Notes: BCC 3.20

Commissioner salaries were still on the agenda:

Board of County Commissioners Regular Meeting
20 March 2008

1. Call to order at 5:32 p.m.

2. Invocation – Commissioner Whitehead.

3. Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

4. Items to be added to the agenda:

5. Commissioners’ Forum.
“We had a great meeting between ECUA, us and the city,” Robinson said.

“I think this is a good time to say Happy Easter to all of our constituents,” Young said.

“I was lucky enough to visit the Extension Services two days ago,” Valentino said. “I am proud of the services they are providing.”

“Everyone contributed to the budget,” Whitehead said. “I am proud of this board for the professional manner in which they handled this.”

6. Proclamations.
Recommendation: That the Board adopt the following two Proclamations:
A. The Proclamation proclaiming March 20, 2008, as “Agriculture Day” in Escambia County
Passed Unanimously.
Commissioner Kevin White presented this proclamation.

B. The Proclamation proclaiming April 2008 as “Fair Housing Month” in Escambia
County.
Commissioner Gene Valentino presented this proclamation.

7. Employee of the Month Proclamations – None.

8. Written Communication.
A. February 27, 2008 – Communication from Eric Gleaton requesting that that Board waive the daily fines and court costs, in the amount of $4,075, relative to the Order of the Environmental Enforcement Special Magistrate concerning 5630 West Jackson Street.

“I did not have to opportunity to accept my lowest bid,” Gleaton said. “I had a bid for 11,000 for the whole four acres. The County was 13,000 for just a portion of the property.”
Gleaton asked for the fines per/day and court costs back.

“There was no forgiveness that we could justify,” Valentino said.

“We have never forgiven the hard costs before,” Charlie Walker, code enforcement. “We have forgiven the fines per/day in the past.”

“Why were we fining his when he was coming through with compliance,” Robinson said.

“The question is, when the clock was ticking, was there anything you could have done to make this happen sooner,” Valentino said.

“We are not in the business of cleaning property,” Whitehead said. “This is a circular argument. This is just not right. You should have never forced the county into abating this property.”

“I did not force them,” Gleaton said.

“You did, because you did not take care of your property. It is your responsibility,” Whitehead said. “Someone needs to make a motion. We need to dispose of this issue.”

Valentino made a motion to have Gleaton pay the lean amount and the abatement amount $14,721. The motion carried 4-1 with Whitehead opposed.

9. Did the Clerk’s Office receive the proofs of publication for the Public Hearing(s) on the agenda and the Board’s Weekly Meeting Schedule? Yes.

10. Public Hearing for consideration of adopting an Ordinance creating the Willow Tree Acres Street Lighting MSBU.
Passed Unanimously.

11. Public Hearing for consideration of adopting an Ordinance creating the
Twin Pines II Street Lighting MSBU.
Passed Unanimously.

12. Public Hearing for consideration of adopting an Ordinance creating the
Huntington Street Lighting MSBU.
Passed Unanimously.

13. Public Hearing for consideration of adopting an Ordinance establishing an Employee Severance Incentive Program.
“There was a lot of confusion when this first came forward,” Robinson said. “For every dollar spent on this, one will be saved.”
Passed Unanimously.

14. Committee of the Whole Recommendation

(2) Approve that, on or before October 1, 2008, Chief Kenneth P. “Ken” Perkins and Chief Robbie Whitfield will transition the County’s current Fire-Rescue System into one consolidated organization.

(a) Chiefs Perkins and Whitfield will provide the Board with an implementation plan at the April 2008 Committee of the Whole Workshop.

(b) The County Administrator will provide oversight of this transition, approve any time extensions, if circumstances warrant, and provide the Board with periodic progress reports.

B. Approve an allocation (from the General Fund Operating Reserves), in the amount of $40,000, to fund the Government Access Channel.

C. Approve the Naming County Facilities Policy

D. Authorize the County Attorney to publish a notice announcing a deadline to submit invoices for Indigent Defense costs.

All recommendations passed unanimously.

15. Reports:
Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller
Growth Management
County Administrator
County Attorney
All reports passed unanimously.

16. Items added to the agenda.

1. Recommendation was made by White to adopt a resolution to the State of Florida to reduce the salary of the county commissioners and state legislatures by 10 percent with an amendment asking that if it can not be state-wide then to reduce the salaries of the Escambia County Commissioners only.

Commissioner Young made a secondary motion to have the resolution be presented at a Florida Association of Counties meeting in Tallahassee next week without the secondary request to reduce salaries in Escambia County if the state-wide cuts are not accepted.

“One of the concerns I have is not overstepping our boundaries,” Valentino said. “I say we do this at the state level first. Let’s put the hot potato in their hands. I think what Commissioner Robinson is doing is commendable, but I am not sure it is affective.”

“I don’t like asking people to do things I know they won’t do,” Whitehead said. “But I will support it either way ya’ll go.”

“I will not support it without the secondary clause,” Robinson said.

“You have asked through this resolution to commit 10 percent of the salary to offset what we are doing for the citizens,” Young said. “I don’t have a problem with giving and I don’t have a problem cutting my salary. But I don’t think this is the right way to do this. I don’t know how this is going to help that person who lost their job today.”

“I didn’t think I would have to explain this to you as long as your dad was in the legislature,” Whitehead said to Robinson. “But you are sending a flawed resolution to the legislature. The second part requires a special act and it will never pass.”

Young’s motion failed 4 to 1 with only Young voting in the affirmative.

White motion was carried 4 to 1 with Young voting against the motion.

“This reminds me of something a good ‘ol boy used to say, ‘If you can’t give them help, give them hope,” Whitehead said. “That’s what we have done here.”

17. Announcements.

18. Adjournment.