Donna Storter Long, Chairman Dennis Griffin, Vice Chairman Paul Beck Tim Stanley. Not present: Russell Echols. Others present:

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1 MINUTES OF THE GLADES COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS BUDGET WORKSHOP HELD THURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013 AT 9:00 A.M. IN THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING ROOM, GLADES COUNTY COURTHOUSE, MOORE HAVEN, FLORIDA The Glades County Board of County Commissioners met on Thursday, July 11, 2013 for a Budget Workshop at 9:00 a.m. with the following Commissioners present: Donna Storter Long, Chairman Dennis Griffin, Vice Chairman Paul Beck Tim Stanley Not present: Russell Echols Others present: Julie Mann Braddock, Administrative Secretary Sandra H. Brown, Clerk of Court Larry Hilton, Community Development Director Bob Jones, Public Safety Director Nancy Dean, Finance Director Avant Brown, County Road Superintendent Wanda Carner, Administrative Assistant County Manager s Office Gail Jones, Glades County Tax Collector Pat Dobbins, Director Glades County Health Department Dawn Oliver, Court Administration Holly Whiddon, Glades County Supervisor of Elections Tycee Prevatt, Extension Agent Joe Hosick, Hendry Glades Mental Health Angie Snow Colegrove, Emergency Management Director Terri Anascavage, E911 Coordinator Michelle Lanier, County Probation Mary Booher, Library 4 citizens Chairman Storter Long called the workshop to order at 9:00 a.m. PRAYER Commissioner Beck gave the invocation. PLEDGE Commissioner Stanley led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. OPENING REMARKS

2 Chairman Storter Long stated the Annual Report would be presented to the Board by Bob Jones, Deputy County Manager, at the next night meeting. ANNUAL REPORT BUDGET PRESENTATIONS 14. PUBLIC DEFENDER $8, No one was present from the Public Defender s Office. There was no change in this budget. 15. COURT ADMINISTRATION $18, CIRCUIT JUDGE $3, COUNTY JUDGE $8, Dawn Oliver, Administrative Services Manager Court Administration, stated the increase of $2, was primarily technology costs. She explained that the State had mandated that by October 1, 2013 the courts had to be paperless. She stated this increase would get the technology and programming where it needed to be to support the efiling system. She stated this was a minimal cost based on what needed to be done; however, the cost had been distributed based on the size of the County. She stated the only change in the Judge s budget was an increase to postage. She stated this was due to increases in postage rates and the post office box rental fee. She stated with the mandate the State had provided $103, for software to be used in Hendry and Glades counties. Bob Jones, Deputy County Manager, asked if Mrs. Oliver had heard anything on the courthouse grant in aid. Mrs. Oliver stated she had completed the executive summary. She stated Nancy Dean, Finance Director, and Sandra Brown, Clerk of Court, had been a tremendous help in gathering information needed for the summary. She stated she had presented the summary to the Trial Court Administrator for review and that he would make a determination as to whether or not something could be done at their level or if this issue needed to be addressed by the Office of the State Court Administration (OSCA). She stated she had received numerous inquiries as to what the funds could be used for. She stated OSCA typically liked to have an Architectural Study done and a plan drawn up for the improvements. She stated the priorities for expenditure of funds were usually security and ADA compliance. She stated other than this there were no specifics listed. Chairman Storter Long asked if the study needed to be done prior to the release of funds. She asked if the funds could be used to pay for the study. Mrs. Oliver stated the funds could be used to pay for the study if the funds were reallocated to the County. She stated she did not believe the sum of $850, would cover all of the needed improvements. She stated she did have a topic that she would 2

3 like to discuss with the Board in the near future. She stated the Board could adopt an Ordinance for a Facilities Fee that could be used for these improvements. 16. HEALTH DEPARTMENT $154, Pat Dobbins, Director Glades County Health Department, stated there was no change in her budget request. She presented the Glades County Community Health Assessment. She also commented on the county rankings. She stated some of this data was based on population. She stated she had been asked to investigate a partnership/relationship for a Wellness Initiative. She stated she would be working with the School Board and Florida Community Health Center. She stated this venture was going well. She stated Glades County had a full time Family Practice Provider and a full time Pediatrician. She stated this was the first time in the 20 years she had been here that this had happened. She stated she would keep the Board involved in the Wellness Initiative project. Chairman Storter Long suggested that the Sheriff s Department be included in the Wellness Initiative. She stated the idea had been discussed at a previous joint meeting with the City and School Board. 17. HOPE CONNECTIONS $24, SUNRISE COMMUNITY $4, Commissioner Stanley asked what services Sunrise Community provided. Chairman Storter Long stated they provided services for disabled citizens. 13. STATE ATTORNEY S OFFICE $11, Raymond Rhodes, Executive Director for State Attorney Russell, stated their budget had remained the same. He stated their budget was still at $11, of which 36% went towards technology and computers. He stated Mr. Russell had made a commitment to have an office here in Glades County when he was elected. He stated there was one full-time Attorney and Secretary and a part-time Victim Advocate located here at the courthouse. 19. HENDRY/GLADES MENTAL HEALTH $40, Joe Hosick, Director - Hendry Glades Mental Health, was looking forward to the Inland Port effect and the transportation industry in this area. He stated he believed the population of Glades County would increase along with the housing industry. He stated being small over the years had in some ways helped. He stated Glades County was also poor. He stated the population that the Mental Health Center served included a high number of Medicare clients. He stated a lot of the population depended on Social Security as an income source. He stated the population also depended on food stamps and subsidized health care. He stated all of these people needed housing, employment/income, and health care. He stated Mental Health was often considered a secondary health system. He stated the county needed a hospital. He stated neither Hendry County nor Glades County had an in-patient program. He stated there were contracts with Palm Beach, Fort Myers, Charlotte, and Naples. He stated these 3

4 facilities provided the in-patient care for the involuntary services that were provided. He stated the County s in-patient needs were small. He stated we were able to take care of our own. He stated there was a lot of family connection and self reliance in rural areas. He stated the County provides matching funds for what the State provides. He stated he now received $892, in State funding. He stated he was not receiving any Federal funding. He stated his staff was working a 35 hour work week. He stated there were 3 part-time Psychiatrist serving the 2 county areas. He stated these doctors provided services to anyone. He stated he also had been mandated to go paperless by January 1 st. He stated he was not receiving any money for this and his costs would jump approximately $36,000/year to convert to an electronic medical records system. He stated he was hoping to replace some of this cost by doing away with the current paper system. He stated this transition would take at least 6 months to a 1 year and he would essentially have 2 systems working in parallel for a while. He explained that although not funded, the mandate was penalty prone. He stated if he was not operating in a paperless environment by January 1 st his Medicaid pay would be reduced by 1% for the first year. He stated he would also be asking Hendry County for a 5% increase. He stated he would appreciate any help the Board could provide. 20. DISTRICT MEDICAL EXAMINER $51, No change. 21. SOIL CONSERVATION $2, No change. 22. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL $41, No change. 1. COUNTY MANAGER DEPARTMENT $231, CD LANDFILL $2, Nancy Dean, Finance Director, stated the only change to the County Manager s budget was the beginning salary which would change the FICA amounts. She stated the FRS amounts and insurance premiums had also increased. She stated the Landfill budget had decreased because she had removed a position. Bob Jones, Deputy County Manager, stated Waste Management had their own spotter at the Landfill and it was also monitored by DEP. He stated the $2, really did not need to be included in the budget. He stated this was not a County run department anymore. Commissioner Stanley asked why Waste Management was giving the County $60,000.00/year. Mr. Jones stated this was the initial agreement when the landfill was established. He stated the County also received tipping fees. He stated there was no requirement for the County to have a spotter there. 4

5 2. LIBRARY STATE AID TO LIBRARIES $80, Mary Booher, Librarian and Director of Libraries Glades County, stated her budget had remained the same as last year. Chairman Storter Long asked that Mrs. Booher report to the Board at least quarterly. Mrs. Booher stated the library averaged approximately 108 people a day. She stated the library must maintain State standards. She stated the library offered egovernment services. She stated all food stamp, social security, and unemployment applications were now done on the computer. She stated the State had now included voter registration. She stated the library offered a history room and information for the public. She stated the library was currently working on Viva Florida. She stated this was a celebration of the 500 th hundred of Caucasian influence in Florida. She stated she was trying to fill a canister of things that would represent Glades County. She stated she had Sour Orange cook book, a Glades County History Book and a Seminole doll. She stated she needed more items and needed a place to bury the canister. She stated the canister would be dug up in 50 years. She stated the library wrote grants and had just received a $25,000 grant for the purchase of 14 new computers. She stated the library did outreach programs and proctoring for tests. She stated she proctored for IU, the University of Florida, and Louisiana State. She stated this was not the library of our youth. Chairman Storter Long commented on the library being a part of the Heartland Cooperative. She stated anytime there was talk of decreasing state aid to libraries, they received more calls about keeping the libraries open. She stated our library was a very nice facility. Mrs. Booher stated her budget was basically the same but some money had been shifted around. She stated her book budget had been reduced to $20, last year and would remain the same this year. 3. COUNTY AGRICULTURE EXTENSION MULTI COUNTY EXTENSION AGENT $99, Tycee Prevatt, Extension Agent, stated she had been contacted by the University of Florida asking if Glades County could use a Horticulture Agent. She stated she had informed them that Gene McAvoy was currently the multi-county agent. She stated she was informed that Mr. McAvoy was a Vegetable Production Agent and they were offering the services of a Horticulture Agent from Okeechobee County. She stated his services would cost the County nothing. She stated he would be coming next week to see how he could help the citizens of Glades County. She stated this would help her out tremendously. Chairman Storter Long asked if this was the same gentleman that had presented at the Gardening Club meeting. 5

6 Mrs. Prevatt stated this was correct. Vice Chairman Griffin stated there was normally an increase in the Extension Agent s salary. Mrs. Prevatt stated the County only paid 40% of her salary and the University of Florida paid the balance. She stated the 40% was all that showed in her budget. Vice Chairman Griffin questioned the increase in retirement. Mrs. Dean explained that she had shifted some numbers around and accounted for the increase in retirement. Commissioner Beck stated if money was left over at the end of the fiscal year the money was returned to the County. He stated he had reviewed Mrs. Prevatt s 3 year average. He stated the money actually used last year amounted to $91, and her budget had been $99, He stated he had taken the highest year in the average and added 5% which amounted to $96, and still left around $3, in her reserves for unexpected expenses throughout the year. Mrs. Prevatt stated that in the 3 years she had been employed with the County her office had never been fully staffed. She stated Kim Clement, Secretary, had been hired in August of last year. She stated some of the funds in the 3 year average were for an employee that was not there. Chairman Storter Long stated she felt that Mrs. Clement would stay with the office and was definitely needed due to the increase in 4-H participants and the number of different programs that had been added. She stated she felt the whole amount in the salary budget would be used this year. Mrs. Prevatt stated she was always looking for other funding. She stated she dealt with over 600 children, building rentals, pesticide testing, and soil testing. She stated she tried to keep her office supply budget as low as possible and tried to use every resource available to avoid using County funds. 4. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT 1. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT $93, EMERGENCY - BASE GRANT $105, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HAZ MAT $1, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TERRORISM $5, Angela Snow-Colegrove, Emergency Management Director, stated most of her budget was from grants. She stated the Base Grant was for operational expenses, the Federal 6

7 Grant paid part of staff s salaries which was a matching grant, the Terrorism Grant was used to fund exercises and CERT Training, and the Haz Mat Grant was used for the purchase of items for the Fire Departments. She stated the only change was in the salaries. She stated when the salaries were split up between the Federal Grant and the Base Grant there was some extra money that had been moved to equipment for the purchase of items for the new EOC building. 5. VETERANS SERVICE OFFICER $22, Chairman Storter Long stated this was a contracted position and this budget included the rental fee of the American Legion. She stated it had been brought to her attention that the County was paying $3, for a facility for ½ day a week and for when the Supervisor of Elections used the facility for elections every other year. She stated the County had several empty offices that could be used and save the County $3, She stated there were 3 offices vacant in the Community Development facility and suggested that Mr. Herrington s office be moved to this building. She stated she had requested a report from him on numerous occasions but still had not received anything. Vice Chairman Griffin agreed. Commissioner Stanley questioned the use of the building for voting. Commissioner Storter Long stated she felt the citizens would be better served if the Veteran s Office was located within a County building. Commissioner Beck asked that this discussion be tabled until Holly Whiddon, Supervisor of Elections, could be present and make comment regarding the elections and use of the building. 6. PLANNING $215, CODE ENFORCEMENT $63, COMMUNITY SERVICES $184, Chairman Storter Long explained that instead of pro-rating the salaries of different jobs throughout the Community Development Department, Mrs. Dean had left 2 employees in the Planning Department Mr. Hilton and Jenny Allen. She questioned the Code Enforcement position and asked if it was a fully funded position. Mrs. Dean stated the salary for Code Enforcement was $26, for one employee. Chairman Storter Long stated this amounted to $12.86/hour. She stated she was not sure this salary would attract the kind of employee Glades County needed. She stated this item may need to be revisited. Mr. Jones explained that there were 4 levels of Code Enforcement. He stated the County would be very hard pressed to find a good enforcement person for $12.00/hour. 7

8 He also suggested reviewing some of the enforcement in the Code. He stated a report was being compiled and would be presented to the Board in the near future. He gave an example of how the current code was not working. He stated the Code Enforcement Officer would need to be diligent and willing to go out and talk to the public versus putting a letter in the mail. Commissioner Beck stated if the County was not going to enforce the code there was no need for it. He used the Sanford property as an example. He stated more cases like this would get the public s attention. Holly Whiddon, Supervisor of Elections, suggested that the County enforce a minimum housing requirement. She stated this may give the Code Enforcement Officer some help. She stated there were people in Lakeport living in a tent, using the ground for their sewer facilities, no lights, no water, and living in unsanitary conditions. She stated that under the current code the Code Enforcement Officer could not do anything to them. Chairman Storter Long asked if these people owned the property or if they were squatters. Mrs. Whiddon stated they consisted of both. Chairman Storter Long asked if the Health Department could do anything. Mrs. Whiddon stated they had checked on the site maybe once but since the County did not have any minimum requirements there was nothing that could be done. Mr. Jones stated the Health Department had gone out to the site. He stated they were not able to do anything because they had no regulations regarding this issue. He stated the County did not have any Ordinances that prohibited this type of living and waste disposal. He suggested reviewing the Ordinances and implementing something in the future that could be enforced. Mrs. Dean stated the Community Services position was not currently filled. She stated these duties had been distributed among the other employees. Chairman Storter Long stated the Board had discussed eliminating positions that were vacant for more than 6 months. She suggested this position be eliminated. Mr. Jones stated the County would be receiving approximately $350, in SHIP funds this year and someone would need to administer the program. Chairman Storter Long stated this could fund as many as 10 houses or as little as 3. She stated she did not see the need for a full-time position to cover these services. Mrs. Dean stated only $10, of the grant was for salaries. 8

9 Vice Chairman Griffin stated only 8 new permits had been pulled last year with construction plans. He stated 598 permits had been pulled in He stated only 301 permits had been pulled this year to date. He stated one of the 8 permits pulled for structures was the Ortona Community Center. Mrs. Dean stated some of these permits were funded through SHIP and other grant funds from Tropical Storm Faye. There was a discussion regarding the need, if any, for this position. Mrs. Dean stated there was nothing stopping the Board from adding the position back in the future in the event the need did arise. It was the consensus of the Board to remove this position from the budget. 7. PROBATION $45, Michelle Lanier, Probation, stated her budget had remained the same except for the State mandates on her salary portion. She stated her office did seem to be busier. She stated she felt this was because the probationers did not have the means to pay their fines, fees, and cost of supervision. She stated they were asking for community service rather than paying their fines. She stated some were even taking jail time in lieu of payment. Mrs. Dean stated Mrs. Lanier s budget had decreased even though there were increases in the retirement and insurance part of her salary. Chairman Storter Long stated she believed Mrs. Lanier had done an excellent job with this department. Commissioner Beck questioned the amount of probationers being down from a few months ago. Mrs. Lanier explained that the number of probationers was coming back up but the money was still not there because they were doing community service instead of paying for their cost of supervision. Commissioner Beck stated he felt Mrs. Lanier had done a good job as well. 8. MAINTENANCE $197, COURTHOUSE MAINTENANCE $158, COMMUNITY CENTER MAINTENANCE $29, Chairman Storter Long stated she believed the biggest part of the increase in this budget was the FRS and insurance costs. 9

10 Mrs. Dean stated some funds had also been added to the building maintenance line item. Mr. Brown explained that they were receiving a false cost in this budget. He stated yearly expenses had been budgeted at $13, but were actually running around $22, He stated this budget had not been increased for any reason it was simply showing actual expenses versus a false representation of the expenses. Vice Chairman Griffin questioned the contractual services line item being zero. Chairman Storter Long stated the contractual services were listed under courthouse maintenance. Vice Chairman Griffin stated these budgets needed to be simplified and everything needed to be covered under one maintenance department. Chairman Storter Long stated the courthouse was separate from the others so that clear costs could be figured for the purposes of grants. Mr. Brown stated the monies for the courthouse maintenance were kept separately because of grant funding and Court Administration. Commissioner Stanley asked if the salary line item was for 2 employees. He asked what these 2 employees did for maintenance. Mr. Brown stated the 2 employees did all general maintenance in the courthouse, all Community Centers, and any County owned buildings. Chairman Storter Long questioned why the Community Center maintenance had gone up by $9, Mrs. Dean stated this was a best guess figure. She stated 2 new community centers had been added along with their utilities. Chairman Storter Long stated Lakeport and Ortona had signed property management agreements with the County. She stated she knew Ortona had asked for the County to continue paying utilities and maintenance. She stated when these agreements were renegotiated in October the Board may wish to have the Community Associations pay these costs. Commissioner Beck stated these new buildings should be maintenance free. There was a brief discussion regarding the Indian Hills Community Center. Vice Chairman Griffin questioned if there was a Community Association in place at Indian Hills. 10

11 Mrs. Dean asked if she should reduce the building maintenance line item by $9, The Board decided to leave the increase in the budget. 9. CEMETERY $26, Chairman Storter Long stated this budget had decreased. Mr. Brown stated the employee was full-time but half of his salary was paid by the Road Department. Chairman Storter Long stated the utilities had been dropped to the 3 year average. Commissioner Stanley questioned having a full-time employee at the cemetery. Mr. Brown stated this was correct and this was a full-time job. He stated the employee also took care of the cemetery in Muse. 10. PARKS & BOAT RAMPS $45, There was no change in this budget. Commissioner Stanley questioned what utilities were being paid at the boat ramps. Chairman Storter Long stated this covered utilities at the Harney Pond and Alvin Ward boat ramps and the Ortona Indian Mound Park. Mr. Brown stated this line item also included the utilities for the gentlemen that lived on site at the Alvin Ward boat ramp and at the Ortona Indian Mound Park. He stated these gentlemen provided security for the parks. Chairman Storter Long stated there was a contract in place and the County provided a place for their mobile homes, paid part of the electric bill, and water bill, if any. Mrs. Dean stated part of the expenses were vessel related. She stated some of these expenses were reimbursed by the vessel registration fees. Chairman Storter Long asked if any of these funds were being used on the Harney Pond Park improvements. Mr. Brown stated some of the funds had been dedicated for the repair of the air boat ramps at Harney Pond. 11. EMS $1,096, Mr. Jones stated the only increases to this budget other than the salary and benefit package was a $5, increase to the fuel line item and an $8, increase to 11

12 the medical supplies line item. He stated this would be used for a one time purchase of nitrous units for the ambulances. Chairman Storter Long commented on the 3 year average of $510, for salaries and the increase to $515, Mrs. Dean explained this was because actual salaries had been used. Mr. Jones stated there were 13 paid positions but 14 positions were funded because of vacation and overtime. Commissioner Stanley questioned the administrative costs listed under the EMS 1 & 2 budget. Mr. Jones explained that these costs included his salary, contracts, Medical Director. He stated the costs listed were for fuel and maintenance on his vehicle. Chairman Storter Long questioned the Okeechobee contract. Mr. Jones stated he had talked with Positive Transport, a private, for profit EMS service that was stationed in Sebring. He stated this company did inter-facility transports. He stated they did the majority of transports for Raulerson Hospital. He stated he had spoke with Positive Mobility about stationing a unit at the fire house in Buckhead Ridge. He stated 2 units would be housed there; one would be on a transfer the majority of the time. He further explained that if a second call came in for a transfer Positive Mobility would start moving a third unit this way either from Sebring or Clewiston. He stated this way the station would not be without a unit. He stated Okeechobee would be a backup if needed. He stated the benefit to this would be a reduction in first responder calls. He stated the County s contract would be up in October of next year. He stated Okeechobee County Commission was not sure if they were going to renew Glades County s contract. He stated Positive Mobility s medics were usually fresh out of school or medics that worked there part time. He stated there was a variation of skill. He stated the medics would undergo the County s EMS testing (credentials). He stated he would be allowed to take over any call that he did not feel was being handled correctly. He stated one of his concerns was that if Raulerson Hospital decided to put in their own transfer service then Positive Mobility s would be eliminated. He stated the contract would be as long as the County needed. He stated the savings to the County would amount to approximately $29, Chairman Storter Long asked if the company had good ratings/references. Mr. Jones stated the company did have good references. He stated the only issues were the younger medics. 12

13 Commissioner Beck stated he believed the staff was qualified. He stated he had spoke with one person who knew the owner and from what he understood the company came with high recommendations. He stated he believed the idea was worth looking into. Chairman Storter Long asked what the average response time was from Okeechobee. Mr. Jones stated response time from Taylor Creek was approximately minutes but if they were coming from downtown it was a lot longer. He stated if no units were available in the Buckhead Ridge area he would probably call Okeechobee for mutual aid. If Okeechobee could not respond with a unit he would dispatch a unit or call on the Reservation to respond. He stated there would be a small impact on the dispatch center. He stated there were only about calls per year in the Buckhead Ridge area. He stated the majority of these calls were collectable calls. Commissioner Stanley stated he knew a gentleman that worked for Positive Mobility and had been informed by him that the employees were not treated well. He expressed concern with the quality of people the County would be dealing with. He stated he agreed with investigating the possibility. He stated the people in Buckhead Ridge should be made aware of the situation. He stated he was very pleased with the way Okeechobee handled the calls now. He stated he did not have a problem with staying with Okeechobee. He also expressed concern with taking away the first responder calls from the volunteer fire department employees. He stated he would rather leave the service with Okeechobee for now. He suggested that a letter be sent to each resident in Buckhead Ridge making them aware of the situation if the County chose to use Positive Mobility. Mr. Jones agreed. He stated it would behoove the Board to send a notice to the residents. There was a brief discussion regarding the use of subcontractors for Emergency Medical Services. 1. FIRE DEPARTMENT $359, Mr. Jones stated he had left fire departments budgeted at $213, which was the same as last year. He stated Hendry County had lost nearly all of their fire department. He stated they had gone from 25 members to 6. He stated they had contacted him recently and informed him that they would be requesting Glades County to help with coverage of their west district. He stated the Board would have to entertain some type of MSBU in order to provide more fire protection for the County in the near future. He stated he was getting numerous requests from insurance companies regarding the availability and location of the fire departments throughout the County. He stated people were losing their homeowners insurance because of the lack of fire coverage. He stated this issue could be addressed in many ways. He stated the Board could implement a $30 - $35 MSBU and have minimum coverage or implement a $120 MSBU and have full coverage or a variation of anything in between. He stated there were 9,685 taxable homes within Glades County. He stated if a $30 MSBU was implemented 13

14 this would generate $290, in revenue and cover the costs of hiring 2 more 40 hour per week fire fighters. He stated one of these fire fighters could be placed on the east district and one on the west. Chairman Storter Long stated she believed everything was already in place for the Ordinances to be considered and it would simply be a matter of determining how much and an effective date. Mr. Jones agreed. There was a discussion regarding what steps would be needed to implement a MSBU for fire services and what it would cost for the study. Commissioner Stanley stated he felt the money would be better spent on promoting the volunteer fire fighters. JC Long, resident of Ortona, stated currently there were only 2 paid firemen in the entire County. He stated he did not believe there was a taxpayer in the County that was not willing to pay an additional $35.00 a year to have 2 additional firemen. Chairman Storter Long stated better coverage was definitely needed and this was an item that would need to be addressed sooner rather than later. Mr. Brown stated he believed vacant property could also be taxed because it was susceptible to fire as well. Mr. Jones stated this was correct. 2. ANIMAL CONTROL $61, Mr. Jones stated this increase was due to an increase in fuel prices. 12. COMMISSIONERS $722, Chairman Storter Long stated the increase in this budget was due to an increase in retirement contribution. She stated the percentage had gone up significantly. She stated the 3 year average had been approximately $17, and would now be approximately $42, based on the new requirements. She stated this budget also covered an increase in workers comp for all County employees. She commented on the Professional Services line item and the $30, that was being paid to Ben Few. Vice Chairman Griffin stated he agreed that Mr. Few s services were not needed. He stated he believed PRM did a lot as far as getting competitive prices. He stated he had checked with other counties and most of them did not have a consultant for these services. Commissioner Beck stated the consultant was hired to check PRM and make sure the County was getting a fair shake and this had been completed. He stated he believed 14

15 the contract should not be extended for Mr. Few s services. He stated the Board needed to send Mary Ann Whitney, Human Resources Director, to a class for certification and allow her to do the same thing as a consultant. It was the consensus of the Board to reduce the Professional Services line item by $$ AUDITOR $124, Mrs. Dean stated the contract would expire this year and the Board would need to decide whether or not to renew or go out for bids. 2. COUNTY ATTORNEY $132, Chairman Storter Long stated she had requested a printout of this budget through June. She stated the amount was approximately $74, She stated Attorney Pringle s base pay was $62, She stated additional services that were performed were added to the Professional Services line item of this budget. 3. JUVENILE JUSTICE $14, There was no change in this budget. 4. CRIMINAL CONFLICT COUNSEL $2, There was no change in this budget. 23. SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS $234, Chairman Storter Long stated she had served on the canvassing board for 3 elections last year. She stated Mrs. Whiddon did a great job and the elections had run very smoothly. Holly Whiddon, Supervisor of Elections, came forward to answer any questions the Board may have. Commissioner Beck asked why her budget had increased. Mrs. Whiddon stated the increase in her budget was due to an increase in FICA taxes, retirement, and life/health insurances; otherwise, her budget was the same as last year. She stated a full time employee was not included in the 3 year average. Chairman Storter Long suggested scheduling a workshop sometime in August to address the redistricting issues. Vice Chairman Griffin stated he believed that the School District wished to work with the County on the redistricting issues but wanted to wait until January. Chairman Storter Long stated if the County was going to re-district they would have to do so by the end of the year. 15

16 Commissioner Beck stated the County s decision would be completely irrelevant to what the School Board chose to do. Chairman Storter Long stated this was true except for when you consider that the County would have to pay the costs for the Supervisor of Elections if she has different precincts and problems with set up because of different districts than the School District. She stated it would behoove the Board to work with the School District. Mrs. Whiddon stated she would come back to the August day meeting with some suggestions regarding the redistricting. Chairman Storter Long asked if Precinct 1 at the American Legion could be accommodated for. Mrs. Whiddon stated no she did not foresee making accommodations for a building she would only use 3 days every 2 years and she did not think it was a good idea to make the people in Precinct 1 drive over here since the Board had cut out Precinct 13. She stated she did not wish to move Precinct 1. She stated the $3, was for the Veteran s Office. Chairman Storter Long stated use of the building would cost $3, per year and she did not believe the expenditure was justified. Commissioner Beck stated the rental of the building was showing support for the military people that defend our freedom. He stated the building could be rented on a daily basis instead. Mrs. Whiddon stated she scheduled use of the building with Butch Jones who had never asked for payment. She stated the building was being rented for the Veteran s Service Officer and questioned if she would now be charged a daily rental or the full $ per year for use of the building. Chairman Storter Long stated she believed the building should be rented on as needed basis. Mr. Brown suggested finding out how much Mr. Jones would charge for the rental on an as needed basis and putting this figure in Mrs. Whiddon s budget and taking the $3, out of the Board s budget. 24. TAX COLLECTOR $465, Gail Jones, Tax Collector, stated the only increase in her budget was the State mandated increase in FRS. She stated she had not included an increase in health insurance because she had not yet received this year s rates. Mrs. Dean stated she would get the health insurance to Mrs. Jones. 16

17 Chairman Storter Long stated the Board would be working on a resolution to deter people from smoking at the entrance to the courthouse. Mrs. Jones stated she had heard a lot of complaints from customers regarding this issue. Vice Chairman Griffin asked if Mrs. Jones would be offering drivers license services in her office in the future. Mrs. Jones stated she had polled the Board in the past and they preferred not to do so. She stated there was an exemption because Glades County had not had a full time driver s license office in years. She stated there were 5 counties in the State of Florida that had been listed as exempt in the agreement between the Department of Motor Vehicles and the legislature. She stated Glades County was exempt because it would be too much of an expense to obtain the needed equipment. She stated it would cost approximately $100, for the equipment. She stated the offices that did provide the driver license services were only retaining $6.25 per customer. She stated this fee was only collected from each customer every 6 8 years. 25. PROPERTY APPRAISER $572, Lorie Ward, Property Appraiser, stated she did not have any increases in her budget other than the increases in retirement. She stated she had left $5, in emergency reserve contingency. She stated this line item had been in the Property Appraiser s budget for years. She explained that when Mr. Luckey had left office he had figured his retirement at a lower rate. She stated when she took office her rate was much higher and this created a budget shortfall of approximately $5, She stated when Mr. Luckey contacted the Department of Revenue and requested an amendment to his budget his request was denied and he was told to take the funds from his emergency contingency funds. She stated this is what Mr. Luckey had done. She stated she was requesting that the $5, be put back in her budget. She stated the Property Appraiser s budget had to also be approved by the Department of Revenue. She explained that she would hate for an emergency to prolong the certification of the tax roll. She stated if the funds were not used she would gladly refund it at the end of the year. Mrs. Dean stated the only other increase this budget would have was the additional health insurance increase. 26. SHERIFF $3,344, MULTI JURISDICTION GRANT Stuart Whiddon, Glades County Sheriff, stated he had met with each of the Commissioners and his budget was the same as last year except for the increases in the FRS and the bailiff situation. 27. CLERK OF COURTS $445,

18 Mrs. Dean stated there had been increases in the Clerk s budget due to the increases in the FRS and health insurance premiums. She stated she had also included $25, for some software and equipment in order to do paperless accounts payables and requisitions/orders. Chairman Storter Long stated this would eventually save money. Commissioner Beck asked when this anticipated savings would begin to show. Mrs. Dean stated there would be a transition of getting the software installed and the users trained but that savings should begin to show within a year. 28. TRANSFERS LAW ENFORCEMENT TRUST $8, BUILDING DEPARTMENT $119, Chairman Storter Long stated the transfer to the Building Department was down significantly because actual salaries had been figured. Mrs. Dean stated the Building Department was its own fund entity. She explained that this was not a reduction of salaries but the addition of an additional Building Department employee because of the anticipation of increased revenue. Chairman Storter Long stated she would like more explanation of these transfers at the next workshop. 29. RESTRICTED FUND EXPENSE $467, Mrs. Dean stated these funds consisted of the Tourism Development Department, BHR Utilities, etc. She stated this money was kept separately. 31. TRANSPORTATION TRUST 1. ROAD DEPARTMENT Avant Brown, County Road Superintendent, stated the only increases were the increases in the FRS and health insurance premiums. He stated the salaries line item had been lowered to reflect the actual salaries. He stated several positions had been done away with over the past few years. He stated Professional Services were reduced from $75, to $ ; utilities were reduced from $25, to $20,000.00; Road Materials were reduced from $30, to $25,000.00; and culverts were reduced from $15, to $10, He stated his revenues had been adjusted to show what was actually being received versus what the State was projecting. Vice Chairman Griffin asked if funds were available for the construction of the road through the Industrial Park. Mr. Brown stated funds would be available. He stated most of the costs could be funded through the Road Department. 18

19 2. PARKS DEPARTMENT Chairman Storter Long stated the only increases she saw in this budget were the increases in the FRS and health insurance premiums. 32. MSTU- LE Chairman Storter Long questioned the Payment in Lieu of Taxes. Mrs. Dean stated this was part of the $300, that was billed out for payment in lieu for the jail. 33. BUILDING DEPARTMENT Chairman Storter Long stated this budget included an anticipated $38, more in revenue. She stated the revenue from building permits had been budgeted at $102, and year to date only $46, had been collected. Vice Chairman Griffin stated 301 permits had been issued so far this year and only 598 had been issued in the entire year before. He stated only 8 permits for construction from new plans had been received this year and one of these had been the Ortona Community Association building. He stated he did not see where this line item would increase by $38, in the upcoming year. Commissioner Beck stated there would be a couple of big items this year like the Emergency Operations Center and the new high school. He stated this would bring in some additional fees but he did not see $38, worth or the need to hire a new inspector. Chairman Storter Long suggested putting the funds back into contingency and if it was needed later the Building Department could make the request. It was the consensus of the Board to take out the additional inspector position along with the associated FICA, retirement, and health insurance premiums Terri Anascavage, E911 Coordinator, stated she had tried to trim her budget as much as possible. She pointed out that the State had lost 13.6 million in revenue last year due to the lack of collection of a.50 cent surcharge on Boost Mobile accounts. She stated Glades County s was down 8% with their Boost customers. She stated she was at 5 years on her 911 equipment. She stated she had recently had a meeting with Chris Griner at the Sheriff s Department and it was time to replace or upgrade the 911 system. She stated Mr. Griner would like the County to go out for bids on replacement of the equipment. She stated she did not know if this would be feasible. She stated she would be meeting with the State 911 Coordinator within the next few weeks. She stated she would know more about the allocation of funds after this meeting. 19

20 Chairman Storter Long questioned the amount of cash carried forward. Mrs. Dean stated this was the actual balance of this budget. She sated on page 2 of the worksheet the line item Contingencies was the remaining portion of the $ that had not been spent. Ms. Anascavage stated $27, had been added back in to her budget for repair and maintenance. She stated these funds would only be spent if she did not get the grants for maintenance. 35. SHIP Mrs. Dean stated she estimated that there would be $150, of the $350, left in this budget by the end of the fiscal year. She stated this budget would be updated closer to September after she know the actual expenditures. 36. IMPACT FEES No information was provided for this budget. 37. CAPITAL OUTLAY There was a brief discussion regarding what funds would be reimbursable. Mrs. Dean explained that the Public Works line item was unencumbered monies; however, it also included the funds that the County would receive next year. She stated these were undesignated funds. Chairman Storter Long asked what these funds could be used for. Mrs. Dean stated she believed these funds were from the one cent monies that were collected. She stated she would look more into the matter and get back to the Board. Sheriff Whiddon asked if the Bailiff s salary could come from the $850, grant that the County had received from the State. Mrs. Dean stated she would look into this matter. 38. SOLID WASTE Mrs. Dean stated the landfill fees consisted of the fees collected at the landfill and the next page showed the other contracted services which was the amount paid to transport the waste to Okeechobee. 30. RESERVES Chairman Storter Long stated there would be some changes to this budget; however, the expenses had exceeded the revenues by $1.5 million. She stated the amount of Cash Carried Forward would be reduced by this amount to cover the shortfall. She stated the Board would have a cleaned up sheet at the next meeting. She stated the Board needed to schedule another workshop. 20

21 After a brief discussion, Chairman Storter Long scheduled the next Budget Workshop for Thursday, July 18, 2013 at 9:00 a.m. ADJOURN ON MOTION of Commissioner Beck seconded by Chairman Storter Long the Board moved to adjourn the meeting. There being no further discussion Chairman Storter Long adjourned the workshop at 12:09 p.m. ATTEST: Donna Storter Long, Chairman Sandra H. Brown, Clerk of the Circuit Court Approved: February 24, 2014 THESE MINUTES ARE NOT A VERBATIM RECORD. TAPES ARE AVAILABLE FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN LISTENING TO THE ENTIRE MEETING. 21