Board of Commissioners - Regular Meeting

heads. Dear heavenly father, Lord, we just want to thank you for this day. Lord, thank you for the weather and Lord, I just want you to look out for the special blessing over each and every person that's come forth tonight to be able to attend and this meeting with us. It's a it's a great joy to see the public come out, support her children, support us as community leaders, and Lord, we just ask that each one of you on your travels to and from, we ask that you'll be with each one of them. Lord, we just want to ask you to please stand over each one of us commissioners and help us to make the best decisions we possibly can for the betterment of Columbia County now and in the future. And Lord, we just want to beg and ask you to put a sunshine of rain upon us. We are very, very dry. And Lord, all the conflicts that we know good throughout this world, we ask that you put a special head of protection around each and every one of our soldiers, man and woman that serves us, protects us, and gives us opportunity to be able to do what we do here tonight. Amen.

Amen. America stands one nation, indivisible with all. All right. Okay. Uh, any additions or deletions here?

Yes, sir. Mr. Chair, uh, we have four additions. A request for an extension on the phase one construction of a multi-purpose sports complex. Basically, we're asking for a six-month extension. Uh, number two is proclamation number 2026P-14, National Animal Control Officer Appreciation Week. Number three is proclamation number 2026P-15, public safety appreciation month. And number four is resolution number 2026R-9, reimbursement agreement for the Florida DOT for construction DEI of turn lanes on US90 entire road at NFMIP. That's one where you approve the agreement. DOT is asking for a resolution. in addition to the agreement that you approved last week. And in terms of deletion, we will not delete the burnband. We will in fact have an update on the burnband.

Do you have a resolution here? You do. Okay. motion to approve the agenda as a but I'm going to bring it down here after I get the approval of the agenda. Oh.

Oh, okay. Okay. That's addition. Okay. Before we approve the agenda, uh, board, I'm going to move the communications event specialist Kimmy Roberts up on the America 250 because we got these children behind us that like to do a presentation. So, I'm going to move that up right in before we do the proclamations. So, I'll seek an approval. Got a motion. Got a second. All in favor say I. All Okay. All right. Uh, Kimmy. Yes, sir.

Go ahead, please. As you know, each month we have had our youth from Columbia County and I've been so excited. So has Lisa. They have just been tremendous. We've had them at the city hall meetings. We've had them at your meetings and we've had them at school board. So it's been wonderful to see the participation from all the students throughout Columbia County. But now let me tell you this. Uh it's not just the students. We've got activities going on all over the county. People are getting involved and they're getting excited and we're thrilled. But we've got a wonderful group of children here tonight and they're excited to show you how they're celebrating the 250th birthday of our nation. And let me introduce Lisa Lee with the school system.

Are y'all sick of me yet? Sick of me yet. But I love my children and I love this district and I love what we do in Columbia County Schools. And right now, um, we have the honor of many Jay Nyacks students. This is actually there are they were seen by Miss Roberts at the schoolboard meeting and she asked could they please please please please please please please come perform at the schoolboard meeting. So they are actually were so amazing and did such a great job that they're actually performing been asked to perform twice in this month. So um we are so excited that you agreed to come and share your music from the 250th um celebration during the music um arts and music night. Um, if you didn't get a chance to see that, you should always try to attend the Come County School's music night. They perform and they're amazing. Our music and art teachers work so hard um with these students and they just do such a great job. We're proud of them. And I'm going to introduce Miss Murphy. She is the principal at Mini J Nack and I'll let her introduce who her guests are. And so we'll see you next month.

Thank you so much again. and I'm Akiba Murphy, the principal at Mini J Nlack Elementary. And we definitely consider it an honor, a privilege, a blessing to be here um to show you all what we have been doing in at Mini J Nylack as it relates to the 250th celebration of our country. So our course under the direction of the dynamic DD Derby will present a song, thankful for the USA. But before we do that, we have three eager young ladies who are going to share some art projects with you all. One being our quilt that we worked on that will be presented by Miss McKenzie. And then we have two bald eagle presentations to be presented to you by Daniela and Carrie. So come on, girls. Our square of design was inspired by John Chapman also known as Johnny Apple Seed. He helped American settlers by planting apple trees and establishing nurseries across 100,000 square miles of the Midwest. His way provide necessary food and help create permanent cultivated settlements on the frontier. Thank you. In art class, we made ball eagles. The ball eagles symbolizes America core values on street freedom and majesty. You'll see the bald eagle representing America America on official papers and money. It's also our school mascot at Mini J Nabok Elementary School.

All right, let's go. Soaring Eagle Singer. We are thankful for the USA. We are thankful for the USA. We are thankful thankful to the USA. We are thankful as can be for our land of liberty. We are thankful. It is true. We love our red. We are thankful for the USA. We are thankful for the USA. Oh, we are thankful. Grfulful USA. We are thankful we know why we live when we are. We are thankful we are here. Everybody give us Yeah.

We are thankful FOR THE USA. WE are the USA. We are thankful USA. We are the USA. We are the USA. We are thankful for the USA. We are the USA. We are Commissioners, we need to share this with you. when she showed the quilt pattern. Every school is doing a pattern and we're making a quilt and it's going to be hung along with uh the ladies of the quilt guild in Columbia County. They have been helping them. They've been working with them. That's part of the grant money that we've used. All the children have been working intensely around the whole county for this. Thank you.

Thank you for having us again. Thank you.

Thank you. Kimmy, hold tight. Don't you run nowhere yet, please. Uh, as everybody's exiting here, this is uh something something we don't actually have on the agenda, but I know we'll kind of get looked upon from some young lady here tomorrow, but that'd be all right. Uh, we've got a surprise proclamation here, number 2026P-13, a proclamation by the Columbia County Board of Commissioners recognizing Kimmy Roberts for her 45 years of service to Columbia County, Florida. Whereas on April 9th, 1981, Kimmy Roberts began her career as a telecommunication specialist in Columbia County Board of Commissioner's office, becoming an integral part of county government operations. And whereas April 9th, 2026, Miss Roberts completed 45 years continuous loyal service to the board of citizens board and the citizens of Columbia County. Whereas throughout her tenure, her role in county government has grown and evolved in meaningful ways. From her original responsibilities to playing a more active, visible part important community initiatives, including farm-totable events and America 250 celebrations. Whereas Miss Roberts has consistently demonstrated professionalism, kindness, dedication, and deep commitment to the public service, earning the respect and gratitude of colleagues, comm community commissioners, and the community she has served so faithfully for more than four

decades. Now therefore, be it resolved that Columbia County Board of County Commissioners hereby proudly recognize and honors Kimmy Roberts for her remarkable 45-year career and her unwavering dedication and the lasting positive impact she has made to the citizens of Columbia County. Be it further resolved that copy of this resolution be presented to Miss Roberts as token of board's sincere appreciation and that be entered into the official minutes of the board. Signed, James M. Swisser, Tim Murphy, chairman, and uh the board of county commissioners and Kimmy David and Kirby said you'd have more off and they'll pay the full ride. So, I know you know everything. You know how

I had no idea. Is there a limit to how long you can work here? Yeah. I didn't take pictures. I'm only 43 years old.

I think the first two chapters She loves Best candy to get her in Okay, we will try to get back in line here with the uh

agenda. Joel, uh if you would please read 2026 Youth Leadership Week, please.

Yes, sir. Mr. Proclamation number 2026 P--06 Youth Leadership Week 2026. Whereas the annual celebration of National Student Leadership Week, NSLW, began on a national level in 1972 by presidential proclamation. And whereas students across Columbia County in schools that are both public and private, whether online or brickandmortar location demonstrate leadership in the classroom while soaring above academic expectations and leadership capacities within academic, social, athletic, and community groups. And whereas, excuse me, and whereas student leaders make significant contributions to the climate and culture of their schools and communities, and it's important to celebrate their individual and collective efforts. Whereas we believe students have earned the their right to be recognized for the entire week of April 24th to April 30th, 2026. Now therefore be it proclaimed by the Columbia County Board of County Commissioners hereby designates the week of April 24th to 30th, 2026 as Youth Leadership Week. Joining the celebration of youth leaders sponsored by our community's carers coalition and community partners encourage citizens, businesses, organizations, and government agencies to join in acknowledging the success of youth leadership throughout the community. Okay.

Motion to approve 2026. Second. Got a motion and a second. Any Got a motion in a second. All in favor say I. I. All oppose. Is there anybody here to accept? Yes, Mr. Chairman. I'm Bo Bman with our community care coalition. Appreciate it. Get a picture and I'll say a little something there. Great. Where you going?

Thanks, sir. Thank you.

Thank you, sir. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and members of the of the board. Um, again, my name is Bo Bosman. with the our community cares coalition and it gives me great pleasure to be able to present the proclamation and of course for you to prove it and uh you know we are an anti-drug and alcohol and gun violence organization and I want to emphasize gun violence not anti-gun but gun violence and so our goal is to keep these young people potential leaders to live a drugfree and alcohol life. In fact, the ones that we recruit, we call them ambassadors. This is one right here, Michael Koker. He's one of the ambassadors. This year, we have 10. And uh we we work with these folks. If you look on our little flyer there, you can see that for the week of this last week of April, they we have a lot going on for them that we're going to kick it off on the 24th uh at Live Oak at the library. Just just an opening. And then on the 25th, which I think is one of the biggest days, we're having the grand opening at the Wayside Park where we've been doing this 250 foot mural where all of you are depicted in a c in a canoe of some sort. Have y'all seen that? Anybody been down to look at it? White Springs Wayside Park. Okay. Saturday is going we're going to have the official opening and we're also we call it the tri county day. We're going to have canoe a canoe race between the three counties. And just so you know, last year Columbia County won. And uh we're going to have biking, hiking.

We've actually got some bumper cars this year for the young kids. And u we've got some electric bikes for some of the folks that might want to go down the trail there because we're right up against the Swany Trail. And we have a lot of activities going on. Uh radio control car races. We're gonna have food, music. We want everyone to come out. In fact, uh I think I know I've sent an email out to all the to the board about about all of these events, but I sure like to see some of you come out Saturday and all the canoes that we have where there's a child in it. We have to have an adult in there. So, I would uh encourage you to come out. Nothing else. take a look see what we're doing with the kids and I'm sure you'll see some of you'll have Columbia County will be very representative I can tell you that they always have

sir what time that start

10 o'clock on the Saturday the 25th at Wayside Park which is right at the edge excuse me right at the edge of White Springs. So, that being said, I sent I know I sent an email inviting all of you to come to the banquet that we're having at the conclusion on the April the 29th in the evening starting at 5:45 at the Blanch Hotel. And this is where we're going to recognize these young leaders and, you know, congratulate them for the awards and things that they've done throughout the week. So, I invite all of you to come. Uh, each of you can bring a guest. I just would like for you if you would RSVP me uh by say next Thursday so I know how many folks are going to come. We expect a really good crowd and we have a couple of dynamic speakers which I I'm not going to re rebulge who they are right now but we really encourage you to come out and participate and I really and I thank you for the proclamation.

Thank you. Thank you Mr. Chairman.

Okay. Uh word comes from Yes, sir. Mr. Chair, proclamation number 2026P-12, a proclamation to designate April 2026 water conservation month. Whereas water is one of Columbia County's most vital natural resources essential to the health, economy, environment, and quality of life for all residents. And whereas Columbia County lies a top the Florida aquifer and is situated within a region containing more than 400 freshwater springs, placing the county at the center of one of Florida's most significant water systems. And whereas responsible water use and conservation practices are necessary to protect this shared resource from overuse, contamination, and long terms long-term sustainability challenges. And whereas simple everyday actions such as turning off the tap while brushing teeth, repairing leaks, and using water efficient practices can collectively result in significant water savings. And whereas UFAS Extension Columbia County operates as a department of the Columbia County Board of County Commissioners, delivering researchbased science-driven education directly to residents. And whereas the Columbia County Board of County Commissioners provides the leadership and support that makes this education possible, empowering extension to equip residents, especially youth, through programs such as 4 and enrichment initiatives, including Bellamy Bieber's water quality conservation education efforts. And whereas these educational efforts strengthen community awareness, promote conservation behaviors, and support long-term protection of Columbia County's water resources. Now the therefore be it proclaimed that the Columbia County Board of County Commissioners hereby declares April 2026 as water conservation month in Columbia County, Florida, and encourages all residents, businesses, and visitors to conserve water, protect water quality, and safeguard this essential resource for future generations. Be it further proclaimed that the board reaffirms its commitment to supporting education, outreach, and partnerships that advance water conservation and environmental

stewardship. So move 2020 26P-12 motion second. All in favor say I. I. All I don't know if there's anybody here to accept this.

Better be careful around here. Beavers. them commissioners don't like beavers up here in North and all your think Really? It's cool. So, since you guys were able to proclaim water

conservation month, I had to think through make sure I was saying the right thing. I wanted to share just a couple of little things with you in response or in relation to that. So, our office actually does quite a bit of education and I know telling you numbers doesn't mean a whole lot, but just so you understand, we have reached over 6,500 students in or youth in the county with water quality conservation education. And if every single one of those kids actually follows our conservation, I was looking to see where Bellamy was because they brush their they brush their teeth twice a day for two minutes every day. Every time they brush their teeth, if they turn off the tap, they save four gallons of water. If they brush their teeth twice a day, that's four gallons each time. So that's a total of eight gallons of water. It's something we figured out recently. Bellamy only has four fingers. So um and the cool thing about that is in daily if all those youth do that and practice those recommendations we are saving over 52,000 gallons of water per day with kids. The other part of that is that annually if those kids do that's 19 million gallons of water saved. And then according to the EPA and the annual water value, that's over $95,000 per year with just our education that we're providing to youth in the county. Um, one of the other things with this is the Swany Rivermate Water Management District has issued updates to the water shortage order. And no, this isn't official or anything. I am not the the end all beall on this. I know nothing about it other than I have the printed copy I wanted to share with you all.

And one thing to remember about this is this is something that is in response to we are in what's called an exceptional drought period and that hasn't happened in this area since the 1800s. So, we as a county definitely doing the education that we do, we are doing response to that um and providing some additional things. But this governing board order is something that we can base some of our operations within county departments on and I was trying to help share with David that making sure that we had that information. Um 100% of the people in Columbia County are actually affected by this drought. And it's the seventh driest March on record in over 132 years. So it's a big deal. And the things that we're doing as a county extension department is hopefully helping with that some somewhat. We can't make it rain, but we can definitely teach the kids to save some water. So thank y'all for allowing us to come up and share. If you want a copy of the governing board order, it's available on the Swany River Swany River Water Management District website. So, thank y'all.

Okay, I've got a proclamation here for Jo last. Yes, sir.

Okay. Proclamation number 2026 P-14, National Animal Control Officer Appreciation Week. The uh whereas animal control officers serve dedicated guardians of public safety and animal welfare protecting both the residents of our community and the animals within. And whereas these officers work tirelessly to enforce animal related laws, respond to emergencies, rescue animals in distress, promote responsible pet ownership, and support public health. And whereas the responsibilities often require them to face challenging, unpredictable, emotional, emotionally difficult situations with professionalism, compassion, and courage. And whereas animal control officers play a vital role in reducing animal related hazards, preventing cruelty, and ensuring that loss abandoned vulnerable animals receive proper care. And whereas their work also promotes harmony between people and animals through education, community engagement, and advocacy. And whereas it is fitting that we recognize and express our gratitude for the dedication, service, and commitment of these essential public servants. Whereas our animal enforcement officers have worked 742 cases and bought brought in 450 animals since October 1st of 25. Now therefore, we Columbia County Board of Commissioners do hereby proclaim this week, April 12th to 18th, as National Animal Control Officer Appreciation Week in Columbia County, Florida, and encourage all residents to join us in honoring the hardworking men and women who serve our community as animal control officers. A witness thereof, signed by Jay Swisser and Tim Murphy, chairman, and I'm sure we got a pile of people here.

I tell you what, guys. I hadn't had one complaint about y'all. Not one. That's a big deal. Whoever's on call Thank y'all for what you do. You take a lot of pressure off of us.

We do appreciate y'all very much. Okay. Joel.

Yes, sir. pro, excuse me, proclamation number 2026P-15, declaring May 2026 as Columbia County Public Safety Appreciation Month in Columbia County, Florida. Whereas the members of the Columbia County Sheriff's Office, Lake City Police Department, Columbia County Fire Rescue, Lake City Fire Department, Florida Highway Patrol, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Department of Corrections, and the Florida Forest Service play an essential role in safeguarding the rights, safety, and freedoms of the citizens within their respective jurisdictions in Columbia County. And whereas the Congress and President of the United States have designated May 15th as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which May 15th falls as National Police Week. And whereas the members of these public safety agencies serve a vital role in protecting life and property, preserving public safety, and responding at times of need. And whereas it is important that all citizens understand the duties, responsibilities, hazards, and sacrifices of these public safety professionals and that these professionals recognize their duty to serve and protect the community with integrity and dedication. And whereas the men and women of the public safety agencies of Columbia County continually provide an essential and invaluable public service. Now therefore, be it proclaimed by the board of county commissioners of Columbia County, Florida, that all citizens are encouraged to observe the month of May 2026 as public safety appreciation month in Columbia County, Florida, and to join in honoring and commending public safety personnel, past and present, who have demonstrated faithful and loyal service to their communities. Be it further proclaimed that the board of county commissioners honors those public safety officers who through their courage and dedication have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty or have been disabled in the performance of their duties. And we respectfully recognize and pay tribute to their families and the survivors of our fallen heroes.

I don't think nobody's anybody here to receive that tonight. I know proclamation I've got to read next Monday night. I believe this. Yeah. Park view. Okay. So, just uh I'll take a motion to accept motion to 2026. Got a motion and a second. All in favor say I. All favor.

And just uh I'm sure every one of us has got a notice for the public. Monday night, I think it is 6 o' bar. There's going to be a presentation. Uh I think it's being sponsored this year by Columbia County Sheriff's Office. And uh if you haven't been, I know I've seen Ever there for the last five or six years, but it's it's worthwhile event if you got time to attend. But thank you. Okay. Uh at this time, uh public hearing, Seth, please. and uh board. While Seth's getting up there, uh we're going to move a resolution up there where uh Seth can go and do his family duties after this because Dave's got a resolution, but it all fall in place, but uh he's got I think he's a baseball coach and a softball coach or something. So, he'll have to pull in fulfill his duties here in just a little bit. But go ahead, Seth.

All right. So, first off, we will do I think on the agenda is 20 ordinance 2026-03. This is amending ordinance number 98-1, the Columbia County Land Development Regulations. What we have here is a request to change the zoning of this parcel uh highlighted up here. It doesn't really work that well. It's at the corner of Michigan Street and Pon Deleó. They're wanting uh to reszone from commercial intensive to residential single family too. Uh this whole area is zoned uh Oh, that's nice. is zone commercial intensive. However, the uh RSF is the primary use that's being uh utilized here. Family homes, you got multifamily right next door, uh residential, single family across the street and so forth. Um this is coming from the planning and zoning board resolution PZLPAZ260102.

Okay. Uh board. Any questions from the board this time? I'll open the public hearing. Anybody here to speak for or against?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'm neither for or against this. The reason I'm here discussing this is because stuff that was is coming from I don't know I guess maybe this is the planning department now. I'm not sure. The stuff on the internet is not ADA compatible. Family lot stuff hasn't been and I don't believe these are either. This has been going on for some time. As you know, the federal government has now come out with new standards for counties and cities and school districts that have to do with ADA compliance for government owned websites. But I'm just respectfully pointing out to this board that this has been going on for some time that the stuff coming from the planning department, and I have mentioned this to the county manager before that the stuff coming from the planning department is not ADA compatible. Screen reader can't read it. And I just thought I would make you aware of that. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, for your time.

Anybody else? Not declared public hearing closed. Uh this is in my district. Uh well aware of it. Uh I'll make a motion to uh accept 2026-03. Second. Motion second. All favor say I. I. Seth.

All right. So the next one we got is ordinance number 2026-02 concerning the same parcel uh at the corner of Michigan Street Pon Leon. This is uh coming from planning and zoning board resolution PZLPA CPA260101 uh requesting a change of the future land use map from commercial to residential low uh which permits a density of two or less uh units per acre. This is a halfacre lot so it would be one uh dwelling unit there but this is a future land use map change request. Okay, I declare the public hearing open. Seeing anybody for against I'll declare the public hearing closed and uh I'll also make the motion to go forth to 2026-02. Got a motion in a second. All in favor say I. All

okay David Seth tag team. We got to pass forward to and D this is going to be number uh 11 I believe. Correct. Davis. Yes. Resolution number 2026 P-10. We're good. R. Excuse me. R-10. 2026. It should be an R. Should be an R. I'm pretty sure I know that's R on here. Okay. I'm reading my

was a misprint. I think uh basically and Seth can talk about this in greater detail. There's a lot of people that buy land and transfer real estate in this county. Sometimes they end up buying land that they later find out when they come for a permit is not buildable. And so the planning and zoning board um and I guess the board of adjustment, which is the same boards, uh passed a resolution that would like you to consider, you'd like to talk more detail about how this occurs.

All right. So the gist of this resolution is uh buyer beware. Okay. the citizens of Columbia County need to utilize us in the zoning department uh when before purchasing property. Uh something that we uh deal with almost on a daily basis is someone comes in, they bought a piece of property. Um they were shown it by a realtor. Okay, it was posted on websites. They buy this property. They then come in for a permit and you know some of the red flags that stick out. It's a oneacre parcel out in A3 zoning where minimum density should be five acres or it's in the back behind somebody else's. It doesn't have any uh road access. And after doing some digging, we realized that this property was not created correctly for permittability. it did not go through the subdivision regulations as detailed in article five of the land development regulations. So that means it is not permittable. Okay? And uh it's as you can imagine that's very scary for someone. They've just invested a lot of money in this property and now they're being told that because it didn't follow state statute, okay, which is state statute FS1 177.031 031 which defines subdivision and it doesn't follow our article 5 or land development regulations. It's not buildable. So this resolution is is basically saying people please before you go filing deeds with the clerk of the court before you go purchasing property give us a call ask us to do the research for you to see if it is a permittable lot. Uh one thing that it also details is that they can request for a zoning verification letter. Okay, which is just a memo from us, you know, with the board of county commissioner letter letterhead, you know, saying this is the zoning future land use map. It's permittable. It's not permittable. Uh what you can do on the property. We are more than happy to do that. I'd much rather get a hundred

phone calls a day asking for this information than that one phone call I get where I have to tell someone um that unfortunately they were either unintentionally or intentionally misled and now have a piece of property that they can't build on. This this is a big deal. I was just been done 50 years ago. Lord, every single one of us, I know Kevin being the most junior, if you ain't dealt with it yet, you you probably will. I know I know we all have,

but uh not to put words in anybody's mouth, but myself and Seth has been conversing on this for quite some time. And uh Mr. Swisser. Uh I reached out to him personally and uh said you know how many people do the uh you know the uh registering of a deed and you know three or four. So Jay is willing to work out Steph I believe is going to get with Jay and they come up with some type of remedy where when they come to record these deeds at Jay's office they'll have some information there. you know, just simple information saying before you have you done your diligence, make sure this is a viable piece of property. And to simply, you know, it's a walk across the street, but it'll save so much aggravation because there's nothing worse than seeing somebody go out there and establish drill well and everything. Next thing, you know, boom, they can't use it for nothing, you know. So, but uh Seth's very well aware of this. And I they've been working real hard on this, but I think this is like Robbie said, this this should took place a long time ago. I move we approve resolution number 20 2026 R10.

Second. Got a motion and a second. All in favor say I. I. All got real quick question. Yes sir. Question. So how are we going to get this information to the realtor? Yeah. I was about to say the PIO needs to do we need the PO to put something out plain and simple. Before you buy land do this. You know all the resolution numbers. People don't understand it and I don't understand it. I I'd like to just see something before you buy land. Check with us. In addition, set plans to meet with the realtors and uh give them information and got to make sure they do it because you know sometimes they get hungry for making a sale and they're going to sell.

I think what people really struggle with is there's no problem in just dividing and splitting land up and selling it. I could I could deed you 100 acres or 100 feet of my front yard. That's no that's no problem. There's no And that's what a lot of the confusion is coming from. like people are doing these deeds. The problem is the intent. If you're wanting if you're selling dividing land to for people to build on, it has to go through subdivision regulations or division of land in order to be permittable. And it's not, you know, it people get frustrated. It's it's to ensure that when you have access to, you know, uh to roadways. That's a huge deal. You know, um if it's if they're doing subdivision, they have to have access to a paved road. Um it it's it's not us trying to be sticklers. It is state statute. Um and so we're it I think that's the biggest holdup is people go, "Well, I filed this deed with the clerk of the court. Why is that okay?" Well, again, there's no nothing that they can do to really stop you from splitting your land. You can do that. It's the intent of building. And so, I mean, what really brought this to my attention is, you know, I I'm not saying I'm, you know, the smartest person in the world, but I do think, you know, I got a pretty good head on my shoulders. I would have never thought that if a realtor took me to go see a piece of property and I'm sitting there talking about building my house that there's a possibility that I could not build on it. I mean, that's a scary thought. I mean, I've had multiple people that have called me and, you know, I explained to them that they can't build and they're like, "So, you're telling me I just spent $60,000 on something?" I'm like, "Unfortunately, yes." Um, but so I I really do advocate for the people of Columbia County to utilize us.

Yeah. Seth and there's probably no way to do this because it's so many pieces of property and so many different ways people split it, you know, but it would be nice if you had that listed buildable. I tell you something else that I think ought to be listed real plainly. And I don't know how plainly it is because in my district, I know all these guys districts, we have houses that sold three months before a storm and they go three foot deep and a person was never told it was it was had flooded before. Is there is there a way and I heard there's not, but is there a way to have the history of a house on the on the website for the you you know what I mean? because I know in my district one sold and it had flooded

four years before five or where however long it was and she said I never knew that and and closed on it bought it to three or $400,000. Is that something that I mean unfortunately it it's not and I'm sure Mr. Foreman could speak to it more. Yeah, we we've we've worked on this. So, what we do now when you come in to get a building permit, we have you sign an acknowledgement that you understand it's your responsibility to understand the flood condition of your property, that FEMA or that flood maps don't necessarily prove anything, and that you're encouraged to talk to neighboring property owners to ask. Yes, we want you to do that before you pull for the building permit.

Um, we can't make them do that. They can refuse to sign it. What they do if they refuse to sign is we put would not sign and we still put it in the permit. We know that we know we tried to tell them because the issue is guys, every one of you in every one of your districts knows a property that floods that is not in a flood zone. Every one of y'all knows at least one, right? Conversely, there's property that sits in flood zones that's never had a drop of water on it, right?

Because that's all engineers. It's all weird stuff. And then you can have a hundred-year flood event that affects one part of the county and doesn't even get the other end wet. I mean, we we've got those. So, you there's no oneizefits-all solution. So, what we do is we put it just like we're doing here. We put it on the person who's going to pull the permit. Hey, make sure you've done your due diligence. We can't we're not we're not going to be in position to do it for you. Um, if there was a way to objectively say, hey, we know water was on this property at such and such date and we could record that and document to an evidentiary standard. That'd be one thing. We can't do it. And I think you're right. The neighbors are what matters. Neighbors the best place to tell you the truth every time.

It's the best place. a long way just knock not on the next door neighbor when you're buying. It's going to be to make sure we get it to the to the realators cuz like I said,

yeah, I know me and David had talked about going and visiting and and having conversations with them. Um yeah, we got to we got to get it out there and and it that's not the only thing that we deal with. I mean, I've came across, you know, someone called me, hey, this this this piece of property is listed here. It tells me that I can do these family lots. And it's like, no, you can't. I went on the website and lo and behold, you know, you can do a family homestead out here and give it to your and that's not the case, you know, if it's already been subdivided. So, we definitely got some work to do, but I think this is the step in the right direction. I really uh commend our planning and zoning board for, you know, taking the initiative to get this out there and I agree this is something that I think uh is really going to help the citizens of Columbia County.

All right, Seth, thank you. Tighten up and get the ball. That's where I'm going. Thank you. Have a good Thank you. One more thing. Okay. Uh Joel got a public hear. Did you vote to approve that? We did that. We did vote to approve. We did. Thank you.

Um commissioners, this evening we have the public hearing that was set on uh sale of a wastewater treatment plant at the North Florida Mega Industrial Park to the city of Lake City, Florida. Uh, as you are aware, the city of Lake City, uh, through its utility department and an interlocal agreement with the county has been operating this plant for some time, and the question of whether or not the plant would be transferred to the city came up as a predicate and prerequisite under Florida statutes section 125.3401, it is necessary to conduct a public hearing before entering into such an agreement as the purpose of this evening's public hearing. Uh, as you consider uh the agreement and move forward through the public hearing this evening, there are 10 things that you should consider. They are in my cover memo, but for the record, I'm going to read them. Uh, one, the most recent available income and expense statement for the utility. Two, the most recent available balance sheet for the utility listing assets and liabilities and clearly showing the amount of contributions and aid of construction and the accumulated depreciation thereon. Three, a statement of the existing rate base of the utility for regulatory purposes. Four, the princ the physical condition of the utility facilities being purchased, sold, or subject to a wastewater facility privatization contract. Five, the reasonleness of the purchase, sales, or wastewater facility privatization contract price and terms. Six, the impacts of the purchase, sale, or wastewater facility privatization contract on utility customers, both positive and negative. 7A any additional investment required in the ability and willingness of the purchaser or the private firm under a wastewater facility privatization contract to make that investment whether the purchaser is the county or the entity purchasing the utility from the county. B in the case of a wastewater facility privatization contract the terms and conditions on which the private firm will provide capital investment and financing or accommodation thereof for contemplated capital replacements, additions, expansions and repairs. The county shall give significant weight to this criteria. Uh eight, the alternatives to

the purchase, sale or wastewater facility privatization contract and the potential impact on utility customers if the purchase sale or wastewater facility privatization contract is not made. Nine, the ability of the purchaser or the private firm under wastewater facility privatization contract to provide and maintain highquality and cost-effective utility service whether the purchaser is the county or the entity purchasing utility from the county. 9B. In the case of a wastewater facility privatization contract, the county shall give significant weight to the technical expertise and experience of the private firm in carrying out the obligations specified in the wastewater facility privatization contract. 10. All monies paid by a private firm to a county pursuant to wastewater facility privatization contract shall be used for the purpose of reducing or offsetting property taxes, wastewater service rates, or debt reduction or making infrastructure improvements or capital asset expenditures or other public purpose. Provided, however, nothing herein shall preclude the county from using all or part of the monies for the p purpose of the county's qualification for relief from the repayment of federal grant awards associated with wastewater system as may be required by federal law regulation. Now, the purpose of the statute here, as you may have noticed from many of those factors, is to ensure that there are no deals between the county and a private entity. either we're buying the private utility or we're selling a public utility to a private entity. The reason for that is obviously you have to do proforma, you have to do things like that to make sure you're selling to somebody who's capable of handling it. Conversely, you don't want to buy a bad utility. So, this requires you to go through those 10 factors. The the uh big distinguish distinguishing factor here is you are selling to another public entity and therefore a lot of these considerations don't kick in. You notice a lot of them say in the case of a privatization, case of privatization. Uh in addition, the qualifications and experience and expertise are incumbent in the city of Lake City. They've operated utilities for many many years. Notwithstanding that, I did give

I did give you the city's analysis. Um and we provided additional documentation that was provided to me through county staff. Um Mr. Steve Brown is here to answer questions. However, I would suggest you wait for those until after the public hearing in case public brings up any additional issues. And of course, I'm willing to answer any legal questions you may have. But as I said at the last meeting, this is a decision for the board to make based on your own discretion and consideration. You just have to go through this hearing process before you can make it. With that, Mr. Chair, I'd ask you to open the public hearing.

Okay. Open the public hearings. Hearing anybody speak for or against. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Stu Ila, Columbia County Observer. I'm a resident and taxpayer of Columbia County. I would like to point out some interesting things about this to you. Is as I mentioned before, a lot of the documents received from the city are nonADA compliant. That's from the city attorney. That's nothing new with the city attorney in Lake City. uh he doesn't apparently believe in ADA compliance as it as it affects him. So I don't believe that this hearing should be held because anybody that needed ADA compliance to look at this information wouldn't have it available to them. I would also respectfully point out to you, Mr. Chairman, that the memo from the city came in late yesterday afternoon. As Mr. The foreman would tell you if this was in court, it would be considered tomorrow, which is today. I didn't check my email till this morning. I had no idea that any of this stuff was there. If you look at the spreadsheets that the city comp that the city provided, the big one you can't even read uh unless you print it out. It's not ADA compliant on the internet. And as you know the information according to the county charter that was this that was passed I believe in around 2010 that stuff provided to the county commissioners has to be provided on the internet. The stuff that was provided on the internet at the last minute something that the city does a lot

uh is not ADA compliant. So anybody that needs to read that stuff uh can't do it. Additionally, being that this is in at the last minute and there's all those numbers, how is anybody supposed to be able to go through and analyze what the numbers are from their emails that they received this morning? Some people may have not checked their emails, Mr. Chairman, until 12:00 this afternoon. I did mine at 10:30 and I had other things to do. So I would say this completely disrespects the public in every way possible both on the city level and the county level. There's no discussion in the county about the true up how much money the county has been making or not making. And if that information is in there, I would dare say that's probably not ADA compliant either. So with that, I would respectfully ask the chairman to recess this public hearing and until the next meeting and make sure that the city uh updates their information so it's ADA compliant and also that the county residents, Colombia County residents who have a lot invested in that wastewater treatment plant can read the information timely as well as you can and everybody could be on the same page. Thank you very much, Mr. chairman.

Thank you. And the reason I brought that up is so we just don't waste a lot of time. Thank you.

Chairman, board members, I'm Shannon Roberts from the North Florida Water Utility Authority. The North Florida Mega Industrial Park wastewater system sale is more than just a sale of the assets and service. It actually includes a transfer of control over the economic and industrial development of the eastern part of the county. The agreement, if signed, would allow the county to shed operational control, but would also create the opportunity for Lake City to create a monop a monopoly of utility control for the industrial park and the eastern part of the county. Furthermore, future industrial growth in that eastern part of the county will be governed indirectly by Lake City. And that means whatever it decides with related uh whatever it decides related to services or when those services may be offered and who receives them control over the rates and fees and the structure capital investment expansion and the timing of all those essentially the agreement shifts county-led economic development to a citycontrolled utility gating that affects development. In the future, if Lake City should pursue some type of annexation, that move would make every economic deal, every economic development deal in the region more expensive and less competitive, which could likely lead to a future loss of commercial advorum revenue at a time when commercial advorum revenue has never been more important. With this deal, the county is certainly a short-term winner. Economically, it's about $6.5 million, but I believe the county would be a long-term loser because we're talking

about 50-year assets. So, a lot can change in 15 year uh in 50 years. Um there could be future advalorum loss and revenue from the utility itself if it's just given away. If you take a look at the current revenue or the current revshare agreement, that amount of money from only one customer would generate between$1 to3 million in a 20-year period. The sale of the asset basically would avoid all that. That means that would be a1 to3 million county loss over that time when it could be a gain. In opposition to that, the city gained a $30 million asset for pennies on the dollar and gained a monopoly utility control in perpetuity in that area of the county. What the utility authority would ask this board for is to defer the decision on the sale tempor temporarily and include the utility authority in discussions with the county, the city and the utility authority to structure a new agreement. Thank you. Good evening, commissioners. Good to see you on this side of the public. I'm President Barrett, Florida Gateway College. The college is concerned about the proposed selling of the water sewage treatment plant for a variety of reasons. The first is that words mean something and all the advertisement and public notices regarding this hearing indicate quote the sale of wastewater treatment plant to the city of Lake City unquote words matter. This hearing is about that but so much more. We are proposing abdicating and authorizing the city to control all the utilities at that site that the county the feds the

state and the citizens of county have spent millions on. So it is giving the major key aspect of economic development to the city. Thus it will be the county with the lake city making decisions while the citizens of this county will have no say in what takes place there. One would say city decisions without representation. Sort of like taxation without representation. Words matter. Point two. On May 4th, 2021, Columbia County Commissioners voted unanimously that it would terminate all local interlocal agreements between the county and city for reasons stated that the city had no capacity or ability to do so. Why less than 5 years later are you totally reversing that decision? Point three, in October 2021, Columbia County, City of Lake City, the Florida Gateway College had a joint workshop to discuss seven specific items. Number one on that list was um refurbishment and replacement and discrepancy of sewer lines and easements of that lines that run through the main artery of the college. The county at that meeting was adamant that they had no part of this discussion and it was between the city and the college. At that meeting was demonstrated by video, pictures and data of the failing sewer lines. After that meeting the college agreed that the county had no part of those issues and we agreed with you. However, it's been indicated by recent meetings, including the last county meeting, that because of lack of flow, all sewage will be sent to the St. Margaret's plant directly flowing through the FGC campus. Lines that are decaying and in bad shape. So, if Columbia County allows the sale of the plant, they don't only know about the issue, but now are part of the problem. Finally, regarding part three, all seven items that we discussed with the city at that meeting have never been resolved. Point four. Based on my findings, the city of Lake City has not reinvested sufficiently in the current water and sewer system and the growth of utility business and is in the concentration of annexed areas and for new business. One has to reinvest in utilities, not just growth. This is

demonstrated by the fact in 2023 the city fund balance for utilities was $1.9 million. Today is over $6 million. No reinvestment in utilities. Is that what the plan for the mega industrial park will be in 10 years? In closing, as an educator and as a college, we attempt to educate our students with critical thinking skills. One of those skills is re reviewing holistically a problem. The past history of governmental organization is a good indicator of how the future will go. The history of the city with the college and the county is not a good indicator of the future of the mega-industrial site. Take your time to analyze this situation. listen to others before making your decision tonight. Thank you very much.

Anybody else? Okay, not seeing none. Declare the public hearing closed. Uh board, any input? Yeah, I I got a lot of input. So, you know, number one, let's talk about the history. Dr. Barrett brought it up history and Tim you was in these meetings seven years ago. Me and you sat in meetings with the with the city talking about utilities.

At that time we talked about the choke points from the north side of town to get to market the plan at Margaret Street St. Margaret Street. So uh at that time the city agreed to do what it had to do to fix those choke points and the county agreed to give the city I believe it was $1.8 $8 million to redo the list stations to to this date. I don't think any engineering's been done, no pipes been changed, and we still sitting on our $1.8 million to fix the lift stations cuz nothing's happened. So, right now, we're still shut down on the north side of town because of choke points that the city agreed to fix seven years ago. 10 years ago, I was putting a septic tank in for the Wendy's at I75 and 47. A city employee at that time come up there and said, "I can't believe they're spending all this money for this reception tank system when we're going to have water and sewer out here next year." That was 10 years ago. I don't believe there's water and sewer there now. They're working on it, but there's no water and sewer there now. You know, two years ago, we gave the city $5.5 million to run water lines in the mega industrial part. To this day, I don't believe there's been one I know there's not been one stick of pipe laid in the ground, no rightway bought, and no engineering done. So, I don't know how we put our faith in this. We made it a conscious decision eight years ago to move forward with utility to make industrial park because the city could not provide services out there. And now all of a sudden they're our savior. Y'all have a short memory is all I can say. I don't understand it. And and I want one of y'all to tell me why this is a good idea. Explain to me why this is a good idea. Can any I I I've asked everybody. Nobody can tell me. And I can

tell you I've talked to several people and every one of them tell me they don't even understand why we're considering this. What? Why? What are we doing? Why are we looking at this? I mean, I would just like to hear why this is a good idea and why we should vote for this and why and how did we get to this point to give away a $40 million plan? And and I'm telling you, they're they're saying, "Well, we can't afford it." Well, we're looking at spending $40 million in Ellisville right now for for a plant down there. You tell me we can't walk and chew gum at the same time. I mean, this is just I I just I'm I'm at a loss. I'll be honest with you. All I'm looking at right here is the last eight years has been flushed down the total. Everything we've done for like I want to make one more point, too. If you read this agreement, they get full control of water and sewer in the main industrial park. I don't know how many millions of dollars we spent to get a a $2.1 million or a million gallon cup consumptive use permit for water at the utility park. And you know, we're giving we're giving that away too because with this agreement, they get full control of water and sewer at the mega industrial park. So that cup can only be used at the mega industrial park. So, we're not just giving them the sewer plant for pennies on the dollar. We're giving them all the the the consumptive use permit for water. We're giving it we're giving the whole house away. I MEAN, WE'RE SELLING THE farm is what we're doing for pennies on the dollar and the eight last eight years of work that we put into this. It's gone with one signature on a contract. It's gone. And we have no control over it from now on. We ask for no profit sharing. We ask for no no future control of who comes in or who I mean we there's a lot of things we could do for this contract to make it much better.

And you know I don't even know what we're in such a hurry for. We don't even have a payment on this plant till June of 2027. We have no money out of our pocket and the money and the plant's making money for the county right now. Let's have a workshop and let's invite all the stakeholders involved in this and let's talk it out and let's plan it out and come to a conclusion that we all can live with and and we all come out winners on it. This is a one-sided plan, guys. We get nothing out of it. We get nothing. Absolutely nothing. That's my two cents. But I do I would I would like for somebody to tell me why this is a good idea because I ain't found nobody to tell me yet.

What was the original plan when we built the the sewer plant? Wasn't it built? And the plan was I don't know. I don't know because I I I didn't we build it. Didn't we change it to build it to city specs because that was the plan in the beginning to give it to the city or I mean so so and we had a different city what what do you city leaders at that point? Right.

So that is that why we had the issues we're having now and why we're not having you know why we're talking about it now that we have some people that are willing to work with us with the city. I remember I remember we had all y'all know more about, you know, city city and county not getting along. I really haven't seen that, but maybe the first year I was here, it seemed like since then it's gotten a whole lot better. So, but didn't we originally build this and the whole reason for it was to give it to the city? Didn't we change the specs of it so that it would be I mean, didn't the city have input into that septic system when we built it? Mr. Chair,

y

the original funding for this grant came from a Florida jobs growth grant. The original application uh listed the sewer plant as um being able to service the entire eastern half of Columbia County or the eastern part of Columbia County. Uh the original grant indicated that we would build it and turn it over to the city of Lake City at that time. Since that time, we did have issues with certain city management people that are no longer there and um they stepped away from it. We did design it originally based on the recommendations of the current plant operator Cody. He wanted a DAVCO plant. So, we went that route for a DAVCO plant. Um again, the city stepped away. So, that's when we stepped in.

And I would add that we were also told We're not expanding it right now. We're trying to maintain and work on our facilities. So basically, we had people ready to sign to go into the main industrial park and we were told we're not going to provide water and sewer for them. And now we're giving the control right back to them that they can tell us the same thing again if that's what they choose to do. Who was that? The city. No. Who was who was sitting there waiting to go in? Huh? Who was waiting to go into the industrial park? We had two or three, but we never could get an answer. Who could who could uh name water? Huh? That's not true, Rocky. You know it's not that's not true. We We'll talk truth, but we're not going to talk. Would you like to add that?

Yeah, please bring it up. Bring your names if you want to because you know it ain't right. Yeah. I think the only plant Excuse me. I'm sorry, Mr. Chair. I think the only plant we really had that was coming that changed their mind was the water bottling company. Say that again. Say that last. I didn't hear what you say. So, we did have a water bottling company that wanted to come here. Um, I remember that was when Mr. Henburgger was the city manager. U, things changed and now they're in Klay County. So, so let me let me rephrase it then.

Since we've got utilities available to the park, we've got a sewer plant, we got water coming in there. Now, how many companies are showing interest right now that want to come in here? I know we got one in there right now and I know we got another one that's purchased land already. Am I correct? We've done multiple site visits. Uh we've had multiple people. We have a couple people that are extremely serious. Can't really talk about them because of the NDAs. Um right now we have one company that's actually physically built that's aggro liquid. We do anticipate more coming in the near future. And I have one more question. So, there's been multiple meetings on this with the city. Am I correct about come trying to reach this agreement?

Uh, there have been multiple meetings with the city with the attorneys. Uh, we've actually presented the city's bid sheet to this board months ago, five months ago. So, there has been this has not been a overnight discussion. This has been So, my question would be we've got an agreement with the utility authority. Why would we not invite the utility authority to sit on these meets and have a say in these meetings? I I just don't understand that either. We we cut the utility authority completely out of this negotiation. I go ahead.

So the the the primary issue that was sort of motivating the negotiations with the city is that the city controls 100% of the flow. Yeah. 100% of what?

The flow. the affluent the city moved its customers off the St. Margaret's plant and directed it into this plant so this plant could operate and the utility authority didn't have the ability to do that. That that's that's the bottom. It was a practical consideration. Um I do know we talked very very briefly umh to Grady at one point you know based on what you know about NFMIP is that an asset that would be good for the NFWA to own right now? He said absolutely not. thought it would be an albatross. So there was some very very preliminary that's about the extent of the conversations is financially it wouldn't have made sense for the but it was really about the operator because under this circumstance like I told you the the person that you're you could sell it to if you want to approve the agreement and I'm not advocating for against I'll make that very clear I'm just presenting it um is the operator so it's kind of a seamless transition. The other thing that I understood um in terms of the motivation for getting the agreement done was that we want the county wants to be out of the utility business. So that's why when you say we're not getting profit sharing, we're getting anything like that. This was absolutely structured to be give us what we've got in it back and and take all the tail liabilities, right? So there's about $19 million worth of stuff still left to do. Y'all take that and then we're out. So, Commissioner Ford's representation of the agreement is exactly right. You get back the money that you got out of your general fund. You refund the uh landfill fund, but you're not making a dime. You are not making a dime. Commissioner Ford is 100% right. You're not getting anything out of it other than there is now a plant there.

But, but we do have a good contract with the city right now that's working and there's no rush to do this. Am I correct?

I would defer to Mr. Brown on that. I think it is working really well. Um, I think we've got another 16, 15, 16 months or something under it. Um, the the that agreement, and again, I'll let Mr. Brown respond in more detail because he knows this stuff better than I do, but my understanding of that agreement is it's it's kind of a loss leader for them, a proof of concept. They took some of the flow that they were already getting paid for off of St. Margaret. So, that money they were already getting and they've redirected it in the plant to see if they can get it up and running. if they can incor and again Steve if I'm saying anything wrong I'm not a utilities guy but it's kind of like when you're expanding anything you bring it into the fold you incorporate it into your full system once they own it they can do that and they can't do some of that stuff now he he can probably speak to it from their perspective it creates efficiencies our motivation in the deal just to be very very clear the way that agreement is drafted is is getting out of getting out of dodge you know if you buy a car that's too expensive and you don't want to make the monthly payments anymore you tell somebody hey you take over the payments and you can take it that's what this deal. Just be very very clear,

Mr. Chair. In addition, uh several months back when the city gave us a proposal and the board considered the rate the proposal sheet or whatever you want to call it, term sheet, term sheet, um you directed us to proceed with the negotiations. So, we're following the wishes of the board.

I kind of got a question because I I wanted Steve to be up when I asked this question. It seems like Steve knows as much or more about this than anybody and and I guess I'm asking this to commissioner too. If we say we're not selling this the city, we ain't doing nothing with the city with this. We're going to say which you know if we're going to say we're going to keep it, we're going to take it over. Who we going to hook to? Like is there somebody that give us some business? So that's not what I'm saying. Oh, okay. I'm saying we got a contract with the city. Let's continue working with the city. Okay, there's there's no reason we can't continue working with the city. But I think customers are gonna grow out there.

We should be a part of making of the decision making out there with this agreement. We're not a part of anything. We're done. We're out of there. And that's my point. We should have some say over revenue, what we're charging for the for the uh the customers out there. We should be able to have some say in incentives for new customers coming in to bring industry into the park. We don't we we have nothing with this. We have nothing. When we when we sign this contract, we're out of it. We have no say, no nothing. We're out of it. We're done. We have no more control over anything out there. And I'll be honest with you, if we sign this contract, I don't even know why we still have an economic development department. We could we could do away do away with that, too. I mean it's we're done with economic development at that point. The city the city uh will be the economic development people in the county at that point.

Well, right now we have it and we have industrial part and we're in complete control of everything along with the city and there's still people come and I I I just I just don't think the city is the is what it I guess you say is what it used to be. You know what I mean? And I feel like the city would not say, "Okay, y'all got an American industrial park. We're not going to hook up to those." which we don't have any customers. If we took that over that we don't have any customers right now, right? We the county wouldn't have customer yet. Yeah. Yeah. But I'm saying we don't have a customer. If if let's just say that we said city we want to take it back over or whatever,

we wouldn't have a customer right in the Megan now. And and let me ask you another thing. if we decided I mean that we wanted to take it back over and and give it to the authority or whatever we wanted to do which is just us taking care of it along with the authority being part of it because we we're going to spend all the money with the authority but do when would be our first customer like what do y'all say what do you think I mean do we have are we able to hook up to to anybody right now like if if if a business came in there can we hook it up if we if we owned that. Could we hook it up to anybody or is there pipes to be laid or what? What is there? I mean, I don't know. That stuff you're a little better at it, Rocky, because you you

There's pipes to be laid. There's collections got to be laid, but they're not laying it. What's What's the cost to doing something like that laying them pipes to get us to where the county could hook somebody? Mr. Chair. Yes. First off, thank you for letting me come and speak to you guys tonight. Um, and I'd like to cover cover a couple of things here. Um, kind of systematically if we could. And you don't have to answer my question. If it falls in your, you know what I'm saying? Whenever it falls in it, do it.

I will, I will use one number that we used as the very latest engineered um, design for the 16inch water line that we're going to feed the mega park off of our plant with. Um, we've worked very closely with Chad Williams and his his team about um, what it would take to do that. We have Jones Edmunds which have done the engineering on it. The estimation on that 16inch water line is about $5 million. Um the funding is coming from a a grant funding coming from the county. Um so we're going to work together on that. U putting that line in. We're currently in the process of doing a land acquisition or conveyance rather with the Swan River Water Management District. Uh we went to them and asked for a a easement and they says if you're going to do this with all the wetland mitigation, everything that goes with it, um we have some land out here. You can just run across it. You don't need the easement. We'll take the easy up that land currently encompasses our water plant and our whale fields now. So there again it made sense for them to do this. So Mr. Hollings for to answer your question about 5 million is that 16inch water line. So there's one part of it. If I could jump back real quick, Mr. Chair, for just just two seconds. Um uh Commissioner Ford, I would like to catch up to speed on a couple of things. Uh you mentioned Bell Road, the north choke point. You are exactly right. However, we have got some great news. All the engineering is complete. Um we went through a system where we worked through systematically lowhanging fruit if you will. 4775 with your help. Thank you very much. Um with your contribution is done. We have water and sewer past that you're referring to. So thank you commission for helping the city with that. Without you we wouldn't have been able to get that far. Um we did have some D grants to get up underneath the interstate. The intent was to take the Arrowhead campground in that area, the RV campground to take that off of subject to sewer. Uh we had a kickoff meeting that is going to start in four weeks. So again, thank you for your help to get down to the economic development side of that. Um the next

thing we mentioned was was the um the the uh mega site. I mentioned I just updated you on the waterline. So all of the engineering is complete on several projects. Um, we do anticipate coming to you at some point and say we're ready for the bail road expansion. Um, let's talk a little bit about the mega part. So, the the mega part when we went in originally and talked about this, I come before this board and said, "Listen, is there anything we can do to help y'all have a plant bill?" Mr. Krauss and I met a couple of times and he says, "We're we're coming upon completion uh with or without the city." We originally designed it that way with or without the city. The contractors are coming to them saying they got to have some flow so forth and so on. Uh we went I went to my city manager I personally did and said hey look the the flow that we have there now we can redivert. Why does that help the city? I want to be super transparent with you Mr. Ford. I have an antiquated line out there. It's an old line. So by diverting that flow help the city. How does it additionally help the city is it takes a 100,000 gallons a day off of St. Margaret's which was built in the 70s. We just spent millions revamping the plant's doing great. It's healthy now. But it all in all lowers our flow rate. So is the city gaining from this partnership? 100%. There's no question about that. Thank you again for everything you do for the city of Lake City. By doing the diverting of the flow, it allowed us to do two things. One, Mr. Krauss and I were able to get the plant off the ground and ensure that all the the work hard work that the engineers and the contractors have done was going to work and it did. The plant come online. Mr. Kirby and I met we had some discussions about Lee aid. Um, keep in mind the flow going into that plant, the revenue stream was the same for us all the way around with the exception of your point Mr. Kirby. I mean, uh, sorry, Mr. for is that we said to show good faith, we would be willing to split our

revenue with you to show you that we're willing to try this. At the end of that sunset, Mr. uh Foreman is is mentioning 16 months or so, we were looking at at purchasing the plant anyway. That was always the original intent was for us to get it off the ground, let Mr. Kirby uh analyze the the leech from the landfill and make sure that this would all work. What we've done over the last roughly 14 16 months, don't count me on the exact date, is we've done that. We've established it. Um Cody Pigen was mentioned, he's our wastewater director. He's done a phenomenal job with his team. We put it into our budget. We put it in there mathematically. We made all those small pieces work. So, we've got the plan up and going. Why do we want to do this now? It's it's money. It's it's math. The reason for the city to move forward is because that's currently 100% of our revenue that we count on in our overall budget. Um, with that money going back to St. Margaret's, we get 100% of it. With it going there, we're splitting it with you. So, we purposely looked at, let's show good faith. Let's make this thing work and then purchase it. Now, we've done that. We've got the plan up and running. We've showed we're, you know, good faith. Let's talk about the new customers. There is no way I could sit up here in good faith knowing that constituents are looking at me going, "You're willing to spend $7 million and then refuse a customer and run me out of town." There's no way I'm going to do that. I'm going to take every customer I can. And I want to make sure that I'm super crystal clear on this part. You, sir, and all of you fine gentlemen sitting behind this dish are governed to the same exact rules that the city of Lake City is. meaning that plant will hold 500,000 gallons a day if your name's on the title or my name's on the title. It doesn't matter. You're going to get 2.16 million gallons of water a day for the cup that's currently in the county's name. That doesn't matter whose name's on it. So, when you say you're going to be out of total

control, I would love to disagree with that and say I'm all in because I'm I'm seven million dollars in at this point. I want as many customers as I can get online. Now, this is very important. This is probably the most important part I'm going to say catching us up to where we were. Economic development is something that has to happen. We have to have the county. The county needs the city. We've got to work together. I'm all in. I want to say that one more time. If you get one customer, and Miss M. Daniels and I was in a meeting earlier this week. That one customer, they had large numbers. They were in cubic meters, as a matter of fact, and we were all converting math. those numbers had the they really had the capability of maxing that plan out with one customer with a footprint of a thousand acres. So to say we're going to deny a customer, you're right, Mr. Ford. If that customer come online and it used up a 100% of the available 500,000gallon capacity, there is the chance that that could be said. If they come back and you got five at 499,000, you could take all five of them. So I'm going to say that kind of a first come first serve. So, I got a question,

please. Right now in Ellisville, we got the B&B coming in. Busy B. Yes, sir. So, we're jumping through hoops. We're doing all this stuff to make sure we can accommodate B&B. Yes, sir. Busy B. Yes, sir. So, you're telling me right now that if that customer comes to the main dust department, you're not going to go, you're not gonna expand that plant. You're not going to do what you have to do to get that customer. You're just going to tell them we can't accommodate you right now. I didn't say that. No, sir. Well, I'm saying if that customer was here today, the plant was designed to expand. The plant is designed to expand. I'm going to what I told you originally was I'm willing to do anything it takes to move this forward as an economic development package.

So, I agree with you 100%. We're working together. We're doing things together and we're we're partnering at 4775. We're spending money out there. So, that's our plan right now. The county owns that plan out there. Correct. So why wouldn't we be partners? Why wouldn't we stay partners where we both have say in it? If I may. I mean that that that makes sense to me. I'm not saying we don't want to work with you at all. I'm just saying we want some control and some say so in what happens out there. And I think it would be a bad mistake for this board to give up that authority to not have any say out there. Mr.

Because history is history. I can look back at history and I can remember. I know what it means to have total control. And that's where we're at. If you do this, you've got total control again. And that's just not that's not a good thing. Go ahead, Steve. Mr. Chair, so again, let's go back to capacity. Total control and capacity are two different things. History's history. There's nothing you can do about history.

History's history. That's right. and and and it is very evident to me after two years in this position, I can't outrun it. No matter how fast I run it, I will simply say that capacity is the guideline. I don't care if the water authority owns it. You cannot go beyond your capacity. You have a permit that says that's all you can pull through it. So, it's not a matter of saying we don't want it to grow. It's not a matter of saying that. And and and and just to build on that one more time, the reason why the city come to you with this again, it was under the direction that y'all were getting out of the utility business. As soon as we heard y'all were getting out of the utility business, we want it in. We wanted We want all We want to push all our chips to the center of the table. Well,

history shows the city pretty much robs every dollar they can out of the utility system for their budget. They don't put money back in their facilities. That's history. I see that. I can prove that. I can show you that on your book. So, you're looking at this you're looking at this as a as a revenue for your general fund, everything else. You're not going to put the money back unless you do something different what y'all been doing for the last 50 years. You're not going to put this money back in the utility. You're going to put it in your general funds, Mr. Mayor. That's what you're doing now. About $6 million a year if I last number I had. Is that correct, Mr. Chair?

So, thank you for bringing our books to the attention and I I love this transformation. It's a super great talk. Um, under the direction of Don Rosenthal, uh, our new city manager, he has actually changed the formatting of it. He's done some very, uh, uh, uh, ingenious financial things on his side. This calendar year, our general transfer was not transferred. We kept it within the utility division. So, Mr. Ford, we are making changes and thank goodness people like you bring it to our attention and keep it right on the tip of our tongue. So, we know where our trip hazards are. We don't want to let that happen again. But people can people, Mr. road will be gone in six months. Yes, sir.

Whoever comes back in charge could be right back. And we were sitting here in the same boat again. That's why I'm telling you, we need to reserve some right to have some control of what money get revenue gets put back in the plant, what gets put back in the utility, and how it's run. We we we would just be making a drastic mistake to give up that authority. I'm just telling you, people change, jobs change, new people come in. But you've got to have you got to have stuff set in place where the people the new people to come in have a say. I mean I won't I might be gone I might be gone in a year. I might be gone. I'm sure I'll be gone in five years because I'm not going, you know. But the thing about it is whoever replaces me needs to have some kind of ability to have some say in what's happens as far as economic development in this county. And it's a known fact, a proven fact. Whoever runs the utilities runs economic development. That's a fact. And anybody anybody you talk to agree that

then you're in good shape, sir. You're in good shape because I'm running the utility. You're in good shape. Go ahead, Steve. Anything else?

Steve, I wanna I want to say something and I want to agree with you on something. I remember back when we voted to have this this this plan. I remember that, you know, we were concerned that there will be some large bottling plants and economic development has to be metered just like anything else. You know, if we got a company that comes in, first company ever in the mega industrial probably wants 8 million gallons of water a day. I'm not getting him here. I'm not because we got 55 million in a plant that's going to service 30 workers. I I agree with you on that. When you said, you know, there might be a come a point if a huge and and waterfalling plants, I'll be honest with y'all, ain't real popular right now with the river where it is and what's happening with the drought. So, what I'm saying, I understand. I'm trying to agree with you on something. When we talked about it in the early days, I said, "Man, I tell you what, I'd rather have seven or eight businesses with 300 employees that aren't bottling plants instead of one company and a one big bottling plant that took up all our cup and all of our usage." I don't think that's a smart idea to to go, "Okay, let's just take whoever we get." I understand what you're saying. you want to make get the most bang for your buck and if we don't have 30 me 20 million or whatever it costs to expand a plant like that I don't want us to have two businesses out there using a million gallons a week a year or a million dollar whatever it is whatever it is you know and it just makes it to where I think you have to be smart about who you take in you don't take five bottling companies and then you're done with the mega industrial park till you build another $50 million plant I think there's a there's a give and take there but I understand. I don't think we'll have that, but I understand why you said what you said because I would rather have many businesses that use this much water than one business and then one that uses everything the all the others would use. So, I get what

you're saying. You have to be a little you have to be I wouldn't say choosy, but you have to say, "Okay, do we want two businesses or do we want nine, you know, that that don't use that much water?" And I'm just agreeing with you. I'm not saying that's a policy. I'm just saying I can see what you're saying. You're trying to manage the water plant to get the most economic development out of it. And I don't know if we got any water plants online or, you know, I don't know. But I get what he's saying about that. I'm kind of just saying that to you. That's all I'm saying. Can he go? So, just for clarity purposes here, we we're we're debating the sale of the water treatment plant, not the mega park.

No. So, we would still have a say on customers who come into the park. No, we would have would we have a say in who come into the park? Would it just be on the city now as well? So like if a new customer came in, would that come across our desk at all? You mean as to whether they would hook up with somebody just if they moved here, they bought property and moved here and said, "I want to start my business here at Mega Park. I've got an industry I want to use the county utility provider." Yeah, they're right here. Okay. So utility buyers then, but we would still say yay or nay on if they're coming here or not. So here's but here's here's what you got to understand. When these big businesses come, they want some incentive. They want incentive to come here because they they got a bunch of places trying to get them to come to their place.

We lose them all the time about Austin different you got you got to be able to give them some incentive. We lose all we lose all incentive power as far as utility goes. You lose all that. So the only thing we've got left for incentives is to give them a five or 10 year tax break. So we lose it all. You see what I'm saying? We lose all the tax revenue in five or 10 years because we can't give them incentive on the on the utilities. The city would have to give the city on the utilities because they control all these all the Well, right now, do we give them incentive on utilities? We can we there's no incentive. Okay. I just wonder we we but we do offer that. We can offer that.

And here's the thing, guys. Every every y'all know they're going to do something with this property tax. If it's homestead of property, chances are that's fixing to go away for this county. So, the only only revenue we're going to have is commercial re uh industrial and commercial uh residential. If they're if they're available for homestead exemption, that's probably that's probably going to go away in the next couple years.

So, we need industrial. So whatever we whatever tool we have in the toolbox to get industrial here, we need to have access to that tool. And it's just simple as that. I mean, the whole reason we started all this, the whole reason we're where we're at right now is so we can control the growth. That's why we started all this. That's why we've done all this with the cup, spent all this money getting a cut substantive abuse permit at the Mega Industrial Park. We've jumped through hoops for eight years to get to this point and now we just want to sign a piece of paper and give it away. I just I just don't understand.

Well, I I'm listen and I'm trying to gain all what I'm thinking here. Did you did I hear you say it's gonna cost$ five more million dollars to get this thing? But we have a grant for 5.5 million that we give to them to run this. What the five million's on the water? Huh? Yeah. On the water, right? Okay. I just wanted to be clear on Yeah. Okay. So, so let's ask Steve. Steve, do you have $5 million to run sewer lines in the park? Are we referring to what now? So, we got two things going on here. So the water line is is going in lie of you building a water plant that you only had 5 million to build. So I'm saving you money on that one.

But we put a water plant next to water from the city, putting a master feeder in. We're working with the city. We said, well, we'll buy we'll buy water from the city, put a master feeder in, and we'll run these lines. Yes. And it, you know, we buy water from you.

So So let me put it to you in this perspective. So because you you've asked me a hypothetical situation that could go for or against either one of us. I will say this to you that the only customer that is currently out there with the exception of the prison that the city has had since 1217 of 1996, that prison has been our customer for 30 years that I've voluntarily diverted the flow to get the plant up and running. The only customer that is currently housed in the mega park is Agro Liquid. I was asked by the county, is there any way we can expedite the utility expansion because we didn't have the money. So to answer your question, Mr. Ford, the city of Lake City stepped up, not only provided all the material, but all the labor to meet the expectation of the deadline to get them online. Once they were online, it was negotiated that they didn't have sewer because they were going to put a holding tank till the master lift station could be put in. No harm, no foul. At that point in time, the state denied them. The city stepped up again. I am currently mobilizing material and equipment out there to put a sewer line in to divert them around the rail spur, which was Chad Williams genius idea to tie in is going to solve this. So, to answer your question, as of right now, the city of Lake City has provided all of the material, all the labor, and the installation in a timely manner to get your only customer that you're saying I'm going to deny. We have the only one that has stepped up and they will have sewer within a week or two. And you saved about how many millions of dollars by not having to replace that force plane down 90 by hooking up to our plant

that plant. So you you you're money ahead still. Yes. As you're money ahead still. So Sure. Yeah. Sure. But but it's not damaged to the point we can't. I'm just saying we're working with the city. Yes. We want to work with the city when we But we don't want to give I or I don't I don't want to give the city full control. I want I want some concessions for the county in this. And I think if we sat down and we negotiated out in a public meeting and put all the stakeholders in the room, we could come to agreement where everybody comes out a winner including the city. But this this agreement here is not it. I can tell you not for me it's not. So heavy.

What's your take on doing a workshop and everybody get together like say and see if we need to negotiate a different plan where we all have control, not just the city have control. Is any what what's your take on that?

So, um, again, go back to the reason why I'm standing here. The reason why I'm here is because the county first mentioned they were getting out of the utility business. That's why I'm here. That's the only reason I'm here. I wouldn't even be standing up here at all if if we were still going down the road of total control. So, we didn't try and take control. I want to make sure I understand I say that we have never sat in a room and said you know what we can take control of this entire world if we just get this mega part. We only have two utility rates and I'm I'm going that we only have two utility rates. Customer we have a residential customer. We have a commercial customer. We don't have an industrial customer. We have a residential. We have a customer. Those rates are set by the CPI. We don't change those rates. If a rate is changed, it has to go before our council. So I can't just walk up and say if operation A wants to come in and operation B wants to come in I'm going to give one a deal and the other one a deal. So I can't do that. So I am here Mr. Phillips because I was I was prop I was I was presented the facts that y'all were getting out of these a little bit. So to me this is y'all's plant. I'm just here to help. We got it up and running. We have an agreement for the next 18 months, 16 months, whatever that is. I am very interested to hear at what that what's going to happen at that point because again we we diverted that flow in there using our revenue to get the plant up and running. The plants up and running. I have heard in the past that we may artificially feed this plant. I've done a little research on it. You're not going to be able to get rid of leech aid without flow because the flow dilutes the leech aid which kills the microorganisms. So there's going to be some problems without that. So Mr. Phillips, I I I really am open to whatever y'all want to do. Um,

well, I have talked to the city manager and I know that he personally I don't think he would go back on the county. I don't think he's going to try to take everything in control and do what he needs to do. So, I mean, it's up to the board or whatever. And Mr. Chair, if I may, I think Mr. Parnell here on something important. Let's put some safeguards in place in the contract.

Go ahead. If Let me ask you something. If you just If you just said, "Look, y'all can y'all can handle it. We'll let y'all handle it. Doesn't seem like we're getting along. Y'all handle it." What would happen? Like, what would we do? What would we be able to do to make this our plant and only our plant, nobody else's plant? It's ours now. I'm saying, but it's ours, but it wouldn't have any flow or be making any money without them. That's the difference. What I'm saying is if we said, "All right, city, we're just not going to do this and we're going to take this thing back over and service customers." Who would be be serviced?

No one. So, what happens when you don't, this is just questions I don't know. So, here's what would happen. You got a contract for 16 months, Rob. That ain't going to happen for 16 months. But what I'm asking is if that happened. So, what would happen if that happened? Let's just say in 16 months we we can't get along. We don't want y'all having control. We want control and we say we want control. What would be our steps from there? I mean because we got one I think we got people looking at me. We're probably three years out from having a new business. So would we h would we have a way to who would we run that that sewer who how could we run the sewer plant? What would you do? I don't know. the sewer plants.

I really don't believe that's for him to answer. Well, I mean that's what would we do? I mean, is have we got a customer we can hook to? We negotiate. They want the plant. They're up to the negotiation. All I'm saying is we negotiate a better deal. They're not going to walk away from the table. They need the plan. They're they're at max capacity at Market Street and Kick Ladder pretty much. Hold That's a question I got too cuz I I didn't hear that. So could you right now be without our plant? Yes. Wow. So So what we did, we put a valve going into the plant and a valve going back to our plant. So we could turn two valves off.

You could decommission the plant. And I'm going to use the words of Mr. Krauss when we first started talking about this. It would have to be moth balled. So you would basically shut the plant. The plant cannot run. It is designed to run with flow. Um I'm going to expand on it real quick. Let's say this the whole thing we decided tonight that we didn't want to do this hypothetically we're not going to do that but hypothetically the amount of flow that aggro liquid has is so small that a very small E1 duplex pump will come on every couple of hours at most with three to four five employees in there 10 I believe six eight nine they give us a couple numbers but anyway at that point you would not divert enough flow from the current aggro liquid to even fire the plant up you couldn't do anything so if we turn the two valves off until You picked up a customer that had a 100,000 gallons a day roughly and at that point if you did get it and you negotiated it and it took 10 12 15 months brick and mortar get engineering done and you got it built you would have to install a pump you would have to install the infrastructure the whole collection system would have to be built it would have to get you would have to have land acquisition which I'm sure warehouser would give you and you would divert that flow roughly two miles to the east into the plant into the same piping that we've already put in there. So, at that point, you could get the plan up and running. Um, but the current customer has an availability letter that was signed by the city in 2022 that said we would service their water, sewer, and gas needs. We are, as I just mentioned, we are putting the line in for the sewer now. Um, so, so they will we will meet that contractual agreement. Um, other than that customer, there are no other customers in there currently, but I do know they're working on some and there is some lots that have been sold. Um, it it's it's really just it's

I I just want to be clear, guys. I'm not saying we don't work with the city. I'm not saying that at all. I'm saying we need to put some safeguards in place to protect our interest in the mega industrial park. That's all I'm saying. Now, I don't believe the city is going to walk away, and I know I don't believe they're going to walk away from a contract for 16 months. We've got time to negotiate this out and try to come up with a better plan

is what my thing is. And we need to have a workshop in on this, invite all the stakeholders here that's involved and sat down and have a discussion about it. I'm sure you put everybody in the room together, they can come up with an agreement. That's that's a better deal than this. And the other t thing that I I I think the city we're kind of saying the city might not do their job kind of y'all going to be on the hook for millions and millions of dollars. Yes sir.

And I bet you if somebody comes in there that's not a like you were saying there might be a problem with a huge water bottle plant which would be a problem for me too if we ran it and the bottom plant they want to take all our cup the next business is a bottom plant. I would I would probably say that's not a good idea because we're going to use up all our stuff. So, but your incentive and your they could not like us and not want to do anything with us. And I promise you, if somebody comes Megan Dose products going to use 50,000 or 100,000 a day, you are going to hook up because it's you making money to pay for the No, I'm I'm just asking him you making money you it's as much interest to you. Well, probably more interesting to you to get it going because you'll own it. If you if you we we sold it or gave to whatever we're doing, we would you would own it. So it's your your incentive is not because you like the county. It's going to be because you want to make some money to pay your you know to do what you're doing, you know. So I I I think the city is a completely different animal now than it used to be and I understand I got I understand kind of what

So number one thing Robbie I would say to that a utility authority or utility shouldn't be in the business of making money to start with. They provide a service to the people to great industry into the into the county for economic development. I mean, you got to you you you try to make us a make money bills for expansion. Yeah. Basically, what you're trying to do for operation and maintenance and expansion. That's what you want to make off a utility. You don't want to fund a general fund. I understand. That's what and and you know, Steve, I know you you know what I'm talking about. The city's been doing it for years. Yes, sir.

Now, I know you're trying to get away from it. And I've heard I've heard a new county city manager say, "We've got to stop doing this." He told y'all we got to stop doing this. And you do. And we do.

But at the same time, the county needs to have some safeguards in place. At some point, we might we might say, "All right, let's let's just walk away completely." But until that point gets here, y'all need to plan. You know, you need to plan and we need some safeguards. And ain't no reason why we can't work together on it where we both have some say in the matter. I just I'm just saying I don't think the county would pass history between the city and the county. I've lived here all my life. I've I've read it in the paper. I've watched it. I've lived it. I've seen it. I've seen how many businesses have left here because of the chaos between the county and the city or not left here. They they just never came. I see D. Williams sitting back there. I I I know I know some stories he said for no negotiations for years. They had a deal all worked out one time. Why do you think the city the county is in Ellisville right now? Because the city wouldn't run sewer down there. That's why we're in business sew business right now.

Am I right now? I'm just saying. I'm I'm just saying.

We've got I trust but I'll verify. You see what I'm saying? That's just my I'm I'm a businessman. I want safeguards in place. If I And if you if you're good if you're doing good business, you put safeguards in place. That's just way I do business. And if I'm wrong for it, I'm wrong for it. But I'm just saying we need to we need to have something in place that protects the county where we have some say so in this where our economic development partner or department has some say so in this cuz if we pass this we're out of the business out there of all of it economic development water sewer everything we're out of the business. This contract covers it all. Mr. Chair.

Okay. One last time. The only reason why I'm here is because you were getting out of I understand that. I said, "Well, you got up to talk and I'm talking to you." You know what I'm saying? You don't want to listen. IF YOU DON'T WANT TO LISTEN, YOU HAVE TO GO. YOU THE CALST man on earth. You could have a seat. I'm not I'm fixing to talk. Yeah. I ain't ask. Steve, are you the future Steve?

Real quick overview. Real quick. $5 million. We'll talk about the water plant. The reason why that $5 million we is the Senate state senator and representative was 100% convinced with $5 million wouldn't have got the pipes to where we need to have them plus the wells. So we were 100% short on that. That's that was a good deal for the taxpayers. Uh Senator Brad Senator Bradley and Representative Brandon said this is a no-brainer.

M uh Mr. Kirby, Mr. Krauss, I think made the visit over there. Done deal. Great deal. Good for them. uh water plant myself and David Glenn was there back in the day. It was should have never got past the first phone call. We need x amount of meetings got and then there was another time come up the guys that couldn't speak real good English me you Glenn and everybody sitt right there in Dr. Barrett's library out there. Yeah. We walked in the door they needed 1.1 million gallons less than 30 minutes into the meeting they needed 4.7 million gallons. I told them, however, we speak to them, this ain't good business. You're wasting my time. I'll see you later. Correct. Yes.

We walked out. I did. I left them there. I don't know what happened after that. But my point is is this is Rocky's right. This is a business decision and that's the business decision that Clem County is faced with. We're fixing to spend a lot of money in Ellisville, Florida to keep that growth going. That's a positive. We sat in there today as a and recommended it will be coming to this board as economic development that just the BMBB project is going to net $6 million a year just to this board on just the fuel side of things. That's their estimates at this point in time. And then Jennifer, it was overwhelming. It was a great deal. Good real good meeting we had today. Jennifer uh she she she's been working with them adamantly for what three years, Jennifer. And you know, this deal has finally come together and uh we're off and rolling. We're we and we have done we've gotten creative. We've worked the deal out with DOT. Yeah, there's some safeguards there and and that we've got to go forth and these are commitments that we're fixing to make. My point is simply this is that we with with that out there running however we do it we still going to have to prop it up in any situation if the city was to pull that plane off there I mean the prison off of there it moballs we're still responsible for hundreds and hundreds of jobs in the every chairman up here has signed that agreement that's another binding issue there so my point is as simply as this I'm willing to put the taxpayers risk in Ellisville, Florida. While I know there's going to be a return and I don't know that that's going to be a break even situation when you're out there borrowing 30 $40 million, whatever that number may end up being, but I would rather put my risk there because the North Florida Water Utility is operating that operation

right now. And when they're short and they're going to be short, it's this board's responsibility to make up the difference. We can't make up the difference here and hope that you're going to get a customer out here. We still got to David just told me a few minutes ago when you come around here we'll call six and half billion dollar responsibility out there. They're taking that responsibility on that the incentive like Mr. Pollers said for them to go forth. It's in that agreement. I read it to where that these there is going to be attention set to the north industrial yard. They're going to service it there. No. Ste, does Steve have $8 million here? I don't know if he does or not to sit there and run a line, we get a we get a project tomorrow, we just say wants to go halfway down Tower Road. I don't know that. But what I do know is that collectively when us in the city shows up in Tallahassee, it's already been proven to us collectively we're going to have a lot more meat in this game to by gosh to go over there when they see us coming over there as a team and it may fall apart next year this series. Who knows? on our part or their part. We don't know the future, but right now it's working as good as it's ever had. And I'm not gonna put down, but all the years this agreement is working as good. This relationship is working good. And I'll commend Steve for the efforts. He's a local guy. He he's put forth a lot of effort just like everybody on this board has. But this is a business decision and they're willing to take on that blunt of that out there. We're going to be there. It says in that agreement that we are going to assist them in future grants and what have you. And and and and and Rocky, you said earlier,

me and you've been sitting in the water utility meetings. We've known as this water utility as we've known this is in place for quite some time and we've never taken apart. We've never had discussion. Well, hey Shannon, let's put this together. But all of a sudden this week, Shannon comes up here representing the North Florida Water Utility Board a few minutes ago. I ain't heard nothing about this. Well, David's heard something about it. I talked to David several times about it. Well, have I not told you anybody about it? I'm on that board. I know you are. And you are. I know. I've never discussed. It's never been discussed. Stephen D is on that board, too. He sat down there and he's and right before the meeting, he was telling me, "Why are we doing this?"

Yeah, exactly. He's here for that. But we got to know the whole story here. It it's it's a it's a reason. Is it a risk? Absolutely. It's a risk and you know I remember it wasn't many many years ago you know we went through the God rest on the planting days and uh it it was good. It things work right. It was really working good back then and Dale was exactly right. I sat right back there in that corner and uh when Scott uh when they basically backed out on running that borderline down there at that time it was reasonably not it financially it just wasn't worth the risk you know but it's paid off for us in Ellisville we did go on the risk and you know it's uh you we can have all the workshops and everything and I understand what Mr. forward state and I agree with Rocky. It's to the point I like to have the upper hand too. I feel like we still got the upper hand because the city's represented on our economic development board. We got to be open-minded to the fact, but you know, I think our economic strategy today is simply this. When a foolish demand comes in the door, we turn them we turn them away. There's no sense in wasting one minute worth of talk. Somebody comes in here talking unrealistic. Me and you've had this discussion, David, over the last 10 years many, many times. It's it's a waste of time and effort, you know, and we appreciate your thought. See you the next time. You know, uh the Agra liquor project's going to be great for us. I'm I'd love to have 10 of them out there, 15 of them out there, and I know we're working on some real good projects now. I don't even know what the capacities are, but at the end of the day, you know, the responsibility lies upon us to make good solid decisions on what this because the water the the the North Florida Water Utility, we are going to continue to try to build in the rural areas as what we can to try to build a

utility that is reasonable and feasible. But we as a book, we're the bank. We are the bank. And if they as us as a board on the North Florida Water Utility decide we want to go down a path that's not reasonably finanable financially stable, you know that we can sustain it here on this side. These five people ain't voting for that.

Hold on, man. I'm not done. So my point is is that the North Florida water utility, I supported it from the beginning and I still support it, but the board of county commissioners in Columbia and Swany County, we the back and if we don't have the money to support it, we we can't go forth. We're going to continue to go there. We're doing good things. uh uh reached out got some great monies hopefully coming our way on on doing the proper research early on to try to expand the system to where you know to protect the system and and then you got the Fort White thing going on you know we we don't know but we'll see Monday night I think there's uh they're building their utility they're having issues or what have you that's great that's fine but you know it sounds like they're going to still want to run it and that's whatever they want to do that is 100% fine with me I I'll Fort White wants to run it. Great. Great. But already we're being told down there, Rocky was in the meeting. Shannon was in the meeting. We're sitting in Fort White down there. They got a $10,000 uh uh consultant telling 130 something,000 worth. Tell us, well, you're a great company. You do great things, but I don't think your numbers are right. 10,000 going to sit here and tell him it's you know we're it's costing us $6 a thousand to get the water there and they want to sell it for three or four. This here will never vote for that on that board or this board, you know. So where's Fort White going to be then? They're going to want to go switching white things out of this.

This ain't about but it all leads to ain't about it all reads to it. I'll make the motion that we go forth and have a closing on the 29th with the city of Lake City on the way to plan. Let me ask one question before we before we vote on this. Let me ask you one question. You made the comment that you the county is the bank for the utility authority. That's correct. So, who's the bank for the city? How much money we give the city compared to what we give the utility authority in the last year? Okay. What's our net possible return on that? Huh? What's our what's what's our net possible return on the money that we've invested in the city that we I hate to keep pointing towards what's our net possible return on the utility authority. Okay.

Well, I mean I'm just saying let's do mathematics 60 months. What's our return on that $5 million? I mean that money we invest. Well, you just said versus Okay. versus the water utility. You wouldn't invest in it. What do you mean I wouldn't invest in? You wouldn't invest. You wouldn't do what we've done in what? You want to put the money in the in the border utility versus what we put in in the city and ask for return. You know that, Rocky. We're fixing TO DO IT IN RIGHT NOW. I KNOW. SO, WE'RE STILL GOING TO BE THE BANK NO MATTER WHAT. THAT'S RIGHT. BUT THERE'S only so damn much money in the bank. Well, that's it. They're willing to take the risk. So, my question to you is if we give this to the city tonight, Yep. are we through investing money in this

and where? In the in in the main industrial park sewing water. Are we through spending money out there? Contract says right there. Contract says right there that that's up to this board. That's 100% up to this board. Do we go into a public pro a partnership with them to help with you? I mean with uh infrastructure lines or something about it. Who knows? Whatever it is, folks. Is it CL is it tying our hands that we don't do that? Absolutely. So is it tying our hands if we make a better deal? Better deal in your in your mind. Yeah. We just got to agree to disagree. I don't agree. I think deal's decent. I think we should have a workshop and have a public transparent meeting to the public. All this deal was made behind closed doors. Ever been

no. Joel Richard said right there he reached out to Grady early on and Grady arg behind closed doors. It wasn't in a public meeting. We don't chair. Chair We got this. Tim Tim, hold on. Hold on. That wasn't in a public meeting. We got this information. PUBLIC BUILDING. I GOT THIS INFORMATION this morning. Some of it. What? This? Yeah. All this this is all AI. Tim. Tim or chair? Hold on a minute. Here. I got a motion on the floor. Okay. Hold on. Our chair. Okay. There's Okay. Our chair has got to I'm sorry. Our clerk. Okay. I got a motion. Robbie, you got a second? Yeah. All in favor going forth with sale with the city of Lake City to close on towards the 29th. Is that correct, Bill? Uh, yes, sir. That's what the agreement calls for. All in favor say I.

I. All oppose. No. All one. Moving on. Hey, Tim. Uh, chair. 5 second recess. Okay. I'm sorry. I didn't know that's what you were trying to recess. Five minutes. Please. Thank you.

Okay, we're gonna restart, I guess you call it, here. Uh, okay. At this time, uh, Joel. Okay, I will, uh, you're up to Kevin Kirby. Okay. Okay. Okay. Consent agenda. Uh I need a uh Okay. Anna could go ahead, Mr. Parnell.

Okay. You get that going? Yes, sir. Commissioner, if you'll get with me tomorrow, I'll help you out with the form. Motion for approval. Consent agenda. Got a motion and a second. All in favor say I. I. All oppose. Motion to adopt. Got a motion to adopt as amended. Second. All in favor say I. I. All oppose.

Okay. Joel. Thank you, Mr. Chair. When we were putting the agenda together, I said I wanted to talk about the most popular subjects in the county. So, this is the CCNA uh discussion and I provided a brief cover memo, but if the board will recall the first meeting in March, there was a prolonged discussion as to how the county should move forward with continuing service contracts for professional engineering services. And the issue arose shortly after that meeting when staff realized they couldn't quite pin down how to effectuate the motion. The motion was to continue to use continuing service contracts but to bid projects as time allowed. And the engineer expressed concern about that because he said, you know, sometimes there's a $6.5 million contract that we have a short period of time to get bid out. Sometimes there's a $100,000 project that we have plenty of time to get bid out. Do they want to bid out $100,000 contracts? County Engineer Williams made a suggestion and I've reduced that into a resolution that if you adopt it, we'll actually formally adopt a policy on continuing service contracts. And so what you have under the CCNA is a special creature of statute that says if you're under $7 million on a total individual project cost, you can assign the engineering services for that project at a staff level without having to go through competitive solicitation under the CCNA $7.5 million. So it's an exemption statute. It allows you to get around competitive solicitation. As a consequence, every project, the total project costs under seven half million dollars. This board doesn't see it. Okay? That's the way the CCNA works. You don't see it. I went back and listened to the meeting. I listened to the concerns of the commissioners. I I attempted to capture

what your concerns were. And the way that we discussed this with with Mr. Williams and with Mr. Kirby was to take that $7.5 million ceiling and reduce it down to $4 million. So if you think about it, all the projects that are between four and $7.5 million are no longer exempt. Okay?

Okay. So those projects between four and $7.5 million that were exempt will now go out to RFQ if this resolution is adopted. So rather than it being a time consideration, it'll be a dollar consideration which we can always pin down and we'll know how to apply that. Now, there were additional concerns expressed by the board, particularly with respect to how you assign out continuing services contracts under the CCNA. I spoke to Mr. Kirby about it. He had made a few statements to the board. However, they were not reduced into the form of a motion, so they're not binding. The resolution that I prepared would make it binding. Um, so if I may, Mr. Chair, I'll read what the resolution holds. uh that Columbia County shall continue to solicit, engage, and assign professional engineering services as provided by the CCNA, including the use of continuing service contracts. Columbia County shall permit staff assignment of projects and other work to professional engineering firms under continuing service contracts for projects in which the estimated construction cost of each individual project under the contract does not exceed $4 million. This pro provision reduces the threshold under the CCNA from 7.5 million and is reasonably calculated to result in announcement of additional requests for proposals for projects for which engineering services are required. Here's the additional provisions. County staff shall when reporting capital projects progress to the board include with such reports the firm or firms that have been assigned to such projects pursuant to continuing service contracts. Five, this resolution shall not preclude staff requesting the board wave this policy from time to time where such waiver is in the best interest of the county. Again, it's your policy. You would have to wave it. The resolution and policy shall become effective upon adoption and replace and supersede any previously announced policies of conflict. So, what this does is replaces the motion that was made uh at the first meeting of March. It gives you something that accomplishes the same objectives, but it gives you an objective measure, that being the value of the project. Um, happy to I know this is complicated. Last time we brought it up, we talked about it for an hour and a

half. Happy to address any questions that the board might have. Lord, I I just have a question. Does the dollar amount of the contract have any bearing on the time sensitivity of it?

That was the issue, right? So the they're not necessarily related. So sometimes you would have a low dollar project that had plenty of time for an RFQ, but do you really want to do go all that effort for a $100,000 project, right? Or you could have a really high dollar project that's still under the seven and a half million but has a short period of time. This policy would say if it's over four million time is not a factor. It's going to RFQ. So I I understood again I I relisted to the meeting. The board is concerned and I think justifiably so that large value projects are getting meed out without any board input. And so what Chad Williams recommended, he said, you know, if you just drop that down to four million, a lot of those projects they're concerned about, it would require staff to RFQ them. Now, there is a provision in here that says staff could come to you and say, "Hey, we need to wave the policy because we've got an emergency." So, you can still do that, but as a matter of policy, Mr. Kirby's office, public works, every project that that is over four million is going to have to go through purchasing to get an engineer attached to the project. So, I think it accomplishes what the board was trying to accomplish. I I thank Chad for the creativity because he kind of came up with it, but we crafted it to hopefully meet your objectives. And then again, this policy requires that as part of a capital services, a capital projects update to this board requires that the assigned engineer be shown next to that project. So you'll know on a quarterly basis, okay, what projects got assigned out? Another thing I wanted to point out to you because you are keeping the CCNA. The CCNA has a provision that says the the primary consideration for assignment of projects by staff is qualification. However, assignments must be made equitably. So, if you have 10 contractors, you need to use all 10 of them. They now it may be that one gets more work than another because of qualification, but you still have to use them all. You can't have two or three that you just never assign work to. The CCNA says if you sign them up, you got to use them. And and Mr. Kirby and I've

had that discussion. Mr. Williams and I had that discussion. It's not a problem. Mr. Williams perspective is the more the merrier. So I'll make a motion we approve. Thank you. Second. Got a motion. Second. Any further discussion? All in favor say I. I. All. Thank you, Mr. Chair. And I'm fine with just one question real quick. $4 million. Kevin, this may be a question. Does is the when we say a $4 million project, is that inclusive of engineering and design? That's inclusive in the dollar figure. That is correct. The thought process was for example, Country Club Road, you got a $4 million grant. We got to make the whole thing work for 4 million bucks.

Okay, moving on. Joel, thank you. Uh, okay, Kevin.

Okay. Good evening, Mr. Chairman, members of the board. First item we have this evening is the rates at the landfill. So I'm going to go through this kind of slow. If there's any questions, just hold me up. Class one, currently you have about 1.1 million cubic yards space left or 11 years. Class three, you have about 250,000 cubic yards or three years. Class one tonnage versus revenue. You average about 60,000 tons a year or you generate about $3 million a year. Your operational cost is 2.3 million a year. That gives you an escro. The class three side of things, you average about 30,000 tons a year or about a million two million three a year on average. What does that tell us? Revenue versus operation. Class one 3.1 revenues. Class 3 1.2 million revenues. Miscellaneous class recycle material about 115,000. Total revenues 4.5 million. Operational budget about 4 million giving about a half a million dollars escrow currently at this time annually to expand etc. So let's talk about class three phase one 13 plus acres 8.5 excluding sand for tonight's purposes I'm going to include sand you're looking at $9.2 2 million buildout. I have to be putting class three garbage in there in 2829. We're digging the hole now.

What does this look like? And before I go any further, assuming you guys pass this, we're talking about a 90-day window after tonight to adjust for our franchise holders. That's the reason we had to get the solid waste provider vendor behind us because upon a new contract in October one, your new providers agreed to these rates. But I had to get that contract on place before I could do this. That's why they're married together. Okay. So, currently class one 60,000 tons a year, 52 per provider, $60 for everybody else per ton generates 3.1 million. projected moving forward, which our new providers agreed upon. We tried to clean all this up. Everybody's going to pay the same thing. 65.50 a ton generates a little over $4 million annual. Class 3 volumetric for your franchise haulers, $5 per yard plus 12% franchise fees currently gives you 800,000. Go up $1 per yard plus your franchise fees generates almost a million. tonnage side of things. You're currently at 37 the provider, 41 for your other for your little trailers. Current revenue about 500,000. You go to your 4650 a ton takes you 562. It takes you from going 4.3 in annual revenues to 550. You add your recycling in about 120. Now annual, I just told you 443 annual that takes you to 1.5 million annual by making your adjustments. So in conclusion, class one 60 to 6550. Class 3 41 to 4650. Waste pro currently once again is at 37 to 46.50. This is your city contract. It will be up to them to adjust that with

the city. $5 to $6. I had to wait till 2:00 to get my tire bid in today. It's 265 per ton break even cost on our side. I just got a bid in at 2:00 today. So, Mr. Chairman, I am requesting a motion to go from the rates I just recommended as I just spoken. That is my recommendation. So, move chairman. I have one question. Yes, sir. How does this affect the customer, residential customer, commercial customer on their because the contract we've been out for the collection fee, right? Yes. So, how do who pays for this and how do they pay for this? your provider to Adams, but they have to add it somewhere.

Yeah. Yeah. So, that's their business model. Like, once again, that's why the two things marry together. So, when Joel and I sat down and dealt with Adams, we said, "Guys, for years, it's been blended rates and this rate for this guys, are you good with the 65?" Whatever I said,

6550 for class one plus 12% franchise fees. They said, "Absolutely." Okay. So the only thing you do not charge franchise fees on is residential garbage. Right? So they go and they put the commercial can there. That's what you agreed upon with their contract. That's what they provided the rates with the two, four, six or eight yard can. And we're going to charge them meaning Adams 6550 per ton plus 12% franchise fees. The county is going to charge Adams. So this is the fee here goes to the lamp. That this money here goes to the lamp. The purpose. But how does that how does that how do you break that down to the customer? They pay for by the can. They do it by can.

Yes, sir. So what about residential? How do they do residential rate by the home once a week pickup whatever that math was? $1 and change. Yeah. So how I mean do they So that $9 and change is included this in this they have this tage fee included in that. No sir. You got you got a solid waste assessment that covers the residential side. Okay. Taxpayers pay us, we pay the garbage company, right?

That's that's pass rate. Then on the CL the tonnage industrial commercial class one they charge by the container which is in their contract the two yards, four yards, six yards, eight yards. We don't know how many cans go in the car truck. We just know when they come in the gate it's 6550 a ton plus franchise fees. So the price they give us for collection for residential this won't affect that price? No sir. That'll be the same all the way. Yes sir. Any other questions? Got a motion. I'll second it. Okay. Robbie had a motion. Got I'll second it.

Got a second. Okay. All in favor say I. I. All oppose. Thank you, gentlemen. The next is real simple. This is your litter control grant, which you do every year before you go uh before you mow the roadside mowing. Grant amount $93,750. Request a motion approve fiscal year 2627 small county consolidated solid waste grant agreement for 93750. Got a motion and a second. All in favor say I. I. All

okay. So, back in February, I thought we had this captured, but it got lost in a debate. Back in the day, we identified the local roads that we know will never be applicable for FDOT funding. We created an annual resurfacing account. It's by definition a resurfacing account. The intention is and was and is to use these monies on roads that we know the FDOT will never consider. Gentlemen, we're we're behind. You cannot throw enough money at it. And we want to do a dirt road workshop at a later date and all that. I'm good with that. But I'm requesting a motion to approve annual resurfacing funds for resurfacing only.

So move. I I have I look up. So right now we have no plan in place whatsoever. No plan whatsoever to take these hightraic dirt roads and pave them or do something to them. We have no plan in place. We have no money. We have no nothing in place for it. Are we just not going to pave any more of these hightraic roads? Because the only plan the only way I can get one submitted to to DOT is to buy right away and do engineering. The only money I get for right away in engineering is this money here. I've talked to the board, other boards about trying to put some money in for right away and I was told it's your road is your rightway. You got to buy it. Can I? I've got a million dollars in right away charges right now to my resurfacing fund.

So you're saying we ain't going to do this no more? Yes. That is that is So how are we going to buy right away? May I'll ask you a question. Yeah, I would like to hear your plan. Sure.

Okay. The easiest example I can give you, this board here a few month or two ago supported the 247 240 interchange project. Okay. As a result, I met with DOT. We've come to a clear understanding that as long as we do the initial conceptual survey, the property acquisition on that project, they'll do the rest. Okay, good deal for us. You're looking at roughly 1.75 acres of acquisition down there based on what we just paid for in Ellisville. a few hundred thousand dollars by the time you're all said and done with it. I never dreamt to take that money out and resurface it. I made a general assumption that this board understood that was a priority project irregardless of whose district it was in that we would capture that under capital projects and that's what was told the department. We should have never done that with Mayor Road. If you ask me looking back it was a mistake. You still got four or five property owners which sent certified mails to this board's going to have a hard decision before long. you going to shove after you spend more north of a million dollars or are you going to go to imminent domain and all that kind of stuff?

So, let me ask you a question. I'm trying to answer you. Okay. On the dirt to bathe conversions, including the soft cost on a non-complicated wetland mitigated job, you're at $1.6 million B. That's what it's going to cost you. That's for the That's for the acquisition of the property. No, sir. That's fine. In in addition to acquisition property, I'm talking about engineering, permitting, and construction. 1.6 million a month.

That does not get you very far. Now, I have absolutely no problem in the world. If y'all want to set aside a time, we could come in here. We've got the data. We've got the traffic counts. We can identify high priority dirt roads. You are exactly right. As we speak today, there is not a zillion dollar pot of money to jump on those ropes. There's also throwing five million dollars a year at a $90 million deficit. We won't live to see that. So, if you don't stick with resurfacing monies, you're going to go behind and behind and behind. I want to remind this board, and I know y'all are tired of hearing me give this example, you can level and pave for a few hundred,000 a mile. You can mill and pave when it gets a little worse for a little more mile or you can do full depth reclamation for about twice as much mile the longer you let those dirt roads I mean pave road sit there

you said you can mill it what there's three ways to resurface level and pave is one number course asphalt the final course that's about 300,000 mile to mill and pave about 380 400,000 mile

now how explain explain these I I'll explain If I've got a road, a paved road, I'm talking about paved roads. The reason I'm harping on this so hard is a business model. If I've got a road that needs to be repaved, it's got minimal cracking in it. I can go through what we call level it up so it's not so bumpy, put 3/4 of an inch to an inch of asphalt. That's called leveling. I can go back with about an inch and a quarter paving. That's one cost. If it's a little worse, if I let it go a little longer, I've got to mill it up, then put two co asphalt on it. That's another cost. If I let it go longer, if I've got to go put the lime rock on top, mix it up, lay it all back down, that's about double what leveling and paving is when I'm only throwing four to five million a year at a $90 million deficit that keeps growing. You're going to do less because it's getting worse. In other words, we're we're letting it go so long, we have to do the most expensive options.

R- roofing your home. You can snatch the shingles off, put them back on. That's one cost. Let it go, let it get your plywood. That's another cost.

But we got move we got people moving in this county every day. We got dirt roads. It's getting more and more traffic on every day. I talked to the engineer, the Chad the other day. There's three roads in Clubby County right now that that needs to be paid back. somebody traffic on them. They can't keep them up. That's Norris Road down around to 240. That's Fry Road down at Fort White and Robbie the third road is in your district, Top Road, cuz they cut through to the school right there. He said them three roads right there. But Commissioner Ford, let me give you an example because I've heard of all this. I had a gentleman call me that got wind of this around the North Road area out there. It's the largest property owner out there. He said Columbia County does not have enough money to buy an oak tree for me.

Oh, I I've talked to him too. I know that. But but I'm just saying we can pay part of it. Pay part of it now. Pay part of it later. You know what I'm saying? Once again, I'm here tonight to dedicate our monies to what were designed dedicated for. I'm just saying to come up with a plan to pave these roads somehow. Some of that plan is you're the road department superintendent. You need to bring a plan to this board to pave these roads. Just like we do with everything else, you need to set aside a few million dollars. That's how you got to get started.

We got to find the money to do it. That's as simple as that. Now, I what I would propose to do is pick a road and and I would ask you to get with DOT. You say you got a great relationship with I believe you do. I would get what I would ask you to do is get with DOT and say, "Look guys, the way you got this set up right now, we've always asked for the grant to paint this road and we bought the rideway and we've done the we and we've done the engineering out of the grant money and paid the roads." Now, you're saying now we've got to have the rightway and we got to have the engineering done before we can submit it. It's a five-year project right now. Once you submit it, it's a five-year project. Is that correct? Maybe you submit it, they tell you if you make the cut.

Okay. So, what we ask you to do is talk to DOT and say, "Look, if we submit a road, that gives us five years to buy the rideway and have it engineered ready to go to work in five years." So, why don't we pick a road and see if DOT will work with us and say, "Hey, look, if you'll approve this road to be paved, we need this road paved for Columbia County. We want this set up for five years from now. In five years, we'll have we'll be we'll buy the right away and do the engineering in five years. We'll be ready for pavement in five years. Now, it might require some imminent domain. Most of them do at some point, but we would just tell them at the end of the five years, if we don't have all the right away bought, we do imminent domain at that point. We won't have a choice, but we'll be ready to pave in five years. And let's see if the OT won't work with us on that. That way we can pick. I mean, don't I've been here I'm in my eighth year right now. We have not done a single strap or stop project in eight years. The only one we've done is is uh uh uh Sappers Lake Road. That was done when Rusty was county commissioner. That was applied to when Rusty was kind of commission.

Yeah, sir. We've done multiple scraps. Not with scrappers. I not with not not the dirt paint. Oh. Oh, okay. Burn I'm talking about Belro I've done B now B road was a scrap B road was a secret project road I don't know about road but I thought that was a economic development project we buy the right away from Belro oh yeah it wasn't included in the grant right that's bull donated you're right 100% that's the way which I'm going to say something while y'all said that I cannot the And that's right here.

I I cannot understand why if we're going to pave a dirt road that we have to pay one penny. That paved road is going to make the people's property worth more money. I I don't understand why we're paying How much is a tree cost? $10,000. Yeah. The arborist tells you that. Yeah.$5 to $10,000. I feel like we need we want the people to help us with this, you know, and I think you said one time, Rocky, we need them. Robbie, I've tried that every way. I just don't understand it. I don't either. I really don't. It's like they don't want the paid road. You got, you know,

Well, just like on Mayo Road, how many almost 90 something different property owners down there? 40 something, I think. 40 something, Mr. Hollywood. And so you got two or three or four or five. They say, "I ain't going to do it." They make the rest of them. So, then they don't do it. 30 more do it. But they want $10,000. So, and once you pay wood, you got to pay them all. Commissioner Hollingsburg, believe it or not, what we learned on Cypress Lake Road, a lot of those people wanted to live on a dirt road. That's right. Right. They were. And so, we paid them dearly to pay that.

You talked about Tomkins. I've had people say, "Don't you pay this road because they don't they know it'll be a raceway. I think it'll be 100 miles an hour." You know, back to what I was talking about before. Let's look at the way we do these roads. Some of the roads don't need to be 30 30 foot wide. You know, we can do traffic. We can build the roads and design the roads for slower speeds. I mean, we go out there and build a road in a subdivision so wide and so big that people feel comfortable doing 80 mph down. They go 80 down every road. I got Well, they go 80 miles down. Yeah, mine too. They be roll. But but I I just I feel like it I just

I'm just saying we've got to start turning some of these dirt roads into paint. We can't just leave all these dirt roads in Columbia County with and and keep selling property and having high traffic roads. I mean, we got some roads right now that are busy in some of our paid roads. A lot of our paid road may some and and even when you repave the road, they get mad because it people don't go slow anymore. You know what I mean? I will tell you what else. When I when I resurface a road in my district, I make more people mad than I make happy because they're saying that was already paid. Why you pay for it? We're on a dirt road. You need to pay our dirt road. I mean, I've heard that too. I can't win. You know what I'm saying? I can't win either way you go.

What, Mr. Kirby? What is the difference? Because I think we got a lot of people have skeptain a paved road as compared to a dirt road.

It's very much more expensive. So with a dirt road, you simply grade it. I actually did various studies on this. You grade them about every two weeks. Occasionally put a load of lime rock or this or that on it. Once you pave a road contrary to what you believe, then you start mowing the grass. You start maintaining the m insections. Start maintaining the paint. You start maintaining the shoulders. It's got a drop off. You start on and on and on. It jumps completely up. All the signage is there properly. But look guys, there's several hundred p dirt roads left. Put my pose up, please. you know, and whatever Rocky's got there. But my my point is is that just like we did on the intersection, the 240, I'm sorry, bay and uh what have you. Uh what's this? Go ahead. Uh so, so this is the the miles of road in the districts. District one's got total 233 miles, 234 miles. I say unpaid is 78. District 2's got 248 miles 150 miles unpaid. District 3's got 148 miles of road in the whole district unpaid 22 miles. District 4's got 280 miles in it. 115 unpaved. District five's got a total of 113 miles in it. uh 20 20 miles basically less less than 21 miles of dirt road.

So yeah, what I'm trying to show y'all is look at the difference in the unpaved roads in my district and the rest of the district. Look at the mileage of roads in my district and in Everett's district versus y'all's district or other than district one. But paid unpaid. Yeah, that's total. So, what I'm getting at, I made this point the other day at one at the meeting. Everybody gets the same amount of money for roads. Look at the mileage difference in the roads. Look how many miles I've got of roads and how many miles you've got of roads. Okay, sir. I've got 100 more miles of road than Robbie.

Okay. And I've got 140 more miles of road than Tim. total roads. But but we're talking about paved unpaved grant. So on paved you got 98 miles. Right. Right. Yeah. That's what I'm saying. I got I got less than 100 miles of paved road in my district. And I got 100 That's why I'm saying I don't need resurfacing money. I need rightaway money and I got 126 miles. So So those But you only have 148 total. Those are the two most expensive things to do is is to fix paved roads, right? So So 981 126 as far as paid is not that far apart in my opinion. I mean it's what 30 not even 30 miles 29 miles

I'm not talking for for the for the amount of for the where you're at as far out as you are you know it it well a lot of my roads yeah long roads long roads like you know but I'm just saying the state roads aren't in there no they're not in there no this just county road what I'm saying is some long roads like you know you know long 240 stuff like that um but I've got some dirt roads in my district that are dirt that has twice as much traffic as you can cut as Chad Williams is as some of y'all's paid roads do and that doesn't count private roads right private roads that's just county dirt roads and county paid roads

correct so what I was trying to say is is if anybody would look to see every 100 miles of dirt roads left paved I would 1.6 6 feet a mile. That's it. I I can make the commitment to you. Unless somebody's unless the people on that road agree to give me right away, I can't I can't afford because the roads I do have are long ones like Tomkins and all that. That's Tomkins is a long road and and I I just You got 22 miles total. I know. I know. But I'm saying I I can't I can't afford I can't afford to do that. 22 MILE ROAD.

YEAH, BECAUSE I'm having to take care of all the more expensive paved roads. I ain't got the cheap dirt roads. All my roads are more expensive. Well, I tell you what, I'll trade you my dirt road for your paid road. How about that? But I'm saying I'll trade you. What I'm saying is the more paved roads you got, the more expensive it is to keep it up. You know what I'm saying? So, your 98 road miles, I I'm surprised you got 98 miles, but 98 miles to my 126. I'm spending more money to get them repaved than you are for repaving. Now, you have dirt. You want to do dirt pave conversion. I understand that. But, but I'm spending way more reservicing than you are. But understand, I'm not asking for your money. Right. Right. I don't want you and I don't care how you spend your money. Right. Right.

But don't care how I spend mine either. Right. Well, and and dirt to pay conversion is if that's the only choice I've got to pay the road is to buy right away with my money. I want to buy right away. That's simple as that. Now, if y'all want to get together and say, "All right, we're going to start putting a million dollars a year to buy right away and you want to get a road and we'll start putting a million dollars here to buy right away." I'm good with that, too. But we'll pick a road, we'll buy right away on that road that year. I do.

And then we'll submit it to to the state. I do think we need to put some something in to be able to buy some right away. I've got several road you're you you got a 40 miles less dirt road or 35 miles less dirt road than I've got. But you've got the second back dirt road, Mr. Chair. But then we also go back to we're paving roads and adding to the inventory of the roads we don't aren't able to take care of because we're $90 million behind. So we're we're we're actually building infrastructure. We can't keep up. You know what? I I mean that's just a fact of lie. It ain't nobody's fault, but it's just the fact that we haven't all these years.

So we're going to tell our constituents if you live on the road. I'm just looking I'm just looking down the road. I'm looking down the road and what And I UNDERSTAND YOUR POSITION. IF I WAS IN YOUR SEAT, I'LL PROBABLY BE THE SAME WAY. NO, BUT I'M NOT IN YOUR SEAT. I'M saying I'm saying I understand what you're saying. But every time we build a paved road, that adds to more money for resurfacing. And that paved road doesn't get maintenance like it should. Yeah. But it takes money away. Then then they got a paved road with potholes instead of a dirt road that we can grade. You know, but it takes money away, you know.

But it's like it's just like Charles Road, what Rocky went out there and did, knocked on doors, did you know? Everything was going great until like Rock said earlier that. But if we're going to go down that road, I think this is a great discussion for, you know, to we got budget around the corner. We we we set aside x amount of dollars, whatever it was when we did the improvements, what we're fixing to do right now with DOT. I'm 100% for that. But I I'm not for continuing to spread this out and and and and Rocky's right. You know, I could I could argue the point here. Okay, I got 93 miles here, but I got 93 miles of heavily traffic roads in the county. Me too.

10 five to none. Five to one. But so my point and that's that's backed up by DOT. So my point is is this. So my junks working out wearing out a lot faster than anywhere else in the county. That's fact. So my point is is this. You know, right now uh we all agreed with Rocky and went along with Rocky on the Mayo road project for him to have used in the past as paved money to buy the properties that you have. At this point in time, it looks like it could possibly come down the imminent domain coming up on our workshop because it just like Kirby said a little while ago. Yeah. Okay. What to say? It's Baltimore. DOT still got to say that. Oh, well, we're going to accept that road and put it in the five-year plan.

Well, Chad Chad said them three roads, he didn't think he would have any problem getting DOT to and even Kevin said Mayo road D would accept that road. anything to be and I'm pick and and and I'm looking at dirt roads that I think and Chad think and Kevin thinks would be good could be uh good road to bid that they would accept it. Kevin,

Commissioner Ford's exactly right with everything he just said, but I want to make a clear condition. We're going to go to Commissioner Parnell's district. I have submitted Gum Swamp Road. We should be at three projects a year in totality for consideration if we compete with 11 or 12 other counties for that same pot of money. That man since he's been in office, he's called me by Gun for Road. The man before him was office, he's called me out Gunport Road. You're only going to get X amount of projects, whether it be dirt roads or pave roads. The only time the department, not the only time, the vast majority of the time the department looks fondly upon a dirt to pave conversion is for two main purposes. And Mayor Road is a candidate for that. Alleviation of traffic off the state highway system. They like that or business enhancements. They like that. So things do change. For example, what's born trucking? Boom. Belro easy enough, right? So what I'm asking this board, Mr. chairman is to approve my motion for tonight with the promise I will go to do and come back with a very thorough report. Are there any other methodologies that we could use other than one we're using today? That's got to be a DOT answer, but I will charge for it. As far as dedicating funds aside, I think it's point very important to make it clear here. You cannot just go and buy rideway. It requires engineering to buy a rideway. You have to know where you're going to put the road, all the curve data, all that good stuff. So, there's a substantial cost on the front end before you buy the rightway. It's my opinion. The first step we need to do is we need to go to every property owner on the project before we do any of the surveying or doing any of the engineering because you got to do that.

We need to go left and right with our acquisition agents and say, "Mr. Carell, we're probably going to take 12 to 15 foot of this side of the highway. Are you okay with that? If we make you a reasonable offer or not, whatever we decide, right on down the line and then you come back and you say, "Okay, 60% of the folks said this is a good-look project." Then you make a determination because what I found out there, somebody said it while ago, they don't want a paved road. It's the folks that move here that all of a sudden want the same amenities that they had in Miami and those other places. Mr. McCall's been out there four generations. He don't want it paved.

You take you take all the moors and all out there Norris Road. They don't want it paved. Char Chad told me the other day when I was talking to him about this that he already had a lot of work done on Norris Road. But Mr. for what I'm trying to tell you is the men and women that live out there the half river do not want it paved. They don't want it paid. No, sir. Well, what are we going to do with it then? You can't keep it. You can't keep it. You You grade it every other day and it's still tore up. They can't run down it. Well, this is a question for this board. Are y'all going to go out there to a family that's been up for 50 or 60 years file limit?

Well, I can tell you I've talked to four or five people on Norris Road that would love to have paid. I don't know who I tell you this, you going to have a cold day getting me to do imminent domain for just a just a dirt road to a pay version. Now, if it's something that you have to do for for the safety of the community, like a building or business or something, maybe. But I'm tell you, man, I do that's that's a scary road. That's scary. I can't take somebody's land just to do that's just that's just a process business for them. They don't they don't have feelings here. We got to deal with don't get elected either. But what I will say and I'll commit what I'll commit to is simply this.

I understand. Yeah. But right now, we'll call it Rocky. We'll call it that taxpayers. Columbia County has got a million dollars out of Mayo Road today. That's fact.

And we know there's other properties out there and and I think we just owe it to ourselves for Chad. You know, we we know what imminent domain property cost us by the acre. I think Cypress Lake and all this kind of stuff. I'm not saying we're going to be able to fund this, but what I'm saying, I think it's due time on that road alone before we go get into something else. Just simply enough, you know, budgets coming around and we may be able to set a little bit of money aside this year going towards imminent domain kind of money, you know, for Mayo Road and maybe next year some more or maybe all of this year. I don't know. I don't know how much land's left out there on what's left out there to be still purchased. But me personally, I would if it was on the floor today, I'd vote immediately from here on out. If you want a dirt road pave, everybody on that road, donate your land. If not, see you later. Donation. Somebody will do it.

So, somebody will do it. So, we didn't tell them people that on Bas and we just paid that. Bas carries about at least a third of your commerce in Columbia County, Florida, according to DOT in the Department of Commerce. So what are you going to do? You going to subside? You going to I'm saying you going to subside your whole economic commerce? Mr. Chair, we did not acquire property to resurface basketballs already. We did not acquire property to resurface basketballs. We did not. We repaved it. your developers paid for the property for the turn the turn lights. Mr. Chair, yes.

The money that this board set aside for BaskinRo's right away was for the future expansion of BaskinR four lane expansion. Four lane expans. So, David, when you was talking the other day, uh you mentioned a couple of different accounts that had couple million dollars sitting in them right now. Oh, I can't remember my me. You have money in contingency that's about $5 million in what in what account? I believe conting contingency currently is about $5 million. Yeah. And and then there was another one. You said there was some more money. More money

which is basically reserves. Yeah. Reserves. So right now we got money sitting there right now. That's by the way that's in the general fund. That's not in transportation trust.

Yeah. There's nothing saying we can't do that right now. We can't we can commit right away right now. There's money there for it. I won't commit to it until budget. There there's a lot of there's a lot of cost fix to come out of Tallahassee. Everybody on this board knows that. And there this this is an unforeseen. No, I I would absolutely that's that's going in the middle of the budget and doing the commitment to this because we don't know what that costs. I don't know what it over I mean our insurance already. We're talking about health insurance. You know what did it do to us last year? You know

WELL I'M JUST SAYING we'll budget that we don't know what THIS IS THIS YEAR'S BUDGET. No this this year's budget we'll stick to it but we don't have nothing in there to set aside for him in the domain in this year's budget. Correct. We didn't have money for the tax collector's office. We just bought two. That That's true. That's true. But we bought it. I mean, we do budget amendments every day. Again, again, we do budget amendments every day, Tim.

Okay. Well, let's put a deal together then. Bring it to the board and we'll vote on it. But again, you know, I'm I'm not saying that we won't come up with some type of a resolution to that point, but you know, no, we don't know what that's going to. So basically what y'all saying is Rocky, this is your problem, but we're going to tell you how you going to spend your money. That's what you're saying. So hold on. So I think Mr. Kirby here had the best option yet. Let's let's continue with the main way we have right now and then he's going to go to DOT and check with them to see exactly what it would cost or what kind of partnership we can form for dirt roads. Is that is that along lines what you said?

Yes, sir. what my commitment was. I was requesting a motion to only use resurfacing monies for what's defined as to resurface roads with the understanding I'm going to reach out to the department sit down with them and explain are there different options than what we're doing today with dirt to pay conversions as I understood it very clearly. Can we commit? Can we commit in writing with understanding we have the engineering dirt bought etc. the fiveyear time frame I understand exactly the question asked. Are you going to have that? You should be able to have that by the nth meeting. Yes, sir. So, do we need to amend the No, sir. I just got a motion. Oh, you don't need to s

I want to approve the second go. I'll second it. You going to go talk to motion? Okay. Got a motion to second. No, I I just was talking about these roads having land and I run through some of this deal and try to go talk to these people and say this will make your land worth more money, but they don't even live in they don't even live in this county. So, they've got all this land that they want you to buy up just because they don't live here and other people live on the road would like to have road and a straight road. We got bad road. So, let me ask you a question.

So, we need we need to set some money aside to be behind the Definitely. That's what we're looking at. Motion. Okay. So, we got a motion and a second. All in favor say I. I. All opposed. So, now I get told how I spend my money. No. I get told how I spend mine. There you go. You spend IT HOW YOU WANT YOU WANT. NO, I don't spend it on dirt p. You spend it on how you want the road you want. You spend on that. I have no other commissioners, Mr. Chairman, that do not just use paving money for paving money. Say that again. I do not have any other sitting commissioners that have ever pushed back on using the resurfacing monies for resurfacing.

I know two commissioners bought right away with their money last year besides me. You bought right away or on double road? No, sir. Ever bought right away if as far as his money? Those were projects approved years ago, Commissioner Ford, before the annual resurfacing had come out. If you look at the funding for pavement, there's rightways charged to district one and district four that were projects approved before the annual resurfacing monies ever existed. And there's rightway charged to district two almost a million dollars.

So, so let me ask a question. Am I going to get my million dollar back so I can resurface roads and we'll just pay that right right away out of something else? I have four roads picked up for you ready to go to bid. Yes, sir. So, to pave How much money do I have? I don't have I'm just saying the million dollars I spent on right away for Mayo Road, if we're we're not allowing that. Am I getting that money back for my resurfacing? I think that's what we got. That's how we got here. We realize that was a mistake. I don't think it's a mistake. I think we need to pay roads. Pay some roads. Mr. Go ahead. You ready to move on?

Yep. Okay, the next item is your transfer agreement for FDOT 247 and Baskin Norris. As you well know, we dedicated 500,000 annular or 2.5 million in totality for the intersection of the partnership with FDOT and Brford Highway and Baskin Norris. The next project is to construct the ponds up at Oakwell Heights and then actually redo the highway. This motion to approve transfer and maintenance agreement for the upcoming FOT 247 Baskin North construction project and adopt resolution 2026 R1. This is just next step in that process.

Got a motion and a second. Any discussion or questions? All in favor say I. I. All oppose. Mr. Ever got some good news for you. There's a grant out there for $3.6 million. 600,000 on our side. What does this do for you? It goes up and down Tuskanoogi Road including 240 242 and the Hurlong intersection to improve those dangerous intersections. I'm strongly recommending we approve the application information grant.

I just think that would be ours. Mr. Ever, why I got you to make my time good. $600 match. Where does that come from? We got the budget for it. We got the budget for it. We got the budget for it. Yes, sir. So, it's not this year's budget? No, sir. We We're applying for a grant here. We don't know if we're going to get it. Oh, so we're I thought you said we had

No, sir. We're applying for I just got permission to go for it. Okay, Mr. Ever, you're on deck again. East side school being built. Safe routs to school grant. This is 100% lap funded. This gives you a sidewalk. Bayer, defender of lusty country club estates. I strongly recommend approve the application for safe routes to school grant. I want to approve this motion up to my district because I know that kids are walking down the street trying to get to the schoolhouse and people trying to drive around. Yep. Motion. Yep. Second. Got a motion and a second. All in favor say I. Okay. Thank you, gentlemen.

And David, as you're coming up that 600,000, y'all take a note of this. This way we can bring in our budget workshops. We have a whole list of things that Amy's got a whole list she's been keeping track of. I uh am requesting uh to move item number 14 up to uh right now if that's okay with the board. These gentlemen have been sitting here a long time. Um helicopter guy. He wants to go ahead David.

They got a helicopter. Don't matter if they sit here. Realistically, item number 14 is resolution number 2026R-12 air method copcn. They have one. It's time to renew it. They're asking to renew their copcn. So move approve resolution 2026 R12. Got a motion. Second. Second. All in favor say I. I. Now you can go home. Get out of here. I think we've ran off everybody else in the public except one person. Oh, you're just going to leave when you get what you want, huh?

All right, I'll try and go through these as quickly as possible. Uh, RFP 2026F, basically, it's to decommission the two towers we no longer need. Oh, the burn ban. That's right. I'm sorry. Go ahead, David. We'll just go Come on up. Yes, come on up. The uh realistically, they want to reimpose the burn ban. Yeah, y'all. Yeah, just real quickly, y'all heard a lot of the the stats earlier about how dry we are. Forestry is having to drop several plows on just about every fire around now, having to use air tankers and all. So, I'm just asking that we reinstate the burn pan again. I move. Yeah. Second. Got a motion. Second. All in favor say I. I.

So, we have a resolution number and we'll put it out there. Are you prepared to read it now? Uh it well commissioners, it's the same resolution you've adopted before, but just for the public's information. I can read it real quick if you like. Oh, there is one other my slight modification. It's not for seven days. It's until your next meeting, which is there's an extra week this month. I only bring that up because there's the extra week this month. That's how they want it, right Jeff? For at least two weeks. Okay, got you. But this will be, like I said, there's an extra week this month. We y'all good with that? Joel need to read it or y'all good with it? No, we're good.

You don't put that out. Okay. So, you got decommissioning, David, right? You guys know we got two towers we no longer use. One's at the jail tower, which absolutely has to come down because it's a danger. It's a health hazard. Then we have one at Kamura Hills. So, you went out to bid. We're asking you to uh approve the rankings and authorize us to begin negotiations on the removal of those two towers that we no longer use. So move second. Motion and a second. And David, you said that these have been out to bid or going out to bid. This has been out to bid. You're approving the rankings and authorizing us to begin to negotiate. Okay. So the first one would be Global Net Telecommunications LLC and the second one would be Advanced Contracting Group Staff.

Okay. Okay. Got a motion. Second. All in favor say I. I. All right. The next one is community planning and technical assistance grant. Basically, the economic development advisory board has been saying we need to update our strategic plan for economic development. This is a grant that would pay for that. It has been recommended by the grant committee and we had discussion today on the at the economic development meeting relevant to this and it's due time. So moved to authorize economic development department apply for CBDA grant 65. Got a motion and a second. All in favor say I. I. The next one you've already done. Yep.

So now is the budget calendar. If you look at budget calendar that I put in your packets, that's pretty much what we're expecting. Uh the first major question I have is last year you chose not to hear from the department heads. Uh do you want to do that again or do you want to hear from the department? I don't I trust their I think it just gets presented.

Okay. So, we will be accepting their budgets on May 15th, and the week after that, we'll be reviewing them, sending them back for revisions, and then the week after that, we'll finally uh get those revisions that we're looking for. So, we'll be, like I said, they're working on their budgets now. They're preparing them. They'll submit them to us May 15th. David, if you would uh just my request and whether the board can agree or or not the uh somewhere's in there when we first get to, you know, some of your capital projects in there, let's uh I'd like to set a workshop aside in relevance to what we just had this major discussion about about how we set money aside for uh imminent domain issues, purchases or what have you. You know, we we owe it to ourselves to have a and it's going to be a decent workshop. So I don't think need to be one to push right, you know, before the meeting or a couple hours. We need to set aside.

Can we include in that workshop the future direction the countyy's going? Well, and the reason I say that, Rock, because what Kevin said earlier, he's going to he'll have time to go to DOT, bring back whatever that conversation may be, and then we can take it collectively, put it all mingle together, and then come up with a policy to where that you know, when Rock said, we're we're gone. people can live by this policy, what have you. What does that decide at this point? Well, and if DOT don't go along with that, I would like Kevin to come out with a plan. Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. Because No, it's not a plan.

Absolutely. You know, some type of recommendation, but you know, keeping the funding aspects and sources in place, but I I just think it's time for a workshop such as that. We can have a a good open discussion that's not, you know, relevant to Absolutely. And it affects budget. It absolutely budget work. Absolutely does. Yeah. because then by that time and you know we can always project what our I don't think we're going to be looking at property tax stuff this year but it's uh but you got to go ahead and start preparing for it right because it's you know there's I was stars hit me today with uh what's going in on this uh special session that's that's kind of out there a little bit that's a little weird but anyway

so one thing you do need to know they did change the law we're assuming the governor is going to sign it uh you will have to run an exercise that shows a 10% across the board cut. You don't have to adopt it, but you have to go through the exercise of doing that 10% cut. Is that the same bill that relates to budget amendments? Yeah, guys, y'all's budget amendment process is about to hit. I don't know if the city knows it or not either, but there's also a bill out there that might get passed that any any money generated from utilities, you can only spend a certain amount of it in your budget. Y that's good. That's good. So, there were a lot of changes to budgets. I will say this,

that issue you brought up earlier. I will say this, we're looking at the law and whether we can comply with it with our current software. It may force us to have to purchase budget software because everything now has to become searchable by the general public. State wouldn't force us to do nothing. Yeah. Right. So, just so y'all know, there's certain tables that have to be furnished showing last year versus this year, showing expenditures and certain subcategories and c classifications. It is a lot. Um, you know, a county of our size might be looking at another add personnel to handle just to do budget amendments because it's so involved. It's going to add a lot more work to us.

No, I'll run through the bill with you, Robbie. It's I'm joking.

Oh, I know you are. And like I said, it may require software. Todd's looking into it. Um, we're looking into it. It may require software just to comply with this new state law. Um, MSTUs as part of this. You got a budget workshop tenatively scheduled for June 4th to call for a public hearing on the MSTU. It'll require ordinances. It's also going to require ordinances on the part of the city and the town. Monday, we're meeting with the town to kind of discuss with them what it means for them because we've got to go through their process. Of course, towns and cities have to have two hearings on ordinances. We do not. Um, all this has to be done by June. So, you'll see a lot more about the MSTUs. We're looking at one for law enforcement. You're looking at one for uh EMS. Uh, you authorized us previously to hire Banesh to do those studies. They're currently doing the studies as we speak and it makes a difference because if they opt in, it's much easier for the county. But if they opt out, then we have to figure out how to justify for instance in the sheriff jails courts would have to not be charged to the MSTU because it's for everybody. Correct.

But the outside law. So, we're going through that and we're going to have all those options available for you, but it's going to require Joel and I to do a lot of work between now and June and Heather as well. Um, I think that's it. Unless you guys have any changes you want to make to the budget calendar. So, Dave, just reach back out to us if you don't mind. You know, try to see where you think it's best to put that workshop in. I think the earlier the better. Um, right now you don't have a workshop until June 18th or June 4th. Either. Yeah, June 4th. Uh, so we could do one in May if that's what you want.

I think it's I think it's worth I think it's good time. So just let's do a second meeting in May and Okay. So we do have a workshop scheduled then for the solid waste study. Uh just so you know what the solid waste study says based on our new contract and what it means in terms of passing the uh assessments. We can tie that into that or we can do it on a separate day. There's no problem have this workshop in the daytime. Okay. Let's let's uh that 9:30 we'll just do it there after that meeting. That way we're not held to a restricted time. All right. The first meeting in April that would be June 4th. June June 4th. That'd be the morning meeting. Correct. Yes. Okay. there after that meeting would just have that workshop relevant to that. That give you time, Kevin, to reach out to DOT possible.

Yes, sir. Okay. Okay. You have it right after the county commission meeting. Right. Right. That way we're not worried about you to get done real quick to go to 10:30 11:00. You going to take a lunch break and then come back? We may see. You could continue it after lunch. Yes. You know, be starving. Huh? You know, you going to eat the attorney money to buy that money. Mr. Chair, for for no purposes, for notice purposes. This is for David. You ain't buying no right away. Hold on.

No, I'm just because this comes up all the time. We're going to cross set the public here or the workshop for the same time as the board meeting. And what that notice is going to say is 9:30 or as soon as the board meeting ends. That gives you, Mr. Chair, flexibility. If that board meeting runs until 10:30, we'll start at 10:30. If it runs till 1:00, we'll start at 1:00. So, David, if you'll make a note, that's how we need to notice those from now on. Yeah, makes sense. Okay. So, that was the budget thing. Um, the next one 13

is the appointment to the transportation disadvantage board. They just wanted you to do an announcement. Uh we're looking for citizens that want to be on the transportation disadvantage board. The application is right there at that web link. Anybody wants to call our office, we'll help them get the application. If you know anybody that would want to serve on that, the regional planning council would appreciate it. Um and then you did 14.

We did 14. So you have two additions. Uh first one is the request for an extension of phase one construction multi-purpose sports complex. That is the 500 acres. They're asking to extend the time. They're confident they can get it done in time, but they want to add six more months to do all the paperwork in case there's cleanup and that kind of stuff so they don't feel quite so pressured and crushed. So, we make a motion that you allow us to request an extension. I move we authorize an extension. Second. Got a motion and a second. All in favor say I. I.

All. And the next one is resolution number 2026R-9 reimbursement agreement with DOT. Basically, you approved that last week, but it did not include the resolution. And DOT said, "We want a resolution." This is the resolution to confirm what you already approved. I move we pass the resolution to confirm what we already approved. Second. Got a motion in the second. All favor say I. All. And that is everything. Thank you very much. We appreciate your all the work you guys did today. Mr. Chair, point of order for the clerk. Did you get a vote on every motion that was made tonight? You do. Okay. We got going a little fast there. Make sure we got

I was just making Okay. Italy. I think we need to make a motion to not to forbid our county attorney to go out of the country more than two days. Weird. ever again. Mexico, right? David, quick question. Yes, sir. Where we at on Richardson grant? Is it open back up or what's the deal?

It has not quite yet opened gr back up, but we did uh open um bid packages on selecting a grant administrator writer and we're going to be going through the evaluation process on that. So, we are moving forward. We have the total cost from Danny Kale. We've got the total plans. We just need it to open back up so we can apply. Okay. Long stay on top. And I think the reason it hasn't is the budget process has gotten so messed up. They don't have any guarantee of funding. We just can't miss it again. I just want to be on top of it. We will keep an eye on it every week. And then the uh Okay, I'll open public comments. We only got one public person here. You good? She's smiling so she

Okay. No. Any more staff? Nope. I got one. Yes, sir. I wanted to thank everybody for alerting me to the Facebook traffic this week. The only comment I have in response is when you don't understand how things work, everything seems like a conspiracy. So, I can't unilaterally pass ordinances and I'm doing no such thing. I do want to thank the commissioners who reached out to say, "Is this true?" Always ask me first. I'm happy to answer your question. I don't want us to assume it anymore. Nothing on Facebook's true. You know, I don't have any problems on Facebook ever. You mean they don't tell the truth on Facebook right now? A problem being person I care about. Are you shocked? Oh god. I don't know why y'all have all them Facebook problems.

I know, right? You good? I don't have any more anymore. Oh boy. He gonna BE ON FACEBOOK. LOOK AT YOU. YOU GOOD? ROCK. I just want to say that Kevin Kirby shoot me down all you shoot me down tonight. Kevin Kirby shoots birds on Facebook. He shoots what? He shoots birds.

Y'all might want to kick me on the way out. I don't know. Write it down.