COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE WORKSHOP
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Escambia County Government Complex
221 Palafox Place
June 12, 2008
Call to order at 9:06 a.m.
Commissioners White, Whitehead, Young and Valentino were present.
“Everything happened pretty quickly at the last meeting so I wanted to say,” Commissioner Gene Valentino said. “Mike I appreciate the well run meetings you have done in the past and I hope to do the same.”
Commissioner Robinson arrived at 9:12 a.m.
2001 / 2007 Comparison Escambia County Full-Time Employees
(Analysis of Number of FTE’s for Fiscal Years 2002, 2008, and 2009 – (REFFERED FROM 05/22/08 C/W BUDGET WORKSHOP)
We would like staff to look at overtime and pay scales in other areas, Valentino said.
“On this next page you’ll see 45 positions received retirement buy out,” Amy Lovoy, county budget said. “We will be asking the board for an additional $300,000 to complete the buyout.”
“We will be looking for some fine tuning as the final budget grows near,” Valentino said.
County-Owned Vehicle List by Department
Staff to Provide Justification for 24-Hour Use of Vehicles and Cost Per Vehicle by Department (REFERRED FROM 05/22/08 C/W BUDGET WORKSHOP)
“Looking at the County Administrator department’s vehicles, we have the Malibu and the van,” said Cheryl Lively. “We decided we would like to keep the Malibu for carrier runs and offer the van to other departments.”
“I wanted to see something from the departments justifying what they are using the vehicles for,” said Robinson, who now sits next to Commissioner Whitehead after the chairman move. “When we spend a million dollars a month in gas, there has got to be a better way to do this.”
“We have investigated bio diesel,” County Administrator McLaughlin said. “The thing is we have a lot of warranties on our equipment. We are researching now if the bio diesel would void the warranties.”
“I think we need to make a policy for what is the justification for use of a vehicle,” Robinson said. “And we need to make a policy for our expectation of mileage.”
“I would suggest letting us take the time to study this,” Valentino said. “Then we can work with staff to see where cuts can be made.”
“I would like to see us be a little more efficient with what we are using to save some money on the fuel side,” Robinson said.
“We have vehicles with 300 or 400 miles last year,” Whitehead said. “Those tires are dry rotting. It makes it difficult for me to justify keeping it in our inventory. We need to ask, ones that are not being utilized, why keep them? I mean I can go out and buy Bob West some lifeguard stands if we can sell some cars.”
Human Relations Commission Reinstatement of Funding of $115,000
(REFERRED FROM 05/22/08 C/W BUDGET WORKSHOP)
“We had an opportunity to listen to a lot of talk for a need for these services,” Commissioner Young said. “Therefore I am still requesting that we reinstate the Human Relations Commission for $115,000.”
“I don’t disagree with the program but we have asked al the programs to make cuts,” Robinson said. “I have a problem with asking all the departments to make cuts except this one.”
“The $115,000 is what they got last year, but they were cut 25 percent the year before,” Young said.
The board decided to hold this issue for one more month to see what the city decides on this issue.
One Stop – Wedgewood Site
“Here are three options for the Wedgewood site,” McLaughlin said. “We can do nothing with the site. We can buy the entire site and use it for community center or we can buy it and put up the One Stop.”
The site is just over 51 acres. The asking price is $4,000,000.
They are proposing is gutting the building, doing repairs and renovating the interior.
The already proposed Fairfield land will cost about $200,000 less than the Wedgewood site to put up a One Stop, $16,000,000 and $16,200,000 respectively.
“I think the best situation would be to buy the property and use it for a community center and keep the one stop where we started it (Fairfield),” Young said.
“I would be willing to do this, but the school board has to give us a better deal,” Robinson said. “$3.2 million does not get me excited. They’d have to offer $2 million.”
“Maybe you’re not excited because you already have parks in district four,” Young said. “It’s a different story in district three.”
“I make a motion to offer the school board $2 million for the land and go forward with making the one stop at Fairfield and that would include the Molino School,” Whitehead said.
Young seconded.
It was passed unanimously.
Merit System Protection Board – Funding Request for Revised Budget of $75,000 – (REFERRED FROM 05/22/08 C/W BUDGET WORKSHOP)
“This motion was referred to this meeting because there was a revised budget of $75,000,” Young said. “I am going to make a motion to revise this budget to $75,000.”
This was seconded and passed unanimously.
Pathway for Change Funding Request
(REFERRED FROM 05/22/08 C/W BUDGET WORKSHOP)
“We have a program that is able to house prisoners at $40 per day opposed to $75 per day at the jail,” Robinson said. “Anything that saves us this much money is worth looking at.”
Pathways is asking for county funding for the next three months while they look for other funding (about $101,250).
This was passed unanimously.
Topics for Joint City-County Meeting – July 15, 2008
The rental car fee to fund ECAT will not be approved by the city. It was asked to be removed from the budget.
“The city has made their position very clear,” Whitehead said. “They do not want to fund ECAT. They would rather see it die.”
Escambia County Area Transit Citizens’ Advisory Committee
Report (REFFERED FROM 05/22/08 C/W BUDGET WORKSHOP)
(Marilyn Wesley – 15 min)
“The committee has looked at a gas tax and the possibility or reengaging the city in ECAT,” said Marilyn Wesley, neighborhood and community services. “We are also looking at a route to the National Museum of Naval Aviation.”
“We do not have a transit system set up to deal with employment issues,” Robinson said.
“The system is marginal at best, we all agree on that,” Valentino said. “I am just trying how to figure out how to fund it.”
“I’ve been doing this a long time, a gas tax is not going to happen,” Whitehead said. “They will tar and feather you and run you out of town.”
Foreclosure Policy for Unpaid Code Enforcement Liens
“The first 120 days the clerks office will seek collection by sending two letters to the property owner,” said Amy Lovoy, county budget. “A payment plan can be selected at this time for a $25 fee. The second letter would let them know their property could be placed under foreclosure.”
The plans could range from one to five years depending on the amount of the lien; the fines would need to be paid in full to sale the land.
“After day 120 a decision would need to be made on the property about foreclosure,” Lovoy said.
This policy was approved unanimously.
Staff Preparations for Joint Meeting with Santa Rosa County to Review Draft Language for the Property on Santa Rosa Island
“There is some reluctance by Santa Rosa County because they have no issue with Navarre Beach,” McLaughlin said. “There may not be a majority support to do so.”
“Until we have allowed the people to have their day in court, I am not looking to take any action that would interrupt this court proceeding.”
A motion was made to resend the resolution.
“The people out there do not want this until they see what the courts are going to do,” Robinson said. “Today is not the day for this.”
“We are in court because we haven’t had the leadership to make our own decisions,: Valentino said.
“Gene, that is not why we are in court,” White said.
“I yield to the board,” Valentino said.
“If Robinson has not been able to communication with his constituents about what this resolution is about then that is no reason for us to resend this resolution,” Whitehead said. “All this resolution calls for it to get control of the land under Escambia County’s jurisdiction. It is an issue of local control.”
“But my concern is that in the future an unscrupulous board will see this land as a cash cow,” White said.
“With that thinking we should condemn all the land on Perdido Key,” Whitehead said.
“I am offended,” Robinson said. “I have great communication with the people.”
“Do you even understand what this resolution is?” Whitehead asked Robinson.
“Yes, I do,” Robinson said.
“Then what is it?” Whitehead said, as if asking a third grader to explain their understanding of a playground rule.
Valentino interrupted.
“The court will come through with a decision,” he said. “But I think we need to be in a position to assert our authority as owners.”
A motion to resend the resolution was passed 3 to 2 with Whitehead and Valentino voting in the negative.
Third / Fourth Cent Tourist Development Tax / Civic Center Tourist Development Tax Subsidy
“We are $31,000 off,” Robinson said, looking at figures provided by Amy Lovoy.
“We may not have the money to do the half (of the funding for three lifeguard stands,” Robinsons said. “We may need to fund one, you fund one and get one next year.”
Whitehead moved to fund one lifeguard stand ($46,484) and make Arts Council funding $100,000 pending proof of matched funding.
This was approved unanimously.
Consolidation Plan Fire Services / Volunteer Fire Department Information Report
“The unification process is moving forward with good results,” said Chief Ken Perkins, Escambia County Fire Rescue. “We have implemented weekly meetings.”
Adjournment at 12:30 p.m.