BCC Minutes 06/26/2014 B (Budget Workshop) BCC
BUDGET
MEETING
MINUTES
June 26, 2014
June 26, 2014
TRANSCRIPT OF THE MEETING OF THE
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Naples, Florida, June 26, 2014
LET IT BE REMEMBERED, that the Board of County
Commissioners, in and for the County of Collier, and also acting as
the Board of Zoning Appeals and as the governing board(s) of such
special districts as have been created according to law and having
conducted business herein, met on this date at 9:00 a.m., in BUDGET
WORKSHOP in Building "F" of the Government Complex,
East Naples, Florida, with the following members present:
CHAIRMAN: Tom Henning
Fred Coyle
Donna Fiala
Georgia Hiller
Tim Nance
ALSO PRESENT:
Leo Ochs, County Manager
Jeffrey A. Klatzkow, County Attorney
Mark Isackson, Corporate and Business Financial Services
Troy Miller, Communications &Customer Relations
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NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING
Notice is hereby given the Board of County Commissioners of Collier County will conduct
Budget Workshops Thursday, June 26, 2014 and Friday, June 27, 2014, if necessary, at
9:00 a.m. Workshops will be held in the Boardroom, 3rd Floor, W. Harmon Turner Building,
Collier County Government Center, 3299 East Tamiami Trail, Naples, Florida to hear the
following:
COLLIER COUNTY GOVERNMENT
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
FY 2015 BUDGET WORKSHOP SCHEDULE
Thursday, June 26, 2014
AGENDA
General Overview
Courts and Related Agencies (State Attorney and Public Defender)
Growth Management
Public Services
Administrative Services
Public Utilities
Debt Service
Management Offices (Pelican Bay)
County Attorney
BCC (Community Redevelopment Agencies, Airport)
Constitutional Officers:
Elections
Clerk of Courts
Sheriff
Other Constitutional Officers requesting to address the BCC
Public Comment
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June 26,2014
June 26, 2014
MR. OCHS: Mr. Chairman, you have a live mic.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Thank you.
Welcome to the budget hearings workshop.
Would you all rise for the Pledge of Allegiance, please.
(The Pledge of Allegiance was recited in unison.)
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Okay. Before we get started on the
budget, coordinating with the County Manager is a couple
housekeeping items. One, the public service.
MR. OCHS: Public Safety Authority.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Public Safety Authority met, and they
were supposed to lay out an agenda for the July workshop. They did
not have a quorum, and there's no presentation.
MR. OCHS: Materials are ready.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Yeah, ready to go. So it's up to the
board whether they want to continue that or not. My preference is to
continue it, but it's up to the majority of the board.
Commissioner Nance, you okay with that?
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Commissioner Hiller?
COMMISSIONER HILLER: (Nods head.)
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Commissioner Fiala?
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Sure.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Commissioner Coyle?
COMMISSIONER COYLE: (Nods head.)
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Good.
The next item, there has been a lot of communications with the
County Manager, myself, and, I think, other commissioners with the
leadership in DEP, Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
At one time we -- it was my understanding they were going to
come down during a board meeting for a presentation. That didn't
happen at the last minute; that's why the reconsideration was pulled
off
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June 26, 2014
My understanding now, they're willing to do that. And I think --
in my opinion, it would be good for not only the board but the public
to get educated what the role of DEP is in inspecting these wells and
permitting these wells and, you know, this new technology, how safe
is it, and is there, you know, proven science that it is safe and so on
and so forth.
So if it's -- if there's no objection by the board members, I would
like to send a letter on behalf of the board and offer that -- that they
come down again, or that they come down during a County
Commission meeting during the presentation part of our agenda.
Does anybody have any objections to that?
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Is that anticipated that's going to be
the June -- July 8th meeting, sir, or we don't know?
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Don't know yet. I mean, we have to
coordinate with the County Manager. And I know there's a lot of
other things happening. DEP's trying to get some -- you know, they're
doing water sampling now, and we know that the Colliers -- Collier
Resources is going to be water sampling with -- and we're going to
participate in that.
So there's a lot of things happening, and I think a lot of those
pieces need to all come together.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: I agree. I'm just wondering if the
thought -- you know, at this point, with about 12 balls in the air, I
don't know how we're going to have any real meaningful conversation
on July 8th.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: You know, I don't dispute that at all.
Commissioner Hiller?
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Yes. It sounds like a very good
idea, and maybe we should wait till after we hear back from staff as to
how staff has been received by Collier Resources with respect to our
request that they cease using this technique and go back to strictly
conventional drilling as they have for decades without any issue.
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So I think your idea is excellent, but maybe let's find out first
whether Collier Resources is willing to stop using this approach. And,
quite frankly, if they are, it makes any discussion on this issue
unnecessary.
We can have separate discussions with DEP as to DEP's duty to
determine whether or not using chemical fracking or whatever you
want to call the -- that type of drilling is safe or not and what type of
regulations DEP ought to be putting in place.
But, to that end, I really think we need to be working through our
legislative delegation, because it is their responsibility to advance
those type of issues at the state level. And I think they should be a
part of the discussion with DEP and do what's necessary to protect our
community and their constituents.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Yeah. If there's laws that need to be
drafted --
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Right, exactly.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: -- that should be done.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: So if we have any conversation
with DEP, it's going to be about what they're going to do
prospectively, and it should be with Representatives Passidomo,
Hudson, and Senator Richter present.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Okay. Jeff, do you see any problem
with this?
MR. KLATZKOW: Only because we're having this discussion.
Because I'm having continuing discussions with both Hughes' attorney
and DEP. Hughes will not change their methods.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Pardon me?
MR. KLATZKOW: Hughes will not change their methods. I've
had that conversation, okay. This is the --
COMMISSIONER HILLER: When did you have this
conversation?
MR. KLATZKOW: I had the conversation earlier this week, all
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right. So that's -- they're not going to do it.
So talking to the Colliers, I don't think, is going to be helpful
because Hughes is the one who has these leases that they've entered
into for the extraction.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: I still feel it's absolutely necessary
to do so. Ultimately, the land is owned by Collier Resources, and I
think we should reach out to them. How they deal with Hughes is
their business.
MR. KLATZKOW: I'm just -- just for information purposes, not
as an argumentative.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: I appreciate it.
MR. KLATZKOW: The second issue I had is I had a request
yesterday after five from DEP's counsel that we extend their time to
make a determination on whether or not to send the petition to an
administrative law judge. I told them that my direction from the board
had been to pull the permits and that the answer was at -- for no.
If they're going to come down here and talk to you, I don't know
if you want to extend that time or not. That's completely up to you.
But the third thing, what I told them is, the one thing I do not
want to see are more and more permits being filed in Collier County
for this type of extraction until this issue is resolved. And I was told
that's not going to happen; that they're processing these permits, and as
they process them, you'll get more and more of these.
So I guess -- I was going to bring this up at the next board
meeting, but I guess a determination's going to have to be made, if
they're going to have permit after permit after permit issued, do you
want to authorize me to work with staff and challenge these things as
they're issued?
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Absolutely.
MR. KLATZKOW: And those are the --
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Mr. Chairman, I think it would be
appropriate for us to send a letter to DEP asking them for some
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clarification on what the County Attorney's just said.
I would like to see in writing from them that they agree not to
issue any more permits until we have some resolution on some of
these problems.
My fear is not -- and I've said it before -- not this narrow issue on
this one permit, but we've got a potential to have dozens and dozens of
them coming forward, and -- you know, we need some clarity before
we go forward. We need to -- I think there just needs to be a
moratorium on this activity until we have resolution.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: And their asking for it is one thing. I
think we can accommodate them till we, you know, have some
discussion and possible resolution. I'm not saying we'll have
resolution. But do the extension based upon there will be a
moratorium on new permits.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Shouldn't we receive official
notification of that from this agency? Not that I don't rely on the
County Attorney to --
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Yes.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: -- give us information, but I'd like
to see Secretary Vinyard step up a little bit and give us an affirmation
that, you know, these sorts of things are going to be taking place and
actually send it to us, rather than send it to interested media. That
would be refreshing.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Yeah. We're hoping that there's
going to be a better dialogue in the future with the parties involved
and -- instead of playing this out in the media. We had a conversation
yesterday, and I think everybody agreed to that.
But, yeah, you know, just to get educated and have a dialogue
with all of us present so I can hear what Commissioner Fiala's
concerns are and she can hear what my concerns are on it, and so on
and so forth. So we might have some type of resolution and we might
not, but I think it's worth a try.
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Commissioner Fiala?
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Yeah. Just a question. So you say
DEP plans on issuing these permits anyway, no matter what our
concerns are?
MR. KLATZKOW: I have gotten continued threats from DEP,
and each time the board has been strong they've backed off. So that's
just the way they've played this game.
For example, you know, if we're going to challenge their permit,
there was no way they were going to sample the water. We're on our
own. We had that statement made, and that's turned out not to be true.
So I don't really know what their true intentions are and how
much what they're saying is bluff.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Home rule has nothing to do with
anything? All of a sudden they ignore that; is that it?
MR. KLATZKOW: It's not that they ignored that. They're the
agency in charge of issuing permits for oil well drilling.
You've got new technology that just got developed fairly recently
that makes extraction in Collier County profitable once again, and you
may be seeing an oil rush in Collier County.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Commissioner Coyle.
COMMISSIONER COYLE: There are two issues here that I'd
just like to voice an opinion on. One is DEP. I think that the new
secretary has been much more forthcoming than the prior one. I think
there has been a significant change in attitude. Whether it was
prompted by our challenge or whether it is a real desire to improve
communications, I don't know, and I guess I don't care.
But I do think we should acknowledge that they are being much
more forthcoming now than they were before we took this action.
They haven't answered all of our questions. They're not being as
prompt as we expected.
But I, for one, have been very critical of DEP in the past, and I
want to acknowledge, at least, that I see an improvement in the
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communication and coordination process with them, and hopefully
that will continue.
The second issue is with the continuing issuance of permits. I
think we need to do whatever we need to do. Whether we can get an
injunction of some kind to stop the issuance of those permits would be
beneficial, because I believe the problem here is with Hughes Oil. I
believe they lied to us when they first came here. They lied to the
public. They have not been here to talk with us to the best of my
knowledge. I've never seen anybody from Hughes Oil here to defend
themselves in any public hearings.
They just continue to do what they want to do even if it's in
violation of their permit, and they get away with it, and I suspect that's
their normal mode of operation.
So I would be extremely reluctant to see them get another permit.
I bet they already have another permit. But if we can put a stop to
those issuances of permits until we get this sorted out, I think it would
be a good thing for us to do.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Okay. Well, I will send a letter to the
secretary of DEP. I'll have the County Attorney and County Manager
look it over before we send it.
MR. KLATZKOW: And just for clarity, so I understand the
board's direction, I'm authorized to grant them an extension of time.
This would allow them to come down here and talk to the board.
The question I have is, do you want that to be contingent on a
moratorium on future permits?
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Yes.
MR. KLATZKOW: Okay.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: That's what I heard from my
colleagues.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Yes. You sure did.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Yes.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Okay. Is there any other
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housekeeping?
COMMISSIONER HILLER: I'd like to make a comment.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Commissioner Hiller?
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Yeah. It is my understanding that
the Dan Hughes Company has agreed not to drill further this calendar
year. And so I don't believe that right now they're acting in bad faith.
I think they do understand the concerns of this board and the
community.
And, again, it goes back to DEP's responsibility to make a
determination whether the technique they're using is safe or unsafe
and to develop the regulation necessary to ensure that nothing happens
and that the public safety is ensured.
So the bottom line is, if the law isn't there to protect the people,
the people are not assured of their own safety. And Hughes can't be
held responsible or be deemed irresponsible if there isn't something to
measure their performance against.
We don't know yet whether or not the water has been
contaminated. It may very well be that nothing has happened to date.
That doesn't mean that something, prospectively, couldn't go wrong.
In the meantime, again, they have suspended all activity. The
issue goes to all permits, not just their permit. It's not about the
Hughes Company. It's about this type of drilling in our very sensitive
environment.
And so I absolutely agree that what we need to do is make sure
that there is a moratorium imposed on the issuance of any future
permits till DEP does what it is required to do in its official capacity as
a fiduciary with respect to the environment and with respect to the
public safety.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: And they would say --
COMMISSIONER HILLER: We've got to get the legislative
delegation involved to do their job to get this done. It is not our job to
do that. It is the legislative delegation's responsibility, and they can do
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that for us.
So I don't think we should be bringing any individual company
into this discussion. Hughes has been found to be at fault by DEP.
They have ceased doing any drilling. We need to look at the global
issue, because that is what our responsibility is.
We are not here to regulate the Hughes Company. That is the
state's responsibility. We are here to protect the public as a whole.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: And the DEP would say they are
doing their job, but we need to feel --
COMMISSIONER HILLER: We disagree.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: -- we need to feel comfortable with
that.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: We disagree with that, and that is
why we need our delegation involved and we need to see that DEP
makes a determination as to whether this is safe or unsafe and then
establishes regulation. If they deem that it is unsafe, they should
prohibit it.
If they feel that it is safe, they should establish regulation to
ensure ongoing safety. That is their job. That is their jurisdiction. And
we need help. We need help from Representative Hudson, we need
help from Representative Passidomo, and we need help from Senator
Richter to get that done. So let's bring them onboard. If we're going
to have a discussion with DEP, it should be with our legislative
delegation.
But, again, I would like to hear back from Collier Resources. I
would like to know what their position is on this and what they can do
to help us to this end.
And I think we should, you know, always look to work positively
with, you know, anyone who's involved in a difficult situation like this
to, you know -- to try to resolve this with diplomacy, you know, rather
than with argument.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Commissioner Nance?
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COMMISSIONER NANCE: Yes. I agree with Commissioner
Hiller. DEP is the central agency of record. They're the regulatory
authority. They're the authority responsible for mitigation and
mediation if there is a problem and assessment.
And, Commissioner Coyle, I agree with your remarks that our
relationship is a little better, but I do want to correct one thing and an
error that's out there that's also been propagated by the Naples Daily
News, and that is that the secretary of DEP is new.
The secretary of DEP is Herschel Vinyard. He was appointed by
the governor in March 2011 . The gentleman that resigned was a
deputy secretary, and he was replaced by the assistant deputy
secretary, Mr. Wilson.
So these gentlemen that are making -- are the decision makers
and the agency heads are the same people that have been there
throughout the entire period of time when this activity's been going
on.
And I do commend them for being a little more forthcoming but,
at the same time, we have to realize that there is consistency there at
DEP. And I think that -- that's a continued reason for concern on my
part anyway.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Commissioner Fiala?
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Yes. And I think adding to
everything you've already said, which I wholeheartedly support, we
ought to -- one of the things that started this conversation in the
beginning is the fact that they were now drilling close to somebody's
home.
And from what I have been led to believe, that is not going to
stop.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Oh, it is stopping.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: No, I mean, their future plans were
to drill in other areas where there are homes.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Yeah, that's correct.
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June 26, 2014
COMMISSIONER FIALA: That's what I'm saying.
Now, I went over to see the home, and I went over to see the oil
well. Well, where it would be drilled. Nothing has started yet. The
area has been cleared and identified as the location to it.
And, my goodness, it was so close. It was like -- well, I couldn't
say to the back of the room, but, you know, it seemed to be that close
anyway.
And I think we ought to -- in our conversations, we ought to
make sure that these wells -- as we put together a plan, we should
request strongly -- I don't want to say demand. I want to say request
very strongly that no more -- no future drilling at all can be near
people's homes. Whether it be regular drilling or fracking, they should
not be on property that close to people's homes. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Okay. Well, we do need to recognize
property rights.
Okay. Is there any other unfinished business before we get into
the budget?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Let's go to the budget.
County Manager's going to do a presentation, followed by his
individual administrative staff. Then I would like to have public
comment, then the Constitutional Officers. And if there's any other
questions, comments on any other business besides budgetary, let's
hold that till break, or we can take a break.
County Manager?
GENERAL OVERVIEW — PRESENTED
MR. OCHS: Thank you. Mr. Chairman, Commissioners, good
morning.
I'm going to make a couple of brief remarks in general overview
about the 2015 proposed county budget, and then we'll get into
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individual division reviews and presentations.
Commissioners, the FY 15 budget follows previous format in
terms of it is a component of a larger integrated agency performance
management plan that this commission had adopted years ago that
features a review of your strategic plan early in the year to make sure
that the goals and objectives that you set out and the key strategic
focus areas are still a reflection of the will of this board for the
community.
We then take that strategic plan and build a resourcing plan
around it, which is your annual budget. That budget then gets
translated into an execution matrix by your divisions where you have
annual operating plans and tactical plans, and then ultimately into
individual performance action plans by each employee that are built
around these major goals and objectives to make sure that they get
accomplished.
In terms of the county budget planning cycle, we are now at that
stage of the budget workshops. In June, the next important decision
point for the board will be your setting of the maximum tentative
millage rate at your meeting of July 8th. We will then move in
through the summer to finish the budget planning, then we will come
back to you in September per statute for two public hearings where
you will, ultimately, adopt the budget beginning the fiscal cycle of
October 1 of this year.
Commissioners, let's take a quick look at the overlay and the
economic landscape that kind of shapes the 2015 budget.
Fortunately, it's an improving landscape, at least locally here in
our economy. And you can see some of the trends identified on this
slide would support that, including the third consecutive year of
taxable value positive increase here in the county, appreciation in real
estate at all levels, including a substantial increase in median home
prices.
Our visitation year over year is setting records. We have
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double-digit growth in our permitting activity year over year from
April to April, and a significant drop in the local unemployment rate.
All of those bode well for the coming year in terms of local economy.
In terms of your FY15 budget outcomes, we have essentially met
the guidance that you set for us as an agency in February. This
budget, again, features no increase in tax rates in both your General
Fund and Unincorporated Area General Fund for the fifth consecutive
year. We are continuing to build your fund reserves in both the
General Fund and Unincorporated Area General Fund.
Both your principal debt and your annual debt service on that
principal debt continues to decline and is fully compliant with your
debt reserve policy and is fully funded.
You do have a number of expanded requests that the individual
division will be presenting to you over the course of the morning.
Any of the unfunded mandates that we have addressed, including
DJJ, from the state are addressed fully and budgeted in this '15 budget.
Both your General Fund and your Unincorporated Area General
Fund contain significant capital expenditures which was a focus of this
board going into FY15 to begin to catch up on some of the backlog of
the infrastructure and equipment replacement that has been deferred
during the recession.
And, finally, we have appropriated dollars for a nominal increase
in employee wages to attempt to catch up with inflation.
Again, Commissioners, this is just a bar graph that shows trends
in taxable values for both the General Fund and the Unincorporated
Area General Fund. You can see that they're just about identical year
over year, and we've got a projected 6 percent increase in taxable
values for the FY15 budget in both the General Fund and the
Unincorporated Area General Fund.
To put that in perspective, Commissioners, we've showed you
this chart each of the last several years, and what this does is,
essentially, show you that we're beginning to catch up as a county
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June 26, 2014
from the high of Tax Year 2007, our Fiscal Year 2008. The taxable
values were 82 billion, 82.5 billion.
We have inched up over the last three fiscal years. We are now
22 percent below that high in FY2008 but beginning, at least, to
narrow that gap.
Again, the millage rate history. You could see from FY2010
through '15, the millage rate in both your General Fund and
Unincorporated Area General Fund has remained unchanged.
Some of the highlights of the FY15 proposed budget includes a
millage-neutral tax rate. Considering the 6 percent increase in taxable
values, that will result in about $12.7 million of additional property
tax receipts in your General Fund and 1 .5 million in your
Unincorporated Area General Fund.
We have a number of expanded services, primarily in front-line
services, to better serve our customers, and we will obviously
highlight those as we work through the morning. Those expanded
services total 1.58 million.
We've made a substantial effort to appropriate and fund up our
capital replacement and some new capital expenditures that we think
are important to maintain our service levels in FY15, not the least of
which are several public safety related capital improvements.
You're familiar with many of these. Thirteen million of that $40
million budget proposal includes funding for such things as the
completion of the Sheriffs Orangetree Substation, new EMS station
that's been planned on Logan Boulevard and Vanderbilt Beach Road
and, of course, the continuation of the upgrade of our 800 Megahertz
Public Safety Radio System.
I won't go through all of the changes in the capital program, but
we wanted to give you a sense of the total change. We had about $27
million in these capital projects appropriated in the current year's
adjusted budget. That number has increased to 40 million in FY15.
You can see the -- many of the public safety related capital
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June 26, 2014
improvement expenditures are listed at the top here. Also, a
substantial increased allocation to road repair and road resurfacing.
In terms of FTE count, the commissioners will recall that in the
current fiscal year, FY14, we've added 60.4 positions in the agency.
Those are in two primary areas. There was a midyear improvement
plan approved by the board for your Emergency Medical Services
Department as well as a new staffing complement related to the
opening of the new Mile Marker 63 public safety facility on Alligator
Alley.
And you also added 28 positions this year in growth management
to support the increase in development activity over there, and those
are primarily funded by user fees.
In the FY2015 budget, you will see a request for 12 additional
positions agency-wide, primarily in your public service division, as
well as a few in your water/sewer department, solid waste, and three
in your growth management agency.
We continue to review every position that becomes vacant before
it's filled, particularly those in the General Fund and Unincorporated
General Fund, to make sure that they're absolutely essential.
This is just another way to depict those changes. I'll go back.
Even with those changes, Commissioners, I do want to point out we're
still well below the total headcount in the agency back in FY07 before
the recession hit.
As I mentioned, Commissioners, we have made a proposal, and
you saw it and endorsed it in the budget guidance that we presented
this past February. We're proposing a 2 percent cost-of-living increase
to employees' wages in FY15 or $1,000, whichever is greater. What
that does is benefit, on a percentage basis, the lower paid personnel in
favor of those that make a higher wage.
In terms of your healthcare program, we're pleased to tell you
that we're in very good shape in our program. There's no proposed
premium increases for FY15. The fund is actuarially sound and fully
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June 26, 2014
funded, and we continue to share the burden between the board and
the employees in your premium payments.
Both, your agency, the Clerk's agency and the Supervisor of
Elections follow the board-adopted 80/20 split between premium paid
by employer and employee.
General Fund highlights. The proposed General Fund budget for
FY15 is 338 million. It's a 5.7 percent increase from your FY2014
budget and still considerably below the high in 2007, although
demand for services, as more people come back into the area,
continues to increase.
This is the pro forma that we've shown you each year over the
last four or five years. This is your General Fund proposed FY2015
budget. You'll note here on the revenue side of the chart a continued
high reliance on property taxes and, to a lesser extent, state sales taxes.
But those are the big revenue categories for the county and
continue to be a somewhat concerning heavy reliance on property tax
receipts.
Let's talk about reserves for a moment. The board has been very
committed to maintaining reserves and trying to reserve -- excuse me
-- build reserve fund balance when possible. We always have to
balance that against the needs for service enhancements and capital
improvements and replacement of aging capital, although we have
been able to continue the trend that was started a few years back to try
to build up that reserve balance in your General Fund. And it
continues to climb going into FY15.
You also set a couple of reserve policies in your budget guidance
that you gave us in February, and we just wanted to report out on
those briefly.
The first one has to do with the General Fund reserves. You had
set a policy of a floor and a ceiling to where you'd like to see your
General Fund reserves. You can see here that we're just inside the 8
percent floor that was established for the General Fund.
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June 26, 2014
And why is that important? The rating agencies take very
seriously your fund -- your reserve fund balance. It's the cash flow
engine that keeps the budget going at the couple of the beginning
months of the year before we get our tax receipts.
It takes care of any of the unfunded emergencies or mandates that
the board may have, and it also is the reserve fund for the
constitutional officers.
Your reserve policies in water and sewer that were set, you
wanted a range for the total budget reserves in your utility operation.
Floor being 45 days of reserves; the ceiling being 90 days. You can
see where we're trending there. And they'll talk more about that as
they get into their individual budget presentations.
The reserve policy and your Fund 113, building permitting fund,
was set at six months of operating revenue. They are approaching that
and are, we believe, in good shape in terms of their reserve policy.
131 is your land development -- your plan review fund. Very
healthy reserves in -- through '14 and certainly projected into '15 with
your land development fund reserve.
In terms of total outstanding debt, the board has directed the staff
to work as hard as we can to reduce your debt and to pay off your debt
in a reasonable way. You can see that we continue to whittle down
your outstanding principal debt.
This year it's projected at 563 million and projected for next year
at 529-. So the trend is continuing in the proper direction.
And we talk about your debt service on that debt. For FY 14,
unaudited, that represents 8 and a half percent of your total bondable
general governmental revenues, and that's well within the cap that the
board has set it, at a max of 13 percent.
Let's take a look quickly at the major sources of revenues that
fund your General Fund. I mentioned earlier, Commissioners, the
very heavy reliance on ad valorem taxes. It's fully 65 percent of your
mix of annual revenues to fund your General Fund.
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June 26, 2014
And you can see the other, including the carry-forward reserve
balance that we talked about, the beginning fund, and your state sales
tax and revenue share.
We'll look quickly at the primary General Fund revenue sources.
As I mentioned, ad valorem budget is up a little over $12.7 million in
FY2015 with an increase in taxable value driving that.
Sales tax is also budgeted to go up in FY 15. Not only are we --
our economy recovering here locally, but the influx of visitation that
we've had over the last year continues to help drive sales taxes up.
State revenue sharing is up also; a little over $600,000 projected
in FY15.
Gas taxes, however, are holding steady or actually projected to
drop very slightly in -- from their budgeted levels this year.
Impact fees are up approximately 6 million due to improving
economy; however, they're still 73 percent less than the high in FY --
of'07.
And your fund balance remains strong. This is your carry-
forward that helps fund your operations in the early months of the
fiscal year until your tax receipts come in. We continue to make sure
that we keep that at the proper levels.
We'll take a look real quickly at your Unincorporated Area
General Fund. The proposed budget for 2015 is 41.8 million. Again,
that's a 6 percent increase from current fiscal year.
The primary changes in the Unincorporated Area General Fund
include increased appropriations for the landscaping, parks, and some
of your other programs that are funded by this fund in both growth
management, including code enforcement and in your public services
division, including your parks system.
Capital transfers are up substantially in order to catch up on some
of the backlog. And as I mentioned, we've continued to try to build
your reserves.
This is the pro forma for your MSTD General Fund, and this is
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June 26, 2014
your Fund 111 . You can see the general changes in the expense and
the revenue categories. And we will get into these in more detail as
your individual divisions present.
Finally, Commissioners, as we do each year, we try to show you
the impact of county government on the -- on a typical unincorporated
area residential tax bill. That burden continues to remain below 30
percent of the total.
We break it down another way. You can see that the school
board is almost 45 percent of that pie, and then you can see the other
governmental agencies that make up the balance of an unincorporated
area residential tax bill.
Finally, Commissioners, just some areas of ongoing concern as
we move through '14 into '15 and beyond. We've talked about this
many times. We'll continue to place a high priority on catching up on
the backlog of deferred infrastructure and equipment replacement and
repairs. Those deferrals began several years ago. We didn't -- we
didn't get into those deferrals in one year. We're not going to climb
out in one year, but we think we've got a good plan moving forward to
make a significant dent in that backlog as we move through the next
few years.
We also want to continue to focus on our asset management
program. The board has been very supportive, and we appreciate that.
And we want to remain competitive as an agency in terms of pay and
benefits.
As you all know and can remember from not too many years ago,
when the economy improves and conditions improve and business
improves, that becomes a feeding frenzy for good employees. And
there's many firms that would love to come and steal some of our
better people, and we have to make sure that we remain competitive so
we can keep that talent in-house.
I continue to remind the board about the need for equity in the
health insurance program and particularly the contributions and the
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June 26, 2014
share between employer and employee. There are some agencies in
county government that aren't sharing the burden like your employees
are. And your General Fund makes up for that difference.
Again, we have to be diligent to make sure that any unfunded
mandates or other legislative mandates are addressed. Concerns about
cost shifting and other unfunded mandates, we continue to monitor.
And the General Fund and Unincorporated Area General Fund
revenue structure, as I mentioned before, is heavily reliant on property
taxes, so we're very susceptible without a more diversified revenue
stream to changes in taxable value.
And to carry that further, in your Unincorporated Area General
Fund going forward, one of the major funding sources has been the
state's communication services tax. They've continued to whittle
down on that allocation to local governments over the last couple of
years.
And also, as we transition your stormwater program out of the
LASIP program and begin to get more concentrated on individual
areas in the unincorporated areas of the county, we're going to have
more of a burden placed on your Fund 111 to fund those stormwater
improvements.
And then, finally, we need to continue to balance that need for
growing our reserves against the challenges of meeting our asset
management program.
And those are my general overview comments this morning, Mr.
Chair. I'd be happy to answer any questions or move right into the
presentation.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: We have a couple commissioners that
have questions for you, Leo.
MR. OCHS: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Starting with Commissioner Hiller.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Leo, thank you for a very good
presentation. I'd like to make some suggestions for a few
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June 26, 2014
modifications, and then I'd like to make some comments.
And the reason I'd like to suggest these modifications is because I
hope that you will post this to our website so the public can view what
you have prepared as an excellent summary.
In your Fiscal Year 2015 economic landscape on Page 6, I would
like to see you add what we have, as yet, not recovered, because we
are not where we were. And so we are still far short of where we need
to be to achieve the things that we achieved when our taxable base
and, as a consequence, our revenues were significantly higher.
So if you could add that. And I know you have it, in part,
reflected on other schedules, but I think bringing it to the forefront
will highlight that we are still short --
MR. OCHS: Yes, ma'am.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: -- compared to where we were.
The next thing I would like to say is I would like to compliment
you on doing what we directed, and that is to develop reserve policies,
because there was no policy -- there were no policies that were in
place in the past that would allow us to clearly understand what's
going on with respect to how we were building reserves.
And there was clearly a need to build reserves, and that will
continue for the reasons that you said and because it's fiscally prudent
to do so.
However, there is -- there is one reserve balance which concerns
me, which I think is too high, and it's the Land Development Fund 131
Reserve. And as you can see by looking at the graph that you have
presented --
CHAIRMAN HENNING: What page?
COMMISSIONER HILLER: It's on, sorry, Page 24. The total
budgeted reserves are 6 million, and nine months of the operating
expenses are at about 4 million. So I think that somehow that needs to
be reconciled.
I'm not sure why you've got budgeted reserves so high if we are
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June 26, 2014
looking at a policy of nine months of operating expenses.
MR. OCHS: Yes, ma'am. We'll address that when growth
management comes up.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Yeah, if you would, because, you
know, some sort of adjustment seems to be in order there.
The other issue that I want to highlight is the very important
point you made with respect to economic development.
The Wall Street Journal just wrote an article, which I'm going to
introduce in the record. And you're absolutely right where you say
that, you know, we are looking to reduce unemployment.
And as you correctly say, unemployment dropped 1.6 percent
from April 2013 to 5.5 percent. And what's important to note is that it
is significantly under the national average of last month, which was
6.3 percent.
Now, there are several issues. The first is that we have
experienced very strong job creation growth.
Secondly, we have experienced very, very significant wage rate
growth. We are actually number one in the state right now, with Palm
Beach County a distant second. But most importantly what the Wall
Street Journal just reported is we are ranked No. 5 for projected
average annual economic growth from now to 2020.
And I'm going to introduce this into the record, because that goes
to your point that investing in economic development, as we have
been over the course of this past year in Collier County, is beginning
to pay back in spades.
So it's absolutely essential that we keep up with our standards in
terms of governmental services, as well as governmental
infrastructure, whether it's public safety or our roads or, you know,
how we service families in the community with parks.
If we are going to see an increase in population, an increase in
businesses coming into the community, then we need to remain at the
standards that we have achieved so far.
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June 26, 2014
So I want to introduce that and emphasize that the investment in
economic development is paying off in spades.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Would you be so kind to have your
aide provide that to the commissioners?
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Absolutely.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Thank you.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Would you do that, please?
Thanks.
It's really a great article.
And let me just see.
Yeah, the other thing I wanted to quickly talk about is the capital
asset spending. There are several expenditures that I think are very
important.
The Orangetree Sheriffs substation and the EMS station are two
critical substations that I think are going to significantly benefit our
public safety initiative, which is, you know, our number one priority.
And then I would like to ask a question with respect to the
megahertz system and the general vehicle and heavy equipment
replacement to the end that we've got about 7 million that we're
allocating in this budget to those two capital projects. And one of the
things that I raised last year and that we committed to evaluate was the
determination as to whether or not it made more sense to lease versus
buy or to lease with an option to buy versus buy.
And I would like to know whether this budget contemplates that
and where we are in that analysis.
MR. OCHS: Commissioner, I would like to defer that. When we
get Ms. Price up here with her fleet manager, we can go into some of
the detail on that. We did do an analysis. We worked with one of the
outside firms that are a large leasing company, and we've done some
analysis there that we could share with you and the rest of the board
about that.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: That's great. I definitely want to
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June 26, 2014
hear that.
So if you could make a note to have Len respond to that. I don't
want to ask the question again. I'd like her to incorporate the response
in her presentation.
MR. OCHS: Very good.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Also, I want to compliment the
County Attorney, because the County Attorney is the only one who
has reduced the position count in this next year, and he continues to
improve the efficiencies of his office, and that's awesome. So thank
you; very, very, very good.
Let me just see. What was the next thing?
I had one question, and it's more of a general -- oh, yeah. There's
one other mark on the presentation. Where you have the pie chart
with the allocations --
MR. OCHS: Yes, ma'am.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: -- I believe it's Page 33, I think it's
great, and I think everybody, you know, benefits from that
information. But I would like to see the dollars attached.
The public should see not only, you know, how much we spend
out of total pie, but I think they should know the absolute dollars, too,
so they understand what the total pot of money is as it relates to
services by all the governmental agencies and special districts in the
community. I think that will tell a very interesting story.
MR. OCHS: Yes, ma'am.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: And I think the only last comment
I have -- and I'm not sure when we should address this. It's my
understanding that the clerk has brought to our attention that there was
a million dollars that he uncovered that was to go to either court
services or the Sheriff for education and training.
And I have some concern that monies have been accumulating
for a period of 10 years to the tune of about a hundred thousand per
year for the last 10 years and that the clerk was managing these funds
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June 26, 2014
and did not bring to our attention that those funds were available for
either of those two uses, which leaves me concerned as to, you know,
what other accounts are out there that could be deferring General Fund
costs that we don't know about.
So I actually have some concern as to how that was not known
and why that's just coming to our attention now after all these years.
It is a positive finding, but the negative is that we should have known
about it for, you know, this past period of time.
So I would like you to investigate why this was not brought to
our attention earlier.
MR. OCHS: Yes, ma'am.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: And I want to know, is there
anything else out there? Are there any other state funds or federal
funds or accounts that should be defraying costs that we are unaware
of? There's -- I have a concern.
MR. OCHS: Yes, ma'am.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Commissioner Fiala and
Commissioner Nance.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Thank you. Excuse me.
The first question is, specifically, one of the problems -- one of
the cost savings we've had over the past few years is not keeping the
lights on all -- the streetlights on all night for people. Are we going to
be -- and I know we've put them back on. Are we going to continue
keeping them on now for safety reasons?
MR. OCHS: Commissioner --
CHAIRMAN HENNING: We'll wait till the administrator gets
up here.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Well, I didn't know which category,
so that's why.
MR. OCHS: That will be part of the Growth Management Plan
budget briefing this morning, and we'll make sure that they
specifically address that.
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June 26, 2014
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Okay, good. Thank you very much.
And somewhere along the line here I would want to talk about
the elections facility. There's a possibility we could buy something,
but we have to take advantage of it right now. And we've been putting
off doing anything as far as putting the supervisor of elections and all
of her different locations into one specific category, and I --
MR. OCHS: Yes, ma'am.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: I would want to address that. So I
don't know where you want to put that, but --
MR. OCHS: Well, I've had some discussions with Supervisor
Edwards, and she's going to be here this afternoon as part of the
constitutional officer budget review, and I'm sure she'll brief you on
that.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Okay, fine.
When we were talking about reducing employees, you know,
credit was given to the County Attorney, but, you know, when you
come to Nick Casalanguida's shop, you couldn't reduce employees.
He's got --just in one district alone, he's got 22 -- I mean, 12,500 new
homes coming in there, and that doesn't count any of the other ones.
And you can't operate with that huge increase in building without
having the people to do it. And so I just wanted to make sure that Nick
knows that, you know, we understand also why there is an increase,
and you kept it low for so long.
And, finally, with -- regarding the pie chart that we have in front
of us right now, I would suggest that we offer a second pie chart, and
that is just the county funding, the County Commission funding
portion of that, as you've done in the past, so we can say -- see then,
when we get the funding in for the county, where it all goes. That's 28
percent of the total --
MR. OCHS: Sure.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: -- tax rate. Most people don't
realize that. They write us all the time about what are we going to do
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June 26, 2014
about it, and they don't realize that we only have 28 percent of the
total taxes collected.
And then if you would put that into a pie chart as well, I would
appreciate that. Thank you.
MR. OCHS: Yes, ma'am.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: That's on the next page.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: What? I'm sorry?
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Yeah. I think -- let's see. This is
Page, what, 22? I can't see. I think if you flip --
MR. OCHS: Thirty-three.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: You know, I don't have the pages. I
had hoped to have them in front of me, but --
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Oh. Would you like to borrow mine?
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Yes.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: I've got notes on it, so I need it back.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Oh, I'm going to read them, too.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Okay. Commissioner Nance, then
Commissioner Coyle.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Yes.
Mr. Ochs, I very much appreciate the summary document that
you put in the general overview section regarding the backlog of
program maintenance and replacement in capital spending. It's a very,
very important document.
That having been said, I have a couple suggestions because I had
an opportunity, in going through this -- and I spent a great deal of time
looking at this, because I know how important that it is.
I think there are some areas where different information was left
off this sheet that maybe would make it a little more accurate. And I
only say that because I went back, and I looked at the workshop that
we had in October of 2013. And I will tell you that it's -- I think your
presentation in this year's budget is much better and it is very, very
difficult to reconcile those two presentations.
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June 26, 2014
And I'm not saying that's bad and the things don't add up, but
what I'm saying is that I believe refining what you did in the overview
would be a very, very important document that we could live off of
from budget to budget.
So I would encourage you to take a look at that and include, you
know, within -- and this summary here was approximately $51
million. But, you know, I don't see -- I don't see road refurbishing and
resurfacing in this summary, but I see it on your summary on your
presentation this morning that you've got $7 million in the 2015
budget alone for road repairs and resurfacing.
Likewise, I don't see one of the things that -- another thing that
was broken out pretty extensively by Mr. Casalanguida under his
presentation for growth management, and that is over five years Mr.
Casalanguida outlines a program for $50 million worth of bridges that
are not included under road system and drainage maintenance, nor do
I see a treatment of IT.
Now, IT, of course, is spread amongst all your divisions. I
understand that. But that is, I think, a significant capital asset that we
have. I mean, I know maybe it's treated as a consumable but, you
know, the sorts of monies that we spend on those things are very
important.
So I'm commending you on what you're doing, but I'm also
hopeful that our capital asset management plan continues to be refined
and continues to be utilized in our budget overviews, because they are
very telling and I think helps the board and our citizens understand the
circumstance that we're in; not that I want to dwell on the negative.
But, I mean, you know, we have to come to grips with this.
MR. OCHS: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: And I very much appreciate it.
MR. OCHS: Well, my pleasure.
Commissioner, if I just -- maybe to enhance what you just said. I
want to emphasize that this -- the highlights that I gave you on the
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June 26, 2014
capital program are only related to the General Fund and
Unincorporated Area General Fund portions of your budget.
There is more backlog in your -- as you all know, in your
enterprise funds, including IT and all of your --
COMMISSIONER NANCE: I know, and I --
MR. OCHS: -- facilities and solid waste.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: -- know it's hard for you to come
forward with one document that tells the story, I know. But what I'm
just -- I'm encouraging you that this is a really good document and try
to -- you know, try to make it as comprehensive as you can --
MR. OCHS: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: -- across all the areas.
MR. OCHS: Will do.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Very good, and I do very much
appreciate it. I think it's your -- actually, your best effort to date.
MR. OCHS: Thank you.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: I would like to echo a couple
things that Commissioner Hiller said and that you pointed out a
number of times in your introductory remarks, and that is our heavy
reliance on property taxes and sales taxes as our revenue in the county
and the challenges that that does present.
I would make a suggestion to you that under property taxes we
make an effort to categorize them a little bit, and I'll tell you why. I
believe that property tax element, which is 72 percent of our revenue,
according to Page 18 -- I just did a quick little punch on the calculator
here.
And between property taxes and sales taxes, they account for
over 90 percent of our revenue. But the telling thing on property taxes
also -- and it's going to relate directly to our effort on economic
development -- is the percentage of those property taxes that are
residential.
And the reason that's important is we all know that for every
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June 26, 2014
dollar our residents pay in taxes, they expect a dollar and a quarter of
services, or thereabouts; more than a dollar, at any rate.
So I believe for our discussion and planning going forward and
for our economic development and focus, it needs to be clearly
understood that residential property taxes are an area of great concern.
MR. OCHS: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Okay.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Just to clarify from what I understand
Commissioner Fiala wants is the revenue coming in and the revenue
going to the Constitutional Officers, a pie chart on that, because right
now you have it broken down between two sources.
MR. OCHS: Right.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Commissioner Coyle?
COMMISSIONER COYLE: And that was the clarification I was
going to make. This is a chart that we created seven or eight years
ago, and I've never been able to get it right. And that's the thing that's
always been missing; we never really tell people where the money is
going.
The description "County General Fund Constitutionals, 14.5
percent" leads most people to think the Board of County
Commissioners disperses that money also, and they do not.
So when you get right down to it, the Board of County
Commissioners controls about 13.7 percent of the entire -- well, in this
case, the unincorporated area residential tax bill.
If you want to reduce your taxes, you've got a lot of other people
you need to talk to that we don't have any control over. And the last
time I counted, there were 17 independent governmental organizations
in Collier County, many of whom have their own independent taxing
authority. It doesn't come to us. We don't spend it all. We don't -- we
only spend 13.7 percent of it, but that isn't made clear here.
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June 26, 2014
Now, the other thing is that most citizens don't understand what a
county MSTU is. I would suggest we footnote this with some
explanations. Even SFWMD/BCBB will be confusing to many people.
So we understand this --
MR. OCHS: Right.
COMMISSIONER COYLE: -- okay, and the staff understands
it, but it is a good educational tool for our residents and taxpayers.
And I think we should take a few steps to make it a bit clearer for
them so they understand who is spending their taxes and how much.
MR. OCHS: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER COYLE: Okay.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Commissioner Hiller?
COMMISSIONER HILLER: I agree with Commissioner Coyle;
that was the same feeling that I had about this chart.
I think the very important point that should be footnoted is that
we do not have control over the spending with respect to the majority
of the -- of this pie chart.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: That's my request.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: And that should be -- that should
be the first line, because people do think, for example, that we have
some way to influence the fire districts. We don't.
MR. OCHS: Right.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: We have no way to influence the
school board. You know, the MSTUs, these are projects that
constituents have voted upon themselves, not what we imposed on
them. And, obviously, the constitutionals are independent. So that all
should be explained in a paragraph as the -- as opening remarks to this
pie chart.
You know, clearly, all the labels should be spelled out; you
know, the acronyms should be spelled out. And any -- you know, the
total dollar amount should be disclosed, and there should be more
detail as to the constitutional versus our General Fund expense.
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June 26, 2014
MR. OCHS: We'll do that, Commissioner. Thank you.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Absolutely. And then, ultimately,
this will be probably the most telling chart for informational purposes
for the benefit of the public.
MR. OCHS: Yep.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Okay. Do you want to start with the
courts?
MR. OCHS: Yes, sir. I'll turn this over to Mr. Isackson now to
run the presentation.
COURTS AND RELATED AGENCIES (STATE ATTORNEY AND
PUBLIC DEFENDER) — PRESENTED
MR. ISACKSON: Thank you, County Manager.
First up, I'd like to invite the representatives from the court's
operations, please.
Chuck, if you want to introduce your --
MR. RICE: Sure.
MR. ISACKSON: Commissioners, just a couple of notes.
Over the past several years, the court operations, which are
funded heavily by a $65 fee, that fee has not recovered as the
economy has increased -- it's starting to recover, though. But they've
done a yeoman's job in working with the -- our office, and specifically
Sherry Pryor, to control their spending, to take some of the
suggestions that our office has provided in terms of their budget
presentation. So I'd like to -- just to commend them on what they've
been doing so far. It's been exemplary.
Chuck, go ahead.
MR. RICE: Thank you, Mark.
Good morning, Chairman, Commissioners. My name's Chuck
Rice, for the record. I'm the court administrator here in Collier
County.
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June 26, 2014
To my left we have our administrative judge, Christine Greider.
JUDGE GREIDER: Good morning.
MR. RICE: To my right we have our public defender, Kathleen
Smith.
MS. SMITH: Hi.
MR. RICE: And to her right is Ray Rhodes, the executive
director for the State Attorney's Office.
We're here today to submit our budget. We're happy to say,
collectively, we're submitting and requesting 4.9, right around $4.9
million, which will impact the transfer from the General Fund just
below 1.8 million. We have exceeded budget compliance in the
amount of$7,400.
Our increase from the General Fund from last year only went up
$71,000, as I believe Leo's one slide showed.
With being cognizant of the -- you know, the areas we've been in
and everything, the courts have really been doing some exciting things
over there.
And I'd like to invite you all over anytime you'd like to see what
we're doing. But, for example, July 1st, our administrative judge,
Judge Greider, is getting ready to kick off a true unified family court.
The first one in the State of Florida.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Good job.
MR. RICE: What that means is basically one family, one judge.
You have one family with a divorce case, you have one with a
juvenile delinquency case or dependency case. The same judge is
going to hear all those cases, so they're familiar with the family.
First one in the state, so she should be commended on that.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Absolutely.
MR. RICE: We also, at Judge Greider's direction, have
implemented a self-help center in the courthouse for the pro se
litigants to be able to help themselves to file their paperwork and
everything.
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June 26, 2014
Our judges have had one of the number one success rates in
dealing with foreclosures and the foreclosure backlogs over the last
year or two. Collier County's probably been number one in the state in
disposing of those cases. And that goes with a lot of hard work from
our judges and our staff over there.
Our probation department -- you know, we feel we have one of
the leading probation departments in the state also. We have a
progressive working relationship with our Sheriffs Department.
We're one of two probation departments that actually -- county
probation departments that go out with the Sheriffs Department and
visit people at their homes.
The courts have some unique special courts, special-needs courts
that serves the citizens of Collier County. Teen court; I believe some
of you are aware of that. Our drug court; I believe some of you
commissioners have been over there for graduation of drug court. We
have veterans court and also a mental-health court. So it's really a
nice service to the people of this community.
We're also looking at -- you know, that building over there, our
courthouse is now almost 25 years old, I believe. Unfortunately, I
remember moving into that. But we have an aging building over there
that we have to do some upgrades in.
I'm working with facilities on a three-phase project. The first
phase we're submitting a capital budget today for roughly $2.9
million. That's to upgrade the elevators and a lot of things to update
that building.
So with that being said, we'll take any comments or answer any
questions.
Yes, ma'am.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Yeah. Congratulations, Judge
Greider. I think that's absolutely fantastic. I've been screaming about
that forever, I'm so glad that you're implementing that family-court
program. It's absolutely essential, and I hope it come -- I hope it
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June 26, 2014
becomes a model for the state.
With respect to the pro se program, I also think that's outstanding.
And it goes back to what you said about the foreclosures and how
expeditiously our judges have been dealing with that. But I do have a
concern about pro se foreclosure parties. And I want to make sure --
because these are people, who clearly, don't have money, and it is very
difficult for those type of, you know, individuals in a foreclosure suit
to pay for legal fees.
So to the extent that you could focus the pro se information to
assist foreclosure --
MR. RICE: Sure.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: -- cases, I would be very grateful.
I also have a concern that you've reduced the budget for teen
court. I think teen court is an -- a very important program.
JUDGE GREIDER: It is my most successful diversion program
COMMISSIONER HILLER: It is phenomenal.
JUDGE GREIDER: -- in juvenile delinquency.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: And why are you reducing the
budget?
JUDGE GREIDER: It's staffed by volunteers. We have
volunteers from the community; parents, attorneys --
COMMISSIONER HILLER: I understand.
JUDGE GREIDER: -- teachers.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: And I think it's wonderful, but you
know, it's not a very large budget to begin with. I mean, is it wise to --
I mean, we're not talking about a large dollar amount. The budget is --
I think it was 17,000, and you're reducing it to about 11,9-.
I mean, we're not talking about a large sum of money. But that --
you know, even though it's about $5,000, that could make a significant
difference to some of the administrative costs associated with that
program. And I would hate to be penny wise and pound foolish as it
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June 26, 2014
relates to a program that is so important.
So I personally don't think it's a good idea for you to reduce that
budget. I think it's better that you leave that budget as-is. And if it
turns out you don't need to spend that money, that's great; you've got a
savings there.
But I'm not sure that -- notwithstanding that, you know, you have
a great volunteer program, you should be cutting it in an area as
important as that.
MR. RICE: Commissioner, if I may?
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Yeah.
MR. RICE: I'm a little confused. I believe our annual budget for
teen court this year, requesting, is 84,000, which includes the personal
services.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: I'm looking at -- then what am I
looking at? I was looking -- oh, I'm looking to the transfer. Oh, I'm
sorry. Okay, I'm sorry. I was looking, actually, at the wrong
schedule. I was concerned about that.
MR. RICE: And just so you know, Commissioner --
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Okay --
MR. RICE: -- that's funded --
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Where are you?
MR. RICE: I'm on Page 5 --
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Okay. I see it.
MR. RICE: Page 5. That's funded out of$65 fund (sic) too, out
of 25 percent of that, and we do have some shortfalls that we made a
transfer this year in the amount of 11,900 -- is the transfer from court
admin to help with that program.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: So that's what I was looking at.
The reduction in the transfer is what I was looking at. I'm just saying,
if you can leave it the same --
MR. RICE: We intend to, yes, ma'am.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: -- because I really feel strongly,
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June 26, 2014
whatever you're transferring -- and I apologize. You're absolutely
right. I am looking at the wrong page. Leave it the same. Don't cut.
And that's -- sorry. You know, forgive me. But -- and then don't
spend it if you don't have to. I mean, as a corollary statement.
And then the last thing is, you made an offer to tour facilities --
MR. RICE: Yes, ma'am.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: -- and to view these programs as
well as, you know, the condition of, you know, what you've got in the
way of buildings and offices and equipment. I'd like to see it. So I'd
like to have that tour.
MR. RICE: We'll reach out to you.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Thank you.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Make that two.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: All right, two.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: And I loved watching you in teen
court. That was just so wonderful. And these kids are great, aren't
they? I'm amazed --
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Phenomenal.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: -- at what they come up with. It's --
and that -- no wonder it's a sensible program.
JUDGE GREIDER: We have lawyers who are Florida Bar
lawyers now who had their first start in a courtroom as a volunteer in
teen court --
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Phenomenal.
JUDGE GREIDER: -- and lawyers who were actually, you
know, charged with a crime who really turned it around as a result of
teen court. So that peer-on-peer interaction in a juvenile delinquency
case is sometimes far more valuable than them hearing me point my --
you know, watching me point my finger and tell them not to do it
again.
And it's been a great opportunity for students in the school
system to do their community service hours.
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June 26, 2014
So you have good kids interacting with kids who may have
gotten -- gone astray, and it's resulted in some -- a really good
program.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: And the other thing is drug court,
which is phenomenal. And Judge Martin has done an outstanding job
with that, and we have to commend her --
JUDGE GREIDER: Yes.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: -- for what she has done to
rehabilitate so many. And my daughter's going to volunteer.
JUDGE GREIDER: Excellent.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Okay. I have a question, actually, for
the Public Defender's Office.
Would you please provide me the information as follows: For
the last five years, your individual county's budget allocation versus
cases within those individual counties. I don't need that today. You
can just get it to my office before the adoption of the budget.
MS. SMITH: So you want each one of our five counties?
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Correct.
MS. SMITH: Okay. Understood?
Okay. Yes, sir. We can get that to you.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Thank you. Any further questions?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Thank you. Good to see you, Judge.
MR. RICE: Thank you.
JUDGE GREIDER: Have a good day.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: So you will modify that to adjust
that transfer back to increase the transfer to teen court?
MR. RICE: We're going to leave the transfer. But the overall
budget's going to be 84,000, which is an increase from last year. The
transfer will have to remain the same to meet that $84,000 budget.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Okay. But I thought you were
transferring less than you transferred last year.
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June 26, 2014
MR. RICE: From the year before, yes.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: So why not just --
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Carry forward.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Just transfer the same amount.
MR. RICE: We can do that. Be happy --
COMMISSIONER HILLER: I'd like that.
MR. RICE: Okay. Yes, ma'am.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: And like I said, if they don't spend
that, that's fine. But let's leave the allocation the same.
COMMISSIONER COYLE: Doesn't that require board
approval?
MR. RICE: Yes, ma'am.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Yeah, yeah. You need a majority of
the board. And I'd tell that to all the administrators; if you get
direction from one commissioner, you've got to have the majority.
Okay? Have a nice day.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: I don't know why. Just kidding.
It's so much easier.
MS. SMITH: Thank you.
MR. ISACKSON: Commissioners, next your --
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Christmas is in December. It's not in
June. Okay.
Go ahead.
GROWTH MANAGEMENT — PRESENTED
MR. ISACKSON: Commissioner, your growth management
staff and Nick's team.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Good morning, Mr. Chairman, board
members.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Good morning.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: I'll introduce our team. I think you
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June 26, 2014
know some of them. Jamie French and Ken Kovensky on the
planning and regulations side, and Gene Shue and Allison Kearns on
the construction and maintenance side.
Our system is set up where both departments or sections are run
by an operations manager and a finance person. We centralize
everything that way, and it's been pretty successful for us.
First of all, I'd like to thank the County Manager. He's not there.
But thank him anyway --
COMMISSIONER FIALA: He can hear you, though. He's back
there.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: -- with the leadership and guidance
he's provided us. And, you know, he tasks us quite a bit throughout the
year to give us good direction on where we should be going, and the
support from the board has been outstanding. We've been in front of
you several times with regard to mid-year adjustments.
It's been another transition year for us. I say that every year we're
up here. We've added fire plans review and airports, and just last year
was natural resources and pollution control. So we're quite an
interesting division in terms of diversification.
I'm pleased to tell the board that in 113 and 131 this year that all
the debt between the funds and in the funds have been paid off, the
buildings, garages, inter-fund loans.
And, Commissioner Hiller, you brought up the 131. I'll spend a
little time on that just to address your question up front. 131 is the
land development fund. It includes all the permitting inspections
where we go horizontal before it goes to vertical in the building
department.
We're typically behind on that because the plats that get
submitted require inspections over the next two years. So we haven't
staffed up that department to the level of 113 yet as that goes into
inspection mode.
Additionally, prior to when I took over in 2010 with Jamie, a lot
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June 26, 2014
of the 131 employees were moved to 111, which -- we're going to look
at that as well, too, several of them.
But I think as we go forward, we're going to come back with a
restructuring to take advantage of the growth in that sense, but also
look at the fee schedule again.
So we plan to do the same thing with 131 that we did with 113.
We've reduced the fees twice in 113, partially in 131. We'll do it
again in 131, and we'll be in front of the board to right-size that
department as well, too.
But you think of all the plats that have come in recently; those
don't go into inspection mode until they go into construction. So that
inspection department is going to grow in response to all those plats
that have been submitted.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: But there's a very large -- what
seemed -- I mean, if I'm reading that schedule correctly -- and it wasn't
100 percent clear, but it looked like there was much more in reserves
than what we are setting as a policy. So -- but I mean, by a lot. I think
it was, like, 2 million.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: It's your forecast in 2015 based on the
plats we've received. So my guess is if you're just looking at this right
now, you're probably going to see a fee cut in the neighborhood of 10,
15 percent, but you're going to see, also, an employment growth in
that fund in 131 going into '15. So it's forecast.
So we'll make it at nine month of reserve. The budget guidance
was six, but that fund is elongated in terms of what it puts out. Plats
don't come in -- they usually get finished out over a period of nine to
12 months.
So I think, based on board guidance and the County Manager's
guidance, you'll see us come back into 131 .
COMMISSIONER HILLER: So, I mean, shouldn't you really
actually be reversing that out of reserves and put that in, you know, a
line item for additional hires? I mean, if that's what you're saying is,
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June 26, 2014
you know, where those funds are going to go.
And then wouldn't you want to project that rate decrease to, you
know, net that number down to where it should be to balance it all out
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Well -- and we will.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: -- I mean, for budgetary purposes.
But this doesn't reflect the -- what you're saying. Your budget right
now doesn't reflect what you're saying.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Well -- and the reason why, ma'am, is
because we're forecasting quite a bit more plats that haven't come in.
Remember, it's your FY 15 budget.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Right.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Your FY14 was within that guidance.
So when we come back -- and probably within the next six
months -- with a restructured portion of the 131 in front of Leo --
because he's going to want to see that first, the County Manager --
we'll probably come back with a fee reduction and staff adjustment to
recognize that increase in plat.
I'll give you some of the projects I know that are coming. We've
been approached by the Collier Enterprises with Big Cypress. That
will be a 13,000/$3 million (sic) application -- 3 million square foot
application coming in. So we're going to have to be prepared to
handle that as that comes in.
So expect us to look at 131 going into the next six to nine months
and doing the same thing we did with 113, which is a mid-year
adjustment, probably to reduce the fees and adjust the workforce that
does that.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Well, it would seem to me either
reduce the reserves now and then come back with the adjustment to
the budget that you're proposing, or reduce the reserves now and
change the budget now for what you're proposing. But to leave that
reserve as you're showing it doesn't make --
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June 26, 2014
MR. CASALANGUIDA: It's a forecast reserve, so there's no
reserve I would be reducing.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: So what you're saying is that
you're --
MR. CASALANGUIDA: It's not there yet.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: It's not a cash reserve --
MR. CASALANGUIDA: That's right.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: -- is what you're saying?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: It's a forecast reserve. And there'll be
an adjustment to match that reserve to the fee schedule.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: I understand what you're saying.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: In other words, if you were looking at
FY 14 and forecasting FY 15 and saw that line crossing '14, I'd be a lot
more concerned at a forecast crossing than what we're showing right
now.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Well --
MR. ISACKSON: Commissioner, when Nick comes back and --
as he says, he wants to realign his expenses. If you look at between
'07 and now, he's on par in terms of permitting with what he was doing
back in '07.
When he comes back and right-sizes his expenditure side of the
house, that's automatically going to decrease his reserves. So when
that plan is put forward, you're going to see a revised chart that will
significantly realign based on what's going on right now. So, I mean,
that probably the easiest way to explain it.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: And I'm saying, since you have
that information now, shouldn't your budget reflect that now?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Well, no, ma'am, because I've -- the
County Manager and I have discussed a restructuring that I'm going to
bring forward to him to review first and, after his approval, bring to
the board.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: But that's what we're doing with
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June 26, 2014
everything. I mean, everything that we have in this budget is going to
come to the board for approval whether it's a restructuring or an
expenditure.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: It will come to you eventually. It's not
in this budget right now. With what we've done in this budget, it was
pretty much focused on 113, the airports, and the fire; 131 is
something we're doing next.
To give you an example, the industry has been very responsive in
terms of what we've asked them to do. They've participated with us.
They're asking for a 50 percent reduction in time in 131 plan reviews.
So we've met with the DSAC and CBIA and said, in order to do
that, I'm going to have to have X amount of people to do that. And
they said, not a problem. We're not asking for a fee cut. We're asking
for a better service review.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Of course.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: So to do that, we're putting in a
production team. That's going to include five more 131 reviewers.
That right there alone, if you look at a fully burdened employee,
roughly 80,000 or 70,000, that will take you to 350-, 400,000.
On the inspection side of the house, with all the plats that come
in, you'll probably see four or five more inspectors. When you take
this increase to the 131 fund, your ratio changes too, because now at
nine months' worth of operating, your operating just increased. So
that line is going to balance itself out.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: And none of that is negative. All
of that's positive.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Right.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: And that's not the issue. The issue
is is reflecting what you're saying in this budget, because just like
you're projecting, you know, adding so many more people in your
other departments, what you're saying is you're going to do the same
over here, as you've just described.
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June 26, 2014
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Yes, ma'am.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: So why not reflect it the same way
that you're reflecting the additions elsewhere?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: The changes have not been approved
by the County Manager yet, ma'am, and that's -- I think that's --
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Well, I think they need to be
because you're saying that you know that's going to happen. So it has
to be incorporated in the budget. I mean, we have to anticipate it.
MR. OCHS: No, Commissioner. You --
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Wait a minute. This is the County
Manager's recommended budget. He hasn't approved certain things. I
mean, you know, that's -- I mean, that's why we have --
COMMISSIONER HILLER: But this is a material difference.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: That's why we have budget
amendments every year, which I don't like, but, however, there's
unforeseen circumstances. And, you know, the administrator needs to
act upon request of the administrators.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Absolutely. Well, you hit on the
operative word "unforeseen circumstances." And what we have here
is what is foreseeable, and that is, you know, the basis for developing
a budget.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: How important is this? The point that
you're trying to make, how important is it?
COMMISSIONER HILLER: It's important that we know how
many more people we're going to hire and whether these reserves that
they have budgeted are really reserves or really -- that really should be
budgeted expenditures. I mean, that's the whole heart and soul of the
budgeting process.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Just to give you some color, ma'am.
When we did this --
COMMISSIONER HILLER: You can't, like, just lop things into
a reserve account when you know you're going to have these
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June 26, 2014
expenditures coming forward. They should be reflected as part of the
budget. And if there's an anticipated revenue decrease, then that
should be reflected as well.
You just can't hold things in reserve when you already have this
kind of information. I mean, that's what planning is all about.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: When are you going to have the new
employees come on board you're anticipating?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: We're going to present a plan to the
County Manager over the next two months, over the summer. If he
approves that, we'll bring that to the board as part of the restructuring
and --
MR. OCHS: Commissioners -- I'm sorry, Nick.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: No, that's all right.
MR. OCHS: Conceivably we could have this in front of you at
your initial meeting -- board meeting in September.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: That would be great.
MR. OCHS: That would be the target, and then perhaps, if you
approve that, we can incorporate that into your final adopted budget --
COMMISSIONER HILLER: That would be great.
MR. OCHS: -- in your final budget adoption hearing in late
September.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: That's very reasonable.
MR. OCHS: And that notwithstanding, as the chairman
mentioned -- remember, the budget is a planning document.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Always.
MR. OCHS: It is fluid. You amend the budget routinely during
the year for all proper reasons. We can certainly do that here. We've
done it in the middle of this year in the permitting side of the
operations. And particularly when you have an enterprise fund like
this that funds its own costs through revenues of chargebacks for
services, it's fairly easy to do that at any time.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: And of course it is. And there's no
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June 26, 2014
question the amendment process is what allows us to be responsive
and flexible.
So I do appreciate you bringing it back, and thank you for
incorporating what you're telling me you know is going to happen,
because I -- we need to know that for decision-making purposes, and
the community should know that you've been responsive.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Sure. Very good.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Commissioner Nance?
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Well, yes. The budget has to be --
has to be created for what's been approved, and that's what we're
talking about here. We're talking about anticipating that something's
going to happen, and I think that's the best way to do it. I don't know
that you can -- you can go in and create a budget for full-time
equivalents that haven't been approved by the board yet.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: No, no.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: That haven't been approved by the
County Manager --
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Right.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: -- no, no. That's not how it works.
We approve the expenditure when they bring it to us.
The budget is the planning document that the County Manager
brings to us, and that becomes the basis for their action plan that they
then bring to us when they're ready to make the expenditure pursuant
to that budget. So they've got to get it in the budget.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Well, I don't see how else they can
anticipate it.
MR. OCHS: No. Sir, I haven't reviewed his proposal, so I,
obviously, can't bring that forward to you at this point.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: No, I'm comfortable.
MR. OCHS: Even though we, obviously, have a concept and
plan of attack on this, we're not ready to bring it forward just now.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Right. But, I mean, this has to
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June 26, 2014
reflect what is today.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: No. It has to reflect what is
intended to be over the course of the next year.
MR. OCHS: That's correct.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: I know.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Nick?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: All right. Very good.
MR. OCHS: You're doing good, Nick. Keep going.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Nick, excellent.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Very good, sir.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Excellent.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: All right.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: I mean, two thumbs up. I didn't
mean to do this. I meant like that.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Let's go ahead and continue.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Thank you, ma'am. I'll keep this brief.
On the capital side we've got some major projects outlined in the
book. We gave you folks a copy of the book that shows the FY 15
capital budget as well as a five-year vision, because it's tied to that.
So just to highlight a couple of the bigger projects, and then we'll get
into some of the risk concerns and some positive surprises as well, too.
Collier Boulevard, Golden Gate to Green and Golden Gate
Boulevard, Wilson to 16th will be done in FY14/15, put on the street.
Beaches are going into our annual maintenance at roughly $2.5
million a year, and our LASIP program will wrap up in 2015 with the
positive note that we might go to 2016 if we're successful with a grant
that ties to 2016. And I'm pretty optimistic that we'll get that.
Golden Gate City outfalls are going into production in earnest in
2015 at approximately 1 million a year. You've approved the
selection committee, so I'm happy about that. We'll get that
production moving.
Two items that aren't in your budget because they can't be
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June 26, 2014
booked yet because they haven't been brought to you in front of the
board in terms of contracts: A $1.25 million BCB grant this year that
we received, and a $3.8 million TRIP grant that we worked with
Commissioner Henning on -- talked to Secretary Hattaway -- they'll be
working on this year as well, too. So those are two positive upside
surprises.
On the negative side, costs are escalating about 10 to 20 percent
right now on everything we're putting on the street. You're seeing that
as bids come in front of you.
Our impact fees are not accurately reflecting that adjustment.
County Manager has directed that we come back with the impact fee
office in the fall with those updates. We will do so.
Stormwater funding, as you've all pointed out, is 60 percent off
historical numbers. That is an issue. That is probably the only area,
as the County Manager pointed out, where we have the biggest
amount of risk.
And your question, Commissioner Nance, on roads and bridges,
your five-year plan for roads and bridges are funded fully if we
continue at the same rate we're doing FY15. The area I'm not fully
funded is stormwater. And part of the problem we see, and in other
communities, too, is the public utilities water/sewer projects. We
want to be able to augment those projects.
So he's going into Naples Park, in your district, Commissioner.
I'm not funded to follow him while he's replacing water lines and
repair the drainage at the same time. Those are the things we have to
work out in terms of the stormwater issues we have and maintain
Golden Gate City outfall replacements and finish LASIP in 2015/16
and get to Golden Gate Estates as well, too.
To answer your question, Commissioner Fiala, lights are fully
funded in this year's budget, so they will not be shut off, as done in the
past prior years.
That covers kind of the highlight of the budgets, and if you have
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June 26, 2014
specific questions in the area --
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Yeah. Nick, the only reason I said
what I said was because I was looking at your bridges, you know, and
I know you're -- I know there's a backlog, because we've got so many
of those where you're commenting that replacements are going to need
to be made on a worst-to-first basis. So that let's me know that -- the
environment in which we're working.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: I'm in good shape in bridges. We
were aggressive as we transferred out of the road program. What I'll
tell you is, historically, our General Fund allocation to roads was in
the 20 million range. It's down into the teen range right now. Most of
that is matching that debt service in gas tax that's equal to that.
So at some point in time, as these bigger projects come on -- and
it's probably not the place to get into it now. It will be the AUIR and
CIE. We're preparing for a good presentation there.
We are going into hyper-growth mode in three critical areas of
the county; Rattlesnake Hammock area off 41, 41/951, 951 corridor,
and Immokalee at Collier Boulevard. So we'll discuss that at the
AUIR/CIE, but that's where there's also a General Fund impact that
we'll feel going forward.
With that said, we'll answer any specific questions you have.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: I don't see any, but before we break,
Commissioners, I want to inform you and the public that the National
Association of Counties has awarded the permitting department a
2014 Achievement award titled "Building Permitting Review
Standards Managing Expectations."
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Wow.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Great.
(Applause.)
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Good for you.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: That's awesome.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Yeah. And I know that -- well, I
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June 26, 2014
think we all know -- I think the public should know that that division
is working hand in hand with the industry to provide the best product
that they can.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Yep.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: And I think -- I can tell you, Jamie,
from my experience, the comments that I've gotten from constituents
is, you know, of all the county departments is -- the planning and
permitting has really improved, so --
MR. FRENCH: Still working on it, sir. Thank you for the
recognition, though. It's a great team.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Without a doubt. And from the
standpoint of economic development, being as business friendly as
you are and expeditious and helpful as you are, is outstanding.
I think it is going to be one of our biggest selling points to draw
new businesses into the county, that we get it done faster, better, and
cheaper than anybody else in the country.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Commissioner Fiala?
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Yes. I wanted to just ask, we don't
have to delay any growth or new businesses coming in to wait `til new
commissioners come on board, do we?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: No. No, ma'am.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Okay. I thought, oh, my goodness,
that would kind of delay the whole process of economic development.
Good. Okay. I just wanted to know that.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: And a couple key things. We're going
to work with -- I mentioned to the County Manager, we're going to
reach out to the City of Naples and the City of Marco and see if they
want to augment their permitting software with ours, match ours.
CBIA wrote a letter to do that, and that would be a great benefit to the
customer.
I'm also going to offer the City of Naples our traffic management
center, so they don't --
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June 26, 2014
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Say that again.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Offer the City of Naples the use of our
traffic management center.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: That's a good idea.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Yeah. So those are good things that
will come up.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: So expand our traffic management
into the City of Naples.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Right now they have about 40 camera
traffic signals. We have over 200. They're trying to stage up a traffic
ops center. We have a terrific traffic ops center, and all the technology
that we have, we want to work with them and see if they want to move
in and share a couple spots and use the same technology that we have
and run it out of one location.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: And share some of the cost?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Share some of the cost.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Absolutely. I think that's great,
and you should offer it to Marco and Everglades as well. Any and all
communities that want to participate should have the opportunity. And
we should do that across the board with any of our systems where, if
they don't have a system and if they're willing to cost share and if we
can, you know, basically spread the cost of that fixed overhead to
benefit the cities, you know, within the county, it makes perfect sense
to do so. There's no reason to duplicate that overhead cost.
COMMISSIONER COYLE: The only thing you have to guard
against is to make sure that all the traffic lights coming into the city
are not permanently set on red.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Actually, I left the house a little
late today, and the only reason I was able to get to the meeting on time
was I took Gail's car, and they didn't -- the traffic operations didn't
recognize my truck, so they couldn't stop me.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Good one.
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June 26, 2014
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Nick, adjust the budget --
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Okay. We're going to take a --
COMMISSIONER HILLER: -- to fix that, one dedicated staff
member to watch strictly for Commissioner Nance's truck.
MR. CASALANGUIDA: Very good, ma'am.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: We're going to take a 10-minute
break.
(A brief recess was had.)
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Okay, Leo.
MR. OCHS: You have a live mic, Mr. Chairman.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Back in session on our budget
workshop.
Phil Brougham wanted to address the board on issues related to
growth management.
Phil, would you please step up to the mic.
MR. BROUGHAM: Good morning, and thanks for the time.
To a large extent I feel like I'm singing to the choir after seeing
the budget preparation this morning and the discussion that has
occurred, but I would like to make a few comments primarily in
support of the direction I see the board taking with funding
infrastructure replacement and new capital investment.
So with your indulgence, just about two or three minutes, and I'll
read it since I prepared it in advance.
To paraphrase Commissioner Nance at the June 10th meeting
when discussing a processed rate increase for water and sewer service,
we must begin to direct increased funding of our aging infrastructure.
I totally agree and would suggest that the Board of County
Commissioners direct staff to develop recommendations as to how
best to fund infrastructure replacement for all assets, emphasis "all,"
and agencies, whether funded by impact fees, fees for service, the
General Fund, or a combination. Today's budget appears to take a big
step in that direction.
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June 26, 2014
The county has invested billions of dollars over many decades in
building parks, bridges, roadways, waters and sewer facilities and
stormwater drainage facilities. That's of particular concern to mine.
If you look at the presentation of the budget today, the backlog of
infrastructure replacement in the area of stormwater is scary. My
word, scary. There is a big, huge backlog, and that's going to come to
bite us, particularly, as you see more and more development
occurring, that water has someplace to go --
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Yeah.
MR. BROUGHAM: -- or no place, so it's going to go in people's
yards, and you're going to hear about it.
The AUIR process has been in place for many years, and its
primary focus is to measure whether the county is meeting levels of
service for certain categories of public facilities. This process is
forward looking over a period of five years, forecasting whether we
must invest in increased capacity.
For example, we do -- do we need more parks, more acres of
parks, or more wells or piping or more lanes of roadways? The major
flaw in the AUIR process, in my opinion, is that it does not adequately
measure the condition of the assets that were constructed many years
ago and which do not adequately service the needs of the public.
There are some notable exceptions, namely our road network and
more recently, in water and sewer where infrastructure is rated as to
condition when they may be in failure mode and that just came to
light.
I'll be done in a minute.
The new enterprise asset management system, which is currently
being designed for implementation and public utilities, will be a major
step forward in gathering factual data concerning aging infrastructure
and developing business cases for consideration by the BCC as to
whether to invest capital in replacement or risk a predictable failure.
I would urge you to continue to fund this initiative and, most
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June 26, 2014
importantly, to be involved in a discussion and decisions regarding the
infrastructure replacement.
One final note on the AUIR process. The DCA is not really
involved in that anymore and doesn't impose severe restrictions on
what you can and can't do. I would suggest that you evaluate moving
the timing of that process to in advance of the budget prep. Right now
it lags it, and it would -- if you can marry that with the asset
management system in the future and dovetail into the AUIR process,
move that ahead of the budget process, then, to me, you have a
seamless flow.
Thank you.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Thank you. Phil, just a few words.
Lely -- or LASIP is going to wind up pretty soon, and it's going
to have -- we invested a whole bunch of money into that. Other areas
have suffered because of that; however, LASIP is a drainage system
that drains a lot of the county.
MR. BROUGHAM: Hundreds of acres.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Hundreds of acres, yes. So that's one
thing. And I know Mike Bosi is already giving warnings to the
commissioners that growth is here and you have to start looking at
new facilities, and it is coming.
So County Manager is well aware and has prepared the board
over the last two-and-a-half years about the maintenance issue of our
aging infrastructure.
MR. BROUGHAM: I can see it all starting to come together.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Yeah. And we've had workshops
on it where we have worked, you know, very diligently towards
developing a system to identify the aging of the infrastructure so we
could prioritize our funding to address those concerns as they arise.
MR. BROUGHAM: I think the asset management system, as
I've been involved in it, is going to give you tremendous amount of
factual data to make those business decisions. And as long as those
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June 26, 2014
business decisions are elevated to you folks and you're involved in it,
that's perfect.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Yeah. And thank you for your
participation. I remember when you first volunteered to get involved
because of your background, and it has made a difference. And you
can see Leo nodding his head in agreement that you've been a
tremendous asset to the process.
MR. BROUGHAM: I'll do what I can. Thank you.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: And my last comment, it wasn't too
long ago when the infrastructure that we had was at overflow capacity,
and I don't think we're going to forget that.
We have a great administration under Leo that's going to stay on
that. So your point was well taken, and we will implement.
MR. BROUGHAM: I will be a fly on your wall.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Okay.
MR. BROUGHAM: All right.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Thank you.
Steve, Mr. Cornell?
PUBLIC SERVICES — PRESENTED
MR. CARNELL: Good morning, Mr. Chairman, members of the
board. Welcome to dinner at the Waltons.
We are bringing -- happy to bring to you this morning our budget
presentation for the public services division for FY 15. And in round
numbers, we're proposing a budget of$98.9 million in operating
expenditures.
And we tried to focus very intensely on meeting objectives of the
board that were laid out in budget policy beginning with -- certainly
with expenditures for replacing vehicles and equipment. We've got
approximately $557,000 appropriated for that across our departments.
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June 26, 2014
We are also looking to spend better than $1.8 million in
infrastructure and repairs and upgrade to existing facilities.
And then we have a number of capital projects that are funded in
the coming year, including pickle-ball courts for two of our parks and
trying to catch the wave of that sport, which is growing with a great
deal of interest.
And then also our Big Corkscrew Regional -- Island Regional
Park, we've got funding in excess of$7 million towards that park,
which is approximating half the cost of the park. And we're going to
be looking at, in the coming year, phasing that project in so we can get
some services to the community out there sooner rather than later.
We're also looking -- we have money set aside to begin funds for
a pool at the Fiala Community Center adjunct to it at Eagle Lakes
Community Park, and we'll be looking at designing that pool in the
coming year.
Additionally, our museum budget includes two new exhibits, one
for the modern Marco exhibit to commemorate the 50th anniversary of
the development of Marco Island, and we'll also be adding some new
exhibits at the Immokalee Pioneer Museum.
As always, we're looking to fund and find money to buy library
books, new and replacement books. And we're playing a little bit of
catch-up there, but we're making some headway with that.
Additionally, we have three new facilities coming online. The
community center, the Fiala Community Center at Eagle Lakes; the
Gordon River Greenway, and the Immokalee Zocalo. All three of
those require some expenditures -- new expenditures in the new year.
And we're going to be revisiting -- we've taken a long hard look
at services provided in the past that our customers have indicated
interest in, and we've focused on one in particular in this budget,
which is going to be the restoration of operating hours at three of the
library branches, Vanderbilt Beach, East Naples, and Golden Gate
Estates, to try to restore Friday hours to all three of those locations
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June 26, 2014
during the school year.
We're also trying to better serve our citizens through some
additional resourcing in areas we have -- really feel like demand is
outstripping our resource at the moment. We're proposing to add a
veteran's service officer to our Veterans Department and also a shelter
technician for our Immokalee DAS shelter so that we can expand
hours and promote licensing and registration at that location.
And then we have a new fixed route, bus route coming online
along Collier Boulevard that we're actually going to be bringing -- the
board approved the grant application a year ago, and we're going to be
bringing the grant award to the board in July.
We're also working on continuous improvement initiatives. I
think the board will remember back in December that we out-sourced
the concessions at the North County Regional Park, and this budget
reflects the first full year of that change.
And then the library system is bringing a contract to the board
shortly to implement the use of radio frequency identification
technology to attach to all of our checkout inventory that will not only
improve our asset tracking of the books but will pave the way for self
checkout at several of our locations over time.
So with that, I wanted to give you -- that's kind of the big picture.
I wanted to introduce, for those of you who don't know Stephanie
Vick, she is serving as interim director of the Collier County Health
Department. Stephanie -- we've very fortunate to have Stephanie.
She's been with the health department for 23 years, served primarily as
the director of nursing, and she's filling the interim role while we
await on a decision from the surgeon general on the hiring of a new
director. So we appreciate that.
And I think many of you know Darcy Andrade. She became our
Domestic Animal Services director back in January. The rest of these
folks you've seen around here or on the wall of the post office and
probably don't need any further introduction, but I'm happy to answer
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any questions you may have.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Commissioner Hiller, then
Commissioner Fiala.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: First of all, I want to commend our
head of libraries for implementing the automated check-in, checkout.
It's something that I've been advocating for forever, from even -- from
before I was elected. It was one of the issues that I had always wanted
to see advanced in the county. I had seen it done in other counties and
thought that we ought to go in that direction. I'm delighted to see
you've done it. Excellent job.
I also want to compliment you, Michelle, on the CAT
transportation system, which is improving. Yesterday I witnessed two
loaded buses, which was amazing to me, and it was right by the
Starbucks at the intersection of Pine Ridge and Goodlette-Frank where
they actually can transfer from the bus that comes from the CAT
station to the bus that goes to Clam Bay. And it was amazing to see all
these people get out of buses, you know, go from one bus to the next
bus. They were unloading bikes. They were getting on the bus.
This is truly the first time I have actually, you know, over all
these years started to see that system being used as it ought to be used.
Again, I believe it has to do everything with the appointment to that
advisory board of Mr. Foggle.
MS. ARNOLD: Exactly.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: No question.
And the other thing I wanted to raise -- and this is only a concern.
I want to make sure -- and I don't know what the adequacy of funding
for this program is, but I want to make sure that that program is not
shorted. Sugden Park has a wonderful program for handicapped
children, and I want to make sure that's not shorted. So can you assure
me that that's not, you know, in any way short-funded? Because there
has been a lot of community concern about that, and it is an
outstanding program.
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June 26, 2014
So can you tell me a little bit about how you're funding it? And,
you know, that program should not rely strictly on donations from the
community of old boats, you know. So I want to make sure that, you
know, you're where you should be on that, because the community
wants that program.
MR. CARNELL: Okay. Barry, you want to address that? He
was over there.
MR. WILLIAMS: Sorry, I moved on you.
Barry Williams, parks and recreation director.
Just to let you know -- and we appreciate your interest in that
program. That is a phenomenal program.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: It is.
MR. WILLIAMS: It is fully funded and fully supported by the
department's budget. We do rely a lot on volunteers and donations.
That's an integral part of making that program, but certainly will
continue into next fiscal year, and it's fully supported, so --
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Okay. I just want to make sure of
that, because there was concern in the community that it could be
either cut back or cut, and we want to make sure that never happens.
MR. WILLIAMS: Absolutely.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Okay. Thanks. Great program.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Commissioner Fiala, Commissioner
Nance.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Just a simple question for DAS
regarding the Immokalee branch. You were mentioning the things
that you were going to do. Are you going to try and encourage
neutering and spaying as well?
MS. ANDRADE: Well, we're going to encourage adoptions out
there, and all the animals that are adopted from the shelter will be
spayed and neutered before they leave there.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Okay, great. I'm glad to hear you're
expanding that coverage. That's great.
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June 26, 2014
MS. ANDRADE: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Commissioner Nance?
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Yes. I would like to thank the
team in public services for their work on funding for the future of Big
Corkscrew Island Park. It's very much appreciated. The people out
there, as you know, are very anxious to see that come to a reality, and
I will tell you that every one of us is working very hard to try to find
the monies that are necessary for that.
I would also like to thank you for your continued support of the
extension service in Collier County. I think it's very important, and I
think Brian has just brought a new dimension to Collier County
extension as the director out there. So thank you, Brian, for everything
you're doing. It's great to have somebody that has familiarity with
waterfront. I know Commissioner Henning has a particular interest.
And I think our industries that are on the waterfront appreciate it as
well.
I would just like to ask a couple questions. One of the questions
that I have is, Barry, on the water slide out there, I was looking at all
the detail, and I really appreciate the detail that you-all have included.
I was looking at the maintenance. I see where you're going to
spend substantial monies on the tower out there on the water slide.
What about the Fiberglass? Does everybody feel like that's in a good
place on that huge water slide?
MR. WILLIAMS: At North Collier Regional Park?
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Yes.
MR. WILLIAMS: Absolutely, and we do have a maintenance
plan on it. You do re-gelcoat those slides from time to time. We've
got eight years in on three of the slides, and approximately six years
on two of them. Probably --
COMMISSIONER NANCE: That's got to be coming up, right?
MR. WILLIAMS: Yes, sir, probably in the 10-year cycle is
when you want to do that re-gelcoat. Right now they're fine, though.
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They're doing fine.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Okay.
MR. WILLIAMS: And no issues from that.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Very well. I appreciate it.
On the libraries I notice there's an effort to expand hours. I
would -- I would encourage the library administration to examine the
eastern branches as far as the functional hours of concern, and I have a
little bit of concern. I don't know if Commissioner Henning shares my
concerns.
But the hours of operation of the library in a working community
are not really good. I note that the proposal is to expand operations
into Friday from 10 to five. Well, simply stated, you know, if students
are to use the library, they're only going to be able to use it between
about 3:30 and 5 p.m.
So I would ask you to consider whether you couldn't take those
hours, instead of expanding one day, and maybe go to a few nighttime
hours, say, on Tuesday and Thursday, because students, as my wife
will point out very vigorously, have a lot of assignments that are due
on Friday. And, you know, if they could get in the library on
Thursday night or maybe on a Tuesday night, maybe a few evening
hours in those work-class areas would be more effective than just
daytime hours.
And -- because the eastern part of the county is where most of the
people in the county that earn their living by working are. The rest of
the folks aren't working. Their schedules are much more flexible. So
I would ask you to consider that as an option to what you're proposing.
And, finally, on the Gordon -- I notice under the requests under
Mr. -- County Manager Ochs' general overview, it shows the
expanded service requests, and one of those is operational monies for
the Gordon River Greenway Park. Refresh my memory, was the
Gordon River Greenway Park property acquired through Conservation
Collier?
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June 26, 2014
MR. CARNELL: It was acquired primarily through a grant from
the Florida's Community Trusts. And there were Conservation
Collier's -- Conservation Collier was what, Barry, about a one-third
partner?
MR. WILLIAMS: Yeah. It's a 124-acre parcel, and about 40
acres is Conservation Collier, about 80 is parks and rec. So the
Florida Communities Trust paid for the parks and rec portion.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Thank you. I was just concerned
that we weren't spending -- now shifting General Fund dollars into the
responsibility that should rightly be Conservation Collier's.
MR. WILLIAMS: I understand. Just, it is a passive park with
boardwalks and such. It is easy for us to extend ourselves to manage
that portion of the 40 acres that's Conservation Collier.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Okay. All right. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Okay. I have a couple questions.
Leo --
MR. OCHS: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: -- wasn't it that your office was going
to try to wean the museums off of tourist tax monies?
MR. OCHS: Well, Commissioner, what the board approved in
the re-allocation plan for TDC funding that you dealt with in February
of 2013 was a plan that reduced TDC funding in the amount of
$200,000 to the museums each year, and then my offer there that the
board accepted was to backstop any shortfall in revenue generation of
that $200,000 with the General Fund.
So you've cut about $200,000 of funding annually to the museum
that had come out of tourist development taxes, and we have asked the
museum to raise those funds through marketing and advertising
efforts.
If they're unable to raise the full 200,000, the General Fund has a
reserve dedicated to backfill to make sure that their operating budget
remains whole. I hope I answered your question, sir.
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June 26, 2014
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Yeah, you did. That's my
recollection, too, but correct me -- I'm looking at Page 46, and it
shows a 10 percent increase from TDC funds into the museum.
MR. OCHS: Well -- go ahead.
MR. ISACKSON: Commissioner, go to Page 48; flip another
page. You get the big detail of-- you get the big detail of Fund 198.
And you can see it pretty clearly there in terms of the layout. Transfer
from the General Fund, tourist tax revenues, the various sources of
revenues that go to fund the museum operations.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Okay. I'm looking at tourist
development funds. Adopted was one point -- almost 1.5 in '014,
requested is 1 .6.
MR. ISACKSON: Yeah. Sir, that's how much your tourist tax
revenue is actually going up. That's why that --
CHAIRMAN HENNING: But -- so we're leaving that -- it's
going into the museums?
MR. ISACKSON: That's simply based on your percentage
distributions. That's all that is, sir. Even though the percentage
distributions were lowered, because of the rise in tourist tax revenue,
that's why you're seeing that increase.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Yeah. So how are we going to reduce
its dependencies on the museums if it's increasing? Do we need to
change the allocation?
MR. ISACKSON: Well, all we've said, I think, as the County
Manager pointed out, is we would provide a backfill measure, and that
backfill measure is in place if, in fact, they need it.
But you can see that the -- and Mr. Jamro would certainly know
better than I in terms of how their operations are funded. You've got
to remember there's a portion of this that also goes to capital, too, out
of 198. So -- and you can see that transfer up above, sir, to 314, which
is museum capital fund. So it's not just operations.
MR. OCHS: Commissioner, let's go back to your point. Where
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June 26, 2014
you were looking at the program funding sources on Page 48 --
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Correct.
MR. OCHS: -- you see tourist development tax revenue, then
right below that miscellaneous revenues.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Correct.
MR. OCHS: That's the one -- that's 100,000 of the $200,000 that
we're expecting the museum system to raise to contribute towards
their total annual operating budget.
We, realistically, don't think they can get to 200,000 in FY15.
We have set the target at 100- with the hope that they will exceed that,
but we're being conservative.
And as Mark said, when you look above the line there in the
expense, you see a cash flow reserve of$200,000 that's available if we
need to backfill that.
We are going to work very hard to meet the $200,000 revenue
goal in 2015. But from a timing standpoint, we feel confident with
100,000, and we're pushing for the full 200,000.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Okay. You have a total increase of
17 percent.
MR. OCHS: Yes, sir.
Steve or Ron, do you want to talk about the operating side?
MR. JAMRO: Yes, certainly. Ron Jamro, your museum
director.
Actually, net operating budget increase is 2.1 percent. I think
what you're seeing there is -- was discussed earlier, as long as tourism
continues to grow, we -- even though the museum's allocation has
reduced, the percentage -- and more dollars are still coming in, that
was that whole raise-all-boats discussion that was had last year.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Okay. Well, stop there. You
probably explained it to me. So we did reduce the allocation
percentage to the museum already?
MR. OCHS: Yes, sir; yes, sir.
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June 26, 2014
CHAIRMAN HENNING: All right. Now I understand. Thank
you.
Yeah, hang on.
DAS, we've got -- would you -- three new staff members?
MR. OCHS: No, sir; one.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Just one?
MR. CARNELL: It will be a shelter technician in Immokalee is
the one that's being proposed.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: All right. Commissioner Hiller, then
Commissioner Nance.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: To the issue of the museums, when
I look at these numbers, you've, you know, basically increased your
reserves by almost a 100 percent. And, your anticipated additional
revenues, the miscellaneous revenue of 100,000, in part, is where you
have a concern. But, you know, even if you take 100,000 off the
almost 400,000 that you now have in reserves, you've got some pretty
hefty reserves over here relative to, you know, what the overall budget
is.
And this -- these reserves are strictly for the operating budget and
don't go to the capital budget, correct?
MR. CARNELL: Ma'am, they don't, but you're correct at least
on paper, but the reality is part of that money could be expended on
future capital projects, not necessarily FY 15 but in future years.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Well, again, this goes to the issue
of our reserves policy. That's not how we budget. I mean, we're not,
you know, building up in this fashion. I mean, we can't.
So I think -- I think the reserves are quite high, relative to, you
know, what our budget is, and I'm not sure what the reserve policy is
with respect to this account.
This in no way is going to affect your operating budget, but I do
think that needs to be revisited.
MR. ISACKSON: Ma'am, this is a, what we might call, revenue
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June 26, 2014
centric fund. We're a slave to the amount of tourist tax revenue that
comes into this fund, even though the allocation percentage was
reduced by board action.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: I don't think you're actually a slave
right now. Right now you're the beneficiary of a rising tide.
MR. ISACKSON: Well, what I'm saying is that it's
self-contained. Whatever -- your budget's built around the amount of
tourist tax dollars that you're getting in, even though the percentage
distribution is dropped.
You could take the $186,000 that's sitting in reserves and move it
to capital. I mean, I can get rid of that $186,000 right now. I'd flush it
out through either on the operating side or on the capital side.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: But hang on. You don't flush it
out. What you do is you allocate it where there is a future anticipated
need. If there is no future anticipated need in the next current year for
that amount of money, then it shouldn't be in there.
MR. ISACKSON: No. What I'm saying is, if there is -- there are
always capital needs in the museum. You could take that $186,000
and shift it, and I'm not moving General Fund money, for example,
which you see in this slide, the overview slide.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Well, if you have a capital project
that needs to be done next year, then you should move -- and you
know about that now, then you need to move it out of this contingency
account, because it's not a contingency; it's a known future project that
we expect to engage in this year. And let's get it budgeted in the right
line item.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Yeah. If it doesn't meet the policy,
then we need to align it for the policy.
MR. ISACKSON: We didn't set a policy up in this particular
museum fund. We've got 200 funds that we're dealing with.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Okay. We have a specific policy of
reserves; is that correct?
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MR. OCHS: For your General Fund and your Unincorporated
General Fund and your Fund 111 and your utility funds. You do not
have a separate policy for reserves in your tourist development tax
funded departments.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: We should.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Correct.
MR. OCHS: Yes, ma'am. But, again, from a revenue side of the
budget, you have a policy that allocates a certain percentage of all of
the $16 million a year that come in from tourist development taxes to
specific program areas.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Right.
MR. OCHS: Beaches, beach park facilities, museums, tourism,
marketing.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: And we have, for example, a
reserve policy for beach renourishment. I mean, we set aside a certain
dollar amount every year to build reserves to a certain level for
beaches. We should do it for the other TDC accounts, too.
MR. OCHS: Yes. My point is, unless you want to vary the
percentage allocation every year based on how much tourist tax
receipts come in the prior year, you either have to put these -- these
funds are going to come to the museum based on the allocation that
exists in your ordinance. You're either going to put them in your
reserve or you're going to, as Mark said, budget them for capital
projects, for example.
If they don't have a need this year for the funding or they're
saving it up for a larger capital improvement, which I think is really
part of what the strategy is here going forward, then you would leave
that in reserves until you can -- until you're ready to build the project
and then move it into your capital budget for appropriate -- •
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Well, not really, because what we
really should be doing, if you say that we have a capital project -- just
like we did with the megahertz system. If we know that the total cost
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is $15 million over the course of three years, we're allocating, you
know, 3 million, 3 million, 3 million. We need to do the same. I
mean, if there is a specific project this relates to, it needs to go to that
project.
You know, we're not just going to build up reserves in excess of
what we need if we know there's a capital project that's forthcoming
that this should be funding.
MR. OCHS: Well, then I might --
COMMISSIONER HILLER: I think it's important that we have
a reserve policy for the TDC funds as well.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: It should align with all the others.
Unless it's enterprise. Even in the enterprise we have a policy for
reserves.
MR. OCHS: Yes, sir; yes, sir.
I guess my point to you-all is if you have -- if you have a
fantastic year in raising revenues from tourist tax receipts that drives
that revenue up beyond the policy limit that you set --
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Then we'll adjust it.
MR. OCHS: -- what are you going to do with that?
COMMISSIONER HILLER: We'll adjust. I mean, that's the
whole --
MR. OCHS: You're going to adjust your --
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Either -- we can either adjust
policy or we can adjust the budget. And we do that. And, by the way,
we are slaves to rising and falling tax sources in all our accounts.
Whether it's TDC, ad valorem, or anything else --
MR. OCHS: I understand.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: -- we still have to have a reserve
policy. And if we have a capital project or if we have a program
expense that we anticipate in a period, we need to know what that is.
We're not going to, you know, budget by just having reserves;
otherwise, we could just, like, have nothing but reserves and just wait
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to do amendments throughout the year.
MR. OCHS: No.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: We need to know what you want
to do and why so we can say, yes, that's --
MR. OCHS: And you do have capital projects.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: -- a good program or not.
MR. OCHS: You do have project expenditures specifically
identified in FY 15 for the museums.
MR. JAMRO: About ten of them.
MR. OCHS: We'll identify them.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Then I would suggest, identify the
project, reallocate those funds out of reserves to the specific projects,
and then we can evaluate the projects that you're proposing and decide
if they're good.
MR. OCHS: Very good.
MR. CARNELL: That's fine. We can do that.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Commissioner Nance, then
Commissioner Fiala.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Yes. Commissioner Henning, I
agree with you 100 percent. I personally would like to see museum
funding moved back into the General Fund.
The tourist development -- expenditure of tourist development
tax dollars by percentages, when it comes to administrative functions,
is very awkward, and I've had -- I think that's problematic, and I've
said that from the beginning.
I think that our administrative functions for a budgetary year
should be fixed. I don't think they should be a percentage of anything,
because I think that promotes bad management, and it always ends up
with change orders and everything else going on in the funding.
So I believe that in those areas -- and I expand that to include
marketing and promotion to Commissioner Coyle's agenda item from
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this past Tuesday. I don't think the administration of the tourist
development tax should be managed against anything except a fixed
budget approved by the board in advance for the year, and any
additional monies in those percentages should be returned to the
reserves or to other activities that we know vary in their intensity
based on the weather.
So, I mean, we ought to know what our planned administrative
costs are for a year. I don't see how we can possibly do it on a
percentage basis.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Well, you're talking about -- you're
talking about an ordinance change, because the ordinance historically
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: -- has always been based upon --
COMMISSIONER NANCE: I understand. But, I mean, it
should be a percentage not to exceed a budgetary amount.
MR. OCHS: That's, essentially, what it is in your ordinance. It
says you can't spend more than 32 percent of that Category B on
administrative costs. Anything that's left over sweeps into your
marketing program. And we can go through that in more detail when
Jack steps up, if you'd like, sir.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Yeah. That's a -- that's a really -- I
think that's going to be a long conversation.
MR. OCHS: Right.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Yes.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: It's not going to be an easy one. I'm
not sure it's maybe something that we should kick down to Tourist
Development Council.
MR. OCHS: That's a better idea.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Yeah. So, anyways -- but I
understand, it was the policy that the board set on the ordinance. Your
percentages hasn't changed, but the increase has because of marketing.
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So I get that.
MR. OCHS: Yes.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: And you want it to not need reliance
on an unknown amount. You want to have reliance on a known
amount.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Well, yeah. On things that --
where we can clearly have a knowable budget. On beach
renourishment, I don't think we're ever going to have a knowable
budget. We're always going to be looking at what funds are available
to deal with the circumstance at the time, if we have a storm or
anything else.
But, administratively, if we want to -- you know, if we want to
provide a certain amount of funding to the museum or we want to
provide a certain amount of funding for other administrative things to
deal with the administration of the tax, that should be a clearly
delineated amount --
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Okay.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: -- in my view.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Commissioner Fiala, did I get to you?
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Yes. You didn't get to me yet, but --
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Okay.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: -- here I am waiting.
So I understand you all want to take the funding for the museums
out of the taxpayer dollars rather than out of tourist development
dollars?
CHAIRMAN HENNING: We made that decision.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: I know that. That's what I'm -- I'm
just putting it on the record, if you don't mind.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Okay.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Thank you. And we do want to
encourage the museums, because, number one, the tax -- the visitors
that come only can stay on the beach so long, and then they like to go
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to other places, and we don't have that many places to go. So the
museums, I think, are an important part of that.
Aren't you open on Saturdays now?
MR. JAMRO: At three locations, adding a fourth probably in
about two weeks.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Yeah. I thought you were opening
the one here on the property.
MR. JAMRO: Yes, we are, yes.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Okay. Good. Because that's really
important, too, so that people then can -- especially if the residents
want to go -- and when they're not open on Saturdays, they can't go to
a museum, and many times residents with the kids in school,
especially, cannot get there.
And if the tourists -- I mean, if the taxpayers are paying for it, I
would expect them to be open six days a week, and I think that that
would be a very good thing to do.
And I think there are some collections that you're trying to
expand, and we have to think about that, too. If we're going to -- you
know, if the taxpayers are going to pay for that, we have to make sure
that we take into consideration all of the things we need to do for the
museums. And we can't just let them whither. We've got a great
investment in them.
So I just wanted to make sure that everybody at least knew where
I stood on that. I love to encourage the museums, and I love to
encourage more for not only our residents but the tourists to see and
view. After a while you get tired of the same old stuff, so thank you.
MR. JAMRO: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: We have one public speaker under
public services.
MR. MILLER: Yes, sir. Bridgette Smith.
MS. SMITH: Mr. Chairman, I just want to congratulate the
museum because they're doing a great job. And now we are
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partnering and having a partnership with the Arts Naples World
Festival, and we have projects with huge exhibits which are going to
draw a lot of tourists.
So -- and the friends are here to support Ron and all the museums
and will be very glad if there's some funds to raise to be there for
them.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: And I'd like to commend you for
your commitment to helping with the raising of revenue and
recognizing that charging for events is okay and everybody does it.
MS. SMITH: Yes.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: And this will supplement the
museum's revenue stream and will allow for more programs and more
exhibits, and we're excited about that. And this year has been,
actually, an outstanding year. You've made a very significant
contribution towards organizing many events --
MS. SMITH: We're trying.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: -- which are wonderful. The
D-Day event was exceptional, exceptional, and I want to commend all
of you on that.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Yes, ma'am, Ms. Bridgette. I echo
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Amazing --
COMMISSIONER NANCE: I echo Commissioner Hiller's
remarks 100 percent.
Heritage and cultural things are golden to an economy. If you
look across the nation, it's something that we definitely need to build
on. I am a huge supporter of the museums, and I pledge my support to
you, ma'am --
MS. SMITH: Thank you.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: -- to help you fund raise. I would
love to help you do that, and I will.
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COMMISSIONER HILLER: He's there for you. I'll give you his
phone number after the meeting.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: She already has it.
MS. SMITH: Yes. I'm waiting for an answer from you.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Yes; yes, ma'am. The 70th
anniversary of D Day was a fabulous activity. You know, I think it
builds great exposure for the museums. I think more of those timely
events will help support the museums, and I look forward.
MS. SMITH: And Collier County is becoming more and more
cultural, and I think all the tourists who are coming here in Collier
County are making intelligent vacations.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Well, it's a great segue into the
environmental part of our economy. You know, having 75 percent of
the county in public ownership and conservation, the heritage of that
and the history of that is something that leads right one to another, so
thank you.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: And the other thing that's
important to remember is we have, because of being involved with the
Regional Planning Council, become part of the grant application for
arts in public places, which ties into our, you know, cultural initiative
and, you know, what the museums are trying to do.
And so, Leo, thank you for being responsive when I brought that
to your attention that we were able to get involved with that.
MS. SMITH: Thank you, everyone, for supporting our
museums. They're great.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Do we have any other budgetary
questions?
COMMISSIONER FIALA: I have one comment to make,
please, also. Bridgette, after we have this meeting, if you're still here
at noon, I've love to talk to you. I have an idea for a fundraiser to raise
funds for a certain thing that will then help to support the museums.
MS. SMITH: Okay.
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COMMISSIONER FIALA: But I won't talk about it until I
bounce it off you.
MS. SMITH: Yes. I will be available after 3 o'clock.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Very good.
MS. SMITH: I'll give you a call then.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Okay.
MS. SMITH: Thank you.
MR. OCHS: Mr. Chairman, that takes us to administrative
services.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Thank you, Mr. Carnell.
Okay. You ready, Len?
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES — PRESENTED
MS. PRICE: I am. Good morning. For the record, Len Price,
administrative services division administrator.
I think you know most everybody here, but I would like to take
just a moment to introduce our interim fleet director, Mario Menendez
MR. MENENDEZ: Good morning.
MS. PRICE: -- joining us for the first time. This will be his first
budget workshop. I would ask you to be gentle.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Okay. No questions for our fleet
management. Go ahead.
MS. PRICE: Commissioners, the budget that we've presented to
you meets budget guidance with the exception of the board approved
expansions. This budget will allow us to provide the high level of
service that the county has gotten accustomed to, and it also allows us
to start working on the backlog of deferred maintenance and
replacements.
As you mentioned earlier, we talked about lease versus buy, and
the budget that you've got in front of you gives you the flexibility to
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analyze that on a case-by-case basis. The consultant -- you'll be
awarding a contract for the 800 megahertz system. You'll be awarding
that contract next Tuesday. And one of the things we've asked them to
do is look at that for us.
That program we've divided into about five years' worth of
funding. There are multiple components. Some have to do with
construction, other with buying backbone, and that's where the option
for lease might be available to us, and we'll start doing that analysis.
Obviously, there's a lot of parts we want to look at.
We've also been looking with respect to vehicles. And, again, the
budget allows for expansions on vehicles, and each division and each
purchase, we need to look at that individually to make sure that we're
using the funds wisely and taking those options into consideration.
So we've done a lot of research on it; we've got a lot of
information that we can provide to each of the various departments as
they start using those budgets.
This budget will allow us to leverage new technology. It also lets
us look forward to handling some of our biggest challenges which
right now we feel -- that the County Manager kind of alluded to, we
feel like the ability to attract and retain good staff is probably going to
be one of the biggest challenges that we face outside of looking at that
backlog. We've got about a five-year plan that we hope we'll be able
to attack that.
Commissioner Nance, with regard to our IT assets, that is one
area that we have been assessing on a continual basis. We know the
age of all of our components. We've begun replacing some of them
and, again, this budget allows us to take a big chunk out of that and
also the flexibility to rearrange our priorities if something breaks off
schedule.
With that, I would open it up to any questions you might have.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Budgetary questions by the board.
Commissioner Nance?
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COMMISSIONER NANCE: Yes. Ms. Price, administrative
services provides the administration of a lot of different capital assets
that are cost centers for the other divisions.
MS. PRICE: Correct.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: And there's three huge ones:
Facilities, fleet, and information technology.
So is administrative services the one that is managing the capital
asset management of those cost centers for everybody else using data
back from their budgets to arrive at where we're headed?
MS. PRICE: With regard to IT, we handle all of the capital
assets. With regard to facilities, I believe most of them stay on our
books, and we manage where they are. We work very cooperatively
also with public utilities, which is managing most of theirs.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Okay.
MS. PRICE: On the fleet side, our fleet system keeps track of all
of our vehicles. We know the mileage. We know the hours.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Regardless of what division they're
assigned to or who's paying for them, correct?
MS. PRICE: Or who's paying for them. Our fleet management
system monitors all of them.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: So you are allocating the costs of
those and you're establishing what the cost is for those vehicles and
arranging for all the management of those dollars for the other
divisions?
MS. PRICE: Yes. Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Okay. So you are central to those
critical capital asset categories?
MS. PRICE: We are.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Okay. Thank you very much.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Fleet's revenues and operating costs
are going down, correct?
MS. PRICE: That is correct.
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June 26, 2014
CHAIRMAN HENNING: It was my understanding that the fleet
that we have is aging and needs to be replaced. Are you coming up
with new information that it doesn't need to be replaced?
MS. PRICE: No. The -- all of the capital replacements, the
funding is not in fleet's budget.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Okay.
MS. PRICE: Fleet only budgets for --
CHAIRMAN HENNING: You just maintain it.
MS. PRICE: -- the maintenance, exactly. Most of the reason
that the costs have come down have to do with right-sizing our fuel
budget. You know, we oftentimes -- not knowing what the fuel
market is, we try to pick a number that we hope our crystal ball is
working correctly for us, so that's usually where we have most of our
fluctuation in fleet.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: And there should be a correlation
between replacement of vehicles and maintenance of vehicles.
MS. PRICE: Absolutely.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: We have less cost of maintenance,
and that's a .07 reduction, I believe?
MS. PRICE: That is correct.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Okay. And we're able to get these
vehicles out -- now, I know that utilities had a problem last year --
able to get these vehicles when they -- the new vehicles, they have to
be fitted for that department. We're able to get them out in a timely
basis?
MS. PRICE: We've been doing the best job that we possibly can.
We try to bring the vehicles in in small batches so that we can handle
that. For the most part, I think we've done a pretty decent job of
getting them out.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Okay.
MS. PRICE: And we will continue to try to improve those
processes.
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CHAIRMAN HENNING: Commissioner Hiller?
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Yeah. One county implemented a
program where how employees drove resulting in savings of fuel costs
resulted in bonuses to those employees. And I think that's something
that we should do to incentivize good driving habits that, in turn, save
on that expenditure, which is a significant one for the county is a good
plan.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: I've never got behind a county vehicle
that was driving too slow. What are you talking about?
COMMISSIONER HILLER: All right. This is a rhetorical
question. How do I respond to that? I'm not going there.
MS. PRICE: We are aware of programs like that, and we'll
certainly look into what the options are.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Could you look into it, because I
think it would be a very good idea.
And then, also, you know, evaluating the possibility of, in whole
or in part, outsourcing if there are any cost savings involved with, you
know, possibly -- and, again, in whole or in part -- outsourcing
maintenance and seeing if the private sector might be able to do more
cost effectively.
MS. PRICE: We look at that on an annual basis. Each time we
contract something out, we check to see if we can do it less expensive
in-house or outside. We worked with Hertz this year to take a look at
their services. We've -- in the past we've worked with Enterprise.
Thus far, our general maintenance we've been able to keep
in-house at a less expensive cost, but we look at it constantly.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Good. That's awesome.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Well, I think we can get one more in
before lunch, Leo.
MR. OCHS: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Thank you, Len.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: I've got one more comment, Mr.
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Chairman, if you don't mind.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Thank you. Yes.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Len, you are -- with fleet -- and
this is a question about fleet, which includes the vehicles and
equipment that were kindly listed by Mr. Ochs under his overview,
which comprise almost a $10 million backlog.
Are you currently working on a program to establish which sorts
of vehicles and equipment we should lease -- going back to what
Commissioner Hiller said -- which ones and the use patterns we
should lease versus own, and the sorts of repairs that we need to do
in-house versus contract maintenance and try to get right-sized on
those? Do you feel comfortable with your program on --
MS. PRICE: We do, and --
COMMISSIONER NANCE: -- that division?
MS. PRICE: -- again, we re-evaluate that every year and as any
circumstance changes.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: I appreciate how difficult that is,
but I can tell you I do believe, to Commissioner Hiller's point, that it is
well worth your constant evaluation, because just from my own
personal experience, I know how difficult it is. But it can pay you
great dividends.
MS. PRICE: Absolutely. And there are significant portions of
our fleet operations that we do outsource because it doesn't make
sense for us to do them in-house.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Yes, ma'am. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Thank you.
MR. OCHS: Commissioners, your next division is public
utilities.
PUBLIC UTILITIES — PRESENTED
COMMISSIONER HILLER: I love it. One of the biggest
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June 26, 2014
divisions in our county has two people.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Well, they're coming.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Oh, oh, sorry. I'm so sorry. I
spoke too early. I was going to say wow, you know.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: All the people doing the work were
outside in the hall, ma'am.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Well, that's a bummer. I was, like,
thinking, wow -- not that. I was thinking, these guys are superheros,
but I've got to take that back.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Beat Dr. George up a little every
now and then.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Good morning, Mr. Yilmaz, please.
MR. YILMAZ: Commissioners, good morning. For the record,
George Yilmaz, public utilities administrator.
And, Commissioner Hiller you were right, they were
multitasking in a conference room, first floor, and also getting ready,
monitoring the board and making sure that we're as good as we can be
and ready for you.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Awesome.
MR. YILMAZ: With that, the Collier County Public Utilities
Division continues to be revenue centric, and the Fiscal Year '15
budget meets all budget policy guidelines for enterprise funds.
The proposed budget was prepared diligently to meet levels of
service for potable water, wastewater, irrigation quality water, and
solid waste collection, recycling, disposal, and hazardous waste
services to maintain and protect the health, safety of our customers,
citizens, and the environment of Collier County 24/7/365. We are one
of the divisions, never sleeps, as you can imagine.
The Public Utilities Enterprise Funds includes revenues in this
proposed budget to fund operations that have been impacted by the
rate of inflation as reflected in consumer price index.
We sincerely thank the board for the vision, guidance on
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enterprise funds during our rate study presentation for financial
recovery and sustainability moving to the future.
Commissioners, in summary, we have met all budget guidance
by the board and directives by our County Manager for revenue
centric enterprise funds. We are moving forward with asset
management and infrastructure underground and above ground and
going after the worst first -- we call them rat (sic) -- as presented in
our asset management workshop as well as it was part of our rate
study presentation that you have approved.
We are prepared to answer any questions you may have. And on
my right and left I've got my directors of water, wastewater, solid, and
hazardous waste management and planning and project management.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Surely there's no questions, but just
accolades on the great job, George, in my opinion.
Any questions, Commissioner Nance?
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Yes.
George, I would like to commend you for your work on your
capital asset and management GIS effort, and I think that, rightfully,
our entire capital management program could be modeled after the
work you've done in public utilities. And I will laud you for your
work in that area. I think it's marvelous.
And I think it's very, very important that we take advantage of
the skills that you have in your division to extend that to the rest of the
county. Thank you so much for doing that. It's fantastic what you've
done.
MR. YILMAZ: Thanks.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: The only one thing that I'm going
to mention -- and I know this is a sticky point, but I'm going to bring it
up again. In the county there are areas that are going to remain low
density, and I think it is to everybody's advantage that those areas
remain low density. By that I mean the rural residential areas,
including Golden Gate Estates and the surrounding area.
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It makes every sense that in those areas we have well managed
septic systems rather than trying to extend public utilities to those
areas at an almost incredible cost.
In that direction, Collier County has a responsibility to have a
facility that accepts septic waste and non-recyclable grease disposal
that we currently do not have. And I know we're relying on others to
provide those things.
I know this is a headache, and it's something nobody wants to do.
That having been said, I have no problem with an outreach to a
private service provider or something, but we absolutely have to get
ahead of this. This is the one area in solid waste -- not in solid waste,
but in waste that I don't think we've done the job that we need to do.
And I'm fearful that by not having it here, that things like the
recession cause septic waste and non-recyclable grease to be disposed
in an improper way. And I don't think we want to have that dumped
in our waterways and in the woods and so on and so forth.
So one concern that I have -- and I know you-all are working on
it, but I just want to bring it up again because I really feel like it's
important that we get ahead of that one. That's one area where we do
have a gap.
MR. YILMAZ: Commissioner, if I might. We heard you loud
and clear when you brought it to our attention. And this board has
approved $5 million seed money last fiscal year, and we're getting
ready for RFPs for private/public partnership, design build, very
similar to our landfill operations, have a regional facility.
We have verbal commitment from City of Naples that they will
include their sludge that brings us to critical mass of 30-plus tons a
year.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: The volume you need to make it
fly?
MR. YILMAZ: Yes. And with that, septage waste, grease trap
waste will be part of waste-to-energy biogas energy-type facility
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complement to our landfill gas-to-energy facility being one
technology among others we're looking into.
So we are in the process of getting very close to go to the market,
have ownership under water/sewer district and solid waste district.
There are three different business concepts. The way we're going
with it is that it will be a solid waste facility, and tipping fees will be
established. And we will be able to accept septage, grease, and bio-
solids not only from our utility that we haul all the way to
Okeechobee, but also sludge that the City of Naples has, among other
utilities probably will join.
So we are in the progress of getting that done next five-year
horizon.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: All right, sir. Thank you very
much. Thank you for your dedication. But just -- I really feel -- I'm
going to keep mentioning it until we can dump the first grease.
MR. OCHS: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: So thank you. I appreciate it.
MR. YILMAZ: Thank you, sir.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: I don't see any other questions.
Leo, do you want to get Mr. Dorrill up here?
MANAGEMENT OFFICES (PELICAN BAY) — PRESENTED
MR. OCHS: Yes, sir. If we could do the management offices, I
think we can dispose of those before your lunch break.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Okay. Thank you.
MR. YILMAZ: Thank you very much.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Thanks, Dr. George.
MR. OCHS: Commissioners, you're familiar, I believe, with the
operations supported by these gentlemen. I don't know if you want a
presentation, Mr. Chairman, or you just want to go to questions.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Do you have any questions of Mr.
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Dorrill?
COMMISSIONER HILLER: No, I don't.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Okay. Any questions of Jack Wert,
economic development, or public information?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN HENNING: None. Okay.
MR. OCHS: Neil, anything from your end?
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Great presentation.
MR. DORRILL: No, I'd just -- I can tell you, in terms of a
current event, one of those outstanding behind-the-scenes employees
recently retired at Pelican Bay Services, Kyle Lucas; 30-year (sic)
employee, quarter of a century at Pelican Bay --
COMMISSIONER HILLER: That's amazing.
MR. DORRILL: -- just retired. And we've just named his
replacement. Outstanding credentials. People are still dying to come
to work in Southwest Florida. The guy's name is Marion Bolick
(phonetic). He is on the national board of directors and an officer in
the National Professional Grounds Maintenance Society; actual degree
in horticulture with honors, Moorhead State University, minor in
animal science; 32-year career in only two places; and he will
continue to do a great job on the operations side.
We sent Kyle off with a great reception and into retirement, but I
just thought, since you don't see these people very often, we thank
Kyle for 25 years of service at Pelican Bay. We look forward to his
replacement being here in a couple of weeks.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Great.
MR. OCHS: Thank you, Commissioners.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Thank you.
MR. OCHS: Sir, would you like to do debt service? It will only
take a couple of minutes. We can get you out of that before your lunch
break.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Yeah. I do have a question on our
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budget.
MR. OCHS: We can handle that now, too, sir.
BCC (COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCIES, AIRPORT)
— PRESENTED
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Page 6 of the Board of County
Commissioners' budget, we have community relations, including
response to community needs, attending community functions,
proclamations, service awards, citizens' requests, and inquiries. Is that
part of public relations or public information?
COMMISSIONER HILLER: What page is that on?
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Page 6.
MR. ISACKSON: Commissioner, if-- the detail on that is on
Page 8. If you'd flip one more page over, you'll see the breakdown of
what's all involved in that particular cost center.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Page 8, juvenile justice?
MR. ISACKSON: You're under the -- I'm sorry.
MR. OCHS: I'm sorry. He's talking on Page 6, Mark, the 6 FTE
devoted to community relations.
MR. ISACKSON: Oh, I'm sorry. My fault.
MR. OCHS: I believe those are the aides, sir.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Those are aides.
MR. ISACKSON: Yes.
MR. OCHS: Those are your aides, sir.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: We only need five.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: No. I have two because I divide --
I have two part-time.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: That's -- all right. Then we have -- all
we need is four and two part-time then.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: So what you need to do is change
that FTEs to -- because those are full-time employees. It still should
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be five. It's not six.
MR. ISACKSON: Yeah. Well, we never -- we still have funded
the executive manager. That's the reason why you still have six.
That's all.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Well, then that needs to be
eliminated.
MR. ISACKSON: If that's the board direction, then we'll
certainly correct that.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Yeah, eliminate that. I make a
motion to eliminate that number.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: It's budget guidance, a workshop. We
can't --
COMMISSIONER HILLER: I know, but --
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Are you okay with that,
Commissioner Nance?
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Yes.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Forget about my motion.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Commissioner Hiller?
COMMISSIONER HILLER: But, yeah, just get rid of it.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Absolutely.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Just adjust it out.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Commissioner Fiala?
COMMISSIONER FIALA: (Nods head.)
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Commissioner Coyle?
COMMISSIONER COYLE: Yep.
MR. OCHS: We'll take care of that.
MR. ISACKSON: Thank you.
MR. OCHS: Mr. Chairman, we'll take care of that.
MR. ISACKSON: We'll do that.
MR. OCHS: Thank you.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: I'm glad you clarified that.
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DEBT SERVICE — PRESENTED
MR. OCHS: Thank you, sir.
May we go to debt service quickly?
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Yes, thank you.
MR. OCHS: Mark?
MR. ISACKSON: Commissioners, if you --
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Let me ask, how much money do
you have allocated in the budget for that office manager? How much
are you going to eliminate?
MR. ISACKSON: I'd have to go back and look at the detail,
ma'am. I want to say --
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Where are you going to reallocate
those funds? It will be, let's say, approximately 100,000. Where are
you going to allocate those funds to?
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Reserves.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Stop.
MR. ISACKSON: I'm being told by my crack staff that it's
$80,000.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: It's 80-. And where are you going
to allocate those 80,000 to?
MR. ISACKSON: Well, I hesitate to say that.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Well, why don't you think about it
over lunch and then come back to us --
MR. ISACKSON: Oh, it will take a lot longer than that for me to
COMMISSIONER HILLER: All right. Well, why don't you
wait till the next meeting and then come back to us with a
recommendation for where those --
MR. ISACKSON: We could -- we have a -- the next step in the
process after this is you get submitted a budget in July, on July 11th.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: And that's what I'm saying. Just
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bring it back then.
MR. ISACKSON: In a change log you'll see. And if you want to
bring it up again, we can do that.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Yeah. Just do that then, and then
bring it back to us. And you can talk to us about where that could go
or if you have recommendations.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: The County Attorney, who was
earlier lauded for cost savings, will soon need it for litigation with our
state agencies.
MR. ISACKSON: Well, that's a good point, sir.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: No, he says he doesn't.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: He says he doesn't need it.
MR. ISACKSON: The only thing I -- Commissioners, on debt
service, if you turn to Page 3, I think everybody knows we've talked
about this ad nauseam over the last few years. But Page 3 gives you a
breakdown of what we've been doing in terms of our refunding, and
that's really the story, I believe, in your debt service tab.
You've refunded some $379 million over the last four years.
Your net present value savings over the life of those various issuances
is 25.6 million. Your annualized savings is roughly 1.7, so -- and
that's reflected, certainly, in the high-level numbers which you see on
succeeding Pages 4 and 5.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: I actually have an idea.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Oh, no.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Not related to debt service.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Before lunch?
COMMISSIONER HILLER: No. I think -- and it's really great.
I mean, let me just make a comment.
Mark, I really appreciate how you've been managing our debt.
We're continuing to reduce our overall debt, refinancing the balance of
the debt outstanding and, as a consequence, our debt service is
consistently going in the right direction. And you've done a great job
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addressing that. And your team is outstanding.
I have an idea for the 80,000 -- just a suggestion, and it's because
we do have ideas for programs that we have started discussing -- and
that is to move it to economic development.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: To what, please?
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Economic development.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: I've got a competing idea,
Commissioner Hiller.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: What's the competition?
COMMISSIONER NANCE: I would like to establish an
employee innovation award program to be funded by county
employees that can come up with ideas that can demonstrate
immediately cost savings, but I was thinking about, like, $150,000 a
year.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: That's a lot.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Well, let's -- why don't we contact the
County Manager with ideas.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Great idea.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: And I'm sure the County Manager
and finance can come up with something, and let the board make the
final decision. Okay. Does that sound good?
MR. OCHS: Commissioners, yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: I see no objections.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: I think that's a very good
suggestion. So, County Manager, please contact us for ideas, please.
MR. OCHS: I would be happy to.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Because Commissioner Henning
had a good idea.
COUNTY ATTORNEY — PRESENTED
MR. OCHS: Yes, ma'am.
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June 26, 2014
Mr. Chairman, all you have left is the County Attorney's budget
for this morning's session, and I think you've already --
CHAIRMAN HENNING: We already talked about it.
MR. OCHS: -- indicated your appreciation for his budget.
Unless -- Jeff, unless you have anything to present.
MR. KLATZKOW: No. You never sell after the close.
MR. OCHS: That's right, very good.
Sir, that concludes your morning session. You're scheduled for
Constitutional Officer's budget presentations at 1 o'clock.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Okay, great.
MR. OCHS: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Thank you.
We're on recess until 1 o'clock.
(A luncheon recess was had.)
MR. OCHS: Mr. Chairman, you have a live mic.
CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS — ELECTIONS — PRESENTED
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Thank you. Back from recess.
Continuing the budget workshop. We have constitutional officers.
MR. OCHS: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: We have ladies first, or do we have
the guy carrying the gun?
MR. OCHS: We'll make the guy with the gun wait. Ladies first.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Okay.
MS. EDWARDS: Good afternoon.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Good afternoon.
MS. EDWARDS: For the record, Jennifer Edwards, supervisor
of elections.
And I think you all know our chief deputy, Melissa Blazier.
I've met with most of you, and you -- we reviewed the budget
with you. Do you have any questions of me?
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There is a 2.8 percent increase in my budget, and that's for
operating costs mostly associated with the upcoming November
election.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Okay. Commissioner Fiala has a
question.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Yes. We've been talking for a long
time about getting you a building. And I don't know -- I didn't see it
in your budget at all, but I think it's -- I brought it up earlier this
morning, and they suggested I bring it up under your heading. And I
think we ought to address that.
MS. EDWARDS: Well, I appreciate that. We were talking
about this a year ago, as a matter of fact. And at that time you asked
the County Manager to work with us, and they did.
We have looked at a number of pieces of property over the last
year but, honestly, up until just this week, we had not found anything
that we felt would -- that was adequate.
But now we have. We have found one. Even though it's less
space than we had estimated we would need, because of the way it's
configured, we think we can make it work. It has over 30,000 square
feet, and it has adequate parking.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Could you share that? Where is
that, ma'am? Could you share that with us?
MS. EDWARDS: Well, I've been advised, perhaps, I should not
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Not to, okay.
MR. OCHS: Sir, it's in the Naples Production Park area.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Okay.
MR. OCHS: Right over here off Airport Road.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: I was just --
MR. OCHS: Yes, sir.
MS. EDWARDS: So, we've walked it with property -- real
property management staff. And I think the way it's configured, it will
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work. It has approximately 60 parking spaces, nice parking lot.
As you know, we train over 800 people to work in our elections,
and we need some adequate parking. And it has a warehouse and an
office facility.
It will need some modifications, but I ask you to please -- or ask
the County Manager to work with us, and I think it's something,
though, that we'll need to come back to you at your next board
meeting.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Are you done?
COMMISSIONER COYLE: Would that be the July board
meeting?
MS. EDWARDS: Yes.
COMMISSIONER COYLE: So you want to move pretty
quickly on this, right?
MS. EDWARDS: Yes.
COMMISSIONER COYLE: For obvious reasons.
MS. EDWARDS: Yes.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Commissioner Nance?
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Yes. I want to thank you, Ms.
Edwards, for taking us on the -- taking me on a tour to let me review.
You know, I'm familiar with a good part of your operations because I
volunteered with you for quite a while.
But, yes, I feel like you've got unnecessary exposure in two
areas, and that is you have to do too much transportation. And I think
every time we move our expensive equipment around and put it out
there on the highway, we have an opportunity to have a hazard that
could possibly disrupt the election.
The other thing is, we do have to be mindful that we're in an area
where we could have severe storms, and I don't want to see your
storage be something that isn't pretty stout because -- you just have to
be prepared for it, and I think that the facility you have now is actually
giving you a great deal of exposure. It's a very, very hot -- you know,
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it's a good place for you to store your things, it's convenient and the
space is adequate, but I don't think it's the sort of building that we need
to have the supervisor of elections' materials and equipment stored in.
I just don't think it's safe during a period of time when you're most
likely to be using it, which is during the middle of the hurricane
season, so --
MS. EDWARDS: I appreciate your going on that tour with us.
And, of course, just to make people aware, again, that we are spread
between three locations. We're here at the complex, we lease over
3,000 square feet in the industrial park, and then, as you know, our
training center is in the Golden Gate Community Park.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Well, your warehouse has, I think,
probably got a ceiling height of 20 feet, and I don't think there's a --
that steel building -- I've been in a lot of steel buildings, and I've
constructed a lot of steel buildings, and that one's not going to take -- a
good stiff Cat 4, and it's not going to be there. It doesn't have the red
irons necessary to stand up to that.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Thank you. We've -- thank you.
We've missed the opportunity before for the perfect location and --
lost it. And I think that we need to move forward now. So I would --
if the rest of the commissioners agree with me, we could ask Leo to
work with you on this, and see what we can do to move forward.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Well, there's a lot of homework to be
done on it. Do we know if the zoning -- if it's zoning -- I mean, office
in this area? So --
MR. OCHS: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: I'd hate to buy something that's not
zoned properly.
MR. OCHS: Well, I don't think zoning is an issue.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Okay.
MR. OCHS: Money is an issue.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Well, that's another thing I want to
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bring up. Does anybody have any idea where we're going to get the
money for this?
COMMISSIONER FIALA: No, I don't, but I think we could find
it. I think we've -- you know, we've been talking about capital
expenses all day and the need for these things. And I don't think we --
you know, we've found money for other capital expenses. I think we
need to find money for this capital expense.
We've been putting this whole division off for too long already
and lost --
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Well, you know --
COMMISSIONER FIALA: -- good opportunities.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: -- it's not new money you could find.
It's existing money that you have to reallocate.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Well, let's have Leo work with
Jennifer on that.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Well, just -- as long as everybody
understands that.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Leo, take the 80,000 out of our
budget. That could be the down-payment. Leo, is there any --
MR. OCHS: Finance it over 100 years for 80,000 a year? There
you go.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: I don't think she was
contemplating a tent.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Seriously, is there any possible --
possibility for grant funding? Are there any grants out there? I mean,
the problem we have is now we have equipment that we didn't have
before. I mean, we're doing things differently as a consequence of
how the legislature has changed all the voting requirements. When
did we buy all that equipment?
MS. EDWARDS: We have taken advantage of any grants that
might be available.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Have you taken advantage or have
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not?
MS. EDWARDS: Well, in 2008, we were required to implement
a paper trail, and we received federal funds to help pay for that
equipment. It cost about a million two, and we did get some of the
funding from the federal government for that.
And speaking of equipment, we will be replacing equipment in
2018, and we'll need some additional money for that. And I'm
working with budget office about appropriating funds for that in '16
and '17.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: With respect to this building that
we're looking to acquire, is there an option of, you know, a lease to
buy possibly as opposed to a full capital outlay now?
MR. OCHS: There may be, ma'am. That's one of the things that
we would look to evaluate before we bring this back to you on July
8th. We'll play out some options.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Yeah. I think that would make
sense. I would look at -- I would look to see if there's any possible
grant funding out there, and then the second issue being, you know,
looking at structuring the deal as something other than maybe an
outright purchase if we don't have what it takes to acquire the property
in full.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Commissioner Coyle?
COMMISSIONER COYLE: I'm just going to cut it short and
say I agree. We need to do something with it. Let's get it done.
We've been talking about it for years. And there's absolutely no doubt
in my mind that tucked away in all of the reserves of Collier County
there's sufficient money to do that.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Reserves? Really?
COMMISSIONER COYLE: Yes. So --
COMMISSIONER HILLER: I mean, the other alternative -- and
this is something to consider -- is whether or not we should defease
the debt. In other words, don't incur any, of course, new obligations.
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But if you've already allocated all of your funding and your reserves
are where they have to be and you can't shift anything out of reserves
into this because of our General Fund reserves not being where they
should be as of yet, whether or not you should look to the debt you're
defeasing and maybe not defease as much.
I don't know how much exactly we're talking about. It may not
be such a large amount. And if it isn't such a large amount, it just may
make sense to reallocate that to this.
MR. OCHS: We'll evaluate all the options for you.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Yeah. I mean, there are a number
of different options but, you know, if there's clearly a need, which
seems to have been established, then we have to get it done.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Look everywhere.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Yeah, I mean, if we have to get it
done. And, obviously, what we want to do it get it done at the lowest
possible cost.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Is there any further discussion for the
supervisor of elections?
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Good budget.
MS. EDWARDS: Thank you. Thank you for your support.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: It's so complicated.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Except for -- it's coming in over-
budget with a few dollars, right, few million?
MS. ED WARD S: Thank you very much.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Maybe we should give
Commissioner Coyle your $80,000 and authorize him to go to Vegas
and make his best roulette pick.
COMMISSIONER COYLE: No, Texas Hold 'Em. I'll bring it.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Okay.
CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS — CLERK OF COURTS —
PRESENTED
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June 26, 2014
MR. OCHS: Commissioners, next is the Clerk of the Courts.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Okay.
MS. KINZEL: Good afternoon, Commissioners.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Good afternoon.
MS. KINZEL: For the record, Crystal Kinzel. And I have with
me Raymond Milum (phonetic), who's our operations manager for
Clerk's Accounting.
And we had provided you previously with a comprehensive look
of our annual non-court budget as well as we're here to answer any
questions that you may have of the Clerk's Office.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Where's the Clerk?
MS. KINZEL: We usually make the budget presentation,
Commissioner, so I'm sure if you have a specific question, I can make
him available, but we usually come for budget.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: It's not that. I mean, I see all the
other constitutional officers are attending. I mean, the supervisor of
election, the Sheriff. I mean, I would think that the clerk should be
present to present his budget. I mean, I appreciate staff. I think --
MS. KINZEL: I'll relay that.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Yeah, please do. I think it's great
that staff does such good job on his behalf but, I mean, he is the Clerk.
We're here. He should be here.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Yeah. Crystal is the one that put the
budget together. She could answer any questions, and I think this is
what this workshop is about is answering questions.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: No. I think it's important for the
Clerk to be able to defend his budget. I don't think Crystal should be
MS. KINZEL: And, Commissioners, that's probably my fault
because he asked, do I go, and I said, no, I feel comfortable answering
any questions that you have, so --
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Well, we appreciate --
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June 26, 2014
MS. KINZEL: That's probably my -- what I did.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Crystal, we appreciate all you do.
You do an outstanding job for the benefit of the board, and we're very
grateful to you and your staff for all your efforts. Very sincerely.
MS. KINZEL: Okay. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Thank you. Is there any questions for
the staff or the Clerk of the Courts, or the Clerk to the Board?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Thank you, Crystal.
MS. KINZEL: Thank you.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Thank you.
CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS — SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT —
PRESENTED
MR. OCHS: Mr. Chairman, that brings us to the Sheriffs Office.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: All the chiefs are here.
Good afternoon, Sheriff.
SHERIFF RAMBOSK: Good afternoon, Chairman,
Commissioners. Kevin Rambosk, Collier County Sheriff, for the
record. And I'll introduce my staff as we go along.
It is a great day in Collier County, as it is most of the time, and I
think we all know that.
And I can't begin to tell you how proud I am of our deputies, both
civilian and sworn, that serve and protect us each and every day.
As you're aware, we've had a very busy season, we've had a very
positive season, and we have had a very successful season. And we
hope that we're going to see more of that as we go.
If we look at 2013, crime was down 5.4 percent. When you look
at the State of Florida, we still remain in that category of, no other
metropolitan area has a lesser number of crimes than we do, in fact
only 12 counties have a lesser crime rate than we do; most of them in
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the Panhandle with populations of 30,000 to 90,000. So we're very,
very fortunate about that.
Our traffic enforcement, traffic fatalities are down. Our traffic
crashes, unfortunately, are inching up, and we have a plan to address
that in the coming year.
We've -- in 2014, thus far, we're about mid-year. We are going
to have to do our mid-year statistical report to the FBI. I can tell you
right now, we had our comp stat this morning, and while there are a
couple of days yet to go, we are holding the line on the number of
crimes and, in fact, we have a few lesser crimes than we had at this
time last year. And that is, again, the -- to the terrific partnership with
the community and our other partners as well as the great work of the
men and women of the Collier County Sheriffs Office who do it each
and every day.
We are looking at a couple of things as we move forward. Next
generation 911 is an area that we think is critically important. You
have helped us already with the approval of some of the funding that
is needed for capital expenditures such as locution.
You might have seen that we have brought forth texting as a
capability into 911. It's on a limited basis with Verizon customers
today, but that will be expanding as we move forward, and that will
lead us into digital transmission and streaming of video, ultimately,
right into our deputies' vehicles so that they have the benefit of seeing
what a resident or a business is seeing on site at the time. So very
important.
We did a lot of school safety training last year, not only our
deputies and how we respond, who responds, but we took it one step
further and provided programming to the principals, the teachers, the
administrative staff We actually did a video that was presented to the
parents of the students, and it was a terrific move forward to continue
to look at safety in our schools, and that is another area.
While we are well ahead of most communities, we're looking at
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completing our staffing in the coming year to continue to keep our
schools as safe as they have been.
We've looked at a problem that is not part of the Part 1 crime
system, and that is identify theft and fraud. As you may or may not
know, Florida is the number one state in the United States for identity
theft. Our area here is No. 3 within the state.
So while it isn't a Part 1 crime, we have chosen to look at it as
one of those crimes that we need to provide a lot more information to
the public on because, as with everything else that we do, when we
partner effectively with our community, we, as a community, continue
to reduce our crime rate and our -- more importantly than the crime
rate are the number of victims seen in Collier County, and that's the
most important part.
We continue a strong youth programming element, and we're
going to touch on that, particularly still looking at tens of thousands of
young people throughout the year and throughout the summer. And,
you know, that is something that we have been working on, again,
with your help -- and I'll mention that in a minute -- with regard to
your staff as well.
There are a couple of things that I thought would be important to
-- as far as recognition goes, we were awarded, as an agency and/or in
some types of these incidents as individuals, the gold award for
anti-texting and driving from the association of marketing and
communications, which was a national organization.
We put forth a lot of effort; community outreach took hold of that
and moved forward with it. And it was not only very successful for --
we think for helping legislation, but more about getting people to stop
texting and driving.
We received multiple awards for individuals in agency for
anti-domestic violence and domestic violence programming which,
again, we've had a commitment to several years. But the Attorney
General is the organization that bestowed upon us that recognition this
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year.
We were recognized for our drug prevention efforts through Drug
Free Collier, which continues to be something that we're going to
fight. As you know, we finally got a handle on prescription drug
diversion, and what that's doing now is prompting more illicit drugs,
such as heroin, to become more visible out on the street. So as we
suppress one, something else pops up somewhere else.
With regard to accreditation and professional standing, we were
awarded Excelsior status, which is the highest status from the Florida
Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission in that not only that you
have the professional level of rules and procedures but, more
importantly, they are followed in operations day-to-day, which they
actually assess to determine that they're properly followed.
One of the last ones is our Youth Relations Bureau. You all
know we have a terrific one. They were awarded the model youth
relations program nationally by the National Association of School
Resource Officers. And they are -- I guess they're out there right now
receiving it officially. So we didn't have it here to review with you,
but they are in the process of getting that.
As you all know, we've had a number of very difficult years.
We've all worked through it. We have built strong partnerships, and
particularly with you. And I wanted to take a moment to recognize,
one, the constitutional officers that I work together with each and
every day; you, as the commission, who I work with each and every
day, to make sure that we have the resources and the tools that we
need to provide public safety, and I appreciate all of your support
there.
When it comes down to the operational elements, though, I've got
to recognize the County Manager, his staff, particularly because on a
day-to-day basis we work in the field, in the street. And, you know,
when we look at the county administrators like Len Price and Nick
Casalanguida for traffic safety, Steve Carnell, this group of our
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June 26, 2014
command staff is in regular contact with each of them; your legal
counsel, working together with our legal counsel. So it's a great
working relationship.
But, you know, there are even ones that -- I believe the success
that we have had as a county, as a community, stems from us being
able to make more out of the -- what we've got.
And we look at Chief Kopka with EMS and the support that we
get not only with our SWAT functions, because he has people
assigned there, but routine support for our members notwithstanding
the community that needs assistance.
Jeff Wright in Code Enforcement; you know, we have task force
groups throughout the county. We have been very successful to
partner with code enforcement, with the fire service, and we actually
go out and we create, with you, safer living conditions for our
residents.
Skip Camp. I will tell you that the facilities management and
maintenance, albeit we're going through an air-conditioning rehab,
which is somewhat miserable, and I'm sure it's miserable for Skip, but
he makes it, and his staff, so nice to be able to make that work and us
do our job day-to-day, because it is very intrusive. It causes a lot of
concern that we have for safety for the jail.
And while Chief Roberts takes care of that completely, it is still
something that is outside of our normal realm.
Parks and recreation with Barry Williams. As we talk about
those tens of thousands of young people -- and we're looking at more
than 40,000 this year -- parks and rec is right there with us to give
them opportunities, and we're doing it in every area of the county. And
we thank you and he for that.
Traffic services director, Jay Ahmad, Dan Summers. We also
have 200-plus businesses in Collier County that have committed to
help keep our young people safe and have programming for them
available.
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The Chamber of Commerce, the school system, and our fire
service companions as well.
So when you put all of that together, we certainly understand the
benefit of that.
And, officially, on behalf of the Collier County Sheriffs Office, I
wanted to thank you and Leo for all of that.
And as with -- the reason we're here are for our budget requests,
we're looking at very similar things to what you are all looking at. We
have $9.7 million worth of deferred capital equipment that we're
looking at phasing in over the next several years. We're going to do
that in smaller increments of just over $2 million.
For the public -- and I know the board knows this, but for the
public's benefit, the Office of Sheriff cannot reserve dollars. So when
I make my request and certification for necessary equipment, I've got
to do it today. So -- if they wonder why that request.
We are going to begin refilling some of the positions that we
have not filled over the last couple of years, and that's in corrections
administration and law enforcement. And we're doing that based on
an analysis that was prepared by each of the chiefs that recommend
what services should be increased, what should no longer be used and
changed, because it's a moving, living plan that we have in Collier
County. It's a very proactive plan as opposed to a reactive plan, which
most law enforcement agencies in the country utilize.
We're not going to stand still for a non -- or reaction plan. We
will always position ourselves into a proactive approach to prevent
crime, investigate it when need be, and continue to keep our residents
safe.
We are also looking at a step pay adjustment and a competitive
package of benefits so that I'm able to compete with those agencies
that are looking at the same pool of law enforcement and corrections
candidates and considering right now a problem that we've seen once
before, and that's housing and the cost of living.
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And I hope that we, as a nation, have learned our lesson about
housing, but we need to be very, very careful about where we go.
We're -- you know, we compete throughout the state with other
law enforcement agencies to get the best trained and qualified people
here in Collier County. We'd like to continue to do that and, therefore,
you see my certified request for $142 million this year, which is still
well below the 2008/2009 budget we had been operating under.
Last, I'd like to thank the command staff that sits before you.
Chiefs Bloom, Smith, Spell, Roberts, Williams, Headberg; we have
our Finance Director, Andrea Marsh, here with us. They are the ones
that make it run day-to-day. They have my full support, my
recognition of the great job they do, and I wanted to make sure I said
that publicly today as well.
We are all here to answer any questions that you might have
relative to the budget. It is straightforward, and we'd be happy to
answer any questions that you might have.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Thank you, Sheriff.
Commissioner Hiller?
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Yeah. Sheriff, I want to commend
you and your chiefs and your staff for an absolutely exceptional job.
Your package has some statistics in it that I think are worthy of
note.
From 2008 to 2013, the total crimes have decreased 16 percent.
For that same period, your total arrests have decreased 37 percent.
Considering that you have not been able to hire to what has been
approved as your total count, that is just unbelievable.
And so, yes, I totally agree that you do need to build your staff
up in anticipation of the growth that we are -- that we know is coming,
because it is all about prevention. You've done an outstanding job.
What's even more interesting is your calls for service versus the
population. Those have also fallen dramatically very precipitously,
which goes to, again, your philosophy that it's all about prevention.
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So I support your request wholeheartedly.
I'm particularly impressed, Chief Bloom, by what you're doing at
the schools with the YRD program. My daughter is in that school, and
she appreciates your deputies.
Last year I was adamant about seeing that program made whole.
And I was a little bit disturbed that it wasn't made whole last year. In
fact, I was upset about it. And this year I'm very happy to see that that
is, you know, coming to fruition.
Secondly, with respect to your division, Chief Bloom, I had the
opportunity to do a drive-along, and I went out at seven in the
evening, and I was out till three at night. And what I --
CHAIRMAN HENNING: That's normal, isn't it?
COMMISSIONER HILLER: No. Let me just say it should be
normal but, yeah. That's how I wish my life was, but it isn't quite
there yet. I'm working on it.
But going to the point of building up staffing, it was very clear to
me, based on my experiences during that night, that it is imperative
that we get more men on the road because -- to give you an example,
we had a situation where we were heading home, and I would say it
was about 2:30 a.m., and we had just turned north on 41.
And we got a call that there was an accident right here by the
county center and that it appeared that a biker had been run over by a
vehicle and that there was another impacted vehicle that had flown
into the median and into a tree.
I can't tell you how many people responded to the scene so
quickly. And it was necessary for them to be there, but what that
meant is that those cars that would have been patrolling in those other
areas were no longer in those areas where we had just been and had
witnessed multiple other crimes.
So we have to have the ability to get to these major crime scenes
with the right resources without compromising the safety of the
surrounding community, as an example, which is why I support your
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staffing levels as you're requesting them.
The other thing I'd like to say -- and I did ask the Sheriff about
this. Another program that's very near and dear to my heart is the
AED program. And the Sheriff has assured me that it is fully funded,
that we are -- that we have as many AEDs as we need and that we
have adequate funding for maintaining the AEDs that we have and
that you have adequate funding for the training as needed with respect
to first responders that are on patrol.
And I just want to make sure that that is the case and that you
don't need more funding. Because, believe me, I will vote for that.
So, yeah, great job.
And then, you know, with respect to the prisons, I mean
phenomenal, absolutely phenomenal.
We have no problems, and I want to thank you for taking them
over so that we don't have to deal with them, because I would not want
to deal with all the issues that you have to deal with, and I'm sure your
-- it keeps your attorney gainfully employed.
And with respect to outreach, it's absolutely the best outreach that
I have absolutely seen from the Sheriffs Office. Communication is
everything. Your Face-booking just keeps me entertained all night.
That's beyond 3 o'clock, and you're really great at what you do.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Thank you, Commissioner.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: And, Chief Williams, great job on
investigate services. I mean, very clearly, if you make the arrest and if
you don't get the evidence together to take it to the state attorney, then
we're nowhere.
And if the State Attorney doesn't prosecute and only chooses to
prosecute where he can win 100 percent, then all the money that we're
investing in you is wasted, so I sincerely hope he's listening and
doesn't do that, and really goes for, you know, justice. And let it be
properly served. I had to say that. I've been waiting a whole year to
say that.
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Thank you for all you do to work with our staff, Chief Smith, for
being so cooperative and understanding and really making it a
pleasure to, you know, develop these, you know, capital projects and
programs.
And, you know, I think we as a board -- and I'm going to try to
speak on behalf of the board. I think we're all so happy that you are
doing such a great job in promoting public safety. It's our number-one
responsibility as government, and it is making Collier County a great
place to live and making it very attractive for businesses to come here.
It's so important. So thank you all.
SHERIFF RAMBOSK: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Any other budgetary questions for the
Sheriff?
COMMISSIONER COYLE: Yeah. Just -- you might want to
make it clear that when you pick somebody up at a bar at 2 o'clock in
the morning and take them home, that's not part of the ride-around --
ride-along program.
SHERIFF RAMBOSK: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Is that that 3 a.m. thing,
Commissioner Coyle?
COMMISSIONER COYLE: That's not a ride-around.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: But I have to tell you, seriously,
Chief Bloom, your guys rock. I mean, it is amazing. I mean, the guys
I met -- and I met a whole bunch of them that night, I mean a lot, and
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Commissioner Hiller, I think you
should stop. You're way ahead. You're way ahead.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: I was, like, so impressed.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Let it go, ma'am.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: I know. It was, like, so awesome.
I mean, really. Thank you.
SHERIFF RAMBOSK: Thank you. Appreciate the opportunity.
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CHAIRMAN HENNING: I don't think we have any unfinished
business for the workshop, do we?
MR. OCHS: No, sir, unless there's any other public comment --
MR. MILLER: Nothing.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Jeff?
MR. OCHS: Then that concludes the workshop from the staffs
perspective, Mr. Chair. We'll be bringing back an executive summary
to set your max tentative millage at the July 8th meeting, as we
normally do.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: Thank you. And, Mark, thank you
and your staff for putting together a workable budget.
MR. ISACKSON: Thank you, sir, and Commissioners.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: 1 :30. It shows that it was a really
good budget.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Well done.
MR. ISACKSON: And just a shout out to my staff. They're
dwindling in number, but they're there every night when I'm there and
generally in the morning, too, so -- we've got some of the best fiscal
people in the county.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: On those late nights, they need to
talk to --
MR. OCHS: Get a ride home.
COMMISSIONER NANCE: Get a ride home from
Commissioner Hiller.
COMMISSIONER HILLER: Stop. You're embarrassing me.
Oh, my God.
CHAIRMAN HENNING: We're adjourned.
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June 26, 2014
*****
There being no further business for the good of the County, the
meeting was adjourned by order of the Chair at 1 :38 p.m.
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS/EX
OFFICIO GOVERNING BOARD(S) OF
SPECIAL STR/9( S UNDER ITS CONTROL
TOM HENNING, AIRMAN
ATTEST:
DWIGHT E. BROCK, CLERK
' i 4
I6
f r r
Attest as to. hareh s
r ,
signature(AV:'
These minutes approved by the Board on 61 a b/.01
as presented 1/ or as corrected
TRANSCRIPT PREPARED ON BEHALF OF GREGORY COURT
REPORTING SERVICE, INC., BY TERRI LEWIS, COURT
REPORTER AND NOTARY PUBLIC.
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