BCC Minutes 02/21/1995 RREGULAR HEETING OF FEBRUARY 21, 1995,
OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COHMISSIONERS
LET IT BE REHEHBERED, that the Board of County Commissioners in
and for the County of Collier, and also acting as the Board of Zoning
Appeals and as the governing board(s) of such special districts as have
been created according to law and having conducted business herein, met
on this date at 9:00 a.m. in REGULAR SESSION in Building "F" of the
Government Complex, East Naples, Florida, with the following members
present:
CHAIRPERSON:
Bettye J. Hatthews
Timothy J. Constantine
John C. Norris
Timothy L. Hancock
Pamela S. Hac'Kie
ALSO PRESENT: W. Neil Dorrill, County Hanager
Ken Cuyler, County Attorney
Item #2 & 2A
AGENDA AND CONSENT AGENDA - APPROVED AND/OR ADOPTED WITH CHANGES
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Call to order. The February 21st
meeting of the Board of County Commissioners of Collier County. Mr. Dotrill, will you lead us in an invocation.
MR. DORRILL: Heavenly Father, we thank you as always
this morning. We praise your name for the wonder and grace that you
have bestowed on Collier County. Father, it's our prayer here this
morning that you would bless all of the people of our community, in
particular, to bless and direct and guide the County Commissioners as
they make the important business decisions this morning for Collier
County. Father, we're so thankful for the people of this County and,
in particular, our staff of County employees that provide the many
services that benefit all the residents. And, as always, it's our
prayer this morning that you would bless our time here together today,
and we pray these things in your Son's holy name. Amen.
(The audience invoked the Pledge of Allegiance in
unison.)
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Mr. Dorrill, it's looks like you
have a fairly short change of script here today.
MR. DORRILL: Yes, ma'am. Good morning. Commissioners,
I have just one add-on item today, and it will be under the County
Hanager's regular course of the agenda. It will be 8(H)(2), and that
is going to be an update and I'm going to request some specific
authority as it pertains to Clam Pass which filled in over the course
of last weekend and did not reopen last week. I'm specifically going
to be requesting of the Board for you to declare a state of emergency
as it pertains to Clam Pass for public works and public recreation and
natural resource reasons. We'll brief you on that when we come to
that.
8(H)(2). The following three changes are all a request
for a continuance of items, the first two on the regular agenda. The
one is 8(A)(3) under Community Development as it pertains to
reinstating building permits. The request there is that that be
continued for one month until the meeting of March the 21st. The
second one is under 8(G)(2), which is Environmental Services.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Listen, might I ask, Mr. Dorrill,
if I could ask the Commissioners the purpose for pulling that from
today's agenda.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: I had a meeting with residents at
their request from Seagate, Pelican Bay, the Park Shore area, three
groups who are vitally interested in that, and they specifically asked
if I would have that continued until after the emergency issue was
dealt with. Hopefully what we're going to do today is approve sending
a group to Tallahassee on Thursday, and they want to wait until they
get back from Tallahassee on Thursday to find out what the State's
general response is to the emergency issues before we start looking at
the big picture. So it was at their request.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Okay. My understanding is that
NRPA is more or less confined to the area north of Seagate Drive. It
doesn't extend south beyond Seagate Drive; is that correct?
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: I believe so, yes.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: Okay. Of course I'll honor the
request. I don't know that I fully understand it, but that's fine. I
just know there's a lot of folks in Pelican Bay very interested in
this also and I have been working very long and hard on this and I
would just like to see it come to pass as soon as possible.
COMHISSIONER MAC'KIE: Absolutely. The only motivation
in postponing it, Commissioner Hancock, is in an attempt to be as
productive as possible and as efficient as possible so that after
having received some information from Tallahassee hopefully on
Thursday, we can move forward with a better proposal, a bigger picture
proposal, perhaps something that will accomplish the goal more
efficiently.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Is it the opinion of this Board
that we continue this item one week?
COMHISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Certainly.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: That will be fine.
COMHISSIONER MAC'KIE: I concur.
COMHISSIONER NORRIS: Fine.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. We'll continue that one.
MR. DORRILL: To continue, Madam Chairman, there's an
item on the consent agenda. It's 16(K)(1) as it pertains to a
satisfaction of lien, a request to continue for one week at the County
Attorney's request. I have two notes for purposes of our recording
secretary this morning. First is that Item 8(G)(1), which was
previously prepared to be continued, should be continued into the
meeting on the 28th and correctly states that it's requested to be
continued until today. I also have a note, apparently at the request
of the Commissioners' schedules, that we will be taking a lunch break
today from noon until 1:30. And that's all that I have.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you. Are there further
changes? Commissioner Norris?
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: Nothing further.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Hancock?
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Nothing. I did have one thing on
the Board of Communications, just an update on my meeting with the
School Board last Thursday.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. Commissioner Hac'Kie?
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: No. Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Constantine?
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Just a question on the lunch
break. I understand that's for pictures with the Sheriff's Department
and so on.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Yeah. This may be very short.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I heard you mention with that
item, a couple of big items taken off, we may have a short meeting.
If we're right on the -- possibly finishing the meeting at 12:05, then
We Can '-
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Yeah. I'm sure it's a little --
COMHISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Twelve o'clock. Is the time
certain? Are we a little bit flexible?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: It's a little bit flexible, yes.
The Sheriff is having his photographer to come over to take mug shots
supposedly. Hopefully they won't be real mug shots, though.
COMHISSIONER CONSTANTINE: The fingerprinting will be
next Tuesday?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I hope not but we'll find out.
I did have one item that was on the consent agenda.
That was Item 16(E)(2). I'm not sure that we necessarily need to
remove it but I would like approval of this item in the consent agenda
contingent on approval of the DOR, and that's the recommendation to
establish pay titles.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: There are problems with that, the
failure to approve the other will result in that item not being
approved.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. So with that, no further
changes --
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Hove to approve the agenda
and the consent agenda, as amended.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Seconded.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: There's a motion and a second to
approve the agenda and consent agenda, as amended. No further
discussion? I'll poll the question. All those in favor, please say
aye. Opposed? There being none, motion passes 5/0.
Item #3
MINUTES OF JANUARY 24, 1995 REGULAR MEETING; JANUARY 25, 1995 WORKSHOP;
AND JANUARY 31, 1995 WORKSHOP - APPROVED AS PRESENTED
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Motion to approve the minutes
of January 24th Regular Meeting, Workshop and the January 31st
Workshop.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Seconded.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We have a motion and a second to
approve the three minutes of meetings appropriately listed in the
agenda. Any further discussion? I'll poll the question. All those
in favor, please say aye. Opposed? There being none, motion passes
5/0.
Item #4A1
PROCLAMATION DESIGNATING THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 19 - FEBRUARY 25, 1995 AS
ENGINEERS WEEK - ADOPTED
Next item is the proclamations. Commissioner Hancock,
Engineers Week.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: Yes. I'm very happy to have the
honor of reading this proclamation into the record. I understand
Mr. Steve Kempton is here to accept the proclamation. Steve, if you
could come up and stand just here to my left and get a few minutes of
fame as you face the camera. I'd like to go ahead and read the
proclamation.
"Whereas engineers help to design, construct and
maintain the infrastructure and facilities that contribute to a high
quality of life for all residents of Florida; and, whereas, Florida's
future growth depends on engineers executing innovative, creative,
high quality solutions to technical problem; and
"Whereas, the stated purposes of the Florida
Engineering Society shall be to advance the public welfare and to
promote the professional, social and economic interest of the
engineering profession and to stimulate and develop professional
concepts among all engineers through education and in practice; and
"Whereas, the current members of the Florida
Engineering Society and the Florida Institute of Consulting Engineers
are making strides to interact with the engineering education sector
to prepare future engineers to maintain our economic leadership and
quality of life; and
"Whereas, it is fitting that we recognize and honor the
continuing contribution of America's engineers by observing Engineers
Week with the motto 'Engineering the Future.'
"Now, therefore, be it proclaimed by the Board of
County Commissioners of Collier County, Florida, that the week of
February 19 through the 25th, 1995, be designated as Engineers Week.
"Done and ordered this 21st day of February, 1995.
Signed, Bettye J. Matthews, Chairman."
I'd like to make a motion that we accept the
proclamation designating February 19th through 25th as Engineers Week.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I second that motion.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We have a motion and a second to
accept the proclamation for Engineers Week. No further discussion?
I'll poll the question. All in favor, please say aye. All opposed?
There being none, we accept the proclamation.
MR. KEMPTON: Thank you very much. (Applause)
I really don't have any other comments but to thank the
County and the Commissioners on behalf of all the engineers of this
county. Thank you very much.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: You're quite welcome.
Item #4B
EMPLOYEE SERVICE AWARDS - PRESENTED
The next item on the agenda are Service Awards. We have
two today. The first one is a five-year pin for Zebedee Harris.
he here? (Applause)
Here's your pin, Zebedee, and your certificate, and I
want to thank you very much for five years of effort. MR. HARRIS: Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: And the next one is for ten years
of service to Ann Harie Saylot, Utilities Division. (Applause)
Thank you very much.
MS. SAYLOR: Thank you.
Is
Item #5
BUDGET AMENDMENT 95-172 - ADOPTED
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Next item on the agenda are
Budget Amendments.
MR. SYHKOWSKI: Good morning, Commissioners. For the
record, Michael Smykowski, Acting Budget Director. There is one
budget amendment that is on the report this morning that requires your
approval.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Any questions?
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Motion to approve.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Seconded.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: There's a motion and a second to
approve the budget amendment. No further discussion? I'll poll the
question. All those in favor, please say aye. Opposed? There being
none, motion carries 5/0.
MR. SHYKOWSKI: Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you.
Item #7A
JOHN T. CONROY, JR. OF JOHN R. WOOD, INC., REALTORS, REGARDING A
UTILITY SEWER ASSESSMENT - NOT HEARD
The next item on the agenda is in Public Petition,
Mr. John T. Conroy of John R. Wood, Incorporated.
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: He's not here.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: He's not here?
MR. DORRILL: I don't see Mr. Conroy. You may recall,
this item was previously requested to be continued by him until
today.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay.
MR. DORRILL: Continue on, and we'll see if he shows up
here in a minute and I'll advise you of that.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. We'll let this one pass
for a couple of minutes.
Item #SA1
DEVELOPHENT ORDER 95-2 AND RESOLUTION 95-143 RE PETITION DOA-94-5,
WILLIAM R. VINES, REPRESENTING RICHARD K. BENNETT, TRUSTEE, NATIONSBANK
LANE TRUST #5360 REQUESTING AN AMENDMENT TO THE CITYGATE COHMERCE PARK
DRI, DEVELOPMENT ORDER 88-02, AS AMENDED, FOR THE PURPOSE OF EXTENDING
THE DATE BY WHICH TIME SIGNIFICANT PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT IS TO BEGIN BY
FIVE YEARS LESS ONE DAY; AMENDING PROJECT PHASING; DEVELOPMENT ORDER
TERMINATION DATE AND NUMBER OF YEARS EXEMPT FROM DOWN ZONING ALL BY
TIME PERIODS OF FIVE YEARS LESS ONE DAY FOR THE CITYGATE COHMERCE PARK
PUD ON THE EAST SIDE OF CR-951 - ADOPTED
The next item on the agenda is the County Manager's
report. The first item under Community Development, 8(A)(1):
Petition DOA-94-5. Mr. Nino.
MR. NINO: Good morning. For the record, my name is Ron
Nino. I'm amending Petition DOA-94-5, which is the Citygate
development of regional impact iljustrated on the map on the wall. I
think most of you know where it is. This petition seeks to have the
time frame for beginning initial development of Citygate extended by a
period of five years and subsequently have each development date
extended in the time at which time the development order was ceased to
be effective equally all by periods of five years.
The Regional Planning Council and DCA have indicated
that they consider this a substantial change and have expressed no
interest in the petition.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Excuse my interruption, Mr.
Nino.
MR. NINO: Sure.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: But one of the things this
Board has talked about and indeed as the Council of Economic Advisors
is working on is economic development, I see this property and I think
the community sees this property as key to the economic development of
the Golden Gate area. I don't see any benefit to denying this
petition, to making someone start from scratch unless there is --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Yeah, I --
MR. DORRILL: No one registered.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I don't see any problem with it
either. And if we were to press the issue, assuming that they
actually put something there that's not as attractive, to keep it
there.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: With that in mind, I'll make
a notion to approve.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Seconded.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We have a motion and a second to
approve Petition DOA-94-5. Is there any further discussion on the
motion? There being none, I'll poll the question. All those in
favor, please say aye. Opposed? There being none, motion passes
5/0.
Item #8A2
DEVELOPHENT ORDER 95-3 AND RESOLUTION 95-144 RE PETITION DOA-94-6
WILLIAM R. VINEST, REPRESENTED RICHARD K. BENNETT, TRUSTEE, NATIONSBANK
LAND TRUST #5222, REQUESTING AN AMENDMENT TO THE TWELVE LAKES DRIVE,
DEVELOPMENT ORDER 87-01 AS AMENDED, FOR THE PURPOSE OF EXTENDING THE
DATE BY WHICH TIME SIGNIFICANT PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT IS TO BEGIN BY TWO
YEARS LESS ONE DAY; AMENDING PROJECT PHASING; DEVELOPMENT ORDER
TERMINATION DATE AND NUMBER OF YEARS EXEMPT FROM DOWN ZONING ALL BY
TIME PERIODS OF TWO YEARS LESS ONE DAY FOR THE TWELVE LAKES PUD LOCATED
ON THE EAST SIDE OF CR-951 - ADOPTED
Next item is 8(A)(2): Petition DOA-94-6. Hr. Nino.
MR. NINO: Yes. Again, Ron Nino, for the record. This
petition is similar to the one you just heard. It has to do with the
Twelve Lakes development regional impact which, again, is iljustrated
on the wall behind me, the line between Davis Boulevard and Radio
Road. This request is to extend the development period another two
years, having received the three-year extension about a year and a
half ago.
This petition probably more unlike the first one, for
all intents and purposes, is really academic. But the petitioner is
in our office seeking a final site development plan approval of a
condominium project. And as a matter of fact, there is a sales
trailer out on the property currently. Nevertheless, I guess
Mr. Vines is covering his bridges in case something occurs to delay
that construction activity and, therefore, the request for an
additional two-year extension.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Hancock.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Mr. Nino, if I could quickly just
ask Hr. Vines just for an affirmation.
Is the project moving ahead and do you anticipate
construction in the very near future?
MR. VINES: So far as we know. The property is -- The
northern portion of the property is under contract, as Ron indicates.
The purchaser is doing everything that you normally do in connection
with construction beginning. Anything can happen but what we expect
to happen is development in the normal manner.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Okay.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Mr. Constantine.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Mr. Nino, is there any
detriment in your opinion to granting this?
MR. NINO: No, we don't believe there is. The Planning
Commissioner is petitioning that and we recommended this extension.
MR. DORRILL: And I have no one registered, Madam
Chairman.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I make a motion to approve
the item.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Seconded.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We have a motion and a second to
approve DOA-94-6. Is further discussion on the motion? There being
none, I'll poll the question. All those in favor, please say aye.
Opposed? There being none, motion passes 5/0. Thank you, Mr. Nino.
MR. NINO: Thank you, Commissioner.
Item #8C1
REQUEST BY EVERGLADES CITY FOR ASSISTANCE WITH AN INTERIOR BUILDING
REMODELING THAT WOULD PROVIDE EXPANDED LIBRARY SERVICES AND SPACE FOR
THE CLERK OF COURTS IN EVERGLADES CITY - APPROVED
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: The next item has been
continued. We'll move on to 8(C)(1), the recommendation that the
Board of
County -- That's where we are, right?
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Before Mr. Jones gets into
too much of a discussion here, I just want to point out: under Fiscal
Impact, it says this is not a budgeted project. There are no funds
budgeted for this project and neither the Library nor the Clerk's
Agency have unbudgeted cash reserves on hand. It talks about impact
fee, carry forward, but those funds currently are set aside for debt
service on the new library in the Estates or to accelerate the design
of the Marco Island. We can have a discussion but if we don't have
any money, I'm not sure what that discussion will be about.
MR. DORRILL: And I understand that. You may, just as a
courtesy, I see the Mayor of Everglades is here today and they
initiated a request in conjunction and through Ms. Hankins' office.
You may recall that the County Commission doesn't provide an employee
who is a multi-trained employee. She is on the Clerk's payroll. She
is also your satellite librarian there in Everglades, and you may want
to have an idea of what the nature of what their request is.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Mr. John Jones is here?
MR. JONES: Yes, I'm John Jones, Public Library.
MS. HANKINS: I'm Kathy Hankins, Finance Director.
MR. JONES: Apparently this has been going on sometime
prior to my arrival here last March. The Everglades City facility was
interested in just remodeling and updating what they did have. In
September -- On August, they contacted my office. I went down and
talked with some people at Everglades City, advised them that they
needed to come through the County Commission. If this was their
desire, I advised them that they needed to advise the Public Service
Department.
On September the 20th, they communicated with
Commissioner Constantine, and on the 23rd, he issued a letter to
Public Service asking us to investigate this. Ms. Jones assigned it
to me and we began to investigate it. When I went down to Everglades
City, what we have now is a 300-square-foot room that is in
considerable disrepair. If considered, it's suffered considerable
damage during the storms and water leakage, and it's -- I don't think
it's the type of place that brings much honor to us. It's functional
as it were.
There is county employee there. She is an employee of
the BCC. She serves as really a three -- She wears three hats. She
work for the Finance Departments. She does represent the County and
she does work as a librarian. At the same time, the shop next to the
library became available, 600 square feet. So we looked at the
possibility of the taking the wall, dividing the wall out, and
providing the people of Everglades just about 900 square feet of a
multipurpose type facility.
In looking back over the records, and like I said, I
don't understand the history of Collier County that well, but not a
great deal of money has been spent in Everglades City for a library
service. That may or may not be a priority to them, to the Board of
County Commissioners. I am just simply representing the citizens of
Everglades at this moment.
We began to look for sources of funds. At first, we
looked to the general funds. Then we discovered some of the problems
you folks were having. We do have -- I hate to use the word
"Oakridge" but we have collected more impact fees this past year than
was anticipated. The funds that we're obligated to return for the
money borrowed for the Estates Branch are in place. The money we're
talking about was funds over and above the monies that were required
to meet our present obligations.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: And this is impact fees?
MR. JONES: This is impact fees; yes, ma'am.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: And, Mr. Cuyler, will this
expansion meet the qualifications for impact fees?
MR. CUYLER: I had one of the assistants check into this
as part of our agenda review and she's indicated to me that from what
she understands, the expansion -- the impact fees would be okay for
the expansion if there was a replacement of the existing 300 feet, 300
square feet. That would have to come from some source other, but that
is growth related, as I understand it, is the expansion would be okay
for impact fees.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: So the 600 yes but the 300 no?
MR. CUYLER: If they -- I'm not sure that they're
building a new facility. I think they're just going to spend some
money to renovate the 300.
MR. JONES: What we're talking about is taking a wall
down between the two. We're talking about dropping the ceilings,
patching up where the water damage is, dropping the ceilings, getting
some light down onto a table top area. We're talking about going
around the walls, and there is damage. You can push your whole finger
in some of where the plasters went. We're talking about replacing
that, repainting that. We're talking about putting carpet on the
floor, and we are talking about air conditioning.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: And the problem, as I understand
it, is you can -- it can only be for new growth-related items? It
can't be for a repair or maintenance?
MR. CUYLER: Probably everything from taking the wall
down through the other 600 feet you could use the library impact fees
for, if you were turning that into a library facility, but you'd have
to use general revenue funds for the existing three other things.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay.
Commissioner Norris.
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: Mr. Jones, assuming that we could
use our impact fees funds for this purpose, would that in the future
require us to replace some other expenditure that's in the revenue
funds?
MR. JONES: No, sir.
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: No, this would not impact general
revenue at all?
MR. JONES: No, sir.
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: Okay.
MR. JONES: At the present moment, this particular
portion of impact fee is unbudgeted.
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: Okay. Now, to follow-up on that,
Mr. Cuyler has indicated that only for the 600-foot expansion area
could you use impact fees. So what portion or what dollar amount
would you anticipate using on the present 300 square feet?
MR. JONES: It's a fairly small amount, the amount of
paint it would take and some carpet. And, of course, by taking down
the wall, the air conditioning unit would service both sides. I think
it's fairly minor. I can assure the Board that I will approach the
friends of the library and also looking in regular library operational
monies, because I think it's going to be very small. I also think
that the City of Everglades, if we got into a problem, their interest
is high enough, I think they may be interested in participating. But
I think most of it can be handled through the impact fees without ever
coming back to this Board.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commission Constantine.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: You mentioned more impact
fees came in than expected last year. How much of those impact fees
came in from Everglades City?
MR. JONES: Sir, that I don't know.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: You also mentioned maybe this
isn't a priority, and I look at the January 1995. It also has on here
January 1994, circulation statistics for our library service. Close
to 50,000 pieces circulated at the headquarters; Marco Island, 15,000;
Golden Gate, 17,300; Immokalee, 3100; North Collier, 17,500 almost;
East Naples, 13,006. The Estates Branch was open one week, 4100.
It's almost 4200. Everglades City, 467 pieces circulated. So when we
talk about priorities, I think that's probably why is everyone else
has 15,000 plus, with the exception of Immokalee, and we've got 400.
The jail library circulates double as many pieces as this.
MR. JONES: I understand, sir, and that's why I'm
standing in front of you this morning. You set priorities. I carry
them out.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I guess the concern I have
is, impact fees: people in general don't trust government whenever we
have a tax, a fee or what have you, and impact fees are supposed to be
growth paying for growth. The growth, realistically, is not occurring
in Everglades City, and so I'm not sure that we can use impact fees.
I mean, maybe legally we can but I'm not sure if we should be using if
their intention and if what we've told the public is they are growth
paying for growth. It seems inappropriate to use them in an area
where actually the numbers have gone down since last year at this time
on circulation.
I don't doubt that perhaps this needs some repair but I
don't think impact fees is a way to do it, and I don't know -- You
know, no offense, Mayor, but when we talk about the priorities, then
everyone else has 15,000 books plus and we're talking less than 500
books circulated in a month, that is going to be a lower priority for
me. If there are other areas in the county that suddenly have a
population of a few hundred pop up, are we going to create our own
library there?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Hac'Kie.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Just a small rebuttal to that,
Commissioner Constantine, is that we could be talking chicken and egg
here. I mean, who goes to a library that you can plug your finger
through the wall? So maybe if we approve the facility, the
circulation might also improve.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I have a suspicion also that 500
books a month may be 70 or 80 percent of the books available. And if
70 or 80 percent of the books available in the libraries were rotating
each and each every month, we'd be in great shape. Commissioner Hancock.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: For those of you who haven't had
the joy of taking a visit down to Everglades City and looking at the
library, you can walk in the front door and touch both walls with one
hand.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: And we have a person working
there.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: We have somebody in there. And
one thing I wanted to point as we talked about the interior damage:
the roof has been repaired there so that the damage -- in other words,
anything we do inside there is not going to be damaged again. So the
water problem is pretty much gone away. The person that works in
there, you said she wears three hats. I'd say it's more like a dozen:
hunting licenses, fishing licenses, checking out books, you name
it. Everything goes on down there.
I understand Commissioner Constantine's argument.
Unfortunately, it's a valid one. But after stepping foot in there, if
I were an Everglades City resident, I don't know that I'd have a lot
of incentive to use that particular facility. Something needs to be
done down there, whether an expansion is adequate. I guess I'm going
to look at the population that that library branch serves, and the
square footage allocated is 300 feet proportional to what we have in
the Golden Gate Estates Branch or what we have at the main branch; in
other words, the actual area of the collection. I mean, are we
talking a proportional size per population there or are we still below
that? Any idea, Mr. Jones?
MR. JONES: No, sir, not the way you're phrasing the
question.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I'd say the population this
library services is close to 2500 because it's not just Everglades
City. It's Chokoloskee --
MR. JONES: There are five communities there. When they
presented this to me, there were five communities represented. To be
honest with you, I've lived here a year and some of them I've never
visited. I have no idea of what's there in some of them. It is just
a small facility that is in need of some type of repair and that is
your decision to make.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Are there further questions?
MR. DORRILL: The only reason that I'm sure the Mayor
has cancelled what we would have otherwise been a very lucrative
fishing guide trip today, you may want to give him a chance to stand
on that.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Yes. Mayor Butler, do you want
to add to this?
MR. DORRILL: Although it is a little windy today,
Mayor, I don't know whether you would have gone fishing with your
party or not. The winds up here --
MAYOR BUTLER: It's not near as windy as it was
yesterday. I was out there. I was supposed to have went today and I
conned it off on my son. But anyway, my name is Snapper Butler.
Bettye, how do you say it? Bettye Person or Bettye Lady
or Bettye Chairman or what?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Whatever.
MAYOR BUTLER: Whatever.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I answer to a lot of names.
MAYOR BUTLER: The worst thing about the Everglades
facility is you're talking, you know, you walk up to a pump, if
there's no water in it, you don't get no well -- You try to get water
out of a pump that ain't got no water in it, you don't get it. We
don't have nothing in Everglades. We don't have -- If you call what
we have a library, then I've got that many books in my library at the
house. I mean, you know, so to speak, we just don't have no
facility.
You go in there and it's a little room, possibly, like
he says, you could almost touch -- I could almost touch both walls.
Evelyn is sitting at the other end of it, and there's about ten or
fifteen people between you and Evelyn and you can't get in there to
check a book out. Now, I've stood in chow lines in the army for a
long time and I'm not standing in there to get something I got, you
know, to get a book to read. This is a facility that we've got in
Everglades. We don't have no library in Everglades so to speak.
And I just feel like if this wall that Mr. Jones was
talking about removing is a wall that has formerly been moved when
that used to be this Clerk of the Court's Office and all of that when
this facility was in Everglades. It's nothing to move that wall. All
it is is just some plywood, you know, put in there with some trim on
both sides of it. It's nothing to move that wall.
As far as the other part of it, we have, since
Mr. Jones -- Well, I guess we done it before you got there,
Mr. Jones. You just hadn't maybe tried it out yet, but we have
reroofed it, and we've done a whole bunch of stuff and I am renovating
the City Hall now, and the outer walls and everything will be finished
before the library probably is in there because we working on it now,
and, in fact, it's under construction while I'm speaking but -- or
being done while I'm talking.
It's just a fact that I think if you want to service the
area -- And, Bettye, there's about -- when we was getting the bank to
come in, there's about 3500 normal residents in Everglades City and
the surrounding area. We're not talking about -- We keep saying
Everglades City. We're talking about Chokoloskee, Plantation,
Copeland and Big Cypress and all the other surrounding area, the
people that lives out on Turner's River. And we're not just talking
about the Everglades City itself. We're talking about the surrounding
area, which it serves the surrounding area.
I won't take up more of your time, but we do need a
library in Everglades and I think this is the place to put in. We can
put it in there real cheap.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you.
Commissioner Constantine.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Mr. Jones, how much did we
anticipate bringing in on impact fees last year for a library?
MR. JONES: It was revised twice. I believe the final
figure is about 520,000.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: And how much did we bring in?
MR. JONES: About 740,000.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: And what are impact fees
normally set aside for?
MR. JONES: Expansion of the library to meet the growth
needs of the County as per the elements of the growth management plan
adopted by the Board of County Commissioners.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Such as the Estates Library?
MR. JONES: Such as the Estates Library; yes, sir.
MR. DORRILL: We have one additional speaker now.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you, Mr. Jones.
MR. DORRILL: Mr. Erlichman.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Mr. Erlichman.
MR. ERLICHHAN: Good morning, Commissioners. For the
record, my name is Gil Erlichman, speaking for myself. I'm amazed at
this discussion. You know, all I've been hearing for the past six
years since I've been down here is the growth of Collier County and
growth management, et cetera. I've lived in a few large metropolitan
areas in the suburban areas which the population could equate to
Collier County.
In all these areas, they had traveling libraries. All
it takes is a remodeled bus or a vehicle large enough to hold some
books and a person to drive it who is also a librarian or acting
librarian and that bus visits each community, area, maybe once in two
weeks or every week or depending upon the schedule that you want to
establish one. This would eliminate building a library, say, out in
Everglades City. And according to what I hear about our population
increasing, I think we should consider a traveling library -- a
traveling library or buses to distribute books into the outlying
areas: Golden Gate, North Naples, whatever. And this, to me, would
eliminate the necessity of building a structure to house the books and
it would also serve the community, the areas, very, very nicely by
going right to the people. Thank you very much. CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you.
I have a couple of further questions for Mayor Butler.
How long has this 300 square feet served as a library since the county
buildings were moved to East Naples?
MAYOR BUTLER: Twenty-five or twenty-six years, I don't
know.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Almost twenty-five, twenty-six
years.
MAYOR BUTLER: Something like that. Bettye, it's over
twenty years. Let me put it that way.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Library impact fees have been in
place for, at most, six years? MAYOR BUTLER: Yeah.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Five years?
MR. DORRILL: I'll say six.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: And the population in the
plantation, Chokoloskee, Ochopee or Copeland area, certainly they have
been pulling building permits and so forth down there for the last
twenty-five years or so or certainly for the last six years, but
impact fees have been collected. And that money has been collected
and not redistributed to the people who are paying it. And mind you,
this 300 square feet is also served by the Clerk's Office.
To answer Commissioner Hancock's question, the Executive
Summary says that our growth management plan dedicates .33 square feet
per capita to libraries. Well, when I work out the 3500 populations
by the 300 square feet that's shared, it turns out to .085. I don't
think there's a lot of argument here myself.
MAYOR BUTLER: Miss Hathews, if I could comment on that,
too. See, I'm talking about people, when we done a study on to bring
the bank in, you know, and we tried to get -- we tried to open up our
own bank to start off with, a local revenue. CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I realize that.
MAYOR BUTLER: You're aware of that. And this is what
we come up with and took to Tallahassee and had some of the other
banks come in. So we dropped out. We wasn't interested in running
banks. But anyway you're not talking about -- Right now, there's 700
people in outdoor resorts. You know where that is and anybody that's
been there knows what it is. There's 700 people in outdoor resorts
alone. That's just one RV park. There's -- I don't know how many
others is in there. At this time, you're probably expanding that 3500
up if you took the whole area where these people stay and who is our
friends and visitors from the North that stay four to six months,
you're probably expanding that population somewhere up around seven or
eight, maybe nine thousand, somewhere in that area, if you take the
whole area that it serves out there, you know, the rangers and all
that.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Probably so.
MAYOR BUTLER: And I think -- And another thing is, just
as you brought out, you're not just expanding a library. You're
expanding our ability to get car tags, our ability to get fishing
licenses. And believe me, about November, you can't even get close to
the City Hall, because these people come from the North and they want
a fishing license yesterday. They want to go fishing.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Yeah, they do. That's why they
come here.
I would like to -- Oh, we have -- Any further questions?
Commissioner Constantine.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Mr. Cuyler, Mr. Jones
referenced the use of impact fees according to Growth Management Plan
as laid out by the Board of County Commissioners. Do you happen to
have a copy of the Growth Management Plan anywhere handy?
MR. CUYLER: Not handy. We've got one. It's pursuant
to the impact fee ordinances probably more specifically than it is the
Plan as well.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I don't think I'm going to
have a majority agreeing with me on this, but can you give me a copy
of that anyway of everything referencing specifically this proposal?
MR. CUYLER: Right now or ASAP?
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: If you can get it now, that
would be great, but I suspect it'll take more than five minutes, so.
MR. CUYLER: It's going to take me longer than the vote,
I think.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Before the day's out then.
MR. CUYLER: Sure.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS:
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE:
it's appropriate.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS:
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE:
Commissioner Mac'Kie.
I wanted to make a motion, if
Yes, it is.
I'd like to move approval of the
item subject to the limitations described by the County Attorney, that
the impact fees can only be used on the 600 feet of new expansion but
move approval of the item.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We have a motion. Is there a
second?
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: I'll second it.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I'd like to -- On the motion,
could we ask that we -- in order to keep the costs down if it runs
into operating costs. And I'd like to say, this is one area also
where we have the opportunity to spend some capital expenditure but
there's no operating expenses associated to it. The City is going to
pick up those expenses. So we have no additional operating expenses
which have caused the budget crunch that we've been looking at.
I would like to ask our staff that in the motion may
entertain taking a real hard look at the central air conditioner as
opposed to the window unit, because there's a notation here that we
can save four or five thousand dollars by eliminating the central
air. And I don't think that building has got central air at all. MR. DORRILL: We do.
HAYOR BUTLER: Yes, ma'am. Our city -- We have central
air and so does the bank, both of them. And I just put central air in
part of the community center, Bettye.
Do you remember the cost on that?
About five thousand dollars and as we air conditioned a
lot bigger area than what you're talking about; in fact, we put in a
five-ton unit. And so it was about five thousand dollars for that.
So you're not talking about a lot of -- I think you should central air
because any time in air conditioning, you have a window unit now and
it's been -- and where it's at, any time air has to turn a corner and,
you know, Neil, it's like water. It don't like to turn, you know. In
fact, if it wants to keep going straight, you have to -- I've
entertained the idea of putting in central air. You put in one like
the bank and that'll be all that you need to do.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I hadn't realized that there was
central air existing in them. Commissioner Hancock.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: I noticed something when we got a
memo sometime ago, and, Miss Hankins, this may be a question
appropriate for you. There was an item in this 39,000, almost twelve
thousand dollars for basically what appeared to me to be site
management or something along that line. When I look at the actual
item by item, line item bid on this, I was uncomfortable with the end
amount because of that twelve-thousand-dollar line item. I guess I'd
like just a clear explanation on that.
MR. JONES: Okay. What they called it was general
conditions, and I'd like to ask what general conditions was. It is
the transportation, the movement of the work force back and forth to
Everglades City, the dumpsters, the ripping out, the tearing out. The
packaging is a whole process. That figure can be considerably
reduced. We know we're now less than 10,000 with that figure right
now.
CONNISSIONER HANCOCK: So if we approve this today, are
we in effect approving that vendor and that work or are going to have
__
MR. JONES: No, sir. What we have right now are
preliminary estimates. What will happen is it will go out albeit with
some specs written to control some of those costs. Also, Gordon at
Facilities Management will help me prepare that to make sure that we
receive fair treatment.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Okay. Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Any further questions on the
motion? There being none, I'll poll the question. All those in favor
of the motion, please say aye. Opposed? MR. CONSTANTINE: Aye.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Motion passes 4 to 1.
Commissioner Constantine being in the opposition.
MR. DORRILL: Ms. Matthews, one of the things I had
discussed with the attorney: for twenty or thirty years, the County
has not had any type of lease. The space was always provided to us,
and I think it would just be good business practice if we had some
type of lease now as it pertains to your investment in the building.
And I've been told that they don't intend to charge any rent, and I
think it would otherwise be good business to explain the terms and
conditions before we commence any construction or renovation down
there. So we'll undertake that through the Attorney's Office and
bring some type of lease agreement back to you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you.
Item #8C2
REJECTION OF ALL BIDS IN RESPONSE TO BID #94-2300 AND DIRECTION FOR
STAFF TO WORK WITH THE COLLIER COUNTY VETERINARY SOCIETY TO DEVELOP
ALTERNATIVE METHODS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS THAT ARE ADOPTED
FROM THE ANIMAL CONTROL SHELTER THAT ARE NEUTERED OR SPAYED - CONTINUED
TO FEBRUARY 28, 1995
The next item on the agenda: 8(C)(2). Recommendation
that the Board of County Commissioners reject all bids dealing with
the animal shelter. Mr. Olliff.
MR. OLLIFF: Yes, ma'am. Good morning. For the record,
I'm Tom Olliff and I'm your Public Services Administrator. This item
was continued from last week's agenda, and this is an issue that we
would really like to resolve for several reasons. And one in
particular is that, as the Board will recall, this issue is one that
relates to the number of animals that are adopted out of the Animal
Control Department that are neutered and spayed.
Animals that are not neutered and spayed, particularly
with the clientele or the people who are actually adopting from Animal
Control compounds a problem. It creates more and more stray animals
and I think it compounds the number of animals that simply are running
feral out there and it creates work for our Animal Control
Department.
So from a selfish standpoint, we would like to see a
compliance rate better than what currently exists. And I think the
Board as well, as we went through last summer's budget process,
suggested to us that they would like to see that neuter/spay rate
somewhere around 100 percent; they would like to see it as close to
100 percent as we possibly can get it.
In response to that, what we did was we prepared a bid
specification package to try and develop a single contract with a
local clinic who would neuter and spay the animals for the Animal
Control Department just prior to them leaving the facility. That was
the only way that we knew of or at least one of the few ways to insure
100 percent compliance.
When the bid specifications were out on the street, the
Veterinary Society asked the department if they would attend their
monthly meeting. When we did, frankly, we received a response that
was not all that supportive of the idea of the single contract
notion. The Veterinary Society was suggesting at that time that they
create a subcommittee to work with the Animal Control Department to
try and develop other methods of reaching that 100 percent compliance
rate.
Frankly, it becomes a business issue at some point for
the local veterinarians. I think it is a business issue. The number
of animals that get adopted and get sent to a veterinarian for
neuter/spay, they will tell you that 75 to 80 percent of those will
become reoccurring clients before then in the long run. So there is a
business aspect to them.
In order to pick a single vendor and send all of the
County's business to that vendor then precludes all of those other
vets in town in having an opportunity for that work. However, in
order get 100 percent, there are few options in order to get there.
The Veterinary Society and Animal Control have shared a
mutually beneficial relationship for a number of years, and we try to
put some dollar value on that: What does the County receive from the
local vet society? And generally, the estimate is anywhere from
61,000 to as high as $95,000 from the area vets, and that comes in the
form -- In fact, let me give you this. This is a handout. It's
easier.
What you'll see on the handout at the top, above the
line, is the current situation. We adopt approximately a thousand
animals a year. Right now our compliance rate -- Last month it was
high. It was about 80 percent, which was a very good month for us.
But overall, we're averaging probably about 70 percent of those
animals being neutered and spayed.
Our revenue from those thousand animals is, on average,
twenty-three dollars per animal. It's lower for cats, higher for
dogs. So it averages out to about twenty-three dollars.
The avoided cost from area vets is where we try to
estimate what it is that the local veterinarians provide to the Animal
Control Department: heartworm checks, fecal exams. Emergency medical
services for the animals: that is not a free service. In most cases,
it's 50 percent of what they would normally charge. In some cases it
is free. And then a licensing service. The vets are basically the
backbone of the County's Licensing Department. Without those vets, it
would take one person pretty much full-time to try and sell and track
all of the licenses that are provided.
In addition, if I can go through, I'd like you all to
note down at the bottom just so that you understand what the licensing
program is. We issue about 16,000 licenses a year. Only three to
five hundred of those are sold out of the Animal Control Department on
North Airport Road. So the vast, vast majority of those are being
sold through the area community vets. Revenue from those licenses
amounts to $80,000 a year for the department, so it's a major revenue
for that department.
Expenses under our current situation, again assuming 70
percent compliance at fifty-three dollars on average: if we do 70
percent, you'll see we lose money because we only collect about half
of what it costs us to do a neuter/spay operation. Anything over 50
percent compliance, the department actually loses money. To tell you
how badly we've done historically, the account has actually grown.
that tells you that our compliance rate has been below 50 percent for
a number of years so that we've actually accumulated a trust fund
reserve there, this year, probably around $80,000. So there is a
large amount of money there which can help offset and has last year
and will continue to offset any loss that we have until -- in fact, we
mapped out current rates. It's about six years we can live off that
trust fund down.
There's a worse case scenario painted there if the
Humane Society were awarded a contract as the low bidder. And these
are things that I can't tell you for a fact will happen, so there is a
worse case and a best case. If the local veterinarians continue to do
things as they always have, the County doesn't lose money at all. The
County would continue to have revenues and expenses pretty much as
they are.
But there is a worse case scenario out there. If for
business reasons the local vets have been providing these services and
they don't or aren't inclined to do continue to do that, the County
stands to lose some $78,000 that's there. In addition, I can't tell
you what would happen to the licensing program. I would just
personally assume that a great many vets will continue to sell
licenses, but I will tell you that there are some that probably
wouldn't. I can't tell you what those numbers are. There is no
Society position on that, but I think that there would be a negative
impact on our licensing program.
The bids that were received in response to the actual
specifications that were sent out, the low bid was the Humane
Society. And the Humane Society bid a package that would cost us
approximately forty dollars on average for every neuter and spay or
$40,000 a year to achieve 100 percent compliance. The issue of
transportation to and from the Humane Society was something left to be
negotiated at a later date.
So a decision that we were faced with was to award a
contract to the Humane Society. If we were to reach 100 percent
compliance with today's rates, it would save us $13,000. The risk
side of that for that thirteen-thousand-dollar gain was somewhere
between $78,000 and an entire licensing program here of $80,000 annual
revenue and it stayed status quo, and I can't tell you exactly where
that would fall.
Given that situation, looking at the options that we
had, we felt the best recommendation to make to you today was that you
direct your staff to take the Veterinary Society up on their offer, to
at least try and negotiate some system that would achieve that 100
percent compliance and still maintain some relationship with the
fifty-plus vets that are in the community. If we can do that and
still provide 100 percent compliance for a reasonable rate or even a
better rate than what we have today, then that's the best of all
worlds.
If we can't, then we simply can either ask the Humane
Society in the meantime to extend their bid that's out there today or
rebid the project. If we rebid it, the only thing that can happen, in
our opinion, is that we get a better price or at least the same
price. So we were trying to make a recommendation to you that we
would at least try and keep the vets, the Animal Control Society and
the Humane Society because their vet is a member of that Society as
well, on a good working relationship and keep things as they are for a
period of 30 days to 90 days, something like that, to see if we
couldn't work something out. And that's our recommendation to you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. Thank you.
Commissioner Constantine.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Mr. Olliff, help me here. If
we were to award this bid to the Humane Society, walk me through.
What would happen? I go to Animal Control. I find a kitten I want to
adopt. What happens?
MR. OLLIFF: The way we had envisioned the program was
you would adopt the animal, and the animal would then be transported
to the Humane Society for the neuter and spay. Hopefully the exam --
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Not transported by me, the
adopter of the cat.
MR. OLLIFF: It doesn't get into the adopter's hands
until the neuter/spay operation has been performed. You can return in
two days to pick up your cat and it would have been neutered/spayed
and hopefully a physical done on that animal so that you have a
healthy neutered/spayed animal to take with you.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: What happens in the case of
an animal fee for that?
MR. OLLIFF: We would have to make a decision that
either we're not going to adopt animals that are too young, or, there
are a lot of vets who will do them, and, in fact, I think the current
veterinarian's professional stance is that animals can't be neutered
and spayed at the same age that we actually adopt them.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: So no animal, no cat, no dog
will go out without being neutered or spayed so we are assured 100
percent compliance --
MR. OLLIFF: Right.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: -- which I'm going to guess,
in the long run, saves us from having other cats or dogs come to
Animal Control and eat our food, drink our water and we eventually or
hopefully not would have to be either adopted out or put to sleep. MR. OLLIFF: Right.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: What would be -- What would
prohibit us from having the Humane Society as part of this, or Animal
Control ourselves as part of this, license the animals and sell that
license back?
MR. OLLIFF: We do. We sell licenses today. But then
you've got, today, over 20 clinics that sell licenses, and basically
what you could do is limit that down from 23 or 24 down to two
locations, assuming you give --
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Well, I'm not suggesting
that. I'm just saying as far as each one of these animals that goes
out, my understanding, and correct me if I'm wrong, but the discussion
is all the animals that come out of Animal Control, the local vets are
concerned that they may lose some of the business because we adopt out
so many animals. And I don't argue with their concern. But the
animals we're talking about aren't the ones that are being purchased
at the pet store. They're the ones that we are adopting out. MR. OLLIFF: Right.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: And we can get 100 percent
neuter/spay.
MR. OLLIFF: Right.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: And we can get, in effect, if
we ourselves and/or if the Humane Society sells licenses, we can get
100 percent licenses. I'm going to assume we don't give away an
animal without licensing?
MR. OLLIFF: Correct. We license 100 percent of what
goes out today. So there's not a real license compliance on our
adoptions. It's more of those animals that are out there from the pet
stores.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: So we are talking about the
other animals?
MR. OLLIFF: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Okay. I've got to assume
that the people who take the time to license those right now are the
ones who are establishing some sort of relationship with a
veterinarian, take their and pick up their new puppy in from Pets Plus
for a physical or what have you?
MR. OLLIFF: Yes, sir.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Okay. I guess I'm not sure
-- I know what the discussion has been. You and I talked about
this. I know that the discussion has been that some vets are
concerned, but I guess I'm hearing two sides to the argument. If
their concern is whether or not the other animals, other than Animal
Control, are going to make their way to them, this issue doesn't touch
on that.
MR. OLLIFF: Their concern, the way I understand it --
and I hope there is someone here to speak for the Society. I always
speak for myself standing here at the podium. So in speaking for the
Society, that puts me in an awkward spot. But my understanding of
their position is that if there are a thousand animals that are
adopted out today, when you adopt an animal, we give you a list of all
the vets in town and a certificate that says you can go get that
animal neutered and spayed at anybody on that list. So of those
thousand animals that go out, they will be dispersed amongst every vet
in town and then 75 to 80 percent of those will become return clients
for those vets.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Other than neuter/spay and/or
the initial physical, is there anything you'd have a reason to take a
pet to a vet for?
MR. OLLIFF: Initially?
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Yeah.
MR. OLLIFF: No.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Feline leukemia shots, those
type things?
MR. OLLIFF: No, I don't think so. Not initially. What
we do generally is try and make sure that there's a physical exam. On
a cat, you don't do heartworm; but on a dog, you would. So it's just
the very basic things to make sure that they're trying to at least
walk out of there as inexpensively but with a relative assurance that
that animal is healthy. Our adoption rates are so low. They're
thirty-five dollars generally for a dog. And, you know, if you've
been to a pet shop, you know how low that is and that's the incentive
that we have in place to try and get those adoptions up.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I guess, again, maybe that's
a question better to all the veterinarians, if they're here. MR. OLLIFF: Yes.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: But I'm just wondering if
there are other things that will bring those pets, the people who are
currently taking their pets to a veterinarian early on. I'm wondering
if there is any other reason for them too early on, if we take care of
that up front, and maybe you can't answer that but --
MR. OLLIFF: Well, the other idea is that once you as an
adopter go to pick up your animal once it's been neutered/spayed, you
don't know where that animal has been to have its neuter/spay
operation. All you know is you have an animal to be adopted that's
had an operation. We, at that point, can still give you that animal
and a list of all the local area vets and say for your ongoing care,
you know, we suggest you do that on an annual basis and you take it to
one of these vets. So there's still that possibility of keeping that
business further.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Mr. Dorrill, do we have
speakers?
MR. DORRILL: Yes, ma'am. We have three. I have Hiss
Cart. Following her, if I could have Mr. Tobias, if you would please
stand by near the podium.
MS. TOBIAS: Mrs. Tobias, sir.
MR. DORRILL: Ms. Tobias.
MS. CARR: Commissioners, the real question today is do
you want to award the contract to the low bidder who's ready, willing
and able to perform, and not only were we the short-term low bidder,
we can do the services shortly. I mean, as you all know, we're in our
new facility. We couldn't do it before but we can do it now, and we
can provide more services for less money, which Mr. Olliff
acknowledges. And long term, just like Mr. Olliff acknowledges, too,
we're talking 100 percent compliance here.
Even at his best figures, you've got 30 to 40 percent of
those animals out there reproducing and more of a burden on taxpayers
in the future. Or, there was, according to one of the county
employees -- I was not at this meeting -- there was a couple of the
local veterinarians that gave these threats and were doing their best
to intimidate. It was our veterinarian as well as Mr. Olliff and the
county people by not collecting the licensing fees. And number one,
it's the law. They're supposed to collect the licensing fees. And
number two, they're not doing their clients any favors. And I think
if their clients know what they're threatening: if you have a dog and
you're going to a veterinarian, he's not collecting licensing fees,
you're on vacation, a neighbor is watching, a neighbor can't find it,
you come back, you can find your dog destroyed. So I don't think that
the public is aware that these threats are really going to be followed
through.
Now, our bid did include some of the free services that
Mr. Olliff is alluding to: the fecal checks and the heartworm. That
was included in our bid. So as far as the free services, that's kind
of a nonexistent issue.
We do sell licenses. We've offered to work with the
local veterinarians where we'd be happy to go ahead and put up a map
of Collier County in our office with guides of whoever is in whose
area. We'd be happy to put cards of one of the local veterinarians.
The Humane Society is basically doing this at cost because we want the
problem addressed.
We understand the County is not willing to provide a
veterinarian, which is fine, but we feel like we can do 100 percent of
the service for less money to the taxpayers. Does anybody have any
questions?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Any questions?
Commissioner Hancock.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: You mentioned that you included
costs that under the County plan were -- like the heartworm check, the
fecal exam.
MS. CARR: Right.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: That one says free under County.
But in yours, it says twelve dollars heartworm, eight dollars fecal.
MS. CARR: That was included in that fifteen-dollar
examination fee that we did.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK:
you had that --
MS. CARR: Right.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK:
fifteen- dollar --
MS. CARR: Right.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK:
Okay. That was a line item that
-- others didn't. That was a
Okay.
MS. CARR: We're basically doing those at cost as well.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. Commissioner Constantine.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Mr. Olliff, Hiss Cart
mentioned a meeting where there was some concern expressed by
veterinarians as to whether or not they would participate in the
future with licensing.
MS. CARR: I understand there were two of them.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: How many veterinarians were
present at that? Balipark.
MR. OLLIFF: Oh, twenty-three, twenty-four probably.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: How many of those vets
expressed that concern?
MR. OLLIFF: In terms of the licensing program?
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Yeah. In your estimation,
are we going to have thirty out of the fifty vets locally saying, Ah,
the hell with the County or are we going to have a couple of people
who are angry or somewhere in between?
MR. OLLIFF: I honestly don't know. I mean, I can tell
you that in a meeting like that, someone may say something that they
don't intend to do and some people who are sitting there silent may
full well intend to not do, and I just -- I don't want to be put in a
position in speaking for what they will or won't do. As a society
either, they didn't want to publicly take a stand on that either.
I think that that's sort of an individual decision for vets to make.
My only gut feeling is that there will be some, and I just don't know
what level that would be.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: How does the law currently
read as far as requiring them to work -- or requiring licenses?
MR. OLLIFF: It requires licenses of pet owners. It
does not require that the local veterinarians sell them. MR. CONSTANTINE: Okay.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Hancock.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Ms. Cart, under the Humane
Society, you have an alternate transportation. I believe that was
truly negotiable.
MS. CARR: Right.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: There wasn't no costs factored
into it?
MS. CARR: Right. We're willing to work with the County
on that. I mean, we didn't want to say it was free or we didn't want
to say that we'd charge anything. I mean, that really is totally
subject to negotiation. I mean, we might not charge anything. We
might charge, you know, a nominal fee. We're not really sure yet.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: I just wondered how that figures
into the whole scope and what fiscal impact that had '- MS. CARR: I think it would be nominal.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: -- trying to put things on an
even field.
MS. CARR: If there were any fee, from what I
understand, I think it would be nominal. I don't really think that's
going to, you know, make it go up drastically. As a matter of fact,
I'm fairly confident in that.
What we want to do -- and Ms. Tobias, the president of
the Humane Society, is going to talk next -- we want to work with
Animal Control, like you saw in today's paper, I'm sure, with the cock
fighting. The Humane Society has offered to go ahead and to
underwrite the veterinary fees for the County so the County doesn't
have to pay a veterinarian or have to impose on the other
veterinarians in cruelty cases.
There was a case last year that the State Attorney's
Office had to fold up on because there was no autopsy on this dog that
starved to death in Golden Gate Estates. What we have offered to do,
and this is to the County Animal Control and to the Sheriff's
Department is we'll provide the veterinarian services for the
autopsies as well as paying the vet to go to court to testify for
nothing. And that's because that's -- we feel very strongly about
this.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you.
MS. CARR: Anymore questions?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I don't think so.
Ms. Tobias.
MS. TOBIAS: Yes. Thank you. Good morning,
Commissioners.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Excuse me. Who was on the list
to speak first, Mr. Dotrill?
MR. DORRILL: The only other speaker we have is
Dr. Johnson.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay.
Go ahead, ma'am.
MS. TOBIAS: Good morning. I'm Lee Tobias, newly
elected President of the Humane Society of Collier County. Stephanie
has gone over facts and figures, and what I wanted to talk to you
today about is approaching this at a little bit of a different angle.
I just want to say that the Humane Society has been
involved for many years in this issue of trying to educate the public
as to spaying and neutering. This is not new to us. And so it makes
perfect sense that the Humane Society would be deeply involved in this
cause and get in there with all we can to try and prevent the needless
killing of animals.
We go forward every day. We go into the schools to
educate children on spay and neuter. We educate our people who come
into the shelter to adopt. We support the Spay Day America Program
where we honor certificates for spaying. There are many ways that
we're out there every day doing besides what we're doing here in
trying to obtain this contract.
The other thing we're responsible to is we have 2,000
members in the Humane Society, and everyone of them, I'm sure, would
expect that we would be here today speaking on behalf of the animals.
They donate funds to us because they believe in our mission, and our
mission is to get out there, to provide care and love and housing for
animals that are unwanted, and to educate the public as to spay and
neuter.
There's only so much people can take when they're
working in a Humane Society and you see what our shelter people have
to go through every day, and I've seen it and I hate it. It's
terrible when you see a puppy or a kitten put down because of lack of
a good home, because of people's ignorance or arrogance regarding spay
and neuter. We have to talk to the people that come in and say I want
my dog to have one litter before he gets spayed.
We need to talk to these people that come in with trunks
full of animals, and it's tough and we're sick of it. So that's why
we're here. We want to stop the 14 million dogs and 17 million cats
that are destroyed every year. Because it's a people problem, it's
not their problem.
I don't know what more I can say at this point. We're
sad to think that there is all this animosity going on. We are
willing to work with people but the name of the game is let's look at
those little eyes behind the cages and let's act responsibly and get
the job done efficiently to spay and neuter. Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Any questions?
Dr. Johnson.
DR. JOHNSON: For the record, my name is Dr. Keith
Johnson. I'm a veterinarian at Eastside Animal Clinic. It's my
clinic. Pardon my casual attire. I didn't know I was going to be
here till about an hour ago.
First, let me say that there is -- our goals, really,
and the Humane Society and the County's goals are essentially the
same. It's how we get there. There are several things that bothered
me about the way this has occurred, this bidding process. And let me
start off with the whole desire for this to happen has been to
increase the compliance rate, and apparently it's about 70 percent
now.
In our meeting, we asked a simple question: Where are
the other 30 percent? And we don't know. We don't know if those
animals have been moved out of the County. We don't know if they've
died from natural causes. We don't know if they're too sick to do the
surgery. We don't know why the compliance rate is that low. Probably
the reason is that people just don't take the time to get it done and
there's not the enforcement there to drive them to get it done. It is
County law. It is a County ordinance. They're supposed to get it
done. We just don't have the staff from the County Animal Control, to
see to it that it gets done. So that's the main reason this all came
about. It's really a lack of enforcement and not by lack of
willingness on the part of Animal Control, Humane Society or the local
veterinarians. So it's a problem, I think, mostly of manpower more
than anything else. And no matter what we do, this is going to come
down to: it's going to cost you more money to get that compliance
rate up. And I think the best thing to do is probably increase our
manpower as far as Animal Control is concerned, get more people out
there enforcing the existing codes, okay.
The other thing is the taxpayer. Personally, it bothers
me that this bidding process kind of came about in the first place.
The reason is it's not really fair competition when you look at the
Humane Society versus the other veterinarians. The group of
veterinarians, we formed a group, kept our price down for years. And
we are on that mental state really to keep the price down, keep it as
a group. We've settled on that. We don't change prices very often.
They're very difficult to increase from the County. So we've had that
mindset for a long time.
And now comes a low ball bid out of nowhere to us, and
it's from a veterinary hospital that is on County property and does
not have near the overhead or tax burden that we do. So it's not
exactly a fair bidding process when you look at it, when you have a
government agency giving a grant to another business that has
obviously tax benefits versus the other businesses in town. So it's
not really fair competition.
The other thing the bothered me is that the agreement
that we have, the working agreement between Collier County Animal
Control and the Veterinary Group has been in existence for years.
I've been in the county almost eight years now and I've been doing
these spays and low cost neuters for years. And our only benefit out
of this whole thing basically is to get new clients and to educate
them. And every time that you get a client in for surgery, it allows
you to talk to them both before and after the surgery, to take out the
sutures, to educate the client. That's not going to exist in this
kind of spay/neuter operation, and that's our problem, because we're
not going to get new clients educated.
The goals. We have to look at our goals. Are the goals
to adopt more? Are the goals to neuter them or are the goals to make
them a healthier and happier pet the entire life? That's what's going
to keep them out of Animal Control centers is education of the
client. And the spay/neuter operation both before, during and after
the suture removal, all those things, give us a chance to educate the
people on how to take care of their pets, to keep them home, to train
them and keep them from jumping the fence and getting picked by Animal
Control officers. It's not always the spay/neuter that gets them back
into -- gets them back in the Animal Control center. If they have
behavior problems, health problems, if they're unwanted, they're not
cared for, they run loose. So it's part of the education that's
important, and we're going to lose that in this kind of system.
The other thing is the existing ordinance and the Animal
Control agreements has been in existence for years, and it bothers me
that all of a sudden it no longer exists. What happened to this
contract or this agreement that's we've had for so long? It no longer
exists. That kind of bothers me. It was just wiped clean by a low
bidder.
The last thing is, again, on bidding, is somewhat of a
-- it's not apples to apples. I use surgery with state-of-the-art
isoflurane. I use a pulse oximeter. We do preoperative exams. We do
preoperative consultations. We do all those things with all of the
animals that are spayed or neutered in my clinic, and that's not going
to happen in all these other places. It's not apples to apples. You
can't compare. That's why I didn't submit a bid, because it's not a
fair way to do it.
Again, I mentioned, the real problem is lack of
enforcement more than anything. We can get the numbers up. We were
willing to do it. But really, the only thing the veterinarians have
been getting out of this over time has been educating and getting new
clients, and we're going to lose that here and it's not really a fair
way, you know, to compare.
The last thing really to mention is that Tom -- Can I
finish?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Can you wrap up?
DR. JOHNSON: Okay. Tom told us in one meeting that
Collier County is the only county in Florida that has 100 percent
compliance of the veterinarians working with the County, and the
relation that we've had has been long-standing. And this kind of
undercutting and bid warring is only going to damage that relationship
and it's not going to be helpful in the long haul. Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you.
Commissioner Hancock.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: A couple of quick questions. On
the spay/neuter, once the procedure is done and the animal is released
to the owner, for what time frame is that animal released before it
has to come back for the sutures to be removed?
DR. JOHNSON: They can use sutures underneath the skin
and not have to come back.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Okay. So if you --
DR. JOHNSON: But usually if I put them in the skin,
they come back in 10 to 14 days. COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: Okay.
DR. JOHNSON: And they're seen by me again.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: Okay. The next question -- and
this isn't for you, sir. It's maybe a logistics question of Miss
Motlock (phonetic). This is very timely because I had a workday where
I spent a half day out at the Animal Control center cleaning cat cages
and watching what everyone did and riding with Animal Control
officers. So one thing I realized when I was out there was that the
decisions to put an animal down many times are spay related. In other
words, you don't have enough kennels. You don't have enough cages to
handle what comes in. So the number that you have to put down is due
to the influx of animals coming in.
Let's assume that we have a contract where we take the
animal out to the Humane Society. They do the spay or neuter. Where
is the animal picked up by the person who has adopted it? Would it be
at the Humane Society? Would it come back to Animal Control and take
up kennel space again a second time? And you've got to worry about
the logistics in the fact that if that animal takes kennel space, it's
going to cause another animal to be put down. And I'm a little
concerned about the logistics on that because the idea here is yes,
you're having them spayed and neutered, but it's equal important to
find as many homes for as many animals as possible.
And I do want to commend the staff over there for making
very real world decisions on what animals have to be put down and what
don't. And I -- it's -- Anyone who has not had their animal spayed or
neutered ought to go have to watch it, because it would wake you up.
But I'm concerned about the logistics and how that affects future
adoption.
MS. MORLOCK: I don't believe that that had been
discussed as to what -- CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: You have to identify yourself,
Ms. Motlock.
MS. MORLOCK: I'm sorry. I'm Joni Motlock. I'm the
director of Animal Control. We hadn't discussed how they were going
to pick the -- if the animals would be picked up from Animal Control
or if they would be picked up from the Humane Society.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: Because if it comes it back to
you and it's just had surgery, you're not going to be able to put it
in a kennel or a cage with another animal. Even though they may be
compatible, it's going to have to isolated. If so, that's a full
kennel space that could be to an animal to be adopted. So I'm -- MS. CARR: Can I address that, Mr. Hancock?
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: If you let me know at least where
the Humane Society fits on that.
MS. CARR: The Humane Society would like to have -- It's
a waste of money to go ahead and to transport it back. Plus as you
said, the kennel space is -- Oh, I'm Stephanie Cart. What we would
like to see is have the new owner adopt it, or at Animal Control it's
transported to the Humane Society where it's fixed. Then the owner
come to the Humane Society to pick it up. That's why when I talked
about, you know, the map and all that, to explain that to them, we
would also like to use that opportunity as a way to train the new
owner as to responsible pet care, because that's another -- like
education is one of our goals in our charter, and that's one thing
that -- and that's the way we envision. And Ms. Motlock is right. We
haven't actually sat down and negotiated this. But we were thinking
that would be a very logical, real world way of handling this, plus --
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Okay. There's an emotional part
of adoption, that the person comes and they pick out the animal and
they are very happy to have that animal in their hands walking out the
door.
MS. CARR: Right.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Once they take it out, to then
take it back and say, You can pick this up in four days at the Humane
Society, I'm concerned about '-
MS. CARR: The turnaround time.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: -- how that's affected adoption.
MS. CARR: Right.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: In other words, someone who goes
home -- and obviously we don't want people adopting animals who aren't
going to take care of them.
MS. CARR: Right.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: But you have to put the emotional
element in there.
MS. CARR: Right.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: And people do consider that.
MS. CARR: Sure.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: And they do adopt out of emotions
sometimes, and that doesn't mean they aren't good keepers of the
animal.
MS. CARR: Sure. You're right. And it would be our
goal, to get the turnaround time down as much as humanly possible. I
mean, ideally it would be within a day. I don't know if that's always
going to be possible or realistic but definitely within two days. You
know, it depends. If they come in late on a Saturday, it's going to
take a lot longer than if they come in for something Monday morning.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: In fact, more than anything, I
just wanted to put those concerns out there because they hadn't been
talked about.
MS. CARR: You're right.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: If few animals are adopted, the
problem gets worse, in my opinion.
MS. CARR: Well, along those lines, Commissioner
Hancock, one thing on the Humane Society -- and we've discussed this a
little bit with Mr. Olliff and Miss Hotlock -- one of our goals is to
have what's called a pet wagon; you know, like wagon tail, ha, ha.
But what we would like to do is use that. They have one in Orange
County right now. And that is -- We were just talking about the
mobile library. This would be a mobile adoption van which can be used
for the adopting out of animals. One of our goals is to work closer
with Animal Control, to try to go ahead and to see more of these
animals adopted out.
If people in different neighborhoods, Naples Park or
whatever, are having little meetings, then we would hopefully be
invited to these --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Excuse me, but I'd like to
confine this discussion to the spay/neuter program. MS. CARR: Okay, that's fine.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Constantine, do you
have a question?
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Mr. Olliff, taking the
licenses out of the picture for a minute. That's the question mark as
far as money. Taking those out for a minute, this will actually cost
us less; is that correct?
MR. OLLIFF: No. It will actually cost the County more
because your compliance rate will pick up an extra two to three
hundred animals. So the net cost to the County will actually
increase. Just on average, neuter/spays is about three thousand
dollars over the course of a year. And I didn't read their bid this
way but they're indicating the general physical charge is going to be
fifteen dollars. Currently that's within the cost, and that would be
another $15,000 on top of that.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Mr. Dorrill, when we bid out
any service or product, we need a bid for any service or product to
the County, do we generally differentiate who we're receiving that
from, whether it's a for-profit or a not-for-profit or do we simply
look for the best service or products at the best price?
MR. DORRILL: We will typically look for the best
service at the best price and allow any of the competing vendors to
add exceptions or deletions from the bid as part of that.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Dr. Johnson, I appreciate
your concern in your not wanting to interrupt what I assume right now
is a client flow. However, to say the bidding process is unfair, it's
no different than the bid we do for anything. What we try to do is
get the best product at the best price. And there are times when
there are not-for-profits who can do it cheaper or there are -- small
companies can do it better than big companies or vice versa, and we're
just trying to get the best service for the best price.
DR. JOHNSON: Hay I respond?
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Certainly. Then I have one
more question for you as well.
DR. JOHNSON: My response to that is, yeah, I understand
that. Yeah. It does give them an advantage obviously, the Humane
Society. But the other thing is it still bothers me that the Animal
Control ordinance was re-passed and amended, I guess, about a year ago
in October and it mentioned nothing that our agreement was going to
come to an end at any particular time. It was open ended. And so get
a bid out of nowhere and all of a sudden everything that we have down
in the past is just thrown out the window. And it seems like the
contract had no end. Maybe it should have had an annual renewal or
biannual or whatever. But, to me, that I've been doing this for eight
years now and all of a sudden all that I've done and all the
relationship that I've done with the County officers and everything,
that's all kind of thrown out the window and it counts for nothing.
And we get a low ball bid that's, again, not apples to apples, let
alone having the unfair advantage.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Do you have a follow-up?
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Two more questions for you.
Is there any other reason why I as an adopter would come to my
veterinarian other than neuter/spay in my initial --
DR. JOHNSON: No. Most of the animals that come out of
Collier County Animal Control have some type of health problem,
whether it's internal or external parasites, whether it's
malnutrition, you name it. Almost all of them need some type of
medical help when they get adopted. That's why they're, because
they're not wanted and not cared for.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: And my point in asking that
question is simply: I would still have a need to come to you with
that pet even if it was neutered or spayed.
The second question is: would you, personally, would
you still participate with the County as far as the licensing program?
DR. JOHNSON: I haven't made up my mind yet. My initial
reaction is if the County -- if our agreement is off, there's nothing
to force me to sell licenses anymore.
MR. CONSTANTINE: No, there isn't. But it is --
DR. JOHNSON: But it is a convenience to my clients.
Those are the two things I'd have to weigh. Most of my clients would
probably still expect me to sell a tag, and it would be inconvenient
for them to go anywhere else. But if it hurt my business and if I had
enough clients complaining, especially since a lot of the people that
adopt pets and bring them to me through the Animal Control program are
my clients already that have adopted another animal. They want me to
do that surgery. If they're forced to have that animal to go to
another doctor, they may be upset by that.
MR. CONSTANTINE: I would assume, though --
DR. JOHNSON: If I get complaints, I would probably not
sell the tags.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I would assume the tags would
be one more way to get people into your office.
DR. JOHNSON: In most -- In a lot of counties throughout
the state, they can get them at the, you know, the Government Centers,
so. And most people, a lot of them, especially when they move down
here, that's where they expect to go get them, not at their
veterinarian. Most counties don't have the compliance and the
veterinarians selling the tags, I believe.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Norris.
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: Mr. Olliff, let me clarify one
more time. This general physical that the Humane Society bid is
fifteen bucks. That goes on top of the neuter/spay fee? MR. OLLIFF: Apparently so.
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: Then how is that bid any cheaper
than the ones we already have?
MR. OLLIFF: Actually, if you look at it that way, it's
not. The Humane Society bid then comes out to about fifty -- on
average, fifty-three dollars -- or fifty-five dollars.
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: Now, let me clarify again over
here, the avoided costs on your handout sheet that you gave us. MR. OLLIFF: Yes.
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: The avoided costs of free
heartworm checks and the free fecal exams; is that what we're calling
back there on the bid sheet the general physical? MR. OLLIFF: Yes, sir.
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: Okay. Now, the emergency medical.
Has the Humane Society offered to do any of that? MR. OLLIFF: No.
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: What happens to that?
MR. OLLIFF: We'll continue to call it that and hope
that they continue to treat us the way they have, but I don't know
what will happen. They may; may not.
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: Explain to me, Dr. Johnson
mentioned something about an agreement or a contract that they have
had long-standing. What is the --
MR. OLLIFF: It's actually a county resolution.
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: Just a resolution. Okay.
MR. OLLIFF: And by that resolution, it establishes the
fees that we will be charged on each of the participating vets in the
County.
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: And what we anticipate doing here
is entering into a contract? And what's the life of that contract?
MR. OLLIFF: It hasn't been negotiated. That would be
up to the Board. We would go negotiate a contract and bring it back
for final approval. I would expect, because of the nature of this, we
would look at a one-year term initially with some renewal clauses to
make sure that it works.
COMHISSIONER NORRIS: Okay. Going back to one of my
earlier questions, I think you were telling me that you were not aware
that we had to put the fifteen bucks on top of the neuter/spay fee.
So, therefore, does that change who won the bid? Did that change the
outcome of the bidding process?
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I need a little help with
that because I thought I understood Miss Cart to say that was
inclusive and now -- I'm glad you asked that question because if it's
not inclusive, then it does make a difference.
COMHISSIONER MAC'KIE: Right.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Yes, it does.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: Not to mention the general
physical says fifteen, but the heartworm at twelve and the fecal at
eight, and that equals twenty.
MS. CARR: May I add something?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Yeah, please, if you can keep it
short. We just want to know -- MS. CARR: Okay.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We also want to know if the
fifteen dollars is inclusive? Is that included in the forty dollars?
MS. CARR: Fifteen dollars would be including the fecal
check and the heartworm check. What happens now, I know because I've
adopted animals from the County, is the new owner actually pays for
that. And that's why we went ahead and put it down there, because it
was requested. And we want to go ahead and handle it the way that
it's handled now, which is actually the new owner pays for it, then
that's the way that we'll handle it and the County won't be
responsible for that either.
COMHISSIONER CONSTANTINE: That looks like an add-on.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: So you're adding -- you're
suggesting that this is an add alternate, that when the new owner
comes to pick the animal up, they would be expected to pay the fifteen
dollars?
MS. CARR: That's the way it's done under the current
contract; and from my experience, yes, it is. If the County doesn't
want to pay for that, then fine. We can have the new owner do that.
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: Can someone address that? That's
a critical point here.
ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER: Under the current agreement
that we have, each animal adopted from Animal Control receives a free
physical, also a free heartworm check and fecal check by the
veterinarian that they choose to take their animal to.
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: Does the adopter pay anything for
those services?
ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER: Not for the physical, the fecal
and the heartworm. They do pay for their shots, any type of treatment
that the animal has to have.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I'd like to interrupt this
discussion because it's obvious now that we have some confusion about
what's included and what's not included, and I'd like to entertain a
motion to continue this for at least another week.
COMHISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I'll make that motion,
because what I understood -- And I'm really glad you asked that
question because the direction I understood we were headed and where I
think we're headed now are two different things. So I'll make a
motion to continue this item for one week.
COMHISSIONER NORRIS: Well, excuse me. I think we've
discussed this in detail, extensively, and we have brought out a few
critical points here. I think we're ready to make that determination
today. And personally, I'm not sure that a week -- What do you intend
to accomplish by waiting a week?
COMHISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I'm a little confused, to
tell you the truth.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I'm confused.
MR. CONSTANTINE: I don't know if I'm ready to make it.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I'm not sure what's included and
what's not now.
COHHISSIONER HANCOCK: Well, I have to agree with
Commissioner Norris because -- and, Dr. Johnson, maybe you can answer
this. When you get a slip from the County, do you charge for
heartworm and fecal?
DR. JOHNSON: No, we do not. It's says free. Our
heartworm, fecal, physical exam are free. It's charged to no one, the
County or the owner.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Okay. So if we add that fifteen
onto a forty-dollar base, I'm coming up with fifty-five as opposed to
the County fifty-three, not to mention the licensing program will
continue as is. So again, the low bidder now becomes the County.
DR. JOHNSON: The Veterinary Society.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Excuse me, the Veterinary
Society. I guess I don't see any --
DR. JOHNSON: It does. My understanding from meetings
before is that that general physical portion was included in the other
bid, I believe. If it's not, then that does affect dramatically.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: And we understand now that it's
not.
MS. CARR: It's been my experience that it depends upon
who the veterinarian is. I mean, we're willing to work with the
County again to do this, the Humane Society will be. If the County
wants us to go ahead and waive that, to do just the spay/neuter, we'd
be willing to do that as well.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: See, we're winding up negotiating
something that we don't even have yet, seriously.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: Yeah, we can't just negotiate this
today.
DR. JOHNSON: Just to clarify that one thing --
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: We can't simply renegotiate right
here in public.
DR. JOHNSON: -- to an adopter.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Right.
DR. JOHNSON: It's printed on there that the fecal and
the heartworm is free. It's on the certificate.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. We have a motion on the
floor. Is there a second? A third? I'm going to second it because I
think we need to vote on it. So we have a motion and a second to
continue one week? Is there discussion on the motion?
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I understand a couple of you
said you'd just soon move on, but I have -- and I apologize. Maybe
I'm just simple today but I seem to be confused. I seem to have got
conflicting stories in my head and I'd appreciate if we could just
sort that out. And I don't know that we need to have a 35-minute
discussion again next week but I'd feel more comfortable voting on it
when it was clear in my head. So I'd ask you to continue it for the
week.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: If there's no further discussion,
I'll poll the question. All those in favor of continuing this item in
one week, please say aye. All those opposed? Motion passes 5/0.
We'll address this again next week.
MR. DORRILL: Is there any direction in the ensuing week
because --
MS. CHAIRWOMAN: Well, I think from what we were
hearing, we need some definitives as to precisely what's included in
each bid. I mean, I don't think we want to rebid it but we got some
conflicting information right at the end.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: Madam Chairman, if I might,
whether it's appropriate in a motion or whether it's a consensus for
direction, I would like to ask that we get a line item. It's
important that the heartworm check and the fecal exam be done on each
animal, and I don't think we want to waiver from that. There's a
reason it's listed as free in what we give the pet owner, because that
fecal exam is a great indicator of potential problems to the animal
and the animal's general health. So anything we get on a bid from
someone else needs to show, line item, the fecal exam and the
heartworm check, and it needs to be a part of this Board's
consideration so that we can compare apples to apples exactly.
MR. DORRILL: My only concern being that no one think
that you have an opportunity to change your bid through the
clarification process. And I understood Miss Cart to say that their
base bid was not inclusive of those other two mandatory elements, and
her combined bid then is fifty-five dollars, and she testified to that
effect.
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: She did and that's why I said --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: That's why I'm confused, too.
Further direction, Commissioner Norris?
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Let's find out during the
week and not have a full discussion now.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Further direction, Commissioner
Norris?
Just a moment, Dr. Johnson.
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: Well, I want to make sure that we
have all of our questions --
MR. OLLIFF: What I will bring back for you is, there
was actually in the bid specification package a weighted formula based
on the amount of animals we adopt out of each category. And we will
take those numbers and we will just stick them in there and run those
for you so that you could see on each and every one of those line-outs
how the average comes out and how each bid stacks to each bid based on
the information we were provided this morning.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. Is that satisfactory? You
want further included, Commissioner Norris?
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: We need to know, also, under the
Humane Society's proposal who would pay the fifteen dollars. Would
that be left to the County to pay that or is that for the client to
pay? Who is going the pay the fifteen dollars? Because that's makes
a tremendous difference.
MR. OLLIFF: It does.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: In addition, there's an emergency
medical being provided to the County at no charge right now but under
the Humane Society that may not be the case. I think that needs to be
a part of the consideration and possibly if that can be factored in
for an animal adopted. That, to me, is very important. That's 25,000
dollars' worth of care that we're not paying for due to a relationship
we have with veterinarian societies. So I would like to see that
somehow pointed out in the comparison.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Again, I know we're not --
Well, never mind. We'll discuss that next week.
DR. JOHNSON: Just a brief point. I would like to make
sure that the County Commissioners make sure that none of -- if a
lower bid is offered, make sure that they don't increase the cost to
the adopting person.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: That's what we're trying to make
sure of.
DR. JOHNSON: That could really affect your adoption
rates, and you're spending here maybe 100 percent of five animals and
that could be a real problem.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you.
Let's take a 10-minute break. We'll be back at five
minutes to eleven.
(A short break was taken.)
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We reconvene the Board of County
Commissioners for the February 21st meeting. Those of you who are
here for a discussion of the Clam Bay NRPA, that has been continued
one week.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Not the Clam Pass issue.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Not the dredging issue. The
NRPA.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I saw plenty of faces drop.
That's better.
Item #SH1
REVIEW OF COST SAVINGS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEPARTHENT OF REVENUE, THE
CUSTOMER SERVICE ENHANCEMENTS TO BE GAINED, THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN,
AND DIRECTION TO THE MANAGER TO IMPLEMENT THE DEPARTMENT - CONFIRMATION
OF DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE; AND STAFF TO ALLOW CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS
60-90 DAYS TO BID FOR SERVICES THEY NOW PROVIDE
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Let's move forward with -- We're
still on the County Hanager's report: Item 8(H)(1), the discussion of
the Department of Revenue.
MR. DORRILL: Madam Chairman, this has been previously
workshopped and, I think, appeared before the Commission on two
occasions. In order to at least accelerate our presentation, I'm
going to ask that you turn your attention to the page that's stamped,
page 7. It's part of the backup. There is a spreadsheet there. And
specifically, the concerns that you expressed to me at the workshop
the other day had to do with our savings and our specific cost
analysis. You had some organizational questions as well. I believe
Mr. Hancock and Mr. Constantine raised a question about how many
supervisors should there be, and as part of that in terms of how many
people should they be then supervising. We have responded to both of
your concerns.
The sheet that is in front of you now, if you'll look at
the third to the last column, you will see what your total current
costs are as incurred and budgeted for the various billing and cash
receipting functions that are under the County Manager. Next to that
and next to the last column, you see what the proposed cost and budget
to be.
And for those things that are under my direct control
and responsibility and, frankly, for which I don't need the Board's
decision or approval, we are proposing to move forward and reduce by
three the number of positions that are currently there. And in fact,
I've been advised -- and Mr. Yonkosky can correct me -- we've actually
reduced the number of supervisors. We previously had five
supervisors. We've reduced that now to four and we combined the
assessments and the fees and charges section, if you remember that
organizational chart. We now have a single supervisor who is
responsible for four fiscal clerks or billing technicians.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Is there a new organizational
chart in there somewhere?
MR. DORRILL: Yeah, I believe we have them or I can get
you one as part of the discussion.
MS. CHAIRWOMAN: I don't see one.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: I don't either.
MR. DORRILL: We'll supply them. I've got one. We'll
make copies so that you can see it. As part --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Yes, there is. It's way back.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: This is the only one.
MR. DORRILL: Is that the old one? How many supervisors
are there?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Five.
MR. DORRILL: Okay. That is now four and I'll make you
a revised copy afterwards. That was revised after a discussion that I
had with Mr. Constantine last week.
The second half to this chart, back on page 7, the
stamped page 7, that is shown as additional savings, these are those
other services or programs that you have in place or need to be
incorporated through some mechanism, either to allow the Department of
Revenue to do it or to allow one of the other constitutional agencies
to do it. And I've taken a real open position with respect to the
second half of this. I think that it's unfortunate that perhaps some
of this was attributed to be in any way a criticism of current
agreements of the processes that you have in place. That was not
intended and I would certainly apologize for that if it has been
inferred that way by any constitutional officer.
What I have attempted to do here is to show you the cost
and budget breakdown for the major billing and cash receipting
proposals that are on the table. And my proposal to the County
Commission this morning is to be for you to pick and choose as you see
fit for those additional savings that are there. There are $209,000
potentially in additional savings.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Additional savings over the
infamous 300,000?
MS. CHAIRMAN: No, no.
MR. DORRILL: No. No, as a part. And my proposal to
you in fairness to those other constitutional officers, either
individually or collectively, if they want to bid or compete or
propose costs lower than these, I think that they ought to have the
opportunity to do that. And I think that we ought to give them
between now and, I would say, whenever in our implementation plan and
we can spell that out. If they can do it for anywhere near the cost
that we can or less costs than what we can, I think we ought to let
them do it. It's just as pure and simple as that.
Now, the one thing I want to clarify. We need to have
some time limit on that because at some point I will need to incur
costs, and let me give you an example. Under the Solid Waste billing
program, at some point I need to buy that software system in order to
run the duplicate role which is what we had originally set is what I
currently have approval to do. I don't want to go out and spend, and
I don't know what the number is, I'll say $15,000 for a billing
software program and then a week later or two months later, the
constitutional officers give us a better price. I think if we can
just put some dates on our implementation plans, and if they can do it
for any cost near ours at all or at less cost, then I think we ought
to let them do it. This is not intended in any way to block or
prevent them from giving us as good or a better deal.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. Commissioner Hancock.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: Yes. Mr. Dotrill, I see is this
as -- and I'm sure Mr. Yonkosky has a very concise 30-minute
presentation to do with a ton of information, but I see this in two
parts. What I'm seeing from the packet and from speaking to Mr.
Yonkosky is that a simple consolidation of the existing services that
we did under bill collection in all the different areas is a
ninety-thousand or an eighty-eight-thousand-dollar net savings.
MR. DORRILL: It's going to be 88,000 plus whatever the
additional reduction in that one supervisor is, and I'll say that
that's probably an additional $20,000.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: So upwards of $100,000 can be
saved by a simple consolidation without even assuming the roles that
the clerk or that the tax collector currently have?
MR. DORRILL: And in fact -- The answer to your question
is yes.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: Okay. The second part of this is
do we want to take over those operations to the benefit of the
taxpayer and can we do it cheaper than they can? So if I understand
correctly, those are really the two separate issues we're dealing with
today.
MR. DORRILL: That's what I want to boil this down to.
There's this third thing that's been floating around out there about
who can do it better or the ultimate customer satisfaction, and I just
don't think we ought to debate that here today. If anyone else wants
to propose on these billing programs, let's give them the opportunity
to do that so that we don't have that dispute because -- COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: And let me just wrap up real
quick.
MR. DORRILL: These are the best numbers that I can do
it for.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: Okay.
MR. DORRILL: I can't give you a better number. I don't
intend to give you a cheaper number, because then I can't deliver on
the service aspect of if.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: So today, if we approve the DOR,
we're looking at plus or minus $100,000 in our pocket and then we can
make decisions on what areas we wish to cover the DOR at a later
date. Okay. Thank you.
MR. DORRILL: With some indication as to some time frame
for the reason that I mentioned.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Hac'Kie.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: The clarification for me is the
DOR has already -- This Board, before I was on it, determined that we
were going to have a Department of Revenue and it was within your
jurisdiction already. You don't need us with regard to the hundred-
thousand-dollar savings consolidation. MR. DORRILL: That's correct.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: So I'm not exactly sure what I'm
even voting on today, because the DOR already exists and you already
have the authority to do the hundred-thousand-dollar savings, which I
absolutely commend, and we're in the process now of --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We were on that last week.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: -- asking constitutionals if they
can match the other cost savings proposals that you have made. What
would I be voting on today?
MR. DORRILL: It's kind of Phase II, which is what
Mr. Hancock said. You need to give me some indication as to whether
you're willing to allow other people to propose or bid on these other
-- one, two, three, four -- five major functions that are there. We
are anxious to move ahead to save the eighty-eight to one hundred
thousand dollars that I previously alluded to. I'm not in as big a
hurry on the remaining 200,000. This is my best number to do that.
I'm not going to lower these numbers any further.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Constantine.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: $88,809 will be saved in
personal services is what this chart says?
MR. DORRILL: It's like 90 percent personal services.
There are may be a minor --
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Is that the three positions
you mentioned?
MR. DORRILL: Four.
MR. CONSTANTINE: Four positions?
MR. DORRILL: It will be four because of the change that
I made late last week in the organizational chart.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: What are those positions?
What are they currently?
MR. DORRILL: They are currently -- and I'm going to
need some help here because I'm not going to get them all right.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: They're vacant right now.
MR. DORRILL: There was one billing supervisor. There
was also previously a senior accountant.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Do you have any idea of which
departments or where these exist?
MR. DORRILL: No, I'll need some help with that. I
don't have that detailed.
MR. YONKOSKY: John Yonkosky. They exist. One is in
Utilities and two is the EHS budgets right now.
MR. CONSTANTINE: One in Utility, two in EHS. And where
is the fourth one?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: It's a supervisor?
MR. YONKOSKY: The fourth one is in Utilities also.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: How many of those positions
are filled right now?
MR. YONKOSKY: I believe that two or three of them are
filled right now.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: And what will happen to those
people?
MR. YONKOSKY: Through attrition is the way that we had
planned on approaching it. As people move or go through attrition and
leave the department, they will not be --
MR. DORRILL: My policy has been attrition or to
transfer. I have the ability to transfer people to other similar
vacancies. And if it's my intent to save money, I'm not going to let
them sit there until the end of the fiscal year. I'm going to move
them as quick as I can. So it would be that the normal attrition or
some transfer process to a similar position vacancy.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: And how many of those are
filled? You said two or three. We don't know how many there are?
MR. YONKOSKY: I don't know whether the last one has
been filled but I do believe that two of them --
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: So up until recently it was
vacant then, right?
MR. YONKOSKY: Correct.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: So at least two of them, we
think, are vacant.
MR. YONKOSKY: Right.
MR. CONSTANTINE: And two are filled. So the actual
savings there is a paper savings. We're not saving any money in those
two positions, because they're not filled anyway. CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Budget-wise we are.
MR. DORRILL: Budget-wise, you are because that money is
going to be taken out of those budgets and then you will save it
beginning next year because you won't see that money in the next
budget. That money is going to go back into the cash account --
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: A smaller budget but with
those two we're not spending any less if we weren't spending it
anyway.
MR. DORRILL: At the current moment. But I mean I could
be spending that but my intent is to eliminate those positions,
whether filled or not, and return that money to reserve for whatever
fund, whether it's the Utility fund or EHS fund.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Help explain to me just
quickly: what do you mean by -- and I know what the word means -- but
what do you mean by attrition? If we've got two people and you're
going to consolidate, what do those two people do in the meantime? If
we don't have an opening somewhere in the County right now that they
are qualified for, what do we do with them? Where do they show up
every day at eight o'clock?
MR. DORRILL: They would continue to show up at their
current place of work, depending on where that is, until we can move
them. But that's why I said it's my intent to move them as quick as
possible. That may be hard to do. It may have to cross agency
lines. For example, you know, we don't have a lot of, for example,
fiscal clerks. And if we're proposing to eliminate one fiscal clerk
position, unless the individual also has secretarial or other clerical
skills, it may be difficult for us to place them, and at some point we
might just have to furlough or to lay off that individual. My number
one priority, though, is to move them to other comparable positions.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: What, I guess, I'd like to
know: at what point does that happen? How long do we carry somebody
in a position that we've said is unnecessary?
MR. DORRILL: Typically, not more than several months.
Now, in the just completed case of Solid Waste, we said that we would
carry those individuals indefinitely until I could find a permanent
position for them but that you didn't want to create any new
positions, and so I agreed with that. But I would like to think that,
you know, within three months we're going to find -- in less than
three months we're going to either find a comparable position or we're
going to initiate some type of furlough or layoff then.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: So come October 1, the
beginning of next fiscal year --
MR. DORRILL: You're not going to see any of them.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Okay. Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Norris.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: I have two questions. One is on
our new organizational chart that we've just been handed. I see that
we have four supervisors down in the lower tiers there: billing
supervisor, customer service supervisor, meter reading supervisor, and
another billing supervisor. And we have those in two different
branches here and we have a revenue manager for each of those
branches, so we have two revenue managers. That's looks a little
horizontal to me. Could not one revenue manager manage four
supervisors?
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: If you're going to do that,
why not cut them both out and have the revenue director oversee it.
MR. DORRILL: That's why we don't usually allow the
Board to make administrative calls on this type of thing. We could
bring my organizational charts up here every Tuesday and let you all
review them.
I guess the answer is yes. There is a difference in
function here. You've got one revenue manager who's going to be
dealing almost exclusively with the Utility account, because we still
got sixty some odd thousand bills we have to get out. The other
revenue manager and those other fiscal clerks are going to be dealing
with like the other major programs: EHS, Special Assessments, Solid
Waste. One of them gets assigned a responsibility for cash receipting
and that type of thing.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: Okay. The other question goes to
something that's been the subject of discussion many times in the
past, and what I want to how our non Ad Valorem assessments should
enter this picture and where are we on our software changes that we
need. Is there any progress on anybody's front to handle more non Ad
Valorem assessments?
MR. DORRILL: Non Ad Valorem assessments I would define
as the currents Solid Waste billing program. The Solid Waste bill is
a second bill, if you will. It's not on the tax bill. Now, we have
some special assessments that are on the tax bill, and I'll say that
those are specifically things like the east and south county water --
or sewer special assessments.
We have other minor special assessments that are not on
the tax bill. The one that comes immediately to mind is the old Ridge
Road special assessment where we went in and we built and paved a
road, Ridge Road, and people live on there. And those are going to be
handled under the special assessment software billing program that we
have classified to cost $62,118 on sort of part B of my chart here.
We are currently spending directly or indirectly
$111,000. The software that is in place can handle, whether it's my
software or the clerks or the tax collectors, can handle the current
load. The discussion that we have had over the last couple of years,
and the thing that Mr. Carlton has been gearing up to do, is more Ad
Valorem special assessments and the hardware and software associated
with that, for example, if you wanted to put garbage bills on the tax
bill. And that's why we didn't do that the first time around. He
wasn't proposing to do that. I'm not now proposing to do that. The
knowledge that I have is that the additional need -- and I remember
Mr. Saunders asked both he and Mr. Skinner to come up here a year ago
and he expressed concern that we not add any additional assessments on
the tax bill for that reason.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Hancock.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Using advanced mathematical
techniques such as counting, I found out that the number of people on
this chart and the number of people on the new chart are exactly the
same. We took a billing supervisor from this chart and made him a
senior fiscal clerk on this chart and we have the exact same number of
people. Where are we saving a supervisor's salary? If we made him a
senior fiscal clerk, aren't we substituting their salary with a senior
fiscal clerk's salary?
MR. DORRILL: My understanding is that we're at 28
positions.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I count thirty. Well, no, I'm
sorry. No.
MR. DORRILL: And my understanding was that formally
there --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I had twenty-six.
MR. DORRILL: -- there were 31 positions.
MR. YONKOSKY: That's correct. Commissioner Hancock,
what is not showing on there --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: That's only three, Mr. Dorrill.
MR. YONKOSKY: -- is the existing structure of people.
That chart, organization chart, is what would happen if you merely
combined the existing billing units that you have out there in each
separate division. When you combine that, you would only need 28
individuals to run that process. And so the chart that you're seeing
is not the -- does not include those positions that were in there
originally.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Okay. I understand. I heard
that we're going from -- this chart meant 88,000 and this chart meant
over 100,000 because we're moving a supervisor's position. Was I
erred
in --
MR. DORRILL: No, I may have misspoke that. I had sent
that chart to go get Xeroxed and so I didn't have it in front of me.
My understanding is we're going to 28 from 31; that's three. MR. YONKOSKY: That's correct.
MR. DORRILL: We're down-grading that one supervisor's
position to be a senior fiscal clerk who would be a lead worker. MR. YONKOSKY: That's correct.
MR. DORRILL: There are additional cost savings above
the 88,000 to do that because I'm down-grading that position. I gave
you an additional number of 100,000, which would be 12,000 more.
That's a rough number. The number that I can assure you of 88,000.
It's going to be slightly more than that.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: And because of the down-grading
of that position from a billing supervisor to senior fiscal clerk. MR. DORRILL: Yes, sir.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Mac'Kie.
COMHISSIONER MAC'KIE: My question is whether or not we
have any indications of interest from the constitutionals or others in
bidding, you know, competing for these to match your bids on the
alternative services.
MR. DORRILL: They have said that. They have said that
privately to County Commissioners in your meetings with them that they
wished that they had had a bid since we workshopped this. I did not
go out and officially ask them to take a position since your
workshop. So I didn't go out and ask them would you prefer to bid,
would you like to bid. I'm just indicating a willingness that if you
want them to, I want them to. I just want to assign a time to that
because otherwise at some point you're going to expect the Solid Waste
bills to be mailed. And if it's going to be me, I need to buy that
software system.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Questions?
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Yeah, just one. I guess I'm
not comfortable with -- I think Commissioner Hancock brought up the
point that he has simply down-graded that position to senior fiscal
clerk. If it took two weeks ago, three weeks ago, if it took four
people to do that, why does it take five now?
MR. DORRILL: The rationale that we gave you today at
the workshop was that the one billing supervisor that is being
down-graded is not actually a managerial position in the sense that
other ones are. That's on the special assessment side of our
proposal. That is a working level supervisor. And so just as opposed
to eliminating a managerial position because that's a working
supervisor's position, we chose to down-grade it and show it as a
senior but working fiscal clerk or fiscal --
COMHISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Why a senior fiscal clerk as
opposed to just another fiscal clerk?
MR. DORRILL: Because of the skill and the fact that
someone is still going to be responsible for those special assessment
programs when those other individuals are doing fees and charges.
They can be community development fees. They could do EMS bills,
those types of things. Again, that's just kind of an organizational
call that I had to make. And in terms of whether it was a fiscal
clerk or a senior fiscal clerk, I tended to want to play that one
safe, because special assessments can be a little problematic.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Are there other additional
questions?
Mr. Yonkosky, it sounds like you gave a great
presentation.
Do we have a motion?
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: I would like to -- Actually, we
don't we need a motion for the DOR to move ahead. I don't know if
that's appropriate to make that a part of a motion.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: That's already been done.
me.
position on DOR, I think.
Excuse
Do we have public comment, Mr. Dotrill?
MR. DORRILL: We have three.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Four now.
MR. DORRILL: Four. Dr. Biles.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I'd like us to take some
The County Manager can sit and say legally
it doesn't require our opinion but I think if we say we don't want the
DOR and the manager makes it, it probably won't make him popular among
the Commissioners. So it would probably make it nice to ratify or
deny the idea.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I agree.
MR. DORRILL: I would appreciate it.
Dr. Biles.
And following her, I have Mr. Kennedy, if you would
stand by, please, sir.
DR. BILES: Fay Biles, President of the MArco Island
Taxpayers Association. And I'm here today to say it's very refreshing
to hear and approach and address tax cutting, I mean instead of always
going up. The recent information in the papers leaves us all kind of
like this, a 29 increase and now, today, the health department wants
another Ad Valorem tax. So this is refreshing.
We have conducted a thorough review of the DOR
proposal. We did call Mr. Yonkosky. We asked him for the whole
presentation. We took it back. We spent a lot of time looking over
every single item on it. We've done charts that I'm going to give to
you in just a minute, because we have some people in MArco that are
very talented along these lines, I found out. And so we, without
reservation, we highly recommend full implementation of the Department
of Revenue reorganizational proposal.
We are very much concerned with the tax situation today,
so we need these tax cuttings. As you know, management authorities
all agree that mission of an organization is never complete and never
must be permitted to become sedentary or static.
It is indeed the responsibility of management to
anticipate the changing requirements of administration with proper
organizational restructuring. In fact, the book "Reengineering the
Oil Corporation", I use in my consulting firm constantly in strategic
planning. We know that there's always an element of proprietary
bureaucratic resistance to change, and such resistance often
assumes -- takes on a political dimension but should not be permitted
to impact the merits of sound, necessary reorganizational change.
The Department of Revenue proposal, in our estimation,
does project a savings of some $300,000 the first year. While we
agree that this figure is conservative, we do not feel that it
probably will be realized in the very first year. The implementation
we think should be evolutionary rather than revolutionary in order to
preclude any period of a functional vulnerability. Nonetheless, when
the plan is fully implemented, the savings projected may well exceed
the figures that we have been presented.
In addition to the savings, realize, the plan is
justified for two other very good reasons. One, it will certainly
enhance customer service and satisfactions as billings and collections
are professionalized and available at a single point of contact. This
running to different departments and waiting days and weeks is
absolutely unsatisfactory. Second, it facilitates, simplifies and
enhances the manager's ability to administer this very sensitive
function through a unified, centralized program to save money. For
the taxpayers, that is always welcome news.
We have prepared some charts that I'd like to share with
you if I could have you or someone give them out, please. And I could
put them on a transparency here, too, so that other people can see
them. If I may take just a moment, please.
Would you put that first one on, please.
Maybe it's that we are more attuned to charts and graphs
and visuals than we are to listening to auditory presentations.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We need to reduce the lights.
MS. BILES: We need the lights, I guess.
This one we put together to show and reveal what the
proposal shows, and we've done a pie chart to show the places where
the savings are going to be realized. And as you see the different
colored areas, you can see the utility lockbox, which is a good
concept that almost all businesses use, special assessment billing and
so forth. So that chart, I think, shows in a pie chart where the
savings can be realized.
The other chart is -- and if I can -- is what we refer
to as a regression analysis chart, taking validity and the risk factor
being the independent variable and then just charting on a graph to
show that even if it comes in 90 percent to save that much, even that
is a savings. Then if you look at that chart, if it should go to 100
percent, we're talking about over $300,000 savings. If it goes up
even to 110 percent, we're talking about almost 600,000. If it goes
up all the way to 120 percent, which I think is possible as far as how
we're looking at this and showing in the future what could happen,
you're talking well up to $800,000. Even if there is a risk factor
involved and it goes down, then your risk factor goes up but your --
but that's not as likely as saving some money. So HITA, after looking
at all of this, feels very comfortable that we need this type of a
department. Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you, Dr. Biles.
MR. DORRILL: Mr. Kennedy. And then following
Mr. Kennedy, I've got a Ms. Slebodnik. CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Mr. Kennedy.
MR. KENNEDY: Michael Kennedy, Waste Management. I'd
like to speak in favor of the Department of Revenue specifically for
the software package for the increased customer service level that we
will be able to provide and also for the flexibility it will give the
Commission for future unknown enhancements, both the recycling and
solid waste. I think that this is something that the County needs
from somebody is to have a software package that can track the people
as customers rather than just taxpayers, because we do have problems
with that. And I thank you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you, Mr. Kennedy.
MR. DORRILL: Ms. Slebodnik. And then Mr. Olds.
MS. SLEBODNIK: Kathleen Slebodnik, League of Women
Voters of Collier County. We, too, have looked at the proposal and
are heartily endorsing. We feel that there will be cost savings
involved and also efficiency. As the County grows, I think a
Department of Revenue is something that we will need, because
consolidation of revenue is certainly important to this county. So we
endorse this proposal.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you.
MR. DORRILL: Mr. Olds is your final speaker.
MR. OLDS: Stanley Olds, speaking as a person, citizen
and taxpayer. Are you people going to vote on it today, on this
department?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We think so.
MR. OLDS: You are.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We think so.
MR. OLDS: Well, then I should be -- very important here
because I've got something really important. I have gone over the
data presented by Mr. Yonkosky and I'm very much in favor of the
Department of Revenue because his figures and charts are very clear
and persuasive. And whenever government can trim expenses and show a
saving for the suffering taxpayers, I'm all for it. And the
Department of Revenue cuts expenses through consolidation, which is a
very important factor in government as far as I'm concerned.
The only other point was that on page 37 of that review,
I guess this new chart you have is a little bit better, but there are
five billing supervisors. And I was wondering if you could save that
300,000 by having this, would it be possible to cut out all those
billing supervisors and use just the revenue manager, because as a
sales manager --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: The span of control is
difficult.
MR. OLDS: What?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: That's me. I'm sorry.
MR. OLDS: Oh, I thought it was somebody back there
(indicating).
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: The span of control for one
person handling ten or twelve individuals gets a little difficult.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I'm with you on that one,
Stanley.
MR. OLDS: Well, it was just, you know, a good thought,
because if you could save 300,000, why not 600,000.
MR. DORRILL: And that's why I said I think that you
could. But then when it doesn't work well, who are you going to
blame? Are you going to blame yourself or are you going to blame the
County Manager?
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: That's an easy one. Would you
agree,
Mr. Dotrill? That would be you, sir.
MR. OLDS: Well, that's about it. Thank you very much.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Thank you, Mr. Olds.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you, Mr. Olds.
Commissioner Constantine.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I just have one question.
Mr. Dotrill, space seems to be at our premium. Where
will this new department of 28 to 30 people go and will it cost us
anything to move or create that space and how much?
MR. DORRILL: The answer is yes. I haven't made that
final decision. I've got two potential places where I would like to
consider putting them. The first place would be in some space that is
finished but would need to be reconfigured that is on the third floor
of the public services building, which is the Health and Public
Service building.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: You're not going to displace
George Archibald again, are you?
MR. DORRILL: No. I only do that annually. The other
place would be to reconfigure some existing finished space at the
complex on Horseshoe Drive. My other plan for that is -- and I don't
want to prejudge the Board -- in the event that we are going to
contract, potentially, certain aspects of Utilities, Utilities is
currently in some leased space and I would like to get them out of
that rented space and into County owned and occupied, and I haven't
made that final decision yet. And I'm trying to combine the DOR
departments in existing finished space. There will be some costs.
And if we're to do Solid Waste billing, then we're going to need to
get a stuffing machine and that type of thing. There will be some
cost for that.
The fixed operating and fixed operating capital costs
are in our numbers. The office relocation numbers are not. It
depends on the final say and the final go-ahead. And my other desire,
to get the Utilities Division out of rented space and into County
owned space.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Do you have a range, an
estimate for what that would cost?
MR. DORRILL: Maybe Mr. Yonkosky can help you with that.
MR. CONSTANTINE: Okay.
MR. YONKOSKY: The total move and cost would be less
than $25,000. If we do it in stages, it's going to be in the
middle-class --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: It will save the rent fairly
quickly.
Commissioner Norris.
COMHISSIONER NORRIS: Mr. Dotrill, I like your
suggestion of requesting that the constitutional officers go ahead and
bid for the services that they now provide if it's their desire to do
so. What do you think would be an appropriate time period? Ninety
days? Sixty days?
MR. DORRILL: I think that would not affect our
implementation plan, but that's why I don't want to go to the eleventh
hour and then have them say, Nope, we don't want to do it, and then
have me have to run out and buy that software system.
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: Well, I'm getting ready to make a
motion, so I'd like to --
MR. DORRILL: I can live with 90 days. And if I can
give them more time than that, I'll specify that in writing to you and
them within the next week.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Can I suggest this, that the
County Manager publish a time schedule for the implementation and at
each process along --
MR. DORRILL: We'd get one rather than get into the
details of that. I can establish all of that in writing for all of
these areas that --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: -- that each process along the
way, that he cut the bid process off. I don't know whether it should
be 45 or 60 days prior to when you have to implement specific steps
but certainly we've got to examine.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: There's not a chance in me
looking at this in detail in the next five minutes.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Not much chance. If we could
have included in the motion some published time frame. It's look like
you have it here.
MR. NORRIS: Okay. I'll handle that, then,
differently. If I could make a motion that the County Commission
affirm the creation of the Department of Revenue and, further, that we
direct staff to allow the constitutional officers a minimum of 60 days
to bid for those services that they now provide, assuming that they
want to bid for those.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We have a motion.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: I'll second the motion with the
statement that I would also encourage constitutional officers to be
creative in their approach of joining, of how to place these on tax
rules and other creative measures that are out there, to look at a
total comprehensive package on how to get the bills out. So I'll
second the motion.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I have one comment. Mr. Carlton
walked in the room a few moments ago. Do you have any comment on
this,
Mr. Carlton?
MR. CARLTON: Funny you should mention that.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Somehow I knew.
MR. DORRILL: As he's coming forward, I want to just
qualify the one thing that I said was if we're going to accept other
proposals, they need and should be complete. And one of the speakers
today said one of the problems with our Solid Waste billing program is
depending on where you're at in the time line, you can deal with one
of five different departments. We want to try and consolidate billing
and cash receipting activity under someone so that there is that
single point of customer service as opposed to somebody saying, Well,
I only want to bid on a portion of EHS bills or I only want to bid on
a portion of Solid Waste bills. We want it to be complete.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you.
MR. CARLTON: Good morning, Commissioners. My name is
Guy Carlton, and I am your friendly tax collector. And I welcome the
opportunity to bid on these services. From my point of view, it's
never been a matter of inefficiency. It's been a matter of concept of
realignment of personnel on you-all side. I'm telling you that
there's no one in the United States, in the state of Florida, in
Collier County --
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Are all of which are in the
United States.
MR. CARLTON: I don't go outside the United States.
-- can collect your mandatory government billing any more efficient
than your tax collector if you request me to put it on a tax bill. We
were unable to meet your request in 1990 because non Ad Valorem was a
new concept; the software was not in place.
I'm happy to report that software is now in place. If
you put it on your tax bill, A, your legal counsel will not be
involved; the State of Florida takes care of that through the
statutes. Two, there's no separate bill. There's no mailing. It
goes out on your tax bill along with 70 other taxing districts. But
we look forward to bidding on the billing, not only on Solid Waste but
on Utilities and other functions. Thank you. If there's a question I
might answer, I'd be happy to do so.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you.
Commissioner Constantine.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Just for the sake of
clarification, I want to make sure that no one is under any impression
that you haven't -- that we're suggesting you have not done an
efficient job, because I, for one, want to compliment you on the job
you have done.
MR. CARLTON: Thank you.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: You've done a wonderful job
for us. I think this is, as you said, a realignment of our own
personnel in trying to -- our utilities people and so on are not the
ones -- in the past they have done the job but are not the ones who
are trained for this, and we can have one place, that's great. No
reflection on either/or of what you're doing.
MR. CARLTON: Thank you. I appreciate the kind words.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Hancock.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: Mr. Carlton, something Mr.
Dotrill mentioned is a good point and, that is, something that
although it doesn't come down to the numbers in a proposal but how we
address when the complaints come in, who handles them and so forth. I
just got off the phone in our last break with someone who got bounced
from A to B on the Solid Waste billing issue. So, again, I want to
make sure that that portion is addressed in some manner. As a part of
the physical look, let's also provide that customer element in and how
your department addresses that, too. I know no one does everything
perfect all the time and some people are unhappy no matter what you do
and so forth and so on.
MR. CARLTON: Well, someone can get bumped from an
installment for lack of payment. Then it's always somebody else's
problem. I'm telling you, that if you want to eliminate all of those
complaints, put it on a tax bill. No one has ever lost their property
for not paying East Naples Sewer because they didn't pay it. They
lost their property because they didn't pay their property taxes.
That's an established procedure. If that's the way you wish to go,
we'd be happy to accommodate you. But the way you eliminate that is
to put it on a tax bill. Some people have said you can deduct that
from your income tax. The non Ad Valorem portion, and she knows quite
well, is nondeductible but it has full force and effect of taxes. So
having that advantage, we look eager to bid.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you.
MR. CARLTON: Thank you.
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: Mr. Carlton, have you decided what
you're going to do with all your fighting roosters now?
MR. CARLTON: All my what?
COMHISSIONER NORRIS: All your fighting roosters, now
that the story is in the newspaper.
MR. CARLTON: Yeah. Well, I'm sure Colonel Sanders has
some use for them.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Mac'Kie.
COMHISSIONER MAC'KIE: Mr. Carlton, is the 60 to 90 days
a reasonable time frame for you?
MR. CARLTON: Yes, ma'am.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: I just want to be sure.
MR. CARLTON: Now, you want that in per item or
percentage of cost? That would help. But that would be in the specs,
I'm sure, he sent to us.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We want a bottom line that's
lower than what's here.
MR. CARLTON: Okay. And we can do that. But
understand, every penny that was in excess of what it cost us to do
the job, we faithfully returned to you in unused fees every year, and
I don't want to sound like I'm bragging now, but 2.3 million wasn't
all bad.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I know but we've got to find ways
to get operating costs down before 1977. MR. CARLTON: Okay.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: And this is one of them.
MR. CARLTON: We're working on it.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay.
MR. CARLTON: Thank you.
MR. DORRILL: That concludes the Guy Carlton show
portion of our program.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you.
MR. YONKOSKY: Commissioner Matthews?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Mr. Yonkosky.
MR. YONKOSKY: The counties where the software that
we're recommending to you, those mandatory assessments are collected
on the tax roll. They still bought the software because of the
complaint tracking. When we're talking about the economies and
efficiencies of putting it on the tax roll, absolutely. That's a 97
percent winner for you. But that does not begin to address all of the
other functions of that mandatory Solid Waste program that this Board
and prior Boards have put into place. It doesn't address refunds or
changes of addresses throughout the year.
MR. DORRILL: Mr. Yonkosky, Doc Brown told me a long,
long time ago to shut up when it looks like you got a winner. MR. YONKOSKY: Okay.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I think you might have a winner.
Let's not kill it.
MR. YONKOSKY: Okay. All right.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We have a motion and a second to
endorse the program presented by County Manager Dotrill to institute
and implement the DOR and to allow 60 to 90 days' bid process for our
constitutional officers. With that in mind, if there's no further
discussion, I will --
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: And a thank-you for Mr.
Dorrill.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: If there's no further discussion,
I'll poll the question. All those in favor, please say aye.
Opposed? There being none, motion passes 5/0. MR. DORRILL: Thank you very much.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you, Mr. Yonkosky and
Mr. Dorrill.
Item #8H2
CLAM PASS INLET UPDATE - CLASS "B" EHERGENCY DECLARED AND STAFF
RECOHMENDATION APPROVED
The next item on the agenda is a discussion of the Clam
Pass dredging.
MR. DORRILL: This is a very important issue. We're
going to ask you today to recognize an emergency, and that's why we
have added it to the agenda today. In the time that I've been your
County Manager, Clam Pass has actually filled in twice, and it filled
in again last Saturday as a result of a storm event.
It's going to be important to distinguish what the
nature of the problem is so that I can explain it to you fully. Clam
Pass, as you know, is an environmentally very sensitive area to the
Pelican Bay community that for all practical purposes is not navigable
for the sense of boating and recreation. It is very important,
though, from the sense of an estuarine back bay system. It is
recreational for purposes of canoeing, fishing. It is very important
as it pertains to storm water retention, tidal flushing in that whole
north end of the county.
The system is prone to fill in over time, and I have
asked the staff, especially for the new commissioners, to bring some
slides to show you the nature of what has occurred in the past, what
the actual pass resembles when it works and is functioning well, and
what has happened over the course of the last weekend.
I will tell you that preliminarily we have also asked
the secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection,
Miss Wetheral (phonetic), we advised her of this situation over the
weekend. I have reason to believe that there may be an opportunity
for a waiver of what it is that I would like to do, and I will explain
that in just a minute. If we're not successful in accommodating the
waiver, then what we're going to ask for is an emergency dredge and
fill permit that is allowable based on our interpretation under the
Florida Administrative Regulations.
COHMISSIONER HAC'KIE: Hay I just ask some questions
while they're setting up?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Go ahead.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: The basis of my request to remove
the NRPA Class Pass issue was, as I said, a meeting among the Naples
Bay, Seagate, and Pelican Bay, and Pelican Bay Foundation people. And
one of the things that I got at that meeting was a memo, February
16th, from Jerry Neal to Tom Conrecode, saying that the state will not
issue an emergency permit, that the State has already told us. DEP
has said no to an emergency permit. And I've analogized the situation
from Midnight Pass --
MR. DORRILL: That was a little different situation, and
I'm very familiar with Midnight Pass because it's in Sarasota and that
occurred when I was a child growing up there in high school. There is
a specific mechanism under the Florida Administrative Code that allows
county commissions to declare a localized state of emergency and apply
for what is called a Class B emergency permit, and it is under that
mechanism to take temporary steps to protect life, health, property,
animal and plant species. And that's the interpretation that we're
relying on.
Now, I'll also have Mr. Hargett speak to the specific
individual in Fort Myers who has permitting authority, and the section
chief's name is Gordon Rameese (phonetic). Gordon Rameese said that
before we declare a state of emergency and get Tallahassee involved,
that he wants an opportunity to work with us to pursue a waiver of the
normal permitting requirements. And I think that anytime you have
someone from the state initiating a willingness to otherwise save you
time and effort, you need to explore that. Mr. Rameese is the type of
individual I would recommend that.
Failure to do this, though, it's my intent to ask you
for authority today to declare a localized state of emergency and make
application and put DEP on notice that we're proceeding under those
Class B guidelines that I alluded to. And I hope I answered your
question.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: And I guess one of the things I'm
going to want to know from you, Mr. Cuyler, is it's my understanding
that the penalty -- somebody can go to jail for six months and we
could have a ten-thousand-dollar-a-day fine if we proceed without a
permit. Does that apply in this situation if we inappropriately
designate a localized emergency?
MR. CONRECODE: Commissioner, if I could, and I was
hoping to frame all of this so that it would -- COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Okay. Then I'll wait.
MR. CONRECODE: -- sort of lead into Ken addressing some
of the other regulatory issues. It would give some historical
perspective to the project in the past and the differences, for
instance, the February 16th memo that you referred to.
First of all, the pass has been in existence -- and
we'll show you photographs dating back to the 1950s of different
events that have opened and closed the pass and how the configuration
of the pass has changed over the years. The most recent permits that
we're applicable to the pass include a Core of Engineers permit from
1981 to 1991 that prohibited dredging within the Clam Bay system but
specifically addressed and set the precedent for the need to maintain
the opening of Clam Pass.
The second permit that applies was a permit that expired
in February of 1994 and had been opened since 1989 the last time the
pass closed. That permit was granted with specific language that said
you need to complete a new management plan to really study the
hydraulics and the dynamics of the entire pass system before we want
to give you a permit to maintain this pass open for some period of
time. That work is underway. It will be completed on our side in
'96. DEP normally takes a six-month period to review it and we
expect their approval in early 1997, about two years from now.
COHMISSIONER HAC'KIE: Can I ask you a sensitive
question about that?
MR. CONRECODE: Yeah.
COHMISSIONER HAC'KIE: One of the things that came up at
this meeting was that the County had approved the contract for that
review that you just described but, in effect, it only funded a
portion of it so that the process was not proceeding improperly?
MR. CONRECODE: It's fully funded.
COHMISSIONER HAC'KIE: It's fully funded.
MR. CONRECODE: Fully funded, yeah.
COHMISSIONER HAC'KIE: And it's about a
four-hundred-thousand- dollar or three-hundred-thousand-dollar
contract?
MR. CONRECODE: I don't have that on my fingertips to
really tell you.
COHMISSIONER HAC'KIE: Okay.
MR. CONRECODE: I'm sorry, ninety-seven-thousand-dollar
contract (perusing).
COHMISSIONER HAC'KIE: And that was my point. What I
thought, that full funding of the project was about a
three-hundred-thousand-dollar job and that it had only been funded as
to 97,000.
MR. CONRECODE: And that's the important element to
separate. The work that we are required by the state to do for the
inlet management plan is the $97,000. That deals only with the
inlet. You could draw a very small circle around that inlet.
There's another element of work that your National
Resources Department has undertaken called The Natural Resource
Protection Area for Clam Pass -- or for Clam Bay. That includes the
whole system. There was some additional work proposed by the
consultant, several hundred thousand dollars' worth of additional work
that he would still very much like to have to do the additional study
that might go further and beyond and talked about things like opening
the channel between -- at Seagate Drive between the Outer Clam Bay and
Doctor's Bay. And so I don't want to get into those issues but there
was another proposal that's not required by the state, it's not by the
NRPA, and it would be nice to have if somebody had several hundred
thousand dollars they didn't know what to do with. That's a separate
element. I'd like to keep that separate for the purposes of this
discussion.
Now, in terms of the pass, the precedent under the Core
of Engineers is there; the precedent under the DEP there. And we have
asked and the February 16th memo speaks to the fact that can we get a
waiver of this condition that's going to require the completion of the
inlet management plan in order for us to dredge? The answer to that
is no.
However, we think that the Board has the authority under
Florida Administrative Code, and I gave you a cite, 312-090, that
allows you to declare an emergency condition, a Class B emergency,
which specifically threatens plant and animal life within that system
to allow us to take temporary measures.
Now, it's important and I'll emphasize temporary
measures, because we don't plan to go in there and dredge and to
create some sort of an opening that will be open forever. We know
that the dynamics of that system are such that it's going to open and
close in transition and change. The last time it was opened, it
lasted for five-plus years. We think that this will last, these
temporary measures will last barring any unusual storm or hurricane
and that until which time we have the inlet management plan completed,
we've completed all the engineering work that goes along with this
that will allow us to maintain this pass. Now --
MR. DORRILL: Can we in just a moment, just because I
promised the Commissioners this wouldn't take that long, can I get you
to move on to your slides and show us what the preexisting conditions
were and that type of thing, because I'd like for our part of the
presentation to be done in about five or ten minutes.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: While that's being handed out, I
would like to point out that what we're dealing with here are the
specifics of a Clam Bay system, although there are waterways connected
to the south and waterways connected to the north. This is a system
that the Board has previously recognized as a study area and that I
agree with Mr. Conrecode for this particular point. We have one
issue: Clam Pass open or shut and what does it do to the system and
what do we do to get it open? I think there are other things we could
look at but right now that is the single issue that I think is most
important to this system and to the residents of Pelican Bay and to
the Clam Bay NRPA itself.
COHHISSIONER HAC'KIE: And just while you guys are still
doing this, what I think is that, yes, that is a critical emergency
issue for today but the emergency is going to continue to occur until
we address the big picture issue. And so we need to look at the whole
problem.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: And I'm sure we'll have time to
do that.
MR. CONRECODE: The slides aren't very good. They've
been produced rather hurriedly. Today is Friday. And we're going to
try and do the best we can to walk you through this. This is February
14th aerial photography that shows the entire system. And on the west
or on the left-hand side of the photo is the Gulf. On the east side
is the Pelican Bay development. Jerry is pointing to the actual Clam
Pass inlet that was closed on February 14th -- or actually, it closed
the weekend before that.
To the south is the Lower -- or Outer Clam Bay, and
Upper Clam Bay at the north, and the Inner Clam Bay in the center
portion of that. Okay. As Jerry walks through the photographs, he'll
be referring to things such as mangrove die-offs, and there's some
changes in the configuration of the pass as he kind of marches down
through these.
MR. NEAL: This is just to show you a view looking
south. This is inlet. All this is just to orient you. This is the
Lower Bay. This is looking at the central section. And this here you
can see the Inner and the Outer. And up here, it would be the Ritz
coming right through here.
This is what it looks like today. You can see the
difference in the color of the sand.
This area here just attached a couple of weeks ago, this
dark area, totally plugging up the only exit out of this area.
This is a shot that we're doing the monitoring right
now, the inlet management plan. This shot from the inlet looking
north, and you can see that the system pretty well goes dry.
This is the bottom. This is our monitoring area. And
this is another monitoring area monitoring the sea grass that's
existing in that area.
This photo here is 1944.
This is '51, and you can see right here it's pretty well
closed off through here, here. Here is where the inlet would be right
through here. You can see this show offshore.
I think this is '73, and you can see that it has opened
up again on its own.
In '75, you can see it blew through. It has a different
configuration now. The sand is built up on the sides and a little bit
of a show out front.
Tom, can you hand me my date thing?
MR. CONRECODE: You're on fifteen.
MR. NEAL: Fifteen. That's '85.
And this one here should be '89, April. And you can see
it again. It's just a little bit of channel through there.
This should be in '91, July. You can see that it has
changed direction. Before it's gone out and it's gone up. This time
it's here. This is because of the sand that is moving down.
This here is the photo where it closed up again. You
can see the shore is continuous here where the sand is totally filled
in.
This one here is July of '91.
This here should have a date. August '93.
This is December '93 that you can see over the period of
that one year there's a tremendous difference.
February '94. In February, you can see that it is now
coming back down, building up on the up-drift, ready to go to the
down-drift to get a little bit over. This is in again February.
June of '94 is this one. You can see most of the sand
has now past by. It's a timing period when the sand is going to past
by when a storm is going to hit. So you drive it into the inlet to
close at this -- this period here did not have enough storm to drive
it into the inlet. It went on past.
This is what it looks like today if you're standing in
the condo looking out. You can see the closure here.
This is closer up where you see the actual sand here.
This is looking from the water in.
Okay. All right. One more, Tom. And you can see the
difference in the color of the bands through here. This is what would
maybe go by, except we had a storm when we was out here and it totally
went into shore and it blocked it off.
The temporary measures which I have given you on the
handout, there's two. In 1989, they did six-foot deep, 30-foot wide
and came straight out to here and stopped and let it cave in. It took
them three tries to get it to stay open.
The discussions we've been having with Natural Resources
in Tallahassee, they're recommending we do a little wider channel, and
deeper, possibly picking it up here. And you can see where this band
comes around here color-wise, that this is also -- sand has filled
in. Take it from here with the same section and take it out to here.
In 1989, it was 550 yards. Today, we're talking about
maybe 1500 yards if we do the recommendations of Beaches and Shores,
which is to take this straight out.
This is looking at the mangrove die-off area, more into
the center of it.
This is on the north end.
This is the south end of the die-off area.
This is a bend on the north, looking south.
This is a close-up in the middle.
This is a close-up on the very south end.
And this here is actually inside the forest itself.
All right. Okay, Tom, if you could back up about ten
slides. So what we have in front of you is where you have the big
view of the inlet right here. So what you have before you is a
proposal. One is to go before the state and ask for a permit through
the different agencies. And what you have, you have State Lands. You
have the Department of Beaches and Coastal Systems. You have what was
called the Environmental Regulation Department. You have the
Protected Species because of sea turtles and bird nesting. And you
have the Core of Engineers. All of these agencies will have to either
give us a waiver, an exemption or a permit if we go through the
regular permitting.
We did make a request to go in here immediately and to
remove the sand, but we were denied that without further information
and we are scheduled to meet with them on Thursday coming up in
Tallahassee to further our negotiations with them to start immediate
repair.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Their request to us, then,
is twofold; one, to declare a Class B emergency and --
MR. CONRECODE: Yeah. We feel that there's sufficient
evidence to justify the Class B emergency, that being the mangrove
die-offs and the documentation of that has occurred in 1988 and
'89 resulting in what we have today.
In addition to that, your Natural Resources Department
has been monitoring the water quality and the dissolved oxygen content
up there and it is, in fact, dropping, which is indicative of a future
fish kill within that area. We would like to prevent that from
occurring if at all possible. We've benefitted from some cooler
weather which has maintained the dissolved oxygen content. It's
somewhat stable. But as it warms up and we go through some cycles of
not flushing that bay area, it's likely that we'll have a fish kill.
And as a result of that, I think the Board can have the finding that
it is a Class B emergency and direct us to proceed under 17-3-19 as I
heard -- or 3-12-09.
MR. DORRILL: Two-phase. We will need a regular dredge
and fill permit to do a broader and deeper channel that Mr. Neal
alluded to. Specifically, though, I'd like to dispatch some people at
Fort Myers this afternoon to meet with Mr. Rameese and he is available
to outline the provisions under the emergency and temporary permit.
We'd like to try and get some saltwater back into the bay system even
if it's apt to fill in again under whatever definition we use of
temporary. And that's the primary intent.
The last time that we went through the full process,
you'll recall, it took eight months to get the permit and the ensuing
die-off of the sea grass bed, the mangrove forest. And I think all of
us realize that that is not acceptable, and that was the reason for us
even alerting Secretary Wetheral over the weekend that we had a
situation here that was going to warrant someone's attention, that we
might need help. So we've got a temporary emergency permit and then
we've got the little longer term, what is a little better hydraulic
fix to what is a very sensitive pass.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. Commissioner Hancock.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: This just appears pretty
straightforward. What is the approximate cost of opening the pass,
assuming we declare it a Class B and we're able to go in and do it,
what is the potential fiscal impact to the County?
MR. DORRILL: I don't know what the actual permit cost
itself is, whether there's actually an application fee. When we
opened the pass in 1989, we did it ourselves with a front-end loader
that was from the Transportation Department, and I'll say it took the
better part of a day and a half to do that. So we're going to have
the equipment time. And that machine and an operator may cost
somewhere around seventy-five dollars an hour. So let's say less than
a thousand dollars.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Okay.
MR. CONRECODE: In addition that, we'd recommend
proceeding parallel to that with the normal dredging permitting
process, and we're going to do the engineering work and we've already
authorized some survey to go ahead and do some of the preparatory
work. So my estimate of the overall measures at this stage of the
game is about $30,000, and that's going to include the emergency
measures that we need to take, but all the survey work, the
engineering work, going through the permitting application process and
our time that's involved.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: But we would not be authorizing
that today.
MR. CONRECODE: Correct.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: We'd be authorizing simply a
Class B emergency and an emergency opening of the pass or trying to
authorize it.
MR. CONRECODE: And we would only spend within the
limits you've already given us. We'll bring back to the Board if we
need some additional approval.
MR. DORRILL: We have two speakers as well.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. Commissioner Hac'Kie.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: I'll wait till after the
speakers.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. Let's here from the
speakers.
MR. DORRILL: Ms. Helmsderfer.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: She's waving.
MR. DORRILL: Okay. And then I have Dr. Stallings. And
I think I'm about to have another one.
MR. STALLINGS: Fran Stallings with the Florida Wildlife
Federation. I don't think anybody questions that we need to get this
thing opened as quickly as possible. I think staff is proceeding in
the proper way of doing this, and I just want to offer the full
support and cooperation of both the Naples and the Tallahassee office
of the Florida Wildlife Federation to expedite the matter. So we'll
do anything we can to help out.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you.
MR. DORRILL: Miss Nichols-Lucy.
MS. NICHOLS-LUCY: Good morning. Sue Nichols-Lucy from
the Conservancy. I would like to echo that. I think we have an
emergency situation. We've been swamped with phone calls. We're very
concerned about the water quality in that area. And so if we can vote
on the emergency situation today and then discuss the ongoing dredge
and fill next week with NRPA, that would be great. Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Thank you.
MR. DORRILL: I only wanted to thank Mr. Conrecode and
Mr. Neal, because I gave them real fast direction on Friday and it was
obvious that somebody worked over the weekend or yesterday to help
prepare what we've done thus from in getting a land surveyor out
there, and I just want the Board to know that I appreciate their
efforts.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We do, too.
Commissioner Constantine.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I make a motion we declare a
Class B emergency and follow staff recommendation for action.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Seconded.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We have a motion and a second.
Is there further discussion? There being none, I'll poll the
question. All those in favor please say aye. Opposed? There being
none, motion passes 5/0. We have a Class B emergency.
MR. CUYLER: Madame Chairman, I know you're going to
break -- I think you're going to break for lunch.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Well, we have two items or three
items left. We're going to try to work on through.
Item #10A
RESOLUTION 95-145 APPROVING A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING AND TRANSFER
OF DEED AGREEMENT FOR THE MARCO ISLAND AIRPORT AND THE FAKAHATCHEE
STRAND - ADOPTED AND AGREEMENT APPROVED AS AMENDED
The next item on the agenda is a recommendation to
approve the memorandum of understanding with DEP regarding the
transfer of the Marco Island Airport deed.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Can I just ask you a question
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Yeah.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: -- that hopefully you can
answer and hopefully will stem any long debate on it? This outlines
the items with which we need to, in the future, have formally written
down and agreed to --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Right.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: -- in legalese by Mr. Cuyler.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We will in the future be entering
into probably three additional agreements, and this is an outline of
what will be contained in those agreements.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: But this allows us to have
the deed in the meantime?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Yes.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Okay.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We do acquire the deed and --
MR. CONSTANTINE: Motion to approve.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: Seconded.
MR. CUYLER: Madame Chairperson?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Mr. Cuyler needs to put something
on the record.
MR. CUYLER: This is real quick. You should have a
couple of items in front of you somewhere up on the dais, one of which
I need to speak to briefly. We got a very minor clarification. I had
it faxed to me yesterday when I was up here.
In item number three, on page 2 of 3, that deals with
the Sheriff's Office agreement between the County and the Sheriff's
Office, I put a little check mark if you can find the single page. It
has 10(A) right up at the top of it. The current proposed agreement
that was handed out to you says, there's a clause: ", with a monthly
average of twenty-one of the patrols occurring dusk to dawn." And the
clarification is that that would be ", of which a monthly average of
twenty-one of the patrols per week will occur dusk to dawn." And that
clarification is to make it clear that that's a weekly average taken
out over the month.
The only other item that I have is that I prepared a
resolution that you should also find in front of you. So your motion
approving -- If you want me to, I'll go through the resolution but
it's just you find that the conveyance is in the best interest of the
County. You authorize it. And this will also approve the agreement.
So if your motion could include approval of the resolution and
approval of the agreement with that change, that will take care of
everything.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS:
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS:
floor already.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS:
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS:
amend?
So moved.
Well, we have a motion on the
Oh, we do?
Does the motion maker want to
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Why don't we include that in
the motion.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: I amend and second it.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: One thing I just wanted to
mention, too, one of the things I'd like to see when you go back and
do your thing them: due to the nature of the business on the airport
with fuel and so on, there may be some sort of contamination. When we
had our almost-agreement last of October or November, it included that
any damage that had taken place while the state was there, they'd be
responsible and so on. I'd hate to have us fix up the airport, have
the State DEP come to us six months later and say, Oop, now you've got
to clean that property up for something that happens when they
actually held the property.
MR. CUYLER: We will try to do that. The way it is
right now we are making no guarantees for the property that we're
giving with regard to environmental contamination. They're making no
-- and obviously there's difference in uses between those two
properties, but we are making no assurances.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: That could be a huge cost,
though.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: So the 1950's use of the
Fakahatchee Strand area, too, could have a huge cost attached to it,
too.
MR. CUYLER: Yes, that's something, you know, that's a
part of the arrangement that we need to get rid of that.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Mr. Dotrill, you had something to
say.
MR. DORRILL: I was just going to say that we were made
aware of a spill at Marco and that was investigated. There was some
analysis done and there was some abatement work in soils
contamination. And so to the extent that we were aware of it, it was
very small in scope, and that has been fully abated.
The contaminated soil was removed, and that was done
between Pollution Control and the Airport Authority but, obviously,
the ongoing exploration of that. And as Mr. Cuyler said, I think both
of us going into this with our eyes open. We're not warranting that
there's no presoak contamination along the old tramways through the
Fakahatchee. We're not asking them for -- you know, that somebody
didn't put solvents or parts cleaner fluid or something like that on
the Marco facility as well.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. We have a motion and a
second. Is there further discussion? There being none, I'll poll the
question. All those in favor of the resolution and the memorandum of
agreement, please say aye. Opposed? There being none, motion passes
5/0. Thank you.
The next item on the agenda, as we move forward.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: A little side note that's on
that airport thing. That means we get -- how many dollars we're going
to be able to accept on the grant for Marco?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: $300,000 and the DEP has promised
to have the deed in our hands in five days. So we'll have it before
March 1st. And I'd like to thank a multitude of people that worked on
this project, not to mention Valetie Boyd who made her personal
presence and her corporate assets available last Monday to get this
finished up.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Not to prolong it any, but I
want to also thank Senator Dudley who had some influence on the deal
as well.
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: Let's send the senator a nice
letter from the County Commission as a whole an official thank-you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I have no problem with doing
that. I had asked Mrs. Filson to send faxes to all of our legislative
delegation last Monday morning before the plane took off, to intercede
in our behalf on this. And I'm must say, when we got there, it was
smooth sailing. So I don't know who interceded. I think a lot of
them did but certainly Mr. Dudley did, too.
MR. CUYLER: And I'd like from my office, too, even
though I went to a trip to Tallahassee, Mr. Wydel (phonetic) has done
a great majority of the work on this, and I'd like to thank him just
from my office, too.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: I think we'll stop short of
thanking everyone's mother and move on now.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We could say it. A multitude of
people.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: I would like to thank the
academy.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: A multitude of people have been
involved. It feels very good.
Item #13B1
RESOLUTION 95-146 RELATING TO PETITION CU=93=21 FORAN EXTENSION OF A
CONDITIONAL USE OF PROPERTY BY THE IHMOKALEE CHILD CARE CENTER, INC.,
FOR PROPERTY BOUNDED BY BOSTON AVENUE, 4TH STREET SOUTH, COLORADO
AVENUE AND 7TH STREET SOUTH IN IHMOKALEE - ADOPTED
Moving forward into the afternoon agenda, we only have
one item to address and that is Petition CU-93-21, an extension of
conditional use.
MR. DORRILL: Okay. No one registered.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: No one's registered. Okay. I'll
close the public hearing. Do we have a motion?
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Motion to approve the
Petition CU-93-21.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We have a motion a couple of
seconds. If there's no further discussion, I'll poll the question.
All in favor, please say aye. Opposed? There being none, motion
passes.
Thank you, Mr. Nino.
Item #15A
BCC VACATION SCHEDULE - WEEK OF JUNE 27, JULY 4, JULY 11, AUGUST 29,
AND DECEMBER 26 - APPROVED
MR. DORRILL: Communication items. Mr. Dorrill, you
have the discussion of our vacation schedule?
MR. DORRILL: Only because someone -- I believe in
either Miss Filson or someone in the Budget Office wanted us to just
disclose what the proposal was in terms of those actual times and
either get your acknowledgment of that or comment.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Those are the dates we
discussed on March 17
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Yeah. These are the dates that
we discussed where we are going to take advantage of the Fourth of
July falling on a Tuesday and take the week prior and the week
subsequent to the Fourth of the July off and then August the 29th and
December the 26th. So those are the --
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: As far as the 26th, Christmas will
be over by then.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Well, you know it absolutely
will, but we normally take off the Tuesday between the Christmas
holiday and New Year. I don't think we need anything except to have
said that this is what the schedule is this year.
MR. DORRILL: As long as you acknowledge that. And I
have nothing further today.
Item #15B
UPDATE ON TOURIST TAX CASE - U.S. SUPREHE COURT DECLINED JURISDICTION
OF THE PLAINTIFF'S CASE
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Hr. Cuyler, do you have
anything?
MR. CUYLER: I do. I have --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Good news.
MR. CUYLER: I have an announcement of some good news.
We have received an oral communication. I don't have it in writing
but we have received an oral communication that the U.S. Supreme Court
has declined to accept jurisdiction of the plaintiffs, the tourist tax
case appeal.
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: That's the end of that.
MR. CUYLER: We need to go back to Circuit Court and
take the mandate back and say we'd like a court order but, yeah, that
should be the end of that.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Norris, do you have
anything?
COHMISSIONER NORRIS: Where do we go to get our photos?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Right here. He'll be back about
12:30 to set up and do it.
Item #14A
UPDATE REGARDING HEETING WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD - SCHOOL BOARD TO WORK
MORE CREATIVELY ON REEF PROJECT
Commissioner Hancock.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: A member of the School Board on
Thursday brought the issue of the reef to them. They directed their
staff to work a little more creatively with us in getting those
materials taken care of. And with Mr. Dorrill's help, we'll stay on
top of that. If nothing happens, I'll be back to them.
MR. DORRILL: Thank you.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Mac'Kie?
COMHISSIONER MAC'KIE: Nothing.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Commissioner Constantine?
MR. CONSTANTINE: Nothing.
Item #14B
DISCUSSION REGARDING ART WORK IN CORRIDORS - CHAIRMAN MATTHEWS TO
COHMUNICATE WITH SCHOOL BOARD TO INQUIRE WHETHER ART DEPARTMENTS ARE
INTERESTED IN PROVIDING ART WORK OF HISTORIC IMPORTANT SITES FOR
CORRIDORS
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I have one thing, and that is
that I circulated a memo amongst the Board a couple of weeks ago
regarding artwork along our hallways and so forth. Responses were
favorable. And whether we should ask Commissioner Hancock to ask the
School Board to proceed or whether you want me to write a letter to
them and ask them to get their art departments involved to see if we
can get some artwork of historic and important sites.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: Was that the artwork for the
hallway among the offices?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Yeah.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: There's also someone that has --
I think Commissioner Norris circulated a memo to make that the Hall of
Fame of a panel of commissioners.
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: I think it's Rose Gallery.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Yeah, the Rose Gallery.
COMHISSIONER HANCOCK: Can those work in conjunction or
is it one or the other?
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I thought there was further
discussion to put the pictures in the conference room.
COMHISSIONER CONSTANTINE: To tell you the truth, I'd
rather have the gallery than the -- it's a personal preference -- than
the high school museum.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Well, I myself prefer to involve
the students of Collier County in giving us some artwork of --
COMHISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I just think a more public
display out there would be more beneficial.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Both. Well, we need more
pictures in the hallway, too.
COMHISSIONER MAC'KIE: Well, for what it's worth, I've
got an art class that's going to be doing this for my personal
office. They're going to rotate artwork there.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Oh, I thought you were taking
an art class or going to present something to us.
COMHISSIONER MAC'KIE: No, but I could do that. I could
do a few sketches. No. But I think that we need to -- I think the
idea of rotating the art of the schools is a great idea. I want to do
that. And surely we can have the Rose Gallery out in the hall or
something.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. Now, the question before
us is should Mr. Hancock bring this up at the next Board meeting or do
you want me to write a letter to the School Board?
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: Motion for Bettye to write a
letter.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. I've got no problem in
doing that. It's just a question of how we want to do it.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: I'd be happy to do a public
presentation but I -- I mean, I can -- you know, why don't we just
write a letter and I'm sure we'll get support.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I'll write a letter to the School
Board.
COHMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: This is not worth arguing
about but do we have general agreement to that, that that's what -- I
just didn't hear everybody say that. That's all.
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: I always liked the pictures being
in here. Now I guess it's not part of the decor anymore. And, you
know, I just liked, you know, seeing the pictures of the commissioners
from the 1950s and realizing that we're still wearing the same
glasses, you know. I mean, just little -- I like looking at that.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: But we still don't see very well,
do we?
COHMISSIONER HANCOCK: So I would like for us to find a
place for that that's prominent and public and to put those back up.
COHMISSIONER MAC'KIE: The bad news is that ours will
eventually follow, so, you know, please --
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: -- do we really want it?
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Yeah.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Anyway, I will write a letter to
the School Board Chairman seeing if they can have our art departments
in the high schools do some artwork for the hallways out in the main
hallway and the Commission offices and so forth of historic sites.
And we'll get the former commissioners' pictures back up. And with
all that, I believe we are -- You have one more question.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: One other one. Does anybody
mind if I have our little photograph first? I have a 12:30 lunch and
I'd like to get the picture done and get out of here as soon as
possible.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I don't have any problem with
that at all.
You have a comment?
MS. FILSON: I didn't understand where we're going to
have the photographs hung. In the conference room or back in here?
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I don't think we decided
that.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: We're talking about the student
artwork right now and we do want the commissioner pictures back up.
We'll have to all get you a memo.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: I'd like to talk about spaying
and neutering for a minute.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: You want to go to lunch?
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: As long as we're on the subject,
why don't we tell Miss Filson where we want those photos.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: I have no complaint as to whether
they're in here or in the conference room. There are boxes of
pictures. So we can probably put them all over.
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: I like the conference room
idea just because it kind of created a little history and created a
presence, I guess, when we have the different meetings we have in
there.
MR. NORRIS: That's fine. Let's just make a decision
so '- COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Is it really? I mean we can't
delegate the authority on this to somebody on the staff just --
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: No, we can't.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: -- to hang pictures where they
look best or something?
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: Uh-uh. No.
MR. DORRILL: I'm not touching the point.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Smart man.
MR. DORRILL: I would be concerned about hanging them in
here just because some of the frames and mats are in pretty bad shape
if we keep the frames we've got.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Well, some of them need to be
replaced, yeah. Conference room?
COMMISSIONER CONSTANTINE: Fine.
COMMISSIONER NORRIS: Conference is fine.
COMMISSIONER HANCOCK: Fine.
COMMISSIONER MAC'KIE: Fine.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Done. Conference room.
MR. DORRILL: We will cheerfully hang them in the
conference room.
CHAIRPERSON MATTHEWS: Okay. We're adjourned.
Commissioner Constantine moved, seconded by Commissioner Mac'Kie
and carried unanimously, that the following items under the Consent
Agenda be approved and/or adopted:
Item #16A1
RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE FOR RECORDING THE FINAL PLAT OF "GREY OAKS
UNIT SEVEN"
See Pages
Item #16A2
RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE FOR RECORDING THE FINAL PLAT OF "GREY OAKS
UNIT EIGHT"
See Pages
Item #16A3
RESOLUTION 95-140, GRANTING FINAL ACCEPTANCE OF THE ROADWAY, DRAINAGE,
WATER AND SEWER IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE FINAL PLAT OF "HERITAGE PINES"
See Pages
Item #16A4
RESOLUTION 95-141, GRANTING FINAL ACCEPTANCE OF THE ROADWAY, DRAINAGE,
WATER AND SEWER IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE FINAL PLAT OF "BERKSHIRE LAKES
UNIT SEVEN"
Item #16A5
See Pages
RECOHMENDATION TO APPROVE FOR RECORDING THE FINAL PLAT OF "HUNTINGTON
LAKES, UNIT ONE"
See Pages
Item #16D1
RECOHMENDATION TO APPROVE AND EXECUTE CORRECTIVE NOTICE OF CLAIM OF
LIEN
See Pages
Item #16D2
RECOHMENDATION TO APPROVE AND EXECUTE THE NOTICE OF PROHISE TO PAY AND
AGREEMENT TO EXTEND PAYMENT OF SEWER IMPACT FEES FOR DEL H. ACKERHAN
See Pages
Item #16El
TWO LETTER AGREEMENTS TO AUTHORIZE LIMITED PUBLICATION OF COLLIER
COUNTY'S "TURKEY" EMBLEM AND FLAG
Item #16E2
RESOLUTION 95-142, ESTABLISHING NEW PAY TITLES FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF
REVENUE
See Pages
Item #16E3
RECOHMENDATION TO AWARD BID #95-2318 FOR JANITORIAL SUPPLES - TO
VARIOUS VENDORS
Item #16F1
RENEWAL OF MAINTENANCE CONTRACT WITH EVERGLADES COHMUNICATIONS FOR THE
ADMINISTRATIVE 800 HHZ RADIO SYSTEM
Item #16G1
BID #95-2314 FOR SINGLE FAMILY CURBSIDE RECYCLING CONTAINERS - AWARDED
TO LEWIS SYSTEM @ $4.99 PER CONTAINER
Item #16H1
WORK ORDER UNDER THE CURRENT AGREEMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL AERIAL AND
GROUND SURVEYING SERVICES (RFP #94-2252) FOR THE PROPOSED EXTENSION OF
LIVINGSTON ROAD FROM PINE RIDGE ROAD TO IHMOKALEE ROAD - WITH WILSON,
MILLER, BARTON & PEEK IN THE AMOUNT OF $86,085.00
See Pages
Item #16H2
FUNDING SOURCE FOR RAW WATER SURGE CONTROL IMPROVEMENTS
Itemm #16J
MISCELLANEOUS CORRESPONDENCE - FILED AND/OR REFERRED
The following miscellaneous correspondence as presented by the
Board of County Commissioners has been directed to the various
departments as indicated:
Item #16J1
CERTIFICATES OF CORRECTION TO THE TAX ROLLS AS PRESENTED BY THE
PROPERTY APPRAISER'S OFFICE
1993
TANGIBLE PERSONAL PROPERTY
No's. Dated
180 2/07/95
1994
REAL PROPERTY
122/123 2/08/95
115/116
Item #16K1 - Continued to 2/28/95
Item #16K2
1994
TANGIBLE PERSONAL PROPERTY
2/07 & 2/08/95
AMENDHENT TO RECOGNIZE EHERGENCY HEDICAL SERVICES HATCHING GRANT FUNDS
AWARDED FOR DISPATCHER TRAINING - IN THE AMOUNT OF $5,673.75
There being no further business for the Good of the County, the
meeting was adjourned by Order of the Chair at 1:00 p.m.
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS/EX
OFFICIO GOVERNING BOARD(S) OF
SPECIAL DISTRICTS UNDER ITS
CONTROL
BETTYE J. MATTHEWS, CHAIRPERSON
ATTEST:
DWIGHT E. BROCK, CLERK
These minutes approved by the Board on
as presented or as corrected
TRANSCRIPT PREPARED ON BEHALF OF DONOVAN COURT REPORTING
BY: Sharon A. Sullivan, CSR, RPR