BCC Minutes 09/17/2020 BSeptember 17, 2020
Page 1
TRANSCRIPT OF THE MEETING OF THE
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Naples, Florida, September 17, 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 5:05 p.m., in BUDGET
SESSION in Building "F" of the Government Complex, East Naples,
Florida, with the following members present:
Chairman: Burt L. Saunders
Andy Solis
William L. McDaniel, Jr.
Donna Fiala
Penny Taylor
ALSO PRESENT:
Leo Ochs, County Manager
Nick Casalanguida, Deputy County Manager
Jeffrey A. Klatzkow, County Attorney
Mark Isackson, OMB Director
COLLIER COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA
Thursday, September 17, 2020, 5:05 p.m.
NOTICE: ALL PERSONS WISHING TO SPEAK ON ANY AGENDA ITEM MUST
REGISTER PRIOR TO SPEAKING.
ANY PERSON WHO DECIDES TO APPEAL A DECISION OF THIS BOARD
WILL NEED A RECORD OF THE PROCEEDINGS PERTAINING THERETO,
AND THEREFORE MAY NEED TO ENSURE THAT A VERBATIM RECORD OF
THE PROCEEDINGS IS MADE, WHICH RECORD INCLUDES TESTIMONY
AND EVIDENCE UPON WHICH THE APPEAL IS TO BE BASED.
ALL REGISTERED PUBLIC SPEAKERS WILL BE LIMITED TO THREE (3)
MINUTES UNLESS PERMISSION FOR ADDITIONAL TIME IS GRANTED BY
THE CHAIRMAN.
1. ADVERTISED PUBLIC HEARING— Collier County FY 2020-21 Budget
A. Discussion of FY 2020-21 Millage Rates and Increases Over the Rolled Back Millage
Rates
B. Discussion of Further Amendments to the Tentative Budget
C. Public Comments and Questions
D. Resolution to Amend the Tentative Budgets
E. Public Reading of the Taxing Authority Levying Millage, the Name of the Taxing Authority,
the Rolled-Back Rate, the Percentage Increase, and the Millage Rate to be Levied.
F. Adoption of Resolution Setting Millage Rates. Note: A separate motion is required for
the Dependent District millage rates; and a separate motion is required for the remaining
millage rates.
G. Resolution to Adopt the Final Budget by Fund. Note: A separate motion is required for
the Dependent District budgets; and a separate motion is required for the remaining
budgets.
2. Adjournment of FY 2021 Public Budget Hearing
September 17, 2020
Page 2
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: The meeting of the County
Commission will please come to order. I've asked our County
Manager if he would lead us in an invocation and, Commissioner
McDaniel, if you'll lead us in the Pledge.
MR. OCHS: Heavenly Father, we ask your blessings
on this County Commission, that the decisions they make and the
deliberations that they make this evening are made in the interest
of our community. We ask that you grant them the wisdom and
understanding to make all decisions in the best interest of our
community. In these things we pray in your holy name. Amen.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: With me, ladies and
gentlemen.
(The Pledge of Allegiance was recited in unison.)
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Mr. Isackson, if you'll kind of
lead us through the process this evening.
Item #1A
DISCUSSION OF FY 2020-21 MILLAGE RATES AND
INCREASES OVER THE ROLLED BACK MILLAGE RATES –
PRESENTED
MR. ISACKSON: I will. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Commissioners, this is our last public budget hearing for the FY
2020-'21 fiscal year budget which begins on October 1, 2020 and
runs through September 30, 2021.
As we had in the previous hearing on September 3rd, we
have a pretty scripted format pursuant to truth-in-millage
September 17, 2020
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guidelines and, of course, the agenda contains a specific sequence
of agenda items to be covered. Advertisement for this hearing
was published in the Naples Daily News on Monday,
September 14th, 2020.
There are agenda and speaker slips in the hallway.
Mr. Casalanguida, I don't know whether you have any or
not, but --
MR. CASALANGUIDA: No, sir. I've looked outside.
MR. ISACKSON: Or if there are any online, so...
MR. CASALANGUIDA: None registered online. None
have submitted slips.
MR. ISACKSON: Commissioners, Mr. Chairman, the first
discussion item pursuant to the TRIM statute is a discussion of
the '20-'21 millage rates and increases over the rolled-back rate.
Rolled-back rate is, essentially, that increase in the millage over
the rolled-back rate needed to fund the budget and the reasons
why ad valorem tax revenues above the rolled-back rate is
calculated on the state's DR-420 forms are being increased. The
rolled-back rate is defined as that tax rate necessary to generate
prior year tax revenues, and this tax rate is calculated not
including taxable values associated with new construction
additions and deletions and rehabilitative improvements.
The Board-adopted budget guidance for FY 2021 include a
millage neutral operating levy position. The same tax rate as last
year and, for that matter, since Fiscal Year 2010, for the General
Fund.
And for the Unincorporated Area General Fund, the millage
rate was, once again, planned at .8069 pursuant to Board
guidance with the additional marginal ad valorem dollars above
millage neutral, the operating levy, devoted to maintaining our
landscape medians.
September 17, 2020
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Levies for the General Fund and Unincorporated Area General
Fund represent together over 97 percent of the total aggregate
taxes levied across all of Collier County Government-controlled
taxing authorities for Fiscal Year 2021.
The FY 2021 tentative General Fund and Unincorporated
Area General Fund Operating and Capital Budgets as presented
are based upon a Board-adopted budget policy. Both the
General Fund and the Unincorporated Area General Fund
proposed tax rates are higher than the rolled-back rate. Collier
County taxable value has increased over the past nine fiscal
years, and the increase for FY 2021 is 6.08 percent and
6.87 percent within the General Fund and Unincorporated Area
General Area Fund, respectively.
Within an increasing taxable value environment, under
neutral operating and capital policy guidance, the rolled-back rate
will be lower than millage neutral, and this event occurs in Fiscal
Year 2021.
Commissioners, if you refer to Exhibit 1A on Page 1 or on
Packet Page 9, if you pulled the agenda off the mini (phonetic)
track system, millage rates for each taxing authority controlled by
Collier County government has been established pursuant to
Board guidance, and these tax rates represent the maximum tax
rates that can be levied were approved at the first public hearing
in September 3, 2020.
The new Blue Sage MSTU and Rock Road MSTU, based
upon their respective district's DR-420, the millage rates will
require separate unanimous votes if all dependent millage rates
are not approved unanimously. We'll get into that when we get
to the resolution which adopts the final millage rates.
The cumulative aggregate rolled-back rate for all Collier County
taxing authorities, exclusive of debt, service totals 4.0614 per
September 17, 2020
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thousand dollars of taxable value. The proposed aggregate tax
rate for all Collier County taxing authorities, exclusive of debt,
service totals 4.1848 per thousand dollars of taxable value. This
represents an increase of 3.04 percent over the aggregate
rolled-back rate and necessitate a notice of proposed tax rate
increase ad for TRIM purposes and not simply a budget summary
ad.
Item #1B
DISCUSSION OF FURTHER AMENDMENTS TO THE
TENTATIVE BUDGET
Commissioners, Item 1B on the agenda is a discussion of
further amendments to the tentative budget. There are two this
evening. The first is an appropriation change, and it stems from
Board action at the September 8th, 2020, meeting essentially
extending the Bayshore CRA Gateway Triangle closing with
Real Estate Partners International from '20 -- FY 2020 to FY '21,
and the second is, essentially, establishing the required grant
match budget for fire and EMS operations at Mile Marker 63.
Now, these appropriation changes are detailed within the
resolutions attached. No changes to the roster of millage rates
approved at the September 3rd budget hearing are proposed.
At this point, Mr. Chairman, we would go to public
comments and questions on the agenda.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Let's see if there
are any questions or comments from the Commission, and then
we'll go to public comment.
Are there any -- I don't see anybody's light lit up. Anybody
have any questions or comments? Commissioner McDaniel.
September 17, 2020
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COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: And, Mark, you and I
spoke earlier about the -- is now an appropriate time to talk about
Rock Road?
MR. ISACKSON: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: Or do you want to --
MR. ISACKSON: No, this will be fine.
Item #1C
PUBLIC COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: -- wait until then?
I just -- I had mentioned at our last hearing the large change
in the MSTU for Rock Road, and we've got a plan for the
appropriation of those funds to reduce debt and then a
realignment, potentially, of the boundaries of that MSTU to make
sure that it is impacting the people that are benefiting from that
MSTU and not including those who are not. Clear enough?
MR. ISACKSON: Do you want me to elaborate, sir?
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: If you wish, yes.
MR. ISACKSON: Just a couple of observations.
Commissioners, the Unincorporated Area General Fund
advanced Rock Road $260,000 back in 2015. From my office's
perspective, paying off that loan in FY '21 in the tune of about
$83,000, which is left on the balance of it, is appropriate, which
is why the millage rate is kept at 3 at this point. The taxable
value has gone up about 145 percent because there's some new
development in that area.
The Commissioner was talking about this new development
and whether or not there's actual benefit actually to Rock Road,
although it's in the MSTU. So I think the Public Services staff is
September 17, 2020
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going to take a look at that and adjust those boundaries
accordingly, but they have to do that before January 1 if it's going
to be on the '20-'21 tax year roll.
So, anyway, those are my comments.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: And there's nothing that we
need to do this evening in reference to that; that will come back
to us between now and January 1st?
MR. OCHS: Correct.
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: That boundary. And
we're going to -- and then if we have an issue with that, then we'll
make adjustments in the actual rates. But it is an equitable
distribution, so...
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: So, you would report back to
us and just let us know? Because it's -- I think this is so
interesting.
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: Yes, ma'am.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Commissioner Solis.
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: I just was wondering if I could
get a little update on the Mile Marker 63 situation.
THE COURT REPORTER: You're not on your mic.
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: I'm sorry. The Mile
Marker 63 -- is this on?
MR. OCHS: Try to get a little closer.
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: Like that?
MR. OCHS: Yes.
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: Okay. The Mile Marker 63
issue -- and I'm assuming that that has been resolved. It was one
of the first things that I went to Tallahassee about was this Mile
Marker 63 EMS station, and --
MR. OCHS: Yes, sir. The Board entered into an interlocal
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agreement with Greater Naples Fire to operate that station.
We have an agreement. Part of that agreement requires the
district to go to the legislature in this coming legislative session
to try to lobby for a local bill that would move that Ochopee
district into the Greater Naples Fire District, and that was always
the long-term goal. They are obligated under your agreement to
pursue that during the next legislative session, and Ms. Price has
been in contact with Chief Schuldt, and that's all in the works.
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: So that -- no longer any
concern that somehow, we might end up not having the funding
for that particular EMS station?
MR. OCHS: Well, I'll never say never only because the
state has a four-year commitment to fund that through FDOT.
We got a call from the District 1 secretary a couple weeks ago
saying because of their budget constraints up in Tallahassee, he
wanted to talk again about their funding obligation. And so,
we'll sit down and talk to him. But no change at this point.
And we'll keep you updated as we move through the session.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Senator Passidomo has been
instrumental in that she's in line to be the Senate President; not
this term, but in 2022. And so, I suspect that, as long as we're
communicating with her, that funding will probably be available
to us.
MR. OCHS: Yes, sir. Mr. Mullins has done that already
this week.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Okay. Any other questions
or comments from the Commission?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Do we have any registered
speakers?
MR. CASALANGUIDA: No, sir.
September 17, 2020
Page 9
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Anybody in the audience want
to speak on any issues on the budget?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Mr. Isackson.
MR. ISACKSON: Mr. Chairman, thank you.
Item #1D
RESOLUTION 2020-149: AMENDING THE TENTATIVE
BUDGET – ADOPTED
Under Item 1D is a resolution to approve the amended
tentative budgets, which I just elaborated on and was part of our
discussion just recently.
So, if we could have a motion to approve the resolutions,
please.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: So move.
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: Motion to approve.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Second.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: There's a motion and multiple
seconds. I don't know if the reporter got the second on that.
THE COURT REPORTER: (Nods head.)
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. Any discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All in favor, signify by saying
aye.
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Aye.
September 17, 2020
Page 10
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: Aye.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: That passes unanimously.
MR. ISACKSON: Thank you, Mr. Chairman and
Commissioners.
Item #1E
PUBLIC READING OF THE TAXING AUTHORITY LEVYING
MILLAGE, THE NAME OF THE TAXING AUTHORITY, THE
ROLLED-BACK RATE, THE PERCENTAGE INCREASE, AND
THE MILLAGE RATE TO BE LEVIED – READ INTO THE
RECORD
And, Mr. Chairman, Item 1E is a public reading of the
taxing authority levying the millage, the name of the taxing
authority, the rolled-back rate, the percentage increase, and the
millage rate to be levied. So, without further delay,
Commissioner, I'll proceed.
Commissioners, the General Fund, proposed millage rate,
3.5645. The rolled-back millage rate, 3.4587. A 3.06 percent
increase over the rolled-back rate.
The Water Pollution Control, Fund 114, the proposed
millage rate, .0293. The rolled-back millage rate, .0283. A
3.53 percent increase over the rolled-back rate.
The Unincorporated Area General Fund, the millage rate,
.8069. The rolled-back millage rate, .7821. A percent change
over the rolled-back, 3.17 percent.
The Golden Gate Community Center, the proposed millage
rate, .1862. The rolled-back millage rate, .1736. That's a 7.26
September 17, 2020
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percent increase over the rolled-back rate.
Victoria Park Drainage, proposed millage rate, .0300. The
rolled-back millage rate, .0300. No change from the rolled-back
rate.
Victoria [sic] Park Drainage, proposed millage rate, .0052.
The rolled-back millage rate, .0052. No change from the
rolled-back rate.
MR. OCHS: That was Naples Park.
MR. ISACKSON: Naples Park Drainage.
The Vanderbilt Beach MSTU, the proposed millage rate,
.5000. The rolled-back millage rate, .4880. That's a 2.46 a
percent increase over the rolled-back rate.
The Ochopee Fire Control, the proposed millage rate,
4.0000. The rolled-back millage rate, 3.8536. A 3.80 percent
increase over the rolled-back rate.
The Goodland/Horr's Island Fire MSTU, the proposed
millage rate, 1.2760. The rolled-back millage rate, 1.1890.
That's a 7.32 percent increase over the rolled-back rate.
The Sabal Palm Road MSTU, no proposed millage rate;
0.0000. The rolled-back millage rate is 0.0000.
The Golden Gate Parkway Beautification MSTU, the proposed
millage rate, .5000. The rolled-back millage rate, .4507. That's
a 10.94 percent increase over the rolled-back rate.
The Lely Golf Estates Beautification MSTU, the proposed
millage rate, 2.0000. The rolled-back millage rate, 1.8902.
That's a 5.81 percent increase over the rolled-back rate.
The Hawksridge Stormwater Pumping MSTU, the proposed
millage rate, .0365. The rolled-back millage rate, .0635. No
change from the rolled-back rate.
The Radio Road Beautification MSTU, the proposed millage
rate, 0.0000. The rolled-back rate, 0.0000. No change from the
September 17, 2020
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rolled-back rate.
The Forest Lakes Roadway and Drainage MSTU, the
proposed millage rate, 1.3781. The rolled-back millage rate,
1.3435. That's a 2.58 percent increase over the rolled-back rate.
The Immokalee Beautification MSTU, the proposed millage
rate, 1.0000. The rolled-back millage rate, .9428. That's a 6.07
percent change over the rolled-back rate.
The Bayshore Avalon Beautification MST U, the proposed
millage rate, 2.3604. The rolled-back millage rate, 2.2320.
That's a 5.75 percent increase over the rolled-back rate.
The Haldeman Creek Dredging MSTU, proposed millage rate,
1.000. The rolled-back millage rate, .9633. A 3.81 percent
increase over the rolled-back rate.
The Rock Road MSTU, the proposed millage rate, 3.0000.
The rolled-back millage rate, 1.2338. That is a 143.15 percent
increase over the rolled-back rate.
The Forest Lakes Debt Service, the proposed millage rate,
2.6219. The rolled-back rate, 2.4809. A 5.68 percent increase
over the rolled-back rate.
The Vanderbilt Waterways MSTU, the proposed millage
rate, .3000. The rolled-back millage rate, .2906. A 3.23 percent
increase over the rolled-back rate.
The Blue Sage MSTU, proposed millage rate, 3.0000. The
rolled-back millage rate is 0.0000.
Collier County Lighting MSTU, proposed millage rate, .1391.
The rolled-back millage rate, .1391. There's no change from the
rolled-back rate.
The Pelican Bay MST and BU, the proposed millage rate,
.0857. The rolled-back millage rate, .0837. That is a
2.39 percent increase over the rolled-back rate.
Commissioners, the aggregate millage rate, the proposed millage
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rate, 4.1848. The rolled-back millage rate, 4.0614.
A 3.04 percent increase over the rolled-back rate.
Item #1F
RESOLUTION 2020-150: SETTING MILLAGE RATES. MOTION
TO APPROVE THE DEPENDENT DISTRICT MILLAGE RATES –
ADOPTED; MOTION TO APPROVE THE REMAINING
DISTRICT RATES – APPROVED
Mr. Chairman, Commissioners, Item 1F on your agenda is
adoption of the resolution setting the millage rates. And if I can,
a separate motion is required for the dependent district millage
rates and a separate motion is required for the remaining millage
rates. So two motions, please.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: We'll deal with the dependent
district millage rates. Are there any questions or comments?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: If not, is there a motion?
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: So move.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: We have a motion.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Second.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: And a second. Any
discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Seeing none, all in favor,
signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Aye.
September 17, 2020
Page 14
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: Aye.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: That passes unanimously.
Then we need a motion dealing with the remaining millage rates.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: So move.
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: Second.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: We have a motion and a
second.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Second.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Any discussion?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Seeing none, all in favor,
signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Aye.
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: Aye.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: That passes unanimously.
Item #1G
RESOLUTION 2020-151: THE FINAL BUDGET BY FUND.
(NOTE: A SEPARATE MOTION IS REQUIRED FOR THE
DEPENDENT DISTRICT BUDGETS; AND A SEPARATE
MOTION IS REQUIRED FOR THE REMANING BUDGETS) –
TWO MOTIONS TAKEN AS REQUESTED – ADOPTED
September 17, 2020
Page 15
MR. ISACKSON: Mr. Chairman, Item 1G is a resolution
to adopt the final budget by fund and, again, a separate motion is
required for the dependent district budget and a separate motion
is required for the remaining budgets.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All right. We need a motion
in reference to the dependent district budgets.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: So move.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: So moved.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Second.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: We have a motion and second.
All in favor of the motion?
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Aye.
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: Aye.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All opposed?
(No response.)
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: That passes unanimously.
And now we need a motion dealing with the remaining budgets.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: So move.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Second.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: We have a motion and a
second. All in favor, signify by saying aye.
COMMISSIONER SOLIS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER FIALA: Aye.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Aye.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: Aye.
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: Aye.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: All opposed?
(No response.)
September 17, 2020
Page 16
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: That passes unanimously.
MR. ISACKSON: Mr. Chairman, that concludes my
comments on the FY '20-'21 final public budget hearing.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Okay. Any comments from
the Commission?
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: One -- one comment.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: Commissioner Taylor.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: How much I enjoyed your
daughter's voice with the Pledge of Allegiance.
MR. COOK: Thank you.
COMMISSIONER TAYLOR: It was beautiful.
COMMISSIONER McDANIEL: We could hear that up
here.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: And we still have no
registered speakers –
MR. CASALANGUIDA: No, sir.
CHAIRMAN SAUNDERS: -- either online or in the
audience.
All right. If there's nothing else, then we are adjourned.
*******
There being no further business for the good of the County, the
meeting was adjourned by order of the Chair at 5:24 p.m.
September 17, 2020
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
&
Attest as to Ch•':43i:n'S
signature on
These minutes7r6ved by the Board onitCAlVr i 3.
presented or as corrected
TRANSCRIPT PREPARED ON BEHALF OF FORT MYERS
COURT REPORTING BY TERRI LEWIS, FPR, COURT
REPORTER AND NOTARY PUBLIC.
Page 17