Agenda 04/28/2020 Item # 2D (BCC Minutes 03/24/2020)04/28/2020
COLLIER COUNTY
Board of County Commissioners
Item Number: 2.D
Item Summary: March 24, 2020 BCC Meeting Minutes
Meeting Date: 04/28/2020
Prepared by:
Title: Executive Secretary to County Manager – County Manager's Office
Name: MaryJo Brock
04/01/2020 1:14 PM
Submitted by:
Title: County Manager – County Manager's Office
Name: Leo E. Ochs
04/01/2020 1:14 PM
Approved By:
Review:
County Manager's Office MaryJo Brock County Manager Review Completed 04/01/2020 1:14 PM
Board of County Commissioners MaryJo Brock Meeting Pending 04/28/2020 9:00 AM
2.D
Packet Pg. 19
March 24, 2020
Page 1
TRANSCRIPT OF THE MEETING OF THE
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Naples, Florida, March 24, 2020
LET IT BE REMEMBERED, that the Board of County
Commissioners, in and for the County of Collier, and also acting as
the Board of Zoning Appeals and as the governing board(s) of such
special districts as have been created according to law and having
conducted business herein, met on this date at 9:00 a.m., in
REGULAR SESSION in Building "F" of the Government Complex,
East Naples, Florida, with the following members present:
CHAIRMAN: Burt L. Saunders (via speakerphone)
Andy Solis (via speakerphone)
William L. McDaniel, Jr.
Donna Fiala (via speakerphone)
Penny Taylor
ALSO PRESENT:
Leo Ochs, County Manager
Nick Casalanguida, Deputy County Manager
Jeffrey A. Klatzkow, County Attorney
Crystal K. Kinzel, Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller
Troy Miller, Communications & Customer Relations
March 24, 2020
Page 2
MR. OCHS: Chairman Saunders, are you on the line, sir?
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Yes, sir, I am.
MR. OCHS: It's 9:01. Mr. Chairman, we're ready to go at your
request.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. We will call the meeting
to order. The March 24 BCC meeting will come to order.
Let's go ahead and call the roll, and then we'll do the normal
pledge and that sort of thing. But let's see who's on the phone and
who's in the room and if we have a quorum.
MR. OCHS: Okay.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Commissioner Fiala, you're on the
phone?
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Yes, I am.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Commissioner Solis, you're on the
phone?
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Commissioner McDaniel, I believe
you're in the room.
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: I are -- I am in the room, yes,
sir.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Okay. And, Commissioner Taylor,
I believe you're in the room as well.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: I am, sir. Thank you very much
for your patience.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Well, let's have our
standard procedure of an invocation and a pledge.
We're living in some times when people are nervous, and
rightfully so, and I think having an invocation is most important and,
Mr. Ochs, if you would lead us in the invocation and the pledge to the
flag.
MR. OCHS: I'd be happy to. Commissioner, Commissioner
March 24, 2020
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McDaniel's been gracious enough to offer to do the invocation this
morning. I think that would -- that would be very welcomed, and
then I'd follow on with the pledge if that's okay with you.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: That's great news.
Commissioner McDaniel.
Item #1
INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: Yes. Good morning,
everybody. And if you would, please, bow your heads with me.
Heavenly Father, as we have said before in the past, we ask for your
blessings upon these proceedings. As has already been me ntioned,
these are very, very special times that are going on within humanity
and our world. We ask for your care. We ask for your guidance. We
ask for your grace, Father, with these difficult times that are upon
humanity as we travel this path together.
We ask that you bless those who are making the decisions to
guide all. We ask that you protect our families, our friends, and our
neighbors and, as always, Father, we ask that you give special
guidance and special protection for those first responders and the
military who provide us with the freedoms that we enjoy every day.
In thy name I pray, amen.
MR. OCHS: Amen.
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: And if you would, ladies and
gentlemen -- ladies and gentlemen, with me.
(The Pledge of Allegiance was recited in unison.)
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Thank you, Commissioner
McDaniel. That was very well said. As we get into this meeting, let
me make a couple observations and suggestions. With three of us
March 24, 2020
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being on the phone, there is a slight delay in the communications, and
so everyone's going to have to be very patient.
So, for example, if Commissioner Fiala wants to ask some
questions or make some comments, she's going to have to announce
her name so that the record reflects who is making the request, and
everyone will have a full opportunity. We can't talk over each other.
We just have to be very careful. So if someone is speaking, make
sure that before you jump in, that person has completed their question
or has gotten a complete answer, and then we'll move on to the next
person.
Now, if that doesn't work out too well, then I'll just call each
person's name and we proceed that way as well. But we'll try to be a
little bit less formal initially to see how that works out.
MR. OCHS: Mr. Chairman, this is the manager. If I could,
before we go too much further, just remind those that are attending
remotely that if you would please mute your phones when you're not
speaking, that will help us avoid any background noise and echoing,
and, of course, then un-mute them when you wish to speak. So if the
three of you would practice that, it would help us with the sound
system. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. And also, I want to
thank the Commission and our staff. We're making every effort to
keep our staff safe, keep the public safe, by using the authority
granted by the governor to have telephonic meetings to keep the
attendance in the room at a minimum. I think that that's a procedure
that will work well.
Also, during this conversation we're going to be talking about
our next meetings and things dealing with the virus issue. Those will
be the main topics of this meeting. Before we get into those, we're on
the next item on the agenda, which is the approval of today's regular,
consent, and summary agenda as amended, and I understand that
March 24, 2020
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there are some changes to the agenda.
So, Mr. Ochs, if you would go through those changes, and then
we can get on to the approval of the consent agenda.
Item #2A
APPROVAL OF TODAY'S REGULAR, CONSENT AND
SUMMARY AGENDA AS AMENDED (EX PARTE
DISCLOSURE PROVIDED BY COMMISSION MEMBERS FOR
CONSENT AGENDA.) - APPROVED AND/OR ADOPTED
W/CHANGES – (MOVED ITEM #17E TO ITEM #8A)
MR. OCHS: Yes, sir.
Commissioners, these are the proposed agenda changes for the
Board of County Commissioners' meeting of March 24th, 2020.
The first proposed change is to withdraw Item 16F5. This is a
proposed management and operating agreement with Sports Fields
Incorporated for the operation and management of the new Collier
County sports and events complex. That withdrawal is made at the
staff's request. We're still working on some refinements to that
agreement, and we'll have that ready to go shortly.
The next requested change was a request by Commissioner Fiala
to move Item 17E from the summary agenda to the regular agenda for
discussion. This is an item having to do with a resolution of the
Board of Zoning Appeals providing for a conditional use to allow an
enclosed self-storage warehouse within a general commercial C-4
zoning district located at the southeast corner of Valley Stream Drive
and Tamiami Trail East.
We have the petitioners in the room, Mr. Chairman. The staff is
available. So it's the Board's pleasure on whether you would wish to
hear this item today or continue it to a subsequent meeting or -- we
March 24, 2020
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have not heard specifically from Commissioner Fiala about her
specific questions on this. So that may be in order before the Board
decides what they want to do.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Let's do this: Let's hear
from Commissioner Fiala as to the reasons to delay this. We do have
the petitioners in the room, and perhaps between the conversation
between Commissioner Fiala and the petitioners, her concerns can be
addressed, and we can proceed with that. If not, obviously we will
take up the consideration.
Commissioner Fiala, if that's okay with you. What are your
concerns about that particular item?
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Okay. I've got a few concerns, and
so thank you. Let me just pull out all my notes here. Hold on just a
second.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: And while we're waiting for
Commissioner Fiala, in terms of the petitioner, perhaps the petitioner
should be at the microphone to try to address these questions.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Okay, fine.
MR. OCHS: Commissioner, the applicant is at the microphone.
Please state your name for the record.
MR. DAVIES: Good morning, Commissioners. Noel Davies
with the law firm of Quarles & Brady on behalf of the applicant for
Item 17E.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Let's see how -- if we can get
through this one.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Okay. Good. Here are a couple of
my concerns. This thing is 122,556 square feet of storage facility. I
understand there will be 1,000 units in it. And it's on 2.52 acres.
That's pretty well squished in, and it's four stories, and it's surrounded
in a neighborhood. And I think that that's going to be very difficult
for the neighborhood.
March 24, 2020
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The neighborhood has approached them and talked to them
about this thing. They're very, very nervous, and I don't blame th em.
And so they wanted to find out more about it. I've seen pictures of it.
The pictures sound -- look very nice. I don't know how they're going
to get all of that stuff on just two-and-a-half acres.
But, anyway, my biggest concern is as these storag e units keep
coming in -- and I know that -- I think all other commissioners get
some. I haven't heard of many. But in ours they come into our areas,
and they quickly come in, buy the land that's cheap, and it's right
along major thoroughfares. And we don't have a place, then, as we
try and encourage community -- commercial business, excuse me, to
come in, that all of the commercial space along the coast -- well,
along the drive, along U.S. 41, are now taken.
And so then you can't locate your restaurant behind a four-story
building or any other commercial building that you do want to bring
in.
So I'm asking -- I asked the gentlemen, and I said, you know,
could you give part of your first-floor space to commercial to work
with our community? Because I think that this is really important,
because it looks like we've got quite a few more coming in yet. And
I'm going to ask the same question of each one.
I feel that it's important for us to be able to conduct business
rather than be shut out because of a storage unit which doesn't -- you
know, there's no place to shop in a storage unit nor a place to eat in a
storage unit.
So I asked him, and I didn't notice it on this agenda at all. I read
the thing, and I was surprised that there was nothing. I guess the
people had asked them also, would you please fix the road? They
said they'll fix the road in front of their two-and-a-half acres, and
that's it.
And there's -- it's a terrible road because so many people drive
March 24, 2020
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down there, and it's all torn up. It's a tiny -- the community is -- I
hate to say it; it's a retirement community type. And not everybody
there is retired, but it's a very small community, and they have no
place to even run up to the store, you know, to get anything. So I'm
hoping that these people would work with us to be a good neighbor,
and that's what I'm -- I'm here for.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. We have the -- and I'm
sorry. The gentleman that's at the microphone, I didn't make note of
your name. What is your name, sir, again?
MR. DAVIES: It's Noel Davies. Good morning.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Good morning. Mr. Davies, if you
could respond.
And then, Mr. Ochs, I don't know if we have anybody from our
planning staff that is there or can discuss the current underlying
zoning and what can go there under existing zoning. So,
Mr. Davies --
MR. OCHS: Yeah. Mr. Chairman, before the applicant
speaks -- this is the manager. I'm looking to our County Attorney for
some guidance here.
But, you know, this item is an item that requires ex parte, and
we have to swear witnesses. So if we're going to get too far into this
as a hearing, we probably ought to move it onto the agenda for
discussion or continue it.
Mr. Klatzkow, your view?
MR. KLATZKOW: At this point in time, you need to acquire a
vote by the Board, three votes, whether or not to put it on the agenda
or to continue.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: I would --
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Okay.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: I'm sorry. This is Penny Taylor,
Mr. Chairman. I think it -- considering this is business, and business
March 24, 2020
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has got to be something that we're all very concerned of at this point,
I would agree to put it on the regular agenda right now for a hearing.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: I'd like to make that motion.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: I have no objection to putting it on
the regular agenda.
Commissioner Solis?
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: No objection.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. And, Commissioner
McDaniel.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: No, I have no objection either.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Commissioner Fiala, I
assume you have no objection at this point. So we'll put that on our
regular agenda and get back to it momentarily.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Thank you very much.
MR. OCHS: Yes, sir. Commissioners, that will be Item 8A
under your Board of Zoning Appeals, and we'll hear that after we
have our remarks this morning from Ms. Vick and Mr. Summers.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right.
MR. DAVIES: Thank you, Commissioners.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Then we need a motion
to approve today's regular, consent, and the summary agenda has
been postponed to later in the meeting. All those in favor, signify by
saying aye. This is the agenda as amended.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Aye.
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: Commissioner Saunders?
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: This is Andy Solis. I have an ex
parte on one of the other summary items that I needed to make before
March 24, 2020
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we vote.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. If you could go ahead
and do that, then we'll take the vote.
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: All right. I just needed to disclose
that I had a meeting with Roger Rice on matters 17A and B.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Any other commissioners with any
other disclosures?
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: Oh, yeah.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Yeah. You know, I better say that I
spoke with these people. I know I said it when I was --
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: No, you'll get an opportunity to do
that when the item comes up on the regular agenda.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: It's a matter of ex parte. Okay,
fine.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: And this is Penny --
Commissioner Penny Taylor. I do have an ex parte on 17A and 17B.
Meetings with private individuals and also phone calls and also with
staff.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. All right. If there's no
other disclosures --
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: Commissioner Saunders?
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Yeah, you know what, if that's the
case, I went for a ride around the Sports Park with Nick Casalanguida
and a few other people to take a look at how it's shaping up and
getting facts. So I better put that on the record as ex parte.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Commissioner
McDaniel.
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: Yes, I do have disclosures as
well, sir. Now it's only on 16A6, near as I can tell. Yes, 16A6. And
other than that, I have no others.
March 24, 2020
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CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. If there are no other
comments or disclosures, all in favor of approval of the
regular/consent agenda as amended, signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Aye.
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: Aye.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Aye.
And I believe that passes unanimously. Is that -- any objections?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: That passes unanimously, then.
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: It does.
March 24, 2020
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Item #2B
FEBRUARY 25, 2020 BCC MEETING MINUTES - APPROVED
AS PRESENTED
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Next on the agenda is Item 2B.
That's the approval of the minutes from February 25. We need a
motion and a second to approve the minutes.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: This is Commissioner Penny
Taylor. So move.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Second.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. We have a motion and a
second. All in favor, signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Aye.
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: Aye.
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: Aye.
MR. OCHS: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Item #5A
COVID-19 UPDATES – DAN SUMMERS, DIRECTOR OF
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND STEPHANIE VICK,
ADMINISTRATOR OF THE COLLIER COUNTY HEALTH
DEPARTMENT
MR. OCHS: At this time we're going to have a presentation
and update on the COVID-19 preparedness and response strategies
from Collier County staff and from the Collier County Department of
Public Health.
March 24, 2020
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Mr. Dan Summers and Ms. Stephanie Vick are here to make that
presentation. Mr. Summers.
MR. SUMMERS: Good morning, Commissioners. For the
record --
MR. OCHS: Hold on, Dan.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Hang on just one second. I know
we're going to have a lot of discussion in reference to the COVID-19.
What I would suggest is let's let Dan Summers complete his
presentation, then we'll see if there are any questions, and then have
Stephanie Vick complete her presentation, as opposed to interrupting
with questions.
It's a little bit cumbersome, because -- but you'll have to just
make notes of your questions, but I think that will be a more
expeditious way to proceed if there's no objection to doing it that
way.
So, Mr. Summers.
MR. SUMMERS: Good morning, sir. For the record, Dan
Summers, Collier County Bureau of Emergency Services and
Emergency Management, and joining me is Stephanie Vick. We're
providing Update No. 3 for you this morning regarding our COVID
preparedness and response strategies.
And let's jump right into our traditional Department of Health
update.
So, Stephanie, if you'll come forward.
MS. VICK: Good morning, Commissioners, Stephanie Vick,
Administrator for the Florida Department of Health in Collie r
County.
So I want to start out with the current situation as far as cases in
Florida and then in Collier County.
The numbers that you have before you have changed since last
night, and so I'm going to give you the current numbers. So the
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positive cases in Florida, as of this morning, are 1,227 cases, of
which 80 of those people are nonresident, and the number of deaths
that we have had are now 17 as opposed to 14. The positive cases in
Collier County now are 39 cases, of which seven of those are
nonresidents from the county.
In Collier, 22 of those cases that we have are travel related either
from out of the country or from the high-risk states like New York,
California, Connecticut, the Tri-State area. Ten of them are for sure
community acquired, so that's double from last week, and then we
have seven that are still under investigation and they're unknown.
We're not able to track exactly where it was acquired from. They
will probably end up under community acquired and so, therefore,
you can see that community acquired is approaching the numbers that
we have for travel acquired.
And I just want to point out to you last week I told you that we
had 12 cases in Collier County. We've more than tripled our cases in
Collier County. Albeit, they're smaller numbers, but you can see that
it's growing. And that's not a surprise. I'm sure that it's been out
there for a little while, so...
Okay. So our current strategy is still to slow the spread of the
virus and to test the highest-risk individuals -- that's from the Health
Department's end -- but to test more people in the community with
the private sector and to continue social distancing among our
population.
The social behavior guidelines are still the same. We want
individuals to stay six feet apart, be in groups less than 10. And I
have to say, I see it on Facebook. I even saw it from my niece in
Pennsylvania. Just because you have a group of nine doesn't mean
that you're social distancing if you're all packed together taking a
picture of yourselves or packed together inside of a boat or around a
table. You need to be smaller groups and you need to be spaced at
March 24, 2020
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least six feet apart.
Do frequent washing of your hands, use soap and water. But if
soap and water is not available, then you need to use han d sanitizer
68 percent alcohol or more. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue
for coughs and sneezes, and then immediately discard, or if you don't
have that, you can use the bend of your elbow in your sleeve. And
avoid shaking hands. And I was really proud of the group this
morning. I didn't see people shaking hands. I saw elbow bumps.
And we are doing a good job in modeling behavior. So thank you.
Okay. Still, the most at risk are individuals 60 or more with also
other health issues: Heart disease, COPD, kidney disease, or other
immunocompromised individuals. If we have youngsters that have
kidney disease and they're on dialysis, they're just as much at risk as
the people that are 60 and over.
Our plan is to do continued testing with -- with the help of our
community partners, the hospitals, private providers, private labs.
This is a rapid test that has been approved by FDA, and we expect it
somewhere in one to two weeks, but that's not for the health
departments. That's to be given to the private sector. If it comes to
fruition that we do get some, the results can be done in about 15
minutes. So that's hope. But given the supply situation right now, it
may take much longer than two weeks.
We are continuing education of the community.
So our challenges still end up being personnel protective
equipment supply. That has improved some over this past week
because we got a shipment. And the Health Department itself, at the
very last minute, we received testing kits, because we were out. And
so we got a shipment of 600, but then we had to give 150 of them to
Lee County. So we have 450. That will probably last three, maybe
four weeks. It's not enough to do more broad testing.
And the referrals that I talked about last week about we were
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getting overloaded with referrals from the medical community has
eased up greatly. So that -- with NCH doing their drive-through
testing for physicians from their hospital has helped a whole lot.
We still have a contact investigation overload. Every time
there's someone that's positive, we need to check their contacts so we
can also have them quarantine and try to prevent the spread.
We had requested epidemiology assistance from the state of two
epidemiologists. They were sent to the places that have the greatest
need like Broward, Miami-Dade, Duval County. Our local phone
bank for medical providers and then people who are symptomatic had
expanded, and that's getting better. But we're still -- we're getting a
lot of calls from the worried well, and not happy calls, people not
enjoying the restrictions. So we continue with our education
whenever people call.
Still having rumors that are going out there, getting calls about
Marshal Law coming into effect and us making people take tests, and
so we're trying to correct these things as they come up.
Okay. And still there's a lot of community fear and people wanting
to be tested right away when they think that they've come in contact
with someone who is positive for coronavirus.
So, I want to point out to everybody that if you come into
contact with someone that is positive today with coronavirus, it will
take at least -- at least two days before that will show up as a positive
test, and it could take as long as 14 days till it shows up. Hence, that
is why you're quarantined for two to 14 days.
Okay. Let's talk a little bit more about testing. NCH's
downtown drive-through is continuing but is only by prescription
from a physician, but it has increased greatly the number of people
that are being tested and help taken a load off of other resources.
Physicians Regional has been testing, but they're also looking at
doing something like NCH.
March 24, 2020
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We are expecting other private labs to ramp up more in our area,
especially if we get those rapid testing kits, but that's going to be a
process.
And then responder testing. The federal government has set up
in the high-risk areas, like in Broward County, in Duval, and either
Hillsborough or Orange -- I need to double-check on that. But
they've set up, and they're doing across-the-board testing for first
responders and healthcare workers. When they first started the plan,
it was only going to be those people that were symptomatic, and they
were only going to do 250 a day, but in Broward they did 750 people
in just one day when they started.
So, they are going to be doing testing of all of the first
responders that come to them. But I want to stress that that is a pilot
in those areas of the state, and we've been told by ESF8 in
Tallahassee not to ask for more kits right now because they have zip,
zero, is what they said. Zip, zero. They're actually trying to put
together makeshift tests for those areas that are really running out.
Just one other thing. I borrowed from St. Louis Department of
Health a graphic explaining to the public about what is the difference
between social distancing and quarantine and isolation, because
they're hearing all these three come out from us, and sometimes it's
not clear what that means.
But social distancing, you want to reduce face-to-fact contact
with individuals, and that helps prevent the spread of disease. So you
should stay at home as much as possible. We don't have a
stay-at-home order in the state.
You want to give six feet of space from others, and you want to
work to minimize close contact with people; therefore, the guideline
of groups of 10 or less. It would be better if you're just talking about
your family, staying with them.
Quarantine has a person separate themselves in their living
March 24, 2020
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quarters, also keep six feet away, and have their food and necessities
delivered. But the whole purpose of quarantine is that you're not sick
yet, but we're keeping you in one place so, in case you become sick,
you do not infect others.
Isolation is even more stringent. You should be in one specific
area and stay away from everybody. Have your own room, if
possible, your own bathroom, if possible. And we know that you
have the disease, and we're trying to protect others from you.
For the worried well, CDC has implemented a symptom checker, and
you can go onto the Florida Health site for COVID-19,
FloridaHealthCOVID-19.gov and do "review symptoms." And so
you can put in your symptoms, and then there can be a
recommendation of whether you should have further medical
attention.
And that's all I have. Do you have questions?
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. In terms of going
through questions, let me just kind of call the roll of the Commission,
and we'll see if there are questions. Commissioner Fiala?
COMMISSIONER FIALA: No, I have none. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Commissioner Solis?
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: Yes. I have a couple of questions.
I've had an inquiry from a -- I guess a nurse who works at a senior
facility that needs to be tested in order to go back to w ork and is
having some difficulty actually getting the test performed. She has a
script but I guess is finding it difficult to have the test done. Is there
anything that's been set up for the testing for healthcare professionals
in an expedited way or anything like that? That's my first question.
MS. VICK: Well, she has a script. Has she tried to schedule or
go through the hospital for the testing?
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: She has, apparently, and, I guess,
has been unable to because they're -- you know, they're booked up
March 24, 2020
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every day. She's had a hard time doing that. Is that something that
she can contact your office about or --
MS. VICK: She certainly can contact us so we can try to help
her find a way to get tested and, if not, we can probably help wit h the
test. But, in general, we are only doing the highest risk people that
have been exposed. So we'll have to ask her questions and see what
her risk factors are. So --
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: I think the concern is is that it's a
requirement to go back to work in the senior living facility, and I
guess she can't get back to work until that gets done. So I just --
really in a general sense, she's asking whether or not there's -- there's
anything in particular that healthcare workers of some kind need to
do to get tested on an expedited basis.
MS. VICK: At this time, no, there's not. Also, the nursing
homes have been requiring the hospitals to test people to make sure
that they're negative for COVID before they transfer them from the
hospitals back to the nursing homes.
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: Right.
MS. VICK: And that's those who don't even -- weren't there for
COVID-19.
So, no, there is not a special setup for healthcare workers right
now. I can take it back and work with our community and see what
we can do to help.
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: Okay. Thank you. That's all I
have.
MS. VICK: Okay.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Commissioner Taylor.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Nothing. Thank you very much.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Commissioner McDaniel.
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: No. I'm fine as well. Thank
you.
March 24, 2020
Page 20
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. I do have a couple of
quick questions. I read in the newspaper this morning that NCH has
180 employees that now are separated. I'm not sure if they had a
positive test or if they just simply came in contact, but they do have
180 people that are quarantined. What is the prognosis in terms of
our healthcare providers? Are we looking at having a shortage here
in the very near future because of this, or are things pretty well in
hand in terms of our hospitals?
MS. VICK: Oh, the prognosis is that it's probably going to get
much worse. Those people that are isolated are there for, as you
heard me talking earlier, two to 14 days because of contact. We don't
have 180 positive cases anywhere in the county. So that would be
contact.
And we have to see if they end up being sick. So we can't take
the chance on the fact that they were infected and have them around
other patients. It's not only hospitals that are going to be affected by
this. It's probably first responders as well. And we have had some
situations where people are off, and we need to get them back to
work, but we have to wait for the prescribed amount of time.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Well, that was going to be my next
question was in terms of our first responders and whether or not
we've had any of them in isolation. I guess that's more of a question
for Mr. Ochs.
MR. OCHS: Yes, sir. Commissioners, we've had, I believe,
seven of our first responders do some self-isolation. None of those
are positive tests at this time. We're able to cover those shortages
with our temporary EMS employee bank. So we're full service right
now, sir.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. I have no other
questions. Thank you.
I think we have -- Mr. Summers, you have a presentation as
March 24, 2020
Page 21
well?
MR. OCHS: Commissioners, good morning. Just a couple of
updates, let me run through real quick. There's a couple of things I
do want to highlight.
As you would imagine, we continue to have day-to-day very
close communication and coordination with the Florida Division of
Emergency Management as well as our surrounding counties.
The state has stood up its strategy logistical supply center in
Orlando. That's now an around-the-clock operation. The Florida
Division of Emergency Management ordered very, very heavy, and
just like everybody else, we're finding some contractors who are not
delivering and some loads coming in late, but they're managing that.
The Guard is subsequently managing that distribution and shipment
out to the counties.
Because of the volume of requests, our Emergency Services
Center will be the central supply depot when these items come in,
and we'll get those out to our neighbors and partners when those
items do come in. The National Guard, as I mentioned, is doing that
heavy movement.
One of the things that I just want to highlight to you is that we
plan to move forward later this afternoon with a text notification only
in the Immokalee community just to heighten hand sanitation -- hand
sanitizing efforts. We're going to do that with a text message. We
can do that in three languages, and we have roughly about 1,000 to
2,000 contact points in Immokalee, and we just want to do that. It's
not a fear thing. It's just a reminder, because we're not seeing that
level of social distancing necessarily in Immokalee that we have seen
elsewhere, or there might be some information challenges.
The Health Department's done a phenomenal job in putting
handouts at the laundromat in different languages. Our health
department has resources. We've had video conferences. We've
March 24, 2020
Page 22
talked to our partner agencies up there, but we would like to take our
Alert Collier tools, put a little text message out there. We've been --
and just to try to remind folks a little bit about hand washing in
particular.
So, we think that will go well. We've worked on that with all of
our agency partners. It gives us a nice tool and puts a reminder out in
Immokalee.
Our work here continues with just an abundance of traffic, if you
will, for the Emergency Operations Center. These efforts remain the
same. These goals and objectives remain the same.
The last one, on the Stafford Act. Remember FEMA's in this
now in terms of logistics and also in terms of financial support. If
you didn't catch it yesterday, late yesterday afternoon Governor
DeSantis did make a request to FEMA for individual assistance
funding. Now, we don't know what that's going to look like, if it's
something like the FEMA registration individual a nd family grant
after a hurricane. Again, we don't know what that's going to look
like.
There's also been a request for an expanded SBA program,
Small Business Administration programming. There's also been a
request for expanded to the State Nutritional Assistance Program, or
SNAP, what we commonly refer to as food stamps. So the governor
has asked FEMA region for those additional Stafford Act provisions
that went in late yesterday. I don't have any information on it, but
certainly that will be -- if that is approved by FEMA as an expanded
level of FEMA resources in individual and family resources, we'll get
that out. So that's one we're monitoring closely.
We continue to work with local healthcare providers and PPE.
We have some inventory locally that we have been pushing out.
We've put out, out of our supply and with joint efforts with the
Health Department, about 26,000 masks in Collier County to those
March 24, 2020
Page 23
hospitals, first responders, nursing homes, while we're continuously
backfilling and making requests to the state. But we've not had any
acute PPE shortages with the exception of the secondary component
of that PPE, which is goggles or a face mask and gowns, as well as
gloves.
So the state's working on those, but at least what we had, we
have put out there with a reasonable level of allocation, not held
anything back, but putting those out because the guidance is to
monitor the burn rate, monitor the consumption rate so that we don't
let this sit idle; that we're actually moving this product based on
demand.
We've had good conversations with retail at the state level,
wholesalers; doing a really good job, I think. We're trying to remind
our friends that are shopping that you don't need to buy seven
months’ worth of commodities in one trip. We all know that's the
case. It's still going on. And we just remind folks, if you'll be a little
bit patient, slow down on the demand, excess demand a little bit, the
wholesale and retail supply will continue.
Dr. Patton and her team at the superintendent of schools has just
been awesome. The 27 meal sites are going to continue. She's
looking into some options down range for those services, and is -- I
don't want to speak for her but, obviously, she's doing a ton of great
things to keep the school -- keep the educational efforts moving
forward.
Just some general and accounting operations. I don't want to
read all of these to you, but just to let you know that we've posted
here a couple of -- a couple of interesting things here are Collier
County EMS working with Dr. Tober, working with our fire districts
and our law enforcement folks, looking at all types of things to
reduce exposure during patient contact, even use -- utilize resources
probably in the final implementation of some telemedicine, which is
March 24, 2020
Page 24
great, and it's an opportunity to put the paramedic or the responder
and a physician in direct contact quickly for additional discussions.
The bus routes and the fares that are being suspended.
And we want to thank Sean Callahan and his folks for putting a
lot of emphasis on small business resources that might be necessary.
They're doing a great job of posting and circulating that information
to our small businesses.
Cancellations are listed here as well -- we'll leave that up on the
screen just for a minute -- but things that you're already familiar with,
things that we've already posted, but we just wanted to consolidate
that listing for you.
Some business operation impacts. This was shared from the
County Manager's Office yesterday in terms of our ridership being
down. We have also maintained contact with the dialysis centers.
Everybody's doing okay in the dialysis operations where our para
transit provides a lot of support there.
County airport fuel sales are up. And we've -- again, you're
seeing the current occupancy rate as it stands right now and some
permitting statistics there as well.
We continue -- I just want to emphasize, too, we've also done
interviews at the low-power FM radio stations in Immokalee. Our
partners up there have been great. We've had a couple of conferences
with Immokalee working groups as well to continue to work on
strategy and tactics.
And, Sheriff, his team's been awesome with the message boards.
I plan to expand some of those message boards particularly in th ose
areas where the message boards are limited with -- not necessarily for
drivers but maybe for pedestrians where we can put multiple
language messages in. Sometimes that translation takes more
characters to get that message across, so we're going to lea n into
some additional messaging.
March 24, 2020
Page 25
I'll leave the -- this is just a reminder to everyone of the phone
numbers and resources that are available, and I'll stop and take your
questions at this point.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: We'll see if there are any questions.
We'll begin -- pardon me. Commissioner Fiala?
COMMISSIONER FIALA: I'm sorry I didn't un-mute in time.
No, no questions right now.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Commissioner Solis?
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: No, no questions for Dan. Thank
you.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Commissioner Taylor?
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Yes, I do.
Good morning, Mr. Summers.
You know, it's the rumor mill, but have you heard anything
about tanks moving across this state closing down the state? That's
my number one question. And then I have another one after that.
MR. SUMMERS: Yes, ma'am. Thank you. And we've been
struggling with that ourselves. The National Guard is deployed with
trucks that move supplies and equipment. In some cases the
guardsmen are using rental trucks to move supplies and equipment.
The State Emergency Operations Center continues to stress that
there are no military assets that are being moved that would give the
impression of security. There's no tanks. There's no heavy
armament. We've been reminded of that constantly. But it is very
common that we might be using some of their large vehicles just to
move pallets of material as well as guardsmen driving rental trucks.
So, again, that's just not the case.
We have learned that a lot of cases, if you'll right click on a
video or right click on a picture that comes up, you might be able to
find the date and time where that was recorded and -- for some
exercise or some other activities. So, again, we're running into that
March 24, 2020
Page 26
messaging ourselves and trying to curb that.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Thank you.
And my second question is, understanding it could change, but there
seems to be a statewide -- not a statewide, but certain individuals on
the state level of administrators or in the cabinet are calling for a
complete shutdown, shelter in place. Have you -- do you have any
sense on whether that's going to happen? I've heard our governor's
response, but I'm just curious what you've learned.
MR. SUMMERS: Well, from our state staff, our state partners,
and our coordination efforts at the state EOC, the governor's aide is in
those calls. We have, again, been told no immediate plans, no future
plans. We don't know of anything on the table. And this is a fluid
event. But we don't see anything on the table for a shelter-in-place
order from the governor. That's -- we ask that question every day,
and the question [sic] is no. We're monitoring that.
There are -- I am aware of one county that did it yesterday, and
that was Alachua County -- did it yesterday, and that certainly is a
local government option, but there is no direction or no mandate that
we are aware of at this hour from the governor.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Thank you very much.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Commissioner McDaniel.
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: Yeah. Just one quick
question. Dan, you mentioned early on in your slide about a text
messaging program in Immokalee. Could you further explain those
parameters, and what groups, what organizations are you actually
moving that information through?
MR. SUMMERS: Right, correct. We -- first of all, the text
messaging option was discussed at great length with Department of
Health, our staff, and partners in Immokalee. And through our Alert
Collier system, through our Everbridge system, we can send both a
voice message and a text message.
March 24, 2020
Page 27
In this particular case, because we are not asking for callbacks,
we're not polling them for information, we are going to send a text
that will -- both in -- it will be a very brief text in English, Spanish,
and Creole to say "monitor health conditions. Wash your hands." In
other words, something very, very simple to remind everyone to pay
attention to the info graphics that we've put at laundromats and
stores, the information being passed out by our nonprofits out there.
So what we're trying to do is just -- in that Immokalee
community where information we think is a little harder to get the
understanding, a little harder to get the penetration of that
information, we think a text message will be very appropriate later
this afternoon as a lot of the community returns from the fields, et
cetera. Just to raise that awareness. Not fear. Just to raise
awareness.
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: I think it's extremely prudent.
And is it going to be similar to the silver or Amber alerts that pop up
on our phones every once in a while? Are you going to be able to
force it to everybody, or is it through organizations?
MR. SUMMERS: No. Very good. We are able to force it in
this case on the cellular device because of the database that the state
bought, all mobile devices, about three months ago.
Now, I will say this: In this particular dataset it is assigned to
the ZIP code. So there might be some bleed in that -- messages
around Immokalee, but that's okay. We're going to focus on that ZIP
code with a text message in three languages just to bring awareness.
And, again -- we think we're going to let our radio station
partners know. We've talked to our 911 center, our 311 folks, just to
keep everybody appraised if there's any subsequent call demand. But
we don't think that's going to be the case at all. And, again, the goal
here is a gentle nudge to raise awareness.
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: Absolutely. Well -- and put
March 24, 2020
Page 28
forth information just to keep the information track coming from a
consistent source as opposed to a lot of the things that we're all seeing
and experiencing.
MR. SUMMERS: We've been very judicious in using this
system. We used it for the Everglades Boulevard detour construction
work the other day, and our phone starting ringing and people said
"thank you." And so that was a good-news item. So I think as --
with a judicious use of this kind of horsepower in this notification, I
think it will be helpful.
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: Very good.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Commissioner McDaniel, anything
else?
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: No. I'm fine, sir. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Okay. I do have a couple
questions. First, you mentioned Alachua County. Could you
reiterate what you -- what Alachua County has done? I missed part
of what you were saying.
MR. SUMMERS: Yes, sir. Alachua County did issue a
shelter-in-place local resolution. We saw it late yesterday. We have
shared that here. It is about 11 pages long. It has a lot of exemptions
there for essential emergency travel, essential worker travel, those
kinds of things. It is very comprehensive. I do not know the lay of
the land, so to speak, around Alachua and why they chose to do that.
I'm not familiar with their caseload. It was just shared as an
information sharing as we do with all 67 counties during these events.
So we have -- if it is considered by the governor or if it is
considered at some later date by this board, at least we have a model
that we could take a look at possibly.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Okay. I have a few more questions
for Dan Summers, but let me ask the County Attorney. In his view,
do counties have that legal authority? I don't know if Alachua
March 24, 2020
Page 29
County is a charter county that has more authority than non -charter
counties. And, perhaps -- if you don't know the answer to that,
perhaps you could have someone on your staff taking a look at how
Alachua County made that order.
MR. KLATZKOW: Well, Monroe County issued a similar
order. Look, it's -- you would issue it under your home rule powers
since it's none of your enumerated powers, and then have a
constitutional battle later if anybody challenged it.
There's simply no case law on this. This issue's never come up
before. You know, people are just taking matters in their own hands
being frustrated by what they perceive to be inaction by the governor.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Okay. I think that
answers my question in terms of the legal issue.
Then I had a couple other questions for Mr. Summers.
You indicated that our airport occupancy has increased. What is
the cause of that? Is that folks that are leaving areas there are --
leaving areas that are heavily impacted and coming to Collier
County, or is it just normal flow of traffic?
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: With due respect, Mr. Chairman,
I think I could answer that, because I did get a call from Chris
Rozansky. Now, I don't know anything about Lee, RSW. But Chris
Rozansky's the executive director at the Naples Airport, and he
indicated that it was folks that were leaving. And so it's the fuel sales
that are gone up because they're buying fuel. More folks are leaving
to go back home.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Okay. Dan, is that consistent as
well in terms of what you understand?
MR. SUMMERS: Yes, sir. That's my understanding, cor rect.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Okay. Next question I had was
we've done a lot of -- and I've had this conversation with Mr. Ochs.
We have closed everything that we can legally close. We do have
March 24, 2020
Page 30
our parks open, not for any organized play or anything, but just so
families could go out and have some recreation, have some place to
walk and that sort of thing. Do we need to take any further action --
and this is, I guess, a question for Mr. Ochs and Mr. Summers -- to
just shut down those parks?
MR. OCHS: Commissioner, we have two challenges in the
parks right now in terms of mass gatherings of more than 10 people
or social distancing, and it's not a regular event, but it occurs from
time to time, and that's on your athletic fields where we are seeing
quite a few people wanting to play pickup games of soccer, and also
on your hard courts where we have groups of people playing pickup
basketball games.
So, we're continuing monitoring that. We don't consider it
significant enough to warrant closing those right now. We have the
capability of closing off the athletic fields and/or the hard courts
without shutting down the parks totally. So that would allow walking
trails and other open space still available to the public. But those are
the two areas that we are continuing to monitor currently.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Okay. And then, Mr. Summers, in
terms of supply chains, my understanding is that supply chains to our
grocery stores are fully operational. And you mentioned this, but I
just want to reiterate it; get some clarification. Supply chains for our
grocery stores have not been interrupted, and in this country and in
this state there is plenty of food that is being distributed to grocery
stores and other outlets that distribute food. Is that an accurate
statement?
MR. SUMMERS: Yes, sir, it is. Based on all of our
conversations, the Florida Retail Wholesale Groceries Federation is
represented in the state EOC. We tracked down a concern for some
of the smaller grocers over the weekend, and it wound up just being a
computer glitch.
March 24, 2020
Page 31
So we have all indications that every -- all hands on deck, all
wheels are rolling, and that those supply chains are moving and
working to address the additional demand. Demand, particularly for
certain products, continues to outstrip the supply, but the supply
chain itself, all indications are it is solid and continues to move
forward.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Are we able to
communicate that to -- and I realize that we can put stuff on our web
page, and I assume that we are. Are we able to communicate this to
people so there's less panic buying?
MR. SUMMERS: Well, we're trying. I know that the Sheriff's
Office public information folks, we've talked about it, we've talked
about it on broadcast opportunities. We can certainly continue to try
to stress that. It's been a common message on social media as well.
We'll do our best to try to curb that.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Thank you. Are there
any other questions from commissioners?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right.
MR. OCHS: Mr. Chairman, this is the manager. If there's no
other questions for Mr. Summers, Sheriff Rambosk is here this
morning and would like an opportunity to address the Board and
respond to any questions you may have from a law enf orcement
standpoint, if that would be in order at this point.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Absolutely. And, again,
for members of the Commission, let's hear the presentation, and then
I'll go through the -- kind of roll call and call questions and
comments.
SHERIFF RAMBOSK: Good morning. Kevin Rambosk,
Collier County Sheriff.
I've just got a couple of points of information I think that might
March 24, 2020
Page 32
help you in the street that we're dealing with. One of the things that
you had asked was about first responder impacts. We actually did a
survey late yesterday, and we find that throughout the entire county,
fire rescue, EMS, and law enforcement, there are about 80 of their
agency members who are not at work because they are awaiting some
portion of a test result, and I'm going to get into that in a minute.
This has nothing to do with our public Health Department or our
EM Department. We have a lot of prevention efforts ongoing, as Dan
Summers had indicated. Our calls for service are normal for March.
Our accidents are down, and that is something that you would expect.
Domestic violence calls are up by 30 percent in the last week. I
mentioned last week that disturbances were rising over the weekend.
That is still occurring, but more so domestic violence. So we're
going to be addressing that as best that we can.
Like all over, we've had to address some of the governor's
orders. We have a plan in place specifically on how to address each
of them, over the weekend and over the last week, with regard to
restaurants that were closing or bars that were supposed to be closed.
We have a process where we either identify the location or we get a
complaint. We respond. We provide the governor's order. We
prepare a report.
I ask the public to remember, though, most of these restrictions
are based on licensing, not on law enforcement. So we prepare the
information, we provide that information to the DBPR at the state,
who does their licensing. We also had with us last week ABT, who is
alcohol and beverage control, that were in that were helping us with
the few sites that were open. At this point, as of this morning, we
have no further complaints or sites that we have observed with regard
to that.
Regarding our box stores and our public food stores, we have
rearranged hours of law enforcement to ensure that particularly the
March 24, 2020
Page 33
early hours with our at-risk populations who are now authorized to go
in and purchase food, we want to make sure that we're helping the
stores. And at this point, for example, we have 19 P ublixes in the
county, so we are at as many or all of them as we can in particularly
making sure the people that are authorized to be in are in.
I spoke with Mr. Rozansky also yesterday from the Naples
Municipal Airport where they had gotten the direction of people
flying in from out of state and how that affects private aircraft. We're
still getting legals on that. We will be working with him.
Again, the question is how would you identify and then how
would you enforce any kind of a -- even a self-isolation for two
weeks, so -- but we will look at it.
Each and every day we fly drones up the beach. I will tell you
that since the weekend everyone is pretty compliant with regard to
social distancing. The weekend we anticipate, particularly in the
south end by Keewaydin Island, that that will be busy. We're already
posting on our social medias throughout each of our organizations
that we will be out to ensure that nobody makes contact in a way they
should not.
There has been some media that has actually advocated for
boating during this time. Boating is fine if you're limiting the number
of people and you're separating. But you can't tie 100 boats up
together and, you know, have your normal weekend. So we're
continuing with that.
I will tell you, though, that most of the community is very
supportive. They're very compliant. Those few that are not, we're
trying to inform and educate as best we can. We will continue to do
that.
We're also working -- for Keewaydin Island, we're working with
FWC, because they have state authority there, and we're going to be
out there with them this weekend.
March 24, 2020
Page 34
I think that's it for most of the update. So I'm going to go off a
little out of the law enforcement, and this is probably where I get in
trouble. But this past weekend we believe that there needed to be
more testing of doctors, nurses, first responders than we have test kits
for. And, again, this has nothing to do with our public Health
Department here. It has to do with the inability to get test kits.
We started making contact with our legislators and identify the
fact that, you know, while we don't have the density of population
that the East Coast had, if you looked at our numbers per capita last
week, we were extremely high even though we had a lesser n umber
of cases.
So the second thing is our doctors, our nurses, our first
responders cannot help people if we're not cautious with them. So,
you know, we're asking, listen, if you call 911 or you go to the
hospital, any one of these professionals will help you without
question, but please don't call, or when you call, if you let us know
that you have some kind of symptoms, then we can address it
correctly. For example, we try not to go in a building or a house. We
ask that the party come out, out into open air. Very simple things.
Don't get to the point where we're sitting in a home and saying,
oh, yeah, and, by the way, I think I'm infected, you know, because
my brother-in-law was tested, and I was with him on a cruise, you
know, in Malaysia last week. We need the help of people for all of
us to do that.
We need to continue to press the state and national government
for test kits. And, you know, the health director and I, even last
night, had conversations with how do we turn around our kits and our
people once they've passed that threshold? Because, again, you
know, you could test the next day if we think we've had a contact, but
we're not going to get a result. So we're trying to ensure that, but we
can't have a seven- to 10-day turnaround at a commercial lab out in
March 24, 2020
Page 35
California, because that's what is putting these 80 people out of work,
and hopefully they will come back negative. So we've not been able
to use much of them.
So from that perspective, I'll just leave it with I want to
recognize and thank the doctors, nurses, and medical staff, fire
rescue, EMS, and all of law enforcement who are going into these
situations at their own risk for all of this.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Let me go through the --
see if there are any questions. And you'll notice there's a little bit of a
pattern to this. I always start out of with Commissioner Fiala with
District 1. So, Commissioner Fiala.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Okay. I have no questions. I
thought that was very interesting, though, to hear all th at he has to
say and also how it compares with and extends from Dan Summers.
Thank you.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Commissioner Solis?
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: Nothing for the Sheriff, thank you,
but I have one question for the County Manager.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Why don't we go
through the Sheriff first, and we'll get back to general questions.
Commissioner Taylor?
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Yes. No questions. Thank you
very much, though, Sheriff Rambosk, for those final words. I think
they're very important. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Commissioner
McDaniel?
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: No questions, and I just want
to also thank our sheriff for the above and beyond the call of duty.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. And I just have one
question in terms of, is there anything that you -- and you would have
done this, I'm assuming. But is there anything that you want from the
March 24, 2020
Page 36
County Commission in terms of helping your operations at this point?
SHERIFF RAMBOSK: No, there's nothing here. I think I
would, though, be remiss if I didn't recognize Dan Summers,
Emergency Management, and our Health Director, Stephanie Vick.
That was it.
Thank you.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Commissioner Solis,
you had a question for the manager.
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: Yes.
Mr. Manager, I got an email that the city has now physically
closed all of its parks. I was just wondering if that would, you know,
create any other concern in terms of having our parks open.
I guess my concern is, like we experienced with the beaches, as
Lee County closed their beaches and Naples closed their beaches,
then we had -- at least it's my understanding we had more people
showing up at Vanderbilt Beach, for example. And so I'm just
wondering if that's going to be a concern, or are we going to monitor
that to make sure that if it does become a concern and it becomes an
issue that we can take action?
Thank you.
MR. OCHS: Yes, sir. I just saw that same post, and you are
correct. The obvious concern is that the people will -- from the city
will begin to migrate into the county parks and create numbers that
are outside of the guidance from the CDC and the state health
department.
So we're going to monitor that, and if we need to take action, I'll
do that in consultation with our public health director and with the
Chairman, and that goes for our public boat ramps as well.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Commissioner Solis, any
other questions for the manager at this point?
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: No, that's all I have.
March 24, 2020
Page 37
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Mr. Ochs, I believe we
have some additional presentations, or does that conclude -- oh, I
think you wanted to go through some of the economics issue.
MR. OCHS: Yes, sir. I've asked Mr. Isackson to step forward
and spend just a couple minutes to speak briefly about impacts to date
and projected impacts on your budget and financial operations.
Mark?
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Commissioner Saunders, do you
think that -- is the Sheriff still in the building right there?
MR. OCHS: Yes. He's here, Commissioner.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Yeah, I'd love to ask a question that
I didn't ask at the time about his statistic about 30 percent of domestic
violence just in this past week, has risen 30 percent, and, of course,
the more people that are hemmed up there, I guess, they take their
anger out on somebody in the house. And is there something that we
can do about that?
SHERIFF RAMBOSK: Commissioner, this is Kevin Rambosk.
We are actually looking at our internal functions to do some
more prevention work. I'm going to be contacting the Shelter and
Linda Oberhaus today and see what opportunities there might be
between law enforcement and the shelter.
But what we really ought to do is just engage the community
and tell everybody to relax and, before they lose it, to engage in
something else. Pick up a book. Think about something else. But
we are going to look at what we can do without making direct
contact.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Thank you very much.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right, Commissioner.
Okay. Mr. Ochs, if Mr. Isackson could begin his presentation.
MR. OCHS: Yes, sir.
MR. ISACKSON: Good morning, Commissioners. For the
March 24, 2020
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record, Mark Isackson.
The County Manager asked me to talk a few minutes about
where we're at financially in the midst of this COVID-19 virus.
For 15-and-a-half years, our financial structure has been evolving and
has hardened to the point where I sleep pretty good at night when
we -- we're asked to take on these types of situations, whether it's a
hurricane or something more specific like this COVID-19.
There are two key cornerstones of that. The first is liquidity,
and the second is budget flexibility, both of which are of paramount
importance and both of which are solid right now in the organization.
The key thing right now is to predict what type of tail we're going to
have with this thing. Is it going to be three months? Six months? A
year? I have no idea.
On a liquidity standpoint, the General Fund is solid with about
210 million in cash in the bank, 51.2 million in reserves. So I feel
very confident from a general governmental standpoint that we'll be
able to deal with this and deal with it fairly expeditiously if the need
arises.
Of course, we're also trying to protect our year-end cash, and we
will do that by various mechanisms. These aren't new to this virus.
They do -- we do this on a regular basis, which is monitor our
operating expenses, specifically things like fuel and travel, and things
of that nature.
And we also take a look at our capital expenditures and claw
back where necessary and prudent and, certainly, based on our level
of expenditures, the privatization that we're doing and our execution
patterns.
Just for some historical reference, during the Great Recession or
the four-year period between '9 and -- '08/'09 and '11/'12, we lost, on
a sales tax basis annualized, about 24 percent during that four-year
period; 6 percent annualized. Same thing with state-shared revenues.
March 24, 2020
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And those are the two areas where we think will be some degradation
over the course of the next few months. But, again, given our
liquidity and our budget flexibility, I feel very confident that we'll
handle any type of downturn.
Gas taxes are another issue. Tourist taxes are another issue.
And I've got a couple of slides that I'll throw up that deal with that.
First, Mr. Ochs, on the local option infrastructure sales tax, we have
cash to date of about 93 million. That's offset by about 88 million in
invalidated projects. You can see the projects that are started or
ready to start on the second bullet point and, of course, the third one,
out of an abundance of caution, it's probably wise not to submit any
new projects to the advisory committee until we get a little bit clearer
picture on the economic and fiscal landscape.
On a tourist development tax side, if I can, the -- talking with
folks in my office, with Mr. Callahan, that deal directly here, we're
trending right now above budget by 1.8 million, but that's going to
buffer a downturn over the next couple of months, if not more. Right
now -- you're going to know a lot in April and in May when we get
the receipts for March and April of the prior months of where we're
at. But we're going to probably have a year-end forecast of about
22 million. That's on a budget of 27 million. That's about 80 percent
of the budget. It probably will go lower than that.
But I want to mention to the Board that we have a -- we have a
family of TDC funds. There's eight or nine funds that -- combined
that make up our tourist development tax funds. The Capital Fund
cash in those two big funds, they're 65.3 million, and you've got
reserves of 46.9 million. If you remember back when the oil spill hit,
this board took action by resolution and moved money from the
Capital Funds to the marketing aspect of it by -- and that dollar value
was about one-and-a-half million dollars.
The Board would have that same flexibility if it deemed
March 24, 2020
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necessary, and those recommendations will be brought forth, if it's
required, down the road to see where we're at on the -- on the
operating side.
But I know Mr. Callahan has been talking with Mr. Wert about
shutting down some of the operations on the operating side, so some
of that may be necessary, but some of it may not be. But the Board
should be -- should take great comfort in knowing that they have
flexibility. You'll be able to move the money where it's necessary.
And that not only goes for our tourist development taxes, our other
family of funds, our general governmental side and on the utilities
side.
Again, I think we're positioned smartly and nicely to handle this
type of a situation. We think it's going to be short term, but if it's not,
it's not, and we'll deal with it as best we can.
Those are my remarks.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Commissioner Fiala, do
you have any questions or comments?
COMMISSIONER FIALA: No, I don't. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Commissioner Solis.
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: No questions. Thanks.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Okay. And, Commissioner
Taylor?
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: No questions. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: And, Commissioner McDaniel.
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: Nor I.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right.
MR. OCHS: Mr. Chairman, this is the manager. I will just
mention while we're talking about finances -- and the Board had
asked us at the last Board meeting to share the emergency
compensation measures that our agency put in place with the other
constitutional officers, which we did last Wednesday. They've all
March 24, 2020
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received that.
Ms. Kinzel and I have talked about that a little bit. And
subsequent to those local measures, of course, the Congress passed
and the President signed the Family First Coronavirus Response Act
recently that goes into effect April 2nd. So we will be layering those
requirements and benefits on top of our local compensation rules to
make sure that we're keeping our workforce as whole as we can.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. I've got just a couple
questions or issues with Mr. Isackson in terms of his presentation,
and this is really kind of a question for the -- for you, Mr. Ochs, and
the County Attorney and Mr. Isackson.
There was a suggestion that there would be no authorization of
new projects going forward. I would agree with that completely. I
don't think we need any action from the Board. I would assume that
the commission members would agree with that and, if necessary, we
can take a vote on that.
But do you need any action from us on issues such as no new
projects to be explored on -- obviously, our advisory board's not
going to be meeting anyway, so that might be difficult even if we
wanted to do a new project, but no new projects with the one -cent
sales tax until further notice. Is that something that you would need
official action from the Board on?
MR. OCHS: No, sir, I don't. We're just expressing that that's
our intention not to bring any new projects forward to the committee,
which is the first step towards authorizing budget allocation of those
projects. So we will follow that directive until further directives
come from the Board. But I don't need anything further at this point.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Does anyone on the
Commission have any comment or feel -- does everyone feel
comfortable with no new projects and have the manager make that
determination down the road? Is that okay with everybody?
March 24, 2020
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COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: Yes.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Yep.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Okay here.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Okay.
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: Yes.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. So I think the manager
has the authority to do as outlined, and there will be no new projects
at least for the short term.
And, Mr. Isackson, in terms of the ongoing project that we have
at the Sports Complex, we bonded about 60 percent of that one-cent
number. And, from what you've said, we have no problem in terms
of making all of our debt payments and moving forward with those
types of projects that are in the pipeline from what you explained; is
that accurate? Is that correct?
MR. ISACKSON: That's correct, sir.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Is there anything that
you need from us at this point, or have you got all the authority you
need?
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: That's an open-ended
question.
MR. ISACKSON: I'll resist. No. Sir, we're good on my shop.
We're in close contact with the County Manager's side. So we're -- I
think we're good to go.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right.
Mr. Ochs, anything else in terms of a presentation?
MR. OCHS: No, sir.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Let's -- I think at this
point, let's open it up to the Commission in terms of general
comments, requests, or suggestions as we go forward.
Commissioner Fiala, do you have any comments in terms of the
COVID-19 issue and the positions that the county has taken at this
March 24, 2020
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point?
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: What about the hearing?
COMMISSIONER FIALA: No. No, I don't. I think we need to
do all this stuff, and I just -- I worry about what's going to happen
with people as they get angrier and angrier, but at least they don't
have the COVID. And so, you know, one kind of wipes out the
other.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Commissioner Solis?
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: No, no real comments other than
just to urge everybody to take it seriously, and everyone, I mean by
the general public, just to take this seriously and think of your
neighbors first. I mean, that seems to be the biggest concern I have
just seeing people that don't appear to be taking this seriously and
don't seem to have much regard for not necessarily them getting it but
transmitting it to somebody that is in the high-risk zone. So I would
just urge the public to take it seriously. And we each have to do our
part.
Thank you.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Commissioner Taylor?
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: No, no comments. Well said,
Commissioner Solis.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Commissioner
McDaniel?
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: Yes. Just as a -- if we're
going to go along these, I just -- you know, from an informational
standpoint, I caution folks to be aware of your datasets and your
information input as to where you get it and make sure that you get it
from those of authority.
I'm seeing all kinds of organizations popping up with all kinds
of information that's causing a significant amount of discourse, and I
think, irrespective of who you are, where you feel -- what you feel,
March 24, 2020
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there's no argument that we just don't have enough data. Our sheriff
specified that today with the test results, and I think without data,
we're into a long period of supposition.
I do have one Publix -- Publix service announcement. My aide
Sue traveled to a Publix yesterday or the day before and found what
she perceived to be as price gouging going on at a Publix store, and
I'm quite close friends with a manager. And I asked -- at a different
store. I ascertained that the individual stores do not -- the managers
do not have their own pricing capacity.
So I urge folks, while you're doing your shopping, if you see
something that's extraordinary or out of the ordinary with regard to
pricing, ask -- get a store official and ask about that.
My friend, who is a manager of a Publix store, says the
shipments are coming. It's very difficult sometimes for them to get
the proper item behind the right sign and shared several instances.
So if you see something that's out of the ordinary -- out of the
ordinary, please ask an official there just to ratify that that's, in fact,
the case. And, of course, if you do see instances of price gouging --
because there's a lot of people taking advantage of circumstances --
let us know as well.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. I want to open up a bit of
a controversial discussion, and let me preface it by saying I'm very
concerned about the infection rate that Sheriff Rambosk mentioned.
We had a -- we don't have a large number, but in terms of the rate
itself, it's rather high. I'm also concerned that we have 180 healthcare
providers at NCH, at Naples hospital, that are awaiting test results,
and we know we're going to have more of our healthcare providers
that are going to have to be sequestered for the 14-day period.
And so I want to raise the issue of whether or not we should
consider -- not necessarily the same type of action that was taken by
Alachua County, because, you know, that's a county operating on its
March 24, 2020
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own, but whether or not we should have conversations with our
neighboring county, with Lee County, and request from the governor
that we be given the same authority that was given to Dade and
Broward County, an executive order, I believe it was 70-20, dealing
with giving Broward and Dade County the ability to close
nonessential businesses. And there's a whole list of businesses that
are considered essential.
So, I want to raise that question with the Commission. It would
be a very drastic step for us to take, but at the same time I think that
we're living in times where drastic measures are necessary. And if
we do the right things I think we'd look back and feel comfortable
that we did what we could to protect our citizens.
So, what they did in Dade and Broward Counties is the two
counties came together and asked the governor for authority to
essentially close nonessential businesses. What they did in Alachua
County is they simply, under their home rule powers, took that
action.
So, my question to the Commission is your feelings concerning
taking one of these two actions at this point. If there's any comments
from the commissioners, I think this would be a good time to engage
in this conversation.
Commissioner Fiala.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: I'm thinking a lot about this, and I
don't -- I don't know. I don't think it's -- our numbers have increased,
yes, but not exponentially, and maybe we should just hold tight for
another week and see how it goes rather than just jump off the deep
end.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Yeah, okay.
Commissioner Solis?
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: I have the same concerns,
Commissioner Saunders. I think that at least starting the
March 24, 2020
Page 46
conversation in the event that the numbers go up exponentially that
we at least have prepared and we can take that action if we need to
very quickly, and I think it's just like the situation with the spring
breakers and the beach. We really need to do this regionally, I think,
to make it make sense, or else everybody will be going to Lee County
or vice versa for whatever things they need or they think they need.
So, I would be in favor of at least starting that conversation with
our neighbors and then maybe bringing that final decision when we
see what happens in another week or so.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. So just so I understand,
Commissioner Solis, you would support having our manager or
having me talk directly to the Chairman of the Lee County
Commission to get their read on proceeding as they did in Dade and
Broward Counties, get that authority to close our nonessential
businesses potentially, but then in one week come back, or at some
point in time come back to the Commission for authority to pull the
trigger and ask for the opinion or the authorization; is that accurate?
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: Yes, that's correct. Thanks.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Commissioner Taylor?
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: I will agree with Commissioner
Solis. I don't have any problem opening the door and talking to the
other -- to Lee County. I have a great, great concern about the
economic toll of this virus on the community. And so I would -- I
would caution my colleagues to move very carefully and slowly in
this.
At some point -- at some point personal responsibility has to
play into this. And so given that, I would agree that you could start
the conversation, but I do want the public to know that at no point are
we even voting on this at this point. This is an important topic we
have to explore, but at this point we're not moving forward.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Commissioner
March 24, 2020
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McDaniel.
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: And I would concur along the
lines of what Commissioner Taylor said. The -- as I stated earlier,
we -- having these discussions to find out from a regional basis what
is prudent or not is fine. But we just don't have enough data
irrespective of what your -- what your personal opinion is, the
information that is available to date, we are already seeing -- as
Stephanie shared, we're seeing an increase in the amount of positive
cases, and that's almost virtually in direct connection with the amount
of test kits that have been made available, and we know that there is,
in fact, a shortage test kits.
So, I'm cautious as well. Having communications is a fine thing
to do. But without further data, I'm hesitant on pursuing anything
without having the necessary information.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. So let me kind of
summarize, make sure that I understand what I think the majority of
the Board is saying and maybe everybody on the Board is saying.
We're going to authorize the manager and also authorize the
Chairman of the Collier County Commission, myself, to have
conversations with the Chairman of the Lee County Commission and
the Lee manager to at least begin the discussion of whether or not
having a regional shutdown of nonessential businesses makes sense
at some point based on data, and that would come back to both the
Lee County Commission, if they work with us on this, and would
come back to our commission to make that decision going forward.
We could have that decision made when we have sufficient data to
justify any further action. Is that -- is that pretty accurate as to what I
think we're saying? And I'll go down the list here.
Commissioner Fiala, is that essentially --
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Pretty accurate, except I love the
words that Penny Taylor said, and that was we have to take personal
March 24, 2020
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responsibility as well. And, you know, I don't think we're seeing
enough of that. People do take a lot of personal responsibility. And I
think if we're doing that, we're also conscientious about other people,
and that's an important thing. I think if people did more of that,
taking personal responsibility and staying in when they can and so
forth -- but not being forced to, because that leaves a bad impression,
mentally, to people, and then they want to fight that. So "personal
responsibility" was good wording. So that's all my comments are.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Commissioner Solis,
was that a fairly accurate presentation in terms of where you are in
terms of some additional communications here and potentially
moving forward if necessary?
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: Yes, it is. And I share
Commissioner Taylor and Commissioner McDaniel's concerns,
obviously, with the economy. But I think we need to be prepared.
So at least preparing ourselves if it's required is, I think, a prudent
thing to do. So, yes, I'm in agreement with the way you described it.
Thanks.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Commissioner Taylor
and Commissioner McDaniel, I think both of you have pretty much
said the same thing. Commissioner Taylor, is that correct?
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Yes. Yes, it is. And I think if
we're going to put any kind of statement on the record, sir -- and I
would ask that you do this at the very end. I would ask you word
to -- use the word "explore" rather than, you know, talk to them about
a shutdown. Explore. I think it's very important that we keep our
public messaging consistent and not to alarm businesses who
basically are watching their customer numbers dwindle as we are
sitting here.
Thank you.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. And, Commissioner
March 24, 2020
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McDaniel --
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: I agree with that as well.
Commissioner Fiala and Commissioner Taylor brought it up earlier.
There's an enormous amount of personal responsibility that travels
along with these discussions. And you heard our sheriff speak earlier
about things that are going on in the boating community and parties
on the beach and off access areas that people can't just walk to. Folks
need to really, really pay attention to the CDC recommendations and
our health department recommendations to the social distancing and
the proper behavioral actions that will help lower the curve. It's the
end goal with this whole process. So it's a -- it is a personal
responsibility.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. I'm going to make a
motion, and I'll try to articulate this as clearly as possible. And the
rationale for me making the motion, quite frankly, is that -- some of
the statistics that are coming out in Florida's total infection rate,
Collier County's infection rate, and the fact that we're not able to do
all the testing that's necessary with the numbers of people, 180
healthcare providers in isolation, and 80 of our first responders
already awaiting test results, I'd like to make a motion that the
County Manager and the Chairman of the County Commission
explore with our neighbors the issue of a potential regional request to
the governor for authority to shut down nonessential businesses, if
our county commission at a future meeting determines that it is
necessary to do that based on data.
As part of that motion, the County Manager would be directed to
prepare the necessary documentation for this so he would have it in
hand and could release it as requested by the County Commission in
a future vote to do this; that we're not making a decision other than to
be prepared if the data supports that type of an action. So I would
make that motion.
March 24, 2020
Page 50
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: Second.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. We have a second. I
believe that was Commissioner Solis.
Let me just kind of call the roll. This is an important issue, and I
want to make sure that everybody provides votes on the record.
Commissioner Fiala?
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Yes, I'll agree.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Commissioner Solis --
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: Yes.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: -- seconded the motion.
Commissioner Taylor?
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Yes.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: And, Commissioner McDaniel?
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: Yes.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: And I obviously support it. So that
motion passes unanimously.
So, Mr. Ochs, you and I will have additional conversations
about moving forward with our conversations and exploration with
Lee County. County Attorney has some direction to prepare
documentation that would be necessary for immediate passage if the
County Commission elects to move forward with this in a future
meeting.
Anything else on COVID-19 before we move to the regular
agenda?
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: I think I would like Ms. Vick to
come up again and reiterate the most vulnerable age of the population
for fatality, please.
MS. VICK: Okay. We're talking about those who are most at
risk are those that are age 60 and over with comorbid conditions such
as heart disease, kidney disease, lung disease, COPD, and then other
individuals who have immunocompromising conditions, same
March 24, 2020
Page 51
conditions that I just talked about, but then there are other things that
young children may have that put them at greater risk.
And just -- I did not cover that when I was up here, but I just
wanted you to know that the range of cases in Collier County range
from age 17 up to 90.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Thank you very much. Thank
you.
MS. VICK: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Anything else from the
Commission on this topic?
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Our sheriff is -- would like to
speak, with all due respect, Mr. Chairman.
SHERIFF RAMBOSK: I just thought it would be important to
add something after the discussion.
I completely concur with the direction that you are headed.
There is certainly a balance for the sustainability of our community
moving forward with regard to business and health.
And, you know, we've had a long history of good public
engagement to lower the crime rate. So we are working on
re-messaging right now and reengaging, and I think it goes right to,
Commissioner Taylor, what you indicate about public responsibility.
Between now and the next meeting that we have, I will let you
know what we've been able to do to engage the community to make
sure that they're protecting themselves and, therefore, protecting the
community and your first responders as well as maintaining as much
of the stability of our community as we can.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Thank you, Sheriff.
In terms of the next meeting and that sort of thing, we can have
a discussion of that as we conclude our meeting under commission
communication. But I just want everybody to be aware that we may
March 24, 2020
Page 52
have to call emergency meetings, frankly, at a day's notice if
necessary or even quicker -- more quickly than that. Since all of us
are here in town and no one's traveling overseas here, I'm sure we can
get a quorum over the phone and in person if necessary as needed.
So just everybody be aware that we may need to call a quick meeting
if the data begins to justify that.
With that, let's move on to the regular agenda. Mr. Manager, I
believe we only have that one item, and Mr. Davies was about to
make a presentation.
MR. OCHS: Yes, sir. Before we go to that, I just want to make
sure we don't have anyone registered under Item 7, which is public
comments on general topics not on the current or future agenda.
Mr. Miller, anyone registered?
MR. MILLER: I have no registered speakers, Mr. Ochs.
MR. OCHS: Thank you, sir.
Item #8A
RESOLUTION 2020-64: THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A
CONDITIONAL USE TO ALLOW ENCLOSED SELF-STORAGE
WAREHOUSING WITHIN A GENERAL COMMERCIAL (C-4)
ZONING DISTRICT PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.03.03.D.1.C.24
OF THE COLLIER COUNTY LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE
FOR A 2.52+/- ACRE PROPERTY LOCATED ON THE
SOUTHEAST CORNER OF VALLEY STREAM DRIVE AND
TAMIAMI TRAIL E., IN SECTION 19, TOWNSHIP 50 SOUTH,
RANGE 26 EAST, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA.
[PL20190000563] – ADOPTED
MR. OCHS: Commissioners, that moves us, then, to Item 8A,
which was previously Item 17E on your summary agenda. This item
March 24, 2020
Page 53
does require ex parte disclosure be provided by commission
members, and all participants are required to be sworn in.
This is a recommendation to approve a resolution of the Board
of County -- excuse me -- of Zoning Appeals of Collier County,
Florida, providing for the establishment of a conditional use to allow
enclosed self-storage warehousing within a general commercial C-4
zoning district pursuant to the Collier County Land Development
Code for a 2.52-plus-or-minus acre property located on the southeast
corner of Valley Stream Drive and Tamiami Trail East.
Mr. Chairman, ex parte disclosure by commission members
would be in order at this time.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. We'll go through the list.
Commissioner Fiala, ex parte disclosures?
MR. OCHS: Commissioner Fiala?
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Oh. Did you --
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Yeah. We're just on ex parte
disclosures on this item.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Yeah. That's what I'm trying to tell
you. I'm sorry. The people that are -- the petitioners came into my
office and talked to me about this, so that would be one. I don't
remember their names, to be perfectly honest with you. I've also
talked with the East Naples Civic Association about it. I've talked
with some friends in this area who live right around there also. So
that's -- that's about all.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Commissioner Solis.
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: Yes. I had a meeting with
Mr. Davies and Mr. Vanasse on behalf of the applicant.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Commissioner Taylor.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: No, no contact. I'm familiar
with the site, but no contact.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Commissioner McDaniel.
March 24, 2020
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COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: Yes. I've had emails and
meetings regarding the project.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: And I've had nothing but emails in
reference to the project. That would be my total disclosure.
Mr. Ochs, we're ready to proceed with the swearing in of the
witnesses and taking testimony.
MR. OCHS: Yes, sir. We have a notary in the room to swear
the witnesses, if she'd do that, please.
MR. KLATZKOW: Yes, it's Jessica Hayes, H-a-y-e-s, for the
record.
(The speakers were duly sworn and indicated in the affirmative.)
MR. OCHS: We'll proceed with the applicant at this point.
MR. DAVIES: Thank you, Mr. Ochs.
Good morning again, Commissioners. Noel Davies with the law
firm of Quarles & Brady. I represent the applicant, 5135 Developers,
LLC.
We do appreciate the opportunity to address the Commission
today, as our client and transportation engineer have traveled from
the East Coast this morning. We welcome Commissioner Fiala's
questions and comments and are happy to answer them.
A bit of background first. This is a conditional-use application
for a self-storage facility in the C-4 zoning district.
I have on the visualizer an aerial of the subject property. It is a
currently vacant two-and-a-half-acre site at the southeast corner of
the East Trail and Valley Stream Drive just down the Trail past
Rattlesnake.
We did hold our neighborhood information meeting. There
were no objections. We have very minimal impacts on our
neighbors. We received a unanimous recommendation of approval
from the Planning Commission, and staff is also recommending
approval.
March 24, 2020
Page 55
I've placed on the visualizer a rendering of the proposed
building. As you can see, it is a very aesthetically pleasing
architectural design. The building is designed to look like a Class A
office building. It really is a much nicer, higher-end look than some
of the other self-storage facilities.
I have with me today Patrick Vanasse, our Certified Planner
with RWA Engineering; Susan O'Rourke, our Transportation
Engineer; and also our client representative, Mr. Zurita. We do
believe we have met all of the conditional-use criteria in your Land
Development Code and are respectfully requesting your vote of
approval.
With respect to Commissioner Fiala's specific questions, we
have asked our clients to consider a retail or restaurant use on the first
floor. The client respectfully declines to do that. The client is a
self-storage developer. They're not in the retail or restaurant
business, and they do see the market demand for the self -storage use
at this particular site.
Also, we are not located within any of the self-storage clusters
along the East Trail. There is plenty of additional commercial
opportunity as well on the East Trail.
And at this time I'd like to invite Patrick Vanasse to tell you a
little bit more about that piece of this.
Patrick.
MR. VANASSE: Good morning. For the record, Patrick
Vanasse, Certified Planner with RWA.
I'm going to keep this sort. I'm going to address some of the
comments that were brought up by Commissioner Fiala, and I'm
going to talk about compatibility issues, which is the crux of a
conditional-use review and approval.
So, with regards to the location of the property, the property is
located within C-4 zoning district and also within an activity center.
March 24, 2020
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So as you know, the activity centers are areas where we've identified
the potential for multiple diverse uses and also higher density and
intensity of uses in those areas. So from a site location standpoint,
we believe this is an appropriate site, a good site for this proposed
use.
With regards to height, the building as you can see on the
illustrator, is designed to look like a three-story building. It is four
stories. It's -- the architects have played some visual tricks to make it
look smaller, and they -- you know, our client puts effort and money
into making their buildings very attractive. The allowed height in
that zoning district is 75 feet, and the proposed zone height is 46 feet.
With regards to adjacent properties, we are surrounded by
commercial uses to the north of us. To the west we have U.S. 41.
Beyond that, all commercial zoning. Most of it is vacant currently.
To the south of us we have a 100-foot canal and an assisted
living facility, and to the east of us we have a condo building called
El Capistrano. We reached out to the association very early in the
process. We met with representatives of the association. They
support our project. They also understand that alternative uses that
could come in by right within C-4. And, as you know, C-4 is an
intensive commercial zoning district.
Some of the uses that could go in there by right today are
fast-food restaurants, a gym, a pharmacy. So those are all high -traffic
type of uses with a lot more of an impact. They do like the fact that
this is very low impact; very low trips are generated from this site.
We've also made efforts to design the site in such a way where
there won't be any light intrusion. We're committed to using Dark
Skies lighting fixtures. Our buffer to the east where we have the
residential, we voluntarily committed to put a masonry wall on top of
the landscaping that's required by code.
We meet all code requirements. We are asking for no
March 24, 2020
Page 57
deviations. We meet all Comp Plan requirements.
Also, there was a question with regards to the fit of the building
on this property. As I said, we meet all development standards, all
dimensional standards. We have room for our water management
system that will be maintained and retained on site and treated on
site.
There was also mention of the roadway. The site is designed
where the majority of the traffic is entering off of U.S. 41. We have a
circular driveway where people enter at the easternmost point and can
circle back around. We don't anticipate that. We think that only
very, very few people will actually use the roadway beyond our
facility. We think that people will access it via 41 and will exit via
41.
And I think that touches upon most of the issues with regards to
some of the comments that were brought up. Also, what I'd like to
touch upon is some of these meetings that we've had. We had our
neighborhood information meeting. It was attended. We didn't have
much of a crowd. I think we probably had 20 to 30 people at the
most. We had some questions. We had no opposition. Again, we
had some people voice support for the project.
We also have received no calls from any of the residents. My
understanding is that staff has not received any objection also, either
emails or phone calls, and we have also made an effort to reach out to
the civic association. We met with their president, and what he
relayed to us was he would -- if he had any concerns, he would voice
those and bring those forward.
Lastly, with regards to issues regarding the use in the corridor, I
have two exhibits that I'd like to put on the illustrator. The first
exhibit comes from the 2018 study that was done by Johnson
Engineering. It was associated with certain types of uses along this
corridor. And what we've done is we've taken that exhibit produce d
March 24, 2020
Page 58
by Johnson. We annotated that. We identified our subject property
in blue where we've got the blue star.
There's been discussion of possibly limiting and creating a
buffer between these facilities and avoiding clusters. The separation
that was brought up was a quarter of a mile. And what we show here
that -- we show that the closest facility similar to ours is 1.6 miles,
and that most of them are several miles away.
Also, we demonstrate that while there are a few clusters of
self-storage uses, we are not in close vicinity to any of those clusters.
This exhibit is also taken from the Johnson report. What you see here
is all the properties in red are zoned commercial, and all the
properties with yellow outlines are vacant commercial zoning
properties.
So with regards to potentially displacing other commercial uses
or minimizing opportunities for other commercial uses, as you can
see from this map there is a lot of vacant commercial in the area.
There is not only vacant commercial on smaller lots, but across the
street from us we have the Sabal Bay PUD where most of that
commercial is currently vacant. And also, just at the corner of
Rattlesnake Hammock, for example, is an existing commercial site
where the Sears used to be. So that's a large box type of commercial
opportunity where it's underutilized and looking for tenants right
now. So from the standpoint of that commercial opportunity, we
don't think we're impeding upon any other potential businesses. We
think there's plenty of commercial in the area.
So with that said, we'll take on any questions you may have.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Let's see if there are any
questions from the Commission.
Commissioner Fiala?
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Yeah. Just one quick one.
Patrick, thank you for your presentation. I know that we have a
March 24, 2020
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commercial district there, but it's -- well, it's not bringing much of
anything in.
In the parts that you say that are empty, are there any of those in
the yellow that are already being planned or going throu gh the
movement of more self-storage units?
MR. VANASSE: We are probably halfway through our
application cycle, which is probably a few months ago. We looked at
all existing and pending, and that's when we came up with this
exhibit. And what was pending at the time we identified. So if
there's anything else close by, I'm not aware of it.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Okay. And, secondly, I don't mind
your place. It's very, very nice looking and everything. I think it will
be tough -- you forgot to mention how many homes are in that area.
But I think it will be tough for the people because now it's a
four-story. There's nothing else four stories in that area, as you well
know, and it's going to be a little tough for them. And not that they
just -- they didn't want to eliminate it. They just felt that they could
use your help.
They figured as long as you're building something and so forth,
could you help them with the road? They're worried about people
taking a shortcut out the back road and -- the road. And you well
know yourself, that road is just cinders and broken up terribly. And
they thought maybe the developer would want to do something to
help their road, because they're going to be located on it. They're
going to stop their part, though, and the rest of it's going to be bad.
And they're just feeling that people -- you know, what about the
shortcuts people want to take so that they don't have to go out the
road, out to U.S. 41?
MR. DAVIES: If I may, Commissioner Fiala, Noel Davies.
With respect to the roadway, this is a private road. It's not a
county-maintained roadway. This issue did come up. Our topic did
March 24, 2020
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come up at the Planning Commission. The developer is more than
happy to contribute its pro rata share of maintenance and
improvements on that roadway in the event that a Municipal Service
Taxing Unit is created. Again, the developer would be happy to
participate in that and would comply with any MSTU obligations.
There is a proposed condition, that's Condition 4 from the executive
summary, which is a recommendation from your Planning
Commission that states exactly that, and that's something that my
client is more than happy to participate in.
With respect to the intended use by the users of these storage
units, access to and from is nearly always anticipated to come from
the Trail and not -- and not from Rattlesnake.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Ah, but we're good at taking back
roads.
(No response.)
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Did you hear me?
MR. DAVIES: Yes, Commissioner Fiala. Yep, I understand.
The intent still, again, is to access from Tamiami Trail. And with
respect to maintenance and improvements of the road, the developer
is more than willing to contribute its fair share to that.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Okay. Well, we were sure hoping
that you would be one of these developers, and not that many are, but
would be wanting to help the people that live in that area as your
neighbors. And we were just counting on something like that, but
apparently we're not going to get that.
And, by the way, as far as the commercial space goes, our
people down there in Growth Management also are going to be
suggesting to everybody building any storage units that they should
reserve the bottom floor -- but this came after you came -- reserve the
bottom floor for commercial if, indeed, commercial is needed.
And, of course, all they do is build a shell, and then they would
March 24, 2020
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rent that out to somebody or lease it out or let them buy that
particular area. We were just hoping that you would want to do that.
It's -- we've seen many reports from people. And I know how you
tell me we have a lot of commercial, but our commercial is going all
to self-storage and gas stations and, on top of that, now dentists'
offices.
So we don't have many things that we can use to keep a
neighborhood alive and survive without having to travel to other parts
of the town. So that's all my comments.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. I want to make sure our
court reporter is surviving okay. Is the court reporter okay? We've
been at this for about two hours.
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: She's not here.
MR. OCHS: She's transcribing remotely, Commissioner. I'm
sure she'd be ready for a break if you're ready to give one.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Oh, all right. Well, I think we're
going to wrap this up fairly quickly. And maybe we'll take a break as
soon as we finish this before we get into council communications.
Let's see where this goes real quickly.
Commissioner Solis, do you have any questions or comments?
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: No questions.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Commissioner Taylor?
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: No questions.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Commissioner McDaniel?
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: Just one. If you don't mind,
Noel, please put up the original map that shows the location and
Valley Stream and the like, if you can come up with that. I think it's
one of the original -- there you are, okay.
I just wanted to -- I learned something -- I wasn't aware -- after I
was reading this that Valley Stream was, in fact, that a -- was a
private road. And so, you know, Commissioner Fiala, maybe -- and I
March 24, 2020
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happen to personally live on a private road. And one of the
difficulties of those folks who utilize private roads is having an
equitable methodology for repair and maintenance and ongoi ng
upkeep. And maybe we could work together to establish an MSTU
over in that area so that everybody that has access on and off of
Valley Stream. Though Valley Stream comes from two public roads,
maybe we could work to establish some kind of a better improvement
model to allow for the condition of that road to be improved and not
burden any one particular property owner along it.
MR. DAVIES: Thank you, Commissioner. And, again, the
client would be more than happy to participate in any such MSTU.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: And, sir -- Commissioner --
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: I was going to say, that is a good
suggestion and one that will come at a future date.
Commissioner Fiala, do you need anything else on that issue?
COMMISSIONER FIALA: I just wanted to say thank you to
Commissioner McDaniel for looking at it so clearly. Thank you.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: And, Mr. Chair, this is Penny
Taylor. I wondered if I could ask the applicant one thing.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Yes.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Thank you.
Any chance of -- egress is off of -- is off of 41. So no left-in, no
right-out?
MR. DAVIES: Go ahead, Patrick.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: So that would -- that would
dissuade folks coming -- even if the folks living along Valley Stream
would be using it, they would not be able to access it that readily.
They'd have to go out Rattlesnake. That might -- but certainly when
they're leaving, there would be no exit onto Valley Stream, and to
cut -- that's a pretty explicit map when you see the connection of a
private road to two. And I can respect the concerns of the neighbors.
March 24, 2020
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Is there any opportunity for that?
MR. VANASSE: Well, let me just address the movements in
general.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Okay.
MR. VANASSE: And we have our transportation consultant
here that can maybe address this in a little more detail. But if you
look at the driveway, it's a right-in at the easternmost --
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Could -- thank you.
MR. VANASSE: So, Noel, the easternmost access point.
So that's a right-in. And you can do a left-in, but it's only -- you
can't exit from that side. So we're directing all the traffic to come
around and exit towards the west.
So already we believe that this circular driveway will take -- and
I don't know what the percentage is, but a very high percentage of the
trips towards 41. Also, our understanding from the neighbors is some
people may want to utilize this storage facility --
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Yeah.
MR. VANASSE: -- and they're going to be coming from the
east, and they're going to want to make a left-in.
We think that just with the general layout that we have currently,
we're not going to have a whole lot of left-ins, but we think it's
practical. It's good to have it. Some of the customers will, indeed, be
some of those condo units that are close by.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: So at 4:00 on an afternoon
during the season when the traffic is bumper to bumper on 41 going
into -- a lot of times it's the morning going into the town, and then
certainly coming back, can we just say that you would be willing to
look at -- it's a private drive. You'd be willing to adjust that kind of
exit? I think more exit than enter.
MR. VANASSE: I think that's something we could answer. I'll
turn that over to our transportation expert. That's really not my area
March 24, 2020
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of expertise.
MS. O'ROURKE: I just wanted to put something -- a little bit
maybe in perspective that --
MR. OCHS: Could you identify yourself.
MS. O'ROURKE: Oh, I'm sorry. Susan O'Rourke, O'Rourke
Engineering and Planning, traffic engineer.
I just wanted you to keep in mind when we're talking about
these numbers that this is probably one of the absolute lowest traffic
generators you can have. It's a very passive use. People come in.
And once they've moved their things in, you're not going to see them
again. So we're talking about, in the morning 12 is the worst case
and 21 in the afternoon. Those are --
So we had estimated talking to the DOT about 85 percent to
come in from the Trail. So we're saying about 15 percent. Now,
that's not to say there might be people who come in. It's not absolute.
But the numbers are so small to begin with that if we have a shift to
the east, it would not be a significant impact on the community. And
right now, with all of our traffic, what we've counted out there is
about 60 at the worst hour on Valley Stream. So it's a very low
travel. You're not getting a lot of cut-through today, so we don't
anticipate that that would continue, that that would -- we would
expect that trend to continue and not draw a lot to this use. So if
that's helpful.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: But you would be willing to
address it if it does become an issue? Because I believe Valley
Stream was the road where the gentleman or the lady was killed,
correct? Isn't that -- is that the street that had the cut-through traffic?
I believe it was, was it not? Or it was not?
MR. OCHS: I don't know, ma'am.
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: I don't remember.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Commissioner Fiala would
March 24, 2020
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know.
Commissioner Fiala?
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Yes.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: This is -- was Valley Stream the
one where -- the unfortunate accident where someone jumped the
curb?
COMMISSIONER FIALA: No. That was really on St.
Andrews. She was walking along and somebody jumped the curb
and mowed her down, yep.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: My mistake, thank you.
And that's it, Mr. Chair.
MR. VANASSE: If I may just add one little comment. When
we went to our NIM -- and this is completely anecdotal, and it was
from a few of the residents. The concern was really about the
condition of the road. We did talk to them just one on one if there
was a lot of traffic on the road, and we didn't have these concerns
over the traffic expressed to us. It was really the condition of the
road more so than anything else.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. I assume we have no
registered speakers; is that correct?
MR. MILLER: We do not have any registered speakers, sir.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Okay. I'll close the public hearing.
I don't know if there are any comments at this point on the
Commission. I think we're ready for a motion one way or the other.
Are there any other comments from the Commission before we take a
motion?
Commissioner Fiala, do you have any other additional
comments?
COMMISSIONER FIALA: No, I don't.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Okay. Commissioner Solis?
March 24, 2020
Page 66
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: Nope.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Commissioner McDaniel?
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: He went out of order.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: I know. I skipped over
Commissioner Taylor.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: No.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: That's not intentional.
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: You caught me sleeping at the
last meeting.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: No other additional comments,
then we're ready for a motion on the item.
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: I'll make a motion for
approval.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: I'll second that.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. We have a motion and a
second for approval. Let me just call the roll here like we've done.
Commissioner Fiala?
COMMISSIONER FIALA: No.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Commissioner Solis?
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: Yes.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: I'm voting yes. And Commissioner
Taylor and Commissioner McDaniel made the motion and second. It
passes 4-1.
MS. DAVIS: Thank you, Commissioners.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Now, we're going to get into -- I
think our next item is going to be just constitutional officers and other
communications. Why don't we take just a 10-minute break here for
our court reporter. It is 11:16. Let's come back at 11:25. So we've
got about nine minutes for a break, and then we'll get into our
additional communications.
MR. OCHS: Very good. Thank you, sir.
March 24, 2020
Page 67
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. We'll reconvene at
11:25.
(A brief recess was had from 11:16 a.m. to 11:25 a.m.)
Item #15
STAFF AND COMMISSION GENERAL COMMUNICATIONS
MR. OCHS: We're on to staff and commission communications
at this point. I have no other comments outside of the staff reports
that we went through earlier today. Again, the continuing area of
monitoring for me at this point is our parks and, to a lesser extent, our
boat ramps, which we'll be continuing to monitor.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. And then in terms of
your authority to handle general county business, you've got all the
authority you need. So you don't need anything from us, from the
Commission, to keep all of our operations going?
MR. OCHS: That's correct, sir.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Mr. Klatzkow?
MR. KLATZKOW: Nothing sir. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. And, Mr. Klatzkow, just
as a reminder, I'll be working with you on taking some action
pursuant to the County Commission direction to, you know, be
prepared as we explore these issues with the COVID-19.
Does the Clerk have any?
THE CLERK: Thank you, Commissioner.
I just wanted to add, our offices are staffed, but we're closed to
public traffic for the interactions. We still do a lot of the transactions
online. You can pay your fines. You can e-file, e-record. So the
services are still available to the public.
And, in particular, when the Sheriff mentioned the domestic
March 24, 2020
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violence, we are still issuing and handling any of those essential
services of the courts. So we're attending the court proceedings or
monitoring and doing our job with the court system, and that would
include the preparation of the domestic violence injunctions for
judges. So those services are available, and I wanted to make the
public aware of that.
Thank you.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Thank you.
Let's go down the list of commissioners. Commissioner Fiala?
COMMISSIONER FIALA: No, nothing more except you did a
great job trying to lead us all by phone, and you did an excellent job
doing it.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Well, thank you. Everybody was
working together, so it seemed to work pretty well. I was pleasantly
surprised that it worked so well. Thank you.
Commissioner Solis?
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: Nothing other than to thank the
County Manager and everyone for all their hard work in these trying
times, and I hope everybody stays safe and healthy. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right.
Commissioner Taylor?
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Yes, just a couple of things.
First of all -- and I'm not sure how we would word this, but I do
think it might be an idea, sir, that -- if the County Commission agrees
to this, that we write the governor and -- or maybe it's the federal
government, as the county, just asking that testing equipment be
moved ahead as quickly as possible, especially for our first
responders and our folks on the front line of this. To me, what you
brought up is -- just doesn't work for me.
So it might be an idea. Not that -- it may be a letter that would
be put aside, but I think our voice needs to be heard in this. And,
March 24, 2020
Page 69
again, I'll bow to my colleagues on that.
And then the second thing is, we have an issue that was moved
forward to a time that we don't know when it's going to be heard
based on what we're facing as a community with this COVID virus
infection, but I think it's something that we can hear as a commission,
and I'd like to bring it to everyone's attention, that is to decide who
would be the developer for the housing part of Golden Gate Golf
Course.
Zoom is a wonderful, wonderful device we have. We can zoom
in the applicants, and we have found, based on your leader ship, sir,
that we can actually hold a commission meeting like this.
So I would strongly urge us to have this at our next meeting in
two weeks and ask the applicants to prepare and make sure that Troy
is ready, and I know he is, because we've done it before. So that's all
I have to say right now.
MR. OCHS: Commissioners --
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: That's a very good point, and I've
spoken with the manager as well as the folks that are going to be
assisting with the financing from the Foundation, and they ne ed a
decision by the County Commission on a contractor prior to the end
of April. So whenever we have our next meeting, which could be in
two weeks, or it could be the four-week -- I'll leave that up to the
manager -- we will have them available to partic ipate via Skype or
some other way to make their presentations. But we will be hearing
that issue and making a decision before the end of April.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: All right. Thank you. I
understood -- and I'll -- I will confirm it, sir, or you can, that it was
the end of this month, beginning of April, they're going to go to the
other entity who is looking for the same kind of funding. So I think if
you don't mind, sir, if you'd like to confirm it, or I will, let's make
sure that we hear this and it is expeditiously as possible.
March 24, 2020
Page 70
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Let's have the manager
make that confirmation. I'm confident that it was by the end of April
based on my conversations just yesterday.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Okay.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: But we'll confirm that and we'll
make sure that we have a meeting to consider that item in a timely
fashion. If that's two weeks, if it's four weeks, whatever the number
is, we'll leave that up to the manager. But, yes, we'll confirm that it's
going to be by the end of April.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Thank you.
MR. OCHS: Commissioners, and just for the public's benefit
here, the reference here is to the impending proposals from
developers who have submitted proposals in response to the county
solicitation for essential service housing at the Golden Gate Golf
Course location.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Okay. And, Commissioner
McDaniel, do you have anything to add before we adjourn?
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: Well, I just would like to
express my -- and, again, I don't know whether it would fall on deaf
ears or not, Commissioner Taylor, but, you know, we -- I think it
would be prudent for us as a board to send a letter to the governor, to
the federal government for requisite. I've been asking for mass
testing. And having that data for clarity, sir, with regard to the future
decisions that are going to be put upon us is imperative.
And I don't -- I think it would be good of us as a group or as the
Board to have you -- have you send that letter off.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. We'll have the manager
prepare a letter to the governor to -- and to FEMA to supply us with
the necessary personal protection equipment as well as testing and
particular testing so we can make rational decisions.
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: Absolutely.
March 24, 2020
Page 71
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: I don't think anybody would object
to having that letter go out.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: If anybody does object, just let me
know. But I'm assuming that we're okay with that. So we'll prepare a
letter and get something out.
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: I can actually feel
Commissioner Fiala and Commissioner Solis shaking their heads in a
positive manner, so...
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: I think I saw that, too.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: You're pretty good at seeing that.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Okay. Let me see. I had just one
or two quick things. In terms of county operations and interacting
directly with the public, I believe we're just about shut down
permitting and that sort of thing; is that correct, Mr. Ochs?
MR. OCHS: In terms of direct customer interaction, yes, sir.
We're doing all of our permitting work remotely. Most of it online,
some drop off outside of the -- immediately outside the building
where then we take the permit applications inside and process those.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Okay. Then in terms of our next
meeting, in terms of just general business, I'll concur with the
manager in terms of when we need to meet again. We clearly need to
meet sometime in April. I don't know whether we need to meet
twice, as we normally do, but we'll figure that out going forward.
But in terms of any emergency meeting, I'm sure we can get in
touch with everybody on a fairly short notice because we may need to
take some emergency action that will be necessary going forward,
and we'll make sure everybody's aware of that, and we'll try to
schedule a meeting so that people are able to attend either in person
or via phone.
Mr. Ochs, I want to thank you for the social distancing that
March 24, 2020
Page 72
we're exercising. I think today's meeting was a perfect example of
being able to conduct business this way.
Is there anything else for the good of the order from the manager
or from any commissioners?
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: There is -- there is one thing --
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Commissioner Taylor.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: -- and that is from our -- the
defense. The defense. The names of the folks in that piece of
literature that --
MR. MILLER: I had it ready but then --
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: I forgot it, but it's so important,
because we've had great successes on the state level for legislation
protecting our water. We've had wonderful -- just a very positive
look at what happened. And here are the people in our government
that are on defense. So I'm going to leave this to you, sir, to talk
about this.
MR. OCHS: Yeah. Commissioners, what Commissioner
Taylor is referring to is the after-action 2020 Florida Legislative
Report prepared by Mr. Mullins and our lobbyist. It's on your
consent agenda on today's meeting. But specifically what she's
pointing out is one of the slides in the PowerPoint stack that talked
about defense, and what was meant by that was -- that was
Mr. Mullins' way of thanking the -- what we call our internal
legislative strike team composed of Ian Barnwell from Growth
Management; Diane DiPascale from Public Utilities; Josh Thomas
from Public Services; and Lee Willer Spector from our
Administrative Services Department.
Those four individuals had some training done earlier in the year
with Mr. Mullins and our lobbyist and were really trained to be the
conduit between our internal staff and what was going on with our
lobbyist and Mr. Mullins up in Tallahassee. So we were able to stay
March 24, 2020
Page 73
on top of every bill as it came, quickly respond to any challenges that
those proposed bills were creating, and it worked very well for us.
In fact, on the impact fee legislation, Amy Patterson was able to
go to Tallahassee based on the recon work from this internal strike
team and go up there and beat down some onerous legislative
proposals on impact fees, and really what were resulted from that was
a bill that came out of the legislature that mirrored, in many respects,
your own impact fee ordinance and did no harm, so to speak, in terms
of your current program.
So those are the kind of examples of good internal staff work
and coordination that led to some good outcomes in Tallahassee.
I appreciate you bringing that up, Commissioner Taylor.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Well, as Coach Kramer, our
lovely and now retired Naples football coach, has said to me and
everyone on more than one occasion, "Offense doesn't win the game,
Penny. Defense does." So congratulations to everyone.
MR. OCHS: Thank you.
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: Mr. Chair?
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: I'm glad you brought that up, and I
want to congratulate our staff as well on that. It was a difficult
session, and things worked out very well, especially on the project.
So all good news.
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: Mr. Chair?
MR. OCHS: Mr. Chairman, Commissioner McDaniel has a
comment.
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: Just as a -- as a point of
clarification, you made a comment that I would ask our county
manager or deputy county manager. You made a statement with
regard, we've all but -- I heard you say we've all but shut down our
permitting department, and I would like, if our deputy county
manager could -- I know we talked about a 30 percent reduction in
March 24, 2020
Page 74
permit requests, but we haven't shut down that department, and if you
would --
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: No, no. I think what they've said is
they've shut down the direct interpersonal contact with the public.
But, yeah, that's a good point. The permitting is still going on.
Maybe the manager can explain how that works.
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: That was what I had asked.
I'd asked that, sir; yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Good point.
MR. OCHS: Yeah. We're open for business in our permitting
shop. No change. We're -- our methods have changed, but our hours
of operation have actually increased. Our e-permitting service is
running 24/7 every day, and we also are handling all the direct
applications from runners and other applicants through the process
that I described earlier where we take those outside the building, and
they're dropped off, and then we process those and get them back out
expeditiously.
So that's a good clarification, Commissioner McDaniel. Thank
you.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Before we adjourn,
anything else?
MR. OCHS: No, sir.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: We are adjourned. Thank you.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Thank you, sir.
**** Commissioner Taylor moved, seconded by Commissioner
Saunders and carried unanimously that the following items under the
Consent and Summary Agendas be approved and/or adopted ****
Item #16A1
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Page 75
FINAL ACCEPTANCE OF THE POTABLE WATER FACILITIES
FOR ORANGE BLOSSOM GARDENS SALES CENTER,
PL20180002395, ACCEPT THE CONVEYANCE OF A PORTION
OF THE POTABLE WATER FACILITIES, AND TO AUTHORIZE
THE COUNTY MANAGER, OR HIS DESIGNEE, TO RELEASE
THE UTILITIES PERFORMANCE SECURITY (UPS) AND
FINAL OBLIGATION BOND IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF
$11,323.31 TO THE PROJECT ENGINEER OR THE
DEVELOPER’S DESIGNATED AGENT (DISTRICT 2) –
LOCATED IN SECTION 1, TOWNSHIP 49 SOUTH, RANGE 26
EAST
Item #16A2
FINAL ACCEPTANCE OF THE POTABLE WATER AND
SEWER UTILITY FACILITIES AND ACCEPT THE
CONVEYANCE OF A PORTION OF THE WATER UTILITY
FACILITIES FOR GASPAR STATION HOTEL, PL20190002575
(DISTRICT 2) – LOCATED AT 5425 JULIET BLVD., NAPLES
Item #16A3
RESOLUTION 2020-51: A RESOLUTION FOR FINAL
ACCEPTANCE OF THE PRIVATE ROADWAY AND
DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE FINAL PLAT OF
ANTHEM PARKWAY PHASE ONE, APPLICATION NUMBER
PL20150001931, AND AUTHORIZE THE RELEASE OF THE
MAINTENANCE SECURITY (DISTRICT 5)
Item #16A4
March 24, 2020
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RESOLUTION 2020-52: A RESOLUTION FOR FINAL
ACCEPTANCE OF THE PRIVATE ROADWAY AND
DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE FINAL PLAT OF
ANTHEM PARKWAY PHASE TWO, APPLICATION NUMBER
PL20160001096, AND AUTHORIZE THE RELEASE OF THE
MAINTENANCE SECURITY (DISTRICT 5)
Item #16A5
RECORDING THE FINAL PLAT OF AZURE AT HACIENDA
LAKES - PHASE 3, (APPLICATION NUMBER PL20190002283)
APPROVAL OF THE STANDARD FORM CONSTRUCTION
AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT AND APPROVAL OF THE
AMOUNT OF THE PERFORMANCE SECURITY (DISTRICT 1) –
W/STIPULATIONS
Item #16A6
RECORDING THE FINAL PLAT OF ENBROOK, (APPLICATION
NUMBER PL20180002742) APPROVAL OF THE STANDARD
FORM CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT
AND APPROVAL OF THE AMOUNT OF THE PERFORMANCE
SECURITY (DISTRICT 1) – W/STIPULATIONS
Item #16A7
RECORDING THE MINOR FINAL PLAT OF MAPLE RIDGE AT
AVE MARIA PHASE 5B, SECOND REPLAT, APPLICATION
NUMBER PL20190002843 (DISTRICT 5) – LOCATED IN
SECTION 4, TOWNSHIP 48 SOUTH, RANGE 29 EAST
March 24, 2020
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Item #16A8
CLERK OF COURTS TO RELEASE A PERFORMANCE BOND
IN THE AMOUNT OF $764,820 WHICH WAS POSTED AS A
GUARANTY FOR EXCAVATION PERMIT NUMBER 59.720-1,
PL20160001369 FOR WORK ASSOCIATED WITH PANTHER
ISLAND MITIGATION BANK EXPANSION (DISTRICT 5) –
THE WORK ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SECURITY HAS BEEN
INSPECTED AND THE DEVELOPER HAS FULFILLED HIS
COMMITMENTS IN RESPECT TO THIS SECURITY
Item #16A9
CLERK OF COURTS TO RELEASE A PERFORMANCE BOND
IN THE AMOUNT OF $60,000 WHICH WAS POSTED AS A
GUARANTY FOR EXCAVATION PERMIT NUMBER
PL20170004178 FOR WORK ASSOCIATED WITH THE
SPRINGS AT HAMMOCK COVE (DISTRICT 4) - THE WORK
ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SECURITY HAS BEEN INSPECTED
AND THE DEVELOPER HAS FULFILLED HIS COMMITMENTS
IN RESPECT TO THIS SECURITY
Item #16A10
CLERK OF COURTS TO RELEASE A PERFORMANCE BOND
IN THE AMOUNT OF $43,240 WHICH WAS POSTED AS A
GUARANTY FOR EXCAVATION PERMIT NUMBER
PL20180001017 FOR WORK ASSOCIATED WITH ESPLANADE
AT HACIENDA LAKES - PHASE 4 (DISTRICT 1) - THE WORK
ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SECURITY HAS BEEN INSPECTED
AND THE DEVELOPER HAS FULFILLED HIS COMMITMENTS
March 24, 2020
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IN RESPECT TO THIS SECURITY
Item #16A11
SELECTION COMMITTEE’S RANKING FOR REQUEST FOR
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES (“RPS”) NO. 19-7663, “NAPLES
MANOR STORMWATER IMPROVEMENTS PRELIMINARY
ENGINEERING STUDY,” AND AUTHORIZE STAFF TO BEGIN
CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE TOP-RANKED FIRM,
Q. GRADY MINOR & ASSOCIATES, P.A., SO THAT STAFF
CAN BRING A PROPOSED AGREEMENT BACK FOR THE
BOARD’S CONSIDERATION AT A SUBSEQUENT MEETING
(DISTRICT 1)
Item #16A12
RESOLUTION 2020-53: LOCAL AREA PROGRAM (LAP)
AGREEMENT WITH THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION (FDOT) WHERE, COLLIER COUNTY
WOULD RECEIVE REIMBURSEMENT UP TO $1,108,409 TO
UPDATE AND STANDARDIZE THE INTELLIGENT
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM (ITS) NETWORK
COMMUNICATION BETWEEN LOCAL AGENCIES (COLLIER
COUNTY AND CITY OF NAPLES) AND THE FLORIDA
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (FDOT); TO
AUTHORIZE THE PURCHASE OF NETWORK EQUIPMENT,
REQUISITE ACCESSORIES, LICENSING, MAINTENANCE
AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT, LISTED IN THE LAP
AGREEMENT; TO EXECUTE A RESOLUTION
MEMORIALIZING THE BOARD'S ACTION AND AUTHORIZE
ALL NECESSARY BUDGET AMENDMENTS (PROJECT NO.
March 24, 2020
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FPN 435013-1-98-01) (ALL DISTRICTS)
Item #16B1
COLLIER COUNTY COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT
AGENCY AND THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
REVIEW AND ACCEPT THE 2019 ANNUAL REPORTS FOR
THE TWO COMPONENT AREAS: BAYSHORE GATEWAY
TRIANGLE AND IMMOKALEE COMMUNITY
REDEVELOPMENT AREAS (CRA) AND PUBLISH THE
REPORTS (ALL DISTRICTS) – AS DETAILED IN THE
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Item #16C1
EXEMPTION FROM THE COMPETITIVE PROCESS AND
ENTER INTO AGREEMENT NO. 19-057-NS WITH FERGUSON
ENTERPRISES, LLC D/B/A FERGUSON WATERWORKS
(“FERGUSON”) TO SUPPLY MUELLER SYSTEMS, LLC
(“MUELLER”) SMALL RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL
METERS, AUTOMATIC METER READING COMPONENTS,
AND AN OPTION TO PURCHASE ADVANCED METERING
INFRASTRUCTURE (ALL DISTRICTS)
Item #16C2
EASEMENT TO FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT CO. FOR
INSTALLATION OF ELECTRICAL SERVICE FOR THE
LANDFILL DEEP INJECTION WELL PRODUCTION AND
OPERATION, AT THE COLLIER COUNTY RESOURCE
RECOVERY PARK AT 3959 CITY GATE BOULEVARD NORTH
March 24, 2020
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(DISTRICT 5) – FOLIO #00289720004
Item #16C3
CONVEY AN EASEMENT TO FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT CO.,
AT THE EAST NAPLES COMMUNITY PARK, 3500
THOMASSON DRIVE, TO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY
TRANSFORMER AT THAT LOCATION (DISTRICT 1) – FOLIO
#00395680009
Item #16C4
PURCHASE ORDER AGREEMENT WITH SUNSTATE METER
& SUPPLY, INC., UNDER THE PRIOR AWARD OF
INVITATION TO BID (“ITB”) #15-6507, “PURCHASE OF
LARGE METERS & COMPONENTS” FOR AN ADDITIONAL
PERIOD OF SIX (6) MONTHS, OR UNTIL A NEW CONTRACT
IS AWARDED, WHICHEVER IS SOONER (ALL DISTRICTS) –
AS CURRENT AGREEMENT WILL TERMINATE ON APRIL 11,
2020, THIS EXTENSION WILL REVISE THE EXTENSION
DATE TO OCTOBER 8, 2020
Item #16C5
AWARD OF INVITATION TO BID (“ITB”) #20-7696-ST,
“COLLIER COUNTY JAIL (J1) KITCHEN REPLACEMENT AND
SAFETY UPGRADES” TO SDP, INC. D/B/A SDP-
CONSULTANTS CORP., IN THE AMOUNT OF
$1,763,302, AND AUTHORIZE THE CHAIRMAN TO SIGN THE
ATTACHED AGREEMENT (ALL DISTRICTS)
March 24, 2020
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Item #16C6
THIRD AMENDMENT TO REAL ESTATE SALES AGREEMENT
WITH RICHARD D. YOVANOVICH, SUCCESSOR TRUSTEE
(AND NOT INDIVIDUALLY) FOR THE EXTENSION OF THE
DUE DILIGENCE PERIOD FOR THE SALE OF THE 47 +/- ACRE
PARCEL KNOWN AS THE RANDALL CURVE PROPERTY
(DISTRICT 5) – EXTENDING THE DUE DILIGENCE PERIOD
TO MAY 29, 2020
Item #16D1
COLLIER COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY TO SUSPEND THE
FIVE-DOLLAR FEE FOR COMPUTER USAGE WITHOUT A
COLLIER COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY CARD DURING THE
2020 FIRST DIGITAL CENSUS (ALL DISTRICTS) – FROM
MARCH 12, 2020 THROUGH AUGUST 31, 2020
Item #16D2
LEASE AGREEMENT WITH THE DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
OF COLLIER COUNTY (SCHOOL BOARD) FOR THE
CONTINUED USE OF THE PROPERTY AT CORKSCREW
ELEMENTARY & MIDDLE SCHOOLS (DISTRICT 5) – THE
NEW LEASE WILL COMMENCE ON APRIL 11, 2020
THROUGH APRIL 10, 2025
Item #16D3
INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WHICH PROVIDES FOR
SERVICES AND EDUCATION VIA MULTI-COUNTY
March 24, 2020
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AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION AGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY
OF FLORIDA INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL
SCIENCES EXTENSION AND AUTHORIZE $33,980.24 AS
COLLIER COUNTY’S PROPORTIONATE SHARE OF THIS
AGREEMENT (ALL DISTRICTS)
Item #16D4
BUILDING BRIDGES BETWEEN JAILS AND COMMUNITY-
BASED TREATMENT FOR OPIOID USE DISORDERS GRANT
AWARD FROM THE INSTITUTE FOR
INTERGOVERNMENTAL RESEARCH FUNDED BY THE
BUREAU OF JUSTICE ASSISTANCE AND AUTHORIZE THE
NECESSARY BUDGET AMENDMENT (ALL DISTRICTS) – FOR
THE GRANT AWARD IN THE AMOUNT OF $93,750 WITH NO
MATCH REQUIRED
Item #16D5
RESOLUTION 2020-54: COMMUNITY AESTHETIC FEATURE
AGREEMENT WITH THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION FOR COLLIER AREA TRANSIT TO
PLACE IDENTIFICATION MARKERS AT BUS STOPS ON
FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION OWNED
RIGHT-OF-WAYS AND APPROVE A RESOLUTION
AUTHORIZING THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF
COUNTY COMMISSIONER TO SIGN THE AGREEMENT (ALL
DISTRICTS)
Item #16E1
March 24, 2020
Page 83
PURCHASE OF PROPERTY INSURANCE EFFECTIVE APRIL 1,
2020 IN THE ESTIMATED AMOUNT OF $4,195,687 (ALL
DISTRICTS)
Item #16E2
ASSUMPTION AGREEMENT ASSIGNING ALL RIGHTS,
DUTIES AND BENEFITS, AND OBLIGATIONS TO HERITAGE
UTILITIES, LLC UNDER AGREEMENT #16-7021
“HAMMERHEAD AND DESIGNATED DRIVEWAY
CONSTRUCTION” (ALL DISTRICTS)
Item #16E3
INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN COLLIER COUNTY
AND THE GREATER NAPLES FIRE RESCUE DISTRICT FOR
MANAGEMENT OF THE OCHOPEE FIRE DISTRICT UNTIL
CONSOLIDATION, TERMS OF PAYMENT DURING THE
MANAGEMENT PERIOD, AND POST CONSOLIDATION
SUPPORT FOR UP TO TEN YEARS (ALL DISTRICTS) –
TERMINATING ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2033
Item #16E4
INVITATION TO BID (“ITB”) #20-7688, AUTOMOTIVE &
HEAVY EQUIPMENT BATTERIES, TO BATTERY USA, INC.,
AS PRIMARY VENDOR, AND IEH AUTO PARTS LLC D/B/A
AS AUTO PLUS AUTO PARTS, CONTINENTAL BATTERY
COMPANY, AND TAYLOR & CROWE BATTERY COMPANY,
INC., AS SECONDARY VENDORS (ALL DISTRICTS)
March 24, 2020
Page 84
Item #16E5
SELECTION COMMITTEE’S RANKING OF REQUEST FOR
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES (“RPS”) NO. 18-7432-EV,
“PROFESSIONAL SERVICES LIBRARY - ENVIRONMENTAL
ENGINEERING CATEGORY,” AND AUTHORIZE STAFF TO
BEGIN CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE TOP NINE
RANKED FIRMS, SO THAT PROPOSED AGREEMENTS MAY
BE BROUGHT BACK FOR THE BOARD’S CONSIDERATION
AT A SUBSEQUENT MEETING (ALL DISTRICTS)
Item #16E6
SELECTION COMMITTEE’S RANKING OF REQUEST FOR
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES (“RPS”) NO. 18-7432-AQ,
“PROFESSIONAL SERVICES LIBRARY – AQUATICS
ENGINEERING AND DESIGN SERVICES CATEGORY,” AND
AUTHORIZE STAFF TO BEGIN CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS
WITH THE TOP THREE RANKED FIRMS, SO THAT
PROPOSED AGREEMENTS MAY BE BROUGHT BACK FOR
THE BOARD’S CONSIDERATION AT A SUBSEQUENT
MEETING (ALL DISTRICTS)
Item #16E7
SELECTION COMMITTEE’S RANKING OF REQUEST FOR
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES (“RPS”) NO. 18-7432-TE,
“PROFESSIONAL SERVICES LIBRARY - TESTING
CATEGORY,” AND AUTHORIZE STAFF TO BEGIN
CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE TOP FOUR RANKED
FIRMS, SO THAT PROPOSED AGREEMENTS MAY BE
March 24, 2020
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BROUGHT BACK FOR THE BOARD’S CONSIDERATION AT A
SUBSEQUENT MEETING (ALL DISTRICTS)
Item #16E8
SELECTION COMMITTEE’S RANKING OF REQUEST FOR
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES (“RPS”) NO. 18-7432-SM,
“PROFESSIONAL SERVICES LIBRARY - SURVEY AND
MAPPING CATEGORY,” AND AUTHORIZE STAFF TO BEGIN
CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE TOP TEN RANKED
FIRMS, SO THAT PROPOSED AGREEMENTS MAY BE
BROUGHT BACK FOR THE BOARD’S CONSIDERATION AT A
SUBSEQUENT MEETING (ALL DISTRICTS)
Item #16E9
SELECTION COMMITTEE’S RANKING OF REQUEST FOR
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES (“RPS”) NO. 18-7432-RB,
“PROFESSIONAL SERVICES LIBRARY - ROAD & BRIDGE
STUDY, PLANNING AND DESIGN CATEGORY,” AND
AUTHORIZE STAFF TO BEGIN CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS
WITH THE TOP TWELVE RANKED FIRMS, SO THAT
PROPOSED AGREEMENTS MAY BE BROUGHT BACK FOR
THE BOARD’S CONSIDERATION AT A SUBSEQUENT
MEETING (ALL DISTRICTS)
Item #16E10
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT PREPARED BY THE
PROCUREMENT SERVICES DIVISION FOR DISPOSAL OF
PROPERTY AND NOTIFICATION OF REVENUE
March 24, 2020
Page 86
DISBURSEMENT (ALL DISTRICTS) – THERE WERE ON-LINE
SALES IN THE AMOUNT OF 3,563.50 AND $315.57 OF
DISPOSED ITEMS FOR THIS PERIOD
Item #16E11
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS PREPARED BY THE
PROCUREMENT SERVICES DIVISION FOR CHANGE ORDERS
AND OTHER CONTRACTUAL MODIFICATIONS REQUIRING
BOARD APPROVAL (ALL DISTRICTS) – THERE WERE THREE
CHANGE ORDERS THAT ADDED 76 DAYS TO COMPLETION
PERIODS, ZERO AMENDMENTS FOR THIS PERIOD, AND
TWO AFTER-THE-FACT MEMOS WITH FISCAL IMPACT OF
$6,234.32
Item #16E12
ELECTRONIC SUBMITTAL OF A REQUEST FOR PUBLIC
ASSISTANCE TO SECURE THE COUNTY AS AN ELIGIBLE
APPLICANT FOR FEMA REIMBURSEMENT OF RELATED
EXPENDITURES TIED TO COVID-19 (ALL DISTRICTS) – THE
APPLICATION MUST BE SUBMITTED BY APRIL 12, 2020
Item #16F1
ARTS & CULTURE STRATEGIC PLAN AS PREPARED BY
CULTURAL PLANNING GROUP AND MAKE A FINDING
THAT THIS ACTION PROMOTES TOURISM (ALL DISTRICTS)
Item #16F2
March 24, 2020
Page 87
RESOLUTION 2020-55: A RESOLUTION APPROVING
AMENDMENTS (APPROPRIATING GRANTS, DONATIONS,
CONTRIBUTIONS OR INSURANCE PROCEEDS) TO THE
FISCAL YEAR 2019-20 ADOPTED BUDGET (ALL DISTRICTS)
Item #16F3
REPORT COVERING TWO BUDGET AMENDMENTS
IMPACTING RESERVES AND MOVING FUNDS IN AN
AMOUNT UP TO AND INCLUDING $25,000 AND $50,000,
RESPECTIVELY (ALL DISTRICTS) – FUNDS NEEDED TO
COVER SERVICES FOR SENIORS’ EXPENSES
Item #16F4
AFTER-ACTION REPORT FOR THE 2020 FLORIDA
LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND PROVIDE GUIDANCE AS
PRELIMINARY PLANNING BEGINS FOR THE NEXT
LEGISLATIVE CYCLE (ALL DISTRICTS)
Item #16F5 – Withdrawn (Per Agenda Change Sheet)
RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE SECOND
AMENDMENT TO PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENT
#18-7404, COLLIER COUNTY SPORTS COMPLEX
MARKETING AND SUPPORT, TO SPORTS FIELDS, INC., OF
GA D/B/A SPORTS FIELDS, INC., (“SFI”), FOR
MANAGEMENT, OPERATION, ADVERTISING AND
MARKETING OF THE PARADISE COAST SPORTS AND
SPECIAL EVENTS COMPLEX, AND AUTHORIZE THE
CHAIRMAN TO SIGN THE ATTACHED AMENDMENT (ALL
March 24, 2020
Page 88
DISTRICTS) – THIS AGREEMENT WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT
UNTIL SEPTEMBER 30, 2026
Item #16H1
PROCLAMATION DESIGNATING APRIL 2, 2020 AS
HEALTHCARE NETWORK DAY IN COLLIER COUNTY. THE
PROCLAMATION WILL BE MAILED TO MATTHEW
HOLLIDAY, DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT - HEALTHCARE
NETWORK
Item #16H2
PROCLAMATION DESIGNATING APRIL 7, 2020 AS
NATIONAL SERVICE RECOGNITION DAY IN COLLIER
COUNTY. THE PROCLAMATION WILL BE DELIVERED TO
TAMI BAILEY, FEDERAL & STATE GRANTS MANAGER,
COLLIER COUNTY COMMUNITY AND HUMAN SERVICES
DIVISION
Item #16H3
CHAIRMAN TO SIGN A LETTER DESIGNATING THE
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA CRIME STOPPERS, INC., A NON-
PROFIT AGENCY, AS THE AGENT FOR THE PURPOSE OF
APPLYING FOR AND RECEIVING FUNDS FROM THE CRIME
STOPPERS TRUST FUND (ALL DISTRICTS) – THE LETTER
MUST BE UPDATED EVERY THREE YEARS
Item #16J1
March 24, 2020
Page 89
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS SERVE AS THE
LOCAL COORDINATING UNIT OF GOVERNMENT FOR THE
FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT’S
FEDERAL FISCAL YEAR 2019 EDWARD BYRNE MEMORIAL,
JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT (JAG) COUNTYWIDE
PROGRAM AND (1) AUTHORIZE THE CHAIRMAN TO
EXECUTE THE CERTIFICATION OF PARTICIPATION; (2)
DESIGNATE THE SHERIFF AS THE OFFICIAL APPLICANT
AND THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE STAFF AS GRANT FINANCIAL
AND PROGRAM MANAGERS; (3) AUTHORIZE THE
ACCEPTANCE OF THE GRANT IF AND WHEN AWARDED;
AND (4) APPROVE ASSOCIATED BUDGET AMENDMENTS
AND APPROVE THE COLLIER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
TO RECEIVE AND EXPEND THE GRANT FUNDS (ALL
DISTRICTS)
Item #16J2
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PROVIDE APPROVAL
FOR THE STATE OF FLORIDA E911 BOARD/E911 STATE
GRANT PROGRAM (ALL DISTRICTS)
Item #16J3
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PROVIDE
APPROVAL TO DESIGNATE THE SHERIFF AS THE OFFICIAL
APPLICANT AND POINT OF CONTACT FOR THE U.S.
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, COPS SCHOOL VIOLENCE
PREVENTION PROGRAM GRANT (SVPP) FY2020.
AUTHORIZE THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE GRANT WHEN
AWARDED, APPROVE ASSOCIATED BUDGET
March 24, 2020
Page 90
AMENDMENTS AND APPROVE THE COLLIER COUNTY
SHERIFF’S OFFICE TO RECEIVE AND EXPEND 2020 SVPP
GRANT FUNDS (ALL DISTRICTS)
Item #16J4
BOARD APPROVE AND DETERMINE VALID PUBLIC
PURPOSE FOR INVOICES PAYABLE AND PURCHASING
CARD TRANSACTIONS AS OF MARCH 18, 2020 (ALL
DISTRICTS)
Item #16J5
TO RECORD IN THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS, THE CHECK NUMBER (OR OTHER
PAYMENT METHOD), AMOUNT, PAYEE, AND PURPOSE FOR
WHICH THE REFERENCED DISBURSEMENTS WERE DRAWN
FOR THE PERIODS BETWEEN FEBRUARY 27, 2020 AND
MARCH 11, 2020 PURSUANT TO FLORIDA STATUTE 136.06
(ALL DISTRICTS)
Item #16K1
RESOLUTION 2020-56: APPOINT AN ALTERNATE MEMBER
TO THE COLLIER COUNTY CODE ENFORCEMENT BOARD
(ALL DISTRICTS) – APPOINTING DANNY BLANCO WITH
TERM EXPIRING ON FEBRUARY 14, 2021
Item #16K2
RESOLUTION 2020-57: COLLIER COUNTY INDUSTRIAL
March 24, 2020
Page 91
DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY FOR APPROVAL OF A
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE AUTHORITY TO ISSUE
REVENUE BONDS FOR FACILITIES AT NAPLES
COMMUNITY HOSPITAL'S BAKER (DOWNTOWN) AND
NORTH NAPLES CAMPUSES, AND THE REFUNDING OF
CERTAIN BONDS ORIGINALLY ISSUED IN 2011 (ALL
DISTRICTS)
Item #16K3
RESOLUTION 2020-58: APPOINT A MEMBER TO THE
COUNTY GOVERNMENT PRODUCTIVITY COMMITTEE (ALL
DISTRICTS) – APPOINTING JILL ROSENFELD WITH TERM
EXPIRING ON FEBRUARY 27, 2022
Item #17A
DEVELOPMENT ORDER 2020-01/RESOLUTION 2020-59:
AFFIRM THE DECISION OF THE COLLIER COUNTY
PLANNING COMMISSION AND APPROVE A RESOLUTION
AMENDING DEVELOPMENT ORDER 88-02, AS AMENDED,
THE CITYGATE COMMERCE PARK DEVELOPMENT OF
REGIONAL IMPACT, PROVIDING FOR SECTION ONE:
AMENDMENTS TO ADD THE 128.05-ACRE SPORTS
COMPLEX EXTENSION TO THE DRI AND REVISE THE
LEGAL DESCRIPTION; AMENDMENT TO THE MASTER
DEVELOPMENT PLAN; AND EXTENSION OF TERMINATION
DATE; SECTION TWO: FINDINGS OF FACT INCLUDING
REVISED LEGAL DESCRIPTION AND INCREASE IN
ACREAGE; SECTION THREE: CONCLUSIONS OF LAW;
SECTION FOUR: EFFECT OF PREVIOUSLY ISSUED
March 24, 2020
Page 92
DEVELOPMENT ORDER, TRANSMITTAL TO THE
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND
PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. THE SUBJECT PROPERTY
CONSISTING OF 419.60 ACRES IS LOCATED AT THE
NORTHEAST QUADRANT OF THE INTERSECTION OF I-75
AND COLLIER BOULEVARD (CR 951) IN SECTIONS 35 AND
36, TOWNSHIP 49 SOUTH, RANGE 26 EAST, IN COLLIER
COUNTY, FLORIDA (THIS IS A COMPANION ITEM TO
PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT AMENDMENT PETITION
PUDA-PL20190001494, AGENDA ITEM #17B) [PL20190001497]
(DISTRICT 5)
Item #17B
ORDINANCE 2020-13: ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE
NO. 88-93, THE CITY GATE COMMERCE PARK PLANNED
UNIT DEVELOPMENT, AS AMENDED, TO ADD THE SPORTS
COMPLEX EXTENSION TO THE PUD AND REVISE THE
LEGAL DESCRIPTION; BY AMENDING ORDINANCE
NUMBER 2004-41, THE COLLIER COUNTY LAND
DEVELOPMENT CODE, BY AMENDING THE APPROPRIATE
ZONING ATLAS MAP OR MAPS BY CHANGING THE ZONING
CLASSIFICATION OF AN ADDITIONAL 128.05± ACRES OF
LAND ZONED RURAL AGRICULTURAL (A) TO THE CITY
GATE COMMERCE PARK PUD; TO UPDATE THE MASTER
DEVELOPMENT PLAN INCLUDING THE ADDITION OF THE
COUNTY SPORTS COMPLEX EXTENSION; TO ALLOW
ADDITIONAL HOTEL AND MOTEL UNITS; TO INCREASE
THE BUILDOUT TRAFFIC; TO PROVIDE DEVIATIONS FOR
PRESERVES, LANDSCAPE BUFFERS, AND PARKING AREAS;
TO ADD PERMITTED ESSENTIAL SERVICES AND ADD
March 24, 2020
Page 93
DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS FOR THE SPORTS COMPLEX
EXTENSION; TO AMEND EXHIBIT A-3 PERMITTED USES-SIC
CODES TO ADD USES; TO AMEND EXHIBIT A-4 CROSS
SECTIONS- NORTH BUFFER, AND EXHIBIT A-6 REQUIRED
YARD PLAN; AND PROVIDING FOR CONFLICT AND
SEVERABILITY; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
THE SUBJECT PROPERTY CONSISTING OF 419.60± ACRES IS
LOCATED AT THE NORTHEAST QUADRANT OF THE
INTERSECTION OF I-75 AND COLLIER BOULEVARD (CR 951)
IN SECTIONS 35 AND 36, TOWNSHIP 49 SOUTH, RANGE 26
EAST, IN COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA (THIS IS A
COMPANION ITEM TO DEVELOPMENT ORDER
AMENDMENT PETITION DOA-PL20190001497, AGENDA
ITEM #17A) [PL20190001494] (DISTRICT 5)
Item #17C
RESOLUTION 2020-60: RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF
ZONING APPEALS OF COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA,
RELATING TO PETITION NUMBER VA-PL20190001940, FOR A
VARIANCE FROM SECTION 4.02.01.A., TABLE 2.1 OF THE
COLLIER COUNTY LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE TO
REDUCE THE MINIMUM FRONT YARD SETBACK FROM 25
FEET TO 24.99 FEET, AND TO REDUCE THE MINIMUM REAR
YARD SETBACK FROM 20 FEET TO 14.61 FEET FOR AN
EXISTING SINGLE FAMILY HOME, AND A VARIANCE FROM
SECTION 4.02.01.D.8 OF THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE
TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE ROOF
OVERHANG FROM 3 FEET TO 3.51 FEET. THE PROPERTY IS
DESCRIBED AS LOT 3, BLOCK 6, AVALON ESTATES UNIT
NO. 1, ALSO DESCRIBED AS 4704 ACADIA LANE, IN
March 24, 2020
Page 94
SECTION 13, TOWNSHIP 50 SOUTH, RANGE 25 EAST,
COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA (PL20190001940) (DISTRICT 1)
Item #17D
RESOLUTION 2020-61: RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF
ZONING APPEALS OF COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA,
RELATING TO A VARIANCE REQUEST FROM FROM
SECTION 4.02.01 A., TABLE 2.1 OF THE COLLIER COUNTY
LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE TO REDUCE THE MINIMUM
SIDE YARD SETBACK ON THE WEST SIDE FROM 7.5 FEET
TO 4.71 FEET FOR AN EXISTING POOL. THE PROPERTY IS
DESCRIBED AS LOT 1 AND THE EAST HALF OF LOT 2,
BLOCK 28, NAPLES PARK UNIT NO. 3, ALSO DESCRIBED AS
699 99TH AVE. N., IN SECTION 28, TOWNSHIP 48 SOUTH,
RANGE 25 EAST, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA
[PL20180003748] (DISTRICT 2)
Item #17E – Moved to Item #8A (Per Commissioners During Agenda
Changes)
Item #17F
RESOLUTION 2020-62: RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF
ZONING APPEALS OF COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA,
GRANTING A PARKING EXEMPTION UNDER LAND
DEVELOPMENT CODE SECTION 4.05.02.K.3 TO ALLOW OFF-
SITE PARKING FOR A FAST-FOOD RESTAURANT ON A
CONTIGUOUS LOT ZONED RESIDENTIAL-SINGLE-FAMILY-5
(RSF-5). THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IS LOCATED ON THE
SOUTHEAST CORNER OF IMMOKALEE DRIVE AND STATE
March 24, 2020
Page 95
ROAD 29 IN IMMOKALEE, IN SECTION 4, TOWNSHIP 47
SOUTH, RANGE 29 EAST, COLLIER COUNTY, FLORIDA
(PL20180003276) (DISTRICT 5)
Item #17G
RESOLUTION 2020-63: RESOLUTION APPROVING
AMENDMENTS (APPROPRIATING CARRY FORWARD,
TRANSFERS AND SUPPLEMENTAL REVENUE) TO THE
FISCAL YEAR 2019-20 ADOPTED BUDGET (ALL DISTRICTS)
March 24, 2020
Page 96
*****
There being no further business for the good of the County, the
meeting was adjourned by order of the Chair at 11:40 a.m.
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS/EX
OFFICIO GOVERNING BOARD(S) OF
SPECIAL DISTRICTS UNDER ITS CONTROL
___________________________________
BURT SAUNDERS, CHAIRMAN
ATTEST:
CRYSTAL K. KINZEL, CLERK
________________________________
These minutes approved by the Board on ____________________,
as presented ______________ or as corrected ______________.
TRANSCRIPT PREPARED ON BEHALF OF FORT MYERS
COURT REPORTING BY TERRI LEWIS, FPR, COURT
REPORTER AND NOTARY PUBLIC.