Meeting Transcript Provided By Public Resources · GAINES AND OTTO DEMUTH AND JOSH PROUT AND CHUCK FUNK AND BARNESTER 1 This transcript is actually a copy of the live closed captioning

Meeting Transcript Provided By Public Resources

January 29, 2008 THOSE VIEWING IN AND LISTENING IN, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND START WITH THE BOARD MEETING OF JANUARY 29 WITH THE INVOCATION FROM PASTOR KENNETH FROM HARVEST MINISTRY CHURCH OF GOD. GOOD MORNING, SIR. DEAR LORD JESUS, WE THANK YOU FOR THE AWESOME PRIVILEGE YOU HAVE GIVEN US IN THIS COUNTRY TO VOTE. I PRAY YOU WOULD HELP US TO DO OUR DUTY AND GET OUT AND DO THAT TODAY. TODAY I ALSO PRAY THAT YOU WOULD BE WITH OUR COMMISSIONERS AS THEY MAKE DECISIONS FOR OUR COUNTY. FATHER, THAT YOU GIVE THEM WISDOM AND DISCERNMENT. WE PRAY FOR AN UPSWING IN OUR ECONOMY. WE AGREE TOGETHER FOR THAT. IN YOUR NAME JESUS, AMEN. PLEASE ALL REMAIN STANDING.I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CEREMONIAL PRESENTATIONS. I HAVE THE HONOR TO READ THE FIRST ONE. I WILL ASK -- I'M HOPEFUL THAT EVERYONE IS HERE. RICH BECK, IF YOU COULD COME FORWARD. FACILITIES MANAGEMENT. RICH, DO YOU HAVE TIM MCBRIDE AND JOHN TURNER AND DARRYL COULTER AND TIM GAINES AND OTTO DEMUTH AND JOSH PROUT AND CHUCK FUNK AND BARNESTER

1 This transcript is actually a copy of the live closed captioning text that was broadcast at the meeting and to be used as a reference only.

Lee County is not responsible for content or any errors contained within. For the official minutes of this meeting visit the Clerk of Courts Minutes Department at http://minutes.leeclerk.org/



ROWLAND AND CHARLES LANE AND MICHAEL MICHAEL AND DAN WEIS AND MR. TAYLOR WITH YOU? I HAVE THE WHOLE CREW. WOULD YOU PLEASE ALL STEP FORWARD. GREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE THIS MORNING. WITH RECOGNIZE WE HAVE A SPECIAL BUILDING HERE, ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES. WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HELPING TO PROVIDE THIS WONDERFUL LEGACY THAT WE HAVE HERE IN THIS COMMUNITY WITH THIS HISTORIC BUILDING. WHAT WE WANT TO DO TODAY IS RECOGNIZE YOUR TALENTS, COMMITMENT AND HARD WORK BECAUSE IT WAS RICH BECK WHO FELT WE COULD RESTORE THE DOORS TO THE COURTHOUSE WHICH WE, OF COURSE, WOULD LIKE TO SEE CONTINUALLY OPEN FOR THE PUBLIC BECAUSE IT IS THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE. THE WONDERFUL JOB YOU DID BY DOING THIS INHOUSE INSTEAD OF OUTSOURCING. NOT ONLY DID IT SAVE TAXPAYER DOLLARS BUT FOR THE QUALITY WORK AND THE WORKMANSHIP THAT YOU ALL HAVE ACCOMPLISHED IS REALLY SOMETHING TO BEHOLD. WE RECEIVE A LOT OF WONDERFUL COMPLIMENTS. IT IS MY PLEASURE TO READ THIS RESOLUTION IN YOUR HONOR TODAY. ONE OF LEE COUNTY'S MOST SIGNIFICANT HISTORIC RESOURCES IS THE OLD LEE COUNTY COURTHOUSE WHICH WAS BUILT IN 1915 AND PLACED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES ON MARCH 16, 1989. WHEREAS WHEN THE EXTERIOR DOORS OF THE OLD COURTHOUSE NEEDED REPLACEMENT, RICHARD BECK, DIRECTOR OF THE FACILITIES MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT HAD A PLAN TO REDUCE THE COST OF CONSTRUCTING NEW DOORS BY USING INHOUSE CARPENTRY STAFF AND THE LEE COUNTY HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD SUPPORTED THIS PLAN. WHEREAS CARPENTRY SHOP STAFF CREATED DETAILED PLANS TO ENSURE ACCURACY OF THE DESIGN, HANDPICKED THE LUMBER FOR THE PROJECT FROM THE LOCAL VENDOR AND CONSTRUCTED THE DOORS IN THE SAME FASHION AS THE ORIGINAL CRAFTSMEN. WHEREAS THE COST TO THE LEE COUNTY FOR THE BROADWAY STREET DOORS INCLUDING LABOR WAS $10,000 WHICH WAS LESS THAN HALF OF THE ORIGINAL QUOTE FROM AN OUTSIDE VENDOR AND THE MONEY SAVED WILL BE USED TO REPLACE THE MONROE STREET DOORS AND WHEREAS THE TALENT, CRAFTSMANSHIP AND TEAMWORK OF THE EMPLOYEES OF LEE COUNTY FACILITIES MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT MADE THIS PROJECT POSSIBLE.



NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE LEE COUNTY HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD DOES HEREBY CONVEY OUR GRATEFUL APPRECIATION TO THE FOLLOWING EMPLOYEES FOR THEIR SERVICE AND OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS IN PRESERVING LEE COUNTY'S RICH HISTORIC CULTURAL HERITAGE. TIM MCBRIDETHE LEAD CARPENTER WHO BUILT THESE DOORS AND DID THE FINAL INSTALLATIONS. HE WAS BY FAR THE MAN WITH THE MOST TIME INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT. JOHN TURNER, THE LEAD PAINTER WHO CAREFULLY MATCHED STAIN COLORS SO TO ACHIEVE A GOOD MATCH TO EXISTING DOORS AND ALSO APPLIED THE STAIN AND VARNISH TO ALL OF THE NEW DOORS. DARRYL COULTER, TIM GAINES, OTTO DEMUTH, JOSH PROUT, CHUCK FUNK, BARNESTER ROWLAND, CHARLES LANE, MICHAEL MICHAEL, DAN WEIS. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE TO RESTORE THE SPLENDOR OF THIS BUILDING. THANK YOU SO MUCH. [APPLAUSE] RICH, I HAVE A NUMBER OF RESOLUTIONS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO -- THEY'RE ALL THE SAME RESOLUTIONS BUT TO ALL THE WONDERFUL STAFF HERE. I'D LIKE TO FIRST OF ALL GIVE THIS ONE TO MR. TAYLOR AS MR. TAYLOR, IS HE HERE? THERE HE IS. I WOULD LIKE TO GO ON DOWN THE LINE WITH ALL OF YOU. RICH, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND WE'LL HAVE A PHOTO OP AND I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU, OK. GENTLEMEN, COMMISSIONERS WOULD LIKE TO SHAKE YOUR HANDS. BETTER THAN THE ORIGINAL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. RICH, ARE WE ALL SET? WE HAVE ONE MORE HERE. IF YOU WANT TO STEP UP HERE. WE'LL BE RIGHT BEHIND YOU. LET'S TAKE A PHOTOGRAPH. THIS IS THE WONDERFUL THING ABOUT BEING WITH THIS GREAT BIG GROUP OF MEN.



CAN YOU WAIT ONE SECOND? ANYONE FROM THE PRESERVATION BOARD? THAT'S OK. WE'RE ALL SET THEN. SQUISH TOGETHER. MAYBE TURN SIDEWAYS AND SORT OF GET IN. RICH, WE'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU. WELL, BEFORE I GET STARTED, I, TOO, WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD BECAUSE IT WAS THEIR FAITH IN OUR PEOPLE'S ABILITIES THAT ALLOWED US TO DO THIS JOB INHOUSE RATHER THAN GO OUT TO A HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMPANY. THE QUOTE THAT WE ACTUALLY GOT FROM ONE COMPANY WAS OVER $35,000 JUST TO REPLACE ONE SET OF DOORS. SO THIS IS THE SAVINGS THAT WE INCURRED. THE BUILDING IS ON THE NATIONAL HISTORIC REGISTER. I FOUND THAT OUT WHEN I STARTED TO REPOINT THE BRICK WORK 2 1/2 YEARS AGO USING REGULAR MORTAR. THAT WAS MY FIRST RUN-IN WITH WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE A BUILDING OF THIS NATURE. WE FIXED THAT PROBLEM. THEN WE APPOINTED OUR CRAFTSMEN. THEY SPENT HOURS DOING DETAILED DRAWINGS AND MAKING UP MEASUREMENTS. WE KNEW WE WERE ONLY GOING TO GET ONE SHOT AT THIS. WE THEN WENT TO A LOCAL VENDOR AND PICKED THE LUMBER FOR THE DOORS OUT RATHER THAN JUST PLACING A BULK ORDER. THE MEN DID MOST OF THE WORK BY HAND. THE USE OF ELECTRIC SAWS AND MODERN EQUIPMENT WAS ACTUALLY MINIMIZED. THEY DID MOST OF IT PROBABLY JUST AS THE DOORS WERE BUILT BACK IN 1915. THIS IS THE ONE EXCEPTION.



WE HAVE A PAINT BOOTH WHICH IN THE BACK YOU CAN SEE THOSE ARE HIGH EFFICIENCY FILTERS SO THE ROOM IS PRETTY MUCH DUST-FREE. THAT'S WHERE WE DID THE FINISHING WORK ON THE DOORS. AND THEN CAME THE DAY WE BROUGHT THEM DOWN TO THE BUILDING. YOU CAN SEE THAT WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME BLOCKING AND BRACING THE DOORS. AND THEN WE HAD TO REMOVE THE OLD DOORS. THAT WENT PRETTY SMOOTH ACTUALLY. ALL THE OLD HARDWARE, THE ORIGINAL HARDWARE, EVEN THE ORIGINAL WOOD SCREWS WERE REMOVED, CLEANED, POLISHED, LUBRICATED AND USED IN THE DOORS THAT WERE GOING UP. AT THIS POINT I THOUGHT WE'D MADE A HOME RUN. THEN WE BROKE ONE OF THE PIECES OF GLASS. SO WE HAD TO TAKE THE OTHER PIECE OUT TO SEND TO THE MANUFACTURER TO HAVE ETCHING EXACTLY MATCHED SO FOR SEVERAL WEEKS YOU MAY NOT HAVE NOTICED BUT FOR SEVERAL WEEKS WE HAD CLEAR GLASS THERE. YEAH, WE GOT CALLS. WHAT HAPPENED? THAT'S ALL BEEN CORRECTED NOW. WHEN WE DID THE MONROE STREET DOORS, WE DIDN'T BREAK ANY GLASS. AND AS CAN YOU SEE HERE, IT WAS A VERY REWARDING EXPERIENCE FOR EVERYBODY INVOLVED. THE BROADWAY STREET DOORS WERE ABOUT $10,000. IN TIME AND MATERIAL. THE MONROE WERE SOMEWHAT LESS BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAD THE TECHNIQUES DOWN. AND THE FINAL COST WAS LESS THAN HALF THE BUDGET OF JUST REPLACING ONE SET OF DOORS. SOME PEOPLE HAVE ASKED WHY WE HAVEN'T DONE THE MAIN DOORS AND THE ANSWER IS THEY DON'T NEED REPLACED BECAUSE THEY'RE PROTECTED BY THE PORTICO ENTRANCE.



THEY ARE NOT EXPOSED TO THE WEATHER AS BROADWAY AND MONROE ARE. WE HAVE TWO VERY NICE SETS OF DOORS. WE CALL OUR PEOPLE TRADES WORKERS BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THEY FIT IN THE JOB BUT THEY'RE REALLY CRAFTSMEN. I'M VERY PROUD OF ALL OF THEM. THANK YOU. OUTSTANDING. [APPLAUSE] RICH, YOU AND THE CRAFTSMEN MAKE US PROUD. WE APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. THE NEXT RESOLUTION WILL BE A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION READ BY COMMISSIONER HALL. THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN JUDAH. IT IS CINDY PIERCE, KATHY GRAY, KATHY KENZI,, VALERIE ROACH AND CINDY BURGESS UNDER THE PODIUM. IT IS MY HONOR TO RECOGNIZE "GRANDEUR" MAGAZINE. "GRANDEUR" MAGAZINE IS A WONDERFUL ADDITION TO OUR COMMUNITY. IT REALLY SHOWCASES PROMINENCE, FOLKS IN OUR COMMUNITY, VISITORS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND SETS A TONE FOR THE BUSINESS CLIMATE IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS I'M PROUD TO READ THIS RESOLUTION TO YOU. WHEREAS LEE COUNTY ENCOURAGES GROWTH OF HIGH-QUALITY BUSINESSES, INCLUDING NEW AND EXPANDING ENTERPRISES, THAT PROVIDE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, SUPPORT A STABLE WORK FORCE AND CONTRIBUTE TO A HEALTHY ECONOMY AND WHEREAS "GRANDEUR" MAGAZINE IS CELEBRATING ITS FIFTH ANNIVERSARY AS A LEE COUNTY BUSINESS THAT BEGAN AND CONTINUES TO THIS DAY DELIVERING A SIMPLE MISSION TO PROVIDE READERS WITH COVERAGE OF THE BEST IN LUXURY LIVING ON THE GULF COAST AND WHEREAS "GRANDEUR" MAGAZINE PROVIDES THE STAFF WITH A POSITIVE AND CREATIVE WORKPLACE, INCLUDING ONE OF THE LARGEST SPECIALIZED TEAM OF LUXURY LIVING LIFESTYLE REPORTERS COVERING ALL OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA AND WHEREAS "GRANDEUR" MAGAZINE IS AN AWARD-



WINNING PUBLICATION, RECEIVING RECOGNITION FROM THE FLORIDA PRESS ASSOCIATION FOR EXCELLENCE AS A LIFESTYLE PUBLICATION, AND WHEREAS "GRANDEUR" MAGAZINE PUBLISHED BY THE NEWS-PRESS, A GANNETT COMPANY, AND IS RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY FOR ITS EXCELLENCE IN PUBLISHING, AND WHEREAS "GRANDEUR" MAGAZINE HAS A LONG-STANDING AND FIRM COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING PARTNERSHIPS AND SPONSORSHIPS WITH CIVIC AND CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS FOR THE BETTERMENT OF OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE LEE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HEREBY PROCLAIM "GRANDEUR" MAGAZINE AS A LEADING SOURCE OF NEWS AND INFORMATION IN THE COMMUNITY AND A BUSINESS SUCCESS BRINGING POSITIVE ATTENTION AND NOTE RIGHT TO LEE COUNTY. DULY SIGNED BY OUR CHAIRMAN, COMMISSIONER RAY JUDAH. I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT THIS TO YOU, TAKE A PHOTOGRAPH AND HEAR FROM YOU. [APPLAUSE] WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. THANK YOU, MR. JUDAH, MS. HALL. THANK YOU FOR THIS PROCLAMATION CELEBRATING FIVE YEARS OF "GRANDEUR" MAGAZINE IN LEE COUNTY. OUR MISSION HAS BEEN TO HELP READERS CELEBRATING THE GOOD FORTUNE IN CALLING THE GULF COAST THEIR HOME. REGULAR FEATURES ARE PEOPLE WITH WORK AND PHILANTHROPIC ACTIVITIES, TRAVEL STORIES FOR FLORIDA GETAWAYS AND FAR OFF ADVENTURES, PLUS FOOD, WINE AND SHOPPING FEATURES. WE FOCUS ON ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT, DESIGN AND STYLE FROM HIGH RISE PENTHOUSES AND HISTORIC HOMES TO TAPAS RESTAURANTS AND TRENDY BOUTIQUES. "GRANDEUR" WAS PUBLISHED TWICE IN 2003, SIX TIMES IN 2005. SEVEN TIMES IN 2006. DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND FROM READERS, 10 TIMES LAST YEAR AND 10 TIMES AGAIN IN THE COMING YEAR. AS FREQUENCY AND SIZE HAVE INCREASED WE HAVE HAD LUXURY OF ENDLESS IDEAS FOR STORIES AND PHOTOGRAPHS TO FILL OUR PAGES AND TO REMIND OUR READERS WHY THEY LOVE WHERE THEY LIVE. SO ON BEHALF OF THE 600 EMPLOYEES OF THE NEWS-PRESS AND "GRANDEUR"



MAGAZINE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER HALL. ALL RIGHT. WELL THEN WE'LL GO ONTO -- REALLY IS AN EXTRAORDINARY MAGAZINE. WE APPRECIATE IT.THANK YOU. WE'LL GO ON TO THE RECAP. LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE THREE WALK-ON ITEMS WHICH WE'LL TAKE UP AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME. AT THIS POINT IN TIME WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE CONSENT OR ADMINISTRATIVE AGENDA. WE HAVE JOHN DAVIS. I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE. GOOD TO SEE YOU, SIR. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY COMMISSION. MY NAME IS JOHN STEPHEN DAVIS. I RESIDE IN BONITA SPRINGS. I'M FOR ITEM NUMBER EIGHT REGARDING THE COLLECTION OF LIBRARY FEES. I'M ALSO IN FAVOR OF ENFORCEMENT OF ALL THE OTHER COUNTY RULES AND REGULATIONS AND LAWS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HAVE A GREAT DAY. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, MR. DAVIS. PETE? GOOD MORNING, PETE. I REPRESENT AUDOBON OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. I WILL BE BRIEF.



ON THE AGENDA THIS MORNING IS AN ITEM TO MOVE FORWARD FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR THE MASTER PLAN OF FGCU. I THINK ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT DISCUSSIONS AT THE RECENT EVERGLADES COALITION CONFERENCE WAS THE NEED TO BE COGNIZANT OF THE FACT THAT WE ARE SLOWLY LOSING OUR WETLANDS, THAT WE HAVE TO MOVE FROM A POINT OF MITIGATION TO NO NET LOSS. AND AS I SEE THIS WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT THE MASTER PLAN FOR FGCU, IT CANNOT BE TAKEN IN ISOLATION. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FGCU OR AGRI PARTNERS OR MURISOL OR ANY DEVELOPMENTS COMING OR THAT MIGHT HAPPEN OR WILL HAPPEN. WE HAVE TO BE COGNIZANT OF THE FACT THAT THEY'RE PART OF ONE LARGE HIDE LOCAL SYSTEM AND WE NEED SOME KIND OF COMPREHENSIVE STUDY TO MAKE DECISIONS NECESSARY TO DETERMINE WHERE OUR WATERS SHOULD GO, WHERE THEY SHOULD BE RETAINED AND MINIMIZE DANGER TO OUR COMMUNITIES FROM FLOOD BUT AT THE SAME TIME PRESERVE OUR QUALITY OF LIFE AND HABITAT IN OUR WETLANDS. SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THESE HEARINGS. BUT I WANT THE PUBLIC TO BE FULLY AWARE THEY CANNOT BE TAKEN IN ISOLATION. THEY HAVE TO BE TAKEN IN CONSIDERATION OF AN OVERALL PLAN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MAYOR JIM HUMPHREY. GOOD MORNING, MR. MAYOR. GOOD MORNING. COMMISSIONERS, GOOD MORNING. GOOD TO BE HERE THIS MORNING. FOR THE RECORD, I'M JIM HUMPHREY, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF FORT MYERS. I'M APPEARING, IN FACT, AS MAYOR WITH A CONSENT OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT YOU FAVORABLY CONSIDER HAVING A JOINT WORKSHOP WITH THE CITY COUNCIL, CITY OF FORT MYERS TO DISCUSS ITEMS WHICH I THINK ARE PERTINENT TO BOTH PARTIES. OF COURSE, I KNOW YOU HAVE THE WALK-ON ITEM NUMBER TWO THIS MORNING AND THE REASON THAT IT BROUGHT US TO COME BEFORE YOU TO REQUEST THAT AND YOU HAVE ALSO RECEIVED CORRESPONDENCE FROM ME, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION AND REVIEW OF THAT.



BUT WE THINK THERE ARE SEVERAL ITEMS THAT WE COULD PREPARE AGENDA AND DISCUSS WITH YOU. WE HAVE HAD, IN OUR OPINION, A GREAT WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THIS COUNTY AND WITH THIS BOARD. WE REALLY WANT TO CONTINUE THOSE BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD GOOD PARTNERSHIPS WITH YOU, TOO. WE WANT TO CONTINUE THOSE. WE THINK THERE IS SOME IMPORTANT ISSUES THAT IS AFFECTING YOU. YOU ARE A VERY IMPORTANT ENTITY TO OUR COUNTY, ACTUALLY TO OUR CITY BECAUSE, OF COURSE, YOU ARE LOCATED HERE WITH THE COUNTY SEAT BUT ALSO BECAUSE OF THE GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP. SO WE THINK IF WE COULD DISCUSS THOSE TO INCLUDE THE EXPANSION OF THE LEE COUNTY JUSTICE CENTER, TO INCLUDE DOWNTOWN IMPROVEMENT, TO INCLUDE THE REGIONAL LIBRARY AND SOME REGIONAL PARK ISSUES. SO WE'D BE PLEASED TO PREPARE AN AGENDA. I WANT TO EXPRESS OUR APPRECIATION FOR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS APPEARING AT OUR WORKSHOP YESTERDAY. COMMISSIONER BIGELOW, THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE AND PARTICIPATING AND COMMISSIONER HALL, IT WAS GOOD TO SEE YOU BACK IN OUR CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS. WE REALLY THINK IT'S TOO IMPORTANT NOT TO TRY TO MEET TOGETHER AND A WORKSHOP WOULD PROBABLY BE THE BEST APPROACH. NO DECISIONS MADE BUT JUST TRYING TO SEE HOW EACH PARTY FEELS AS IT RELATES TO THE ISSUE. THAT'S IT. HOPEFULLY YOU WILL FAVORABLY CONSIDER THAT. WE THINK IT'S REAL IMPORTANT AND WE KNOW YOU HAVE WORKED WITH OTHER CITIES AND YOU HAVE WORKED WITH US SO WELL. WE WANT THAT GOOD RELATIONSHIP TO CONTINUE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.



DEAN MARTIN. GREAT NAME, HUH? GOOD MORNING. FOR THE RECORD, DEAN MARTIN, T.D.M. CONSULTING. WE'RE HERE ON CONSENT ITEM BONUS DENSITY CONTRACT AMENDMENT. WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF THE COMMISSIONERS SHOULD HAVE ONE. THANK YOU, MR. MARTIN. THAT'S IT FOR THE CARDS. ANYONE ELSE ON THE CONSENT OR ADMINISTRATIVE AGENDA? SEEING NONE. WE'LL GO BACK TO THE BOARD. WE ASK MEMBERS OF THE BOARD IF THEY WISH TO PULL ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. AT THIS POINT IN TIME, COMMISSIONER BIGELOW? 17-B. B AS IN BOY. ANY OTHERS? NO. COMMISSIONER MANN? NONE. COMMISSIONER JANES. NONE. I HAVE NONE. MOTIONED BY COMMISSIONER HALL. SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER JANES. HEAR NO OBJECTION. MOTION PASSES.



ITEM 17-B. COMMISSIONER BIGELOW? THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN JUDAH. LET ME TURN TO IT, PLEASE. JUST WANT TO DIRECT OUR ATTENTION TO PAGE FOUR OF THE CLERK'S VERY FREQUENT INFORMATION. FINANCIAL STATUS INFORMATION I GUESS IS THE BEST WAY TO SUMMARIZE IT. I'M JUST GOING TO POINT OUT ONE THING BECAUSE YOU HAVE HEARD ME BEFORE ON THIS POINT AS WELL AS OTHERS WHEN IT COMES TO THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE'RE HOLDING AND APPARENTLY WAITING FOR THE DAY WHEN IT WILL BE SPENT. THE ONE ITEM I WOULD LIKE TO POINT TO IS THE LIBRARY FUND AT $84.5 -- ALMOST $84.6 MILLION CASH AND INVESTMENTS THAT. IS MONEY SITTING IDLE. WE HAVE ONE LIBRARY IN THE PIPELINE. THAT'S THE NORTHEAST CAPE CORAL REGIONAL LIBRARY. APPLAUD THAT EFFORT. LOOK FORWARD TO MOVING FORWARD RAPIDLY. BUT THERE ARE OTHER NEEDS. THE MAYOR POINTED TO ONE HERE VERY CLOSE TO WHERE WE SIT. I DON'T SEE WHY IT IS THAT WE HAVE DECIDED TO STALL THOSE PLANNING EFFORTS. IT DOESN'T SIT WELL WITH ME TO DO THAT. ESPECIALLY WHEN WE COULD BE HELPING THIS ECONOMY WHICH WE ALL, I THINK WOULD AGREE, IS STRUGGLING SEVERELY. WE NEED TO BE FINDING WAYS TO GET MONEY INTO THE ECONOMY. BY STALLING THE DOWNTOWN LIBRARY, THE FORT MYERS REGIONAL LIBRARY, WE FOREGO THAT OPPORTUNITY. WE PUT THAT OFF FURTHER INTO THE FUTURE. THE EXPLANATION GIVEN TO ME BY COUNTY MANAGEMENT I GUESS VIS-A-VIS THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR WAS THAT TODAY'S REFERENDUM AND THE OVERALL DECLINE OF



THE ECONOMY WERE THE REASONS FOR NOT MOVING FORWARD WITH THE PLANNING EFFORTS WITH RESPECT TO THE DOWNTOWN LIBRARY. I DON'T SEE THAT HOLDS WATER FOR ME. IF WE COULD, I THINK WE MIGHT WANT TO REVISIT THAT OPINION, MR. COUNTY MANAGER. AND SEE IF WE CAN'T MAYBE RESTART THAT PLANNING EFFORT SO THAT WE CAN MOVE CLOSER TO THE DAY WHEN WE'LL REALIZE THE REDEVELOPMENT I GUESS, IF YOU WILL, OF THE DOWNTOWN LIBRARY. THANK YOU. I WILL MOVE THE ITEM. MOTIONED BY COMMISSIONER HALL TO MOVE THE ITEM. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MANN. UNDER DISCUSSION. COMMISSIONER BIGELOW, ACTUALLY I COULDN'T AGREE WITH YOU MORE. I HAVE FELT THAT THIS BOARD HAS BEEN VERY FORTHRIGHT IN OUR COMMITMENT TO EXPANDING, RENOVATING THE FORT MYERS DOWNTOWN LIBRARY. I CERTAINLY IN NO WAY WANT TO BE THOUGHT OF AS STALLING OR DELAYING THAT EFFORT. I ALSO AGREE THAT CONSTRUCTION EFFORT WOULD NOT ONLY PROVIDE FOR EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AS YOU SAY IN THE DOWNTURN ECONOMY BUT THE RECOGNITION WE NEED MORE SPACE AND MATERIALS AT THIS PARTICULAR FACILITY. I WOULD HOPE THAT THAT PLUS THE COMMENDMENT TO BONITA SPRINGS WITH THE RECOGNITION THAT THAT IS A VERY SMALL LIBRARY THAT IS CLEARLY INSUFFICIENT TO PROVIDE FOR THE AMOUNT OF PATRONS THAT USE THAT LIBRARY. BUT WE HAVE ALREADY MADE A COMMITMENT THAT WE'D WORK WITH THE BONITA SPRINGS COUNCIL ONCE THEY DECIDE WHAT DIRECTION THEY WANT TO PROCEED AND WHETHER THEY WANT TO EXPAND THE EXISTING SITE OR BUILD A NEW LIBRARY SOMEWHERE ELSE. THAT'S ALL TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN THE RESERVES. I CERTAINLY WOULD HOPE THAT WE IN NO WAY WILL DEFER, DELAY IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM WITH EXPANSION OF THE FOR THE MY IRS DOWNTOWN LIBRARY.



COMMISSIONER HALL? I WANT TO SHARE WITH THE PUBLIC WHO IS LISTENING AND FOLKS WHO ARE MAYBE NEW. THE DOWNTOWN LIBRARY EXPANSION WAS -- IS ANOTHER PROJECT THAT THE COUNTIES WORK CLOSELY WITH THE CITY OF FORT MYERS ON. WE HAVE DONE THAT BECAUSE IT IS AN ICON IN THE CITY OF FORT MYERS AND SERVE AS VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF THE CITY OF FORT MYERS. THAT PROPERTY THAT WE LEASE FROM THE CITY AND THE AREA, THE CAMPUS, IF YOU WILL, THAT THE LIBRARY IS ON CAN PLAY VERY MANY DIFFERENT ROLES AND WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY, THE CITY COUNCIL. WHEN I WAS ON CITY COUNCIL OF FORT MYERS, THEY DID SUBMIT AND HAVE A SERIES OF DESIGNS DONE AND INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY. WE'RE STILL IN THAT PROCESS. SO I THINK THERE IS STILL COMMUNICATION GOING ON SO THAT WE ENSURE THAT WE AREN'T SHORTSIGHTED AS TO HOW THAT LIBRARY IS DEVELOPED BECAUSE IT IS ON A VERY UNIQUE PARCEL. IT IS ADJACENT TO THE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA HISTORICAL MUSEUM WHICH HOSTS ARTIFACTS FROM FAMILIES IN THIS COMMUNITY AND HAS ITS OWN CHALLENGES IN BEING ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE ARTIFACTS. I THINK THAT THE LIBRARY AND THE MUSEUM HAVE A WONDERFUL WORKING RELATIONSHIP TO TRULY CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WILL BE VERY UNIQUE IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO RECEIVING MORE PUBLIC INPUT AND GETTING A POINT WHERE WE CAN SOLIDIFY THE PLAN AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CONSTRUCTION. IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME AWAITING. BONITA SPRINGS CERTAINLY HAS ITS ISSUES. I WILL PLUG IN NORTH FORT MYERS. SAME SMALL LIBRARY, OLDER LIBRARY. WE'RE HAVING TO LOOK AT THESE THINGS PRAGMATICALLY AS WE GO FORWARD. WHEN WE BUILD THEM, THE COUNTY HAS A STRONG HISTORY AND COMMITMENT TO NUMBER ONE, MAINTAIN THEM AND STAFF THEM APPROPRIATELY. THAT COMES FROM OUR GENERAL FUND.



I'M VERY PROUD OF THIS COUNTY'S REPUTATION FOR MAINTENANCE AND THE QUALITY OF OUR STRUCTURES OVER TIME. I APPLAUD THE STAFF FOR LOOKING AT THOSE ISSUES, NOT JUST GETTING THAT BUILDING UP AND, YOU KNOW, THE STAND THAT IT WILL BE BUILT AND THEY COME IS TRUE. WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN IT, STAFF IT, KEEP IT CLEAN AND OPERATING ON NORMAL HOURS. ALL THESE THINGS PLAY A ROLE. I'M CERTAINLY -- THE DOWNTOWN LIBRARY HAS A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART. THAT'S WHERE MY MEMBERSHIP IS. I REALLY ENJOY THAT PARTICULAR FACILITY. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER HALL. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BIGELOW, FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. PERHAPS A STATUS REPORT ON WHERE WE ARE WITH NORTHWEST REGIONAL, FORT MYERS DOWNTOWN AND BONITA SPRINGS AND PERHAPS NORTH FORT MYERS WOULD BE HELPFUL. COMMISSIONER BIGELOW? THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN JUDAH. THE MONIES THAT WE COLLECT. THE MONIES WE COLLECT FROM TAXPAYERS WITH A LINE ITEM WITH LIBRARY MILLAGE. WHAT ACCOUNT REVENUES BE SPENT ON? WHAT ARE THEY -- HOW ARE THEY LIMITED? THAT'S A SEPARATE FUND. THE LIBRARY FUND IS A SEPARATE FUND AND CAN ONLY BE SPENT ON LIBRARIES. WHAT PART OF LIBRARIES? BOTH CAPITAL AND OPERATIONAL. WHATEVER THE BOARD APPROVES. THE BOARD APPROVE AS BUDGET, THAT IS THE DETERMINATION.



STAFFING. SO THE STAFFING COSTS DO NOT COME FROM GENERAL FUND? SORRY? DOES STAFFING COST COME FROM GENERAL FUND? NO, SIR. THE LIBRARY IS FUNDED -- IT IS LIKE A STAND ALONE BUSINESS. ALL THE -- THE ONLY REVENUE RECEIVED IS MONEY GOING INTO THE LIBRARY FUND. THAT'S WHAT WE THOUGHT. WE HAVE MAYBE $4.5 MILLION THAT HAS TO BE SPENT ON LIBRARY PURPOSES. THEY DON'T TAKE FROM OTHER SOURCES OF REVENUE TO AUGMENT THAT OPERATION. OK. I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR. THANK YOU. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEAR NO OBJECTION. MOTION PASSES. TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENDA WHICH THERE IS NONE. LET'S GO TO THE WALK-ON AGENDA. THE FIRST WALK-ON ITEM. PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENT. COMMISSIONER JANES, YOU MAKE A MOTION? THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO. IN MAKING MY MOTION, I WOULD LIKE TO GET A QUICK COMMENT FROM THE STAFF ON SOME RANGES OF WHAT WE HOPE THAT THE PLANNING GRANT WILL ACCOMPLISH. A RANGE OF ACTIVITIES. GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. LEE TRAN PLANNING DEPARTMENT. THIS IS A GRANT THAT IS REALLY FUNDED TO CONDUCT TWO MAIN PURPOSES RELATED



TO DING DARLING AND CITY OF SANIBEL INCLUDING A VERY HEAVY PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PROCESS. THE FIRST IS TO -- FIRST IS A CARING CAPACITY AND THEN SECOND IS ALTERNATIVES OF EVALUATION AFTER THE DEVELOPMENT OF THOSE ALTERNATIVES THROUGH THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PROCESS. OK. BUT THIS WOULD BE TO THE DING DARLING AND BACK AND ARE YOU NOT LOOKING AT OTHER STOPS OR WHAT NOT ALONG THE WAY? ACCESS AND TO AND FROM DING DARLING. INCLUDES TRANSPORTATION THROUGHOUT THE ISLAND. VERY GOOD. THIS IS SUBJECT TO A GREAT DEAL OF DISCUSSION ON SANIBEL. I WANT TO MAKE CERTAIN WE PROCEED WITH WHAT THEY HAVE REQUESTED THAT WE DO AND LOOKS LIKE IT IS. GOOD PROJECT. RIGHT. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE CITY OF SANIBEL STAFF AS WELL AS THEIR COUNCIL. THEY HAVE BEEN CLOSELY IN TUNE WITH THE ENTIRE PROJECT. THANK YOU. IS THERE A SECOND? I HAVEN'T HEARD ONE. I WILL SECOND IT. DID WE HAVE A MOTION? COMMISSIONER JANES. COMMISSIONER HALL SECONDED. UNDER DISCUSSION. ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER BIGELOW? THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN JUDAH.



AM I UNDERSTANDING CORRECTLY THIS IS THE PURPOSE OF MOVING FOLKS TO DING DARLING AND AWAY BUT NOT THROUGH? IT IS ALL. TO AND FROM AS WELL AS WITHIN THE REFUGE ITSELF. I THOUGHT THE WHOLE IDEA OR GOAL IS TO TRY TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF FOUR-WHEELED VEHICLES THAT ARE ONE OR TWO FOLKS AT A TIME. OVERALL GOAL OF THE PROGRAM ARE TO MAINTAIN THAT VISITOR EXPERIENCE AND MOBILITY WITHIN THE REFUGE ITSELF BUT ALSO WE THOUGHT IT PRUDENT TO CONSIDER WAYS PEOPLE GET TO AND FROM THE REFUGE. SO THIS IS KIND OF EXPANSION OF THE FIRST GOAL? OR WAS IT ALWAYS THAT? IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THAT WAY. IT IS HAS BEEN OUR INTENT TO LOOK AT TO AND FROM GIVEN THE LOCATION OF THE REFUGE ON THE ISLAND. IN YOUR ANSWER TO COMMISSIONER JANES, I THOUGHT YOU WERE SAYING TO AND FROM. TO, FROM AND WITHIN. BE SURE I UNDERSTAND COMPLETELY. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. COMMISSIONER BIGELOW REMINDED ME, WE ARE ALSO LOOKING AT OFFSITE PARKING TO GET TO THE TRANSPORTATION VEHICLE, MECHANISMS? THAT IS AN OPTION IT BE EXPLORED. BASICALLY LOOK AT ALBRIGHT TERNIVES THAT MAKE SOME SORT OF LOGICAL SENSE. THAT WOULD INCLUDE OFF ISLAND OPTIONS TO GET TO AND FROM FROM THE MAINLAND. APPRECIATE IT. ANY MORE QUESTION AS SOON AS THAT FALLS IN LINE WITH WHAT I WANTED TO CONFIRM. I WAS AGAS WHEN I HEARD FISH AND WILDLIFE WAS INITIALLY THINKING OF BUILDING A MULTI-LEVEL PARKING GARAGE THERE AT THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE. IT WOULD BE A TRAVESTY GIVEN SENSITIVITY OF THE LAND AND VALUE. SO I'M PLEASED THAT THIS IS AN APPROACH THAT WE'RE TAKING.



CLEARLY THE APPROPRIATE LOCATION FOR OFF ISLAND PARKING. THAT IS WHERE WE ARE WORKING WITH THE TOWN OF FORT MYERS BEACH TO PROVIDE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. IT WOULD SEEM TO DOVETAIL BEAUTIFULLY TO PEOPLE WHO WOULD WANT TO GO TO THE REFUGE AND I HAVE SEEN NUMBERS UP TO 900,000 TO A MILLION PEOPLE A YEAR. WE'D RATHER SEE THEM ON BUSES THAN TAKING THEIR OWN PRIVATE VEHICLE. HAVING SAID THAT, THIS WILL ALLOW US TO PROVIDE SUBSTANTIATIVE INFORMATION TO ALLOW EVERYONE TO FULLY DIGEST AN APPROPRIATE APPROACH TO TAKE TO GET PEOPLE OVER THERE. GREAT. WELL, THANK YOU. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY OBJECTION? HEAR NO OBJECTION. MOTION PASSES. WALK-ON NUMBER TWO. MOVE THE ITEM. MOVE ITEM NUMBER TWO. RECOMMENDED BY STAFF AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER HALL. UNDER DISCUSSION? YES. COMMISSIONER HALL. THANK YOU. I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE SIT DOWN WITH THE CITY AND I'M CERTAINLY IN FAVOR OF AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AS I AM WITH ALL THE CITIES. I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT ACE STATED NUMEROUS TIMES THAT WE MEET WITH ALL THE CITIES ON A REGULAR BASIS AND DO IT BEFORE BUDGET. I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE LAY OUT AN AGENDA THAT WE BOTH CAN COMMUNICATE ELECTED OFFICIAL TO ELECTED OFFICIAL.



I THINK A LOT OF INFORMATION CIRCLES AROUND AND IT IS HARD TO ASCERTAIN WHAT IS GOING ON. I SUPPORT MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS AGENDA ITEM BECAUSE THIS IS REALLY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. WE CAN ALWAYS COME BACK AND WE HAVE A LOT OF OTHER ISSUES WITH THE GARAGE THAT ARE SEPARATE FROM THE CITY OF FORT MYERS CONCERNS. WE CAN COME BACK AND PLACE AND REQUEST OUR PERMIT TO GO BACK IN PLACE. FOR NOW WITH THE SCHEDULE WE'RE UNDER AND CHALLENGES THAT -- PATIENCE OF OUR CONTRACTOR AND STAFF RECOMMENDATION, I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THE REQUEST AND I WOULD JUST SUPPORT COMMISSIONER BIGELOW, HIS COMMENTS LAST NIGHT AND CERTAINLY HONOR THE REQUEST OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL THAT WE SIT DOWN. I CERTAINLY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A PRESENTATION BY DON TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHERE DOWNTOWN IS GOING. A LOT HAS CHANGED SINCE I HAVE BEEN ON THE CITY COUNCIL. THE DIRECTION THAT THEY'RE GOING IN, HOW THEY LOOK AT DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR WATERFRONT. WHEN WE ORIGINALLY WERE TALK BEING HOW THE COUNTY WOULD PARTNER WITH THEM, W.C.I. WAS ON THE WATERFRONT. THERE WERE A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENING. A LOT HAS CHANGED SINCE THEN. WE ALSO HAVE ACQUIRED PROPERTY DOWNTOWN ACROSS THE STREET FROM US. FOR MANY OF US KNOWN AS FIRST FEDERAL SOCIETY AND THEN I THINK WACHOVIA WAS THE LAST OWNER. THAT IS ALSO A PROPERTY OWNED BY THE COUNTY. I KNOW THAT THE CITY HAS UNDERTAKEN ANOTHER STUDY OF DOWNTOWN TO LOOK AT ALL THOSE THINGS. I'M NOT SURE IF THAT IS COMPLETED OR NOT. AT THE DOWNTOWN PROPERTY OWNERS MEETING, WE WERE PRIVILEGED TO HAVE THE CITY MANAGER COME IN AND TALK A LOT ABOUT DOWNTOWN. THERE IS A LOT THAT THE CITY COUNCIL HAS NOT DETERMINED ABOUT DOWNTOWN.



I THINK IT IS PRUDENT OF US TO GO AHEAD AND PULL THIS FOR NOW AND THEN I WOULD ENCOURAGE STAFF TO FACILITATE A MEETING WITH AN AGENDA THAT CAN BE AGREED UPON BY THE COUNTY AND CITY AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT. I SUPPORT STAFF'S REQUEST TODAY. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER HALL. COMMISSIONER BIGELOW? THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN JUDAH. JIM, COULD I ASK YOU A QUESTION. BY THIS ACTION, WHICH I SUPPORT SO THAT WE CAN DO AS YOU WANT TO DO AND THAT IS TO TRY TO WORK OUT THE IMPASSE WE HAVE WITH THE CITY OVER THE IMPACT, TRAFFIC IMPACT THAT THIS -- I MEAN I HAVE HEARD FROM THE COUNTY ATTORNEY. I UNDERSTAND PARKING GARAGES ACCORDING TO A BOOK, ENGINEERING BOOK DON'T CREATE TRAFFIC IMPACTS. BUT I MEAN IF YOU STEP HALF A FOOT BACK, YOU SEE IT OBVIOUSLY DOES. BUT WE HAVE TO WORK OUT SOMETHING HERE. IF, HOWEVER, THIS GOES SOUTH AND YOU COME BACK WITH A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE ABANDON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT PARKING GARAGE AT THAT SITE, THEN OK. WHAT DO WE STAND TO LOSE? PUT IT IN A DOLLAR AMOUNT. I'M SURE WE HAVE A LOT OF TIME AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES INVOLVED. IF WE CAN'T GET BEYOND THIS, HOW MUCH DO WE LOSE? DOLLAR-WISE, WE LOSE -- WELL, THERE IS A DESIGN COMPLETE THAT COSTS ABOUT $650,000. SO, YOU KNOW, YOU SET THAT DESIGN ASIDE AND IF IT NEVER CAME BACK, YOU WOULD DEFINE THAT AS LOSING THAT. WHAT YOU GAIN, THOUGH, IS YOU ARE NOT CONSUMING VALUABLE COUNTY REAL ESTATE FOR A PARKING GARAGE THAT MAY BE NEEDED FOR OTHER THINGS IN THE FUTURE. SO IT DEPEND ON HOW YOU LOOK AT IT. YES, THE DESIGN COSTS WERE $650,000. THAT'S WHERE WE ARE TODAY?



THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT WAS CLOSER TO A MILLION. IT WAS ON THE NOVEMBER 21 OF 2006 AGENDA. I REMEMBER IT CLEARLY. WE HAVE A COMPLETE DESIGN. IT WAS ACTUALLY IN REVIEW FOR A BUILDING PERMIT AND THAT'S BASICALLY WHERE WE ARE. THE DESIGN IS BASICALLY COMPLETE AND THE ONLY THING THAT WAS HANGING WAS ANY OTHER CITY REQUIREMENTS THAT MIGHT GET THROWN IN AT THE LAST MINUTE. HINDSIGHT, WHAT MIGHT WE HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY TO AVOID WHERE WE FIND OURSELVES. WE WERE ENGAGED IN AMENDING A P.U.D., THE ZONING APPLICATION WITH THE CITY OF FORT MYERS AND YET WE MOVED FORWARD WITH THE PLAN AND THEN GOT HELD UP IN THE FINAL HOUR BECAUSE THE CITY WOULD WITH HOLD THE PERMIT BECAUSE THE CITY COULDN'T GET PAST THE IMPASSE. WHY DID WE DECIDE WE'D SPEND ALL THESE MONIES AS WELL AS YOUR TALENT AND THOSE THAT WORK FOR YOU ON THIS ENDEAVOR ONLY TO FIND OURSELVES AT THIS PLACE WHERE WE MAY HAVE TO LOSE THIS $650,000. YOU HAVE TO RECALL THIS EFFORT STARTED 4 1/2 YEARS AGO, MAYBE 5 YEARS AGO. WE AGREED IN CONCEPT THAT THE CITY WAS GOING TO HAVE A DEVELOPER CONSTRUCT PARKING GARAGES TO SERVICE A LARGE SCALE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT OF COMMERCIAL, RESIDENTIAL AND RETAIL. WE WAITED AND WATCHED 3 1/2 YEARS TO SEE SEVERAL OF THOSE INITIATIVES COME AND GO. MEANWHILE, WE WERE CONSTRUCTING THE 10-STORY TOWER WHICH WE KNEW WAS GOING TO BRING INCREASED JURORS, INCREASED TRIPS TO DOWNTOWN. NEITHER THE CITY NOR THE COUNTY'S PREFERED PRIORITY WAS TO BUILD THE GARAGE WHERE IT IS, IT WAS SORT OF THE -- TIME WAS RUNNING AND WE DIDN'T SEE. I DIDN'T KNOW AS OF TODAY WHAT INITIATIVE AND WHAT TIME TABLE THE CITY WAS ONTO PROVIDE PARKING IN THE CITY. I THINK THE COUNTY WANTED TO BE A GOOD PARTNER AND OFFER TO CONSUME ITS OWN LAND AND SPEND ITS OWN MONEY TO HELP SOLVE THE HUGE PARKING DEFICIT THAT EXISTS DOWNTOWN AND EXISTS AMONG OUR EMPLOYEES. WE ALSO DIDN'T UNDERSTAND, HAVING BEEN THROUGH ALL THE STEPS AND APPROVALS WITH THE CITY UP TO THE FINAL P.U.D.



WE WENT TO THE PLANNING BOARD, THEY WERE BASICALLY FINE. TRAFFIC HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN ISSUE. TRAFFIC WILL ALWAYS BE AN ISSUE. IF THE CITY AND A DOWNTOWN DEVELOPER BUILD A GARAGE, TRAFFIC WILL BE AN ISSUE WITH THAT GARAGE REGARDLESS OF WHERE IT IS. WE DIDN'T FORESEE THAT THERE WOULD BE GREAT RELUCTANCE ON THE CITY'S PART TO ACCEPT BASICALLY 700 PLUS PARKING SPACES THAT WAS GOING TO SOLVE A HUGE PROBLEM FOR THEM. NONE OF US WOULD OBJECT BEING IT WAS COUNTY DOLLARS AND COUNTY LAND. THE CITY STILL HAS LAND THAT IS AVAILABLE FOR PARKING FOR BUSINESSES, FOR RETAIL, FOR ANYTHING THEY WANT TO DO WITHOUT IMPACT OF THE EXTRA COUNTY LOAD ON IT. LOGIC WOULD TELL YOU I WOULD THINK IF IN THE CITY'S SHOES, I WOULD WELCOME THAT AND DO EVERYTHING TO FACILITATE THAT. THAT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENED. I UNDERSTAND THE CITY IS STILL -- WE HAD BEEN TO THREE SEPARATE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT CONSENSUS WAS. WE REALLY DIDN'T -- I COULDN'T DETECT ANY CONSENT AMONG THE CITY COUNCIL. YOU HAVE A LETTER FROM MAYOR HUMPHREY WHO BASICALLY DOESN'T WANT THE GARAGE SOUTH OF MLK. YOU HAVE COUNCIL FLANDERS AND HENDERSON WANT THE GARAGE BUT WANT THE TRAFFIC ISSUES WORKED OUT. I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE ON IT. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO STEP BACK AND MAYBE SEE WHERE THE CITY IS HEADED. I UNDERSTAND THINGS CHANGE. BUT LITERALLY WE WERE TRYING TO MEET THE TIMELINE OF THE 10-STORY TOWER BEING COMPLETED BECAUSE WE DIDN'T WANT IMPACT TO COME WITHOUT ANY PROVISION FOR PARKING. IT WAS PURE AND SIMPLE GET THE JOB DONE AND GET PARKING IN PLACE. THE OTHER BENEFIT, I MIGHT ADD, IS I OFFERED TO BUY BACK -- I OFFERED FOR THE CITY TO BUY BACK FROM THE COUNTY 110 SPACES IN HARBORSIDE WHICH THEY HAVE



BEEN PLEADING WITH US TO DO. I SAID AS SOON AS I HAVE A PLACE TO PUT THE CARS, I WILL BE HAPPY TO DO THAT AND SELL THEM AT MARKET VALUE. BUT NOW WITH THIS GARAGE NOT GOING FORWARD, I HAVE NO PLACE TO PUT THOSE 110 VEHICLES. WE CLEARED ALL OUR VEHICLES OUT OF THE MAIN STREET GARAGE, 65 AND PUT THEM ON THE NEW WAREHOUSE SITE ON FOWLER TO HELP THE CITY. THEY WERE GREATLY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT. WE HAVE NOTHING WE CAN DO FLEXIBILITY-WISE UNLESS WE HAD SOMEPLACE TO PUT THE OTHER CARS. AGAIN, YOU WOULD THINK THAT THE CITY WOULD BE TRYING TO FACILITATE THAT HAPPENING. BUT IT IS NOT. MAYBE WITH THE WORKSHOP AND WE CONTINUE TO COMMUNICATE AND FLUSH THIS OUT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO AT THIS POINT. OK. I HAVE LOOKED AT THIS AND MET WITH YOU, CITY REPRESENTATIVES. HERE'S THE PROBLEM FOR ME. WE ARE POINTING A FINGER, A PRETTY BIG FINGER AT CITY OF FORT MYERS ON THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE. AS WE HAVE DONE WITH OTHER ISSUES. I THINK WE FAILED TO LOOK AT THE THREE FINGERS POINTING BACK AT OURSELVES WHEN WE POINT A FINGER AT THAT. I THINK TO THE EXTENT THAT MAYBE WE COULD SAY MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE FINALIZED THAT P.U.D. AMENDMENT AND WORKED OUT, YOU KNOW, THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT BEFORE WE COULD BUILD THIS. THEN WE'D SET FORTH ON THE PLANNING EFFORT. WE HAVE PUT THE BETTER PART OF $1 MILLION INTO AN EFFORT WHICH MIGHT GO SOUTH ON US.



THAT TROUBLES ME. I THINK THAT'S THE THREE FINGERS POINTING BACK AT US THAT WE HAVE TO BE WARY OF. JUST MY PERSPECTIVE FROM WHERE I SIT AND LOOKING AT HOW IT TRANSPIRED. I HOPE WE CAN LEARN FROM THIS PROCESS AND WORK MORE COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE CITY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I'M GETTING THE SENSE THAT THERE IS SOME BAD WILL AND I DON'T KNOW HOW, WHY OR WHAT THE PERSONALITY CONFLICTS ARE INVOLVED WITH -- BETWEEN US. I WOULD LIKE TAOS CONSIDER IT WATER OVER THE DAM AT THIS POINT AND LET'S MOVE FORWARD IN A WAY THAT WORKS FOR BOTH OF US. WE ARE THE BIGGEST BUSINESS OWNER IN DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS. I THINK WE HAVE TO RESPECT THAT WE'RE NEIGHBORS DOWNTOWN AND WOULD LIKE TO WORK A LITTLE BIT MORE -- I'M TALKING TO THE COUNTY MANAGER I THINK ON THIS -- A LITTLE BIT FRIENDLIER IF WE COULD WITH THEM. MAYBE I'M WRONG ON IT. I'M JUST TELLING YOU -- I THINK IT IS HELPFUL TO SAY THIS PUBLICALLY IF WE CAN GO A LITTLE FURTHER IN TRYING TO WORK IT OUT. I MEAN THEY MAKE SOME VERY GOOD ARGUMENTS AGAINST US, US AGAINST THEM. BUT MAYBE LET'S KEEP OUR EYE ON THE PRIZE AND MOVE FORWARD. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. JIM? HAVING BEEN INVOLVED FOR A LONG TIME WITH THE CITY, I THINK WE HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY FRIENDLY WITH THE CITY. THE CITY OCCUPIES THE GROUND FLOOR OF ONE OF OUR BUILDINGS WE CONSTRUCTED. THEY'RE PAYING US BACK OVER TIME FOR BASICALLY FINANCING THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE. WE BUILT 90% OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE UNDER HENDRY STREET SO THE BUILDING COULD GET BUILT. WE ARE COOPERATING AS WE SPEAK WITH ALL THE REWORK OF THE STREETS. WE'RE TRYING TO COLLABORATE ON THE FRONT AREA OF THE COURTHOUSE SO WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF CONFUSION THERE, WE MELD WELL WITH THEIR WORK.



WE HAVE DONE -- THE CITY VACATED A STREET FOR US. WE GAINED 3/4 ACRES OF A GROUND TO FACILITATE THE EXPANSION. FOR YEARS WE HAVE BEEN FRIENDLY WITH THE CITY. I DON'T HAVE ILL WILL WITH THE CITY, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO MAINTAIN A FINE LINE OF WHAT WE CAN BRING TO THE COUNTY COMMISSION WITH A STRAIGHT FACE THAT MAKES GOOD BUSINESS SENSE FOR LEE COUNTY. AND THAT YOU CAN'T SET A PRECEDENT WITH THE CITY OF FORT MYERS YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO SET WITH CAPE CORAL OR BONITA SPRINGS OR SANIBEL OR ANYBODY ELSE. I WOULD JUST RESPECTFULLY TELL YOU THAT WE HAVE HAD AN EXTREMELY FRIENDLY RELATIONSHIP. I DO NOT MEAN TO IGNORE OR DIMINISH SUCCESSES THAT THE COUNTY HAS HAD WITH THE CITY, WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE CITY OF FORT MYERS. I RECOGNIZE THERE HAVE BEEN SOME RECENT SUCCESSES. I'M TRYING TO SAY THAT I THINK THERE IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO KIND OF WORK OUT BETWEEN US THAT IS MORE ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS THAN IT IS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, DEITY APPROVAL OR LIBRARY PLANNING EFFORTS STALLED. WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE RELATIONSHIP. YOU POINT OUT THE JOINT MEETINGS. LET ME JUST SHARE MY VIEW OF -- AN INTERESTING PERSPECTIVE MAYBE IF YOU WILL AGREE TO THAT. I MENTIONED UNDER COMMISSIONER ITEMS ONCE THAT WE -- I REPEATED THAT WE HAD AGREED IN A JOINT MEETING WITH THE CITIES WAS A GOOD IDEA. WHAT ABOUT THE CITY OF FORT MYERS, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE HAVE ALL THESE ISSUES FRONT AND CENTER AND BURNING PRETTY HOT AND HOTTER EVERY DAY. AND, DON, I DON'T THINK IT WAS YOU BUT SOMEBODY FROM THE TABLE SAID APRIL OR MAY. NEXT THING I KNOW WE HAVE A JOINT MEETING WITH THE CITY OF CAPE CORAL POPS UP ON MY CALENDAR. THAT'S GOOD. GOOD THING. ASKED SEVERAL REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE CITY OF CAPE CORAL.



THEY, TOO, WERE SURPRISED BY HOW QUICKLY IT JUST HAPPENED. THE AGENDA WAS SET MOSTLY BY THE MAYOR WHO SAYS HE WAS PRESSED TO DO SO TO FORM THE AGENDA. YET WE STILL DON'T HAVE A MEETING WITH THE CITY OF FORT MYERS PLANNED AND I ASKED THE CITY MANAGER YESTERDAY WHEN I WAS AT WORKSHOP HAVE WE COUNTY MANAGEMENT, APPROACHED THEM ABOUT A MEETING. HE SAYS NO, WE HAVE NOT BEEN APPROACHED. HOW CAN WE RUSH TO MEET WITH THE CITY OF CAPE CORAL WHICH BY MY ESTIMATION WASN'T NECESSARILY PRESSING FOR SUCH AN DIDN'T HAVE SUCH BURNING ISSUES FOR US. THAT'S NOT TO SAY I DON'T APPRECIATE WE DID IT. I'M GLAD WE DID IT. HOW COME WE DON'T SEEM TO BE WORKING TO SCHEDULE A MEETING WITH THE CITY OF FORT MYERS? IF I COULD -- AND PETE, YOU MAY WANT TO ELABORATE. I SAW A REQUEST FROM THE FORT MYERS BEACH. WE MET WITH CAPE CORAL AND OUR NEXT PLANNING WORKSHOP IS WITH CITY OF FORT MYERS. THAT'S CORRECT. THE IDEA OF A JOINT MEETING WITH THE CITY OF CAPE CORAL CAME UP IN NOVEMBER. WE'RE TRYING TO DO THEM IN SUCCESSION. THE DIRECTION FOR THE JOINT MEETING WITH THE CITY OF FORT MYERS WAS DECEMBER 4. WE ARE WELL INTO THE PROCESS WITH CAPE CORAL. SO WE'RE JUST DOING THEM IN SUCCESSION. CAN YOU SAY THAT AGAIN? THE CITY OF FORT MYERS JOINT MEETING IS DECEMBER 4. DIRECTION FROM THE BOARD WAS DECEMBER 4 TO HOLD A JOINT MEETING BETWEEN FEBRUARY AND MAY WITH THE CITY OF FORT MYERS.



BUT WE HAD -- DOES ANYBODY AT THIS TABLE REMEMBER SAYING IT WAS IN APRIL OR MAY? NO? THE BOARD SAID SCHEDULE IT SOMETIME BETWEEN FEBRUARY AND MAY. I BELIEVE THAT WAS MY COMMENT. I HOPE THAT IT CAN HAPPEN SOONER THAN LATER. I TELL YOU, THAT'S KIND OF THE FEELING OF SOUR GRAPES THAT I THINK WE NEED TO TRY TO DO OUR PART TO HELP IMPROVE. COY GO ON AND ON ABOUT SPECIFICS LIKE THEY CLOSED A STREET BECAUSE WE NEEDED TO BUILD A TOWER. LONGING A THEY CLOSED SECOND STREET TO MAKE THE JUSTICE CENTER POSSIBLE. I MEAN THEY HAVE DONE A LOT AND THEY'RE ASKING US TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP WITH THE IMPACTS THAT THIS PARKING GARAGE WILL CERTAINLY HAVE. I'LL TELL YOU, AS A CITY TAXPAYER, YOU KNOW, UNLIKE ANYBODY ELSE SITTING -- LET ME FINISH. I THINK YOU MAY AGREE. AS A CITY TAXPAYER, IF THAT PARKING GARAGE WERE BUILT AT MONROE AND MLK, I WOULD HAVE TO PAY -- YOU WOULD NOT BECAUSE I WOULD HAVE TO PAY IMPACT OF THAT FACILITY ON THE ROADS. WE HAVE TO PAY FOR THOSE IMPACTS IF WE DIDN'T PARTNER UP WITH THEM. DO YOU FOLLOW THAT? BECAUSE IT IS ALL ON THEM IF WE DON'T AGREE TO COOPERATIVELY CARRY OUR SHARE OF THE IMPACT. SO I THINK THEY MAKE AN EXCELLENT POINT. IF WE'RE GOING TO BUILD IT THERE AND WE WANT TO BUILD IT THERE, WE HAVE MADE THAT DECISION THAT'S WHERE WE WANT TO BUILD, HOW CAN WE HELP IN THE IMPACTS THAT WILL COME BECAUSE OF IT. OK. WE OBVIOUSLY UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE THE DIRECTION THAT ADMINISTRATION IS PROCEEDING IN AT THE DIRECTION OF THE BOARD TO SET UP A JOINT WORKSHOP WITH THE CITY OF FORT MYERS. WE'LL HAVE, I BELIEVE, A LAUNDRY LIST OF ITEMS AS WAS STATED BY MAYOR JIM HUMPHREY INCLUDING THE PARKING GARAGE.



I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING A CHANCE TO AIR OUT OUR CONCERNS AND WORK IN A VERY COOPERATIVE FASHION AS WE HAVE OVER THE YEARS WITH THE CITY OF FORT MYERS. SOONER THAN LATER. SOONER THAN LATER. OK. FURTHER DISCUSSION. ANY OBJECTION? HEAR NO OBJECTION. MOTION PASSES. WALK-ON ITEM NUMBER THREE. MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MANN. SECOND. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER HALL TO MOVE WALK OFF ON ITEM THREE. COMMISSIONER BIGELOW? SORRY, DON. OR DONNA MARIE. COULD YOU EXPLAIN FOR THE PUBLIC WHY IT IS THAT WE'RE -- WHY WE'RE TAKING THIS ACTION TODAY. THAT STATUTE REQUIRES US TO DO SO. WHAT IS IT WE'RE SEEKING TO GAIN BY FILING A LAWSUIT AGAINST CHARLOTTE COUNTY SO THAT MAYBE WE CAN HELP TO OVERCOME SOME PERHAPS MISUNDERSTANDINGS ABOUT WHY WITH FIND IT NECESSARY TO DO SO. GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN, COMMISSIONERS. COMMISSIONERS, LAST WEEK COMMISSIONER BIGELOW IT WAS YOU WHO ASKED THAT WE GIVE A SHORT PRESENTATION THIS MORNING CONCERNING THE LAWSUIT. I AGREED WE'D DO THAT. WE ALSO IN CONJUNCTION WITH THAT HAVE THE CHAPTER 164 PROCESS WHICH WE'RE SUBJECT TO.



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



DEVELOPMENT ORDER IS INCONSISTENT WITH THE CHARLOTTE PLAN, THAT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. CHAPTER 164 OF THE FLORIDA STATUTE, THE FLORIDA GOVERNMENTAL CONFLICT RESOLUTION ACT REQUIRES US TO PASS A RESOLUTION AND SEND A COPY OF THAT RESOLUTION ALONG WITH A CERTIFIED LETTER TO CHARLOTTE COUNTY TELLING THEM THAT WE ARE BY THIS LETTER AND RESOLUTION INITIATING CONFLICT RESOLUTION PROCESS OUTLINED IN CHAPTER 164. IT'S A PROCEDURAL MATTER. WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS IN THE COURT, LEE COUNTY WILL MOVE TO ABATE PROCEEDINGS PENDING THE CONFLICT RESOLUTION PROCEDURE THAT IS OUTLINED IN THE STATUTE. WE'LL MEET OUR STAFF, THEIR STAFF TO SET UP A SORT OF FORMAT FOR HOW THE CONVERSATIONS WILL GO. SO THAT'S ALL THAT THIS IS. A STATUTORY REQUIREMENT. WE HAVE TO BY FLORIDA STATUTE OVERCOME THIS HURDLE OR GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS BEFORE WE THEN ENTER COURT. YES. WE'RE PRESERVING THAT OPPORTUNITY LATER TO HAVE THIS HEARD BY A JUDGE. WE'RE STILL IN COURT. WE'RE ABATING THE PROCEEDINGS WHILE WE DO THIS ALTERNATE DISPUTE RESOLUTION SORT OF THING. THANK YOU, SUSAN. OK. WOULD THE BOARD LIKE TO MOVE THE ITEM THAT IS BEFORE THEM BEFORE I GO INTO EXPLANATION? WE HAVE A MOTION. SECOND. YOU ARE WHO? FORED RECORD. I'M DONNA MARIE COLLINS, ASSISTANT COUNTY ATTORNEY. GOOD MORNING.



THANK YOU FOR YOU PERSONALLY AND SUSAN AN DAVID FOR THE GOOD WORK YOU HAVE PUT INTO THIS. CLEARLY IT PRESERVES OUR OPTIONS. I PERSONALLY FEEL AFTER WORKING AND TALKING WITH LEGAL COUNSEL AND STAFF THAT WE'LL GET THE ISSUES RESOLVED. I BELIEVE WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE. PROCEDURELY HOW DO WE GET THERE. THIS IS A WAY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM OUTSIDE OF COURT. WE LOOK FORWARD TO DOING THAT. I WAS HOPING WE COULD GET A LITTLE MORE DETAIL. I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT. AS TO WHY IT IS WE'RE LOOKING TO PRESERVE A POSITION IN COURT SO WE CAN ARGUE OUR CASE THAT THE IMPACT OF TRAFFIC AND STORM WATER RUNOFF OF BABCOCK ARE POTENTIALLY VERY GREAT FOR LEE COUNTY. I THINK WE COULD SUMMARIZE IT IN A NUTSHELL. THE TRAFFIC AND WATER. THOSE ARE THE TWO AREAS. IF YOU WANT MORE DETAIL ON WHAT OUR CONCERNS ARE, WE CAN ANSWER THAT. DAVE LOVELAND IS HERE. IF I COULD BOIL DOWN WHAT THE DISPUTE IS IN A NUTSHELL, JUST LIKE THE LEE PLAN IS OUR BIBLE IN TERMS OF EVERYTHING WE DO THAT HAS TO DO WITH LAND DEVELOPMENT IN LEE COUNTY. ALL LAND DEVELOPMENT MUST BE CONSISTENT WITH THE LEE PLAN, ZONING ACTIONS, BUILDING PERMITS. ALL THOSE THINGS HAVE TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE LEE PLAN WHICH IS THE UMBRELLA UNDER WHICH ALL THE DEVELOPMENT APPROVALS MUST BE IN ACCORD WITH. IF WE WERE TO ADOPT SOMETHING THAT WAS NOT CONSISTENT WITH THE LEE PLAN, THEN WE'D BE IN VIOLATION OF LAW.



OUR ALLEGATION IS THAT CHARLOTTE COUNTY ADOPTED A DEVELOPMENT ORDER THAT WAS NOT CONSISTENT WITH THEIR GROWTH PLAN, THE CHARLOTTE PLAN. AND WE FILED A COMPLAINT OR RECOMMENDED TO THE BOARD THAT WE FILE A COMPLAINT TO PRESERVE LEE COUNTY'S RIGHTS BECAUSE IT IS OUR BELIEF AND UNDERSTANDING THAT THE CHARLOTTE COUNTY PLAN REQUIRES CHARLOTTE WHEN APPROVING DEVELOPMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT DEVELOPMENT IS NOT GOING TO NEGATIVELY IMPACT ADJACENT JURISDICTIONS AND THAT THEY'LL COORDINATE WITH ADJACENT JURISDICTIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT IMPACT WILL BE ADDRESSED. OK. THANK YOU. I GUESS IF I COULD PUT MY LAYMAN'S VIEW ON THIS AND THAT IS THAT HERE'S A CITY ON THE COUNTY LINE, CHARLOTTE-LEE COUNTY LINE IN NORTHEAST PART OF LEE COUNTY WHICH WILL SIT THERE IN CHARLOTTE COUNTY GENERATING WONDERFUL TAX REVENUES FOR THAT COUNTY AND YET EVERYTHING THAT COMES OFF OF THAT, WHICH IS MOSTLY TRAFFIC AND WATER, IS FOR US TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH POTENTIALLY AND TO A LARGE EXTENT WE'LL BE THE ONES HAVING TO CARRY THE BURDEN OF ALL THAT PROFIT MAKING ENTITY. AND I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR FOLKS TO KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT THAT WE ARE TRYING TO RISE UP AND BE A BULLY ON THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT. BUT THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO PROTECT WHAT IMPACTS THIS WILL HAVE ON LEE COUNTY. WE'RE TRYING TO PROTECT OUR POCKETBOOK. POCKETBOOK TODAY AND TOMORROW AND POINTS BEYOND. SO I HOPE WE ARE SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING THE MESSAGE OUT THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE VERY MUCH CONCERNED WITH AND THAT'S WHY WE FEEL NECESSARY TO GO TO THIS MEASURE WHICH MIGHT SEEM BY SOME EXTREME. HEAR NO OBJECTION. MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU. WE'LL GO TO COMMISSIONER ITEMS. COMMISSIONER BIGELOW? I HAVE NONE. COMMISSIONER MANN?



NO. COMMISSIONER JANES? I HAVE A COUPLE. AT LEAST ONE IS IN THE FORM OF ANNOUNCEMENT. I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE CHARLOTTE ON HER RETIREMENT. SHE HAS WORKED SOME 18 YEARS FOR LEE COUNTY. SHE WAS VERY ACTIVE IN THE EMPLOYEE HEALTH CARE BENEFIT PROGRAM THAT WE ADOPTED WITH THE COUNTY AND WORKED VERY HARD ON THAT ISSUE. I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE WISH HER THE BEST AND A HAPPY RETIREMENT LIFE. CHARLOTTE HAS BEEN INVALUABLE FOR ALL COUNTY EMPLOYEES TAKING CARE OF THE RELATION NEEDS. THANK YOU. THAT'S OK. THE SECOND THING I WANTED TO BRING TO THE BOARD'S ATTENTION IS TO KNOW I HAVE BEEN ACTIVE IN THE MENTAL HEALTH-SUBSTANCE ABUSE FIELD. SERVED AS A MEMBER OF THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE MENTAL HEALTH CORPORATION. LAST YEAR THAT CORPORATION LOBBIED AND SUCCESSFULLY GOT THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE. HOUSE BILL 1477 WHICH IS CALLED THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE REINVESTMENT ACT. THAT BILL PROVIDED FOR 3.8 MILLION TO BE AVAILABLE IN MATCHING FUNDS FOR COUNTIES TO ADDRESS ISSUES OF AREAS OF GROWING POPULATIONS BUT PARTICULARLY THOSE WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE, MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS IN THE LOCAL JAILS. AND PROVIDED FOR PLANNING AND IMPLICATION GRANTS, $3.8 MILLION. I'M PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT LEE COUNTY GOT VERY BUSY AND MADE APPLICATION AND WE HAD SUCCESSFULLY -- HAVE SUCCESSFULLY RECEIVED $1 MILLION. THAT IS OVER A THREE-YEAR PERIOD FOR A THREE-YEAR PERIOD. IT WILL ALLOW US TO BEGIN DEVELOPING A TRIAGE CENTER AS WELL AS LOW DEMAND CENTER WHICH WE DESPERATELY NEED IN LEE COUNTY.



AND I'M EXTREMELY PLEASED THAT I WANT TO TELL YOU THIS WAS AN EFFORT OF A NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY. FIRST OF ALL WE SIMPLY MUST THANK AND PRAISE THOSE WHO REALLY DID SERVICE IN LEE COUNTY TO GET THIS APPLICATION IN AND APPROVED. IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE TREMENDOUS HELP OF MAG GELTNER AND KEVIN AND RICK FROM COURT ADMINISTRATION. THOSE THREE PEOPLE WERE IMMENSE HELP IN PUTTING TOGETHER THIS GRANT, LOOKING AT THE LANGUAGE AND MAKING CERTAIN THAT IT WOULD BE IN A POSITION WHERE WE'D RECEIVE PERHAPS EVEN A WINNING SCORE. OTHER PEOPLE I WOULD START TO MENTION AND I JUST DON'T WANT TO GO TOO FAR. MIKE FROM MENTAL HEALTH AND BELINDA SMITH FROM PROBATION. ALL THESE PEOPLE WERE SO INVOLVED. THIS WAS AN EFFORT AND THE PUBLIC SAFETY COORDINATE COUNCIL. THIS IS AN EFFORT OF THE COMMUNITY. I'M SO PLEASED TO SEE US WORKING TOGETHER ON THIS COMMON PROBLEM THAT WE ALL FACE AND WILL CONTINUE TO FACE. THAT IS TO GET THESE PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH AND PROBLEMS OUT OF THE JAILS AND PREVENT THEM FROM GOING IN, KEEP THEM OUT OF THE COURT SYSTEM. BECAUSE THAT'S NOT WHERE THEY BELONG. I'M PLEASED WITH THIS, LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS. WE'RE WAITING A FEW MORE HOURS TO MAKE CERTAIN THE GRANT IS PERFECTLY LEGAL. IT IS A MASTER ACCOMPLISHMENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER JANES. WE APPLAUD AND APPRECIATE YOUR DUE DILIGENCE. YOU HAVE PERSEVERED IN HELPING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE TRIAGE CENTER. IT IS SO CRUCIAL TO THIS COMMUNITY. THANK YOU.



COMMISSIONER HALL? I HAVE TWO ITEMS. FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO ANNOUNCE THAT FEBRUARY IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH. AND IN MY OFFICE WE'RE CELEBRATING THE OUTWORK OF A LEHIGH RESIDENT BY THE NAME OF RHONDA LONG. SHE'S DISPLAYING WORKS THAT WILL DEPICT BLACK HISTORY IN THE JAZZ ERA. RHONDA IS ORIGINALLY FROM CHICAGO AND SHE REALLY HAS UNIQUE PIECES. I HOPE YOU WILL STOP BY THE OFFICE TO SEE HER FORMATS SHE'S USING. IT REALLY IS INTERESTING AND DELIGHTFUL TO HAVE ALL THESE ARTISTS COME IN EVERY SIX WEEKS. RHONDA HAS SOME REALLY WONDERFUL, VERY COLORFUL DEPICTIONS OF THE JAZZ ERA AND CERTAINLY OF MORE TRADITIONAL BLACK ART. I WANT TO INVITE THE PUBLIC TO STOP BY OUR OFFICE AND HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE HER WORK. SECONDLY, IT IS NOT OFTEN THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY COMMEND PEOPLE FOR PURCHASES THEY MAKE IN OUR COMMUNITY. I WANT TO THANK GRACE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH. GRACE UNITED METHODIST TOOK IT UPON THEMSELVES -- THEY HAD TREMENDOUS GROWTH AND PURCHASED 66,000 SQUARE FEET OF SHOPPING CENTER ON HANG COME BRIDGE PARKWAY. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE IN THE COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE BUSINESS, YOU KNOW WHEN A BIG BOX GOES DARK, IT IMPACTS THE ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD. LOSING THE WINN DIXIE AFFECTED BUSINESSES ACROSS THE STREET AND BUSINESSES ADJACENT. GRACE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH IS TRULY A CONGREGATION THAT IS BLESSED. THE CONGREGATION RAISED $5.2 MILLION FOR PURCHASE OF THIS BUILDING. THEY HAVE WORKED WITH THE BUSINESSES ALONG THIS CORRIDOR BECAUSE, OF COURSE, WHEN HAVE YOU A NONPROFIT TAKE ON A BUILDING OF THAT SIZE, THERE ARE A LOT OF SOCIAL CONCERNS THAT THE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE. I HAVE TO TELL YOU CHRIS JACKSON, THE CENTER'S DIRECTOR, HAS DONE A WONDERFUL JOB REALLY WORKING IN THAT COMMUNITY TO PARTNER WITH THE



BUSINESSES AND HOW TO MAKE THE SITE AN ASSET AND BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR. THERE IS A RENOVATION AND A REDEVELOPMENT GOING ON ALONG HANCOCK BRIDGE PARKWAY. THEY ARE PLANING TO OPEN VERY SOON. THEY'RE ALMOST FINISHED. IF YOU GO BY THERE, YOU WILL SEE A BEAUTIFUL BUILDING COMING TO LIGHT. THEY'LL OFFER AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS, A THRIFT STORE, COFFEE SHOP, HEALTH CLINIC, G.E.D. PROGRAM AND JOB TRAINING. IF YOU KNOW BETWEEN PONDELLA AND HANCOCK BRIDGE PARKWAY IS AN OLDER, TRADITIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD. WE HAVE A HABITAT DEVELOPMENT BACK IN THAT AREA. WE HAVE A LOT OF SENIORS LIVING BACK IN THAT AREA AND A LOT OF YOUNG FAMILIES WITH SMALL CHILDREN. THE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE SO WONDERFUL TO BE RIGHT IN THIS BACKYARD. IT'S NOT OFTEN I GET TO COMPLIMENT MY ASSISTANT. CARMEN IS A MEMBER OF THIS CONGREGATION AND IS HEADING UP THE G.E.D. PROGRAM. SHE STARTED TEACHING IN SEPTEMBER AND IS LOOKING FORWARD TO MOVE INTO THE NEW FACILITY. SHE GIVES OF HER TIME EVERY SATURDAY MORNING. AND WE'RE REALLY BLESSED IN LEE COUNTY TO HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT NOT ONLY SERVE THE PUBLIC BECAUSE IT IS THEIR JOB BUT GO OUT AND GIVE HUNDREDS OF HOURS OF TIME OF THEIR OWN TIME TO BETTER OUR COMMUNITY. AND SO, CARMEN, I'M PROUD OF YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS. I'M CERTAINLY VERY PROUD OF GRACE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH PARTNERING WITH US IN REALLY BRINGING BACK THIS VERY DARK BOX INTO LIFE AGAIN. AND THE PASTOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH. BEST OF LUCK. AGAIN, CARMEN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOLUNTEERISM ALSO.



THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER HALL. WONDERFUL NEWS. APPRECIATE IT. COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS. COMMISSIONER BIGELOW? I HAVE ONE. A RE-- NOT A REAPPOINTMENT. REPLACEMENT OF DAVID VARGASS ON HISPANIC AFFAIRS ADVISORY BOARD WITH CARLOS UZOLLA. MOTIONED BY COMMISSIONER BIGELOW. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MANN. HEAR NO OBJECTION. MOTION PASSES. COMMISSIONER MANN? COMMISSIONER JANES? I HAVE ONE. IT'S A NEW APPOINTMENT. RABBI JEREMY ADAM BARRESS TO THE HUMAN SERVICES COUNCIL REPRESENTING FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS. SECOND. MOTIONED BY COMMISSIONER JANES. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER HALL. HEAR NO OBJECTION. MOTION PASSES. COMMISSIONER HALL? NONE. ALL RIGHTY.



WE HAVE THEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM THE COUNTY MANAGER. MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THERE HAVE BEEN A COUPLE OF BOARD MEMBERS TALKED TO US BRIEFLY, US BEING STAFF ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF WAIVING IMPACT FEES, A LOT OF DIFFERENT VARIATIONS. I KNOW THERE IS A LOT OF PROINGS AND CONS ON BOTH SIDES OF IT. I WANT TO SEE IF YOU ARE AT ALL IN LINE WITH THAT THOUGHT. IF YOU ARE, WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS YOU TELL US TO COME BACK WITH SOME IDEAS AND MAYBE RECOMMENDATIONS AND WE CAN HAVE A QUICK TURN AROUND, MAYBE A COUPLE OF WEEKS, MAYBE TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY WITH SPECIFIC RECOMMENDS. IF YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED, TELL US THAT. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED WITH A PARTICULAR SLANT, WE NEED TO HEAR THAT, TOO. WE'RE WIDE OPEN. WE WANT TO BRING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION AND SEE WHAT YOU WANT TO DO. LET ME COMPLIMENT YOU ON BEING JUST VERY CANDID AND OPEN AND UP FRONT AND GIVING THE BOARD OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THE OPTIONS FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS? I TEND TO BE IN FAVOR OF AT LEAST HAVING STAFF PURSUE THIS. I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE ON A TEMPORARY BASIS, HOWEVER AND NOTHING PERMANENT. I WOULD GIVE THE CURRENT STATUS WE HAVE IN THE ECONOMY IN LEE COUNTY AND ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO KICK START PARTICULARLY IN THE REAL ESTATE ERA, I THINK IT IS TO OUR BENEFIT. I MUST INDICATE IT CAN ONLY BE DONE ON A TEMPORARY BASIS AND I'M NOT SURE IF WE WANT TO LIMIT IT TO THOSE HOUSES THAT WERE FORECLOSED ON. YOU KNOW, IF THEY WANT TO GET SOMETHING GOING ON REDOING THEM. I LEAVE IT UP TO THE STAFF TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THAT AREA. WHEN I READ YOUR MEMO, CLEARLY WHAT YOU ARE OFFERING THIS BOARD IS CONTINUED OPPORTUNITY TO TRY TO ADDRESS THE DOWNTURN IN THE ECONOMY. I APPRECIATE COMMISSIONER MANN'S SUGGESTION LAST WEEK WITH REGARDS TO HOMES FOR VARIOUS REASONS BECAUSE OF FINANCING CHALLENGES DIDN'T MOVE FORWARD TO COMPLETION. I THINK REALLY WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WAS NOT IMPOSING THE INCREASE IN THE IMPACT FEE.



IT WASN'T A SECOND IMPACT FEE BEING ASSESSED, IT WAS INCREASE IN THE IMPACT FEE THAT TOOK PLACE DURING THAT TIME FRAME. TODAY IT OPENS IT UP CONSIDERABLY TO THE POINT THAT WE NEED TO PUT THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE I BELIEVE THAT ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO HELP OUT THE INDUSTRY IS SOMETHING THAT WE AS A BOARD HAVE TO TAKE SERIOUSLY. I WOULD SUBMIT AND I THINK EVERYONE REALIZES IT WAS GREED AND SPECULATION THAT CREATED THE FERVOR THAT ARTIFICIALLY ESCALATED THE PRICE OF LAND IN THIS COUNTY. WE'RE SUFFERING FROM IT NOW. WE'LL GET THROUGH IT. I THINK THIS IS ONE OPTION THIS BOARD CAN CONSIDER TO HELP US TO RECOVERY, THEN WE NEED TO GIVE IT SERIOUS DISCUSSION. LY SAY THIS THAT AS YOU GO BACK -- YOU PLAN TO BRING IT BACK NEXT WEEK -- JUST SOME POINTS. WE HAVE TO HAVE SOME KIND OF SUNSET PROVISION. AND MAYBE THE BEGINNING OF NEXT FISCAL YEAR WOULD BE THE DATE. BUT I THINK IT ALSO NEEDS TO BE TIED INTO THE ACTIVITY OF BUILDING PERMIT. IF WE SEE A REAL SPIKE IN THE NUMBERS OF BUILDING PERMITS, THEN PERHAPS WE CAN ELIMINATE OR PUT -- TO EXTINGUISH THE MORATORIUM OF THE COLLECTION OF IMPACT FEES. I MEAN WE HAVE TO HAVE SOME THRESHOLDS. I SUBMIT YOU CAN BRING THE ISSUES BACK TO THE BOARD NEXT WEEK AND WE CAN DISCUSS IT. HAVE YOU TO GIVE THOUGHT TO WHAT COMMISSIONER JANES IS TALK BEING WITH MAKING SURE IT IS TEMPORARY. WITHOUT IMPACT FEES, ONCE KICKED INTO GEAR AGAIN, HOW ELSE WILL WE PROVIDE FOR THE PARKS AND ROADS AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE AND FIREHOUSES AND AMBULANCES AND SCHOOLS? SO I THINK WE ALL RECOGNIZE THAT. BUT AT THIS POINT IN TIME, SOME RELIEF APPARENTLY IS WARRANTED. BUT I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU WILL CAREFULLY COUCH IT, AS I SAID, WITH SUNSET DATE WITH RECOGNITION THAT IT NEEDS TO BE TIED INTO BUILDING PERMITS.



I THINK IT WOULD REQUIRE A 4-1 VOTE TO CONTINUE THE MORATORIUM BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE HELD ACCOUNTABLE, THAT IF WE CAN PROVIDE RELIEF, WE'LL DO SO. BUT WE RECOGNIZE WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE WE PROVIDE FOR INFRASTRUCTURE IN THIS COMMUNITY. I DON'T THINK WE WANT TO GET INTO THE ISSUE WITH PUTTING IN ADVANCE OF SCHOOL AND FIRE IMPACT. WHAT THAT LEAVES IS ROADS AND PARK. WE HAVE LOCAL AGREEMENTS AND ISSUES THAT ARE BEYOND OUR SPECIFIC CONTROL WHERE WE CAN DIRECTLY MAKE AN IMPACT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. SOY JUST THROW THAT OUT FOR THE BOARD'S EDIFICATION. I DON'T WANT ANYONE CAUGHT COLD WHEN IT COMES BACK NEXT WEEK. GOOD. LET'S OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSION. COMMISSIONER HALL? MY MIND IS ALWAYS OPEN TO CONSIDERING NEW IDEAS. WHILE I DON'T ON THE SURFACE THINK THIS IS A GOOD IDEA, I WANT TO COUCH THAT WITH A COUPLE OF COMMENTS. IF WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD AND ASK STAFF TO LOOK AT IT, IT'S NOT AN ECONOMIC STIMULUS TO ELIMINATE IMPACT FEES IN MY OPINION. IF WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO PUT PEOPLE BACK TO WORK, I GO BACK TO COMMENTS I MADE LAST YEAR AT THIS BOARD AS WE SAW THIS DOWNTURN COMING. THAT'S LOOK AT THE FIVE-YEAR C.I.P. IF YOU GO BACK AND SEE WHAT WE HAVE IN RESERVES FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS, HOW MANY CAN BE RELEASED SOONER VERSUS LATER? IF WE'RE SHORT OF STAFF, TO FACILITATE, SHOULD WE GO BACK AND LOOK AT CONTRACT EMPLOYEES TO HELP FACILITATE GETTING PROJECTS OUT THE DOOR. THAT PUTS PEOPLE TO WORK. THAT PUTS PEOPLE ON CONTRACTS TO WORK ON THE PROJECTS. BUT IT RELEASES CARPENTERS, PAINTERS, ROOFERS, CONCRETE PEOPLE, LUMBER PEOPLE.



IT'S A HUGE IMPACT TO PUTTING THESE PROJECTS ON THE STREET. ENGINEERS, ARCHITECTS. EVERYBODY GETS BACK TO WORK. MY CONCERN ABOUT IMPACT FEES IS WE HAVE A GROUP OF PEOPLE WITH INVENTORY IN THE MARKET, COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL. DO WE ELIMINATE THEM WITH JUST COMMERCIAL, JUST RESIDENTIAL? IF WE ELIMINATE IMPACT FEES, I FEEL IT IS A PENITENTIARY TO THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE DONE EVERYTHING RIGHT AND ARE SITTING WITH VACANCIES TRYING TO FILL THEM AT THIS POINT IN TIME. WE HAVE WE HAVE OVER A MILLION SQUARE FEET OF COMMERCIAL UNDER CONSTRUCTION THAT IS NOT C.O.ED COMING INTO THE MARKET THIS YEAR. AGAIN, THEY PAID THEIR IMPACT FEES AND ARE STRUGGLING TO GET THEIR PROJECT DONE AND ADD TO THAT INVENTORY IN THE MARKET. THEN YOU WILL STIMULATE MAYBE TWO OR THREE PROJECTS BECAUSE THE IMPACT FEES SHOULD NOT BE STOPPING A COMMERCIAL PROJECT. LET'S SAY THEY WERE. ASSUMING SOMEONE CAN GET FINANCED TO GO FORWARD AND BUILD THAT, THEY'RE COMING IN THE MARKET AT AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE TO THE PEOPLE SITTING THERE WITH VACANCIES BECAUSE THEIR COST TO DO BUSINESS IS LESS BECAUSE WE'RE NOT REQUIRING THEM TO PAY IMPACT FEES. I FEEL SOMEWHAT, AND I GUESS I PUT IT OUT THERE FOR YOU TO DEBATE AND I WILL COME BACK AND LOOK AT RECOMMENDATIONS, WE HAVE TO TREAT EVERYBODY THE SAME. YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, COMMISSIONER JUDAH, GREED AND SPECULATION AND JUST ROLL OF THE DICE IS WHAT OCCURRED HERE. WHEN DEVELOPERS AREN'T MEETING MARGINS AND WE CAN GET THIS BUILT IF NOT IMPACT FEES AND LAND COSTS ARE HIGH, LET'S ELIMINATE IMPACT FEES, WHAT ABOUT THE GUY THAT DID IT RIGHT? WHAT ABOUT THE GUY WHO HAS BEEN CONSISTENT IN HIS DEVELOPMENTS? AM I GOING TO REFUND HIS IMPACT FEE AS SOON AS I HAVE A BIG CONCERN ABOUT THAT. IF YOU WANT ECONOMIC STIMULUS, LET'S DO WHAT WE DO. GIVE JIM LAVENDER AND DON AND OUR STAFF THE DIRECTION TO HOW FAST CAN WE GET PROJECTS ON THE STREET.



WE'RE HAVING TO TIGHTEN OUR BELT AND WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THINGS -- DIFFERENT PROJECTS ARE FUNDED OPERATIONALLY AND MAINTAINED WITH DIFFERENT FUNDS. WHAT CAN WE PUT OUT THAT IS REASONABLE? THESE THINGS ARE NOT BUILT OVERNIGHT. THEY'LL COME ON-LINE IN TWO, THREE, FOUR YEARS. I WOULD RATHER US TAKE THAT DIRECTION. I WOULD MUCH RATHER HAVE THE DIALOGUE OF HOW ARE WE GOING TO DEAL WITH ESCALATING IMPACT FEES. I WANT A LONG-TERM SOLUTION TO IMPACT FEES, NOT A SHORT-TERM ONE-YEAR MORATORIUM. IF WE GET 600 BUILDING PERMITS WE PULL IT BACK SO THE GUY WHO THOUGHT IT WAS A YEAR, HE MISSED THE LINE SEW DOESN'T GET THE FREE IMPACT FEES. I WOULD RATHER LOOK AT WHAT IS OUR SOLUTION TO MAINTAIN A LEVEL OF IMPACT FEES THAT DOES NOT STYMIE THE BUILDING INDUSTRY, WHETHER WE'RE IN GOOD TIMES OR BAD TIMES BUT IS FAIR AND EQUITABLE. I LOOK BACK AGAIN THAT WE HAVE NOT PURSUED ALL THE TOOLS IN OUR BOX THE LEGISLATURE HAS GIVEN US WHICH IS INFRASTRUCTURE SALES TAX AND UTILIZING COMMERCIAL REALTORS AND BUSINESS FOLKS TO WORK WITH US TO FIND A FORMULA THAT HELPS STABILIZE IMPACT FEES, USE OUR SALES TAX TO DO THAT SO THAT EVERYONE IS PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE. OUR TOURISTS WHO COME TO VISIT AND IMPACT OUR ROADS, TOURISTS WHO WE WANT THEM HERE AND THEY'RE A PART OF OUR ECONOMY, PART-TIME RESIDENTS WHO ARE NOT HOMEOWNERS OR BUSINESS OWNERS BUT VISIT FOR LONG TERM AND RENTING. WE WANT THIS COMMUNITY TO HAVE A QUALITY OF LIFE FOR EVERYONE. AND YOU ARE RIGHT, THE BUILDING INDUSTRY HAS TAKEN THE BIGGEST BRUNT THROUGH IMPACT FEES IN PROVIDING US A MECHANISM TO TRY TO KEEP UP WITH GROWTH. WE ARE RECOGNIZING IT'S NOT WORKING. I WOULD RATHER HAVE THAT LONG-TERM DISCUSSION WHILE THINGS ARE SLOW AND ARE YOU NOT SEEING PERMITS WHIPPING THROUGH HERE FOR US TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN IMPACT FEES AND BE INNOVATIVE. I HAVE BEGGED THE B.I.A.-- I SEE MICHAEL IN THE AUDIENCE -- FOR THREE YEARS. THIS IS AN ISSUE BIGGER THAN UP AND DOWN OF IMPACT FEES.



WE HAVE TO FIND A FUNDING MECHANISM. WE CAN'T ELIMINATE IMPACT FEES WITH NO REPLACEMENT. I WOULD RATHER HAVE THE PERMANENT DIALOGUE THAN SHORT TERM. SOMEONE WILL BE A LOSER IN THAT SHORT-TERM. I'M ALL ABOUT EVERYONE BEING A WINNER. I KNOW WE CAN RELEASE MORE WORK THAN WE'RE RELEASING. IF THERE IS A WILL, THERE IS A WAY. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT WE ARE PREPARED TO DO THAT. SO I'M ALL EARS ABOUT LETTING LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATION GET WITH THE INDUSTRY AND TALK ABOUT THIS SCENARIO AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO AND LET THEM COME BACK TO US. I WOULD MUCH FAVOR A LITTLE TASK FORCE GETTING TOGETHER AND DEALING WITH IMPACT FEES LONG TERM AND FACILITATING SOME REAL SOLUTIONS TO THIS INDUSTRY AND OUR CHALLENGES OF GROWTH AND WHO IS CARRYING THE HEAVIER LOAD ON THOSE ISSUES LONG TERM VERSUS A SHORT TERM CONFUSION. ALL GOOD POINTS. I WOULD LIKE TO RESPOND. I WILL OPEN TO OTHER BOARD MEMBERS. COMMISSIONER MAN INSURES AND COMMISSIONER JANES AND COMMISSIONER BIGELOW. ONCE AGAIN AS I HAVE MANY TIMES, I FIND MYSELF IN VIRTUALLY TOTAL AGREEMENT WITH EVERYTHING COMMISSIONER HALL JUST STATED. GREAT. THIS IS A MUCH BROADER ISSUE THAN JUST A SHORT-TERM STIMULATION IMAGINED TO BE BENEFITING THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY BECAUSE WE TAKE AWAY IMPACT FEES FOR A PERIOD. THERE IS A NATIONAL COLLAPSE IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY. EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT. I MEAN IT'S BEEN OBVIOUS FOR MANY MONTHS NOW.



IT'S A NATIONAL COLLAPSE. THAT COLLAPSE OCCURRED IN STATES THAT HAVE NO IMPACT FEES. IT OCCURRED THROUGHOUT FLORIDA AND SOME COUNTIES HAVE VIRTUALLY NO IMPACT FEES OR A FRACTION OF THE SIZE OF LEE COUNTY'S IMPACT FEES. IN A FEW CASES THEY'RE LARGER THAN IMPACT FEES. THE COLLAPSE IS UNIVERSAL. IT WASN'T CAUSED BY THE IMPACT FEES. OUR HOUSING WAS COMING IN HERE AND OUR PERMITS WERE GOING OUT 500, 600, 700 A MONTH WITH THE NEWEST, HIGHEST IMPACT FEES. THEY CONTINUED TO ISSUE THE PERMITS AT THOSE HIGH IMPACT FEE LEVELS. IT WASN'T THE IMPACT FEES THAT CAUSED THIS. IT WAS A PRETTY STRONG TERM YOU USED WHEN YOU SAID THE GREEDY FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, MR. CHAIRMAN, BUT I THINK YOU TOUCH TOUCHED ON IT. WE COULD FIND A MORE DIPLOMATIC WAY TO SAY IT. BUT I WOULD SAY AT THE VERY LEAST THERE WAS SOME FOOLISH ACTIVITIES GOING ON IN THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS IN OUR NATION AND CERTAINLY RIGHT HERE AT HOME AS WELL. THEY WERE ISSUING LOANS WITH VIRTUALLY NO COLLATERAL TO PEOPLE THAT WEREN'T QUALIFIED AND PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO GO OUT AND BUY FIVE AND SIX HOMES AT A TIME AND START THEM AND THEN THE RUG CAME OUT AND IT FELL AS ANYBODY WITH ANY REAL SENSE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PREDICT. BUT NO, EVERYBODY WAS MAKING SO MUCH MONEY, HAVING SUCH A WONDERFUL TIME, WE JUST WENT ON DOWN THE ROAD OBLIVIOUS TO COMMON SENSE. AND IT ALL CAME TO A HALT. BUT IT WASN'T CAUSED BY THE IMPACT FEES. I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE AND I APPRECIATE YOU MENTIONING IT AGAIN OF TRYING TO PICK UP THE HALF BUILT HOUSES BY NOT CHARGING AN ADDITIONAL IMPACT FEE. I THINK THAT'S FAIR. WE ALREADY COLLECTED THE IMPACT FEE. WE'LL GET RID OF THE EYE SORES, STIMULATE SOMETHING GOOD HAPPENING IN THOSE



NEIGHBORHOODS. THAT MAKES SENSE. THERE IS A RELATIONSHIP THAT YOU CAN TIE TOGETHER. A COMPLETE ELIMINATION OF IMPACT FEES, EVEN FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME DOESN'T CORRECT THE PROBLEM. AND IT WON'T CORRECT THE FINANCING. COST OF HOUSING AT LOTS IS DOWN 1/3 IN MOST OF LEE COUNTY RIGHT NOW. WHAT ELSE IS ANOTHER $8,000, $10,000 GOING TO DO WHEN YOU REDUCE THE COST OF A TYPICAL 3-2 BY $60,000, $70,000? I THINK WE'RE USING THE WRONG CORRECTIVE TOOL FOR AN ILL CAUSED BY ANOTHER GERM. DON'T LOOK TO ME FOR ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORT FOR A TEMPORARY -- YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT HALTING IMPACT FEES ALTOGETHER. I JUST DON'T SEE IT AS THE THING TO DO. SHORT TERM FOR HOUSES UNDER CONSTRUCTION. GOSH, YES. BUT THESE TWO THINGS ARE NOT RELATED AND WILL NOT FIX IT. AGAIN, WHAT COMMISSIONER HALL HAS SAID, AND THIS IS REFERRING TO CASH RESERVES THAT THIS COUNTY HAS, WE CAN DO SOMETHING REAL TO MOVE FORWARD PROJECTS. I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION WE HAD ON THIS THIS MORNING, COMMISSIONER HALL, THAT MAKES SENSE. WE HAVE CASH ACCUMULATED FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES, WHETHER IN ROADS OR BUILDINGS OR PARKING GARAGES. LET'S DO ALL WE CAN TO MOVE THOSE FORWARD. THAT WILL PUT PEOPLE BACK TO WORK AND IT WILL MAKE SENSE. THE OTHER IS NOT RELATED IN MY JUDGMENT. THIS IS DEFINITELY WELL WORTH HAVING THIS DISCUSSION OPENLY IN PUBLIC MEETING. COMMISSIONER JANES AND COMMISSIONER BIGELOW?



I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, COMMISSIONER MANN, I CONFER WITH YOUR COMMENTS. IF ANYTHING, IT OUGHT TO LOOK TOWARDS LONG-TERM SOLUTION. COMMISSIONER HALL IS RIGHT. THIS IMPACT FEE SITUATION, THAT'S UNFAIR AND TOLERABLE. I THINK WE HAVE TO LOOK FOR A DIFFERENT MECHANISM AS A POSSIBLE REPLACEMENT DOWN THE ROAD FOR IMPACT FEES. NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT. BUT I ALSO THINK IF WE GO DOWN THIS ROAD THAT WE OUGHT TO LOOK TO SEE WHAT ELSE WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH. I FOR ONE AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE HOUSES JUST BEING ABANDONED. IF ANYTHING THEY OUGHT TO BE TORN DOWN OR SOMETHING OUGHT TO BE DONE WITH THEM. THAT OUGHT TO BE THE PERSON, THE BANK OR SOMETHING THAT LOST OUT ON THE MORTGAGE. WE CAN'T LEAVE THEM SIT OUT THERE AND BECOME SLUMS. THEY'RE BROKEN INTO. THE FEES ARE COMING IN. THEY'RE STEALING BRASS, COPPER. HOUSES ARE JUST GOING INTO DECAY. WE CANNOT TOLERATE THAT. SO IT WOULD SEEM TO ME IF THEY WANT TO QUALIFY FOR SOME SORT OF A TEMPORARY RELEASE OR RELIEF ON THEIR IMPACT FEES, WE OUGHT TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A PRICE. EITHER REPAIR THAT HOUSE OR TEAR IT DOWN. IT HAS TO GO. I THINK WE NEED TO EMPHASIZE THAT. THAT MAY REQUIRE A CHANGE IN OUR CODE, I DON'T KNOW. BUT IF IT DOES, I THINK WE OUGHT TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND BEGIN TO DO



SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES, TOO. I THINK THAT SHORT TERM WE MIGHT DO SOMETHING OF SOME HELP. I WOULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT SOME SORT OF A COST. COMMISSIONER BIGELOW? THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN JUDAH. I'M OPEN-MINDED TO MORATORIUM ON IMPACT FEES IF WE CAN DEMONSTRATE IT WILL ENERGIZE THIS ECONOMY. I'M REPEATING WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID. WE COULD GO A LOT FURTHER AND GET A LOT MORE ACCOMPLISHED IN HELPING SHORE UP THIS ECONOMY BY SPENDING OUR MONEY AND PUTTING PROJECTS INTO ACTION. LET THE DIRT FLY. I WOULD POINT OUT THREE PET PROJECTS IF COUNTY ADMINISTRATION WAS LOOKING FOR A WAY TO LOOK TO THIS BOARD FOR PRIORITIES. THAT WOULD BE THREE OAKS FROM ALICO TO DANIELS, METRO FROM SIX MILE TO ALICO. EXTREMELY POPULAR COMMUTER CORRIDORS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE HAPPEN THAT ARE LONG OVERDUE. I KNOW YOU ARE SICK OF HEARING ME TALK ABOUT THE DOWNTOWN LIBRARY. COMMISSIONER HALL WAS TELLING US IT WAS ON HER AGENDA WHEN SHE WAS A CITY COUNCIL WOMAN. WE NEED TO START SPENDING ALL OF THIS BILLION AND A HALF WORTH OF CASH WE'RE SITTING ON. MR. CHAIRMAN, WHEN ARE YOU FINISHED, ONE MORE COMMENT. YOU GO AHEAD. THE OTHER THING I'D LIKE TO ASK -- AGAIN, I'M ALL FOR IT. I THINK WE OWE THE INDUSTRY AN OPPORTUNITY TO AT LEAST LOOK FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT AND IMPLICATION. IT WILL BE THE IMPETUS FOR US TO SPUR PEOPLE TO COME TOGETHER FOR A LONGTIME SOLUTION. I CAN'T SUPPORT A SHORT-TERM MORATORIUM UNTIL I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER



BIGELOW, I WOULD HAVE TO SEE REVOLUTIONARY TYPE COMMENTS THAT WOULD PROVE TO ME IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA. GOING THROUGH THE EXERCISE IS GOOD BECAUSE IT WILL EDUCATE US. IT IS HARD TO MAKE A DECISION WHEN WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE DON'T KNOW. I'M ALL FOR LOOKING AT IT. I'M FOR ASKING STAFF TO WORK WITH VARIOUS INDUSTRIES BECAUSE I THINK THEY HAVE GOOD IDEAS. WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS TALK ABOUT THE WAY WE ASSESS IMPACT FEES ON A THREE-YEAR BASIS. THE B.I.A. AND BUILDING INDUSTRY ASKED US TO KEEP A THREE-YEAR CYCLE. WE DID SUPPORT IT BECAUSE STAFF SAID IT WAS CHALLENGING FOR THEM TO LOOK AT IMPACT FEES EVERY YEAR. BUT I TRULY THINK THAT WHATEVERS THE BIGGEST SHOCK FOR EVERYONE IS WHEN WE WERE LIKE THIS AND IN THAT THREE-YEAR TIME PERIOD WHERE TRANSPORTATION HIT AND WE HAD TO TRIPLE THOSE AND WE CAME LIKE THIS. TIMING ON THAT IMPACT FEE COULDN'T HAVE BEEN WORSE. AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO POSSIBLY ASK THEM WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO GO BACK AND LOOK, NOT NECESSARILY THAT MATERIALS HAVE COME DOWN IN COSTS BUT POSSIBLY LABOR HAS. IS THAT IMPACT FEE STILL AT AN APPROPRIATE RATE. I WOULD ALSO LIKE THEM TO HAVE DIALOGUE WITH THE FOLKS OUT IN THE REAL WORLD, SHOULD WE RECONSIDER TIMING OF HOW WE REVIEW IMPACT FEES? I THINK OUR METHODOLOGY IS TRUE AND TESTED. I'M VERY PROUD OF OUR METHODOLOGY ACROSS THE STATE. I THINK IT IS VERY FAIR. I DON'T THINK THERE IS ANYONE WHO WILL SAY THE PROCESS ISN'T FAIR. WE DON'T LIKE PAYING IT. WE THINK IT IS GOING UP TOO FAST FOR US TO KEEP UP. I WOULD LIKE TO MAYBE INCLUDE THOSE LITTLE CAVEATS AND MAYBE NOT HAVE SOLUTIONS TO THEM BUT HAVE SOME THOUGHTS AS TO -- FROM THE INDUSTRY AS TO WHAT THEY THINK OF THOSE THINGS.



I WOULD BE CURIOUS TO KNOW IF MAYBE WE NEED TO -- TRANSPORTATION IS THE ONE THAT IS NEEDED THE MOST. IT WAS TRIGGERED BY A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENING IN THE MARKETPLACE, LET ALONE LACK OF MATERIALS, PETROLEUM, CONCRETE. A LOT OF THINGS WERE TRIGGERING THOSE HIGH ASSESSMENTS. AND THE ONE THING I KNOW HAS COME DOWN IS LABOR. I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH MATERIALS HAVE COME DOWN. I TALKED TO A COUPLE OF FOLKS THAT ARE IN THE INDUSTRY AND THEY'RE NOT SEEING BIG DROPS IN MATERIALS. BUT THEY'RE SEEING A STABLIZATION. SO THERE MAY BE SOMETHING WE COULD DO PERMANENTLY IN LOOKING AT THAT PARTICULAR IMPACT FEE BUT THEN ALSO LOOKING AT HOW THE TIMING OF HOW WE'RE DOING THIS. I WOULD HATE FOR US TO SEE ANOTHER TIME FRAME THAT WE HAVE TO TRIPLE AN IMPACT FEE. I THINK IT IS HARD ON THE INDUSTRY AND CERTAINLY HARD ON THE END USER, WHETHER A COMMERCIAL END USER, A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER LIKE MYSELF WHO DOESN'T REALLY LIKE SEEING MY RENT GO UP FIVE TIMES WHERE I SEE INCREASES EVERY YEAR OR THE DEVELOPER WHO IS HAVING TO PAY THE IMPACT FEE. IF YOU COULD ADD THAT CAVEAT ALSO. ABSOLUTELY. THIS IS SO WIDE OPEN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE BOARD TO GIVE DIRECTION. COMMISSIONER MANN? EACH OF US SEEM TO STIMULATE OTHER THOUGHTS OF THINKING. WE HAVE BEEN WATCHING U.S. CONGRESS THE LAST TWO WEEKS TALK ABOUT AN ECONOMIC STIMULUS PACKAGE. BASED TOTALLY ON THE IDEA OF INFUSION OF CASH INTO THE ECONOMY. AND IT WILL FILTER OUT AND HAVE A RIPPLE EFFECT ALL OVER. THEY'RE DOING THAT USING OUR GRANDCHILDREN'S MONEY. WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT WITH CASH RESERVES THAT ARE ALREADY



HERE. SO THAT THOUGHT JUST CAME TO ME. STILL THIS IS THE THING TO DO. BUT I'M ALSO PERFECTLY WILLING TO REVIEW THE TOTAL PICTURE OF IMPACT FEES AND HOW THEY'RE ASSESSED AND THE THREE-YEAR, ALL COMPONENTS OF THAT. BUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE, COUNTY IS STILL OUT THERE. WE'RE TALKING $2 BILLION SHORTFALLS BY 2030. WE CAN'T WALK AWAY FROM THIS REVENUE SOURCE. SOME OF YOU BEFORE I GOT HERE BLED OVER IN VOTING FOR THOSE THINGS WHICH WAS A DIFFICULT THING TO DO. MY HAT IS STILL OFF TO YOU. I SUPPORT THAT. I WILL GO ON PUBLIC RECORD SAYING THAT. WE CANNOT WALK AWAY FROM THAT UNLESS THERE IS ALTERNATE SOURCE OF REVENUE MADE AVAILABLE. I HAVEN'T SEEN THE LEGISLATURE RUNNING AROUND WAVING FLAGS THEY'RE ABOUT TO DO THAT. WE NEED TO BE VERY CAREFUL HOW WE APPROACH THIS BUT WITH IDEA TOWARD CONTINUAL REVIEW AND FAIRNESS OF BROADER IMPLICATIONS. GOOD POINT. FIRST OF ALL LET ME JUST STATE FOR THE RECORD, I APPRECIATE HAVING OPPORTUNITY AS CHAIRMAN TALKING WITH OUR COUNTY MANAGER ABOUT THIS VERY ISSUE AND FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT THIS BE BROUGHT BEFORE THIS BOARD FOR A PURPOSE OF DISCUSSION. NOT BEING PROOR CON OR LEANING ONE WAY OR ANOTHER BUT IT WAS REALLY HELPFUL FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY TO FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH IN MAINTAINING OUR ECONOMY AND STIMULATING THE ECONOMIC BASE AND BEING FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBLE AND FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE TO OUR CONSTITUENTS. I COULDN'T AGREE WITH YOU MORE ABOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE SITUATION. BACK IN THE EARLY 1990s WHEN WE WERE PRETTY MUCH HEADED TOWARD A



RECESSION, BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FELT STRONGLY ABOUT CONTINUING IN OUR COMMITMENT TO BUILD A FACILITY. ONE PRIMARY REASON WAS NOT ONLY PROVIDE FOR PROCESSING AND MANAGING WASTE BUT IT PROVIDED TREMENDOUS JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE WORK FORCE. WE ALSO COMMITTED TO MOVING FORWARD ON MANY ROAD PROJECTS. IT IS A NO-BRAINER. I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S RECOGNITION THAT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IN TERMS OF TRUE, MEANINGFUL STIMULATION TO THE ECONOMY TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE SO DESPERATELY NEED BECAUSE OF GROWTH THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE. SO IN THAT REGARD, I'M PLEASED TO HEAR EVERYBODY SUPPORTIVE OF THE FUNDING FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS, UTILITIES, ROADS, LIBRARIES, PUBLIC SERVICE BUILDINGS, TO PROVIDE THOSE JOB OPPORTUNITIES AND PROVIDE INFRASTRUCTURE WE NEED TO ACCOMMODATE GROWTH. WE'LL HOPEFULLY HAVE A CHANCE TO AIR THAT OUT AS WE DELIBERATE OVER THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR'S BUDGET. THAT IS GREAT. THE CONSTRAINT WE HAVE, BECAUSE WE HAVE TALKED OVER THE YEARS ABOUT A REAL ESTATE TRANSFER TAX, WHICH IS AN EQUITABLE WAY IN WHICH THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY PAYS INTO PROVIDING FUNDING FOR OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, NOT JUST ONE ENTITY SUCH AS THE BUILDING INDUSTRY. BUILDING INDUSTRY INDICATED INEQUITIES OF IMPACT FEES. THEY HAVE SUPPORTED REAL ESTATE TRANSFER TAX. UNFORTUNATELY YOU HAVE THE REAL ESTATE ASSOCIATION THAT IS OPPOSED TO IT. WHEN IT GETS UP TO TALLAHASSEE, THE LEGISLATURE HAS BEEN RELUCTANT TO MOVE FORWARD AGGRESSIVELY IN PROVIDING FOR AN EQUITABLE MEANS TO HAVE A DEDICATED, DESIGNATED FUNDING SOURCE TO PROVIDE FOR INFRASTRUCTURE. THAT IS A CONSTRAINT PLACED ON US BY STATE LEGISLATURE. WE CANNOT IMPOSE IT LOCALLY. PARTIAL YEAR TAX ASSESSMENT WHICH PLACE AS HUGE BURDEN ON EXISTING RESIDENTIAL TAXPAYERS. BUT THIRDLY A WIND FALL FOR THOSE THAT UNDERSTAND PROPERTIES ARE ASSESSED FOR TAX PURPOSES ON JANUARY 1.



IF YOU BUILD A NEW BUILDING AND ARE CERTIFIED FOR COMPLETION AFTER JANUARY 1, YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY TAXES FOR UP TO ABOUT TWO YEARS. THERE IS INEQUITY THERE. THE LEGISLATURE FAILED TO ADDRESS THAT ISSUE. YOU KNOW, YOU TALK ABOUT A NUMBER OF ITEMS THERE. THREE OAKS PARKWAY, COMMISSIONER BIGELOW, WE NEED THAT LAST SEGMENT FROM ALICO TO DANIELS. WE'RE INVOLVED IN PERMITTING. THAT IS MOVING FORWARD. WE'RE INVOLVED WITH PERMITTING BECAUSE IT IS AN ENVIRONMENT SENSITIVE AREA FOR THAT REMAINING PORTION OF THAT CORRIDOR. I'M PLEASED WE RECENTLY OPENED UP THE IMPERIAL PARKWAY DOWN. METRO PARKWAY IS A STATE PROJECT. THAT IS ON BACK BURNER EVEN THOUGH THEY ACQUIRED RIGHT OF WAY. THEY DON'T HAVE FUNDING TO MOVE FORWARD. IT IS A STATE PROJECT. IF THERE IS A WAY TO TRY TO ASSIST, I KNOW WE WILL. WE'RE AGREEING TO ADVANCE MONEY TO WIDEN U.S. 41, THAT LAST STRETCH FROM SAN CARLOS PARK TO CORKSCREW ROAD ONCE THEY FIGURE THE BEST WAY TO PUT STORM WATER RUNOFF. I WOULD SAY THAT, DON, YOU SEEM TO HAVE CERTAINLY GOTTEN AN EMPHASIS ON THE FACT THAT THIS IS NOT REALLY AN ECONOMIC STIMULUS APPROACH WITH PUTTING IN A BAN OF COLLECTION OF IMPACT FEES. AT LEAST ONE OPTION WE CAN CONSIDER. AND I WILL LEAVE IT UP TO YOU. HAVING HEARD FROM THE BOARD, CLEARLY YOU NEED TO FRAME IT IN A LARGER, LONG-TERM SOLUTION APPROACH. AS I SAID, I APPRECIATE WHAT INPUT YOU RECEIVED.



IT MAY BE THAT THIS IS NOT THE WAY TO PROCEED. WITH JUST PUTING IN A TEMPORARY TIME FRAME. WITH AN UNDERSTANDING THAT WE HAVE LONG-TERM CONCERNS AND PERHAPS YOU CAN STRUCTURE IT IN A WAY WE CAN HAVE A MORE FRUITFUL DISCUSSION NEXT WEEK OR A SPECIAL WORKSHOP. I PROPOSE IF WE MAY, I THINK WE HEAR CLEARLY WHAT YOU ARE ALL SAYING. NICE TO HEAR YOU ALL SINGING FROM THE SAME BOOK. WE DO IT ALL THE TIME. IT IS ENCOURAGING TO US THAT YOU THINK THE WAY TO STIMULATE THE ECONOMY IS ACCELERATE SOME OF THE PROGRAMS. I LOVE, COMMISSIONER HALL'S COMMENT THIS MORNING. WE LOVE IT. I TOLD HER WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH STAFFING BECAUSE OUR STAFF IS CURRENTLY ALREADY TAKEN UP WITH CURRENT PROJECTS AND WE DON'T HAVE STAFF TO TAKE CARE OF NEW PROJECTS. HER SUGGESTION WHICH IS AN EXCELLENT SUGGESTION, WHY DON'T WE CONTRACT WITH SOME PEOPLE WHICH IS THE OBVIOUS THING TO DO. WE HEAR WHAT YOU ARE SAYING. FRANKLY, IF THE BOARD CONCURS ON THIS, WHAT I WOULD PROPOSE TO DO IS COME BACK IN A MONTH -- I SAID TWO WEEKS INITIALLY. WE NEED A MONTH. I WOULD LIKE TO COME BACK WITH A DETAILED APPROACH ON WHAT TO DO ON THIS ECONOMIC STIMULUS PACKAGE AND CENTER SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS FOR YOU AND PUT IT IN CONTEXT ABOUT WHAT THE CONTRACT EMPLOYEES WOULD COST, WHAT SAVINGS WILL BE IF WE CONTRACT NOW AS OPPOSED TO WAITING A COUPLE OF YEARS AND KNOWING WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH CONSTRUCTION COSTS AND ALL. THE OTHER THING CONCURRENTLY, BASED ON WHAT YOU ARE SAYING THIS MORNING, AND WE AGREE AGAIN, STAFF, I THINK IT IS MORE SYMBOLISM TO DO ANYTHING WITH IMPACT FEES TODAY, FREEZE THEM. I THINK YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT THE THING TO DO ON IMPACT FEES IS CONCURRENTLY WHEN LOOKING AT PUTTING TOGETHER AN ECONOMIC PACKAGE, WE'LL COME BACK WITH A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE FORM A TASK FORCE OF AT THE VERY MOST SEVEN PEOPLE AND PROBABLY FIVE PEOPLE TO KEEP IT FOCUSED, SHORT TERM



AND REVIEW EVERYTHING AS HAPPENING WITH IMPACT FEES TO LOOK AT THE FUTURE OF WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH FUTURE ESCALATING COSTS RATHER THAN RAISING FALSE EXPECTATIONS AND NOT REALLY GETTING A BANG FOR OUR BUCK. I THINK THAT'S A MUCH BETTER APPROACH. I THINK THAT IS WHAT I HEARD YOU ALL SAYING THIS MORNING. GOOD HONEST DISCUSSION. I APPRECIATE IT. I WANT TO ADD HORIZON COUNCIL REPRESENTATION. I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE THEM OUT. I THINK THEY HAVE -- THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE HAS VERY SHARP FOLKS ON. AND I KNOW YOU WILL GET CALLS, DON, FROM VARIOUS SEGMENTS OF THE COMMUNITY SO MAKE SURE HORIZON HAS INPUT INTO THAT ALSO. GOOD POINT. THEY'RE PROACTIVELY MOVING FORWARD WITH DIVERSIFYING OUR ECONOMIC BASE. MOVING FORWARD WITH BRINGING IN CORPORATIONS THAT PROVIDE CLUSTER TYPE CAMPUS APPROACH. OK. COMMISSIONER BIGELOW? THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN JUDAH. I GUESS I WANT TO REFER TO A COUPLE OF THINGS YOU SAID AND LET ME ADDRESS WHAT DON JUST SAID. IT SEEMS TO ME -- I HEARD IT, COMMISSIONER HALL, IF NO ONE ELSE. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE HAVE AMPLE REASONS WHY WE CAN'T MOVE THE PROJECTS ALONG. BUT I WILL JUST TAKE THE THREE I MENTIONED. THE LIBRARY. WHY DO WE HAVE -- WHY DO WE WANT TO PUT AUTOPSY ROADBLOCK SUCH AS WHAT WE DID WITH THE DOWNTOWN LIBRARY? MY SUGGESTION THAT WE HAVE TO STOP THE PLANNING EFFORT BECAUSE OF SOME PENDING LEGISLATION.



WE HAVE $84.5 MILLION THERE STRICTLY FOR THE PURPOSE OF BUILDING SUCH -- I'M HAVING A HARD TIME ACCEPTING EXCUSES I'M HEARING AS TO WHY WE CAN'T. LET ME FINISH. YOU MIGHT WANT TO REPLY TO ALL OF IT. COMMISSIONER OR CHAIRMAN JUDAH, YOU SUGGEST WE CAN'T -- IT IS A STATE ROAD, METRO SOUTH FROM SIX MILE TO ALICO. WE DEMONSTRATED HOW TO OVERCOME THAT PROJECT. WE BROUGHT THE MONEY TO THE STATE AT LOW INTEREST RATES. WE'LL GET THE MONEY BACK. KNOCK ON WOOD. BUT WE HAVE DONE IT HERE IN THE COUNTY AND WE CAN DO IT WITH THAT PROJECT. WE CAN OVERCOME THAT PROBLEM. WE CAN OVERCOME THE PROBLEM -- I'M PREPARED TO SAY THIS AND HEAR FROM FIDDLESTICKS FOLKS BUT WE CAN READDRESS THAT ISSUE BY ACCEPTING THAT THE LEAST EXPENSIVE ALTERNATIVE TO BUILDING THAT PARTICULAR ROAD SEGMENT, BADLY OVERDUE AND BADLY NEEDED RELIEVER TO I-75 IS TO LOOK AT THE FIDDLESTICKS ALIGNMENT. WE OWN THAT THERE. WE COULD GO TO THAT POSSIBILITY AND MOVE IT ALONG QUICKLY. MY FRUSTRATION IS I SEEM TO BE ENCOUNTERING OBSTACLES OF OUR OWN MAKING IN A LOT OF RESPECTS. SO I HAVE TO SUGGEST STRONGLY THAT WE OVERCOME THESE INHOUSE OBSTACLES AND KEEP OUR EYE ON THE PRIZE. WE HAVE GOT TO GET SOME OF THIS STUFF HAPPENING. WE HAVE TO INFUSE THIS ECONOMY WITH $1.5 BILLION WE SET ASIDE THAT WE SEEM TO BE HOLDING ONTO. ONE OTHER POINT, COMMISSIONER HALL POINTS OUT THE HORIZON COUNCIL. I THINK WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY HERE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING ISSUE THAT IS STILL A PROBLEM.



ALTHOUGH THEY SAY THAT THE BOTTOM HAS DROPPED OUT OF THE REAL ESTATE ECONOMY, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING WILL BE POSSIBLE WHEN IT PICKS UP. IT WILL PICK UP. EVERYTHING THAT GOES UP COMES DOWN. EVERYTHING THAT GOES DOWN COMES UP. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT HOW, IF WE'RE LOOKING AT IMPACT FEES, HOW TO HELP THOSE WHO ARE OUT THERE -- THERE ARE FOLKS OUT THERE. I HAD A GUY IN MY OFFICE JUST THIS LAST WEEK SUGGESTING TO ADDRESS IMPACT OF IMPACT FEES ON THOSE WHO ARE THERE WILLING AND ABLE TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE LOCATION OF THE COUNTY WHERE IT IS SUGGESTED WE NEED IT, NEAR COMMERCIAL CENTERS. I THINK THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT. WE HAVE AN AD HOC COMMITTEE OUT THERE. WE'RE ABOUT TO HEAR FROM THEIR WORK EFFORTS. I THINK WE NEED TO THROW THIS IN THE MIX AS WELL. BECAUSE THAT IS NOT A PROBLEM WE CAN IGNORE. AND SO WHAT WE COULD DO IN THIS PROCESS OF DRYING TO GET MONEY OUT THERE IS ALSO LOOK LONG RANGE AS WELL. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. WOULD YOU LIKE TO BRING UP ANY OTHER ITEMS? I AGREE WITH YOU, COMMISSIONER BIGELOW. I KNOW IT IS A RARE OCCASION. BUT ACTUALLY IN YOUR PHILOSOPHY, I AGREE WITH YOU A LOT. IT IS SOMETIMES HOW WE GET THERE THAT I DISAGREE WITH YOU ON. NOT YOUR OBJECTIVE AND GOAL. YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. WE HAVE -- WHEN WE LOOK AT BONUS DENSITY AND LOOK AT THAT AND THAT MONEY GOES IN WHETHER YOU BUY YOUR -- OUR PROGRAM FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHETHER BUYING OR BUILDING IT.



HERE'S OPPORTUNITY WITH OUR TRUST FUND -- WE WOULD HAVE TAKEN SOME OF THOSE DOLLARS, WE COULD GO OUT AND PURCHASE FORECLOSURES AND PUT THEM INTO PERPETUITY AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM. THERE IS LOTS OF NEIGHBORHOODS, SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, EMPTY LOTS. THERE ARE A THOUSAND THINGS WE COULD DO IF THAT TRUST FUND WAS THERE. WE NEED TO TAKE TUNNEL VISION OFF AND OPEN OUR MINDS AND BE WILLING TO HEAR DIFFERENT IDEAS AND NOT ALWAYS LOOK SO PROBINGAL AT WHAT SEEMS TO BE ON THE SURFACE THE RIGHT THING. BUT LOOK A LITTLE DEEPER. THAT'S WHY I'M WILLING TO HAVE STAFF LOOK AT THIS. I WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DOING, COMMISSIONER JUDAH. SOMETIMES IT IS LOST IN TRANSITION. I WANT TO -- WE'RE ASKING STAFF TO GET TOGETHER WITH A SMALL GROUP OF INDUSTRY FOLKS TO REALLY TAKE A LOOK AT IMPACT FEES WITH SUGGESTION IS THERE THE MORATORIUM ON IMPACT FEES THE RIGHT THING TO DO AND GET COMMENTARY TO HEAR FROM THEM AND THEN THAT DECISION IS ULTIMATELY OURS. ALSO HAVE DIALOGUE ON DIRECTION TO GO LONG TERM. THAT WOULD NOT BE A ONE-MONTH CONVERSATION BUT FRAMEWORK OF HOW TO APPROACH THIS LONG TERM. THEN NUMBER TWO, THAT WITHIN THE NEXT 30 TO 60 DAYS STAFF IS GOING TO COME BACK WITH A VIEW OF OUR CAPITAL SO WE CAN SEE WHERE WE CAN START TO PRIORITIZE AND PUSH PRODUCT OUT OF THIS OFFICE, TO GET THIS BOARD TO START RELEASING AND START HITTING THE CASH WE'RE HOLDING ONTO FOR PROJECTS, THAT THEY'LL LOOK AT SOLUTIONS THAT IS NOT A SIX-MONTH PROCESS BUT A SHORTER TERM PROCESS. ONCE WE DO THAT, IT WILL END UP BEING A SIX-MONTH PROCESS. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT BEFORE WE BREAK IN JULY TO SEE SOME PROJECTS GETTING AWARDED, ASSUMING WE BREAK IN JULY AS TRADITION SUGGESTS WE DO. WHETHER A MEETING IN MARCH THAT WE TAKE ONE DAY AND GO THROUGH THE ENTIRE C.I.P. AND THEIR SOLUTIONS. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT NOT GO BEYOND THAT THURSDAY MARCH MEETING IF POSSIBLE.



THAT WOULD BE MY SUGGESTION. SOONER VERSUS LATER. IS EVERYONE AGREEING ON THAT? IS THAT EVERYONE'S UNDERSTANDING? WANTED TO MAKE SURE. COMMISSIONER BIGELOW BRINGS UP SOMETIMES THAT'S NOT WHAT HE UNDERSTOOD. SOMETIMES I HAVE THAT SAME FEELING AND DON'T SAY ANYTHING. I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE. I WANT TO SAY ONE THING. THAT IS KIND ON A TANGENT TO SOME EXTENT. COMMISSIONER JUDAH, COMMISSIONER HALL AND I WERE PRIVILEGED LAST NIGHT TO ATTEND HABITAT FOR HUMANITY'S ANNUAL THING AND CELEBRATING THEIR 25TH ANNIVERSARY. IN TALKING TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HABITAT, THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS NOW OF LOOKING AT PICKING UP A LOT OF THE HOUSES ABANDONED AND THEY CAN BUY THEM CHEAPER THAN BUILDING NEW. I THINK THIS MIGHT BE AN IDEA WHERE WE COULD MOVE IN AND TRY TO WORK ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAMS WITH THE SAME HIT. I THINK THAT'S AN EXCITING POTENTIAL. PERHAPS EVEN WORKING WITH HABITAT ON THAT CONTRACT BASIS. BUT WHATEVER. I THINK WE OUGHT TO LOOK AT THOSE ALTERNATIVES. IF I COULD JUST FOR -- JUST 30 SECOND. I TALKED TO AN EXECUTIVE WITH ONE OF THE MAJOR BUILDERS HERE IN TOWN. I HATE TO EVEN THROW THIS OUT PUBLICALLY. BUT HE TOLD ME THEY'RE SELLING HOMES RIGHT NOW, THREE-BEDROOM, TWO-BATH HOMES FOR $120,000 AND NEGOTIATED HARD. I SAY THAT. THE OTHER POINT I WANT TO MAKE, WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL, LADIES AND



GENTLEMEN, WE HAVE TO BE VERY, VERY CAREFUL THAT WE DON'T BUILD SOMETHING THAT WE CAN'T AFFORD TO STAFF IN THE FUTURE. I'M NOT RELUCTANT AT ALL ABOUT SPENDING MONEY JUDICIOUSLY. I DON'T WANT TO SPEND MONEY OUT HERE AND I DON'T THINK THE BOARD WANTS TO SPEND MONEY UNLESS IT IS A ONE-TIME TYPE EXPENDITURE. IF WE CAN DO SOMETHING FOR THE GOOD OF THE FUTURE, ONE-TIME TYPE EXPENDITURE, GREAT. BUT WE ARE RELUCTANT ABOUT SPENDING ANYTHING -- I WOULD BE VERY EMBARRASSED AND THIS BOARD AND COUNTY WOULD BE EMBARRASSED IF WE BUILT A BUILDING AND COULDN'T AFFORD TO STAFF IT IN THE FUTURE. WHAT A SHAME THAT WOULD BE. A TRAVESTY. WE HAVE NOT SEEN ANYTHING YET WHAT WILL HAPPEN. I DON'T CARE WHAT HAPPENS WITH AMENDMENT ONE TODAY. WAIT UNTIL NOVEMBER. THERE WILL BE A MORE DASTARDLY PROPOSAL COME NOVEMBER. WE ARE STANDING BACK IN LEE COUNTY. WE HAVE RIGHT NOW OVER 170 VACANT POSITIONS. WE DON'T WANT TO LAY OFF A BUNCH OF PEOPLE. YOU LOSE JOBS, YOU HURT A LOT OF PEOPLE. YOU HURT THE ECONOMY. YOU HURT YOUR SERVICE LEVEL. WE WANT TO MAINTAIN, RETAIN THE SERVICE LEVEL WE HAVE NOW. WE'RE TRYING TO ACT RESPONSIBLY. SO PLEASE IF I GIVE ANYONE THE IMPRESSION THAT WE'RE BEING OVERLY CAUTIOUS, I DON'T THINK WE ARE. I THINK WE'RE BEING VERY PRUDENT. THANK YOU.



JIM? COMMISSIONER, I WAS A BIT CONCERNED. WE JUST CAME THROUGH A PERIOD OF PUTTING IN OVER $650 MILLION WORTH OF CONSTRUCTION CONCURRENTLY IN THE GROUND. WHILE EVERYBODY WAS ENJOYING EVERYTHING, WE HAD A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF CONCURRENT CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY GOING ON. I'M HERE TO COMMIT WHATEVER PROJECT YOU WANT TO FACILITATE, WHETHER A DOWNTOWN LIBRARY, WHATEVER, WE HAVE CAPABILITY TO DO IT. WE'RE NOT SHORT STAFFED. WE HAVE THE SAME STAFF WE HAVE HAD FOR MANY YEARS, BUT PROJECT LOAD VARYS FROM FIVE TO EIGHT TO 10 TO 12. THEY'LL TAKE PROJECTS THAT ANY DECISION THE BOARD MAKES TO MOVE FORWARD, WE CAN EXPEDITE THEM. I KNOW YOU HAVE A LOT ON YOUR PLATE AND MAYBE OUTSIDE CONTRACTING SERVICES MIGHT BE A WAY TO CONTINUE THE MOMENTUM. COMMISSIONER MANN? ONE LAST THOUGHT. IT TAGS ON WHAT DON WAS SAYING. WE DON'T HAVE TO STAFF HIGHWAY PROJECTS WHEN COMPLETED. WE HAVE PLENTY OF CARS ON IT IMMEDIATELY. WHATEVER WE CAN FREE UP IN TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS, I'D SAY GO THERE. NO RISK OF HAVING TO FILL THEM UP WITH EMPLOYEES. ANY OTHER ITEMS? OK. DAVID? ALL RIGHT. FOLKS, WE'RE ADJOURNED.

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Meeting Transcript Provided By Public Resources · GAINES AND OTTO DEMUTH AND JOSH PROUT AND CHUCK FUNK AND BARNESTER 1 This transcript is actually a copy of the live closed captioning