Agenda 09/24/2013 Item #10GProposed Agenda Changes
Board of County Commissioners Meeting
September 24, 2013
Add Item 10G: Recommendation to authorize the Chair to send a letter to the University of
Florida expressing concern, and requesting the inclusion of Collier County agribusiness
industry and public sector stakeholders in discussions regarding recently announced changes in
staff, services provided, and future of the UF/IFAS Southwest Florida Research and Education
Center (SWFREC) in Immokalee. (Commissioner Nance's request)
Withdraw Item 16D7: Recommendation to approve the Rivers Road Preserve Final Management Plan under
the Conservation Collier Land Acquisition Program. (Staffs request)
Continue Item 16E8 to the October 8, 2013 BCC Meeting: Recommendation to authorize the County Manager
and staff to use the Federal GSA schedules (i.e. Schedule 70 and 1122 Program); the State of Florida Contracts,
Agreements and Price Lists; competitively solicited contracts by US Communities, Western States Contracting
Alliance, National Intergovernmental Purchasing Alliance (NIPA), National joint Powers Alliance (N1PA)
public purchasing consortiums; and, competitive solicitations from State of Florida cities, counties, and other
public municipalities (i.e. Sheriffs Association) for the efficient purchase of goods and services for the
delivery of public services and for which funds were approved in operating budgets. (Staffs request)
Move Item 16K3 to Item 12D: Recommendation to authorize the County Attorney to advertise for future
consideration an ordinance which would amend Ordinance No. 2013 -25, the Collier County Hearing Examiner
Ordinance. (Commissioner Coyle's request)
Note:
Items 10D, IOE and 1,4A1: It is recommended these items be heard and discussed together, before being
individually voted upon.
Item 11C Leeal Considerations should read: This item has been reviewed by the County Attorney. Fl. Stat.
Section 125.045 (County economic development powers) grants the Board extremely broad home rule powers
with respect to economic development. Any Board approved Economic Development Incentive Program will
always only be a part of the County's overall economic development tools, with the Board retaining the broad
powers under Fl. Stat. Sec. 125.045 to enter into an individual economic development agreement tailored to meet
the needs of particular economic development project. With that noted, this item is approved as to form and
legality, requiring majority support for approval. -JAK (County Attorney's request)
Item 16K3 Executive Summary and proposed Ordinance should read: Conditional Uses. ...any member of
the Board of County Commissioners may direct any conditional use to be heard by the Planning
Commission in an advisory committee... (Commissioner Fiala's request)
Items 16K4 Executive Summary should read: "Employer and Employee shall negotiate ... a performance
based merit system through which Employee shall be eligible for a merit adjustment upon the successful
completion of measurable goals and objects objectives to be completed or attained by the Employee..."
(Commissioner Fiala's request)
Time Certain Items
Item 11A to be heard at 10:00 a.m.
Court Reporter Break at 10:20 a.m.
Items IOD, 10E, 14A1 will be heard at 10:30 a.m. and discussed together before being individually voted upon.
Item 14A2 to be heard immediately following IOD, l0E and 14A1
Item HE to be heard at 11:00 a.m.
Item 12C to be heard immediately following Item 12B
Item 13A to be heard at 11:30 a.m.
Teresa L. Cannon
From: Brock, MaryJo
Sent: Monday, September 23, 2013 10:20 AM
To: Minutes and Records; Althouse, Tammy; Neet, Virginia
Cc: Puig, Judy; Marcella, Jeanne; Alonso, Hailey; Pochopin, Pat; Jacobs, Susan
Subject: FW: Add -on Item - OF -IFAS Southwest Florida Reseach and Education Center - Draft
Correspondence
Attachments: Draft Exec Summ - Letter RE SWFREC 9 -13 (2).doc; Draft Letter- OF - SWFREC - on
Itrhd.docx; OF News Release - SWFREC 9- 18- 13.doc
Good morning, The attached will be included on the change sheet, as Add On Item 10G.
Thank you, MJ
Mary-Jo Brock - Executive Assistant to Leo E. Ochs, Jr. - County Manager's Office
maryjobrock@a colliergov.net
239.252.8364
please consider the environment before printing this email
From: FlanaganJim
Sent: Monday, September 23, 2013 9:31 AM
To: BrockMaryJo
Subject: Add -on Item - OF -IFAS Southwest Florida Reseach and Education Center - Draft Correspondence
MaryJo
The attached was subject of discussion in this morning's one -on -ones with Commissioner Nance, and forwarded to you
on behalf of County Manager Leo Ochs.
I will be issuing a one -way communication to the other Commissioners.
Leo has been provided 12 copies of the Add -on Item for his use.
Thanks,
Respectfully,
Jim Flanagan
Executive Assistant to
Tim Nance, County Commissioner, District 5
W. Harmon Turner Building
3299 Tamiami Trail East - Suite 303
Naples, FL 34112
239 - 252 -8604
239 - 821 -3199 (cell)
JimFlanagan @colliergov.net
1
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Recommendation to authorize the Chair to send a letter to the University of Florida
expressing concern, and requesting the inclusion of Collier County agribusiness industry
and public sector stakeholders in discussions regarding recently announced changes in
staffing, services provided, and the future of the OF /IFAS Southwest Florida Research
and Education Center ( SWFREC) in Immokalee, FL.
OBJECTIVE: To open communication and enable Collier County agribusiness stakeholders
and public sector representatives to become productively engaged in discussions and decisions
with the University of Florida regarding the future of the Research and Education Center
presently located in Immokalee, and the greater general presence of the University of Florida in
SW Florida. Issues of concern include maintaining a high level of essential technical, research,
and education support for the Collier and SW Florida regional Agribusiness and supporting
industries including, but not limited to, vegetables, citrus, ranching, and sugar.
Additionally, to express the importance and value that SW Florida industries and
government place on scientific and technical institutions, such as OF /IFAS, and the SWFREC, as
partners for Regional Economic Development and the development of Economic Incubators.
Finally, to clearly communicate our commitment to support, maintain, and develop the
closest and most productive and mutually beneficial relationship possible with the University of
Florida.
CONSIDERATIONS: The current 320 acre UF/ IFAS facility opened in Immokalee in 1958,
and developed into the SWFREC in 1986, one of 13 such research and education centers in the
State. For the last 27 years, this facility has supported the diverse Agribusiness industries in the
five County SW Florida region of Lee, Collier, Glades, Hendry, and Charlotte Counties with
high quality technical and educational support, and a strong and direct link to the wider
University of Florida /IFAS system. Faculty and staff at this facility have conducted research
and extended technology in crop horticulture, entomology, plant pathology, animal husbandry,
and economics, and contributed greatly to the technical advancement and problem solving
network for the SW Florida regional and state Agribusiness industry.
The National Science Foundation has named the University of Florida the finest
institution for Agribusiness science and technology in the nation.
On September 18, 2013 OF Sr. Vice President, Jack Payne, suddenly announced the
SWFREC at Immokalee would cease operations as a research and education center as of
September 1, 2014 and the repurposing of the facility, without any prior discussion with Center
faculty and staff, agribusiness stakeholders, or regional public partners.
The loss of this science and technology institution will have a great negative impact to
the multi $billion regional agribusiness industry, and result in reduced opportunity for Ag related
technology and economic development in Collier County and SW Florida.
FISCAL IMPACT: None
LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS: None
GROWTH MANAGEMENT IMPACT: None
RECOMMENDATION: Recommendation to authorize the Chair to send a letter to the
University of Florida expressing concern, and requesting the inclusion of Collier County
agribusiness industry and public sector stakeholders in discussions regarding recently announced
changes in staffing, services provided, and the future of the OF / IFAS Southwest Florida
Research and Education Center (SWFREC) in Immokalee, FL.
Dr. Jack M. Payne
Sr. Vice President — Agriculture and Natural Resources
University of Florida / IFAS
PO Box 110180
Gainesville, FL 32611 -0180
jackpayne@ufl.edu
PREPARED BY: Tim Nance
AGENDA DATE: September 24, 2013
Attachments:
OF / IFAS News Release 9 -18 -14
• Draft Correspondence to the University of Florida for BCC review and consideration
UFUNIVERSITY of Formatted: Left: 0.7 ", Right: 0.7", Top:
FLORIDA NEWS RELEASE 0.3 ", Footer distance from edge: 0.3"
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences
Information and Communication Services
Building 116
P.O. Box 110810
Gainesville, FL. 32611 -0810
352 - 392 -2411
http://news.ifas.ufl.edu
UF/ IFAS crafting new vision for Southwest Florida Research and Education Center
Sept. 18, 2013
Contact: Jack Payne, 352 - 392 -1971, jacklayne@ufl.edu
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - -- To better target services to stakeholders, officials at the University of
Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences will transition the research and education
center in Immokalee to a new programming focus.
OF /IFAS officials said they hope to streamline duplicated services among several of the state's
research and education centers, including the center in Immokalee. That center will cease
functioning as a research and education center on Sept. 1, 2014, allowing time for scientific
experiments now underway to be completed.
"I know that this type of change affects many people," said Jack Payne, UF's senior vice
president for agriculture and natural resources. "But sometimes it is necessary, and we believe
that to improve, we must get through this process of re- evaluating how we operate."
In the meantime, OF /IFAS officials are appointing an advisory committee this fall that will
include agricultural and community stakeholders and will be co- chaired by Charles Vavrina, a
OF /IFAS district Extension director, and Scott Taylor, director of operations at the OF /WAS
Hastings Partnership site.
That committee will come up with recommendations about the future vision for the Immokalee
center, which will be modeled after the successful "partnership" programs at Live Oak and
Hastings.
John Arthington, a OF /IFAS professor and director of the Range Cattle Research and Education
Center in Ona, will supervise the center during the transition.
Six faculty members at the center will be reassigned to other centers, as appropriate. And
OF /IFAS human resources officials will work with non - faculty employees at the center to
ensure the smoothest possible transition. The 320 -acre Immokalee center has housed researchers
who specialize in citrus and vegetable horticulture, among other topics, was established as a OF
support facility in 1958 and became a UF/ IFAS station in 1986.
-30-
The Foundation for The Gator Nation
An Equal Opportunity Institution
"f
Board of Collier County Commissioners
Donna Fiala Georgia A. Hiller, Esq. Tom Henning Fred W. Coyle Tim Nance
District 1 District 2 District 3 District 4 District 5
DRAFT CORRESPONDENCE
Dr. Jack M. Payne
Sr. Vice President — Agriculture and Natural Resources
University of Florida / IFAS
PO Box 110180
Gainesville, FL 32611 -0180
jackpayne @ufl.edu
September 24, 2013
Dr. Payne;
The Collier County Board of County Commissioners wishes to express our concern
regarding the recent announcement by the University of Florida / IFAS of significant changes at
the SWFREC in Immokalee. Since 1986 the SWFREC has been the centerpiece of the Collier
County and SW Florida connection to the University of Florida, and the key institution for
technology and research for the agribusiness industry in the five county Collier, Lee, Hendry,
Glades, Charlotte County SW Florida region.
As a major sector of our economy, and as an industry with great potential for future warm
climate / high tech Economic Development, it is our sincerest hope to maintain the very best
technical support for agribusiness and allied industries. Toward that goal, Collier County is also
committed to supporting, maintaining, and developing the closest and most productive and
mutually beneficial relationship possible with the University of Florida.
We would welcome the opportunity to meet with you and your staff to discuss how
Collier agribusiness stakeholders, and the Collier County government can participate in
discussions regarding the future of the SWFREC / Immokalee, and how we can further develop
our collaboration with UF.
We look forward to working together in the days ahead to achieve the best possible
outcome for our citizens and industries.
Sincerely,
Georgia A. Hiller, Esq.
Chair — Collier County Board of County Commissioners
3299 Tamiami Trail East, Suite 303 • Naples, Florida 34112 - 5746.239- 252 -8097 • FAX 239 - 252 -3602