to and then you write a resolution basically the governmental agency that signs the management agreement writes a resolution submits it fdot approves it for their uh for their lighting uh work plan um so I'm here today to Simply say let's let's move it forward um and speaking with the count with the city commission it sounded like they would consider it on their next agenda but they wanted more than a 50-50 match so if we choose to go through with the city as the lead Agency on the maintenance agreement then I would like to propose a 6040 match where this where the county is participating at 60% level I think that would hopefully um make it go forward at the city level or um the county takes it on as a project and we sign the maintenance agreement so that's where I'm at I'm looking for some discussion and hopefully we can move this ball down the road thank you commissioner Wilkinson for the presentation commissioner attorney you had a comment uh yes thank you Mr chairman um so the 60% just one question before I start the 60% would be just for the utilities not for the total agreement it's whatever we propose so if we Pro what when I presented it I presented it as the utilities and the maintenance as so whatever you know if they sign the agreement then then we would be at a 60% match so we would have to have a separate mou or something like that if the were to sign it okay thank you um where to start it's kind of surprising to me that this has made it this far it really truly is because not only are we not only are we going to spend 20,000 a year which is $400,000 for utilities projected utilities over the lifetime of the lights we also if you read the maintenance agreement that was included in the packet the maintenance agreement says that later down the road that we've got to replace the lights and maintain them when they go bad down the road now do is putting 17 the copy I have of the 5year plan is seven over 17 million to shine lights up on the bridge it's bad enough that we have to spend $400,000 of the taxpayer's money to to do this but it's even worse when we're taking on I mean it's it's very reasonable to say that there's a $10 million unfunded liability down the road 20 years when these lights go bad if they last a projected 20 years now we just spent the last five years six and a half years until well the first 5 years I was here trying trying to fund a communication system for $7 million that had our our uh First Responders and our Police Department in Jeopardy of going home at night with their life and we couldn't do it we couldn't fund it so under this maintenance agreement that do it's basically flat says you fix it or we'll fix it and send you a bill now I'm not going to be here when these lights go bad but somebody's going to be sitting in this seat when do sends them a bill for $10 million cuz you had some pretty lights shining up on your bridge for 15 years so sorry Mr chairman I'm a little upset about this okay Mr Atty um you know we we're trying we've been trying and beating our head against the wall not only for the communication system but for the health care clinic and trying to get up and trying to find the money for have better health care for our employees and start a clinic we've been trying to to beat our heads against the wall to come up with enough funds to to um to to give the people that work for this County a living wage and where they're not living in poverty when they work for putam County and we've worked hard to get that done over the last few years and it's been a job to try to get that increased it's not been easy um the the $10 million that they're going to give us um or that we would be they were they're going to give us a liability for in 15 years that would pay off the jail that we bust our ass every year to pay payments on that would pay off at that time the utility system in East Palaca that we that we work hard to to meet those payments every single year I can't believe that we're even discussing having a$ 101 million plus liability if the $10 million plus liability to this County in the future and it's not a matter of if it's not it's going to happen them lights are not going to last forever they're not the there's no way that I can see because these lights are not navigational they're just decorative so you can't in any way in my mind can you say that we're raising the safety of the of the the bridge not there these are not safety oriented lights they're decorative lights so I don't see where you can tag this for any kind of safety welfare of the public you can't it's just decorative for Aesthetics I don't see how you can tag this to Economic Development because out of all the people that I've talked to and there's been a lot of them and business owners and whatever they all laugh at this and say do you really think that anybody's going to come open a business around down here because there's lights on the bridge so you can't tag economic development in this you're you're reaching for stars but all that being said if you look in the packet one of the most important things in this of all was what our attorney said that if you're going to take this on at the very least you need to have a phrase in there that says that you can get out of this if you need to in the future without writing a check and they won't let us do that or they won't help us refund these in 15 years or whenever they can't just send us a bill that's basically going to bust the county where you going to get it from you're going to $10 million you're going to have half the sheriff's department you got now you're going to where where are you going to get $10 million in unfunded liability I haven't got a clue I've been doing this six and a half years know where the money is most of it I just don't see how that will'll ever that that we would sit here today and even consider moving this forward with that type of liability that unfunded liability for future Generations in this County and future Commissioners in this County all over the bridge being a little prettier sorry I can't get there um I do believe one thing I believe that if this moves forward that at the very least this commission owes it to their s and the citizens of this County to listen to our legal counsil and put that in there that if that we have got to be able to get out of this if it's going to be a total detriment to this County sometime in the future that's the only thing that I would implore you to do if cuz I don't know that I have the votes to vote this down today but I'm going to tell you right now the people that vote for this today it's going to be known as your lights from this day forward it's not going to be other people's lights out there that may or may not want this it's going to be whatever commissioner votes for this and only thing that I'm asking is that you be prudent about it if you're going to vote for it and you put in there what our attorney asked us to put in there which was a line that says we can get out of this thank you Mr chairman thank you commissioner Turner Mr adamac you have the floor I'm not against the line being added to it um I love the idea and the people I spoke to love the idea too I didn't talk to anyone that was a naysayer about it um I spoke to several businesses as I was tasked by the prior chairman um I didn't speak to every business obviously um because that would be an undertaking for all we don't have a list of all the businesses in the county so um I'm for this if it's proposed in the right way and I I think that uh if in any circumstance we're not the ones determining how the bridge is lit then I would be opposed to it um especially for the majority stakeholder in the funding of it if the city wanted to go 100% on their own they could do whatever they want they could have already done that um so that's where I'm at thank you and anybody Mr pick go ahead you can go ahead I'm sorry sir I would like to say something go ahead sir okay um I appreciate Mr Turner uh comments um I I have some concerns I had the first concern of who would be in control of the lights and I didn't as a commissioner I didn't want have anything to do with that um it does benefit um the Palaca area more than any other area um but we're all putham County let me make that clear we're all putham County um to me decorative lights really I don't know if would improve navigational um uh uses um with your Leo is a second time and I know you're for this and I I compliment you on that and your research and going to the city of Paca Council to um to talk to them they don't want to take this on themselves the whole thing they didn't indicate that but I didn't present it that way in all fairness I didn't present it for them to take on um their and I don't believe they would because they said well your budget's bigger than ours and so they wanted that 60% match I think they would be willing to sign the agreement there wasn't a there wasn't anybody on the board and you can go back and watch the video there was anybody on the board that said we don't want to sign the agreement it said the comment that came from just about every one of them was we want more than a 50% match that's why I was proposing a 6040 okay we do I got to say this I can't hold it back we we have a bigger budget yes we also got more bills too agree more employees and everything that's not against you at all not against anybody it's just a I'm a realist I am concerned the the the the power is not that much but it's the maintenance on it and it does say here that the agency is responsible for replacing them at the time that they need to be replaced which is a pretty big expense if they're allowing up to $117 million for this project um so I have a lot of concerns with this um Comm Harvey that's all I got right now thank you Mr you have a last comment yeah excuse me um on that perspective I I get what you're saying bill and I appreciate your comments um as far as my take on the city is the reason why I don't think we should do a split I'm for 64 that makes sense to me it's not a big deal but to go any further wouldn't make sense the other way where they we took on less Because unless we take on it all and we just own it um because they're the biggest beneficiary of it be honest so that's why I'm surprised they didn't just I was always under the depression the reason why was I'm the opposite I was surprised it didn't come sooner from the board I and I thought that it was was in delays because I was hoping the city was just going to take it on because they they kind of own the one side of the bridge and part of the other side um so that I was under the impression that's where that was held up and I guess that wasn't the case um so I don't know I don't know why I'm saying this I just I I think that uh I love the idea I think we should move it forward but what was that I didn't understand that I love the idea I think it should be moved forward um but under the guys that it's our project and it's we own it so right and I and I I'm sorry go ahead um I did see uh commissioner Turner I did see the comment from legal counsil and I wholeheartedly agree that um if the agreement says it's a year toe and it says to only be terminated by the department of um from do that we should say and or or I'm not sure whatever the right word is um the county as well to say that it's a $10 million liability I don't know that I agree with that because we don't know we really don't know what the liability I know what you're saying your point is that that we don't know when it could be up up to that or even more I feel like that if we got to a I mean the the state is wanting to invest in putham County this is not money that we'd be able to come up with on local dollars we wouldn't be able to do it the fact that they're willing to do this in our city in our county is a huge opportunity that I just think we just can't say no to the reality is if we don't accept this project then it's going to move on to the next city and why can't we or the next County and why can't we be as good as Jacksonville why can't we be as good as all these other counties and cities that have beautiful lit Bridges why not and um so I understand what you're saying about the math but I feel like the return on investment for for the utilities is easy math I mean we're if we split it with the county I mean the city we'll pay $600 a month maybe you know $800 a month for a six $17 million investment that's a good return on investment in my opinion for this huge Capital Improvement project and um I really felt like if we were and I know it's not in writing so that if we got to there was some huge expense I can't believe that fdot wouldn't work with us in the future to to resolve the issue I mean I don't see that they're going to spend $18 million or $17 million now in a capital Improvement project and then 15 years from now there's an there's a you know the the example that Mr Turner used was you had to replace the lights okay so we estimated to be 10 million it's hard to believe that we couldn't go back to the state go for an appropriation go for an fdot project go for a Federal grant something that would help us with that I just don't I don't I feel like we can't see the forest through the trees thank you Mr Turner I think I see the trees and the forest real good on this one um the city thought the same thing when they did the walkway under the bridge they took that on from um from do as a maintenance deal and the walkway under the bridge the city's put 200,000 in it in the last 2 and 1 half to three years and they haven't even worked on the superstructure underneath of it yet all they did was continually working on the deck they've been back to do multiple times and asked them to participate in rebuilding that walkway under the bridge so you're telling and fdod did approve that a recent project for that I understand that but not without them spending a bunch of money on it my point here is is that you're taking on and if you put this in there and they'll agree to it what rich said I'm still not not going to vote for it cuz I think it's an absolute waste of time and money and I've looked at it from every angle that I can but if if we want to put leota's lights on the bridge that's fine I don't have a problem with that turn what it's not leota's lights it would be the Memorial Bridge okay you can call I'm right with that whatever if we put lights on the bridge decorative lights on the bridge fine that's fine but we need to put that in there what our legal council told us to put in there because you're taking on a $10 million un and I'm being I'm being conservative if they give us 17 million to put them up originally don't you think that the lights are 10 million of it no I don't well what are they spending the other on then well they have to build it and they have to put electricity and they have I mean there's a lot more than just the light bulbs thank you Mr Turner well I wasn't done Mr chairman go right ahead sir um like I said I number one I think you need to listen to our attorney here if we're going to do this I'm not voting for it if y are going to do it I think you need to listen to the AG with that I think that uh that you need to realize without a doubt this is going to be a future unfunded liability that that will that could possibly prevent the county from doing things that it desperately really needs a lot worse than decorative lights um and like I said if the city would take would take this on when I when I made the comment at the last meeting where we discussed this that I would be even willing to split the electrical lights with them for a year or whatever that was the lighting portion of it not all the rest of it so it evidently it's gone from splitting the lighting portion and them take lead which it came back to me they offered lead not in a public meeting but they offered lead and so um if that was the case then if they took the lead and we could participate at 50% of the electricity or and what have you then I'd be good for it I just can't let myself vote for the unfunded liability of this magnitude knowing how hard that we try to do things around here that are more important than lights on the bridge such as the things that I mentioned earlier such as this the communication system the health care the livable wage for our employees the things that that we really do need to do so Mr chairman that's it for me at this moment thank you Mr Turner okay that ends our discussion to chair will entertain a motion Mr chair I move approval of the bridge lighting project that we that the county takes on the maintenance agreement construction and maintenance agreement with a change that was proposed by um our legal counsel if he can work that out with fdot a proper motion do we have a second second for discussion we have a proper second for discussion Mr adamac you have the floor I guess Rich what what specifically are you looking to add to that I just want to understand it I was just looking for something understanding that a contract that exists forever is a very long time um I would say that you know if the useful life of it 20 years then at least um have something where 5 years 10 years 15 years that that uh the county has the ability to ask for termination of the contract with currently there's the onee um Year bye or noce provision so something of that nature is what I would recommend yeah so on page 139 item number four where it says term that paragraph is what you would be amending yes yes ma'am and I mean to me the cleanest is that um the last three words unless terminated by the department or the agency now I would pra that I agree with that could we I'm going to withdraw my second could we have you clarify that wording yes in that line miss wilon you have the floor yeah give me a second okay I make the motion that we that the county signs the construction and maintenance agreement as it relates to the memorial bridge lighting project amending paragraph number four term so it would say unless terminated by the department or agency second it's a one one year onee terms second I have a question are we going to allow Mr Commando to enter into discussions with fdot on a five or a 10 or a 15 or is this just Year bye if you put or agency it would be year by year is that correct correct fine okay good all right any further discussion on the matter just clarification yes sir Mr turn so basically if do won't do this then it's either going to have to come back or whatever correct motion is they they take the contract with the amended language correct okay thank you all right all in favor signify by say I I oppose like sign I I okay let's do roll call Ashley I I didn't hear all the no yes yes no yes thank you pass this three to one thank you three to two I'm sorry okay moving on appointments uh starting with commissioner Adams act do you have any appointments You' like to make today I have two today okay good um for Parks and Recreation District 5 appointment I would like to reappoint Dan Dixon we verified that he does want to stay on there and for the Planning Commission District 5 vac see I would like to appoint Justin Morris okay thank you Mr Turner do you have any appointments you'd like to make today I do Mr chairman um affordable housing committee I'd like to reappoint Miss Sheila McCoy for the District 3 I would also like to nominate Kim Barnes at the atlarge position which would take a vote of the board okay Kim Barnes has been uh we don't need a second so we just need to vote all in favor signify by say I hi POS like sign Kim Barnes is back on Mr Turner Mr chairman uh Parks and Recreation committee I'd like to appoint Miss Amy headstrom to The District 3 seat on it um she's already filled out her application I understand is that right Miss Young okay so that's uh already been filled out and that's all I have for today Mr chairman fine choices thank you Mr Pickins you have the floor any excuse me I was to renominate Kim Barnes but commiss Turner's already done that so I have none thank you sir Miss Wilkinson do you have any appointments I have none thank you all right and I have none moving on we're going to do public comments on miscellaneous items this portion of the agenda is designed the to allow citizens an opportunity to bring matters to the attention of the board it's not reasonable to expect that the board will engage in debate or deliberations about matter on which the board has received no prior information as part of the agenda please try to limit your comments to 3 minutes public comment cards are conveniently placed in the back of the meeting room at the entrance and should be submitted prior to the meeting to Deputy clerk Ashley who sits to the right of the podium my left and we have two cards here so our first card Ronda dra at Williams 21 Federal Point Road East Palaca um I'm here today to say a big thank you and it it's mainly to um you all and to the administration for allowing us meaning Hastings Main Street to have an adoption event this past Saturday um I'm I serve on the board of Hastings Main Street my colleague on the board with me Tony Coleman couldn't stay um but he uh wanted you all to know um his thanks as well uh Tony serves currently with the St John's County School Board he's a school board uh uh member so and he was actually the first uh person to adopt a pet on Saturday morning so um he brought his son over and and made the adoption so I just have to tell you all what a pleasure it was working with the team I'm sorry I can't uh speak this morning I want to say a special thank you to Kathy tman what a great leader she is of that group um she does an excellent job she didc job coming up to it and let me just tell you all I think she works 247 I'm not sure when that woman has time to sleep um I say that because it just so happened uh two weeks before this event we found a uh we found a dog and in our community Mr chairman we're on it Mr chairman okay thank you they're doing a good job too by the way [Music] okay sorry about that sorry R about go right ahead so we actually found a uh a lost uh stray dog in our community um it was very ill we actually took it to an emergency vet in St Augustine um we posted it out on the various um Pages she was the first one to start responding at whatever it was 7 8:00 at night she responded up through 10:00 she was res sharing it she was helping us we she communicated with the emergency vet in in St Augustin we ended up finding the family and returning um the dog belonged to um to someone um off that area off of uh Edgefield so that was but her team and I've seen since how they're just she's online all the time and is and is making um really making a difference in a lot of ways so I want to thank her and then her employ employes um Britney Nelson uh Kelsey Johnson Samy proo I'm hoping I say that right Kim Cronin and Seager Jordan and then also the volunteers that were there on Saturday uh BJ Tilman Bob Thomas Jody blood and Sam blood they were amazing so many of them I think we had 28 dogs in that 24-hour period I think we adopted out at the day of the event we adopted four and like I said Tony Coleman's family was the first one um the dogs were all well taken care of well fed she sent me pictures ahead of time so we had made a logo so we had called our event muts on Main um an adoption program and so we we had a ball and the Animals I think had a great time um I think a PO sever of those ladies some of those dogs were going to were so excited to be out they were going to just drag them down the road so I was worried about them but thank you for waving the adoption fees thank you for making the animals come with um all their shots and be chipped and and uh and I'm looking at you Mr Harvey because there's the next adoption event is in your community and it's going to be uh March um February 24th so they currently have about 20 cats and 70 dogs at the shelter right now so as quickly as they can rotate them out they rotate back in um with a new group so um thank you so very much and um I have personally offered um some funding for them to create some materials and things that they need for an adoption team to go out and so I'm going to be working with h Cathy to do that so thank you again so much we appreciate it Mr chairman thank you yes Mr Turner do we have how did we State our motion on the adoption fee W waiver that we did for this did was it just for that one event or was from now on for any of our County adoption events authority to Mr sug there you okay or staff okay that's fine I just wanted to make sure we didn't have to do that again because that needs to continue Rhonda I just wanted to say thank you uh to the Hastings Main Street for reaching out to us and saying hey would you like to do this I appreciate that um we are trying as as you know and hopefully other people in the community are seeing we're trying really hard to get pets adopted and get them rescued and and constantly doing everything we can and and you're right Kathy tomman is she's number one and she's got a great team with her I couldn't ask for a better team and I appreciate you and your and your group for reaching out I mean we went across the county line right and how how better is that that we can reach over to St John's County and say hey we got some animals would you like to adopt them and while you you some people say it was only four but we got more rescued as well that went to some rescued agencies so it was very a very successful event I'm sorry I couldn't make out there I had something going on with my family but thank you for um for your group and allowing that to happen and I think what ended up happening is because we had so much publicity out there about the event on Saturday and we had the muts on mean logo and then Kathy did all these great pictures and and then superimpose the names of each of the dogs over the pictures and we started posting those and she was posting those and getting shared so I think as a result of the publicity in that 24-hour period there were about a dozen dogs that were adopted out so but only four actually at the event but we we actually got asked several times what what's putam County doing here and um and you have to understand that if you were born and raised in the Hastings area and I and I was in that area my family is uh farmed um Hastings considers itself sort of an entity unto itself and we consider ourselves being part of putam and St John's counties and I think you see that with the farming and the agriculture it's sort of like where we belong to both worlds world and and um and it's a blessing to be able to do that so thanks for allowing us to um to do that cross um connection yes ma'am thank you thank you all right next speaker Tyrone Finley if you will state your name and address for the record sir Daron Finley East Baca Florida 160 West lewisb Road East sir okay I'm here representing residents of East Baca on the CR a special district we were trying to form go ahead sir and I'm here to get y'all input on it because we had spoke with members on this board already we're not going to debate today so do you have a question no I was wondering had you guys reviewed it I'm not okay Mr Turner would you like to take yes sir I I think that I'll help some here I attended a zoom meeting with uh multiple people in the community back months ago and um and they're they're having the University of Florida and some other planners help them with coming up with different options to fund some projects in East patka um I wasn't sure at that time that we could even have a CRA I've been talking to Mrs Sharon Austin and I wasn't sure at that time that we could even have a CRA in a non-incorporated area and so I asked if the uh attorney could look into it and he did and it is possible but that doesn't mean that I'm on board with it um and the main reason is is because Miss Austin and the group are saying that they were looking for 20 to 30,000 a year to do U uh way finding signs and to do certain projects in the East placa Community well with the amount of area that they're talking about trying to turn into a cra you'd be talking about a possible million dollars a year in County funds a few years from now just like the city's Tiff fund with it it was frozen at a certain level and then the um and then over the years I think we paid them $983,000 or something this year for the CRA downtown U and it's paid for with Tiff funds it comes directly out of or I think maybe some from the cities too I'm not sure but still it comes out of of our of our pockets so I told Miss Austin in an email that it would probably be better at that time okay to try to come up with what type of of what type of things that y'all were trying to get funded because I don't believe the appetite is going to be here or the board and I'm certainly not speaking for any other board members in this but I don't believe that that the appetite will will be here for the board to create a CRA in all of East batka okay because of the potential funding decrease on ADV valorum taxes that would represent to the county when I talked to Miss Austin about it I know that she said that that she was told that it would be like $30,000 a year no sir it would be more like a million dollars a year in in uh in reduced ad vorum taxes to the county so I think there's better ways to get the things funded that you that y'all want funded than to do a a CRA in East PKA so if y'all's group would come up with a list of the things that you're wanting like wayfaring you know signs or something like that it may be something that the the board may have an appetite for to help with I'm not sure i' have to bring that to the board once I see your list and uh but I think that's the way the better way to handle it all right sounds good thank you m thank you any other public comments before we close that portion of our meeting don't see anybody rushing forward so we'll close that meeting Clerk of the Court Mr Matt Reynolds good morning Mr chairman I have nothing to update the board on thank you thank you sir County attorney Mr Rich Commando nothing today just happy mty happy Mar that Mr Suggs County Administrator No Sir Mr chairman I have no further comments thank you thank you sir Commissioners we'll start to my left Mr Pickins uh yes uh thank you chairman Harvey um just want to go ahead and congratulate John William Rebels again on his award um he's like I said just a fine man and runs a a really really good operation down there in Crescent City district one I believe and um I want to I want to compliment everybody and and commissioner Wilkinson and the animal control staff everybody that are participating in the the animal adoptions uh going out through the county to do that I think it's just a part of of um getting out and show that our adoc culture services are are good and with this new facility they're going to be better and we're making improvements and I thank uh commissioner Wilkinson for leading that um I met with the Mayors in South putham uh mayor Watts mayor spala and mayor Meyers uh last week and is a really good meeting um and we discussed a lot of different issues throughout the county and within district one and I'll close by saying I really appreciate the board moving forward the purchase of the exavator um because we do have a project soon as we get it in in district one that we can we can test that out on and I will uh I will expect a report back to the board of how that machine perform so thank you that's all I have and Happy Valentine's Day to everybody for the public a little levity never hurt any situation and commissioner Pickins just used up a Year's worth so Mr adamac you have the floor sir yeah I guess Happy Valentine's Day to everybody um I kind of everything he said is spot on um I think Animal Services is definitely seeing improvements the leadership that we have there is great um obviously just like any agency we'd love to have more employees more people helping more everything but we got to live within our means um I'm excited about us moving forward to lighting of the bridge um I understand the the debate about it and I appreciate the debate and I actually think it improved what we proposed what was motioned on so I appreciate that from commissioner Turner and uh that's where I'll leave it today thank you thank you commission Turner um yes sir thank you Mr chairman um I see Tony's not here today um I have a name of an individual that I would like for y'all to I was going to give it to him but I have a name of an individual that lives in one of the subdivisions that's um having some issues it's the msbu subdivision in there behind watch funeral home back in that little area right in there I'll give you the name if you would carry it to him after the meeting and I'd like someone to get up get in contact with him um he was having some real heart burn with the amount with their dues going from $35 or $27 a year to 300 and something a year in their msbu and I don't think he realizes that he needs to go talk to the lady that I've forgotten her name but Terry Terry Sorel yes yes Terry to go and um and and request the things through their chairman of their committee or whatever so if Tony could get a hold of him and I'll give you the name when the meeting's over could get hold of him and try to work something out there I'd appreciate it um and you know I want to say one last thing and it's not just about the bridge lights it's about whatever I do want to say one thing that I think is very refreshing that we can come in here and have a very Frank discussion that we all are very passionate about and walk out that door and smile at one another that's how it ought to be guys I'm just telling you right now nobody gets all butt hurt and nobody's all like not wanting to talk to anybody or whatever it just doesn't happen so I'm just telling you I think that's refreshing with the commission that we have so Mr chairman I'll leave it at that thank you Mr Turner well comment Miss Wilkinson thank you and I agree I concur with you uh commissioner Turner and I want to go on record and just say the District Two on this dirt to pay got a little shorted so when I go to do mine next year I'm going to need some some leeway I'm just saying from District five particular I mean district one bill won't be here next year you might actually get something I might actually get something next year just joking yeah just kidding kid the levity never stops yeah right since we're already doing that on a serious note um we did have a ribbon cutting for those for uh the Bon at Bon Park also known as atni Park and I just want to thank this commission for um agreeing to allow that uh partnership with FPL and for allowing us to put that that in I think it's a big help in that community and I know they appreciate it like I said out there we've definit I've definitely definitely seen more people it in that Park than ever before and You' be amazed what a little swing sec would do but it's actually got improving people going out and and participating in that and then I also want to say that so that was Friday and then Friday night I had the privilege of going tonight to shine and um that was was put on by First Baptist Church and Calvary Miss Missionary Church on the north side of Palaca and if you don't know what night to shine is it's Tim TBO Foundation where they do a prom for special needs uh people in the community and they had about they call them honored guest and they have about 90 to 100 in putam county that came and when and they drove them around the Lim in a limousine around the block they had the red carpet treatment they come down the red carpet people were clapping it was beautiful you guys it was awesome and so they came through the red carpet they went in they danced the night away and I was supposed to be taking care of the caregiver group and I was visiting with somebody and then we walked into the dance floor and a friend of mine named Caitlyn she's was an honored guest and I'm dancing with her a little bit was not my intention next thing you know I'm leading a Congo line so it was like a it was the best thing and I never expected it now I couldn't walk much the next day but the point is because it was such a blessing to see that movement in this community and on and the coming together of the two churches and just such a blessing I think I I think everybody that attended took something away and that was really heartfelt to them and so I just want to thank that group for putting that on and Happy Valentine's Day to everybody thank you thank you commissioner wison let's not do the Congo line here though if we don't Mr chairman one more is there a could we quickly as possible try to get the agenda for next week's Workshop or we can start a lot of times Workshop takes a little more study than a regular commission we're going to be meeting after this meeting for the agenda okay thank you okay um and I got a few comments so over the weekend super butts for Super Bowl our Rotary Club did that um Senator Scott Statesman dinner he was here the few weeks ago that was well attended and very nicely put on on by the people that were there and Rhonda and Donna and Barbara and an and there's a bunch of them and I'm going to get in trouble for not mentioning all but that's okay uh this coming Saturday night while Game Feast I think if you can't find something to do in this County you're not looking for it and I'll just be very Frank with you and there's a lot of good organizations that are that raise money that put money back in our community and it it's very nice thing we do have a workshop on the 20th at 9:30 FD will be here at 10: uh we'll interrupt our workshop and give them their time frame uh do want to thank tomorrow is Valentine's Day but it's also my wedding anniversary 39 years my wife Linda Raised Me Up um thinking back I was 23 years old that thought I knew everything I didn't look at you because of that but I just now you're older and think you know everything exactly but um I don't know what my wife saw in me but she saw something that I didn't see and I just wanted to be a better man a better father and I wanted to be a uh involved in my family's life and she gave me that opportunity so Linda thank you I love you and thank you for 39 wonderful years and if there's nothing else this meeting's adjourned thank you that's really cool 39 years yes sir