BCC Minutes 07/06/2007 S (Proposed Annexation - Collier Park of Commerce)
July 6, 2007
COLLIER COUNTY GOVERNMENT
CITY OF NAPLES GOVERNMENT
EAST NAPLES FIRE CONTROL & RESCUE DISTRICT
Naples, Florida, July 6, 2007
Public meeting to discuss the Interlocal Service Boundary Agreement
relative to the proposed annexation of the Collier Park of Commerce
by the City of Naples, pursuant to Chapter 171, Florida Statutes on
July 6, 2007, at 1 :05 p.m., County Attorney's Office, 3301 Tamiami
Trail East, Eighth Floor, Conference Room, Naples, Florida.
PRESENT: Jim Mudd, County Manager
Leo Ochs, Deputy County Manager
Mike Pettit, Chief Assistant County Attorney
Michael Sheffield, County Manager's Office
Norm Feder, Transportation
Dr. Bob Lee, City of Naples
Dan Mercer, City Public Works
Robert D. Pritt, Attorney, City of Naples
Leo Salvatori, Attorney, CPOC
Laura Donaldson, Attorney, East Naples Fire Dis.
ALSO PRESENT:
Jim McEvoy, Naples Fire
Rob Potteigier, East Naples Fire Department
Nick Biondo, East Naples Fire Department
Laura Spurgeon, Johnson Engineering
Page 1
PUBLIC MEETING
COLLIER COUNTY GOVERNMENT
CITY OF NAPLES GOVERNMENT
EAST NAPLES FIRE CONTROL & RESCUE DISTRICT
TO DISCUSS THE INTERLOCAL SERVICE BOUNDARY AGREEMENT RELATIVE TO THE
PROPOSED ANNEXA nON OF THE COLLIER PARK OF COMMERCE BY THE CITY OF NAPLES,
PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 171, FLORIDA STATUTES
July 6, 2007
1 :00 PM
County Attorney Office
Conference Room-Eighth Floor
W. Harmon Turner Building (Building F)
Collier County Government Center
A2enda
1. Opening Remarks
2. Continue Negotiations/Review & Discuss the DRAFT
lnterlocal Service Boundary Agreement
3. Public Comment
4. Comments/ Next Meeting
5. Adjourn
July 6, 2007
MR. MUDD: Okay. Let's open -- let's open this meeting. This
is the 6th of July. It's 1 :05 in the afternoon. We are discussing the
Collier Park of Commerce annexation and agreement. And this is
kind of a continuation of a series of meetings that we started, what,
January, Bob?
DR. LEE: Yes.
MR. MUDD: I don't want to go over all of that stuff, but the
thing that we're here to do today is everybody should have this
Christmas tree colored looking draft. Okay? City's should be in red.
Fire District's should be in blue. The County's thing should be in
green.
MR. SHEFFIELD: Does anyone need a copy?
MR. MUDD: Okay. Everybody -- everybody should have a
copy of that. And what we agreed to at the last meeting --
MR. PETTIT: I've got a couple of extra ones here.
(Discussion held off the record.)
MR. SHEFFIELD: I delivered two copies to the City and to the
Fire District.
MR. MUDD: What -- what we agreed to at the last meeting was
to try to get everybody to at least be speaking off the same draft, okay,
and to try to come to agreement on the context of the agreements so
that we could -- so that we could start bringing these to our
appropriate boards for approval. Okay. Because the entire context of
what we've been trying to do over the last six months or so is to come
up and come upon an agreement that everybody can live with. And --
and so here we are today.
Now, Mr. Pettit, do you want to -- did I say anything wrong,
Bob or--
,
DR. LEE: No. I would like to add something --
MR. MUDD: Sure.
DR. LEE: -- Jim, in may. First of all, I want to thank Mr. Pettit
and the county for coordinating this document and getting it together.
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July 6, 2007
It was very helpful to see where the different points of view exist at
this time.
Secondly, one thing I would suggest is that in going through this
document -- and I think Mr. Pettit would be the best to review it -- but
in going through it, if we could set a goal of trying to first determine
what we can agree upon. Any sections that we can basically
tentatively agree to and maybe put a little "T A" or something that'll
allow us to subsequently focus then on those provisions or articles that
we have some differences -- differences on.
And then, finally, we talked a little bit at the last meeting -- I
wanted to mention it at the beginning of this meeting -- to make sure
we're in accord to be able to feel free to caucus. In other words, to get
-- the fire district could get with their attorney and the City could get
with Mr. Pritt and the County similarly so that we could try to get this
thing hammered out the best we can today.
So with those comments, Jim, I refer back to you and --
MR. MUDD: Well, and I think -- and I think you hit that dead
on. And I believe there's room around here that we can go into and do
that if you need to get some privacy in order to caucus in order to do
it.
So what I'm going -- what I'm going to ask to happen now is I'm
going to ask Mr. Pettit ifhe would be so kind to go through the pages
and paragraphs and make sure that everybody is in sync. And we can
at least -- I mean, even the wherefores to go, Are we okay here? Are
we okay there? Are we okay the next thing. And then get to a point
in time where we've got an issue and then keep moving and move this
thing along and let's try to come up with some resolution on this thing.
Mike.
MR. PETTIT: Okay. As far as -- before I start as far as
caucuses, we do have one room across the hall, but there's a mediation
going on here which I couldn't -- I couldn't have predicted. So we're a
little short on rooms, but we might be able to use some empty offices.
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July 6, 2007
So let's -- what about the recitals in paragraph 1 in the
agreement? Are there any issue in any of that?
MR. SALVATORI: One change on the first whereas. The filing
date on the petition was actually June 7th from 6.
MR. PETTIT: Okay. June 7th?
MR. SALVATORI: Correct.
MR. PETTIT: With that change, is everybody in agreement to
the whereas in the first paragraph?
DR. LEE: So basically we can tentatively agree to that?
MR. PRITT: I'm sorry. Where was that?
MR. SALVATORI: The very first whereas clause.
MR. PETTIT: So we're -- we're good through paragraph 1. I
think there are substantial differences in paragraph 2. I hope I
captured them accurately. I don't know how you want to -- you want
start talking as we go through or do you want to get all the agreed --
things we're agreed on first?
MR. MUDD: I don't know. Let's --let's try -- let's not give up
the ship. I mean, if it looks like --
DR. LEE: I would suggest we may want to -- just a suggestion.
We try to determine what we can agree upon and then go back to what
-- what we haven't tentatively agreed to.
MR. PETTIT: Well, let's move to page 8, paragraph 3. And the
only thing I would comment there is I don't know whether that
intended -- the sentence was intentionally left out of the version we
received from the City, but we'd like it in there just to identify what
the approximate cost and the planned -- any planned expansion would
be as to the CPOc. Other than that, is there any change or
disagreement about any of it?
DR. LEE: Just two -- two items from the City that I have. Under
the green where it talks about, According to urban services report,
financial impact of expansion of operations by the City caused by the
annexation of the CPOC is -- and I would like to insert the word
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July 6, 2007
"estimated." Estimated to be.
MR. MUDD: Seventy-three thousand--
DR. LEE: Right. It was estimated. And then the last sentence
where it says, The City agrees that should it become necessary --
necessary to specially assess property owners for the expanded
operations, in the future of the CPOC, owners shall only be
responsible for their pro rated share. And I'd like to insert "at that
time."
MS. DONALDSON: Can I ask a question on that?
DR. LEE: Sure.
MS. DONALDSON: So potentially our pro rata share to begin
with could be 100 percent? We don't really know what that
percentage could be. So we could get -- we could have to pay for the
entire station? I'm just wondering what -- I mean, at this time what
you're trying to capture.
DR. LEE: No. Well, I think -- I'll let the County address why
they want to insert that in there, but we're not planning to do a special
assessment. But if we did, I think the idea here was to assess property
owners equally or fairly based on a pro rated basis. You know, that's
-- I mean, we -- I don't think we defined it any further than that, but --
MS. DONALDSON: Because I thought it was at 6 percent
which is from the Urban Services Report. Am I wrong? I just want to
make sure, but it's --
MR. PETTIT: That's what I understood too.
MS. DONALDSON: I mean, if we want to do 6 percent, I'mjust
-- I'm uncomfortable at this time. At the time it's expanded, we could
be 100 percent because you're looking at it for other annexations in the
future, but at that time those annexations haven't occurred so we could
end up with 100 percent.
DR. LEE: Do you want to put "at this time?"
MR. PRITT: I think we -- we discussed this on one or two
occasions I think we talked about special assessments. And the law of
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July 6, 2007
special assessments is, one, you cannot overassess private property
owners. The government cannot overassess. And, two, the proper --
there must be a fair share -- a fair apportioned share between all the
property owners.
So all this is saying is what I thought we'd agreed on which was
that nobody's going to pay any more than anybody else.
MS. DONALDSON: I guess I was fine with the language as it
reads. I guess the "at this time" raised my concern because at that
time we may be the only property owners that benefit.
DR. LEE: I think the reason I inserted that was the concern
about that we have a specific number of 73,755 and there was no -- I
mean, that's what our estimate was at the time. But, obviously, we all
know it -- it can't be pinned down to the exact dollar amount of what it
could be. That's why I added in "at that time" under -- by pro rated
share. That was --
MR. PETTIT: Well, I think that the reference of pro rata share is
actually refers back more to the percentage of the contemplated
expanded operations than the dollar figure. Is that how you
understood it?
MS. DONALDSON: Exactly. Which was the 6 percent.
MR. PETTIT: Yeah. I mean, the dollar figure was just to kind
of -- it's once you've got an urban services report. But, I mean, the pro
rata share of this 112 acres would be that percentage of those
contemplated expanded operations, not the dollar per se.
MS. DONALDSON: I mean, I'm comfortable with putting, you
know, the pro rata share of 6 percent. Because at least I know we're
getting 6 percent of the contemplated. But my only concern is at this
time, if we're the only property owners benefiting, that's 100 percent.
MR. PRITT: I don't think we could agree to do that at this time
agree to a flat percentage because that's the way it is today. Whenever
you do a special assessment, should we do a special assessment which
is kind of unlikely, but should we do a special assessment, then we're
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July 6, 2007
going to be bound at the time of the special assessment to make all
those -- to have all of those determinations made. And it's going to
depend upon how many other properties there are, who else is being --
it could be 6 percent or it could be 12 percent. It could be 2 percent
depending upon who else is being benefited. And -- and I don't think
that having an agreement at this time as to a certain percentage would
be lawful.
MR. POTTEIGIER: Don't you feel if it's benefited to the City --
if you offer a benefit to a nonCity, don't you have to offer that to
everyone in the City?
THE COURT REPORTER: Could you state your name, please.
MR. POTTEIGIER: Oh, Assistant Chief Rod Potteigier, East
Naples Fire.
MS. DONALDSON: I mean, I think the easiest is I'm more
comfortable leaving the language as it is. I -- I agree with Mr. Pritt's
statement of the law as it relates to special assessments.
DR. LEE: Okay.
MS. DONALDSON: I just am concerned that, you know, at this
time --
DR. LEE: You said, "at that time."
MS. DONALDSON: Or at that time.
MR. PRITT: At that time, yeah.
MS. DONALDSON: I mean, at that time.
MR. PRITT: Which is when it would have to be determined.
MS. DONALDSON: I'm just more comfortable -- if that's the
law, I'm just more comfortable not putting it in. I mean, it doesn't
seem necessary that we need to put "at that time" if --
MR. PRITT: Well -- and I would say that we -- this language has
been in there for at least one or two iterations of this. It was here -- I
mean, it was here last time.
DR. LEE: Yeah. I think that the -- with the green language in
there, I just wanted to clarify. That was my only point that I didn't
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July 6, 2007
want anyone to leave the table or certainly have an understanding of
this agreement that it's going to be 73,755 and that's the pro rated
share. So that's why I was putting some cautionary language in there.
MS. DONALDSON: I think the "estimated to be" covers that.
DR. LEE: Okay.
MR. PRITT: At least the attorneys in the room representing their
own --
DR. LEE: Agreed.
MR. MUDD: Yeah. So I don't --
MR. PRITT: We're all talking this out.
MR. MUDD: I don't mind, is estimated to be.
DR. LEE: Yeah. I don't mind that either.
MR. MUDD: That's not -- that's not a problem. I think that's
good clarifying stuff. And I think "at that time" coming down a
couple lines from that, it gets to a point in time where we get into
some disagreement. But if you got the law definition, you know,
we're governed by Florida statutes.
MR. PRITT: Could I ask, Ms. Donaldson, do you guys have
special assessments? Do you have any non ad valorem special
assessments?
MS. DONALDSON: We have the authority, but we do not--
MR. PRITT: No. I mean, do you actually -- have you actually
done any of them? You don't have any in place right now?
MS. DONALDSON: This district does not, no.
MR. PRITT: Okay. All right.
MS. DONALDSON: But that may change based on the property
tax proposals going on.
MR. PRITT: I understand.
DR. LEE: So "estimated to be" is in?
MR. PRITT: Right.
DR. LEE: What about "at that time?"
MR. PETTIT: I prefer to leave it as it is.
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July 6, 2007
MS. DONALDSON: I agree.
DR. LEE: Bob, do you have any problem leaving it?
MR. PRITT: I don't think it hurts anything. I think that -- that's
why I was asking for the attorneys in the room to --
DR. LEE: Okay.
MR. PRITT: -- to see if it's okay. Because I think that -- and the
County. You guys know that. You do some special assessments, I'm
sure. If you go under Chapter 170 or whatever you go under, there is
a dance that you have to go through that has to have -- these things
have to be done, calculated at the time of the special assessment to
decide what the special benefit is to the properties and how to
apportion it at that time.
DR. LEE: So we can tentatively agree on three then?
MR. PETTIT: With just the addition of "is estimated to be," yes.
DR. LEE: Right.
MR. PETTIT: 4, I didn't -- I went through the minutes from last
meeting in my notes and I didn't think -- I thought we had that agreed.
THE COURT REPORTER: I'm sorry.
MR. PETTIT: On 4, paragraph 4, I went through the minutes
from the last meeting in my notes and I thought we were in agreement
on the language in 4 on recycling.
DR. LEE: I'll just ask for one clarification. Do you have any
problem with that, Mr. Mercer?
MR. MERCER: No, none whatsoever.
MR. PRITT: Where did you get the minutes from just out of
curiosity?
MR. PETTIT: Mike Sheffield.
MR. SHEFFIELD: I sent a copy to Ann and asked her to
distribute to the City.
MR. PRITT: What -- what about the transcript?
MR. SHEFFIELD: Oh, the transcript is what Mike --
MR. PRITT: That's what I'm referring to.
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July 6, 2007
DR. LEE: The CD.
MR. PETTIT: I'm not using minutes in the technical sense. I'm
using the transcript.
MR. PRITT: Okay.
MR. PETTIT: Paragraph 5, I didn't indicate that there was any
change there nor in -- if we can agree on 4, we can agree on 5.
DR. LEE: I don't have any problem with 5, do you?
MR. MUDD: Neither do 1.
MR. PETTIT: On 6, paragraph 6, I think we've had this one
under agreement for a while now, but --
MR. MUDD: Yeah.
MR. PETTIT: -- any last minute concerns?
MR. MUDD: Took it forever, but I think we got 6 done.
MR. PETTIT: Huh?
MR. MUDD: It took us forever, but--
MR. PETTIT: Yeah, we got 6 done.
MR. MUDD: -- we got 6 finished.
DR. LEE: I don't have any changes. Anyone else?
MR. PETTIT: Okay. When we come to 7, there's several areas
of issue. I'll just speak for the County. We agree with the Fire
District's language and we still are seeking to discuss the rebate. I
know I'm unaware of anything that would not make it possible for the
City to offer that rebate to us.
MR. PRITT: Do you want to talk about the rebate first?
MR. MUDD: Let's talk about -- let's talk about what language
we can -- we can agree to.
MR. PRITT: It must not be the rebate.
MR. MUDD: Let us -- not be the rebate. Can you agree to
what's in blue?
MR. PRITT: I don't see the language of the last sentence in the --
in No.7.
MS. DONALDSON: It's the--
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July 6, 2007
MR. PRITT: (As read): The parties acknowledge that immunity
from taxation is created, conditioned and/or abolished by operation of
state law, not by local enactment.
MR. PETTIT: What's the purpose of that (inaudible)?
THE COURT REPORTER: I'm sorry. Can you repeat?
MR. PETTIT: What's the purpose of that language?
MR. PRITT: The purpose of the language is the same as it's
always been during our negotiations. I want to make clear that we're
not monkeying with the tax laws. We don't have the authority to do
that.
MR. PETTIT: I don't see anything in this agreement that would
purport to do that. So I don't know why you would have this in there.
MR. PRITT: I think it's important to have it in there.
MS. DONALDSON: The Fire District doesn't -- I mean, I agree
that the statute gives -- this is what's exempt. This is what can be
exempt. And that's what we're providing for.
MR. PRITT: Well, how about we not say anything then? Not to
say anything, the immunities are provided by state statute. And if
there's an immunity, it's there. If it's not there, it's not there. There's
no need to say any of it.
MS. DONALDSON: Well, I think on behalf ofthe Fire District,
that's a little problematic. It's part of our counter proposal was the
waiver of a certain tax which is a discretionary waiver. That -- that's
part of the Fire District proposal. So that is a -- that's a discretionary.
That's not just set up by statute.
The communications tax, we are specifically exempted by
statute. The utility tax, it's negotiated between the City and the Fire
District. So I couldn't agree to take the whole section out partially
because we were requesting to have language that specifically grants
us immunity from a tax.
MR. PRITT: Well, you're making a statement. (As read): The
parties acknowledge that the County, as a property owner in the
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July 6, 2007
CPOC, is immune from and shall not be subject to any utility tax or
communications tax levied by the City. References to Florida statute.
The Fire District, likewise.
All we're doing is referring to Florida statutes. Florida statutes
govern. So why are we trying to put things into the agreement that are
not there? If you're going to do that, at one point we said, all right.
Well, if you're going to put that in there let's put in the language,
which is the last sentence that I read a minute ago (as read): That we
acknowledge that immunity from taxation is created, conditioned
and/or abolished by operation of state law, not by local enactment.
We can -- does anybody disagree with that -- with that sentence?
MS. DONALDSON: I don't have a problem with the sentence,
but I don't want to delete -- because, like I stated, one of the waivers is
one that specifically has to be given by the City. It's not done by the
statute automatically.
MR. MUDD: So let me -- let me try to get it. So what we're
basically saying is 7 in blue with the last sentence in red just above it
is the paragraph that we're getting close to agree to. Is that what I just
heard?
MS. DONALDSON: Yes.
MR. MUDD: I got a nod. Okay.
Now, let's get to the green part. Okay. And, Bob, I've heard
your issue on this one. And I understand it and I know where the
City's coming from on this one. I also understand the budget issues
that we're in. We're willing to pull on the 5.9 percent and -- and let it
drop.
The -- I will tell you remember this when we're in discussions
with the water and sewer service to discount, to be continued or is
being continued. Okay. So are we all agreement now in 7? Going
once? So we've got -- we've got blue and the last sentence in red.
DR. LEE: Go ahead, Bob. I think you wanted to just read.
MR. PRITT: No. That's okay. I think Mr. Mudd said it.
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July 6, 2007
DR. LEE: Okay. Then the blue and then that last sentence in
red.
MR. MUDD: Okay. Michael, back to you.
MR. PETTIT: Okay. Now, we go to concurrency. And I just -- I
put the entirety of the City's version or rendition on concurrency and
the entirety of the County's. And I don't know whether we may want
to caucus for a moment with Mr. Feder before we talk about this
further.
MR. PRITT: Could I suggest, Mike, before we caucus, could we
go over any points of -- of disagreement or -- I mean, I would be very
interested in hearing from Mr. Feder what's wrong technically with the
concurrency that we wrote up or how it's better with what the County
wrote up.
MR. PETTIT: Well--
MR. PRITT: Then when we -- when we caucus, at least we'll
have the benefit of each other's thoughts on that. Because I think this
was something that was mainly -- mainly went to the transportation
people to talk about.
MR. PETTIT: Okay.
MR. PRITT: Is that okay?
MR. FEDER: Okay. I'll give a shot at it. What I will tell you is
that the language here in green for the County and red by the City, I've
looked through it. The original was that overall improvements to the
intersections would be the responsibility ofthe City. What I think you
see in both efforts here is a fair share. The City's dealing with
proportionate fair share. We've turned that into just fair share
especially if -- and I would ask that you consider on the green
eliminating the third to the last line on page 11 the word
"proportionate" where it goes before the second fair share.
The other thing and I'll go to Dan on that.
MR. PRITT: Oh, way down.
MR. FEDER: And then also about midway through where it
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July 6, 2007
says (as read): Determined by the County and the City at Horseshoe
Drive, comma, Progress -- I would recommend that be Horseshoe
Drive, slash, Progress because that's really one facility, two sides of
Airport.
Basically what I would say is our normal process would be that
anything west of Airport and the storage areas on Airport would be the
issues that we'd be dealing with initially if this is a new development.
Obviously, this is an interlocal with the City. So I'm comfortable with
agreeing with those two changes. What I think the major change it
makes -- and, Dan, you looked at it probably as long as I did or longer
-- so the major changes in them are -- at least with the County -- we're
not looking for proportionate, just for fair share. And the reason I'm
saying that is we each have our own proportionate fair share by
statutory definition. It's a little bit different. The language here is
talking about a fair share as determined by the City and the County.
And I think that gives us better flexibility than necessarily structuring
it to the word proportionate.
The other thing that I think that is in ours that's not in the City's is
just above that where it says (as read): Should any additional
development or redevelopment occur within the CPOC following
annexation. And then coordinating review to assess impacts, I think
that's the only other language, but I think it's clarifying language as
opposed to problematic, but I'd have to hear from the City on that.
MR. PRITT: Can we count down the number of lines again?
MR. FEDER: Yes. What I was reading was one, two, three,
four, five, the sixth line down and the seventh line down and then the
wording on the eighth and ninth lines down.
MR. MUDD: I believe Mr. Salvatori has got issues with six and
seven.
MR. SALVA TORI: Right.
MR. MUDD: Is that right?
MR. SALVA TORI: Right. You're talking about the last line, the
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July 6, 2007
change that Norm just gave to us?
MR. MUDD: Well -- well, the slash and the -- and get rid of
proportionate fair share down at the third -- third line from the bottom.
But I believe on that concurrency issue from I've been -- been --
what I've had discussions with Mike is you had issues with lines six
and seven.
MR. SALVA TORI: Correct. I think --
MR. MUDD: Four, five, six, seven -- six and seven.
MR. PETTIT: In other words, you -- you were making a
distinction, I know at the last meeting, between an increase in tensity
or density within the development versus just redevelopment or
development in accordance with what zoning is there now.
MR. SALVATORI: Right. The last change that Mr. Feder
brought up, the one where you add the language (as read): Or should
any additional development or redevelopment occur within the CPOC
following annexation.
I read to open the door for assessing the property owner for costs
in excess of impact fees. My thought process was if the property is
being developed consistent with the then current zoning, they would
be paying their impact fees and they shouldn't be -- there shouldn't be
a double dip for it. I don't mind if it's a review situation, but I don't
think the property owners should be charged for any impact fees in
addition to those that he would otherwise pay so long as what is being
done is consistent with the then current zoning.
MR. FEDER: And the reason we feel the language should be in
there is impact fees typically, at least from our process, does not get
used on anything but capacity improvement which is interpreted as
adding lanes. And our major issue here is the intersections.
Now, we're pretty close to the need predominantly on the site that
you're annexing to have additional lanes. Right now on Horseshoe
Drive, North Horseshoe, there's a growing need for there to be a left
turn, a through left and a right. And right now we have -- there is a
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July 6, 2007
left and a through right. You have storage issues already on Airport
coming up for northbound onto Enterprise and onto that area.
Those are normally things that if this was one development we
were dealing with here, we would have required as well as partial
improvements over by Livingston. They're intersection
improvements. They're not impact fee oriented.
In this case what we're saying is as the development comes, it's
going to pay a fair share. None of that development is going to, as we
calculated, jointly pay for that improvement. But as the development
goes and if it stayed in the County, we would be doing the same thing
to try and get that money towards intersection improvements. That's
not our impact fee that's used for multi-Ianing.
MR. SALVA TORI: I understand what you're saying. I
understand the uses that you make of your impact fees. But to me it
just strikes me as inherently unfair that the last property owner in, for
example, has to pay for the costs of that turn bay when what has led
up to it is the additional use of it made of that property in the past by
the property owners and their ITs and disks.
MR. FEDER: Well, that's what we're saying. It isn't the last one
in. It's all the development as it occurs. And by keeping this sentence
in, you're requiring development as it occurs and then you're also
addressing if we should expand intensity or density of development.
MR. SALVA TORI: I don't mind the increased density because I
think you're right. I think if you're doing something beyond zoning,
that's -- they open the door to that possibility. I don't have a problem
with that at all. My only concern was if it's consistent with the current
zoning, it just struck me is that's -- that's another whack at the apple
over and above the impact fees that you'd otherwise be paying.
MR. FEDER: And I appreciate that, but unfortunately capacity
gets consumed and you don't make the improvement until later. So I
understand the (inaudible) doctrine, but the fact of the matter is as
development goes, the demand for additional improvements, the
Page 16
July 6, 2007
operations are working today; but they're very close and that's all I'm
saying there.
MR. SALVA TORI: So when you say proportional share, let's
say -- I don't know.
MR. FEDER: We're saying fair share so I don't have to use
proportionate --
(Multiple voices.)
MR. SALVATORI: Right. So if I have a one acre parcel that's
coming in and that piece of property is roughly 100 acres, what you're
basically saying that that property owner would have to pay for 1
percent of the cost of adding, for example, that turn bay?
MR. FEDER: I think what you'd look at is the trips generated
out of what is likely to be generated for the rest of the development
and what their proportionate share based on the trips they generate.
MR. SALVA TORI: So trip sharing would be the proportionate
share?
MR. FEDER: Yes.
MR. SALVATORI: I mean, if that's it--
MR. FEDER: And then, again, we'll work with the City, as it
says here, be analyzed jointly. So I imagine that would be our
approach.
MR. SAL VA TORI: Well, maybe we can make it clear on that
basis that the proportionate share is determined on the trips generated
basis, I don't -- I don't have a problem with that then. That's fine.
MR. MUDD: Okay. So towards fair share and then in brackets
put trips generated?
MR. SALVA TORI: On a trips generated basis.
MR. MUDD: Okay.
MR. PRITT: I'm sorry. Third one from the bottom?
MR. MUDD: Third one from the bottom.
MR. PRITT: Based upon trips generated.
MR. MUDD: Everybody okay there?
Page 17
July 6, 2007
(No response.)
MR. MUDD: All right.
MR. PETTIT: Let's make sure I captured this correctly. In the
sentence we're talking about, The City further agrees the needed
contributions toward -- we struck -- stricken proportionate fair share.
Are we saying --
MR. MUDD: No. You've strucken (sic) the word
"proportionate. "
MR. PRITT: Right. Right.
MR. MUDD: Toward fair share based on trips generated --
MR. PRITT: Okay. And that'll be--
MR. MUDD: -- it shall be made within six months after any post
annexation zoning or approval increasing density or intensity or --
MR. FEDER: And any other change would be the slash between
MR. MUDD: Slash between Horseshoe Drive and Progress
Avenue.
MR. PRITT: So we're talking three intersections; is that correct?
MR. FEDER: No. Really you're talking two intersections and
then, actually, four because of -- as far as Livingston as well as
Airport.
THE COURT REPORTER: Whoa. Whoa. Please say that
agam.
MR. FEDER: You're talking about the intersection of North
Horseshoe and Progress at Airport, Enterprise at Airport and then
Progress at Livingston and Enterprise at Livingston. And as we
calculate fair share, I think it's going to get less as you get away from
the site.
MR. MUDD: Leo and I could still be talking at the same -- we
always laugh with her. Okay? Poor court reporter. She normally gets
stuck between Norman and 1--
MR. FEDER: Yeah.
Page 18
July 6, 2007
MR. MUDD: -- zinging as fast as we can. About that time you
want to put her fingers in a bowl of water to make the steam go up.
MR. PETTIT: Okay. What did you say, Bob?
MR. PRITT: Just going to the middle of the page there when the
-- where the locations are identified.
MR. FEDER: Uh-huh.
MR. PRITT: I think that what Norm just said was not consistent
with what I --
MR. FEDER: Okay. What did you say it is?
MR. PRITT: Horseshoe Drive, Progress is one.
MR. FEDER: Yeah.
MR. PRITT: And then Enterprise Avenue--
MR. FEDER: Is two.
MR. PRITT: -- at Airport is two. And Enterprise Avenue and
Livingston Road is three.
MR. FEDER: No. No. Actually, the reading is the City at
Horseshoe Drive, slash, Progress Avenue and Enterprise Avenue at
both Airport and Livingston Roads. So you've got two intersections.
Or you've got two east/west facilities intersecting two north/south
facilities creating four intersections. North -- North Horseshoe and
Progress are the same east/west.
MR. PRITT: Okay.
MR. FEDER: And Enterprise is --
MR. PRITT: And this correctly states that as far as you're
concerned?
MR. FEDER: I think it does. Let me see. The City at
Horseshoe Drive, Progress and -- I'd say and at Enterprise Avenue.
And at Enterprise Avenue and then take -- then take out the at -- move
the at to both at Airport and at -- maybe that helps you.
DR. LEE: Okay. Read it again. It still appears to be three.
MR. PETTIT: Do it again.
MR. FEDER: Okay. City -- County and the City at Horseshoe
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July 6, 2007
Drive, slash, Progress Avenue --
DR. LEE: That's one.
MR. FEDER: -- and at Enterprise Avenue both at Airport and
Livingston Roads. That may clarify it, doesn't it?
DR. LEE: Okay.
MR. MERCER: Well, if I may. Dan Mercer.
What may make it clearer is to say -- because there's no Horseshoe at
Livingston.
MR. FEDER: Yeah.
MR. MERCER: Is to say at Horseshoe Drive, slash, Progress
and Enterprise Avenue at Airport Road and Progress Avenue and
Enterprise at Livingston. Would that make it a little more clear
maybe?
MR. FEDER: That's even clearer. That's even clearer.
MR. MERCER: It adds a few more words, but I think it clears it
up.
MR. FEDER: Do you want to read that for the record?
MR. MERCER: I'm sorry.
DR. LEE: You say, and Airport at Livingston was the last one?
MR. MERCER: Yes.
MR. FEDER: Okay. So why don't you read it out loud.
MR. MERCER: Okay. I would -- the way it would read would
be (as read): And the City at Horseshoe Drive, slash, Progress Avenue
and Enterprise Avenue at Airport Road. And then you can probably
put a comma there. And Progress Avenue and Enterprise at
Livingston Road. Or did I confuse you?
MR. PRITT: I'm sorry. I'm still counting three.
MR. MUDD: No. What he did -- what he did is he took the two
intersections of Horseshoe and Progress -- Horseshoe, Progress and
Enterprise, two intersections. And said, okay. We're going to apply
those intersections at Airport Road and then we're going to apply those
two intersections when they -- when they get to Livingston.
Page 20
July 6, 2007
MR. FEDER: And the clarification is Horseshoe Drive is no
longer in play. It's Progress solely when it gets to Livingston. That's
clear to me.
MR. MERCER: What I may ask there, I don't recall ever
throwing Livingston Road in there as an issue, the concurrency, at
Livingston.
MR. FEDER: There always a new original and that's the -- that's
the access out of the park is over towards Livingston. And those are
the issues I think as we said probably when we collectively look at it.
It's going to be less trip generation and demand over there because
you'll have a conversion than necessary at the Airport intersection. So
I think that'll probably be last, but nonetheless we put it in because
that's the major roads. It's straight over to Livingston.
MR. MERCER: But it'd be based on a study or something.
MR. FEDER: Yeah. It has to be. That's what he said based on
(Multiple voices.)
MR. MUDD: Based on trips -- trips generated. Okay.
MR. FEDER: Based on trips generated. So if you show that
they're diverting differently, then you won't get over there.
MR. PETTIT: Okay. You need to hand write out the change
you just made because there's three people talking and I'm not getting
notes. Just hand write it out.
MR. FEDER: Just to make sure I have it in mine, And the City
at Horseshoe Drive, slash, Progress Avenue and Enterprise Avenue at
-- take out both -- at Airport, comma, and Progress Avenue and
Enterprise at Livingston Road. And take out the S on road.
DR. LEE: Does that work Dan? That was a little different than
what you said.
MR. FEDER: Isn't that what it is?
MR. MERCER: I thought -- I thought that was about what I said.
Yeah. I think that'll work.
Page 21
July 6, 2007
MR. MUDD: Except for one comma, we've pretty much got it.
MR. MERCER: Yeah.
MR. PETTIT: Okay.
MR. MERCER: The only other question I have is when we
talked to Nick a few weeks ago, the County has already collected
some -- I guess you call impact fee or money for that intersection. I
guess 14,000. And I'm presuming that's going to be earmarked for
Horseshoe Drive, that extra lane.
MR. FEDER: That'll still be retained. Whatever we pulled into
that, I have to if I took it for that purpose.
MR. MERCER: Okay. That's good.
MR. FEDER: It's not enough to do it. And incrementally, we'll
see if we ever get there is what we're saying.
MR. MERCER: You don't think that's enough; huh?
MR. FEDER: Not unfortunately. I think we're covered, Dan.
MR. MUDD: Okay. Now, let's with all of those changes made,
can we agree to what's in green under concurrency?
MR. MERCER: With the changes.
MR. MUDD: Oh, yeah. With the changes. Bob? He's the only
Bob I know. He's scratching his ear. When we does that, we're in
trouble.
MR. PRITT: Yeah. I guess I don't understand the -- Norm, it's
not you. It's me. I still don't understand. Everybody's using
proportionate fair share which has a meaning in state law. And you're
taking out proportionate. And I guess I just don't understand it. I'm
not even -- I'm not arguing with your negotiating. I just don't
understand why you're not --
MR. FEDER: The only reason I took it out and -- and just trying
to be clear here is taking out one on the left and the other. That's why
I took it out of the other to be consistent.
The reason that we're recommending it out is you have a proportionate
fair share ordinance. We have one. They're not exactly the same. So
Page 22
July 6, 2007
what we're saying is together we're determining a fair share. And by
using the word "proportionate," I don't have to stumble over whether
or not I'm using legally my proportionate fair share or you don't have
to stumble legally over whether or not you're using your proportionate
fair share. And I'm not an attorney here so feel free to --
MR. PRITT: I understand that now okay.
MR. MUDD: That's kind of why we got into the based on trips
generated --
MR. FEDER: Yes.
MR. MUDD: -- is to make sure that we got some more definition
to that.
MR. FEDER: Of what fair share meant.
MR. MUDD: Of what fair share meant so that everybody was--
that didn't -- that isn't lost on anyone.
MR. PRITT: Leo, do you feel comfortable?
MR. SALVATORI: Yeah. I'm fine with that.
MR. PRITT: Okay. With that issue at with the explanation?
MR. SAL VA TORI: I'm fine with that.
DR. LEE: So we won't need to discuss that further. We can TA?
MR. PRITT: I'm okay.
MR. PETTIT: Okay. So we're going to use the green with the
changes we agreed on?
MR. MUDD: Yes.
DR. LEE: Correct.
MR. PETTIT: 9, first of all, the County agrees just to -- this is
the situation about foregoing objections and challenging. The County
agrees with sentence 1 of9. The County does not agree with sentence
2, period.
MR. PRITT: Okay. Wait a minute. Let me just catch up with
you. Okay.
MR. PETTIT: The proper thing to do in the event of such a
challenge would be determine whether or not the County or City was,
Page 23
July 6, 2007
in fact -- not maybe -- was, in fact, acting in concert --
THE COURT REPORTER: I'm sorry.
MR. PETTIT: -- and, therefore, in violation of the agreement.
THE COURT REPORTER: I can't hear you.
MR. PETTIT: Okay. The proper thing to do would be to
determine whether the County was, in fact, or the Fire District was, in
fact, acting in concert with some agent or employee. And, if so, that
would be a violation of the agreement probably subject to the dispute
resolution provision. And I'm -- I'm just not going to recommend that
we void the whole agreement because someone over whom the
County management structure and the City and the Fire District
management structure has no control raises some objection. And the
way you've got it written here, it's almost presumptive that the -- that
they're somehow acting in concert with the County or City.
Because basically we spent six months working on this
agreement. And that would make it disappear for acts not -- not
within our control. I think it can be resolved through the dispute
resolution process.
MS. DONALDSON: And as I said at the last meeting, the Fire
District was fine with sentence 1. We cannot under any circumstances
agree to sentence 2 unless we have that notwithstanding language, that
no matter what, you know, the District's going to be protected. So it's
either under this agreement or if this agreement's terminated the four
years is implemented under Part 1 of the statute.
So I'm fine with not having the language I put in and just having
sentence 1. As I stated the last time, you know, I don't want to be in a
position where one of our union employees asked for public records
and that's deemed that -- you know, I'm working with them which is
something I'm required to do. I just prefer that situation not to be
there.
So we're fine District-wise agreeing that we're not going to
challenge the annexation. That the District itself will not challenge
Page 24
July 6, 2007
the annexation.
MR. PETTIT: And -- and to follow. And we agree to follow that
up that would be a subject for the dispute resolution process ifthere
was an alleged breach of that clause.
DR. LEE: Ifwe do need to caucus, I would suggest maybe if we
go through the entire agreement. If there's this article and one or two
others, maybe we can cover them all in caucus. But, I don't know,
Bob, if you want to respond at this time or if you -- Bob Pritt -- or if
you think we should --
MR. PRITT: Well, I guess one of my questions on this is I think
Mike explained it, but I just want to concur. On the second sentence
there, it starts with "If any," you had put in green, is acting in concert,
which might be acceptable. But then at the bottom it said, County
disagrees with the provision and the Fire District's alternative. And
then you indicated that you disagree, I guess, with the whole sentence.
And I just want to be real clear on that.
MR. PETTIT: We disagree with the whole sentence.
DR. LEE: Do you want to cover that in a caucus?
MR. PRITT: Yeah.
DR. LEE: Okay. We'll come back on that one.
MR. MUDD: And just -- just to add my two cents to it. You
know, I just -- I just had an ex-employee who we just settled a
potential lawsuit with. Okay. Just got arrested for doing fire works.
And he didn't have the common sense to quit shooting it off when the
deputy came. And he got resisting arrest. He had -- he had problems
with his heart supposedly. Put him in an EMS ambulance. Wouldn't
let anybody work on them because they were County. Got to the --
got to the station and then -- and then proceeds to urinate all over the
booking room. And it is public records, but here's where we are now.
Do I want to subject -- and he's not -- and when he's in a -- in a
more tranquil state, he's a pretty sharp guy. Do I want somebody like
that that has some kind of vendetta or whatever, okay, just to sit here
Page 25
July 6, 2007
and pick this agreement apart because he wants to come up and just do
it for spiteful reasons? And have us have to go sit at another table for
six months? I just find that absolutely ludicrous.
I got to tell you, I don't want to be -- I don't want this agreement
to be subjected to that kind of -- that kind of stuff when you -- when
you don't have to. And -- and, you know, I might have -- we might
have our bright stars in County government or ex-bright stars, but I
know the City's got their ex-bright stars. And God only knows, the
Fire District might have some too. And I don't believe we need to go
down this road and open -- and open both governments plus the Fire
District --
CHIEF MCEVOY: Why would we want to? I mean, it doesn't
make sense to even want to.
MR. MUDD: Well, we can caucus, but -- but I'm just giving you
my two cents in why it causes us some kinds of issues. Okay. And
it's -- and it's for that -- it's for that outlier that's out there that they just
want to get into a squabble over no good reason, have no real reason
to be involved, but all of a sudden it becomes their number one desire
in life to do that. And just why -- why do we want to go down that
road?
MR. PRITT: Let me make a suggestion before we caucus just to
think about this. I think that what you're concerned about is the
portion of the sentence that says, If any of their agents, employees,
unions or. If that were taken out it would read, If any person who --
and then we'll use Mike's language -- is acting in concert with, at the
behest of either party shall challenge the annexation, this agreement
shall be void.
I think that addresses your concern. By the same token, it retains
our concern that we're going to have an agreement and then
somebody's going to come in and send or act in concert with or -- or at
the behest of the agency come in and challenge the annexation
anyhow. I think that would be a breach of the agreement. And I think
Page 26
"
July 6, 2007
that it's very necessary to have the language in there that the
agreement would be void to keep that from happening rather than
fighting about it later on. So that's --
DR. LEE: So you're saying that remove, Of their agents,
employees, unions of any person -- of -- of any?
MR. PRITT: Right. It would just say, If any person who is --
DR. LEE: Is. Who is.
MR. PRITT: Right.
DR. LEE: And remove the other. Would that be something
you-all would--
MR. SALVATORI: Can I make a suggestion? It doesn't
necessarily impact us directly, but I'm concerned about the void part
of it. Maybe it might be better -- I -- frankly, I prefer to have the first
sentence like Mike and Laura suggested. But if we need to have a
second sentence, rather than making the agreement void which kind of
throws us in chaos, why don't we punish the offending party. I'm
being a little loose in the language here. But, for example, if the
agreement as it now ends up provides that East Naples gets an
additional six months of income. They lose it. The County could lose
their ability to get the recycling. Something along those lines. Some
benefit that's left on the table that can be taken away from them so it's
an economic benefit without voiding the agreement. So it's a little less
draconian in terms of its impact to the people. I'm not sure how
you-all would feel about it, but that's something that's --I'm sorry. My
strong preference though, frankly, would be to have just the first
sentence.
MS. DONALDSON: I can tell you from the District's standpoint,
I mean, we've been coming. You know, we've spent money to try to
get an agreement. The District is not going to try to challenge this. I
mean, because the District is in a little bit different position because
we have protections under two different parts of the statute. We have
no agreement, we're still protected under Part 1. I just don't find it
Page 27
July 6,2007
necessary.
And I'm still concerned that acting in concert with is -- I don't
know what that means. Does it mean if we meet with someone who's
going to challenge it, does that mean we're acting in concert with?
MR. PRITT: Well, acting in concert has a specific legal meaning
that's pretty well known and very well litigated.
MR. PETTIT: See, I don't understand what you're gaining here
because I think that if you believe that such an event is occurring and
subject to the dispute resolution procedure, which means you have to
go all the way through that to get to your remedy of voiding this
anyway. So why not just have the dispute resolution procedure which
deals with alleged disputes and breaches.
THE COURT REPORTER: I'm sorry. You're fading. Which
deals with --
MR. PETTIT: Which deals with alleged breaches. I mean, it's
No. 12 which I've got some concerns about also. We'll talk about
those when we get there.
MR. PRITT: I understand your point. I just don't agree with
you. We can talk about it.
DR. LEE: Okay. Why don't we include that in our caucus then?
MR. MUDD: I'll circle that on mine.
DR. LEE: Go with 10.
MR. MUDD: So nine's still -- still out for discussion. And we
haven't done 2. So I got two paragraphs to do on the to-do list.
DR. LEE: 10, 11, 12.
MR. MUDD: We're on 10. Everybody agree to 10?
(No response.)
MR. MUDD: Hearing no objection, we go to 11. I guess I've
been hanging around with lawyers too long.
DR. LEE: I won't hold that against you.
MS. DONALDSON: I was going to say, we're not that fast.
MR. MUDD: Anything on II?
Page 28
r'---"
July 6, 2007
(No response.)
MR. MUDD: Hearing no objection, we move to 12. And if only
we could be so lucky.
MR. PETTIT: Well, we can't. On 12, I did some -- I studied the
statute. And, obviously, there's no case law on it. I didn't look to see
ifthere was any AGOs, but I doubt ifthere are.
MR. PRITT: Which statute are you talking about?
MR. PETTIT: Part 2 of the annexation statute. At -- at section __
let's see the top here. At the end of Part 2, it looks like Section 171
and 171.203, I think. Now, you go to Subsection 13. See if that's the
right section. Look and see.
MS. DONALDSON: Is it the 212?
MR. PETTIT: I'm looking for the dispute. Oh, yeah, 212. That's
right. 171.212, it says, A local government shall initiate procedure __
the conflict resolution procedures established in Chapter 164. When
you go back to 164, 164 does have a section that talks about the
possibility of having an alternative dispute resolution procedure
required by general law or agreed to by contract, interlocal agreement
or other written instrument.
I think when I read the two statutes together, the plain import of
this annexation statute in Part 2 is that you follow 164 procedures.
That it's not -- it's not dealing with a contract that preexists 164 if you
will. It's saying that's the procedure you follow. So I'm not sure that
you legally can have a different alternative dispute resolution
procedure than Chapter 164.
MR. PRITT: Maybe I'm missing something, Mike, but when you
read 164 it said or provided by agreement -- interlocal agreement.
MR. PRITT: I'm -- I'm open to the fact that it's not clear. But in
this case general law -- a different general law is saying you follow the
procedures of 164. It's not talking about a contract. It says you follow
the 164 procedures. And the 164 procedures are pretty well defined.
They're not another ADR method. So just I raise that issue. I'm
Page 29
~~_.-.
July 6, 2007
not saying it's clear, but there's that issue.
Secondly, I don't think we would be prepared in any event to -- to
follow the ADR procedure you put in paragraph 2.
MS. DONALDSON: And on behalf of the Fire District, my
language, we've actually deleted that paragraph.
MR. PETTIT: Okay. That -- that helps because __
MS. DONALDSON: The paragraph A in the Fire District.
MR. PETTIT: The paragraph 2 would be City's paragraph 2
where you put in an ADR procedure involving going to the chief
judge, et cetera, et cetera.
MR. PRITT: I've done it. It has worked. It's a good procedure.
I know this is repetitious because we've talked about this in our
negotiation before, but the thought behind this is not as nefarious as
you might think. It's just simply an attempt to try to get the parties to
do something pre-164. And I'm not trying to cut out 164. It's to try to
get us -- we agreed to get together sooner than we go to the
implementation of a 164 procedures.
It's a little bit like a -- in code enforcement you have notices of
violation. A lot of times you have -- a lot of places have courtesy
notices or warning notices and so on. Those have no legal effect as far
as code enforcement's concerned because they're prenotice of
violation. But the thought here was that we had 162 -- or 164. It's
available. We're going to go to 164 if we have to; but ifthere's some
kind of dispute, why can't we get the thing resolved quickly by sitting
down and that would be the agreement. Sit down and see if we can __
and if we can't do it, let's see if we can get something -- get the judge
to -- on No.2 see if we can get the judge to come in and get us
somebody to help us mediate right away. The idea was to try to save
money and time.
MS. DONALDSON: Can I ask a question on that though? It
seems like if we go to the judge and if that doesn't work, we have to
do mandatory arbitration.
Page 30
t'~--
July 6, 2007
MR. PRITT: That's my --
MS. DONALDSON: Under the Florida Arbitration Code, if we
go through mandatory arbitration, then how do we go to Chapter 164?
It's already been decided.
MR. PRITT: I was referring to this last one. I'm sorry.
MS. DONALDSON: I mean, ifI cut out Section 2-G because I
don't think it's necessary based on my counter proposal, that's why
that's deleted. But I think Mike's point is if the statute says we go to
164, we go to 164. And he's uncomfortable, correct me ifI'm wrong,
agreeing to another process that exempts us completely out of going to
164.
MR. PETTIT: I -- I mean, I'm willing to entertain if you're
talking about having a mediation with a mediator that the parties
jointly select where we're not going to be bound by a resolve or have
somebody play Solomon and say, You win. You lose. I'd be willing to
entertain having something like that in there as a prelude to initiation
of 164 because it may help us head off 164.
And I'm not -- still not crystal clear that Chapter 164 as read in
concert with this one works that way; but since it's an open book, I'm
willing to take a little freer approach, but I -- my issue is the
mandatory arbitration.
MS. DONALDSON: And I think the District would be fine with
the mediation as a -- if it wasn't settled after mediation, then go to
Chapter 164.
MR. PRITT: How are you going to get your mediator?
MS. DONALDSON: Well, I think -- I mean, it would have--
MR. MCEVOY: It would be like a grievance.
MR. PRITT: Well, and then it goes on for months.
MR. PETTIT: Well, it depends. I mean, I pick mediators all the
time in civil litigation. And it usually takes about ten minutes to find
one we can both agree on.
MR. PRITT: Yeah. Like it's taken us ten minutes to come to an
Page 31
f'---'--.
July 6, 2007
agreement on this. I don't think so.
MR. PETTIT: Freer negotiating, I guess, Bob.
MR. PRITT: I think that's -- I think that's going to happen.
That's why the thought was to have the chief judge just -- just go to
chief judge and the chief judge will provide a mediator. They have
mediation service that the chief judge is in charge of.
MS. DONALDSON: Well, I think what Mike was saying, he
might be okay with that first part of that 2-G, but then you have it -- if
there's no resolution of that, we go to mandatory arbitration.
MR. PETTIT: Which basically short circuits 164. I mean, once
you've got a mandatory arbitration --
MR. MUDD: So what -- what -- let me just make sure I'm kind
of getting the drift. You're basically saying you go to chief judge.
The chief judge has got a mediation service. And the chief judge gets
the mediator picked and we get after it?
MR. PRITT: Right.
MR. MUDD: I don't think anybody so far what I've heard
disagrees with that at all. Okay? I believe what I've heard is it's the
next step when you have to go to arbitration. And -- and arbitration
basically supersedes 164. And 164 is called for based in the Florida
statutes. And that's what Michael is -- is uncomfortable with.
Because he doesn't believe that we can -- we can supersede that.
MR. PETTIT: And my experience is that if you do mediate,
you've got a competent mediator, most of the time you get it resolved
with the mediation.
MR. MUDD: Mike, let me ask a question just for the novice.
Okay. Because I don't do 164s. Is 164 what we did with the
Southwest Florida Water Management District?
MR. PETTIT: Yup.
MR. MUDD: Okay. I got to tell you, at mediation it's going to
be a whole different story. Okay. Because if you have to put both
boards together and have them duke it out in order to come up with an
Page 32
r'---",--
July 6, 2007
agreement, you're going to get that done in mediation. It's got to be the
most brutal thing you can possibly get. And you will meet in 164, but
it will be -- it will be an agreement session. It will not be a
disagreement session. And that's what you and I get paid for. Okay.
And the chief gets paid for to make sure that they get it resolved. I
think it gets it done, Bob. I don't think you get out of the 164. But
then in that juncture, it's a good news item for our boards.
MR. PETTIT: But I think -- I think Jim stated it pretty well. I
mean, I'm not going to object to having a mediation procedure. If you
think the chief judge is the person to do that, fine. I've never found
that we need -- I need a tie breaker to pick a mediator, but I can't -- I
don't think I can agree to recommend that we sign off on an arbitration
procedure because I'm not sure the statutes allow it; but even if they
do, that's not the way we want to go.
MR. FEDER: From what you're saying nonbinding.
MR. PETTIT: Just a mediation.
DR. LEE: Bob, so we can move on, do you want to include that
in with Item No.9 for our discussion during caucus?
MR. PRITT: Yeah. We'll talk about it.
DR. LEE: Why don't we do that. So there will be 9 and 10 we'll
caucus on.
MR. FEDER: 2, 9 and 12.
MR. PETTIT: 2, 9 and 12.
DR. LEE: Well, 2 we can get back -- and get some clarification
for m3. Ifwe -- at least 9 and 12 for that now and come back and
we'll caucus.
MR. PETTIT: I'm assuming there's no concern about paragraphs
13 and 14?
DR. LEE: Nope.
MR. MUDD: Hearing none, go to 15.
MR. PETTIT: And 15 is kind of tied back. I mean, that's really
not -- and the County really -- I think we greed early on for five years.
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July 6, 2007
And I think we even agree to the renegotiation language. I think
the blue language is Laura's language and it ties back to paragraph __
whichever paragraph 2 we're going to use.
MS. DONALDSON: Right. I mean, the concern is we can't
have the agreement expiring if paragraph 2 is still ongoing. So that's
why I think we kind of made a comment or the expiration provided for
in Section 2. I know that one of the comments was, well, maybe we
can have certain paragraphs expire in five years and then certain
paragraphs expire. Looking at it, I just think it would be confusing.
DR. LEE: I agree.
MR. SAL VA TORI: I don't have a problem with the language.
The only thing I was going to suggest and throw out is that the
renegotiations probably would only need to be between the City and
the County at that point because you will revolve out over the course
of time. I think that's why you picked that later -- the later language in
there.
MS. DONALDSON: You know, I -- I would just have to say
you just never know what's going to happen five years from now. I
mean the--
,
MR. SALVATORI: So let them invite you in if -- if that's what
they want to do. But if you are revolving out, then I would suggest
that the negotiations should really only be between the City and the
County at that point in time. They can always invite you in, of course,
if they wanted to.
MS. DONALDSON: So what would --like, if they want to
continue the concurrency section beyond five years?
MR. SAL VA TORI: They could do that. But that would not be
an East Naples issue.
MS. DONALDSON: I agree. But if the -- I mean, if we're a
party to the contract, we're a party to the contract. I guess if you're
going to come up with a new contract --
MR. SAL VA TORI: Ifthere's an extension of the contract
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July 6, 2007
beyond -- beyond the later of these two dates by those -- by either one
of those dates, you will have revolved out of the agreement literally.
You will have fully performed under either one of our respective
proposals. If it's an extension, an amendment -- excuse me. If it's a
renewal of the agreement or an extension of the agreement beyond the
term of East Naples involvement in this, I would think that the only
parties that would be involved in that renegotiation process could be
the City, County and property owner.
MS. DONALDSON: I agree. I would just like the caveat of
language that says, Unless fire services are an issue, then we are a
party to the renegotiation. Because we don't know five years from
now, the City may not want to take it over five years from now.
MR. SAL VA TORI: And I don't have a problem with that.
MS. DONALDSON: I mean, 1--
MR. PRITT: Well, why don't we just say, Renegotiation among
the parties remaining at interest.
MR. SALVATORI: Yeah, something like that would be fine.
MS. DONALDSON: I think we would all be in interest with 18
months outstanding. I think it's the -- the parties that are relevant to
the sections that are being discussed for an extension. I mean, I don't
know -- but I understand. But I don't want to just be in a position
where --
MR. SAL VA TORI: I understand what you're saying. You guys
are saying the same thing.
MS. DONALDSON: -- to deal with fire services and we need to
be required to be at the table.
MR. PRITT: Well, renegotiation between parties affected at that
time.
MS. DONALDSON: That's fine.
MR. SALVATORI: That will be fine.
MS. DONALDSON: Yeah. I mean, we don't want to be back at
the table and you're talking about concurrency and sewer and water.
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July 6, 2007
MR. SAL VA TORI: Right. That's what I was thinking, yeah.
DR. LEE: So -- so the language that's been added is,
Renegotiation between parties affected at that time?
MR. PRITT: Yes, shall commence.
DR. LEE: How about the rest of the --
MR. PRITT: The -- I want to talk -- I want to caucus on the first
sentence here. I think that, Laura, correct me if I'm wrong, I think that
might relate -- the language of that might relate to what we do to the
agreement.
MS. DONALDSON: Correct.
MR. PRITT: I think you said that -- I just want to make sure we
both agree. So that may be contingent upon what we wind up doing
with No.2.
MS. DONALDSON: If it's less than five years then.
MR. PETTIT: And let me add one other thing. Go back to page
1 where we talk about this interlocal boundary -- service boundary
agreement is entered into and we've got a date. Let's strike that date
line and I'll tell you why.
I think the lawyers are going to have to figure out an appropriate
way to word the effective date of the agreement and we can put that in
paragraph 16. But I'm just thinking. This is a mechanical issue. And
the County -- what happens is the board acts on an agreement and then
you scratch in the -- in pen the date that the board acted. But since
we're going to be multiple boards acting on this agreement, I think we
need some language in the body of the agreement just telling us what
the effective date is. If that makes sense to you and Bob.
MS. DONALDSON: Like the last government approval.
MR. PETTIT: Yeah, the last approving body or whatever.
Because the likelihood is these -- this agreement's not going to get __
it's going to go serially among the parties with that respect.
MR. PRITT: I agree.
MR. PETTIT: So let's do that in the final iteration.
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July 6, 2007
MR. MUDD: Okay. We all agree to that?
(Indicating. )
MR. MUDD: Okay. Anybody -- anybody have problems with
the signature blocks? If we get this done quick enough, they'll stay the
same. Okay?
DR. LEE: You going to add language in 16 before you move the
signature. Are you going to add some kind of language about the
effective date?
MR. PETTIT: Right. We can talk about that today or probably
-- it's probably something we can agree quickly.
MS. DONALDSON: Yeah. I don't think that's going to be a
controversial --
DR. LEE: The only question I have on the signature block is I
see -- I see some names that are listed here that could change.
MR. MUDD: That's what I was getting at. Ifwe -- if move this
right along, we could get through this. All right.
MS. DONALDSON: Didn't they tell you not to make pregnant
women laugh?
MR. MUDD: It's okay.
DR. LEE: All right. We have EMS and all right here.
MR. PRITT: Why don't we just say on 16, the last -- the last to
be executed, the last signature or the last signature because it's not
going to be effective until it's approved by all three boards and passed
around to all three boards. We do that all the time with interlocals.
MS. DONALDSON: I think that's fine. I just think we need to
then put a date under each of the signatures so we actually know
which one is the -- because the signature block is just signatures.
MR. MUDD: Well, I'm okay -- I'm okay with -- see, you got it
dated for Dwight Brock as the Deputy Clerk to attest. You got Tara
Norman dated, but I don't have it dated for Tom Cannon. Ifhe's the
last one out, we don't have a date for him.
MR. PETTIT: Why don't I just put date in there underneath his
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July 6, 2007
name.
MR. MUDD: Okay.
MR. PETTIT: And a line. And this agreement shall become
effective on the date of -- give me the language, Bob, on the date is __
MR. PRITT: Of the signature of the last -- of the last--
MR. PETTIT: Last executing party? Effective on the date of the
signature of the last executing party. I'll say signed, executed and
signed. Okay.
MR. PETTIT: Did you want to talk about your paragraph 2s now
or --
DR. LEE: I think it might be helpful to talk about paragraph 2
before we go into caucus and then we'll just address paragraph 2, 9,
12, a section of 15. That's what I have, I think.
MS. DONALDSON: I have 2,9, 12 and 15 potentially.
DR. LEE: Right. So if we can, I guess, move to 2.
MR. PRITT: Why don't I yield to Ms. Donaldson.
At the last meeting you had a copy of the proposal that we had
made, indicated that you didn't have enough time to take a look at it,
respond to it. Since that time, I presume you took a look at it because
you did respond to it. And maybe you can explain how far off we are
on things from your point of view because there might be some things
that we're pretty close on. I don't know.
MS. DONALDSON: The -- well, I mean, I think that the biggest
issue out there between -- out of all of the issues, my perception, is the
permitting inspections and the length of term and what service
provider stands for. I think some of the issues, you know, the -- for
example, there's no transfer of equipment and personnel to the City.
You know, I think there's some -- some nonissues. But I will go
through what we've done.
The term basically -- the statute right now goes through October
1,2012. That's if the annexation occurs this year and the City elects to
assume services. So that's just existing law where the service provider
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July 6, 2007
starting October 1. Well, it's now. And then October 1 of next year,
our boundaries change.
So what we did was basically I -- I tried to cut it in the middle.
Although, I'm sure you guys it won't be seen that way. We extended it
by another year to 2013. And we gave the permanent inspection to the
City after 2010. So it's not an immediate which is what the proposal
that was given to us. It was after -- we're the service provider till
2010. And then for permitting and inspection and then the City would
take over permitting and inspection from 2010 to 2013.
Another big issue is the reduction of ad valorem revenues. It's a
fee base. It's not based on ad valorem. So I think for us to say we're
going to reduce our ad valorem payments that are required by the
statute for you once you take over the inspection and permitting,
inspections and permitting pay for themselves. At least that's how the
District does it.
MR. PRITT: Which -- which one are you reading from?
MS. DONALDSON: Oh, I can go through each section. I'm
sorry .
MR. PRITT: Oh, okay.
MS. DONALDSON: Okay. The term (a) it goes October 1,
2013, and that's only if the City elects to do it this year. Obviously, I
had to take into -- I believe that the City will annex it this year, but I
had to take into account that, let's say, we -- the City decides not to
annex it this year. There's got to be some consideration of pushing it
back.
The plan examinations, the District does the plan review,
approval inspections from the annexation till September 30,2010.
And then 2010 on the City reviews all the applications. I put in there
that the District continues to review the applications. It currently has
because it -- I mean, we could be right about to issue a permit and then
we're going to have to turn it over to the City. It just didn't make
sense to have that.
Page 39
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July 6, 2007
So basically any permit applications or inspections beforehand,
we continue under the District.
MR. MCEVOY: Ms. Donaldson -- this is Jim McEvoy, City of
Naples Fire. And I just have to ask one question. Is it the District
that's doing that inspection and the fee collection now or is it the
Collier County Fire Code official? I'm a little bit confused on this.
MR. BIONDO: What are you confused on, Jim? Nick -- Nick
Biondo, Deputy Chief East Naples Fire Department in charge of
fire prevention.
MR. MCEVOY: Explain the relationship between the District
and the Collier County Fire Code official's office.
MR. BIONDO: What -- the definition of the whole beginning of
the process?
MR. MCEVOY: Well, I don't need the history of it.
MR. BIONDO: I'm just -- just trying to clarify.
MR. MCEVOY: My -- my understanding is that it's the Collier
County Fire Code official's office who collects the fees and does all
the approvals, not necessarily East Naples Fire Control and Rescue
District.
MR. BIONDO: They collect the fees for permitting fees. They
collect our -- our inspection fees also. We do all the inspections. Plans
get submitted to the building department at the County. Ed Riley's
office is at that building department on Horseshoe Drive. Plans go in.
They approve the plans. They will put a fee amount on there for their
-- for their review fee. And then they would put an inspection fee on
there too, that amount. As plans get kicked to us, we also look at
them. Our guys get familiar with what's coming into the District. And
then they go out and do the inspections.
MR. MCEVOY: Who issues the C.O.?
MR. BIONDO: We do.
MR. MCEVOY: The District?
MR. BIONDO: Correct.
Page 40
July 6, 2007
MR. MCEVOY: Not the fire commissioner in anyway?
MR. BIONDO: No, sir. They don't do any of the inspections.
MR. POTTEIGIER: The only thing the fire code does is approve
the --
MR. BIONDO: Site plan?
MR. POTTEIGIER: Site plans and the plans.
MR. BIONDO: And the building permits.
MR. POTTEIGIER: It's part of the permitting.
MR. MCEVOY: They review the fire protection systems and
approve them or disapprove them?
MR. POTTEIGIER: Correct.
MR. MCEVOY: And then they don't go on-site to do those
inspections?
MR. BIONDO: Not unless they're requested or if there's a
conflict or there's a clarification that needs to be made in the field. We
may call them and find out.
MR. MCEVOY: They collect the fees?
MR. BIONDO: They collect the fees for us, that's correct. They
collect the fees for five districts.
MS. DONALDSON: Same thing with impact fees. The County
collects -- we have an interlocal agreement with the County to collect
the fees. And then it's distributed to the special district's.
MR. MCEVOY: Thank you.
MS. DONALDSON: Okay. And so then it goes to -- obviously,
after the transition date, which is the October 1,2010, the City -- the
City's code applies. Their fees apply. We put -- because we don't
really know how much and it was so open ended in the City proposal
that the District is willing to provide a plan reviewer to brief the City
planner for 20 hours, no charge. Just we'll sit down and go through
what we have. It may -- you know, it may not even be 20 hours. We
don't really know in 2010 what the load would be.
I also put in language that after the transition date, the City will
Page 41
July 6, 2007
provide copies to the District of all approved permits. That goes back
to the safety issue. We still have the safety issue after that; but in
trying to reach a compromise, that's why we didn't have us doing the
permitting inspections all the way through 2012. We shortened it to
2010.
The District boundary contraction, that deals with premium tax
issue. We felt, once again, I think this is going to be resolved
legislatively. But, once again, if we're providing the service, the fire
protection services, those premium tax revenues are supposed to be
going to the entity that's on the main -- on the ground needing fire
protection.
And I also put language here that we're specifically prohibited
from levying ad valorem and non ad valorem. We can't directly do it.
That's something that the City has to do and then we get reimbursed.
DR. LEE: The only question I had on it, if the boundaries are not
contracted, how are we legally able to collect those taxes? Are we --
and that's a legal question. I don't know.
MS. DONALDSON: We have overlapping boundaries. It
happens all the time. There -- there is, for example, Bonita Springs.
Their Fire District and the City are within the same boundaries. I
don't think -- and what -- what we've done is basically to avoid a
double taxation issue, we're saying we don't collect the ad valorem and
non ad valorem, but we still have that compensation that -- under the
statute that --
DR. LEE: Sure. I understand that part.
MS. DONALDSON: -- the City pays us. So I -- we wouldn't be
-- I mean, they're in the City. They're both in the City and the special
district. And that is all across -- I mean, there's a lot of places where
special district's boundaries and the City's boundaries overlap.
MR. PRITT: Yes, but that is where the City has not elected to be
the provider.
DR. LEE: Right.
Page 42
July 6, 2007
MR. PRITT: Bonita Springs, I live there so I know.
MS. DONALDSON: Right.
MR. PRITT: And we pay tremendous ad valorem taxes to the
fire control district. And they run the district, not the City. The City's
not involved in that at all.
MS. DONALDSON: I agree. This is different than what Part 1
states, but I thought we were trying to come up with something a little
bit different. I got stuck with Part 1. We're permitting inspections till
2012. So I -- you know, I agree. Part 1 has our boundaries changing
October 1 the year following the City electing to provide services. I
agree that's what the law says, but the interlocal agreement process as
we've stated on several occasions allows us to make changes to that.
MR. POTTEIGIER: Can you put a sunset --
MR. PRITT: It's actually two different concepts we're talking
about in C.
MS. DONALDSON: Correct.
MR. PRITT: Right? Because I didn't understand that until you
explained it. This is a premium tax issue. As a matter fact, I was
wondering where the premium tax issue was and -- or whether or not
it was in here. So, I mean, it would not hurt if -- if -- if we had C
being the first sentence and then D or something being a different
paragraph.
MS. DONALDSON: Not at all. And Chapter 175 states the
language that says, If you have a City in a special district providing
fire services, having overlapping boundaries, whoever is the provider
is the one who receives the premium tax revenues. Which is why I
didn't even go into the reference to Chapter 175. Because the statute
already provides for that as long as the boundaries don't change.
The employees, I left your language in. We don't think there's
going to be any employees displaced. I left it in since it wasn't an
issue for us.
I also left the equipment language in with the clarification that it
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July 6, 2007
has to be deemed surplus by the Fire District. Your language, it was
unclear who deemed it to be surplus. So if we deem we have
equipment that's surplus, the City has the ability to buy it at the current
market value or fair value.
The payment by the City, it's -- it's basically what happens now.
Although, I put out -- and this was language I actually had to negotiate
with the League of Cities during session that the payments are
required to be made by March 31 st, but that the City doesn't have to
pay for taxes that they haven't received. Because that was one of the
issues. And so we put a provision in that basically the City wouldn't
have to pay if they haven't received it.
Right now I can tell you what has happened because we've had --
I think we've received three checks from the City for three different
annexations, both East Naples and North Naples. I sent a letter to Ann
Marie. Actually, Ann Marie McCardy sent me a letter -- or an e-mail
saying, Hey, we sent a letter saying this is how much we're owed.
This is our millage rate. Here's a copy of our resolution. This is the
assessed value by the Property Appraiser's Office and we got a check.
So that's -- basically lays that out. It doesn't put the City in the
position of paying us if they haven't received the money. I mean, you
can pay us if you haven't received the money, but trying to be
considerate, but that you're not paying.
The user charges and impact fees, just clarification that we still
get to charge user fees and impact fees. The statute has that currently.
MR. PRITT: Well, I'm sorry. Before you get there. That last
sentence --
MS. DONALDSON: Yeah.
MR. PRITT: -- explain to me what you think we're supposed to
do.
MS. DONALDSON: Well, I was trying to come up with an issue
of what happens if the property owner doesn't pay the City who has
charged the taxes, levied the taxes. The District can't sue the property
Page 44
July 6, 2007
owner because we don't have the authority to levy taxes on that
property owner. And so there needs to be some mechanism where the
City is going to pursue those funds even though they know they're not
going to get it. Because if not, then we need to continue to be able to
levy ad valorem because that's the only way we've got the protection
to go after a property owner who hasn't paid. I mean, there might be a
better way --
DR. LEE: Doesn't the County currently do that, tax collector,
isn't that how that's done?
MR. PRITT: Well, yes. That's what I was getting at. I don't
think the City -- now you said revenues. As far as ad valorem taxes,
the City does not get involved in the collection ofthose. There's a
statutory process. And I wouldn't want to agree to anything more than
the statutory process that applies, I guess, for all taxes including your
taxes.
MS. DONALDSON: That's fine.
MR. PRITT: That's through the tax collector's office through
delinquent tax notices in April and the tax sales and so on in May. We
actually don't go off and collect ad valorem taxes ourselves.
MS. DONALDSON: That's fine. I just wanted to make sure that
we weren't lost. So if we don't have the ability to do anything because
we're not the one who's levying the tax. But, I mean, we could just put
all statutory prescribed actions shall occur. I mean, that's what I was
just trying to get at.
MR. PRITT: What about your transportation issues? I see Norm
stopped here for a second.
MS. DONALDSON: My transportation issues?
MR. MUDD: He's just getting up.
MS. DONALDSON: I was just thinking, you know __
MR. PRITT: Okay.
MS. DONALDSON: -- but that's where that came from, the user
charges and impact fees. It's just basically what the statement -- what
Page 45
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July 6, 2007
the statute allows.
Going back up to F, I did put in non ad valorem assessments. I
think the mini local governments are going to be shifting to non ad
valorem assessments. So I just wanted to make it clear it is in the
statute that the City would pay for both -- the non -- the revenues that
have been lost for non ad valorem and ad valorem. Because right now
it's pretty easy. It's just ad valorem, but that could change in Year 2.
MR. PRITT: I'm trying to hold my tongue, but it's not easy. The
problem with this -- I just raise this for your consideration -- how do
we know that next year you're not going to put in a gigantic ad
valorem, non ad valorem assessment? Property taxes we kind of
know, but -- and I understand this is a new -- a new day, a new age.
But how would we ever be able to get a handle on this? And I'm
trying to figure out whether that makes any difference, but that seems
to be a blank check type of situation.
MS. DONALDSON: I sympathize with you. But going back to
what the statute says, it's lost ad valorem and non ad valorem and
there is a chance we might do non ad valorem and the City's going to
have to pay us for those fees. I can't tell you what -- it may not
happen. Currently we have to get a referendum approval by our
residents to do non ad valorem assessment. We don't know if we get
that approval. But it's an option. And I know that we can't give it out,
because it is going to be a trend. But I guess that's something you
guys have to discuss. Because it is -- just like we don't know what the
assessment might be for the fire station expansion. I mean, we don't
know what a fire assessment fee might be that we end up levying in
the future.
And then H. H deals with the issues. If -- if you don't annex this
year, all the dates get bumped back. Let's say you annex next year
under the -- you know, it's a year following the annexation is when the
four-year period starts. So everything gets bumped back. And that's
just to provide some protection that we don't go through this and then
Page 46
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July 6, 2007
a year or two and then we've lost a year or two. So that -- that was
what that language was trying to get at.
MR. PRITT: So that would be pretty easy for somebody acting
in concert or not acting in concert to challenge the annexation,
challenge it on appeal and keep it going for three of four years in the
court of appeals and -- and keep bumping those dates back.
MS. DONALDSON: You know what, you're much more
mischievous than I, because I had not even thought about that, but I
guess you're right. If someone does challenge it, it would
continuously bump. My concern was, you know, we agree to
something and we agree to something now and it has set dates and
then you don't annex the property until next year. And then we've
lost. You know, one of the things that we've negotiated which is an
extra year of services in order for the City to take up permitting
inspections two years earlier. And so that's what I was trying to think
of. Not the negative of suing and trying to have this annexation go on
forever.
MR. PRITT: Well, one way that we could help have that not
happen would be if that weren't in there.
MS. DONALDSON: If that language wasn't in there?
MR. PRITT: Uh-huh.
MS. DONALDSON: My -- you know, I mean, I'd have to talk to
my client. But my concern is I don't want -- we giving permanent
inspections up earlier -- two years earlier and then in return gave us a
year as an additional service provider. And I don't want to if the City
decides to wait until January -- the City could wait until January and
then not have an extra year of us being the service provider. I mean, I
guess you could look at it both ways. We could extend it out forever,
but the City could take away a year that we've just negotiated because
-- but I know that in talking --
DR. LEE: Just for the sake of our deliberation. If -- if we limited
it to a year; in other words, if we said that should it go beyond
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July 6, 2007
December 31 st, that extension goes for one year. I'm not saying that
we would agree to that. I'm just trying to put some finite number
there.
MS. DONALDSON: Yeah. I mean, I think that would be -- if
we came up with something that basically said it doesn't go on three
years; but if the annexation occurs next year, not this year, then all the
dates get pushed back by a year. Rather than having to open end two,
three, four, five, six years and then we're the service provider until
2025. Because that was not the intention. We just didn't want to lose
a year that we're trying to negotiate to gain.
DR. LEE: Bob, is there any other questions before we caucus or
do you have any other questions of us?
MR. PRITT: Yes, let me go back. Maybe this was explained by
Deputy Chief Biondo, but -- and maybe this was explained before. I
apologize. I can't get it set in my mind. It was my understanding that
there is one person who has been hired by several of the districts to do
the plans review or a private party that does it -- I can't remember his
name -- but for several districts.
MR. BIONDO: Can I clarify?
MR. PRITT: Yeah. I'm trying -- I'd like to understand that and I
wrote -- and I'll tell you why. I don't think you were here at the last
meeting.
MR. BIONDO: No, sir.
MR. PRITT: At the last meeting when I had written the red part,
it was -- the thought in mind was it was coordinating with this person
who does this for all of the districts and it wouldn't take that long to
get that done. I honestly thought that that's how it was done and that
you-all weren't doing your own plan review by fire fighters or by
people who work for the District. So clarify that.
MR. BIONDO: Sure. Let me start out in Florida State Statute
633 gives the authority to the chief of the District to go ahead and see
who he -- or who he sees fit to do his planning review and inspections.
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He delegates that authority. He's delegated that authority to his fire
prevention deputy chief, which is myself, for the inspections. He--
my chief, the chief at North Naples, the chief at Golden Gate, the chief
of Immokalee and the chief of Big Corkscrew have also given that
authority to a person that the districts have hired to do our plan review
for us, Ed Riley. He's fire code official. He has multiple people
working in his office and doing plan review for the five special
independent districts. And that's -- that's pretty much it.
MR. PRITT: So he and the people that he works with do the plan
review for the districts as opposed to having somebody __
MR. BIONDO: In our office do it.
MR. POTTEIGIER: That's just for new construction.
MR. PRITT: Right.
DR. LEE: To further clarify. You're saying that the -- all the
inspections are done by your district?
MR. BIONDO: Yes, sir.
MR. PRITT: But you-all do the inspections?
MR. BIONDO: Yes, sir. All the districts. All the districts do
their own inspections.
DR. LEE: Permit fees not only pay for the plan review but also
pay for the inspections obviously.
MR. BIONDO: The -- the permit fees paid for his office, but he
-- what -- for him to generate revenue to be able to keep that office
afloat, be able to hire people and provide a service to the community,
his revenue is generated from his inspection, by his plan review fees,
our inspection fees.
DR. LEE: So the County with this office collects both plan
review and inspection fees?
MR. BIONDO: Correct. Yes, sir.
MR. PRITT: But you set -- but the District sets the fee, right, the
amount of the fee?
MS. DONALDSON: Yes.
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July 6, 2007
MR. PRITT: By your own --
MR. POTTEIGIER: By accounting and it's got to go through all
the --
MR. BIONDO: Right. And we stay standard -- pretty standard
with the same as the building department, the fees with the building
department are very similar. I think there's even -- isn't there an
ordinance in place, a fee ordinance in place?
MS. DONALDSON: I think what he was asking, though, is the
District itself, we set our own inspection fees.
MR. POTTElGIER: Yeah.
MR. PRITT: But not your plan review fees?
MR. POTTEIGIER: No. Plan -- plan review is set through the
County through the interlocal agreement which is __
MR. MCEVOY: The planning service steering committee.
MR. POTTEIGIER: The one with the contractors on it.
MR. MUDD: DSAC?
MR. POTTEIGIER: DSAC. Go through DSAC and then the
County actually reads it into their interlocal. The Collier County
commissioners do that.
MR. PRITT: But the inspection fees are set by your district?
MR. POTTEIGIER: Correct.
MS. DONALDSON: Just like we have our own code which my
understanding mirrors the County code. I think simplistic enough that
MR. BIONDO: That's -- that's a whole another deal. Ifwe want
to get into that we can, but --
MS. DONALDSON: No, that's okay.
MR. MUDD: This is --
(Multiple voices.)
MR. PRITT: You know, I'm -- the meaning by that, I'm just
trying to understand how it works, not -- not negotiating or how it
should work. I'm just trying to figure out how it works so that we can
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July 6, 2007
intelligently try to figure out how any transition would work.
MR. BIONDO: Can I give a little more information? The -- the
whole reason that that office was created was to be able to get a
consistent plan review. In other words, if you had one district doing
plans one particular way, another district doing it another particular
way, that could create a lot of confusion for the contractors. So that
office was created to have basically one -- one consistent group that
was going to review the plans all the same way.
Let's take for example if you had a fire alarm permit that came in.
If you have one person with maybe a backup person doing those fire
alarms when he was on vacation, well, you had one person reviewing
fire alarms for the whole county, not per se five for each district. That
would get a little confusing. And there maybe some differences on
how people review those fire alarms per district. So that's one of the
reasons why that office was created.
MR. PRITT: But you're -- am I correct and we talked about a lot
of this before, but not with -- with you. The code that -- the fire code
that you are reviewing under --
MR. BIONDO: Yes, sir.
MR. PRITT: -- is the County's fire code --
MR. BIONDO: No, sir.
MR. PRITT: -- or your own?
MR. BIONDO: No. It's -- it's the Florida Fire Prevention Code.
MR. PRITT: Straight out of the Florida Fire Prevention Code?
MR. BIONDO: Yes, sir. Right. There is a local ordinance that
we have with the County. There is a local ordinance that we have.
MR. MUDD: There are -- there are some instances where our--
our -- our fire districts have decided that the code needed to be a little
bit stronger than what the Florida Building Code basically provided.
MR. PRITT: But, essentially, it's the same process that we have.
We have state codes and building codes and fire codes and so on.
MR. MUDD: Yeah. There's a -- there's a -_
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July 6, 2007
(Multiple voices.)
MR. MUDD: -- an ordinance that sits in the County.
MR. PRITT: Okay.
MR. POTTEIGIER: Also, if you'd like, either myself of Chief
Biondo would be more than happy to take you over there and show
you how it works and where the fees come from and how it works and
DR. LEE: Let me understand that --
MR. PRITT: I appreciate that, but that probably won't be
necessary .
DR. LEE: -- understand the compelling reason why this is so
important to continue to -- to provide that during this period of time,
those plan reviews and inspections. If -- because as I understand it,
typically for fee services in government, they should basically -- they
shouldn't be making any money for the district. They basically pay
for the services that are being provided. And, matter of fact, I think
you're constrained in that way.
What -- what is the -- what is the benefit? What is the problem
with the City taking over those plan reviews and inspection?
MR. POTTEIGIER: You want to answer that?
MS. DONALDSON: You know, I know we've discussed this
several times. One, there's the safety issue. And, two, you know, I
have been directed and I have -- and I've taken, you know, Leo's
client's concerns and the City's request. The statute allows for a
certain thing. And we'll go by what the statute provides or we can
negotiate and give it up sooner based on other changes.
DR. LEE: I'm just -- and I understand what you're saying there,
Laura.
MS. DONALDSON: But they may have a different take on it.
DR. LEE: Yeah. I just need to understand the reasoning because
we are talking about in this particular case those inspections. I think
we're working towards some compromises here. Those inspections
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being turned over to the City. I think it's 2010 and thereabouts. And
I'm just trying to -- I see from the City's standpoint why we would
want to do it knowing that the area has been annexed and we're going
to be responsible for those buildings. We -- we did incorporate in here
-- and I think you quite astutely included in here -- that we would
share with you, even after that 2010, those plans as far as plan review.
And I would suggest to you that we'd be amenable to doing the
same thing from day -- day one upon taking over the plan review.
So just in this particular case, given the arrangement that you
have where you're contracting it out, I'm just -- other than the fact that
it can be done and it can be discussed, I'm trying to ascertain why the
Fire District if that's something you're willing to reconsider, and if not,
why not?
MR. BIONDO: Just for point of clarification. Reconsidering
doing the inspections?
DR. LEE: Yes, reconsidering. In this particular case, if we were
to -- we're able to work out this time line for providing a service __
being the service provider, but the inspections what I'm suggesting,
why not have the City be taking those over much sooner than 201 O?
What would be -- and, again, sharing -_
MR. BIONDO: Other than -- other than revenue?
DR. LEE: Well, the revenue would be revenue neutral. I mean,
it's a case where you're not to be making money on the inspections.
And that's what I'm trying to figure out.
MR. BIONDO: No, sir. No. We don't make money on the
inspections but, obviously, the money -- the inspections that we do
helps -- helps continue to be able to pay the salaries. The more
inspections we do, the more people we can hire to provide the better
service to the community. So the revenue that we lose slows us down
also and the rest of the community to be able to keep up with the
demands of the development.
DR. LEE: But those -- but, again, the revenues should be tied to
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July 6, 2007
whatever your costs are. And if -- so for this particular hundred-plus
acres give or take that we're talking about, I'm just trying to
understand.
MS. DONALDSON: I don't -- I know where you're going. I can
tell you from my direction that the District's position is that we'll go
under the statute with four years or we can negotiate other things. But,
you know, I was told that doing four years, if we just keep four years,
not to agree to giving up inspections and permitting at this time.
Whatever my governing board's reasoning behind that, I can't tell you
and I cannot tell you what Chief Schenck's reasoning behind it. But I
was directed and that is what we've been pushing. And that was why I
was able to when I spoke to Chairman Cannon we extended the
service providing to 2013.
DR. LEE: I understand.
MS. DONALDSON: And gave up two -- you know, that
basically three years of --
DR. LEE: I'm just trying to understand since we're going to go
into caucus what the reasoning is. I'm not questioning. You know, the
board obviously gave you some direction. I'm just trying to
understand other than because we can, we want to __
MR. POTTEIGIER: We told the County five years ago that we
were having trouble keeping these inspections up. The County let us
-- and don't quote me on the time -- the County let us raise our fees to
where we could hire more inspectors. That's what we've done.
I hope you're not insinuating that we're trying to make a profit,
because we're not. We're trying to sustain what we have. The same
thing with the fire code interpreter's office. He's in there by the
support of the building permits. He's not in there to make a profit.
He's not -- nobody's making a profit.
DR. LEE: No. I'm not suggesting it. I'm reaffirming exactly
what you said.
MR. POTTEIGIER: Okay.
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July 6, 2007
DR. LEE: It's -- it's not for that purpose. And since it is not for
that -- it's not a revenue benefit for you and we're willing to share this
information, I was just trying to understand the reasoning why that
was felt to be so important to the District if -- if we're -- you know, if
we're here negotiating it, there may be something else that we could
do.
MR. POTTEIGIER: There's a lot of build out left in there.
MS. DONALDSON: And I just want to ask -_
DR. LEE: You -- I think you understand what my point is.
MS. DONALDSON: I think one of the concerns is -- and as we
-- and this is hard. We know this is the start of potentially several
other annexations. And whatever is used as this agreement, will
probably be the starting point for agreements in the future. And
whether or not that's unfair to the property owner because they're the
first ones involved in it, I mean, that's just the way it is. We have __
we look historically at what's been done. And -- and, like I said, I
can't give you an exact reason. I can just tell you the District's
position. And -- and I can tell you, like I said before, with Refina
(phonetic) the reason why. Because the property was split between
two jurisdictions and it made sense my understanding to do it.
DR. LEE: Okay.
MS. DONALDSON: And that's why in that situation they gave
it up. Although I did find out they did not do it in writing. It's kind of
an oral agreement between the two fire chiefs. That's kind of how that
one's proceeding.
So but I can't -- we can't answer your question is what I'm telling
you. And Chief Schenck is not here. I did try to bring people who
were intimately involved in permitting and inspections to be able to
help caucus. But as I spoke to Chairman Cannon, I think, on Monday
or last week, I was given the same direction that I've consistently
stated in this meeting.
DR. LEE: So just for further clarification, I think Leo wants to
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July 6, 2007
say something it looks like. It's pretty much either this or we go to
four years. Is that what I'm hearing you say? I think you hinted
something like it's either the inspections, you know, you're trying to
compromise with a couple of years and then the City take over. It's
either that or clip the four years and just follow the statute basically?
MS. DONALDSON: I would -- I would say that I don't want to
be so closed minded to that.
DR. LEE: Okay.
MS. DONALDSON: I mean, because that would -- basically
there's no reason to caucus. Because I think you're going to say, Well,
we're not going to agree to this so I guess we'll do the four years. But
we were trying to split the difference although I know it's not because
the property owner wants -- or certain property owners want it
immediately. Because I know, you know, my client is a property
owner. And they're not agreeing to giving up doing their own
inspections and permitting. I don't know, you know, what the County
feels about giving it up. But the way that the property -- or the
property group is set up, certainly the owners have more say and can
direct what's going to happen.
But, I mean, that's where -- but, not me. You know, I've said all
along. Give us -- you kind of know and I think this shows even more
what we're looking at. Come back with something that, you know, we
might agree to. So the proposal we got at the last meeting, not only
shortened the time period, but also gave us that ability. So, obviously,
we -- we will not agree to the City's proposal from the last meeting.
DR. LEE: I understand.
MR. PRITT: Before Leo -- let me jump in one second. Just a
question. What kind of money are we talking about every year with
inspection fees and planning review fees? Are we talking -- I don't
know if we're talking about a $20,000 item or $10,000 item.
MR. POTTEIGIER: It depends on what's being built.
MR. PRITT: I'm sorry?
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July 6, 2007
MR. POTTElGIER: It depends on what's being built.
MR. PRITT: Well, every year you have a budget. And on your
budget you have a line item that says how much you receive in fees.
I'm just asking what it is.
MS. DONALDSON: Oh, you mean total budget for fees? I
don't --
MR. POTTEIGIER: You want our total budget?
MS. DONALDSON: He's saying for fees. How much do we
collect total budget-wise? I mean, we can't tighten down to that
property.
MR. POTTEIGIER: I mean, we could, but it would take -- you
know, we don't line item each address by the budget.
MS. DONALDSON: I don't think this is about money. I mean--
DR. LEE: I don't either.
MS. DONALDSON: -- I don't think this is about inspection fees.
DR. LEE: No, exactly. And that's what I was trying to get at.
What was the overriding reason if we're going to -- and, again, I think
not only astutely but I think very appropriately you put in the
language about sharing information and sharing plans and working
together. With that in there, that -- that's what I'm trying to find out.
And I think you've addressed it. I don't think you need to answer it
further. But I was just trying to find out why it was so important to
continue in the -- with the District. So do you have anything before
him?
MR. PRITT: Well, it just seems to me that the amount--
everything's about money. But it seems to me that the amount of fees
likely generated total or more specifically the amount of fees are
generated in this area something that can be easily determined with the
minimum of hassle, I think. It's something that probably is hit a
couple buttons. And I'm just -- I'm trying to quantify or figure out
what it is that we're -- that we're talking about. If we're not talking
about money, if it's really not about the money, what's it about?
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July 6, 2007
MS. DONALDSON: Well, I think one we can't quantify because
we don't know what the future development's going to be on this
property.
MR. PRITT: You can quantify what you have though.
MS. DONALDSON: We can -- well, we can quantify what
we've received for the existing development. But we can't quantify,
you know, going forward what those fees are going to be. What I
meant to say is I don't -- when I said it's not all about inspection fees,
it's just I don't think that's just all the holdup. I mean, there are other
issues. We've already brought up the safety issue. I mean, which, you
know, I -- we would prefer to keep inspections and permitting through
the whole thing. But trying to reach a compromise why we split it in
half and then did the copies. But, I mean, we're not making money off
the inspections. We're not at the driving force. That's not what's
driving us to keep it as -- so we can make money __
DR. LEE: Right.
MS. DONALDSON: -- because it sustains itself.
DR. LEE: Okay.
MS. DONALDSON: And, Leo. I'm sorry. I interrupted you.
MR. SAL VA TORI: That's okay. I was thinking along the same
lines that Bob was. I guess maybe, though, if it's not -- I was going to
ask the question if you knew how much you collected in inspection
fees in the last couple of years to kind of give us an idea. But if that's
not something that's not easily capable of calculation, maybe it's
something we could explore as the possibility of those persons who
would otherwise require fire inspection in the next two years -- I'm
thinking out loud at the same time here obviously -- paying those
funds for the City for its inspection, but also those monies would be
paid also to East Naples to cushion the blow oflosing that property.
This way it would end up being cash neutral to you. You would have
less work to do because you wouldn't actually be doing the
inspections. So it would be cash neutral to you, but those inspection
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July 6, 2007
fees would be paid to you in any event.
MR. POTTEIGIER: We can -- we can work on it.
MR. SAL VA TORI: Yeah. That just strikes me. That might be a
fair way to cushion your -- your concern. I don't know how much
money we're talking about.
MR. POTTEIGIER: Well, I think if you can give me a couple
weeks, I can get you the numbers, but just off the top of my head __
MR. SALVATORI: Yeah. You can have those.
MR. PRITT: Don't you have a finance officer where you __
MR. POTTEIGIER: Well, what if! go to the City and I say how
much taxes do you get from 313 North Avenue South? That's what
you're asking us to do and I can't give you that number.
MR. PRITT: How many do we have -- it's got to be an hour's
work. Tops.
MR. SAL VA TORI: Well, if it's hard to do, I was going to say
rather than doing that and agree on the number today, just see whoever
comes in for a permit, I'm thinking like rolling that 2010 back to
September 30 or, excuse me, October 1, 2008. Taking another two
years off. But for those two years, pay you in -- the City would get
theirs. You would get yours to cushion that blow as -- as people apply
for the permit.
DR. LEE: So it doesn't hurt your -- from a standpoint of paying.
I think you had some concern about, again, understood. Although, I
may have a little different point of view. But it's understood you
wanted to maintain that revenue base during that time. This I hadn't
heard. What you're suggesting is that they __
MR. SAL VA TORI: I'm thinking out loud. I have no authority
for this at all. I'll have to check with our client on our caucus time.
But I'm just kind of thinking out loud, you would actually pay what
you would have gotten if you had been the inspector as those people
came in for permits over the next two or three __
MR. POTTEIGIER: And, again, I can't answer. You know, we
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July 6, 2007
have a board too.
MR. SAL VA TORI: That's fine. I appreciate that. That's -- you
know, I understand.
MR. POTTEIGIER: We'll definitely take back whatever the __
where the main thing's going to be is the new construction, the permit
-- the revenue for main construction.
MR. SAL VA TORI: Yeah. I know there's one guy who's
planning on starting on a building sometime in the fairly new future
here in the back. I forget his name now. Well, besides you guys, you
know, but there's somebody else. I don't know of anybody else
planning anything.
MS. DONALDSON: I think the easiest would be for us to
caucus and the City to come back with something. And we'll be able
to discuss that. I don't -- you know, I was given a certain direction and
I kind of need to go by that. And I think that, you know, your concept
is interesting. I mean, we need to flesh it out and kind of see how that
plays with everything else. Because it's not just it's own little issue. I
mean, it plays into everything. The reason why it was cut down by
two years was because of other issues that we proposed.
MR. SALVATORI: I understand. Well, it sounds like -- I mean,
I like the idea what you had worked up for the safety issues. I
certainly appreciate that and I like that. So if we have the safety issue
covered in a good template there, then it gets down to be more of a
money issue. Money issues are easier to resolve as long as it's not my
money.
MS. DONALDSON: You'd be surprised.
DR. LEE: Do we want to take a caucus for a time certain here?
If we're ready before then, then we can start. Maybe some people
want to take a break any ways.
MR. POTTEIGIER: Where are we meeting?
MR. PETTIT: There's a room directly across the hall which one
group can go in. I can take Jim and Leo and, I guess -- Mike has left
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the building -- with me to either to my office. And then I guess
somebody could remain here if -- if the public would step outside.
MR. SALVATORI: Laura and I will take the hallway.
MR. PETTIT: Probably could step outside.
MS. DONALDSON: We can go to the office across--
DR. LEE: By 3 :20, is that -- or 3: 15?
MR. MUDD: Can we do this by 3:15 and be back here? Okay?
DR. LEE: 3:15?
MR. PRITT: Or as soon thereafter as can be.
(Short recess was taken.)
MR. MUDD: Okay. We're -- the last time we --let's --let's go
to 2 and see if we can figure out where we are and where we're not at.
Because I believe comes 2 goes to 15 and some other places. So our
caucus was pretty quick as far as Mike Pettit and then we took a long
break so...
DR. LEE: Do you want -- do you want to do the -- maybe 9 and
12 and then leave 15 and 2? Go to 2. * and 12 may be rather easy.
MR. MUDD: I'm not going to fight over it. Let's go.
DR. LEE: Item No. 12, I think we would go along with the
language that you-all talked about. If we could just go over that.
MR. PETTIT: Let me -- let me summarize that. What about this.
What if we say (as read): However, nothing in this agreement shall
prohibit the parties from attempting to resolve or -- from attempting to
resolve or to resolve any disputes under this agreement by an
alternative dispute -- by mediation in the most expeditious and least
expensive means possible, period. Thus, the parties agree that they
may initially attempt to resolve disputes by mediation.
And then I would like to put in, If the parties are unable to agree
on the selection of a mediator within a reasonable time after a dispute
arises, the matter will be referred to the chief judge following Bob's
proposal and go from there. The only concern I have about the
automatically going that route is I don't know who we're going to get.
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Now, it would be nice to get somebody that either had knowledge of
local government or contractual disputes as opposed to somebody that
mediates a PI case.
MR. PRITT: I'm willing to trust the chief judge on that. For the
record, Bob Pritt. I'm willing to trust the chief judge of the judicial
circuit.
MR. PETTIT: I just don't know whether -- that's nice. But I
think -- I think when you make that reference, I think there's a list of
mediators and I think they go down the list is what I'm trying to get at.
Now, we could -- you know, you could make the request to the
chief judge and ask him to look at some qualifications, but I'm not
sure that there's not just a list of -- of certified mediators and they go
down a list. I don't know. I could be wrong. That's what somebody's
advised me in the past.
MS. DONALDSON: And can I ask you, after 30 days so we
would have a time certain we go to the chief judge?
MR. PETTIT: Yeah. I think 30 days. You know, if we can't
agree on one in 30 days, we're not going to agree on one.
MR. PRITT: Only to mediate.
MR. PETTIT: And only to mediate, not arbitrate. You want me
to write something up --
MR. PRITT: Sure.
MR. PETTIT: -- along those lines?
MR. MUDD: Okay. Can we all agree to that, that's paragraph
12, and we put her to bed?
MR. PRITT: Yup.
MS. DONALDSON: Yes.
MR. PETTIT: Yes.
MR. MUDD: Okay.
DR. LEE: Paragraph 9.
MR. PETTIT: I think -- I guess I'll start. I think our position is
that the first sentence is sufficient and that the dispute resolution
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clause deals with any issues that can arise.
MS. DONALDSON: And I'll agree with the County's position.
DR. LEE: Bob, you want to address that?
MR. PRITT: Let me suggest some language that I actually think
I heard one of you say. What if we were to say something like this in
the second sentence. It shall be a breach of this agreement. And the
grammar may not be perfect here, but it shall be a breach of this
agreement if any person who is acting in concert with or at the behest
of either agency shall challenge the annexation, period. Can you live
with that? I think Mike, maybe it was you -_
MR. PETTIT: Well, how would you determine that they were
acting in concert or at the behest of the agency? How's the predicate
determined? Where is it determined?
MR. PRITT: It's like anything else, you know, whether it's the
law or anything else, it's got to be a matter of proof. You said that you
didn't like the part -- you didn't like the part about it being void. So it
would just be a breach. And as everybody knows that went to law
school about breaches, they can be treated as a breach. They can be
ignored. They can be litigated. They -- a bunch of things could
happen because of that.
MR. PETTIT: Well, if you're --
MS. DONALDSON: Well, my comment earlier wasn't just that
it became void. It was the in concert with and at the behest. And I
stated those concerns at the last meeting. And I don't know the
changes still address that. And I understand case law's out there but,
you know, I'm trying to avoid a situation where we're having to spend
money to dispute whether or not -- you know, I don't want to be in a
position where we're arguing, well, we weren't working in concert
with or at the behest of. And I'm just trying to save the District money
on that issue.
DR. LEE: Well, I think in the reality I think we're maybe, if!
may, we're in this particular case I'll take the other point of view that
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Bob Pritt has. Very often in government I see where people are
speaking for someone else it seems. They're not necessarily -- for
whatever reason that happens. Someone is shooting the bullets so to
speak. And I think that's -- that does happen.
Ifthere's another way that -- you know, that's what we're trying
to avoid is -- is even some conscious -- not something inadvertent, not
something where, golly, we just met with somebody and now we're all
of a sudden -- I think as you pointed out -- in concert with because
they -- they asked for some records or something, but __
MR. PETTIT: Well, Bob, my bottom line is this is the only place
in the agreement where we're calling out a special kind of alleged
breach. If -- if you have the first sentence and you've got paragraph
12, you have a means to address the alleged breach that the City might
think exists. Which is, first, we get a mediator. And, second, if that
doesn't work, we go through 164.
MR. PRITT: Well, I understand that. I also understand that this
would be the place where there would be the greatest temptation for
somebody to breach the agreement. There's only -- you know, you
guys are getting a lot of things from the City in exchange for not
fighting the -- the proposed annexation. A lot of what is being given
is money, especially as it relates to the District and also the County.
And we would be remiss if we didn't make darn sure that we were not
doing this all for nothing and then have everybody on the other side sit
there and say, well, gee, we didn't send it in or we didn't act in concert.
I know we have to prove that. But I've seen it happen before, not
necessarily in an annexation context, but I've seen it happen before
where everybody's saying, well, we didn't have anything to do with
that. It was those other people. And, sorry, but I just -- I think that we
have an obligation to make sure that that type of behavior is not even
coming close to happening.
MS. DONALDSON: Well, I can say in response since
apparently we're receiving monies, I am more than willing to accept
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July 6, 2007
the language. And then we'll just strike Section 2 and say that Section
171.093 applies. You know, I mean, because then we're not trying to
torpedo the annexation. We're not getting extra monies. We're getting
what the statute currently provides.
My concern was, you know, if the issue is board directed -- if the
governing board says, I want you to go challenge -- hey, union guy, go
challenge this. If we want to clarify and take out acting in concert,
because I just have issues with that. If a governing board directs -- but
I do think that the first sentence addresses that because it says we're
not going to challenge it. But if we don't challenge or direct any of
our employees to challenge and -- and have it a governing board thing,
the governing board would have to have direction. It would be a
public document. There would be no determination by the Court. Are
you working in concert? Are you working at the behest? It would be
-- I'm more comfortable with something like that, but __
MR. PRITT: Pardon me for being very suspicious ofthe level of
disagreement with this type of language. I can't believe that this __
that acting in concert language -- I would soften it up here to say,
acting in concert language or at the behest of the agency and __
MS. DONALDSON: My concern--
MR. PRITT: -- I don't understand what the problem is.
MS. DONALDSON: The problem is I don't know what in
concert means. And I don't want to have to have my client have to go
to court and explain and defend whether or not if some employee or
person asked me for public records and I meet with him to give it to
him, if that's in concert with. I'm trying to avoid my client having to
spend additional monies.
And, like I said, if you're so suspicious of us, then let's just do
what the current law provides. There's no issue. I won't be
challenging any document because it's what the current law provides.
If -- if the City is that suspicious of my concerns about what in concert
and at behest means, let's do existing law. We know what it is. And
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July 6, 2007
there's no reason for us apparently to challenge this because that's
existing law. We could not agree to this document and we would still
have that section of law that we're covered by.
And -- and so I apologize that we've done something that makes
the City suspicious of us. I think I've been pretty up front. At the last
meeting I said if we somehow define acting in concert or at behest, I
might be more comfortable. But I'm not comfortable just having to go
into litigation because of -- you know, one of our union guys or a
former employee or anyone talking to anyone at the District and that's
being deemed in concert with.
MR. SAL VA TORI: We could use language like materially assist
as opposed to acting in concert.
MR. PRITT: I'm sorry?
MR. SALVA TORI: Could use language like materially assist as
opposed to acting in concert? Like providing documents, that's going
to be material assistance.
MR. PRITT: Well, I don't know. I think I know what acting in
concert means.
MR. SAL VA TORI: I don't have a problem with your language
to be honest with you. I'm trying to find a compromise. I like your
language, but trying to find a compromise. Maybe that might be
another way to -- to address it.
MS. DONALDSON: Okay. I asked at the last meeting if you
could define acting in concert and at the behest.
MR. PRITT: Go to Google and look at acting in concert or go to
WestLaw --
MS. DONALDSON: This is your language. I don't --I'mjust
telling you. We will not agree to this provision. And -- and I'm sorry.
We cannot agree. And if it's -- if it's because you guys think
we're going to challenge this or we're going to direct one of our
employees to challenge it, then I think the easiest way we can get this
over with is let's just have the current statute in place and we'll be
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July 6, 2007
done with it. Why would we be challenging what currently is law?
DR. LEE: Ifwe -- when we caucused, we looked at some
alternative language and that was what was presented. It doesn't
appear to me that we're going to resolve this right now. Why don't we
look at Section No.2 and see what outstanding issues we mayor may
not have there and that may bring us to some conclusion here today.
If it requires -- and I'm certainly willing to do this -- to caucus one
more time on this, we can do that, but that will be up to everyone, of
course. But that's what I would suggest, Jim, if we could __
MR. MUDD: You're the one that booked it. You took the easy
paragraphs. I can't wait to get to 2.
DR. LEE: Okay. Well, I think we got -- I think nine's the only
one left other than 2 as I understand it right now. So why don't we __
don't we shoot for --
MR. MUDD: Well, 15 is out there too.
DR. LEE: 15 is still out there?
MR. MUDD: Yeah.
DR. LEE: Well, I think--
MR. PETTIT: That's tied into 2.
MR. MUDD: It's tied to 2.
DR. LEE: It's tied into 2. So I think 15 will be easy if we can
resolve -- if the Fire District agrees that we can -- everything we come
up with on Item 2.
MR. SAL VA TORI: During the break I talked to Chad Ludd
(phonetic) who's the president of the property owner's association and
told him what we were talking about was the possibility of just as
people applied for building permits during that two-year time period
that they would pay inspection fees to East Naples even though East
Naples would not be doing the inspections. He said, I don't know
what the inspection fees are, but he said that concept sounds fine to me
if it works for you guys. So I'm not -- he's not binding himself to it.
He said initially his first blush was that might be a fair way to break
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July 6, 2007
that deadlock. I know you need to address that, obviously, with your
board, but I know you've got other global issues. But I wanted to let
you know that his first blush on it was that would be a way to make
this work.
MR. PRITT: So the idea would be to pay inspection fees for no
inspections?
MR. SAL VA TORI: Correct. The City of Naples would get its
inspection fees for doing the inspection. And East Naples would pay
their inspection fees. It's a way of buffering you against losing folks.
Now, with that being said, I don't think they're planning on much.
There's one building that we know of that's going to be going up
besides yours and that's going to be about it. So we're probably not
talking a whole lot of money anyway. But at least you can go back
and say you covered yourselves for that -- that two-year time period
there.
MS. DONALDSON: Can I ask a question?
MR. SALVATORI: Sure.
MS. DONALDSON: So over the next three years, you don't
think there's much that's going to be going on with the property?
MR. SAL VA TORI: Not at least -- it's hard to project that far out
but, no. Probably not. There's one building that's going to -- other
than your firehouse there. There's one building that's going through
the pipeline. Because all the plans have to go through our client for
approval. He only knows of one. The bigger parcel's owned by the
Collier family that owned it forever. Our client has a number of
vacant lots. He's not planning on starting anything anytime soon. He
may actually sell. He's had one on the market on and off for awhile.
And just as the economy, nobody's going to be in a big hurry to start
much of anything anyway.
MS. DONALDSON: I was just wondering since it's such a big
issue and you've been so adamant about permitting and inspection and
having the City do it, whereas, if nothing's really going to be
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July 6, 2007
happening over the next three years anyway, it kind of seems -- I
know you don't know what's going to happen.
MR. SALVATORI: No, we don't know. And, of course, they
look for one-stop shopping. You get the same type consistency that
the chief was talking about in the planning process. This way they go
to one place and it's done. You guys are covered in the downside
financially so that's a way it might work.
MS. DONALDSON: No. I understand the proposal. Ijust
thought it was interesting that there's really not going to be that much
coming in potentially anyways. It just seems like we're spending a lot
of time arguing over an issue.
DR. LEE: I agree 100 percent. I think from our standpoint, if!
hadn't communicated it, it is a case of control and one-stop shopping.
I think that's proficiency in government that makes sense if you can do
that. Because, obviously, we're still going to be involved in this. So
we're doing it for the purpose of service. And if there's not much of a
money issue or if the money issue's being covered, then I would agree
with you. It's one that I would ask you to -- to consider. If not today,
you take it back to consider. I mean, if that's something that can be
done, I don't --
MR. PRITT: Well, I guess, yeah, I might be sounding like I'm
negotiating against you, Leo, but where does a government get off
charging for inspections that are not being done? I'm raising this. I'm
not sure if that's how you were saying it, but it sounded like that's
what the result would be. And if that's the case, then somebody's
getting a windfall. Government's not in the business of getting a
windfall. It's in the business of doing a service for a fee. And I'm a
little troubled by that being the result for expediency -- expediency
purposes. And maybe there's a different way of doing the concept
without --
MR. SAL VA TORI: See, from our client's perspective, anything
that's more efficient say is done right.
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July 6, 2007
MR. PRITT: That's true.
MR. SAL VA TORI: You know, they're concerned about their
downside maybe against the folks that have nothing to do and we'll
have that covered. Maybe it should be a declining scale because East
Naples, I presume, is the fastest growing district in the County I would
guess. Would that be a fair statement?
MR. BIONDO: East Naples?
MR. SALVATORI: Yeah.
MR. BIONDO: Probably one of them right now. North is __
MR. SALVATORI: North as well.
MR. BIONDO: North is getting built out. It's busting the gate.
It's getting a boom now.
MR. SALVATORI: Yeah. And just maybe as we flesh it out,
maybe it'd be fair to have some kind of declining basis because they're
not going to lose folks. Those folks will be directed elsewhere. But at
least the concept of -- of paying you to do nothing is probably a strong
way, but it's really designed to cushion you against the blow of losing
this. It might be a way deal things. And it's kind of consistent with
the statute's ability to provide response services for four years. It's
really designed for them to have time to focus their energies elsewhere
over that time period and it's just a private way of doing the same
concept.
MS. DONALDSON: And it could potentially also be rather than
be getting something for nothing, having the District at least review
them and maybe -- I mean, the City's the one who reviews it, but that
we also take a look at it and --
DR. LEE: Maybe in this particular case it makes -- there's going
to be some time incurred by you-all if you're agreeing -- if you're
providing the emergency services, you're going to want to know what
those plans look like.
MS. DONALDSON: We're going to have to review them no
matter what.
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July 6, 2007
DR. LEE: You're going to have to review them anyway, so
maybe that will be the justification in case of annexation. I don't
know. I'm looking at it.
MR. SAL VA TORI: Y eah. You'd have some time to spend on it.
So I kind of think it would be a fair way to address that.
DR. LEE: In this particular case.
MR. MCEVOY: And you know that there are no obstacles
between the two -- the District and the City and the Fire Department
concerning training, cross-training and getting those together. So I
don't see any problems at all with any of that.
MS. DONALDSON: But that may be one, because since we did
put different language in there about the City providing us copies of
those appurtenants and plans. Weare -- we are going to have to spend
time looking at them, because our guys are going to have to respond to
fires. If there's ever a fire in one of those buildings, we need to know
what's there.
MR. SAL VA TORI: And that's -- that's kind of what we were
thinking. So I don't want to bind our clients to it as an offer because
we really need to explore it. And for another reason, none of us know
what the inspection fees are or how they're computed. I don't even
know how much money we're talking. I'm just guessing it's probably
a fairly modest fee both in terms of what it is and what we anticipate
just given the scope of construction in the next year or so. That's
something for you to further explore and get back to me on it.
MR. BIONDO: Well, I'd like to say I am kind of concerned
about counsel's comments. You know -- you know, we're not in it for
the money but, obviously, we have a service that we have to provide.
And when you make a statement, like, you're going to get paid for
doing nothing. I mean, I don't know about that either. You know, so,
I mean, I don't know what the innuendo was meant by that. But, you
know, I'm not in favor of the way it sounded. So I'm not real
comfortable with that, but I don't know what -- take that for what that's
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July 6, 2007
worth.
MR. PRITT: Well, you're not in full agreement.
MR. BIONDO: I'm in agreement that I didn't appreciate the way
it was said or the innuendo that was made.
DR. LEE: Well, let clarify at least from what I heard. Is if
you're not doing the inspections, we're concerned from a legal
standpoint that if you -- if the City was doing the plan review and the
inspections that could they -- should they also or could they also be
paying you when you're not doing the plan reviewing and inspections?
That's what was intended. That's what I heard. And what we're
trying to figure out --
MR. BIONDO: With all due respect, sir, I heard that too, but I
didn't hear that over here so I was --
MR. PRITT: No. Well, that's exactly what I said.
MR. BIONDO: I was a little concerned where that was coming
from. I think we -- we may be better to do what Laura said and, you
know, take the four years and do it that way. It's legal. There's no
innuendos. There's no -- you know, I think we're a little at a loss. I'll
speak for myself. I don't want to speak for Chief Potteigier. But a
little offended by, you know, we're not trying to hide anything here.
We're sitting here. We're negotiating in good faith.
DR. LEE: So are we. I don't think you ought to take anything
personal here. I mean, just in part of negotiation you will have
discussions and communications, probably the most difficult thing we
do. There's certainly no innuendos that I'm hearing from either side. I
think we're just trying to get to a contract that is going to be fair to all
parties. And in this particular case we're providing a service. Our
contention is that the most appropriate service provider for those
inspections and plan review would be the City. How we get there in a
way that's going to not take away from you-all is I think -- and, again,
this is the first time I'm hearing this is being suggested is that there's a
way that you-all could be compensated because that is a concern. And
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July 6, 2007
I did hear that before the break that there was a concern about the __
MR. SAL VA TORI: And, Chief, I didn't mean anything. I don't
want you to take it that way at all obviously. We're trying -- I was
trying to think of a way that would make sure you have the buffer that
you needed so you can direct your forces elsewhere. And if it's
legally better to describe it as a permitting fee -- a review fee, you
know, that's fine. You will be doing the planning.
MR. BIONDO: And I appreciate that. And I -- I did understand
the way you -- you presented it. Is that what you recommended or
what you proposed? For legal counsel that's in the room, is that even
legal?
MS. DONALDSON: I think that we -- I think that Mr. Pritt
made a good point that we're -- you can't charge a fee. I mean, a fee is
a fee. You get something in return. But I think at the same time we
are reviewing the plans. We might not be approving the plans, but
there is a review process. And we also are providing a transition
person for some time that we're not charging the City. So I don't think
that there would be an argument that -- I mean, there is going to be
some benefit. And it's not just a fee for nothing because __
MR. SALVATORI: I just (inaudible)--
THE COURT REPORTER: Whoa. Whoa. Please repeat.
MR. SALVATORI: I'm sorry. This is the first time you've had
to say it. Usually I get hit right away.
I really thought of this the first time today. I was trying to find
some kind of framework that would work. We could put tags on it
later on, I guess, that works. I do want it to be legal obviously.
MS. DONALDSON: Basically it would be a review fee.
MR. SALVATORI: Yeah.
MS. DONALDSON: And we have to review the plans. Because
if we don't review the plans, we might not approve the plan because it
would be within the City. But we'd have to review it so that we'd
know what's there. And we already have, you know, part of the
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July 6, 2007
language already in there with you guys giving us copies of all the
plans.
MR. SAL VA TORI: And I think that was our biggest -- the
property owner's biggest concern with all this was to have, I thought,
the one-stop shopping. So if that is something we can explore further
in terms of a permitting inspection issue, I don't think the property
owners otherwise have a concern about the balance of paragraph 2.
So I'll leave that to Bob and Mike to discuss at the -- at the District on
those. But I think that would solve our -- our biggest concern.
MR. POTTEIGIER: You still want us to bring back numbers?
MR. SAL VA TORI: I don't think so, Chief. Why don't -- we'll
do a little bit of homework ourself because I don't even know what
your plan review fees or inspection fees are to be honest with you.
MS. DONALDSON: And it may be nothing. I mean, ifthere's
nothing going on for three years, then it's going to be hard to
determine what those fees will be in the next three -- you know,
whatever time period because there might not be any buildings going
in or what type of building or the size or--
MR. BIONDO: Well, but -- but do understand, not that it would
be a great amount of money I don't feel, but any time a permit is
generated, you have inspection fees off that permit.
MR. SALVATORI: Oh, sure. No. We understand that.
MR. BIONDO: Plan review fees and inspection fees. It could be
something as simple as a tenant build out. You're still going to have
fees incurred with that.
MR. SAL VA TORI: Well, I'm just guessing. You probably
know better than I. I'm just guessing that your inspection fees are
probably a part tied to the size and structure that you're inspecting and
in the scope of the work that was performed.
MR. BIONDO: If you're talking on new buildings, new
construction, that's correct. But you also have whatever other permits
that are associated with that. If you've got a sprinkler system in a
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July 6, 2007
building, a fire alarm system, those fees could be generated per device
or floor, per square footage. There's a lot ofthings that goes into it.
MR. SAL VA TORI: And that's what our -- our client wants to
explore. The principle of the association has, I think, certainly the
most significant holdings of perhaps the County in there. So they
want to explore that themselves. And, of course, they want to talk to
the property owner who does have the building coming up out of the
ground and make sure he's comfortable with it. So I don't think you
need to do any homework, Chief, on it. I think we'll do some
homework on it ourselves. And I'll get back to Laura. And in the
meantime you can discuss with your board this concept if it's
something you can work with, maybe it's something you and I could
work with before four years -- four weeks from Monday and see if we
can get some kind of compromise fleshed out.
MS. DONALDSON: It would be a lovely present.
DR. LEE: Look at the rest of the sections of2. I know we--
maybe jumping around here, but I think we talked about this. We
covered the main issues and then maybe the issue to go through this
by section. We covered the main issues.
One of the issues, Bob, what do you think? Do you want to go
over what generally we talked about?
MR. PRITT: Sure.
DR. LEE: As far as contracting of the boundaries, we would like
that effective which would normally be the beginning of the -- a
four-year period. We would like that to basically commence as soon
as possible.
The plan review and inspections, we'd like to propose that we do
that with the understanding that I think that would be within 90 days
of the effective date. The understanding you would be made whole
somehow with the financing or the fees that you would normally
collect. You are going to be doing some inspections. And that
language would have to be developed.
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July 6, 2007
In our particular case the Fire District fee, the ad valorem fee is
greater than what our property -- what our ad valorem fee is in the
City. So each year that we go beyond the four years is costing us
money. It -- but in exchange for the premium tax dollars that we
would like to begin receiving right away, we would extend that an
extra year so that you would have five years of providing fire service
after the -- what is that, after the October date, Bob?
MR. PRITT: Yeah. I think it would -- instead of the four-year
period that we had talked about, it would be the five-year period. We
talked about -- we talked about four, four and a half and extend that to
a five-year period.
MS. DONALDSON: Is that from October 1 of next year?
Because that's what we based ours on. Is that what it was -- it was
October --
MR. PRITT: No. And it would be -- look at 190. I'm sorry.
171.093, paren 6.
MS. DONALDSON: Uh-huh.
MR. PRITT: I'm sorry. I'm kind of going back to the document I
was talking about a minute ago. That would be the pattern we would
be looking at for this. I understand that it says, Unable to enter into
any interlocal agreement. But I don't think it prohibits us from having
an interlocal agreement that would mirror that.
MS. DONALDSON: Right. There's another section in here
about what it says. So can I just ask --
MR. PRITT: Are you talking about 4-A?
MS. DONALDSON: The -- no. What you said. You said you
didn't think that 4 -- that 6 -- that we couldn't do something different.
Oh, you mean 4-A? So you want the five-year period to start now or
upon annexation, whereas, my language started five years from
October 1?
MR. PRITT: Yeah. You're talking about ten months more;
right?
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July 6, 2007
MS. DONALDSON: I'm talking -- well, if you did -- well--
MR. PRITT: It depends on when the annexation is.
MS. DONALDSON: It depends on when the annexation is.
MR. PRITT: Yeah. I think that --
MS. DONALDSON: I mean, the October 1 is nice because it's a
fiscal year thing. We're -- you know, we're going to be collecting
taxes for this property for this upcoming fiscal year. Because, I mean,
the trim notices are going to be going out. And that's why the statute
has it the following year so that it was -- it was five years from that. If
you do five years from now --
DR. LEE: It would be an additional year is what the intent was
from what the minimum statute provides.
MS. DONALDSON: So it would be October 1, 2013?
DR. LEE: Right. And let me make sure.
MR. PRITT: Let me make sure that we're all in agreement. If
the annexation were to occur -- to occur before December 31st, 2007,
and we gave the notice -- the required notice prior to that, then the
four-year period would begin running on 1O/1/08?
MS. DONALDSON: Correct. For four-years, yes.
MR. PRITT: We would want the contraction to be upon
annexation, contraction of the District, but the five -- Bob, make sure
that I say this correctly -- the five-year period would be the period
that's substituted for the four-year period under 4-A.
MS. DONALDSON: So we would lose one year of premium tax
revenues? I'm just asking. I want to make clear.
DR. LEE: No. I think our proposal--
MS. DONALDSON: Because we would -- generally we get
premium tax revenues for this upcoming year as well because our
boundaries would still have the property and we're the service
provider and that's what the statute says. I'm just trying to get it clear
so I know what -- when we caucus what we're looking at.
DR. LEE: You're talking about you would get that initial year
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July 6, 2007
premium tax revenues is what you're saying?
MS. DONALDSON: Right. If the boundaries contracted now,
then under Chapter 175, we don't get those premium tax revenues.
DR. LEE: Right. So you'd be getting an additional year initially
is what you're saying? Is that what I heard you say?
MS. DONALDSON: Current law right now we get one year of
premium tax revenues before our boundaries change. And then that
four-year period impacts. It has nothing to do with premium taxes.
It's just with ad valorem revenues.
DR. LEE: Right.
MS. DONALDSON: I'm saying if our boundaries change now,
we lose --
MR. PRITT: Let's do December 31st, 2007. Okay. Let's keep--
MS. DONALDSON: Right. Okay. If it's a December 31st,
2007, we lose premium tax revenues for next year which we currently
get under the statute, under Chapter 175.
MR. PRITT: How much is that; do you know?
MS. DONALDSON: I mean, I don't --
DR. LEE: It's hard to calculate?
MS. DONALDSON: That's -- it's -- there's two different pots.
You've got one pot and then you get a supplemental pot.
DR. LEE: Ifwe were able to do -- again, trying to get to the -- if
we were able to do this just go to caucus on this, but if you're
concerned about that additional year, if we -- if we're able to do
something with that, would everything else be acceptable?
MR. PRITT: And do you need to caucus before you answer that
question?
MS. DONALDSON: No, just I have a question before I need to
-- is that going with our language dealing -- basically it would be the
term for A would be the same. B would come up with some language
that deals with we're going to be made whole on the inspections up
until 2010. And then--
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July 6, 2007
MR. PRITT: No. No. Wait.
DR. LEE: We're going to do the inspections, but there -- what
she's talking about is they would receive some revenue because they're
going to -- for fees because they're going to be providing some
servIces.
MR. PRITT: My understanding that's what the addition of the
time for a five-year period would cover, that, anything in premium
tax.
DR. LEE: No. I think what -- well, that's what we were
originally looking at I think in order to get to a -- see, our -- our
difference in that extra year ad valorem we're losing money that we
didn't expect.
MR. PRITT: It's got to be a fair amount of money.
DR. LEE: But if we're -- if they're willing to -- although it would
be less, if they're willing to forego the -- in this particular case if
they're willing to accept the one year of premium tax and we get the
four years of premium tax, even though that may not quite equal, I
think -- I think Leo was going to look at what we're really going to
talk about in terms of service fees. I don't know if -- again, trying to
get to some agreement here that's fair to everyone. I -- I wouldn't
necessarily see that that would have to be tied into it.
MR. PRITT: We would take over plans examination though.
DR. LEE: We would take over plans examination.
MR. PRITT: In the 90 -- after the 90-day period.
DR. LEE: After the 90 days. I think that was --
MR. PRITT: That's not your language. It's more my language.
MS. DONALDSON: It would -- it would not be October 1 of
next year because I think that's what Leo had said earlier.
MR. SAL VA TORI: Well, that's fine. But we would __
MS. DONALDSON: Well, obviously, I mean, you guys want to
have it sooner rather than later.
MR. SAL VA TORI: That's fine.
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July 6, 2007
MS. DONALDSON: So the plans would be taken over
immediately.
DR. LEE: I think we could do 90 days or something, some
transition period.
MS. DONALDSON: And, obviously, I put a cap on -- if
nothing's going on, I don't think it's got to be a 20-hour transition.
And then the boundaries -- we give --
MR. PRITT: I'm sorry. Where -- what are you talking about 20
hours?
MS. DONALDSON: Twenty hours, before you had an open
ended we have to provide an employee to the City for the transitional
plans and permitting. That -- completely open ended to go __
DR. LEE: Well, I think if you're getting fees, if you -- the part
about us paying, I don't think we need to do that if you're going to be
getting fees.
MS. DONALDSON: Yeah. I had that the City wasn't paying us.
DR. LEE: Okay.
MS. DONALDSON: But I put a limit of20 hours.
DR. LEE: I agree. We don't need to have that if you're being
paid for whatever it is.
MR. PRITT: Is that in here? I just don't see it.
DR. LEE: Yeah, 20 hours.
MR. PRITT: Oh, 20 hours. Okay.
MS. DONALDSON: The -- so the plans would be immediately.
We'd be the service provider to October 1,2013, except for the plans.
MR. PRITT: Oh, plans would be 90 days.
MS. DONALDSON: Or 90 days.
MR. PRITT: Plans 90 days. Go ahead. What was your second
point, Laura?
MS. DONALDSON: We're the service provider to October 1,
2013. That's the five years. We get the premium tax revenues for the
next year, but then you get them for the rest of it.
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July 6, 2007
DR. LEE: Right.
MS. DONALDSON: Okay. And then -- and then you guys are
fine with the user charges and the impact fees which is something the
statute allows us to continue to do, the charge. Not you. Charge the
property owner. The statute has that. I just want to make sure
because that hasn't been raised. And then __
MR. PRITT: Can I ask you about -- I'm not going to necessarily
disagree, but what would happen -- not that this is going to happen.
Okay. I'll say it that way. But what would happen if a board got upset
-- a new board got upset within this five-year period and said, Well,
let's see if we can figure out a way of charging user charges that would
only apply within this area, significant user charges? Because they're
angry about something. And maybe I'm -- maybe I'm over-thinking
this, but what -- what would be -- what would stop -- I'm sorry?
MS. DONALDSON: No. I think that the problem is -- and I
understand the concern. You know, I guess I just don't think they
would do that. But I think that the user fees and impact fees, that's
something we currently are allowed to do during that four-year period
even though they're not within our boundaries, the statute allows us to
do this.
DR. LEE: That would have to be applicable throughout your
district, though, wouldn't it?
MS. DONALDSON: Yeah, it would be. But, you know, like,
for example, the City -- and I'm not saying that East Naples is
considering this. For example, the City of Tampa was looking at
doing a response fee as a user fee. If they went -- in addition to all the
other things that they collect. If they responded, you paid this amount.
I don't want to limit -- we don't have that right now. But I don't
want to limit the ability for the District to collect a fee. If they start
charging everyone else in their District a fee for something, it's going
to be difficult for us to say, Well, we charge every other person this
fee if they use this service and we're not going to charge it to them.
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July 6, 2007
DR. LEE: Well, I think in addressing your concern, though, if
it's -- and maybe by law it's already there, but we had some -- some
phrase or language in there that said that -- just as you pointed out, it
would have to be District wide. In other words, it couldn't be just
isolated to the -- this particular annexed area.
MR. PRITT: Well, perhaps I like the idea of saying that.
MS. DONALDSON: Yeah.
MR. PRITT: I don't know. But then I don't think it's going to
happen. I think if it did happen, I think they would have a pretty good
lawsuit against you for charging the fees; but I don't want to have
somebody coming back and say, well, geez, didn't you guys talk about
this.
MS. DONALDSON: I have no problem putting language that
says that it can't -- this user fee or impact fee can't only be charged or,
I mean, something like that. I have no problem to the annexed
property it has to be District wide even recognizing that they're not
within the District.
DR. LEE: Right.
MR. PRITT: I like District wide being the language. That might
be good enough. Thanks.
MS. DONALDSON: And the annexation language, I was fine
with your -- the failure to annex, the year to year provision. That if it's
delayed by a year, everything gets pushed back by a year. I know Mr.
Pritt's concern was four or five years. You said, well, what if we say
if it's delayed a year, everything gets pushed back a year. Well, I
mean, if that's the case, if we can have time to caucus.
MR. PRITT: You're talking -- you back in 15 now you're talking
about?
MS. DONALDSON: H.
MR. SALVATORI: H? I'm sorry.
MS. DONALDSON: The failure of an annex. You know,
because once again, we don't want to get in a position where if you
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July 6, 2007
guys push the annexation off and we've just now lost that year that
we've spent six months negotiating.
DR. LEE: I understand.
MS. DONALDSON: And, of course, tie in the fees and the ad
valorem not having that reduction language. I just want to make sure.
DR. LEE: Which section now, Laura?
MS. DONALDSON: That would be F above H.
MR. PRITT: Uh-huh.
MS. DONALDSON: The City's previous proposal was basically
we have to go to mediation -- or let the chief judge decide whether or
not their fees were justified to be taken out of ours. And I just think
that -- that puts on a yearly thing. And right now it's very simplistic.
The Property Appraiser's Office sets the value. The millage rate is set
by the board by resolution. We know what the amount is. It's
calculable.
DR. LEE: You've agreed to the last sentence ofF being removed
too; right?
MS. DONALDSON: Yes, that's fine.
DR. LEE: Okay. Okay. Bob, anything else before we take a
caucus?
MR. PRITT: No. Let me check my notes.
MS. DONALDSON: I guess we'll caucus on this and then 15.
Not 15. Yeah, 9. You guys?
DR. LEE: I think the only other one we have is 9; right?
MS. DONALDSON: Right.
DR. LEE: Okay. Let's caucus. And you want come back in 15
minutes at about 20 after?
MS. DONALDSON: Yeah. That's fine.
MR. PRITT: Before we leave. One second.
MS. DONALDSON: Oh.
MR. PRITT: One second.
MS. DONALDSON: I'm listening.
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July 6, 2007
MR. PRITT: If we can resolve 2 and then 15 should fall in place,
don't you think?
MS. DONALDSON: I agree. As long as we have the
recognition that if we set like a -- if we say October 1,2013,
recognizing that it could get bumped a year based on when your
annexation occurs.
MR. PETTIT: Just -- and you guys will be responsible for
whatever you agree onto because I took my notes. You'll have to get
together and send me whatever the agreed language is if you get an
agreement.
MR. PRITT: Okay.
MS. DONALDSON: Okay.
MR. PRITT: But you did such a good job the last time.
(Short recess was taken.)
MR. OCHS: Let's reconvene. Geez, I feel the power coursing
through my veins right now, Bob. All right.
DR. LEE: Well done.
MR. OCHS: Dr. Lee.
DR. LEE: I think we -- well, we're just coming out of caucus.
And I think the East Naples Fire District have some -- if you could
give us your feedback on what we proposed. We had one other, I
think, question, but I think if we hear from you --
MS. DONALDSON: Can I have the question first because
maybe that's going to change my response?
DR. LEE: Yeah. Sure. The one question had to do with impact
fees collection.
MS. DONALDSON: Yes.
DR. LEE: Use of charges and impact fees, we were concerned
that --
MR. PRITT: G, page 7-G.
DR. LEE: The idea of collecting impact fees as we know is __
particularly if it's fire services for a building of expanding stations in
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"
July 6, 2007
the future as a result of any new development. In this particular case,
it would appear since we're the one talking about building a station
that those impact fees for that particular properties should go to the
City. The user charges, we understood what you were talking about
there. We don't have a dispute on that, but we're having some concern
about the idea of impact fees that would be collected on this one
project staying with the District. That's the only other change we had
at this time.
MS. DONALDSON: I think in response. One, since we're the
service provider for five years, I mean, we might also be using those
impact fees to provide service. I mean, to provide for some impact
since we don't know what's going to be happening in development. I
think the concern completely changes what we were going to come in
-- because we were actually going to come in and say you get 2013.
We get the premium tax for a year. You get it for the rest of the time.
We turn over the inspections and permitting after 90 days with
the provision that we're made whole with some review fee as long as
we maintained everything else. So I don't know.
MR. POTTEIGIER: One of the reasons for those impact fees --
Rob Potteigier -- we -- we added a station at Airport and Golden Gate
Boulevard. And one of the reasons for that station was in torte for that
area and industrial park because we couldn't get to that area fast
enough from our Davis Boulevard station.
MR. PRITT: Is -- is there a way of -- here I go again. Is there a
way of attempting to quantify what we would be projecting maybe
based upon the past? I know there's a lot of activity the last few years
so that would probably be an unnatural number, unnaturally high.
But, once again, if we're fussing over a $20,000 item, that's one thing.
If we're fussing over a $2 million item, that's something else. But
maybe somehow we could get some kind of handle on that. And, I
mean, if that -- if that met -- maybe that would mess up everything
that we've been talking about here today or maybe it would really not
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July 6, 2007
mess up much. I just don't know. I don't have a feel for it.
MS. DONALDSON: I think one of the difficulties I think goes
to the same thing with the inspection of permitting fees is since we
don't know what's going to be happening, it's difficult to quantify how
much money it is. I just I don't think we can. I mean, if -- if only one
building is built, then it's going to be pretty low over the five years. If
the entire site's built out in five years, then that's a different number.
So I think that --
DR. LEE: Could we do this just for the sake of, again, I haven't
given this much thought, but since we're looking at keeping you whole
till 2010, could we also restrict the impact fees to 2010? In other
words, recognizing that something could happen, but also we need to
plan for the future as well with any impact. I'm just trying to look at a
compromIse.
MS. DONALDSON: The -- I'd have to -- I mean, because we
kind of looked at what was discussed. And it was kind of a package.
DR. LEE: Right, it was.
MS. DONALDSON: I'm hearing disagreement between my two
chiefs. So I would say since I've got disagreement right here and
we're not even caucusing, that would be a no.
MR. PRITT: Could we get that disagreement on the record?
MS. DONALDSON: Yeah. Yeah.
DR. LEE: And, again, I apologize for that being part of the
package. We just after reviewing it we saw that. And actually had
some knowing what -- we all know what the purpose of impact fees
are. The -- just the appropriateness of that. But we were able to
resolve the -- I think we're going to be able to resolve the fee issue.
MR. BIONDO: Could we have a -- could we have a two-minute
caucus real quick?
DR. LEE: Sure.
MR. BIONDO: I just need to ask counsel one question.
DR. LEE: Sure.
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July 6, 2007
(Short recess was taken.)
MR. OCHS: We're back on the record now.
MS. DONALDSON: Because current law allows us under the
four-year period to charge impact fees for that four-year period, my
client is not willing to give up the impact fees during the term of the
agreement.
DR. LEE: Item 15, is that the only other item that was
outstanding to be --
MR. OCHS: Item 9.
DR. LEE: Oh, Item 9, that was the one.
MS. DONALDSON: I think 15 will work it -- I mean--
DR. LEE: That's right. We'll take a quick caucus too, but let's
cover mne.
MS. DONALDSON: Okay.
DR. LEE: Let me offer the following that I think the City
attorney's opinion -- he can speak for himself -- is pretty clear, but let
me offer the following compromise. If we say something like -- that
first sentence, leave the first sentence. And then we say, It shall be a
breach of this agreement if either agency or any person who is acting
at the behest of either agency so challenge the annexation, period. In
other words, we take out "in concert with" that you had a concern
about. And we added after if either agency or a person who's basically
working at the -- acting at the behest of the agency. Is that something
that you could -- again, I don't necessarily know that the City attorney
-- I think we talked about it. This is something I feel I could throw
out.
MR. OCHS: Did you want to caucus?
DR. LEE: Yeah. We'll caucus.
MR. OCHS: Okay.
DR. LEE: And do you want to address that issue and we'll
caucus on the impact --
MS. DONALDSON: Okay.
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July 6, 2007
DR. LEE: -- fee item.
MR. OCHS: Ten minutes?
MR. PRITT: Bang on the door this time.
(Short recess was taken.)
MR. OCHS: We'll go back on the record.
Bob, do you want to kick it off?
DR. LEE: I think relative to the caucus, I think you were going
to look at -- the lawyers look at our revised language for Item No.9.
And the Naples Fire District was going to caucus on -- on the -- well,
maybe --
MR. OCHS: I thought you guys were going to caucus on the __
DR. LEE: On the fire impact fees?
MR.OCHS: Yes.
DR. LEE: Okay. We did.
MR. PRITT: Could I ask a question of clarification? Maybe you
were just about to do it, Dr. Lee, but on 7 on G, this says user charges
and impact fees. I presume you are referring to fire impact fees only;
right? That's all you get. I'm not sure what all you're collecting. Are
you only collecting the fire impact fees?
MS. DONALDSON: Correct, impact fees for fire protection
services. We -- we can't collect them for any of us. Obviously no one
can.
MS. CHIRGWIN: What is that?
MS. DONALDSON: Page 7-G.
MR. PRITT: G.
MS. CHIRGWIN: Thank you.
MR. PRITT: So you guys actually do the collection of fire
impact fees and then somebody else does the collection of other
impact fees?
MR. POTTEIGIER: The County does them all and they're
charged as a percentage.
MS. DONALDSON: We have an interlocal agreement with the
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July 6, 2007
County and they collect all impact fees. And then they take, I think,
it's two or three percent, two percent. Okay.
MR. BIONDO: I think it's one.
MR. PRITT: So G is technically not correct because is said,
Shall continue -- the District shall continue to collect. The County's
collecting and the District is getting.
MS. DONALDSON: I would say that we collect the impact fees
-- our impact fee that's just being -- they're collecting on behalf of our
(Multiple voices.)
MS. DONALDSON: It's not a County impact fee. It's a -- this is
the impact fee for East Naples Fire Control District.
DR. LEE: You're collecting. You're just seeing that they do the
collection for you?
MS. DONALDSON: Right.
MR. PRITT: Well, yeah. I'm not asking a trick question or
anything or negotiating. I'm just trying to understand how it works.
The City of Naples has agreements with the County also. We collect
some of the County's impact fees and turn them over to the County.
MS. DONALDSON: Right.
MR. PRITT: And I was -- when I read this, I thought that the
way this was working was you were collecting some of the impact
fees, but it's actually the County is collecting them and turning them
over to the benefit of the Fire District. Do I have that right?
MR. OCHS: That's correct. That's correct.
MS. DONALDSON: Right.
DR. LEE: From our standpoint, we don't know what we're
talking about in terms of the amount of impact fees. The compromise
was felt to be -- that was offered before the caucus was -- was
intended to be a fair way of seeing that you receive some
compensation. But that the City was also going to be receiving some
compensation for purpose of impact fees knowing that we were
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July 6, 2007
looking at the fire station. That's the best I can give you right now. I
think we're very close on this proposal. I would like to be able to get
an agreement. I would offer that to you.
If that's not something you can accept, then I would suggest that
we both see ifthere's some other alternative. To just give the five
years of impact fees, I just don't know. We're having a little bit of
trouble with that in terms of parity. But I do think we -- if that's the
only issue, I would suggest that we try to get some -- revise this
language based on the new language that you've prepared on
everything else that we have and see if we can get some language that
would be agreeable.
MS. DONALDSON: I can tell you as it relates to this, we can't
agree to anything under what was in the statute for the four years. I
understand the City's position. I mean, if you want to change it to
2012 because that is an extra year where you get the impact fees. You
know, the year that we would not be otherwise able to collect but for
this agreement.
DR. LEE: I think one of the challenges that we have -- and I
understand that -- what you're saying there perfectly. I would
probably sit there and do the same -- is that we have to show to our
City council as well that year that we're giving up on ad valorem, the
dollars, because that is a money issue. And the difficulty I'm having
with the five years of the impact fees, I just don't -- that's why that
additional year is to offset.
But I would suggest why don't we -- if we can get language on
everything else, Laura, then maybe that's something we'll be able to --
to work out. That seems to be the only issue that's -- that's left. And
I'd hate to have that just scratch everything else, the good faith effort
to put together a contract here or an agreement.
MS. DONALDSON: My only concern -- and I am more than
willing to work with Mr. Pritt to draft the revisions. I don't think
there's really that many revisions, deletion of some things.
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July 6, 2007
DR. LEE: I don't think so either.
MS. DONALDSON: Is that that was part of the whole
agreement to give up all -- I mean, you know, and I realize that you
look at permitting inspections as making it efficient. We look at it a
different way, but it's kind of an entire package. I just don't want to
get in a position where it's kind of off on its own issue. I mean, it's a
whole package.
DR. LEE: No. No. I understand.
MS. DONALDSON: And we've been willing from the
beginning to just stick with the four years. And -- and so that's kind of
where we're at. And I know that that's an important issue for my
client. But I could just say throwing out, we could go decrease it by a
year to 2012 as it relates to impact fees.
DR. LEE: Would you -- would you be willing to -- since you
prepared this language, maybe if you don't object, Mr. Pritt, is to ask if
you, Ms. Donaldson, could prepare the changes for us to look at. And
include what you just said and then we'll respond accordingly. Bob,
do you -- are you comfortable with that?
MR. PRITT: That's fine with me. Could I ask one other thing,
though? And Leo or Mike is there some way that we could -- that you
could fairly easily get the raw data that say the impact fees for fire in
this area for the last five years that we could at least use as a base so
that we know that it's a $20,000 item or a $200,000 item or a $2
million item? And then we can argue over, well, the projection should
be this. The projection should be that and so on. And maybe if it's not
that much, we're finding -- we might find that we're arguing over
something that's not that important. And I know you say you can't get
it but, I mean, this -- the data has got to be out there. And I got to
believe that it's fairly easy to get. And is that something that you guys
would have readily available or --
MR. OCHS: Oh, sure. I mean, the schedule of impact fees is
available on -- on the website. It's readily available. I think what
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July 6, 2007
you're asking is is there a way -- if I understand you, Bob -- is there a
way to take that fee and apply it against a typical building that may go
up --
MR. PRITT: In Collier Park of Commerce.
MR. OCHS: -- in that -- in that park of commerce.
MR. PRITT: Thirty? Forty?
MR. SALVATORI: Around 40.
MS. DONALDSON: I mean, we can say -- I mean, we -- they
can tell you right now what the fee is and based on square footage.
And you could tell us how much construction's happened over the last
two years, and we could sit here with a calculator and figure it out and
tell you what's --
DR. LEE: I think that's all we really need.
MS. DONALDSON: -- what impact fees have been over the last
two years. I don't think that's difficult.
MR. OCHS: Yeah. This is not necessarily my dog in this hunt,
but you know how many vacant parcels you have left in the commerce
park.
MR. POTTEIGIER: We can come up with some hard figures, I
mean, we can't -- because it depends on how many square foot that put
m.
DR. LEE: Well, it would be some assumptions. What we need to
do is we'll get the numbers and --
MR. OCHS: Sure.
DR. LEE: -- and if you'll just allow us that to get the numbers
and make some assumption on a building and apply that so that when
we do communicate with the City council, we've based it on
something that's quantitative. I think that's what Mr. Pritt's looking at.
MR. PRITT: Right. Thank you.
MS. DONALDSON: But I just want to correct. We can
calculate what's happened in the past. We just can't calculate what's
going to happen in the future. I didn't mean to imply earlier that we
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July 6, 2007
can't calculate --
DR. LEE: I understand.
MS. DONALDSON: -- what we've already received from that--
the proposed property.
DR. LEE: I think the future -- if you could project that, that
would be even more important information for us.
MS. DONALDSON: I'd go buy some property.
MR. PRITT: If you can project the future, I've got some stock
questions for you.
DR. LEE: And, frankly, you mentioned something about some
other attorney would take your place. If we can do this before you
leave if possible, I think that would be in the best interest of everyone.
MR. POTTEIGIER: Our board doesn't meet in July. So to
finalize --
MR. PRITT: Neither does ours.
DR. LEE: No. But I mean at least at this level, if we could come
to a meeting of the minds and tentatively agree on --
MR. POTTEIGIER: Just so everybody knew, our board doesn't
meet.
MS. DONALDSON: I will have language drafted by next week.
Well, next week. Not by next week. My next week. And then,
obviously, just as we all -- it's a board decision. And we'll just have to
discuss it.
The other -- we have one other change.
MR. PETTIT: I don't think we're in a position to change our
position right now. We think that the first sentence captures it. And
we think that if you have a concern, you go through the dispute
resolution procedure. That's why it's in there.
MR. PRITT: We need to withdraw our offer on that issue and go
back and work on it.
DR. LEE: Do you feel the same?
MS. DONALDSON: I am comfortable the change as long as we
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July 6, 2007
accept my blue change. Ifwe don't accept my blue change, then -- I
know you disagree.
MR. PETTIT: They think -- they were -- they already said they
were taking voidness off the table.
MS. DONALDSON: Then -- then I have to agree with the
County.
DR. LEE: Bob, do you feel that way with not having the -- the
change from the -- the blue change on No.9 including that or is that a
-- I don't recall what you stated on that.
MR. PETTIT: What change is it you're agreeing to?
MS. DONALDSON: That basically if this agreement gets
voided, that we still have 171.093 apply to us.
DR. LEE: I think we did change the -- we took out the voided
part.
MS. DONALDSON: Well, it's breached. Right, no, I mean, we
MR. PRITT: Well, we took those out that you're disagreeing
with. It's--
MS. DONALDSON: I agree with the first. Ifwe just took the
first sentence of that section --
MR. PRITT: I understand. You and Mike have both said that.
MS. DONALDSON: Right. I don't agree with the new change.
DR. LEE: The most recent --
MS. DONALDSON: The City's change. Having said that, I will
caveat and say I'm more comfortable with it if we also have the
language that says 171.093 because my -- one of my concerns is the
City saying, you know, we really just don't like this. We're going to
blow it up. And then not only do we not have this agreement, we
don't have the protection under 171.093. So I need to make sure that
my clients are protected under either this agreement or the current
statute.
MR. PETTIT: Well, I'm confused though, Laura, because I think
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July 6, 2007
that this -- I thought that the change -- the most recent changed
language from the City did not include a reference to the agreement
being void.
MR. OCHS: Correct.
DR. LEE: Correct. It does not.
MS. DONALDSON: If it's -- right. That it's breached, but I
think --
MR. PETTIT: The language you proposed was if any person
acting in concert were acting -- acting at the behest of either agency
shall challenge the annexation, this agreement shall be void. This
shall a breach. My question is what's the agency? The agency's the
board. So are you saying that somebody acting at board direction
challenging the annexation that would be a breach, then I don't know
why the first sentence doesn't cover -- doesn't handle the problem. I
mean, what's your agency? It's a City council really. It's not you.
DR. LEE: Right.
MR. OCHS: Okay. So the Fire District's going to draft up some
new language and submit it on Item 2?
MS. DONALDSON: Correct.
MR. PETTIT: Are you going to -- my question is: Are you going
to submit it to the City first to see if they approve it or are you just
going to send it to me to incorporate in with the other changes we've
agreed on?
MS. DONALDSON: I think what I was going to do was send to
the City first and have them take a look at it recognizing that we don't
have agreement on one paragraph and --
MR. PRITT: Why can't we just take the agreement that we have
and on the things that we did agree, highlight them. And then do the
red, white or red, blue, green again.
MR. PETTIT: That's what I was thinking.
MR. PRITT: I know you said you weren't going to do it.
Whoever has control of the colors.
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July 6, 2007
MR. PETTIT: But I guess my point is I didn't follow nor did I
take notes on the discussion you just had. I'm going to have to get
language that you've either agreed on or you can give me blue and you
can give me red in response and we'll put those in there if that's what
you want to do.
DR. LEE: I think we should ultimately do that. I think the
suggestion, though, that the Fire District give -- give us the language
that we could look at. We may be able to submit just one color to you.
MR. PETTIT: That's kind of what I'm hoping. But, I mean,
either way the other point, though, is if we're going to do it that way,
which is -- makes sense to me, you submit to the City. Let's
understand we're not going to have an agreement in front of the
County Commission on September 11 th best case. Because we have a
meeting on the 24th which I know the agenda is already miserably
large for. And I don't see any way to get this on the agenda for the
24th unless the county manager --
MR. PRITT: Are they off in August is that what you're saying?
MR. OCHS: They're off in August, yes.
MR. PETTIT: All August.
MR. PRITT: All August.
MR. PETTIT: So that raises the question, do we need to meet
again also as a group?
MS. DONALDSON: I mean, I just -- it seems as though we
really have two issues outstanding. One is the impact fees. The other
is the Section 9.
DR. LEE: Correct.
MS. DONALDSON: And so I don't know what the benefit
would be to have another meeting when we're just down to that close.
It may be just time away, you know, I don't know. I mean, I don't
know if we're going to be able to come to some resolve as it relates to
the impact fee issue or as it relates to Section 9. And if it's worth
scheduling another meeting and trying to go through it one more time.
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July 6, 2007
Because Section 9 seems to pretty much be complete difference
of opinion. I don't know how that's going to move --
DR. LEE: The only thing I can think of since we have
conceptually agreed -- I mean, we agreed in principle to this whole
thing except for two points that you raised. It might be useful to get
the final language to review it and get together one more time just to
say that -- and that we agree on all these items and T A. That -- and
hopefully that's not a lengthy meeting. That shouldn't be. But that's
the only reason I would think that one more time perhaps.
MR. OCHS: Well, we're willing to do that certainly.
MS. DONALDSON: That would be, what, September for you
guys?
MR. OCHS: Well, we could meet prior to that.
MS. DONALDSON: Well, I meant we could meet prior to that,
but it's not --
MR. PETTIT: Our board wouldn't see it until September.
MR. OCHS: Correct.
MR. PRITT: I agree. I think we need to have one more meeting.
And at that meeting we'll kind of have to decide whether or not we've
got an agreement. If we don't have an agreement, we kind of have to
say we don't have an agreement and agree that we're at an impasse and
stop meeting like this. Because I think we pretty much got it down to
most of the meetings. I think it's been very informative. And for no
other reason to learn how you-all go about doing what you do. I don't
know that there will ever be another negotiation between the City and
East Naples Fire Control District or the need for it or another
annexation or anything. But I think a learning curve has been pretty
helpful. I don't think it's a total waste.
MS. DONALDSON: So does that mean you're not going to
annex within the Fire District anymore?
MR. PRITT: As I said, I don't know.
DR. LEE: We wouldn't have the pleasure of your company.
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July 6, 2007
MS. DONALDSON: I'll miss my monthly trips to Naples.
DR. LEE: Let's--
MR. PETTIT: Should we schedule a meeting? We'll schedule at
the City. Should I have Mike Sheffield work with you--
DR. LEE: Yes, please.
MR. PETTIT: -- to schedule? Should we do it -- I got to tell you
I don't know if I'm going to be around at the end of July, but that
doesn't necessarily mean I have to be there. We can schedule it in
August. Is that the idea? A good idea?
DR. LEE: That's fine. As long as the County cannot meet until
September, I don't know that it's compelling that we --
MR. POTTEIGIER: It'd be better if you did it before the second
week in August. That way we can at least get a draft to the board.
MS. DONALDSON: But we wouldn't have -- they only meet
once. Yeah. They only meet once.
MR. PETTIT: Okay. Let me talk with him and see what he can
work out with you and then we'll schedule it in.
MR. PRITT: My August gets progressively worse and yours
does too. And July is not too good either because of different things
we have. But doesn't anybody by any chance have Tuesday, July 31st
open? And the reason I ask that is that seems to be the fifth Tuesday.
County, I don't know if you have meetings every Tuesday or it's just
the first four.
DR. LEE: Just a matter of vacations, et cetera. I don't know what
everyone's doing.
MR. SALVATORI: I'll be out of town from the 24th to August
9th.
MR. PETTIT: I'm kind of in the same situation.
DR. LEE: Why don't we -- why don't we suggest that we try to
get -- have Mike and we'll get with Ann and we'll work out the
schedules like we have in the past the best that we can.
MS. DONALDSON: That -- and I think that would be great.
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July 6, 2007
And I think for our sake we could get a tentative agreement to the
board with maybe a couple of provisions still outstanding. And that
might even help us to come back to negotiate if we get some
additional direction from our board.
MR. PRITT: When's your next board meeting?
MR. BIONDO: The second.
MR. POTTEIGIER: Second week. Second Tuesday of the
month.
MR. BIONDO: August.
DR. LEE: Ideally -- and I understand it's certainly a prerogative,
ideally if we could -- if we could come to an agreement between the
three parties here and both -- and all three of us basically be selling
this to our respective, we have an obligation to negotiate a contract.
Now, our next obligation is to sell them if they want -- if City council
wants to go through with the annexation, they know that they have a
complete agreement that all parties have -- are in agreement with. I
think that may help them and it may even help your board knowing
the County and the City is in full agreement. We're this close. I
would like to at least try to -- to see if we can come up with those final
two provisions and agree on the complete language. Meet one more
time. And if we can come up with a final agreement, then go to the
board. If that's -- if you-all would consider that.
MR. OCHS: We're just -- we're agreeable with that.
MS. DONALDSON: Yeah. You know, I'm fine with that. I can
always, of course, if it's sometime in July -- I mean, I can always get
piped in if the City has the ability to teleconference me in.
DR. LEE: Yes, we can.
MR. PETTIT: What I'm going to do is I'm going to make all the
changes we agreed today on this document. And they're going to -- the
color will disappear from those.
DR. LEE: Okay.
MR. PETTIT: And I'll distribute it. I'll try to get that done next
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July 6, 2007
week so you can double check it when the numbers are fresh. And
then we're going to have 9 will be open and 2 will be open. And I
guess 15 remains contingent on 2. But everything else I think we
agreed on today.
DR. LEE: And next week you'll get language to Bob, correct,
and then we'll respond to that.
MR. SALVATORI: If I could ask the drafter's to copy me. I
tend to get left off the distribution list.
DR. LEE: I understand there's a public comment Mike said.
Someone wanted -- if we're concluded. Someone from the public,
you're the only public, you'd asked to say something.
MS. CHIRGWIN: First of all, I want to thank all you guys for
working so hard together. I really -- I really enjoyed watching.
THE COURT REPORTER: Your name, please, for the record.
MS. CHIRGWIN: I don't have a name.
DR. LEE: C-h-e-r--
MS. CHIRGWIN: Judith Chirgwin, C-h-i-r-g-w-i-n. I'm a
resident. I'm a taxpayer. I'm a voter. And what happens in this
particular situation interests me. But I have to admit that going
through this made me feel a little bit like I was a parent and I was
watching a group of people argue over custody of my child and where
my child was going to go in a divorce situation. And it was -- it was
interesting to -- to listen to all you guys try to figure things out.
But I'm coming and I see how different people are coming from
different positions in this situation. So that's why I asked to speak
now at the end. Because I'm thinking of it from my position as a
resident, taxpayer, voter in Naples. And I would like very much--
when Mr. Pritt was talking about in terms of some of the issues you
had, I'd be very interested in knowing more about what is happening
about money here. I'd be very interested in knowing from the County
what kind of money over this period of time if an annexation took
place, how much money would come out of your budget, how much
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July 6, 2007
was in your budget in 2006 and 2007 and what's going to happen in it
during the time that this agreement will be taking place?
There are lots of services that you provide that you no longer are
going to be providing. And I would -- all kinds of things. I would
really like to have and I think that people who live in the City of
Naples would like to know that. I'd like to know who owns the
property we're talking about, by the way?
MR. SAL VA TORI: There's about 40 different owners.
MS. CHIRGWIN: Completely different?
MR. SAL VA TORI: Different owners.
MS. CHIRGWIN: Okay.
MR. SAL VA TORI: I mean, there are some people that own
more than one parcel. The County has actually some substantial
holdings in there as well, but it's, like, I think 43 different owners as I
recall.
MS. CHIRGWIN: Uh-huh. And so there's no leasing ofland?
There's -- they buy the land itself then?
MR. SALVATORI: They buy the land themselves. So some of
the buildings there are actually leased to tenants but they're owned by
MS. CHIRGWIN: Yeah, I understand that. I understand that.
How is the area zoned?
MR. SALVATORI: Right now it's zoned industrial.
MS. CHIRGWIN: Industrial. Okay.
DR. LEE: Is it a Q&A? We've giving her an opportunity to give
public -- public comments. If you want to ask the questions, as part of
your comments, if we can address them afterwards, that may be the
most productive way of --
MS. CHIRGWIN: I'd like to know about the building codes and
permitting and things like that as to -- in which situation the County or
the City is more restrictive in -- in this -- in this condition because
that's one of the things that's going to have -- with development in that
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July 6, 2007
area? And I guess I'm sort of curious why would the County agree to
losing that property if it is -- if it is valuable or why the City wants to
obtain it if it's valuable? And that just about covers it in terms of
where I'm coming from. But I thank you-all. I really thank you-all.
You can't imagine what an education this is. I wish more people
would come and realize what you guys do. And, of course, Mr. Pritt
and Dr. Lee know that I've been getting an education. I'm going to get
a Ph.D. in this and I don't mean piled higher and deeper.
DR. LEE: Let me suggest that some of the questions -- you had
some really very good questions. And when we present this agreement
to the city council, there will be those questions and others that we're
going to need to address. They have to approve this by two meetings
of an ordinance.
MS. CHIRGWIN: I know that.
DR. LEE: And they I'm sure will want to make sure they have
all those answers. And, again, more. So in terms of the codes and
restrictions, I don't know that we're -- what codes the County has
versus the City's if we're going to answer that today.
MR. BIONDO: I'd be more than glad to try if you guys want to
entertain that. I'll be as brief as I can.
The codes should be the same. The building code is the building
code. It's the Florida Building Code. The Fire Prevention Code is the
Florida Fire Prevention Code so they should all be the same. There
are some County local amendments. I don't know if the City -- I think
the City has some maybe ordinances in place and amendments also.
So as a whole, they all should be the same. There maybe a couple of
things that are different per that jurisdiction.
Let's say, you know, we may have --like, we have a gate
ordinance in the County. I think the City has adopted the same gate
ordinance that we have. So we are trying to do some things together.
That's the remote clickers, you know, where you get in the emergency
evac clickers to get in the gated communities?
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July 6, 2007
MS. CHIRGWIN: Do we have gated communities?
MR. MCEVOY: Every high rise on Gulfshore Boulevard is a
gated community.
MS. CHIRGWIN: Oh, thank you. Thank you.
MR. BIONDO: And without those codes in order for us to --
we'd have to have 1,000 codes, you know, because we have gated
communities everywhere. We have a universal remote and it's -- you
know, it's a county-wide remote. And the City I think also adopted
that same ordinance that we have so we can all -- we can go into the
City if we have a call in the City to help them out. We can get in their
residence and vice versa in return.
So as a whole they should all be the same. There may be some
minor changes. But, you know, County Manager Mudd's not here.
And I don't -- I didn't get a chance to debate or dispute his comments
about us making the code stricter. I'm not -- I'm not aware that we've
made the code any stricter. The ordinance is in place. The ordinance
-- if you look at the ordinance is derived from the code. I'm not aware
that it's any stricter, but I guess that's a matter of opinion.
DR. LEE: Thank you for that -- that overview. And just a final
question. I don't know if I'll be able to answer it completely, but at
least in terms of why the County or the City would be interested in
annexing. We received a request for annexation. And there is a
process and we're following it to consider that annexation to discuss
the services and who would be providing those services which is what
we've been doing the last six months. So this is part of the process.
And ultimately the city council will decide, make that decision on
annexation based on the work that we've done here and when it's
presented to them in an interlocal agreement.
MS. CHIRGWIN: I think that my comment is that by the time it
gets before the city council, there maybe things which I as a resident
and other residents residence may like to know. Because that's really
down to the wire as it were in a sense. And I would appreciate any
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July 6, 2007
feedback that anybody can give me so that I can more clearly
understand what's going on in this situation. And particularly what
you said about what do things cost. When you talk about impact fees,
you know, like how do you figure this? How do you -- how do you
come to these conclusions? Are there other ways to come to these
conclusions? I just think that it's valuable for people to have that kind
of information.
MS. DONALDSON: Well, I think -- I know it's the City's. Have
you looked at the urban services report? It might be helpful because
that has a lot of the financial information. That they have calculated
that. So that might be helpful for you to receive because it also talks
about zoning -- current zoning.
DR. LEE: Yes.
MS. DONALDSON: And how they're going to be dealing with
some of the services.
DR. LEE: Check. And maybe I don't know if it's on the website
or not. If it isn't, we should -- we can certainly put it on the website.
We can certainly do that.
MS. DONALDSON: So that might -- that's something --
(Multiple voices.)
DR. LEE: Jim, would you mind checking on that and see if we
can get that on?
MS. CHIRGWIN: I want the County --
(Multiple voices.)
DR. LEE: Get as much as information as before, we'll certainly
make available to the citizenry.
MR. PRITT: Time out. Our court reporter --
THE COURT REPORTER: One at a time, please.
DR. LEE: Okay. With that, is there any other business?
MR. OCHS: None.
DR. LEE: Thank you all for the cooperation. And I guess we'll
be hosting it next time.
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July 6, 2007
MR. OCHS: Thank you.
(Meeting was concluded at 5:20 p.m.)
*****
TRANSCRIPT PREPARED ON BEHALF OF GREGORY COURT
REPORTING SERVICES, 1Ne., BY CAROLYN J. FORD.
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