meeting transcript provided by public resources...meeting transcript provided by public resources...

Meeting Transcript Provided By Public Resources

February 19, 2008 MORNING, EVERYONE. NICE TO HAVE YOU IN ATTENDANCE, THOSE VIEWING AND LISTENING IN.WE'LL GO AHEAD AND PROCEED WITH OUR LEE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING OF FEBRUARY 19. WE'LL START WITH THE INVOCATION FROM PASTOR RUSSELL HOWARD FROM MCGREGOR BAPTIST CHURCH. PASTOR, GOOD MORNING. LET'S PRAY TOGETHER. IN YOUR WORD, GOD YOU SAY THIS IS THE DAY THAT THE LORD HAS MADE AND WE WILL REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT. LORD, THAT APPLIES TODAY WHEN THERE ARE NO WEIGHTY MATTERS AND DAYS WHEN THERE ARE WEIGHTY MATTERS TO PAY ATTENTION TO. IT APPLIES TO DAYS WE ANTICIPATE ENJOYING AND DAYS WE ANTICIPATE FINDING BURDENSOME. IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO RESPOND TO OUR CREATOR WITH JOY AND SO WE DO THAT THIS MORNING. LORD, WE PRAY FOR THOSE CHARGED IN OUR FORM OF GOVERNMENT BY OVERSEEING THE AFFAIRS OF LEE COUNTY. WE ARE TO PRAY FOR ALL OF THOSE IN AUTHORITY. SO, LORD, WE PRAY FOR THE COMMISSION THIS MORNING THAT YOU GIVE THEM INTEGRITY, INTELLIGENCE, INTENSITY AND INTENTIONALTY AS THEY FACE AND DELIBERATE THE MATTERS BEFORE THEM. BLESS THE LEE COUNTY COMMISSION AND ALL THOSE WHO HAVE COME TO ATTEND OR ADDRESS THIS GATHERING. LORD, BE WITH US TODAY. IN JESUS NAME I PRAY, AMEN.

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/



THANK YOU, PASTOR. 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, PASTOR. WE HAVE A WONDERFUL MORNING AHEAD OF US HERE. WE'LL START OFF WITH ONE OF TWO OF THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS AWARDS OFFERED IN LEE COUNTY. THIS IS FOR THE PAULETTE BURTON AWARD. WE HAVE MRS. BURTON'S TWO DAUGHTERS TO JOIN US. WE HAVE QUITE A WONDERFUL LIST OF NOMINEES. GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. THE CHAIRMAN IS CORRECT. WE ARE HERE TODAY TO AFFORD THE BOARD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ANNOUNCE THE WINNER OF THE 17TH ANNUAL PAULETTE BURTON CITIZEN OF THE YEAR AWARD. THE AWARD MEMORIALIZES PAULETTE BURTON. IN THE 1980s, EARLY 1990s, SHE SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN THIS ROOM HOLDING OUR FEET TO THE FIRE AT TIMES WITH THE ISSUES OF THE DAY. AND WAS A WELL-KNOWN CIVIC ACTIVIST IN THE COMMUNITY. THAT CAME TO AN END IN 1991 WHEN SHE PASSED AWAY BECAUSE OF AN AUTO ACCIDENT. AT THAT POINT HER GOOD FRIEND, STEVE MAXWELL, APPROACHED THE BOARD AT THAT POINT ENCOURAGING THEM TO BEGIN THE BURTON AWARD. THE BOARD LIKED WHAT THEY HEARD AND SO IT IS NOW 17 YEARS LATER AND WE'RE STILL HERE ISSUING THE AWARD. THIS YEAR THERE WERE 10 NOMINATIONS. AND A BOARD APPOINTED CITIZEN COMMITTEE PAIRED THAT 10 BACK DOWN TO SIX. THOSE SIX NAMES WENT ON THE BALLOT.



EACH OF THE BOARD MEMBERS VOTED. TODAY WE ANNOUNCE THE WINNER OF THAT VOTING. WE'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT CITIZEN COMMITTEE THAT WORKED WITH YOU IN TAKING 10 NAMES TO SIX NAMES THAT WENT ON TO THE BALLOT. THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE CARRIE, BRUCE, YVONNE, EILEEN, STEVE, AND DON. WE'RE FORTUNATE AGAIN THIS YEAR THAT PAULETTE'S DAUGHTERS ARE HERE. THEY'D LIKE TO APPROACH THE BOARD AND SAY A FEW WORDS. SANDY, IF YOU WANT TO COME FORWARD. THIS IS SANDY, PAULETTE'S DAUGHTER. GOOD MORNING, LADIES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'M TALKING FOR SANDY FOR A CHANGE BECAUSE SHE HAS A BAD COUGH. IT'S JUST AMAZING. IT'S BEEN 17 YEARS. HARD TO BELIEVE THAT MUCH TIME HAS PASSED. AND WE JUST WANT TO THANK EACH OF YOU THAT HAS BEEN NOMINATED FOR THE AWARD BECAUSE THE LEGACY YOU LEAVE FOR YOUR FAMILIES OF YOUR SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY IS INVALUABLE. IT'S A WONDERFUL THING TO PASS ON AND YOUR SELFLESSNESS AND VALUES OF GIVING YOUR TIME FOR OTHERS IS VERY SPECIAL. SO WE THANK EACH OF YOU VERY MUCH. COME DOWN AND JOIN THE BURTON FAMILY. BOARD MEMBERS, WHAT WE'LL DO IS HAVE ALL THE FINALISTS COME FORWARD AND THE FIRST FIVE THAT WE CALL FORWARD ARE THE RUNNERS-UP. THE LAST PERSON IS THE PERSON OF THE YEAR. OUR FIRST RUNNER-UP FROM NORTH FORT MYERS, GREG MCPEACE. [APPLAUSE]



GREG IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE NORTH FORT MYERS COMMUNITY PANEL, A COMMITTEE DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE LIFE IN NORTH FORT MYERS. OUR NEXT RUNNER-UP ANNE BRUNING FROM CAPTIVA. ANNE PASSED AWAY LAST YEAR. REPRESENTING HER IS A GOOD FRIEND, NAOMI PASTOR. [APPLAUSE] ANNE WAS VERY INVOLVED IN THE SANIBEL CAPTIVA CONSERVATION FOUNDATION, THE CAPTIVA CIVIC ASSOCIATION AND CAPTIVA MEMORIAL LIBRARY. OUR THIRD RUNNER-UP, LAYLEY HEMRICK FROM FORT MYERS. [APPLAUSE] SHE'S INVOLVED WITH THE FAMILY HEALTH CENTERS OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. THE CHILD HEALTH TRUST OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA AND THE GOVERNORS ADVISORY COUNCIL OF FARM WORKERS AFFAIRS. OUR NEXT FINALIST, JOHN BUNCH, ST. JAMES CITY. [APPLAUSE] JOHN CREATED OPERATION OPEN ARMS WHICH PROVIDES VARIOUS RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES SUCH AS FISHING CHARTERS, GOLF OUTINGS, ETC. FOR OUR VETERANS HOME ON LEAVE FROM IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN. OUR LAST FINALIST, OUR LAST RUNNER-UP FROM FORT MYERS, BRUCE GORA. [APPLAUSE] BRUCE IS INVOLVED WITH THE HORIZON COUNCIL, WORK FORCE TASK FORCE AND LEE COUNTY ALLIANCE OF THE ARTS. COMMISSIONERS, THERE'S ONE PERSON LEFT AND THAT IS FROM FORT MYERS, C.E.O. OF THE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA ADDICTION SERVICES, KEVIN LEWIS. [APPLAUSE] KEVIN HE'S PLAQUE READS AS FOLLOWS. BY AUTHORIZATION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ON RECOMMENDATION BY THE PUBLIC, KEVIN LEWIS IS HERE BY NAMED THE 2007 PAULETTE BURTON CITIZEN OF THE YEAR. FOR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO THE TOTAL COMMUNITY PRESENTED ON THE 19TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2008. CONGRATULATIONS.



[APPLAUSE] THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE] GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. FIRST LET ME SAY HOW HUMBLING THIS IS. WHEN I SAT WITH THAT GROUP OF CITIZENS OVER THERE, FRANKLY, I WAS HONORED TO BE IN THE ROW WITH THEM. AS BRUCE EXPLAINED TO ME, HE SAYS LEE COUNTY IS A SPECIAL PLACE TO BE. WE ALL GET A CHANCE TO CONTRIBUTE. WHEN HE MOVED HERE 31 YEARS AGO, HE SAID, PEOPLE WELCOMED HIM WITH OPEN ARMS. WHEN YOU CAN WORK WITH LAYLEY WHO WAS BORN HERE AND WORK WITH OTHER CITIZENS, IT'S TRULY AN HONOR. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU OBVIOUSLY TO THE COMMISSION, THANK YOU TO YOUR STAFF WHO YOU HAVE SOME WONDERFUL SERVANT LEADERS WHEN YOU LOOK AT HUMAN SERVICES AND SOME ADMINISTRATIVE FOLKS. IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO WORK. AND TO LIVE. IT'S INVESTMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT MAKES IT GREAT FOR ALL OF US IN THAT WE HAVE MANY CHALLENGES FACING US. THANKS TO THE FOLKS THAT NOMINATED ME. FRANKLY, THEY'RE HUGE STAKEHOLDERS IN TRYING TO MEET THE NEEDS OF CITIZENS IN OUR COMMUNITY WITH HEALTH CARE NEEDS, WHETHER PRIMARY HEALTH CARE OR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE. WE KNOW THE CHALLENGES WE FACE THERE. THE CHALLENGES WE FACE COMING UP ARE GOING TO BE GREATER IN THAT. BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AND WITH YOUR STAFF AND TRYING TO RESPOND TO THOSE. IF WE CAN KNIT TOGETHER THE RIGHT RESOURCES, WE CAN CONTINUE TO KEEP LEE COUNTY THE PLACE THAT PEOPLE WANT TO BE AND WANT TO STAY.



I WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN AND APPRECIATE IT. [APPLAUSE] CONGRATULATIONS AND ALSO TO THE NOMINEES. THIS BOARD REMAINS INSPIRED BY PEOPLE SUCH AS YOURSELFS THAT HAVE HELPED TO MAKE LEE COUNTY THE GREAT PLACE TO LIVE THAT IT IS. WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR DILIGENT EFFORT ON BEHALF OF THIS COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU TO THE PAULETTE BURTON FAMILY. ANOTHER PRESTIGIOUS AWARD THAT WE'LL RECOGNIZE TODAY IS THE CANDY PITTRO AWARD. CANDY WAS THE MOST COURAGEOUS PERSON I THINK I HAVE EVER KNOWN. I HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE OF WORKING WITH CANDY. THIS IS A VERY MEANINGFUL RECOGNITION TO NOT ONLY THE ULTIMATE RECIPIENT BUT TO THE NOMINEES. IF YOU WOULD PLEASE TAKE OVER, DINAH. GOOD MORNING. DINAH LEWIS WITH ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES. AS COMMISSIONER JUDAH SAID, WE'RE HERE TO RECOGNIZE NOMINEES AND RECIPIENT OF THE 2007 CANDY PITTRO MEMORIAL AWARD. CANDY PITTRO WORKED FOR LEE COUNTY HUMAN RESOURCES FOR EIGHT YEARS BEFORE SHE PASSED AWAY IN 1987 AFTER A LONG BATTLE WITH LEUKEMIA. CANDY DISPLAYED A TREMENDOUSLY POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND A CHEERFUL DISPOSITION WAS INFECTIOUS TO ALL THOSE SHE CAME IN CONTACT WITH. THE NOMINEES FOR THIS AWARD ALL EXHIBIT A POSITIVE ATTITUDE TOWARD WORK AND LIFE, PROMOTION OF HARMONY IN THE WORKPLACE AND ARE INSPIRATIONS TO OTHERS. AS EACH IS NAMED, COME FORWARD AND RECEIVE YOUR AWARD AND GREET THE COMMISSIONERS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATION AND PLEASE STAY FORWARD WE'LL DO A PHOTO OPPORTUNITY. THIS YEAR WE HAVE THREE NOMINEES IN RECOGNITION OF THESE OUTSTANDING EMPLOYEES.



OUR NOMINEES ARE ROBIN BEHR, HUMAN RESOURCES. SHE BEGAN WITH LEE COUNTY IN FEBRUARY 2005 AS TRAINING COORDINATOR. UNFORTUNATELY ROBIN LOST HER BATTLE WITH CANCER IN OCTOBER OF 2007. WHILE HER TIME WITH US WAS WAY TOO SHORT, SHE WAS ANXIOUS TO HELP EMPLOYEES, ADVANCE THEMSELVES IN THEIR JOBS. SHE HAD A TAKE CHARGE APPROACH TO THE TRAINING PROGRAM AND FACILITATION OF CLASSES. ROBIN WAS SINCERE IN HER CARING AND CONCERN FOR HELPING OTHERS AND HER SMILE WAS INFECTIOUS. ACCEPTING ON BEHALF OF ROBIN IS TED. [APPLAUSE] OUR NEXT NOMINEE IS BETH CAMPBELL, LEE TRAN. SHE HAS BEEN A BUS DRIVER SINCE APRIL 200. SHE CONSISTENTLY PORTRAYS A PROFESSIONAL ATTITUDE AND STRONG CUSTOMER SERVICE. SHE VOLUNTEERS FOR EXTRA DUTIES AND IS DEPENDABLE. SHE'S A ROLE MODEL WITH HER CHEERFUL LIFE IN HER LIFE AND CAREER. [APPLAUSE] OUR THIRD NOMINEE DELORES CARDONA, THE LIBRARY. SHE BEGAN HER CAREER WITH THE LIBRARY IN JULY 2001. SHE'S A LIBRARY ASSOCIATE AT LAKE REGIONAL. SHE'S BEEN A GREAT TEACHER AND MENTOR TO LEE COUNTY RESIDENTS AND HER CO-WORKERS AND DEVOTES HERSELF TO THE LOVE OF OTHERS. SHE CREATED A PROGRAM TO ASSIST PEOPLE WHO ARE SICK, HELPING HANDS IS A NETWORK OF INDIVIDUALS WHO WORK AND PERFORM HOUSEKEEPING DUTIES FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO CANNOT DO SO ON THEIR OWN. THIS NETWORK MAKES DAILY VISITS TO HOSPITAL PATIENTS NEEDING CARE AND ATTENTION AND COLLECTS MONETARY DONATIONS TO HELP PATIENTS PAY FOR HOUSEHOLD BILLS OR RENT. I KNOW SHE HAS A LOT OF FAMILY WITH HER TODAY.



[APPLAUSE] I'M HONORED TO ANNOUNCE THE WINNER OF THE 2007 CANDY PITTRO AWARD, DELORES CARDONA. [APPLAUSE] YOU HAVE EXTENDED FAMILY WITH YOU. PERHAPS THOSE FAMILY MEMBERS COULD ALSO COME UP AND JOIN US. WE'LL TAKE THIS ONE AND THEN THE REST OF THE FAMILY. WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. GOOD MORNING. I JUST WANTED FIRST OF ALL TO THANK GOD BECAUSE THAT'S THE BIG HAND THAT HOLDS ME THROUGHOUT EVERY DAY DOING WHAT I DO. I WANT TO THANK MY FAMILY. LIKE YOU JUST SAW, I HAVE SEVEN GRANDKIDS. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, THOSE LITTLE ONES, I TAUGHT THEM. THEY DELIVER DRY BEANS WITH ME TO ALL THE NEEDY TO ALL THE HOMES AND THEY KNOW. I HOPE THAT IT CONTINUES WITHIN MY FAMILY THE SAME SPIRIT TO HELP OTHERS. I WANT TO THANK ESPECIALLY HILDA. SHE'S ALWAYS THERE FOR ME, EVEN THOUGH THROUGH THE ROUGH TIMES THAT I HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH. BUT SHE HELPS ME TO CONTINUE ON MY DAYS AS WELL. THANKS TO MY HUSBAND ALSO. I'M THANKFUL FOR THIS. I DO IT BECAUSE THAT'S ME. NO RECOGNITION. BUT IT FEELS GOOD. I THANK YOU ALL AND HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT DAY.



[APPLAUSE] I HOPE YOU CAN FEEL CANDY PITTRO'S WARM EMBRACE. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. THE NEXT ITEM WE HAVE BEFORE US IN CEREMONIAL PRESENTATION SINCERE TO RECOGNIZE ENGINEERING WEEK. I WANT TO ASK MY GOOD FRIEND WALLY IF HE IS HERE ALONG WITH PETE TO REPRESENT US TO RECEIVE THE RESOLUTION FOR ENGINEERING WEEK. ARE THEY HERE? THEY ARE, OK. GOING TO WORK YOUR WAY THROUGH THE CROWD. PETE, HI. IS WALLY HERE? NOT HERE. YOU WILL REPRESENT THE ENGINEERING SOCIETY. NICE TO HAVE YOU HERE. WELCOME. PLEASED TO READ THE RESOLUTION. IT READS WHEREAS ENGINEERS HELP TO DESIGN, CONSTRUCT AND MAINTAIN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INFRASTRUCTURE AND FACILITIES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF ALL THE RESIDENTS OF LEE COUNTY. WHEREAS MAINTAINING THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN LEE COUNTY DURING PERIODS OF SUBSTANTIAL GROWTH DEPENDS ON ENGINEERS DEVELOPING INNOVATIVE, CREATIVE AND HIGH QUALITY SOLUTIONS TO TECHNICAL PROBLEMS. WHEREAS ENGINEERS, ABOVE ALL ELSE IN THE PRACTICE OF THEIR PROFESSION, HOLD PARAMOUNT THE SAFETY, HEALTH AND WELFARE OF THE PUBLIC. AND WHEREAS THROUGH THE CELEBRATION OF ENGINEERS WEEK EACH YEAR, THE FLORIDA ENGINEERING SOCIETY AND ITS CALUSA CHAPTER ARE DEDICATED TO SUSTAINING AND GROWING A DYNAMIC ENGINEERING PROFESSION BY ENSURING A DIVERSE AND WELL-EDUCATED FUTURE ENGINEERING WORK FORCE AND RAISING PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION OF ENGINEERING CONTRIBUTIONS TO SOCIETY.



WHEREAS THIS BOARD WISHS TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO LIVE AND WORK IN LEE COUNTY AND WHO PRACTICE THE PROFESSION OF ENGINEERING IN AN HONORABLE, RESPONSIBLE, ETHICAL AND COMPETENT MANNER AND STUDENTS WHO HAVE CHOSEN TO BE EDUCATED TO FOLLOW A CAREER PATH IN THE FIELD OF ENGINEERING. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF LEE COUNTY, FLORIDA EXTENDS GREETINGS AND BEST WISHS TO ALL OBSERVING ENGINEERS WEEK FEBRUARY 17-23, 2008. AS CHAIRPERSON OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, I WAS PROUD TO SIGN THE RESOLUTION THIS 19TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2008. PETE? [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS. FLORIDA ENGINEER SOCIETY, AS THE PRESIDENT, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU. THE FLORIDA ENGINEERING SOCIETY CALUSA CHAPTER IS 300 MEMBERS STRONG. WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THIS RECOGNITION. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THE FLORIDA ENGINEERING SOCIETY DOES IS THAT IT HAS LOBBYISTS AT THE STATE LEVEL TO PROTECT OUR RIGHTS AND ALSO THE INTEGRITY OF THE PROFESSION. SOME OF THE THINGS I'M MOST PROUD OF IN THE LOCAL AREA IS THAT F.E.C. SPONSORS MATH COUNTS FOR OUR LOCAL MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS. WHAT MATH COUNTS DOES IS IT IS A COMPETITION THAT ENCOURAGES MATH SKILLS. WHEN OUR LOCAL STUDENTS MOVE UP TO HIGH SCHOOL, WE HAVE SCHOLARSHIPS THAT WE AWARD TO STUDENTS SEEKING AN ENGINEERING EDUCATION, GOING TO COLLEGE. SO WITH THIS PROCLAMATION, YOU ARE HELPING US OUT A BIT AND HELPING THE SOCIETY AND KEEPING US STRONG AND TOGETHER. THANK YOU, PETE. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU, PETE, AND TO ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN IN THE ENGINEERING PROFESSION. WE APPRECIATE IT. WE'LL GO ON NOW TO A BRIEF PRESENTATION BY CHIP JONES, KPMG, REGARDING THE COMPREHENSIVE ANNUAL REPORT.



PETE WILL BE JOINING CHIP. JUST KIDDING. CHIP, GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, PETE. I WAS PASSING OUT A BRIEF HANDOUT, OVERVIEW OF THE AUDIT. I WANTED TO START OFF MY REMARKS TALKING ABOUT FIRST OF ALL THAT YOU HAVE AN EXCELLENT ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT, FINANCE DEPARTMENT. DON, TERRY, SEAN, BRIAN. THEY WORK HARD TO LET US GET IT DONE. YOU USUALLY ARE ONE OF THE FIRST COUNTIES TO HAVE YOUR AUDIT TOTALLY COMPLETED AND ISSUED IN THE STATE. I KNOW IT SEEMS LATE, BUT, AGAIN, YOU HAVE A VERY STRONG ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT. THEY'RE USUALLY WRAPPED UP WITH ALL THE STUFF WE NEED TO COMPLETE THE OFFICE BY CHRISTMAS. AGAIN, I EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION TO THEM. IN ADDITION, THEY'RE SO GOOD WE HAD NO MANAGEMENT LETTER COMMENTS. SO AS FAR AS WORKING WITH THEM AND LOOKING AT ALL THE CONTROLS, THEY'RE ORGANIZED VERY WELL AND DO A VERY GOOD JOB. THE AUDIT RELATES TO THE SEPTEMBER 30, 2006-07 YEAR. I MENTION THAT BECAUSE SO MUCH HAS CHANGED IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS. NOT ONLY HAVE WE SEEN THIS CREDIT CRISIS THAT HAS AFFECTED EVERYBODY INCLUDING THE S.B.A., WHICH WAS THE MAIN INVESTMENT VEHICLE FOR MOST OF THE MUNICIPALITIES IN THE STATE AND RESULTED IN A LOT OF FUNDS BEING FROZEN AND EXPOSURE TO MORTGAGE-BACKED TYPE INSTRUMENTS. BANK OF AMERICA HAD A STRATEGIC CASH FUND. SAME THING HAPPENED.



THEY HAD TO SHUT THE FUND DOWN BECAUSE OF EXPOSURE TO THAT. WE HAD THE PROPERTY TAX ROLLBACK ENCOURAGED BY THE LEGISLATURE. WE HAVE AMENDMENT 1 THAT JUST PASSED WHICH WILL HAVE AN IMPACT. WE'RE SEEING DECLINING VALUES IN OUR PROPERTIES. THAT WILL HAVE AN IMPACT. AND INTEREST RATES HAVE DROPPED QUITE A BIT WHICH AGAIN WILL HAVE ANOTHER IMPACT. SO SEPTEMBER 30, 2007 WAS THE END OF A VERY NICE PERIOD. IT'S BEEN A LOT OF TURMOIL SINCE THEN. WE EXPRESS AN OPINION ON IT THAT ESSENTIALLY THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FAIRLY PRESENT WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE COUNTY. WE ALSO DO AUDITS OF EACH OF YOUR CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS. THOSE ALSO WENT FINE AS WELL AS SEPARATE AUDIT ON THE AIRPORT. WE ALSO DO AUDITS OF YOUR FEDERAL AND STATE SINGLE AUDIT GRANTS. THE CURRENT YEAR YOU RECEIVED ABOUT $35 MILLION IN FEDERAL GRANTS OF WHICH WE AUDITED $23 MILLION OR 66%. THERE WAS ACTUALLY 90 INDIVIDUAL GRANTS IN THAT POPULATION. THE STATE SIDE, YOU RECEIVED $20 MILLION OR 40 GRANTS, OF WHICH WE AUDITED FIVE PROGRAMS TOTALING $10.6 MILLION OR 53%. WE HAD ONE MINOR FINDINGS IN THE AUDITS WITH REGARD TO HOW A REPORT WAS PREPARED. OTHER THAN THAT THEY WERE PRETTY CLEAN. WE ALSO WILL ISSUE WHEN IT IS DONE IN MARCH, A LANDFILL ESCROW REPORT. A COURT COST COMPLIANCE REPORT WHICH HAS BEEN ISSUED. AND A REQUIRED COMMUNICATION TO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY THE SENIOR MANAGEMENT THAT WE DEAL WITH, THE CONFERENCE ON JANUARY 24. THAT ESSENTIALLY TALKS ABOUT OUR RESPONSIBILITIES AS AUDITORS. IT DISCUSSS ANY DIFFICULTIES WE HAD IN THE AUDIT, WHICH THERE WERE NONE.



ANY DISAGREEMENTS OF WHICH WE MAY HAVE HAD, WHICH THERE WAS NONE. AND ALSO IF ANY ADJUSTMENTS THAT WE PROPOSED THAT WERE NOT PASSED. THERE WERE NONE ON THOSE TWO. THE BIGGEST THING YOU WOULD SEE IN THIS YEAR'S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS IS THAT YOU ADOPTED GASB 45 THIS YEAR. IT WAS A NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENT REQUIRING GOVERNMENTS TO RECORD LIABILITY OR DISCLOSE THEIR OBLIGATION FOR POST-RETIREMENT BENEFITS FOR RETIREES. THIS IS MOSTLY IN THE AREA OF SUBSIDIZED HEALTH INSURANCE. EVEN IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE WHO PAYS THE FULL COST OF THE PREMIUM, THERE IS WHAT THEY CALL AN IMPLIED SUBSIDY BECAUSE IF THEY'RE GETTING BENEFIT OF ALL THE COUNTY RATES WHERE THERE IS YOUNGER PEOPLE AND THEY MAY HAVE TO PAY A MUCH HIGHER PREMIUM IF ON A SEPARATE TYPE THING. THERE WAS IMPLIED SUBSIDIES THERE CONSIDERED, TOO. YOU WERE VERY PROACTIVE IN ADDRESSING THAT ACCOUNTING ISSUE. I THINK YOU'RE PROBABLY THE FIRST COUNTY THAT DID THAT. I COMPLIMENT YOU ON THAT BECAUSE IT IS A LARGE OBLIGATION THAT MOST COUNTIES JUST WISH WOULD GO AWAY. WOULD YOU REPEAT THAT AGAIN. IT IS A LARGE OBLIGATION -- WE SHOULD BE HELD TO A CERTAIN LEVEL FROM THE FACT THAT WE WERE THE FIRST ONES TO STEP FORWARD. AGAIN, TO ME IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. WE KNEW THE PRONOUNCEMENT WAS OUT THERE. YOUR PEOPLE IN THE ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT LOOKED AT THE PRONOUNCEMENT AND ENGAGED ACTUARIES AND CAME UP WITH THE INFORMATION YOU NEEDED TO IDENTIFY WHAT THAT LIABILITY WAS. THEY DID IT ON A PROACTIVE BASIS. AGAIN, THE COUNTY'S DETERMINATION WAS THAT IT IS A PRONOUNCEMENT WE SHOULD IMPLEMENT NOW BECAUSE WE HAVE THE INFORMATION TO DO IT.



AGAIN, FULL DISCLOSURE. IT'S TRANSPARENCY TO THE PUBLIC AS FAR AS WHAT THE ISSUES ARE. THANK YOU. THE OBLIGATION IS QUITE LARGE. FOR THE BOARD, $120 MILLION. SHERIFF, $133 MILLION. AND YOU HAVE AN OPTION ON EITHER TO FUND THAT AS A PAY AS YOU GO TYPE OF THING OR FUND IT ON A MORE PROACTIVE BASIS TO REDUCE THAT LIABILITY. I KNOW THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS BEING DECIDED RIGHT NOW. BUT, AGAIN, I THINK WHAT YOU DID WAS A VERY GOOD MOVE. YOU ALSO I THINK TOOK ACTION TO ESSENTIALLY CHANGE SOME OF THOSE BENEFITS GOING FORWARD WHEN YOU RECOGNIZED WHAT THE COST OF THAT OBLIGATION WAS. AND A LOT OF THE GOVERNMENTS WE DEAL WITH ARE DOING THAT, TOO. SO, AGAIN, MY COMPLIMENTS TO YOUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND HOW THEY ADDRESSED THE ACCOUNTING ISSUES, THE FACT OF A CLEAN AUDIT AND THEY'RE VERY COOPERATIVE. ON PAGE TWO, THIS IS A SUMMARY OF THE COUNTY'S FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES AT SEPTEMBER 30 OF 2007. YOU CAN SEE WE'RE VERY -- I TOOK A BUNCH OF ACCOUNTS AND GROUPED THEM IN ESSENTIALLY FOUR TYPES OF ASSETS AND THREE TYPES OF LIABILITIES. BUT YOU CAN SEE THAT MOST OF OUR ASSETS ARE ESSENTIALLY CAPITAL ASSETS WHICH IS $3.2 BILLION OF OUR $4.8 BILLION. THAT INCLUDES ALL YOUR INFRASTRUCTURE, THE NEW BRIDGES, FOR INSTANCE, ROADS YOU ARE PUTTING IN, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS AS WELL AS THIS BUILDING AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. AND ON THE SECOND BIGGEST ASSET IS CASH INVESTMENTS. $1.5 BILLION. COMPARING TO THE PRIOR YEAR, THOSE NUMBERS ARE ALL RELATIVELY COMPARABLE. AGAIN, YOU SPENT $240 MILLION IN CAPITAL ADDITION THIS IS YEAR.



THAT WAS THE MAIN REASON YOU SEE THE TOTAL WENT FROM $2.8 BILLION UP TO $3.2 BILLION. THE LIABILITY SIDE, YOU CAN SEE, AGAIN, THAT OUR BIGGEST LIABILITIES ARE LONG-TERM DEBT. ALMOST $1 BILLION OF THE $1.3 BILLION IS OVER IN YOUR ENTERPRISE FUND. I THINK THE PORT ACCOUNTS FOR $380 MILLION OF DEBT. SOLID WASTE, $178 MILLION. WATER AND SEWER, $175 MILLION. TRANSPORTATION, $190 MILLION. IN YOUR GENERAL GOVERNMENT, YOU HAVE OUTSTANDING DEBT OF $300 MILLION, MOST OF WHICH ARE CAPITAL REVENUE BONDS AND ONE OF WHICH WAS ISSUED IN THE PAST YEAR FOR $70 MILLION. AGAIN, TO FINANCE CAPITAL EXPENDITURES. YOUR NET ASSETS, WHICH ESSENTIALLY IF YOU LOOKED AT A PUBLICALLY HELD COMPANY, YOU WOULD WANT TO SEE WHAT STOCKHOLDER EQUITY ARE. MADE UP OF THREE COMPONENTS. ONE IS INVESTMENT IN CAPITAL ASSETS. WE SUBTRACT DEBT USED TO PAY FOR CAPITAL ASSETS TO COME ONE A NET NUMBER. RESTRICKED ASSETS, WHICH ARE THOSE EITHER RESTRICTED BY OUTSIDE SOURCES OR BY LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS. A GOOD EXAMPLE IS MONIES THAT YOU COLLECT ON IMPACT FEES THAT HAVEN'T BEEN SPENT. THEY'RE CONSIDERED RESTRICTED FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES. AND THEN UNRESTRICTED ASSETS WHICH THIS YEAR WERE $772 MILLION IN TOTAL OF WHICH $520 MILLION WERE IN THE GENERAL FUND AND $252 MILLION IN YOUR ENTERPRISE FUND. ON PAGE THREE, THIS IS TO ME A VERY, VERY USEFUL SNAPSHOT OF WHAT IT COSTS TO RUN THE LEE COUNTY GOVERNMENT. IT'S DONE ON A FULL ACRUEL BASIS. WHEN I SAY THAT, IS WHEN YOU DO YOUR BUDGETS EACH YEAR, CERTAIN THINGS THAT



ARE IMPACTING OR REFLECTING IN THE BUDGET ARE NOT REFLECTED IN THE STATEMENTS. TWO BIGGEST ONE ARE CAPITAL OUTLAY FOR BUDGET PURPOSES ARE TREATED AS EXPENDITURES. WITH THIS FINANCIAL STATEMENT WE BACKED THOSE OUT AND SHOWED DEPRECIATION EXPENSE. THE RESULT WAS YOU HAD $240 MILLION OF CAPITAL OUTLAY THIS YEAR THAT IS NOT REFLECTED HERE IN EXPENSES. BUT WE HAD $40 MILLION OF DEPRECIATION THAT IS REFLECTED IN THAT EXPENSE COLUMN. LIKEWISE, WHEN YOU MAKE A PAYMENT ON DEBT, AGAIN, THAT'S PART OF YOUR BUDGET. BUT FOR PURPOSES OF THIS, IT IS REDUCING A LIABILITY ON THE PREVIOUS STATEMENT. SO WE DON'T REFLECT THOSE AND WE DON'T REFLECT DEBT PROCEEDS WHICH, AGAIN, IS PART OF YOUR BUDGET PROCESS. THIS IS PRETTY MUCH A FULL ACRUEL BASIS. WHAT IT DOES IS TAKE YOUR GOVERNMENTAL ACTIVITIES AND BUSINESS TYPE ACTIVITIES AND ESSENTIALLY SEGREGATES IT INTO MAJOR TYPES OF EXPENDITURES. GENERAL GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC SAFETY BEING THE TWO BIGGEST ONES. THEN DOWN UNDER BUSINESS TYPE ACTIVITIES, THE AIRPORT AND WATER AND WASTE WATER AND SOLID WASTE BEING THE THREE BIGGEST ONES DOWN THERE. BUT IT TAKES WHAT THOSE COSTS ARE AND THEN IT SAYS HOW MUCH REVENUE DO WE GET FROM VARIOUS CHARGES FOR SERVICES? FOR INSTANCE, PEOPLE GOING TO USE THE MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE OR POOLS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. ARE YOU PAYING A CHARGE, PARKING FEES ARE CHARGES. BUT WE TAKE THOSE REVENUES, THE CHARGES FOR SERVICES. WE ALSO SOMETIMES RECEIVE GRANTS FROM FEDERAL OR STATE GOVERNMENT TO SUBSIDIZE OUR OPERATING ACTIVITIES, PROGRAMS THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OR STATE GOVERNMENT THINKS IS IMPORTANT. AND THEY GIVE US FUNDS TO HELP DO THAT.



WE ALSO SUPPLEMENT IT WITH CAPITAL GRANTS WHICH IS THOSE THAT ARE MAINLY FOR CAPITAL PURPOSES. AGAIN, THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO BOTH LEE COUNTY AND THE MAIN GOVERNMENT. SO WE TAKE THOSE EXPENSES, WE SUBTRACT ALL THE REVENUES AND COME ACROSS TO THE FAR RIGHT HAND COLUMN. THE VERY FAR RIGHT HAND COLUMN IS 2006. THE ONE NEXT TO IT IS 2007. BUT ESSENTIALLY THAT SHOWS YOU THE NET COST OF THESE DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES. GOING DOWN, THERE'S REALLY JUST TWO THAT HAD A LARGE INCREASE AND THAT IS THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC SAFETY. CAN YOU SEE THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT ARE FROM $62 MILLION TO $118 MILLION NET COST. THAT WAS ALMOST ALL EXPENDITURE DRIVEN. THERE IS MAINLY THREE BIG REASONS FOR THAT. ONE IS THE OTHER POST-EMPLOYMENT BENEFIT LIABILITY OF $20 MILLION THAT HIT THIS YEAR. THAT WAS ONE OF THEM. WE DID SIGNIFICANT RENOVATIONS TO THE CENTER. THOSE COSTS ARE INCLUDED IN THE EXPENDITURES HERE. LIKEWISE, THE LEE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT RENOVATIONS EXPENDITURES ARE INCLUDED THERE. SO IF YOU TOOK LAST YEAR'S EXPENDITURES AND LOOKED AT THIS YEAR'S, THOSE WOULD BE THE MAJOR DIFFERENCES. THOSE ARE EXPLAINED IN YOUR COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT AS FAR AS AN ANALYSIS CALLED MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION ANALYSIS THAT EXPLAINS THE MAIN ACTIVITIES. PUBLIC SAFETY ALSO GOT HIT WITH THE POST-EMPLOYMENT BENEFIT COST AS WELL AS GENERAL SALARY INCREASES AND OPERATING COST INCREASES. BUSINESS TYPE ACTIVITIES STAYED RELATIVELY CONSTANT. FEW LOOK AT 2006 NET AND 2007 NET, THEY'RE VERY, VERY COMPARABLE.



THE ONLY ONE IN A DEFICIT POSITION WHICH HAS BEEN IS THE TRANSIT ACTIVITIES. AND, AGAIN, YOUR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, I DON'T KNOW OF ANY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION THAT OPERATES AT PROFIT. BUT, AGAIN, IT IS CONSIDERED A REVENUE PRODUCING ACTIVITY. NOW GOING BACK UP TO THE TOTAL GOVERNMENT ACTIVITIES, WE HAVE A NET COST THERE, AS I SAID, $459 MILLION. YOU HAVE OTHER REVENUES ON THAT. THE BIGGEST FEE IN PROPERTY TAXES. YOU ADOPT YOUR RATES AND FOCUS ON MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE. YOUR PROPERTY TAX THIS IS YEAR WERE $470 MILLION IN REVENUE, UP FROM $380 MILLION IN THE PRIOR YEAR AND $320 MILLION IN THE YEAR BEFORE. WE HAVEN'T BEEN RAISING TAX RATES -- CAN YOU SAY THAT AGAIN? $470 MILLION -- PROPERTY TAX REVENUE FOR 2007. $380 MILLION FOR 2006. I DON'T HAVE 2005 PRESENTED HERE BUT IT WAS $320 MILLION. THANK YOU. SO YOU HAVE HAD A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAXES, MAINLY BECAUSE THERE IS SO MUCH DEVELOPMENT GOING ON IN THE APPRECIATION THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE. FLORIDA HAS BEEN A BENEFIT OF THAT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN THIS YEAR BECAUSE YOU HAVE A ROLLBACK AFFECTED THERE AND DECLINING PROPERTY VALUES. I DOUBT WE'LL SEE IT GOING UP AT THE PACE IT HAS GONE UP. IT MAY EVEN DROP. YOU CAN SEE THIS NUMBER DROPPED FROM $68 MILLION TO $39 MILLION. IT REFLECTS TAPERING OFF OF CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY. BECAUSE THOSE ARE ESSENTIALLY FEES ASSOCIATED WITH NEW CONSTRUCTION.



SO NEW CONSTRUCTION SLACKS OFF, THAT REVENUE WILL DROP DOWN. THE OTHER LARGE INCOME ITEM IS INVESTMENT EARNINGS. AND THAT YOU CAN SEE WAS UP FROM $69 MILLION IN 2006 TO $91 MILLION IN 2007. BACK IN 2005, THAT REVENUE WAS $32 MILLION. THAT WILL BE IMPACTED THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF DRAMATIC DROPS IN INTEREST RATES SO YOU SEE THAT SOURCE OF REVENUE GO DOWN. YOU HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE IN THAT BECAUSE YOU ARE IN A VERY GROWING COMMUNITY, A VERY HIGHLY RESPECTED COMMUNITY IN THE COUNTRY AS FAR AS A DESIRE WHERE TO LIVE AND TO SETTLE AND BUSINESS ATTRACTIVENESS, THAT YOU SEE GROWTH IN YOUR REVENUES PRINCIPALLY IN PROPERTY TAXS TO HELP PAY FOR INCREASE IN COST OF SERVICES. OVERALL WE HAD A NET INCREASE IN OUR NET ASSETS OF $380 MILLION FOR THE CURRENT YEAR. AGAIN, A LOT OF THAT ENDED UP BEING IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND CAPITAL ASSET ACTIVITY. NOW THE VERY NEXT PAGE TALKS ABOUT YOUR GENERAL FUND. AND THIS IS PROBABLY -- THIS IS THE FUND THAT GETS MORE ATTENTION BECAUSE ESSENTIALLY WHEN YOU GO THROUGH AND ADOPT BUDGETS AND HAVE BUDGET HEARINGS, THIS IS REALLY THE MOST GENERAL FUND AS FAR AS HOW THE GOVERNMENT IS OPERATING. IT ENCOMPASSES A LOT OF THINGS. HAVE YOU SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS THAT GENERALLY HAVE REVENUES LIKE GAS TAXES THAT ARE RESTRICTED TO BE USED FOR ROAD CONSTRUCTION, THAT TYPE OF STUFF. YOU HAVE DEBT SERVICE FUNDS SET ASIDE TO ACCUMULATE MONIES TO PAY DEBT. AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUNDS THAT YOU SOMETIMES TRANSFER MONEY TO TO PAY FOR LARGE CAPITAL PROJECTS OR BOND PROCEEDS THAT GO IN THERE. THE GENERAL FUND IS REALLY THE ONE THAT EVERYBODY LOOKS AT. IN FACT, THE GASB ANNOUNCED THEY HAVE A NEW PROJECT. IT IS THE GOVERNMENTAL ACCOUNTING STANDARDS BOARD. THEY HAVE RECOGNIZED THERE IS SO MUCH ATTENTION ON THE GENERAL FUND BALANCE IN SO MANY WAYS THAT PEOPLE CLASSIFIED THEY HAVE A PROJECT ON THEIR



AGENDA TO LOOK AT HOW FUND BALANCE SHOULD BE DISPLAYED AND WHAT KIND OF CATEGORIES FUND BALANCE SHOULD BE EXISTING. SO I THINK THAT WILL BE A GOOD PROJECT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RESULT WILL BE. I KNOW AT THE GFOA CONFERENCE IN FORT LAUDERDALE, ONE SUBJECT MATTER THEY'LL HAVE IS TO TALK ABOUT THE GASB PROJECT WHICH I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING. ARE WE ENGAGING? NOT JUST YET BUT GO AHEAD IF YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC QUESTION. LET HIM FINISH. I WILL COME BACK TO THAT. YOU HAVE A VERY HEALTHY GENERAL FUND BALANCE. YOU CAN SEE THAT THE TOTAL IS UP ABOUT $50 MILLION FROM LAST YEAR. AGAIN, THAT WAS MOSTLY BECAUSE OF INCREASES IN REVENUES. YOU HAVE EARMARKED IN FIVE CATEGORIES. NEXT YEAR'S FISCAL EXPENDITURES WHICH DROPPED FROM $42 MILLION TO $25 MILLION. ROAD CONSTRUCTION GRANTS. THIS IS ESSENTIALLY LOANS TO OTHER FUNDS. THAT AMOUNT DROPPED FROM $31 MILLION TO $10 MILLION. IF YOU LOOK AT THE ADVANCES TO OTHER FUNDS, YOU CAN SEE IT WENT UP $20 MILLION. THERE WAS A SHIFT FOR MONEY EARMARKED FROM LOANS TO LOANS MADE FROM ANOTHER FUND. FOR THE UNFUNDED, WE HAVE $16 MILLION RESERVE. OVERALL, WE HAVE $124 MILLION RESERVE COMPARED TO $142 MILLION LAST YEAR. UNRESERVED AMOUNT OF $123 MILLION COMPARED TO $57 MILLION LAST YEAR. A GOOD MEASURE OF FUND BALANCE AND WHETHER A GOVERNMENT IS HEALTHY IS LOOK AS FAR AS A PERCENTAGE COMPARED TO YOUR NET EXPENDITURES TO OPERATE



THE GOVERNMENT. AND AS A PERCENTAGE, IT IS 30% FOR RESERVE DESIGNATED AND 30% FOR UNDESIGNATED. TOTAL IS 60%. SO YOU ARE IN A VERY STRONG FINANCIAL POSITION. PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU CONSIDER WHAT THE UNCERTAINTIES ARE REGARDING THE CURRENT YEAR AND ALL THAT IS HAPPENING IN THE ECONOMY. THAT WOULD CONCLUDE MY PRESENTATION. I'D BE HAPPY TO DISCUSS ANYTHING FURTHER OR ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, CHIP. COMMISSIONER BIGELOW? THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN JUDAH. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. COULD YOU TELL ME FIRST WHEN DID YOU ISSUE THIS AUDIT? WHEN WAS IT FINALIZED? WAS IT THE FIRST WEEK OF FEBRUARY OR LAST WEEK OF JANUARY? I CAN'T REMEMBER THE -- WHEN WAS IT SUBMITTED? WHEN DID WE RECEIVE IT? ANYBODY? PROBABLY LIKE TOWARD THE END OF JANUARY. WE DON'T KNOW WHEN WE RECEIVED THIS? NO? I CAN LOOK AT MY OPINION. WELL, -- IT'S BEEN OUT FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS. LAST YEAR WE HEARD FROM YOU IN THE LATTER PART OF MARCH. YES. THIS IS THE LATTER PART I GUESS OF FEBRUARY.



YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT POSSIBLE I GUESS RIGHT NOW, IS IT, DON, TO GET OUR HANDS IF WE'RE A MEMBER OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC ON A HARD COPY. IT'S ON-LINE BUT IT'S NOT BEEN ON-LINE SO LONG? A COUPLE OF WEEKS MAYBE, RIGHT? OK. WOULD YOU LIKE TO STEP FORWARD AND ADDRESS SPECIFICALLY SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS. I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY IT IS WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS SO HASTILY IN A WAY. I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHEN WE RECEIVED IT AND HOW LONG WE HAVE HAD IT IN OUR POSSESSION. DONNA HARN, LEE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE. I DIDN'T SEE CHARLIE THERE EARLIER. THANK YOU FOR COMING UP. EXCUSE ME, DONNA. ARE YOU RECEIVING IT A MONTH EARLIER THIS YEAR BECAUSE WE DIDN'T USE A PROFESSIONAL PRINTER. WHAT YOU RECEIVED WAS ELECTRONIC COPY. C.D. AND SO THE PROCEDURE IS THE SAME AS WE HAVE ALWAYS DONE IT, WE JUST NO LONGER PRINT IT SO WE CAN SAVE THOSE COSTS. ABOUT $4,000. WE DO HAVE IT ON THE WEBSITE. YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED THIS WITH THE AGENDA. YES. I DID. THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM. MY PROBLEM IS I GET THE SENSE THAT WE HAVE KIND OF RUSHED THIS BEFORE THE PUBLIC CAN HAVE MUCH OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO WAGE IN ON IT AND OFFER US UP SOME OPINIONS FROM THEIR VANTAGE POINT AND SO I JUST AM NOTING THAT LAST YEAR WE DID IT IN THE LATTER PART OF MARCH.



THIS YEAR WE'RE DOING IT EARLY AND WE'RE DOING IT VERY QUICKLY AFTER HAVING RECEIVED IT. SO THAT IS MORE OF A CONCERN THAN, YOU KNOW, A -- LET ME CLARIFY REALLY QUICKLY. IT IS DONE AS SEPTEMBER 30 OF LAST YEAR. OBJECTIVE OF THE ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT IS TO MAKE THE INFORMATION AS RELEVANT AS POSSIBLE WHICH MEANS WE WANT TO GET THE BOOKS CLOSED, GET ALL THE ADJUSTMENTS MADE AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN, PUBLISH IT. IT HAS BEEN ON-LINE FOR A COUPLE. WE'LL NOT BE ABLE TO GO BACK AND CHANGE ANY OF THIS. THIS IS NOW WHAT OUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE AS OF THE 30TH OF SEPTEMBER. THE QUICKER WE GET IT OUT TO THE PUBLIC, IF THEY WANT TO LOOK AT IT, THE BETTER. IT'S NOT AN INSTRUMENT THAT WE CAN CHANGE. IT'S NOT A BUDGET DOCUMENT. IT'S A DOCUMENT OF PAST HISTORY. AN FYI. THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY. AND HOPEFULLY IT WILL HELP US MAKE DECISIONS IN THE FUTURE. THAT'S THE POINT. HELP US TO UNDERSTAND AND MAKE SOME DECISIONS DOWN THE ROAD. I RELY ON THE PUBLIC IN ORDER TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS. THAT WAS CHARLIE, CLERK OF COURT. THANK YOU. MY RECORD IS IN TACT. BACK TO THE PRESENTER. YOU SAID THAT 60% GENERAL FUND BALANCE IS VERY STRONG.



LAST YEAR AT 58%. YOU CALL IT HEALTHY. I THINK WE DISCUSSED WHAT THAT MEANT, HOW DOES IT COMPARE TO OTHERS. HOW WILL I KNOW AS A LEGISLATOR WITH OVERSIGHT OF THE BUDGET COME TO THE OPINION THAT IT IS TOO MUCH IF IT IS? IF IT'S NOT ENOUGH, IF IT IS. SO I GUESS YOU ARE TELLING US WITH THIS PUZZLE FLOATING OUT THERE THAT MIGHT CHANGE HOW WE COMPARE OURSELVES TO OTHERS. IS THAT WHAT WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT FOR BEFORE WE KNOW IF THIS IS TOO MUCH RELATIVE TO WHAT OTHER ENTITIES -- I DON'T THINK THAT WILL DO. IF ANYTHING IT WILL PROBABLY CLARIFY HOW FUND BALANCES ARE DESCRIBED. IT WON'T CHANGE THE NUMBERS. I HAVE DEALT WITH PROBABLY 10 COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA AUDITING AND I HAVE LEARNED SOMETHING, SOMETIMES IN THE HARD WAY IS THAT NO TWO ARE ALIKE. HILLSBORO COUNTY IS RIGHT ACROSS THE BAY WHERE I LIVE AND THOSE COUNTIES HAVE ALMOST THE IDENTICAL POPULATION AND YET THEIR NEEDS AND BUDGETS IS SO DIFFERENT. SAME TRUE FOR LEE COUNTY. YOU COULD TRY TO BENCHMARK YOURSELF TO LOOK AT OTHERS. THE IMPORTANT THING IS YOUR LONG-RANGE PLANING TO DETERMINE WHAT THE NEEDS ARE OF THE COUNTY AND HOW YOU WILL FINANCE AND MEET THE NEEDS GOING FORWARD. YOUR FUND BALANCE IS LARGER THAN PROBABLY ANY COUNTY I DEAL WITH. HOW MANY DO YOU DEAL WITH? RIGHT NOW I HAVE GOT FOUR. ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH OTHER COUNTIES EVEN THOUGH NOT EMPLOYED BY THEM? YES. WHERE ARE WE? HEALTHIEST FUND BALANCE OF THOSE FOUR COUNTIES. IN THE STATE THOUGH?



I DO NOT KNOW. I DON'T KNOW. I'M GOING TO TRY TO PUT THIS IN SOME FRAMEWORK. THIS IS LOOKING LIKE IT'S BECOMING MORE AND MORE AND SHOULD I -- DO I WANT 120% FUND BALANCE. I DON'T KNOW. DO I WANT 30%? I'M NOT SURE. IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS JUST IS GROWING AND GROWING AND GROWING AND I HAVE TO MAKE SOME -- TRY TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS WHERE IT SHOULD BE. SO I'M LOOKING AT -- I AGREE. I THINK THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COMMISSION IS, AGAIN, TO LOOK AT THE NEEDS GOING FORWARD, REVENUE SOURCES, WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE ECONOMY AND TO ADDRESS WHAT TYPE OF FUND BALANCE THAT YOU NEED TO MEET THOSE OBJECTIVES. I THINK WHAT YOU HAVE SEEN OVER THE LAST TWO, THREE YEARS IS A PRETTY LARGE INCREASE IN FUND BALANCE MAINLY BECAUSE PROPERTY TAX REVENUES HAVE GONE UP SUBSTANTIALLY. THIS YEAR'S INCREASE WAS SLIGHT. WENT FROM 58% TO 60%. THE PRIOR YEAR WAS A MUCH BIGGER INCREASE. IN FUND BALANCE? IN FUND BALANCE. BUT OUR REVENUES WENT UP 23%. PROPERTY TAX ALONE WENT UP THAT MUCH. 23%. WE ALL TALKED ABOUT HOW WE WERE CUTTING TAXES BACK THEN AND YET WE LOOK BACK AND IT WAS A 23% TAX INCREASE. YEAR BEFORE THAT -- THIS DOES NOT REFLECT ROLLBACK THAT THE LEGISLATURE MANDATED BACK IN LAST FALL.



RIGHT. WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT. OK. I APPRECIATE THAT YOU ARE HELPING US GET SOMEWHAT OF A NEUTRAL PERSPECTIVE. SO I'M TRYING TO GET THE BENEFIT OF YOUR NEUTRAL PERSPECTIVE ACROSS THE STATE. I'D REALLY BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING HOW OUR GENERAL FUND BALANCE COMPARES WITH OTHER COUNTIES. YOU SAY YOU ARE LOOKING AT OTHERS. IS IT POSSIBLE THAT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH US, IS IT IN YOUR -- I WILL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. ALL THAT INFORMATION, JUST LIKE LEE COUNTY'S IS PUBLICALLY AVAILABLE, YOU CAN GO ON-LINE PROBABLY AND GET THE SAME INFORMATION FOR ANY COUNTY IN THE STATE. NOW THEY MAY NOT HAVE THEIR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ISSUED BY NOW BUT ONCE IT IS AVAILABLE, YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY AND OBTAIN THAT INFORMATION. YOU DON'T HAVE THOSE INHOUSE? NO. I WILL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. I HAVE ONE COUNTY THAT HAS A FUND BALANCE OF 10%. WHICH IS THAT? I'M NOT GOING TO SAY. THEY ALSO HAD A LOT OF MONEY IN THE S.B.A. SO THEY HAD 14% OF MONEY FROZEN. WHICH RIGHT NOW ISN'T IMPACTING THEM BUT THEY'RE CONCERNED WHAT IMPACT IT MIGHT POSSIBLY HAVE NEXT SUMMERTIME. THEY ALSO HAVE THE ROLLBACK ISSUE COMING BACK. THE PROPERTY VALUES ARE NOT -- I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE AFFECTED THE SAME AS HERE. BUT THEY HAVE A LOT OF CONCERNS BECAUSE THEY SEE WITH THIS AMENDMENT 1 PASSING A DECREASE IN INTEREST EARNINGS ON YOUR INVESTMENTS, THE PROPERTY



VALUES AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT THEY MAY HAVE TO EAT INTO THE FUND BALANCE. THERE'S NOT MUCH OF A FUND BALANCE THERE TO EAT INTO. SO TO ME, YOU ARE ON THE TOP END WHERE YOU ARE HEALTHY AND YOU HAVE GOT FLEXIBILITY TO EAT INTO THAT TO SOLVE THESE NEEDS OR WHATEVER THE LONG-TERM NEEDS OF THE COUNTY ARE. I EMPHASIZE IT'S NOT A ONE-YEAR TYPE PROPOSITION. YOU KNOW, AT LEAST IN MY OPINION IT SHOULDN'T BE. YOU SHOULD BE SAYING HERE'S WHAT THE COUNTY'S LONG-TERM PLAN IS AND THIS IS HOW WE'LL ACCOMPLISH IT AND WE'LL ACCOMPLISH IT WITH THESE SOURCES OF REVENUE THROUGH DEBT FINANCING AND ALL THAT AND HOW IT WORKS. YOU HAVE A LOT MORE FLEXIBILITY THAN THE COUNTY THAT MIGHT HAVE A 10% FUND BALANCE AND SAYING GEE, WE WANTED TO PUT IN A NEW BRIDGE THIS YEAR AND WE CAN'T DO IT BECAUSE WE SEE A VERY DRAMATIC DECREASE IN REVENUE THAT WE'D HAVE. RIGHT. CAN I ASK YOU ONE QUESTION. COULD YOU TELL ME -- YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH FOUR COUNTIES. WE'RE ONE OF THE FOUR. COW TELL ME THE OTHER THREE? I WOULD RATHER NOT. I JUST WANTED TO KNOW -- I SEE YOU NARROWING IT DOWN. OFFER UP OPPORTUNITIES FOR OTHER COMMISSIONERS TO ASK QUESTIONS IF THEY HAVE AT THIS TIME. OTHERWISE I WILL ASK DONNA TO PUT THINGS IN PROPER CONTEXT WITH REGARD TO TAX INCREASE AND THE BUDGET OF 2007. A LOT OF COMMENTS ABOUT THE BUDGET AND TAX INCREASE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WANT TO SAY. FRANKLY I'M DIGESTING. I THINK WE HAVE DIRECTION FROM THE BOARD.



WE KNOW WHERE YOU WANT TO GO. I THINK IT'S VERY CLEAR WHERE WE NEED TO GO. WE HAVE AMENDMENT 1 JUST PASSED. WE KNOW WE'LL HAVE $20 MILLION LESS IN THE COMING YEAR THAN WE WOULD HAVE HAD AMENDMENT 1 NOT PASSED. WE'RE ADDRESSING THOSE PROBLEMS VERY COMPREHENSIVELY. WE'LL BE BACK TO THE BOARD -- I DON'T WANT TO GIVE A DATE RIGHT NOW BUT WE'RE TRYING TO PUT A LOT OF THINGS TOGETHER WHERE IT MAKES SENSE AND PUT IT IN CONTEXT SO YOU CAN MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS. I THINK THE COMMENT ABOUT THINKING LONG-TERM IS WHERE WE ARE. I THINK. THE COMMENT ABOUT NOT BEING PANICKED INTO MAKING IMMEDIATE DECISIONS BECAUSE YOU HAVE GOOD RESERVES, I THINK THAT'S A COMMENDATION TO THIS BOARD AND THIS COUNTY THAT YOU HAVE THE LATITUDE OF A SOFT LANDING AS OPPOSED TO OTHER JURISDICTIONS THAT MAY NOT HAVE THAT LATITUDE. I THINK ONE POINT YOU MADE BEARS REPEATING AND IS TERRIBLY IMPORTANT. WE GET IN TROUBLE WHEN WE LOOK AT COUNTY A, B, C, D AND SAY THEY DO THIS, WHY CAN'T WE DO THE SAME? BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL VERY DIFFERENT. THEY ALL HAVE DIFFERENT SERVICES. THEY ALL HAVE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF SERVICE. THEY ALL HAVE DIFFERENT CONSTITUENCIES THAT INSIST ON DIFFERENT THINGS. IT IS JUST NOT VALID TO REACH OUT AND GRAB A COUNTY HERE OR THERE OR WHATEVER AND SAY THIS IS THE WAY TO COMPARE WHETHER IT IS GOOD OR BAD. WE HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT WE DO AND MAKE SURE WE ARE COST EFFECTIVE AND DO IT RIGHT. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER MANN? I THINK TO YOUR POINT, MR. CHAIRMAN. I WOULD LIKE TO -- I WROTE THIS DOWN BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS SIGNIFICANT ABOUT OUR DELIBERATIONS THAT WE ANTICIPATE ABOUT OUR COMING BUDGET.



MR. JONES, I THINK YOU SAID WITH REGARD TO THIS YEAR'S PROPERTY TAXES VERSUS LAST YEAR, THERE WAS ABOUT AN $89 MILLION INCREASE. I THINK THEN YOU SAID I DOUBT YOU WILL SEE AN INCREASE THIS YEAR THIS YEAR AND IT MAY EVEN DROP. IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID? I BELIEVE THAT IS. I THINK I WAS JUST SAYING THAT. I DON'T KNOW THE SPECIFICS. I HAVE NOT LOOKED AT NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET. WITH THE ROLLBACK THAT TOOK PLACE AND I DON'T KNOW DOES AMENDMENT 1 AFFECT FISCAL 2008? OK. AMENDMENT 1 COMING IN. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROPERTY APPRAISERS RECORDS ARE. PEOPLE ARE GETTING ASSESSED VALUES AND WILL BE LOWER THAN THEY WERE PROBABLY IN THE PRIOR YEAR. ESSENTIALLY THAT WILL MINIMIZE OR REDUCE THE TAX BASE. I THINK WE'RE ALL HEARING THAT SAME THING. WE'RE ALL READING OUT OF THE SAME PAGE ON THE SAME BOOK HERE. BUT WE HAVE GOT AN OUT OF TOWN EXPERT IN THE BRIEFCASE AND HE HAS COME HERE AND WOULD YOU SAY THIS APPLIES TO THE OTHER NINE COUNTIES YOU WORK WITH, TOO? I THINK THAT IS AN ISSUE FACING A LOT OF COUNTIES. MY BROTHER IS A COUNTY OFFICIAL UP IN A SMALL COUNTY IN THE PANHANDLE AND THE $50,000 HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION WILL KILL THEM. BECAUSE THEY'RE A VERY RURAL COUNTY. THEY DON'T HAVE AN INCORPORATED CITY IN THEIR COUNTY. MY POINT HERE IS SO OBVIOUS. I JUST SPOKE TO THEM ABOUT IT THIS MORNING BECAUSE THEY'RE HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH MISS LEWIS WHO IS PUTTING INITIAL STAGES OF A BUDGET



TOGETHER HERE. AND THE COMPONENTS THAT ARE A PART OF THAT ARE GOING TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT THIS YEAR THAN A YEAR AGO. EVERYBODY JUST NEEDS TO GET THEIR BEST HOLD AND GRAB TIGHT BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO BE A TOUGH YEAR. THANK YOU, OUT OF TOWN EXPERT WITH A BRIEFCASE. I HATE TO AD LIB BUT I THINK NEXT YEAR WILL BE A TOUGH YEAR. 2008-2009. I THINK THE FOLLOWING YEAR WILL BE EVEN MORE DIFFICULT. SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE TAKE LONG RANGE VIEWS ON EVERYTHING WE DO, WHAT THE IMPACT WILL BE. OK. MR. JONES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE'LL GO ONTO THE RECAP. AND WE DO HAVE ONE ITEM WHERE WE NEED TO REMOVE THE TAX DEED 2007. MOTIONED BY COMMISSIONER HALL, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER JANES. HEAR NO OBJECTION. MOTION PASSES. WE'LL NOW GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE CONSENT ADMINISTRATIVE AGENDA. DAVID? FOLLOWED BY MICHAEL CISERONE. GOOD MORNING, DAVID. GOOD MORNING. ACTUALLY SPEAKING AS AN INDIVIDUAL BECAUSE I HAVEN'T ASKED THE RESPONSIBLE GROWTH MANAGEMENT BOARD NOR THE FLEET TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION THEIR OPINION ON THE OAK TREE. BUT I BELIEVE THEY'D AGREE WITH WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY BUT I'M SAYING IT AS AN



INDIVIDUAL. I WAS HERE SUNDAY WITH THE HUGE GROUP AND WHILE I WAS THERE I TOOK A GOOD LOOK AT THIS TREE. AND I'M NOT SURE WE SHOULD CUT THE BRANCH OFF. I'M NOT A TREE EXPERT BUT I KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY. AND THE BRANCHS ARE STILL ALIVE. AND I THINK WE SHOULD AT LEAST ASK THE EXPERTS, WHICH I ASSUME WE'RE DOING, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE PUT ONE MORE PROP, WE HAVE A NICE PROP WHICH HAS A SEEING PLACE UNDER IT. ACTUALLY THE BROKEN BRANCH IS TIED TO THE MAIN TRUNK WITH REALLY STRONG $30,000 WORTH OF IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE HAD TO DO TO THE TREE TO SAVE IT BEFORE. IT WOULD SEEM TO ME THAT WE COULD PROP UP THIS FOUR-TON BRANCH WITH A SIMILAR PROP, YOU KNOW, TOWARD THE END OF IT AND SAVE THE BRANCH. THERE IS TWO PROBLEMS WITH REMOVING THE BRANCH. ONE IS THE EXPENSE. BUT ALSO THEN YOU HAVE, IF IT'S FOUR TONS, WHICH IS WHAT THE PAPER SAID, A FOUR-TON COUNTER WEIGHT GONE FROM THE TREE. IN THE STORM, I'M NOT SURE THAT IS A REALLY GOOD THING. AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US TRY TO AT LEAST LOOK AT WHAT I THINK WOULD BE A LESS COSTLY ALTERNATIVE OF NOT REMOVING THE BRANCH. THE OTHER PROBLEM IF YOU REMOVE THE TREE ITSELF, THIS IS AN OAK TREE. THIS IS NOT A ROYAL PALM. ROOTS ARE OAK. AND WHEN YOU TRY TO PUT A MATURE TREE IN THERE, FIRST OF ALL THE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF A TRANSPLANT MATURE TREE IS NOT REALLY GREAT. YOU PUT IT IN THERE WITH THE OAK ROOTS FIGHTING, I THINK YOU WILL HAVE A REAL PROBLEM. AS I LAUGHINGLY SAID TO THE GAL ON THE TV, I WASN'T AT THE MICROPHONE AT THE TIME, WE MIGHT HAVE TO DYNAMITE THE ROOTS AND I DON'T THINK THE PEOPLE IN THE BUILDING WOULD LIKE THAT.



I ASK YOU TO TRY TO SAVE THE TREE AND IF YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE BRANCH OFF, THAT'S THE WAY IT IS. THANK YOU, DAVID. MICHAEL? I'M HERE FOR PUBLIC HEARING. LARRY? GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. I'M HERE ABOUT THE TREE. I HAVE A PROBLEM THE WAY THE ITEM 4-A IS WRITTEN. THE OR PART PUTS WAY TOO MUCH POWER IN THE COUNTY MANAGER'S HANDS AND BASICALLY THIS BOARD WILL HAVE TO ANSWER FOR THAT. I DON'T THINK THE OR IS NECESSARY. I THINK WE EITHER NEED TO FIX THE TREE OR LET NATURE TAKE ITS COURSE WITH THE TREE. BUT I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO PASS THIS TODAY THE WAY IT IS WRITTEN. I DON'T LIKE THE WAY IT IS WRITTEN BECAUSE BASICALLY THAT MEANS THAT WITHOUT THE PUBLIC KNOWING THE COUNTY MANAGER AT HIS DISCRETION COULD GO AHEAD AND REPLACE IT. SO I THINK IT'S WRITTEN WAY TOO BROAD. I WANT TO BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION. I HOPE THAT YOU WILL DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO SAY WAS I JUST WANT TO KIND OF GET THIS OFF MY CHEST. I DON'T HAVE A PERSONAL VENDETTA AGAINST THE BOARD BASICALLY. I KNOW THAT I HAVE BEEN UP HERE TO SPEAK A LOT. I JUST WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT I'M HERE BECAUSE I'M A CONCERNED CITIZEN AND A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT I TALK TO, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY I'M FORTUNATE RIGHT NOW THAT I DON'T HAVE TO GO TO WORK EVERY DAY AND I'M BLESSED IN THAT. I JUST WANT TO SAY I SPEAK FOR MYSELF AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE I TALK TO THAT HAVE CONCERNS THAT JUST DO NOT HAVE TIME TO COME DOWN HERE.



SO I JUST WANT TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT NO PERSONAL ATTACKS. I HAVE AN OPINION. I'M ENTITLED TO IT AS A TAXPAYER. I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR. I HOPE THAT YOU WILL DO THE RIGHT THING WITH 4-A. THANK YOU, LARRY. PETE? GOOD MORNING, PETE. REPRESENTING THE AUTO BOND CHAPTER OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA, COLLIER COUNTY. SAVE THE TREE. IT'S EMBLEMATIC OF THE STATE OF OUR COMMUNITY ITSELF. IT IS AN OLD TREE. MIGHT HAVE GROWN A LITTLE AWKWARDLY IN PLACES. IT PROBABLY NEEDS A LITTLE HELP. I THINK WE ALL NEED A LITTLE HELP WHEN WE GET TO THIS KIND OF AGE. I THINK YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE BEST JUDGMENT YOU CAN FROM THE ARBORIST AND ENGINEERS AND SEE WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. BUT CERTAINLY A NEW TREE AND A HOLE IN FRONT OF AN OLD COURTHOUSE IS NOT THE SAME. IT DOESN'T CARRY THE SAME KIND OF IMPACT THAT OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS. IF WE NEED TO DO A LITTLE SURGERY AND NEED TO DO A LITTLE PROPPING UP, SO BE IT. LET IT HAPPEN. I THINK WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THEN THE EXOTIC NEXT DOOR, THE BIG BANYAN TREES. THE EXOTICS ARE HEALTHY. THEY MOVE IN AND TAKE OVER.



I THINK A GOOD OLD LIVE OAK SITTING IN A PROMINENT PLACE IN FRONT OF OUR COURTHOUSE IS EXACTLY WHAT THIS COUNTY NEEDS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, PETE. THAT'S IT FOR THE CARDS THAT I HAVE RECEIVED. I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE OTHER PUBLIC INPUT. GOOD MORNING. MORNING. I'M FOURTH GENERATION PERSON FROM LEE COUNTY. I FEEL THIS ALONG WITH A FEW OTHER FACTS GIVE ME SOME STANDING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF THE OAK TREE. MY GREAT GRANDPARENTS SOLD THE PROPERTY THAT THIS BUILDING STANDS ONTO THE COUNTY. MY DADDY WORKED HERE FROM 1947 TO 1972 IN THE SAME BUILDING. IN 1962 MY FIFTH GRADE TEACHER GAVE AN ASSIGNMENT TO WRITE A STORY ABOUT SOMETHING IN LEE COUNTY OF HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE SO I CHOSE TO WRITE ABOUT THE COURTHOUSE. I WAS ONLY 10 YEARS OLD SO IT INCLUDED THE BANYAN TREE AND OAK TREE. I SPOKE TO MY FATHER TO GET INFORMATION ABOUT THE COURTHOUSE AND WAS A CUSTODYIAN OF THE BUILDING, WHO WAS THE GROUND KEEPER. I DON'T REMEMBER A LOT. IT WAS A LONG TIMING A. THERE IS A FEW THINGS I DO REMEMBER. ONE IS THERE IS AN IMPERFECT FLOOR TILE IN THIS BUILDING. I DO KNOW WHERE IT IS. THE SECOND IS THERE WAS A DO NOT CLIMB SIGN IN FRONT OF THE BANYAN TREE AND MY BROTHER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT. WE WON'T DISCUSS THAT ANYMORE.



THE OTHER WAS THE OAK TREE HAD 100-FOOT-LONG BRANCH AT THAT TIME. BUT NOW 45 YEARS LATER, THIS IS NOT THE GRACEFUL STRONG OAK THAT STOOD IN FRONT OF OUR COUNTY COURTHOUSE. ITS BRACE IS CORDONED OFF SO NO ONE CAN GET NEAR IT. IT LOST ITS DIGNITY. IF THE OAK TREE HAD A LIVING WILL, IT WOULD STAY STOP THIS LIFE SUPPORT. WE WOULDN'T CONTINUE TO LET IT DETERIORATE. I HOPE THIS BOARD WILL NOT PROLONG THE DECLINE OF THE TREE. THE TIME HAS COME TO SAY GOODBYE. THIS IS NOT AN EASY STATEMENT FOR ME TO MAKE. I GREW UP HERE, WENT TO SCHOOL HERE, LISTEN TO THE STORIES ABOUT OLD FORT MYERS. I WISH WE COULD PRESERVE ALL OF OLD FORT MYERS BUT WE CAN'T AND WE HAVEN'T. THANK YOU. ANYONE WISH TO COMMENT ON THE CONSENT OR ADMINISTRATIVE AGENDA? OK. BACK TO THE BOARD THEN. ITEMS TO BE PULLED. COMMISSIONER HALL? 4-A. COMMISSIONER JANES? NONE. COMMISSIONER MANN. 8-A. OK. COMMISSIONER BIGELOW? 2-A, 14-F -- SORRY, RETRACT. 17-F AS IN FRANK.



17-G AS IN GOLLY. 17-F AND 17-G. THAT'S IT. MOTIONED BY COMMISSIONER HALL. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER JANES. DISCUSSION? OBJECTION? HEAR NO OBJECTION. MOTION PASSES. COMMISSIONER HALL. 4-A. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN SINCE THERE IS THE MOST CONVERSATION ABOUT THE OAK TREE. WE RECEIVED -- I'M SURE ALL OF US RECEIVED THE EMAIL FROM RICK JOYCE AND HE AND BOB AND ANOTHER GENTLEMAN -- I FORGET WHO IT WAS. JOHN. I KNOW RICK AND BOB VERY WELL. DID YOU GET A CHANCE TO SEE THEIR RECOMMENDATION? ON REMOVING THE BRANCH AND SEEING WHAT WOULD HAPPEN AT THAT POINT? YES. FOR THE RECORD, RICH BECK, FACILITIES MANAGEMENT. CAN YOU COMMENT ON THAT RECOMMENDATION? WELL,. WE HAD SEVERAL EXPERTS LOOK AT THE TREE. THE RECOMMENDATION I GO WITH IS FROM MR. WESTENBERGER WHO DID THE ORIGINAL WORK THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE COUNTY AND I BELIEVE RICK JOYCE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN BRINGING MR. WESTENBERGER IN. I AGREE THAT THE LIMB NEEDS TO BE REMOVED FOR SAFETY REASONS AND THEN I THINK YOU WILL ALSO HAVE TO DO THE OTHER WORK THAT MR. WESTENBERGER IS OUTLINING SHOULD YOU DECIDE TO KEEP THE TREE.



THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. I KNOW THERE ARE OTHER FOLKS THAT WANT TO COMMENT. CAN I MAKE A COMMENT? I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE HISTORY. I WILL TRY TO BE AS BRIEF AS POSSIBLE. SEVERAL YEARS AGO WHEN WE WERE REPOINTING THE BRICK WORK AND SOME OF YOU COMMISSIONERS MIGHT REMEMBER THAT RATHER PAINFUL EXPERIENCE WHERE THEY WERE USING DENTAL DRILLS FOR 18 MONTHS OUTSIDE OF YOUR OFFICES. WE CAME UPON THE IDEA OF WOULDN'T IT BE NICE IF WE COULD RESTORE THE GROUNDS AROUND THE COURTHOUSE TO AN ALL NATIVE FLORIDA VEGETATION, BEING AS CLOSE TO ZEROSCAPE ENVIRONMENT AS POSSIBLE WHICH WAS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR ME. I LEARNED THAT MEANT VERY LITTLE WATER, VIRTUALLY NO FERTILIZATION. YOUR GROUNDS MAINTENANCE WOULD GO TO ZERO. SO WE PUT A PLAN TOGETHER, BROUGHT IT TO THE BOARD AND YOU APPROVED IT. WE WERE GIVEN MONEY TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD TO REDO THE GROUNDS ON THE THREE SIDES OF THIS BUILDING. A COUPLE OF MONTHS AFTER THE MONEY WAS AVAILABLE, THE CITY ANNOUNCED PLANS FOR STREETSCAPE. THIS MAY BRING BACK MEMORIES. WE WENT AND MET WITH THE CITY'S PLANNERS AND WE REALIZED THAT IT WOULD MAKE MORE SENSE TO SHELF OUR IDEA UNTIL THE CITY CAME TO DO STREETS AROUND THE COURTHOUSE. SO WE GAVE THAT MONEY BACK TO THE BUDGET. AND WE JUST KIND OF SAT ON OUR PLANS. THE ORIGINAL PLAN WE WERE GOING WITH, YOUR STREETS AROUND THIS BUILDING WEREN'T GOING TO BE IMPACTED FOR SEVERAL MORE MONTHS, ANOTHER BUDGET CYCLE OR TWO. THE CITY WORKED FASTER THAN THEY THOUGHT. THEY CHANGED SOME PLANS.



IF YOU NOTICE, BROADWAY IS ALREADY DONE. WE GOT WITH THEIR PLANNER, WE GOT WITH THEIR CONSULT APTS AND SAID WE DON'T WANT TO MISS THE TRAIN HERE, CAN WE DOVETAIL A PROPOSAL TO REDO THE THREE SIDES OF THE COURTHOUSE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE WORK YOU ARE DOING SO THAT THE WORK WOULD MATCH, THE PAVERS THAT WE'D USE WOULD BE THE SAME TYPE OF PAVERS THE CITY WAS USING. THEY SAID SURE. AT THE SAME TIME, WE ALSO HAD ONE OF THE COUNTY ARBORISTS DO A COURTESY TOUR WITH US AROUND THE DOWNTOWN AREA. AND HE POINTED OUT THAT THE OAK TREE AND THE BANYAN TREE NEEDED TO BE LOOKED AT AGAIN. WE CONTACTED MR. WESTENBERGER. HE CAME DOWN. HE GAVE US HIS REPORT WHICH YOU HAVE FOR THE OAK TREE. I HAD HOPED TO BE ABLE TO BRING A COMPLETE PACKAGE OF EVERYTHING WE WANTED TO DO TO THE BOARD AT THE M & P IN MARCH. HOWEVER, DURING THE TOUR WITH MR. WESTENBERGER HE POINTED OUT IN HIS EXPERT OPINION THE LIMB WAS NO LONGER SAFE. WELL AS THE FACILITIES DIRECTOR WHEN I HAVE AN EXPERT TELL ME SOMETHING IS NOT SAFE, I HAVE TO TAKE ACTION. I DON'T HAVE A CHOICE. THAT'S WHY I ROPED OFF THE TREE. NOW SINCE THEN YOU HAVE HEARD OTHER OPTIONS OF PUTTING ANOTHER KICKSTAND UNDER THE TREE, USING MORE STEEL. WE CAN THROW AS MUCH STEEL INTO THAT TREE AS YOU WANT. JUST TELL ME. IT'S OK. I HAVE NO PROBLEMS WITH KEEPING THE OAK TREE. THE ROOTS GO DEEP. IT IS A BEAUTIFUL TREE.



I KNOW IT HAS HISTORY AND THERE IS EMOTION HOOKED TO IT. IT'S REALLY JUST MY, THE FACILITIES DIRECTOR, ASKING THE BOARD BECAUSE I KNOW THERE IS A HISTORY AND EMOTION WITH IT. I'M ASKING FOR YOUR DIRECTION. FROM A MANAGEMENT STANDPOINT, I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT I JUST LOOK AT NUMBERS AND THE FACTS. WE SPENT $40,000 SIX YEARS AGO. WE'RE LOOKING AT ANOTHER $22,000 NOW. PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT'S NOT THE END. WE'LL HAVE TO INSTALL A SYSTEM CALLED A FERTIGATION SYSTEM WHICH IS AN UNDERGROUNDWATERING AND IRRIGATION SYSTEM FOR THE TREE. IT WILL HAVE TO HAVE PIPES, PUMPS, ACCUMULATEORS RUNING TO KEEP THE TREE ALIVE. I MEAN THAT'S WHAT MR. WESTENBERGER SAYS. I'M SURE WE CAN GET EXPERTS TO SAY OTHER STUFF. I JUST WANT TO BRING YOU A PLAN IN MARCH THAT EITHER SHOWS THE OAK TREE OR DOESN'T SHOW THE OAK TREE. AND IF WE'RE GOING TO KEEP IT, I'LL HAVE MR. WESTENBERGER COME IN AND WE'LL REMOVE THE LIMB AND TRUSS IT UP AND KEEP IT GOING. IT'S REALLY YOUR CALL. I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THERE IS A PLAN COMING IN MARCH FOR THE WHOLE THREE SIDES OF THE COURTHOUSE. IF YOU APPROVE IT TO WHERE WE BRING IT BACK TO A FLORIDA NATIVE ENVIRONMENT, REMOVING CONCRETE, PUTTING DOWN PAVERS SIMILAR TO WHAT THE CITY IS USING. IT WOULD BE A PLACE WHERE CITIZENS COME AND GET IDEAS ON HOW TO ZEROSCAPE THEIR PROPERTIES USING LESS FERTILIZER AND LESS WATER. THAT WAS THE GENERAL IDEA. IT'S JUST WHEN HE SAID THE TREE WASN'T SAFE, THAT KIND OF BROUGHT IT OUT OF THE PLAN AND MADE ME PUSH FORWARD TO GET A DECISION FROM YOU.



QUESTIONS? IF YOU ARE COMING FORWARD WITH A WHOLE PLAN, YOU KNOW, TODAY'S BLUE SHEET SAYS EITHER FOLLOW OR TAKE IT OUT. IS THAT TO DOVETAIL INTO MARCH'S PLAN? YES. BECAUSE WE'RE BASICALLY SAYING YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE A DECISION TO PRUNE IT OR TO TAKE IT OUT BEFORE THE MARCH. RIGHT. WE'LL HAVE THE COMPANY DMPR. SHOWING THE OAK TREE NOT THERE WITH ANOTHER TREE IN ITS PLACE OR THE OAK TREE STILL THERE. HE'S WAITING FOR MY CALL. SORRY TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, COMMISSIONER JUDAH. YOU HAVE SORT OF BEEN THROUGH THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF THIS TREE THE LAST 20 YEARS. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS KNOWING WHERE WE HAVE BEEN AND WHERE WE'RE GOING? I WASN'T ON THE BOARD AT THE TIME. I HEAR WHAT YOU ARE SAYING, RICH. I'M CONFUSED HOW THIS DOVETAILS TO MARCH'S M & P? FIRST OF ALL, THE DECISION WAS MADE IN 2001 TO BRACE AND SUPPORT THE OAK TREE WHICH I THINK WAS A GOOD DECISION. I THINK IT'S ALSO APPROPRIATE THAT WE ARE MOVING FORWARD. I UNDERSTAND WHY WE NEEDED TIMING WITH THE CITY TO ENHANCE THE LANDSCAPE APPEARANCE AND AS YOU SAID, USING ZEROSCAPE OR NATIVE LANDSCAPE AS A DISPLAY REALLY FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC. AND PROVIDING MORE OF A FLORIDA APPEARANCE. FLORIDA APPEARANCE TO THE LANDSCAPE AROUND THE COURTHOUSE. WHAT I WANT TO ASK -- I WILL GET TO THE ANSWER IN A SECOND. THE MONEY IS BACK IN THE BUDGET FOR THE LANDSCAPING PLAN?



NO. WE'LL COME TO YOU AND WE GAVE IT BACK. WE HAD $300,000. WE GAVE IT BACK OH, ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO ACTUALLY. WE'LL BE COMING TO YOU WITH DRMP'S PLAN FOR A WALKING URBAN PARK AND THEN IF YOU APPROVE IT, WE'D HAVE TO GO BACK FOR MONEY. SOME OF THE TREES LIKE THE BANYAN TREE HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS MAINTENANCE ISSUE BECAUSE OF THE BERRIES DROPPING AND CLEANING THE PAVEMENT AND LIABILITY WITH PEOPLE SLIPPING. BUT ALSO WHAT I WANT TO ASK IS BECAUSE OF ITS APPROXIMATE LOCATION AND SOME OF THE OTHER TREES ON THE CAMPUS SITE HERE, ARE YOU ENVISIONING ANY DIFFICULTIES WITH IMPACTS FROM THE CONTINUED ROAD RECONSTRUCTION WORK? THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION. FROM A FACILITIES DIRECTOR STANDPOINT, IF I HAVE TO HAVE TREES AROUND MY BUILDING, OAK TREES ARE THE TREES OR PALM TREES ARE THE TREES TO HAVE. THE BANYAN TREE IS A MAINTENANCE NIGHTMARE. THE ROOTS SEEK OUT WATER LINE, SEWER LINES. THEY ARE SHALLOW SO THEY PUSH UP THE CONCRETE. WE MONITOR THE CONCRETE AREA AROUND THE TREE ON A MONTHLY BASIS. YOU CAN SEE YOU'LL THE JERRY RIG REPAIRS WE DO. WE CAN CHECK IT ON A MONDAY AND ON A FRIDAY WE LITERALLY CAN HAVE A CONCRETE SLAB WEIGHING TONS PUSHED UP A HALF INCH. SO IF WE DECIDE TO KEEP THE BANYAN WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT IN MARCH, WE HAVE A PLAN. WHAT WE'D DO IS WE'D MAKE THE BED AROUND THE BANYAN, MUCH, MUCH LARGER. WE'D LIKE TO GET RID OF A LOT OF THE CONCRETE EXCEPT FOR -- ALL THE CONCRETE REALLY. WE'D LIKE TO HAVE THE BIG AREA IN FRONT OF THE STEPS PRESERVED BUT PROBABLY USING PAVERS AND THEN THERE WOULD BE LIKE WALKING PATHS AROUND THE BUILDING WITH BENCHS AT STRATEGIC PLACES. SO WE COULD INCREASE THE BED AROUND THE BANYAN.



WHAT I WAS GETTING AT -- I WILL GET BACK TO COMMISSIONER HALL'S QUESTION. I WANT TO MAKE SURE WHAT OTHER TREES ARE POTENTIALLY IMPACTED BY THE ROAD CONSTRUCTION. THE CITY HAS TOLD US -- AND THE BANYAN TREE INCLUDED IN ONE OF THE POTENTIAL TREES IMPACTED. IT WILL BE IMPACTED. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD. I WANT TO GET TO THAT. AS I ENVISION THE RESTORATION OF THE LANDSCAPED AREA AROUND THE COURTHOUSE, I THINK IT WOULD BE FROM A VISION STANDPOINT, IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO DO THE MAJOR RENOVATION WORK WITH THE REPLANTINGS OF NATIVE VEGETATION WITH THE EXISTING OAK IN PLACE. THAT'S MY PERSONAL OPINION. I THINK AFTER READING THE REPORT FROM A COMBINATION OF BUD AND RICK AND JOHN. TO ME THEY'RE ALL THREE EXPERTS IN HORTICULTURAL PRACTICES AND THEY UNDERSTAND TREES AND NURTURING OF TREES. THEY RECOMMEND TO SAVE IT. EVERYONE I HAVE TALKED TO IN ALL HONESTY, ALL ARBORISTS I HAVE TALKED TO HAVE SAID THE TREE CAN BE SAVED. I LOOK FROM A MECHANICAL STANDPOINT, NOT EMOTIONAL STANDPOINT. RICH, WHAT I ENVISION IS KEEP THE OAK TREE. RECONSTRUCT THE LANDSCAPING AROUND THE COURTHOUSE AND AT SOME FUTURE DATE, 10, 15 YEARS FROM NOW AFTER THE OTHER VEGETATION HAS A CHANCE TO MATURE T WOULD BE LESS IMPACT IF THE TREE ULTIMATELY HAD TO GO. MY HOPES IT HAS ANOTHER 50 TO 100 YEARS BUT WHO KNOWS. WELL, THE REASON I PULLED THIS, PART OF IT WAS THAT I FELT LIKE I COULD SUPPORT THE RECOMMENDATION THEY'RE MAKING BECAUSE THE ISSUE IS WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO SAVE THE BRANCH. THEY FELT STRONGLY ABOUT THAT.



I THINK EVERYONE WE HAVE HEARD, WE'LL NOT BE ABLE TO SAVE THE BRANCH. I DON'T WANT TO HAVE SOMETHING -- I THINK THE COMMENT OF WHAT IS IN A LINE OF BREAKING, WELL, IT'S PEOPLE. WE HAVE TO BE CONSCIOUS OF THAT. IT'S NOT SITTING ON A 20/20 PRESERVE WHERE NO ONE IS WALKING UNDER IT. THIS IS A HEAVILY PEDESTRIAN ACTIVE PLACE. WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE THAT HAPPEN TO ANYBODY. IT WOULD BE TERRIBLE. SO I GUESS FOR THIS PURPOSE OF THIS BLUE SHEET, QUITE HONESTLY THAT BANYAN TREE IS A PAIN IN THE BUTT. IT IS NASTY. I KNOW FOR MY OFFICE IT HAS CAUSED OTHER ISSUES BECAUSE OF ALL THE BERRIES. WITH THE PURPOSE OF THIS, I GUESS THIS IS WHERE I GET CONFUSED AS TO A MOTION WE NEED FOR THIS PARTICULAR BLUE SHEET. I'M NOT SURE TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT THAT MOTION SHOULD BE. MY MOTION WOULD BE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH NOT REMOVING THE TREE AND GOING FORWARD WITH THE APPROPRIATE PRUNING AS RECOMMENDED BY OUR ARBORIST. IS THAT THE APPROPRIATE MOTION? THAT'S THE DIRECTION I'M LOOKING AT. THAT'S MY MOTION. SORRY TO BE SO CONFUSED. IT'S A COMPLICATED ISSUE BECAUSE THERE IS SO MANY FACETS. WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE OVERALL PLAN YOU HAVE. MARCH 10 I THINK IT IS. MOTION WILL BE TO SAVE THE OAK TREE, PURSUE THE PROPER HORTICULTURAL PRACTICES TO PROPERLY TRIM AND PRUNE THE TREE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS. SPECIFICALLY THAT ONE LIMB.



WHATEVER IT IS THEY NEED TO DO. JUST THAT ONE LIMB. I WANT TO KNOW WHATEVER IT IS. PROPER HORTICULTURE PRACTICE TO MAKE SURE THINGS HAVE TO BE EVENED OUT. THERE IS A WHOLE LIST OF WORK THAT MR. WESTENBERGER TOLD ME HE'D DO. REMOVE THAT LIMB. RETRUSS UP THE TREE. LET ME READ IT FOR THE RECORD. REMOVE ONE LARGE LIMB. HAS A CABLE AND BRACE, DISMANTLED CABLE SYSTEM. CROWN, CLEAR PER STANDARDS. REMOVE DEAD, DISEASED OR BROKEN BRANCHES A HALF INCH OR LARGER. REMOVE RUBBING LIMB TO THE SOUTHEAST. DEVEIN AND REMOVE STRANGLER FIGS GROWING IN CAVITIES. THEN THERE IS MECHANICAL SUPPORT THEY'LL INSTALL. WE HAVE A MOTION. SECOND ON THESE FOR DISCUSSION? I WILL SECOND. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MANN. COMMISSIONER MANN? JUST SOME THOUGHTS. I WOULD BE PERFECTLY HAPPY JUST TO CUT THAT ONE LARGE LIMB OFF THAT IS ALL STRESSED OUT WITH CABLES AND STANDARDS UNDERNEATH IT. IS THAT THE $22,000 FIGURE? EVIDENTLY. THAT'S CORRECT. THAT IS THE QUOTE.



WELL, LET ME SAY THIS IN GENERAL. THERE IS A LITTLE GIRL THAT GREW UP IN MY CHURCH AND MY WIFE SPOKE TO HER YESTERDAY. THAT LITTLE GIRL IS 88 TODAY. BUT SHE WAS A LITTLE GIRL IN FORT MYERS AND SHE REMEMBERS A TIME WHEN MAIN STREET WAS CALLED OAK STREET. SO THERE IS TREMENDOUS HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE HERE. IT WAS FROM THIS COURTHOUSE UP AND DOWN MAIN STREET AS THERE WERE THESE HUGE OAKS ALL OVER. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN OAK HERE BORN ABOUT THE TIME LINCOLN WAS PRESIDENT. TO CONSIDER TAKING IT DOWN WHEN IN MY JUDGMENT IT IS IN ALMOST PERFECTLY GOOD HEALTH, IT JUST WITHSTOOD NOT ONE BUT TWO HURRICANES. THEY DIDN'T TAKE IT DOWN. THEY DIDN'T HARDLY EVEN TRIM IT. SO IF WE HAVE A SAFETY ISSUE AND APPARENTLY I GUESS THAT IS ARGUABLE ON THAT ONE LARGE LIMB. OK. I WON'T FIGHT ANYBODY ON THAT. GO AHEAD AND TAKE THAT ONE DOWN. BUT LET'S DON'T TOUCH THE REST OF THAT THING OR I WILL BE OUT THERE WITH A LITTLE OLD LADIES AND WHITE TENNIS SHOES LAYING IN FRONT OF THE BULLDOZER AND CHAIN SAW. I WILL HAVE MY OWN CHAIN SAW AND FIGHTING BACK. I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. I WANT TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE THE MOTION SPEAKS TO THE PROPER SHAPING, CROWNING THAT NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE. BUT NOTHING TO INJURE THE TREE. YOU WOULD PERHAPS BE FEARFUL OF.



FRANKLY IF THAT'S THE WILL OF THE BOARD TO SHAPE AND CROWN IT AND PLAY WITH IT, I THINK THE LORD TOOK CARE OF THAT IN 2004 AND 2005 WITH THE TWO HURRICANES. I WOULD BE PERFECTLY HAPPY FOR A WHOLE LOT LESS THAN $22,000 CHOPPING THE ONE LIMB OFF, THE LARGE BIG ONE THAT IS ROPED OFF RIGHT NOW AND HAS THE METAL ATTACHED TO IT. I THINK WE'D GET ALONG FINE. THERE IS WORK THAT HAS TO BE DONE. WE HAVE TO REMOVE THE IVY GROWING IN IT. THERE IS A COUPLE OF BANYAN TREES GROWING OUT OF IT. WE HAVE TO RECABLE IT. THERE IS MORE THAN JUST -- CHOP THE LIMB OFF. WHAT DO WE HAVE TO RECABLE? THERE IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE OTHER CABLE STRUNG TO REMAINING BRANCHES IS MY UNDERSTANDING. THERE IS SOME SUPPORT WORK DONE. I TRUST MR. WESTENBERGER. I SPENT A COUPLE OF HOURS WITH HIM. HE DID THE ORIGINAL WORK SO HE KNOWS THE TREE. I WOULD RECOMMEND YOU ALLOW HIM TO DO WHAT HE THINKS HE NEEDS TO DO TO KEEP THE TREE HEALTHY. AND INCLUDING INSTALLING THIS NEW WATER SYSTEM? THAT WILL COME LATER. BUT WE MAY BE ABLE TO DO IT AS PART OF THE ZEROSCAPE AND IF WE YANK THE CONCRETE UP ANYWAY, THEN THE GROUND IS EXPOSED. IT BECOMES A LOT EASIER TO LAY PLASTIC PIPE IF I'M NOT CUTTING CONCRETE. IS THAT PART OF THE $22,000? NO, SIR. WE'LL GET AN ESTIMATE FOR THAT LATER.



I'LL WRAP THAT INTO THE LANDSCAPING PROJECT THAT I WILL PRESENT TO YOU IN MARCH. THAT OAK TREE, MR. CHAIRMAN, IS A PART OF FLORIDA. AND IT'S PART OF ZEROSCAPING AND I DIDN'T WANT TO SPEND A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY. IT HAS LIVED 150 YEARS WITHOUT THIS ADDITIONAL EXPENSE. RELATIVELY MINOR TO THE BIG PICTURE HERE. IF YOU ALL ARE COMFORTABLE PRUNING AND CHOPPING TO TRY TO IMPROVE ON WHAT THE LORD HAS ALREADY DONE, I'LL SUPPORT THE MAJORITY ON THAT. I WOULD BE HAPPY CHOPPING ONE LIMB OFF. I WOULD DO IT MYSELF FOR FREE. BRING MY TRUCK AND CARRY OFF THE STEM. A MOTION. COMMISSIONER BIGELOW? PLEASE. RICH, I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED. SEVERAL YEARS BACK WE HAD A CAMPUS NATIVE LANDSCAPING PLAN AND THEN IT GET SHELVED? YEAH. IT WAS WHEN DOING THE REPOINTING OF BRICK WORK. WE THOUGHT BOY, WOULDN'T IT BE NICE -- WE HAD BEEN UP TO SARASOTA. SO YOU ARE SAYING YES. WHAT INTERRUPTED IT? DID THE BOARD SAY NO, WE DIDN'T WANT TO DO THIS? IT WAS US. CITYSCAPE WAS ANNOUNCED. WE WENT TO THE MEETINGS. YOU SAID THE MONEY WAS UNBUDGETED. WE HAD PUT MONEY INTO THE BUDGET.



IT WAS ROLLING FORWARD. IT WAS APPROVED, $300,000. BUT WHEN THE CITYSCAPE WAS ANNOUNCED AND WE LOOKED AT WHEN THE ORIGINAL PLAN WAS TO DO THESE THREE STREETS, WE SAID WE DON'T WANT TO SIT ON THE MONEY THAT LONG SO WE TURNED IT BACK FIGURING WE'D COME BACK TO THE BOARD WHEN THEY ANNOUNCED DOING THE STREETS. IT DIDN'T SEEM RESPONSIBLE TO SIT ON $300,000 FOR YEARS. IT IS INTERESTING NEWS TO ME BECAUSE ON NOVEMBER 21 OF 2006 I BROUGHT IT FORWARD AND I THINK WE AGREED THAT WE'D LOOK AT THIS ENTIRELY ENTIRE CITY BLOCK CAMPUS. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING, COMMISSIONER. WE WERE THINKING THAT WAY, TOO, COMMISSIONER. NO ONE TOLD ME ABOUT THERE BEING PLANS TO DO JUST THAT. IT IS INTERESTING. SO I'M LEARNING. I APPRECIATE THAT. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO PUT THIS TREE IN CONTEXT WITH THE ENTIRE LANDSCAPE EFFORTS OF THE CITY BLOCK. I'M PERFECTLY WILLING TO TAKE NO ACTION, KEEP IT CORDONED OFF AND LOOK AT THIS ALONG WITH THE MASTER PLAN THAT WOULD COME FORWARD. BECAUSE IT MIGHT BE THAT WE WANT TO SHORE UP THE FURTHER REACHES OF THE LIMB AND WALK AROUND THAT AREA. SEEMS LIKE WE MAY BE JUMPING THE GUN. IF YOU LOOK AT IT, THE BREAK IN THE LIMB, WHICH IS I GUESS LED FACILITIES TO BRING THIS FORWARD, HAS BECOME A $20,000 ISSUE WHEN IT WAS JUST THE LIMB THAT IS THE REASON WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS AT ALL. NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CABLING. I USED TO PRESENT TO CLIENTS, YOU KNOW, A PRICE FOR SOME WORK AND WE'D GIVE THEM THIS COMPREHENSIVE AMOUNT OF WORK AND THEY'D CONSIDER WHETHER THEY COULD AFFORD IT OR NOT.



SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE LOOKING AT $20,000 THAT MIGHT BE THERE ONLY BECAUSE THERE WAS OPPORTUNITY TO RENDER A BID FOR $20,000 THAT EXCEED WHAT IS WE NEED TO BE DOING WHICH IS ADDRESSING THE LIMB. YEAH, I THINK THIS BOARD IS PROBABLY GOING TO SPEND $20,000 TO DO THIS BIGGER WORK AND I THINK IT'S A BIT PREMATURE. I THINK WE SHOULD LOOK AT THE MASTER PLAN FOR THIS WHOLE CITY BLOCK FIRST. HAVING SAID ALL THAT, I GUESS IT'S NOT GOING TO -- MY EFFORTS ARE GOING TO FAIL HERE TODAY. I WOULD LIKE TO PUT THIS OUT THERE THAT I THINK THIS BANYAN TREE IS REALLY IMPINGING UPON THIS OAK AND A LITTLE KNOWN OAK. THERE IS A LITTLE KNOWN OAK EAST -- SORRY, WEST OF THIS BANYAN TREE THAT I THINK IS BEING TERRIBLY IMPACTED BY THAT BANYAN TREE. I WOULD LIKE US TO CONSIDER MAYBE SUPPORTING AN INITIATIVE TO EITHER REDUCE SIGNIFICANTLY THAT TREE OR TAKING IT OUT ENTIRELY. I'D LIKE TO LOOK AT IT IN THE MASTER CONCEPT PLAN APPROACH. COMMISSIONER BIGELOW, THOSE ISSUES, TAKING OUT THE BANYAN TREE WILL BE ADDRESSED IN MARCH. SEEMS LIKE WE'RE DOING SOMETHING PREMATURE. WE HAVE A MOTION. A SECOND? OBJECTION? I'M GOING TO OBJECT. MOTION PASSES 4-1. COMMISSIONER BIGELOW OBJECTING. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. LET'S SEE. COMMISSIONER FRANK MANN, ITEM 8-A. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE FUNDING AND THE FUNDING SOURCE OF $300 MILLION IS



INDEPENDENT DIVISION TRANSIT CAPITAL VEHICLES AND ROLLING STOCK VEHICLE MAINTENANCE. I'M SORRY, MAYBE EVERYBODY ELSE UNDERSTANDS THAT. I DON'T. WHAT IS THE FUNDING SOURCE? WE USED TO GET THESE LARGELY WITH FEDERAL GRANT. THIS IS 100% FEDERAL FUNDED. WHY DIDN'T YOU PUT THAT IN THE FUNDING SOURCE INSTEAD OF REVENUE AND EXPENSE AND REFEEDING THE WHOLE THING AND CONFUSING AN OLD MAN? IT SAYS IT RIGHT THERE WHICH IS 100% FEDERALLY FUNDED. I JUST LIKE FUNDING SOURCE CLEAR SO YOU CAN ZIP THROUGH THESE THINGS AND GET TO THE BOTTOM LINE. HOW MANY -- WHAT YEARS WERE THESE -- THE WORD TRADING BUILT? 28 VEHICLES PURCHASED BETWEEN 1995 AND 1997. ALL OF THOSE VEHICLES HAVE EXCEEDED WHAT IS CONSIDERED TO BE THEIR USEFUL LIFE. IT IS EITHER 12 YEARS OR 500,000 MILES. SO WE'LL REPLACE FOUR OF THOSE VEHICLES AND THEY RANGE IN MILEAGE FROM 586,000 TO 820,000 MILES. WHAT WE'LL DO IS THESE VEHICLES TAKE ABOUT A YEAR TO BE PRODUCED. AS WE APPROACH DELIVERY OF THOSE, WE'LL CHOOSE VEHICLES TO BE TAKEN FROM THE FLEET. IF HAVE YOU AN ENGINE FAILING, SOMETIMES YOU PARK THAT ONE THERE OR TAKE IT FROM THE FLEET. WE RESERVE THE DECISION ON EXACTLY WHICH VEHICLES WE'LL TAKE OUT. BUT THEY'LL ALL BE IN FAR EXCESS OF THEIR USEFUL LIVES. AND ARE NOW. JUST BEATING A DEAD HORSE, MR. CHAIRMAN. I KNOW THAT AIRPLANES FLY FOR 40 YEARS AND LONGER BECAUSE THEY HAVE REQUIRED MAINTENANCE.



A MACHINE CAN BE MADE TO CONTINUE USEFUL LIFE BY SIMPLY MAINTAINING IT. THESE ARE PRETTY SIMPLE MACHINES. THEY'RE DESIGNED TO GO MANY, MANY MILES. I'M JUST NOT PREPARED TO REPLACE THESE SIMPLY BECAUSE SOME FEDERAL FORMULA SAYS THAT NOW IT IS TIME AND WE'LL GET FREE FEDERAL MONEY. I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT ONE MORE TIME AND I WILL PROBABLY DO IT A BUNCH DURING THE COMING BUDGET THAT THIS FREE FEDERAL MONEY AMOUNTS TO $9 TRILLION IN NATIONAL DEBT THAT MY GREAT GRANDCHILDREN WILL HAVE TO PAY. I'M TIRED AND EMBARRASSED ABOUT PASSING THESE EXPENDITURES ONTO GENERATIONS NOT YET BORN. WE COULD GO ANOTHER YEAR OR TWO AND NOT REPLACE THESE. IT'S THE SAME OLD SONG. I WILL KEEP SINGING IT. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MANN. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF STEVE? I GUESS I WOULD SAY THESE WON'T BE REPLACED FOR ONE YEAR SO, COMMISSIONER MANN, SHOULD WE WAIT ANOTHER YEAR AND DO IT IN A YEAR OR REPLACE THEM IN FIVE YEARS? AT WHAT POINT DO YOU THINK THEY SHOULD BE REPLACED THAT'S APPROPRIATE? LATER THAN TODAY. WHICH IS? I MADE MY POINT. I THINK WE COULD RUN THE BUSES ANOTHER 10 YEARS WAS MY POINT. THEY'RE MACHINES. YOU CAN REPLACE MOTORS AND BRAKES AND THEY CONTINUE RIGHT ON. WE HAVE A VERY GOOD MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT OUT THERE. THEY'RE DOING A GOOD JOB OF TAKING CARE OF THEM. WE DON'T NEED TO DO THIS EXPENDITURE TODAY. THAT'S MY ONLY POINT.



SORRY IF I CONTINUE TO BELABOR IT. STEVE, WHAT'S OUR -- IF WE DIDN'T TAKE THE BUSES OFFLINE BECAUSE WE'RE NOT MEETING FEDERAL GUIDELINES, DOES THAT JEOPARDIZE US GETTING FEDERAL DOLLARS? OR DO WE JUST NOT REPLACE THEM WITH THOSE? IF WE RAN THE BUSES TO SAY, YOU KNOW, TWO MILLION MILES AND WE KEPT THEM PUT TOGETHER, WILL WE GET FEDERAL SUBSIDIES TO REPLACE THEM? THE ISSUE OF USEFUL LIFE IS NOT A CRITERIA THAT THE FEDS WOULD CONSIDER IN WHETHER OR NOT THEY'D CONTINUE TO FUND THE TRANSIT SYSTEM, NO. THE POINT WHERE WE CAN GET FEDERAL FUNDING. THAT'S WHEN THEY'RE ELIGIBLE TO BE REPLACED. ON SOME OF THE VEHICLES WE'LL HAVE CLOSE TO A MILLION MILES ON THEM. COMMISSIONER MANN IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT AND OUR MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT HAS DONE A GREAT JOB IN KEEPING THESE THINGS ON THE ROAD AND RELIABLY ON THE ROAD. THEY'RE GOOD VEHICLES. THESE 28 WE BOUGHT WERE PROBABLY SOME OF THE BEST VEHICLES MANUFACTURED. UNFORTUNATELY IN CANADA. BUT VERY GOOD VEHICLES. VERY HEAVY DUTY. THE ENGINES ARE STRONG IN THEM. BUT THERE DOES COME A POINT WHERE THE FATIGUE AND BODY STRUCTURE START TO GIVE WAY AND ALSO ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. SO AT A CERTAIN POINT IN TIME, YOUR MAINTENANCE COSTS WILL START TO ESCALATE, YOU KNOW, ON THE VEHICLES. NORMALLY, YOU KNOW A MILLION MILES IS STRETCHING VEHICLES OUT. BUT THIS LEE COUNTY TRANSIT MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT GETS RECOGNITION STATEWIDE FOR THEIR ABILITY AND FOR THE AMOUNT OF WORK THEY DO TO KEEP THE VEHICLES IN GOOD SHAPE. THEY CAN BE REPOWERED. THERE ARE OTHER COMPONENTS THAT BEGIN TO FAIL ON THE VEHICLES AS WELL.



LET ME ASK A QUICK QUESTION. STEVE, THIS I THINK BRINGS TO ISSUE THE NEW E.P.A. REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE IN EFFECT WITH NEW BUSES, NEW ENGINES. LOWER SULFUR. EMISSIONS. ALSO THE UPGRADE ON THE DIESEL THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO RUN ON. I KNOW THAT THAT CONGRESSIONAL ACTION BASICALLY EXEMPTED ALL OLD ENGINESS UNTIL THEY WERE PUT TO REST IN A PASTURE SOMEWHERE. FOR NEWER BUSES, NEWER ENGINES, WE'RE GETTING BETTER IN TERMS OF EMISSIONS. AGAIN, BECAUSE THE STANDARD ARE PUT IN PLACE. PERHAPS CAN YOU COMMENT ON THAT. WOULD THESE BUSES HAVE TO ABIDE BY NEW STANDARDS? YES. IN JANUARY OF 2007 THERE WAS A NEW ENGINE -- NEW EMISSIONS STANDARD FOR BUS ENGINES FOR ALL HEAVY DUTY VEHICLE ENGINES. THE NEWER BUSES DO HAVE A MUCH LOWER EMISSIONS CRITERIA. THEY'RE MADE FOR THE ULTRA LOW SULFUR EMISSION. THE OLDER ONES ARE NOT QUITE AS GOOD AS THE NEWER ENGINES. THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED TO BE AS YOU POINT OUT. IF WE WAIT UNTIL THE BUSES HAVE TWO, THREE, FOUR MILLION MILES ON IT, THEY'D NO LONGER BE AVAILABLE. MOVING ITEM 8-A. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER HALL. UNDER DISCUSSION? ANY OBJECTION? MOTION PASSES 5-0. MAIN MOTION. I THOUGHT YOU MADE THE MOTION.



COMMISSIONER HALL SECONDED IT. UNDER DISCUSSION. OBJECTION? MOTION PASSES 4-1. COMMISSIONER MANN DESCENDING. THANK YOU FOR CLARIFICATION. COMMISSIONER BIGELOW, ITEM 2-A. THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN JUDAH. OK. THIS IS AN ACTION ITEM TO AUTHORIZE CHAIRMAN TO SIGN A RESOLUTION TO ALLOW US TO EXECUTE A LOAN DOCUMENT WITH SUNTRUST FOR LONG-TERM FINANCING UP TO $1.2 MILLION FOR HARBOR DRIVE NSDU. IF I UNDERSTAND THIS CORRECTLY, WE'LL BORROW UP TO $1.2 MILLION TO PAY FOR A PROJECT THAT CITIZENS ALONG HARBOR DRIVE OR BENEFIT FROM HARBOR DRIVE WILL USE. WE RECENTLY HEARD FROM THESE FOLKS. SOME OF THEM WERE QUITE DISPLEASED WITH THE WHOLE PROCESS BECAUSE THEY WERE I GUESS IN A NUTSHELL FEELING LIKE THEY WERE VICTIMS OF BAIT AND SWITCH BECAUSE THEY WERE GIVEN UP FRONT ESTIMATES THAT WERE LARGELY OFF THE MARK AS TO WHAT THEY'LL FINALLY HAVE TO PAY. THAT WAS A DIFFERENT PROJECT. ISN'T THIS PINE ISLAND? WE BROUGHT IT A MONTHING A AND THE BOARD APPROVED FINAL ASSESSMENT AT THAT TIME. I THOUGHT YOU REFERED TO THE ONE WE JUST PUT -- I THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT YOU WERE REFERRING TO. I APOLOGIZE. OK. I VOTED AGAINST THAT. WHAT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IS WHY ARE WE IF WE HAVE SO MUCH CASH ON



HAND, DINAH,, DON. WHY DO WE HAVE TO BORROW MONEY THAT THESE FOLKS WILL HAVE TO PAY INTEREST ON? IS IT NOT POSSIBLE FOR US TO FRONT THIS MONEY TO LOAN IT OURSELVES TO THEM? IF NOT, WHY NOT? DINAH LEWIS, ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES. THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO HAVE THE FUNDS GO THROUGH A LOAN PROGRAM WHICH THE BOARD HAS APPROVED A SERIES OF THESE, MOST RECENTLY IN I BELIEVE MAY OF 2007. THAT THE FUNDS WOULD BE BORROWED THROUGH THE PROGRAM WITH SUNTRUST AND PROPERTY OWNERS WOULD FUND THE PAYMENTS DURING THE COURSE OF THE LOAN. CAN WE IF WE WANTED TO LOAN THIS MONEY TO THE RESIDENTS SO THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO PAY INTEREST ON $1.2 MILLION? OUTSIDE OUR REALM OF POSSIBILITIES AND POWERS AS A BOARD? I DON'T BELIEVE WE CAN DO THAT. THINK THERE IS RESTRICTIONS AS FAR AS USING PUBLIC DOLLARS, GENERAL FUND MONIES OR MONIES NOT SPECIFIC TO THAT PROJECT. THIS IS FOR THE BENEFIT OF A SMALL INDIVIDUAL COMMUNITY AND WE ARE RESTRICTED ON USING SOME OF THE FUNDS TO SUPPORT A SMALL AREA. SEEMS TO ME WE COULD DO IT IF WE WANTED TO DO IT. LET ME TALK TO THE BOARD FOR A MINUTE. I'M WITH YOU ON WHAT YOU ARE ASKING ABOUT. COULD WE GET A LEGAL OPINION AND THEN WE'LL KNOW. IF THEY'RE READY TO GIVE ONE. ANDREA, GOOD MORNING. IF I CAN RECALL, YOU CAN'T USE THOSE PUBLIC DOLLARS FOR THAT LIMITED PURPOSE AS IT IS NOT AN OVERALL PUBLIC PURPOSE. BUT WE CAN GIVE YOU FURTHER OPINION AT A LATER DATE IF YOU WANT. OK. THANK YOU. IT SEEMS TO ME WE HAVE HEARD FROM THE AUDITOR THIS MORNING.



WE HAVE THIS HUGE CHUNK OF CHANGE. IT'S SITTING FOR THE MOST PART IDLE. WE HAVE THE SAME DOLLARS TODAY FOR PROBABLY THE BETTER PART OF THIS LAST DECADE SITTING IN BANK ACCOUNTS. WHY NOT TRY TO FIND A WAY IF WE HAVE TO OVERCOME IT WITH LEGAL HURDLE TO HELP RELIEVE SOME RESIDENTS OF THIS COUNTY THAT ARE TRYING TO IMPROVE THE ROAD IN FRONT OF THEIR HOMES WITHOUT HAVING TO THEN THROW ON TOP OF THE HUGE TAX BURDEN THAT WE HAVE LEVELED ON THEM. WHY NOT TRY TO RELIEVE THEM BY NOT CHARGING THEM INTEREST. I THINK WE CAN DO THESE KINDS OF THINGS. I'M CONVINCED WE CAN HELP PEOPLE TRYING TO HELP THEMSELVES. AND WITHOUT HAVING LOOKED INTO THIS FURTHER, I WOULD NOT SUPPORT THIS MOTION. ALL RIGHT. 2-A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER JANES. SECOND. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER HALL. OBJECTION? YES, OBJECTION. MOTION 4-1. COMMISSIONER BIGELOW DESCENTING. COMMISSIONER BIGELOW? APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM SEPTEMBER 11, 2006 BEFORE I WAS A BOARD MEMBER. I CONFERED WITH LISA ON THIS. SO MOVED. MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HALL. MOVE TO 17-F. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MANN.



DISCUSSION? OBJECTION? OUTSTANDING OR ABSTAINING? MOTION PASSES -- OBJECTION. COMMISSIONER BIGELOW OBJECTING. ITEM 17-G. SAME THING? YES. SO MOVED. MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HALL. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MANN. MOTION PASSES 4-1 COMMISSIONER BIGELOW OBJECTING. WE GO TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENDA. ITEM 11-A. MOVE TO APPROVE THE PUBLIC SAFETY PURCHASE OF THE TELEPHONING EQUIPMENT. MOTION BY COMMISSIONER HALL. SECOND. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER JANES. DISCUSSION? OBJECTION? HEAR NO OBJECTION. MOTION PASSES. 15-A. MOVE IT. SECOND. MOTION BY COMMISSIONER JANES. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER HALL.



DISCUSSION? OBJECTION? HEAR NO OBJECTION. MOTION PASSES. OK. WE'LL GO ONTO THE PUBLIC HEARING. THAT IS CORRECT. WE HAVE THREE I THINK BEFORE US TODAY. YES. DONNA MARIE, WILL YOU HANDLE THIS OR WILL IT BE SCOTT? JOHN WILL BE HANDLING THE PETITIONS FOR VACATION. GOOD MORNING, JOHN. GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONER JUDAH. GOOD MORNING, BOARD MEMBERS. ASSISTANT COUNTY ATTORNEY. THREE PETITIONS TO VACATE FOR YOU TO HEAR THIS MORNING. EACH IS ADVERTISED. AND I HAVE REVIEWED THE FORM AND CONTENT WITH RESPECT TO EACH OF THOSE ADVERTISEMENTS. THEY'RE LEGALLY SUFFICIENT FOR YOU TO GO FORWARD WITH THE HEARINGS THIS MORNING. I'M GOING TO GIVE THOSE AFFIDAVITS TO THE BOARD'S CLERK. 9:30 A.M. PUBLIC HEARING AGENDA. VAC-2007-00039. THIS IS A REQUEST TO VACATE AN UNBUILT PLATTED 25-FOOT RESERVE RIGHT OF WAY LOCATED IN GATEWAY AT 12221 TOWN LAKE DRIVE. ALL RIGHT.



I'M GOING TO MOVE APPROVAL OF THIS. DID YOU GET ALL WHAT YOU NEEDED IN THE RECORD? YES, SIR. I WILL MOVE APPROVAL. WE CAN HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC. SECOND. GET THE ISSUE ON THE TABLE. MOTION BY COMMISSIONER JANES. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER HALL. THIS IS THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING ITEM BEFORE THIS BOARD AND DOES THE GENERAL PUBLIC WISH TO COMMENT? DISCUSSION? OBJECTION? HEAR NO OBJECTION. MOTION PASSES. SECOND ITEM. SECOND AGENDA ITEM ON THE 9:30 AGENDA IS VAC-2007-00049. THIS IS A REQUEST TO VACATE A 12-FOOT WIDE DRAINAGE AND PUBLIC UTILITY HE'SMENT LOCATED AT 13480 RICKENBACKER PARKWAY AND ALSO AT 11261 DANIELS PARKWAY IN FORT MYERS. THANK YOU. A MOTION TO MOVE THE ITEM? MOVED. MOTION BY COMMISSIONER JANES. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER HALL. ANYONE FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO COMMENT? DISCUSSION? OBJECTION? NO OBJECTION. MOTION PASSES.



ON TO THE FINAL AND THIRD PUBLIC HEARING ITEM. CASE VAC-2007-00052. THIS IS A PETITION TO VACATE AN UNBUILT PORTION OF A PLATTED ROAD RIGHT OF WAY THAT ABUT THES TWO PARCELS LOCATED AT 22350 NORTH RIVER ROAD IN ALVA. OPEN THIS UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT BECAUSE I HAVE A CARD FROM MICHAEL THAT WISHS TO COMMENT. GOOD MORNING, MICHAEL. MORNING. I'M AN ATTORNEY WITH FOWLER. WE REPRESENT RICK AND SANDY SOMMERS WHO HAVE HAD A TWO-YEAR RUNNING LEGAL DISPUTE WITH THE PREDECESSOR IN TITLE TO A PORTION OF THE PROPERTY THAT IS UNDER CONSIDERATION. THE ONLY REASON I'M HERE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT TO THE EXTENT THE SUCCESSORS OF INTEREST THINK WE NEED TO CONTINUE OUR OBJECTIONS TO ATTEMPT TO ACCESS THIS FUTURE SUBDIVISION THROUGH OUR FRONT YARD, WHICH ESSENTIALLY LIES AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THIS ASSEMBLY OF PROPERTIES, WE WANT TO BE ON RECORD AS DOING THAT. IF THEY CHOOSE -- THIS IS APPARENTLY A PROPOSED SUBDIVISION BEFORE YOU IN SOME SORT OF REZONING. IF THEY CHOOSE NOT TO ACCESS IT THROUGH OUR PROPERTY, WE HAVE NO OBJECTION TO VACATING THIS ROAD. BUT SINCE WE HAVE NO IDEA HOW THEY INTEND TO ACCESS IT IN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION, WE THOUGHT WE NEEDED TO COME HERE AND REGISTER OUR CONCERNS. I SUPPOSE THE BEST I COULD SAY IS IT MIGHT BE PREMATURE GIVEN THE FACT IT IS PART OF A PROPOSED SUBDIVISION WHERE ACCESS IS IN DISPUTE AND IN THAT REGARD I DON'T KNOW THAT THIS APPLICANT IS PREJUDICED BY DELAYING ACTION UNTIL YOU CAN SEE THE ENTIRE PLAN WHICH WOULD INCLUDE THE ACCESS. IF WORST COMES TO WORST, WE'LL BE ACROSS THE STREET IN CIRCUIT COURT, NOT WITH THE COUNTY BUT WITH THE DEVELOPER IN THIS CASE. BUT SINCE IT IS COME BEFORE YOU FIRST, THIS IS OUR FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO APPEAR AND EXPRESS THIS OPINION AND REGISTER AN OBJECTION. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF ME? QUESTIONS?



I GUESS I DO. COMMISSIONER BIGELOW. HELP ME UNDERSTAND IF WE WERE TO VACATE THIS RIGHT OF WAY THAT THAT COMBINES A LOT THAT WOULD THEN HAVE TO BE ACCESSED THROUGH YOUR CLIENT'S PARCEL? WE DON'T KNOW. IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A PART OF THE ASSEMBLY OF FOUR VERY LARGE TRACKS. AT LEAST TWO OR THREE OF THEM HAVE SOME ACCESS THROUGH AN EASEMENT THAT HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR PROBABLY 90 YEARS. IT RUNS ALONG THE RIVERBANK SO TO SPEAK. GOES ACROSS MY CLIENT'S PROPERTY. BUT THAT'S HISTORICALLY BEEN USED FOR THE OCCASIONAL FARM VEHICLE. WHEN WE GOT INTO THIS DISPUTE WITH THE PREDECESSOR IN TITLE THEY WERE TALKING IN TERMS OF USING IT AS A MAIN ENTRANCE TO THEIR SUBDIVISION WHICH WE DIDN'T TAKE KINDLY TO AND TOLD THEM. THEY SOLD THE PROBLEM TO A SUCCESSOR OF INTEREST. THE DISPUTE CONTINUES. IF NOT FOR THAT, I DON'T KNOW WE'D HAVE ANY OBJECTION WHATEVER TO THIS VACATION. IT DOESN'T REALLY TOUCH OUR PROPERTY. BUT SINCE IT APPEARS TO BE A PART OF A LONG-RANGE PLAN WHERE ACCESS IS SOMEWHAT IN DOUBT, WE NEEDED TO COME FORWARD TODAY AND EXPRESS OUR CONCERN BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS DEVELOPER IS PLANNING TO DO. WE JUST KNOW TO THE EXTENT HE WANTS TO BRING HIS TRAFFIC THROUGH OUR FRONT YARD, WE'RE NOT GOING TO SIT IDLE FOR IT. BUT THAT WOULD BE A DISPUTE NOT INVOLVING THE COUNTY. I WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR. OUR OBJECTION IS NOT WITH THE COUNTY. IT'S WITH OUR NEIGHBOR TO THE EAST. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN TO ME.



THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER BIGELOW? COULD WE HAVE PETE COME FORWARD AND MAYBE HELP US UNDERSTAND OUR SIDE OF THIS EQUATION. HELP ME. IF I MAY. PETE'S APPROACHING AS WELL. THE ONE POINT I WOULD MAKE FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT IS THAT THE EFFECT OF THIS VACATION TODAY FEW APPROVE IT, TERMINATES WHATEVER RIGHTS THE PUBLIC MAY HAVE IN THE ROADWAY. UNDERLYING PRIVATE RIGHTS OF ACCESS REMAIN IN TACT. AND, IN FACT, I BELIEVE YOU WILL FIND IN THE COVER LETTER THAT I THINK CAME WITH THIS PACKAGE WITH THE RECOMMENDATION FROM DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, IT HIGHLIGHTS THAT ISSUE THAT ANY SUBSEQUENT DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROPERTY THAT INVOLVE THIS IS PROPERTY MAY REQUIRE THAT SUBSEQUENT DEVELOPMENT AND THAT PROPERTY OWNER TO JUSTIFY OR ESTABLISH THAT THOSE PRIVATE RIGHTS NO LONGER EXIST. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE STATUS OF THOSE ARE AT THIS POINT. BUT, AGAIN, ALL THIS WILL DO IS VACATE THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT IN THIS PORTION OF THE PROPERTY. PETE, ANYTHING TO ADD? GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS. THE PORTION OF THE RIGHT OF WAY IS AN UNDEVELOPED PORTION OF THIS PLATTED RIGHT OF WAY. THERE IS AN ASSEMBLAGE OF PROPERTY THAT HAS APPARENTLY OCCURRED AND WE HAVE SEEN NO DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR ANYTHING UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT ON ANY OF THE PARCELS. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE WESTERLY PORTION OF THIS RIGHT OF WAY THAT THE BOARD PREVIOUSLY VACATED. EVEN IF THIS PARTICULAR SMALL SEGMENT OF RIGHT OF WAY THAT LIES ON A COMMON PROPERTY LINE IS VACATED, THERE WILL STILL BE THE AVAILABILITY OF THE BALANCE OF THE RIGHT OF WAY PLATTED, ALBEIT UNDEVELOPED, THAT RUNS TO THE EAST AND IF THERE IS REQUIREMENT TO PROVIDE SECONDARY ACCESS TO THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT, THERE IS NOTHING IN THIS VACATION THAT WOULD PRECONCLUDE THE



APPLICANT FROM PURSUING THAT PARTICULAR ACCESS. IT WOULD ALSO APPEAR THAT A FUTURE PROJECT WILL HAVE ACCESS TO NORTH RIVER ROAD. SO THERE WILL BE TWO METHODS OF ACCESS THAT WILL STILL BE AVAILABLE THAT WOULD NOT INVOLVE HIS CLIENT. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS CAME TO OUR ATTENTION. BUT IT APPEARS SUFFICIENT ACCESS WILL BE AVAILABLE EVEN IF YOU VACATE THIS. QUESTIONS OF PETE? MOVE THE ITEM. MOVED BY COMMISSIONER HALL. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MANN. DISCUSSION? OBJECTION? HEARING NO OBJECTION. MOTION PASSES. COMMISSIONER ITEMS. COMMISSIONER HALL? TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO COMMENT ON THE FEDERAL FISH AND WILDLIFE REGULATIONS ON SPRAYING FOR MOSQUITOS ON FEDERALLY-OWNED PROPERTIES. THERE IS SOME CONCERN FROM THE HOSPITALTY INDUSTRY AS TO WHAT EFFECT IT WILL HAVE AS WE LOOK FORWARD AT BALANCING AND I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM ANY COUNTY ADMINISTRATION. I SENT EMAILS TO NATURAL RESOURCES YESTERDAY. THEY HAVE NOT COMMENTED. THIS DIDN'T COME UP AT THE VISITORS AND CONVENTION BUREAU EVEN THOUGH SEVERAL HAVE HAD DIALOGUE WITH STAFF. I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT MISSING OPPORTUNITY TO ENSURE THAT THERE ISN'T SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE SAYING TO FISH AND WILDLIFE. SO, DON, YOU SEEM TO HAVE SOME INFORMATION. COMMISSIONER, I'M SORRY.



WE WERE JUST NOTIFIED THAT THE DEADLINE IS EXTENDED BY 60 DAYS SO WE STILL HAVE TIME. I THOUGHT IT WAS THE EXTENSION OF THE 60 DAYS ENDED TODAY. NO. I THINK IT EXTENDED FROM TODAY'S DATE. ANOTHER 60 DAYS. OK, GREAT. COMMISSIONER JUDAH, I KNOW YOU CHAIR. I THINK THE INDUSTRY WANTS TO KNOW WE'RE AWARE OF IT AND THAT -- WHAT THE IMPACTS MAY OR MAY NOT BE AND IF THERE IS COMMENTS WE SHOULD MAKE. I WOULD ASK YOU TO PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA AND MAYBE SIT DOWN AND MAKE SURE IT IS ADDRESSED BECAUSE SEVERAL OF OUR OUT PROPERTIES ON PINE ISLAND AND SOME OTHER OUTER ISLAND PROPERTIES ARE CONCERNED THAT IF WE'RE NOT DOING A GOOD JOB AND THERE IS NOT A BALANCE THERE, WE COULD HAVE NEGATIVE IMPACT TO THE INDUSTRY. OK. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER ITEMS? NO? COMMISSIONER JANES? NONE. COMMISSIONER MANN? MR. CHAIRMAN, ONE THING AT THE RICK OF TAKING ON PEOPLE WHO BUY INK BY THE BARREL. I WARNED OTHER FOLKS MANY TIMES NOT TO DO THAT. I FIND MYSELF STILL DOING IT. IN OUR LOCAL PAPER YESTERDAY THERE WAS AN EDITORIAL REFERING TO NEGLECT IN LEHIGH ACRES AND THE CAUSE OF RECENT CRIME THERE. I WOULD POINT OUT IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET WE APPROVED MORE ROAD SURFACING MONEY, RESURFACING MONEY IN LEHIGH THAN EVER BEFORE AND IT GETS THE LARGEST BY FAR LION'S SHARE OF ROAD RESURFACING MONEY OF ANY AREA IN LEE COUNTY. WE BEEFED UP OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES OUT THERE SUBSTANTIALLY AND



THE LEE COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE WAS GIVEN A 12% INCREASE IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET WHEN THE GENERAL REVENUE SPENDING INCREASED LESS THAN 2% ACROSS THE BOARD. TO SAY THERE IS NEGLECT THERE IS JUST NOT ACCURATE AND THAT NEEDS TO BE SAID FOR THE RECORD. I'M NOT CERTAIN OF THEIR MESSAGE. I HAVE AN ARTICLE HERE. I WOULD POINT OUT THAT IT CAME ON THE HEELS, BARELY 10 DAYS EARLIER OF A COLUMNIST FROM THE SAME PAPER THAT I THINK COMMISSIONER BIGELOW MADE REFERENCE TO. MR. WARNER SAYING WE NEED TO GET MORE SERIOUS AND RESPOND TO THE PEOPLE'S CALL FOR FEWER TAXES AND MORE EFFICIENCIES IN GOVERNMENT. AS I RECALL, MR. CHAIRMAN, YOU WERE PERFECTLY WILLING TO APPOINT HIM TO BE HEAD OF THE COMMITTEE THAT HE SUGGESTED WE HAVE FOR THOSE PURPOSES. I HAVE THE SAME PAPER TELLING ME TO RELEASE MY SPENDING AND WILL TO THE PEOPLE AND SAME PAPER IS SAYING WE ARE NEGLECTING WHEN THE FACTS SHOW THAT WE ARE NOT. THE PAPER CARRIES A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY UNDER THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO INFORM THE PUBLIC AND IT IS A NECESSARY ENTITY OF FREE PRESS AND FREE DEMOCRACY. IT IS INCUMBENT UPON ALL OF US WHO WORK WITHIN THIS DEMOCRACY TO HOLD UP OUR RESPONSIBILITIES AND I THINK IN THIS CASE THEY HAVE SENT MIXED SIGNALS AND IMPROPER SIGNALS. IT SHOULD BE CLARIFIED FOR THE RECORD. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. COMMISSIONER MANN, I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT FORWARD ACTUALLY. I HAVE TO SAY IN DEFENSE OF FORMER COMMISSIONER JOHN ALBION WHO WORKED TIRELESSLY AS A DISTRICT COMMISSIONER FOR LEHIGH ACRES AND I KNOW AS A MEMBER OF THIS BOARD FOR YEARS, THE TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT THIS BOARD HAS APPROVED FOR SIGNIFICANT AND SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENTS IN THE LEHIGH ACRES' COMMUNITY AND RECOGNIZING IT IS SUCH A PIVOTAL COMMUNITY FOR THE GROWTH AND LEE COUNTY, WE'D RATHER SEE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OCCUR IN AN ESTABLISHED COMMUNITY SUCH AS LEHIGH ACRES AND PROVIDE FOR INFRASTRUCTURE RATHER THAN OUTLINING AREAS DISTURBED AND ALTERED. TO THAT END, LEE COUNTY OVER THE YEARS HAS MADE SIGNIFICANT COMMITMENTS IN ROADS, PARKS, LIBRARIES AND EVEN, IN FACT, WE'RE AGREEABLE TO SELLING AT A



VERY REDUCED COST LAND THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN SET ASIDE FOR PARKLAND. THIS IS THE SITE OF HOMESTEAD ROAD, VETERANS PARK WHERE WE SOLD LAND FOR CONSTRUCTION OF TWO NEW SCHOOLS. LEE COUNTY HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL PARTNER IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD, WHETHER HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OR LEE COUNTY COMMUNITY SERVICES. THE INFRASTRUCTURE PROVIDED. YOU KNOW, QUITE CLEARLY BECAUSE OF THE GROWTH THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON AT LEHIGH ACRES, CRIME HAS DEVELOPED ALONG WITH IT. YOU KNOW, WE CERTAINLY PROVIDED AMPLE FUNDING TO THE LEE COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT AND TO HIS CREDIT HE IS DEPLOYING MORE DEPUTY ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL TO ADDRESS ISSUES CONCERNING CRIME IN LEHIGH ACRES' COMMUNITY. WE HAVE BUILT UP CODE ENFORCEMENT, DOING MORE THAN THE CORE LEVEL OF SERVICE WOULD BE PROVIDED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE KIND OF SWAT TEAM APPROACH IN DIRECTING CODE ENFORCEMENT, CHANGES IN THE LINE OF DEVELOPMENT CODE. I'M SOMEWHAT PERPLEXED AND FRUSTRATED WITH WHAT I READ YESTERDAY WITH REGARDS TO THE EDITORIAL. IN FACT, I'M MEETING WITH MR. WARNER AT 2:00 THIS AFTERNOON. I LOOK FORWARD TO MR. WARNER CHAIRING THIS TASK FORCE AND CERTAINLY WE'LL PROVIDE ANY AND ALL ASSISTANCE AND RESOURCES THAT ARE NEEDED. CERTAINLY. COMMISSIONER BIGELOW? I'M GOING TO HAVE TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. THE HEADLINE WAS THAT THE CRIME IS A SYMPTOM, AM I RIGHT? CRIME A SYMPTOM OF NEGLECT IN LEHIGH. I THINK THOSE ARE APT WORDS BECAUSE WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN LEHIGH IS -- WHAT'S NOT HAPPENED IN LEHIGH IS WE HAVE NOT RECOGNIZED IT IS BECOMING THE GHETTO OF LEE COUNTY. I THINK THEY ACCUSE CICERO OF PLAYING FIDDLE WHILE ROME BURNED. NERO. ONE OF THOSE GUYS. THEY ALL LOOK ALIKE.



MY FAULT. I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE BEING ACCUSED OF FOR THE BLIGHT AND CRIME THAT IS OCCURING IN LEHIGH. I THINK IT IS FOR A LACK OF ON HAND APPROACH TO LEHIGH THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING THE REFERENDUM BROUGHT FORTH AND OPINIONS FROM THOSE FOLKS WHO HAVE LIVED WITH IT AS LONG AS WE HAVE. WRITERS OF LOCAL OPINIONS. I HAVE PROPOSED THAT THE SOLUTION TO I-75 OR COLONIAL BOULEVARD EXPRESSWAY IS NOT MORE ASPHALT. THAT IT IS MORE WORK WITHIN THESE COMMUNITIES OF CAPE CORAL AND LEHIGH. AND, YOU KNOW, I KIND OF CARVED OUT A NICHE ON THIS BOARD AS THIS ONE PERSON KIND OF WHISTLING IN THE WIND AT TIMES. THAT IS OK. I THINK THAT'S HEALTHY FOR DEMOCRACY. I CERTAINLY DON'T SEE IT THE WAY I BELIEVE THE FOUR OF YOU SEE IT. THAT IS THAT LEHIGH HAS FOR TOO, TOO LONG, BETTER PART OF TWO DECADES BEEN IGNORED. SURE, WE'LL THROW MONEY AT SYMPTOMS BUT WE'RE NOT GETTING IN AND ADDRESSING THE CORE PROBLEM. I WILL SAY, THOUGH, THAT WE HAVE A HALF MILLION COMMUNITY PLANNING EFFORT UNDERGOING CONTINUOUS REVIEW AND PLANNING BY SOME WORLD RENOWNED PLANNERS. WE'RE ENGAGING THE PUBLIC. I THINK THAT IS THE BEGINNING BUT THAT WILL REQUIRE A LOT OF VERY DIFFICULT WORK. WE'LL HAVE TO ASSEMBLE PROPERTIES. WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE TO TRY TO DO STUFF THAT THE STATE LEGISLATURE HAS RECOGNIZED OR TRIED TO PROHIBIT US FROM DOING. BECAUSE OF THE SUPREME COURT DECISION SOME TIMING A THAT MADE IMMINENT DOMAIN FOR PRIVATE GAIN PURPOSES.



WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK IN LEHIGH TO DO. I HAVE SUGGESTED THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE OURSELVES TO LEHIGH. COMMISSIONER JUDAH, YOU HAVE SEVERAL TIMES MENTIONED THE SEPTIC SYSTEMS AND WELLS OUT THERE. IT IS AN INCREDIBLE PROBLEM. WE HAVEN'T EVEN -- WE HAVE NOT EVEN DIRECTED OUR UTILITY DEPARTMENT TO COME UP WITH A PLAN IN ORDER TO GET LEHIGH OFF SEPTIC AND WELLS. WE'RE GOING TO RUN A PIPE FROM THE SOUTHEASTERN WELLS OVER THE OLGA PLANT. WE'RE GOING RIGHT THROUGH LEHIGH AND IT IS AS IF THEY DON'T EXIST. THIS IS FROM MY PRIVATE DISCUSSIONS WITH DOUG BECAUSE HE HAS NOT BEEN GIVEN DIRECTION TO RECOGNIZE LEHIGH AS A COMMUNITY THAT NEEDS IN ITS CORE AREA, DOWNTOWN LEHIGH, IF YOU WILL. WE HAVE NOT GIVEN DIRECTION TO START TO PLAN HOW IT IS WE CAN GET LEHIGH OFF WELL AND SEPTIC. THAT'S THE KIND OF GROUND LEVEL ROOT EFFORT WE NEED TO TAKE TO SOLVE LEHIGH'S PROBLEMS. WHAT WE'RE HEARING ABOUT IS A SYMPTOM OF THE DISEASE. THE DISEASE IS FAILURE ON THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT'S PART TO GET IN AND ROLL UP THEIR SLEEVES AND DOT HARD WORK IN MY OPINION. LET ME, IF I COULD, JUST SUGGEST YES, WE HAVE GIVEN DIRECTION TO ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF A CONSIDERABLE TIMING A TO SECURE AND PROCEED IN ACQUIRING FGUA. FLORIDA GOVERNMENT UTILITY AUTHORITY. IN THE MEANTIME, THOUGH, WE HAVE STAFF THAT IS ACTUALLY SITTING ALONG WITH FGUA BOARD MEMBERS TO DETERMINE THE BEST WAY TO PROCEED IN THE TRANSITION OVER TO LEE COUNTY UTILITIES. THAT MEANS LOOKING AT SIZING OF THE PIPE THEY'RE PUTTING IN IN THE EXPANSION PROGRAM, SIZE OF THE WATER AND WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANTS THEY'RE BUILDING TO ACCOMMODATE NEEDS IN LEHIGH COMMUNITY. I WILL BE VERY, VERY APPRECIATIVE AND INDEED SEE YOUR SLEEVES ROLLED UP TO GET THE WORK DONE WHEN THE ISSUE COMES TO THIS BOARD TO GO AHEAD AND PURCHASE FGUA.



THAT'S WHEN THE RUBBER HITS THE ROAD. THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO. IS THAT PART OF THE PLAN? COMMISSIONER HALL? COMMISSIONER ITEMS ARE BECOMING AGENDA ITEMS. THIS IS HOUSE OF THE PEOPLE. ON OUR AGENDA WAS NOT A BELABORED DISCUSSION ON UTILITIES FOR LEHIGH. THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE IN LEHIGH ACRES THAT IF THIS WAS ON THE AGENDA, THEY'D LIKE TO COME AND COMMENT TO IT. AS COMMISSIONER ITEMS, THESE ARE ITEMS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES. AND IF THERE IS AN INFORMATION PURPOSE THAT NEEDS TO HAVE ADDITIONAL DIALOGUE, IT'S INCUMBENT UPON THE COMMISSION TORE REQUEST TO A MANAGER PLANNING OR BLUE SHEET WHERE THE PUBLIC IS AWARE OF THE ITEM DISCUSSED. STAFF CAN BE PREPARED TO ADDRESS THE QUESTIONS THAT WILL BE HERE. NOW WE'RE HERE AND COMMISSIONER MANN VERY APPROPRIATELY SHARED A COMMENT WITH HIM REGARDING A NEWSPAPER. NOW IT SEGUED INTO A 15-MINUTE DIALOGUE ON ALL OF THE ISSUES WITH LEHIGH. IF WE NEED TO HAVE A WORKSHOP, I SUGGEST WE HAVE IT. OR CAN WE GET BACK TO COMMISSIONER ITEMS OF INFORMATION? I WANT TO AFFORD THE PUBLIC THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE ITEMS AGENDAED IF THEY'RE GOING BEYOND INFORMATION ITEMS SO THEY CAN COMMENT OR BE IN THE CHAMBERS OR TUNE IN ON TELEVISION SETS TO WATCH THE DEBATE, DIALOGUE OR COMMENTS. I ASK IF WE COULD GET BACK TO COMMISSIONER ITEMS. GOOD POINT. YES, WE CAN DO THAT, COMMISSIONER HALL. COMMISSIONER BIGELOW? ANY COMMISSIONER ITEMS? I JUST WANTED TO ASK THE COUNTY MANAGER, ARE WE BRINGING FORWARD A CEREMONIAL PRESENTATION TO RECOGNIZE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA FAIR? IS THAT ON OUR -- I HAD MET WITH THE FAIR REPRESENTATIVE A WEEK OR SOING A. I'M NOT AWARE IF WE ARE, COMMISSIONER.



OK. WE CAN LOOK INTO IT FOR YOU. I THINK IT MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE. COMMISSIONER HALL, IT IS IN YOUR DISTRICT. I HAVEN'T BEEN APPOINTED LIAISON THIS YEAR. WE USUALLY EVERY YEAR PUT FORTH A FAIR RESOLUTION. WHO IS LIAISON? I THINK I INHERITED THAT ONE. WE CAN DO THIS TOGETHER. WOULD YOU PLEASE CONTACT THEM. GOOD IDEA. OK. COMMISSIONER BIGELOW, ANY OTHER ITEMS? NOPE, THAT'S IT. I WANT TO CONGRATULATION MARTHA. SUSTAINABILITY SPECIALIST WITH AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE. SHE WORKED HER TAIL OFF AND PITING TOGETHER A FLOAT WITH A LOT OF VOLUNTEERS ALONG WITH SOME COMPANIES IN THE AREA. PUTTING TOGETHER A FLOAT THAT DEMONSTRATED AND EMPHASIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF RECYCLING AND CONSERVATION OF ENERGY. IN FACT, HER FLOAT ENDED UP GETTING HONORABLE MENTION. SO I WANT TO CREDIT HER AND HER VOLUNTEERS FOR SPENDING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TIME. THEY WERE CLEARLY THE GREENEST FLOAT IN THE PARADE. I WANT TO COMMEND MARTHA FOR HER HARD WORK. ALSO, DON, THERE ARE NO STAFF HERE AND I DIDN'T BRING IT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE BOARD.



I SIMPLY WOULD LIKE AN UPDATE ON THE ALGAE STUDY. THE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL APPROVED FUNDING. SANIBEL APPROVED FUNDING. THE COUNTY APPROVED FUNDING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH BAKELY A DETERMINING WHAT HAS CREATED A PROBLEM WITH THE INCREASE FREQUENCY AND DURATION OF RED TIDE AND ALGAE BLOOMS. THINKING THAT PERHAPS A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH THE PREVIOUS RAINS THAT WE RECEIVED IN PAST YEARS WHERE THE NUTRIENT LOADING GETS BUILT UP IN THE SEDIMENT OF THE GULF OF MEXICO AND RIGHT CONDITIONS PRESENT ITSELF AND WE GET THAT PROBLEM WITH THE RED TIDE AND ALGAE. I'M ALARMED BECAUSE THIS THING REALLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN UP AND RUNNING BY NOW. WE NEED TO START COLLECTING DATA IN A VERY UNUSUAL YEAR WHERE WE HAVE A DROUGHT CONDITION SO WE CAN COMPARE TO TIMES WHEN WE HAD HEAVY RAIN. WHAT I WOULD ASK IS THAT GOSH DARN IT, LET'S GET THIS ISSUE BACK TO THE BOARD SO THERE IS NO MISUNDERSTANDING AND START COLLECTING DATA WE NEED TO COLLECT. FOR SOME REASON IT SEEMS TO BE LOST IN THE BUREAUCRACY. I'M ASKING YOU TO BRING IT BACK TO THIS BOARD THAT THIS PROJECT IS MOVING FORWARD AND YOU GOT THE SCIENTISTS OUT THERE STARTING TO COLLECT DATA. OK. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE THE BOARD'S INDULL GENERALS. COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS. COMMISSIONER HALL? NONE. COMMISSIONER JANES? NONE. COMMISSIONER MANN? NONE. COMMISSIONER BIGELOW.



YES. BEFORE I DO. CAN I ASK A QUESTION SINCE I CAN'T DO IT PRIVATELY. WHEN DID THIS BOARD GIVE DIRECTION TO ACQUIRE FGUA? TO LOOK INTO THE FEASIBILITY AND INVESTIGATE THE POSSIBILITY OF ACQUIRING FGUA WAS DONE AT LEAST TWO YEARS AGO. WE HAVE NOT GIVEN DIRECTION TO PURCHASE. TO LOOK INTO FEASIBILITY OF ACQUIRING IT. OK. NEW APPOINTMENT OF PEGGY STASHS TO THE RUSSELL PARK STREET LIGHTING UNIT. REAPPOINTMENT OF DR. JOY ELLEN RYAN TO DEPARTMENT FOR RESULTS REVIEW PANEL. REAPPOINTMENT OF MARION BARREN TO ALABAMA GROW LIGHTING UNIT. REAPPOINTMENT OF GILBERT BARREN TO THE GROWTH AREA LIGHTING UNIT. MOTION BY COMMISSIONER BIGELOW. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MANN. MOTION PASSES. I HAVE A FEW IF I MAY. MADELEINE ISAAC. SPECIAL IMPROVEMENT UNIT. DON GORDON TO PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE. SHARON TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE. STEVEN AND GARY AND MARIANNE AND DR. LUTHER. SO MOVED. SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER JANES. MOTION PASSES. COUNTY MANAGER ITEMS?



COUNTY ATTORNEY ITEMS? GOOD TO SEE YOU HERE. WE ARE ADJOURNED.

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