BCC Minutes 03/08/2005 R
March 8, 2005
TRANSCRIPT OF THE MEETING OF THE
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Naples, Florida, March 8, 2005
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 district as has been created according to law and having
conducted business herein, met on this date at 9:00 a.m., in
REGULAR SESSION in Building "F" of the Government Complex,
East Naples, Florida, with the following members present:
CHAIRMAN: Fred W. Coyle
Frank Halas
Tom Henning
Jim Coletta
Donna Fiala ( absent)
ALSO PRESENT:
Jim Mudd, County Manager
David Weigel, County Attorney
Jim Mitchell, Office of the Clerk of Court
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COLLIER COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
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AGENDA
March 8, 2005
9:00 AM
Fred W. Coyle, Chairman, District 4
Frank Halas, Vice-Chairman, District 2
Donna Fiala, Commissioner, District 1
Tom Henning, Commissioner, District 3
Jim Coletta, Commissioner, District 5
NOTICE: ALL PERSONS WISHING TO SPEAK ON ANY AGENDA ITEM
MUST REGISTER PRIOR TO SPEAKING. SPEAKERS MUST REGISTER
WITH THE COUNTY MANAGER PRIOR TO THE PRESENTATION OF
THE AGENDA ITEM TO BE ADDRESSED.
COLLIER COUNTY ORDINANCE NO. 2003-53, AS AMENDED REQUIRES
THAT ALL LOBBYISTS SHALL, BEFORE ENGAGING IN ANY LOBBYING
ACTIVITIES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ADDRESSING THE
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS), REGISTER WITH THE CLERK
TO THE BOARD AT THE BOARD MINUTES AND RECORDS
DEPARTMENT.
REQUESTS TO ADDRESS THE BOARD ON SUBJECTS WHICH ARE NOT
ON THIS AGENDA MUST BE SUBMITTED IN WRITING WITH
EXPLANATION TO THE COUNTY MANAGER AT LEAST 13 DAYS PRIOR
TO THE DATE OF THE MEETING AND WILL BE HEARD UNDER "PUBLIC
PETITIONS."
ANY PERSON WHO DECIDES TO APPEAL A DECISION OF THIS BOARD
WILL NEED A RECORD OF THE PROCEEDINGS PERTAINING THERETO,
AND THEREFORE MAY NEED TO ENSURE THAT A VERBATIM RECORD
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March 8, 2005
OF THE PROCEEDINGS IS MADE, WHICH RECORD INCLUDES THE
TESTIMONY AND EVIDENCE UPON WHICH THE APPEAL IS TO BE BASED.
ALL REGISTERED PUBLIC SPEAKERS WILL RECEIVE UP TO FIVE (5)
MINUTES UNLESS THE TIME IS ADJUSTED BY THE CHAIRMAN.
IF YOU ARE A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY WHO NEEDS ANY
ACCOMMODATION IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROCEEDING,
YOU ARE ENTITLED, AT NO COST TO YOU, TO THE PROVISION OF
CERTAIN ASSISTANCE. PLEASE CONTACT THE COLLIER COUNTY
FACILITIES MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT LOCATED AT 3301 EAST
TAMIAMI TRAIL, NAPLES, FLORIDA, 34112, (239) 774-8380; ASSISTED
LISTENING DEVICES FOR THE HEARING IMPAIRED ARE AVAILABLE IN
THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS' OFFICE.
LUNCH RECESS SCHEDULED FOR 12:00 NOON TO 1:00 P.M.
1. INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
A. Associate Pastor David Swicegood, Marco Presbyterian Church
2. AGENDA AND MINUTES
A. Approval of to day's regular, consent and summary agenda as amended. (Ex
Parte Disclosure provided by Commission members for summary agenda.)
B. February 8, 2005 - BCC/Regular Meeting
C. February 9,2005 - BCC/District 2 Town Hall Meeting.
D. February 15, 2005 - BCC/Listed Species Workshop
3. SERVICE AWARDS: (EMPLOYEE AND ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS)
A. Advisory Committee Service Awards
1) Presentation of the Advisory Committee Outstanding Member
Award to Michael Delate, Land Acquisition Advisory
Committee.
4. PROCLAMATIONS
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March 8, 2005
A. Proclamation to designate the week of March 6th through March 12th,
2005, as Extension Living Well Week. To be accepted by Carol Yates and
Mary Tarnowski.
B. Proclamation to recognize the Parks and Recreation Department and its
staff for becoming accredited to the National Committee on Accreditation.
To be accepted by Marla Ramsey, Public Services Administrator and the
Parks and Recreation Staff.
5. PRESENTATIONS
6. PUBLIC PETITIONS
A. Public Petition request by Jeff Bluestein to discuss Code Enforcement
Board Case No. 97-029 on behalf of Anthony Varano.
Item 7 and 8 to be heard no sooner than 1:00 p.m.. unless otherwise noted.
7. BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS
A. This item reQuires that all participants be sworn in and ex parte
disclosure be provided bv Commission members. CU-2003-AR-4326:
Dieudonne and Lunie Brutus represented by Ronald F. Nino, AICP, of
Vanasse Daylor, requesting Conditional Use approval in the Village
Residential (VR) zoning district for a church or house of worship for the
Tabernacle of Bethlehem Church pursuant to LDC Sections 2.04.03, Table
2 and 10.08.00. Property is an 0.69-acre tract located at 305 3rd Street
South, in Section 4, Township 47 South, Range 29 East, Immokalee,
Florida. (COMPANION ITEM TO V A-2003-AR-4327)
B. This item reQuires that all participants to be sworn in and ex-parte
disclosure be provided bv Commission members. V A-2003-AR-4327:
Dieudonne and Lunie Brutus, (regarding the Tabernacle of Bethlehem
Church), represented by Ronald F. Nino, AICP, of Vanasse Daylor, request
the following variances in the VR zoning district for a Conditional Use
(LDC §4.02.02.E.): 1) from the minimum one-acre lot area; to allow an
existing structure on an 0.69 acre tract to be converted to a church use; 2) to
reduce the front yard setback from the required 35 feet to 20 feet; 3) to
reduce the required 33 parking spaces to 19 spaces (LDC §4.04.04.G.Table
17); and; 4) to reduce the landscape buffer on the north and south property
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March 8, 2005
lines from the required l5-foot type "B," to allow a 10-foot wide type "B"
buffer (LDC §4.06.02 Table 24). Property is located at 305 3rd Street
South, in Section 4, Township 47 South, Range 29 East, Immokalee,
Florida. (COMPANION ITEM TO CU-2003-AR-4326)
8. ADVERTISED PUBLIC HEARINGS
A. An Ordinance of the Board of County Commissioners of Collier County,
Florida, amending Ordinance Number 04-41, as amended, the Collier
County Land Development Code, which includes the comprehensive land
development regulations for the unincorporated area of Collier County,
Florida, by providing for: Section one, recitals; Section two, findings of
fact; Section three, adoption of amendments to the Land Development
Code, more specifically amending the following: Chapter 6 - infrastructure
improvements and adequate public facilities requirements, including Sec.
6.06.02 sidewalk, bike lane, and greenway requirements; Chapter 10-
application, review, and decision-making procedures, including Sec.
1 0.02.03.b.1. Final site development plan procedure and requirements;
Section four, conflict and severability; Section five, inclusion in the Collier
County Land Development Code; and Section six, effective date.
B. This item was continued from the February 8 BCC meetine:.
Recommendation to consider adoption of an ordinance establishing the City
Gate Community Development District (CDD) pursuant to Section
190.005, Florida Statutes.
9. BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
A. Appointment of members to the Land Acquisition Advisory Committee.
B. Appointment of members to the Immokalee Beautification MSTU
Advisory Committee.
C. Request to consider allowing the Haitian American Corporation, Inc. use of
the Immokalee Community Park in Immokalee free of charge for the
purpose of holding a Haitian Play and Art Festival to be held May 28, 2005
and May 29, 2005. (Total cost $780.00) (Commissioner Coletta)
D. Appointment of members to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board.
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March 8, 2005
E. Discussion regarding "No Jake Brake" signage on Oil Well Road and
Everglades Boulevard. (Commissioner Coletta)
F. Appointment of members to the Collier County Code Enforcement Board.
10. COUNTY MANAGER'S REPORT
A. Recommendation to adopt FY06 Budget Policy.
B. This item to be heard at 9:30 a.m. Recommendation to review the written
and oral reports of the Advisory Boards and Committees scheduled for
review in 2005 in accordance with Ordinance No. 200155, including the
Bayshore Beautification MSTU Advisory Committee, Lely Golf Estates
Beautification Advisory Committee, Radio Road Beautification Advisory
Committee, Vanderbilt Beach Beautification MSTU Advisory Committee,
Bayshore/Gateway Triangle Local Redevelopment Advisory Board, and the
Golden Gate Estates Land Trust Advisory Committee.
C. Recommendation to award a construction contract in the amount of
$25,689,039.43 to John Carlo, Inc. and reserve $1,258,000 in funding
allowances to construct road and utility improvements on Immokalee Road
Six-laning Project, from U.S. 41 to 1-75; Project No. 66042B; Bid No. 05-
3788; Fiscal Impact $26,947,039.43
D. Recommendation to approve RFP #05-3770, to be posted to solicit bids for
"Design-Build" services for capacity improvements to Immokalee Road
from immediately west of 1-75 to immediately east of CR 951 Collier
Boulevard", County Project No. 69101.
E. Recommendation to adopt a Resolution of the Board of County
Commissioners of Collier County, Florida directing that Ad Valorem
revenues (generated from .15 mils) shall be dedicated to Collier County's
Stormwater Utility for Fiscal Year 2006 and the next nineteen fiscal years.
F. Recommendation to authorize the purchase of long lead-time equipment, to
approve the award of Contract #05-3743 and Bid #05-3738, and to approve
the necessary budget amendment for upgrades and modifications to the
Lime Softening Water Treatment Plant Process at the South County
Regional Water Treatment Plant, Project 700571, in the amount of
$3,943,270.
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March 8, 2005
11. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON GENERAL TOPICS
12. COUNTY ATTORNEY'S REPORT
13. OTHER CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS
14. AIRPORT AUTHORITY AND/OR COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT
AGENCY
15. STAFF AND COMMISSION GENERAL COMMUNICATIONS
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16. CONSENT AGENDA - All matters listed under this item are considered to be
routine and action will be taken by one motion without separate discussion of
each item. If discussion is desired by a member of the Board, that item(s) will
be removed from the Consent Agenda and considered separately.
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A. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT & ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES
1) Recommendation to grant final approval of the roadway (private) and
drainage improvements for the final plat of "Whispering Woods". The
roadway and drainage improvements will be privately maintained.
2) Recommendation to approve for recording the final plat of
"Veronawalk Phase 2C", approval of the standard form Construction
and Maintenance Agreement and approval of the amount of the
performance security.
3) Recommendation to allow County Staff to administratively issue
Development Excavation Permits and Vegetation Removal permits as
required for Saturnia Falls (Terafina PUD) located in Section 16,
Township 48 South, Range 26 East.
4) Recommendation to approve for recording the final plat of
"Andalucia", approval of the standard form Construction and
Maintenance Agreement and approval of the amount of the
performance security.
5) Recommendation to approve for recording the final plat of "Mediterra
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March 8, 2005
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Parcel 125 Replat", approval of the standard form Construction and
Maintenance Agreement and approval of the amount of the
performance security.
6) Recommendation to grant final approval of the roadway (private) and
drainage improvements for the final plat of "Ibis Cove Phase 2C". The
roadway and drainage improvements will be privately maintained.
7) Recommendation to grant final approval of the roadway (private) and
drainage improvements for the final plat of "Islandwalk Phase 5B"
The roadway and drainage improvements will be privately
maintained.
8) Recommendation that the Board of County Commissioners approve a
$43,800 budget amendment from Fund 131 Developer Services
Reserves to Fund 131 Prior Year Reimbursements to cover a refund
associated with a Stewardship Sending Area Application.
9) Recommendation to approve final acceptance of water and sewer
utility facilities for Island Walk, Phase 2.
10) Recommendation to approve final acceptance of water utility facilities
for Whisper Trace, Fiddler's Creek.
11) Recommendation to approve final acceptance of water and sewer
utility facilities for Mediterra Golf Course Rest Shelters.
12) Recommendation to approve final acceptance of water and sewer
utility facilities for Mediterra, Unit One.
13) Recommendation to approve final acceptance of water and sewer
utility facilities for Carlton Lakes, Unit 3C.
14) Recommendation to approve final acceptance of water utility facilities
for Sterling Greens at Glen Eagle Tr J, Phase II.
15) Recommendation to approve for recording the final plat of
"Veronawalk Phase 3 A", approval of the standard form Construction
and Maintenance Agreement and approval of the amount of the
performance security.
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March 8, 2005
B. TRANSPORTATION SERVICES
1) Recommendation that the Board of County Commissioners (1)
approve a Resolution approving, and authorizing the Chairman of the
Board of County Commissioners to execute, a Local Agency Program
Agreement with the State Department of Transportation, in which
Collier County would be reimbursed up to $437,500 of the total
estimated cost of $500,000 for the design and construction of
Sidewalks - Various Locations.
2) Recommendation to approve a budget amendment in the amount of
$102,986 for funds from the Federal Transit Administration for the
Collier Area Transit (CAT) system.
3) Recommendation to approve an Agreement for the conveyance of
easements required from Villas at Mandalay Development, LLC for
the construction of improvements to Rattlesnake Hammock Road
between Polly Avenue and Collier Boulevard, and the installation of
an underground drainage pipe along a portion of the frontage of the
development, within Rattlesnake Hammock Road right-of-way
(Project No. 60 169)(Estimated Fiscal Impact: Not to exceed
$150,000.)
4) Recommendation to approve Adopt-A-Road Agreements with
Freedom Tax Services SW Florida, Landmark Naples Home Owners
Association, TJ. Turf Farm, Gulfstream Homes, Collier Cleaning
Company and Marine Corps League of Naples.
5) Recommendation to award Bid #05-3689 to Ground Zero
Landscaping Services, Inc. for the Bayshore Beautification MSTU
Roadway Grounds Maintenance and authorize the Chairman to
execute the standard contract after review by the County Attorney's
Office.
6) Recommendation to award a contract in the amount of $530,000 to D.
N. Higgins, Inc. for the River Oaks, Palm River Subdivision culvert
replacement Project (Project No. 51007), and approve a budget
amendment to transfer funds in the amount of $554,600.00.
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March 8, 2005
7) Recommendation to approve the three (3) Landscape Maintenance
Agreements between the Lely Golf Estates Beautification MSTU with
the Board of County Commissioners, as governing board and (1) Lely
Square Partnership, (2) Earl C. and Charlotte J. Koops and (3) Buena
Vida, for the landscaping and maintenance on St. Andrews Boulevard.
8) Recommendation to accept a final status report from the I-75/Golden
Gate Interchange Ad Hoc Advisory Committee.
C. PUBLIC UTILITIES
1) Recommendation to authorize purchase of a Pilot Water Filtration
Unit for the South County Water Treatment Plant 12-MGD RO
Expansion and award Bid 05-3727, Project 70097, for $125,950.00 to
Aerex Industries.
2) Recommendation to approve, execute and record Satisfactions for
certain Water and/or Sewer Impact Fee Payment Agreements. Fiscal
impact is $28.50 to record the Satisfactions of Lien.
3) Recommendation to adopt a Resolution to approve the Satisfaction of
Lien for a Solid Waste residential account wherein the County has
received payment and said Lien is satisfied in full for the 1994 Solid
Waste Collection and Disposal Services Special Assessment. Fiscal
impact is $20.00 to record the Satisfaction of Lien.
4) Recommendation to adopt a Resolution to approve the Satisfactions of
Lien for Solid Waste residential accounts wherein the County has
received payment and said Liens are satisfied in full for the 1995
Solid Waste Collection and Disposal Services Special Assessments.
Fiscal impact is $30.00 to record the Satisfactions of Lien.
5) Recommendation to adopt a Resolution to approve the Satisfactions of
Lien for Solid Waste residential accounts wherein the County has
received payment and said Liens are satisfied in full for the 1996
Solid Waste Collection and Disposal Services Special Assessments.
Fiscal impact is $30.00 to record the Satisfactions of Lien.
6) Recommendation to approve a new easement to be deeded to Florida
Power & Light Company (FP&L) for electrical power service for the
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March 8, 2005
Reuse Pumping Station at the North County Water Reclamation
Facility (NCWRF), Project 739501, for a minor recording fee.
7) Recommendation that the Board of County Commissioners, as Ex-
Officio the Governing Board of the Collier County Water-Sewer
District, declare the QualServe Workshop a valid and proper Public
Purpose and approve the expenditure for an on-site QualServe
Workshop in a sum not to exceed $500.00.
8) Recommendation to reject all bids for Bid 05-3766 and to provide
authorization to re-bid for "Pigging Station for Immokalee Road 30"
Force Main", Project 73943.
9) Recommendation to accept five grant agreements for alternative water
supply projects from the South Florida Water Management District in
the amount of $750,000.
10) Recommendation to waive the competitive bidding process and award
a contract for technical assistance to perform post implementation
review, work flow analysis & documentation of operating procedures
for Special Assessment software system and create procedures for
new County programs-Cat a not to exceed cost of $99,200).
D. PUBLIC SERVICES
1) Recommendation to award bid #05-3759 for rental of portable toilets
to J. W. Craft, Inc. at an estimated cost of$26,000 countywide.
2) Recommendation to approve application and Memorandum of
Understanding for a Safe Havens: Supervised Visitation and Safe
Exchange Grant in the amount of $350,000 from the United States
Department of Justice.
3) Recommendation to accept donated funds in the amount of$79.29
and approve a budget amendment recognizing the revenue and
appropriating funds for Immokalee Community Park.
E. ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
1) Recommendation to approve an amendment to the external Auditing
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March 8, 2005
Contract 03-3497 Auditing Services for Collier County between
KPMG, LLP and Collier County in an amount not to exceed $58,100
for the purpose of performing a group health insurance third -party
administration claims audit of the County's group health insurance
claims administrator, CBSA, Inc.
2) Recommendation to ratify a staff report on Property, Casualty,
Workers' Compensation and Subrogation Claims settled and/or closed
by the Risk Management Director pursuant to Resolution # 2004-15
for the first quarter of FY 05.
3) Recommendation to reject all responses received under Invitation to
Qualify 05-3779, Construction Services for the Vanderbilt Beach
Parking Garage and reissue as a bid, project 90295.
4) Recommendation to approve standard form contracts for use in the
acquisition of construction services, construction management
services and professional services.
5) Recommendation to approve payment of $454.07 to the State of
Florida Department of Revenue for taxes due, interest and penalty
fees for late fuel tax filings in Fiscal Year 2003.
F. COUNTY MANAGER
1) Recommendation to approve Amendment NO.1 to Work Order #HM-
FT -05-02 under Contract #013271, Fixed Term Professional
Engineering Services for Coastal Zone Management Projects, with
Humiston & Moore Engineers for Shorebird Monitoring related to
Hideaway Beach Renourishment, Project 90502, in the amount of
$11,648.00.
2) Recommendation to Approve Two (2) Contractual Service
Agreements between Collier County and the East Naples, and Golden
Gate Fire & Rescue Districts to provide Fire Protection and Rescue
Services within the Collier County Fire Control District at a cost of
$175,600.
3) Recommendation to approve a budget amendment.
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March 8, 2005
G. AIRPORT AUTHORITY AND/OR COMMUNITY
REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
H. BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
1) Commissioner Fiala requests Board approval for reimbursement for
attending a function serving a valid public purpose. Will be attending
the 2005 Humanitarian Award Luncheon honoring Clyde Butcher on
March 11,2005 at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort at Tiburon; $100.00 to
be paid from Commissioner Fiala's travel budget.
2) Commissioner Coletta requests Board approval for reimbursement
for attending the Lincoln Day Fundraiser to be held at the Naples
Beach Hotel and Golf Club on March 12, 2005 sponsored by the
Collier County Republican Executive Committee. This fundraising
event will have two prestigious Congressmen as keynote speakers;
$75.00 to be paid from Commissioner Coletta's travel budget.
3) Commissioner Halas requests Board approval for reimbursement for
attending the Lincoln Day Fundraiser to be held at the Naples Beach
Hotel and Golf Club on March 12,2005 sponsored by the Collier
County Republican Executive Committee. This fundraising event will
have two prestigious Congressmen as keynote speakers; $75.00 to be
paid from Commissioner Halas' travel budget.
I. MISCELLANEOUS CORRESPONDENCE
1) Miscellaneous Items to File for Record with Action as Directed.
J. OTHER CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS
1) Recommendation that the Board of County Commissioners designate
the Sheriff as the Official Fiscal Year 2005 Applicant and Program
Point-of-Contact for the United States Department of Justice, Bureau
of Justice Assistance, Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance
Grant (JAG) Program, accept the Grant when awarded, and approve
applicable budget amendments.
2) Recommendation that the Board of County Commissioners make a
determination of whether the purchases of goods and services
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March 8, 2005
documented in the Detailed Report of Open Purchase Orders dated
January 22, 2005 to February 18, 2005 serve a valid public purpose
and authorize the expenditure of County funds to satisfy said
purchases. A copy of the Detailed Report is on display in the County
Manager's Office, 2nd Floor, W. Harmon Turner Building, 3301 East
Tamiami Trail, Naples, FL 34112.
K. COUNTY ATTORNEY
1) Recommendation to approve a Stipulated Final Judgment as to Parcel
139 in the lawsuit styled Collier County v. John Aurigemma, et aI.,
Case No. 04-344-CA (Vanderbilt Beach Road Project 63051).
2) Recommendation that the Board authorize staff to open a Purchase
Order for Gerson, Preston Robinson & Co., P.A., to be used as an
expert witness and consultant for the County in the acquisition of
well field easements for the "South County Regional Water Treatment
Plant 20-MGD Well field Expansion" (SCRWTP) Project No. 70892,
for an amount not to exceed $50,000.00
3) Recommendation for the Board of County Commissioners to Approve
an Agreed Order for Payment of Appraisal Fees in Connection with
Parcel No. I in the Lawsuit Styled Collier County v. Francisco
Lemus, et aI., Case No. 03-2788-CA (13th Street Project #69068).
4) Recommendation that the Board of County Commissioners approve
the Agreed Order with Respondent, Crown Castle GT Company,
LLC, in the lawsuit styled Collier County v. Tree Plateau Co., Inc., et
aI., Case No. 03-05l9-CA. (Immokalee Road Project Number 60018)
5) Recommendation to approve the Mediated Settlement Agreement
with Respondents, David and Barbara S. Burgeson for Parcel No. 170
in the lawsuit styled Collier County v. Thomas F. Salzmann, et aI.,
Case No. 03-2550-CA (Golden Gate Parkway Project 60027).
17. SUMMARY AGENDA - THIS SECTION IS FOR ADVERTISED PUBLIC
HEARINGS AND MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA: 1) A
RECOMMENDATION FOR APPROVAL FROM STAFF; 2) UNANIMOUS
RECOMMENDATION FOR APPROVAL BY THE COLLIER COUNTY
PLANNING COMMISSION OR OTHER AUTHORIZING AGENCIES OF
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March 8, 2005
ALL MEMBERS PRESENT AND VOTING; 3) NO WRITTEN OR ORAL
OBJECTIONS TO THE ITEM RECEIVED BY STAFF, THE COLLIER
COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION, OTHER AUTHORIZING
AGENCIES OR THE BOARD, PRIOR TO THE COMMENCEMENT OF
THE BCC MEETING ON WHICH THE ITEMS ARE SCHEDULED TO BE
HEARD; AND 4) NO INDIVIDUALS ARE REGISTERED TO SPEAK IN
OPPOSITION TO THE ITEM. FOR THOSE ITEMS, WHICH ARE QUASI-
JUDICIAL IN NATURE, ALL PARTICIPANTS MUST BE SWORN IN.
A. This item reQuires that all participants to be sworn in and ex-parte
disclosure be provided by Commission members. V A-2004-AR-6793
Leobardo & Maritza Gutierrez represented by Daniel D. Peck, of Peck and
Peck, are requesting a 5-foot after-the-fact variance in the "E" Estates
zoning district from the minimum required 75-foot front yard setback,
along 47th Avenue N.E. (southern boundary), to allow a 70-foot front yard
setback for a single-family home that is currently under construction.
B. This item has been continued from the February 22. 2005 BCC
Meetine:. This item reQuires that all participants he sworn in and ex
parte disclosure be provided by Commission members. PUDZ-A-2003-
AR-4942 - Conquest Development USA, LC, requesting a PUD to PUD
rezone for property located on the East Side of Collier Boulevard (CR 951)
and approximately 1 3/4 Miles South of Tamiami Trail (Us 41), further
described as Silver Lakes, in Section 10 & 15, Township 51 South, Range
26 East, Collier County, Florida.
18. ADJOURN
INQUIRIES CONCERNING CHANGES TO THE BOARD'S AGENDA SHOULD
BE MADE TO THE COUNTY MANAGER'S OFFICE AT 774-8383.
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March 8, 2005
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March 8, 2005
MR. MUDD: Mr. Chairman, you have a quorum.
Ladies and gentlemen, if you'd please take your seats.
Mr. Chairman, you have a hot mike.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: We're now in session.
Would you please all stand for the invocation to be delivered by
Associate Pastor David Swicegood, Marco Presbyterian Church.
PASTOR SWICEGOOD: Good morning, everyone. Let us pray.
Father in Heaven, we thank you that your mercies are new to us
every morning. We acknowledge that you are the everlasting God, the
Creator of this vast universe and all that is in it.
We bow before you humbly asking that your will be done here
on Earth this morning as it is in Heaven. We thank you for the
freedoms we enjoy as citizens of this great nation, and we ask your
blessing especially today and protection upon our military men and
women who are defending the freedoms that we enjoy.
We thank you for Collier County. We thank you for each of our
county commissioners, for their families, and we pray your richest
blessing upon them. Especially for this meeting and all the items on
the agenda, we humbly ask for your wisdom and discernment.
In your hands we commit all of these matters, and we ask all of
this in the name our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Thank you, Pastor Swicegood.
Will you please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance.
(The Pledge of Allegiance was recited in unison.)
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Thank you very much.
PASTOR SWICEGOOD: Thank you very much.
(Commissioner Coletta entered the meeting room.)
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay.
As many of you can see, there are only three commissioners here
right now.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: I beg your pardon, sir.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: I'm sorry.
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March 8, 2005
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Fourth one just showed up.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: And I was so hopeful.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Thought you were going to get
done early.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: But on a more serious note,
Commissioner Fiala is away because of a death in her family, and our
hearts and prayers go out to her for the loss of her sister unexpectedly
recently. She hopefully will be returning within the next week.
Do I hear an approval of today's regular, consent -- first of all,
let's have the ex parte disclosure.
Item #2A
REGULAR CONSENT AND SUMMARY AGENDA - APPROVED
MR. MUDD: Let's do the changes first.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: You want to do the changes first, right?
MR. MUDD: Then we'll get to that, because you might not have
to do any.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: That's right. Go ahead.
MR. MUDD: County Attorney, do you have anything?
MR. WEIGEL: No changes to the agenda other than stated by
Mr. Mudd. I will be speaking at staff communication relative to a
request for executive session at a future meeting.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay.
MR. MUDD: Commissioners, we have agenda changes, the
Board of County Commissioners meeting March 8th, 2005.
Continue item 7A to March 22,2005, BCC meeting. It's
conditional use 2003-AR-4326, Dieudonne and Lunie Brutus
represented by Ronald F. Nino, AICP, of Vanasse, Daylor, requesting
conditional use approval in the village residential VR zoning district
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March 8, 2005
for a church or a house of worship for the Tabernacle of Bethlehem
Church pursuant to LDC section 2.04.03, table 2, and 10.08.00.
Property in a .69-acre tract located at 305 3rd Street south in
Section 4, Township 47 South, Range 29 east, Immokalee, Florida.
And that's -- again, it's a continuation of item 7 A and 7B.
And 7B is a companion item to -- which is a variance
2003-AR-4327, and I'm not going to read that variance but both are
companion items, and both will be heard on March 22nd.
The next item is continue indefinitely item 8B and that's a
recommendation to consider adoption of an ordinance establishing the
City Gate Community Development District, CDD, pursuant to
section 190.005, Florida Statutes, and that's at the petitioner's request.
And I believe each commissioner received a letter from Mr. Pickworth
about that particular item.
Next item is to withdraw item 9E, and that's a discussion
regarding new Jake Brake signage on Oil Well Road in Immokalee --
excuse me -- and Everglades Boulevard, and that's at Commissioner
Coletta's request.
Next item is item 10C. Note, in the fiscal impact of the executive
summary, delete all reference to utility user fees, and that's at staff's
request.
Next item is to add item lOG, and that's a recommendation to
terminate the lease agreement between Gulf Coast Skimmers Water
Ski Show, Inc., and Collier County, and that's at staff's request.
The next item is continue indefinitely item 16A3, and that's a
recommendation to allow county staff to administratively issue
development excavation permits and vegetation removal permits as
required for Saturnia Falls, which is Terafina PUD, located in Section
16, Township 48 south, Range 26 east, and that's at staff's request.
The next item is item 16F2, and it should read, recommendation
to approve two contractual service agreements between Collier
County and the East Naples and Golden Gate Fire and Rescue
Page 4
March 8, 2005
Districts to provide fire protection and rescue services within the
Collier County Fire Control District at a cost of $176,400, rather than
$175,600 as stated on the agenda index. The executive summary in
the packet is correct, and that reading is at staffs request.
The next item is to withdraw item 16H 1, and that was an item for
Commissioner Fiala to go to a function, which is the 2005
humanitarian award luncheon, and I believe that the death in her
family precluded her from going to that.
Next item is item 16K5 . Note, one of the property owners and
parties to the proposed mediated settlement, Barbara Burgeson, is
employed by Collier County in the Department of Environmental
Services.
This property was condemned for Collier County's Golden Gate
Parkway project, and approval of the proposed mediated settlement
does not create a conflict of interest for the board.
This is consistent with the Commission of Ethics' opinion, 78-8,
and that clarification was asked for by Commissioner Coyle.
The next item is continue -- is to continue item 1 7B to the March
22nd, 2005, BCC meeting, and it's PUDZ-A-203-AR-4942 (sic),
which is the Conquest Development USA, LC, requesting a PUD to
PUD zone for property located on the east side of Collier Boulevard,
County Road 951, and approximately one and three quarter miles
south of Tamiami Trail, U.S. 41, further described as Silver Lakes in
Section 10 and 15, Township 51 south, Range 26 east, Collier County,
Florida, and that's at the petitioner's request.
And I know that there were a lot of people earlier that wanted to
sign up and speak on this particular item, and I'm going to say that the
Silver Lakes petition is requested to be continued, and that's item 17B,
until 22 March, 2005.
And, Commissioners, you have one time certain item, and that's
item lOB, and that's basically the reports from your advisory boards,
and that's at 9:30.
Page 5
March 8, 2005
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Mr. Mudd, can you tell me if it is
necessary that all of those petitions that are requesting a continuance
be scheduled for the next regularly scheduled BCC meeting, or can we
move them out to a later date?
MR. MUDD: Well, I'm going to ask the county attorney, but I
believe some of them have --
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Already been moved?
MR. MUDD: -- some of them have advertising particular
requirements, and there's a time period in which they have to be -- in
which they have to be heard, or then they have to go through the
advertising process again.
But County Attorney Weigel, can you help me on that particular
period of time?
MR. WEIGEL: Well, I can, but just to a degree, because I think,
for instance, the City Gate item is being withdrawn indefinitely; takes
that one out of the picture, so that's not a problem.
But for the others to be continued specifically to March 22nd, I
can only state that we have a policy in place that allows for up to five
weeks of continuance with specific rescheduling that does not require
a readvertisement. And just judging from the items here, I can't tell
you where they are in the five-week spectrum.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Five weeks from what time, David?
From the time --
MR. WEIGEL: A few of them -- well, for the initial -- initial
advertised date. So if any items have been continued to this date, they
already have utilized part of that five-week period. If this is an initial
-- initial agenda appearance for an advertised item, then they have up
to five weeks from now to be brought back with specific rescheduling.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: No, from the time of the advertisement,
so since we don't know --
MR. WEIGEL: Well, from the advertised scheduled date, yes,
.
SIr.
Page 6
March 8, 2005
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Yeah.
MR. WEIGEL: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: So we don't know in all cases when that
advertising date was, so we can't make that determination right now.
But with the board's concurrence, I would like for us to exercise
whatever flexibility we need to assure that because of requests by
petitioner to continue an item from this meeting, we should not be
forced into a marathon meeting of two days or more for the next
meeting, and if it is necessary, we will postpone those till a later date,
and they will have to readvertise.
So if the board has no concerns about that policy, Commissioner
Coletta?
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Yes, I am open for meetings in
the evening if we need to on these items that are going to run like four
hours. I would have no problem with it.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Commissioner Henning?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Well, I brought up evening
meetings on land use items, and I was turned down. I don't see why
we can't hear these today. It's a request. It's not that the board has to
grant it, unless some of the -- any of the board members have a
concern about the action that we're about to take. I know the Planning
Commission recommended approval on both cases, so I -- you know,
just asking my fellow colleagues, do they have any concern about
listening to this item today and -- instead of continuing it?
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Commissioner Coletta?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: You're talking about the ones that
have been pulled, continued?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Well, except for the CDD one,
and I understand that, they're trying to work through issues, but the
church in Immokalee, the two items on the churches in Immokalee, I
can't understand why we can't hear those today.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: If I may?
Page 7
March 8, 2005
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Sure.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: In a way, I do agree with you,
but you've got to remember, this is the petitioner's request, and with
only four commissioners up here and it taking a supermajority, we'd
all have to be in agreement.
And I think the petitioner's got every right to -- I agree, it's going
to be inconvenient, but it's the petitioner's call, you know. Ifhe's got
five commissioners to work with, he might find it more favorably than
having only four and have to get all four to agree with him.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Well, he might just lose this one
if we're going to put it on a heavy schedule. And it's the Board of
Commissioners'meeting. It's not the petitioner's meeting.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: I disagree with that. I think it's
the petitioner's and the public's meeting, and we're just here as part of
it.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Then we will proceed.
With respect to ex parte disclosure -- we do have one speaker on
1 7 A that we'll hear from before we finish this, but on ex parte
disclosure, can we start with Commissioner Halas, please?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: At this particular agenda, what we
have here, I don't have any ex parte, and all I have is just what I've
discussed with staff.
MR. WEIGEL: That's ex parte.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Commissioner Coletta?
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: I have no changes to the agenda
and no disclosures to make on the summary agenda.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: And I have no further changes to make
to the agenda, and I -- the only disclosure I had was with respect to the
Silver Lakes PUD, and that has been pulled, so it is not relevant.
Commissioner Henning?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: The -- no ex parte on today's
summary agenda. I do have some changes to today's agenda.
Page 8
March 8, 2005
I have concerns, item lOG, recommendations to give notice to --
intent to terminate the cause (sic) lease of the Gulf Coast Skimmers. I
would imagine this is a I GO-page document that I -- the
commissioners received this morning. You're asking us to take action
based upon this document. I think it's only appropriate to continue this
so the board can study, and that's my request.
I also want to put on the regular agenda 16A8. Those are the two
items. And I don't think -- if we need to have a discussion on lOG or
not, I don't know.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Was there an urgency to getting lOG
done today or quickly?
MR. MUDD: Yes, sir. They have issues. Over the weekend they
had two particular shows. They had boats on the lake that weren't --
that weren't covered by insurance. We have some issues with how
they're utilizing our particular park.
They're in violation of their contract. And we need to let them
know that we are -- we are in the process of terminating their contract
so that they can get their particular business in order. They have --
they have a court case that's going on right now between their -- I
guess it's -- it used to be their president, Mr. Gursoy, and the
organization as it stands right now, and who has ownership of boats
and other equipment.
It behooves this board to serve them notice and give them a
180-day notice that you're going to terminate this particular contract.
And it happened because of this weekend's event primarily, and it puts
the county in a liability situation.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: So in your opinion it's a health, safety,
welfare issue that needs immediate action?
MR. MUDD: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Board members?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: I'm okay with that.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. All right. Now, to make sure that
Page 9
March 8, 2005
there's not the impression this is being rushed through, it's my
understanding that what you intend to do is give notice of termination
now, not to take final action --
MR. MUDD: That's right.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: -- until the expiration of a specific time
period.
MR. MUDD: Hundred and eighty days, sir.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Hundred and eighty days, okay. Okay.
So we will have time to discuss this in greater detail when and if
necessary; is that correct?
MR. MUDD: Yes, sir; yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Is that okay with you,
Commissioner Henning?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: That's fine.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Then with that, let's hear from
our first -- our speaker on 1 7 A.
MS. FILSON: Yes, sir. You have the speaker slip.
And may I ask Mr. Mudd what 16A8 will become?
MR. MUDD: 10H.
MS. FILSON: 10H, thank you.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: And Mr. Dan Peck.
MR. PECK: Good morning, members of the board. I am before
you seeking a five-foot variance of the 75-foot front yard setback
requirement from the road to 70 feet for the Gutierrez house under
construction at 1815 47th Avenue Northeast, the E zone in Golden
Gate Estates.
The house was originally intended to be built and thought to be
build 100 feet from the road rather than the required 75-foot setback,
but unfortunately the surveyor made a mistake, and instead of
measuring from the center of the road, he measured from the edge of
the road causing the house, in fact, to be built 70 feet rather than 75
feet, or five feet too close.
Page 10
March 8, 2005
The home is an authorized use. It is consistent with zoning. It is
consistent with the land development code and the growth
management plan.
We have an extreme hardship because in accordance with the
letter from the builder, it would cost about $98,500 to demolish the
house and reconstruct it. I had introduced a letter before. I'm not sure
whether that was in the file, so I'll introduce that letter again, setting
forth those costs to tear down and rebuild.
The innocent Gutierrez family already has been extremely
inconvenienced by the delay and interest charges that they're bearing
and the cost of the variance petition.
Five feet is a minimum reasonable use of land and no special
privilege is conferred on the applicant since others have been granted
similar variances.
The staff recommended the variance without a finding of special
conditions and circumstances or preexisting conditions of the property
or peculiar conditions, but I would respectfully submit an argument
could be made that there are such peculiar conditions because we
would not be here if the land were the same as most in Collier County
and he could have measured from the edge of the road rather than the
middle of the road, and that peculiar condition caused our problem
and caused the surveyor's mistake and the Gutierrez' need for
vanance.
Granting the variance is not injurious or detrimental. I don't
believe there's any objection from anyone. The setback is from a road
rather than from another house, and the house across the street, after a
variance, is going to be 70 feet plus the road, width of 60 feet, plus 75
feet for the other house, or a total of 205 feet rather than 210 feet.
I think we can all recognize from our experience that the real
objection when you abut a road is a road in front of you, not a house,
whether it's 205 or 210 feet away. That five-foot difference is not
very material, whereas, if it were sideyard setback with a close
Page 11
March 8, 2005
sideyard restriction, that might be a very material one and affect
someone.
We would accordingly support the staff recommendation and the
unanimous vote of the Collier County Planning Commission and
request that you help us put an end of the nightmare for the Gutierrez
family who had nothing to do with creating the problem and intended
to build more than 75 -- more than 25 feet further than the setback
requirement and allow the five-foot variance.
Thank you. Any questions?
CHAIRMAN COYLE: No. It is on the consent agenda, so it
will be approved unless some commissioner now takes action to pull
it.
MR. PECK: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Thank you very much. So now
we can proceed with the -- Commissioner Halas, do you have a
question about that?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: I was just going to ask the
gentleman why it's going to be $98,000 to correct this problem,
because normally I would think that the problem would have been
discovered in a survey on this.
MR. PECK: The problem was discovered in the survey, and I do
have an itemized list of the costs, and I have a duplicate copy.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Rather than discussing this in detail at
the present time, is there a motion to pull this and put it on the regular
agenda?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: I mean, I was satisfied. If
there's any question, I think we ought to pull it. If not --
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Okay. Let's pull it.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Commissioner Halas would like
to have it pulled and placed on the regular agenda, so we'll pull it and
place it on the regular agenda, and we'll discuss it whenever it comes
Page 12
March 8, 2005
up In sequence.
Okay. Thank you very much.
Now, do I hear a motion to approve today's regular, consent, and
summary agenda as amended?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: So moved.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Motion by Commissioner Halas.
Is there a second?
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Second.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Second by Commissioner
Coletta.
All in favor, please signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Aye.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Aye.
Page 13
AGENDA CHANGES
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS' MEETING
March 8. 2005
Continue Item 7A to the March 22. 2005 BCC meetina: CU-2003-AR-4326:
Dieudonne and Lunie Brutus represented by Ronald F. Nino, AICP, of Vanasse
Daylor, requesting Conditional Use approval in the Village Residential (VR) zoning
district for a church or house of worship for the Tabernacle of Bethlehem Church
pursuant to LDC Sections 2.04.03, Table 2 and 10.08.00. Property is an 0.69-acre
tract located at 305 3rd Street South, in Section 4, Township 47 South, Range 29
East, Immokalee, Florida. (COMPANION ITEM TO VA-2003-AR-4327) (Petitioner
request.)
Continue Item 7B to the March 22.2005 BCC meetina: VA-2003-AR-4327:
Dieudonne and Lunie Brutus, (regarding the Tabernacle of Bethlehem Church),
represented by Ronald F. Nino, AICP, of Vanasse Daylor, request the following
variances in the VR zoning district for a Conditional Use (LDC §4.02.02.E.): 1) from
the minimum one-acre lot area; to allow an existing structure on an 0.69 acre tract
to be converted to a church use; 2) to reduce the front yard setback from the
required 35 feet to 20 feet; 3) to reduce the required 33 parking spaces to 19
spaces (LDC §4.04.04.G.Table 17); and; 4) to reduce the landscape buffer on the
north and south property lines from the required 15-foot type "B," to allow a 10-
foot wide type "B" buffer (LDC §4.06.02 Table 24). Property is located at 305 3rd
Street South, in Section 4, Township 47 South, Range 29 East, Immokalee, Florida.
(COMPANION ITEM TO CU-2003-AR-4326) (Petitioner request.)
Continue indefinitelv Item 8B: Recommendation to consider adoption of an
ordinance establishing the City Gate Community Development District (CDD)
pursuant to Section 190.005, Florida Statutes. (Petitioner request.)
Withdraw Item 9E: Discussion regarding No Jake Brake" signage on Oil Well
Road and Everglades Boulevard. (Commissioner Coletta.)
Item 10C: Note: In the Fiscal Impact of the executive summary, delete all
reference to "Utility User Fees". (Staff request.)
Add Item 1 OG: Recommendation to terminate the Lease Agreement between Gulf
Coast Skimmers Water Ski Show, Inc. and Collier County. (Staff request.)
Continue indefinitelv Item 16A3: Recommendation to allow County Staff to
administratively issue Development Excavation Permits and Vegetation Removal
permits as required for Saturnia Falls (Terafina PUD) located in Section 16,
Township 48 South, Range 26 East. (Staff request.)
Item 16F2 should read: Recommendation to approve two Contractual Service
Agreements between Collier County and the East Naples and Golden Gate Fire &
Rescue Districts to provide fire protection and rescue services within the Collier
County Fire Control District at a cost of $176,400 (rather than $175,600 as stated
on the agenda index. The executive summary in the packet is correct.) (Staff
request.)
Page 2
Change Sheet
March 8, 2005 BCC Meeting
Withdraw Item 16H1: Commissioner Fiala requests Board approval for
reimbursement for attending a function serving a valid public purpose. Will be
attending the 2005 Humanitarian Award luncheon honoring Clyde Butcher on
March 11, 2005 at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort at Tiburon; $100.00 to be paid from
Commissioner Fiala's travel budget. (Commissioner Fiala request.)
Item 16K5: Note: One of the property owners and parties to the proposed
Mediated Settlement, Barbara Burgeson, is employed by Collier County in the
Department of Environmental Services. This property was condemned for Collier
County's Golden Gate Parkway project and approval of the proposed Mediated
Settlement does not create a conflict of interest for the Board. This is consistent
with the Commission on Ethics Opinion 78-8. (Commissioner Coyle request.)
Continue Item 17B to the March 22. 2005 BCC meetina: PUDZ-A-2003- AR-4942 -
Conquest Development USA, lC, requesting a PUD to PUD rezone for property
located on the East Side of Collier Boulevard (CR 951) and approximately 1-3/4
miles south of Tamiami Trail (US 41), further described as Silver lakes, in Section
10 & 15, Township 51 South, Range 26 East, Collier County, Florida. (Petitioner
request.)
TIME CERTAIN ITEMS:
Item 1 OB to be heard at 9:30 a.m. Recommendation to review the written and oral
reports of the Advisory Boards and Committees scheduled for review in 2005 in
accordance with Ordinance No. 2001-55, including the Bayshore Beautification
MSTU Advisory Committee, lely Golf Estates Beautification Advisory Committee,
Radio Road Beautification Advisory Committee, Vanderbilt Beach Beautification
MSTU Advisory Committee, Bayshore/Gateway Triangle local Redevelopment
Advisory Board, and the Golden Gate Estates land Trust Advisory Committee.
March 8, 2005
Item #2B, #2C, #2D
MINUTES OF THE FEBRUARY 8, 2005 BCC REGULAR
MEETING, FEBRUARY 9, 2005 BCC/DISTRICT 2 TOWNHALL
MEETING, FEBRUARY 15,2005 BCC/LISTED SPECIES
CHAIRMAN COYLE: It is unanimous. Thank you very much.
Is there a motion to approve the February 8th, 2005, BCC regular
meeting minutes; the February 9th, 2005, BCC District 2 town hall
meeting; and the February 15th, 2005, BCC listed species workshop?
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: So moved.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Second.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Motion by Commissioner Coletta to
approve; seconded by Commissioner Halas.
Any discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN COYLE: All in favor, please signify by saying
aye.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Aye.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Any opposed, by like sign.
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN COYLE: It is unanimous.
Item # 3
SERVICE AWARDS: (EMPLOYEE AND ADVISORY BOARD
MEMBERS)
Page 14
March 8, 2005
We move on now to service awards, and I would like to ask Mr.
Michael Delate to come forward. Michael?
Michael, come right up here and turn around and face the
audience, and let us read these wonderful things about you, okay?
MR. MUDD: Michael Delate has served for the past two years
as a member of the Conservation Collier Land Acquisition Advisory
Committee, a new committee first appointed by the Board of County
Commissioners in February 2003, to assist in carrying out the
directors -- directives of the Conservation Collier program.
Mr. Delate served his first one-year term as a member and as
vice-chair. He reapplied in 2004 and was appointed for another
three-year term, which will expire in February 2007. He additionally
contributes as a member of the lands evaluation and management
subcommittee.
Conservation Collier County (sic) ordinance 2002-63 is very
specific in regards to criteria for property selection and development
of land management plans. Mr. Delate contributed significantly to
developing a criteria matrix, which is used by the staff as a scoring
system for evaluating how well properties meet the program criteria.
Additionally, he has reviewed initial management plans for
acquired properties and suggested improvements which have been
subsequently adopted by the full committee.
As chairwoman -- and that's not you, Mr. Delate. This is the
chairwoman. The chairwoman, Kathy Prosser, of the land acquisition
committee, had the following to say about Mr. Delate's contribution.
Taxpayers benefit when someone like Mike Delate serves on an
important committee. He does his homework, listens carefully, and
comments to advance an issue, and shows up for every meeting on
time. It's a pleasure to work with him.
Chairman of the Land Evaluation and Management
Subcommittee adds the following comments: Mike brings an
incredible wealth of knowledge as an environmental engineer to the
Page 15
March 8, 2005
table and has devoted many hours to developing a ranking system and
working to develop initial management plans for newly acquired
programs.
Bill Poteet, the current land acquisition chair -- excuse me --
committee vice-chair, and the committee -- and the committee
member who nominated Mr. Delate, wrote, Mike always has great
input to the committee. He is reflective of the quality of our overall
committee, which I personally think is loaded with talent.
Mr. Delate's nomination as advisory committee member of the
month was unanimously supported by the Conservation Collier Land
Acquisition Advisory Committee during their regular meeting held on
December 13th, 2004.
And I will tell you, Mr. Chairman and Commissioners, this isn't
all that he's done. When we were -- when we were doing odor on the
landfill when I first got here, he was instrumental. He got my ear and
he was instrumental to making that -- clean that up for the -- for this
community, okay.
And he was dead right there. Every time you needed him, he was
on the spot and he was bringing his expertise to the table.
And, sir, I present to you, Michael Delate.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Thank you very much.
(Applause.)
CHAIRMAN COYLE: There's a plaque of appreciation for the
fine work you've done for the people of Collier County. And most
valuable of all is a free parking space for a month at the government
center.
Congratulations. Thank you very much.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: I've been watching your input
on many advisory boards, and I found you very valuable to whatever
advisory board, and I would choose you over anybody for my district,
knowing that you live in District 2, any future advisory board that you
would participate in or wish to.
Page 16
March 8, 2005
MR. DELATE: Thank you.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Michael, thank you.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: If you'd like to say a few words, we'd be
happy to have you do that.
MR. MUDD: You've got to get a photo first.
MR. DELATE: I appreciate it.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Thank you very much.
(Applause.)
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: I think it would behoove us to
recognize Commissioner Henning as the person who thought up this
wonderful award for our advisory people. It's something that should
have been done a long time ago.
Thank you, Commissioner Henning.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Thank you.
Item #4A
PROCLAMATION TO DESIGNATE THE WEEK OF MARCH 6,
2005 THROUGH MARCH 12, 2005, AS EXTENSION LIVING
WELl, WEEK - A D.On.ED
CHAIRMAN COYLE: That brings us to proclamations. The
first proclamation will be read by Commissioner Halas.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Yes. If Carol Yates and Mary
Tarnowitsky ( sic) could come forward.
MR. TARNOWSKI: You might like to try that again.
Tarnowski.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Tarnowski, okay.
MS. YATES: If I could have the rest of this front row come
forward. And Kathy Martinson. Bonnie, Michael.
Page 1 7
March 8, 2005
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Anybody that's involved in this.
This is very important. When I was a farm boy, we used the extension
service quite a bit where I come from.
Whereas, the health well-being (sic) of the family is crucial to the
functioning of the nation and to providing adults and youths -- youth
with the necessary skills and knowledge to help them achieve the best
quality of life possible;
Whereas, the psychologically, socially, and emotionally strong
families provide strength for future generations; and,
Whereas, the National Extension Association is a nationwide
educational network through the land-grant universities, funded
cooperatively through the Department of Agriculture, state
governments, and local county governments; and,
Whereas, the National Extension Association provides
non-biased research-based information through informal education to
help adults, youth, families, farmers (sic), business, communities; and,
Whereas, the National Extension Association Family of
Consumer Sciences educators are advocates of education for families
so that the families might gain skills for a full and productive life;
Whereas, the designation of the second week of March 2005 as
Extension Living Well Week is a fitting tribute to the National
Extension Association for Family and Consumer Sciences
professionals who provide education that is critical to the quality of
life for adults, youth, individuals, and families.
This includes food preparation, food safety, nutrition, financial
management, healthy lifestyles, work, home environment and safety,
and relationships and parenting skills and much more.
Now, therefore, be it proclaimed by the Board of County
Commissioners that March 6th through March 12th, 2005, be
designated as Extension Living Well Week, and encourages the
people of Collier County to take advantage of the educational
opportunities that the Extension Family and Consumer Science
Page 18
^' ,~--,-----
March 8, 2005
educators provide. Education that can be helpful in raising children,
eating right, spending smart, and living well.
Done in this order, this 8th day of March 2005, Board of County
Commissioners, Collier County, Florida, Fred W. Coyle, Chairperson,
and I move for approval of this proclamation.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Second.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: All in favor, please signify by saying
aye.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Aye.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: It is unanimous. Thank you very much.
(Applause.)
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Thank you.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Thank you.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Thank you very, very much.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: And you're going to say a few words,
right?
MS. TARNOWSKI: My name is Mary Tarnowski, and I'd like
to thank the Board of County Commissioners for their support of the
University Extension's Family and Consumer Sciences Program,
which brings valuable educational services to Collier County families.
We all know that strong families build strong communities. FCS
educators also contribute to the health and safety of county residents
by providing educational training and certification of food handlers
who work in restaurants, hotels, churches, assisted living facilities,
and public institutions.
I have personally benefited from the homebuyers program, as
have 10 other county employees last year. We were able to access our
ability to purchase a home as well as prepare the necessary
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March 8, 2005
documents, repair credit, and build savings before applying for
financing.
I feel that being able to raise my children in a home of our own
will help provide stability to my family. And I can't begin to tell you
how rewarding that is. Thank you.
(Applause.)
MS. YATES: I am pleased to have worked with the Family and
Consumer Sciences educators, Marci Crumbine (phonetic), Bonnie
Falls, over the past few years in helping provide homebuyers
education to young families looking to purchase their first home and
others who have -- who may be new arrivals to Florida.
Education is the key to living well in Florida. Other areas where
extension has made a difference are family financial stability,
community leadership development, and youth development.
I'd like to leave you with copies of the latest issue of the district
newsletter that provides information on a wide variety of topics and
the contacts for all the extension offices in Southwest Florida.
I'd like to thank the board again for your support in these vital
programs for Collier County residents and for being a part of the
national initiative of Living Well Week.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Thank you.
(Applause.)
MR. MUDD: Mr. Chairman, I'd request that we do 4B, and then
go to our 9:30 time certain.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay . Yeah, we have just one -- wanted
to get this handout completed now.
That brings us to the next proclamation to be read by
Commissioner Coletta.
Item #4B
PROCLAMATION TO RECOGNIZE THE PARKS AND
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March 8, 2005
RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND ITS STAFF FOR
BECOMING ACCREDITED TO THE NATIONAL COMMITTEE
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Thank you, sir.
Would Marla Ramsey, the public service administrator, and any
of her staff members that are present, please come forward.
Oh, yeah. Look at this. I'll tell you, Collier County is famous for
a lot of the things, but one of the things that we all appreciate is the
wonderful parks that we have. It's just absolutely amazing what's been
done here. And if I may.
Whereas, nearly 200 million people use local parks and
recreation services annually and -- to enhance their physical and social
-- to enhance their physical and social well-being, all of them seeking
the highest quality recreational experience possible; and,
Whereas, agency self-assessment and peer review is an excellent
process for evaluating the quality of the system that delivers these
services; and,
Whereas, in response to this, the National Committee of
Accreditation for public parks and recreational agencies was formed in
1998 to develop the standard and procedure for the National
Accreditation program and is now fully responsible for the
administration of the program; and,
Whereas, on February 18th, 2005, the National Committee on
Accreditation for public parks and recreational agencies conferred
upon Collier County Parks and Recreation, the status of accredited
agency; and,
Whereas, through the accreditation process, the Parks and
Recreation Department has been measured against 156 national
standards covering agency authority, role and responsibilities,
planning, human services, fiscal policy and management program,
service management, facilities and land use management, safety and
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March 8, 2005
security, risk management, and evaluation and research.
The Collier County Parks and Recreation Department has met the
36 fundamental standards required and more than 85 percent of the
remaining 120 standards that are required to achieve the accreditation
(sic) status; and,
Whereas, because Collier County Parks and Recs. is an
accredited agency, the public can be assured that it receives well
administered services in according (sic) with the approved
professional practices.
Now, therefore, be it proclaimed by the Board of Collier County
Commissioners of Collier County, Florida, that recognizes (sic) and
esteem is bestowed upon the Collier County Parks and Recreation
Department and its staff for their achievements, which reflect their
continued dedication to the benefit and well-being of the people,
community and environment of Collier County.
Done and ordered this, the 8th day of March 2005, Fred Coyle,
Chairman, and I move for approval.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Second.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. We have a motion by
Commissioner Coletta, a second by Commissioner Halas.
All in favor, please signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Aye.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: It is unanimous. Thank you very much.
(Applause.)
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Ifwe could, please, would
someone hold this document up for the photo.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: You didn't bring the light with you,
Marla.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Look like a family. Now,
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March 8, 2005
everybody smile. No pushing and shoving.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Thank you.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Thank you very much.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Congratulations.
MS. RAMSEY: Commissioners, if I could just have a moment
of your time to, first of all, thank Collier County. Without Collier
County, Commissioners, the system that parks and recreation has
today would not exist.
It starts at the top, but it also starts at the bottom, and by -- what I
mean by that is that what you had in front of you today was the
leaders of the Parks and Recreation Department that made the
accreditation happen.
But each and every employee that parks and recreation has is
important in that team that puts together the parks and rec., whether
it's the gentleman that is prepping a field for a T ball or whether it's an
employee who is standing guard at the pool, or if it's an instructor
that's teaching a new still.
I look at the Parks and Recreation Department like I would a
sundae. You have different kinds of ice cream within your -- in front
of you, whether it be chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry, all the different
park systems that we have, whether it be beaches or community parks
or passIve.
On top of that, you put our programs, which are the toppings,
various types, whether they're fruits or nuts or chocolate or whatever.
On top of that then you have a whipped cream, which is our
community, who comes in and utilizes our facilities.
At the base of that, you have our staff. It's the bowl. It's what
holds that whole sundae together and makes it work. On the very top
of that, you have the cherry, and that is the accreditation award that
we received today. With all of the other ingredients, the cherry
standing by itself means nothing.
And so I thank the staff for all the dedication that they've given
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March 8, 2005
you throughout the years, and we look forward to being able to
continue to provide that thought the future. Thank you.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Wow.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Thank you very much.
(Applause.)
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Now, she's made me hungry. Could we
have a short recess and have some deserts.
MR. MUDD: Now you can talk about the chocolate sprinkles.
Item #10B
RECOMMENDATION TO REVIEW THE WRITTEN AND ORAL
REPORTS OF THE ADVISORY BOARDS AND COMMITTEES
SCHEDULED FOR REVIEW IN 2005 IN ACCORDANCE WITH
ORDINANCE NO. 2001-55, INCLUDING THE BA YSHORE
BEAUTIFICATION MSTU ADVISORY COMMITTEE, LEL Y
GOLF ESTATES BEAUTIFICATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE,
RADIO ROAD BEAUTIFICATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE,
VANDERBILT BEACH BEAUTIFICATION MSTU ADVISORY
COMMITTEE, BA YSHORE/GA TEW A Y TRIANGLE LOCAL
REDEVELOPMENT ADVISORY BOARD, AND THE GOLDEN
GATE ESTATES LAND TRUST ADVISORY COMMITTEE
SERVE AS A VALID PUBLIC PURPOSE - ALL REPORTS
AEEROVED AS ERESENIED
CHAIRMAN COYLE: We're going directly now to our time
certain item, 10B.
MR. MUDD: And this item to be heard at 9:30 a.m. It's a
recommendation to review the written and oral reports of the advisory
boards and committees scheduled for review in 2005 in accordance
with ordinance 2001-55, including the Bayshore Beautification MSTU
Advisory Committee, the Lely Golf Estates Beautification Advisory
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March 8, 2005
Committee, the Radio Road Beautification Advisory Committee, the
Vanderbilt Beach Beautification MSTU Advisory Committee, the
Bayshore and Gateway Triangle Local Redevelopment Advisory
Board, and the Golden Gate Estates Land Trust Advisory Committee.
Mrs. Winona Stone will present.
MS. STONE: Good morning, Chairman Coyle. Winona Stone,
assistant to the county manager.
As you are aware, in accordance with ordinance 2001-55, your
numerous advisory boards and committees are scheduled for review
every fourth year on a rotating basis.
The purpose of the reviews is for you to determine if the existing
boards and committees continue to address the issues for which they
were created and to determine any revisions needed for the board or
committee to operate more efficiently and effectively.
This year you will be reviewing 11 committees; six today and
five at your March 22nd meeting. Today you will be reviewing the
Bayshore Beautification MSTU Advisory Committee, the Lely Golf
Estates Beautification Advisory Committee, the Radio Road
Beautification Advisory Committee, the Vanderbilt Beach
Beautification MSTU Advisory Committee, the Bayshore
Gateway/Triangle Local Development Advisory Board, and the
Golden Gate Estates Land Trust Advisory Committee.
This year the written reports were submitted to you in a
standardized format for ease in your review. The written reports are
included in your packet and in order of presentation.
If there are no questions at this point, I'll introduce your first
speaker.
Unfortunately Bill Neal, who's the chairman of the Bayshore
Beautification MSTU is enable to attend today. He's ill. I believe
Diane Flagg is here to address any questions you may have.
MS. FLAGG: Good morning, Commissioners, Diane Flagg,
director of alternative transportation modes, for the record. Mr. Neal,
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March 8, 2005
as Winona indicated, is not available today. He's identified his
comments in the report that you have before you, and I'm available to
answer any questions you may have.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: I'm sure we've all had a chance to read
the report.
Do the commissioners have any questions?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: No.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. I hear no questions. Thank you
very much.
MS. FLAGG: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: I presume we're going to take a vote
individually on these; is that the way you want to proceed with this?
MR. MUDD: Yes, sir. You need to -- if there is any additional,
they basically say we want to keep the advisory board, and if there's
any instructions you want to give the advisory board, if you vote to do
that, then this would be the appropriate time.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Thank you.
Do you have any instructions that might be appropriate?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: I move to approve the Bayshore
Beautification MSTU to find it a valid public purpose.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Is there a second?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Second.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. A motion by Commissioner
Henning, second by Commissioner Halas.
All in favor, please signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Aye.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: It is unanimous. Thank you very much,
Diane.
MS. STONE: Your next speaker is Robert Slebodnik. He will
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March 8, 2005
be presenting the Lely Golf Estates MSTU report. Mr. Slebodnik?
MR. SLEBODNIK: Good morning.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Good morning.
MR. SLEBODNIK: For the past three years members of the
Lely MSTU have been involved with the planning and execution of
modernizing the irrigation system, which provides approximately 1. __
which provides water to approximately 1.7 miles of medians and
cul-de-sacs, and then replanting all medians.
The water that we use, with the exception of medians one and
two, is -- and three is effluent, so approximately 90 percent of the
water we use is effluent.
The first year medians 14 through 19 on Pebble Beach Boulevard
were completed. The second year, two medians on Forrest Hills were
finished. This fiscal year we are working on St. Andrews Boulevard
from u.s. 41 to Forrest Hills Boulevard.
The first segment on St. Andrews Boulevard, known as proj ect
one, includes the medians three through 10, and it was finished on
February 25th, 2005.
Proj ect two, the last phase, includes medians one, two, and
narrow strips of land adjacent to Lely Square, Lely Plaza, Buena Vida
Retirement Center, and Lely Presbyterian church.
Project two involves the enhancement grant which we received
two years ago. As soon as we receive the notice to proceed, we will
begin to execute the last phase of our three-year renovation project.
Hopefully project -- the project will be totally completed by July
1st, 2005. This three-year project will end with an expenditure in
excess of $200,000.
Another accomplishment this past year, in a joint venture with
the Lely Civic Association, the U.S. 41 entry signs were updated at a
cost of approximately $20,600. We are now working with new
signage for the Doral community, which has an entrance off
Rattlesnake Hammock Road.
Page 27
March 8, 2005
I'm going to jump to number seven on your report. Talk a little
bit about our budget. Our budget for the fiscal year 2004/2005 is
$278,400. That includes capital outlay carryover from last year, and
the $69,800 enhancement grant. And with that, we hope to complete
the entire project, which will mean totally landscaped area with brand
new irrigation, and that probably will last us 10 to 15 years.
On the last page, additional comments, I would like to address a
couple of these. Our advisory board, when we undertook this major
project, we had a lot of help from some key people in the county, and
I recognize these people in my report; Mrs. Diane Flagg, Mr. Robert
Petersen, Mrs. Liz De Leon, Val Prince, and Andy Vaniseak.
Some of these people have been reassigned and do not work with
our -- directly with our MSTU s anymore, but they were instrumental
in getting our project completed.
Second comment I would like to make, I think the bidding
process in the purchasing department needs to be streamlined a little
bit. Our MSTU was forced to take the lowest bidder when the project
came up for renewal, and after six months we had to fire the
contractor.
The contractor that we were forced to take had no experience
doing medians. They could not handle the complex irrigation system.
And as a result, in order to save $5,000, we probably wasted 10 to
$15,000 of taxpayer money taking care of the damage that the low
bidder was responsible for.
As you know, Lely has a major problem with stormwater
management, and this problem was compounded when U.S. 41 was
widened. We catch all the water coming into our community off of
41.
Prior to the widening, water was directed to the Lely Canal and
to that little creek that flows between the -- is going to flow between
the two new developments going in, the WCI Development, and I
think the other one is named Tera -- Teracinda--
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March 8, 2005
MR. MUDD: I always call it Wentworth. That's the--
MR. SLEBODNIK: Wentworth. That was the old name, right.
And this flaw was called to the attention of the county before
they signed off on the project. We've got to get this problem corrected,
because we have too much water coming into our community that
should not be coming in. We have enough problems with draining the
water within our community, dealing with grates, we have the curved
curbs with the grate. When water -- when debris collects on these
grates, the water cannot get through it, and the area at the comer of
Pebble Beach and St. Andrews Boulevard many times had to be
barricaded because of the excess water.
In conclusion, the past four years have been a challenge. The
MSTU board members, Tony Branco, Robert Cole, Ron Thorp, and
Bill Erickson, who passed away this last December, logged many
hours beyond the normal one and a half hours for our monthly
meeting.
Our major projects are almost finished. We thank the
commissioners for their support when we asked for it. And we hope
that as advisors, we have served you well. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Thank you very much, Mr. Slebodnik.
What information do we have on the issue of stormwater, County
Manager, these particular problems?
MR. MUDD: I believe that particular issue is addressed in the
Lely Area Stormwater Improvement Program.
And I talked to Ricardo, who's here, yesterday about that
particular issue, where do we sit with the permit. You know we've
been that close for 14 years. I'd like to say we're a lot closer than that.
We -- the EP A, all indications are they're going to give us a clean
bill of health on that particular project after 14 years of answering
their concerns and making sure the design basically does that, and I
believe we're within 30 days of having the permit.
The basic core says the EP A is their last stumbling block. As
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March 8, 2005
soon as they have it -- they said they'd issue and make it contingent
upon EP A. Let's make sure we've got a clean bill. We can wait 30
more days. And when we do that, we energize with Big Cypress
Basin money and with our own money for that particular project.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: And you can start how quickly after
getting that permit?
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Ricardo?
MR. VALERA: Right away.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. That's Ricardo Valera.
MR. VALERA: Yeah. Ricardo Valera, for the record, director
of stormwater. Yes, we can start right away. We would, of course,
start taking bite-sized pieces and work from downstream, upstream.
But Wentworth and the property to the north, that's --
MR. MUDD: Sabal Bay.
MR. VALERA: -- Sabal Bay, have provisions for the basic ( sic)
improvements.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: There is an overall plan for that?
MR. VALERA: Yes.
MR. SLEBODNIK: In the meantime what we need is a
temporary fix on two drains. They are probably 500 feet from the
entrance of U.S. 41, and those two drains, they catch all the water
coming off 41, all the water coming down St. Andrews, all the
cul-de-sacs, and when they become plugged up, that's our low point,
and everything backs up beyond that.
MR. VALERA: Let me give you my contact information and
we'll take care of it.
MR. SLEBODNIK: Okay. That would be appreciated.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Thank you very much, Mr. Slebodnik.
MR. SLEBODNIK: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Is there a motion to approve or --
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Motion to approve.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: That this MSTU continues to serve the
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._-~.-
"."~~"''''---_......-~-''.
March 8, 2005
public purpose?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Yes.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. There's a motion to approve,
there's a second. I second it. Okay. The second by Commissioner
Coyle.
All in favor, please signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Aye.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: It is unanimous. Thank you.
Radio Road Beautification Advisory Committee now.
MS. STONE: Susan Saum, the chairman of the Radio Road
MSTU, is unable to be here. Diane Flagg, again, will answer any
questions you may have.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: All right. Any questions,
Commissioners?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Yes.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Commissioner Henning?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: The -- what would be the charge
of the MS TU over the next two years?
MS. FLAGG: For Radio Road?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Correct.
MS. FLAGG: Some of the projects that they're working on right
now is to add some additional plantings along Radio Road that exceed
what the landscape master plan calls for. They're also in the process
of building and paying for four of the Collier Area Transit bus shelters
that are within their MSTU boundaries.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: How are we handling the bus
shelters in other areas?
MS. FLAGG: The--
COMMISSIONER HENNING: How are they paid for?
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March 8, 2005
MS. FLAGG: Several of the MSTUs, the Bayshore MSTU,
Golden Gate MSTU, Radio Road MSTU, because they have bus
routes through their areas, have offered to pay for the bus shelters, and
the areas that aren't within MSTU boundaries, we use the limited
taxpayers' funds and FT A funds to built shelters. So it's a community
cooperation effort to get bus shelters built.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Is there any way under my
request that the MSTU poll the residents and find out if they would
like to increase the landscaping above the standard guidelines under
the beautification -- or the median master plan?
I just find that this committee is so close to where they could
dissolve and let the county maintain the landscaping median, since
that was the model of the basis of improving the master plan.
MS. FLAGG: This committee also does the Devonshire
Boulevard that is not in the landscape master plan, so this committee
is responsible also for Devonshire.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: So it's always going to be in
existence?
MS. FLAGG: Yes, unless the County chooses to take over the
landscape maintenance of Devonshire, and they would have to add
that to the landscape master plan.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Okay.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Any other questions? Yeah,
Commissioner Halas?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Yes. In regards to the bus shelters,
in an MSTU area, are those bus shelters upgraded from the present bus
shelters that are provided in other areas of the county?
MS. FLAGG: No, sir. What they do is in the Golden Gate area,
the Golden Gate MSTU is putting in shelters consistent with the
Golden Gate master plan, if you will, in terms of design.
And then the other shelters, the MS TU is putting in the same
shelter that you see throughout the community so that we have some
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March 8, 2005
consistency and appropriateness with the community.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Okay. Would that fall under
transportation grants that we could possibly get?
MS. FLAGG: Bus shelters are already funded through FTA and
county gas tax, so this was just an effort to get more shelters out there
than what the limited funds provide in an effort to work with the
community.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Okay. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Thank you. Any other questions?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Is there a motion to find that the Radio
Road Beautification MSTU continues to serve a public purpose?
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: So moved.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Moved by Commissioner Coletta.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Second.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Seconded by Commissioner Henning.
All in favor, please signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Aye.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: It is unanimous. Thank you very much.
Vanderbilt Beach Beautification MSTU Advisory Committee.
Mr. Dick Lydon. Good morning, Dick.
MR. LYDON: Good morning. Good morning, ladies and
gentlemen. See if I can see here.
Since this is a mandated report, I'll endeavor to be as brief as
possible and follow the outline you have furnished.
The committee is serving the purpose for which it was created.
We believe we are serving the needs of the community and continue
to search for and review additional projects.
During the last year, we hired WilsonMiller to complete a master
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March 8, 2005
plan. Before the plan was completed, it became apparent that the
primary community interest was in the burial of utility lines. The
contract, therefore, was terminated before completion at a cost of
some 53,000 plus dollars. We also renegotiated our maintenance
contract, main landscaping of the roadways in the area.
We believe our MSTU is the best representation available at this
time. In connection with the utilities -- the burial of utilities, it's my
understanding that a member of our committee will be meeting with
Commissioner Halas and Mr. Mudd in the near future to see if we
can't speed up the burial of the utility lines over there before we get
another hurricane.
The ordinance as I see it does not need amendment at this time.
Membership requirements do not require modification at this time.
We are charged by the county an arbitrary fee of $23,510 plus the fee
for recording secretary as a cost of maintaining this board. More on
that later.
Comments, and these were approved by our committee. First of
all, we would recommend that you eliminate the sunshine law
requirements from MSTUs; since we have no power to spend
taxpayers' money and can only make recommendations, we do not see
the applicability of this law.
Our ability to communicate one on one would go a long way to
shorten the meetings and provide much wider use of the talents of the
members than the subcommittee system we have now established.
Discussing this fact with both state and federal elected
representatives, they are in full agreement, and well they should be
since neither of those people have anything to do with sunshine laws.
Probably have a little trouble with the newspapers along those lines,
but maybe it would be worth a shot.
Number two, you know, when you take the dressing off an
MSTU, it is obviously in place to let the BCC avoid using ad valorem
funds to do the things that should be done in the neighborhood. The
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March 8, 2005
argument that it is. for extras just doesn't hold water.
The MSTU funds expended enhance the property values and the
results -- and that results in higher ad valorem taxes. The best of our
knowledge, there have been no capital improvements in our area in the
last four years, if you don't count legal fees. We begin to wonder just
when, if ever, we will see any return on our investment.
Charging our budget for staff time and cost of minutes would
seem to be overkill. The same might be said for the tax collector and
appraiser fees. I realize that this is the way it's done, but I'm not sure
that makes it right.
We read that both the tax collector and appraiser give money
back. Somehow that never shows up as income in our budget. How
come? We'd like to know how come that is.
And while the system is a long way from perfect, it is workable.
May I suggest a committee made up of one member of each MSTU be
appointed to come up with changes designed to make the present
procedures more efficient.
Thank you. Be pleased to answer any questions.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Commissioner Halas?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Yes, I was -- this is a question I
want to direct to Mr. DeLony back there, and that's in regards to -- I
know one of the high costs of our MSTU up there in the Vanderbilt
area is using potable water, and I want to know where we stand on the
possibility of reclaimed water.
MR. DeLONY: For the record, Jim DeLony, public utilities
administrator. Thank you, sir, for the opportunity.
Here's where we're at. We're just before getting the last permit
for our aquifer storage and recovery well site. Once that well site's in
place, it will take up to maybe a year, or half a year, to fill it and make
sure that we have the right permits in place.
At that time we'll have satisfactory storage capacity to begin to
address the shortfalls we have for our current customer list and
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March 8, 2005
potentially add additional customers as we come on.
I'll have before the board here within the next couple board
meetings, we're refining -- in fact I actually have it scheduled for the
next board meeting, a request for the board to approve the hiring of a
consultant to help us map out a master plan for not only reused water,
but for an irrigation program for Collier County that goes out at least
10 years, maybe as much as 20 years, as a critical companion to
answering your question.
We need to make sure that what we've done in the past will
sustain us in the future both in terms of our financial and planning
considerations.
So the easy answer is not there right now to tell you a date, but I
can tell you, the wheels are in motion to get after -- and give some
predictability to neighborhoods just like one in terms of the ability of
the utility to bring online something other than potable water for
irrigation purposes.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: My understanding was right across
the road from where this MSTU starts, there's a possibility of potable
or reclaimed water, and I was hoping that we could just put a line
across and connect up with the existing system we have now and
basically divorce it from the potable water system.
MR. DeLONY: Sir, we can look into the specifics of that and
see if that is as easy as it appears in terms of quantity and pressures
and what that line is already providing to existing customers. It would
have to be taken a look at before we can put on additional customers.
We're willing to do that, sir.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Yeah, would you look into that.
MR. DeLONY: Yes, sir. We can work on that with Mr. -- with
Dick or anybody else from his committee and see what we can do to
do this in the context of what I've played out here before.
MR. LYDON: Based on what we understand in the connection if
Pelican Bay is annexed by the City of Cleveland -- or City of Naples
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March 8, 2005
-- Cleveland would be good.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: That's a real stretch.
MR. LYDON: In the City of Naples, then we've got plenty of
potable water since you won't be providing it to Pelican Bay anymore,
we'll have lots of it. The words that we have up to now,
Commissioner, is that it looks like a base of $70,000 to put the lift
station in, some 1,300 feet up the road.
We'd like some help along those lines; however, if we could get
it done in the $50,000 range, it would only take a couple years to save
that much money, plus the fact you in the county could save some
money in Marla's department, the parks and rec. because you could
then run it up to Conner where you're using fresh water to do that as
well.
Any other questions?
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Do the Commissioners have any
comments about the recommendation that a committee be established
to find more efficient ways that MSTUs can work within the county?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: I didn't know that we had a
problem there. Maybe we need to have staff report and find out if we
really do have a problem with -- if other MSTU s are experiencing this
problem.
And in the area of sunshine, can the county attorney give us some
-- enlighten us a little bit on this?
MR. WEIGEL: Sure. Nothing has changed with the sunshine
law for about 30 years, and that is that the sunshine law provides for
the public to have the ability to see, whether they appear or not, all of
the decision-making process.
Any committee such as this one that is created by the Board of
County Commissioners to provide recommendations to the board is
considered part of the ultimate board decision-making process. And
no different than this board or the planning commission or the EAC,
this advisory committee, and essentially nearly all others, must
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comply with the sunshine law.
And if the -- if the members of the committee do not, then they
will find themselves with potential individual liability for prosecution.
That's the way it is, and as I have stated in my numerous
seminars on sunshine law, the law was not put in place to make
government easier. It was put in place to make it very accessible to the
public, and there's essentially nothing we can do at the local level here
other than disband MSTUs and let people work in a purely ad hoc
not-appointed basis, which may defeat the purpose in the first place, or
for the individuals to operate at their peril, which, of course, is not
good for them and not good for anyone, or lobby the legislature,
which, I think, would be a failing process as well.
MR. LYDON: Still doesn't mean we have to like to.
MR. WEIGEL: No.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Also I'd like to address one other
thing, and that's in regards to where you feel that you're not getting
your fair share of money back returned to you.
I can assure you that we have a UFR list here in the county and
that we're addressing all areas of concerns in all neighborhoods in the
county, so bear with us. As we look at this UFR list, we hope to get
some money back there to Vanderbilt.
Just for your -- just for information to you, when we made our
trip to Washington, that was the -- County Manager Mudd and myself,
we got a call from Connie Mack's office that they wanted to know if
we had any particular concerns in regards to addressing water issues,
and Connie Mack is going to -- Congressman Mack is going to put
into the appropriations bill hopefully $300,000 to address one of the
issues that's been near and dear to your heart and a lot of other people
up there, and that's the quality of water back there in the Vanderbilt
Lagoon.
So we are looking. Weare trying to get some money back there
so that you don't feel deprived that you're not getting money back to
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March 8, 2005
your neighborhood. So bear with us. We're working on it.
MR. LYDON: Thank you very much.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Thank you very much.
Do we hear a motion that the Vanderbilt Beach --
COMMISSIONER HALAS: I make a motion --
CHAIRMAN COYLE: -- Beautification MSTU Advisory Board
continues to meet a public purpose?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Yes. I make that motion.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Second that.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Motion by Commissioner Halas,
second by Commissioner Coletta.
All in favor, please signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Aye.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: It is unanimous. Thank you very much.
MR. LYDON: Thank you, gentlemen.
MS. STONE: Your next speaker was Bill Neal, and, again, he's
out ill, so we have John David Moss of your staff here to address any
questions you may have on the Redevelopment Advisory Board.
MR. MOSS: Good morning, Commissioners. John David Moss,
comprehensive planning. Because comprehensive planning has been
providing administrative support to the Bayshore/Gateway
redevelopment area while they're searching for a new executive
director, I was asked to come and answer any questions you might
have about this item. So if you have any questions, I'll be happy to try
and answer them for you.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: How do we stand, Mr. Mudd, with
respect to the Bayshore MSTU? How do we stand on their
administrative support over this -- during this interim period of time?
MR. MUDD: Commissioner, it started off with some bumps to
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say -- to put it mildly, when their executive director left and when we
-- we kind of were in a hiatus at that particular juncture, things -- some
bills weren't paid, some other administrative issues weren't done in
order to do connections.
I think we've resolved all of those particular issues, and we've got
connectivity with our system. We're locked in. There was some
questions about, you know, do they fall under our purchasing policy.
I think we've got that resolved. We've got the bills paid. I think it's
running pretty smoothly as far as that's concerned.
Would we like them to get an executive director? You bet ya,
and they're actively trying to make that happen.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay, good. Thank you.
MR. MUDD: But I think we're providing them the service so it
becomes pretty transparent for them. It's a little cumbersome because
they don't have an executive director, but I think we've got all those
things worked out.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Any other questions from board
members?
(N 0 response.)
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Is there a motion to find that
Bayshore/Gateway Triangle Local Redevelopment Advisory Board
continues to serve as a valid purposes?
I will take the motion.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: I'll second that.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Seconded by Commissioner Halas.
All in favor, please signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Aye.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: It is unanimous. Thank you very much.
MS. STONE: Your last presenter is Mr. Charles Van Gelder,
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chairman of the Golden Gate Estates Land Trust Advisory Committee.
Mr. Van Gelder?
MR. VAN GELDER: Good morning, Commissioners. Charles
Van Gelder, though I answer better to the name Skip.
F or about the past seven or eight years I've had the privilege of
participating in your Golden Gate Estates Land Trust Advisory
Committee. You have our letter of December 12th, and I'll summarize
it for you.
The land trust committee was originally created in 1983 by an
agreement between A vitar Properties, the developer of the Golden
Gate Estates, and the Collier County Board of Commissioners. It set
aside certain properties throughout the Golden Gate Estates area that
were to be deeded to the -- Collier County for use as -- for recreation,
utilities, and community services.
The Board of County Commissioners has the right to sell the
properties or to deed them to different entities throughout the county
for use and for fire and police, public schools, libraries, recreation
facilities, and the equipment that is needed to operate those facilities.
The advisory committee is charged to provide recommendations
for marketing, set priorities and monitor expenditures of the fund, and
make recommendations to your board for expenditures of the funds
that are contained within the committee for purchases pertaining to the
fire, police, public schools, libraries, recreation facilities, and the
equipment.
Currently, or at the time of the production of the letter, the cash
available within the land trust committee was $1,093,860. The value
of the land was $4,283,100, the land that still remains within the
control of the committee and the Board of Commissioners.
Over the past four years the committee's been able to recommend
to you expenditures from the committee funds for playground
equipment for the Sabal Palm Elementary School in the amount of
$102,917, purchase of a fire safety training device and the vehicle
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that's used to tow it around at the cost of $84,055. That's a great piece
of equipment. You guys really need to see that thing.
It's a little schoolhouse that's set up to demonstrate to the
schoolchildren what it's like to be trapped inside a home that sets on
fire. It creates smokes and stuff and shows them how to get out safely.
It's a real good device.
They're moving it around through all the different elementary
schools right now in Golden Gate. They've also offered it to the other
elementary schools throughout the county.
Fitness equipment for the Max Hasse Fitness Center, Max Hasse
Park, $50,000. Purchased all the fitness equipment that they put in
there.
Golden Gate Fire Department, I believe we -- we did not fund the
entire purchase of the water tanker, but we provided, I think, around
$60,000 towards that purchase, probably about half the cost of the
tanker. Somewhere in the neighborhood of $30,000 was expended to
provide personal protective equipment for the Big Corkscrew Fire
Department.
We've also recommended transfers of land to the school board to
help compile the land retired for the Sabal Palm Elementary School, to
the parks and recs, to provide a neighborhood park, and swap a piece
of land that had been held in reserve for the school board, and that
transaction for another piece so the parks and recs could build a small
neighborhood park up on Oaks Boulevard, I believe it is.
Currently, I believe the advisory board is serving community
needs for the purpose which it was created. I don't believe that any
other board exists to serve the community in this capacity. I don't
believe that any amendments are needed at this time for the committee
or the operation of the committee.
And the recommendations to modify the membership are not
required. We currently have a full board of five members with the
appropriate distribution throughout the areas in the Golden Gate
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March 8, 2005
Estates area.
The cost of operating the committee is limited to the cost of one
representative from your real property department and a secretary
approximately once every two months.
If you have any other questions, I'll be glad to try to answer them
for you.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Commissioner Coletta?
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Well, first off I want to thank
you and the other members of the Estates Land Trust Advisory
Committee for the time that you spend on this.
Do you have any idea what kind of funds are still left that might
be able to be distributed back to the community?
MR. VAN GELDER: At the time of the writing of the letter
there was 1,093,000, and the value of the land at the 4,283,000, there's
very little land left to be sold.
Now, there's a lot of the land that's in the committee that has been
reserved for the public schools and for the fire departments and for
parks and recs. Unless -- unless you decide to sell those properties, it's
probably, I would estimate, less than a million dollars on top of the
available cash.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: I tell you where I'm going. I
don't know if it's possible, but I was wondering if there might be any
consideration given for the funding maybe to supplement the county's
funding for the paving of roads in the Estates that are under county
control but are still lime rock.
MR. VAN GELDER: I believe the original agreement explicitly
prohibits road work.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: I'm trying.
MR. VAN GELDER: I know, I know. You and several other
folks have approached us with beautification projects for the roads,
and we've had to refer back to the original agreement and say, sorry.
It's just -- it's excluded from --
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March 8, 2005
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Yeah, what's happening--
MR. VAN GELDER: The original agreement just specifically
excludes road work.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: The county roads that we
maintain that aren't of -- with an asphalt cover on them, they're a lass
leader. We--
MR. VAN GELDER: I know.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Over a period of time, the
amount of money we have to put into it, they're not cost effective, plus
they're a deterrent for people that live in that area.
MR. VAN GELDER: Sure.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: But I thought I'd give it a try,
and I do appreciate your time, and I appreciate what your committee is
doing, and I make a motion for approval.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. There's a motion for approval by
Commissioner Coletta. Is there a second?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Second.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Second by Commissioner Henning.
All in favor, please signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Aye.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: It's unanimous. Thank you very much.
MR. VAN GELDER: Thank you, Commissioners.
MR. MUDD: Commissioner, that was your last report for this
meeting. And, again, you'll have five additional reports on the 22nd.
That brings us to item -
Item #6A
PUBLIC PETITION REQUEST BY JEFF BLUESTEIN TO
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March 8, 2005
DISCUSS CODE ENFORCEMENT BOARD CASE NO. 97-029 ON
CHAIRMAN COYLE: 6A, I think.
MR. MUDD: -- 6A, which is a public petition request by Jeff
Bluestein to discuss the Code Enforcement Board case 97-029 on
behalf of Anthony Varano.
MR. SHAPIRO: Good morning, Commissioners. My name is
Mark Shapiro. I'm filling in for Jeff Bluestein.
We are here because -- if I could give you some brief
background. An agreement was entered into a little less -- I think
approximately a year ago to resolve this matter, and this matter was
going to be -- the code enforcement issue was going to be resolved
with Mr. Varano. He was going to sell one of his properties, pay
$25,000 in fines, have that property that he sold, the new owners must
agree to clear up those violations within 30 days, and then there was
another property he owned that had some violations on it, and he was
going to use the funds from the sale of that to clear up those violations
on the other property.
Mr. Varano has done that. That has been completed since July of
2004. He has paid the $25,000. All violations have been cleared. It
was not done timely, according to the agreement, although it is now
completed; therefore, what we are requesting is that the
commissioners authorize the county attorney to stop the -- end the
foreclosure against Mr. Varano, that he pay the additional $25,000,
which he is willing to do.
Since these violations are cleared up, he does have a buyer who
has been ready since November to purchase this property. We have
submitted the name. It's Dan Osborn, who has already -- has his loan
in place, has the property surveyed, and has already spent considerable
time and expense and is ready to close on this, which would give the
county the other $25,000 agreed to in the agreement.
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March 8, 2005
And Mr. Varano is also willing to pay any additional attorney
fees or costs that were incurred by the county. And we would ask
that, you know, the county authorize -- or the commissioners authorize
the county attorney to stop the foreclosure and continue on with this
settlement.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Any questions by the board?
Commissioner Halas?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Is there anything that the county
attorney would like to present or maybe code enforcement in regards
to this issue?
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Ellen?
MS. CHADWELL: Good morning, Commissioners. Ellen
Chadwell, assistant county attorney.
I really don't have anything to present. I'm here to answer any
questions that the board may have. It's -- this is more of a policy
decision, really, for you all to make.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Have they met all their
obligations?
MS. CHADWELL: They have cleared the violation on the
second property. That was -- there is a dispute as to when that
occurred, but it is -- it has occurred, and that's ultimately the important
fact.
They -- the 25,000 for the first property was paid and received by
the county. So that one is done and over with.
The only -- if the agreement were in place, the only additional
obligation would be for them to tender the $25,000 and -- at which
point we would release the lien.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Is code enforcement comfortable?
Is the property presently in compliance?
MS. ARNOLD: Yes, it is.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: The answer to that was from Michelle
Arnold.
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March 8, 2005
MR. MUDD: Yes, it is.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Yes, it is. Okay.
The one troubling part of this is this has been going on for a very,
very long time. I'm reluctant to take any action that would postpone
foreclosure unless we can say with absolute certainty this will solve
this problem. Are you willing to say that?
MS. CHADWELL: I agree. I would suggest that if the board's
inclination is to accept Mr. Shapiro's offer to pay the 25 plus the costs,
which would be the benefit of our bargain that we would be entitled
to, that we've incurred since the date of the approval of the agreement
and could -- was in a position to tender that amount, we could come
back to the board for its final -- to take action on that, and then it could
all be said and done.
There is a little bit of an issue with, I guess, the tendering of the
monetary amount because there may be -- anyone willing to put up the
money may need some assurance from this board that that would be
acceptable.
You're not in a position to take any formal action today, so either
Mr. Shapiro comes up with some other proposal that would meet those
-- give us the assurances we need or we'd have to come back twice to
this board. That's not to say that it couldn't all be wrapped up within
45 days from now, but --
CHAIRMAN COYLE: You could work out an escrow
arrangement for the transfer of the funds, I'm sure, couldn't you?
MS. CHADWELL: Uh-huh.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Our objective is not to solve the problem
today, but decide whether or not we think it's worth even discussing
any more. What's your -- Commissioner Halas.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Yeah. The only thing I'd like to
discuss is some way or another that whatever form of action that we'd
want to take on this, that it's tied with the sale of the land, so make
sure that we're not going to have a reoccurring issue here, because we
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March 8, 2005
hope that the new landlord will then, obviously, make sure that this
property is in compliance. So there has to be some way of
interconnect, that before we're going to resolve this issue, that that has
to be in the formal agreement.
MS. CHADWELL: Well, the property is currently in
compliance. If you're going to tie it into the sale, then you may be
creating a problem in disposing of this once and for all, because what I
don't want to do is have the buyer walk and be stuck back in
foreclosure again, you know.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: I'm just looking for some assurance
here that we're going to end this problem because it's been going on
and on and on. It's burned up a lot staff time --
MS. CHADWELL: Yes.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: -- that's taxpayers' money, and I
want to get this resolved, and that's the bottom line.
MR. SHAPIRO: Commissioner Halas, if I may. I know that
there is a buyer in place that has been waiting. I mean, we would be
willing to say that the other 25,000 could be paid out of the closing
and we would also be willing to put a time limit that that has to take
place, or if the closing didn't take place within that time, that he would
pay the additional 25 plus the additional cost in attorney's fees.
The only difficulty that I have with -- with this is that Mr. Varano
doesn't personally have the money to put up, so he would either need
the money -- either need to have this paid through the sale, or he could
have someone give a private loan on this property, but no one would
be willing to do that with the lien in front of them, but --
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. So are there any commissioners
who want to bring this back for a formal public hearing and
resolution?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: We'll bring it back.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Commissioner Halas will make a
motion that we bring it back.
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March 8, 2005
Is there a second?
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: I have -- I'm having serious
thoughts about it, but I'll be honest with you, I think we've been
through this what, two, three times now?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Yeah, it's about the fourth time.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: And I stuck my neck out a
couple of times, and I think we're setting a precedence where it's going
to be never ending in the future.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: I pull my motion.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay.
MR. SHAPIRO: Your Honors, if I could. If we don't get this
resolved, then I guess Mr. Varano is stuck in the foreclosure process
where he's either going to lose the property that's basically all he has
left in the world -- he's on disability. I mean, this is all he has. With
the other property that sold, he used that money to clear up the
violations on this new property. I know this has been dragged on for a
while.
We also -- if the foreclosure does proceed -- and I don't really
want to get into this because I don't think it's in Mr. Varano's best
interest, but he does have a defensible position in that to -- in a motion
to enforce the settlement agreement. Granted he didn't perform on
time, but the agreement that he signed also didn't state that time was of
the essence.
So in the foreclosure action, we would be arguing that he did
substantially comply with the agreement, performed all his
obligations, and the county has, you know, proceeded with the
foreclosure anyway.
Again, I don't want to go down that road because this is all he has
in the world, and he really can't risk losing it. But, you know, I feel
that he's now in the position where the county has been paid -- or will
be paid $50,000 plus any additional attorney's fees and costs, and, you
know, the only thing that would happen if you proceeded is that Mr.
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March 8, 2005
Varano could potentially lose everything he has.
MS. CHADWELL: Commissioner, I --
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Commissioner Coletta?
MS. CHADWELL: I'm sorry. I just wanted to respond to
Commissioner Coletta's comment. I really don't -- this is a very
unique situation, and unfortunately, we thought we were creatively
resolving it over 18 months ago when I presented an agreement to this
board for its consideration.
You can rest assured I will not be presenting another such
agreement to this board for its consideration, and I don't think that you
will find other violators in the same situation as Mr. Varano.
So I can appreciate your position on that, but I -- I think I can
give you some assurances that you won't see this happening regularly
henceforth, and we can -- my proposal would be that if we bring it
back, that it would wrap up quickly or not at -- or not at all. I mean,
it's going to have to happen.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: That's what we're concerned about.
Commissioner Coletta?
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Yeah. And believe me, I mean,
the compassion of this commission and staff is remarkable. And as
you mentioned, and I was going to point out also, this is extremely
unusual. I can't remember another time in my four and a half years on
this commission where we had an occurrence like this. And I mean,
everybody's bent over backwards time after time to try to resolve this
Issue.
We understand that there are mitigating circumstances. And if
you feel the slightest bit of discomfort with what's taking place here,
I'll pick up on the motion and make the motion that we bring it back.
MR. SHAPIRO: We would be willing to put a strict time limit
on the payment.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: That has been the problem many, many
times before. We have reached agreement that something will be
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done at a certain time --
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: And it hasn't.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: -- and it wasn't done, and then we come
to another agreement, and I just continue to get the impression that
there's not ever going to be compliance with this particular situation.
And I appreciate the fact that you would like to see this happen.
But I believe that we've given the petitioner every opportunity to deal
with this issue, and I don't want to see this come back again. I think
we've got a solution and I think we ought to stick with it, but I'll leave
it up to the vote of the board.
MR. SHAPIRO: And I understand that, and I would like to
represent that it -- I believe it wasn't for lack of effort on Mr. Varano's
part. It's not like he sat back and said, oh, I'm not going to do it, you
know. He did make an effort.
There was cars, a lot of -- about 40 cars on one of the properties
that it wasn't easy to find someone to get out there in a hurry to
remove those cars. And he did have those cars taken away. And in
his words, he had a -- he actually had crushed about $40,000 worth of
cars to get this done in a timely manner, or as close to timely as he
could.
So it's not -- I don't believe it's for lack of effort on his part or for
saying, you know, I'm not going to do. I think he was making every
effort that he could to comply with this. And, you know, that's all I
have.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Commissioner Coletta, did have
you anything else? Did you want to make a motion?
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: I did make a motion. I don't
recall hearing a second though.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Is there a second to
Commissioner Coletta's motion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. The motion dies for lack of a
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second. We will not be bringing this back for consideration.
MR. SHAPIRO: So it's going to proceed at the foreclosure?
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Yes.
Yes? David?
MR. WEIGEL: Thank you. Just a comment, and that is, this has
taken a long time even to get to this point.
If Mr. Osborn or whomever's a potential buyer has been waiting
in the wings since November, conceivably they could still purchase
the property very quickly at this point.
Obviously there's an obligation and an action that lies on the title
relative to the foreclosure, but all that requires is a payment of money.
And I recognize this board's concern about getting into
contingencies based upon some future sale. But having heard that
there was a person that's been willing to buy since November seems to
me that the solution is really imminent between the potential seller and
potential buyer.
And if it does go to foreclosure, Mr. Osborn or anyone else may
be able to pick it up at even a different rate than contracted price right
now. So it seems to me that there are expediencies that should
motivate Mr. Varano and the potential purchaser right now, because
all it takes to satisfy the county and take it out of foreclosure
proceedings mode is the money that is rightfully owed through a long
process, due process, and agreed to by agreement.
And from that standpoint, I think the message from the board is
clear, and the county attorney office as well, have dealt with this for a
long time, and I think it's -- I appreciate the board's determination at
this point in time as well.
But it may -- perhaps my comment will spur Mr. Varano and the
potential buyer to make the arrangements for a property that has value
beyond the $25,000 in any event.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: And it is not our intent to try to deprive
Mr. Varano of that value. So all we're trying to do is recover our costs
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March 8, 2005
of going through this very lengthy and laborious process. And it
would appear to me that whatever action is taken under foreclosure,
Mr. Varano would derive some value from that property, so we're not
taking it from him.
MR. SHAPIRO: Yes. Commissioner Coyle, if I can just get
some clarification. Are you saying then if at some point, let's say next
week, Mr. Varano can come up with the 25,000 plus some additional
money for attorney's fees and costs, that at that point you would
consider it?
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Yeah. I can't say that I will consider it.
That would be something for our attorney to advise us on, and you
might want to coordinate with our county attorney.
But all I'm telling you is that the board has elected not to bring
this back for a formal public hearing. Short of that, the county
attorney's office might be able to coordinate with you with respect to
some terms that would bring this thing to --
MR. SHAPIRO: Because if it does proceed to foreclosure sale,
the amount of the lien would, in effect, deprive him from the right to
the property due to the amount of the lien that has accrued. But if --
that's something that, you know, we definitely, you know, could
coordinate with the buyer and get that money on the table.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Yeah. I would suggest you get onto that
very, very quickly and coordinate with the county attorney's office
and see what's possible.
MR. SHAPIRO: Okay. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Thank you.
Commissioner Halas, you had something else?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Yeah. I just remembered that it
was his responsibility to address this early on, and he wouldn't have
had a lien on this property. If he would have addressed all these issues
right up front, right from the get-go, we wouldn't be where we are
today. So, sorry.
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March 8, 2005
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Thank you very much.
MS. CHADWELL: Thank you, Commissioners.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: It's now time for a 10-minute break.
(A brief recess was had.)
MR. MUDD: Ladies and gentlemen, if you'd please sake take
your seats.
Mr. Chairman, you have a hot mike.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Where are we going to go now?
Item #9A
RESOLUTION 2005-110: RE-APPOINTING KATHY PROSSER
AND WILLIAM H. POTEET, JR. TO THE LAND ACQUISITION
MR. MUDD: Commissioner, that should bring us to 9A, which
is appointment of members to the Land Acquisition Advisory
Committee.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Then we'll have appointment of
members for the Land Acquisition Advisory Committee. The
committee recommendations are Kathy Prosser and William Poteet.
Are there any --
COMMISSIONER HALAS: I make a motion that we approve
the committee recommendations.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Is there a second?
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Second.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. A motion by Commissioner
Halas to approve, the second by Commissioner Coletta.
Any discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN COYLE: All in favor, please signify by saying
aye.
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March 8, 2005
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Aye.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: It is unanimous. Thank you.
Item #9B
RESOLUTION 2005-111: RE-APPOINTING RITA AVALOS,
CHERRYLE THOMAS, AND DORCAS HOWARD TO THE
IMMOKALEE BEAUTIFICATION MSTU ADVISORY
MR. MUDD: Next item is 9B. It's appointment of members to
the Immokalee Beautification MSTU Advisory Committee.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. The committee recommendations
are for Rita Avalos, a reappointment, Cherryle Thomas,
reappointment, and Dorcas Howard for reappointment. Are there --
and that pretty much takes up all the applicants.
MS. FILSON: And if you choose to reappoint these three
applicants, you'll have to waive --
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Have to waive.
MS. FILSON: -- the section of the ordinance for the two-term
limit.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. All right. Then is there a motion
to approve the committee recommendations with the waiver of the
term limit provisions?
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: So move.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Motion by Commissioner Coletta to
approve.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Does that include your motion to --
in your motion for the --
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March 8, 2005
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Yeah, the term limit.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Right. That includes that--
CHAIRMAN COYLE: The waiver of the term limit.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: -- plus the --
COMMISSIONER HALAS: I'll second the motion.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Second by Commissioner Halas.
Any discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN COYLE: All in favor, please signify by saying
aye.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Aye.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: It's unanimous. Thank you.
Item #9C
REQUEST TO CONSIDER ALLOWING THE HAITIAN
AMERICAN CORPORATION, INC. USE OF THE IMMOKALEE
COMMUNITY PARK IN IMMOKALEE FREE OF CHARGE FOR
THE PURPOSE OF HOLDING A HAITIAN PLAY AND ART
FESTIVAL TO BE HELD MAY 28, 2005 AND MAY 29, 2005 -
AEEROVED
MR. MUDD: Next item is 9C, and that's a request to consider
allowing the Haitian American Corporation, Inc., the use of the
Immokalee Community Park in Immokalee free of charge for the
purpose of holding a Haitian play and art festival to be held May 28th,
2005, and May 29th, 2005. The total cost is $780, and this is at
Commissioner Coletta's request.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: And Commissioner Henning wanted to
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March 8, 2005
say something first.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Sure.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: I met with the Haitian American
community, and it was my understanding they needed to petition the
board to hold this event. In no time did I remember our conversation
was to waive any fees. So I want to correct that on the record. And
I'm concerned about precedent setting under the requested action.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Commissioner Coletta?
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: And Commissioner Henning,
you know, you're right, and I think you're going to be pleased at what
you're going to hear today.
If I may, Chair, may I call up --
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Certainly.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: -- Marie Innocent (phonetic),
who is the president of the Haitian American Corporation.
Ms. Innocent, would you be so kind to come up to the podium.
This is an organization that is doing some wonderful things within
Collier County, and I've given it some special attention because
they're going to fill a tremendous need not only in all Collier County,
but especially in Immokalee.
Ms. Innocent, would you give us an idea exactly what you're
contemplating, what you would like to do and what you're actually
looking for from the commission.
MS. INNOCENT: Okay. What we are looking for is to have an
event, a festival event so the Haitian community could be known by
other cultures and they could know our cultures as well.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: And this particular event that
you're looking for, you're actually -- from the commission what you're
looking for is, you've got your permit already taken care of, that's
already done, but as far as the fees go, your intentions were that --
were to pay them yourself.
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March 8, 2005
MS. INNOCENT: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Yes. And to that end, I'm going
to donate $100 to help you out with that.
MS. INNOCENT: Thank you very much.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: But you had concerns over one
of the limitations as far as the use of the grounds. It seems that the
county, when they hold their events, can have pony rides, but the --
the general applicants aren't permitted to have them, and they'd like to
be able to reserve the right to be able to have pony rides for the
children in Immokalee similar to what the county does when they hold
their events.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Who's going to pay the insurance
fees?
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: They're taking care of all the
.
Insurance.
MS. INNOCENT: We will.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: They've been communicating
with parks and recs. Marla Ramsey has been most helpful in helping
them walk through this. And this event is contemplated for when?
MS. INNOCENT: The 28th and the 29th of May.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Right. And it's going to be a
two-day event. There's going to be numerous vendors. They're taking
care of all the insurance, putting the whole thing together from one
end to the other, paying their own fees where it's appropriate, and it
will be at the airport park --
MS. INNOCENT: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: -- which is near the Haitian
community, plus also all of Immokalee's going to be participating in
this. And we're looking for some help from -- he doesn't know it yet --
but Benny Starling I hope will be a tremendous help because he's been
instrumental. But at this point in time what we're looking for is for the
commission to allow them to have the pony rides.
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March 8, 2005
COMMISSIONER HENNING: For all the citizens that attend or
just the kids in Immokalee?
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: All the citizens that attend in
Immokalee.
MS. INNOCENT: All.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Oh.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: And you can bring your child
too, and we'll see he gets on a pony.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Thanks for the clarification.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: I make a motion that we allow
the Haitian American Corporation, after they secure all the necessary
permits and pay all the necessary fees and have the insurance in place
and meet all the requirements of our land development code and
ordinances, that they be permitted to have pony rides for children.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: A recommendation for approval by
Commissioner Coletta with the stated conditions.
Is there a second?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Second.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Second by Commissioner Henning.
Any further discussion?
Commissioner Halas, you had --
COMMISSIONER HALAS: No, I'm all set.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: You're okay?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Yep.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Any further questions from anyone else?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN COYLE: No.
All in favor, please signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Aye.
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March 8, 2005
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: And it passes unanimously. And thank
you very much, but I would not be satisfied with merely $100 from
Commissioner Coletta.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: I'd ask he pay the whole thing.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: And I'd like to --
CHAIRMAN COYLE: He gets -- he gets a travel allowance of
$3,000 every year.
MS. FILSON: Four.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Four thousand dollars every year. Now,
there's no reason that he can't give you more money than that to help
with this good cause.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: And I have to be totally honest
with you, my allowance has been spent in pursuit of issues for the
county. But Commissioner Coyle's allowance is still fully intact.
MS. INNOCENT: Okay. Then I'm looking forward to have
more allowance from you.
(Applause.)
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Thank you very much, and good luck
with your festival.
MS. INNOCENT: Thank you very much. If you don't mind, let
me pass this to you.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Sure.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Thank you very much.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Thank you. Then next --
MR. MUDD: The next --
CHAIRMAN COYLE: I'm sorry; go ahead.
Item #9D
RESOLUTION 2005-112: APPOINTING DARROL RIFFLE AND
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March 8, 2005
TIMOTHY TOOLE AND ALSO JOSE NUNEZ, PARTICIPATING
WHEN AVAILABLE, TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION
MR. MUDD: 9D, appointment of members to the Parks and Rec.
Advisory Boards.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: And the committee recommendations are
Darrol Riffle and Timothy Toole.
Does anyone have any recommendations? Commissioner
Henning?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: We have an opportunity to get
one of our young citizens involved in Parks and Rec. Advisory Board,
Jose Nunan -- Nunez, who I think that we all know, is all-- an
applicant and, I think, it's appropriate at this time to --
MS. FILSON: Commissioner Henning?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Yes.
MS. FILSON: If I may make a comment on that. He has been
accepted at a college, and so he's going to be unable to attend all of the
meetings. He came in in person and explained that to me, so he would
get appointed and then a month later I would have to readvertise.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Commissioner Henning, I was
looking at that also, because he worked for me for the summer, and I'll
tell you, he was an outstanding citizens and he's got a great potential.
I think that we ought to just go with the committee recommendations
at this time.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: I'll make that motion.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. We have a motion by
Commissioner Henning --
COMMISSIONER HALAS: I'll second that.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: -- to accept committee
recommendations, seconded by Commissioner Halas. And
Commissioner Coletta has a question.
Page 61
March 8, 2005
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Yes. Is there a possibility that
we could name Mr. Nunez as an ad hoc member of this committee? Is
there any provisions for that, in other words, where he can attend but
he doesn't have voting powers and they can seek his input?
MR. WEIGEL: There's no possibility under the ordinance as
written, although he certainly can participate just as you've described
if he wishes to, and I expect that he and the board would recognize the
recognition you're giving him today to do just that.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Well, could we possibly include
that in the motion that we welcome him to join the board whenever
necessary to be able to sit in on the meetings?
MR. WEIGEL: I think that'd be very nice, yes.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: And we welcome all the public to sit in
on the board and participate in the meetings, right?
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Especially Mr. Nunez.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Any other comments?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. We have a motion and a second.
All in favor, please signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Aye.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: It is unanimous.
Item #9F
RESOLUTION 2005-113: RE-APPOINTING SHERI BARNETT
AND APPOINTING NICHOLAS HEMES TO THE COLLIER
MR. MUDD: That brings us to the next item, which is 9F, and
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March 8, 2005
it's appointment of members to the Collier County Code Enforcement
Board.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: And there are no recommendations by
the committee.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Make a motion that we
reappoint Sheri Barnet and Nicholas Hemes.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: I'll second that.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. We have a motion to appoint
Sheri Barnet and Nicholas Hemes, and a second by Commissioner
Halas.
Any discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN COYLE: All in favor, please signify by saying
aye.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Aye.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: It is unanimous.
Item #lOA
RECOMMENDATION TO ADOPT THE FY06 BUDGET POLICY
=-.AEER OVED
MR. MUDD: Commissioner, that brings us to our next item, and
that's lOA, it's a recommendation to adopt the FY-'06 budget policy,
and that will be presented by Mike Smykowski, the director of Office
Management and Budget.
MR. SMYKOWSKI: Good morning, Commissioners. For the
record, Michael Smykowski. The purpose of our discussion study is
for the board to reach consensus on the policies that will guide the
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" ___,'__._' mo' ".,~."~'_^_
March 8, 2005
development of the fiscal year '06 Collier County budget.
The county manager did meet with the productivity committee as
well as the constitutional officers to share the proposed FY-'06 budget
policies prior to this board presentation today.
The executive summary itself is broken down into three distinct
elements. The first element consists of budget policies that require
board policy direction. The second element consists of standard
budget policies that the board has adopted and been in place for a
number of fiscal years.
Just for purposes of brevity, those begin on page 7 of the
executive summary. As we get to that point in time, we'll deal with
those on an exception basis; otherwise, we'll kind of treat it like a
consent agenda, if there are no questions relative to the policies
contained therein.
And then the third element consists of the three-year analysis of
the general fund and unincorporated area general fund so that you
have an idea of the fiscal landscape as it's shaping up for the next few
years.
With that, I'd like to move to page 2 and begin with the budget
policies that do require board policy direction. You will note that
many of these policies are similar from year to year providing
consistency in the budget process.
The first of which is last year the board had adopted a budget --
agency budget allocation policy in the general fund in that each of the
agencies were limited to their respective proportionate share of the
general fund as it existed in fiscal year '04.
The purpose of that is twofold. Obviously the board policy
direction was to be millage neutral, and attaining the millage neutral
goal requires the cooperation of all of the agencies, inclusive of the
constitutional officers.
And, I guess, the second component is that all agencies then get a
proportionate share of available growth dollars as the taxable value
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March 8, 2005
grows, as well as the incremental increases in some of our sales tax
and revenue sharing dollars. Everyone shares proportionately in those
items.
So with that, the staff recommendation is to continue the budget
policy that was instituted last year limiting general fund agency
budget appropriations to no more than their respective percentages in
the adopted fiscal year '04 budget. Those are outlined, the actual
percentages, on page 2 within the executive summary.
Deviations from the budget allocations should be offset by a
reduction in the proposed 3.9 percent cost of living adjustment in that
agency. And then secondarily, the recommendation is to develop
millage neutral general fund and unincorporated area general fund
budgets for fiscal year '06.
That's particularly important for the county manager to have a
clear policy direction from the board as to your desires relative to the
tax rate for the upcoming year as we begin the process of developing
the FY - '06 budget.
If there are no questions, I'll move on to page 3. We're
continuing the -- in the county manager's agency, the limitation on
expanded positions to maximize organizational efficiencies. Over the
last few years the county manager has limited new position growth to
25 new positions.
There is an exception here. Obviously we're bringing on the
North Naples Regional Park. Probably, I think, it's May -- May '06, so,
obviously, the staffing for that new facility will continue to grow, but
the limitation outside of that new park facility is 25 within the county
manager's agency.
Again, we're trying to make better -- better use of existing
resources rather than simply adding on the margin. Obviously in a
service organization, staff members are the most significant expense,
and we're also, as you're well aware, dealing with issues in terms of
being able to house additional employees, and obviously, constructing
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March 8, 2005
new facilities or rental space for -- for new staff members are fairly
onerous in costs, so we're trying to limit that to the extent possible.
And also the county manager has further direction from the board
to try to get out of all the leased space within a five-year time frame.
MR. MUDD: Now, I have the productivity committee -- Jim
Mudd, for the record. I have the productivity committee looking at
the North Naples Park, the manning, the operational expenses, and
they're still going through that study.
And I talked to them when I gave them the budget guidance and
presented it to them. I basically said, we're going to need their input
so -- for this budget for '06, and they told me that that would be
forthcoming before we submit that budget for parks and rec.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. I have a question about that, but
Commissioner Henning was first.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Historically we've taken the new
dollars and allocated them out as recommended in this budget, but yet
we never looked at, okay, what is the rate of growth in Collier County,
and used that as a basis, instead of increased assessed values.
And I think that would be important for a basis for new
employees, and it's -- a great correlation is, you have new residents,
they need new services. I don't know what the other commissioners
think about that type of approach.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Well, I'll be happy to comment on it, but
Commissioner Coletta has asked to speak first.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Go ahead. I'll follow you, sir.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: I believe that the cap on budget positions
is well below the increase in increased revenues, so I think that the
staff has actually applied a different criteria to establishing budget --
personnel increases that doesn't correlate to the increases in property
value revenue. And, in fact, it's much more strict in that end.
And I believe -- well, it is, far less than our rate of growth. The
25 members that you're permitting -- and I don't yet have the count on
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March 8, 2005
the park system yet. But the 25 members that you're suggesting that
we limit growth to is really less than the five percent increase in
growth that we're experiencing county-wide as far as population is
concerned; am I right?
MR. MUDD: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. So -- but I think Commissioner
Henning's comment is a good one. It's not always true that the indices
we use for calculating things in the government don't necessarily
relate directly to increases in property value and the revenues obtained
therefrom, but it certainly has served us well this past year as a
guideline and an index, and it probably would be good to continue
refining its application.
And if we can find ways and we should -- use other indexes, then
I think we should probably do that.
But Commissioner Coletta?
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: My question has to do with, on
page 3 -- excuse me. Get that mike a little closer so you can hear me.
Page 3 of the bottom of the page says, it's further recommended that
80 percent employees' share, 20 percent employees' share be uniform
across all agencies including -- inclusive of constitutional officers.
This policy treats all county employees equally in terms of cost
share for health premiums. Any deviation from this policy, example,
employee paying less than 20 percent share should be offset by a
reduction in the 3.9 cost of living adjustment.
I think I understand what it's saying, but that cost of living
adjustment reduction, in other words, instead of that taking place, then
that would be reduced if the -- if they didn't make the 20 percent of the
-- of their share of the medical; is that what we're saying on this?
MR. SMYKOWSKl: Yes. That, in essence, if you're not at an
80/20 split within your agency and you choose to pay an additional
benefit on behalf of your employees, there should be a corresponding
reduction in the 3.9 percent cost of living adjustment.
Page 67
March 8, 2005
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: And we're -- how far do we
have to go for the different constitutional officers to get to that point,
or are they already there?
MR. SMYKOWSKI: The clerk participates -- all the
constitutional officers are in the board health plan, with the exception
of the sheriff. The property appraiser, I'm -- supervisor, clerk, I believe
all three of those use the county employee/employer breakdowns. The
sheriff does not, and the tax collector does not. The tax collector, I
believe, pays 100 percent of the cost for his employees.
MR. MUDD: Again, the productivity committee is looking at the
benefits package, and they have a subcommittee. When I briefed them
I said, you know, it would be nice if we had recommendations from
this subcommittee as we went and did this budget.
They've been looking at that for over a year. They said that it
would be forthcoming with some kind of a recommendation from that
subcommittee prior to the budget submission for this particular year.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: And one more question, and
then I'll give it up then.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Yes.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: At this present time, what is the
split in the county government itself, the manager's end of the county
government? What do the employees pay and what do the --
MR. SMYKOWSKI: It's about 82/18. Over a five-year period
we've been migrating to get -- making incremental adjustments in the
employees' share to get to that 80/20 split in fiscal year '06. So this is
the culmination of a five-year effort to get to that 80/20.
MR. MUDD: We've been diverting two percent a year, making
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Thank you.
MR. MUDD: -- making the employees carry it over a five-year
period of time. It was 90/10. And we had set a goal for 80/20.
The productivity committee asked me during my presentation of
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March 8, 2005
this budget guidance, is it going to be your guidance for '07 that you
take another two percent and get it to be 78/22? And I said no. We
set a goal at 80/20, we presented it to the board that way.
I believe that that's a significant burden on the employees
because as -- this year being an exception, most COLAs weren't at the
three percent level. They were in the two -- two percent level, and
that -- and that diversion of dollars to the medical program increasing
their burden significantly reduced the amount of what the COLA
would do to their pay.
And so we made a promise to the employees, and unless I get
further guidance from this board, I'm going to hold to it as much as I
can.
We went, Leo and I, talked to every employee and every
employee group when we were doing this, and they basically accepted
that burden. And I will tell you, the employees haven't come out in
full-scale revolt writing you e-mails saying that this is over and above.
They just want a good medical program, one that they can count on to
pay their bills, and they want it to meet their expectations and
something that doesn't flop all over the place.
When I got here four years ago -- and by no shape of imagination
this happened because I showed up. I just tell you, when I got here,
we had a pretty nasty medical program and dental program. I mean,
you -- employees were waiting 18 months before they saw a dentist
because there was only like about seven on the list that we could go to.
The medical program was hit or miss with employees, and I think
we've firmed that up with the consortium that we're in right now. And
I think we've made great strides in that program to make it a very good
one for this county, and I think the employees have bellied up --
bellied up to the plate, so to speak, in order to carry their fair share.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Let me go back to the staffing for the
North Regional Park and! or any other significant staffing that might
be considered beyond the 25 new positions. And that -- by the way,
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March 8, 2005
just for -- just for percentage purposes, if I did the math calculations
correctly, it's about one and a half percent growth over your existing.
MR. SMYKOWSKI: That's correct.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. So we are experiencing five
percent growth in the county, and we're experiencing -- or expecting
about a 12-percent growth in tax revenues, but we're budgeting only
about one and a half increase in staffing, which I think is pretty good
presuming that we're able to hold down major increases like North
Naples Park staffing.
And my point is, we have gone over the sheriffs budget in -- for
this past year with respect to staffing for a new jail, and we have
gotten agreement that certain things will be phased in.
There is a corollary here, and I'm wondering if the staff has
evaluated the possibility of having private vendors deal with some of
those venues at the park who are, perhaps, more qualified at operating
a water park than we might be and might be able to do it at lower cost.
And so I'm just -- we don't need to solve that right now. I just --
we'll want to be assured at some point in time that we have evaluated
all alternatives to providing the best possible experience at the park at
the lowest possible cost. And so I'd just like to make sure that we
continue to look at that.
Commissioner Halas?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: I believe that we are looking at that
source. In fact, I think that the operating hours are going to be based
on the efficiency of how that park can run; is that correct?
MR. MUDD: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Yeah. So I think they're looking at
it as basically going to be, with the revenue generated from the park,
it's going to hopefully be on the neutral plane.
But I think that your comments should be well taken, and I think
that is another option available, yes.
MR. SMYKOWSKI: Yeah. The productivity committee is,
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March 8, 2005
again, working aggressively with staff to maximize the revenue
generating potential of that facility. Obviously with a water park that's
opening in May, that's the prime season of the year in which the water
park is going to make money in the summer with kids away from
school and the like and the weather being the warmest.
But I'm sure, the flip side of that is, revenue generating potential
while also at minimal cost in whatever fashion that takes, and I'm sure
their review will not be limited to staffing that with county employees.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Now one other thing I just want
to mention just for your consideration, and it hasn't been fully
investigated, but it would be good if you could maximize the parking
availability at the park, maybe beyond what you anticipate for the
park, because it seems to me that you can offer the citizens of Collier
County an experience that is much broader than just the park.
They can come to the park and spend part of the day, park their
car, and then maybe take a CAT bus to the beach. And if you've got
sufficient room to create some additional parking, it could be a very
low cost way of getting people to the beaches if they want to do that.
A lot of people don't like having to be shuttled to a beach. They prefer
to drive there and park, but that's not going to be possible in all cases.
But if you could have the additional parking spaces and have a
CA T route that would drive people back and forth to the beaches all
day, then you might find that a lot of people will utilize that process.
Not many people go to the beach and spend all day at the beach,
but they might want to split up their day between a water park or the
North Naples Park facility and the beach. So if you have parking
space available to be created, you might be able to kill two birds with
one stone there.
So I -- just mention it, okay. We don't need to hash out the
details here today.
MR. SMYKOWSKI: No. And obviously as the population
grows, you know, the beach parking becomes tighter and tighter, the
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March 8, 2005
viability of shuttling people, I think, will only increase over time.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Yeah. Okay. Thank you very much.
Commissioner Halas?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Yeah. The other thing that we
have to also address is that if you do shuttle people to the beaches, you
have to put them in an area where there's services available.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Yep.
MR. SMYKOWSKI: Okay. Page 3 there, limitation on current
service discretionary operating expenses. Again, using the CPI of 3.9
percent or less. Obvious exceptions would be things like
uncontrollable costs such as insurance, fuel. FPL has forewarned us to
anticipate a seven percent rate increase there, so obviously that doesn't
work within the confines of 3.9. But the extent to which staff can
control expenditures, we are putting a cap on that as well.
We've already addressed the health care program cost sharing.
That turns us to page 4 in terms of compensation administration.
Again, this is consistent with the policy that the board has adopted
over the last few years. In essence, the concept of the three-legged
stool, where there be a cost of living component, an awards program,
or merit component, and a very small pay plan maintenance
component that would consist of survey data as for particularly --
particular positions that have been particularly difficult to fill, just to
see that we're current relative to market.
I know planners and engineers over the last year or two have
been particularly difficult to come by. At one point a few years back,
IT professionals, especially around the year 2000 where that was a
particularly onerous acquisition of staff in the IT arena, so that's what
the pay plan maintenance is designed to do.
The cost of living is 3.9; the awards program would be 1.5; the
pay plan maintenance would be one quarter of one percent; and that,
for a total of 5.65.
The top of page 5, stormwater management capital funding.
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March 8, 2005
You're going to -- on item 10E today you're going to be asked to
approve a resolution consistent with this policy recommendation of
the staff with funding equivalent to .15 mills annually.
The county manager last year in the budget endeavored to begin
that process of carving out dedicated dollars available to address
longstanding capital project needs in the stormwater -- stormwater
management program area.
And the key component, I think, is being able to identify to
grantor agencies that the county has a dedicated funding source to
provide and meet the local matching requirements for any grants that
would be available to alleviate stormwater issues throughout Collier
County .
In terms of scheduling, we do need to schedule board workshop
dates in June. The recommended dates that I worked out with Ms.
Filson, and taking into consideration the F AC meeting the third week
in June, and the availability of commissioners, the recommended dates
are Wednesday, June 15th, Thursday, June 16th, and then a wrap-up
contingency date of June 17th that would be on an as-needed basis,
and I believe Ms. Filson had incorporated or at least obligated those
time frames on your respective calendars to make sure that those dates
were available.
The proposed millage rates would be adopted on July 26th, 2005;
that is a Tuesday. Weare required by law to provide the property
appraiser and the tax collector with the proposed millage rates by
August 4th. So -- and that's consistent with what we've gone over the
last few years.
Public hearing dates, the recommended dates Thursday evening
September 8th, 2005, and then two weeks later, September 22nd. The
importance of selecting a date for the board hearings, there is a formal
actual pecking order, so to speak, in the statutes.
The school board has first choice in selecting hearing dates.
Their final hearing is scheduled for September 13th, and our dates are
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March 8, 2005
built around that, and then each of the respective -- the municipalities,
as well as the independent fire districts, have to set their dates then
around the school -- school board and county commission hearing
dates so that the members of the public would be available to attend
multiple hearings, should they so desire, to address any of those issues
they may have with any of those respective bodies.
Comparative budget data. Last year the county manager, as part
of the budget process, instituted a formal comparative basis to similar
-- similar-sized Florida counties. We used Sarasota -- the
recommendations are Sarasota, Lee, Charlotte, Marion, and Manatee.
We found that very useful just to compare and contrast,
obviously to judge how well you're -- you're doing relative to others.
You first have to gather the data and analyze it and look at how you're
doing, so that process was instituted last year.
We felt it paid some dividends, not only in the county manager's
agency, but also with the constitutional officer budgets, and the
recommendation of staff is to continue that practice this year.
The reserves. As a general rule, we budget a five percent reserve
for a contingency and operating funds with the exception of
constitutional officers, which are budgeted in the general fund. And
the recommended level is two and a half percent.
In the area of attrition, we've previously used a four percent
attrition factor, recognizing that in large organizations there will be
staff turnover, and 100 percent of the budget personnel services
expenses are typically not expended in a given year.
We've reanalyzed and updated that analysis, and the data
suggests that two percent is a more accurate reflection of where we're
at. Obviously the county has limited expanded positions over the last
few years relative to the preceding years, in addition within the group
health fund and workers' compo fund.
We've utilized all the available budget for group health to
augment and reinforce the fiscal stability of both our group health and
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March 8, 2005
workers' compo funds. As a result there is not as much accrued salary
and benefit savings as there might have been in the past. So the
recommendation is to utilize a two percent attrition factor in
developing the FY -'06 budget.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: You're going to stop right after overtime
limitations, aren't you? We have a question from one of the
commISSIoners.
MR. SMYKOWSKI: If you have a question, please.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: No. Why don't you finish that up,
because you're going to be going into another section.
MR. SMYKOWSKI: That's fine. Okay. I'd be happy to. Thank
you.
Overtime limitations. That's recommended at two percent of the
budgeted -- two percent times the two percent attrition calculated on
the budgeted regular salaries, and that is actually particularly onerous
for agencies that are staffed around the clock. That involves things
like EMS, fire departments, obviously the sheriffs agency, as well as
water and sewer facilities as well, which, while not in the front line,
public safety issues are manned around the clock as well, so that is a
particularly onerous thing. But in terms of controlling the costs of
overtime, the manager is recommending that limitation be instituted
this year.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Thank you very much.
Commissioner Henning?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: To set the millage rate is
scheduled for July 26th. I was just asking my colleagues if that works
for their schedule to be here for July 26th, or do we need to change it?
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Well, for me it's not particularly
convenient, but I don't know that we have any choice. We've got to
get the millage rate set by August, what, 4th?
MR. SMYKOWSKI: Fourth.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: And we don't have much flexibilityi
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March 8, 2005
there, but I'm certainly open to any recommendations. What do you--
COMMISSIONER HALAS: I think we ought to leave it where it
IS.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Where it is.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Does the 29th work better? I
mean, that's a Friday.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Rather get it done and get out of
town, start my vacation. The sooner the better.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: You're going to be out of town already.
You're going to have to come back.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: That's right.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: July 5th.
MR. MUDD: We do that --
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Can we do it July 5th?
MR. MUDD: We do that millage rate setting at the same time
we'd have our summer, our one summer BCC meeting.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Yes. The question, I think, is, if that's
the only reason you have the summer BCC meeting, why not do it
before you leave. Is there a way of doing it before you leave, before
the recess?
MR. SMYKOWSKI: That is not the sole item though,
Commissioner. That is typically a --
CHAIRMAN COYLE: But it could be the sole item, okay. You
don't really have to schedule anything else at that point in time, do
you?
MR. MUDD: Unless you -- unless you give me broader
discretion to approve stuff in the board's absence, Commissioner, I'd
say you need to have a meeting at the end part of July in order to do it.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Does that include PUDs?
MR. MUDD: Well, we could get a hearing examiner and that
solves that problem, but we're not going in there. So unless I have
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March 8, 2005
broader discretion, I will tell you -- and I'm looking at Jim Mitchell,
okay? We need to be staring at each other here a little bit here.
I believe you need to at least have that meeting in July because
you have PUD rezones that would have to wait from the end of June
to the beginning part of September. That does become an issue.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: They could be moved to 2007 for all I
care. But nevertheless, we'll deal with that later.
But -- so the question then is whether you want to do it at the
time it's scheduled or slip it a few days to the 8th of July, which is a
Friday. So what do you think of that? Would you -- slip it from
Tuesday to Friday, or you want to leave it at Tuesday?
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: If there's a--
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Are you talking the end of July or
first of July?
CHAIRMAN COYLE: The end of July. I'm sorry.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: The first of July.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Oh, the first of July.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Oh, the first of July.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: But I don't think the county manager is
saying that's possible. It won't work.
MR. SMYKOWSKI: No, July 1 will not work. We will not even
have the final tax -- certified taxable value until July 1 from the
property appraiser.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: I think we're better off leaving it
where it is.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: So we're talking about the 26th right
now?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Right.
MR. MUDD: Twenty-sixth right now.
MR. SMYKOWSKI: Yes, sir, that's the fourth Tuesday.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: The recommendation could be to move it
from the 26th to the 29th, which is a Friday, but does that help
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March 8, 2005
anybody? Make any difference?
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Could I ask a question? What's
the reason you want to move it to the 29th? I mean, I can readjust my
schedule to accommodate someone, if necessary.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: You're not accommodating me.
I just -- you know, I'll be here regardless.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Why don't we just leave it.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: I will come back regardless, I
should say.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Why don't we just leave it where
it's at?
CHAIRMAN COYLE: All right.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: That's fine.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: W e'llleave it the way it is.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Oh, I've got a complication,
because I've got -- the 29th, I've got to be at an MPO meeting up in
Jacksonville, so that wouldn't work.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: All right. W e'llleave it the way it is so
that will leave you free for the 29th, okay.
MR. SMYKOWSKI: Thank you.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: I'm sure our staff people went
through all of our calendars and probably found that this is the -- best
accommodates where we're at right now.
MR. SMYKOWSKI: That date was selected -- that's been the
past practice over the last few years, so we kind of thought you might
have that date reserved.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: I just want to be different and
complicated.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Good work.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Challenging.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Can't make it too easy for the staff.
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March 8, 2005
How about walking me through the reserve calculation process,
starting with the total tax receipt that we expect to get. How do you
do that?
MR. SMYKOWSKI: I'm not sure I understand your question.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay.
MR. SMYKOWSKI: But I want to --
CHAIRMAN COYLE: You have a reserve.
MR. SMYKOWSKI: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: And you establish that reserve on the
basis of what?
MR. SMYKOWSKI: Board policy.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay.
MR. SMYKOWSKI: Reserve for contingency --
CHAIRMAN COYLE: No. You calculate the five percent; you
multiply what by five percent?
MR. SMYKOWSKI: Oh, I'm sorry.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay.
MR. SMYKOWSKI: The personal service operating and capital
budgets in -- within each respective fund to determine, in essence, the
pool upon which the five percent contingency reserve is calculated.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. But the budgets are based upon a
slice of the pie of all of the revenues received from ad valorem
property taxes, I mean, that's one example?
MR. SMYKOWSKI: The general fund, yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Yeah, the general fund. So how would
the general fund reserve be calculated? What would it amount to? Is it
five percent of all of the general fund revenue that goes into the
reserve?
MR. SMYKOWSKI: No. It's five percent of the general fund
expense of that collective pool of each agency's relative total. It's
pooled together, and then two and a half percent would be calculated
on that number.
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March 8, 2005
CHAIRMAN COYLE: I'm sorry. Two percent, not -- two and a
half percent, not five.
MR. SMYKOWSKl: Two and a half in the general fund.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: I've been using five percent.
MR. SMYKOWSKI: Right. That's okay.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Are those two figures the same? That is,
the collective budgets of all of the agencies that get a slice of the pie,
is that the same as the total tax revenue received from ad valorem
property taxes, since it's being divided --
MR. SMYKOWSKI: No, because you're dividing up the entire
general fund, not only the ad valorem, but you also have sales tax --
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay.
MR. SMYKOWSKI: -- fund balance, revenue sharing, and
ongoing departmental charges as well.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: So if you took only the ad valorem
property taxes, then is the 2.5 percent multiplied by ad val -- the total
ad valorem property taxes, is that equal to the aggregate of all of the
slices of the pie? It should be. I'm just trying to figure out if it really
IS.
MR. SMYKOWSKI: Yes, I believe it is.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Are we right?
MR. MUDD: Are you saying that what was there in the reserves
at five percent last year will be there at two and a half percent this
year?
CHAIRMAN COYLE: No, not really, no. No. I'm just trying to
understand how the reserves are calculated. That's all. We take two
and a half percent this year and we're going to multiply it by
something to arrive at two and a half percent.
Now, if we -- if we deal only--
MR. SMYKOWSKI: Let me give you a real life example rather
than try to talk conceptual. I think if you actually see the basis upon
which it's calculated, it may be a little more apparent.
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March 8, 2005
We take the subtotal of the board here, the county manager total,
we exclude the transfers to other funds because within each of these
respective funds, there is --
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Another reserve.
MR. SMYKOWSKI: -- another reserve, so we don't want to be
reserving on top. That was a change actually the productivity
committee had brought about in past years. The same thing in terms
of transfers to the capital and debt service funds.
MR. MUDD: We can't see where you're pointing.
MR. SMYKOWSKI: I'm sorry. It's 41 million. That's also
excluded, again, because within those respective capital funds, there
are reserves. So really you're talking about the subtotal for the board,
the county manager agency, and then the constitutional officer
subtotal, the aggregate of those three numbers times two and a half
percent or five percent, whatever the policy is. So that is the basis for
the calculation.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay.
MR. SMYKOWSKI: Does that help you?
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Yes, it does.
MR. SMYKOWSKI: Okay.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: My conclusion then is this, and you tell
me if it's right. If you've got $100 and you allocate it to 10 different
organizations, 10,000 -- or $1,000 each -- $10,000 each, then two and
a half percent multiplied by the total amount of $100,000 would result
in the same reserve that you would get if you took each individual
slice of the pie and multiplied it by two and a half percent and added it
up.
MR. SMYKOWSKI: Yes. It would be $2,500.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: That's right. That's all I wanted to try to
understand.
MR. SMYKOWSKI: Okay.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: And I've got it. So if I'm correct in that
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statement, then we're okay.
MR. SMYKOWSKI: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. All right.
Now very briefly about attrition factor issues. We could live
with a four percent attrition factor last year. This next year we
probably can't because of the reasons you've stated.
Is there a better way of determining the attrition factor like on a
moving average of some kind over the past couple of years, in other
words, so that you can pretty much forecast where your next attrition
rate is going to be based upon your observation of actual attrition rate
over the recent history?
MR. MUDD: What Mike did is he pulled up what our history
was last year, and we have -- when I first got here -- again, going back
four years -- there were some big -- there were some big gaps in
personnel all over the county, okay, and I'm not just talking about the
county manager's agency, but there were some -- there were some
vacancy -- high vacancy rates in the constitutional organizations too,
the clerk's shop, the sheriffs office.
And so what Mike does is he tracks what the savings are based
on the attrition factor. And this year it came up with about 2.3
percent, okay. And we're starting to have better fill ratio, so that's why
we came up with the two percent. It wasn't arbitrary; it wasn't
capricious. It was because we did an analysis of where we were last
year and what the savings really were, and it's closer to that two
percent than it is to that four percent.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. And next year you'll go through
essentially the same kind of analysis to try to determine what it would
be next year?
MR. MUDD: Yes, sir. Then we'll take a look at that and we'll
make another recommendation to the board. And if we're closer -- if
we're closer to the zero, which would be good for everybody and we --
that's what we'll recommend.
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March 8, 2005
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Now, the final question I've got,
and then I'll stop this, is with respect to the overtime budget. You're
not suggesting that the EMS department itself be restricted to this kind
of restriction, are you?
MR. MUDD: Commissioner, we're basically saying here's the
guidance. Let me see your budget based on what you're -- what you're
going to be able to do. And we're going to try to hold everybody as
much as we can to the guidance, and it is guidance to come back with
the budget.
And then if we're off the guidance, then we owe it to the board at
the workshop to let you know that we couldn't meet it and here are the
reasons why, and let you know that particular case. But it's a
benchmark so that people will know.
Now, I want to go back to when I became county manager. We
used to have 10 different submissions for each one of our departments,
and it was like a moving train. I said, well, what's the guidance so that
we know what we need to come into? Well, I'll know it when I see it,
was kind of the rule of thumb in the manager's agency. And I said,
that's wrong, that's bad.
We're wasting a lot of staff time doing the what-ifs. Give me
guidance, make it stringent, whatever it is, so that we have an idea
what the budget -- what we need to bring forward to the Board of
County Commissioners. And then if we can't meet the budget the
basic -- or the guidance, to basically tell the board what it is that's a
deviation from that guidance and the reasons why.
It seems to -- it seems to have done pretty good in the last two
years, at least in the county manager's agency because we're not
having to do all kinds ofwhat-ifs prior to and guesses. You know, we
don't get the, well, this is the world. You know, if I could get the
world tomorrow, here's what my budget would be.
You basically are providing one budget to meet that guidance and
try to stay within it. And it seems to have worked well.
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Now, I make it through take through murder (sic) board with
every one of my administrators and department directors as they
provide their individual budgets to the manager, and we hear them all
out.
We asked them -- Leo and Mike, and I asked them tough
questions as they come forward, and we make some changes to their
budget that they're bringing forward, but I'm only seeing one now. I'm
not seeing 10. You know, here it is with a two percent cut, a three and
a half percent cut, here's what it is flat line. We're not playing that
kind of game anymore.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Yeah. But that's not really my question.
My question is that the budget -- budget guidance is not two times
two percent of the personnel salaries of the EMS department. It is two
times two percent times the personnel salaries of the entire Collier
County budget; is that what you're saying? And then it's allocated to
those departments that are incurring overtime.
MR. MUDD: No, sir.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: So I need to understand.
MR. MUDD: It's the two percent vacancies that you have.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Right. The attrition rate.
MR. MUDD: And the salaries to that two percent--
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Yeah.
MR. MUDD: -- times two --
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Right.
MR. MUDD: -- okay? Because it's basically double time when
you need to cover that particular case, and that particular figure would
apply to EMS, along with Mr. DeLony in public utilities, and they will
let me know if they cannot follow that guidance.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: So it is specific to the department's
personnel cost and not to the Collier County government's total
personnel cost?
MR. MUDD: It is department level.
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March 8, 2005
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. At the department level?
MR. MUDD: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay.
MR. SMYKOWSKI: Yes, sir. A number of departments
experience little to no overtime, so obviously we wouldn't want to use
that.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: That's why I was asking that question.
MR. SMYKOWSKI: Okay. I appreciate--
CHAIRMAN COYLE: I wanted to make -- it was not clear from
this --
MR. SMYKOWSKI: No. It is on a department by department or
fund by fund basis, so EMS as a stand-alone fund would be bound by
that.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay.
MR. SMYKOWSKI: And the manager, as part of his opening
remarks in the June workshops every year has said, we've put out a
table. These were the various guidance bullet points and here's where
we were able to meet them, and if there were exceptions, he will note
those up front and be frank as to exactly where we were not able to
meet it, if that should be the case.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: I've finished my questions. I think we're
ready to go.
MR. SMYKOWSKI: Okay. Page 7 begins the policies that
we've used for a number of years. Obviously we do the -- I'll just kind
of hit the titles and breeze through those fairly quickly.
We do this three-year projection, obviously to improve financial
planning and so that you all understand the long-term impact of
funding decisions you're making in the relative short term.
Grant funded positions. If you have positions formerly grant
funded that you're recommending be included in general operating
budget that is no longer grant funded, we treat those as expanded
service requests. Obviously the county has self-insurance for work
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March 8, 2005
comp., property and casualty, and group health.
By policy, of the boards use of gas taxes has been allocated
entirely to the road construction program.
Reserves, that's inconsequential.
Contract agency funding. We've underlined that, and I want to
bring that -- that's been a subject of some debate. This past year as to
contract agency funding, the current policy of the board is that they
will not fund any non-mandated social service agencies.
I know there were questions relative to UFR money for some
agencies that were interested in requesting funding, but that has been a
long-standing policy of the board following -- we actually weaned
those agencies off funding over a multi-year period because for a
number of years we did provide funding.
Median maintenance. We used the unincorporated area general
fund for maintenance costs. Obviously we -- for capital projects and
operating -- external operating funding requests, we like those
submitted during the framework of the budget process. We don't like
to consider requests outside the framework of the budget process
because, if that's allowed, they are not really competing against all the
other interests and other projects or programs.
So to even out the playing field, we feel they should be reviewed
during the budget process. Obviously we appropriate fund balance.
The current board policy is to maximize impact fees. We charge
enterprise funds and special revenue funds for the cost of service
provided by the general fund. So the indirect cost plan, that is a
general fund revenue.
Enterprise fund payment-in-lieu of taxes. Same thing. Obviously
if those entities were private businesses rather than government
facilities, they would be paying ad valorem, so we charge the solid
waste fund and the county water district a payment-in-lieu of taxes.
The debt administration policies are fairly straightforward. We
don't fund projects beyond their useful lives. And to any proposed
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March 8, 2005
refinancings, we would like for net present value savings of a
minimum of five percent before we would consider that.
Ad valorem capital funding. The board policy direction has been
one third of a mill. We recommend that continue. With that, that gets
us to the three-year budget projection, which begins on page 11.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Can we stop there for just a
moment?
MR. SMYKOWSKI: I'm sorry.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Now, we have a public speaker. And I
presume the public speaker is going to address the budget policy,
which we have already discussed, and not the budget projections; is
that a fair assumption?
MS. FILSON: Yes, sir. Yes, budget policy.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Sheriff Hunter. Okay. Then I would like
to go ahead -- we're going break for lunch here pretty shortly. I'd like
to go ahead and get that public comment concerning the budget policy
before we break for lunch, and then we can come back and take a look
at the three-year budget projections.
MR. SMYKOWSKI: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: All right.
MS. FILSON: Your speaker is Sheriff Don Hunter.
SHERIFF HUNTER: Good morning, Commissioners, Don
Hunter, Sheriff, Collier County, Florida. Good to see you. Appreciate
you permitting me to speak.
I am simply here to formally voice some concerns pertaining to
the budget policy as proposed by County Manager Mr. Mudd and ask
that the board entertain my comments.
First I would simply ask that the board reconsider the piece of the
pie budget formulation or, as it was characterized this morning, I
believe it was referred to as the proportionate share formulation of the
budget.
And I would do so on the basis of some comments that were
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March 8, 2005
made and offered by Commissioner Henning specifically. I think he
was right on point, and that -- and I believe Commissioner Coyle,
Chairman Coyle, you also alluded to the fact that, perhaps, the piece
of the pie or proportionate share formulation of a budget assuming
simply changes in valuation may not be sensitive to some of the
change effects occurring in Collier County, Florida, as opposed to
other areas of the country, and that would be that, for instance,
certainly, the changes in value of our property here in Collier County
can't predict the number of people who are vying for road space, who
are filling our landfills, who are enjoying the sanitary services of our
county commission and their employees cannot, in any way, predict
the number of times a person picks the phone up to call the Collier
County Sheriffs Office for service.
Those values are something independent as a variable of all of
those service demands, and your levels of service are calculated not on
values of property in your comprehensive plan but rather on the actual
service demand on the people that we serve, not only the permanent
resident population here, but the part-time residents and the unique
visitors to this community, international visitors, as well as migrant
labor populations.
And those migrant labor populations are also dependent upon the
countries of origin, because as we know, culturally there is some
difference and distinction between the different cultures and how they
interact with law enforcement, for instance, and your service
providers.
So, again, that's just a general caveat. I would ask the board to be
sensitive to this idea of a piece of the pie formation or a proportionate
share formulation of the budget and be more attuned to the level of
service demand in formulating this year's budget policies.
I would -- I can reserve some of my comments, I suppose, to a
later date, but I do have some concerns about this commitment to a
millage neutral budget. I do -- I would ask that the board be sensitive
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March 8, 2005
to your constituents and also recognize the responsibility that this
board has.
Beyond a commitment to millage neutral, you have a
responsibility for the health, safety, and care of the people who live in
and visit Collier County, Florida, and I believe that's at least an
equally important responsibility as to the commitment to a millage
neutral budget.
Comparative data flaws, I think that we've been through this a
few times. And all that I would ask is, if we're going to use
comparative data, that we do a full assessment and not look at simply
the land mass nor the population base, permanent population base, nor
crime rates or the expenditure that a given group of taxpayers were
willing to make in a given county, but rather we look at everything,
part-time populations, migrant labor populations, number of calls for
service to any given service provider. All of those have to be deemed
factors in a comparative analysis of this county to others.
As we all know, the quality of life here is far different than the
quality of life just up the road in the adjacent county and beyond, and
we have committed this county to be a county of quality, and,
therefore, we have undoubtedly witnessed additional expense.
I have a number of other concerns. The insurance health benefit
programs. Ours is designed a little differently than yours. Our costs
are different than yours, we believe less than yours. Our cost
allocation to our members are different than yours.
Perhaps I could simply say, since most of these recommendations
appear to be coming out of the productivity committee, I would again
ask this commission that you direct staff to invite us to the
productivity study group meetings as well as their subcommittees. I
have a standing request to be invited. I would appreciate the
opportunity to address the productivity study group and be a
participant.
Thank you very much for your time today.
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March 8, 2005
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Thank you, Sheriff Hunter.
Do you want to take a few minutes and go through the FY-'06
budget proj ections --
MR. SMYKOWSKI: Yes, sir. I--
CHAIRMAN COYLE: -- your three-year budget projections,
and then we'll break at 12 noon?
MR. SMYKOWSKI: Yes, sir. I think I can do that fairly
succinctly. That begins on page 11. It does provide a three-year
projection. It shows you the historical millage rates.
We've been the same millage rate from '02 through '05. It does
show the need for a millage increase to 4.0878. The out years are
showing varying degrees. While it's less than what is shown in
FY -'06, it is still above the 3.8772, which is the millage neutral target.
Now, I will also tell you that the model has been -- has been
fairly -- fairly realistic, but I can also say that a millage increase has
been proj ected in the past.
Obviously I'm fairly conservative relative to sales tax revenues at
this point in time. We only have two or three months of actuals.
Obviously by the time we're formulating the budget in June or July, I
have six to seven months of actuals, so I'm a little more comfortable in
being a little more aggressive there.
There were -- on the taxable value front, if you turn to page 12, it
does show the history. Obviously in '02 it peaked at 20.5 percent
increase. Over the last few years it dropped from 20.5 to 18.3 to 16.4,
and then last year to 11.5.
So for purposes of the three-year model, I assumed 11, 10 and 9
percent. But I think everyone who's been driving around town and
every article every Sunday it talks about, you know, the meteoric
increases in property values in Naples, Florida, and the, you know,
issues facing employers and the like because of affordable housing
Issues.
In addition, each time a property that was previously protected by
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March 8, 2005
the Save Our Homes cap is sold, it's reassessed at current market
value, and obviously current market value, even from what it was two
years ago, could be significantly different, so you're getting that
benefit.
We will not have the benefit of a preliminary tax roll until June 1.
But at this point, I used 11 percent as the assumption.
I also need to point out, going back to page 11, those out years.
While looking lighter than the millage projected in FY -'06, the millage
rates were based on the sheriff adding 119 positions in '06. One year
ago that analysis assumed 183 positions being added in FY-'06.
Obviously that differential has a major impact on projected millage
rates in the out years.
And while I did work with the sheriffs staff relative to the -- their
proj ected needs, we were looking primarily at mandated costs of
positions grants, positions that were previously grant funded, they
have to be absorbed in the general fund; jail staffing and the like
without necessarily looking at support staff or additional investigators
or dispatchers.
So the sheriffs staff, I included their concerns or their caveats to
what was included in the model's assumption, so obviously there may
be some give or take there.
And obviously what is funded this year or requested this year
will have a spillover effect into the millage rates in '07 and '08.
But at this point, you know, the millage neutral targets will be a
challenge. Obviously, we're hopeful that the taxable value will help
us out in that regard.
Again, on the revenue side, I am fairly conservative this early in
the fiscal year. I have a little more latitude with six months of actuals
in the bank, and at that point, too, we typically work with the clerk's
office relative to the interest earnings and the like, so there will be
some give and take there.
But I feel it is a pretty good analytical model, and there will
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being upward millage pressure that we're all going to have to deal
with, especially in the general fund. The analysis in the
unincorporated area, general fund shows need for a very slight millage
Increase.
I will also tell you that property values in the unincorporated area
over the last few years have out-stripped the increase in the
county-wide value. Obviously, you know, as the cities get closer to
buildout and there haven't been the major condo towers being added in
the municipalities on the beach over the last few years, the growth,
again, being in the, you know, Golden Gate Estates area and the like.
So the unincorporated area has had a larger gain relative to the
county-wide value so -- and we would expect that to continue.
So that's it in a nutshell. It's really not any different than what
we've been talking about over the last couple years. That's -- meeting
that millage neutral target does require the cooperation of all the
agencies, and there is upward pressure. It's, you know, a fairly
consumptive community in terms of service level expectations and
demands, and the population continues to grow. But we're going to do
the best we can to live within the policy guidance that you provide us.
MR. MUDD: Commissioner, in the projection, when you talk
about 3.8 to 4.08, you're basically talking about a $12 million -- we're
in the red if we're going to stay, millage -- so we're looking for $12
million worth of efficiencies, cost savings or whatever, as we get
through this particular issue. So that's what that .2 mills equates to.
And for every percent above Mike's percentage -- for instance,
he's -- he's surmising that it will come in at 11 percent. We don't
know for sure, okay, and we won't know for sure. You know, I've got
a little bet going on with the boys in the office, and it's just, you know
-- it's one of the things, what do you think it's going to be? And I'm
hoping it's going to be 16, but hope is not a method.
But for every point above 11, that brings in about a million and a
half additional. So if you think we're 12 million in the red and every
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March 8, 2005
point above that for assessed value comes in a little -- you know, gives
you that million and a half, you start nibbling away at that -- at that
shortfall, so --
CHAIRMAN COYLE: When you say every point, you're
talking about every tenth of a point, aren't you?
MR. MUDD: I'm talking about every percentage point above 11
percent brings you another million and a half into the general.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: So you're saying we would have to get to
a 27 percent increase to make up for the --
MR. MUDD: No. I didn't say that, sir.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay.
MR. MUDD: I said you're hurting for about $12 million.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Twelve million. But you said every
percentage point would give us another million, so we'd have to go up
MR. MUDD: Million and a half.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: -- 12 percentage points?
MR. MUDD: Million and a half.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. So we're talking about eight point
something percentage points. You're saying that we could only
recover this if we hit 20 percent or higher --
MR. MUDD: We'll say about 19--
CHAIRMAN COYLE: -- of property value?
MR. MUDD: -- 19 percent. And if you were just talking about
what's estimated on this page versus what your assessed value would
have to come in to be, okay, so that in this model that you see in front
of you, where you wouldn't have to raise it two-tenths of a percent, I'm
talking the millage rate, you're looking at a 19 percent assessed value,
okay, where you break even.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay.
MR. MUDD: I'm just trying to get it so you have an idea of it in
your mind's eye.
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March 8, 2005
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay.
MR. SMYKOWSKI: But there are some things in the model,
too, like within EMS, over the next three years, we assumed an
additional crew each year. Obviously the extent to which we could
reach agreements on the ALS units with the fire districts, that may
alleviate the need to add a unit. They're $700,000 in one fell swoop
with that agreement.
So it's not just solely going to be on the back of the ad valorem in
addition. Like I said, sales tax. There are other revenue factors, but
the expense side is part of the equation as well.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: And you'll have firmer figures by what
time of the year?
MR. SMYKOWSKI: June.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Early? Early June, okay, good.
MR. SMYKOWSKI: June 1 we get the taxable value, and that is
-- and we're asking -- the board had briefly adopted a resolution
requiring the constitutional officers to submit their budgets by May 1
rather than June 1 so that we don't have all those things colliding all at
once. So hopefully we'll get to the big picture total that much quicker
this year.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Just one brief comment, then
Commissioner Halas wants to ask a question.
It would be my preference that we instruct staff to give us a
budget that really permits us to be revenue neutral based upon the
assumption of 11 percent increase in valuations and not to be
assuming that we're going to go for a tax increase, okay. It would be
better to give that guidance that we're going to get.
MR. MUDD: That's what the guidance is, sir.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. All right.
Commissioner Halas?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Yes. Just to clear the air, make
sure that everybody out there understands exactly what we're talking
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March 8, 2005
about. This supposedly -- budget increase if we need do this is only in
regards to everybody receiving the same piece of pie that they did last
year; is that correct?
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Same percentage.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Same percentage of the pie.
MR. SMYKOWSKI: Yes.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Okay. So what we're trying to do
then is squeeze, to make sure that everybody looks for efficiencies, so
maybe we can cut some of the percentages out of the pie so that we
can remain millage neutral.
MR. MUDD: You're trying -- you're trying to come up with $12
million worth of savings.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Savings, exactly.
MR. MUDD: That's exactly -- that's why I talked about the
figure so that you would know about it. If you got the same piece of
the pie and it went across the board, we would not be -- we would not
be in the red by 12 million, we would break even, and we'd be --live
within that 11 percent.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: So that's the message we're trying
to convey here --
MR. MUDD: That's what's in the budget.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: -- is that we want -- we're looking
for these departments, constitutionals, to go through their departments
and look for areas for efficiencies, and --
MR. SMYKOWSKI: Yes.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: -- I want to make that perfectly
clear also, on the record.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: You finished your presentation?
MR. SMYKOWSKI: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Any further questions by
commissioners?
(N 0 response.)
Page 95
March 8, 2005
CHAIRMAN COYLE: No public speakers?
MS. FILSON: No, sir.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Then is there a motion?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Move to approve.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Commissioner Henning --
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Second that.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: -- moved to approve the policy, and
seconded by Commissioner Halas.
Any further discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN COYLE: All in favor, please signify by saying
aye.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Aye.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. We're going to break for lunch.
We'll be back here at 1 :03.
MR. SMYKOWSKI: Thank you.
(A luncheon recess was had.)
MR. MUDD: Ladies and gentlemen, if you'd please take your
seats.
Mr. Chairman, you have a hot mike.
Item #7C
RESOLUTION 2004-114: V A-2004-AR-6793 LEOBARDO &
MARITZA GUTIERREZ REPRESENTED BY DANIEL D. PECK,
OF PECK AND PECK, ARE REQUESTING AS-FOOT AFTER-
THE-FACT VARIANCE IN THE "E" ESTATES ZONING
DISTRICT FROM THE MINIMUM REQUIRED 75-FOOT FRONT
YARD SETBACK, ALONG 47TH AVENUE N.E. (SOUTHERN
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u__-.--···.··'· .."-."".-__,,....._""____'"
March 8, 2005
BOUNDARY), TO ALLOW A 70-FOOT FRONT YARD
SETBACK FOR A SINGLE-FAMILY HOME THAT IS
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. We're back in session. It's going
to take us to 7C, I believe, which was previously 17 A; is that correct,
County Manager?
MR. MUDD: Yes, sir; that's right.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay.
MR. MUDD: And that item was exactly -- this item requires that
all participants be sworn --
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Sworn in. .
MR. MUDD: -- be sworn in and ex parte disclosure be provided
by commission members. It's variance 2004-AR-6793. Loebardo and
Maritza Gutiez?
MR. PECK: Gutierrez.
MR. MUDD: Gutierrez, excuse me -- provided by commission
members. It's variance 2004-AR-6793. It's presented by Daniel Peck
of Peck and Peck, are requesting a five-foot after-the- fact variance in
the "E" Estates zoning district from the minimum required 75-foot
front yard setback along 4 7th Avenue Northeast, southern boundary,
to allow a 70-foot front yard setback, for a single-family home that is
currently under construction.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: And will all persons who are going to
speak on this issue please stand and be sworn.
(All speakers were duly sworn.)
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. And ex parte disclosures;
Commissioner Halas?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: I don't have any ex parte
disclosures on this.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Neither do I.
Commissioner Henning?
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March 8, 2005
COMMISSIONER HENNING: I just heard somebody talk about
it at the beginning of the meeting.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Then we're ready for the
petitioner, okay.
MR. PECK: Good afternoon. I previously made my
presentation, rather than bore you with it again. If there are any
questions, otherwise, we had the unanimous planning commission
approval and staff support, and I would request and hope that it would
be approved.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Commissioner Halas?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: I just -- the only question that I
really had on this -- in fact, I wasn't going to raise it until you brought
it up, so you probably almost --
MR. PECK: Shouldn't have spoken.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: -- almost got to the point where
you snatched victory into defeat.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: No, defeat from the jaws of victory.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Yeah. And that is the $98,000.
Normally you have a spot survey, and a lot of times this will catch it
prior to going any farther or even putting the tie beam up. So where
are you right now in the construction of this?
MR. PECK: We had the survey, and that's what caused the
problem, because the survey was in the middle of the road, and so it
was 30 feet off. We would have to take out the stem wall, which is
$7,000; the slab, which would be $12,000 to replace; the block is
$10,000. So we've basically got the sides of the home up already so --
COMMISSIONER HALAS: So if you say 98,000, it sounds to
me as though the house is almost all totally constructed; is that about
right?
MR. PECK: There's 12,000 for demolition, so that takes away
from that; earth work would be $12,000; relocation, $15,000; new
foundation, $16,000; stem wall, $7,000; block 10,000.
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March 8, 2005
Yes, there's been a tremendous amount done, unfortunately. And
I represent a poor construction worker that that was -- he thought he
was 25 feet to the good rather than five feet --
COMMISSIONER HALAS: I understand, I just was trying to
get a clarification in my mind where all the 98,000 was. If you looked
at just -- if you stopped before you put the tie beam in, I would think it
would be a lot less, and it sounds to me like you've gone farther than
the tie beam.
MR. PECK: There is an owner payment to the bank, which
$9,500 is included in that, so you're looking at effectively $89,000 or
something.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Okay.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Any further questions?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Yeah.
(Commissioner Coletta entered the hearing room.)
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Commissioner Henning?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: I was thinking that we needed a
supermajority on this variance. We do have a supermajority of the
commissioners here.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Yeah. Real super. Yeah, you have to
have -- we have any ex parte disclosures on this item?
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: And that is item?
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Item 17 A.
MR. MUDD: 17 A.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: And it had to do with a variance for a
building that was --
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: I'm familiar with it. No
disclosures.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Does staff have anything they
feel they are compelled to discuss?
MR. MUDD: (Shakes head.)
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Any other speakers?
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March 8, 2005
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: I really don't have anything to
add. I'm totally in support.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Commissioners, what's your
pleasure?
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: I make a motion for approval.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Motion for approval by
Commissioner Coletta.
Is there a second?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Second it.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: I second it.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. A second by Commissioner
Henning.
All in favor, please signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Aye.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: It is unanimous. It is approved.
MR. PECK: Thank you.
Item #8A
AN ORDINANCE OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS OF COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA,
AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 04-41, AS AMENDED,
THE COLLIER COUNTY LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE,
WHICH INCLUDES THE COMPREHENSIVE LAND
DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS FOR THE
UNINCORPORATED AREA OF COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA,
BY PROVIDING FOR: SECTION ONE, RECITALS; SECTION
TWO, FINDINGS OF FACT; SECTION THREE, ADOPTION OF
AMENDMENTS TO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE,
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March 8, 2005
MORE SPECIFICALLY AMENDING THE FOLLOWING:
CHAPTER 6 - INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS AND
ADEQUATE PUBLIC FACILITIES REQUIREMENTS,
INCLUDING SEC. 6.06.02 SIDEWALK, BIKE LANE, AND
GREENWAY REQUIREMENTS; CHAPTER 10-
APPLICATION, REVIEW, AND DECISION-MAKING
PROCEDURES, INCLUDING SEC. 10.02.03.B.1. FINAL SITE
DEVELOPMENT PLAN PROCEDURE AND REQUIREMENTS;
SECTION FOUR, CONFLICT AND SEVERABILITY; SECTION
FIVE, INCLUSION IN THE COLLIER COUNTY LAND
DEVELOPMENT CODE; AND SECTION SIX, EFFECTIVE
DATE - FINAL VERSION TO BE BROUGHT BACK TO
MARCH 22,2005 MEETING WITH BCC STAFF
RFCOMMENDAIIONS
MR. MUDD: The next item, Commissioner, is advertised public
hearings, item A, and that's an ordinance of the Board of County
Commissioners of Collier County, Florida, amending ordinance
number 04-41 as amended, the Collier County Land Development
Code, which includes the comprehensive land development
regulations for the unincorporated area of Collier County, Florida,
providing for section one, recitals; section two, findings of fact;
section three, adoption of amendments of the land development code,
more specifically amending the following: Chapter 6, infrastructure
improvements and adequate public facilities requirements, including
section 6.06.02, sidewalk, bike lane, and greenway requirements;
chapter 10, application, review, and decision-making procedures,
including section 10.02.03.b.1, final site development plan procedure
and requirements; section four, conflict and severability; section five,
inclusion of the Collier County Land Development Code; and section
six, effective date, and the presenter will be Mr. Joseph Schmitt, the
administrator for community developments and environmental
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March 8, 2005
services, and Mr. Patrick White, assistant county attorney.
MR. SCHMITT: Commissioners, good afternoon. For the
record, Joe Schmitt, community development/environmental services
administrator.
First I want to turn it over to Patrick White so he can make an
entry into the record.
MR. WHITE: Thank you, Joe. Good afternoon, Commissioners.
Assistance County Attorney Patrick White, and just a housekeeping
matter.
I've reviewed the Affidavit of Publication for today's first of two
public hearings in these chambers pertaining to the proposed
ordinance. I find that it is legally sufficient. And at this time I'm
submitting an original to our minute keeper for recordkeeping
purposes. Thank you.
MR. SCHMITT: And Commissioners, I'll follow up. Just to
make this short and succinct.
As you recall, back in -- December 7th, we had a workshop
where we asked for your approval to authorize a special cycle of the
land development code to deal with issues specifically regarding
sidewalks and a payment-in-lieu of program.
The 14th -- December 14th Board of County Commissioners
meeting as item 16A 11 you approved that special cycle. This is the
first of the two public hearings in regards to the LDC amendment.
And you recall just the expediency of this was based primarily on
the number of existing site plans that are pending, the results of this --
this commission -- or this amendment, so we decided we would --
we'd be best, for the public benefit, to go ahead and make this a
special cycle.
In that regard, basically what we're dealing with here is an
amendment that deals with payment-in-lieu of. This has been before
the Board of County -- or before the planning commission and the
Development Services Advisory Committee, both of whom made
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March 8, 2005
comments.
Planning commission, the amendments that went before both
boards -- or both of those commissions also included language in
regards to greenways. The first vote by the planning commission
recommended that any reference to greenways be removed until such
time that the county's comprehensive pathway plan is amended.
The version you have before you today deals strictly with
sidewalks and bike lanes in regards to how they will be constructed
and requirements to be constructed within Collier County. In that also
is language dealing with payment-in-lieu of.
If I can have your direction at least to the portion that I'm
showing here. These two -- these are the issues of concern right now.
The DSAC recommended that for projects that are 75 percent or more
built out, that if there is an expansion of that proj ect, that they would
be allowed to construct under the existing development criteria of the
original PUD as noted in the PUD documents. That was supported by
the planning commission and also supported by staff.
The next footnote -- and I'm going to track down -- regards
projects that are in the final subdivision or plat with 25 or fewer lots
having to deal with cul-de-sacs, I will show you two pictures.
Basically what this was asking for is an exemption from the
requirement of sidewalks.
As you note on your computer screen, this is a cul-de-sac which
shows a sidewalk on one side, no sidewalk on the other side,
diversion. And this is the -- basically what staff is looking for and
what staff had recommended in regards to cul-de-sacs with 25 or
fewer units, that the sidewalks do, in fact, comply with the
development standards as required throughout the entire projects as
they're now required in the code.
That certainly is your purview and certainly your desire. You
can provide guidance to the staff in regards to the requirements for
sidewalks or providing sidewalks on cul-de-sacs. That seems to be the
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March 8, 2005
most pressing issue.
There's another item -- and I'll flip over again to page four,
dealing specifically with sidewalk construction, which was added by
the DSAC. Oops, I went beyond it. Yep. Right -- in this area right in
here, where sidewalks must be a minimum of four inches thick with a
28-day compressive strength of PSI, pounds per square inch, and
constructed over a four-inch lime rock base, or a minimum of six
inches thick on a concrete -- thick of concrete, which must be
constructed without lime rock base.
That was a construction criteria added in there by the staff and
seems to be some -- of some controversy. I would welcome you to
listen to any of the speakers. And certainly, we would be delighted to
receive your guidance in regards to the issues regarding construction.
The most pressing, and what you'll hear, is pretty much four-inch
concrete over compacted subgrade, as an alternative, primarily in
subdivisions as an acceptable construction standard.
With the requirement of four over four, meaning four inches over
four-inch lime rock base or six-inch thick concrete for arterial or
collector roads, and that seems to be the only other hang-up.
So I -- without any further embellishment in regard to the LDC
amendment, I welcome your questions.
MR. WHITE: I would just add, Commissioners, that with respect
to the CCPC, their recommendation with respect to the 25 or fewer
provision is that it not go forward.
MR. SCHMITT: Right.
MR. WHITE: The DSAC had two of those coming forward to
you, one with a 75 percent or more, as well as the 25 or fewer lots
provisions. Those were both DSAC recommended. The CCPC only
recommended bringing forward the one for 75 percent or more, just so
we're clear.
MR. SCHMITT: And that's the portions that are highlighted in
red, and it's very clear in the write-up that those were the two
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March 8, 2005
requirements added by the Development Services Advisory
Committee, and the planning commission only supporting one of
those two.
Subject to your questions, that concludes my presentation.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Commissioner Halas?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Yes. So what you're
recommending is that whenever we have more than -- 25 or more
homes in a cul-de-sac, that we require sidewalks around the whole
perimeter of it; is that correct? Both sides of the street?
MR. SCHMITT: That would be the way it's written now. What
this is asking for is a waiver from the sidewalk requirement for
cul-de-sacs of 25 or less units. But staff -- and neither staff nor the
planning commission supported that recommendation.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Okay. Now, if you go 25 or less,
does that -- is there a requirement to have a sidewalk on at least one
side of the street?
MR. SCHMITT: We're requiring, Commissioner, this type of
design with a sidewalk is on both sides of the street, and actually
throughout the entire --
COMMISSIONER HALAS: That's for 25 or more, that's your
recommendation?
MR. SCHMITT: Twenty-five or less as well, any cul-de-sac.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Okay.
MR. SCHMITT: Yes.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: And one other question is -- maybe
the engineering staff can give us some guidance in regards to the lime
rock requirement. Is it because of the instability of the base prior to
putting concrete over?
MR. SCHMITT: Commissioner -- and I think you'd probably
want to ask Ms. Diane Flagg about that.
That's frankly -- on an arterial or collectors -- and maybe Mr.
Feder as well -- arterial or collectors, it's primarily when utility trucks
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March 8, 2005
or other type of vehicles pull up off the road, let's say they're repairing
a line or doing some other things, and if the sidewalk isn't of sufficient
strength, it will crack the sidewalk, and then the county is held liable
for basically repairing it out of the side pathway's fund.
The requirement in regards to subdivisions -- and I'll ask Tom
Kuck to give you his professional engineering recommendation. But
as far as subdivisions, all sidewalks are inspected prior to CO of a
home.
And oftentimes if a concrete truck or block truck or whatever
pulls into a lot during the construction process, cracks the sidewalk,
we will not CO the home until the sidewalk is repaired by the builder
or developer.
So the sidewalk issues in subdivisions are usually not the
problem. The problem is primarily on an arterial or collector roads,
building it of sufficient strength, just by chance, to support any type of
activity like a utility truck or some other activity.
And certainly Diane can certainly talk about that from the
transportation perspective, if you have any questions.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Okay. I think you answered it.
Thank you.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Commissioner Henning?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: The -- on page three, what I
read on C, in payment-in-lieu of, it gives discretion to the county
manager of -- or his designee; is that correct?
MR. SCHMITT: Yes.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Should we have some
guidelines for the in payment-in-lieu of? I just --
MR. SCHMITT: It's in the fee cycle already in regards to the fee
payment program and --
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Right. The guidelines of --
maybe there's a conflict in between the asking and the giving.
MR. SCHMITT: Yes.
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March 8, 2005
COMMISSIONER HENNING: And wouldn't we rather have --
if it meets this guidelines, it they can ask the in payment-in-lieu of or
receive the in payment-in-lieu of?
MR. SCHMITT: Basically the way the program works, if you
recall, the situation we had where -- a church. We had -- they had a
$40,000 addition, and Nick probably can come up and talk more about
that.
But the sidewalk requirements were going to be three or four
times the cost of construction. That's why we came back for and asked
for a payment-in-lieu of where it would be 25 percent of the cost of
construction.
That decision would be made at the staff level, normally between
the transportation staff and the community development staff, and we
would come into agreement.
If we agree to disagree, it would probably be at Diane's level and
at Don Scott's level, Tom Kuck's level. And if there's disagreement, it
would be -- escalate or rise up to Norm and I, and then eventually to
the county manager if, in fact, there was disagreement.
But all we're trying to do here is provide an opportunity for a
payment-in-lieu of rather than being stung by the entire cost of having
to meet the sidewalk criteria as it's currently written in the LDC. If
you're looking for some kind of an oversight program or a board
review or some other type of --
COMMISSIONER HENNING: I think what you said is
sufficient, and all I'm asking for is consistency when we have an
asking of a permit or an asking of in payment-in-lieu of. I think
government --
MR. SCHMITT: Yes.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: -- should be consistent.
MR. SCHMITT: Yes.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: And I just have an overall
problem with the consistency of county government. And I think your
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answer -- I mean, I don't have any concerns. There is an avenue
where an applicant can go to a higher level.
MR. SCHMITT: Yes. And we do have a formal -- Susan, what
do we call it, a dispute process? Dispute resolution process -- I
wanted to use the right word -- where you can -- it's not before the
board, but they actually just fill out a form through the dispute
resolution process, and it becomes -- administratively comes to either
my level or -- Susan Murray, the zoning director, or myself.
If the building director's involved or Mr. Feder from
transportation, where we can sit down and -- basically all we want to
do is the right thing. I mean, that's what we want to do with this. We
want to have a program that we can apply some common sense to the
requirements of putting in sidewalks.
The payment-in-lieu of program, if they're not constructing
sidewalks, the payment-in-lieu of program will go to the pathways
fund to provide intersection improvements or system-wide
improvements basically for the betterment of the county at large rather
than just specifically at that one location.
But I think the -- with the oversight, the three department
directors involved and two administrators and if it even has to come to
the county manager, we can apply this and apply it where it makes
common sense.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Any other questions?
MR. SCHMITT: Any other questions?
(No response.)
MR. SCHMITT: Well, that pretty much concludes -- I'm sure
you want to hear some public speakers, but we'll be bringing this back
to the next Board of County Commissioners meeting for its second
hearing.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: How many public speakers do we have?
MS. FILSON: We have five.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Are all of the five public speakers here?
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March 8, 2005
Could you raise your hands, please. Okay. I see more than five. I see
SIX.
MS. FILSON: I have five slips.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Have all of you been sworn in?
MR. WEIGEL: They're just public speakers, and this is a
legislative process.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: So they don't have to tell the truth, right?
MR. WEIGEL: No one does.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: That's a loaded question.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Let's have the first public
speaker.
MS. FILSON: Joe Bonness. He will be followed by Maureen
Bonness.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Quick change job there, Joe.
MR. BONNESS: Luckily the wind was blowing in the right
direction. I was able to get home in just 15 minutes.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: One of these days you've got to
buy a car.
MR. BONNESS: Well, I know. I had fun. It was interesting
riding down Livingston Road.
I'm Joe Bonness. Thanks for listening to me this afternoon,
Commissioners.
The items that I'm very opposed to on this are the footnotes three
and four, especially number four, of which would allow a developer to
come in and put a bike lane only on one side of the roadway on a
cul-de-sac. I don't think that this flies -- this is proper as far as traffic
control. It doesn't follow in with the proper manual of uniform traffic
control devices.
Basically what they're asking to do is where if you've got 25 lots
or less, which -- the 25 lots could have a lot more than 25 houses.
You know, if you start tossing in multi-family, you could have a pretty
good-sized residential community on a cul-de-sac.
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But what you're ending up is you have a -- bikes are supposed to
go in a specific direction with traffic. They are supposed to go in the
same direction cars are. If you have a bike lane that's only one side of
the road on a dead-end street, you are asking the bikes to go against
the law of how it's supposed to be doing. They're supposed to be
riding with the traffic, not against the traffic.
You have a bike lane only on one side, so now you are promoting
that bikes should go in the wrong direction.
Bike accidents, the largest single cause of bike accidents that lead
to fatalities is head-on collision with bikes going in the wrong
direction against traffic. Cars are not expecting vehicles -- bikes to be
coming from their right-hand side.
When you pull out into a road, you always look left. You start
pulling on out, and 10 and behold, here's this bike coming in the wrong
direction, and you run into it. That's -- that is where people get killed.
You know, basically what you're -- a five-foot bike lane on one
side of a cul-de-sac, you're building a one-way dead-end street, and
that shouldn't be right.
So that is primarily what I'm concerned about. And I think that
footnote four -- which wasn't approved by the zoning and planning --
should be stricken anyways.
If you have a subdivision that's in there and you haven't built the
cul-de-sacs yet, even if it is 75 percent built, we should take a very -- a
much closer look at getting both the bike paths in there instead of
going on out, building half the -- half of it.
You know, if we can't get the cul-de-sacs right where, you know,
basically the kids and the families are starting to ride from, how do we
expect the bikes to follow the rules when they get out on the rest of the
roadway?
You know, we're promoting proper -- improper riding of the
bikes, and that is another major cause of bicycle accidents throughout
the State of Florida is bikes not following the proper rules.
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March 8, 2005
Well, if we don't have the facilities to do it properly, bikes are
going to start going helter-skelter all over the place, and that's when
they get hit, and that's when we run into the problems. That's also
when you run into the aggression between the drivers and the
bicyclists because the drivers don't think they're supposed to be there
and the bikes don't have a place to be. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Thank you, Joe.
MS. FILSON: The next speaker is Maureen Bonness. She will
be followed by Clay Brooker.
MS. BONNESS: Good afternoon, Commissioners. I'm an active
bicyclist for health, recreation, transportation, and I've even bicycled
across the country.
From my experience with places where I've lived, which include
New Jersey, New York, Wisconsin, Texas, and now here, I find
Collier County to be kind of poor in the realm of bike ability.
Also this past summer I spent a lot of time bicycling around
different parts of Florida, in central Florida and northern Florida, and I
did find some roads similar to Immokalee Road, I'll agree, but there
were a lot of other roads that I was surprised at, the fairly heavy traffic
roads, that I felt okay on because there was a bike lane.
So I encourage any kind of amendment to come along that
increases the number of bike lanes that we construct in this county.
In particular with the LDC amendment in front of you right now,
I participated in some of the public meetings when there were a
number of stakeholders there to come up with some consensus. And
the language we came up with was the language before the DSAC
changes, and that's the language I endorse. I also endorse what the
previous speaker said, to remove that last footnote, number four in
particular. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Thank you.
MS. FILSON: The next speaker is Clay Brooker. He will be
followed by Deb Millsap.
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March 8, 2005
MR. BROOKER: Good afternoon, Commissioners. My name's
Clay Brooker. I am vice-chair of DSAC and have been asked to come
to report and explain the rationale of our recommendations. I'm also a
citizen of Collier County and happen to be a cyclist, although not a
very good one, so I'll throw in a little -- some personal comments as
well.
Overall, we -- the DSAC recommended approval of what you
have before you. The payment-in-lieu idea creates some flexibility,
which we all thought was a good idea. It was unanimous. And we are
in favor of that.
You've heard reference today to footnotes three and four, and let
me spend a few minutes on those, or a minute on those -- on those
particular provisions.
This gets to the point of two sides of the street, whether
sidewalks should be on two sides of the street or just one side of the
street. DSAC never considered eliminating the sidewalk requirement
altogether. It was either the one or two sides of the street that we
discussed.
At the workshop back in December, it was explained that the
existing LDC provision works 95 percent of the time. The question
here is, what does did it mean to work 95 percent of the time?
It may be doable, but does it make sense? If you don't have the
demand for a sidewalk in a certain location, is it, therefore, needed or
does it make sense to require it in those circumstances?
So based upon that thinking, DSAC came up with the two
footnotes, three and four, that you have before you. I won't spend
much time on footnote three. The planning commission agreed with
us in that respect, the 75 percent built projects should be able to
continue their pattern of sidewalks that they have already constructed.
With regard to footnote four, the 25 or fewer lots, planning
commission disagreed with DSAC in that regard. I happened to be the
one who brought or raised this particular issue at DSAC. And the
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reason is, I felt, and DSAC agreed with me, that at that point when
you're dealing with that number of lots, that you no longer have the
demand for two sides of the street.
And this is where my personal comments will come into play. I
happen to live on a cul-de-sac of about 20 to 25 units, not 20 to 25
lots. And that might be a distinction that the board may want to take
into consideration today.
The language you see today says lots. In all honesty, I can't
recall whether that was the precise language that was approved by
DSAC. I'll stand by the language. I'll defer to it as being the language
that DSAC adopted.
But my thought, when I raised it, was, I live on a cul-de-sac of 25
or few -- it's about 20 to 25 units. Lots, probably four, five lots of
multi-family. It's a condominium development. There's a cul-de-sac.
And being somewhat familiar with these provisions and these
requirements, I've watched what kind of demand is required or what
kind of demand is there for the sidewalk.
There is a sidewalk in my community on my cul-de-sac on one
side of the street. Rarely used. You know, I don't know how else to
more bluntly state it.
It's such a small -- we're talking about not a roadway of any
length where bicyclists or cyclists are going to come racing down the
street. I understand. I'm a cyclist myself. I understand the comments
that were just spoken to you about cyclists wanting to use the
roadways and not going against the grain of traffic. I understand that.
There's not a cyclist on my street.
You'll have just the pedestrian use, and we talk out on the street.
The neighbors join out there, the kids join out there. The demand is
simply not there.
So if the 25 or fewer lots, emphasis on the word lots, create's a
problem, I understand that. Perhaps withdraw from that. My
suggestion again, this was perhaps not what DSAC said, but perhaps
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it's 25 or fewer units. If 25 is not the magic number, there's no science
there. It's just based on my personal experience, and perhaps staff can
take a look to see at what point; is it one house?
Under the current provisions one house on a cul-de-sac, two sides
of the street. Is the demand there? DSAC felt at that point -- at some
point, and they agreed with me on the 25 number, that you no longer
have the demand for two sides of the street, and you're no longer
creating a public safety, health, or welfare issue.
My final comment on the sidewalk depth. DSAC recommended
to leave it at the four inches as currently drafted. We believe that is
more than sufficient based upon the engineering -- the engineers that
are in DSAC that, as they explained to us -- I'm not an engineer.
But we understand that this proposal results primarily on -- 20
seconds, I'm done -- primarily from maintenance or repair vehicles
driving up on the sidewalks and possible cheating by contractors who
don't put in the actual four inches of concrete that's currently required.
What we suggested is the four inches is more than sufficient, and
an inspection process can be done to catch any cheating. Alternatively
I've heard the proposals discussed about requiring the enhanced depths
on arterials and collectors only. The residential or local streets would
just have the four inches as currently required.
DSAC did not vote on that particular provision, but I'm
personally in favor of it, and I would surmise, although I can't
guarantee, that DSAC would be in favor of that alternative proposal as
well.
Thank you.
MS. FILSON: The next speaker is Deb Millsap. She will be
followed by your final speaker, David Ellis.
I understand that someone put a speaker slip on my desk during
break. I can't locate it. I took the liberty of asking county manager.
He doesn't have it.
MS. MILLSAP: It was someone for--
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March 8, 2005
MS. FILSON: Oh, okay. So there was only five okay.
MS. MILLSAP: Thank you. My name is Deb Millsap, and I am
-- I work for the Collier County Health Department, and I'm here
today on behalf of Dr. Joan Colfer, our director of the Collier County
Health Department.
And in the interest of public health, we want to stress the
importance of maintaining the integrity of the land development code
to include sidewalks and bike paths. Not doing so will result in public
health costs to our community.
First and foremost, the most obvious is increased risk of injuries.
Research does show that when there are not sidewalks and bike paths,
that the risk of injury or fatality goes up significantly.
Also, the concern is inactivity. The research shows that in areas
where people do not have access to bike paths and sidewalks, safe
areas to walk or bike, that they are more likely to be inactive. And
inactivity, we know, is associated with chronic diseases that have an
economic and human cost to our community.
Those diseases include, but not all inclusive, diabetes, obesity,
heart disease, stroke, hypertension, osteoarthritis, et cetera.
The governor's task force on obesity strongly recommends that
the state and local agencies responsible for community planning
ensure that policies are routinely considered for accommodating
pedestrians and bicyclists in each community and ensure that
communities have bicycle and pedestrian development plans as part of
their planning process for new construction.
The Center for Disease Control, or CDC, has pointed to our built
environment and transportation infrastructure as one of the leading
causes of the obesity epidemic.
The number of trips people take on foot has dropped by 42
percent in the last 20 years due to the car-oriented structure of our
communities; therefore, we feel that in the interest of public health in
our community, it is imperative to include sidewalks and bike paths in
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the land development code.
Thank you.
MS. FILSON: Your final speaker is David Ellis.
MR. ELLIS: Good afternoon, Commissioners. I'm David Ellis
with the Collier Building Industry Association. And I think we're all
talking about the same thing today.
As you recall a couple years ago we talked about sidewalks, and
there were a lot of issues to bringing together what we could do to
make sure and ensure that we had good walking environments in our
communities. You've come a long way to ensuring that would
happen.
I remember during that I actually made a comment about
flexibility in the process, and somebody said, what he means by
flexibility is no sidewalks.
Well, the truth is, that's not -- it can't happen anymore in Collier
County that we would build communities or not have those sidewalks.
They're required by the code and they should be.
The industry I represent wants to make sure we have a good
walkable and ridable community. It makes a better place to live and,
frankly, a better place to build and sell homes. So that's one thing we
certainly support, and the LDC ensures that.
We've done something else, Commissioners, to ensure that
happens. You've brought in focussed and competent staff that are
enforcing those rules and making sure it happens. We have a better
process now to ensure that those sidewalks and those bike paths are
done and done properly. So all those are very good and important
things.
Something I would mention though, at the time we talked about
this a couple years ago, we did say, you know, this one size fits all
approach probably isn't going to work. And really what we're coming
back with now is saying, you know, there were a couple opportunities
where we could do better or have these other opportunities.
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March 8, 2005
The pay in lieu -- pay in lieument (sic) -- pay-in-lieu idea is a
good idea, and it's going to solve some issues that we didn't anticipate
a couple years ago when we went through this process, and certainly
that's a big part of what's being brought to you today.
I'll also tell you when the Development Services Advisory
Committee reviewed this, they spent a lot of time trying to come up
with ideas that would make this even more a credibility process and a
workable process.
Their idea in relation to 75 percent of the communities that are
built out was a very practical idea, and that was something, I don't
think, that had really been anticipated. When the planning
commission heard the same thing, they agreed and brought that
recommendation forward to you.
The cul-de-sac idea about one side of the street in a cul-de-sac, at
the time I was in the DSAC committee's discussion, and they really
were talking about units at the time; they were talking about houses.
I live on a house -- a street, a cul-de-sac that has 14 units on it
and a sidewalk down one side, and it works very well. I'm very
comfortable with the environment there for safety for my family and
for walking. We try to walk every day. And there's -- from a practical
perspective, that works.
N ow I'll tell you, Commissioners, I can't talk to you
professionally about the thickness of the sidewalk idea. I've heard
very many competent professionals in the Development Services
Advisory Committee, as well as others that have sent me information
weighing in on that idea.
I think the suggestion that Joe brought forth today, Joe Schmitt,
about the idea that, perhaps, we keep the higher standards on the
arterials; and in the residential communities where we have some
enforcement opportunities as well as a practical matter, it may not be
necessary, that we could look at that four-inch alternative.
It seems to make sense. Quite honestly, it's quite overkill to think
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March 8, 2005
about a six-foot depth of a sidewalk in a residential community. It
probably just isn't necessary. And, of course, I could put on and talk a
little bit about what it creates, even in a small way, about the
affordability of housing.
Commissioners, the one thing I'd end this discussion with is, as
we talk about sidewalks in our community, it's an important topic. We
should continue to focus on a master plan that looks at the whole
community and is site specific. And then once we developed that
good master plan, we need to be able to implement it, find the funding
sources necessary to do that.
We're going to be talking about pathways in the upcoming
months. Same concept applies. Let's develop a credible, workable
master plan. Figure out how we're going to pay for it as a community,
and then implement and do it. That's really one of the things we've
always found with those kind of issues.
Thank you so much, Commissioners. And again, I'd ask you to
support the recommendations that came forth from DSAC and
continue to help us build a better community. Thank you.
MR. SCHMITT: Commissioners, I await your guidance on this.
MS. FILSON: That was your final speaker.
MR. SCHMITT: What we'd like to do is bring back the final
version on the 22nd, if you have any other specific guidance in regards
to how you want staff or what you want staff to put into this
amendment.
I do want to note that the planning commission made it very clear
to the staff their desires to have this entire section of the LDC come
back once you approve the comprehensive pathway plan, and that --
my understanding is that will be coming to you later this year, or
towards the summer months, at the end of the summer, and their
instructions were for staff to look at this and bring the entire
amendment back to address the issue in regards to greenways.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Commissioner Halas?
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COMMISSIONER HALAS: Yes. Some of the sidewalk issues
could be addressed if we knew what the width of the roads were in a
lot of these areas that do have cul-de-sacs.
I've been in some communities where there's no sidewalks and
the streets are very narrow to the point where if two cars try to pass,
it's difficult, and if there's people in the roadway and there's no
sidewalks, that presents a real serious issue, not only just bicycles.
And so I wonder what the standards are in regards to
communities where there's PUDs and there is cul-de-sacs that are
designed. Is there a specification for the width of those roads and
cul-de-sac areas?
MS. FLAGG: Generally the local streets can be as narrow as
nine feet wide, 10 feet wide. They generally don't go beyond 11 feet
wide for a travel lane. So it would be one side of the road, or the car
on one side of the road could be as narrow as nine generally, not more
than 10 generally, so a total of 20 for both sides that the cars are
traveling on.
Just a note to clear up potentially some confusion. The current
LDC, from a maintenance perspective of sidewalks, already requires
four feet, excuse me -- four inches of concrete and a four-inch lime
rock base. That is current code.
And the reason that the board changed that in 2003 was because
of the maintenance issues. It's not just on the arterial and collector
roadways, but it's also on the local roads within areas that it's a public
street.
So Pine Ridge subdivision or any of the subdivisions that have
sidewalks, the county is responsible for maintaining those sidewalks,
so that is why the code was changed two years ago to require four
inches of concrete and four inches of lime rock base.
The only new change to the proposal in regard to depth of the
sidewalk is to give developers an alternative to do six inches of
concrete as opposed to a four-inch concrete and four-inch lime rock
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base.
MR. SCHMITT: Just to correct the record, then I want to follow
up what Diane said. But there are public roads that are also -- have
MSTUs or CDDs or other activities that certainly they're responsible
for maintaining the sidewalks and not the county.
T om, you want to -- Tom wants to correct the record on the size
of roads.
MR. KUCK: Yes. For private streets, our requirement is the
same. It's actually 24 foot of pavement and two foot of alley gutter.
The exceptions, that would be maybe where there were condominium
units, and whether you called it a cul-de-sac or a private road, I would
call it more of a driveway where it's only serving a few units, there
would be exceptions where the drive may only be 20 feet wide.
But in all subdivisions, we require the 24 foot, two foot of alley
gutter.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Good. Commissioner Henning?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: I want to continue on this
discussion about the depth of the sidewalk. Reed Jarvi sent all the
Board of Commissioners an e-mail correspondence from our staff, and
the question was continually asked, where is there a problem in the
neighborhood. And Ms. Flagg, you were asked repeatedly, and I'm
asking, where is the problems in the neighborhoods? Can you give us
cases?
MS. FLAGG: They've had problems specifically in Vineyards,
In --
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Those are because of trees.
MS. FLAGG: Not necessarily. The road maintenance gentleman
who runs road maintenance, John Vliet -- actually he -- Mr. Jarvi sent
you portions of the e-mail, but not all the e-mails, because he did send
me what he sent you.
And road maintenance is going to follow up with him and offer
him a tour of the sidewalks where they're having difficulty so that he
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can see for himself.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: I know for a fact the roads -- the
sidewalks in Vineyards was because of the landscaping. I was directly
involved in that.
MS. FLAGG: And, again, that's something that John Vliet could
provide the specifics. Our department doesn't do the maintenance part
of sidewalks.
The recommendations came out of the engineering staff from
Techum (phonetic), which actually builds the roads and the sidewalks,
and the maintenance group, which is John Vliet's group.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: And nobody from maintenance
is here to answer that?
MS. FLAGG: In regard to specific locations?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Correct.
MS. FLAGG: The areas that he's indicated to me that he's had
specific maintenance issues are in the Immokalee Road area. I don't
know the specific subdivisions, but we can certainly get you that
information.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: The -- because I thought John
Vliet's response was because of landscaping, why that was put in.
MS. FLAGG: He did not -- parts of the e-mails that Mr. Jarvi did
not send you was -- that was a portion of what he was responding to,
but he also supported the transportation engineer's recommendation to
go to a four and four because of maintenance issues due to cracking of
the sidewalk.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Here's what he said. I was
addressing vegetation problems, not traffic or vehicles. So that's -- I
think it's a valid question that needs to be answered, and if we're
looking for guidance on any specific language, we ought to have those
questions answered, but I don't see where we're going to get that
answer today.
MS. FLAGG: We could certainly get that information to you.
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March 8, 2005
COMMISSIONER HENNING: So I don't know what the
guidance is going to be as far as the depth of the sidewalk.
But I would like to ask anybody, we have a comprehensive
pathways plan. When was it adopted by the Board of Commissioners?
MS. FLAGG: The plan was adopted in 1994, and the
Metropolitan Planning Organization is in the process of updating that
plan.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Okay. I can find in 1994 where
the MPO adopted it, but not the Board of Commissioners.
Can you give me any specific date?
MS. FLAGG: I can find out for you and get back with you on
that.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Okay. We are implementing
this comprehensive plan, correct?
MS. FLAGG: The comprehen -- the comprehensive pathway
plan is referenced by the growth management plan, which is adopted
by the Board of County Commissioners, so the compo plan for
pathways is specifically referenced in the growth management plan.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Well, it also says in the
comprehensive plan that it must be updated on a regular basis, which
it hasn't been done.
MS. FLAGG: The MPO is working on that as we speak.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: It -- it requires that the county
will adopt a comprehensive plan, and this -- I'm guessing it's a
comprehensive plan. I've asked the question, I just haven't been able
to get an answer.
MS. FLAGG: The comprehensive pathway plan is the plan that
the MPO originally put forth that was adopted in '94.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: This one?
MS. FLAGG: Correct. And they're currently in the process of
updating that plan now. What you have before you is to revise the
land development code that specifically addresses sidewalks in the
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March 8, 2005
county's land development code.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Well, we're asking to adopt
language for -- in payment-in-lieu of, and on page four on the top
three existing development -- and it talks about the five-year
comprehensive plan or within the plan's five-year work program.
MS. FLAGG: Okay. The -- are you in section D?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: I'm in section C, number three.
So it's referring to the comprehensive plan, or within the plan's
five-year program.
So maybe once I get the answer of when it was adopted by the
Board of Commissioners, I could feel that, you know, we're doing a
good thing and we're following consistency on how the Board of
Commissioners adopt ordinances and resolutions --
MS. FLAGG: It's actually two documents that the proposed
LDC is referring to. It's referring to the comprehensive pathway plan,
which is --
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Right, which is here.
MS. FLAGG: -- currently in place and adopted in 1994.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: And you're going to get me that
date?
MS. FLAGG: That the board adopted it?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Correct.
MS. FLAGG: Yes. And then the second document that this
LDC amendment is referring to is the county's five-year work
program.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Under the MPO?
MS. FLAGG: No, sir. That's the county's alternative
transportation modes transportation five-year work program in regard
to sidewalks.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Okay. Then the pathways
committee has -- recommends that to the MPO?
MS. FLAGG: It's a combination. The pathways committee
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recommends sidewalk projects to -- for use of the 500,000 box
pathway funds that is appropriated by the Metropolitan Planning
Organization. In addition, there are other pathway plans that -- other
pathway proj ects that use county funding, so it would be a county
work program.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Thank you. Okay. Commissioner
Halas? Wait.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: The last thing, no questions, but
the issue of cul-de-sacs. I'm not sure if, you know, we can legislate
putting in all kinds of infrastructure, but how are we going to legislate
people from actually using it?
And I've just seen so many cases where either walkers or
bicyclists are using the road instead of the sidewalk there.
Nevertheless, I think a -- my personal feelings, a cul-de-sac with
25 units, there's not a great demand or there's zero demand for
sidewalks. But when you get into where you have multiple units such
as attached units where you have two or three units on a lot, I can see
where there could be a demand for sidewalks.
MS. FLAGG: Commissioner?
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Commissioner Halas has a question.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Are these same standards going to
be enforced by the county and their parks and walkways?
MS. FLAGG: Yes, sir. The parks, just like all the other
departments inside and outside the county, follow the current land
development code.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Have we had these standards in
place the last couple of years in regards to putting lime rock under
sidewalks for county parks?
MS. FLAGG: When you all heard this item in 2003, that's when
the standard change to four inches of lime rock and four inches of
concrete, and since that time, developers and county departments have
been required to follow that standard.
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March 8, 2005
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Because we recently had a park
completed up in my neck of the woods, and there's vehicles that drive
over the sidewalks up there performing maintenance, and it's ending
up where the sidewalk is cracking up. So I wondered how long ago
this has been.
And I know that we have continually, along -- there's a sidewalk
that parallels the road of Vanderbilt Drive, and we have continued use
of Sprint trucks and FPL trucks that drive up on the sidewalk and are
causing some damage there. So that's what I was wondering, how long
these standards have been in in regards to it being part of the law, and
you said since 2003; is that correct?
MS. FLAGG: Correct. If they already had an approved site
development plan, which I believe both of those sidewalks were
approved prior to the LDC changing, and that -- for those specific
reasons is why back in 2003 we made the recommendation, which was
subsequently approved by the board to go four inch and four inch.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Okay. I'm glad that's going to be in
there because I think it's going to save taxpayers a lot of money when
we start going out there and start replacing these sidewalks.
The other item that concerns me is, I was involved with some
sidewalk issues in a gated community not too long ago in regards to
where there was cul-de-sacs and no sidewalks.
And there was one individual that was -- this person that was
spearheading it, but also I talked to many of the homeowners that
lived in that area, and they were all concerned that they would like to
have sidewalks in there because they were elderly and there were
some that had young children there, and they were concerned about
the use of the sidewalks. So I think that if sidewalks are there, people
do use them.
MS. FLAGG: Commissioner Coyle, we can -- Mindy Collier,
pathways project manager, can answer Commissioner Henning's
question in regard to when the board approved the path --
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March 8, 2005
comprehensive pathway plan.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay, good.
MS. COLLIER: Mindy Collier, for the record. I'm looking at the
transportation element of the Collier County Growth Management
Plan. And within there, there was an ordinance adopted in May 9th,
2000, and it identified policy number 4.2, more specifically actually
4.3.
That says, the county's pathway construction program shall be
consistent with the comprehensive pathway plan. It also says under
4.4, the county shall add newly adopted pathway plan, and that's done
through the alternative transportation modes.
Under 4.1, which was adopted in November 19th, 2002, policy
4.1 specifically states, the county shall incorporate the Collier County
Comprehensive Pathway Plan by reference and update the plan as
needed. And this is actually in the growth management plan.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: You're correct.
MS. COLLIER: Okay.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Absolutely correct. The -- what
happens, my understanding, the growth management plan is adopted,
subsequent, what happens is the policy, and then there's action after
that.
So when was the action that they actually adopted that? It's not
in the -- it just refers to it as a policy, and either it's adopted as a code
or ordinance or in the land development code, which is an ordinance.
So what ordinance did (sic) the Collier County comprehensive plan
pathway, pathways plan was adopted under?
MS. COLLIER: It's just adopted, as you said, by reference under
Ordinance 2002-60.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: That was the growth
management plan?
MS. COLLIER: Right. Where it actually has in there that it's
adopting it by incorporating the pathway plan in here.
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March 8, 2005
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Any other questions?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Staff have anything else to say?
MR. SCHMITT: Commissioners, that pretty much concludes our
staff presentation. The issue, what we're looking for is your guidance,
if you want us to make any changes or recommendations in regards to
this as far as any of the aspect of the code.
And if you want to talk specifically in regards to the thickness of
the concrete, you can question Tom Kuck, my department director for
engineer services in regard to engineering specifications. He's here if
you want to talk specifically about concrete thickness.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Well, I do have a question about that and
I have no solutions, but it would make me feel a lot more comfortable
if we could verify that this is a serious problem and that this is the
least costly alternative to solve it.
We have gotten a number of e-mails from people who say that
putting four inches of concrete over four inches of a -- well, it's
referred to, I guess, as compacted base and/or lime rock. It's my
understanding it used to be just compacted base. N ow it specifically
states lime rock. Is that true, Tom?
MR. KUCK: That's what it states now.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay.
MR. KUCK: I might elaborate a little bit on that. I've been a
professional engineer for over 45 years, which includes being a
consulting engineering, being in the construction and the development
business, and for the last 20 some years, a government employee.
For private streets, I feel comfortable with four inches of concrete
and a compacted sub grade.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay.
MR. KUCK: And we also had the advantage in the private
subdivisions, like Joe said earlier, most of those sidewalks are
constructed after the home was constructed, so they're not subj ect to
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March 8, 2005
some of the maintenance trucks and everything else.
And then like he said, if they are cracked at the time we do the
CO inspections, they have to replace them. So it's a little bit different
than the arterials and collectors.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. So what you're essentially saying
is that four inches of concrete over a compacted sub-base is sufficient
for residential streets, but not for arterials and collectors where you are
recommending four inches of concrete over compacted -- four inches
of compacted lime rock?
Now, help me a little bit. I'm confused on what the code used to
say before we came up with --
MR. KUCK: The code -- the code used to say just four inches of
concrete.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: -- compact. Four inches of concrete
only?
MR. KUCK: Yes.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. And so--
MR. KUCK: And just a standard procedure, to compact the
sub grade before you formed and poured the concrete.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. But you're going to require that
the sub grade be compacted for those residential streets; is that what
we're saying now?
MR. KUCK: That's true, yes.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. I think I understand it a little
more clearly now. And you think that is probably the most cost
effective way to deal with this problem?
MR. KUCK: I do, but I'd also like to point out that what's being
presented here, it would be four inches of lime rock compacted, with
four-inch concrete wall, not four inches compacted sub grade. There is
the difference of the four inches of lime rock.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Some of the people who have
communicated with the members of the commission have indicated
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.,~--...,~,-"
March 8, 2005
that it is more expensive to do it with lime rock than just a compacted
sub grade and that it's a waste of money to do that because there is no
appreciable gain for the residential streets. Would you agree with
that?
MR. KUCK: I would agree. Actually, I would imagine that six
inches of concrete would be more economical than four and four,
because you just -- you've got the same amount of labor involved,
more concrete. But with the lime rock, you've got an extra step
involved, grading and preparing and compacting the lime rock, and
then the same labor amount, putting the forms down for the four
inches of sidewalk.
MR. MUDD: But this partic -- Jim Mudd for the record. But in
this particular case, it does say four on four or a minimum of six
inches thick of concrete which may be constructed without a lime rock
base, so it gives them the capability to go six on just the compacted.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Yeah, but it says, four inches of concrete
on top of four inches compact -- of lime rock, and I think Tom is
saying that you could go with four inches of concrete on a compacted
sub grade for residential streets; is that right?
MR. MUDD: Vb-huh.
MR. KUCK: Yes. The only problem we do have is most of the
concrete contractors use two-by-fours, and they put a two-by-four
down, and you end up with three and a half inches. I was used to --
and I hate to say it, from up north, but it was a long time ago, we used
steel forms and would set those and grade it out in between them so
they got the full four inches.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: I understand. Okay. All right.
Commissioner Halas?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: I'm going to put you on the spot
here. In regards to four inches of lime rock, what would be -- how
much would we lose in the strength of the concrete if we required two
inches of lime rock versus this four inches of lime rock? Would we
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March 8, 2005
lose any strength in the sidewalk?
MR. KUCK: Well, you're going to have a little bit more strength
with four inches of lime rock. With the two inches of lime rock and
when you're compacting it, you know, with the vibratory roller or
whatever, you're going to also be compacting some of that sub-grade
underneath it. But it's -- I'd have to be honest and say, yeah, you're
going to have more strength with four inches of compacted lime rock
and with four inches of concrete than you would with two.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Can you give me some kind of a
figure of how much strength we're going to lose percentage-wise?
MR. KUCK: I don't have them off the top of my head, but there
are conversion units for strength for, you know, like one inch of
asphalt, one inch of lime rock compacted sub-grade where you can
take those with a set value that's been predetermine and add them up
and come up with what the equivalent would be, but I don't have those
numbers available right now.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Well, let me put it this way. Are
we overbuilding the sidewalks?
MR. KUCK: I don't think we're overbuilding them in the public
rights of way where you've got arterials and collectors. I think a
four-inch lime rock and four inches of concrete in subdivisions based
on the control we do have is a little bit of an overbuild.
And Stan's got one of the design manuals from the Concrete
Institute, and I believe they're recommending just four inches of
concrete for sidewalks.
And one other thing that we have here in Florida is we have a --
with the sand soil we have, it's a little bit more porous, so we have
excellent drainage, which does help give a better structure.
MR. CHRZANOWSKI: If I may, Stan Chrzanowski with the
engineering department. The book is titled, Municipal Concrete
Pavement Manual. It's put out by the American Concrete Pavement
Association. And it has a bunch of charts in the back and they're
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March 8, 2005
based on the number of trips by trucks on concrete of different
thicknesses --
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Okay.
MR. CHRZANOWSKI: -- of base of different types, and the
bases are -- well, it's to get a K value, and you don't know what that
means, but it's on the chart. A K value of 150 to 220 is a
poorly-graded sand, which means that all the grain sizes are the same
size. Well graded sand would be all different grain sizes.
The one thing that the book does say is recommend that a
minimum thickness of four and a half inches be used for residential
streets in new developments since construction truck traffic will be
using these pavements.
Now, if you're going to use four and a half inches for
construction truck traffic, nobody can convince me you need six
inches for bicycles.
Thank you.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Well, it seems to me that based upon
what you've told us, that four inches of concrete over a compacted
sub grade is adequate for the residential -- the sidewalks in the
residential streets; is that a correct statement, Tom?
MR. KUCK: That's correct.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: That's correct.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Then I'd be willing to go with
that.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Let's do that.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. We have a motion?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: I'll make that motion.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. You were looking for guidance
on concrete.
MR. SCHMITT: You give guidance on this so we can bring it
back at the next meeting.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: And then for -- Chairman, then
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March 8, 2005
you're saying that on arterials, that we're going to go with the --
require the four inches of base --
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Four inches of concrete over the four
inches of lime rock or six inches, if they prefer.
MR. SCHMITT: Right. I think that's --
CHAIRMAN COYLE: They've got the option of going either
way. Okay.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Okay.
MR. SCHMITT: Now the only other guidance we need is if you
want to continue with the recommendation that was proposed in
footnote number four in regards to cul-de-sacs.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Yes, 25 units.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Yeah, the recommendation was to have
it on both sides, right?
MR. SCHMITT: Recommendation number four is that they only
have it on one side. That was not proposed by staff, so you would
default to having it on both sides as required by the current code.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Yes.
MR. SCHMITT: Now, this is asking for basically a deviation to
allow for twenty -- it says 25 lots. We could, if you wanted 25 units,
what Clay said, then we'd bring it back as that -- under that guidance.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Well, you're making the motion,
Commissioner Halas. What would you prefer?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Yes, with the 25 units.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Not the 25 lots, but the 25 units.
MR. SCHMITT: Twenty-five units but one side for units--
cul-de-sacs with 25 units or less would only have a sidewalk on one
side.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Exactly.
MR. SCHMITT: Okay. Fine.
MR. WHITE: If I may. As to the motion, Mr. Halas, would
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March 8, 2005
there also be, as was suggested by Mr. Bonness, the idea that there
would be bike lanes on both sides even though there would be
sidewalks on only one?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Why don't they have bike lanes on
the same side where the sidewalk is?
MR. WHITE: I think his point was that the standards manual
required them to travel in one direction, and they couldn't, like the
walkers on the sidewalk, travel in both directions at the same time.
And accordingly, the safer practice would be to have the bike lanes on
both sides.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: On cul-de-sacs?
MR. WHITE: Yes, sir. That was his position. It's not mine. I'm
not advocating it. I'm just telling you.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: I think that's a little bit -- way
too much overkill.
MR. SCHMITT: We -- and I'm checking with the transportation
staff right now. On private streets like this, there are no -- if they're
going to mark bike lanes, we'd probably require it on both sides, but
there are no marked bike lanes, like in this example here you have
shown.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: I'm not going to add that to the
motion, not for cul-de-sacs.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. So we have a motion to restrict
the requirement to a sidewalk on one side for cul-de-sacs of 25 or
fewer --
MR. SCHMITT: Units.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: -- units.
MR. SCHMITT: Yes.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: And--
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Greater than that, then there'd be a
sidewalk on both sides.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: On both sides, yes.
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March 8, 2005
MR. SCHMITT: Yes.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: That's right, that's right. And to address
the thickness of the sidewalks, we've already stated that.
Is there a second to the motion?
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: I'll give you a second.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Commissioner Coletta is
seconding the motion.
I'm going to close the public hearing.
Is there any other discussion concerning this? Commissioner
Henning?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: I thought we just needed to give
guidance instead of a motion.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Well, we can give it through a motion.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Okay. The guidance is through
a motion.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Yes.
All in favor, please signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Aye.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: All opposed, by like sign?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. And it looks like it's unanimous.
Item #10C
RECOMMENDATION TO AWARD A CONSTRUCTION
CONTRACT IN THE AMOUNT OF $25,689,039.43 TO JOHN
CARLO, INC. AND RESERVE $1,258,000 IN FUNDING
ALLOWANCES TO CONSTRUCT ROAD AND UTILITY
IMPROVEMENTS ON IMMOKALEE ROAD SIX-LANING
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March 8, 2005
PROJECT, FROM U.S. 41 TO 1-75; PROJECT NO. 66042B; BID
NO. O~-~7RR; ÐSCALIMPACL$2(),94LQ3.9.A~ - A-eEROVED
MR. MUDD: Okay. Commissioner, that brings us to item 10C,
and that's a recommendation to award a construction contract in the
amount of$25,689,039.43 to John Carlo, Inc., and reserve $1,258,000
in funding allowance to construct road and utility improvements on
Immokalee Road six -laning proj ect number -- excuse me -- six -laning
project from U.S. 41 to 1-75, project number 66042B; bid number
05-3788; fiscal impact $26,947,039.43.
And Mr. Norm Feder, the administrator of transportation, will
present.
MR. FEDER: And for the record, I am Norman Feder,
transportation administrator.
As Jim noted at the outset of the meeting, I want to make sure
that it's understood in the fiscal section that any reference to utility
user fees not be included in this consideration.
What I did want to point out to you is just a couple of quick
things. I think most of it's in the agenda, and I will open it to
questions, but that we are aggressively going after establishment of
milestones in our proj ects.
In this case this section between 1-75 and 41 contains three
milestones. The first milestone is between 1-75 and Livingston Road.
That milestone is set on a definitive date of completion, no matter the
start date, Notice to Proceed, if you will, which we expect to
essentially be May 1. But whatever the Notice to Proceed is, the bid is
based on that completion by November 15th of the section from 1-75
over to Livingston Road.
That's very important as well, because coincident with that in our
Vanderbilt Beach Road project, we also put three milestones in. The
first milestone is between Airport and Livingston; therefore, together
establishing an alternate corridor as the east/west project on
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March 8, 2005
Immokalee progresses further to the west.
The second milestone is from Livingston over to Airport Road.
That's approximately another seven months later, with a completion
set for June of 2006.
And the last milestone is then from Airport over to U.S. 41, with
the final substantial completion by November of 2007, and final
completion by December, 2007.
Now, with those milestones, we have added liquidated damages
specifically for each of the milestones, and then final completion.
The liquidated damages on the first milestone, which, as I said, to
be completed no later than November 15th of 2005, this fiscal year,
calendar year, is 1,567 a day; on the next milestone, that liquidated
damages goes up to 2,348; on the third milestone, it becomes 4,708 a
day; and then the final completion, 4,312 a day in liquidated damages.
Now, as you saw in your executive summary, we had three
particular bidders on this with a wide range of prices because of the
aggressive nature of what we're doing ona project that's very tight
right of way and has significant work to be done.
The low bidder, as was pointed out, was John Carlo. They've
done work around the airport and up in Lee County. This is their first
project down here in Collier County.
The next low bidder was Better Roads at about six million more
in the base bid. As well, the third, or the highest bidder of the three,
was about 14 million more, AP AC, who is doing sections out in
Immokalee Road.
So the 24 sent over our engineer's estimate, reflects the volume of
work in the area, that's part of it. Another part of that is the cost of
concrete and steel and other issues that are going up. But the most
significant portion of that is a very aggressive schedule to establish
milestones, very, very strong provisions to make sure that we can
monitor our project and get delivery on it.
As you well know, we've had concerns in the proj ect we had on
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March 8, 2005
Goodlette- Frank Road nearing completion. Should have been
completed before now. We didn't have the milestones to allow us to
push that proj ect forward and in particular out of sensitive spots.
Again, we are moving from, in this case, from the east to the
west, and by November 15th of this year, and about that time on
Vanderbilt, we should have the alternate between 1-75 to Livingston,
Livingston down to Vanderbilt, and then Vanderbilt on over to allow
and alternate for progression within the county.
I realize there's a lot of construction going on. We're trying to
resolve it as best we can. It is a premium that's going to cost us to get
some of these things done, but that's what the community wants and
what we're trying hard to hold to.
I'm open for any questions you might have.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Commissioner Halas?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: The contractor, John Carlo, does he
have a full understanding of the milestones and also that we mean
business as far as -- that he has to meet those milestones or --
MR. FEDER: All of our contractors know that we mean
business. We've worked strong with them, in spite of what you may
have heard.
We do have to address legal issues. And when there are unusual
issues underground, in particular, let's say utilities are items that could
not have been anticipated in the design, we have to respond to it.
Even where there are some that could be anticipated, we've gone after
the designer to get some monies back where those issues come up.
So we've always meant business. But this is very, very clear in
the bid documents. We came to you with this three phasing, brought
that to you a couple of board meetings ago before we went out to
contract bid on it. The bid has come in knowing that we have these
provisions, and we're always very serious about it, in spite of some of,
as I said, some that perceive it as a game. It is not a game.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: And we're going to have traffic run
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March 8, 2005
as usual down these roadways as we're widening them; is that correct?
MR. FEDER: That is correct. As we've done in all of our
projects, which makes it a little bit longer, unfortunately, but we
maintain existing lanes open. In this case, while there may be spot
occasions where there's a closure, four lanes will be maintained open
throughout construction.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Okay. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. You don't need to speak? Very
well.
Any other questions from commissioners? Do have you any
questions?
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: I have none. I think Mr. Feder's
done an excellent job. I make a motion for approval.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: I'll second it.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: We have a motion for approval by
Commissioner Coletta, a second by Commissioner Halas.
Any further discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN COYLE: All in favor, please signify by saying
aye.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Aye.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: It is unanimous. Thank you very much.
Item #10D
RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE RFP #05-3770, TO BE
POSTED TO SOLICIT BIDS FOR "DESIGN-BUILD" SERVICES
FOR CAPACITY IMPROVEMENTS TO IMMOKALEE ROAD
FROM IMMEDIATELY WEST OF 1-75 TO IMMEDIATELY
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March 8, 2005
EAST OF CR 951 COLLIER BOULEVARD, COUNTY PROJECT
NO ó9lQJ - AEEROVED
MR. MUDD: The next item, Commissioners, is item 10D. It's a
recommendation to approve RFP number 05-3770 to be posted to
solicit bids for "Design-Build" services for capacity improvements to
Immokalee Road from immediately west of 1-75 to immediately east
of County Road 951, Collier Boulevard, county project number
,6910l.
Again, Mr. Norm Feder is here to present.
MR. FEDER: I'll be extremely brief, and then I'll make staff
available, because we are plowing some new territory here as we
continue to try and find ways to bring the product, as best we can, to
the community.
In this case we're talking about a design-build project, as Jim
pointed out. There's an important section of 1-75 to 951, which,
unfortunately, four years ago, should have been six-laned rather than
four, but it was four-laned.
Now we're coming back. Unfortunately while it was set up for
four-lane within a six, no turn lanes were provided for when you go to
six lanes, so that's another challenge. I hope not to give those
opportunities to my successor.
But nonetheless, that's one thing that we're dealing with here. So
we've gone out to a design-build which allows us to have the project
designed, increments of that more forward under construction while
other parts go in design, therefore, reducing the scheduled time,
although it still being in the end of 2007, beginning of 2008, even
under an aggressive design build.
What I first want to point out to you before I bring it to staff is
just a couple of things. First of all I'd ask this board, in whatever
motion you make, if it's your pleasure, to acknowledge that rather than
saying gas tax and impact fees, we're going to make this exclusively
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March 8, 2005
impact- fee funded.
We're working with the clerk's office. An issue that just got
brought to our attention, we think maybe we have the issue clarified
and in concurrence. But since we received most of the funding for this
seven to eight million dollar job from the Heritage Bay DRI and have
available impact fees, we are going to make this impact-fee funded
solely while we continue to explore with the clerk and make sure any
outstanding issues relative to design-build and use of gas tax and the
statutory gas tax is resolved, because we want to do that with extreme
caution to make sure that we're always on the upside of those issues.
So with that being said, I'm going to ask you in your
consideration to note that our intention is to not use gas tax on this.
There may be some funds from the state who does design-build all the
time, which is not statutory gas tax, that comes relative to the loop, but
other than that, all of the local funds, the county funds, will be
impact- fee funds derived.
The other thing I'll point out in this design-build is there's a stip --
stipend that's going to be provided. Our intent is to obviously get
many, many people coming after this proj ect, but then to short list
down to three hopefully, because we have more than three that come
in, under both a designer and a contractor team.
Then those three will develop what amounts to about 30 percent,
or the concept design plans. We will pay each of the two unsuccessful
after the contract with them bids and we go through and it is a
competitive selection at that point to determine it, we will then pay
50,000, I believe it is, to each of the two unsuccessful design firms and
those teams to pay them for their work, but also to take that work into
public ownership such that if there are ideas or concepts there of
valuing engineering in effect that we want included into our design, in
the selected design-build firm efforts, we can incorporate those.
So that's an unusual item. It's done pretty much around the state
in a lot of areas, but I wanted to bring that to your attention.
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March 8, 2005
Having said that, staffs here that's worked hard on bringing
design-build to the county, a lot of exploration of how it's done
elsewhere and the refinements. And like I said, hopefully what you're
being brought is basically the benchmark of the best case of
design-build, both locally and statewide and around the country.
So if you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Commissioner Halas?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Yes. Since we've got somebody
from the clerk of courts sitting beside us, is there any concerns in
regards to where we are at this point, with the process?
MR. MITCHELL: The only concern that we had when we
looked at this thing is, the consultant's competitive negotiation act,
which is 287-55, this is a method of contracting certain types of
professions.
Once you get into roads, especially county roads, you have to
look to chapter 336, and especially 41, subparagraph three, when you
start using the constitutional gas tax. And there is a provision in there
basically says that it has to be let to the most -- the least -- the lowest
bid, the lowest responsive bid.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Yes.
MR. MITCHELL: Now, there are some exceptions in there, and
that's the things that Robert and Steve Carnell and we have been
talking about today.
You know, I'm not an attorney, sir. I mean, I just know there is
these exceptions in there, and I appreciate the fact that Norm is going
to take the gas tax off the table because this statute only applies when
the gas tax is being used.
It appears that it would probably be okay, but until we've had a
chance to look at it in greater detail, I really can't tell you. But by
taking the taxes, the constitutional gas tax out of the equation, you've
taken that component of 336 out of it. So I think you would be very
safe in proceeding with what Norm is suggesting here.
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March 8, 2005
MR. FEDER: And, Commissioner, if I could, we'll work with
the clerk's office, explore this further.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: I was going to --
MR. FEDER: But we have the opportunity here, because the
prominent was going to, in any way, be impact fees, as I mentioned,
Heritage Bay DRI. Those funds are directly associated with trying to
come forward with this improvement.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: This process of paying for two
unsuccessful bids might appear unusual, but that can be helpful from
the standpoint of value engineering --
MR. FEDER: Very definitely.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: -- in particular, because once you've
chosen the primary bid, there are always ways you can make these
things more efficient. And having a couple of other proposed designs
could help us perform a more effective value engineering study
process.
Commissioner Henning?
MR. FEDER: Very definitely. Commissioner, I'll point out,
particularly when there at the outset, trying to be very, very
competitive, you get a lot of good creative ideas, and we want to
capitalize on all of them.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Yeah. Commissioner Henning?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Now that we're about to approve
this, when are we going to have the court (sic) of clover -- no, that's a
state project. So it's not going to come back to us, correct?
MR. FEDER: Part of this includes that clover and we're going to
work with the state. Again, in the design-build, that will be a little later
in the process, but the date we're giving you, the end of 2000 (sic),
very first of 2008, and I like the first one better, is with the clover and
the other issues addressed.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: And that's finished?
MR. FEDER: That's finished, sir, yes.
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March 8, 2005
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Motion to approve.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Motion to approve --
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Second that.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: -- by Commissioner Henning, second by
Commissioner Halas.
Any further discussion?
(N 0 response.)
CHAIRMAN COYLE: All in favor, please signify by saying
aye.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Aye.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Thank you.
Item #10E
RESOLUTION 2005-115: RECOMMENDATION TO ADOPT A
RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS OF COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA
DIRECTING THAT AD VALOREM REVENUES (GENERATED
FROM .15 MILS) SHALL BE DEDICATED TO COLLIER
COUNTY'S STORMW ATER UTILITY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2006
MR. MUDD: Commissioner, that brings us to the next item, and
that's 10E. It's a recommendation to adopt a resolution of the Board of
County Commissioners of Collier County, Florida, directing that ad
valorem revenue generated from .15 mills shall be dedicated to Collier
County Stormwater Utility for fiscal year 2006, and the next 19 fiscal
years.
Page 143
March 8, 2005
And Mr. Ricardo Valera, our stormwater director, will present.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: And we know what this is for, right?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Motion to approve.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Yeah. Motion to approve by
Commissioner Halas.
Is there a second? I will second it.
And just for the benefit of the listening public, we're not
increasing property taxes by this amount. We're merely saying we're
setting aside what we've got in this amount and putting it into
stormwater to solve many of the flooding problems we're encountering
throughout Collier County.
MR. MUDD: And the ability of this resolution gives you -- gives
you the ability now to go after federal and state funds that you were
never eligible for before.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Which is a good thing. Good thing,
good.
MR. VALERA: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Thank you, Ricardo.
We have a motion to approve, but we have a question by
Commissioner Henning.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: With those grants from federal
and state, they usually come with stipulations. The stipulation that I'm
thinking of is the maintenance of these capital improvements. How
would you propose that we pay for those maintenance items?
MR. VALERA: Okay. Ricardo Valera, director of stormwater,
for the record. Usually the stipulations that come with the monies
from the state or the feds are for us to invest them in the proj ects that
we have committed to do, and that we do it in the time frame that we
anticipate will happen.
Maintenance activities will be part of the stormwater utility
effort. We're not only devoting money for capital improvements, but
also for maintenance of important elements of the secondary and
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March 8, 2005
tertiary system.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Is that a part of the stormwater
millage that you're proposing --
MR. VALERA: Yes.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: -- that will include?
MR. VALERA: Yes. That is part of the stormwater utility. And
there -- there is a document that was created back in the ordinance, 91
-- in 1991, that -- 91-27, that pretty much elaborated on what the
utility would be doing.
And the utility is basically going to construct capital projects and
going to maintain facilities that are part of the responsibility of the
county. So the money would go towards that.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Any other question?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. All in favor of the motion, please
-- of approval, please signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Aye.
All opposed, by like sign.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Commissioner Henning is
opposed. Three other commissioners are in support.
MR. MUDD: Commissioners, do you want to take a break, it's
an hour and a half, or do you want to --
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Yeah. Let's do -- give our court reporter
a break. We'll be back in 10 minutes.
(A brief recess was had.)
MR. MUDD: Ladies and gentlemen, take your seats.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. We're back in session. County
Manager?
Page 145
March 8, 2005
Item #10F
RECOMMENDATION TO AUTHORIZE THE PURCHASE OF
LONG LEAD-TIME EQUIPMENT, TO APPROVE THE AWARD
OF CONTRACT #05-3743 AND BID #05-3738, AND TO
APPROVE THE NECESSARY BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR
UPGRADES AND MODIFICATIONS TO THE LIME
SOFTENING WATER TREATMENT PLANT PROCESS AT THE
SOUTH COUNTY REGIONAL WATER TREATMENT PLANT,
PROJECT 700571, IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,943,270-
AEEROVED
MR. MUDD: Commissioner, your next item is -- spit it out -- is
10F. It's a recommendation to authorize the purchase of long
lead-time equipment, to approve the award of contract number
05-3743, and bid number 05-3738, and to approve the necessary
budget amendment for upgrades and modifications to the lime
softening water treatment plant process at the South County Regional
Water Treatment Plant, project 700571 in the amount of $3,943,270.
And Ms. Karen Guliani, I'll get it right, Rudy's niece --
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Rudy's niece?
MR. MUDD: -- yeah -- is here to present from the public utilities
division.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay, Karen.
MS. GULIANI: Thank you. I wish I was Rudy's niece. But I
appreciate this opportunity. Good afternoon.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: You only have 30 seconds.
MS. GULIANI: Okay. Recommend approval.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: I'll second it.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. We have a motion by Karen for
approval.
If you'll just briefly run over the important elements of this thing,
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March 8, 2005
I think we can move on.
MS. GULIANI: Okay. I'd like to talk about the public purpose a
little bit.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Good.
MS. GULIANI: It's to upgrade over -- this equipment is over 20
years old. It's the workhorse, the lime softening process at the south
water plant. It's run 24/7. Now that we have the 8 MGD RO process
plant online, we can jump right in there and do these upgrades, the
lime softening progress.
It will save us money in the long run. We're automating several
processes, improve the safety of plant personnel by improving the
ventilation, the environment, eliminate tripping hazards.
Just an overview. For familiarity on the south water plant, we're
talking exclusively for -- of the older portion, and I'm going to circle
that for you. The high service pump room and the lime softening
process, the chemical building. We are not talking about the new
reverse osmosis process that just came online in December.
Again, the scope, I want to show you a few pictures of the
condition in the chemical building. And you're welcome -- I gladly
give tours out there, too; just an overview of some of the condition we
have there. These will be greatly improved, and panels replaced.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Karen, all this has basically
happened since 9/11; is that correct?
MS. GULIANI: Well, what's happened, due to 9/11, we had to
close the doors to the chemical feed building, and so we have a
moisture -- a higher moisture/humidity situation. More chemicals in
the atmosphere have greatly accelerated the deterioration of the
equipment in the chemical feed area.
The project cost includes procuring equipment, and the county
did that to save money to avoid the cost of the contractor markup and
also to save the cost of the taxes. We calculated that to be over
$100,000.
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March 8, 2005
CHAIRMAN COYLE: In savings?
MS. GULIANI: Yes, sir, in savings.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Good.
MS. GULIANI: Thank you for that clarification.
So, again, we recommend that the board approve the bids, waive
the formal competition for the sole source purchase of the variable
frequency drives and the pumps and the motors, and approve the
budget amendment.
Thank you.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Any questions, Commissioners?
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: No, move for approval.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Commissioner Coletta has made a
motion to approve.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: I'll second it.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: And Commissioner Halas has seconded.
Any further discussion?
(N 0 response.)
CHAIRMAN COYLE: All in favor, please signify by saying
aye.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Aye.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: It is unanimous. Thank you very much,
Karen.
MS. GULIANI: Thank you.
Item #10G
RECOMMENDATION TO TERMINATE THE LEASE
AGREEMENT BETWEEN GULF COAST SKIMMERS WATER
Page 148
March 8, 2005
MR. MUDD: Commissioner, the next item is number lOG, and
that is a recommendation to give notice of intent to terminate for cause
the lease agreement between Gulf Coast Skimmers Water Ski Show,
Inc., at Collier County, and Ms. Marla Ramsey, the administrator for
public services division, will present.
MS. RAMSEY: And good afternoon, Commissioners. Marla
Ramsey, for the record.
First I apologize for bringing this on as a walk-on, but I'll give
you just a smidgen of the history that's happened over the last month
or so.
On February 6th we had an incident where there was a
confrontation between members of the Gulf Coast Skimmers, and the
sheriffs department was called to the area. The gulf -- the police
officers at the scene recommended that we lock down the facility, and
we locked it down for a little over three weeks.
We opened it back up this weekend based upon conversations
that I had with the Gulf Coast Skimmers a week ago Monday. In that
conversation we discussed ways that we could make the situation
better with the Gulf Coast Skimmers.
I was expecting to receive a letter from the president of the Gulf
Coast Skimmers on Friday that was going to be a mutual agreement to
have the county take over the water ski show at the location.
And if you'll notice the very last page of your fairly thick
back-up, there's a letter in there where -- the second paragraph. It
talks a little bit about the suggestion that we meet to discuss a business
plan and submit our mutually agreed upon plan to the county
commissioners' meeting on March 22nd. And that's the letter that I
received on Friday of this past week.
Once I received the letter, we made an arrangement to meet with
the Gulf Coast Skimmers board yesterday afternoon to discuss the
business plan.
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March 8, 2005
In the meantime, we talked to the Gulf Coast Skimmers about
having a show both on Saturday and Sunday of this weekend, so we
opened up the Gulf Coast Skimmers area so that they could do a show.
Staff contacted them and reminded them that any boats that were
to be on the lake had to have insurance, proper insurance as
documented in the lease agreement.
Staff was out on site on Saturday and Sunday, and there was a
boat on the water that did not have the Collier County government
listed as an additional insured. The other boat that was on the water
on Monday was insured, but it was not registered with the risk
management department.
On Monday when I discussed with risk management the liability
insurances that are to be on the boats, we were also told that there is
no current general liability insurance nor pollution liability insurance
registered with risk management as we speak.
Some of the things that lead us right to this issue is that in
August, staff discussed with the Gulf Coast Skimmers president that
there could be no boats on the lake that did not have the proper
insurance. Again in November that conversation happened, and again
on Friday that conversation happened.
Every time the boats are on the lake without the proper insurance,
Collier County government is exposed.
And so it is our recommendation at this time, based upon the
packet of information I provided to you and the ongoing turmoil that's
happening in the Gulf Coast Skimmers organization, that we give the
Gulf Coast Skimmers their I80-day notice for termination of the lease.
And with that, I'll take questions.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Any questions?
Commissioner Coletta?
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Yeah. Help me with this just a
little bit, Marla. We're asking -- we're going to give them notice of
180 days. Do they have a right of appeal where they can come back,
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March 8, 2005
or is this sort of final?
MS. RAMSEY: I'm not sure about the legal element of it, but in
the lease itself, that with cause, we can terminate a lease, and we have
to give them a 180-day notice.
Now, it would personally be my hope that as we go through this
180 days, we continue to have some dialogue with the Gulf Coast
Skimmers, who have indicated to us that they would like to have a
program at the lake that is more beneficial, is larger in scope than the
program that they have currently, and they want the Collier County
government to help make that happen at that location. So we're
hoping that we don't have to go the full 180 days, but we may have to.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: And believe me, you've got just
reasons for bringing this forward to us for consideration for ending
their lease. My concern was is, like Commissioner Henning mentioned
in the beginning of the meeting, we receive a packet, and that's one
thing for us to be able to assimilate the information, but what kind of
-- how did it get out to the public so they know this is taking place
today so that in case somebody -- anybody wanted to interj ect their
opinion, how they'd be able to do it?
Did we have some sort of formal notice that went out, or is this
just something that came on our agenda and that's it?
MS. RAMSEY: The notice that we have given was through the
meetings that I've held with the Gulf Coast Skimmers themselves.
And yesterday afternoon was one of those where I had three board
members and a representative of the membership of the Gulf Coast
Skimmers in my office for about a two-hour meeting.
We discussed a number of these issues, and we told them at that
point in time that we were looking to bring this forward at this board
meeting, so we alerted them there.
I then had a conversation with one of the board members in the
evening about it, as did Murdo Smith, who's interim director for parks
and recreation, had with the president of the association.
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March 8, 2005
So we've given notice to the Gulf Coast Skimmers. Whether the
public has heard that or not, it's probably only if they were listening
this morning, you're right.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: And that's where I have a
problem. I do think that we're justified in probably going ahead with
the information that's here, but lack of the public input -- I look out
here, and I don't think I see anybody in the audience from the
Skimmers or anyone connected to it, you know, plus or minus, and
that bothers me. That's the only thing I've got concerns about.
And I, myself, wonder if we shouldn't make this an agenda item
for the following meeting, or is that something that's going to throw
off your schedule in some way or form?
Maybe we could direct staff to do something that will preserve
the integrity of the county as far as insurances go or something in the
meantime so we might be able to hold this off until a following
meeting.
MS. RAMSEY: Well, there are some other options. I mean, if
you want to discuss them, we could tell them to suspend their
activities on the lake until this issue is resolved, or we can continue the
situation as we're having it.
Unfortunately, I would want to make sure that all insurance -- if
they're going to continue to do the shows, that the proper insurance is
provided, and there seems to be more insurance missing than just boat
registration.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Well, I for one would more or
less like to give you the powers to be able to call that as you see fit,
but that it comes back to us at another time; in other words, if you
think that the best thing to do would be not permit them on the lake,
period, cease all operations, fine.
If you think that you might be able to oversee it where they do
have the insurance and they can continue for a short length of time
until at least we have another meeting and decide the final fate of this
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March 8, 2005
organization and their activities, that's fine, too. It's just -- it just
bothers me about the public notice part.
I'm through. Thank you, sir.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Commissioner Halas?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: I think, Commissioner Coletta,
we've addressed this, that what we're doing is we're putting notice to
them that they've got 180 days to respond to this, and I think that we're
putting the taxpayers in an unjust situation here.
If there's an accident there, the county's going to have a hell of a
liability suit, and I feel that we've had other problems with the Gulf
Coast Skimmers in the past, and I think that we ought to go through
with this resolution here. That's my feeling, and they've got 180 days
to address the issue in regards to getting their -- getting their house in
shape.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Is that the way you read it, Mr. Weigel?
MR. WEIGEL: Well, close, but not quite. This is merely a
notice of intent to terminate, but it does put the operation, pursuant to
the lease, for termination to occur at 180 days.
In the normal context of their general rights, which are vast under
this lease, they will continue to operate, and they may, in fact, operate
where certain elements of the lease are not being -- requirements on
their part are not being -- are not being met.
But all the -- all we're asking, all the staff is asking right now is
that notice of intent to terminate. But this does not mean, however,
that if they go and get their insurance certificates and things of that
nature, that everything's hunky-dory. It is an intent to eliminate this
lessor/lessee relationship to be effective 180 days in the future.
Correct, Marla?
MS. RAMSEY: That's correct.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Commissioner Henning?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: The Gulf Coast Skimmers
always has the ability to petition the Board of Commissioners for
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March 8, 2005
relief, and I think in this period, that's one option they can do besides
trying to work it out with our parks and rec. staff.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Yeah. They can always come back to
us.
I think it's important that the public understand a little about why
we're taking this action. You've talked about insurance issues and
safety issues.
I think it's important that all of the board members read these
police reports in this packet. This is absolutely outrageous. The
intimidation and physical confrontations that are occurring between
members of this organization that are supposed to be working with
young people and setting examples is intolerable. And I, quite
frankly, would cancel this contract in a heartbeat because of that
alone.
They have proven themselves to be an unfit organization to do
what they're supposed to be doing there. And I -- I'm fed up with it.
We've had nothing but trouble over the years because of these kinds of
attitudes and competition between the adults themselves about who's
going to make decisions and who's going to take ownership of the
boats and what they're going to do with them and who's going to run
the shows. There's no place for that sort of conduct in this
community, and particularly when children are involved.
So for me it goes far beyond the issue of liability and insurance.
This is not a fit organization to be doing what they're doing, and we
ought to get them out of the business as quickly as we request. But
anyway.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: I make a motion to approve.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: You're going to make a motion to
approve the staffs recommendation to give notice of termination?
And is there a second?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: I'll second it.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. A second by Commissioner
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"' _._____._......--,^ä'>
March 8, 2005
Halas.
Any further discussion?
Commissioner Coletta?
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: No, just comments. I'm not
saying that you're wrong. You're totally right. You obviously found
the time to be able to read the packet that was handed to us this
morning. If I had the time to read it, I probably would have felt
differently at the very beginning. I think it's the appropriate action to
take.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Thank you very much.
All in favor, please signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Aye.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Any opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. I think it was unanimous.
Thank you very much.
Item #10H
RECOMMENDATION THAT THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS APPROVE A $43,800 BUDGET
AMENDMENT FROM FUND 131 DEVELOPER SERVICES
RESERVES TO FUND 131 PRIOR YEAR REIMBURSEMENTS
TO COVER A REFUND ASSOCIATED WITH A STEWARDSHIP
MR. MUDD: Commissioner, that brings us to the next item,
number 10H, which used to be 16A8. It's a recommendation that the
Board of County Commissioners approve a $43,800 budget
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March 8, 2005
amendment from fund 131, developer services reserves, to fund 131,
prior year reimbursements, to cover a refund associated with a
stewardship sending area application. This item was moved to the
regular agenda by Commissioner Henning.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: And let me just -- Stan, I don't
even think you -- the reason I pulled it, it said, legal consideration.
The recommendation action is consistent with all applicable
constitutional and general law and complies with the adoption of
regulations.
On the -- and thus, it's legally sufficient for the board to consider
approval, but on the sign-off sheet, I don't see anybody from our
county attorney's office that opined that it was legal.
MR. LITSINGER: For the record, Stan Litsinger,
comprehensive planning director, and I apologize, I forgot my jacket
this morning.
This is an administrative process. We did not circulate this or
send it to the county attorney's office. This is a legal interpretation
based on our understanding of the regulations and the administrative
authority granted to the community development administrator.
Also, keeping in -- take into consideration that upon payment of
the initial fee, in protest, I might add, we did acknowledge that we had
no basis to determine what a fee should be because no one had any
experience in processing and adopting these stewardship sending area
designations, and that we would track time and all the resources
applied in the approval in the ultimate approval of the designation
resolutions by the board, and we were able to determine that it was
about $9,500, and we have subsequently amended the fee resolution.
But at that moment in time, we found ourselves about to accept
an application for a new and very complex technical designation
relative to the stewardship program in Ave Maria University, and we
had no fee in place.
And I will personally take ownership of having imagined a fee.
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And we did acknowledge that we would keep track and try to
determine an appropriate fee for this process related to the services
provided.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Can -- can we approve it if we
remove the paragraph where it says legal considerations?
MR. LIT SINGER: Commissioner, I would indicate that, yes,
you may, that that's part of the executive summary, and that's an
opinion of your professional staff and not your county attorney.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Can we ask the county attorney? What's
your opinion, David?
MR. WEIGEL: Yes, you can approve it.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: And it meets these legal considerations
as stated here?
MR. WEIGEL: I believe so, yes.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Oh, okay. That's all I need.
Motion to approve.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Motion to approve by
Commissioner Henning.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Second.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Second by Commissioner Coletta.
Any further discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN COYLE: All in favor, please signify by saying
aye.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Aye.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Aye.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: It is unanimous.
MR. LITSINGER: Thank you.
Item #11
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MR. MUDD: Commissioner, that brings us to paragraph 11,
which is public comments on general topics.
MS. FILSON: Mr. Chairman, we have one registered speaker
under public comment, Mr. Wayne Sherman.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Sir?
MR. SHERMAN: First of all, I'd like to thank the
commissioners for allowing me to talk, and I'm here --
MR. MUDD: Come up to the microphone.
MR. SHERMAN: -- at the microphone now -- to thank you very,
very --
MR. MUDD: Please state your name for the record.
MR. SHERMAN: My name is Wayne Sherman. I'm a resident
of Naples -- Collier County, rather. I live in Countryside Country
Club, and not too far from where the new EMS facility is being
considered.
And first of all, I'd like to introduce myself a little more by telling
you my background. I was 20 years as senior manager with
Department of Defense with a staff whose responsibility was to do
special troubleshooting for large emergency facilities that the federal
government owns, the Department of Defense owns.
I spent quite a bit of time in Cheyenne Mountain in NORAD. I
spent some time in the SAC headquarters at Otis Air Force Base
working on problems there related to computers, communications, and
satellites, and also I spent a couple of years working specifically with
the -- with the Joint Chiefs of Staff Command Center in the Pentagon
working on facilities there for emergency response, emergency --
worldwide emergency management and response.
And I guess I have some background in emergency management,
although it's at a much higher level than Collier County. But I do
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have some ideas and what it takes to have a strategic -- to have an
emergency management facility.
And not long ago, some friends of mine apparently were talking
to Mr. Henning, who challenged them to find a possible -- another
location for this facility that's being -- looks like it's aimed to be built
across the street from our country club.
And so I figured, you know, rather than just complaining, I ought
to go out and look for something, and so I did, and I found a spot I
think is ideal. Now, there's several reasons I think it's ideal.
The proposed -- first place, we're talking about not an EMS
facility anymore. We're talking about a, what was called in the paper
not too long ago, emergency services headquarters, which is different
-- you're talking about elements of the sheriffs department possibly,
you're talking about fire, you're talking about EMS, you're talking
about a location where they have all the 911 people; is that correct?
Not? Okay. That's what I heard.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: No fire station.
MR. SHERMAN: Huh, no fire station?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: No fire station.
MR. SHERMAN: What about the -- what about the sheriffs
department?
MR. MUDD: Yes. There's a substation location and the 911,
yes.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: It's part of, but not the whole
sheriffs department.
MR. SHERMAN: But the possibility -- now one of the things
that I did -- I was also planner with the Department of Defense, and
one of the things I looked into was what will happen not only this
year, but two years from now, five years from now, and 20 years from
now.
And what -- what might be good right now might not be good
two, five, 10, 20 years from now at all. And once a big building like
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that is built in a location that's fairly limited in space and in a resident
__ primary residential area with not really terribly good infrastructure
like hotels, restaurants, and so forth in the immediate area and not
really good transportation in and out, is -- although some improvement
in the transportation is planned, but is probably maybe not really good
in the long run. This facil -- this location might have been good 20
years ago, but I don't -- I don't consider it very good today.
The -- and it might be that we end up with fire equipment or fire
trucks in the area some day if enough space and resources are
provided.
One of the things that I was concerned about -- concerned about
it. I wrote an article -- I wrote a letter to the editor in the news, Naples
Daily News, which got published about it, and I just thought it might
be interesting to expand on that a little bit, and what I did was go out
and got a map of the area and went out and photographed -- or went
out and looked at the area, then photographed the area that I was
thinking about might be a good location.
Turned -- I'm going to give you a copy of each one of these -- of
this area. It's a -- 100 or more acres, or several -- maybe more than
100 acres out there that's developed, has been -- has been platted, has
the utilities run in, and there's nothing been built on it for 10 years. I
don't know why it hasn't been built up, but it's sitting there vacant.
And I don't know if we have something where it would be
eminent domain or if we have the capability to contact these people
and say, we'd like to use it, because there would be -- it might be a
great benefit to somebody that's got something sitting on the ground.
I'll be through in a minute -- on the ground, that's not being use
and would be ideally located for this. Let me give you some of the
reasons why it would be ideally located for this.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Sir? I'm up here.
MR. SHERMAN: Oh?
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Up here. These speakers are sort of
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confusing. Sound comes from everywhere when we talk here. But let
me suggest that we get the county manager to get you with Mr.
Summers who does the planning.
MR. SHERMAN: Okay.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: We're not going to make any planning
decisions about --
MR. SHERMAN: I know, but I just thought you'd like -- need to
be aware of this.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Well, we are -- I think the county
manager has already pulled this whole item and has instructed staff to
take another hard look at everything.
MR. SHERMAN: Okay.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: The design, the location, and everything
else. And it would be good if we could get your input into that
process because what we have -- what we're talking about right now, I
mean, what has already been initially proposed is not necessarily
what's going to be considered. So they're already in the process of
re-evaluating this whole thing.
MR. SHERMAN: Well, I'm concerned of not just having a
different style or shape building, but having a different location, which
I think would be much more ideally suited for the county.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: I think we're all concerned about that,
too. And what we need to do is get the interested citizens to work
with our staff who is involved in planning it right now, because we
can't make any planning decision.
We appreciate your input and your interest, and we encourage
you to continue, but we can't make any planning decisions with
respect to this. We leave that up to the experts.
MR. SHERMAN: Well, I think I've got some pretty good
arguments why it should be there, and I think maybe -- if you're
interested, I can give you copies of this.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Oh, by all means, please; please do, yes,
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please do. But more than that, I would encourage you to talk with
some of the members of this department who are involved in the
planning process.
MR. SHERMAN: I'd be glad to.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: And hopefully you could contribute to it.
MR. SHERMAN: Tell me who to talk to and when, I'll be glad
to.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. All right, good. And the first
person to talk to is right there, Jim Mudd, and he's going to get your
name and telephone number.
MR. SHERMAN: Not only, I would probably -- I'd like -- I
could volunteer to help in the design development of it, especially
from the --
COMMISSIONER HENNING: You don't have to pay us, that's
fine.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Put your wallet away.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: You can volunteer, you just
don't have to pay us as a requirement.
MR. SHERMAN: Okay. All right.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: But we do appreciate your interest, and
we're looking for all the good help and good ideas we can possibly
get.
MR. SHERMAN: Okay. And here's one for you all, and one for
each of the commissioners, how's that?
CHAIRMAN COYLE: You've got copies for each of us
already?
MR. SHERMAN: Okay. If you'll give them to them, I'll
appreciate it.
MR. OCHS: I'll do it.
MR. SHERMAN: Okay. I've already met Mr. Price. And if I
could have some cards and some people I could talk to.
MR. MUDD: That's what he's going to do right now.
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March 8, 2005
CHAIRMAN COYLE: That's what he's going to do. Thank you
very much. Appreciate you coming in and talking with us.
MS. FILSON: That was your final speaker.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. All right.
County attorney's report?
Item #12
MR. WEIGEL: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just one item, and
that is, as I mentioned at the beginning of the meeting, I wanted to
give my notice to you of our request, county attorney office request,
for a closed attorney/client executive session for the next board
meeting of March 22nd, and this is pursuant to the sunshine law,
286.011, parens 8, which requires notice of request.
And then next week we would like to talk to you behind closed
doors briefly, I emphasize briefly, about strategy-related litigation in
the pending case of, this is Collier County versus the Department of
Community Affairs in the City of Naples. This is the, call it, the
remnants of the overpass litigation related to the city's growth
management plan.
And I look forward to working with the county manager if, in
fact, there would be a desire for a time concern. But since it's only our
counsel, internal counsel and no outside counsel, we're fully flexible
that way. And that's all I have to report.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. County Manager, do you have
anything?
MR. MUDD: And I'll get him a time certain there around the
lunch hour on the 22nd.
Yes, sir, I have three items.
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Item #15
First item is; I want to make sure I remind the board of the 1 7
March trip to Tallahassee to be part of the Southwest Florida
delegation. I've sent an e-mail to each one of you to inform you -- I
received it from Holly Schwartz (phonetic), who's the administrative
assistant in Lee County. They are the county this year that's leading
the issue. It was Charlotte last year. It's Lee this year. It will be
Collier County's turn next year in order to get all the arrangements
done.
I sent that to everyone, so just want to make sure it is for the 17th
of March, and they're trying to get the schedules locked in with our
particular representatives and State Senators. There's -- they basically
lock in their schedule about a week ahead of time, so she's working on
that. Again, I sent you an e-mail on that particular issue.
Next item is, I've had a request from Dr. -- Dr. Lee, the manager
from the City of Naples, to coordinate a joint workshop between the
city and the county. I believe a wonderful topic that we could talk
about is the FEMA issue and the FEMA flood maps.
I'd like to get that scheduled to also get a representative from
FEMA to come down and talk to us at the same time as we get our
consultant, Tomasello -- Mr. Tomasello to come down here and talk
about that particular issue in some detail with us, and I believe we
need to really talk about that before we get flood maps that get
distributed to our particular county and flood insurance changes, so I'd
like to devote the majority of that meeting to that particular item, if I
can get direction from the board in order to set that up.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: How quickly can you get this set up, do
you think? We have a deadline of March 31 st, don't we?
MR. MUDD: Yes, sir. I think we're talking about latter part of
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March, first part of April when we're looking at the time we can get all
those folks together.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Wow.
MR. MUDD: Our mission in life is to get everything we can get
to the FEMA folks by the 31st of March. I believe Mr. Tomasello is
thoroughly engaged seven days a week, 24/7 in making that happen.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: And he ought to work harder.
MR. MUDD: Yes, sir. I was just -- if we put jet boosters on
him, that would be nice, too. But I think it would be -- it would -- I
believe FEMA has some latitude, okay? I believe there's certain levels
of that organization that are playing hard line for us, and I don't blame
them to play hard line to get the information so that they can solidify
their maps.
I believe they'll have some opportunity to discuss that especially
with them, because they're the ones at that time that have the
flexibility.
If you remember the letter that I received when I asked for the
last extension that I'm going to ask for to go based on a schedule that
was provided, and they came back and said 31 March, is the part
where you will have your input, and we will have done our review.
You know, how you can hold me to a suspense -- you know, I
can hold myself to a suspense to get the data in, but then to hold me to
a suspense on their review time, I think, was a little bit far -- it was a
far stretch as far as they were concerned, because especially when
they were talking about four to five months of review time for the data
that we provided.
To try to hold me to that suspense and have that review time
done on their agency's part, I think, they pushed the envelope just a
tad. So we're doing everything we can do to get our data in by the
31st of March, sir.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: So if we try to give you guidance to try
to get it done before the end of March, could you do that?
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March 8, 2005
MR. MUDD: I'll try.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Commissioners, how do you feel
about that?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Just on this one topic we're
going to be dealing with?
MR. MUDD: You want any other topics? I can add others
topics, if you have more.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: No.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: It may be too early, but when I get to my
turn I'll throw something out for consideration.
MR. MUDD: Yes, sir.
And the last item that I'd like to talk about is the next board
meeting, and I've got scheduled the next board meeting for one and a
half days. And the first day is the 22nd. That Tuesday in the
afternoon, with your direction, I would like to dedicate that afternoon
meeting to two items, and they have to do with Coconilla.
And if you've watched the planning board meeting, it lasted for
longer than four hours. So I think if we set that for that particular item
-- and I might have one on standby of lesser significance, but we
dedicated that, and then the next morning, on Wednesday the 23rd, we
get to the rest of the seven and eight items. I think that's a doable
agenda.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Do you thing we'll be able to finish
it up by noon on the second day?
MR. MUDD: Yes, sir. Ifwe do -- if we do the two items at
Coconilla the afternoon of Tuesday, because that could go the
afternoon of Tuesday into the evening of Tuesday.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: So in other words, we're going to
have to limit the time of Commissioner Coletta and Commissioner
Coyle, right, as far as taking·up time talking?
CHAIRMAN COYLE: And this is from the guy who spent 45
minutes today talking.
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March 8, 2005
MR. MUDD: Commissioner, I have no response to that last
statement.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Is that it?
MR. MUDD: That's all I have, sir.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Commissioner Henning?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Well, if it has anything to do
with the overflow on Wednesday, that church in Immokalee, it might
be continued again, because I'm not too happy about not hearing that
today.
MR. MUDD: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Two things in preparation for
the March 17th trek up to Tallahassee. There is a Senate Bill 1640.
There's no compatible -- from my understanding, if there's no
compatible in the House today by the end of today, it's not going to
move forward.
Senate Bill 1640 deals with eminent domain, and the amendment
is to remove -- remove the -- the ability -- it will remove the cap from
attorney's fees. And I -- some of our road projects or any other capital
improvement where we have to do eminent domain, it could affect the
bottom line pricing of that capital improvement.
So I hope if it still continues, that we can stay on top of that and
make that one of our legislation priorities.
The other one was brought up by some citizens in Collier
County, that's House Bill 741 and Senate Bill 1178. And what this
bill does, it allows for a bigger mesh for a net for catching mullet.
And what I understand is, the net size -- the mesh size is much
smaller, therefore, catching what they call byproducts of something of
-- you know, smaller snook and redfish and mullet.
And the whole -- the goal here is to just target certain types of
species like the mullet. And I see it as a benefit to some of our
residents, not only in Everglades City, but a lot of other areas in
Collier County, and I would hope that the Board of Commissioners
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March 8, 2005
would -- if we could pick this up as far as our legislation priorities for
2005.
And if there's any other questions on the net bill, there's a couple
residents in the audience that can address any further questions.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Commissioner Coletta?
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: No. I have no questions.
Anything that will benefit the residents and fishermen of Everglades
City, I'm for.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: And Commissioner Coletta, do you have
anything?
I mean Commissioner Halas, do you have anything?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Yes, I have a couple of items. First
of all, I'd like to --
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Wait a minute. Are we picking
these three things up as our priorities? That was the question.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: I'm sorry. One more time,
Commissioner Henning. What would you like to do, make this an
agenda item?
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Well -- not an agenda item, as
one of the priorities of the Board of Commissioners, legislation
priorities for 2005 before the House and the Senate.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Sure. Why not?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: How many items have we got now
to lobby with our legislature?
MR. MUDD: Well, we have four joint items with the five
counties, and we can add these as separate items that we talk to our
particular legislators about when we're up there.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: I, for one, would like to see copies of the
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Bill.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: -- of the bill, and--
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Here it is. I'm sorry.
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March 8, 2005
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Pass them out, okay -- and understand
their provisions a little more thoroughly. With respect to the legal fees
of lawyers on the --
MR. MUDD: Eminent domain situation.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: -- eminent domain situation, I can see
circumstances where taking caps off the lawyers fees and paying them
for the actual services would be improvement, because right now
we're having to pay them a set percentage between what we offer for a
settlement and what actually is determined, and that sometimes results
in what I think are exorbitant fees with little or no work on behalf of
that lawyer. So--
COMMISSIONER HENNING: I think they're just overpaid in
general.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Well, I do, too. You know, if there's
some way we can reduce their reimbursement, I'm all happy about
that.
But sometimes a piece of legislation looks like it's one thing, it
really turns out to be something different. And I'd just like to take a
look at it to make sure that it doesn't further obligate us in these areas
where -- and I think it's -- what, is it 30 percent of the difference
between our offer to purchase --
MR. FEDER: (Nods head.)
CHAIRMAN COYLE: It's 30 percent.
So right now if we offered somebody a million dollars for a piece
of property and it finally settles for $3 million, then the lawyer's going
to get $333,000 whether he even takes it to court, and that's crazy.
And what -- my point is, does this bill eliminate that and replace
it with a fee schedule of some kind, which in some cases might be
good, or does it do both, which would be horrible. So that's all I'm
saying is I just need to take a little closer look at it before I can make a
decision as to whether or not it should be placed on our legislative
agenda.
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March 8, 2005
COMMISSIONER HENNING: We're not going to have an
opportunity to do that. We're not going to have an opportunity to talk
about it at the next meeting. Our next meeting is the 22nd.
MR. MUDD: Commissioner, if I can make a recommendation, if
that's the way you feel and the other commissioners feel the same
way. Can you do that in the next 24 hours? Because you have a town
hall meeting tomorrow night in Commissioner Coyle's district, and if
you want to dedicate five to 10 minutes at the end for just a discussion
on this, then you have that opportunity.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: I tell you what would serve my purposes,
and that is if the county manager -- or I'm sorry, the county attorney
and the county manager, were to take a look at this and decide what
it's effect on us would be, and if you say it's favorable, then I'd be
willing to go support it. Okay?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Is there any more information, or
should I just go to the website on this?
MS. JOHNSON: What questions? Some of them I can answer.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: It's very vague.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: If you're going to speak, we're going to
have to get you on the microphone, we've got to get your name.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Social security number.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: No, no, we don't want that.
MS. JOHNSON: You can't have that.
MR. MUDD: State your name for the record.
MS. JOHNSON: My name's Christina Johnson.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Just don't talk over our head. I know
there's fishing lingo.
MS. JOHNSON: Oh, okay.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: And that will -- you'll totally
lose us.
MS. JOHNSON: Well, Uncle Bobby has most of the fishing
lingo.
Page 1 70
March 8, 2005
CHAIRMAN COYLE: And you had a question, Commissioner?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Yes. I have a couple questions. Is
there anything more in detail than this? This is just basically a
number of statements, and I'm not sure -- is there any -- if I go to this
website, will it answer a lot of my questions?
MS. JOHNSON: Oh, yes.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Okay.
MS. JOHNSON: Oh, yes.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: We presently -- all we can use now
is just the throw net, is that correct, for mullet, in the inlet?
MS. JOHNSON: In the inlet?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Yeah, or backwaters.
MS. JOHNSON: In the state, as a whole, you can only use 500
square foot nets with the two-inch net for the mullet, right?
MR. JOHNSON: Five hundred square foot each.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: If you're going to talk on the record, we
have to get you on a microphone and we have to get your name.
MR. JOHNSON: Robert L. Johnson. Yeah, you're allowed 200
(sic) and 500 square foot pieces of net per vessel in the water at one
time not connected.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: And you're saying the same thing
for this too or what?
MS. JOHNSON: Yes, but we want the mesh sizes larger. The
two inch mesh is the maximum right now. That has a by-catch of90
percent. Making the mesh larger decreases the by-catch to, some
cases, zero. So that's what we want.
And, in fact, when the net limitation act took place, that's what
was allowed to commercial fishermen in this state. Two 500 square
feet nets with any size mesh. The two-inch mesh size wasn't
implemented till two years after the net limitation act took affect.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Okay. And your proposal is for
larger than two-inch?
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_.-..<,.~._---..._-"...--
March 8, 2005
MS. JOHNSON: Yes.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: And what are you proposing is the
size?
MS. JOHNSON: Any size mesh.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Any size mesh above two inches?
MR. JOHNSON: Sir, before -- pre-net ban, the MFC and the
people in state, we went to a three-inch mesh size net, no smaller than
three- inch stretched mesh, except in a seine pocket, which could be
less than three-inch.
For the -- the reason this was is for the minimum take of juvenile
fish; fish that we could not catch. I mean, you know, you caught, you
would destroy. And we would catch a viable fish. In our run season
down here, even the Marine Fish Commission, they regulated, even
put us on bigger size meshes during our run season.
Now, this was done pre-net ban. After the net ban we could still
use, in those two pieces of 500 square foot net -- which actually is
about 33 yards long apiece, five foot deep -- we could use any size
mesh.
Then the CCA, or whoever, back behind -- with the Marine Fish
Commission, they come up with this, well, let's go to a two-inch
stretch mesh net, which is about that long. I've got a piece in the back
of my truck.
And all you do is, when you strike in any place you want to
strike, all you kill is juvenile fish, and that's all you take. Now, you
might catch one or two or three, or whatever you're going to catch,
fish you can sell. But all you're doing is you're taking out the juvenile
fish.
What they done pre-net ban, they turned around, the Marine Fish
Commission done a complete flip-flop. They're sitting there saying,
now, hey, look, you know, if you take and use a bigger mesh net,
you're going to take a lot of other fish, which -- you know, and that's
hogwash.
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March 8, 2005
And it's just a big political thing or whatever. I don't know what
the problem is. But you can't have before and then after, and then
especially when you've got -- our nets before net ban, I would
probably fish -- it was about 500-yard net in run season, four-inch,
four and a quarter stretch.
Now you're down to two pieces of net, you can't tie them
together, five-foot deep, and let's see, no longer than 60 or 70 yards,
and that's the two-inch stretch. Now, you don't hurt very many fish
that's viably caught with two-inch stretch like that. You don't hurt too
many.
But now, if you get around them holes and stuff with a lot of
juvenile fish like that, you can take out a nasty eyeball. Now, if
anybody wants to ever ride with me to see it done and help me clear
something like that, I'll do it.
The other thing is, if I strike that piece of net that the Marine Fish
Commission is regulating me on, if the marine patrol pulls up, I have
that net root, which we have to do in a lot of places we strike to get
our equipment without losing it, they can write me a ticket on each
one of those juvenile fish I caught.
So what they have done, they have said, you use a piece of
equipment, Mr. Johnson, that if you root that net, I can turn around
and I can have you arrested. And let me tell you something, them
fines ain't -- you know, that's ain't -- that's pretty rough, so --
COMMISSIONER HALAS: I think I got the picture.
MR. JOHNSON: You got the picture. I hope so. The whole
thing about it, if you want a show and tell, I'll go with you, and we'll
explain it to the men when they catch us.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Okay. Thank you very much, sir.
MR. JOHNSON: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: So can we take up this item?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Yep.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Commissioner Coletta? Okay. We've
Page 173
March 8, 2005
got three nods.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: Thank you.
MS. JOHNSON: Thank you very much.
MR. JOHNSON: Thank you, gentlemen. Appreciate it.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Thank you, thank you.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: And with respect to the one on legal
fees, if I could just get, you know, the county manager and county
attorney to tell me if this is better than what we've got now, I'll be
happy, okay.
COMMISSIONER HENNING: I just sent you an e-mail from
Ellen Chadwell from the county attorney to explain it a little bit more.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: They've got an opinion on it already?
MR. MUDD: We're working on it. We'll have it for you by your
town hall meeting tomorrow.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Yeah. Let's discuss that tomorrow
night at the town hall meeting
COMMISSIONER HENNING: That's all I have.
MR. MUDD: We'll have a memo to the board to give you that
information.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Commissioner Halas, do you
have anything else?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: Yes. I'd like to say that I think all
of us want to give our warm wishes to Commissioner Fiala in the
sudden death of her sister, and also Commissioner Coletta's daughter,
we hope that she has a speedy recovery in the hospital.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Thank you.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: I want to say that we had a very
fruitful trip to Washington with the county manager assistant, Debbie
Wright, County Manager, Jim Mudd, and myself, and I want to say
that the trip went very well. It was very well put together. Hats off to
Debbie Wright. She really stretched herself on this, along with her
other duties.
Page 174
March 8, 2005
And I think we -- we were able to get some additional funding for
some projects here in Collier County, one in particular is that I think
we're going to -- hopefully that there will be $2 million earmarked for
a study for the interchange justification report, and that's the
interchange at Everglades Boulevard and 1-75 so that the people that
are in Golden Gate Estates can possibly find another way to ingress
and egress out of there.
We're also look -- I think we're going to get some funding --
anyway county commission -- County Manager Jim Mudd asked for
some funding requests for cleaning up an issue in Vanderbilt Lagoon,
water quality, and I believe that's going to come from water resources
in the development area, and then I think we're also going to be --
possibly a grant for, what, $2 million for the upcoming garage for the
transit.
MR. MUDD: Transit, yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: So -- and I think our lobbying to --
with Congressman Mack early Tuesday morning, I think, we came
across good in regards to showing him some of the pictures, some of
the incidences that take -- transpire each day on 1-75, and I think that
had a pretty good effect.
Anyway, in our discussions with the congressman, he stated that
he didn't know if he could assist in anything more than maybe 50
million. And as everybody knows, at this point in time, I think -- I
hope that some of our lobbying had an effect in regards to him being
able to get the $72 million.
So we told him that we needed about 147 to complete the project
of six-laning. So I want to say that, hats off to Congressman Mack in
regards to what he's done here for Southwest Florida.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: And I understand from the county
manager that you were able to also get enough money to build that
overpass at Vanderbilt Beach Road and U. S. 41 ?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: That's right.
Page 175
March 8, 2005
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: The one with signs on it?
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Yeah. That's going to be going up pretty
soon.
COMMISSIONER COLETTA: Boy, are the phones ever ringing
in the office.
COMMISSIONER HALAS: I really need all your help.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Anything more you want to say?
COMMISSIONER HALAS: I'm going to be quiet at that.
MR. MUDD: Mr. Chairman, I'd like to -- I'd like to add one
thing to Commissioner Halas' report. We also saw State Senator
N elson, we also saw Congressman Mario Diaz- Balart, which was also
instrumental. It was like a tag team with Congressman Mack as far as
getting that $72 million.
We also saw representatives for Congressman Mica,
Congresswoman Brown, and representatives staffers from Senator
Martinez' office, and I believe that combination from all those people
will help to bring that across.
And we also went outside of Florida, and we saw -- we saw
staffers from Congressman Petri's organization because he's chair of
one of the subcommittees that's very important to us. We showed him
a lot of Wisconsin plates out there that are helping us cause 1-75 and
that traffic jam.
And we took pictures to make sure that it wasn't just the local
Wisconsin thing. But his folks are helping us as far as our traffic
congestions are, and it would be good if he could help support us in
Southwest Florida and make the roads better.
That's all I have.
CHAIRMAN COYLE: Okay. Thank you very much. Nothing
more?
We are adjourned. Thank you very much.
***** Commissioner Halas moved, seconded by Commissioner
Page 176
March 8, 2005
Coletta and carried unanimously, that the following items under the
Consent and Summary Agendas be approved and/or adopted: *****
Item #16A1
RESOLUTION 2005-103: FINAL APPROVAL OF THE
ROADWAY (PRIV ATE) AND DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS
FOR THE FINAL PLAT OF "WHISPERING WOODS", THE
ROADWAY AND DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS WILL BE
PRIV A TEL Y MAINTAINED - W /RELEASE OF THE
Item #16A2
RECORDING THE FINAL PLAT OF "VERONA WALK PHASE
2C", APPROVAL OF THE STANDARD FORM CONSTRUCTION
AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT AND APPROVAL OF THE
AMOUNT OF THE PERFORMANCE SECURITY-
W /STœIlLAIIONS
Item # 16A3 - Continued indefinitely
COUNTY STAFF TO ADMINISTRATIVELY ISSUE CERTAIN
DEVELOPMENT EXCAVATION PERMITS AND VEGETATION
REMOVAL PERMITS AS REQUIRED FOR SA TURNIA FALLS
(TERAFINA PUD) LOCATED IN SECTION 16, TOWNSHIP 48
SOUTH, RANGE 26 EAST-W/STIPULATIONS AS DETAILED IN
Item #16A4
RECORDING THE FINAL PLAT OF "ANDALUCIA",
Page 1 77
March 8, 2005
APPROVAL OF THE STANDARD FORM CONSTRUCTION AND
MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT AND APPROVAL OF THE
AMOUNT OF THE PERFORMANCE SECURITY-
W /STœllLA.IIONS
Item #16A5
RECORDING THE FINAL PLAT OF "MEDITERRA PARCEL 125
REPLAT", APPROVAL OF THE STANDARD FORM
CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT AND
APPROVAL OF THE AMOUNT OF THE PERFORMANCE
Item #16A6
RESOLUTION 2005-104: FINAL APPROVAL OF THE
ROADW A Y (PRIVATE) AND DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS
FOR THE FINAL PLAT OF "IBIS COVE PHASE 2C", THE
ROADWAY AND DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS WILL BE
PRIVATELY MAINTAINED - W /RELEASE OF THE
Item #16A7
RESOLUTION 2005-105: FINAL APPROVAL OF THE
ROADWAY (PRIVATE) AND DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS
FOR THE FINAL PLAT OF "ISLAND WALK PHASE 5B", THE
ROADWAY AND DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS WILL BE
PRIV A TEL Y MAINTAINED - W /RELEASE OF THE
Item #16A8 - Moved to Item #10H
Page 178
March 8, 2005
Item #16A9
FINAL ACCEPTANCE OF WATER AND SEWER UTILITY
FACILITIES FOR ISLAND WALK, PHASE 2 - W /RELEASE OF
Item #16AI0
FINAL ACCEPTANCE OF WATER AND SEWER UTILITY
FACILITIES FOR WHISPER TRACE, FIDDLER'S CREEK-
Item #16All
FINAL ACCEPTANCE OF WATER AND SEWER UTILITY
FACILITIES FOR MEDITERRA GOLF COURSE REST
SHELTERS - W/RELEASE OF UTILITIES PERFORMANCE
SECllRITY
Item #16A12
FINAL ACCEPTANCE OF WATER AND SEWER UTILITY
FACILITIES FOR MEDITERRA, UNIT ONE - W/RELEASE OF
Item #16A13
FINAL ACCEPTANCE OF WATER AND SEWER UTILITY
FACILITIES FOR CARLTON LAKES, UNIT 3C - W /RELEASE OF
Item #16A14
Page 1 79
March 8, 2005
FINAL ACCEPTANCE OF WATER AND SEWER UTILITY
FACILITIES FOR STERLING GREENS AT GLEN EAGLE TR J,
PHASE II - W/RELEASE OF UTILITIES PERFORMANCE
SECllRITY
Item #16A15
RECORDING THE FINAL PLAT OF "VERONA WALK PHASE
3A", APPROVAL OF THE STANDARD FORM CONSTRUCTION
AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT AND APPROVAL OF THE
AMOUNT OF THE PERFORMANCE SECURITY-
W /STœl.ILA.I.I(ThIS
Item #16Bl
RESOLUTION 2005-106: (1) APPROVING, AND AUTHORIZING
THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS TO EXECUTE, A LOCAL AGENCY
PROGRAM AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT
OF TRANSPORTATION, IN WHICH COLLIER COUNTY
WOULD BE REIMBURSED UP TO $437,500 OF THE TOTAL
ESTIMATED COST OF $500,000 FOR THE DESIGN AND
CONSTRUCTION OF SIDEWALKS - VARIOUS LOCATIONS;
(2) AUTHORIZE $437,500 TO BE REIMBURSED BY FDOT AND
THE COUNTY'S CONTRIBUTION OF $62,500 FROM GAS TAX
RESERVES (313); AND (3) APPROVAL OF FUTURE FISCAL
YEAR ANNUAL COSTS OF SIDEWALK MAINTENANCE AND
INCLUDE ALL NECESSARY BUDGET AMENDMENTS - AS
Item #16B2
Page 180
March 8, 2005
A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO ALLOCATE THE FEDERAL
TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION'S 5309 GRANT IN THE
AMOUNT OF $102,986 FOR FY2005 FUNDING FROM THE FTA
FOR THE COLLIER AREA TRANSIT (CAT) SYSTEM - FOR
REPLACEMENT, REHABILITATION AND PURCHASES OF
BUSES, EQUIPMENT, AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF BUS-
RELAIED...F A ClLITIRS
Item #16B3
AN AGREEMENT FOR THE CONVEYANCE OF EASEMENTS
REQUIRED FROM VILLAS AT MANDALAY DEVELOPMENT,
LLC FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF IMPROVEMENTS TO
RATTLESNAKE HAMMOCK ROAD BETWEEN POLLY
AVENUE AND COLLIER BOULEVARD, AND THE
INSTALLATION OF AN UNDERGROUND DRAINAGE PIPE
ALONG A PORTION OF THE FRONTAGE OF THE
DEVELOPMENT, WITHIN RATTLESNAKE HAMMOCK ROAD
RIGHT-OF-WAY, ESTIMATED FISCAL IMPACT NOT TO
RXCEED.jJ 50,000 (~O 601(9)
Item #16B4
ADOPT-A-ROAD AGREEMENTS WITH FREEDOM TAX
SERVICES SW FLORIDA, LANDMARK NAPLES HOME
OWNERS ASSOCIATION, T.J. TURF FARM, GULF STREAM
HOMES, COLLIER CLEANING COMPANY AND MARINE
CORPS LEAGUE OF NAPLES FOR A TOTAL COST OF $150.00
FOR TWO ROAD- WAY RECOGNITION SIGNS - AS DETAILED
Page 181
March 8, 2005
Item #16B5
AWARD BID #05-3689 IN THE AMOUNT OF $69,606.20 TO
GROUND ZERO LANDSCAPING SERVICES, INC. FOR THE
FY2004-2005 BA YSHORE BEAUTIFICATION MSTU
ROADWAY GROUNDS MAINTENANCE AND AUTHORIZE
THE CHAIRMAN TO EXECUTE THE STANDARD CONTRACT
AFTER REVIEW BY THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE -
Item #16B6
A WORK ORDER IN THE AMOUNT OF $530,000 TO
D. N. HIGGINS, INC. FOR THE RIVER OAKS, PALM RIVER
SUBDIVISION CULVERT REPLACEMENT (PROJECT NO.
51007) IN ACCORDANCE WITH CONTRACT NO. 04-3535, AND
APPROVE A BUDGET AMENDMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF
Item #16B7
THREE (3) LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE AGREEMENTS
BETWEEN THE LEL Y GOLF ESTATES BEAUTIFICATION
MSTU WITH THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, AS
GOVERNING BOARD AND (1) LELY SQUARE PARTNERSHIP,
(2) EARL C. AND CHARLOTTE J. KOOPS AND (3) BUENA
VIDA, IN THE AMOUNT OF $12,918.50, FOR LANDSCAPING
AND MAINTENANCE ON ST. ANDREWS BOULEVARD - AS
Item #16B8
Page 182
March 8, 2005
A FINAL STATUS REPORT FROM THE I-75/GOLDEN GATE
INTERCHANGE AD HOC ADVISORY COMMITTEE - AS
Item #16Cl
THE PURCHASE OF A PILOT WATER FILTRATION UNIT FOR
THE SOUTH COUNTY WATER TREATMENT PLANT 12-MGD
RO EXPANSION AND AWARD BID #05-3727, FOR $125,950.00
TO AEREX INDUSTRIES (PROJECT NO. 70097) - AS
Item # 16C2
EXECUTE AND RECORD SATISFACTIONS FOR CERTAIN
WATER AND/OR SEWER IMPACT FEE PAYMENT
AGREEMENTS, FISCAL IMPACT IS $28.50 TO RECORD THE
SATISFACTIONS OF LIEN - AS DETAILED IN THE
Item #16C3
RESOLUTION 2005-107: APPROVING THE SATISFACTION OF
LIEN FOR A SOLID WASTE RESIDENTIAL ACCOUNT
WHEREIN THE COUNTY HAS RECEIVED PAYMENT AND
SAID LIEN IS SATISFIED IN FULL FOR THE 1994 SOLID
WASTE COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL SERVICES SPECIAL
ASSESSMENT, FISCAL IMPACT IS $20.00 TO RECORD THE
SATISFACTION OF LIEN - AS DETAILED IN THE EXECUTIVE
SllMMARY
Page 183
March 8, 2005
Item # 16C4
RESOLUTION 2005-108: APPROVING THE SATISFACTIONS
OF LIEN FOR SOLID WASTE RESIDENTIAL ACCOUNTS
WHEREIN THE COUNTY HAS RECEIVED PAYMENT AND
SAID LIENS ARE SATISFIED IN FULL FOR THE 1995 SOLID
WASTE COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL SERVICES SPECIAL
ASSESSMENTS, FISCAL IMPACT IS $30.00 TO RECORD THE
SATISFACTIONS OF LIEN - AS DETAILED IN THE
Item #16C5
RESOLUTION 2005-109: APPROVING THE SATISFACTIONS
OF LIEN FOR SOLID WASTE RESIDENTIAL ACCOUNTS
WHEREIN THE COUNTY HAS RECEIVED PAYMENT AND
SAID LIENS ARE SATISFIED IN FULL FOR THE 1996 SOLID
WASTE COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL SERVICES SPECIAL
ASSESSMENTS, FISCAL IMPACT IS $30.00 TO RECORD THE
SATISFACTIONS OF LIEN - AS DETAILED IN THE
Item # 16C6
CONVEYANCE OF AN EASEMENT TO FLORIDA POWER &
LIGHT COMPANY (FP&L) FOR ELECTRICAL POWER
SERVICE FOR THE REUSE PUMPING STATION AT THE
NORTH COUNTY WATER RECLAMATION FACILITY
(NCWRF), PROJECT 739501, AT A COST NOT TO EXCEED
Page 184
March 8, 2005
Item #16C7
APPROVAL OF THE EXPENDITURE FOR AN ON-SITE
QUALSERVE CLOSEOUT WORKSHOP CONTINENTAL
BREAKFAST IN A SUM NOT TO EXCEED $500.00 - AS
Item # 16C8
RECOMMENDATION TO REJECT ALL BIDS FOR BID #05-3766
AND TO PROVIDE AUTHORIZATION TO RE-BID FOR
"PIGGING STATION FOR IMMOKALEE ROAD 30" FORCE
MAIN" (PROJECT NO. 73943) - AS DETAILED IN THE
Item #16C9
ACCEPTANCE OF FIVE GRANT AGREEMENTS FOR
AL TERNA TIVE WATER SUPPLY PROJECTS FROM THE
SOUTH FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT IN THE
AMOUNT OF $750,000 - AS DETAILED IN THE EXECUTIVE
SllMMARY
Item #16C10
WAIVE THE COMPETITIVE BIDDING PROCESS FOR
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND APPROVING VACCARO
CONSULTING, INC. FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO
PERFORM POST IMPLEMENTATION REVIEW, WORK FLOW
ANALYSIS & DOCUMENTATION OF OPERATING
PROCEDURES FOR SPECIAL ASSESSMENT SOFTWARE
SYSTEM AND CREATE PROCEDURES FOR NEW COUNTY
Page 185
March 8, 2005
Item #16D1
AWARD BID #05-3759 FOR THE RENTAL OF PORTABLE
TOILETS TO 1. W. CRAFT, INC. AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF
$26,OQO.OO COllli.TYWIDR
Item #16D2
AN APPLICATION AND MEMORANDUM OF
UNDERSTANDING FOR SAFE HAVENS: SUPERVISED
VISITATION AND SAFE EXCHANGE GRANT IN THE
AMOUNT OF $350,000 FROM THE UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICES' OFFICE ON VIOLENCE
AGAINST WOMEN FOR THE CHILD ADVOCACY COUNCIL -
Item #16D3
ACCEPTANCE OF DONATED FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF
$79.29 AND APPROVE A BUDGET AMENDMENT
RECOGNIZING THE REVENUE AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS
Item #16E1
AMENDMENT A-2 FOR EXTERNAL AUDITING CONTRACT
#03-3497 AUDITING SERVICES FOR COLLIER COUNTY
BETWEEN KPMG, LLP AND COLLIER COUNTY IN AN
AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $58,100 FOR THE PURPOSE OF
PERFORMING A GROUP HEALTH INSURANCE THIRD -
Page 186
March 8, 2005
PARTY ADMINISTRATION CLAIMS AUDIT OF THE
COUNTY'S GROUP HEALTH INSURANCE CLAIMS
ADMINISTRATOR, CBSA, INC. - AS DETAILED IN THE
Item # 16E2
REPORT AND RATIFY A STAFF REPORT ON PROPERTY,
CASUALTY, WORKER'S COMPENSATION AND
SUBROGATION CLAIMS SETTLED AND/OR CLOSED BY THE
RISK MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR PURSUANT TO
RESOLUTION NO. 2004-15 FOR THE FIRST QUARTER OF
Item # 16E3
REJECT ALL RESPONSES RECEIVED UNDER INVITATION TO
QUALIFY #05-3779, CONSTRUCTION SERVICES FOR THE
VANDERBILT BEACH PARKING GARAGE AND REISSUE AS
~O 9029~)
Item #16E4
STANDARD FORM CONTRACTS FOR USE IN THE
ACQUISITION OF CONSTRUCTION SERVICES,
CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT SERVICES, PROFESSIONAL
SERVICES (SINGLE PROJECT), AND PROFESSIONAL
SERVICES (FIXED TERM) - AS DETAILED IN THE EXECUTIVE
SllMMARY
Item #16E5
Page 187
. ,~..,--- .... ""-,,...-
March 8, 2005
PAYMENT OF $454.07 TO THE STATE OF FLORIDA
DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE FOR TAXES DUE, INTEREST
AND PENALTY FEES FOR LATE FUEL TAX FILINGS IN
ElSe A L...YEAR.2DO ~
Item #16F1
AMENDMENT NO.1 TO WORK ORDER #HM-FT-05-02 UNDER
CONTRACT #01-3271, FIXED TERM PROFESSIONAL
ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR COASTAL ZONE
MANAGEMENT PROJECTS, WITH HUMISTON & MOORE
ENGINEERS FOR SHOREBIRD MONITORING RELATED TO
HIDEAWAY BEACH RENOURISHMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF
$11,648.00 (PROJECT NO. 90502) - AS DETAILED IN THE
Item # 16F2
TWO (2) CONTRACTUAL SERVICE AGREEMENTS BETWEEN
COLLIER COUNTY AND THE EAST NAPLES, AND GOLDEN
GATE FIRE & RESCUE DISTRICTS TO PROVIDE FIRE
PROTECTION AND RESCUE SERVICES WITHIN THE COLLIER
COUNTY FIRE CONTROL DISTRICT AT A COST OF
Item #16F3
BUDGET AMENDMENT #05-206 REGARDING A DECREASE IN
Item #16H1 - Withdrawn
Page 188
March 8, 2005
COMMISSIONER FIALA'S REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT
FOR ATTENDING THE 2005 HUMANITARIAN AWARD
LUNCHEON HONORING CLYDE BUTCHER ON MARCH 11,
2005 AT THE RITZ-CARLTON GOLF RESORT AT TIBURON;
$100.00 TO BE PAID FROM COMMISSIONER FIALA'S TRAVEL
BllIlGEJ'
Item #16H2
COMMISSIONER COLETTA'S REQUEST FOR
REIMBURSEMENT FOR ATTENDING THE LINCOLN DAY
FUNDRAISER TO BE HELD AT THE NAPLES BEACH HOTEL
AND GOLF CLUB ON MARCH 12, 2005 SPONSORED BY THE
COLLIER COUNTY REPUBLICAN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE,
THIS FUNDRAISING EVENT WILL HAVE TWO PRESTIGIOUS
CONGRESSMEN AS KEYNOTE SPEAKERS: CONGRESSMAN
CONNIE MACK AND CONGRESSMAN MARIO DIAZ-BALART;
ATTORNEY GENERAL CHARLIE CRIST WILL ALSO BE IN
ATTENDANCE; $75.00 TO BE PAID FROM COMMISSIONER
COLEIT A'S TR A VELlll.lDGET
Item #16H3
COMMISSIONER HALAS' REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT
FOR ATTENDING THE LINCOLN DAY FUNDRAISER TO BE
HELD AT THE NAPLES BEACH HOTEL AND GOLF CLUB ON
MARCH 12, 2005 SPONSORED BY THE COLLIER COUNTY
REPUBLICAN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, THIS FUNDRAISING
EVENT WILL HAVE TWO PRESTIGIOUS CONGRESSMEN AS
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS: CONGRESSMAN CONNIE MACK AND
CONGRESSMAN MARIO DIAZ-BALART; ATTORNEY
GENERAL CHARLIE CRIST WILL ALSO BE IN ATTENDANCE;
Page 189
March 8, 2005
$75.00 TO BE PAID FROM COMMISSIONER HALAS' TRAVEL
BllIlGEJ'
Item #1611
MISCELLANEOUS CORRESPONDENCE - FILED AND/OR
REFERRED:
The following miscellaneous correspondence, as presented by the
Board of County Commissioners, has been directed to the various
departments as indicated:
Page 190
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
NaSCELLANEOUSCORRESPONDENCE
. March 8, 2005
FOR BOARD ACTION:
1. MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS TO FILE FOR RECORD WITH ACTION AS DIRECTED:
A. Minutes:
H:Data/Format
1. Historical & Archaeological Preservation Board - Notice that the
February 16, 2005 meeting has been canceled.
2. Collier County Tourist Development Council - November 22, 2004.
3. Development Services Advisory Committee - Agenda for February 2,
2005; Minutes of February 2, 2005
4. The Ochopee Fire Control District - Minutes for January 11, 2005.
5. Collier County Contractor's Licensing Board - Agenda for February 16,
2005.
6. Forest Lakes Roadway and Drainage M.S.T.U. - Agenda and Minutes for
January 27, 2005.
7. Collier County Planning Commission - Agenda for February 17,2005,
Minutes of January 6,2005.
8. Productivity Committee Meeting - Minutes of January 19,2005.
9. Collier County Environmental Advisory Committee - Minutes of January
5, 2005.
10. Golden Gate Beautification Advisory Committee - Agenda for February
8,2005; Minutes of January 11,2005.
11. Conservation Collier Land Acquisition Advisory Committee - Agenda for
February 14,2005; Minutes of January 10,2005.
12. Immokalee Beautification M.S.T.U. - Agenda for February 16,2005;
Minutes of January 19, 2005.
13. Community Character Smart Growth Advisory Committee - Agenda and
Minutes for October 6,2004; October 25,2005; and Informal Minutes for
November 10, 2004.
B. Other:
H:Data/Format
1) Caribbean Gardens Blue Ribbon Committee - Minutes of December 9,2004.
2) Special District Services. Inc - Ave Maria Stewardship Community District
Activity Update.
March 8, 2005
Item #16J1
DESIGNATING THE SHERIFF AS THE OFFICIAL FISCAL
YEAR 2005 APPLICANT AND PROGRAM POINT-OF-
CONTACT FOR THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE, BUREAU OF JUSTICE ASSISTANCE, EDWARD
BYRNE MEMORIAL JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT (JAG)
PROGRAM, ACCEPT THE GRANT WHEN AWARDED, AND
Item #16J2
A DETERMINATION OF WHETHER THE PURCHASES OF
GOODS AND SERVICES DOCUMENTED IN THE DETAILED
REPORT OF OPEN PURCHASE ORDERS DATED JANUARY 22,
2005 TO FEBRUARY 18,2005 SERVE A VALID PUBLIC
PURPOSE AND AUTHORIZE THE EXPENDITURE OF
COUNTY FUNDS TO SATISFY SAID PURCHASES, A COPY OF
THE DETAILED REPORT IS ON DISPLAY IN THE COUNTY
MANAGER'S OFFICE, 2ND FLOOR, W. HARMON TURNER
Item #16K1
A STIPULATED FINAL JUDGMENT AS TO PARCEL 139 IN THE
LAWSUIT STYLED COLLIER COUNTY V. JOHN AURIGEMMA,
ET AL., CASE NO. 04-344-CA (VANDERBILT BEACH ROAD
PROJECT NO. 63051) - STAFF TO PAY THE SUM OF $6,400 TO
Item #16K2
Page 191
March 8, 2005
AUTHORIZE STAFF TO OPEN A PURCHASE ORDER FOR
GERSON, PRESTON ROBINSON & CO., P.A., TO BE USED AS
AN EXPERT WITNESS AND CONSULTANT FOR THE COUNTY
IN THE ACQUISITION OF WELLFIELD EASEMENTS FOR THE
"SOUTH COUNTY REGIONAL WATER TREATMENT PLANT
20-MGD WELLFIELD EXPANSION" (SCRWTP) PROJECT NO.
Item #16K3
AN AGREED ORDER FOR PAYMENT OF APPRAISAL FEES IN
CONNECTION WITH PARCEL NO. 1 IN THE LAWSUIT
STYLED COLLIER COUNTY V. FRANCISCO LEMUS, ET AL.,
CASE NO. 03-2788-CA (13TH STREET PROJECT NO. 69068) - AS
Item #16K4
THE AGREED ORDER WITH RESPONDENT, CROWN CASTLE
GT COMPANY, LLC, IN THE LAWSUIT STYLED COLLIER
COUNTY V. TREE PLATEAU CO., INC., ET AL., CASE NO. 03-
0519-CA (IMMOKALEE ROAD PROJECT NUMBER NO. 60018) -
Item #16K5
THE MEDIATED SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WITH
RESPONDENTS, DAVID AND BARBARA S. BURGESON FOR
PARCEL NO. 170 IN THE LAWSUIT STYLED COLLIER
COUNTY V. THOMAS F. SALZMANN, ET AL., CASE NO. 03-
2550-CA (GOLDEN GATE PARKWAY PROJECT NO. 60027);
ONE OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS AND PARTIES TO THE
Page 192
March 8, 2005
PROPOSED MEDIATED SETTLEMENT, BARBARA
BURGESON, IS EMPLOYED BY COLLIER COUNTY IN THE
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES. THIS
PROPERTY WAS CONDEMNED FOR COLLIER COUNTY'S
GOLDEN GATE PARKWAY PROJECT AND APPROVAL OF
THE PROPOSED MEDIATED SETTLEMENT DOES NOT
CREATE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST FOR THE BOARD. THIS
IS CONSISTENT WITH THE COMMISSION ON ETHICS
Item #17 A - Moved to Item #7C
Item #17B - Continued to the March 22, 2005 BCC Meeting
ORDINANCE 2005-13: PUDZ-A-2003- AR-4942- CONQUEST
DEVELOPMENT USA, LC, REQUESTING A PUD TO PUD
REZONE FOR PROPERTY LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF
COLLIER BOULEVARD (CR 951) AND APPROXIMATELY 1
3/4 MILES SOUTH OF TAMIAMI TRAIL (US 41), FURTHER
DESCRIBED AS SILVER LAKES, IN SECTION 10 & 15,
TOWNSHIP 51 SOUTH, RANGE 26 EAST, COLLIER COUNTY,
*****
There being no further business for the good of the County, the
meeting was adjourned by order of the Chair at 3:35 p.m.
Page 193
March 8, 2005
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS/EX
OFFICIO GOVERNING BOARD(S) OF
SPECIAL DISTRICTS UNDER ITS CONTROL
'1uLW. æ
FRED COYLE, Chal an
ATTEST:
DWIGfLt.13,ßRPCK, CLERK
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These niinutès ypproved by the Board on 1}:.¥1' \ di èJ::IJ5 , as
presented v or as corrected
TRANSCRIPT PREPARED ON BEHALF OF GREGORY COURT
REPORTING SERVICES, INC., BY TERRI LEWIS.
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