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BCC Minutes 09/14/2001 E (Tropical Storm Gabrielle) September 14, 2001 EMERGENCY MEETING OF September 14, 2001 OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS LET IT BE REMEMBERED, that the Board of County Commissioners in and for the County of Collier, and also acting as the Board of Zoning Appeals and as the governing board(s) of such special districts as have been created according to law and having conducted business herein, met on this date at 2:05 p.m. In EMERGENCY SESSION in Building "F" of the Government Complex, East Naples, Florida, with the following members present: CHAIRMAN: JAMES D. CARTER, PH.D JIM COLETTA DONNA FIALA TOM HENNING ABSENT: PAMELA MAC'KIE TOM OLLIFF, County Manager DAVID WEIGEL, County Attorney TOM STORRAR, Emergency Services Admin. KEN PINEAU, Emergency Management Dir. ALSO PRESENT: Page 1 COLLIER COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONER-~ AGENDA FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2001 2:00 p.m. NOTICE: ALL PERSONS WISHING TO SPEAK ON ANY AGENDA ITEM MUST REGISTER PRIOR TO SPEAKING. ANY PERSON WHO DECIDES TO APPEAL A DECISION OF THIS BOARD WILL NEED A RECORD OF THE PROCEDINGS PERTAINING THERETO, AND THEREFORE MAY NEED TO ENSURE THAT A VERBATIM RECORD OF THE PROCEEDINGS IS MADE, WHICH RECORD INCLUDES TESTIMONY AND EVIDENCE UPON WHICH THE APPEAL IS TO BE BASED. ALL REGISTERED PUBLIC SPEAKERS WILL BE FIVE (5) MINUTES UNLESS PERMISSION FOR TIME IS GRANTED BY THE CHAIRMAN. LIMITED TO ADDITIONAL 1. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE PROCLAMATION/RESOLUTION DECLARING A STATE OF EMERGENCY REGARDING TROPICAL STORM GABRIELLE FOR ALL TERRITORY WITHIN THE LEGAL BOUNDARIES OF COLLIER COUNTY INCLUDING ALL INCORPORATED AND UNINCORPORATED AREAS 3. ADJOURN September 14, 2001 CHAIRMAN CARTER: Thank you for being here, Commissioners. I call this emergency session together for the Board of County Commissioners. Mr. Ken Pineau, if you would take us forward so that we can do the resolution to meet the needs of Collier County. MR. WEIGEL: Thank you. Ken has allowed me to speak first, David Weigel, county attorney. I'd like to note for the record that through the efforts and communications of Tom Storrar and Ken Pineau from emergency services for Collier County that they, with our office, has endeavored to get notice out as promptly as possible for this emergency meeting. It's not only being televised live at this point; we do have a member of the print media here who was advised ahead of time. There have been the typical notices, accommodations that have been placed forward, as they are for all typical meetings, although the time has been relatively short. By virtue of the fact that it's an emergency meeting, we believe that we have met the requirements for timing that's appropriate under these circumstances. Thank you. MR. PINEAU: Good afternoon, Commissioners, Ken Pineau, your emergency management director. I think that we fared a little bit better than our -- some of our neighbors to our north, but we did have some widespread flooding, especially at high tide from about 7 a.m. this morning until -- well, actually down in Everglades City it's still going down. Along the causeway to Chokoloskee Island we reported water depths of about 4 feet on the causeway itself. And up at Lely Barefoot Beach, also, we had one report it was waist high up there at about 7:30 this morning. So one of the reasons why we're asking for this local state of emergency is we'd like to proceed with a damage assessment, along with our other counties nearby. And perhaps we can get a disaster declaration and pick up some of the costs. I'm sure that there's some Page 2 September 14, 2001 uninsured folks out here in the community that lost property, and this is one of the reasons why we would ask for this state of local emergency. Are there any questions? CHAIRMAN CARTER: Any questions on the part of the board? COMMISSIONER FIALA: Just one. I just had a note on my desk about Rock Creek Campground, and they had the worst flooding she's ever had in the history of the -- MR. PINEAU: It's not surprising. I was up there -- I drove through Brookside at about eleven o'clock this morning. And although there were no -- to my knowledge, there was no water in any homes, the streets were -- were -- were flooded, especially at the western edge. And I'm sure that up at Rock Creek historically they do get flooding from time to time whenever we have a tropical system like this, and today was no exception. COMMISSIONER FIALA: Okay. So that they will be included in this disaster-- MR. PINEAU: Yes. And we -- yes. And what -- we're out there canvassing the area right now. They have folks report back in. I think it would be a lot faster doing it that way. We blast-faxed it out to the media, and we're starting to get some reports in already for damages. So we will be open tomorrow, at least tomorrow morning. And we hope to get the folks from the building review and permitting department, because they're the ones who are responsible for damage assessment in the county. COMMISSIONER FIALA: Great. Last question then. She had asked one of us to come out and see the flooding damages there. So best I just give that to you, and you'll take care of that for us? MR. PINEAU: Yes, ma'am. COMMISSIONER FIALA: Thank you. Page 3 September 14, 2001 COMMISSIONER HENNING: Commissioner Fiala, I wouldn't worry about -- I gave them Commissioner Coletta's cell phone number so -- COMMISSIONER COLETTA: And I'll -- for anything after nine o'clock in the evening, call Mr. Henning at his home. Back to a little more serious note, Ken, sheet flow. Can we expect repercussions for the next week with sheet flow? MR. PINEAU: That is a-- a real consideration, especially for the folks that are living up there north of Immokalee Road, up there in the northern part of the estates, Longshore Lake, in that area there, and also in the vicinity of Immokalee. Yeah, we are a little worried about that with this torrential rain that they had earlier this week up there in the vicinity of Lake Trafford. All of that will start moving down this way. Hopefully the improvements that they made on the Immokalee Road canal will -- will keep that and let it flow out into the gulf, but we shall see. COMMISSIONER COLETTA: We'll see. And so at this point in time, even though people haven't experienced flooding, they could shortly or in the next couple of days when the sheet flow continues to move forward. MR. PINEAU: That's correct. CHAIRMAN CARTER: Well, I think that's all important and for our listening audience that our staff is well aware of these situations and -- and will investigate and assess all of these. And that's the reason we're doing this emergency meeting, because we declare this for all of Collier County and, along with our sister counties, will seek aid through FEMA in a restoration process. And that's the least we can do. We're asking everybody just to bear with us, and we'll have to wait and see how mother nature treats us as all of this moves north and eastward. At this point if there are no further questions by the commissioners, do we now read this proclamation? Page 4 September 14, 2001 MR. WEIGEL: You may read the proclamation and then ultimately with a motion and vote. CHAIRMAN CARTER: Okay. With the permission of the board, I'll read the proclam -- proclamation and then entertain a -- a motion for approval. This is a proclamation resolution. It's a proclamation of the Board of County Commissioners of Collier County to declare a state of emergency for all territory within the legal boundaries of Collier County, including all incorporated and unincorporated areas. Whereas, the National Hurricane Center recognizes the danger to residents and businesses by placing Collier County under hurricane watch; and Whereas, Tropical Storm Gabrielle has the potential for causing extensive damage to public utilities, public buildings, public communication systems, public streets and roads, public drainage systems, commercial and residential buildings and areas; and Whereas, Chapter 252.38(3A5) Florida Statutes, and Collier County Ordinance No. 2001-45 provides for a political subdivision such as Collier County to declare a state of a local emergency and to waive the procedures and formalities otherwise required of a political subdivision by law pertaining to: 1, performance of public work and taking whatever prudent action is necessary to insure the health, safety, and welfare of the community; No. 2, entering into contracts; No. 3, incurring obligations; No. 4, employment of permanent and temporary workers; No. 5, rental of equipment; No. 6, utilization of volunteer workers; No. 7, acquisition and distribution with or without -- with or without compensation of supplies, materials, and facilities; No. 8, appropriation and expenditure of public funds. Now, therefore, it is resolved by the Board of County Commissioners of Collier County, Florida, in emergency session this 14th day of September, 2001, that Tropical Storm Gabrielle poses a Page 5 September 14, 2001 serious threat to the lives and property of residents of Collier County and that a state of local emergency be de -- de -- declared effective immediately for all territory in the incorporated and unincorporated areas of Collier County. Be it further resolved that the Board of County Commission -- Commissioners hereby exercises authority pursuant to Collier County Ordinance No. 2001-45 and waives the procedures and formalities required by law of a political subdivision as provided in Chapter 252.38(3A5) Florida Statutes, this recommendation adopted after a second and majority favoring the same. COMMISSIONER HENNING: Mr. Chairman, I make a motion that we adopt this resolution. COMMISSIONER FIALA: And I second. CHAIRMAN CARTER: I have a motion by Commissioner Henning; I have a second by Commissioner Fiala. All in favor signify by saying aye. (Unanimous response.) CHAIRMAN CARTER: Opposed by the same sign? (No response.) CHAIRMAN CARTER: Motion carries. Thank you Commissioners. Mr. Pineau. MR. PINEAU: Thank you very much, Commissioners, for -- for doing that for us. CHAIRMAN CARTER: Okay. It is the least that we can do. And on this day of national prayer, God bless America. This meeting stands adjourned. Page 6 September 14, 2001 There being no further business for the good of the County, the meeting was adjourned by order of the Chair at 2'15 p.m. BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS/EX OFFICIO GOVERNING BOARD(S) OF SPECIAL DISTRICTS UNDER ITS CONTROL ~ JAME~PH.;, CHAIRMAN ~T~EST5 ,- IGH ~.~./E.~BROCK, CLERK Attest a~ to C~trman $ $tg~mture ~t?e~e minutes approved by the Board , as presented or as corrected TRANSCRIPT PREPARED ON BEHALF OF DONOVAN COURT REPORTING, INC., BY BARBARA A. DONOVAN, RMR, CRR Page 7